Closed to Thorne

[magicalarchaeologist]

Hello, my name is Istredd. I am a mage from my own world, some of you may have seen me at the public mingle helping to teach magic and go to the Horizon.

Since we are under close watch at Thorne, I believe it would benefit us to meet and discuss the information that may not be known to one another, and/or share what we know with one another about the history of Thorne and the reality of our life now. I will speak on what I do know, but I would appreciate others coming to this willing to share as well.

It is important that we make connections to one another in order to survive this situation. With this in mind, I would like to propose a group meeting in my Horizon domain this Friday at midnight. It will have to be in the middle of the night due to the fact all of the Summoned going to the Horizon at once will be suspicious. The recommendation is to lie down as if you are going to sleep, but instead come meet us.

If you think that suggestion seems paranoid, you will understand once you attend. My domain is a tall stone tower with a red tip and stained glass windows. It is hard to miss because once you go inside, it is a giant library. It will be locked once we have arrived so no one else can attend.

I hope to see all or most of you there. If you have any further questions or concerns, let me know.


[ooc: please check our discord or my plurk for more about upcoming mingle on Friday. Ty.

NOTE: NSFW thread in comments, it is noted in the subject line.]

Comments

direct message/private bc paranoia

[ushiri]

It would be good for one of us to stay awake on the outside.

Even better if we had two or three, to rotate shifts.

[ Doing it when they're already going to sleep is a good idea, he just needs the extra layer of caution.

He's offering to do it on his own if necessary, and get the cliff notes from others later. ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

I understand your reason why, but there are only about twenty of us in this castle. We need most of those people to attend if we can convince them.

[ushiri]

[ He'll stand firm on this, even if it means not being able to attend himself. ]

I'll have someone update me after, then.

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ He understands even if Kyle is a key person he would rather have there. ]

Let me know if there are any details you want to be shared. You can write them down and myself or someone else bring them, if that helps. Yennefer has not agreed yet whether she is going and if she is not, I will ask her to be seen around as well.

[ushiri]

If we're laying everything on the table for the group, then anything we spoke about last time is fine to share.

Are you and Yennefer close?

[thedevilwhorose]

So I assume you're going to just sleep for a week after this, right?

[magicalarchaeologist]

I unfortunately don't think I'll be able to get away with it.

[thedevilwhorose]

We'll try to get you a day at least then.

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ He smiles. ]

Very considerate of you.

[funbreaker]

We're a bit overdue for something like this, I'd say. I appreciate you for having the idea AND being willing to organize it.

[ Who like herding coeurls? No one. ]

I'll be there. And why am I not surprised that your domain is a giant library?

[magicalarchaeologist]

I wouldn't be the first choice if it was up to me, but I'm fairly certain our friendly quota is all within Rhy. And he shouldn't bear the brunt of all the social events.

It is a tower of books, an ideal option.

[funbreaker]

[ Thancred likely could have organized something like this, but he isn't about to volunteer now that Istredd's already taken on the burden. ]

Quite right. The work should be spread among us, and I imagine Rhy will be grateful as well.

A tower of books, you say? For that reason alone, it should be no trouble to convince Urianger to come along.

[ He probably would have come anyway, but just let him have this joke. ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd took months before he was willing to do it, and reluctantly, but he is more interested in information than in hiding, so it won out. ]

It's my fault for never taking him before now, but he may end up spending too much time there.

[funbreaker]

You'll have to kick him out, I suspect.

[soothsighs]

I know not which element of thy plan holdeth more intrigue: the nature of thy proposed meeting, or the form of thy domain.

Suffice it to say thou shalt find me in attendance.

( Um hello, giant library, he's not missing this for ANYTHING. )

[magicalarchaeologist]

I've been meaning to show you, you are going to love it.

[soothsighs]

I imagine so. Indeed, I might enquire after a tour — when thine attention is freed of more pressing matters, of course.

[magicalarchaeologist]

If you care to wait after the meeting I can show you the rest of it then. I would tell you more, but it would ruin the surprise.

[soothsighs]

The surprise?

Thou art proving thyself most talented in the weaving of anticipation, Istredd. I shall join thee after the meeting, then, that I might sate my curiosity.

[widows_kiss]

This is the best news I've seen all week. I look forward to it.

[ It looks like she hasn't been alone, then, in hoping for a way to make sure their information in Thorne was getting to the ears of those who needed to hear it the most. ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

I'm glad to hear it, Natasha, I'll see you there.

action. because i SAID SO.

[vixening]

[ when lucifer had sent her that message, she had known something was amiss. but this is all the confirmation she really needs.

the next time istredd returns to his room, he will find yennefer sitting at the desk in the midst of it, one leg crossed over the other as her fingers tap against the wood. she does not move to stand when he enters - for all intents and purposes, she looks like she belongs right there, no matter that it isn't even her room.

when he does pause, because she assumes he will, her brows lift. and while her words may sound barbed and angry, there isn't much in her body language to suggest she is actually upset with him. more, she is here to make a point. ]

If you wish to discuss things with me, I suggest you do it directly. I don't much care for mouthpieces.

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd does not expect her to be in his room although there was always a risk that she'd see right through it. They've always been able to see through each other. When he sees her he does pause and then sighs, shutting the door behind him. There are plenty of defensive spells, especially sound-proofing, he's put in here. He smiles faintly because of course she looks like this is her room and he's in her space. ]

I thought he had a better chance of convincing you. Sometimes you like to say no to me just to say no to me.

[ They have been better lately. She seems to be willing to see him as an ally. It is a testy relationship, but stronger, especially now with her magic and their efforts together going somewhere. But it doesn't change that the tension between them can snap at a moment's notice. Istredd at least doesn't pretend innocence. He pulls up another chair and settles across from her, raising his eyebrows right back. ]

No one else is stepping up and our position here is direr than I thought. Geralt told me about the woman who was experimented on in the beginning. I heard it from Kyle but confirmed with him.

[ Istredd still doesn't know that Geralt was the one who told Kyle in the first place, but it doesn't matter, he trusted Geralt so he needed to hear it from him. Trust being more about knowing they're on the same page about this situation and getting ahead of it. The fact they're back on speaking terms is new, since there was a lot of tension after Ciri's confrontation. ]

Yenna, I understand your position is very intentional, but there are twenty-one of us. With a handful truly aware of our situation. Someone is going to do something stupid in ignorance.

[vixening]

[ the faint smile is...she would not go so far as to say nice, but yennefer is not so unaware of herself to know how much she's missed the familiarity. the fact that there can be people who know her who are here. istredd has been a constant reminder of that, of how much easier it is to just let it go, to be yennefer of vengerberg rather than the venerable.

she knows his room would be warded to all the hells, knows this was the safest place to have this conversation if she wanted to surprise him. ]

I tell you no because someone has to. You have a tendency to get caught up with ideals and potentials and ignore the realities of where we are.

[ which is just the way it has always been - istredd gets swept up in his studies and tends to simply ignore the larger state of things, because he could. something yennefer was not always able to do unless she forced herself through the thick of the politics on the continent. something she most certainly can't do here, not after all she's put into her position.

it's also a testament to just how much she knows istredd, in return, that she barely needs to say anything at all to have him continue. that a simple look towards him as he crosses the room and sits with her. she waits, and lets him continue talking, lets him explain his reasons and his purpose and whatever other ideas he's got swirling around in there that makes him think this could at all be a good idea.

at the mention of geralt's name, yennefer's eyes darken, dangerous. she knows his room is warded. she knows they are safe. but after so many moons where she barely let herself think his name within the castle walls still has her reactive, still has her paranoid. ]

Relena. I was in the dungeons with her when she was taken. [ her eyes go to her fingertips, where she is still idly tapping the top of the desk. it feels so long ago, lifetimes when she knows it hasn't even been close, and yet...

the worst of it is that istredd isn't wrong. she's noticed the increased numbers too. the fact that the more summoned that come into the castle, the more tense the rest of the court seems to be. she exists somewhat outside of it thanks to her position, but not so much that she hasn't noticed. ]

Someone is going to do something stupid no matter the situation. The Summoned have already proven themselves to always pick that path. The difference here is that I've- [ no, no that's too close to the truth. yennefer shakes her head. ] The difference is we've kept the Queen's eyes elsewhere. But organizing, pulling everyone's attention to one thing, that won't stay unnoticed forever.

[magicalarchaeologist]

That's why I let him make the rules. Do it at night, have people trade off as we talk and be seen visibly. It isn't perfect but I wouldn't have thought of that.

[ Istredd can admit that she is absolutely right. He is so focused on what he envisions and what he needs to know, and he didn't think of the pragmatic aspects. That's why it was important to have someone picking away at him until he pays attention, and since he doesn't want to bother her every time he has an idea, he lives with someone irritatingly similar to her.

He has a type. A type who is good at countering his blind spots. It should be a relief that she isn't the only one who has to rein him in now. He is careful not to go more into detail about Lucifer. Istredd would not mention Geralt or anyone else unless he was positive they were safe. And that is part of why he suggested the Horizon, so everyone across the board feels that way. ]

Relena. They stopped doing it then, but how easy would it be for them to come up with reasons again? They've been interrogating people. I understand what they're doing and why. It's exactly what he would do.

[ They both know there is only one he that Istredd indicates with so much disdain. It's unfortunate for both of them it took so long for him to see Stregobor for who he is, but he did learn from him. He learned how his mind worked and what he would sacrifice and do to get his way. This authority here seems cut from the same cloth. And in many ways Istredd is still a Brotherhood mage, he can see these choices for what they are, but be on the other end of it.

He reaches out to touch her hand, pausing it from continuing to tap, and also to make some connection between them. They are in the same room, they don't have to act like strangers. Yennefer is the only person he has ever managed to be close to really. He has hoped that their experiences recently would bring them closer together, but it will always be a trial. His thumb gently runs across her knuckles. ]

This is as much about information gathering as it is about unity. Solvunn has been doing rituals, blood sacrifices, I'm positive they are responsible for the heralds. This is about more than Thorne. The Singularity, the gods, this is going to get worse before it gets better. And we're trapped here, at a disadvantage.

[ Istredd isn't afraid of the Singularity, and he's not actually afraid of the gods or heralds either. He has some thoughts about them, big picture. But he is afraid for their situation here. ]

I don't want you to risk your position or safety. The only reason I want you to be there is you hold power within the Summoned too, you are the person who has been here the longest, with the most knowledge and influence. I am not you, neither is Stephen, or anyone else here.