Forever lies ahead

[Anastasia]

Sure, K:P.

[Iron Dragoon]

K:P/Bibliotheca:

Take 10 for 82.

[Anastasia]

You recall stories that Lady Honeydip's hair is alive, possessed by an unnamed spirit of chaos under her control. It can be an arm, a shield, a weapon or more.

[Iron Dragoon]

"So, what do you think? Even if you don't join us, at least a few days of vacation in a new place?"

[Anastasia]

"At least," Honeydip agrees, "Tell me about yourself, tell me about your group. Why should I stay with you? Besides you, Emily," A ghost of a smile at Emily, who just laughs and steps back.

[Iron Dragoon]

"Well, my name is Alyssa Songsteel. Born to Walt and Alilynn, a lord's blacksmith and seamstress respectively. They're both here, we'll have to have a family dinner so you can meet them and my sister, Alihana. I grew up in books and my papa's forge. When I was old enough, and discovered my magical talents, I headed off to the Arcane Order and began my apprenticeship. Through the years I discovered a talent for research and exploration. Both lead me to Shaundakul.

Eventually it came time for me to graduate and I challenged the labyrinth that the Order had discovered and used for the test. I was the first to actually complete it. I discovered an.. echo of Lord Io, who empowered me beyond mortal magic as a reward. This, of course, got attention. Internally, the leadership of the Order didn't know what to do with a new graduate whose magic was growing and outstripping the leadership, so they fast tracked me for leadership to keep me close. Shar was another one who took an interest. She sent assassins into the Order, which led me to searching for allies. I was powerful, but a deity is a deity, after all.

Shaundakul led me to The Red Knight. I met with her, formed an alliance, and she assigned Jarem and a contingent of soldiers to assist me with the Order. This only seemed to give Shar reason to increase her interference, so I came here to remove the source of her interest until things were... More stable.

More practically, and personally, I'm a researcher, explorer, and educator. My desire to learn, gather knowledge, make that knowledge available to any who want to learn, use it to improve the lives of everyone, and to explore beyond what's known. That's really all I wish for. I still work in my papa's forge, I still sew with my mother, and I've inflicted Alihana and Dolmaya on each other."

Alyssa grins at Dolmaya before continuing, "Everything I have, I share freely. Well, once I'm confident the other party is responsible enough to not, say, rip a hole in a plane from negligence. That's the extremely short version, so ask your questions. If you want a more detailed version, I do have a spell that will let you view memories."

[Anastasia]

Lady Honeydip listens to all of that, "What lead you to this?" she asks at last, "It's the question everyone asks about the Godsrush."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Need and coincidence, honestly. I needed to be able defend against Shar. Which led to allying with Gods as a mortal. Which gained me more attention, which put me on the path to more power, which led to ascendancy."

Alyssa leans back and looks a bit disgruntled, "I didn't much like being a Regent in the Order, ask Delaize. Now I'm responsible for even more. If it keeps up like this I'll never be able to explore again. Now I have to worry about going onto primes and causing problems."

[Anastasia]

"We stumbled into it," Jarem admits after a moment, "Right people, right place, right time. None of us sought this, not even Emily, in spite of her parentage." He gestures in Emily's direction, "Call it a cosmic fluke, a bit of divine whimsy."

Dolmaya's posture remains rigid as she goes on, "I chose to forsake that path, but the others did not."

Lady Honeydip considers again, "No," she says at last, "I understand that. To fight demons in the Abyss for so long was not what I imagined my life would be as a child. The swaying of Yggdrasil's branches obeys only the wind, not will."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Indeed, even gods don't control their own fates. In any case, we're doing what we can, one step at a time, for now. We're also going to be hosting The Red Knight soon, as well as having a coronation. You're welcome to stay for both. Though we still have to hunt something for the feast."

[Anastasia]

"You know your way around a sword," Bastian turns to Honeydip fully, "Up to getting beaten in a spar?"

Lady Honeydip's smile is all feline-like, predatory intent. "The demons of the Abyss could not dull my blade. What are you to it?"

[Iron Dragoon]

"Speaking of swords, I need to get my hammer and tools made and figure out what we're going to hunt for The Red Knight. Jarem and Dolmaya, since you two know her and are planning the event respectively, stay back for a few while Bastian and Emily go exercise with Lady Honeydip."

[Anastasia]

This is easily enough done as the others go off. Once gone, "Yes?" Jarem asks.

Go ahead.

[Iron Dragoon]

"What sort of game would the two of you suggest?"

[Anastasia]

Brr. Did it just get colder in here or is it you?

Dolmaya says slowly, "I believe she would like a hunt." she says, each word carefully enunciated.

"Well..." Jarem begins, and after a moment, "What do you think, Alyssa?"