Plotting in the Gardens

Memorial Gardens, midday

The day is sunny and warm, though the brisk wind from the northwest brings the Promise of Autumn. But the Gardens, as always, are spared the harshness of the seasons, remaining pleasant year round.

People wander the place, while others are simply passing though, and a select few are settled on a blanket, enjoying an afternoon feast.

The Goblin appears to be lost in thought, settled on a park bench. She's prepared for battle, dressed in her armor, and bearing her magical shield. A sour expression slowly settles on her face, obviously not liking the conclusion she has reached.

Not many people hurry through the Gardens. It's a place of contemplation, not really meant for anxious movement. Which is what makes Telamon's arrival that much more surprising. For starters, he doesn't bother with -walking-. There are some pointed fingers and startled gasps as he comes flying down, reversing his movement before landing on both feet not far from where Simony is seated. Realizing he's the center of attention... again... he makes a polite bow to the onlookers, before turning his starry gaze on Simony.

"We need to talk," he says in a calm voice. "Certain things have... come together, and you need to be apprised of them, because it affects some of -your- tasks as well."

It takes a moment for Telemon's presence to register, the gasps and whispered comments don't seem to intrude on Simony's thoughts. But the voice of a friend and favourite sorcerer does, and she peers up, blinking.

"Oh my apologies... I hope you haven't been there long Telamon. My mind was elsewhere..." Her head cants slightly to one side, and she starts to get up. "Is it safe to talk here?"

Telamon looks around, his expression dour. "Probably. The city council dislikes people intruding, and I can perceive invisible watchers." He snorts. "But let's go for a walk." He offers Simony a hand up off the bench. "There are other solutions if we need them."

As the two wander down one of the garden paths, Telamon explains. "I hosted a dinner last night with my family, and we put together certain facts. I wonder if the fiend we hunt is acting of its own accord. There are enough irregularities that we believe that a certain fey monarch is mixed up in this as well." He adds, "No, not Grandfather. And I can't rule out this is somehow personal, but I'm not sure -why-, beyond some -very- petty grudges."

With graceful long strides that are somewhat reminiscent of a bird walking through high water, Vex enters into the main thoroughfare of the Gardens. She doesn't appear to have any particular destination in mind. No. She holds a scroll before her that is wide and thick which likely holds quite a bit upon it. Her attention dances between the trees, the bushes, the flowers, the plants, and the scroll itself. Her wanderings trying to find the particular plant on the scroll itself have her taking a very circuitous and meandering path as she travels from one notable plant to another and checks each one against the scroll. Her expression is, as always, unreadable being fixed in place by that serene carved dragonbone mask that does it's best to give her at least a fascimile of more relatable appearance.

The Goblin CLANKS as her feet hit the ground, armoured boots replacing sandals and bare feet. She chooses to hold onto the helping hand as they walk, peace of mind and new worries fighting for dominance of her expression.

"You're telling me... Wasn't there a demon, a duke... that remnant in the sewer." Simony visibly shudders, fear in her eyes momentarily before she blinks, now looking angry. "Wasn't that the case with E..." Even now she cannot say it. "That duke? Is it possibly the same fae? If it was a fae?"

The Goblin goes quiet as the round a bend in the path, the Wargolem's activities curious. "Err.. that is... interesting."

Telamon shakes his head. "No. So far as I know, this is unrelated. Thankfully." His dark, starry eyes are somber. "It is still highly fraught. This fiend is somehow involved with a queen, if you catch my drift." His lips press together. "She once sought Grandfather's service, and he turned her down. So I cannot deny there may be a personal connection. But it seems her machinations are abetting this fiend's schemes -- and I will not abide that."

Telamon calmly breaks off as he catches sight of the wargolem wandering closer, the sorcerer's gaze tracking it -- her -- for a minute before he subtly relaxes. "I hate this," he grumbles to Simony. "I don't like being suspicious."

For her part, Vex seems to not pay an ounce of attention to anyone else she might come across as the plants seem to absorb her attention. She makes no indication that she's heard anything about fiends or fey or queens or grandfather's. Her long graceful strides carrying her over towards a new plant, a tree this time, though it is a flowering tree as one might expect. She rolls the scroll a bit to move it down a little on the parchment. Her attention shifting with little motions of her head back and forth before she moves on which does bring her close enough to Telamon and Simony that she can interract with them.

Which she does.

Vex looks down at the Goblin, then down at Telamon, and holds out the scroll which is showing of all things, an apple tree on it. "Might either of you know if such a verdant life form exists within the expanse of this locale?" She asks, her voice having a hollow, faintly echoing quality, but is not the deep pitch one might normally expect from a War Golem. This one was not designed with a voice to carry across battle fields, but one more fitting it's overall construction. Pleasant, if not quite right.

Telamon regards Vex with a calm, fathomless stare. This close, his eyes can be seen: dark pools with stars that twinkle in their depths. Windows on the night sky. At her approach, he regards her serenely, radiating nothing but confidence.

When she displays the scroll, one eyebrow rises and his expression becomes faintly amused. "It's an apple tree. They're still in season, but you might need to visit the farms and orchards outside the city if you're looking to buy some." He tilts his head. "Any particular reason you're looking for one? Keep in mind those farmers prefer to sell their produce, not give it away."

"I have no need for the fruit." Vex explains after she waits for Telamon to fully finish, "Yes, apple tree, as it is labeled in the parchment." She adjusts the roll to read a little bit more of the text on the scroll that alludes to certain facts that have been documented there. "I am attempting to familiarize myself with such plants that possible companions may need. I wish to see them in person rather than an image, which may or may not be accurate. Also, I have read, that their fragrance is quite pleasant. I wish to experience what such life can provide."

The tall war golem looks back to Telamon, and while there is no curiosity on that unchanging expression she does not immediately look back to her scroll. Her molten gold and pearl eyes look from Telamon, down to Simony, and then back to Telamon. "You have an interesting deviation from statistical norms of occular appearance. May I ask how you acquired such a deviation?" She rolls up the large scroll and sticks it in a wide case, and slips it into a haversack. "Your goblin companion seems to be of a more standard ocular variety."

Telamon tries not to smirk. "Well, if you're looking to familiarize yourself with plants, this is a good place to start. The Gardens are kept viable year-round with magic, and many flowers and trees grow here that are not native to the Heartlands of Alexandros."

He regards the golem with interest, and a faint grin. "At least you're trying to grasp what makes people tick. I appreciate that. Apple trees do have a wonderful scent, and their fruit is pleasing to taste for most." He taps his chin. "If you -really- need to study some though, I could supply an introduction."

At Vex's inquiry, he chuckles. "Ah yes, my eyes. A side effect of being born when the stars were right. I am a sorcerer, after all. I am called Telamon Lupecyll-Atlon, at your service." He bows politely, as is his wont.

"I was given the delineation of Vex upon my creation." Vex introduces herself with what is a stiff, if polite, somewhat formal bow like she isn't made for such movements precisely, or is extremely unfamiliar with them. "I have heard of sorcerers. I am one for all intents and purposes. Many of my parts were fashioned out of sufficient components that resonated with arcane energies that it has suffused my entire being. While I do not think the stars had anything to do with it in my case." Her expression is, as always, serene. Unchanging. "It is an intriguing incidence of occular variation, none the less, and a tribute to your calling."

Vex falls silent for a few moments, "I do not understand 'taste', such is beyond my capabilities, your words do however provide another datapoint in confluence with what I have read on the nature of apples, and the verdant life form that produces them. It is intriguing to me that organic life must consume other organic life to continue. Life equates to death. There is no avoiding that fact." Another pause, "It is an interesting moral dillemma. Which has more right to live. The apple, or the individual. One is consuming the others very offspring."

Simony gives her head a shake, having gotten lost in thought. "That good captain is in danger Telamon. For if he has not been allowing us to... borrow a thing here or there... then why is whomever is controlling the demon helping us?" She blinks a few times at Vex, pulls the pince-nez from her nose, and steps closer to peer at the scroll. "I know where some grow in the wild. I could point you in the right direction or maybe take you there." As Telamon's eyes seems to be the topic of discussion, she hides a smile behind her hand. "I am called Simony.", she replies when Vex introduces themselves. "Hmm... and what you speak of is the cycle of life. I will die and things will feast on my body, just as I have feasted."

"I would like that, Simony, I will find you when you are not engaged. My apologies for the interruption. That was rude of me." Reaching into the haversack, the war golem pulls out the large scroll again. "Farewell." Her long graceful steps carry her away from the pair, and their conversation, as she unrolls her scroll to another plant on it and resumes her hunt.

Telamon watches Vex depart, and exhales. "You misunderstand, Simony. The good captain, as it were, is bound to his liege-lady. He would not be able to act against her directly." Tel runs his finger down his cheek. "But it doesn't change the fact that his mistress is tangled up in this, and I fear what the ultimate goal might be."

He turns his eyes to Simony. "I believe when the fiend captured Verna, he was possessing a fey changeling -- a half-fey, as it were. This was the same changeling Lana and I found in the Dreamlands, and later freed from the fiend's binding circle. I believe the Queen knew of this, allowed it to happen." His lips press together. "And that is why I intend to question the good captain. I will draw him to Leca'fi Amdamu, and he -will- answer my inquiries."

"What is the ultimate goal, in your esteemed and informed opinion?", the Goblin wonders, pulling a small cloth from a pouch on her belt. She carefully cleans the lenses of her pince-nez, replacing it on her nose. "Will the good captain answer, though? And you have my spells, knowledge and skills, if you have need of me. And my warhammer, which I had remade in cold iron, and doused in Vardama's eternal flames. Fiends and fae alike will shy from Spidermasher's bite."

Telamon sighs. "I don't know. It... may be personal. An attempt to wreak havoc on Grandfather by proxy, by attacking his family. But then, why the infiltration into the Arcanist's prison? Was it solely to create chaos, to keep us off guard? It may have been, but that was -before- Verna was kidnapped. Not after."

"I do not have the answers yet. But... I have spent time in thought. Leca'fi Amdamu is possibly the closest thing to a true place of power for me. It responds to my will and wish, and the possibilities of such a tool are endless." His expression is set. "I will not torture this captain. But he will answer, or I will immure him in the castle until he does so. If the Queen wishes war, then war she will have."

"There is also the consideration for the artifice means for turning people into living golems. The bitch at that fort... and one of the people in the Dungeon... both died, both ressurected, both having an interest in this artifice. So many nails, Telamon."

"And I have only one hammer."

Her expression goes lax then, and she inhales and exhales before continuing. "Let us hope for a quick, precise strike. A war, when someone is using demons as proxies, is a terrible thing indeed."

Telamon reaches out to pat Simony's shoulder. "True. But maybe that's the point. You can only drive so many nails. Don't be afraid to let others deal with the rest." He squeezes her shoulder gently, as best he can through her armor.

"And believe me, I know -all- about annoying resurrections." His lips flatten. "I ran across one bastard who had been killed and he was positively -gleeful- when I interrogated his shade, because he was going to be drawn back from the Halls soon." He hmphs. "As I mentioned to my friends, this is unfortunately a side effect of being able to call heroes and loved ones back from the Halls; the bad guys get to do it too."