Silver requests Starry check on Seamus

Characters in this scene: Silver, Starry, Seamus

**SilverWolf (DM to StarryEyedSeer):** So you remember who I was asking you to check on but said no? Do you think you could actually check on him this time?

**StarryEyedSeer (DM to Silver):** It'll probably annoy him a bit, but I can do it. What kind of checking in are you looking for? Actual far-seeing will take more power and prep time, but I can get some vague information from the connection itself if that's all you need.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Honestly I most want to be able to contact him. ... Unfortunately he's under a lot of Wards, as I recall, which makes checking on him via Connection annoying. I'd take general information, but if you can do a far-seeing I would very much appreciate it.

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** I'm prepping for the far-seeing now. Do you know if he has a way to get places quickly or attack people remotely? The thing I'm about to do isn't inherently harmful, but it could definitely be seen as hostile, and it might let him know my location.

**SilverWolf (DM):** His only source of fast travel, to my knowledge, currently wants to attack him. He specifically has issues with travelling. Many of them.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Oh. He can arguably send his familiar, but unless you're highly abusive, I don't think she can hurt you.

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** That's probably for the best, at least for my sake. Before I start, we should probably talk about whether I get anything out of this? I don't mind helping people, but doing it for free is bad business practice. It sounds like you haven't been in a great position to give people stuff lately, so how does information on how to use glamour sound? I haven't used it for much more than minor touch-ups, but if you could teach me how to use it for curses, that would be a good addition to my metaphorical toolbox.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I was wondering when payment would come up. Hmm. Unfortunately, I don't actually know how to use it for curses; my expertise is shapeshifting and craftsmanship, with a few other tricks. I know something of coping with and modifying curses, if that's useful.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Alternatively, expanding your expertise with Glamour when it comes to changing yourself or items should be within my abilities.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Arguably my expertise with metaphors could be repurposed for curses, thinking about it...

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** Does using it to transform other people fall under that? I'm really just looking for a new offensive trick, my chosen practices don't really lend themselves to that.

If not, I could settle for a lesson in how not to fuck up when transforming myself.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Unfortunately, whilst I do know how to do that, transforming other people requires their consent... at least, implied consent, unless they've been using Glamour themselves. (Also, I don't think that I could teach you to become sufficient of an expert to do so fast enough under combat circumstances.)

**SilverWolf (DM):** However, if what you want to do is weaponise Glamour, I definitely know how to do that. It's not about using it on people, its about choosing what weapons to use and controlling the environment. Also, a great deal of deception about what your weapons actually are.

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** That sounds good. I perform one far-seeing to check on your friend, and you teach me how to weaponize glamour. Deal?

**SilverWolf (DM):** I'll teach an appropriate level of detail compared to how much information I receive. Agreed.

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** Great, I'll go ahead and get started.

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** Another message comes through about thirty minute after they say they'll start.

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** I think the wards might have been too strong, sorry.

**SilverWolf (DM):** A shame. A small tip, then; Glamour dragged along the floor, pressed into it, can most certainly be used to make it rather melty and smushy; good for escape routes, interrupting things. Not explicitly combat-based, but useful for retreats or battlefield prep.

Starry stands in the middle of a large chalk diagram, an antique astronomical telescope sitting in the center of it. They repeat the name "Seamus Dougherty" three times, establishing a tenuous connection. They activate their Sight and begin strengthening the connection with Glamour, stopping when they've consumed the entire handful. Finally, they clear their throat and begin to speak in a commanding tone.

"Seamus Dougherty. Resident of Tecumseh, War Mage and Warden, Practitioner to the Fisherwoman Alornerk. By your name, by the three facts I have listed, and by the connection I have forged between us, I bid you to appear before me, or else concede your position and allow me to See you despite the distance between us."

*Five hours later*

[You hear a truck screech to a halt on the nearest road]

Starry's eyes go wide, and they dial their Sight back up to full to check their connection to Seamus. "Oh shit, fuck, shit."

There are three knocks on the door.

They sprint to the door and yank it open. Seamus sees a mostly-androgynous college-aged person, their blue-dyed curly hair their most distinguishing feature, wide-eyed and panicked. Words spill out of their mouth in a frantic tumble.

"Hey before you beat me up with War Mage magic or whatever it is you're going to do your friend Silver asked me to check on you and this was the best way I knew how I didn't think you'd actually show up oh god fuck."

The man at the door is dressed in flannel and jeans, with a large hitchhiker's backpack on his back. He's cleanly shaven, and almost every inch of his skin is covered in black tattoos in the shape of diagrams or symbols. A large, scraggly crow is perched on his shoulder. His facial expression is blank. "You called."

This seems to break them out of their ramble, but they still seem appropriately freaked out. They straighten up and take a second to catch their breath.

"Um. Yeah. Like I said, Silver asked me to check on you. And she paid me. So I did the best thing I knew to let me check on you. Um. Are you going to fight me?"

"I'm considering it. That was a binding. Could be called a win, even, since you gave me two choices I didn't like and made me pick one." His expression isn't changing. "She's checking up on me, you say?"

"Ah, yeah, she said she was concerned because you were acting out of character."

They fidget, tugging at the hem of their jacket.

"Do, uh, do you think we could call it a draw if I also didn't want you to pick that option?"

"Did she say that was the only reason?"

"That was what she said the first time she asked me to do this, and then she said never mind because she figured out what was going on with you, which she didn't elaborate on, but I kind of guessed based on context and some stuff she said on OMO. She didn't give a reason this time. I don't think she said if there were or weren't any other reasons."

"I see." The man pauses for a second, as if thinking about something.

Something that looks like scrap metal hammered into the shape of a gun appears in the man's hand. "Give me your phone, please."

"Fuck, okay, I guess we're doing this now? Do you at least want to come inside so the neighbors won't see this? I'm going to reach into my pocket for the phone now."

They slowly reach into their pocket and pull out their phone.

"Don't want to rob someone in the comfort of their own home, thank you." He extends an open palm.

They carefully place the phone in his hand.

"I'll be a bit. Don't wander off too far." The man turns around, sits down on the steps, as if he's already forgotten you're there. He starts dialing, fiddles with the volume, then holds the phone up to his ear. Strangely, it seems to stop half an inch before it makes contact with his skin.

[Silver’s phone rings]

Silver blinks out of the fuzz of crafting, eyeing her phone. “Starry? What the fuck?” Silver taps it, bringing it to her ear. “Hi there, what’s up?”

"You put this person in a position I don't think they intended to be in, Miss Woods."

“... Who the fuck are you and what did you do?”

"I'm Seamus. They called. I answered. I nicked their phone."

There's a pause. "Seamus. ... Are you going to give the phone back, or am I going to have to buy them a new one?"

"I don't really need a second phone. But I thought it was best to take it. The spirits are watching. Don't want them to think I just let this kind of thing happen to me."

Nearby, Glory's eyes widen. She leaps off the bed and presses her ear against Silver's near the phone. She presses a single finger up to her lips, glancing over at Silver.

"... That's not really an answer, but I guess I'll find out later." Silver glares at Glory, shifting away. "So, since I guess Starry's not going to tell me, how are you doing lately? I'd have texted, but, y'know, not very interested in talking to a Worm."

"I've got a Worm. I'm dizzy, I'm irritable, my limbs feel heavier than they should, and now I've had to drive for five hours."

Glory's eyes widened in surprise.

"... Well. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, I really did just want to check in on you. Natalie sounded very threatening, in the public chat. Talking about how someone she knew was ill, suggesting she really doesn't like you, stuff like that. Given what I know about your town, which is far less than I'd prefer, that's rather concerning, hmm? Why are you sticking around?"

"I've got a house I've been preparing to withstand a siege for the last three years, here. Not to mention anyone who makes a move has to leave their own territory undermanned. Even if I had somewhere else to go in mind, odds are I'd be safer on my own turf." He sighs. "I... didn't think she'd actually use the account. Shit."

"Oh, she's definitely using it. And Stella was on the chat at the same time, too. And I believe Natalie has figured out... well, not exactly what's wrong with you. What did she say again, gimme a sec..." Silver taps at her phone. "... I think she mostly just figured out that something was wrong with you. So, y'know, bad times, don'tcha think?"

"Who the fuck told her?"

Glory quickly steps away from Silver and the phone, and puts on her headphones. She then quickly types in her phone, and shows it to Silver:

Don't tell him I'm here

Don't tell him it was me

Silver rolls her eyes and flips Glory off. "No one told her straight up, far as I can recall. She seems to be relatively intelligent. As I said, she mentioned someone she knew was sick. I imagine that's you."

"Someone talked. I haven't been seen by people who aren't Alornerk for the past week, until I got in my truck and drove here."

Glory was visibly worried, and pacing around the room.

"Someone talked, yeah, people do that a lot. If you want to know what people've been saying on the internet, try getting that Worm dead faster. Then I won't have to pay knowledge just to get you on the phone, now, will I? How much did you traumatise Starry, anyway? They've been useful. I don't want them to think working with me is a horrible idea."

"If you put them up to this? It was a horrible idea, Silver. How the fuck did you think I was going to react to being bound?"

"... What the hell did they do?"

Glory stopped pacing, and looked over to Silver with a raised eyebrow.

"Put a binding on me. Gave me a choice between ceding their eyes privileges, or appearing in front of them as soon as I could manage." Seamus looks over his shoulder at Starry. "... I didn't hurt them?"

They've forced themself to relax somewhat, but they're still white-knuckling the armrest of the chair.

"I mean, you definitely scared me and you still very much are, but you haven't actually physically done anything to me, so no?"

"... they say I haven't hurt them." He raises what would be an eyebrow, if he had those, at Starry. "You dealt with any fae of the Bright Spring, recently? It might explain why you thought this was a good idea if you have."

"... I keep forgetting about that. Ugh. Yes, I am currently Glamour-intoxicated, and yes, it is very very annoying. Nonetheless, I did not know how they were checking on you. I made a few assumptions that it wouldn't be something that would piss you off that much, or at least that they'd be far enough away not to worry about you given how busy you are at the moment. I didn't realise they were within... what did you say. Five hours' drive? Seriously?"

"I was talking to the augur, actually. Though your idea was also daft."

"Oh. Not technically an augur- uh, but that's not really important right now. The only fae stuff I know I've dealt with recently was trading something for glamour from Silver. And I did warn Silver that it could been seen as hostile and that you'd know where I am! She said you had a lot of issues with traveling! I didn't think a normal person would want to drive for five hours to get here in person, let alone one with traveling issues. This was just supposed to be a quick, remote look with my Sight."

They're not actually shouting, they don't want to put any strain on the connection blocker. They're just putting more emphasis.

Seamus looks forward again. "They say they haven't knowing dealt with the fae, possibly excepting you, recently. So this might not be Grey's. Might just be coincidence."

"Literally intoxicated with Bright Spring Glamour, arguably everything I do lately has been fucked up by him. It's annoying. But yes, unfortunately, sometimes things just fuck up even when he's not being unfriendly. Not the point, I'll pay them appropriately since they managed to get me what I wanted even if not how I wanted. So... you're concluded not dead, I am pretty sure I've managed to warn you that I'm quite sure Natalie is actually going to take various bad-for-you steps... Anything else..." Silver taps at her phone thoughtfully, and Glory gets a DM.

*I expect he'll be pissed, but for fuck's sake, I want to tell him about the Stella ceasefire. Alright?*

Glory looks down at her phone, stares at for a moment, thinking to herself. She then types into it, and holds it up for Silver to read:

*No. If he's going to learn it from anyone, it should be me. I made this choice. I'll tell him. But not now. In-person, face-to-face, when we fight.*

She's shaking her head "No".

*And how long away is that, exactly? How long are we leaving him hanging?*

"Natalie couldn't take me on before. I suppose I might find out what's making her so confident if she tries again now. Thank you for the warning, I suppose. Is there anything else?"

Glory types into her phone again.

*Soon. After the meeting.*

*Fucking hell, Glory, it'd be better be soon. If its not I might just tell him anyway.*

"Still haven't made your box. Is there anything in particular you'd like me to do with it? Promises you require before you'll accept it?"

"I'd like it to not be some variety of trap, subtle or otherwise. I should be going. Connection blockers are wearing out. "

"Wasn't planning on a trap." Silver sighs. "I'm glad to have gotten to talk to you, at least. Please take care of yourself. I'll be upset if you die. Going to give Starry their phone back?"

"No." Seamus hangs up. He places the phone on the step. "I don't need this, anymore. I abandon this property." He turns to face Starry again. "I'm not going to hold today's events so far against you. I would advise you against attempting something like this again, where I'm concerned." He pauses. "... have a good evening, I suppose?"

"Um. You too?"

"Mhm". Seamus walks back to his truck. He gets in, does an illegal u-turn, and starts driving back the way he came.

Starry grabs their phone off the step, goes back inside, and locks the door. They sit down and start typing very carefully.

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** Hey, could you elaborate on what you meant by many issues with traveling?

**SilverWolf:** I most certainly could. I did not realise you were within five hours of him. I don't think his travelling issues apply when the distance is that short.

My sincere apologies for the trouble. I'll prepare a thorough explanation of the various ways I can and have used Glamour in combat.

**SilverWolf:** Did you get your phone back?

**StarryEyedSeer (DM):** I have it now. The connections on it are different than when I gave it to him, hopefully I can fix that somehow.

**SilverWolf:** Very sorry. Seamus is a... difficult individual. Okay. Glamoured combat.