Water.
All around Aurora are great schools of fish. A rainbow barrage of aquatic life surrounds the fortress, the gentle tides of the plane lapping against fortress. If one stops to listen in the courtyard, you can hear the movement of tides and crashing waves, as if you stand on the seashore. All of Aurora's courtyard has a sea blue tint from the water.
In the courtyard Baleruk holds his new obsidian room. After a great headache to get it in, he is now curled around it like an oversized cat with a mouse. He gnaws on it and slowly changes it, using his breath to melt and remold parts of it. His attention on it is absolute, only pausing to occasionally play with one of the tools or adjust it.
All about is a sense of peace. After the last battle, the troops are recovering and resting. Everything seems so peaceful here, sleep coming easily, deep slumbers that are rarely interrupted.
In the war room, several people gather. Half are people needed and half are officers who happen to be there. Afina, Jaela, Ithea, Surraruthru, Tryll and Moore are there. So is Kascha, slowly eating a bowl of soup as she reads an arcane tome. Morniel strides in, beginning things. Behind him is Hanna, rather battered. Her clothing is badly scorched and rather more revealing than it was before, purely on account of fire damage.
"We're back," she announces right away, dripping wet and with her hair plastered on her back. She sits, seemingly uncaring of her disheveled state. "The short version is that we're fine, despite running into a nihilist 'loth cult that worshipped Shar. Emphasis on the past tense, since they're wiped out now."
"Ahem." Morniel gently coughs, "I've filled Hanna and the others in on the basic outline of events that have transpired, so you need not repeat them."
Surraruthru glances at them before going back to lazing next to Kascha, idly thumping his tail while trying to read the tome over her shoulder.
Kascha looks up and smiles warmly, "Good. Did you bring back anything useful from them?" She reaches over and pats Surraruthru's head, moving a bit to make the book easier for him to read.
"They had a collection of pixie wings and pixie dust...and pixie eyeballs." Hanna smiles grimly, "We informed them of the nature of their error. Unfortunately, most of the valuables didn't survive the lesson." Hanna taps the table with her knuckles, "There's a few things, mostly trinkets without any Sharran imagery. Between the damages took, we more or less broke even."
Afina makes a face at Hanna's description. "Good, I hope you wiped them all out. Welcome back Hanna."
"So you all ended up together?" Jaela asks curiously, smiling at Hanna in relief. "Mei aside, of course."
"Yeah." Hanna doesn't linger on it, "Anyway, if there's no other questions, I'm going to go clean up."
"I'm glad to see you back safe and sound. Sorry you missed the other excitement, but I guess you had your own." Moore says cheerfully.
Tryll is floating lazily over the group as a mist. Calleigh is playing with a small ball of water, pushing it around. She nods at Hanna's story, makes appropriate faces at the descriptions, and offers Hanna some more water as she passes to go get clean.
"No thanks," Hanna says, "I'm going to take a nice, long soak after this." She rises, "If there's nothing else pressing?" She heads out then, gone.
Once gone, Morniel clears his throat. "I'll keep this short," he says, "Aurora's in operation downtime after several offenses. We are recovering, resupplying and digesting the lessons of the previous battles. I will be gone the next few days to see to matters of diplomacy - I have past experience with the marid and other natives of Water, and I intend to make Aurora's presence and position understood properly."
"I'm glad we finally have some time to relax, after everything that's happened. I guess it gives us all some time to ourselves to work on things." Moore says. "Oh, we didn't really have time to digest it at the time, but is the general consensus that Lixer's forces were going to be attacking us but the Astral Rift pre-empted that?"
"About that," Morniel says, "As of right now, no attack is suspected. Between this change of venue requiring special preparations for an assault and Lixer's own problems, we suspect any attack on Aurora has been postponed. Unfortunately, our knowledge of what diplomatic hurdles Lixer is dealing with is lacking." Clearing his throat, "On an unrelated matter, if you need Simmer or her services, you'll find her and the fire elementals in the lava pools. They do not approve of our current location."
Moore nods. "It sounds like we set his operations back a fair bit, so we can probably carefully consider our next moves from here."
"We have time," Kascha concurs, putting down her book and marking the page with a bit of ribbon. Once closed and put aside she says, "How safe is Water for us? I've wanted to go swimming and see the sights. Will a mind blank be enough?"
"We don't have any local enemies," Afina tells Kascha, "But devil scrying remains a concern. Stay near Aurora or travel in a group."
On the plus side water displacement means any invisible devils posted nearby to report on their comings and goings will be far easier to spot.
"I will," Kascha says, then with a smile, "Afina, would you like to go swimming?"
Surraruthru idly wonders about the ability to find valuable things on Water. Pearls or other loot.
This post is intended to state my desire to treasure hunt.
So noted. Make sure it's reflected in your pending stuff post. Note Water specifically.
"Be a shame not to while we're here," Afina says agreeably. "After that do you want to go to the Cauldron with me? I want to investigate mastering the other elements while we have the leisure for it."
"Don't go anywhere alone. That spell that warns of impending dimensional travel in the area is also a good idea," Jaela tells Kascha. "And Morniel, speaking of diplomacy we need to come up with a nice thank you gift for Vlaakith. Keep it in mind?"
"Of course," Kascha agrees quickly. "It's time to try a nother one?" She takes out a book and starts writing on it, "Which one and why?"
"I'll take care of it," Morniel says, "Afina, I may commission you to make something in that vein."
Update your pending stuff post for the swim, steam pixie.
Surraruthru lets out a low disgruntled rumble at the not going alone portion.
"Since we're to be in group, I wish to go treasure hunting. I require both funds and items of prestige. Tributes are also acceptable."
"I was thinking Earth first," Afina answers Kascha. "I've always felt more akin to Air, which I hope means it'll be easier to take it afterwards even with the conflicting nature of Earth inside of me."
"I'd love some gold for basic expenses," Jaela muses, responding to Surraruthru, "but I've been meaning to visit a prime for ages. Now's as good a time as any." She stands up, nodding politely at those present. "I'll be leaving in a few hours, so just direct Elena to me if you need me for anything. Beyond that, I'll be a simple Sending away."
She heads out to find Mirima, as the immediate business is concluded on her end.
"Of course, you are a dragon," Kascha says with a little giggle, then to Afina, "I can see the logic. Air's the easiest so its last?"
This is largely winding down, barring a chance for Merc to add anything. So if you want to add anything, now's the time.
I got nada
As Ithea spaces out, "I'd invite Ithea too, but cat," she says, and after a giggle, "Sorry, but Adrian's been gone."
"If that's everything?" Morniel looks around one last time, a last chance for anyone to add anything.
Calleigh and Tryll, perfectly used to being broke, are mostly content.
"I've never been to a hot spring before." Calleigh remarks.
Okay then, topic locked. I'll start getting threads up in a little while.