Session 18: Dai Surprise Report
General Summary
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DATE: Vamendour 4/625
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Ayame yawns as she sits in the wagon, Sebastian clinging onto the bottom for dear life to stay out of sight. Naomi crawls out from the wagon looking exausted, like she hasn't been sleeping well, with bags under her eyes. Ayame turns to her companion with a raised brow. "Are you doing ok? you seem out of sorts recently."
"I..I've been having some explicit and realistic dreams lately...It's been hard getting proper sleep." Naomi admits, rubbing her eyes, and getting forward to sit next to Ayame.
Ayame nods back to her. "I'm sorry to hear that. It must be difficult with everything that has been happening recently."
Eleanor hums from her sitting spot at the back of the wagon, "Explicit is an awfully vague term, I got some stuff that might help you sleep better if you ever wanna try though." She pauses for a brief moment, "It's whiskey. Incase you were wonderin."
Going along next to the wagon in her chariot, Lacy turns to Eleanor. "Whiskey usually leads to me having explicit dreams. So maybe you're all wrong"
Naomi shakes her head. "I just...I doubt whiskey would help. I started getting them when the stars were eaten."
"There she is, Tallaut, the great city of wood elves and Lathair." The merchants call back to the party from their position before them. The party has been traversing the woods for some time now, and they see before them great towering trees with naturally grown vines set between abodes of different levels. In some ways, the trees remind you of Praerbas streets, making their way snaking through the city. Unlike Praerba however, this area looks to have no true "roads" save for a main dirt path that seems to have been basically dug into the forest floor from all the foot traffic over the years.
"We're here now, l-let's just move on to more important topics. We're at the city -- Does anyone have anything they'd like to do first and foremost?" Naomi says, changing the subject as quickly as she can.
"Get our reward." Ayame says with agreement from the rest of the party.
The buildings are all lavish, and look to be made from the tree itself, though in some cases, more shaped from the still living bark by natural or unnatural (magical) means. The main street that the party is traversing on has quite a few traders, but the traders that the party accompany stop and hand Eleanor a bag of silver. "Your payment. Thank you." he nods to Eleanor while the two of them start unloading the cart they were driving in.
Eleanor starts handing out the six silver everyone received before coming to Naomi, who shakes her head. "It's...Only six silver, you can keep my share, Eleanor."
Eleanor squints at Naomi and sighs, "Nao you take your payment, no turning down that, work is work, this amount of money is good money for a lotta folks" Ellie says this while very insistently putting the coin in Naomi's hand.
"Finally, something I can agree with." Lacy sighs exasperatedly.
"I-I just didn't want to handle the smaller denomination! It seems like a pain..." Naomi says pocketing the silver anyway.
Eleanore chuckles. "Buy something at a tavern with it or somethin, how don't you have any silver at all? Do you just give folks gold coin and tell them to keep the change to avoid them??"
Ayame looks away sheepishly. "I-I do... W-Well..any change I get I keep to send to the shrine..."
"Ugh... Coin is coin. Can we please get a move on?" Lacy says as the party turns to start walking onwards towards the queen.
Just as they do so, Naomi is grabbed from behind and hoisted into the air with a shriek. "Wha!?!" She cries out as the party turns towards the new assailant.
The party looks towards the giggling assailant as Naomi flails in the arms of a woman that looks to be an older version of her. With hair that shines like polished gold, and silver eyes. She is covered from head to toe in ceremonial armor. "Didn't think I'd find you here, but I guess I've always been kinda lucky! Wait until Ariel hears where I found you...You're in BIG trouble lil' girl!"
Naomi is still flailing trying to escape from the womans ironclad grip. "W-wait I can explain everything, it was Violets idea! Mom put me down!"
Violet giggles at the sight while the armored woman moves her daughter to be held under her arm like a sack of potatoes. "M-Mom my friends are watching!" She says, blushing a deep crimson from embarrassment.
The woman turns to the rest of the party and smiles at them. "Ah, so you're the ones that have been keeping my little pumpkin' tart safe? Forgive my rudeness, my name is Rea Dai'Gishkin. I'm her mom."
"I'm sure the daughter of a lengendary hero doesn't need her mom to go deliver a letter or travel with friends." Ragia says, looking up at Rea.
Eleanor chuckles, "That's an adorably fittin' name for Nao- Legendary hero?" She asks, looking to Ragia like she said something wrong.
"Its a pleasure. to meet you miss!" Ayame trails off hearing her name "I-Ive heard a lot about you!"
Naomi places her hands over her face to hide her embarrassment.
A green haired fairy flutters into the scene, carrying a book and looking exhausted, she flutters down and sits on Rea's shoulder, leaning against her face. "Always with the extra energy. She mutters before waving tiredly at Naomi. "Hi Nahemah. Glad you are safe after the apocalypse... again."
Ragia turns to Eleanor "Why yes, my parents were pretty young at the time, but this woman did save the world, and most of its history too."
Eleanor blinks, mumbling "fuck, right, I did hear an apocalypse happened before."
Lacy quizzically looks around her party members in new light, before rubbing her hand over her face, as if slacking off layers of mud. She extends her hand. "It's an honor to escort your daughter through these trying times Ma'am."
Naomi looks to the green haired fairy, whispering. "Milla, save meeeeee."
"Oh please, I'm not THAAAT legendary..." Rea scratches her cheek with her free hand, trying to look humble, but you can tell she's enjoying the attention. "I was just here on some ambassadorship duties when I thought I saw this lil ball of teenage rebellion in the distance, who would've guessed it's Nahameh!" Rea giggles and hefts Naomi up a lil more to get a better grip on her. "Nahemah here ran away from home to try and adventure like me...But Gods, honey! Don't you know that's dangerous?! What if you got hurt!!"
"Mom!! I just...Wanted...To be like you!!!" Naomi says, struggling against her mothers unmoving iron grip.
"Rea, she can't breathe." Milla sighs and rolls her eyes. "And I told you that we wouldn't hunt her down many many times before. You never listen to me."
"Awww...." Ayame says, almost seeming moved by the pair of seraph. "This is one of the most heartwarming things I have seen" she says quietly, biting her cheeks to stop herself from laughing
Lacy just stands there. Hand extended, her smile so stiff one would think she was actually in pain from holding it.
Rea looks and finally notices Lacy. "Oh! Hi there, sorry. I've had so many people try to shake my hand over the years I kinda grew numb to it..." She says before shaking Naomi's hand with an overexuberant iron grip.
"LACY... NUMB" Lacy says, introducing herself with less than veiled pain.
"Oop! Sorry!" Rea lets go and rubs the back of her neck. "Magically enhanced strength, hard to get used to it again..."
"Ah magic." Lacy says with a whimper, nursing her hand.
Rea puts down Naomi, realizing that she is basically choking her daughter, but keeps a firm hand on her childs shoulder, unwilling to let her go, and Naomi knows she has no way of escaping.
Ayame reaches out my hand for a tenative handshake "M-My Name is Ayame Shiori! Pleased to meet you Miss Dai'Gishkin." To which Rea gingerly takes and shakes Ayame's hand, more concious about it this time.
"Speaking of family, miss rea, it's been decades, but do you remember rafliss ? he's my great uncle, and he boasted a lot about his time with you, once you got famous. he never managed to find a good excuse on why did he leave your party though, for what i gathered, it was kobold business in the red quarter of Rynasen." Ragia says excitedly.
"Rafliss?? Uncle? Wow! I DID know him, yes. Wow, you're just as cute as he was! Dont uh...Tell him I said that if he's still alive. He had a tendency to cuddle." Rea says with a chuckle.
"I would have hoped i'd be cuter, seems i still have some road to do before i can surpass him as a true dragon." Ragia says with pride.
Eleanor watches all of this unfold and quietly makes her way to the cart, excusing herself from the conversation. Lacy notices this and makes her way over as well.
"Worried at all?" Lacy bugs the barbarian. Crossing her arms and staring at the group.
"Uh.. no I just am not familiar with this person and it feels kinda awkward, I'm fine skippin the family meetings" Eleanor says quietly.
"Loud and clear. I can't stand families. Not to mention she's apparently some big shot. Makes me feel queasy thinking about it." Lacy says, eying twine starting to climb up Rea's leg.
Rea notices Lacy and Eleanor walking away...but her eyes do linger on Eleanor for a bit... "Hmm...So Nahemah, we'll talk about your punishment for running away when I take you home. But what were you doing here, of all places?"
With deadpan delivery, already emotionally exausted by her mother, "Delivering a letter to the Que-- Home?!?! N-no mom, please! Im an adult now!!" She changes pace quickly, panicking by the prospect.
Rea frowns and turns her daughter around and looks her in the eyes "Darling, no arguments. There's something big happening and I want you safe."
"My friends keep me safe mom! Just like Violet and Kae and Rafliss did with you! So PLEASE, I don't want to be stuck in Seconvale my whole life..."
"W-We did a good job! We have a letter to meet the queen and get a reward because we saved a town!" She says proudly
"i'm flatered you're putting rafliss as your mom's bodyguard, but i'm pretty sure i remember the great blaze as beeing her companion on her most dangerous adventures as recorded in the library at violet's school... i had a lot of free time in detentions and non spellbook books were the only distraction allowed" Ragia says, running off topic.
Milla smacks Rea upside the head.
"Oop! H-hey...What was that for..." Rea says, looking to the fairy.
"Two things. One, you still aren't listening to me. Two, we have a job to do here, and im only with you as the smart one. If Ariel were here, im sure you would force her crying and screaming back home. Your connection came back two days ago, im sure hers did too, and there isn't a scratch on her at all. You should be proud that she survived crashing that ship without even a scar to show for it." Milla scolds Rea before looking to Naomi. "Yeah, I've kept tabs on you."
It is then that rea notices twine crawling up her leg and she screams like a young girl, trying to swipe it away from her when Milla flutters and picks it up before Rea squashes the thing. Naomi takes the moment to flee from her mothers grasp, clinging to Eleanor to force her back into the conversation.
Milla holds Twine, petting him softly while looking to Rea. "Just because you saved the world doesn't mean you have to protect a child from her own dreams Rea."
Calmed down slightly, Rea sighs. "I-I just don't want her to see her get hurt, or have her watch her friends die like I did..."
Lacy moves to Milla and takes back Twine while Milla hands him over, talking to the armored gal. "Life is dealing with not getting what we want. Not forcing our ideals on others... or wives."
"Eh? Wives?" Ayame says with a raised brow.
Rea turns immediately to Milla at her saying that. "I-I said I was SORRY!" She says before looking back to the party sighing. "Anyway, lets get back on topic." She looks briefly at Eleanor, as if inspecting her. "You look familiar..."
"I-I'm from an entirely different continent, maybe I jus' look like another pale person you know?" Eleanor says nearly sweating from the inspection.
"Iunno, Im married to a Lich and she's pretty pale. You look nothin' like her."
Rea stands up straight and sighs, turning her back to Eleanor and Naomi, trying to act cool. "Well Nahemah...I guess you do have some competent looking partymates..."
"Fellow adventurers." Milla snapps and flutters back to Reas shoulder.
"F-fellow adventurers!" Rea corrects.
"What's a lich?" Eleanor mutters, confused and tired.
"And...You're an adventurer yourself now...Just like your Momma.. And your momma's Momma..." Rea sighs "Gods my bloodline is just always going to be difficult to deal with for their parents, aren't they?" Rea mutters.
"Technically, you forcing her out of her clerical duties goes against your own teachings of Rhamnasia. You know, the one where true clerics and paladins of the goddess traverse the globe to exercise demons from innocent souls.?" Milla says kissing the top of Rea's head.
Rea stiffens up, straightening up and looking to Naomi. "Be proud of yourself, Adventurer Nahemah! I've decided to allow you to continue on your journey based on the merit of your achievements, along with viewing the bonds you've started to form with your comrades. Congratulations..."
Lacy indignantly pipes up. "Why does she need your permission?"
"Because I'm her Mother." Rea says, crossing her arms, closing her eyes and nodding her head, as if she was proud of her shitty comeback.
"Because she's a motherfucker" Milla says nonchalantly.
"I mean...that does sound like a good reason to me" Ayame says with a nod.
Rea nods in agreement, nonplussed by Milla's comment."It's true, I do f-"
Naomi scream interrupts her "Ah ah ah!! Stop that right there!" Milla can't help but giggle.
Naomi is still glowering at her mom from behind Eleanor, but tentively says "Thanks for "allowing" me to adventure mom but.. What are you doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be back at home in Seconvale?"
"Ah...Yes...THAT. I'm here on Official Ambassador business for Seconvale...The Dwarves and Drakenvald are making a move, and I'm here to help smooth out the details for a supply chain along the border in case full-blown war breaks out." Rea says. "Well, I realize now my wording was poor. The Dwarves and Drakenvald are going to war with the Steel Empire...They're most likely attacking through the mountains, or through the forests. By order of the Ruler of Seconvale I was requested to be here to make sure no...'pre-war looting' of the forests take place, if that makes sense."
"That and your official duty as ambassador, trying to get the elves to either participate, or set a forest boundry, especially given our connections in rynasen." Milla says boredly, opening up a book and reading it.
Rea bites her lip and looks away from Milla. "W-what my first wife said. But, that does mean I'll be here in this city for a bit. Nahemah. I know you want to be independent, but if there's ANYTHING you need or want... Well..I'll get it for you."
Ayame interjects. "U-Uhm, you know violet right?" She asks Rea.
"Know her? She used to sleep under my bed! Of course I know her!" Rea says with a smile.
"Not even in my top five pain in the asses in my life, but she does make top 10." Milla says, flipping to the next page.
Ayame blinks "U-Under your bed?!"
"Ah, she could transform herself into a cat. She used to sleep on my boobs or under the bed at the Inn we stayed at to avoid paying the fees. Well.. We own that Inn now but that's a different story." Rea says with a soft hum.
"May have been instrumental in inciting three separate rebellions. Not allowed to talk about her in a friendly manner within earshot of rival magical colleges." Milla interjects with a sigh.
"H-huh! Sounds like fun...If I could do that I'm sure I would do it to your daughter!" Ayame then stammers nervously "I-I mean the under the bed thing! N-Not the B-Boobs thing..." she says sheepishly her facade of professionalism breaking slightly "B-But I was wondering if you could maybe introduce me sometime or uhm...I want to join her School and uhm..Yeah" Ayame says before recognizing Milla's words and looking to her. "Rebellions?"
"The shadowdirk Insurection, The Geard Reinstalation, and the Orzhov rebellion, Yeah." Milla says absentmindedly.
"Violet is... chaotic to say the least...Always busy, as well... Buuut for one of Naomi's friends I suppose I could find some time to ask her about meeting you." Rea nods to Ayame.
"Ayame if you're going to violet's school, i'm afraid we'll have to part way at the gate. i am... no longer welcome there, and i'm pretty sure they've beefed up the wards and targeted defense spells against me since last time i tried to get in while temporarily banned" Ragia says with a sigh.
"E-Eh? But surely they won't stop you from entering the city... Its a whole Kingdom! A small one but..still a kingdom!" Ayame says with concern.
"She loves to break in to places but hates when people do the same. It'll be tough getting in if you're banned for life...but I can put a word in." Rea says with a wink and a smile to Ragia.
"I wouldn't put it past the professors to have invented spells to keep me out of the kingdom, they are the best spell makers in the world, and i did get them heck of a lot pissed with my shenanigan." Ragia says with a shy chuckle.
Ayame seems to go starry eyed. "Y-Yeah they are...I wanna meet them all" She says before turning to Rea again. "Well uhm, we were going to see the queen...I don't suppose thats where your ambassadorial duties are bringing your?"
"Ill explain." Milla sighs, looking to Ayame, closing her book. "No-one gets entrance with the queen without the support, and confidence of three members of the blessed council. One from day, one from night, and the religious leader from the opposing city. Sadly, they all went apeshit over there, so we are here to try and get the council to make a vote to send troops to the northern border. But apparently there are more issues than that in the way, as well as a fillibuster preventing anyone from starting a vote."
"Its a bit of a mess." Rea sighs in agreement.
"Gwillith is one of the most complicated systems of democratic government in the world, but it held up for hundreds of years before Drakenvald took them over." Milla says before standing up on Rea's shoulder.
"Huh...but wait, how are they democratic if they have a queen? Whats her role?" Ayame questions.
"The queen is a... interesting role. She holds the same power as the king except..." Milla looks up to the daylit sky. "She is technically powerless to his orders until nighttime. Any order from the king is upheld to its fullest during the day. The Blessed council having the 2nd designation of power, and the queen cannot be ordered by them, but cannot give conflicting orders. During dawn and dusk, the king and queen are of equal statue, and it is only during that time that they can meet. no matter what time of day, the blessed council have the 2ndary power over the realm. What the queen and king says, goes, unless it is overturned."
Ayame whines a bit and rubs her forehead "This seems way to complicated"
"Welcome to elven politics, where everything takes longer because they have the lifespans to iron out the issues." Milla says with a chuckle.
"Eh...I guess that makes sense" Ayame sighs.
"Politics in general are complicated...I tried to stay put of them young, but this mind of trouble finds you if you're skilled enough to deal with it." Says Rea.
"Says the hero who convinced wheat farmers that they needed to buy Seconvale soil." Milla teases.
"...I mean...they did! Just yknow...Not in the way they thought." Rea retorts.
"So....if we can't see the queen...maybe we could help you get everything back in order!" Ayame says to Rea.
"Hmm...Perhaps. But if you have a letter for saving a town, something tells me she's going to have more work for you." Rea mumbles to herself and sighs "They always do."
Ayame giggles a little "Well...right now thats kinda what I'm working for...at least until I can join the school. I-If I'm going to meet violet I need to have done some things to impress her!"
"Well, aren't you a lil spitfire. I can see why my daughter travels with you; So ambitious!" Rea says with a chuckle.
"Well, in the meantime, maybe we should figure out what this fillibuster is about?" Milla suggests.
"Yes, let's get a move on. You 5 should come with us." Rea offers.
Throughout this, Lacy leans over to Eleanor. "Where's your mom?"
"Er.." Eleanor thinks for a moment at Lacy's question, but ends up literally stumbling over like she was punched in the gut.. hard! She stays quietly hunched over for a minute... then Lacy would see something on the ground below Ellie, wet droplets falling from her face. Eleanor softly weeps, crying, holding her head as though having a migraine with one hand and the other hand tightly gripping her chest.
It takes her a good few more moments before gaining any sliver of composure, it seeming like it takes everything in her soul to stand back up straight and turn to keep her face away from view of the group as possible. Answering Lacy's question with a pained voice, "I-I.. she's.. they're all gone now..", going quickly back to sobbing as quietly as she can handle.
Lacy expected the two fighters to keep their cool demeanor and listen in on the conversation. It takes her a bit to notice the silence isn't just another way to get her annoyed. Her expression softens when she turns to see the hulking albino in tears. Lacy stops what she's doing an renders some apprehension. She looks unsure of how to brooch the subject... She ends up putting a hand on Eleanor's shoulder slowly. "I too, have lost those dear to me." Twine scuttles up Lacy's arm, but the grouch shoos her away before she can make the transfer to comfort Eleanor.
"Perhaps I'm out of line... but you should be glad that their memories are still fresh. After all, you don't owe them your tears. I assume they gave their lives to you, long before their passing."
Eleanor leans over a bit with her head down again, her hand covers her eyes as though trying to stop the tears from falling out, taking a deep breath in to speak again, "I..I'm s-sorry to hear that Lacy..." she takes another deep breath in but this second one sounds pained, sharp, "Thats.. t-the thing Lace... I o-only just.. r-remembered them now..." she attempts another breath in and out to calm herself down, letting out a "ffuck.."
"I... Yeah.. I'm going to hug you now." Lacy says, embracing Eleanor. "Hey, It's... alright? Plenty of people have dead parents and partial amnesia. Let's just keep going, okay?" Lacy helps Elli straighten up, and produces a silk handkerchief. Eleanor nods and chuckles weakly, grabbing the hankerchief to wipe her eyes dry, an effort that's in vain. She sniffles and holds her head head up, looking up as though maybe that will stop it. She breaths in and lets out a sigh that's equal parts exhale, "Y-yes.. I s'ppose so.. not like I'm allowed to stop..." she rubs her eyes again, "Okay.. I think I'm.. good.. I didn't think I'd be sayin this but, thank you Lacy". She dusts herself off a bit, composing herself a bit better, and while her eyes are red and puffy, she 's about as put together as she's gonna get, following the party to the next location.
The party makes their way to what looks to be a library from the outside, but inside a vast collection of books dots the walls, with the centerpiece of the area surrounded by a group of noble looking elves. One of them in particular talking at extreme length with his throat obviously getting sore.
"This is why there are no limits to the potential for trechery from the cruel machinations of those we so happily try to bring into our society. They will kill our leaders the same as they have for generations wither we make them legal or not. The very idea is more akin to letting us become slaves to our sworn enemies than actually gaining profitable taxes from a new revenue source. If the dark elves want to get into gwillith, they will have to cut down everyone in our path."
A nameplate before this man reads, in elven. 'Theralon Gray.'
Character(s) interacted with
Rea Dai'Gishkin
Milla Daionea-Dai'Gishkin
Theralon Grey
