[ We find Nebrinel sitting across a small, quaint table from Xivilai, Lord of the Shardae Dominion, wielder of a Great Weapon, and quite possibly the most powerful wizard alive. ] ( And quite the looker too! ) [ The room in which the small, quaint table sits has only one door, and this leads to a kitchen. There are a few other small quaint tables in here, as well, all with comfortable chairs at them. One wall is dominated by a glass window looking out into the mountains. The room is very quiet, and is about as private a place as could be asked for. ] *** Yu-Mei is now known as Tim ( Tim is not present. Only Xivilai is. There is no Tim. ) [ Xivilai has asked that wine be brought, and it was; by a quiet servant who teleported in, set the wine on the table, and teleported out. So, here we go! ] [ MINISESSION START! ] * Nebrinel looks about. She does not look very comfortable, and is barely restraining herself from placing her hand on Plaguebringer for comfort. She looks at Xivilai as coolly as you can look at someone who is and looks in every way your superior and elder. *Xivilai opens the wine, and pours you some. It's a clear, almost sparkling white wine; probably very sweet. This assumption would be reinforced by the fact that she's serving it over ice. "So, Nebrinel. What do you wish to discuss first?" * Nebrinel does not smile, but nods instead, taking the glass as it is offered. "Thank you." She takes the glass. "Ada and I discussed what I can only assume are things that you were going to offer, but before I dedicated my efforts to your support, I want to be certain of what I am getting out of it, and for how long I would be working for you, as it were. Especially since Faydra will not be pleased with this arrangement." * Nebrinel sips the wine, and sighs. "Another regrettable circumstance." "Oh, I imagine she won't. As for how long; until the end of the war, at least. If you wish, you can stay on my staff, in which case you will gain additional benefits." ( Dental plan! 401k! ) ( Nono. Wealth and power. ) ( Although you'd be amazed what a little magic can do for your teeth. ) * Nebrinel shakes her head, and smiles very very faintly. "Don't get your hopes up." She takes another sip. "So. The offer was Great Weapon pieces and locations, as well as some magical work. How much of this will be before and how much after?" *Xivilai smirks. "That depends on what magical work you particularly wish to be done. I'm not quite certain as to what you may desire in that area." * Nebrinel says, "Nothing too complex, I'm sure, although it was not Ada's forte when she attempted." She gestures at herself. "Curse breaking." *Xivilai raises an eyebrow. "Oh? And who, if I may ask, placed the curse upon you?" * Nebrinel grits her teeth for a second, then takes another sip as opposed to crushing the glass. "Adron." *Xivilai's other eyebrow climbs up her head to join the other higher up. She slowly breaks into a small grin. "Adron himself, hm? I do not suppose you were a student of his?" * Nebrinel frowns. "Yes. A while ago. I'm glad you find my life so interesting." *Xivilai chuckles. "Oh, do not be offended. A number of Adron's students who do not take to his studies end up being cursed in some imaginative way. What, may I ask, is the nature of the hex he placed upon you?" * Nebrinel says, "Well, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one." She pauses for a second, and then finishes her glass in one long gulp. "It is something in the line of form locking. I was his student hundreds of years ago, not ten or twenty." "Hm? Ah, I see. Do you remember the exact phrasing of the curse? It is rather important." * Nebrinel waves her hand. "I'm pretty sure that was what it was. It wouldn't fit my image if I'd forgotten." *Xivilai nods. "Yes, that is certainly an Adron curse." *Xivilai looks thoughtful for a moment. "The question now is; do you want to resume aging normally, or do you simply want to look older?" * Nebrinel looks startled. "That's... an option?" *Xivilai nods. "Yes, it is. I belive I can make you look older by at least fifty years without actually violating the letter of the curse. Especially since I would be doing the spellwork." "And so, you would look older, and then you would resume to not age for... the rest of your natural life, I believe." "The trouble is, I do not believe I could age you in that manner past the very brink of adulthood. If you wish to look older than that-- say, twenty-four or twenty-five decades, then I would have to break the curse altogether." * Nebrinel shakes her head. "I've been this young for more than 400 years. I am absolutely tired of it. If there is any way to break the curse, I'd take it." "Then you wish it broken and not modified?" If possible, yes. * Nebrinel peers at Xivilai. "How many of Adron's students end up falling your way for you to be so familiar with this?" *Xivilai nods. "If you are certain." She smirks. "Although being ageless isn't as bad as all that." * Nebrinel smirks. "It is after a while. Would you like to be an adolescent for your entire life?" *Xivilai chuckles. "Oh, none yet. However, I and Adron are acquaintances, and it is to my ear that he complains when his students don't quite pass his tests." "Oh, of course not. But I've had the appearance of an Elven lady in her prime for the last four millenia, mind you." * Nebrinel shrugs. "Maybe it will appeal to me in a few hundred years." *Xivilai nods. "Very well. Perhaps arrangement for future work of this sort could be part of the bargain." ( I.O.U.: One age-freezing curse. ) * Nebrinel says, "Perhaps so." *Xivilai nods again. "As to the weapon pieces and leads to other such items; those I have in abundance, and will give you after the war." * Nebrinel smiles wryly, "Wouldn't it be of use to you to assist me partially before the war, if I'm on your side?" "Oh, I will. I will break the curse, if you remain certain that is what you want, well before the war. Possibly tomorrow, although it would be ideal for you to take a day before that to eat all you possibly can." ( Um, Ethan? ... can I borrow your glaive? ) (Haw!) * Nebrinel chuckles. "I was pointing out that the more powerful I am, the more useful I am to you." She waves her hand. "One more day would not kill me." Xivilai nods. "This is true. I suppose I could allow you to look through some of my collection to see if what you need is there." * Nebrinel shakes her head. "You are amazingly accomidating. So, what will I doing for you to get such treatment?" "First, you will aid in the recruitment of unusual individuals to the cause. Second, you will be assigned to a unit that I shall determine soon, along with those you have been travelling with." ( Third, you will find me a shrubbery... ) ( Then, you must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest... with a herring! ) * Nebrinel nods faintly. "And more to come, I'm sure." *Xivilai nods. "Yes. You will likely end up in a company of at least one hundered soldiers; experienced volunteers, mind you." * Nebrinel sighs, and gestures. "So this will be all out, then? How many forces will Faydra be able to pull up?" *Xivilai frowns. "I estimate at least three batallions, all volunteers or mercenaries. I can muster that much, at least, and without resorting to conscription." * Nebrinel nods. "That's decent odds. I wonder how many will be frightened of your mere name." She smirks. "Faydra seems to think people will be." *Xivilai smiles chillingly. "Oh, she will find soldiers who do not fear my name. But my name will the the least of their worries on the battlefield." * Nebrinel must make a soul check or something, but doesn't manage to fall into a pile of goo. "I can only imagine. I look forward to seeing your prowess from the side that isn't going to be crushed by it." *Xivilai chuckles goodnaturedly and has a sip of wine. "That is generally the more enjoyable side to view it from." * Nebrinel shakes her head. "I guess that leaves us with little to discuss, no?" *Xivilai shrugs. "It would seem so. Shall I take you to the others, or would you like a meal first?" * Nebrinel smiles faintly, and shakes her head. "I am fine for food. Fyril is a cook to match some of the finest, even on the road, and I've been quite a few places." *Xivilai smirks. "Very well. I shall take you to your chef, then." [ Xivilai and Nebrinel appear in the Library, where the rest of you have been waiting for their little buisness meeting to end. Xivilai states that she has some research to conduct and wanders off into the unfathomable reaches of her library. ] [ So, let's see what Our Heroes do now! SESSION START! ...RESUME! ...SOMEHTING! ] * Ethan waves at Fyril and Nebby. He looks the same as before, except that instead of his studded leather armor, he's now wearing a simple dark green tunic over an rather nice looking dark blue shirt of some sort. * Fyril marks the place in the big, thick book he was looking through, and hops down out of his seat to walk over to Nebrinel. He looks vaguely worried. "So? What did she say? What did you say? Did anything happen?" * Ada glances up from the book she's reading, nods, and goes back to it. * Sei stands up and bows. * Nebrinel waves her hand dismissively at Fyril, nods slightly at Sei. "Just ironing out things, I would say. Your lady, Ada, has a somewhat uniquly dark sense of humor." ( Knock knock. ... ) * Fyril nods and smiles. "Good." He looks around the library with sparkly eyes. "Still can't get over this." * Sei nods. "So much research to do..." * Ethan could not possibly look less excited at the prospect. * Ada doesn't look up. "Yes, Nebrinel, she does." * Nebrinel says, "You can have the research, Sei." * Fyril nods happily at Sei. "There are books on everything. I could get a lot out of this. Not just research, either." More for me! * Ethan zones out to his happy place. Sad girls in spleen. * Ada snickers despite herself. * Nebrinel looks at Fyril with a slight grin and a quirked eyebrow. "What are you looking for in this place?" ( Lead to gold... lead to gold... ) * Fyril turns his big smile back to Nebrinel. "A place this big, there's got to be books I haven't read on thieves. And definitely good stuff about magic." * Fyril looks thoughtful. "Wonder if she has any cookbooks, though?" He looks at Ada inquisitively. * Ada finishes whatever she's reading and closes the book, then looks up at Fyril. "Hrm? Let me see." * Ada considers for a moment, then nods. "Do you want me to take you to them?" * Nebrinel frowns, and nods. "Yeah, I'm sure it's got a lotta great stuff. Too much great stuff, probably." * Ethan eats a donut. Yay. * Fyril nods really quickly. "Yeah! Where are they? Do you know what kind they are? Do you think that she ever uses them?" Second floor, near the western end. I can't detail them all. And who knows? * Ada sets the book down, stands, and stretches. * Fyril looks off down that way, and widens his eyes a bit. "You could ask her." * Ethan drops his donut. * Ethan blinks, blushes, and picks it up. It disappears... somewhere, and Ethan hurridly begins working on an apple. * Nebrinel shakes her head. "I think I'll leave the books to you people, thanks. I left one place because there were too many books. I can't exactly leave here." She smiles wryly. * Ada snickers. * Sei smiles. * Ethan thanks any higher power that happens to be paying attention that nobody was paying attention to him. =P * Nebrinel will spare Ethan a look, and catches the change in clothing. "Acting casual today, Ethan?" * Ethan swollows his current apple bite. "Nope. New battle gear." * Ada looks over at Fyril. "So you want to visit the cookbook section?" * Fyril nods absently, and keeps looking off down the hall towards the books. He blinks, then looks at Ada and nods, grinning. * Ada smiles faintly and nods, then gestures. She and Fyril disappear. * Sei is lost in a book again. * Nebrinel quirks an eyebrow. "Howso, Ethan?" * Ethan pokes at the blueish shirt beneath his tunic. "Mithril. Nifty stuff." * Nebrinel huhs. "Nice." She adds a little darkly. "Wonder if there's anything she can't come up with. Perhaps I should have asked for my very own Orb." * Ethan shrugs. "I dunno about that... I mean, it's not like she has any particular need for a human-sized piece of armor." * Nebrinel shrugs. "You never know." She shakes her head. "But that is besides the point." I've already figured out it makes me stronger... dunno what other enchantments it has. * Nebrinel taps her chin. "Stronger? Useful. Not only will you have speed to stand up to elves, but their strength. Or more." Not to mention skill. I hope. *small grin* * Nebrinel smiles wryly. "I wouldn't know your skill. You refuse to fight me." * Ethan furrows his brow. "... pick your time." * Nebrinel arches an eyebrow. "Have you been working on that, then?" A bit. I sparred with Ada using a plush glaive, with limited success. Let her use me for magical target practice, and that went pretty well... though dodging women has never been a particular problem. But chances are, when the battle comes, some of Faydra's troops are gonna be female. Not to mention Faydra herself... and I damn well gotta get over this. * Nebrinel nods appreciatlvely. "Ada's a fast worker. Or maybe you're just motivated." She grins. "Alright. Where can we do this? No time to train like the present, and the sooner it's done, the sooner I can get back to Fyril." Xivilai has a training room. When Ada gets back, we'll do it... for now, I'll just use the blunt end of my glaive. Don't wanna chop off a limb or anything. (In the library, Ethan? ;P) ( Nono... for now = for this sparring match. ) * Nebrinel frowns. "That's a handicap. Doesn't seem very fair." Well, I'll assume you won't try to suck out my soul. That should even it out. * Nebrinel says wryly, "That's what the other weapons are for." Exactly. I don't cut off your limbs, you don't suck out my soul. Even trade. * Nebrinel shakes her head. "Only you would think that." * Ethan grins. "I can do some hefty damage with the blunt end of this, trust me." 'sides, if I dismembered you, Fyril would... umm... flail at me futilly? * Nebrinel winks. "I don't know. Don't let that boy sneak up on you. He could do it, and it doesn't take much with a Morganti knife." True. * Nebrinel huhms, and taps her fingers on the hilt of her sword. * Nebrinel says to Ethan, "So, has Sei been doing nothing but reading books since you got here?" Pretty much. * Nebrinel says semi-mockingly, "I wasn't asking you, Sei. I didn't want to interrupt your life in paradise." He ate a couple of times, if I remember correctly. *munches a cookie* * Sei smiles. "Fair enough." * Sei goes back to reading. * Nebrinel taps Plaguebringer some more. ... oh, we found out a few interesting things about Pantryfiller's history. Oh? This will be good. Started off as a magic staff intended to help with a famine. Turns out the famine was caused by a demon, though, so they stuck a blade on the end of it and went all slicey on the demon. * Nebrinel chuckles. "Brillant. Never say the Serioli aren't adaptive." * Sei peers up from his book. "Slicey!" Sei goes back to his book. Creepy. * Nebrinel gives Sei a good long peer. What strange organism climbed in his ear? * Ethan grins at Sei, then turns back to Nebby. "Also, apparently because of the odd way it was created, Pantryfiller's never actually complete." * Nebrinel chuckles. "Always hungry? Sounds like another weapon we know." * Ada appears with Fyril, both carrying entirely too many books. Yeah... I'm gonna have to remember to ask Xivilai if she has any Morganti cookware laying around. * Nebrinel looks over at Ada and Fyril. "Barlen on a stick. Are those all cookbooks?" * Fyril blinks, and nearly drops the books he's holding before adjusting his grip again. "Yeah! There's all sorts of good books there." ... geez. That's a lotta cookbooks... lotsa food... mmm, food... * Ada just puts her stack on a table and lets out a small sigh. "And he wants to go back for more," she groans theatrically. * Nebrinel is stunned briefly, then shakes her head. "Well, you can take a break and read while we fight." She looks at Ada. "We're gonna break Ethan of his fear of fighting women, so could you take us to the arena or wherever, Ada?" * Fyril looks around for where he was sitting before, and goes over there to put the books down. "I need new things to try, and to learn from. And it's hard to pick what." * Ada looks over at Nebrinel and grins. "Oh, we are? Certainly." * Sei puts down his book. "I should probably accompany you two..." Don't worry, Fyril. I promised not to try to dismember Nebrinel, so you won't have to get all vengeancey." * Fyril looks up from the books to Ethan and rolls his eyes. "I doubt that would be a problem, anyway." Are you staying here, Fyril? * Ethan grins somewhat disturbingly at Fyril. * Fyril looks at the books longingly. "Well... I could bring one and read it there." * Ada nods. C'mon, Fyril! Stand by your woman! * Ethan very hurridly ducks behind Sei. ... * Nebrinel glares through Sei. (It's a good thing the LAZOR EYES aren't on.) * Ada coughs. * Ethan stands up, grinning like someone who's grinning very widely. * Fyril cocks his head and regards Ethan with a slight blush. "Not how I'd describe things. Any reason why, anyway? * Ethan shrugs. "Seems appropriate. 'sides, I don't think you've ever seen what I can do in a fight, really." * Fyril looks over at Nebrinel. "I have faith." * Ada folds her arms. "Are you going or not, Fyril?" * Nebrinel grins faintly, stretches a little, and cracks her neck. "Good to see someone does. Shall we go then?" In her, yes. Not in me. And if we're gonna be fighting together, I'd like you to see that I can cover your ass if need be. * Fyril cocks his head, regards Ethan, then grabs the top book off the stack, and nods to Ada. "I'll go, yeah." I'm all set. * Ada nods once and gestures, taking the entire group to the training room. [ You're all in the training room! No, really! ] [ It's very large, and built to provide training in a mostly-safe environment. Along the walls are racks of practice weapons. ] * Ethan finds a ring that looks appropriate and starts stretching a bit, waiting for Nebby to pick non-soul-sucking weapons. * Nebrinel blinks, adjusts to where she is, and walks over to the weapon racks. "Amazing. Guess you have to be ready for anything." * Ada finds a nice place to watch from and settles there. * Fyril blinks, and looks around the room. Then he moves off to the side near Ada, and looks down at the cookbook. * Nebrinel picks up a pair of decent, although dummied, human-sized swords, swings them around a bit, and nods. * Sei sits down, ready to heal if need be. * Ethan twirls his glaive a bit, the drops into a loose ready stance. * Nebrinel walks over to where Ethan is, and does a little stretching herself. * Nebrinel lifts the swords, and eyes Ethan. "Fight to first hit, or yield?" Yield. First hit's no fun. * Nebrinel grins faintly. "Alright, then. Skill, Ethan." * Ethan twirls his glaive, and gets into his regular stance. "Ladies first." * Nebrinel shakes her head. "If that's how you want to play it." She spins forward, drops the sword in her right hand down, and upwards, slashing across the stomach. * Ethan bats the slash aside with the heft of his glaive. * Ethan then jabs the butt of his glaive towards Nebrinel's stomach, steps back, and tries to sweep her legs out from under her. * Nebrinel hops over this double swipe, bringing her other sword up to slash at Ethan, again, in a lower-to-upper fashion. * Ethan leans back out of the way of the slash, jabs at Nebby's chest, turns, then tries to whack her in the leg. * Nebrinel brings her right-hand to deflect the jab and moves backwards out of the way of the leg hit. Her other sword comes up towards Ethan's arm. * Ethan brings his glaive around just in time to deflect the swipe at his arm, then goes for a double jab at Nebby's torso. ( Dodgefest 2k3! ) (Should have brought more than one cookbook. =P) * Nebrinel flows around the jabs and brings both swords to bear on Ethan in a cross-slashish way, one across his chest, the other across his lower body. * Ethan sidesteps the the high slash, but midjudges the low one and gets whacked in the hip. Frowning, he goes for a high-low jab combo. * Nebrinel bends out of the way of the high jab, but takes the low jab in the stomach. Her rhythm a little broken, her left-hand sword comes back across Ethan's body. * Ethan hops back, whacks at Nebby's right side, then spins left and tries to sweep her legs out from under her again. * Nebrinel moves out of the way of the first hit and deflects the second with her other sword, bringing her left hand in for a strike at the chest. * Ethan just barely ducks under the strike, then double-jabs at Nebby's legs. * Nebrinel almost slides out of the way, bringing both her swords up in another upper-lower cross slash. * Ethan hops back again, narrows his eyes, then quickly jabs at each of Nebby's hands, right then left, trying to force her to drop her weapons. * Nebrinel manages not to lose her weapons, and strikes again at Ethan, this time with a stabbing left and a slashing right. * Ethan grins at Nebby. "You're quick. Nice form on the dodges." * Ethan gets caught in the ribs with the stab, grins, then goes for a jab- spinning whack to the leg combo. * Nebrinel takes another solid hit to the body, but manages to get her legs out of the way of the sweep. She brings her swords up and stab-slashes again with the opposite hands. * Ethan gets whacked both times. "Nice form." Frowning, he again goes for the double disarm maneuver. * Nebrinel holds onto her right hand weapon, but her left-handed one goes flying. She curses, and stabs unsteadily at Ethan's chest again. * Ethan grins. "Your grip, on the other hand, need wor- ack!" * Ethan gets whacked right in the sternum. Still grinning, he whacks at Nebby's right leg, spins, then again trys to trip her up. * Nebrinel slides right into the second strike, and is tripped. "Whuf." She's still got her sword, but she's scrambling to her feet. * Ethan grins and steps back. "Shall we call it here? I think Fyril's running out of recipes." * Nebrinel comes to her feet, shakes her head, and says with a small grin, "Yeah. I may be fast, but you're faster. Need to keep that focus though. Too many pokes to the ribs." * Fyril blinks at the sound of his name, and looks up from the book perplexedly. * Nebrinel does the classic mage weapon recall trick, and the other sword comes to her hand. * Ethan nods. "You're better than most of the people I've fought. I was wrong about your form having a lot of wasted motion." Grip does need work, though. *grin* * Nebrinel chuckles, then smiles slightly. "Anyone who just sticks to the forms is a fool. And I'll be sure to keep it in mind." * Nebrinel says mockingly, "Not all of us have strength enhancing armor, after all." * Ethan grins, a slight gleam in his eye. "Who was using extra strength? I was still going easy... not fully over my mental block, apparently." * Nebrinel shrugs. "It will come with time, I'm sure." * Nebrinel grins nastily. "And then you can take care of Sadira and go on to pursue other more receptive people." * Ethan shrugs. "I can pursue as is. Just will *be* pursued as I am." * Ada watches, vaguely amused. She hasn't moved from her spot. But yeah, it'd be nice to kick Sadira's ass. I have no respect for someone who fights in the equivalent of a bathing suit. * Fyril has gone back to being engrossed in his cookbook. If you listen closely, you can hear him muttering about parsley. * Nebrinel says, "I suppose so." She goes to put her sword back, and looks back at Ethan. "And what am I wearing that is so modest?" * Ethan smirks at Nebby, and saunters away, whistling. * Nebrinel shakes her head, puts the swords away, and walks back to the group. * Ada rolls her eyes. "Good match." * Sei nods. * Nebrinel smiles faintly. "I think I at least did Zarias a little justice." You did. Ethan's extremely good. * Nebrinel waves her hand, and she does the 'ball of water' trick again, wiping the sweat off. "Well, now I know for sure." [ Session End! ]