A campfire portal.

* This takes place at the campsite East of the tournament field. Aerrett Radek is enjoying the fire when...

[16:14] There's a sudden disturbance in the magical weave, easily felt by those sensitive to magic. A magical portal opens, and Melody Seelie is spat out of it. She looks around, disoriented for a moment, blinking in confusion.
[16:14] Aerrett Radek shudders from the force. He glances around at the one who appeared seemingly out of thin air.
[16:14] Aerrett Radek: Um... Hello.
[16:15] Aerrett Radek: Are you... lost?
[16:15] Melody Seelie finally recognizes where she is. "Oh... hello! No, I know where I am now."
[16:15] Aerrett Radek: Oh, I see.
[16:16] Aerrett Radek: I'm Aerrett.
[16:16] Melody Seelie smiles warmly. "Greetings, Aeerrett, I'm called Melody Seelie."
[16:17] Aerrett Radek looks back at the fire, contemplative.
[16:17] Aerrett Radek: Do you know any divination?
[16:17] Melody Seelie shakes her head. "No, sorry, I do not."
[16:17] Aerrett Radek: Oh, ok.
[16:17] Aerrett Radek: Nevermind then.
[16:17] Aerrett Radek lays his head down, seemingly depressed.
[16:19] Melody Seelie: "I presume the question wasn't random, and you have great need of one?"
[16:19] Aerrett Radek: No... it's not- Bah.
[16:19] Aerrett Radek: I don't really know right now. Forget I asked.
[16:19] Melody Seelie shrugs. "Alright." She looks over the man, and examines his staff.
[16:20] The staff appears to have no magical energies, though it is obvious that energy could be stored or channeled through it. The end is glowing, though the cause is uncertain.
[16:22] As the wind changes directionn, the extremely faint smell of Sulpher comes from Aerrett. It dissipates quickly.
[16:22] Melody Seelie notes the glow, and everything she knows tells her the only way something like that can glow is via magic of some sort. Perhaps she'd need to cast a stronger spell to determine its nature, rather than rely on her own sense for magic.
[16:23] Aerrett Radek Gets up from the fire, bringing into view the teal jewel seemingly embedded into the stranger's chest. It appears filled to the brim with all sorts of magical energy.
[16:23] Melody Seelie sniffs, and looks at the man suspiciously. She opens her inner sight to try to see if he was covered by an illusion... or had a demonic aura.
[16:24] The man appears to be perfectly Human in all ways. Multiple demonic presenses exist within the jewel.
[16:24] Aerrett Radek Notices the intense fascination, and the two people stop speaking. From his expression, it is clear he knows what you are attempting.
[16:25] Aerrett Radek: You know, most people don't even notice, but you seem to be very keen on such magical matters...
[16:25] Aerrett Radek: Surely, you know who I'm talking about?
[16:25] Melody Seelie nods. "Aye, I've had some training."
[16:26] Aerrett Radek: Have you heard of the queen's recent corruption?
[16:26] Melody Seelie shakes her head. "No, I have not, what happened?"
[16:26] Aerrett Radek: A dark Imp showed up, and began whispering in her ear. The queen quickly becam currupted, and summoned many dangerous Elementals.
[16:27] Aerrett Radek: I'm a Binder, one who summons spirits and commands them, but I did not in any way affect the queen's condition.
[16:27] Aerrett Radek: I'm trying to keep my head down. You know, until it all blows over.
[16:28] Melody Seelie nods. "Perhaps that would be wise. _Which_ queen did this happen to?"
[16:29] Aerrett Radek: There is more than one? Pardon, I'm extremely new to this town. I believe it was-
[16:29] Aerrett Radek is interrupted as a red ball of light emerges from the jewel and waves about in the air.
[16:29] Gimp: Oh good GRIEF, it is stuffy in there.
[16:29] Aerrett Radek: ...And this is the one attracting all the attention.
[16:31] Melody Seelie looks up at the red ball and watches it for a moment, in case it's dangerous. "Yes... there is the human witch-queen, Sadie, she rules over all the Havens. There are also Tari Vor, the ruler of the elves, and the squirrel-queen, who rules the Amazons. There was a human queen in Sunhaven for a time, but I think she vanished."
[16:41] Gimp: It was definitely the witch-queen, she's the one with the nasty pentagrams. We reported to a crowd of people about one of them, and they all pretty much ignored us.
[16:41] Aerrett Radek: I recall that being me, not us.
[16:41] Gimp: Hey, I'm a model citizen too, ya' know!
[16:42] Aerrett Radek: In any case, a few amazons have already taken a shot against my little friend here.
[16:42] Gimp: Stupid women, if you can't tell I'm immaterial at a glance, you deserve to be humiliated.
[16:44] Melody Seelie extends her senses again to see if the red ball was some sort of illusion, or was demonic in nature. That it was magic of some sort was obvious.
[16:45] The Imp appears to have a strangely shaped core, which is the body of the Imp. His form extends outward, but blurs, as if not entirely present in this dimension.
[16:45] Gimp: You know, I can FEEL you doing that, and it's very unsettling.
[16:47] Melody Seelie shrugs. "I will not apologize for using simple senses to tell me what is real around me, demon."
[16:47] Gimp: Don't take it personal, this guy is imagining what you'd look like without that pretty dress.
[16:48] Aerrett Radek: That... is extremely rude.
[16:48] Gimp: Ha! He's blushing!
[16:48] Melody Seelie rolls her eyes. "Would you like to be rid of that... curse? Its presence does seem like a curse to you, does it not?"
[16:49] Aerrett Radek: Despite his terrible attitude, it is my will that keeps him here. He 's surprisingly useful at times.
[16:49] Gimp: He says that, but it's all crock. He can't even take simple advice like "Stay away from the witch queen gone mad with power."
[16:51] Melody Seelie muses, "I wonder what would happen if I were try to dispel the magic I can feel around it?"
[16:51] Aerrett Radek: Please don't, his bark is worse than his bite, and you might catch my personal magic.
[16:52] Gimp: Aww, you care.
[16:52] Gimp: In any case, you forgot to tell me to stay close, so I'm going to annoy the people in the taverrn.
[16:52] Aerrett Radek Opened his mouth to say something, but the Imp quickly flew out of earshot.
[16:54] Melody Seelie shakes her head. "In my time I think I've only met _one_ demon that wasn't outright evil."
[16:54] Aerrett Radek: I'm starting to think that evil is highly relative.
[16:54] Aerrett Radek: Who was this friendly demon?
[16:55] Melody Seelie shrugs. "Platinus, I think his name was. Worked at a magic shoppe in Mystara. I saved him from drowning once."
[16:56] Aerrett Radek: Interesting. I've heard of a few honorful demons, but they behave mostly because they find it more challenging to get what they want without lying. The one you speak of sounds different, though..
[16:59] Melody Seelie "Anyway, as the popular saying goes, he was he exception that proved the rule. Demons are not to be trusted..." Melody eyes the orb on Aeerrette's chest. "You have more demons in there."
[16:59] Aerrett RadekAerrett Radek appears worried by the remark.
[17:00] Aerrett Radek: Well, only one actual demon... the rest is potential energy. I use the jewel as a place to vent excess, so the energy does not taint me.
[17:03] Melody Seelie says, "Playing with fire... the fires of hell. Your funeral."
[17:04] Aerrett Radek looks downward, and becomes visibly depressed at this remark.
[17:04] Aerrett Radek: Yes, funeral indeed...
[17:05] Aerrett Radek then gazes upward in the direction that the Imp disappeared to.
[17:12] Melody Seelie: "So it will be coming back to you?"
[17:12] Aerrett Radek: Eventually. It must stay within a fixed range, and I don't think it can actually reach the tavern. I wonder what it's doing...
[17:13] Aerrett Radek: Probably just goofing off, making me wait to spite me.
[17:13] Aerrett Radek: He does that a lot.
[17:19] Melody Seelie sighs. "I might regret this, but I probably should take a quick walk around the village up there, see what has happened." Melody mulls over the spells she knows, wondering which, if any, might be able to help the situation as it has been told to her. Then she has an idea. "You said you are a binder... maybe you could bind this imp that has Queen Sadie bewitched?"
* A dark hooded stranger approaches and sits down. *
[17:23] Aerrett Radek looks contemplative for a few moments before responding.
[17:24] Aerrett Radek: I am unsure if I can approach the Imp's power now that she works with the queen.
[17:24] Aerrett Radek: I would like to help, but the people that are solving the situation are meeting in secret, and I'm not invited.
[17:26] Melody Seelie: "Do you know who, and where?"
[17:27] Crasyladder Xenousis awakens from thought
[17:27] Aerrett Radek: I have only one name, Lord Inor.
[17:27] Aerrett Radek: I saw him exit the place where they were meeting.
[17:27] Crasyladder Xenousis remembers the name
[17:27] Aerrett Radek: He also helped put up posters around town. If you see him, you might get some info.
[17:27] Crasyladder Xenousis: little girl
[17:28] Crasyladder Xenousis: what is the problem in town?
[17:28] Melody Seelie: "Where were they meeting?"
[17:28] Crasyladder Xenousis sighs
[17:28] Aerrett Radek: A small house to the South of the tavern, maybe no more than twenty meters.
[17:28] Melody Seelie looks at the dark-skinned hooded man and tries to remember if she's met him before.
[17:29] Crasyladder Xenousis ignores the conversation and begins to think again.
[17:29] Aerrett Radek watches the newcomer try to ask a question, then seemingly give up.
[17:29] Aerrett Radek: It was nice meeting you, Melody. I'd like to talk again some time.
[17:29] Aerrett Radek: For now, I must find the Imp. Farewell.
[17:30] Crasyladder Xenousis remembers a story of a imp.
[17:30] Melody Seelie nods. "Love and light guide you, Aerrett."
[17:31] Aerrett Radek thanks the girl and walks away.

* Some time later, it is discovered that due to his mischievous nature, the Imp had quickly doubled back and returned to the jewel, rather than fly off.