Kaji and Safiya

An RP/ask-friendly blog for Safiya, from Mask of the Betrayer

[kajiandsafiya]

Apologies and Farewells

I didn't think this time would come, but it has. RPing has become less a joy than a chore, and so it's time for me to leave it. My undying gratitude to all those who made it fun; my apologies to those whose threads I leave unfinished; my farewells to all. I do not intend to delete my accounts - there are things here I may drop back in and reread - but feel free to use the characters as NPCs or to take them over. I will be around on my main account if you want to contact me, or on Skype now and again, but not here. Once again, farewell, ye lovelies!

[kajiandsafiya]

Behind the scenes.

Safiya: You do choose the most peculiar memes to post.

Me: You're not still cross about those masks, are you?

Me: Or that random kissing one?

Safiya: Not cross, no. And I am grateful for all the ones you don't post.

Me: Well, I'd have to pull you severely OOC to make some of them work. Like the one that led to you catching Nevalle reading that book. Besides, you'd never forgive me.

Safiya: Probably not. Now, shall we talk about some of these 'Magic Anons' you accept?

Me: Oh, look, I have to go respond to that email.

[kajiandsafiya]

Behind the scenes

Safiya: Why would I trust Illindriel even this much? I don't have a clear contract, I know exactly how much he hates Sand, and if he becomes a lich, I have made him a greater threat than he already was.

Me: For the same reason you haven't killed him already.

Safiya: Because Sand remains adamant, and you won't let me.

Me: Exactly.

Safiya: I still think I could remove Illindriel and win Sand's forgiveness on the subject.

Me: It didn't work out too well the last time you got between a pair of brothers.

[kajiandsafiya]

Behind the scenes

Kaji: Oooh, look at all the strange new people! Kaji says hello?

Me: Uh...

Safiya: That is one of his primary uses - to sound out strangers, ingratiate himself, and act as my eyes until it's safe for me to introduce myself. Besides, it makes him happy.

Me: But...

Safiya: The next thing you're going to say is an excuse, isn't it?

Me: Yes, but...

Safiya: Oh, just spit it out.

Me: I... I'm shy. And there are so many of them. And I'm not quite keeping up as it is - motivation and brain power are way down. And uni's about to go back, so I won't have as much time anyway, and I hate to disappoint people...

Safiya: Ah. Not just one excuse, but many. That's so much better.

[kajiandsafiya]

Behind the scenes

Safiya: You are not an accurate channel of my thought processes.

Me: Yes, I know. I do try, but -

Safiya: - but you did not check your facts before putting a logical fallacy in my mouth.

Me: ... what you think and what you say is often different.

Safiya: Exactly, and that little rift in my argument is also due to your clumsiness. Is it any wonder that I cannot make Khelgar see reason when you hobble me in such a manner?

Me: Hey, nobody else is signing up to write you. As far as I know. There's a large part of the fandom that hasn't even heard of you. There is one story on FF.net which lists you as a major character which I didn't write. You should be grateful for me.

Safiya: Possibly true, but would you please pay a little more attention to what you write?

Me: See previous comment about 'I do try'.

Safiya: *sighs*

[the-court-gxpsies]

Send me 'Behind the scenes' for conversation between the mun and the muse

[singerofmilil]

Fanfics with Sand as a main character

((Those I know of. I might as well put everything here, for all to see. If it has * it means it’s unfinished.

Sand/Daeghun - Scent of Sorrow, Between Brothes (with Duncan as well)

Sand/Bishop - Four Steps

Sand/Knight Captain - Stormborn*, Decorum*, Lessons*, A Tale of Sand and Sun* and After The Trial (one-shot with the same KC),

Sand/Torio - the series here

Sand/Safiya - two shorts one-shots AU here

Sand/OC - Matters of Trust* (Sand accussed of Qara’s murder), Diamond Tears*, Alchemy (I have to give a link to the whole site, but you’ll find it by yourself, it’s at the very bottom)

Sand and Qara’s conflict (no, not a ship :P ) - Fire From Stone

Of Flame, Glass and Sand* - separate category, you’ll learn why

Musings of a Dragon Bard - yes, Drack, I found your one-shot :D

Riddles - the whole party answers to really interesting riddles, Sand among them

Frozen Heart* - Sand’s past

The Very Secret NWN Diares - everything here is hilarious, Sand too

((THIS IS NOT A FULL LIST. There is at least one more one-shot with KC I can recall and at least one full fanfic, but I cannot find them now. I’ll add them later.))

[neverwinternighting]

((“yes, Drack, I found your one-shot :D”

))

[kajiandsafiya]

((so weird when other people spot your fanfic))

[donewithnashersshit-old]

O///O ((this gun be good))

6. Your muse catches mine reading smut.

Nevalle didn’t often have time on his hands to simply sit and read was utterly engrossed in the terrible, terrible book. He wasn’t sure why he was reading, why he’d picked it up at all. Apparently it was quite popular, though everyone who talked about it seemed to agree that the characters were flat and their… romance was downright bizarre. But somehow he’d ended up with a copy in his possession, and now he couldn’t put it down.

He wasn’t even sure some of the things in the book were possible, though a few were certainly enticing…

He was so distracted by the smutty book that he completely failed to notice Safiya’s arrival.

[kajiandsafiya]

Safiya stood in the doorway, observing. She had announced herself, of course, but if Nevalle had been unwary enough not to pay heed, then common politeness had been satisfied and she would happily take her advantage.

The knight appeared to be utterly enthralled by the book he was reading. Curious, since Safiya happened to recognise the cover. She’d once encountered Sand reading it - well, going through it with a red pen, correcting every grammatical error and misguided piece of abuse masquerading as poorly-written eroticism. She’d been curious enough to flip through it, afterwards (the annotations had been a great deal more entertaining than the book), and it had been a valuable lesson in the depths of human stupidity.

Nevalle didn’t appear to be nearly as critical.

If she’d ever seen a richer source of potential amusement, it wasn’t leaping to mind.

"Hello, Nevalle," she said, suppressing a sly quirk of her mouth.

[donewithnashersshit-old]

Nevalle started wildly, shutting the book with a slam that echoed through his office. His head snapped up, and his eyes seemed dangerously close to falling out of their sockets when he spotted Safiya. Movements wild and hasty, he opened one of the drawers of his desk and dropped the book inside with a thud. “Safiya!” The fact that he left off any sort of honorific was enough to reveal the true depth of his flustered embarrassment. “Ah- Yes? What can I do for you?”

[kajiandsafiya]

Ignoring that question blithely, Safiya studied the mortified man. “Nevalle, you are looking quite ridiculously crimson. Do you need a moment?” Then she did let herself smirk. “Just you and your ‘inner goddess’?”

[donewithnashersshit-old]

The knight’s expression was an amusing and faintly worrying mix of embarrassment and terror. “No!” His blush, already fiery red, grew even more intense. “ImeanIhavenoideawhatyou’retalkingabout!”

[kajiandsafiya]

She felt rather like a wyvern with a clumsy first-year under her claws… that expression was priceless. “If you are always such a terrible liar under stress, I’m sure you must be a liability in Nasher’s court,” she observed mildly. “Or perhaps the problem-solving methods - if one can call them that - of that brainless female are contagious. The blush, the blurting - have you started stammering and saying ‘oh my’ at every conceivable opportunity yet?”

[donewithnashersshit-old]

Nevalle gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to wildly run his mouth again. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” But the knight couldn’t meet Safiya’s eyes, focusing instead on a point somewhere along the bridge of her nose. The blush didn’t die at all.

[kajiandsafiya]

"I’m certain you do," Safiya told him. "You may continue playing the innocent if you wish - although you do it remarkably badly, if you’ll forgive the criticism - or I can just enlighten you." She stepped toward the desk drawer which contatined the book.

[donewithnashersshit-old]

Nevalle’s hand slammed loudly against the drawer, holding it shut. “Can I help you?” he insisted loudly, hoping against hope to simply get this situation behind them.

[kajiandsafiya]

"I don’t know," Safiya retorted. "Can you? I can already tell I can’t count on you for convincing denials."

[donewithnashersshit-old]

"You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have a reason,” Nevalle said through gritted teeth. “Can. I. Help. You?”

[kajiandsafiya]

"I begin to doubt it," Safiya told him," which is just as well, since I came to help you." And to threaten him, just a little. "I understand you and Ophelia have business in Luskan shortly."

[donewithnashersshit-old]

Nevalle was immediately on guard. He wasn’t surprised Ophelia had told someone. He just wished that someone hadn’t been Safiya. “I see. And can I assume you’re here to threaten me into keeping her safe?” Nevalle’s tone wasn’t mocking, far from it. He’d been expecting someone to show up for that very reason.

But again, he wished it wasn’t Safiya.

But he was grateful for the change in subject, and some of his blushing began to recede. “I can assure you, Lady Safiya, that I will do everything in my power to ensure the Knight Captain’s safe return.”

[kajiandsafiya]

"Only a very little," Safiya admitted, "and only for my own personal satisfaction. You may be rather... short-sighted and irritating on occasion, but I would not question your devotion to your duty. You are to protect Ophelia, therefore you will." She stared at him quite hard for a moment. "No, I do not believe you've been ordered to dispose of her when you reach Luskan - I did consider it briefly. Good."

Safiya pulled a small bag from her sleeve and started untying its strings. "You see, Ophelia is quite thoroughly convinced that she will not return from Luskan. I have told her that is absurd - she is resourceful and has faced worse - but if she keeps up this defeatist nonsense, she may just manage a self-fulfilling prophecy out of this." She drew a few items of jewellery out of the bag. "I've given her a few things to take with her - and a few to give you - but some things are better handled in person."

Safiya held out a rough-looking wooden amulet on a piece of cord. "Wear this. It won't help construct a good façade, but when you have to lie, you'll be convincing." She regarded him with a sly expression. "Put it on, and tell me again that you did not read that ridiculous piece of drivel."

[demonwrestler-deactivated201602]

You can tell a lot about someone by the music they listen to. Repost this, hit shuffle on your iPod/iPhone/iTunes/media player and write down the first 10 songs, then pass this onto some people.

Tagged by: daggersandsparks

Green Day - Basket Case

Diablo Swing Orchestra - A Rancid Romance

Blackmore’s Night - Castles and Dreams

Human Abstract - Moonlight Sonata

Vox Vulgaris - Stella Splendens

Corvus Corax - Avanti

Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog - Horrible Credits

Muse - Resistance

Waylander - King of the Fairies

Lindsey Stirling - Skyrim

Tagging kajiandsafiya aldanonthesage violet-azanomj-vedimir melantha-darkflower silenceandshadow surlybadger blue-skinned-druid thedrowbard hollyofthepriestess clanironfististhebest

[kajiandsafiya]

1. 'Forgot to Remember You', The Key of Awesome

2. 'Gimme Some Lovin', The Blues Brothers Soundtrack

3. 'War is a Science', Cast of Pippin

4. 'Virmire Ride', Mass Effect Soundtrack

5. 'Rem', Death Note Soundtrack

6. 'The Normandy Attacked', Mass Effect 2 Soundtrack

7. 'Feel Like a Natural Woman', Carol King

8. 'Build That Wall' (Zia's Theme), Bastion Soundtrack

9. 'Balcony Scene' (Tonight), West Side Story

10. 'Strange Magic', ELO

Why, yes. I am a huge nerd. Feel tagged if you want to be.

[agengi]

Safiya ruffled through her papers. Reports, notes, scrolls... as Headmistress of the Academy of Shapers and Binders, she did as much spywork and bureaucracy as scholarship. It was absorbing and often stressful... but she rarely thought of those few months at Crossroad Keep and the people she'd met there. For the most part, in any case. She disliked a particular undercurrent she'd noticed in her staff, and it was proving difficult to pin down the source. So she'd contacted an old acquaintance...

The sneaky way into the Academy was a tricky thing, Agengi could feel the many wards which protected the location even from the Astral Plane. However it doubted that it would be let anywhere close to the entrances if it were to try and walk there. Besides, there were weak spots to exploit here from another plane…knowing which spot would take it to Safiya and which one would land it in the middle of a classroom was a different thing however.And so Agengi, in all its tall and rather armored squiddy glory had materialized just in time to spook many a first year student out of their wits. Standing straight despite the chaos and still convinced of a job well done for breaching the Academy’s protections the illithid calmly turned its scarred and tattooed intimidating visage to the only person in the room who it figures to be an instructor,

[kajiandsafiya]

"I’ve no doubt," Safiya agreed, with a wry smile. "Well, you break in, I’ll try to counteract you, and we can keep that up until I find something effective… but it’s a lower priority than the staff, the new students, or even Belari." Her eyes swept over the rooms - clean, tidy, the bathtub waiting, the bed replaced by damp moss she’d imported from Rashemen at some expense. Books on the shelves, water in the pitchers, another pot boiling on the fire to moisten the air… ah.

“Come out, little ones,” Safiya called in soft Mulhorandi. From the bookcase, three creatures of clay and metal flew out, each about as large as the palm of her hand. They perched themselves in a row on her sleeve - small golems, vaguely insectile in design, their wings vibrating slightly as they watched Agengi, and their sharp, needle-like claws gleaming.

"These will guard you," Safiya told Agengi. "If anyone save you or myself enters this room, they will alert me, and attack. Their poison will paralyse any human in an instant, and requires an antidote, which they will only deliver on my command. They have no voices, but they are moderately intelligent and will obey your commands as best as they are able. If you want to address them as a group, they answer to ‘Tsaditu’ or ‘little ones’ depending on which language you prefer. Individually, they are Alta, Betath and Gemmu."

[agengi]

  <We can keep it for when everything else settles then> There has been quite the effort to make this room as comfortable for it as possible and Agengi appreciated that. This would be a respite after a long days work.   As the small creatures flutter out and settle on the wizards arm like birds of prey Agengi leaned down to look at them curiously. They remind it of the spider like golems that Ordel has built as a security system. Those also delivered poison into intruders, while smaller spider ones were on the artificers person with antidotes. <Interesting! I have not even noticed them before you called them>

[kajiandsafiya]

"I prefer it that way," Safiya said, smiling at them. "If you make obvious guards, people will work to circumvent them - and succeed eventually. Nothing can be secret if it is given sufficient study. These little ones... they can drop an intruder before they're seen; nobody else in the Academy even knows they exist." She stroked Betath's head fondly. "Now, is there anything else I've forgotten for your comfort? Your preferences?"

[kajiandsafiya]

Illindriel stood near the back of the library, watching Safiya as discretely as he could. This was... risky. Briefly he swallowed, then pretended to read a title on the spine, though every now and then he continued to glance over. Deep breaths. Dropping the act, he began to approach Safiya. There was a lot at stake here. He had to say something. Once he was a respectable distance away, he cleared his throat politely. "Safiya."

She had been aware, of course, that someone was approaching her, even if she appeared entirely absorbed in making notes on the Tacroy Hypothesis, and she’d identified a rather nervous Illindriel before he cleared his throat. Something he was… torn about, perhaps.

She lifted her head, greeted him politely. “Illindriel. Is there something I can do for you?”

[illindriel-archive]

Illindriel raised his chin, the avaricious gleam in his eyes never leaving. “I will not engage with Sand,” he said, “unless he engages me first, or unless it’s necessary.” He put forth this offer, waiting to see what Safiya would say about it, trusting that she would not stretch this further than he was willing.

[kajiandsafiya]

Safiya studied him thoughtfully. “Define ‘engage’, and define ‘necessary’,” she told him. “I agree that you have the right to self-defence if he should be the aggressor, but where you have the option, you should intend to temporarily disable and escape rather than kill.”

[illindriel-archive]

“‘Engage’,” said Illindriel. “Initiate contact with in the form of physical touch or vocal conversation. Necessary: if needed, if required, if there is no other option. I trust you know your synonyms and definitions, Safiya, but I have given clarity for the purpose of this exchange.”

A nerve twinged at ‘disable’ rather than ‘kill’. “And if he intended to kill me?” asked the necromancer, narrowing his eyes. “If there is no option to disable? I cannot just lie down and expect him to go easy on me.”

[kajiandsafiya]

Not in the least perturbed or impatient at Illindriel’s imitation of a dictionary, Safiya nodded. “I know my definitions; I wanted to ensure I understood yours,” she pointed out. She was not unaware of the irony; in some ways, what she was doing was setting things back the way they had been before they crossed paths. Illindriel pursuing his own goals, Sand out of the way… she also realised that Sand had come hunting Illindriel, not vice versa.

"I do not think you will ever find yourself in a position where Sand intends to kill you and you cannot disable him," Safiya said. "Firstly, while I cannot give perfect assurance of his intentions, he has proved himself to have… a sentimental streak where you are concerned. Perhaps it is something I would understand if I’d had any siblings, but he is adamant about preserving your life. Believe me," she said, her expression suddenly full of a Red Wizard’s ruthlessness, "if the choice had been mine, you would have died when first we crossed paths, and I would have unmade your soul.

"Secondly, I doubt that you would ever be completely without the option to disable rather than kill. You are much stronger than him, and given your relative specialities, much better suited for combat - all the more so once you become a lich. If you cannot leverage those advantages properly, you are not the wizard I have observed you to be."

She shrugged one shoulder. “But in the unlikely event that Sand comes looking to kill you, and you cannot disable him, then, no. I do not expect you to make a martyr of yourself, any more than I would it if were me attacking you. Which,” she added, “I would, no matter the surrounding circumstances, if Sand died at your hand.”

[illindriel-archive]

His eyes still narrowed, the necromancer frowned. “A sentimental streak? Sand?" Illindriel rolled his eyes. "I thought one as intelligent as you would have figured out by now that Sand is not sentimental when it comes to his own family. He will not preserve what is not useful to him. Sand wishes me alive so he can use me in some way. I have known him for centuries. This is not strange behavior for him - it would only be strange if he were truly sentimental, which I sincerely doubt.”

However, he lifted his chin in approval as Safiya called him the superior in hypothetical battle. As it should be. “If I attack you or Sand, this alliance between us is immediately over. But know the same in the reverse as well, if you or him were to strike first. With that said, I would very much like to see your notes and get this ritual underway as quickly as possible.”

[kajiandsafiya]

"I doubt you could ever be as useful to him as you are dangerous," Safiya pointed out; a token protest against a point she did not truly wish to argue. She was quite clear in her mind; Illindriel equally firm on his side, and it was a moot point in any case.

She said nothing more for a moment, studying him, weighing up whether she was truly going to do this, if she believed that he would truly hold his end of an agreement less clearly defined than she would prefer.

Then nodded. "Understandably. Now, most of my material I keep in a place much safer than this. It will take me some days away from the Keep - probably less than a week - to retrieve what is relevant to you. Time is not on your side; nevertheless, rushing this kind of matter is not likely to yield the results you desire. I will give you the Tome of Profane Rebirth to study in the mean time. You will not follow me, or seek to learn where I go," she added.

[agengi]

Safiya ruffled through her papers. Reports, notes, scrolls... as Headmistress of the Academy of Shapers and Binders, she did as much spywork and bureaucracy as scholarship. It was absorbing and often stressful... but she rarely thought of those few months at Crossroad Keep and the people she'd met there. For the most part, in any case. She disliked a particular undercurrent she'd noticed in her staff, and it was proving difficult to pin down the source. So she'd contacted an old acquaintance...

The sneaky way into the Academy was a tricky thing, Agengi could feel the many wards which protected the location even from the Astral Plane. However it doubted that it would be let anywhere close to the entrances if it were to try and walk there. Besides, there were weak spots to exploit here from another plane…knowing which spot would take it to Safiya and which one would land it in the middle of a classroom was a different thing however.And so Agengi, in all its tall and rather armored squiddy glory had materialized just in time to spook many a first year student out of their wits. Standing straight despite the chaos and still convinced of a job well done for breaching the Academy’s protections the illithid calmly turned its scarred and tattooed intimidating visage to the only person in the room who it figures to be an instructor,

[kajiandsafiya]

"The Academy is not as well-defended against psionics as I would like," Safiya admitted, as she she let Agengi into her old rooms. Szass Tam, even if the floor wasn’t littered with her old workings, it was still all too familiar. "I’m hoping you might help me with that aspect. I have no skill in that art and information is sketchy; few psionics venture into the heart of Thay. However," she smiled at the illithid, "that particular spot was left weaker than most - didn’t you wonder why Master Djafi was so calm at your arrival and didn’t attack? It was the safest place for you to enter if you didn’t approach the gates directly, and I warned him you might… pop in."

[agengi]

The illithid chuckles at that <His students were much less calm. But yes I had wondered if that was simply his own self sureness or something else.> It wanders as it looks around and muses <I can help with the wards, even if psions do not venture here often you may find that those that would have the power to break in would be rather pesky to get out. However I am more of an expert on the breaking in then protecting>

[kajiandsafiya]

"I've no doubt," Safiya agreed, with a wry smile. "Well, you break in, I'll try to counteract you, and we can keep that up until I find something effective... but it's a lower priority than the staff, the new students, or even Belari." Her eyes swept over the rooms - clean, tidy, the bathtub waiting, the bed replaced by damp moss she'd imported from Rashemen at some expense. Books on the shelves, water in the pitchers, another pot boiling on the fire to moisten the air... ah.

"Come out, little ones," Safiya called in soft Mulhorandi. From the bookcase, three creatures of clay and metal flew out, each about as large as the palm of her hand. They perched themselves in a row on her sleeve - small golems, vaguely insectile in design, their wings vibrating slightly as they watched Agengi, and their sharp, needle-like claws gleaming.

"These will guard you," Safiya told Agengi. "If anyone save you or myself enters this room, they will alert me, and attack. Their poison will paralyse any human in an instant, and requires an antidote, which they will only deliver on my command. They have no voices, but they are moderately intelligent and will obey your commands as best as they are able. If you want to address them as a group, they answer to 'Tsaditu' or 'little ones' depending on which language you prefer. Individually, they are Alta, Betath and Gemmu."

[notyourranger-blog]

[Closed] A whole new world?

Thread start

[kajiandsafiya]

Using Kaji to steady her as she got to her feet (which would have worked much better if he didn’t keep flapping up and down and if the sand would stop tilting under her) Safiya took long, slow breaths, trying to get the nausea under control. There wasn’t too much to do about the migraine, short of ice and willowbark, neither of which appeared to be available on this beach…

The figure was approaching her. She straightened her spine, trying to hide her current state as best as possible in favour of her usual calm and controlled demeanour. It didn’t feel convincing, but - oh, Szass Tam, it was Bishop - Bishop wasn’t looking at her anyway.

He snapped a question at her. Her tone waspish rather than scathing, she replied, “I’m a wizard, not some woods-roaming, track-reading wanderer who knows the wilderness. Why don’t you tell me where we are, ranger?”

[notyourranger-blog]

Bishop let the last arrow he could find slide back into the quiver. Attaching the container to himself, where it rightly belonged, he stood up and turned to face Safiya and, unfortunately, her pet.  "Oh yes, I’ll just look at the shape of the non existent tracks on this beach and figure out what goddamned territory you spirited us off to. Oh, while I’m at it I’ll just puzzle my way through why you brought us both here.” Bishop’s tone was snide, and his glare sharp.

[kajiandsafiya]

"I didn't do this," Safiya retorted, brushing some of the sand off her robe as he faced her. She glanced up, returning his glare with a look of mild contempt. "Conjuration is one of my barred schools; I can't cast Teleport any more than you can. Where there is no ability and no intent, 'why' isn't the question, it's 'how'. Another question that might be helpful in determining that is 'where', so why don't you do something about that part while I try to make sense of this?"

[agengi]

Safiya ruffled through her papers. Reports, notes, scrolls... as Headmistress of the Academy of Shapers and Binders, she did as much spywork and bureaucracy as scholarship. It was absorbing and often stressful... but she rarely thought of those few months at Crossroad Keep and the people she'd met there. For the most part, in any case. She disliked a particular undercurrent she'd noticed in her staff, and it was proving difficult to pin down the source. So she'd contacted an old acquaintance...

The sneaky way into the Academy was a tricky thing, Agengi could feel the many wards which protected the location even from the Astral Plane. However it doubted that it would be let anywhere close to the entrances if it were to try and walk there. Besides, there were weak spots to exploit here from another plane…knowing which spot would take it to Safiya and which one would land it in the middle of a classroom was a different thing however.And so Agengi, in all its tall and rather armored squiddy glory had materialized just in time to spook many a first year student out of their wits. Standing straight despite the chaos and still convinced of a job well done for breaching the Academy’s protections the illithid calmly turned its scarred and tattooed intimidating visage to the only person in the room who it figures to be an instructor,

[kajiandsafiya]

Safiya knew she was no expert in illithid body language, but some things were universal - the way it had frozen at Althi’s name was very eloquent, as was the way it had swiftly changed the subject. She would probably have done the same thing if it had asked after Kaji….

"That’s up to you," she answered, rising. "Come on, I’ll show you to your rooms and give you an idea of where everything is. As a general rule, the instructors’ quarters are very well warded, if not guarded; Thael-ka and Oronock welcome visitors and traders, but you know to be on your guard with pit fiends; there are some things in the store-rooms that may prove volatile; don’t leave the Repository with more souls than you’re allotted or you’ll be a chicken for twenty-four hours unless I know about it…" she thought for a moment, trying to remember which of the various quirks of the Academy Agengi might need to be warned about. She was too used to them… "If any of the instructors offers you alliance, ask them what they’re offering and for time to consider, then let me know about it. If you’re challenged, try to disable, humiliate thoroughly, and leave alive. Trust nobody except myself - as far as you can," she added, with a rueful quirk of an eyebrow, "and Master Djafi."

[agengi]

   It takes care to commit the Academy’s oddities to mind as it follows Safiya. Agengi was certain that the only way it will be safe is to not touch or take anything without her clearance.    Once they get to the rooms it inspects the area and mentions <Did you know there are holes in the Academy’s wards? I managed to get in..in the middle of a class>

[kajiandsafiya]

"The Academy is not as well-defended against psionics as I would like," Safiya admitted, as she she let Agengi into her old rooms. Szass Tam, even if the floor wasn't littered with her old workings, it was still all too familiar. "I'm hoping you might help me with that aspect. I have no skill in that art and information is sketchy; few psionics venture into the heart of Thay. However," she smiled at the illithid, "that particular spot was left weaker than most - didn't you wonder why Master Djafi was so calm at your arrival and didn't attack? It was the safest place for you to enter if you didn't approach the gates directly, and I warned him you might... pop in."

[kajiandsafiya]

Illindriel stood near the back of the library, watching Safiya as discretely as he could. This was... risky. Briefly he swallowed, then pretended to read a title on the spine, though every now and then he continued to glance over. Deep breaths. Dropping the act, he began to approach Safiya. There was a lot at stake here. He had to say something. Once he was a respectable distance away, he cleared his throat politely. "Safiya."

She had been aware, of course, that someone was approaching her, even if she appeared entirely absorbed in making notes on the Tacroy Hypothesis, and she’d identified a rather nervous Illindriel before he cleared his throat. Something he was… torn about, perhaps.

She lifted her head, greeted him politely. “Illindriel. Is there something I can do for you?”

[illindriel-archive]

"Find another condition," Illindriel responded without even giving that offer much consideration. "I will not agree to that." His voice was not argumentative, nor offended, nor impatient. "I made my decision centuries ago, and I would rather die than give up such a huge piece of what drives me."

[kajiandsafiya]

"I am sorry to hear that," Safiya replied, in the same matter-of-fact tone that Illindriel had used. "Not only because it means that I will not share with you what I know, but because I had held a higher opinion of you than that." And it made it much more likely that she would have to destroy him. A pity, truly, that he was prepared to throw away his life rather than relinquish his grudge against Sand… "It seems ridiculous to me, that should still define your life in terms of his, but I am aware that I do not know all that ever passed between you. There have been goals that I, too, would willingly have died rather than surrender."

But she had achieved those; Illindriel would never achieve his, not while she breathed. Safiya sighed. “Well. Is there anything else I can help you with, Illindriel? Have you got the medication you need?”

[illindriel-archive]

"Are you sorry to hear that?" inquired Illindriel. "You seem to think I care about his life in the statement you had said. I only care as it allowed me to find my true calling, however indirectly he did it, and to end his." Now he was beginning to sound displeased, though moreso at her insinuation than her rejection. She did not understand at all, and with her bias towards the transmuter, she likely never will.

Illindriel shook his head. “I require notes - but you realize, nonetheless, there are other ways to find what I seek. And not being as choosy as I had once been, I now have more options. You are aware, as I know Knight Captain Ophelia had sent a letter to you as well-” he did not bother to explain how he knew, of course, but that was due to an unfortunate incident with swapped bodies, “-that she is on her way to Luskan? I may have planted the idea within her brain that she could find another ritual for lichdom within there. Even if she fails, you and Sand are not the only mages within the vicinity. So really, you denying me the ritual from your notes will hardly do a thing to deter me.”

[kajiandsafiya]

"Perhaps I misunderstood," Safiya said calmly, "but your statement seems quite clear to me. If you would rather die than let go of a goal - your own statement - then by definition the goal is worth more to you. Your rivalry has placed you in a position where you value Sand’s life more highly than your own. Regardless of my own feelings about him, it’s… a shame to see this blind spot. You’re usually a clearer thinker than that." She shrugged one shoulder. "But as you will.

"I know there are other ways you can find what you need, and I am… glad you came to me first, even if we apparently cannot make an exchange. I will say that I consider I may hold a closer path to your Seven Truths than many. The Arcane Brotherhood holds many secrets, no doubt, but I do not consider it likely that Ophelia will successfully find what you seek there; such information will be well-guarded. Other mages in the vicinity will probably also keep their own counsel. Even if they were willing to share it, you will have Luskan methods, or their own research… I have information from which Szass Tam himself took his path. Given that he and Velsharoon studied together, I suspect it would get you closer to what you truly wish. I also have access to a great deal of Myrkul’s secrets." Safiya shrugged again. She dared not push this too far, but she would truly prefer to preserve both brothers…

"But we all have points on which our minds cannot be changed, I suppose."

[illindriel-archive]

Illindriel’s eyes practically glowed with greed when it was revealed that she had knowledge from Szass Tam’s own path to lichdom. Szass Tam was no demigod, but he was very well feared for his power. If he could be granted the same degree of power over time with his version, he could likely make the rest of the way on his own.

But yet. There was still that pesky condition, and in the longrun, he knew Safiya’s point infuriated him because she was right. And Illindriel so despised being wrong. But the only thing he despised more than being wrong was being defeated. Fickle as Illindriel’s mind was, he knew he had a reason to be. Or it could have been the cancer playing with his judgment.

Organized thought. Where was his skill of organized thought? He could have sworn he was able to think logically. Or was this psychological rather than physical?

Make a decision. A decision had to be made, one way or another, madness or no.

"I will require specific conditions concerning the boundaries to be kept with Sand," he spoke through gritted teeth at last.

[kajiandsafiya]

She saw the avaricious gleam in his eyes, coupled with irritation, and knew it meant she’d won - but Safiya was too practised at such dealings to let even a hint of her satisfaction (and wariness, of course, this was a dangerous bargain she was striking, even if Illindriel could be trusted to hold to his end of it) show.

"Specificity is much more practical than generality," Safiya agreed, her tone polite and even, "and I usually make the practical choice. Were you asking me to set limits and boundaries, or did you have some in mind?"

[illindriel-archive]

Illindriel raised his chin, the avaricious gleam in his eyes never leaving. “I will not engage with Sand,” he said, “unless he engages me first, or unless it’s necessary.” He put forth this offer, waiting to see what Safiya would say about it, trusting that she would not stretch this further than he was willing.

[kajiandsafiya]

Safiya studied him thoughtfully. “Define ‘engage’, and define ‘necessary’,” she told him. “I agree that you have the right to self-defence if he should be the aggressor, but where you have the option, you should intend to temporarily disable and escape rather than kill.”

[illindriel-archive]

“‘Engage’,” said Illindriel. “Initiate contact with in the form of physical touch or vocal conversation. Necessary: if needed, if required, if there is no other option. I trust you know your synonyms and definitions, Safiya, but I have given clarity for the purpose of this exchange.”

A nerve twinged at ‘disable’ rather than ‘kill’. “And if he intended to kill me?” asked the necromancer, narrowing his eyes. “If there is no option to disable? I cannot just lie down and expect him to go easy on me.”

[kajiandsafiya]

Not in the least perturbed or impatient at Illindriel's imitation of a dictionary, Safiya nodded. "I know my definitions; I wanted to ensure I understood yours," she pointed out. She was not unaware of the irony; in some ways, what she was doing was setting things back the way they had been before they crossed paths. Illindriel pursuing his own goals, Sand out of the way... she also realised that Sand had come hunting Illindriel, not vice versa.

"I do not think you will ever find yourself in a position where Sand intends to kill you and you cannot disable him," Safiya said. "Firstly, while I cannot give perfect assurance of his intentions, he has proved himself to have... a sentimental streak where you are concerned. Perhaps it is something I would understand if I'd had any siblings, but he is adamant about preserving your life. Believe me," she said, her expression suddenly full of a Red Wizard's ruthlessness, "if the choice had been mine, you would have died when first we crossed paths, and I would have unmade your soul.

"Secondly, I doubt that you would ever be completely without the option to disable rather than kill. You are much stronger than him, and given your relative specialities, much better suited for combat - all the more so once you become a lich. If you cannot leverage those advantages properly, you are not the wizard I have observed you to be."

She shrugged one shoulder. "But in the unlikely event that Sand comes looking to kill you, and you cannot disable him, then, no. I do not expect you to make a martyr of yourself, any more than I would it if were me attacking you. Which," she added, "I would, no matter the surrounding circumstances, if Sand died at your hand."

[agengi]

Safiya ruffled through her papers. Reports, notes, scrolls... as Headmistress of the Academy of Shapers and Binders, she did as much spywork and bureaucracy as scholarship. It was absorbing and often stressful... but she rarely thought of those few months at Crossroad Keep and the people she'd met there. For the most part, in any case. She disliked a particular undercurrent she'd noticed in her staff, and it was proving difficult to pin down the source. So she'd contacted an old acquaintance...

The sneaky way into the Academy was a tricky thing, Agengi could feel the many wards which protected the location even from the Astral Plane. However it doubted that it would be let anywhere close to the entrances if it were to try and walk there. Besides, there were weak spots to exploit here from another plane…knowing which spot would take it to Safiya and which one would land it in the middle of a classroom was a different thing however.And so Agengi, in all its tall and rather armored squiddy glory had materialized just in time to spook many a first year student out of their wits. Standing straight despite the chaos and still convinced of a job well done for breaching the Academy’s protections the illithid calmly turned its scarred and tattooed intimidating visage to the only person in the room who it figures to be an instructor,

[kajiandsafiya]

"You can trust me to watch your back," Safiya said, entirely serious. "Even if I did not value our acquaintance so highly, letting something happen to you after my invitation would mark me as very weak indeed; my whole network of alliances would unravel around me." She nodded at Agengi’s requirements. "I’ve already anticipated as much. I’ve set up my old room for you, with the best wards I know; the most intelligent of my golem have been programmed as guards; I’ve arranged for a nice big bathtub, hot water and the sort of oils I remember Althi enjoying."

[agengi]

<That is good to hear. And additionally I do not think my partner would have liked me perishing either> Agengi goes rather still at the mention of Althi but soon resumes its slow tentacle movements <It sounds like everything is indeed taken care of. Is there any specific parts of the Academy I should avoid?> With how trapped and warded everything was.

[kajiandsafiya]

Safiya knew she was no expert in illithid body language, but some things were universal - the way it had frozen at Althi's name was very eloquent, as was the way it had swiftly changed the subject. She would probably have done the same thing if it had asked after Kaji....

"That's up to you," she answered, rising. "Come on, I'll show you to your rooms and give you an idea of where everything is. As a general rule, the instructors' quarters are very well warded, if not guarded; Thael-ka and Oronock welcome visitors and traders, but you know to be on your guard with pit fiends; there are some things in the store-rooms that may prove volatile; don't leave the Repository with more souls than you're allotted or you'll be a chicken for twenty-four hours unless I know about it..." she thought for a moment, trying to remember which of the various quirks of the Academy Agengi might need to be warned about. She was too used to them... "If any of the instructors offers you alliance, ask them what they're offering and for time to consider, then let me know about it. If you're challenged, try to disable, humiliate thoroughly, and leave alive. Trust nobody except myself - as far as you can," she added, with a rueful quirk of an eyebrow, "and Master Djafi."

[agengi]

Safiya ruffled through her papers. Reports, notes, scrolls... as Headmistress of the Academy of Shapers and Binders, she did as much spywork and bureaucracy as scholarship. It was absorbing and often stressful... but she rarely thought of those few months at Crossroad Keep and the people she'd met there. For the most part, in any case. She disliked a particular undercurrent she'd noticed in her staff, and it was proving difficult to pin down the source. So she'd contacted an old acquaintance...

The sneaky way into the Academy was a tricky thing, Agengi could feel the many wards which protected the location even from the Astral Plane. However it doubted that it would be let anywhere close to the entrances if it were to try and walk there. Besides, there were weak spots to exploit here from another plane…knowing which spot would take it to Safiya and which one would land it in the middle of a classroom was a different thing however.And so Agengi, in all its tall and rather armored squiddy glory had materialized just in time to spook many a first year student out of their wits. Standing straight despite the chaos and still convinced of a job well done for breaching the Academy’s protections the illithid calmly turned its scarred and tattooed intimidating visage to the only person in the room who it figures to be an instructor,

[kajiandsafiya]

"Most of them will attempt to ward themselves," Safiya said, "but most of them have incomplete information about you in particular, and will not do it effectively. As for my course of action…" Safiya looked very pleased with herself. "I’m bringing in about twenty new students - talented, all of them - but slave-born, and I’m making no secret of it. It’s illegal as well as untraditional, so I’m stirring up a wyvern’s nest, but Belari, my test case, is turning out so well I should be able to mount a very persuasive argument."

She nodded at the question of payment, and named a generous sum. “That will do for initial investigations, I believe, assuming they take no longer than a month; after that, we’ll see how we’re going and what more remains to be done. I’ll also see to your dietary needs - I’m sure you’ll turn up at least one member of staff I’m better off without. I hope you don’t mind dining in public and making a bit of a spectacle of it?” she added, with a slight edge of cruelty to her grin.

[agengi]

<They will find some of their protections against me rather ineffective.> Agengi nods in agreement <Hmm. Such an action will surely bring out the thoughts we are looking for to the top, it will be very helpful.> It pauses to listen to the rest as well as the payment offer. <The terms are agreeable> And rather well so! <Making an example hm? I do not mind as long as I do not get overwhelmed. One more thing, I do require rest and a daily bath to soak in> It could go much longer without water due to its armor but it preferred to have its comforts.

[kajiandsafiya]

"You can trust me to watch your back," Safiya said, entirely serious. "Even if I did not value our acquaintance so highly, letting something happen to you after my invitation would mark me as very weak indeed; my whole network of alliances would unravel around me." She nodded at Agengi's requirements. "I've already anticipated as much. I've set up my old room for you, with the best wards I know; the most intelligent of my golem have been programmed as guards; I've arranged for a nice big bathtub, hot water and the sort of oils I remember Althi enjoying."