In the predawn of the morning a huge stone tower drifts down silently from the skies near Mitril Hall. When it is close to the ground an elven head appears from one of the lower windows.
In elven she yells: ust a little lower Iliana. We are about 14 feet from the ground, go about 20 feet towards the north west, the ground is more level there. Yes that is it. Put her down over here for now.
Upon touchdown the tall elf rapidly climbs out of the window and goes to find the nearest dwarf. She is dressed in an often repaired and stained suit in woodland colour. If the dwarf rolls really well on both his listen and craft armour he may hear the telltale rustle of a mitril shirt under the woodland suit. Uziel does not smell of gold and only faintly of silver, there is no smell of copper or platinum either. On her back she carries a pack with a longsword, unstrung shortbow and quiver. Strapped to her tighs are two (not-matching) dwarven shortswords of quality. One of them is engraved with dwarven runes: TO THE MEMORY OF FEARAUN. Strapped to the side of her torso is a set of five matching masterwork daggers. Across her body she wears a bandolier with small throwing knives. On her belt is a set of three dwarven daggers: one Adamantine, one Silver, one Cold Wrought Iron.
She speaks to him in dwarven: "Goodday master dwarf. May your stones be rich with ore and your beard grow long. I am called Uziel. We are here to find the proper inheritors of that tower which stand overthere. Fine dwarven stone craft as you can see. It was crafted by the clan Hammerstone. The clan is believed to have been eradicated by the Wizard of the Crag whom they built this tower for in Celember. He never paid for it and after wresting it from his hold I felt it should be returned to either the remaining clan members or their kin since it is still their property."
"Also I bring sad tidings about one of the weaponsmiths from your hall. He fell prey to a band of Ogres near the forest of Wyrms. I have brought back the parts of his remains which were not eaten for proper burial and some of his weapons. They have served me well in my journeys and I would be interested in aquiring them or similar weapons if his clan would grant me this honour."
"Finally I would seek the aid of your loremaster, combat trainers and smiths since I am destined to fight an Orc chosen of Gruumsh who has already slaughtered six great elven hero's who sought to destroy him. Without the wisdom and craft of your people I fear I may not be able to overcome this orcish champion, yet both I and my goddess thirst for vengeance upon this foul Orc. Also I seek to learn the dwarven ways of fighting those who abuse powerful magics. I need this knowledge and skill so I may retrieve the ancient great rune axe called BLOOD DRINKER of King Drugli Hammerfist of the Great Rift, lost in the wars against the foul,..." Uziel hesitates a little here and interjects the word 'Greedy' in common since she can't find a good dwarven word to properly convey the meaning "humans of Unther. Two groups of evil human wizards covet this axe and will try to stop me from returning it to your brethen in the Great Rift.
Ah here comes my lady, the highborn princess Iliana."
From the same windows as Uziel, a much smaller elf appears. Wrapped in a light gray cloak against the cold wind, she just steps outside and floats gently to the ground. Her black and white gloves can be seen, as can a back carried curved sword, composite bow and quiver. The sword almost radiates the fact that it is dwarven made, but not dwarven designed. Some more dwarven come into view, most of them looking stunned at the large tower now standing on the plateau.
She mumbles something in elven to Uziel 'necessity? tired/forgiven' then turn towards the dwarf (her dwarven accents has some odd shifts in it): "I am Iliana Valerwen N'letur, Protector of Dragonspear. I come to you as Dugkra [the dwarf building the support behind the dwarf doing the mining] of my friend Uziel. Is the location of the tower in any way a inconvenience to you? If that is the case, please inform us where we should place it."
While she is talking a small dragonshead wriggles out of her hood and looks around. Just for a second the dwarf just 'knows' that some food would be appreciated.
Uziel speaks quickly in Elven: "Sorry for the inconvenience the necessary pain of removing a thorn, imagine how this dwarf would be berated if you would be introduced to a guild master without the proper formality."
Slight nod.
"You know how perfectionist Dwarfs are."
'I do berating/duh'
"The Dwarves would probably search you out over the years just so the introduction can be brought up to standards. They can be very stubborn about doing things right and finishing them, even though it can take several hundered years. Besides Dwarves are big on names and history. Imagine the benefit to your children or grand children or your people when they come here again and everything went properly."
Iliana blinks her eyes. 'How in earth did you know? total amazement/happy undertone'
Uziel has already turned towards the Dwarf again and is about to speak.... She hesitates for a moment and then continues. "To complete our introductions I am an apprentice miner, carpenter, bowyer and soldier, novice pest controler and herbalist and master scout. Her highness is also a loremaster, warrior and wielder of arcane powers. Neither of us is guild or clan affiliated in these crafts and professions so we will not work in your hold unless we get permission of the relevant guilds and clans."
'So we promise', Iliana closes Uziels promise formaly.
While keeping an eye on the dwarf she speaks in elven: "I knew you would come around to this sooner or later inevitability, fruit ripening and falling. I am surprised it happened so quickly Amazement, end of indian summer turning into winter, undertone distressed.
Uziel does a quick scan of her surroundings and has changed into a more battle-ready posture. She also looks at the Dwarf more intently to discern if he understands elven.
Iliana notices the shift in stance and just smiles a bit.
"I should not have risked calling you while I was not done yet with the undead mage. It could easily have been postponed a few decenia. I am very happy though undertone regret/cherishing, pet dog behaving badly/seeing a forest in full bloom." Uziel slides into Sylvan with a few words in this phrase. Iliana may have noticed Uziel tends to do so when she is upset or emotional in a positive way.
Iliana turns to the dwarf: 'Please forgive us for our conversation in our fathers tongue, no disrespect was intended. We were just discussing how my personal preferences have to bow to the necessity of my family line - I seldom use my families name as a lesser daughter of greater sires, but for the record I should state them fully - Iliana Valerwen N'letur ne Othreier I am, at your service.'
Uziel will notice that she has never heard the last part of Iliana's name, 'ne' means born-of, but is used in family relations to describe a lesser line (a second or third child), the family name Othreier she has never heard of.
Uziel looks around, eyes and ears getting every detail, checking if there is any danger threatening Iliana or her. She also tries to masc the fact that she is on the alert as to not upset the dwarves, who are still trying to come to grips with the strange situation.
Iliana shifts her equipment around a bit and manages to just push her sword a little bit more out of the way. Uziel then feels some Sylvan words popping into her mind 'he! ease up a little, you're like a she-wolf defending her puppies - oh and have you've got any snacks left?'
Uziel tries to form an image in her mind of dried apples and berries in the bottom of her pack, but she finds it difficult to build an accurate picture as she also tries to gauge the Dwarf to see what standing he has and to which guild he might belong.
Uziel thinks in sylvan: "There is much wisdom and strength in wolves and their ways. Why object? You could have told me. You know Iliana would 'forget'."
'Tell you before she did? |taking those puppies right under she-wolfs nose|' a few seconds of mental static flow by 'She would forgive me... eventualy |some seconds before end of the multiverse|'
One of the dwarves opens his mouth to say something, but just as quickly shuts it as he still seems to be at a loss for words to the strange situation playing out before him.
As the dwarves look almost frozen, Lyria says "Iliana I know that a spelljammer transforms magical energy. Any chance it transformed your power into a mass hold dwarf or time stop effect?"
"It shouldn't... Then again we might have landed in one of the remaining wild magic area's"
A voice from behind: "Actually that would be me. Im sorry for the delay
but one is o so busy whilst planning things across numerous realms. I prefer
privacy while discussing so I've arranged a little quiet while we talk.
If you have the time that is.
Greetings again uziel/lyria whatever monniker it is you use again...
and who might this be?"
Behind you stands what appears to be a white haired elf with eyes of a platinum colour, he wears a suit resembling something from Shou, its colored a dark hue of blue with a white lightning bolt motif covering the clothing.
Iliana turns around as Enfira coils back inside her hood hissing softly. Lyria notices that her speech shifts again - it is now totally court, every words balanced on a silver scale. It is also distant, quite unlike her usual style.
"Well, my name is Iliana lonely oak shrouded in morning mist, I'm the guardian of a quaint local ruin called Dragonspear butterfly dancing among the thorny roses. As time seems to be relative I've got some available dancing, suddenly participation. Can I have your name Tel'Quessir? Willow growing on a majestic mountain?"
He returns speech in regular elvish: "Ah milady I do apologise, but I have not courted amongst the royals of our people since the crown wars and nuances of today might escape me, I beg you forgive my coarse speech. I am no one of true consequence, but if you must have a name I am called Planeswalker("amongst others" he says under his breath) and I have an interest in our mutual friend here and I could do naught but be surprised when she seems to have encountered a spelljammer and my curiosity simply got the best of meve especially to meet one as stunning as yourself milady."
Iliana smiles at the compliment.
He turns his gaze towards the tower: "I do find you have a curious choice in ships.., nay, vessels milady, but I guess one makes do with what one has."
Iliana answers in a much more basic - but also more archaic style: "Ah, the tower... Spelljamming was merely a convenient way of transportation, I prefer more suitable designs for crystal-sphere travel. Of course if you have unfinished business which must be taken care of now and cannot stand delay, I will not dream of interfering. However, if you have got some time afterwards I would certainly like to learn about your travels or hear a first hand account of those sad days; it is seldom to encounter somebody who lived in that day and age."
She then steps aside so the he can speak to Lyria.
Lyria's look of slight anoyance and aprehension at recognizing Planeswalker has not changed during the brief dialogue between him and Iliana. Her posture is quite relaxed and non-threatening, but she is ready to dive away at a moment's notice. She thinks: 'I hope that Planeswalker won't take an interest in Iliana, her adventurous tendencies could land her in much more trouble than would be good for her.'
"Yes, a wonderful device and it has been of great use to the Elven people. I can hardly believe though that you have arrived here merely out of curiosity or for a courtesy call. What brings you here? The dream send by Shevarash, the chosen of Gruumsh, the Rune Axe or something else? The desacrated temple of Garl Glittergold maybe? Just as long as I don't have to babysit that dim witted priest and suicidal dwarf again and worst of all keep the mage alive and prevent him from killing the rest of the group as well. I don't think I'll ever understand why a anyone would want him to survive... Anyway I know that great demands are made upon you. Thank you for taking the 'time' to come and visit me. I'll get to sorting out all those little tidbits just as soon as I am finished with my business here, unless there is some more pressing matter?"
Lyria smiles at him, but neither warmly nor encouragingly.