audio | username: raven master

[pulvisetumbra]

( Some might recognise the calm, glacial voice. Others might despise it. ) Good afternoon. For those whose acquaintance I have failed to make already: I am the Merchant.

It seems several of you have misunderstood your remit. You were sent to the ruins of Ellethia to grasp the stakes of our enterprise, and why your role in ensuring there is no repetition of this catastrophe is critical. You were assigned in hopes that next you are told those who willingly inflict the dead upon innocents deserve retaliation, you will heed your instruction.

Instead, you have opted to meddle. It is in your natures. I have come to accept it. But there are lines that should not be crossed — ones you have trampled with impunity.

( A pause, while he collects himself. ) Our associate Enam informs me that you have taken it upon yourselves to terminate the lives of the... sleeping tower dwellers. without cause, remit or invitation. Perhaps slaughter is commonplace in your homelands. I have clearly miscalculated your appetite for bloodshed.

No matter. You have killed good men and women. Ensure that you dispose of their bodies at sea, before the cycles of the land inevitably wake them. I trust, seeing as you had no qualms in ending their lives, you will be equal to the task of disposing them.

I expect our friend Zenobius will now have to seek out an alternative to his life's work. A pity.

( Silence, as if the Merchant might have neglected to end his communication. When he speaks, it's deeper, forcibly collected: ) Should that happen, seek out stored supplies, forage and maintain the wells. Your ship arrives within days. I bid you well on the next leg of your journey.


( ooc: in response to Moiraine, Eleven and Yennefer's decision to euthanise the Sleepers: on 11 February, characters may notice Zenobius is no where to be found. Characters can find him in a deep sleep akin to that of the Sleepers, at the bottom of one of the semi-dried wells previously inspected by Kaneki and John Connor.

Over 11-13 February, characters may notice the garden legumes and food supplies stop replenishing. They may have to leave the lighthouse to hunt for their sustenance. Water can still be procured from wells.

The voices and echoes that haunt the lighthouse become even more vocal, if not yet more violent.

The ship arrives to collect to group on 14 February. )

Comments

un: wei laozu

[weifinder]

They what.

( if it sounds like he might be speaking through his hands with his palms pressed firmly to his face: he is. )

[pulvisetumbra]

On review, I did not stutter.

[weifinder]

( are you sure, because he wishes master scorpion did )

And resurrection, independent of the... cursed enough tendencies of the tower and the surrounding lands, does not work?

( just asking. because for some reason, he's the guy who can, unless Anurr pops up out of nowhere again. which maybe he will. maybe he will. )

Did you know of any records of their names? Consigning them to the waters, there should be rites, any way to help release any lingering spirit... the waters don't require more. They're choked enough already.

[pulvisetumbra]

I would surrender them to the disgusting fate of resurrection here.

( A pause: ) I believe master Snow has the names.

[weifinder]

Is it what you wish?

( and a pause: )

I shall inquire.

[pulvisetumbra]

It is not. They have been ruthlessly murdered. We need not extend their suffering.

[weifinder]

More kindness in that than most would understand.

( takes a guy who was never quite dead and then cursed into coming back aware of the time gone to comment on this, really, thanks, ARE YOU LISTENING, LAN ZHAN, COWARD )

Are there any words spoken customarily in your people's funerary rites?

[pulvisetumbra]

...you ask the wrong man. ( But he seems almost regretful. ) I did not... throughout my life, I have not found enough optimism in my nature to build the foundations of faith. I am neither spirited nor spiritual. I wish I were. I know some of them were.

[weifinder]

Mm, I won't pretend surprise, but the asking is always worthwhile. You may not be a man of faiths like these, but you might know some of their trappings.

My husband and I may rely on the rites we're aware of, if that will bear minimal offense.

[pulvisetumbra]

Your people murdered. I doubt anything you do could now offend them worse.

[weifinder]

Oh, my friend, I'm certain it could, but no, we will aim to not.

[pulvisetumbra]

You could not complete the simple task of existing without bringing ruin. Now you believe you can finish a task without rousing destruction.

[weifinder]

As do you.

[pulvisetumbra]

I am physically absent and clearly unable to restrain you all. Therefore, yes.

[weifinder]

Considering some of the actions and stances taken here, I don't know that any one of us can restrain enough of the rest from whatever chaos is visited. Then again, nor did we restrain Karsa, or Anurr in either persona.

( sir... )

We'll contact you once they've been interred in the waters.

[pulvisetumbra]

Thank you.

[weifinder]

( and for the sake of ease, consider him informed once lan wangji and wei wuxian have settled the dead in water without attempting to get wei wuxian eaten, and have some kind of lights on the water

we've done for the dead, as team Keeps Burying People Instead Of Murdering Them, Mostly )