Ve'nari says: Greetings, my friend.
Tal-Galan says: Friend? The elusive Ve'nari has no friends.
Ve'nari says: I have been woefully misrepresented! I can be a good friend, a useful friend, to those in need. And everyone is in need of something.
Tal-Galan says: You more than most, from what I hear. In fact, I imagine this conversation is merely a pretext for you to inquire what I know of Zereth Mortis.
Ve'nari says: Do you not long to see the realm of the First Ones for yourself?
Tal-Galan says: One day, perhaps. If the Purpose wills it.
Ve'nari says: Were you not assigned to Korthia for your intellect? Your curiosity? Perhaps your "purpose", my friend, is not to hoard knowledge, but to share it with those who would put it to use.
Tal-Galan says: I admit there are so many theories to explore... so many discoveries to be made... No! I will not think of it. Begone, broker! I need nothing from you.
Ve'nari says: Not today, perhaps. But one day you will. And when that time comes, I look forward to doing business.
I can say with confidence that you, Overseer, must have been as intriduged as I by the promising intial reports delivered by Al'firim on his journey to locate the Sepulcher of the First Ones. The fact that he decoded any of the glyphs at all was more progress than has been made in many ages of study (though whether "zereth" is best translated as "keystone" or "cornerstone" remains a subtle, yet ongoing, debate)
Of secondary concern is the difference in nomenclature that exists between our kind and the mortals. While we, of course, know Death to be the eternal force of magic woven throughout the very fabric of the Shadowlands and beyond, mortals have an entirely different—and shockingly obtuse—interpretation. They use the word "death" to signify the end of their existence within the mortal plane. My apologies, Overseer, if you find that revelation to be as distasteful as I do. But I fear that to accurately convey information on mortal perceptions, I must, from time to time, include observations from their own flawed perspective.