After the lunch, the two women prepared themselves while Nirael retired to the second bedroom to study Ahler's journal and notebook.  The journal he found easy to read, written in the common trade language and uncoded.  In fact the only thing difficult about the man's personal journals were simply the sheer amount of information in them.  Nirael knew it would take weeks of reading to go through them all, but also realized that much of it was rather mundane.  Many times there were passages that talked about a walk along the river bed, a poem he'd thought up, or a musing on a romantic encounter he'd had.  However, Nirael decided that flipping through the book towards the end and simply looking for passages that would stand out in his mind seemed like a good way to go.  The value of such a journey was hard to measure immediately and he knew that there would be more about this man the more he read.  But he did find note that of the children that he had fathered in the villiage, and it seemed there were more than a few, he took special interest in his youngest daughter, Lunari.  There was a vague mention that she might be the one most likely of all his children to be able to fulfill the duties set down by the goddess.<br/><br/>While that comment was cryptic, Nirael spent more time looking for references to it, but began to grow frustrated and moved onto his notebooks.  Again there was a dearth of information, but this time it was a little slower going as he'd written it in code.  It took Nirael only a short while to break the code, as it was written backwards, from the right to the left, and in draconic.  Luckily Nirael was fluent in that language of the ancient wyrms.  But the backwards writing did mean he could not skim through the note books quite as quickly.  Yet even as he thumbed through it, looking for information in a general sense, he did find one word that stuck out and grabbed his attention.  "Lirialla."  Focusing his efforts on that passage, he translated the information as quickly but accurately as he could.  Alher made reference to the staff 'speaking to him' and also 'it's goodly and amazing powers'  but when Nirael held it, there was nothing more than the vague sense that this was a magical staff.<br/><br/>Nirael knew that there was more to this staff then met the eye, and certainly if there was a way to unlock it, these notes would hold the key, but as he read, he was interrupted by a knock on the open door.  He turned to see Lunari, dressed in her inky black void cloth loin cloth and leather 'armor' that was merely an illusion.  A convincing illusion, but one he knew came from the magical bracer about her wrist.  She gasped slightly as he turned to face her, the mahogony hued staff in his hands.<strong> "Oh, apologies Nirael, you just... just surprised me for a moment.  You just reminded me of my father so much just now.  Sitting there at his desk, holding his staff, grey skin and hair."</strong>She smiled to show that she didn't mind, and in fact said,<strong>"You should keep her with you if you think it would help.  I know father would rather a kind man like you carry her then to know that she sat in a closet.  I only interrupted you because it's the second day chime, and you said you wanted to go see Mara and Sirana.  Unless you changed your mind?"</strong><br/><br/>He hadn't, and the three of them, Nirael, Lunari, and Nilari set out for the town's inn.  They found both of their companions hunched over a table, looking at a map, but both of their faces brightened upon seeing their friends enter.  Sirana spoke to Mara and then stood approaching Nirael first and asking for a few moments of their time.  Lunari promised to chat with Mara, who seemed equally happy to see the elven woman.  Nirael and Sirana took a different table, and some light watered wine was brought to them for refreshments.  Nilari kept her distance but chatted with the owner of the inn, ready to intervene if anyone bothered the male mage, now wearing his human guise.<br/><br/>Sirana expressed her gratitude when he told her that he planned on teaching her about the primal magic, and shared her own doubts as to whether or not she could learn from him.<strong> "My magical abilities are granted by the goddess Wee Jas,"</strong>she explained,<strong>"I worry that you as an arcane mage may not be able to teach me." </strong>But she left feeling very pleased and actually smiling when Nirael said that he would try.<br/><br/>Mara on the other hand seemed a bit of the opposite as Sirana.  While she approached Nirael's table happy, she ended up leaving a little more crest fallen.  Specifically when she asked him if he'd had time to fuck her silly before he left.  She expressed her displeasure,<strong>"You've not laid a hand on me since the night I swore to call you master," </strong>she said.<strong>"That night I recall that I would follow you if you granted me release, pleasured me.  I had not specifically stated it, but I'd hoped it would be more than that one time.  Where I am from, a word given in promise is one that must be kept.  I regret now that I was not more clear on my terms.  I will follow you as I promised, but I desire more so long as you do not find me so unattractive and terrible that I am beneath your time." </strong>She leaned in and whispered,<strong>"I understand your desire to claim the elven woman's virginity, and your desire to see your quest through, I only ask that if you can spare some time for a poor woman who has been spoiled by your magical touch, I would have it again."</strong><br/><br/>The other women joined them at the table then and they sat and chatted about the village while eating a simple meal, before Nirael and his two elven lovers took their leave.  A return to the study and more time with the books, and Nirael found another mention of Lunari that he had to focus on.  It turned out that in the nearly three decades that Alher had been in this village, he'd fathered eight other children, all by different women, other than Lunari.  However for each of them save one, there was a note that he did not think any of the six other girls or two boys were the 'right ones' to do what had to be done.  The only one who might have the 'potential' to fulfill her destiny, other than Lunari, would be his third youngest daughter, Simwyn, but he had thought that Simwyn's mother would make training the girl child very difficult.<br/><br/>Through all of this, he held and spoke to the magical staff in his hands, hoping to gain some insight, but unfortunately coming up blank for now.  But he could sense it, could sense power locked away in that staff of wood.  He was interrupted again eventually by Nilari, who shone radiant.  Her leather armor had been buffed and polished and clung to her like a second skin, one that did little to hide her charms, but Nirael was getting used to that.  She seemed eager and quite pleased that he wished to attend service of Eilistraee, and it became clear that this woman held her faith very seriously to her heart.<br/><br/>The services, held in the temple, near where he'd met with the Matriarch were somewhat casual.  Elves sat around and played instruments, danced in a circle as they felt the urge strike them, and sang songs about the moon light, dancing, and the glory and beauty of the dark lady of dance.  One of the priestess called for an end to the dance midway through and spoke of the lesser known tenants of the goddesses love.  Dance and moonlight and love were well known, but she spoke too of the maiden's craft with the sword, and passion in dancing with a lover.  Nirael heard this and knew that there were passages that almost exactly mirrored some of Shoni's teachings.  It was too exact to be a coincidence, and he believed that these elven folk must at least recognize Shoni as an ally to their goddess, if nothing else.<br/><br/>His plans to speak with the Matriarch after the service were quite easy, as she saught him out and pulled him to a bench along a rounded wall of the temple.  Flowering bushes and trees gave them a modicum of privacy, and Nilari standing a discreet distance away, out of earshot made sure they were not disturbed.  He let his guise drop when she admitted that Nilari had informed her of his true form, but she did not seemed shocked or dismayed, simply accepting of it.  She spoke to him of the village and told him how the well spring was a source of great magic, and they had been honor bound to protect it until the appropriate time.  What time that was however she would not say, instead shifting the conversation towards the greater village as a whole.  She suggested he walk around and get to know the elven people, that they might surprise him with their skills.<br/><br/>She took her leave of him eventually and Lunari and Nilari took him about the village.  Many folk, mostly women, but some men too, were all interested in meeting him.  At first they seemed uncertain, but as he spoke they relaxed and he got to know several of the elven villagers.  He met the town blacksmith, a woman with corded strong muscles that made him wonder if she was more than just elven blooded.  He met one of the town's master bowyers, who assured him there were four other expert bow and arrow crafters in the town.  Two tailors, a male and a female, though they seemed to have a mild distaste for the other's fashion sense.  Many others who did not volunteer their jobs, but most expressed an interest, after speaking with him for a bit, that he would stay, citing Alher Wanderspirit as being greatly missed about town.<br/><br/>It was getting late, and the 9th evening chime was truck when Lunari suggested they return home.  After preparing for bed, Nilari took to her practice chambers to practice and pray  / dance, while Lunari and Nirael crawled into bed and relaxed for a while, chatting and lightly touching each other, though not in such a way that it led to much.  Eventually however, just as Nilari slid into bed on the opposite side of Lunari, freshly washed, the pair drifted off, closing the day out and leading Nirael into a deep satisfied, and dreamless slumber.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">ooc Day 2 planning information</div><div class="spoiler_body"><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>How we will handle the daily time that Nirael spends.  Every day, Nirael has a certain number of hours that he can spend his time on.  It is up to you to decide how he spends them.<br/>Nirael may spend 1 hour on any activity, or socializing with any NPC.  Any attempts at sex require a second hour with that npc in that day.  Some npcs will automatically agree, others may take 'convincing'  (a dm roll)</li><li>Each day Nirael has 24 hours to spend (save the first)  8 full hours should be spent at rest (sleep) between each day, though this can be broken up between the two days.  (IE if he goes to bed at 10pm one night and wakes up at 6am the next morning.  He also needs to spend another 1 hour at an absolute minimum for washing, the minimum amount of eating, and biological functions as well as daily spell preparation.  </li><li>Since Nirael wakes up at 6 am on this second day, and needs 1 hour for washing / eating / etc, you can start the planning at <strong>7am</strong> giving him a total of 17 hours in this day to spend.</li><li>Multiple hours spent in a row, in one option, are more effective then if they are spread out.</li><li>Every option has an advantage and a potential gain, but some gains may not 'unlock' till a minimum amount of time is spent on them.</li></ul><br/>The following is a list of activities that Nirael can spend time on:<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>NPC options:</strong></span><br/>Spend time socializing with the following NPCs to learn and improve your reputation with them<br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Lunari</li><li>Mara</li><li>Sirana</li><li>Anju</li><li>Nilari</li><li>Matriarch Nameer</li><li>any of the elven villagers he met the day before, including the priestesses, smith, bowyer, etc</li></ul>Spend time trying to seduce or have sex with the following NPCs  (requires one hour of socialization time that day in addition to this hour)<br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Lunari - automatic success </li><li>Mara - automatic success </li><li>Sirana - preform sex check, DC 20  (currently) </li><li>Anju - preform sex check, DC 27  (currently) </li><li>Nilari - preform sex check, DC 15  (currently)  UNLESS Lunari is invited as well, in which case it is an automatic success, but requires 2 hours instead of one. </li><li>Matriarch Nameer - preform sex check, DC 25  (currently) </li><li>Try to have sex with multiple partners (other than Nilari/Lunari) - ask me for the DC but it will be generally more difficult than just seducing one npc. </li><li>-future NPCs</li></ul><br/><br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Research options:</strong></span><br/>Nirael may spend time sequestered in private doing research on the following items<br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Study Alher's spellbooks</li><li>Study Alher's magical notebook</li><li>Read Alher's personal journal</li><li>Study Alher's belongings (staff, clothing, etc)</li><li>Study the artifact half you carry</li></ul><br/><br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Explore the elven village</strong></span><br/><em>(please note what form Nirael takes when he does this, male or female)</em><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Wander alone, without guards.  This will require a successful diplomacy check of 18 or higher failure indicates a lost hour of time.</li><li>Socialize with the native elves.  please note if this is with or without guards.</li><li>Attend worship of Eilistraee.  Maximum of 4, non consecutive hours a day.</li><li>Visit the elven common areas, such as shops and businesses.</li></ul><br/>Also, if you want to keep track of how you're spending your time, I'm keeping track on this sheet:<br/>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TQ3X0sCjQ6mUWrC_uOzB_wT3MqlCoy-2QQ6a2gVuuTI/edit#gid=0<br/><br/></div></div>