Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="spyscribe" data-source="post: 2137708" data-attributes="member: 5808">Part the One-Hundred EigthIn which: Chi’i demonstrates her spell-casting prowess, Anvil goes around with his shirt off, and Lira is posed with an interesting question.There is a stunned pause.“Tell us what you know of these wizards you have met,” Anvil says.  Then, at a sharp look from Reyu, he adds “If it is not too much trouble.”Chi’i quirks an eyebrow at Anvil’s tone, but she answers the question.  “Well, there is Petros Menelaeus Korious.  He’s very talented, very powerful.  He lives in a moving tower.”“Just like we’d heard,” Lira murmurs to Eva.“He was visiting here just a few months ago, actually,” she continues.  “He’s something of a… crusader.”“In what way?”  asks Anvil.Chi’i considers.  “He sought me out because he had heard of some great evil in the Village of the Bountiful Fields Between Two Mountains.  He wanted my advice before he went there to deal with it.”“And what did you advise him?”“To stay away.  That place was once the site of terrible actions by the Sovereigns.  I would not be saddened nor surprised to learn that something evil had befallen them.  He went anyway.”Chi’i shrugs, closing the topic.“We were also told of a wizard living somewhere in Ebis,” Anvil informs her.“Ah… that would be Manaal al Amani.”“Do you know where in Ebis she can be found?”“No.  I’ve only met her once.  I believe she has a residence of some kind in the desert.”“We didn’t think there were any wizards in Ebis,” Lira puts in.“It’s my impression,” says Chi’i, “that Manaal has very little to do with most Ebisites.”“You do not sound confident in her abilities,” Anvil says with typical bluntness.“Oh, do not misunderstand.  Manaal is quite capable.  But… she is also very religious, and that colors her worldview."“Religious?”“She is an Ehktian.”Lira’s eyes light up at this revelation.  An Ehktian wizard. she thinks.  That should be interesting.Hey Boss, you think she’ll know where magic comes from?  You know, why you are… the way you are?I don’t know, but I bet she’ll have some interesting ideas.“Who is the fourth wizard you would have put on the list?” Anvil asks Chi’i.“I would have chosen Barnabus.  Although, I’m not surprised no one you knew had heard of him.  He lives on an island in the middle of the Halmae.  Absolutely obsessed with his work, he seldom sees anyone.”  Although Chi’i is able to give a vague description of where his island can be found, she does not have a map.  “As far as I know, it doesn’t appear on any map.”The party exchanges a look that clearly says, “Well, that will be simple to find.”  Finally, the party produces the object commonly referred to as “the big not-evil rock” for Chi’i’s inspection.  Her eyes widen briefly as Thatch unties the now-leathery blanket that it was bound up in.“That’s amazing,” she says.  “I’ve never seen such a large piece of it before.”Suddenly, Chi’i is not the only person in the room who is surprised.“You know this… substance?”  Lira asks.Chi’i nods.  “Yes.  As I said, never so large a piece of it in one place, but small chunks and shards can be found throughout the mountains.”“What is it?”  Eva asks.“The Go’nah-li called it Gods’ Breath.”“Yes, but what is it?” Lira presses.Chi’i smiles enigmatically.(Thatch looks over at Anvil and whispers, “Go’nah-li?”  Anvil shrugs.)“Well that rock has got some kind of weird taint all over his back, and now it’s making spines grow out of his backbone!”  Kiara protests, pointing at Anvil.Chi’i raises an eyebrow.  “May I?”Anvil turns around and allows her to examine his back.  She casts detect magic, and inspects the aura she finds there.She “hmms,” stops.  Then “hmms” some more.“Well,” she concludes, “I believe I can remove the ‘taint’ as you call it.  If you would come with me?”Anvil is initially reluctant.  “I am not harmed.  I can wait until we return to the healers at the Temple of Justice to attend to it.”“Are they familiar with the effects of Gods’ Breath?”Anvil has to admit that they aren’t.  “This will not be affected by even the most potent healing magic,” Chi’i warns him.  Seeing that no one else in the group has a better way for Anvil to remove the taint staining his back, he eventually agrees.  Lira, Eva and Kiara accompany him to Chi’i’s workshop.(Note: no, not because the girls wanted to see what Anvil looks like without his shirt on.  Sheesh!)Chi’i’s workroom is on the second floor of the house, tucked underneath the rafters, many of which still bear green needles from their boughs.  She directs Anvil to remove his shirt and lie facedown on a large table.Before she begins, Lira asks, “Do you mind if I cast detect magic?  I’d like to see.” “Not at all.” Chi’i observes as Lira casts, then asks, “Do you study at this Mages’ Academy?”Lira shakes her head.  “No, but Annika does.” “What about you?”Lira ducks her head.  “I don’t exactly study magic.  I was born to it.”“A sorcerer?”Lira nods.A small smile flits across Chi’i’s face, but she turns to Anvil saying, “I’m going to begin now.  You might feel a slight warming sensation, but there shouldn’t be any pain.”  And, taking a step back from the table, Chi’i casts.Looking through detect magic Lira can clearly see the taint remaining on Anvil’s back and the spell forming in the air as Chi’i casts.  She doesn’t recognize the spell, except that it’s some kind of abjuration… and very powerful.  The magic oozes down from Chi’i’s hands, settling along Anvil’s back until it has completely covered the area affected by the strange taint.  Then, in a bright flash—visible only to Lira’s magically enhanced vision—the spell is gone.  Unfortunately, the taint remains.Chi’i frowns.  “Interesting.”She takes a breath and casts again.  This time when the spell vanishes, the taint has gone as well.  Lira reports as much to Anvil, who nods curly.  “Thank you.”“You’re welcome,” Chi’i replies.  She runs a hand down Anvil’s spine.  The lumps growing out of his backbone are still there, pressing upwards from underneath his skin.“Can you do anything about that?”  Eva asks.“I could,” Chi’i allows, “but I don’t have the necessary spells prepared today.”  She addresses Anvil directly.  “It would also mean placing a permanent enchantment on your back.”Anvil shakes his head.  “That will not be necessary.”  Apparently, having a lumpy spine does not stand in the way of Kettenek’s Justice.“Very well.”  As Anvil gets off the table and puts his shirt back on, and Kiara pokes her nose around Chi’i’s workshop, Chi’i turns back to Lira.“Tell me,” she says, conversationally.  “If you had the chance not to be a sorcerer anymore, would you take it?”The room falls absolutely silent.</blockquote>

Verification