#rivervale_lodge

"Let me get this straight" Vali says as he looks at Tove, CJ playing nearby, "You have a broken treasure."

"Yes. Now YOU have a broken treasure" She confirms

"And you want me to study it, Omen it, and tell you what it might have done to one wearing it. And what it would do to the person who broke it."

"Exactly" She nods

"BUT... you won't tell me where you got it, who was wearing it, or who broke it?" He inquires

Tove crosses her arms "Not likely. Maybe later. "

Mountain Vali sighs "You realize it is this sort of thing that makes me feel insecure about my authority being respected?"

"Vali, I do respect you, and you ARE mountain" She says "That said, go complain the writers of South Park if you're insecure. I Need you to do your duty before you use authority. Please?"

Vali is not an idiot, he is pretty sure who this might involve, but he takes the necklace and says "Okay. But this is Now in my custody. It's a treasure, broken, but as Mountain such things are..."

"I trust you to care for it and help those hurt by it" She says then "I can tell you the person who wore it was not acting like himself and was avoiding a friend."

Yup. Vali's not dumb, "I have my suspicions. Thank you" HE begins to hit the books. Reearch before Cantrips

Fortunately, Vali's lore is strong, and Vegard and Frank's notes more extensive than most know. For a moment, he considers calling in Siv, who is his only non resistant pillar of the Mountain present even if she'd mutter at that

(Some rolls in the research)

/roll 7

/roll 7

Mmm

and...

/roll 6

The maker and crafter of such things, if known at all, has probably been determined roughly, or if a maker mark is on it, specificly

Its PURPOSE , after he was told by Tove and knows what to look for, well, ,even more so

The dangers and harm? Well, treasures are tricky things. Whoever broke this HAS had a sting of banality at the least. WHoever wore it for so long, well the treasure no longer affects them ,but the burden of wearing it... the Frodo effect, could be in play.

Vali gathers four candles, one for each direction cardinal, and lights them. The candles vary in colors. A black one for absorbing/removing any linger negativity, a gray one for canceling negative energy ,and more importantly clearing confusion, a white one, of course, for healilng body soul or mind. The last... wel, he wanted to use a purple candle, good for breaking jinxes, but was short, so on a whim, slipped in a red one. Among other things, it helps with Love. What the hell, it's Seelie summer.

And begins his omen

He places the broken treasure in the center of the candles, and chants "Omens go good with Ramen, which is great cause I'm a shaman, so kindly do not squeeze me as I pry. Your mysteries I'm unraveling, as magically we go traveling, work with me, let's give this thing a try. Accusations are you've been charming, and that this may have lead to harming, so please give me the hows whats and why" And he blows out the candles like a big birthday cake and reads the smoke!

There is a makers mark, a delicate 5 leaf clover etched into the back of the heart. When he examines it, it feels... like jewelry! There is a trace of glamour to it, but it's no longer even dross, the glamour having all drained out when the chain was broken and the heart pendant cracked. It's all one piece, cleverly made, the chain is not separate from the pendant, it's a single piece. There is a clasp on the chain, but try as he might, Vali cannot get it to unlatch.

((What were those rolls for, in order and with successes?))

(Okay. Maker determination was 3, Purpose of Treasure research, 7. The dangers and harm 3)

The shamrock, that appears to be a maker's mark - the symbol is most often used by Clurichaun, though any fae originating from the Emerald Isle, and oh, that is many, or that wield arts of fate (fair fortune) may feel a connection.

Vali delves deep into lore, but it seems that this was no Mythical treasure such as would be recorded in scroll and legend, so he has to dial back to that which is more commonplace. A heart and chain, seems to indicate it affects matters of the heart, and there is a mention of heart-shaped lockets or pendants often being a favored form for carrying cantrips of Aphrodesia.

He may try a kenning roll to confirm that, but the Mountain can tell that with the treasure broken, it would take a stroke of luck to glean any information now that the glamour has fled.

The dangers and harm? Harder to determine. As Mountain, Vali well knows that all magic is a 2-sided coin. Pyretics can warm as well as it can burn, and even the flipside of Heatherbalm is Hollystrike. With that said, he does know that cantrips made to influence and seduce are more often turned to selfish purposes than other arts. Vali also recalls that Piper is skilled in this Art, though as far as he knows she no longer practices it actively, but might have more information about the art in general if he inquires (which he may or may not decide to do, as the Character might have his own knowledge of this Art that ST is unaware of)

The Omen cast, the candles pop and flare, and Vali may roll Int+Soothsay at diff 4 (reduced by complex bunk) to get an answer to the question he asks the fates about this item...

/roll 7 4

He asks softly , "What harm, directly or indirectly, has been worked through your use?" There are many kinds of harm, heart, body, mind, soul... he would know the damage done to fix said harm. The treasure appears to be a tool, hence his question of 'through' , advantages taken, pain caused and so on.

The answer comes to Vali, teased out of broken metal by magic and knowledge and the Art of Soothsay - and like all Omens, cryptic and vague. Though he blows to extinguish them, he sees a vision...

On three of the candles the flames flicker back to life, with wisps of smoke spread and solidify taking forms atop each of three candles. Vague, little more than a fuzzy smoke outlines without defining features.

Black, Grey, and Red candles, each with a smoke figure atop them, the candleflames burning in their chests.

Grey, arms outstretched, reaching towards the figure that curls atop the Red candle, facing away.

The Black figure gestures, and thin chains of smoke whisk in and wrap themselves around the Grey figure, twining and squeezing. Grey's arms lower, then it turns, away from Red to face Black, and the light from Grey's candleheart dims, flowing along the chains, and strengthening the fire in the Black figure's core.

The figure floating atop the Red candle remains, unaffected, yet no longer seen by the Grey.

After a few moments, the smoke wafts away and the candles go out as intended, signaling that the omen is complete.

And a baffling final clue - the sound of... a rattle? No, a clunk-CHING Like the noise of the old-fashioned cash registers that Jaymes still has in his shop.

BLINK

The Chunk CHING catcches him off guard. I need to know WHO is involved in this for sure He has his theories though, and he turns to write down the omen's results.

He'll get consultation on all that from others too, no point in letting pride block avenues.

He kens the object, knowing it's a long shot but..

/roll 8

Nothing, it smells of Omen now... and maybe a HINT of aphrodisa

Though he attempts to glean more information now, it's frustratingly empty. He has his theories, but... if only he had seen it BEFORE it had been broken, gosh dangit!

"Hey mountain, the evidence is destroyed, can you CSI ... Changeling SOrcery Investigations, this shit? THANKS..Taa" A hurumph