The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[Coquette Blacquin]

Coquette refuses to rise to the bait. "Are your artists males, then?"

[NPCs]

"I prefer a diverse cast of artists and art," Tenachka replies, looking rather pleased. "Interesting in seeing some?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Of course."

[NPCs]

"Follow me then," she replies, rising to her feet. "Would you prefer to start with paintings, sculptures or, as they say, the 'new shiny?'"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I would love to see advanced forms of Drow artwork," she says, sounding actually intrigued. 

[NPCs]

"Well, they're technically a product from a group of Alydrans located in Draslina, but I rather think we've put our own spin on the technique since we've stolen it," Tenachka admits without shame. "I'm sure you've listened to or even used a voice capture crystal?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"My ex-wife bought me three, each with lovely singing to listen to while I do my needlepoint," she brags. 

[NPCs]

"Good, then I can skip the basics," Tenachka replies, blowing right past Noire's not insignificant boast. "Those Alydrans managed to work out a way to cheaply-- well, relatively-- tie visual illusions to a crystal. Still far more expensive than a voice capture crystal but restricting them to twenty seconds and requiring the willing, active focus of any sapient beings recorded brings the Glimpse of Memory pyramids into the realm of excessive indulgence instead of ruinous luxury."

As she's finishing, they've arrived at an obviously well-secured door midway done the surprisingly long hallway from Tenachka's foyer. Or is this even her apartment, come to think of it? It takes a key and a smear of blood on the center decoration on the door to open it, revealing a small storage room with dozens of shelves holding hundreds of small objects. "Just a moment," she says before stepping inside.

[Coquette Blacquin]

Coquette frowns. This sounds... elaborate. Little bits of illusion? Requiring the willing participation of everyone involved seems good, so that you can't record someone who doesn't know they're being watched, but what on earth are they used for, when they're only twenty seconds long?

[NPCs]

When Tenachka returns, she very carefully closes and seals the room again; and Coquette gets the impression it's not to impress Coquette or nettle her patience but rather that the room simply warrants that degree of contentiousness. She's holding a small case roughly the size of a large book, like a priest's holy text, made from petrified mushroom stalk. "Hmm," Tenachka says as she glances around. "Where to set up... yes, not ideal but twill suffice. They need to be laid down on something flat and steady, as they won't work while being held and they're very fragile while activated. Not all that sturdy otherwise, granted, but one you set the illusion to playing, they grow as brittle as ice on a pond from the first frost." Waving Coquette to follow once again, she adds, "but they'll continue to play the illusion on a loop for hours before they shut down to avoid heating up past tolerance. So, as you can gather, not the most suitable toys for use in the field, as it were."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"These seem... very complex," she says faintly, following behind. 

[NPCs]

Tenachka doesn't hesitate a second to pounce on that, a sharp reminder that she's not Claudia or even Paerle. "Oh my, I'm so sorry. Should I slow down or use smaller words?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"La," she says airily. "Don't bother trying to tell me how they work, I am no enchantress. I am happy only to consume the final result."

[NPCs]

"Of course, of course," Tenachka says an apologetic gesture. Approaching a simple stone table in an otherwise rather boring room, she sets the case down and opens it. "I'll remember to avoid such details in the future." She hums thoughtfully, glancing at Coquette, then selects a pyramid from the case and places it gently on the table. "This is one of the first recorded Memories; a distant cousin of yours, dancing in demonstration." 

She does something to the pyramid, causing a glow to kindle inside of it. A few seconds later, a fluid wave of light washes off the table and begins to form into the shape of a person. A few more seconds sharpens the image, colors defining themselves, until it's obviously a drow female in tight leggings and tunic. She's utterly still, poised to bow, but then starts into motion without warning. It's a simple looking dance, with sweeping movements and small, tight jumps, but Coquette is skilled enough to know it's harder to pull off than she makes it look. After about twenty seconds of dancing, the image jumps back to the start, the woman poised to bow, before beginning again.

[Coquette Blacquin]

Coquette watches, fascinated, as it loops two or three more times. "Wow," she breathes, and there's nothing but pure wonder in it. "That's amazing! Thank you so much for showing me this."