The Golden Age. Act 2: Converging Paths.

[Nanami Touko]

Trying not to stare at Kaya, half asleep in her arms, she jolted her attention away as the priestess started to wake up, letting her down with little issue. Though, she did take a bit of her own issue, seeing who was waiting for them at the town. She hissed quietly, slithering up next to Kaya. "Regus. His name is Regus... It's been a while, huh." She eyed him, wondering if he even recognized her-- but if his research into demihumans was still so prevalent, she figured it would be near impossible to forget what even he thought was the most unique case.

"Well... You're all welcome, I guess... Don't suppose you've figured anything e-else out about my case?" It was unlikely, but there was no harm in asking. And while she waited, she had some gold to organize. She still owed Kaya some...

Meanwhile, Mikhaila took her gold without much of a word, looking towards the rest of the group. Kaya was healed now, so she could use the attention for her arm, but it seemed she was talking to this Regus first... Whoever he was. Telmara seemed to know him, so leaving him to them was likely best. "Raz, would you mind if I accompanied you all? I realize I... May unnerve the townsfolk, so, perhaps the guards will be more receptive. At the very least, until I can find some proper attention for my arm... Thank you for the temporary care."

Edited July 11, 2017 by SnakeMomMelissa

[Juliette]

Velvet's ears perked up as she saw a familiar face upon passing through the gates. "Hello Regus, it's me again! Using your maaagical warping powers to travel around the continent helping everyone, that's very magnanimous of you." She giggled, poking at his shoulder after approaching him. "Busy as usual! Your hair looks awful, it would flow so nicely if you've ever heard of a comb. It's been years now? Anything new and interesting you've found? Probably not, seeing how difficult the field is, but... anyway, thanks for helping Kaya. We're searching for some of the Gifts. She saw in a dream she needed to find the Fire Emblem, and she's prophetic." She narrowed her eyes at that statement. "Might you have any advice on that?"

[riariadne]

"Kaya Bereen... I've seen you once before, long ago. When you were new to the Order, the head showed me you once when you were practicing... I observed, but did not interrupt," Regus explained. "Then, my sister spoke to me about you a few weeks ago. She's usually quite haughty, so hearing of someone she regarded with interest was quite unusual for her. I am sure your powers are quite extraordinary... my knowledge of dark magic isn't quite as extensive as my siblings, so I am less keen to the details other than what Shylah has explained to me. I am glad to have assisted you, at least." He gave a quick nod to Kolmar, seeing that he wasn't particularly keen on a long discussion, before next looking to Raz.

"You are Raz... I see why Noctus was interested in your potential. He is even more selective with who he speaks with than Shylah, moreso with who he teaches. This group of yours... it is full of extraordinary people, is it not? But, you are right... Timaeus is a threat." The Magus sighed, pausing for a moment. He looked towards the townsfolk near them. "May I ask that you leave me with this group for the time being? I will be back to assist you all with what I can after, but I must discuss things that should be kept relatively unknown." They all seemed to agree after a minute, perhaps as a favor to the man who had helped them, then Regus turned back to the group. "Please, all of you listen to what I have to say before leaving this area."

With another wave of his staff, he conjured a blue image- a striking man, easily identifiable to those there as Timaeus. "It's a Creation- similar to conjuring, but much more lifelike. I met him in Grunan. He came after the soldiers were cleared, and I couldn't do anything that seemed to be lasting damage to him, but his actual magical skill seemed questionable. Allegedly, he is gathering strength... I can't say for sure. His time magic was all that was notable. Noctus understands it, but he dares not use it. Vanish," he commanded, the Creation disappearing as ordered. He then created four more images- two of them familiar as Camellia and Dimitrius, with an older bearded man holding a sword and a sharp-eyed bow-wielding woman alongside them. "These are his disciples. They want the Gifts, and all honor him as 'His Majesty'. I couldn't discern why, but... that's what happened. Equally impossible to defeat, based on all accounts. I wonder if that, too, is time magic. We will have to find out more, or they may be a looming threat to Titan the likes which we've never seen, especially if they will be stronger. Vanish." Those four, too, disappeared. 

Next, he looked at both demihuman and demicat. "You two I've actually spoken with. I'm sorry to say that nothing I've learned would be helpful to you, Telmara, as far reversing your condition goes. And I don't have time for your brand of shenanigans, Velvet." He stepped back from her as she approached, crossing his arms. "And you are very haphazard with information... but, I suppose I can tell you some things helpful to your quest. I know nothing about the location of the Emblem, which I understand is your main objective. The Lazarus Gem was recently discovered to be found by a group of explorers from Vespen, in the mountains. The Talon of Mefilius was rumored to have been stolen in a scuffle several months ago in Ibis, but accounts were shaky and largely covered up. I've heard you possess the Calling and Greatforger amongst you, through my sources. And lastly, for the Horn and Grace, I have nothing to say, either. I hope that can be helpful to you."

[eclipse]

Oh. This is interesting.

Kolmar made a mental note of the various locations Regus rattled off.  The last place he wanted to go was Ibis, but the Lazarus Gem was who-knows-where, and the magic guy didn't have much information on the rest.  "Group of explorers" wasn't particularly concrete, and he suspected that Kaya would have serious objections to shaking down every other adventuring group they met.

[Bluedoom]

Being graced with the presence of one of the Magi was no joke. Ignoring the townspeople's cries of joy, she hastily took the bag of gold coins from Regus, muttering,"T-T-Thank you." She had only heard stories about the Magus Trio, but to see them in person was a privilege.

 

She listened keenly to what Regus had to say- about Timaeus, his men, and the Gifts. His account seemed to confirm some of her suspicions, and dispel some of her fears. So it was true that he was planning something sinister and not going with any straightforward plan, and his battle with the group was probably a distraction; but Aaron was right- he wasn't as strong as she had feared. At least, not yet.

 

As most of the group went into the city to find a place to interrogate their captive, Joviana decided to stay back and ask some questions. This was the point where they could get the most information, especially since their competitors also happened to be people causing havoc for no good reason. "Do you think Timaeus is the type to gloat? There's no reason to lay siege on four cities for a Gift, that's too complicated. Given his prowess in time magic, it would be easy for his group to stealthily search for the Gifts and get them, maybe using questionable means too. What he's doing right now just baffles me..."

[scorri]

"Wha..." This was Shylah's brother. And he'd seen her when she was young and just joining the Order? And then so much information. She took a breath and then nodded. "Yes, I met your sister... Ah. Speaking of... I think that we are going in the right direction for now, but she said something to me when we met. Do you know of a place called Calimdour? In our talkings of power and dark magic, she said that when my path left me unfulfilled, I should seek her out there. And from what you've said and from what we've seen, while I wouldn't say unfulfilled, it still feels like it would make sense to know where I might want to be heading in the future?"

She would have loved to ask him more about her powers, but as he said himself, he didn't know much about dark magic. Instead she took in all that he had said and considered the new information. Raz had met Noctus. That was something new. She would have to talk more to their archer. It seemed that she had many secrets that she kept hidden from the rest of the group. Perhaps it was time to try and find some of those out. Velvet seemed to bother him which was amusing to Kaya, but the information about the Gifts was useful. None of the Gifts he mentioned were the one she cared aout, but that didn't mean it was a bad idea to know about them. Maybe even chase them. Perhaps as they found more Gifts, they would lead the way to the rest of them.

[Nanami Touko]

Gods, this cat was loud... And obnoxious. Telmara wasn't much for dealing with her. Since Regus didn't know anything, that left her back at square one. "I see... Kaya, c-come get your gold when you're done talking to him... I suppose. Have fun..." Telmara snaked herself past them both, heading towards the town. Where to go, though? She didn't really want to go with the people heading towards the castle, that wasn't her scene... Maybe some shop, as long as she remembered not to spend too much. She could use her tome, now. Surely there was other magic to work towards... Or see.

Telmara squiggles around town until she finds the Sword and Scroll

[Juliette]

"Aw, you're no fun anymore, Regus," Velvet pouted. "It's just some fashion advice! No thoughts given even though it's been so long, really? But, thanks for the answers, at least... hmhm. I'll think on what that means for where we should be headed later. But, I think I'm going to the market to stock up on new wares, and maybe make some sales, seeing how I was overall fairly unlucky with that in Madrigal. Have fun storming the castle with the captive, tell me if he says anything interesting! Maybe he's worth healing too so he wakes up? Probably not."

Velvet walks to the Mhogan Market

[riariadne]

Nature Guardian

"I'm not sure if gloat would be how I would describe it," Regus answered Joviana. "It seems to be that he simply has several goals, some of them conflicting. It's obvious that he wants to stir up trouble, but what he seeks to gain from that is more questionable. He didn't come to the city in Grunan, though. It was Kair Valley he travelled to, a small wilderness encampment known as an area where animism is very pronounced. But you're correct that if that was his only goal, keeping quiet would likely be more beneficial." He eyed her more keenly for a moment, then mentioned more quietly to her, "By the way... you should be careful here, but don't fear everything. What you did before was certainly frowned upon, but at least for the time being, knowing that you helped break up the siege will likely give you some leeway."

He then listened to Kaya's question, pausing for a moment. "Seeing as you've met Shylah, I'm sure you don't me to be the one telling you that she loves being cryptic. Of course she was aware you wouldn't know where that is. It's very like her to use such an antiquated name. Calimdour is in Rathuum, the southernmost point of the province. It its on the cliffs that overlook the ocean, and a rare spot of beauty among desolate lands. Sending you there... I imagine she considered it some kind of test, but I'm afraid I can't completely finish it for you. Reaching Calimdour is a difficult journey, being remote and far into the wilderness of Rathuum, which is probably why she enjoys retreating there often. If you do visit, prepare well."

Castle Business

After their brief delay by the Magus, the path to the castle was surprisingly easy. A few townsfolk cheered or stopped to thank them, one elderly man throwing an apple core at the incapacitated mage, but other than that the news that the city was safe again hadn't quite spread to everyone yet, so the streets were less bustling than they would be on a normal day. As such, it was almost a completely unobstructed walk to the castle in the city's north, though the entry was guarded by a lone armored man. "Halt!" he spoke up. "Duke Reid ordered no visitors during his absence without explicit permission. You'll have to go through verification."

"Oh, stop that," a young woman's voice came from just beyond the gate, walking to greet the party, the guard straightening his posture out of respect. "Security is important, but they're carrying one of the men who was troubling our city! I saw you approach from the castle above," she explained to the four of them. "We are all so grateful to you here! I am Duchess Ashley Mazzarin. My husband's away, as he often is, looking for new solutions in Jotun- but, while he's absent, I certainly welcome you to Castle Fordright. That young man... we identified him as Morris Hale, a citizen here in Fordright. Sir Ronald, please take him for now." The guard walked forward, but took Morris from Aaron. "Excellent. Did you manage to speak with him at all?" Ashley asked. "By all accounts, he didn't seem to have a history of dangerous actions, so it is rather curious."

going to the store

The sign above the entry to 'Sword and Scroll' was rather plain- almost suspiciously so, as if its owner wanted to avoid looking at all out of the ordinary in any way possible. The shelves were neat, the tiles very clean, and a man in a suit stood behind the counter- the only thing standing out was his astonishingly yellow hair. "Good afternoon, and welcome to Sword and Scroll. We have among the finest selection of wares in Fordright. My name is Sir Nathaniel- let me know if you have any questions at all."

[Xinnidy]

"Ah..." My, it seemed Regus had a good grasp on his older brother. "Well, tell him I'm still following his training." Considering how hard it was for her to cast light magic before, she considered it a good thing. Still... hopefully that wouldn't strike the others as odd.

Nodding and giving the anima master a handwave, she turned to Mikhaila, whose words were a bit unexpected. "No need to thank me when we're part of the same group... I've a feeling your, uh, mask, will work just fine if we need to coerce information out of him, so feel free. N-no offense meant." She just realized how awkward this sounded... oops.

---

Bringing the captive to the Duke's castle was good enough to get them a talk with the duchess, whom seemed interested on the captive's information as well. "So he was one of the citizens? Well, all the more reason to get information from him." Smirking, Raz let Aaron talk to the duchess first, nodding at the insight. "Well, I'm certain he has a lot to say with regards to how he joined Timaeus." Indeed, and maybe that'd be all they nedded to figure out Timaeus' conflicting goals.

[scorri]

Her gold? What was Telmara... Oh right. The tome. Still, it looked like she was off to shop, so Kaya could meet up with her later, once she was done talking to Regus and--

"A cliff...?" Kaya reached for the tattoo over her heart without even realizing it, as she stared past Regus for a second. It had to be... "I think... I think I've seen that place before. Not in person but... After our first battle. I... Normally my visions are dreams. One a year. That's how they've always worked. But this time, I fainted. And I saw... a group of people on a cliff overlooking the sea. There were seven of us there. Myself, Jovianna, someone I believe to be Velvet, your sister, and two people I have not met, though I suspect I could identify one of them now. Does your brother have similar blue eyes and white hair? With a grey tome? If so... There would be one more that I still do not know. They were covered up in a grey cloak and I couldn't see anything of them but... All seven of us were there. And then... at the very end, there was a golden claw reaching up towards the edge of the cliff. And... a laugh. A laugh I don't know if I'll ever be able to forget."

She shuddered, snapping out of her daze, realizing she had been talking without even hardly paying attention to what she was saying. And that she had never actually told Jovianna that she had been one of the people in her vision. "I saw you. And you sister and others. Up on a cliff that I have to believe was this Calimdour. So it seems that I am destined to be there some day but for some reason I feel like going there now would be a bad idea. Something is holding me back... But I will reach there some day. That much I know." She lowered her hand to her waist, reaching into her pocket and tightly gripping the scale she had stowed away there. Her future was set for now at least. At some point in the future, she would be on those cliffs. How she was going to reach them was unknown, but she knew a destination now.

Edited July 14, 2017 by scorri

[SB.]

Aaron, having been hit by the aforementioned apple core meant for their prisoner, was glad to finally reach the castle. While he'd expected someone official to come and meet them, nobility was a little higher than he was expecting. How was he supposed to do this? He'd never really been in a situation like this before.

"Aaron Lawson, milady." He bowed awkwardly. "This 'Morris' fellow has been unconscious since the end of the battle, so it's not really clear why he was involved. It's strange that he acted out so suddenly..." Until they woke him up, that would remain a mystery, he supposed.

Edited July 14, 2017 by SB.

[Nanami Touko]

Telmara took a moment during the introduction to pull the rest of her tail inside. Having it poking out of the store would likely confuse passerby. "Hello, Nathaniel... What is your stock on spells?" She gave herself a moment to look around after asking, but was still fairly cramped. The store wasn't small, but neither was she. Being indoors was going to be difficult to get used to, wasn't it...

----------

Work just fine to coerce information... Probably. As much as it pained her to be so frightening, it did have its uses. She'd put her mind to thinking about that as they walked, gently resting her hand on her hilt when the guard stopped their entry. Luckily, it seemed to be just a momentary pause, a woman coming out, introducing herself as a duchess. High status they were getting involved with. Maybe this trip would be more than prancing around the wilderness, hoping to strike it lucky.

"Could be a great manner of things. Promises of riches, magic-- simple boredom. In any case, he'll wake up soon. Please, allow me the first attempt at making him talk." Why not? If Raz believed it would work, then there was no harm in giving it a try.

[riariadne]

Big Brother

"I will let him know when we next meet," Regus confirmed to Raz. "Though, that may not be for a while. Noctus is reclusive, even to us- once, he didn't talk to anyone for a year. Nonetheless, I won't forget." He watched with amusement when she walked away. "What an odd one she is. Power comes to everyone in unique ways... I suspect nobody but my brother knows her true potential, and perhaps not even him."

Kaya's ever-unfolding tale intrigued the middle Magus, rubbing beneath his chin as he thought it over. "Ocean blue, the few people who meet him remark of his eyes... yes, that would be Noctus. That gray tome disturbs me. There are many unique weapons, but it is uncommon to find a unique tome. Even for powerful spells like Final Flash, after his publications, there exist multiple copies across Titan. But unique tomes are very rare. When I last asked him, he knew of seven. Three of them are specially written by we, the Magi, when we must exert our power." He shuffled beneath his robes for a moment, revealing a tome with a brown and dark green cover, before putting it away. "The other three are used by archmages, but they are usually not only usable by their writers, unlike our own. The gray tome is not Noctus's tome, it is one he fears too powerful to let any other acquire, Glimpse Infinity. 'One spell to rule them all', so he called it. I dread the occasion that he would use it for anything other than demonstration."

"But... I would not treat your memory as absolute so easily," he also cautioned her. "If it is so dissimilar to your other visions, Kaya, then that may be because it was not like them. If it was after your first battle, then that was after you met my sister, so you can probably see where I'm going there. It could easily be a combination of your powers, and in that case, the future may not be set in stone. I would consider it as... likely to be of accuracy somewhat in between the two of you. It is likely that a scenario similar to that may unfold, but it may not necessarily be exactly as you recall. That is what I make of it, anyway."

The Captive

"Yes, it's quite an unusual situation," Ashley agreed. "All the news I've heard of this Timaeus fellow is a big mystery, waiting to be solved. That's why my husband is off in Jotun, seeing if he can consolidate a plan with the other archsages there. His magic is impressive, but he admits he's stumped as to what he could be up to. Hopefully we'll be able to get some more information out of young Morris here." She looked at the young mage held by the guard next to her, shaking her head. "Well, he hasn't stirred yet. Do you happen to be the leader here, Sir Aaron? Is Sir your correct title? Your armor looks rather knightly, though I admit I don't know the official standard for provinces other than here in Trine. Hm... well, we may be waiting some time for this man to awake, so the least I can do is show some hospitality to the people who helped our city. Come in, come in, I'll show you to the dining hall. It won't be anything formal, but I'm sure you're all tired and hungry after your battle, and if you want to speak to him personally rather than have him thrown into a dungeon and wait for him to talk, we'll likely have some time to pass. Sir Ronald, bring him to one of the saferooms, and we can have a healer look to revive him for discussion. The four of you can follow me."

Heading into the castle, the four of them were seated at a round table- some food was already ready. "I was just speaking with some of the noblemen who wished to have a formal discussion on some of the laws. Ridiculous- they want more tax exemptions, and while the city was suffering under siege! I had them sent off almost immediately for the audacity to request such a thing, so as such, much of this food went uneaten. It's not quite fresh out of the oven anymore, but I hope it will serve you well for now. And please, don't hesitate to ask anything of me about Trine. You'll be honored guests for as long as you wish to stay here. And if you don't have any arrangements, we can provide you rooming here in the castle as well- is it just the four of you?"

Mystic Snake

Nathaniel gave Telmara a second look over as she shuffled in, but appeared to not think much more of it than that after checking that the floor was undamaged, "We boast a plentiful selection on spells here. Many copies of beginner and intermediate level spells, such as Illuminate and Conflagrate, and we even received a limited selection of a few more powerful magics. One copy each of Ice Beam, Luster Ray, and Debilitate could be yours, those three all priced at a thousand gold." He reached behind the counter for those three, placing them so Telmara could get a closer look if she liked.

--

Delayed alignment stuff:

Kaya: Animism +2, Light +3, Darkness +4

Joviana: Animism +5, Light +0, Darkness +2

Telmara: Animism +4, Light -1, Darkness +4 (-> D Dark)

Aaron: Animism +2, Light +7, Darkness +1 (-> D Light)

Kolmar: Animism +1, Light -2, Darkness +7 (-> D Dark, Non-Light)

Raz: Animism +2, Light +4, Darkness -1

Mikhaila: Animism -1, Light +1, Darkness +3

Velvet: Animism +2, Light +0, Darkness +3 (->Darkness)

Edited July 15, 2017 by Reinfleche

[Bluedoom]

"So we don't really know of his motives, then," Joviana replied, before getting caught off guard by Regus mentioning her past, "W-Wait, how did you-" was all that came out of her lips as Regus continued his conversation with Kaya about her visions.

 

As she listened keenly, she couldn't help but feel quite anxious at what she was hearing. Her face turned pale and she began to have a head ache. If Kaya had this vision after their first battle, why had she not told her anything about it? And if it were to be true, did that mean that they were going to get in deep trouble sometime in the future? Did Kaya not trust her? This was important information, yet she only spoke of this to her at present. Fortunately, she was able to control her emotions and not let frustration take control of her. Slightly shaken, she asked, "Kaya,why did you never tell me about this? T-This...is a bit unsettling, honestly."

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by Magnificence Incarnate

[Xinnidy]

It seemed their reception at the castle was just as positive, Ashley planning on being so hospitable that it almost made Raz wonder if there was a catch. A full buffet? That was almost too nice. "Well, thank you. I suppose if he wakes up in a dungeon the shock would be harder..." Digressing, Raz tilted her head, listening to Ashley's nobility rant with a confused expression. Well, it's good to know that he is in Jotun... She sure likes to talk, huh?

Soon they were sat down at a round table, though Raz had her reservations about eating, at least until someone else did. She couldn't help a muffled snicker as she called Aaron a Sir. He wasn't even a nobleman, was he? "Uh, there are more of us outside. I'd say... four more." She interjected.

[SB.]

"Time magic is a strange thing, indeed..." Aaron nodded. "I'm no knight, milady. Nor am I our leader, I believe she's still preoccupied with the Magus." To be fair, he likely looked the part much better than Kaya - if only due to his armour and stature. Either way, he followed Ashley with the rest of their group to the dining hall, very much pleased by the sight.

"Exemptions? That sounds, erm, questionable..." Was it really his place to comment on this sort of thing? Probably not. Regardless of the conditions, it was still well-made food. "I'm sure that nobody will complain." He glanced quickly at their gathered party, not expecting any objection to come through. "Half of our party is absent, but there would be eight of us overall. I'll understand if that's a problem..." As much as he didn't like to admit it, this was a very sudden thing. It was important to remain in the good graces of nobility for now, if he ever wanted to acheive his goals, so he was prepared to bite the bullet if necessary.

[scorri]

"I..." Kaya took a small step back as first Regus lectured her on trusting the vision and then Jovi spoke up about her not sharing the information. She reached into her pocket and clutched onto the dragon scale there, taking a deep breath and finding comfort in the solid shape. "I... I didn't tell you because when I first talked about the vision, everyone was around. And you hadn't revealed that you had the Greatforger at that point and you had it in the vision and I was worried that if I talked about you being there, people might start to make a connection when it wasn't my secret to share. And then it... It slipped my mind. We've been busy. I know I should have told you but I forgot. So I'm sorry about that."

As for my vision... Kaya turned to Regus and nodded. "You're right I suppose. It was so odd but it still felt so real. But it would be wise to not leap blindly after it just because I know my dreams to be true. Especially when I've been given knowledge of the unreliability of other forms of prophecy. Still... I cannot help but feel I will end up on those cliffs somehow..."

[Nanami Touko]

"Expensive," she muttered, looking between the tomes. The new ones looked incredibly interesting, if only just to read, but putting one thousand gold into one tome was just... It really was too much. "H-How much is the conflagrate?" Having another backup fire spell would make her comfortable. She had the one, but if it ever ran out, and she lost being able to feel that sensation... The thought sent a shiver down her tail. It was her only connection left to her former life, so she needed it, desperately.

----------

Tax exemptions and the like were something lost on Mikhaila. While she understood the need for them, how to work them out properly, who paid what, how much was paid, when listening to riots was a good idea... It was a ken beyond her, so she didn't speak on it. The food looked good, though. Were they just allowed to eat it? She wasn't sure... She looked at Raz, hoping for an answer, but she was off speaking with this noble, Aaron as well. With a mildly awkward look on her face, and a slight discomfort, with all this wonderful food laid out... She stood there, trying not to steal their attention from the talk. Curse this... Life, I suppose. I've always been alone, I don't quite know how to interject into these talks. Ahhh...

Edited July 20, 2017 by SnakeMomMelissa

[Xinnidy]

It didn't seem like any of the others had their reservations about the food... well, she had no reason to trick them, right? Raz was probably just in high alert from the battle. Letting out a sigh as she watched Aaron discuss matters with the Duchess. Strangely enough, he was far more courteous than before, none of that overconfidence from their first days. Hmm... Had something happened? She'd have to bug him later.

Looking to her side, Raz noticed an uncomfortable Mikhaila. She was just sitting there, looking incredibly stiff and uncomfortable, was she not used to talking to somebody important-looking? I guess her family interacted little with the outside... probably explains why I never heard of them. Glancing at the swordswoman with a lightly smug smile, Raz nodded and made a motion to the food in the table. "Help yourself." She whispered. By all means, they were given the go ahead, and it'd be to Raz's liking if somebody took a bite before she did.

[riariadne]

Prophecies

"Hmm. I would say that you arrive in Calimdour some day seems very likely," Regus agreed. "I just think it is important to keep in mind that that the details can be ever shifting, so do not trust it absolutely." He paced back and forth a bit, mulling the details over. "A strange laugh and golden claw... I have my theories as to what that could mean, but no way of being sure- by themselves, the ideas are rather far-fetched, so I won't trouble you with dozens of strange variants that could all be completely wrong. There are many paths ahead, and perhaps that too is a detail that could change."

In Celebration

"No? Well, I suppose if you are a traveling fighter, then the armor can still be of much use. Regardless, there should be no issue housing the eight of you," Ashley explained. "You're right, though, it is questionable! I was appalled that they would ask for such things. Exemptions can be important for things such as help funds or public works, but when the wealthy are complaining while the less fortunate are suffering even more, I won't hear about any of their nonsense. Some families of power are selfish- it is the duty of the Duchy to keep that in check."

She sat at the table, taking a few slices of ham and potatoes for herself. "I'll have rooms cleaned up for eight, then, so all of you will have a spot for yourselves. And if you'd like, I can have literature from the libraries delivered to you as well. You should all feel welcome."

New Spells

"A Conflagrate tome will cost you nine hundred gold," Nathaniel responded. He didn't seem to heed her comment very much, picking up a copy of the fire tome from behind the counter and placing it on the desk as well.

[Nanami Touko]

Ugh, that's not better at all. What the crap? Is magic really this expensive, nowadays? Telmara tried not to sigh, looking between the book, the shopkeep, the book... "Is there anything I can do t-to... Maybe it, a bit cheaper? Like, a favor, or anything... I have a lot of magical kn-knowledge, so..." Maybe she could trade him something for an extra one hundred off the top, or... Or something.

----------

"O-Oh, uhm. Of course. I, er... Sorry," Mikhaila muttered back, as the duchess took some food for herself. Still, it... It felt quite odd to be here. She wondered if the guards were on edge for her mask. She'd come along to be of use for interrogation, and ended up putting herself in an awkward situation. "How frustrating," she mumbled again, taking a small bun and biting into it. It was only a few minutes stale, but good bread was definitely welcome. That got her eyeing everything else, but until the group started eating proper, she didn't wish to seem like a glutton.

Edited July 20, 2017 by SnakeMomMelissa

[Xinnidy]

Raz couldn't help a stifled giggle, tip of her fingers over her mouth, doing a poor job of hiding her smile. It was lretty amusing to see Mikhaila get so worked up and confused about how to behave. It seened such a social situation was beyond the swordswoman. Raz took a few slices of ham and bread, not feeling like having potatoes that night. Hopefully her getting some food would be enough to clarify to Mikhaila!

Room for eight, though? That was awfully kind, but Raz was past looking a gift horse in the mouth by now. From the way Ashley talked, Raz suspected her benefit was having people to talk with at all. Things looked on the boring and frustrating side with her husband away, huh? "Just eight will do, thank you so much for your hospitality. We won't be staying for long, but not worrying about inn expenses is a boon. I suspect I should give the library a look, now that you mentioned..." It would be awkward to ask for a book delivery without knowing what volumes were available... "Is there anything else going on in the city we should know about? Those nobles don't sound the most pleasant..."

[SB.]

Aaron nodded along with Ashley, becoming more and more surprised by how much she could talk. Duke Reid may have the patience of a saint. "Thank you, milady." Raz appeared to have questions of her own, and Aaron was more than happy enough to occupy himself with the contents of his plate as he listened in on the conversation.

[Bluedoom]

Joviana could only nod as she listened to Kaya. She had forgotten about the fact that she hadn't revealed her secret to the group for a bit. There wasn't much to say as Regus mulled over the details. He was quite charming in the way he thought over the things he said.

 

"Do you know of any places to check around for information? Maybe we could learn more about Calimdour, or the other Gifts."