Nightrunner Channel [Day 170]

[whattaprick]

All right, nightrunners. I’ll keep this short. I want a map of this place and I want to know what might piss the Prince off that they aren’t warning us about. The fae have rules, doesn’t mean they’re not out to trick us into breaking them.

[ It’s not like that’s how the Ringmaster gets a fair amount of her labor or anything. Last thing they need is someone turning into a vase. ]

You see anyone starting shit, figure out how to shut it down without getting attention. The Prince is going to have people working for him too -- don’t get too cozy, they’re not here to do us any favors. Learn anything worth knowing, tell the rest of us.

Any questions?

Comments

[kingsroads]

If possible, can anyone who's helping out with the map notate the location of various mirrors?

[ it's phrased as a more general question, not one specifically to Lambert, before Strange continues talking. ]

Hopefully we'll be able to make a map in the first place. There are spells to complicate the layout of various buildings--Norrell had a particularly good labyrinth spell. I assume breaking a spell like that would count as, ah, 'starting shit', but I could at least identify it if anyone runs across one.

[whattaprick]

That's what I was thinking. Came in handy enough last time.

[ The Celebration sure was a trip. ]

How good are you at picking up specific enchantments? I assume everything's going to set off my medallion in there.

[kingsroads]

Better, ever since Portland. There are multiple parts to an enchantment: the magic, the caster, and the effect itself. It's easy enough to pick out the magic, especially since I've experience with magic from both fae courts. As for the caster, give me a day or so and I'll be comfortable enough with the Prince's magic to recognize that.

It's the effect that's damned tricky. Unless I'm familiar with the make of the spell, it's hard to piece out what it consists of and how it works. So I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I could easily pick up the enchantment, but I couldn't tell you the effects or the composition of the spell itself.

[whattaprick]

[ What Lambert hears is mostly a really long way to answer sort off, but it's good enough to work with. ]

You ought to see if your scrying still works when we get there. [ He pauses to think... ] Can you tell if someone's using magic to listen or watch us?

[kingsroads]

In theory. In practice, as we'll be in the Prince's manor, if the Prince himself or one of his magicians casts the spell, they'd have the power of the threshold on their side making it easier to see us.

[ it's another really long way to answer 'sort of' ]

I don't know any warding spells, so that's right out.

[whattaprick]

Probably wouldn't do much good, unless it's a ward to keep people from leaving their rooms at night.

[ A legitimately tempting prospect, honestly. ]

Gotten any better at turning to smoke?

[dressedtothe]

As long as the magic doesn't mess with my sensors, generating a close-range map will be easy! Buuut none of you are androids, so I'll have to give it to you on paper. Problem with that is if I make any changes to the map, the rest of you don't see it.

Can your English magic do something about that?

[Yes he's going to be calling it English magic every time.]

Like, I dunno, make it so all the maps I distribute are connected? If someone makes changes to their map, everyone else should be able to see the new info.

[kingsroads]

[ considering Strange calls is English magic half the time, 9S isn't too far off. ]

I've never cast a spell like that before...I can try, though. It'd be best if all the paper came from the same notebook and we use the same pen on all of them.

[dressedtothe]

Same notebook's easy, but same pen? If we're all split up, won't that mean only one person can make changes?

[kingsroads]

I'd just need the same pen for drawing the maps, not changing them. My going theory is that if the maps are as similar as possible, it'll be easier for the spell to recognize that they're all the same map.

[chronosynthesis]

Eyes and ears open, understood. Shall we relay any information we find in person, or is this communicator secure?

[whattaprick]

[ Like he fucking knows how the radios work, but... ]

I'd rather have it in person. Can never tell when someone might be somewhere with other people around. Use the radio if it's something that can't wait. If you can't find me or the Warden, tell another supervisor.

We can be armed as long as we're polite about it, so bring what you need.

[chronosynthesis]

Oh, wonderful! [It is really good he's pleased to have an excuse to keep his sword.] It won't be an issue, I hope, but this appears to have everyone worried enough to warrant caution.

[A pause. Actually, speaking of potential conflict--] If we are to keep our own behaved, do any members of the carnival have... particular terms of diplomacy when dealing with them?

[whattaprick]

I'm sure you've noticed the Ringmaster doesn't exactly have much use for subtlety. [ Pot, kettle, black. ] Considering what's happened when she didn't think there was anything to worry about, I'd rather not find out why the Prince has her spooked.

Can you ask that question with less words? I'm not a milkmaid you're trying to talk into a roll in the hay, just tell me what you're getting at.

[chronosynthesis]

[There's a pause. He thought he was clear, if polite.

But all right, he can ask it rudely too.] Who might I have to forcibly silence, barter with, or blackmail to get them to behave?

[dressedtothe]

Roger that. If there isn't anything messing with my systems like in Greysol, a basic map will be easy! I'll mark the mirrors as well.

... If you were all androids it would be way easier to keep the map live and updated.

[whattaprick]

We can't all be androids.

But a map that changes when someone else marks it isn't a bad idea. You could probably get something like that made up with magic.

[dressedtothe]

Yeah, yeah.

[He knows you can't help being organic but he's still gonna complain about it!]

You know anyone that can do that? Otherwise it's gonna be pen and paper and you'll have to update it yourselves once it leaves my hands.

[whattaprick]

Strange, maybe. I don't think Rita's magic does this kind of thing.

If that doesn't work, we're all just going to have to update it by hand and compare notes as we go.

[dressedtothe]

Hm. I don't know how Strange's magic works, but Rita's is kinda technological. From what I saw, she doesn't have anything that could do this. Buuut she didn't let me look at her other blastia, so she could be holding out on me.

[He's gonna go bug Strange in the channel before bugging Rita first tho brb]

[stillwinningthehardway]

[Dryly:] The only ways I have to shut someone down without hurting them are very, very obvious.

I know you've got that shadow rock. You know I'm working on a stealth ability, right?

[Even if it hadn't come up before, Scout's dæmon told his, and with the dæmons dissipated he knows what his knew.]

[whattaprick]

Yeah, Cel-- I do. [ It's a stumble. Hard not to separate himself from the daemon, still; maybe it's a futile effort. It doesn't make it any less weird, though. Half of him still expects to hear a voice interjecting into the conversation when he doesn't know what to say. ]

How good have you gotten at it?

[stillwinningthehardway]

Somewhat. I'm supposed to be able to cover other people, and places too, but I have the feeling that won't work so well on someone else's territory.

[whattaprick]

Probably not. No sense taking risks we don't need to, but if it's a Jedi thing and not fae magic, maybe it'll work.

[ At this point, at least, he sounds like he's managed to cool off from earlier ... though his tone still carries an edge of tension, it's not directed at anything in particular besides the desire to get this sorted out. ]

How well does it work for sound?

[stillwinningthehardway]

[Scout makes the smallest involuntary noise. She'd forgotten that she'd said Jedi around him once. Her tone of voice is more remote and removed than usual.]

It's at least partly fae. This is what my second contract's for - I never had any skill at the cloak of shadow talents, but this is very similar to them.

I can't make anything invisible or inaudible, just unnoticed. So it'd depend on how much sound. Classically the cloak is shredded when the practitioner touches someone.