(http://www.wallpaperpimper.com/wallpaper/Art_&_3D/Women/Snake-Woman-1-1F35IVM9FL-1024x768.jpg)<br/><br/>"Ahhh there you all are, well most of you any way"<br/><br/>A strange creature with the upperbody of a naked woman and the lower half of a snake entered without a sound.<br/><br/>"I am Sherara, an elder, from watching how Athkore respond and behave, we have managed to piece snippets we have overheard of your stories and explainations we have magic ears for to discern the truth in your mutterings."<br/><br/>She then bowed<br/><br/>"Please forgive me, mutterings is inappropriate, dramas, yes that is more a suitable word, us elders live for eons and we forget what is important, dismiss to much until we realise we have dismissed everything and everything in return will in turn .. dismiss ussssss ..."<br/><br/>she spoke the last word with a hiss that sounded very snake like and sure enough a snake tongue lashed the air quickly from between her lips<br/><br/>"This separation from the elders and the else has made it harder for ships to pass through the veil to us, and for us to leave. Your arrival renews the transition, and is something we are in great debt to. For too long the conditions of entering have been specific, too specific, we have been so arrogant to create conditions of us being interrupted from causes long forgotten, by the time we have resolved the issues we have immersed ourselves in we often journey back to find the civilization we wished to help with our findings, long dead, being imortal, or close to it makes one loose the ability to relate to others time-scape, and the values those that live in them have"<br/><br/>She then bowed<br/><br/>"Your arrival reminds us of our duty, and has not only helped the veil grow in strength,<br/>but of course has snapped a few of us out of the meditations that can easily make us fade<br/>from even the minds of other elders, so self-centered we become when none relate to us.<br/><br/>But how can they, if it up to us to relate to those of quick-blood, or else what else is there but principals, decadent liberties those with power to be proud can hold aloft and judge the world by,  principals based on reasons and values long forgotten, often long irrelevant, leaving no option for the new... or of course yourselves"<br/><br/>She then slithered with remarkable speed to several of the statues with completed sets of<br/>magical treasures as well as some others that seemed equally mysterious<br/><br/>"The set that the golden-hilt-sword completes doesn't belong to me, but to one that is in my debt<br/>never the less, The braid of winds permits the wearer to control weather and even fly for<br/>brief spurts of time and explode in a whirlwind of rapier slashes and thrusts .. it is something<br/>I would adore to use when reminiscing of ancient times. It is something I will keep and use"<br/><br/>"But if I do claim this his debt will be repaid to me, something he is longing to do for over three<br/>thousand years, and didn't expect to occur with this set, his only one in this room"<br/><br/>She then saunted up to each hero and inspected them in turn intently<br/><br/>"You are all splendidly handsome and beautiful specimens of your kind ... There is<br/>a lot my eyes can see, many elders can peer into the souls of others and see their deeds and values<br/>I can see some, not all, current ones by our standards, and impressive heroes you have all been<br/>in your own regard, thanklessly scorned and villified to protect a Lord of lies"<br/><br/>She spoke the words without scorn, as if used to such sentences<br/><br/>"Hey the parchment that proved we returned it ! where is it ? It was in my hand a moment ago,<br/>we need it to prove to him we did the .. um ... well .. " Angela shouted pointing an accusing finger at the elder, who raised one eyebrow then opened  one hand, to have it appear in her palm<br/><br/>"No need, I have it, no need to pester yourself finding him, That set I will claim for novelty sake,<br/>and inform him his debt is repaid in full, not that I need to fly with it but being able to does have a novelty"<br/><br/>Over a nude torso she donned the braid of winds, then took both rapiers in each hand from the statue,<br/>none of the servants dared say anything. She then inspected the blades and smiled. With a whisper<br/>her body lifted to the rafters as she posed her sword's dazzlingly.<br/><br/>"Glorioussssssssss way to stretch" she said, seemingly very pleased.<br/><br/>Her tail, now elevated completely from the ground lashed towards the robed hooded overseer that<br/>had re-entered into the foyer a moment before and pointed at the man, its end an inch away from his nose<br/><br/>"Sage Ramford, The elders are in gratitude for these morals presence, ensure they have all  a bag of gold for spending of flippant things that strikes their fancy from the citys' markets all from the fat coffers of this place, oh and give the company a choice of five artifact or magical sets their group desires, and also insist they choose wisely to please their members that are not present here, or tell them to factor their opinion into their choisesssssss"<br/><br/>"Yes Mistress... " At this the robed man looked to those nearby and shrugged  "But what of ones reserved for prizes completing the gauntlet ?"<br/><br/>"Permit one of their choices to be from those reserved for such, the rest of any other kind but, if they<br/>want more normally reserved for passing the gauntlet, they can run it themselves"<br/><br/>She hissed then slithered towards the exit, swiping the rapiers happily, in a manner that  delighted in the the wooshing sounds doing so made. Before leaving she then glanced back at the group, her swords she thrusted into belt rings, of a belt<br/>that seemed to materialise the moment her sword tips seeked a surface, after her hands were free, she moved them in gaceful arch's showing an image of a palace<br/><br/><div align="center">(http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/97/62/castles,fantasy,illustrations-97620e8f8aebd0353740bbef8193f4d9_h.jpg)<br/></div>"On the top of the left most hill is my humble abode, if you do not wish to sleep in hammocks<br/>of  your ship but desire rest in beds more bountiful with servants and of course better food, you are all<br/>welcome to any wing of my palace you choose, and your all invited to join me for dinner in the top tower<br/>at sundown each day. For as long as your in the city consider my palace your home if you wish it, a wing or tower of which can be be each of yours, dinner is when you can share my company if you desire it, do not beleive you will outstay your welcome for your lives are fleeting to me. ... I will inform my fellow elder, a debt he never thought he could shake off is finally resolved... before telling my servants you are all expected ... you can command them as if they are yoursssss "<br/><br/>With one more lazy swipe of one of the golden hilted swords she made her way into the forest in a manner only a snake could manage.<br/><br/>"Well um that was unexpected" The Sage Ramford almost coughed, before snapping his fingers. Moments later servents<br/>quickly placed gold bags, as many as there were heros and lanleys in the company on the main counter<br/><br/>"One for each of you, do take the ones for those not present to the right people please, and um I guess you can make five selections ... I suggest you do, Sherara is one of the most respected of elders, her word is law, this gift of selections and her hospitality is unheard of I do suggest you accept it immediately, most graciously"<br/><br/>He then waved both hands about to indicate the statues and strange pedestals that lined the walls of the shop.<br/><br/>"Be my guest, or Sherara's to be more precise"<br/><br/><em>(OOC: Um I guess choose whatever you want, what is "the one reserved for gauntlet winners" will just be more powerful ... no real need to discuss too much in occ I suppose ... sharing is caring lol, or be outright selfish / whatever, about time our characters got a reward for all the crap they have gone though right :D :)</em><br/>