Beyond the Sky - Session 29.5

As Adrian and Valaire speak with the Grand Minister, Night Eyes and Kylisae find a nice quiet corner in the library.
Kylisae: "So bored. When you asked me about research, I thought it would involve more using magic and seeing what happens."
Night Eyes: "Unfortunately my repertoire of spells is quite limited compared to Valaire's. I practise specific techniques until I can commit them with perfect recall."
Kylisae: "Sounds hard. Is it worth it?"
Night Eyes: "It suits my talents much better. Reaction and preparation are both paramount."
Kylisae: "I guess your eyesight goes bad less rapidly, when you're not staring at a book all day too."
Kylisae shrugs from her perch on the bookshelf.
Night Eyes: "This much is true..."
Night Eyes slumps in her chair, looking aside in thought.
Kylisae: "(Probably involves less creepy writing, too...)"
Night Eyes: "(Valaire's magic seems to have interesting components.)"
Kylisae: "So I guess a lot of this is figuring out the right knowledge that other people knew?"
Night Eyes: "To a degree. We look at what methods exist to scry and find flaws to exploit. There is a degree of inventiveness requires. But that is not my strength..."
Kylisae: "It just sounds, you know..."
"The best magic you found to shield yourself from whoever it is you're shielding yourself from involved gluing a mask to your face night and day and invoking magic so old people don't even call it magic anymore."
"Finding an improvement in a random book in a random library seems..."
"Well, like it's not all that likely."
Night Eyes: "I see your point. I found one source in our own library, but its requirements were a fair bit beyond my abilities. Perhaps I can try to narrow its focus."
"Something more practical, yes?"
Kylisae: "By 'our own', do you mean Zeltria, or... your homeland?"
Night Eyes: "Zeltria. I am not sure what I would consider 'mine', at this time, however. That is interesting."
Kylisae: "Well, I mean, like, I'm technically Zeltrian by regional birth, but my birthplace is Priffdinas specifically."
Night Eyes closes her eyes and meditates for a second.
Night Eyes: "...the crystal forest. That makes sense."
Kylisae: "Oh, you've been there?"
"Pretty, right?!"
Night Eyes: "No, only heard stories. It sounds wonderful, however."
Kylisae: "Oh. You should go there!"
Night Eyes nods.
Night Eyes: "I would like to."
Kylisae: "I'll show you the house I lived... well, lived adjacent to."
Night Eyes tilts her head.
Night Eyes: "So you did live there?"
Kylisae: "Yeah, it's my home. I got along with a lot of the elves there until they moved elsewhere."
"Well, was my home anyways, I guess? Since familiar bond."
Night Eyes: "That's the thing I am wondering."
"What is a home? What makes it a home? Is it just a place of birth or rest? Is it the people? Something else?"
Kylisae: "I'm gonna be honest with you, that is way too deep for a sprite to understand."
Night Eyes chuckles.
Night Eyes: "Let's think on it on a smaller scale. I have been decidedly without a home for a while, but now, with Adrian, I feel at home once more, even if we are always on the move."
"By definition it is a place of birth, or rest, but I have neither."
Kylisae: "Definitions are... difficult. I mean, I have that liminal curse, that's all about being forced to break definitions."
Night Eyes: "That is a very good point. Rules and definitions are always limited."
"...just like magic."
Night Eyes scribbles into a journal.
Night Eyes: "Hm, a topic that you might enjoy more, Kylisae. What do you know of love?"
Kylisae: "Love? Hm..."
"Well, there was a pretty handsome sprite back in Priffdinas I hooked up with here and there."
"It can get pretty fun."
Night Eyes: "Fun? Hm, not my experience. Addictive, and intoxicating, certainly... but maybe I am not acting on it enough. I want to surprise Adrian with a gift."
Kylisae: "I think we might be working off of different terms here."
"You're talking about emotional love, right? The desire to be bound to another individual?"
Night Eyes nods.
Night Eyes: "I mean, it is not just emotional, but..."
Kylisae: "Fey don't have that. We only understand it through the human language."
"The idea of binding yourself to a single other individual is kind of abstract to us."
"It's more the physical definition that we understand."
Night Eyes: "I see. I don't think I can try any of that while I have this burden on my face."
Kylisae: "Can I see?"
Night Eyes stares at the sprite blankly.
Kylisae: "I'm teasing, geez."
"But, well, it's just the face, right? I mean, you don't even need to do anything above the torso."
Night Eyes reddens.
Night Eyes: "I-It's strange to consider. ...but I um, I'm glad to have your ideas to share."
Kylisae: "Have you tried talking this over with Valaire? I think she would understand your type of love way better."
Night Eyes: "A little, but it was more her scolding me."
Kylisae: "She does that a lot."
"I mean, it's only been, like, a day?"
"And I've been talked down to more than my fair share."
Night Eyes: "She's very... protective."
Kylisae: "Yeah, I get the feeling."
"It's weird. The familiar bond, I mean. I can see little bits and pieces. My dreams are of her memories."
Night Eyes: "That's fascinating... maybe I should seek out something like that."
Kylisae: "I don't know if you necessarily want a familiar's dreams."
Night Eyes: "I suppose it depends on what I would bond with, I have an eidetic memory, so anything traumatic would be frightening."
Kylisae: "...Yeah."
"From how I understand it, those are usually the first the familiar dreams about."
Kylisae looks to the side of the bookshelf, trying to avoid looking at Night Eyes directly.
Night Eyes: "Memories you would rather not recall?"
Kylisae remains silent, staring into the distance, before beginning to speak softly.
Kylisae: "She's not a horrible person. Not really."
Night Eyes nods.
Kylisae: "The murdering and bloodlust isn't really her."
Night Eyes: "She seems frightened."
Kylisae: "The temper isn't, either. It's just all byproducts."
Night Eyes: "And on the other side of the spectrum, there is me."
"Emotion is still new."
Kylisae: "You don't want her emotion, trust me."
Night Eyes: "I can believe it. My lack of emotions in the past have been exceptionally useful, but in hindsight, it left me feeling without any control. ...that might sound strange."
Kylisae: "Not to a fey. Emotions are something we know about."
"But they can often be... fleeting. Brief glimpses at what being human might be."
"Like, the feeling of love you mentioned. Wanting to be with another person for the rest of your life? Doing anything to be by their side?"
"I've felt that a few times, but it just... vanishes the next time I see a nice-looking male sprite."
Night Eyes: "That's a little frightening to imagine. But then again, I have my own frightening recollections."
Kylisae: "I enjoy experiencing emotions; thrill, anger, even grief and sadness from time to time. But it's always fleeting and it isn't long before I'm looking for a new one."
Night Eyes: "Like holding onto sand, or water?"
Kylisae returns to facing Night Eyes, looking unusually thoughtful.
Kylisae: "It's more..."
"Getting bored."
"I get bored of being in eternal love."
"So I give it up and go back to having a cheap thrill."
Night Eyes: "Maybe shorter lives have their merits."
Kylisae: "I don't have much say in the matter."
Night Eyes: "I suppose so. Still, you have given me some valuable thoughts."
Kylisae: "I'm envious of mortals. You guys can just keep an emotion for ever and ever."
Night Eyes: "Yes, that persistence leads to great developments, though also terrible streaks of crime."
"I suppose it beats an unyielding boredom, in any case."
Kylisae shrugs.
Kylisae and Night Eyes can both see the Deepborn Azzanadra, studying the bookshelves somewhat near to them.
Kylisae: "About the mask, though..."
Night Eyes stiffens as her eyes note the presence of Azzanadra.
Kylisae: "Why not start your research at where it began? The ancient magic you used in the first place."
"It might be possible to tie the curse to something other than a mask. A metaphorical mask, as it were."
Night Eyes relaxes a little, moving to aid thought on Kylisae's words.
Night Eyes: "That... has a lot of merit to it."
Azzanadra: "Did I hear ancient magicks being mentioned?"
Night Eyes: "It would also aid in the process of removing..."
Kylisae hops off the bookshelf, fluttering in the air towards the deepborn before she settles on top of his head.
Night Eyes: "Good day, Greymage Azzanadra."
Azzanadra: "Hello there, Kylisae. Are you here to read?"
Kylisae: "More sitting out. My partner's up in the meeting room. And I can't stray that far from her, so..."
"Not like I can read these books, anyways. The letters are too big for comfort, and I can't easily turn the pages."
Night Eyes: "We ended up discussing philosophy instead."
Azzanadra: "And, er... I don't believe I have your name, yet."
Night Eyes: "...please, call me Night Eyes. I serve Adrian as a scholar and bodyguard."
Azzanadra: "Night Eyes? Quite a strange alias. Why did you choose that?"
Night Eyes: "I adopted my role in a quest for greater understanding of the world and also myself. So I consider my eyes to always be observing, ever learning."
Azzanadra: "Quite interesting. I heard Kylisae mentioning something about your mask... a curse of ancient magic?"
Kylisae: "Well, think about it kinda like my own curse, Azzy."
"There are certain things I can't do, and it's like that with her."
Night Eyes catches her lip trembling, and covers her mouth in thought.
Night Eyes: "That is correct."
Kylisae: "So it's a lot like we're sisters. Despite her being more than five times my size."
Azzanadra: "I have been around for a very long time. These ancient magicks may not be so old to me."
Kylisae: "Oh! Do you know a way around the liminal curse?"
Azzanadra: "...it isn't something I have thought on, quite yet."
Kylisae: "Aww, but Azzy! I'm like your niece! (Or granddaughter.) You'd do anything for an adorable fae girl who just wants to sleep somewhere comfortable, right?"
Night Eyes: "Have you asked for one of Valaire's gloves, or socks?"
Kylisae: "...That sounds pretty gross."
Night Eyes: "Clean ones!"
Azzanadra: "...I don't really understand the concept of "adorable"."
Kylisae: "I don't think she wears either, anyways."
Night Eyes: "Just glamers, huh? I bet she would buy you something if you asked."
Kylisae: "In theory she went shopping for stuff like that."
Night Eyes nods, lacking much more to say.
Azzanadra: "I believe I know what the liminal curse is like. Ancestral, very old, but not as old as me..."
Kylisae: "It's older than me, though, and it's a headache."
Azzanadra: "...hm."
"It may be something for me to fill some years looking at."
Night Eyes: "Well, workarounds are important in the meantime. We will definitely need to test the wagon."
Kylisae: "The wagon should be fine, I just want something approximating a bed."
Azzanadra: "Being able to sleep where you wished would be a great step forward for my cousins."
Kylisae: "I had some soft cloth I could sleep on back at the forest, but last night I had to sleep on a hard windowsill without anything! It's not good for a girl."
Azzanadra: "Oh dear. Out in the rain?"
Kylisae: "Just a little bit away from the rain."
Azzanadra: "If you manage to see me in the future, young Kylisae, I may just have something to help you."
Kylisae: "Ah! So, like, tomorrow?"
Azzanadra: "... a few years."
Kylisae: "...That's a looooong time though."
"Can you have it done by tomorrow?"
Azzanadra: "That would be impossible."
Night Eyes: "I think that is an unreasonable request for an important individual like the Greymage."
Kylisae: "Fine, fine. I'll see if I can persuade Valaire to let me come back here at some point..."
Azzanadra: "I will likely not be here. In two days I will be returning home, to Eribe."
Kylisae: "(Hopefully I'm still a familiar by then, it's a long journey to make alone...)"
"Oh, Eribe. That place is even further."
Night Eyes: "That's quite soon."
Kylisae: "You really want to make your niece wait, don't you?"
Azzanadra: "It's not a question of wanting, or not wanting. It's a question of resources, free time, and motivation."
"Perhaps your friend Night Eyes could return to Eribe with you."
"You could see the jungle, the Great Windy Desert."
Kylisae: "Alright, alright. I'll try to bring a souvenir from Priffdinas, too."
Night Eyes looks down.
Night Eyes: "It would be nice to see the sands again some day."
Azzanadra: "They have their own unique charm, don't they? The north is far too cold for me."
Kylisae: "Yeah, can't say I'm a fan of cold. Rain is no problem but snow just weighs my wings down."
Azzanadra: "I believe we have come off topic from what piqued my interest, however."
Night Eyes: "Old curses."
Azzanadra: "Tell me, child, do you carry the blood of the masked?"
"Many call their focus an old curse."
Night Eyes: "I cannot say that I do. Only that this mask is my being."
"...Greymage. We are discussing a weakness of mine, and therefore one of my master. I respect you, and believe your wisdom would aid us. ..but it is dangerous for me to share it."
Azzanadra: "Hmm. Too many eyes and ears of the Emperor being about?"
Kylisae: "Does he normally have eyes and ears around?"
Night Eyes: "It is a speciality of his, as I understand it."
Azzanadra: "It is a turn of phrase. The Emperor has, or had, many spies, a whole network of information."
Kylisae: "Does he just leave them lying around under desks, or-- oh."
Night Eyes: "I would love to speak to the Deepborn Azzanadra. But I cannot permit myself to speak with the Greymage Azzanadra of Eribe without word of your confidence."
Azzanadra: "As I manage many of the Emperor's eyes and ears myself in this country, I can assure you that there is no one such as that in the Parliamentary house, as we speak."
"...though management was never a strong point. Always rather tedious..."
Night Eyes: "I believe you there, in spite of your lacking confidence. Would you give word that you would speak of this matter only in confidentiality?"
Azzanadra takes a seat, giving a wave of a hand as the low conversations of the library's other guests turn silent.
[Night Eyes : Spellcraft: 32
Kylisae : Spellcraft: 22]
Azzanadra: "I do give my word."
Night Eyes: "Point taken. That is a useful spell."
Night Eyes takes a deep breath.
Night Eyes: "The mask replaces my identity. It is Night Eyes, and so long as I wear it, I am Night Eyes. Not a person, but the mask. Are you familiar with this old ritual?"
Kylisae looks at Night Eyes from her vantage point on Azzanadra's head, curious about this reveal.
Azzanadra: "I am indeed familiar with it. We teach it to many of our students as a last resort if they are being tracked."
Night Eyes closes her eyes momentarily.
Night Eyes: "It makes sense as a last resort. I have been seeking alternatives, and ways to remove it safely. There has been little success without resorting to much greater levels of magic."
Azzanadra: "From your mannerisms and your voice, you sound somewhat familiar."
"...Perhaps you were one of my students, and for some reason or another you needed to escape. Perhaps I do not know you, and you were a fleeing rebel. In either sense, I know the magic's hold would weaken if you divulged too much."
Night Eyes: "It would, yes. I can not confirm nor deny your theories, and I shall not stop them so long as you keep your word. And I believe that you will."
Azzanadra sighs.
Azzanadra: "I remember a time when Silske was not so... dangerously ambitious."
Kylisae: "Uncle Azzy is trustworthy, right?"
Azzanadra: "Perhaps if I were a better sibling, he may have been more stable, less controlling."
Kylisae: "Can he be fixed?"
Azzanadra: "...it is difficult to say, nor my place to."
Kylisae: "Ah..."
"Maybe the Earth Mother would know."
Night Eyes: "Is it something that needs to be adjusted forcibly?"
"It sounds as if Azzanadra is saying the opposite."
Azzanadra: "Maybe she would. But she has been hidden from the world for millennia."
Kylisae: "I just mean, like... back to when he wasn't a bad person."
Night Eyes: "So, something to appease him."
Kylisae: "That's what Azzy is saying, right? Silske used to be alright, now he's not?"
Azzanadra: "There is a phrase, since old times, the Wyverians used."
"'Absolute power corrupts, absolutely.'"
Night Eyes: "Hmm... power is something I am only beginning to understand. Everything we do influences others. To understand that stabilizes us, but also causes us to hesitate."
"Distance is power. But distance is loss. Loss of many things."
Azzanadra: "Elder Artefacts are... quite different forms of power."
"I am not at liberty to say much on it, but Silske is not the Kin I knew of millennia past."
Night Eyes: "The power of a demigod... I suppose even the deepborn are not vessels made for that."
Kylisae: "Can anyone really cope with that level of power?"
"It seems like it would drive anybody loopy."
Azzanadra: "Hmm..."
Azzanadra waves his hands, the background noise returning, as the Grand Minister's door opens to Adrian, and Valaire.
Azzanadra: "I believe that is all I would ideally want to say on that, now."
Night Eyes: "Of course. This is approaching the same level of risk as my own request."
"I would say, I believe... if your brother lost that power, I think there would be hope for him returning to his self. I just pray that he is using it for a greater good than he shows."
Adrian walks over to the balcony of the upper floor, glancing down at the gathering. [Read Aura: Magic, Sense Motive: 20]
Valaire begins to move down the stairs, rubbing her forehead.
Valaire: "Sprite. I'm leaving."
Kylisae cringes slightly, looking at Valaire, then to the pair of Azzanadra and Night Eyes.
Kylisae: "I guess this is my cue to leave."
Night Eyes frowns.
Night Eyes: "Take care, Kylisae. And thank you."
Kylisae: "Not a problem! Talk to me any time! I want to learn about all my new friends."
Kylisae hops off of Azzanadra's head, catching her wind momentarily before she flutters off, following Valaire as the tiefling exits the library.
Night Eyes looks up at Adrian.
Azzanadra: "Ah, Lord Kelton. How fared your attempts of peace?"
Adrian stares down absentmindedly, startling slightly and beginning to walk downstairs at Azzanadra's greeting, answering in a distracted tone.
Adrian: "Ah, the treaty has been arranged. It went well. And what of your... business here?"
Azzanadra: "Simple polite discourse."
Night Eyes: "Kylisae was not much help with my quarry, so we discussed me, instead. And a little of fey, too."
Adrian: "Discussed you?"
Night Eyes: "Feelings, and expression. I'm still trying to come to terms with my emotions. I did discuss magic with the Greymage, afterwards."
Azzanadra: "I was not privy to their entire conversation, but I recall concepts of emotion and love, and ancient magicks, and curses."
Adrian: "A conversation I'm sorry to have missed. Nonetheless, we have our treaty, and are on our way back home tomorrow. A detail I have relatively little choice in."
Night Eyes: "Understood. I need make no further preparations in this city and will move at your word."
Adrian takes a seat nearby, still watching Azzanadra with a distant look.
Azzanadra drums his fingers on a tome in thought.
Azzanadra: "Love is a strange concept. Deepborn find it hard to love. Most creatures either fear us, or their lives are too fleeting."
"Our emotions, unlike the Fey's are far too long term, enduring."
Night Eyes: "That is unfortunate. And I suppose it makes it very difficult for your kind to change perspectives."
Adrian: "A disparity of lifespans. Yes, that difficulty is one I am familiar with."
Adrian flinches suddenly, shuddering for a moment before shaking his head to clear it.
Night Eyes tilts her head, but refrains from comment.
Azzanadra: "... are you feeling well?"
Adrian: "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I suppose the gravity of my duties here is starting to take a toll on me." [Bluff: 22]
[Night Eyes: Sense Motive: 24]
Night Eyes: "Would you like a drink or sweet before we depart? Something to ease your thoughts?"
Azzanadra: "I feel as if you are hiding something from me, Lord Kelton."
Adrian starts to reply to Night Eyes, and looks up at Azzanadra, startled.
Night Eyes: "I am not sure it is you, here, Greymage."
Adrian: "...Very well. I was scanning the room for signs of magic. Idle curiosity of mine." [Bluff: 34]
Night Eyes: "But, whatever it is, if it is something you would rather not share with me, Adrian, I will not question it."
"Oh. I witnessed a wonderful spell earlier, I think you would like it a lot."
"It creates a pocket of privacy."
Adrian: "Very interesting. Is that what caused the backlash?"
Azzanadra narrows his stony eyes.
Azzanadra: "I do not believe so. You had your eyes on me."
"And I dismissed my zone of privacy before you left Yarnham's chambers."
Adrian chuckles nervously, giving a reluctant nod.
Adrian: "My apologies for the deception. I was curious about you in particular, after what you said about being confident enough of your own power not to hide your true race."
Azzanadra: "I do not believe I have any magic cast on me, however."
Adrian: "...I believe you. I would advise you to look for yourself, in that case; you do have magic cast on you, and powerful magic at that."
Night Eyes looks at Adrian, worried.
Adrian: "...unless deepborn themselves have that much power. Hm. In any case, I do apologize for my rudeness."
Night Eyes turns to Azzanadra, tapping into her own magic detection. [Spellcraft: 34+7]
Azzanadra: "...I will have to ask Runa to examine me thoroughly tonight."
Night Eyes: "Illusion. It's... I can't trace it further..."
Night Eyes begins to tremble.
Adrian takes a deep breath, looking around, and a faint glimmer of light forms in his eyes before vanishing.
Adrian: "...Damn it, no good."
Night Eyes: "I hope... I hope it's not as I fear. It is well masked."
Azzanadra: "What, what do you fear?"
Night Eyes: "That you are being tracked, too, Greymage."
Adrian screws up his face and presses one hand to his forehead, trying and failing again to call up enough magic to examine the group.
Azzanadra: "I feel like I would notice if I were being tracked. You said illusion. Divination is the school used for tracking, no?"
Night Eyes: "Illusion to mask the signs of divination."
"The illusion, I saw only briefly, before I was shut out. ...If... if you say you do not conceal yourself, then someone is concealing something from you."
"Of course, by saying this, if you truly are being watched, then I am only making us both targets..."
Adrian slams a fist on the table, sighing in frustration.
Night Eyes covers her face, shaking.
Night Eyes: "Adrian... a swift departure may not be so bad after all."
Adrian: "...You have a theory, I take it?"
Azzanadra: "Please, share it."
Night Eyes: "Who would be both bold and powerful enough to track and deceive the Greymage?"
Azzanadra: "...allow me to put your fears at rest."
"I know the limits of my brother's power of divination, and I know the methods in which he conducts it."
"For all the power in the world... I doubt he could be able to observe me from illusion magic. It's... more likely something's been concealed about me, from everyone, forcibly."
Adrian: "Guile."
"If you learn any more before we leave..."
Night Eyes clutches her head.
Night Eyes: "This was... much more severe. Maybe because I was closer to the source, but I don't know..."
Azzanadra nods.
Azzanadra: "I will let you know."
Adrian: "Thank you. I'll speak to you if I find anything else, as well."
Azzanadra: "Indeed. I think I will make my way back to Runa, now."
Azzanadra steps up, rubbing his head, before waving his hand, glowing, before vanishing into a black mist.
[Adrian: Spellcraft: 20]
 Adrian: "...He didn't sound confident it wasn't the Emperor. Like he was trying to convince himself."
Night Eyes: "I...I see..."
"I wonder if Guile is..."
Night Eyes takes a deep breath, shaking her head.
Night Eyes: "I think I need to debrief later, Adrian..."
"I am not sure if I can even stand like this."
Adrian: "Know this. Whatever happens, I won't leave you to face it alone. You have my word on that."
Night Eyes smiles weakly below her mask.
Night Eyes: "Thank you..."
"I... might need help walking back."
Adrian nods and holds out a hand to the masked girl, to help her out.
Adrian and Night Eyes attempt to recover from their revelations, as they are left in the library together.