#odyssey

"...theme song?"

"Or music" The Countess says "Mine is music from Skyrim..." A blush "I like that game. I know it's like..ancient"

"How did you just make me feel old?"

A confused look, on the childling's face, "Well, you ARE like a wilder ...that's just like a grump with fewer steps"

"Your excellency" Miss Parch chides

An amused look and she shakes her head.

"Well" the childling says "Okay, I didn't mean to make her feel old"

"Ahem," Miss Parch moves on "Mister Symon, the wand you have been gifted with is called 'the Wand of Screams returned' it is actually a sluagh creation" she says with pride , not HER creation, but still, she's clearly glad a sluagh got it, "Such a title might sound damaging to you using it, but you will hear only a whisper at best. The object of your displeasure, however, will be bombarded by screams only they can hear, magnified thirteen fold. The power of the wand's screams will actually buffet them. Alas, it has but thirteen charges, and those restore only on Friday the 13ths or by finding one born on Friday the 13th and getting his or her blessing or well wish."

A thin smile. "I think I can handle that." He bows towards Miss Parch - though he catches himself at the last moment and pivots so it may appear to have been toward the Countess, or both.

"I appreciate and accept your boon."

"Most welcome" The Countess says, then covers one side of her face, the side the sluagh are at as if it might keep them from hearing and whispers to Dagmar "Frankly I think it's scary and gross so I'm just as glad he is taking it away"

"Probably for the best then."

Miss Parch looks a bit amused at the Countess' attempt, and mouths to SYmon 'Don't tell her I can hear it even when she hides her face. It's an advantage I use sometimes... for her own good, of course"

THen Miss Parch says outloud (As loud as sluagh conversation ahs to be for public) "Oh, the command word, for every wand needs one, is 'suffer'. It used to be 'Suffer as I have suffered , you screeching lout, and know the pain of your own voice returned' but after a redcap nearly killed the user half way through the activation, the creator decided to shorten it"

"Clever. Monologuing is a dangerous habit."

"Alas, it can be comforting to wax poetic about doom, it's why so many of us fall into the trap" Miss Parch tuts "I gave mine up when I realized the ones I wanted to scare could barely make out what I was saying as it is. Wise you are, Mr. Humble, to avoid it entirely" She approves

The Countess Edrit laughs as Bilbo licks her, "Bilbo says I should remember you might also be tired. Do you wish to stay for tonight? "

He looks tempted, but - "I owe grave rubbings to a colleague who assisted us. They would be best gathered, I believe, by night?"

"Maybe a good reason to spend the night then?"

"And travel home tomorrow."

"You're a grave rubber?" The childlilng looks baffled and glances to Miss Parch "is this a sluagh thing?"

"No, I'd never- " He pauses, a side glance at Dagmar, and continues before her Gwy-dar can go off, "RUBBINGs - not robbing. You run charcoal on paper to make an imprint of the gravestone markings."

"It's a way of honoring ancestors " Miss Parch assures her, and it CAN be , yes

"OH, that sounds very important. Of course. Then you must stay the night, and when you rub graves, if you wish, Miss Parch might go with you. I'd offer guards too but they might ruin sluagh fun?" Edrit says as if making sure to be mannerly about another culture

A glance to Dagmar and he whispers, "Anything else we needed to get done here?"

"Or that you wanted to see?"

"I wouldn't mind looking around. Like, touristy stuff."

"I shall have Dame Lowdy accompany you. " The countess says "She enjoys the city shopping and would like the task and it is but a start of the apology I must make to her"

"Indeed, I should do that Now" The Countess rises with a frown "If you will excuse me?"

Dagmar nods.

"For now, enjoy my hold. Within the hour I'll have the Dame ready to escort you wherever you like in the city, but Miss Parch will show you to your rooms. I thank you again for your heroism . "She hugs Bilbo "Bilbo is... he is not just precious to me. I am a better ruler with the compassion he brings"

Indeed, it's hard not to feel soft hearted around Bilbo

who wags happy to be home and helping

"I'm glad we got him home."

Scruff!

"Bilbo says thank you and he's happy too"

Another smile.

And with that, the Countess curtseys, and slips out... to apologize to a piskie treated wrongly

Brow furrow.

"Symon, am I being overprotective because I'm still worried about the thallain and maybe-Balor?"

"No... maybe a little. I mean, she has her entire court to protect her."

"She does."

"And I guess she knows now that there's shadowy stuff active..."

"Yeah. Listen, they gotta fight their own battles sometimes, right? If she can't, then maybe she's not meant to be Countess." A shrug. "But it looks like she's got good folk, so I think she'll make it. And you DID give her more intel than she had, and her mutt back. That's something already."

Dag bites her lip and nods.

A inward sigh, he knows that expression. "What are you thinking? Wanna do some more recon?"

"I know it's not my problem."

"Can just be all - we did the thing, go home."

"Plus, cool treasure!"

"Yeah.... to be honest?" He glances around, and listens to make sure they are alone. "It feels like a little much just for dropping off the pooch. I mean, getting shot at was not part of the bargain... but the gas cab wasn't their doing. I guess... yeah, let's see what else we can find out. Maybe Miss Parch and that Dowdy lady can give us more intel when we get our tours. Just watch your pockets."