28-03-2025: A Wild Party pt. 2

After discovering that the Gnome they had met was none other than a member of the renowned Shimmerforge family—the inventors of the Warforged — the Order of Adamant fell into a brief, stunned silence.
  Gotrick soon engaged Dirgle Shimmerforge in conversation, expressing both admiration and interest in the family's legacy of invention. He gently shifted the focus toward Dirgle’s personal perspective—what he thought of his heritage, and what he hoped to create for himself. It quickly became clear that Dirgle was passionate about crafting playful and practical inventions—like the gauntlet he wore, or small mechanical spiders which could shoot fireworks and split itself into 4 smaller spiders. These creations brought him joy, a stark contrast to the kinds of war-oriented projects his father expected him to pursue.   He also shared a more personal longing: the desire to explore beyond the boundaries of Illumé. The Order didn't understand why he would not just leave Illumé if it was a dream of his. Despite Dirgle's curiosity, he explained that no Shimmerforge had ever successfully left the city. Those who tried met grim ends. The family’s secrets were protected fiercely—leaving the city was, effectively, forbidden. In an effort to lift the mood, Gotrick returned the conversation to invention, excitedly pitching his idea and showed him the drawing of it. Dirgle found the concept intriguing and mentioned that it would likely require magical enchantments to bring it to life. Mae, eager to help, offered her lightning-based magic, but Dirgle clarified that a different kind of magic would be needed. Still, he expressed willingness to assist Gotrick, but wanted something in return, as he was a very busy gnome.     Mae and Gotrick began brainstorming ways to convince Dirgle to assist them. One idea involved sneaking him out of the city—an option Dirgle quickly dismissed as far too dangerous and, as he had already told them, truely impossible. Until then, Mind had remained quiet, listening thoughtfully. But now, he offered a creative solution as a token of good faith. Instead of leaving the city on foot, what if Dirgle could fly—just for a night? From the back of Hugin, he could soar high above Illumé and glimpse the world beyond its walls. While Mae laughed at the idea, Dirgle saw promise in it. Encouraged, Mind proposed a second option: he could Polymorph Dirgle into a Tressym, a winged cat, allowing him to fly freely on his own. To everyone’s surprise, Dirgle agreed to both ideas and he told them they were welcome to visit his workplace in the Shimmerforge district.   Mind kneeled down on the ground. He prepared to transform Hugin, who was currently in his raven form, back into his majestic hippogriff shape. Melania kneeled down as well. She observed his spellcasting closely, clearly impressed by the skill and control he demonstrated. Once the transformation was complete, she offered to keep watch over both Hugin and Dirgle during the flight, so the rest of the Order could return inside and continue enjoying the festivities. She didn’t mind staying behind; the cool night air suited her just fine.   Back inside the grand mansion of House Varynthiel, Mae’s curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to do some exploring. The group followed her lead and made their way into a lavish dining room, where laughter echoed softly through the space. Seated around a round table were two women, both engaged in a lighthearted moment, giggling over something unseen. Aerith immediately recognized both of them—it was Seline Varynthiel and Lyanna Lytharion. The two appeared to be in the midst of a drinking game. Seline gave a brief explanation: after taking a shot, something unpredictable might occur. The element of surprise intrigued the group. One by one, they joined in the game—Gaele included, who had been quietly accompanying them the entire time.   Seline was the first to take a shot, though she didn’t notice any immediate changes. Familiar with the game from past experiences, she referred to the small manual that accompanied it and suggested her effect might be the ability to speak with animals—one she had encountered before. With the mood set, the rest of the group joined in eagerly. As the drinks were passed around, magical effects began to take hold. Jaina suddenly saw everything upside down. Mae’s skin became like that of a chameleon and she started to blend in with the wall behind her. Mind began hovering, but upside down, adding a surreal twist. Aerith found herself surrounded by floating strawberry-scented bubbles, while Leo began speaking in echoes. Gaele, to everyone's delight, began to emit a soft, angelic glow. Laughter filled the room as each bizarre effect took hold, sparking wonder and amusement in equal measure. Aerith, curious about the origins of the game, asked Seline how she came by it. Seline explained that she had a contact who owned a liquor store and occasionally brewed magical drinks like these.   The second round brought even more unpredictable chaos. Seline began to levitate uncontrollably, only regaining stability when Mind, now with multicolored eyes, used his magic to help her back down. Leo turned magnetic, attracting cutlery and other small metal objects. Mae delighted in tiny fireworks bursting from her fingertips. Lyanna appeared mesmerized by the vision of her childhood dog, while Aerith, laughing at Leo's condition, suddenly began coughing up flowers. Jaina's next shot compelled her to speak only the truth, and to everyone’s surprise, Gaele started speaking in Aerith’s voice—an effect that left him visibly shy and self-conscious.   After sharing laughter they hadn’t felt in a long time, the group left Seline and Lyanna behind, still giggling at their table, and followed Mae deeper into the mansion. She led them into a cozy room where several people were seated comfortably on the floor. Above them hovered a softly glowing orb that pulsed with brief flashes of light. The seated figures were none other than Taric Sylvaris, a strong man and guard captain, Biantra Thalorian, a judge and Kyara Aeryndor, a nervous and shy researcher. The group was engaged in a magical version of truth or dare, where the enchanted orb exposed any lie told by flashing brightly. Mind, ever the curious spellcaster, was already testing illusions in an attempt to deceive the orb, though it quickly became clear that Taric had a keen eye to spot such trickery. The gathered nobles found his attempt amusing.   Aerith was hesitant to join the game, a fact Mae noticed immediately. Without hesitation, Mae took her place trying really hard to come up with questions. Mae began with a bold inquiry, asking whether Taric had any dealings with the Underground. The question was swiftly answered in the negative—truthfully, as confirmed by the orb.   Meanwhile, Gaele, who had been watching from the sidelines, decided to join in, together with Gotrick. He asked Kyara about her current research, to which she responded truthfully: she was working on dimensional travel. The conversation shifted when Taric directed a personal question at Gaele, asking if he was betrothed. The orb confirmed the truth of Gaele’s answer—he was. This revelation sent a silent ripple through the women of the Order, who exchanged surprised glances. Gaele quickly clarified that it was an arranged marriage, one neither he nor his intended wanted, as she is not even aware yet of the betrothal.   The game continued with personal and silly questions, until some became a little more serious. Mae, when asked about her sister, chose a dare instead of answering something too close to heart. Biantra challenged her to drink from a toilet. Mae, putting on a brave face, marched off and returned with a cup—only to immediately spit it out and suffer the aftermath. Kyara, showing some kindness after the harsh dare, stayed by Mae’s side as she recovered.   Gotrick, starting to become inquisitive, asked what Taric Sylvaris' father’s greatest secret was. Taric responded that it was likely his father’s enjoyment of shopping with his wife—a funny detail for someone from Illumé’s stern military House. Gaele followed with a more serious question: whether House Thalorian had ever unjustly fined or imprisoned people. The answer, confirmed by the orb, was a simple yes. When asked a particularly sensitive question involving House Celebren, Gaele opted for a dare. A mischievous grin appeared on Taric's face as he scanned the room before settling on Aerith. He made a point about impropriety, but when others clarified that Aerith and Gaele weren’t related, he issued the dare: to kiss her, with her consent. Aerith, totally caught off guard but not unwilling, gave her consent. Gaele, equally shy, rose and gently kissed her while he rested his hand on her face. This moment drew playful cheers and teasing from the rest of the group.
Gotrick was given a personal question—one he declined to answer. Instead, he accepted a dare, which required him to take a punch to the gut without wearing his armor. The blow brought him to his knees, but he took it with grit. Not one to let the moment pass, he quickly followed up with his own question: which House of the Luminous Concord was considered the most corrupt? The answer was nearly unanimous—House Quoronriel. None among the nobles hoped Illian Quoronriel would become their next representative.   As the truth-or-dare game began to wind down, Mae—having finally recovered from her dreadful dare—turned to Kyara with a desperate question. She asked if she knew anything about her missing sister. When prompted for more information, Mae revealed a small portrait she had carried with her. The moment Kyara laid eyes on it, her expression changed. She recognized the woman immediately—Mae’s sister was none other than the fiancée of Illian Quoronriel. The shock hit Mae like a wave. After regaining her composure, she urgently pressed for more information. Kyara, caught off guard by the intensity of Mae’s reaction, explained that she had seen the woman earlier at the party, accompanied by Illian himself. Without another word, Mae stormed off, brushing past the rest of the Order as they stood in stunned silence.   Mind, concerned, reached out to her magically to ask what was going on, but even through her thoughts Mae struggled to form a reply. She didn’t answer his follow-up questions and likely ignored him altogether. Mind relayed the situation to the group privately, away from the noble guests. The news hit hard—Mae’s sister had been here all along, and worse... she was with Illian of all people. The realization left the Order in utter disbelief and suspicion.   Trying to refocus, Gotrick suggested they speak to Melania, who was still outside watching over Hugin and Dirgle. She greeted Mind with a lighthearted comment, assuring him that everything had gone well—though there were a few close calls. Mind thanked her and gently shifted the topic to something more serious. He explained Mae’s situation and how they had just discovered her sister was engaged to Illian. Melania confirmed the truth, explaining that Fae—Mae’s sister—had been living in Illumé for quite some time and was doing well. She mentioned seeing her and Illian heading upstairs earlier in the evening and offered to help the group search. This left the group to thinking the worst. Mind turned to everyone and told them he had to stay behind, he had his other part of the deal to hold up and transforming Dirgle into a Tressym would take some concentration and focus.   With that, Jaina, Leo, Aerith, Gaele, and Melania returned to the mansion and headed upstairs. There, on the landing, they came across a man admiring artwork on the walls. When asked if he had seen Illian, he admitted he had, but hadn’t noticed which direction he went—too distracted by the paintings. The group left him to his musings and explored the corridor to the left, which held three doors.   From the first door came unmistakable sounds of intimacy which made the group look at one another. The second door, Jaina had checked, had the sound of water running. The third was silent according to Leo. The group began to deliberate when Aerith was struck by a memory—back in Pykill, she had used Estel to scout rooms unseen. She quickly asked Melania for a description of Fae. Melania described her as having light hair, similar features to Mae, and being quite beautiful. Aerith leaned against the wall and summoned Estel into the first room. Through her familiar’s eyes, she saw two people, neither of whom matched the description—both had dark hair. She was relieved to have ruled it out, though slightly scarred by what she witnessed.   The door with the running water also had to be checked. Aerith carefully stepped inside and was surprised to find a space nearly as large as a bathhouse. Squinting through the steamy air, she spotted three individuals enjoying a bath together—one of them clearly identifiable as Vaelis Lytharion. Upon this horrible discovery, Aerith left the room immediatly and informed the group that the people they were looking for weren’t there. At that moment, Gaele mentioned that he was heading into the third room to relax. The evening’s social whirlwind had clearly worn on him, and he needed some time to unwind. Aerith hesitated. A flicker of uncertainty passed over her as she wondered whether their earlier kiss had to do with it—or whether she had done it well. Curious, she sent Estel into the room Gaele had entered, and without needing to say anything, Jaina immediately understood. She offered her hand to guide Aerith as they left Gaele behind and continued down the hall. As they walked, Jaina whispered a question, wondering what Gaele was doing. Aerith, watching through Estel’s eyes, realized it wasn’t about her at all. Gaele was scanning the room, quietly investigating—likely trying to uncover something without drawing Melania’s suspicion. The realization settled her nerves and she understood him.   They moved on to the corridor on the right, which had five more doors. As before, they listened carefully. Behind one door, they heard flirtatious voices—just as Mind reconnected with the group through a magical message. Melania recognized her brother’s voice, eventhough she couldn't stand what she heard, and confirmed that Illian was indeed in that room. Aerith, through Estel, confirmed it was the right place: the room was filled with floating pink butterflies and the scene was of surreal beauty. She informed Mind, who immediately began searching for Mae.   Meanwhile, Mind had successfully Polymorphed Dirgle into a winged Tressym, who was now joyfully flying over Illumé. While wandering the mansion grounds, Mind finally re-established contact with Mae, who had spent the past moments frantically searching the entire party. Now, she had only one destination in mind—the stairs.   Hearing her hurried footsteps, the others—Jaina, Leo, and Aerith—pressed themselves against the wall and silently pointed to the correct door. Without any hesitation, Mae barged in.   As the butterflies scattered and turned blue, Illian reacted immediately, annoyed at the interruption. Mae ignored him and tried to speak with the woman—Fae—who reacted in shock and denied knowing her. Just then, Mind arrived at the scene. Tension flared. Illian stepped toward Mae, and she punched him. In retaliation, Illian cast a spell—Shocking Grasp—causing Mae visible pain. She shouted at him, accusing him of enchanting her sister. Before things escalated further and before someone else could do it, Melania stepped in and physically separated them, urging calm. She clarified Mae’s belief: that the woman before them was Mae's long-lost sister and deserved a chance to explain herself.   To confirm the truth, Gotrick used Zone of Truth. While Illian remained skeptical of the legitimacy of this spell, Mae insisted on her honesty. She repeated that Fae was her sister, but Fae claimed otherwise. Mae pressed further, asking their parents’ names—names that matched. Illian demanded proof, and Aerith encouraged Mae to show the portrait. She did, but even that didn’t sway Fae.   Mae asked where she had been all this time. Fae gave an explanation that she had traveled around until she decided to head to Illumé, though it was unclear whether Mae truly believed it. Mae started on Illian again and that is when Illian called for guards. He was done with being disrespected like this. Gotrick and Leo assured him that that was unneccessairy and tried to calm Mae down, but she was livid. The two restrained her by grappling her. Amid the chaos, Aerith quietly slipped back and turned invisible, distancing herself from the confrontation. Melania stayed close to Illian, trying to settle him as well.   There was one thing that was true at this moment—the party was over.   Once the group had left the Varynthiel estate, they regrouped with Cole outside. Aerith reappeared beside them. Gotrick and Leo had Mae seated on the ground, Serosh lying on top of her, still trying to calm her. Aerith and Jaina gently explained to her that they would need to approach the situation differently—more carefully—another time. Cole, clearly confused, jokingly asked if the party had come to an end.   Just then, Dirgle returned, gliding down and landing beside the group in his Tressym form. He thanked Mind for the unforgettable experience, delighted by his time in the sky and his supposed success with the ladies. A few raised their eyebrows at that information, but Mind congratulated him and let him know the spell would soon wear off. With a cheerful farewell, Dirgle flew off into the night. Gaele rejoined them soon after, he seemed satisfied about something. The group briefly recounted what had happened, and after taking it all in, Gaele quietly suggested they return to the Celebren mansion. Everyone agreed—except for Mae, who still sat, stunned, trying to process what had just happened.