On the tail end and fringe of those entering for the lecture, Narcissa keeps her umbra and black fur cloak closed tightly about her form. Amber eyes flit over those gathered to nod to familiar faces, though one in particular gets a vulpine curl of her lips in particular. "Tutor." she greets Emrys, heading to stand beside him and then murmur another greeting to him.

Quintin enters the map room, having stopped to wipe his boots on the rug in the entryway before coming in. He's got a backpack slung over his shoulder. His stern countenance breaks into a brief smile for anyone glancing over at him as he finds a seat.

Marius, 1 House Corvini Guard arrive, following Giulio.

Harlex moves soundlessly into the map room and among the great shelves and structures of the Explorers he is obfuscated for a time, until the chains of fallen stars which rattle off his bootstraps, announce his presence as he steps toward the gathering. His dark claws moving to rest on the wide buckle of his swordbelt.

Waldemai plops his feet on a ottoman. Yup, forge soot everywhere.

Mikani watches Peri leave as she sits on the couch next to Morgan. Then she watches Peri arrive. As Emrys arrives she stands and tries to curtsy at the man. "Master Whisper." She says politely before taking a seat again.

Rukhnis slips quietly through the doorway of the map room, making an effort to draw as little notice to herself as possible as she sidles herself into an out-of-the-way corner. Leaning lightly back against the wall, she crosses her arms loosely over her chest and looks attentively on the rest of the crowd.

Mikani has rolled a critical success!
Mikani checked dexterity + etiquette at difficulty 20, rolling 32 higher.

Count Corvini enters, trailed by Marius and a guard. A faint flash of a smile is offered those present, his dark eyes flitting about the room for a moment. "Good evening," he offers to those present, his head tilting slightly, before he meanders in the direction of the couch. Casually, he seats himself and nods to Marius, who moves to pour his lord a goblet of brandy. A nod of thanks is given in return.

Emrys inclines his head respectfully to Narcissa upon her entrance. Not a full bow, but polite enough to suit this informal gathering. "My Lady." Not so informal as to make him drop titles entirely, however. Whatever is spoken is answered, with time enough to answer Mikani's greeting with his own, a polite nod. "Countess Mikani Byrne, you've changed in title, but I find you've adapted to such new heights well. My congratulations." The Eldest Whisper remains otherwise quiet, watching the other arrivals in silence, waiting for the main even to begin.

A gaunt young man with oily black hair and ice blue eyes arrives, following Braith.

Giulio has joined the a comfortable ivory leather and mahogany wooden sofa.

Peri returns with a friend, "...and maybe we will learn where it is," She tells Rowenova. Her eyes widen at the crowd that has gathered since she left. "Holy shitbuckets! Look at all these people."

Harlex inclines his head toward Giulio with a succinct. "Count." Before the dark-clad swordsman moves to occupy a suitable space to observe. Probably leaning against a sturdy bookcase. Menacing, sure but just trying to get comfortable.

Quintin removes his swordbelt and settles the sheathed blade against one of the leather wingchairs, dropping into it and stretching his right leg out to settle his boot on the ottoman. He offers a smile to Peri when she arrives. Harlex's gear is inspected curiously, his eyebrow going up.

Hana slips in to the room, looking around with wide eyes. She's never been inside the Society building before, and the bookshelves -- the Master Map -- are apparently quite impressive to someone seeing them for the first time.

Mikani smiles, "I am trying. Somedays are better than others." She bows her head in a silent thank you. "It is an adventure in a new culture is it not?" She looks at Peri. "Yes lots of people this is why you get here early so you can get the good seats." Mika grinned at her friend before taking a draw from her coffee.


The lute bouncing against her back as she enters moves to sway as she slows and it just merely sways in place. Braith gets a look around, lifting on her toes to see ifs he can find anyone. A hand lifts to brush through her dark curls and try to frame them away from her face behind her ears. The wild errant mass falls back forwards causing her to quickly give up with a rise of her brow. That is when she notes Quintin and the Ashford gets a quick one tick to the side wave and a wink while a dimple forms in her freckled cheek.


Peri has joined the a comfortable ivory leather and mahogany wooden sofa.

"That should be expected. Even masters of the art have such days." Emrys remarks to Mikani. "While by no means grounds to rest on one's achievements, one should be careful not to expect too much of oneself, at one's given level. Better doing it halfway right than not at all... at first." Expectations are no doubt ensured to rise further. "That it is, though thankfully a bit closer to home than tonight's subject." He nods silently to Giulio as the Count comes in, not yet sharing words with him, while continuing the discussion with Narcissa.

Rysen slips in rather late with flakes of snow in his hair. He quietly takes a place near Rukhnis.

Harlex studies Hana as she gives the room the wide-eyed sweep. "Wonder how anyone finds anything in this place, truth be told."

Propriety adhered to by means of proximity, Narcissa extends to Mikani, "Lady Narcissa Fidante. A pleasure."

Rowenova has joined the a comfortable ivory leather and mahogany wooden sofa.

Quintin tugs his backpack around onto his lap and rummages inside until he finds a notebook, which he hauls out. Some writing implements follow in short order. He tips his chin in Braith's direction with a quick smile. "Um. Isn't Duchess Delilah supposed to be here?" he asks.

Rukhnis bows a little to Rysen as comes to stand near her place by the wall. She eyes him sideways for a moment before returning her attention to the rest of the room, frowning faintly.

Before Giulio has taken a sip from his goblet of brandy, Marius returns with a missive for Giulio. Claiming the letter, the Count breaks the seal. Reading the contents of the letter, he shakes his head, once. Draining his goblet, he extends it to Marius and offers a brief, "My apologies, please, excuse me," before rising and starting towards the door.

Giulio has left the a comfortable ivory leather and mahogany wooden sofa.

Marius, 1 House Corvini Guard leave, following Giulio.

Mikani bows her head to Narcissa, "Countess Mikani Byrne. Likewise." She smiles at the other woman. "It is good to meet you."

With her wolfy pelt pulled down over her facial features, Nova lightly nods then settles down onto the ivory/leather/mahogany sofa right next to Lady Peri.

"Somehow, I'm not sure which is worse. Both end up disappointing." Emrys remarks to Narcissa in answer to what she said, his dark gaze scanning the room one last time before the Whisper shrugs. "I've other appointments to keep, as it stands. My apologies, My Lady, Countess, but I must beg my leave. Have a pleasant evening." And with that, the Whisper leaves.

Quintin inclines his head to Rysen, still glancing about for any signs of Delilah. He opens up his notebook, resting it against his thigh and flipping through pages until he comes to one with just a bit of writing on it. He adds the current date and scrawls WEIJIN in large letters.

Peri speaks up from her comfortable seat. "She is. Perhaps some urgent business keeps her." Peri looks around at all the faces. She follows Lady Narcissa's footsteps. "I'm Explorer Initiate Peri Seliki. I asked First Seeker Delilah about Weijin and she put this together." She pauses to allow peopel to make their way out in an organized fashion.

Hana laughs, glancing over at Harlex. "Oh, it can't be /that/ bad," she says. "I mean, at least it looks like all of the books are on the shelves, and not just piled on the floor!" She pauses. "Though it's an awfully big crowd. Maybe I just can't see where the floor-books are piled."

5 Redoubt Buccaneers, Bengalo, the sneaky black cat, Luna, the sweet, studious assistant arrive, following Carita.

"He stayed long enough for us to meet, Countess Mikani." Narcissa allows, removing her cloak to drape over her forearm, revealing the black umbra underneath. "But alas, I fear my old teacher has abandoned us. And now, my evening is free." She remarks, a glance to Peri to see if it is truly cancelled.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Rowenova before departing.

Everyone seems settled, Peri desides. "I don't see why we can't discuss Weijin? I know that Prince cerdic visited it in the Nightstar. Are all of you familiar with that story?"

Harlex cracks a small, small grin. He eases off his lean and looks toward the shelves. "Could be. I just ain't never figured how anyone finds anything, must take hours on end, look for some specific book with some specific thing in it." He makes a small 'tch' and then glances back and around, but he's patient. Continuing his survey of the room. It stops on Peri. "So what the Abyss is a Nightstar? A boat?"

Rysen sighs at Rukhnis's scowl. "Gods and spirits, if there is anything you should find pleasing it should be learning about lost legends," he mutters under his breath to his retainer. Rysen bows to Quintin, and grins slightly to hear Mikani addressed by her new title, before turning his attention to Peri, and laughing softly at Harlex's question.

Bonnie may have gotten lost on the way to a barfight or something from the general swagger and wide, unsettling grin on her expression, but the swagger that carries her in seems confident enough. A long look around doesn't seem too promising and downgrades that grin back to just an exceptionally broad and energetic smile, but only after Peri speaks up is there specific interest there. "You know I've mostly heard of rumors. Someone's always seen a rutter detailing the voyage to Weijin but no one's ever got one in hand."

Waldemai, one of the very newest of the Explorers, says, "I don't know anything about Weijin. You can start anywhere, and I'llbe better off at the end."

Quintin shakes his head in Peri's direction. "Just the very basics. What you'd find in the Hall of Heroes, really."

1 Inquisition Confessors, 1 Bisland pride guards, Scribble, a Delicate Social Butterfly, 1 Bisland pride guards, Pearl, a Maelstrom Forest Cat arrive, following Delilah.

Brother Chester arrives, following Jeffeth.

Rukhnis sighs slightly as it appears there's going to be no what, where, why, or whatever else Weijin, and a look of disappointment briefly touches her eyes. She ignores Rysen other than to makes a quiet grumbling noise in the back of her throat, but looks faintly encouraged as Peri begins to speak of what she knows. Casting a look over in that woman's direction, she transfers her attention that way.

Peri upnods to Bonnie, "Indeed. And all I have is a reference to what is written on that pedastal. I wish the First Seeker were here, she tells the story so much better."

Mikani looks at Peri, "My cousin Caspian told the story well. It was a passion of his."

Harlex looks between them all, "So is it a boat or not?"

"It's a sky boat, dummy." Comes the booming voice of Jeffeth Bayweather giving a soft smile over to Harlex as he enters.


Standing just inside the entrance and to the side of the Map Room, Braith sways on her feet as if deciding where to sit. Her dark eyes narrow on a few after her distant greeting to Quintin. It is then she spots Mikani. A dip of her chin to the woman and also to Rysen. She looks thoughtfully to each and then starts to take a step and rocks back and forward as if to make a decision but turns her head at Jeffeth's arrival. A grin splits her lips at the big man and she upnods to him.


Harlex's query about the Nightstar earns a thoughtful and momentarily distant look from Hana, as though the smith knows precisely what a Nightstar is and is trying to mentally take it apart and examine all the pieces in her mind to figure out how it could possibly be put together. Then she leans over and nods to the man, murmuring, "A very /special/ boat. It was made by one of the greatest crafters ever to live, and carried its crew further than any other boat. I don't know if the stories are true that it could /fly/, though." And then Jeffeth's booming voice draws her attention, and she smiles in greeting to her friend.

The Map Room looks its best today. It might not hurt, entirely, that a selection of hand-drawn sketches in charcoal and ink hang from a standing frame to serve as the kind of wallpaper of sorts. It's something else to attract the eye among the seating laid out in groups, the splendour found in assorted books and familiar faces. A few windblown Explorers hasten in, chapped and red-faced, hauling what looks like a large crate.

"Sorry! Excuse us, ladies, fellows. Just hurrying through," calls one in a good-natured way. He isn't part of the show after all. But the First Seeker is there, not quite as bundled up.

"Thank you all, and do pardon the delay. Sometimes ships come in at the most unexpected times," Delilah calls out, her voice rising up as she assumes a quick stride into the middle of things. "Unfortunately not all of us have advantages like the Nightstar. As Sir Bayweather says, sky boats. Imagine being able to sail over mountains as if they were no barrier, treating forests like a placid ocean and the roaring winds as cantankerous and thrilling as anything on the Saffron Chain. Therein lies the legend of Cerdic Valardin, commonly called the Sunset Wanderer, a prince of the Oathlands and the subject of tonight's discussion."

Carita slips in, a smile offered to those that spy her quiet entry, shedding her cloak, laden with snow, for the fur lined jacket under it. she runs her hands over the arms that cover the uppermost part of her body, while the golden skirts of her gown spill out from under it. There's a discreet little finger wiggle for someone, the vague directions of those fingers toward the clump of people before her attention turns on Jeffeth at his arrival, and then Delilah.

"Oh of course," Harlex replies as Jeffeth helps and then lumbers in afterward. He turns his attention toward Hana, tipping his head more gratefully. "Much obliged."

Waldemai snuggles down into the overstuffed armchair, settling in for a great story.

Narcissa suggests, "It is not a boat, but a bird, Clearly. Skyboats. That is what all birds are now." she drawls. The raven perched on her shoulder caws its disagreement.

Peri takes half-sized bottle of water marked with Mangata's initial from her hair.

"All I have is this water," Peri tells her cousin after rummaging around in her hair. "Sorry, no rum."

"It's a skyboat." Jeffeth reiterates under his breath, his eyes flicking over to Harlex with a little grin. He smiles warmly to Hana, Braith, Carita. He goes to folds his arms and leans against the wall.

Quintin raises his hand in a sort of little wave to Jeffeth, who is familiar. And an upnod to Delilah when she appears. He offers a brief smile to Carita as well when she makes her appearance. No point not smiling at new arrivals.

Bonnie reaches up and back, rubbing at the edge of her neck and side of her jaw, "I think the problem is that even if you can't swim, you can at least float when knocked overboard." Not that it interrupts her general good cheer, with a brief raise of her hand and wide side-to-side wave towards Delilah from her place in the general throng. See? Already looking up. THe more pleasant aspects to her exuberant grin there stay in place for now.

Hana leans over to murmur something to Jeffeth quietly.

Mikani looks between everyone talking. "It wasn't a boat ... it was a ship. A ship that could sail to the ends of the earth in sea and in sky. Boats are tiny things ....." Mikani states after she murmurs something to Morgan.

Rukhnis brightens perceptibly as Delilah makes her entrance after all! She watches the passage of the crate with mild interest, but looks most interested of all in the arrival of the First Seeker herself. She straightens up a little, peering around the shoulders of the people in front of her for a better view.

Harlex makes a scoffing sound as Jeffeth grins at him, but really its a restrained amusement of his own. He moves to lean as well, claws resting on his belt buckle, watching the proceedings. "Well I'm sure the duchess will spin the yarn just fine, once she gets going." Comments in regard to ships v. boats and yadi yadi yada.

When Rysen notices Braith arrive from where he's standing with Rukhnis, he smiles and bows. "If you've not heard of the Nightstar, fabled skyboat of Prince Cerdic, you're in luck," he says. "I have heard Duchess Delilah speak about it before in some detail. If it were to be found..." he starts to say, but then trails off to listen to what those with more knowledge of the Prince and the Nightstar might have to say.

Laughter dances in summer-sky eyes as Delilah plucks her cloak off her shoulders, handing the brushed wool garment dappled in snow to an older gentleman forever caught following her around. Unflinching as a little of that melting precipitation brushes her skin, she inclines her head. "Lady Peri without her rum. Perish the notion!" Sunshine chases that warm smile, and her fingertips curl in a wave. "I am Delilah Shepherd, for those unaware. This is a collaborative discussion about ancient lands and marvelous voyages, a topic near and dear to Scholarly and Explorer hearts both." Gesturing to the sketches, they reveal landscapes, some wild and exotic, others decidedly more Lycene or western Oathlands with a fanciful twist. A lonely stretch of swirling water with a ship of many sails and oddments adorns another. "Let's start with a quick assessment. Show of hands, who here knows nothing at all of Cerdic and this will be the first time hearing his adventures?" A round of encouragement from her wrist rolling.

Harlex raises a claw-tipped hand.

Waldemai raises a battered hand

Jeffeth raises a normal hand.


Grinning at the big man, Braith moves to stand free of the wall beside Sir Bayweathera nd then lfits her head and notes he bow from Rysen. She inclines her head to both him and Rukhnis as he returned her greeting. Fingers lift though when Delilah asks her questions, letting the bandaged left one indicate her own lack of knowledge.


Quintin raises his hand. "Just what's in the Hall of Heroes," he admits with a grin.

Hana does frown, just a little, when she realizes the topic of the discussion is Prince Cerdic rather than Weijin as she thought. But she remains among the audience nonetheless, still listening.

Morgan lazily waves a hand about, nodding in agreement with Quintin.

After raising his normal person hand, Jeffeth is leaning down somewhat to whisper softly with Hana, his brows slightly knit in concern as he does.

Narcissa looks about with a frown, raising her pale and ink-stained hand. She retracts it as quickly as it was raised.

Bonnie already raises her hand again, after just waving it around earlier. Okay, this is the better kind of party, one with wild gesticulations and wilder stories; her good humor improves considerably.

Carita raises her hand to about shoulder level, fingers wiggling. Her eyes drift around the room taking inventory of who knows and doesn't know.

Mikani mutters, "Ship ... it's a sky ... ...."

Jeffeth wriggles his fingers like Carita too, that looks fun.

Peri leans to to tell her cousin and Mika something about boats versus ships. Then... She waits patiently for the tally of hands. The room is crowded and slowly she sees people that she knows. They all get upnods. Rukhnis and Rysen get a nod and an encouraging wave around the room and it's books and amazingness. Quintin, the new initiate, also gets an enthusiastic wave.

Peri mutters, "Oh hi Countess! I didn't see ... ... Emrys ... ... ... I didn't get a chance to ... to him. ... left ... I said ... ... I be concerned? ... ... wasn't that. ... don't think ... noticed."

"Very good. An opportunity to start with the basics and share more as we go." Delilah takes in the raised hands and offers a grin. "Like so many of our heroes, Cerdic Valardin's story encompasses strong themes and countless variations. How can we tease the truth of him from a body of legends? The inscription on his glorious sculpture in the Hall of Heroes are said to be his own words: 'All must sail into twilight eventually, but that journey is not the end,'" she quotes, thoughtful as she moves among the selection of art. Stationary as a speaker, she is not, but invested with energy brimming in limited check.

"That, together with a few precious journals written in the prince's own hand, are about all we have in the prince's own voice. His contemporaries wrote of the Sunset Wanderer too, as did his own granddaughter, Princess Cerdicia Valardin. In the broadest and bold strokes, they describe a man who looked to the horizon with questions burning in his breast and a fire to know what lay beyond the trackless reaches of the Eventide Vast. None of our ships now, as then, crossed that terrifically wide and frightening ocean. To do so was surely madness," she says. "Cerdic set forth on an exploratory expedition in his relative youth. Imagine thousands of leagues of open water, battered by storms and swept by waves with no hope of land. He assembled frigates arrayed in a fleet with the best sailors his coin and influence could find. To face the long voyage ahead, he commissioned a ship, one so rare and unique that its very name is synonymous with wonder. Sir Jeffeth's 'sky-boat' in fact has a name: the Nightstar. I'll invite Lady Peri in a moment to discuss the Nightstar, but imagine a ship constructed of brass and rare metals, so light and graceful it could travel the skies and withstand raging winds. She carried Prince Valardin and many of his crew, but not all. After departing Arvum, it would be years before the crew set foot once more on our soils. Indeed, a great many of those men would never return at all, perishing at sea, held captive in exotic lands or perhaps content to roam distant roads where they found their fortunes."

Waldemai nods at part of the story. "There are some very light metals," the blacksmith says.

Harlex's attention tracked Delilah's excitable movements as the story unfolds. But at some point, something strikes him, and he looks absently aside. A wistful and narrow eyed expression overcoming him for a spell.

Hana opens her mouth as though about to make some reply to Waldemai. But a moment later, the smith closes her mouth again, perhaps deciding whatever she was about to say is irrelevant to the current discussion and a digression that doesn't need to happen. Still, she fidgets slightly in place nonetheless.

Rysen smiles to see Peri's enthusiasm for this subject, and listens attentively as Delilah speaks of the legendary expeditions of the Prince.

Bonnie lowers her hand after, leaving it crossed along her waist while listening. And with a slight tilt of her head as, without impacting the smile, a mildly concerned frown starts to appear. "Kind of a tall tale - and not just in reaching the skies - but it would be interesting, no?" This said with something less than a 'prison whisper' style of quiet, to Quintin. Whether he's interested in her opinion or just the clothes, well, that's immaterial. "The part about most of the crew vanishing sounds about right, though."

Stories? For all of her macabre appearance, it is a tale that has Narcissa spellbound as she leans back against the wall with a wistful smile.

Quintin is taking notes as people speak. His hand is quick and not all that neat. Glancing up at Bonnie, he offers a smile and murmurs back, "It's an amazing tale; I'd love to see the ship. Or sail on it. Fly on it? Either. Both. Lord Quintin Ashford, by the way, well met."


Peri jumps a little when her name is called out. She puts on her serious face. "And with the Nightstar he visited far lands, lands we are only beginning to learn about since the visit from the foreign emmisaries.
It is said he visited Nefer'khat and found a land of Pyramids whose people worship the sun. And Weijin," She has particular excitement in her eye for that land, "where he found a land with a god emperor who had a palace larger than Arx. From his reports that land was being conquered by another emporer when he visted. I wonder what happened to them?"

Hana mutters, "It wasn't ... the metals ... light, ... know. Different ... have ... ... magically and alchemically; an ... might ... along with ... better than ... Or ... ... used ... ... with one particular ... ... they know ... ... quirks. Most of Brass' work ... ... brass, ... like a lot of ... involved amber."

Harlex looks toward Hana with his attention back on the room, after that little -- drift he went on. "You say somethin'?"

Overhearing Bonnie, Rysen smiles and leans toward her, saying, "It does sound like a tall tale - but wait until they start talking about how the Metallics played a role in building the Nightstar. After a while, even the most fantastic claims made about the skyship start to seem surprisingly plausible."

Rukhnis sighs quietly as she listens, a hint of something like wistfulness flickering through her eyes for just a moment.

With her wolf pelt pulled down over her hidden face, Nova sits up a little bit after hearing out Peri's words. She leans forward with fingers laced together along with her elbows resting upon her battle-skirted knees.

Hana murmurs something to Jeffeth about metals and personalities, but mention of Weijin quickly draws her attention back to the presenters. The comment about warring emperors earns a nod, followed momentarily by a more puzzled look when the smith realizes the question doesn't appear to have actually been rhetorical. "Uhm," she ventures, somewhat hesitantly.

Bonnie nods slightly to Quintin, flapping one arm out from that crossed-over position for a bit of 'casual' gesticulation, just sort of flopping her wrist semi-bonelessly, "The shame of it is there's not other ships like that. Kind of lonely, having the sky to yourself. Not as profitable." Snickering, since this is more of a subdued affair - no rum afterall - that sound cuts off a bit. "Oh, right. Bonnie Shepherd." Though while contemplating that, she looks askance at Rysen first, before turning that grin his way, "Well, there's a lot of strange stories. Like the Marching Fleet, all in their suits impervious to the water and attacking ships from below; see, you know they're there when you see a marsh of reeds out where there ought not be any.."

Delilah inclines her head with the conversation turning around Hana, and the corner of her mouth ghosts considerably higher before unfurling into a widened smile. "It is true many of the tales surrounding the Nightstar's construction sound implausible, even absurd. That her oars were rolled from a sheet of metal, that her sides held no rivets whatsoever but were cast independently and locked together. Her sails having the consistency of fine silk and yet being made of brass?" The hinged question lies in the air, even as she gestures lightly to her very normal silken sleeves. "And yet, we have proof in our own marketplace in steelsilk, which a number of ladies wear in slips and gentlemen have sported. Master metalworkers, like Mistress Hana, can speak to its impressive properties. And the Nightstar, as we have come to know, is a singular ship. None like her has ever been created, for it's said that the Metallic Brass originated the Nightstar's design and fashioned her. If you so wish, I invite anyone -- be it Lord Rysen or Mistress Hana, for example -- to share their take on possibilities or not. Many things I might be, but not metals."

Peri speaks up when Bonnie mentions the lonely ship. "Ah, but I've heard there used to be roads in the sky that people walked." She walks her fingers through the air, "from here to other lands and back." She quietens to see what Rysen and Hana might say next.

Peri puts half-sized bottle of water marked with Mangata's initial in her hair.

"Oh. Uhm." Hana glances around the room. "I was just saying that metals have different personalities. I mean, that's kind of obvious -- some are easier to shape than others -- but it's even more true magically or alchemically. Lots of artificers -- magical crafters, like Brass -- seem to prefer one particular material. Maybe because they get used to it, so they know its moods and how best to work with it. Brass makes a lot of his projects out of brass, Amber used amber in a lot of her work..." She glances around. "So, if the Nightstar was made by Brass, that would probably be why he used that metal. Not because of how light it was."

Hana glances over at Peri and adds, "Is there really no record of who the warring emperors were when Prince Cerdic reached Weijin? Or what happened? Because there are stories."

Rysen's eyes open with surprise when Bonnie speaks of the clever method of attacking ships. He chuckles and nods. "That's an interesting tactic, to be sure." He then turns his gaze to Delilah, and listens as she speaks of Brass and the mysterious properties of the rarest metals. "I wish I had some sort of knowledge that might lend some insight into the nature of the Nightstar, but I'm afraid all I would be likely to offer would be loose inference and much poetic imagination," he says in reply, and then he hesitates a moment before saying, "Duchess, I apologize for jumping ahead, but I am being called away and I am very curious to know whether any serious efforts, guided by scholarship and all the skill of the Society of Explorers, have been made to find the final resting place of the Nightstar?"

"What are the stories?" Harlex asks, in reference to these warring emperors.

Bonnie, less discretely, notices the waving from Jeffeth. Hard not to! But her hand comes back up, to nearly full extension to wave back with glee. And then she makes a fist, lightly smacks it into her other hand, and finishes with a thumbs-up rather than shout across. Small favors.

There's a little warm smile for Hana when she starts to address the room as whole. Jeffeth folds his massive arms over his chest. "That palace as big as Arx. It's known as Jaidaral, present day." Looking over to Bonnie he smiles softly and raises his hand high up to wave that giant arm back and forth.

Peri is telling Rowenova about foreign lands and offerinng a book to her, but in a very polite way. She perks up when she hears that Hana knows stories. "Please share! I haven't not found any texts yet."

Triage, The white dove of Mercy arrives, delivering a message to Rysen before departing.

"Well, I'm afraid I don't have any texts either. Or any evidence to /prove/ this to a scholar's satisfaction," Hana notes to Peri, almost apologetically. "And I'm not /completely/ sure about the timing. But the stories I've heard make me think when Prince Cerdic reached Weijin, it was probably ruled by a Fractal named Jade. Because I'm pretty sure the Undying Empire -- Jadairal -- was at war with Weijin while Jade was ruling it. When it was still called the Jade Empire. Which would make Jade and Platinum the two emperors at war. Or, empress and emperor, I guess." She pauses. "I think 'what became of them' is that Platinum won, and Jade... didn't." That last word sounds somewhat /final/.

"She died." Jeffeth explains helpfully for Hana.

Narcissa opines from her corner, "Death does have a certain finality about it, no?" A beat. "Well, soemtimes."

Peri's eyes grow wide. "I thought Jadairal was a land like Arvum, and Daobujin Bo like the crownloads, where the Platinum empire started. I have been wondering if they took over Weijin. I have beent trying to update the Sigils series." She looks at Hana, "I think you are right that they were at war, but it was a just guess on my part. You know more of this than I do." She asks the room, "Do any of you know what languages they speak in Weijin and Jadairal?"

"I concur with that of metals with a personality from a standpoint as a Scholar. We have a lengthy body of work from varied artisans recording about the tenacity of steel or the rarer properties of alaricite, stygian, and so forth, in their journals." Delilah gently opens her hand and rest against her hip, gently poised to give her a contrapposto position. "I wrote a great deal of my senior scholarship on the philosophy of metals and the Metallic Order, in anyone is curious." She flashes one of those incandescent smiles, winking over at Bonnie. "Indeed, there has been scholarship. I asked Brass directly what became of the Nightstar, after having a pique of madness or creativity depending on what you care to call it. The current disposition of the Nightstar is that it no longer exists in its current form, I regret to say. Actively bothering him during the height of discussions about the direction the Compact planned to take seemed unwise. There are tales suggesting that the Nightstar became a star in the sky after Cerdic's death, which of course is the end of tonight's tale. When he perished, the ship's grief was so great that it took to the heavens. Others say it remains in a different form and on the anniversary of his passing, it sails the Eventide Vast to Arvum that we might see it along the horizon once more. That part I suspect is more fanciful than not."

[Log edit] current form --> prior form*

Peri is telling Rowenova about foreign lands and offerinng a book to her, but in a very polite way. She perks up when she hears that Hana knows stories. "Please share! I haven't not found any texts yet."

[Log edit] Peri's repeated pose was a blip

"I think you're probably right," Hana notes to Peri. "About Jadairal and Daobujin Bo, I mean. But I'm not a scholar. Or an explorer. Or, uhm, much of a formal historian either, outside of certain particular areas." And then the smith falls silent once more, glancing around the room. Someone else probably has something better to add... right?

Quintin's eyebrows go up; he continues scrawling in his notebook. Nobody should ever hire him to scribe anything, because he's way too messy. "...Wait, Daobujin Bo?"

Pinching the bridge of her nose, furrowing her brow, Narcissa mutters to herself, "So many new names...gods, I need a drink."

Waldemai just loves the tales.

Harlex eases against the wall again and folds his arms this time. He finally decides to ask a question, "What are they like? The people there, I mean. Not the Emperors or any of that," a beat, "If anyone knows."

Peri whispers something to Delilah and shows her a paper.

Bonnie lowers her hand back down after a moment, and back around her waist. Hip tilted a bit, there is a brief opening her mouth and then a more prudent closing of it. It's just a temporary reprieve however, as the fanciful parts seem to get a near solemnity, "Well, there's more than a few ships that've done that. Usually after going down with all hands but I don't see why they couldn't sail again out of grief, rather than vengeance, for once." Some of the discussion of foreign politics seems above her head. Though the names are distinctive, "So, this war then, with all the jade and platinum. All self-contained, or were there mercenaries, maybe a bit of side plunder, something like that..?"

Rysen glances at Hana as she speaks of the warring empires, and then listens attentively to Delilah, chuckling softly and nodding in agreement when she mentions questioning Brass about the Nightstar. There is some small glimmer of disappointment in his eyes at the suggestion that the Nightstar likely does not exist, even in part, in any form that might be recoverable. "Thank you, My Lady," Rysen says to Delilah, and then adds, "I suppose it is one of the better fates to join the constellations of the night sky." He bows to the Duchess, and says a quiet farewell to those nearby before he makes his way out of the map room.

"We do know," says Delilah in response to Harlex. She waves to Rysen as he rises to depart, "Thank you for sharing your thoughts and questions, my lord. Happy roads to you." A pause then, and she continues. "At least we know in part. He passed on better records of the common folk of Nefer'khat, a continent of great size and immense diversity. As to Jadairal or Weijin? Obviously, for the citizens of the Undying Empire, you have the emissaries who came to us on their diplomatic missions. For example, Honoured Zulana offered a glimpse, however limited, to an exotic society with a degree of technology advanced beyond our own. As for the 'common person?' We do not directly have evidence of Prince Cerdic reaching Jadairal in the same way we have for his observations of Nefer'khat and the land we call Weijin, which marked perhaps the furthest extent of his journeys. At the time, yes, there was a bloody conflict between Weijin and Jadairal. Understandable that a prince raised among the Valardins would understand the necessity of keeping a distance, given he was a traveler and at risk so far away from his house and his resources."

Peri hears Quintin's comment. "Lord Quintin, I can tell you if you like, but maybe we can tell the room if other people have not heard of that name." She looks around and asks "Who here has not heard of Daobujin Bo? It is one of the names used when people speak of Jadairal. I can explain a little. But only a little since I am not a true scholar."

The large man raises his hand to Delilah. "My Lady? The place he got to? Weijin? The palace that is big as Arx? That is no longer Weijin. But Jadairal now. So.. He sort of got to Jadairal. It just wasn't Jadairal yet." Jeffeth explains quietly before leaning in to murmur softly to Hana once more.

Delilah grins brightly to Jeffeth. "Fair point, Sir Bayweather. Thank you for the clarification!"

Quintin looks over at Peri and offers a smile. "I'd love to hear it," he tells her, even as he dips his quill into the little bottle of ink he's wedged between his hip and the side of the chair.

Peri leans in and asks Jeffeth to clarify on the matter of Jadairal and shows him a paper while she's at it.

Waldemai has that glassy-eyed look people who were apprenticed at the age of twelve get when scholars talk.

Hana glances over at Jeffeth and shakes her head. "I don't actually think that's right," she murmurs, in response to the bit about Weijin being Jadairal. But she falls silent afterwards; as she said, she has no proof to share.

Rowenova certainly took that offered book. She carefully handles it, doing so before opening up the transferred text. She quietly thanks Peri.

Bonnie just can't keep her waist warm tonight, with her hand coming up again and waving. "Never heard of 'em." Nodding confidently in that little deficit, it doesn't blunt her smile much at all however.

As the tale is shared, Narcissa's expression ebbs into neutrality, wholly unreadable that mask of fine porcelain.

For the last several minutes, despite a clear interest in the subject and the most valiant attempts imaginable at keen attention, Rukhnis's eyelids have been creeping ever downward, and she keeps suddenly upnodding her head in a way that has nothing to do with greetings. As she makes one last particularly sharp jerk into wakefulness, she shifts a look around the room, looking faintly sheepish in addition to exhausted. With another quiet sigh she fixes her gaze on Delilah, her brow furrowing at the rather horrific account of the Weijin Wall.

Bonnie makes a low humm under her breath, that typical gregarious smile blunted slightly. Turning her head and discretely raising a hand, pulls at the corners of her jaw with some concern before it springs back to the regular bonhomie. "Well that is completely deranged. So.. some undying warlord versus a bunch of blood witches?"

Rowenova has left the a comfortable ivory leather and mahogany wooden sofa.

Sir Floppington, the soulful hound have been dismissed.

Rowenova has joined the a comfortable ivory leather and mahogany wooden sofa.

Quintin pauses in the midst of his writing. "That's... that was exceedingly gruesome," he remarks.

Rowenova has left the a comfortable ivory leather and mahogany wooden sofa.

Sir Floppington, the soulful hound have been dismissed.

Rowenova has joined the a comfortable ivory leather and mahogany wooden sofa.

Peri whispers quietly to the very tired looking Rukhnis before attending to the tale of human sacrifice.

"Ugh. Blood magic." Hana frowns. "There's so many ways it can go bad. I guess it's very easy to stop using your /own/ blood and start using /everyone else's/. The more blood, the more power..." She trails off, shuddering. But then she collects herself, glances over at Jeffeth, nods once, and looks to be preparing to leave.

Rukhnis finally seems to judge that an early departure would be less unseemly than falling asleep on her feet, and with a small bow to Peri she makes her way out of the room only a little less unobtrusively than she had entered.

"For those of you following along chronologically," Delilah points to a selection of drawings behind her, "We have our Nightstar sailing away from Arvum. Land is reached. Our contemporary account follows, describing the marvelous engineering and maritime construction of the Nightstar, fits in the time before he sets sail and ends up in Weijin. After that, he heads into Nefer'khat, the lands which Cerdic is best associated. In fact, we happen to know the name of another Arvani passenger from the later period when he visited a land of pyramids and brilliant sunsets and diverse people. /She/ is an envoy and diplomat, a story in her own right." A swish of silk and leather follows her motions as she gestures to what for all the world looks like a watercoloured forest in ink. "Fanciful, not lifelike. I asked several Scholars and Explorers to contribute their artistic visions of what these accounts inspired. According to the prince's journals preserved by Princess Cerdicia, Cerdic came to the Weijin Empire long into his journeys. It was a place quite unlike any other he had ever traveled to, and the tone of his journals changes considerably. As Lord Quintin says, he observed a rather difficult encounter. Here we don't see the observations of a man winning great games, besting a storm, or negotiating a rescue for the good of his hosts. We see the words of a warrior, for Prince Cerdic is depicted without armour and sword in many places. What he made of the experience lies in the words inscribed here, in a very different time. Weijin, at the crux of tonight's discussion, marks where we hear his voice clearest for the first time. We hear and see it again in Nefer'khat. But here the legends crawl back from the historical record, perhaps because no one could imagine how to embellish the raw tale. What you choose to make of it, that's up to you. A struggle to observe and understand is as much true then as it is today, and Cerdic gives us a cautionary view. Particularly compared to the sweep of successes he made, diplomatically and socially in Nefer'khat, there are always two sides to a story."

Giving a little nod to the room at large and a soft smile the large form of Jeffeth Bayweather shoves off the wall and goes to follow Hana.

Waldemai checks out the drawings from where he sits.

Carita's been quiet, her arms folded across her chest, her attention lifting as Jeffeth moves on to shoot him a smile and a little fingerwaved goodbye.

Brother Chester leaves, following Jeffeth.

Jeffeth leaves, following Hana.

Harlex remains poised on the wall, a brief look following the departure of Jeffeth, before his attention returns to the lecture.

Bonnie enjoys a bit of blood and terror as much as the next person nicknamed 'The Mad Witch of the Waves,' though some of the historical aspects seem lost on her. At least when Delilah is piecing together the timeline there's a light glaze to the eyes. "Well, if I ever find myself adrift over in that part of the world some day, I'll have to make sure to keep my blood to myself." Hands coming up, clapping together firmly, she does hold off a little bit. "No one's been there since though? Or, no one's been there and back since then at least."

Narcissa is content to remain the wallflower, holding up her section of the wall with a deadpan expression.

Peri waits for Delilah to finish the blood curdling tale and take questions before she begins to explain what little she's gathered on the many names associated with Jadairal, Edge of the World. "I believe I may have read about it firrst here," She spreads her hand to indicate the Map Room. "People from the Dune Kingdom of Ah'jon tell of the Platinum Empire being months of travel,and that after passing over a mountain range so immense that it is called the Spine of the World." She shuffles through her notes, "And recently we learned more of these names for it. The Platinum Empire spans lands. I do not know how many. Jadairal is a land, the emmisary said it would be analogous to Arvum. She writes that Daobujin Bo is akin to our crownloads and is where the Empire was born. But please, do any of you speak the languages from these lands? I wish to study many languages."

Waldemai shakes his head. "I picked up a few words of Marin'alfar, but none of them others." Yes, even his Arvani isn't very good in the grammatical sense.

Peri is overheard praising Delilah: for her excellent organizational skills and top notch eloquence

Harlex checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

Bonnie is overheard praising Delilah.

Harlex slips out of the room or into a shadow, toward the conclusion of the discussion.

Dolmen, a Crimson Agent leaves, following Harlex.

Delilah is happy to surrender her post at the top of the discussion, thank you very much. She meanders over to perch beside Bonnie, a comfortable enough position. The rope of her copper hair falls down her back. "We are starting to fill in more of the map as we're going along. The Southern Wastes are another land that lies to our south, between Cardia and the continent of Arvum. And as we slowly come to the fore, we're learning more about them. Or as the tales are shared by emissaries, visitors, travelers, and merchants, we are filling in the missing pieces. Not all of them, of course, but possibly many. If there are any other questions, we'll take them now, but we can consider this officially concluded otherwise."

Nevermore, the sulking raven leaves, following Narcissa.

Peri speaks up. "I'm hoping to help the explorers create a map of trade winds and currents to help those of us with mere mortal ships find our ways to these places." She looks at Delilah, hopefully, "Or do you already have maps?"

Bonnie nods, with a rather philosophical shrug to follow; roll the shoulders, flap the hands, let them slap down against her own sides. "Well, as long as everything doesn't burn out again it'll get done sooner or later." And they come up again soon afterwards, fingers ending up laced behind her head and at the back of her neck, "Maps seem in high demand." Her smile turns to a grin briefly and with a nod towards Peri, "Myself, I've even been looking for a cartographer lately."

"Maps? Not beyond Arvum, no. We lack for quality maps on that front, and it's an open call for any who might be able to acquire them safely. I would speak with Pathfinder Lou Grayson or the Archscholar, Blessed Sina, if you have contributions to make there," replies Delilah lightly.