Of Staves and Stones

Lupecyll-Atlon home, midday

Spring has sprung, with the snow having retreated back to the mountains, and to places in the deeper forest. The cold hasn't been shrugged off yet, but at least in the sunshine, it is warm.

The Goblin enjoys her brief flight, having taken to flying down from her home in the Monastery to the city, to visit friends and adopted family.

Today finds her hovering over the Lupecyll-Atlon backyard, as she inspects what changes may or may not have been made, and perhaps catch a glimpse of the fairies, or Telamon, doing gardening things.

Indeed, with spring comes the traditional revival of the gardens! It's been a long winter, but now the flowerbeds are being turned by invisible hands, and the greenhouse is open at the roof to air out. Happy humming sounds come from inside it, as Telamon can be seen hovering up and down, checking the planters inside. Abruptly, Telamon pops out of the top, dressed in a sleeveless tunic and trousers that are patched and dirty. A smudge of soil on his cheek, and a smile as he inspects the cunningly hinged roof hatch before realizing he has an audience.

"Wha-- Oh! Simony!" He waves merrily. "Meet me down at ground level, I'll be down in a moment!" He dips back inside, drawing the hatch closed, and then he steps out of the door set at ground level.

GAME: Simony rolls fly: (3)+22: 25

Her wings flap as she spirals downwards slowly, all smiles.

She's there to hug at Telamon's waist as he steps out of the greenhouse. "I thought you'd be back here, getting the garden prepared for spring." Her wings flap once more and she reaches out to rub the dirt smudge from his forehead with a little thumb. "Are you sticking your face in the planters?", she wonders with a giggle. Plopping to the ground once more, Simony wiggles bare toes in a patch of grass that's already starting to green.

"How have you and Lana been? Have the fairies returned, or is it still a bit too cold?"

He returns the hug, of course. Telamon grins down at his friend, his eyes sweeping the backyard to check on the invisible servitors before he settles down next to her. "Of course. You can't -know- something till you get up close and personal with it, after all." He chuckles a bit. "I also spilled one. Fortunately, it was only earth, no seeds or anything."

"No, the pixies have returned. Lily in particular was absolutely ecstatic that I'd kept her writings... execrable as they may be," Tel rolls his eyes with a grin. "But they were hers, and I promised to keep them safe. There was also a visitor from the dryads -- they got Caanan O'Winter to make a quick trip out here before he headed off on his walkabouts once more. They sent a gift -- one I find rather intriguing."

Simony's little ears perk up a little, and her head tilts to one side. "A gift? What is it?" She giggles lightly, "Are you saying Lily might have a chance at an internship at the Crimson Pen?" The Goblin snorts.

She rubs a cheek and shakes her head. "I am not sure, aside from maybe smell?, what sticking your face into the soil would give you as far as extra information." She looks down, a moment of shyness. "I also have a question or two to ask you. Regarding the creation of magical items."

"I think she's already submitted a couple manuscripts." Telamon looks to the skies with a tolerant expression. "Ah well..." He fixes the invisible servants with a stare, and the flowerbeds stop being turned all of a sudden. One immediately moves inside the house, the door opening and shutting behind it.

"I'll offer whatever information I can, though my experience is limited to brewing various potables and potions." Telamon stretches his legs out, resting his hands behind him. "What would you like to know?"

The Goblin smiles as he settles himself down, bringing them to equal eyelevel, more or less. "So uhm... I have begun to acquire the knowledge and skills to create such things. You have one that I found fascinating. The Ioun stone." She lifts an arm up and rubs at the back of her neck. "What ones would be a good choice for a cleric, do you think? And, for a sorcerer?"

"Ioun stones are an interesting breed of magical item. The benefits are varied, depending on how they are crafted and from what gemstones are used." Telamon rubs his chin, as he mulls over the question. "Anything that enhances your magical prowess, or offers some form of protection or warding, is probably a good start. There are some exotic ones -- I have a couple myself."

At this point, the unseen servant returns with Telamon's haversack, which he takes. "Ah, here we go." Reaching inside, he draws out a brilliant blue sapphire that glows with an inner light. Releasing it, it begins to orbit his head. "A powerful ward against emotional effects," he explains.

Her eyes are immediately drawn to the stone, and she moves closer, enough that it orbits over her as it goes by. "A ward against emotional effects. Something very useful when you're trying to get something done in uh uhm... less than ideal circumstances." Her expression betrays the thought, she really wants to catch it.

"What other ones do you know of, or have? Does Lana have any?"

Telamon draws out a second stone, this one a peculiar lavender and green combination. Letting it orbit, he grins. "This one is just a straight up magical absorber. It'll sop up any spells that come my way. This is mostly a safety measure in case I encounter a magician with too much firepower to fend off initially. Let him throw spells into this for a bit while I come up with a plan."

The third item Telamon draws out, though... is a staff. Looking like it wasn't so much carved or worked as -grown-, straight and true, the wood probably oak. The head of the staff is a gorgeous rose-blossom, as if the wood had formed naturally.

Simony grins as the second Ioun stone joins the first. "Ah, so it absorb magics that are cast at you? That one seems to be a good choice. So that should be high on my list of consideration."

She blinks at the staff. "That is an amazingly carved staff.", she says softly, leaning in even closer, to inspect the rose blossom. "What does it do?"

"Sometimes, no matter how powerful you are, you really don't want to deal with a spell. Hence that stone." Telamon grins, and reaches out to snatch them down, passing them over to Simony to inspect further. "Definitely something to consider."

He runs his fingers gently over the staff. "I don't think it was carved. I think it was -molded-. It's said dryads can mold wood as others mold clay. So that's probably where this comes from." He lifts it up. "As far as what it does, it's what books call a 'staff of the woodlands', a 'wild staff' or 'druid's staff'. Speak with animals, animate plants, that sort of thing." His eyes twinkle. "Normally it wouldn't work for me... but I have extensive experience with magical devices, and I can power the staff using my own magical energies."

The Goblin is momentarily lost in the Ioun stones, turning them over in her hand. "I... I saw one before, and I want to do what the person did. Theirs was intricately carved, and intertwined in their hair. It looked like a fancy bead in their beard." Running a hand through her pale hair, she smiles shyly. "It would add a bit of colour to the pale thing that is I"

She offers the stones back to Telamon, extending her other hand for the staff, that she might feel its heft and handiwork with her hand. "What sort of spells can it cast? Can... you shapeshift with it?"

Telamon takes the stones back, tucking them into his haversack, before passing the staff over to Simony. "Sadly, no. It's well-enchanted -- I haven't had the chance to experiment with it, but it definitely lets me speak with and charm animals." His expression grows wry. "My next door neighbor was very befuddled when I asked if I could talk to his dog."

"Still, it's a nice gift, and I'm sure I'll find a use for it. The tools of the adventuring trade are not always obvious in their use at first."

GAME: Simony rolls use magic device: (6)+23: 29

Simony is likewise as entranced with the delicate rose blossom as she was the Ioun stones. She takes it with both hands and concentrates. "Oh, yes, there seems to be a few nature related spells in here. Erm, are you able to cast any of these spells on your own?" Her expression grows thoughtful.

"I could fake it with a miracle, I suppose, to keep the staff powered." She lets out a breath. "If you were to choose an Ioun stone for yourself, what would it be? And what would you chose for Lana?"

Telamon laughs softly. "No. But as I said, I can use my own magical prowess to get around that. It works... though I'd have to take care in recharging it, since I'm not a druid." His eyebrows rise suddenly. "That... you know, you just made me wonder. I have a lot more... mmm, flexibility, at the castle. I might be able to recharge it there if I needed to do so."

He sits back to consider the question. "For Lana? Something to keep her safe, I suppose. Probably one like that spell-warding ioun stone I have. There's one I read about that also causes you to regenerate like a troll. It's slow, but you heal completely."

"I wish to make one for you and for Lana. As a gift, a thank you, for everything." She nods then. "So one like yours. It seems like a good idea for anyone who might face magical attacks. Regenerate is a good option too, but, well these things tend to be slow, it might not be fast enough to allow you to continue acting, you know?"

Simony grins and nods. "Your castle may help you in recharging a staff? That's amazing!"

"You don't..." Telamon starts to say, but he sees the determined look in Simony's eyes, and sighs. "But you're going to anyways, no matter what I say. Alright. Do some research, though. Anything that would help ward us would be nice. I don't want you expending time and treasure on something we can't use."

He reaches over to pat Simony on the shoulder. "You're a good friend, Simony. Don't think I'll forget it -- or you."

"It's not a matter of having to. It's a want, pure and simple. And it's a fact that the Ioun stones will last longer than I will. You and Lana have long lives ahead of you. I want there to be something of me watching over you, years on. Well made magical items stand the test of time. You could even pass on the stones to your children, or grandchildren."

Simony takes his hand in her, squeezing warmly, a hint of strength in her grip. "I will speak and think highly of you for the rest of my life, and into the afterlife as well. I count myself blessed to have friends such as yourself and Cor'lana."

There's truth in what Simony says, and Telamon sighs, the thought an unpleasant one even under the sunny sky. But he squeezes her hand back, and smiles at her. "Well, let's hope that day is not soon to come. If nothing else, I want my children to meet 'Aunt Simony'."

He gestures at one of the unseen servants, who trundles into the house and returns with a large jug and two tankards. "The first pitcher of iced tea," Telamon says with a grin. "I know you like it just like we do."

There's a momentarily look of melancholy in Simony's expression. "I want that, too, Tel. And the possibility of you and Cor'lana being auntie and uncle to my own children. If such a thing occurs. But I will do my best."

Simony smiles then, and nods, reaching for the pitcher. "Allow me to pour, hmm? To sunny days, and rains to make your plants grow!"