(IC) Festival of Heroes - Shattered Jewel - Main

[Wolfykins]

Torilee shook her head. "No... sounds like a more powerful spell than I've been able to learn yet, hey? I'm not familiar with it," she said apologetically.

[Andrew Markham]

"Well, it's too powerful of a spell for a wand, so we'll have to go scroll shopping for it tomorrow before my match. Maybe even tonight, if any of the stores are open...My thanks, Evergreen. I will attend to it." He turns to his discussions with Umbear.

[Erealyn]

Jaylyn just listened in to the speeches, clapping at the warricks, nodding at Ainsleys, and at Geiravor's speeches. She grabs one of Umbears divination tickets. "Thanks I have a good use for it," then she looked over at Brynhildr taking the Magpie "looks good thanks."

After the party Jaylyn went back to her room to relax, and reflex trying to figure out what she'd need to do to make sure that nothing happens to her.

[dysmorphia]

"No, never," Kestejoo confirmed. He was unsure how much to tell her; he honestly hadn't expected to see any centaurs up here in the city. "I... was not raised in a herd, no. But I was told I was born in one..."

[Wolfykins]

Aurora looked somewhat mystified. "Well... I suppose that makes us even, then, because I have certainly never seen a centaur like you, before," she said with a slight smile. She glanced at the tattoo shop and nibbled her lip a bit.
"I... actually have an appointment here in a few minutes, but they shouldn't mind if you wanted to come inside with me and continue talking... If you'd rather not, that's fine. I'll be attending the championship match tomorrow afternoon, by the entrance where there's standing room," she said.

[dysmorphia]

"Ah, a tattoo shop... I am familiar with such things. I wouldn't want you to be late for your appointment... so let's go inside. I would like to talk more, if you don't mind," Kestejoo said with a smile.

"I don't much about centaur culture... but I have always been curious... if you wouldn't mind telling me."

[Wolfykins]

"That's fine; I wouldn't have invited you if I objected," she commented, smiling. She entered the shop and spoke briefly with the clerk. The clerk led the two centaurs to a large room in the back. Aurora lowered herself to the floor next to a chaise lounge, propping her elbow up on it.

"Please feel free to make yourself comfortable," the clerk said to Kestejoo, eyeing him somewhat nervously. There was plenty of standing room, as well as a leather sofa along the wall, under a large, shaded window.
"The artist will be along shortly," she said, looking at Aurora.

The centaur nodded as the clerk left the room. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I haven't done this before," she admitted, "so I'm a bit nervous. But I've heard good things about this artist, so I am hoping it will come out well," she said.
"So... what is it you would like to know?"

[dysmorphia]

Kestejoo followed Aurora inside, then followed the clerk to the large room. Glancing around, the tiefling centaur settled himself off to the side, so that he was out of the way. When Aurora mentioned she was nervous, that she'd never done this before, Kestejoo saw that as an opening.

"Ah, are you getting an enhancement tattoo? They are not painful, really... though I suppose it depends on how you handle little needle pricks," Kestejoo replied. As he settled on the ground, his tail curled around his back legs. He then pointed to the tattoo on his hip, near where the horse ended and the human began. "This is the one that hurt a bit more than the others... but I did not receive any of my from a place like this. Mine were... all gifted to me. To better serve my God."

[Wolfykins]

"I've been run through; the pain doesn't really worry me," she said wryly.
"It's more that it's a lot of money to spend on something that will be on me for the rest of my life, so I want to make sure it looks nice. This shop charges a little more, but they work faster than other shops, and the artist has a really high reputation, so I'm... reasonably confident... that it will turn out well." She tipped her head slightly to the side.
"Your god? So does that mean you're a paladin? A cleric? Or just a devotee?"

[dysmorphia]

"I am certain they will do a fine job if they have such a reputation," Kestejoo replied, reassuring Aurora.

Then the question of his job. "I suppose... the closest thing ... is a cleric." He nodded. "I have been in His service for many years... I was raised in his service. That is why I was not raised in a herd."

[Wolfykins]

"That's... unusual. Most centaurs are followers of the Green Faith. Though I have met a few from herds who follow Desna. Though... I'm not sure I understand why being brought up in service to a god meant being away from your Herd..." she said hesitantly.

There was a knock on the door, and a pair of elves, one fair, one dark, entered bearing baskets of tools. One settled on the chaise lounge next to Aurora, the other on the floor in front of her.
"You wanted this to start above the hide and curve over the ribs, yes?" the fair-haired elf on the seat asked. When Aurora nodded, the dark-haired elf on the floor took out a special brush and translucent ink. The fair-haired elf took Aurora's vest, and the dark-haired one began painting faint swirls on her side, like stylized gusts of wind.

[EdgeGrinder]

The Princess and staff file out of the room and to her private office and everyone took their seats before begining. "We have all had a few days to react to Erastil's warning through Aurix. Another warning has come from Arete via Ainsley. If anyone had any doubts before, keep in mind Ainsley had no idea of Aurix's warning. As vague as both warnings are, I feel we have a responsibility to continue taking this issue seriously. Brynhildr, how goes preparations on your end?"

Brynhildr took out a rolled up parchment and spread it over the table. The parchment displayed a diagram of three armors, a longsword, longspear, rapier, and arrows. "My staff and I have designed and crafted celestrel muthral and cold irn weapons and adamantin armor for about forty percent of the army, but not any for the guards. We have had about three months of astral time to work but had difficulty attaining enough materials to outfit all of our forces. My staff and I will continue our work."

Geiravor nodded. "Very good, Brynhildr. Just do your best. I can't ask for more. Gorrun, how are your forces drills going?"

[STDM Grizzly Ad]

Absolutely Gorrun replies to Mira. He escorts her to the front door and hails a carriage. He pays the driver in advance and let's Mira give him directions to her home. Then he quickly rejoins the other members of Geiravor's council.

Drills are being ran every morning. Corvus, my Centurion has been leading them in my absence. he responds to Geiravor's question.

[dysmorphia]

Kestejoo was about to reply when the tattoo artists entered the room. He was not ready to discuss such matters with others in the room, no matter who they were. A centaur was one thing; elves were another.

Instead, he chose an innocent topic.

"Wind? What kind of enhancement is this for?"

[Wolfykins]

"Ah, well... I'm a wind oracle, so the same ability a cleric like yourself uses to channel energy is what I use to control my magic. And I'm hoping this tattoo will further increase that ability, so that my spells are more difficult to overcome," Aurora explained. She paused a moment to pull a small, colorless, spindle-shaped stone from the backpack on the floor by her side. She gave it a little squeeze and released it, and it drifted up to hover near her head.

[EdgeGrinder]

"Very good, General. Hervir, have you any news?"

"My contacts have not reported any unusual spell component purchases by legal or other means. There was an illegal zombie raising in the city limits today though, but I doubt that had anything to do with the coming darkness." Hervir answered.

Geiravor considered Hervir's lack of news. "I see. Very suspicious. One might think big magic would be in play now. Unwin, how fair you?"

The Lashunta stood from his seat. He was taller than most males of his race "Well, Your Highness, I believe Aurix's suggestions for the temples to protect the street folk seems to have worked. No disappearances have been reported since then. However, those said to have already been gone are still gone. A foreigner has been asking suspicious questions today. If I had a suspect, that person would be it. There is a murder investigation regarding the death of Francisco Von Rictorbach the Fifth. I was surprised to hear the reports leading up to tonights festivities."

Geiravor sighed. "Damn, then what is going to happen? Thoughts Warrick or Ignatius?"

[dysmorphia]

Once he saw the ioun stone, and he recognized it's purpose and significance, the centaur twitched slightly on the floor. His wings fluttered briefly and he narrowed his eyes.

"I see... an oracle... I do not believe I have met one..." He eyed the stone. "I think I could learn a lot from you. I do not know much of magic outside what my God allows me."

[Wolfykins]

Warrick shrugged and offered an apologetic frown. "I'm afraid I've been rather busy with the tournament and teaching old dogs new tricks," he said with a quick grin, "so I haven't seen or heard anything of note. I believe we should do our best to be prepared. Perhaps Lord Unwin could increase the presence of his intelligence agents around the city. If they are no longer occupied trying to find missing drifters or prevent more from disappearing, then they might be better served digging for information about the comings and goings of cultists. The fact that the worship of evil gods is not legal in Juvelnord does not mean it doesn't happen. Perhaps the time has come to flush out any underground cults that have sprung up over the course of the past decade or so. Perhaps in doing so, we can find the cult that has ties to whatever evil god Aurix was warned of, and stop them before they complete their plan."

---

Aurora glanced at the ioun stone when she noticed Kest looking at it.
"Ah, well, I'm going to be here a while and I figured the less interruption, the quicker it would go. Are you implying your deity does not permit the use of ioun stones?" she asked curiously.

[STDM Grizzly Ad]

If you don't mind my asking, what news did Sir Ainsley provide? I have not heard anything since Aurix's initial warning. Gorrun questioned the assembly.

[EdgeGrinder]

"I assure you, Master Clarke, my agents and I hit the streets with the utmost precision. If there is a threat, then perhaps this threat isn't based in the city." Unwin suggested.

"It was part of Ainsley announcement as you may remember. Arete tasked him with retrieving an artifact of light. The reason, however, is that an evil comes and the relic can supposedly fight it. It was as every bit as vague as it sounds. Tomorrow, I plan on communing with Freya. I have no idea what to expect, but I suggest those with gods commune with them as well." Geiravor replied.

[dysmorphia]

Kestejoo chuckled at that and he shook his head. "No, it is not that... there are some things my God does not allow, but ioun stones are not one of them."

He settled back onto the ground, leaning against the wall behind him. "That one... I believe it sustains one, yes? So you do not need food or water? That must be extremely useful... I think you said you lived in the desert? That kind of ioun stone would be great in the desert. My servant and I went through a desert on our way here... we were lucky we had enough water and food with us."

[Wolfykins]

"It would be, yes," Aurora agreed, "but this is a new toy. I won it from a carnival game at the festival." She smiled.
"The desert is an unforgiving place, but, it has its secrets. Food and water are present more often than you might think, but often hidden. For example, you can cut a hole in a cactus to find water. And the inner flesh of a cactus is edible. But it was mostly just the scouts who needed that kind of survival knowledge on the regular. We were all taught, in case something happened, but for the most part, food was provided by the druids of the Herd. When there was no forage, they would simply grow what we needed in that moment," she explained, still smiling, a faraway look stealing into her brown eyes as she spoke.

The dark-haired elf finished the guide drawing and packed up her brush. She traded places with the other elf, who unrolled a set of tattooing needles. The dark-haired elf sat on the chaise lounge with a small lap desk across her knees and carefully measured out precise amounts of pigments and mixed them together. The fair-haired elf took one of the small trays of teal pigment when the mixture was complete and dipped her needle into it and set to work following the design painted on Aurora's body. While she worked, the dark-haired elf worked on mixing another batch of pigment.

[Andrew Markham]

After a good bit of negotiating and editing, Aurix looks to Umbear. He releases a held breath, muscles loosening somewhat from the tense discussion. "I think that about covers everything. How do we work this into your...scenario? Work it like a formal duel?"

[EdgeGrinder]

Geiravir sighed in disappointment at the lack of progress. "Unwin, please refocus your efforts on outside of the city and keep an eye on your suspicious character. Everyone, we must remain vigilant. We never know what undefined threats may await us. Don't let peace and prosperity dull your senses. If that is all, I will dismiss this meeting."

[Wolfykins]

Warrick shrugged and looked at Gorrun. "I've got nothing. You ready to head to the guild offices?"

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear, his brow furrowed. Looks over the quill scratches, his eyes focused. He nods as he stands up, his muscles relaxing.

"I think this looks good. Yea.... call me out. Use some colorful language, declare a official challenge for the sheep. Crowds love a story with their fighting show. "

He smiles to aurix.

[Andrew Markham]

Aurix grins. "I mean, I think this whole thing is way over the top, but I have no qualms about defending My Lady's honor. For that, I'm on board. Come on, let's go see if we can get Ignatius."

Aurix takes his parchment and heads down the hall towards the meeting.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Umbear, not far behind, follows Aurix, Whistling a foreboding tune, announcing their arrival moments before their entry to the meeting.

"Did we miss anything?"

[dysmorphia]

"Ah - I had questions about this... this festival... I have never seen a thing like. The only similar is the ... how do you say... fighters... ah, my Common words fail me. Know you another language?" Kestejoo asked, fidgeting slightly at his lack of knowledge for the language of this place. He was not fluent in common, but knew enough to get by. Lumont was usually his translator for more complicated words. Even some of the words Aurora spoke now, he only got the gist of it to carry the conversation. But his knowledge had run out.

When the artists started on the tattoo itself, Kestejoo was patient with Aurora, so as not to rush her words so she would not disturb the artists' work.

[Wolfykins]

"Sure; but that was the point of us leaving the dining hall," Warrick answered with a chuckle.

---

"Yes, several," Aurora said.

Spoiler: Sylvan

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"Do you speak our native tongue?"

She asked.