Bibliophilia [LM7]

[Thaddeus]

Bowing without taking his eyes off the doctor he responds, "The name's Thaddeus. Now, since you're so tight with your time, how 'bout we get to it and you can give us the book."

[Flession]

"Unfortunately, Thaddeus was not the name of its previous owner, so I feel no obligation to hand such a thing over to you. The previous owner was named Jonn, and Rhaunades before him. Both are, as you have said, now in the dead-book. Furthermore, I doubt your mind could handle it, and who knows what sort of dangerous things you would do with it. I can assure you, the book is in capable hands until this owner business is sorted out. Which isn't any of you, by apparence sake."

[Thaddeus]

Although angered, Thad would not be goaded by Ridnir, "Rhaunades and John are the names of two of the thieves who stole the tome. Since you know so much 'bout it, I doubt you'd want the 'riginal owner to send his less than friendly proxies here to reclaim what's his.

If the capable hands you want to hide behind belong to your underwriter, Darkwood, you don't seem foolish 'nough to think he wouldn't turn stag the first opportunity he gets, much less needs.

Exactly what kind of research are you doing for him down here? Not exactly his interest takin' care of bashers in the Hive."

-----
Paying particular attention to his reaction when I bring up Darkwood.

[Flession]

"Darkwood..." He rolls his eyes. "I have no ally of him. They simply ensure I have enough funding for my research, and I give them the results. This book has shown me many things that will improve my techniques and knowledge of the humanoid anatomy. The Fated would only benefit from book in that way alone."

He raises his eyebrows at him. "Unless, of course, you plan on telling them about what I have, I don't plan on letting them I have it. Though, if you do, it would only confirm that giving you the book is a terrible idea. But to your other point, should the Efreeti come to claim it, I would happily return it. I did promise to her, after all, I would. But until then..." He glances at his clock again. "3 minutes."

[Thaddeus]

Feeling a bit of doubt, Thaddeus thinks back to the prediction he'd received this morning. If not Darkwood's scheme, was the attack on the Festhall orchestrated by the Rilmani then? Was this all a ploy to maneuver them like pawns on the board?

"Who is she to whom you've made promises? And if you aren't an agent of Darkwood, what exactly were you and that book doin' evenin' of 4th Guild?"

[Flession]

Feeling a bit of doubt, Thaddeus thinks back to the prediction he'd received this morning. If not Darkwood's scheme, was the attack on the Festhall orchestrated by the Rilmani then? Was this all a ploy to maneuver them like pawns on the board?

"Who is she to whom you've made promises? And if you aren't an agent of Darkwood, what exactly were you and that book doin' evenin' of 4th Guild?"

"I promised Sister Cade I would return it when the proper owner has made claim to it. Given what I've begun to understand about this book, it is a good thing I stumbled across it when I did. Imagine someone less...having possession of this book. As to your question, the 4th of Guild I was experimenting with the book that evening, only to discover the true dangers of it. It was like a storm was chasing me wherever I went when I tried to cast a spell I learnt from the book. After that, I ceased learning any spells I could from it and have merely explored the pages for research and knowledge."

Elsewhere, L'Orr-hui's magical eye continues to sweep thru the floors, going down the slide and into the lake itself, which was filled with corpses wrapped in cloth.

[Thaddeus]

As Ridnir recounts the night of the bacchanalia, Thad's hand finds its way up to his chin and over his mouth, as though it's trying to stop all the derisive comments brewing inside from escaping. When the doctor finishes, Thad's hand slides away from his mouth and down to his neck, still hanging on in some struggle for restraint.

"Do you know... how many lives, how much history and tradition, the sheer magnitude of effort you almost destroyed with your experiment? We're here, I am here as a proxy for Factol Montgomery, whose faction headquarters you nearly brought down and here as an agent tasked with retrievin' this tome for the proper owner. I must insist you turn it over, or you will find out the true danger of harborin' that book. As Rhaunades and John did.

If you thought Darkwood finding out you had the book was a terrible idea, imagine what the collective factions would do to a berk runnin' 'round doin' experiments with somethin' with that much power?

In difference to your efforts here and the intentions I trust you had, we can let this matter rest. Once you've handed over the book."

[Flession]

"So what you're saying to me is that, and please, correct me if I've misunderstood something. You diminish the pursuit of understanding because of a few buildings had some acid rain poured on them, not exactly a rare weather event in Sigil. After that, you've chosen to indirectly threaten my life to convince me that you're going to be the one to secure this book back for the Society of Sensations, who live to experience all things. And the Sensates, they are just going to...give it back to the Efreeti without even considering opening the book or read anything within it. And you base this on nothing but your word."

He leans down to your eye level to look you right in your eyes, his emotions still uninterested. "Did I summarize everything sufficiently?"

[Thaddeus]

snip

"Your pursuit of understandin' would've wiped out the Festhall and who knows what else if it weren't for these cutters." Thad indicates the others present in the room.

"My duty to the Society is to track down the cause of that attack and ensure there won'tbe an encore. And you've already admitted you're still exploring the pages for research, so you haven't scanned a damn thing.

As far as my intentions with the book, I've seen what happens to berks that mess 'round with it. I'm not addle-coved 'nough to tempt it. Can't 'sperience a thing if some barmy book scrambles your brain-box.

So I'm not askin' again. Hand. Over. The book."

[Akh Uur Hoon]

"You're getting ahead of yourself, Thaddeus." Akh decided to intercede. "Our host is right that you are hardly impartial and he has every reason to doubt your intentions, especially with how aggressive, resentful and desperate you seem to have become. This isn't about redress. What needs to be done with the Codex is not to let it pass hands again, but to effectively neutralise it. I don't know how familiar you are with the book's background, Master Ridnir, but its track record is clear - the will permeating it cannot be trusted. It has ensnared, manipulated and used up those wiser and more powerful than any of us here, like archmage Tzunk. I had a glimpse of it when I retrieved John's last thoughts. We need our collective wisdom in determining how to put it to rest. Returning it to the Efreeti is one option, as before it came into Rhaunades' possession they had had a very good track record of keeping it isolated for several centuries. Please, Master Ridnir, see beyond the cursed promises of the tome. Each of us carries some distant dreams and faces insurmountable odds we see little path forward with without miraculous means. But everything comes at a cost. An with terrible power, the cost is likewise, and unpredictably exacted."