[WFRP2e] The Power of One - Part 2 - "Transire Benefaciendo"

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni


Taalia's mind was a hive of activity as she inspected both the body and reflected on her knowledge of the arcane arts, and how they applied to her particular situation.

Her immediate and initial thought was that what she had encountered was a ghostly apparition, and decaying house was home to a necromancer who was using it as his haven of private research with the occassional acquirement of the odd tomb robber here and there.

But when given time to think and reflect on what she knew, on what Andreatto had taught her, the shepardess' mind started to change.

Ghostly spectres were terrifying. All who encountered them spoke as such. Yet the one she had received in that dining hall had been uncomfortable, until it actively performed a gesture of intimidation. One that, much to the chagrin of Taalia's pride, had worked.

Secondly, having reflected on her prior notice of the odd dimensions of the houses external apparent size compared with its internal space...such dimensional alterations were not really known this far south from the realm of chaos. Were she travelling in the north of Kislev, where Andreotto had assured her that magic and the touch of chaos was much, much stronger, then it would be little wonder that reality itself would shift and warp in fantastical ways. But this far south? No, her mind was being deceived.

And thirdly, the body of the tomb robber. Though she felt sympathy for the lad for having died in such a horrible way, as one human to another, she had a more neutral position on his demise, as he was, after all, a grave robber. The family that once inhabited this house had fled and this man had come in, armed with information and targets, to steal their possessions. He was a thief, profiting from others misfortune. Yet, he had died horribly, perhaps in a way that was disproportionate to his crimes. Therefore, Taalia had a more neutral disposition towards him, and as she inspected his body and noticed the killing blow being delivered by a short sword, she thought back to that ghost: it sure as Myrmidia's boots wasn't wielding a blade. Such wounds would not be caused by the ethereal, nor would a fresh cadaver be allowed to decay beneath the touch of time were an active necromancer in the vicinity.

With all of this considered, Taalia came to one conclusion: this was the work of Grey Magic, the Winds of Ulgu.

She needed to find a way to disbelieve or pierce the veil of the shadowmancers illusions in order to escape. But even then - was the shadowmancer still alive? Or was she encountering the residue of a trap or prior mind game that he had played, yet lingered on long after his own death? Either possibility was terrifying, but admittedly the latter could be more securely navigated due to the absence of an active antagonistic agent who wielded the most deceptive of the winds of magic working against her.

Hearing the shuffling nearby, Taalia froze, but chose not to look directly at the thing.

Once again, were it an ethereal spirit, why would it 'pause' ? Why would it fear her detection of its presence? Were it an actual ghost, it would simply phase through the walls, unimpeded by material barriers, and sink its ghostly hands into her body and rip her soul from within.

But that's not what happened.

It paused in its hunt, seemingly concerned that it was being detected.

Why would an ethereal, untouchable ghost be so concerned?

Unless it wasn't.

She had two options: find a way to escape, or confront the illusion, or at least, confront it in such a way that informed the nearby generator of her innocence, or at least, worthiness of being allowed to part. Afterall, what if she escaped this house, but the agitated wizard came after Cestie and Bella?

She still needed time to think, Taalia knew she did not have at her disposal the means to confront the wizard. Remaining quiet, she rose from her kneeling position and slowly started to make her way back to the opposite door, intent on vanishing back into the labyrinth, and search for a way to penetrate the illusionary terrain and make an escape.