"I am rather literal in things."

The Humblebee Patisserie.
The pastel-hued gravel of Nautilus Pompilus street gives way to colorful flagstone as one approaches the open front of this timber-framed, single-story building. Exterior wooden supports have been lovingly carved to resemble the gnarled exterior of trees and winding branches for a supporting lattice that sits above a quaint patio. Boughs of verdant ivy and purple clematis cling to the supports and hang down from the lattice, offering a distraction for insects that might otherwise be interested in the sweets. The storefront itself is brightly colored to match its surroundings, double glass doors propped open on sunny days to let the fresh smells of baked goods drift out into the streets. A sweet-sounding bell hangs poised atop the door's frame to announce the arrival of customers on poor weather days. The shop's cozy interior allows standing room for only a few visitors at a time to comfortably gather. A poppy-shaped lantern hangs from the low rounded ceiling, bathing the room in warm golden light. Dark wood floors offset the rose-gold interior walls where short shelves hold an assortment of curiosities and tiny sprouting planters all lovingly tended to. A simple counter and glass-front display houses the day's specials, and a chalkboard mounted overhead lists the specials of the month and how much they cost. A sign here suggests you READ SIGN! You see a sign here instructing you to use the PORTAL command to enter the aetherplex system. You see a sign here instructing you that WARES is the command to see what is for sale.
You see exits leading east (open door) and down (closed door).

You hum softly, your frills vibrating with song.

A hooded dracnari figure passes by the doorway to the store, lingering long enough to cast a sideways glance inside.

You blink.
You have emoted: Cheliyi purses her lips, stepping out only a moment later.
You have emoted: Cheliyi glances up and down the street, humming softly to herself.

---> nyoom!

Entrance to the Nerale Mausoleum.
The vaulted ceilings of the entry corridor have been mostly obscured by thin, silky curtains which have been draped low, reverently shrouding out the nearby scenes. In each of the walls an alcove has been cut, the sheer curtains only partially veiling the  stone sarcophaguses within, where long dead patriarchs and matriarchs of the Nerale family have long been buried. Above each sarcophagus, the symbol of house Nerale, an hourglass over an inverted triangle, have been placed within the wall in the form of mosaics, the rich purple and black gemstone tiles placed by a skilled master of the art. Atop each tomb the likeness of two elderly merian women have been carved, golden halos having been placed upon their brows and great, feathered wings drawn about their forms, as if cradling them in an eternal slumber. Within the hands of one an hourglass can be seen, carved into the alabaster stone, clutched against her chest - her companion likewise holding an inverted triangle, her hands calmly folded over it. A grand archway opens into the mausoleum at the end of the passage, its keystone emblazoned with the symbol of the house beside the five-pointed star of the Light. Above the keystone, two small sconces flicker as the oil within burns, casting some measure of light upon the rich, dark script that reads, 'Nerale'. This room has been recently swept clean, the marble floors nearly sparkling.
You see exits leading north and out.

You have emoted: Cheliyi folds her arms, squinting into the darkness.

Slowly emerging from the shadows, Summer Heat, the Firetouched nods gently, his lips seared. "Good." He huffs brown fire. "I am glad to see that was not too subtle, and we will not have need for such pretenses in the future."

Echoed by rippling waters, you say, "Has been a whiles. Starting to worry would not have noticed my efforts, yes."

---> p summer

Crisp, white robes clad the form of a tall dracnari, numbering him as an ascetic of some sort. At his breast, something has been removed from his robe, only a faint outline left behind. His cowl is lowered, baring the dull brown of his scales. His gaze is intense, green eyes frequently focused on the pages of a book. His physique is entirely obscured underneath the voluminous fabric, leaving his figure entirely to the imagination. His hands, however are slender and delicate, and he moves with a practiced deliberateness.
Summer Heat, the Firetouched almost glows with nearly god-like power.

With casual indifference, Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "There are others to manage. And besides, we know you have spoken to another. I wasn't sure we were going to be able to work with you."

You have emoted: Cheliyi remains passive, simply shifting her weight to lean on her other hip. "Well, you never specified that the task must be unspoken, to be fairs. I am rather literal in things. Still, it will not happen agains. What do need now?"

Summer Heat, the Firetouched nods his head sagely.

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "The purpose of the first task is trust. Can you perform a task without needing to know why you're doing it, and will you trust us to deliver the reward? So far, so good, I will give you that."

You have emoted: Cheliyi nods slowly, listening attentively.

Summer Heat, the Firetouched hands over a simple, soot-blackened tinderbox to you.

You tilt your head curiously at a soot-blackened tinderbox.

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "This tinderbox is yours, and yours alone. Although there are others working with us, they have received something different. Something else, also innocuous."

---> p tinderbox

The tinderbox consists of a dirty, soot-stained metal box containing some flint and some fine straw for lighting.
You can try to KNOCK TINDERBOX for an audience with the Cult.

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across your lips.

Obviously delighted by how clever he thinks he is, Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "Do not try to figure out who the others are. The way we avoid being discovered - especially by those Fellowship fools - is to be careful. No evidence. No witnesses. We still watch. Tell anyone, and you will never hear from us again."

You have emoted: Cheliyi turns the tinderbox over in her hands, eyes flicking to her bandaged palms. "A wise plan. I will keep to its. When should I use this?"

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "If you need to speak, knock on the tinderbox. I, or one of my associates will answer eventually. If I need to give you a message, you will know, and you may listen to the message through the tinderbox."

Wryly, you say, "Another step to answers, then. Thank you for the trust on your behalfs as well, Summer. Even if our meetings are tense."

Licking his newly seared lips, Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "As far as another task, that is still up in the air. The Fellowship has been very proactive, and we move carefully. I guarantee, you do as we ask, and you will get the power."

You nod your head emphatically.
Echoed by rippling waters, you say, "I will await a message, thens."
You have emoted: Cheliyi stows a soot-blackened tinderbox in her pack, dusting her fingers of any hint of soot.

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "Now, the other thing. I suggested I would give answers. I will answer some questions, within reason."

You tilt your head curiously.
You ponder the situation.

Echoed by rippling waters, you say, "Why did you want to change the monks of Great Scorpion to your cause so strongly? And beyond thats... is the Master you speak of Divine? Or simply... all-powerfuls? If neither of these can be answered, I wish to ask a different question."

Comprehension flashes across Summer Heat, the Firetouched's face.

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "Interesting questions."
Huffing brown flames as he speaks, Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "I am in contact with something powerful. It has agreed to meet you, if you turn out to be a promising helper to our cause. For now, know that it is feeding me the power. It will feed you the power too - when you do as we say."

Simply, you say, "I am a seeker of Wisdom, and knowledge."
Echoed by rippling waters, you say, "So it will be dones."

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "As to Scorpion, well. I was approached by a presence I thought to be Her. I was mistaken, but for the mistake I was introduced to something much stronger. The rest, you know."

Comprehension flashes across your face.

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "Before the powerful one contacted me, I was learning to be the Keeper of Scorpion. To replace that pitiful, stuttering buffoon. Do you know what that means?"

You tilt your head curiously.
Echoed by rippling waters, you say, "No. Tell me."

His emerald gaze glaring intensely, Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "I know about Grandmother Scorpion, and the Soulless, and the time of the Vernal Wars. I know much about the part she took in it, how she helped to seal and defeat the Soulless. And that's what they are. Defeated. Sealed."

Licking his horribly burnt lips, Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "This something different. Stronger."

You have emoted: Cheliyi's eyebrows raise, and she leans forward eagerly. "Stronger than the Soulless? It sounds impossibles."

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "I know only what I have been told, what I have been given. This creature remains, but what of the Soulless? Imprisoned. Grasping at straws, while something powerful is allowed to remain."
Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "You will likely see it for yourself, and you can gauge it in person."

You have emoted: Cheliyi taps her chin thoughtfully before nodding. "I will be honored to see it. I await your next task with excitement, thens."

Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "Ah, knowing that I need to be explicit. Tell no one of the box, and do not give it away either. Use it only in private."
Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "Any other questions before I depart? There is much to do."

You have emoted: Cheliyi's lips curl into a slight smile. "It shall be sos. I will not speak of it, it will not be given away. I have no other questions."

Fluttering as if caught by a breeze, the silvery threads of tinsel weave about in a haphazard pattern: conjuring new constellations and shapes as they glow from the sidereal light of the wreath's fine filaments.

Summer Heat, the Firetouched nods his head emphatically.
Summer Heat, the Firetouched says, "Good. We will be in touch."
Summer Heat, The Firetouched turns and walks leisurely to the north, his lanky tail cutting a path in the air behind him.

You portal to The Hoard and the Hive.
This room has not been mapped.
A bright, forestal curiosities room.
The first discernible sensation upon entering this room is a mixture of earthy smells; mulch, petrichor, decaying wood, and the heady scent of Wyrden roses saturate the air. As one's eyes adjust to the darkness, barely abated by shadowflame sconces hung on the walls, tall figures begin to emerge. Expansive shelves carved to look like tree trunks seem to grow out of the floor and reach clear to the ceiling. The moss-green rug has been cut to fit neatly between each root and around each curve, giving the illusion of springy turf underfoot. Gently glowing fungi, which seem to be growing out of the shelves at random, make it just possible to see their contents. On one shelf, a scorched dragonturtle shell and a dried starfish sit beside a glistening glasswork recreation of a pile of salmon roe. On another, a pair of arrows with heart-shaped heads are arranged with one crossed over the other, and a scented love-letter lies on top of them. Other shelves are crammed with an increasingly peculiar assortment of knickknacks: an ice pick, a tiny red stone, a dusty brown bottle with "Alchywhole" written in a barely legible script, a cuddly stuffed Tae'dae bear, a miniature rockeater figurine, an ornate ivory pipe, a pile of glittering Czigany coins, and a charm bracelet that looks to be of Fae origin. One rather macabre shelf holds a coiled slave master's whip and a skull that appears to have belonged to a Krokani before it made its way here. Still other shelves lie bare, waiting to be filled with more mementos of adventure to come, and in the corner of one of them a tiny black spider has made its web. A brightly colourful tapestry depicting a bear filled picnic has been hung on a nearby wall. A small table hewn from a ravenwood trunk has been upended here, providing a small surface on which to rest various objects. Depicting the four trees of Glomdoring in stylistic renditions, a woven, rose-scented rug spreads across the floor. There are 2 lyre-backed chairs here. Hanging from fine silver, this large snowflake lantern has light blue gems dangling beneath it, causing a gentle sway. A broad glass-faced display rack for musical instruments stands proudly here. A painting of A Stack of Cats is proudly exhibited on a nearby wall. A shimmering blue circle floats in the room here. A marble archway stands here, elegantly arcing up from ground to ceiling. You see a sign here instructing you to use the PORTAL command to enter the aetherplex system.
You see exits leading north (open door), east (open door), south (open door), and southwest (open door).

You chuckle softly, your frilled tail flicking idly with amusement.

You think to yourself: ... Gods. I hated every seconds of that.
You think to yourself: I think, of all of his talents, my thoughts are still my own.
You think to yourself: ... Still. I need to see what this thing is.

You put a soot-blackened tinderbox into A Rope Belt of Accommodation.

You sigh quietly, frills drooping as your tail sags.
You pet Muginn, the ghost-feathered magpie ingratiatingly.

Muginn clicks his beak, his feathers ruffling as he blinks up at you with an uncharacteristically fond look in his eye.

Echoed by rippling waters, you say to Muginn, the ghost-feathered magpie, "You trust me, yes?"

Folding his wings so he can reach them easily, Muginn, the ghost-feathered magpie preens his wings happily, straightening out the disheveled feathers.

You nod your head sagely.