eastbound | audio | user name: raven master

( 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. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Magical instruments that are going to force out the truth? Sounds like weapons.

[ Vi's not complaining. Not about the concept, at least. Everything else... ]

Reminding us that our other option is worse doesn't make you any less of a taskmaster, you know. Are we just playing spy for you, or are we expected to actually do something if the truth's revealed?

If it emerges that the number and distribution of the dead or unnatural exceeds what we can defend against, my recommendation would be to extricate you all from Serthica.

It would imply a loss of a few months' time and further travel. But... we must think reasonably.

[ Vi wants out. Now. This is just another prison, even if it's bigger than what she's used to.

But... ]

So it'd be for nothing. We'd just abandon the people here who aren't...rotted, whatever you call it? The orphans in the undercity?

In all honesty, my girl. They might already be dead.

[ That's...too disturbing for her to even consider. One kid was just swinging off of her arm earlier that day. ]

They're alive enough. Their suffering's real enough. I've seen it.

[ Not that she expects him to care. No one pretending to be in control ever does. ]

What's the point of going through the trouble to pull back the curtain, just to cover our eyes and run? The people just trying to get by around here deserve a fair shake, no matter what you want to call them. There must be something we can do.

...Violet. Think reasonably. Would you find it easier if the dead claimed and made a weapon of you? You would harm more innocents then.

[ There's an angry grunt at his use of her full given name. Like he knows her! How fucking dare he. Why must she always be in a situation where she wants to punch old men in the face? ]

If they could have, if they were already under our noses, why wait to ambush us? Not like any of us are in control around here. We're ripe for the picking, aren't we, all gathered together like this?

[ Of course, the longer she takes here...the longer she's away from where she's really needed. She knows that, but Vi hates the idea of abandoning anyone again. ]

The kids aren't trying to claim anything, except maybe a little dignity. I don't think you care about innocents. You just don't want us to be anybody else's puppet.

I assure you, I have taken every step and precaution to ensure you are not found.

As for your interpretation of my motives, it is... in conclusion, correct. Although I would argue I care far more about innocents than you imagine. My citadel was swarmed and eradicated by the dead. You think of a half dozen of orphans.

I speak and have seen thousands of corpses. I must make a choice, Violet. Between two evils. Do not hate me for being the man strong enough to take it.

Don't call me that like you know me! It's Vi. And you don't make that choice for me. Nobody does.

[ Contain the rage, Vi. Contain it. Bottle it up to unleash later! ]

I'm sneaking into that place, sure, why not, but I'm not promising you anything if there's still a way to help anyone that can be saved. There's no way it's been overrun yet.

That is certainly my hope and my prayer.

Keep your hopes and prayers, for all the good they do.

Yes. Because your purposeless, blind rebellion assists much more.

Kindly spare me hypocrisy.

You think I don't know about choice, or the cost of making the wrong one? You're not the only one who's seen bodies.

[ It's like Vander and Silco combined into one to knock her down a peg with his infuriating arguments, and Vi is left seeing red. No matter how true it is, doesn't make it right. She needs that acknowledged. ]

This isn't about helping anyone. You're just running from your own ghosts no matter the cost, and you don't want to lose your best toys because then you'd have to get off your ass and actually handle your own problems.

Just admit that this is about you. It was never about us. A little transparency would be a nice change.

...what are you talking about, girl? You're perfectly... rambling about things no one has spoken, intended or knows about.

I'll do you the courtesy of assuming you still need your rest. I should hate to think we've collected a madwoman.

[ If only he could see the eyeroll. It's grand. Deny what he wants, anyone who's stepped through thousands of bodies and still only sees reason is definitely running from something. More than just the dead.

So what if she's projecting. ]

Yeah, wouldn't that be a shame.

Edited 2022-10-17 22:13 (UTC)

If you think any part of your objection is new, allow me to discourage the notion. You are not our first malcontent, who thinks herself wrongly done for her rescue, her board and the facilitation of her journey home. You will not be the last.

[ The suggestion that there will be more dragged into this really grinds her gears. But a strange mix of guilt and indignation leave her tone softer, only slightly humbled, at his little reminder of what Karsa and the orphanage matron have done for her and Caitlyn. ]

I didn't ask for any of that. Or any of this.

[ She never really said no to the new tech or free board, either. She would, if it would speed up her return home, but it wouldn't. Easily enough to shame her. ]

I said I'd find a way up the clock heart, tower, whatever, all right? Should be easy. We'll see what happens after.

And I did not ask for you to be here. We are all coexisting with the product of misfortune.

Let us do so in collaboration. Here. I shall start: thank you for your iminent cooperation within the tower.

[ A dry scoff. ]

Yeah. You're welcome.

audio | user name: raven master

un: magic wand (voice)

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