The Next Step Forward

[Anastasia]

Waukeen rises, stepping past Emily. "Which capture your eye in particular," she says, going towards the wall behind you, where so much art is on display.

Feel free to make something up here, within reason.

[Iron Dragoon]

"Truthfully... Your dress. The alteration of the form and rigidity of metals while seeming to retain the properties of the metals is fascinating. How soft is it? Does it still resist impacts and cutting? Does it remain soft until impact, then harden? Is there a restriction on what materials you can do it with?"

[Anastasia]

Emily stays where she is, at least for now.

"Oh, the dress," Waukeen smiles a bit, "It's just some thing I had around, hardly anything noteworthy." A moment later an extra copy floats in the air in front of you. "Inspect it yourself."

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa does so, gleefully, taking the dress and turning it over, inspecting it.

"Your art is fantastic as well. I just happen to be more of a 'go there and see it' person. Part of what led me to my worship."

[Anastasia]

It's soft and giving, metallic and hard at once. It's a contradiction, sending perfectly opposing sensations at once. The dress is impossible and yet you hold it.

"Oh, I understand that. Sometimes you have to spend some money and go see something," Waukeen agrees, "I have people to do that for me, of course."

"Ah...Aunt Waukeen...?" Emily asks, poking her head up.

Waukeen gives her a long look, shutting Emily up instantly. It's not a terribly kind look, solemn. "Good news, Emily! You've hitched your wagon to a traveler. This is good, because you have a lot of traveling in your future."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Explorer. Well, traveler fits, I suppose. Less for leisure than for the desire to find the new or lost. Being the first to see something new is the best! No matter what, you'll always have been the first to see it. Speaking of, I need to find a way to project memories... Hmm..."

Alyssa pulls herself out of that line of thought and focuses back on Waukeen, "I assume that means you've decided how she's going to compensate you for the ring?"

[Anastasia]

"I have. I'm placing the value of the ring at 1 billion gold coins," Waukeen says, quite solemn.

Emily's color turns pale as milk, "O-o-o-wuh-wuh...one BILLION!?" Emily manages to choke out. "BILLION?!"

"I'm afraid so," Waukeen says, "The magic to create it is no longer possible, so a replacement isn't likely."

"Fortunately for you, I have many quests that need doing," Waukeen continues, "I think you'll be quite busy with them."

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa chuckles at that.

"A billion seems excessive. If you want her to be your gofer until you're satisfied, I think it'd be better for her confidence to say so. She's been torturing herself all night."

[Anastasia]

"You should be. Those rings haven't been able to be made since the beginning of time," Waukeen sighs and rubs her forehead, "How did it even happen?"

[Iron Dragoon]

"I think we have Io to blame, honestly. Whatever he did to empower me has been having odd effects. One of the Red Knight's clerics had something similar happen. At least, it felt similar to me. I haven't the foggiest as to why the ring's magic seems to have become a part of Emily. When I offered to let her stay and work with me, it turned into light and was absorbed into her."

[Anastasia]

"Impossible," Waukeen says, flatly. "It was an artifact. You do not simply absorb artifacts."

"I-It's true, Aunt Waukeen," Emily scrambles to her feet. "It really happened!"

[Iron Dragoon]

"Io also doesn't empower humans. The guild leader for a small Arcane Order on a prime doesn't make alliances with the Red Knight nor personal audiences with gods of wealth. Strange times, Golden Lady."

Alyssa shrugs.

"I'm sure you're beyond capable of magic that senses lies. If you're Emily's Aunt, I'm sure you know her well enough to tell when she's lying."

[Anastasia]

"Well, then Io will get a bill the next time I see him," Waukeen finally decides, "In the meantime, you're not off the hook, young lady," In an instant Waukeen is back on her throne, as if she never left.

Emily's face perks up before falling again, "Aaaah....how bad?"

"It's simple. Your mission is to find me a replacement to this ring. While unreplaceable by making a new one, there's likely a few more out there somewhere that have survived at this time."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Do you have any leads?"

[Anastasia]

"None at all," Waukeen smiles rather thinly, "Do keep busy on that, Emily."

"Yes, Aunt Waukeen," Emily nods quickly and quickly yet, "I'll make sure Alyssa spends money and produces commerce during it, too!"