Ride: With Lucian Falken (Scene/Episode 2) Lucian

With Chamberlin's guidance, Lucian and Useless are lead through the vast corridors and chambers of the palace, returning to the entrance the young Aasimar and his companion first used on their arrival in T'Lorn. The masked guards watch from their posts, as the tall man turns right and crosses the cobblestoned walk to a large arched entrance with black iron gates.

A single guard on duty there snaps to attention and promptly unlocked the gates. They swing open with an audible creaking of metal on metal. Beyond the gates an arched hallway, large enough for a dragon to traverse, stands before Lucian. It is dimly illuminated by blue heatless arcane torches in sconce and bracket positioned along the hall.

"I will leave you here, m'Lord." Chamberlin tells Lucian. "Your steed will be down this hallway. Careful not to agitate the occupants of the other stalls." He adds, turn to look over one shoulder as he departs. "Some of them are quite dangerous to those who are not their owners."

"Understood. Thank you, Chamberlin." Lucian gives the man a genuine smile, as so far he really does like him, before heading down the hallway. He and Useless cautiously look into the stalls along the way, Useless flying along, and they try not to be too much of a bother to any of the other inhabitants until they find Marengo. This stall they enter, and Lucian greets his horse with a half hug on his head as Useless chitters at them.

He takes the time to check and make sure Marengo has been taken care of, doing what he needs to do for his friend's care, before saddling him. Out of habit he even sets the saddlebags in place, and leaves them there even though he probably won't need anything in them. At least this way, should he feel the need, he can put Marengo's armor on. Why he would need to here, he truly had no idea, but better safe than sorry. As the area here is incredibly large, Lucian simply rides Marengo out of the entrance that he remembers.

While he heads down the street he knows, they are walking at a slow and comfortable pace which allows him to look around for a place that might be useful for him and his desire to know more about what was happening and of his hosts. Yet Lucian is in no real rush, as he enjoys the time spent wandering. Still, he does have a sort of purpose, he supposes. Maybe he will get lucky, maybe he won't, but nothing would happen if he didn't look.

Peeking in some of the stalls along the way Lucian sees a lavender and blue scaled wyvern, a nightmare, and couple of large warhorse-like equines with hornlike protrusions.





There are also several other normal looking horses beyond these creatures and he eventually happens upon the stall where Marengo is currently being housed. His equine companion announces itself even before Lucian steps close enough to see into the stall and is genuinely happy to see him.

Lucian will easily note, as he is hugging his friend, that Marengo has recently been brushed and has both food and water readily available for consumption.

Wanting to stretch out their legs and go for a ride, Lucian trots his horse back to the entrance of the stables and surveys his options.

End Scene

Lucian starts along the familiar route until he comes to the part where he can make a choice. He can head down the way he arrived or he can instead turn to the left and follow the unknown street. While he admits there may be value to the right, he decides to go left largely on whim. Good enough reason for now.

The movement of figures along Lucian's path are noticeably shadowy and hazy, seeming to not have many features, including faces.



The sound of Marengo's hooves echo on the cobblestone as they progress. The steps from the higher plateau of the palace descend gently and are no trouble for the horse to traverse. Turning northward in the small plaza featuring a well, Lucian again rides up some similar steps and quickly finds they are in a courtyard terminating between several sizable stone buildings and a tall imposing, round tower. Defensive city walls rise up connecting to the tower and flanking the rear of the others buildings as well.



On a small balcony of the large circular tower, Lucian's keen eye spots an old white-haired man, sitting on the edge of the balcony's low stone wall, smoking a pipe.

The hazy people are creepy, sure. The way things echo, maybe also creepy. And yet it feels like such a familiar feeling Lucian is almost pleased that it is this way. When he spots the man who looks like he could be real - or like Lucian anyway - he halts Marengo. After a moment of debate he taps Marengo into motion again to go under the man's balcony, but still in view and calls up to him.

"Hello, are you a hazy person or a not hazy person? Either way, do you mind a chat?"

"Am I?" The old man answers. "You'll have to tell me. Do I look hazy to you Sonny?" He blows out a stream of smoke and holds up his arms. "Suppose I could let you bend my ear for a bit. What you want to chat about?"

"Well, you seem not hazy to me. I must admit I don't quite know the rules around life here." Lucian shifts to where the two can speak without the need to shout with both Marengo and Useless before he continues. "Which is what I'm curious about. I don't suppose you feel inclined to enlighten me about how this place works - and its esteemed rulers?"

The old man chuckles and takes another drag off his pipe. "That's a lot of question Sonny. How long you got?"

"My name's Marythel. What's yours?"

"My name would be Lucian Falken, feel free to call me what you like. I suppose, time wise, I have until the ruler here summons me back." He wasn't certain refusal would be an option, so hopefully he could learn a fair bit in the interim.

"Well then. If that be the case, you'd better tie off that horse of yours and come on up." The old man says, with a waving gesture. "I'll open the door for you. Wouldn't want a hazy person happen by and overhear us." He adds with a little laugh.

Lucian takes the invitation, dropping Maregno's reins but not tying him up. His horse won't leave him and, being trained for war, treats dangling reins as good as being tied in place. Useful for being out in the wilderness or battlefield. He doesn't speak again until he is beside Marythel, and leans on the edge to keep an eye on Marengo - so that no one bugs his horse, not the other way around. Useless hops onto the balcony wall to get comfortable. "Do the hazy people hear things? Actually, what are they anyway?"

"Sure. The hazy people can hear if they're close enough, just like you or I." Marythel replies to Lucian's query. "They are the common folk of this demiplane. Not important enough for notice most of the time and as much a part of the background as the stones of the buildings. They're features fade with the passing of ages until they are but fleeting memories and when no one can remember them they disappear completely."

"Interesting. Will you one day become the same? Or are you like me and not from here?" Lucian pauses before asking another question on top of those. "How often are people brought here by Lord Orb? How many survive the summons?" He hoped he could get 'true' answers from this man. At the very least he could compare the information with what he had. Information was a tool after all, stronger the more you had.

Marythel takes a long tug off his pipe and holds in the smoke for a pause, then blows it out the side of his mouth, before answering. "I should hope not. I've been here for ages. I guess the answer to existence is to be useful, so people don't forget you..or your contributions."

"I found the way here back in the day, like many before and after." He continues. "Lord Orb and the Council have only assisted those who seek out the Eternal City, unless a great need arises. Tanelorn, as it once was called, has always been a refuge, a sanctuary, and a reward for those who wish to remove themselves from the struggles of the multiverse."

When Lucian asks about survival of those summoned, the old man scratches his head and looks a bit confused. "You were summoned? Are you then a Champion? Has the next age of your world already happened or is it nigh?"

Lucian does his best to commit what is being said to memory. Tanelorn. Interesting. "So I'm told, but I can't tell you beyond that. As for timing...nigh I think? I'll admit I may have missed something, the last 24 or so hours have been...unique." He watched some of the hazy people below, and his posture changed slightly. A little less relaxed and more like when a cat debated killing that bird. Not invested yet, but the thought was there. "Do the hazy ones still bleed or feel pain?" Useless looks up at him, causing him to clarify with a shrug. "I don't want to go around testing it, Useless. I just...want to know."

The old man nods and Hmmms a couple times, as he listens to Lucian's response. Then chuckles as the question and discussion between Lucian and his small dragonkin companion, about the condition of the hazy ones' reaction to negative stimuli, comes to the fore. He plucks up a small pebble off the ledge of his balcony and shows it to Lucian in the open palm of his hand. "Should we see..?"

Lucian grins before addressing Useless. "I lied, I want to test it."

Marythel raises a bushy brow and extends his open palm towards Lucian. "You want the honors or should I?"

Lucian takes a moment before he reaches out and picks up the pebble. "Hopefully Lord Orb isn't too attached to them. Although they might not be able to be hurt, so who knows?" He watches the hazy people down below and picks his target before giving it a try.

Marythel waits expectantly for the results of their joint experimentation, with a mirthful gleam in his old eyes. He puffs on his pipe, as the young Lucian whizzes the pebble at the nearest ambiguously featured commoner in sight of the tower's balcony.

Lucian is rather pleased his toss hit, and watches eagerly to see what happens. Useless, despite himself, is also interested while Marengo looks up at them before relaxing onxe more.

The pebble glances off of the hazy figure and it can be seen to tense up at the moment of impact. For a moment, it stands perfectly still and its color and features appear to become slightly more distinct.

What happened was actually more interesting than what Lucian thought might happen. They could feel, that was for sure. That the impact or pain made them more visible was fascinating. "How curious. I wonder what that could mean...and now I'm curious to know if I'm hazy to them. Or do you know if the pebble made them more aware for a moment?"

"More aware? Yes. Possibly." Marythel shares his thoughts on the matter. "If definitely reminded them that someone knew they existed. Therefore they must exist."

Following the directions given by the Blackmantles, Radu finds himself traveling into a sizable terminating courtyard. Several of the faceless can be seen going about their own business along the edge of the cobblestone avenue. Ahead, the Dhampir lord can see a lone horse and beyond it a round tower merging into the city perimeter wall. As his eyes travel up the tower, he immediately notices Lucian and an old man with a white beard, on a balcony overlooking the area.

Likewise, Lucian quickly notices the approach of Lord Radu from the east, as he enters the courtyard from area of the main streets and the palace.

Radu approaches the tower and, recognizing Lucian, holds a hand up in greeting. "Am I interrupting, or might I join you?" he calls up.

Lucian watches the other man as he heads over, but continues to address Marythel as he does so. "I wonder what would have to happen to make the effect last longer. They could be useful, or have useful information." But he probably shouldn't go around attempting to torture one to see if that worked. That was frowned upon, even by him.

Once Radu calls up to him, Lucian lifts his own hand in a short wave. "If Marythel here doesn't mind, I don't see why you couldn't join." He turns his head to look at his companion. "As fun as tossing things at the hazy person was, and I will probably do it again, I don't suppose you can tell me things about Lord Orb and his - what was it, council?"

Radu heads inside and seeks a way up to join the other two in the tower.

The locking mechanism in the door to the tower clicks and then the door opens partially on its own. A small glowing ball of light guides Radu up to the the next floor and then to the balcony, where the old man and Lucian sit.


Marythel shrugs to Lucian's question of the council and Lord Orb. "What you want to know exactly?"

"No exact things, I'm afraid. More...how they are. How they treat people, how much they like to hide things, general consensus about them and how they handle things." He shrugs slightly, apologetic for not being able to be more specific. "I suppose, in a nutshell, are they likely to screw me over? If they are, is it for fun, profit or the 'greater good'?"

Radu arrives in time to hear the gist of Lucian's question and crosses his arms. "I wouldn't mind hearing this myself. I've tried, since arriving here, to suss out any kind of deception or trickery and so far have found none. Yet, I am skeptical by nature, and the vampire lord, Sanguinor - I have never known such a creature to be acting for the greater good. It would be against their nature." He awaits the old man's answer.

The old man sighs, taps out his pipe on the edge of the balcony and begins to repack it with new leaf.

"The Council are just that. They all have their say with different motives and opinions. Lord Orb has the final say. There are rivalries amongst them, but they all agree on two important things: The survival of T'Lorn and the continuance of the multiverse." Marythel pauses long enough to light the pipe again with his thumb and take a couple pulls off the contents.

Letting the aromatic smoke curl from the corners of his mouth, he continues. "Now. If its gossip you're looking for? Let's start with Sanguinor then. Word is, as the Left Hand of Master Fane the High Priest, Sanguinor is looking to ascend to a full council member."

"So they are not all the best of friends, then," Radu ponders, "Are there ever only a set number of Council members? That is to say, would one seat need become vacant for Sanguinor to ascend to such a position?"

"There is no set number of chairs on the Council. It is mostly determined by length of service to the city, deeds of renown, and things like that. Sanguinor, even though being a vampire, is still considerably younger than the current members."

"That's impressive to consider, even for a city that seems ageless. So, Sanguinor need not dispose of someone to attain this seat, but would be looking for ways to distinguish himself.

"What of Lord Orb? I believe I confirmed that he himself was once a Champion. Is he so powerful that all those on the Council follow him, or does he rule T'Lorn by some right other than might?"

Lucian just listened for a bit, but one thought struck him. Radu, as usual, asked good questions so he felt no need to insert himself there. "If there are rivalries and ambitions among them, what exactly would they do to forward their own cause? And can we assume that the survival of the multiverse would include not screwing over the champions they've chosen? Could you, perhaps, give us an idea of who is with or against whom? It might help us not get involved with whatever they have going on." Or get involved, if they so chose. But he wasn't terribly inclined to the drama of politics. Some of the others might be though.

"Sanguinor has an advantage most of the current council does not have, save Orb himself. The vampire can travel through the gate and spread their influence beyond the confines of T'Lorn. As vampires are essentially ageless." Marythel comments. "Besides being able to enter the dreams of individuals throughout the planes of man, Lord Orb can still physically manifest himself outside T'Lorn and without his existence, the city would eventually die. You see, T'Lorn is not just a city of stone and shadow. She is a living entity or at least the embodiment of one."

He looks over to Lucian. "The Council didn't choose the Champions. It simply had the means to identify them, seek them out, and draw them here to join together in the fight for the continuance of us all. Why would they then be looking for ways to screw over these Champions? I suppose, if it meant the survival of the multiverse over a Champion's life, that might be strong enough a reason."

He takes another couple pulls on his pipe before continuing. "As with all groups of individuals I guess, differences and rivalries will happen. Lady Cybrexia, for instance, doesn't care for the incestuous relationship between Master Fane and his sister, Lady Sibylla..."

"I'm glad to hear it. I have long learned that just because I could not come up with a reason for something, that doesn't mean others also could not." Lucian paused as he thought about the other answers. "Do you mean to say that, if they left, they would age? Or is it that a vampire turning up in various historical places is more logical to most people?" While he himself found a brother and sister romance unpleasant, it wasn't him in one. He wasn't quite sure what to do with that information, but made a mental note of it anyway. At the very least, he wouldn't be shocked to see them - if he did.

Radu dismisses the relationship with a wave of his hand, but listens intently. He was, too, curious as to the question of aging. After Marythel answers, Radu poses another question: "Why Lord Orb? I understand he was a Champion himself at one time, but surely so were others in the city. What makes him special among past Champions so as to lead this city?"

"I must admit to not knowing all the specific details." Marythel informs his guests. "What remains of old Tanelorn is somehow beholding to Lord Orb's intervention. Or so it is said. The demiplane seems to only obey his will."

He casually rises from his perch on the stone railing of the balcony and takes a few steps toward the interior of the tower. Looking back over one shoulder, he says, "I going to make some tea. Would either of you gentlemen like to join me in a fresh cup?"

Radu nods, "I would enjoy that. Your hospitality is appreciated."

Lucian had to admit that the idea of the entire demiplane following one person's will was rather unnerving. But tea sounded great. "I'd love to. Unless you're rubbish at tea, then perhaps not. But that remains to be seen." He noted in his head that the ageing question hadn't really been answered, but perhaps it had been.

"Well then. Come on back inside." Marythel says with a wave of his hand. The old man proceeds into the next room and puts on some water to heat and collects three cups from a cupboard. He places them on counter and turns to regard his guests once more. "I hope my tea is not rubbish, young Lucian. I've had many years to perfect it. Though, granted I have had few guests to sample it with."

He rubs his bearded chin and glances over to Lucian. "Yes. The vampires have an advantage when it comes to traveling through to the realms from T'Lorn and back. The Eldren do as well, with their naturally long lifespans. Age catches up with short-lived mortals quickly who have spent considerable time here. That's a big reason why Sanguinor is the chief Procurer for the city."

Lucian follows him in after whistling down to Marengo and motioning that he was headed inside. His horse always seemed to understand him, and neighed in response. The whistle also served to let Marengo know that, should trouble come, he could move freely as needed. Otherwise he ran the risk his horse might just stand there. Useless hopped onto his shoulder and watched Marythel with interest - human types had the strangest and most interesting eating habits. "I imagine you are more qualified than I am regarding tea, then. How long is 'considerable time'? I'm not quite at Eldren or vampire level there myself. Nor are my companions." Which, really, was why he cared more than normal.

"Neither am I, though not for lack of trying. I have vampiric blood, but am born of mortal flesh. My lifespan is questionable - long-lived, but perhaps not forever, and certainly not for my penchant for throwing myself into danger." He shrugs and takes a seat. "It does worry me, having left my kingdom in the hands of my seneschal - well, it is, I suppose no longer a thing I should worry about. That pains me, but as I say it now, feels quite relieving as well. Strange."

He awaits the pouring of tea and takes a sip.

Marythel pours the hot water into the cups, steeps the tea, and sets out various ingredients for enhancements in small containers. Once his own cup is prepared to his personal liking, he takes a sip as well. "I believe I have weathered more than a hundred and sixty years. Though, I also must admit the exact number escapes me here in T'Lorn."

Taking another sip of his tea, Radu asks, "Whom of the Council were here when you first arrived in T'Lorn? I imagine there have been some changes over the years, but aside from Lord Orb himself, I'm curious who's been here the longest."

Marythel sips his tea. "Ahhh..by the time of my arrival, Master Fane, Lady Sibylla, and Lady Tormtor were already sitting on council."

Lucian tests the tea, finds it quite to his liking, and drinks it comfortably. "Interesting. You pre-date most of them, then? I wonder if there is anyone besides them who pre-dates you that isn't 'hazy'. Wonderful tea, by the way." He looks at Radu, curious about what he was. "Well, you can always worry about it. You just have bigger problems now, it would seem. Have you already lived a while?" He paused slightly before another question popped out. "Are your people the same as you are? Are your...queens - did I get that right? - as long lived?"

Radu shrugs, "I am long-lived, yes, but not by the standards of someone such as our host here, or a true vampire. I count just over 100 years, and have ruled my land for sixty of those. I am in no immediate danger of seeing my last days, at least not naturally, but truth be told, I do not know how many more years my body might last - could be hundreds, thousands, or ten."

He shakes his head at the other question, "No, they are not like me, not in that way. Yes - my Crimson Queens, as I like to call them. We are alike in thought, in many ways, and they are loyal. Perhaps they share the same desire as I for immortality, though I wager there are many like that across the planes."

"Well, thank you young Lucian. I don't think there are others older not hazy." Marythel says and takes another sip from his cup while he listens to the exchange between his two guests.

"What, pray tell, do you desire, Lucien? Are you here out of a thirst for something specific, or just to scratch curiosity? Something surely drew you to this place beyond the dreams they pushed upon you."

"Hmm, a good question. I suppose I'm bored over all. No grand hopes or plans, just another place I've drifted to. I seem to look for a place where I'm safe to be who I am, if anything at all." Lucian looked to Marythel. "I just don't know what else to call them, and I hope you don't turn to one anytime soon. Based on our limited encounter, I do enjoy talking with you." Lucian lifts his tea cup up to Useless, who sniffs it and takes a drink. "Not being killed is always a goal, as I told Kris. Do you go around and murder people as they sleep? I'd like to keep tabs on how dangerous night time could possibly be. I don't by the way, if it matters to you. At least, I haven't yet. Maybe one day."

Marythel's eyes lighten up with Lucian's new line of conversation, but manages to keep his amusement contained in silence, as he listens.

"I do not. Too cowardly for me," Radu says, taking a sip from his cup, "I prefer to face problems head on. In the event a quieter approach is necessary, I have solutions for that as well, but it is not my preference. Is there someone you suspect to have a proclivity toward night-time murder, Lucian?"

Lucian retrieved his cup from Useless and drank some more of it himself. "You know, I should have expected that answer. Suits you. As for suspecting someone...well, generally everyone. It's an unpleasant way to wake up and, as you saw earlier, I'm not especially sturdy. Do you not expect everyone might try and kill you?" How novel.

Radu nods, "I suspect they might try, yes, as many have before. Indeed, I have woken up with blades to my neck. They...faltered, and I made examples of them." He waves his had dismissively. "Truth be told, I did not come to rule my kingdom easily and there were many that were left unhappy with my, hm, approach."

Lucian let out a snort of a laugh. "Generally, they never are. But they'd do the same thing if they could get away with it. I've gotten...lucky shall we say, a couple of times. I don't think any serious killer of skill would be surprised a tiny dragon has clamped on to their face, but thankfully it's been limited to irate drunk people." And he always had to leave afterwards. Usually, he just weirded them out or ended up stuck in something from bad timing, but he tended to react poorly to attempted murder. Wasn't his fault they were dumb. "As someone who severely lacks the desire; why do you even want to rule a kingdom?"

"I don't," Radu says plainly, "but the power and status, and the control, allow me to protect my homeland from darker things. I...made a promise to do so. As it happens, I would never have left had the call to come to T'Lorn came a decade ago, but when that call did come, my kingdom had known peace for several years - nearly every potential dissident or source of turmoil routed. Then again, I suppose that is why Lord Orb's summons came precisely when they did. I would surmise, they came at a particularly right moment for you as well, yes?"

Marythel enjoys his tea and a smoke while listening to his guests. He nods occasionally to response to a particular detail of the conversation, but doesn't interject.

Curious, it was an answer Lucian wouldn't have expected. That was why he liked people. It also sounded slightly fun, just being able to deal with the people who opposed you. So, ruling had one perk. "Well, at least it was convenient for you. I will admit I would not have thought of such noble motives for you, but that's what makes it fun, no? Can't say I feel protective of anything or anyone - outside of Useless and Marengo. As for the timing of my call...well, I was bored I suppose. So maybe it was the right moment? I hadn't been randomly kicked out of town yet, but it did feel like the time to move on was quickly arriving. I'm used to 'creepy' things happening, so when I did get the call I found it interesting more than anything." He paused briefly. "The girl in the mirror was a surprise, never had that happen before."

Radu grins. "Noble motives don't suit me, is it? Your honesty fences with bravery, Lucian. You are right, though. There is a certain, hm - darkness, yes. A certain amount of poison I have had to ingest in order to cleanse my land. Soaked up like a spunge and it festers in some ways, making it a constant struggle to hold onto any amount of my noble intentions. That is one reason I maintain loyal retainers, such as my Queens. I trust them to help ground me, to an extent, so I don't lose sight of what's important."

He gestures to the pseudodragon. "This is, I assume, Useless? Quite an interesting name - there must be a story there, as a I suspect they are anything but. And what of this Marengo? An invisible friend, perhaps?"

Luci couldn't deny that darkness seemed inclined to stick to a host when it found one. This little gathering was turning out to be quite enjoyable, if less investigative than he had hoped. Ah well. "Well, bravery or stupidity, either one. You seem very much the type to know what they want and take it. I can't say I've met many of those types who also have noble inclinations. It's an interesting combination of impressions. I much prefer to stay as out of people's minds as I can, and do things like throw rocks at these hazy people to see how they react." When Radi motioned to Useless, the little dragon chirped in response.

"Ah, yes, this is Useless. He's rather vital to me, and thus I would have named him something different, but he decided that was the name he wanted. Seemed rude to not oblige, and maybe one day he will give himself a new one. Marengo is my horse, you can see him from the balcony if you missed him on the way in. Both of them are incredibly opinionated, but I like them. I think Useless likes to lord it over Marengo that he can come inside with me sometimes, but I could be wrong - he could have annoyed my horse in some other way. In a way, the two are the same for me as your Queens are for you. If I ever go off my rocker, start by getting one of them."

Radu nods, knowingly. "It is good to have such influences around us."

He considers, "Are you a magician of sorts, Lucian? Your mention of throwing rocks at the shades, it smacks of the sort of intellectual pursuits my court sorcerer employs."

"Hmm, yes I suppose I am. Nothing quite so formal as a court sorcerer, mind you. I'm not sure that has any effect on my random curiosities though. When I saw the weird hazy people - shades is a much better name though - I wondered how present they were. If they could feel pain, think, those sort of things. Marythel kindly provided a pebble for me to see, and pain is usually the easiest to discern. Or at least a reaction from some sort of impact. Going around experimenting on things based upon my desire for knowledge is generally frowned upon though." He pauses for a moment. "Is it a magic user trait? I haven't had the chance to meet many, or know the ones I have met well, so you might have a better idea about that."

"It is a trait of intellectualism, I would say," Radu says, "and in my land, those who have the time and desire for such things, tend to bend their wills toward the arcane. It may not be true in all realms, I'll admit. I am finding a great deal of everything I know can be questioned, since arriving in T'Lorn.

What did you learn, with this pebble? Do the shades feel pain, do you think? Can they be interacted with?"

He looks to Marythel. "Who are, or were, these shades? Were they once more embodied, as you yourself?"

"Well, it was just the one pebble, so not exactly an ideal sample size. But it did certainly react as it seemed to be more...present for a brief time. Interaction could eventually be possible, although whether it is worth the effort that might be involved remains to be seen, simply from lack of information." He sighed when he noticed he was out of tea before he started to wonder if he should toss more pebbles. Lucian looked at Radu as he thought. Maybe he could make a better throw, which could make a bigger impact, which could possibly change the reaction of the shades. Assuming, of course, that force had been the key there and not something else.

Old Marythel seems to be nodding off sitting at the table. He occasionally catches himself and jerks slightly as he re-awakens.

Radu chuckles as the older man slips in and out of sleep. "Well, I wonder if perhaps we have overstayed our welcome, Lucian. I would be curious as to what, if anything, you learn further about the shades. This city is...I want to say a mystery, but I think it more like a puzzle. There's clearly much more to it and I feel we've only scratched the surface. In any case, I think I will head back to the palace." He tips back his cup and drains it before standing and bowing respectfully to Mayrthel. "Do you plan to stay, Lucian?"

While he wasn't thrilled with the idea of going back to the palace - castle? - Lucian wasn't about to keep Marythel from sleeping if he needed to. He stood up and gave their host a nod in farewell. "I hope I can bother you for conversation again, Marythel, it was quite enjoyable." He turned to Radu. "I might as well head back. I doubt I will get different answers from any one else here - not without a lot of searching, at any rate. And I suppose I should be there for when they want us. If you are ever bored, do let me know, but I will certainly let you know if anything comes from the shades." Although...perhaps he needed permission to do anything? Tsk, annoying but he should probably ask.

Old Marythel gives his guests a weary wave from his seat. "Thanks for dropping by. I trust you both can find your way out. My servants will guide you."

End Scene