Harlen arrives, following Duarte.

2 Saik Guard, Celina, a dutiful physician's assistant, Giancarlo, a cooper and prize-fighter arrive, following Medeia.

Hopefully no waited too too long. Duarte comes hurrying in with a large stack of black folios. Everything about this meeting and the missives that preceded it seem hastened and so Duarte is a bit haggard for it. "Sorry, sorry. Pardon, sorry." He says as he hustles to the front and dumps the folios messily on the table. He stands and clears his throat, licks a hand and uses it to slick back some hair. "I suppose you are wondering why I called you here this evening...." (Which, they probably aren't, since everyone recieved letters.)

Caspian looked down at the messenger he had gotten then back down. he THOUGHT he knew why he was here.. but maybe he was wrong. he grinned to Duarte, "I suppose hoping you called everyone together to share a keg of cider is to much to hope for?"

Jan is standing beside Pasquale, gaze roaming the hallowed hall curiously though when Duarte busts in her head swivels around to face their host.

Duarte smacks his forehead and groans. "Shit. The catering...." as Caspian reveals an overlooked, but important detail.

There are slow, leisurely steps taken in. Theo comes to the tower and upholds a wall in the back and crosses arms before him. Not in a hurry to see what those folios are all about. Simply observing as he takes a listen.

Medeia didn't receive a letter, but here she is anyway, not far behind Duarte. She watches him dump the folios and then looks around the room. She murmurs an "I was curious," to him as she passes by to go sit beside Caspian.

Mattheu wanders into the tower to spot Caspian. Quickly rushing over to throw his arms around the champion. "Casp!" A bump to his shoulder. "So there's no ale?"

This is Miraya's first time at the Mirrorguard Tower, but she spots Caspian as she crosses the threshold and makes her way towards him. She arches a curious brow at the lamentation of lack of libations. "Hey." She murmurs to Caspian in greetings.

"I can send Celina to the Fox to bring back drinks," Medeia offers, giving Mattheu a nod of greeting.

"There is a little upstairs." Pasquale tells Duarte. "Probably. It might have been drunk since the news of the Eater spread through the organisation." he looks to Jan briefly for a moment and then takes a seat on one of the mirrored benches.

"I'm sure I have some drinks in the chest." Mattheu offers in return to Medeia as he waves to the sisters that have taken to leaning against the wall in back. "A Rivenshari never leaves the comfort of the river without something to find comfort in."

Jan flicks Pasquale a brief sorrowful look that clearly signals regret at not having a snack before she came.

Mattheu takes Wind Dancer Chest from leather rucksack with pouches.

Mattheu takes Rivenshari Blackcurrant and Apple 'Conazepl' brandy from Wind Dancer Chest.

Gino, a surly sailor, 3 House Velenosa Guards arrive, following Antonio.

Caspian looks round as the lack of food and drink is bemoaned and alternatives proposed. "Well.. we shall have to traipse on over to the nearest ale house and drain it after this. Everyone is happier after a good traipsing." he looks to Duarte then, "Sorry for the... interruption."

Duarte takes a deep breath and hopes no further attention to the lack of customary food and beverage will be forgotten about if he moves things along...

"Many of you know we had plans to scout back the origins of these refugees. But much intel has come, and quickly, about the Eater of...Everything. I think he can make a fitting assumption about what is happening with the refugees. Not that I /mind/ providing succor to the ailing it's just...not....to our purpose."

He continues, "Azazel has now consumed three archfiends, as well as a few aspects and heralds, and is coming to Arx with an army. An army built of monsters he's taken for shardhavens across Arvum...Which gives us a potentially strategic and iNtErEsTiNg opportunity."

Deserra, a shy merchant's assistant, Alfonzo, a hawkish accountant, Castello, a daunting and unamused escort arrive, following Alexio.

Now Theo's attention is caught and he pushes off the wall to find a closer seat to where the folios and the speaker is. Quick nods seen to those familiar to him as he settles and leans forward. This sounds serious and Duarte has his undivided attention. No questions from the Prince. Yet.

Mattheu is rummaging through a small chest and looks far happier when a colorful bottle is pulled out to be immediately handed to Caspian. "To tie you over friend." Then looking to Duarte with a small 'oh' stare and raise of his hand. He's new here, doesn't know the formality or lack thereof. "Um. When you say 'has consumed' does that mean they are gone of this dream?"

There isn't even a flinch from Medeia when the number of eaten archfiends is mentioned, suggesting she knew that number before it was said. In fact, she doesn't seem to wear much of an expression at all, carefully holding her compose in a flat and emotionless gaze in Duarte's general direction so he can have her attention. To Mattheu's question, she says, "Gone. Absorbed of their power."

Jan's eyebrows shoot up nearly to her hairline. she looks down to where Pasquale sits to see how her husband receives this news. She remains standing besides him, naturally restless with this news and apparently wholly forgetting about all about food which means this must be serious.

Antonio has arrived. He -must- have been bored or something to actually show up at one of these- and the nonplussed expression on his face hints that is the case. He sticks to the back of the room, remaining quiet and unobtrusive as he just listens.

Caspian nods his head as those in the room speak. "The emptying of the shardhavens gives us a window.. albeit a very small window. Ontop of All this, the Great Seal is under attack, and forces seek to awaken Baalphrigor and bring about a second reckoning. The Thinnest Point will once more be the destination." he paused, and then takes the drink mattheu gave him and takes a small pull."

Duarte flicks a finger toward Mattheu, "A good question and /I don't know/. But I have a /theory/ that Azazel assimilates when he consumes and this is how his power grows. So not /gone/ from the dream, but maybe just made a part of Azazel's whole."

"What we -do- know is that Skald abdicated and gave his power to Vellichor. So Vellichor is relevant. And my hope is that we can toss that guy some help by recovering some of what Azazel's cult has stolen.

"Corruption is the mother of shard havens and she's pissed. With her children taken from them, I presume that knowledge is unguarded, or less guarded. And my /hope/ is that we can get in, loot it, and get the fuck out of there as fast as possible. And, maybe, if we don't do anything to /hurt/ the shardhaven itself, she'll be accommodating......to a degree....Probably won't."

"Three archfiends?" Pasquale asks "Who was the third?"

Medeia suddenly looks far less composed. In fact, she's surprised by something, mouth hanging open for a moment before she snaps her mouth shut and clenches her jaw. She stares straight ahead as she answers Pasquale. "Supposedly Leviathan."

Alexio slinks in and lurks which seems generally in theme of a Mirrorguard meeting listening curiously as he tries to catch up from whatever kept the tailor away. He doesn't even bother trying to hide the worried look at some of the conversation. The talk of Skald gets a clearly curious look.

Mattheu checks composure at hard. Mattheu fails.

Mattheu is left to stare at Duarte, then Medeia. "Casp. I'm gonna need that bottle back."

Caspian takes a final drink and then hands the bottle back with a knowing look

Jan says, "Bugger a badger in the cornhole-are you serious?"

Caspian looks to medeia then, "given the receding of the Darkwater, and the draining of the shardhaven in the mourning isles.. and Revka tyde going into hiding...if she is still alive.. i think thats a pretty solid bet."

Pasquale gives a soft little sigh. "Sometimes I hate being right." he looks to Caspian. "But if that is the only evidence then I think its wrong. I believe the heralds are afraid because of Ruin."

Duarte goes on, "Now, I have been to two. And they are not pretty, and far more dangerous - in my mind - than the monsters themselves is the absolutely overwhelming urges to corrupt and be corrupted that get embedded in your mind." ... "So if you are afflicted with insatiable, greedy hunger and there are berries growing nearby - do.not.eat.them." He is very stern about this. DO NOT EAT SHARDHAVEN BERRIES.

"But I have /seen/ many. Or I was drunk. But I choose to believe Vellichor showed them to me. But not how to get to them, so that might be a problem. But I know where one is for sure, and I know others have scouted the locations of more."

"Any questions?"

"I don't know if it's /true/," Medeia clarifies, "But I have no reason to disbelieve the person to told me. Though, the last /I/ had heard prior was that Leviathan was off having a lovely time in the ocean." With a sigh, she looks back at Duarte. "Shardhavens? You want your Mirrorguard colleagues to go after the information in the shardhavens, not /harm/ the havens, and hope for the best? They'll need a medic. I... Can help." She looks at him as if he might deny her.

No opinion from this prince. Theo simply takes it all in. His expression? You would think they were talking about gardening as his deep blue eyes track each individual when they speak up. "So weapons and knowledge is our best bet?" Finally, Theo says something towards Duarte.

Pasquale asks Duarte. "Which shardhaven did you have in mind?"

Mattheu lets out a small laugh as he sips at the brandy. "No. I've learned that lesson. Also. If you have a berry and a dragonweep in your hands? Don't swallow the dragonweep." He shakes his head to Caspian mouthing softly, "Absolutely do not recommend." Looking back to Duarte, "I was waiting for a war to come and attack my family. Only for Skald to decide he's no longer needed in his position. Thus. When do we go and where to?" Then softly, "I'll just have to explain to Ann."

Jan's hand rests briefly on Pasquale's shoulder giving a gentle squeeze before retreating. Her arms cross over her chest and she looks around as if perhaps wanting to project the air that she doesn't need to be told not to put forbidden things in her mouth-and of course looks guiltier for all her effort.

"Anything and everything is your best bet." Duarte tells Theo. "Prayer is /particularly/ useful. Healers.." he motions to Medeia. "Some have crossed the threshold, and I can assume that is also useful. Not all monsters there are going to attack you, some will just try to talk and corrupt you. You need leaders of proven oomph to snap you out of wanting to eat berries..." A beat, "But it's always best to have people who don't die easily, or who can keep people alive."

A smile for Medeia's volunteered assistance. He bows his head in gratitude. "Well - some harm might be necessary. But if yielding dominion to Corruption will give us Vellichor's knowledge /easier/, then it's a balance I am willing to accept.

To Pasquale, "As many as we can in short order. 2? 10? Certainly not 10,000. But if we are swift and strategic...as far as my own experience goes - they like to toy with you and play with your mind. Cleansing is not an option here. Killing monsters is not the objective. We want as much surgicality as can be managed. In. Grab. Out."

Duarte says, "Definitely Halfway House though because seriously fuck that place."

Caspian gives a smile, "So dragonweep and berries are right out. And.. on the ever so small bright side.. i suspect most of the monsters won't be there. So hopefully.. we can just walk in with full bellies, not put anything we find in our mouth, and get out with the information." he offered a grin, "in all seriousness, its to good a chance not to try, so.. im in."

A small nod is directed to Duarte to show that Theo heard the Count loud and clear. A small murmur is given to one of his assistants and that one is seen moving out. Theo then returns his attention as a whole to the group. Even with all the small bits of light humor shown he doesn't fall into that and continues to do his silent, shadowy self.

Pasquale simply nods at Duarte's answer. "I can do a little to shield people from at least some of most Shardhaven's effects."

Jan flicks a glance towards Pasquale before her gaze returns to Duarte "At least it won't be boring? Count me in."

"Some of us have, yes," Medeia says when Duarte mentions healers crossing the threshold. It's something she hadn't really admitted publicly to people she didn't know, but she doesn't appear bothered by doing it now.

Oh and in case it wasn't clear there is a hand raised by Theo to show his interest of being 'counted in.'

"I appreciate it, and - remember. This is an open call. If you know anyone to bring in, do so. The more help we can get - from anyone - the better our chances. I know it's short order, but details come by the day and this opportunity just presented itself this afternoon." Duarte smiles and nods to Caspian, "And it was too good a possibiloty to ignore."

"I believe I have covered all the bases here. If there are any other suggestions, points of coordination, details or questions, let's do that now." ... "Or remind me if I forgot anything?"

Antonio just continues to listen from the back of the room- his expression morphing somewhat from boredom to confusion, and there it stays. Still, he doesnt say anything.