He Knows Everything

It's early in the day yet, but already it's obviously going to be a hot one. Seldan has opted to escape the heat of the day, within the cool stone walls of the city library. He's parked quietly at one of the tables, hair half-tucked behind one ear and with inkwell, quill, and parchment in front of him. There are a couple of books as well, one open, but he's more minding the letter that he is writing.

Mikilos sits at a table, softly reading from a large leather bound text. The metallic looking ink burns softly with it's own light, and while it's hard to be sure, the area feels distinctly warmer. "After the curing process, use the secondary suplimate created earlier in chapter 5 subsection 3, along with the hydroxiatic limiter, to sheathe the sample in a protective resin. Referring to figure 6.7, wait for properly coloration before the sample is allowed to dry." The elf sighs, and leans back in his seat, blinking hard before glancing around. <ignan>

It's the unusual sound that gets Seldan the most -- the language sounds almost like something's on fire, though it is unfamiliar to him. He looks up and around for its source for some moments before finally locking onto Mikilos. "I'm sorry, did you speak?" he asks, his Common carrying a strong Myrrish accent.

Mikilos blinks again, stretching as he glances towards the question. "Sorry, just reading aloud. Trying to get some technical terms down. Casual conversation I can do, but jargon doesn't come up too often, but nneds to be accurate when it does. Anyway, sorry if I interrupted."

Seldan nods, suddenly recognizing the mage who spoke from the marketplace a few days ago. "It's quite all right. I thought something had lit afire. Is that a language?" He waves a hand across his parchment to dry the ink on the sheet in front of him, keeping his voice down as is customary.

Mikilos grins, and nods. "Language of fire. Or at least of fire based creatures. Elementals, dijin, and such. It's an interesting language, though I may be bias in finding most languages to be pretty interesting."

Understanding lights Seldan's face for a moment, and he nods. "That explains the sound. I know little of languages, I must admit." He looks down at what he is writing, then wipes off the pen and caps the inkwell. A quick gesture and a word, and the ink melts off of his fingers as well at the touch of a cantrip that is no doubt well-known to Mikilos. "Far too much that I do not understand." There's some frustration in that statement.

Mikilos grins. "Recognizing how little you know is an important first step to knowing more. I've spent decades in study, but it seems every day I find more things I don't know yet." He glances towards the writings. "What particular topic are you working on?"

Seldan pushes the parchment aside to dry. The writing looks more like the format of a letter than any study material, even upside down. "Letters home," he admits. "I do not study magic as most do, but learn more by doing. My studies are of the blade and of the Temple, but magic ... it is something I work out, not study. Something more granted by the Dreamer than ...." He stops. "But is it? That is what I do not understand. The Temple says that She governs all magic, but I have magic that I cannot explain."

Mikilos shrugs. "Magic is an amorphous term. There's wizardly magic, sorcerous magic, bardic magic, druidic magic, divine magics, magical effects innate to certain living beings, whatever the heck it is artifice does. even mundane things like turning food into muscle is pretty magical if you look at it.... also sort of gooey and gross, but still... parsing any particular sort of magic can be difficult, and even then one you know what sort of thing you're dealing with, can be a lifetime of study to comprehend that one aspect."

Seldan pushes a stray lock of hair out of his eyes and back behind one ear. "My first mentor was of the opinion that mine is sorcery," he offers. "But ... I would understand where it comes from, and he could not say. Does it matter?"

Mikilos shrugs. "It might. Sorcerery tends to come from something in the blood. As the power grows, it can change the body in unexpected ways. There have been too many who's manner reflect the stereotypes of such chages, demonic bloodlines becoming evil tyrants, that such bloodlines inspire paranoia. The many, many people who act in ways not reflective of their bloodline seem to be ignored."

If Seldan's expression could talk, it would be saying _uh-oh_ as he considers this. "I see." He looks down pensively. "So long as it is turned to Her service ..." he begins, but stops. "I am grateful for the wisdom. I had not thought deeply into it, but I see now that perhaps I should."

Mikilos shrugs again. "Your bloodline is not who you are. It is a part of you, yes, part of your past, but it does not dictate who you are or what you might become." He grins. "Of course, if you want to follow your bloodline, are plenty who have found joy in doing so. I myself am of Fey blood. But I've chosen to follow a wizardly path. It suits me better, but I don't deny my heritage."

"Eluna bids us to seek knowledge." Seldan pushes that lock of hair out of his eyes again, but relaxes some. "So long as whatever is found is turned to Her service ... thank you. Is there a way to tell what sort of ancestry might be at work?" He grabs the pen and inkwell and tucks them into a satchel at his feet.

Mikilos considers, and shrugs. "Are magics of divination that focus upon the blood, but magic tends to run it's own path, popping up where it wills. Your parents would be a likely source of information, but utterly possible to be something that skipped generations, or has more to do with an event in your past that your heritage. Most are fairly obvious, elemental bloodlines showing strong favor for a particular element, infernal bloodlines showing devilish traits. My Fey blood tends to manifest as a mild Glamor. But not all bloodlines are blatant, and some are rare enough to not be obvious. And of course each case is unique. There are trends, but few hard rules."

"Fascinating." Seldan zips the satchel and sits back upright in his chair. "I have only just begun to experiment with it. About all I know is that mine will not hurt anything not of evil intent. I shall write to them and see what I can learn. I'm certain they will be more than willing to tell me all about it." His tone is one of the wearily certain. "Have you spent much time with yours?"

Mikilos shrugs again. "A little. I'm well aware my family history, so was something of which I've always been aware. I recall fairly early making my choice of what sort of magic I wished to study, and for a time specifically ignored my blood, not wanting it to define me. Teen rebellion, as much as anything. I understand the concepts of sorcerous magic, but haven't spent time developing the ability to actually use it."

Seldan nods, something in the expression indicating wearily clear understanding. "My honored father demanded that I devote myself to the Sunlord as he did. After Emerind ...." He abruptly cuts himself off. "He would hear of nothing else until the day I lost my temper and set a spell afire. I do not think he wished to permit me the study ... but was given little choice. I do not wish to think on what would have happened had I hit him instead."

Mikilos sighs, and nods. "Family can be trying. But they can also be a source of strength and support. But that's something that has to be worked out between you and them." He waves vaguely. "And if your birth family isn't willing to accept who you are, find one that is."

"Say rather that I pray to find myself worthy of their acceptance," Seldan replies. "I think that that is my father's greatest concern. My family has served the Sunlord for many generations. I have not seen my family since Her temple called me, although we write often and Mother assures me that he is no longer angry." He shrugs. "It is my duty to do as the gods ask."

Mikilos shrugs. "My family served as warriors for the Nation since before words were written. But warriors have a bad habit of dying in battle. I'm just about all that's left of the direct bloodline. And I choose to take the family in a new direction. At last for my generation. What generations may come, if there are any, will need make their own choices. They might return to the warrior path, or they might do something else. That's up to them, and what I do is up to me, not to my ancestors."

Seldan shakes his head. "I am not so fortunate. I have a duty to see to, though I see that your choices serve you well." He pauses. "Speaking of duty ... have you ever heard the name Sindri here in Alexandria?"

Mikilos shrugs. "Duty is what you make of it." He frowns mildly, considering. "Sindri... it sounds vaguely familiar, but I'm not placing any sort of context. Someone you're looking for?"

"Yes, and to learn more of. I and a few others were tipped off to a gate to a circle of Hell in the marketplace." Seldan lowers his voice further - this topic is not really for all ears. "One of the merchants was serving the Duke of Hell Eclavdran, and she had made for him a figurine of his consort. We coaxed him into showing us the gate, and when we closed it, he summoned this Sindri, and she whisked them both off. I have seen neither, but have reason to think she is still around."

Mikilos sighs, and runs a hand though his hair. "Eclavdran... not sure his interest in Alexandros, but is a name I've heard before... had the dubious pleasure of meeting him... doubtless will do so again, but hopefully not soon."

"If you have come across this Eclavdran, I would hear what you know of him." Seldan's attention is undivided, and he sits up in his chair.

Mikilos sighs, and sits back. "We were told he might know something of the White Tower, source of the Plague. We summoned him, in the Undying Lands, where oaths are enforced by the Wild Hunt. Even demon lords are loathe to tangle with such forces. We made a deal, a favor each, in exchange for a map to where the Tower will be. First favor, fetch the Forlorn Hope, a magical mirror that grants wishes.... at a price. We managed to retrieve the artifact without too much trouble, but knew next to nothing about it.... Eclavdran knew it well enough to use it's power to tell HIM about the tower, and then passed on SOME of the information to us. Thus fulfilling his part of the deal, and still having favors owed to him." He considers. "On the other hand, I'm not sure the cost the mirror extracted... it seemed painful, so at least there's that."

"So the White Tower is the source of the plague ... and he might have its key, but is not telling all." At this, Seldan frowns, thinking. "You do not think that he is part of its source?"

Mikilos shakes his heads. "I think he has ties to the Tower. He was spotted there in the past. But as the Tower jumps though time, our past might be his future. The wish granted by the Forlorn Hope might be the origin of his ties. And it is possible he is somehow behind the Plague.... but I don't think so. I think the Mistress and he are... competitors, rather than allies."

"Jumps through time?" Seldan blinks, now clearly confused. "What exactly is this White Tower?"

Mikilos shrugs, and waves vaguely. "A magical tower, typically surrounded by fields of snow... even during the summer. It was built by a powerful wizard, who somehow lost control of it. It moves, not only from place to place, but from time to time. I don't know the how or limits, indeed we know very little about it. To the best of our knowledge, it's current master calls herself The Mistress, likely a demon lord of some sort, who has kidnapped numerous people, has the vampire Kol Demontry as a lackey, and is the source of The Plague."

Seldan absorbs this information in silence. Suddenly, the hunt for Sindri just got much more complicated. "You believe that this Eclavdran opposes her." He doesn't like that at all. "And the supposedly Vardaman cultist who was recently executed for attempting to murder a sith-makar in the street ... he may have had ties to a vampire. It seems likely that it is the same one. So he was likely to have indirectly served this Mistress as well."

Mikilos nods. "I don't think Eclavdran -opposes- the Mistress... they aren't at war, or anything. But if she dies, I doubt he'll be sad about it. And yes, I'm confidant Kol killed Jeeves. If Jeeves was a pawn or a willing player, I don't know. I'm just glad no one is hinting the two of us are romantically involved anymore." The things one has to put up with as an Adventurer.

The mention of romantic involvement with either one gets a laugh from Seldan. "I cannot imagine a vampire, or you, doing aught of the sort." The laughter subsides quickly, though. "Though I know little of vampires." He's clearly thinking, and thinking hard.

Mikilos sighs. "It's all in one or another of the Crimson Pen books... I don't think they care very much for reality. I don't know a great deal about vampires myself, but have learned more than I cared to by direct interaction, and have researched a fair bit. Wrote to the Hunters of the Dead for advice. All sources agree that vampires are very hard to destroy. They typically turn into mist and flee back to their lair. IF you can then track them to the lair, they can be destroyed. But kol lairs in a magical tower watched over by a demon lord... not really an option. A wooden stake though the heart can work, IF you can hit the heart. There are magics to destory undead outright, but Kol has proven annoyingly resistant to magic."

Seldan leans back in his chair a little, although still clearly interested. "You have then attempted and failed to destroy this Kol."

Mikilos nods. "Several times, actually. We've fought.... three times, I think? Well, 'fought'... the first he charmed me and kidnapped me. I still bare a scar craved into my flesh from that experience.... very little of which I actually remember. The second, the spell that destroys undead didn't take, but he did eventually flee. Third, I got distracted trying to protect others, and again fell to his mind control...." He mage falls quiet for a moment. "He sent me to try and kill my best friend. Thankfully she had left the city, but I still wandered for days trying to find her before someone managed to get me to a temple and the spell broken."

Oh. Seldan blinks. "I am glad you failed in the task he set you ... and that it was broken. He is then not one to be trifled with." And well outside of his weight class. "You have told me much that is important, and for that I thank you. I will walk much more carefully." He closes the open book that he had pushed away from him.

Mikilos nods. "I'm glad to have been even some aid. It's been a trying few weeks."