Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shayuri" data-source="post: 5904488" data-attributes="member: 4936">[sblock]Mei-Ying takes her cup and sips from it to give polite excuse as she furiously dissected the mage's statements. She was not a wizard, trained in studies and to have the keen intellect they did, but she knew people fairly well and paid attention to what they did and didn't say. The barbarians often spoke carelessly, she found...revealing more than they meant to, or were aware of. And even a barbarian wizard was still a barbarian. The shrieking half-orc she paid no attention to; he was a barbarian in more senses of the word than she could easily catalogue.He predicted their second meeting would be more pleasant should it come to that. Her success was not assured, obviously...but she suspected there could be a heavily veiled threat in that statement too. At the very least, an assurance that if she did not agree then she was burning this bridge.His organization sought items of power, most of which but not all were artifacts. Their purpose was unclear. She would need to see if that information was on the bargaining table and what the price was. He was being coy, too, about saying the objects they needed were 'most likely' in the Valley. There were many other possible reasons they resisted divination, and she was sure they were either investigating them, or already had. That they were entombed in the Valley was troubling. It was difficult to imagine good coming from artifacts contained there...though the commander had mentioned that an artifact was responsible for the magical ward that bottled its evil up.  Was that one of the ones they sought? How many such things could there be in one place?Since you are an arcanist, he wished to make a deal. That had been interesting. It implied there were others, not arcanists, who had not been given that option. The spies in the camp? They might have 'duties' beyond simply reporting what they saw and heard. And why, she wondered fleetingly, did it make a difference that she was an arcanist? Was that his preference, or his organization's? And finally the geas. Mei-Ying did not use much 'mind magic' herself, but she had some passing familiarity with it. The spell he was mentioning was widely known. It did not distinguish between a willing contractee and a victim. If he was prepared to cast it on her, he did not need to bargain. But of course, it would go more smoothly if she was a willing participant. The power of that binding could be overcome by sufficiently powerful magic. At worst, she could choose to die to deny them their prize. No, they wanted her as an ally...but would they settle for a thrall if she denied them?She sets the cup back down and says, "You ask a great deal of me. Artifacts are not lightly sealed, or lightly guarded...and you need more than one. There is also the opportunity cost, of course. The power to be had by possessing them, given away. And the secrecy of this meeting leads me to believe that I would be sworn to secrecy in this task as well...making potential enemies of my allies.""As well, the binding you propose enforces me to hold up my side, but places no obligations on you. I respect your caution, but distrust leads to mutual distrust. Thus, what I ask of you I ask be delivered before I pass into the mythal. My compliance will then be magically enforced, and my reward will assist me in carrying out the terms of the bargain...which can only help you as well.""This then is what I require."The sorceress held up a hand with a finger raised."First, knowledge. What is your organization, and what do they plan to do with this collection of artifacts? Any one such thing can alter the course of history when found. The power of more than one used by a cabal of powerful mages could shake the heavens from the sky...or send the world crashing into the hells.""Second, for the power you ask from me, I ask for power. In particular, there are objects that release spells when raw magic is focused through them. They are useful to mages like me, if the spells they cast are not ones I have already mastered. Depending on what you have available, or can make in time, I may also need a few spell tablets...scrolls, I think you call them.""And finally, protection. The dangers of the Valley are ones arcanists are ill-equipped to counter. I need something to shield me from the powers you ask me to confront. Something to keep my life-essence safe from the touch of the undead. I had planned to rely on the divine magic of the others for this, but as this bargain may drive a wedge between us, I can no longer depend on that."She raised her eyes to meet his and waited for his response.[/sblock]</blockquote>

Verification