Aetherius stares in awe at the laboratory. Clearly this hasn't been built overnight. "Why on earth... What was I working on?" He approaches the mirror magnifying the heavens and the astronomical equipment to see how the setup is made, whether it was looking at something in particular. Then he checks the map with more attention.
the boy starts to answer Lares but closes his mouth while the magi speak.
The window the mirror in Aetherius' lab focuses through is closed, probably for safety since magnification of the sun might present a hazard in daytime. From the map it seems he as checking astrological alignments that were supposed to be associated with the lost temple of Mercury, and where it might be.
”Yes, I believe that the same fate has befallen everyone in this covenant. We must urgently develop a common plan of action – but first –”
”Barshako seems to have been my wife, but is now a young girl. She was as confused as one might imagine waking up here, and left the covenant a few moments ago to search for her mother. The mother must, I assume, be dead by now. I let her, figuring that she would soon realize that her situation is not as she thought. I wasn’t aware, however, how dangerous this place is - magical monstrosities, starvation, and thirst being just the dangers I am aware of.”
He waves at the boy encouragingly.
”Please, tell me: is it dangeros out there for someone such as herself? If so, I must act quickly before she gets too far.”
Argentius nods to Silas, though his eyes narrow slightly. "A brother Verditius. Yes, that was me at the Contest. A year ago." He looks more deeply at Silas. "Or not a year ago. A hundred years ago? I vaguely recall a Silas…" Perhaps the young man has changed his hair style…
Argentius turns as Lares speaks, listening to the interaction with the boy.
"Sounds like the same complexity the woman in the kitchen talked about: a girl who is a mother and a mother who is a girl, both are supposed to be my cook. The scale of this magic is unbelievable."
Argentius grows silent as he listens again to Lares and the boy.
Do my notes have anything more on this lost temple?
Not sure if it got lost, didn't see a response.
The boy inhales at Lares question "For someone like her? I do not know, I know she is... not a normal person. Nor is her mother dead, her mother is simply not human anymore. I believe she now feeds on the flesh of humans, you were looking for a way to spare Barshako the same fate. It seems you, or someone, has succeeded for the moment."
Aetherius has volumes of notes on the lost temple.
The Monocerous snorts "It means great beast who should not be challenged and slayer of elephants." he follows you into your lab.
The only notes Plasmatorius finds in his laboratory are lab texts and notes on pieces of artwork he apparently studied years ago,
Lares stops and looks at the boy quizzically.
”…not normal how? Was she a magus? And her mother – she just likes the taste, is a dragon, or what?”
Is it something I could read and get acquainted with over a couple of hours / days, or is that something I should consider to be seasonal study material?
seasonal study material
Theboy answers "her mother is a Bouda, a sometimes hyena, and a witch. Or was, now she is just a hyena monster"
Re: The Ankh he found by his bedside, does he feel he has a personal connection with it, the way one would have with a Talisman? Would he need to cast to determine that?
He sighs. Of course he didn't actually bother to write down what years these happened. Plasmatoris ponders. That would be... too simple for this puzzle. Pointless, as well, since he clearly will remember the important part.
Or not.
"Do you remember anything about our binding?" he asks the butterfly, apparently his familiar, if the faerie is to be believed. And others seem to have forgotten their familiars as well. The mental communication implies there is a truth, there. "What do you remember of your life, before today?"
After speaking with the butterfly, Rainbow, and scouring his lab for notes, he finally gets a wax tablet for note-taking and catches sight of himself in a reflective surface. Oh, he thinks. I should get dressed, as well. He makes a brief visit to his chambers to return the bedsheets he'd been wearing, and get dressed in something that would be comfortable in the heat here - likely just loose robes, unless he finds something in his wardrobe suited to the local weather.
Only then does Plasmatoris finally head to the Library to seek out the other magi, making notes as he goes - stopping anyone he passes by to ask their name, age, and the year - if they speak Latin or Venetian.
Aetherius does not feel any kind of talisman type connection to the ankh, and you would not need a spell for that any more than you would need a spell to realize you had grown a third leg.
Rainbow answers "i remember being i a meadow, frolicking with other butterflies. I remember human children, a new village had been established nearby. Then I'm here."
Plasmotorius encounters a few who speak Latin, who are all under 25, the years they give you range from 1229 to 1289, though you notice that anybody under 10 who knows the year answers 1289. Nobody else speaks Venitian.
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Aetherius will move to examine the collection of Roman and Egyptian artifacts next.
"I do not know what an Elephant looks like, but I assume it is a mighty beast if slaying it is in your name, so if you will forgive me, I shall call you Elephant-Slayer." She tries to put her hand on him, to feel his muscled form.
When they enter the lab, she begins to investigate by looking at notes, and any books she might have in there, to try to gauge better what year it is, and whether she has made any notes on research, spells, or some such. And will also look for any secret compartments that might lie hidden.
”A ’Bouda’. I am not familiar with the particular variety, but I get the picture. Like animals at night, eh?”
Lares strokes his beard.
”Were these Bouda ever considered a danger to the covenant, as far as you can recall?” he asks the boy.
Aetherius collection of artifacts seems to be items from lost or ruined holy sites of the two cultures (provides Vim lab bonus)
The first thing Okeannetis finds with a date on it is a decleration of wizard war, commencing on the harvets moon (full moon in October) of 1288 which a Leonis Bjorner has declared on you.
The boy answers Lares, "I don't think the bouda were considered a danger to the covenant, but her mother left before the curse could completely overtake her."
After listening to the boy and the magus for a moment, Argentius turns away and takes a few steps into the library, looking back briefly at Silas.
"Have you found the Charter?"
The handsome Verditius takes a few more steps, perusing books to try to assess some organizing principle that might guide him toward administrative documents or other area where a covenant charter might be kept.
"Is there even a Tribunal in Libya?"
Lares closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose, a pained expression on his face. Then he stops and exhales loudly.
”Rod’s bollocks. I’m not going to let her be eaten by some magical hyena, like it or not, mother or not.”
He waves at the two Verditii.
”I am going to have to excuse myself for a moment. I would be happy to discuss plans with you shortly, though.”
He points at the boy who spoke Barshako’s language.
”My friend, I am going to need some more of your competent help. Please follow.”
He exits the library and looks around, seeing if Barshako is still to be seen.
[How long has it been since Barshako left?]
"Interesting collection, what do you think, Ibis?" as he gazes over the artifacts, pointing at a few Egyptian ones to see if they strike the familiar's interest.
He will head to examine the separate chamber for experimentation next.