The Arcane University Library

[Blue mage]

Vana sighed and closed the book, placing it back upon the pile and getting up, implying for Tutain to lead on, and say what he needs to say. He scooped up his notes and belongings, writing a small thanks to the Librarian on a piece of scrap paper. Best NOT to annoy the very easily agitated Librarian...

[dainul]

Tutain leads Vana out, away from the library, then looks around. It takes a few minutes to find an unoccupied room. He enters, then shuts the door after Vana, and Amavaine if she comes too.

"The heart's on the move. I just felt its pull, to the north, I think. There isn't a Winter Elf who will have been able to resist it."

[BlueTressym]

Amavaine leaves the library with Vana and Tutain and accompanies them into the unoccupied room, though she seems to be keeping a close watch behind them and all around.

~Amavaine~

[Blue mage]

Vana touches a hand to his chin, thoughtfully, then nodded, seriously.
You wish for us to pursue it? Would this not be risky, we still dont know enough about it...but if you feel its pull, and dessire to follow it, you know we shall follow.

[dainul]

"The Winter Elves... probably a quarter of Erathil's forces just walked out on him. Whoever's controlling that thing is either stupid or planning something big, and soon. And I don't like relying on my enemies to be stupid. If we don't pursue it now, I doubt it'll be long before it turns up on our doorstep in full force. We'll need more than us, which probably means mercenary adventurers. Which means money. Which means most likely having to reveal more than I'd like to someone powerful enough to screw us over. Any ideas how to approach this?"

[Blue mage]

Vana's reaction as Tutain speaks goes from bemused to annoyed.
Surely others will be drawn on their own. As for money, I dont think between us we have enough for much, besides which, I used some on mana potions, which is a necessity for one like me. I'd bet money on elves of many kinds turning up for such a thing though, and news travels fast. Problem is as you say, if anyone tries to use this against us. We'd have to take a gamble with ANYONE, but with this, even more so. Caution, more so than ever, and the temptation of reward at the end of our tasks? That tends to draw anyone who thinks themselves a competent fighter or mage.

The Water Elf shrugged. They didnt have much in the way of bargaining, so it was the ebst he could offer: Future rewards at the end of the journey. No certainties, but there was no end to the ones that would take such an offer, or loot a corpse for safety.

[dainul]

"That is what I mean, we have little money, so unless we get support from another source, we won't be able to employ anyone. I would rather be able to offer money than asking people to take us on trust. Money can buy a lack of questions, trust requests trust in return. But either way we will need to be exceedingly careful as you say. There are plenty of people I would not want to have the Heart, and many who would want it."

[BlueTressym]

"That woman in the library was certainly interested in it" Amavaine comments, "so if she thinks we're going to look for it, she'll be there, probably with or without any sort of invite" She looks thoughtful for a moment. "If a large part of the Betrayer's army is under the orders of whoever has the heart, then people who either support OR oppose him have an interest in what happens to it, don't they. Maybe self-interest will be enough"

~Amavaine~

[Blue mage]

I think that IS our best bet, and it saves having to offer too much of an explanation. However, we SHOULD buy off some people...as well as get there. We could plead to the Headmistress to help fund our expedition. Certainly, this is a matter of great magical importance, and such a thing warrants a journey to locate the Heart, and the people of the University can be trusted to an extent...at least, greater than most mercs we could employ. The only issues is: would they wish to keep the heart for studying? Such a thing is close to blasphemy as far as I care.

[dainul]

"Which means we'll have a large number of people trying to find the thing, then a huge fight when it looks like we're close to succeeding. But then, there is an old saying - keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Looks like we might be best just gathering people and then trying to play politics as we go. Might even managed to get all sides to agree to destroy the ting rather than risk someone else using it if we play it right, but I wouldn't bet on it.

If we can get some money to back us, perhaps the humans might be interested in funding en expedition to get rid of it? You said something about their leader Sylas?"

[Blue mage]

Keep friends close and enemies closer? Someone tried that. It failed horribly. His name is Erathil. I suggest as you do: try to create a scenario where the thing is destroyed, butt so far, I dont think anyone knows HOW. I've been looking into it myself...

I didnt mention him, but it might be worth asking. I'd suggest Kel though, she runs things, it would have to go through her anyway. This saves time.

[BlueTressym]

"Lady Kel said she'd help, and she knows the people who are here, so she might know who'd be interested in going." Amavaine frowns "She said that she thought I wouldn't want to meet the winter elf here, it was odd, especially as she seems to like Everyone. Do you think she meant that woman in the library?" She then shrugs. "Well anyway, perhaps we'd better go and look for a boat or something, Maybe Lady Kel could get us to the coast, she must know a lot of magic to be running a place where it's almost oozing out of the walls."

~Amavaine~