Scrolling for Insight

Good news! Griva Brassbringer, the head of the local chapter of the Resurrectionists of Animus, has a request for you.

It's an odd one, but well, all of their equests are odd. That's what you get when you deal with people who have the mission of 'bring back a dead god of magic'.

Apparently, her assistant Farland, a gnomish fellow of colorful dispostion, wants you to go to a particular place outside the city, read a scroll of magic, and then ... tel them what happens?

IT should be safe, they stress. Should.

Bereft of her precious merchant cart... mostly because it is halfway taken apart for rebuilding with tank treads underneath. What? BECAUSE SHE CAN!

Anyhow, Alaryn is present and on foot. She doesn't really like being on foot, but she needs more capital to invest into her business... and besides, she hasn't had a chance to play with her firearms in a while. So maybe this will accomplish both of those things.

A scroll? "Can we examine the scroll ahead of time?" She asks. "Or is that bad form?"

"With the way my luck has been lately... maybe we should." Patch muses to Alaryn, walking along with her as she idly watches the road ahead of them with a steady pace and glance. "I don't what I am expecting, but most times something is supposed to be safe enough, it goes wrong. Terribly wrong." the bard muses, turning to look at the others of the party that have signed up for this job.

Patch pulls her cloak tighter regardless of the weather, her eyes soon back on their way. "So.. where exactly are we supposed to read this? It's kind of an odd job, yeah?" Patch's mind still on about what they are trying to learn and research from this.

The scroll in question is an anti-magic scroll. It should clear the area of magic. Where? Well, where is heading down to what is presumably a place of high-density of magical energy.

Seems you're placing anti-magic there and then meant to chart whether there's any visible impacts. It should be safe.

Should.

The location in question is a hilltop outside Aledxandria.

"Chin up. Best case scenario they only brought so many of us along because of the undead around Alexandria." Zofija grunts from atop her griffon as they plod along with the rest of the group. "Worst case, they brought so many people and stayed at home because they expect something to go wrong. Normally I'd tell them to stuff it and do it themselves, but maybe this could be helpful to the city somehow."

Snorting, Alaryn shakes her head, "Well I want nothing to do with anti-magic. Everything I do is based on channeling magic energy. Externally rather than internally, but it's still magic."

But she's walking along with, "I can happily provide ranged overwatch from outside the area that is going to be cleansed. If I am in there, then I won't be of any use if anything DOES happen."

Shrouded in her feathered cloak, Elyanna has mostly lurked in the background, nodding assent at certain moments. Likely due to recent.... shifts in her legal status in the wake of a kerfuffle some time ago, involving executions, wanted posters and other such hilarity, the red woman has been less inclined to make much spectacle of herself thus far.

This may end up like some of her past endeavors for the Fieu's church, though, the idea of their quest potentially sullying Taara's stew helps guide her in her motivation.

Outside the city proper, she breaks her silence with, "Expect something to go wrong," her accent somewhat softened, but still distinctly of Bludgun, "that we are not surprised, and, if it goe well, we can be pleasantly surprised."

Patch laughs to Alaryn as she talks about the scroll and magics with a smile. To Elyanna, and Zofija she casts a glance between the two with a slow nod, listening and raising a finger to her lips as she walks. "Well, it seems we are at least taking it seriously regardless. It's a pleasure to work with all of you."

Patch's next words are for Zofija as a brow raises to something. "That's a point I hadn't thought of. Tedious or silly, if it helps the city in these dark times, it's still help." pondering over this with a subtle shrug. "We shall see, but I will keep it positive."

"Keep it positive, but plan for the worst." Zofija grunts. "It's anti magic, but if I can read it, leave it to the big, dumb, magically inept hobgoblin to manage it, so you all can still react if things go wrong, and I'm the one getting the brunt of it. Just remember to tell all of them about my selfless acts when it comes time to divy up payment for the job."

Shaking her head, Alaryn states, "The only descriptor there you used that was accurate was Hobgoblin, and I hate that name." She pauses and looks to and fro, "But I -do- appreciate your willingness to read the scroll." she adds with a beaming smile. "So, as I was saying... it's going to have forty eight individually mana powered mini-tread tracks underneath..."

"It gets dangerous to try such things without some mystical training." Elyanna replies to the pureblood, "I can read it, in case something goes amiss. Should trouble manifest, I am best supporting strong hands, anyway."

She looks amongst her fellows toward whom bears the scroll, and her bare hand parts her cloak to reach out in silent request for the item in question.

Patch laughs at Alaryn's thoughts about her cart, a bemused smile coming with a tight pull of lips. She looks between Alaryn and Elyanna, nodding as they make preparations and Elyanna seems to be ready to commit to the casting. "I have the training, but I don't think I have the seniority here." the bard comments.

Zofija's words cause Patch's brow to raise, nodding slowly as the Arvek-blooded woman talks, but taking note of Alaryn's answer to it too. "Usually it's me doing the self depreciating humor... looks like we're off to an interesting start already."

"What, I'm not big? I get I'm not as tall as Elyanna over there, but I'm plenty big." Zofija grunts, adjusting her armor some as they reach the location in question. "It's what people call us sometimes, I'm not gonna pick up a fuss if that's the case."

"If you're sure though Elyanna, you can give it a shot. Rather be the strong hands supporting, anyways."

"It's not about seniority, it's about getting the job done. So, you all ready? Gotta keep watch for any trespassers anyways, so the sooner, the better that we're not interrupted."

"Recompense." the red woman remarks obliquely toward Patch as her cloak lifts and falls in what was probably a shrug before her fingers close around the scroll case.

She looks to her countryman, then the other as they banter over the finer points of euphamism, "A word being hard makes it no less true."

Sayeth the woman whose own friend refers to as a monster.

It makes her the most expendible, in any case.

She surveys her team one final time, scanning the text for any hints of idea placement for such witnesses before making such direction, then makes her way toward the hilltop. A slow breath escapes her nostrils as her half lidded eyes sweep the sygils a final time, whilst her empty hand briefly runs it's fingertips along the braided tresses of Maidenhead.

A deeper breath, now, and both hands hole the scroll aloft to begin the proscribed invocation.

"It's not weakness to realize you're the least qualified of a group." Patch muses towards Zofija, but as Elyanna begins her preparations the bard can not help but fall silent. She draws back, watching the surrounding area as she waits to see what is is they are supposed to be reporting.

Shifting from one foot to another, Patch looks uncomfortable, a hand on her rapier, and a nervousness rising in her gut as she's not one to like to wait.

Indeed, Alaryn does as she claimed she would do. She marches away from the point and finds a raised area. Something like a hillock, or a large rock to perch atop of. Then she reaches into a pocket on her belt and... yeah, it's a pocket, and from within she draws the four and a half foot long Thunderbelcher she loves so much. Six inch pocket, 54 inch weapon. MAGIC!

She makes sure that it is loaded and ready and doublechecks both of her bandoliers before she gives a nod to indicates she is ready. She's trying to be something like at -least- sixty feet from the scroll.

Everyone is where they're supposed to be.

And then the scroll is being read! It's a very basic spell. Made for a simplistic useage. As it is finished being incanted, the sigils and text burn away as is tradition for such magic. A pulse of energy radiates outwards, more felt than seen, and everything goes silent. Even the light breeze seems to stop for a moment.

Zofija waited nearby, hammer at the ready, and eyes on the area around them, and Elyanna as she read the spell. "We still expect you to do the best you can Patch. So don't talk about how you're the least qualified, or people will think you're unreliable." The Arvek-nar grunts.

"That it? Seems like it did something. Patch, Alaryn, either of you able to tell if anything's out of sorts around the area now? One of those detect magic spells or something. And Elyanna, how're you feeling?"

When asked about it, Alaryn tilts her head and reaches her left hand up to grab her goggles and pull them down over her eyes. Then she murmurs the voice activation code string to perform the 'detect magic' thingamagoober.

Her right hand is still holding the back end of her thunderbelcher rifle... and after doing that, she lifts her left hand back to brace the weapon.

Patch lets out a held breath, eyes sweeping her area for any signs of change. A pierced ear is flicked, rings sent pinging against one another as the Dawn Elf sighs. She doesn't know what she was expecting, but even /this/ seemed a little anticlimactic so far.

Patch waits and watches, giving things time to work. Or not. She's not really sure which seems to be going on. "You act as if I haven't been giving my best." the Dawn Elf muses of Zofija. "We all shine in our time, but I have saved a few lives, and risked my own just as many. I thought those with your blood understood seniority and rank well enough. I just don't want to step on other's toes."

"Alright. Let me try a few things, and I will tell you what I observe." Patch relents of the work, taking a moment to draw an instrument from her pack, and gets to work.

Well... that was....

Different.

As the pulse ripples outward, muting the world about her, and the hobkin gives that a moment or two to process, glancing tither and yon, but she doesn't break her own silence just yet, just trying to observe without cluttering her perceptions.

GAME: Patch casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 3 DC: 13

"I'll leave it there, since you know you're doing alright." Zofija grunts. "Don't assume that every arvek-nar you come across thinks that a regimented civilization is a good thing. I understand it, but I also understand that regiment and rank can be a stupid thing that leads to dumb plans going through and good people dying because of them."

"So there was a pulse of energy, silenced the area around us for a split second, or something else that would cause an effect like that. I guess the wizards back in town would know what to do with information like that." Zofi shrugs.

There's a sense of impending energy all around you.

The hair's on one's arms are standing up, like you've been walking on a shaggy rug carpet.

"Whoa. Feels like I've been working on a modified death ray too long." mutters Alaryn. She looks down at her hand, then reaches to lift her lenses and looks again.. then puts the lenses back over her eyes. "I believe the technical term for this is... wonky!"

Patch takes a deep breath, eyes fixating on the area where the spell went off. She's quiet all for the singing to herself as she access her spells and magics. "Oh woah, it's magic!" some other parts hard to hear as she turns while invoking her detection. "Believing in magic that can set you free. Ahh, oh! Talking 'bout that magic." her incantation done and her hands falling away from her instrument that was used as a conduit for such casting.

It takes a moment, but after observation, magic, and some investigatory deduction, Patch turns to the others and shrugs. "I don't like it. Whatever happened just sits wrong.... but I don't know why." words trailing off as a hand rises to touch the Dawn Elf's chin in thought, her marked features now sporting a furrowed brow as she goes back into her thoughts. "It's like we stopped or obstructed the mana in this area, but it shouldn't last long, or I don't think it should." laughing as the tingling takes her body and hair. "There it is!"

That feeling is intensifying.

A lot more than feels safe.

Might wanna get moving if you're close to Elyanna. Like ... even remotely.

GAME: Zofija rolls reflex: (9)+3: 12
GAME: Patch rolls reflex: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+7: (17)+7: 24
GAME: Elyanna rolls reflex+3: (5)+11+3: 19
GAME: Alaryn rolls reflex: (9)+6: 15

The energy seems to gather, intensify. There's a wight light, the feeling of pressure in one's ears.

And then a wave of energy rolling over the hillside picks up Zofija and Elyanna, sending them hurtlin down it end over end.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 5d6: (14): 14
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 5d6: (16): 16

Elyanna frowns and considers her bare arm for a moment as the limb takes to gooseflesh and the hairs stand on end.

Hmmm....

"Agreed." she intones simply, turning to regard the others, "We may want to-!"

Whatever it is she was about to suggest (good odds it was 'get clear') is supplanted by the sudden rush of energy that briefly overwhelms her senses before hurling the halfbreed ass over teakettle down the hill at speed.

..

...

...

... "Ow."

"It's not a spell getting rid of the magic, just blocking it? In an area with a high ambient magical energy?" Zofija asks, the cavalier feeling the energy in the air even now. "Gods damn it, we need to get out of here!" She shouts. The griffon is able to fly up and over the wave of energy, but the arvek-nar in the saddle is unable to remain so as the force shoves her out and down the hill. There's a stream of curses and grunts from the hobgoblin as she's sent rolling down the hill as well.

"I know you're a bit electrifying, but that's a little much, innit?" Zofi grunts, before she's on her feet. "Ah, not the time for that. You alright?" She asks, offering a hand to Elyanna, while the other hand nursed her side. The griffon lands on the ground, and is quick to gallop over to their companion's side.

When all of that happens, Alaryn's weapon is up and sweeping slowly side to side. She's determined to be ready in case of attack. And then she gets an odd idea and turns her head to look over her shoulder... just in case whatever it is, is coming at her from behind. She saw her companions seeming at least mobile, so not dead... so imminent attack is her primary concern. That, and figuring out just how she is going to make the air pistons for her tread assembly stop and start on command.

Patch had felt that explosive wave, the mana's returning and boiling over washing against her hard enough to make her feel she'd been thrown head over ass. Luckily the bard still stands, looking down after the others with shock clear upon her features. "What in the hells was that?!" she shouts, suddenly running down the rest of the hill after Elyanna, and Zofija. How she stood and the other's had not seems a mystery even to her. "It was like it rebounded. Stopped all mana, and movement of it... but when it sprang back it overflowed. Like a tsunami of mana gathering in one spot."

...

She feels like an Ogress's divan....

Elyanna, taking a moment of contemplation, no doubt going over her life choices as she waits for her perspective to stop it's residual spinning stifles a grunt and pushes herself up from the ground. She glances at the offered hand a moment with a tiny shake of her head, then pushes herself to her full height.

Airs to maintain, after all.

She does, however, sound a very quiet, "Thank you, anyway."

She somewhat primly dusts herself off, then wonders, "Did you see white light as well?" <goblin-talk>

That's ...probably not what was supposed to happen.

That's the distinct impression one getse. They did send you, but one can imagine 'explosive damage' was really not on the agenda, and there's even a little scorched area where you were standing.

That seems like a bad thing.

"Okay. It does not appear that we are under attack." says Alaryn as she scrambles down off of her perch. "So, what say you all come here so I can infuse you with a bit of healing mana?" she asks even as she pulls a pouch of powdered crystal from her belt pocket and starts to measure out doses.

Zofija grunts and takes her hand back, only to apply some more pressure to her side.

"Huh. Guess you didn't get it as bad as you thought, since you were right at the center, and I certainly feel like I could have used a hand up." The cavalier states, before climbing back up into the saddle of her mount. "Yeah, saw some light, felt the pressure in the air go up a bit. And no, I'm not going to turn down some healing magic. Pretty sure I cracked a rib, or a couple. At least Screech and Elyanna are okay, though."

<Goblin-talk>

There is something that almost softens behind the hobkin's eyes, though she nods, "I have had... many close calls of late."

Stifling as much as she can of her own hurts for her damnable pride, she walks alongside Zofi and her mount, surrepitously keeping an eye on the rider, though aloud, she advises, "Let us move father before we do any more magic, else we provoke another effect."

Hmmm...

Of Alaryn, she asks, "Did you feel anything where you were?"

Then Patch, "Or you?"

Patch shakes her head to Alaryn, and Elyanna moving close, but keeping a distance as she wasn't injured. "No, but I think we just witnessed their experiment do whatever it was supposed to do. I don't know. Were we accountable to record the results?" she asks, digging into the pocket of her coat to find a small notebook she keeps such thoughts in. After a few moments it's free and she's scribbling on pages regardless.

"The stillness was the mana depleting and being suppressed. Like interrupting the waves themselves in the sea of mana. You throw a lot of things out of order when you suppress something so strong." the woman says. "I can only hypothesize that there was an amplified effect caused by the magic's sudden return." offering a shrug with the partial explanation. "The flash could of been the point where mana boiled over from what was normal? I assume it has to do with the location and mana flow too." her mind lost in thoughts.

Nodding, Alaryn agrees, "Yes. Let's get further from this place and then I can infuse some healing." She absently tucks her weapon back into the six inch pocket. It's like a cartoon mallet, bigger than the person yet fitting into a small pocket. No wonder she didn't want to be in an anti-magic field. She'd be vomiting gear from her pouches, bandolier, etc.

So she moves at an oblique angle to intercept the group at a point well outside of the boom boom radius.

...welp.

You've got to report this mess, after all, once you're able to get yourselves back on your feet. That was definitely not what they wanted to hear.

"Comes with the line of work, doesn't it? But at least you're alright like I was saying." Zofija grunts. "I don't know if we saw the experiment do what it was supposed to. It's supposed to be an anti magic scroll, but that's not how those things tend to go usually. Those tend to cause magical energy to dissipate, or not coalesce in the first place, like that ward all over Alexandria. I expect they'll want notes, and eyewitness accounts. "Yeah, probably for the best we heal up elsewhere. Don't worry, I've had worse injuries, I can handle a ride back."

Ride... Ride... oh right Ride! Alaryn grins as she moves to fall in beside the others, "So as I was explaining. I was planning to use compressed air to push a rod back and forth to make the wheels roll and drive the treads. Or should I call them linked drive belts... yeah, that sounds good. Anyway, I was adding about two feet of depth to the bottom of the cart to fit the magical mechanisms by which I would be making it go. Isn't that awesome?!"

Hmmm....

"I have.... never done this sort of work..." Elyanna confesses reluctantly, looking back toward her scorched launch pad, "Do they require exact measures of such things?"

"Well, it did work as intended. Mostly." Patch notes, sighing as she looks up form her notebook. "It dispersed and nullified the mana in the area... but if there is a big enough flow, or this place was more connected to the sea of mana then what is considered normal, then we only ceased one area of a larger that was still swollen full of mana." offering a shrug, and packing her instrument away again within her bag.

"I can take measurements of the site of origin if you want, as this rebound is what they'll likely be interested in." Patch mentions with a shrug. "That's why I am wondering if this spot was specifically chosen. Reason stands... because it has a higher magical density than others."

"Working theory. That's all." Patch finally relents. "I think we have most all the data that's relevant anyways."

"You know. Something like this might be able to be weaponized. I wonder if they would let me examine a sample scroll to see if I could replicate the effects." offers Alaryn in her best 'mad scientist' impression...

To note, those goggles don't do anything to dispel the look of the 'mad' scientist.

"But Elyanna was in the middle of it, and I was close by. We could both feel the mana still there." Zofi grunts. "Granted, it was a bit of a build up. maybe it did disperse the magic, and it was simply too weak to keep it dispersed, and it broke when the ambient mana returned. Caused it to all rush back at once when it broke."

"I don't know, first time doing things like that. Wizards will be very clear about their instructions with anyone they feel beneath their intellect, which tends to be most people. If they want exact measurements, they would have made damned sure we new they did, and how exactly to take them." She shrugs. "So, we'll go with what we know and saw. They probably have an expectation of what outcomes could have happened, and we're just out to confirm or deny them."

The Arvek nar stops, and blinks once. "Don't stop and think about weaponizing things like that. Because it'll get out of hand, and people will die. Got it?" She states, unusually blunt and a touch angry, before she continues onward.

Snorting, Alaryn shakes her head, "But it's okay to have wizards lobbing fireballs about willy nilly." she mutters petulantly. "Or summoning creatures from beyond this world. That's okay. Trying to find some way to make that.." says Alaryn, gesturing back towards the scorch mark, "Useful beyond blowing ourselves up. That's bad?"

The red woman nods thoughtfully at the input from the others, then, "Like a bubble bursting in water." she muses.

Elyanna's head cocks slightly at the notion of weaponizing the effect, particularly noting that the inciter would have to sacrifice themselves to the effect, "That would be the Bludgun way."

"Rather, we should find a way to prevent it, else some force like the arch demon, or the Winter Queen use it to wipe the city from the land."

A frown, and she considers, "They may want this kept quiet."

"Mmm, this is an argument of personal philosophy." Patch says, noting the contended topic between Alaryn and Zofija. "I tend to err with Elyanna's friend." pointing to Zofija. "When it comes to weaponizing the sea of mana itself... I don't much like that line of inquiry. Look at what's going on now all over the realm. Do we want to add to that? Cause another blighted zone, or harm the flow of things irreparably?"

"It probably should be kept quiet. At least until we have more answers ourselves." Patch says in agreement to Elyanna. "This is odd, and potentially dangerous."

"Depends. It's dangerous, and yes, it could be taken advantage of. I could have read that scroll. Anyone could have read that scroll. All it would take is one person doing that, and they could kill everyone around them just like that. At least wizards try to keep each other under control, even if it fails a lot of the time." The arvek-nar grunts.

"Sorry, you may have good intentions, but you can't guarantee everyone will. What's to stop one of your superior's deciding they know what's best? Like causing a blight that kills friend and foe indiscriminately?"

Zofija coughs into her arm, and wipes off some of the blood that came up with it. "Actions have consequences, you need to ask yourself what risks are worth it, what you're willing to live with."

"Well, if you are going to argue it that way, then we should just not have weapons in the world. What's to stop someone from using a sword to kill innocents? Oh wait, they already do that." says Alaryn.

She's convinced of the majority viewpoint already, but it's in her nature to argue the devil's advocate just to make sure all sides are covered of an issue. "Or since anyone can pull the firing cord on a catapult, we should outlaw catapults, right?"

"Wait, you mean I can own a catapult?" Patch asks seriously. "I.. I had never thought that siege weapons would be unregulated." this seeming to come as an honest surprise to the woman as she hoists her backpack, tucking it under her cloak, and looking back too the others. She seems ready for that walk back, regardless of the topic at hand. "This is why I stated it's philosophy though. It could be argued upon for years, and the lines between those who and do not like it will hardly change."

"How many lives are you willing to take for victory?" Elyanna inquires, "How many are you willing to send forth to die in your name to slay them?"

She sidelongs to the artificer, "If the deed is not within you, in whose hand would you place that power?"

A beat, then, "And once unleashed, what would stop another power from creating a similar, if greater weapon? And then another? With so much power being unleashed, what effect would it have upon the land, or even the air we breathe?"

"And so tell me. If not me, then who would you rather do it? There is no such thing as a secret that is kept eternally. This is going to get out, and someone is going to use it. An old saying that I loved.. better the devil you know."

But then she shakes her head, "Look. I'm not going to do that. But the more you argue it, the more you make me regret deciding not to."

Patch sighs as she walks towards Alaryn, patting her shoulder and nodding her head. "I fully understand what you're trying to convey, but I simply don't agree. Hells, Alaryn. I even understand and find some of your logic sound." another shrug given as her hand falls away. "I just don't like it. Nothing personal. It's just my feelings, friend." and yes, she still calls her that. "I don't argue philosophy with people. We all have opinions and thoughts... we're allowed too."

Zofija stops, and rubs her forehead once. "Yeah, I get the other side, and it's a philosophy thing. I'm asking why you think it's okay to develop such a thing, and if you're willing to live with the consequences of it."

"That plague I was talking about happened, you know. Some stupid scientist got it in their mind that they knew how best to fight a war. Their answer was to create multiple diseases that would transmit quickly through the armies. And the civilians in the walls, and to their own armies."

"So you should understand where I'm coming from when I hear someone musing about weaponizing something like that. It was my sister last times, and gods knows how many other people. That biochemist was on my countries side."

Shrugging her shoulders, Alaryn doesn't really respond. But she is not planning to weaponize the thing. If only because what she feels are unreasonable people will judge her for it. Making a weapon is not the evil part. Using it wrong is. And even that is not the fault of the person who makes it. That's her feeling. But she relents and after three or four more steps, she brightens a bit and says, "So, about my cart. It's going to be awesome, rolling around without mules pulling it. One of these days, I'll get it airborne too."

...reporting it back to the wizard, Farland, who sent you out has him looking rather concerned about it. Seems that was not the expected responser, and that something funky is up wit hthe ley-lines in the area. Seems like it's the kind of thing that's going to generate a more profound investigation in the area. Seems he had reason to look there.

Either way, you've helped, and you'll be compensated for your time and effort. A general warning about magic use in that particular area will be issued through the Progressive Arcanists.