RP:In The Land Of Gods And Monsters

Part of the Dissonance Theory Arc

Part of the Lies Within Us Arc

Part of the On Stranger Tides Arc

This is a Devout's Guild RP.

This is a Mage's Guild RP.

This is a Warrior's Guild RP.

Summary: Not long after Lionel's (and the rest of the Warrior's Guild and its associates') return from the Demon Archipelago, Hildegarde takes a trip to the Warrior's Guild's headquarters to finally check the place out and also seek out Khitti for help regarding a certain ceremony in Frostmaw's frozen library. There, the Silver also finds out about what's been going on with not only the Warrior's Guild, but the Mage's Guild as well... and she's not happy about it.

Vigilanti Semper, Venturil

Khitti || Five days. Five days had gone by since the mission to the Demon Archipelago and while Khitti had gotten better at hiding her introspectiveness, that didn’t mean it had gone away completely. However, that didn’t mean Khitti wasn’t excited to show off her new sword to Lionel. The harpe was handed over to the Imperator as they loitered about Vigilanti Semper’s courtyard. Four different metals went into its make (a ghroundium core, encased in adamantite, with a true steel and mithril alloy around the outside), as well as the completely clear chrysoberyl and golden pearls that made up its hilt. She explained this to him, and how she wanted it to be Embershard’s opposite, in terms of her dark and light magic, and that its name was Slice of Life, but that she shortened it to Sol to save her breath. But not before telling him about a certain sentient katana… “While you were gone, I threw Tenbatsu Kaji into the ocean.” Khitti picked up a stick and demonstrated her technique. The branch twirled vertically in the air until it came to a stop, crashing against the wall that surrounded the entire castle. “It was Brand’s idea. I should’ve listened to you guys a while ago… I am just really not the person Seika thought I was. It might’ve seemed like that in the beginning but… it might’ve just been after effects of the amnesia. -That- Khitti was far too cheery and happy-go-lucky.” Khitti just shrugged. It was not something that could be helped. She tried so hard to be an upstanding model citizen, but alas, that was just not how Khitti was wired.

Lionel || Five days. Five days had gone by since Lionel's rescue at the Demon Archipelago and while he had gotten better at looking past the many horrors he had seen, that didn't mean they had gone away completely. He knew better than anyone the sacrifices that the Rilla O'Mordha and Penelope Halifax from one year into the future had made in order to give their past selves a fighting chance against Xicotl and whatever threats invariably came thereafter. What he wasn't prepared for was the sacrifices that had been made among those who gave their lives during the present. Quinton Navarre's death struck him worst of all; he was Caedan's brother, and the two men both shared in terrible guilt over how they had abandoned her. To think that Captain Navarre died in grief-stricken stupor, crushed by a thousand jaws. Lionel could only hope the stupor lasted long enough that Quinton did not notice the pain of being crunched. The shining light through the mental storm was in the knowledge that everything had transpired for a reason, and the reason was to prevent further suffering. To save the known world, as always the Guild had. To that end, Lionel could not wallow in despair for long. He simply was not allowed to. He had to move on. Which was why, as Khitti showed off her new sword in the courtyard, Lionel was able to snap out of his own stupor and be impressed. "It's a remarkable blade," he said with a smile, wheeling it around in his dual grip and admiring its every detail before handing it back to his sister. Around them, other survivors from the expedition -- haggard but resolved -- nodded or even bowed to the siblings as they meandered on their way to wherever they were headed. "And I can't say I'm surprised that you tossed Tenbatsu Kaji into the ocean. Hopefully, Seika has life insurance."

Hildegarde had arrived in the dusty plains of Venturil many hours ago, having opted to journey in the way that was most natural to her. Although, she ventured on the back of the great wined couatl and not with her own wings, flight was still the most natural means for the dragon to fly. Upon arriving at the great stone structure, the knight awkwardly lingered around the entrance for a moment or two before heading on inside and attempting to wander. Most individuals left her be, with some recognising her and questioning her presence in hushed but curious whispers. The knight liked the rugs, the blue and the silver; it made her think of Frostmaw and the cloak that hung from her own shoulders. Under a particularly large arch, the Silver finds herself staring upward to gaze at the stained glass and take in the artwork; whether it be a medley of colours or a story told, she wanted to appreciate the art and the way the light played with it. Standing still and with the sun moving in accordance with the time of day, the light of the sun caused an explosion of colour to adorn the halls of the keep for warriors. The Queen of War herself was cloaked now in colours, causing her to smile as she lifted her chin just slightly to appreciate the display and take in as much as she could. This pleasant moment was interrupted, however, when she overheard the familiar voices of Lionel and Khitti admitting that Tenbatsu Kaji – once wielded by the paladin Kelvoath – had been tossed into the sea. “Causing trouble?” she called to them, her tone is playful but the arch of her eyebrow suggests there’s a genuine question.

Khitti was especially excited about the sickle portion at the end of the gladius-esque weapon. She withdrew Embershard from its own sheathe, pretending to stab at the air with the gladius just after pulling her invisible victim towards her with Sol’s claw-like appendage. She almost laughed at Lionel’s joke regarding the sword and life insurance, a smirk suppressed when Hildegarde made herself known. Khitti quickly put her swords behind her back, like a child caught with things they should not be messing with, and smiled innocently at the Queen, “Always.” The former templar was no longer burdened by the incessant chiding from Tenbatsu Kaji and therefore felt a little more okay with being so open about her shenanigans. Between her and her twin sister, Khitti had always been the more ill-behaved one and it showed when times were not all doom and gloom. Things were still doom and gloom, of course, and always would be. But, maybe at least not for the moment, even if a moment was all that was allowed. “I was just showing Lionel my new sword. Embershard needed a friend,” she said with a smirk, showing off both blades to the dragon. Both were total opposites, yet still mostly the same; Embershard with its dark steel blade and obsidian and alexandrite hilt and Sol with its near white blade and a hilt of much lighter tones, to compliment Embershard’s. “I don’t think I’ve seen you in Venturil since… The Incident. With Rorin. And the holy magic. And the…” Even if Hildegarde did not remember hauling Khitti’s near-dead and burned body back to Frostmaw’s fort, Khitti could never forget. Never ever.

Lionel could feel his azure eyes widening with complete surprise the instant he heard Hildegarde's voice. He spun around and gave the Queen an immediate thumbs-up; the sort of reaction that few besides Lionel would ever think to use. There was enough melody on the Queen's countenance to suggest she was in decent spirits, which was a relief. "It's been too long," were the first words he heard himself say. A cool breeze filled the courtyard and one could almost be forgiven for forgetting the ongoing conflict on everyone's minds here. At the nearby gazebo, named after the famed artist Emmanuel Amiibo, two young men kissed and held hands. The Warrior's Guild was a vanguard against malicious intent and had even evolved into something of a paramilitary organization through the past few years. But now more than ever, Lionel truly began to feel like it was a place to call home. He was glad to know there were others who, evidently, felt the same way. "And it's good to see you," the Imperator soon added. "There's a room here designed literally just for you. It seemed fitting to me. Will you be staying for some time? I can take you there."

Hildegarde didn’t miss Khitti’s vicious battle with the air using her two blades and the subsequent swift movement to hide said weapons, like a child hiding something from a rather suspicious parent. At the answer given, the knight grinned and lifted her halberd just slightly from the floor before closing the remaining distance between herself and the pair. As Khitti explained what she was doing and displayed both swords for her review, the knight peered at them with unabashed interest. New sword = new toy. “A good pair,” she commented. “There was once a contestant in the Titans of Winter – before my time – who had twin blades. They were dubbed The Bastard Sons,” she informed the pair, “but I think your pair have better names. May your steel never miss her kiss,” she said with a little wise nod of her head. Must have been some Frostmaw phrase basically wishing good luck in combat. When Khitti mentions when they had last seen one another, the knight became solemn for a moment or two. The most memorable thing about the battle for her was the spear and the damn spirits. She hated them. Give her fleshy beasts and would fight all day, but a spirit? She’d rather avoid it if she could. “And yet here we both stand,” she said with that all too familiar winning smile, as she reached out to gently bring her hand to Khitti’s shoulder in a sign of friendship. “A battle hard won, if I remember right.” Her hand did not linger too long, as she didn’t wish to make Khitti uncomfortable or to outstay her welcome there. “Indeed,” she said in reply to Lionel, now smiling at him and extending her hand to engage in the traditional warrior’s shake. The affections of the men receive little attention from Hildegarde. Dragons considered themselves ancient beings who did not care for what prejudices may come from other lesser cultures. When Lionel mentions there’s a room specifically for her, the knight’s eyebrows raised upright with surprise. “I hope it is a pleasant room and not a room to contain me!” she jests of course. “I think privacy may be a good idea, however. Please, lead on,” she bids.

Khitti dipped her head somewhat, her own sort of lazy bow in response to Hildegarde’s blessing. Despite Khitti’s tendency towards being an anarchist, the Silver Queen had been literally the only monarch to gain her respect. Lionel didn’t count. He was family. The subject about another Titans of Winter competitor with dual blades was intriguing and Khitti filed it away for later to search for information about in the keep’s library. She remained silent, however, as Lionel and the Queen discussed the chambers that had been created for her during the castle’s construction. Both swords were replaced in their proper places on her back as her brother led Hildegarde into the guild’s headquarters, with Khitti following along behind them.

Lionel was well-glad to shake Hildegarde's hand for the first time in what felt like ages. When last they'd spoken, Kahran still lived and his conquest felt almost inevitable. Now, Lithrydel faced numerous fresh new perils, including the subterranean eldritch menace known as Xicotl. But with the Demon Archipelago mission behind them, Lionel knew that Khitti and himself were prepared. That was enough for his handshake to Hildegarde to feel warm and vigorous. "If you'll follow the Catalian, then." Through the courtyard, and into the command wing, the three of them went. The keep's stone walls were beginning to fill with the paintings and sketches and maps that Lionel invited anyone -- from commanding officer to rawest recruit and cafeteria associate -- to place for all to see. It was a hodgepodge, then, with a vivid lakeside sunset in one spot and crude childhood drawings of unicorns right beside it. That was just how Lionel O'Connor rolled. The chandeliers overhead were prismatic crystalline and the amount of furnishings was relatively sparse. Even the command table did not seem to feature any major signs of his advanced placement as Imperator; what was once intended to be a throne, he had rejected and transformed into a gardening pot in the far back-left corner. It was a strange place, but somehow well-suited and brimming with the lively natures of those who fought and laughed and glanced and glared alongside him. Hildegarde's personal room was down a branching halfway which jutted off from the main room. Its red lacquer door was identical to all the rest, including Lionel's. The only sign that it belonged to the Queen was, as it happened, a sign. "HILDEGARDE." Opening the door, Lionel revealed to his two companions a room that seemed straight out of Frostmaw's castle. The candlelit and cozy place was nevertheless of spectacular size. The paintings here were more in-line with one might expect from a guild of so-called warriors -- epic battles and epic mead halls -- and various gorgeous weaponry hung across the room. The hope Lionel had was that it would feel more like Hildegarde's world of warriors and less like his own. "I can fetch tea," he offered.

Hildegarde ’s handshake with Lionel is not a terribly long one, but she hopes it conveys warmth and a lasting friendship. Whilst Hildegarde was not all that aware of what threats Lionel, Khitti and the world at large were facing, she was not entirely ignorant either. There were other things that were taking up her time, things that… well, she may shed some light on today with the pair. In following Lionel throughout the keep, the knight takes the opportunity to scan each wall and each interesting feature as she passes by. Her favourite drawings are not the works of artistic gods, but more the work of the honest man who has turned his hand at something he knows he isn’t an expert at. The throne turned garden pot makes her crack a smile and a little chuckle before shaking her head as she follows Lionel on to the door marked by her own name. She wouldn’t be able to do the same to her own throne, of course, it was solid ice and kind of an important symbol. With the door opened by Lionel, the knight stepped forth into the room. The Frostmawian aesthetic certainly helped to settle her. A little piece of home away from home was always a pleasant but welcome surprise! “The best décor in the whole place,” she tells them both with absolute confidence and certainly that it’s clear she’s hamming up the Frostmaw pride. “Thank you, but I’m quite all right,” she said gently, declining the offer of tea. “Khitti, can you close the door please?” she asked, waiting a moment or two for them all to be settled in the room and confident that no one was going to try and enter or pry from the door. “I must speak with you both. It’s not… well, I don’t think it’s life or death, but I still feel it’s important.” The Queen waits a beat to gauge their perceptiveness and attention, “I need your help. Especially yours,” she says, her gaze levelling on Khitti.

Khitti does as asked once they all get inside the room, the door closing behind her. Her weapons were pulled off her back, sheath and all, and set aside for the moment as she settled into a chair near the door. Hildegarde would soon be met with blinking as mentioned she needed Khitti’s help. “What? Me?” Cue more blinking. “Why me?” Crimson brows furrowed somewhat as she shot a glance in Lionel’s direction before returning her olive-green eyes to the Queen. There was a half-assurance that it was probably not life and death, but still just as equally important, but it wasn’t enough to quell the frown that planted itself on her lips. She had not been lying to Rilla several days ago, on their way home from the Demon Archipelago. There was never enough downtime before something else came up. Things could not be unseen or ignored anymore, once you got into this life. But... she still hadn’t even entirely finished processing things about her magic and the freedom the strange energies from the archipelago gifted her with. Only just enough to properly function like a normal adult… or at least pretend like she was. “What’s going on?”

Lionel knew there were times when one kept quiet and listened. In his own way, he was thankful when those sparse moments came. Though he did worry what could trouble the Dragon Queen so. Still limping a bit from his time in quasi-captivity, the Imperator took the opportunity to seat himself on one of the room's several chairs, chuckling at Hildegarde's "Happy Home Designer" style of an architectural appraisal. "I'm glad you approve, but yeah. What's up?" While he and Khitti awaited Hilde's tale, he helped himself to some tea and poured a bit for Khitti just in case she was interested.

Hildegarde had expected a similar reaction from Khitti, so she is somewhat prepared to handle this. She knows that, historically speaking, she has never really called upon Khitti so blatantly before. The Silver may have historically called upon Lionel first for something considered important, but now she was calling upon Khitti. “You do not have an obligation to help me,” she told her gently, “I would like that to be clear. You value your freedom, as do I. Therefore, if you do not wish to help, then I shan’t hold it against you,” she said it with a nod and a little smile, with a glance in Lionel’s direction. The glance could be interpreted in a number of ways. It could have been read as a plea for Khitti’s cooperation or perhaps a reassurance that she would truly be accepting of Khitti’s rejection, should it come. In a bid to show the importance of the matter and to convey that the power really was in Khitti’s hand, the knight took a few steps forward so as to be closer to Khitti. Once close, she gently dropped to a single knee. Maybe the Queen was looking for another Queen…? Alas, that wasn’t the case. “Khitti, you’ve grown in many ways. One way in particular is spiritually and that, well, is somewhere that I have taken a tumble. My worship has become… disrupted. There is something coming, Khitti, I have heard so much from Aramoth himself. Do you remember?” she refers to the knight in Frostmaw’s western reaches, in the forbidden library. A shared vision or hallucination, something appeared that Hildegarde so deeply believed to be Aramoth who forewarned of a darkness coming. “I need you to lend me your knowledge on that front and to give me some assistance in understanding what I’m looking for.” There’s a pause. Hildegarde is thinking on how best to phrase what she wants to say next. “It’s called The God Ether. At first, I thought it was God Eater, so my search took me to Gamorg and to all reaches of the world. But alas, it’s the Ether.”

Khitti || Saying that Khitti had grown in the spiritual department was an understatement. It was a wonder she had not placed herself amongst Aramoth’s followers as of yet, however, in addition to the other three she’d already chosen--or they had chosen her, rather. Hildegarde got down on one knee and she could not help but blush even the faintest bit. Khitti nodded somewhat, after the Silver’s reminder, “I do remember. I had not even been gifted with Cyris’ magic yet, even though I still had Tenbatsu Kaji at the time… Things have changed since then, a new path… a--” Why was she making excuses? It was not out of the ordinary for people to seek her out for knowledge on the divine, of late. All this knowledge and yet she still felt like she was not the right one to ask. Regardless, she thought over the name of the item, her face somewhat scrunched up in thought. “Aramoth is not one I’ve studied extensively, somehow, but that does sound familiar. Back when I had been reading up on Tenbatsu Kaji, the same book also had various other items related to the gods… or things that were extremely similar, like the weapons Kasyr has had over time… And Hellfire,” she said, a nod in Lionel’s direction. “And ether, without the divine, is a restorative. Usually for magic. Aramoth does not seem like the type to waste time on magic, though…”

Lionel noted Hildegarde's glance with a small nod and a smile of his own. Sipping his tea, he wondered if she was worried that Khitti would deny the request. But Hildegarde was right. Khitti had grown. Before his sister even reacted to the Queen's bent knee -- an action which prompted some measure of surprise for Lionel as well -- he knew that Khitti's answer would be in the affirmative. Momentarily lost in thought, he also wondered just how many coming darknesses the present decade could support. All this recent business with divergent timelines almost made him laugh when it dawned upon him that, in the altered future through which Penelope and Rilla had acted so heroically, this 'God Ether' must have shown up a bit disappointed to be vying for the scraps. Or maybe Xicotl's successful Harvest was just one outcome and this latest prospective god-like being was the victor in plenty of other canons. The whole thing gave him a headache, which wasn't ideal considering people kept asking him questions about it. Alas, Lionel truly was the best-equipped person alive to answer those questions. Khitti, however, was far more adept at immediately addressing the crisis Hildegarde now presented. She demonstrated that ably, referencing her studies and offering what Lionel thought was a rather excellent counterpoint. "That's right. I don't know as much about Aramoth as some, either. But I don't get the magic angle."

Hildegarde waited for Khitti to open up the conversation before relieving herself of the kneeling stance she held. If Khitti was open to discuss the subject in greater depth, even in academic depth, the knight could retreat to a seat and discuss it openly with her and Lionel from there. Reclining in the chair, her hand kept a loose grip of her halberd as she listened intently to what they both had to say though she found herself nodding in agreement. “Magic is not often viewed favourably by Aramoth,” she confirmed, “though not in the sense of its substance and nature, but more of its application.” Hildegarde was a worshipper of Aramoth. She believed in his divine justice and values in a way that many warriors did, but her entire nation was a culture wrapped up in Aramoth. “Whatever this thing is… I do not believe it has been made by Aramoth. Or, if it has, I do not think that it has been made by him alone,” she theorised aloud. “Regardless, I am searching for it because I believe it could be dangerous. These are strange times. I spoke with Odhranos some time ago; we discussed the passing of a comet and the fact that as it fell, it broke into a few parts. We seek each part to understand it further, to see what wealth it holds. But…” she glances briefly at the door, her voice tapering off for but a moment. Does she expect someone to come in…? Has she heard something that has caused her caution? Whatever it was, it didn’t last for too long. “But it ties in with a prophecy held in the library of Satoshi. I’m assuming it’s a tome she didn’t even know she had,” she said with a wave of her hand, thinking fondly of the amount of lore and trinkets her former Queen would collect when taking her long and distant adventures. “The prophecy speaks of this God Ether. It speaks of a falling star, too. It speaks of night-singers and creatures of a foulness that has been long unseen. There’s too many things that just crop up,” she tells them with a tilt of her head and lift of her shoulders; the universal ‘you know?’

Khitti eventually took the tea that Lionel had made for her, now that she’d gotten over the brief shock of Hildegarde looking like she was going to propose. It’s a good thing the conversation went elsewhere, because Khitti was not entirely sure if someone could refuse such an offer. Okay, so she would have, the obvious reason being Brand. But! Maybe in another timeline… Two redhead warrior queens -would- be a scary thing to fight against. She sipped her tea, her mind churning over way too many things at once as per usual. When was the last time her and Lionel just sat and drank tea together? Maybe, in an effort to keep things as light-hearted as possible with all the bad things going on, she could throw a tea party. Dominic, at the very least, would be absolutely excited. Khitti and Brand’s son would absolutely invite his chickens to it. Hildegarde spoke again, and Khitti’s thoughts were drawn back to the present, her attention settling on the other redhead. “That would explain why I do not feel drawn to him, despite all the things I am a part of. Delisha and Vakmatharas have called to me instead. Or has been for a very long time…” She shook her head, doing her best to not get too far off course, her lips twisting into a frown again upon mention of Odhranos. “It is strange that you should bring up both Odhranos and Satoshi’s library in the same breath. Things are… not good--” She could not find a better, less alarming way to say that the entire guild was basically a dumpster fire right now. “--and Odhranos had to go into hiding. At one point, he was staying in Satoshi and Kasyr’s former home, in Frostmaw. There’s been so many things… with needing to find Lionel and everything else going on with the Warrior’s Guild, I have not fully been keeping track of his whereabouts.” Did she want to mention that the same terramancer was in trouble? Really really bad trouble. Execution bad. Perhaps not yet. While Odhranos’ fate was not unimportant, it was not a good idea to sway Hildegarde from her path. The Mage’s Guild would be dealt with soon enough. “But, there had been a meeting held there that I was unable to attend. It may be possible for me to go find this book… but I should probably speak to Kasyr first. If it is indeed not made by Aramoth, then it may not be in any of my own books. If it is not there… there may be another place we could turn to.” She looked down at her tea, that frown still present. “In the Shadow Plane, there is a tribe there that are keepers of prophecies. There had been one about me… and Brand… and Lionel. Obviously, we are not from there, but they were there nevertheless. They also share the same gods there that we do, so it is entirely possible that more information might be in their scrolls.”

Lionel stirred midway through the prophecy's recital. Night-singers? Foul creatures? Perhaps that could mean anything. There was no shortage of suffering in Lithrydel, which was why organizations like the Warrior's Guild were never wanting for work. "I have to admit, the timing is a bit striking." Lionel's face was serious and his eyes gave off that specific sort of sparkle. With furrowed brows, he briefly seemed years older. His sister needed the floor, though, and she knew much and more about this sort of thing; Lionel wasn't even aware that Odhranos had gone into hiding, or really, almost anything about the Mage's Guild's present state of affairs. Being stuck thousands of kilometers away for a month tended to be problematic like that. Once Khitti was finished, Lionel decided that it was time to explain what he meant. "We've been doing our best to handle an eldritch creature, far beneath the earth's surface. After a nigh-unfathomable number of years, at least to humans like moi, Xicotl always awakens. The ground begins to quake, which we can ably confirm has started. It sends out thralls, the husks of those who are turned every cycle to do Xicotl's bidding. When all is said and done, the damn thing eats us all. No joke. It's happened before. If we don't stop it, it happens again." Lionel avoided going into further detail right now. Timelines and time tables and last, best hopes... and psychological torture sessions the likes of which no one was prepared for; all of that was somehow supplementary today. "Maybe it's nothing," the lad quickly added. "Entirely unrelated. I mean, Kahran fits the bill, too. Hell, so did the Haathians, not to mention a few choice cuts that other leaders have had to handle. But I've learned recently never to look a gift comet in the mouth. So," he said with a deep breath, finishing his tea and rising from what was essentially Hildegarde's own chair, "I think we all have some work to do. I'm going to comb through the archives here in search of commonalities between The God Ether and Xicotl. And, hell, Mage's Guild shenanigans, too." He walked to the door but made sure not to open it just yet. "Khitti's work will be superior to mine, and I mean that happily. But I'll dig around while I can. Come what may, wherever this leads you, consider me an escort." Unless, of course, he was yeeted across the world again. Lionel intended to depart and get started on this latest project soon thereafter.

Hildegarde ’s obviously not thinking about a proposal, but if they were to get married they would be an absolute power couple, it’s a universal truth. As Khitti explains she is not particularly drawn to Aramoth, the knight nods her head in understanding. She doesn’t understand the finer working of spiritualism but she knows what it is like to have a god of choice. She has three that earn her prayer, but Aramoth is the only one who has her worship. “Interesting,” she remarks, “though I would think that Aramoth calls to you in a battle. That is when you would feel that presence most,” war was his domain, after all. Although Khitti’s effort to keep Hilde on track here is so very admirable, it’s a losing battle. She’s a dragon, friends are like treasure to her and treasure to a dragon is everything. “What!” she exclaims, rising from her seat; her hand grasping the halberd firmly. “What do you mean he has gone into hiding?!” she isn’t shouting, but she’s certainly raised her voice a little and is looking for answers. The end of the world can wait a little bit. When Khitti weathers the storm that is Hildegarde’s feelings and tells her more about how they can find answers, the Queen reluctantly sits back down though she is visibly perched on the edge of her seat and her grasp of the halberd has not changed. “Knowledge is power,” she says with a sharp nod, “and I do not intend to lose this particular fight.” So an accidental fire has been lit under Hilde, basically. When Lionel discusses the spooky timing of it all and discusses the monumental being that is set to devour the world, Hildegarde looks a bit lost in thought. It’s only when he reaches the door that she takes a breath and asks her question, “This thing… has there been any others like it? Like a… slimy worm, numerous razor sharp teeth, no eyes, acidic spit?” It’s a very specific description. “I had a run in with something of that sort on more than one occasion. But that was… well, years ago. Most recently there were little ones of what I’ve described in Frostmaw. Specifically, in Satoshi’s library, ravishing the books.”

Khitti || “Perhaps you’re right. I just don’t feel like I’m exactly honorable enough for Aramoth, though,” Khitti said with a faint smirk. It was certainly something she’d have to think over. It wasn’t as if she didn’t already offer tribute to all the gods, despite only working with three of them. Hildegarde’s exclamation was not uncalled for, but Khitti still winced. “I have not been as attentive to things in that guild of late, though I really should be. Several of the members, including Odhranos, were labeled as war criminals… It does not help that Larket got involved with the whole thing. Currently, the guild is being run by an organization called the Ossian Order. By some miracle, my persistent bad luck did not come into play, and I was spared the same treatment. I guess being an outsider has its uses.” She shook her head, “That said, myself and the others are working on it. Odhranos has done nothing to warrant this and we’re going to do what we can to find him and wipe out the Order. I might not have been able to take action against Larket, but I will do so with this.” It had been a little while since Khitti had real conviction in her voice, not since the meeting to discuss Lionel’s disappearance, but here it was again, with every bit of fire as it always was. “I will find Kasyr then and ask permission to get into Satoshi’s library. And regardless of whether or not the book is still there, I’ll seek out help in the Shadow Plane too.” Much like Lionel had, she stood from her chair, downing the last of her tea like it was a shot of whiskey. She mustered a faint smile for the Queen, “I will send word to you if I find something? And especially once we find Odhranos. I should head back to Cenril... Brand and our kid’s hunger waits for no one.”

Lionel blinked. Hildegarde's description did not run in tandem with anything he and the others had encountered regarding Xicotl. "No, actually, though that does sound suitably disgusting." Following another deep breath, he temporarily let go of the doorknob. Mulling over the odds that The God Ether was, in fact, tied with current events, Lionel inadvertently gave Khitti the floor again. That was for the best because this was the first he'd heard not only of Odhranos missing in action but of the Ossian Order. It may have even been the first time he had heard of Larketian machinations in several months, for that matter. Hildegarde was given a sympathetic glance upon her emotional response to the news. "Maybe all of this is connected. Maybe none of it is. The realm has faced multiple unrelated catastrophes at once before. I dare say it will happen again. But I promise you this: Related or not, no one here at Semper will argue that each and every one of these potential frak-offs warrants our full attention. I'm going to let the housekeeping folks know your room is finally occupied for a bit; honestly, I think they'll be glad to hear it. I'll see you soon," he finished, finally turning the doorknob and leaving. It sounded less like a farewell and more like a vow.

Hildegarde would cringe at her outburst later. For now, she is seething in her seat and her seething is growing into loathing. Larket. Of course it would be Larket. A great source of pain to Hildegarde: it brought with it the thought of Josleen and losing her to this wild, right-wing fascist group. Hildegarde’s knuckles had gone white from the strength in which she held onto her halberd at this point; if the metal wasn’t designed for battle it’s highly likely that it may have bent under her strength. At this moment in time, Hildegarde can only offer Lionel and Khitti alike a nod to each of their statements and a clipped but meaningful “thank you” for their efforts. “Of course. Please, send them my love,” she tells Khitti before looking to Lionel again. “Indeed, thank you. I will be in touch with you both again soon, I am sure. Thank you both again,” she tells them. Once both Khitti and Lionel take their leave, there is a small smash from the room and a muted cry of anger and frustration. A Queen doesn’t lose composure in front of people.