audio | user name: raven master

[pulvisetumbra]

( White sound, fragments of murmurs. Two men and a woman drowned by the tinny crescendo of a strained musical instrument. The music rises shrill and shrill, until it nearly deafens — then all is inexplicably quiet. At last, a man’s voice: )

...good afternoon. Following your... discoveries in Serthica, it appeared only prudent to reinforce every measure that protects our conversations. Our discretion is your survival.

You speak to the Merchant. We number a wealth of new... associates. I bid you welcome. Know this: whatever trials await you in your travels, they are as nothing before the ruthless undead enslavement the warlords would have intended you.

( A pause, then carefully: ) You are in Serthica. My initial recommendation was for you all to investigate which of the citadel’s halves houses undead and unnatural creatures. Since, Karsa has relayed the results of your efforts.

If I follow well, then you have unveiled the Remembrance insurgent group whose mannequins gain human likeness. I hope we have not chosen to bring home cursed dolls. ( His gritting teeth suggest otherwise. ) You have found that the old sickness that once splintered Serthica remains... alive. To that end, I salute the sacrifice of Master McCoy. We shall aim to recover your health, sir. And there is the matter of dragons, some living, some... troubled.

( A long, deep sigh rip from him. ) I fear Eidris and Minaras may have both been compromised. I first urged you to keep your head bowed and await the yearly opening of Serthica’s Neutral Zone beacon. We can no longer afford this passiveness. We must know what we protect against and how deeply the rot of Serthica runs.

The great Neutral Zone clock of Vassarizhia is the old heart of Serthica. Its beats regulate the rise and fall of Eidris and Minaras. Before the sundering, it was Serthica’s foremost watchtower, with vantage across the citadel whole. Karsa toils to finalise magical instruments that will allow us to forcibly but briefly reveal the state of this world, if you can reach the topmost levels of Vassarizhia and its enhanced telescope and watch monitors. I understand security will ease within the week, when Eidris and Serthica hold further summits.

( And now, a sprawling silence: ) As for the... white wanderer. I thank the consummate professionalism of Master Constantine and Mistress Pitts in delivering the uniforms of Ellethia. I understand one such garment was worn by the man who visited you during the Unwinding. The same intruder who haunted Ke-Waihu.

Let us be candid. I believe we speak of a former member of the institute of technology and magic of Ellethia, where the undead first surfaced. If this is correct, I can only recommend caution. I cannot say if the white wanderer is friend or foe. I know my preference.

Irrespective of this: onwards, upwards. To Vassarizhia. I leave this with you.

( ooc: threadjack away! You will get further details on the tower infiltration and our Halloween event mid-week for your plotting purposes. )

Comments

[pulvisetumbra]

Have no concern. There are greater stakes here than my privacy.

I believe we share a conclusion: the wanderer is formerly of Ellethia. If I may hazard a guess, I would assume he perhaps witnessed the tragedy of the institute's final days. Alternatively, he was informed of it and now either flees or seeks to vindicate it.

I would not have believed anyone present at the time would have survived this incident. But I have seen Zenobius. Clearly, my assumption was incorrect.

[blackscales]

[ Fine, then: ]

Matthias Lemaitre was the lead technician, was he not? During its final days.

[pulvisetumbra]

I believe the records showed so.

[blackscales]

They also showed the previous lead technician left, citing ethical concerns.

[pulvisetumbra]

If you are implying the institute dallied in unsavoury endeavours, allow me to say — science is born in the liminal space between the acceptable and the desired.

[blackscales]

I made a statement, planning a follow up series of questions. If ethical concerns were raised, and a member of the institute is currently roving the land happening to be in places where concerning events happen -- you see where I might make a connection. I merely thought to ask if you were aware of the nature of these experiments. I find it better to ask and make informed decisions, than to guess and cause uninformed accidents.

[pulvisetumbra]

Taravast had long perfected the art of resurrecting its Doxe in new bodies. An imperfect attempt to cure mortality.

It was known Ellethia sought a more elegant solution. You may accuse, it did so spitefully to show up a political adversary. I will not deny it.

[blackscales]

A solution involving mirrors.

[ Hmmm. Well, this was meant to be an exchange of information, so: ]

I spoke to several people in Ke-Waihu. My understanding is the White Wanderer brought them a 'cure', only that cure changed form as it heated: cold, healing icy water became the dark water which twisted creatures. Caused mutations. They themselves did not understand how this was happening. That dark water appears to be the same, or at least similar enough to feel the same, to the water Remembrance soak their mannequins in until they animate. The symbol of Ellethia was found inside the old Remembrance headquarters, before they scattered and moved on. It certainly seems as if this colleague from Ellethia is... offering solutions to problems, in places he visits.

[pulvisetumbra]

I would not be able to confirm the mirrors.

( A pause, then another sigh: ) Ellethia, despite your... understandable reservations, was a young citadel of good intentions. The institute operated on a code of nobility and aid. That a graduate of the tower would walk the world and impart wisdom is not unheard of.

...however. We cannot neglect that his steps appear to coincide with constant tragedy. You argue that he... seeks it out? To cure it? Forgive me, Wrathion. Perhaps I am not so optimistic.

[blackscales]

I don't, I argue that he offers solutions. The motivation behind that is what I am missing. Nobody I have spoken to has described him as... unkind. I have wondered if, perhaps, his mind is fractured or driven by an outside force. Something that might lead him to believe what he is doing is genuinely helpful. It is either that, or else we must wonder if he is a skilled manipulator -- willingly offering darkness under the guise of kindness.

[pulvisetumbra]

I cannot speak for the man's mind. My greater worry is if he even remains a man at all.

[blackscales]

Hence my concern an outside force drives him, or his body. It he can be found... difficult to recollect fully.

[pulvisetumbra]

Quite. Is there a question, Wrathion?

[blackscales]

[ Get his name out of your filthy mouth -- ]

In your experience with mirrors, with things that... seek form in this world, does an entity whose features are hard to remember feature at all?

[pulvisetumbra]

If I'm forthright, I have much more experience with selling mirrors.

[blackscales]

The domestic kind, or the kind used at the institute?

[pulvisetumbra]

Mostly large statement pieces, wall-length, Burrudian silver.

[blackscales]

During your time with the institution, the research did not involve mirrors? Or it had not turned up answers yet, perhaps?

[pulvisetumbra]

...what time with the institution?

Do you notice, perhaps, a pattern in your conversations? Where you keep attempting to sneak in various assumptions that assume that if I do not directly object to them, I am implicitly, tacitly confirming them?

You are a dreadful and inconsiderate communicator, sir.

[blackscales]

I assume you spent time there in some form, either as a past employee or in some other manner. It would explain your knowledge of what has been described as a discreet and secluded group. Am I incorrect?

[pulvisetumbra]

Relations between Taravast and Ellethia were so strained in their rivalry that the success of the institute over Taravast's achievements was considered a matter of patriotism. Everyone kept abreast when there was progress of note.

[blackscales]

That is not an answer. Am I incorrect?

[pulvisetumbra]

For the sake of all that waits and below, you are impossible, sir. You make a hundred statements, then ask, are you incorrect? You approach every conversation in a manner adversarial. You are, simply put, purposefully difficult. Allow me to speak to you as one might to a simpleton or a child. One by one, sir.

( He may or may not be approaching an aneurysm: )

Did I spend some time there in some manner? I've said before, I traded there.

Would it explain my knowledge? The knowledge is no where as constrained or guarded as you think. See my previous notes about the proliferation of the institution's successes at a national level.

The group was discreet? Yes. They were professionals. Of course. I am a professional. You do not see me flaunting every one of my business enterprises. In fact, you do not even know what I currently trade.

The group was secluded? Whatever lent you that notion? Kindly advi — ...no, do not advise.

[blackscales]

Forgive me if you dislike the description. A 'discreet and secluded group' was how you described them to me, previously.

[ Purposefully difficult? Him? Well I Never, What Gave You That Impression. ]

[pulvisetumbra]

Yes, and I am certain you intended to stay true to the spirit of my words, and not to manipulate their letter against me.

Let us be frank, sir: you do not trust me. I do not begrudge that. But we must find a way to coexist in our conversations without exasperating one other. Of the two of us — of any of us — I am the only one consistently and openly staying true to my stated intentions.

I continue to sponsor your travels, I make every effort to insinuate you in the outposts you visit, I facilitate your interaction with local officials, and, to whatever success, I attempt to further our investigations. I stand to gain from it, absolutely. But I have at no point failed in my commitments to any of you.