Ianna's call to calm finally got the better of the incensed Dalton. He looked to her - though not ruefully - then back to Koriat.
I'm glad you saw that too, my dear. Your line is bright. However, your compassion would have stopped me from testing that hypothesis. The results are quite clear now.
"I hope she is correct. If that is the case, to avoid the subject and get to the crux of my conclusion, it seems the real problem here is not your black fire but rather the agenda of these banishing elves. How does elven nobility work? I confess though I am well-read, their sparse nature in the neighboring countries made findings quite few and far between."
Giving a worried chuckle, Ianna answers Bjorkus.
"I think that even minor gods would be more impressive. No offense to you, Koriat. The nature of a Geas prevents its targets from fighting it off by their will alone. Though something innately resistant to magic might be able to ignore it. This Geas appears more powerful than those I have seen before. Usually such magic punishes by the day, this punishes instantly. As for why he has not removed it, it would seem prudent to include not actively seeking in part of the structures of the Geas. In fact, he may be compelled to harm those who attempt to remove it."
The priestess then tries to discern the strictures of the Geas.
"Golden Gift, reveal to me, I beg, how grace may be extended to this man."
She pauses before continuing.
"Theoretically, it may be possible for my goddess to reach through me and remove this curse, but success would not be assured. And I would need to spend several hours in prayer.
Part of the danger here is that we do not know who laid this Geas upon him. Was it the elven court? The Rune Giants? Some third party bent on malice? Understanding the Geas would might reveal important clues."
Toramin watches the unfolding scene with astonishment and growing respect. I did not know Ianna could see so clearly nor that her spell lore was this deep. I do not give her enough credit.
Koriat remains stone faced the entire time. Ianna scans him for magic but fails to find a Geas spell. In fact, she fails to find any spell, or any magic whatsoever, even though she can clearly see him wearing magical items.
"Maybe Tiasar can point us in the right direction", Bjorkus adds while Ianna does her assessment. Or Alia."
The bull snorts unhappily and shakes his head. "It's always soddin' powerful magic these days. I miss the times when all we had to deal with with mad kings and bank heists."
"Curious. He has been warded or has warded himself to prevent spells and objects on his person from radiating magic. Such spells cannot be made permanent so eventually it would wear off.
I could also perform an Augury to determine if the removal of the curse would result in harm to us, but I have not prayed for such intercession. I do not think it is wise to intervene until we know more of what is happening.
However, a clever person can subvert the dictates of a Geas. The more complex the instructions the more loopholes there are to exploit. Koriat, I believe you to be clever. What can you do, say, represent, or imply within the structures of your Geas?"
Toramin grunts at Bjorku's complaint.
"From what I recall, that mad king had his fair share of magic. From the first night we have met there have been suspiciously complex magic and curses floating about. Though it would be a fallacy to assume that it is all linked."
Koriat remains silent as a stone.
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Koriat's face screws up with great effort, and it looks like every word he says causes pain. "Plans. Undead. Giants. Golem. Indestructible." He starts shaking uncontrollably. "Malose..." Koriat slumps over and falls to the ground, unmoving.
"Dancing goddess, enliven this man's limbs so that he may join your dance."
"He should be able to walk now. With help."
Toramin pulls out a journal and writes down what Koriat said.
"From undead to indestructible, I like none of those words."
Bjorkus is surprised by the sudden turn of events but moves forward to help the elven mage to his feet. ”Damn. I see why he was so reluctant to act against the curse.”
”Malose. That name mean anything to anyone?”
Koriat's eyes open, but he feels as strong as a bed-ridden child to Bjorkus. As he's helping Dalton's father to his feet, he can't recall any knowledge of Malose.
Bjorkus ponders further.
Bjorkus believes the name has fiendish roots.
”Hrm. Sounds like a fiendish name. Maybe a tiefling?” Bjorkus adds.
Knowing the man himself won’t be any help, the bull looks to Dalton. ”You don’t think your old man would be fool enough to make a deal with a devil do you?”
"I speak the demons' tongue. And your guess about his father is as good as Dalton's."
Dalton's emotions did not come into play until Ianna had confirmed the pain and atrophy was indeed not an act. The wizard then became flustered, worried, and anxious.
"Give me a moment to gather my thoughts on the name's origin."
"Foolish?" He gave Koriat a long look. "No. But everyone miscalculates from time to time."
Care finally eclipsed his other trumping emotions. "Father, here - sit down. That speech took a lot out of you." Dalton conjures a disk of force, using his hands to show his father where the invisble ledge of the platform was.
Definitely, definitely fiendish heritage. A tiefling name for sure, or at least something or somebody with a tiefling name. However, the name is utterly ancient, at least two millenniums.
Koriat nods and slowly climbs onto the disk, collapsing onto it. "Thank you...Dalton. I'm sorry..."
"We should get your father back to the inn. I can treat him there. In a few days he will be as good as new."
Like Toramin, Rilka writes down the words uttered by Koriat. She includes the insights gleaned by Bjorkus and Dalton concerning the fiendish name. ”If we take him to the inn, we should disguise him. Do you mind drinking one of my extracts? It’s limited to appearance only.”
She also writes Geas at the top of one page and what she knows about the spell.
"It seems that extra room will come in quite handy."
Dalton intimates what knowledge he can of the name's origins, though it's total nature is beyond him.
Once they return to the city, Ianna tries to make Koriat more comfortable. She also shows him some stretches and exercises that will help him rebuild his strength.
"I will bring you up some food. You should rest."
The next morning she will prepare 2 Restorations, 2 Remove Curses, and an Augury.
Rilka disguises Koriat and tries to recall what she can about geas. As far as she knows the normal effects aren't this extreme and quickly onset.
With Koriat on a magical stretcher, the party ferries him back to the Twisted Otter. At this hour there are still a few dozen patrons about eating lunch, but not nearly as crowded as it is later in the evening. When Koriat is floated in, a kitsune with red markings frowns and steps in front of the party. "What happened to him?" From the last few days in Wasco, the party is beginning to learn that civilization is kept not through a military or guard force, but rather through a highly active community.
Rilka waves the kitsunne over to her, motioning for a whisper. ”Too many drugs. He’s a relative of our companion,” she cocks her head at Dalton.
The kitsune narrows his eyes. "That's an awful lot of fresh bruises to be from drugs. What really happened to him?"
"He is his relative. He may be on drugs, but we honestly don't know exactly what is wrong with him. We brought him back here so that I can tend to him. I will need some clean clothes and some warm water. Please, get some for me."
Ianna replies with complete sincerity.
Dalton added more to the picture, seeing no reason to be so oblique with the friendly kitsune. "The man is my father, though I'm sure my belly has all but erased my resemblance. There is some foul spell about him which has caused these injuries, and like the good dwarf says, we would like to see him recover with speed." The wizard looked her in the eyes. "I would not have summoned this disk for him to rest on and bring him all this way, paying for his room, if I intended him harm."
The kitsune looks between the three for a moment, then gives a small nod. "Alright. But don't lie to me under my own roof again. We're reasonable people here." He softens a bit. "If you need something to aid his recovery, just let me know."
The night passes without incident, Bjorkus nearly falling asleep at his post out of boredom. The party wakes in the morning and Koriat is strong enough to stand and walk on his own, but he looks like an old man on the verge of falling over. He eats his breakfast (in the room) slowly and shakes his head. "I didn't mean to cause you all so much trouble. Years ago I had contacts who could have helped me, but we don't speak anymore..."
Ianna scans him again for magic and is appalled to still find nothing. It has been 21 hours since Koriat has been with the party, and he has cast no spells beyond some cantrips during that time.
Bjorkus is a bit cranky about being up all night and missing another romp with the twins but a hearty breakfast quickly improves his mood. "You strong enough to travel?"
"Koriat, can you tell us why there are no magic auras on your person? Do you know what is suppressing them?"
***************
Ianna performs an Augury.
She takes some runic markers and shakes them in her hands while supplicating her goddess.
"Great goddess Bolka, please reveal to me whether it will endanger or aid those I care about to if I open myself to you so that you may remove the curse from this man."
She casts the runes for weal and woe.
Toramin will consult his map to see if there are libraries or sages in the area.
"You strong enough to travel?"
Koriat shakes his head. "I couldn't go very far in my current state."
"Koriat, can you tell us why there are no magic auras on your person? Do you know what is suppressing them?"
He looks to Ianna, turning his head with a curious expression. "I wear an amulet of proof against detection and location. Why do you ask?"
Ianna performs an Augury...
"Because I'm trying to learn more about your affliction and it would be helpful to see the auras. Would you mind taking it off briefly or would that be too dangerous?"
********
After the Augury, Ianna informs her her friends and brother,
"My goddess has revealed opening myself to her so that she may remove the curse would bring both weal and woe in the near future. Dalton, is this something you want done?"
"Golden Gift, I open myself to your majesty. I pray that you reach through me into this world and remove the curse that afflicts this man."
Koriat shrugs. "I'm not at a secret location and my family isn't a secret anymore, plus the chances of me being found in a few minutes are very slim." He takes off the amulet.
Ianna's spell, unfortunately, fails. Whoever cast the spell is far more powerful than her.
A remove curse spell ends a geas/quest spell only if its caster level is at least two higher than your caster level.