Her Biggest Fan (Part 5)
Last time...
There's some more sniffling from Randi, but she grabs onto the lifeline offered (figuratively if not literally) from the heroes. "All... all right. I'll take you to him." She gestures for the party to gather around, in a way reminiscent of other teleporting magicians, and takes the token in hand.
She takes a deep breath, and speaks a command word. Abruptly the five of you are wrapped in a bright blue flash of light, and the sensation of traveling without moving is there...
There's a soft 'pop' as you reappear in an opulent hall. The ceiling of the hall is a gorgeous mosaic depicting Navos in his aspect as the Historian, and on either wall there are frescos clearly referencing the eight schools of magic. This looks to be a rather pleasant place, hardly a hellish dungeon of unholy horror.
And then you see there are two statues, one to either side of the door leading northward, smashed into rubble. The door itself is shattered, and from beyond you hear an angry female voice with a curiously toneless timbre to it.
"BARATHEOS, YOU BASTARD!"
It appears someone with a grievance has arrived ahead of you.
Dirk grunts softly as his boots touch down. No matter how many times he travels via translocation, it never fails to upset his poor tummy. And considering the size of said tummy, that's to be expected--there's a lot of it to displace. But he shakes it off quickly. On instinct, his thunderbelcher is up to his shoulder, his gaze flicking side to side as he snaps it left and right.
But then, there's the sound of shouting and smashing. Blink. Blink blink. "Is... is he havin' a row wi' his -wife-?" he asks, lowering his weapon as he looks up at his comrades. "Och, maybe we dinnae need tae be here -after- all..."
The Goblin sprouts wings again, and she flits off towards the doorway. "BARATHEOS, YOU BASTARD! Oh... you were here first. Please, carry on, don't let us interrupt you."
Cor'ethil's silver eyes are wide with the sound of the angry woman's voice. "Um." He might say nothing more, but then Murder grows wings and charges in. "Ohhhhh great Gilead," he says in a sigh of worry, before murmuring a soft prayer of healing onto himself. "Karasu, cover me!"
He follows hot on Murder's trail, rapier drawn and ready for the inevitable. "Please let us live through this day!" They've got to live. They've got a wedding to throw.
GAME: Corey rolls 7d6: (19): 19
Karasu frowns mildly watching Murder advancing on the scene with clearly no idea of what is going on but every intention of butting her nose into it. Corey, goodness bless his soul, is going in to cover her though, so Karasu covers him exactly as the elvish man asks him to do, drawing his short sword and Toge - a dagger - as he moves with a serious mien to his face.
Randi, for her part, lets out a confused yelp. "He doesn't have a wife..." she says to Dirk nervously. As the heroes charge the doorway, she follows (mostly for lack of any other options).
Down a hallway, through a cross-passage, and through what were a fine set of double doors that are now in splintered ruin, and you step into a high-ceilinged room. A library. A shrine to the Raven. Both, really. The walls are broken by beautiful stained-glass windows depicting various concepts in magic: spellcasting, crafting and brewing, summoning, battle magic, and so on. The ceiling has another mosaic, this one picturing a young man humbly kneeling before what is clearly Navos, receiving a book from the god's hand.
Shelves and racks stand fifteen feet high here, each enclosed in a cabinet with glass doors for protection. Books and scrolls fill the shelves, a collection worthy of any scholar or archmage. The shelving, both along the walls and free-standing, encircles a reading area with comfortable chairs and sofas and plenty of lighting from mage-lamps.
A woman of about thirty winters stands a bit nervously pressed against one of the shelves, her eyes on the drama in front of her. At the heroes' entrance, she glances at them, double-takes, and something like relief shines in her gaze. This is probably because of the argument that's occurring.
Two figures stand in the seating area, a table overturned. One is clearly the entity you know as Castileth the Silent; it is from his hand his voice comes. The other is a humanoid garbed in white silk and linen, with a silver mask over his face. The voice that comes from that countenance is deep and charming, quite pleasant, and it's clear he's trying to defuse things.
"Really, Castileth, is this -necessary-? Look, you're scaring my guest, Mrs. Konigdottir. Come now, let's have a spot of tea, talk this out."
"Talk this out?!" Castileth's borrowed voice is probably that of the aforementioned Mrs. Konigsdottir. "You summoned -kytons-! You know how I feel about kytons! Did I not -tell- you this when you asked for that tome on conjuration?"
Dirk shouldn't be surprised. He knows Murder well. But that still doesn't stop his jaw from dropping and his brows shooting up like a pair of surprised ferrets. "Wha-ah--?!" And then there goes Corey. And then there goes Karasu. For a moment, the old snowbeard can only boggle. Then he lifts a hand to whack his forehead. "Ohh, piss up my -arse-!" he grumbles. He motivates his hefty rump, trundling up the stairs and down the hall.
Fortunately, he's not magickally inclined, and he's a creature of humble means and simple tastes. The lavish surrounds and frankly impressive collection of arcane lore and knowledge are largely lost on the burly ranger. But seeing the telltale figure of Castileth has him drawing up short. And there's Miss Daniela, the poor lass they were sent to rescue. And -there-, no doubt, is Baratheos. Kidnapper, demon-summoner, and who knows what else. He looks between the two. Blink. Blink blink. Well. He clears his throat with a mighty "A-HEM!" He takes a step forward, holding his thunderbelcher at the ready. "Missus Konigsdottir, I presume? We're from the Alexandrian Adventurer's Guild. Yer husband hired us tae rescue ye." He shoots Baratheos and Castileth a hairy eyeball. "An' that's -just- what we'll be doin'. So let's nae be havin' anything hinky out the pair o' -you-."
GAME: Corey rolls Sense Motive: (16)+19: 35
Cor'ethil's eyes are wide as he interprets the exchange between Castileth and Baratheos. As Dirk is addressing them, he murmurs to Karasu and Murder, "Oh, these two know each other. I can't figure out what and where from, though. Study buddies? Associates? Maybe old University roommates?" He can't imagine Castileth as having once been a person that went to University, but... "They know each other. Let's talk it out. And maybe Karasu can slip in and try to get to Daniela..."
And then Corey stands up to his full height and steps forward a little, puffing out his chest. _Think of Archmage Lupecyll-Atlon!_ he reminds himself. Effortless charisma! "Pardon me, but it really sounds like there's a dispute here. Perhaps I might be of service? My name is Cor'ethil Cari'thana, youngest son of the Cari'thana family, and I also happen to be a Warden of Gilead, so if there's a dispute afoot, perhaps I could put an end to things?"
There's no doubt in Corey's mind there's going to be an end to things. Baratheos getting stabbed is his preferred ending. But if they can secure Daniela's safety first before the stabbing, all the better.
GAME: Corey rolls Diplomacy: (10)+21: 31
While Cor'ethil is trying to draw the attention of the mages, Karasu want's none of it. He slips into the background, fading into obscurity and trying to edge closer to the poor author whom they have come all this long way to rescue and whose voice is being used to argue with. He slips silently as he can, but there's really nowhere to hide in this open room, but still, he has a lifetime of training to fall back upon for moments such as this.
GAME: Karasu rolls Stealth: (16)+21: 37
Murder blinks at the others, and smacks her palm to her forehead when Corey offers to ... mediate. "So you want to mediate a dispute between two people whom you have confirmed as being EVIL, is that right, PALADIN of Gilead?" Murder launches herself at the wizard, wings flapping for all their worth, sword being pulled free as she goes.
Randi waves her hands wildly, trying to shush Dirk. "Wait-wait, he's distracted, don't--" And then things go off the rails.
Karasu slips along one of the free-standing shelves, staying out of sight. A quick glance shows that Daniela is cautiously inching away from the two wizards, towards him -- she may not have seen Karasu but she's seen the others.
When Corey strides forward, the argument comes to a stop as the two magicians look at the elf. "Cari'thana?" repeats Baratheos. "Say, are you related to a Faphinae Cari'thana? Goodness, is she still shanking people for that fey queen tart? It's been a while."
Castileth turns his gilded skull towards Corey, and the voice that emanates is Corey's. "I do not think we need mediation. This is discipline, not a family argument--"
And then Murder charges, causing Baratheos to recoil and Castileth to chuckle darkly. "That works too."
GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (19)+23+4: 46 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4+4: (10)+23+4+4: 41 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+damage1+28+28: aliased to 1d6+8+1d6+8+28+28: (5)+8+(2)+8+28+28: 79
"Mediation was just a red herring!" Cor'ethil announces to Murder, and then his silver eyes lock onto Baratheos. His brows knit together as his mother's name is mentioned.
"No." Rapier in hand, Corey stomps forward on armored boots. "No. You keep my mother's good name out of your filthy, horrible, _horrible_ mouth--"
Corey lunges forward with a prayer to Gilead for his blessing against evil, and his rapier thrusts so hard into Baratheos's body that the mask falls off. It's no vampire under there. What remains is a mummified face, undead and horrible. "You're a lich, too!" he hisses. "Then allow me to do the Stag's work!"
GAME: Karasu rolls CMB: (10)+9: 19
Karasu manages to eek forward the last few steps, and though he surprises the woman, he doesn't bother explaining who he is to her or that he is here to rescue her. There is not time to do so. He simply flips her off her feet, tips her over his shoulder and rushes silently across the floor back to the exit as quickly and as quietly as he can manage. Hopefully the mages fail to notice that their prisoner and one of their guests is making an impromptu escape.
After all... he'll be back.
GAME: Corey rolls Fortitude: (16)+21: 37
Baratheos is almost knocked down by Corey's brutal assault, and the undead wizard looks at the elf in disgust. "You... -barbarian-! You brute! Cur! Uneducated SAVAGE! Aleph-One and Two, I invoke your binding now! Slay the intruders!"
A flash of light, and suddenly two humanoid entities appear near the bookshelves. They look like war golems at first... but possess a fluidity and elegance even the most finely crafted war golem cannot match. As one, they draw swords. "As you command," they intone.
With that, Baratheos steps backwards from Corey, chanting. A ghastly, greenish fogbank springs up around him, hiding the wizard from sight. He calls out, though. "Castileth, help! Don't let them take my books!"
GAME: Murder RAGES!, gaining +3 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 45 temporary HP GAME: Murder casts Ablative Barrier. Caster Level: 15 DC: 15 GAME: Murder rolls weapon42+7: (15)+29+7: 51 GAME: Murder rolls weapon42+7-5: (15)+29+7+-5: 46 GAME: Murder rolls weapon42+7-10: (2)+29+7+-10: 28 GAME: Murder rolls damage42: aliased to 2d6+15: (7)+15: 22 GAME: Murder rolls damage42: aliased to 2d6+15: (6)+15: 21 GAME: Murder rolls damage42: aliased to 2d6+15: (4)+15: 19 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (14): 14
Murder watches as Corey advances somewhat casually, and smites Baratheos, who responds by covering the area in a thick, smelly fog.
"Ewwwh, worse than Da's farts. You okay in there, Coreth... Cor'eh... Corey?" She eyes the two armored things that have just appeared, likely one of the lich's doing. "I'm going to pummel these two things into scrap, you holler out if you need a hand!"
Her eyes flash and glow a bright red, and the Goblin bulks up a little, sigils flashing into existence and a glow surrounds her briefly. "DIE!", she screams, before rocking the creature about with her sword.
The gilded skull turns from Corey, to Baratheos, to Corey again. There's something in the lich's stance (definitely not his expression) that suggests frustration.
"As much as he deserves it... if you kill him, he won't learn anything." And with that, Castileth spits out a complex spell in a fraction of a second -- and suddenly both of the liches are surrounded by a faint, shimmering sphere. Baratheos looks around, before turning to stare at Castileth... who is audibly cracking his metal-plated knuckles.
"Now, where were we? Ah yes, I was about to -discipline- you, student, for summoning kytons. Of all the things to summon..."
GAME: Corey rolls Spellcraft: (15)+19: 34 GAME: Dirk rolls knowledge/the planes: (3)+3: 6 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot: aliased to Ranged+2-4: (3)+17+2+-4: 18 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-5: aliased to Ranged+2-4-5: (5)+17+2+-4+-5: 15 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-10: aliased to Ranged+2-4-10: (20)+17+2+-4+-10: 25 (THREAT) GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-10: aliased to Ranged+2-4-10: (7)+17+2+-4+-10: 12 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-10: aliased to Ranged+2-4-10: (12)+17+2+-4+-10: 17 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (9)+2+8: 19 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (8)+2+8: 18 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (10)+2+8: 20 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (2)+2+8: 12 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (4)+2+8: 14 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (1)+2+8: 11
Dirk's eyes get wide as that magicked shield surrounds the two quarelling liches. "Gah! This is gettin' ridiculous!" he grumbles. He turns his attention instead to the two minions Baratheos summoned. He squints at the being that Murder just slitted up. Now he knows Murder well, and he's seen her work. He -knows- that that whatever-it-is should have taken a bigger hit. So he makes that the focus of his ire. He swings up his thunderbelcher and cocks back the hammer. CHK-BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! PYANG! PING! PTANNG! The thing staggers as three blessed bullets blast holes in its chassis. "Gah! These are -constructs-!" he hollers, racking the slide on his weapon. "They're goin' tae take a beatin' afore they're scrap!"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (17)+20: 37 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d10+8: (5)+8: 13 GAME: Corey rolls Fortitude: (16)+21: 37
The two mechanoids immediately move to the attack. One steps in and swings at Murder, striking her but doing little. The other, sorely damaged by Dirk and Murder's strikes, begins to regenerate... the rents in its hull starting to close, as it steps away from Murder. A brief spell is intoned, and the creature disappears…
GAME: Corey rolls weapon1: (15)+23: 38 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4: (15)+23+4: 42 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls damage1+damage1: aliased to 1d6+8+1d6+8: (1)+8+(5)+8: 22
Cor'ethil strides out of the gas, taking a nice deep breath of the clean air once he's out. "They're locked in a resilient sphere!" he calls out. "I can't break into that thing; it's reinforced tighter than the palace back in Llyranost." Or so one would hope. "Karasu! Come fight with me!"
He steps closer to the golem and drives a hard strike into the golem.
GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+15-2: (2)+15+-2: 15 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+15-2: (4)+15+-2: 17
Karasu drops the woman pointing to the door. "Run." He tells her shortly. He has no room for further discourse. Not with Cor'ethil fighting still. He looks up and sees a cloud of gas and metal autonomations and... It's a mess. He shakes his head, rushing forward and swinging his own weapons. His blades find no purchase in the metal of the creature he is attacking, but that's little surprise given its metal makeup. "We should leave!"
There's no reason for them to stay now!
From within the stinking cloud, Baratheos's voice can be heard. "Now... now wait, Castileth. I know you're angry, but... they -hurt- her. I told them -specifically- not to and they ignored me! How -dare- they abuse a good author!" He sounds like he's trying to wheedle his way out of what's coming.
GAME: Murder rolls CMB: (7)+19: 26 GAME: Murder rolls perception: (13)+21: 34 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+24: (6)+24: 30
The Goblin /POUTS/ as the first robot steps away, and then goes invisible. She squints and looks around. Her arm comes up, pointing southwards, and opens her mouth. Then the other robutt smacks her from behind. She slowly turns her head, her eyes bright red. Her sword is released, and she latches onto the creature's leg and STRAINS, snarling. The leg does not move... and instead she gnaws at it's knee, teeth making a sound not unlike fingernails on a chalkboard.
There's a long, hard silence from Castileth. Then, in Corey's voice. "Did you know I make myself immune to some of my own spells?" There's a loud THUMP from the cloud, and a brilliant orange-yellow FLASH and a truncated screech. Then... nothing. Except footsteps inside the cloud, and muttering.
GAME: Dirk rolls shoot: aliased to Ranged+2-4: (9)+17+2+-4: 24 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-5: aliased to Ranged+2-4-5: (11)+17+2+-4+-5: 21 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-10: aliased to Ranged+2-4-10: (6)+17+2+-4+-10: 11 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-10: aliased to Ranged+2-4-10: (13)+17+2+-4+-10: 18 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (10)+2+8: 20 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (12)+2+8: 22 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (1)+2+8: 11
Dirk scowls furiously as the bot escapes his dwarven wrath. "Ohh fuck -off- wi' that invisibility shite!" he grumbles. He casts his gaze around, settling upon the -other- bot. He lifts his thunderbelcher--and flinches back as Castileth casts FIREBALL. He blinks the spots out of his eyes, shaking his head. "Och. Liches be -trippin'-," he mutters, before raising his weapon again. CHK-BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! PTONG! PYANG! PCHEW! Two bullets strike the mechanoid center mass. The third barely wings the thing. "Oooh, I'll have yer guts fer -gears-!" he growls angrily, racking his weapon's slide to eject the spent shells.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (2)+20: 22 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+15: (6)+15: 21 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+10: (8)+10: 18 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (9)+20: 29 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d10+8: (10)+8: 18
The two mechanical warriors don't seem inclined to quit. Or lie down. Or, well, any of that. One stabs with machined grace at Corey, but the blows bounce off the paladin's armor. The other mechanoid reappears next to Dirk, striking him with its sword and drawing blood, the golem-like creature's hull continuing to regenerate.
As they fight, Daniela flees for the door at Karasu's urging, with Randi right behind her.
GAME: Corey rolls weapon1: (8)+23: 31 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1-5: (14)+23+-5: 32 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1-10: (15)+23+-10: 28 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1-10+4: (18)+23+-10+4: 35 (THREAT) GAME: Corey rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+8: (4)+8: 12 GAME: Corey rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+8: (5)+8: 13 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+damage1: aliased to 1d6+8+1d6+8: (2)+8+(6)+8: 24 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+15-2: (16)+15+-2: 29 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+10-2: (20)+10+-2: 28 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+10-2: (12)+10+-2: 20 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+14-2: (11)+14+-2: 23 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+14-2-5: (4)+14+-2+-5: 11 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+10-2: (11)+10+-2: 19 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+10-2-5: (14)+10+-2+-5: 17 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1: (5)+23: 28 GAME: Corey rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+8: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d6+1+4d6: (6)+1+(15): 22 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d6+1+4d6: (3)+1+(15): 19 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d6+1+4d6: (5)+1+(16): 22
"Ah!" Cor'ethil catches the other guard reappearing next to Dirk. "Hold on, Dirk!" he calls out as he drives his rapier three times into the guard in front of him. The last is a nice grievous blow.
"Finish it off, Karasu!" Corey says, eyeing Dirk. "We'll help you as soon as we can!"
GAME: Murder rolls cmb: (5)+19: 24 GAME: Murder rolls CMB: (8)+19: 27 GAME: Murder rolls CMB: (12)+19: 31
Karasu does his best to 'finish it off' but even his best attempt to find weaknesses in the body of this automated thing is not enough to finish it off completely. "We should be leaving while those two are arguing." He says to his beloved. "The women are free, killing these guardians earns us nothing. These lich creatures are beyond our ken!"
Much as he loathes to admit it, he does so in a low hiss of breath. "Kokoro, we should go." He meets the other man's eyes briefly, hoping beyond hope that Cor'ethil will not insist that they fight the lich's to the death.
Murder seems... more annoyed than she did previously. "HEY, I'M DOWN HERE YOU DUMB, RUSTY BUCKET OF REUSED BOLTS, LINT AND HAIRBALLS!" With a noisy grunt, she latches onto the robot's leg, and lifts, pulling it slightly off balance. "I've half a mind to drop a fireball on you."
Abruptly, there is a spoken word from the cloud, and it vanishes like mist under sunlight. The only person standing there is Castileth -- of Baratheos, there is no sign, except for a very distinct circular scorch mark on the carpet.
Completely unmoved by the melee, the lich walks over to the bookshelf, removes a book, and opens it to reveal a hidden compartment. "He -always- puts it in a Crimson Pen book," Castileth says in Murder's voice. He removes a strange necklace, which he pockets. "I shall leave you to your fate, good or ill. Goodbye." And with that, Castileth vanishes with a 'pop' and a flash.
Dirk staggers back with a roar of dwarven fury as the mechanoid's blade lays open his shoulder. "HYAARRRRRGH! YOU RAT -BASTARD-!" He looks ready to unload more heavy ordinance... but then he spots Daniela and Randi making good their escape. He hops back, leveling a finger at the golem. "Ye got -lucky-, ye bloody clanker!" he snarls. With that, he turns and runs as fast as his tubby stride can carry him, clapping a hand over his tricorne to keep it from flying off.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+15: (17)+15: 32
When the cloud vanishes, and Castileth departs, the mechanoids... stop their attacks. They look at each other, clicking, as their damage continues to regenerate, before immediately sheathing their weapons and vanishing in a flash of light. Apparently Baratheos's instructions were unclear after he 'died'.
The very first thing Corey does, once the robots disappear, is to look at Karasu, extending a hand to him. "Everything okay?" he asks. "Let's go. I don't want to leave Daniela out there by herself too long." Especially where Dirk and Karasu have already expressed wanting to leave. Either way... things could have gone much, much worse.
Karasu breathes out a long breath and takes Corey's hand. They leave the lich's abode like that. Hand in hand. Some might wonder at an assassin - or a former assassin being willing to hold the hand of a paladin so easily, but then... Karasu has little patience for such people in any case. Wuya lifts aloft once they are free of the tower. Cawing gently. Watching over them all.
The robot vanishes right out of Murder's grip, and she lets out a loud, bestial snarl. She snatches up her sword and watches as the others begin to leave. Her hands trace out numerous arcane symbols, and she inhales... far, far, far more than one would expect from a Goblin. The stream of fire is lengthy, and washes over several shelves.
Dirk trundles out of the library and into the cold dark of the night. He pants for breath, giving himself a shake. "Och, we -did- it!" he booms cheerfully. He reaches over his shoulder to holster his thunderbelcher in its back holster. He gives the slash on his arm a hairy eyeball, but he's taken far worse. He gives himself a shake, before lumbering over to Daniela and Randi. "You lasses a'right? That was pretty rough, I'll warrant. But not tae fret, we'll get ye both back tae Alex, safe an' sound!" He digs into his hip satchel for his pipe and tobacco pouch, fully intent on enjoying a well-earned victory smoke. He strikes a match to light the bowl, puffing a hearty glow alight, before tossing the match over his shoulder--right as Murder goes full dragonbreath on the books. WHUMFFF! The burly old snowbeard startles as he hears the sound of books catching behind them. He stares up at the growing conflagration in awe. "Uh... did... did -I- do that?" he asks, pointing with his pipe stem at the increasing bonfire.
Randi can't help but wince as Murder lights up the building. Daniela, on the other hand, sighs, and puts her arm around the girl. "Let it be, dear. Sometimes you have to cauterize before a wound can heal." She makes a wry face. "He's going to be mighty angry about losing all his autographed books though. Even mine."
The trip back fills in the gaps. Apparently Baratheos had been collecting books from the Konigsdottirs, and had been overjoyed to learn a new author was in the family. With the usual complete lack of tact (or common sense) seen in wizards, he'd arranged for her to be kidnapped so she could autograph his copies, as well as show her a manuscript he'd been writing. His concern for her was genuine, if horribly flawed by his undead nature. Castileth, she knew nothing about, although it seems the two had been master and student.
Paging through the thick ream of papers -- the only thing that survived Murder's fiery wrath -- Daniela muses, "I could publish it under a false name -- if the Crimson Pen can do it, I certainly can -- and donate the proceeds to the temples. Make something good come out of this." She gives Randi a stern look. "And I know how to keep you out of trouble as well, dear. You need a little time learning about -people-, not magic."
Randi gulps, but then again, it beats the Arcanist's Dungeon -- or worse. Such is life in Alexandros.
-End