Arc 1: Dreams of Heroism

[Brian]

Brian faithfully echoes this back to Tim and Nathan.  "I'm speculating that others means some kind of ... um ... magic-user, I guess.  Whatever it is that we are, now," he adds.  "Should I ask him about those three we ran into earlier?  Especially, well ... the other Fae?"

[Halbarad]

"From the east, huh?" Tim rubs his chin, where stubble is already starting to appear - it itches, sadly. "Sounds like he's referring to the regular humans as Betrayers."

Looking at the Fae curiously, Tim switches over to the trade tongue, Yrisian. "Do you understand this tongue?" he asks the elvish-looking guy.

[Bjorn]

The Fae does not even look over at Tim.

[Brian]

After waiting for Nathan to reply, it finally occurs to Brian that either Nathan won't -- or as an iron-clad warrior, he can't.  Clearing his throat, he turns back to the Fae and explains, "When we arrived, we encountered three...."  He hesitates then, because he's not sure what word is approprite in Fae here.  Eventually, he settles on, "Beings.  Two were like us, and one was like you.  Do you know of them?"

[Bjorn]

The Fae half-steps forward, and shows the closest thing to animation you've seen yet out of him.  "There were Others here when you arrived?" he inquires eagerly.

[Brian]

Brian nods and answers, "Yes," before trying to launch into a description of the three he encountered, though he supposes they're rather stereotypical in his memory by now.  It was a few days ago, at this point.  He expects that his description pretty much amounts to, "One was Fae, two were not."  But at least he tries.

[Bjorn]

The animation dissipates.  "Those were Betrayers, not Others," the Fae points out.  "What happened to Fenn?"

[Brian]

"Who is Fenn?"

[Bjorn]

"The Fae who you met," he replies.  "He was sent to the Betrayer's first home to find you."

[Brian]

"Well, he found us," Brian says uncomfortably.  "He, uh....  Well, he and the two Betrayers each touched one of us.  Then they died."

[Bjorn]

The Fae nods at that.

[Brian]

Brian explains his conversation to his friends, asking, "So, since we appear to be at an amiable node for discussion, do you have any questions I should ask?"  Realizing that Nathan is still mute, he directs this to Tim.

[Halbarad]

Tim thinks for a moment or two over what Brian's relayed. "He wasn't surprised at all that the three people we ran into when we arrived died like that? Does he know anything about WHY, if it's something he was expecting?"

[Brian]

"I'm not sure," Brian says slowly.  "And his name means 'nine' now that I think about it.  The guy seems kind of detatched emotionally, but maybe that's just how Fae are -- you'd remember better than I would."

Turning back to the Fae, Brian explains, "I am Brian.  What is your name?"  I can't just think of this guy as 'The Fae', now.'

After getting an answer from Mifanetya, which Brian mentions to Tim means, "thirty thousand and two".  Turning his attention back to 30k2, he nods and asks, "Can you tell me about Fenn's mission?  Do you know why he died when he touched me?"

[Bjorn]

Mifanetya shakes his head.  "He was Fenn," he explains, "and I am Mifanetya."