Varielky may have regained her senses, but she remains still. More than anything, she wants to charge at this... lich? Run a sword through their neck, sever the head from the rest of the body. Still, she remains motionless. If he was able to stop her with a single word just like that, might he be able to do so again? It was an unpleasant experience, and Varielky realises there won't be much she could do if he decides to follow that up by running a blade through her body. She leaves negotiating for others at the moment, but she's ready to intervene if she feels it is needed.

Brenneth walks to a table as Auger speaks, flips a codex open, looks for a page, scans it, then moves to a scroll, unrolls it part-way, seems to weigh something in his mind, every few seconds looking up at Auger encouragingly to show he is listening.

When Auger finishes speaking, the starry-clothed southerner, Brenneth, glances up and his eyes fall on Granophyre and Ednyss. 

“Oh those pesky dwarves,” he answers. “They really nailed it with their Wards. You’ve picked that much up. I can’t get into Core of Dacite myself. I need an intermediary.” He stares darkly at Granophyre for a moment, and you all notice that the old sage seems suddenly not to be himself. His complexion turns soft and malleable, and he is quaking in fear where he stands. Brenneth picks up, turning his back on Granophyre as if nothing untoward has taken place. 

“But cousin, you aren’t looking at this intelligently. Don’t you see that civil war will help you? You will be able to slip through the cracks, the Empire will be unable to find you or slow you down in the chaos. You’ll be there in no time, and I will have the information I need. In no time.”

To Py, Auger sends, Chaos? Civil War? Cousin Brenneth certainly seems to think lightly of such things. Has the Dowager noted this exchange? Does she have anything to add? 

Auger is shocked at what Brenneth suggests and lets it show on his face and struggles with a momentary outrage before he sees how to approach this, and then he responds. This is negotiating. Not unlike coming to terms on what the carpentry bill would be for a new barn, or fine furniture. Only this negotiation would affect all in the room and perhaps most in the region for some time to come.

"Well it sounds like we have some basic agreement. You need Granophyre here, in particular to complete his mission. And to willingly aid you as a part of it." Seeing Granophyre in fear Auger comes over to look at him, make eye contact, try to provide some reassurance. "I have spent the last several weeks with dwarves and have come to see their determination and respect it. We will find a way through. And can do so on our terms."

Turning back to face Brenneth, Auger says, "You somehow think moving through a -- a civil war," Auger pauses to let the ramifications of that statement show on his face, "-- through a civil war. Will somehow help us in our travels. Isn't that just quibbling over-- over -- methods? We have our own path and abilities. You are trusting us to help you one way or another. With their Queen free we might gain further assistance from the Azhvuv. I assume you know how effective they are as assassins and thieves. We have enemies in the Empire and out and I see no need to believe we need the mass killings and confusion of war to help us through. I think there is every reason to believe it would impede us, particularly with the Azhvuv as enemies."

As Auger finishes he walks over towards the young girl, examining her from a short distance. Is this the Queen? Or... Auger examines her to try and get any sense for family resemblance. Does she have the look of someone raised by the lake? Is she kin? Has his cousin, somehow a lich, has he perhaps had a child who is present? "What do you think of all this?" Auger asks her.

Granophyre, finding Auger’s eye, manages to pull himself out of the deep terror which Brenneth had caused him. 

When Auger goes to the girl, closer inspection confirms her seeming age, 10 or 11. Her hair is dark and parted in the center into two ponytails tied with lengths of brown cord, the same earthen color as her frock. When Auger comes close, she turns to look at him, her expression guarded. In answer to his question, she shrugs, and as she turns back to her play, Auger notes a glint of pale yellow in her irises, a defining trait, he has noticed, of the Azhvuv.

Brenneth meanwhile ignores the exchange entirely, stops at a side table, picks up a small glass decorated with gold leaf, pours a blood-red liquid from a large liqueur bottle into it, and drinks. He offers some to Auger, and to all adults present as he continues. 

“Yes, I need you. Isn’t it good to be needed, cousin? However, I believe you jump to conclusions. The Azhvuv do not offer threats. I do not believe you risk making enemies if you fail your task. Indeed, who knows if they even expected you to succeed. Perhaps simply trying to rescue their Queen, succeed or fail, is enough to balance the books.”

“As for Imperial interference, what would a country bumpkin such as you know about it, cousin. Your attitude shows your naïveté.”

He glances at Granophyre again. “Even your wise leader walked directly into a trap this very morning. And are you sure, quite sure, that you, too, have not already drawn attention? Are not being followed? Did you know that I was watching you?”

Auger notes that Py has been unresponsive since the moment he entered the room. The familiar suddenly appears mid-air, and silently falls with a clacking sound upon the floor, inert. Brenneth does not seem to notice, but Ednyss detects the slightest curl of satisfaction turn the corner of lich’s lip upward just a hair.

Auger declines to drink while thinking carefully over what his cousin just said. While thinking he looks over at Py on the ground and then steps over to pick it up and examines it in detail before finding a coat pocket to put it in. He makes no effort to hide what he is doing and does not respond to Brenneth, making him wait out the process, which Auger hopes feels like it drags on. How did Brenneth become so casually cruel? He always did hold himself above others, but this person in front of them... was quite a few steps beyond that. And sadly, Auger, a man of faith, realizes there is no possible redemption here. Finally he turns and looks at Brenneth once again, rolls his eyes at him and then speaks.

"Are you done then cousin? You were not so wordy as a child. I must admit your worldly ways sound impressive but this country bumpkin believes your logic has not improved. In a moment my friends and I will consult and we would appreciate your prying ears giving us time to speak. Let me tell you of three things we must consider when weighing your demands.

The first is that according to your logic, we can leave here without the Queen, and the Azhvuv will simply say 'thanks for trying'. If that is right then your demand that we do something for you in exchange for her freedom is meaningless because our agreement with the Azhvuv would be honored. How kind of you to point that out. In truth I think you need her and you need the Azhvuv for your own purposes and so you intend to hold on to the small leverage you have. I don't think you will ever let her go. But to gain our help you must.

The second thing is how we need not fear you because you are completely reliant upon us. How long have you been waiting for the right dwarf to come by and accede to your demands? How much longer can you wait if we cannot help you? For you grand need you are helpless yourself. And you assume we will help at your command. Who is it that is naïve, cousin?

The third thing has to do with our many watchers. So far in a few short weeks we have seen favors from Takal Damesh, have made a deal of sorts with D'ya Baobab, and Ritha Demsha herself has taken notice of us. The Gods watch us. They make demands upon us. My friend over here believes, due to their favor, we cannot die. Where do your demands stand in comparative importance cousin? Do you place yourself above the Gods? We are watched and we know it. You have some manner of watching from this hole in the ground too. We are not impressed."

Auger then reaches into the Sea of Stars and causes traditional Anshin music from the Festival of the Lake to be played fairly loudly from a point centered on Brenneth. Smiling at the sound as he remembers it Auger loudly says, "A moment of privacy would be wonderful thank you." Then he turns his back on Brenneth, walks over to Granophyre and the others, gathers them away from the music and quietly sighs, "Ahhh, family matters... Well, what do you want to do?"

Ednyss, who has been watching Brenneth unerringly throughout the conversation, gives the warlock a worried look, "I trust my ability to read people, and your cousin seems to be the person that we would be ill-advised to trifle with. I personally do not have a connection to any of the potential victims of the assassination that is planned by the Azhvuv, but I know that you both," the dwarf gestures to Varielky and Auger, "have some ties to the marks. For that reason, I do not think it is wise to risk the ire of the Azhvuv nor risk starting a civil war by failing to rescue the queen. After all, war without purpose is just mass murder. I believe the key to all of this is getting the queen back. I sense that the power that your cousin wields is significant so I would guess that a straight fight is likely not going to end in our favor. While I have no qualms about dying trying to fulfill a promise that I made, especially when fighting a creature of such evil, I feel that we still have more to do. That leaves us only one option. We must try to negotiate for the queen's freedom." Ednyss looks over to Varielky and Strewn expectantly. The war priest was just spitballing his thoughts based on his analysis of Brenneth and his plan (if you could call it that) was far from coherent.

"I think your cousin has completely missed his mark. It doesn't matter what the Azhvuv would think of us if we don't bring their queen back. I gave my word that I'll get her back, so either I will succeed or I will die trying. Besides, though it doesn't matter to me whether war breaks or not, there are still questions I wish to ask the priestess of Idiwala, and I can't approve of such assassinations on unarmed people. But..." She trails off, looking at the man. "I've got a feeling that simply trying to kill this person would not go right. Earlier, with just a single word of his, I was unable to think nor act for a few moments. Also, I'm worried." Varielky glances towards the young girl whom Auger approached earlier. "She's the only person in the room, so I'm inclined to believe she is the Azhvuv queen. If that is true, however, could she not have defeated this person herself? We've seen the Azhvuv's powers, and she's supposed to be the strongest one, isn't she? Yet, she doesn't even resist." Varielky then turns to Granophyre, seeking wisdom in his knowledge. "You called this man a... lich, before. What does that mean?"

The figure is not idle, and goes back to its reading as Auger speaks, calmly studying, glancing up at the southerner in an encouraging manner from time to time. Brenneth seems unperturbed by the music and indeed one long-nailed finger wags up and down in time to its folksy beat as he consults and compares tomes. 

Ednyss, focusing his perceptions on Brenneth sees that an illusion is emanating from him: the entire room is not what it seems. This is a stone chamber. And, the little girl. She’s not just sitting on the floor. She is in a chair or throne of carved rock, manacled, her mouth covered. As reality —the stone chamber — flickers back and forth in a dance with this profoundly powerful illusion— the parlor—, for a split second, Ednyss sees that the girl is bound by magical restraints.  

Granophyre answers Varielky in a rushed whisper, “A lich is — was — a wizard, a powerful one, whose thirst for knowledge of the arcane drives it mad. They give up their positive life force and become undead in exchange for limited immortality, and their quest for knowledge goes on and on, without regard to any other being. It’s powers are deadly. It can — not just stun — but kill, with a word!”

Benita subtly gets your attention. “Flock! I think we’re going to find out more!,” her eyes focused on Brenneth, who is now standing up, as the music ends, and he claps his hands patronizingly and commends Auger for his choice of songs. 

“How I miss the old country. Mmmhhmmm. But, now I have much to do. We, Dannel, we don’t seem able to come to an agreement about the question of war, and perhaps it would help you to know: it wasn’t my idea. The Jlasi Family, in their wisdom, want war so they may extend their power in the opium trade — which may be farther reaching than you know. I am merely executing their wishes. As for whether or not you will do what I ask willingly?” He chuckles, a dry unenthused sound. “We shall see. <grrssshhitthh!>.”

With that, he points at Benita. Her body suddenly becomes rigid and she utters a death-curdling scream as you see a semi-transparent shape pulled from her solar plexus to float, shivering, above her. She falls silent, her body drops as one of you catches her, and you witness the most tenuous connection between the life force subtly glowing above her and her still body, a connection which seems to continue on the merest whim of the villain before you. 

“ ‘Oh my!,’” Brenneth squeaks, in a mock-ingenue voice, ‘She seems to be on the point of death. Can’t someone help her?’” In the voice of a mock-hero, he answers himself, “‘Why yes, I could,’” then continues with a thundering demand to you four, “BUT WHAT WOULD I GET OUT OF IT?!?!”

Granophyre holds up his palms, his eyes wide, and speaks, his tone low, flat. “Yes. Yes I will do as you ask. Please. Release her and I will tell you what I find, if I can find it.”

“Oh. I’m sure you’ll find a way,” says Brenneth. “I believe in you.” After a long, excruciating moment, he releases Benita and her life force returns to her. She gasps for air, but remains limp and unconscious. 

Brenneth stands triumphantly before you, gloating. “The Azhvuv shall go through with their assassinations. It is all unfolding as I planned when I offered my assistance to the Jlasi Family, knowing that our paths would thereby cross.” 

“Now. You will be my guests until after midnight. Then you are free to leave. Without her of course,” his eyes pointing to the girl. 

He turns to face you full on, raising his hands; the hair on the back of your neck bristles, and you each know that you are on the point of being attacked! 

(OOC: What do you do? You are all within 20’ of each other.)

Varielky grits her teeth. Looking down to Benita lying in her hands, she realises what situation she's in. Oh gods - be they Dreyen, Jenghen or any others, what should she do now? Varielky herself might be able to revive again - and that wasn't really guaranteed - but there was no way to know whether Benita will or will not revive if she dies, and Varielky does not want to test the matter. She wishes for guidance, but she can't expect the gods to solve this situation for her.

A person who could stun, even kill a person, with a single word. Maybe if she had a way to stop him from speaking. Some way to silence him until he meets that limited part of his immortality... But when they fought Xurl, they couldn't stop him from making his war cry. Who said they'll manage now?

Varielky is furious, but she controls her emotions - or perhaps it is fear that does it for her - as she does not rush to attack at the moment. "You've been watching us for a while, am I right? Should I assume you know us quite well then?" Now, Varielky sounds somewhat defeated, and the image of her sitting on her knees, holding unconscious Benita in her free hand while her sword lies on the floor where she dropped it to catch Benita does not suggest otherwise. "I assume you must know - I stay true to my word, which is the best guarantee I can give you that we will deliver the information to you if we can find it. So, if I agree to do it for you, what harm is there for you in letting us free the Azhvuv queen? You will learn... whatever it is you want us to find out for you, which I don't even understand; in return, you free the queen and us. Wouldn't you say this is a situation in which everyone wins?"

Auger witnesses the exchange between Granophyre and his cousin. He watches Benita nearly die. He hears Varielky speak. He thinks on Ednyss' wise words. He sees that his cousin is about to do... something to them all. And he sees no way to get away. But, Benita's close call with death reminds him of something. The Azhvuv. They can live again.

Auger draws his dagger and walks over to the child, trying to pierce the illusion he says, "Chin up and we can get you out of here." Then he attempts to slit her throat, perhaps with her assistance.

Varielky’s question is quickly answered.

“This is a situation where I win,” says the grinning man, and as Auger moves toward the little girl, unsheathing his dagger, and Varielky perhaps moves her shield to defend her friend from a blow she knows will fall, as Granophyre tries to cast a defensive spell but cannot finish it in time, and Ednyss stands firm, you all see the walls come alive in response to the urgings of Brenneth’s raised hands, and dark spirits suddenly race out, their red eyes blazing, and in an instant, before Auger has taken three steps, they overwhelm you. The last thing you notice before blacking out is a southern-style clock on the wall between the windows, its half-dial showing the sun at half-past 3 bells as the beautiful golden light from outside the windows is blotted out, you feel pain, and then, you see nothing.

Time passes. You stir in a half-conscious state for a few moments when you hear a slow, repetitive scraping sound on the corridor’s stone floor. It requires all your energy to open your eyes, your body too weak to move. You look toward the sound, and see one of the Jlasi Warriors. Still breathing, not quite dead. Being dragged foot by slow foot, by some invisible force, into the doorway through which you entered, through the room past you, and into an adjoining chamber where Brenneth stands, adjusting something. A table leaf? Brenneth only turns to face this macabre scene, impassively, when the prone warrior’s body is pulled through the archway into the same room as him. The light in the room is different. The sun has set. Then, your eyes fall shut again.

Time passes once more. 

Something causes you to crack an eyelid, and you see a lone dandelion leaf circling gently in the air above you. You turn your head with enormous effort, it seems to take forever to focus. When you do, you see something unexpected. A pale blue elephant’s head peeking through the doorway, over a thin trail of blood which the Jlasi Warrior’s body left in its wake. Kotashin’s big, innocent eyes make a circle around the room. 

You all awaken, with 1HP. You have not rested. You are bound in place by some kind of magical force, near the child, who is still sitting on her shins, but has turned around, and is now looking in the direction of the entryway.

“Watcha, watcha, watcha doing, Valkraky?,” the little fey being whispers from the doorway.

Looking into the next room, you see that Brenneth is...busy. His back is turned to you, and he is facing the Jlasi Warrior, who has been propped up on a board, tilted half-way up, facing the lich, facing you. Some kind of energy is moving between the two of them, and the sight of it is sickening to see. Brenneth is...feeding.

You look at the southern style clock and see it is now five minutes to midnight.

'Ice' Auger thinks to himself. 

Auger attempts to sit up in place and stops immediately as his muscles protest for being asked to move while he is bound where he is. Despite his weakened state Auger checks to see if his connection to the Sea of Stars is still there. Is he blocked at all? (OOC: Does Auger believe he can Misty Step out of these bonds) Meanwhile he tries to recall events. Why are they here? Oh yes, his cousin. The lich. Cousin Brenneth who -- who feeds over there. The young girl who must be freed.

Ice he thinks again. Why does that matter?

In the previous chamber there were... water elementals. Evil things that almost did them all in. Was that the thing? No. The young girl. The Queen. She must be freed that is all that matters. Auger notes the whispered words of Kotashin and ignores them for a moment. Kotashin had saved them earlier. Quite surprising his sudden appearance. And then his disappearance. Where had he gone? Auger realizes he had thought Kotashin stayed with them as they moved through the dank hallway. Dank. Why was it dank?

And then Auger remembers. Yes that could be an issue. To Kotashin he whispers in response, "Can you free us? Now? Or at least the girl?" While waiting on Kotashin's reply and what he learns from his connection to the Sea of Stars, Auger idly wonders what has happened to the leak he had been plugging with ice in the first chamber. His hold on the water would have dissipated on its own hours ago. Was a lake about to rush in upon them?

(OOC: The bonds completely defeat spell casting and similar magical feats. No Misty step. Hands and feet are bound as well.)

Kotashin disappears in a poof of dandelion petals, and he reappears next to Auger. Brenneth seems to notice something, begins to turn toward you. Kotashin quickly lies down, his body hidden from the next chamber by Auger’s body. Except for his trunk, which is pointing straight up. Brenneth does a double take.  In between glances, Kotashin abruptly pulls his trunk down. Brenneth frowns, but loses his focus as the ecstatic feeding continues.

The Fey spirit struggles with Auger’s and the girl’s bonds, but makes no headway. “I can’t break it, Arger,” it whispers. The girl doesn’t seem to notice the small creature’s efforts, her focus straight ahead. A minute ticks away. 

"Not what I should be doing." Varielky whispers back. She thinks, then turns her head slowly to look around. Is Benita with them? Moreover, do he chains look like something she could break with sheer strength? Lastly, if she had a sword in her hand, could she reach far enough to hit the girl's chains, possibly break them? This is the Azhvuv's queen. She saw a lesser Azhvuv in action. If there's any chance to make something better out of this situation, it would be to free her. That said, Varielky must be sure a chance exists, before struggling for nothing.

Benita is there, achingly regaining consciousness like the rest of you. Varielky struggles but finds that the bonds — and this is true for all of you — do not allow such movement. Your hands and feet are all immobilized. Except for Kotashin. The girl locks eyes with Varielky for a moment, as the shield maiden studies her chains,  then her gaze returns to what she was looking at before. 

(OOC: The Queen is staring at the doorway? At Brenneth? The clock? What is she looking at?)

The girl is looking vaguely toward the entryway, but on closer inspection, you see she is actually looking at the table at which Brenneth was sitting when you arrived, the one covered in tomes. From this angle, you see it has several drawers, the ink brush and ink pot, and of course the pile of books upon it.

She notices Auger’s interest and for the first time, meets his eyes, then looks at the desk once again. 

"Kotashin," Auger whispers, "The --the young girl here is looking at the desk. Go over there and she will nod if you are getting close to the thing she cares about. Please go now. It will help us." Auger looks to the Queen to see if she nods in understanding.

"Unless he'll find a key, somehow, we'll have to try breaking out of these bonds." Varielky whispers. She wonders for a moment whether the lich hears, buy maybe he's just choosing to ignore. "Unless you have another, better idea?" She wasn't sure if there even is a key for magical bonds. However, she hopes that such bonds can be broken with sheer strength. Otherwise, if both approaches fail, she really has no idea what else could be done. Summoning her sword seemed pointless if she can't move her hands at all.

Varielky cannot break the bonds. Pulling against them with all her might, she sees stars, almost losing consciousness with the effort, but they do not budge.

“Okay Arger,” whispers Kotashin. He poofs away leaving floating dandelion petals, and reappears beside the desk, and looks carefully around its corner to the doorway framing Brenneth in the next chamber, where the feeding goes on. Peeking over there yourself, it seems that it is...slowing...somehow, the Jlasi Warrior seeming spent, his skin monochrome like ash, pockmarked, almost transparent. 

Kotashin plops down on his rear, quietly, with the table at his back as he looks across at the girl and you. He points up, over his head, to one of the drawers. The girl shakes her head, barely perceptibly. He points to a book hanging over the edge of the table. She shakes her head half an inch. He points to a second drawer. She shakes her head again. He points to another book. She shakes her head. He points to the first drawer again. She shakes her head. Another minute ticks away. 

Losing interest, the little elephant-headed fey being points to another drawer. The girl, sitting near you shakes her head no. But Kotashin’s arm moves slightly and he’s now pointing at a fourth drawer without realizing it. The girl’s eyes suddenly widen, and she nods stiffly. Her eyes flash to Auger.