Study Buddies: Fundraising!

Study Room 4 --

Either Magpie has claimed the room for multiple consecutive months -- not likely, even on an adventurer's budget -- Or she *keeps hauling all this crap in here.* The rolling chalkboard is set up by the bookshelves at the front, multiple serving platters of baked treats of all kinds litter the huge conference table, and an array of teapots on runed metal pads sit on a handy side table, ready to receive tea from half a dozen canisters.

Slightly frazzled, Magpie herself is reaching on tiptoe on a stepstool, carefully adding the last equations and doodles to the chalkboard, waiting for the summonses to be honored.

Auranar is first to arrive, which is perhaps no surprise given that she's excited for the opportunity to see Magpie again. She arrives with an owl on her shoulder, and Verna in tow. In tow mostly because Auranar is moving quite apace across the room. Magpie is given little warning before Auranar is giving her a proper hug. That is since Magpie is on a stool; Auranar has to bend down very little to do so. "MAGPIE!" She exclaims loudly, squeezing only a touch more firmly than is strictly gently. "How long has it been? Oh right... Only a few months for you right? But still!" She pulls back and grins.

"I won't pester you too much at the moment for details, but later! I want to know absolutely everything okay? I'll stay late!" She smiles again and the owl on her shoulder looks rather perturbed.

Well, the party don't start till Tel walks in.

Telamon Lupecyll-Atlon, to be precise. Dressed in his usual 'adventuring dandy' garments -- the white ruffled silk shirt, black leather trousers, boots, sleeveless over-robe, circlet and haversack. He looks composed, calm, relaxed.

But this is business, not pleasure, and so he smiles as he sees Auranar is here and is already glomping Magpie merrily. "Good evening, Magpie. I see my sister has beaten me to the punch again. It's good to see you again, though."

A pale Goblin face peeks into Room #4, following in Telamon's wake, peering at the piles of baked goods. She makes a happy sound, running over to peer at the variety of teas available. Also... baked goods.

"Hello Magpie! It is good to see you once more. Goodness... you keep trying to outdo yourself each time. Do... you think you could put in a good word for me here, it appears the salaries are excellent! How have you been?"

Simony waves shyly at Verna and Auranar, offering a cheerful, "Hello!". She moves then to hug Telamon. "'Lo Tel, how're you?"

There are few things more swift, or more pleasant to witness, than an excited Auranar. That Verna is a step or three behind could be blamed upon the basked she carries and further that she stops to set it on the table with the snacks. That is where it belongs, as it is bears additional baked fruit tarts for sharing. Minus one, possibly heavy a white feather. "It is good to see you, Magpie," she then adds with a nod to, "Telamon." Her attire for the day is not the typical business attire of her robes, and certainly it is far too warm and clear for a cloak. Instead, she is adorned in a light yet layered dress that is overwhelmingly pink.

That voice. Magpie whirls around, just in time to get swept up into a crushing hug, but the noise that escapes her is one of unbridled joy. "AURANAR! Oh gods it's *so good to see you!* I was worried, I hoped you were doing all right but I guess you're done! That's amazing! Yeah we're gonna need a *long* talk after we're done here!"

When released, the gnome turns to the rest of the room as high-spirited friends file in. "Hey, everybod-- pffffhaaaaaaahahahaha, salary. That's a great joke, Simony! No I um... started baking myself as a hobby. That's what the cookies are, so they're not gonna be *great.* Anyway have some food, have some tea, keep yourselves nice and full and happy!"

"...Because I'm gonna be asking for money."

Auranar flashes a grin over to Telamon and Verna before making her way to a seat so she's out of the way. Like her wife she's wearing quite a lot of pink. Not in a couples-matching kind of way. More like they just happened to pick pink for the day. She sits down and arches an eyebrow at Magpie, her eyes sliding to the complicated-looking diagrams on the board at Magpie's side. "Money?" She queries rather unnecessarily.

Telamon kneels down so that Simony can hug him properly, not like a child, and he wraps his arms around the gobber priestess in turn. "I'm all right, Simony. Been busy. Interesting things happening." He offers her a reassuring grin. "But: one less nightmare in the world. The echo is gone. Destroyed."

That bit of good news dispensed, he looks up at Magpie, and his brow furrows. "Hmmm. Before I reach into the purse, Magpie, let's hear what you've got. I recently did a bit of investing and I expect it to pay out well, but I'm kind of curious to see where you're going with this."

Verna moves to claim herself a seat adjacent to Auranar, eyes shifting back to Magpie and, of course, to the symbols and markings on the board behind her. Her curiosity has them linger to study it, but she does not comment on any inferences that may come from it. This is Magpie's lecture, afterall. "Indeed," she concurs with Telamon to Magpie. "I am most curious..." her lips twist slightly towards frown " and regret that I could not be of more assistance as of late. Much has occurred." To put it mildly.

The Goblin giggles lightly at being hugged, her hands then patting at his shoulders. "Careful, the air is different down here." She nods, and then cheers, pumping her fist. "I had heard that a foray was made, I am happy to hear it was successful! Did you go too? Did you rightfully relish its destruction? Awww, I am happy it is gone. It was in my nightmares for weeks afterwards." She throws herself back at Telamon for a very squishy hug. As much as a wee Goblin can manage, anyways. "Thank you!"

Simony slowly pulls away, the delicious treats now demanding her attention, indeed, her stomach growls noisily, informing on her haste.

She is halfway into a cookie when Magpie drops the money ask. After a few moments of coughing on an errant piece of cookie, the Gobbo looks to Magpie. "I.. will offer up five thousand gold.", she says softly. "Also... the fact that you've been making all these just makes them more delicious. They are worthy of the best bakeries here in Alexandria." Simony is not difficult to please, it seems, when it comes to baked goods, as several cookies are had in quick succession.

"Before you say yes," Magpie says, a crooked grin going Simony's way, "First lemme-- oh that thing in the sewers? *Awesome.* That means the circle's gonna come down on its own any day now, if what I was told is right. Cool! So. Remember when Albus said he'd be willing to teach me binding magics, even if I'd need him to actually *do* the casting? Well, we done did that. And it gave me an idea, see..."

The stool gets pushed to the other side of the board, and Magpie clambers back up, indicating a set of equations. "Functionally, there's not a *lot* that's different between your average banishment, and soul-stealing magic. For the banishment, you can see here, you're cutting the spirit's tethers to the material world, and sort of giving it a helpful kick back it its home. But with binding a soul, you're cutting its tethers to the material world, and re-tying them onto a thing, *before* giving it a kick."

Auranar glances at Verna in confusion at this mention of a 'thing in the sewers' but that'll have to wait! For now she listens intently to Magpie's lecture. Or is it a sales-pitch. Simony might be willing to throw money at an unknown project, and Auranar is already considering how much she can afford to pitch in. However it's good to know what that money is going into.

GAME: Auranar rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (7)+11: 18
GAME: Telamon rolls knowledge/arcana: (2)+18: 20
GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/arcana: (15)+8: 23

"A bit of a gross oversimplification there, Magpie, but more or less." Telamon eyes Magpie a bit askance. "I hope you're planning to use this for something constructive. Binding magic is not something you want to 'just do and see what happens'." The half-elf rises to his feet once Simony has headed off for treats, and pours himself a mug of tea. "Does this have to do with Albus's current predicament -- how he's stuck in the book? I approve of you trying to get him out, I just want to make sure that's where we're headed."

Verna's mouth opens, possibly to comment upon Magpie's.. generalized description, but Aura's glance on the topic of the sewers causes her to reconsider. There is also the fact that she offers her wife a small smile to assuage her curiosity, and one cannot (or should not?) smile with mouth wide open. "It is near enough in outline, " she finally admits. "No matter how described, such magic oft requires rather expensive components, which I presume is a prime topic of this meeting?"

Simony returns the grin to Magpie, hers full of mischief. Followed quickly by a few more cookies while Magpie begins describing what she wants the money for. "Yeah, it is excellent news, innit?", the Goblin says between cookies.

Her eyes follow along as Magpie indicates equations.

"Ooooh... I see! Instead of sending them off home, where they are free to scheme and connive and plan a return... You're binding them to ... something!, and throwing that through a hole somewhere, leaving them stuck somewhere, unable to return!"

She rubs at her chin. "Lemme guess... you need like... a fist sized diamond, or something similar?"

It is Tel's pouring of tea that makes Simony realize that tea was there to be had, and presently she has her own mug, which she sips from.

"Honestly, if all you're asking right now is gold, well, I'm still offering five thousand gold. That's easy.. compared to staring at a Duke of Hell remnant who wants to eat me, not knowing if I can get away..."

Her gaze goes to Telamon, and she nods, "I think that is her intention, for Jagoff." Simony then looks to Magpie, expectantly.

"Close but not quite," Magpie says, leveling her chalk at Telamon with a grin. "And I know *very well* that this isn't magic to fool with, which is why I'm consulting an expert and *then* running this by all of you."

Then the chalk is leveled at Verna and Simony. "Basically, that. Albus and I figured out a means to tune a soul-binding spell, to turn it into a demon-trap. Basically, build a special thing, get the thing in contact with the demon, demon gets sucked into the trap and stays there. And-- basically yeah Simony, except not a diamond. We've run the numbers, and for an ice devil like Juggaloth, it's best if it's a star ruby, and the dimensions make the cost come to... um... Thirteen thousand gold. And there's other stuff we'll need to make the actual thing, that'll help draw him in and keep him there. Let's see..."

The gnome turns back to the blackboard, referencing her own squiggles. "...About a pint of Elemental Water, a chunk of ice magicite about the size of half a wand, and maybe five hundred gold worth of silver, for the shell. On the idea that devils *aren't* repelled by silver."

Auranar leans forward, giving Simony a slightly suspicious look. They are clearly talking about something that she doesn't know anything about but... again now is not the time for worrying about something that at least sounds remotely like it's been dealt with. She sighs and focuses on Magpie and lifts her hand halfway up. "Um... You don't plan on summoning this fiend right? You just intend to give the... thing to someone likely to come into contact with him and then... Use it?"

Telamon watches with some concern on his face. "I see where this is going, and ... there was a time I considered it myself, for certain unpleasant entities." His expression grows taut for a moment. "The problem is, as Magpie notes, it's expensive. This is... hmm. Slightly cheaper. How strong is this trap, structurally? We really don't want Jughead," he smirks, following the naming conventions of the others. "getting let out just because someone bumped it. And as Auranar notes, the really dangerous part is shoving him -into- the trap."

"No." Admittedly, Verna may not know what Magpie intends in regards to summoning... and this does not change her flat comment in the slightest. "No summoning," she clarifies. As for the rest, she will let Magpie expound.

She does note, "It is unlikely to be trapped via deception, so we would need confront it and bind it by force. As well, the ... container would not be fragile nor so easily opened. Additionally, it could be sealed away."

Simony whistles at the amount of gold involved. "Goodness. Well. I see we have a definite goal ahead of us... er, well I guess I can hit up the Adventurer's Guild, see how much coin I can earn with a few missions, maybe I can get you a few thousand more."

The Goblin's expression grows thoughtful as she munches on another cookie, and she sips daintily at her tea.

Looking to Auranar, she shakes her head. "I'll leave it to Magpie to confirm or deny, but the plan as I heard it originally doesn't involve us summoning Jughead, his cult is planning on doing that. If that can be prevented, that would be excellent. However, if we uh hit Juggie with the trap, then we won't have to worry about people trying to summon him."

The Goblin looks to Telamon and Verna as they speak in turn, and once more she looks to Magpie.

"Not *quite,* Simony," Magpie says, but looks pleased that the goblin got close just based on past conversations. "I know people've been hunting down the cult that worships him, and I figured; what's the best way to make sure a demon is summoned without being the stupid one? Answer? Make the cultists desperate enough they whine to Soul Daddy to fix their problems for them."

Looking around the room, the gnome then simply shrugs. "The problem with the original magic is, you can *force* a soul into the object, and that can be resisted. If you get them to take it of their own free will, that's an automatic lose, bye bye soul. So... I decided to split the difference."

Toying with her chalk for a bit, Magpie flushes. "...I designed a system that would stand up to plenty of shock, because the aim is to have someone throw it like a brick at Judokai's stupid smug face."

"So you plan to use his cult against him." Auranar states quietly, looking thoughtful. "That means that you'll need a time and location of them summoning him. Though... if we create a threat potent enough, they're sure to try... But..."

She shifts uncomfortably in her chair. "That feels a little like summoning him ourselves doesn't it? Wouldn't a better plan be to find out where he is currently and... Well smack him in the face with your device?"

Telamon takes a long sip from his mug, his starry eyes thoughtful. "It's not ideal. But if he's off in the Iron Hells, we'd have to go -there- to trap him, and that's an even worse plan." His expression is dour at the mere thought. "We may have an opportunity coming up though to prod Jambalaya's followers. If we can capitalize on that... we may get our chance."

He sets his empty tea mug down, walking back and forth a bit. "I assume this device is going to be tailored and tuned for him. I really wouldn't like it if someone else got accidentally hit with it and sucked into the thing."

Verna lifts a hand to Auranar's shoulder. "I believe, dearest, that some shall be creating quite the threat to Jal'goroth's, or rather its master's, plans rather soon. That may be enough to lure out the devil directly." To Telamon, she offers, "If the magic is as I believe it is, it is attuned solely to the intended prisoner and is not harmful to any other."

"Eeeh.", the Goblin says, making a sour face. "They've been pulling things off right under our noses, and we've been running all over the place trying to contain werewolves, demons taking people's faces and wandering the city, and not to mention the city-SIZED summoning circle under our feet. Juggles could be anywhere in the entire world, as it stands."

She shrugs. "His cultists are much more accessible, and Magpie has pointed out that we can push them hard enough to make them summon him. Making a circle powerful enough means enough power that it should be findable. Should. At this point in time, and time is short, it is easier, more efficient and likely more rewarding, to make his cultists do the work for us. Then, we smash him in the teef with a brick, smash his cult, and then go on to more fun pursuits. Like baking. And swimming along the bottom of pools."

At Auranar's objection, Magpie nods in agreement, looking fairly unhappy. "I don't like it either, Auranar... But Telamon's right, the only other practical alternative is to travel to the Iron Hells and hunt him down in his *home.* Which is... less feasible, even *with* the circle under the city gone. Which... I'm'a be honest? I'm pretty sure Jim-Bob Ross sees all this nonsense as a side benefit; with everyone running around putting out fires, we can't really knuckle up and *stop* him. But! I'm *glad you asked,* Telamon!"

Stabbing a finger at the sorcerer, she hops off the stool, then kicks it to a spot closer to the middle. So *let's talk about* Compilations of the Eternal."

Clambering back up, Magpie gestures to a dense, possibly-impenetrable chunk of math, that somehow has >:C faces interspersed in the voids between equations. Does Magpie honestly lose lock in the middle of mathing?

"The real power of that book is, you can whistle up *any* demon in its directory, just by knowing its name. Not its true name, just what it's known by, right? It occurred to me, *that's a pretty serious feat of conjury.* Because that means there *exists* a link between that book and every demon in its pages."

"Links work both ways."

Auranar looks at the board cautiously. "You mean... The device might be able to draw him out using the book? Or that he might be able to summon himself THROUGH the book. Or are you showing us that both are possible and we should be rightly horrified by the prospect?"

Telamon walks over to look at the equations and inscriptions Magpie has written. He squints a bit, tilts his head. "Not quite, Auranar. I think I see where this is going. She's using the book as a ritual link -- like you'd use for scrying -- but instead of spying, she's using the link to tailor the trap specifically to Jenkins." He narrows his eyes, turning to look at Magpie. "I hope that book is safe. That's an incredible vulnerability for fiends. Regardless of how useful it might be to tempt mortals with it, if I was in their shoes -- metaphorically speaking -- I'd be absolutely enraged that the book creates that kind of link."

Of course. The Book. Verna had lately come to view it more as Albus' prison than its original, and more powerful, useage. "The tome might well serve as a conduit to enable trapping it from afar... Which is, of course, far more palatable than summons, direct or otherwise, for the same purpose.” She then tips her head to Telamon. "It may be that it is warded against them, else it would have been destroyed long ago."

Simony chokes and coughs on another cookie, taking a few gulps of tea to help it down. "Oh gosh. That... we should be horrified. Not over the fact that this seems to be a horrible oversight, or worse, an intention shortcut. If Telamon is correct, and I think there's a fairly large chance that he is... we should also be horrified by the response should that knowledge ever come to light. I can't imagine how many beings would want to have that book."

"Well I mean, it's as safe as I can possibly make it," Magpie says to Telamon, lifting a shoulder. "And I'm pretty sure they *are* upset about not being able to find it, considering that Albus was *murdered* for it. And once this whole madness is over, I *am* handing it to the Elunans, because *I* can't make it as safe as *they* can, when there's not culty werewolves running all over the place."

"But yeah," she says, turning in place on the stool. "I wanna make a Gerold-o-Moth trap, and with hope I can make it activate on contact, so someone just needs to beat the crap out of him for a bit, then throw it at him. I'm trying to design it so it can stand up under some pretty heavy shock, and once it's used we can, Iunno, throw it into the Void or seal it up in the deepest darkest hole we can find, then collapse the hole over it. I just... can't afford it on the time-frame we need for it."

Auranar relaxes by measures finally nodding. "It seems we've a solid idea, and a way for making sure it happens. A few even maybe." She sighs and thinks. "I can afford... maybe three thousand?" She winces at the number. "I know it's not a lot but I've not been exactly gathering a lot of money lately. Just so long as we're not summoning him."

Verna considers a moment before exhaling a light breath. No summoning. Possible summoning? Whether the trap might be sprung via indirect conduit or more direct calling, the devil needs to be halted. The end shall justify the means. It would hardly be the first time an outsider was summoned by those seeking to trap the same. Verna can only hope that they shall have more success than the majority of such attempts tend to achieve.

"Magpie, if you provide the specifications for the star ruby, with a comfortable margin for error, I shall acquire and deliver the gem to you."

"There are places to put the book that even fiends might reconsider entering," Telamon says with a grim smile. "But that'll have to wait till later. Magpie, my compliments -- you've done your homework." He leans against a chair, his expression transmuting into a grin.

"Some of you may have heard that the taverns are dumping Blue Moon Ale. Seems it's more than a little tainted, and then someone leaked their findings to the Tribune." He places his finger alongside his cheek. "Dear me, how unprofessional. But as it happens, I recently made an investment into White Shield Brewing, and they're moving to fill the empty spots where Blue Moon Ale kegs once sat."

"So, Magpie... thirteen thousand? I'm willing to help cover a nice big chunk of the expenses. At least half, and if we need more, well... this is a town that does love its ale."

Simony has been quietly wolfing down cookies and tea while the others have spoken. She blinks in the silence that follows, and clears her throat.

"You've only further solidified my support. Five thousand is what I can give over right now. Well, I'd have to go do some digging, and it'll take me a few long walks from the monastery and back."

She blinks, "Oh! You mentioned uh elemental water. Wouldn't that be ... holy water? If so, Give me some time and I can make as much as you require."

Seeing the sheer volume of support around the room, from people the gnome very much seems to look up to, Magpie's lip wibbles from the sheer volume of happy feelings flooding her chaos-tinged brain. "I...um." Her voice is thick, and she pauses a moment to swallow the lump, and clear her throat. "Thanks *so much* you guys... Seriously, I kinda *hoped* you'd all say yes, but... Anyway. *Thank you.* I'll talk to Albus and get the specifications for the gem, and uh... Actually Simony, I meant 'Water from the Elemental Plane of Water,' but thinking about it, it'd probably make an even better prison if it was holy, and that'd have a strengthening effect on the silver... Huh. I wonder if a layer of salt would reinforce the prison even more... Planar salt?"

Blinking rapidly, the gnome hauls herself out of the weeds, and just *beams* at the gathered room. "So don't open your wallets yet, I need to get an actual itemized invoice. I'll pass the hat around then."

Auranar smiles at Magpie, beaming at her in reflection of the joy that Magpie is expressing. "We never doubted that you'd be able to figure something out that'd help us along Magpie. And now that you have; we're happy to help. Let us know what you need and we'll send it along." She wastes a smile on Verna here reaching over to hold her wife's hand. "I'm just glad that we can do something to help."

Telamon smiles slightly. "I know a few people who might be willing to trade some things. And a few others who might have some ideas." He walks over, and places a hand on Magpie's shoulder warmly. "This is a worthy cause, Magpie. And frankly, I can't think of one better than to lock this son of a bitch away until the stars go out or we find a better prison cell for him."

"After all, it's like the arvek nar say: friends help you move, but real friends help you move the bodies. Or in this case, the fiend bodies."

Verna would never consider Auranar's smile wasted. Ever. Certainly not when she is graced by it. She returns the expression, as well, before nodding to Magpie. "It must be done, and we are pleased to aid however we might." Her eyes return to Aura. "A few coin against the vile acts of fiends is perhaps the smallest cost one might pay.

The Goblin steps over to Magpie, and even as Telamon offers a supportive hand on her shoulder, Simony hugs the Gnome. Just holds her, no words. And just when it's straying into awkward territory, Magpie's released.

A giggle is heard, and Simony locks eyes with Magpie. "I think... I think you will not be able to find as much salt as Jumbotron will have once he realizes how fucked he is."

"We can only hope," Magpie chuckles to Simony, then looks up to Telamon, then Auranar and Verna. "Seriously, you have no idea how much hearing that means to me, you guys... So eat up! Now that business is out of the way, we've got stories to tell Auranar, and I *hope* she's got stories for us!"

-End