07.04e: The Wander Inn

[ShadowOfPreservation]

Turning to Krajk, she says "I'm pretty sure you're more than just a guest of a guest...and that it was not just by chance that you were chosen to accompany Odin here." Then to the traveler "Pleased to meet you, Benabik", Lyra replies cheerfully. "I hope you'll both be attending the Ball at Rebma later."

[Krajk]

At this remark Krajk gives Lyra an expression that is somewhere between wary and disdainful but says nothing, and even this reaction lasts barely the moment between two breaths. Otherwise he seems by and large to be focusing on his meal, eating with the brisk efficiency of a veteran soldier.

[Joshua]

(OOC: It occurs to me no one has named a request form the bard yet.)

Several of the locals have requests for Aibne, mostly of the epic poem variety. I suppose the main request would be the third and final act of Beowolf. The requestor, a young squire, specifically asks about the fate of Wiglaf.

[Benabik]

"I have found remarkably little in Amber to occur by chance. I have yet to determine if that is some particular property of this place, or simply Dworkin's scheming. I have yet to hear the news of the realm, but if there is a ball this evening, I will certainly go. Hopefully my orders have been completed by now."

[Rasanam]

Just as Aibne is getting to the description of the dragon in the epic of Beowulf, a dragon walks in the door.

As described at the start of Meetings and Reflections, Rasanam's current form is that of a sleek bipedal dragon, with a pointed sharklike nose, gills, fluked tail, and thick, surprisingly muscular wings supported by a single finger - what you'd get if you crossed a pterosaur with a manta ray.* The wings apparently don't fold; Rasanam wraps them around his body, forming a sort of living robe of rippling blue and silver, just in time to make a perch for Fjolnir.

The raven (that is, Fjolnir, not the Raven) mutters something into Rasanam's ear, and gestures towards the table most of the Amberites are at. Rasanam makes his way over, nodding politely to Aibne as he goes.

He pauses just behind Lyra's chair, one hand resting on his wife's shoulder**, says hello - and waits just long enough for Lyra to handle introductions before wrapping*** her in a hug.

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* People used to birds or bats might think these wings are poorly adapted for flight. They'd be wrong - recent fossil evidence shows that pterosaur wings were muscular, and probably included air bladders to allow fine adjustment of wing thickness. The wing designs in use here are, in fact, poorly adapted for gliding or long-distance flight; instead, they're designed for rapid take-offs, aerial maneuverability, and underwater use of any sort.
** It should not require particularly keen observation to note the matching wedding rings.
*** Given the structure and musculature of his wings, the term "wrapping" is used here in a much more literal sense than might normally be the case.

[ShadowOfPreservation]

Sliding her chair back a bit, Lyra looks much more content as she begins introductions. "Everyone, this is my husband, Lydre Rasanam, of Tir-Na Nog'th." She pauses, allowing him to acknowledge the title. "Rasanam, our new friends here are Benebik, a traveler recently returned to Amber, and Krajk, hired personal guard to Odin." After an appropriate pause, Lyra stands to take her husband in her arms. After a tender moment, his winged embrace unfolds and Lyra steps back a pace. "Very Handsome", she remarks, a smile playing on her lips.

[Benabik]

"'Of Tir-Na Nog'th'? Has that court grown much in my absence? Ossian's choice always seemed odd to me: claiming as home something that doesn't exist most of the time."

[Rasanam]

Rasanam smiles back at Lyra. "And I've got one* prepared for you whenever you're ready..."

To Benabik, he replies, "Some, yes. Here, take a look," and he tosses a black spider-silk bag** to the traveller. "Dworkin handed those out yesterday; that one's yours."
"As for Tir'na itself... I may be of that court, but I won't claim to live there. At least yet; we're looking into the... issues."

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* I.E. transformation spell to a similar form. This is a zero lynchpin spell, with target, local magic, etc, all filled in already - meaning that whenever Lyra says to go ahead and cast it, it'll be cast and done quite possibly before she finishes the sentence.
** The bag contains a trump deck. Surprise, surprise?

[Benabik]

Benabik opens the bag and begins shuffling through the deck, glancing at each card in turn. He shows curiosity at first, but his reaction becomes quite guarded as he gets further into the deck. He does examine some cards in detail, including those of the present PCs. "Seems like all the courts have grown in my absence."

[ShadowOfPreservation]

"Likely a good thing. As nice as this place is, there's more work to be done here than I'd imagined when we first arrived. Thankfully everyone seems to be on the same page with regards to working together and improving all the courts." Lyra smiles excitedly to Rasanam. "I can't wait! Tonight should be a lot of fun."