Dangerous Toys

The walk from Mictlan was in truth, a far from pleasant one. The driving wind was chilly and biting, full of winter promise though winter itself was far away yet. Zeke led the way though the temple to where they might find a bit of privacy to look at the item in his care. Yet not so far distant that should they need aid there would be no one to hear them call out for it. In fact he requisitioned a pair of guards for the outside of the room.

Once inside, he set about gathering stools around a table, bidding everyone sit down before he settled the item on the table. At first and even second glance it seemed merely a scroll. A bloodstained and written-upon scroll at that. Some of the names bore little check marks beside them. "Thisss wasss procured by Aya. Ssshe got it from a tower with a man named Mei who was in care of thisss temple until rescently. Sssshe thought that it might be a lissst of membersss of the Adventurers Guild. Though to what purpossse... Thisss one can not know. Thisss one isss ssseeking the wisssdom of othersss in the hopess that thisss one might determine itsss purposse but know - it isss a powerful magical artifact linked to the demon Eclavdran, and he could be ssscrying usss thiss very moment usssing it."

Un'eth's claws click on the floor that she is not accustomed to treading upon. She follows Zeke without much comment and neither concern nor complaint of the wind. She and the Breath of Ea have an understanding. After the setting of the table, she steps forward to peer at the item present as Zeke explains its provenance.

A low hiss escapes her at mention of fiends. "There is a reason it is not destroyed?" she inquires, perhaps rhetorically, as she leans slightly nearer, ignoring the stools, yet not too near. Hand and claw extend towards it, but do not touch as Ea's name is briefly invoked.

GAME: Un'eth casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 19 DC: 16
GAME: Un'eth rolls spellcraft: (2)+17: 19

Seyardu had joined Un'eth and Zeke in venturing back to the city, as much as she wanted to stay there. And back to the temple where she spent so much time at of late.

She closes the door behind her , and waits a bit off to the side, the perfume wafting off of them. "He speaks the truth about these matters." Seyardu states after a moment. "But this object, this one did not know that he had it. Or that, Aya, was involved."

The silverscale sighs.

"You are not the firssst that thisss one came to about thisss matter." Zeke admits, looking at the scroll with a troubled expression. "Thisss one firssst ssaught out Ssseldan and hiss cihuaa. Hiss cihuaa isss concerned that the item may be ussseful againssst the demon, and that desstroying it would dessstroy our chance to ussse it againsssst him."

Zeke steels himself and touches the object, scrolling down to a familiar name and pressing it. The image immediately resolves to a tiny image of the person, a very detailed painting. Zeke quickly makes a second gesture but nothing happens and he sighs. "Thisss one sssaw Malik do it, but thisss one isss not certain how it worksss..." He touches the image briefly and it vanishes back to the list. Causing the blue-scaled sith to sigh again.

"It is magic," Un'eth confirms what was presumed or perhaps already known. "If it is useful to a fiend, it may be of use... or it may corrupt. All may be correct, or none, but caution is wise." She watches Zeke's efforts and the resulting effects. "Did the ones who obtained it witness its use or know anything further of it?"

After his display, she extends a claw to touch the name once more. Perhaps twice. If at first one does not succeed, prod it again.

"If Aya found this, and you spoke to Seldan about it-" Seyardu notes after a moment, squinting before she sighs, and shakes her head. "No matter, what is done has been done. This object sounds, and looks strange. But it is in line with the prophecy Merek was stating at the noble party recently, where, a lot of things happened, with associates of the fiend in question."

Zeke glances at Seyardu. "Why would thissss one not tell Sseldan about it?" It's clear he doesn't understand why he might /not/ bring such an item to the knowledge of his kin. "And what prophecy do you ssspeak of?"

As he speaks, Un'eth pokes at the page. It seems that a short poke of the name on the scroll brings up an image of that person. Poking it again causes the image to vanish. However Un'eth does something different at some point, because the image resolves to that of the person in the previous image walking down the street.

Un'eth's head tilts at this new discovery. The one on the scroll, though she can peer and hear simultaneously. "Yes, what prophecy do you speak of?" She watches the moving image while listening. While she does not know precisely how she triggered it, she presses on the now-moving image more boldly and holds the touch. "This is strange... you spoke of scrying?" Only now, as she still presses, does she lift her eyes to look between the others.

"No, this one means, no one told me that Seldan was back. Otherwise, I would not have acted so harshly towards him." She explains, and shakes her head. at the questions of prophecies, she rests her head on one hand. "Something about the guild being in danger, likely the adventurer's guild, due to instability present, and a lord named Altay changing things. That, and something about iron singing."

Zeke nods. "He jussst returned. Even thisss one did not know until rescently..." He bows his head to Seyardu. "He mentioned that you reacted harssshly to hisss presscence, thisss one found out about hisss return after you did it ssseemsss. But thisss one ssshould have mentioned it sssooner."

He glances at the scroll just in time to notice that the people in the image are begining to glow in various shades of color. Predominantly gray, but some in shades of red, blue, white, and black. He blinks twice and tilts his head at the image. "What isss it doing?"

"One named in a prophecy so clearly should be watched closely..." Un'eth notes with concern. At Zeke's comment, she looks back to the moving image and those within it. "Do you know this one, or the others?" She points at the image. "Colors must have some meaning. Warning, safety, lure, camouflage..." Those are the natural purposes of them, at the least, though the glowing makes the last unlikely.

"Yes, this one has heard the importance of color." Seyardu nods, and sighs after she tries to squint at the scroll. "Apologies, but I cannot assist with that. It all looks the same to me, one shade of gray or the other. But they may refer to the status of the people? Which would beg the question of if the scroll was made aware, or had to be changed by someone."

Zeke shakes his head. "Thisss one isss unfamiliar with thisss perssson." He looks thoughtful however, moving Un'eth's hand aside so that he can swipe at the scroll. The image goes back to that of a scroll and he makes the list move. Shifting it down and down so that the names /move/. Finally he comes to his own name. His real name. There is a big bloodspot beside his name but no check mark. He pokes it and the image of himself resolves before him. He shudders and wraps his tail around himself.

"Can you make it sssscry again? Thisss one would sssee if thisss thing can ssscry thisss one; perhapsss that will tell usss what the colorsss mean."

Un'eth thumps her tail in agreement. "Yes, pick one known and we might..." She eyes the list, the name, the spots... and hisses low in her throat. He tail ceases sway and her scents shift to ire and concern... then focus as she attempts to manipulate the image to the moving one, as requested. A long press. Press with a twist. Two claws. Variations in experimentation.

"Your insight is worth far more than an eye for color," Un'eth notes to Seyardu as she ...fiddles with the thing. "None here know more than another of this thing. We are all... younglings struggling to discover and learn. More thoughts are best."

"This one will, try to provide what insight they can, with such a limited understanding of the scroll." Seyardu offers, the floral perfume overpowering any scents present. She stops to pull out a small bottle, and apply more to her neck. "This one, has some names of fallen adventurers. Perhaps there could be something learned from that, as it is believed they fell to fiends that were in the sewers here."

GAME: Zeke rolls will: (4)+12: 16

One of the symbols or pokes that Un'eth performs upon the scroll prompts it to resolve into a rather uncomfortable image of Zeke and the rest of them staring at... an image of the scroll. A mirror looking into a mirror. Zeke smells heavily of shame, and is grateful for the perfume that Seyardu is wearing to hopefully cover it. He stares at the image. "And now... if you presss and hold like the lasssst time?" He suggests.

"Ssa," Un'eth agrees to both, in turn, before pressing and holding now that she managed to stumble back to the display that was desired. Her nostrils narrow at the strong scent, even if they are not as sensitive as others'. "We can seek other names, as we learn more." All while watching the image with expectant curiosity, even if it is both strange and unnerving to view them all from this alternate viewpoint.

"That is, a scrying spell, of us, at this moment." Seyardu says, her eyes wide at the sight. "Any, all at the adventurer's guild. If they had this, they could see any associated with the adventurer's guild, at any time. And, these colors, they may provide even more information to go with the image."

"Apologies for the smell, Un'eth." She adds, stepping back and sighing. "This is good that they no longer have access to it."

Then, she blinks, and seems shocked. "This scrying, it still works in the temples. They can see anyone in them, with such an object."

Zeke shudders, watching the image intently as it changes. His own image starts to blurr with a blue-white aura. Likewise Un'eth's and Seyardu's images change. Taking on colorful hues. Zeke's eyes narrow. "But what do the colorsss mean?" He looks at Seyardu and nods. "The templesss are not protected againssst sscrying. Sssome roomsss are, but it isss... difficult to do. Doing it to sssuch a large area wasss never ssseen ass necesssary... Perhapsss that will change now. Turn it off Un'eth... Thisss one findsss it unssettling to watch thisss onesss sself."

Un'eth taps the image to end the effect as soon as it is requested. It is unsettling. "I know some of scrying. To see one place, one person, requires knowledge, or a part. This..." claws gesture at the thing "is a terrible thing. A powerful thing. The colors could be many things that other magics can sense, such as health or heart. Those seeking only for themselves, those already turned vile, or those who would always stand for others. That is dangerous knowledge for a fiend to possess at their whim."

"It should be determined if it works where scrying does not." Seyardu states, seeming worried by the thought, and closing her eyes. "But, yes, the colors could mean any number of things, and can not be consider meaningless."

"Regardless, this one hopes they do not have for another. As for this one,this one does not know if it should be kept, or destroyed. This one does not know what effects it could have beyond divination."

With the scroll back to it's 'natural’ self, Zeke carefully picks it up. Looking it over for damage or changes. "Thisss one knowss one thing. Aya'sss name isss no longer on thissss lissst." He looks at Seyardu. "Thisss one sssaw it, ssshe ssshowed it to thisss one, and when thisss one looked again, it wasss not there. Ssso it can be changed. What-ever that meansss." He sighs and places it back into his vestments and shakes his head. "Thisss one isss not wisse enough to sssay if it iss ssome-thing that can be usssed for good. Only that desstroying it now meansss that any posssilbility of it being usssed for sssome-thing other than ill disssappearsss. Ssso thisss one will keep it for now, and hope that it isss ssstudied sssoon."

"Keep it hidden, keep it safe," Un'eth advises Zeke. "The softskin shamans may know more of such things, but seek only those you trust." Her snout and eyes shift between them. "There were many fiends about and under the city before. They would not simply leave, but lie in wait or lurk even now. As to your friend, seek what she did to remove her name, or others if you discover others who are removed." She dislikes the thought that her name may be present, though also has no wish to discover for certain.

She straightens as it is stowed and looks to Seyardu. "Such a thing should be rare. If there are others in the hands of other fiends... the city, others, all of Ea might be filled with their hordes."

"Aya is, not there?" She asks, squinting more at the scroll. "This is, does this scroll have the deceased on it, or was it removed for other reasons?"

"Ah, apologies." They sigh, glancing back to Un'eth. "Aya is, this one does not know what happened, but they did not remove it themself. That is concerning as well, that there may be an outside influence on the scroll still. This one agrees with Un'eth, it is dangerous to share with those you do not trust."

Zeke nods to the wisdom of the females around him. "Thisss one will usse extreme caution. For now however, thisss one musst depart for prayersss." He bows to them both and then heads for the door only to stop there. "Thisss one thanksss you both, for sssaying nothing of thisss onessss name." With that odd comment, he leaves, taking the scroll with him.

-End