Clarissa shakes her head admonishingly at Ling and just smiles to herself, continuing to move the stylus back and forth across the wooden tablet.

Ling crosses her arms and sighs, stepping closer to Clarissa. "He may have mentioned something about where he was headed next," she leans forward, "what's that worth to you?"

"You father's name," Clarissa replies, without looking up.

    Astrid sits there in a moment of awkward silence between the two. The reasons go through her mind and she wonders how much she is comfortable divulging. She reaches for her drink, but then realizes it's empty. She rubs her hands nervously and then just decides to start.

     "Sooo... Like I mentioned the night we met. I am trying to find out what happened to my grandmother, Krystrid Silverscar, and hopefully return the arms of the Silverscar clan back to my family. She went missing a few hundred years ago searching for the some lost dwarven city in the Eazim Forest. That's why your old gun there drew my attention when we first met." She points to Astra Furora. "If you found that anywhere in Eazim it could maybe point to that lost city she was looking for... but we've been over through that." She waves a hand as to not to revisit that notion. 

    "As my abilities to look through time has increased, I have seen visions of my grandmother and of this place, but have not been able to pinpoint a location. I don't know if this is her spirit reaching out to me, or maybe just visions of the past I am seeing." The server arrives with the drinks. Astrid gives her a thankful nod and takes a quick sip to wet her drying throat before continuing. "I have been putting this off for too long and I think my powers are at their limit. So, it seems like nothing else to do than to get my hands a little dirty."

Nikolai rubs his chin as he listens to Astrid tell her story, nothing that the last bit rang with a bit of self-deception. He shuffles his cards absently, pondering whether to push the issue or leave it lie for now... After a moment of watching Astrid he finally sets the cards down upon the table. "Astrid, we have only just met and I know so far your reception in this group has been a bit rocky and only just yesterday you nearly died seeking out one of our jobs..." he sighs. "So, while I will not push you to reveal all your past and secrets, only what you feel comfortable sharing, but just know that self-deception is the worst kind. You should always be confident in why you do what you do. That is all I shall say on the matter, as I said... you only just met me." He smiles before taking a drink and leaning deeper into the seat. "Now, you have shared. What would you wish to know about me?"

     Astrid looks down into her mug in embarrassment in her poor attempt at trying to hide from the truth. She swirls her finger around in her ale. "You're right," she finally says with a heave of her shoulders. "And it's not like it's anything terrible... but there is something else that pushed me out." She brings the mug to her mouth taking in a mouthful. "You see my family has arrange for me to marry and I'm not ready for that kind of life. Plus it's to Ormin Thunderstone," she exclaims and pounds her fist on the table. She looks to Nikolai and realizes he has no idea who this person is. "Nice enough dwarf, but by Moradin, he sure is a stick in the mud."

"How do I know you won't just name some random demon to get information?" Ling crosses her arms.

"How do I know that you'll tell me the truth?" Clarissa counters, smiling sweetly in return.

"I'm sure you have your spies and you'll find out at the happy reunion, won't you? Me, you're talking about my past, that's much harder to check."

"Precisely. So you need me more more than I need you, sweetie."

Caio rolls his eyes “So you don’t need our information, and your information is useless. I guess Nikolai was right, this was a waste of time.” Caio finishes the last of his drink and stands. He looks out across the dance floor before turning back to Ling. “Should we find Shiva before we leave or do you think she’s staying the night?”

"Ugh, whatever," Ling says, pretending not to really care. "I think she's staying, don't you?" She watches Clarissa out of the corner of her eye, to see how she'll react to them possibly leaving.

Clarissa patently ignores Ling and Caio as they make a point of announcing that they are leaving.

Ling makes a split-second decision, spins around on her heel and marches up to Clarissa. She tries to pluck the stylus out of her hand to write something down, but Clarissa is faster than her.

Clarissa give Ling a bemused look as she tucks away her items.

"Was there something you wanted?"

"Just the name of your tailor, so I'll know to avoid them." Ling scoffs and follows Caio out, fuming inside. NIkolai was right, useless woman. Women always hate me. I should sleep with her brother, that'll show her!

Nikolai's eyebrows raise from behind his mug at this proclamation and he slowly lowers the mug to the tabletop as Astrid catches his utter attention. When she finishes he bursts into raucous laughter. "Oh, sweet Astrid, you poor woman! Few things are worse than an arranged marriage, but if they are stupid, that is the worst punishment of all!" He slaps the table between chuckles. "You stick with us, I shall not let anyone drag you off to marry a fool. You are with us now." He nods and smiles. "Yes, one of us for sure. Let me ask you.... have you ever felt like you didn't belong with your people? That you were different? Or meant for something more than a life of dull drudgery among the stones and tunnels?"

After fruitlessly watching Clarissa for a time, Caio shunts Ghoul into some heavenly plane with a snap of his fingers. “I grow sick of this. Let’s return to the others.”

     "Oh, he's no fool. Just a bit more stubborn than usual for my kind... and self-righteous " Astrid chuckles, then briefly considers Nikolai's question. "Oh no. I don't think I've felt anything like that. I don't mind helping doing what I need to help the clan, but I want to have some word in it." She holds her holy symbol - the non-functioning timepiece. She pulls out a small tool to open up the back and expose the the gear works. "Every cog has it's place after all," she says with a wink. With a snap she close the case and lets the watch falls to her chest. "Brightmantle brought me here for a reason. Apparently to help each other. So for now my place is here." She raises her mug, smiles and takes a drink.  

     "So... What is it that you didn't feel a part of that caused you to join up with this lot?"

The walk back to the Black Sheep is bitterly cold. Though Caio is quite used to the freezing temperatures, he puts an arm around Ling to help shelter her from the biting winds. As they enter their regular haunt, Caio sets his eyes on the warlock and marches right up to him. "You were right, Nikolai," he begins begrudgingly. "Mostly, anyway. I'm still convinced the woman does know more than she ought to about us, but the ***** is insufferable. Trying to pry information out of her was futile, and I wasn't about to wait around for her to **** half of Temnitsa so I could follow her back to wherever she roosts." He reaches the table and drops into one of the seats. "All I ask is that next time you decide to dole out wisdom, for the love of the gods don't be such a pompous ass about it. That way I'll actually be inclined to listen to you." He gives a vulpine smile as he finally relents. "I do hope you two fared better at figuring out our conundrum?" Caio removes his cloak and motions for a drink.