Ian is standing in front of the statue of Silver, studying it with a pensive expression, searching the stone features like he's looking for something there, something that he isn't finding.

Rays of sunshine are amply found, it's a summer morning in Arvum. Vitalis arrives backlit by one such beam disturbed by the wings of his absurdly colorful bird who flies ahead of him AWKing loudly. "Kennex," Vitalis says, when in hailing distance, sidling up to Ian to study the statue alongside him.

Jan arrives carrying a rucksack. Sunkissed cheeks flushed from what apparently was a jog the whole way here. "Hello cousin! Hello Lord Vitalis!" She closes the distance and then drops her rucksack which is apparently full of armor. Her eyes widen a bit as the resulting clang echos back at her as if the hallowed halls themselves rebuke her for her loud arrival "Whoops."

2 Saik Guard, Micana, an efficient assistant arrive, following Lucita.

Ian turns away from the statue of Silver, towards Vitalis and Jan as they come in. "I'm told the statue doesn't look like her," he comments, his tone briefly distracted, like he's giving voice to the tail end of whatever thoughts he was lost in rather than actually greeting his family. "I guess that's to be expected. She probably died a long time before the sculpture was made, and nobody would have believed the elven features were real if they'd been done properly."

Lucita peers into the Hall of Heroes and on spotting a gathering of her friends and acquaintances and allies smiles and ambles in to join them. She stays quiet at the moment, picking up on the flow of conversations or observations.

"Another Kennex." Gray eyes skate up to Jan, a smile there, "A new rucksack, I see." He turns attention back to the statue and purses his lips critically, studying it some more. "They could have rendered her in a hood." He notes the quiet entry of Lucita and gestures her nearer. "Come, Baroness. We're discussing Silver's likeness to her rendering. Lord Kennex says he's heard it was found wanting."

Titania comes walking into the Hall of Heroes looking around, her ocean blue eyes seeing who has gathered. Dressed in her leathers with her sword at her side she nods to those here, "Cousin's, Lord Vitalis." she smiles. "It has been a while." she turns to look over spotting Lucita and smiles, "Baroness." she greets her.

People attract people. It's as good a reason as any for Sen's arrival, quiet and narrow-eyed as it is. It's as good a reason as any for why she doesn't exactly close with the rest of the gathering either - not yet, anyway - though she's certainly close enough to overhear normal chatter. *Her* attention, it seems, is for Copper's statue, though her expression, what little can be read, is a little ambivalent as to whether the study is thoughtful or vaguely suspicious.

Jan looks up and smiles, flinging her arms open for Titania "Oooo, bold choice in the summer, I'd ruining that outfit with my boob and cheeksweat. You look amazing, of course." and knowing Jan she wasn't talking about the cheeks everyone can see." After hugging Titania she turns to look to Ian "Who?" She oooh's "Wait, silver?"

Lucita's smile warms and widens as she acknowledges the lords and ladies one by one. "It is hard to tell, Lords Vitalis and Ian. If you give several artists the same person to paint, each rendering.. painting or statue, may look like different persons to a viewer of the art.

It's Vitalis responding to his comment that seems to bring Ian crashing back to the here and now, hard enough that it leaves his giving his head a quick, sharp shake and blinking a couple of times. This allows him to take note of the others who come in. He nods to Titania first, and then gives Lucita a flicker of a smile and something resembling an actual greeting: "Baroness Saik." He's definitely seen Sen, as well, but doesn't impose on her privacy. "Uh, yeah. Silver. I guess maybe there are portraits of her at the Undying Empire or something? One of the emissaries was pretty pissed off about the statue." His gaze tracks to Sen, again, and, after a clearing of his throat, he adds, still to Jan: "You've told me a couple of times you wanted to know more about the Venandi. This, uh..." Another glance at Sen. "This might be a good time to talk that through. The Hall of Heroes is probably the right place for that conversation."

Titania finds herself standing in front of the statue of Cobalt and then looking to Pena, her head titling to the side looking them over. She blinks hearing Ian's voice and so she looks over to her cousin as he starts to talk, her arms moving to cross over her chest as she listens.

"Countess Fireviper," Vitalis inclines his head, a hand folding over his belly. He straightens, eyes slipping past Titania's shoulder to where Sen'azala lurks at the fringes of the gathering. He gives her a quick study, since she's not approached, and then stills at mention of the Venandi. His brows lift, interested, and his eyes follow Ian's to Sen'azala, tonguing his teeth and making space for those as choose to join closer. "I think we did well to remember her at all, given the circumstances. But yes, Baroness. Though I don't think it was any failing in skill of the artist. A piece of its time."

Sen cannot possibly fail to overhear Ian, and it's entirely likely she notices the repeated glances as well, though it would have to be peripheral, as she's largely turned away. There's no change to her, however, unless one counts a very slight, very brief twitch around her nose.

Jan's eyebrows loft "Wow. Can you imagine being the artist who slaved and lovingly crafted it and then when it's revealed your hours of toil and the absolute best of your skill is seen as a fucking insult." She grimaces "Gods, I am glad I have an easy job." says the woman who could be buried by a bad day at the 'office'. She spies Lucita and her features brighten "Baroness! It's always a treat to see you." Vitalis is given a sharp but only SLIGHTLY stabby look when he greets Titania.

Jan doesn't notice Sen'azala until Ian's gaze calls out the other woman. Jan turns and her gaze bounces between Ian and Sen'azala briefly before settling on Ian "One of many subjects I've asked about, yes. I have been hesitant to ask because apparently..ah. The topic touches on bits of...trouble...which are apparently still relevant today?"

Ian's nerves about performing before an audience, as it were, are plain to see. He pushes a hand through his hair and takes a moment to sort out his thoughts, but even then he's stumbling over his words more than is his custom. "Still relevant, yes," he says after a moment. "Yes, you could say that. I'm not sure there are many people who have as much cause to hate the Traitor. Their roots go pretty far back, though, or at least that's what the stories say. Back to the, uh..." Once again, he finds himself looking back at Sen. "Hey, tell me to shut up if I fuck this up too badly, alright? I barely have any idea what I'm talking about."

Lucita says, "She was remarkable, an inspiration to others." She says this of Silver then upon noticing Sen'azala's arrival she casts a warm smile her direction. She hears Jan's comment and shakes her head a little bit. "An understatement, Lady Jan." She then goes quiet to listen to Ian."

Titania smiles as she puts a hand on Jan's arm, "Its okay Cousin." she looks to Vitalis, "It is okay Lord Vitalis, please Lady Kennex is just fine." she smiles and then looks to Sen'ezala then back to Ian as she listens.

Sen finally tips her head slightly toward Ian, not exactly looking at him but no longer pretending to ignore what he's saying. "Well, you'd have a whole lot of company there. I can say things if you want, but I haven't exactly got a prepared lecture."

Ian shakes his head to Sen, willing to apologize in advance, apparently, but not actually willing to drag her away from whatever she's doing, at least not yet. Not as long as he hasn't messed up too badly. "I've got it. Or, uh. Probably. I've probably got it." He looks back to the others, mostly to Jan and Titania, the other two Kennex in the room who have the most reason to be asking questions about the House's new allies. "So they're supposed to go way back, back before the Reckoning. The story is that they came from nefer'khat, and they're supposed to be descended from the... like the archetypical wolf? THE wolf? Something like that."

Jan frowns gently and lifts an eyebrow at Ian and then suggests mildly to Sen'azala "Respectfully." with the air of someone who knows she will hear about interjecting later. A hand lifts and pats the top of Titania's hand and mouths to her cousin 'ours' before her slate gaze goes to Senazala "I am not qualified to grade a lecture from either of you, for what it is worth. If you feel the tales are improperly told by others I would be curious to know at the least what point or tale you feel is most important to be told right?"

Vitalis cocks his head at Jan's stabby look, had he misstepped commenting on her ruck? Hmm. His brows loft and lower at Titania's correction, questions tumbling clearly behind his eyes, though they are pushed off to percolate in the back of his mind. "My mistake. A trio of Kennexes, then." He smiles at Lucita, wondering quietly, "Is there a collective noun for such a grouping?" And then, to Sen'azala and back to Ian, straightening. His chin tucks, "You do seem to manage, Ian."

"Wolf," Sen provides still looking at Copper's statue rather than the gathering, and she says it as though one can hear a capital letter. "The First Wolf. A primal spirit, from which all wolves descend, literally or figuratively...with spirits that may as well be the same. She's the Primordia of Dhiib'andzi." Those are all certainly...words. She does finally slant a glance toward Jan. "If you were giving your family history, what do you think's the most important thing to be told right?"

Lucita thinks a moments then signals Micana to step closer. She takes a packet of papers from Micana and starts to review some of the notes. "Ahh, I can give copies of this information or any I have with others."

Titania nods her head to Vitalis in a smile then her eyes fall onto Sen'azala, she lets her cousin answer the question when she looks back to Vitalis, "We roam in a pack, where one is to be the others are sure to show." she grins at him, its true ask around! She looks back to Ian.

Jan blinks and her eyebrows loft "Primal Spirit? It sounds quite impressive. When asked about Kennex she grimaces and there's a flicker of guilt "I am not qualified to make that choice, Prima. I abandoned my family when I was young and honestly have not given much thought to the thought to the wishes of the Kennexes that came before me. So if someone asks me...I suppose I'd just implore them to not judge the house by my example." she flashes Titania a grin "That's a habit not wisdom to pass down."

Lucita says, "I do not know what the most important thing to be told right... except maybe truth, be it good or bad. Bad things swept aside and ignored have a habit of showing up at the worst of times, better to accept it and do better or make restitution." Her voice trails off."

Titania looks to Sen'azala, "If I was wanting someone to know my house and family I would start from the start of it all to build the foundation of my house so that others could understand who we are." she looks to Jan, "I was letting Lord Vitalis know what to call a group of Kennex." she winks and then looks back around at the group.

Ian turns his attention to Jan and Sen, without interrupting. He does offer to Vitalis: "Maybe a draught? A draught of Kennex?"

Jan flashes Ian a crooked grin "How do you do that. Like an after-thought but you got it perfectly. A Draught of Kennex is perfect."

Lucita drifts over toward a seat from which she can easily listen to the flow of conversation and see each person there. She stays quiet for the moment.

Carissa, a Southport bodyguard, Planchet the Lycene maggiordome arrive, following Eirene.

Sen'azala's eyes narrow a little further at Titania's words, considering, and then she turns fully to face the rest, back to the Copper statue. Her arms fold lightly over her chest. "If I tell you who Wolf is, then I tell you who the Venandi are, then I tell you what's most important to know about them at this moment in history. It's not a long story," she ticks a glance toward Ian. "If you haven't heard it."

"A draught of Kennexes it is." Vitalis laughs, eyes lifting to follow the fluttering path of his bird as it alights anew where pigeons aren't. He nods at Titania saying 'the beginning' is a good place to start. And at Lucita's exhortation for truth. "How is one a figurative wolf?" He poses the question to the air, but turns attentively back to Ian.

Ian angles his head slightly, and then decides, in his comment to Sen: "Even if I have, I haven't heard you tell it. Seems like who tells the story matters as much as the story itself, at least most of the time." Says the guy who just called Wolf 'the archetype of wolves or something like that'. He's standing near the statue of Silver, but facing away from it, towards the others in the room.

Eirene grunts a greeting as she walks in, wearing her leathers despite the summer heat. She's a southerner so perhaps she's used to it. The older woman eyes the crowd of familiar faces and lifts her chin in an accompanied gesture. "Having another gloom and doom briefing on how we're all fucked, Ian?" She gives a wry smile.

Lucita waves one hand discretely toward Eirene though she is staying quiet to listen to Sen tell the story.

Jan looks to Vitalis and tilts her head "How is anything figurative?" Her gaze flits to Eirene who is given a wave before her gaze returns to Sen'azala, curious.

Titania watches Sen'azala her ocean blue eye watching the woman, she knows very little about any of this. So she tightens her arms around her chest just a bit more she falls silent and listens.

Sen takes a moment, silent. She looks distant. Then she brings her hands together in front of her, fingetips lightly touching. "A long, long time ago," she starts, "before humans, before elves, before the gods that created them, before time as we understand it existed, there was Destiny, who ruled the paths of the First Children. The First Children are, and were, the dragons, the sirens, and the primal spirits, creatures like Wolf, and Mountain, and Fire. All had their place. They were only themselves and could be nothing else. Walk only this way. Speak only that way. Do only this thing. The sirens sang Destiny's song, which was one future, forever, unchanging."

Sen'azala says, "The sky was empty, because all the stars were here."

Eirene gives a faint smile on the mention of sirens. It's a distant smile, her thoughts far-away from the here and now. Sadness, longing, regret. She shakes it off and nods to Sen. Familiar with this much of the story at least.

Ian lifts his chin in greeting to Eirene, but doesn't interrupt Sen to say anything to her just at the moment.

Vitalis likewise falls silent to listen, to Sen'azala, rather than Ian. He's surprised she's opted to speak, registered in a slight widening of his eyes as she does before he ducks his head, eyes down to listen and send his mind back to that distant time before. He blinks, looking up briefly at Sen, and to the sky he can't see and stars that aren't visible for the light of the sun. He'd not considered what the sky would've looked like then.

Jan's granite gaze rests on Sen'azala attentively. Here and there her head tilts, or her brow furrows as she listens and curiosity bubbles up but she remains uncharacteristically silent and respectful whilst she listens.

Titania breath in and out when she hears mention of the sirens, she looks down for a moment then look back up tilting her head to her cousins as she listens.

"The Dreamer," Sen says, and here she's a little uncertain, as if feeling the words out, "Aion, was uneasy. Uncertain. What's a dream that's always the same? What's a story where nothing changes? Each of the First Children were asked a question: are you happy with this? Is this enough? Do you want to sing Destiny's song? Each of the First Children were afraid to answer. Then she asked Wolf, and Wolf said this: 'No'. She would sing her own song. She would go her own way. This was the First Choice. This was Skald. Destiny and Choice cannot exist together, and by being born, Skald killed Destiny. The First Choice shattered the dream into a thousand futures, each shifting, none certain, ever changable. The sirens went *mad*. The dragons flew free. The Primal Spirits could go their own way. From Destiny's death, Death was born, and what followed were concepts that could not truly exist without choice. These were the gods, and with the gods came their reflections. Freedom cannot exist without the concept of slavery. Change cannot be without the concept of Stasis."

Lucita continues to listen to Sen, nodding as her expression shows her full attention is resting on the story teller.

Ian's mouth twitches around the corners; it's not a smile, bit it nods in that general direction. Smile-adjacent. "I definitely wouldn't have told this story as well."

Eirene looks at the ceiling as if looking to the skies outside, much as Vitalis had. She doesn't interrupt the narrative but mutters something to herself about the moon.

It's a boggling thing to think of all the chaos that flowed from that day to this. And equally boggling to consider the alternative. Vitalis quirks a smile at Ian for his comment and then, lapses into stillness again.

Jan's eyebrows loft and she oh's "Lord Pasquale told me a tale about humans being made with spare parts? Something to do with Destiny, apparently? Curious if the tale says anything about that? Just...curious why humans? history and tales are full of the majestic, the awe inspiring, the astounding. Long lived, wise, powerful. Then come humans which are sort of like the bastard child a careless relative accidentally dropped on the head."

Titania hand slips from around her and moves to rest on Jan's arm, tightening slightly as if the story she is hearing makes her feel uneasy for some reason. Then she blinks and pinches her cousin.

Vitalis is overheard praising Ian.

Damien Pierce - A Charming Assistant, Biorna - The Protective Mastiff, Ellis Avonmore - Steward and First Mate arrive, following Mikani.

Ian stands near the statue of Silver, but he's facing away from the statue, towards the gathering of other people in the Hall of Heroes. After Jan speaks, he raises his eyebrows at Sen like someone who absolutely is not going to be picking up the talking stick to answer that one. Nope.

Sen'azala inhales. "Destiny is an idea," she continues. "And you cannot truly kill ideas, not with reality as it is. Death told Wolf that Destiny would not stay dead on its own. It was her choice that had led to its destruction, it must be her choice to keep it there. And so Wolf...sang. She sang the first howl the world has ever known. She sang to Destiny," and here, for those not already looking up, she points skyward. "She still sings to Destiny. I can't describe that song in words, I can't tell you what it says, but I can tell you what it means. It means no. It means I make this choice again, and again, and again, every moment, every day. I will go my own way. I will be who I am, and I will choose who that is. Everyone will do as they will, forever, they will choose, forever, life will change, forever." Her nostrils flare, and she tips her chin. "That makes her an enemy of *anyone* who would chain another, who would steal and destroy Choice. That makes her an enemy of Legion. *Always*. And anyone that would follow him or spread his poison."

Lucita's gaze flickers upward for a moment but it is on Sen that her primary attention rests as she silently listens.

Ian looks up at the ceiling, looking a little bit discomfited. The shifting of his weight from one foot to the other, then more firmly to his cane, is that of someone who's not entirely comfortable, just at the moment, in his own skin. Or maybe he's not comfortable with that skin being under the moon somewhere up in the sky.

Eirene folds her arms over her chest. "Legion is trying to change the song, and judging by the moon's... color. Daytime visit..." Her head shakes slowly. "Well. Fucker's making progress it seems." She looks at Ser'azala as if wanting confirmation on her statement.

Jan's eyebrows loft and her eyes widen "Blessed thirteen! There's an entire fuck-off song? That. Is. Amazing!" She looks to Ian "I would say it's a defiance song but defiance is reserved for things that have a say." and points at Sen'azala "..and there's an entire generational song that proves destiny doesn't have a fucking say!"

"The words of the Primasen of the Wolves, roughly, are Forever Defiant," Sen replies. "Alhayad'jet Ukaidi. To live is to choose. To choose is defiance. And now, as I said, you understand House Venandi. The founder of my House was Wolf's daughter, and Wolf taught her to sing her Song." She looks at Eirene. "What's happened there is...that's a longer, more recent story."

Damien Pierce - A Charming Assistant have been dismissed.

Biorna - The Protective Mastiff have been dismissed.

Ellis Avonmore - Steward and First Mate have been dismissed.

There's a flicker of that same sentiment, barest mortal echo of the wolfsong, in Vitalis' expression as he listens. He laughs at Jan's summary of Wolf's song and grins, ceding space to late comers. "Prima, thank you for sharing the tale. You give a fine rendition. Kennex," he looks to the Jan, Ian, Titania, "The Draught," and to Eirene, Lucita, others, a smile. He bows and without much more than a murmur of farewell, withdraws quietly. Peckworthy is less quiet, AWK AWK AWKing as he flies after Vitalis

a blue and gold macaw, Renard leave, following Vitalis.

Lucita quietly rises and bows her head respectfully to Sen then says "I'd like to stay and listen and talk more but time has come I have to leave. Gods bless and watch over you." And with that, she and Micana head out the door.

2 Saik Guard, Micana, an efficient assistant leave, following Lucita.

Ian picks up the thread as Sen and Eirene leave off, explaining to Jan: "The Traitor got his hands on some of the wolf shifters, an offshoot of the Venandi. The Mor'ral. They twisted the song somehow. Instead of keeping Destiny asleep, the new song is trying to wake it... him... it?" A querying look at Sen at what Destiny's pronouns are. He's clearly not sure. "The new song's trying to wake Destiny up. That's why the moon's visible during the day, now, and starting to turn red."

Jan bows her head respectfully "That is incredible, Prima, I am so honored I got to hear this tale from you." her eyebrows furrow "Oh right that. Ah." She frowns "New song? What kind of syphillitic moron would foul an absolutely perfect song?" her arms cross and her expression darkens "That's some soupy horse turds."

Titania hmmms nodding her head, "If Destiny is woken, what would happen>" she asks with a very curious tone to her voice.

Sen'azala shrugs. Clearly, she's not sure either. Or, judging from the tenser line along her jaw, she's not in the particular mood to care, now that the topic's shifting to more recent, less pleasant events. She looks to Titania, "The life we know ends. Legion seeks its own Destiny. The Dream is chained forever." To Jan, "The same song corrupted. Profaned." She twitches visibly, and the tips of her teeth are briefly visible. "Orichalcum stole it from us. From Wolf's daughter."

Jan keeps her thick arms cross and gives a distaining sniff "Fate or no fate legion is doomed. You can't have that many dicks without one tripping and that's all it will take. Again. And again." She shakes her head "Messing with maybe one of the most perfect things ever breathed into life and it's not even for anything. Petrichor's untamed bush, I knew he was a queef-muncher before but damn."

Ian mouths '.... that many dicks?!' But if there's a question in there somewhere, it's not a question he wants to risk Jan actually answering, so he stops short of actually giving it voice.

Eirene shrugs at tIan. She's not sure of where Jan was going with that either.

Titania brow raises up on her forehead a bit as she looks to Jan then to the Prima, "I understand what Legion wishes, but what does Orichalcum get from this?"

Eirene leans against a wall with her arms crossed over his chest. "It gets better," she 'promises' Titania. But she doesn't elaborate. Sen'azala is doing a better job, in Eirene's opinion, than Eirene could.

"The Traitor serves Legion," Ian points out to Titania. "That's probably part of the answer." His gaze moves to Eirene, and then he follows her look over to Sen.

Jan tilts her head and looks to Titania. She opens her mouth to speak but then Ian gets it and she closes her mouth and looks to Sen'azala.

Sen'azala squints at Jan, but she has no verbal comment either, apparently - and it's less of a reaction than the other two give, but then, she's a former sellsword. "Godhood, or so he thinks, at least. Revenge. He's gathering as much primum as he can for the attempt. And I don't--" she hesitates here. "I don't know. I don't pretend to understand Legion. Given what It is, though, I'm not sure what happens with Legion and what happens with the Horned God are meaningfully different at this point, with the very important exception that the Horned God can die." Tips of her teeth again. "And will."

Titania nods her head, "I know when I was involved with helping with Gyre, he had children." she says, "Is it the same for all who work for the Gods reflection?" she remembers learning about the daughters.

Jan says, "Pouty man-child throwing a temper tantrum because someone said no to him thousands of years ago." She nods to Sen'azala with certainty "It will be long overdue but I'd place a high wager on it being gloriously messy. Hopefully an excellent cautionary tale for similarly pouty snot-nosed taint-smears who might be tempted to follow his example."

Ian rolls his shoulders to Titania. "I don't know about every one of them, but it's true of the Traitor. I've wondered in the past whether the daughter strategy was something he and the Gyre shared intentionally or if it's just something that happens."

Eirene shrugs a little to Titania.

Titania nods her head and she looks between them all, "Can a reflection ever truly die? or does there always have to be a God and its reflection?"

Eirene says, "I think we're moving into heavy theology and THAT requires a priest..."

Sen'azala shakes her head. "Different motivations. The Horned God sacrifices them for power. He," her jaw tightens and she narrows one eye as she looks for the right words. "There's capital p Power in making yourself important to the Dream. One way to do that is to effectively go stabbing at it for attention. If he sacrifices a farmer, he'll get a bit of power. A king's blood? There's only a few kings, and kings make decisions that decide the fate of thousands, millions. A man who killed a farmer is a murderer. A man who killed a king makes history. So he cheats. He's royal blood; any children he has have that too, and the more important he makes himself, the more important they are by association, the more power he gets when he kills them, and the more the Dream pays attention because he's not just murdering, he's breaking the laws you should *never* break." She glances toward Titania, then Eirene. "You can't kill a reflection without killing what casts it. If Legion died, so would Skald, and vice versa."

Jan says, "We don't have to kill legion. Not that I grasp what all exactly must be done. I wish there were better records of the past wars."

Titania nods her head, "Thank you, Prima." she moves a hand to rubs at her neck, "There use to be, but much was lost in the great Fire cousin."

Ian looks up at the ceiling again for a moment. "... And if the ideas of freedom and slavery could just hang around eternal like the moon did, they'd probably only be dead in a roundabout way." Then he looks to Jan and Titania. "I'm not sure records from the past would help all that much. Too much is different this time."

Eirene says, "Still wouldn't hurt." She snorts dryly. "Thank you, Sen'azala. I appreciate your clarifications."

"No problem." Sen makes a face that can only be described as a reluctant, wry grimace. "I annoyed this information out of a lot of more knowledgeable people, may as well spread it when it would help."

Jan looks to Ian "The records I want aren't for answers, it's for learning. Academic, Tactical, so on. There are probably books that could be written on the managing armies with all this insane shit flinging around. I am reasonably confident in the end the turd-goblin will be dead, Legion will be knocked on their heels, and humans will rebuild. Maybe none of us will be alive for the last bit but I don't worry that humanity somehow won't be bumbling along like the inbred toddler we are."

Jan says, "I appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge, Prima."

Titania looks at her cousin and snorts at her, she looks at Jan then looks to Ian, "What do you mean things are different this time cousin?"

Ian hunches his shoulders a bit and shakes his head. "Eater of Stories has done a number on us," he says after a moment to Titania. "We -- humans, the Compact, whatever -- have pushed away a lot of our allies. Maybe we were manipulated into doing it, but the fact remains that it was done. The Metallics are gone. Magic's out of our reach. Seems like we'll need to forge our own way forward, because we've lost so many of the tools that those old books would assume the reader'd have."

Sen'azala's eyes hood. "Do you remember when Cardia and the Undying Empire came here with their offers? We've known for a long while at this point that we'd be making our own way. Ashe," there's a little bit of hesitance on the name, "said as much, but she also said that Copper believed we could." A glance toward the statue she came in to see. "I never knew Copper, but I trust Ashe. Here you are. Here I am. We'll make it enough."

Ian gives Sen a flicker of a humorless smile. "I was there for that meeting, but Jan and Titania didn't see that particular clusterfuck."

Titania nods her head, "It is because of them Magic is out of our hands, I.." Nope she stops there and continues on another train of thought. "But people are remembering and some of our allies are returning to us." she looks to Sen then back to the others. "Perhaps once things are taken care of we will have magic once again, as we did before?" she bites her bottom lip and looks down. She knows what its like not to be able to remember something, "No, I have not been in the city for a long while." she looks up again those blue eyes looking to the woman.

Jan eyes Ian and there's a look of deep thought. It's hard to say if she's pondering trying to say something profound that might reassure her fretful cousin or hold in a fart. In the end it turns out maybe it's neither but she finally says "You know what I know, cousin, but I am curious why you think it was ever either of those things that determined victory? I mean. Uanna was perhaps the most amazing city full of the most epic sentients and it's a cursed taintsmear on reality. I know the Metallics and New Metallics have been instrumental at many points but do you think humanity wouldn't be here if not for them? I mean. History is full of struggle between powers and it seems like it's the wielders of power that come and go-not the things that power's motions move around." She frowns and looks discontented "That didn't make any sense. I have got to do better with words."

Jan blinks and looks between Sen'azala and then Ian "fuck, I miss all the fun, don't I?"

Eirene says, "Primum is still tainted. People have been doing little things to clense it, but it's nowhere near safe to try using magic."

Jan says, "Magic didn't save Uanna I definitely am not making my battleplans contingent on it."

Ian gives Jan a tired look. "I've faced the stuff in those books without magic, Jan. That's why I think it matters. We'll figure it out, because we have to figure it out, bit it won't be the way people did it before."

"Destiny is dead," Sen says, as if giving a reminder. "Humanity isn't destined to survive. It's come very, very close to not doing so, and as far as Arvum is concerned, the War of Stolen Names was one of those times."

Jan nods to Ian "I am not looking for answers, just looking to study the mistakes." she looks wry "I have se-..uh. The scattered accounts of similarly dire straits and epic battles all were...the accounts all paint grim pictures." She answers awkwardly "I sure the fuck am not looking to replicate those results but I had hoped to learn some of what to avoid without replicating those errors."

Sen'azala glances toward the Copper statue again, and then back. "Do you know why the Horned God is going to die?"

Jan looks to Sen'azala "It's not about destiny. IT's..." she looks mildly perturbed "Nevermind, not important. Call it faith in the fact that megalomanic anrcissist have a narrow view and the rest of the world does not."

Titania nods her head as she listens to Sen'azala, she looks to her cousins then back at the statue. "Why Prima?"

Jan shakes her head "No clue but I am hoping you will tell us?"

Ian raises his eyebrows to Sen, with a touch of bone dry humor. "If you're going to say he's going to die because you're going to kill him, I might throw something at you."

Eirene snorts in dry amusement at that.

Sen'azala snorts at Ian, but it doesn't delay her. "Because I'm going to make it happen. So will Ian, so will Eirene, so will every single person that raises a sword, or a voice, or a sack of flour toward that purpose. Nothing is inevitable. *We* make it happen. It'll be bloody and that's unavoidable, but we'll do it. The alternative is worrying we won't, and there's no fucking purpose in that." Her nostrils flare. "He dies because of what we do. It's important to understand the difference between that and the certainty that his own flaws will destroy him, even if what we do is use his own flaws to destroy him."

Eirene says, "He can bleed. I've seen it done. Just will take all of us." She nods as Sen mentions her name. "And you can fuckin' bet I'll do everything in my power to make sure he bleeds and dies."

Ian starts patting down his pockets, like he's dutifully looking for something to throw at Sen. But in the heat of the summer, he's left his coat, and all of its inner pockets, and their contents, behind. What's left is mostly just a flask and a bunch of weapons, none of which he seems willing to throw. At least not in the Hall of Heroes.

Jan nods slowly and looks around "Indeed. I had assumed that was the plan. Faith isn't certainty. Forgive me for my arrogance, Prima. I had only meant to suggest cause for hope over fear, this was surely naive."

Titania pulls a small object out of a pouch and hands it to Ian with a smirk, its a small sea shell. She nods, "I saw him bleed, I remember on the battle field. Duke Harald charged him." she blinks as she looks away and down at her feet. "Yes, he will die."

Sen'azala shakes her head. "Hope's deeply important. I just don't do Copper's hope very well. I do...this. Climb over the wall. Dig under the wall. Smash my head into the wall until it moves. You hope as much as you like, as you can. It's good. I'm just warning against letting it make you complacent. I've seen that before, it ends messily."

"Duke Harald made him bleed and damned near died doing it." Ian takes the sea shell from Titania, then tosses it in the air once, catches it, and turns that motion of catching into another throw, straight at Sen, with the solemnity of someone keeping a promise. It's just a seashell, light and not especially aerodynamic, but he makes a go of it at least.

Ian checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Ian is successful.

Sen'azala checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Sen'azala fails.

Jan smiles wryly to Sen'azala "I hold no illusions about surviving this mess. Faith that my efforts towards our collective goal makes that possibility easier to stomach. It means it won't be for nothing." She leans out of the way "Uh-oh, he's starting shit. Don't let him get away with such cheekiness, Prima. "

Jan leans in and stage whispers "Get him."

Light is good, because Sen spots the throw immediately, reacts just as fast...and then whiffs on the catch. It bops off her chest, brushes her chin on the rebound, and the best she manages is to semi-catch it enough on a second grab that it doesn't actually break. Ian gets a genuinely irritable look, though this is...possibly because of her own fumble more than his action.

Titania nods her head, "I remember, I was on the field with Lady Eirene trying to help the wounded. Including him." There are things she can remember still. She watches as the sea shell goes across and pings Sen'azala and she winces but then covers her mouth.

Ian can't help it. He cracks a grin and points at Titania. "She gave it to me." For at least this bare moment, he's more youngest Kennex brother than war-weary swordsman.

Eirene muses to Titania, "Feels like forever ago..." She smiles a little. "I miss that hard-ass fish-fucker." She says it with a fondness.

Jan fishes out a flask and unscrews the cap "To Duke Harold." she salutes and lifts the flask towards her lips but pauses and looks over her shoulder before finally taking a swig.

Sen'azala looks as though she may well be contemplating a return throw - a harder one - but this is the Hall of Heroes and that means it's full of Templars that won't appreciate a sudden outbreak of seashell violence. Instead, she tips a boot under it just enough to get it to lazily roll back to Ian. "I'll say it again, you fucking watch. I'm going to kill that fucking butcher. I'm going to tear his throat out and ask the Bard's College to play a concert on his rib cage. I'll put his head up a tree so the ravens don't have far to fly to get at his eyes. You'll need bigger seashells."

Ian looks down at the shell next to his boot, like he's trying to decide whether it's worth the trouble of badgering his knees into letting him kneel down to pick it up. "His rib cage isn't big enough to hold a concert."

Sen'azala says, "They're talented, they'll work it out."

Jan lofts her flask and nods "Hear, hear, Prima!" She stoops down to scoop up the shell "Oooo, pretty."

Titania looks to Eirene, "He was my mentor, much like a father to me." she looks to Jan nodding her head. It was worth the smile she got to see on Ian's face, she looks to Sen'azala nodding her head, She look to Jan. "Keep it." she smiles.

The distant, considering look that Ian gives Sen once Jan relieves him from the burden of trying to pick up the shell suggests that he might have gotten caught up trying to work out, in his mind, how exactly one would make the Horned God's ribcage large enough for a concert to be played on it.

Jan ohhh's and shakes her head "Oooh, nono, I didn't know him." She shoves the shell back at Ian as if it might bite her.

Sen'azala helpfully makes a spreading motion with both hands. Whatever that means.

Ian nods to Sen. "Still not a lot of surface area," he comments, taking the shell back from Jan. Then he looks at his two cousins. "That's probably not all of your questions answered, but does it give you a better idea who the Venandi are?"

Jan nods to Sen'azala "Thank you Prima, I owe you for your time and insight. If I may be of service don't hesitate to ask." She nods to Ian "thank you for arranging this, cousin. Truly."

Jan is overheard praising Sen'azala.

Jan is overheard praising Ian.

Titania nods her head, "it does, thank you Cousin and Prima." she looks between the two, "If I have any more questions, may I send word later?"

"Yes," Sen replies to Titania. "Though I can't promise I'll know enough to answer."

Ian motions towards Sen with his head. "If it's about the Venandi, she's going to know more than I do."

Jan says, "I must be off, I'm late for stones. Until next time!""

Titania nods her head, "I also have something to speak with you about Cousin, I will send word later." she moves to hug them both, "I should head back." she smiles and heads off.

Ian nods to Titania and, after giving the statue of Silver one last look, starts for the exit, himself.