Fantasy Setting Summer Dawn

[Zazz]

Azaria, having been awake for some time, was already ready to meet with Gideon when the servant came around. Dressed and armed, the assassin made it into Gideon's study before the others. In her hand was a sealed envelope, along with another slip of paper with instructions.

"Gideon," she greeted, entering the room. She set the envelope and paper down on his desk, leaning forward slightly on it. "A war is expensive, and the enemy's pockets are lined. This should help, but you will need someone trustworthy to make the journey."

 

[Goonfire]

Having retrieved most of his regular clothing and trinkets earlier, Crow was quick to offer Pyrrhus a handkerchief to both blot up the tears from the latter's watering eyes and reduce the incoming light until he adjusted. In fact, Crow himself had to shield his own vision with his forearm. "Agh. This... doesn't happen often," he commented quietly mid-discussion. "Anyway, that much is certain; the brightness masks the bio-luminescent qualities of the flora. I wonder, though: if the garden was not as well-lit as it was during the ball, would we have noticed a few glowing plants then, as well?" He thought about that for a moment, let it sink in. "In a way, it makes me question what was established in theological texts, as well. Creation stories, the division of our world between day and night..." Every possibility and implication raced through the fledgling inquisitor's mind. It was dizzying to try and comprehend the scale of their discovery.

Luckily, Crow was stopped from making too many premature speculations when Pyrrhus delivered a gentle kiss to his hand. He took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. "Of course. I'll be asking her about engineering a brandistock, in due time. I'm sure she will appreciate a fun challenge." Crow didn't take into account the brandistock may be a very foreign concept; a long pole housing slender blades, excellent for defense using both nonlethal and lethal methods. It was a favorite of city guards in its birthplace, Eskaro.

Even after parting ways, the relaxed smile held up. Those who watched him enter Gideon's study would likely notice, as inquisitors tended to keep a straight face, as Crow had done for most of the week prior. He stepped in and watched the new face with a hint of wonder, anticipating her introduction during the meeting.
SilverFlight Ms. Sparrow

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

​

Feyre Yinnelis

Feyre grinned back wryly at his evident suprise, noting the affection in his admonishing tone, filling her with both pride and a familiar appreciation for his presence, “You always say that.” Feyre replied amusedly, a slight laugh in her tone, her own affection clear in her voice, making her way around the desk so that she stood on the other side and faced him as he went into vague detail about his guests, hinting their origins, though she had gotten a glimpse of both an orc and a drow previously, it wasn’t too much of a suprise. Feyre arched a brow nonetheless, “Oh?” Her lips tilted into a slight smirk, “I think I like them already,” she said, allowing herself to plop back into the desk chair, nearly melting into it, exhausted from her travels yet too exhilarated to sleep, especially with unknown company wandering the mansion, Cyndarian or no. It wasn’t exactly a secret to Gideon that she had obvious distrust for Sumennan’s other than Gideon himself, so hearing the group was from her homeland was a welcome breath of fresh air.

Feyre placed her elbow on the leg of the chair, resting her chin in her hand as Gideon mentioned the name Nova and Crow, only one sounding slightly familiar. “Crow?” She questioned rhetorically in response. Feyre furrowed her brows, clicking her tongue in thought briefly. Crow. The name rung a bell as she recalled the Bishop’s frequent communication with Gideon, after a brief pause Feyre nodded, “Ah, that Crow,” she recalled, “Yes, I remember him. A sharp fellow, that one.” Or so she’d heard. Feyre gave a dip of her head as Gideon acknowledged the guests much needed rest, staring off at the door behind him in thought. The Brynson ball. She’d heard of it while she was on the road, in fact it was why she was back earlier than intended. There were rumors Lassard was attending, and Feyre has wanted to greet him firsthand. With a blade in his heart. Unfortunately however, she’s arrived just a little short in time.

For the next few hours, Feyre waited with Gideon, updating him on her own progress of the mission she’d been given, successfully ridding Sumenna of another popular slave trader and freeing another handful of slaves using her own underhanded and ruthless methods, with the help of some of her own agents she’d garnered herself over the past couple of years, making many friends and contacts, including many enemies as well. It was a dangerous, but rewarding position. Seeing the joyful faces of freed slaves as she removed their chains? She would not give it up for anything.

She’d been standing by the window, gazing out over the gardens as Gideon paced anxiously behind her when the guests began to file in. Feyre tilted her head back, eyeing Gideon from her peripheral vision, her lips quirking up in amusement as he paced, “you look like you’re about to launch yourself out the window,” she remarked dryly, humored at his anxiousness, which only spiked her curiosity all the more. A moment later the door was flung wide open, an light-skinned pale, elven woman entering the room. Feyre angled her body away from the window towards the woman, her vivid blue orbs narrowing the slightest. This armed woman looked nothing the part of Cyndarian, looking every part a light-elf, but upon closer inspection, there were some off traits of the pretty, pale elven woman that didn’t match exactly, when she spoke Feyre observed the woman sported canines that she herself also shared, and her eyes were a deep, forest green. The woman was a mixed blood of some sort, but remarkably beautiful nonetheless. Feyre relaxed the slightest, her features kept carefully blank and neutral, already sizing each individual up that walked in the room. Friend or foe, anyone could betray you.

The mention of war brought Feyre out of her brief inspection as the elven woman plopped an envelope on the table. Feyre’s brows raised slightly in suprise as she gave Gideon a curious, bemused glance, “war, Gideon?” She questioned as she stalked over to the desk, the light, black fabric of her dress flowing behind her as she observed the envelope as if she could somehow see the letter within it. There was a slight, underlying tone of concern in her pretty, light voice. Gideon was always taking on risky tasks, it was who he was, but this...war that was mentioned...her brows furrowed slightly at the envelop, it worried her, more for Gideons safety than anything else. The man was practically a father to her, though she’d never admit it aloud, she worried he’d gotten himself into too much this time, and she drummed her delicate, calloused, dark fingers on the desk in silent thought.

Feyre’s attention was drawn upwards as the door opened, silently observing the new face that entered, a slight smile evident on his face. For the most part, he looked human, likely passed off as one too, but she could’ve sworn there was something vaguely familiar about some of his features as well, her curiosity was piqued further, making her wonder if there were more half-bloods to be apart of this new group then she anticipated.

SilverFlight Goonfire Zazz​

 

[Zazz]

Lohrithe awoke in the comfort of the dark cellar at the sound of someone's voice at the top of the stairs. Light came from the open door, and the young servant peered into the darkness curiously. "M-mister? Master Gideon said to wake you. He wishes to meet with you in the study."

The drow squinted up at the silhouette in the doorway, sitting up in naught but his underwear. Sumennan nights - and days - were very warm, even in the cellar. Though, it was better than the rest of the house. Lohrithe cleared his throat and asked, "May I have some water?" To which the servant agreed and ran off. "No. No, leave the door open. My eyes must adjust."

Once watered and dressed in trousers and the lightest of white shirts - it was nearly see-through - Lohrithe joined the rest in the study. Upon seeing the newest addition, Feyre, he bowed his head in respect and greeting. She seemed out of place in the land of sun, but she looked beautiful, to him. "Good morning, Gideon. And what is the name of the lady?"

 

[mothspit]

Nova arrived to the study before Trileon, having since changed back into her more familiar attire-- Golden armor, morningstar on the hip, and feathery cape. She yawned, carrying in her hand a tall glass of ale. A nice enough nap, she supposed, but if there was going to be talk of war, better with a buzzed mind than a sober one. She slumped down into a spare chair, taking note of the newcomer in the room. Another Cyndaran. So many of them now, it was like walking the streets of Sumenna with targets on their backs. If anything, this would prove more.. interesting.

Trileon entered shortly thereafter, similarly dressed in her usual attire, her hand clutching the wound across her abs. She had made a mental note to ask Gideon about the plants in the solarium-- They're originals were strictly Cyndaran, and what she thought was just authenticity for the party was now starting to feel like.. something else. But, there were more pressing matters at the moment. Nova raised her head, all but leaping to her feet at the sight of the blue-skinned woman, but just as she offered an arm to help her walk, Trileon had turned and smiled at the assassin woman Azaria, gently leaning against her shoulder, "Azaria," She whispered, "I.. hope this is alright."

Nova fell back into her seat with a scoff to herself; First that elf boy, now Trileon. What was so charming about Azaria, anyway? She rolled her eyes and polished off her drink, deciding instead to engage in the conversation ahead, "The Silver Band has some informants in the city. If things really are as dire as they sound, I can try to get in contact with them. Maybe scrounge up some extra weapons, if we need'em."

Ms. Sparrow SilverFlight Zazz

 

[LazyDaze]

Iolas could have danced forever on that battlefield, as long as it was with her. He still could not understand how she managed to still his troubled heart in an instant. He recalled the words that Pyrrhus spoke to him before they had left for the ball and decided that he would trust in them. After what seemed like an eternity they took to the carriage and eventually arrived to Gideon's mansion. Iolas nodded as Azaria retreated to her bedroom and took a well deserved rest. Iolas seemed to notice that everyone seemed a bit tired and even....down? They had one hadn't they? Iolas supposed it couldn't be helped. Seeing your dear friend carved before your eyes could be a bit traumatizing, especially when considering the Cyndaran and Sumenaan dynamics.

Iolas took to the showers, thank god it was a huge mansion, and decided to get cleaned up. It would be bad manners to walk around with blood everywhere. Iolas slammed his fist against the wall, frustrated with his inability to kill Lassard; however, he thought about the fact that they were all alive, miraculously. Iolas' heart rate went down as he managed his emotions by focusing on that one fact repeatedly. After what seemed like forever he then left feeling refreshed and back to his old self for now and went back to the study. He immediately noticed the new face as well as some of the others. It seemed like every other moment a new ally was popping up at every critical moment of their journey; Iolas could not help but figure they were in for another rough mission. He did not jump to conclusions, but the new woman did not seem to be Sumennan.

"...My, my, a surprise party for me? You must be jesting I-I am at a loss for words...….Hello." Iolas said in jest before finally greeting them, flatly. His held his gaze on the new face a bit longer, trying to judge who, or what she was and her potential purpose.

@SIverflight Zazz Ms. Sparrow

 

[SilverFlight]

"You look like you're about to launch yourself out the window." Only when Feyre pointed it out did Gideon pause.
"We've never been this close to gaining such traction against Evereach...can you imagine what would happen if the other houses united to end their Tyranny? Without the High House's iron grip on our necks we could end slavery. Once and for all."
Ms. Sparrow

As Azaria entered she placed the envelope and letter in front of him. "What's this?"
Feyre picked up on the word "war" and Gideon shook his head. "It seems like battling Evereach all this time had become a war." He replied wearily.
Zazz Ms. Sparrow

The others began to filter in slowly. Desrick took a place against a wall, looking imposing, as he always did, without meaning to. He noticed Feyre too.
"Another addition to the team Gideon?"
Gideon regarded him, there was reluctance in his eyes. "It would appear...we have poked the bear with our little play at the party. We will need all the resources we can muster."
Nova offered what she had but Gideon shook his head.
"This war won't be fought with weapons. We need precision, intelligence and cunning. Where's Ora?"

"Ora will be here any moment." Pyrrhus pushed the doors wider so he could step gingerly in. He took a place on the floor by an elegant chair, elbow resting on the arm of it. His eyes found Crow straight away and he couldn't help but smile.
"The inquisitor and I have made an incredible discovery, but we can share that after we address more pressing matters."

"Right," Gideon answered. "Before we get started, I want to introduce you to Feyre Yinnelis. She has been one of my most trusted operatives. I had hoped," and her he paused, glancing at her quickly, "to keep her from the dangers of what we are doing here...but I can't hold my best piece off the board when the stakes are so high."

He took the center of the room, hands folded behind his back. "The objectives of the ball were straightforward in theory, isolate the house heads that could use proof of Evereach's exploitation and blackmail to remove support from the High house and it's push for mustering armies. We succeeded. Lassard's attempt to recover the documents from you failed, he was given fakes, and he bought them, at least for long enough that the Lady Lambent and Archbishop Stenmann could be given the authentic documents and get them away from the party. They are likely being circulated through the houses as we speak. I think there are some who will be absolutely furious when they find out Evereach was manipulating their partners via kidnappings and threats. They will withdraw support immediately, and without pillars to stand on, Brynson will finally have to make the decision not to support them either. That is one of the two great houses we need to withdraw support. The next...is Dwerstand. Now, what we know of Dwerstand is that they have already begun to comply with the calling to arms. They have mustered the first of several forces, two thousand strong, which will march for the Cyndaran border in less than three weeks, unless we find a way to stop them."

"How will we do that?" Desrick asked, the prospect seemed daunting to say the least.
"We know Dwerstand is being blackmailed. There is a secret it had kept from the rest of Sumenna for all this time. Evereach has apparently found out what it is and is using it to force Dwerstand to submit. The second objective of your excursion to the ball was to see if we could find out more about this great secret, and why Dwerstand would rather sacrifice it's soldiers than let it become public knowledge."

Goonfire Zazz mothspit Flutterby LazyDaze Ms. Sparrow Phayne

 

[Phayne]

Mentions: Feyre ( Ms. Sparrow ) Gideon ( SilverFlight ) / Interactions: N/A​

Nestled high above the ground below, a dark coated feline lay limply across the branch of a large oaken tree; his black fur blending into the shadows of its cool interior and rendering him almost invisible to the naked eye, save for three blotches of vanilla white that were present. Shielded from the unrelenting gaze of the sun above, the creature had manoeuvred himself onto one of the larger branches, his right arm hanging over the edge and swinging against the gentle breeze whilst his head rested atop his left; emerald green eyes focusing in on the large mansion ahead of him. With the omnipotent sun above forever present in the land of Sumenna, the act of finding a cool shaded spot was often vital for those unaccustomed to its scorching touch. Luckily enough, this tree was largely vacant of other inhabitants; the only creatures here aside from the Skinchanger being the nest of birds above him; the chirping cries of those only days old doing little to stir his hunger. He'd be able to feast at a later time, one where his world was not consumed by the need to act upon his urges; the desire to satiate his own curiosity as to what treasures lay hidden inside the mansion whose grounds he currently found himself overlooking. Despite his stakeout lasting a few hours now, Azael had barely even moved; his goal to identify area's of weakness to which he could exploit and gain entry.

Alas, all things pointed against such acts and today did not seem like the ideal day to strike; the arrival of several carriages putting a quick damper towards any chances of success. The sudden increase of occupants by not one or two but many had made his chances of success quite minimal and the risk of discovery much greater now that there were more eyes present, more bodies roaming the halls of this treasure trove. Yet despite this additional obstacles in place, the sheer arrival of Gideon's guests had instead spurred Azael forwards, raising his mischievious curiosity to heights he had only felt a few times prior. The sight of several Cyndarans moving freely without shackle or sign of ownership upon a Sumennan's estate was rare in these parts and only added to the allure of potential treasure beyond the closed doors. Mysteries rife now that Azael had seen what he saw, it had made him even more determined to enter Gideon's mansion, the potential for profit and rewards high.

That being said, you'd be hard pressed to assume as much from the sight of Azael, the skinchanger continuing to keep his aloof facade. A momentary yawn and half hearted swipe at an invading butterfly had been the only signs of life from the feline, the creature appearing to be in pure bliss as he continued to lay within the cover of the large oaken tree, embraced by both the shadows of the foliage and the warmth of the summer sun.

.....​

Seconds turned to minutes and minutes into hours as Azael awaited for any signs of an opportunity; a left open window or a door slightly ajar. Azael needed a way to enter into the mansion without causing alarm or commotion; a method that didn't call for his particular set of skills that would easily draw the ire and unwanted attention of the occupants inside. As a simple cat, an animal whose curiosity could be used to mask his real intention, Azael could slip inside and not draw the suspicion of those inside. How often his intrusion had been overlooked; 'Oh look.. a cat wandered in', The mindless conclusions of many a fool that had been suckered out of their possessions.

Standing upon all fours and arching his back upwards, the young skinchanger quickly stretched himself out, his nails extending ever so slightly our of his front arms; the bladed weapons of mass destruction digging away into the oaken tree's bark. If an opportunity wasn't going to present itself to him, then he'd just have to do the opposite and present himself to the opportunity instead. Motivated and fueled by a curiosity that could kill, Azael found himself on the ground beneath the tree, padded feet feeling away at the well kept grass as he began to wander closer to the mansion's walls, his eyes scouring it for any weaknesses in its security.

Closed doors and curtained windows were all he was met with for all except one set of windows, one guarded by a woman whose features were more familiar to Azael than that of the light elves that roamed Sumenna. Light cyan blue hair and dark ebony coloured skin were but two of many different traits that implied she was Cyndaran; this revelation again adding another notch into his heightened curiosity. Now Azael really wanted to know what the deal was, the feline form of his slouching ever so slightly as he stealthily took advantage of her back to the window.

Melding into the bed of flowers just below the window, Azael's ears pricked upwards as he continued to inch closer, the faint voices of the other inhabitants in the room becoming clearer with every inch he claimed.

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

​

Feyre Yinnelis

“Without the High House's iron grip on our necks we could end slavery. Once and for all.”

Feyre blinked at him in silent acknowledgement, understanding now his excitement. Yet the word ‘could’ was in the way of her own excitement. It was a possibility, not a promise. A hopeful possibility. Though some longing part of her wished she could dream and envision Gideon’s vision for the future of slavery. But hope only killed and crushed, and she could not afford to dream of such fanciful ideals yet. Now was not the time for it. Not while they were still battling their long battle against Evereach and slavery itself. Indeed, she had to agree with Gideon. At this point, it nearly was a war against Evereach by now.

Eventually, more members began to file in. First, a drow, perhaps the only one she had the most similarities to in this group, she gave a slight dip of her head in return to his own nod, offering a small, rare, genuine smile. Afterwards, another elven woman entered looking almost every bit the light-elf other than her extremely, pale skin, making Feyre begin to wonder if she was yet another half-blooded elven woman, plopping into chair opposite of where Feyre stood, a bottle of ale in hand. Feyre couldn’t help herself, her lips quirking up in a jaunty smirk in slight amusement, that was her kind of friend, she thought amusedly, eyeing the bottle. Soon after, a blue-skinned woman entered, moving slower and clutching her abs. Wounded, likely. The elven woman with the bottle leaped to stand to help her, but the blue skinned woman had already turned her affections to the first elven lady that entered the room, leaning against her. Feyre wanted to cringe in sympathy as the woman with the bottle sat down and rolled her eyes, practically feeling the sting all the way across the room, but she eased her features into coolness all the same.


Feyre stilled the slightest as a high elf man entered the room, her finger drumming on the desk stilling at the man that looked fully, completely Sumennan. He jested cockily for the group, and she thought if he were not a high elf, she might’ve had someone to engage in witty banter with. She locked eyes with him as he seemed to assess her, her gaze hardened and calculating before she tore her gaze away to the new face. A big, burly orc that she couldn’t help but feel slightly intimated before he directly inquired about her joining the team. Feyre glanced at Gideon for this as well, arching a dark brow and wondering the same. Gideon confirmed this, and it was then that Feyre knew things were bad. Despite her wishes, Gideon did his best to keep her away from things he was unsure about what she could handle, and even still he seemed reluctant.

Mention of an ‘Ora’ came into talk before a centaur entered, looking immediately at the humanoid man from earlier and smiling. Feyre looked from the smile to his eyes, noting the affection in both. They were together. The centaur mentioned The Inquisitor, still looking at the man, and Feyre quickly pieced it together. The human looking male was Crow.

Feyre double-assessed Crow before glancing at Gideon as he mentioned her full name, introducing her to the team she was now supposedly joining, practically naming her the best of his agents. She smirked smugly. Hell, she was the best of his operatives. Feyre turned to the team, still smirking, “a pleasure.” She said, her pretty voice holding some trace of wryness in it, giving a dip of her head and allowing Gideon to review the past mission with everyone else.

Feyre turned her body towards the window, her back facing the team as she gazed out over the gardens, her hands folded together behind her back, her brows furrowed slightly as she listened intently to Gideon and what the team had been up to the past couple days, her mind already running and calculating possible tactics. She should have a few of her best agents look into this Dwerstand secret if they could, perhaps infiltrate Dwerstand? She was however, uncertain if she had any dwarven agents. Then there was the risk of them being discovered, and it getting back to Gideon. No, this was a task best left to her and...the team. Feyre continued to listen nonetheless, deciding only to add in her input when necessary.


Goonfire Zazz mothspit Flutterby LazyDaze Phayne SilverFlight
​

 

[Zazz]

"Funds," Azaria answered simply to Gideon's question. The rest of the team had no business knowing that she had a sizable amount of blood money stashed in a certain noble house of Everreach. They needn't know what she was contributing. When Trileon came to stand with her, she was surprised, but the halfling elf took Trileon by the waist and held her steady. She led the beastwoman to a wide, cushioned chair and sat her down, perching herself on the arm. Softly, she ran her fingers through Trileon's hair, tracing around her horns. Her eyes, meanwhile, were sizing up the newcomer. Feyre, as Gideon had called her, had the most unusually coloured hair; there was no way she was Sumennan. She carried gear similar to that of Azaria, herself, held herself in a similar fashion to Nova.

Lohrithe, meanwhile, stepped around Gideon once he was through talking, fascinated by Feyre. "Your hair," he said, touching it lightly. "It is very beautiful. It reminds me of the water back home when the plants glow."

 

[Flutterby]

Ora's footsteps announced her entrance before she appeared at the door. She made an attempt at a subtle entrance, but in such a small room it wouldn't matter. Her eyes flashed around the room. She was nearly the last one. She hesitated when she saw a new face, but it wasn't exactly an unfamiliar one. She had seen this woman, the one that had already fascinated Lohr, once or twice before when she made deliveries to the estate. She had not seen her far more times than she had, though, and she had to assume Gideon had purposely called her back. There was a quick glance between this person and Gideon, but he was in the middle of rehashing the ball already, so she let it be.

Ora took a place at the edge of the room near Desrick, looking perfectly tiny next to his bulk. She glanced behind her once for Crispin, and flashed him a small smile. The half-dwarf waited quietly until Gideon was finished, and then spoke up.
"Two thousand is unheard of. That's double the biggest force Dwerstand has ever contributed to something before." Ora took a few steps forward.
"But if what Crispin and I overheard at the ball is true, Dwerstand will send Evereach anything and everything they ask for."

"There is a dwarvish legend. The Grand Dragon. The richest, most terrible, most powerful dragon to ever exist. There are.. many tales that revolve around it, some newer than others. But the important part is that the dragon sleeps. If it were to awaken, it would lay waste to Dwerstand and beyond, destroying everything in its path. The rumors are that.. that they found the dragon in a cavern under the city. There's no way to verify that, but the dragon being just a legend is.. somewhat irrelevant, because the fear of it is very, very real among the dwarves. It is deep, generational fear that cannot be fought. And if the dragon is real, waking it would.. end our world entirely."
Ora swallowed softly, the vague memories of nursery tales momentarily distracting her. With a tiny shake of her head, she continued.
"The only way to wake the dragon is to ring the Dragon Bell. The bell is real, I've seen and touched it myself. And the rumors at the ball say that the Evereach has taken the bell, and is threatening to ring it."
Ora rubbed one of the temples, and sighed.
"How Evereach would have managed such a thing is.. I just don't know. The bell has been guarded every second of every mark for hundreds of years. And it's massive, it's as big as my house. Just moving it would be a massive undertaking, let alone stealing it. There would be nothing more humiliating to the dwarves than having the bell stolen. And if the dragon has been found, then Dwerstand giving into Evereach is the only thing keeping the world in one piece, because that dragon.."
Ora trailed off and gave a shrug.
"I mean, to turn Dwerstand, we'd have to get the bell back... or kill the dragon."
SilverFlight Goonfire Zazz mothspit LazyDaze Ms. Sparrow Phayne

 

[mothspit]

Nova shrugged when Gideon shirked off her offer. He had point--They'd need more than a few sharp swords and arrows. The scruff mercenary tipped over the emptied ale glass, doing her best to shake the small remnants of booze into her fanged mouth. Unsatisfied, she dropped it onto a nearby table with a small grunt, leaning forward in her chair to rest both elbows on her knees. Gideon introduced the newcomer, and Nova offered nothing more than a small nod and her usual charming smile. When all had settled for a moment, Azaria led Trileon to a seat, and was affectionately running her hands through her dark hair. The beastwoman brought both knees to her chest, curling up at Azaria's touch, her eyes closing, almost like.. a cat, having been scratched behind the ears. She opted not to speak-- Most of her input wasn't useful for this sort of thing, anyway. Instead, she leaned into the assassin's stroking fingers, slowly tilting her head in different directions as she did so. Nova did her best to ignore this, dragging her wandering, buzzed eyes up the tall legs of the beautiful Feyre..

..Until Gideon started talking about Dwerstand being blackmailed. Her interest thoroughly peaked, she looked to the man of the house and listened intently. And right as she opened her mouth to ask any flurry of questions this revelation brought, Ora entered, graciously filling in the gaps before Nova got the chance. A look of disbelief washed over her face, her eyes widening. Rumors often bounced around mercenary groups of old fairy tales, typically shared around a comforting campfire, but they were usually just that-- Fairy tales. Even if the tale of the dragon wasn't real, the superstitious nature it caused alone would be enough to be most anyone's undoing. Trileon, too, opened her eyes at this ominous piece of news, her eyes squinted with uncertainty.

"Holy shit," Nova muttered, taking a moment to rub her face with both hands and collect her slurred thoughts. Fighting a dragon was certainly not in the job description. And an impending war.. resting in their hands. She was definitely going to need more ale..

"..My vote is not taking on the giant winged death-machine."

Trileon pursed her lips, "How would we.. the bell, I mean.. I don't suppose this is going to be marginally easier than the Ball was, is it..?"

SilverFlight Zazz Flutterby Ms. Sparrow

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

​

Feyre Yinnelis

Feyre turned her head to the side, looking back, both feeling the disturbance of the floor she stood on, and hearing the footsteps of the drow as he crossed the floor towards her. Before she could process what he was about to do, the drow gently reached out and touched her silky, star-flecked, straight, cyan blue hair, complimenting its beauty. Upon contact with his hand, Feyre flinched out of instinct, her heart momentarily plummeting in a brief sense of instinctual fear before she took a step back, out of contact once more, her features suddenly stony. The compliment was not lost on her however, and almost as if nothing had happened at all, Feyre smirked softly at him, the facade slipping back into place immediately, almost as if she hadn’t had a moment of weakness at all. Feyre twirled a strand of long hair, “both a gift and a curse,” she replied, her smirk turning into something more amused, “not the best asset for a spy, unless your trying to get recognized,” her lips quirked a bit, “though your the first to compare it to the water, most just compare it to the stars.” There was a sudden ache in her chest at the thought of both, she tried to picture both the stars and the way the water glowed at night, and suddenly realized she could not. Had it been so long since she laid eyes upon her homeland? The thought suddenly saddened her immensely. Feeling eyes on her, Feyre glanced over to the group, instantly noticing the wandering eyes of the now very buzzed looking, elven woman. Humored and flattered, Feyre offered the woman a rather devilish smirk, both a cocky, flirtatious and teasing action at that. But in Feyre’s eyes, it was only harmless fun and nothing more, for she was far too strange to catch the eyes of any, and even more unsuited to entertain any such actions.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of shifting across the room, Feyre glanced over to see a very short woman, sporting horns and a tail, position herself next to the brute of an orc, obviously holding some dwarven heritage, strangely, beautiful if one were to look at her from a non-normal perspective she supposed, but beauty hardly mattered on the outside. Though...she looked quite Sumennan. Feyre stared at her briefly, swearing she’d seen her somewhere before before it clicked. In the few times she was around, Feyre had seen the woman making deliveries to the mansion...and now she was here. How curious.

The woman, whom Feyre had only guessed to be the Ora that was mentioned previously, spoke up and launched into detail about her suspicions. Feyre turned back the window, fiddling with her hands in thought as she raptly listened to Ora’s tale, a tale of a dragon no less, with the power to end all that she knew if it was released. Feyre could not help but wonder what the sight of such a thing would look like, only imagining the awe it could invoke upon her, she quietly entertained such ideals to herself. It would truly be a sight to behold. And deadly, she reminded herself, deadly and destructive and nothing good. Feyre ran a hand through her hair with a heavy sigh, trying to think of the best possible courses of action.

“I think I need a drink,” Feyre muttered dryly to herself, gazing glumly out the window for a moment before smirking a little as the buzzed elven woman voiced her own realistic thoughts behind her, the blue-skinned woman chiming in as well.

“What?” Feyre asked the blue-skinned woman in mock disbelief over her shoulder, “you mean to say it’s not gonna be easy?” She jested with fake suprise to the woman, all in good humor naturally, in a minor attempt to bring light to the very bleak situation.

Feyre had to agree with them however, but if this bell was so large, how would the team be able to steal it back? How would Evereach have been able to steal it originally?

The wheels now turning on her mind, Feyre turned her body back to the group and away from the window, her features wistful and full of concernment, “we should look into these dark rumors, surely if this is true, Evereach may have something else in their arsenal we are unaware of, something powerful enough to steal such a massive bell from under their noses.” She suggested, her calculating thoughts betraying the light, pretty voice that was more suited for much sweeter, softer, village girls then she. Indeed, if Evereach did have this bell, there may be more going on than she had thought. Some small part of her wondered if this never would’ve happened if she had been brave enough to run her knife across Lassard’s throat while he slept all those years ago. The thought was a disturbing one, but she felt guilty all the same.



Goonfire Zazz mothspit Flutterby LazyDaze Phayne SilverFlight
​

 

[Phayne]

Mentions: SilverFlight Ms. Sparrow mothspit Zazz Flutterby / Interactions: N/A​

Like a predator on the prowl, the dark furred feline slowly but stealthily continued with his intrusion. Spurned onward not by promise of a healthy meal, but for something that was potentially far greater, a prize worth several if not more hot meals should it prove to be fruitful for himself. Gems, trinkets and even a sack of coin; there was bound to be something of hefty value within these walls and regardless of what it was; Azael knew without doubt that he wanted it. If it held value to someone, then it held value to him. Both ears pricked upward whilst body flat along the freshly laid mulch of the flower bed, the silent hunter valiantly pressed onward, crawling himself closer to the goal whilst remaining unseen by the dangers that lay ahead; namely the eyes of the Cyndaran who stood guard at the windows precipice, her piercing blue eyes a warning against anyone who dared trespass whilst on her watch. Challenge undoubtedly accepted.

Though despite her watchful gaze, it wasn't so long before she had her back turned to the garden; the length of her cyan blue hair fully revealing itself to the skinchanger as is snaked along the grooves of her back. Mansion defences lowered, the boy didn't need to be asked twice when it came to taking advantage of an opening, his body rising away from the ground ever so slightly as he quickened his pace towards the window, yet not so high that he could be seen above the canopy of petals. Had the Cyndaran woman remained vigilant in her duty of overlooking the garden, she'd have seen the subtle line of flowers being pushed aside as Azael crept closer, she'd need to better train herself in that regard. Her failure to do so was what allowed Azael to push his luck; emerald green eyes fixated upon the back of Feyre, watching her attentively for any sign of movement, Azaels own body tensed and ready to react should she turn once more.

Gentle breeze washed over the garden, the rustle of the nearby leaves accompanied by the distant chirping of birds hidden among the foliage; these mindless sky dwellers doing their best to subvert Azaels attempt to eavesdrop on the occupants with their asinine chatter. Alas, revenge would have to wait in favor of more pressing issues. Step by step, inch by inch, Azael got closer and closer to the edge of the flowerbed, his ears now able to distinguish words and different voices emanating from the room, rather than just the muffled sound of general conversation; heart quickening in joyful excitement as certain words stood out among the rest.

"Funds" came one voice, "Two thousand.... the biggest....the richest...rumours... very, very real" came another. This second voice appeared to be in deep speech as the others had remained silent throughout her deliverance as she went from discussing what Azael had assumed to be money, to then discussing what appeared to be a particular artifact. "Dragon bell?" the feline thought to himself, unsure as to what it was; a momentary look of confusion as he paused in his tracks, the unwanted presence of a beetle upon his nose coinciding with this new bit of information. Despite not knowing what the Dragon Bell was, the lack of knowledge did not for a second deter Azael from getting all giddy about it. If it was that important to the people inside, then he sure as hell knew that it was something that he wanted for himself. Given cause to quicken his pace, he pawed the intruder away from his face and sullied forth towards the mansion once more, managing to reach the edge of the flowerbed whilst remaining unseen, lowering himself to the ground once more beneath the cover of the flowers and arriving at his current spot just in time to hear how important this bell was, not just to them but the people of Dwerstand as well. People who would be willing to pay a hefty sum to have something like the dragon bell returned to them, if it was truly stolen and even if they refused to pay, it would still serve purpose by increasing his own collection of valuables presently stowed away within the safe confines of a taverns attic. The bell would be a fine acquisition to his collection for he had nothing that produced sound and what a pleasant sound could ever be produced from a bell that held such importance; he'd ring that bell daily.

Thoughts momentarily driven to visions of himself chiming the bell along the streets of Brynson, his human form strutting down the street as if he owned it. Azael could not help but smile a wry grin as he envisioned the future that was laid out before him should he acquire the dragon bell for himself. Alas, dreams soon faded as reality knocked at his front door and his thoughts returned to the task at hand.

"..My vote is not taking on the giant winged death-machine." A new voice erupted from within the room, the proximity to which Azael had now found himself in relation to the window had allowed him to hear full sentences rather then fragmented words. 'Giant winged death machine?', again Azael pondered the meaning behind the words. Whilst the sky dwellers were indeed ruthless in their cacophony of noises.. he had never once considered them giant.. nor death machines.. was this to be a special kind of bird? One that guarded the dragon bell and stood between him and the artefact he had already claimed as his own. It would be a foolish creature indeed if it really did stand in his way. "How would we.. the bell, I mean.. I don't suppose this is going to be marginally easier than the Ball was, is it..?" that new voice spoke once more, Azael's ears twitching. "Well of course it wont be easy... I doubt you have someone with me special set of skills.. I've been known to slay a bird or two in my day..." Azael mumbled to himself, pride gushing as he boasted of his past endeavours whilst he feigned conversation with this voice beyond the window.


“we should look into these dark rumors, surely if this is true, Evereach may have something else in their arsenal we are unaware of, something big enough to steal such a massive bell from under their noses.” Half-tempted to burst through the window and be the answer to their problems, Azaels 'heroic' spur of the moment thought was instantly killed as his eyes fell upon the Cyndaran woman again; her voice drawing his attention whilst her visage once more overlooked the garden. Panic gripped at Azael as realisation of his mistake washed over him. When had she turned around? Had she seen his movements? Had his chance of using these people to steal the bell been nipped in the butt? Azael clawed at the earth in frustration; eyes remaining fixed upon Feyre as he waited to see the answer to his questions.

 

[Zazz]

Lohrithe pulled his hand back and frowned slightly at Feyre's quick change in demeanor. It wasn't like Ora, in the beginning. No, the cyan-haired woman was... afraid. Of him? Or another? Had someone hurt her, once? Or was it simply a Sumennan trait to pull away from an admiring touch?

Feeling mildly defeated and definitely troubled, Lohrithe clasped his hands before his waist and stepped back. "My apologies, slyan-jallil," he said politely, referring to her in his native tongue as Star Lady. He retreated to Desrick's other side.


Azaria looked between those who spoke with slight confusion. "If the dragon will only wake to the bell, shouldn't we just kill the dragon before the bell can be rung? Surely there is a way into Dwerstand that won't garner the entire mountain's attention." The assassin turned her gaze to Ora, figuring the ex-noble dwarf would know the layout best.

 

[Goonfire]

Crow listened carefully to the speculation regarding the Dragon Bell. “I wonder if Evereach has developed either teleportation or shrinking spells,” he contributed. “Those would be the only ways I could imagine, to move the bell quickly and easily. However, our discussion also begs the question, ‘exactly how powerful is Evereach’s sway over Dwerstand?’ With everything considered, would their blackmail scheme give them enough... ‘bargaining power’ to force Dwerstand to turn a blind eye to the theft of their most dangerous treasure?”

Aside from his thinking aloud, he breathed a subtle sigh of relief knowing the high inquisitor had the opportunity to examine the rest of the documents.

SilverFlight Flutterby Ms. Sparrow

 

[LazyDaze]

Iolas sat back, as he usually did, observing everyone else when a new situation arose. In this case he was observing and listening for a few things. One, the new dynamic now that another member has joined their ranks. Two, the new situation at hand. During his observation he couldn't help but noticed the public displays of affection emanating from Azaria and Trileon. At any point of time, Iolas would have never cared one way or another, but for some reason unknown to him, he was becoming annoyed and perhaps a bit agitated. He instead focused on the newbie. Looking her way ever so often. It was brief but he did not forget the calculating gaze she returned to him. It was....interesting. Even more interesting was the tale of a great dragon being used as blackmail material. If Ora wasn't a revolutionary she would certainly make a great storyteller accompanied by Pyrrhus and his lute most likely. After everyone had more or less stated their piece, Iolas raised his hand, as he often did, then spoke without actually gaining permission to speak.

"Oh dear that sounds rather unpleasant.....carrying such a heavy bell most take its toll." Iolas' said, completely ignoring the part about a lethal dragon. His smile then faded as his gaze shifted from Gideon to Ora, who seemed to know more about this than anyone. "If the tales are true then there is reason to worry. I have clashed with such a creature, back when I was more reckless and obedient. Although we managed to give the devil a good fight we were nearly wiped out and I danced with death a lot longer than I would have liked.... and that was only a child."

Iolas dramatically paused again, letting the information sink in as he recalled the one sided battle. "....Oh well it will work out," Iolas said, quickly returning his trademarked smile. "And if we fail being dead has its benefits. For one, you will be oblivious to the people who mock you."

SilverFlight Zazz Ms. Sparrow Flutterby mothspit

 

[SilverFlight]

Gideon regarded Azaria carefully, and then he slid the envelope back to her. "You're an assassin correct? Azaria, I can't in good conscience take money bought with blood. If that's how this was gotten, you should put it to another use."

Desrick watched Lohr as he approached Feyre. What Desrick thought was Lohr being his usual, innocent and charming self he realized may not be received the same way by others.
He put a gentle arm around Lohr's back as he came back to Desrick's side. Reassuring the drow that he still thought the world of him.
"You should probably ask first next time." He grinned.
Zazz

They all fell silent as Ora began to explain the old Dwermount legend. It turned out that it wasn't really a legend at all.
Crispin stood by, watching Ora and shifting uncomfortably. A dragon was no laughing matter, but the beast she described, it was terrifying.
Azaria was the first to propose a solution.
"I disagree," Desrick said. "The legend says the dragon can only be woken by the dragon bell, but I'm pretty sure trying to kill it will wake it too. Besides, I've also heard a legend or two about the grand dragon. If it's as big as described, we won't be able to kill it."
"So we keep it asleep." Pyrrhus said simply.
Crow began to speculate on how Evereach had managed the theft.
"The dwarves aren't turning a blind eye to the theft, they're being manipulated because of it." Crispin explained. "Evereach is threatening to ring the bell and bring ruin onto the whole of Dwerstand. The bell is the problem here."
"So we get it back." Desrick said definitively. "Find it and keep Evereach from being able to use it."
Iolas added his piece and Pyrrhus groaned at the pun. "Iolas really," but he was smiling all the same.
"Normally I'd say finding a bell as big as a house would be easy," the centaur added, "but given Evereach was able to spirit it away under the very noses of the dwarven guards...that speaks of a very powerful magic."
"Something doesn't add up though." Gideon broke in, his brow creased in thought. "Evereach specializes in light magic. I've never heard of anything they practice that would let them move an object that big...no, we need more information. That's why I'm proposing to send you to Dwerstand."
Desrick frowned. "We'd run into the same problems walking around in Dwerstand as he have here. Some of us don't have the right complexion." He was referring to himself, despite the unexpected variation in Sumenna, there were still no orcs.
"About that." Gideon replied, his half smile betrayed the fact that he knew something.
"Do you remember the orcs that sided with Evrereach when Lassard was trying to steal the light crystals from Cyndara? Well, according to my spies, they turned up, and guess where their army is now."
Desrick's heart sank. "Evereach moved the orcs to Dwerstand."
"To march with the dwarvish armies, right into the heart of your home." Gideon finished. The temperature of the room felt like it had dropped several degrees.
"Then...we have to go to Dwerstand. We have to find a way to get the bell back, and if we can, get the orcs to see reason. Evereach is using them. They have to see it."

Zazz Flutterby mothspit Goonfire LazyDaze Phayne Ms. Sparrow

 

[Flutterby]

Ora listened silently for a moment, her eyes following as the conversation bounced around the room. Nova made the sensible suggestion of not taking on the dragon, Trileon seemed out of it but hopeful. She gave the newcomer a longer look this time, and after a moment of blank expression, the corner of her mouth twitched, and Ora nodded in agreement. There was something they didn't know that had made this happen.

Ora hesitated, the memory of Lassard appearing from underneath a cloak played in her mind. She parted her lips to mention it, but Azaria spoke and looked at her.
"There are ways, not unlike the ways we used to get here. More, perhaps." It was vague at best, but Ora would need to send a bird or two before she could say more about it. Some of the ways had a habit of shifting.
She wanted to correct Crow's misunderstanding, but Iolas's pun distracted her. She didn't get it at first, focused on the actual situation at hand, and when the joke clicked, she gave the elf a half-hearted smile, while Crispin spoke to Crow.

Again, she turned back to the main conversation and intended to bring up Lassard's invisibility trick, but Gideon was making a big reveal.
That's why I'm proposing to send you to Dwerstand. The sentence she had most been hoping to not hear was said far sooner than she had thought. She felt the floor drop from out from under her. Her face went a shade paler, and then two more when talk turned to the orcs.
Ora took a step back, closer to the wall, and raised her eyes to the ceiling.
"By the peaks.. what have they done..?" She muttered, feeling a wave of shame fall over her heavily, derailing her train of thought completely without her permission.

Zazz SilverFlight mothspit Goonfire LazyDaze Phayne Ms. Sparrow

 

[LazyDaze]

"I am the absolute worst," Iolas shrugged as he smiled back at Pyrrhus, and then Ora who seemed to share their train of thought just a bit later. Iolas then turned his attention to the new information given. Sadly, he could only offer what he knew from his past life since he was hardly involved in the current events of society, so any information about the world was intriguing and welcomed. It was just a bit sad that the world seemed to be intent on destroying itself. After the events that just transpired, Iolas knew that this might be difficult to take in. Orcs in Sumenna, a grand dragon who was obsessed with hibernation, an army, and Everreach. It seemed as if the stakes were becoming more personal for the group as they continued this journey. Iolas even took a brief moment recalling that he was only here because he was trying to stop violence from both parties. He had no idea that an entire war...no, genocide, was in the works. He had several other questions for Gideon, and Ora as well, but he could see this was starting to take its toll. Particularly on Ora, who seemed to wear her emotions on her sleeve.

Iolas slowly walked over to Ora and then thumped her head, lightly, but just enough to get her attention. "What are your doing? We are going to need you," Iolas said with a smile, certain she could understand anything that was unsaid. "Worrying about our circumstances will do little to rectify the situation," Iolas said as he was now speaking to the rest of the group. "At the very least we do not have to worry about the bell being rung over every minor disturbance, for if the legends hold any weight, the dragon would pose a threat to more than just Dwerstand. As for obtaining the bell itself...I am sure Desrick the Almighty will be willing to carry it," Iolas said as he clapped and gestured toward Desrick as if introducing the main character of a play. "See," Iolas whispered as he turned back to Ora, "all of our problems are easily solved," he said jokingly.

SilverFlight Flutterby

 

[Goonfire]

True; something about those high elves' methods wasn't adding up. "Evereach must have a plethora of secrets," Crow stated, knowing that much was obvious. "The Inquisition has had trouble snooping around Evereach-controlled areas. Simply skimming information from their officers and agents is a nightmare for an undercover inquisitor. If they weren't hiding something major, they wouldn't be so thorough and clandestine."

Clearing his throat as the current discussion seemed to run in a circle, he finally broke the loop. "So, most of you may have heard Pyrrhus mention we made a major discovery. We think it best you see for yourselves, as it's... well... groundbreaking for Sumennans and Cyndarans. It... changes a lot for people from all walks of life." He was still at a loss for words, after all this time.

SilverFlight LazyDaze Zazz Flutterby mothspit Ms. Sparrow Phayne

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

​

Feyre Yinnelis

Feyre was getting more agitated the more the high elf glanced in her direction. More often then not, she ignored it, pretending she didn't notice his frequent glancing, though on one occasion she returned his brief glance with a level-eyed, icy stare in his direction, the shadows behind her briefly growing taller in the smallest, subtle demonstration of her shadow magic that would've gone unnoticed by anyone who wasn't looking in her general direction. It was a small threat, intended to tell him to back off, hating the feel of curious eyes upon her, trying to feel her out no doubt. Indeed, she would be joining the team, but by no means did it mean she had to trust any of them, specifically the high elf that had raised her ire. Perhaps she would have her agents investigate this elf. After adding her own thoughts, everyone seemed to pitch in their own opinions and strategies. The high elf, whom was colorful in his thoughts to say the least, his pun not going unnoticed for some, including her. Azaria, the pale elf, whom Feyre had learned the name of from Gideon, was apparently an assassin. The centaur had mentioned the high elf's name to be Iolas, a start to her investigation of him perhaps? More people chided in, and as she looked around at the varying people all she could think was that it was a...certainly colorful bunch to say the least. Gideon and the orc added into her own thoughts that she'd voiced, Gideon however, pointed out another detail she'd forgotten about Evereach.

"Evereach specializes in light magic. I've never heard of anything they practice that would let them move an object that big...no, we need more information. That's why I'm proposing to send you to Dwerstand."

Feyre tilted her head to the side with an intentful gaze on Gideon, her hands clasped behind her back, "Unknown allies, perhaps? Or perhaps they have something else entirely, some strange magical source they've acquired." she proposed wistfully, the wheels of her mind turning as she considered the process of getting into Dwerstand before the orc chimed in, commenting on not having the right complexion, obviously talking about himself. Her lips quirked slightly in amusement at the orc, "You don't say?" she said dryly, referring to her own bizarre looks. Of course, that was when Gideon dropped a bombshell, almost devastating the orc as it was revealed Evereach had recruited orcs to their side, mentioning past events Feyre was sure she'd get briefed on later, like the mention of the light crystal. It became definite, even as the orc said it aloud, that they were taking a little trip to Dwerstand.

The half-dwarven lady seemed devastated, shamed perhaps, where the high elf, Iolas, seemed to attempt to comfort her. Feyre frowned a little in sympathy and understanding at the woman. She could only try to understand the loss she must've been feeling. Abruptly, Feyre turned away and turned her back to the group to look outside, her gaze somewhat hardening. No, she could not afford to allow her mind to be clouded by emotion right now, everything had to be looked at from a logical standpoint now. Slight movement caught her eye, and she glanced down at the flowerbed before the window, her blue orbs locking unto the well camouflaged cat, hiding in the canopy of leaves and flowers. It went still as it looked at her, as if caught red-handed in some act. Feyre smiled amusedly, her gaze softening slightly at the cat. She had always fancied animals, especially the small ones. Behind her, Crow mentioned some discovery he and Pyrrus, the centaur apparently, had found. A discovery that was life changing for everyone he had said. Intrigued, Feyre turned away from the harmless looking cat and at Crow.

"Well," she said after a brief pause, smirking wryly at Crow, "this sounds ominous. Care to show us?"

Goonfire Zazz mothspit Flutterby LazyDaze Phayne SilverFlight
​

 

[SilverFlight]

Their path seemed set, Desrick did not like it in the slightest, but it was either set out for Dwerstand, or let Evereach continue as they were. The latter was no option at all.
Desrick rolled his eyes at Iolas' jokes. "Is there a joke for you in everything?"
Crispin grinned. "Likely only in the things that truly matter." He could appreciate the sense of humour, even if his brother could not.
Crow's announcement of a discovery piqued Desrick's interest. He exchanged glances with his adoptive brother Crispin."It really is quite astonishing!" Pyrrhus chimed in, clearly excited. He lead the way to the door.

Outside the room, basket in hand, Marillene was helping the gardeners trim the dead heads from the flowers under window sills, picking a few flowers for the vases inside as she went.
Something black was skulking outside the study. The little troll girl parted the leaves ever so slightly and found the small cat, crouched and listening.
"Oh! What a sweet little kitten!" She cooed, setting her basket in the grass and reaching out with both arms to take the cat into them.
Phayne
((If Mari is able to pick Azael up she'll follow the other characters with him so he can see this next part))

The walk to the solarium was a short one and Pyrrhus held the door open for them as the filtered inside. He had not bothered to re-light the candle, and the only light was from the sunlight trickling through the open door.
"Now," he began when they had all filed in. "Don't be alarmed." He smiled knowingly at Crow and then, he shut the door.
The darkness consumed everything, just as it had before.
"You know, it's hard to show us anything if we can't see." Crispin broke the silence.
"Just wait." Pyrrhus replied patiently.
They did not have to wait long. At first the light was so faint, you could fool yourself into it being a trick of your mind. But then, Crispin and Desrick both gasped. The plants. They were glowing. Just like those in Cyndara. Exactly like them. In fact, Desrick could not tell between these and the species he knew all too well in his own country.
"They are the same." Pyrrhus confirmed for him.
"Every single plant in this greenhouse, is just as Cyndaran as it is Sumennan. We think there are these great differences between our lands, but are there really?"
Pyrrhus let them look, move closer, examine everything down to the last leaf, before he opened the door and broke the spell.

Gideon's face was priceless. "Incredible." He whispered. "I don't know what to do with this information yet but...I have a feeling it will be immeasurably valuable in the future."

They were free to go after that. "I'll need a week to organize proper transport for you. Until then, you have the freedom to move about my mansion as if it were your own."

Zazz mothspit Ms. Sparrow Flutterby Goonfire LazyDaze Phayne

 

[Flutterby]

Ora didn't exactly pay attention to Iolas approaching her; she assumed he was on a roundabout way to Azaria, in all honesty. When he stopped near her and thumped her head, the urge to answer with a more forceful strike was surprisingly strong. She resented the extra attention, right then, but the smile he wore was not quite his usual. The dwarf felt instantly guilty for wanting to hit him.
He was relating to her. He understood. It was their Houses, their peoples, that were doing wrong here. The others had connections, some deeper than she probably knew, but they had been raised by these people. Loved these people, with their whole hearts, at one point in their lives. Ora wondered, in the moment that he turned back to the group, if current events hurt him as much as it hurt her, or if his pain was older.
When he turned back to her, she gave him a hesitant smile. She didn't feel like smiling, but he deserved to know that he had succeeded. "Yes, quite easily." She mumbled back. She was grateful for the distraction of Crow's revelation then; the new woman had been staring at her. As much as Ora trusted Gideon, even he could be fooled.
LazyDaze Ms. Sparrow
The darkness of the solarium felt like a cool cloth across the forehead. Stepping into it felt a lot more like stepping into Cyndara than the rush of darkness from the dark crystal. In the moments of darkness, Ora took several deep breaths, and began to feel more like herself. Iolas was right- they could solve this. And then they could all go home.
Ora was sure that the first light was her mind conjuring memories of her first walk in the forest. Her eyes must expect the glow, some permanent connection between complete darkness and glowing plants in her mind. But then it grew stronger, and Crispin and Desrick gasped.
Ora was silent, her tail lashing behind her, as she starred out at the plants. Gingerly, she reached out to brush the leaf closest to her. Something clicked in her mind.
"The playwright was the same too." She whispered to the leaf. Turning back to the group, Ora spoke louder now. "Pyrrhus, remember at the library? You know the playwright Akiamore, but we know him too.. as a Sumennan." She paused, waiting for that to register. "We don't only share fauna. We share our oldest works of art. Its not just the land that has a common starting point, our cultures do too." The dwarf looked up at the glowing canopy. "You're exactly right, we aren't different at all." In the moment, Ora didn't realize she was missing a probably crucial detail, even though a reminder was standing right there.
Mulling over this revelation would require good, hard work. The perfect excuse to work on Pyrrhus's 'commission'.
Zazz mothspit SilverFlight Goonfire Phayne

 

[Ms. Sparrow]

Feyre Yinnelis

Feyre’s lips parted in awe as she looked upon the solarium, her eyes traveling over the newly changed space, her Cyndaran vision adjusting to the cool darkness that enveloped her as she stepped into the solarium, following behind everyone else, wary of a knife to be planted in her back at any given moment. Gideon had certainly made some...changes to the place. It was nothing but cool darkness and she loved it, a piece of homesickness resonating within her, giving her the smallest of comforts, even now, standing in the dark with a group of people she didn’t know nor trust.

The door shut behind her witha faint click, enveloping the group in complete darkness. It was a click she’d remember forever. It was the click that changed everything. The fauna around began to faintly glow, and she had to squint her eyes to make sure she was seeing things correctly before they began to glow brighter, Feyre gasped in shock, stepping towards the glowing fauna in awe, the revelation washing over her like someone had dumped freezing water upon her. They were the same. The fauna...was the same as those in Cyndara.

“Fascinating...” Feyre murmmered outloud, feeling about as surprised as she looked, her features written in wonderment.

Feyre knelt, her silkily black dress pooling around her as her fingers lightly traced a glowing leaf, the glow of the fauna reflecting brightly in her awe-struck, brightly shining blue orbs, listening to Ora speak about art both cultures also shared, inflaming Feyre’s fascination even more, and she felt as if she was walking on cloud in the brief moment. This was...amazing. Crow was right. It changed everything. But did it mean...that the Sumennan’s and Cyndaran’s weren’t so different at all?

Slowly, she fell back down to reality. What would people do with this information? How well would it be received? What if...she didn’t want anything to do with the sun? Perhaps she didn’t want to be anything in the like to Sumennan’s? She didn’t want anything in common with them. She wanted to be as far away in similarities with the people of the sun as she could, and yet, to find out how much they truly had in common...Feyre was unsettled and disturbed. Slowly she straightened up. Something must’ve caused a split between the two cultures. The darker part of her, was glad for it. Could she be so similar to the people that....that...to Lassard?

Feyre turned around and bowed smartly to the group, a wry smirk placating itself on her lips, “As much as I’d love to stay and chat, I’ll take my leave now,” she said, straightening up and looking at nobody in particular, “Bearings to get in order and all that,” she said wrylyto the group, giving a slight nod to Gideon as she moved her way to the door, pausing at the doorway as her eyes caught unto the drow’s that had touched her hair earlier, and apologized.

Feyre stopped and turned to him, her features surprisingly soft, “L'que'darn zhah usst, abbil.” She said kindly in drowish, smiling softly at him before opening the door and exiting the solarium. Her soft spoken words meaning, ‘The fault is mine, friend.’

Her thoughts turned to other matters as she began to ascended the stairs in the path her to her quarters, her features neutral. Now, she had to focus on the mission ahead, get her bearings in order, and perhaps send word to a few of her agents with orders of their own.

Goonfire Zazz mothspit Flutterby LazyDaze Phayne SilverFlight
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