Post by Wren Lunaboult on Sept 11, 2022 15:07:50 GMT
This conversation and events with the wonderous Jaezred Vandree happen shortly after the disappearance of Tim in ‘Nice but Dim’.
"So. Any luck in finding that estranged grandmother of yours?"
Wren frowns at Jaezred. "Errr no. I've been distracted and not really looked. Wouldn't know where to start anyway," they reply. "Why... why are you asking, I wouldn't think my family issues would be interesting to you."
"Oh, Lunaboult, all family issues are interesting to me. Do you have any idea how many people here still have daddy issues? Anyhow, I’d thought I’d offer you a little quid pro quo."
"Okayyyy. And yeah, adventurers have many many issues. I'm aware." They shudder with the curse of high insight "But please enlighten me."
"As it happens, I'm pretty good at finding people now, if I do say so myself. If you have something that belonged to her or a lock of her hair or similar, I can scry on her for you, though that can still fail given I've never met her. Alternatively... I can help you — and your sister, if she'd like that — talk to grandmother dearest."
"Oh shit, you can do that on anyone? Just spy on them magically? But um I can't give you anything of grandma's. I've never met the woman, and my mum never held onto any of her stuff." They pause a bit, in small realisation. "My mum isn't the sentimental sort, especially when it comes to family… But maybe that was all on purpose."
"Right, that would indeed make scrying much harder. That leaves us with Option B. Well then, would you like to speak to your grandmother?"
Wren’s face pales slightly at the thought.
"Grandmothers are terrifying, I know. But it seems to be your best chance of finding her, hmm?" the drow says.
"I... I'm not sure I do actually want to find her. Whoever she is, my mum hid us from her for years. It takes a lot for someone to truly scare my mum like that, and I don't want that person to know me any more than they need to. Could I ask instead, that I talk to my mum?"
"But before that, why are you doing this, Jaezred? You said you like gossip and family issues, but this is a bit more than sitting by and witnessing with tea in hand."
"The Countess lost quite a lot of money last week, didn't she? Whoever burgled into her property was in and out without leaving a single trace. It is as if she was robbed by a ghost..."
"Oh rich people are being robbed by ghosts now? Ain't that an interesting development. But if you're looking for my sympathies for her lost wealth you're talking to the wrong person."
He chuckles. "Sympathies for the Countess? Oh, not I. She had a bit too much in her coffers if you ask me.Some people need to be brought down a peg or two from time to time. Keeps them humble."
"You volunteering?"
"What, me? Why, I'm a very humble, down-to-earth sort of guy."
Wren gives the most deadpan expression they can muster at the statement. Jaezred returns it with a big, shit-eating grin.
"I don't think you've ever experienced being humble, this must be why you're so confused as to what it is. But whatever, why bring up the Countess?"
"Well, you asked me why I'm offering you this. It's simply that perhaps, in the future, I might need to rely on the skills of the phantom who robbed the Countess and got away with it. A favour for a favour. Or more precisely, a favour for the promise of a favour."
"Right. So this is a roundabout way of you acknowledging my skills and asking for my potential help in the future. Though officially speaking, it was not me who robbed the Countess last week, could have been anyone really."
"Sure."
"Any idea what this potential favour might entail? Or do you just want to have me and my team in your back pocket?"
"I do not need anything from you just yet so I cannot really say, but rest assured, it won't be anything that goes against your oh-so-stringent code of morals. Hells, you might even enjoy it, given your...strong opinions regarding the plutocrats of Port Ffirst."
Now it's Wren's turn for a shit-eating grin.
"Sounds like a wonderful day out. Fine, you do this for me and I'll owe you a favour in some regard."
"Wonderful. Aren't you glad you're working with the humblest man who's ever lived."
"Okay now you're pushing it. Next you'll be saying we're buddies or something."
"Scandalous!" he gasps dramatically, and then smiles. "This will have to happen at nighttime. Where are you staying currently?"
"Night time, alright. In Daring I usually stay at the Hung Rabbit."
Jaezred pauses. He realises he hasn't actually visited the Swampside tavern where Igrainne used to live since she left. It is a horrendously cheap, almost run-down establishment with terrible food; yet nevertheless, she liked it there, and thought of it as her home away from home…
But this is no time to get nostalgic. Jaezred masks the rush of emotions within him with a reserved smile and a small incline of his head. "Very well."
Later that night, well after the sun has set, Jaezred joins Wren in their room at the Hung Rabbit. Already there is Wren’s sister Lily and their best friend Lexi. Wren has an anxious energy as they open the door, but Lily is overtly calm and graceful as she stands nearby, not a strand of brown hair out of place.
Jaezred eyes Lily and Lexi up and down. The blonde girl is obviously used to being around the Lunaboult siblings, and she conducts herself with a sort of practised quietness. "I understand that Miss Lily is to join Wren in contacting their mother," he says, addressing them both. "Would you like to be there as well, Miss Lexi?"
"Thank you Lord Jaezred, but I’d much rather watch over the two of them while they’re under the effects of the spell." She inclines her head and moves to sit down in a seat nearby.
"Fair enough."
First, he summons his tome of witchcraft, flips it to a page containing the ritual Rary’s telepathic bond, and reads the archaic Elvish words aloud. At the end of ten minutes, little wisps of shadows fly out of the parchment pages and into the ears of everyone in the room.
Next, after pushing the single bed against the wall to make space in the small room, he draws three hexagrams in chalk on the floor and places lit candles on each point of the star. Once finished, he beckons for Lily and Wren to pick a hexagram and sit in them.
The two Lunaboults give each other one last look before both stepping forward and sitting down in their respective hexagrams.
Jaezred sits himself down in the centre of the last hexagram and folds his hands in his lap in the manner of a meditative monk. The shadows that hold the tome of witchcraft aloft bring the book down to float in front of him. “Remember, you can exit the dream anytime you want. Doing so will end the effects of the spell on yourself,” he reminds them. “Are you ready?”
It's Lily who speaks up. "Ready as we'll ever be. Connect us to our mother please, Lord Jaezred."
He nods, extending a hand out to touch Lily's arm as he mutters some arcane words. One minute later, her amber eyes are covered in a film of grey — she has entered into a trance state. He moves his hand to Wren and does the same to them, then once Wren is in a trance as well, he then casts the spell on himself.
The dream they all see is set in a tall cliff outside Silverymoon, overlooking the city from a distance. The skies are clear blue but sunless. Wren and Lily can see each other but Jaezred is nowhere to be seen, the drow mage has taken to concealing his form in a grove of trees nearby. Wren gives a quick look to the trees before focusing on their mother who stands before them on the cliff.
Wren's mum is a woman taller than Lexi, with the same brown hair but cut very short. She carries herself very well, with good posture and a stoic look about her. She's not in full heavy knight armour right now, but the light version, leather and buckles gleaming and in perfect condition. But even dressed down, she's very obviously a proud knight and paladin of Silverymoon.
Wren's mum seems surprised, happy, then very angry at the Lunaboult siblings. She empathises that they shouldn't be contacting her, it could put them in danger.
Wren and Lily have to persuade her that this situation is okay, a dream is not traceable. There’s a few outbursts from Wren about how they didn't even know if their parents were even alive, their mum never wrote back, so of course they desperately wanted to find out if she was okay.
There's a long pause and then Wren's mum explains that the less their grandma, Clemens, knows of them both, the better. Hence the silence from her end. Clemens is brutally persistent, especially with her holy crusade, she didn't stop looking for Wren’s mum even when she ran from home all those years ago. She points to Wren and says that they're especially in danger, to be denied access to the power of someone who carries her divine bloodline is a great affront to Clemen's cause.
Clemens is present around Wren's parents right now, and it's misery, Wren's mum does not want the same for her kids. So stay far away, she does not want their lives tarnished by her.
Then there's a long group hug between the three, and a promise that Lily and Wren will look out for each other. And it’s within this moment, in each other’s arms, that the dream ends.
The three of them are staring at one another on the floor of Wren's room, Jaezred with no visible reaction to the information he overheard. But Wren is visibly angry and sad, whilst Lily has a very neutral face apart from the clenched jaw.
"Well, I hope that gave you some answers," Jaezred says cautiously.
Wren just abruptly stands up, not making eye contact before hastily adding "Yeah. Yeah it did."
Lily adds "Yes it did. Thank you. I think we're just both glad to see she's alive, though perhaps not in the best situation."
"May I ask what this crusade is that your grandmother is leading?"
"We don't know. We weren't brought up knowing anything much about mum's side of the family. Though she did mention holy, so it must be dedicated to the ideal of some deity."
"You are angelborn. Do you not know which deity your bloodline is tied to?"
"No. It was kept secret from me until I showed my powers anyway. Doubt it's a god mum follows now, so that crosses out Selune and Helm. And she didn't seem upset when I mentioned I follow Ilmater now."
He nods and slowly rises to his feet. "She sounds like a warlike woman. Perhaps Tyr or Torm?"
"Dunno, but sounds like I don't wanna get close enough to find out anyway."
"But, like Lily said. Thanks. But also don't tell anyone what you saw, yeah?"
"Mum's the word," he promises with a grin. "Or...grandmum?"
Wren goes deadpan again, but Lily hides a grin behind her hand.
"I like your sister. She actually has a sense of humour. Are you sure you're related?"
Lily gives a guilty look to Wren, "This is better than when they were a teenager. But yes very much related, hard to fake the Lunaboult freckles."
Wren moves their hand across Lily's mouth "Okayyyyy. We are not telling Jaezred my childhood stories."
"Ooh yes we are telling Jaezred all the childhood stories! Can I bribe you with some very nice, very expensive tea, Miss Lily?"
Lily gives a look like she's considering it.
Wren starts pointing fingers at them both. "No. No. Absolutely not, Lily, he will never let me live it down."
"I can throw in some scones into the deal. My scones are famous throughout the Dawnlands..."
Wren starts to look really pissed off, but then Lexi stands up and places a hand on their shoulder, it immediately calms down the agitated thief, and she says "Lord Jaezred, thanks again, but perhaps it's time for your departure for the evening. However, if you're around town you're more than welcome for tea with myself and Lily at more sociable hours, you'd be more than welcome to bring the scones."
Wren still gives a look of you wouldn't dare.
"Sounds delightful. I'll let you know," he says smoothly, with the biggest smirk on his face.
As Jaezred prepares to take his leave, he suddenly stops and glances at Wren over his shoulder. "Not that it is my business, but perhaps you should let your mother know that your grandmother has already sent a knight after you,” he says.
Wren manages to put aside their annoyance for a moment. "I did send a report, but with killing the knight hopefully my grandma hasn't learnt more than my vague location."
"The Dawnlands is a small place. I'm afraid the countdown may have already begun."
And leaving them with those ominous words, Wren watches as his body transforms into that of a raven and flies out the open window.
"So. Any luck in finding that estranged grandmother of yours?"
Wren frowns at Jaezred. "Errr no. I've been distracted and not really looked. Wouldn't know where to start anyway," they reply. "Why... why are you asking, I wouldn't think my family issues would be interesting to you."
"Oh, Lunaboult, all family issues are interesting to me. Do you have any idea how many people here still have daddy issues? Anyhow, I’d thought I’d offer you a little quid pro quo."
"Okayyyy. And yeah, adventurers have many many issues. I'm aware." They shudder with the curse of high insight "But please enlighten me."
"As it happens, I'm pretty good at finding people now, if I do say so myself. If you have something that belonged to her or a lock of her hair or similar, I can scry on her for you, though that can still fail given I've never met her. Alternatively... I can help you — and your sister, if she'd like that — talk to grandmother dearest."
"Oh shit, you can do that on anyone? Just spy on them magically? But um I can't give you anything of grandma's. I've never met the woman, and my mum never held onto any of her stuff." They pause a bit, in small realisation. "My mum isn't the sentimental sort, especially when it comes to family… But maybe that was all on purpose."
"Right, that would indeed make scrying much harder. That leaves us with Option B. Well then, would you like to speak to your grandmother?"
Wren’s face pales slightly at the thought.
"Grandmothers are terrifying, I know. But it seems to be your best chance of finding her, hmm?" the drow says.
"I... I'm not sure I do actually want to find her. Whoever she is, my mum hid us from her for years. It takes a lot for someone to truly scare my mum like that, and I don't want that person to know me any more than they need to. Could I ask instead, that I talk to my mum?"
"But before that, why are you doing this, Jaezred? You said you like gossip and family issues, but this is a bit more than sitting by and witnessing with tea in hand."
"The Countess lost quite a lot of money last week, didn't she? Whoever burgled into her property was in and out without leaving a single trace. It is as if she was robbed by a ghost..."
"Oh rich people are being robbed by ghosts now? Ain't that an interesting development. But if you're looking for my sympathies for her lost wealth you're talking to the wrong person."
He chuckles. "Sympathies for the Countess? Oh, not I. She had a bit too much in her coffers if you ask me.Some people need to be brought down a peg or two from time to time. Keeps them humble."
"You volunteering?"
"What, me? Why, I'm a very humble, down-to-earth sort of guy."
Wren gives the most deadpan expression they can muster at the statement. Jaezred returns it with a big, shit-eating grin.
"I don't think you've ever experienced being humble, this must be why you're so confused as to what it is. But whatever, why bring up the Countess?"
"Well, you asked me why I'm offering you this. It's simply that perhaps, in the future, I might need to rely on the skills of the phantom who robbed the Countess and got away with it. A favour for a favour. Or more precisely, a favour for the promise of a favour."
"Right. So this is a roundabout way of you acknowledging my skills and asking for my potential help in the future. Though officially speaking, it was not me who robbed the Countess last week, could have been anyone really."
"Sure."
"Any idea what this potential favour might entail? Or do you just want to have me and my team in your back pocket?"
"I do not need anything from you just yet so I cannot really say, but rest assured, it won't be anything that goes against your oh-so-stringent code of morals. Hells, you might even enjoy it, given your...strong opinions regarding the plutocrats of Port Ffirst."
Now it's Wren's turn for a shit-eating grin.
"Sounds like a wonderful day out. Fine, you do this for me and I'll owe you a favour in some regard."
"Wonderful. Aren't you glad you're working with the humblest man who's ever lived."
"Okay now you're pushing it. Next you'll be saying we're buddies or something."
"Scandalous!" he gasps dramatically, and then smiles. "This will have to happen at nighttime. Where are you staying currently?"
"Night time, alright. In Daring I usually stay at the Hung Rabbit."
Jaezred pauses. He realises he hasn't actually visited the Swampside tavern where Igrainne used to live since she left. It is a horrendously cheap, almost run-down establishment with terrible food; yet nevertheless, she liked it there, and thought of it as her home away from home…
But this is no time to get nostalgic. Jaezred masks the rush of emotions within him with a reserved smile and a small incline of his head. "Very well."
Later that night, well after the sun has set, Jaezred joins Wren in their room at the Hung Rabbit. Already there is Wren’s sister Lily and their best friend Lexi. Wren has an anxious energy as they open the door, but Lily is overtly calm and graceful as she stands nearby, not a strand of brown hair out of place.
Jaezred eyes Lily and Lexi up and down. The blonde girl is obviously used to being around the Lunaboult siblings, and she conducts herself with a sort of practised quietness. "I understand that Miss Lily is to join Wren in contacting their mother," he says, addressing them both. "Would you like to be there as well, Miss Lexi?"
"Thank you Lord Jaezred, but I’d much rather watch over the two of them while they’re under the effects of the spell." She inclines her head and moves to sit down in a seat nearby.
"Fair enough."
First, he summons his tome of witchcraft, flips it to a page containing the ritual Rary’s telepathic bond, and reads the archaic Elvish words aloud. At the end of ten minutes, little wisps of shadows fly out of the parchment pages and into the ears of everyone in the room.
Next, after pushing the single bed against the wall to make space in the small room, he draws three hexagrams in chalk on the floor and places lit candles on each point of the star. Once finished, he beckons for Lily and Wren to pick a hexagram and sit in them.
The two Lunaboults give each other one last look before both stepping forward and sitting down in their respective hexagrams.
Jaezred sits himself down in the centre of the last hexagram and folds his hands in his lap in the manner of a meditative monk. The shadows that hold the tome of witchcraft aloft bring the book down to float in front of him. “Remember, you can exit the dream anytime you want. Doing so will end the effects of the spell on yourself,” he reminds them. “Are you ready?”
It's Lily who speaks up. "Ready as we'll ever be. Connect us to our mother please, Lord Jaezred."
He nods, extending a hand out to touch Lily's arm as he mutters some arcane words. One minute later, her amber eyes are covered in a film of grey — she has entered into a trance state. He moves his hand to Wren and does the same to them, then once Wren is in a trance as well, he then casts the spell on himself.
The dream they all see is set in a tall cliff outside Silverymoon, overlooking the city from a distance. The skies are clear blue but sunless. Wren and Lily can see each other but Jaezred is nowhere to be seen, the drow mage has taken to concealing his form in a grove of trees nearby. Wren gives a quick look to the trees before focusing on their mother who stands before them on the cliff.
Wren's mum is a woman taller than Lexi, with the same brown hair but cut very short. She carries herself very well, with good posture and a stoic look about her. She's not in full heavy knight armour right now, but the light version, leather and buckles gleaming and in perfect condition. But even dressed down, she's very obviously a proud knight and paladin of Silverymoon.
Wren's mum seems surprised, happy, then very angry at the Lunaboult siblings. She empathises that they shouldn't be contacting her, it could put them in danger.
Wren and Lily have to persuade her that this situation is okay, a dream is not traceable. There’s a few outbursts from Wren about how they didn't even know if their parents were even alive, their mum never wrote back, so of course they desperately wanted to find out if she was okay.
There's a long pause and then Wren's mum explains that the less their grandma, Clemens, knows of them both, the better. Hence the silence from her end. Clemens is brutally persistent, especially with her holy crusade, she didn't stop looking for Wren’s mum even when she ran from home all those years ago. She points to Wren and says that they're especially in danger, to be denied access to the power of someone who carries her divine bloodline is a great affront to Clemen's cause.
Clemens is present around Wren's parents right now, and it's misery, Wren's mum does not want the same for her kids. So stay far away, she does not want their lives tarnished by her.
Then there's a long group hug between the three, and a promise that Lily and Wren will look out for each other. And it’s within this moment, in each other’s arms, that the dream ends.
The three of them are staring at one another on the floor of Wren's room, Jaezred with no visible reaction to the information he overheard. But Wren is visibly angry and sad, whilst Lily has a very neutral face apart from the clenched jaw.
"Well, I hope that gave you some answers," Jaezred says cautiously.
Wren just abruptly stands up, not making eye contact before hastily adding "Yeah. Yeah it did."
Lily adds "Yes it did. Thank you. I think we're just both glad to see she's alive, though perhaps not in the best situation."
"May I ask what this crusade is that your grandmother is leading?"
"We don't know. We weren't brought up knowing anything much about mum's side of the family. Though she did mention holy, so it must be dedicated to the ideal of some deity."
"You are angelborn. Do you not know which deity your bloodline is tied to?"
"No. It was kept secret from me until I showed my powers anyway. Doubt it's a god mum follows now, so that crosses out Selune and Helm. And she didn't seem upset when I mentioned I follow Ilmater now."
He nods and slowly rises to his feet. "She sounds like a warlike woman. Perhaps Tyr or Torm?"
"Dunno, but sounds like I don't wanna get close enough to find out anyway."
"But, like Lily said. Thanks. But also don't tell anyone what you saw, yeah?"
"Mum's the word," he promises with a grin. "Or...grandmum?"
Wren goes deadpan again, but Lily hides a grin behind her hand.
"I like your sister. She actually has a sense of humour. Are you sure you're related?"
Lily gives a guilty look to Wren, "This is better than when they were a teenager. But yes very much related, hard to fake the Lunaboult freckles."
Wren moves their hand across Lily's mouth "Okayyyyy. We are not telling Jaezred my childhood stories."
"Ooh yes we are telling Jaezred all the childhood stories! Can I bribe you with some very nice, very expensive tea, Miss Lily?"
Lily gives a look like she's considering it.
Wren starts pointing fingers at them both. "No. No. Absolutely not, Lily, he will never let me live it down."
"I can throw in some scones into the deal. My scones are famous throughout the Dawnlands..."
Wren starts to look really pissed off, but then Lexi stands up and places a hand on their shoulder, it immediately calms down the agitated thief, and she says "Lord Jaezred, thanks again, but perhaps it's time for your departure for the evening. However, if you're around town you're more than welcome for tea with myself and Lily at more sociable hours, you'd be more than welcome to bring the scones."
Wren still gives a look of you wouldn't dare.
"Sounds delightful. I'll let you know," he says smoothly, with the biggest smirk on his face.
As Jaezred prepares to take his leave, he suddenly stops and glances at Wren over his shoulder. "Not that it is my business, but perhaps you should let your mother know that your grandmother has already sent a knight after you,” he says.
Wren manages to put aside their annoyance for a moment. "I did send a report, but with killing the knight hopefully my grandma hasn't learnt more than my vague location."
"The Dawnlands is a small place. I'm afraid the countdown may have already begun."
And leaving them with those ominous words, Wren watches as his body transforms into that of a raven and flies out the open window.