The Feast was...not what I expected. Nothing was what I was expecting. There was a wild combination of drama, old faces, new ones and no sense of coherency until Sora Katra spoke.
The Sisters really did not spare any expense. Little trays of food and drink being handed out by goblins and kobalds. Most of which reminded me of the foods myself and Lozaal Daashorl saw in Graywall - the pixie sticks, tentacles, some things I am not even entirely sure what they are. Wine flowed as they often do in parties - or at least parties that are leaning towards dignified opposed to the wild nights I have had in late in Sharn or Darguun. Despite the juggling in the air, the fire dancer, the music, the rush and talking and magic floating in the air - there was a bit of frostiness that could not be attributed to the weather outside.
First there was the clash between Thrane and the...I suppose the lycanthrope? Admittedly, my knowledge regarding lycanthropes is...limited or how the Silver Crusade that Drego Sarhain has mentioned went but it seems a lot more hideous when Zaeurll spoke about it. A massacre. They were quite angry at each other but given the reasons each other gave, it made sense. At least it makes a damn sight more sense than the war that ended five years ago. Still, I am unsure how satisfactory the explanation that it wasn't technically the Church that continued to massacre but it was Aundair. Particularly when I recall the way people were very cold to us travelling from Thrane to Aundair what seems a lifetime ago now. The Crusade was a long time ago but the hostilities weren't and could still be colouring their concepts of the past. Maybe. All I know is that Dax' Athla is displeased with the situation and wants to make it better. It is strange to think about how one of the most practical people I have ever met has a burning sense of optimism. It's endearing!
It was also strange to meet Tzaryan Rrac once more. Everyone was a little on the hostile side but I don't see why. I suppose it will be tied in with the Dah'mir...incidents but a lot of time has passed since then. I left him a mental note regarding the Horned Shadows but he never gave anything away. I suppose he never does but given what I know about him and Riedra, this doesn't particularly surprise me. Maybe I will be useful to his cause, maybe I will be a liability or maybe he really just doesn't want someone like me involved. Regardless, he knows my door is open - even if the doors related to my comrades are firmly held shut and trapped.
We also met three other warlords and...some strange insulting man. The warlords were nice in their own way - guarded but so is everyone here. The Prince of Bones was tired and didn't feel very much like socialising - a little like Tete Shaat'aar but Tete was far more talkative than The Prince was. After fetching him some crab, we left him be to the little solitude he could get. The Prince was somewhat disinterested with the changes the Sisters want to make in Khorvaire as he predicts they will have little to do with him. The next one was not a delegate but a snivelling insulting little wretch by the name of Bal Molesh. Bal was of a similar mind to the Prince but was far more egotistical than pragmatic. It has been a while since I have had such a negative visceral reaction to someone but it seems everyone believes as much. Warden mentioned that Bal was 'Peacocking' which others seemed to understand the reference but I am not sure. I think it is some sort of bird? Unless it is a reference to something more...base. Who knows. I will ask later, I think.
We were asked to sit down before meeting with anyone else as the feast was due to start. I was getting hungry and given the odd discrepancies with the food tables, I am sure Lozaal has either given away or eaten most of the bananas by now. (Side Note: Is the food just a weird oddity for a place catering for a weird bunch of delegates , a way for other nations to break the ice or the hand of Sora Teraza? Once I find myself starting to think about Prophecy and other such things, it is increasingly hard to not see her moving the pieces on a dragonchess board that only she can see.) There was a couple of oddities about the table itself once we were sat down.
First there was a huge pile of furs next to the table with an empty barrel on top. Additionally, our placeholder envelopes had odd messages in them - written in draconic. The messages were cryptic and only we seemed to get them. Dax managed to translate for us. Notably, only us and Oargev ir'Wynarn received these which is foreboding.
Mine stated:
What are we willing to give up for security? for freedom?
What do we truly believe in?
I suppose it is a reference to leading Adar, to trying to cling to the Path of Light outside of it when it is dangerous? Or perhaps it is a question of what I exactly believe in? Maybe this is a way to make me think that I do not follow the Path as well as I do or that I am only going through the motions, that I do not believe anymore. Or perhaps that the Path of Light is wrong, that Riedra have been right? The question between security and freedom has always walked between nation and nation; involving a plane full of creatures that want my people dead for existing, that there is no security. Not really. I suppose if I stayed with Medala and Dandra in Avrahk Mbar'ost is technically safer than walking into this situation. Maybe all of them are lines in a poem? Hmm...
Regardless, the third delegate sat down at the table before Sora Katra spoke. A fire giant called Gorodan Ashlord. It is a wonder just to see how huge he was. He complained about the cold and demanded food which seemed to start the Feast in full. Meat from beasts I cannot recognise were served along with more drinks. And vegetables, of course. He seemed in a far better mood when his appetite was sated and told stories alongside the gnomes and the hobgoblin. Gorodan at least wanted the summit to go well. He also seemed to - if you pardon the pun - feel very warm about the people he was in charge of? It was nice to see someone genuinely caring about their people.
Sora Katra spoke. It was impassioned but not grovelling. She made it clear that yes, she was dangerous but no more than anyone else here. Its hard for me to think about the atrocities some of the delegates could have been involved in. A 'monster' is no greater a monster than a man and vice versa. I struggle to remember her voice but it was regal and rose the hairs on the back of my neck, like she was threatening me directly. I swore she looked at me a few times. Apparently, she caught a spy in the Kaarnathi delegation which makes me worried about Nyrielle - especially when whoever wrote the table arrangements made it clear that the helpless Brelish aide act was not going to wash. She slipped out complaining of a sore stomach - I hope for her sake that its the Light's Truth and not a cover for something. I also hope that the sore stomach is not the result of interference. If there are two spies here, there could be more and maybe know she is a spy. I am unsure but very much worried.
The last delegate we met just before retiring was Sheshka, the Queen of Stone herself. She seemed very anxious to advise she is happy to make deals regardless what happens and was offering land for Cyran refugees to settle in. She was hard to read - she could be absolutely genuine or could be just hedging her bets. Given that the Eye of the Shadow advised that she would be involved, I am unsure how to take her.
Tomorrow sounds like a busy day although I am surprised about how quiet it is in here. There is a full party outside for Long Shadows but I cannot hear it. At least it will not keep me awake.
Sora Katra might. She was terrifying and astounding in equal measure. Unsure whether she would be more likely to give me a useful object or destroy me. Perhaps both? I will need to learn more of these tales about her.