Rissada - Session 27

After meeting up in the Thaumaturge's Guild, the party decides to reconvene in the cathedral. After picking up an Anarod that very much did not want to be forced to bedrest by the clerics, they decided to pay Viella another visit, with the new information they gleamed.

Anarod: "So is there some kind of protocol for this sort of thing here?"
Astrid: "Probably."
Engir: "Astrid. Perhaps we should check with the guards first, but..."
Half-Orc Knight: "Just keep your head out of trouble and you'll get to keep it. Fairly simple."
Astrid glances around at the various cells.
Engir: "I was wondering if it would be acceptable to summon Gespenst here. An earlier conversation with him made me realise he might be useful for our chat."
Arastalia: "I... suppose it couldn't hurt. These paladins are the understanding type, I think."
Astrid: "Can we really be sure, though?"
Astrid sighs, crouching down on the floor in front of her.
Nalzij: "I don't think Gespenst would be a problem."
Anarod: "Speaking of which, what even are the precautions in this place to prevent spellcasting prisoners to, say, burn down the place?"
Delora: "Well, it's made of stone"
"Stone doesn't tend to burn"
Astrid proceeds to trace a pentagram on the floor with her finger, uttering an incantation.
Half-Orc Knight: "YOU are here on good faith."
"As for them,we took precautions."
Anarod: "Good enough for me."
Astrid raises her hand above the pentagram, as the usual rift begins to appear.
Nalzij: "Ara, will you still be able to help again?"
Engir: "I'm not sure we should push her unless we need to."
Arastalia: "I... as Master Engir says."
Astrid: "Agreed, Engir."
Arastalia: "It would be quite taxing."
Anarod: "So, do we have a game plan?"
Delora: "I could try interrogating her?"
"I know I can be intimidating if I have to be"
Astrid: "Somehow...I'm not sure intimidation is the answer."
Anarod: "Yeah of course that's what we came in here for. I meant more precisely."
Engir: "Too bad we don't have Melodi, her trick on heartbeat reading is certainly helpful."
Anarod: "She's like right behind us."
As the party approaches Viella, she looks in their direction. Her hands are bound behind her, and a runed collar is taut around her neck.
Astrid: "Enjoying your new home, Viella?"
Viella Bourdekin: "You're all back, huh..."
Nalzij: "What did you think?"
Viella Bourdekin: "Are you reconsidering my offer?"
Nalzij: "Your freedom isn't up to us."
Viella Bourdekin: "They're only holding me because of your testimony."
"It very much is up to you."
Anarod: "Your bargaining instinct is impressive."
Astrid: "Well, I suppose it depends on how much you tell us, doesn't it?"
Engir sits down and listens for now.
Viella Bourdekin: "My hands are bound, my magic constricted. Words are all I have, so I may as well use them."
Astrid: "Hilra tipped me off last night. About what you've been doing all this time."
Viella Bourdekin: "...that pathetic lonely subhuman."
"She should be grateful Ferrand teleported her out too."
Engir muses quietly to himself.
Engir: "(So that's why we didn't spot anyone other than Laria)"
Anarod: "Anyway. I wasn't there last time you decided to attack, but I've been mostly brought up to speed."
Viella Bourdekin notices Anarod, and stares at him.
Engir smiles.
Astrid watches Viella and Anarod intently.
Anarod: "I've been told you've been behind Sirius' actions, and that you've attacked us on behest of some Valesian interest."
Astrid: "Hmm..."
"Engir, a moment, please?"
Engir: "ah?"
"(Yes. Anarod and I have just discussed this. Frankly, I want another look at this thing anyway, while we're in a place of safety.)"
"(If needs be, we can use it to get her attention.)"
Anarod: "So forgive me for being a bit repetitive here but I'm catching up. You said you were doing this out of anti non-human sentiment, right?"
Viella Bourdekin: "Essentially."
Astrid: "(I feel it might help us bring some things to light.)"
Viella Bourdekin: "Hmph, to imagine a subhuman got to be a scion..."
Nalzij: "Scion?"
Engir perks his ears at this point.
Engir: "They both have the blood of elementals."
Anarod: "Fascinating. Misguided hatred aside, that means you've been on that deal even back in the Dubrov-"
Engir: "(I didn't think it would actually be relevant though...)"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Blood of... elementals? Similar to me and my brother?"
Anarod: "A scion! Now that's interesting."
Engir: "Gespenst would understand better than I do, Melodi."
Astrid: "All the pieces are coming together, it seems."
"Viella, Hilra said you were having...dreams, correct?"
Anarod: "So am I mistaken in thinking that you're in that same boat then?"
Viella Bourdekin: "Yes. An empty, burning wasteland coated in hellfire."
Astrid: "Anarod...?"
Astrid smirks.
Engir: "Well isn't this interesting?"
Anarod: "A towering, jagged construct of ice and frost, in the middle of a vast and frigid ocean."
Astrid: "Well, we can at least deduce that Anarod and Viella have some sort of connection."
Anarod: "So this scion thing you've called me, it's probably safe to assume you're one too, and that it's related to this elemental attunement."
Viella Bourdekin: "Ferrand is not here to chime in on his own behalf, but his was a dark tomb, underneath miles of rock."
Astrid: "He was a 'scion' too?"
Anarod: "Is that everyone you're aware of?"
Viella Bourdekin: "Indeed."
Viella Bourdekin smiles.
Viella Bourdekin: "So, a little knowledge as a show of good faith."
"Now, my offer?"
Astrid: "Hold up, we haven't finished, yet."
Nalzij: "You expect us to lie to save you?"
Astrid: "Hilra mentioned something else, too."
Nalzij: "None of this talk about scions even makes sense."
Viella Bourdekin: "You could just give me the item I want. I can secure freedom on my own."
Anarod: "Um"
Viella Bourdekin: "In exchange, I'll give you all the information, and in addition I'll leave the country of Rissada forever."
Viella Bourdekin chuckles.
Anarod: "You are incredibly bold. I'll give you that."
Viella Bourdekin: "I bet you don't even know what it does, it's just been useless to you."
Nalzij: "What item are you talking about?"
Engir: "Does she actually mean..."
Anarod: "But hey, less beating around the bush, I won't be one to complain."
"The heart."
Viella Bourdekin: "You certainly didn't want to hear me out yesterday."
Anarod takes a deep, long sigh.
Anarod: "It seems like you had more cards in your hand that I initialy thought."
Astrid rubs her temples.
Astrid: "Tch..."
Astrid approaches the bars slowly, speaking quietly to Viella.
Astrid: "(Viella...the dragon, why did you lead Sirius to it?)"
Viella Bourdekin: "Oh~?"
"(Hm... the dragon~? You want me to tell you why I manipulated Sirius into freeing it?)"
Astrid: "Don't mock me, Viella."
Anarod: "If Astrid doesn't wanna know, I'd certainly do."
Astrid: "When did I say I didn't, Anarod?"
Anarod: "I did say 'if'."
Viella Bourdekin: "I'm so sorry you got stuck with inferior blood and have only an overgrown puppy to show for your magic, dear."
Astrid smirks at Viella.
Astrid: "I couldn't care less what you say about me, dear. I'm just happy to see you rot."
Anarod: "You say that, but you kinda had to rope like half the guild's focus into calling your lizard."
Viella Bourdekin: "And not one of them realized why they were doing it, but Ferrand and me. It was quite delicious."
Nalzij: "You're not in the best position to talk down to anyone."
Viella Bourdekin: "Sirius thought he was going to save subhumans."
Viella Bourdekin laughs mockingly.
Engir: "I'm sure it was very difficult to push a desperate and lost young man in the wrong direction."
Anarod: "What were you going to do with it, then?"
"You know, before Pitch ripped its heart out."
Astrid turns to Gespenst.
Astrid: "That dragon was attuned to fire, wasn't it?"
Gespenst: "Mistress?"
"It very much was."
"I could feel its blood merge with mine as I slashed at it, as though the two were the same."
Astrid: "Hmmhmm...I see."
Engir: "interesting."
Nalzij: "Where are you going with this, Astrid?"
Astrid: "Everyone, what do you think the dragon would have done, if we left it alone?"
Viella Bourdekin: "Your gnome should try it himself at some point. Imagine what you all could do with a dragon under your control?"
Engir: "Probably destroy everything in its path."
Astrid: "Aha!"
"Viella, you just answered my question, thank you~"
"(And guaranteed your imprisonment.)"
Anarod: "What, you were wondering about whether she'd control it?"
Viella Bourdekin: "If you haven't noticed, demon, I'm already imprisoned."
"If I'm telling you this freely now, you honestly should imagine what I would tell you in exchange for the heart."
Anarod: "The boldness knows no end."
Astrid: "As she previously said, Viella dreamt about a burning wasteland."
"Now we know that both Anarod and Viella are...'scions', we have a few leads."
Engir: "I imagine we could learn more with study of this heart, ourselves."
Anarod: "She wants this heart really badly, and it's clearly because she has a use of its power."
Delora: "Mhm"
Anarod: "But there's still one missing link."
Engir: "Yes. That she wants it is plenty information in itself."
Astrid: "Tch, I'll just cut to the chase, then."
"Viella just said that Anarod could make use of a dragon's power..."
"That would imply more than one dragon exists."
"I would guess that the visions both Anarod and Viella shared are realisations of each respective dragon's will."
Anarod: "Well, the part with the dragon is clear enough."
"The part about the dragon's will is related to what I was wondering."
Engir: "You wish to control dragons?"
Astrid: "You've known the answer for many years, Anarod."
Anarod: "I don't wish anything about dragons. I'm wondering who's controlling who."
Astrid: "It's exactly what you've dreamt of all these years."
Anarod: "You talk like you know something I don't."
Engir: "That is... an interesting point. These dreams suggest to me that the 'scions' are anything but in control."
Astrid: "Right."
Anarod: "Yeah, remember before we came here?"
"When I talked about how dragons aren't tamed pets?"
Astrid: "I have no evidence but...I would say both of you are, hmm, how to phrase it...avatars of each dragon's will."
Engir: "I do. You raised a fine point.""
Anarod: "Clearly, Kettled Blood over here has her own agenda about what to do with that power, right?"
Astrid pauses at Anarod's point, rubbing her temple.
Anarod: "Like, that part is pretty easy. It ties directly with this whole thing we're already neck deep in."
Astrid: "What was it she said back in the guild..."
Viella Bourdekin moves to the back of her cell, sitting on one of the benches.
Astrid turns to Viella.
Astrid: "Viella, you wanted to leave Rissada, correct?"
Viella Bourdekin: "I offered it. So you wouldn't worry about my presence here."
Anarod: "Now, color me skeptical, but..."
Engir sits up more attentively.
Astrid tries to hold back a grin, a glint in her eye.
Anarod: "I have a very, very hard time believing human supremacy is on any kind of dragon's priority list."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "I can't really figure out what she's thinking at all."
Astrid: "You...want to watch Uthindenel burn, no, all the demihumans burn, by using the dragon's power."
Engir: "Troublesome."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Her heartbeat is... different."
"I try to listen to it, I just hear fire."
Engir: "Really. now? Well, thank you for trying, Melodi."
Astrid: "Who said it was on the dragon's? Both Viella and the dragon's aims complimented each other."
Arastalia: "So non-magical detection is no good."
Astrid: "Watch the world burn...the demihumans burn..."
Arastalia: "...'and all to ash and cinders'..."
Engir: "Astrid, Anarod, do you have much more to ask for from Viella? I'm wondering if we can glean what we need from the heart itself."
Anarod: "I mean, yes, in the sense that if you want to destroy everything, then destroying part of everything surely is worth your attention."
Astrid: "I have all my questions answered, so of course, Engir."
Viella Bourdekin: "Not even the slightest bit curious about the Valesians anymore?"
Astrid glances at Viella.
Engir: "I admit, I do wonder how they tie into this dragon issue, if at all."
Astrid: "Please stop dear, you're beginning to sound desperate."
Anarod: "I am incredibly curious about the Valesians. I'm incredibly curious about everyone that's trying to use you as a tool."
Viella Bourdekin: "Well, we'll see how long you all have."
"I am scheduled to be executed, you know."
"Do try to remember my offer has a time limit."
"Or would you rather kill me now and be over with it?"
Anarod: "I thought your being here entirely hinged on us, but now they're gonna execute you soon?"
Astrid: "Well, let's hope they make it painless for you, eh?"
Viella Bourdekin: "Unless you have desire to tell them I am innocent of the crimes placed upon my head, I will be at the block without a trial."
Astrid: "Wouldn't want it any other way."
Delora: "Of course we won't call you innocent after what you've done"
Anarod: "Well I mean, lying for your sake isn't the most tempting thing right now."
Astrid: "Hmm, Engir, you should see if the cathedral library holds any valuable information on 'scions', or 'dragons', or whatever."
"Viella said Ferrand was a scion, it's quite possible there are others in the land, too."
Engir: "Nothing on them in this library. Maybe the guild's."
Anarod: "I mean if I'm honest, there are a TON of questions I have left."
"But they're probably not useful to ask right now."
Viella Bourdekin: "You can always come back without your friends."
Astrid: "Ah, that's possible. It's worth asking Hilra if she knows anything then, she's read practically every book in the guild."
Anarod: "Hm."
Nalzij: "Your execution could be delayed, if there was any good reason for it, but I refuse to consider this offer of yours."
Viella Bourdekin: "Bye bye, then."
Engir: "Well, then.
Astrid: "Seems we should head back to the guild, then, I suppose."
Engir: "Indeed. Though, perhaps I would like to request we do something at the cathedral, first."
"As it is consecrated ground."
Astrid: "Ah, I understand."
Arastalia: "...More work there, huh...?"
Nalzij: "What do you have in mind, Engir?"
Astrid: "I think he wants to inspect the heart somewhere safe."
"Is that right, Engir?"
Engir: "Exactly, Astrid. Last time I tried, it nearly knocked me out."
Arastalia: "Perhaps a short divination ritual, rather than just merely trying to examine it yourself?"
Engir: "Yes, I definitely feel I need the aid of as many as I can borrow."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "So are we heading out?"
Astrid strokes Gespenst on the neck briefly.
Anarod: "Nothing left to do here."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "I don't like this place, it's cold and these creeps in the cells keep on staring at us."
Astrid: "I'll see you back in the guild, okay?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Not coming to the ritual, Astrid?"
Astrid: "Was just talking with Gespenst, sorry."
Engir: "I would think that he'd be quite useful given the nature of the heart."
Astrid: "Are you alright with that, Gespenst?"
Gespenst: "As you wish, Mistress."

The party heads out of the cathedral's prison, going to its courtyard.
Engir: "Alright... let's set this thing down."
Anarod: "I wonder..."
Engir: "What is it?"
Anarod: "Heh, not much. It's just... I wonder if this thing would react to me in anyway, since I'm apparently a different scion-thing."
Astrid chuckles.
Astrid: "Want to give it a try?"
Engir: "Well. You, Pitch and Melodi, Astrid, Gespenst, and possibly Ara might all be able to determine or see slightly different things about this."
Nalzij: "This is all over my head, but I'll do what I can if you know a way I can help."
Engir: "To be honest, neither am I. Not on a ritual scale. Ara, perhaps you could explain?"
Arastalia kneels down, idly sketching runes in the dirt with her finger.
Arastalia: "A-ah?"
"Hm, I have to admit divinations that involve more than one person are not something I have experience with."
"Draw a circle in the center, where we will be placing the object."
Engir: "Right."
Astrid removes the chalk from her pocket.
Astrid: "Shall I do that part...?"
Arastalia: "Around the outer edge of the circle, inscribe the following runes. Ist, Ein, Ven, Sel, Uld, Nir, Yel, Wan..."
Engir: "I'll help."
Engir joins Astrid, with his own chalk.
Nalzij tries to stay out of the way, watching carefully
Astrid nods to Engir.
Engir: "Anyone else? I have a couple sticks to spare."
Anarod: "I'll pass."
Delora: "Sure"
Engir meditates on his quill, requesting its strength and purity as aid.
Pitch: "...anything we need to do aside stand here?"
Astrid wipes some sweat from her brow.
Anarod: "I'd take a step back if I were you, really."
Astrid: "What next, Ara?"
Arastalia: "Place the object to be divined within the circle."
"The runes will lock its essence from harming us."
Engir: "Ahaa. Thank you."
"Gee, I forgot how big this thing was. Pitch, could you help me lift this?"
Pitch: "Okay...now, is this thing we're doing dangerous at all?"
"I've heard about magical experiemtns on strange objects go horribly wrong before"
Arastalia: "It would be, were not for the runes."
"Please, trust in me."
Pitch: "...okay."
Engir: "Thank you, Ara. I do."
Arastalia: "...please...?"
"Thank you, Master."
Nalzij: "It sounds like you've more than earned our trust."
Engir heaves the heart, and with Pitch's assistance, manages to position it in the centre.

The heart glows faintly in the middle of the circle, radiating a malevolent energy.
The runes begin to glow, and a presence begins to be felt.
Astrid grimaces.
Engir meditates, focusing on the quill.
Voice: "You dabble in powers beyond your control."
Engir: "So, you are still in there."
A vague, transparent form appears from within the circle. Its form is hazy and indistinct, but immediately recognizable.
Voidflame Dragon: "My existence is eternal, mortal."
Astrid clenches her teeth.
Anarod: "Why look at what we have here."
Arastalia: "I apologize, but this really is the easiest way to get answers from it."
"It is bound to within the circle. And we are permitted... I believe three questions of it."
Nalzij: "We killed it once, we can kill it again if needed."
Arastalia: "You need not kill it. It cannot manifest right now.
Delora: "That's good"
Anarod: "Three. Well, gotta think hard about those, then."
Engir: "Yes. You seemed to have the most on your mind, so I want to know what you'd like to discuss."
Astrid glances at Anarod, then back at the dragon's incorporeal form.
Voidflame Dragon: "While my time is infinite, my patience is not. Speak and allow me to return to my rest, or your lives will be short indeed."
Arastalia: "You can ignore its bluster. Even a creature as this is safely bound in this circle."
Anarod: "I guess we need to figure out how to learn about this whole scion deal."
Nalzij: "You had your chance to prove yourself a threat, dragon." [Intimidate Check: 17]
Anarod: "Ara, is the form of the questions restricted in any kind?
Voidflame Dragon: "I had no chance at all. You attacked me before I fully awoke."
Arastalia: "It cannot evade or lie about anything you ask it, but if you ask a broad question, it can answer only just enough to be technically 'correct'."
Anarod: "Okay... so there's probably no way to guarantee anything, we'll have to hope for the best."
Engir: "Right."
Anarod: "I think we should try to learn about the nature of the heart itself, first."
Voidflame Dragon: "Is that your first question?"
Anarod: "Hmm... I want to know what power someone who can use the heart could gain out of it."
"Clearly, whatever Viella's plan is regarding being freed hinges on having it."
Arastalia: "Do please make it clear to it that it is being asked a question."
Anarod: "Oh, ok, let me rephrase then."
Arastalia: "Unless you're musing amongst yourselves."
"Asking each other questions don't count against the circle's limitation."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Brother... this heartbeat... it's terrifying..."
Pitch: "...What's it like?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Like... the screams of people being burned alive with every pulse..."
Anarod: "Dragon, what kind of power could someone able to channel the magic of this heart obtain from it?"
Voidflame Dragon: "Pure and utter dominance over fire, enough so to turn this entire world into a second sun."
Pitch: "(...horrifying. These dragons are really, really...well, they're definitely not real dragons, that's for sure)"
Astrid leans against one of the pillars, listening, bowing her head.
Engir: "That simplifies Viella's motives somewhat."
Pitch: "I'm curious about how one becomes a scion, and why you choose a scion."
Anarod: "Yeah, that was next on my list."
Astrid glares at Pitch.
Engir: "It's alright, Astrid. It was not aimed at the dragon."
Astrid: "No, no."
Nalzij: "Do you think we could make it tell us how to best thwart them?"
Pitch: "It's not like I wanna be one, Astrid, or anything"
Arastalia: "Not technically a question, either."
Engir: "We do need to be careful to word that into one question, though."
Arastalia: "Wording is very important."
Astrid: "Tch. Why do I question that...Pitch?"
Engir: "Another possible avenue is what factions are connected to the dragons."
Arastalia: "Too many people using magic like this have been trapped by their target responding to a complicated question with a simple 'yes'."
Nalzij: "If there's anything Engir can do well, it's work out legalistic phrasing."
Engir: "Hrmm."
Anarod: "It's honestly not that hard to make sure a question can't be answered by yes or no, although I'd guess in the heat of the moment it could be easy for someone to slip up.
"I want to ask about the purpose behind the scions."
Voidflame Dragon: "Fire is not known for the virtue of patience, mortals. Make haste with your babbling."
Engir: "That is his question. 'What purpose do the elemental scions have?'"
Voidflame Dragon: "The scions are chosen to inherit the greatest of our powers, and in the process of utilizing them, freeing us from our respective prisons. They share our very blood, passed down through millenia of descendants."
"You have one question remaining, mortals."
Nalzij glances at Anarod, a little unnerved
Engir strokes his chin.
Astrid: "Ask who the other scions are."
Engir: "I think that might be our best bet to find out their relations."
Anarod: "Agree, that was going to be my suggestion, as well."
Nalzij: "And which of them still live, if you can work it in."
Engir: "Who are the current living scions in this world?"
Astrid turns her head away from the party, oddly quiet, with a sad expression on her face.
Voidflame Dragon: "Anarod Gythel, ice scion of the North. Viella Bourdekin, fire scion of the South. Si'ri Arina, wind scion of the East."
"You have exhausted your questions."
In an explosion, the dragon's incorporeal form dissipates slamming against the edges of an invisible cylinder above the rune circle. When it fades, the runes, circle, and the grass within are charred black, the heart lying in the center.
Anarod: "And Ferrand Supercreep, dead earth scion of the west, I'd assume."
Engir: "East, huh?"
Astrid: "...Does that mean Valesia?"
Nalzij: "Anarod, maybe you should explain what's going on."
Engir: "Good question. Anarod is north and from Broken Top. I believe Ara mentioned his dream was off Delfin, in the west."
Anarod: "I don't actually know much more than you'd think, actually."
Pitch: "...interesting."
Anarod: "I've been having dreams about being imprisonned in a giant tower of ice in the middle of the ocean since I was... at least 10 years old."
Astrid: "I wonder if Viella knows of the other scion."
Pitch: "....soooo, about that heart. What do we do with it? is it safe to pick up or anything?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "She didn't seem willing to talk, though."
Anarod: "I've been pretty convinced that was related to my magical ability since they've always coincided in some way."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "She probably wouldn't mention unless we did something for her."
Arastalia: "The heart is as safe to pick up now as it was before."
Nalzij: "It sounded almost like you were part of this destroying the world stuff."
Arastalia: "...Ah, I realize that is little consolation. Yes, it is safe."
Astrid: "...I think you're making fast assumptions, Nalzij."
Anarod: "It definitely does sound like it, yes."
Nalzij looks at the burnt grass
Pitch very warily picks up the heart
Nalzij: "This is going to need explaining, won't it...?"
Engir opens the bag for Pitch.
Engir: "It will. Perhaps we should get a higher ranking Paladin for this."
Arastalia: "It is... hm."
Pitch puts it in the bag unceremoniously
Anarod: "There's no need to mince words, really."
Astrid: "We never asked whether or not the scions had a choice in being one or not."
Nalzij: "I don't doubt Anarod. I just want to know more."
Arastalia: "I wonder if the word 'phylactery' would mean anything here for comparison."
Astrid: "From what Anarod said, it doesn't seem so."
"Mm...sorry."
Anarod: "Just as much as Viella didn't really seem to be aware, or wilfully ignored it."
Engir: "A phylactery... does make sense."
Engir: "Do you think this heart could be destroyed?"
Arastalia: "It would likely require extraordinary measures."
Anarod: "But I don't think it's worth denying it; the power I have was given to me for the purpose of freeing probably an dragon with the power of ice."
Engir: "That reminds me, there's at least two other items on my possession that need to be cleansed or destroyed."
Nalzij: "Or at least locked away."
Arastalia: "I wonder what it would have told us if we had asked?"
Astrid: "The idea of locking it away worries me..."
Engir: "I bet it would tell us what known methods there are."
Anarod: "I also do. It's one of several more questions I had."
Arastalia: "But it was like that in the tower too, no?"
Engir: "Which is likely none."
Anarod: "I would've wanted to ask if it was still possible for him to be revived, for instance."
"Or what happens when a scion dies, is a new one born eventually?"
Nalzij: "Would you be able to learn anything from the ice dragon?"
Arastalia: "Well, he said the bloodline was passed on."
"So in theory, even if it chose to awaken in you, it means that one of your parents had at least a trace amount."
Engir: "Hm, perhaps the curse would fall to the next strongest descendant."
Anarod: "He did. But like, Ferrand is dead and he did not mention a different earth scion in his place. He just omitted him."
Arastalia: "And thus all your siblings, too."
Astrid: "Another question...how could Sirius have summoned that...thing."
Engir: "...good point, brother."
Astrid: "Viella wasn't there at the time."
Arastalia: "Viella was right upstairs, no?"
Anarod: "What do you mean? She was literally just a floor above."
Engir: "Indeed. And there was that special full moon ritual."
Anarod: "She booby trapped Pitch right then and there."
Pitch grimaces at remembering it
Nalzij: "Maybe sending power to the next scion takes more time?"
Anarod: "It might."
Arastalia: "Or maybe it just has to wait for a new person to be born?"
Anarod: "But if the dragons can be brought back, and the scions powers can be passed on..."
"Then what is the endgame?"
Engir: "They keep trying until they can lay waste to the land? That seems so strangely short sighted for such a powerful creature."
"But then again..."
Engir looks at Ara.
Engir: "That matches the stories of the divines that I have heard."
Arastalia looks down uncomfortably.
Nalzij: "What goals would they have? I can't imagine such a powerful creature being concerned about the details of this world."
Anarod: "The other part of the issue is how this ties in with our current situation."
Viella is involved with the Valesians; do they know anything about this?"
Engir: "I think our best clue would be to find out more about this wind scion."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "So... is she playing them, or are they playing her?"
"It was a pretty weird name..."
Engir: "I wonder if she is from another country? If she's truly from the east..."
Engir: "Actually... if it's the eastern kingdom, that makes things all the more curious."
Astrid: "Why the hesitation, Engir?"
Engir: "Nubaros had some pretty severe wars with Rissada."
Anarod: "It's hard to say... I'm from way north, Viella claims to be from Valesia I think? And we don't really know where Ferrand came from."
Engir: "Viella seemed to have a lot of beef with the elves. Elves are south."
Astrid: "Bear in mind, Ferrand and Viella were only spies of Valesia."
Anarod: The way the dragon assigned us a cardinal direction implies there's sort of a pattern, but who knows."
Astrid: "You raise a good point, Engir."
Engir: "And the war with the eastern kingdom of Nubaros nearly destroyed Valesia."
"So I am extremely curious as to who our eastern friend is."
Nalzij: "You're saying these dragons are turning entire countries against each other?"
Engir: "I would be amazed if that were actually the case."
Anarod: "Countries like to turn against each other on their own. I'd be surprised there was manipulation going on in that scale."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "So we just destroy the heart and then one of the nations isn't provoked into war?"
Engir: "I don't think it'll do that, but we should definitely look into destroying it either way."
"Our best method of breaking up the war is probably closer to finding the prince, and visiting the star and shield."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "I don't really know much about either of those."
Anarod: "Yeah. The truth is, we don't know how much these two issues are interconnected, if at all."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Miss Astrid mentioned a star instead of the Red Mother, but I don't know what to make of it."
Anarod: "They probably are to some extent, but at this point the only lead we have is... Viella."
Arastalia: "And she won't talk without her deal, which involves giving her the heart."
Anarod: "She's our only connecting dot between the Rissadan conflict and this elemental dragon deal."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "And from what that guy said it does, I really don't think we want to do that."
Nalzij: "I don't know how much the prince will be able to do, if Valesia has this much influence even here."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "She'd probably just, like, melt the bars off her cell or something."
Engir: "The prince is a symbol to the people. His presence will also dispel the accusations of assassination."
Nalzij: "We'll need to learn more without her, won't we?"
Arastalia: "But we don't know where to look for him."
Astrid: "Hmm, Melodi...where do the dragon tribes actually live?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Brother didn't tell you?"
Pitch: "We live north of here."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "We live in villages around Cragspire Mountain to the north."
Nalzij: "Ah... he should be returning to the city soon, I think?"
Engir: "Ah?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "They separate the villages by elemental affinity."
Pitch: "Except one."
Nalzij: "Wait, Engir, weren't you going to contact Sir Tharrius?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Dad...."
Pitch: "..mn.."
Astrid watches Melodi and Pitch, confused.
Engir: "Good point. I've been carried away so much. Is there anything you want me to tell him?"
Nalzij: "About how much Viella knew."
Engir: "Right."
Engir takes a letter out of the messenger’s satchel, and begins writing a letter to Tharrius.
Astrid: "Hang on, Engir."
"I have an...idea."
Engir: "Yes?"
Astrid: "Those messenger birds fly to whomever the letter is addressed...yes?"
Engir: "Yes. We could use it to locate the Rogue's guild, for example."
Anarod: "Do you think..."
Astrid: "Why not send one to..."
Astrid glances at Anarod.
Astrid: "The other scion."
Anarod: "What would we even say, though?"
Engir: "I can try, though I have no idea who or what they are."
Nalzij: "It's worth a try, right?"
Astrid: "We could request a meeting?"
Engir: "What if someone else has their name?"
Anarod: "Like, even assuming having just their name works?"
"Honestly, we don't even know how aware they are of their own situation."
Engir resumes writing to Tharrius.
Nalzij: "All the more reason to make sure they know, right?"
Anarod: "It might be, but it's kind of a big shot in the dark..."
Astrid: "Whether the scions know or not, they all have one thing in common, right?"
"The dreams."
Anarod: "And their powers, yeah."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "So, what, we ask if they had any sort of dream about something air-based?"
"Or if they can cast wind-related magic?"
Astrid: "And if they have, we would like to meet them at an assigned place on an assigned date."
Anarod: "But... for what purpose?"
Nalzij: "If they stand to gain that kind of power, wouldn't it be best to know what they would do?"
Astrid leans back against the pillar, closing her eyes pensively.
[Letter contents: Detailing the safe arrival in Rissada, the fact that Viella of the Thaumaturges had been scrying on our actions and relaying them (falsely) to Valesia, that we were challenged by a noble, and that Viella knew the assassination was held with two members of the rogue's guild. Also add that Antivus's death was planned by Viella and Ferran, as well as Sirius' corruption and plot to summon the dragon]
The paper folds itself into the form of a paper bird and begins to take flight, departing through the opening in the ceiling of the courtyard.
Pitch: "There it goes."
Engir: "What useful little fellows. Do you want me to try the scion?"
Astrid: "...We need careful planning and consideration, before we do that."
Anarod: "Do you have a good idea of what to tell them?"
Nalzij: "We have time to think about it more first."
Engir: "Very well."
"We could appeal to the dream/magic manifestation, and mention that we have someone similar who can explain what it is and how. The birds allow someone to write a response."
Anarod: "The part that worries me is- well, look at Viella."
Engir: "Yeah, the Scion is likely wily and dangerous."
Anarod: "This Si'ri person, beyond being the scion of wind, we don't know anything about. Their intentions, motives, their place in the world..."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Not even their gender."
Nalzij: "So we had better find out more."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: " 'Dear Sir or Madam or Anthropod or whatever you turn out to be...' "
Anarod: "There's a chance blindly communicating with them might put us in danger."
Engir: "Very likely."
Pitch: "Heh. Si'ri sounds like a girl's name."
Nalzij: "And what if we don't?"
Engir: "Our track record for scions known is that they're intimidating people with cunning and wit."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "But if they're from the eastern country... well, we don't know their basis for names."
Engir: "Indeed, Melodi."
Astrid glances at Engir, looking back down.
Engir: "Eastern etymology would be a refreshing break from my usual studies, mind you."
Astrid: "Indeed."
Nalzij: "Don't we have bigger concerns than their gender?"
Astrid smirks at Nalzij's comment.
Engir: "Heh, that we do."
"I think, actually. If there's one place other than Valesia with records of the eastern kingdom..."
"it'll be the temple where the star is held, since it was the star itself that saved Valesia in the war."
Astrid: "The Temple of the Star...I see..."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "That's... way up north, right? In the northern steppes?"
Pitch: "Temple of the star, huh."
Engir: "Quite frankly, we're going to need to visit it sooner or later, anyway. It would do a lot to help us learn the motives of Valesia and maybe even change them."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "But that place is cold..."
Anarod: "That's a problem?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Um, very much so."
Astrid: "I find even Rissada cold, I'll admit."
Pitch: "We're sorta attuned to fire, Anarod."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe flaps her wings idly.
Engir: "If you want, we could study magic to ward yourselves."
Astrid: "As am I."
Pitch: "Cold isn't good to us"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Three against one, let's stay in Rissada!"
Nalzij: "It may not be comfortable, but it should be possible to make the trip."
Pitch: "Yeah!"
Arastalia giggles.
Engir shakes his head, smiling.
Nalzij: "They're a lot more alike than you and Anarod..."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Come on, Astrid, you're with us, right?"
Gespenst looks around awkwardly.
Melodi Ryuji Naabe tugs on Astrid's sleeve.
Astrid: "Yes, yes..."
Engir: "You still haven't seen the rest of our crew."
"Hopefully, we can keep it that way."
Astrid: "Crew?"
Pitch: "Crew?"
Engir: "....I am still averse to calling some family members of mine family."
Pitch: "Ah, right. Black sheep and all."
"...I remember you saying your family were mostly prankster wizards....."
Astrid: "Hmph..."
Engir: "Well, you've seen what Laria is like."
Pitch: "So a lot of them are like that?"
Engir: "Less destructive. More in your face."
Nalzij: "Oh! Maybe Laria would know more about what Viella had been planning, if we could contact her?"
Engir: "Good point."
Arastalia: "Wasn't she asking us for something...?"
Pitch: "If i recall she also had a job for us. She might give us some things, too, in exchange."
Astrid: "...Don't we already know what Viella wanted, though?"
Nalzij: "Huh? A job?"
Pitch: "Yeah, she asked us to find some ingredients for her, somewhere in the woods."
Astrid: "You seriously want to take that job?"
Engir: "I must admit, I wonder how dangerous that job is going to be."
Astrid: "I'm more worried about what she'd use the ingredients for, to be honest."
Pitch: "...I'm still interested in what these mystery potions'll do..."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Huh? Mystery?"
"Gimme, I'll find out!"
Pitch: "...okay. I've been told it isn't permanent, anyway."
Astrid glares at Pitch.
Pitch hands Melodi one of the mystery potions
Pitch: "...but this is your fault if it does something weird."
Engir: "I admit, I need to see this."
Astrid: "Tsk..."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe sniffs the potion a bit, then downs it suddenly!
Nalzij: "Is this really the best time?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe suddenly transforms, becoming some sort of small lizard-like creature!
Astrid: "Oh, brilliant!"
Engir: "Well, that's curious."
Pitch: "...That's not good."
Nalzij glares at Pitch
Nalzij: "How 'not permanent' is this?"
Pitch: "She said it would wear off after a few minutes"
Astrid mutters to herself, wandering off into the infirmary.
Pitch: "It should be no longer than an hour..."
Pitch turns to his sister
Pitch: "Hey, can you nod your head if you understand us?"
Engir: "I don't think I've ever seen anything like that."
Raptor nods, and looks at Pitch sadly.
Engir: "Pitch, you should take good care of her for now."
Pitch: "I will, I'll take her off to the guild for now."
Nalzij: "That's probably for the best. Try not to call attention to this."
Engir: "Yeah."
Pitch: "(I did warn you that it wasn't my fault if something weird happened. Tell you what, I'll drink one too when yours wears off and you can laugh at whatever weird thing happens to me.)"
Pitch: "(Just nod your head if that makes things....less bad.)"
Raptor looks at Pitch and shakes its head.
Pitch: "(...well, I promise I'll make it up to you soon.)"
Engir: "Gee, I wonder if Laria even knows what these lizard things are."
Pitch walks to the thaumaturges guild, beckoning his sister along with him

Astrid: "(Sister, are you alright...?)"
Terita: "Ah... Astrid... how are you?"
Terita: "I'm doing my best to get by. Hopefully I'll be released within the week."
Terita runs her hand down the side of her face, along the burns "I guess things didn't turn out ideally..."
Astrid: "Glad to hear it." Sits next to Terita on the bed.
Astrid: "Terita, we'll fix this...don't worry."
Astrid: "I'm so conflicted..."
Terita: "I'm fine. Really."
Astrid: "You're strong, sister. Stronger than I'll ever be."
Terita: "You're definitely strong, sister. Father looked over us both."
Astrid: "Father, I...he..." She clenches her teeth, trying to hold back her tears.
Astrid: "Terita...father, he...do you want me to...be blunt? I feel you should know the truth..."
Terita: "...Ferrand, right? I... thought I heard you all talking to Viella, as I was slipping in and out of consciousness..."
Astrid nods slowly, her eyes gazing into space.
Astrid stays silent for a few minutes, before asking Terita a question. "Sister...what do you make of Pitch? I'm...underwhelmed, so far."
Terita: "You know him better than I do. But it hasn't been that long, has it? Perhaps you two just need to get to know each other better."
Astrid: "I think we got into this too fast...I..."
Terita: "Talk to him about it, then. You two are both grown individuals. I can't exactly help you out on this one."
Astrid: "Yes. I'll see you later, sister. Rest well, okay?"
Terita: "Take care. I'll come down to the guild when I'm better, okay?"
Astrid: "Ah! That reminds me...are you alright with us using the guild while you're away?"
Terita: "Might as well. It's effectively disbanded anyways... now's not the time for guild business."
Astrid: "Alright, thanks." Hugs Terita gently before returning to the courtyard.

Pitch: "...I'm really, really, really sorry the potion turned you into a lizard, sis. I'll make it up to you definitely, okay?"
Raptor: -rawr?-
The raptor looks sad it can't speak.
Pitch pets his sister
Pitch: "It should wear off soon enough."

Nalzij: "Maybe there are books there on how to change her back, if it doesn't happen soon."
Arastalia: "I'm sure if it comes down to it, some clerical magic would fix it."
Anarod: "I'd be surprised if it was actually permanent."
Nalzij: "In the meantime... Maybe we should look into these rumors more. It doesn't sound like all this Viella business has made us look any better."
Engir: "Mmm, yeah."
Gespenst looks at the burned ground.
Gespenst: "They will certainly consider this suspicious."
Anarod shrugs
Engir: "Yeah, Nalzij and I discussed that. I think we'll have to speak to the Paladins about it."
"I wonder if we should let them know about these elemental dragons..."
"Perhaps not, for my brother's sake."
Anarod: "Can't contact dead fire dragons without searing a bit of lawn."
Nalzij: "It's probably best they know."
Arastalia: "Actually, I think what he's getting at is..."
Anarod: "The opposite."
Engir: "I don't think it's good at all if they try and cloister Anarod for his heritage."
Anarod: "Although my sake is one thing, but really this entire deal is not the kind of thing you wanna spread around willy-nilly."
Arastalia: "We have the guildmaster, heavily burned. A smoking crater in the paladin's lawn. And a fire thaumaturge behind bars and scheduled to be executed."
Nalzij: "I don't like the idea of just saying nothing about a threat this big."
Engir: "When you put it that way, we probably shouldn't tell them that we have the heart of an evil fire dragon"
Anarod: "There are layers upon layers of this thing we don't really understand well, Nalzij."
Engir: "Though I do wonder if they'd be able to help us destroy it."
Anarod: "Sometimes it's better not to say anything than risk spreading false information."
Nalzij: "Okay, I guess. At least until things are a little calmer."
Anarod: "I feel like the Paladins have a lot on their plates already, too."
Arastalia: "On top of that, more than a small amount of our party are attuned to fire, Astrid's story could be spun to be that she wanted the leadership role, and Valesia has warrants out for our arrest and execution."
"Even Lady Nalzij vouching for us can only go so far; eventually somebody is going to say she was misled, or didn't know to what extent of people we all supposedly are."
Engir: "Yeah... thank you, Ara."
Nalzij: "Right... you're right. All the more reason to figure out our next step. I don't know who to talk to next, though."
Engir: "You mentioned the prince will be returning soon?"
Arastalia: "Someone you absolutely, whole-heartedly trust."
Nalzij: "I don't know for sure, Engir, it's just what I thought."
Engir rubs his temple.
Nalzij: "Maybe I should talk to my father again, then. At least while we're here anyway. Unless Delora has a better plan."
Engir: "Well, since Tharrius seems to be occupied elsewhere, and we don't know what to do about the prince, we can rule those people as options for progression for now."
"There is the rogue's guild, with Raza and maybe Orz."
"And there is the temple in the north, though we will need to make preparations for such a journey."
Nalzij: "There's too much going on to leave right away, even if we could."
Anarod: "Wait I had missed that part."
"We're sitting around here and baldy hasn't deigned to provide us with a plan?"
Arastalia: "Baldy?"
Engir: "Tharrius."
"You'll understand his language in time."
Arastalia: "Oh, I see."
Engir: "Have you been to Broken-Top before, Ara?"
Arastalia: "I only have shards of memories, so I can't exactly establish context..".
"I haven't. They don't allow anyone that's not a gnome, dwarf, or, on occasion, a halfling."
Nalzij: "I don't think he needed us for anything else, now?"
Anarod: "..."
Engir: "It would be interesting to see what you make of it. Though Anarod's attitude is much the norm among Gnomes there.
"And yes, it is quite troubling that he left us to our own devices."
Arastalia: "Hm."
Anarod: "This isn't okay, you know."
Nalzij: "So we wait for an answer to your letter?"
Arastalia: "Does that mean I take it he was just expecting Tharrius to hold his hand on this cause?"
"He didn't really have anything out of it himself?"
Engir: "I think we should get acquainted with the Rogues' and Alchemists' guild."
Arastalia: "I agree."
Anarod: "Wait really? This is the angle you're taking on this?"
Engir: "I do remember him complaining about not being much of a leader."
Anarod: "Baldy wants to lead a rebellion but leaves his recruits in the dark about what's his plan: oh hey just have to figure it out themselves!"
Nalzij: "Having a common cause doesn't mean he has any reason to be constantly telling us what to do. I suspect that plan involves waiting for now, though."
Anarod: "You guys just go to Rissada and then I don't know, figure it out!"
Arastalia: "Maybe he was expecting you to think for yourself?"
Anarod: "How do you expect to even dent the kind of forces we're facing without a modicum of communication?"
Nalzij: "It's not like we don't have enough on our plates."
Astrid returns to the courtyard, looking a little better than when she left.
Arastalia: "Master Engir seems more than enough at figuring out how to work on this, at least, even if you aren't."
"Perhaps you could just follow his orders instead?"
Engir grins.
Anarod: "I am thinking by myself! I just so happen not to have magical future-seeing powers!"
Engir: "Oh that's another thing, Anarod."
Arastalia: "And who said I was doing anything like that?"
Engir: "I developed exactly that while you were asleep."
Anarod: "Well maybe you should, then!"
Arastalia: "Ooh, I see a vision. I see an uppity gnome getting what's coming to him because he doesn't think for himself."
Gespenst: "Ah, mistress...is Terita alright?"
Engir presses his hand against his forehead.
Anarod: "If you're gonna rub the lack of information I have in then I'd hope you'll make yourself useful."
Astrid: "Mm, she says she'll be out in a week or so."
Nalzij glares at Anarod
Astrid: "Speaking of which, we've been given the go ahead to use the guild, everyone."
Arastalia: "A home, huh..."
Nalzij: "You guys explained everything to Ara already?"
Arastalia: "In a manner of speaking."
Engir: "I'll be good to rest somewhere consistent again."
Astrid looks around the courtyard.
Engir: "Ara's fortunes are very thorough, Nalzij."
Astrid: "Huh...did Pitch and Melodi leave?"
Nalzij: "She learned all this through magic?"
Arastalia giggles at Astrid's question
Engir: "Yeah, they headed back to the guild, Astrid. You should see for yourself."
Astrid: "Ah..."
Nalzij: "There's enough going on without having to explain a lizard-thing."
Arastalia: "Perhaps you should try a fortune, Lady Nalzij?"
"You may find them to be... quite informative."
Astrid: "Is it okay to have my fortune read again too, Ara?"
Nalzij: "Ah, I had meant to ask about it... How much gold, then?"
Arastalia: "Again?"
"Hm, about 25 gold each okay?"
"That's my usual price, in any event."
Nalzij: "Sounds like a bargain, if Engir is to be believed."
Nalzij counts out the coins and hands them to Ara
Arastalia accepts the money, bowing.
Arastalia: "You would like it here?"
Nalzij: "Up to you. Whatever works. Not like it seems I have anything better to do than watch Anarod quarrel."
Arastalia: "Here or anywhere is fine. It's up to you how many people listen in."
Nalzij: "I don't care much for keeping secrets."
Anarod: "I can't believe you can't think by yourself either, Nalzij!"
Arastalia: "Frank and honest. Admirable qualities."
Nalzij: "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
Arastalia: "I-I mean it praisingly, honest!"
"Master...?"
Nalzij: "Oh, no, not you, Anarod."
Anarod: "I don't know, apparently I'm pretty dumb too! Y'know, since I can't divine stuff."
Nalzij: "Don't pay him any mind."
"You said nothing wrong, Ara. Aside from maybe bruising his ego a little."
Engir: "Indeed."
"What do you need filling in on, Anarod? Perhaps we can discuss it while Nalzij has her fortune told."
Arastalia: "While I'm taking Lady Nalzij's fortune, Master..."
"Third bookshelf from the left, fourth shelf from the top, red-and-gold binding. Should be a nice read for you."
Engir: "Gee, it's a little scary how you can do that. Interesting, though. Thank you, Ara."
Nalzij: "Just how much time have you spent reading?!"
Engir: "How much did you spend with the gryphon?"
Arastalia: "Gryphon?"
Anarod: "I was stuck on dream-iceberg for days on end, only to wake up and realize nobody has a plan of action on anything, all the while being put down by prescient fan club over there, because I can't piece together a puzzle that's missing half the pieces!"
Nalzij: "Good point. It's nice to finally have some free time."
Arastalia: "..."
Anarod: "What kind of filling in do you think I need?"
Engir: "It's nothing personal, Ara. He does this to everyone."
Arastalia sighs.
Arastalia: "And you WANTED him released from the coma?"
Nalzij: "He means well."
Engir: "We're looking at the facts of the present, and the facts of the past, is all."
"Much of the purity sentiment has been rallied behind the story of the prince being assassinated, for example. Additionally, the movement's origin is because of various human beliefs of the star."
"So there we have two angles of attack, already."
"The prince, the star and the shield are deeply influential figures, and if we can somehow use them to rally the populous against the nobility's corruption, we may have a chance."
"Any questions before I continue to explain why the guilds are good leads?"
Anarod: "No, I'm waiting until you get into non-vague stuff."
Arastalia: "You work better if you know exactly what to do?"
Anarod: "What I thought is that Tharrius had an idea of what he was doing."
"This is starting to look more and more like a mistake."
Engir: "Viella mentioned two members of the rogue's guild assassinating the prince. We know Tharrius was there at the scene, and it's likely that Orz and Raza are members of the same guild."
Arastalia: "I can't tell what he's thinking, I've never taken his fortune.
Engir: "Tharrius has told us himself that what the assassins didn't expect that night was him being there, and he managed to have them make off with the prince's belongings."
"Belongings we found in the Thaumaturge's guild."
"If the two assassins were Orz and Raza, things get a lot more interesting, do they not?"
Anarod: "That's the obvious conclusion, yeah."
Nalzij: "A lot more complicated, too."
Arastalia: "Really? Doesn't it simplify things?"
Anarod: "Why so? If Orz and Raza failed their mission or had a change of heart, it makes a lot more sense."
Arastalia: "It might not be a change of heart?"
"Maybe they were just doing a job."
Anarod: "A change of heart in regards to doing their job is more what I meant."
Arastalia: "Ah."
Nalzij: "I'm sure Tharrius has good reason to trust them so much."
Anarod: "And if Tharrius swayed them about that in that very moment, it'd make sense that they stuck with him."
Engir: "That's one of the things I wonder."
Arastalia: "...We could ask them?"
Engir: "They've returned to the guild now, and Raza was all too eager to drop us and do so."
"We should definitely have a chat and meet some of their guildmates."
Nalzij: "Or maybe it was because of their loyalty to him that they changed their minds."
Arastalia: "Did you want to do that yourself, then, Master?"
"Or perhaps we can go when I've finished with Lady Nalzij's fortune-telling?"
Engir: "I don't know how wise it is to walk singly into a likely hidden club of knife-wielding assassins."
Arastalia: "You raise a fair point."
Engir: "Which is why I hesitate. I can find it, but how to approach and diplome is a difficult question."
Anarod: "You should try contacting Orz with one of these paper birds."
Engir: "Yeah, Orz is likely much more pliable."
Anarod: "Rendez-vous with one of them, Orz preferably, and explain your deal."
Engir: "I think I can do that."
"Might track where the bird goes either way, but I daren't actually go in."
Anarod: "If you need leverage, remind her that we saved her ass in those stupid sewers."
Engir: "Ah, yes. Good point."
Anarod: "Surely that's worth a tip or two about the rogue's guild."
Arastalia: "Well, seems like we have a course of action."
Anarod: "Yeah, imagine what I could do if I actually thought for myself!"
Engir: "Wasn't so hard after all!"
Anarod: "Yeah, next time I'll think twice before thinking the rest of the people I deal with are competent. Clearly that was my problem."
Arastalia: "It's honestly a little sad that he seems hooked on the plans of this Tharrius person."
Anarod: "I know, right?"
Engir: "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to investigate a red book with gold trim."
Arastalia: "I hope you enjoy it, Master."
Anarod: "After all, the paladin who stopped the prince's assassination in the middle of this conflict surely couldn't be better informed than a gnome who's spent the vast majority of his life in Broken-Top and around!"
Nalzij: "Can't you just take this as getting a vacation?"
Anarod: "But like I said, I'll stop assuming people know what they're doing. I see the error of my ways now."
Arastalia sighs, shaking her head.
Arastalia: "Now, Nalzij, the fortune..."
"Sit down here, and give me your right palm, if you would?"
Anarod: "Sure, I'll go hang out in the city where over half the populace thinks I'm better off dead. So relaxing! See ya."
Nalzij complies, ignoring Anarod
Arastalia clears her throat, switching to a bit more of a fortune-telling voice.
Arastalia: "At first, we look at your past. Things that have already been."
Arastalia begins to trace a finger along lines in Nalzij's palm.
Arastalia: "A difficult childhood. Always looked down upon, first because of your human half, then later because of your orcish half. But every challenge that you have faced, you did your best to endure and persevere. You were able to become satisfied simply by the act of proving wrong the people who thought you weak or worthless."
"Your life is silent and stoic, but strong; there is little the wind can do to sway a mighty mountain as you."
Nalzij smiles slightly and nods
Arastalia: "The other palm, if you would."
"This represents the future. What you can potentially achieve."
Nalzij holds out her left hand, looking a little wistful
Arastalia traces her finger along lines in the hand, smiling.
Arastalia: "I see... you strive towards following your adoptive father's footsteps. Borrowing from his example, you wage a great war; not with swords but with words. Even monsters and demons are not immune to the sway of your honor, with how you eventually become able to wield it."
Arastalia returns her hands to her lap, smiling.
Nalzij: "A war of words? I... thank you. I guess that gives me even more to think about."
"I guess the others all have business of their own. What was that book you told Engir to read?"
Arastalia: "A book that appears ordinary enough that people do not usually read it, but has some knowledge relating to the Tyrant-King's War hidden in it."
"He has asked me to help him study on history."
Nalzij: "You do seem to have many talents."
Arastalia: "Yet nothing as wondrous as those you and your friends bring into battle every other day."
Nalzij: "I just beat on things with a sword. Can't do much else. It's nothing that impressive..."
Arastalia: "All I do are say what I see and try to ease peoples' hearts."
"By the way, yesterday you mentioned you wanted to ask me something? About... Sirius?"
Nalzij: "Oh... yes, I had. I don't know if you were told about the details of what happened to him?"
Arastalia: "I have... some fragments of knowledge. But not everything."
"But you wanted to know what might have been involving him, yes?"
Nalzij: "I just wanted to know if there had been a better way. If he could have been turned from his plans of destruction, or... even if it would have been more merciful just to kill him outright."
"Maybe Astrid could have talked him around, given more time."
Arastalia extends a hand towards Nalzij's forehead, pausing before making contact.
Arastalia: "Is it okay if I view your memories on this event?"
Nalzij: "Go ahead. Although I... despite what I said earlier, I'd rather you not share this with the others."
Arastalia: "I understand. This will be confidential."
Arastalia places her hand on Nalzij's forehead, closing her eyes.
Arastalia: "River of time, always bending, always forking."
"Every time we reach a branch, we have to take a path, never seeing what lies down the path left untouched."
"You and your companions have returned to Dubrovish, bringing the thaumaturges Sirius Estion and Alda Viars with you, sending both to be held in prison."
"Astrid approaches you privately, and asks you to give Sirius a strange black potion, which you have a bad feeling about."
"You refuse to give him the potion, and destroy it instead. Astrid is angry at you, but with some discussion, you are able to bring her around to accept your decision."
"The next day, you and your companions speak to the now-conscious Sirius. He tries to tell Astrid that he was doing what he thought was right, but she would not listen to him. He is kept in prison, unable to do anything without access to his spellbook, and is eventually executed after you left, on the grounds of being too dangerous to be kept alive."
Arastalia: "You may have been willing to forgive him, but the townsfolk blame him for the effect of his ritual on them."
"Nothing you personally could have done would have saved him."
"Everything... hinged on Lady Astrid."
"...However, it is possible that he would have been more reasonable if his magic had not been sealed."
"If so, he might have said something that helped Astrid forgive him. If he mentioned Viella, it might have drawn suspicion onto her."
Arastalia pulls her hand back, lowering her head.
Arastalia: "I am deeply sorry, Lady Nalzij."
Nalzij: "...So that's all there was to it. Spare him, maybe. Forgive him, no. But thank you. It's a relief, in a way. I was prepared to hear worse."
Arastalia: "If Lady Astrid had been kinder to him..."
"...But I cannot see how time would have forked unless it was her memories I was seeing."
Nalzij: "Don't blame Astrid for that. She's been through so much already."
Arastalia: "I... I do not mean to blame her."
"Everybody makes the best decision they can with the knowledge of what is given to them."
Nalzij: "Right, of course. Was there anything else?"
Arastalia: "That is what I should be asking you."
"Was there anything more you wished to hear?"
Nalzij: "No, that's all I needed. But thanks."
Arastalia: "I'm going to go see how Master is enjoying the book, then."
Nalzij: "I should go explain this mess we've made."
Arastalia: "You should introduce me to some of the friends of yours in this cathedral at some point."
Arastalia stands up, dusts her dress off, and heads towards the library.
Nalzij: "Sure. It is good to be home, even here."
Nalzij looks at the charred grass and sighs, thinking about who best to go talk to.

Meanwhile, Pitch, his newly raptorified little sister in tow, comes to the Thaumaturge's Guild.
Pitch: "Okay, sis, let's get you someplace you can be while we wait for you to change back."
Pitch leads Melodi to his room
Astrid is meanwhile making her way back to the guild, careful not to be seen despite the late time of the day.
Pitch sits the Lizard-sister on his bed,while he patiently waits for the effects to wear off.
Astrid: "Hmm, the door's ajar...I wish Pitch wouldn't be so careless..."
Astrid closes the entry door behind her, taking a deep sigh.
It takes some time, but Melodi eventually transforms back to her original, human form.
Pitch: "You changed back!"
"How are you feeling?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe frantically tries to pull up a bedsheet from off of Pitch's bed, attempting to cover her body.
Pitch: "....oh."
Pitch looks away frantically
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "I do hope you remembered to bring my clothes, big brother."
Pitch: "...Of course I did, they're in my bag."
Astrid removes her long jacket as it reverts form, placing it over her shoulder as she heads back to her room for some respite.
Pitch quickly takes out his sister's clothes and throws them to her
Astrid slumps down onto her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Pitch: "W-well, then, um..."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "...You could give me a little privacy, big brother."
Pitch: "I'll, yeah, leave you to that."
Pitch quickly leaves the room
Pitch: "(Ugh, gods...I'll never get that image out of my head now...)"
Pitch cringes at the mental scar he just recieved
Pitch waits patiently outside the door, waiting for her to finish
After a short wait, Melodi opens the door, redressed.
Astrid sits up after a while, hearing voices in the corridors.
Pitch: "Welcome to the world of the humans....so what do I need to do to make this...issue up to you, then?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Hm..."
"Tell me what happened when you tried one."
Pitch: "...I haven't tried one yet."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "What? You let me drink one without even knowing if it was SAFE?!"
Pitch: "I said I was wondering what they did!"
"And then you went and wanted to test it yourself!"
"....and the Gnome lady assured me it was safe."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "You said 'mystery'! How was I supposed to know what you said after that?"
Pitch: "It was a mystery potion, therefore I didn't know what would happen!"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe pouts.
Pitch: "...how about 50 gold?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "It's not about money, big brother!"
Pitch: "Well...I'm really sorry, sis."
"I was going to try them first, honestly."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "You just let me drink a potion that might have left me in the form of something weird forever!"
Astrid gets up, making her way over to Melodi and Pitch.
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "And then you were there staring when I changed back, when you had very good reason to believe I didn't have my clothes at the time!"
Pitch: "N-no! That's not what I was doing!"
Astrid: "...There you are, Pitch."
"You alright, Melodi?"
Pitch: "Um..."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "I'm just traumatized for life thanks to big brother over here."
"No big deal."
Pitch: "Melodi...there's gotta be something I can do to make it up to you."
Astrid sighs.
Astrid: "Well, at least you two learnt your lesson, right~?"
Pitch: "Don't drink the mystery potions."
"And make sure your sister doesn't frink them first."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "We could have had a repeat of the duck incident if you weren't careful!"
Pitch: "oh god, no, not those again."]
"..okay, I've defintiely learnt my lesson."
Astrid blushes, looking away awkwardly.
Astrid: "My my, Melodi spent all afternoon telling me stories about you, but this one I haven't heard."
Pitch: "...wait, what? She told you stories about me?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Well, of course!"
Pitch: ".....hang on, which ones?"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Girls' secret!"
Astrid scratches the back of head, embarrassed.
Astrid: "U-Um..."
Pitch: "Yes, Astrid?"
Astrid: "Aha, it's nothing..."
Pitch: "Are you sure, dear?"
Astrid: "Heehee, I suppose it's better you tell me these stories yourself~"
Pitch: "Okay then, sure!"
Astrid: "Oh by the way, Melodi! There's something I wanted to give you, later. Something precious to me."
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Ah?"
Astrid: "I'll keep it a surprise until tomorrow~"
Astrid meanwhile tugs Pitch by the hand, leading him to her room.
Pitch: "Oh, it seems Astrid wants to go do something, see you later sis!"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe: "Alright, take care, big brother!"
Melodi Ryuji Naabe wanders off to her own room, leaving the two alone.
Pitch: "Now I guess it's jsut the two of us~"
Astrid blushes.
Astrid sits on the bed beside Pitch.
Astrid: "So Pitch, tell me more about back home!"
Pitch: "oh, so you want to learn about that, I see."
"Well, for one, it's almost impossible to find, given that it's hidden by magic."
"But it's a place with 5 different villages, one for the four elements, and then a sort of..I remember it's the most sacred one, where the champions of Tiamat go."
Astrid: "Tiamat...?"
Pitch: "..you don't know who Tiamat is?"
"She's pretty much the goddess of all dragons."
Astrid: "Interesting..."
Astrid pauses for a moment to lie beside Pitch.
Pitch puts his arm around her
Astrid: "So, what about your dad?"
"I've never heard you mention him before."
Pitch: "Well...I barely know the man."
"He left our village when I was a child, to become a "chosen warrior". So I was left as the only man in the family."
"I don;t even remember his face by this point
Astrid: "Doesn't your mother know where he is?"
Pitch: "None of us have even had contact with him since he left."
"So...no, not really."
Astrid: "Wow...say, did Ara's fortune mention anything about him?"
Pitch: "Not really. We had a couple's fortune, remember~? I might get an individual palm reading tomorrow."
Astrid: "Mm, I was considering that, too."
"Seeing that dragon again...stirred some bad memories."
"I wish there was something I could do to change things..."
Pitch: "...what's done is done, still. There's no point lamenting on what could've been done..."
"We all wish we could change the less...favorable aspects of our pasts."
Astrid: "Mm..."
Astrid rests her head on Pitch's chest, closing her eyes.
Pitch holds Astrid gently
Astrid: "It's strange...we've known each other for barely a fortnight, yet it feels like so much longer."
Pitch: "So much has happened in that fortnight, though, it leaves an impact."
"A lot of major things happened in those two weeks. It's been the most eventful fortnight of my life, heh."
"(Well, maybe that duck incident trumps it, but...)"
Astrid tries to smile.
Pitch: "You've got a strong will, to have survived through this much. And quick thinking, your actions yesterday saved your sister's life, too."
Pitch: "Things'll get better from here on."
"..plus, you have the supposed joy of my little sister to look forward to."
Astrid: "Heh."
Pitch: "Oh, I just remembered."
"...does Gespent know about our relationship (Should he know?)?"
Astrid nods sleepily.
Astrid: "I didn't need to tell him in words, per se...we share our senses, so he could tell..."
Pitch: "...getting tired, dear...?"
Astrid: "Hmm?"
"Just a little...it's alright."
Pitch: "...shall I stay in your room, tonight, dear?"
Astrid blushes, opening her eyes.
Astrid: "I-If you'd like, of course~"
Pitch: "I'd love to, Astrid"
Astrid curls up next to Pitch, smiling.
Pitch: "G'night, Astrid..."
Astrid: "Hmmhmm, 'night..."