Beyond the Sky - Session 27

-11th of Autumn's Third-
Dawn in Kyaro, and the party prepare to rise and be ready for the morning, going about their daily businesses.
It is raining rather heavily this morning, and it can be heard on the roofs of the Inn and the gathering hall, where the party start to gather, one by one, as they wake up.
Valaire rubs her forehead groggily, as a miniature moth-winged woman seems to be relaxing contentedly on her shoulder.
Night Eyes is huddled over a table, trying to engrave something into a small silver baton.
Night Eyes: "Ah, hello?"
Night Eyes doesn't turn her head.
Adrian steps inside, setting his cloak aside to dry from the rain before sitting down.
Sprite waves at Adrian as he appears, still evidently content to laze on Valaire's shoulder.
Mikolotov adjusts his coat, sitting in the corner and reading though a stack of papers.
Arkune walks in after a while, still yawning, her hair looking a tad bedraggled as she sits down, taking a piece of bread, her eyes focused on the sprite as if pondering if she should acknowledge it.
Adrian: "Good morning, Arkune. Mikolotov, learned anything?"
Sprite absentmindedly picks a piece out of Arkune's bread, nibbling at the chunk.
Night Eyes: "Ah, good morning, Adrian!"
Arkune: "Ah, err... I just woke up. Sorry if I seem... distracted."
Arkune follows the sprite with her eyes.
Mikolotov looks up from his papers at Adrian.
Mikolotov: "Ah, yes! I've been trying to go over various law documents to try and grasp how properly Ashdale runs its law systems."
Arkune: "I think the snake's venom might still be lingering. I could swear there's a faerie."
Sprite waves at the girl with one hand, the other seemingly occupied with stuffing her face with bread.
Mikolotov: "I've also been looking into the Lunar Isle judiciary system."
Valaire: "Tell me about it, I still have a splitting migraine."
Adrian: "Good morning to you as well, Night Eyes. And you, little sprite. Do you have a name yet?"
Mikolotov: "...Faerie?"
Valaire: "I knew I should have researched a spell for hangovers, but since I've never gotten drunk, I never needed it..."
Arkune: "Are you hallucinating it too, Adrian?"
Night Eyes: "Oh, a fey."
Sprite: "Nope. No faeries here."
Mikolotov looks at the Sprite, and back to Valaire, and back to the sprite.
Mikolotov: "I don't think the poison affected me, though..."
Adrian: "I am not hallucinating."
Night Eyes regards the tiny creature with interest.
Mikolotov: "So there's actually a little fey on Valaire's shoulder?"
"...why is it there?"
Sprite finishes the hunk of bread, turning to a slightly more professional sitting position.
Valaire: "Name... she doesn't like any of my suggestions."
Sprite: "'Suggestions'. You should have heard some of them."
Mikolotov: "Like?"
Sprite: "Yeah, like I wanna be named after someone who was brutally murdered."
Arkune: "Wait, so there is a faerie here?"
"Wait, what?"
Sprite: "Still no faeries here."
Adrian: "...Two of you are opting to expect a failure of your own mind. I suppose I should appreciate how easily people can be convinced not to believe their own senses, yet it never ceases to surprise me."
Night Eyes: "Valaire, you have an interesting sense of humour."
Valaire groans, rubbing her forehead.
Valaire: "Unless your next words are the magic incantation to a migraine cure, I don't really want to hear it."
"I barely even remember last night."
Sprite: "Don't do summoning rituals while drunk, boys and girls."
Adrian: "Mikolotov, I don't suppose you can do anything about that? If I knew any migraine cures, I would have used them yesterday. Some of us cannot pull magic from thin air."
Mikolotov: "I think I have a magic incantation for a migraine cure, actually."
Night Eyes sets aside her engraving, watching Mikolotov expectantly.
Mikolotov gets up, striding over to Valaire.
Valaire: "Praise be to... well, whoever is relevant in this instance. Hit me."
Mikolotov: "I think I'll settle for healing you instead."
Arkune: "Wait, so Valaire got drunk and summoned a faerie somehow?"
Mikolotov places his hand on Valaire's shoulder, channeling restorative magic into her. [Lesser Restoration: 3]
Sprite: "I can attest with complete validity that that is not what happened."
Valaire: "Ah, that hits the spot. Thank you."
Mikolotov: "Unfortunately, that was all the magic I have."
Valaire snaps her fingers, before a pair of luminescent pearls manifest in her hand.
Night Eyes: "There was certainly something intoxicating about the creature we encountered yesterday."
Valaire: "Go recharge then."
Mikolotov: "Aha, thank you, Valaire."
Sprite reaches over from Valaire's shoulder, going to grab another chunk of Arkune's bread while the girl still seems dumbfounded at the sprite's presence.
Arkune tears off a piece for the sprite and sets it in the middle of the table.
Arkune: "You can have this part... err... Faerie? It really would be easier if you had a name."
Sprite: "I have a name. It's just not suitable for you all."
"And for the last time, please stop calling me a faerie."
Arkune: "But aren't you one? You're small and have wings like one..."
Sprite leans back, looking up to Valaire.
Sprite: "Didn't you tell me this girl knew like seventy types of dragons? But she can't tell one fey from another?"
Adrian: "I'm not sure she knows the differences between those seventy types of dragons."
"Still, I imagine you'd best explain, little one."
Arkune: "I must admit, I never quite studied that part..."
Arkune looks slightly embarrassed as she nibbles at her bread.
Sprite: "Fine, fine."
"I'm what's known as a sprite. I'm... ugh, I guess you could call me a cousin of faeries."
"But faeries and sprites are very distinct! Even, though, yes, we all look to you like very small people with wings."
Sprite: "(I mean, you all look to me like big wingless people, but do I call you all 'humans'?)"
Mikolotov: "I didn't know Arkune knew so many types of dragons... did you look that up in the Grand Library?"
Arkune: "I-I don't, just that dragons tend to be big scaly creatures, they often breath fire or lightning or clouds of acid, and usually have wings."
"And heroic knights sometimes fight them!~"
Valaire: "You called the snake one."
Sprite: "Oh, so she's just clueless."
Arkune: "It was... sort of like one..."
Night Eyes: "Unfortunately so."
Sprite shrugs.
Sprite: "Dream big, girl."
Night Eyes: "Hmm, you are a Liminal Sprite, yes?"
Adrian: "It was certainly troublesome to fight. I'd say it was plenty heroic regardless."
Sprite: "Yeah, that's what the 'designation' is. It mostly just refers to the curse though."
Mikolotov: "...curse?"
Night Eyes: "Ah, I see. My designation would be an Southern Half-Elf. You can call me Night Eyes."
Sprite: "Okay!"
"And yeah, curse. It's an annoying little thing. I dunno who put it on us, but it's hereditary."
Valaire: "'Liminal' means occupying both sides of a boundary or threshold. So something that is simultaneously within either end, but also not."
Mikolotov: "I'm Mikolotov, hi there."
Sprite: "So, like, we're kinda on the threshold of the fey world and the human world, so we kinda live in-between."
"And we got cursed, see? So we can't ever actually sleep unless it's also somewhere in-between."
Night Eyes nods, listening intently.
Night Eyes: "I wonder if our wagon would count."
Adrian: "That explains your familiarity with human behavior. I suppose I no longer need to ask."
Sprite: "It can't be indoors, but it also can't be outside."
Sprite raises her arms, as if showing her dress off.
Mikolotov: "Is there any way to lift the curse?"
Sprite: "Liminal sprites tend to be at the utmost of fashion. But I'm from an old elven village, so... it's elven fashion."
"Probably a little out of place here."
Valaire: "I was going to go visit a toy store when I had the chance, see what I can do about buying doll clothes. That should give her something more stately."
Sprite: "Lift the curse... hm, not for us."
"Like, we don't even know who put it on us at this point. Probably some god or another."
"Oh, yeah, speaking of curses."
"Night Night. Valaire told me you got cursed too."
Night Eyes frowns from within her mask.
Night Eyes: "You could say that. I used old magic."
Arkune: "Maybe... a bird house would work?"
Sprite: "Yeah, yeah, so she said someone cursed you to wear that mask forever, and you're on a quest or something to hunt down the guy that did it."
Night Eyes looks at Valaire.
Valaire tries to avoid shrugging, desiring not to upset the sprite's balance.
Night Eyes: "I am prevented from speaking too much of it, so the truth is up to the imagination of those I speak with."
Arkune: "As for my 'designation'... human from the Lunar Isle, I guess? My mother was an aa-si-mar though. So I'm sort of half of each."
Adrian: "That sounds like a slightly dramatized version of the story."
Sprite: "Yeah, yeah, but I gotta wonder."
"Doesn't your nose ever itch?"
Night Eyes: "Sometimes. I don't think I could do this without a spell to keep the mask clean."
Sprite: "Yeah, I bet. It would be awful if you fell into like a muddy ditch, then all of a sudden you had to go around with a muddy mask glued to your face."
Mikolotov: "That'd be horrible."
"Do you have to wear it even while you sleep?"
Night Eyes nods glumly.
Arkune: "Is there magic that could change your face beneath enough to not need it?"
Night Eyes: "It was a necessary measure, but I seek alternatives."
"Arkune, the mask conceals more than my face."
Arkune: "...can they track your mind?"
Sprite relaxes back on Valaire's shoulder, having gotten her fill of bread.
Night Eyes: "A risk worth accounting for."
Adrian: "From the sound of it, yes, I expect they could."
Valaire: "So being on a quest to track them down and kill them doesn't sound that far from the truth, now, does it?"
Night Eyes shrugs beneath her mask.
Night Eyes: "In my search, I recently found a new spell that should help against any more Deepborn we encounter."
"If we are fighting more beasts today, I can test it."
Adrian: "And that reminds me. If I may interrupt, I don't suppose any of you happen to know the name 'Richard Guile'?"
Mikolotov: "I've never heard of that name before."
Night Eyes turns to Adrian, considering the name.
Arkune: "Who?"
Night Eyes pauses, looking agitated, and pressing her temples.
Night Eyes: "I... no..."
Night Eyes lifts her finger from her head momentarily, returning it again.
Valaire: "That seems less like a 'I don't know' than I would have thought."
"Besides, when was the last time you didn't know something?"
Night Eyes: "But I... right now!"
Sprite: "Right now?"
Night Eyes: "It's on the tip of my tongue. I know I've heard it."
Adrian: "He was with Azzanadra."
Sprite: "Oh! Like a song you hear but can't remember the name of but can't forget!"
Night Eyes nods very vigorously towards the sprite.
Night Eyes: "I don't forget easily."
Valaire: "...Wait, she agreed with your completely random analogy?"
Adrian: "A man with a pipe and a trenchcoat, was how the boy identified him."
Sprite: "Why do you have to act so surprised? I'm brilliant, you know."
Night Eyes: "Hmmm..."
Valaire: "Right. 'Brilliant'."
Night Eyes seems significantly pained.
Night Eyes: "No use. Thinking harder on it just hurts."
"I wonder if they are doing something like me."
Sprite: "Huh. Does the curse keep you from thinking about them?"
Night Eyes: "Not in my experience."
"I suspect it might be an alias, taking a step back."
Adrian: "Yes, that seems likely. Guile would be a rather unfortunate surname."
"Do you think it best to investigate further? I have a location, as well."
Night Eyes: "Seeing him personally would do better."
Sprite: "Yay, a field trip?"
Adrian: "An inn called the Morning Calm, close to the shore."
Sprite: "I thought we were already at the inn."
Night Eyes packs her engraving away.
Valaire: "Some cities have more than one inn, sprite."
Sprite: "Really? That seems like a waste of efficiency."
Night Eyes: "Can you imagine fitting a whole city in this inn?"
Sprite: "Well, no, duh. You put the inn in the city!"
"Even I know that."
Adrian: "Different inns for different price ranges, little one. That one sounds significantly higher-class."
Night Eyes: "A whole city's worth of people, I mean."
Valaire: "Higher-class? I would have assumed we would have already opted to stay at the most luxurious accommodations in the region."
"Nothing less than the best for Lord Adrian, after all."
Night Eyes: "Nothing less than the best for Lord Adrian!"
Sprite: "Oh, wow, so he's like a king or something."
"I'd bow but I'm full on bread."
Adrian: "As it happens, I'm just as glad we're not having to cross paths with that man any more frequently. So perhaps it was for the best we didn't spend too long choosing proper accommodations."
Sprite: "Oh, so it's a guy you don't like."
Valaire: "I think that may be something of an understatement..."
Adrian: "'King' is somewhat of an overstatement, little sprite, and yes."
Mikolotov: "He's more of just a Lord."
Arkune: "Which is lower in rank.... I mean, not that Adrian isn't a good person, just he's not as prestigious as a king."
"He's met the queen of Zeltria though."
Mikolotov: "He's actually quite good friends, from what I've been told."
Night Eyes: "Which is a better measure than actual status."
Sprite: "Ooh. Tantalizing gossip?"
Adrian: "And I like it that way. Kings are watched far too much for my taste. Would be rather a waste of my talents."
Night Eyes looks at the sprite sternly.
Sprite: "...I can't tell if you're staring at me or if it's just something your weird mask does."
Night Eyes: "I do not wish for gossip about my lord."
Sprite: "Geez, it's not like I want to spread it."
"I just wanna soak it up. Like a big piece of bread drenched in yummy tomato sauce."
"Hey, do we have any tomato sauce? I need something to go with all that bread I ate."
Night Eyes relents, tapping her finger idly.
Arkune: "You... have odd tastes in food, Sprite..."
Night Eyes: "I suppose you and I are not so different."
Mikolotov: "I think we do over here, actually."
Arkune: "Maybe we could get you some berries?"
Mikolotov gestures to a small tray, on the far table, containing various bowls of soup and a pitcher of water.
Sprite: "Oh, I wasn't being serious. I'm stuffed from the bread."
Mikolotov: "Well, then, shall we go check in on the Morning Calm, then?"
Arkune: "Might as well do it before our Mr. Guile moves on."
Adrian: "Yes, I think that would be best, although he sounded like more of a long-term resident."
"And I assure you, little sprite, I see Queen Rozeal as a very good friend, nothing untoward. I had given it some consideration, yes... and meeting a clever and mysterious woman from Eribe helped me make up my mind."
Sprite: "Yay, delicious gossip."
Night Eyes shirks, looking down and flush.
Adrian: "Be happy now. I'll tell you more gossip if you don't spread it around."
Sprite: "Do not worry! A lady never reveals secrets!"
Night Eyes: "(It is not right to compare myself with a Queen.)"
Valaire: "Since when are you a 'lady'?"
Sprite: "Since now."
Arkune: "Didn't you say you wanted to spread secrets earlier?"
Sprite: "I never said that! That's slander! Libel! Blackmail! Other bad-sounding words!"
Arkune: "You are an interesting one..."
Mikolotov: "She's quite cute, isn't she?"
Valaire: "(Gods, if any of you can hear me, please get rid of this ill-mannered sprite for me...)"
The party head out into the rain, trying to move quickly to not get soaked, purchasing umbrellas to protect them for the rain as they approach the Morning Calm, a very ornate and gilded establishment.
Night Eyes: "(Hm, so if we step in, we'd encounter the diplomat as well, yes?)"
Mikolotov: "Assuming he's there."
Arkune: "(Did he see all of us last time?)"
Adrian: "(Except Mikolotov, yes. And he spoke to all of us.)"
Sprite flutters around the air happily, seemingly heedless of the rain, before pausing to hover near Arkune.
Arkune: "Maybe Spree could sneak in somehow?"
Sprite: "(Fae company exempted. I hope.)"
"(...Did you just call me Spree?)"
Night Eyes: "(I was thinking Mnemonic would make a nice name.)"
Arkune: "(Well, it sounds more like a name than Sprite.)"
Sprite: "(Your naming ideas are as terrible as hers.)"
Arkune: "(What about Espri?)"
Adrian: "(I'm considering that to not need to be specified, since you weren't present. Anyway, Night Eyes is the only one of us with any chance at recognizing the man, so if any of us should be going inside, it's her.)"
Sprite: "(You're just trying to turn 'sprite' into a name, aren't you?)"
Night Eyes nods slowly at Adrian.
Night Eyes: "(So I need a guise.)"
Adrian: "(Who do you want to be this time?)"
Arkune: "(I might be... I mean, you seemed to like being called one.)"
Sprite: "(An ancient, wizened wizardly crone and her adorable lovable sprite familiar.)"
Night Eyes: "(Perhaps a maidservant?)"
"(Something that's nearly invisible anyway.)"
Sprite: "(Don't confuse 'hates being called a faerie' with 'likes being called a sprite'!)"
"(I'm definitely better at being nearly invisible.)"
Night Eyes: "(Want to come with me, then?)"
Sprite: "(Okay! We're going with the crone idea?)"
Valaire: "(If you are captured and thrown into their lunch special, I disavow all responsibility.)"
Adrian: "(Very good. I suspect association with me shouldn't be too much of a giveaway if you're questioned as out of place, if that helps. Sending someone to consider arranging for lodging here doesn't sound like a bad idea.)"
Adrian places a finger against Night Eyes's masked forehead, her appearance shifting to a plain-faced girl with a simple uniform.
Night Eyes: "(What is my name and designation, my lord?)"
Sprite perches on the disguised Night Eyes's shoulder, coming along for the ride.
Night Eyes: "(Or do you mean send someone else to make the arrangements?)"
Adrian: "(Hmm... Susanna Ferris, and you can be my valet. What do you think?)"
Night Eyes nods humbly, before clasping her hands.
Night Eyes: "Yes, master Kelton."
Night Eyes considers stepping inside, before remembering one other precaution.
Night Eyes: "(Ah, right!)"
Night Eyes points to each member of the group in turn, linking them with a spell. [Message]
Night Eyes: "(I can keep in touch with this old cantrip.)"
Sprite: "(Yay, magic!)"
Adrian grins, looking around at the others.
Adrian: "(Very good. The rest of us, I think, can do best to watch for them leaving or arriving. Or anyone else of note.)"
Night Eyes nods, and vanishes inside the inn.
Sprite vanishes without a trace, though the weight of her presence still lies on Night Eyes's shoulder. [Invisibility]
Night Eyes glances back at her shoulder with a knowing smile.
The inn is warm and soothing, with a bard playing quiet background music on a violin. A woman wearing a less than she should in this weather stands at the desk, idly twiddling a quill.
Arkune: "(I'll do my best to stay inconspicuous and keep an eye out.)"
"(Should we split up, to cover more sides of the building?)"
Adrian replaces his own appearance with an ordinary one as well, looking for a vantage point from which to watch the inn door.
Adrian: "(If possible.)"
Mikolotov: "(Right!)"
Night Eyes approaches the desk nervously.
Night Eyes: "Ah, excuse me?"
Innkeeper: "Ah, yes? You don't look like one of ours, what're you here for~?"
Night Eyes: "My master requested that I make arrangements for him to stay here."
"Five other guests."
Arkune heads around to the back of the building to keep watch for anyone taking an alternative exit.
Innkeeper: "Ah, under what names?"
Night Eyes: "Kelton, madam."
Innkeeper: "Righty ho... and if you're reserving, you've got to pay up front, you know that?"
Night Eyes: "Hm, I do not manage the budget. Would it be acceptable if I could be shown around? That way I could assure him of the quality of this establishment."
Innkeeper: "Sure, I guess."
Innkeeper gets up from her stool, smoothing out her less than modest dress, and getting out from behind the desk.
Innkeeper: "Well, here is the gathering hall, where our guests can relax with hot meals and fine music."
"We also host events every week."
Night Eyes follows obediently, observing the patrons.
Night Eyes: "So this is a gathering hall to all patrons?"
Innkeeper: "All of them, yes."
"It's still early morning, and the only patron out and about is Greymage Azzanadra."
Night Eyes peers at the tables nervously.
Innkeeper: "...someone you lookin' for, darlin'?"
Night Eyes: "My lord said he was recommended this place by a friend, is all." [Bluff: 17+4]
Innkeeper: "Oh, which friend was that?"
"I can probably pick 'em out for you."
Night Eyes: "Alas, I was not informed of that matter. I simply hoped they might recognise my uniform."
Innkeeper: "It doesn't seem like anyone's currently paying much attention to you..."
The innkeeper gives Night Eyes a tour of the building, showing her various things, before bidding her farewell from the inn, going back to her desk.
Night Eyes bows in thanks to the innkeeper, before retreating.
Night Eyes: "(Twenty five per head, per night. Azzanadra is not in, I did not recognise anyone else there.)"
"(Mnemonica got a nice look at the fashion of nobility here, at least?)"
Sprite: "(That's still not my name.)"
Night Eyes: "(I await a better alternative.)"
Night Eyes steps out of the main door, looking for the others.
Sprite: "(You can try asking.)"
Arkune comes around to front to meet back up.
Sprite flutters off the Eriban's shoulder, dismissing her illusory shroud.
Adrian returns to the group, dropping his own illusory disguise.
Valaire: "Hopefully you didn't make too much of a mess of things in there."
Sprite: "I resent that. I am sophisticated and in control."
"When I want to be."
Arkune: "So... nothing of note inside?"
Night Eyes: "They have a group meeting hall for their patrons, and some very eccentric looking nobility staying. That is about it."
Adrian: "I rather like it as a name. Good work, and thank you. Now... the question is, do we stake the place out from outside, or pay to wait in relative comfort? I imagine the former would allow a better vantage, but more risk if we were spotted."
Arkune: "I wouldn't mind staying somewhere warm while we investigate."
Night Eyes: "If we stay inside, we can get a better look at the rest of the courtly culture here."
Sprite: "It's not so bad right now, is it?"
Night Eyes: "Perhaps we can learn about other diplomats, here."
Valaire: "If we are staying here... I will probably need a room with a window."
Sprite: "Hopefully it's not sleeping on a hard stone windowsill again."
Mikolotov: "I'll be happy with any room in a place as nice as this..."
Arkune: "Should some of us share rooms, to cut down on costs?"
Night Eyes: "Perhaps we can spare your friend a little fur that we harvested, Valaire?"
Valaire: "I typically sleep alone, but I'll share with anybody that wants me, of course. My requirement of a window still applies."
Mikolotov: "It's still early morning... would it be conspicuous if we came in right after Night Eyes to book it now?"
Valaire: "Very likely. We want to come back when he's around for snooping, don't we?"
Adrian: "Precisely."
Night Eyes: "True, giving it an hour or so may be worthwhile."
Valaire: "Until then, we should report our progress to the Minister."
Arkune: "We can show him the fiend's head we obtained."
Adrian: "Arkune, for once this seems a good opportunity for you to boast of your monster-slaying."
Valaire: "Talking in the meeting is already enough of a social faux pas. Don't you dare drag the head in with you."
Mikolotov: "I'd like to request leave while you attend to diplomatic matters, Milord. There are some things I'd like to look into a little more."
Adrian: "Granted. Let me know what you learned."
Sprite: "Does the aa-si-mar girl want leave too? Since she's like you and seems more of the hitting things until they stop moving role?"
Night Eyes: "I do think showing the monster head is a reasonable opportunity to let Arkune speak."
Mikolotov: "I'm not off to hit things, Sprite. I'm going to do investigating."
Sprite: "Ooooh. That kind of hitting things."
Mikolotov: "No violence will be employed."
Adrian: "You're not disproving her, you know."
Arkune: "I mean, it's proof of what we fought, and maybe they can glean more information from having the head itself?"
Mikolotov rubs the back of his head.
Mikolotov: "...Does she mean hitting the books?"
Night Eyes: "I think it's better not to encourage her, Mikolotov."
Sprite: "Hehe, you guys are so fun to be around~"
Mikolotov: "...thanks?"
Sprite perches herself atop Adrian's umbrella, looking at the group from over the tip.
Mikolotov: "Anyway, I need to get to work. I'll see you later."
Valaire: "And if we need to find you?"
Mikolotov: "I'll probably be at the garrison."
Valaire: "Or if we need to rendezvous?"
Mikolotov: "...the garrison, again?"
Adrian looks up curiously to watch the sprite.
Mikolotov salutes, before jogging down in the direction of the guardhouse.
Valaire sighs, rubbing her forehead.
Adrian: "First Azzanadra, and I'm going to have to do some research on these daemons later... that was a rather unsettling event. I don't suppose any of you are familiar with them?"
Sprite: "Hm..."
"Don't look at me. Ask their progeny over there."
Valaire: "I would greatly prefer you NOT call me that."
"But yeah, daemons are pretty typical. Nihilistic monsters with a desire to see everything that exists ground to nothingness."
Night Eyes nods.
Night Eyes: "There is a leader among them that I read about. Warlord Garadin. He sows war and devastation among the land."
"I suspect he is responsible for the chaotic appearance of those beasts."
Sprite: "That does not sound like a guy you want to mess with."
Adrian: "As much as I may come to regret it, I'm primarily concerned with their language. That one didn't seem inclined to communicate in Common, if it was able to at all, and I'd like to be ready if any more of them appear."
Valaire: "Yeah, they don't bother with the human tongues."
"They prefer either fiend tongues, dragon tongue, or just using the age-old annoying telepathy."
"If you want to tell them what to do, my lord, I suggest one of the first three."
Arkune: "Can they be reasoned with?"
Valaire: "I'm not sure what level of rationalization you're hoping from them, mouse."
"What part of 'destruction of all things' made you think they were going to settle for a compromise?"
Adrian: "I don't intend to try reasoning with them. You saw how happily it tore that ape to pieces."
Night Eyes: "The purpose is to control."
Arkune: "I more meant I wasn't sure if Adrian had planned to try."
"Control?"
Sprite: "Hey, mister daemon sir, if you totally wouldn't mind, could you just destroy that half of the universe and leave this half of the universe alone? That'd be swell, thanks."
Night Eyes: "As Valaire says. When Adrian tells people what to do, they hear and obey."
Adrian: "Words have power, Arkune. You saw how I was able to deal with that mercenary we captured."
Sprite: "Ooh, I wanna see!"
Adrian: "I expect you will, given time."
Valaire: "I wonder how long it shall be before she is his vassal as well..."

The party make their way back to the Parliamentary House, managing to secure another meeting with the Grand Minister, finding themselves back in the council chamber.
A tall robed figure who looks like Azzanadra is walking around on the upper floor, as well as an old gnome who is irately pacing in front of the globe.
Night Eyes: "(There was that questionable gnome family, wasn't there?)"
Arkune: "(Think that's one?)"
Adrian silently examines the bookshelves while waiting, making sure to discreetly stay close enough to overhear anything the gnome says.
Sprite slips off of the chair arm she was sitting on, noticing the group's vision and turning invisible as she begins to stalk the robed figure upstairs. [Stealth: 55]
Adrian turns slightly toward the gnome, focusing on him, a suppressed glimmer of magic shining from his eyes. [Hypnotic Stare, Conceal Spell: Detect Anxieties, DC 17]
Valaire browses the bookshelves idly for books regarding familiars, trying to ignore the empathic signals her current one is sending.
Arkune attempts to find a history book to browse.
Adrian takes a book out of the shelf, glancing over it briefly, before finding a nearby seat and smiling maliciously at the gnome.
Zimberfrizz looks at Adrian with alarm.
Zimberfrizz: "What do you want? Why are you leering at me?"
Adrian: "Ah, good day. Although hardly a polite greeting."
Zimberfrizz: "It's not a good day!"
Valaire: "It is for those who enjoy rain, I would think, at least."
Night Eyes: "(It makes for good reading ambience.)"
Zimberfrizz: "We're about to sign away our independence and lose our freedom. No amount of rain is going to fix this."
Night Eyes lowers her book slightly, lifting her free hand to cover her mouth.
Adrian: "Ah, I hadn't heard. To whom are you signing away your freedom?"
Zimberfrizz: "Those royals!"
"Yarnham wants to make a peace treaty with the Royals. Maybe elves have been too busy and forgot, but us gnomes remember the wars, the hardships!"
"We remember Beldyr and we've heard the stories of the Prince."
"Not to mention their lords harass us each and every day... it's a return to the old times if we let our guard down now!"
Adrian: "That certainly explains... very little, really. Oh, I don't think you've introduced yourself properly, and nor have I. I am Lord Adrian Kelton, ambassador of Zeltria, and you?" [Adrian : Intimidate: 37]
Zimberfrizz squeaks in alarm, recoiling.
Zimberfrizz: "Eh? You're The Black Hills? Why have you come for me? I'm very important, I'll have you know, don't you try and take me out!"
Adrian shakes his head in dismissal, visibly amused.
Adrian: "I assure you, I have no intention to bother doing any such thing."
Sprite decides to see how long she can hover from behind the gnome before he notices, while he's distracted with Adrian. [Stealth: 37]
Zimberfrizz: "You don't think I'm not important enough? I'll have you know I'm a successful wizard and member of parliament!"
Adrian: "I'm not entirely certain what you're attempting to prove. I'm aware of your station here."
Valaire looks aglance at the gnome with a mischievous smirk, still pretending to be lost within a book of familiar care.
Arkune glances over, pondering butting in, but decides to jsut listen for now.
Zimberfrizz: "So, what do you want? Trying to shake me? Intimidate me into signing the bill?"
Sprite gets bored of silently hiding behind the gnome, trying a little magic to alleviate her boredom. [Prestigiditation SLA, turning his hair hot pink]
Adrian: "I simply thought I could get to know some of the people here while I was waiting." [Bluff: 21]
Adrian twitches slightly at the change of hair color, trying to seem not to notice.
Zimberfrizz narrows his eyes.
Zimberfrizz: "...I don't need to be talking to you, I need to be preparing, yes, preparing, for the worst."
Adrian: "I see. Don't let me interfere, I'm sure you have a lot to do. Farewell."
Zimberfrizz mumbles and grumbles to himself as he scampers off, book under his arm.
Sprite quickly repeats her fey trick to change the gnome's hair to almost-but-not-quite the original hair color, flitting under cover as he leaves.
Adrian smirks at the gnome, setting his own book aside.
Sprite flies out of cover once the gnome has made enough of a distance, settling herself on Adrian's shoulder.
Sprite: "Wow, you totally just kinda creeped him out there by saying the most innocuous things."
Night Eyes: "It should really be less of a surprise that Adrian's presence would be feared and reviled by some."
Adrian: "Consider it a pastime of mine. The colors were your work, I suppose?"
Sprite: "Did you like it?"
"The best part is that I put a little less effort in that second cast, so it'll wear off sooner."
"His hair's gonna turn pink all of a sudden like half an hour from now, it's gonna be great."
Adrian: "Splendid. I wish I could be there to see it. Maybe he'll think I cursed him."
Sprite: "Yeah, but he's gonna be with other people then. Maybe important people he wants to impress."
"He's already paranoid so he might think one of them did it!"
Arkune: "Will it always be pink now?"
"Or is it like dye?"
Sprite: "Nah, it'll change back."
"I can't enact any real change."
Night Eyes: "Probably for the best."
Sprite: "It's all just, you know. pranks. But well meaning pranks?"
Arkune: "He was sorta cute in a way with it, like something out of a child's book~"
Adrian: "Useful pranks, quite possibly."
Sprite: "I can also clean clothes! Or make them dirty."
"I was subtly tempted to make the insides of his pantaloons dirty but decided against it."
Arkune: "I think he might have noticed that."
Adrian: "Good thinking. It might have gotten him a little too worked up."
Sprite: "Yeah. Like, I didn't want to mess with your whole thing."
Arkune: "We don't need a gnome making a scene right now."
Sprite: "It's fun. You're like a master social prankster!"
Adrian: "Not praise that I would have expected, but thank you. Hm, that should be about long enough..."
Arkune: "You're surprisingly skilled. I mean... I always used to think unnerving someone required being way more overt."
Night Eyes stifles a giggle.
Night Eyes: "Perhaps I could learn to appreciate a prank or two."
Adrian: "I've had quite a bit of practice."
Adrian glances at the window and gets up from his seat, walking upstairs with a gesture to the others.
Arkune: "Ah? Is it time?"
Sprite flutters over to Valaire, nudging her as a cue and settling on her shoulder.
Arkune follows Adrian, setting her book back where she found it.
Valaire sighs, putting the book away and following the group.
Night Eyes follows suit, straightening her posture and joining the others.
Sprite: "Oh, the tall gloomy looking guy was really boring. He just wanted to read a book. I gave up when I couldn't conceal myself any longer, and decided to join the fun with the gnome."
Adrian: "Very useful to know."
Sprite: "(Really boring book, too. I mean, devils are like the antithesis of fun.)"
Night Eyes: "(Ah...)"
Adrian: "(But interesting insight.)"
Arkune: "(A book on devils?)"
"(Those are kind of like the thing we fought, right?)"
Adrian pauses briefly to take a golden scale from a satchel, tapping it against his forehead, before knocking at the door. [Hermean Potential]
The somewhat feminine voice of the Grand Minister bids them entry, and the door opens, back to the large office, Yarnham Fitcher sitting at the table.
Arkune: "Greetings, Minister, sir," says Arkune as she enters, taking a seat after Adrian.
Sprite sits in a dignified manner, switching to a chair's armrest as Valaire chooses a seat to take.
Minister Yarnham Fitcher looks at the sprite with curiosity.
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "Hm, it seems you have added one more to your party, Sir Adrian."
Sprite: "Yeah, they saved me from those beasts in the forest, so I decided to tag along!" [Bluff: 31]
Arkune: "Speaking of..."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "How interesting. I wasn't aware sprites resided in the forest."
Arkune: "While we were there, we found 'something' in addition to the beasts."
Sprite: "Well, not anymore they don't."
Arkune: "Besides our fey friend."
Sprite: "Also, hey, you called me a sprite!"
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "...that is what you are, no?"
Sprite: "Yeah, it is, but everybody else is always 'faerie' this, 'faerie' that'."
"You are, like, completely the first person to look at me and think 'sprite'."
Adrian: "Regarding our requested task, I had quite a number of those monsters exterminated for you. Do you require proof of their demise?"
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "I do not require proof, but it would help. It is fairly obvious when one of these beasts have been killed, soon. The environment around them would soon revert back to normal."
Sprite: "Yeah, the nature there was pretty messed up."
"It's hard for a one-foot-tall girl to make a living."
Arkune draws out a leather bag, not opening it yet.
Arkune: "While not proof of the beasts... we do have the head of something else we found there."
Valaire sighs, looking annoyed at her familiar's verboseness.
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "You took the head of *something else*?"
Arkune: "Ah... well... perhaps I should let Adrian explain the exact matter."
Valaire looks to Adrian, as if awaiting his leave when he wants her to add.
Adrian: "Arkune... There was a daemon there provoking the beasts into behaving more viciously, sir. That is what she refers to. I believe Valaire may be able to explain more about the creatures."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "Please, go on. I'm not well versed in outsiders."
Valaire: "At your will, my lord."
"These Eldritch Beasts are clearly not things meant to exist within our world. They utterly devastate any environment they're in, and can clearly not co-exist alongside nature."
"There are enough hints that they come here from somewhere else. A world more suited for them, where their destructive habits do not bother the environment."
Arkune: "The serpent and boar have been proof of how destructive these can be even to the land itself..."
Valaire: "But the question is why are they being brought from their world to ours, and this is where the daemon comes in."
"Daemons revel in destruction. They delight in idea of the world being ground to dust, and that dust ground until there is nothing left. I hypothesize that it is to this end that they are loosing these beasts upon our world, to cause untold amounts of destruction and havoc."
"So they pull them out of their home, rile them enough that they start destroying the local ecosystem and spur the lesser beasts along with them, and generally cause everybody; Ashdalites, Zeltrians, Eribans, those of the Lunar Isle, everybody to suffer in the monsters' wakes."
Night Eyes: "Hmm, thinking about it..."
"It also softens us up."
"The leader of the Daemons is supposed to be a fearsome warlord."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "He is?"
Valaire: "So the stories go."
"So these beasts... are something like advance soldiers."
Arkune: "Shock troops, to soften up the enemy before the real assault?"
Valaire: "As it would seem. Their master, the god Garadin, seeks to conquer everything. Or perhaps more accurately, he does not want anything that he has not conquered to exist."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "I see... this is indeed worrying."
Valaire: "As should be clear, this is a threat to both our great nations. If we waste energy and resources fighting each other, then we just make ourselves more delectable morsels for picking off."
Adrian: "Let Zeltria and Ashdale stand together against this threat. We have done all we can to help abate the danger for now; I trust it will suffice as proof of our goodwill?" [Diplomacy: 32]
Valaire: "What we speak is a threat that concerns both of our nations." [Diplomacy: 20]
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "Of course it does. I imagine we will be able to share more information in the future, between our nations."
"We nearly have a majority in the house in favour. I am sure that when I explain situations and reveal these points, we may very well have a treaty."
"I only ask for a little more of your patience while I work."
Adrian: "I understand, sir. I will hope to hear good news of the parliament's decision soon."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "As do I. I've barely slept while I've been working on this..."
Night Eyes tilts her head curiously.
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "I need to convince, talk to, and meet and negotiate with a lot of unwilling parliamentary members, on top of my other duties as a public servant."
Sprite: "It must be a headache. Trying to tell them to make peace without making them panic about daemons."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "Many are stuck in old ways, like poor Zimberfrizz. I actually have to meet with him after this to avoid him from panicking."
Sprite: "(Hee~)"
Adrian: "Ah, the gnomish gentleman outside? I had wondered why he was so distraught." [Bluff: 26]
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "Ah, yes, him."
"Quite an old gnome. Quite prone to panic, but he holds the country's best interests at heart."
"...years of aggression from Zeltria have made their family... rather anxious."
Adrian: "I see. I wish you the best of luck. If there is anything more I can do to prove my queen's good intentions..."
Valaire: "I fear even the most war-hardened of Zeltrian nobles will not be able to ignore the threat of daemons for long."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "Well, I will of course need to converse with Her Majesty Rozeal and have her sign the treaty herself, at some point."
"It might entail returning to Zeltria."
Adrian: "Of course. I am sure that would be easily arranged."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "It's strange how our countries can only now cooperate, when the largest calamities loom over us."
Sprite: "Yeah, it's kinda sad how humans can fight so much."
Arkune: "With hope though, the bonds forged now might ease those made later."
"It's easier to share a drink with someone after you've worked with them."
Night Eyes: "We all need reminders to see the bigger picture, at times."
"It takes a truly large picture to turn everyone's heads to the truth."
Adrian: "It is fortunate enough to be able to work together in time to prevent those calamities."
Arkune: "Before this discussion ends... do you want us to dispose of the fiend's remains, sir? Or would your scholars and such find it useful to study?"
Minister Yarnham Fitcher yawns, rubbing his temple.
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "It has been... a few decades since I have been to Zeltria. I hope I can see the crystal forest again... ah? Yes, I may need that as proof for more stubborn parliament members."
Arkune hands over the bag gently.
Arkune: "(I really hope it's not too messy to be useful...)"
Minister Yarnham Fitcher takes the bag, putting it down by his chair.
Sprite: "You gonna just flop it down on the discussion table to terrorize them into obedience?"
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "Well, if they accuse me of giving them baseless reasons, I am sure this will be enough to shock them into realising what we face."
Night Eyes nods.
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "...if it happens to scare the more dislikable members, then I suppose I can see that as a reward for my hard work."
Adrian chuckles at the thought, nodding.
Adrian: "Quite true, sir. It should be sufficient proof that there are more important things to worry about."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher: "Indeed. Now, I suppose I will be seeing you tomorrow, no?"
"I recommend seeing some of the sights the city has to offer, while you have the chance."
Adrian: "Very well, I think I shall do just that. Until then."
Minister Yarnham Fitcher bows to Adrian and his party, before standing up, and opening the door for them.
Valaire stands up, bowing before the minister.
Night Eyes bows to the minister, waiting for Adrian to depart first.
Adrian bows as well, exiting to the library again.
Night Eyes follows Adrian's heels.
Arkune bows to the minister as well.
Sprite waves goodbye to the man, not caring about the formality, as she begins to fly after her group.
Minister Yarnham Fitcher waves in return to the little sprite.
The party head out and back into the city, ready to go about their business until the evening.