@Aristocles
" I can fight if we absolutely have to. But I'd prefer not to use any more energy. Now that he knows I'm here, My plans will change. Let's go to a nearby temple. Once we're there you can read that note I've given you and we will plan our next move and then rest up." He says quickly, He starts walking quickly, He is obviously scared of something.

Ardasa marveled at the mighty creatures that towered over the road. They were amazing beasts, long-necked and regal, and even as they thrashed against the pull of their handlers, they kept a royal air about them. She reached out with a nervous claw. How wondrous it would be if she could stroke its head! She didn't even hear Ternoc as he spoke, so enraptured was she in the beast. A dracon's hand slapped hers away from the snarling creature, belonging to the sirrush's handler. He shook his head sternly at her, then returned his focus to his work. Ardasa sighed, and went to join the Grand Prince.

Ardasa's entourage was not much indeed. The entirety of it could fit in the carriage, and none of them were very close to her or reach other. The journey was mostly silent, with the occasional spark of conversation. Mostly, they were all content to look out the windows and watch the scenery go by. The entirety of her companions were three. One, a chaplain for the Hekaga legion. Two, a strategist to discuss new tactics with Rebat. Three, a scholar to visit the ancient library and make notes.

At the gate, Ardasa waved them away to their respective duties. She was alone in front of the palace gates. She entered, gazing up at the roof which seemed too far away. Then, she sat herself down at the grand table, in a seat closest to the red-cushioned one. She figured the best place for negotiating was nearest to the negotiators.

@Eviledd1984

"Most dracons have no idea where your lands are. Even I only have a faint idea of it" Adykon admitted. "None of them are going to try and burn your trees, attack your realm, or cause you harm in any way. In any event, my name is widely respected in these lands. Having my daughter be a part of your son's household should be sufficient to prevent any trouble from dracons."

@TheForgottenArc

Kosjurec nodded and looked around for a temple. It took a few minutes, but they found one called "The Shrine of the Celestial Divines." Apparently, it was a house of worship dedicated to several gods of the sky. Kos helped Daniel into the building, dropping some coins into an offering plate before asking a priest if there was a room where they could pray in private. A few minutes later, they were led downstairs to a small prayer chamber, which was little larger than a monk's cell.

"Alright. I think we're safe. I'm going to look at that note." Kos told the human as he pulled the paper out and began to read it.

@bloonewb

Ternoc looked around the room and quickly received a series of hastily-whispered security updates. He took a piece of paper from the table and wrote down some words on it, followed by his signature.

"Damn malcontents. You know how it is, Ardasa. I swear, the bureaucrats are the real rulers, and yet they can't seem to get anything done without a direct order. It was at least this bad back when my father ruled. They needed his signature for the next murder to take place, the next drug deal to take place, the next rape to take place, the next egg to be smashed, it all needed the signature of- well, sorry for rambling. Just a few deaths here and there. Nothing that a fine female such as yourself need to be concerned about." The grand prince cleared his throat before continuing.

"So, how are things going in Xigyll? I assume you have come before me with matters of some importance?"

@Aristocles

"Very well but like I said their are some of my people that are weary of outsiders, And with this marriage they will not be pleased that a outsider will be their queen. But that is a matter I will attend too" She said softly rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"What ever would be most relevant for immediate survival needs first," Yssil reiterated. "Some simple weaponry, such as a sword, utility items, for example a knife, rope, blanket, and clothes. Perhaps even travelling items, a bag or a tent. I don't know if conjuration is the best way to go about getting water or fire, but that could be useful. And whatever you would recommend, truly," he answered Aerta's question.

@Aristocles
The note opens by describing the necromancer As a short elf with Long but trimmed black hair, Darker more tanned skin, A nose bent slightly right with sharp ears. The note states that his clothing or attire is unknown as he could be disguised as a citizen of the region. It details his Spells as such: A resurrection spell that is able to return most dead back to a form of undead life, This power is known to extend to Low powered dragons, But this power can be used to resurrect a Wyrm Dragon. He has a shapeshifting ability but it is easy to look though as it always produces a golden shimmer. And finally It details that this necromancer's Goal is to be able to open a portal into a realm of the undead and pour forth an unstoppable army of the undead, but to open this portal he needs to become a Lich. His name is written for the first time under all of this info Warren, An unassuming name. The back of the Note addresses Daniel directly From the High-Priest of his region, It says,

"Daniel, Your mission is to find and kill Warren, If he is left alive for too long it could threaten our entire nation, You must prevent him from unleashing the hordes of the undead. The highfather kept you under his wing for a reason and it is to stop this madman, While though you have lost our churches blessing for helping warren with his necromancy and for assisting in the murder of your own kin and mentor with the dark spell, You still have the highfathers blessing but only for a short time. This is a chance to make up for your sins. Also as I've heard the dark spell has permanently damaged your right arm there is a way to quell the decay. Go to Murmasa and ask for The priests own potion it will stop the decay and pain for a very short time. Just enough to complete your mission. Godspeed."

The note Seemed hastily written and signed. The signature reads Rothchild, The high-priest. Daniel Sits and prays at the alter praying. Amongst his prayer is a tone of emotional pain and he mutters "Forgive me, Mother, Father, Alicia" After his prayer he stands and wipes the tears off his face and sits on the floor Looking at Kos as he reads the note.

Ardasa rubbed her snout with a hand, thinking. Suddenly, she felt as if she wasn't quite safe here. Perhaps she should have brought some guards, or at least some advisors familiar with statecraft . . . no no. She shook the thoughts from her mind. She was here now, best make the most of it.

"Xigyll is certainly prospering," she began. Best to start off on the right foot. "Our hold on the Talon Pass is proving to be an incredible source of income." She smiled up at the grand prince. "The land is fertile, and I dare say that there are fewer kobolds starving in our walls than anywhere else in the world where our people live. So . . . that's good news." Then comes the difficult part, the part where difficulties are brought up.

"A city of our size and population requires its army be in peak condition, you'd understand. Especially one such as ours, who claim defense of the entire kobold race. At this moment, a solid quarter of our army is here, defending this city as our treaty specifies. I like it that way. It certainly promotes cultural understanding . . . right?" Her smile waned a bit. "However, that is three thousand kobolds not at home. Our Traeton mercenaries stopped when the gold did, leaving us with not much. That is why I'm here, to renegotiate the alliance under more equal terms."

@Eviledd1984

Adykon cleared his throat. Dracon customs weren't easy to explain in this way. Females married to a king weren't called a queen. While the term 'princess' existed, it didn't mean much in terms of future power, only that she was to be married later on, or that she was married to a royal who wasn't a king. "A queen? A queen? No, I don't think that Kara wants that responsibility. Not as a ruler. She'd be happy as being a consort. To be married to a king, but not to rule. I suppose her title would be queen, but only once you pass. And that won't be for a long, long time. I know how long fey can live. Until that day, Smith would be a prince and Kara a princess?"

@SilverPaw

"If you need simple items like that, it's best not to use too many magical resources on them" Aerta thought about it. "That said, there's nothing which says you can't have enchanted versions of all those supplies. Like a rope which ties itself, or a blanket which warms itself up. I can help you with that, if you like. Maybe some clothes which keep themselves clean and resist tearing?"

@TheForgottenArc

Kosjurec read the note, taking his time to absorb every little detail. "So... you're seeking redemption for your past deeds? I see. It's not going to make me turn against you, don't worry. As long as you have truly and completely repented of necromancy, it should be fine. I'm not going to pry into what made you do it, but I need to know what kind of time constraints we are looking at. The note clearly says that you only have the blessing for a short time. What happens when the blessing expires? Will you die? Succumb to darkness? Turn into an undead monstrosity?"

@bloonewb

The grand prince thought about it. "You can take your soldiers back home. Every one of them. Truly, the purpose of having them here was as a proof of concept, to see if Xigyll would really do it. When you leave, your army can go with you. And for the record, three thousand kobolds isn't very many. Even in my kingdom's weakened state, I still have tens of thousands of soldiers under my command, thousands of city guards, over a thousand bodyguards and a large network of spies. I could call up more if I had to, with some difficulty. Before we continue, I'd like to offer you a gift." Once more, he reached over to a stack of papers and wrote something down on the top sheet, then handed it to Ardasa.

"This writ entitles you to something for yourself and one more your husband. Think of it as a city-warming present, if that helps. You can have either a crown, a scepter, or their equal value in gold. The royal jeweler will know how to make them kobold-sized, don't worry. And for the record, an army of twelve-thousand isn't much of a threat to any significant city. You have quite a way to go to build up your defenses. If anything, it would be wise for you to ask what Hekaga can do to aid you in your defenses until such time as you are able to field a larger force."

@Aristocles
Daniel Sighs
"The Dark Spell The note refers to is a spell that enables me to turn into a Lich. I Drained life from my parents and Alicia to gain power to slowly transform me. When My potion runs out and the blessings time's is over than I will turn into an undead abomination. I won't die unless something kills me. When we kill Warren he may have a cure of sorts. Something to help maybe. I have one month before The transition starts. Two months until the transition is done from when it starts. I know it's hopeless but I have to try."
He pauses for a second to take a breath and says
"He's also started the transition about the same time I did, so we have a similar timeframe to defeat him too"

@Aristocles

"I see however their are some responsibility to her marrying my son, Now then what else do you wish to discuss?" She said rubbing her neck.

Ardasa took the paper and scanned it in wonder. Within the first day, she had already been given so many concessions. First the legion gets to return home, next she's being offered a gift of gold! "I . . . I'm sorry, I don't have anything for you in return," she said, stammering out her words as if she were unfamiliar with them. "I'm sure the legion is eager to see their families again. It is true, our nation and our military are both quite recent constructs. We have not had the time to train as many soldiers as we'd like."

A lance of doubt joins her other thoughts. The Grand Prince will inevitably want something in return, and what he asks for may not be pleasant for Xigyll. It was silly to be afraid of someone who so far has been nothing but accommodating, but nonetheless, she considered it too likely to dismiss. "You are too generous, Your Majesty of Hekaga. I cannot imagine how we may repay you."

@TheForgottenArc

Kos sighed at the grim news. "It's not hopeless, but I have one thing to ask before we do anything else. If you turn into a lich or if there's no time left to save you, do you need me to kill you? I don't do mercy kills, so the only way I'm gonna put you down is if you were about to die anyway. The last thing we need is yet another lich running around these lands. Believe me, we've had more than a few in recent years. I don't mean to belittle your dire situation, but this is hardly unique in these parts."

@Eviledd1984

"Just one more thing. Will you be taking Smith back to your land for a time? Kara would want to join him. You have my permission to take her, but only if she wants to go" Adykon explained. "Also, when they marry, I'll be sure to deliver that dowry. I make sure all of my daughters are well-endowed." He paused for a moment and thought about that statement. "Not in how you are probably thinking, but if they take after their mother as adults, they will be that too."

@bloonewb

Ternoc gave a warm smile. To a human, it might appear as if he was getting ready to eat someone, but reptilian races knew what that look on his snout meant.

"I was hoping you'd say that, my dear. In return, we ask for free passage of our armies and merchants through the Talon Pass. This will give Hekaga an advantage in overland trade in the region and increase the value of our alliance with Xigyll. Furthermore, we wish to establish a permanent embassy in your city, raised at our cost. To sweeten the deal, we would also like to provide the plans, tools, and materials needed for a city bathhouse, along with the services of some of our most skilled artisans. Not to belittle your people or their crafts, but a dracon-style bathhouse requires some very specialized expertise. Carpenters to build the scaffolding, masons to cut the stones, plumbers to install the pipes, sculptors and painters to provide decoration, not to mention glaziers for the windows."

He paused for a moment and inscribed another writ before continuing. "Most of the labor required for this endeavor will have to be kobold and be paid out of your city's budget. The majority of the workers on this project will not require much skill, needing only to follow the instructions of the supervisors to accomplish tasks such as grading the Earth, placing the stones, applying mortar, and transporting the materials to the construction site. Hekaga will pay for the wages of its workers. We only ask that they be given a place to live while they work on the bathhouse. In any event, the plans have already been drawn up. They provide for a bathhouse which is rectangular in shape and is about 280 meters long and 160 meters wide. By comparison, that's about three-quarters the size of the main one in Hekaga. There's more details to discuss about that, but I think I've droned on long enough about the baths. Any questions?"

@Aristocles

"I will be taking my son back to train him further, I will ask her if she wants to join us" She said wanting to train him and her mages would want to study him. Thinking about the second part laughing. "Well I do not doubt your last statement, She is quite gifted in that way. I will also help support our children during their marriage" She said softly rubbing her arm.

@Aristocles
"No, If times comes for me and there's no cure in sight I wish to take my own life. A way of final redemption." Daniel Sighs and extends his arm, and uncovers it, A black mass is forming on the very top of his arm. "This is what it looks like for now while I am alive, When the transformation is nearing completion the skin all over my body will begin to rot away, Until I die from blood-loss or shock. Whichever comes first. But, so long as I complete my mission even if it does happen I will be at peace." He pauses for a second to take a breath, and he drops and recovers his arm, Daniel starts going over a plan in his head. "If he managed to raise those skeletons outside the city he has to be close. Are there any cave systems or anywhere someone could hid outside of the city? If so, I bet He'd be there. I don't know how far away Warren can be when raising dead, But in our lands Necromancers have powerful magic, But it usually can't extend as far as a normal elemental spell." Daniel says, still thinking.

"Well, the Lady Sylph did praise me most on being pragmatic so that's what I thought was best to choose for now. If you think I could learn how to conjure a minor but helpful servant, something stronger than a Pawn though, we can do that later. But enchanting items does sound very useful. Everything you suggested sounds great to begin with," Yssil replied.

"I think I understand," Ardasa said, looking down at the map on the table. "So, you want to give us plans and materials for an embassy and bathhouse, but we provide the labor?" Such an offer was . . . odd. She could appreciate the sentiment behind it. Obviously, an embassy would go towards dissipating the hate that the Xigylli keep for nearly all dracons. So too would a bathhouse, a luxury that the nascent empire might not be able to afford. However, what would the nobility think? What would the public think? Neither are eager, after so much war, to work under the supervision of dracons.

"Counterproposal," Ardasa began, drawing a shaky breath. "Hekaga may freely move merchandise and military through the Talon Pass, but not past . . . this river," she said, pointing to the one she was indicating. It still made her nervous to use its common name among the peasantry, the River Ardasa. "You give us the plans to the embassy and bathhouse, and we build them ourselves. With our own gold. You may be assured in the ability of our crafts, and need not worry about imperfection. A kobold's hands are as good as their mind, after all."

(I'll post more often here. Things have been crazy for me at work. I suppose that's a good thing for real life, but it makes RPing hard. Sorry about that, everyone.)

@Eviledd1984

"Alright. Go to your son. We can pick this up more later. I know your time is limited and your son needs you for training far more than I need you for discussions about his marriage. I'll leave you a list of what he'll get from Kara's dowry. I'll add in a bit extra if you like. I'm not cheap when it comes to my daughter's marriages, believe me. Aura and Orna brought quite a bit to their husbands as well. Anyway, thank you for taking the time to speak to me about this matter." Adykon stood up and took his leave.

@TheForgottenArc

"Caves? None that I know of around here. That said, every major dracon city has a system of catacombs. It's a series of tunnels under the city where most of our dead are interred. We don't like putting corpses in graveyards on the surface when we can avoid it; makes it easy for necromancers to get them, and there's not enough wood to justify cremation. Anyway, if this necromancer is nearby, that's probably where he's hiding" Kos explained. "Oh, and I'll respect your wishes about the matter of the transformation, don't worry."

@SilverPaw

"We can start with enchanting a rope. Everyone needs a rope at some point in this lives. Having one to climb, tie something, or just perform a little trick to impress the locals is useful. It also helps that ropes are among the easiest things to enchant, which is why you may have heard of them in dozens of fairy tales and stories" Aerta opened a chest and fumbled around in it, bending over as she leaned down and reached in. At the bottom of the chest, there was a thickly-knotted rope made of sturdy brown twine. "Here we are. Before we enchant it, did you have any questions?"

@bloonewb

Ternoc thought about her counter-proposal for a moment. "How about this: Hekagan merchants can move past the river freely, but soldiers can't move past it without authorization of both our governments? As for building the embassy and bathhouse, it would be best that Hekagan artisans build the former, but you can build the latter yourself if you want to. Keep in mind that an embassy represents the presence of Hekaga's government, and I would like to have control over the building's exact specifications. When you have trouble- if you have trouble building the bathhouse, we would be happy to help in its construction."

@Aristocles

Leonore nodded her head having more then enough to give to his son and daughter in law, However she was not sure if her son would accept the dowry. Walking out of the room and heading over towards where her son was, She was standing in the doorway at first watching her son. To her he seemed quite happy being around the dracon female, However whenever she is in his life he seems quite unhappy. Understandably so as she had abandoned him so many years ago.

Moving out of the room and speaking loud enough for Smith to hear her, "Smith...can you come outside the house so we can continue practicing" She said hearing Smith speaking to Kara and then some shuffled footstep walking towards the doorway. "Yes Leonore" He said being cold towards her like always.

"Yeah . . ." Ardasa said, treating the grand prince to one of her smiles. "That would be fine enough." She looked over the map of Hekaga city, quickly making note of the major buildings, and hopped out of her chair. "We have many issues to go over, as you understand, Your Majesty," she said. "I would rather not have it all be done within these walls. The palace is magnificent and spacious, yes, but I have seen it now. This is a large city, old and storied, and I would like to be acquainted with it well." She looked up at Ternoc. Even while he sits, he is taller than as she stands. "So how about it? Care to show a girl around?"

@Aristocles

Daniel nods during Kos's explanation of the burial process.

"Might as well check the catacombs tomorrow then. I need the rest of the day for rest and to get a couple of supplies, If we need to get permission from the city to go into the catacombs we might want to do that too." He says As he turns towards the door to leave the temple.

Daniels stomach growls "Damn I'm hungry, I haven't eaten in two days" He whispers to himself, He turns back towards Kos and says,

"Hey, You wouldn't know of a nice place to eat and have a drink around here, would you?"