Landing at Hope

[Anastasia]

From there you walk down the path - and it opens up into a cavern bottom. Soaring ahead is a vast palace carved out of a huge mountain, dozens and dozens and dozens of levels rising high up and from the looks of it, more below. Elementals and creatures of Earth all come and go here, a steady bustle as you take it in.

"It's said that the Rocks Palace is so large that none have seen it all or found the limits of it," Will remarks. "It's also untamed if you go past the civilized areas - embassy branches beyond the main ones require defenses."

[Nephrite]

"I can imagine that's owed to the rather infinite amount of space the elemental planes take up." Moore says. "A good place to hide treasure, if you're brave and a little stupid, I suppose."

[Anastasia]

"Oh, there is lots," Xandra peers ahead.

"Exactly. You see, past the area Grumbar bothers to enforce civility on, it's a frontier. A frontier loaded with seams of gems and metal, great caverns of vast riches." Clearing his throat, "Ahem. Pardon. You see, many of the more materialistic embassies have branches to hunt these riches - and thus we follow, so that fiends and the like do not have unfettered access to them. Grumbar cares little, so long as those who go there understand the rules are different in those parts of Rocks Palace. As teleporation is impossible, webs of embassy bases are maintained by all sides to explore and oppose one another."

"It sounds like a dwarven paradise," Kaja says, "Or a dragon's."

"In a word? Yes," Will agrees as you head in. "Dwarves from Moradin and dragons from Bahamut comprise a goodly percentage of the forces involved with that for Celestia."

[Nephrite]

"There's something to be said of the wholesomeness of delving into caverns for riches." Moore says with a small chuckle. "It's the idealized adventurer's dream, isn't it?" He asks as he looks out and across the castle.

"I imagine things get a bit complicated if something ends up on Mineral's side of things." He adds.

[Anastasia]

"I've not heard of any portals to Mineral," Will remarks, "But it would be if there are any."

"Hm.." Kaja murmurs, "Maybe later, when the war's finished. It would be the best of both worlds - crushing fiends and collecting hidden treasures."

[Nephrite]

Moore nods to Will. "Understandable." He turns to Kaja and chuckles. "I'll allow it." Moore says with a smile. "It'd be interesting to see what was down there, if nothing else."

[Anastasia]

As you ponder future plans? You head inside, down a sloping tunnel that ends in a ladder going deeper. Then a trip deeper yet, around and around and around - until at last you come to a stone carved door, two astral devas guarding it. They bow and step aside, "Sirs," they say, "Welcome."

Will nods and heads right on in.

"Devas as guards," Cresiel eyes them, "Are things so dangerous and dire here?"

Will pauses, "Hardly. It's a position of honor for those who have served in the outskirts well. Eight hours of guarding and sixteen free a day, with seven celestials assigned to it."

One of the devas, bright with vivid purple hair, "After that fiendish demon wyvern, I earned this rest," he says, "That cursed beast was more poisonous than a viper."

[Nephrite]

"That sounds like a story." Moore says with a smile, with a nod to both of the devas. "At least you can be sure this place is secure."

[Anastasia]

And thus you head in. Inside is a cave made cozy - smokeless fires in braziers, deeply cushioned chairs, couches and other such things and altogether a feeling of warmth. It smells good in here, of cinnamon and fresh bread.

Xandra takes a long sniff, "Marvelous."

"We have a chef who's quite skilled and came to us for sanctuary. She's helping atone in part by serving others." Will says, leading you into a room. "Alright, the main ambassador's occupied at the moment, but I can speak on his behalf. This room is safe, speak freely."

The room itself is like the others, the scents of cinnamon and cooking stronger here.

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "Interesting. It takes all types, I suppose." He clears his throat. "I have knowledge of a being known as Danaxmos is alive and on Earth. It was a creature created by Ogremoch's priests with some of Grumbar's blood. I seek to kill it, for a variety of reasons, and would appreciate Lord Grumbar's help in locating it, as it seems to be warded against divinations -- my assumption would be by Ogremoch or those associated with him." Moore explains.

[Anastasia]

"You understand that it's a sticky situation," Xandra says, "Especially if Grumbar has any interest or protectiveness towards it."

Will frowns, cane tapping against his chair. "That..." he considers it, silent as he taps away, "That's difficult. Fortunately, bluntness works well when talking to Grumbar. He has no use for allusions or such things, simply state your meaning plainly. The question is how will he react and if you can get anything out of it."

[Nephrite]

"If he doesn't want us to kill it, we could probably work around that." Moore explains. "But the creature has something I need to recover, at the very least."

[Anastasia]

"We'd rather not kill it if it's under Grumbar's protection," Cresiel speaks up, "We need not more trouble with Earth, or for Grumbar to declare for the efreet and dao because of a scandal. More than anything else, we can't afford to blunder into a mistake."

"Well, we can get you a meeting with Grumbar, he sees petitioners at all hours through an avatar," Will remarks, "Be open, blunt and forthright. Try to convince him if he hasn't spoken his will yet, but once he has, it's as hard to change as it is to move a mountain. At times, we find a goal from him is impossible since he's already made up his mind about it. Don't expect words to sway him once he's made up his mind."

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "If it's something that has to wait until later, then that's how it is." He says.

[Anastasia]

"Then I'll see about getting you all an audience. Now - how private an audience? The more private, the likely it takes longer to get one." Will asks.