052.6 Jaela and Westenrock Castle

[Corwin]

[19:03] <Kotono> Finnegan's easy to find. He's with Kascha, the ghaela curled up into his side and asleep, an arm wrapped around her. Val rests besides him as Kascha looks completely contented. A small, almost cat-like smile is on her face, radiating happiness.
[19:06] <Jaela> "I'm thinking about paying a strong titan a visit," Jaela tells him, keeping her voice quiet enough to not rouse Kascha. "He lives in Westenrock Castle, and his guards might be troublesome to deal with. Dinos and dragons, you know how that goes. If you're interested, let's meet up a few hours from now at the gates?"
[19:07] <Kotono> "I'll be there," Finnegan promises, keeping his voice low as well.
[19:08] * Jaela gives him a mock salute and then heads towards Elrisa's tower.
[19:11] <Kotono> You find Misalea upstairs, guiding the Graceful Blow through slow, careful maneuvers. She peels away after a moment, "Mirima's up in her room," Misalea says, "Knock before you go in. She's been in a..." A moment's pause, before diplomatically smiling, "...challenging mood today."
[19:12] * Jaela winces. Still, she decides that knocking would be her best option and does so as soon as she reaches Mirima's room.
[19:14] <Kotono> "Misalea, go away!" Mirima's voice, thick with emotion.
[19:14] <Jaela> "Not Misalea."
[19:17] <Kotono> There's a pause before the soft thump of footfalls, followed by the door opening. Mirima's hair is touseled, falling in ever so slightly entangled weaves of red. Her eyes are reddened, a look of mixed anger and embarrassment on her face. "Jaela," she says after a moment.
[19:18] <Jaela> "Hi," Jaela greets her, acting normally to try and put her at ease. "Want me to beat Misalea up?"
[19:21] <Kotono> "No, why would I want that?" After a moment she steps aside, "Come in."
[19:23] <Jaela> "Just sounded like it." Jaela accepts the offer and walks into the room. "How are things?"
[19:24] <Kotono> Mirima turns away, going to her dresser. She fiddles with something there, perhaps wiping her face clean. When she turns back she's fairly more composed, "They're difficult," The second word needs a few moments to come out, "Canderella." A moment more causes that to tumble out, "It's all her fault!"
[19:25] <Jaela> "What is? Don't tell me she's seducing the other students?"
[19:30] <Kotono> This draws a soft sigh, "No, and such would be easily managed." Going to sit at her dresser, in a soft little chair, "We were deep in our cups last night - Adrian, myself and Canderella. We were discussing the arena battles. Adrian made a comment that his presence would have turned the tide - someone with more strength could have withstood those winds and done the," This gets air quotes as
[19:30] <Kotono> Mirima's expression sours, "Heavy lifting," Cease air quotes, "To defeat Black Gale. After all, the three of us ultimately fight in much the same way, so variety would have won the day."
[19:32] <Jaela> "I dunno about that. I actually fought at Adrian's side a bunch of times and he had his share of knock outs."
[19:35] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmm! See!" Mirima gestures with a hand, "Canderella agreed with him." Her face twists into disdain, as if deeply offended. "That balance and variety are essential. That relying on the same team and tricks will lead to stagnation and defeat."
[19:39] <Jaela> "Aren't they mixing up two different things?" Jaela wonders. "It's common sense to have mixed arms in armies. I mean, if you field only archers or only pikemen or just a bunch of martial artists using the same style, against an army using a combined approach that trained well to work together they'll just lose. But the same doesn't really hold true for small groups, like special or elite forces. In teams as small as three people, you can often get better results by going with a narrow focus than a wider spread." She shrugs. "Depends on the opponent and all, and sometimes you just get hit with bad luck. But that's just life."
[19:44] <Kotono> "Hmph." Mirima mutters, "That's not what I'm really upset about. I'm upset about her breaking solidarity.  Perhaps he had a point, but to admit it to him so fawningly in face of our pride as warriors?"
[19:48] <Jaela> Jaela snorts. "I don't really think he has a point, so I'm really on your side." She considers Mirima's real issue before offering her another shrug. "You have to keep in mind that Canderella is not the usual recruit. She doesn't have that same solidarity yet, and may never get that far. Unlike those you train from the ground up, she's closer to a talented fighter on your own level that you scouted. She came with her own ideas and preconceptions, and it'll take more than a couple months to develop the sort of unity that you have with the others."
[19:52] <Kotono> "She should have it!" Mirima shoots, fire behind her words. Rising and starting to pace, "At least you see she was wrong."
[19:53] <Jaela> "Yeah." More laid back in comparison, Jaela sits down on Mirima's bed. Steadying herself with her hands, she leans back slightly. "It's not the first time you recruited someone like that, is it?"
[19:57] <Kotono> "No, but none of them do it like that!" Mirima  growls, a sweeping gesture with one arm, "Right in front of Adrian!"
[19:59] <Jaela> "Isn't it actually a good sign? That it was Adrian, I mean?" Jaela wonders. "It would be one thing if it were, I dunno, the Master. But Adrian and I are pretty much unofficial members of the Graceful Blow. That's how it feels, anyway. Maybe that's why Canderella thought it was alright?"
[20:03] <Kotono> "Unofficial," Mirima adds with slightly lessening heat.
[20:04] <Jaela> "But it still counts."
[20:13] <Kotono> Jaela gets a long, entirely unamused gaze at that, Mirima crossing her arms. "Really."
[20:14] <Jaela> "Didn't you just agree with me? Grudgingly, but still."
[20:20] <Kotono> In sharp words of Elven, "Did I? I was under the impression that you could be supportive, but you're defending them!"
[20:25] <Jaela> "Nah, I'm really not, even if it sounded like it," Jaela says pleasantly. "Can I do anything to help?"
[20:27] <Kotono> Mirima twitches, then twitches again. "If you're so eager to fight, why don't you go beat Canderella up instead of Misalea?"
[20:29] * Jaela gives her a sharp salute, standing up. "Sure thing! If it'll make you happy."
[20:34] <Kotono> Canderella's found whistling a merry tune. She carries 27 in her arms in the courtyard, heading towards the phase spider nest. 27 is curled up in her arms, seemingly fast asleep.
[20:34] <Jaela> "Doing anything in the near future?"
[20:36] <Kotono> "Introducing 27 to the spiders," Canderella says, "Oh, do you have something to do?"
[20:37] <Jaela> "I figured I could beat you up for Mirima's sake by proxy. Wanna take a trip to Limbo with Finnegan and me and fight our way into Westenrock Castle?"
[20:40] <Kotono> "Oh, is Mirima still upset?" Canderella tsk-tsks, "Such a silly litte thing. But a Limbo trip doesn't sound bad, though it must be a violent one fi it's going to leave me beaten up."
[20:41] <Jaela> "It'll be pretty violent," Jaela says happily. "Have fun with the spiders and then meet me by the gates?"
[20:42] <Kotono> "I will," Canderella smiles slightly, going off. OOC: Going to do anything else now or just go?
[20:43] <Jaela> OOC: I'll pass word to Hanna where I'm going and to see if she can be with Mirajane, let's say we did?
[20:47] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[20:51] <Kotono> You meet with the trio just within Aurora's gates. Canderella is dressed up and ready to go, while Finnegan awaits with his hood drawn. He joins Jaela, side by side and matching her steps. It's Canderella who speaks, "So this Westenrock is in LImbo?" she asks, "THis should be entertaining, I presume?"
[20:52] <Jaela> "I dunno about that. But I'll leave manipulating Limbo to you, when it comes to that?"
[20:55] <Kotono> "As you wish," Canderella says cheerfully, "My, with all these adventures, I'm going to end up quite rich, aren't I?"
[20:57] <Jaela> "Unless you choose to donate your money to charity, like the golem-making fund," Jaela says with matching cheerfulness. She casts Fortunate Fate on the three of them, just in case, and then attempts to shift them as close to the castle as she can make it.
[20:59] <Kotono> OOC: Aiming for anywhere in particular witht hat?
[21:00] <Jaela> OOC: The Falles?
[21:10] <Kotono> You appear in a blur of water - water up to your ankles. Ahead is a rapidly shifting savanna, lit by the raging fire-sky above. Occasionally hunks of earth form in it, becoming great burning meteories that slam downand through the ground or soar up, or simply fly about all over. The crackle of flame meets the swishing of water and the ever-steady crashing of earth on earth.
[21:11] * Jaela imbues the three of them with the ability to breathe water, even if likely will not be needed. "Anyone see a castle in the distance?" she asks then, peering about.
[21:19] <Kotono> No sign of a castle. Finnegan shakes his head, "Nothing," he remarks, the savanna ahead thicky, grassy and wet. Canderella flexes her wings, "Shall we? It's always a good time to get moving in Limbo."
[21:21] <Jaela> "Sure thing," Jaela agrees. "Let's follow your intuition here. Try your best to lead us to it? Finnegan, if it comes to a fight, try to dispatch our opponents while I play support. I'll see if we can get past without any pointless fights, but if it's a dragon, negotiation's up to you."

[Corwin]

[20:02] <Kotono> "Right," Finnegan falls into step as the party proceeds along! You pass for perhaps two minutes through the watery savanna, becoming dry and hot. So hot, hot as the desert at high noon. Above you fires burn and crackle. "It's this way, I think," Canderella says, "Just a feeling." OOC: What are your senses, all of you?
[20:03] <Jaela> OOC: Blindsight 60ft for me
[20:04] <Kotono> OOC: LIsten checks all.
[20:05] <Jaela> roll 1d20+11
[20:05] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+11 and gets 31." [1d20=20]
[20:05] <Kotono> roll 1d20+40 Finnegan
[20:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+40 Finnegan and gets 45." [1d20=5]
[20:05] <Kotono> roll 1d20+34 Canderella
[20:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+34 Canderella and gets 49." [1d20=15]
[20:05] <Kotono> "Move!" Canderella abruptly takes to the air, "From below!"
[20:06] * Jaela follows Canderella's warning without delay, while Gae Ardaigh is pointed below to cover her tactical retreat.
[20:07] <Kotono> roll 1d20+40
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+40 and gets 47." [1d20=7]
[20:08] <Kotono> Finnegan sprints forward, leaping up and away just as the ground beneath you splits open! A gaping mouth thirty feet wide bursts out - a giant worm, black scaled and yet covered in ice! Finnegan's leap and reaction is just fast enough, landing just beyond the edge of the mouth! "Big game!" he says with a hint of a smile in his voice, whirling Val around!
[20:09] * Jaela couldn't agree more, and though the idea of fighting a worm disgusts her she's not about to negotiate with someone that had just tried to sneak up on her and eat her! She charges down back the way she came!
[20:10] <Kotono> OOC: Init then.

[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+13 Finnegan
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+13 Finnegan and gets 24." [1d20=11]
[20:11] <Jaela> roll 1d20+12
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4 Canderella
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+12 and gets 19." [1d20=7]
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 Canderella and gets 16." [1d20=12]
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 huge black ice worm
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 huge black ice worm and gets 21." [1d20=11]
[20:11] * Kotono changes topic to 'Finnegan(24)>Black Ice Worm(21)>Jaela(19)>Canderella(16)'
[20:12] <Kotono> OOC: You can make K:A now for the creature, Jaela.
[20:12] <Jaela> roll 1d20+40
[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+40 and gets 58." [1d20=18]
[20:14] <Kotono> Jaela: The creature before you was once a Frost Worm. It looks to be highly mutated. For example, it has rows and rows of teeth instead of any sign of it's Trill special ability. Further, it's even bigger than a Frost Worm. Nor is a typical Frost Worm covered in ice, like a second armored skin. But you can see great misting colds gathering in that maw - looks like it still has its breath
[20:14] <Kotono> weapon, and may still explode when slain.
[20:14] <Jaela> Nothing particular to alert her allies to, and she had already taken precautions against the last. "Take it down!" she calls out.
[20:16] <Kotono> Finnegan spins Val around once, before stabbing down!
[20:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+42 (-5 PA)
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+42 (-5 PA) and gets 54." [1d20=12]
[20:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+37 (-5 PA)
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+37 (-5 PA) and gets 43." [1d20=6]
[20:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+32 (-5 PA)
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+32 (-5 PA) and gets 35." [1d20=3]
[20:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+27 (-5 PA)
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+27 (-5 PA) and gets 32." [1d20=5]
[20:17] <Kotono> roll 1d8+30+1d6+3d6
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+30+1d6+3d6 and gets 50." [1d8=5][1d6=2][3d6=5, 4, 4]
[20:17] <Kotono> roll 1d8+30+1d6+3d6
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+30+1d6+3d6 and gets 46." [1d8=8][1d6=4][3d6=2, 1, 1]
[20:20] <Kotono> Finnegan stabs in down, dragged deep to split apart three feet of the worm's maw-lips! It rears up and goes to engulf him!
[20:20] <Kotono> roll 1d20+25 (-10 PA)
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+25 (-10 PA) and gets 44." [1d20=19]
[20:21] <Kotono> But Finnegan leaps to the side, baked ground sent flying in all directions from its missed bite! A moment later cold begins to form - but Finnegan is faster, "Not a chance!" he calls, Val flashing out!
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+50 (+4 various feats, +4 spellcasting harrier, -5 PA)
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+50 (+4 various feats, +4 spellcasting harrier, -5 PA) and gets 61." [1d20=11]
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 1d8+30+1d6+3d6
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+30+1d6+3d6 and gets 49." [1d8=7][1d6=4][3d6=1, 4, 3]
[20:22] <Kotono> The cold gathering around the worm sputters out, a stab right into its side! It's easily 60ft long and longer yet, the bottom still hidden in the ground! OOC: Go Jaela.
[20:24] * Jaela executes a textbook diving charge to impale the massive worm against the ground as Gae Ardaigh extends far more than it should have any right to!
[20:25] <Jaela> roll 1d20+47-5 diving charge, divine might, 5pa
[20:25] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+47-5 diving charge, divine might, 5pa and gets 59." [1d20=17]
[20:25] <Kotono> OOC: That be a hit.
[20:25] * Kotono changes topic to 'Finnegan(24)>Black Ice Worm(21, -3 levels)>Jaela(19)>Canderella(16)'
[20:26] <Jaela> roll 3#1d8+35+12+13 damage+pa+divine might
[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 3#1d8+35+12+13 damage+pa+divine might and gets 196." [3#1d8+35+12+13 = 68, 61, 67]
[20:29] <Kotono> The stab impales through the front of the worm, piercing deep into it! The blow causes divine power to ripple through the entire creature, tearing into it like a hungry dog into a steak! The worm goes rigid and thrashes about, sending Jaela and Finnegan swooping and leaping back! Then the entire thing shudders and momentarily seems to curl into itself, before exploding out in a storm of ice
[20:29] <Kotono> shards! OOC: Reflex saves, all.
[20:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+22 Canderella
[20:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+22 Canderella and gets 40." [1d20=18]
[20:29] <Jaela> roll 1d20+39
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+39 and gets 45." [1d20=6]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+35 Finnegan
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+35 Finnegan and gets 46." [1d20=11]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 15d6 cold damage halve this all
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 15d6 cold damage halve this all and gets 51." [15d6=4, 2, 4, 5, 4, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1, 5, 6, 1, 5]
[20:30] <Kotono> roll 10d6 piercing damage halve this all, dr applies.
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d6 piercing damage halve this all, dr applies. and gets 38." [10d6=4, 1, 4, 6, 6, 3, 1, 4, 3, 6]

[20:36] <Kotono> In the burst after each of you are a bit bruised and chilled, but nothing serious. The worm is gone, the hole filled with thick ice shards. Canderella dusts her arms off, "Sore loser," she declares, "A quick loser, too. No sense wasting magic on someone like that."
[20:37] <Jaela> "My thougths exactly," Jaela agrees quite curtly. "Are you two fine?"
[20:37] <Kotono> Finnegan looks up, "You're both alright," he asks, "Predators that rely on surprising strikes and power like that rarely deal well with someone strong enough to bash them back. I'm fine."
[20:38] <Jaela> "If we're all asking each other that, we must be doing fine," Jaela says with a snort. "Where to now, Candy?"
[20:40] <Kotono> Canderella stays about 10ft above ground and points ahead, "That way," she says.
[20:41] * Jaela starts walking once more.
[20:41] <Kotono> Finnegan takes out a rag, cleaning off Val. Once done he takes up a guarded step. Thus you advance along...(More)
[20:41] <Kotono> roll 1d100 Limbo shenanigans
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 Limbo shenanigans and gets 89." [1d100=89]
[20:44] <Kotono> You walk perhaps a quarter of an hour. The sky becomes whirling maelstroms, raining droplets of purple down on you. Past that the savanna becomes grassier again, yet the ground beneath your feet is sandy. As you marvel this, you can see something ahead! A gigantic shape far on the horizon, but racing ahead! A great bird with a wingspan big enough to wrap around Aurora, colored a vibrant
[20:44] <Kotono> blue-green. It's flying above both of you, fleeing as fast as it can! For you can see something chasing it - a massive chariot of stone, like several boulders melded together and shaped. What must be a hundred pegasi pull it, keeping pace with the fleeing bird coming your way.
[20:45] <Jaela> "Anyone see who's in that chariot?"
[20:50] <Kotono> roll 1d20+34 spot Canderella
[20:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+34 spot Canderella and gets 44." [1d20=10]
[20:50] <Kotono> roll 1d20+40 spot Finnegan
[20:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+40 spot Finnegan and gets 55." [1d20=15]
[20:50] <Kotono> "
[20:51] <Kotono> "Yes," Finnegan squints a moment, hand held up just above his eyes. "A woman. Big - I'm guessing a giant. She's wearing..." he pauses before he chuckles, "A rather revealing few scraps of chainmail and has a huge sword with her. She's sitting on a a cushioned couch within the chariot."
[20:53] <Jaela> "Stay together," Jaela tells Canderella and Finnegan. "I'll fly over to say hello." She takes off on a course to intercept the chariot, then.
[20:56] <Kotono> The bird zooms past, leaving the three of you behind! You rise up to be a bit above the approaching chariot. Inside the chariot is tons of space. There's a huge tent, a small garden growing right out of the stone and several casks of what is most likely booze. Sitting on a massive cushioned couch is a massive woman. She is tall and big, only a little smaller than the host who invited you.
[20:56] <Kotono> Her hair is wild and long, a rich black that shines despite being a mess. Her eyes are a sharp black as well, her lush body covered by a few scraps of chainmail that keep her decent. She reclines back and calls, "Faster! Today we will feast on the Sea Roc of Abindara!" Next to her is a massive slab of metal loosely in the shape of a sword.
[20:58] <Jaela> "Hello!" Jaela calls out to her. If she flies at top speed that no matter how many pegasi there are, she should be able to keep up for a bit. "Can I intrude?"
[20:59] <Kotono> The giant rises up - looming over Jaela, "What's this? An lost angel comes calling?" Smirking and holding her massive hand out, "Land on my hand, little angel!"
[21:01] * Jaela alights there. "I suppose I am lost, in a sense," she voices, looking up at the giant's face. "My name's Jaela. I'm seeking out Westenrock Castle."
[21:03] <Kotono> "Not so lost," Her hand closes around Jaela, tight as a vise! Holding her up to her face, "Impress me, little Jaela. Push out of my hand. I have no time to waste for someone so weak that they can't even defeat one little part of me."
[21:10] <Jaela> "Let me get this straight," Jaela says, stifling a sigh at her situation. "If I get out of your grip, whatever the means, you'll... give me clear directions? Take me over there?"
[21:12] <Kotono> "You'll impress me," she says, with a wolfish smile, "Or are you too afraid and ready to give up already, little Jaela?"
[21:12] <Jaela> "Okay," Jaela says simply, casting Dimension Door.
[21:14] <Kotono> OOC: Concentration.
[21:15] <Jaela> Focusing her mind, Jaela tries to shift out of the giant's grasp and onto her other hand.
[21:15] <Jaela> roll 1d20+25
[21:15] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+25 and gets 41." [1d20=16]
[21:18] <Kotono> Jaela concentrates hard, focusing! Barely, just barely she is able to do it, appearing on her other hand! The giant looks down, "Ah, a wizard," she says with mild interest, "What's your speciality?"
[21:22] <Jaela> "Killing devils," Jaela responds instantly. "Secondary specialty, healing. I dabble in protection and travel as well." She smiles up at the giant, pleased with some show of interest replacing her previous expression. "I'm one of the leaders for the Aurora's armies. There was a time when I would've happily attacked, but there is no need to do that except to outright enemies."
[21:26] <Kotono> "Oh, a godsman?" Sitting back now and lounging back as the chariot continues on, "I specialize in space altering magic with a secondary focus in acid and force," she says, smirk gone. "Killing you would have been a pity. Our Master told us about the brave little angel who showed no fear before him."
[21:28] <Jaela> It's inevitable that giants will see her as little, Jaela muses. She gives a curt nod. "I was given an invitation, at that time. A lot of things happened and we had a series of battles one after the other. But after a string of victories, I finally had the time to come and respond to that invitation."
[21:29] <Kotono> "Well then, Jaela," Gesturing out, as you see you are closer to the bird, within a 100 feet or so as the pegasi pull you along, "The quarry is close. Let's see that magic of yours. Can you take down this Sea Roc?"
[21:30] <Jaela> "I won't know until I try," Jaela says, peering up at it in an attempt to identify any weaknesses she might exploit. Taking an Aurora-sized bird down conventionally would take forever. "The only one I've felt I couldn't defeat outright in a duel had been Hell's nobility, so far."
[21:34] <Kotono> OOC: Make an K:N check.
[21:35] <Jaela> roll 1d20+19
[21:35] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+19 and gets 27." [1d20=8]
[21:36] <Kotono> This creature is a Sea Roc. Imagine a Roc aligned to water. They're weak to fire and not that willful as far as it goes, nor that dextrious.
[21:37] * Jaela nods to herself, tapping her foot. "It's okay if I char it?"
[21:41] <Kotono> Smirking a little bit, "They taste best burnt," she says, "Do it."
[21:48] <Jaela> Her hair turns silver as her magic comes to the fore, and Jaela grows in size. Not nearly enough to rival the giantess, but easily matching her mother. But that brief moment is all that she leaves for herself to prepare, and then Jaela is charges off towards the sea roc with a happy grin upon her face!
[21:51] <Jaela> roll 1d20+47-17 charging dive, 17pa, divine might
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 1d20+47-17 charging dive, 17pa, divine might and gets 32." [1d20=2]
[22:00] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[22:01] <Jaela> roll 3#2d6+42+36+13 pa+divine might
[22:02] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 3#2d6+42+36+13 pa+divine might and gets 298." [3#2d6+42+36+13 = 98, 102, 98]
[22:02] <Jaela> roll 2d6 con damage, Fort DC30 half
[22:02] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 2d6 con damage, Fort DC30 half and gets 4." [2d6=2, 2]
[22:02] <Jaela> roll 15d6 Flame Strike as swift, Ref DC28 half
[22:03] * Hatbot --> "Jaela rolls 15d6 Flame Strike as swift, Ref DC28 half and gets 49." [15d6=2, 4, 4, 1, 1, 5, 3, 5, 3, 4, 3, 2, 3, 4, 5]
[22:09] <Kotono> Lunging forward, Jaela darts to the bird! She stabs into its tailfeathers, dragging her spear forward! Like this she rips into the bird as a column of flame engulfs its head!  She drags it along with it, slowly splitting the bird's back and spine wide open! It's head is a charred ruin as Jaela reache sit, the great roc plummeting down to the ground!
[22:11] * Jaela arrests her flight with her wings, allowing herself to be scooped back into the chasing chariot. "My bad," she says embarrassedly. "I thought it would be stronger."
[22:15] <Kotono> Oh, does the giant woman laugh. She laughs hard, "Now that, little Jaela, is how to kill something!" The chariot descends down, landing at the head of the roc.
[22:17] * Jaela is laughing herself, now, while she looks for Canderella and Finnegan.
[22:23] <Kotono> No sign of them -  you were flying along after all. Meanwhile the giantess gestures, the slain roc rising up! She withdraws an obsidian disk from one of the chainmail scraps, tossing it out! A fire forms around the roc, burning away the feathers and starting to cook it. "We will feast tonight!"
[22:26] <Jaela> Somehow, despite learning the lesson each time all over again, Jaela keeps on forgetting to keep those going with her in a telepathic link. And even as she chides herself, something tells her that it will happen again in the future. "Nice!" she cheers. Another glance back, and Jaela says, "I left my companions back there, around the spot where I hopped onto your chariot. Are we going to be heading back that way, or should I step over to bring them her?"
[22:28] <Kotono> "Go get them," The giantess instructs, "There's plenty of food for everyone!"
[22:30] <Jaela> "Sure thing!" To get over there, Jaela would plane shift by way of the Astral oasis. Once she'd caught up to Canderella and Finnegan, however, they could just fly back normally and give the rock proper time to roast.
[22:34] <Kotono> On shifting there and back, you find...gaaah! A few dozen dead wolves are about, large and fried by thunder. They're dwarfed by something else - a 200ft long worm extended out of the ground, a rich gray with a strangely soft looking body. Finnegan sits atop it as Canderella rests against it. "Nothing serious," Finnegan says, "How'd chariot chasing work out?"
[22:36] <Jaela> "I made a new friend. She asked me to kill the huge roc, and man those things are weak. Now we're invited to eat it." Considering the surroundings, Jaela decides to just shift them across instead of her previous plan. "The titan I'm here to see is someone she calls their Master, so we shouldn't have trouble seeing him now. Ready to go?"
[22:40] <Kotono> "Yes," Canderella says, "They don't have any treasure, and anything valuable in them would take too much time and knowledge to be worth harvesting."
[22:40] <Kotono> "It was a decent distraction." Finnegan says, "The lord of this castle must be an avid hunter."
[22:41] * Jaela nods her agreement. "If you really want a pelt or something, we can probably just easily buy it." She grins at Finnegan's words. "Seems like it. Alright! On three, one, two--"
[22:43] <Kotono> A shift! On reaching the oasis there's a pause - namely, you feel a sudden oppressiveness here, open and raw on your nerves.
[22:45] <Jaela> Near a portal to Elysium? Jaela almost raises an eyebrow, but instead attempts to forcibly shift them the rest of the way back to their destination on Limbo.
[23:04] <Kotono> The shift is momentary, returning you to Limbo moments later. In the savanna the Sea Roc is being cooked all over.
[23:05] <Jaela> "I'm back," Jaela greets the giantess, before glancing at her companions. "Did either of you feel that, back on Astral?"
[23:07] <Kotono> "Felt what?" Canderella says, but Finnegan nods slightly, "A foul feeling, an ill omen. Misfortune and ruinous intent."
[23:09] <Jaela> "I like to use that place as a midway point," Jaela elaborates. "The setting is ideal in every sense, and since Astral doesn't have time or distances my chances of being intercepted are just about zero. So I've been there for lots of times, but this was the first it felt... oppressive, I guess. Maybe the devils figured out a way to track me there?" She frowns. Probably spies, she doubts anyone would actually know where she had been going or how often.
[23:10] <Kotono> "Do you want to investigate it?" Canderella asks, "We could go back and throw some lightning at any problems."
[23:11] <Jaela> "I'm not really sure how," Jaela admits. "Any ideas, you two?"
[23:17] <Kotono> Finnegan shakes his head, "If it's trouble that wants us, it'll find us. If we don't have a way of stopping it, there's no sense going to prod it. Much like attacking a beehive without the means to protect yourself."
[23:19] <Jaela> "It didn't feel exceptionally magical," Jaela muses, "and if only us two felt it then it's probably some stupid shit the devils are pulling, considering how it felt. Anyway, unless you got some idea of how to look into it, Candy, we'll just do what Finnegan says and wait for them to try and look us up."

[Corwin]

[18:50] <Kotono> "Stupidity and devils goes together so well," Canderella pipes up with a sardonic chuckle, "I don't have any ideas short of blasting it with overwhelming power."
[18:51] * Jaela grins at her and flies up to the giantess.
[18:58] <Kotono> Thus do the trio proceed back to the giantess. The Sea Roc is burning merrily now, the scent of rich cooking meat tantalizing your senses. She turns back around, "Eh?" She stares a moment at Candrella, then back to Jaela, then back to Canderella.
[19:01] <Jaela> Do you know her? is the first question Jaela wants to ask at that, but instead she proceeds with the introductions. "This is Finnegan," she says, gesturing at the elf. "A hero from the past that returned to fight at our side, currently in the function of my bodyguard. And this," she proceeds, gesturing at her other side, "is Canderella. She is with Talos, and presently fighting in the Crusade as well." Since she never quite got an introduction from their hostess, Jaela waits patiently for one to happen now.
[19:04] <Kotono> "Oh." The giantess replies after a moment, "One of Talos's thunder maidens." There's a certain mocking emphasis on the word maiden, a hint of a smirk showing at that. "I am Lady Krosea."
[19:04] <Kotono> Finnegan smirks ever so slightly back, but holds his ground, protectively near Jaela.
[19:04] <Jaela> "It's alright to laugh at the term, I'm sure Candy finds it funny herself."
[19:10] <Kotono> "It loses something in translation," Canderella's voice is full of flippant disinterest, "There's no equivalent to maiden in Abyssal, though a few words for sacrifice come close."
[19:11] <Kotono> "Hah!" With a bigger smirk, as the bird is roasted, Krosea leaps up back into the chariot - one great, easy leap, landing up there.
[19:12] <Jaela> "You're the best I've seen with lightning," Jaela muses, placing a hand on Canderella's shoulder to restore her to full strength. "It'd always be the first thing I think of." Glancing up, she asks, "Is this where we head back together?"
[19:13] <Kotono> Calling back down, "No! This is where we FEAST!"
[19:14] <Jaela> "Need a hand?" Jaela asks Finnegan quietly.
[19:16] <Kotono> "Yes," Glancing up a moment, "Birds fly, elves don't. A quirk of nature."
[19:17] * Jaela picks him up with a roll of her eye and leaps up, using her wings to close the distance.
[19:37] <Kotono> Once up you find a bevy of unseen servants are preparing a table, Canderella sitting comfortably. Krosea sits on her couch again. "So, how did a succubus and an angel end up traveling together?"
[19:39] <Jaela> "An ally was dying of old age, so a friend of mine and I went looking for the waters of youth," Jaela responds, sitting down comfortably next to Canderella. "She ended up being our guide and we all hit it off pretty well, didn't we?"
[19:41] <Kotono> "It all started when an angel and a succubus walked into a bar," Canderella smirks as a servant places a napkin on her lap. As Finnegan stays standing next to Jaela, "But Jaela speaks accurately."
[19:47] * Jaela is used to Finnegan by now and will just treat him to something nice when they get back.
[19:48] <Kotono> "A fine quest," Krosea says, as she snaps her fingers! Unseen servants fly up, carrying great cuts of Sea Roc. They are placed on plates before the three - huge steaks by Jaela's standards. About six different forks, a half dozen spoons and ten knives are placed before each plate, each one varied.
[19:50] * Jaela can certainly eat, even when such a portion is served! And no natural poisons in the body would bother her much. "We got so much water," she says, laughing now, "that we had enough for two in the end. One of our premier mages used to be the Old Man, but he now looks about my age."
[19:53] <Kotono> Canderella tears into her food with a surprising aclarity, forsaking the silverware altogether. She uses her fingers, twisting into claws to slice off choice bits. She savors each bite for a moment before tearing off the next. Krosea, uses a titan sized for to lift up the entire huge steak, devouring it in four bites. Another is immediately brought, and as she goes for that, "Aging is such
[19:53] <Kotono> a mortal problem," With a certain hint of boredom in their voice, "Mortals should learn to stop aging if they care so much. They place so much importance in the momentary gasp that is their lives, fretting for a split second before they are gone."
[19:58] <Jaela> "It's a weird one, isn't it?" Jaela finds herself agreeing, eating at a more subdued pace than the other two. "People might be worried about dying of old age, but they hardly give as much thought to the chance that they'll die tomorrow fighting devils at a Crusade like ours."
[20:01] <Kotono> "Transitory lives, preparing for eternity," Tearing into that second steak and then a third, already having eaten more meat than all of Jaela's body, "Yet they cling to them before throwing them away with cavalier whimsy."
[20:02] <Jaela> "I guess it's because in the Crusade, people fight? So when it comes to old age, people would naturally want to fight that sort of death as well, somehow." She shrugs. "What do you think?"
[20:04] <Kotono> "No one," Canderella pauses to savor a particularly rich bit of meat. "No one tends to think that far ahead, especially mortals. They're gripped by short-sightenedness, save for the wisest of them. During my halcyon days, I forever took advantage of that. A plan of a millenia would be nary noticed, or at worst fought by a persistent bloodline until it petered out in violence or disinterest."
[20:05] <Jaela> "Come to think of it, are there still any of those plans in motion that we could stop?"
[20:08] <Kotono> A pause as your host's attention returns to Canderella. She waves a hand, "A few, but they're either out of my control and in the hands of opportunists or wound down without me." Licking her clawed fingers clean of juices, "Mmmmmmmm..." A slow, sensual purr at this, "I had a kingdom trending towards abyssal worship - oh, they had Talosian influences, but I was doing it as a favor for another
[20:08] <Kotono> demon who I owed a debt of summoning to. He'd taken it over in my absence, and done so quite magnificently. When I summoned him before, he was a spew dripping pile of diseased feathers, but he's transmigrated into a flaming, towering mass of muscles and raw hatred."
[20:09] <Jaela> "Lovely. Spend some time with Ebony when we get back so she can take a look at what we might actually done after all?"
[20:13] <Kotono> "I suppose. It's bad form to tattle on another demon's scheme. Delicious but it really is bad form," Canderella says, snaring another bit of meat. "But he is a towering pile of raw hatred. Balors are so...oh, you know. Dedicated to the destruction of everything and the meaningless ruination from rage. I just can't appreciate that any more."
[20:13] <Jaela> "Plus it was yours to begin with. Fuck him."
[20:15] <Kotono> "Mmm," Tapping her chin at that, "No, I'd rather not. Balors are proportionately sized. Now fucking with him, as you would say?" Canderella smiles serenely, before licking her lips again. "Mmmm, yes. Now that could be a fun diversion."
[20:17] <Jaela> "I walked right into that one, okay," Jaela agrees good-naturedly. "At least it's settled."
[20:19] <Kotono> "Another adventure?" Your host had been keeping herself busy wolfing down more Sea Roc as you spoke. "You live a good life for a celestial."
[20:22] <Jaela> "I like to think I have my share of them. Pretty much hoping this visit becomes one as well."
[20:24] <Kotono> "Well spoken!" Krosea cheers, and after time to eat another huge slap of meat, "Finnegan's your man at arms?"
[20:25] <Jaela> "In a sense," Jaela agrees, giving her food some much-deserved attention.
[20:26] <Kotono> It's really good food, too, though it tastes a lot like grilled chicken. "Close enough," Finnegan says quietly.
[20:28] * Jaela will need to see if she can save a piece for Finnegan afterwards.
[20:39] <Kotono> "He's a good one, I can tell," With an airy wave of her hand, "Good help can be hard to find, can't it? Our last Seneschal of the Stables was fired a few weeks ago for theft! Intolerable! He was brazenly selling off pegasi to gith monasteries!"
[20:41] <Jaela> "What, seriously?" Jaela shakes her head.
[20:43] <Kotono> As Canderella smirks at all this, "Yes!" Krosea says, "Those withered up, walking raisins were paying him to steal our pegasi! It's unbelievable. I had to personally escort him off the grounds."
[20:44] <Jaela> "Sorry to hear that."
[20:46] <Kotono> "Retreiving them made up for it a little bit," Going on, "The gith were indignant, as if they were the wronged party!" Slamming her fist on the table, making the entire thing shake like an earthquake has come, as the skies above burn, "All droopy and boring, while saying they had fairly bought them!"
[20:47] * Jaela snorts. "At least they saw reason?"
[20:49] <Kotono> "They did," Smirking a little bit, "Once properly motivated."
[20:50] <Jaela> "Ah." Jaela nods in understanding. "That sort of reason."
[21:03] <Kotono> Finishing yet another steak, "So how have yo ugone about getting good help?"
[21:05] <Jaela> Jaela suspects they have a different understanding of 'help', but decides to just answer properly. "It's all about two things, as far as I figure. First is competence. No need to settle, here. If someone's just not good enough for the task you have in mind, just keep looking till you're there. And the other is about having a proper bond before you. If you go on a quest to fight ancient monstrosities so one of your allies can have a second chance at life, you can expect that same sort of devotion back, I figure?"
[21:11] <Kotono> "In theory," Canderella says, "But you're thinking like a celestial, not like, say, a demon or a slaad."
[21:12] <Jaela> "It's not just theory, it's really how I've gone about."
[21:18] <Kotono> "Mmm, I may have to try that," Lady Krosea says, as the meal winds down. "Getting new help is so tiring."
[21:20] * Jaela nods, wiping her lips with a napkin.
[21:21] <Kotono> "Now," Gesturing ahead, "Take us home!" At this the pegasi rise, lifting the chariot up into the air!
[21:22] * Jaela repositions herself so that she could observe just where they are flying. It would be nice to know exactly where to plane shift in the future, if she ever needs that.
[21:29] <Kotono> As you race ahead, yo ufind it a savanna of elements. The sky rotates between fire, magma, water and acidic vapors with irregularity. The ground is generally solid, but there's a few small lakes, lava pools and hissing cold  ponds of liquids you can't even identify.
[21:31] <Jaela> "I heard there were lots of dragons here," Jaela muses, not thinking too hard to identify that which her mind shies away from. "Are they just youngsters, or do you have some wyrms as well?"

[Corwin]

[18:56] <Kotono> "All types," Lady Krosea looks out and gestures, "They are wise enough to hide from this chariot. They make fine prey to hunt for days at a time, until you finally track them down."
[18:57] <Jaela> "They'll hate me on sight," Jaela informs her, "so if there's any at the castle itself, it might be good to warn them off. For their own good, really."
[19:01] <Kotono> "Oh?" Looking to Jaela now, "Does that have anything to do with the mark on your head?"
[19:01] <Kotono> Finnegan glances at Jaela at that, but keeps his silence.
[19:04] <Jaela> "I had a disagreement with Tiamat and Bahamut, and that was the result. Really, the disagreement is more with Tiamat, but there's some kind of ancient mutual support agreement between the two. I'm working on reaching a better understanding with Bahamut, at least, but that'll take time," Jaela elaborates. "But what it really comes to it is that all the dragons ever will see me as an anathema, as if they had no free will of their own. Sucks for them."
[19:06] <Kotono> "We'll hunt more of their children to make up for it," Lady Krosea laughs, "Oh, they squeal when they can't breathe something into submission and cry out so when magic lays them low."
[19:08] <Jaela> No dragons at the court, check. And any dragon dumb enough to hang around a castle of powerful titans on Limbo deserves to be hunted down, really.
[19:14] <Kotono> Playing with a bit of her hair, wrapping it around her finger, "I-" Or so she begins, but instead Lady Krosea rises. "Ahead!" she calls, "The castle's moved forward again."
[19:15] <Jaela> Moved again? Jaela takes a look herself, following Krosea's eyes with her own.
[19:20] <Kotono> Looking up, you see a castle! It has legs on the bottom, frog legs. It crawls along towards the carriage, made of gray stones. It's a grand, full castle, towers rising and heavily walled. In the center is one great tower, rising high and higher up, into the flaming sky and hidden by it.
[19:21] <Jaela> Makes sense, considering what she knows of the place. "Why does the castle move?" she asks curiously.
[19:24] <Kotono> "It has legs!" Canderella says, eyes widening, "I like that!"
[19:25] <Jaela> Of course it does! It's made of frogs, after all.
[19:25] <Kotono> "The slaad get restless," Lady Krosea says absently, watching it move. "They don't like being bricks forever."
[19:25] <Jaela> "Fair."
[19:31] <Kotono> Thus the chariot approaches the castle! It flies right over the walls and into the courtyard! Here it lands - a wide open space, full of craters patched up with gray bricks. To the side is a towering stables.
[19:33] * Jaela assumes that all the talk about servants means some will take care of the pegasi and the carriage, and merely looks prepared to follow Krosea onwards. Should Finnegan need help navigating any obstacles, she'll be there for him as well, of course.
[19:37] <Kotono> From there it's a hop on down! As you land the gates to the castle open wide! Striding out is a familiar face - the titan you met on the Astral who invited you here! He strides forward, "Well, well, well!" he booms, "Jaela's made it here!"
[19:38] <Jaela> "So I did." She grins up at him. "Sorry it's unannounced."
[19:55] <Kotono> As Finnegan takes his position and Canderella saunters behind Jaela, "I did promise a reward," he says, "What do you want? Gold? Jewels? Magic? Magical equipment?" Crossing his arms over his gigantic chest, "Tell me what you want."
[20:05] <Jaela> Jaela is briefly taken aback, as she had expected a different greeting. But rather than blurt out the first thing that comes to her mind, she decides to consider her answer properly first. Thus, when she answers she is her usual composed self.
[20:05] <Jaela> "I want to destroy the devils and drive them off our world and others they've got their grabby little hands in," Jaela answers. "If we can have an alliance towards that goal, I'll be happy. If we can receive competent officers in support of the Crusade, I'll be happy. If you possess magic that would help me reach my goal, I'll be happy. The same goes for any artifacts you might possess." She brushes a strand of hair back behind her ear. "It's pretty surprising how easy it is for me to be happy. And naturally, I won't forget that sort of aid. I believe in paying people back properly."
[20:14] <Kotono> "Three things," he says after a few moments of thought, "Krosea! Get Abidas, Arcanum XII and Eregal's Memento."
[20:16] * Jaela only lets a fraction of her curiosity show as she awaits patiently.
[20:29] <Kotono> Krosea departs away in a flash, returning moments later. She holds a plain gray bag, taking one thing out of it. It is a longspear, carved of plain wood. As you look at it, you see it curl into the shape of a circle at the same time as being straight as a spear is.
[20:32] <Jaela> "Only on Limbo," Jaela mutters quietly, studying the weapon. There is nothing plain about it, she's certain, not if it can do the apparent impossible. What remains to be seen is how much it shares her antipathy for devilkind.
[20:49] <Kotono> "Nothing escapes this spear," The titan says, as next a thick tome is produced. It is leathery red and in fine condition. "Arcane magic is enhanced with this tome," he announces. It seems mundane enough - no strange twisting effects like the spear.
[20:50] <Jaela> To her eyes, at least. Where it comes to the arcane, Jaela has a certain detachment due to the nature of her own magic and training. She inclines her head.
[20:57] <Kotono> The last is a huge scale! It's carved into the shape of a shield, made of what looks to be some sort of silvery scale. "Eregal was a splendid hunt that lasted for months. This is the memento of that hunt." As you watch, chilling-cold air gathers around it, frost coating the scale-shield.
[21:01] <Jaela> "A fine memento," Jaela says, reaching out toward the chilling air to see just how cold it might get.

[Corwin]

[18:57] <Kotono> It's quite cold - cold enough to numb Jaela's fingers.
[19:02] <Jaela> Her eyebrow climbs once more. "Impressive," Jaela says, before a grin splits her face. "Sorry, sorry. All these curt answers... I just got overwhelmed, but I'm all better now!"
[19:03] <Kotono> "Superior creatures have an obligation to help the brave," The titan declares, "There are so many servants and so few people of merit in Creation."
[19:07] <Jaela> "I appreciate the help. And I'm not really any tamer now, even if I speak with more reservation." She laughs, suddenly. "Would you believe that we've been talking all this time and I even came to see you but I never actually got your name?"
[19:13] <Kotono> "That? I know." Cracking his neck and then his knuckles, "I only give my name to the worthy. None of my concubines have become worthy of it yet. You may call me Master Westenrock - a suitable name for now."
[19:14] * Jaela tilts her head. "Makes sense. Sure thing!"
[19:24] <Kotono> "Now then," So declaring, "Know that I will call on this favor given by you. I am an avid collector of arcana of all kinds."
[19:30] <Jaela> "I was gonna bring it up, actually," Jaela responds. "Basically, you need to know my credentials beyond what I told Lady Krosea, the way I figure. Healing, travel, protection, those are all things I'm good at. But if we're talking tasks rather than just, say, tactical applications, I can be a pretty decent negotiator. Shit at stealth, though." She considers the topis that he had actually brought up. "Arcana-wise, are you interested in unique lore? In information about the competition, so to speak? Something else entirely?"
[19:35] <Kotono> "Lore and items," He declares, "I need no knowledge to crush the fools that would oppose me."
[19:36] <Jaela> "I'll need to think about this one," Jaela muses. "Anything in particular there that interests you to focus this better?"
[19:43] <Kotono> "Tools of battle," The titan replies, as Finnegan pauses to study the icy shield.
[19:44] <Jaela> "Against any particular type of opponent?"
[19:54] <Kotono> "Any," The titan replies.
[19:54] * Jaela nods. "Got it. When I get my hands on something suitably unique, I'll come back for a visit?"
[19:59] <Kotono> "Until then!" Lord Westenrock declares, "I look forward to it!"
[20:01] * Jaela collects his gifts and then salutes him with the spear before shifting herself and her two companions back to Air, at the Aurora's doorstep.
[20:05] <Kotono> Once there, Canderella stretches and asks, "Aaaaaah, that was fun! So what will be done with his gifts?"
[20:07] <Jaela> "Didn't think that far ahead," Jaela admits. "But I figure we'll use a you take it, you bought it system. We'll need to pay the huge guy back some time, and if you benefit from this you're just gonna have to do your part at that time as well. Sound fair?"
[20:10] <Kotono> "Sensible," Canderella remarks, "Summoning vrocks worked in the same way, you know."
[20:10] <Jaela> "You always know just what to say."
[20:11] <Kotono> Finnegan makes a show of studying the dragonshield, "If I don't miss what was said, this is a silver dragon's scale?"
[20:12] <Jaela> "Yeah. And from what I can tell, it's a pretty powerful shield, too, if it can make me feel chilly. Can you actually use a shield with your style?"
[20:14] <Kotono> "I'm disturbed," he says, eyes still on the shield, "The silver dragons I've met have been noble beasts, not game to be hunted down."
[20:18] <Jaela> "It's their inclination, but that doesn't go for each and every one of them," Jaela responds. "By that same coin, I can't see any sensible dragon putting up with a lengthy chase. On the off chance that it was picked off at random, the dragon could still have escape to any number of safe realms, including Bahamut's own. That it didn't suggests to me that this was embellished, and a clash more than some hunt."
[20:20] <Kotono> Finnegan rises after that, just falling back into position. Canderella chuckles, "It was just a dragon. They're powerful, but they're predators by nature. They live by it and this one died by it."
[20:22] <Jaela> "You have the dragon's name," Jaela tells Finnegan. "It should be enough to look into the past, if you suspect foul play. If you intend to, and find something, just bring that up to me and we'll think about our next move."
[20:26] <Kotono> "I will. Kascha might know," Finnegan says, "Think I'll go find her and see."
[20:26] * Jaela nods. "Bring the shield with you in case it'll help with any divinations."

[Corwin]

[20:26] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, what'cha gonna do, Jaela?
[20:27] <Jaela> OOC: I want to check up on the diplomatic mission to the gith queen. I assume the Mercane route was used there?
[20:28] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, refresh me on what you're checking on there?
[20:29] <Jaela> OOC: We sent her a 100k shield with our sincere apologies that we won't be able to ally with her. I want to hear if it went well or if there were complications.
[20:31] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[20:33] <Kotono> Catching up with Morniel isn't hard. The two of you go to the meeting room, a pot of warm tea and finger cakes awaiting you. Morniel pours tea and nibbles on a bit of cake, "It went well. Despite rumors and worries, the entire effort was peacefully received. There wasn't a hint of impropriety. I'm reviewing the full report, but nothing reported indicates anything went even the slightest bit
[20:33] <Kotono> awry."
[20:35] <Jaela> "She must've realized it wouldn't work due to our situation with Tiamat," Jaela muses. "And for all of Vul'lath's skill and usefulness to us, she must not consider sheltering him an unforgivable slight. That's about your analysis too?"
[20:37] <Kotono> "Essentially. It's purely a political situation - Vul'lath is a slight, but one she can excuse since we're of interest to her. Her relations with Tiamat could become delicate, but the pact with red dragons is a deep one. While I'm not aware of any details of the pact, it has endured long. I doubt this would endanger it."
[20:38] <Jaela> "A desire to keep us neutral in her own affairs, then?" Jaela suggests. "If she makes a misstep, she must know that we will have no choice but to side with her enemies. And we do have our share of friends on Limbo already."
[20:38] <Kotono> roll 1d20+46
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+46 and gets 60." [1d20=14]
[20:40] <Kotono> "The githzerai haven't shown any interest in us and we have support from the slaad. The githzerai and slaad aren't particularly allies. The githzerai view the slaad as a menace and the slaad...who can say? But the possibility exists despite any support from the slaad, and that may well be enough."
[20:42] <Jaela> "Well, whatever it is, the outcome's in our favor like you said." Jaela nods firmly. "We've come across quite a few people I would've been pretty happy to cross blades with, but it's done us good thus far to remember who our enemies are and stay the course." With that settled, she asks, "Do we have any plans for a major offensive in the near future?"
[20:45] <Kotono> "Right now I'm calling in favors to find out Abigor's disposition," Morniel replies after a sip of tea. He pauses, a bemused smile on his face. "I never cared for this type of tea before." Taking another few sips, "I'm calling in favors to find out, but it will take time. Abigor can vanish for a few weeks without anyone thinking of it, or longer with an excuse of being called to business
[20:45] <Kotono> elsewhere. It will take highly placed sources to find out the likely truth of it. Unfortunately, those manner of sources are rare and expensive."
[20:48] <Jaela> "We've never shied away from paying this price before," Jaela says, if only to make her approval explicit. "Should I remain on standby? I was thinking of going dragon hunting for Telastryiryn."
[20:50] <Kotono> "Don't commit to anything too involving," Morniel says, "If we find reliable information that Abigor is in a position where we can confront him, I plan to gather the generals immediately. The capture of Abigor would be a titanic victory and his slaying a different, yet still titanic victory."
[20:52] <Jaela> "Alright." She snatches up a cake and washes it down with the tea. "Anything I should know about? I want to give Elena a break from reporting to me for a change."
[20:53] <Kotono> "Internally, I'm focusing on integrating our armies again. Morale's up with the recent victory at the Wailing Tree." Pausing to smile a little bit, "You have a nickname going around the non-officer ranks, by the way."
[20:54] <Jaela> "Oh?"
[20:56] <Kotono> "Jaela of the Light Spear," He says, "I'm not sure what caused the name to be coined." Sipping more tea before gently placing his cup on saucer and placing it back in the teaset.
[20:59] * Jaela forms spears of light in an arch around her with a thought, admiring them for a moment before dismissing them. "Probably not this, I didn't fall back on this spell for ages," she muses. "Oh, where it comes to the armies. You know how we have a separate force of mages? I think it's about time to break it up. Either in two, so we can have a couple independant forces like that, or in three to have each ready to support a main army. Which one do you think would work better?"
[21:00] <Kotono> "Three," The answer comes without a moment of hesitation, "It's easier to integrate them into the main armies that way. You have less reactive forces, but greater use out of each contingent."
[21:01] <Jaela> "I don't think we should integrate them fully," Jaela says, shaking her head. "Too much flexibility will be lost that way. But yes, I've been thinking that if we go with three then we should have each of the new forces work with a specific army. Training maneuvers, the works. Can you see to that?"
[21:02] <Kotono> "It will be done," Morniel promises.
[21:02] * Jaela nods. "Alright. I'm gonna go spend some time with Mirajane. Wanna come visit?"
[21:09] <Kotono> "I would like to," he says, but with a slight sigh he rises instead. "But my duties call me. Gisfal requested my presence to confer on new tactics, I need to finish reading that report, Stille's requested a meeting, I have to keep up on my contacts and there's a matter with your mother."
[21:10] <Jaela> "Tell Gisfal I said hi, tease Stille about something or other," Jaela says, starting to stand up. "My mother? What matter?"
[21:13] <Kotono> "I suppose there's no harm in telling you. She wants to talk about Lixer's research into Annalise and the First vampire. My opinion is that it's errant speculation on Baator's part, but she would rather be safe than sorry." A pause for just a moment, "Your mother's rather much more lik an archon than an eladrin in that regard."
[21:14] <Jaela> "What's there to talk about?" Jaela asks in confusion.
[21:16] <Kotono> "Contingencies. In case they know something important that we don't, mainly." Morniel explains, looking you in the eye, "I feel it an irrelevant worry, but I have said that before and been proven wrong. An ounce of prevention is preferable to a pound of a cure."
[21:20] <Jaela> Jaela sighs. "If, despite our best intentions and all our efforts, a part of Annalise's soul survived... it is our responsibility. Mine above everyone else's, considering. I won't do something stupid like storming Orcus's place if that happens, but we'll need to do something about it so I'd expect you to keep me informed whatever my mother might want. And destroying the First Vampire would make me pretty fucking happy, so if there's any way we could get an edge here, so much the merrier. That about sums things up, as far as I'm concerned. Any objections or corrections?"
[21:22] <Kotono> "Not in particular," Morniel says, "Though I would say we shouldn't seek him out unless we must. All the lore suggests it is a battle we may lose - our entire force may not be sufficient to slay a single creature like that. We can go hunting forgotten evils after defeating the evil in front of us.""
[21:26] <Jaela> "In a conventional fight, yes. But if that devil spawn's research provides us with an exploitable weakness...."
[21:28] <Kotono> "Then they celebrate if we win," Morniel points out, "A triumph and an irony in one, for they quietly approve of any demons or demonic forces we vanquish. But that is a self defeating, miserable way of looking at it. If our assault was not seemingly unexpected, I would wonder if this was bait. Devils so like those sort of obscure plans.""

[Corwin]

[18:58] <DMtono> Going back to Mirajane, you find someone is with her. Mei sits with Mirajane sitting on her lap. Mei gently uses her fingers as a brush, going through the child's hair. Mirajane is curled up into her, smiling and looking half asleep.
[19:00] <Jaela> "Hey," Jaela greets the two, banishing her armor.
[19:02] <DMtono> Mei wears a maternal smile as Mirajane looks up from the bosom she rests against, "Momma," she calls, springing up and running over to Jaela!
[19:04] * Jaela catches the girl, twirling with the motion. "Miss me?" she asks with a grin, seating Mirajane upon her shoulders.
[19:09] <DMtono> "Yes!" Mirajane squeals, clinging on. Mei just smiles and rises, watching Mirajane.
[19:11] <Jaela> "When you're bigger I'll take you to Limbo with me," Jaela promises.
[19:15] <DMtono> "Okay!" Mirajane calls, "I want juice, Momma!"
[19:16] <Jaela> "Sure thing! Let's just have some at the cafeteria? I'll get you a sea roc steak while we're at it!" Jaela glances at Mei. "Wanna come? The more, the merrier."
[19:19] <DMtono> Mei smiles and nods. The cafeteria is full and busy. People chatting back and forth, eating and making merry.  No sign of anyone you know offhand - but it's pretty busy in here, one can note.
[19:22] * Jaela decides to go with apple juice, along with very modest helpings of the steak she'd eaten earlier. Enough for each of them to try and decide if they like it. She's not actually sure if Mei's vows allow it, but it's not like the magically-summoned food would run out or be wasted.
[19:26] <DMtono> Mei demurs as she sits next to Jaela. Mirajane ignores the steak for the juice. As she sips that, "Ho, Jaela!" Lady Rosa emerges from the crowd, still in her full armor.
[19:28] * Jaela inclines her head in her direction. "Lady Rosa," she says, scooping Mirajane into her arms to give the girl easy access to the table.
[19:36] <DMtono> Lady Rosa goes to sit on the opposite side of the table, facing Jaela. "General, Dame Mei. How is little Mirajane doing?"
[19:37] <Jaela> "Thirsty but happy?"
[19:54] <DMtono> "Happy," Mirajane repeats after finishing her juice.
[19:55] <DMtono> "Good," A smile to the child before Rosa goes on, "Congratulations on your victory in the recent battle tournament."
[20:00] <Jaela> "Thanks. Though if we want to get technical about it, I defeated that sore loser with words and our reputation. I bet I'll never get a decent fight unless I go incognito."
[20:10] <DMtono> That draws a nod from Rosa, "Good. A reputation can win battles before you even start them."
[20:10] <Jaela> "Speaking of. Ever hear of Castle Westenrock over on Limbo?"
[20:57] <Kotono> "No," Lady Rosa says, "I wasn't aware Limbo was organized enough for a castle."
[20:58] <Jaela> "Oh, it is. You need to be pretty powerful to manage that." She shrugs slightly, careful not to move Mirajane too much while she drinks her juice. "Of course, this particular castle is made out of slaad."
[21:00] <Kotono> Her juice is gone - she really was thirsty! "Oh, that...made of slaad?" Suddenly Lady Rosa's face is nothing but disgust, visibly backing away in her chair, "What madman would do tha?!"
[21:02] <Jaela> "A titan that wouldn't give me his name." Jaela tilts her head, even as she wishes for a fresh glass of juice for Mirajane. Pear, this time. "I couldn't find more in the library, and trust me, I won't lose to the resident bookworms if I'm seriously tossing it apart. Do you have any contacts off plane you could run down for me? Finnegan's got some concerns, and better safe than sorry."
[21:04] <Kotono> Mirajane goes right for it, demolishing a second glass. "Nothing in Limbo," she admits, "My contacts are in Arborea and deal with the Lower Planes. The best one I can think of is a succubus in service to Empress Sulia, and she's hardly close at all."
[21:05] * Jaela nods. "Arborea is what I had in mind," she agrees. "Basically, Limbo is neutral. If anything, it's even favorable to us on the whole. But it could still house the random demon or someone unsavory. I just need to make sure our allies don't have anything concrete that warns us about that castle or its owner. That's all. Can you manage that for me, Lady Rosa?"
[21:12] <Kotono> "Yes ma'am," Lady Rosa stands, "I'll requisition a soldier to manage the dimensional travels."
[21:14] <Jaela> "Mmm. Unless you're traveling to a sanctum, might I suggest my usual method? I ward myself with a divination that alerts me to hostile dimensional travel, and take care to travel in a group with a couple others. The Old Man could help with that, and Elena will direct you further if he's not available. Barring that, staying in interplanar telepathic link with someone here so that we count mount a timely rescue would do."
[21:17] <Kotono> "Understood. I'll do as instructed," Lady Rosa briefly salutes Jaela, "Are there any other instructions?"
[21:17] <Jaela> "Stay safe," Jaela responds, returning the salute before nudging Mirajane subtly.
[21:26] <Kotono> From here time passes. Mei wanders off just before Elena pops into view. "Oh Jaela," she announces, "Finnegan and Kascha want you to swing by the library."
[21:27] <Jaela> "Okay." Lowering her head, Jaela whispers to Mirajane, "Do you want to go visit Kascha and Finnegan?"
[21:29] <Kotono> "Okay," Mirajane says, "I'm curious about what is hidden."
[21:30] <Jaela> Picking Mirajane as she stands up, Jaela once more elevates the girl to her shoulders. "Hold on tight! Let's dash~"
[21:34] <Kotono> "Yaaaaaah!" Crying out happily, Mirajane is dashed via Jaela to the Library. Once there Mirajane's happy cries sound that much louder, Sage Vul'lath looking up from a thick, dusty tome.
[21:35] <Jaela> "Sorry!" Jaela looks both apologetic and doing her best to hide her laughter. "Kascha and Finnegan are here? We'll be out of your hair as soon as we catch them, promise."
[21:36] <Kotono> "They're back that way," Sage Vul'lath says, a look of sour pique. "Sylvie is gone on business with Ithea and Tepen is seeing to Ellese today. They're the only ones back there."
[21:37] <Jaela> "I'll make it up to you," Jaela promises, and then quickly makes her way towards the back.
[21:39] <Kotono> In the back you find the two. Finnegan sits atop a table with a book open in his lap. Kascha's surrounded by books up to her chin, reading one in particular. "Kascha," Finnegan murmurs, which gets the eladrin to eep and look up, "Oh right! So I looked up a silver dragon named Eregal."
[21:40] <Jaela> "And?" Jaela asks, claiming a seat opposite them.
[21:46] <Kotono> "It's short for several draconic names that start with Eregal or close to it. Silvers in particular are partial to that name prefix." Closing the book she's on, "So I've had to work through several obscure Eregals that ended up being dead ends. But I found one of interest. Dozens of millenia ago, there was a silver dragon named Eregallanas who had joined the court of Ben-Hadar. He's the
[21:46] <Kotono> Prince of Elemental Good in Water if you're not familiar with him. In one of the many battles against Olhydra, Eregallanas is said to have vanished into a rift caused by a Reality Maelstrom spell. Are you familiar with that spell?"
[21:48] * Jaela pauses in contemplation. "A pretty powerful one. Evocation, isn't it? About the same result as if you were to use a bag of holding and a portable hole together?"
[21:51] <Kotono> "Yes," Kascha nods, "What's interesting is that Ben-Hadar ordered Eregal to be found. Divinations lead to Limbo, but the trail went cold there."
[21:51] <Jaela> "That answers the first question I had," Jaela muses. "Did he try to have the dragon resurrected?"
[21:57] <Kotono> "It doesn't say," Kascha says, "Sorry."
[21:58] * Jaela nods. She is about to speak, before she glances down at the girl in her arms. "What do you think, Mirajane?"
[21:59] <Kotono> Mirajane smiles, going to up to Kascha and hopping into her lap. This knocks books over, Kascha going wide eyed and trying to balance Mirajane as she reaches for the falling books. Even as Kascha murmurs, "Oh no!" Mirajane says, "I think something sad happened, Momma."
[22:01] * Jaela nods. "Alright. I've detached Rosa to look into our titan friend, but whether Arborea holds any answers or not is up in the air. Kascha, I need you to approach your sovereign. She's the only link we have to Ben-Hadar's court, right?"
[22:11] <Kotono> "I'll do it," Kascha smiles and ruffles Mirajane's hair, before putting her aside and getting up.
[22:12] <Kotono> She pauses, "Seira and Ben-Hadar don't quite get along," she admits, "They're incompatible personalities. But we do have ties. So I may need some time and need to go be diplomatic."
[22:15] <Jaela> "Lady Chan is our other option," Jaela says. "Do you think that asking for Drena's help and working from there is better?" She pauses to order her thoughts, adding after, "It might work out best, now that I think about it. This gives you the chance to ingratiate yourself to Ben-Hadar, assuming he cares for an ally lost many millennia ago. But I'm willing to bet that he would. Perhaps, by having both knowledge of his fate and the physical remains in the form of the shield, he could bring him back or finally have a divination succeed properly." Her eyes flit over to Finnegan. "In either case, Kascha's safety is your responsibility. You know the precautions I use while traveling, and you can requisition resources and manpower if you need them."
[22:17] <Kotono> "I'll be taken care of," Finnegan smoothly leaps up to standing, "Give me something harder next time. Traveling with Kascha is a vacation."
[22:18] <Jaela> "Shh, we're not supposed to actually say it."
[22:19] <Kotono> "I willoh!" Kascha suddenly turns a rather intense shade of red, "Ah, well, aaaah, aaah..." Fumbling, hands to her flaming red cheeks, "Aaah...I'll..." Kascha fumbles, before hurrying off.
[22:19] <Kotono> Smiling as he adjusts his hood into position, "Never met a heavenly being like her," he admits, "They're usually so self confident and experienced in everything."
[22:21] * Jaela gives him a thumbs up, standing up herself. "Yeah, she's pretty great." She grins. "I think this is where you're supposed to be catching up to her, though." She extends her hand to Mirajane, then. "Wanna go swimming next?"
[22:49] <Kotono> Finnegan goes off to do that, as Mirajane nods. "Bath?"
[22:50] <Jaela> "Yeah. Our bath is the best!"
[22:53] <Kotono> Amid laughter you head to the baths.  Going into the changing room, you find 27 standing just inside. It stares up at Jaela as the door opens.
[22:54] <Jaela> "No."
[22:59] <Kotono> "No." 27 says in perfect agreement, as Mirajane stops and looks at 27. She walks up and pokes it in the face, lightly hitting its armored heart. "No! No! No!" Mirajane sing-songs, before hugging 27. The slaad looks at a loss as Mirajane goes behind him, as if presenting him to Jaela, "Momma, can we take him home with us?"
[23:02] <Jaela> Her first answer is no, and not just the instinctive one. But children need proper answers if they are to learn, and Jaela shakes her head slowly. "He's Ithea's pet. We can't do that to her. But I'll consider it when we come across something you like that's free?"
[23:03] <Kotono> "Okay Momma," Mirajane says, patting 27's head. At that 27 flees out in all haste, taking to the air and zipping out!
[23:04] * Jaela pats Mirajane's head in turn, elated at how things worked out. This is certainly better than kicking him out like her mother does. "Let's go in?"
[23:06] <Kotono> Inside you find Misalea and Ebony. The two are talking away, Ebony going on, "...but at the time it was the right thing to do. I don't think it changes anything," she admits, "Comfort and succor freely given is a blessing."
[23:08] <Jaela> "Hey there!" Jaela calls out, settling down in the bath. Her attention is on Mirajane throughout, but she manages a smile and a wave at Misalea and Ebony.
[23:17] <Kotono> Misalea giggles and reddens in the meanwhile, as Ebony turns. "Hello," she greets, Mirajane hopping right into the water. She swims right away, splashing about.
[23:19] <Jaela> "Are you sharing Candy-type stories in the bath?" Jaela asks curiously, her gaze lingering on Misalea after that reaction.

[Corwin]

[20:06] <Kotono> "Yes and no," Ebony says after a moment's ponderance, "Comfort and love is not what her stories deal in at all, but only the illusion of it through hedonism."
[20:07] <Jaela> "Ah!" Jaela nods in understanding, relaxing in the bath. "So yours is about hedonistic love and comfort?"
[20:09] <Kotono> Misalea giggles again at that, as Ebony ever so slightly furrows her brow. "....No. It is a story about comfort given when it is needed to warm a frozen heart. Hedonism has no part in it." Meanwhile Mirajane goes in, starting to swim around. The splashing mixes with Ebony's words in the meanwhile.
[20:10] <Jaela> "Right. How're things for you two, aside from that?"
[20:20] <Kotono> "Sleepy," Ebony admits, "Perhaps a lingering afteraffect of my demise, though I haven't felt that in the last few days."
[20:22] <Jaela> "Then you're finally getting better? Nice!" She glances at Misalea. "How about you?"
[20:22] <Kotono> "Fine enough. Adrian's cleaning and moving the furniture in our room today," Misalea smiles at that, "It's a free day for the Graceful Blow, and he'd rather not have me be underfoot."
[20:24] <Jaela> "Thinking about setting a date?"
[20:32] <Kotono> "Yes. We're thinking about doing it soon," Misalea says, "A celebration here then an escape to Brightwater for a wedding vacation after."
[20:34] <Jaela> "Maybe after we get Abigor, if we're lucky?"
[20:38] <Kotono> "We're getting Abigor?" Misalea turns full on Jaela, "What?"
[20:39] <Jaela> "Eventually," Jaela muses. She grins at Misalea, then. "I bet we'll get that done before you guys actually have a date."
[20:49] <Kotono> "Maybe?" Misalea admits with a blush, as Mirajane swims back over to Jaela. "Momma, look!" she points at the door.
[20:49] <Jaela> It better not be 27! "What's that?" Jaela asks, turning to look dutifully.
[20:55] <Kotono> It's blank for a moment, but then Elena appears. "Jaela!" she calls, "Got a report for you."
[20:55] <Jaela> "Thanks, Mirajane!" Jaela gives the girl a smile, before asking Elena, "Is it classified?"
[20:59] <Kotono> "Uh huh," Elena says, "It's a big one."
[21:00] <Jaela> "Ah." Jaela pats Mirajane's head, leaning over to talk to her. "I'm gonna go have a chat with Elena for a little bit. Will you be fine here, with Misalea and Ebony?"
[21:01] <Kotono> "I will," Mirajane says, "I'll be okay! I'ma big girl!"
[21:02] <Jaela> "You're a big girl!" Jaela agrees with a smile, before starting to make her way out of the bath. She gives Ebony and Misalea a glance just the same, to make sure it won't be a problem for them.
[21:10] <Kotono> "Go on," Ebony says, "We'll watch her."
[21:11] * Jaela gives her a mock salute as she gets out. Putting on some clothing only takes a moment with her gauntlet, and then she heads for the portal. "Redirect this wherever you need to, Elena," she says, ready to hear the urgent bit of news at the destination.
[21:14] <Kotono> You end up in the meeting room. The only other person there is Gisfal, "I'm told we have news about Abigor," he says, "Finally."
[21:15] * Jaela grins despite the gravity of the situation. "Let's hear it," she says, taking a seat.
[21:27] <Kotono> Elena floats over, "Morniel got the information," she explains, "Faster than he thought and passed it onto me. Anyway." Clearing her throat, "We're not clear on the circumstances, but a reliable visitor from Tempus's courts claims to have seen Abigor in Auril's domain."
[21:29] * Jaela winces. "Carceri?"
[21:31] <Kotono> "The Abyss," Gisfal corrects, "Fury's Heart is in the Abyss. Staying in the Abyss means he's desperate and he absolutely has Auril's protection."
[21:33] <Jaela> "It makes no sense for us to go after him, I suppose people would say," Jaela muses. "But he's still going down and we'll be the ones doing it. Still, it's a whole realm and that loser might just run away if he knows we're coming. Can we narrow it down any?"
[21:36] <Kotono> "Most likely in Auril's palace. He'd be safest there. It won't stop demons from attacking him on sight, but they'll suffer for trying." Gisfal reasons after a moment, "The question becomes: How do we get to him from here?"
[21:39] <Jaela> "I think the question's really how we can stop Auril from doing whatever the fuck she pleases in her own house."
[21:47] <Kotono> "We can't." It's all Gisfal has to say before snapping his fingers, "Fighting a deity in her house is suicide."

[Corwin]

[19:20] <Jaela> "Do we have an in with Auril in some indirect way?" Jaela asks. "Let's face it, if Abigor could come to an understanding with her, we might as well."
[19:26] <Kotono> Gisfal considers this, looking up at the ceiling as he thinks, "Canderella Stormfury. Talos was part of Fury's Heart until a millenia or two ago. She should at least be passingly familiar with what we need."
[19:29] <Jaela> "I think of all our options, Abigor wouldn't consider we'll go for this. Which is why we should explore it first. I figure the Mercane are a safe bet as well? They managed that tricky Vlaakith business for us, after all."
[19:31] <Kotono> "Yes," Gisfal says after a moment's thought, "But before committing, we should scout our all the information we can."
[19:31] <Jaela> "Sure. Like what?"
[19:56] <Kotono> "Canderella, as well as all of Aurora's staff that could be helpful," Gisfal says, "Muirfinn has ties ot nature deities and may know more of Auril. Tepen for general lore that may be useful. Morniel for the political side of it. Get what we can from there and use that as a basis to form a battle plan."
[19:57] <Jaela> "I'm sorry, I must be having a weak day. Help me out here. Is there anything you think I personally can do to help?"
[20:00] <Kotono> Here Gisfal shakes his head, though he does say, "Nothing immediately. The same position I'm in. With wise council we can find a course of action to take."
[20:02] <Jaela> "Mmm. I'm fairly confident I could handle the actual negotiations. I don't think we're particularly opposed to Auril in some direct way. But it's not like I can go and visit her, not while Abigor is hiding out in her very palace. Besides, we don't really know what she might want. So it's all about Candy and the others to find out that last part? Think you could handle it?"
[20:03] <Kotono> "I can. Do you have other matters to see to?" Gisfal asks.
[20:04] <Jaela> "Nah. I'm just not very good with organization."
[20:06] <Kotono> Gisfal smiles. He actually smiles as he sits back, "It's not...natural to our kind." So admitting, Elena giggling in reply off to the side, "An army is inherently ordered and requires constant organization."
[20:08] <Jaela> "Pretty much. Gisfal here actually gathered and trained hundreds of troops," Jaela tells Elena with a nod at Gisfal. "Me? I just make the arrangements or secure us funds and troops. I don't actually go and organize them directly in person. But I guess it's not impossible for me to handle. Ask Candy, Murifinn and Tepen over to my quarters? I'll pick Mirajane up and meet them there to discuss this."
[20:10] <Kotono> "Have a meal prepared there," Gisfal says, "Refreshments as well."