Follow-up - Campfire

General Summary

"The end of your adventures" echoes in Myra's head as the room seems to close in around her. She grasps on to the bed to stay upright breathing. When she comes back into herself the hand that was holding the bed has just the hint of scales ice spreading out from her fingers along the post, before she forces them back under. "Change is inevitable right?" she asks the air, "Turn or break...."
She robotically removes the dress changing back into the not quite adventuring clothes she was wearing before. Spryg watches from the side head turned.
She leaves the room starting down the many halls bringing her back to the foyer. She can hear Adama and Raijun going at it upstairs and smiles a sad smile despite herself. Max is still directing foot traffic for the Gala making sure thing everything goes to the correct space.
"Max, sorry to interrupt. Could you ask Cosmo if my father still wanted me to look at the malfunctioning boxes today? I don't have any idea what his schedule is like." Knowing the request might take a minute she goes to the front lounge and sits in the middle of the couch so as not to disturb anything and stares unseeing out the window.
Max speaks into his lapel, "Cosmo will meet you in your fathers study," As he continues to direct a large arrangement of flowers.
Myra gets up and almost sleep walks back into a part of the house the Wardens haven't yet seen. She passes though the breakfast room and into a door at the end, the camera pans through a lavish sitting room with a number of doors leading off of it. This rooms seems to veer away from the branded green and gold that was everywhere outside, instead falling into richer wood hues with the furniture in more burgundy and violet hues. There are several seating areas all kept immaculately clean, a large fireplace, and a fully stocked bar in one corner complete with it's own seating. Myra walks to a door on the far side of the room and knocks.
Cosmo, “Come in, I’m just laying out the box,” As the door opens Cosmo can be seen waddling the box into an open space within the study.
Myra walks in and closes the door before realizing she she should offer to help, "Sorry, did you want any assistance Cosmo?"
“No worries my dear," He shifts it into place and looks up hands to his hips, "it is just where it needs to be.” Before Myra is a standard shipping create embolden with the Stagwood Logo. Top of the crate open and the smell of rotting apples is the only thing within. On the metal fastening on the outside and scribed on the interior are a variety of arcane markings
Myra takes a second taking in the empty room, dejectedly "Is father still out?"
“I believe he is talking with your mother," he raises his eyebrows, "someone must have messed up an order given the look on her face”
Myra stature seems to diminish further as she curls into her self slightly. Wrapping her arms around herself subconsciously, she turns to the box studying it with the determination of someone hoping that perhaps doing one thing right might resolve another, "Was the fastening broken before or after the discovery of the food spoiling?"
“It was opened upon delivery and the smell was much worse." With a smile, " It made the dock master faint”
"Honestly how Obi stays upright with such a weak stomach confuses me," Myra pulls out some tools and begins inspecting the sigils on the inside of the crate. "I assume it's not just apples spoiling or you would have gone to the provider"
As you approach the sigils you feel your hand suddenly getting colder to the point where you drop the tool. Before it hits the bottom of the box it has ice crystals around it’s form
“No much of the produce and other temperature sensitive items have had similar failings” Cosmo notices what happened “ Whoa what happened?”
Myra pulls her hand out and opens and closes it trying to get the blood flowing, "So I assume that's new?"
“Never seen that happen before, let me see your hand,” Reaches towards you.
She gives Cosmo her hand, "I'm sure it's fine. Have others reached inside?"
Cosmo winces and withdraws his hand for a moment ”Don't know what I was expecting it’s kinda cold but looks alright, “ He rubs his hands over yours to warm it up for a moment.
"Are you okay? I didn't feel that cold to me."
“Yes, I’m fine. Yes others have looked inside and examined it but that is the first time we have seen any reaction from it. Guess it pays to have a real pro looking at it,” With a wink.
Myra blushes, "I'm not..." Turning back to the box, "Well that's going to make investigating the box trickier. Let's see what if," She reaches just her hand in to the same point it was before. "Was anything found in there besides the spoiled produce? Even something small?"
As you reach your hand in all of the markings glow and a stronger burst of cold rips across your hand The markings flash and sputter as your hand is removed.
"Cool," Myra sighs as she removes her hand, slower than you would expect from someone who could easily be taking frost damage, "Another thing I break." She places her hands on the table, one warm, one cold, and flashes back. Her hands tremble, "Turn," she whispers under her breath. Composing herself, "Cosmo I assume the house's protections are up in here?"
“I have no reason to expect they wouldn’t be," He looks concerned. "Maybe we should be smart and move this outside…. gestures for your help to lift the box”
Sighs, "No it's fine that means it's just," waves at her hair piece like that clearly explains everything. She rubs her eyes in exhaustion. She reaches up and starts undoing the clips her mother inserted, "If she asks I came in with it off and you didn't see it."
Visible confusion, “Sure kiddo not to worry I don’t want to sick your mother on you”
Myra removes the hair piece, pulls out a handkerchief from her bag and wraps the piece in it before putting it into the bag of holding. "Right well rule one, control your variables. Let's try this again," she says as she goes to attempt putting her hand in again only to be stopped by a look from Cosmo. "Oh sorry did you want to move the box still? It should be fine now but if you prefer." She helps lift the box. "Where exactly are we taking this that won't get me in still more trouble?"
"Outside and outside of the study that contains very expensive things. I would rather face Birch's wrath then others."
Myra follow Cosmo's lead, "As long as it's no where near where the gala is supposed to be." Making their way outside they find an area out of the way to place the box. "You're sure this isn't in the gala path?"
"No no it is being set up over there," gesturing the area being set up with tends and lights, we should be good with evaluating it over here"
Studying the ground, "Cosmo.... Do you know what's going to be announced at the gala?" Putting the box down she wraps her arms around herself as if the cold from earlier is suddenly taking hold, "I know that if you do you probably can't say much right?"
Cosmo looks around and back to you, "Your father has been working on something for you for a while now maybe it has something to do with that," He smiles kindly at you.
Myra smiles weakly, turning her attention back to the box on the ground, "You mean Kolis-Tane's worst kept secret?" Kneeling next to the box, "Okay let's try this again," As she puts her hand into the box for a third time.
While there is no reaction from the same runes and markings you can feel almost a vacuum like it now wants more power or it is in need of it given the current vacuum. As Myra inspects the box the first thing she notices is the different smell added to that of the rotting apples. The "Magic smoke" smell of arcana is something Myra is VERY familiar with with her earlier days of artificing, the smell when the correct balance of input Aether is too much for a magical component or runes to hold for the duration of the spell. From this she would determine that the box has been overloaded or now encountered some sort of magical short.
Myra muttering to herself, "See kids this is why you shouldn't play with cosmic arcane batteries you haven't taken the time to understand."
Cosmo takes a step forward and looks into the box "Oh what happened did we break it?"
"It's definitely been shorted. I would guess that it wasn't us. I mayyyy have supplied it with a little more juice than some of the others investigating but my guess is that the short occurred before my supply of aether." Looking closely at the sigils, tracing them with her fingers is there any that seem to have been altered or added that would create a short?
As you examine the runes and symbols you see what you expect to see, except that bindings between the runes the aspects of this capacitive bank seem to just be gone as if all the sudden it was supplied with enough power for Spyrg for years.
Myra's face heats, "No... the combination of the power overload, smoke, and the odd behavior..." She sighs, "Sorry Cosmo I should have controlled the variables better but I wasn't thinking. I doubt I'll be able to get anything else out of this box."
With a soft smile he responds" Not to worry Ms. Myra the fact that you say there is nothing wrong with what is suppose to be here is helpful as now we know who not advise with in the future - might have to have you on call" Extends a hand out for a high five.
Myra can't help but smile a little as she high fives Cosmo, "Well it should be umm.. very inert now. Do you want help moving it elsewhere?"
"No no, I will trick one of the people setting up for the party to rid of it - something your father has taught me very well - delegation. You know there is a lot of good stuff happening around here these day the city is really on the up swing - aside from the weird aurora monsters - I know these parties are not your scene but try to enjoy yourself and take advantage of what a "networking" opportunity this could be"
"Well it wouldn't be a party without several executors of coin would it? I've already mapped out who Raijun be talking to for his work with the community center." She rolls her eyes and says extremely exaggeratedly, "If only there was some business that had goals I should be advocating for. Something I had a stake in."
Cosmo goes "pale" "Oh no did I spoil something ... I know I should not have been too forward"
"Cosmo you didn't even say the word Futures. I barely I made it off the estate before someone else approached me to congratulate me. Like I said Kolis-Tane's worst kept secret. I assume it's only not in the news because mother has paid off the reporters who already know."
A Look of surprise comes over his face, " Your mother no, the reporters know not to mess with her. Give me some credit I leaked just the right amount of information so people like Mr. Fortis would be interested in a collaboration with your father"
"haha my apologies then. I should have known that you helped orchestrate it as it was people dealing more directly with father. Laura just mentioned that she had some effort to receive an invitation from mother so I made an incorrect conclusion."
Placing the cover back on the box and jumping up to sit "There are some reasons your father keeps me around. Yes ever vigilant your mother is trying the be a early presence of the Collective Inspiration platforms, I believe she has a few of those coming to capture the events of the evening."
"Cosmo everyone who's anyone knows that my father would loose his head without you. I have no illusions about who made sure he showed up appropriately to just about anything."
Cosmo does the roll safe think about it meme, "How do you think the rest of your group will do with the high society of Kolis-Tane?"
Myra blows outa breath, "How much food will there be? Success is probably directly proportional to the amount of talking...." She pauses actually considering, "Raijun will be fine if he talks about the community center, and if he's actually trying could make some new patrons."
"Adama's most dangerous if he gets bored. If Raijun can convince him to help with funding requests or a large cause he can be quite persuasive. And if he gets bored... well the new system seems to do well at fire suppression. He also has... history with some at the event, hopefully those are avoided."
"Sarya seems to be doing quite well, though quieter than usual for her. Honestly if anyone will keep the peace it will be her. I have no concerns there and she has her own questions to be asking of the high lord."
"Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if Hagren comes out with offers for business ventures. His acclaim seems to be growing and as the captain of Reach it would not be at all surprising for him to receive several offers." She pauses, "Obviously this is assuming things go well..."
As she thinks more about the party and what could go wrong, her mother's words echo inside her head and the smile Cosmo had elicited fades. She looks back at the house where she can see the decorations being hung for the upcoming Gala. The same nauseous look she had when she entered her father's office returns, "I don't suppose there's any way I could convince you to tell them that I've taken ill for the evening and won't make it to dinner tonight? Obviously to recover in time for the Gala tomorrow."
“I could convey the message but I do not make it a custom to lie to my employer and friend” Eyes not leaving the house, "And if I have an acute case of atychiphobia and eating sounds about as pleasant as walking over hot coals?" She sighs, mentally packing up her pieces as she steels herself, "No, I supposed the truth won't do either. Thank you for the puzzle Cosmo, I best be getting back to prepare."
Confused on how he helped he looks back at Myra, “Happy I could be of service- despite what is for dinner I know great and wonderful things come to meet you right around the corner.”

Hagren

Hagren is at his room and pulled out the card to send message to Rand who's in Del'Themar "Yo Rand, how is everything and what is your progress with Reach?"
A Moment or two later a series of stars appear above the card and dance as Rand's voice returns "Captain! Research and repairs continue however we have a problem there is an intruder in the crew quarters. Reach has contained the intruder but I have not been able to make contact with them, what would you like me to do?"
“Can you interrogate the intruder without revealing yourself?”
Rand responds, "I have been trying to get a response out of them but I just hear breathing and the occasional thud. Reach says due to a command conflict can not let me in."
"Can Reach give you any visual, like one of those… scrying, can you or Reach do scrying on the intruders.”
A short pause and Rand responds "Yes I was able to see the intruder and they are just standing there menacingly. They seem to be able to hear me but the weird thing is they are naked. What would you like me to do Captain?"
“Keep scrying, and see to it if you can identify the intruder, keep talking but don’t give away too much info on us and you, observe any clue to the identity of the individuals.”
"Will do captain I will continue to observe - oh geez cover yourself!" He shouts at the intruder before the message ends.
Hagren thinks to himself, “Just what’s going on over there, is this a hit from the As'ler or some other force? Might as well sleep on it for now.”
The naked intruder remains ever standing naked in Raijun's quarters the sound of Rand knocking and calling from the door

Report Date

10 Jul 2022