(no subject)

[sythyry]

Confession [27 Hispis 4385; Eigrach; Srineia]

When I answered Totalie's strangly kiss with fire-breath, Totalie at least had the grace to release me and leap back, eyes full of clattery madness, shivering with a Wild Rush. It was Not Cute under the circumstances.

Rheng came roaring up the stairs, his tail streaming behind him; Sleeth can hear better than other people. Phaniet and Arfaen followed in a frenzy, and Yerenthax thundered up after them. Totalie was quickly surrounded and pinioned.

"So: shall I treat that like an attempted rape, or an attempted murder?" I asked Totalie.

Totalie's voice was muddy with pain, and, I should imagine, blisters on the tongue and palate. "No, no, nothing like that!"

Arfaen snarled and shook Totalie's shoulders. "What did you do to zir, you putrescent mushroom?"

"I, I didn't, ow," mumbled Totalie.

"Strangled me and tried to lick my tonsils," I said. "Held me by the neck and shook me around, too," which was somewhat of an exaggeration.

Rheng put a heavy paw on Totalie's mouth. "Perhaps your own tonsils are itchy, rrai? Perhaps I scratch them for you?" Totalie whined.

Phaniet tugged Rheng's harness. "Stop, stop. This is perplexing in a confusing sort of way. I can think of several proximate goals that the gentleman might have attempted. Was he trying to kill Sythyry?" Totalie was shaking his head, but could not speak under Rheng's paw. "Perhaps -- but why use his bare hands, and why try to kiss zir?"

Rheng snorted. "Perhaps he has the poisonous fangs. I know stories of such Orren!"

"I know stories of such norren, myself," said Phaniet. "Conversely, was he trying to rape Sythyry?" Totalie shook his head again. "The practical issues of forcing a wizard are boggling. I cannot how it could be sensibly attempted; I should use blackmail, myself, if I were so foolish and wicked as to try such a thing. Can it be that Totalie is foolish, wicked, and astoundingly impractical? Well, yes, it can, of course it can, but perhaps there is another explanation."

"I don't much care about another explanation," I said, because I was rather cross. "If we were at home I'd take him to court for assault. As a foreigner I don't expect I'd have much chance of success here, though."

Phaniet, who is a loyal and extremely helpful assistant, ignored me. "I suspect that there is more going on here. Rheng, let the gentleman talk."

Rheng laughed. "I let him talk. Does Sythyry's kiss let him talk? Or does he enjoy the blisters and the burnings." He moved his paw off Totalie's mouth.

Totalie squeaked, "They said that's what the Zi Ri wanted!"

"They did, did they?" I hissed. "Who are they, and why are they ordering abuse on my behalf?"

"And is that them watching now?" asked Phaniet.

I checked, and half a dozen people were scrying on us. "Phaniet, make them stop watching." Which she did, quite adequately.

"Right," said Phaniet. "This sounds like an annoying little misunderstanding. Let's clear it up by providing a better and more true understanding, shall we? Arfaen, let him stand up and fetch him some water, would you be so kind?"

"I don't want a conversation with him. If he touches me again I shall burn the part he touches me with off," I said. My loyal and obedient clients ignored me.

Totalie lapped water from a chalice. "I thought zie likes that sort of thing. I asked, really I did. I was trying to be the best seneschal I could. I need to understand what the new lord wants and needs for that, don't I?"

"The new lord wants and needs Totalie punished for assault. Don't do anything illegal, or not very illegal anyhow, but maybe Rheng could claw him in the process of pulling him off of me, perhaps," I said. Everyone helpfully ignored me.

Phaniet looked alarmed, and wagged her tail placatingly to Totalie. "Oh, dear. You talked to one of the information mages, didn't you?"

Totalie nodded. "Oh, yes. Glekjinga gave me lots and lots of details."

Phaniet's ears drooped. "Then you deserve an apology. One of our defenses backfired."

"Why does he deserve an apology? I think he should be apologizing!" I noted in a whiny justifiably upset voice.

"I suspect he'll want to apologize quite a bit too," said Phaniet. "But actually I think we cast a fireball and are now complaining that our house is burning." She turned to Totalie. "So, who did you talk to about Sythyry, and what did they say?"

"Well, of course I talked to lots of people, anyone who knew anything. Glekjinga is one of the, well, he was 'specially interested in foreign wizards. He's an information mage, Rassimel you know..."

"And rather easily spooked," said Phaniet.

"I wouldn't know about that. He'd been ... well ...", said Totalie, and faded off.

"He'd been scrying on us at home, is what he'd been doing. Which isn't a thing we much approve of," I said. "Though he's a branch-width more polite about it than you are."

Totalie nodded. "Yes, that's it, exactly. So he knew what you'd like, I thought, and how best to negotiate with you. He said that you, well, liked being grabbed by the neck, and, well, never mind the rest." Everyone stared at him and motioned him to continue. "Well, and, to be passed around like a bottle and give a treat to all the males in the room with your mouth and neck."

I hissed and flapped my wings in a fury. Everyone ignored me, except Arfaen, who petted me, just as if I weren't four times her age.

Phaniet shook her head. "Actually, scrying on a wizard of Sythyry's subtlety is not as accurate as might be hoped. That was not actually Sythyry that Glekjinga observed; it was an illusion. Designed more to entertain than to instruct, if you must know."

Totalie stared at me. "So you don't..."

"I do not. I very definitely do not. Haven't done anything even remotely like that for ... longer than you've been alive. I am very fussy about my choice of lovers," I said. "And being held by the neck isn't a bit appealing, either."

Totalie dashed the rest of his chalice of water onto the floor, and threw himself after it. "Then I am lost -- ruined! Doomed forevermore!", he said, as he wobbled into water-form.

"Now he sounds like part of Sythyry's household, rrai!" said Rheng.

[Poll #1453203]

Comments

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

At least he started with a kiss!

But leaving the city as soon as you reasonably can might be a good idea, since the rumors about you are going to be several times worse than the truth.

[stress-kitten.livejournal.com]

I suppose you should be glad that it wasn't one of the other illusions he was trying to emulate?

[rowyn]

Totalle is quite a fool, and rude, *really*. Even if you assume he's being completely truthful about everything he heard and that he believed it all honestly (which I am willing to concede), to assume that because you enjoyed X in the company of your friends you would therefore want X from a total stranger is mind-boggling. Does everyone in Eigrach expect sexual favors from their servants? O_o

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

I would've created a privacy illusion that was much more overt.

Basically, is there a type of "look" that says, "I am an extremely well trained, well equipped, well supported, professional government security person who does NOT want anyone unauthorized getting close to my charge, and will respond with force to anyone attempting to do so."? I would have an illusion that has an intimidating version of that say something like the following in a very disapproving tone:

"Your attempt to illegally scry on this sovereign vessel has been discovered, redirected, and logged. Cease and desist immediately, or we will respond to this forced intrusion with lethal force."

Of course it would have to not be a bluff, that kinda means you need some way of actively defending yourself against these things...

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

First off, Fire the Fool. No, wait... Let the Fool become Unemployed. Yes, that's much better worded.

Second, I think this Hoo-Bub about your sexuality is getting a little out of hand. I realize that you look like a travelling carnival act, but you are a freaking WIZARD. The side show effect just goes hand to hand with that. There seems to be a distinct LACK of respect amongst this wizarding community you find yourself in. It is time to make SOMEONE an example. Since *I* still consider this rape, that someone should be the person who TOLD the twit to go ahead and rape you.

There must be some way to slander/blackmail/embarrass/transform into Pottery the offending party.

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

And yes, I would probably be in a murderous rage at this point. Spying on me wasn't enough. Almost KILLING me by poking things in my lungs wasn't enough. Now they are getting fools to RAPE me. My temper is ba-ro-ken.

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

I think that's what the illusion was meant to be, but some of the information mages assumed that with Vae around that's really what was going on on board Strayway.

[brynndragon.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree that it is time to school the so-called wizards of this backward branch, because they have caused you no end of trouble by being jackanaps of the highest order.

[tracerj.livejournal.com]

Exactly my thoughts. I think Totalie should be taught the concept of clear consent, and then subjected to Arboreal Curse and given to the Sleeth as a clawing-post escorted off the skyboat. And then get the hell out of Dodge, because right now there's a city full of people who only see an impossible-to-please Zi Ri with a pet nendrai, and a skyboat full of people who have only encountered massive trouble since the first moment. Further effort at reconciliation would be throwing good time after bad.

Then again, I'm a little different from most people (and certainly any Cani, as I'm really not one at all!) because I tend to gladly drop obligations when I feel they're untenable. Others may chase such obligations into oblivion....

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

Well it wasn't nearly overt enough! The illusion, as near as I can tell, was to misinform / trick the information mages, rather than flat out tell them "stop or we will respond."

I think if you are going into hostile territory, misinforming enemy illusion mages into something that improves your tactical position is worthwhile, but not so much people who are supposed to be helping you. I would say that for erstwhile "allies", a strong "stop doing this" needs to be the clear message!

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

It ended up tricking them, but the purpose was to shock them with scenes of impossible depravity, emphasis on the impossible. But they underestimated the city's overestimation of their capacity!

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

It doesn't quite make sense to me, not yet. --Phaniet

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your retroactive advice, which was helpfully concealed behind giggling at the time it would have been most useful.

[xolo.livejournal.com]

I think Totalie has pretty obviously been used as a convenient (and expendable) fool. Before deciding whether to punish him more, I think it would be best to heal him, calm him down, and get information from him. Whoever was scrying on you knows he wasn't killed before having a chance to talk, and was trying to explain matters, which is probably not how they envisioned this developing. Their alliance (Totalie did say 'they') is probably under a great deal of stress right now, and you can do things to increase that stress. Here's what I'd advise:

1. Heal Totalie, and get someone to calm him down and comfort him. He seems eager to talk, and should be encouraged to do so. There's something odd about him as well, the Cani gestures he makes with his tail and so forth. That warrants further investigation.

2. Sweep the house systematically for scrying spells. Stress the importance of silence to your household. Keep any information from leaking out. When you're calm again, go visiting to the Mayor and his council individually, to express your approval of their gifts of appeasement. See how those visits develop.

3. You know Glekjinga was involved, at the very least. If Phaniet's right, and he was just paying you back, then you can either let it go or have a pissing match, whichever seems most satisfying. What's troubling is that Totalie said 'they'. Did Glekjinga just have to act in concert with the proper bureaucrats to instruct Totalie and the household staff, or were others actively involved? The second seems more plausible, since Totalie was entirely likely to get killed, and Glekjinga presumably doesn't want to be held responsible for his death. In either event, Glekjinga was presumably willing to sacrifice an innocent man's job and reputation, if not his life, to get what he wanted. He's someone to keep an eye on.

4. You'd best call the rest of the household Orren together, and discuss matters with them, to prevent any more fauxs pas.

5. Did you never impose yourself on any of your mother's household staff when younger? Admittedly Totalie is much older, but some people require more overt lessons.

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

If I may make a suggestion, I'd try to schedule a meeting between you and the mayor, alone, to try and get things worked out.

Personally, you should be as pissed off at your assistants as you are at the Eigarch's. There's too many people in your crew who are too clever by half, and routinely exceed their authority purely because it amuses them to do so and then leave you holding the bag when their schemes blow up in their face.

And you also need to look at yourself. The present situation is just the latest in a long line of allowing everyone you meet, be they enemy or friend, to completely walk all over you.

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

I actually didn't think of it until now... sorry! I meant for next time? Surely this won't be the ONLY time you have to set up scrying defenses from a non hostile group?

Actually, when it would've been most useful, I was laughing at your translator's antics of referencing a local artist who uses much the same style. I, like you, gave the people of this city more credit to be smarter than they actually were!

[mharreff.livejournal.com]

Totalie is the dupe, the convenient fool for these other wizards. Perhaps they seek revenge for the things they see in their scrying; perhaps they take those things seriously. Either way, they tell the Orren that this is the most pleasing thing to you. By the very nature of the thing, asking is not part of it, lessens it, so he does not ask. A fool, yes, to assume that you wish this from someone you do not already know; but perhaps a well-meaning fool, and perhaps his folly is fed by others.

Several times now people seem to assume that the illusion well matches the things you and your crew enjoy. Perhaps the illusion-figures should not resemble you so much.

It is not so strange that you are angry at the Orren. But it is not so clear that he does this of his own mind; there are cues that he does not. Are you angry at the sword that stabs through your chest, or at the one who wields it?

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

This actually makes a lot of sense! It sounds like someone directed the poor fool at you as a weapon to make you leave. At least, it's plausible!

[mharreff.livejournal.com]

Perhaps. If they know the illusion is not the truth, yes, it seems they send the Orren with what they know to be poor advice. Perhaps they expect him to be worse harmed, and the courts put pressure on the foreign wizard who comes to assault their citizens.

Or perhaps they do not know. Perhaps, even if they know illusions, they think those illusions to reflect Sythyry's tastes, and their advice is more honest, and the Orren is meant to be in zir good graces. Perhaps as the spy in zir household.

[ionotter.livejournal.com]

Totalie is a fool, but I also think that illusion has done more harm than was intended. We monsters have a euphemism for such things? We call it "a train wreck", which basically means something absolutely horrible and horrifying, but so incredibly fascinating that you simply cannot look away.

I rather suspect this is what happened to those watching the illusion. They simply could not look away, and ended up quite severely disturbed in the head. A monster author used to write about such things? Mr. Lovecraft-if ever there was a more inappropriate name for such an author, I don't know-wrote of unspeakable horrors which, if you read about them in some dark and dusty tome of forbidden lore, would drive you frothingly insane.

While I doubt the good Glekjinga is frothing at the mouth, clearly something has sprung loose in their head, else this wouldn't have happened. And, no doubt upon being told of what your desires are "supposed to be", Totalie has likewise slipped a few gears. The fact that he had to work himself up to a Wild Rush in order to perform his "duty" supports this theory.

Hmmm.

While mostly innocent of wrong-doing, Totalie must still be presented with a proper penance for his misbehavior. Not least of which would be to satisfy your anger, but also, he must perceive himself as being penitent and must exert a proper effort to "make things right". This would be healing for the both of you. The task or penance should be difficult without being dangerous, but should also keep him both busy, and away from you.

Next, it would appear that *both* of you have been used. Totalie as an idiot tool of Glekjinga's puerile voyeurism, and I rather suspect that you are the victim of a political game being played by the locals. There were far too many eyeballs in that room for this to have been the work of just one, but my monstery guts are gurbling at the level of gamesmanship we saw.

Also...something about this house...*taps his chin*...hmmmm. It is a good house? But it was conjured up far, FAR too quickly. I think the previous occupants were forcefully vacated, which would explain the lack of properly fresh foodstuffs. And there are too many "things" in the house that would not be left behind unless those who left were no longer around to care. Perhaps one of your crew should look into that.

There's a game being played here, and unfortunately, I think you're now stuck in it.

If you run, you'll lose by default, and it's going to cost you somehow. These people may be far off on the branch, but they're still on the branch. Word, deeds and influence can be peddled to make your life difficult, either by someone here pushing a grudge all the way back home, or someone at home fishing for dirt. But if you play, there's more chances for Doom^TM.

I think you need to perform a bit of gambling legerdemain that we monsters call "stacking the deck".

1. Lock down the entire house to scrying. And I mean seriously locked down.

2. Heal Totalie and check him out for any spells that might have otherwise unhinged his reason, or perhaps concealing something. Orren don't wag their tails. Then have him start talking.

3. Talk to the rest of the staff. Let them know the game is over, and you know what's going on, and now you want to know WHO is behind it. If they seem reluctant, offer to take them with you when you leave, so they might avoid any repercussions from betraying their "employers".

Based upon what you find out from the staff, you should be able to figure out if this is a seriously involved game of politics, or just a comedy of truly grave errors.

If it *is* a game, you'll have to decide if there's a reasonable chance you can pull your chips and leave, or if you should stay and finish the game in order to avoid whatever Doom^TM might follow you home.

If this has all been a comedy of errors-which as amusing as it's been, I rather doubt-then it can all be smoothed over by having a nice, long, private dinner with the mayor and your crew aboard the Strayway.

However it turns out, I shall most certainly be watching. Train wreck or otherwise.

_{Doom^TM is trademarked to Sythyry & Co}

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

(has it occured to anyone that Totalie really is traft, and wants to be a Cani?)

[shadsdf.livejournal.com]

(i was starting to wonder if the previous tenants were voluntold to cloak and stick around)

[xolo.livejournal.com]

And there are too many "things" in the house that would not be left behind unless those who left were no longer around to care.

That's a really good point.

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

I don't know...

There has been a thought in my mind that Adventuring Towns need to have that Manor House that to give Adventurers as a reward, as it makes them happy... and they often leave to the next great thing/get themselves killed, so you can award it to the next group that just happens to come by.

... but maybe that's just the sadistic Dungeon Master in me...

[xolo.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting theory, but it still leaves me to wonder why all of the portraits, statuary, etc, seem to belong to the same family.

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

*shrug* I'd just am saying that's something I would do, though... not that it is the truth

[zeeth_kyrah]

I rather like the poll answer to put an image of Glekjinga into your illusion of impossible acts. I think that would be a most excellent means of embarrassing him to his colleagues and anyone else who sees it. But I would also try to ferret out who those colleagues might be, the better to add them in upon discovery of offensive behavior.

[mattlazycat.livejournal.com]

Agreed! Sneaky, vengeful, and really rubs in that they're scrying on an illusion.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>> The practical issues of forcing a wizard are boggling. <<

Now there is a splendid reason to practice one's magic diligently, so as to become the next best thing to unassailable.

>> "Phaniet, make them stop watching." <<

I think by this point I'd be arranging the anti-scrying spells differently. Like, first the snoops would see nothing but a flaming message, "DO NOT SCRY ON THE WIZARD AND COMPANIONS!" And if they didn't stop, every scrying spell would be tailed back to its owner who would be tagged with a petty but embarrassing curse, such as having all their clothes made invisible for a week.

>>I thought zie likes that sort of thing.<<

No civilized person grabs a desired partner without first obtaining said partner's consent. Even if one believes that one's intended partner enjoys playing rough, one begins by discussing which activities are mutually desirable. Failure to obtain consent justifies the intended partner responding with violence, regardless of what fool idea caused the assailant to believe that assuming consent was acceptable. Not even a Sleeth would behave so bluntly, unless he wanted to have his attributes clawed off by a she-Sleeth unaware of his interest until he leapt upon her back.

>>Actually, scrying on a wizard of Sythyry's subtlety is not as accurate as might be hoped.<<

Not to mention the -- what is it, 1 in 20? -- standard chance of scrying spells being wildly inaccurate due to divine inattention.

>>"Now he sounds like part of Sythyry's household, rrai!" said Rheng.<<

This is sadly accurate, down to the bouts of occasional idiocy.

More details on the poll...

>>What is the most important thing for me to think here?<<

Totalie is a fool and hideously rude, and Eigrach employs scryers who are not very smart or gracious themselves. And some other mode of discouraging scrying ought to be considered.

>>Which is it?<<

Although it began with a misunderstanding, it is still a crime, if sexual assault is illegal in Eigrach. (Someone should check on that. Not everywhere is civilized, but I'm pretty sure traff rape would be discourage all over tree.) Nothing excuses jumping on someone without asking that very person if such attention is welcome. The most that could be excused under "innocent misunderstanding" would be awkward words like, "Sythyry, someone told me that you're traff, especially for Orren, and enjoy being passed around like a bottle. Shall we?"

>>What should I do to Totalie?<<

A tempting but uncivilized response would be to give him the memory of the assault from Sythyry's vantage. However, that's the mental equivalent of rape, so not a civilized thing to do.

A civilized response would be to say, "Totalie, you have behaved like a fool, which is not something I desire in a servant. You have one chance to apologize in a practical and civilized manner. If your apology is satisfactory to me, I will consider maintaining you in my employ, and we will discuss proper manners. If it is not, I will fire you on the spot and make publically known the reason."

A sadistic response would be, "Totalie, you have behaved like a fool, which is typical of my crew. I see your talents are wasted here. I'm transferring you to my sky-yacht, where I intend to install you as supervisor for two young traff stowaways. You are personally responsible for making sure they behave in a civilized manner."

Re: Thoughts

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

"Phaniet, make them stop watching."

I think by this point I'd be arranging the anti-scrying spells differently. Like, first the snoops would see nothing but a flaming message, "DO NOT SCRY ON THE WIZARD AND COMPANIONS!" And if they didn't stop, every scrying spell would be tailed back to its owner who would be tagged with a petty but embarrassing curse, such as having all their clothes made invisible for a week.


Phaniet doesn't have that spell; she's merely got the basic None May Watch or some variation thereof. I can do somewhat more -- though not everything more -- but I am using a great deal of cley these days, and am generally trying not to cast too much that isn't for work.

The rest of your suggestions make lots of sense, which, of course, means they will not happen if I am anywhere about.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you should still be able to use your idiot assailant as some sort of doom-shield to catch stuff before it all lands on you.

[nekomavin.livejournal.com]

The main reason I would counsel staying is that, well, is anywhere *else* likely to be better? Better the Doom you know than the Doom you don't...

Something to consider - some of the forces at work that are pushing you to leave may be those who would be impacted by the weapons you're making for Eigrach. (Though by and large, thus far I'd go with "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity, but don't rule out malice.")

[yotogi.livejournal.com]

Thus my own bafflement in the previous entry; you would think at some point someone would either say, "Someone is taking the piss out of our scryers," or, "Hm, that's the weirdest party ever, I guess we just won't sex the wizard."