Day 25 - True or False: Who to Trust

Well, today started with a blast and an insult, when at 4am the Z'nir guards woke us up, told us to dress our best, and then led us to the hangar. It was all a flurry with the DOSK, their entourage, their military, and a spot for us off to one side. It was then I saw the airships come. Four huge airships made out of Sora wood and powered by air elementals making their way toward The Great Crag Mountain. And just as they approached, the harpies from The Great Crag did a flying display showing their prowess. Then as if in response, the airships set off a large display of fireworks. I can tell they did not do their homework on how to approach the DOSK. Heck, I was insulted with such displays of wealth and frivolity. I couldn't even fake it, the anger all over my face them getting me out of bed while I was nice and snuggled and sleeping for this. Once the displays of power were over, it just got worse as individuals started to feather fall from the airships instead of taking the ladders. Florid displays happened, which the DOSK find insulting as they like plain and direct communication. Not the fakeness that comes with diplomacy. The spokesperson for the Breland/Dragonmark house delegations was the head of House Jorasco - Ulara d'Jorasco. She greets them very formally and with too much flourish but accepts the offer of lodging and sustenance that the DOSK present. Benne Roche who is the representative for Breland also presents herself, but in a slightly less display of foppery. The head of House Deneith presents himself and kneels providing an apology for the mess in Greywall. When all is said and done, the House groups make one more unwise decision and, instead of excepting the help with luggage by the harpies, each bag had a feather fall token attached and the luggage floated to the hangar floor in a wasteful show of pretentiousness and wealth. Then it was time to leave, and the tubes were full. I looked at my group and bid them a good night, took Tarryn's hand, and dimension doored to our room. The others were transported by harpy to another entrance and escorted back to our area.
The one good part about the arrival was getting the opportunity to speak with Hazel d'Orien. We were able to tell her about the Lower Dura to brace her for the fallout and she seemed extremely excited to watch them all go down in flames with the accommodations. She also delivered a letter to Tarryn from his mother and sister which he was excited to go read.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tarryn and I got back to our room, he read his letter letting him know they were fine, that they were told he had become a bit of a hero and were moved into better lodgings with a reward for them to hold until he returned to Sharn. House Orien provided all of this. Now that he knows his family is safe, it is my turn to see how my family is and I finally performed the scry spell watching for my mother. I watched for the whole 10mins of her getting ready and making breakfast for the family. And I cried to know they were safe. Now I can eat breakfast.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now the rest of the day is kind of a mash up of meetings with good people and not so good people and the discovery that we have to stop a bombing.
The DOSK summoned us immediately to meet with them and, with great pains to themselves, asked for us to help them and to keep Droaam's best interest at heart. At this point, the seer (ST) has a vision, now prior to the vision, I could feel the psychic energy testing our wills. Two of our number simply checked out and were unfocused at that point. Then there was more discussion and another wash of energy tested us once more and I was the only one to keep my wits about me. And once the vision flashed before us, I was forced once more to challenge my will and I rose to it to keep my mind intact. The vision was of a gathering within the mountain where Breland, Droaam, and Dragonmark representatives were gathered in a meeting, or cocktail hour, or a dinner where in the middle of the room there was a sucking sound followed by a boom, bright white light and then there was nothing. This could mean the end for the region if we do not find the bomb before this event takes place. In order for us to succeed, the DOSK provide us with their personal natural rings that they and their heads of order wear to move freely throughout the mountain. This will grant us access to areas we would not normally be able, and they are not telling anyone below the existence and will deny any information about the rings. Hra Dirtcast shows us how to use the rings and about the symbol carved to show stone passages that run through.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then we traveled back to our rooms where we found Alepoison there with a medusa having been told to build us a private meeting room and put sending stones in there so that we would sooner get messages and requests. We decided to ask for an assistant to monitor our schedule and messages. That wonderful person is Inkwell, and he is amazing. With all of the chaos from the rest my party, I need to know there is someone I can trust who is sane. Turns out we missed several messages having had many to request an audience with us. Those Don Jon Raskin of House Sivis, Endinwel Cromelon - the historian, Ulara d'Jorasco, Benne Roche - the Rep for Breland. However, the first person I wanted to meet with was Hazel.
While we were waiting for the meeting room to be completed, Ice and Toox decided to evaluate the rings that the DOSK had given us. Ice decided to travel through all of our personal rooms without asking to assess. It is a good thing that Ripper's room was further away allowing Ice not to be attacked. When he was going through the walls, I started to take psychic damage. The mind link rings coupled with the natural ring was giving me mental feedback. I took about a quarter of my health in damage, but more like an eighth because I'm resistant to mental damage. I had to take a little time to adjust my focus with the changes. It also makes the mind link work throughout the mountain and so to begin with.... everyone was screaming at me when they tried to communicate through the mind link. I also threatened Ice to never go into my personal room without invitation or emergency again. The next time that he does so, I promised him that he would be hurt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We met with Hazel in our personal meeting room, and she gave us a bit more dirt on what was happening in Little Dura (that is what they are calling the copy). All heads are setting up one of the buildings for their house and making the mistake of claiming the top floor for their personal area. They are either hating it, taking it as an insult, and some want to go back to the ships. Anyone from Lower Dura can tell you that is the worst place to be because if there is a fire, you are in trouble. Except Merrix who is enjoying this whole experience immensely and has set up his experiment space on the ground floor of his House. Hazel wants to be in on the action and wants to help, so has offered to keep an eye out for us and report. I was also able to meet with Hazel privately about working for House Orien and she loves the idea. She would really love for me to come work for them, but we need to make sure that the split from the Tyrants is clean and will have to address once we are back in Sharn. She also did not seem surprised when I thanked her for introducing me to Tarryn. I am not hiding anything affection wise about Tarryn, which is good, I think.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The meeting with Don Jon Raskin was great. He offered any assistance that he can provide on behalf of House Sivis regarding any messages when needed to convey.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The meeting with Ulara d'Jorasco went as expected. She requested us to meet with her in her office at Little Dura. We ended up meeting with her, Kwanti d'Orien, Elvinor Elorrenthi d'Phiarlan and Elar d'Thuranni. So, the healer house, the two elven spy/assassin/performer houses, and House Orien. We entered in the following order: Me, Simon, Ice, Toox, Hult, Tarryn, and Ripper (who was wearing one of his "disguises" with a cloak labeled "carrier of heavy things". Simon astounded me with his air of pretentiousness, between myself (Performance 28) and Simon, we represented our small group. They wanted our help to settle any confusion with the people of Droaam. They noted the fine work of building Little Dura and that it was done very quickly. They asked how the DOSK knew they were coming. We danced around the truth but did not tell them much of anything about that. They commended our efforts to stop a war with our work in Greywall. They want help from us to support Breland and the houses of Dragon marks with setting up trade routes. I think they just want Droaam's money! And they reminded us that technically Droaam is not recognized as its own country and owned by Breland's king. Oh, and that, with the greasiest of smiles, that they were here to help. I think d'Orien is the only decent one in this room. He particularly walked over to Tarryn to shake his hand and thank him for the good that he has done for his House. I could not have been prouder, and it showed all over my face.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Endinwel Cromelon - was great. he just wants to be in the room where everything happens to take note of things that are making history. his job is not to interfere, but to document. He also is an expert about the Wizard Tiranil and has been searching for him. What he doesn't know is we have his dead body hidden in the wagon, but we are preserving it with Gentle Repose in the hopes to have him raised and his brain corrected. And I'd love to get his opinion on my song "The Death of Delphyne".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benne Roche - Female Halfling - Representative for the King of Breland. She comes across as being from old money as opposed to being rich and flaunting it. She was practical, but a practiced diplomat. She is part of the envoy and by two guards (the guy was adorable). Wants to foster relations with DOSK. She is here with full authority of the King and expresses that the houses are acting alone and for themselves, not for the betterment to Breland. She provided vague promises of wonderful things for any assistance we could provide her.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have just awoken from sleep and am a bit foggy regarding what happened after the meeting with Benne Roche. Once the meeting was over, I had a headache, but with all of the mental exertion today, I was not surprised. But not long after the headache comes on, I felt exhausted, and everything started getting a little blurry. I remember Tarryn confirming with Inkwell that that was our last meeting. He must have noticed the exhaustion having seen me this way a couple of other times in the past week or so. Tarryn then helps me gather my things and gets me back to our room to lay down to nap. Then I experienced something I've never done before; I saw something in my sleep. I've never dreamed myself... there are no dreams or nightmares of my own. I do not connect to the realm of dreams. All I remember is darkness and blackness, the sense of a nightmare. I must meditate before bed tonight and hope to be guided better.