Alberico, the Malespero aide, 1 Malespero Guard, Louis, a Malespero Armsman, Mar, the Magpie arrive, following Pasquale.

Pasquale arrives, following Jan.

Magaen looks around as she enters, alone, fixtures and decor seemingly taking her in more than people. She's never been here before, clearly.

1 Saik Guard, Micana, an efficient assistant arrive, following Lucita.

Jan arrives with Pasquale in tow and lets the Knight General choose the seat before settling down beside. Those she recognizes get a discrete finger wave in greeting.

Lucita comes in quietly, dogs left outside, and makes her way toward a table to listen.

Lucita has joined the marin'alfar wooden bench.

Lou is settled in at one of the benches, waiting for people to arrive. She nods a few greetings here and there and when she feels she's finally waited enough time, she stands and makes her way to the podium. "Good evening. I'm Lou Grayson, Pathfinder of the Society of Explorers. I decided to open up the Hall today for a more formal question an answer session, to allow those with an interest in the Explorers and what we do an opportunity to ask questions. An open house, if you will." Lou says with a bit of a smile. "As Pathfinder I am the leader of the Explorers. Marquessa Cassiopeia," Lou motions in that particular direction, "is my second in command as my First Seeker. So, if you will, grab some refreshment, get settled, and let me know if you have any questions."

Pasquale enters alongside Jan, nods a welcome to those in charge, and then helps himself to one of the seats. He folds his hands atop the table and turns his attention towards Lou's greetings.

Jan has joined the Table 1.

Pasquale has joined the Table 1.

Lucita has left the marin'alfar wooden bench.

Lucita has joined the Table 1.

Klavdiya, who is definitely a handmaiden and not a reaver, Fluffy, a wild nanny-cat, 5 Eswynd shieldbearers, Loryk, a cocky but amiable reaver, Butterpup, a Graypeak Mountain Dog arrive, following Medeia.

Medeia enters and looks around, curious. Spotting Cassiopeia, she goes to say hello. "My dear, so good to see you back in the city. I hope wedded life is treating you well." Then she glances around again. "I hope it is alright that I came, I was curious." Then, spitting Magaen, her eyes widen slightly. A hand lifts to give the woman a finger wave before she turns to give Lou a smile of greeting.

Violeta Emili, tall and shadowed rivenshari, 2 Rivenshari Clan Guardsman, Tregva Emili, a colorful ravashari performer arrive, following Mattheu.

Mattheu has joined the line.

Cassiopeia was here early and as folks arrive she is greeting them with a smile and offering to help anyone find a seat, if need be. As Lou starts the meeting, she goes silent and casts her gaze in the direction of the woman while she talks. When mentioned she beams a smile to everyone by way of introduction, lifting a hand to wiggle fingers in greeting. There are many familiar faces and a couple new ones and Cassi looks excited to hear the questions and what stories might be shared. When Medeia approaches, Cassiopeia smiles and turns to say hello. "It's lovely to see you Lady Medeia, it's too cold. I want to go back," she admits readily. "It was so warm and this is not," Cassi is wearing a lot of fur, like two coats and it's not even winter.

The jingling of bells fills the hall along with a whispered attempt of hush when telling guards to stay outside of the hall itself before Mattheu finds himself in the large hall. There's a glance towards bench at side as if lost in thought before looking over to wave to Medeia and Casspiopeia while he seeks out a seat, and a snack to be ready for when questions are allowed.

Lucita lifts her hand to waggle her fingers back toward Cassiopeia in a friendly little gesture. Her gaze goes to Lou expectantly.

Magaen smiles at Medeia and bows her head in greeting before turning to find a seat.

Magaen has joined the Table 1.

Lou watches the room a bit and then looks to Mattheu when he steps up to the line. She gives him a warm look and waves him forward. "Lord Mattheu? What is your question this evening?"

Medeia hears Mattheu before she sees him and turns to give him a smile and wave before she looks back to Cassiopeia with an amused shake of her head. "I preferred the temoerature there, too." Then she's looking for a spot to sit, allowing herself a chance to listen and learn.

Standing up almost instantly as to make sure he's seen, as those bells only make sure he's heard as he enters. A quick slip of his hand over top of bells as they cascade in song as he stands and cups his mouth to wipe at the few bites he's taken already. "Yes. Um. I'm curious to how often it is to find another.... I mean. To find an abandoned tribe with which business might have... Oh, I'm going to bugger this." He takes a deep breath and tries again, "What's the possibility of explorers running into a group that they or their family have done business with and would like to keep relationships open without causing strife for their sibling... I mean voice of house?" He looks back to Lou as if he thinks that part made sense, only to look down quickly as if reading a note palmed to his hand. "I mean to ask. How often is it that an explorer might find those that they did business with or would be doing business with to be at the end of something which would normally end them upon end of weapon? Does that make sense?"

Jan has joined the line.

Lou gives Mattheu something of an amused look at his question, but says gently. "Well, the Explorers aren't in the habit of doing business with shav'arvani tribes." There's a pause there before she adds, "However, we've run into a fair few groups and I know where a fair few are within the Crownlands that I'd be able to find them again. Many are settled tribes, with hearty villages or large cities as big as Arx or any of the Great House cities. So, I suppose it depends on if you are looking for a specific tribe or not. Although, I would caution about announcing wanting to be open to doing business with them as it is a treasonous act in the Compact to trade or do business with the tribes."

Lou adds, "For now, anyway, it is."

Lucita scoots over to make room for others to sit, smiling in welcome. She lowers her voice to speak to those with whom she sits.

Magaen has joined the line.

Medeia's head tilts as Mattheu speaks, and after a moment of listening to him work his way through his thoughts, she moves to stand near him, setting one hand lightly upon his arm. Once Lou has provided an answer, she wonders softly, "Did that help?" Continuing, she notes, "It is actually quite likely, in at least some parts of the Compact, to encounter Shav'arvani within just a few hours of any settlement. But... You were asking specifically about ones which your family may have known before bending knee?"

Jan watches Mattheu curiously to see how this answer is received.

Mattheu nods slowly to Lou and her answer as he stays standing. A look over to Medeia as he nods further to her. "Yes. Lady Medeia. I know that we've taken knee. Though there are still some families which even as they are still considered Abandoned by all here, I consider them childhood friends. The Ravashari are widely spread, we've not all taken knee to the Compact. I will follow the laws which my family are to follow in taking knee. However, there are still times in which as an explorer we might? Find them?" He looks back to Lou now in her answer, then back to Medeia. "I wish to know... I want to be an explorer. Though I cannot take steel to some that I might have called friend."

Quietly listening, a snack of some sort has made it into Cassiopeia's hand. Tearing off little pieces, she eats them so not to be too obvious about it. Rather she takes in the flow of conversation, that is developing.

"The Explorers are not in the practice of seeing shav'avarni at the end of our blades," Lou assures Mattheu. "Not unless they become hostile to us and then it is only in defense of our lives. Our main purpose is to explore, not to disrupt the lives of others. We may trade information, at the least. Sometimes provide medical aid, if a situation warrants. But we do not actively try to kill anyone." There's a pause as she notes, "And, you might find me advocating more and more lately the need for alliances if we're to survive what's to come with the Traitor, but that's a whole other discussion that will take place at Sen'azala's meeting to start such an alliance." She lets out a breath. "So, unless we've stumbled upon a group who is loyal to the Traitor or who is otherwise actively hostile to the Compact at large, you won't generally find yourself pitted in a situation against your friends."

Turn in line: Mattheu

For a moment, Medeia relaxes, knowing that Lou will reassure Mattheu that the Explorers are not a militant organization. However as she starts to move aside to go back to her seat, something Lou says causes her to stiffen. A range of emotions appear on her face before she is able to conceal them. Her head turns slowly to look at the Pathfinder, a frown darkening her expression.

Turn in line: Jan

Mattheu nods in a jingling cascade to Lou again. "Thank you. My main hope is that anything the explorers do is not to cause harm to others. They've a number of choices already. I've seen far too many be lost through a choice that was removed of them." In that he leaves his response there to hang and take a seat again to settle with the food he has in place waiting for if another question might arise.

Jan rises when it's clear Mattheu's question has been answered "Are the priorities to the things the explorer's guild explores? Trading routes, new holdings, and such? Also, what does the explorers need have need of where skills are concerned?"

"We take on jobs for hire from time to time, but mostly each of us is filling our own needs and desires and we, as a group, help with those needs and desires. Sometimes, as the need calls for, like with the sitaution with the Traitor, we scout or do other things for the Compact as a whole. But, for my part, I always seek new places to explore or old places that have long been forgotten, to try and bring back some of our history." Lou replies easily to Jan. "That might not be the case for others though. Sometimes that includes new potential trading routes, like Brightshore. Or, at least, new to us. It was a trading route some 200 years ago before it wasn't. Unfortunately, the people of Brightshore expressed they weren't interested in trading on a large scale, but would allow a small handful of vessels from time to time." She pauses a moment, considering the rest. "As for skills? It depends on the group that's going out exploring really. We take all sorts of skills. And what you don't know you'll eventually pick up on the way."

Turn in line: Magaen

Jan settles back down once Lou answers the question.

"Countess Magaen Charon," announces Magaen, now standing, "of Glacial Grove in the Northlands, lands we have held but eight years now." There's a low quality to her tone, the words rounding as they close. If they close, as some blend one into the other. "I am unfamiliar with your work, but I gather from what you have already said," she glances to Mattheu and Jan then back to Lou, "that you explore within the Compact. So I wonder: were I to contract you to explore our lands, what rights would I have to set limitations to your exploration and to the sharing of your findings?"

As more Nirmal conversation resumes, Medeia makes a quiet exit.

Klavdiya, who is definitely a handmaiden and not a reaver have been dismissed.

Fluffy, a wild nanny-cat have been dismissed.

5 Eswynd shieldbearers have been dismissed.

Loryk, a cocky but amiable reaver have been dismissed.

Butterpup, a Graypeak Mountain Dog have been dismissed.

"Anything discovered on your lands belongs to you," Lou states in easy tones to Magaen. "So, if you hired us, you'd set any and all limitations to what was discovered and where the Explorers might travel. We are your guests and should treat you and your land with same respect as any guest in your household." There's a pause, "If there is a find that we'd like to keep, we'd barter in good faith until some agreement could be arranged. And, should that not work well for us, we'd leave without taking the item since an agreement was not met. Anyone caught stealing would be turned over to you for judgment."

Magaen nods, but there's a frown. She voices the thought behind it. "And information? What happens to what you learn about the land?" She pauses. "The maps you make, the resources you uncover?"

Lucita has left the Table 1.

1 Saik Guard have been dismissed.

Micana, an efficient assistant have been dismissed.

"Well, I suppose that depends on what that information is and what you would want have done with it wouldn't it?" Lou asks, tilting her head as she regards Magaen. "If you want all of the map copies made, we'd hand them over to you since it would be a work for hire service. The resources would be yours. We'd abide by the contract that was created at the time of the hire."

"Thank you, Pathfinder Lou Grayson," Magaen says before sitting again.

Lou inclines her head to Magaen. "With no other questions presiding, I will be closing tonight's Ask An Explorer Session. Thank you for coming out this evening."