[21:16] <Afina> From the portal emerges a green-haired pixie, fluttering over to land on the foot of Jaela's bed. "I'm sorry things didn't go as you'd hoped, Jaela," she offers sincerely. "Elena and Dana really meant well, I think."
[21:18] <Jaela> "Yeah, well. 27 thinks I should've become a vampire, too, so they're in good company," Jaela says, sounding reasonably pleasant. "Seems like that armor's my only way to survive after all, and I'd be damned if I just up and died after all that fucked up bullshit."
[21:21] <Afina> "There are more routes to power than Annalise allowed herself to entertain. It's a pity she couldn't ever see that, but I'm glad you didn't follow her barren path," Afina declares, taking off and fluttering to the head of the bed beside where Jaela sits, "For whatever you'd gain by becoming a vampire, something would be lost as well."
[21:24] <Jaela> "She couldn't see that," Jaela agrees with a sigh. "And she couldn't see that she had all these friends still back here."
[21:26] <Afina> "I'd been getting along really well with her ever since we started looking into the Blade of Endings," Afina agrees with a sad little shake of her head. "What exactly happened when you went to her?"
[21:26] <Kotono> As thet wo of you talk, the portal is active again. Adrian is followed by Misalea. The former has a faintly sad look on hi sface, the latter more expressively unhappy. "Hanna said to come by," Adrian speaks up, "Is this a good time?"
[21:28] <Jaela> "I told her--" Jaela starts saying, pausing when Adrian and Misalea enter. She shrugs, and then says, "I said she had friends here and whatever else happened with me, she should remember that and she'd always be welcome. And, uh, some private stuff. I apologized for being so jealous and told her I regretted it. And I explained to her why I couldn't betray my ideals. That's where she got upset and told me I chose to come there and she wouldn't let me change my mind."
[21:31] <Afina> "Stubborn... I suppose that's not unexpected," Afina sighs slightly, landing on the edge of the bed. "You did well to escape, even if it looks like she made you suffer for it. Do you think we'll ever see her again?"
[21:31] <Kotono> Adrian hesitates a moment before approaching, Misalea following. They don't interrupt, but they don't leave, either.
[21:34] <Jaela> "I'd say that we'll see her again after we kill that Duke and show her just what we can do with our own power, but that'd be too optimistic even for me. And I know it was stupid, but I couldn't leave it like that. Just walking out all of a sudden like that. You have to try if a person you really care about's leaving and misunderstanding you. It's important, don't you think? So she doesn't keep on feeling she was never trusted and stupid crap like that?"
[21:36] <Afina> "I trusted her," Afina says quietly. "But she was wrong to force the issue between you two that way. My words won't be kind if we meet again."
[21:39] <Jaela> "I didn't think she would," Jaela admits. "She never did this before with anyone. Maybe--" She shakes her head. "Ah, I know better than to clinge to hope."
[21:41] <Afina> Awkwardly patting Jaela's head in a hopefully comforting gesture, Afina holds back any comments about the fallibility of love out of respect for Adrian and Misaela's presence. "Isn't clinging to hope what we're all about?"
[21:44] <Jaela> "She really scared me there." Jaela shakes her head. "I don't know if I can get over that."
[21:45] <Afina> "You're young yet, Jaela. You will," Afina promises.
[21:46] * Jaela snorts. "Yeah, I guess. I have pretty shitty luck, but I also survive a ton of stuff that'd kill anyone else."
[21:47] <Kotono> "Yes, that's right," Misalea speaks up here, "You will endure."
[21:47] <Jaela> "Sounds pleasant." Jaela rolls her visible eye. "So how's the wedding prep going? S'bound to be a better topic than this."
[21:48] <Kotono> "You're good at that," Adrian adds, "You really are." At this both of them start to smile, "Jaela, Afina?" Misalea looks to them, "I want both of you to be two of my bridesmaids."
[21:50] <Jaela> "Huh." She hinted that she is ordained, which is the same as spelling it out considering her lack of guile amongst her friends. But maybe he found someone better. "Sure. Bridesmaids are the ones who get the ugly dresses, yeah?"
[21:50] <Kotono> "Yes," Adrian says immediately, Misalea elbowing him in the stomach a moment later. As Adrian winces and gasps, "I think it's a lovely dress."
[21:51] <Jaela> "I'll do my best to look ugly for the occasion."
[21:51] <Afina> Considering how Crystal talked about Afina's tastes that might not be so bad... "I'd be honoured," she bows her head. "We could use a celebration like that around here."
[21:52] <Kotono> "Thank you!" Misalea smiles warmly, "We're still organizing everything, but it'll be wonderful!" Meanwhile the portals become active again. Three come through this time - Muirfinn, Tepen and Sage Vul'lath.
[21:54] <Jaela> "So who's the best man?"
[21:54] * Afina perversely hopes it's Baleruk.
[21:55] <Muirfinn> "Ah, hello all." Muirfinn greets.
[21:55] <Kotono> "You know," Adrian goes on, nodding a moment to Muirfinn and the other two, "I haven't decided."
[21:57] <Jaela> "Go wild, pick 27!"
[21:57] <Afina> "Baleruk?" Afina suggests innocently.
[21:58] <Kotono> "Yes!" Adrian abruptly says, just as Misalea says, "No!"
[21:58] <Kotono> "Actually," Adrian grins from ear to ear, "Dear, he's supposed to be a sort of dragon god now. Who better to bless a wedding than a god?"
[21:59] * Muirfinn raises a scaly clawed finger. "An excellent point."
[21:59] <Kotono> Clearing his throat, Sage Vul'lath speaks up. "Ahem. There is a matter that requires discussion, of more importance than wedding preparations."
[21:59] <Jaela> "It must be, for everyone to crowd the infirmary like that," Jaela mutters, peering at the sage. "What is it?"
[22:00] <Kotono> "It is Muirfinn's idea," he says, "Muirfinn, speak of it."
[22:02] * Ithea pops into the healer's ward at this time, knocking on the wall by the entrance as she enters. "...Sorry, Hanna said to come here? What's going on?"
[22:02] <Jaela> "We're having a party. I'm hosting." Jaela waves the catgirl in.
[22:02] <Afina> "Sounds about right," Afina shrugs.
[22:03] <Muirfinn> "We came across a...man? Angel? Someone whose children are apparently significantly powerful He offered two up for us to requisition for their services with us. They are apparently rather powerful agents of Selune. He his willing to send his children to us in exchange for a significant amount of money. 75,000 gold, to be exact. We thought that perhaps we should confer with you before making
[22:03] <Muirfinn> such a large purchase for the Aurora." Muirfinn says. "Your thoughts?"
[22:03] * Jaela slowly turns to face Muirfinn. "What."
[22:04] <Muirfinn> "...perhaps I phrased that wrong?" Muirfinn looks thoughtful.
[22:04] <Jaela> "Was Ebony with you?"
[22:04] <Muirfinn> "She was not."
[22:05] <Jaela> "Goddess, it's spreading." Jaela sinks back into her bed.
[22:06] <Afina> "If Ebony was with them they'd be asking for 7,500 gold instead," Afina points out. "Did you haggle at all?" she asks Muirfinn.
[22:06] <Jaela> "Oh, no," Jaela is happy to interject. "They asked for sixty five thousand. I brought it down to tenth that."
[22:06] <Muirfinn> "Well no, we didn't think to." Muirfinn admits.
[22:07] <Jaela> "So let me get this straight," Jaela says, staring up at the ceiling. "Some shady dude offered to sell you his children and you didn't beat him up?"
[22:07] <Kotono> "Ahem." At this point Tepen coughs, "Before this goes any further, allow me to interject."
[22:07] <Jaela> "Go for it, Old Man."
[22:07] <Afina> "Please do."
[22:08] <Ithea> "Go ahead, Tepen," Ithea says, happy to stare at Tepen as he explains.
[22:08] * Muirfinn blinks. "It didn't quite go like that. From what I understand, he will be using the majority of the money to replace his daughter in some work she is doing against the Abyss."
[22:08] * Jaela drapes a hand over her face.
[22:10] <Ithea> "You really probably do want to let Tepen explain, Muirfinn..." Ithea suggests.
[22:10] <Kotono> "We searched about for parts in Brightwater. I believe you're familiar with that part of our task." Tepen pauses a moment, "We came to a shop of a solar, who instructed us to find and open a jewelry store in Aurora. In exchange, he would give us the 8 outsider parts that we needed. Information gathering lead us to believe that the best strategy was to use a local guide to help us find a
[22:10] <Kotono> suitable jeweler." A pause, "With me so far, everyone?"
[22:11] <Kotono> "I think so," Adrian says, "Elena mentioned you're working on some gauntlets and needed strange parts for them."
[22:11] * Jaela waves her other hand in the air tiredly. "Yeah, yeah."
[22:11] * Afina nods attentively.
[22:14] <Kotono> "The guide we go to is a shop, named Putnam. They help with things like this, and they'd heard of Aurora. A ghaele comes out and talks to us. On asking for a jeweler, he states surprise. He said he expected us to be looking for leads on powerful warriors for our Crusade. He mentioned his daughters in particular, who serve Selune and who are natural crusaders. In discussion, he offered their
[22:14] <Kotono> services, but explained that there is a charge for doing so, as it is Brightwater. One is a cleric and Silverstar of Selune named Balyss, the other is a jack of all trades named Stille. It's not buying them as much as a fee to arrange for their services, like mercenary work."
[22:15] <Jaela> "Are they of age?" Jaela asks, peeking from behind her fingers.
[22:15] * Muirfinn now looks offended. "One would think so!"
[22:15] <Jaela> "You didn't check?"
[22:15] <Kotono> "I presume so from the sounds of it," Tepen says, "We met another of his daughters there, and she was entirely of age."
[22:16] <Kotono> "To be fair," Adrian scratches at his chin, hand going to his amulet, "I don't think an angel would foist off his 12 year old kids into a Crusade."
[22:16] <Kotono> "Ghaele. Eladrin." Vul'lath speaks up, "More wild than an angel."
[22:16] <Jaela> "Ever heard of an angel that sold the services of his kids to begin with?" Jaela asks. "Plus mom just dumped me on Lifasa from the start, so who knows. These girls, just how good are they? Can we arrange a test of skill or whichever?"
[22:17] <Afina> "Well, it sounds reasonable, and I think our lycanthropes would be happy with such recruits," Afina considers the matter. "I'm inclined to approve - so long as some attempt at bringing the price down is made. I'm sure they'd consider not haggling an insult over there, anyway. Seeing them in action first couldn't hurt, either."
[22:17] <Ithea> "Would these kids be happy to join us as well?" Ithea asks. "Or would they just be doing it as a job?"
[22:18] <Kotono> "We'll need to find out," Elder Magi Tepen says. "But with th emoney on the line, it wasn't a choice to be made without proper consideration."
[22:18] <Jaela> "I'll only accept it if we pay the kids themselves and not their old man," Jaela insists, sitting back up. "What they do with it once they're at the Aurora and receive it is up to them."
[22:20] * Muirfinn nods. "That's fair."
[22:20] <Ithea> "Speaking of new recruits, remember Priest, Jaela? He's apparently decided to take you up on the offer of joining us, he wants to bring his whole convent with him too," Ithea comments. "No recruitment fees there either."
[22:21] <Jaela> "Maybe it's a sign." Jaela snorts. "Nice. I'll stop by when they let me out."