username: haltham

[aprescoup]

( Audio: translated through the House of Dew quartz network. A man’s voice, fairly coarse, hesitant. )

...llo? Hello there? Right. Sorry. This is a fancy —

( Fumbling, as he hunts his words and the device settings. Try again: )

Greetings. This is Haltham. I met you. Some of you. At the jailhouse. I was the one who told you...? You remember? Tall? Green eyes? You remember. Come on. Most of you were, ahhh... a little... little rougher for your wear, but you remember. Sweated blood to get you out of… and Karsa, Up the mines? Well. Doesn’t matter now. I’ve got an hour. If you didn’t know me then, you’ll learn me now.

( And softer: ) I wish I could see you. See all of you. I’m told… Tamaiu sends me word every few days. Tells me you’re all right. Handful, but... what’s that about some of you starting the old trade? True, that? Well. Well, well. Just wish I could see you. First ones we’ve gotten out, and I can’t even see — ( Laughter, bittersweet. )

...you don’t care. Look, you’ll leave Sa-Hareth soon. The old man worked long for it. He promised. And I know you must have questions, and I’ll tell you right, I do too. I’m doing my bit, but he doesn’t let on much. Think he’s afraid, he says too much to one of us, we get captured, the entire work’s at stake. And maybe he’s right. Who’s to say, eh? Who’s to say. For now, you and I, we focus on our duties. Yours: get coin. We just need a bit, and — no, I won’t be lying, not me, it’s not a little. About 100,000 pieces. Give or take, what thirty good men make at the port each month. And it won’t all go to you, either, got some pockets to fill, if we want you out without... trouble. And we do. We all do.

We’ve got options: we take you out with the old spice caravan when it comes by the next full moonrise, or we find you a smuggling ship. Either way, won’t be cozy, but you’ll live. You’re the living sort.

( He seems to catch his wits back about himself, just as the channel is briefly disrupted by the half-purred, half-moaned communication of a courtesan wooing a patron into a booking. Haltham waits until she’s done completely: )

...ladies here, they’re something else, aren’t they? If I had that kind of coin, I wouldn’t say no, myself. Sorry. Sorry, we’ve got children with us. And look after the lil’uns, will you? The pink and the furred one. The girls? They’ve got a... people here, you get all sorts. Them’s good, and then there’s them with appetites. ( A pause, pregnant. Long. )

I’ve got some tips, in any case. Some... guidelines. Give it another sennight, the fat trade starts, and every big man east comes in with his ship, and they bring anything. Everything. So much gold. And then there’re the auctions, and they waste, fellows, friends, they’re pissing that money, then, they’ll buy and sell anything. Sell them rags and tell them it’s riches, and they’ll believe you. Anyway. Anyway, there’s salt to sell, if you want. Some... other things, I’m sure you’ve got your plenty. And I’m bringing them, by the way. Your old things? We rescued some. Has to be in turns, with the House’s laundry and spice and food parcels, and we bury them deep, but. Just cast yer eye, it’ll be there. All of it. If it’s yours, it’s not mine, and I’m no thief. None of us... we don’t want anything from you.

( His voice drops to an octave, a murmur. ) Look. Advice? If you take it? Keep your head low. Let the old man sort you. Don’t go anywhere alone. Trust no one, or as few as you can. Unhalad’s people, you can tell them apart, they’re everywhere, and they’re wild. And they go wilder, the colder it gets, has them running. Look... kill them. If you can, do it quick. But don’t try it with the red sleeved’uns, though. Stay out of their way. And if you can’t... the old queen had our pillars put in for the parades, and they’re are good iron. Strong. Could berth your boat against’em. Honest. Run. Run, head first, and meet the iron where your head’s soft on the sides. Do yourself with your own hands, it’s better than if red sleeves get you. You trust me.



( OOC: post open, threadjack amongst yourselves at will. Haltham will input here and there.

Character inventory items that weren’t with them when they escaped will be brought in over three House of Dew deliveries spanning the next few days. The first shipment will come with laundry, the second will comprise small items hidden beside apothecary bottles, and the third will come with the establishment’s food carts. Up to you which belongings your character gets back first, and whether they’re in pristine, lightly chipped or damaged conditions. )

Comments

[aprescoup]

So, you thought you left men behind. It don't speak good of you, but. There's worse to be done.

[jeoha]

[ He lets out a heavy breath. ]

No.

I did not leave them behind.

[aprescoup]

You... did not leave them behind.

( A stricken pause, still sprawling. )

Who, ah... who are you?

[jeoha]

[ It’s still a better reaction that he had immediately expected. He shuts his eyes and centres himself for a moment. ]

A man who did not know his error until it was too late to rectify it, and is only fully comprehending it’s consequences now.

Any blood they spill —-

It is my hands that it stains.

old dog turning new tricks

[weifinder]

Oh that lovely, horrible note—

( he pauses, interrupted by a particular purring as another courtesan makes sure her dues are duly paid, and the purr in the voice of her patron is as gigglingly flirtatious as the subject of this conversation is not; )

I only know of Unhalad's by experience. In your observations, what can you tell me about these other ones? The older of the waking dead.

[jeoha]

[ He lets out a long sigh. ]

The ones with red sleeves... They are vicious. Faster than the others. I did not stay for long to watch them work, but they fell upon the one I killed with an immense hunger.

They speak. I do not know how deeply they can think, can contemplate, but they implored me for help when we passed. In the dark, they seemed fully alive, fully cognizant. They are not the forsaken creatures I know.

[weifinder]

( A pause. )

They... fell on their own?

( Sounding contemplative, but to do that, means at some point having hunger outweigh sense, and they can have sense. )

The others, from this newest conquering force, they were more... instinctive. Fast to move, avoidant of whites, not talking. Still had some sense of order in the ones where we'd been chained, but not those down in the mines.

( Another pause. )

I'd have to observe them more closely to get a feel for what might be moving them, but at this point, I don't know that the means between the dead you witnessed and the dead I did are even the same. What made you finally realise they weren't living?

[jeoha]

Not another red-sleeve. One of the guards, the slower undead. The dumber ones. I killed it, grabbed the keys off it, and tossed it to them. By the time I looked back--

There hunger must have been great indeed.

[ An answering pause. ]

I realised when they started eating the creature. When they were in the light, when I could see their hollow faces, their crazed eyes. They move differently from the living.

I have seen their kind before. I know what fueled that plague. But they could never speak.

[weifinder]

Ah, well, the dumber ones move fast enough when they're motivated.

( Dryly spoken, but that's what it is, the hunger in the mines, and the pervasiveness of cold everywhere. )

Move differently in what way? I wish I were able to observe these kind too... what drives these walking dead, how they manage them, it's beyond anything I'd imagine back home.

( Being the guy who raises and manipulates spirits, and the occasional possession as you do, animating bodies that have truly died is not something their world has seen. )

[jeoha]

They move like they do not care about what happens to their limbs.

[ It was the only way he knew to accurately describe it, but a frown was starting to pull at his lips. ]

The plague also exists in your home, then?

JACKING TO SAVE A LIFE | un: heart-fluttering hummingbird

[downswing]

( That moment when your accomplice in every crime is the plague — )

It does not.

[jeoha]

[ He raises an eyebrow at the swift reply from a new voice, but then something else occurs to him: ]

You both come from the same place?

[downswing]

Where that old dog learned new tricks.

[weifinder]

( SCADALISED GASP

yes this tag is real )

Lan Zhan! I am not a dog!

[downswing]

( As master Wei says, to nearly mute laughter, and no further Lan comment. )

[aprescoup]

No, I meant your... I'm... Haltham? You're...?

[jeoha]

[ Yeah. He suspected this was the actual information wanted, but. Well. There was nothing for it. ]

I am Lee Chang.

[ It felt incredibly odd, still, introducing himself this way. But he was slowly getting more used to it. ]

I am sorry we could not meet under better circumstances.

[aprescoup]

I'm Haltham. You're all right. You're safe now. ( In case... you forgot. ) I wish I could see you all.

[jeoha]

[ Bless this poor slow man. ]

Yes. Thank you, Haltham.

Is there a reason you aren't allowed to see us?

I assume to keep you safe as well? Is there someone who you report to that we can pass messages to?

[aprescoup]

I'm... I'm supposed to be your messenger. Between you and the old man. Me and Karsa.

[jeoha]

I see. [ He is not sure that Haltham would be able to retain a complicated message, so he makes it as simple as possible. ]

Alright. If you speak to him, tell him that Lee Chang wishes to speak to him. That I fight monsters, and want to help.

In the meantime, I will help the others try to raise coin for your cause.

Can you do that?

[aprescoup]

Send... send a word. From Lee Chang. Who released Anurr's people.

I can do that.

[jeoha]

[ His eyes look up at the ceiling, silently imploring. He lets himself take a breath. ]

Send a word. From Lee Chang. Who wishes to stop the harm he caused.

[aprescoup]

...right. Yeah. Yes. No trouble. No trouble Lee Chang. I'll help. Haltham will help.

[jeoha]

Thank you, Haltham.

[ He really isn't convinced that his words won't come through this message mangled, but he is worried any more will confuse the man. So instead, he murmurs: ]

I hope one day soon to be able to repay what you have done for me. And for us.

[ Even if he hasn't figured out yet what's in it for them. ]