True wisdom is borne of epic fail [Hadrian]

[Tarot]

Mashaen frowned at Hadrian's remark. "Sagallius? A means to maintain Drainira even if she were to die? That is, give her a 'soul'?" He paused, and it was plain to see that the matter was giving him a lot of thought. "I wish I could say 'impossible', but that would be narrow-minded of me. I am no god, these are matters of faith and I do not know exactly what a god can or can't do. Especially one such as Hrinn, who used to be human and has all the craftiness and practicality of one." He shook his head. "You are correct, we can't rule this out. It is far-fetched, but... stranger things have happened. It would certainly explain Drainira's loyalty. A true soul is perhaps the one thing that is beyond her reach. If someone were able to give it to her, then I suppose that would factor in her decision making. Thank you, Hadrian. This was a novel perspective. We are so entrenched in our lore sometimes that we refuse to consider a fresh point of view." He was about to answer Hadrian's remark about Kihala but Farke got to it first. "Every time we lift a finger," and he lifted one of those modified fingers of his, "somewhere, somehow, we are rubbing someone the wrong way. It is a fact of life. Even more so for us wizards and all our shortcuts. There was a time, long long ago, when some gods stopped at nothing, including genocide, to remove unwanted magics from the world. Men have grown, and the gods have too. Now they go after individuals in the worst case. Kihala won't even do that. Life means respecting life, but it also means respecting the choices of those alive." Mashaen nodded. "A golem is life that did not sprout from a seed or a womb, soulless life, but life. Someone marked by Kihala cannot accept life created by anyone else. I bet we're oversimplifying it. Ask someone with the mark." There was a little silence, and Farke brought the conversation back into track. "Very well, young man. We have gained a little more insight, but we are no closer to exposing the traitor. Frankly, I am starting to doubt we can even do that with our current knowledge. You seem like a decent fellow and I am inclined to let you go, provided you do not stir up any more trouble on the island." He turned to Mashaen, who simply nodded his agreement. "We will not let Rela's death be in vain, that much is for sure."

[Hadrian]

"Well, that is a relief," he said to Farke, and he did relax a bit in the shoulders, breathing more deeply. He was starting to get used to the faint odor of decay that seemed to be part of the Citadel. "Although now that I have been enlightened a bit, and am aware of Drainira and the dangers she poses, I don't know that relief truly enters into the equation." His mind too was exhausted after running through so many permutations of might be with regard to this problem, not to mention the long journey from Syliras by way of Sunberth, and all the exertions, physical, mental, emotional, and magical since docking earlier that day. Now he just felt sorry for Rela, but everything was numbing a bit. He just wanted a place to relax, perhaps meditate a bit to calm his mind, and then sleep. "Might I trouble you for a room somewhere?" he asked. He chuckled softly, self-deprecating. "The flesh is weak and it has been a trying day. I really just need a room. I have travel rations and can create a bit of water for myself. I don't want to be any trouble, and I had planned to leave Sahova after a short visit. If you wish to see me again before I sail, well, I'm sure it would be easy enough to track me down while I am here. "And I would like to thank you for trusting me, honored masters. I will not prove unworthy of it."

[Tarot]

Mashaen nodded in a barely perceptible fashion, and his hand waved ever so slightly in a dismissive gesture that still came across as polite. "Rela's death will not be forgotten, Hadrian. Although we may push things into convenient corners of our minds, we Sahovans never forget. She will not have died in vain." Of course, the truth of it was that Rela might have been saved in the first place. If only Hadrian had tackled her as the golems prepared to fire... if only he had been faster, braver, better... if only if only if only. But the masters did not need to know; for certain truths, though all too human, were not convenient to share. "You can borrow Rela's room for a few days if you need to recuperate," Mashaen decreed, and while it may have sounded wrong to a foreigner, Sahova existed solely through 'waste not, want not'. It was a perfectly logical choice. "I must ask you not to take anything away, though." "Nor venture too far away from the surface," Farke cautioned him. "My name will only do you so much good; and, I am sure, within some circles it will only cause you harm." His words hinted at a somewhat loose social structure, which was to be expected of these wizards. Mashaen nodded his agreement and reverted his attention to the papers currently occupying his desk, signaling that Hadrian's audience had come to an end.

OOCI feel this thread might have outlived its usefulness. XPs in the next post?

[Hadrian]

"As you say," he replied. "Thank you, honored masters." With the sort of bow one saw in Syliras in this generation, he prepared to quit their presence, assuming a golem would see him to his borrowed chambers that they might continue to speak. There was something in the way Mashaen said those things that made Hadrian wonder if he might have done something different and changed the course of things, but he was too exhausted to see any alternative that would have saved Rela and himself. Perhaps in the morning the path would be clear and remorse might set in. But for now he was hanging on the edge of overgiving and was just praying to Eyris that he might be spared such weakness while in the citadel of the undead.

OOCIndeed. It takes place almost a year ago, so it's probably best to wrap it up. No alchemy, but tons of fun in any case. Thanks so much and do feel free to tap me if you need a daft magus for any of your storytelling maneuvers.

[Tarot]

Epilogue In which XPs are awarded XP +4 Philosophy +3 Rhetoric +3 Investigation +2 Politics +1 Auristics +1 Animation +1 Flux +1 Meditation +1 Acrobatics Lores Golem failures Theory of golems and the soul Meeting Zarik Mashaen Meeting Master Farke Balance of power in Sahova Not getting caught in the fail of others (questionable) Thanks for the thread and sorry for taking so long to grade it (and for misspelling Hadrian's last name all over the place)! Hadrian was probably too inexperienced to delve into the dark secrets surrounding Rela's death this time around, but I don't think we have seen the last of this plotline...