"Since you refuse to give your assessment of them, there would seem to be no point in presenting speculations to you. So. What do you know of these 'masters' who so carefully hid their presence ?"
"I speculate that they are very clever if they can outwit so many for so long," Shifting Sand answers dryly. "I suspect, but cannot prove, that most, if not all of them are long gone from Everway. I speculate that if the 'masters' are this clever then even those whom we have seen are not them, but merely cut-outs in their employ."
"And since you have indulged in considerable speculation yourself, allow me to add a bit. As I refused to give you an assessment of yours you needn't make an assessment of mine. You yourself have stated that the more recent actions of the thieves do not fit with their previous operations, and I concur. Why would this be? Several possible reasons are obvious - perhaps one or more of the Masters stayed behind in Everway for some time, but has now departed, leaving only underlings to carry on. Or perhaps those left in charge of the operation have now been slain. I propose a simple and elegant solution, however - it is the Battlefield weapons themselves which have caused this change in strategy. Certainly it is well known that possessors of such objects tend to seek more violent solutions to any difficulty as time passes. You also mentioned the possibility of leaving Everway in turmoil as a potential method of covering the thieves tracks. I further speculate that Battlefield weapons would do just that, but not instantly. As I understand their workings, the effects of possession are not immediate, but develop over time."
"An interesting - even likely explanation," concedes Measure. "And one that suggests possibilities that we must consider. But it is more important to know why they did not act earlier - were the witnesses unimportant or was there some other reason? It all comes back to our lack of knowledge, Do you know more of their actions, nature and intentions? Or do you have some way of finding out ?"
"Again, more your area than mine - the motives and methods of criminal activity are not my family's specialty. I know nothing of their actions or nature which is not already known to you, and I find your insinuation that we have not yet tried every method available to us to ascertain more to be insulting.
"Do you think that I would insult my own kin?" protests Measure. "I had hoped that you knew more or had some idea as to how more might be discovered. But I fear that this is more your field than mine. Even if I were some criminal mastermind I could tell you little beyond the nature of the break-in or the names of people who might pay for such an item - and even there I feel you would have the advantage since most would also be magicians."
"As to their intentions," continues the Crookstaff, "the most obvious is obviously to steal the Tarot. The question is - why? To discuss that you must understand the nature of the Tarot."
[Here follows a lengthy monologue on the origins of the Fortune Deck, which can pretty much be boiled down to the facts as represented in the Spherewalker's Sourcebook, but which, coming from a Crookstaff, is infinitely drier and more tedious and incomprehensible, and also takes about 45 minutes to get through].
Measure coughs shortly after the introduction. "Your pardon, but whatever stories you may have heard from my cousins I DID pay attention in class."
"The important thing to note, Strangemask, is that almost every sphere that we know of has a Tarot. Not all of them appear as a deck of cards, of course. The natives of Waters Gather, for example, use auguries based on flights of waterfowl, but here the number 36 is still of great importance, and scholars have determined that all the various representations that we know from the tarot exist within their augury method, save for the Usurper which has a different meaning. While the Tarot, in its various forms, is not the only accurate method of prognostication - many deities have offered their own methods to their followers - it is to the best of our knowledge practically a universal one. This being the case one can assume one of two possibilities - first that the Tarot was stolen to deprive Everway of this method of prognostication."
"If this is the case, then there are two possible reasons - first, to weaken or disadvantage Everway in some manner. This seems unlikely to me, for reasons I shall come to in a moment. The second is to promote the prognosticative ability of some method other than the tarot. This would seem to me to be the more likely for this reason - Everway has temples to many deities with prognosticatory powers. In the event of dire emergency the Council could seek out any one, or more, of these for assistance. But whoever was chosen would receive a great deal of influence, possibly becoming as wealthy and influential as the Temple of Mercy or even the Library. The opportunity for such advancement might prove a strong attraction."
"A matter of politics, then," interjects Measure. "Perhaps bribing the Snakerings might produce information on that front."
Shifting Sands continues his lesson. "If not stolen simply because someone wished Everway not to possess such an item, then we may assume that instead someone stole the Tarot specifically because they wished it for themselves. If this is the case we may almost certainly narrow the matter down further, for if, as seems likely, those who stole the tarot had one of their own already, then the object of the theft would be not the deck itself, but rather the one card within that deck with differs from one realm to the next - the Usurper. And if, as seems likely, the thieves came from a land far away, then their object was not simply any Usurper, but ours - else they would have taken a prognostication device closer to their own realm."
"Needless to say, the possibility does exist that there were multiple or mixed motives behind the theft."
The Crookstaff folds his arms and sneers. "Is that information of any assistance, Strangemask?"
"A little. Gilghul identified the shapeshifter we followed as an agent of Chaos, which planned to conquer the Spheres. If correct then Everway and the Pyramid would certainly ber targets. However, his identification rested on the peculiar brutality of the shapeshifter - more so than any I have seen from them in other circumstances.
"What - EXACTLY - did Gilghul tell you of the nature of the creature who pursued him Strangemask?" interupts the Crookstaff. "I believe that you have erred in your interpretation of events, perhaps because that oaf of a warrior gave you incorrect information. His head was thicker than the walls around the city, or so Almost tells me."
Measure concentrates. "He said that the creature was as he was in his past. A knight and herald of Chaos, charged with spreading death and destruction. He may have meant that the creature had somehow become his former self - although I do not know how that could be. That would be your field, though."
The Crookstaff shakes his head. "For an immortal being who's age can be rated in thousands of years, he was certainly ignorant, both of his own nature and of the dangers which exist for an immortal being. Since you say you paid attention in class - Strangemask - a brief explanation will certainly suffice. As you are no doubt aware, throughout the centuries many powerful magics have been laid upon the Crookstaff estates - some greater and some lesser than others. These magics interact, like ingredients poured into a stew pot. Unlike ingredients in a stew pot, however the effects of some of the spells are subject to ebb and flow, so that the 'flavor' of the stew changes from day to day. Add to this the fact that magical research and experimentation is continually ongoing thus affecting the 'flavor' of the stew yet more, and you have quite a volatile mixture, one which requires continual monitoring and adjustment to prevent its boiling over. It is because of this that certain strictures apply to any who enter our estates, and that the exact nature of these strictures changes from day to day."
"Enter Gilghul. A powerful and supernatural being - a Spherewalker - one who has great potential to alter the flavor of the stew. Unknown to us at the time, Gilghul was a being of dual nature - the creature with whom you interacted, the one who was slain in the Sphere of Temple, was but an overlay - a personality which was, shall we say, budded off the original at some point. We now believe that the original Gilghul, the one which yet survives, was an inhabitant of the realm of Change - perhaps even one of the true 'masters', though more likely one of their high level servitors. We believe that this being is vastly older than the Gilghul you knew. At some point in the distant past the personality which you knew as Gilghul developed, and somehow overthrew the original for dominance of the physical being. The battle was a costly one, for it deprived the new personality of most of the memories of the original - you may recall he was obliged to carry stones as a reminder of past memories - and only served to lock the original being away within the psyche of the new. This not even Gilghul himself knew, or else he was ashamed enough not to admit it."
"Sometimes the movements of a tiny stone can begin an avalanche. So it was with Gilghul. On the day he came to us there was a stricture in place against the utterance of one's name. The effect, on common folk, would have been unpleasant but not particularly fatal - a tendency for the personality to subdivide into a moral and an immoral side. It was caused by an ebb in one of our psychic monitoring spells corresponding with an unusually high resonance between... but that is unimportant I suppose. The effects, though unpleasant, would have been temporary. For Gilghul, however, it was disastrous. The original being appears to have been completely devoid of morals. Conditions at the time gave this being a considerable boost in power, and when Gilghul foolishly uttered a proper name this being was granted enough strength to escape from the prison into which the original had cast it thousands of years ago. This being was not a shapeshifter - its only form was that of Gilghul himself - but it was a being of tremendous power, surpassing that even of Gilghul himself."
"Our Usurper is the Walker's Pyramid," muses Measure, "which is a power of Order and also may be particularly potent as a Usurper force since it also embodies the other cards. If the Walker should return with the final stone the missing 36th card would also be represented. I can imagine that if the Walker were close to completing His task there are those who would prevent it. And since the Walker created our tarot it would be strongly linked to him. But this is still speculation. It brings us no closer to knowing where these masters have gone. I suppose you do not know why the shapeshifters obey their masters? Suborning one might be useful if it were possible"
"Why did Riverwalker obey them?" the Crookstaff asks pointedly.
"According to my information," Measure glances at Scroll, "gold and lies. A shapeshifter told him that they wished to retrive a minor religious item from the Library - one to which they supposedly had some claim, such that the theft might be seen as writing a wrong. And on that basis they employed him and Runner Shadowmask who had an interest in such things. There is a detail that hints of sorcery, though. River Walker lost all memory of his introduction at some time in the year following the theft. His reported actions during the theft do not seem to be what I would have expected of him either, but it is dificult to judge that."
"I would suspect that the same may be true for the others who work for those we seek," comments the Crookstaff.
"Gold is easy to come by, lies can be revealed, spells broken. The possibility is there. How do we make it reality? Are our combined resources sufficient ?"
Shifting Sand nods. "For what is left here in Everway, perhaps
in time. Others also work on the case - the Plumes in particular.
We believe that they have had their own run-ins with the shapeshifters
- it is probable that they have eliminated two, though this is - of course
- unconfirmed."
Shifting Sands dryly replies, "The Plumes are a fortress which stands alone, its walls protecting the valuable emeralds inside. They hold themselves aloof from the other families, even to the point of annulling previously agreed to marriages with members of some of the leading families!
"All in the name of upholding their duty. They have no allies, only assistants. Their relationship with our - my - family is strained, and their relationship with yours is practically nonexistent unless you want to count arrest records and the occasional dirty deed in a back alley of Strangerside. They look only to the Emeralds for friendship. I would certainly not recommend you seeking them out, and they would welcome Crookstaffs but little more. "
Shifting Sands is too good at masking his feelings for Measure to get a good grasp of which emotions underlie the apparent hostility to the Plumes. Measure feels that it is necessary to interrupt Shifting Sand's diatribe to divert the conversation to his intended subject.
"Ahem... I was in fact thinking of the Shapeshifters. It's hard to turn someone to our side without communicating with them. But it's so risky that it'll take very careful planning and probably every precaution our two families can come up with together."
Shifting Sand seems more conciliatory - perhaps a good moan at the Plumes was what he needed. "Ah, forgive me colleague - my mind wanders at times. "
Measure's reply (hopefully) works on one thing they have in common. "No matter, you are not the first person I have seen upset by the Plume's arrogance"
Shifting Sand continues: "As I have previously mentioned, we have been unable to capture one alive thus far. The capture of individuals wielding Battlefield weapons is notoriously difficult - only a few have been successfully apprehended alive in all the years since they first made their appearance. Seven - yes, I believe there have been seven. Add to this the fact that it is quite likely that Almost is the only mage in Everway capable of locating such weapons with any degree of success, and that Almost does have other demands on his time and energy, and you can understand why this has been a long and difficult search for us. However, should Almost, or another member of the family, succeed in locating another of these creatures, we shall certainly send to Strangerside for your recommendations and assistance in apprehending her or him."
Measure adds a snippet of information that might be of use. "The spell sold to Scroll seemed effective in stopping one. I wondered if there were less lethal versions. Or if there was a chance that it was not as fatal as it seemed, given the protective qualities of Battlefield armour."
"I am unfamiliar with the exact nature of the device used." Shifting Sand turns to Scroll. "Does some portion of the item remain?"
Scroll shakes his head. "It was an amulet. It was consumed by the spell."
"Likely not an amulet then, but merely a spell shaped like one. I'll check back at the estates. Can't give you more until then."
Measure attempts to elicit any more useful details from Scroll - "It would probably help if you remembered who you bought it from - it was just a death spell, to slay a single person, you asked for, was it not ?"
"I purchased it from a Crookstaff named Terrace, but I believe that she was merely the seller, not the manufacturer."
"Returning to the matter of the Plumes, if only tangentially, perhaps you would be best to visit the estates of the Ripples. They have been working with the Plumes on this matter, of course, and it is doubtful that they themselves hold the Strangemasks in quite the same... regard ... as the Plumes do."
"I do have an excuse for visiting there. I know the location of a Battlefield weapon. I expect you have had enough dead shapeshifters to study, but there may be another there - though perhaps a little....decayed by now.
"I'll ask, but anatomy isn't exactly my forte either. Have you more, or can I repair to my bed at last?"
"You could talk to your cousins Three Faces and Mirror - they helped me on the design of a Mask intended to misdirect Fortune readings. An unfortunate encounter lead to its being smashed, but I believe that it can be repaired to work along similar lines. I have a few notes, and I would like their opinion if that is possible." Measure hands over some papers covered with arcane scrawls.
"I shall certainly speak with them."
"Then I think that's about all for tonight. One final matter. I think the Basahn might be safer in your care. Not only are the Crookstaff estates likely to be better defended, but we are more likely to be visited by the Spherewalkers from the Library - and they are of interest to the shapeshifters. I'd rather avoid attracting their attention until we're ready to act."
To Scroll, he adds, "With your agreement, that is - and if you think you can follow the necessary restrictions."
"I would prefer not," replies Scroll. "I found my one visit ... unsettling. If you are concerned for my safety, however, I might suggest housing me here with the Hosts."
"I will inquire. However it will be their decision, and I will not leave them unaware of the dangers".
"Leaving others unaware of the true nature of a situation in which you count on them for aid is certainly both impolite and unwise," Scroll responds gravely. "In my trading I have often found that forthrightness and honesty is the key to repeat business."
Measure smiles behind his mask at this comment. Then he turns back to Shifting Sand: "And of course, give my regards to my Mother if you see her. I'll try to find time to visit her later, but this business is consuming all of my time."
Shifting Sand merely makes a sour face, nods once, and prepares to depart.
"My thanks for what information you have been able to provide. Should I attempt to contact you directly if there are any developments the Crookstaffs should be made aware of ?"
"You may inquire after me at the Crookstaff family estates, Strangemask," Shifting Sands responds, and makes his exit.
"A thousand times have you blessed me with your welcome. I need to discuss a matter of some importance and some...delicacy...with someone of authority over this house. I regret that the matter is urgent and cannot be delayed until morning"
"Certainly," replies the Host. "Please wait a moment while I summon Generous."
The wait actually stretches into around five minutes before a skinny, gawky man of late middle age - dressed in the robes of the Hosts - enters. He is bald on top, but with a fringe of hair around the sides of his head in a mixture of black and gray. He wears facial hair in an odd cut, with a mustache flowing down into whiskers which trace the sides of his chin and then rise again into thick sideburns. His chin is clean-shaven save for a thin goatee. His head appears a bit too large to be adequately supported by his neck, and his adam's apple is prominent. For all that he is somewhat odd looking he appears friendly enough, with laugh lines around his eyes, and a rather merry gaze and walk. He bows to both Measure and Scroll in turn.
"A Thousand Times," he intones. "I am Generous Host. I am told that you wished to speak to me on a matter of some delicacy. Would the room in which you just met be sufficiently discreet?" He holds out one hand to indicate the entrance to the mentioned room.
Measure bows in return. "A Thousand Times have you guarded my side. Yes, the room will serve. There is nothing to say that has not already been said there".
Measure returns to the room, and waits for Generous and Scroll to join him.
When they have, and everyone is settled.
"My companion here", gesturing in Scroll's direction, "is in danger of his life from certain... enemies of this city. They are very dangerous and responsible for a number of murders. I need somewhere safe for him to stay where I hope he will not come to their attention. Our own estates are not safe - their eyes will turn our way and even our security is not sufficient to guarantee his safety. Understand that if you agree to house him your people will be placed at risk of their lives and perhaps even their souls. I hope that the risk is small, but it is still much to ask of you. What do you say ?"
"We do not do such things ourselves, but others of our family do. I am certain accommodations can be made."
Negotiations are short and to the point. Scroll will hopefully be kept safe - but where he can be located when Measure needs him.
After the deal is concluded Measure turns to Scroll. "One last thing. Could you write a short letter asking us to look after your shop in your absence ? It would make it easier for us to deal with what you left there.
Scroll shakes his head. "I have already made arrangements." he replies.
"The business we are concerned with requires that we have free access to your shop. I prefer to have written permission. Why balk at so simple a request ?"
"In the past my association with the Strangemasks has not been public knowledge, and those with whom I trade are frequently individuals who have certain prejudices against the current Strangemask enterprises in Strangerside. Surely you recognize that signing such a document would damage my reputation with anti-Strangemask factions, and consequently reduce the amount of information that I can offer in the future?"
"If you were concerned with that, you should have accepted the disguise you were offered. Don't fool yourself into thinking that pulling a hood over your head will protect your identity from anyone who knows you. If you like you can hint that you were 'persuaded' to go to us for protection. But when I deal with the forces of law and order I like appearances to be correct".
"There is considerable difference between a clandestine meeting, witnessed by few people in the darkness and easy to deny or excuse away, and a physical document with my signature attached. It goes without saying, of course, that you could simply have such a thing forged. It now occurs to me that my usefulness to your organization, and to my people here, is now nearing its end. It is, perhaps, time that I left Everway - by means of one of the gates this time. If you wish you may simply purchase my shop from me, and do with it as you will. I would, however, be most appreciative if you would give me some idea of how long you intend to keep me here before allowing me my leave." He raises one hand to forestall immediate comment. "I understand that I am not prevented from leaving at any time I so choose, I merely wish to know how long you wish me to stay."
"You will find that people are often all too happy to believe the worst. A letter granting access to your shop, to inspect it for a potential purchase would do. And we would like you to remain in Everway for some time I fear. While dealing with the current troubles must come first, your testimony would be useful in showing that Runner Shadowmask was only a dupe, acting on her own initiative. While formally testifying might prove personally awkward to you, your information may still prove useful if the right people hear it".
"Very well," responds Scroll. "It shall be as you desire."
The first, part of the same party that No Neck belonged to, reports that upon arriving at the Library of All Worlds Flamefeather, Shekkara and Mercy entered. Around ten minutes later some sort of scuffle broke out within the Library compound. Flamefeather and Shekkara were seen to exit the main gate, pursued by members of the Librarians Militant. They were headed roughly in the direction of the center of the city, but there was considerable pursuit, primarily by the Watchers though Plumes were also spotted, and the Masks lost track of the two near the Walkers Pyramid. Mercy was not seen to exit the Library.
The second, part of the Mask forces who generally keep an eye on Strangerside, reports that the Librarian Dancer was apprehended by the Plumes in a riverside tavern. There was some sort of confrontation with one or more of the Librarians companions, but no bloodshed. The Plumes took the Librarian through the Keeper watchpoint across the river, but the Keepers then stopped traffic for ten minutes, so continued surveillance was not possible. Most likely they were headed for the Imperial dungeons, but that's speculation.
Measure directs his intelligence sources to listen out for any information on the reasons for Dancer's arrest, and also that a watch should be kept out for Flamefeather and Shekkara.
Then he goes to bed. It's been a long day.