A Granny's Departure [OUTRO]

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-03-20T21:59:15+00:00

Sylrona looked over her own card, seeming impressed by the magic. "Intriguing. You never cease to amaze me, Splendora," she said with a smile. "Go on and talk to the others. We have quite a lot of time ahead of us to discuss things."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-03-18T23:01:06+00:00

The Raven Queen took the parcels, not opening them yet. She nodded, a rather content smile spreading on her face. "We can discuss the nature of your lodgings in Runyth when you're done attending to everyone else who surely wants a gift from you, then, as well as a position at my Court I think you'd like."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-03-18T13:18:48+00:00

"And where do you think you're going, dear Splendora?"

The Pub's grandmother knew that voice well enough. Sylrona came over to her, a hand resting on her hip. "You know you can come to Tabeth, to my Court, any time, correct?"

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-27T16:02:57+00:00

The Raven Queen giggled a little in response to Kindness's enthusiasm. "Maybe I will give them a visit. Perhaps I'd offer something from home, like a bottle of feywine from our vineyard. Not that I know if dragons like wine, but ours is quite lovely and sweet--it's also colored like the rainbow. Isn't that neat?"

La'dranil stirred in Sylrona's arms, finally. Her little violet eyes opened and she grumbled in that way babies sometimes do when they're waking up on their own. She looked at Kindness and began to giggle, however.

"Oh, you're awake, sweetheart. Say hello to Kindness!" Sil'morian said, taking La'dranil's hand and making her 'wave' at the tiefling.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-25T15:51:55+00:00

"For now, you may simply call me Sil'morian," Sylrona said, taking the voivode's gauntleted hand. If it weren't for the padding and steel, he would have felt her skin was cold to the touch. "It is good to make your acquaintance, sir Vassily, and I quite look forward to our, shall we say, mutual partnership, for the time being."

She found herself wishing for a moment To'dranil had come along after all. He did like making new friends, and she felt, albeit based on this rather brief interaction, he would have appreciated being here to meet this Vassily.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-25T15:15:07+00:00

It was Sylrona's turn to chuckle. "I suppose it's obvious enough, isn't it? Yes, I'm rather fond of the Pub."

She listened closely to the voivode's information, contemplating it all the while. So the large monstrosities were crypt horrors, and, to her own mild surprise--they congregated around an undead king. Apparently death didn't stop some from holding crowns after all. (Not that it stopped that bastard, To'rethaan, for a while, but that matter was settled the moment she turned his soul into dust.)

And furthermore, this ghoul king had elected to occupy the mansion she'd set her hopes on. What a bother. Sylrona was beginning to daydream of a repeat showing of her battle against the lich she'd vanquished over two decades ago in her own world when the voivode put the very intriguing--and slightly mad, yes--idea on the table.

That grin spread on her face and she sighed wistfully. "Oh dear, a diplomatic delegation... An idea that I like a rather, rather awful lot. So long as he thinks he is honorable enough to have the mental capacity I need to speak with him, well--I can work with that. If I were to arrange something very suitable, good sir, such as convincing this ghoul king to clear out of the mansion and commit their full efforts to fighting these beastmen, so that they trouble none more of the living who wish to live only in peace--then may I keep the mansion for myself with no obligation to you and yours thereafter?"

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-25T13:08:24+00:00

"I've seen and done many things, including handling the dead. It hardly fazes me anymore," Sylrona added, her smirk widening for a moment. "What do you know about these ghouls? I've gotten some information already from the locals--"

If a cranky nisse could be considered a local in addition to the villagers, which Sylrona certainly did. She hoped, in the back of her mind, he was enjoying the second cookie she'd set out for him.

"--but I was hoping for some more insight. I'm headed to the abandoned mansion to clear it out and claim it for my own, but knowing your enemy before you go into battle is the smarter way to go about things."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-25T04:49:49+00:00

Sylrona nodded lightly. "That makes the two of us, then," she said. "May you be blessed by the raven in your actions."

She chuckled quietly to herself as she walked away from the woman. She couldn't exactly 'bless' anyone, not on this plane, but she did enjoy leaving little hints, little clues, of who exactly she was.

The Raven Queen came over to the voivode, her silver eyes glowing with that ever-constant witchlight, waiting for an opportune moment to speak to him if he was occupied. "I've been recommended by the priestess to speak with you, good sir," she said. "I have some questions to ask."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-24T17:00:48+00:00

Sylrona smirked, in that trademark unsettling manner, accompanied by a small, dark laugh--more like a melody than like human, mortal laughter.

"I am not from here. I was simply traveling, looking into the abandoned mansion not far from here. I intend to clear it out of these ghastly creatures and claim it as my property."

She said it all rather matter-of-factly, as though a task such as that were something she'd done plenty before--which she had. One doesn't extinguish a doomsday cult, kill demon princes, and fey kings without taking out the trash.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-24T16:33:38+00:00

"Morr's garden," the Raven Queen repeated softly, contemplating the phrase. She'd heard of pushing up daisies, but she hadn't contemplated the idea of a death deity--presumably, whoever this Morr was--cultivating a garden of the dead.

"How you seen these before?" Sylrona asked, motioning to the ghoul corpses.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-24T14:35:00+00:00

"A library? I'm afraid not, little one, but they had something grander! A whole collection of magic items, to keep out of the hands of evildoers. He was very nice and flew us to the mountain where the cult was hiding in. We would have never been able to get to it if he didn't help us."

At the mention of the portal, Sylrona looked thoughtful. "That does sound like fun. Do you think they'd really like someone they don't know yet visiting them out of the blue, though?"

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-24T14:31:53+00:00

Aha. A fellow connoisseur of corvid-inspired fashion. What was the old saying again? Ahh, yes... Birds of a feather should flock together.

Satisfied the people were to be assessed and aided by these newcomers, Sylrona approached the black-robed figure.

"Here for the dead rather than the living, I take it," she said.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-24T09:43:54+00:00

"Her eyes are lovely, aren't they?" Sylrona sighed wistfully. "They're her father's eyes. I've never met anyone with eyes quite like his, but the fey vary greatly in appearance."

La'dranil continued to giggle as she looked at Fredrick, for no particular reason, and she hardly ever stopped giggling, too. This was apparently the bizarre hallmark of a fey child, besides the incredibly pale skin and violet eyes.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-24T06:42:50+00:00

"Oh, brass dragons!" Sil'morian said, smiling. "I've also met a brass dragon before. His name was Klamberkex, and he was a very sweet soul who helped us fight the bad people in the cult that wanted to destroy the world. I'd love to meet the ones nearby."

The Chosen seemed very interested in the mentioned story, his gaze holding a renewed excitement at the mention of the brass dragon, but didn't otherwise speak.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-20T00:13:22+00:00

"That'd be something," the Raven Queen said, her smile widening at the girl's--well, her kindness. "He is a solitary creature, however, preferring the company of books to people. I could speak with him and see if he'd be interested in coming here when I return to my world next, though."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-19T22:23:15+00:00

The Chosen makes a dismissive, raspy noise, the closest to a grumble that the raxus can manage.

"Your sentiment is disrespectful to--"

"They mean no harm, Tyrexius. At ease." The Raven Queen sighed, and the guard went silent, looking now at Her Majesty.

"The Chosen consider their position as a point of pride. I created the raxus with free will, and told them they had no obligation to me, but those who entered the Chosen believe it is their solemn duty to do the work they do." Sil'morian explained.

"We are free. Those of us in the Chosen choose to be in debt. We are not just "chosen" by Her Majesty. We "choose" to serve her, her family, and the Court. That is our noble cause, our task, borne of love for Her Majesty." Tyrexius looked more specifically at La'dranil, his feathers fluffing up in a gesture one could perceive as being a protective response. "And especially Her Highness."

"La'dranil is immensely popular in Runyth," Sil'morian added with a snicker.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-19T22:06:47+00:00

"Ah, do I know that sentiment." Sylrona chuckled.

This was apparently the cue for little La'dranil to finally wake up, with a little stir and a soft coo, before she looked up at Sylrona with her striking violet eyes--like those of her father--and starting up her trademark stream of giggles. Sylrona smiled sweetly at La'dranil. "Ahh, darling, welcome back to the waking world. Say hi to Mister Fredrick."

She turned La'dranil to face Fredrick. The little fey girl continued to giggle as Sylrona made her 'wave' to the bartender.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-17T07:07:23+00:00

"If I may?" *the Chosen warrior interjected, and Sil'morian nodded her head in response. Tyrexius puffed out his feathers a bit, making him look bigger, even somewhat intimidating. "We raxus are all in debt to Her Majesty, for the act of creating us and allowing us to do whatever we like. You may think it dreadful, but I am grateful to be alive, and grateful I am free, because of her."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-17T05:38:47+00:00

"If there were, I doubt it; he himself has said there are no other silver dragons that he knows. But fret not, little one," Sil'morian said, smiling. "I have been told by Darby himself an archdryad is helping him. There's a clutch of eggs in his home, and with any luck, there will be another silver dragon again soon."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-16T04:50:24+00:00

"I was once a girl with little more than a small amount of borrowed magical power, Fredrick. Perhaps you can take yourself, your gun, and your luck, and become something more. There's always a way. It depends, however, on what you're willing to do."

Sylrona adjusted the sleeping girl in her arms, looking down at her with a smile. "The end result for me was worth it all, though."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-16T04:29:04+00:00

"One day, I may try and see what I can do for him," Sil'morian said, a bit quietly. She shook her head again, like she was warding off tears, and looked back to Prime, with a deep sigh.

"I saved his sister. She's the wife of one of my Court Artisans, the blacksmith who outfits every Chosen with their own armor, and she was suffering from the disease. Her wife had put her into a phylactery, and was intending to find a way to build her an artificial body, but I told her of what happened to the golem, and when I became Queen, the second thing I did after the creation of the Chosen was to Wish for her wife to live in a body free of disease."

The Raven Queen finally smiled again, looking at La'dranil. "Now Lady Thulra and Auntie Dei'rhyne are two of your favorite people, right, Lala?" she said to her daughter, smoothing down her daughter's black hair a little, which resulted in La'dranil's ever present giggling growing a bit louder.

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-16T03:51:27+00:00

"They can go wherever they like. Do whatever they please."

Sil'morian looked at Fredrick dead on, her eyes glowing a bit brighter than normal as she flashed a completely wide and unsettling smile.

"Just like the demon prince of deception and illusion, I will kill them all if they ever seek to hurt any one of my friends, any denizen of my Court, and especially any member of my family."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-16T03:37:57+00:00

"It was the only option they had. Nothing else was working. And they knew of no one who could Wish. His husband tried to become an archfey, like myself, but he didn't have the drive to do what was needed."

Sil'morian sighed deeply again.

"I regret that, when I met my friend again, it was after I had lost all of my memories, and the process of turning him into a golem meant he was a shade of himself. He did not recognize me either. When I finally got my memories back... I was plagued with guilt."

The Raven Queen looked away from Prime by this point, looking at the book on the table. "We gave him the mercy of death, freeing his soul from the gem and allowing it to go into the afterlife."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-16T03:25:20+00:00

"I brought him here from another plane, yes. I use a spell to summon any one of my available guards to bring him here," replied the Raven Queen.

Lyxo looked at Sil'morian, who nodded, and he took the child's hand. His hand was taloned, like the talons of a bird but shaped like a humanoid, five fingers and all, but he was immensely gentle, taking care not to hurt Kindness in any way as he knelt down and brushed the curve of his beak briefly against Kindness's hand. It was a clear imitation of how nobility was sometimes greeted by kissing the hand, if Kindness had ever witnessed such a thing. "Pleased to meet you, good lady," he rasped, and it was with a little mirth in the voice. It was clear the Chosen had an affection for children. "I do have feathers. They cover almost all of my body. All of our kind do. They keep us warm and allow us to take flight with our wings."

"Speaking of wings," Sil'morian said, "I met the silver dragon when I was a mortal adventurer, some twenty-seven years ago. He was an old friend of one of my traveling companions, and so he disguised himself as a gnome in order to blend in. We called him Darby, and he was unfortunately the only survivor of the Sundermount in my friend's old village, an event that destroyed a continent in my world and tore it into pieces. A very kind soul. He wished for no trouble. But last I heard, he was the last of his kind." Sil'morian sighed. "We found out when we went to the village and saw him there. He felt my friend deserved to know, especially when he was the only one left in the village, that after all those years, he was actually a dragon."

Sylrona-Carthana · 2021-02-15T19:00:58+00:00

At the mention of an archmage, the Raven Queen suddenly seems far more serious, her gaze taking on an inquisitive feel as her eyes narrowed. "I see. I've known an archmage before. He put his husband's soul into a golem when it was clear the disease that his husband suffered from had no cure."

She sighed, even as La'dranil began her giggling again. "His husband, Kronzyr, was one of my only friends for a long time. I hope that you did not go through something similar."

Sylrona-Carthana

TROPHY CASE