[Game Thread] Chapter Seven: Bloodlines

[Makenshi]

Anorde seemed caught off guard by Mrith's approach. "Huh?" He looked around, as if only realising that he and Celi are now alone before shrugging. "Not really. I'm just not in a celebratory mood." Although Mirth hadn't spent much time with Anorde, Nevh had, and she could have probably counted the number of times she'd spoken to him without the Nameless smiling, smirking or grinning at some point on one hand. That was unusual enough even without Celi flitting around in uncharacteristically silent concern, glancing from Anorde to Mrith and back again while fiddling with her OOC Reminder - Ahekan Pixies are Tiny, not Smallminiature dress.

~MTWC

[Blue]

She rubbed at her temple as if she felt the start of a light headache. Frowning.
Mrith opened her mouth to say something, closed it as if changing her mind, then trying again. Apparently decided on a different way to breach the subject. She was one to be upfront with things, but being tactful about it wasn't out of her repertoire.
"Say, I understand you've got your privacy. And I don't really like to stamp all over one's private garden, and all that. But Nevh is... alarmed. I know you're juggling with very secret and sensitive information, being what are you, on all fronts, but I also understand that you've been doing just that for a long time and you've rarely ever been so downcast. Even more worrying since we're in public, and very much so, which would normally make one all the more concerned about... concealing one's worries. So it seems to me like you're carrying all kinds of heavy inside. Anything we should worry about? ...anything I can help with, maybe?"

[Acathala]

"It is certainly......percussive." Nallaul said of the music. He appreciates the skill in the music., the actual music is not to his taste. Suddenly he realises he has not sung in a long time, and the last time was for that bitch Myr'delith. The mage wants to sing, for himself. Thinking over his songs he can do, and after a lot of self censorship, Nallaul has a non controversial choice. To Airin. "Who do I have to speak to about getting to sing?"

[Makenshi]

 

Anorde began by raising a curious eyebrow before breaking into a brief smirk. "Huh...that's a new one. Having an impression of someone concerned about me." The smirk doesn't last long though. "You needn't worry, though. It's a personal matter. Something I've been mulling over for a while really. Unprofessional to bring it here, I know, but these Unknowns aren't exactly helping matters."

 

Airin smiled. "Yes, well, this is just the beginning. You won't find anyone singing while that lot are banging away at their drums. Once they're done the Sword in the Dark usually has something to say and then the Children will break apart into smaller groups. You'll have better luck singing in one of those, at least if you want to be heard that is." He gestured around them, where Nallaul could see Children cheering along to the music to one another, although it was difficult to make it out over the noise of the crowd and the drums.

~MTWC

[Blue]

"Huh...that's a new one. Having an impression of someone concerned about me."

She'd shrug dismissively. "So you say, but if it is concerned, then so would she."
His reassurances didn't seem to quite hit the mark, but she let it go nonetheless. "If it's personal, I think I see what you mean. I recall I myself had a similar expression in private, for many years. In my case it was a difficulty with figuring out what to do with myself."
She'd lean to put her hand unto his table as an attempt to show support without being too invasive of his space, as she wasn't sure yet if he was the kind to be comfortable with physical contacts.
"Never a good place to be. I do hope you sort it out, whatever this is."
Then pushing herself up. She'd then use the same hand to hold his shoulder for an instant despite her earlier restraint and bid him good bye for now to regroup with Adam unless interrupted.

[Alphaeus]

Silverforge Silver made a show of dancing along with the music. Once they were done, he made a mental note to catch up with them about good old times. After several minutes, however, he broke off from the crowd, still scouting those who were not among the main celebrating group. He noticed Mrith speaking with someone, but presumed such was not his business...and that if it was, she would inform him on her own. Instead, he sought to see anyone that was not part of the group...as well as keep an eye out for Pe'er. He could presume that his companion had not finished his assignment, but still liked to check up now and then.

[Xian]

Adam Adam had enjoyed the show and the bravado that accompanied it, but it was clear that his companion had other things on her mind and in spite of his initial elation of escorting her to the festivities faded as she clearly was going through the motions. Originally Posted by Mrith "Adam. Be right back to you. I've got to talk with someone real quick. Something feels off." "Of course... it seems like you have something on your mind, so please don't feel you need to stay or hurry on my account. I would very much like for you to enjoy our time together and I certainly don't want it to feel like an... obligation." Adam said honestly as sends her off with smile. "I know that with all of the troubles about, it never seems like we have the time to enjoy moments like these. There is a constant I have observed, that trouble will always be there. Always. Yet, if we never take the time to enjoy life, we will never have the time... and having moments to cherish makes fighting for them better. Advice from an old soldier..." Adam sees her go off to the crowd in search of her quarry... to assuage whatever need she had. Adam returned to the celebration, there would be time enough for troubles... later. Like the Children that were gathered there, they were soldiers and they reaffirmed what they were fighting for even as they partied. In spite of his previous decade of hermetic life, Adam felt a kinship and shared values with the Children that he had felt with very few others outside of the Sei themselves. Adam spotted Mrith as she returned to his side... something which pleased him greatly and perhaps he was anticipating more than he cared to admit. "Did you find what you were looking for?" Adam asked warmly as he handed her the freshly filled glass of wine that she enjoyed earlier.

[Blue]

As Adam warmly sends her off, she nodded in answer. Visibly glad he didn't seem to mind and not feeling restrained in her freedom; "I appreciate."

As she returned, the tension that had built up in her demeanor seemed a little more lax.
"Not exactly, but I suppose that is for the best."
Looking at the glass of wine, she'd raise an eyebrow with mild suspicion.
"Just how many bottles did you bring?"

[Xian]

Adam Originally Posted by Mrith As she returned, the tension that had built up in her demeanor seemed a little more lax. "Not exactly, but I suppose that is for the best." Looking at the glass of wine, she'd raise an eyebrow with mild suspicion. "Just how many bottles did you bring?" "Enough." Adam said with a knowing laugh as he watched her eyebrows quirk in mild suspicion. "Worried that I will take advantage of you? I have you know, that I have nothing but the most scandalous intentions for you... Now come, perhaps we can enjoy what remains of this show and the celebration... I am sure that opportunities like this will not soon or easily avail themselves to us in the coming future."

[Blue]

Mrith barked a laugh and sneered toothily.
"I am flattered. And outraged."

She leaned back, sighing with a sad smile that had no actual sadness behind it. She was clearly playing along.
"In about fifteen, twenty years or so, as I reach sexual maturity, I'll have to remember your disreputable intentions. See if I waken at the memory. Alas, the notion does little for me right now. Dragons my age instead get overly crazy over conceited notions such as territory and wealth... a lifelong battle against oneself, to be sure, but the urges are particularly strong and difficult to temper."
She winked over her glass. "Although, people of our longevity do learn patience. You'd make a great suitor, I'm sure."
She drank deep to avoid laughing and possibly injuring his pride, but the explanation would at least suffice to confirm it was not for a lack of charm on his part.

"Now. I would like to change into something more amusing to dance in. Let's see..."
Red paint patterns would appear on her body and and clothes would shift into a robe of thin bones joined together with thread and colored beads of rocks of all sorts. She'd wear a half-mask of polished bone that covered the upper section of her face, with a single horn jutting from the middle of her front and a second much shorter horn on one side going sideways, and the red markings which prolonged the patterns of the paint on her face. Red fur hung from both sides of the mask like braids of hair, contrasting with the whitened bones.
She inspected her arms and changed her mind, the bones then looking more rugged and worn, which made the entire outlook less sophisticated and a bit more wild.
"Quite what I'm looking for with the theater costume, but without the scarier accessories."
She kept the fiend bones she had collected on the battlefield close enough but she had only had time to get them cleaned up good. Then she'd have to be certain of the design before committing to the conception but she had ample raw materials for whatever stroke her imagination.
"It is my understanding that the show has just begun."

[Acathala]

"Right. I will consider it then." Nallaul is beginning to get cold feet about singing though. Not about the song. It was a jaunty piece about a Drow House preparing to go to war. It also did not contain the racial slurs that some of the other songs contained. It was also a crowd pleasing song.
No the big issue Nallaul had, was he wasn't sure he wanted a higher profile. Other than getting Tel'shar out of prison, Nallaul did not have any goals. Basically he had nothing to do. His old life was gone and there was nothing yet to replace it. Sooner or later he was going to have to make decisions. Like where he was going to stay. Nallaul was pretty sure he didn't have an infinite invitation to stay at the palace.

[Makenshi]

The undulating music and thunderous beats continued to ebb and flow, along with the crowds of Children. For those who had met the Children before it was certainly a sight, given how serious and up-tight they so often appeared, yet now they were letting loose. Enjoying the very freedoms that they fought so hard for.

For those entangled in greater events though, there wasn't much of a chance to enjoy it, at least for now. A mental voice, the voice of the female drow-touched/half-drow Unknown whose also known as the Lady in the LightSulion flitted through their heads. "We're all here now. It's time to talk. Meet us at what was the tavern if you want whatever explanations we can provide." After the message was sent the Unknowns who were celebrating among the Children reluctant withdrew, as all of them made their own way in their own time towards Alewater House.

Like most of the surviving buildings in Edgewater, it looked half-destroyed, but the Children and whatever locals had returned had put up some basic repairs, mostly just boarding and coverings to keep out the wind and the rain. The sign out front had somehow survived, albeit it was only hanging by a single chain. It showed a mug dunked into a river with Alewater above and House below. Inside was much the same, although clearly whatever repair work had gone on was focused on the structure itself, with tables and chairs stacked - sometimes rather haphazardly - out of the way of doorways and stairs.

Someone was already waiting in there, a plain-looking Halvan man leaning back on a chair in the middle of the room with his feet on the side of an upturned table. As they had only been waiting on one of the Unknowns this was presumably Many Faces, the mysterious shapeshifter of the equally mysterious group of Godlings. He grinned as people entered. "Pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. We could be here for a fair while."

Along with the other Unknowns the everyone but JesterArchgates present filter in slowly, with Mirik Orn, the draconic Archgate of Fislasyth, and Selene Jual, the masked Archgate of Laftiil the last of them to arrive, having no doubt been enjoying themselves. Representatives from other nations arrived too, most notably Vulcar Halva II himself, along with his bride-to-be, while one of the newest Gods of Aheka, Kala, arrived with her ever-present bodyguard, Eve.

As people filter through Faces adds. "While we're waiting for everyone to make their way, there's a few bottles behind what remains of the bar over there." He vaguely gestures behind him, near one of the piles of chairs and tables which, on first glance, looked nothing at all like a bar, Children don't have bars, taverns or anything of the like (they basically just make their own moonshine, generally called palebrew), so wouldn't know what he's talking aboutat least for those who knew what one was.

Didina and Misa somehow looked even more out of place in the run down tavern in their high-society dresses although the tiefling took it in her stride while Misa elected to put her back to one of the more stable looking walls and keep out of the way. Morgan arrived with Zilira, with the former focussing his attention towards Faces in the middle of the room while the latter made her way to check out what bottles had survived.

Eve effortlessly grabbed a table and some chairs for the Halvan delegation, setting it up near Faces, but chose to stand behind Kala rather than sit herself as the Young King and his fiancee sat at the table. Eventually, Morgan grabbed a seat to join them. Meanwhile, the rest of those present grabbed tables and chairs of their own, although not everyone bothered with a table.

[This a chance to get back into the swing of things. I've left things mostly vague so that if you want to have a quick chat with someone then you can assume they were one of the first to arrive if they aren't specifically mentioned above. As a reminders, this is supposed to be the explanation that the Unknown Godlings promised about who they are and what they're doing, although they have said that they are limited in what exactly they can say. If you need a reminder on anyone/anything then give me a shout and I'm happy to help refresh memories or point you in the right direction.]

[Acathala]

Nallaul, once Xufaer's second in command, former unofficial house wizard, makes his grand entrance. Dressed in silks, the leonine featured drow, with his Ioun stones whirling around, casts his eye around the room, for his target of Sulion. When the shapeshifter states they could be a while, Nallaul looks amused for a moment.
"As long as it doesn't kill even a Drow of old age, I'm sure it will be worth it. Besides it already feels like we've been waiting years." I think thanks to the children's music, I now understand what eternity is.
Nallaul is about to speak to Sulion, and indeed he's about halfway to her, when he sees someone else he wanted to speak with. He diverts from a possibly disappointed Sulion, to watcher Anorde.. "I'm Nallaul, a house less wizard of the underdark." Nallaul paused as he's uncertain he wants to bring up what he wants to bring up, or even if he wants an answer to it. However he carries on. "I met the goddess Fisali, if by met, you meant fervently hoping she wasn't going squash me like a bug. She looked at me, like she was judging me for what felt like a very long time, though it wasn't. Why did she spare me?"

OoC I think I need to remind you, that you wanted an encounter with Fislasyth for the chaos of fate game. Also first reply! Suck it Blue! Lol.

[Makenshi]

Anorde was rooting around behind what remained of the bar for some bottles when Nallaul approached him. As the Drow spoke he pulled out a pair of bottles of some pale brown-ish liquid and slid one over towards Nallaul. He flicked open his own bottle and took a generous mouthful before replying. "Only the Eighth knows why she does what she does. I doubt even Kerberos knows even half of what goes on in that head, and if he does he certainly doesn't understand it."

Anorde leans over the bar, which creaks under his (not exactly massive) weight as he tries to put on a reassuring smile. "Trying to understand any God is a pain in the arse, let alone one infamous for her insanity. If you want my advice then either assume she saw something in you which caught her attention or crack it up to chance. Either way, you're not going to be getting a straight answer any time soon."

[Blue]

Mrith slowly pulled herself from the revelries as the call of the Unknown came to her. Giving a quick end to a good time was a wasteful, small tragedy in its own right but she couldn't let herself delay overmuch a summon, of sorts. It was such poor form to deny ceremony its due and making people wait unfashionably. Or, Crone forbid, interrupt a an ongoing meeting.

It was against her instinct not to change back to her better set of clothes. Something which would do well to properly display her standing.
But a simple look at the place and the simplicity of it all dissuaded her. What she had on was as good as anything else.
She wouldn't drink further. There had been enough of that, and the mood for it had died with her first step into the premises.

She waited. As the archgates came in, the usual internal conflict resurfaced as considered attending for Mirik Orn or Theofan - a simple gesture to humour her interest in promoting camaraderie among dragons or one which would, under some slightly silly reasoning, further link her affiliation to the Rudaa people.

Things an ambassador of Quall would do well to mind, certainly, but these were not concerns she would exalt in this day.