Good chili, bad ballet

SUMMARY Rona is reading a history of the final days of Kulthos, in the hopes of making some sense of whatever she learns about the Artificer's Binder she received recently, when she is joined by Ga'Elian and Walery. She summarizes what she's learned thus far before conversation moves on to the Corruption of the Wild, potential Charneth attempt to ruin relations between Alexandria and the Sith'Makar, and the relative merits of asking for consent before stabbing invaders.

Yelrona is sitting in a comfortable chair at an outside table of a local eatery, with a small bottle of wine, a half-eaten haunch of unidentifiable meat, and a very thick book she's about a fifth of the way through.

Ga'Elian strolls along the road, glancing frequently skyward where he catches the occasional glimpse of Erithamiel playing in the gusty air currents. He sees Yelrona and joins her. "Hey there. Good book?"

Yelrona looks up at Elian's voice. "I suppose? I mean, it's dry, dull, and varies between impenetrable and outright incomprehensible, so I guess it's just about perfect for a historical text." She rubs her eyes vigorously. "I can attest to its value as a soporific, though... after reading a few pages I understand what sleep must feel like."

Ga'Elian laughs. "So why do you subject yourself to such torture? Surely there are more engaging texts available?"

"I'm told it's the most accurate history available of the Dark Artificers of Kulthos," she sighs. "Or at least, the most accurate one the College will let me look at. And if I'm going to get caught up in _that_, I figure I ought to know something about it."

Ga'Elian shrugs. Says, "I gather it's probably cheaper than divination magic, and I doubt there would be many bardic accounts of the same information." He sighs. "I guess you're doomed to either wade through such a book or forge ahead in blissful ignorance."

Yelrona nods. "I'm not even sure what sort of divination magic would help, to be honest. It's not like I have specific questions I need answered... or rather, the ones I do need answered are quite effectively concealed. I'm really more looking for a general understanding of the period, you know? And I've talked to the bards... there are _lots_ of bardic sagas about the Sundering and the fall of Kulthos. All very interesting, but all rather skimpy on the technical details."

Ga'Elian nods. Chuckling he says, "I can just imagine a ballet in which those technical details are described with interpretive dance."

"THERE ACTUALLY IS ONE!" Rona replies, with an exasperated air. "Seven. Hours. Long. Apparently it hasn't been performed in its entirety in eight centuries, and the details were wrong to start with." She shakes her head, laughing, and takes a long swig of wine. "Also no less than seven comedies. My favorite is Luunugh's opus, entitled Layet Kiran, which as I understand it is a mistranslation of 'Oops' into Kulthian. It... is actually pretty funny," she admits, "if you're into comedies about the end of the world."

Ga'Elian opens his eyes wide and says, "Wow! Who'd've guessed? I wonder if that ballet was as soporific as your book."

"There are reviews," Rona replies, ominously. "'Bard Allana's work is as precise and well-executed as an artifice clock, and only slightly less interesting to watch.'," she quotes, "and it just gets worse from there."

Ga'Elian looks sideways at Yelrona as if to ask, "What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?", but simple shakes his head in surrender and smirks.

Yelrona takes another swig of wine, puts a bookmark in the tome she's wading through, and closes it. "Anyway... I know the research phase of an investigation isn't your sort of thing. What are you up to these days? Any progress on pushing back the Corruption?"

Ga'Elian says, "It's hard to tell. It's a continual effort, but no longer a matter of such dire urgency."

"Because the Tree is no longer at risk, you mean?"

Ga'Elian nods, "That's a big part of it, yes. The Felwood has always tried to encroach upon surrounding lands, so the only real new thing there is that it has been a little more pronounced than usual lately, and Mictlan is still veiled by mists and unreachable, but as you say, the Tree is relatively safe since the Estellen Calen, and the Tree does exert a powerful counter-corruption effect."

Yelrona nods. "Well, that's something, at least. And the Chaos Lich hasn't been heard of since the attack on the Mictlan, which is good news for everyone. Still... how are the Sith-Makar dealing with the -- hopefully temporary -- loss of their home?"

Ga'Elian looks uncertain, but says, "I'd say their collective reaction is mixed. Some regard it as merely a temporary inconvenience, many are distraught, and others ambivalent or utterly confused. Frankly, the feelings of a refugee population tend to be more anxious than optimistic, but it's still early days. If anything, the arvek refugees in Tref are perhaps sympathetic, toward the sith'makar, but they're under such stress themselves that they don't really have the capacity to offer the sith'makar much relief."

Yelrona nods. "Makes sense. Where have they mostly settled, do you know?"

Ga'Elian says, "Well, some, especially those from the shaman caste have taken to living in the wilderness or the Grove of the Tree. Some of the least xenophobic are staying in Alexandria or the outlying villages, but many have gone through the Am'shere portal to their native jungles."

Yelrona nods. "Yes, I thought that might happen." She frowns. "I hope it doesn't set back relations."

Walery has arrived.

Ga'Elian says, "That is a matter of how Alexandrians respond and how the response is publicized. On the first point, I am optimistic that many will offer support and with the friendliest of intentions. Alexandria is, after all, a very cosmopolitan culture and has a long history of succoring refugees. On the other hand, a bit of mischief could severely detract from the perception of good. As for publicity, it is potentially more volatile."

"Mischief?" Rona echoes. "Have you got anything in particular in mind?"

Walery is also potentially volatile. But artificers are like that. He walks up the street with a casual pace, and swerves towards the two he recognizes.

Ga'Elian shakes his head, "No. And I should clarify... I mean serious sabotage, not good-natured pranks, although humiliating influential people wouldn't do relations any good either. Still, in a matter of such delicacy, a little disruption can wreck a lot of constructive effort." He looks at Walery and gestures to an empty seat.

Yelrona nods. "I understand... I was thinking about that when we were dealing with the Charneth infiltration to Alexandria, also. They would greatly love to separate the Sith-Makar from alliance with Alexandria."

Walery asks Ga'Elian, "You mean like stabbing a guard of a foreign dignitary under a flag of truce?"

Yelrona cringes. "Yes, for example. Though it helps a bit that the 'foreign dignitary' in question turned out to be here under false pretenses."

Ga'Elian nods at Yelrona's comment ponderously, "That seems reasonable." At Walery's comment, he looks a bit shocked, but says, "Yes. That is certainly in the vein of what I mean."

Walery nods about the false pretenses, "Yeah, we got a little lucky there." He nods. "Typically we greet invaders much more politely, I think/"

"Well, to be fair, we've been ruder than that to invaders in the past. But we were provoked."

...replies Rona.

Ga'Elian says, "Fortunately, the sith'makar do give significant heed to the opinions of their shamans, and their shamans were well and intimately familiar with the rising corruption, and all of Mictlan saw the response of Alexandria to the craven attack of the lich."

Walery hrms, nods. "Well, it's true we stab a lot of invaders, too. Sometimes without asking. It's hard to generalize. I think mostly we're OK with it." He shrugs about the Sith Makar. "I've been to their home. I can't imagine they like it here much. And I can't fathom why they'd want to help, though they're generally quite useful."

Yelrona laughs. "I don't think I've ever asked for permission before stabbing anyone. I mean, I've been on some strange dates, but not _that_ strange."

Ga'Elian laughs, too. He says, "Maybe I should try it next time I face a demon. 'Pardon me, may I have your consent to pierce your flesh with my rapier? It's cold iron, sir.' Hah!"

Walery nods at Yelrona's admission about stabbing without asking, and Ga'Elian. "See, that's what I mean. When you have wars, you go and ask the other fellow for a battle, and you draw up your sides, and make arrangements, and you have tea and such. And then the battle when things are arranged properly."

Ga'Elian says, "Not where I come from."

Yelrona smiles. "Several of the Llyranesi settlements in the Mythwood actually _have_ that sort of tradition, when things must be settled by force of arms. It results in a lot less dead people. Though to be fair, it's almost never invoked... once you've agreed to a civilized war, it's not too much of a stretch to go for straightforward diplomacy instead."

Walery shrugs helplessly at Ga'Elian and nods to Yelrona. "Well, they don't really in Dran or Stormegarde, either. That's mainly just a local thing, I guess. But that's where I trained." He ohs about Mythwood, "They do? That's good, then."

Ga'Elian says, "Don't get me wrong. I don't mean that my people go to war rashly or often, but when we do, we don't tend follow civilized rules of engagement."

"Well, to be fair -- and nothing against the Sylvanori, Ga'Elian, I have great respect for your people -- but 'civilized rules' are, well, not your primary area of cultural strength," Rona replies gently.

Walery nodnods. "Everyone seems to do things differently. But here, it seems to work out."

Ga'Elian grins smugly. He says, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"More than work out!" Rona agrees. "We gain far more from each other's strengths than we ever would from isolation."

Walery agrees. "Plus the food is really top rate. I like the Dranei chili quite a lot."

Ga'Elian says, "For my part, as much as I love my home forest, I do enjoy the mountains and beaches around here."

"I know right?" Rona agrees with Walery. "Have you tried Ganorth's place, the one that just opened on Market Street? He actually gets Emereth Ghost Peppers shipped down here, I have no idea how he manages it at an affordable price. Burns your tongue right out of your mouth. He's a deft hand with frycakes, also... I need to find a way to trade services with him, or he'll end up with half my coin."

Walery ooohs at a fellow who sells Ghost Peppers. "That's wonderful news. The local chili is a bit mild for my taste. And it kills the taste of spoilage if the meats been out a bit too long."

Yelrona finishes her meal and her wine and picks up her book. "Well... a pleasure catching up with you both, but I should get back to my research. Tell Ganorth I sent you, and he'll take you seriously when you say you want extra-spicy!" she suggests to Walery before heading north.