Whiteclaw heads for the dueling grounds, curious to see the results of the morning's events.
Lord Chelessfield is waiting at the dueling grounds accompanied by Lady Sorreminx. The pair of them look Arianwyn up and down and Lady Sorreminx smiles sweetly at him.
"One hears that you claim to be a warlock. One wonders why you bothered with such a random form of magic. It's hardly pure arcana, is it?"
Before much more can happen, Brightspur and Tutavak roll into view, arm in arm, the shadow fey grinning happily and chatting merrily to yet another ambassador from the River King's Court. He draws alongside Arianwyn and bows gracefully.
"Greetings, my liege. I seem somehow to have offended this gentleman and he demands honourable recompense. We are on the same errand."
Tutavak could have explained that the offence in question was an overloud gibe criticising the style of the newcomer's helm. Brightspur's opponent seems both eager and good natured.
"Oh yes. A grievous insult. But once we have fought, we will be friends I'm sure."
Lady Sorreminx sighs. "Sir Yngress the Red. An eager puppy. Much like your own charge, Raven Lord. They are well-matched. As you, belike, are not."
Whiteclaw heads for the dueling grounds, curious to see the results of the morning's events.
Lord Chelessfield is waiting at the dueling grounds accompanied by Lady Sorreminx. The pair of them look Arianwyn up and down and Lady Sorreminx smiles sweetly at him.
"One hears that you claim to be a warlock. One wonders why you bothered with such a random form of magic. It's hardly pure arcana, is it?"
Before much more can happen, Brightspur and Tutavak roll into view, arm in arm, the shadow fey grinning happily and chatting merrily to yet another ambassador from the River King's Court. He draws alongside Arianwyn and bows gracefully.
"Greetings, my liege. I seem somehow to have offended this gentleman and he demands honourable recompense. We are on the same errand."
Tutavak could have explained that the offence in question was an overloud gibe criticising the style of the newcomer's helm. Brightspur's opponent seems both eager and good natured.
"Oh yes. A grievous insult. But once we have fought, we will be friends I'm sure."
Lady Sorreminx sighs. "Sir Yngress the Red. An eager puppy. Much like your own charge, Raven Lord. They are well-matched. As you, belike, are not."
Reason attends the duel, still trying to decide which of his companions is best suited to duel the roachling.
For her part, Whiteclaw thinks the whole idea of dueling is as silly as the mock battle that they fought for the Kazgrant. Still, she's there to cheer on her companions.
Arianwyn ignores the woman's feeble attempts at mockery rather pointedly with a nonchalant air.
"Shall we begin?" he asks, drawing his sword and rod from their respective hips.
Crossbow in his offhand, and boar spear well to the fore, Lord Chelessfield nods. Suddenly, his mere presence burns.
It is immediately clear that Lord Chelessfield is a master of his art and not to be trifled with. Lunging forward, he drives his spear behind the warlock's legs, knocking him to the ground before shifting away once more.
Arianwyn lands on his back and grunts. He looks up, points Kyleth's rod at his opponent, as his eyes turn a sinister liquid black and intones, "Pain."
"Pain," agrees Lord Chelessfield, as cold washes over him.
"and more pain. Thus we learn. You lead your bravos well, lordling." His tone is grudgingly respectful as he ignores the chill engulfing him and drives his spear towards the warlock once more.
Whiteclaw and Reason pace the grounds, watching their more belligerently minded friends amusing themselves. Tutavak, in his unoffcial role as Brightspur's second, notes that Sir Yngress is a worthy foe, but leaves himself open to opportunities. Brightspur himself is formidable, and the Kargzant warrior wonders anew at Arianwyn's defeat of him in the Hall of Changelings. Three passes are enough to bring Sir Yngress to his knees and he rises, bows and joins the pair.
"We shall drink to our new found brotherhood!" he announces cheerfully.
"My thanks." Arianwyn adds, equally grudgingly. He attempts to impose his will upon his opponent, but pain deadens the effect somewhat.
Taking the barrage of force in his stride, Lord Chelessfield drives his boar spear down into the ground beside Arianwyn's head, sending residual shards of dark frost cascading over the warlock.
"And so ... "
Sorreminx squeals in excitement and distracts him crucially. Chelessfield sighs and glares at her.
"Restrain yourself, milady, or at least confine yourself to making useful comments."
Overcome with relief, Arianwyn still cannot concentrate and resigns himself to defeat.
Lord Chelessfield can afford to be generous, but there is real respect in his eye as he helps his opponent to his feet.
"One sees your merit after all. I shall commend you and your company to the Black Prince when next we hunt."
Sorreminx looks scornful.
"Let him outmatch you with words my Lord and we shall see. But really, a warlock. How barbaric."
Chelessfield silences her with a stare. "I have already asked you to confine your commentary to the needful, milady. I shall not do so again."
A short distance away, Brightspur quirks an eyebrow at Tutavak and his new friend, Sir Yngress.
"Would this delightfully acerbic lady be interested in my advances? I make so little progress with Lishekki it becomes embarassing to pursue her longer."
Yngress looks highly amused, but keeps his counsel.
"I thank you, my Lord, and concede the victory. Your technique is most effective. Who was your tutor?"
Not to be outdone in the arts of politesse, Lord Chelessfield buffs a thoughtful nail.
"Long dead alas, but a great man. Elessar Yndrivelmel. His passing was much mourned. Forgive if I intrude upon a private grief, but there is some word of a great loss to yourself. Mayhap your mind was on other matters than our bandied weaponry."
"It is no secret of course." Arianwyn says quietly, "You are too generous to grant me such leeway. Your skill is great. 'Tis true that the loss of such a wonder bites hard. Do you have knowledge of her passing?"
"I have connections in the Winter Court and certain of them spoke their thoughts to me. How sincere was your regard for the lady? I would not wish to cause you needless pain, but mayhap there is a tale here you should know."
Arianwyn bites back a retort. "She was a remarkable woman. Her feelings for me were like no others'. And I returned them."
"The veil between worlds has grown thin of late. She was able to meet me via the Plane of Dreams, and I suspect that her own travels have taken across temporal and spatial barriers. Have you seen aught of this, that man may question, or has this merely been some phenomenon restricted to our unique bond?"
"It may be your bond, and if that is so, your loss is indeed a great one. My condolences are offered with my most sincere goodwill."
Chelessfield is clearly troubled by talk of the thinning veil. His words ring true, but his mind is now on other matters.
"Mayhap the Lady Kia may discover more from Lord Hallowgrim."
He bows fluidly. "The Black Prince expects me at the hunt. I have been greatly engaged in your company and I thank you. If I may be so bold, I would gladly offer to foster any offspring of yours in the knightly arts and teach the child archery."
He strides away, still looking troubled.
Chary makes her way down to the dueling field this morning. She approaches Whiteclaw with a smile. "Good morning. The outfit last night was quite nice, but this outfit seems to fit you much...more naturally."
"So, how did a gnoll get mixed up with two Eladrin, a Tiefling, and dragon?"
Kia joins the party after finally having some time to herself and spending some time meditating back to full potential.
"That's a very long story. Most of us have been together for quite a while now, though Tutavik is new to our group. The rest of us, though, well we did a job for a druid circle I grew up with. I was sent along to help keep them safe, and things grew from there." Whiteclaw talks casually with Chary. "Last night was the first time I ever wore a dress." she admits.
Yikrukrak the roachling approaches Reason politely. "Do you have any suggestions, Lord of Light?" Her antennae twitch with anticipation.
Kia approaches Reason in a tactful way.
"If you need someone to duel for you, I seem to have been dallying a lot since we got here. I think it is about time I did my share of the dirty work."
Kia's conversation with Sammas was pleasant, but inconclusive. A very busy man, he has little time for smalltalk, but suggested that Kia might return to speak to him when the effects of the feast have worn off everyone. He sensed at least that her historical knowledge was likely to be better than she was showing and polite enough to put it down to nerves confronted with his own supreme abilities.
Yikrugrak twirls her blades eagerly, her four arms twitching with eagerness. Beneath her armour, Kia can see a multiplicity of roaches creeping and has to wonder what kind of battle she has committed to.
"I should be honoured, Lord of Light."
As always, Yikrugrak's voice completely belies her appearance.
The roachling bows and her blades flicker around Kia as she dances forward slashing brutally at the eladrin. All four blades make contact and Yikrukrak darts away once more.
The warlock leaves the duelling area, not particularly noticing his colleagues, and goes to seek out Reason to compare notes.
Arianwyn spots Reason, "Ah, there you," he says, "What-" he is cut shoret by the sight of Kia duelling a cockroach-person.
"Hm. I don't know which one of them is the more bizarre."
It is at times like this that Kia realiss that, while she knows many ways of helping others, she is less well endowed with tricks to help herself.
Somewhat startled by the speed of her opponent, Kia is unable to find a way past the roachling knight's bizarre defenses. Even so, it is good enough that Yikrugrak herself misses.
Kia Moves to Yikrugrak, wielding her sword in what she hopes will be a telling blow.
Kia's blow is telling indeed, and the roachling's insect shroud chitters with agitation. Shifting clear once more, Yikrugrak's blade strike once more. The strange blades drag jagged wounds into the warlord's flesh leaving seeping injuries in their wake.
Yikrugrak seems torn. "I truly wish to help you. Do what you must."
"I do believe Miss Rubarka stands a chance of winning. Who would have thought?" Arianwyn says to Reason.
Not liking the last blow at all, Kia just does a basic attack in an effort to even the score.
"I need to win don't I?". Suddenly Kia adds a further attack in the hope that is strikes true too.
Feeling somewhat bloodied, she also heals herself.
She looks at her opponent with concern. "Are you alright?"
Kia's last two passes are solid hits and the Crawling Knight is openly delighted with the result.
Yikrukrak extends one of her larger hands.
"Most exciting! Very worthy and extremely helpful of you. The honour of my people now insists that I help you."
Antennae flickering frantically, the roaching bows once more. "I shall crave the boon of the defeated and invite all of you to join me in a celebratory drink"
Arianwyn blinks and shrugs.
Kia hopes that, after surviving the drinks of the previous evening, she will not have any trouble with what may be on offer from Yikrukrak.
"We will be honoured." And she gestures for Yik to show the way. hoping the other will follow.
At the same time she surreptitiously saves against the ongoing damage.
Yikrugrak spits on her blades and smears the goo over her own wounds before leading the group into another part of the Winter Palace.
As she walks, she writhes slightly as handfuls of roaches drop from her armour. "Spies," she explains simply.
The drink on offer is whatever you wish. Word of Kia's own preferences has clearly got out, and apple wine is among the offerings.
"There are things you need to know about Akyishigal," the roachling explains bluntly. "and I will tell you what they are. I wish to join the Lords of Light and prove my worth to them. But I must have an excuse for when Akyishigal questions me. So - I had to provoke this duel, for which I thank you. It also proves that you may be able to remove him. "Remove". Not eliminate. The demon lords are not so easy to kill. Even when they are but an aspect."
She unveils some more details.
Immune to charm, illusion and poison
Resist 10 weapon
Vulnerable 10 radiant
He has an aura 3 and enemies that start their turn within it take 5 damage.
He can engulf creatures.
He can discorporate into thousands of roaches (and mechancially becomes a very large swarm).
He is never unattended.
"Akyishigal will be aware of you by now. He will invite you to visit him in the Black Well. That will be your opportunity."
Her antennae twitch frantically. "Can you do this?"
"Of course we could." Whiteclaw says with confidence. "But, the real question is why should we?"
Yikrugrak looks pointedly at the haloes of light surrounding Whiteclaw, Reason and Kia.
"Your allegiance to the Lords of Light."
"They did indeed ask you to deal with him" Arianwyn points out, "And for myself, demonic influence is something that everywhere can have less of. We do have a history of quelling demons."