Dionysus You see Lucilla wandering near the Golden Disk.

Arsul "She's near our inn. DO you know the way?"

• Dionysus nods, "Of course." He starts leading you there.
• Arsul walks with him and Hunny

Dionysus When you arrive at the inn, Dionysus touches your arm gently, "She's here, watiing."

Arsul "Lucilla?"

Dionysus "Father." Quiet, rough voice, as usual.

Arsul "I heard about --your prey. It is good he was caught."

Dionysus "We did not catch him. Another did." She sounds regretful.

• Arsul nods. "What will you do now?"

Dionysus "Go back, for now."

• Arsul nods. "We will return soon. I will ask my daughter Nylissa if she'd like to return with us. But I doubt she will." he says the last sadly but with a certain resignation.

Arsul "Will you come back with us or will you go on the first train?"

Dionysus "I will travel with you if you leave soon. If not, I will stay til I get tired of being here."

• Arsul nods "Good. I think we'll leave soon. We have to find one band member, Aurelia. But other than that there is little reason to stay."

Arsul "Come inside. We can eat and I'll try to find Aurelia."

Dionysus She takes your hand to go inside with you.

• Arsul smiles slightly in spite of himself
• Dionysus follows at a respectful distance, & Hunny is right next to you.

Arsul once we're settled at a table and ordered whatever's being served he'll try to divine Aurelia's location

Dionysus You get a vision of the moon 'Zue, where the star elves live, & the land is fertile. In a field, beings from earth fall to sleep, intoxicated by pollen from the bluish grasses there.

Arsul huh ok. Is Aurelia still in Ienova?

Dionysus You get no vision

Arsul What id Aurelia doing?

Dionysus You get a vision of a revel in a bubble on the moon 'Sana, dancing for strangers.

• Arsul gives up at that point

Arsul "I cannot see her. But I saw a revel in a bubble on Sana. And a poisonous blue meadow on Zue."

Arsul "Can you believe we will go to the moons?" he asks Dionysus

• Dionysus says, "It's a bit strange to think about, but it looks like it's going to happen."

---

• Arsul thanks Dionysus
• Dionysus says, "It's no problem."

Dionysus When you knock at Nylissa's door, there's a call of "Just a minute," before it opens. A pause. "What do you want?"

• Arsul frowns slightly but also nods to himself. "I wanted to ask once more if you'd consider coming to Maraddon City where there is better safety for you and your daughters." he sounds supremely uncomfortable

Dionysus A pause, "Why should I trust you?"

• Arsul frowns. After a ponderous momment he says in a rough voice, "Because despite what's happened so far I do want you all to be safe. Had I known before I would have been here earlier. --But, I'm not sure if that is reason enough for you."

Dionysus "We will do well enough on our own."

• Arsul 's shoulders sag slightly. "I hope so. You are welcome any time. Goodbye Nylissa."

Dionysus She closes the door.

• Arsul leaves her and he and Hunny rejoin Dionysus

Dionysus Where to now?

Arsul "I had to try."

• Dionysus says, "Lucilla will talk her into it."

Arsul "I hope so. Do they have a library here Dionysus?"

• Dionysus laughs, "One of the finest in the world."
• Arsul smiles slightly. "Good. Perhaps we could visit it after I tell Lucilla of my failed meeting."

Arsul ?

• Dionysus chuckles, "I would love to."

Arsul so that's what we do I suppose

• Dionysus will read them off as you touch them. "The Prophecy of the Final Sword."
• Arsul opens it and hands it to him

Dionysus "It's about a Sword that will be forged by a mortal that will be greater than any Gifted Sword. It says it will slay anything the wielder opposes, & bring about the Golden Age."

Arsul "But that's not the next age, is it?"

• Arsul puzzles over that for a second before returning the book to it's place and moving further along the shelf

Dionysus "No one really knows what the next Age will be..."

Arsul "Oh. Well the Age of Water is not next, I don't think."

Dionysus The next book is "The Bloodjewels." Dionysus reads off, "Stones carved from the beating hearts of hamehs." A pause, then Dionysus says, "Those are birds of hatred, I think." He goes back to reading. "That can empower the blood of the empathic races. They grant one of several powers to one who wears one on his person, or several powers to one who consumes it, though consuming it will poison the heart of the user.""

Arsul "Do they name the powers?"

Dionysus He flips pages, "In great detail."

Arsul "What does it say of enders?"

Arsul "What does it grant them?"

Dionysus "The ability to hurl their Wounding through the very air at their targets. The ability to increase the range of their empathy. Or the ability to focus their Wounding to the precision of a surgeon's scalpel."

• Arsul nods to himself. "All right. That's very interesting."
• Arsul returns that book and continues

Dionysus The next one is about saints of the Fate church.

• Dionysus reads, when you open it, "'Saint Lazlo...' It's unclear here. Then, it says, 'Saint Amaj was the first of the faith to discern the entire tapestry, seeking the various threads & how each was not a certainty, but a possibility, because the opposing force of Luck still existed..."

Lyuda "This is about Fate."

Lyuda "I think."

• Lyuda is now known as Arsul_T
• Dionysus nods, "So it seems."

Dionysus Next book?

Dionysus A book on the Summer Immortals.

Arsul_T "Does it say anything about the King of Thorns?"

• Arsul_T does open it but he also asks

Dionysus You hear flipping, "Yes, it does. It delineates his parentage, then talks about legends of his struggle with the ancient Runners." You're vaguely familiar with the Runners. "It says he lived in the body of the Champion of the Sun for millenia."

Arsul_T "Inside him?"

Arsul_T "How does that work?"

• Dionysus laughs, "It means he Consumed him. He stole his identity, like a doppleganger."

Arsul_T "Oh, right, like the skin. Not in his stomach."

Arsul_T "Another I think."

Dionysus The next is a book on warchants.

• Arsul_T opens it and hands it to Dionysus

Dionysus "...The ancient Jorgendish used a chant that was said to make fog encompass their ships, & the ogres of Tyrast would chant the names of their victims to strike fear in coastal villages. But legendarily, powerful demons were known to weave chants in their own tongue & give them to dark reevers, who would use them to great & myriad effects."

• Arsul_T frowns. "That does not sound good."
• Dionysus nods pointlessly.
• Arsul_T sighs heavily and puts the book away.

Arsul_T "Let's see if there's anything else."

Dionysus The next one is a book on the old Maraddonian peerage.

Arsul_T what's peerage?

Dionysus Nobility

Arsul_T oh neat

Dionysus If opened, it opens to a page on Arlie's family, which tells of his great-great-grandfather, who once lead a team of explorers into the Island Bridge, & there lost a notable magical sword when they were overcome by reevers.

Arsul_T What kind of sword?

Dionysus A Maraddonian naval sabre, enchanted to mesh with the man's magic.

Arsul_T Can I recognise the sword I have from that description?

Dionysus It's a Maraddonian naval sabre, but this happened ages ago, & you can't tell anything about it.

• Dionysus hears your guess & chuckles. "Fascinating."

Arsul_T "I wonder how Adam got hold of it. Must have seen a few reevers over the years."

Dionysus "Magical weapons are prized, amongst reevers & common men. It probably got passed around a lot."

• Arsul_T moves on down the aisle
• Arsul_T nods

Dionysus The next book is the tale of Samuel Jericho & the Fingers of Deserel.

• Arsul_T opens the book

Dionysus It opens to the part where Samuel Jericho refuses to move from Keyon's path, protecting Rhevalla, despite her evil. His adamant refusal to let a woman be harmed.

• Arsul_T frowns. "How this plays in is unclear."
• Dionysus nods, "It's an old story."

Arsul_T "Yes, but it's important. Maybe his choice is impostant. Or is it a mistake?"

Dionysus "Perhaps. It's the story where he saves the Prophetess of the Webweaver. Perhaps that's significant."

Arsul_T "Perhaps. We'll see."

Dionysus Another book?

Arsul_T yes

Arsul_T sorry

Arsul_T thought that was implied

Dionysus It was. I'm just juggling

Dionysus "Customs of the Roma."

Arsul_T "This might be useful for me." he says as he hands it to Dionysus

Dionysus "We can check it out. It's in the public section."

Arsul_T "All right. It might help when I try to see my sons

Arsul_T ."

• Arsul_T tries to find another book

Dionysus The next one is about Innesian customs where they would make staves from the wood of treants & use their incredible power to various effects.

Arsul_T what did they do?

Arsul_T "Aren't they alive though?"

• Dionysus says, "They are intelligent, yes. All trees are alive." They had as many powers are you can think of.

Arsul_T "That's kind of evil, isn't it?"

Dionysus "Not all evil is done by Srisians, they say."

• Arsul_T nods. "That's true."

Dionysus I... am running out of steam on books.

Arsul_T that's fine

Arsul_T we run out

Arsul_T "Shall we head back to the inn with the book?"

• Dionysus nods, & checks it out for you.

---

Dionysus Does Arsul do anything special?

Arsul_T he practices

Dionysus In his room?

• Dionysus practices with him.

Arsul_T anywhere that's available.

Arsul_T excellent

• Arsul_T enjoys that

Dionysus People listen in.

Arsul_T good

Dionysus Lucilla is nearby, listening.

---

• Aurelia asks Arsul if he will come speak to her in private before he sleeps.
• Arsul_T will

Arsul_T "Aurelia?" he says as he knocks on her door

Aurelia "Enter."

• Arsul_T opens the door and is presumably followed in by Hunny

Dionysus She enters.

• Aurelia asks, "When I am to be Sacrifice?"

Arsul_T "What?"

Aurelia After a moment of silence, "I am told that my paths lead to becoming Sacrifice. When?"

Arsul_T "I do not know when. I could try. I've been associating it with your change. But again, I do not know when that will be."

Arsul_T "Or if I'm correct."

• Arsul_T sounds fairly matter of fact

Aurelia "That is sacrifice?"

Arsul_T "What I have seen Aurelia is you, bleeding from your fingers and then you are more beautiful than any woman has ever been."

Arsul_T "This is what will come."

• Aurelia looks at her fingers, frowning uncertainly.

Arsul_T "I am trying to find how this will happen."

Aurelia "Oh..."

Arsul_T "I do believe you will survive this Sacrifice and it will bring you what you want."

Arsul_T he believes this fully

Aurelia "Oh."

• Aurelia sounds... slightly disappointed, if anything.
• Arsul_T frowns, he's concerned.
• Aurelia says quietly, "Thank you."

Arsul_T "Aurelia, what do you want?"

Arsul_T he's concerned and slightly wistful

Aurelia "I do not know."

• Arsul_T nods "Neither did I. I hope you find out before it's too late." overwhelming regret and sadness but slight hope peeking out from it all.

Arsul_T he'll move to leave then

• Aurelia does not stop him. When he's gone, she goes to sleep.

Arsul_T "I will try to find out what I can for you." he says as he's walking out the door.

---

Dionysus Any last minute visions that night?

Arsul_T hmmm ok

Dionysus What ya go for?

Arsul_T When is Aurelia's Sacrifice?

Dionysus This is the first time a vision has struck you as, in form, beautiful. You see her, standing here, before you, & every potential path she has branching off. Some end, others go on for quite some time, some merge...

Dionysus But the ones that stand out are

Dionysus One where she becomes a blac-armored ender lord, Servitor of Darkness, clearly male.

Dionysus One where she becomes a black-armored ender lord, Servitor of Darkness, clearly female, spider-like in movement but not form.

Dionysus One where she glows, her sword now shining white where it once was black. Her blade imparts innocence to those who have had innocence taken from them.

Dionysus One where she has a horrid scar across her face, & her eyes are gleaming red. She is different--her heart is empty, & her touch breaks bones.

Dionysus One where she wears a chrysanthemum in her hair, & her touch empowers others.

Dionysus One where she is herself as she is now, but more feminine, & her touch cuts with precision. She performs surgery with her touch.

Arsul_T does she have a stone?

Arsul_T that I can see?

Dionysus You don't see one.

Arsul_T ok

Dionysus One where she is a beautiful woman with blood flowing from her fingers. She glows with an inner beauty & she seems to shape the landscape around her.

Dionysus One where she glows a faint white light & her beauty is evident. Her eyes are crystal clear, & she sees miles & miles.

Dionysus One where she is connected to all around her.

Dionysus One where she is a being of Nightmare, horrible to look upon, & Avery stands beside her, untouchable.

Dionysus One where she is herself as she appears now, but more feminine, & a master musician better even than she is now.

Dionysus In the each path, her own choices determine the moment of sacrifice, which is determined by when she sheds one of the two selves she carries: Beauty of Cruelty, or when she merges them.

Dionysus In some, she actually dies, but those are murkier.

Arsul_T I' guessing the choice takes place at different times depending on the path

Dionysus Yes

Dionysus In some, it comes tomorrow. In others, it comes just moments before you all face Rex. In none of them where she doesn't make the Sacrifice do you survive the Summer Country.

Arsul_T also, how does the present Aurelia look as she's setting down her fate? Or is it impossible to tell

Arsul_T ?

Arsul_T but in some she does we don't survive either

Arsul_T ?

Dionysus She carries Beauty & Cruelty within her.

Dionysus Well, yes, there are those branches where no one survives.

Arsul_T do they war now, within the present her

Arsul_T ?

Arsul_T And, in the bloody finger woman, which has won, or are they merged?

Aurelia Should I answer that?

Dionysus You can't tell if they war, but they are separate.

Arsul_T ok

Dionysus You can tell me, Aurelia.