Session+33

**Down time in Lyrabar and Helena's Rescue from Talona's followers**
 * 11-16-2013 **

 Thorn spent our first night back in Lyrabar bar hopping, waking up comfortably amongst flesh and pillows, disentangling himself from the woman he met... //Boy she sure looked better last night... time to go.//.. Posy wakes up laying over Uther in a room full of sleeping barbarians, some passed out on the table. A couple of broken chairs lay in the room. Yuki wakes up in bed with Amynta, Ori, and Rue... she checks her journal, but still no message from Axton. Erevin gets a package delivered in the morning. A simple 1/2 golden lion mask with the bottom of the face open is inside. As he slips it on, a flowing mane grows out and his eyes become cat eyes... even the nose become lion like with whiskers. Any distinguishing marks disappear and his skin and features become non-descript and randomly change at intervals.A card from Lady Vivian Dulsaer tells him to pick her up in his carriage at sundown.

Yuki slips into a scandalous dress to go with her Rose mask. Amynta asks her wear she's going in such an outfit, "Do you have a date?!" Rue and Ori quickly lean in around her, staring at Yuki who flusters, "No... I'm doing some investigation!" Rue raises an eyebrow, "With a dress like that... the only investigating that will be done will be into your cleavage." Yuki beams at her, "Oh! Do you really think so?! Oh, wait! No! That's not the right answer! It's a gorgeous dress!" Rue shakes her head, "You can practically see right through it! What sort of message does that send?" Yuki nods excitedly, "A 'tell me information' kind of message!" She folds her arms, "So where are you going for this 'investigation'?" "I'm not telling! It's SECRET! ...and You can't come!" Rue turns to Ori and then Amynta, "Hold her down!" Yuki backs away quickly, "No!" but the girls tackle her to the bed, tickling her! Yuki gasping out, "Nooo! I should never have saved you! You owe me! You owe me!!" They continue to tickle her mercilessly as she screams and flails about! A knock on the door with a voice in the hall, "Hold it down in there... the holy Sunite rituals don't start for another hour yet." Yuki escapes their grasps and dashes out of the room.

Kale looks skeptically at Wren as they make their way to the temple of Selune, "You're planning to use me as some sort of prank detector, aren't you? Send me out in front..." Wren giggles, "Would I do that to you?!" He raises an eyebrow at her and she laughs, "I'll walk in front." She winks at him. The sea elf accompanies them. They head to the canals with various gondolas transporting people. Some of them very old and rickety that the poorer class are on... and then there are beautifully bright painted ones with strong men in striped shirts and caps for the noble people. Cries of gulls sound overhead and the smell of the sea is carried with the chill in the air. Wren waves to Yuki who is running across the temple grounds of Sune with three priestesses chasing behind her. Ornate marble columns lead up into the Temple of Selune to a grand and beautiful silvery pool. Despite it being daytime, a full moon and stars are reflected in the pool. A young girl in her early teens stands near the pool, dressed in silvery silky scarves over her milky white skin. Her hair is blue and though she appears to be human, her eyes are all white seemingly without pupils. "Good morning, miss. I am the Shard of Selune here in this temple. Peace and the moon's light be upon you." Wren bows respectfully, "A pleasure to meet you. I am Wren Dreamspinner. Can you direct to a Miss Penny Coppertop? I received a message that she wanted to see me here." The Shard glides off and calls for the young copper haired priestess who comes in wearing work clothes and a kerchief in her hair, carrying a scrub brush that she drops into a bucket before pulling off rubber gloves from her hands.

She brightens with a smile, "You must be Wren! ...and your... handsome companion?" Wren grins, gesturing to the handsome man on her right, "This is Kale... Bloodwhisper," a little unsure of which last name to introduce him with. She then gestures to the sea elf walking in behind them, "And this is Elcos Ravendart." Penny nods to both of them and turns back to Wren, "You got here sooner than I expected... sorry, I was just cleaning some statues... and Kale?... excellent! Both of the people I wanted to see!" Wren beams at her, "Great! What can we do for you?" Penny looks them both over, ignoring the sea elf behind them, "I represent a group of individuals who would like to speak with you... and Mr Bloodwhisper." Wren looked her over curiously, "Alright... when?" Penny glanced up at the sky and nodded, "Well... now will do." Wren laughed, "Well we just happen to be available now..." "Excellent! Follow me!" She removes the kerchief to reveal her flowing coppery hair that looked like a shiny penny. Wren beamed at her, "You have beautiful hair!" "Thank you! It looks much better when it doesn't have suds all stuck in it... I mean you leave one bar of soap in a bad place... you get punished! Life's unfair!" Wren laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Where was this bad place that you left it?" Penny looked up, shrugging, "The entryway." Wren laughed, "How many fell on it?" Penny pondered, counting them in her head until Wren giggled again, "Did you get to watch them fall?" Penny nodded, "Yes... but then The Shard caught me and... Boy! It really sucks cleaning things all day!" Wren giggled and nodded, "I hear that all the time! It must be a priestess thing."

The young priestess slipped on a traveling cloak, looking them over and handing the two of them a cloak as well before going over to the pool, "Just follow me!" Despite seeing tiles that showed the pool as ankle deep... the coppery haired priestess dove in, fully submerged and disappeared with a couple of ripples on the water. Wren looked over at Kale, "Well this ought to be fun..." She took hold of his hand and looked back at Elcos apologetically. The sea elf offered to tell the others back at the embassy where they were going and Wren thanked him, saying the others worry when they disappear.

Kale and Wren leap in together, not even feeling the water around them as they splash through one pool into another, coming up into biting cold winds. Snow capped mountains all around them. Penny Coppertop stood on the trail leading up into the mountains, "It took you awhile... I bet you were expecting a prank, weren't you?" Wren giggled, "Well... maybe a little... I mean can you blame me?" "It's no fun when they're expecting it..." she winked back at her. The three traveled up the trail into the mountains, Wren leaning in close to Kale's body heat as Penny chatted with them, "I heard you and that Erevin Lionspaw made quite the impression at the council a couple of months ago... The tales of your adventures have been interesting to say the least... all sorts of rumors from the Temple of Sune and the priestesses there." "Oh?" Wren smiled at her, "What kind of rumors? Juicy secrets?" "Welllll..." Penny leaned and whispered, "There's a rumor that the high priest and priestess are a couple! Very frowned on in the temple!" "Oh..." Wren waved a hand dismissively, "I hear it doesn't bother Sune... it's just the politics." Penny nodded to her, "Mmm Hmm... seems like a stupid rule to me... Oh! and then there's a tribe of barbarians holding up in the dock district... for months!" Wren nodded, "I hear the rumor is they're trying to find someone to help... someone to lead them." The priestess looks at her bewildered, "They're barbarians! Why would they look in the city?!" Wren giggled, "Some weird spirit guy..." she gestured and pretended to inhale ceremonial drugs, "He sent them here to find a little bear... a couple of them travel with us, they're very nice."

They reach the top of the trail that drops down into a bowl like valley with enormous rocks as big as houses out along the edge. They head down into the center and sun blots out as great winged dragons soar overhead. Wren's eyes go wide as she squeezes onto Kale's hand, tugging him closer, whispering excitedly, "Dragons! Dragons!" They come down, landing to settle onto the huge boulders around the circle... gold, silver, copper, bronze, and brass. The young witch quickly bows low and respectfully before them. The gold is ancient and enormous... "Greetings, daughter of Glacierwind and son of Midori." Wren squeezed onto Kale's hand and nodded curiously at the powerful gold dragon, feeling a little insignificant before him, "How have you heard of us?" Aurax, the gold dragon, answered her, his voice deep and vibrating, "We all have our agents in the world... those with dragon blood... like Miss Coppertop here," he nodded toward the young priestess who smiled and waved, "who keep an eye out for those who have dragon blood who may not know their ancestry or lineage... and give them opportunity to perhaps work as the eyes and the ears of the dragons. It is difficult to pass in the human cities as we are." The impressively large, female silver dragon to his side chimed in, "Especially those dragons too proud to take human form." Wren giggled.

Aurax rolls his eyes at Argentillius and continues, "And as such... we thought to make such an offer to you and your..." he glanced at Kale as though searching for the right term... and Wren smiled, holding up her left hand, newly adorned with a green scaled ring, "Fiance." He nodded, echoing her term, "Fiance." She nodded and bowed to him, "You both honor and grace us by your presence... what would you need us to do, exactly?" "Ahhh," He nodded to her, "You might have noticed... there are only metallic dragons here. This was not always the case... this is a council of ALL dragons... but a couple of years ago when Lyrabar was attacked... they were attacked by a foe who had an artifact that could bind creatures to their will... and they bound several council members and some of their kin to them and used them to attack the city of Lyrabar..." Wren's eyes grew wider and wider, "That's... terrible!" He continued, "We normally would not have interfered in a ... human matter... but doing so with our kin, we were forced to intervene. Dragons fighting dragons and they were quite a few deaths. Even though they were controlled... it brought a rift between us and the chromatics. They felt that we should have put in more of an effort to free them instead of killing them." Wren shook her head, placing a hand on her chest, sorrowful for such a loss and nodded to him... "I'm deeply sorry that happened." He nodded, "As are we. However... you may be able to help us."

Wren looked up at him uncertain of how the two of them could ever help fix such an event, "How?" "We are hoping that you might be able to convince some of our chromatic kin to join the council." Wren blinked at him, a little surprised, "That's quite the feat that you ask..." He nods, "It is indeed a difficult task... but we know of your relationship to Glacierwind and Midori." Wren shook her head, "I... I know nothing of Glacierwind." Aurax looked at her, a little surprised, "That is most unfortunate... Both Lady Glacierwind and Lord Midori would make fine additions to the council... and if you could convince them to join the council then perhaps more of the chromatics would join." Wren nodded, "Well... we can certainly do our very best to make that happen... I really don't even know where to begin to find Lady Glacierwind... and Midori... he's a little cranky..." she glanced at Kale and squeezed his hand. The ancient gold dragon nodded to her, "Many chromatics are... they lack the wisdom of we the metallics..." the other dragons around him nodding in agreement. Wren blinked up at Aurax and rubbed a gentle hand over Kale's back soothingly, "Mmm maybe you shouldn't say that when they come back here... I think that it would make the circle a little more tense... sometimes you have to make appeasing sacrifices to make things work." He nodded to her, a bit surprised, "You have much wisdom for a young elf." Wren blushed and laughed, "witch... it sort of says a lot." He nodded to her, "We know of your mother. She has sought out our wisdom in the past." "Has she?" Wren frowned, "She never tells me anything..." He agrees that she's full of secrets.

"That is one matter that you can aid us with..." Aurax ponders for a moment, "Another matter... " "Oh, there's more!" Wren blinked up at him and nodded. "There's a third type of dragon... there are the Primal Dragons. They were born of the elements. They have never been a part of the council, and yet as dragons we feel responsible for their actions as well. We have heard rumors that they are hatching some sort of plan..." "Oh no..." Wren shivered as cold ran up her spine, "to attack Myth Coramanth?" He shook his head, "We don't know... but some of their agents have been seen in that area of the world that you dwell in." Wren nodded to him, "Have you heard at all what was going to happen in the future? The destruction of Myth Coramanth by drow and dragons?" He shook his head and Agentinius, the beautiful silver dragon, leaned in from beside him, "Well if it's from the future... then we wouldn't know about it because it hasn't happened yet." Wren laughed and nodded, "Well that's true... except that I've seen it... so we're trying to fix it so that it doesn't happen." Aurax leans over to the bronze dragon on his other side, "Myth Coramanth... that's elves right?" The bronze nods to him, "Yes m'lord!" The enormous gold nods, "Yes. Terrible tragedy." Wren smiles, "Well... there were dragons were involved in that... so that could be what these primals are up to. Do you know where they reside? I don't know that they would listen to us as elves... but..." she shakes her head, wondering how they were going to ever deal with this... Aurax pondered, "Not precisely... they live in their element... like the magma dragons would live in a volcano. The shadow dragons live in the deep dark places of the earth... where the light never shines. The crystal dragons tend to live in the underground caverns of crystals."

Wren nodded to him, "So... a great quest to find several dragons and try to convince them to join the council. This sounds like a noble and honorable quest and I would be proud to be a part of it." He nods to her, "We would be proud to count you as a friend. Lady Dreamspinner and Lord Bloodwhisper... your kin are respected." Wren bowed to him deeply, "I am very blessed for that. Thank you. I would be deeply honored to count you all as friends." She tilted her head at him, "What can you tell me about Lady Glacierwind? Was she a part of the council before?" He nodded to her, "She had been on the council several hundred years ago. Rumor is she..." he scrunches up his nose, looking slightly disgusted, "got involved with a mortal man..." Wren giggles and nods, "Well... that would have had to have happened in order for me to have her blood somewhere down the line, so... i understand that... go on." "Well apparently she felt that spending time with him was more important than draconic council business... so she nominated a successor who unfortunately perished in the battle of Lyrabar." "Oh," Wren nodded, "So she was in love with this man?" "I...suppose so..." Argentillius chimed in, nodding, "It can happen!" she glances at the enormous gold dragon, "though maybe not to YOU..." Wren giggled, "Alright... the mortal she was with... elven?" Aurax nodded, "I believe so." She nodded, wondering if they were both alive, but the council lost contact with her after she left, "Is there anything else you can tell me about her?" The male brass dragon nods going into a very detailed... a bit too detailed... with very fond and adoring descriptions... soft and lustrous with magnificent wings and sparkling blue eyes. (We get names for the bronze, brass, and copper dragons as well... but Scott still has to fill these in. ;-) ) Penny leans over to Wren when the copper dragon introduces herself, "That's my great grandmother." Aurax tells them that if they want to return, just to go to Miss Coppertop and she would arrange it. Wren nods to him, admiring him one more time, "You are glorious... just so you know." "Yes." He nods with his deep reverberating voice, "I am." The other metallics nod. Wren grins, "You all are..." and she looks up at Argentillius, "Of course the silver is very pretty..." Argent leans her head down, whispering, "Sexy." Wren nods, correcting her term... "Very sexy." Penny escorts them back to the pool where they end up back in the Temple of Selune, not even wet. Special chanting allowing the pool to work as a portal.

Having been couped up with the clan drinking, Uther leans in to Posy, "This could go on for days... how about we slip out for a bit for some fun?" Unable to resist, Posy laughs and nods. Ursus shakes his head at them, but nods to Uther that he's got them covered. Uther takes her out to a big open hill where they lie back and relax, relieved to have the quiet outside of the city. Having grown up very alone, Posy finds the city a little overwhelming at times, so Uther takes her where they are both happy to have the afternoon to go out hunting up some dinner and spending time alone. They lie back in the grass, her head nestled on his shoulder, and he nods to her, "It was good to see the old man again... I mean I don't really understand all of this magic stuff... I believed you when you said when we'd go back that everything would be okay... and I'm glad that it is now that we're back... It's just... very weird. I'm just happy to have my father back." Posy nods to him, "We'll make it right, so that that doesn't happen." He looks over at her, "It was frightening... for me to see what he had become. I don't want to become like that. And you... when you let the rage overtake you you seem remarkably in control. You don't hear the voice... the call... the whispers for the blood? or the crunching of bones in your teeth? or the delight of prey fleeing from your hunger?" Posy shook her head, "No... it's not like that for me." He tilted his head curiously, "Where did you learn?" Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the ghost of her Uncle Jerome looking cocky and pointing a thumb at himself. She grinned and told Uther about some of the hunting trips she took with her uncle, "Maybe it's because Uncle Jerome was patient..." He nodded to her, "It sounds like your uncle was a very patient gnome... you are very fortunate." Jerome danced a happy little victory dance and Posy high fived him. "Do you think he would approve of us lying on this hillside together?" Jerome stopped and pondered it for a minute as though he'd never really considered it before and he kind of shrugs and nods to her, gesturing that he's rather large and telling her to go get him. She grins and nods to Uther, "Yep. He's good with it." Uther slides his arm around, pulling her closer, "Good. I wish I could have met him. He was a great warrior." "Yes. He was," She nodded, "Now... enough with all of that... no more emotion." He tilted his head and looked down her, "So... you're saying we should get to the sex?" She nodded to him, "Ok." They roll off down the hill spending the rest of their afternoon locked in passion.

Thorn finds a note perfumed from the woman last night in his hidey hole saying "call me" and he shrugs about to throw it away but decides to stow it away in a pocket just in case for later. He went out collecting a few rumors to hear any hint about either of the two thief guilds after him... he hears several rumors that the bounty hunters have been busy over the last few weeks, taking in several of the wanted and the nobles have been on the guards about being less lax and quicker to respond. The Jesters are still operating in town, though he doesn't hear anything about them looking for him... and still no clue about why they were looking for him to begin with. There doesn't seem to be any rumors about The Black Mark. He opts to head to the Vastel estate as Azarius's man servant to stay for awhile. They are happy to see him and welcome him in, letting him know that Lord Chaat was already settled in.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Tylianna, Lady Carus's young daughter, is creeping around the room searching behind the furniture. Thorn slips into the shadows, tailing her. She flings open doors or curtains occasionally with an "Ah Ha!" only to have disappointment on her face... until Thorn sees a pair of boots sticking out from under some drapery. He laughs to himself as he realizes she's playing hide and seek with someone... he acts like he's coming from the stairs and enters the room to be noticed before she finds the mystery person. She greets him cheerfully, "I remember you! You're mister Azarius's friend. Welcome back!" She hugs onto him. He returns her hug, "Thank you. I've been gone for a while... the master has had me very busy." She nods, "He's very pretty... Almost as pretty as my big brother used to be." He laughs and nods, "So what are you doing in this part of the manor?" "I'm looking for someone!" "Really? And who would that be?" he raises an eyebrow at her. She looks around the room and leans closer to whisper, "Miss Boots... don't you think that's a funny name?" He smiles and nods, "It is. Do you have urgent matters with this Miss Boots?" "No... just that I want to make her IT." "Make her ... IT?" "We're playing hide and seek... Currently I am IT... and she is not. She needs to be IT. I do not." Thorn nods, "Ahhh I see..." he leans and whispers, "Well ...I'll tell you what... if I see this Miss Boots anywhere... I'll come find you and let you know." "You'd do that for me?! You're the bestest!" She hugs him again happily. Thorn grins, "Now run along... perhaps she's down the hallway there." Tylianna dashes off down the hall. Thorn stretches, "Ahh such a lovely day... we need some more light in here." He opens the drapes that reveals Boots. She beams, "Mr. Thorn! So good to see you! However did you find me?" He smiles at her and shakes his head, "What are you doing here?" "My parents are off venturing... adventuring... something like that... anyway my mom... well... it's complicated... she's not really my mom... but she kind of takes care of me like a mom... but she's a member of this family, so they sort of let Salem and I stay with them." She sort of kicks her boot along the floor, "And Salem... she's a cheater..." "A cheater?" Boots nods, "She's learning magic and she just sort of says this phrase and wiggles her fingers and she disappears! So... she can slip out past the guards and just leaves me here." She sighs. "That is cheating..." He nods, comforting her, "but it is a rather useful skill to learn..." "Not that I mind playing with Tylianna... she's nice." "Maybe you should look into learning that skill too and then you could sneak out as well!" "Oh! Do you think I could?" He nods to her, "I think so." "But... then who would play with Tylianna? She's all alone here." He leaned back and smiled, "Well I'm not saying it would take up all of your time..." "Oh maybe she could learn too! and then we could ALL sneak out! Sweet freedom! ...what are you doing here?" she tilted her head at him as though suddenly realizing it was odd for him to be in the house. "I'm staying here too." "GREAT! Maybe we can all play hide and seek! ...though you found me pretty easy." He smiles encouragingly, "It was a good spot. I just helped you out a little bit... gave you some extra time to not be IT." She pondered for a moment, "Mmm a real friend would keep her away..." "I can only do that for so long... you might want to really look into what Salem's doing..." "I'll ask her when she gets back," Boots nods to him and hugs him. He nods to her as he watches Tylianna coming back into the room. He recloses the drapes slowly as Boots backs against the wall, "Not in here... I did hear some quick steps upstairs though..." Tylianna beamed at him, "I've got her now!" She dashed up the stairs. He leaned close to the drapes, "Your boots are sticking out..." She giggles and pulls them in. He goes up to relax in his room with a plate of fruit, bread, cheeses, and wine...

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Yuki sends out a magical message to Axton, "Axton! Erevin is luring me to the Den of Sin! You better come and find me or else things might happen! Tonight! See you there." Erevin dresses in black and gold to go with his mask and he picks up Yuki from the temple first in his elven carriage... she looks amazing with her transparent rose embroidered gown, lustrous hair, and glass slippers. He opened the door from inside and smiled down at her, "You look amazing." He offered her his hand. She took his hand, "Aww thank you Erevin," she smiled up at him a little out of breath and stepped into the carriage. She sits with him, "So are you ready? Do you remember where we're going?" He nods to her, "Yes, we have to go pick up Lady Vivian." She blinked at him, "Lady Vivian?" He nods, "It was part of the condition of getting the mask." She stared at him, still stunned, "Lady... Vivian?" He nodded again. "Erevin..." she looked at him skeptically, "does she know I'm here?" "No." He shook his head calmly, "Isn't it splendid?" "No! No it's not splendid! Not at all, Erevin!" She gasped out, flailing her arms. "Why not?" He looked at her calmly, unphased by her animated protests. "B-because!" She shook her arms at him, "Th-that woman is! is..." "A drunk," he finished simply. "NO! A... a... man eater!" She whispered to him exasperated. "Yes..." he nodded, "Thankfully there are no men here... I'm an elf." "Erevin it doesn't matter!" "Oh... it matters." "I'm just a girl... a really pretty girl... but I'm a threat! Are you crazy?!" "A little bit." She looked at him as though seeing him for the first time, "You're amazing! Where's your mask?" He smiled and nodded toward the box beside him, "In the box." "Tease!" "Now or later?" "What?!" "Nothing... we should get going." "O-okay... and if Axton should punch you later, don't mind it." She slipped her mask on and took several deep breaths, "Remember I'm not Yuki... don't call me Yuki... and don't drink ANYTHING she gives you!" "You're Rose... you've already told me. Relax." She took a few more deep breaths, "If you get drunk and end up in some alcove with her, I'm not taking responsibility for it!"

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The door opened and Lady Vivian stood there, dressed in a sparkly red backless dress, sequined, with an open slit down to her navel... her long red hair perfectly held back in place. She handed her glass of wine to one of the guards. Erevin stepped out of the carriage to offer her a hand up, "Lady Vivian." "Lord Erevin... so good of you to escort me on an evening that I hope is full of promise." She sits down beside Yuki, "Erevin... you naughty boy! What exactly did you have planned this evening?" He smiled at her, "Mmm it's been a while and I'm feeling rather... strong this evening." "I'm impressed." "I came upon Lady Rose along the way... I hope you don't mind the extra company." Vivian looked at Yuki, "I heard of a Lady Rose..." Yuki looks over at her, disguised in her rose mask, "I am memorable." Undaunted, Vivian continues... "There were those at the den talking about it months ago... that some newcomer by that name had come in once and then just disappeared much to the disappointment of many who never had the chance to meet you... I'm sure you'll be very popular this evening." Erevin looked over at her, "Rose... have you been holding out on me?"

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Yuki smiled, "Well it's good to keep the packs of wolves guessing... isn't it, Lady Vivian?" Erevin raised an eyebrow, "The wolves perhaps... but not the lion." Vivian pondered, "mmm..." She put on a very pretty Bird of Paradise mask with an open mouth... with long beautiful feathers mainly in reds... adopting her persona of Paradise. Erevin puts on his mask as well going in with the hidden name of Pride.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Walking in the secret door, they are teleported to another location with deep bass tribal music... everyone here is masked... band members, bartenders, patrons. Rich nobles. Cuts of clothing all suggest Impiltur and it seems likely that they are still somewhere in Lyrabar. Curtained alcoves with variously colored velvet drapes and a matching gem at the top that lights up when occupied. Anonymity seems to be the mainstay... everyone has masks that disguise them to be non-descript. They take note of the newcomers with interest, but they seem to leave Pride alone since he is in Paradise's company... but a man wearing red and adorned with a devil mask makes it to Rose first..

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Seductively sinister voice, "Miss Rose... I've only heard tales of you from a mutual friend... you made quite the splash when you were first here. Why have you denied us all your lovely presence for these many months?" Innocent rose look, "My Mr Devil, you're making me blush... might I know your name?" "Certainly, you may call me Baeliss." "Such a sinister name for such a sinister man..." "I'm pleased that you think so." "And who is our mutual friend?" He smiles, "Mr. Riddle... though I have not seen him here this evening... it is his loss. Perhaps you would accompany me to the bar?" "The bar is a dangerous place." "Not so dangerous when you're in the right company... if you can't trust the devil, who can you trust?" Rose laughed, "You certainly play your role well...Sure..." she took his arm, "I'll accompany you to the bar... but tell me, have you seen another friend of mine?... Mr Quill?" "You seem to have many friends... you make the devil jealous." "Can the devil be jealous? An innocent rose like me would not know of such things..." she blinks doe like eyes. He smiles, "As a matter of fact I did see Quill in here earlier... I believe he is in the emerald alcove... he went in with a young woman... Belladonna." "Belladonna... a beautiful flower... but poisonous." Baelis nods, "It is true. Rumors say that ... shall we say... men check in, but they don't check out... even more so than..." he gestured at the lovely woman, Paradise, on Pride's arm. "Well... that's not exactly encouraging." "But you don't need to worry about that... I'm sure he'll be fine," he slides a beautiful crystal clear, ruby red drink over to her, his eyes occasionally glowing with embers in them, "They call this the devil's kiss... would you like to try it?" "I... would....I can't stop looking at your eyes... they are remarkable." "Mmm do you see your reflection in them?" She giggles lightly, "Burning perhaps... you're a dangerous man, Mr Baeliss... everyone else seems to be keeping their distance. You must have some sway here." "It is only polite... to give the devil his due." "Touche... Marvelous." She claps, "Is there a lady's powder room?" she glances at the glass sitting in front of her, "The devil's kiss... I need to prepare myself for something like that... find my courage." "You have a little of the devil's kiss and you'll have plenty of courage." He smiles. "I'm not used to drinking anything quite so..." "Believe me you'll bloom, my dear... You will bloom." He smiled at her mischievously, but gestured toward a door. She could see a vibrant green alcove on her way to the powder room. Beautiful gold fixtures inside... and alone for the moment. She casts out another magical message, "Quill! What are you thinking?! Get out of the emerald room, you idiot!"

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Pride watched as Yuki's eyes lingered on the emerald curtain on her way through the room. Paradise ordered two drinks of an amber liquid and linked her arm with Pride, "So... would you like a taste of paradise?" Pride smiled slowly, "Let's find you a perch... what would look good on you?" He looked over the colored alcoves and spotted the ruby open. She smiled, gesturing toward the room he was looking at, "That's MY room." He smiled and nodded, "I've no doubt." He walked with her to the ruby room and as he passed the emerald room, he took in a heavy inhale to catch the scent... the masks seem to cover scents as well, but as he goes by he picks up the smell of a belladonna flower and freshly inked parchment. Stepping through the curtain of the ruby room, the music cuts to silence as the sound beyond the curtain is gone and the room is cool compared to the heat of so many bodies. A fairly simple room inside, and Paradise sits on the long couch with her legs crossed. Pride takes her hand, slowly pulling her to drape across the couch more as he leans in to kiss her deeply. "Lord Erevin..." She drapes her arm up over him, "I heard that the elves are fast workers..." He grins at her, "You give me strength." He grabs her by the back of the feathers to tilt her head up as he takes his drink, dangling it above her to slowly pour it into her open mouth. He releases her and takes both glasses, "Let me get some more... I'll be right back. I'll tell him it's for you..." She smiled and nodded, "He'll know. I'll be making myself comfortable til you get back." He slid the curtain closed behind him as he re-entered the main room.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Yuki stepped out of the powder room and seen Erevin stepping out of the ruby room. She headed straight for him, glancing over her shoulder to the devil still waiting for her, "Sorry Mr Baeliss, I'll be just a moment..." She took Erevin's hand, "Do you have a dance? Let's dance for a moment." They dance together and she leans in close to whisper, "Axton is in the emerald room. Belladonna does not sound good. She has the reputation..." He twirls her out and twirls her back in, dipping her down. She blushes, surprised slightly by the intimacy of the dance, "Erev... er... Pride..." He sweeps elegantly across the dance floor, "I have learned that there are battlefields everywhere... including dance floors. You were saying..." She stared at him, lost briefly, "Oh... umm..." "You were saying something about a plant?" "Oh! Right... Belladonna... she has the reputation of you go in but you don't come out!" "I've heard the same about Paradise..." "Good luck with that... and you drank it! I seen you drink it! and I told you!" "Tasted it... didn't drink it... just tasted it." "Maybe I should cast delay poison on you..." "Would pretty hearts come out if you did that?" "Mmm... I don't even know if I could cast in here... Sune's presence would surely be noticed... You're on your own." "Again..." "Aww! I shouldn't keep dancing... but..." He spins her out and dips her again as people give them a wide space, their dance elegant and captivating. "What were we doing again?"

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">"Dancing... but we're here for your Quill... behind the emerald curtain." "Right! My precious Quill... I should go trip over there." "Would you like me to spin you into the curtain?" "Aww! Erevin... thank you!" He spun her out and feigned her fingers slipping out of his as she stumbled through the emerald curtain to sprawl onto the floor... that's strangely soft and ... wriggling... a woman dressed in green with a whip of snakes sits on the couch... snakes all over the floor... Quill moving back away from the couch... a couple of the snakes have feathered quills stuck in them, but there's a carpet of them wriggling across the floor with Rose on top of them... Rose gasps in fright,"What the hell is this kind of freaky stuff?!" She turns to Quill, "You pervert! Just like my dad! Okay...maybe different... but still a pervert! Icky icky snakes!!" She throws out a dispel magic as one of the snakes coils around her body... "Like a TENTACLE!!!" the snakes disappear with her dispel, leaving her heaving heavily, trying to catch her breath as she backs away. Pride charges through the room, apologizing and going in after Rose... "My apologies... total mistake!" Quill turns to room who just spilled into the room before him, "Get out of here, Miss Rose... it's not safe!" Belladonna shakes her head, "Oh no, no... stay a while." She gestures out with her cat of nine tails, snake heads slinging out toward Rose who screams out, "Icky!" and scrambles to move behind Pride as one of them bites her! She feels a little woozy but her delay poison keeps it at bay. Pride steps forward, slicing out with his moonblade cutting off the snake heads! Belladonna shrieks, "What have you done to my pretties?!" Quill bounds across the room and slams into her, a forearm on her throat with a sharp tipped quill in his other hand piercing into her neck, "That'll be enough out of you, Miss Belladonna! I know you and your "faithful" are going to make their move soon... if you want to get out of this room with your pretty little flowered head in one piece, you better tell me!" She laughs at him, "All this for me? You and your friends..." She glances behind him at the two newcomers. Pride takes Rose's hand and pulls her up from the floor to spin her behind him, moonblade still out protectively. "Yes..." Quill nods to her, his sharp quill piercing slightly deeper into her neck, "You can see you're plenty outnumbered..." "Fine! It's too late by now... the others already have what they want. She was always meant to be ours. Silly man!" Pride looks at him, "Who does she speak of, Quill?" Quill and Rose answer in unison, "Helena..." Quill pulls out another quill, poking her in the neck... her eyes roll back as she loses consciousness. Rose peeks around Pride, "I say we torture her and then discern lies!" Pride speaks up, "I say we remove her from the room." "Oh... right... what Mr Pride said." Rose nods. Quill turns to both of them, "I say we get back... who are you?" Pride nods to him, "Here to help you out." Quill looks at him curiously, "Did Alain send you?" Rose nods, "Sort of... Come on!" Pride nods, "In a matter of speaking..." Quill nods to them, "I have to get back to the temple." "Then lets go." Rose throws some wine on her, "She drank too much..." Pride and Quill each take an arm of Belladonna, draped over their shoulders carrying her. Quill looks at the bartender as they cross the room, "She's had a little too much to drink... calling for a carriage." The bartender nods. Pride leans down to Baelis, gesturing out, "The red room awaits..." he hands him her drink. Baelis smiles, "Ahh the devil in paradise..." Pride nods, "Cheers."

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The three of them leave with Belladonna... Quill keeps looking around, muttering to himself, "Where is she?" Rose folds her arms, "What's the matter, Mr Quill? Missing someone... important? Perhaps you should go back in and find her. That would be the noble thing to do... but alas... duty calls, correct? ...Mr Quill?" Sudden realization washed over his face and he hung his head, "Oh god..." he turns to her, "I can explain! ...Let's go!" They head for the carriage. Yuki holds onto Quill's hands, placing them over his own mask to push it up off of his face to reveal Axton... the young Axton that she remembered... and she pulls off her own mask, tears dripping down her cheeks as he embraces her and kisses her passionately. She leans back looking him over as though to make sure he was still there in her arms, "You died!" She pulled him back in and kissed him fervidly! Erevin dragged Belladonna and tossed her into the carriage, turning around to see Yuki and Axton embraced in the moonlight in one more long, passionate kiss... he cleared his throat, knowing they needed to get moving. Axton pulled back, "We need to get back to the temple..." His hand caressed Yuki's cheek gently, "Ah hell..." And he pulled her to him, kissing her passionately. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">While they rode in the carriage as she whispered at him, "Belladonna! Really?!" "It was an interrogation!" "Did you see the snakes?!" She flicked her two finger like little snakes, "Tss Tss!" Erevin removed his own mask, "It didn't look like an interrogation really..." They all hid their masks away. Axton looked up at him, "I had her right where I wanted her..." Erevin nodded, "That's an interesting choice of words." Yuki sat up looking at him accusingly, "Yeah, it sure is! We have a lot to talk about, Mister!" Erevin smiled and glanced over to Yuki, "Thank you for the dance..." She smiled and melted a little... Axton turned and looked at her with his own accusations and she blinked, looking suddenly defensive! "I didn't do anything! I really didn't! I didn't!!! ...Nothing like being in an emerald room with a snake girl! Ewww!"

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The carriage pulled up in front of the Temple of Sune. Priests and priestesses were running everywhere... Amynta, Rue, Ori frantically ran out to the carriage, "YUKI!!!" Yuki opened the door, "Helena... where's Helena?" Amynta was trembling and talking really fast, "She's missing! She was supposed to give the evening sermon and she didn't show up! We went up to her room! A-And it looked like there was a fight! And she's... she's gone!!" Yuki stepped out of the carriage, laying a hand on Amynta's arm, "Where's Alain? ...the high priest?" Rue chimed in, "Alain is out of the temple... on business!" Yuki turned to Axton, "Send him a message... you're familiar enough with him to send a message... He needs to know this." She looked at Erevin, "And we should send runners to get everyone... Erevin, is there any way to track this? It's Helena!" Erevin looked at Yuki and Axton, "Can I see her room?" Axton nodded, "Certainly." He escorted him quickly to Helena's room as runners are sent out to the elven embassy, the vastel estate, and the barbarian clan on the docks...

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Wren is lounging lazily over Kale as he's twirling her hair around his fingers... both of them looking at one another dreamily as a scribe bursts in through the door to see them naked on the bed. His eyes widen to huge before he quickly covers them with his hand, head down, and holding out a scroll, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Wren rolled over to look at him, but he was already running back out of the room, a scroll dropped on the floor. She sighed and Inali brought it over to her. Wren pulled a couple of small black spiders off of it, "Away with you... go back to your web." She unscrolled it to read, "Erevin and Yuki need you! Come to the temple of Sune!" She sat up and smiled at Kale, "We'll have to pick this up later... Looks like we have work to do." Wren went to Shri to tell her to get ready as well.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">An older butler at the Vastel estate walked up to the halfling, "Excuse me, Thorn, it seems that Yuki and Erevin request your presence at the temple of Sune... post haste." He gathers up the brandy glasses and closes the cigar case, "Sorry sir." Thorn sighed heavily, "I understand... it must be urgent." "Indubitably..." the butler nodded. "Please... have my riding dog saddled and ready for me. Mr Piddles should be about ready for a walky walk." "Mr Piddles shall be prepared."

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Posy and Uther come back into town and barely make it back into the bar when the messenger arrives to tell them that Yuki and Erevin need them at the temple of Sune. Posy looks up at Uther, "Aww dammit... at least we had today." Uther nods with a big smile, "Several times..."

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Erevin, Yuki, and Axton are finishing up examining Helena's room as everyone arrives... Uther, Posy, Thorn, Kale, Wren, and Shri walking Mari. Yuki looks up seeing Shri, "I didn't do anything! I really didn't! Not a thing!" Wren raises an eyebrow at Yuki and glances to Shri. Erevin leans in to Yuki, "Guilty conscience?" Mari tilts her head at Erevin with her ears up. Erevin nods, "Let's find her, girl." Everyone commences to help Erevin and Mari track Helena... as they follow the scent of her unique perfume through the city, distracted only briefly when Mr Piddles decides to pee on a rose tree. 100 yards away we come to the west wall of the city... 70 ft tall with several ropes hanging over it. Erevin slings Mari over his shoulders and everyone climbs over with the rope... Wren flies, Kale glances over at her, "Huh..." She grins at him, "But you're heavy! We need to get you some lighter armor." Wren hovers near Yuki who climbs stubbornly with motivation to save Helena! Guards come by, looking up at us, "What the hell are you doing? ...why are all these ropes here?" Erevin tells them that a woman has been kidnapped and we're going to rescue her... "Maybe if you had been this perceptive earlier... we wouldn't be looking for her." They seem mortified to have missed it. Yuki whips out her ribbon as we drop to the other side, "Heart! Power! Make-Up! Awesome cleric... defensive... electricity and disease resistant armor!" The ribbon spins, flickering a bit confused, but clothes her in shiny cleric armor.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Following the faint scent of decay and rotting flesh with the barest hint of Helena's perfume, Erevin and Mari lead us along the tracks to a run down cemetery with an old, run down temple... all surrounded by rusty wrought iron fencing outside of town. Yuki squeaks around gravestones as she walks and looks around, "Gross! Definitely not a Wren and Kale wedding spot... off the list!" Wren blinks wide eyes at Kale who looks over at her at the same time, whispering, "Do we have to invite her? Uh, I mean..." Wren leaned against him and laughed! Erevin looks over at Shri hopefully, "You... didn't happen to bring along my armor, did you?" She flashes him a smile as though she'd been waiting for him to ask and hands him a pack with his armor, bow, and other sword, "As a matter of fact... I thought you might need it..." She lingered near him while he changed, "Did you have fun tonight?" He smiled at her, "Not near as much fun as I had hoped..." She smiled, "Oh... well we'll have to do something about that later." Yuki, pretending not to, peeked over a little Erevin changing, but Thorn called her out, with feigned shock, "Yuki... are you peeking? How... perverted! Who would do such a thing?" She folded her arms, "I did nothing!" He grinned at her, "You really gotta work on your stealth..." "I did nothing!" She turned away from him quickly to face Axton, smiling sweetly, "I'm really glad you're back! You died! I cried a lot you know!" He looked at her confused, "What do you mean?" "...nothing." She sighed, knowing he really didn't have a clue what they had seen in the future, but looked at him again anyway as though her insistence would change everything, "I cried a lot!" "It's okay..." He looked at her still a little quizzical, "I believe you." "It's alright..." Erevin grinned at him, rejoining them all dressed, "I consoled her." Before anything else could be said, Yuki took a step closer to him, tugging on his sleeve, "Erevin... windows." She pointed up to the temple where an emerald green flickered briefly in the windows.

We can hear Helena scream from inside the temple as a greenish witch fire spreads out from the building over the cemetery... skeletons stand up out of the graves! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Defensive spells are immediately cast out and Thorn and Erevin move forward, Mari tearing apart one of the skeletons to carry away a bone. Posy ran through the gate into the middle of some skeletons and used her ring... exploding them into splinters of bone scattering over the ground! Shaking the earth seems to wake up more undead... mummies come out of the mausoleum doors and phantom-like ghosts come through the walls of the temple... Mummies surround Posy, paralyzing her with fear as they slam into her! Thorn backs against the fence, mummies ganging up to knock him down, leaving him trembling with fear! One of the ghosts reaches out to Erevin with a severe cold touch, sapping nearly half of his life!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Axton walks into the fray calmly sending out a powerful wave of positive energy, a reddish glow rolling out to turn skeletons to dust. Yuki followed behind him bravely, sending out her own wave of happy pink energy washing over everyone with warm healing life. Wren begins fading between this world and the ethereal one as she walks with Kale, moving in to aid Thorn. Kale stays ahead of her protectively, drawing one of the mummies off of him with a mighty slash of his sword. Uther, seeing Posy surrounded and terrified, rushes in to aid her, tearing his claws straight through one of their chests to come out of their back! Erevin steps back, drawing his ghost bow, firing arrows into the phantom as Shri steps forward, sending out a silvery moonlight glow to obliterate a skeleton and makes the phantom move back with a wailing cry.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Harsh whispered orders drift over the cemetery, "Kill the living... Kill the Sunites!" Mummies slam against Posy and Thorn again! One of the phantoms drifts inside of Yuki's body, taking her over! She turns around casting out this deafening boom! Blood trickles from Erevin's ears as he reels in pain, stunned! Another pours itself into Posy, but Posy still raging through her fear feels her nose ring burn hot and she reaches in, pulling the specter back out of her body! Another tries to take over Axton, but he holds up symbol of Sune and casts it back by his sheer will! He turns to Yuki and touches her chest, casting out a white light, spilling the ghost out of her body! Yuki comes to consciousness with Axton's hand still on her chest, "Hey! Shoulder! Shoulder!" Wren stepped out a little, sending out a bolt of lightning through a mummy and ghost coming oh so dangerously close to Yuki... but Axton's protection on her keeps her safe from any stray sparks that magnetize toward her. Posy smashes through a mummy with her axe and claws, and bites into it, tearing it open with her teeth!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The ghost behind Posy, leaps back into her, this time taking her over! Her eyes glow green as she turns to us angrily! She holds up her axe, growling. Yuki sends out a great warm wave of healing over everyone, little pink hearts seem to bubble in the air around us... Axton again sends out his bright, positive energy... destroying more skeletons and leaving mummies smoldering around him. Thorn uses Kale in a strategic move against a mummy, dropping it to the ground! Kale moves up to slash into the mummy lord, keeping Wren behind him as she wards protection over Thorn. Erevin turns to see a woman standing in a window of the temple in green tattered robes and burning green fire eyes, but he turns to launch arrows into the mummy lord. Posy slashes into Axton with her claws, still overtaken by the ghost inside her! Uther finishes the mummy lord, unaware yet of Posy running loose at the will of a phantom. Yuki turns to cry at Posy, "Nooo! He's my first ever boyfriend! I just got used to kissing!" Erevin shoots out an entangling arrow, wrapping Posy up in vines, knowing it would only delay her for a moment. Posy comes back to conscious awareness, her hand covered in Axton's blood... she sees her Uncle Jerome with his arms around the ghost, pulling it out of her with all of his might! (Awwww!)

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The witchy priestess of Talona cast out from the window, a venomous swarm of scimitars whips through the air in a circle around us... scattering several as they quickly dodge out of the way! Yuki, Shri, Mari, Posy, and Uther are caught in it and Axton stays behind to grab Yuki's hand, taking several cuts before leading her out to safety and calls down a beam of sunlight to eradicate another of the ghosts on their way out... She lingers close to him and sends out another very needed wave of healing over everyone. Wren takes hold of Kale's and Thorn's hands, assuring them of their safety, and steps through a dimensional door taking them up with her next to the temple. Shri steps out with Erevin and Mari scrambles around outside of the fence to circle around while Erevin takes cover behind a sarcophagus, firing arrows through the window into the priestess. Posy charges quickly forward to catch up to Thorn and the others near the temple just in time for the priestess to cast down an inky black cloud that almost seems to writhe with venomous snakes, biting out! Posy and Thorn become nauseous and sick from the unholy power baring down on us! He turns to Wren accusingly, "You said it wouldn't make me sick when we got to the other side!" Blech!!! Wren protests pointing up at the window, "It's not me! It's her!!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Axton and Yuki manage to climb over the rusty wrought iron fence to avoid the spinning black cloud of scimitars while Shri bolts down the path toward the temple. Uther crashes through a low window of the temple, followed by Posy, Thorn, Wren, and Kale, getting out of the inky black venomous cloud to see Helena wrapped in snakes on an altar surrounded by priests. Shri, Yuki, and Axton join up, running for the doors to the temple. Erevin continues to shoot arrows through the window at the priestess who backs off out of the window quickly, struck again and bleeding! Uther and Posy surge forward smashing into the priests who turn to see our arrival. Two priests reach out to grasp Posy, "Feel the power of Talona!" Unholy power rips through her from their touch, leaving her weak and clinging to life. The high priestess comes down from her balcony, casting out decaying, disease filled wasps over Wren, Kale, and Thorn, stinging them with poison!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Shri, Axton, and Yuki burst through the doors of the temple to see the wasps swarming over their friends, Posy barely standing, and Helena still covered in snakes on the altar... they rush down the hall! Posy barely standing, priests moving in on her... and the window shatters as two arrows come flying in from Erevin to thunk soundly into each of the priests, dropping one of them! Thorn moves up to double team with Uther on the priests. The wasps follow, stinging them again! Another priest slashes into Posy and she drops to the ground! Yuki's eyes go wide, "POSY!" She runs in, throwing out a wave of healing, just in time to keep Thorn standing! Wren shrieks and throws her arms out, overwhelmed by the wasps, "They're in my hair!" She manages to dispel the wasps, obliterating them. Kale moves up to slash the priestess, backing her up into a window in time for Erevin to send in more arrows! Axton and Shri back her up, sending out more waves of healing, like an amazing renewal of life... Kale slashes into the priestess again, sending her backward into Thorn's daggers, dropping her to the ground as Posy and Uther finish off the priests. Yuki and Axton help Helena up and get her healed just before a 10ft tall Alain with large wings blushed with a mild pink. He picks up Helena into his arms, looking around at all of us. He touches Posy on the forehead lightly fully renewing her life. Radiating charisma and the power of his goddess, his voice is god-like, "Thank you all... please return to the temple when you can. I will take her back with me." He lifts Helena fully into his arms, princess style, and turns back toward Axton, "I want to talk to you." and he flies off with Helena toward the temple of Sune.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Searching the temple, we find an assortment of scattered equipment, gold, and jewels. (3k gold each!) Find a note on the priestess that says, "This is your last chance... bring the chosen one to me! ~A~" We all head back into town...