un: xunxian, video, perhaps an hour before the curfew for the night

[topoiran]

Good evening, all.

I have a little more information to share about what seems to be happening in the doxe's quarters, though after what has already been spoken off on the network is perhaps going to overshadow it... or, perhaps, not.

This, [ Su Xunxian holds a little a small bird in his palm. It is fairly comfortable there, but also, it is singing, and it sounds somewhat strange, too, ] is a skylark. He should stop singing a little after dusk, normally.

Instead, he is acting like a nightingale. And he is not the only one who seems to be... in the wrong little body. And some of them remained behind.

[ He looks up from the bird to his device. ]

From what I gather, this only happened to birds... while the birds were there. Whether or not it may have happened to people, I do not know.

[ A beat, his finger gently stroking the singing bird. He shouldn't be singing in this season, anyway, but his little everything is too confused not to. ]

Ah, and, my lord, may I attend you later?

[ He would be staying in the palace, so curfew shouldn't be a problem. ]

Comments

un: man's greatest treasure (voice)

[reparo]

Interesting... Did you happen to be in the Doxe's quarters yourself? Did you notice any sort of strange devices?

voice; the lark-nightingale continues to sing

[topoiran]

Ah... no, I was not there, myself. And the way my information comes, I could not say if there was.

voice;

[reparo]

That does make it harder to imagine what could possibly be going on. He is supposedly sick, correct - hence the power grabbing schemes?

un : dappled peals of the parted seas (voice)

[beitangmoran]

Of course. My door is always open to you, you know that.

voice;

[topoiran]

[ The smile is easy to hear in his voice now. ]

Thank you. I will be there shortly.

[ With easy food for Moran to eat because of course he'll stop by the kitchen first. ]

[Action]

[beitangmoran]

[Probably a good idea since there's a good chance he forgot to eat to day, as he'll be found pouring over numerous notes and charts.]

audio | un:thewrench

[in_theworks]

Maybe the birds here just sound different than the birds at home?

[he can see how this might be a problem, if he's right, for all that it means that maybe the Doxe is working up towards bodysnatching a person, but -- he's not sure what proof he has that the birds got bodyswapped in the first place. he has no idea that he's a Bird Whisperer]

audio;

[topoiran]

[ There is a slight smile to Su Xunxian's voice, but not of mocking, he is simply amused at the statement, but only with the context he has not given. ]

Slightly, but you can hear distress anywhere, if you listen.

[ Proof that is to be placed before officials? Not much. Xunxian is merely bringing information to those who might have to deal with the aftermath of it. ]

[in_theworks]

[there's a moment of pause on Wrench's end. is he trying to listen to the birds? is he aware he's missing something, based on his tone, and trying to figure out what? a little of both? who knows?]

[either way, after a beat, he ventures:] We only really have, like, pigeons, where I'm from. [a beat] Ooh, and seagulls! Fucking seagulls.

[they're evil]

UN:??? - Voice

[funnylittleclown]

I'm sorry... You say you found this unusual bird in the Doxe's quarters and that he isn't the only one? How many have you found?

[topoiran]

He was in the garden, actually, after he and others were taken to the doxe's quarters. I was not there myself.

And some of the birds taken did not return.

As to how many - droves, all told.

[funnylittleclown]

Testing the process perhaps... That's not a very appealing thought.

Other than the singing was there any other sign that these birds were acting strangely?

voice; un:yuheng

[wooden_one]

A maid who had gone missing before had come to me. She had been turned into an old man. She had been one of those who had word in the doxe's quarters.

voice;

[topoiran]

Ah. So I was not wrong in that it was not limited to birds. That... is she all right, as much as she can be?

[ That is absolutely terrifying when you think of it. ]

[wooden_one]

She didn't seem hurt. We couldn't talk for very long. Apparently, servants who approach me are watched more carefully.

[Which is as understandable as it was frustrating. Perhaps if he were better at being subtle he could be of more help.]

It appears she doesn't think it's reversible. She asked me to deliver a letter to her parents that gave some story about her leaving the city.

un: vast & furious | text.

[valeas]

It is my understanding that the Attaryl have the ability, or at the very least theoretical knowledge of, how to transfer souls and minds to different bodies.

( Maybe it is far more encompassing than she first thought. )

text

[topoiran]

That would make a certain amount of sense, as well as narrowing the people who might have done it, slightly. However, it does not seem their rate of success is...

Reliable.

[valeas]

I agree, that doesn't appear to be the case.

( The practice itself abhorrent to her.

Emilia gives pause. She trusts that the group wants this sort of information to remain between them. She trusts in herself and the charms and the spells that she uses to keep things as private as possible. But the magic of Taravast has proven formidable as well, and they can trust no one. )

You seem to have a great affinity with them, the birds.
Might staying with them a little longer help gain any further clarity?

un: daozhang | audio

[binghua]

[The bird's singing could have fooled Xingchen, but the explanation, awful in its own right, only concerns him more.]

Clearly something foul is happening in his quarters. A maid who worked there approached me and asked for my help in transferring her elsewhere, though she wasn't able to explain why. All I could tell was she was frightened and I can't say I blame her.

[Was it this that drove her to ask a stranger for help? Or is there something even worse they have yet to uncover?]

Do you know of anything else?

audio:

[topoiran]

[ Xunxian considers that, and sighs slightly. ]

I suppose it might depend on the perspective. If something like this is truly successful and safe, those who accomplish it might be considered as saviors. But I do not think it is that safe, yet. And, of course, there will be victims.

[ His voice is enough to show how distasteful he finds it, in the end. ]

It seems that it may have been attempted with people, as well. A maid, specifically. It... very much does make sense for one, if not more, to wish away from it. I doubt anyone sought their agreement to something like this. Not free agreement, at any rate.

[binghua]

[Xingchen is silent for a moment, trying to puzzle all of this out, trying to remember everything he's heard about Bonaccorso during their stay here.]

Bonaccorso is aging and not in the best health, yes? And now there are birds and at least one person who have been...transferred. And with Macaluso and Vannozza vying for the Doxe's title, with arguably little success, wouldn't it make sense for Bonaccorso to try and hang on as long as possible?

[What if he's trying to achieve immortality through such inhumane ways?]

This is all conjecture, of course. I cannot be expected to know the Doxe's heart.

UN: Senth; Video

[sergeant_slick]

Have we got good proof for this? The body-switching thing, I mean.

[Because if so, they've got some big problems. Bigger than usual.]

Video;

[topoiran]

[ Su Xunxian's mouth purses slightly to one side. ]

Not anything I would care to present in front of the city, though others may have that, it seems.

[ He can talk to the birds. He knows it's true, but who would take that seriously? ]

un: stormborn | audio

[thebrideoffire]

Is it possible to see if there is any effect on people?

audio

[topoiran]

From what has been shared with me in this conversation alone, this far, it would seem that what was done to them can be done to people, too, yes.