"You say that now..," Astrid offers in warning with a quiet voice as she comes along side Nimue. "In just the two days that I've found this troupe there has been plenty of emotion. And it's always running high. No in between." She raises a hand level just above her head. "High."

Nimue looks at the hand that is barely level with her breast. She nods, very seriously. "I'll keep that in mind. But like I said, you can't feel anything if you're dead." She sighs, looking ahead, her expression going very dark, almost brooding. "Wouldn't that be nice." Nimue mutters under her breath. Nimue begins humming a lullaby, the one Grandmama would sing  at night, when the wind was quiet, and the sky was sleeping. "When it's dark, and there's no light, sing. The gods will answer."  Wonder what wisdom she'll give me next. Nimue can feel a smile growing on her face, her bad mood dissipating. For now.

Nikoai watches this newcomer very closely for a moment before addressing her question. "Aye, it would seem a tribe of them have been raiding the towns on the outskirts and stealing children in troves. They are then giving those children over to an ancient white dragon, a terrible one even, who goes by the name Lady Shizani. She has been a terror to the frozen lands to the south for centuries. We know not what the dragon has planned for them."

Hm, I like her. Doesn't scare so easily. Ling nods along and purses her lips. "Hm, yes you will." Or Caio and Nik will have to physically hold Shiva back, more like it. "It's good to make friends, especially pretty ones. I guess that's why he sent you." Releasing the tension, she stretches and pulls her legs up to sit cross-legged on her chair. "Say, do you give good gifts, now that we're friends? My birthday is coming up."  Ling grins her Cheshire cat smile again, playful now. 

“He didn’t send me; in truth I think he’d rather I not be here. I was insistent.” Elodia’s smile in return is coy, and she settles back into her chair as Ling relaxes, cautiously optimistic as her hand drifts back to the amulet around her neck, brushing it reflexively over her skin as she states playfully, “I take care of those close to me. Though we’ll have to spend much time together, if I’m to get you something you’ll be sure to like.”

"I have time to spend, be my guest!" Maybe two days will be just enough to make her give me a parting gift. Ling laughs and claps her hands together in a childlike gesture. "And I love presents! Speaking of, that's a beautiful necklace. Wedding gift?" Threats forgotten, Ling now chats with Elodia like long lost friends.

"Oh, thank you." Elodia looks pleased, briefly lifting her hand from her necklace to give view to the smaller of the jewels she wears. "My ring was, in a way. I suppose you could say the necklace was a betrothal gift; I'm never without it." In truth she doesn't think she'd know her own throat without it there; the weight is so familiar it might well be an extension of her body. "Proof enough Breannians are excellent gift-givers, if there was doubt. Men so seldom are." She smiles knowingly as her eyes sweep curiously over Ling. "But I imagine you know that. And I also imagine you'd have quite the collection of lovers' tokens. Any favorites?"

Nimue nods, a troubled look on her face. "That is terrible news, to be sure. I've not heard of this dragon, but I have seldom come this far south. And stealing children, that is truly horrific." She's quiet for a moment, contemplating the direness of what Nikolai just imparted to her. She cocks her head, a faint smile on her lips, as her hand delicately brushes the hilt of her sword. "Sounds like a monster to me." 

Nikolai nods his agreement. "Indeed, although one a bit beyond our league. We would likely need to gather a large host to be able to deal with such a threat. If it is as the orcs truly say. It could even be an imposter. Shizani was clever and usurped her lands from her father when she killed him. There is a possibility this is not truly Shizani, but one just as clever who understands the power in names." He shrugs. "Unfortunately we have other goals to deal with at the moment. I do appreciate your eagerness though." He smirks a bit as his eyes trail down her figure to the sword at her side and back up. "I hope you find the answers you seek." 'And Gods willing, mayhaps they lead along the same path as ours.'

"Aralath willing, I will." Her expression goes hard. "I will find my answers. Or I'll die trying." She turns her eyes to Nikolai. "And who knows. Perhaps our journey's will lead us down similar path." She smiles mirthlessly. Perhaps. Perhaps Aralath has led me here for that exact purpose. She chuckles quietly as her thoughts drift over to Grandmama. "He will guide you, Melda. You have only to listen." 

"Mh, maybe I should have tried harder to make friends with Francesc."  Ling replies with a grin, leaving the meaning of it vague. "I don't, I usually leave them on bad terms," she giggles, "I have this pendant though. Nikolai gave it to me."  She moves as if to pull the pendant out from underneath the top of her dress, but then lets it sink down again, clutching it through the fabric. 

“Far better you didn’t. Then we couldn’t be.” Elodia's smile sharpens into something altogether too sweet before it settles back to neutrality, following Ling’s hand and what is almost a reveal. “Nikolai, not our mutual friend?" Her expression turns playful and an eyebrow arches. "You’re busy.” 

Alaris leans on their glaive, grinning at Nikolai flirting with the elf. Right after I find a cute librarian for him AND he has whatever they'll call that with Ling at the bathhouse! Boys... they do get busy...

The paladin shakes their head, the rueful grin spreading into a true smile. "Come on, I want to warm up by Andrei's fire before I have to go report about the orcs."

The moment that the group steps back into the Black Sheep, Shiva quickly scans the room for Ling. Spotting her at their usual table, she pays little mind to the stranger beside her and hastily approaches, slipping into the available seat next to her. Without a word, she wraps her arms around her friend's waist, resting her head on a slender shoulder. "Ling, you know I'd never hurt you, right? And who's this, a new interest? She's pretty." Her voice is quite unlike her usual boisterous self, almost quivering. 

Alaris makes their way to the end of the bar while the others filter into the common room. They pass across some coin to Andrei, then hand him Hope's Edge again. "Thank you, my friend," they smile before carrying a tray of drinks over to the table where their friends gather. Taking up a mug of mulled wine, the paladin sits at a table large enough for them to sprawl out but close enough to share in any conversation.

Ling sports a mischievous smile when everyone enters. "My mistake, I guess they weren't upstairs after all." Shiva's unusually emotional greeting is met with some confusion, but she decides to ignore it and focus on introductions. "This is Elodia, she claims to have some information that would help us against our new favourite red-headed enemy." Ling sits back and waits to see how everyone reacts to her new acquaintance.

Nimue watches curiously, and gracefully drops herself into a chair next to the paladin, hanging her bag over the back of the chair. What did Caio say the name was? Alaris? She leans back in her chair. "Alaris, was it?" She offers a gentle and coy smile, before gazing back out over the scene before her. The noblewoman immediately catches her eye, as does the slender Tiefling sitting with her. Hm. What a strange gathering. Her smile tightens. Will this be worth it? Use them for what I need and then leave? Her eyes drift over to the tiefling she had been speaking with earlier. Perhaps it would be worth it to stick around. What do you think, Grandmama? Silence fills her head, and she chuckles under her breath. Nothing to say? That's a first.  

She turns her attention to Alaris, and glances towards the tray of drinks. "May I?"

“You have dirt on that insufferable harpy? It seems our day truly has taken a turn for the better.” Caio says he joins the group. Ghoul flaps up onto the table and appraises Elodia with wings outstretched. “I am Caio. And this,” he turns to ling and gestures to the other new face. “Is Nimue. She is a slayer of monsters, like us. She is accompanying us to the library tomorrow and perhaps to vanquish a dragon later.” Caio relaxes as they talk, sipping his usual dark ale.

Upon hearing her name, Nimue turns briefly and catches the slender Tiefling's eyes. She smiles, something a little more.....intense behind her gaze. She leans her elbow on the table, tilts her head and pulls out the pin keeping her long raven hair piled on her head. It cascades down her back, framing her porcelain face. Her finger brushes her cheek as she tucks a strand behind one of her pointed ears. "Pleasure." "Watch out for pretty faces, my dear Melda. The sweetest often strike the hardest." Right, now she gives me advice. Nimue hides her annoyance at her Grandmother's intrusion, keeping her face pleasant.

Elodia raises an eyebrow at Ling as the group filters in through the door rather than the upstairs, watching them assemble one after the other. It’s easy enough to pair faces with the names she’s been given as they gather, her smile patient and practiced even as she extends a hand of friendship to the bird perched on the table identified as Ghoul. Nimue. That was one she hadn’t been told about - someone new? After libraries and...dragons? She makes a note to come back to that later. Too much else already at stake.

“A pleasure indeed.” She turns her bright gaze to the table, from Shiva wrapped around Ling to Nimue to Caio to the one she assumes can only be Alaris, for they are certainly neither dwarf nor tiefling. "Yes; I think we might agree Piotrgrad would be a more peaceful place with fewer harpies on its streets." Her gaze sweeps back around. "If we can help one another ensure that, then I would be friends. As I hope Ling and I are." She smiles at the pale tiefling, gaze flickering briefly to Shiva attached to her, before looking back to the group. "Is this all of you?"