Rose (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=238648) listened to Haledan's long, long explanation, learning much about the villain Astos' plans in the process.  Permanent planar portals between the lower and the upper planes, made by using the middle planes as an intermediary...  Of course Bikke had said as much, but now she had a more full picture of the plans, the effort that must have gone into them and the reward that was expected.  Rather than putting these portals to their own nefarious purposes, they were plotting to sell the knowledge of them to any and every one of the ruinous powers that would want a portal such as those;  Devils, Demons, Dark Gods and ordinary mortal scum.  If they were successful, then undoubtedly things would change for worse in the planes themselves.  The upper planes could be brought under siege at a moment's notice...<br/><br/>Truly dangerous, though if they stopped Astos and recovered all his notes, perhaps this research could be put to use in reverse.  Well, if they could find a more acceptable substitute for the whole 'live sacrifice' bit, anyway.<br/><br/>"...With your permission, fair Lady,"  The shifter gently spoke up, after the Princess had said her piece.  "Should Aria and myself encounter Garland again, I would very much like to try and pass along your feelings to him.  I don't know whether or not any sort of redemption is possible for him, but at the very least, I can hopefully bring the two of you some closure.  If it's not too presumptuous, then I'd say you both deserve at least that much."<br/><br/>It would be a bit like playing the part of a messenger, at least in her mind.  Before they fought, Garland would hopefully be in the mood for some talking, or even if he wasn't, then they'd probably be able to take him out and talk afterwards.  Though admittedly, this was all based on the possibility of the two of them meeting him again, and if he was nowhere to be found when they went after Astos...  Well, searching after him in a nigh-infinite planar cosmology was likely going to be tricky, even if some of those places seemed to be clues, locations he might head to next.<br/><br/>Like that castle with the trial, which admittedly also left Rose rather intrigued...