A single glance at the letter tells Ardulace all she needs to know.

"Indeed, 'tis the very twin of the missive I myself received from His Lordship. To the Governor's then. Just as well, I have developed a powerful thirst and he keeps a fine cellar."

With that, unless Seluumiel objects or offers another course of action, Ardulace will set off for the Governor's manse with Satya.

Seluumiel continued the rest of the way in silence. She remained near Ardulace, glancing in the woman's direction from time to time. Never in her life would she have imagined herself aligned with one of the drow, yet here she stood ready to speak for her should the need arise. That need very well might. Chiron had been exceedingly hostile since the drow's heritage was revealed. She could not fault him that hostility, though his refusal to accept that the woman was not a black hearted Lolth worshipping spider was complicating matters greatly. His hostilities would have to be dealt with as the came, there were far more pressing matters that plagued her mind. Grave danger stood on the horizon, unknown and waiting.

The return to Leaphaven proved uneventful, and the silence had left Ardulace's words echoing in her head. Whatever danger lay beyond the house had been only the beginning, of that she was certain.

They soon arrived at the town gates to see a young woman pacing frantically. On seeing her the young boy jumped down from the large mare and ran excitedly to her.

"MOM! MOM! I'M HOME!"

John's excited cries filled the air. Seluumiel watched the two embrace and part of her stirred. She had been taken from her parents care at a young age and despite more than a century having past the memory of that separation still burned. The moon elf allowed herself a respite from her preoccupations as she watched the reunion. Mother and son embraced. The woman embraced each of them in turn , tears streaming down her face. The uninvited contact was strange to her but the moon elf smiles to the woman regardless.

Seluumiel watches in silence as the men go off on their own. She had no issue with letting them deal with their own matters, there was much that needed to be discussed and their absence might only facilitate that.

The three women stood alone in silence for a moment until Satya produced a sealed letter asking to whom the seal belonged.

"Indeed, 'tis the very twin of the missive I myself received from His Lordship. To the Governor's then. Just as well, I have developed a powerful thirst and he keeps a fine cellar."

Seluumiel turned to face Ardulace as she spoke and nodded.

"Yes let us, we have much to discuss."

"Sir, you need only go to the Apothecary in town. You should speak to the man privately and tell him you are in the employ of the governor and you wish to put an item on Governor Castor's bill. Present your name and he will record it and the bill will be..."

Chiron didn't hear the rest of Simon's answer. He gave a hurried bow and "thank you" and was out the door as quickly as he had arrived, leaping back into Prajna's saddle. Or, as much as leaping into a saddle on a seventeen hands high horse is possible; the maneuver is really a leaping and climbing combination when dealing with a horse that massive.

The apothecary was the next stop on the paladin's agenda. Again he dismounted just as Prajna came to a stop, using the momentum to run the last few strides up to the door.

"Sir," Chiron called out as he entered the shop and the apothecary, startled by the sudden burst of sound and movement entering his store, looked up from the customer he was helping. "I have a most urgent need of your..." His voice trailed away as he realized he was interrupting. "I'm sorry to intrude in your business here," Chiron apologized to the other customer, "But this is very important and shouldn't take but a minute. I will compensate you for your lost time."

He began untying his belt pouch as he turned back to the shop's proprietor, "I am in need of an elixir of truth. Have you heard of such a thing? It is needed to... pursue some clues about the mysterious house just outside of town."

Reaching into the pouch at his hip, Chiron grabbed a small handful of coins and placed them on the counter in front of the other customer. "There. I hope that is sufficient payment for you to indulge my barging in like this."

The clerk, seeing the coins dropped onto counter and the wide-eyed reaction the invoked in his previous customer, stepped out from behind the counter and unlocked an old, oak cabinet in the corner opposite the door, and was now searching through its contents. Chiron walked up behind the older man and half-whispered the rest of the details of this purchase. "I am in the employ of the town of Leaphaven and need to add this purchase to Governor Castor's bill. For your records, my name is Chiron Po."

After seeing the potential profits to be made from this rushed man, the apothecary's face fell when he heard the elixir was to be purchased on credit. Sure, with Governor Castor's name on the tab he knew he would get his money, but that also meant he couldn't inflate the price to take advantage of the man's hurried state.

Finally, he found what he was looking for: a small ceramic phial with engravings on one side that subtly hint of St. Cuthbert. "Ah, here it is." he said, as he pulled it from the shelf. "I shall add the purchase to the bill. Chiron Po was it?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Here you are." He turned back to close and lock the cabinet after handing the container over. "You do know its use, I assume?" He turned back just as the door to the shop swung shut. The rushed man was gone. Shaking his head at the constant urgency of youth, he walked back around the counter where his first customer has still staring, mouth agape, at the handful of coins in front of him. "Now, where were we?" asked the shop owner.

*****

Chiron kept a tight grip on the flask as he rode first out to the gate, then back to the Governor's mansion in search of the girls and Xavier. He had spent his entire allotment of funds for the month on this one item and he wasn't about to lose it to carelessness.

The paladin rode up to the Governor's front steps just as the trio of girls reached the front door. This time, he dismounted slowly, ensuring his newest possession couldn't be fumbled and dropped. "Ardulace! I have some questions that I need answered before we can proceed. And this," he said as he held up the small container, "will validate your answers."



((-11 gold pieces for purchase of patience))

Xavier, from lack of his necessary "sustanance", staggered into the mansion and was met by Simon.

"Master Xavier, you are the second I've seen of your group. Chiron was here shortly before you, and obviously rushed for time. Found you the child so quickly? Well good show! The Governor is not in at the moment. He is taking care of some important business at the Kingdom's Capitol. He should be back within the hour. He left shortly after you and your associates left this morning. Would you like something to drink while you wait?"

Far down the road an open coach drawn by six fine clydesdales rolls its way to driveway down the right side of the mansion to the back of the building to the stables.
As he is driven and passes the the girls and Chiron, he waves out and says cheerily,"Hello! I'll be with you shortly." With that he disappears behind the mansion.

About five minutes later he arrives at the front door, "Well hello everyone. Anything to report on your mission? The child, has he been found? After making that promise to Xavier, I felt I should get things rolling. And I think he'll be very happy by tommorrow. I must admit, I didn't expect you so soon."

As he takes a look over the group, he takes notice of a concerned look on Chiron's face, and also notices Xavier's absence.

"Where is Xavier anyway? He didn't look all that well last time I saw him, even though he seemed very energetic."

At this time he takes notice of an exoticly beautiful woman, whom seemed to be from parts unknown to him, for he had never seen anyone who carried her features. She carried in her hand a letter, like one he had sent to each of the others before him now.

"And you, young lady. Is there something I can do for you? Are you with this group? From where have you came, child?"

So many questions in the governor's mind about this woman. He finds himself wishing he was twenty years younger, for he never took a wife, and this woman's beauty was anything but common, and her look, unique.
Wresting his eyes from Satya, he fumbles for the door latch and begins to open the door.

"Please, I am anxious to hear everyone's report. Let's go to my Dining room and we'll all have dinner while you tell me of the work you've done today."

Ardulace addresses the Governor first, "Xavier excused himself when we arrived in town, Your Lordship. He did not appear entirely well, but assured us he would reunite with us this evening."

Gesturing to the exotic beauty at her side, she introduced the Governor, "This is Satya, whom we had the good fortune to encounter during our foray this morning. Her appearance was a surprise to us, but I shall let her tell that tale. Satya, may I present our employer, the Lord Governor of Leaphaven, Bailash Castor."

She then turns and spares a glance for Chiron but says nothing even as she takes dubious notice of the vial in his hand.

As the group walked into the house, and to the governors dinning room, Bailash kept looking at her with a silly grin on his face. It was the sort of thing that would be cute on a toddler, but on an aging man of easily 40 it was just, silly. Satya realized that her presence was often treated in such a fashion, and mostly by men. It made her a little uncomfortable, not knowing just what those looks entailed.

"I am from the Bedine tribe of Laasya, we make our home in the desert of Anauroch. I have chosen to leave my family and see the world as my parents did. After ten years of adventure and wanderings I found myself here in the south. I happened to find a courier ravaged by a forest beast and the only thing on him was this." She holds out the letter. "I felt that I should return it to the sender so that he would be made aware that his message was not received. It led me to your city gates were I heard tell of a young child that had mysteriously gone missing in the woods. With my skill in tracking and my experience in the wild I chose to set out for him right away. I managed to get trapped inside the house on the boy's trail, and that is where these adventures found me." Satya set the letter down on the dinning room table, next to where the man was standing. "The boy now found and the letter now returned, I feel my task here is done. Unless there be some other greater purpose for me having been drawn here?" The young woman looked around at all of them standing there in the dinning room, and wondered just why the forces of nature had guided her steps on to their path.

As the group walked into the house, and to the governors dinning room, Bailash kept looking at her with a silly grin on his face. It was the sort of thing that would be cute on a toddler, but on an aging man of easily 40 it was just, silly. Satya realized that her presence was often treated in such a fashion, and mostly by men. It made her a little uncomfortable, not knowing just what those looks entailed.

With the Governor's attention on Satya, he barely took notice of Xavier lounging in one of his swiveling deep leather recliners. At the sound of his commrades and the Governor in the house Xavier spun in the chair to face the group, and with some venom, his voice shaking and slurring some asks, "Lord Governor Castor, any word of my sister's situation? For your sake, I hope you have some news to the good, sir."

"Xavier, how long have you been here?"

"I have been here for ten to fifteen minutes. Simon was kind enough to invite me in for a drink and to relax in wait for my...friends. So, what do you think of Satya?"

"Interesting woman. We can have this discussion over dinner if you will join us in the dining room."

Turning his attention back to Satya he says,"So, Satya, tell me about yourself. You have a look about you that is unfamiliar to me. You are definitely human but look tribal in appearance. How close am I to the mark?"

"I am from the Bedine tribe of Laasya, we make our home in the desert of Anauroch. I have chosen to leave my family and see the world as my parents did. After ten years of adventure and wanderings I found myself here in the south. I happened to find a courier ravaged by a forest beast and the only thing on him was this." She holds out the letter. "I felt that I should return it to the sender so that he would be made aware that his message was not received. It led me to your city gates were I heard tell of a young child that had mysteriously gone missing in the woods. With my skill in tracking and my experience in the wild I chose to set out for him right away. I managed to get trapped inside the house on the boy's trail, and that is where these adventures found me." Satya set the letter down on the dinning room table, next to where the man was standing. "The boy now found and the letter now returned, I feel my task here is done. Unless there be some other greater purpose for me having been drawn here?" The young woman looked around at all of them standing there in the dinning room, and wondered just why the forces of nature had guided her steps on to their path.

The Governor stared at the letter, then at Satya, then lastly at the ceiling in thoughtful repose and in dramatic fashion says, "Your job is only done if you want it to be. The letter was to offer a job to someone of whom had a reputation for deadly battle tactics. Somehow I knew that there was a problem when only four adventurers showed and not five. I am willing to extend to you the job taking into consideration your selfless concern for a missing child."

Bailash takes notice of Xavier's growing looks of disdain and impatience and takes the time to address him.

"Oh, Xavier, wonderful news! I was at the Kindom's Capitol today, and thanks to their mage couriers, we were able to arrange for your sister's release. She should already be on her way with Knight escort. I expect her arrival by tomorrow mid day or early in the evening, but it all comes down to her being back here tomorrow."

Xavier's intense expression eased off, and as he sat back in his chair his face sported a grimace. He would see. He would see what kind of noose the Governor has wound for himself this time. The news apeased Xavier for now though, in hopes that Bailash was not foolish enough to try and pull his leg.

"We can have this discussion over dinner if you will join us in the dining room." Bailash Castor extended the invitation to Xavier even as he turned his attention back to his newest, and very attractive, guest. "So, Satya, tell me about yourself. You have a look about you that is unfamiliar to me. You are definitely human but look tribal in appearance. How close am I to the mark?"

"Before we can sit down to dinner, Governor," said Chiron, though the host was engrossed with Satya's tale of her past and not paying attention, "There's a pink elephant that must be dealt with."

Turning to squarely face Lacey, Chiron holds out the flask he'd been cradling. "This elixir forces the individual who drinks it to speak nothing but the truth for about ten minutes. It also compels the subject to answer any questions put to her in that time. I've used it before, in criminal interrogations, as it provides more reliable results without actually causing any harm to the person being questioned." He paused a moment after finishing his explanation of the potion's effects.

"...But it all comes down to her being back here tomorrow." The governor finished giving Xavier the good news about his sister.

Then Chiron spoke again, "I need to ask that you drink it." The tension in the air could be cut with one of the butter knifes that were neatly placed and waiting in the nearby dining room.

Chiron does his best to keep his tone neutral as he speaks, to sound very matter-of-fact, and avoid any hint of accusation.

"You have, so far as I can detect, done nothing wrong, but your race brings up some very serious questions about what you are doing here and also taints any answers you freely give. I need those questions answered, and in a manner I can trust, before I can allow you to roam freely.

"I know that you and I have not operated very... smoothly... thus far, and I'd like this whole process to remain as free of high emotion as possible, so I'll let you dictate where we do this, and who all is present while you're under the effects of the tonic. Is that agreeable?"

Seluumiel followed the others into the house. She moved in silence as Bailash exchanged his pleasantries. The man seemed more interested in leering over Satya than dealing with the matters at hand.

"We can have this discussion over dinner if you will join us in the dining room." Bailash Castor extended the invitation to Xavier even as he turned his attention back to his newest, and very attractive, guest. "So, Satya, tell me about yourself. You have a look about you that is unfamiliar to me. You are definitely human but look tribal in appearance. How close am I to the mark?"

"Before we can sit down to dinner, Governor," said Chiron, though the host was engrossed with Satya's tale of her past and not paying attention, "There's a pink elephant that must be dealt with."

Turning to squarely face Lacey, Chiron holds out the flask he'd been cradling. "This elixir forces the individual who drinks it to speak nothing but the truth for about ten minutes. It also compels the subject to answer any questions put to her in that time. I've used it before, in criminal interrogations, as it provides more reliable results without actually causing any harm to the person being questioned." He paused a moment after finishing his explanation of the potion's effects. I need to ask that you drink it."

Seluumiel sighed and shook her head, the paladin was not going to let this go. The moon elf moved forward gracefully to face Chiron, "I see you do not trust my judgement. That is your choice. We have far more important matters to discuss, assuage your curiosities afterwards if you must."

She moved to address the rest of the group, sapphire eyes focusing on Bailash, "We have returned from the phantom house with the child and returned him to his to his mother. The house has disappeared from the landscape as if it never was, but I believe we have only seen the beginning."

Seluumiel reached into her bag producing a book bound in black leather and inlaid with gold lettering, holding the book up she continues. "We found this in the entry room of the house. It is a magical book, and it tells of a great evil."

Pausing for a moment she opens the book and begins to read from it aloud,

"All others have failed and I was the last. My spirit is bound here for my time is past. Unspeakable evil lies behind each door. Take care you don’t end up like others before. Five colors, five heads is all I know of your fate. If you must know more, ask the guardian of the gate. To what I have written you must take heed and I will record your actions, your words and your deeds. For in you must go. There’s no way to turn back. Defeat your greatest foe before he attacks. Are such adventurers present and ready to undertake this task?”
Seluumiel closes the book and looks up to the others, "We have a most grave matter on our hands. Within the house Lacey encountered a black dragon. She can tell you more of this than I, but I do know it spoke of its master. I believe the this master and the evil the book speaks may well be fully and wholly the same. This is a most grave matter indeed."

She falls silent and looks to Ardulace waiting for the woman to step in.

Ardulace picks up as Seluumiel falls silent and turns to her. “While the others perused the tome they had found, I stepped beyond the entry hall and through a glowing portal. Beyond it, I found myself in a small room, face to face with a black dragon, the child, John, lay unconscious on the floor between us. The dragon was young I think, for it was small, though I believe black dragons tend to be smaller than others of their ilk. But young or old, I did not believe myself mighty enough to slay it and take the child. To my surprise she, the dragon that is, for the beast possessed a distinctly feminine voice, she seemed almost afraid of me, and threatened me with death if I did not flee at once. But I could not do so and leave the child behind. And though I know little enough about dragons, I knew enough to be polite, and to flatter the wyrm.”

Ardulace pauses a moment and hearkens back to her meeting with the dragon, which seems to have been so long ago, yet took place that very morning. “I tried to bargain with her for the child’s life. I offered to remain silent about her presence that she might go in peace, and she replied ‘Peace is not a word in MY master's plans. However, my being here was a mistake, I stumbled upon this house from my home realm through a portal my master ordered built’. I then offered to sing her glories to all I met, that she might feed upon a steady diet of heroes come to slay her, and she said ‘do what thou will... whither I go, My master and his legacy are the wolves there, and you are the sheep, and there are no sheperds’. She then let me take the child and go, but even as I left she warned me to pray that we never meet again. With that, the treacherous beast spewed its burning acid at me.”

She looks the governor in the eye. “Dragons are proud and vain creatures, I know not what manner of being might be so powerful that a dragon bends knee to it and calls it master, but I think it best to fear such a being. And if this master ordered the portal or portals that we came across built, then it has other mighty servants as well.”

She then smacks herself on the forehead “And curse me for a fool, even as I left the house, I peered through the very door that lead me back from the dragon’s den, and there I saw a cadre of ogres arming for battle… whether to attack our party, or to make war on Leaphaven I know not. But ‘twould be wise to post scouts between house and town to warn of any intrusion.”

She too falls silent, that the Governor may make his inquiries or the others might add their observations.

During the delivery of good news to Xavier, Chiron speaks up. Bailash looks over at Chiron Po with apparent disaproval of his interuption without missing a beat with his conversation with Xavier. Only after Xavier sits back, noticably semi-satisfied with the governor's handling of the situation with his sister, does Bailash turn to give attention to the obvious trouble within the group.

"A 'pink elephant' ? What in blazes are you talking about? Whatever personality clashes there are amongst you, I trust you can settle them on your own time. I'm sure you all have a past, as do I. The only way we get the job done as a team is we put our past behind us and work as a team! Chiron, if you wish to bring everyone's past faults up, maybe you should begin with your own. Any good leader would not ask one of his followers to do anything he wouldn't do himself. It's my opinion that maybe you should have bought five of those vials instead of just one." He then looks over the group assembled as Simon brings in an assortment of steaming vegetables, venisen steaks, bowls of stew for each and loaves of bread, and a bowl full with pats of butter.

"Now, as we dine maybe someone can fill me in on the goings on of the house."

Seluumiel sighed and shook her head, the paladin was not going to let this go. The moon elf moved forward gracefully to face Chiron, "I see you do not trust my judgement. That is your choice. We have far more important matters to discuss, assuage your curiosities afterwards if you must."

She moved to address the rest of the group, sapphire eyes focusing on Bailash, "We have returned from the phantom house with the child and returned him to his to his mother. The house has disappeared from the landscape as if it never was, but I believe we have only seen the beginning."

Seluumiel reached into her bag producing a book bound in black leather and inlaid with gold lettering, holding the book up she continues. "We found this in the entry room of the house. It is a magical book, and it tells of a great evil."

Pausing for a moment she opens the book and begins to read it word for word aloud.

Seluumiel closes the book and looks up to the others, "We have a most grave matter on our hands. Within the house Lacey encountered a black dragon. She can tell you more of this than I, but I do know it spoke of its master. I believe the this master and the evil the book speaks may well be fully and wholly the same. This is a most grave matter indeed."

Ardulace picks up as Seluumiel falls silent and turns to her. “While the others perused the tome they had found, ................ With that, the treacherous beast spewed its burning acid at me.”

She looks the governor in the eye. “Dragons are proud and vain creatures, I know not what manner of being might be so powerful that a dragon bends knee to it and calls it master, but I think it best to fear such a being. And if this master ordered the portal or portals that we came across built, then it has other mighty servants as well.”

She then smacks herself on the forehead “And curse me for a fool, even as I left the house, I peered through the very door that lead me back from the dragon’s den, and there I saw a cadre of ogres arming for battle… whether to attack our party, or to make war on Leaphaven I know not. But ‘twould be wise to post scouts between house and town to warn of any intrusion.”

Bailash looked up surprised at the mention of a black dragon but listened intently to Ardulace as she gave her account. Only after letting her finish story and finishing the food in his mouth did he respond.

"And a black dragon left rather than fight? It was my understanding, from research and accounts given by those who have faced dragons, that black dragons are nasty vile creatures whose evil is only challenged by that of a red dragon. It's a miracle you made it out alive. Seeing as you say it was a young dragon though, it may have felt that its purpose had not been realized yet and couldn't afford to fight at that time. I see your point though about the pride of dragons. It may also fear its master's wrath in the case of failure."

Bailash's words trail off as he goes into deep thought, as he recites part of the passage read to him earlier, "Five colors five heads......Five colors five heads.....?" Then a realization came to him and his eyes went wide with what could be only be described as dire fear. He jumps up out of his chair with a vigor that would rival only Xavier's on a good day, "Please stay here and enjoy your meal, and excuse me. I must go to my library and see if my worst fears are being realized. I'll be back with a book that may shed some light on the matter."

Fifteen minutes later, he rushes back with a thick tome titled "Dragonology" and sets it down in front of Seluumiel and points to a picture and passage.

"I can only hope I'm wrong, but it seems the passage in your book is refering to an avatar of, or Tiamat herself, the Queen of Evil dragonkind. If so we are in grave danger. However, It could be a cult following Tiamat. She usually does not take an active part in total destruction of something as small as a town. According to my book, she works from behind the scenes using her minions and followers in cults, sometimes even avatars and aspects. It would seem that this is just the beginning. Tomorrow one of my hopefuls will be here. I feel I must strengthen your numbers before you are sent out again. Hopefully Camille will be willing to join the group."

He turns to Satya, "Well, Satya, it seems your travels and your involvement the strange house was not an accident. It seems you were destined for greater things. The question is, are you ready to meet your destiny and join these fine adventurers?"

He allows himself a moment of deep thought then looks over the assembled group, "As the book says, Are such adventurers present and ready to undertake this task?”

After a pause Bailash sits back down to his meal. He looks up and says, "You have all done well today. The child is safe, and the mother is happy. Now, we must make sure we are kept that way. Please stay and enjoy your meal and then I want you to take advantage of Leaphaven's hospitality, and stay the night in the best rooms we have to offer at the Nightshade Inn. Camille and her knight escort will be here tomorrow, and we have much to plan."

Satya had not seen a table set like this since she was a girl at home with her family. It was much like the feasts she remembered. Only much more variety set before her. Her eyes wide with excitement and feeling more like a child now then she had in fifteen years a huge smile grew on her face with each plate that was placed in front of them. As the rest of the party spoke she took small portions of each thing she saw, savoring every new flavor. She watched intently asBailash returned with another book and showed it to Seluumiel. This Tiamat sounded evil and manipulative. Satya wondered who she was and what she looked like. The sight of an evil dragon queen sounded impressive and terrible.

"Well, Satya, it seems your travels and your involvement in the strange house was not an accident. It seems you were destined for greater things. The question is, are you ready to meet your destiny and join these fine adventurers?"

He allows himself a moment of deep thought then looks over the assembled group, "As the book says, Are such adventurers present and ready to undertake this task?”
Satya swallowed the bite she had been rolling around on her tongue and said, "I am an adventurer, and maybe now it is time that I take that even further and test my metal. I will go. I am not sure yet what I will have to offer, but I will extend what skills I have for the sake of the realms. Yes... I believe it is time to see just what it is I am made of. " This last is said half to herself as she reaches for a glass of wine and takes a large swig, then let forth a belch of contentment.

"I will sleep wonderfully tonight." Satya grins as she realizes that for once she feels like she is right where she should be and no one feared or hated her for what she was. Poor Lacy, I could not imagine actually being hunted simply for what I looked like, Satya thought to herself.

As Seluumiel and Ardulace finished their telling of the events at the house Bailash widened his eyes with dire fear and jumped out of his chair.

"Please stay here and enjoy your meal, and excuse me. I must go to my library and see if my worst fears are being realized. I'll be back with a book that may shed some light on the matter."

Fifteen minutes later, he rushes back with a thick tome titled "Dragonology" and sets it down in front of Seluumiel and points to a picture and passage.

"I can only hope I'm wrong, but it seems the passage in your book is refering to an avatar of, or Tiamat herself, the Queen of Evil dragonkind. If so we are in grave danger. However, It could be a cult following Tiamat. She usually does not take an active part in total destruction of something as small as a town. According to my book, she works from behind the scenes using her minions and followers in cults, sometimes even avatars and aspects. It would seem that this is just the beginning. Tomorrow one of my hopefuls will be here. I feel I must strengthen your numbers before you are sent out again. Hopefully Camille will be willing to join the group."

Seluumiel leans forward and places a hand on the open book as her sapphire eyes trace the words on the pages before her. A most grave matter indeed. Too much had been aligned before them to be mere coincidence. Her goddess never spoke directly, but rather cloaked her messages in signs and abstractions. Much was obscured, but Seluumiel was certain that the Daughter of the Night Skies had drawn her here.

The moon elf looks up to Bailash as her addresses them all as one, "As the book says, Are such adventurers present and ready to undertake this task?”

Seluumiel stood to face the man and responded, "The will of Sehanine Moonbow has brought me here. I too shall undertake this task." She pauses a moment to trace her hand along the tome of Draconology, "If it pleases you Bailash I will take these tomes and study them tonight."

Bailash nods his aproval to Seluumiel.

"I trust that it will be brought back in the same condition as it has been lent, Seluumiel. It is the only one of its like in over five hundred miles of this city. May I please look over your Book a moment? You'll get it back before you leave tonight."