Beyond the Sky - Session 31.3

Later on in the day, Adrian visits the Queen's private quarters at her request.
Adrian knocks at the door, taking advantage of the time to collect his thoughts.
Queen Rozeal: "If that's you, Adrian, come in please."
"If that's someone else, I'm quite busy at the moment."
Adrian: "That it is. And how have you been in this time?"
Adrian opens the door, finding a seat inside.
Queen Rozeal is dressed in a less formal white dress, sitting down at a table, holding an ornate walking stick. She furrows her brow, frowning, before speaking.
Queen Rozeal: "Quite concerned and worried, really. It seems every time an issue is solved, another two pop up in place..."
Adrian: "It really does seem that way. This business with Dragontooth?"
Queen Rozeal: "Yes. Then there's the tribes in the south getting even more territorial, along with what seems like increasingly aggressive actions from Eribe..."
Queen Rozeal puts her hand to her head.
Queen Rozeal: "And I've been having rather unnerving dreams, and quite a few bad head pains."
Adrian: "What kind of dreams, if I may ask?"
Queen Rozeal: "That's the thing... I can barely remember any of it, and when I do, it gives me the most uncomfortable headaches."
"I hope my condition isn't... worsening."
Adrian freezes in place, looking around.
Adrian: "I hope that only coincidentally sounds familiar. No, I have a bad feeling about this, and if it's correct... I need any records of who you've met with in the last few days. Is that possible?"
Queen Rozeal: "I think I can remember that at least."
"Do you mean official meetings, casual meet ups, or both?"
Adrian: "Both. I can't be sure which it would be."
"I'm sorry to pry. I'm simply worried you're in danger."
Queen Rozeal: "Well, there is Polara Lumenta, the Wyverian Ambassador, she arrived yesterday, and before that it was two Lords from Jer'rell, as my official meetings..."
"There's also a few other small issues I've been having to address..."
Adrian: "None of them. A man who went by the name Richard Guile when I heard of him; an obvious alias, and my only visual description of him is useless, simply that he was identified by a trenchcoat. He has ties to Eribe, perhaps... I don't know anything else."
Queen Rozeal: "Ah? That's strange. How is a strange man you know little about dangerous?"
Adrian: "If I knew more about him, I wouldn't be so concerned. But everyone who's interacted with him forgets him, and is pained by trying to remember. I suspect it would happen to me as well were I to meet him face to face, rather than just rumors."
Queen Rozeal: "...do you think I've met with him?"
Adrian: "Yes, I do. It sounds just the same, and he seemed to be traveling this way."
Queen Rozeal puts her hand to her chin in thought.
Queen Rozeal: "Hmm..."
"This person you talk about... he may have come to me last night."
Adrian: "Last night?! What happened?"
Queen Rozeal: "Give me a moment... it's quite hard to remember."
"I remember my window being open and a sharp gust of wind waking me up."
"I remember... someone coming into my room, I think."
"I'm sorry, this all sounds terribly vague, doesn't it?"
Adrian: "It's no fault of yours. As I said, he has this effect on everyone."
Queen Rozeal: "It's not like I can't remember. It just feels.. cloudy."
"I think I can remember his face."
"Pale skin... glasses, and a mustache and hair... a bit like yours, Adrian, but greying."
Adrian: "Ah, thank you! That's the best information on him I've had so far. ...A sketch would help my search tremendously, if it isn't too presumptuous of me to ask."
Queen Rozeal: "I can try!"
"The only other thing I remember from that night is just trying on a ring that was given to me, but finding it's... quite tight around my finger."
"I'm not very strong and it did take a good half an hour of trying before I gave up."
"Though I'm not sure that helps at all..."
Adrian: "May I see it? I received one myself... an uncanny coincidence."
Queen Rozeal holds up her hand, showing a rather ornate bronze signet ring.
Adrian takes a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts, and looks at the ring closely, eyes sparkling with magic. [Detect Magic, Spellcraft: 25]
Queen Rozeal: "It's quite nice, isn't it? It was actually on my table, when I returned to my room."
Adrian: "It does look that way, and it seems like all the magic in it is quite beneficial. Still... my skill at such things is hardly reliable. You might want to show it to Kallian as well."
Queen Rozeal: "It's magical?"
"I suppose it never occurred to me to check..."
Adrian: "That it is. It wards your mind, from the look of it."
Queen Rozeal: "Hmm... maybe that's what helped me remember all of the information."
Adrian: "An interesting theory. I'll have to see if I can duplicate the effect."
Adrian takes a small book and writing supplies from his satchel, jotting down notes quickly.
Queen Rozeal: "How is Kallian, by the way? He's been quite elusive since yesterday, he said he's working on something quite important and won't let anyone disturb him today. Did you see him at all yesterday?"
Adrian: "I spoke with him yesterday; he seemed fine at the time. I don't know what he would be working on."
Queen Rozeal: "Neither do I... still. Hmm, I realise, before this chat is up, there are a couple things you might want to hear about."
Adrian: "Ah?"
Queen Rozeal: "Well, just after your departure, I was asked to go to The Rift for an inspection, and... have you ever been there before?"
"Normally I've only seen the upper floors, but the ogre they're keeping below... it's like some sort of _monster_."
"I had heard the stories... but this creature was three times as tall as a normal ogre, and its skin was... red, and it kept pulsing with some sort of hot aura..."
Queen Rozeal steadies herself, swallowing.
Queen Rozeal: "Apparently, it's been getting... bigger."
"And it's been melting the normal manacles that keep it in place... thank god that thing is on an island."
Adrian: "I've been there. That's a rather eerie change, though..."
Queen Rozeal: "It was scary. Like some sort of demon ourg."
Adrian: "We can't rely on it not swimming away, at that rate. Someone's looking into how to contain it properly again, aren't they?"
Queen Rozeal: "Yes, they're looking into stronger metals like cold iron and strengthening it with earth runes."
"The only other thing I wanted to mention was... it seems there was a break in at the royal vaults last week. Nothing much was stolen, just seems like it was a few books, but the strange thing is... all the doors were locked, and all of those were guarded."
"Strange, isn't it? Must have been some sort of fanatic collector, or some sort of Wizard trying to steal a new spell, perhaps..."
Adrian: "What books were taken?"
Queen Rozeal: "It seems like it was some old spellbooks. I don't think too many of them were properly noted at what spells were in there, since at the time of storing, we did not have a court mage..."
Adrian: "I'd be a little more suspicious of what they were taken for. Thank you for letting me know."
Queen Rozeal: "No problem. I'm sure I'm able to get the sketch to you before you leave."
Adrian: "Again, thank you. ...I'll do everything I can to help lay some of these issues to rest. In the meantime, please be careful."
Queen Rozeal: "I shall."
Adrian leaves the room quietly, going over his notes, Night Eyes appearing to join him as he leaves.