"You and I both, Ms. Faeyt," Salazaar said softly, but loud enough for the other two to hear him clearly, and drawing their attention to him for the first time; it was as if he had magically appeared between the two tables.  "But then important events are rarely comfortable."<br/><br/>He drew up an unoccupied chair from another table, and sat next to Lucrecia.  "Mr. Valtiere, would you and your avian companion please join us?  Good friends, I believe you have both been summoned and charged with a mission, in the same way that I have been, but unlike myself, neither of you managed to demand information as one of the gifts you were to receive.  Therefore, it falls to me to inform you both, and the others that will arrive, of our purpose as a group."  He held up a hand as Lucrecia started to object.  "In a moment.  I know meeting Haern is something of a mind-bender, and whatever gifts he gave you must be difficult to cope with, but if you listen to what I have to tell you, it might make it easier."<br/><br/>He spoke softly, with intensity, but quietly enough to be certain they were not being accidentally overheard.  His special senses would alert him if anyone were intentionally overhearing them, so he trusted that their conversation was private.  He felt confident enough about his conclusions to just drop the name "Haern," but he had a couple of other candidates in mind if she corrected him.<br/><br/>He waited until the other two were settled and listening, then spoke swiftly.  "The ancient God of Corruption, Twilight, is stirring in his prison beneath the mountain the Gods placed upon him.  Though powerful, the Gods no longer have the kind of direct influence on the world that they once had.  Therefore, they are forced to work through intermediaries: their faithful, if they can find any with appropriate skills, or through those they recruit, otherwise.  Such agents of the Gods are granted special powers and abilities, on the condition that they must work to defeat Twilight's servants and keep the Twisted One asleep and imprisoned.  Both of you, myself, and others that I have been made aware of have been chosen.  If we succeed, the Gods have promised us the fulfillment of our heart's desires.  If we fail..."  he paused.  "Well, if we fail, I would presume that would mean death and/or unending torment under the cruel fist of Twilight."  He shrugged.  "I don't intend to find out, personally."<br/><br/>"Ms. Lucrecia Arias Faeyt, you are most evidently a warrior, and a skilled one.  Mr. Vincent Valtiere, you are most evidently a mage, of some skill," he did not give any hint that he was aware of Valtiere's reputation independent of the knowledge he had been given; wouldn't do to have the kid get too much of a swelled head.  "I am Salazaar Dominguez Aerowyn el Nomianias Greywood, professional discoverer and keeper of secrets, and it has been more than 5 years since I've told anyone my real name like that, but we are a select group.  I have little choice but to trust you, and so I have."  He paused, realizing they needed a little time to absorb the knowledge he'd dropped upon them like a toppling library shelf.<br/><br/>"It's a lot to take in," he admitted.  "But you must."