"Not at all, Jhannis," Jevan replied with a warm grin and ready hand. "Houndarel and I got along swimmingly. It was his last term as master at the academy. He has been called back home."

"Its good to see you again after so long. How have you been?"

Jevan's words gave Jhannis pause and he considered them for a moment. "All well and good then; of course Houndarel treated you well, he wouldnt want to disappoint me."

The Fey-Branche exile gives Jevan an exaggerated smile, then continues; "Things here have been well, perhaps too much so. Your mother hasnt left the compound in some time, and Kaggan is with her almost day in and day out. Altogether it makes my job easy, almost boringly so" he says, chuckling at the end.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:55, Tue 25 Jan 2022.

"A comfortable living," Jevan remarked with a grin. "And nothing to begrudge."

"Although tonight should bring some excitement. Mother just informed me we're expecting visitors."

Jhannis nods, "I've heard as much as well, hence all the bustle and bustle about. Must be quite the boon upon your graduation, huh? Think you can help spin the meeting in our favor?"

"I'd certainly be happy to help however I can, although I can't see my presence being sought for any negotiations that might take place tonight."

"Was there something you had in mind?"

Jhannis raises one eyebrow with some surprise or suspicion. "Well, even if they have some other agenda or reason for coming, your victory in Melee Magthere is at least ostensibly the reason for the visit. You'll be given a place of some honor at least. It could be your chance to make am impression, on your mother or on the first house. If you wish to capitalize in your success and turn it into a streak of course, I cant imagine you of all people would want to let it mellow and fade out like... others might."

Jevan's grin grew even wider. "Hardly. You know me, Jhannis. I'm only just beginning."

"You're right, of course. This buys me a ticket to the head table. But if the Matrons have proper business I don't expect it to take place in the dining room. We shall simply have to see how the night goes," he said with a wink.

If there was an angle there, it was a fair bet Jevan would find it.

"Of course! Just remember your dear old Jhannis, if you need anything then I am ever eager to be of service. So long as it escapes the concerns of your mother, if course..."

With that, Jhannis clapped Jevan's shoulder amicably and stood aside, offering him the hallway leading to the chapel.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:11, Wed 26 Jan 2022.

"Of course. Take care, Jhannis. I'll see you shortly."

Jevan took his leave and continued on to the chapel.

Jevan entered the house Freth chapel, a larger holy place than that the one in Melee Magthere and more beautifully adorned as well, though not as large of ostentatious as many of the other greater houses... and of course it was paltry in comparison to the temple within Arach-Tinilith. Still, the worship house of Freth was built to honot the Spider Queen and it did just that, with a large spider statue towering intimidatingly over the altar and looking down upon the gathering space as a whole; spider and web motifs decorating over nearly every inch of the most unholy of holy places.

The chapel was slowly filling with a dizzying haze as dozens of tiny streams of smoke worked to fill the space; the air smelling heavy of warm spice and a hint of brimstone. Across the chapel Jevan could see a drow woman dressed in the traditional spidersilk gown of a chapel priestess, offering prayers while lighting still more incense and preparing holy oils. Her white hair was long and curly, wore freely allowed to spill all the way down her back, and though she wore no armor and carried no weapons, she carried a small rod in one hand at all times. As she turned, noticing the visitor, Jevan could see the outline of a significant bump in her stomach as well.

"My dear sister," Jevan said, striding into the chapel and holding his hands out wide. "I've missed you. And look, another blessing on the way! Why Alystia was just a baby when I left."

"Jevan. Welcome home" Faemyra responds, leaning in with a curt embrace as he approaches. Her eyes glower at the mention of Alystia; "She still practically is; could not even keep her matron enamored longer than a few minutes before being dismissed" she says, her voice full of frustration.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:08, Wed 26 Jan 2022.

"Oh, Mother is just preoccupied. Tonight's festivities have her full attention. And besides, Kaggan is with her now."

"I'm surprised to find that Alystia is not here with you. I'd thought Jhannis had brought her over."

In response, Faemyra said nothing but her eyes floated up, leading Jevan's gaze past the forward portion of the spider altar; there, nearly two dozen feet up clinging precariously to the stonework with one hand and bare feet was a tiny, adolescent girl who scrubbed cautiously at the stone work with a tiny brush in her free hand.

"Oh. Oh! I see. Very industrious. The masonry needed a good scrubbing."

"Do you want me to take her off your hands? I was just making my way about the house and getting reacquainted. She can come along and you can focus on your work."

Faemyra narrowed her eyes, peering at Jevan. "What use would you have of her? After she failed to impress mother, none the less."

---

Go ahead and give me a charisma check with your next post, either persuation or deception depending on what you tell her.

"Why to help her favorite uncle get ready of course!" Jevan improvised. "I may not be a towering idol in need of polishing but as the reason for tonight's celebration its important I present the best face for the family."

"If she's anything like her mother she'll have a smart eye for style and decorum."

Natural 20. Tongue of a devil, this one.
11:44, Today: Jevan Freth rolled 27 using 1d20+7.  Persuasion.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:03, Thu 27 Jan 2022.

Faemyra smiled despite herself, apparantly won over by Jevan's honeyed words. "Well, I suppose it would be a small favor for me to grant to my beloved brother upon his return home. Just dont go spoiling the child after she failed to please mother."

Jevan's sister then turned and looked up at the child more fully, who quickly attempted to look like she was working and not listening to the adult's conversation. Faemyra made a scolding his with her mouth, then shouted "Alystia! Get down here and greet your uncle Jevan!"

Quickly, though it wasnt clear if it was fear of reprisal from her mother, relief to get down, or perhaps showing off, the young girl stuck the brush she was using in her mouth and scampered down the stone work with all four limbs, deftly dropping the last several feet--more than her own diminutive height--before somersaulting backwards and landing on her feet.

---

10:32, Today: Fate rolled 22 using 1d20+2.

"Impressive," Jevan remarked in all sincerity. ”Perhaps it’s not mother she should be spending time with but Welverin. He could do wonders with such grace.”

Sensing his sister’s mood he added: ”And of course instill a healthy sense of discipline.”

He turned back to his niece.

"Hello, Alystia. I'm your uncle Jevan. The last time I saw you, you were a baby in your mother's arms. My how you've grown!"

"I need someone with good taste to help me get ready for tonight. Why don't we leave your mother to finish her preparations here, and you and I head back into the house, hmm?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:26, Thu 27 Jan 2022.

Alystia looked up at Jevan with trepidation in her eyes, but then glanced at the brush in her hands with disgust and finally her eyes creeped cautiously to her mother. Faemyra gave a short, wordless nod and Alystia looked back to Jevan and nodded eagerly, handing Faemyra the brush.

”Come along then,” he said, turning towards the chapel door. ”And not to worry,” he added for the benefit of his sister. ”I’ll make sure she comes back with ample time to get herself ready for tonight as well.”

He beckoned for Alystia to follow and headed back out into the hall.

Once they were out of Faemyra’s hearing he looked down at his charge and smiled. ”So tell me about yourself,” he prompted. ”I have ten years to catch up on, which is most of your life so far!”

"Well I dont like cleaning. Especially the chapel" Alystia said without hesitation. "I do like practicing flips and things like that, but I dont think my mother likes it because she thinks I'm too much like aunt Kerri."

She chews on her lip for a moment. "I dont remember you at all. People talked about you sometimes but I didnt think you were ever going to come back from school, like my biggest brother."

"SiNafay?" Jevan asked. "Him, I remember. I wasn't much older than you are now when he was called up to Tier Breche. Of course Sorcere is a longer commitment than Melee-Magthere."

"And there are worse things you could be than similar to your Aunt Kerrigan, though I'd never come between you and your mother," he said with a wink for Alystia. "Kerrigan is an accomplished woman and very skillful. I still have to say hello to her and to Welverin as well, but first we'll stop by Xullin's chambers."

Alystia blinks slowly for a moment, as if trying to digest the concepts Jevan had just revealed to her. To the girl's credit she seemed to accept it all readily enough; "Uncle Xullin never gets in trouble with Matron Mother Mez, what about you? He's always too busy to bother with me."

Jevan chuckled. "I got in trouble plenty," he replied. "Xullin never did have much time for children. I expect this was true even when he was one."

"You have to remember, while I may be your uncle I'm actually closer in age to you and to SiNafay than I am to Xullin or your mother."

"Bryndalyn is the only one of my siblings close in age to me and like you and SiNafay, I've never met her. She was already at Tier Breche when I was born."

After a moment he added: "And I suppose now there's Kaggan. I shall have to get used to that idea."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:30, Fri 28 Jan 2022.