Stanczia & Imri Fågelson: A pair of vampires so old, no person alive today still speaks their first language.

Linguists love them. Or would, if they weren’t prone to making words up to mess with you.

It’s a big deal when they show up at a culture festival. Scary, too. They have a keen sense — from experience — which authors, artists, songwriters, and scholars are likely to be totally forgotten by history. And they don’t mind saying it to your face.

Also, they wouldn’t mind sucking all the blood from your body. But for an artist, that first thing is scarier.

Ambassador Beringar: lifelong diplomat. Has a careful line to walk, here, with his dangerous guests.

If they think he’s taking all of this too seriously for a mere mortal, they’ll laugh at him. If he’s not serious enough and they feel disrespected . . . they might pull enough investments to crash the national economy.

Beringar: Welcome, Lady Stanczia, Lord Imri. We are honored to have you taking time out of your vacation to join us. Can I offer you something to drink?

Stanczia: You could try, but I don’t think it would be fresh enough.

Beringar: I remember you using that line with my father when he was my age.