Summer 1222 Tribunal: The Trial of Adorjan Megidezo

Thanks!
Betting on a 5...
int 2 (damn it!) + Code 1 + 1d10=9 :frowning: (I'd have loved a 0)
Damn, it's even worse, he knows it! He made the 12 :frowning:

Well, let's say he forgot himself. Hum... Given the years spent in Iberia, where the tribunal is in anarchy, it seems sensible he hasn't seen this from years, and has grown accustomed to the rules being flaunted left and right.
Speaking to himself, after reminding himself the point: Damn, the old bastard is right. Although he sure is quite anal about it. Especially considering the previous outrage. Yet... Well, I guess I don't regret it. This was important, both for lady cygna and her reputation.

Ah-Ah!
Hiems knew there was something fishy about it!!! :smiley:

Hiems is so caught up in his words and the importance to get the idea to cygna that he doesn't even remark it.

Once he lets her go, though, he'll absentmindedly shake his hands a little, as if there's something to them

O_o Of course not. And if I let you think otherwise, you have my sincerest apologies.

What trutina said only confirm my suspicions. I may not be the most adept user of the Sight, but, in all these years he tormented you, I should have seen it, if he was a simple ghost. Likewise, hermetic magics should have been able to detect him. But there's something else, too. I may not be the most knowledgeable magus about it, but, from what you've told me, he seems surprisingly self-aware and conscious.
As it is, I am left thinking that, through his heinous acts, he came back from death as a demon, or at least some kind of infernal ghost, as a gift from his dark masters. This would explain everything, way more than simply ghostly possession.

Hiems nods
Exactly. Although I don't think he's always here at all, since he previously manifested inside holy places.
This must be the moment when this occurs

Hiems probably notices cygna's reaction
He is here, is he? Well, fine. Hello, Adorjan, goodbye Adorjan.
Listen to me, lady cygna. He only seeks to warp your mind.
My guess is that, at least part of the time he uses either some kind of Creo Mentem effect through an arcane connection to you, to project his infernal visions into your mind, or something like the Miniatures used by our Jerbiton Brethren. Illusions so minuscule only their recipient can perceive them. That, or he is frighteningly powerful, and idea that shouldn't be discarded. And you may want to consider the idea that he may possess you, or hide himself in some or your belongings

But, really? you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Be him a ghost or a demon, he is an evil spirit of some sort, and he is tormenting you. Hell, for what we know... I might be wrong, too! For there is another possibility I have considered, that is maybe even more dire.

He shakes his head, then looks at her again with a kind look in his eyes, which is strange to cygna: Aside from his moments with his lady love, she has seldom see his face betray much emotion save, of course, perplexity or some other kind of intellectual reaction (his spock/teal'c - like o_O).
I will tell you one last thing, though. And that is that I was wrong about you. All these years, I have admired you, your wisdom and your kindness. But I now see that you are a fool, first and foremost. Because you fail to see how wonderful you are.

And with that, too instinctive for either of them to realize, like something taking hold of himself, he takes a step toward cygna, coming close to her, raises his hand, and then, his eyes widen and he steps back quickly, his face becoming once more normal, albeit puzzled
Oh. I... I am sorry, lady cygna, this... This shouldn't have happened.
He looks at his hands, like they belong to someone else
I don't know what took hold of me. I don't understand. This... I beg you to pardon me, this won't happen again.

[color=red]"I don't lust..." Cygna says before Adorjan pushes her. She stumbles back, shocked at Adorjan's shove, then stands there numbly at his last words.

Of course...it's Cygna. :smiley:

((He did? Not ringing a bell atm, can't remember when cygna did see him in a church or something offhand))

Cygna looks at Hiems expectantly, waiting to hear what his theory is.

As Hiems draws close to Cygna, for just a moment she feels a warm flush of anticipation...but just as quickly she remembers her vows and is just about to take a step back when Hiems comes to.

[color=red]"It's all right," she says awkwardly. [color=red]"I...really should be going." She turns and almost runs back to her room, utterly confused by what just happens, and drops to her knees in prayer, begging the Lord for strength and forgiveness. She will make every effort to stay where she is until sundown, when they send for her to have the ritual cast upon her to deal with the brands.

:laughing: exactly!

I was under the impression that he did, at some point, which made me suppose he must have done so previously. After all, this doesn't impede him at all. Which is a fun way to talk of a delusion :laughing:

Of course. I shall go myself.

Once he's apart of cygna and alone, he'll pause, and ponder, thinking aloud:
What the hell was that? It felt almost as... Yet, it was different. This is... I mean, sure, somewhere I... well, okay, one could say I... That some part of me loves her, yes, but... yeah. Well, I should talk about it to someone, then. Sigh... Yeah, this probably means liliana, which is probably a bad idea. But I can't let this happen again. Not to Lady Cygna. And she's already suffered enough. Maybe... Maybe the best way is for this side of me to take over. Not what I'd prefer, but it's probably the best thing to do. I mean, the problem comes from these... feelings, and Madame's influence has only worsened things up. I'll end up hurting her, too, you know? So I must go to liliana. Maybe she can do something. If I can trust her. Which I doubt.

((Meanwhile, back at Cygna's guest chamber...?))

(I've been working on the scene with Fred and Tru but I don't recall what all the brands were. Envy, Lust, Pride, and what aas the last?)

((Wrath))

Cygna is summoned after sunset and brought back to Iudicium's old sanctum, where Trutina investigated her brands earlier. Fredegisa is there with her Hermetic sister. As Cygna disrobes, Fredegisa looks alarmed, and asks her leave to cast some investigative magics. The two of them argue in hushed tones, but Cygna can make out much of what they're arguing.

"...No! We have to destroy it, it's Infernal," Trutina insists.
Fredegisa shakes her head. "It is magic that breaks a Hermetic limit! And it doesn't even register as Infernal. Even if it did, we could study it, and learn to overcome Hermetic limits without Infernal taint."
"Maybe that's exactly what the devils want us to believe. Intellego isn't reliable where the Infernal is concerned."
"We don't even know it had anything to do with devils," Fred replies doubtfully.
"A woman died in ritual slaughter! How could it not be Infernal?" Trutina nearly shouts.
Fredegisa returns to whispers, and says something in Welsh. Cygna hears "Diedne" and makes out a word that sounds similar to the English word for "sacrifice."
Trutina hisses, and responds in Welsh as well... all that Cygna makes out is a word that sounds like the English "infernal."

It appears that Trutina loses the argument, because Fredegisa turns to Cygna, and pushes her spectacles up her nose. "I'd like to spend some time studying the effects instilled in these brands, if you wouldn't mind," she says. "You're Gently Gifted so you would be welcome to stay at Schola Pythagoranis while I investigate them. Would that be too much trouble?"

Cygna disrobes, feeling particularly self-conscious for some reason. She looks at Fredegisa with some confusion, but allows her to do her investigative hocus-pocus.

[color=red]"Hunh...looks like he was right," Cygna muses.

[color=red]"If it will help us understand what Adorjan did....is doing to me, and can rid me of his influence once and for ally, I will do what I can to help."

((So, Summer 1221 she's being poked and prodded at Schola Pythagoranis instead of studying Disputation of a Jew with a Christian about the Christian Faith and going to Hebrew school? Will she be able to study or be taught anything while being examined, or is it going to be solely Exposure?))

Asks her leave, not asks her to leave.
As in, by your leave. She's asked Cygna's permission.

headdesk

Fixed :slight_smile:

If Cygna agrees, she can probably read something while Fredegisa is investigating her magically. You don't have to do anything other than follow her requests to turn over, stick your leg over here, etc. A teacher would get on Fred's nerves but a book is doable.

Schola's magical library isn't as good as GFs, but their academic books are even better. If she wants a text on Theology she can definitely find something better than Disputation. (By the way, that's an actual medieval text.)

Actually, I'm kinda thinking that Artes Liberales would be good, to try to get it to a 2 so she can learn to read and write Hebrew.

They have an illuminated copy of Priscianus' Institutiones Grammaticae, an Artes Liberales summa of level 8, quality 16.

You should not have advanced through Summer 1222, though. Advancement was for Spring, Summer, and Autumn of 1221, and the Winter and Spring of 1222. Summer 122 should not have been done by anyone yet.

You're right. S'what I get for running my router through the Tardis.

"Thank you so much," Fredegisa gushes. "Most of these are pretty simple and straightforward-- this one makes you more formidable with magic when you're angry" (she points to Wrath), "This one doesn't seem to do anything that I can tell" (she points at Envy), "But this one?" (she points to Pride) "It appears to function as Aura of Rightful Authority, as a constant effect-- but it doesn't seem to have inflicted any Warping on you. And this one?" (she points to Lust) "This one breaks the limit of True Feeling. I don't know which one I want to study first!" She giggles like a girl with both hands in a cookie jar.

Trutina frowns disapprovingly. "As long as you're accepting responsibility for her, Fred," she declares. "If she uses any of these Infernal magics, you'll summon me immediately."

Cygna pales as Fredegisa explains her theories on the effects of the brands. [color=red]"You mean that...that he..." but she's unable to finish the sentence. She turns and cries uncontrollably.

After a while, she starts to compose herself. [color=red]"Are you sure?"

Fredegisa pats Cygna reassuringly. "Yes, indeed," she replies softly. "Despite all his character flaws, he was, in fact, a genius far beyond any of our ken. It's okay to miss him, dear. You were young and easily influenced. You're older now, and wiser. There, there."

Cygna shakes her head as she dries her eyes. [color=red]"It's not that. It's just that..." She trails off, afraid to put her fear into words, and straightens up.

[color=red]"How long do you think it will take to analyze these brands and determine just what they do?"

She frowns. "Well, I don't know exactly," she says. "I can probably only delay Trutina for a season though. She'll want to destroy them before the year is out, for certain."

[color=red]"Should I return with you to Schola Pythagoranis after Tribunal? I really have nothing pressing at Gallus Florensis that would force me to delay."