Over the ancient forest a small light flies, heading straight for Arielle. As it draws near it is a small songbird made of crystals , the sunlight reflecting off of it in a rainbow of colors. Landing on a root near the girl the songbird begins to sing happily.
JH studies the small bird, sensing the spark of life within it. There is only man/gnome that he knows capable of crafting such a thing. He whispers a 'thank you'
Arielle smiles and claps her hands in delight as the beautiful bird starts singing. She is completely distracted from her fears of a moment ago.
Arielle smiles and claps her hands in delight as the beautiful bird starts singing. She is completely distracted from her fears of a moment ago.
"That's a cool bird, Arielle. Looks pretty real too, someone very skilled must have made it."
Arielle smiles and claps her hands in delight as the beautiful bird starts singing. She is completely distracted from her fears of a moment ago."That's a cool bird, Arielle. Looks pretty real too, someone very skilled must have made it."
Arielle nods. :It has stone songs in it. I bet there aren't too many people who know those.:
Arielle nods. :It has stone songs in it. I bet there aren't too many people who know those.:Arielle smiles and claps her hands in delight as the beautiful bird starts singing. She is completely distracted from her fears of a moment ago."That's a cool bird, Arielle. Looks pretty real too, someone very skilled must have made it."
"There are few who know how to sing any Nature songs. Someone put a lot of time into. I'm guessing whoever made this likes you a lot.
"There are few who know how to sing any Nature's songs. Someone put a lot of time into. I'm guessing whoever made this likes you a lot.
Arielle smiled. :Well, it was a very kind thing to do. And it's so pretty.: She reached out to gently touch the little bird.
"Yes, I remember you," Azuri'ith rumbled. "You were most helpful in providing information about an attempted attack. And just as timely then as you are now. A good skill to have in your line of work I imagine. We are in the market for any information that can be obtained about the dragon Daelemos."
The little bird hops onto Arielle's finger, changing its song to one of the sky. Its crystalline body has flecks of red, blue, and yellow mixed into clear. Its chest is the color of granite, but still crystalline.Arielle smiled. :Well, it was a very kind thing to do. And it's so pretty.: She reached out to gently touch the little bird."There are few who know how to sing any Nature's songs. Someone put a lot of time into. I'm guessing whoever made this likes you a lot.
Arielle laughs with delight as the bird hops onto her hand. She loves listening to one of her favorite songs. She seems oddly unaware of the new arrival to the Grove, as if she can't see her.
I believe that a dragon of that name recently attacked a group of folk from the Carnival of Shadows, who had embarked upon a pilgrimage of some description. So much you will be able to easily find out for yourselves, however - perhaps even to identify and speak to some survivors. Be careful, however, since their former leader now carries a curse from the dragon. She makes a dismissive motion with one hand. But I do not like to carry tales of the doings of a dragon that old.
I do, however, have a little tidbit from the Realms of Dream which I thought that you might like to hear. For the same sort of price as we last agreed upon.
"Hmmm," Azuri'ith paused, considering. It wasn't exactly what he had been looking for, but last time the information she had brought was exactly what they needed. "Very well. I will have your payment brought momentarily." He spoke a few words in Aurun and a few minutes later the chests arrive the same as before.
As before she inspects them, and disposes of the contents in a practically identical manner.
Candle Lighter and Frost are a pair of dragons whose secrets I have no reservations about spilling. They were, until recently, keeping The Giggler in a cave somewhere in the Realms of Dream.
Then his girlfriend, Kytania the Cenobyte broke him out, and he made contact with some acquaintences amongst the Denizens of Leng, and the last I heard he had taken ship for one of the few remaining ways for people to currently physically enter or exit the Realms of Dream. He may be out already. Time has been running rather faster there than here.
She quirks an eyebrow at Azuri'ith.
I trust that you would consider that information to be sufficiently of interest to be worth what you just paid for it?
"Quite. Thank you. A pleasure doing business."
"Interesting lady, that one."
Arielle laughs with delight as the bird hops onto her hand. She loves listening to one of her favorite songs.
"So what are you going to name your new friend?"
"Interesting lady, that one."
"What lady?" Arielle asks, confused.
"Interesting lady, that one.""What lady?" Arielle asks, confused.
"Shh, it's alright, dear. It's no one you need to worry about."
Privately to JH, "I did my best to shield Arielle from any awareness of that particular visitor. I have my suspicions about what she is, but it's better if you don't know. It's better if I don't know, but I have to know, so I just try to act like I don't know because that way nobody knows that I know....And I'm just no good at this convoluted reasoning. It's just better if Arielle and I never have any direct contact with her."
"So what are you going to name your new friend?"
Arielle laughs with delight as the bird hops onto her hand. She loves listening to one of her favorite songs.
"I think I'll call it Kanoni. That seems like a good name for a bird."
Leaving the auburn haired lady at the edge of the trees, the goblin with the tuxedo and bowtie makes his way into the grove, and looks around.
"Hello," Arielle chirps. "I remember you. You were at the arena."
This is just a passing visit to let you know that the ne'er do well who killed Spring Sapling has apparently left the Realms of Dream, the goblin looks slightly embarrassed.
The Runelord is apparently in two minds about this, but as a courtesy, since on some of his good days he still has some regard for you here, I thought it best to let you know.
"Give him our thanks for sending us this news. We are...preparing as much as we can. That one is slippery and causes more trouble than should be possible." You can hear the distaste in her voice as she speaks about the one who killed her.
Arielle has a sense of stars which for a long time had been missing from her senses, suddenly back and approaching.
"Mommy, there are some shinies coming this way. I can feel it," Arielle says excitedly.
On the edge of the grove, Sorsha pauses to exchange a few pleasantries with Yames' companion, Tangessa.
This is just a passing visit to let you know that the ne'er do well who killed Spring Sapling has apparently left the Realms of Dream, the goblin looks slightly embarrassed.
The Runelord is apparently in two minds about this, but as a courtesy, since on some of his good days he still has some regard for you here, I thought it best to let you know.
"Thrice has this miscreant attacked those held dear by the Green. Twice to Spring Sapling alone. His escape causes us concern."
To Lynora-Jill:
The goblin seems surprised by the 'voice out of nowhere'.
Ah. You would be an entwife? he hazards a guess. Assuming you speak for the grove I shall be delighted to convey your message.
She laughed. "No. I speak for myself. Lynora-Jill. Only I am somewhat lacking in the physical body department these days. We're working on that."
Deprived of her gossip companion, the flame-haired woman enters the grove, an ornate wooden box tucked under one arm. She wears a shiny red-silver dress and cloak and is shod in boots of dark leather.
"Hello," she says cautiously, uncertain if this new arrival could hear her, but thinking that perhaps it was best not left to Arielle to greet her.
Arielle and Lynora-Jill are acutely aware of the siren song of the stars from within the box.
The woman looks about somewhat nervously.
I have a delivery from the Princess Eiboria.
Arielle and Lynora-Jill are acutely aware of the siren song of the stars from within the box.
The woman looks about somewhat nervously.
I have a delivery from the Princess Eiboria.
Arielle runs forward, smiling widely. She holds out her hands for the box. "May I have it please?"
And your name, Princess, would be?
Arielle and Lynora-Jill are acutely aware of the siren song of the stars from within the box.
The woman looks about somewhat nervously.
I have a delivery from the Princess Eiboria.
JH walks over.
"Welcome. And thank you."
And your name, Princess, would be?
"I'm Arielle. What's your name?"
That sounds about right. The Princess Eiboria sends you her jewels, which she apparently promised to you.
The woman hands over the box to Arielle.
Inside it dozens of stars have been set in a pair of bracelets and a necklace, and a few 'unset' stars are lying loose in it too.
Oh, my name's Sorsha, and I'm a Countess, but I'm not really terribly important.
"Mommy, there are some shinies coming this way. I can feel it," Arielle says excitedly.
Not wanting to be seen in case things turned sour, Lk climbs back into his tree.[/time warp]
That sounds about right. The Princess Eiboria sends you her jewels, which she apparently promised to you.
The woman hands over the box to Arielle.
Inside it dozens of stars have been set in a pair of bracelets and a necklace, and a few 'unset' stars are lying loose in it too.
Oh, my name's Sorsha, and I'm a Countess, but I'm not really terribly important.
"Please give our thanks to Princess Eiboria, Countess Sorsha. And again, thank you for deigning to bring them here."
To Jack Hammer:
Oh she was worried she might not be able to hand them over personally, so insisted that they be personally delivered by me.