Moving on

[Iron Dragoon]

"Well... The labyrinth was used by the Order to test our people, but with my clearing it out I suppose there's no true harm in it. For formality's sake, I'll talk to the other regents. As for helping me grow... We just ratified a proposal to expand the Order into a nation. The establishment of a new nation will have difficulties, but the real issue with the Mageocracy. They rule with magic and through fear and suppression of those without it. As for me, personally... Well, I'm not entirely sure how to focus my own growth beyond simply continuing what I'm doing. You might be able to give me help with planar diplomacy... Malcanthet sent a representative a while ago. I've... mostly ignored it, but I'm unsure if she'll let it drop, become more motivated, or be insulted at this point."

[Anastasia]

Syala smiles. It isn't a nice smile. "Malcanthet? Well, if she pushes it, I'll make sure she understands my displeasure about it."

Emily stage whispers to you, "That means she's going to hit Malcanthet with her hammer if she causes trouble. A lot."

"Damn right I will." Syala says, "I'm not going to let her interfere in this."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Or..."

Alyssa pauses and sighs. "To hell with it... Or, we could use it. If Shar is as powerful as you say, Melcanthet could be a valuable and unexpected wild card against her. If Shar wins and destroys all of creation, Malcanthet loses as well. I don't exactly like the idea of it, but... Mages have long had dealings with outsiders and her kind tend to be a little more... yech. Reasonable. Or bribe-able, at least. Of note, one of our people was murdered in the presence of one of her succubae. Contracted for personal... relief. At first I thought the succubus might be responsible, but that was the incident where Shar blinded my diviner. It could be, looking back on it, that Malcanthet wanted to give a warning, or that her succubus even saw the assassin's face. Any deal would have to happen under very close observation with the strictest enforcement spells... but... having her as an arrow in the quiver might not be the worst thing... Certainly not the best, though."

[Anastasia]

Syala clears her throat, "My wife wished to join us. Let's wait for her."

Chance to object if you care to, otherwise will move along to that rather than dallying over waiting.

[Iron Dragoon]

That's fine.

[Anastasia]

Within the pleasant, cushion laden room Alicia enters and...

Go ahead and intro and talk, you two. Describe yourselves if needed.

[Ebiris]

The figure that enters is a tall human woman with tanned skin and inky black hair done up in a bun at the back of her head and wearing a breastplate over a black undersuit where the armour doesn't completely cover. Crossed over her back is a strange looking bladed staff, like two longswords stuck together at the pommels. Altogether she looks more like a simple knight or adventurer than a deity. She looks over the occupants, eyes barely glancing over Latha and Syala, pausing a little on Emily before she notes the other three. "Emily. I did hear something about one of Waukeen's relics, didn't I?" she muses, lips quirking up a little. "Well it's good to see you anyway. Will you introduce me to your companions?"

[Anastasia]

Emily starts to perk up before blushing, "Ah....well yes....it's complicated," she finishes abruptly. "Aunt Alicia, this is Alyssa, Jarem and Ianvasah. We're all connected through Alyssa, the same way that Syala says you're all connected through you."

Jarem rises and bows, "My lady," he says with a smile, "The Red Knight has mentioned you."

Ianvasah matches that bow, "I am Ianvasah, druid and dragon."

"She'd get along great with Mom," Emily chimes in over that, "She learned how to training with me."

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa stands and bows, "Lady Alicia, I'm quite glad to make your acquaintance. I am Alyssa Songsteel, Regent of the Arcane order of Arythma. You're one of the few deities that I've met, and that list seems to be growing longer by the day, oddly enough. I welcome you to my Order and hope for a beneficial relationship between us."

[Ebiris]

"On speaking terms, are you?" she asks Jarem, nodding to Ianvasah next and then to Alyssa. "It happens when you reach a certain threshold of power - you'd be surprised what deities pay attention to, but the distance we keep from mortals erodes the more you become capable of shaping or shaking the world with your might. It wasn't that long ago that I was a mortal sorceress going from encountering angels to meeting Mystra or Morwel themselves. But then you must know all about it," she shakes her head slightly. "Chosen by Io, hmm? Not a name heard much outside of dusty tomes or the carvings on the walls of ancient dragon lairs."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Ah, yes. I attempted to meet Queen Morwel myself recently. She chose to let me explore her library, not did not grant a meeting. But yes, Io. The labyrinth we used seems to have been the maze around one of his lairs. Or something of the like. After he did.. whatever he did to me... the aspect of him disappeared. I shut myself inside the Order for years trying to figure it out, but didn't find more than that and only recently came to trust the power I now have."

[Ebiris]

"How specifically were you empowered? And did the aspect explain the purpose behind this empowerment?" Alicia asks, leaning forward a little.

[Iron Dragoon]

"No idea at all! I found my way into the... lair, I suppose, and did a bit of battle with it, though it was very clear we were outmatched. He said he was impressed, granted me power and then... Left. I don't recall everything that happened, between the chaos of the situation and the power, but that's the bulk of it."

[Anastasia]

Jarem flashes Alicia a smile, "On occasion."

Syala hms faintly at that, "That does sound like that was set up on purpose. A test and you passed it, or merely chance? No, this is too heavy to be chance. Not for a being like that."

"We all suffer and are blessed to be chosen," Latha says, "Why fate chose us we may never truly understand, but is the fate we are given. Were Alicia not the one to free me, I would not be anywhere close to I am now."

"Me too," Emily pipes up here, "That ring became part of me so I could stay here, and that's impossible. Or it should be." Then with a nervous cough, "I still have to find a way to make it right with Aunt Waukeen, too. And Mom."

[Ebiris]

"I have heard complaints, but I think they should send the bill to Io rather than taking it out on you, Emily," Alicia says to Seira's unfortunate daughter. "I don't presume to know Io's designs... while we seem to possess a similar 'bond'," she gestures to Syala and Latha, "There's been no fantastic empowerment at a stroke, just minor boons occurring at moments of personal resolve or development. Also our benefactor is almost certainly Zaphkiel, head of the Celestial Hebdomad. They both seem to share a common goal of stopping Shar from destroying Creation, and if Zaphkiel is aware of Io's plans we can presume the reverse is true."