Log:Princesses' Guard, Scene 2

Princesses' Guard 2013/03/19 	 Alion Alwen Bard Beindor Berithea Cecila Ellbeth Galonelwa Ghost Lorelei Lyost Menasiron Scrapper Thallion Titan Vanasse 2

Lorelei continues. "Alion is the person to ask if you want anythng. Alwen is the runner - if you want to send a message to anyone, she's the one to send."

Ellbeth nods to the servants as they are introduced, in a manner that suggests she already knows them and is just renewing accquaintance.

Alwen continues to look abashed. Alion pipes up, "She is sightless, but swift of foot and mind," he assures the company.

Lorelei smiles. "As I've said before, there's no reason to be embarrassed about it. Most people here are sightless."

Titan enters the room quietly, though a bit late, having been let in by the guards.

Lorelei grins. "Johnathan, you made it!"

Titan smiles and nods. "I'm sorry I'm late. Shooting went a little long."

Lorelei says, "We were just about to start the tour. Do you want to come, or wil it bore you? There have been some changes made lately...."

Titan grins. "I'll come along. This place is rarely boring."

Cecila smiles some as she listens and "Well I know I am sightless... but cant the rest of you see?" she asks the others, kinda clueless as to what the whole sightless thing actually means in this culture and figures they're referring to being blind.

Ellbeth looks over her shoulder as an embassy guard enters and bends to whisper in her ear. She listens and then nods. Whispers something back to the guard. Then she stands, "Lorelei, I've been called away. Sorry to miss the tour but I've seen it all before anyway. Seems Viscount Mathanan, you know he's a bit hot-headed, has gotten himself into trouble in the city."

[To Cecila] Lorelei says, "Oh, no, sorry, I was referring to second sight. Among the fae, sightless means the lack of tthat. And that's a sense few humans have."

Lorelei sighs. "Him again? I understand. Good to see you again - your yacht, sometime soon, yes?"

Ellbeth nods, "Yes, indded." She glances at Jo, "You should stay and take the tour. It's quite fascinating." and with that she makes her way out the building and walks through the courtyard towards the gate.

Lorelei says, "Actually - before we go any further, it just occurred to me I should ask you all to introduce yourselves to your potential teammates! If you decided to join of course."

Lorelei thinks. o O (And allow time for our last member to get here, hopefully.)

Scrapper holds up her hand and starts. "I'm Jo, I'm Doctor Wyrd's apprentice ... the lady who just left for those who don't know. I'm not too sure what my official status will be with the Princess' Guard with my other duties, but at minimum I would expect you to see a lot of me around."

"MArcus Bard, Musician, Local, and occasionally some people call me a super hero." Bard speaks up. The pretty boy moves over to titan if able. "Long time no see." He remarks to the muscle man!

Titan smiles, and waves to those here, "For those of you I haven't met...which I think is everyone other than the Princess and Bard, my name is Johnathan Vasilikos, also known as 'Titan'. You might have seen me in various action movies, in the last few years. My powers are...in keeping with my name. I'm strong, and resilient."

Titan nods to Bard, "I've been keeping busy. Too busy, honestly." He glances over toward Lorelei.

Ghost enters, hurrying and a bit breathless. "My apologies, your Highness. It took longer than I expected getting back here." Those who have seen her before might be amazed at the transition. Gone is the military officer, She is now dressed like a typical Harrisberg Street brat, with the exception of the sword at her side and the hand weapon adhering to the back of her right hand.

Lorelei gives a sad smile of agreement.

Lorelei says, "That's not a problem - my, you've got the Harrisburg look down quickly! I was just asking the prospective team members to untroduce themselves. If you could do the same?"

Ghost nods, "Of course your Highness. I'm Jillian Nariliin, usually known as Ghost. Late of the Sercian space navy, now a member of the Princesses' Guard."

Scrapper frowns at Ghost and mutters, "... moves fast." slides closer and inhales deeply.

Ghost glances at Scrapper and grins although her voice when she speaks is the same dead emotionless monotone, ".. and I have Sercian hearing."

Lorelei says, "Of course, if you join you'll be gettng to know each other - and each other's abilities - a lot better."

Lorelei grins. "Hearing included."

Scrapper nods and says levily, "I'll keep that in mind."

Lorelei says, "Right then, on with the tour!"

Lorelei says, "If you'll follow me..."

Lorelei thinks. o O (Who knew that princess included the job of tour guide?)

Titan lets the others go first, and follows up behind the group, if for no other reason than to keep an eye out for Emerdir.

Bard moves past Titan. "Shouldn't you be closer to the Lady?" Bard asks, as if to ask 'is something wrong between you two?'

Ghost moves over to Scrapper and says quietly to her, in the Fae tongue, "Thank you for guiding me to this place. If I am to find a place in this wor.. uh, dimension, this is probably where I'll find it."

Lorelei leads the way out and into the gardens of the courtyard, beautiul with exotic plants, but for the parts still ruined by the attck.

Cecila hangs near the back too, after all if its sightseeing she doesnt need to be front and center. That said she can also hear things from the back just as easily.

Titan shakes his head as he replies to Bard quietly, "I've already seen much of this. This is primarily for the new folks, and there will be time for me to catch up with Lorelei later. When there aren't so many people around."

Lorelei grins. "Ahead is not the highest-prorioty building on out tour, but one you may wish to know well - the kitchens!"

Scrapper frowns at Ghost. "I'm not responsible for bringing you here."

Lorelei knocks on the door rather than walking right in, and says something quietly. A few moments later a strangely plump, white-haired fae woman opems the door again and courtseys. "May I present Mistress Baker Berithea, the chef here. I can't recommend her baking highly enough. Princess Liandere requested her especially."

Lorelei says, "Pleased to meet you", says Berithea, in thickly accented English."

"Pleased to meet you", says Berithea, in thickly accented English.

Noticeably, she does not courtsey to anyone but Lorelei.

Titan nods deeply to Berithea. "Nice to see you again."

Ghost whispers to Scrapper, "Your exact words, although I didn't understand them at the time, 'I'm thinking she will have to be introduced to Undermoon sooner rather than later.'"

Lorelei says, "If you need food, just send to the kitchen, or come here! BUt never entering without knocking. Berithea is very good-natured -" she grins - "unless you disturb her kitchen."

Lorelei moves on. "I'll show you the great hall next - suitable for audiences or just eating," she smiles, moving on to the adjacent building. Just in front of athe great hall is a tall, slender woman with long, chocolate brown hair, working with passion on carving a statue.

Scrapper replies to Ghost, in Fae in a loud whisper, "Getting yourself appointed a trusted royal bodyguard on first meeting? You must have made one hell of a good first impression."

The statue is still in the early stages, but the subject matter is already clear - brave soldiers of Undermoon, standing heroically in the face on onslaught by dark-hearted barbarians with vicious weapons.

Titan finds himself paying more attention to Lorelei than anything else, despite his original intention to be vigilant.

Lorelei says in hushed tones, "That's Mistress Sculptor Galonelwa. She's been commissioned by the parliaments to make a memorial for those lost in the assault on the embassy."

Bard catches up, having asked if the chef can make the most complicated and delicious of meals, a grilled cheese samwich. He's still been listening as is one of his powers but heck, dude be hungry.

Cecila follows along quietly, making mental notes of where everything is so she can find her way around without a guided tour. As for kitchen, she'll have to remember that one.

Lorelei moves on without disturbing the artist at work, to show the great hall - grand, glorious, surpisingly light for an essentiually mediaeval building, as one would expect of the the fae. It's currently empty but for a couple of servants.

Ghost shakes her head and tells Scrapper. "Trusted? Really. You think I'm trusted? I'm sure the Princess has far better sense than that. Trust has to be earned and I've doen nothing yet to earn it. My position in the Princesses' Guard is an act of charity on her Highnesses' part more than anything else."

Departing again, Lorelei indicates another, palatial, building. "Those are the ambassadorial apartments. They are off-limits except by invitation, includng to you."

Scrapper hmms, but doesn't comment further and makes a show of paying attention to the tour.

Bard says, "So are they off limits to us, or off limits to those who don't have invites and we're invited?"

Titan nods, making note of where he's not allowed to go, at least without being asked to do so.

Lorelei says, "Off-limits to any not invited by the ambassador or her husband. Or the king, of course. Only certain servants and I have standing invitations."

Ghost takes note, not that she'd forget anyway. Headware is recording everything.

Lorelei says, "Next stop, something you may, I hppe, find useful - the library. It's a shame Ellbeth had to go before I could show her this - still, I imagine she's seen better in Undermoon."

The library proves to be a stone building adjoining one of the outer walls, mostly solidly built, but with many windows in the reading room. The walls and shelves are full of books, real books - not electronic, and all leather bound.

Titan looks around at the large library. "Impressive."

Ghost looks around in awe. Real books are things she's only ever seen in museums.

Lorelei grins, taking down a book from the shelf nearest the door and opening it. The book proves to be hand-written and -illustrated. "Guess what this is."

Bard is not impressed however. He is hard to impress that way but he doesn't seem discouraged or degrading to it just looking at it as if it's any other building.

Titan smiles. "No idea. I think it's safe to say that it isn't a copy of the Bible, though."

Scrapper smirks at Titan's comment, but other than that remains quiet and attentive.

Lorelei laughs."Actually it's yesterday's newpaper, of the Undermoon Swift. Well, the book is a complication of newspapers in fact."

Scrapper asks, "Manual or magical transcription?"

Lorelei says, "Magical. The original will have been sent to the royal library. Glamour-transcription is a pretty majpr industry, as you can imagine."

Titan raises a brow. "Interesting."

Bard wonders if he should go check if his food is ready.

Lorelei says, "For those of you who don't read fae, you can always ask the librarian - he must be about here somwhere. But you'll find there are things you can read...."

Lorelei goes and finds another big leather volume and pulls it down. It proves to be a beautifully handwritten copy of Christie's _Murder at the Vicarage_, in English.

Lorelei smiles. "But of course what's most useful about this libeary is information it has on Undermoon and the Twilit Worlds. There must be more about them in this room than anywhere else on Earth."

Ghost makes another mental note about that.

Titan nods again, looking around.

Lorelei says, "Ah, here he is. This is the Librarian, Lyost, Ableman Diviner."

Lyost looks young and scholarly. His skin is pale, his hair and eyes dark.

Lyost bows, quite deeply, and to more than just the princess.

Scrapper takes the 'newspaper' back down after Lorelei moves on, pops in open to see if is written in English or Fae, then puts it back in place before hurrying to catch up.

"If you need to know anything just ask, I'll help you find it!" says Lyost, a bit too quickly.

Cecila listens to the explainations and ponders "Well unless the books actually speak their contents, it'll be kinda pointless for me to spend too much time here, except to keep other people company"

Titan smiles and nods to Lyost. "Thank you."

"There exist such enchantments of course," says Lyost. "Though the book would be read in fae."

Lorelei says, "Well that brings me of course to - oh, speak of the devil, here she is!"

Cecila perks up a bit at that news and grins "Well then I take that back, this place sounds cooler than I first thought" she admits "Though I guess I'll need to learn fae to understand more than half the stuff in here"

An auburn-haired woman, unusually curvacious for one of the fae (not dissimilar in that way to Lorelei) comes in. "May I present," says Lorelei, "Marchioness of the Fifth Vanasse of the House of Sellion. She's our official translator. She also teaches the human staff fae and the fae staff English."

"Good afternoon," says Vanasse, with a perfect English accent. "Pleased to meet you."

Ghost bows to the Marchioness as she is introduced.

Titan smiles and nods he head again. "Nice to meet you."

Scrapper frowns at a thought and asks before bowing, "As royal bodyguards what would our rank be when not invisible?"

Bard nods to the Fae woman, who he will likely be talking to soon enough.

Lorelei says, "Vanasse is one of the rare fae who took an interest in humans even before my return to the court."

Lorelei says to Scrapper, "Rank in Undermoon society is mostly determined by ability in the Arts. Some equivalences have been set up by formal agreemenr, so you don't have to sit Undermoon exams! But I can't tell you what yours will be without knowing more about your background."

Scrapper nods then bows deeply to the Marchioness, well aware of her own limited magical abilities.

Titan. o O (Arts, huh? Do they mean magic? Or would acting count? Hmm.)

"Members of the Princcesses' Guard are of course welcome to joiin the language classes," says Vanasse.

Ghost nods, and mutters to herself, "Count me in. For both. I guess I'll have to get used to the dire accent spoken here as well as learning English."

Titan smiles and nods. "I may very well have to take that class. Thank you."

Vanasse says to Ghost, in (approximately) Sercian,. "You speak the Old Tounge very well. If with a strange accent."

Scrapper tries hard not to smirk at Ghost's possible insult of the 'perfect' Fae language.

Ghost bows, "I learnt it when I was already grown, Marchioness Vanasse. I still have something of the Derwood accent when speaking it."

"I look forward to hearing more of where you are from! But I see her Highness wants to move on. Till next time."

Lorelei leads the group onwards, towards the largest of the towers in the wall. "THis is the Communcations Tower."

Atop the rocky cliff near the end of the bridge stands the tiny "fairy tale" castle that serves as the Undermoon embassy. It's no larger than a large house, and its great front gate (with drawbridge to cross a decorative moat) is only the size of a normal door. Its slender towers are topped with graceful spires from which fly pennants of many colours and designs, but chiefly of purple and silver. Over the main gate hangs a rectangular flag of the same colour.

That's the outside. As soon as one passes through the gate it's another story - the castle is vast, the walls tall, the spires tower above the courtyard! Various buildings of the same graceful architectural style are found among the gardens of exotic flora, and the place is busy with staff, both human and fae.

Titan tilts his head, looking up at the tower. "I'm assuming magic is used for communication. Is it important that it be a tower?"

The tower proves to be a very strange place. Half of it is huge, but the outer half is small, filled with electronics, and on the scale of the outside of the castle. Telephpne messages and email are transcribed by busy scribes - staying as much as possoble on the 'huge' hallf. Lorelei avoids intertupting them and leads up to the TV room, where a normal TV on the one half can be watched from a vast room in the other - the TV looking huge.

Lorelei says, "It's important that it's on the outside of the building, at the edge of the, um, poket dimension, as I think Alex would put it."

Lorelei says, "Electronics don't work reliably within the embassy proper, which as you do has physics like those of Undermmon."

Titan nods slowly, looking around. "Very interesting."

Lorelei says, "You should know that this is proabbly the weakest point in the wall, hecause of the diffiulties associated with the interface. If the embassy should come under attack again."

Ghost watches the process. "How do the messages get passed on to the people they're intended for, Highness?" she asks.

Lorelei says, "Going inwards? With runners, generally, who are shapeshifters in the case of urgent messages. I'm afraid neither our magic not our technology is good at telecommunications."

Lorelei says, "And as for the postal service - that's the next stop."

Ghost says nothing more. If the Princess is not saying anything about the conversation she had with Ghost in the coffee shop regarding electronics she'll keep quiet too.

Lorelei leads down again and into the adjacent wall, to introduce the team to the postmaster, Adept Worldwalker, Beindor, a busy fae man with narrow eyes. Even his bow to the princess is curt, almost (but not quite) rudely so.

Titan nods in return to the postmaster, remaining quiet.

Lorelei says, "Any mail to be sent to Undermoon - or indeed many further places - can be sent through this office. The mail is taken from here by rider through the portal under the bridge to Undermoon. The postmaster is also in charge of cargo shipments. Undermoon has acquited a warehouse in the dock distinct, which is used as thr transhipment point in all our trade."

At this point a horn is blown outside somwhere. "Sounds like we're about ot have important visitors."

Titan nods to Lorelei, "Where are they going to arrive?"

Lorelei says, "Well, at the gate, presumably. Which is the direction we're heading..."

Cecila has been following along and listening "So, people get shipped here too?" she scratches her head a bit confusedly "How many packing pellets do you need to ship a person around?"

Lorelei says, "Hm, what's this about shipping people? But I forfot to mention - if you need to travel to Undermoon and aren't yourself a worldwalker, again, come to this office for a guide."

Titan nods. "Well, perhaps we should see who is arriving, then?" He smiles.

Ghost shakes her head slightly .oO(I can't believe how GOOD these people are. To do what they can with the tiny trickle of Mana. It's incredible.)

Lorelei leads outside and back towards the gate, indicating the buildings that hoouse the actual administrators of the embassy, including most of the human staff, but that seems not to be on the tpur, as being too dull. Though as she shows that a broad man about 4' tall with a havy braided beard hurries by. No guesses what he is!

Lorelei says, "Oh. Have I mentioned dwarves? There are dwarves. Tolkien got them mostly right. Probably because he knew his Germanic myths well."

Cecila smiles some and comments jokingly "Nope, but I hope there's more than 7 of them"

Ghost glances at the dwarf without immediate reaction. It's a couple of seconds later she spins and looks back at him.

Titan apparently has seen them before, as he doesn't seem to take extraordinary amount of notice of the dwarf hurrying past.

The group seems not to be the only ones heading to the gate. The guard captain is too, to meet the visitors. Lorelei groans quierly when she sees the colours displayed by the approaching complany through the unfinished gate.

Titan looks to Lorelei, moving closer to you. He says quietly, "Who is it?"

Lorelei says, "I'd better finishi this tour quickly- I think I'm about to .. have other matters to attend to. This is Senior Warleader Menasiron Birnae." She indicated the captain, whose hair is red and whose eyes are narrower even than the postmaster's. "He's just taken over as captain of the guard here."

Ghost takes a step to the side to clear her firing lane, "Trouble?" she asks nobody in particular.

Lorelei says, "As I've said before, you're independent of the army, but if you need to coordinate, this is the man to talk to."

Titan nods. "Is he likely to be willing to cooperate with us?"

Ghost thinks. o O (They all *know* technology doesn't work. I should get two, maybe three shots off before they pick up on the rules have changed.)

Mensasiron nods but keeps his eye toward the gate. "Is there a reason I shouldn't cooperate?" he asks.

Lorelei says, "And no, no trouble. Stand down," says Lorelei. Just a nuisance."

Cecila hmms and smirks at Ghost "What sorta trouble... I mean I'm all for smacking down some people if it's needed... though from the sounds of it it sounds more like the crazy aunt that comes to your birthday and pinches your cheeks type of trouble than something that'll be solved with fists"

Titan smiles slightly, and says to Mensasiron "I have had...some conflicts with nobles from Undermoon in the past. That is all. No offense is intended."

Menasiron says, "I'm no nobleman. Your noble trouble is appropaching."

Titan nods. "As long as it isn't the same noble who challenged me to a 'duel', I think I'll be alright."

Ghost glances at Cecila, "I don't think our hosts would have gone to the effort of putting the Princesses Guard together if they didn't think there might be a need for it. So, we should expect trouble. And I don't yet know enough to predict which direction it might come from."

And the party arrives at the gate. When asked their business, a young fae on a horse rides forward. "I am Duke Thallion of Rilland, of the House of Galnendil. come to pay court to the Princess Stephanie," he says, in fae.

Lorelei rolls her eyes. "And it looks like he's brought a whole orchestra with him. I guess I'm in for a serenade."

Titan smiles slightly, having figured that Lorelei was used to this kind of thing by now.

Ghost thinks. o O (Now that *is* trouble. Not the sort I'm here to deal with though. Unless he gets to persistant.)

The Duke of course is admitted. He sees Lorelei, dismounts, greets her formally, bowing low to her, and then, looking up at her again, seems to forget what he was going to say.

Cecila has a very strong urge to hum the Jeopardy theme song but refrains from doing so, thankfully.

Titan rubs his chin slowly, thinking to himself. . o O (Another suitor, probably. I'm going to be constantly feeling jealous at this rate.)

The awkard moment is however interrupted by another horse approaching at speed. Actually at about 60mph. Ridden by someone in the postal uniform.

Spotting the duke, he pauses and passes a letter to him, by hand before proceeding to the post offfice.

Titan waits quietly to see how the duke reacts to whatever the news is.

The duke, shaken from his confused state, breaks the seal, reads the message, and frown. "I'm afraid, your Highness, this must wait for anothe day. The goblins of Wyrmwood have grown ever bolder in the attack. And worse, they are now striking into the Upper Heartland! I must return at once - they say it may soon be full war...."

He gets it together, the distraction having helped. "Your face. Highness, will give me cause to win this war swifly and return!" He starts to head off, then turns back and adds, as an aftethought, "I will leave my band here to play for you." And then rides off, wondering if that was lame.