☆ A Special Delegation Arrives

[moustre]

It's unmistakable, how a ship rolls into the harbor one day bearing a flag unlike that of Aefenglom's, with triple stars sewn bright gold against the dark blue of its fabric, and Captain Heuf clears the way for three figures as they move down the gangplank: A tall, thin woman with the same symbol pinned at her breast, a shorter, plumper woman with it shining proudly in her hair, and the last is a hooded figure who follows with a limp in their step, hands black and distinctly pointed.

The paper rings out hours after with a headline that's bold and practically screaming in its delight: Dorchacht's Ambassadors Arrive By Sea, and the Coven opens its doors to their biggest audience hall they can afford to give up at the time of day on request of the ambassadors themselves. Once all who wish to attend have attended, a gradual hush is put upon the crowd and the shortest of the trio climbs upon stairs offered up to the podium stationed in the middle of the heightened stage, round, heart-shaped face beaming as she speaks with a quick tongue.

"My oh my oh my, if this isn't just far too exciting! Hello hello hello, thank you all for comin' to welcome us here today! I'm Dorchacht's shining star, most brilliant inventor--"

"And humble beyond words," the tallest speaks dryly, evidently the oldest from the tremble of her voice. Her face is far more angular, sharp in every way, with a coolness to her gaze. "Really, Hilda, have you no sense of decorum? We are ambassadors here today."

Hilda giggles and waves her hand. "Oh, you're just far too uptight, Bryn. We're ambassadors, yes, but more than that we are here as friends, now aren't we? Hm? Don't you agree?"

Bryn rolls her eyes and motions her on, crossing her arms.

"Right! Now then, as Bryn says, we're ambassadors from Dorchacht -- the new Dorchacht, change brought on by the love of her people. We'd like to extend our hands, palms open and sleeves drawn back, to Aefenglom's people, in thanks for taking care of our wayward refugees... and as thanks for those who assisted, in their own ways, in helping us be rid of Dorchacht's former Coven head, Morgana Drummond."

A murmur goes across the crowd, Witch, non-Witch, and Monster alike, and Bryn steps forward more prominently.

"I can imagine the questions some or most of you may have in regards to the current state of Dorchacht, and we will answer the specifics later. For the moment, we are able to confirm that in place of a central leader which heads the Coven and city itself we have established a Circle of Three, with those three being ourselves. Hilda here, despite her flighty tone, was the Resistance's prime inventor, and some of you may recognize her as such from your time there."

"Bryn's the mother of the section leader whom you helped as well, may his soul rest easy." Bryn dips her head at Hilda's words, smile pursed. "She's taken up his cause as her own, and we thank her for it."

There's a pause as the women look at each other, and Bryn raises an eyebrow. Hilda glances at their hooded companion, who seems content to stay at the back where they stood in the first place, and then clears her throat.

"And, ah, our shy companion here the former Bonded of Drummond, who is currently without a name, so we've-- I've taken to calling them Starlight, and Bryn's simply been referring to them as The Dragon. Whichever is fine, they don't seem to care too much about things like that.

"Nonetheless! Nonetheless," Hilda's quick to continue, leaning across the podium with a large smile, "things have changed and are ever changing in Dorchacht, and for the better -- we strive to repair the bridge torn asunder by Drummond and those before her, to see each other as equals, and to assist with the reformation of this world, starting with the Wilde at our doorstep, just as Aefenglom has done. We've heard such wonderful things, and we're eager to have all the hands we can take."

Bryn nods, raising her voice to strike clear. "We have managed to find a safe enough path to the teleportation device a good handful of you entered Dorchacht through, and are currently doing our best to get it up in working order. With the assistance of the Coven here, we will manage to do so by the week's end, and we welcome you all to come to Dorchacht, old and new alike, to see our changes and to cleanse the surrounding areas of the Cwyld."

It's with this finality of their announcements, it'd seem, that they open the floor to all those who'd like to speak, be they with question, congratulation, or offer to help.

All questions, comments, etc can be done with IC words or as summarizations should that please you, simply make note of it in the comment! Both Bryn and Hilda may be spoken with, either together or as separate people, but please note that Fafnir/Starlight/The Dragon will not be available for questioning, no matter who asks.

Please feel free to use this post to mingle with each other as well if any discussions arise!

Comments

[morbide]

A summary would be perfect!

Henry approaches with congratulations for taking what's theirs, convinced that a fun (and gory) battle must have taken place for leadership. He wishes he were there to see the overthrowing of Morgana. No matter what, he'd be thrilled to come over and offer his help in Dorchacht! Henry is especially enthusiastic about helping Monsters get back on their feet. He loves the Monsters.

Now, the business. As business as things can be for someone like Henry. For a while he could hardly remember it, he confesses, but he mentions a visit to the infirmary while he was in Dorch to the three. They don't think he's mad, do they? He doesn't think so. He wants to know if those Monsters that were on the tables are okay, "since I don't think they were visiting those quacks for a case of the Cwyld." And where'd they get all of that blood?! You know, red, bloody, and magical, the stuff they dipped him in. It sure was an effective place, that infirmary... With Morgana out of the picture, are they still as good at curing the Cwyld?

Finally, after a few off-color jokes about how Morgana finally fell off of her high... mount, Henry offers his hopes that "Starlight" is doing well after her death. (He wonders aloud if they have a name they prefer best. Then says "Starlight" can call him whatever they want, if they don't get to pick their own name.) Followed is an unsettling remark about wondering if she'd have anything to say postmortem, and if it'd be fun to revive her just to kill her again. ...This is probably a joke.

[moustre]

This is... an interesting person, to say the least, and Bryn steps back a bit to let Hilda take the reins, all short stature and cheerful roundness at the front.

Chances are the blood they treated him with, as much "treatment" as they could be, was the blood of their own Resistance allies, caught and killed. The Monsters he'd seen previously have unfortunately passed, as it was crueler to keep them alive with the level of Cwyld infection being tested on them, and with Drummond out of the picture-- it wasn't as if her practices were efficient in a healthy sense, and so the ones they've got now that do offer safer, less-painful methods are more or less equal to it.

The necromancy bit gets uncomfortable looks from the Aefenglom natives, joke or not, and Hilda eyes them a moment before, very diplomatically, saying that if she did have something to say beyond the grave, it wouldn't be of any importance. The words of someone so terrible is a waste of time to hear.

[morbide]

So it's more or less effective? Great! Henry's happy to hear that they're managing to treat the Cwyld with less painful methods. He doesn't tolerate torture, and he makes sure to say this loud and clear, as if this is an issue of morality people often don't think he has. Interesting person indeed. It's too bad about those Monsters, though, but if they were beyond help, he agrees it's for the best. Sometimes mercy is the same as death.

Henry appears blissfully unaware of Aefenglom's reaction to his necromantic joke, but he takes to Hilda's response with a nod of his own and says with a silly smile, "Gotcha. Just thought I'd ask." As if there were an offer, when there clearly was none. He agrees that anything she'd have to say would surely be considered vile in Dorchacht's current climate... but he deliberately doesn't mention Aef's, after witnessing the anti-Monster and Mirrorbound sentiments from December.

He doesn't seem to have any other questions, but he appreciates them humoring "little old" him and wishes them the ultimate best.