[closed]

[anti_nonsense]

Who: Rita and Syrlya
When: Day 60, after the gang returns from their outing
Where: Trailer 29
What: Rita wants to go through Strange's stuff while he's gone, gets Syrlya to help

It's only been a short while since the group returned from meeting the keepers of the Athenaeum, but with little time to rest or begin preparations, Syrlya will receive an abrupt radio message.

"This is Rita. I need to look at Strange's things, so I'm coming over."

And that's all the warning he'll get before she shows up at the door, not even three minutes later. She gives it a few impatient knocks to announce her arrival, then opens it anyway to let herself in.

Comments

[anti_nonsense]

Rita meets Syrlya's gaze with a furrowed brow. "I guess, yeah... He's not a good guy by any stretch, but he's... direct. He doesn't play politics or use loopholes like the other fae do, he just does what he says he will." As much as Rita despises him, she'll admit that much about his character.

It's not too hard to see where Syrlya's going with this, though, and she soon adds, "You think we can use that against him?"

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya smiles a bit. She saw the capture, so if she believes that much then he's sure it'll work.

"I do." He nods affirmingly. "We can challenge him over Strange's servitude. A duel, that if he loses will have to release Strange's freedom and his life."

They'll need to set proper parameters, and appeal to Ignatius' desire to duel them. But if he's an honorable warrior, Syrlya doesn't expect it to take too much. In fact, he sounds very confident about this.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita looks uneasy, her eyes darting as she considers this idea. "It's risky," she says, "but it could be worth a try." It's hard not to feel apprehensive about it. That feeling of helplessness when faced with the immense power of a True Fae... it's still fresh in her mind.

"Come to think of it, I might have just the thing for that," she adds abruptly, looking over the desk once again. Where did he put it...?

Frowning, Rita turns her attention to the messenger bag left nearby, one she remembers Strange passing to Zangetsu just before he was taken. From it, she retrieves a stack of notes, the paper oddly stiff and the ink slightly smudged. But those get set aside and ignored as she continues fishing through the bag until she produces what she's looking for: a red-feathered quill.

"He ever show you this before?" she asks, waving the quill to show him.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya gives the the quill a cursory glance before shaking his head with a frown. He typicsll thinks of Strange as someone open about his magic capabilities, if out of pride at least. It's a little offputting there's two things he doesn'tknow about, but maybe Strange is sulking about their arguments, or that Syrlya won't let him touch the bloodstone.

"I assume that you do?" With a lead up like that, it's pretty pointed. So he looks at Rita expectantly for an answer.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita smirks, seemingly pleased with herself for having information that few others do. Never mind the part where she personally finds the quill itself to be creepy in general... but she's not one to dismiss a tool at a time when it may come in handy.

"It's a magic quill. Came from the Ringmaster. When a person writes with it, it siphons a small portion of their blood to use as ink. And when you apply that to writing and signing a contract, it acts as a powerful binding spell, ensuring both parties adhere to the agreed terms precisely as they were written."

[chronosynthesis]

"So you want to bind him to written terms." Syrlya rubs his chin thoughtfully. "We will want to present it in a way that is not an insult to him, to suggest that his word alone is not trustworthy..."

But it is a possible safeguard. "We will take it. And I will supply the bloodstone. The Fae are powerful, and we could use every tool we have to bring ourselves closer to their level."

Or the Fae closer to theirs. Syrlya's dealt with these stakes before, but a little edge goes a long way when fighting something that could basically obliterate you with a gesture.

[anti_nonsense]

Will he find it insulting...? Rita's not sure. Even if he does, Rita has a feeling she knows a way to entice him.

"Bloodstone?" Rita's eyes light up with curiosity. "What's that?"

Something that can bring them closer to the fae's level? That sure sounds like something she'd be interested in.

[chronosynthesis]

"A magic catalyst. Like a focus, but with a far greater ability to draw magic into the user." He doesn't move to grab it yet, but he goes look sideways at her.

"It is dangerous to use, but when contesting the power of the Fae we may have to take that risk." And he's not sure if his small shard can get them to their capabilities. Actually, he's sure it won't. But it doesn't need to--it just needs to be enough for one victory.

[anti_nonsense]

That look of curiosity doesn't fade. If anything, Rita seems to brighten, her eyes practically sparkling with fascination. "A magic catalyst..."

Yeah, she wants to try it. Even though he just said... well, she should ask to be sure.

"How dangerous are we talking?"

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya returns her look of curiosity with wariness. He was offering it with the intention of them using it, of course, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to be particular about who was going to use it. There's a reason he hasn't let Strange try.

"Potentially fatal. It is an artifact from Tyria, so I have not seen how it behaves with other forms of magic." Are the dangers of excessive exposure to magic the same no matter where, or does the nature of it change? There's some similarities between Tyria's flow and the Fae's, but it's hard for him to tell if the differences are only technicalities.

[anti_nonsense]

"Fatal..." Rita grimaces at that. Of course it wouldn't be that easy...

"Know any ways to mitigate that risk?" she goes on to ask, then adds, seemingly realizing, "Maybe controlling the narrative would help..."

[chronosynthesis]

"Perhaps..." Although he sounds doubtful of that. Mostly, though, he's just concerned the consequences won't be worth the risk. "Just do not use it excessively. If you find yourself unwell or dizzy or hallucinating, stop."