PBA 033j

[6/28/2014 10:03:50 PM] Val: Val curls up in the library with a book on his lap, frowning a little bit!

[6/28/2014 10:05:14 PM] Wynn: Wynn enters, shield on her right arm.

[6/28/2014 10:06:35 PM] Val: Val waves, with about half a smile.

[6/28/2014 10:06:53 PM] Wynn: Wynn smiles. "Something wrong?"

[6/28/2014 10:08:14 PM] Val: Just trying to work out Draconic etiquette.

[6/28/2014 10:08:19 PM] Val: It's a little bit tricky when you don't have a tail.

[6/28/2014 10:08:27 PM] Wynn: You can ask Iskandar.

[6/28/2014 10:09:44 PM] Val: I should. ... I mean, they express practically everything that way. It's like one without a tail would be almost crippled.

[6/28/2014 10:10:18 PM] Wynn: Planning on conversing with more dragons?

[6/28/2014 10:10:42 PM] Wynn: Wynn pulls a chair up near where he's sitting and starts unstrapping her shield.

[6/28/2014 10:12:29 PM] Val: It seems likely, doesn't it?

[6/28/2014 10:12:43 PM] Val: They're everywhere, they're powerful.

[6/28/2014 10:12:46 PM] Val: They're chatty.

[6/28/2014 10:12:55 PM] Wynn: ...maybe.

[6/28/2014 10:13:03 PM] Val: Some of them are chatty.

[6/28/2014 10:13:22 PM] Wynn: Wynn props her shield up against the chair and sits.

[6/28/2014 10:14:03 PM] Val: The ones unlikely to blast us, generally.

[6/28/2014 10:14:19 PM] Nilani: Nilani walks in carrying a smallish book. She exchanges it for one of the bestiaries and finds a spot to sit.

[6/28/2014 10:14:20 PM] Wynn: Well, the only two I've ever met were.

[6/28/2014 10:14:40 PM] Wynn: ....I guess there were four, but I didn't so much *chat* with the other three.

[6/28/2014 10:14:46 PM | Edited 10:14:51 PM] Val: ((She's met more than two. ... yes.))

[6/28/2014 10:14:54 PM] Val: No?

[6/28/2014 10:14:58 PM] Val: Val waves at Nilani.

[6/28/2014 10:15:08 PM] Wynn: Wynn smiles. "Tried to intimidate them, actually."

[6/28/2014 10:15:20 PM] Nilani: Nilani waves back.

[6/28/2014 10:15:34 PM] Wynn: ...I didn't know they were dragons at the time.

[6/28/2014 10:15:41 PM] Wynn: They laughed at me.

[6/28/2014 10:16:22 PM] Val: ... well, that's better than, say, eating you, I suppose.

[6/28/2014 10:16:50 PM] Wynn: Well one of them wanted to adopt me. And Janis.

[6/28/2014 10:17:28 PM] Val: All things considered it's better to be condescended to by a dragon than eaten by one.

[6/28/2014 10:18:09 PM] Wynn: I just got done talking to Quintilian about a council. Would you be interested?

[6/28/2014 10:19:16 PM] Val: I think I'll pass. ... but it's a good idea.

[6/28/2014 10:19:30 PM] Wynn: Really? I thought you'd be all over it.

[6/28/2014 10:20:14 PM] Val: Lacking a position gives you some deniability.

[6/28/2014 10:20:23 PM] Iskandar: Iskandar walks in, whistling with a book tucked under his shoulder.

[6/28/2014 10:20:34 PM] Wynn: Deniability?

[6/28/2014 10:21:36 PM] Nilani: Nilani smiles and waves at Iskandar.

[6/28/2014 10:21:46 PM] Val: There are a lot of times when a leader can't be seen assisting someone for political reasons.

[6/28/2014 10:21:53 PM] Val: Val waves at Isk.

[6/28/2014 10:21:59 PM] Iskandar: Iskandar waves at folks.

[6/28/2014 10:22:07 PM] Wynn: Wynn nods at him.

[6/28/2014 10:22:11 PM] Val: Iskandar, I was wondering if you could tell me what dragons without tails do.

[6/28/2014 10:25:27 PM] Val: Since it's used to communicate so much.

[6/28/2014 10:26:52 PM] Iskandar: We don't communicate as dragons anymore, obviously. We settle for lesser languages. Why?

[6/28/2014 10:28:36 PM] Val: Trying to perfect my Draconic.

[6/28/2014 10:29:16 PM] Iskandar: You'd have to be a dragon for that. Or stick to communicating through writing.

[6/28/2014 10:30:39 PM] Iskandar: There are a few different variants on draconic. There's true draconic, which is how dragons in dragon form talk to each other. Then there's lesser draconic. Which is a language we developed to communicate with le-- non-dragons.

[6/28/2014 10:30:42 PM] Val: Well, yes, I suppose "perfecting" was the wrong word.

[6/28/2014 10:32:00 PM] Val: Singing in Draconic is incredibly difficult. You have to practically dislocate your jaw.

[6/28/2014 10:33:53 PM] Iskandar: I wouldn't know, I'm not terribly musical. Dragonform or not.

[6/28/2014 10:35:07 PM] Val: You should learn; I think you'd be good at it if you tried.

[6/28/2014 10:36:46 PM] Iskandar: Of course I would.

[6/28/2014 10:37:24 PM] Wynn: Oh, Valerian, apparently Aziz is a tailor and is itching to do something useful if you were still looking to improve your wardrobe. I mentioned you might be interested.

[6/28/2014 10:38:31 PM] Val: Val brightens a bit.

[6/28/2014 10:38:36 PM] Val: That *would* be extremely helpful.

[6/28/2014 10:38:50 PM] Val: I've never been entirely of the opinion that clothes make the man but they do matter in some cases.

[6/28/2014 10:39:39 PM] Wynn: I think I can appreciate the thought.... though I'm more of the armor type.

[6/28/2014 10:39:57 PM] Wynn: Perceptions, right?

[6/28/2014 10:40:17 PM] Val: Right, exactly.

[6/28/2014 10:40:29 PM] Val: There are some cases where I'd like to be considerably less... affluent looking.

[6/28/2014 10:41:00 PM] Val: And others where I'm not nearly splendid enough. ... draconic diplomacy is generally done entirely naked, which must simplify things.

[6/28/2014 10:41:24 PM] Wynn: ...don't think they make pants that big.

[6/28/2014 10:42:09 PM] Val: Ha.

[6/28/2014 10:42:13 PM] Val: Probably not.

[6/28/2014 10:42:21 PM] Val: Though they *do* have to factor the hoards in.

[6/28/2014 10:42:30 PM] Val: Most of their negotiations ultimately revolve around that, I think.

[6/28/2014 10:42:47 PM] Wynn: Wynn eyes Iskandar.

[6/28/2014 10:43:00 PM] Iskandar: Hoards are important.

[6/28/2014 10:43:07 PM] Val: It's cultural.

[6/28/2014 10:43:24 PM] Val: Like us and knives, Meneluininese and hotdish.

[6/28/2014 10:43:40 PM] Wynn: Just remembering the fit Iskandar threw when he realized he didn't have it anymore.

[6/28/2014 10:44:07 PM] Val: ... some of them go mad when that happens.

[6/28/2014 10:44:10 PM] Iskandar: It's a devastating loss. But it's still there.

[6/28/2014 10:44:12 PM] Wynn: Well. What are Isanyans known for then?

[6/28/2014 10:44:29 PM] Val: Being either desperately poor or embarassingly wealthy.

[6/28/2014 10:45:29 PM] Wynn: Wynn frowns a little but nods. "I'll give you that."

[6/28/2014 10:46:34 PM] Val: ... also, thinking bribery is part of doing business.

[6/28/2014 10:46:53 PM] Val: Corruption, though honestly, I don't think it's *quite* as bad as the reputation anymore.

[6/28/2014 10:47:12 PM] Wynn: Hmm. Never experienced that personally. I have heard terrible stories about corruption though.

[6/28/2014 10:47:49 PM] Val: Generally, the best thing to do is find out what they like and bring a gift.

[6/28/2014 10:50:09 PM] Val: That's mostly business people, though.

[6/28/2014 10:50:12 PM] Val: Not paladins.

[6/28/2014 10:50:25 PM] Wynn: No, I'd think not.

[6/28/2014 10:50:35 PM] Val: Not dragons and not ... agents? Nilani, remind me what you call yourself.

[6/28/2014 10:53:04 PM] Wynn: I'd think dragons would be partial to a gift if their hoards are so important.

[6/28/2014 10:53:25 PM] Val: Usually, I think so.

[6/28/2014 10:53:32 PM] Val: ... they're not good at * giving* gifts, though.

[6/28/2014 10:53:46 PM] Wynn: Selfish?

[6/28/2014 10:53:53 PM] Val: So much so that if they *do* give you something, it's extremely meaningful.

[6/28/2014 10:54:00 PM] Val: ... it's more like obsessive disorder, really.

[6/28/2014 10:54:15 PM] Val: The hoard becomes part of the identity, so giving part of it up is almost painful.

[6/28/2014 10:54:19 PM] Iskandar: There is a dragon in the room.

[6/28/2014 10:54:32 PM] Val: Yes, I'd expect you to correct me if any of this is wrong.

[6/28/2014 10:54:43 PM] Nilani: ...infiltrators?

[6/28/2014 10:56:26 PM] Val: Isn't that what those ... things that attacked Wynn are?

[6/28/2014 10:56:59 PM] Wynn: That's what Nation called it.

[6/28/2014 10:58:49 PM | Edited 10:59:34 PM] Nilani: Yes, but the Church doesn't know that a significant portion of their members apparently share their designation with a type of skeleton-replacing chest-burster.

[6/28/2014 10:59:17 PM] Wynn: Wynn absently rubs her chest/shoulder.

[6/28/2014 10:59:26 PM] Iskandar: Pretty sure it was a word before the Neogi appropriated the name for their monsters.

[6/28/2014 11:00:29 PM] Wynn: ...church?

[6/28/2014 11:01:56 PM] Nilani: You ever hear of the church of Visha and the Triad?

[6/28/2014 11:02:24 PM] Wynn: ....no, I don't think I have.

[6/28/2014 11:05:46 PM] Nilani: It's a pretty nice place, just stay out of the blue wing.

[6/28/2014 11:06:12 PM] Val: Interesting and worrying.

[6/28/2014 11:06:18 PM] Wynn: ...so you're some kind of religious servant?

[6/28/2014 11:07:18 PM] Nilani: Some of us see it that way, but a great deal of us most certainly do not.

[6/28/2014 11:07:34 PM] Wynn: Which are you?

[6/28/2014 11:12:29 PM] Iskandar: Iskandar yawns.

[6/28/2014 11:12:36 PM] Iskandar: Well. I'm off to bed.

[6/28/2014 11:12:40 PM] Wynn: Good night.

[6/28/2014 11:13:04 PM] Iskandar: Iskandar nods and heads out!

[6/28/2014 11:14:16 PM] Nilani: Eh. If one of them would ask, I would help. Otherwise it was just a place to stay and a group to back me up. None of the four asked.

[6/28/2014 11:16:27 PM] Val: Val waves.

[6/28/2014 11:17:39 PM] Wynn: These are gods? Why would you think they would ask? Gods don't usually do such a thing.

[6/28/2014 11:20:51 PM] Val: Depends on the god, really.

[6/28/2014 11:21:49 PM] Nilani: Oh, Visha adores meddling. You'll find out just how much, if you ever visit Sonalin. Also, the Triad aren't strictly gods. They seem to be sort of on the lower end of the demigodhood power scale.

[6/28/2014 11:22:26 PM] Wynn: Hmm.

[6/28/2014 11:24:17 PM | Edited 11:24:49 PM] Nilani: Ytora rarely leaves her library, Tondaran is usually stalking around the red wing, and... nobody's really seen the third one, though the others insist that she's around there somehere.

[6/28/2014 11:24:41 PM] Wynn: Huh.

[6/28/2014 11:25:31 PM] Val: I try to stay away from gods usually. They're not always predictable or safe.

[6/28/2014 11:26:02 PM] Wynn: Depends on the god.

[6/28/2014 11:27:33 PM] Val: True.

[6/28/2014 11:28:28 PM] Wynn: Well... Fred has his charm now... and we know this isn't our plane since it has two suns. I wonder if we shouldn't just have Nation jump again tomorrow.

[6/28/2014 11:31:48 PM] Val: Val nods.

[6/28/2014 11:31:51 PM] Val: Keep looking for home?

[6/28/2014 11:31:59 PM] Wynn: Wynn nods.

[6/28/2014 11:34:15 PM] Wynn: I'm sure you'd like to return.

[6/28/2014 11:35:41 PM] Val: Somewhat, yes.

[6/28/2014 11:36:44 PM] Wynn: Get back to your family and your knify diplomacy.

[6/28/2014 11:36:48 PM] Wynn: Wynn grins slightly.

[6/28/2014 11:37:57 PM] Val: I like it here.

[6/28/2014 11:38:14 PM] Val: My more... onerous duties... are over, and only the interesting ones are left.

[6/28/2014 11:38:33 PM] Wynn: Here? What "onerous" duties?

[6/28/2014 11:39:13 PM] Val: Val shrugs.

[6/28/2014 11:39:15 PM] Val: Long-term stuff.

[6/28/2014 11:39:46 PM] Wynn: Wynn raises an eyebrow. "Deflection? Really?"

[6/28/2014 11:42:03 PM] Val: ... uh, well.

[6/28/2014 11:42:23 PM] Val: Getting engaged, playing host when my parents aren't around, running things.

[6/28/2014 11:42:58 PM] Wynn: I thought you meant duties here. ...wait. You're engaged?

[6/28/2014 11:43:36 PM] Val: No.

[6/28/2014 11:43:38 PM] Val: Which is my point.

[6/28/2014 11:45:02 PM] Wynn: I'm not sure I'm undersanding.

[6/28/2014 11:45:30 PM] Val: If I went back, I'd have to get engaged. Again.

[6/28/2014 11:45:45 PM] Wynn: Because you have been?

[6/28/2014 11:47:07 PM] Val: Sure.

[6/28/2014 11:47:09 PM] Val: Couple of times.

[6/28/2014 11:47:30 PM] Wynn: .......but not married?

[6/28/2014 11:48:11 PM] Val: No! Gods no.

[6/28/2014 11:48:25 PM] Wynn: ...isn't that kind of what happens after engagement?

[6/28/2014 11:48:31 PM] Val: Usually.

[6/28/2014 11:49:11 PM] Wynn: Then what happened?

[6/28/2014 11:51:34 PM] Val: Well, my parents called the first couple of them off.

[6/28/2014 11:51:54 PM] Val: And I ... managed to get out of the last one.

[6/28/2014 11:52:23 PM] Wynn: But there's nobody waiting for you now. ...right?

[6/28/2014 11:55:03 PM] Val: No fiancee, no.

[6/28/2014 11:55:05 PM] Val: Definitely not.

[6/28/2014 11:56:07 PM] Wynn: ....ok.

[6/28/2014 11:56:51 PM] Val: I would have mentioned that.

[6/28/2014 11:56:57 PM] Wynn: Wynn nods.

[6/28/2014 11:57:51 PM] Val: ... these things, they come with the title, you know? Responsibilities you can't ignore.

[6/28/2014 11:58:03 PM] Wynn: So what happens when you get home?

[6/28/2014 11:58:10 PM] Val: I'm not sure.

[6/28/2014 11:58:16 PM] Val: It depends on what happened in the meanwhile.

[6/28/2014 11:59:11 PM] Wynn: You know I wouldn't ever stand between you and your duty, right? Even if you wanted me to.

[6/28/2014 11:59:42 PM] Val: There's *always* an alternative to *that* kind of duty.

[12:01:42 AM] Val: There is. Really. If I didn't think that I'd be married.

[12:02:05 AM] Wynn: I'll take your word for it.

[12:02:37 AM] Val: ... people should be so much more than marriage-bait. Pieces on a chessboard.

[12:03:07 AM] Wynn: Political motivations, I assume?

[12:03:15 AM] Val: Yeah.

[12:04:51 AM] Wynn: Wynn shrugs. "Not sure what else there is to say about it then."

[12:06:30 AM] Val: ... not much. But *I've* never gotten engaged. ... dated some, but not very much.

[12:06:46 AM] Wynn: You mean without being forced into it.

[12:07:21 AM] Val: Val nods.

[12:09:02 AM] Val: I was always busy.

[12:09:05 AM] Val: Always work to do.

[12:09:36 AM | Edited 12:09:38 AM] Wynn: I get that.

[12:10:40 AM] Val: Managing the estates, if nothing else.

[12:12:13 AM] Wynn: I guess half-elves are a little different, but aren't you a little young to be handling all that?

[12:12:37 AM] Val: Well, as the official heir I can do a lot of things that only my parents can do besides me.

[12:13:27 AM] Wynn: Who's next in line?

[12:14:55 AM] Val: My cousin, Elizende. She's not very interested.

[12:15:19 AM] Wynn: Are you?

[12:15:37 AM] Val: What?

[12:15:44 AM | Edited 12:15:47 AM] Wynn: Interested.

[12:16:34 AM] Val: ... well, I have to be, don't I?

[12:16:54 AM] Wynn: Wynn smiles a little. "I suppose so."

[12:18:29 AM] Val: It never really was a question I could ask.

[12:18:37 AM] Wynn: Wynn nods.

[12:18:44 AM] Val: I'm the only child.

[12:23:56 AM] Val: It's just... expected. It's what you do.

[12:24:12 AM] Wynn: I understand.

[12:25:33 AM] Wynn: Can I admit that I'm glad I didn't have to end this before it really started?

[12:26:07 AM] Wynn: I'll try not to skip ahead to the end and what will inevitably happen when you return home.

[12:26:43 AM] Val: We don't know what will happen when I get home.

[12:27:05 AM] Wynn: Sure we do. You'll have to go be the heir.

[12:27:22 AM] Val: That can mean any number of things, though.

[12:28:34 AM] Val: We have land in a lot of places, and we're always trying to acquire more.

[12:30:13 AM] Val: I don't need to be tied to a particular location, in other words.

[12:30:39 AM] Wynn: ...I see.

[12:31:17 AM] Wynn: Well... first we need to find a cure for the curse and find home.... and then if this is still working, we can worry about it then.

[12:32:50 AM] Val: Val nods.

[12:32:57 AM] Val: My parents spend a lot of time at the lake house anyway.

[12:38:36 AM] Wynn: Did you see them much?

[12:39:57 AM] Val: Fair amount, fair amount.

[12:42:14 AM] Wynn: Wynn stretches a bit. "It's getting late. I should probably get some rest."

[12:46:47 AM] Val: Val nods.

[12:46:51 AM] Val: ... me too, probably.

[12:46:56 AM] Val: Val stands up.

[12:47:14 AM] Wynn: Wynn stands, considers him for a moment, then leans over and kisses him!

[12:47:24 AM] Wynn: Wynn smiles. “Good night, Valerian.”

[12:49:26 AM] Val: Val kisses her back, and also smiles.

[12:49:29 AM] Val: Goodnight, Wynn.

[12:49:36 AM] Wynn: Wynn takes her shield and goes to bed.