The Half-Moon Inn and Fest Hall Part 3

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

"are you thinking of traveling there?"

((sounds like a quest...lol))

[NyssaRilynana]

"I think so. It's a long journey. I will have to travel to the south of Faerun. Its a long journey that i'm not sure I'm prepared to make again."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

Ariali didnt know what to say. their was sadness(?) in her eyes as she spoke. a waitress came by to refill drinks.
"what about with these folks here," indicating everyone she was sitting with. "I dont as much about the drow ways, but it looks like a capable party of adventurers of numerous skills and talents." (wizard, bard, rogue, ranger, cleric, druid, ect)
Ariali notices the pained reaction from Chalithra, wondering if she can help her. she knew not to ask; drow have a pride thing about weakness. she remembered an old travel companion, one who had become a friend, even if she was a non-religious vhaeraunite. a slight chuckle then she turned her attention back to the group.

[Alak_Chathrosin]

To Lothir, the smile disappearing from his face....

"Vengeance? My vengeance is for a fallen house that disobeyed the edicts of the Spider Queen. I never took their faith, but I also never had it in that....my words to give life to the thoughts that faith invokes in me are not to be heard in pleasant company.

May the flame take all spiders."

"As to nobility," he shrugs and the grin returns. "I have never had it, and so wouldn't know that you are no longer by your bearing. Though, I do admit your tale of portals makes me want to laugh, but not from mockery but sympathy. I have done the same. I nearly died the first time I touched down on Ember in the City of Brass. Made a few friends though."

He listens to Nyssa as she bears her pain, or at least the tiniest sliver of it, and he nods. "I've been through Dambrath. I know of the Pain Maidens and the mixed bloods who live there. If your parents were followers of the Dancing Night Lady, I can see how much bravery that required. My condolenses."

Turning a twinkling eyed look at Ariali. "A quest then is it? I'm not sure a motley like this could work together in such a fashion. What would be the terms, gains, and orders of operations? I would hate to overcome a threat to be chastized for my methods."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

She smiles to the wizard, "well, i have traveled shortly with such folks. a biplolar warrior, an assassin, a fire crazed sorceress...that was just the start of that adventure ((it's still in progress)) how bad could it be?"

[Aylstra Illianniis]

Lothir waves his hand to Alak absently. "Ah, pay it no mind. I simply meant the introduction as a formal custom. I may have abandoned my home, but old habits die hard, I suppose. And I certainly don't mind a bit of harmless humor at my expense; in fact, looking back on it, it WAS rather amusing. Could have been worse, I suppose- I COULD have ended up in Baator!" He chuckles, and akes another sip of is wine.

"I do understand your desire for vengeance, but take cre that it does not consume you. Too many have met their ends that way, and such a waste does no one any good."

He pauses to regard Nyysa, and nods at her reply. "Dambrath? I'm only familiar with it by name. Most of the drow there follow Loviatar, do they not? A most distasteful faith, it seems. Though not so very different from tht of Lolth herself. If you wish to return there, I am always seeking new lands to explore, and new things to learn. Seems as good an excuse to travel as any."

He turns back to the flirty one. "Chalithra, you mentoned The Havok- is that a ship? It just happens that I come from a maritime culture myself. My father has four ships of his own: Executioner, Iceheart, Darkwater, and Sea Spider. Many of his crews are accustomed to the daylight, as is he, but unfortunately, I have not yet acquired that gift. I do most of my traveling by night- it's less painful."

[Chalithra]

The womans reply to her question has her head tilting ever so slightly as she swings startling blue eyes towards her. A small smile tickles at the corners of her lips.

"The sun is hellish. You are fortunate to not suffer from the same fate."

She listens to the rest in silence, Ariali's mention of a quest and a room full of worthy adventures has one brow rising. She'd parted lips to respond but held her tongue when Alak began. Her smile widens in small degree even as she lets out the softest of laughs. His questioning very much as hers was about to be.

"Indeed. Such things should be worked out well in advance. What are acceptable methods of.......defending oneself. And the spoils of those defenses. How should they be parceled and by whom?"

Just as quickly as she'd asked the matter seems to have slipped from her thoughts as her attention swings from Ariali to Alak.

"The City of Brass you say?"

Angling her head forward just a touch she seems to ponder. Staring into the deep red of her wine she lets her mind dance over the stories she'd heard.

"I've heard wondrous stories of Pasha's and Sultans. Great harems and trees of fire. Are they true?"

She looks up at long last curiosity dancing in her gaze. Her attention however is once again stolen by Lothir. A grin offered as she nods.

"Yes, a ship. But I honestly know nothing of such vessels. It seemed to be very fast. Truthfully I spent most of my time while aboard her chained tightly to the main mast, or locked away in the Captains cabin. I was so very terrified that the ship would sink. That was the first time I'd ever seen the sea. And we went through a great deal of.....trouble during our travel."

Clearing her throat she smiles ever so slightly, her eyes haunted for a few beats of her heart, long enough for her to drink heavily from her glass. With a blink the expression is gone replaced by a serene smile.

[Aylstra Illianniis]

At Chalithra's reply he frowns darkly. "You were- a prisoner?" he asks delicatey, though clearly seems to want to ask more. "It was not merely a merchant or passenger vessel then, I take it. Pirates?" A dark look passes over his face, as if he knows something of the subject, but he says no more.

[Chalithra]

Her lips press together tightly before she closes her eyes. There is only a moment of hesitation before she shrugs and smiles brightly.

"Pirates.....merchants...is there truly that much of a difference? They are both thieves, one just happens to tell you how much they are going to fleece you."

[Aylstra Illianniis]

"Ha! True enough," he replies. "And the other simply takes it and tosses you over. I was simply wondering because it happens that my father is one of the latter- a pirate 'King', if you will. In every sense of the word."

[Chalithra]

Once again that angelic smile of hers is offered. She does however relax back into her seat, legs uncrossing. The glass of wine is drawn back with her and cradled in both hands as she rests them against the brocade of her corset.

"Would it make sense for me to say that he was both a merchant and a pirate? Would that they had simply tossed me over. No the entire affair was a bit more complicated than that. But I am no minstrel and am not well versed in the spinning of tales."

She draws in a long slow sip of the wine. A deep breath follows the swallow, she holds it only to release it a few heartbeats later as a sigh.

"A pirate and a king hm? Interesting. Is he a King because of the men and ships he commands or is he a King because of birth?"

[NyssaRilynana]

"Dambrath is a wonderous land, but filled with many dangers. Travelling there would take not only much effort but much time. I have not travelled there in many a moon. I would love some company. Oh and, Aliak, my parents yet live. It was they that sent me the scroll. I am not one to chastise today. I fear my feelings cloud my judgement, but so long as living beings don't die needlessly, I'm fine."

Cymus comes up quietly behind Nyssa as she closes her eyes. The panther purrs gently and her face relaxes. She turns to him and smiles. "Thank you, my friend."

Nyssa turns to Chalithra. "Who mentioned the City of Brass? It is quiet dangerous traveling by portal, but it is a fantastical place. Yes, the stories of the Dijinn are true. It reminds me of Zahkara. I don't know if any of you have ever been there. But back to the quest that apparently you all want to come on with me."

Nyssa looks around. "The first questions we should ask are who is going and are you coming all the way? I have been on travels where we were companions only to a certain point then we went out our own ways. Should we divide spoils evenly, or do you keep what you kill? I prefer a medium pace if anyone cares." Nyssa giggles for the first time that evening. Her twinkle at the thought of not only getting back to the place of her upbringing, but having some help in dispensing justice.

[Alak_Chathrosin]

Alak's eyes, red as hearth or forge fire, move back and forth between Lothir and Chalithra, moving in the interim to look at Nyssa.

He lingers occasionally on Nyssa with expressions of amusement and appreciation for her form. It is tempered by a healthy respect for the large cat by her side.

As the subject is raised a few times, he obviously falls into his element as a lecturer or sage:

"The City of Brass is home to more than the Efreeti, though I will admit they are an impressive facet and the predominate force of the City of Brass.

The Sultan's soldiers patrol in regimented form, usually with wickedly curved halberds or falchions at the ready. The commander of any single unit has proven himself time and time again to be cruel, ruthless and cunning. Those commanders are served by underlings who remain vigilant for threats abroad and opportunities within the city to advance themselves in a cut throat political environ.

Beneath the Sultan's absolute rule of the realms of the fireswept Djinn, he has placed his Caliphate, Viziers, Amirs, Pashas, and Beys. I have had dealings with these creatures in the past, and know them to be crafty and skilled bargainers. Much like deals with demons, you had best be watchful of both what you truly want, and what you say."

He smiles amiably.

"But to be more succinct, lovely Chalithra, yes. Harems are a staple symbol of standing among the Efreet, and the more exotic the lady, the more she's worth. I have seen bejeweled and bedecked Tieflings, Succubi, Calishites, and even one...and only one....Arctic Dwarf lass. I'm honest in the saying, I did not care to shave copper pieces for her chances of enduring.

The plane of fire is awash with sights that are nearly familiar, and yet wholly alien, to those from Toril. I speak with a lesser degree of familiarity of other places in the Primal material planes. Yet, for all those Material layers have variances in the simple tree - the white boughed Macavia elm in Thesk, and the Morrilé Oak near the Silver Wood - trees have bark, limbs, leaves and flowers. In the realm of fire, the trees are made of soot, flame, ash, and smoke. They burn forever without fuel or cause, and shimmer into being as other things in the less stable parts of the realm. Truly, one of the wonders of fire that I recommend to anyone. Though to noone who lacks the proper preparations."

[Aylstra Illianniis]

Lothir notes Alak's interest in Nyssa, and his cautious glance at the panther, and hides a smile behind the pretext of taking another drink.

He listens to Alak's description with rapt interest, his focused gaze seeming to take in evey word precisely. "Trees of ash that burn without reason or fuel? Fascinating. It puts me in mind of a story I once heard about a man who spoke to a burning bush in a desert..." He muses, half to himself.

"Unfortunately, I've never been to Zahkara, either, though it sounds a good deal like the Arian Desert and the city of Simara back home. It's so large tha it takes months to cross, and I would not recomend it to anyone ill-prepared for the lack of water and trekking through endless dunes. But there is a most peculiar race of plant-people that lives there- they are called cactus-men; sort of like a surface cousin of myconids, I presume."

He turns back to Chalithra, and gives her a wide grin. "Ah, self-made. He does indeed command many ships AND men- well, drow, actually- but he took his crown and throne by a rather forceful and decisive coup against the Matrons of my home. With the help of the elder sons and consorts, and the common soldiers of many of the most powerful houses, of course. A complete gender revolution. With him at its head, naturally."

[Chalithra]

"Alak did. I'm afraid I'm flitting between conversations as they strike my interest. Confusing to those who do not hear my thoughts I imagine. But...as to this quest you think to take. When do you think you might leave? I would say that if others are to join that they can go as they like, I am not keen to agree to go only to find that I am bound to the end. As for the spoils of this little adventure, best to split them amongst the group as even as possible."

Her gaze shifts from Nyssa to Alak. A soft almost wistful smile is offered.

"An arctic dwarf.....truly?" She laughs ever so softly even as she shakes her head in disbelief. "It sounds fantastically beautiful and phenomenally dangerous. I should like to go someday...once the proper precautions are taken of course. But magic is not my strength....what precautions are required?"

Another slow sip of wine is taken as she listens to all that Lothir has to say. Her smile as it spreads is pure mischief.

"Ah, a difficult feat indeed. He must be quite a male. Does his son follow in his footsteps?"