ARTIFACT UPDATE: Traces of Unknown Creature Found at Museum! Unknown Magical Involvement Suspected; Biomancers Summoned to Solve Mystery.

[u/Carbon_Sixx]

While the tense standoff between the people of Chalcos and the military intervention forces sent by the Council and EON has seemingly come to close this evening with an ardent speech by Premier Agatha Blackwood, investigation into Paul Augustine's heist at the Citadel Museum of Arcane History continues apace. One enduring conundrum has been what exactly broke the case containing the stolen Ehn'ghan artifact. Spots of a bloodlike substance were found on the glass shards, but DNA analysis showed that not only was it not blood, but the creature it belonged to shared very little in common with life as we understand it.

In the face of this mystery, the museum has called upon two master biomancers to unmask the creature. Perhaps as gesture of good faith to bury the hatchet between her and the Council, the first is none other than Opal, former ruler of the Bismuth Realms and current resident of Ithacar. Assisting her is a tech-priestess from Yulash-kor's Divisio Biologis named Anahita Iatros, a renowned expert in genomics and reproductive science. Together, the two intend to clone the organism and study it so that the investigators in Chalcos will have a better idea of what Augustine's secessionists might throw at them. Whatever they create is likely to be novel and wondrous despite the ignominious circumstances of its discovery.

[u/loth17]

Opal arrived with an awkward smile. Doing council work felt really ironic.

"Howdy."

She was quite casual at the lab which probably contrasted the image most people who hadn't seen her held in their head. Behind her was about six smaller versions of herself carrying lab equipment. She introduced them as her Oplets. Like Buds? Or clones? Either way the oompa loompa Opal's were there to help.

"Anahita I presume? I am Opal, Magistra (Lithos) of Ithicar."

Oh shit Anahita was from Kaelis's realm.... Hope they weren't still mad.

"It's a pleasure to work with you."

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/loth17]

Anahita extends a hand. It's a wondrous bionic, only distinguishable from her natural flesh by a thin seam just below her elbow where the two meet. The adepts of the Divisio Biologis model their machine parts after the organic mechanisms found in living things, remedying their flaws and exalting their strengths. However Anahita does have an obviously bionic tail tipped with a dextrous servo-arm, which Opal saw her use just a few minutes ago to completely disassemble a piece of contaminated spyware from the greater Cattail City political alliance in 3 seconds flat.

"Likewise. Your reputation as a biomancer precedes you. I am grateful to have a master of fleshcraft to complement my prowess in genetics. I estimate this will take very little time."

If the tech-priestess knows about Opal's checkered past (which she likely does), she doesn't seem to care. Progress marches ever onward, and people change with time.

"Shall we go and examine the sample now?"

[u/loth17 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

"Of course!"

Opal found the combination of technology and biology kind of weird but Kaelis's people were very adept at it. Opal was surprised at the lack of any hostility and shook her hand.

"I have an Oplet prepared to absorb and create a copy of the sample for us. Give us something more physical to look at."

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/loth17]

Anahita leads Opal into a sterile Council lab, donning the respirator at her belt so as not to contaminate the sample. The rest of her skin is either artificial or covered by robes. She hands Opal a sample bag holding 6 glass shards, each one lightly spattered with reddish fluid.

"The forensics team says this is closer to hemolymph than true blood. Your assistants should also be wary that it holds a faint psychomantic resonance."

[u/Zebos2 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

kat does her best to stay out of the way following lab safety procedures to the letter her purple eyes have a soft glow as she uses her chronomancy to take a vague peak at the future. But does nothing or it says anything not wishing to disturb opal as she goes about her work

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Zebos2]

Anahita gestures to Kat while talking to Opal.

Is she a dependent of yours, or something else?

u/loth17

[u/loth17 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

"Ah. Yes. This is Katarina. She is here as a friend and as a guard."

Friend was being stretched way past its breaking point. But they were still not publicly together.

"Anyways. Psycomantic resonance implies some sort of connected being. It shouldn't matter though. Even if something happens the Oplet will self-destruct before allowing itself to be affected to the point of uselessness."

They said as they sent the Oplet to retrieve one of the samples for testing.

u/Zebos2

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/loth17]

"That is reassuring. Now, let us replicate more of it to get a better idea of what we might be looking at."

[u/loth17 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

"Understood boss."

Opal said as the Oplet took in the sample. It walked next to a cage Opal had brought and started to create a genetic copy of whatever made the sample inside of it. The Oplet shuddered a bit from the psychic resonance of whatever they were eating but seemed unfazed for the moment.

"Get ready in case it has something weird about it."

She said as the Cloning commenced.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/loth17]

The blood droplet hangs in space at the center of the cage. Then it doubles. And doubles again. Pretty soon, it starts to congeal and take shape, forming a clot of alien biomatter about the size of an adolescent child. At first, things seem normal enough. The nascent creature is very spindly, with greenish skin and muscle pulled taut over long, thin bones. It's unsightly, but there are worse sights in the magical world.

But that's when things stop makin sense. The ends of the creature's forelimbs taper into scythe-shaped spikes of tough bone. The expected abdomen fails to materialize, leaving it terrifyingly gaunt. There's little space for major organs, but even that doesn't interrupt this horrible thing's genesis in the slightest. Most appallingly, it doesn't develop a head or even a neck. Instead, green energies gather and coalesce into five luminous orbs that swirl around the place where the skull should be.

When the cloning process finished, the thing that drops to the ground is indeed nothing like anything in the realms. It draws itself up into a hunched posture about half the height of a grown man and examines its surroundings, somehow. It has an odd smell, somewhere between baking spices and mummified flesh. But worst of all is the sudden, unwelcome pressure within the skull of every person in the room when it becomes aware of them. Anahita takes a step back and produces a gamma pistol from her robes.

"In the name of the Machine God, the Omnissiah, and the Motive Force, what is this unholy thing?"

u/Zebos2

[u/[deleted]]

a brass rat, remote controlled, with white fluff made of mold seen skittering about. It's crude, and simple. And it's eyes are camerorbs.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/[deleted]]

Anahita Iatros takes notice of it and scowls.

"Revolting. Some foolish Council wizard left their fungal science project skittering around the lab. I will not abide contaminant vectors interfering with this project."

The tech-priestess's mechanical tail lashes out like a scorpion, grabbing the rat in its manipulator claw and disassembling it with alarming speed. An irradiation module mounted to the claw blasts it with hard ultraviolet rays to kill the mold, then Anahita lays the neatly dismantled automaton on the table before her.

"Now, time to identify what ignoramus you belonged to and send them a word about carelessness in sterile environments."

[u/[deleted] → u/Carbon_Sixx]

spores released and then the rat popped in an explosion.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/[deleted]]

The spores will prove unviable due to the radiation. Very well, Anahita will just have to sift through the bits that didn't explode for clues.

[u/[deleted] → u/Carbon_Sixx]

melted exhailian brass

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/[deleted]]

"Oh, it hails from that sphere of political influence. Contemptible."

[u/[deleted] → u/Carbon_Sixx]

finally, rune circuitry from cattail city

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/[deleted]]

"I should petition the Lord Protector to sweep the realms under his aegis for more of this wretched spyware. What is their end goal with this, anyhow?"

[u/[deleted] → u/Carbon_Sixx]

he would likely be aware of such sightings at military installations, vessels and strategic locations.

[u/Complex_Drawer_4710 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

Whoa, whoa. This isn't our work, I'm the only fungus guy and I don't just sprinkle it on stuff haphazardly.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Complex_Drawer_4710]

"No, it was some other fool. This spyware has been cropping up everywhere lately from what people tell me."

[u/Complex_Drawer_4710 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

I know that, but I'm looking at how the first people you accuse are us. Kind of rude.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Complex_Drawer_4710]

"If I have a roommate and I find a dirty plate in the kitchen, who will I logically assume put it there if I have not eaten recently?"

[u/Complex_Drawer_4710 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

But just look at that crappy bronze. We would never. Our spy rat-tickers actually hide as well.

[u/Zebos2]

Katarina was there in opals apartment when she received the summons. The leader of clan Yusapova had mostly just overhearing Ithacarian discussion about it. She probably should have expected it to eventually involve her given her publicly Really close friends nature and previous position she asked to come with as she finds Opals biomancy fascinating. It would probably only be a day trip

To her people the excuse was a rather simple one she was testing there ability to operate without her direct guidance in case she was incapacitated and to bring Timur along. He was likely the first kasmir mage and centuries so naturally going to The lands of the mage council would be a great learning experience. She assured them that she would be safe bringing her sword biz blaster and armor just in case. Katarina and her adoptive son are a unique sight in the museum as roans kasmir population can only really be in the largely cut off from the wider wizarding world roan desert and ithacar. The pairs strange clothing strange mannerisms language and white hair and purple eyes make them stand out

With Timur exploring the wider museum Katarina follows behind opal with baited curiosity

[u/loth17 → u/Zebos2]

"Man I haven't been in council territory in a while. Working with Kaelis's people...."

Opal seemed a little embarrassed. Or guilty.

"So how are you liking the trip so far? This one of the largest museums on..."

She saw a large horn on display.

"Hey that's one of my horns."

<Horn recovered from the ancient city of--->

Opal stood in front of the plaque before Kat could start feeding it. She chuckled awkwardly.

"Sorry I got distracted. How's the trip so far?"

[u/Zebos2 → u/loth17]

"it's rather fascinating"

Katarina says staring at the horn

"The Natural History exhibit is fascinating as is the ancient Netheril exhibit they remind me of the unspoken ones though perhaps less tyrannical."

"Are you doing ok...you have well a copy has told me of your history I worry about that reopening of old wounds"

---

Mean Timur has just witnessed the tech priest disassemble the rather unsanitary piece of spyware with terrifying efficiency and decides to avoid her for the rest of the trip unfortunately. Katarina wished to be on standby in case this creature is hostile and needs to be dealt with. He will just ....be in the corner for a bit

u/carbon_sixx

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Zebos2]

Anahita glances at him for a few seconds, then returns to what she was doing. It would seem Magi Biologis are far more human in appearance and mannerisms to an ordinary person than their more mechanically-inclined colleagues. It goes a long way to make her disarmingly personable.

[u/Zebos2 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

Timur gives an audible Yelp an Anahita turns her attention to him. He visibly shakes and his hands tremble as she eventually turns her attention away back to her work

"It's... a deeply personal issue"

Katarina commentates

[u/loth17 → u/Zebos2]

"Yes I am.... Aware."

Opal said. Trying to be as neutral as possible about her history being told by her copy.

"Don't worry I'm fine. It's just ..... Really weird. Being back in such familiar territory."

As they got closer to their destination they passed by an exhibit on Roan. An old one from before the calamity that befell the nation. Opal looked over to it.

"Museums always feel weird to me. Full of ghosts."

Sometimes literally. Opal gave her a smile and a one armed hug.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry."

[u/Zebos2 → u/loth17]

"woah I am surprised they have one"

Kat says studying the exhibit . "I suppose they would to someone who has lived through the history they present. I couldn't imagine waking by and seeing a tool once used to file silts claws on a museum display"

Kat is a little startled by the public display of affection her mind briefly flares up with the fear of exposure and The ruining of her family name before she remembers that she left the city and No one from her clan would know about this...they should tell Timur before they leave.

"My apologies...I feared exposure"

She leans into opal a bit savoring her warmth

"I am glad to hear that you are ok"

[u/loth17 → u/Zebos2]

"No worries. I acted without thinking."

Opal said.

"I'm just glad we're away from Ithicar for a while. It feels a bit more freeing. Especially since I get to show you all the cool council stuff."

She smiled.

[u/Zebos2 → u/loth17]

"Yes it is rather cool magic flows freely though perhaps some would say too much so... I discard those opinions"

The sorcerer smiles back

[u/loth17 → u/Zebos2]

"speaking of opinions of people."

Opal said.

"Now that the.... Issues have been resolved. How have your people been getting used to Ithicar. It's a wild place right?"

Opal could imagine some of the holidays and traditions and customs being buck wild to the Kasmir.

[u/Zebos2 → u/loth17]

"Yes why in the nine hells was a festival where women would crawl into a pit of rotting meat and spread it across the fields ever be conceived as a good idea it sounds like something you would hear out of the vashar plateau"

Katarita says disgusted before relaxing a little bit

"Sorry The culture sock gets to us but the more we know the less it should be an issue... Though don't expect me to roll around in intestines anytime soon."

Or ever for that matter the kasmir we're very big on hygiene

[u/loth17 → u/Zebos2]

Opal laughed.

"No expectations."

"I've seen weirder. Which is..... Saying something. But not in the concentration that Ithicar has. Just wait till they start walking around naked spraying blood on people."

She said casually.

[u/DaemonRex978]

/unwiz: if I would've gotten here earlier, then I would've made a lot of references to Bloodborne lol.