“…Right. Between the countercharm and my incomparable skill, I expect there will be little trouble getting in and out.” Morgan breathed in, ignoring the tinge of pollution in the outside air. “Easy payoff, I think.”
“I’d be careful about saying that, if I were you,” Rhiannon said. “You never know what gods might be listening.”
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXXIII
“I’d like to thank all of you for coming,” the guide finally said. “The gift shop is on the left as you leave the museum, and I hope you enjoyed the exhibit.”
“So,” Rhiannon asked as they filtered back out on to the streets of the city. “Did you get what you needed?”
“Oh yes. Between your promised countercharm—”
“Which I can totally do, no problem.”
“So,” Rhiannon asked as they filtered back out on to the streets of the city. “Did you get what you needed?”
“Oh yes. Between your promised countercharm—”
“Which I can totally do, no problem.”
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXXII
Then there were the armed guards. She didn’t know for sure if those posts were manned around the clock, but it wouldn’t hurt to assume they would be. Throw in all the magical defenses Rhiannon was talking about, and things were definitely going to be Interesting.
Morgan grinned. She liked interesting.
Morgan grinned. She liked interesting.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXXI
Cameras were mounted in all of the room’s corners. Easy enough, she’d dealt with those before. Loop the feed and you’re golden.
Yes, the display case was going to be the real problem, especially taking into account the fact that the two doorways out of the room were clearly rigged to drop steel blast doors if the alarm was set off.
Yes, the display case was going to be the real problem, especially taking into account the fact that the two doorways out of the room were clearly rigged to drop steel blast doors if the alarm was set off.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXX
After a few more moments of expounding on the part of the tour guide, Morgan tuned out and focused on the interior of the room, letting long practice settle her mind into mundane security assessment.
The glass was going to be bound to an alarm, without a doubt. The book itself probably rested atop a pressure plate, making things doubly difficult.
The glass was going to be bound to an alarm, without a doubt. The book itself probably rested atop a pressure plate, making things doubly difficult.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXIX
“Because you’re about to steal a book that’s all about a goddess of justice?”
“Say that louder, why don’t you.”
The guide gestured to the backlit woodcut print featuring the masked figures and their supplicants. “These individuals are priestesses of She Who Goes Veiled, and wear ceremonial, eyeless masks in homage to their goddess’s blindness.”
“Say that louder, why don’t you.”
The guide gestured to the backlit woodcut print featuring the masked figures and their supplicants. “These individuals are priestesses of She Who Goes Veiled, and wear ceremonial, eyeless masks in homage to their goddess’s blindness.”
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXVIII
“Translations are sketchy at best, but we believe that this figure…” The guide gestured to the woman with the masked face. “…Represents a primeval deity known as ‘She Who Goes Veiled’. Most scholars agree that she is the earliest known personification of the concept of justice in human history.”
“Heh.” Morgan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “There’s irony for you.”
“Heh.” Morgan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “There’s irony for you.”
Monday, October 24, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXVII
At the group’s feet were a crowd of women, heavily armed with swords and spears, but supplicant.
Another image showed a woman, swathed in cloth, an opaque veil over her eyes and nose, leaving only her lips visible.
The last Morgan was able to digest before the guide began talking again was a rendering of a magnificent city, spires reaching up toward a burning sun.
Another image showed a woman, swathed in cloth, an opaque veil over her eyes and nose, leaving only her lips visible.
The last Morgan was able to digest before the guide began talking again was a rendering of a magnificent city, spires reaching up toward a burning sun.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXVI
Hidden panels in the walls slid open, revealing almost twenty photographs secreted away, contained in recessed, lit shadowboxes.
The book's cover looked to be leather, etched with a stylized image of a sexless face with no eyes.
A woodcut showed a group of cloaked figures on a dais, their faces hidden behind eyeless masks.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXV
“No,” Rhiannon said. “Your brain straight up shuts down. Packs its bags and goes home.”
“Oh.” Morgan considered the tome behind the frosted glass.
The guide carried on. “To make up for the lack of direct line of sight, however, we have a collection of photographs, prints taken of the book’s cover and of woodcuts within.”
Friday, October 21, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXIV
“What?” Morgan asked.
“The psychohazard scale only goes up to four. Five is a theoretical thing.” Rhiannon gestured, trying to find words. “Uh…one will offer a brief psychotic break with reality. Four will put you in the bughouse permanently. Five would drive you so crazy you die.”
“From what, you just kill yourself?”
“The psychohazard scale only goes up to four. Five is a theoretical thing.” Rhiannon gestured, trying to find words. “Uh…one will offer a brief psychotic break with reality. Four will put you in the bughouse permanently. Five would drive you so crazy you die.”
“From what, you just kill yourself?”
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXIII
“I apologize for the low visibility,” the tour guide said. “But many long hours of study by scientists and magicians alike have concluded that it is the only safe way for the public to view the artifact. After all…” The guide leaned in, as though sharing a terrible secret. “It’s a grade five psychohazard.”
“Bullshit,” Rhiannon muttered.
“Bullshit,” Rhiannon muttered.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXII
“Well, this is nonsense,” Morgan whispered to Rhiannon. “The glass is frosted. I can barely make out the shape of the damn thing.”
“There’s a reason for that,” Rhiannon said, gesturing for her companion to be quiet.
“What is it?”
“Just listen.”
“There’s a reason for that,” Rhiannon said, gesturing for her companion to be quiet.
“What is it?”
“Just listen.”
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LXI
“This volume, named the Book of the Blind by anthropological historians, was found in a watertight metal case in the Mulian ruins,” the tour guide said, smiling the smile of a person who has finally gotten a crowd’s attention after a long hour of trying. “The case itself was infused with powerful enchantments that kept it from decaying, even at the bottom of the sea.”
Monday, October 17, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LX
In the last room of the tour, which was heavily guarded with both mundane means (armed guards) and magical (wards and creative curses, which Rhiannon pointed out in hushed tones), there was only one item.
In a glass case on a pedestal in the middle of the room, with velvet rope offering a good ten feet of clearance on all sides, was the Book of the Blind.
In a glass case on a pedestal in the middle of the room, with velvet rope offering a good ten feet of clearance on all sides, was the Book of the Blind.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LIX
At long last, they came to the end of the tour. The guide paused outside of the last room, positively beaming with excitement.
“What you’re about to see is a unique artifact in human history,” she said, smiling. “It is potentially the oldest example of a bound written record in existence. Please pay it the proper respect. Follow me.”
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LVIII
* * *
The initial part of the tour was lackluster, mainly chunks of old masonry dredged up from the bottom of the sea with unusual markings resembling no known modern or ancient language.
The group’s interest piqued when they were introduced to a thin, curved sword supposedly found in the Mulian ruins, but faded when it was followed by an uninteresting collection of pottery.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LVII
Morgan crossed her arms. “I can’t believe this was your bright idea.”
“It’s a museum, a place of knowledge!” Rhiannon said, forcibly hooking an arm around Morgan’s elbow. “Sometimes I suspect you overthink things.”
“All right, everyone, get together,” said the tour guide, a young brunette woman. “Get together and follow me.”
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LVI
“No wonder you turned out like this,” Morgan said.
“Hey, I’m trying to help.” Rhiannon tapped her temple. “And I just figured out how we can get all the information on the book we could ever want.”
Fifteen minutes later, they had joined the official walking tour for “The Book of the Blind and Other Purported Mulian Antiquities” exhibit.
“Hey, I’m trying to help.” Rhiannon tapped her temple. “And I just figured out how we can get all the information on the book we could ever want.”
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, they had joined the official walking tour for “The Book of the Blind and Other Purported Mulian Antiquities” exhibit.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LV
“Okay,” Morgan said, absorbing that. “So you wouldn’t be able to tell me anything about books that make you go crazy by reading them?”
“Well hell, Morgan, you’re gonna have to be more specific than that.” They passed the exhibit of Homo neanderthalensis that every museum on the planet felt obliged to carry. “Half the books on the planet do that.”
“Well hell, Morgan, you’re gonna have to be more specific than that.” They passed the exhibit of Homo neanderthalensis that every museum on the planet felt obliged to carry. “Half the books on the planet do that.”
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LIV
“It’s a yes or no question, Rhi,” Morgan hissed.
“Yeah, yeah, I can do it, no problem,” Rhiannon said. “What the hell is up with this book anyway? Why’s it so special?”
“I was hoping you could tell me,” Morgan said, heeled boots clicking against the stone floor.
“Oh, no,” Rhiannon said. “I’m a modern occultist, not an anthropological one.”
“Yeah, yeah, I can do it, no problem,” Rhiannon said. “What the hell is up with this book anyway? Why’s it so special?”
“I was hoping you could tell me,” Morgan said, heeled boots clicking against the stone floor.
“Oh, no,” Rhiannon said. “I’m a modern occultist, not an anthropological one.”
Monday, October 10, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LIII
The strange pair continued down the foyer and hooked a right, following the gaudily ominous signs toward the Book of the Blind exhibit.
Rhiannon rubbed her chin. “Yeah, I’m gonna need to whip you up a hell of a countercharm to get in here.”
“But you can do it?”
“Oh, yeah, yeah,” Rhiannon said. “…Maybe.”
Rhiannon rubbed her chin. “Yeah, I’m gonna need to whip you up a hell of a countercharm to get in here.”
“But you can do it?”
“Oh, yeah, yeah,” Rhiannon said. “…Maybe.”
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LII
“You remember how when we were roomies in college, you set up that tangle of tripwires attached to tin cans so you’d know how late I got in so you could chew me out for it?” Rhiannon asked, wide-eyed.
“…Yeah. But I did that once.”
“This is about a million times worse, and magic.”
Morgan shoved her hands in her pockets. “Shit.”
“…Yeah. But I did that once.”
“This is about a million times worse, and magic.”
Morgan shoved her hands in her pockets. “Shit.”
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part LI
Morgan looked around the well-lit, marble-floored, wooden-paneled interior of the foyer. She saw several minor exhibits in glass cases, some benches, an information desk, but nothing overtly magical.
Then again, things hardly ever were.
“What do you see? Try to tell me without raising your voice or swearing.”
Then again, things hardly ever were.
“What do you see? Try to tell me without raising your voice or swearing.”
Friday, October 7, 2011
Book of the Blind - Part L
“Nobody ever calls it that except in the movies,” Morgan said. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d shut up about that particular topic, thank you very much.”
“Right, right,” Rhiannon said. “It’s supposed to be secret. I’ll try to be as inconspicuous as possible.” Her eyes darted around, seeing something invisible to Morgan. “Holy fuck, there’s a lot of magic here.”
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