2939/The Royal Shadow Beckons

The Royal Shadow Beckons
Date of Scene:	01 September 2015
Location:	The Hylian Mainland <LoZ-5>
Synopsis:	The Confederacy meets Agahnim for the first time.
Cast of Characters:	108, 380, Sarracenia, Sanary Rondel, 758, 864

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Agahnim (864) has posed:
     The call out was given. The Confederacy recieved the message. It was short, and to the point. So many have their interests drawn in by the simple call to come to Gerudo Desert.

     A small town is nestled within the Desert, just north of the mountain pass into the desert. The buildings are rather simple. Adobe buildings, of various sizes and shapes. They are built layered into hills and cliffsides of the steep mountains nearby. Most of the buildings look incredibly ancient, and torn apart with age. More recent structures are on the edge of the city. A number of cloth tents are also built throughout.

     It's late at night, the sun long set. The streets are still busy. Women walk through the street. Each one has dark tan skin, sharp features. Bright red hair, usually kept long. They wear simple outfits, mostly in the same style. Desert clothing, meant to keep them cool during the hot days and warm nights. As they are passed, they'll just give glancing looks towards the various arrivals.

     And there is not a single male in sight.

     With the size of the city, it's almost worrying whether or not it will be easy for the Confederates to find who invited them. But, a short glance around, towards the mountainous cliffside, gives a good hint of where the host is. A large multistoried, multilayered adobe building. It looks almost like an inn, with a tavern on the first floor. Outdoor seating on wooden benches, people coming and going. Lots of drinking and merriment amongst the female denizens of the city. But, what draws everyone's attention to this is a bit more obvious than just the fact it is an inn: The Red Eye symbol that was on the message rests upon the front doorway. Glowing slightly, so that anyone who arrives at this city can see it. It seems that the party will have to walk up the long winding staircases to get to this cliffside inn.

Sarracenia has posed:
     The village may think itself under attack as a large wooden airship about the size and description of a spanish galleon floats in overhead. Where sails would be it instead has large propellers on its masts. The propellers spin quickly, keeping the large ship in the air. Then, a rope ladder is lowered down, and on the end of it is Princess Sarracenia.

     She steps daintily off the rope ladder, her large DK hammer slung over one shoulder, then she makes her way into the village. She takes note of the seemingly all female population, and nods respectfully to any that cross her path. Their desert clothing draws her attention, with its minimal yet elegant designs. But, she is heer for a meeting with someone who calls himself Agahnim. She heads toward that inn and tavern, looking quite out of place with her pale skin and poofy dress. Once inside the tavern, she looks around. She really has little idea what their host looks like.

Krezentia Einjager (758) has posed:
    "Something something harem joke," Krezentia says, as she travels presumably with the other inbound Confederates, through unspecified means. Maybe she's walking, maybe she's on her hoverboard, maybe she borrowed a horse. Either way, someone had to make the joke, and she's statisfied to have gotten it over with quickly.

    "Though, I'm pretty damn glad the Twilight doesn't extend to this place. I guess I expected a territory under the big bad dark advisor's control to be swallowed by it, not going to complain though." On the other hand, if she wants to complain, she has ample material. "Why is it so stupidly hot here though? If I was an evil sorcerer king the first thing I'd learn is how to install a magical AC on the entire planet."

    Today, at least, the Magi isn't with her fairy, so it'll be a nudge more quiet than it would have been otherwise. Then they come across their destination, and it's atop a freaking CLIFF, and there's a staircase.

    "Nope."

    A purple wormhole opens at the end of the stairs, and another in front of Krezentia. She steps into one and comes out the other. People are free to use them before they dissipate a minute later. That done, she'll just head in too, looking for whoever looks most like an evil royal advisor. A hat, she guesses.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     It has been quite some time since Sanary last went to any sort of meeting as a Confederate representative. She's dressed to the nines today, of course, to put her best foot forward despite not having any real authority, wearing a finely tailored purple suit and pants combo along with her trusty gunaxe on her belt.

     "I-is this the place?" As well dressed as she is, though, she definitely hasn't considered the environment in her choice of clothing. The suit isn't nearly warm enough for a cold desert night, but she's banking on the inside of their meeting area being much warmer than this. As cold as she is, though, the healer is still on her best behavior, and she nods politely to each local that she passes.

     "Harem joke? Know a couple of people that'd love it here... Maybe." The fact that there aren't any men around doesn't go unnoticed by her, but that's probably not something she'll need to worry about. No, she needs to keep her mind on the task at hand: Making sure nothing goes wrong tonight!

     Sanary laughs lightly as she comes to that staircase, glancing at Krezentia just in time for her to disappear into that wormhole. After weighing her options, however, she'll opt to just go up the stairs the long way. It builds character!

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Arriving from the desert had Madeline Vance dressed in travel wear, but that changes very quickly. She lifts an eyebrow at the shortcut that Krezentia provides, then laughs to herself and just shakes her head before stepping in. She's not going to delay the meeting by going the long way around.

    When she steps out of the wormhole, she's wearing a flowing, formal gown suitable for diplomatic events, though she has also kept the sword that she carries at her side through the outfit change. "There are a number of things I could say about that, but I think it best we just accept it as a cultural quirk." Her pleasant attitude hides some mild concern for the situation. Without her Exalt, she's limited in what powers she can deploy, and reliant upon her current company for protection. She only really knows one of them well, and... that one isn't the one she'd pick for a bodyguard.

Winnowill (108) has posed:
Winnowill is totally taking the shortcut. She's actually in her elf form, dressed in the long black robes that she normally wears. These aren't very useful for travel so she's definitely not bothering with the stairs.

Agahnim (864) has posed:
     The inside of the inn, the tavern floor, is rather simple. The floor has some wood panneling over it, though much of it looks eaten away by time. Creaks from the floorboards of the inn rooms above can be heard, people walking here and there. It's rather crowded, with lots of revelry. A couple of fist fights are happening between the women inside. The barkeep is a woman as well, a bit older looking. A bit plump, wearing purple robes over her body, and a red scarf.

     But, the moment everyone comes in? The room quiets down. The women all look towards the arrivals. All of them start to file out the various exits from the inn. Even the barkeep walks into the backroom.

     And then, suddenly, a flash of light. The furniture in the room changes. There is simply a large round wooden table, sitting in the middle of the room. Just enough seats for all of those present. Each chair is elaborate, ornate. Beautifully crafted. Several servants seem to be walking around the table. They are skeletal beings, wearing only armor. They'll pull the chairs out for the various guests, seating them, and then pouring each of them a glass of red wine. Pots of tea are also available, for those who wish to take that instead.

     At the far edge of it from the entrance, a man sits on an extremely ornate throne. It is crafted of wood, but has elegnat curves and edges. Large armrests, plush back. Gold trim in places. While all chairs present are comfortable, this is intentionally a bit more over the top. Sitting within it is a large man. Or at least, assumedly it is a man. His body is massive, sitting at least seven feet tall or so. He is dressed in red robes, covering the vast majority of his body. Golden trim is along an outer robe. His head, covered in a cloth hat. Only a hint o fhis face can be seen. Harsh features. A large nose. Tan skin, just like the woman of this village. He isn't what one would call ugly, though. If anything, simply a bit exotic. Strong.

     And upon his chest is the eye symbol, in blue.

     He reaches one of his large hands towards a glass. His fingernails are like claws. He swirls the wine around in his glass slowly, looking towards the group. He lifts it to his face, tilting his head up to take a small sip of the wine. His left hand clutches at the arm rest, his fingers tapping at it slowly for a moment. He looks at each Confederate in turn. Considering them. Judging them.

     He speaks. His voice booming. Deep. It isn't without its charm, though.

     "Welcome. I am Agahnim. Current Ruler of Hyrule. Please. Introduce yourself. Take some of the drinks. Should you request any food, my servants can provide. Ask for whatever you wish."

Krezentia Einjager (758) has posed:
    Their host spares them the need to look for him. That's actually very polite and courteous. Points in his favor, the Magi mentally notes, though to be completely honest, she's more muscle than smarts-- the others here are far better at handling negotiations than she is, and it'll be best if they do, most likely.

    "Krezentia Einjager Sepperin. Muscle for the Confederacy. Adventurer when bored, I guess. I'll take pineapple soda if you guys have that here," she does request, not to test the servants or their stock, just because she really likes pineapple soda.

    "Though I do have a question. Aren't you supposed to be barricaded in Hyrule Castle, behind a barrier that only a special sword can break? You know there's heroes looking to kill you, right? Mighta been safer to meet there." But then, what does she know. Maybe this place is just as guarded, if not more-- and she doesn't mean by the army of ladies, she just means in general. The Owl made Hyrule Castle sound -unbreachable-. This was just a god-awful desert town, really.

Sarracenia has posed:
     Sarracenia ends up walking up the stairs with Sanary and Madeline. She wears a long dress all the time, so moving up the stairs is easy for her. She just has to hold up the front hem of her dress a bit. "I am certain we would never see Lute again, one way or another." she says to Sanary as they climb.

     When they finally reach the top, presumably a minute or two after the others, Sarracenia is panting a bit from the climb. She composes herself quickly, then curtseys to Agahnim. "I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew, Crown Princess of the Sundew Kingdom." she says before she takes a seat at the table so that she is facing Agahnim. She picks up a wine glass, then swirls it gently before sipping of it and looking over to motion for Sanary to claim the seat beside her. The princess's hammer is leaned against the table beside her for now.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     "Ah, he'd survive somehow. Doubt he'd go down that easily." Sanary pauses, then snickers and glances at Sarracenia while nearing the top of the stairs. "... Well, you know what I mean."

     By the time Sanary reaches the room proper, she's actually looking fairly comfortable. Still a little tired, but significantly less so now that she's inside. Her first instinct when people start filtering out of that room is to keep her magic flowing and ready nearer to her head. Worst case scenario, the walls should be easy enough to blow through to make a hasty escape!

     Of course, those fears are allayed when the room changes before her eye. She's just a little wary of the skeleton servants, although there is some small amount of charm to the whole thing. Catching that motion from Sarracenia, she moves over to the Princess and sets her gunaxe by the table to keep that from getting in her way. The skeleton that pulls her chair out for her even gets a light nod in acknowledgement! How nice.

     Agahnim's presence draws her attention quickly enough when he speaks, however, and the suited healer straightens up as he regards the Confederates gathered in that meeting area. At his request for introductions, she waits until just before there's an awkward delay in nobody speaking before speaking up herself. "Sanary Rondel. Healer and soldier for the Confederacy and Murasame Zaibatsu." She bows at the waist to Agahnim, then turns to one of the servants to ask for some local food. Might as well try something new while she's here!

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Skeleton servants make Madeline wary for some reasons, but she doesn't show it in this case. Instead, she accepts the alteration of the room with a small nod, then introduces herself. "Madeline Vance, Empress of the Skullstone Archipelago, the Radiant Empress of Unwavering Rule. Lieutenant in the Confederacy, which is more immediately important." She straightens from her bow and considers. "The local wine would be fine," she finally decides.

    Looks like she'll probably be handling the negotiations, unless Winnowill chimes in. So she's going to ask, after introductions, "While the question is an interesting one, I think of more interest is what you wish to speak to the Confederacy about."

Winnowill (108) has posed:
"No, thank you," Winnowill replies. She's staying apart, refusing the drink for now, but being polite about it. Such conventions are a little off for her, since this is another culture she's unfamiliar with. Introductions come to her, and she answers, "Lady Venevol, of the Djun Empire." Her own position of power there is left vague, of course.

She will, in fact, leave the actual negotiations to Madeline! The telepath can't read minds, so doesn't even try. All she'll do is open up her senses to get a feeling for the magic being used, mostly due to curiosity.

Agahnim (864) has posed:
     It doesn't matter that Krezentia was simply wanting it. Agahnim still obviously views it as a test. He lifts his left hand, snapping his fingers. From the back room, another servant appears. It is a Ghibdo, an ancient mummy. It drags its feet along the ground, slowly making its way to Krezentia. It holds a glass bottle of pineapple soda in its hands. It opens it, and pours it in the glass for Krezentia.

     Sanary herself is soon brought some local food. It's rather middle eastern in flavor. Lots of meats, wrapped in flatbread. Some local grains, that look much like quinoa. Most of it is cooked in a lot of animals grease and fat.

     The man smirks at each guest in turn, bits of his smile peeking out from his robes. He nods at each of them, but a particular glance is given towards a few. Sarracenia, after all, is a princess. That causes him to raise an eyebrow at her. Another surprise as Madeline introduces herself. An Empress? Well. It makes sense, that so many rulers are here. He is uncertain about Winnowill, though. At least, she is certainly high ranked.

     The magic in the room, at the moment, is fairly powerful. Normal people would likely feel an incredible weight and pressure from it. But, for those in the Confederacy, those who are so used to performing wicked deeds? They will all feel comfortable here. The magic animating the undead, though, is seperate. The rest of the magic seems to be Agahnim's.

     Agahnim smirks at Krezentia. His glass is set down on the table. He places his elbows on the table, leaning forward. Fingers interlocked. A dark hearty laugh comes from him, before he speaks again, "Yes. As far as they are aware, I have not left the castle. Should they find me here, there is, in fact, some level of danger. But. The women outside? They are the Gerudo. The warrior women race of the desert. Should anyone who is not welcome arrive, they will chase them out. Immediately."

     A small chuckle, "After all. I am the only male Gerudo. One is born only once every one hundred years. And, that man usually acts as their king. They will do what they can to defend me. And, I can vanish from here in an instant."

     He reaches to take one last sip of wine, before finally moving onto business.

     "The matter is simple. I seek your aid. I am no fool. I heard of the call for help from that foolish man, Fassad. But, no matter how little of a threat he himself is, the aid of the Union is more than I can handle on my own. So. I ask /this/ of you."

     "Aid me. Follow the adventurer's, posing as their allies. And, as you do so? Aid me with certain tasks. I do not care if they find a way to free this land from the Twilight. Even the Twilight Queen herself agrees with me on this. It would be a small bump in the road to my complete conquest of this world. But, by travelling with them, you could provide me a great deal of aid. You could rid me of some of my greatest enemies. And so, that is what I ask. Be my allies. Travel with them. And do my work."

     He remains quiet, leaving a silence upon the room as they consider his request.

Krezentia Einjager (758) has posed:
    Krezentia takes a moment to consider the fact her soda is both in a glass and being delivered by a mummy. The mummy part half-bothers her, but she's had very, very bad luck with assorted zombie-related apocalypses. The one time with the nanite zombies, that one time with the... lich... tarrasque thing. That one time with the Necromorphs. UGH the Necromorphs. Her arm still aches thinking about it.

    She'll keep her composure, though, and sip from the glass. This guy comes through already. On the sole merit of his ability to procure soda, the Magi is already sold. She's just curious, at this point.

    "Why would the Twilight Queen agree her realm getting banished from this one be just a speed bump? Wouldn't that cut her off entirely? I thought the Owl said something about the Twilight being sealed, originally, and you kicked those doors wide open."

    She's sure someone else will ask 'what's in it for us'.
    No use locking on.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Madeline listens. She sips her wine, and listens. Fortunately, she also listened to Krezentia's earlier very very brief explanation of what is going on here, so she's not totally lost and can actually seem pretty calm and collected. "I see." In truth, hindering the Union was probably enough for many Confederates, but Madeline at least had little hostility toward the Union in general. That's why she is indeed one to ask such a question.

    "The Confederacy is not against the idea of an alliance, but in any alliance there must be a bit of give and take," she points out. "You are asking us to put our people in danger while working with their enemies, who would turn on them if they knew what our real plan was. That is a lot of danger to put ourselves in for no reason but to aid you. What can you offer the Confederacy in return for this aid?"

Sarracenia has posed:
     Sarracenia snrks lightly and rolls her eyes at Sanary. "Yes, I am sure he would be all too eager to go down." she says, shaking her head. She sips her wine again as she listens to Agahnim speak. She has no magic sense, so she just feels a bit uncomfortable with the atmosphere here. Not to mention that creepy mummy. Sarracenia leans away from it despite it being fairly far away.

     Madeline gets to the point, but once Agahnim has explained she hmphs softly and crosses her arms, a slight frown on her face. "I am a princess, not an errand girl. A princess must maintain appearances, and I could hardly build trust with other kingdoms by becoming a spy."

     Again, Madeline brings up a valid point, and the princess nods in agreement. "I could only place myself in such a position if there would be something rather substantial to gain from it."

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     Sanary resists the urge to just go to town on that food. No, she's been practicing her table manners! Small bites, small sips, even wiping her mouth and making sure not to have so much food in her mouth that she can't talk at a moment's notice. The mention of the Gerudo finally gives her a name to attach to all those faces outside, too, so there's already quite a bit to work with here!

     And then there's Agahnim's request. It certainly sounds simple enough, and there's always benefits to be gained even while working with the Union. Besides, she's worked with the Union quite a few times before, so this probably wouldn't be too different from her usual classes and some of her other jobs.

     The mention of the Twilight Queen does raise an eyebrow, though, and she glances over at Krezentia to try and parse some of that. Clearly, she's some sort of royalty, and from the sounds of it... There might be some sort of alliance and bad blood between the two? How peculiar.

     After taking another bite of that quinoa-like grain mixture (which she's already polished off), she finally speaks up. "What kind of aid are we talking about here? I've worked with the Union plenty before, and it takes time to.. You know. Build up trust with them so they don't immediately start thinking I'm going to put an axe in their backs. Is this aid the sort that would make it obvious that we're not on the same page as them?"

Winnowill (108) has posed:
Letting the others ask the hard questions, Winnowill is simply watching for the time being, getting a feel for the odd magics. Once matters are out on the table and discussion underway, the elf finally begins to speak her mind on some subjects. She has little to say of import right now, though.

"Some of us will have an easier time than others, I think, but it is certainly possible. I too have to wonder why this Queen would cede part of her kingdom. I would guess that the end reward is even greater than what she would gain from holding on to it," Winnowill murmurs. She looks to Sarracenia, "And of course, if you find the task distasteful, I am sure we can find something /else/ for you to do, Princess." Is that a threat? Maybe not. Winnowill always talks like that anyway.

Agahnim (864) has posed:
     Agahnim nods towards Krezentia. He motions a bit with his hands, pointing towards the room around him. "The people of the Twilight Realm do wish to return here. It would be a step against their return. But, it is not an insurmountable one. I defeated the Spirits of Light once. I could do so again. But, that in and of itself, is /not/ enough to make the beings of the Twilight Realm return. It is like trying to get a passenger across a stream while using a leaking boat. It might manage with some difficulty. But it is not an ideal solution."

     A smile to Sanary, a simple question. The task is important, though. "It's a task the Union and others should not even see. Within this land, there are four Great Fairies. They are beings of vast magical power, who can stand in my way. They also provide some protection to the land. Getting rid of them will make my grand mission reach its completion even sooner."

     And then, the matter of the gain. A sly smile is on Agahnim's face. His teeth show. Despite the day and age, they're rather clean. A bit sharp, as well. "Of course. Straight to the point. What you all have to gain. First and formost, Hyrule is a resource rich land, and it is filled with magic. These resources could be those of the Confederacy. I also control a vast number of monsters, creatures, and powerful beasts. These simple servants are but a taste of what work for me."

     His voice gets just a bit more booming. A bit more weight to his words, "But. That is nothing compared to the /true/ reward. The entire purpose of my taking the throne. There is a treasure in Hyrule. A treasure of /vast/ power. The last gift, granted by the Golden Goddesses. A treasure that can grant any wish. A treasure that /can/ bring the Twilight here, and a treasure that has uses beyond your wildest dreams. If you aid me in killing the Great Fairies, we will be one step closer to destroying the barrier to the Sacred Realm, where this, the Greatest of Treasures, can be found."

     "The Triforce."

Krezentia Einjager (758) has posed:
    "Fair enough," Krezentia answers to the matter of the Twilight. Seems reasonable, really. So the Twilight leaking in is kind of a shoddy but distracting way to do what they want. They can do better, but doing it anyway probably keeps heroes too busy to see the big picture. She likes it, at least. Good plan. There's a lot of information to take in, but it's pretty straightforward, so the Magi doesn't have questions. And a wish-granting artifact isn't too shabby a reward.

    She's not the one Agahnim had to convince, though. She already knew the day before she wanted to come meet him, and all in all it's what she expected. She's still displeased about the whole 'trek in the god-awful desert' part, but this is quickly being smoothed over by promises of unimaginable cosmic power.

    "What's the step after? And what else is in the Sacred Realm? It's not another awful cursed realm that turns you into an animal, is it?"

Sarracenia has posed:
     Princess Sarracenia raises an eyebrow at Winnowill. She looks the elven woman over, as if for the first time, then hmphs. "I should hope so. This task is hardly befitting a princess." she says. That is, until the Triforce and its great power is explained. Her eyes sparkle at the possibilities, though none are ruling an entire world or destroying one dimension so that another can thrive. No, what comes to Sarracenia's mind is the adoration that such a wish could bring. She could be the princess everyone loves! And maybe even find her hero!

     Her daydream is ended when she realizes that Agahnim said they would have to kill not one but four great fairies. Surely such an act would forever stain her reputation even moreso than it already is.

     When Krezentia asks about the Sacred Realm, Sarracenia giggles. "It could hardly be called sacred if it instead cursed you and changed you into some animal." She pauses a moment, then blinks a few times. "Did you say 'another'? Is there already such a realm?" The princess apparently doesn't read briefings. Perhaps she thinks they are beneath her.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     Those answers just instill more skepticism in Sanary. She takes a moment to order more of that grainy fat substance and works on some of that flatbread and meat. Despite her skepticism, she actually looks rather comfortable even with all of skeletons milling about. Peering at Sarracenia's wine, she weighs her options for all of three seconds before asking for some for herself, too. "How is that, anyway? Food's definitely not bad..."

     And then her attention is back on the king! "So we kill these faeries without anyone noticing. Erm... If they're as powerful as they sound, though, what are the odds we'll just end up getting caught in the act?" She strokes her chin lightly and leans back in her seat for a moment, righting herself a moment later after remembering her manners. "I mean, I guess we could wear disguises or something, though, but... Do you have anything that could keep us from getting identified while we're going at it?"

     The topic of the Triforce itself doesn't go ignored, either. It's certainly a great sounding prize, but it sounds a little too good to be true that Agahnim would just let them have it instead of keeping it for themselves. The tricky part is figuring out how to word such a delicate issue... "This Triforce. Is it a one-use type of artifact, or can we all use it as much as we want?"

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Hmn. Madeline tsks, "I don't know, I can imagine quite a lot." She folds her hands into her lap. "But you make your point. That is indeed a prize worth all this trouble, isn't it?" Really, she was rather straightforward compared to some, but Madeline does have a sharp enough mind to quickly see a few points... and remain silent about them.

    "Wish-granting artifacts often have a catch," she finally mutters. "Still..." She trails off, sips her wine, and considers. Partly this is to give the others a chance to chime in with their thoughts. Also it keeps her from glowering at Sarracenia for not paying attention.

Winnowill (108) has posed:
The price does get Winnowill's attention, but she's spending more time smiling pleasantly at Sarracenia, as if she hadn't just said something inflammatory to the princess. While she has little to add in the form of questions, she does have things to say to others. "If you truly wish to have a different appearance, that can be arranged very easily. Just speak to me after the meeting."

Agahnim (864) has posed:
     Agahnim raises an eyebrow at Sarracenia, "...Have you not heard of the Twilight? Those that enter take on the form of an animal, if they are a strong willed being. Most simply become ghost-like apparitions. The form within is a reflection of your true self."

     The step after question gets another smile for Krezentia. Agahnim's smirk widens, "Once we capture the Triforce from the Twilight Realm, my next steps are simple. Free those stuck within the Twilight. Make it so the Gerudo can move out of this desert, by removing the people of Hyrule. Give those who have long deserved the chance to control the land the chance they truly deserve."

     "And... I know naught of the true form of the Sacred Realm. I know that it exists. It is not, in fact, just legend. I have confirmed in my research that much, at least."

     Sanary gets a bit of an eyebrow raise.. He looks towards her allies, somewhat confused. She is so different from the others assembled. So out of place. "...I do not /know/ where the Great Fairies are, and your journies will find them. Do you /really/ think killing them, right away, is the best plan? Simply wait for the Union to leave. But, if you are /so/ worried about them accidentally discovering your identity... I could, certainly, help create a method to disguise you from them. Or have your ally do it."

     "The Great Fairies /are/ powerful. But, their power is in Healing. They will be no match for the lot of you. My own magic can be stopped by them, though. My magic is... ancient. Powerful. But, it is something that they are a counter to."

     And a smirk, in regards to the power of the Triforce. How often it can be used. "Do you think I would offer you the power if it could not be shared? I am no fool. I would not promise the Confederacy something, and then step back on my word."

     He looks towards the group. Both of his massive hands clench upon the armrests again. And he smirks at the group again.

     "So. What say you?"

Sarracenia has posed:
     The princess coughs softly when asked about the gap in her knowledge. "Ah...I am very busy. I do not have time to read every little note that crosses my desk." she says, trying to preserve her pride and her superiority at the same time. She then looks to Sanary. "Obviously we would find the location of the fairies, then return later when the goody-goodies from the Union had left. And we would of course shift blame onto our friend Agahnim, since they would be expecting him to have done it anyway." She considers a moment. "You would probably have to wait a day or two before striking if we wished to minimize suspicion. They might suspect us, but they would have no proof."

     Sarracenia sips of her wine again, then peers at Winnowill as the elf smiles pleasantly. Sarracenia recognizes such pleasantness. It is the same kind she uses when she must look sincere even when she isn't. "But, as I have said, assassin is not within my duties as a princess. The others here may agree to assist, but I will not help beyond perhaps relaying information and ensuring the 'heroes' reach their next target."

Krezentia Einjager (758) has posed:
    "If all we have to do is hang out with Union and pretend we're heroes for a while, that's no big for me. I already sorta kinda helped them take out... what'd the prince call them, Shadow Beasts? Pack of three of them," Krezentia answers, though she's not the one who'll be making the final call.

    "I mean, I'm in, this deal sounds pretty sweet. And if we get to murder a bunch of high-and-mighty fairies for entertainment along the way that's almost payment enough."

    She won't be seeking the disguise talents of Winnowill, though. There's no actual reason, she just doesn't feel she needs a disguise yet. Not until they have to act overtly, anyway. At which point they'll figure something out!

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     That explanation seems sufficient to quell Sanary's doubts. She nods slowly and pats the handle of her axe, a light grin crossing her face as she looks from Agahnim to Sarracenia to Willowill. To say that she's not amused by that exchange between the latter two would be a complete lie, but there is a time and place for everything. Might as well try to draw attention away from that.

     "Sounds like a plan. Head in some days after once we get the location, get some disguises, take out the faeries." She laughs at Krezentia's response to Agahnim's request for an answer, eventually taking a big bite of flatbread before raising her glass. "I'm in, too."

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Madeline considers, all right. "Obviously we will have to plan carefully to make sure we don't tip our hand," she says, with a glance sideways. That might be more for Agahnim than anyone else. "I understand. Their aura keeps you from reaching them with your magic, but they are vulnerable to people who punch things. This is not an unknown phenomenon in my world. Many, many problems can be solved by the ancient magic of Fist to Face."

    She sits up further. "Well, we can draft up a formal agreement with the exact details later, but I think that I can safely say that we can enter into an alliance with you. The exact terms can be settled in writing in the next few days."

Winnowill (108) has posed:
"Indeed," Winnowill agrees. "It would not be the first time I have worked with the Union, either. Though they wouldn't know it. That is sort of the point, isn't it? I will do what I can, then... and if you really need a disguise, we can work something out I am sure. I doubt you'll need one, if we can provide a reason to be helping. Lady Vance can surely think of something."

Agahnim (864) has posed:
     Agahnim lets out a dark, hearty chuckle. The sound of it resonates throughout the entire room. His eyes dart around the group. His eyes linger on certain members, those who seem more out of place than others. But, overall, there is a look of approval on his face.

     "Fine. It is a deal. We can work out the details over the days to come. For now, let us feast. This will, in fact, be a /grand/ alliance. Together, we shall be a powerful force. Hyrule has not seen anything like this since ancient times."

     He snaps his finger again. Suddenly, the table is filled with food. Plates before each Elite. There are roasts, fine cheesey dishes, potatoes. Some vegetable dishes line the table as well. Various deserts and cakes. The scent of all of it is almost overwhelming.

     And even Agahnim himself is loading up his plate. And, he lifts his wine glass, to the group. A toast.

     "To our continued alliance."

Sarracenia has posed:
     Despite her refusal to assassinate fairies, Princess Sarracenia is more than happy to enjoy the food. Politely, of course. "It is nice to know that despite the distasteful actions you must take to secure your throne you are still able to provide properly for honored guests such as myself." she says between a bite of something and a sip of something else. She keeps her eye on Winnowill for a while, but eventually relaxes and just enjoys the feast. Even she does not eat like this all the time, and a proper feast is always a fun time.

     Sarracenia does seem to be focusing more on the wine than the food, though.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
     Alliances made, loads of food to eat... Yeah, Sanary's pretty pleased with herself right now. "To our continued alliance!" She practically shouts as she raises her wine glass again, quickly lowering it with a sheepish grin on her face. Her excitement doesn't necessarily make it impossible to feel some shame, after all, and she's more than ready to hide herself for a bit after that little outburst.

     Thankfully, Sarracenia's right there to hide behind. Sort of. Although the healer's not hitting the wine nearly as hard as she is the cheesey dishes, the fatty grain thing, and the potatoes, she's still knocking them back a bit herself. After all, how often does someone in her position get to eat so much fancy stuff at once?

     Not often. Might as well take advantage of it.

Madeline Vance (380) has posed:
    Madeline has no worries about poison. Perhaps she is overconfident, but not without some basis in fact. She lifts her glass in a toast. "To our alliance," she declares, answering it in a formal, precise tone. She's had to refine her skill with that, of late.

Krezentia Einjager (758) has posed:
    If the deal's struck, it's good news all around. And then they're paid in food, which Krezentia isn't going to turn down. She's no Big Eater, but she can appreciate a really good meal same as anyone else. 'Summon Giant Feast' must be one of the handiest spells to have when you're trying to make an impression, too. She's already halfway to the tables when he proposes a toast, and she feels no need to reiterate the obvious when she could be sampling some of that meat instead.

    She's muscle, anyway. She said so.

    The deal-making can go to the deal-makers.