Uneventful, but informative

The trip to the palace was mercifully brief, and the group soon found themselves before a set of enormous gates above a long set of steps, guards on either side ready to intercept anyone trying to enter. They seemed wary of the new arrivals, at least until Fuu stepped up and presented the seal they had received, at which one of the guard moved closer.

"My apologies, honored guests. We did not realize you were the group the Shoguness had contracted to work for her. Please, follow me" he said, giving them a quick bow before ascending the stairs. The other guards remained in place, but despite their professionalism, it was easy to see at least some of them were leering at them, clearly not having expected an adventuring group composed solely of women.

Once they were inside, Emmaline instead took the lead, as she was the one with the most experience with nobles, and in charge of what would likely be their meeting with the Shoguness.

When the doors opened, the interior was revealed to be even more opulent than the exterior, decorations incorporating all sorts of precious metals and gemstones greeting the group, lining tall pillars and snaking their way to the high roof, and decorating intricate murals and art pieces, taking the shape of dragons and gryffins. The former were the guardians of the land, and the latter, it's people's ancestors.

From what Emmaline had read up on, the metals in use here were laregely copper, platinum and tin, the signature metals of the nation, and which supposedly represented the three races that were said to have come together to found it.

In use was also a unique, local stone called jade, which gave accents to the dragons in particular. The gemstones were harder to recognize, but it was likely the came from the Retre mountains to the south, the supposed birthplace of both dragons and people. She was, however, able to recognize seraphinite and spessartitem known exports from the region.

All of this further was expositing the sheer wealth of the place and making most of the group, especially Liv, feel badly out of place here, sorrounded by such wealth and extravagance. She in particular was hoping the meting wouldn't take long, disliking being inside in unknown territory, and with everything that was around them making her feel ever more uncomfortable. Quite frankly, she couldn't wait to leave.

Walking down long corridors, each just as lavishly decorated as the last, the group was also able to see the palace's denizens, courtiers shuffling about in elaborate clothes, messengers running up and down the place and keeping it running, and, once they were deeper in, more than a few ladies with impressive looks, wearing flashy and revealing clothes and elaborate hairstyles, likely concubines of the currently-indisposed Shogun.

More than a few gave the group strange looks, which Emmaline recognized as being almost predatory, likely seeing them as possible competition for the Shogun's graces. In fact, thinking about it, she'd noticed almost every female they had met so far within the palace (and even a few outside it) were wearing rather revealing clothes. Rather similar to what she had worn back when she was in the circus, and likely something to keep in mind.

Moving past them, they finally approached yet another large gate, where the guard stopped and turned. "Miss Emmaline, this is the entrance to the throne room. The Shoguness is awaiting you on the other side. I wish you luck" he said, before he pushed the door open and stepped to the side, not stepping inside.