Diablotin 3 session 27

Diablotin 3 session logs Previous Session 27 Next

Session

Session date: January 10, 2016

Diablotin date: End of Third-Month

Prologue

<DiablotinNarrator> it's approaching the end of Third-month, and the weather continues to be unseasonably cold in the city. Some of the more powerful priests have begun casting Control Weather in certain areas to try and fend off the snow and ice, with mixed results.

<DiablotinNarrator> Of course, this is only a temporary solution, but if they keep on casting it regularly, perhaps it can prevent the situation from becoming worse.

Lathra meets Briony and together they begin plotting for Marika's benefit

<DiablotinNarrator> Lathra, I understand you have been going occasionally to visit Marika de Jazet in jail, where she awaits trial for her attack on you.

<Lathra> (That's right, so long as she'll see me)

<DiablotinNarrator> She isn't especially friendly, but she is sort of withdrawn these days, rather than screaming obscenities at you.

<DiablotinNarrator> This particular day when you pay her a visit, there's another woman there, also trying to talk to her.

• Lathra waits in the doorway, not wanting to barge in

<Other_woman> ...can't help you if you won't let me, Rika

• Marika mutters something you can't make out
• Other_woman sighs

<Other_woman> You know I'll help however I can.

<Other_woman> But maybe it would be for the best if you did take the deal...

<Marika> They just want me to betray my friends!

• Other_woman shakes her head
• Lathra sort of tries not to listen, but doesn't move out of earshot

<Other_woman> Your friends got you into this mess.... and where are they now? They're not the ones coming here week after week, trying to help you.

• Other_woman seems weary and frustrated, like this is a conversation she's had before

<Marika> I don't even want to see you! You just keep coming back!

<Other_woman> because I love you, stupid. you're my sister. I'm not just going to abandon you.

<Marika> Just leave me alone!

• Lathra knocks, to let them know she's there
• Other_woman turns, looking a little surprised

<Other_woman> I was just leaving.

• Other_woman says to you
• Other_woman seems upset

<Lathra> Oh I don't mean to interrupt, I just didn't want to... be here unannounced.

<Other_woman> It's fine.

• Other_woman says, visibly pulling herself together.
• Lathra extends a hand

<Lathra> Lathra Scales, pleased to meet you...?

<Other_woman> Briony de Jazet. Ah, Sister Briony.

<Briony> Are you...?

• Briony seems to recognize your name, but glances at Marika as if she doesn't want to elaborate
• Lathra waits a moment for the end of the question

<Briony> ... are you here to see my sister?

• Briony concludes, although that probably wasn't her original question

<Lathra> Oh yes, certainly. Are you a relative?

<Briony> ...yes.

• Marika peers out of her cell as much as she can, and sees you there, Lathra

<Lathra> Well I am most charmed to meet you! Oh and where are my manners, I haven't greeted our host! Hello Marika!

<Marika> Get out! Fucking bitch!

• Briony rubs her forehead

<Briony> I'm really sorry.

<Lathra> Oh not at all, don't worry about it.

<Briony> She's already upset, probably my fault.

<Lathra> <to Marika> If that's what you want dear, I'll be on my way. Have a nice day!

<Briony> Look... can I take you for a coffee or something?

• Briony asks you

<Lathra> I'd be delighted!

<Briony> Rika, I'll be back to see you soon, okay? I love you.

• Marika just screams incomprehensibly at her
• Briony will walk out of the jail with you

<Briony> I'm so sorry.

• Briony says again once you're out of earshot

<Lathra> I'm sure you're not responsible for her, dear, and her behavior today is much more pleasant than the first time we met.

<Briony> I mean for the way she behaved today, and just... in general, for how she's treated you.

<Briony> It's very good of you to try and visit her, even if it isn't... welcomed, all the time.

<Lathra> Well, that's nice of you to say, for sure.

• Briony suggests a café that is only a short walk away.
• Lathra walks there with her.
• Briony will buy us both some coffee and sit with you to talk

<Briony> I guess I wonder what you're hoping to achieve with your visits. Not that I'm trying to discourage you, I'm just curious.

<Lathra> To be honest, I feel very much like an interloper... but all I'm hoping to do is show her that I'm not... whatever she thought I was that she'd be a part of that.

<Hettienne> lol

<Lathra> I don't really want to see her go to jail either. I was hoping if she could show me that she wasn't going to... do anything like that again, I could try and get them to let her go.

• Briony nods sadly

<Briony> They want her to give them the names of the other people involved in the attack, in return for a lighter sentence.

<Briony> I'm trying to get them to see that she needs help, not to sit in prison for years...

<Briony> Not sure whether that'll work, though.

<Briony> Maybe you and I could .... work together on this? If you were willing to lend your support, as one of the victims of the attack, maybe that would help her case. <Lathra> I'm afraid I really don't know her well enough to know why she did it. If you think that there's something that could help her, I'd be happy to work with you to get it for her. So long as she's not going to be able to... try it again. To anybody.

• Briony nods

<Briony> There was an incident, when we were children.

• Lathra listens

<Briony> Our mother was a widow - our father died when Marika was a baby. After a few years, our mother took up with a new man.

<Briony> I didn't like him, but there was no way I could get my mother to listen where he was concerned... besides, I was only eleven, so what did I know?

<Briony> As things turned out, I had good reason to mistrust him.

• Briony speaks calmly, like she's distancing herself from the emotions involved

<Briony> He was an Outsider - a type of demon. I don't know how much you know about them.

<Lathra> Oh a little, of some kinds. I'm a priestess actually.

<Lathra> But do go on

<Briony> oh, all right

<Briony> well... he killed our mother. Tried to kill us as well, but I got my sister and brother out of the house and ran to the church.

<Lathra> Oh!

• Lathra covers her mouth

<Lathra> That's terrible...

<Briony> Marika was never quite all right again after that.

<Lathra> I don't think I would be either...

<Briony> I don't know if she doesn't understand that not all outsiders are the same, or if she just doesn't care.

<Lathra> I don't know either... but I imagine she's scared, either way. And now... trying to make herself safer rather backfired on her.

• Briony nods

<Lathra> And well now she's certainly not going to trust me in anything any time soon, if she sees me the same as the man who betrayed your mother.

<Briony> I just want to see her get some help. Even if that means an asylum or something rather than prison.

<Briony> She's nearly all the family I have left. Apart from my son.

<Lathra> Well whatever you need from me, I'm happy to help, with no dark bargains, priestess' honor

• Lathra holds up two fingers

<Briony> I'm sorry to dump all this on you... I would totally understand if you don't want to be involved.

<Briony> But thank you for listening.

<Briony> Is there some way I can get in touch with you, if an opportunity does come up where it seems like you could help?

<Lathra> Yes of course, here. Take my card. And... do you think it'd be best if I stop coming to see her, or would it be ok?

<Briony> I really don't know. I don't think it will make things worse, at any rate, although I have no idea if it's helping either.

<Briony> I guess if it isn't too upsetting for you, then go ahead.

• Briony accepts your card and will give you her phone number in return.

<Lathra> Well... I'll take that for now. I just... wanted to be a positive example to show her that we're not enemies, but... I don't want her to be scared I'll turn on her.

<Briony> I hope that in time she can come to see that.

<Briony> Thanks for your time...

• Briony will head off

<Lathra> Thank you for taking time for me!

• Lathra goes about her day.

Dorien finds out from Cyrill that the government is (surprise, surprise) probably up to no good

<DiablotinNarrator> Dorien, you're home after work, just getting relaxed somewhat, when there's a knock at your door

• Dorien takes his gin and tonic with him to answer the door.

<Dorien> "Hello?"

<Cyrell> Dorien?

<Dorien> Cyrell? Hey! How've you been?

<Dorien> Come inside, it's cold out.

• Cyrell steps inside

<Dorien> Sorry the place is kind of a mess...

• Dorien eyes the burnt dishes still in the sink

<Cyrell> Well, I wasn't expecting a palace ;)

<Cyrell> So this is your new flat? Or maybe not so new, I guess.

<Dorien> Well, I've definitely lived in better.

<Dorien> But it's home for the moment

• Cyrell nods

<Dorien> How are you doing these days?

<Cyrell> I'm ... well, I guess I've been better.

• Dorien raises an eyebrow

<Dorien> Is everything alright?

<Cyrell> I don't know. Not really.

<Cyrell> Do you have another one of those?

• Dorien frowns. "Have a seat and I'll get you a drink. You still drink gin?"
• Cyrell asks, nodding to your drink

<Dorien> (heh)

<Cyrell> Yeah

• Dorien will go to the kitchen and pour a gin on the rocks for his friend.
• Cyrell has a seat on the couch

<Cyrell> I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately

<Cyrell> Apparently I'm the kind of shitty friend who only shows up when there's a problem.

<Dorien> To tell the truth neither have I. It's been a... busy... few months.

<Cyrell> How are things going with you?

• Dorien hands him his drink

<Cyrell> thanks

<Dorien> Well, they were really bad. Then they were sort of bad. Then they got bit better. Then worse again. Now they seem on an upward trajectory.

<Cyrell> Well... I hope that continues?

<Dorien> Heh. Thanks. Now... tell me what's wrong. It can't be that bad, can it?

• Cyrell shrugs

<Dorien> Just... please tel me you don't owe any money to the shadar kai mob.

<Cyrell> Hah, no.

<Dorien> Good. I am completely out of cards to play in that department.

• Cyrell gives you a Look at that

<Dorien> Never mind. Sorry. Continue.

<Cyrell> You know I've been working for Talhain Chemical Supplies, right?

<Dorien> Yeah, last I heard.

<Cyrell> Well... there's some weird shit going on there.

<Cyrell> And I don't know what to do about it.

• Dorien sips his drink.

<Dorien> There seems to be a lot of that recently. What kind of weird shit?

<Cyrell> Orders of equipment for people who don't exist. Orders that are going to... I don't know where.

<Cyrell> Workers working midnight shifts off the books.

<Cyrell> I tried to ask my boss about it and got told to keep my mouth shut and my nose in my own work if I knew what was good for me, in so many words.

<Dorien> Huh

<Cyrell> I'd quit, except it isn't so easy to just find another job, you know?

<Dorien> That's definitely odd, but if your bosses want to run a shady side to their business, certainly that's their problem, right?

• Dorien seems almost disappointed that it isn't something involving fungus fairies.

<Cyrell> I guess it's their business, but something about it doesn't feel right. It isn't like how sometimes, say, a shipment of chemicals goes missing and you just figure it was a 'donation' to the mob or something.

<Cyrell> It's on a bigger scale than that.

<Dorien> Well, that's certainly ominous. What kind of stuff is it?

<Cyrell> Alchemical equipment, that sort of thing... some pretty specialized parts, too. 'Don't ask what it's for, just make it to these specs' kind of jobs. Someone has very specific requirements.

<Cyrell> I wondered if you'd know what they were for, if I showed you the designs.

<Dorien> I can certainly take a look. Do you have them on you?

<Cyrell> No... I'd get fired for sure if they caught me taking plans out of the factory.

<Dorien> Can you describe them?

• Cyrell can try to sketch them and describe them

<Dorien> (alchemy check?)

<DiablotinNarrator> (sure)

<Dorien> !roll 1d20+14

• Zola rolls for Dorien: [ 1d20+14 ] getting [ 20 ] which, after the modifier [ 14 ] totals [ 34 ].

<Dorien> (Wooooo!)

<DiablotinNarrator> (nice)

<DiablotinNarrator> You believe you've seen some of these designs before, or something very similar to them - some sketches tacked up on the wall of Polly Hayn's office at the experimental farm you visited with Gen.

<Dorien> (Any idea what they would be used for?)

<DiablotinNarrator> As to what they're for, you can only speculate that they could be used in extracting fluids from plants, or for some of them, perhaps inserting alchemical solutions into plants

<Dorien> (w)Son of a bitch...

<Cyrell> What?

<Dorien> I've seen these before.

<Cyrell> you have?

<Dorien> It's... hard to explain. There's a farm outside of town. Supposedly a government contract lab. Doing weird things with plants.

<Cyrell> if it's a government contract, why isn't it on the books? I mean, we do work for the government sometimes, that's nothing out of the ordinary.

<Dorien> I'm not sure. Obviously someone doesn't want it on the books. The question is who.

<Cyrell> Why keep it so secret?

<Dorien> I don't know. I need to compare notes with some friends of mine. They might know more.

<Cyrell> Well... okay. Can you leave my name out of it? I don't want to get in more shit over this.

<Cyrell> I really can't afford to lose my job right now.

<Dorien> Of course. And I'll keep you in the loop if things pop up. Listen, for right now, I suggest you keep your head down and your ears open.

<Dorien> Are you still at the same phone number?

<Cyrell> Okay.

<Cyrell> Yeah, same number.

<Cyrell> you busy tonight, or do you want to hang out for a bit? maybe get some food?

• Dorien grins. "Yeah, that'd be good. I actually have the night to myself for once."

<Cyrell> I don't want to be a dick who just drops by, throws some problems at you, and leaves.

<Dorien> Hey, man, how long have we known each other? You're always welcome to stop by. Even with problems.

• Cyrell smiles
• Cyrell will hang out with you and you two can have a good evening, then

<Dorien> :3

Genevriel learns from Silvia that another servant of the One may exist

<DiablotinNarrator> Gen, you are at your aunt and uncle's house, it's mid-morning and you are resting after a long night's work, when your aunt knocks at your door.

<Genevriel> Yes?

• Genevriel asks blearily.
• Genevriel stumbles to her feet and opens the door a crack for modesty since she's in her nightclothes.

<Sylvise> Gen, dear, there's a visitor to see you - the Duchess of Coindeliere?

<Genevriel> ...

• Genevriel looks perplexed.

<Genevriel> (Who is that? I do not have K:Nobility.)

<Sylvise> (then you don't know who that is)

<Sylvise> She's just in the front parlour, I'm having some tea brought for her.

<Genevriel> Do you know her... actual name?

<Sylvise> Oh! Silvia Rionet.

<Genevriel> Oh!

<Genevriel> Okay. I do know her, then. Um... I'll be down shortly. I have to get dressed.

• Genevriel looks flustered.

<Sylvise> That's fine, dear, I'll keep her entertained until you can make it down.

<Genevriel> Thank you, Tante Sylvise.

<Sylvise> Of course, dear.

• Genevriel closes the door and gets hastily dressed. She runs her fingers through her hair but it probably doesn't do much to tame it, at this awkward in-between length.
• Genevriel heads down to the parlour.
• Silvia is seated with your aunt, having some tea and chatting politely.

<Sylvise> Oh, here's Genevriel! I'll just leave you two to your talk, then :) It was lovely to meet you, Silvia.

<Genevriel> Good morning... your Grace.

• Silvia smiles
• Genevriel feels weird addressing her formally.

<Silvia> It's fine, please, call me Silvia.

<Genevriel> I apologize for my appearance. It was a late night at work.

• Genevriel takes a seat in a chair near Silvia.

<Silvia> Don't worry about it. I'm sorry to bother you at this early hour.

<Silvia> How are you doing?

<Genevriel> I am... ah... feeling static, I suppose, is the most appropriate term.

<Genevriel> And you?

<Silvia> Preoccupied, I'm afraid. I did mean to get back to speaking with you sooner than this, but things have been very busy.

<Genevriel> It's quite all right. My strangeness is not all that important, in the grand scheme of things.

<Silvia> Well, perhaps, perhaps not.

• Genevriel pours herself a cup of tea... need caffeine, and offers to warm up Silvia's cup.

<Silvia> thank you

<Genevriel> So, what brings you here today?

<Silvia> I wanted to let you know - we may have found another person with similar powers to your own.

<Genevriel> Oh?

• Genevriel wakes up rather abruptly.

<Silvia> Possibly, yes.

<Silvia> She's a worshipper at Sirris's temple. She was also in the war, and has spoken to him somewhat about her experiences there.

<Genevriel> What's her name? Does she know anything more about the One? Can I speak to her?

<Silvia> Her name is Philida Chantranes. Sirris asked if she would be willing to speak with you, and apparently she was quite eager to meet someone who might have similar experiences to her own.

• Genevriel nods, both excited and relieved by the prospect.

<Genevriel> It would be good to know if I'm not the only one.

<Silvia> If you're willing to meet, we can help to arrange things for you to have some privacy and time to talk.

• Genevriel nods.

<Genevriel> I would be. Willing, I mean. Thank you.

<Silvia> All right.

<Silvia> How have you been, otherwise?

<Genevriel> Like I said - static. Trapped, in a way.

<Silvia> Trapped?

<Genevriel> But it's not all bad. An old friend and I have been reacquainting, and that's been good.

• Silvia nods

<Silvia> I'm glad to hear that, then.

<Genevriel> Trapped - not knowing. Not being equipped to know.

<Genevriel> I'm working on that, too, though. Slowly.

<Genevriel> My mind's a bit too old to pick up a new language quickly.

<Silvia> Understanding can be a lengthy process.

<Silvia> What language are you trying to learn?

<Genevriel> Celestial.

<Genevriel> That's what the One speaks. A dialect, anyway.

<Silvia> Ahh.

<Genevriel> And a... woman named Karala made some inquiries on my behalf. I don't think I asked the right questions, though.

<Silvia> Sirris speaks Celestial, if that would be of any help. I'm sure he would be willing to converse with you.

<Genevriel> Thank you.

• Silvia adjusts her glasses

<Genevriel> Well, my questions weren't a complete waste. They did help me confirm some of my assumptions.

<Silvia> Oh?

<Genevriel> But the nature of the spell meant the answers were very limited. Or I'm just insatiable. Probably that.

• Silvia nods

<Silvia> well, I hope it was more helpful than frustrating.

• Silvia sips her tea
• Genevriel shrugs.

<Genevriel> I set my expectations too high.

<Silvia> :/

<Genevriel> I'm not well suited to this role.

<Silvia> I don't want to keep you from your rest - next time I visit, I'll try to make sure to do it in the afternoon.

<Silvia> We'll make the arrangements for you and Philida to meet, though - and if you want to practice your Celestial with Sirris, we can certainly find a time for that as well.

• Genevriel nods.

<Genevriel> Thank you. I appreciate that you came by.

<Silvia> Of course.

<Silvia> Good day, and I'm sorry again for waking you.

<Genevriel> It's fine, really. I need to do my rounds anyway.

• Genevriel will see Silvia out, politely, then go to feed/warm up/heal the poor before stopping by Madds to give him a nightmareless night and going to work.

Aubrienne helps Jed through some family conflict

<DiablotinNarrator> Aubrienne, your brother is still under supervision, and working on recovery - you can visit him from time to time but he also needs quiet and rest.

<DiablotinNarrator> (I just wanted to update you on how he was doing, as I'm sure you were wondering :)

<Aubrienne> (Aubrienne will be visiting him pretty regularly. He needs time to think, I'm sure, but she'll try to keep him from getting trapped in his own head if that makes sense.)

<DiablotinNarrator> (okay, sure)

<Aubrienne> (Bring him beer and cards ;))

<DiablotinNarrator> (heh)

<DiablotinNarrator> Meanwhile, Jed comes home one day and seems super grumpy.

• Jedrezej bangs things around in the kitchen
• Aubrienne will watch from the doorway

<Aubrienne> <sk> Problem?

<Aubrienne> Normally this is what it sounds like if *I'm* trying to cook.

<Jedrezej> <sk> Mothers. Why couldn't we be traditional and have nothing to do with each other?

• Jedrezej grumbles

<Aubrienne> <sk> Rikkah giving you trouble?

<Jedrezej> I told her about the movie.

<Jedrezej> Now I guess I'm a traitor to my people and going to ruin things for all of us.

<Aubrienne> Wait, what?

<Aubrienne> Want to run that by me again?

<Jedrezej> I don't know if I understand it either :p

<Jedrezej> and I might be exaggerating slightly :p

<Aubrienne> You? Exaggerate? Well, I never! ;)

<Jedrezej> She thinks a movie made by a human but starring a shadar-kai is bound to get things wrong...

• Aubrienne will take a seat at the kitchen table.

<Jedrezej> paint us in a bad light, or something, I don't know.

<Aubrienne> In fairness to her, that's a legitimate concern.

<Aubrienne> If it was anyone other than Kori.

<Jedrezej> I tried to tell her that.

<Aubrienne> Plus, you and I'll be there, and Kori will listen to us.

<Aubrienne> Do you think it'd help if I introduced them?

<Jedrezej> That ... well did she think I'd have said yes if it was going to be some kind of exploitative, gross thing?

• Jedrezej sighs

<Jedrezej> don't answer that- I already know what she thinks about our act :p

<Aubrienne> I was going to say...

<Jedrezej> you're not exploiting me :p

<Jedrezej> I can't speak to whether it's gross or not, my cultural sensibilities are skewed by my perverse background :p

<Aubrienne> I know that, [playful sk insult, like 'dork'].

• Jedrezej smiles

<Jedrezej> I'm pretty sure that Kori will have me wearing more clothes than you ever do ;)

<Aubrienne> As if it wasn't your idea for all the "free advertising." :p

<Jedrezej> heh

<Jedrezej> No, no, you're a cruel taskmistress who bends me to your will.

<Jedrezej> clearly.

<Aubrienne> Well, that is true.

<Aubrienne> But anyway, yeah, I think Kori really wants this to be good for the shadar-kai. Some positive media portrayal, all that.

<Jedrezej> maybe if she did meet Korisse, it would help put her mind at ease a little. If she knew more what the movie was going to be about, and could see it wasn't supposed to be insulting or making us look bad.

<Aubrienne> I can understand Rikkah being worried, but, overall, I think it will be a good thing.

<Aubrienne> I'm sure Kori would be happy to meet her, though wrangling into her schedule can be a chore.

• Jedrezej nods

<Aubrienne> I'll give her a call, though, try to set something up.

<Jedrezej> Thanks

• Jedrezej sighs

<Jedrezej> I know she means well... and compared to a lot of people, she's really not that traditional.

<Jedrezej> I mean, she came here, and kept me, so she's already broken at least a couple customs

<Jedrezej> But sometimes it's like to make up for that, she's going to be as closed-minded as possible on other things.

<Aubrienne> *shrug*

<Aubrienne> It's important to keep up some traditions. I know it can be rough, but Rikkah is just trying to hold onto herself.

• Jedrezej nods

<Jedrezej> I just wish she could trust me that I'm making reasonable decisions for myself.

<Aubrienne> Oh, well, that's a parental custom that crosses cultural lines. ;)

<Aubrienne> I still have an open invitation to come home and run the pharmacy whenever "acting doesn't work out."

<Jedrezej> heh

<Jedrezej> I still have a lot of shadar-kai poetry memorized. like, a LOT.

<Aubrienne> Some of it's nice. :)

<Jedrezej> Some of it is long and boring.

<Aubrienne> Well, okay, a lot of it in my opinion, but we have different cultural relationships to it.

<Aubrienne> I wasn't forced to memorize it. :p

• Jedrezej nods

<Aubrienne> But I can also recite the lineage of my family back...well, a lot of generations, essentially offhand.

<Aubrienne> And I have a *big* family. ;)

<Jedrezej> So do I, somewhere.

<Aubrienne> Fair.

<Jedrezej> I think because it's just me here, though, she has to put all of her expectations and values and everything on me.

<Jedrezej> She had other kids she left behind >.>

<Aubrienne> :/

• Aubrienne will be quiet for a moment

<Jedrezej> They were older than me - I don't really know much about them, she doesn't like to talk about it.

<Aubrienne> Have you ever tried contacting them?

<Jedrezej> But old enough to make up their own minds about leaving, I guess.

<Jedrezej> No...

• Jedrezej sighs

<Aubrienne> I don't know what to tell you.

<Jedrezej> it's okay. They're not my problem - I'm sure they're fine.

<Jedrezej> I just don't want to let my mother down.

<Aubrienne> Rikkah loves you. She's your mother, and she's going to worry about and annoy you. It's practically contractual.

• Jedrezej nods

<Jedrezej> come on - let's go get some food, I can tell my cooking is going to be terrible.

<Aubrienne> Yes please!

<Aubrienne> <butler voice> I shall bring the car around, sir.

<Jedrezej> And make it snappy.

<Aubrienne> See, you'll make a great movie star. :D

• Jedrezej smirks

Zola and Elianne have lunch

<DiablotinNarrator> Zola, your sister will meet up with you for lunch

• Zola is all bundled up in a fur lined coat against the chill @_@
• Elianne booked us a table at a nice restaurant
• Elianne gives you a hug in greeting
• Zola dances around to warm herself while the attendant attempts to take her coat

<Zola> Sis!

<Zola> It's so cold @_@

<Elianne> I know, it's awful - although actually around our place it's been quite nice, once the thunderstorm settled down.

<Zola> Thunderstorm? :o

<Elianne> They're trying to do something about the weather. I don't really understand all the magic involved, but I guess it's clashing with whatever's making the cold and causing weird effects in places.

• Elianne shrugs

<Zola> Wow, I knew about them trying to control the weather though, but I hadn't heard that yet... I guess it's not a surprise there'd be some conflict.

• Zola will follow her to our table.

<Elianne> It's good to see you - how are you doing?

<Zola> I'm good! It's good to see you too!

<Zola> How've things been?

<Elianne> Recovered from your party yet? :)

• Zola gives up a teeny grin about that.

<Zola> Of course I have, I'm a big girl.

<Zola> Have you recovered yet? :)

<Elianne> Ah, more or less.

<Elianne> It was quite something.

<Zola> Mmm? Did you have a good time?

<Elianne> Yes, I did. It was nice to get to meet some of your friends.

• Elianne says neutrally, sipping her water

<Zola> You know what I meant :)

• Zola will end up ordering something hot to eat.

<Elianne> Why, what on earth are you implying?

<Zola> I'm not implying a thing, I want to know if you had fun with Hugo :D

<Elianne> Hugo is a very charming man... and yes, I did have fun.

<Zola> Good :D

<Zola> I'm glad you had a time AT the party too :)

<Elianne> I just wish I could find someone who was similarly... entertaining... but also suitable for marriage.

<Elianne> I suppose that might be asking for too much, though.

<Zola> You've still got time to find someone who's fun and suitable!

<Elianne> Not if Mother has anything to say about it.

• Zola rolls her eyes.

<Zola> Is she still trying to hook you up with that furniture guy, or whatever it was he did?

<Elianne> She's compiling a short list of suitable gentlemen. He's still on it, yes.

<Zola> Are any of them any fun at all?

<Elianne> I don't really know any of them, so I'm not sure.

<Zola> Ugh.

<Elianne> Maybe if I get them list to you, you can tell me if you know anything about any of them?

<Elianne> Pro or con?

<Elianne> (the list)

<Zola> Sure, if I know any of them. Maybe Hugo might know a few too.

• Elianne nods

<Zola> It'd be nice if she just stopped playing at nobility and just let things happen. Torvalle & co is hardly an empire.

<Zola> (Torvalle & Family even)

<Elianne> I'm afraid she sees it as one, though. Preferably one to be enlarged and fortified by suitable alliances with furniture companies or car companies or whatever.

<Zola> Well then maybe she should put out for their owners herself :|

• Elianne makes an 'ew' face
• Zola laughs

<Zola> It might not help in the long run anyway, I guess.

<Elianne> I don't even really object to the idea,I suppose.... I just would also like whoever it is to be decent and thoughtful and kind and maybe sexy... :p

<Zola> Sure, but it'd be a crime to miss someone like that because they're lacking Mother's seal of approval.

<Elianne> that's why I said it's probably too much to ask for :/

<Zola> You should just tell her to stuff her list where no one suitable would find it :|

• Zola says like that's easy to do
• Elianne sighs

<Elianne> I told her I would meet them. I figure if there's someone who seems good, *and* Mother approves, it will save me headaches down the road.

<Elianne> But I didn't agree to anything without getting to know them first.

• Zola is forced to admit that's not unreasonable with a quirk of her mouth

<Zola> (er, and shows it with)

<Zola> Well, get me the list, and if it's atrocious, maybe we can go on the offensive and find some better fellows to introduce you to.

<Elianne> And I insisted that I get to meet them on my own - without Mother and Father hovering nearby.

• Elianne nods

<Zola> Good.

<Elianne> Who knows, that way if one of them does seem potentially good, maybe I can find out for myself ;p

<Zola> She'll probably shut up a bit while you're 'courting' too :P

<Elianne> Hopefully, yes.

<Elianne> Although she does like to remind me that I'm not getting any younger, and if I expect to have children, I should really get started, and blah blah blah.

<Zola> Thank the Gods I don't have to deal with that...

<Zola> Perks of being the black sheep, I guess :)

<Elianne> heh

<Elianne> How about you, how are you doing?

<Zola> I'm good... the party went fabulously, things are going well with my career. And Noren and I had a big talk and worked through some things.

<Elianne> Oh?

<Zola> Yeah, we uh, took a bit of a break for a while.

• Elianne nods

<Zola> I wasn't sure what I wanted, and he has ... he'd like things to go specific places if things go right... picket fences and summer homes, you know?

<Elianne> Ah.... and it was a bit too settled down for you?

• Elianne guesses

<Zola> For now, at least... and I was worried things would end badly if we just let things run their course. But we talked it out and ... we'll see. I've got to trust he'll let me know what he's comfortable with.

<Zola> There was some crying and some shouting that I may have asked for, and then there was a lot of sex. It was nice <3

• Elianne smiles

<Elianne> I hope things will work out with him, then, if he makes you happy

<Zola> He does.

<Zola> I ... didn't want to tell him this in case it hurt his feelings... but...

<Zola> He said he was thinking of running for Council... and I figured... he's telling me as... an ultimatum of sorts, right? If you don't want to be with me, I'm going to go ahead and run for office.

<Zola> But that wasn't it at all... he just wanted to tell me because of my secrets with Mico.

<Elianne> aw

• Zola gets a little misty eyed.

<Elianne> That's very sweet

<Zola> Yeah, he's a swell guy.

<Elianne> And even Mother might approve of a politician in the family ;)

• Zola dabs at her eyes so her makeup doesn't get out of control.

<Zola> Hah... I do wonder what her face would be like if I switched houses though.

<Zola> :P

<Elianne> Oh gods.

<Elianne> Well, you've already switched lots of other things... maybe that wouldn't be so bad ;)

• Zola grins
• Elianne will have a lovely lunch with you, then
• Zola drinks warming drinks :3

Argent, Denise, and Hettie continue their treasure hunt

<DiablotinNarrator> Enver has been busy working to find another route that won't require you to go through a creepy ghost and his 'children'

<DiablotinNarrator> Finally, he thinks he has come up with an option that might get you where you're trying to go

<Denise> aww yess1

• Denise will see that he is properly rewarded ^-^

<Enver> It should take us around the catacombs, an' bring us out where the red river comes out

<Denise> swell!

<Hettienne> Ace.

<Enver> It's gonna be annoying, but bettern' the alternative, I guess

<Denise> annoyin' how?

<Enver> Goin' through some real little passages. We'll haveta crawl for some of it.

<Denise> I hoep i'm gonna fit :3

<Enver> As long as you can crawl, it should be okay.

<Enver> Just ain't gonna be able to walk some ways

<Denise> okay

<Denise> I acan do that

• Enver nods

<Hettienne> Brings back memories... ;)

<Nycki> heh

<DiablotinNarrator> All right

<DiablotinNarrator> Enver can lead the way on this trail - it does indeed require a fair bit of crawling through small tunnels. Nycki might cheat and be a rat >.>

<DiablotinNarrator> After some fairly annoying hours of crouching and crawling and going through some pretty gross places, you can finally hear the sound of running water up ahead

<Enver> Almost there

<Denise> good -_-

<DiablotinNarrator> You finally emerge into an area that's large enough for you to stand up in

<Hettienne> whew.

• Nycki will shift back to her human form
• Denise stands up and stretches, looking around
• Argent also keep a watchful eye as he brushes himself off

<DiablotinNarrator> You're in a tunnel - to your right, the passage ends in a rockfall. To the left, it seems to open up further, and that's where the running water sound is coming from.

<Enver> Down this way...

• Enver says, gesturing to the left
• Denise follows
• Hettienne sniffs the air before proceeding

<Hettienne> !roll 1d20+11

• Zola rolls for Hettienne: [ 1d20+11 ] getting [ 7 ] which, after the modifier [ 11 ] totals [ 18 ].

<DiablotinNarrator> It smells kind of musty, but not like the air is really bad - just like it has been closed up for a long time.

• Argent follows after Enver and Denise

<Enver> This is part of the old city.

<Denise> how'd you find a way in?

<Enver> Well, it started with bustin' through a wall.

• Denise looks around with more curiousity

<Denise> heh

<Enver> An' then, those little tunnels, they were really made for their rats I guess. The big rats, like, not the tiny regular ones.

<Enver> So I think when they were sealin' it up, they didn't pay as much attention to those ones.

<Enver> I crawled around a lot, and smelled for the water

<Denise> huh

<Enver> I knew more or less where it oughta come out, I just had to find a way to get there

• Denise pokes him

<Denise> You just be careful, is all, pokin; around on your own

<Enver> Yeah, I know.

• Denise is clearly pretty excited to be down here though ;3

<Enver> Let's be careful headin' in there

• Denise nods
• Nycki sticks close to Hettie
• Hettienne keeps her eyes open...

<DiablotinNarrator> The tunnel opens into a large cavern, with the stream running through it, forming a larger pool

<Denise> huh

<DiablotinNarrator> You can see as you emerge into the room that there is some fungus growing near to the water and up along the walls. It's blue and kind of has wispy tendrils that reach out and sway slightly, although there's no breeze down here.

<Denise> so now we're what - lookin'for a passage what opens with a feather or somethin'?

• Denise scowls at the mushrooms and gives them a wide berth

<Argent> (any way to tell if the fungus is dangerous?)

<Hettienne> Fucking mushrooms.

<DiablotinNarrator> Anyone got k: nature they could roll to try and see

<Denise> (lol)

<Denise> (this is why I'm dating a ranger ;)

<DiablotinNarrator> (er maybe it's k: dungeoneering actually)

<DiablotinNarrator> (I forget what funguses count as ;)

<Denise> (oh that I might have!)

<Argent> !roll 1d20+4

<Denise> !roll 1d20+7

• Zola rolls for Denise: [ 1d20+7 ] getting [ 10 ] which, after the modifier [ 7 ] totals [ 17 ].
• Zola rolls for Argent: [ 1d20+4 ] getting [ 10 ] which, after the modifier [ 4 ] totals [ 14 ].

<Hettienne> !roll 1d20+7

• Zola rolls for Hettienne: [ 1d20+7 ] getting [ 3 ] which, after the modifier [ 7 ] totals [ 10 ].

<Argent> (+6 if its a monster... so 20 in that case)

<Hettienne> (lol)

<DiablotinNarrator> (I'll say you can use either, which ever you have or is higher)

<DiablotinNarrator> !roll 1d20+6

• Zola rolls for DiablotinNarrator: [ 1d20+6 ] getting [ 19 ] which, after the modifier [ 6 ] totals [ 25 ].

<DiablotinNarrator> (that was for Enver)

<Enver> This kind feeds off the water - I don't think it'll try an' eat us. But let's not touch it, just in case.

<Hettienne> Don't gotta tell me twice...

<DiablotinNarrator> You can also hear a faint sizzling noise as you walk by the patch of fungus

• Hettienne eyes it with distaste and suspicion...

<Denise> yeah....

<DiablotinNarrator> (okay - let's be just in roll20 now so I'm not switching back and forth)

Hugo and Eirini spend time together

• Eirini will show up at your house one afternoon, Hugo

<Hugonel> (is that a surprise?)

<Eirini> (well I'm not sure she has a phone, so... yes.)

<Hugonel> Ah, Eirini! Uhh ... just give me a moment and let me get into something a little more respectable.

• Hugonel is wearing a long bathrobe as he was just bathing before heading over to the cabaret
• Hugonel will get himself straightened around and then welcome Eirini in.

<Hugonel> My apologies!

<Eirini> not at all

<Eirini> Would you like to come out with me?

<Hugonel> Certainly ... I have at least two hours before I need to be at work.

<Hugonel> Where would you like to go?

<Eirini> Would you still go with me if I said it was a surprise?

• Hugonel considers for a moment.

<Hugonel> Do I need to bring anything?

<Eirini> No

<Hugonel> All right, then.

• Hugonel grabs a top hat and his walking stick and a jaunty-looking brown scarf.
• Eirini seems in a cheerful mood today

<Hugonel> What's the occasion?

<Eirini> I'll show you...

<Eirini> you are really very impatient, you know

<Hugonel> So I've been told.

• Eirini will take you across the river to the Firefly Gardens

<DiablotinNarrator> The first thing you notice when you get there is that it feels like spring

<Hugonel> Oh ... my ... is that ... warmth?

<Eirini> Isn't it wonderful?

<Hugonel> Is this natural?

<Eirini> This is what's supposed to be.

• Hugonel nods.

<Hugonel> It's wonderful.

• Hugonel smiles warmly.

<Eirini> Come this way... let me show you something.

• Hugonel follows Eirini.
• Eirini leads you along the paths, which are still lined with (melting) snow, to a grove of birch trees

<Eirini> Look - leaves!

• Eirini gestures to the small leaves that are unfurling

<Hugonel> I see them!

<Hugonel> Does this mean ... that we're beating the cold back? I thought the cold was preventing the Blight from spreading.

<Eirini> I don't really know... they're doing this with magic, and I don't think it has a very large area... and maybe it will fade again in a day or two. I just want to enjoy it for now.

• Hugonel smiles.

<Hugonel> That makes perfect sense.

• Eirini plucks one of the little leaves from the nearest tree and will reach up to put in in the band of your hat as a decoration
• Hugonel laughs.

<Hugonel> I'm so glad you came by today.

<Hugonel> I had wondered when I might see you.

<Eirini> I suppose I haven't made it easy to get in touch with me.

<Hugonel> That's all right.

<Hugonel> Where are you staying? In ... a tree? I don't know how this works.

<Eirini> Yes, I suppose that's right.

<Hugonel> Is Linthira ... with you?

<Eirini> Well, not at the moment, no.

• Eirini says, looking around with a slightly playful smile
• Hugonel laughs

<Hugonel> I just mean, I'm trying to understand here, for real. Is she physically in the city, or ... elsewhere?

<Eirini> Can't it be both?

<Hugonel> I don't know.

<Hugonel> You said you were here in the city to be close to her. But isn't it dangerous here, with all this other stuff going on?

<Eirini> She is nearby

<Eirini> And yes, perhaps it is dangerous here... but it's dangerous everywhere

• Hugonel nods.

<Hugonel> Do you suppose that sometime ... I could talk to her?

<Eirini> Maybe... I could ask. Why?

<Hugonel> ... well, you know, there has been all this weird stuff going on, with me, with the cabaret, with my friends. I

thought ... maybe she would have answers for me?

<Eirini> I couldn't say

<Eirini> But I can ask her if she'd speak with you

• Hugonel nods.

<Hugonel> I need to ask, Eirini: what are your intentions towards me?

• Eirini looks puzzled

<Eirini> Am I supposed to have intentions?

<Hugonel> No.

<Hugonel> If you don't, that's fine. That's an answer.

• Eirini nods

<Eirini> I don't know how long I'm going to be here

<Eirini> I just want to try and enjoy the time that I have.

<Hugonel> By here you mean ... the city? this world?

<Eirini> Yes.

• Hugonel nods.

<Hugonel> I hope when all this wintry business is done, you'll have some time to enjoy the spring.

<Eirini> I'd like that.

• Eirini takes your hand to walk in the spring-like weather.
• Hugonel will walk with her.