RP:Taking Initiative, the Guild Awakens
Part of the Agitation Arc
Summary: Kovl meets with Daeriel Gardrier, the Magister Templi of Carnomancy of the Mage's Guild (NPC, played by Josleen) to discuss the Guild's reluctance to take action against the necromancers. He convinces the Magister Templi to support him in recruiting a small squadron of mages and seeking out and defeating the necromancers. Daeriel agrees after issuing a firm command that Kovl stay within the Guild's story of accepting no blame in the recent attacks, and of never promising transparency to outsiders.
Mage's Tower
Kovl makes his way to the door guarding the office of Daeriel Gardrier, Magister Templi of the Mage's Guild, recognized Grandmaster of Carnomancy, and confidante to the Archmage. The pixie has a history of happening upon Daeriel often in the library and behind the training barriers in the tower, and when the two are not studying or training separately, Kovl approaches the highly knowledgeable mage about something he read. Daeriel has shown interest in the unique casting methods of the pixie in the past, and when Kovl first joined the guild, began trading question for question with the illusionist about his unusual methods. Despite their cordial and professional relationship, Daeriel has an aura which demands the utmost respect, and many fear his unforgiving demeanor and accompanying power when that respect is compromised. As candid as Kovl can be, the pixie has always been sure to show respect to this mage whose wealth of knowledge the illusionist likes to glean from. A deep breath is taken by the pixie as he hovers before Daeriel's door. The Magister Templi likes him. Or so he thinks and hopes. However, the enormity of the ask Kovl would like to make still causes him to feel a wave of nervousness crash over his body. Another breath empowers the pixie to harness that energy and knock loudly at his elder's door. A smile quickly is forced onto Kovl's face, and he feels his normal, charismatic self shift to the forefront of his personality. It's showtime.
Daeriel Gardier is bent over his desk transcribing spells from one tome to the next, and in the process tweaking them as per his expertise. The task consumes 100% of his mental effort. The knock registers, but he's too mentally taxed to respond right away. Thus, Kovl may think the Magister is not here, and just at the interval when most people would turn to leave, Dariel's age-thinned voice croaks, "Come in." Upon seeing Kovl enter, Daeriel's face tenses and pulls in an approximation of a smile. Those experienced wirh Daeriel would know that this strained expression, which stretches his manifold wrinkles, is good. He shows no teeth. The carnomancer is feared and revered in equal parts in this tower, but perhaps also gossiped about behind closed doors for his social skills are poor, like a tiger removed too soon from its litter, or more to the point, an old man driven a little mad by arcane power. The silence that ensues is Daeriel's version of a greeting. At last he nods, then says, "Back after so long. Where did your travels take you? Learn anything useful?" Poorly socialized people suck at small talk.
Kovl lets out a light sigh as he hears the mage's muffled voice call from behind the door. After a series of well-practiced, but somewhat straining maneuvers, the six inch pixie is able to turn the knob on the door and crack it slightly before slipping himself into the office of the Magister Templi. The pixie smiles broadly although it's doubtful anyone at the distant Daeriel is from Kovl would be able to see the charismatic expression. He raises a hand in a wave. Creatures small as himself learn quickly to use large gestures to express themselves. "Hello!" Kovl approaches the carnomancer's desk and quickly peeks at the tomes he is transcribing. "My trip was good. I was studying the effects of mental and emotional perspectives of casters on their illusionary magic." (This is an elusive way to describe the purpose of his hallucinogenic drug use without describing the method.) "I learned quite a bit, without getting into too much detail at the moment." Kovl shifts. "I heard that a lot has been going on in Xalious lately..." The pixie tilts his head as he introduces the new subject and then pauses to study Daeriel's reaction to his words.
Daeriel waves a hand over the ink as Kovl tries to take a peek at the tome’s text. As soon as the ink dries he closes it shut despite the fact there is little here Kovl could use. The Magister Templi is also very secretive, as are most high-powered mages. The carnomancer is about to ask questions when Kovl abruptly shifts topic to local news. “Yes, it’s been a dark time, but one that I believe will pass. So, you were saying about caster perspectives. What do you mean? Could you give a more specific example.”
Kovl's eyes widen as the scroll shuts, and his eyes immediately meet the eyes of the Magister Templi. "Well, you remember that the way I cast my illusions is based on what I see, hear, and feel in my mind. I've found that if a mage uses this method to cast illusionary images or sounds, and that mage also has his mind altered by a substance like alcohol, the illusions may look a little skewed or out of proportion." Alcohol is a much tamer form of mind alteration, so the pixie chose to go this route. "And you know that if someone has seen an image once, it's easier to replicate that image later. But the world is so much more different when the mind is altered. It was an experiment, and I'm sure further experiments can stem from this." Kovl didn'at exactly lie. He just left out the hallucinogetic drug from his explanation. "Is it true that those necromancers that are causing all this havoc in Xalious stole their secrets from the Guild?"
Daeriel laugh-scoffs at the rumor Kovl repeats in his office. “That’s preposterous!” He sniffs. His lips thin into a stiff line. “I admit they attained the lowest rank of apprentice in our guild. We have to acknowledge a mistake there, perhaps, but of course we never instructed rookie necromancers on how to summon evil creatures from another plane! We’re not that irresponsible. Don’t believe everything you hear in the town. Things have changed in your absence. There are elements, individuals, in the town who would seek to undermine the power of The Tower. This village would not exist if it weren’t for the Guild. Their memories are short.”
Kovl smiles as the powerful mage speaks, but the man's words are hardly what Kovl was expecting. "With all due respect, Sir, our Guild's library is open to all members of the Guild. Some of the books that are accessible to even the lowest ranks of the guild hold secrets the public does not know, and though they may not hold the incantation to summon a giant monster, the fundamentals to do so are there. But you know that, Sir. As someone who I am sure looked into all the angles of this problem, what answer have you found to why these necromancers wanted into our Guild in the first place if not to steal secrets?" The pixie works to be as respectful as possible to the mage while still raising important questions which may later be used as points of persuasion to involve the Guild in the events of Xalious.
Daeriel shrugs a little too casually. “No one blames the common library in Cenril for teaching that man--was his name? Cornelius something, a few years back. Do you remember? The serial killer. He learned to brew a powerful, untraceable poison that he ultimately used to kill dozens of women before he was caught. Terrible business that, but no one blames the library at the University of Cenril. Our library may curate more powerful texts, but what would the alternative be? Censor our library and cripple the ability of our apprentices to learn and research whatever strikes their curiosity?” He scoffs at this suggestion, which Kovl did not make but perhaps others before him have. Changing tack, he offers more kindly, “But you are right to be angry about what has happened in this village, and to ask after what we have done or will do. I think once things settle we should perform a thorough internal review to examine our admission process and apprentice oversight policies. They may need tightening, but we shouldn’t be rash. Measured and thoughtful, that’s the way to go.”
Kovl nods at Daeriel as he listens. "Yes, I do remember hearing of the serial killer who poisoned innocent residents of Cenril, and I agree that the library of Cenril should not be blamed for his actions. As someone who has been away for months, and then has come back to hear rumors from this village, may I provide insight to what I'm hearing?" The pixie pauses for permission. "I believe that in the eyes of Xalious, we admitted these mages who then used our secrets to cause mayhem in Xalious.. Cenril's library does not require a test or special qualification for admission past their library doors, but we do. The exasperation and accusation of the people should not be considered lightly. I know we could not have foreseen these apprentices as being threats, but should the Guild not take at least some responsibility? You mentioned that Xalious would not exist without the Tower, but is it not true that we would not be where we are without Xalious as well?" Kovl takes a breath, still measuring his words. "May I suggest that we act on some official capacity to clean up this mess? Our action in this could continue to solidify our reputation as protectors who care about the people who helped make us. What better way to show our power than to eliminate the threats who stole our secrets? Opponents of the Guild would think twice before attempting this again." After another pause, Kovl lands atop Daeriel's desk. "Sir, I have been the victim of an outsider who walked into the doors of this institution and attempted to steal the book that all apprentices receive upon entering the Guild. I have been told to not lose that book under any circumstance, and I barely kept it with my life. You know that I'm dedicated to this Guild and its secrets even if it means death for me. If you are not willing to advise the entirety of the Mage's Guild's power to stop these thieves of our secrets, please allow me to lead a small group to eliminate them in the Guild's name." Kovl looks up at Daeriel and searches his eyes for any hint of reconsideration.
Daeriel doesn’t have feathers, and so it is his layers of wrinkled of flesh that bristles and ruffles. “The Xalious-Arcane Guard, which we provide, has been providing protection.” But, as Kovl would know, the guard is reactive to threats, not proactive in hunting them down. “Your intentions are noble, Kovl, and your logic in the aesthetics of the matter are sound. But have you considered how it would look if we admitted fault publicly? Detractors would use this against us for ages to come. They would point to this mistake from here on out as a way to undermine our autonomy.” He takes a deep breath and glances at a portrait of a legendary carnomancer on the wall. “If you want to hunt them down with a small group… and take the utmost caution… I am not opposed in principle. I simply need to know how you would present this. The Guild cannot admit fault publicly. Ever. The spin has to be just right.”
Kovl allows a smile to cross his face as he watches that brief moment of reconsideration forming in Daeriel's eyes. "I understand the importance of the Guild not admitting fault. I do confess, however, I have made a vocal blunder on the matter, but only in front of a close friend on how the Guild must redeem their acceptance of these ill-willed mages into its ranks. You've made me see the importance of never doing this again, and I promise that no one will hear those words from me again." Kovl breathes. "The way I would present it is simple. I admit to my friend, if she asks, that I was wrong in saying the Guild made any mistakes after I learned the truth of what happened from our perspective. I present the reasoning for my act to destroy our opponents on behalf of the Guild as the Mage's Guild containing a threat to the safety of Xalious and as a measure to protect the secrets of the Guild. Do you have any insight on how to respond to those who claim we acted too late? Perhaps a message claiming that circumstances have changed since the Guild's initial decision and now a more proactive approach is being taken by the Guild to squelch these imposters would work."
Daeriel nods several times at Kovl’s new spin. “Good. That would do nicely. I would only add that you say the details of our intervention must be kept secret so that the enemy learn not of our strategy. This is of course true and necessary for your success, but also helpful to us should we need to change how we handle this delicate matter--not that I foresee we should need to. All the same, I wouldn’t want to create the expectation that the guild embraces transparency. We emphatically do not, and you must be clear in that Kovl. Many in the village, including Kyl’oriel’s daughter Josleen if you could believe it, have called for transparency.” He clicks his tongue in disapproval. “I don’t need to explain to you why that’s a bad idea.”
Kovl can not help a smile which crosses his face at this moment. "I understand, Sir. I won't let the Guild down by admitting fault and creating expectations of transparency. I will ask a few trusted members of the Guild to help squelch this events in Xalious, and you will not be let down." Kovl glances down at the closed scrolls and adds, "I apologize for interrupting your work. Thank you again for permission to act, Sir." The pixie slips back out of Daeriel's office, closing the door behind him, and he raises his fist in a fit of joy and victory. Now to strategize the next step...