054.1 "It's like your heart is made of ice."

[Corwin]

[19:00] <Koaway> After seeing to Elder Magi Tepen for the moment, Afina is left to her own devices. Yet a deep lethargy gnaws at her, a desire to yawn and curl up into sleep's embrace.
[19:01] <Afina> Given her current state that's rather unnatural. So, wary that it could be an aftereffect of the battle with Abigor, Afina casts detect magic and looks herself over.
[19:02] <Koaway> Afina radiates no unusual magic.
[19:04] <Afina> Well she may as well give in to the inevitable. Flying to her quarters, she turns herself invisible and lays across one of the shelves to sleep.
[19:06] <Koaway> Afina lies down. But sleep does not come. Instead she begins to shiver. A chill comes to her, tiny body quivering as she draws into herself.
[19:08] <Afina> That can easily be fixed... but then again, she's hardly ungrateful to Auril - the Winter goddess knew exactly what she was doing when she invited them specifically to her realm. She can put up with some cold in a show of respect for Auril rather than just making herself warm.
[19:14] <Koaway> Like this Afina drifts to sleep. A numbness of unawareness. A coldness that transcends unawareness, making Afina shiver in her sleep. A numbness that brings to mind an endless white expanse, a whirl of snow and wind. A numbing dream that envelopes her, colder and colder and so COLD.
[19:16] <Afina> Unpleasant but there's nothing she can do but endure it, trapped asleep as she is. At least this cold isn't literally tearing her body apart in preparation for remaking it.
[19:20] <Koaway> Afina shivers. She shivers and her frosted shut eyes crack open. Her vision is blurry and her body is so cold. She shakes, a sensationless vibration from flesh too frozen to transmit anything else.
[19:23] <Afina> This has gone on long enough. She's not some ecstatic worshipper in the throes of self-destructive obesience, after all. Waving a shivering hand as she sits up, she controls the temperature to make the surrounding air as hot as she's able.
[19:24] <Koaway> OOC: How hot?
[19:26] <Afina> OOC: 210F 'Unearthly Heat'
[19:28] <Koaway> Hot. So wonderfully hot. The cold recedes from Afina slowly, as numbed flesh feels again. In minutes Afina feels much better - yet there is a feeling of deep chill within her that doesn't fade.
[19:29] <Afina> She definitely has a problem, then. And she can't really go ask anyone else without severely hurting them from the heat. Casting detect magic again, she gives herself another check.
[19:31] <Koaway> Afina doesn't detect any unusual magic on her.
[19:33] <Afina> Hmm... maybe she's sick, then? "Elena?" she calls upon her trusty majordomo.
[19:37] <Koaway> Elena so appears, clad in a few strategic strips of cloth. Just enough to stay decent, her arms crossed. "Yes firebug?"
[19:38] <Afina> "I need a healer to come see me," Afina replies to the point before asking, "And who inspired this outfit?"
[19:40] <Koaway> "You." Giving Afina a level look, "It's like an oven in here! If I weren't like I am, I'd be cooking right now! No way I'm wearing something heavy in this heat." Tapping her chin a few moments, "Priest's busy with Tepen. I think Balyss endures heat well. I'll go get her."
[19:41] <Afina> "Thank you," Afina smiles. "And the heat's for my health, not recreation!" Although she should invite Simmer some time, using this spell in the lava pools would be especially nice...
[19:43] <Koaway> Thoughs of lava pools and Simmer distract Afina for a bit. It doesn't take long for a knock, "Afina? I'm going to come in." Balyss is heard, "Elena warned me that the heat's going to rush out, so there will be a draft until I close the door."
[19:44] <Afina> "Okay, that's fine," Afina calls back, fluttering up off the shelf and going to sit on her desk instead now.
[19:47] <Koaway> Woosh! It does indeed get colder, steam forming outside as Balyss darts in, closing the door behind her! She's clad in a cutoff black tunic and cutoff black pants, stopping once she's inside. "It's really not that hot in here," she observes, "Elena made it sound like you'd started boiling Aurora's walls. I'm not even going to work up a sweat in this. I even changed out of my armor!"
[19:51] <Afina> "It's a bit less hot than the elemental plane of fire," Afina shrugs, "The spell can only go so far depending on the surrounding temperature. I actually need it like this since I'm freezing inside - I think Auril might have given me something to remember her by."
[19:59] <Kotono> A short nod to that, "Sit down and describe your symptoms."
[20:00] <Kotono> "Oh," Balyss says, "Elena, tell Sylvie to look up Auril, curses, afflictions and effects of meeting her. Anything like that. She should still be in the library working on that mace."
[20:06] <Afina> "Shortly after returning to Aurora I felt tired and sleepy," Afina begins, "Something I haven't felt since I was a true fey. After sensing no foreign magic I decided to go with it, but as soon as I laid down I started feeling cold, shivering..." she trails off a moment, embarrassed to recall it, "To be honest I felt grateful to Auril for providing us the opportunity to slay Abigor, and I'd heard
[20:06] <Afina> how her devotees suffer the cold to show their devotion. I thought enduring it for a little while would be a nice way to show some respect for her. But when I woke up I was half-frozen and could barely move, and decided enough was enough. I'm mostly fine with this heat, but I can feel the chill inside of me, not going away," she rests a hand over her abdomen as she finishes.
[20:09] <Kotono> "Alright. It sounds spiritual or magical in nature, but let's rule out any physical cause or manifestation first. Would you undress? I'll look you over." Balyss is all business, going to sit on Afina's unused bed. "On the bed's fine."
[20:11] <Afina> Getting up off the desk Afina sets her hat aside and then starts to disrobe, showing that she's no fatter than the last time Balyss saw her nude. "Do you want me to return the temperature to normal?" she asks, showing no modesty as she flutters over towards her healer in the buff.
[20:13] <Kotono> "No, it doesn't bother me," Balyss says as she starts inspecting Afina, instructing her to turn around as she does. She leans in close, giving the pixie a rather intent inspection all over. "Have you been eating more at all?"
[20:14] <Afina> Spinning around leisurely in the air, "Yes," she answers in a put upon tone. "Twice a day when I'm staying in Aurora."
[20:19] <Kotono> "Hmph." Balyss shakes her head, placing a finger on Afina's chest. "Heartbeat's fine. Again, you are a spirit, so this is largely perfunctory. You can dress now," Balyss says.
[20:21] <Afina> That's all? Afina is starting to suspect Balyss just likes seeing naked pixies, but she's not going to call her on it while relying on her medical expertise. Fluttering back over to where she left her clothes, she efficiently gets back into them. "What now?"
[20:32] <Kotono> "I'm going to try a Heal spell," Balyss says, "Then a Remove Curse. If those don't clear it up we'll get into a fuller examination. I'm eliminating possibilities and narrowing the field in case there's an easy solution."
[20:35] <Afina> "Right, do what you think's best," Afina nods trustingly, floating back into easy reach for Balyss to work her magic.
[20:39] <Kotono> "Selune, heal the wounds! Selune! Break this curse!" Two prayers back to back! Yet neither does much to cure the chill deep in Afina. "Anything?"
[20:39] * Afina shakes her head. "Still cold inside."
[20:44] <Kotono> "Alright, I'm going to try a full examination in every way I can," Cracking her knuckles, "Strip down again - and yes, I feel silly about having you dress." With a bit of an awkward smile, "I'm making this one up as I go along. I'm used to treating mortal patients where a bit of herbcraft or a small spell fixes everything. You rarely need this sort of deep study."
[20:45] <Afina> "Next time I need you to heal or examine me I'll just take my clothes off before you arrive to save time," Afina teases lightly, flying over the bed and taking off her clothes to drop on the sheets before moving back in front of the aasimar.
[20:49] <Kotono> Balyss giggles into her hand at it, "Well, if being seen naked makes you happy?" Sitting back now and waiting, chanting a spell under her breath as Afina prepares, "I had Elena make sure no one disturbs us, by the way. 27 was down the hall, so she shooed him off."
[20:52] <Afina> "I prefer wearing clothes because they're flashy and look nice, but I don't really mind going without if it's appropriate," Afina shrugs. "And last I heard 27 was obsessed with Hanna so I doubt he'll wander our way."
[20:55] <Kotono> "Huh." Starting to look over Afina's body, "Is that your tastes, or do pixies not have the same decorum about that as mortals?"
[20:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20+35
[20:55] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+35 and gets 54." [1d20=19]
[21:00] <Afina> "We vary same as everyone else does," Afina responds, "Crystal would be a bit more reserved, and Ilsenine even more so... I wonder if it's a class thing, actually?" she hums, "I think it might, actually. Nobles have more shiny things and flashy clothes to show off, not to mention having more decorum to uphold."
[21:02] <Kotono> "I'll ask Crystal the next time I see her," Balyss says, "I've been taking notes about fey biology in my spare time. There's not many fey in Balmuria. They're not too fond of the city, so this is a new opportunity." Frowning a moment as she peers, "Turn around and face me. I want to look at your heart again."
[21:03] <Afina> Spinning gracefully in midair, Afina stops facing Balyss. "We don't like cities as a rule, no."
[21:04] <Kotono> With narrowing eyes Balyss stares long at Afina's chest. Finally, with a growing frown, "Afina...there's something wrong with your heart."
[21:05] <Afina> "That's no good," Afina frowns, "Can you tell what the problem is and how to fix it?"
[21:08] <Kotono> "I'm looking at your heart right now. It's like your heart is made of ice," she finally says, "It's beating like flesh, but I can see the frost there." Here she shrugs helplessly, "I have no idea. This is outside of my knowledge. I'm going to have you stay here while I go call on Selune's wisdom, then I'll confer with Sylvie, see if she found anything."
[21:10] <Afina> "That's taking things a bit far," Afina shakes her head, "Auril's definitely responsible, only someone of her power could put ice in my body that isn't instantly evaporated. Alright, if you don't have any luck we'll have to take a trip to the Cauldron - Lady Sanzha might be our best bet for figuring this out."
[21:14] <Kotono> "I'll have Simmer come by. I'd like you to have some company in case anything happens while I'm gone." Balyss rises, "If you need me or if something happens, call Elena and she'll get me."
[21:16] <Afina> "Alright, I'll see you later," Afina backs off to give Balyss room, "... should I bother getting dressed again?"
[21:17] <Kotono> "I'll be awhile. It's your room," Balyss says, going out quickly, before much of the heat escapes.
[21:20] <Afina> Thus Afina gets dressed again and sits on the window ledge to consider her new situation. The thought occurs that she might be able to add ice to her mastery of elements, but she doesn't allow herself to grow too optimistic. It's equally likely that this is a curse, some punishment from Auril for the temerity of being a creature of fire and appearing before her. The hot temperature is a patch
[21:20] <Afina> but who knows how long it'll hold, and then what'll happen to her?
[21:21] <Kotono> Simmer isn't long. She doesn't knock, just coming right on in. "Afina?" Coming up to her at the windowsill, "Balyss said you're sick."
[21:23] <Afina> "I've been told I had a heart of ice before but it turns out it's literal, now," Afina smiles up at Simmer, patting her chest, "It must have been a parting gift from Auril."
[21:30] <Kotono> "Ice? UGH." Simmer looks like she just saw a roach crawl up her leg, fire starting to dance in her hands. "So let's melt that heart of ice. Enough fire should do the trick."
[21:32] <Afina> "Then I'd have nothing to pump my blood," Afina retorts flatly. "I'll wait on the advice of my doctor, thank you."
[21:34] <Kotono> "So you'll havre a heart of fire instead," Simmer retorts back, crossing her arms, "You're saying it like fire's going to make it worse instead of better."
[21:35] <Afina> "Have you ever made functional organs out of fire before?" Afina asks. "Maybe if I went back to Magmasoul it could work..."
[21:36] <Kotono> "No," Simmer admits, "But it's fire." Suddenly her expression changes, becoming serious, "Fire may burn away what we were, but it doesn't hurt us after that. It purifies us."
[21:40] <Afina> "It's not that my heart is covered in frost, the whole thing is actually made of ice. It'd have to be transmuted back into flesh to work," Afina continues vainly arguing.
[21:43] <Kotono> "Afina, it's fire." Simmer says, "You can't kill a fire elemental with fire. It's like killing a lake by adding more water. At worst nothing will happen."
[21:45] <Afina> It's like talking to a wall. "The worst that can happen is my frozen heart turning into water or steam and then all my blood leaking into my body and killing me. Though I should then respawn on either Fire or Water, so it is one way to solve the problem, but it's still not an experience I care to try."

[Corwin]

[18:46] <Kotono> "Fine." Crossing her arms and sighing, shoulders slumping with it, "I guess summoning lava into your room isn't the best idea, either."
[18:48] <Afina> "Elena's already annoyed at me increasing the temperature to deadly levels," Afina smiles slightly.
[18:50] <Kotono> "Hmph." Grumbling at that, "Now I'm tempted to make it hotter. Really tempted. Afina." Leaning in close, "I heard some gossip about her. Apparently she's been upset since you melted a wall."
[18:52] <Afina> "I read an ominous book," Afina retorts reasonably, "And the last time that happened Ithea nearly got eaten."
[18:54] <Kotono> "Bah." Simmer smiles at that, "She's just being pissy. Nevermind her. I heard Aurora repairs itself anyway, like a construct that heals fast."
[18:58] <Afina> "It does, but I think it requires at least some attention if not effort on Galariel and Elena's part," Afina allows, "It's her home first so I always try to be considerate, but she wouldn't have been so cross with me if I'd discovered a nest of evil worms in the wall!" that last is said more loudly, Afina not looking at Simmer as she says it.
[19:00] <Kotono> Elena so appears, clad as she was last time. Her face is flushed and her cheeks are out, "Oooooooh!" Pointing at Afina, "Aurora does NOT have evil worms in the walls! Be realistic! Hmph!" Looking away right after, Elena vanishes.
[19:02] <Afina> Turning back to Simmer afterwards Afina shrugs, "I realise it was unlikely but after what happened with Father can you blame me for not taking chances?"
[19:04] <Kotono> "Nope." Simmer's hands dance with crackling flames, "We need more-" Simmer's stopped as the door opens up, Balyss coming in.
[19:05] <Afina> "Hello, Balyss," Afina waves, getting up and fluttering over to greet her. "Figure out anything?"
[19:13] <Kotono> Quickly closing the door behind her, "Yes. Sylvie found something," Balyss says. "Auril's presence risks freezing the heart and killing emotions. It's well documented for this sort of thing. Unchecked, your heart will become ice and you'll lose the ability to feel anything but cold disdain and contempt. You'll be nothing more than a doll with a heart of ice, feeling no emotions and never again
[19:13] <Kotono> tasting joy."
[19:15] <Afina> "And I was so nice to her, too!" Afina blurts out in annoyance, proving she still has the capacity to feel. Well, that's a sort of disdain, so perhaps she's proving the point. "Simmer's plan is looking more and more tempting. Any ideas of your own on a cure?"
[19:19] <Kotono> "That's the thing - it doesn't take any effort." Balyss makes a grim face, "Being close to Auril's form is enough. It's akin to a spiritual poison. It's like getting sick from the smell of an outhouse. It's not anything malicious from it, but an outhouse stinks. Anyway, the way to counter it is reasonably well documented, and one of the new books you brought into the library has a cure."
[19:21] <Afina> "... It's not from that dragonslaying book is it?" Afina asks with an accusing look at Balyss.
[19:24] <Kotono> Balyss blinks, "No. Not that one. No no no." Laughing despite herself, "I was referring to the last time all of you went out and bought hundreds of books to expand Aurora's library. The cure is emotional warmth. The sooner you do it the less you need."
[19:25] <Afina> "That's still pretty close..." Afina frowns slightly. "Alright, who wants a hug?" she looks between the other two women with a faintly demanding expression.
[19:37] <Kotono> "I do!" Simmer pipes up, "But set yourself on fire first."
[19:37] <Kotono> "That's the right idea, but it needs to be genuine and powerful," Balyss warns, "It has to be something you'll feel. Keep that in mind, Afina."
[19:41] <Afina> Deciding to oblige Simmer, Afina casts orb of fire and wraps said sphere of deadly flames around herself before flying up to Simmer and hugging her as best she can with their respective sizes. "So if this doesn't work it means one of us isn't genuine enough?"
[19:42] <Kotono> "Aw." Simmer holds Afina close, smiling and looking down at her. Afina's chest warms somewhat - not all the way, but the coldness lessens. "Or it isn't a powerful enough expression."
[19:45] <Afina> "Not enough," Afina pouts, "I'd make it a group hug, Balyss but I doubt you'd tolerate this fire as much as the temperature."
[19:48] <Kotono> "Not enough to try," Balyss scoots away, "I'd recommend finding the person you feel strongest about and do something like that."
[19:51] <Afina> Letting go of Simmer and helpfully leaving the ball of fire to encompass the pyrodryad so she can stay happy, Afina frowns in thought. Ilsenine could always make her melt with just a tiny smidge of affection or some eloquent praise, but she can hardly go and ask her Queen for a hug. She'd have to deserve it! "I might have a problem, then."
[19:52] <Kotono> Afina gets a long look from Balyss, "Don't tell me that you don't have any one else here you care about?"
[19:53] <Afina> "Don't be silly, of course I do!" Afina retorts, "But I mean, I feel strongest about my Queen, and she's *really* good at pulling my strings. But I can't just ask go and hug her or ask her to say something nice to me, can I?"
[19:54] <Afina> *extraneous ask in there
[19:55] <Kotono> "Afina, I'm your healer and I'm telling you that you should." Balyss has her hands on her hips now, "It's your heart at stake." Sighing and rubbing her temple with one hand, "Do you have anyone else you feel strongly about?"
[19:56] <Afina> "Kascha or Crystal?" she suggests hopefully.
[19:57] <Kotono> "Then go! Make some emotions with them," Balyss shooes Afina off, "Before it's too late."
[20:01] <Afina> She'll try Kascha first since she's less likely to be scalded by the temperature emanating off Afina - it'll be hard to show emotion if she's woozy and shivering. "Elena, where's... wait, I like Elena! C'mere, you!"
[20:06] <Kotono> Elena appears, "What?" she asks.
[20:09] <Afina> "I like you!" Afina repeats with a tad more exuberance than necessary - she's trying, dammit! "You'd been all alone for so long and then when we came you opened your arms to us, let us use your home for our Crusade, and you've been supportive and cheerful the whole time. You're amazing and I love you, so gimme a hug!" she spreads her arms wide, a similarly wide smile splitting her face like a
[20:09] <Afina> rictus.
[20:14] <Kotono> Elena blinks and starts to smile - and immediately backs away once Afina does the same. "You-gaaah!" Skittering back, "Gah!"
[20:16] <Afina> Afina's arms drops and she pouts adorably. "What? Is it too not me? This is hard!" she turns said pout on Balyss now. "Proper emotion should be spontaneous, not like this!"
[20:20] <Kotono> "It was your smile," Elena scoots back and hides behind Simmer, who looks entirely amused.
[20:21] <Kotono> Balyss sighs and rubs her forehead again, "Just go find someone and make some spontaneous emotion."
[20:22] <Afina> "Fine. Elena, where's Kascha?" she asks the cowering blue girl. "She gets me."
[20:22] <Kotono> "L-library," Elena says quietly, hidden behind Simmer.
[20:24] <Afina> "Right. Wish me luck, because otherwise I'll turn into an evil doll and that won't be nice for any of us," the fairy sighs and shakes her head before fluttering out and away.
[20:31] <Kotono> Kascha is found in the library. She's amid a great pile of books, humming softly to herself as she reads. She absently chews on edge of a quill, focused on her work.
[20:36] <Afina> Okay, how to play this? Her approach with Elena was clearly all wrong, but then again Kascha's likely to be less judgemental and mean... Deciding to mimic a move that a drunken Kascha once used on her, she loops around from behind and then gloms onto Kascha's back with her head over the ghaele's shoulder. "Hiii~" she carols as nicely as she can, "What'cha readin'?" It occurs afterwards how
[20:36] <Afina> utterly insipid that sounded, but she's really not good at this. Her external persona has always been close to the murderous doll that Auril wants to turn her into from the inside, and she's just not good at these calculated extroverted displays.
[20:38] <Kotono> "Oh!" Kascha starles, quill dropped as she turns her head to get a glimpse of Afina. "Accounts of Limbo travelers, and indexing them for ones that have possible information on Westenrock. Afina," she says a moment later, smiling, "Are you tipsy?"
[20:40] <Afina> "No, but in retrospect that would've really helped," Afina admits bluntly. "Sounds like you're working really hard, been at this long?" she asks, keeping her position where it is. She's not nibbling on any ears so Kascha should feel grateful!
[20:43] <Kotono> Smiling and closing the book, "Days." Resting back and reaching up to pat Afina, "Come over to the front so I can see you."
[20:44] <Afina> "You need a break," Afina nods sagely, pulling back and then fluttering around to the front, "Something to relax your mind for a bit."
[20:50] <Kotono> Kascha pats her bosom, "You can rest here," she says, "Maybe you're right. These last few books have been a blur."
[20:56] <Afina> That's... really forward of her to offer. Either that or it's like Tepen said about fairies looking like children and Kascha sees it that way. Regardless she's not about to turn down a potential 'emotional experience', so Afina lands on Kascha's lap and rests her head on the blonde's gigantic (by fairy standards) bust. "Then there's no sense in reading them. You can come back with a fresh
[20:56] <Afina> perspective later and learn more that way than just pushing on," she encourages.
[20:58] <Kotono> Kascha leans down and pats Afina's head, slowly stroking her hair. "That's good advice," Kascha admits, making soft little nothing noises after. It's a restful thing as she asks, "What's wrong, Afina?"
[21:02] <Afina> "Does something have to be wrong for me to spend time with my good friend Kascha?" Afina asks innocently, but it crumbles swiftly. "Auril turned my heart into ice after we went to her home to kill Abigor. If I don't have... 'emotional experiences' I'll stop being able to feel entirely," she explains. Of course now that she knows it makes this much more calculated and harder to do, but she can't
[21:02] <Afina> lie to that face.
[21:04] <Kotono> Glomp! Kascha holds Afina close, pressing the pixie into her! "I thought something was wrong!  I'm so sorry!"
[21:08] <Afina> Hugging Kascha back tightly, Afina sniffles, "It's just so *hard*. I've always been reserved and had trouble expressing myself, but it doesn't mean I don't have feelings! They're there like anyone else's, but now some horrid curse is going to just take them away because I'm not good enough at demonstrating myself," she moans, burying her head miserably into her friend's chest.
[21:13] <Kotono> Afina is held close, Kascha making little noises of comfort. "It's alright, I'm here for you. You're not going to lose your emotions."
[21:14] * NeremWorld (~Nerem@71-37-1-95.tukw.qwest.net) Quit (Quit: )
[21:18] <Afina> "Thank you... you're always there for me Kascha," Afina looks up at her and gives a fragile smile, "Always giving, always helping. Even now, I just came so we could do something fun together and see what happened, but you saw right through me. You know if you ever need anything at all you can always ask me, right?"
[21:21] <Kotono> "I'm here for everyone," Kascha smiles with warmth, though she puts a finger to her mouth. "Shhh. I don't need a reward." Afina feels the chill in her chest weaken further, warm trickling into frozen recesses and bringing relief.
[21:24] <Afina> "Even if you don't need one, if you ever want one..." Afina offers, quieting as she nuzzles in, her taut body relaxing some as the chill ebbs away.
[21:26] <Kotono> "I know." So warm. So warm and close, Afina feels the chill fade away.
[21:29] <Afina> And it's a relief. Of course she's not so cold-hearted that she'd immediately spring away from Kascha and celebrate! Murmuring happily and just enjoying the feeling of being held for a while, she eventually speaks up, "I'm better, now. You really are the best, Kascha!" she grins happily up at her angelic friend.

[Corwin]

[18:45] <Kotono> Galariel is found within the core of Aurora. He floats in blue light, surrounded by the same radiance that now composes him. His eyes are closed, as if in deep concentration. Elena stands near him, approaching as Afina does. "He'll be a moment," she murmurs, "He's concentrating on testing Aurora's defenses."
[18:47] <Afina> "I can wait," Afina shrugs, sitting on any convenient spot to fit her tiny bottom. "You'll be glad to know I unfroze my heart so I won't go around killing anyone... anyone I like, anyway."
[18:52] <Kotono> "Good." Yawning a bit, "It'll quiet here for the rest of the day - Ithea and a bunch of people are just leaving to go to Brightwater. Some sort of beach trip and celebration."
[18:54] <Afina> "It's well deserved, considering," Afina nods.
[18:55] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmm," Elena says, "I bet they'll have loooooots of fun." So saying with a pointed look at Afina, "Loooooots of fun."
[18:59] <Afina> "I've already had plenty of fun today, there's work to be done," Afina replies.
[18:59] <Kotono> "Spoilsport!" "Wise." Elena and Galariel speak at the same time, as Galariel opens his eyes. "What do you need? I shall make it happen if it is in my power."
[19:03] <Afina> "I need to find the first embers of goldenfire," Afina tells Galariel, "All I know is that they're in Elysium, probably somewhere connected to fire, but nothing more than that. Got any ideas?"
[19:05] <Kotono> "I have heard a legend about goldenfire," Galariel says, "That it can be found in the only volcano within Elysium. But it is known Elysium has no volcanoes. The logical deduction is that this volcano is hidden from knowledge as a sacred ground."
[19:06] <Afina> "Hmm, that could be anywhere... are there any great powers of fire that live on Celestia? That might narrow it down a little?" Afina asks hopefully.
[19:07] <Kotono> "Celestia?" GAlariel asks, "Not Elysium?"
[19:09] <Afina> "Oh, Elysium, yes," Afina blinks, shaking her head, "Sorry, it was Celestia where I learned of it, so it's half on my mind."
[19:16] <Kotono> "See? You need some more fun," Elena adds, but the slightest look from Galariel causes her to blush and go silent.
[19:17] <Kotono> "Lathander is associated with heat and the sun," Galariel says, "I would begin any search for this with his realm. Also," Adding this with a thought, "While his primary concerns are the mortal realms as a crusader, Makaril also hails from Elysium. He may know more."
[19:20] <Afina> "I'll try a Sending to him first and have a look in the library, if all that fails I'll try visiting Lathander... or at least his servants, best not to be in close proximity to a deity, it seems." With that decided, Afina goes back to her room and with a limited wish casts Sending to Makaril. 'Afina here, need to find 'first embers of goldenfire' to fight Taelfagn. Supposedly in Elysium's only
[19:20] <Afina> volcano. Any ideas where?'
[19:26] <Kotono> The answer is as follows, 'I know the entrance is split. Seek Thalasia and the House of Nature. Do not go alone.'
[19:28] <Afina> Excellent! She was planning on bringing company anyway, and this time she thinks she'll drag Jaela along. "Elena, where's Jaela?"
[19:29] <Kotono> "Meditating," Elena says after a few moments, "You may want to get there sooner than later. Trust me on this one."
[19:32] <Afina> Deciding to take Elena's word for it, Afina portals her way up to Jaela's opulent suite!
[19:34] <Kotono> You find Mirajane there, coming to greet here. "Mother's in her bedroom," she says by way of greeting, before Afina can say a word, "She's meditating against Abigor's poison. You're welcome to go in there and wait as long as you're quiet."
[19:36] <Afina> "Oh, maybe I should come back later, then," Afina says. "How long do you think she'll be?"
[19:36] <Kotono> "Three and a half hours," So saying after some thought, "But you'll want to be 20 minutes early. The truth is that it'll stop an embarrassing incident if you're there by that time."
[19:38] <Afina> "Elena told me to hurry, too. Is there something... well, no, if it's embarrassing I don't care," Afina decides, shaking her head. "I'll come back then."
[19:40] <Kotono> OOC: Going to kill time and wait?
[19:41] <Afina> OOC: yes
[19:42] <Kotono> Coming back when proscribed is without incident. You find Jaela sitting on her bed, deep in a reflective trance.
[19:43] <Afina> Finding a perch to wait, Afina does just that!
[19:46] <Kotono> OOC: Quick listen check.
[19:48] <Afina> roll 1d20+33
[19:48] * Hatbot --> "Afina rolls 1d20+33 and gets 46." [1d20=13]
[19:48] <Kotono> As you settle in, you hear faint footsteps from within the suite outside the bedroom.
[19:49] <Afina> She doubts it'll be an enemy this far in Aurora. Probably someone else wants Jaela for something or other.
[19:51] <Kotono> The door cracks open softly - and for a moment you see a flash of red hair before the door gently closes, followed by the sounds of footsteps heading back out.
[19:52] <Afina> Hmm. Must've been Mirima, but she's waiting outside which... is probably more polite than what Afina's doing, really. She doesn't really care, anyway.