A hearthstone aquired by Takara in a north-east manse in the side of a cliff.
When attuned, Takara found the Broken-Winged Crane in his pocket and the ability to talk to "someone."
He asked the following questions out of earshot of the party:
You quickly learn that you can communicate with the hearthstone by concentrating on the words of the sentence. It's not the most intuitive means of communicating and it's not as efficient as a psychic link, but it works.
What is your real name? (I keep asking until I get its actual name) He provides about a hundred sobriquets to you before finally giving in and referring to himself as "a good friend of the Green Sun." If he's not Ligier himself, he's clearly related; he's a crafter and a builder with a very deep grasp of Essence, artifacts, and magic.
What are you?
If X, then what kind/level of X? (Caste, circle, etc.)
Ligier is, from your findings, the fetich (central) soul of Malfeas. He's a pretty big deal; he's the sun in Malfeas and was the rough pattern from which the Unconquered Sun was created. Malfeas, of course, was the single most powerful Primordial in the war. This makes Ligier one of the most powerful third-circle demons in existence. He is, however, a fairly civil, honorable being, though he tends to not care about things that don't have earthshaking importance.
Where are you?/How can I communicate with you? He states that he's currently in Malfeas, in a palace or fortress of some sort.
Who did you last talk to?
He hasn't had contact with anyone in hundreds of years, but he last talked to a Dragon-Blooded who had plans to seal off the manse.
What do you want? He's evasive about his exact motives, but seems adamant that he stay away from the other members of the party and that he wants to help you achieve your own motives. He approves of what he has heard of Fern's current situation. He makes references to simply "providing you more of the truth than you know."
What is the limit of your power?
He states that his power is limited to simple sorcery and shaping-level effects. He does make it very clear that he cannot take any action that is not at least implicitly desired by you, and that he cannot affect your own desires, or indeed your mind at all, regardless of your desires.
I want to take the Realm away from the Dragon-Blooded, how can you help me?
He seems very agreeable to the idea of taking the Realm. He sounds like he doesn't like Dragon-Blooded very much.
Have you heard of the Great Tongs Prophecy?
"I've have heard a little of the prophecy. I personally believe, or at least hope, that the stone you hold is the 'feather' mentioned. It implies the freedom of the Primordials in some form, which I will admit is something I desire. I know you're not a fool; all beings trapped here desire this, it's not a secret. Though I'm certainly not eager for a flood of demons to rip apart that beautiful place. *he seems to gauge your reaction* I should also admit something else to you. The manse you obtained this from would have been destroyed long ago were it not for its very specific nature. It is very old, far more ancient than any temple you may know. It was a temple to the glory of the Gods, made by the Primordials, and infused with the power of the Unconquered Sun."
If so, is it relevant to the Broken-Wing Crane? "The Broken-Winged Crane, similarly, serves as the 'bloody squawk.' It is a book borne of secrets torn from the fabric of Creation."
'
Can you help me read and understand it? "I cannot help you read the book, but I can help you understand it. Know this: The world you know is the shattered hull of what once was, the perfect Creation of the Primordials. Those books, for many copies exist, are a small remnant of the good from that time."
Why don't you want the rest of the party to know about you?
"I do not want the rest of the party to know about me simply because they would either destroy me or take me from you. You seem, if I may be so blunt, a rather corruptible sort, but at the same time you posses the level of open-mindedness I'm going to need if I'm going to be making the kind of revelations I'm hoping for. I know you don't trust me, but what counts is that I don't think you even trust your companions or even the Sun himself. And what I hope to reveal to you, in time, is blasphemy to what you know. I apologize for that, but such is the price of truth."