The Weight of Expectations

Lupecyll-Atlon home, noon

The mists have come again to Alexandria, covering the city with a pale, moist blanket. With no wind at all, the city is uncomfortably warm.

The knock at Telamon's door is followed by the door opening and closing, and a soft voice. "Hello? It's Simony!"

The Goblin peeks around into the living room, her head canted to one side. A pale blue, silk kimono covers her from neck to ankle, covered in a quilted cherry blossom and crane motif. "Are you about, Telamon?"

Indeed, it seems Telamon is up and about. And judging from the smells coming from the kitchen area... he's cooking! His whistling pauses as Simony enters the house, but at the sound of her voice he calls out, "Come in, Simony! I'm in the kitchen!"

When she approaches, she can see Tel dressed down somewhat in light linen tunic and trousers, and house slippers. A large cast iron pan is on the stove, and it appears he is frying fish with some potato wedges. He waves to Simony with a smile. "Please, sit down! I decided to try this after a friend of mine gave me a stringer of bream. I've got enough and I can always get more." He crooks a finger, and a second plate and fork float over to the table. "Lana's off with Aura and Verna right now, but she says hello."

The Goblin is quick to reach the kitchen, the smells already inhaled. "Hi Tel, how're you doing?" Another sniff is had. "And what are you making, today?" She settles at the table with a rustle of soft fabric and the slight clink of metal. Her cheerful expression fades a little.

"How are Verna and Auranar doing? Has anyone been able to reverse the aging? Should... should I attempt a miracle? And say hello to Cor'lana for me, please!"

"Fried fish, with potato wedges. Piquant and tasty without being too much of a chore." Deftly, Telamon begins sliding panfish and potato onto Simony's plate first -- making sure to give her a proper goblin-sized share, before adding to his own. A large jug floats over along with a couple mugs, and the jug begins pouring chilled tea into the mugs.

"We're taking it slow. I think we're all afraid anything we do might not work, or might make things worse. I spent some time talking to Sunguard Zeke, and he's not sure if the gods will allow a reversal or not -- but he was inclined to think an appropriate wish or miracle -might- work." Telamon takes a seat, and exhales. "Damn that bitch Varyssa. At least I know she won't be bothering us again."

She looks quite glum, though the food chases much of that away. "Thank you.", she says softly. "It smells delicious." Simony pokes at a wedge or two with her fork. "I think we need to find the demon who did the damage. Is it part of Varyssa's plans or was she part of the fiend's? There's something deeper going on here. It feels like a whole bunch of spider webs slowly contracting, pulling things together."

Pausing to sip at her chilled tea, the Goblin nods. "Mmmh, perfect as always, this iced tea of yours."

Then the inhalation of food begins in earnest, as if she'd just remembered her hunger. Pausing between bites, she wiggles her fork. "It's just like a fiend to do these sorts of machinations. I think it was meant to be a distraction, and not a serious threat to Verna. If not, it certainly worked as such, pulled us away from Alexandria."

Telamon begins to eat as well, forking up fish and chewing. "Mmm. That worked out. Excellent." At Simony's words, his brows come together. "That hasn't escaped me. Zeke also said as much." He rubs his chin. "I did receive a message from my moon dogs. They're pretty sure the fiend is -in- the city, but they don't care approach further. Evidently one was almost spotted, and they don't want to kick off a werewolf scare." His lips quirk. "They're pretty considerate that way."

He taps his fork against a potato wedge. "It does have that 'multiple threads converging' feeling, doesn't it? And while Varyssa is off the table, it doesn't mean the pursuit is ended. We need to harry this creature, bring him down."

Simony nods, halfway through a piece of fish, obviously enjoying it. "Quite good." More crunching and chewing sounds follow before she pauses. "We have to figure out what that noble has to do with all of this. What sort of strings does the fiend have to pull? Has Verna been able to shed any light on her experience? What exactly happened to her, I mean here in the city, before she was taken to Charn?" She finishes her cup of tea with a little sigh.

"I know she'd been through Hell, perhaps literally, but any bit of information could be crucial."

"I want to tackle that when Auranar's asleep or otherwise not around. She's been so..." Telamon pauses, looking for the best word. "She doesn't want to spend a moment away from Verna. I don't blame her, but I don't think it'll do her peace of mind any good to revisit what happened. Verna is much more pragmatic, so if I can talk to her alone, it'll go smoothly."

Tel heaves a sigh, lingering over the potato wedges before taking a forkful. "I owe it to Verna to do whatever I can. I was cursed once, and she broke it; I would be obligated even if she wasn't my sister-in-law, so to speak."

"While understandable, it is not ... helpful. Be as kind as you can be, but I believe Verna is up to the task of revisiting things in order to figure things out. She will have an opportunity to exact some revenge, even if she may not be the one bringing the hammer down."

Simony idly fidgets with a ring her on her finger, before she digs into her remaining potato wedges. "I am going to be extremely relieved when this fiend is put to an end. It has done far too much damage and caused far too much chaos. My conscience is heavy enough as it is."

Telamon smiles. "Why is your conscience heavy? Have you committed some sin? Yes, you've struggled, but you've also won through -- sometimes against hard odds indeed. Have a little faith, Simony -- in yourself. After all, the Raven has faith in you." He reaches over to pat her hand.

"I think I may need to retire, if very briefly, to the 'new digs' to do some research on this bastard. It'll be harder for him to send foes against us to disrupt our plans." A pause. "Plus, the wine is actually very good there."

Her cheeks flush a little at the admonishment. "I have been charged to put an end to him, and he is still free doing whatever it is he wishes to do. He has attempted to kill me, and some of my friends. I am not lacking for faith." She moves her hand to pat his in return. "I am simply ... frustrated with how things have been going. I have grown, matured into some power and still this.. thing eludes me."

The Goblin's head tilts. "New digs? You've got a new house... oh, somewhere else?"

"Then you will do so. I have faith in you too, and I will assist you as much as I can." Telamon's eyes twinkle, as he takes a sip of tea. "After all, you are my friend too. Do not let frustration take root. Be patient. We can do this."

He blinks a moment, then chuckles. "Ah, I didn't tell you. I've only spoken to Lana, and a couple others about it. I had a dream a short time ago. In it, Isaak the sailor -- a servant of Ni'essa -- came to me to give me the good news. I am now the lord of Leca'fi Amdamu, the Castle on the Edge of Waking. It is a keep located on the Border Ethereal, adjacent to the Dreamlands. I can travel there in dreams, or with my gate spell." He looks thoughtful. "It's a fascinating place. I feel... blessed, that Ni'essa puts such trust in me. And since she has been so kind as to gift me such a marvel, I am obliged to put it to goodly use -- assisting you, for example."

Simony lets out a lengthy huff of breath. "It is easier said than done. Patience, I mean." The few remaining crumbs of fish are cleared from her plate. "I find myself thinking of and wishing for the simpler times. Where I had relatively little responsibility."

The Goblin chuckles. "Eluna herself is tossing keeps at you, now? The Border Ethereal? I do believe I can get there now, under my own power. I would wish to visit the Castle, if you would have me. It sounds like a peaceful place to catch up on some reading."

Telamon shrugs lightly. "Who am I to argue with my goddess? If she feels I am worthy of lordship over it, then all I can do is strive to prove her right." He strokes his chin. "It is rather peaceful, surprisingly so. Evidently the keep has ... a reputation. Ni'essa has granted it to others in the past, and evil creatures that occasionally pass through the Border Ethereal give it a wide berth. The prior custodian mentioned something about 'target practice'." He snorts.

"I understand wishing for simpler times and less responsibility. I feel the same way -- I look back on when I walked into Alexandria, leading my donkey with my belongings, feeling very small. And... somehow I've gotten to these rarefied heights, married, become a story in my own time. It's daunting."

"Don't forget a lord twice over, now.", she says with a cheeky wink. "And an archmage to boot. Whose wife is also an archmage in her own right. But I think that... this is sort of expected. You've long-lived blood in you. You're going to build up quite some power before you're done." The Goblin giggles lightly. "I find it an endearing quality that you don't relish these titles or relish exercising such power. You shall be quite scary when someone finally earns the sort of wrath you can muster."

Simony rubs at her cheeks. "Target practice, you say. That must have been a surprise more than once or twice, I would gather. Having such a reputation is handy for a keep."

"And as you saw at Varyssa's keep, my wrath -- and that of my wife -- can be terrible indeed." Telamon smirks at the memory of Simony cheering as the two half-sil sorcerers systematically pulverized the fortress. "A title is... well, I find it means very little. I guess it's like how I don't value gold save for what it can do -- to purchase food, clothing, shelter. If it doesn't do any of those, what good is it?"

He laughs lightly. "Listen to me. That's my father talking -- he's always been unimpressed with noble titles as well -- probably because he's had to deal with a few stupider nobles and it always stressed his patience. Still... I appreciate Ni'essa's trust in me, and am glad to live up to her expectations."

"I can still remember my Uncle Groob. He was a keen shot with a thunderbelcher, and enjoyed hunting and also skeet shooting. I can now imagine him yelling pull!!, and then shooting at a flying demon or dragon. He was crazy enough to do that." She giggles lightly and sighs.

The Goblin nods. "To you, it means little. But many of the common folk, and nobles, respect it. Especially when people live up to the meaning of the word. Which yourself and Cor'lana do."

Telamon refills both of their mugs with chilled tea. "I fear my head will no longer fit through the front door if you keep heaping praise on me, Simony," he comments with a grin. "But... you have a point. There comes a time when a man must decide for himself, to lead -- or retire from the field entirely." He studies his mug. "I will not retire from the field -- not yet -- so I will lead. I will set the example, I will carry Her light into dark places. Whether it's teaching in the classroom... or on the battlefield."

He picks up a potato wedge, toying with it, but then popping it into his mouth. "There's no point in crying over the past. Now I must turn my eyes to the future."

"It would be a shameful waste for you to not exercise some modicum of power. You are very responsible, you have a balancing force in the form of your lovely wife. You do not exhibit avarice. And right this moment in time, you could retire to your home, and take up gardening full time, and not have any regrets, right? Perfect time to be a noble."

Simony giggles lightly. "If it was not obvious before, I do adore you very much. And I have a depthless respect for you." She rubs at her cheeks for a moment, before sipping at her refilled tea, pausing to gesture the cup his way. "It is not faint praise that I heap upon you."

"Agreed. It's not in my nature to try and influence things, but..." Telamon smirks faintly. "I'm influencing things now. Planting seeds in the minds of my students, teaching them to be better wizards and sorcerers. But I do prefer the silk glove to the iron fist."

"In truth, I don't think I could simply walk away. It's not in my nature. I may deplore having to go out and bludgeon people into being reasonable, but I won't walk away from it. Nor would Lana." He smiles genuinely. "Though I expect I will curtail my world-saving tendencies when we start a family."

The Goblin laughs before sipping more at her tea. "But it is a positive influence. You're not going to ask me to stray from my path, sway me from my God, or have me betray my friends. I mean, you saved my life. Why shouldn't I trust you?" She leans back, pulling her feet up under her, to sit cross-legged on the chair.

"Ah, admit it. You /like/ knowing what's going on. Not gossip... but you enjoy knowing what's going on, friends and foes. You know that knowledge is power, and exercising such knowledge is as fun, or more, than swinging a sword or slinging a spell. Knowledge means not having nasty surprises."

Telamon laughs shortly. "That's because I've learned more than once that not knowing makes your task three times as hard -- if not impossible." He offers Simony a grin. "So the Raven's teachings are not without merit. Understanding can make the difference between success and failure."

He rests his forearms on the table. "I worry sometimes about growing too... detached from the world. Feeling less connected. It's why I cook, and try to make friends, and go out into the city and just... experience things. Because it's easy to get caught up in those grand and arcane mysteries, and lose sight of the simpler things in life."

"Navos' teachings in both the use of knowledge, and hidden strength, are eternally valid." The Temperance smiles brightly, "Never once have I thought I chose the wrong deity, even if I believe that a priest's spells could be more... oooomph. Though.." Her expression takes on a faraway look briefly. "Now that I am on the cusp of unlocking Navos' deeper teachings, I have modified my position somewhat. I was inspired..." She pauses again, before reaching out to pat at the man's forearm.

"If I find you losing sight of the simpler things, I promise to slip something spicy into a food you'd not expect such from. Just a hint of such, to make you think? As you have been a weight keeping my feet on the ground, I can do the same for you." Simony grins cheekily. "Beware my cinnamon bun surprise." Her pale eyebrows wiggle.

"I don't know if divine magic -needs- more 'oomph'. It is simply... a different application, requiring a different viewpoint." Telamon arches his brows. "Do not sell yourself short, Simony -- yes, I used that phrase deliberately. As I've noted before, when you wish you stand as tall as you need to be."

"Ultimately, have faith in the Raven, and know that if He has gifted you with such teachings, it is for a reason. He may see a deeper need, or perhaps perceives that you will be called to a higher purpose yet." He reaches over, clasping Simony's hand in his. "And no matter what, I'll be happy to support you in such."

"I admit to enjoying the flash and bang of your powerful attack spells. It is in my nature to enjoy explosions and fire, I am a Goblin after all. I am envious. I think you may feel that at times, to have a sorcerous magic that could perfectly heal a wound.. one that does not come with a many thousands of gold price tag." Simony lets out a low breath. "I know that I have, at times, been exactly what was expected of me. Or perhaps, in certain moments, more than that." She pauses for a time, seemingly enjoying the moment.

"I treasure your support, as I do with all of my friends. I have a few curiosities to discuss with you, at some point. Certain of my spells I am told are not typical spells of divine spellcasters."

Telamon rocks his hand back and forth. "Perhaps. I have a ring that can duplicate certain spells -- in this case, bardic spells -- and I can use it to cure some injuries. But it is limited, and not as effective as, say, a true priest would be. In other words, I can triage, but I'm wise enough to let a real healer do the work if it's more complex than that."

He lifts his eyebrows. "Well... sorcerous bloodlines sometimes manifest unusual magics as well. And a god might gift his clerics with spells outside of what might be considered the norm. After all, it's not like they don't have access to them."

Simony hops down from the chair, hopping from foot to foot. "Would you like to see it? It will fit in here, and there's no fire, I promise." She giggles lightly. "Indeed, the Gods do do that. Now if I could convince Navos to let me have fireball..." She rubs at her chin a moment. "I think you could probably purchase a wand that casts cure spells, which would allow you to be an effective healer. But, potions are probably easier. If you get knocked down, someone else could use your own potions on you to get you back up. Honestly, though, anything is generally better than nothing, if you can manage. Even just stopping people from bleeding out."

Telamon smirks. "You could follow the same rule, you know. Purchase a wand of fireballs. I'm sure you're skilled enough to manipulate the wand, make it do your bidding." He looks curious, as he gets up from the table. Casually, he gestures, and the unseen servant begins collecting the plates and utensils, carrying them off to the sink to be washed and dried.

"Alright, but try not to know anything over. Lana doesn't like it when the house gets untidy." His eyes twinkle. "Besides, now I'm curious."

GAME: Simony casts Crushing Hand. Caster Level: 17 DC: 24

The Goblin laughs. "Touche! I could have, but I uhm I have spent my silver and gold on protective armaments, my warhammer, and a few things to help my spells beat the defenses of highly magical creatures. I felt those would be better uses of my money." She nods then, and closes her eyes. Her holy symbol begins to glow of its own accord, and floats upwards until it is straight out in front of her face. A quick and furtive prayer is uttered, beseeching Navos for motes of his divine power. At the end of the prayer, a giant hand pops into being, looking like a huge version of her right hand. Simony gestures with her hand, causing the larger one to wave at Telamon. "It's like my spirit weapon, but in physical form and larger. It can get in your face, push you over, hold you down, punch you or attempt to crush you. It is such a neat spell, I may like it more than fireball."

"It is part of a few such spells, some wizard ages ago created them."

GAME: Telamon rolls spellcraft: (3)+26: 29

"All worthy things. Many of the opponents you face will have an innate resilience against magic -- much to my annoyance. It's why Lana and I practice our spells in tandem; we can pierce magical defenses much more readily if we work together." Telamon watches with interest as Simony invokes her god, and the spell she needs. His hair stands up on the back of his neck slightly, and the house seems to hold its breath.

Then the thrum of magic, and a large hand appears. "Oh ho, that's clever. Wait... I've seen that before. Archmage Mikilos once used it -- a force construct. Very, very effective against ghosts as well as corporeal foes."

The hand turns palm up, and lowers itself to the floor, with SImony hopping aboard. "Oh? Mikilos, you say. Interesting. Are you capable of this spell, or was it not something you could choose to do?" Her head tilts to one side slightly. "How do your spells come to you, if I may ask. I uhhhm I have a rudimentary understanding of sorcerers. How do you choose your spells?" The hand slowly moves around, with the Gobbo getting comfortable on it. "It is a very effective defensive weapon. It can block doorways, slow people down, and put the hurt on them too. And.. I have a few others too, though they have lesser capability. But I could probably create enough to delay and hold dozens of people. If I were willing to request such spells many times over."

Telamon shakes his head. "I lack the capability. The talent is... instinctive. And at times, it can be limited. Wizards can maintain spellbooks, research spells, add to their repertoire. But a sorcerer's powers are much more narrowly focused. Our advantage is that our innate understanding makes us more efficient, lets us draw on deeper reserves of mana, than wizards." Telamon smiles. "There are always trade offs."

"That being said, there are ways to circumvent your limits. My robe, and my ring, allow me to access certain spells I have on scrolls. Wands and staves are useful as well. But a sorcerer must learn flexibility in developing their talent."

She nods, "Ah, if only we could do that, write things down into spellbooks to use later. I could put my skills to work doing that, for a pretty coin too." Simony's hand raises her up a little, and she moves to sit at the edge of the hand, her feet dangling and swinging back and forth.

"So more flexible with what power you do have, but your limits are set in stone. Wizards can push their limits farther than sorcerers, but don't have the same flexibility or depth of power. An interesting contrast. I think my capabilities can be matched by other deity's priests, with only few variations."

"If I were to have any one thing I wanted, it would be an item that allowed me to store divine spells for use later. Much like the rings I have heard that can store arcane spells."

Telamon chuckles. "If I was a wizard my spellbooks would probably take up half the library here. No, I'm happy with the power I have. It is sufficient for my work, and I am clever enough to use it wisely."

He tilts his head at Simony. "I suppose the easiest way to 'store' spells like that is scroll-scribing. Not one of my skills, I'm afraid, but then I do know how to brew potions. That's enough work for me."

He crooks a finger. "And since you're showing off your tricks... why don't we step into the backyard? I unearthed a large stone in the garden, and I haven't had the chance to pull it free yet. I imagine that giant hand of yours would do nicely." He grins. "Think of it as helping a friend."