For a time, Jonathan stood by, letting the little kobold and the drow woman argue with Lamashtu's priestess. He watched silently, observing the two of them as they spoke. 'A large temper for such a small creature. The drow woman, she has a history with the Mother of Monsters. Not surprising, considering her heritage. No movement from our representatives from Irrisen or Osirion, they obviously do not wish to start any sort of altercation.' As the two seem ready to come to blows, Jonathan's hand inches towards his rapier, but he otherwise remains still.
"This is not a fight you will win, small one. Her worship is not outlawed in this city, and this altercation would only see to it that you are imprisoned by the First Guard." Jonathan appears next to Maximo, one gloved hand upon his small shoulder. He speaks quietly, his mask barely moving with his lips. "Wait and find a fight you might win, little kobold."
Zalika concentrates, swiftly drawing first Lamashtu's symbol and favoured colors on Maximo, then adding Aspu's symbol and colors onto the Lamashtu's priestess via quick use of her prestidigitation spell.
"There" she growls "Now you both have something in common with the other, so take the opportunity to calm down and agree to disagree with the other"
Zalika pauses for a moment, to make sure that the lesson is understood before dismissing the effects of her spell, leaving the two opponents to glare quietly at each other, before she turns to the Lamashtu priestess and adopts a lighter tone.
"So out of interest, to someone unfamiliar with the worship of Lamashtu, does she have an opinion on the current status quo of Deskari ravaging the world?" Zalika asks, quietly curious.
The priestess scowls at her robes, muttering something unintelligible under her breath. "The locust king thinks his new stature grants him power enough to contest my mistress's throne as ruler of the Abyss. My mistress finds his belief amusing, but troublesome. She recognizes when a threat must be removed from her house, so to speak."
Aramus, for his part, could only look on at the beginning of the duel. He'd seen a great deal of religious fervor throughout his life, and it had only increased of late, with more and more people looking to the gods for comfort in a world that offered little. During the argument he'd taken the time to remove his vest, displaying the magnificent tattoo across his back--a blending of Sarenrae and Shelyn's holy symbols, a brilliant sun-and-butterfly motif--something he always did in the Court.
When Maximo drew his blade, though, he stepped forward. He'd started to interrupt when Triel moved, but the drow stayed close enough that she didn't seem threatening. This, though, was going to cause trouble...
But soon enough things seemed to settle back down. Finally, as one of the other women steps forward and uses magic to disperse the tension--maybe--he steps between the sides and clears his throat.
"I may be only a simple man of Absalom, no chosen of the gods or speaker of their wills. But I've lived here my whole life, seeing just this kind of discussion take place every day. And now we live in dark times indeed, with dangerous enemies and worries all around."
He pauses and looks at the others, at the crowd. "Now, it seems to me that we shouldn't be arguing over things like this, at least right now. Maybe the dragon gods aren't exactly what they claim, who knows? And I'm sure many have reason to find faults in Lamashtu, or to hate other gods of suffering and hatred, no matter how strong they may be these days. But should we fight and kill over whose god is stronger, better? Not now, at least. Not when we could work together."
He looks up to the sky and spreads his arms wide. "I devote myself to goddesses of beauty, and light, and life, and hope. Not because they are the strongest today, but because they make me strong. Make me feel strong. And that's what all the gods should do. Look up--we all live under the same sun, humans and gods alike." He tosses another wink at Triel. "Some live further under it than others, but we're all more or less the same." He looks between Maximo and the Lamashtan priestess and folds his arms. "We should turn our efforts against those who would blot that sun out, not each other."
Maximo maintained his snarl, but internally, he was upset. He'd lost his temper... in defiance of evil, yes, but he was better than that! 'Three years of training wasted.' The magical change causes Ryx to circle around the kobold and hiss at Zalika, defending his companion against the perceived assault, but he immediately calms as Maximo places a claw on his head.
Although it was clearly taking a lot of willpower, Maximo straightened up and bowed politely to the Lamashtan priestess. "My... apologies for... my derogatory comments earlier... and the loss of your... children." he said, evidently straining to say so, but putting as much sincerity as he could muster into the act.
'...but make no mistake, if you or any of your 'children' step out of line and disrupt the peace or harm others, I will strike you down. Swiftly.'
The priestess sighs, and she just looks tired for a moment. "I do not need pity. My loss was long ago. And now is hardly the day for battles to break out between us. Let us simply go our separate ways."
Triel silently listens, and nods once. "Very well."
She turns to the others and nods at the streets. "Come--we should be off too."
"I understand your anger, Maximo. But it is best to pick battles that you might win." Jonathan says as the group walks away. "I... once made the mistake of fighting a battle I could not win. You believe you must warn of a grave danger, correct? How do you propose to do this from a prison cell?"
'This kobold is an interesting conundrum. He is either a prophet or a madman, but I could not say which. I will have to include him in my report for Maximillian. If he is some sort of divine emissary, if there is truth to anything he says... he will want to know of it.'
Aramus heaves a sigh of relief as the confrontation comes to a close. He nods to Triel and waves an arm at the others. "Alright, come on folks. Always a spot of excitement on the Avenue, eh? And with good reason, as we're so close to the site of some of the most exciting events in Golarion's history: the Startstone Cathedral!"
Triel rubs her eyes and snorts. "I hope the Cathedral at least has some shade..."
You head down the street, seeing more of the same along the entire road. It seems you can't go five feet without some kind of stand selling more religious items. You overhear a few people who seem to be preaching for themselves, or for gods that have yet to ascend. Many of them seem to think that the current upheaval is a sign that it is time for the next ascension from the Starstone.
As you approach the cathedral itself, you find that the lines of stalls break to reveal the greatest temples of Absalom. To your left, one the west side, you see the towering Seventh Church, with the red and silver banners of Iomedae fluttering slightly in the breeze. Half a dozen paladins in silver stand in front of the building in silent watch. A massive three story alehouse stands north of Iomedae's and you can hear the sounds of the revelers inside, perhaps the loudest temple in Absalom. Nearing the north end of the plaza, a gorgeous building attended mostly by elves stands, with golden wasp motifs running along the pale marble columns. To your right, the east side, you first see the only building not a temple. A massive stone and gold build stands with long red and black banners bearing the mark of Cheliax. Next, another marble building, this one marked with the sunburst stands. Finally, a surprisingly simple looking costume shop stands near the north end of the square on the east side. Countless smaller temples stand around and between the great ones, with worshipers moving through the square in garb from every corner of the world.
And in the center of it all, the massive Starstone cathedral shadows the entire plaza. The three surviving bridges connect the temple to the rest of the land, but the area around them is empty, their stone far to sacred to be trod upon. The massive center spire seems to almost overshadow everything, like the cathedral itself is watching the people below.
Triel immediately makes a beeline for the Cathedral's grand shadow and stands in it, savouring the momentary respite from the harsh sun.
Finally. If more surfacer gods have cathedrals like these, I might just have to find one to worship.
Once her eyes have adjusted to the shadow, she takes a look around the plaza. She gives the grand temple of the Inheritor a momentary glance (Stay on my best behaviour here. Iomedae's faithful are honour-bound to obey laws and serve as examples of 'virtue': if I don't start anything, they won't do more than possibly harass me.) before turning her eyes to the temple decorated with golden wasps.
Her eyes briefly narrow when she sees the elven attendants around the temple. Surface elves. Those ones won't be so hindered by laws. Avoid them.
The temple with the image of a sunburst causes her to grumble. Of course. Worship that which blinds you if you stare at it for too long. Why not.
"Lovely place so far." It's difficult to tell from the tone of her voice if Triel is being sincere or not.
Aramus nods and gestures around the area. "Yes, here at the Cathedral's grounds, you can find the resident temples of many of the gods, especially those who've ascended since Aroden first rose the Starstone out of the sea. Iomedae, and Cayden Cailean's famed taphouse, of course. You may be wondering where Norgorber makes his rest--and so are the rest of us!" The big man chuckles heartily, the joke obviously a common one in the city. "But take care where you step, because you never know when you'll be treading on holy ground!"
Letting the group take a moment to take in the sights, Aramus also steps into the shadow, giving Triel a smile. For a moment she catches sight of his eyes, now devoid of the gold flecks that were present earlier. Then he mutters a few words, and a small patch of shadow coalesces in his palm. He runs it over his eyes and blinks a few times, then grins at her again. The gold flecks have returned, mingling in the bright blue of his irises.
"Sun's beautiful, but it does kind of hurt your eyes after a while, doesn't it?" He pauses for a moment and realizes what he just said might be taken as a racial comment. "Er, everybody's, I mean. Mine too, right?"
Zalika is very much impressed with the variety of temples on display and makes a mental note to visit some, if not all of them as long as she had the time. With the conference being in full swing, Zalika fully expects several religions would be using the occasion to gain some sort of influenced however they could.
Triel purses her lips and opens her eyes all the way. "It hurts my eyes all the time, if you haven't noticed."
"And what sort of magic is that? It resembles my own shadow magic, but it's much more... well, 'restricted' would be the best way to put it."
Maximo followed along quietly, trying to regain his composure from his earlier snap. He felt so stupid for letting his pride get the better of him like that! Ryx didn't look too happy either... or maybe he was hungry. Maximo doubted that, though. Probably as ashamed for his behavior as the kobold was.
Looking about the cathedral, he took in the sights of the various religions, each major deity clearly being represented. "...no sign of Apsu's faithful..." he mused. Not that he was surprised. Most dragons would likely not risk the danger of being in such a crowded space. On the plus side, it meant no worshipers of Dahak either, so that was good. But it did drive home the solidarity of his task. The reputation and dignity of all good dragonkind rested on his little shoulders.
...and so far, he'd been doing a pretty dismal job.
Maximo's fringes perked up as he eyed the cathedral. Nobody seemed willing to approach it. So... why was it here? "...Master Aramus... where are the priests who attend to the cathedral? A big building like that, but nobody goes near it."
"Well, yes." Aramus coughs. "To be honest, it bothers mine, too. But I like to think of it as Sarenrae trying to make me see through the pain. Sometimes reality isn't what we want it to be, but it lets us see things the way they really are. So, I take it in stride."
At Triel's question, he gives a sheepish grin and shuffles his feet. "To that, well, I couldn't rightly tell you. It just comes naturally, I suppose. Like this!" He snaps his fingers, and a burst of golden sparks emanates into the air, fizzling out a moment later. "Just something I can do. You'd be better off teaching me how to punch than asking how I do... this." He waves at his eyes and shrugs.
He turns to Maximo next, and can't help but let out a booming laugh at the kobold's comment. "Why, little master, the Starstone Cathedral has no priests! It houses the most holy and ancient of relics, the Starstone itself, which the ascendant god Aroden rose out of the Inner Sea almost five-thousand years ago! It was that act that brought him to godhood, and he a temple was built around the stone to commemorate his achievement--and serve as a reminder that we all have the strength within us to be more than what we are!"
The big man strides forward and throws his arms wide, staring at the massive building. "No priests enter this temple, nor do any but those who wish to test their mettle in the game of the gods! Within the Cathedral, you take the test of the Starstone--the first test is just getting inside!--and you either return a god, or join those who've failed in whatever fate awaits them. To date, only three have passed the test and joined the ranks of the heavens, but who knows? Maybe the next Ascendant is right here, today!" He turns to the group and grins.
"Seriously, though, don't try it lightly. Most people don't get inside, and most who do aren't seen again."
"To be honest, it bothers mine, too. But I like to think of it as Sarenrae trying to make me see through the pain. Sometimes reality isn't what we want it to be, but it lets us see things the way they really are. So, I take it in stride."
Huh. I never would have guessed.
Triel arches an eyebrow briefly before letting Aramus continue.
"Just something I can do. You'd be better off teaching me how to punch than asking how I do... this."
"I think you don't need my help with that." Triel wrinkles her nose and rubs her eyes with one hand.
She listens as Aramus expounds on the nature of the Starstone Cathedral. In fact, she seems to listen more closely now than she has before.
A cathedral with some sort of artifact that grants godhood? Perhaps it's a worthy goal... when I've got some more skill under my belt.
She sniffs and looks away, at the temples surrounding the cathedral. Who knows what I could do with such power... I could...
She cuts off her train of thought before it goes any further.
Maximo's fringes perk up as he listens to Aramus explain the cathedral's importance, looking between his guide and the giant temple before them. "Godhood? So... the Starstone makes one a god? ...someone with enough power to, perhaps, set things right in the world? A... true dragon..." Maximo's yellow eyes glaze over for a moment, as if picturing the possibilities of such might, before shaking his head.
"Hrm... perhaps... not the best of plans at the moment. I... don't have much strength to speak off... and Ryx can only do so much for me, can't you?" He placed a claw on the weasel's head, rubbing it as the mammal slunk around his legs... though he seems to stare quietly at the monument as well.
"...I would think there would be more attempts these days, though. I mean... Cheliax is under Asmodeus's foot... er... hoof? Whatever he walks around on. And the demon Deskari is marching across the world with his newfound godhood..." That actually raised a good question in the kobold's mind... where WERE the good gods? Apsu had called him to try and fix things, but... was that all their mighty ones could do? Rely on others?
Jonathan chuckles, hearing the talk of the Starstone and godhood. 'Would I live to see the day that kobold takes the test of the Starstone. Enough of him now, though. I need to learn more of the Irisseni, before I peel off to look into the Chellish, and whoever Carzoug's seen fit to send. She seems young, inexperience. Shouldn't be too difficult, I wouldn't think.'
"Miss, if I might ask," he says, talking to Katya, "How was your trip? I imagine the seas might be rough this time of year. Although, I suppose a boat full of Winter Witches would run into bigger problems than a bit of choppy sailing, would they not?" He smiles for a second under his mask as Aramus wonders aloud about the location of Norgorber's worshipers; Maximilian had men waiting in the costume shop for information. "My point being, miss, that I have some amount of clout with Galt's own representative at this conference. If your ship needs repairs, or your sailors their creature comforts, I could see to it that they are provided." His eyes look over Zalika for a moment, before the words come from beneath the mask. "The same for your own, of course."
Zalika tears her eyes away from the sight of the Starstone Cathedral, the sight of it both distracting and alluring, to listen to the masked young man. "That's an exceptionally kind offer Sir, but I'm afraid I must decline, the voyage was smooth enough that repairs and the like are not needed at this time".
"Ah, of course. I suppose I ought to have noticed, considering we met when you were just off the boat." He turns away from Zalika, back towards the Winter Witch. "I am afraid I do not know much of your customs in Irrisen, but anything you need could be provided, within reason of course. Rations for your sailors, spell components, whatever it is you might need. After all, we are here to build alliances, are we not?"
Acharn Edasseril has also come to the city for the conference. He needs plenty of allies and a lot more experience before he can hope to achieve his goals. These troubles with Deskari or others around the world could potentially provide him with just that even if they wouldn't aid him directly in fulfilling his goal, revenge on the Drow who brought the comet down on Kyonin. The young elf has been staying at the temple of Calistria while in the city. Not to enjoy the pleasures found therein, nor to provide them, but simply because as a follower of Calistria himself it was the easiest, safest and most comfortable lodging he could find.
Acharn had passed much of the morning within his tiny sleeping cell. There he had been reading and studying magic as well as practicing various forms with his numerous weapons. He took his training very seriously, not wanting to let neither his mental nor physical shape slip. When he wasn't out on a time-critical mission he always tried to find time to practice and study.
The elven prince makes a formidable sight as he walks out of the temple. He is even taller than Aramus and while slimmer than the man he is much more muscular than what is normal for elves. The heat of the day has made him discard his usual deep cloak, showing off both his weapons and armor. He wears armor made of a set of overlapping leather plates over sturdy practical clothes. No fancy noble clothes for him, not here at this time. He carries a huge hammer at his back with a spike at one end and at his belt he has several rapiers as well as a morning star. He looks more dressed for battle than for a conference, but the truth is simply that he doesn't want to leave any of his gear behind. The absence of his cloak leaves his face bare, showing an unblemished handsome face with cold blue eyes framed by long dark hair, not quite concealing his pointed ears.
Acharn's eyes are drawn to the dark-skinned Drow girl as the group walks by and his hand instinctively jumps to his rapier. The drow! They are here to get me! Before his hand can reach the hilt his sharp mind arrest the absurdity of the thought. If they were coming to get me, they wouldn't be walking around in broad daylight. His eyes runs across Triel as he thinks. But damn doesn't she have an attractive body. I wouldn't mind if she worked in the temple. Somehow that dark skin just looks so exotic. He grimaces at his own thoughts. What am I thinking? Is this where my mind takes me? His sharp ears can pick up the faint sounds of moaning from the temple behind him. It's this place that is affecting me. With that he starts walking away from the temple, for once wanting to get rid of the distraction.
His eyes remain fixed on the Drow as he walks and as such he walks towards her. She obviously isn't here for me. She must be here for the conference. If I'm ever going to take true revenge on the Drow, I need to know them better than they know themselves. I can't do that without interacting with them. It's time to stop running scared. This is a good opportunity to do so. It's not often you see a Drow walking about in broad daylight. She could be a good way for me to learn more about Drow. If she happens to be helluva attractive, then so be it, it doesn't hurt right?
With his mind made up Acharn walks his way over to the group. He keeps his face neutral, he doesn't smile often and while the beauty of the woman lifted his spirits, the atrocities committed by her people made them plummet into the abyss all the same. His insides are filled with conflicting emotions as he reaches them while they are briefly resting in the shade of the cathedral. "Hello there strangers. These are troubled times indeed. Hopefully all those flocking to the city can do something about it. It seems like you got quite the group here and I couldn't help but be intrigued. Have you started the conference early?" He can't help but throw a couple appreciative glances Triel's way. Damn, she is fine. She looks even better up close.
Aramus chuckles at Triel's comment, and shrugs at Maximo's half-asked questions and thoughts. "Sure, there have been more visitors of late, and certainly a lot of talk about gods. But honestly, it's been a long time since anybody ascended. And though the gods have great power, never forget that it's us who do the heavy lifting down here! They fill us with hope and strength, and then we do the work. Even the smallest can make a big difference." He raises an eyebrow at the kobold and nods, smiling.
Idling for a moment so the others can take in the sights and chat, Aramus turns to the elf when he approaches. Although he isn't the most perceptive man, it would take a blind fool to miss Acharn's glances, and he laughs. "Start early? Do we look like diplomats to you?" He rubs his neck and frowns as if in thought for a moment. "Well, maybe they do. But me? Who would I represent, the Guild of Absalom's Shirtless Tour Guides?" He laughs again and folds his arms. "No, I'm a hotspur, and these are some fine folks come in for the conference, and I'm showing them around, and you needed an excuse to talk to a pretty girl. No shame in that!" He grins widely at the new arrival.
'Is that... no, I would have heard of his arrival...' Jonathan stares down the new arrival with intensity, looking him up and down. 'Who brings a former general to a peace conference? A former general from Kyonin, no less? Why was I not informed?' As Jonathan catches his few sidelong glances at Triel, he groans almost imperceptibly. 'And what reason would he have for speaking to a Drow, other than to gut her? He cannot seriously...'
Pulling himself out of his own thoughts, Jonathan speaks to the newcomer, his raspy voice again popping out from beneath the mask. "What is your business in the city, then? I assume you are also here as a dignitary for the conference?" Jonathan grimaces beneath his mask, thought still rolling through his head. 'I need to speak to Maximilian about this. I can give him my report on the Osirian delegate, and what I know of the Irriseni. And then I need to know if he was aware Acharn was here as part of this conference.'
Acharn forcefully wrests his gaze away from Triel as he is spoken to by Aramus. He meets the jovial laughter with a cold stare. He's certainly not hostile, just not very friendly to strangers he doesn't know very well. "How am I supposed to see the difference between someone from the Guild of Absalom's Shirtless Tour Guides and a barbarian proudly displaying his tattoos? If the rest of you need a tour of the place, I assume you are not from here?" He looks around to the rest of the group, drawing in the wide variety of outfits and quickly concludes that they are probably all from different places and probably not from here.
In response to his interest in Triel, as well as to Jonathan he says with the same calm expression. "This conference gives opportunity for meetings unlikely to take place elsewhere. We can learn a lot from each other if we take advantage of that. It's not every day you see a Drow walking around in daylight for example." It's also the truth, a diversion from his interest in Triel. Why hide behind lies, when you can hide behind truth instead? People would find my interest in a Drow woman strange. Though thinking about it, is that really all that bad if people know? It's not like I'll be hunted down or even made fun for sleeping with the enemy. Anyone who could do that is already dead. He grits his teeth slightly, thinking about the dead. He looks Jonathan up and down and takes a wild guess at his identity. "Is this not also why you are in the city Gardener? An opportunity to good to pass up? Of course I would also like to help prevent the rest of the world falling under the shadow if there is something I can contribute."
After speaking he can't help but let his gaze return to Triel, studying her intently, drawing in every detail of her beautiful face.
"I am here performing my duty, as I was instructed. Nothing more." He looks over the others, seeing if the phrase 'Gardener' brings any form of recognition. 'I have to keep him quiet on that front. If they were to know I was gathering information on them for Maximilian, my assignment is already a failure.'
"I am surprised to see you as I am unsure of whom you represent. Kyonin is, regrettably, little more than a crater. While surprising, finding a Drow in Absalom the day before the conference is not all that surprising to me. A man who was once a Brigadier General in Kyonin? That I find surprising."
Acharn's eyebrows rise in surprise as the man mentions his former title. "You know who I am? Well deduced young man. It is indeed me Acharn Edasseril. But if you know that, you must also know that while there aren't many of us left, some of the survivors of Kyonin have joined in with your Free Nation Alliance. We might not have a nation behind us, but we have the knowledge and experience of many generation of long lived elves to draw on. I've introduced myself, who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?" He motions towards all of them, to show that the question was not simply meant for Jonathan.
Zalika watches the newcomer with interest, noting how much he towered over Aramus, as well as the way he was intently watching the drow female. Zalika hesitated initially, not entirely sure how the two would react, but the elf seemed relaxed enough, so Zalika was prepared to give the situation the benefit of the doubt.
Barely moments after doing so, Zalika's dark eyebrows raised when the newcomer alluded that her masked companion was a Grey Gardener, or at least connected with the group in some way. The formal conversation indicated the two of them probably knew of each other, since there was little in the way of casual familiarity, but Zalika was mainly left wondering why a Grey Gardener was here specifically. For a group that usually liked being anonymous, she thought it odd having a representative here although then again, the situation was both historic and unprecedented.
"I'm just a humble priestess acting as a representative from Osirion. I guess they picked me because I was one of the people that tried to keep the factions together, and they certainly had to send someone. I just got in a few hours ago though, Absalom certainly is a wonderful place." Zalika responds to Acharn's question, slightly understating herself, while simultaneously being entirely truthful.
"Hey--" Aramus starts to respond to Acharn's comment, but waits while the conversation picks up between the elf and the masked man. Both of them gave Aramus a bit of the creeps, with their cold demeanors and subtle, not-quite-straight ways of talking. Never trust someone who hides behind a mask, whether you can see it or not. He nods at his own thought, and then speaks up when the turn comes to him. "I'm Aramus, some call me brazen, some call me hotspurt, most call me friend! And I am not a barbarian, I'm a tour guide. And, currently, shirtless." The big man unfolds his vest from its place on his shoulder and puts it back on. "And I think I'm the only one not here for the conference. Polygons always confused me anyway."
Triel doesn't say a word as the muscle-bound elf steps out of the Calistrian temple and approaches her. Her hand instinctively twitches and moves towards her scythe before she manages to stop herself. The banter between him and Aramus is what ultimately derails her train of thought...
Darthiir. Well, if you're hoping to cause trouble, you've come at exactly the wrong time for you. Take one more step towards me with a weapon out, and--wait, what's he looking at?
...
...well. Unexpected. If his kin knew, I think he'd be gutted on the spot.
Triel's posture relaxes slightly, but it's clear that she's still uninterested in letting down her guard. She fixes Acharn with a frosty stare. "...I am Triel. And I'm here for the conference, much like most of my associates."
Acharn grabs Zalika's hand and brings it to his lips, keeping his gaze straight at her. He places a chaste kiss there before speaking. "Nice to meet you, nameless priestess of..." His words trail off as she failed to mention both her name and deity. His sharp eyes manage to find the holy symbol around her throat and his even sharper mind identifies it just as quickly. "Ptah, Lord of Eternity. It would be nice if we could create a solution to all our problems, would it not?"
Next he turns to Aramus and offer him a handshake. His iron grip shows of his strength, yet he doesn't press hard enough to make it into a contest nor to injure the man. "And nice to meet you Aramus. You represent the most important faction of all for this. The people of Absalom. Without you, there would be no meeting at all. Thank you for hosting us."
When the turn comes to Triel the pale elf grabs her darker hand in his own and brings that too towards his lips. The intensity of emotions in his eyes as he looks at her is staggering. Lust wars with hatred for her race inside of him. "I had not expected. Acharn pauses for a kiss of her hand, much less chaste than that of Zalika, though still mindful of the situation. "To meet someone like you here." He regretfully lets go of her hand as he doesn't want any other elves to notice what he is doing, even if they are quite a distance away from the temple of Calistria. "Times are changing, and we must change with them."
"Quite," Jonathan says, remaining tight-lipped. "Actually, while we remain here, I have some business I need to take care of. If you would not mind, Master Aramus, it will only take a moment. I need to obtain something for Galt's own delegate. He has several players from Galt performing a show tonight, and I was asked to retrieve their costumes. Not waiting for an answer, Jonathan strolls off towards the costume shop nearest to them, opening the door and heading inside.
Maximo continues to eye the tall temple before him as Ryx wanders closer at the approaching elf. He sniffs at his feet a bit before curling around in approval before traipsing back to Triel, doing the same, though he returns and stays by Archan's side after a moment.
Finally becoming aware that his partner was missing, Maximo's little yellow eyes immediately go wide in panic, before looking over to see him nearby. "Ryx! Let the elf be! He's busy, and we should be too!" Heaving a sigh of relief and glossing over the fact he was too engrossed in the cathedral to notice his weasel had wandered off (for roughly the third or fourth time that day), he eyes the newcomer for a moment, before approaching and offering his claw to shake. "Greetings! My name is Maximo , Talon of Apsu, Champion of Dragonkind. I'm here to warn of the city of the approaching darkness."
Evidently, this was becoming almost casual for him.
Zalika remains entirely unfazed by the elfs display of courtesy, meeting his gaze and granting him with a short curtsey and slight inclination of her head. "If only it was that easy" she responds, with a wry smile. noting his perceptive gaze picking up her religion. "As for being nameless, like most people I'm sure, I have one, but I tend to be a little careful with it these days. If you want to know it that badly, come to the conference, doubtless I'l have to introduce myself many times there!"
Triel doesn't think too much of Jonathan's departure, focused as she is on Acharn's kissing of her gloved hand. Her hand briefly clenches into a fist, but she makes sure to let go of his hand.
"...nor did I." Her voice is low, her expression as stoic as ever.
A surface elf who has a transparent interest in bedding me, and a mountain of a surfacer who appears to share that interest. The latter I should have expected.
"At any rate, I fear we've lingered too long here."
Aramus only grins back to Acharn, positively beaming at the unexpected compliment. "Well, thanks! Always glad to be of service! Do 'em proud, show 'em around, and get 'em there safe--that's the hotspur's creed!" Of course, anyone who knows much about Absalom knows the hotspurs don't have a universal motto, certainly not that, but the big man's enthusiasm shines through nonetheless.
"As for heading out, I'd agree. The Cathedral's important, and it's got a lot of history, but unless somebody's trying to become a god, it's mostly just a big building to look at, huh." He shakes his head and looks to Acharn. "Say, you want to tag along there, friend? See some of the sights, get out in the sun. Looks like you could use it!" He nudges Acharn in the ribs and 'whispers,' although his voice is still quite loud, just raspy, "It'll give you a chance to talk with Triel there..." He waggles his eyebrows up and down several times, just to make sure the elf gets his point.
With a wave of his arm, Aramus sets off down the avenue. "So if we head this way--" He cuts off suddenly and spins, visibly counting out the visitors. "Say, where'd the creepy guy in the mask get off to?"
"He said something about getting costumes or some such." Triel shrugs, her eyes turning to Aramus.
You have all the subtlety of a drunken duergar, Aramus. Or Qilué. Not sure which is worse, really.
"Of course I'll come to the conference, that's why we all are in the city now, I'm sure." Acharn nods towards the reluctant priestess.
Acharn takes the clawed hand of the Kobold and shakes it seriously. "Greetings Talon of Apsu. Isn't dealing with the darkness creeping in from all sides why the conference is here, why we all are here? All information is valuable though. What kind of news do you bring?" Acharn is always interested in learning more and the Kobold's words have piqued his curiosity.
To Aramus question Acharn nods stoically. The man's good mood haven't infected the elf. "Yes, thank you for the offer. Talking with you all is bound to be... Interesting." Of course he wants to spend more time with Triel, but he is also interested in learning more about the rest of the group.
As they depart Acharn predictably falls in beside Triel. "I'm sure neither of us is comfortable with the other at our back." He says in a low voice. "What brings one of your kind here? I did not think you would be plotting with the other races." His voice is low, steady and calm, hardly reflecting the myriad of emotions inside at all.
Triel keeps staring straight ahead, not making eye contact with Acharn. "War. And the conference." She replies in a clipped manner.
Knowing our luck, it's both.
Triel's pace increases slightly.
A strange sight greets the party a moment later. A tiny man, maybe five or so inches tall, with blue skin flies in on silvery dragonfly wings. "Lady Katya, the mistress wishes to speak with you. She has received a message from the capital. Your presence is desired immediately." The Irriseni witch looks startled for a moment, maybe a little nervous, then quickly departs, following the sprite into the crowds heading north toward the keep.
Maximo follows along as he shakes his head. "I believe the darkness is already here. I saw it in my dreams... the same harbor I entered in, the darkness flowed in like a flood. But among it, specks of light! All is not lost! There is still time to warn everyone! That is why Master Aramus is guiding me... I must talk with the city leaders and inform them. They must know!"
As Katya leaves, Maximo watches, making a note to try and find her later, if he can... she was nice, and Ryx liked her. Beyond that, if he can, Maximo will ask Aramus to take him to the city leaders and try to inform them of his vision, assuming they would even listen. Double the guard, be on alert, anything to prevent the coming disaster! Afterwards, he will find a nice alley to sleep in with Ryx and await the conference to begin.
Acharn notices that Triel probably doesn't want to talk to him very much by her terse responses, but that doesn't stop him from trying to get her to open up. "Look, I'm not going to hurt you. It's just talking. You might learn something. I did use to be a Brigadier General. What's your role in the war?" Acharn keeps the same calm, steady voice, trying to coax Triel to talk to him as they walk.
"I've spent my life forging & breaking alliances for my family when necessary. Now, I intend to offer those skills to the Free Nations Alliance." Triel seems to relax slightly. "If nothing else, I can assist them in ferreting out potential traitors and weaknesses."
Citizen Maximilian,
'I have managed to collect intelligence on both the delegate from Osirian and Irrisen. The woman from Osirian does not appear to have any plans for an outwards show of force, instead opting for more subtle protections. She is young, a priestess of Ptah. I expect she will have invested in magical protection rather than physical. I know little of her, but I suspect she is someone of importance in the country, despite her claims to the contrary. I spoke with one of the winter witches after she disembarked; I believe we were correct in assuming they are all magically inclined. She was summoned quite urgently back to their ship, however. A call from the capitol for her, it seems there may be some internal problem they wish to keep secret.
Also, I have met a particularly interesting kobold. He claims to be a divine emissary of Apsu, sent here with visions to warn those at the conference. He speaks of a great darkness spreading across Absalom, but claims to see specks of light he believes may save us. I personally believe he must be mad, but to withhold such information when it could potentially be true seems unwise. The kobold himself is unsure of what it means. If you wish someone to speak to him further, he travels with a very distinctive white weasel, nearly as large as himself. In addition, I have discovered former Brigadier General Edasseril is attending this conference. I do not know whom he is here to represent, but I was unaware of his involvement. I understand you may have known of his presence already, but I believed it relevant to our interests.
At this time I have heard nothing of the delegates from Cheliax or Thassilon. I will send another report at such time I have learned of their delegates and plans. I will continue to tail the group I am currently traveling with, and possibly glean more information from those present.
-Gardener Haykes
"This is a message for Citizen Maximilian. Please see to it that he recieves it post-haste. It contains information that he has requested for the conference, along with knowledge of a potential threat we had not considered. I must continue my duties." He seals the parchment and hands it to the other Gardener, then tips his hat and heads back out the front door. "I will actually be needing some sort of costume," Jonathan says to the store clerk. "I was not alone at such a time I entered, the garments will be required to maintain my cover. Any will do, I did not specify the type."
Acharn is relived to see her relax. He doesn't want to hurt her, quite the opposite. Though he still hates her race. Maybe she is different? Maybe they are not all the same. It would make things easier for me. Having to get revenge on such a beautiful creature would be regretful. "Ah, so you are a diplomat. I've never been one for gentle negotions. Though I can certainly make people obey me if I have to. That came with my army training. And I was better at it than most." Acharn's eyes widen slightly in shock as he realizes the implications of what she said. "So you are not here on behalf on your house, or nation? What happened to alienate you from them?"