The affairs of this wizard are not all that subtle sometimes...

[fearlessherosheart]

Characters: Tazendra, you
Date: 25 April
Location: Outside the Palace of Landed Sky
Situation: Contemplation of Stupid Ideas
Warnings/Rating: Will edit if necessary.

Tazendra had been brought up as a mostly-proper Dzurlord. Which meant that, while she was brought up in a violent caste that usually ended up dying young doing something glorious and foolish, she was also a member of the nobility and bound to law and honor her parent Empire, an Emprie where it was (nearly) impossible to hold and keep the symbol of authority without the blessing of the divine.

Of course, this wasn't her parent Empire. Really, she mostly had been obeying the law because jail time was inconvenient and the major laws were sensible enough. And, while black was a respectable color for any interested in sorcery, the pointy bits were a sure challenge.

Which is why Tazendra's daily routine involved her studying the Palace of Landed Sky, and it's protections. And occasionally testing them. So far, she's not killed herself or caused too many damage, but it was only a matter of time...

... especially with that look on her face.

"... and if I concentrate the force of the spell on the stones beneath..."

Interrupt? Join in? Use her as an obvious distraction?

Comments

[skeletonenigma]

"There's life within," Skulduggery disagreed, completely ignoring the fact that his companion's clothes and hair were singed. It was anybody's guess as to whether he'd even noticed. "There was movement when I flew over. Now, they could simply not need oxygen, but I doubt that. Have you ever tried a hostile takeover? You can't simply kill anyone who gets in your way. There'd be nothing left. Many of the people working in the palace are going to be the same people who worked under Evandau, which means they're still going to need oxygen. And, if we manage to rescue them, possibly therapy."

It was a long tangent for something that Skulduggery believed should have been fairly obvious, but he hadn't spoken to anyone in a couple of days. Speaking his thoughts out loud was not only a good way to make sure they made sense, but also helped Skulduggery keep himself sane.

"I haven't," he admitted with a tilt of his head. "Now's as good a time as any, I suppose." He turned back to look at her, and paused. "Are you aware that your hair might have been on fire?"

[fearlessherosheart]

"Bah." Tazendra brushed at her hair and clothing, trying to make sure it was out. "If we could find someone who had visited, and a way to show their perception, I could try a teleport. Though it would be dangerous if it failed."

[skeletonenigma]

"Plenty of people have visited it," Skulduggery said. That was what he'd been led to understand, since Amelia told him that the Emperor used to hold question-and-answer sessions in the palace. There was, apparently, even a large library. It was a pity he hadn't gotten to see it before the hostile takeover. "That part wouldn't be the problem. The problem would be getting an accurate enough description." He hesitated. "Of course, even if we do, a teleport would be a bad idea. I've seen magical barriers that repel energy. Trying to teleport through them is suicide."

[fearlessherosheart]

"Yes. It is difficult to test teleportation when it is not in friendly territory," Tazendra said. "I would prefer a more direct approach in any case."

[skeletonenigma]

"Direct?" Skulduggery glanced over. "Unless 'direct,' in this case, means 'retreat, regroup, and come up with a better plan among people who likely have more experience than I do,' I'm afraid I'm going to have to stop you. You'll only be getting yourself killed - and possibly permanently. If you're as powerful of a sorceress as you think you are, you're going to be needed."

[fearlessherosheart]

"it is a preference, but I have the ability to delay my own desires in the name of my duty," Tazendra said, perhaps a bit sharply. "Why, I even assisted my friend in negotiating a peace with an invading army."

Granted, her assistance was in 'not starting anything', but it was proof she could delay when asked to.

[skeletonenigma]

"Good for you," said Skulduggery. The comment wasn't particularly malicious or sarcastic, although ill intent could probably have been interpreted through how off-handed it was - like the moment the woman confirmed she wasn't about to try anything dangerous, Skulduggery had lost interest. "Negotiating peace is a noble thing."

He was still, admittedly, biased about peace treaties, considering that the last one Skulduggery had been involved with was struck with the man who murdered his family.

"I wonder," he mused, watching the space where the barrier was. "If trying to touch it would result in an unpleasant death, what would happen to me?"

[fearlessherosheart]

Tazendra considered. "It would depend on the nature of the damage. There are things that can damage the soul, or whatever connection holds your soul to your body. Or it could break your bones."

[skeletonenigma]

Skulduggery chuckled. Broken bones. He'd suffered those, and losing limbs, more often than he could count. He was a little more worried about the connection between his consciousness and skeleton, but if touching the barrier only seemed to turn limbs strange colours...

"Magic," he said. "My mind is bound to my body through magic." He tilted his head. "It would help if we knew what sort of magic is powering the barrier. Any ideas?"

[fearlessherosheart]

"I am not certain. I am not used to these many forms of magic," Tazendra said. "In the Empire, most magic is, at its root, sorcery and has some structures in common."

[skeletonenigma]

Skulduggery nodded. "My world is much the same. Magic spans several disciplines, but it all flows from the same source. It follows recognisable patterns." He extended a hand toward the barrier. "The problem here is that I don't know anything about what this dimension considers magic, or what this... evil man could be capable of."

[fearlessherosheart]

"I have spoken to a kedan mystic. They believe that our abilities, and our very lives flow from the turtle we reside on. Though our Enemy most certainly does not draw on the turtle."