Willen leaves, following Lou.

Willen, Raja arrive, following Lou.

Willen have been dismissed.

(OOC)The scene set/room mood is now set to:

The room is set up for dinner, with tables arranged for optimum seating. For appetizers there is choice between stuffed olives or lobster bisque. Dinner is a choice between fresh braised lamb with red wine and prunes or seared scallops, with a choice of red potatoes or summer vegetables. Raspberry chocolate cups or creme brulee are the options for dessert.
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(OOC)The scene set/room mood is now set to:

The room is set up for dinner, with tables arranged for optimum seating. For appetizers there is choice between stuffed olives or lobster bisque. Dinner is a choice between fresh braised lamb with red wine and prunes or seared scallops, with a choice of red potatoes or summer vegetables. Raspberry chocolate cups or creme brulee are the options for dessert.


Seated at the table already is none other than Lou Grayson, both Voice of House Grayson and Pathfinder to the Society of Explorers. She's casually casually seated, sipping at a glass of whiskey, as she waits for guests to arrive to dinner.

Mabelle booms as she enters, "Oooo Raspberries", that's one way to greet people as she steps toward the table. Then she realizes she has manners and halts, smiling, "Good afternoon", s radiating smile is on her facr as she steps inside, hugging her fur shawl.

Winter, A Highhill Puppy, Angeline arrive, following Kiera.

Among the guests is a rather unusual face in the Mansion. Raja Culler arrives, her gaze looking up and around at the beautiful architecture, furniture, art, and whatever other beautiful things are held within the home. No, she did not get lost finding the dining room. That is what the house servants were for! Guiding lost souls like Raja. At least she has dressed up in her finer clothes. She even put on perfume! Still, she seems a fish out of water. Regardless, she walks into the dining hall and finds a seat.

Bonnie arrives and bows respectfully to the hostess. "Thank you for the invitation, Pathfinder." she's even bothered to wear a dress. Albeit a cozy warm dress more than fashionable but it is progress! "Lady Mabelle, Mistress Raja." She finds her way to a seat and slides into it.

Kiera enters the hall, having totally got lost on her way to the dining room. it has been many months since she has had time or cause to grace the mansion , but she has long regarded the pathfinder as a source of news for the realm and so here she is searching out a seat

Lou gives Mabelle a bit of an amused look when she mention the raspberries. "Yes. House Grayson imports many things from the southern territories so we can have fresh fruits for out desserts," she confides in Mabelle. They are certainly wealthy enough to do just that. "How are you Lady Mabelle?" she asks as she notices both Bonnie and Raja entering the dining room. "Lady Bonnie!" she greets the Shepard woman warmly, having once saved her from a band of pirates. She glances curiously over at Raja and inclines her head to the mostly unfamiliar to her woman. "Raja right? You helped with Bastion?" she asks, testing the waters on her meomry.

Bonnie is overheard praising Lou.

Mabelle flashes warm and sheepish smiles everywhere once she has her hands, literally, on that chocolate dessert, "Thank you for the invitation, Lou", she knows better than to address her as Princess or Highness, "I am currently preoccupied with accounts of the rebuilding of Artshall, but I look forward to assisting again with whatever you need. I pray my patron has been keeping well. Please tell her she has been missed". Her eyes land upon Raja , Bonnie and Kiera who all get a smiley greeting and a wiggle of her fingers, "Lady Bonnie, Lady Kiera, Raja!, pleasure to see you all!".

Bonnie's dark eyes shift towards Raja and eyebrow inch upwards a hair "I wasn't there but I heard stories." she bows her head "Everyone knows it's not a party until Lady Mabelle gets here." she teases gently. Kiera gives a polite nod though there doesn't seem to be recognition.

Raja glances towards Lou and a smile is offered. "Yes. Got captured by the mercs at the Western Gate. Bribed my way out. Then created a distraction. Though, you may have recognized me as the one that learned how to fly when a gargantuan's foot met my face." Humor! Raja has it today. She dips her head politely to Lou, "Your father still owes me a ballistae." There is a smirk there and by her tone, she is not truly expecting a ballistae.

Lou gives Mabelle a consoling look, given what House Grayson has been through with Bastion. "I can't imagine having to rebuild a city from scratch. I know the Explorers helped find salvage when Stormwall was burnd down, but... Artshall..." Lou's expression looks haunted a moment as she shakes her head. "I cannot get the vision of what happened there out of my head; two dragons burning everything to the ground was quite a frightening thing to see and experience, even if they were allies." She feels safe enough in present company to recall those details. "Were you able to salvage anything of the foundations?" she wonders. She grins a touch at Bonnie's comment toward Mabelle then looks back to Raja and winces when she recounts being hit by a gargantuan. "I remember Lord Ian recounting his own experience with the Gargantuan there, getting stepped on. I can only imagine how long your recovery was in the hospital afterwards." Then Lou is taken back a bit. "My father owes you a ballistae....?!" She blinks several times at the Culler woman.

Kiera returns Bonnie's nod and Mabelle's greeting "and you as well Lady Mabelle, I do hope the rebuilding of Artshall is going well. I thank you for hosting us Pathfinder. It's been some time since I've seen you"

Mabelle flashes a grin at Bonnie, "Is this a party? I heard its a dinner and then I saw chocolate and lost my wits", she winks to her and then winces at Raja, quite similarly as Lou does, recalling that awful beast. "None remained actually, its... alll ash but we have reason to believe the dragon fire at least left the soil more enriched so perhaps... some boon will come from this tragedy but... no, nothing. I am quite at wits end thinking of where to start. Likely the Castle and the Art District will -not- take precedence to people's actual homes." She bows her head to Kiera, "I will likely hold some sort of auction soon and try to raise funds".

Bonnie peers at Raja "What did you have on your person to bribe them with and I couldn't tell your face has been punted at all-I'm very impressed!" She sobers some and assures Lou "I've promised Lady Mabelle that when it comes time to actual rebuilding that Valiant Effort will be on hand to assist."

Raja reaches out for her glass of wine and takes a nice sniff of it's aroma. You're supposed to do that, right? "Dragons?" She blinks at Lou and then at Mabelle. A very clear look of curiosity comes over her. "I have never seen a dragon. What does it look like?" Looking to Bonnie, "Good ol' fashioned silver! I had a pouch full of it in my back pocket. I figure the whole pouch was worth not dying." She smirks. "I think that silver-haired woman is living a high life right now. Last I saw my captor, she was running away from the Western Gates with pouch in hand." She then looks back to Lou, "After the gates were reclaimed, some of the ballistae were salvaged. I climbed atop one and asked if I could keep it. He said yes. Unfortunately.. I had no way of transporting it back home." She eyeshifts. "But, not even sure what my family would do with one. We could put it in the living room and hang towels on it or something."

"Maybe I'll be finished more work on the statue outside to memorialize those who fell in Bastion to have time to contribute something small to the auction." Lou at least hopes she'll be able to do that, but her expression suggests she's not sure. "I expect that will also depend on when the Explorers have finished scouting where the Arbres tribe disappeared from in the northwest Crownlands too," she adds, just to make sure Mabelle understands it might not happen, even if she hopes she can make a piece for the auction. She inclines her head in Kiera's direction. "Lady Kiera, always lovely to see you." There's a pause. "This reminds me, House Grayson will be doing some training drills and readiness preparation for when we might encounter the Traitor's forces again. As before, anyone is welcome to join in on that. The troops will be going into the woods to do it, since I expect most of his forces will be out in the wilderness when we encounter them."

Lou adds in aside to Raja, "Like you want to run away from it, very, very fast." She's dead serious.

Mabelle flashes Bonnie a grateful smile for her contribution, inclining her head to Lou as well for her contribution, "I'm sure many will wish to contribute and if not, I've enough art to sell, and diamonds, and other things", she grins, bittersweetly. Her eyes then land on Raja and she contemplates, "Well a dragon looks like a ... ", she starts flapping her arms, "A dragon. Its... big and fat and has wings and lots of teeth and a tail that can bring down a boat. Or a ship, or a tower".

Mabelle asks Lou, "Anything you can use a healer diplomat for, let me know. I also throw a mean honey jar".

Raja glances to Lou, then Mabelle, "I.. I never want to be in the vicinity of a dragon." She says this a little nervously. "So, you want to go after this jerk enslaving people? Or at least after his forces?" Raja's gaze focuses on Lou, "I know a few Liberators that would jump at the opportunity." She looks to her lobster bisque and is quite unsure about it. A single taste is taken and her eyes drift closed in pure delight.

Bonnie has fallen silent but her dark eyes follow the conversation bouncing from one person to the next suggesting she is very interested in the conversation but uncharacteristically doesn't have anything to add to it.

Kiera hm "I think I am more suited to helping with the explorers and such, though if you need anything tracked, investigated or negotiated I would be happy to lend a hand.. I have never seen a dragon despite my family's apparent history with them, though i am not at all certain i would want my first encounter with one to be in souch a frightening circumstance

Mabelle admits, "They are interesting, but indeed frightening. Especially when they burn your house down". She looks at Lou, "Any news with regards to those sinkholes that are also plaguing the Cloudspine? I was wondering if they are trying to find something there or use it as means of invasion like that mage that came from under the Cairn to steal the black diamond".

"I know that if our scouting pays off, that Liara intends to mobilize the army to go after them for sure." Lou replies easily enough to Raja, furrowing her brow. "I don't think she'd turn help away if help is offered." That is their plan at least. She furrows her brow in Mabelle's direction. "There's a Grayson exploration party that's gone missing in the Crownlands, we're sending a team to go find them. They might very well need a healer, if you are willing to help with that?" she asks, her look extending to Kiera when she says she'd help with exploration things. "I'd have much rather my encounter remained mostly in books. At lease these dragons were allies, even if it sounds like burning down a city made them bad. They were killing all the hundreds of multiplying giant praying mantisis that were popping up everywhere. So, really, they did all of Arvum a favor." She glances back to Mabelle and shakes her head, "Not as yet, no. Lord Malcolm is investigating the sink holes."

Bonnie ahhhs "He told me he was tending to matters back home but he neglected to say what those matters were. If he stumbles into a burrow and gets himself eaten by something I'm going to be put out." she declares.

Mabelle inclines her head, "The taint was avoided and that was important. And of course, I will help in any capacity I can. We are still looking to find answers as to why they hit Artshall in the first place and who was that duke of wasps. I look forward to hearing if those sink holes do have some correlation as I think it is. But goodness I hope it does not".

Mabelle fades into the background, likely eating the entire dessert table.

Raja says nothing more about dragons. Though, she does seem to be listening very intently when they are being spoken about. It would seem she is enjoying her bisque a bit more than most people would though. Each bite is positively savored. "I am down to help in whatever way a roguish lowers woman can help. I don't mind stabbing a slaver or two or picking the locks of captured slaves. I am a Liberator and I live for that."

Bonnie looks up suddenly with rapt interest "Picking locks? If there's locks to be picked you want me to tag along.That said even if there's not if there's room for another rogue do let me know." She flashes a winning smile. She bows her head as Mabelle excuses herself and then turns "Hi Lady Kiera, forgive me if we've met and I have forgotten. I'm lady Bonnie shepherd. Pleased to meet you."

Lou glances back to Bonnie. "A good number of us will be put out," she assures the Shephard woman. "We rather like the Duke to stay in one piece, and alive." The princess who has seen far too much death with the fall of Bastion cannot seem to emphasize the ALIVE part enough. She looks to Kiera. "Can I count on your help with finding the missing explorers?" she wants to make sure Kiera is happy with helping with that for sure. She swings her attention back to Raja. "Well, there are also reports of bandits causing trouble, if you think that is more your wheelhouse to help with?" she asks the Culler woman, "Rather than joining with the training exercises or helping with the missing explorers. Though we welcome help with it all."

Kiera hms "I would speak to Marqus Cahal Lyonesse or gaspard blackram about the sinkholes. They have a theory and Lord gaspard and inquisitor Briseis planned to mount a more thorough investigation" she says to Bonnie "It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I would be quite pleased to look for your missing explorers pathfinder. The list oossible troubles that could have befallem at present is not a small one

Raja has fallen quiet now, simply enjoying her meal. Though her gaze moves back and forth between those present.

Bonnie pushes her plate away and turns her attention to her wine, once more falling into the habit of listening though she gives Lou a lift of eyebrows and her best innocent look which in spite of her best efforts is INCREDIBLY suspicious.

"Let's hope that the team has not met the same fate as many of Norman Greyridge the Explorer's teams usually met," Lou confides her hope in Kiera. For the others she explain, Norman the Explorer usually went with a full team into sites he wanted to explore and came out the only survivor. Although, he did find amazing places to explore, and he even met the dwarves!" Lou blurts out, before adding, "As have I. They recounted how he was a hero to them all, when I helped rescue a small family of five trapped by Lagoma's Reflection in a cave in the Everwinter. They had been stuck in that cave for 800 years, unable to move or do anything at all. Can you imagine?!" THere does not seem to be any exaggeration in Lou's gestures or tone of voice in this particular instance. She's quite, quite serious.

Raja cants her head at the mention of Dwarves. "What are the dwarves like?" She inquires. "I have met a few elves and only one that I suspect is a dwarf."

Kiera hms "I cannot say i have met dwarves suspected or otherwise, though i have seen quite a few things since coming to arx that i could scarce have imagined otherwise. not as many as some but enough that i count nthing immediately out of hand anymore

"Pretty stocky, and only slightly shorter than averaged size?" Lou recounts as she regards Raja. "If they were purely dwarf, you could tell. But if not, it might be harder to pick out. The ones we met only spoke broken, old Arvani. I was just grateful we could convey thoughts and ideas enough to communicate since they were stuck in time for 800 years. I'd love to learn their language some day," she adds as a side thought as she takes a few bites of her own food before settling back in her chair. She glances curiously to Kiera. "What sorts of people or things have you seen?" she can't help the explorer part of her, always curious about new things.

Bonnie peers, "I've never even heard of dwarves but that's hardly a surprise. Malcolm's the one that reads." She studies Lou "How many languages do you already speak?"

Kiera hms "Well there was a horrifying vision concerning our enemies that was my first encounter with anything out of the norm , but the most interesting I should think is my encounter with a talking racoon offering to share knowledge. it has been suggested that it could be a spirit or a sending from petrichor, even after several encounters i'm still not certain, nor am I certain he can be trusted. Quite odd"

Raja ooos at Kiera's story. It is obvious that Raja has a bit of a thirst for new knowledge of new things and people. "You know, I find that to be true of all the odd events happening around our city and in lands across Arvum. Some things are 'good' or 'less bad' and it is hard to know what you can fully trust."

Bonnie receives an messenger discretely and reads it by opening in her lap. There's muttered cusses under her breath as she rises, bowing to Lou then the others "Forgive me pathfinder, mistress, Lady. It seems a matter has arisen that requires my direct attention."

"The raccoob could also just be a member of the Knightly Order of Fluffy Buttoms." Lou is dead serious when she says to Kiera. "Many of them helped us during the excursions the Traitor took to try to take down the Lodge of Petrichor. My own group was lead by a Knightly Stoat." Oh yeah, she's definitely seriously talking about animals leading missions here.

Raja looks to Lou, "The what?"

Kiera blinks "The order of..."

Raja sniffs her drink. What do they serve at these dinners?!

"The Knightly Order of the Fluffy Bottom is an organization of animals who are perhaps touched by a bit of primum enough to be able to communicate to a select few individuals if the Compact as if you and I were talking to one another." Lou says in a pretty deadpan voice. "Dame Leona's mountain lion, for instance, was a member of the Order. No one in our group could communicate by speech to the stoat, but we got along well enough with it's little hand signals, and you could prety much understand his frustrated facial expressions when we weren't getting something he wanted to communicate," Lou says with a touch of amusement. "They're a bit more intelligent than normal animals too."

Kiera hms "come to think I did here tale of deceitful fluffy minons serving a certain fractal"

Raja glances to Kiera, "I think I heard something sometime about birds and rabbits being evil. But, I generally don't mess with critters. As far fetched as this thing is, I have seen far too many weird things in my life to outright deny this story regardless of how far fetched it seems." She finishes her supper. Every. Last. Bite. She rests her hand on her belly and looks to the desert set before her. She may have to wait a few moments before proceeding.

"Smaller demons often take on the form of rabbits. They act as spies. There was that 'rabbit pandemic' some several years back where people were actually killing those demons, disguised as rabbits." Lou nods in agreement with Kiera. "They were deployed to get information on the magical creatures that were being hidden at the Lodge of Petrichor. Those creatures were why the Traitor attacked it, so he could steal them away and siphon off the magic they had to bolster his own." Which draws a dark look on Lou's face when she recounts that business.

"Smaller demons often take on the form of rabbits. They act as spies. There was that 'rabbit pandemic' some several years back where people were actually killing those demons, disguised as rabbits." Lou nods in agreement with Kiera. "They were deployed to get information on the magical creatures that were being hidden at the Lodge of Petrichor. Those creatures were why the Traitor attacked it, so he could steal them away and siphon off the magic they had to bolster his own." Which draws a dark look on Lou's face when she recounts that business. (repose)

Raja furrows her brows. "Ooof. That's terrible. I think I remember something about that, though I think I was dealing with a bunch of other problems at the time. I even heard something about a unicorn there or something! Which at the time, I thought people were sniffing too much dust." She shakes her head. "You know, it really makes me wonder how the Compact has actually survived all these years being so ignorant."

Kiera hms "Apparently, they delivered a message to my cousin sorrel once. Well apparently gathering primium is still of importance to the traitor, though he seems to have several facets to the plan i'm unclear if he's searching for specific items because they posess particularly high amounts of primium or other reasons

"It survived because people like Laric kept digging into mysteries to try and solve them. But we've only just barely survived each and every time we've fought something off." Lou remarks calmly and casually. "The Traitor is back. He's seeking out primum once more. That's how Dame Felicia was killed. His forces, Calyana specifically, were reaping villagers so he could drain those who were born with magical energy to bolster his own magic, much like he's using his damnable bugs to eat the hell out of Whitepeak's last remaining bit of magic." Lou is clearly angry about the latter issue. "Whitepeak was the city that Platinum built with the rest of the Metallic order and mages all over /the world/ to work in collaboration to design new magical items that could be used, like singing fountains, and rocks that can glow with enough sunlight they can light up a whole room, flying magical griffons, and a whole slew of other things."

While Lou is talking, she pulls her backpack up from the floor and reaches inside of it. She pulls out a small brass statue of a sleeping griffon. Its wings are made and shaped from many different colored bits of brass and there is a keyhole with a key in its back. "Things like this, which I found in Whitepeak." She twists the key, sets it down in the, and the brass griffon stretches, yawns, and then takes off in flight. It circles in the air once, twice, three times, before it lands safely back on the table, stretches, then curls back up to go back to sleep.

Kiera hms "I know several who still suffer due to events at Whitepeak. The fight with the traitor is far from down. I've been waiting nearly five years now for him to make good on threatd made in that damned vision but i'm afraid i have to go for now

Raja goes a little wide eyed. Her gaze looks suspiciously at her wine once more, but then back to the griffon snoozing on the table. "You know, Prism has a little brass bird. She reads it stories even!" She smiles faintly. "I thought it was so sweet." She watches as Kiera goes. "This dinner has been very nice. Thank you for allowing me a place at your table."

Lou watches Raja's reaction, a small smile tugging at the sides of her lips. "My hope, one day, is to restore Whitepeak. Sometime. Even though he's destroying the city." It meant a great deal to Lou to discover the city. She takes the griffon and very carefully puts it back into its special place in her backpack, so she's never far from it. 'Thank you for coming to dinner," she says sincerely in reply then notices the time. 'I should be going myself. Do feel free to stay and linger as long as you'd like." She motions toward the food when she says that.