"Are you hoping to get some kind of juicy intel out of me? How?"

"As long as we are both here, I thought we might speak. One power to another. I'm sure you have questions of your own - and if you care to answer mine in return, I would consider a trade."

"You don't seem that mysterious to me as a person and if I asked strategic questions you could, like... lie."

The Valsharess raises her pale brows. "You have so little faith in your own cunning that you cannot glean knowledge from a lie?"

"Is that what you're hoping to do with whatever I tell you?"

"What an odd child you are. Do they not raise you to compete with your foes, where you come from, but to give up before the game begins?"

"Honestly in spite of all my education I don't think we ever covered what to do if somebody hijacks your dream. It doesn't come up much on my planet."

The Valsharess smirks. "Nor here - it requires a great deal of power. More than most will ever see. But I have so much that I can afford to be... profligate."

She leans in closer. "I do not know what drives you, Belmarniss. But I know that you need power. Everyone needs power. Join me, and I can grant you might and magic beyond your wildest dreams."

"My wildest dreams, really."

"You don't believe me. I don't expect you to. Just know that I reward well those who serve me... and punish terribly those who oppose me."

And then, Belmarniss wakes up.

Ugh, what time is it.

Eight hours after when she went to sleep, to the minute.

Fine, she's up, she's up. Morning Eilistraee, how are you, the Valsharess is a creepsome dream-invader.

Eilistraee provides some mildly amused harp music in the distance.

Eilistraee is cool.

She tells her party members about it too when they're up.

"What a waste of a spell slot. She should've - given you a premonition of some brilliant tactical decision that'd actually fuck up the defense, or something."

"Maybe Valsharess not smart enough to come up with plausible tactical fuckup," Deekin contributes.

"I'd have taken a healthy respect for the scope of my wildest dreams!"

Jojo cracks a smile. "I think many evil people are - if not deficient in ambition, then in creativity. She imagines that no one could want anything more than to rule by her side."

"Imagine how frustrating that would be! She'd try to do some ruling, I'd go 'that's terrible ruling', she'd go 'I'm too stupid to understand that', we'd have a civil war."

"She should be so lucky! You're a positive delight."

The Seer sends a messenger; they have about sixteen hours before the Valsharess' main force arrives, feints and misdirection notwithstanding.

"Deekin gonna sell Shaori gemstones, see if Deekin find anything cool in marketplace."

"Let us know if there's anything with our names on them, or similar names that can be slightly edited."

Deekin comes back with reports of a Tome of Clear Thought and a Staff of Power that might intrigue Belmarniss, along with some accessories that might appeal to Garrus and Jojo. He also has four sacks of platinum coins; Belmarniss', along with her cut from the Temple of Vix'thra, is not actually enough to afford the Staff, but it's enough for the Tome and to get her focus ring enchanted with Wizardry III, which Deekin reports also being on offer.

Ooh she's always wanted a Tome of Clear Thought. The enchantment is also a good idea, if they can get it done before shit goes down.