Mist Harbor Library Lectures - 2026-09-27 - Extraplanar Magic (log)

The following is a log of a lecture delivered on Sunday 27th September as part of the Mist Harbor Library lecture series. Missoni Sabretache was the guest speaker.

Topics covered in the lecture series must be lore-based but are otherwise left to the discretion of the speaker(s). This lecture discusses the Extraplanar Magic.

The log has been edited to remove excess noise and chatter but some engagement and digression have remained to reflect the audience participation and subsequent discussion.

---

[Library, Meeting Hall - 29806] (u3223132)
A trio of wide stairs lead down from a wide archway into this brightly lit room. A small podium stands atop a small dais opposite the archway, and several cushioned benches have been arranged throughout the space, each offering an excellent line of sight. A number of elliptical windows line the walls of the hall, and a rich crimson-patterned carpet covers the entirety of the floor underfoot.

Also here: Delindra, Kothos, Vivaldi, Tenacity who is sitting, Nayli who is sitting, Rivienne who is sitting, Scribe Cylnthia who is sitting, Gardener Brigit who is sitting, Mianyn who is sitting, Lady Traiva who is sitting, Magister Raelee who is sitting, Dahcre Reader Ordim who is sitting, Yunni who is sitting, Bathcwyn Missoni who is sitting

You walk behind a small podium.

You clear your throat.

You softly exclaim, "Please help yourselves to refreshments and find yourself a seat, if you haven't already done so!"

You softly greet, "Good afternoon, everyone!"

You softly begin, "As the Library's Loremaster, it gives me great pleasure to once again welcome you to another in our lecture series."

You brightly explain, "The aim of these lectures is to provide a platform for imparting knowledge and encouraging discourse."

You gently say, "I ask that everyone be considerate to the speaker, as well as those who comment or ask questions."

You softly continue, "All opinions are welcome, and indeed encouraged, as long as they are courteously expressed."

You delightedly say, "It gives me great pleasure to introduce this month's speaker."

You softly say, "She last spoke here just over 4 years ago on baleglass so her return is long overdue and I'm in no doubt it will be equally fascinating."

You softly say, "Please give a warm library welcome to Missoni Sabretache."

[APPLAUSE]

Speaking happily to you, Missoni says, "Thank you, Loremaster."

Missoni strides a few steps forward.

Missoni warmly says, "And thank you all ever so for coming."

Missoni casually observes her surroundings.

Missoni ventures, "I had hoped to talk to you today about the tradition of glass gardens, or vael'ortus, and the representation and symbolism associated with them."

Missoni says, "It seemed a good follow-up to my previous lecture on baleglass."

Missoni bites her lip.

Missoni laments, "But my attention turned to something a bit more dire, and perhaps insidious, that I felt must be addressed."

Missoni states, "The nature and dangers of extraplanar magic and its potentially corrupting essences."

Missoni takes a few steps to her left.

Missoni says, "This past Koaratos, many people began to hear of a document that had been quietly making its way through Elanthia's sorcery guilds for several months: The Demonic and Undeath: The Corruption of Dark Essences."

Missoni says, "Written by Thalita Trevil, who some here may know from the Order of the S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and S.H.A.D.O.W.'s annual conference, the paper discusses myriad aspects of demonology and necromancy, going far beyond the realm of what we in the Basilica, the Faendryl institution governing sorcery, would consider *acceptable* applications of our Art."

Missoni sets her mouth in a thin line of disapproval.

Missoni says, "In fact, the Arch Chancellor of the Clerisy, Malevort Hexmor Faendryl, released a statement condemning the work as inciting the intersection of the demonic and the undeath, an illegal act outside the jurisdiction of the Basilica."

(Missoni consults a piece of vellum on the glowbark credenza and begins, "He writes . . . ")

Missoni recites:

   "The violation of our strict controls forbidding the unauthorized export of knowledge from our lands has been wanton and shameless."

Missoni notes, "The entire text is there for your perusal, should you like to read it. He can be wordy."

Missoni quickly says, "But of course we hang on every word."

Missoni clears her throat.

In the Common language, it reads:

To the lay sorcerers and amateur practitioners of greater Elanith:

It has been brought to our attention that sorcerer guilds in the scattered reaches of the continent are distributing an illicit work on the wielding of dark essences.  It incites the intersection of the demonic and undeath.  This is an illegal act by a necromancer with known affiliations in occult societies and abuses of teratology.  While it poses no meaningful threat to the power and supremacy of House Faendryl, reflecting only the barest pittance of our knowledge on cosmology, it predicates dangerous methods and pathways to the black arts which are not sanctioned by the high authorities of sorcerous law.

The Basilica condemns the reckless and irresponsible way this knowledge has been promulgated, enabling as it does all manners of potential criminal conduct and hazard to the ignorant masses.  It all but endorses corruption and unnatural mutation with dark powers.  In light of this troubling disregard for the safety of demonic summoning, and the constraining of its effects, we shall be compelled to make stronger regulatory interventions henceforth.

This is but one of numerous insults to our sovereignty in recent years.  The violation of our strict controls forbidding the unauthorized export of knowledge from our lands has been wanton and shameless.  Whether we speak of rogue grave desecrators attempting to break into secret archives of the Basilica, absconding into the sanctuary of the eastern nations with their ill-gotten thefts, or the Hall of Mages misusing oculoth blood to destroy lands and immortalize fanatics of the Church of Koar.  The perfidy of those who would feign to admonish sorcery while fostering its worst abuses knows no bounds.

It is our right to destroy those books of ours we would have burned.  Nor spare those which ought only ever have been our own.  Those realms beyond our integral borders, perhaps even those of elves, lack the institutions to rule such practices.  House Faendryl expects the rest of the world to order itself, or we will do so ourselves with the Palestra.

By my hand,

Malevort Hexmor Faendryl
Basilican Sorcerer of House Faendryl
Arch Chancellor of the Clerisy

Missoni firmly assures, "As a member of the Clerisy myself, I would of course never support such dangerous intersections, which have proven multiple times in our history to reap disastrous results."

Missoni regretfully says, "And of course it was only by chance that I stumbled on the horrific essay, tucked between the pages of a chapter on the baleglass arbors of Behizet."

Missoni frets.

Missoni says, "Whether it is worth reading the full article by Trevil, as it contains such illicit material, is for each to decide for themselves."

Missoni idly says, "Perhaps you have a friend close to the sorcerer guild who would lend you her copy of the paper that she most certainly destroyed immediately."

(Missoni's left eye closes in a quick wink. Or perhaps it was simply an irritant.)

Missoni carefully says, "However unpalatable it may be to us all," she pauses to bring a hand to her choker, clutching briefly at the black metal, "I would like to provide some context and examples for Trevil's work on demonology, so that we may all understand the language being used, and what we ought to be wary of in the event someone should encounter such practices and such beings."

Missoni clearly states, "One's first order of action should be to make such incursions known to the Basilica so they may be investigated properly by the appropriate authorities."

Missoni says, "Let us take, for our first example, the curious and ongoing matter of the Ithizir corrupted by shadows essence in the Landing, which is currently being investigated by the Basilica."

Missoni says, "Trevil mentions tears in the fabric of reality that happen in intense magical environments. Melgorehn's Reach, the confluence of a strong mana storm and unpredictable temporal magic, is an example of one such environment."

Prismatic silken streamers flow outward from Missoni's lirveil, dancing through the air majestically. She makes a subtle gesture and the streamers coalesce to reveal a brilliant illusion of a coniferous forest.

Missoni nods to a brilliant illusion of a coniferous forest.

Ordim gazes with interest at a brilliant illusion of a coniferous forest.

Missoni says, "Though it may look no different than a mountain if you GAZE upon it, over the course of several years, a persistent tear in reality has developed at the Readh, and it becomes more or less active according to the ebbs and flows of the mana storm in the area."

s>gaze illusion You gaze with interest at a brilliant illusion of a coniferous forest. The tiny picturesque details hang in the air and your senses reveal...

[Melgorehn's Reach, Lake Eonak] You are on the bank of a beautiful mountain lake that is fed by a waterfall gushing from the mountain side. There is a path which seems to actually lead up the side of the mountain.

Missoni says, "We are currently researching a way to stabilize the tear, as shadows beings and corrupted Ithzir have been making their way through to attack the Wehnimer's Landing with alarming ease."

(Missoni lofts the orb for a moment before placing it on the credenza for viewing. "The Ithzir," she explains, "are corrupted by what one might call shadow essence, the same material you see in this orb. It is akin perhaps to essence of fire or air, but is demonic in nature.")

Missoni sets a hazy tenebrous orb on top of the glowbark credenza.

Missoni says, "You might be more familiar with it as being common in the Broken Lands, where the dark vorteces dwell, steeped in shadow essence."

Missoni takes a few steps to her left.

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos says, "They leave these behind, if you manage to disperse them."

Kothos gazes with interest at a hazy tenebrous orb on a glowbark credenza mosaiced across the doors in a fan-obscured elven visage.

Missoni agrees with Kothos.

Missoni says, "It is mere residue, though it does contain some modicum of demonic power."

Missoni holds up two fingers and slowly pinches them together until they are almost touching.

Missoni notes, "Trevil's work argues that Ithzir as we know them from places like Old Ta'Faendryl are an 'extraplanar society' rather than strictly considered 'demons,' because they are not constituted with dark essences such as the shadow essence seen here. It seems that she is trying to provide clarification in how we regard demons versus other extraplanar creatures who perhaps do not represent the same threat to our very reality."

Missoni reaches out and pats a hazy tenebrous orb on a glowbark credenza mosaiced across the doors in a fan-obscured elven visage.

Missoni says, "With these things in mind, one might begin to find that the accepted definitions of 'extraplanar' or its more vilifying synonym 'demonic' become rather slippery."

Speaking quietly to herself, Raelee remarks, "... it is a useful classification."

Missoni nods in agreement at Raelee.

Missoni posits, "But then, perhaps what has been accepted--outside of the Basilica of course--has been a *lack* of precise definition, a complete disregard for organized taxonomy in favor of fear and mistrust of any being that comes from beyond the veil and any sorcerer who dares to breach it."

Missoni frowns.

Raelee nods in agreement at Missoni.

Missoni reasonably says, "And yet, we must acknowledge that care is imperative when using any such magic, be it sorcerous or purely elemental in nature."

Missoni looks thoughtful for a moment, then shrugs.

Missoni says, "Though beings from the nearby and most often visited valences do not represent the same threat to our existence, fear forces such sorcerers to cloak them in more palatable illusory imagery, often giving the creatures the appearance of animal companions or household pets."

Missoni says, "For these denizens, the Enchiridion Valentia offers a sufficient definition and identification of three of the most accessed valences: shien'tyr, grik'tyr, and lorae'tyr."

(Missoni pauses for a moment before asking, "You are all generally familiar with these three planes, yes?")

Missoni cocks her head.

Nayli nods once at Missoni.

Missoni begins to idly braid some of her rainbow ombre hair. Finished, she tucks the braid behind her left ear.

Missoni agrees, "Theoretically."

Missoni says, "Often, there is no need to go into depth about them, as most have seen the basic version of the Enchiridion Valentia, and the Common version is readily available."

Missoni waves her hand in a dismissive gesture.

Missoni lightly says, "And for many people this entry into demonology is enough. For some, it is too much. There is no need to further question our place in the cosmos."

Missoni raises her chin slightly in a show of defiance.

Missoni says, "But Trevil speaks of peoples across the continent, from the Disciples of the Shadows in the Turamzzyrian Empire to the cultists who have remained near Rhoska-Tor these long eons, who are tainted by these tears in reality."

Missoni furrows her brow.

Missoni says, "Dark essence, whether imparted through cursed artifacts or through living near such tenuous reality, has made these people what she would call 'demonic' in some manner. In this definition, the untainted Ithzir are not demonic, though they originate from another valence, while those from our own plane might be considered such."

Kothos nods slowly.

Kothos quietly says, "The Horned Cabal."

Missoni admits, "In light of this, it *does* seem sensible to me that we must question our place in the cosmos, let we be taken unaware by the beings and energies that find their way here by unnatural means."

Missoni nods in agreement at Kothos.

Missoni curiously says, "Do we need a third classification for beings from our own plane who have become twisted by dark essence? Trevil's work I think warrants further careful academic study in this area."

Missoni says, "Fortunately, some of this work has been done regarding the curious example of the vecdrae scythir, or breathing scorpions as you might say in Common, of Rhoska-Tor."

Missoni collects an elaborate gold-framed painting from a large compartment inside the glowbark credenza.

Missoni raises her gold-framed painting proudly, displaying it for you to see.

Arcane geometry marked in silver paint stands out starkly against the massive scorpion's tuberculated jet black chitin. A pair of large, violet-black eyes are positioned centrally upon her cephalothorax, with dozens of lateral eyes arrayed along her carapace to either side of her serrated chelicerae. The creature possesses ten limbs: four pairs of segmented walking legs and two large pedipalps that end in pincers. Her thick tail curves behind her and ends in a bulbous telson with a curved stinger.

Missoni explains, "I came across a marginal note about the origin of these creatures in a tome about early uses of balefire for enhancing outdoor spaces. An interesting book I hope to relate someday."

Missoni continues, "The scythir's origins are mostly unknown, but it is posited that they were once an underground species, bred through sorcery during the second age. The Faendryl have managed to tame them through use of the scythir's own highly toxic venom, and some people also ingest the venom as a way to perform a sort of valential form of dream walking."

Missoni offers, "Should any like to try their luck with this process, I have limited samples that I invite you to take at your leisure and at your own risk."

(Missoni motions to the tray atop the credenza. She continues, "I recommend you are in a good frame of mind and with someone you trust if you attempt such a thing.")

Missoni amusedly says, "Now would probably not be a good time to ingest it."

Missoni smiles at Yunni, moving away from the credenza and back to the space at the center of the room to face those gathered once more.

Missoni says, "To conclude, despite the fact that it elucidates much that is illegal in the eyes of the Basilica, Trevil's clarification of the language used to define certain beings, especially in the Common tongue, identifies that we have not had the granularity needed to encompass the myriad ways in which one might interact with our neighboring valences, their energies, and their denizens."

Missoni warns, "We have only truly begun to understand the potential, and certainly, the threat, demonic energy could have on our very fabric of reality."

Missoni thoughtfully says, "Perhaps this understanding represents a way forward for a more academic engagement with the subject of extraplanar beings and the outer, less visited valences."

Missoni lightly says, "And when we next meet, perhaps I will discuss the subject of vael'ortus."

Missoni appreciatively says, "Thank you. Do let me know if I may answer any questions."

Missoni performs a bow characteristic of those from Solhaven.

[APPLAUSE]

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos says, "I have a question."

Speaking cheerfully to Kothos, Missoni says, "Of course."

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos says, "We have spoken before about the time distortions associated with the Lorae'tyr valence."

Missoni agrees with Kothos.

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos asks, "Do you think there is a connection between that effect, and those...samples, you brought?"

Kothos glances at a raw-edged walnut tray fusted with vert-stained vaelfyren on a glowbark credenza mosaiced across the doors in a fan-obscured elven visage.

Delindra removes a crystallized dark granule from on a raw-edged walnut tray fusted with vert-stained vaelfyren.

Delindra sniffs at her dark granule.

Speaking to Kothos, Missoni says, "It is certainly possible. Though the scythir are said to originate from our plane, they have the black corrosive blood that many demonic species share."

Kothos nods slowly at Missoni.

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos says, "So they could be a hybrid, like some of the rumored inhabitants around the Demonwall."

Speaking to Kothos, Missoni says, "Whether the time distortion is somehow held in their venom would be hard to say without further study."

Missoni agrees with Kothos.

Missoni says, "Study on the precise distortions of lorae'tyr is difficult, due to Shieltine's Ward."

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos says, "Thank you."

Kothos smiles.

Kothos says, "Most curious."

Speaking quietly to herself, Nayli muses, "Demonic halfbreeds."

Speaking softly to Missoni, you note, "You mentioned that more academic study was probably needed into those of our own plane that have been twisted by dark essence."

Missoni agrees with you.

Speaking cautiously to Mission, you inquire, "Say someone were to have been pulled into one of the nearby valences - possibly against their will - what are their chances of finding their way back here? And, in your opinion, what changes would one expect to see?"

Speaking quietly to Raelee, Kothos says, "I wonder how similar the experience is to one of Endymion's dreamscape journeys."

Kothos turns over his dark granule.

Speaking to Kothos, Raelee says, "... not very."

Speaking to you, Missoni says, "It depends entirely on the valence. We know some of course, who have come from Luukos' Maw, and one would say they are quite altered."

You nod understandingly at Missoni.

Missoni says, "Another near valence is the shadows realm."

Missoni says, "There is currently a Palestra lost there, and she has been there for nearly ten years."

Missoni frowns.

You bite your lip.

Raelee surreptitiously glances at Kothos.

Speaking to you, Missoni says, "Though we have not yet managed to meet her face to face, her image looks...quite altered by the shadows." Nayli winces.

Missoni says, "One might see black veins, tentacles...other physiological morphology."

Speaking tentatively to Missoni, you admit, "I lost my sister some ... two years ago... but I am hopeful for her return."

Missoni frowns at you.

Ordim adopts an agreeable expression.

Kothos nods slowly at Missoni.

Kothos reaches over and gently rests his hand on your shoulder.

Speaking to you, Missoni says, "I dearly hope you can find her."

Missoni bites her lip.

Speaking softly to Missoni, you say, "Me too."

You let out a long, contemplative breath.

Speaking quietly to you, Kothos says, "You might speak with Imperatrix Lylia, when you have opportunity."

Speaking to you, Raelee says, "... it does seem like there are a great many variables involved."

You nod in agreement at Raelee.

Missoni agrees with Kothos.

Speaking softly to Kothos, you say, "I shall."

Rivienne cocks her head at Missoni.

Ordim ponders.

Speaking quietly to you, Kothos says, "She and Professor Xorus have committed a great deal of research for the sake of locating Blade Aralyte."

Speaking to you, Kothos says, "They may be able to give you some information. I hope."

Speaking softly to Kothos, you say, "That is reassuring, I will write to her."

Speaking to Missoni, Rivienne says, "Are we certain that these tears through which extraplanar beings travel are unnatural? There are some places that feel like the barrier between worlds is just ...thinner."

Speaking to Rivienne, Missoni says, "Some do occur without influence from, say, a sorcerer opening a portal."

Rivienne nods at Missoni.

Missoni says, "So in that sense they are natural, but the corrupting essence that comes through is generally considered less so."

Missoni says, "If I opened a portal to, say, somewhere else on the Isle, it would be unlikely to do any harm."

Speaking to Missoni, Rivienne asks, "But not everything that comes through is demonic. Is that right?"

Rivienne asks, "Like elementals?"

Speaking to Rivienne, Missoni says, "But some of the valences are in such opposition to our own reality, that the mere proximity of a valential tear has disastrous results."

Raelee says, "The question of taxonomy again."

Rivienne nods.

Missoni says, "Yes, the elemental planes are not generally considered demonic."

Nayli nods in agreement at Raelee.

Rivienne says, "Ah, that makes sense."

Kothos quietly says, "I wonder if this is at all related to what we witnessed on Brayern Island."

Missoni says, "There is also the distinction between elementals, which often come from another plane, and elemental creatures like...perhaps a wind witch, that originate here."

Raelee says, "Perhaps 'demonic' has become a catch-all of that which is both feared and not otherwise categorized."

Rivienne nods at Missoni.

Missoni agrees with Raelee.

Tenacity nods.

Cylnthia nods in agreement at Raelee.

Speaking softly to Kothos, you say, "I ventured there briefly but found it to be most disturbing."

Speaking to Missoni, Rivienne says, "I do find them fascinating."

Speaking to Rivienne, Missoni exclaims, "They are in themselves an entire field of study, it is true!"

Speaking quietly to you, Kothos says, "All of the citizens we encountered appeared to be...disconnected, from their previous lives."

You nod in agreement at Kothos.

Rivienne nods enthusiastically at Missoni!

Kothos quietly says, "I wondered if they were more displaced than just geographically."

Kothos ponders.

Speaking to Kothos, Missoni says, "That Isle was so carefully constructed, to me it was hard to discern what precisely to make of it."

Kothos nods in agreement at Missoni.

Ordim blurts, "Praise her name!"

Ordim beams!

Missoni bites her lip.

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos says, "As if it were a stage."

Rivienne looks thoughtfully at Ordim.

Tenacity laughs softly, trying to hide her amusement from Ordim.

Missoni agrees with Kothos.

Nayli blinks in puzzlement at Ordim.

Ordim sets about preparing himself to be as presentable as possible.

Speaking quietly to Missoni, Kothos says, "Thank you for the sample. I will...let you know how it goes."

Speaking to Kothos, Missoni says, "Do! I hope you find it relaxing. People relate varying effects."

You graciously inquire, "Do we have any more questions from the audience?"

Missoni casually observes her surroundings.

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos says, "I believe being open to new experiences is part of my career path, yes."

Raelee nods slowly to you.

Kothos flashes a quick grin at Missoni.

Cylnthia smiles warmly as she glances about.

Kothos touches his fingers to his heart, the tips digging into the fabric of his embroidered cassock, and offers a soft prayer to Ivas.

Missoni nods in agreement at Kothos.

You smile at Raelee.

You nod encouragingly at Raelee.

Kothos smiles at Raelee.

Missoni cocks her head at Raelee.

Speaking to Missoni, Raelee asks, "What do you believe is the actual motivator behind the Basilica's discrediting of Thalita's work? Do you believe it is genuine concern over the danger, or is it couched more in a refusal to move beyond established doctrine? Or is this merely another form of academic protectivism?"

Missoni clears her throat.

You nod thoughtfully.

Brigit leans forward.

Speaking quietly to Raelee, Kothos says, "At a guess, all of the above."

Speaking carefully to Raelee, Missoni says, "I could not be completely certain of course, but..."

Ordim works his fingers under his stewpot ujang and scratches his head.

Rivienne agrees with Kothos.

Kothos smiles at Rivienne.

Nayli examines her fingernails.

Missoni says, "Well, the Arch Chancellor is quite well known for being rather guarded about information that is release from the Basilica."

Speaking to Missoni, Raelee says, "Yes, that is true."

Missoni says, "Part of that is for safety."

Missoni says, "But it is likely that another reason is to protect the Faendryl Empire's superiority in the matter."

Missoni says, "He calls Talita's work a pittance of knowledge."

Missoni taps a sheet of glittery vellum on a glowbark credenza mosaiced across the doors in a fan-obscured elven visage.

You glance over at Missoni and wince.

Missoni says, "But it is more likely that he does not want to admit it represents a sizeable amount of information that has not been available outside of our walls."

You softly remark, "That is rather dismissive of a fellow academic's work."

Missoni says, "He would not consider her a fellow academic."

Missoni grins wryly.

You surprisedly exclaim, "Oh!"

Speaking to you, Raelee says, "... that is even more dismissive."

Speaking lightly to Missoni, you say, "Equally as dismissive then."

Speaking to you, Missoni says, "I believe to do so would lower himself, in his eyes."

You nod at Raelee.

You giggle softly.

Raelee says, "One wonders if it would be so dismissed if she had shared it exclusively within the Basillica."

Rivienne smiles at Raelee.

Speaking to Raelee, Missoni says, "A good question."

Kothos says, "...I know that the Faendryl are often a bit...touchy, on the subject of Summoning."

Missoni says, "It is hard to say now that it is circulated freely."

Missoni agrees with Kothos.

Kothos says, "But it could also be argued that they feel a sense of responsibility for it, too."

You softly posit, "Indeed, one wonders if the Ta'Illistim Loremasters would behave in such an exclusionary manner if faced with such a divisive subject."

Kothos says, "They have, after all, borne the consequence for it."

Speaking to Kothos, Missoni says, "And it has become a political issue in our society in addition to all the other factors we discussed."

Kothos nods in agreement at Missoni.

Missoni says, "The Basilica, the Palestra...they are often at odds."

Speaking interestedly to Missoni, you ask, "Is that so?"

Speaking to you, Missoni says, "Their approaches may differ."

Missoni says, "And of course, each wants approval of the Patriarch, honor and glory to him."

Nayli quietly jokes, "Is why I stick to swords. Disagreements, they use less ink."

Speaking to Missoni, Kothos says, "They may not be working together so much as side by side, to find what happened to Aralyte."

Nayli shrugs slightly.

You giggle softly at Nayli.

Missoni agrees with Kothos.

Yunni chuckles.

You appreciatively comment, "What an informative and thought-provoking presentation again today! I will do my best to temper my prejudices on this subject in future."

You kindly conclude, "I am sure you will all join me in showing your appreciation for our presenter!"

Missoni warmly says, "Thank you all for listening with open minds."

[MORE APPLAUSE]