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Message: <blockquote data-quote="spyscribe" data-source="post: 2842502" data-attributes="member: 5808">Part the One-Hundred Ninety-SecondIn which: we’ve found the last archmage.  Our mission is over.  We can all go home…  Right? He just appears.  One instant there's no one there, and the next, there's an archmage.Out of habit, Eva looks around quickly for where he might have come from.  Archmages.  Can never just use a door, can they?The newcomer acknowledges the rest of the room with a nod and makes a short bow to the Count.  “You wished to speak with me?”“Ah, Barnabus,” the Count replies, “how good of you to take time from your work to appear.”“Certainly, my liege…”As Barnabus and the Count exchange pleasantries, Lira and Reyu both surreptitiously cast detect magic.To Reyu’s magically enhanced sight, the room lights up in a blaze of magic.  Baranbus himself shows a weak transmutation effect, as well as auras of abjuration on his ring and the brooch holding his robes.Each of the Count’s sons carry a couple of magic items, and his wife has more than a few—mostly, Lira notes with some amusement, illusions.  However, the real eye-opener is the Count.  Nearly ever item or piece of clothing on his person radiates some kind of magical aura.  Both women find they have to look away in order to avoid being dazzled.Barnabus appears to have been briefed on at least some of the party’s tale, and turns to Anvil.  “You have an invitation for me?”Anvil speaks to the archmage with the utmost respect.  “We have been tasked with seeking out the greatest arcanists of the Halmae.  Your reputation precedes you, but we would like to witness some demonstration of your prowess, so that we might speak to our superiors with confidence of your skills.”Barnabus considers the request for a moment.  “Very well then,” he replies, and without another word begins to cast.Suddenly, Anvil finds himself shrinking in his chair.  His feet can no longer reach the floor, and indeed, within a few seconds he can no longer see the top of the table.  Turning to either side he sees that the rest of his companions are being similarly affected, except—oddly enough—for Kiara.She is sitting in her seat, watching Annika shrink, and giggling.With a wave of his hand, Barnabus dismisses the effect and the party finds themselves restored once more to their normal size.Apparently satisfied, Anvil gives a short nod and presents Barnabus with Kind Orrin’s invitation.The wizard opens the seal and examines the letter, then tucks the parchment away in a pocket of his robe.  “Well, I certainly appreciate the trouble you took to find me.  But I am afraid I will have to decline.”“You are certain you will not even appear before the committee then?” Anvil asks.Barnabus shakes his head.  “No, I think not.  I am quite happy in my current situation.”Lira speaks up.  “The Lady Chi’i should be present, if you wish to see her again.”There is a brief pause.  “Ah, well...  An opportunity I shall regret missing, but I’m sure our paths will cross again in the future.”“It seems likely,” Lira agrees.Beside her at the table, Eva squints.  If she didn’t know better, when Lira mentioned Chi’i, she could have sworn that the archmage’s first reaction had been one of confusion. Still, it was so fast, it’s hard to be sure.###After dinner, the party members return to their respective rooms.There was nothing wrong about their meeting with Barnabus.  It’s just that it was a little… off.  Like the way that the archmage carries only a fraction of the magic items that the Count’s wife does.  Maybe he doesn’t feel that he needs them.  Then again…And then Annika mentions that while beyond her abilities mass reduce just isn’t that powerful a spell.  Maybe Barnabus just underestimated the party’s experience with high level arcane magic.  Then again…Why was Lira’s reference to Chi’i surprising?  There could be an innocent explanation.  Just like there could be innocent explanations to the others.  But all together?  Something isn’t quite right.Unsettled, the group goes their separate ways for the evening.  The Count seems eager to have them on their way now that their errand is complete, but even he isn’t going to send them packing in the middle of the night.  Hoping that Alliria will appreciate his observances of her Ascendance better late than never, Thatch gains permission to use the house shrine.  Eva, out of paranoid habit, tags along.  (When Bad Monkey Jeff was asked what Anvil was going to spend the evening doing he replied, “I’m sitting in my room in my underwear, playing the guitar.”  Who would have guessed?)Others do what they can to uncover more information about Count Agramount and his household.  Once out of sight in her room, Kiara switches into swallow form and escapes out a window for a quick reconnaissance mission around the keep and grounds.Reyu considers wildshaping into a dog to conduct some spying of her own, but decides to wait with Lira, who has requested the opportunity to speak to their chef privately.  His discomfiture during dinner was unmistakable, and Lira hopes to find out what is on his mind.The chef, Chaidess, arrives promptly, accompanied by a liveried escort.“You ah… asked to see me, Miss?” he says, stopping before the room’s threshold, unconsciously rubbing his hands along the sides of his apron.“Yes, thank you for coming.  I know you must be busy…”  Lira watches the chef’s escort lurking in the hallway, clearly listening.  “Won’t you come in?”The chef sneaks a quick glance back at his minder.  “I had better not.  I’ve many duties to attend to before tomorrow.”“Of course…  Anyway, I wanted to say again how impressed I was with dinner.”“You’re very kind,” he ducks a bit, and wipes a line of sweat from his brow. Lira does her best to draw him out.  “You said you were Aegosian?”“Yes, miss.”“Oh.  I’ve only been there once, briefly.  But we should be returning to Dar Pykos soon, our mission being completed.  I know you’re very busy here, but if you like, we’d be happy to carry a letter back to the Confederacy for you, or send greetings to any family you have back home.”“I… no, there’s… really… no one.”Chaidess may be an excellent chef, but he is hardly a convincing liar.  Listening in on the conversation, Reyu is positive that Chaidess would like to say more, but with his minder listening to every word, he is unwilling to say it.  In fact, at that moment, the liveried escort opens his mouth, and Reyu is certain that the conversation is about to come to an abrupt end.She is not sure what she to do about it, but all of sudden Lira interrupts herself in the middle of a sentence saying, “I’m sorry…  I don’t feel so—” and then faints, straight into the chef’s arms.</blockquote>

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