Of Relic and Rebels
4rd of February 2007 A.D.
What are you planning Lyr Half Tongue? A question cast across the threads of fate, not one whose answer you had expected to recognize that was on the other end, a shadowed chapel streaked with oblique light, framed by images and symbols of the Passion of Christ: olive branches, crowns of thorns, passion flower and the Titulus crucis... the Shroud of Turin which your father had protected from the Denarians three years back.
But how would he...? you blink returning to yourself and Usum, ever the helpful councilor, opines:
"Not of Turin... He does not know where the relic might be Majesty, but he has faith that it still is and in this world of empires fallen how much easier would be be to claim than from the vaults of Basileia Rhomaion."
Lost 1 Essence -> Now at 13/15 (Crown of Eyes)
Regained 2 Essence -> Now at 15/15 (Urge of the Forbidden)
The Shroud alone would not wake Arthur from his deathly slumber, that much is sure. The centerpiece of a rite though, one with the weight of Essence behind it... Gwair's green hair speaks to the essence of life Mabon of stone, Lyr himself is hard to judge, but he has daring. Be honest with yourself Molly, daring enough to steal it.
"We are going to need a few moments to decide," Lydia's voice cuts through your thoughts.
Thunk, the stone lid closes. Olivia and to a lesser extent Daniel look shocked, but Tiffany just turns to you to ask: "What did you see?"
"He's planning to go after the Shroud of Turin... well he doesn't know it is in Turin, but that's not important. How long do you think it will take him to figure out the internet?"
"Oh..." She exhales and just looks at you for a moment in pure disbelief, then she starts to laugh for lack of other words. "Well, let it not be said that history doesn't fall in comedic rhyme."
"They could probably do it," Lydia offers thoughtfully. "Most of the wards will be aimed at common enemies of the Church, demons, vampires, maybe warlocks. No one will really be expecting me to just let them loose."
"But..." It is not often that your brother does a deer in the headlights impression. The last time you remember was when he one of his friends put a baseball though Mrs Evens' window two years ago. He knew confessing was right, but he also really didn't want to deal with her. You'd lied him out of that one. "You should make them promise not to mess with that too."
"I doubt they mean the Shroud any harm once they put it to use," your friend points out, clearly not seeing herself as the guardian of other people's relics. "Given who Arthur was mayhap the White God still has need of him, or enough fondness not to meddle in the plans of his retainers."
"That's not how it works, God loves everyone," Daniel starts to explain, but before he can go much further Tiffany interjects having recovered her composure.
"If they are going to make the attempt it is more than the Church they should guard against. The Order of the Blackened Denarius would love nothing more than to claim it for a far less wholesome purpose."
"See, she agrees with me..." your bother starts to speak over the once-Fallen Angel, not noticing the beginnings of a smile.
"Oh dear no, I was going to propose we help the knights do it and set a trap of our own. A year is quite a long time to train and to prepare, to learn the strengths of the three and hone our own and when the hour comes pretend you are blindsided, not a single word spoken of this outside this prison, old an empty it may be, but its wards are carved deep. Hardly could you find a better place to plot such a trap, all the more so since we have all come here quite by chance."
"So let me get this straight, the other twenty nine silver coin people... demons in your story, you want to screw them over? Catch them out?" Olivia asks.
"Lasciel is still very much still part of my troubles, a fraction of a fraction I am, but some things I still recall. When Imariel and Laratessa wish to be free of the oppressive sight of Anduriel they often wander though grey death lands such as these, not because he cannot follow, but because he rarely does. It pains him for... some reason I did not retain the memory of."
"As the present keeper of this realm that's good to know," Lydia offers.
Daniel isn't arguing anymore. There's an equally familiar look in his eye, determination. It would have to be a
particularly full year for him for you to even consider taking him along against the Denarians, but you have seen stranger happenings.
"Count me in," Olivia says quietly. "Sounds like these are the biggest baddest monsters out there. Worth doing and once it's done worth telling the White Council as well."
What does Molly think of the whole plan?
[] Too dangerous, offer the knights release, but only if they promise not to seek the Shroud either (Will reveal that you performed very powerful divination unnoticeable somehow)
[] Release them under the conditions previously agreed to, you have a year to observe them before deciding on if you want to go with Tiffany's idea of luring the Denarians in the open
[] Sounds like a plan, explain it to them here, behind the wards of the Caer Sindi
[] Write in
OOC: Tiffany knows the Denarians are gunning for her so seeing an oportunity she is gunning for them. Ball's in your court. 
