Sapphire:Sessions:20140719

Rory, Chalker, and Striker have entered some kind of laboratory, which Rory's extra sense tells him is located north of Gateway. Peering through a door into another room, Chalker sees a man seated at a desk, quill in hand. The man is so intent on the document he's writing, he doesn't look up as Chalker pushes the door open, crosses the room, and sets himself behind and to the right of the desk. As Chalker draws his sword, though, the man glances over his shoulder and his mouth gapes in a horrified expression.

Chalker says, "Hi! What's your name?" "Simon." Simon appears to be in his late 30s, with sandy brown hair and a pale complexion. Chalker: "I'm new here; excuse me if I ask some questions." Simon replies to Chalker's questions that he is an apprentice mage who works in this tower; here he receives "accelerated learning" in magic. The halfling's corpse is being autopsied as an investigation into its body structure. Simon's master's name is Hall Winfer; he is not a necromancer. Simon has questions of his own: "Do you intend to invade the tower? How did you enter?" "Through the gate. How many mages are there?"

As Simon hesitates before answering, Chalker checks his aura. Simon is a level 3 mage, has 'touched unsavory things,' is inclined a little toward the dark, and is opportunistic. Simon states that the master, his employer, and at least two other mages are in the tower. "When I don't appear for supper, someone will come looking for me." He is surprised that Chalker hopped over the stone surrounding the gate instead of walking on it (which would have triggered something); "You must have done this before."

Chalker: "Rory, I have a mage here. Should I kill him?" Rory: "Not really."

Chalker catches Simon making a slight gesture which he recognizes as a Create Light spell, though no light appears that he can see. "I know that spell you did. You've warned somebody. When they get here, I'll have to cut you. You understand the rules." Simon: "It would make it difficult for you to establish a relationship with my employer. I have obligations to him. I could act as an intermediary between the two of you."

Chalker: "Rory, we may have to leave soon." Rory: "I'm already thinking about that. Don't kill the mages; you know how Ricardo feels about that." Chalker notices that Simon recognizes the name 'Ricardo.'

Chalker gathers up the papers that Simon was working on, sheathes his sword, and leaves just as the other door to Simon's room opens. Chalker dashes through the gate and Rory shuts it down.

Chalker finds Trace and gives him the papers. They contain reports on spell effects, daily activity summaries, and the like.

Rory marks the tower's location on his map. It is on the southern side of the mountains about 60 miles from Gateway.

Trace: We need to patrol around the manor. We don't know who's outside the illusion. The orcs might have regrouped and come back. Chalker: Tomorrow morning we can do a perimeter check. Do you know how to deactivate a gate from the other side? Trace: No. I don't think we're using the gates as they were designed. We're using the crystals as an override. Chalker: We need a control panel. Trace: Like a remote control? I don't know if it exists. If Danilon had used crystals, there would have been a set of them here. Malcolm has been looking at the crystals, but he doesn't know what they are.

After supper, Chalker summons Malcolm. "Is Danilon's ring in the house? The ring he used to travel?" "When he left and did not return, he was carrying all of his magic implements." "Did he take his personal journals?" "He took two swords and a backpack containing magical supplies." Rory: "Did he have any crystals?" Malcolm: "He had some. He probably took them with him. He left on horseback through the gate." Chalker: "Were there crystals in the gate when he left?" Malcolm: "After he left, there were no longer any crystals." Trace: "If we knew the arrangement of the crystals, I could find out where Danilon is." Malcolm: "Once he left... the crystals were absorbed into the gate." Chalker: "I want to understand Danilon better. Where are his journals?" Malcolm: "They are hidden from me."

Malcolm asks to see Trace's crystals. Trace obliges, adding, "I've been trying to figure out the Venettian numbering or color coding system." With Trace's permission, Malcolm picks up each crystal and holds it for five seconds, which causes each crystal to sparkle. He indicates, "Those five crystals were in the gate when Danilon departed." Trace: "What positions were the crystals in?" Malcolm points and says, "That one was in the upper right corner. In all, twelve crystals were used." Before Malcolm fades away, he states, "I will assist you with anything that would help the master come back." Chalker and Rory conclude that there must have been a way to bring the crystals through the gate.