November In-Service

[thewatchers]

November In-Service
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This month’s meeting is the apparent result of a clash between staff who couldn’t decide whether they wanted it to still be Halloween or already be Christmas. The food and drink is a mixture of traditional Yuletide treats and spooky-themed tidbits, and occasionally, when people have butted heads, an odd mix of the two... resulting in some truly haunting concoctions.

Christmas Cheer?
Daybreak’s resident not-so-infantile former Herald has finally expressed a strong desire of their own; a wish to prepare a surprise for everyone who has been so kind to them up until now. While the caretakers in charge have expressed that they think Iri has gotten enough of a grasp on what would be appropriate to be allowed the opportunity, they have decided to put it forward to staff and any students listening in, to ask what they think of the idea.

Securing Orichalcum
Emille’s recent awakening and her dire tidings, plus the incident on campus, have not gone unnoticed by the headmistress and higher-ranking staff. As part of the in-service, they are inviting any advice on forging weaponry strong and resilient enough to kill a powerful entity such as Fomalhaut - or, failing that, asking for advice on dragon-slaying in general, so that a plan can be concocted to minimise the fallout of this difficult situation.

Hunting Heralds
Utultar’s constant movements and mutterings haven’t gone unnoticed, but while Seers may not be able to track the Herald down themselves, Utultar has a certain component that his fellow Heralds did not - namely, an ego. The time has come for those who can contribute to plan battle tactics that can potentially maximise their advantages against Utultar - in the fight against a Herald, no idea is too ludicrous.

Comments

[spelleton]

He has a circulatory system and biological needs of some sort, doesn't he? That means poison isn't out of the question. [ He's aware that it would require more components than that, probably a multi-pronged approach, but it's better than most other things he has to think about right now. ]

At the very least it might inconvenience him long enough for us to kill him outright.

[arcadianvampire]

I like the way you're thinking, and it's worth a try. But speaking from experience, a lot of daemons tried poison on me when I was a Tyrant. My constitution allowed me to shrug off a great deal of the attempts.

[Of course, a "great deal" did not mean "all." Which meant there was a story to be told here. But the look in his eye said he was about to tell it, as he took a sip of his coffee.]

The exception was when a particularly spineless and cowardly daemon overlord by the name of Minotrose attempted to kill an old comrade of mine. I took a bullet that was of a purified, sanctified silver, laced with some sort of powerful toxin. It was strong enough to have an effect on top of the silvered round, whatever it was.

To this day I have no idea where Minotrose got either the bullet or the poison. He didn't survive what my comrade and I did to him.

[spelleton]

Since this Minotrose was a daemon, it's likely that his choice of toxin was from the Outlands...not that it narrows it down much. [ The Outlands is very, very large. ] Surely there's some daemons known for their command over poisons, however, or their knowledge of it...it could be worth cashing in some favours for.

[nor_iron_bars]

...I mean, you're a necromancer, right? I feel like the ways you killed people back in the old days were definitely the kinda thing that makes angry ghosts. [She nods at Valvatorez in acknowledgement.]

I know you don't wanna visit- [She makes a gesture as if to indicate "all the encompassing philosophical concept of death as made manifest in House Gehring's particular patron goddess" and also "your mom".] -too often, not the kinda thing where you wanna push your luck. But it couldn't hurt to do a summoning with this dude's name on it and see who shows, right?

[Unless the ghost in question is really angry...]

[spelleton]

[ He makes a little hand-waggle, non-committal noise at being called a necromancer. Technically, necromancy is what he's supposed to be stopping, most of the time.

Not that people know this. ]

A summoning of a daemon's ghost might produce some interesting results, so I would suggest we do it off-campus. And preferably somewhere isolated. Just in case.

[imyoubut]

I can provide us a location; one far away from the campus...and my home. I'd rather not risk yet another ghastly invasion at House Cromwell if at all possible.

[arcadianvampire]

Doubtlessly, if we can find the right place. I've heard rumors of a daemon overlord by name of Hedler, who rules over an Outland with oceans of poison. He's supposedly an alchemist of some repute. But any searching or research I've taken into the subject turns up dead ends.

[Valvatorez pushed himself against his seat back, resting the chair on its rear legs.]

I have no doubt the place exists, but more that Hedler is notoriously skittish and distrusting of outsiders. And being that I've been away for four hundred years, having leverage to get past that would be... difficult.

[imyoubut]

[A toxin powerful enough to weaken Tyrant Valvatorez in his prime. Granted she has no idea just how strong he was, but even she's heard the stories. Something like that could be there best bet in taking down Utultar.]

Well, I believe the saying "no man is an island" also applies to daemons. If this Minotrose could craft such a potent toxin, then there must be a way to replicate it, if not craft an even stronger version. Perhaps someone taught them how to do so? It may have been several hundreds of years ago, but daemons live much longer than that normally.

Or we could simply speak with the daemon himself. We certainly have the methods.

[arcadianvampire]

I suppose so. I have no desire to speak to the snake ever again, save but to laugh in his face. But you'd do well not to trust a word he says. He's one of those gutless sorts that will lie through his teeth about anything.

But you do raise a point. Minotrose had to get it from somewhere, and unless he killed whoever made it for him, someone else has to know.

[imyoubut]

It sounds as though he would have gotten along famously with some of the mages I've dealt with in my time. I'm sure we could get him to speak more honestly if we had some kind of leverage, but it may be for the best if we use it as a plan B. What of his contacts, Valvatorez? A daemon like this must have had some kind of inner circle.

[arcadianvampire]

About that... Minotrose was not the sort to trust just about anyone. Everything was transactional or in pursuit of his own empowerment. Again, not unlike some mages.

...The other problem is my comrade and myself were quite thorough in scrubbing the Outlands of his presence. Once we killed him and blew up all of his stuff, I washed my hands of the guy entirely. If he had any additional contacts, I am not aware of them at this time. I would have to reach out to someone to investigate.

[He shifted in his seat as that comment attracted a few looks from other professors in the room.]

It was back in my days as a Tyrant, that's just how things were done back then.

[imyoubut]

[Although Valvatorez's blunt words might have earned him more than a few looks from some of his peers, Urtz did not react much. What right did she have to do so?]

You don't need to explain yourself. [She looks around toward the room at large, narrowing her eyes.] There aren't many of us here with hands free of blood. Especially with Nightfall drawing near.

[She closes her eyes for a moment and leans back in her chair. After letting out a deep breath, Urtz turns to face Valvatorez once more.]

At any rate... You said something about sending someone to investigate. Do you know someone who could find us the information we need?

[arcadianvampire]

As a matter of fact, I do. My steward, as it happens. He is still back in the Outlands for now. Normally not much for the Human World like I am.

[To say the least...]

He has quite a nose for sniffing out things. In fact, he's that very same comrade who helped me deal with Minotrose. He may have helped me scrub the Outlands of the guy, but if there's anyone who can still find something, it'd be him.

He's incredibly good at what he does.

[evangelclairvoyance]

If you'll excuse my intrusion, I believe I might have a quicker way. If your steward is able to find something with a trace of this Minotrose's magical signature, I should be able to pinpoint his exact location with my clairvoyance.

[arcadianvampire]

Your clairvoyance can go that far? Tracing the spirit of a long dead daemon on a minuscule portion of his magic? ...I will reach out to my steward as soon as possible.

But if you don't mind my rather boorish assessment, I believe you could put the best bloodhounds to shame with that sort of tracking. Most impressive.

[evangelclairvoyance]

Hmhm... It takes a considerable amount of concentration to reach that far, but I've spent some time honing the art.

A spirit might be a little more difficult, but I'm willing to give it a try.

[arcadianvampire]

Very well! Once I obtain any sort of information or lead, I will hand it over to you posthaste!

...Thank you both. While I am concerned that this might not work, it is still a good potential lead.