In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 520):

"Who is that?"

In reply to Aoife (msg # 521):

"No name is given, but a note says, several actually, that the delivery from the Demon Shaper came in from the west of Northport. "

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 522):

"I see. Perhaps we should finish with the tiles so Devereaux can get back to his business, unless he is interested in finding this demon shaper too."

"I agree, we should take care of the immediate situation -- but any further information that would narrow down that source would be useful once we get these tiles switched out."

"That sounds like a plan," Mancini said.  "Perhaps while we are here, Kalima can take a look at the tiles we currently have to see if anything sticks out to her."

In reply to Mancini (msg # 525):

"There is some evil to these - Thaumaturge!"
she addresses Devereaux
"What do you make of these symbols - can they function when out of the pattern we have found?"
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 20:06, Thu 04 Apr.

In reply to Kalima (msg # 526):

A bit taken aback by her overbearing presence, He swallows before looking over the map and expounding.
"These are no longer in the position to be used for binding something; They are labeled with mystic mark in order
to cast spells through them without distance penalties... I suspect they were to be used as part of a greater summoning pentagram.
Now if they were to be destroyed, the remaining tiles would be useless in effecting a restraint on a summoned being unless replaced..."

Having studied one of the tiles for a while Jolinda considers what she knows about it.

======
OOC: 22:50, Today: Jolinda rolled 11 using 3d6.  Hidden Lore -Demons 14
  => Success, MoS: 3
22:50, Today: Jolinda rolled 10 using 3d6.  Hidden Lore -Elder Things 13
  => Success, MoS: 3
22:51, Today: Jolinda rolled 7 using 3d6.  Hidden Lore -Faerie 13
  => Success, MoS: 6

"Wait -- useless in effecting a restraint is not at all the same as useless for summoning.  Could the partial pentagram still be used to summon, even though it would fail to hold the summoned entity?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 529):

Jolinda is certain that elder things respond to beacons in particular configuration.

Devereaux tugs at his goatee.
"broken apart, it is no longer a containment field- they must be activated in a specific sequence to do that, and if the diagram is not precise, it won't function. "

Jolinda recognizes that this is fairly true for infernal beings, but is aware that elder beings often require only the components, as they percieve spatial relationships differently.

In reply to Devereaux (msg # 530):

"Yes, it will be useless for constraint, but still usable to summon some horrible Elder thing, right?"

Jolinda looks at Ardenas, "I see that you undersatnd. But it works differently for ELderThings than it does for Demons. Elder things have different perception: they are not bounded by three dimensional geometry and only the components are necessary to bind them." Turning to Aoife she adds, "It's as if you read my mind."

OOC: @Narrator - Just to check understanding, if not in precise sequence the tiles may still summon demons but will not bind them to the area, correct?
If not in precise sequence the tiles may summon Elder Things and will bind them to the area, correct?
If the tiles are in precise sequence, may they be used to summon creatures of faerie?
If one or more tiles are missing, does that affect any of the above?
This message was last edited by the player at 11:31, Fri 05 Apr.

Ardenas shakes his head.

"My knowledge of magic is limited, since I can only cast Movement spells and haven't taken extra time away from my training with Master Albreth learning things I couldn't use.  Are you saying these could still be used to summon and possibly bind a Thing from Beyond even if they're just thrown in a pile?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 533):

Ardenas, Aoife, Oly, and Kalima can recall the strange cult that was summoning demons to sacrifice in order to summon an elder servitor...

Jolinda does not know of ways by which the fey might be summoned using thaumatological runes; some of them respond to their name being called, but generally you go to them.

Elder things precede much of magic and are not always affected by it - a proper pentagram spell might keep them out, but many are strong enough to simply force themselves through such thaumatalogical frippery... but the components of a beacon need not be aligned physically, only aligned in time.

Does anyone know how to disrupt the alignment in time?

"Destroying the tiles may work," suggests Jolinda. "But these are Containment Tiles, if I have the right of it. Surely it's imperative that we track down the larger, or greater array of Summoning tiles?"

"I don't think the tiles are capable of summoning anything on their own, but are tools used to facilitate certain spells; high end enchanted material components rather than something like a blasting wand."

In reply to Devereaux (msg # 537):

"Which means?"

In reply to Sederic (msg # 538):

"Much like the way runestones don't function unless activated by sacrifice, and candles by themselves don't summon unless enchanted
to do so, the tiles only have the function of being considered near to the caster for the purpose of delineating the parameters of a spell,
 and for the purpose of locating them with spells like Seeker..."

In reply to Devereaux (msg # 539):

"So it makes it easier to create gates through them, or to summon things through them, right?"

"I think he means that having these arranged around the city would let a summoner work with a much larger circle than would be the case otherwise.  Rather like the way a Staff lets a spellcaster extend touch spells beyond his arm's length."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 541):

"It is exactly like that."

"I think we're on the right track, then, with gathering up the tiles.  If we destroy them, whoever placed them might know it -- but if we have them all together, they'll limit the size of whatever can be summoned -- right, Devereaux?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 543):

"While whoever placed them might be able to figure out that they are no longer, keeping them together still risks the chance that something could be summoned right to where they are but from a distance."

In reply to Devereaux (msg # 544):

"So best to destroy them then?"