Stranger's Secrets
Twenty-Eight Day of the Twelfth Month 293 AC
You would be lying to say that you are not at least curious about the notion of rebellious illithid and you do not make a habit of lying to yourself. While it is true that those of the Far Realm are inimical to life within the spheres more often than not, Xor has proven beyond all doubt that this not always the case and the Many further prove that not all illithidae need be foes. Still, there is a long way from Xor's gentle curiosity and the Many's innocent approach and those dread lords who have been devouring the brains of mortals day upon day for who knows how many years. Could you ever trust them even as far as working for common advantage?
Then you recall that you already encountered one such and trusted him at least as far as to strike a bargain.
Ishmagnis... he too must have been a rebel or a defector at least. Perhaps me might be inclined to speak of his erstwhile kin for the right price.
"Thank you for your aid, Ser. I realize you have much to think upon. Better I think to meet again on the morrow," you step aside from the door. Unsurprisingly the knight rushes through.
"We should tell his father something," Danelle says worriedly. "Without those enchantments Ser Lyan will be a target. I do not imagine this... faction of mind-eaters looks any more kindly on tools that betray their purpose than any other."
"His father who tried to take Greyshield and then all but declared a feud on us? That fellow?" Brandon asks, and for a moment you are startled by the similarity not to Rina by the icy magic that marks them both, but Vee. "They dug their own graves, they should dig their way back out if they fancy seeing daylight."
"I strongly suspect this cabal is too secretive to act in the open and in a matter of hours," you point out. "More to the point if any of us show up with a frightened Ser Lyan along we would look like we're dragging a prisoner along..."
"Because that is exactly what we would be doing," Dany interjects.
"We can keep watch on him and his family from afar today and approach them tomorrow one way or another," you finish. Silently to your sister you add:
"Enter his dreams tonight, find out how to contact the the upper echelons of Sunset Shores."
Both Dany and Danelle nod, though for different reasons, and while the Chosen's nod is reluctant, perhaps guessing that you might have some other plan, Dany's mind presence is tinged with curiosity. One thing has not changed since she was six and practically jumped to hug Xor, she is always interested to meet new types of people. Though you are unlikely to be striking any close friendships with this cabal of rebels you might yet profit thereby.
***
"I'm coming with you, Lya and the princess can watch for squids," Ser Richard says later when you explain where you are going. He is usually less blunt than than, but given that it's Heaven's Shore you can hardly say you are surprised.
"Of course," you nod in acceptance and once more in thanks of leal service
You could have done without seeing the defiled sky, but some perverse part of your mind inclined you to glance up, to see if it is a bad as you remembered. It is worse, some things memory alone cannot contain, or perhaps refuses to.
Shaking off the though you enter the
Herald's Respite under the arch of polished white stone. In any mortal land this would have been a winesink or alehouse, here it is something halfway between a house of ease and a library. Here one might find upon ornate marble shelves the poetry of yesteryear, grand and tragic, wondrous and if one looks hard enough even hopeful. Here too are books not entirely approved by the reigning lords, celestial or infernal, and here in darkened corners are traded dreams of an unfallen realm.
"Hail Ishmagnis," you say, meeting the black eyes and withered face of the undead mage with a courteous bow. "I seek a bargain."
"Ah..." the sound trails off a little too long, as though he had trained himself to interject these small exclamations into speech. "Not of the usual sort I would wager. What do you wish to know?"
"I am not a stranger to the kindred to which you were born, Master Ishmagnis, and I do not think it will come as any great surprise to you that some of those meetings have been... adversarial."
"Indeed not," he shakes his head in amusement, tentacles almost sweeping over the table.
"However, I do not know near as much as I would wish on the subject." You sip your wine, hardly tasting it, though it is finer than many a mortal vintage. "Tell me, how likely is it for an illithid to rebel against the One who rules them and how might such a deed be done?"
"You ask for dangerous knowledge, young mage. Dangerous to tell and to hear," the alhoon's dry voice rasps. "What do you offer in exchange?"
"What do you wish to know?" you turn the question back upon him.
"Here curiosity wars with practicality. I would very much wish to know who you are who walks shrouded from a seer's gaze with sure step beneath the eyes of angels and devils alike only to vanish without a trace, but if you would not share of yourself I am interested in other tales of distant lands, perhaps also in magic should it be relevant to my art."
What do you offer Ishmagnis for the information you desire?
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OOC: I hope I got Ishmagnis down properly here. Also, don't worry about the other patrons around. You can carry on the conversation of sensitive topics by telepathy so no need to worry about being overheard. 
