The Pale Witch of Nyrvash IC

[MightBeABook]

It is a fairly slow, inconsequential day for you when you receives a messenger from within the capital. He seems to be mortal, and not particularly skilled, at that, for he is pale and sweating, likely at the reputation of the Pale Witch. Wordlessly, hands trembling, he hands over a letter. The envelope is fine parchment, and the seal seems eerily similar to human blood. Inside, you find words written in a practiced and elegant hand, with all the graceful flourishes of an experienced calligrapher. It reads:

My dearest Moriga,

A great breakthrough has been had in the most secret of our works here in the City, thanks to the sponsorship of certain powers. The Circle of Bone has deemed the time fit to share this wondrous discovery with the luminaries of Nyrvash, and you would do me great honor were you to attend our demonstration at my side. I assure you that no harm will come to you or yours by this, for you shall be under the fullest protection of Skull City. I cannot share the full details of what we have learned in this space, but know that we have already advanced in ways we had predicted would take decades, merely in the last few weeks! It shall be worth your time and more – and, indeed, if you wish, I am certain the Circle would allow you to join us in our investigations, which do not run so far from your own interests. Our demonstration shall take place on the twelfth day of this month, but you are, of course, welcome in my home as long as you wish.


Sele

[AmberVael]

Moriga received the messenger in her solar, where thick black curtains blocked out the daylight and an ashen flame burned in the hearth. The mood of the room was haunted, and as the necromancer's very shadow plucked the letter from the shaking mortal's fingers while Moriga sat motionless, her arms crossed on the table before her, it would be hard to pretend that the place wasn't a little unnerving. Silence and stillness reigned as the letter was read, but in the end Moriga finally moved, reaching out to very delicately touch the letter's seal with two pallid fingers.

"I thank you for your service." Her voice was soft and courteous, nonthreatening, but why would it need to be when her shadow loomed over her and he, a mere mortal, stood in the heart of her power? She took a few moments, considering, then nodded to herself. "If you will give me time I would like to compose a letter for you to deliver to Lady Sele in return. Please, be seated."

Her shadow stretched over the table, bending and reaching strangely to draw out a cushioned wooden chair, offering it to the fearful messenger before returning to its position behind her, casting itself long upon the wall with its arms behind its back. Meanwhile, Moriga retrieved a blank page from a nearby stack and the pot and quill atop it, then carefully began to write. Her letters were not nearly so artfully formed as her peer's, but rather strict strokes that spoke more of a note taker than a scribe. "Will you give me your name, good man? She asked as she wrote, her eyes fixed on her letter.

[MightBeABook]

The messenger almost staggers into the proffered chair, relief warring with terror on his face. He tenses up like a startled rabbit at Moriga's question. "T-Thomas, milady," the man shakily began, "Thomas Ivanson, i-if it please you." He pauses a moment, seemingly screwing up his courage, before continuing, "And, m-milady, I got the message from some sort of s-shadow" - at this, he casts a fearful glance at Moriga's own shadow - "which came into the office this morning. I w-wouldn't know how to r-return it." His worry if anything seems to have increased now, and there is a tinge of desperation to his voice as he adds, "M-mayhap that s-someone else at the p-post can f-find her. I-I'd be happy to t-try! No charge!" His voice has risen at least half an octave from when he began.

[AmberVael]

Moriga's quill paused at the messenger's explanation, and then tapped the letter in progress as the necromancer gazed off into the distance, considering. "No." She finally decided. "Thank you for your offer, but if this was delivered without anticipation of a letter in reply, then I will not trouble her with one." Perhaps Sele simply expected her to arrive, or was quietly suggesting that while a formal invitation was something she needed to send for appearances sake, a more private communication might be a better avenue for response. I cannot share the full details of what we have learned in this space...

"If that is all, then you may take your leave, master Ivanson, though you are welcome to the comforts of my manse if you wish to rest before returning." Her shadow opened the door of the solar for the messenger, while Moriga directed a thought towards her assistant, who was no doubt somewhere in the house nearby. Alte, see that this messenger is compensated for his time, and offer him the hospitality of the Dawn Lounge if he desires it, though I expect he's more likely to bolt for the exit.

Once the messenger had left (or perhaps fled), Moriga turned to the curtains and pulled them open, letting the sunlight inside and giving her a view of the forest. A demonstration. If this was as big as the Circle claimed then she had no choice other than attending, though honestly she couldn't imagine turning down any invitation of Sele's to begin with. Yet she had a little foreboding- there had been rumors surrounding Skull City for some time, and depending on what this breakthrough was, it might be seen as more threatening than uplifting. She hesitated, trying to decide where to turn from here, then decided to put her trust in her friend. Her shadow flickered as it called upon its magic, sending a pale copy of itself to find Sele and deliver Moriga's message directly.

"I received, and accept, your invitation to the demonstration. I am curious about the circle's discovery. Can you tell me anything on what to expect?"

Moriga's shadow is conveying her message to Sele via Sending, so Sele should get a 25 word reply.

Moriga is speaking to Alte using her graft provided telepathy. It has a range of 200ft, which should generally reach anywhere within her manse.
Also, just to make sure you know, Alte has been added along with a couple of others to the Followers section of Moriga's character details in the OOC thread.

[MightBeABook]

The response comes quickly - so quickly, in fact, that it seems Sele was expecting such an inquiry. "I cannot possibly spoil the surprise, Moriga. Suffice it to say the Interdict is less absolute than was thought, and something lost has been retrieved."

A new Sending in response comes quickly on the heels of the first. "When shall I expect you? If you would like, I am certain I can arrange a Greater Teleport."

[AmberVael]

Moriga took some time to think before she made her answer. "By the end of the day; I should be able to set my affairs in order by then. I'll handle my transportation. Until later, Sele."

Everything else after that was simple, if time consuming. There were no ongoing projects she needed to get into a stable state, or any creatures currently in storage that had to be taken care of, and the majority of her servants would be available to run things in her absence. Alte was tasked with scheduling tasks that might come up, as well as handling any more urgent requests as they might arrive, as well as arrange for Moriga's immediate return if the situation was critical. Synnove would keep abreast of the local politics as usual and prepare a report and summary for her to review, as well as assist Alte if any medical situation occurred that might require more extreme magical solutions.

When all this was taken care of and assuming nothing turned up to interrupt her by the time she finished gathering belongings, she would step into her own shadow, vanishing into an umbral haze that would reappear far away in Skull City.


Teleport!
[roll0]
I'm assuming Moriga is at least considered to have 'studied carefully' Sele's home, but since examining it for one hour counts I think Very Familiar might be more appropriate.

Edit: Upon noticing she's in the wrong place, Moriga will instantly teleport again. Second roll is in the OOC, and succeeds.

[MightBeABook]

Matters in your home move along well enough, and it is without significant interruption that you attempt to teleport to Skull City. The small family that witnesses your brief appearance in their home seems somewhat put-off, but you depart too quickly to see much besides their startled faces.

Your arrival into the palatial entrance hall of Lady Sele's home is met with little fanfare. You note that she has added several new art objects to her collection since the last time you visited - her taste has not improved, however. The embrace of the city of the damned wraps around you, bringing with it a sense of safety and fellowship. The power of the city is palpable, and death hangs in the air about you. You do not have overlong to dwell on this, though, for you are quickly met by a young man, dressed in fine clothing that is nevertheless still a servant's garb - a footman, perhaps. You note his red eyes and obvious fangs immediately, which is somewhat puzzling. The necromancers would not ordinarily dare to keep even fledglings as servants, for all that they flout the laws of the Protectorate, and it is unusual for Sele to keep servants with both minds and bodies of their own. His smile is perhaps a titch too wide as he asks, "The Lady Moriga, I presume? Shall I lead you to the mistress?"

Beneath the appearance of the minor vampire is a being you have had some dealings with before, albeit not often in person. He stands tall and broad of shoulder, with deeper, darker eyes than those of the form he wears, and you know the fangs hidden within his mouth are sharp and bright. His silken black hair flows down to his shoulders, and his face is regal and proud. His garb is fine, but understated, clearly woven by a master, and a sword with a sheath so dark it is painful to look at is belted at his side. Duke Ikthyros himself, heir to the Lord Protector, is masquerading as a mere footman.

[AmberVael]

There was a slight pause, just a momentary lapse that could be easily attributable to any number of things before Moriga responded. "Please do." She gestured for him to lead the way with a black gloved hand, and then walked beside him.

She had taken the opportunity before she left to adjust her attire into something a little more professional and suitable to Skull City, covering clothing in stark whites and blacks that reflected her vocation but with enough style and aesthetic value to be more presentable than functional. Yet there was a little more to it than that, as the perceptive eye might notice; her white robes concealed much, but sometimes with movement showed the hint of hard armor beneath it, the shadow steel chain that armored her body and the thin bracers that protected her arms. Despite being invited by a friend, to a place of powers closely affiliated and allied with her, Moriga apparently felt the need to be cautious. It wasn't normal for her to go about in armor, but the few hints that had been given to her had apparently given her cause for concern.

"I am pleased to see you in Lady Sele's service." The necromancer spoke after a moment, her voice calm and polite, but with perhaps the faintest hint of amusement tinging it. "I have often told her that the mindless are not enough, no substitute for an individual's perception and discretion, but I am surprised nonetheless."

[MightBeABook]

"I am afraid I cannot speak to the Lady's hiring practices. I have only recently come here myself." The passages he leads you through are familiar, taking you down several floors to the second base, where you recall Sele keeps her study and lower security labs. Indeed, it is outside the study door that your guide hesitates a brief moment, before opening it to a wide and well lit room, with books lining every wall and small couches scattered about the floor. The room has two occupants, only one of them familiar. Sele, darkly beautiful as ever, stands behind her desk, which is absolutely covered in papers and especially correspondences. It is one of these letters she is focused on as you enter.

The other in the room is a woman reclining on a couch, a tome loosely grasped in one hand, with hair like silver beneath moonlight and the blazing red eyes that mark the Kindred. She looks up at your arrival, and puts down her book. A moment passes before she clears her throat, at which Sele starts.

Still focused on her reading, Sele greets you. "Moriga, you've arrived! And I see you've met - " at this, she finally looks up, and catches sight of the form the Duke wears. "Oh. You are aware she can see you, Duke?"

Ikthyros has now abandoned his disguise, and wears his true form. He looks somewhat put-out. "This entire time? And I had no idea. A point to you, madame." He inclines his head to you.

The silver-haired woman looks mildly annoyed as she chimes in, "Perhaps a round of introductions are in order? I am afraid I have not yet met your guest, Sele."

Surprisingly, it is Ikthyros who reacts more strongly to the half-rebuke, and he moves with unnatural speed to her side, where he plants a kiss on her hand and whispers something to her, too quietly to be heard. Sele ignores the byplay, and begins, "Gleam, this is the Lady Moriga, with whose surgical work you may be familiar. She is a colleague and a friend of mine, and I have invited her here as the Circle did you. Moriga, this is the Lady Gleam, wife to Duke Ikthyros. Her husband is here on her behalf, not in any official capacity."

Gleam rises, and addresses you directly. "It is a pleasure, Lady Moriga. I do hope you will forgive my lord husband's antics."

[AmberVael]

"I apologize, your grace. It was my intent to convey my understanding to you, but I am not well practiced in courtier's speech." Moriga apologized before bowing briefly to the duke and his wife, eschewing the perhaps more appropriate curtsy on the grounds that she thought it looked ridiculous, especially without a dress. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Lady Gleam. I did not expect the presence of either you or your husband, but it is welcome all the more for that, whatever peculiarities might come from it."

While she practiced her courtesies Moriga tried to recall what she knew of Lady Gleam, if anything. She tried to learn what she could about the protectorate's nobility, particularly those of high importance, such as the Dukes and their families, and it was likely she had heard at least a little. Of course, her most pressing interest was why the Lady Gleam had specifically been invited here, what connection she might have to the circle and its demonstration, because it sounded a little more closely affiliated than merely a person of note, especially if they invited her over her husband.

Knowledge Nobility: [roll0]
Hopefully Moriga can use that roll to learn about Lady Gleam a bit.

[MightBeABook]

Lady Gleam is well known among the nobility as a sorceress of very considerable power, and while she is not quite as skilled as some of her peers, she makes up for it in raw might. She is a financial patron of many scholars of magic and history, and has at least a modicum of influence in every magical society on the continent. She is also well regarded as a patron of the arts.

Almost uniquely among vampires, she is openly an advocate for charity and Good, and has been a restraining influence on her husband's ambition and hunger for centuries.

There are very old rumors that she is the cause of the rift between Duke Ikthyros and his father, but the truth of them is uncertain.

"Sele has kindly volunteered to host several of the Circle's guests here in her home, myself and my husband among them. Though I understand you are her personal guest? No, it was rude of me to ask. Your reasons to be here are your own business."

Something wordless seems to pass between the Duke and his wife. Ikthyros speaks now in a smooth, formal tone. "While our evenings here in the City are spoken for, my wife and I would be delighted to take dinner with you some time after the demonstration. That is, if you are amenable?

[AmberVael]

"It is no secret that I am a long time associate of the Circle, and Lady Sele in particular. I imagine I am here for many of the same reasons you are, my lady." The necromancer answered smoothly, clasping her gloved hands behind her back. She was entirely unruffled by what Lady Gleam thought of as rude, and in fact thought the comment a little curious. Idly she wondered if the lady was suspecting a deeper relationship than actually existed between herself and Sele. "The hints of the Circle's discovery no doubt has everyone curious, most of all those of us with professional interest. Yet I fear we will hear little until they are ready for their full presentation."

Moriga sighed and looked towards Sele, her long-suffering expression betrayed by a little quirk of her mouth and glint in her eyes. She didn't quite pause long enough to allow a reply, moving on to address the invitation extended to her. "I will look forward to your invitation, my lord. I can only imagine you will be much sought after during your stay in Skull City, and you are wise to turn your attention to those here while you have the opportunity. There will be time enough for us to speak afterwards."

[MightBeABook]

Sele makes eye contact with Moriga for a brief moment, a slight smirk playing about her mouth. "You know it will be worth the wait, my friend. And you already know more than most invited..." She trails off, a look of slight chagrin on her face, as if she had said more than she'd intended to. Years of acquaintance suggest that her words were quite deliberate, as does the amusement visible in her eyes.

Lady Gleam raises an eyebrow at this, but lets it pass. She puts down the book she held, and rises. "I believe we are expected at Master Vor's manse, husband mine? Perhaps he will be less reticent than our dear host." Her light tone takes out any bite the words would ordinarily carry.

"Yes, perhaps it is time for us to go. It has been a pleasure, Moriga, Sele." He nods to each of you in turn. "By your leave, my lady?"

Sele seems slightly startled at their abrupt decision, but it does not break her composure. "Of course, my lord, my lady."

In a blur of shadow and motion, the vampires vanish. Sele is silent and still for a bare moment, then throws her head back and laughs. "Ah, nobles. Mercurial at the best of times, those two most of all. It is wonderful to see you, Moriga, and I apologize for subjecting you to their delightful presence. You made excellent time."

[AmberVael]

"No apology is necessary, Sele. I quite enjoyed my encounter with them." Moriga confesses as she finally takes a seat, sitting leaned forward with her hands clasped in front of her. "Though I imagine my entire stay here will be as fascinating, one way or another. Sele..."

Moriga paused, her fingers flexing and shifting as she considered what she was going to say. "The hints you have given me. The little I've heard around, the people who have shown interest. This is something momentous. I won't ask you again to reveal what it is. But- it sounds like it will cause... a significant shift." The mortician's gloved fingers stilled, settling into position. "How can I assist you, Sele? Because I suspect you need an ally you can count on."