Ah, now I remember you would say "I was told..." and such like. Subtle, Lord Quentin. Del laughs Learning by doing is best anyway, some would say. But if we form a little study group - in parallel with this artillery / support section we have going - the mysteries arcane will clear quicker. I have been studying Suggestion and approaches to healing or buttressing allies. I feel that little surge - do you get that feeling? - when a breakthrough is upon me.

Mindartis nods along. "Yes, adventure is always something that will find you. My sister and I are hoping that our adventures will lead to the answers behind our tatoos."

Lia talks about the tavern her mom owns and runs back in the Free City.  She talks about how her mom is a bard and often sings or plays for the patrons of the tavern.  She will talk only a bit about her father, since doing so makes her more worried, and thus make sit a harder subject to talk about. 

"It's something like that. The Arcane Arts are so unique and well....everyone has different ways of unlocking it. I will admit Warlocks still well...make me uncomfortable a little. Magic tied to a power that can take it away all willy nilly. At least Clerics its because they went against a God. Though having Elwin is sure to help with that, hopefully. Though his form is awful and he needs to work on that before that ice armor of his explodes." Quentin then smiles as he says, "The Arcane Arts is like a puzzle to me. And every little thing you do is a piece of the puzzle that you have to get to fit just right. Sometimes pieces become more clearer and soon I'm casting a new spell." Quentin will happily spend hours talking about the Arcane Arts and the different ways of manipulating it. Before he trances though he will make sure to ritually cast Identify on the flash and the hat he found. 

Well, Lord Mindartis, new answers and new questions seem to pop up around us - if this first day is any omen. Fate may have you find the 'real' answer while working on something else Del touches the reliquary at his neck in a sign of prayer Sister Raven's fen mystery, or the Great Beer Crisis. For me, it's a good enough answer that their appearance led you to us.

Del will spend a bit more in conversation and maybe just one more glass of wine before retiring.

As you cast the Identify spell on the decanter of endless water,  a name flashes on its bottom, etched into the silver but hitherto unnoticed--Lenathiel.  Dead for over a thousand years, the Kalaine wizard was known for his well-crafted gadgets and toys, and you have heard his name before. In your mind you see an image of him lovingly smithing, decorating, and enchanting the flask himself. You see images of different people as the flask changed hands many times, sometimes given as a gift, sometimes sold. You see it used for many things...to fill a fish pond...to provide water for an enchanted ice sculpture...to water a dry field...to blast attacking stirges from the sky...

At the last, you see its previous owner on a dark night in a thunderstorm, the rain pouring down furiously as a band of robbers attack. In the darkness, the flask falls unseen into a puddle in the muddy road, pressed deeper into the mud by a trampling hoof as the murderers escape with much less valuable booty. In the visions, Quentin hears the flask's previous holders use the command words: Slowfish, Glowfish and Blowfish.

The hat does not have nearly so much power or history. You see an ill-clothed and threadbare gnome magician stitch the hat together and enchant it without much care or interest...and you see a much younger Lemmet Naica, probably still in his teens, hand over a paltry handful of coins for it. Lemmet puts the hat on his head, looks in a mirror, and taps his nose.  Instantly, he changes to look like a much older elf.  Smirking, he repeats the action and changes to a dwarf, a well-endowed high elf woman, a fat orc, and a ten-armed monstrosity with the head of a triceratops. Lemmet is going to have great difficulty evading capture without his treasured Hat of Disguise.

 (If everyone has had enough rest for the night, should we go on? )

In the morning, as promised, Lonvari drops by to regale you with stories of his adventurous youth over a breakfast prepared by the invisible servants.

Beezger joins you, letting you know that the cart is hitched and waiting outside.  He casually orders breakfast with an eye on Lonvari, to see if the dean objects, but old wizard is in the middle of a detailed description of a wrestling match with a mountain troll named Oily Oggloth, and pays no attention. "The food isn't half so good in the student cafeteria, and we have to cook our own meals," Beezger whispers. "Some of the alchemy students leave horrible messes in the kitchen." Louder, he adds,"It won't be any trouble finding my cousin.  There's a large, blue livery stable on the right, just on the outskirts of the city. He works there, and he always looks after Kettle and Kuvvar for me when I'm in town."

Teydaar joins you eventually as well, "Just to be sociable, and see you off," he explains. "And just in case you need to be rescued from tales of derring do."

"Insolent pup!" Lonvari interrupts his own story. "Why, when I was your age, I had already saved three villages from ogres!"

"I would rather try to feed our people," says Teydaar. "There are plenty of fools with swords...er...that is.." he says awkwardly, looking around. "There are much braver heroes and more capable warriors than I could ever hope to become."

Lonvari snorts and stands.  "I suppose my grandson has a point, though.  You have business, and I can't keep you here all day listening to an old man's tales. Was there anything else I could help you with before you go on with your great quest?"  (Raven had asked earlier about the Fens, and Lonvari had obliged by telling a story of tracking a murderous shambling mound through the wild rice fields three hundred and fifty years earlier, but had no more recent information to give.)

Del listens with an ear towards filing information away about monsters' strong and weak points. At the end he responds Thank you, my lord Dean, I do want to share some information Del tells about the Naica kid and the satyrs being missing So two things: first, if discussions - which I assume there will be - between the Simul and Naica families proceed assuming good faith...I guess I'd prefer more peace rather than less in these trying times. And (b), that is some of the mystery solved, but unless the fields are riddled with moonshineries, there are still missing youth unaccounted for. Let's assume that is a mystery we'd all like solved, and support each other when we can?

Elwin awoke with a smile, excited at the new techniques that his patron had transmitted to him in his sleep. He gathered his things to head downstairs, then stopped... where was his spear? He began to grow suspicious, until he recalled his dreamwalk training. He sighed. It was definitely the sort of thing his patron would do; he didn't NEED the spear any more, so why not "take care" of it for the human, keep things simple?

After washing up a bit, the warlock made his way down to join the others for breakfast. Everything seemed much more light-hearted than last night--not that it had been somber, but Elwin was acutely aware of how stressed he'd been as they all discussed their backgrounds. Indeed, having just one (rather aged) elf monopolize the conversation through tales of HIS past doings was quite satisfactory as far as Elwin was concerned.

Quote from Astalda >>

 Lonvari snorts and stands.  "I suppose my grandson has a point, though.  You have business, and I can't keep you here all day listening to an old man's tales. Was there anything else I could help you with before you go on with your great quest?"

Elwin quickly grabbed the rest of his drink to finish it off, not being able to think of anything immediately. There was a part of him--one that was just as much about survival habits as greed--that wanted to ask for coin again, but he refrained. The pearl had been quite enough, and besides... he expected to make plenty of coin as an adventurer, so there was no need to get greedy about a pittance right now. No, for the moment, he'd let the others state their needs.

Quentin happily listens to the story as he gives Elwin the flask back and tells him the command words and how it's used. He also offers up the ugly looking hat to the others explaining that once attuned you can touch your nose and the hat will allow you to cast Disguise Self, an illusionary disguise and that Lemmet commissioned the hat to stay in hiding while making his booze. As they are getting ready to leave, jokingly Quentin says, "Unless you know of someplace to find magic that hasn't been discovered or used in eons, I do not believe there is anything else I could ask for." 

I could see any of us needing it Del says while taking the ugly hat I'll hold it for now, if nobody cares. Do I get a free bowl of soup with this thing? You could disguise yourself as yourself only wearing a nicer hat. For the cart trip Del will stow his fiddle and play softly on his shawm I learned a new spell and this seems like a more appropriate focus

Raven glances to the hat, thinking of how very useful that would be for her less-than-lawful pursuits.

"I would like to suggest I get a chance with the hat..." Raven says with a glance to the others.  "I tend to do my work where people don't want me to be, and a item like that could be quite useful to get into a position where I can strike without notice..."

(OOC  I.E. Assassin getting surprise due to no one expecting the disguised person to drive a short sword into their back...)

Lonvari nods at Del's concerns. "Have no fear, my peace-loving, musical friend. We are not going to have a feud or any such balderdash, if that's what you fear. Corellon save us!  Lomalos is a country of laws and standards! The Queen's Guard are looking for this scoundrelly Naica lad, and when he is found, the matter will go to trial--royal court trial, in fact, as it's a matter between noble houses. I think even the Naicas must welcome the chance to enjoy such a spectacle!"

"As for the missing children, we have had very few go lost on Simul lands, none at all since we instituted...shall we say, security measures?  Any villain or varlet who would dare lay a hand on any of our students, laborers or children will meet a grisly fate! Sady, though, sadly, the other great families and the Free City are not very keen to have our 'watchers' on their own lands. Perhaps they fear that they will end up the ones being watched."

"Goodness, gracious me!" Lonvari says in answer to Quentin."Undiscovered magic!  You will not find that here.  It is true that we have scholars constantly combing ancient texts for just that, and traveling all of Talaveroth in search of it, but any time one of our scholars or professors finds something, they publish it immediately! Power, mastery of the universe, untold wealth--none of it matters as much as being able to swagger around the faculty awards banquet knowing that one has outshone all one's colleagues, eh?"

"I do have some suggestions for an eager adventuring wizard in search of new knowledge, though," he adds. "South of Lomalos, in the deep forest, the great wizard Zanderfell  keeps watch over all the lands of Kalaine. He rarely leaves his tree home, and almost never, never speaks to anybody.  Goodness knows I spent enough time as a boy camping under his tree, to no avail. He does send news to the various kingdoms and courts, though, and to the council. If you find yourself lucky enough to encounter one of his messengers, you might attempt to communicate through it. He holds secrets if anyone does."

"And another quest you might consider--it's been months since the Arch Witch was defeated, and they say she left great magical knowledge hidden in various strongholds, none of which has yet been found.  If you were to uncover one of her caches...oh, but it would be ugly, dark sort of magic, and you seem like far too nice a boy for that."

"Finally, back in my adventuring days, the merfolk told me that deep, deep, in the deepest caverns of the deepest depths of the deepest oceans, where even they cannot swim, live wise and kind-hearted sea dragons, collectors of lore and thaumaturgical mysteries. I always meant to grow myself a pair of gills and go questing after them to see what they could teach me,  but, well, well, the school is my life now, and I had children and grandchildren and everybody else's grandchildren to look after." He beams, without any sign of regret.

Quite correct, Sister Raven handing over the bland brown beret Consider it yours, but do lend it if we have to go sneaking together - I suspect you are fairer at disguises unaided

You are a good being, Dean Lonvari

"Thank you." Raven says as she accepts the hat. She tucks it into her belt for now, not wishing to try putting it on just yet.  "If it comes to someone who can use it better, or more, than I can, then no fear, I will gladly give it back." She assures the group.

Mindartis raises his eyebrows, "The Arch-Witch is dead? Interesting, never thought we'd see that day."

Smiling Quentin says, “Thank you. I’ll see what my companions want first but perhaps one day I’ll visit one of those locations.” With that he’s ready for the carriage ride. 

Having finished his meal, and feeling restless, Elwin was about to speak before remembering his manners. "Yes, thank you, Dean Lonvari. And you two... take care with your studies!" He smiled at Beezger and Teydaar, happy that they would be doing well in their class now.

Turning to the rest of the party, he asked with a grin, "Shall we be off then?"

Del tries to keep us moving before the dean can answer M at great length. Once on our way, he'll share what he knows. There are already a few pieces making the rounds about her defeat. Alth Gambles has a play out, and the Wilson Sisters have a tune (plucking his fiddle and singing) 

The story in three parts: The Arch Witch escaped from the High Elves, and rampaged across Talaveroth with the Red Dragon Clan. The Battle of the Floating Isles, where the villains were defeated by the Wizard Queen, the Sorcerer King of the Primordial Forest, the Wizard Thanicles, and the great bard Master Randal Styles. And, an Epic Chase across the Planes and through Time, in which Master Styles and Master Thanicles trapped the Arch Witch in the Far Future.

I am not sure how this relates to Sister Raven's questions - in the more distant history, centuries ago the Arch Witch led the Hag Sisterhood before being imprisoned. Are the hags you are worried about the same Sisterhood? Could they be affected by the recent battle? Or the Burning? Or are they all connected?

Lonvari, Teydaar and Beezger bid you fond farewells and wish you the best of good fortune as you climb aboard the pony cart and head east.  Kettle and Kuvvar are feeling frisky this morning, and the cart runs along the road at a brisk pace.  There is a great deal more of the academy, and as you pass its various buildings and great tree dwellings, students point you out, and you hear cries of "They're the ones!"  "The mole wreckers!"  "The heroes of the battle of Beezgar's Field!" and a lot of cheering. 

You pass a modest-sized octagonal tower of carved wood...in front of it is an alabaster statue of a female mage casting a spell, staff and spellbook in her hands, cloak and hair billowing in the wind.  From the tip of the staff dangles a pair of spotted pink underdrawers. (Well, it is a school...)  A historical marker states, "This is the first school building of the Thamasaille Simul, built by Syndra Simul after the defeat of the wizard tyrant Grimmerang. She freed the people of Lomalos from Grimmerang's enslavement, and freed generations of young mages from ignorance."  After that, you pass the school of Bardic Magic, where several young musicians wait to serenade you out of Simul lands, singing songs about last night's battle with the moles and the rousting of Lemmet Naica.  You can't hear the words or the tunes, since each would-be bard attempts to sing louder than the others, and the bagpipe player drowns them all out, but the accolades are clearly well-meant.

You enter the Free Territory, small farms and patches of forested land covering miles of hills.  Soon you can see the grove of gigantic, ancient trees in the distance, the core of the Free City.  Traffic has increased along the road...you see many travelers going form the city to the school and back, and farmers driving their flocks or hauling loads of ripe manure, or seed for planting.  You see a pair of dusty, ragged farm children pulling a cart....possibly the same ones you saw yesterday, nearly run off the road by your skunked coach. If so, it is a long walk for short legs that they are on.

(Feel free to back up to anything you want to react to.)