Editing Around the Dinner Table (section)

===Cognac===
Tony ushered his servants out of the room and quietly closed and locked the door. He returned to his seat and sat down as Wyncit leaned forward and poured himself something amber in color from the plethora of alcohol in the center of the table. He downed it quickly and gasped.

Tony frowned. "That's fifty year-old cognac. You don't guzzle that stuff."

Wyncit waved off the complaint and poured himself another bit before leaning back in his chair, cradling his heavy glass.

"You look tired," Mae said, motherly.

Wyncit smiled sadly at her. "I am. I've been bouncing around the globe the last five days trying to get answers." 

"I assume you can answer questions, now?" Brecca asked with a frown.

Wyncit looked around the room. "I don't see or sense any scrying." He looked to Tony. "Any way for outsiders to listen in, here?"

Tony shook his head, "No. It's about as secured as I can get things without heavy magics."

Wyncit grunted and took a sip of cognac. He sighed in contentment.

"Well?" demanded Brecca.

Wyncit sighed. "The first few days after the dream started, I sent Sending spells to Leardon and tried to scry him. Even if he was in a different plane, he should have received the Sendings and answered. He didn't, and the scrying failed, so..."

"...So he couldn't, or wouldn't, answer?" Mae finished.

Wyncit nodded. "Either he is dead-dead, he is regenerating within his phylactery, or he is some place warded against Sending and scrying magics."

"Does anyone know where he is or went?" asked Tony.

Wyncit shook his head. "I've asked his son, King Garin. I've asked the Church of Evening Glory. I even found and asked Priam Adenis of the Brightstone Heroes. The only one I haven't asked was Evening Glory, Herself." He shrugged his shoulders, "We are not really on speaking terms."

"So what did they tell you?" asked Brecca.

Wyncit sighed and took another sip of cognac. "The King and Church both say the same thing. He left soon after the we returned from Moil, saying he had to 'check something out.' Which is what he told me; in fact, I seem to have been the last person to see him."

Mae leaned forward, placing an elbow on the table and resting her head on the palm. "The imagery of your dream is pretty straightforward. Have you been able to confirm it?"

"Straightforward? I have no idea what any of it means!" Brecca broke in.

Mae smiled at Brecca. "In the dream, Wyncit is floating in the Shadowfell looking at Acererak's phylactery when a large raven flies by and takes it while Leardon is warning him. Okay?"

Brecca nodded. "That big thing Rue Bae Ya dropped in the big black hole, right?"

Mae nodded. "Yes. That was his phylactery. Acererak was using it to gather all the dead souls to use for some ritual." Turning to Wyncit, she asked, "Did we ever figure out what he was doing with it? He said something about becoming 'antheos,' but I've never heard that term."

Wyncit winced. "After talking to a number of people, and indirectly to a few deities, who are supposed to be experts in such esoteric knowledge, the best guess is he was trying to become a deity with total control of the Shadowfell."

Mae nodded. "That goes with the dream. I keep forgetting just how knowledgeable Leardon can be. Or maybe I should say, Evening Glory through Leardon?"

"Well, She is a goddess, after all," Tony added.

Mae frowned. "So. This could be serious."

Wyncit nodded. "Very. I've been asking around centers of learning, high church officials of a number of deities and certain other powers. They all asked for some time to research, but most tentatively agree with us," frowned Wyncit.

"I don't understand!" Brecca cried.

"I have to agree with, Brecca. I don't understand, either." Tony added.

Mae ignored them. "Who did you ask?"

Wyncit used the cognac glass to count on his fingers. "Church of Evening Glory, Church and College of Ioun, Church of Vecna, Platinum Citadel, certain sages within the University of Cimmer, Priam Adenis and his Trine Academy... who grudgingly also relayed the questions to the Starfire Academy." Smiling at Brecca, he added, "I even asked a Church of Del'Braeth official."

He turned back to Mae. "I'll start heading back to all of them in a day or two to see what they have figured out."

Mae nodded and turned to Brecca and Tony. "We," she pointed to Wyncit and herself, "think the Raven Queen took the phylactery, and the souls within it, for some reason. Possibly the very same reason as Acererak."

"But, She's already a deity!" said Brecca.

"Who does not control the Shadowfell," Wyncit told Brecca. "Alternatively, there are levels of power and politics within the pantheons; She could use it to expand Her powers. Or, well, who knows what else She could do with the souls within the phylactery. I was hoping you could come with while I bounce around gathering information."

Brecca looked at Wyncit.

"What?" Wyncit frowned at Brecca. "I wasn't exactly subtle or secretive in my movements or questions. Speed and movement made it initially difficult for anyone to block or retaliate against me, but 'they' will have had time to set something up, now. I will need a bodyguard. My treat? And I will pay you."

"Fine," Brecca finally responded.

"When will you leave?" asked Tony.

"Tomorrow morning, I guess. There are a few other places and people I need to see," replied Wyncit.

"Well, I have rooms for everyone for however long you need. A good sleep and a big breakfast and things will look better, tomorrow," said Tony.