1 Soul Bound
1.3 Making a Splash
1.3.1 An Obligated Noble
1.3.1.24 Blessing given
The others continued their chatting while she took her formal leave of Lord Landi. Hers was much briefer, because they’d said all they wanted to, earlier while in private.
Kafana: “As your guest I have received flawless hospitality from you and yours. In Cov’s name, I request your leave to depart unhindered.”
Claudio: “As my guest you have behaved with flawless honour. In Cov’s name, I grant you leave to depart unhindered.”
She stepped across the long slab of enchanted fluorite that she now knew to be the focus of a complicated Threshold warding, and viewed the resulting mana exchange using her newly improved Truesight skill. Glancing up at Lord Landi and his family, she noticed faint traces above the heads of both Claudio and Herberto, that she’d come to associate with divine attention. Well, well.
He noticed her scrutiny and addressed them as a group.
Claudio: “More than unhindered. Know that you depart with the favour of House Landi upon you. Henceforth you and your vessels may visit as you wish, without need to wait upon invitation. Fare you well in all your endeavours and may the deities guide our paths to cross again.”
His words were not part of any leave taking ceremony that Bartola had mentioned, but she wanted to respond. Calling upon the deities, hmm? That she could match. She climbed up the stairs to where her party waited at the open courtyard door, then produced a blue stole from her stash and hung it around her neck, whispering a few words before turning around and linking hands with them, drawing them into a group performance.
Ceremonial Stole (EPIC)(UNIQUE)
+100% to aura effects during Ceremonies
Attracts the attention of deities while worn
+10 to all negotiation skills during Ceremonies
If target breaks an agreement made during the Ceremony, they will suffer a curse.
This blue silk scarf was won from Arachne by the Moradan Priest, Kshoon the Cursebreaker
DURABILITY 100000/100000
She felt the stole magnifying her Aura of Power, confirming this was indeed a ceremony. The aura had started off as an Aura of Authority that helped command the attention of an audience and their acceptance of her right to their attention. But after the skill had reached level 10 she’d been able to evolve it, and now it also gave her a near tangible presence and a boosted ability to get others to follow where she led. Would that work on deities?
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Kafana: “You have given us welcome and aid, trust and honesty, beyond any requirement of hospitality. You have invoked the deities on our behalf and in return I now do the same.”
How many buffs and bonuses to diplomatic and social actions had the party received over the last week? She’d lost track, but quite a few. Time to put them to good use.
Kafana: {Sys, please activate all relevant skills and bonuses.}
She drew upon the mana and attunements of her party, a set piece maneuver they’d now done frequently enough to make it seem a natural extension of herself, then started to sing. She visualised each statue from the courtyard in turn, using a gestalt to define a mana linkage from the physical statue to the pending spell, and resonance to call beyond the statue to the deity it symbolised. The Wellington part of the group mind sensed what she was doing and took over, while the Bulgaria aspect added intuitions about the character of each deity. Bungo focused on providing benign intentions, and Tomsk on strength of will, leaving Alderney to contribute her artist’s ability at visualising and Kafana to focus upon the singing itself. The division of roles happened with astonishing ease, no word or thought required.
The details of what the blessing would achieve she left in the hands of the deities, trusting it would be sufficient to draw the Landis to their attention as being worthy. When she came back to herself, most of her mana spent, she gazed at the result.
Protection of the Deities (DIVINE BLESSING)
You have invited the attention of the deities upon this place.
The next time Palazzo Landi stands in mortal peril, any deity whose statue in the courtyard remains intact, may choose to directly animate the statue to act as the deity wills.
DURATION: Until activated or withdrawn.
She thought about explaining but, glancing at Alderney, decided to go the fun route and just gave a little parting wave as they stepped outside, so the family of nobles would have the surprise of discovering it for themselves. After all, her previous leave taking, back at Villa Landi, had also been a bit dramatic. So, there, it was a tradition now. Though what would she need to do next time, to top this?
[Skill “Holy Prayer” has reached level 16.]
[Skill “Ceremony” has reached level 14.]
[Skill “Blessing” has reached level 5.]
She panicked after receiving that last system notification, because her “Blessing” skill was the one she’d received after being taught about curses by Baba Olga. They were two aspects of the same thing, and the price of creating a permanent blessing or curse was proportionate, such as permanent loss of stat or skill points. So, as they walked across the courtyard, now filled with long shadows cast by the setting sun, she frantically checked her character sheet before belatedly remembering that deities didn’t have to pay a cost to cast blessing or curses. She wasn’t the caster. She’d just drawn the attention of the deities, and they’d made the decision. A fine distinction, but apparently an important one. Phew.
If only the problem Flavio faced were that simple. He’d ended up with a curse sent by an enemy of Dottore, when he’d deflected it from affecting Dottore’s daughter, Isabella, whom Flavio loved. They didn’t know who that enemy was and, without the option of persuading the enemy to cancel it, removing the curse would most likely be as costly as casting it had been. She put off thinking about it for now. They’d nearly reached the escort of monks, who were patiently waiting just outside the Palazzo, and she’d things to organise before the wombles split up to go their various ways.
Time to lead.