#rivervale_lodge

Anne Marie calls out softly, "Symon? Friend is here to see you"

Symon narrows his eyes. No one ever comes to their house... "Dagmar?" He asks, curiously as he heads halfway up the stairs, tugging a face mask out of his pocket in what is now second nature whenever approaching anything that nears 'social'.

"Zane" Zane says from the door's other side

That gives him pause for a moment. He thinks about it, and then the door clicks open. "Everything okay at the Lodge?" A worried whisper.

"Oh, ponies with wings, childlings looking for owl pellets, romance drama, Ailil intrigues... mass hysteria, the usual" He says "But I wanted to talk to you about our uhm.. duties"

"You want to come down here? There's some paint fumes. Or I'll come up there, Ann Marie will have something in the kitchen for you already I bet."

"I can handle a few fumes," And he trots in "What are you painting?"

"I was trying some new minis for Pennons. I made pretty good bank last time. I prefer the taxidermy work, but it might be too morbid, and if the weather stays this hot... too fragrant."

"Yeah, thanks for that" he says sheepishly and enters in more deeply "Look, I've been 'yakkity yakkity I'm a wizard' to folks... mean while, I know you're not slouching in your own efforts on the low key side... "

"I got something I wanted you to take a look at" he says

"What do you mean by 'duties'? He asks, a bit warily. "I didn't put in a requisition slip to be hauled up and given jewelry by the Chieftain, and I'm not sure I like finding out after the fact that there was some small text I didn't sign for." Leading Zane down and offering him a folding chair at his crafts table. A few figurines - these look like generic Elves in various classes painted with different house colors - are drying under a lamp.

"What do you have, though?"

"Look man, I don't know, but doesn't it feel like we're more invested i nthe lodge than before? Like, we have something to live up to now? " Then "Oh, this" He pulls out what appears to be a cane of dark wood with a gem at the top. The mid section of the would has a slight marring. But it gleams with glamour

"Yeah, it does." A scowl - apparently unasked for, and unwelcome. But his eyes gleam curiously at the cane. "A treasure?"

He kenns the object curiously.

A treasure, and a potent one tied to Cantrips of... wait...it was desire? is still?

"Lust, your'e probably feeling the remnants of lust" he says "Near as I can tell, this was once used to amplify any cantrips that dealt with desire. But... it got broken, emptied out. I used a place to refill it sort of.. heal it... but.. I think, if I wanted. I could attune it to another emotion. Lust again, Sorrow, or fear.. or happiness or what not"

"If it's lust you want, you're at the wrong place." He says, flatly. "Fear... or terror, that's what we have here. And that's what makes me happy, so it's one and the same. Would you want that? I could make use of it..." Hand flickering over the cane, not quite touching it.

"I could... hmmm... shadows of autumn might let it hide the holder. Or see their weaknesses."

"What I want is your expertise... look treasures are beyond me without burning dross or myself out... also... I need your advice on a matter of your kith..."

"Does it have to be an emotion? Messy."

"I think it has to be an emotion, something raw, primale" He says

"Was this made by a sluagh? Or how does it bring slugs into the matter?"

Looking slightly aghast at the idea of a lustful sluagh bending folk to his or her will. Messy, messy.

"It was broken by a sluagh... to fuel a powerful fate bending" He says low "And frankly I think I'd be in trouble just for knowing that much" A breath "The real problem, you know how there's a price for everything?"

A soft hiss. "Dangerous."

"Right, but it worked. Except, when I restored this thing.. there was one more result I didn't expect." A breath "I think.. no, I know, that in a way, it's hooked up to the sluagh who broke it. Not in a 'she controls it like the dark lord controls the one ring' I mean like...if I had tattle tale, I could use this as a link on her, and.. I'm not sure she'd have a chance of sensing it."

"Are you going to just give me the name? This mysterious wizard bs gets old, and it feels like you're taunting me while asking me for my help." Straightforward.

"If it can be linked to a sluagh without her knowing - that's dangerous. If it was me, and I knew you had this? And didn't tell me?" His eyes narrow a bit. "I'd be right ticked when I found out. To put it mildly. Slugs SPY. We don't take kindly to being spied ON. The safest thing here is probably to give it to her. Unless you think she'd do bad shit with it, this mystery chick. Then..." Thoughtful. "The hearth, I'd say."

"Sorry sorry, it's just she values her privacy... and hates giving her name" He says holding out a hand "Not trying to be a smug snake, really" A sigh "She's just gonna be mad I undid her work. That's why I was looking for your suggestions.. maybe we could find a way to disconnect it from her? Gently?"

He rolls his eyes - that much should be obvious. "Typical slug." And he looks over the cane again, thoughtfully.

"Fine... you know here anyway and I think she would consider another sluagh as trustworthy as anyone can be. Zara.. Zara Schwartz. If you and I are level five, she's going on level 12"

A raised brow. "We share a mentor, she and I. Not at the same time, but... I know her. She does a damn good tea service."

"You too? Son of a.. wow, she's everywhere" Impressed

Symon's brow furrows. There's something he read about. Something that may apply.... but he glances back at Zane, and all he can think about is mild-mannered Zara. Level 12? She seems so unassuming. And it's linked to her, secretly. Without her knowing. This unnerves him.

A frown and he pushes himself away from the table where the cane sits.

"Sorry, I say something wrong?"

"Just thinking." He holds up a hand to shush the satyr as he ponders. Maybe longer than necessary. Zane may start to think Symon is enjoying this, by the time he finally speaks.

Zane tries not to tap a hoof as he waits

"One possibility. I've read about using fire magic to purify things. I was looking into it for... well, my own research. If you tie it into enough glamour that you can affect treasures? I think there's a chance - CHANCE... that it could be used to burn off the lingering connection, like a remnant or impurity from it's former self." He pauses.

"But I tell you - you keep that somewhere SECURE. If you try this and it doesn't work? As a fellow "pillar" I'll give you a fair shake at trying to do that. But if you can't get it unlinked from her, you have to tell her. And if you don't? I will, and she'll probably be pissed it came from someone other than you."

"Maybe that makes it a betrayal on my part." He makes a show of not seeming particularly bothered. "Eh, that's what slugs do. But we look out for each other, and hell if I'm getting on a boss witch's bad side, even for a friend."

A scowl "You know, it occurs to me Slaugh seem to have some double standards on a lot of things. 'Don't spy on us, it's rude- but oh we get to spy on you', 'secrets are important, but we have to tell other sluagh if you trust us with one' and on and on" A huff "But at least you're straight about it and yeah, no one wants Zara mad at them. I'll see how powerful Tove is in Pyretics"

"Pillar bullshit or not... I haven't forgotten that you saved Ann Marie." He says, quietly. "And keeping this from Zara is a deathwish, because she will, sooner or later, somehow, find out."

"Pillar isn't bullshit man, you know enough about symbols to know that. You're just miffed because it outted you as a decent person.. kinda" He rolls his eyes , "And yes, okay. I agree. Zara is spooky. And out of the three of us she's the best student our..." He catches himself "Nevermind.. just realized that might be the wrong idea. This mentor you and she share? Another sluagh?"

"Madame Grey. A grand old dame. She considers me an abject failure." A toothless grin. "I drink tea from bags, if at all."

"You rebel" he says but a bit of a smile, then a nother thought "Hey, you heard about the parties at the apartment? I know you don't like loud.. but maybe with earplugs something you might have a good time?"

"And I may be a double-crossing, honor denying, unseelie P.O.S., but I'll play fair by folk I trust. In that I won't say anything until you get your chance, or without letting you know. That's fair dealing, in my book." A small smile.

"Yeah, I heard... I'll think about it. That many fae in one place might make something interesting come up. I'd hate to miss it. And there's always blackmail."

"Wow, and now I'll be afraid to say anything at the party" A smile and shake of his head "Yeah, we each have fun in our own way I guess. I hope you get something juicy as long as it's not on me. Not that I have many secrets. I think the cane was one of the bigger ones I had in my life"

"Let me know if it works. Tove knows fire magic, huh? Interesting. That might be useful. Yeah... if she can do it? Let me know. It's.. there's some shit I'm working on. This would help."

"Sure ..." then a smile "So.. you'll owe me for this intel huh?"

Eyes widening a bit. "So that's the game you wanna play?" But he looks amused. "I'll take it under consideration."

"So you can talk freely at your party - IF I go."

"Ha. " A chuckle "Sad thing is I bet Tove woudl tell anyone who asks. So I admit my 'intell' there is probably not high priced coin. Sure sure" he rises "I'll ask . And.. while i'm not crazy about the clock ticking ,I DO appreciate the help and suggestions"