un : dappled peals of the parted seas (voice)

[beitangmoran]

I had the pleasure of sitting with the Contessa for a bit of... light conversation. She said several things that were enlightening in some kind of cryptic way.

First, she is pretending to be glad that her maid left her post, and that she was terrible at her job.

Then, she mentioned that tickets for this train are indeed very hard to obtain. Her whole group was able to secure tickets ages ago. They were acquired by one man among them, the one named Hugo. And then, they just renew the tickets to travel.

And this man Hugo is also the first person that Firo told about Prassenze, even before she told her sister. And he was he one who obtained the ticket for Prassenze as well. The Contessa seemed to think this was an extraordinary eat and that he must have, I quote, 'sold his soul for it'. Now that very well might be hyperbole, but given where we are... I do wonder how long they've been on this train.

And then, as we were conversing, something hit me. Everyone in their little group keep expounding about Firo the famous hero, how her exploits are well known, and how everyone knows her but... Do they? If she actually were this famous, wouldn't we have heard of her before we set foot on this train? Heroic tales travel, even in a world ravaged by war. But as far as I can tell, outside of this train, we have never met anyone who knows of Firo and her supposed exploits.

And it's very strange how they seemed to be both in awe of her and yet also completely dismissive of her. The Contessa doesn't care at all that Prassenze has disappeared and is convinced her sister will just get over it. She doesn't seem to put any stock in the fact that Firo might be genuinely distressed, and this on account that she knows her sister better than she knows herself. I do find this quite strange, personally.

Comments

un: absterge

[downswing]

Tickets are shortly-supplied. A privilege.



( ...............says man in first class. )

[beitangmoran]

Very much so, and yet this man has managed to secure one in a matter of weeks.

[Says the guy who is also in first class.]

[downswing]

...as did we.

[beitangmoran]

And by probably illegal means. Which says a lot about how to get tickets.

[downswing]

...we have erred, coming.

[beitangmoran]

We did not have much choice in the matter.

[downswing]

We seldom do.

[beitangmoran]

In any case, getting a ticket for lady Prassenze in such a short amount of time was no small feat. And this Hugo also hid it from the Contessa.

[downswing]

A man of means or relations.

[beitangmoran]

It would appear so. Maybe the same relations as our own ticket provider.

[downswing]

The Merchant?

[beitangmoran]

They would appear to run in the same circles. Not that it should be surprising, given the feats our benefactor has proven himself capable of.

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[somebadnews]

[ He'd been waiting to hear what Moran would come back with, but these are some wild implications. ]

So what you're saying is, you haven't heard of her so she must not be real?

audio

[beitangmoran]

What I'm saying is not one outside of this train has heard of her, as far as we know. And we don't even know how long she and her entourage have been on the train. None of them seem able or willing to tell.

If she is such a big and famous hero, why have none of the cities we've been through heard of her or tried to draft her in their fight against the undead?

[somebadnews]

[ If it weren't for what Jon said earlier, he'd find that more farfetched. Now he's not so sure. ]

That's a big assumption. If you're right, wouldn't they be able to tell they weren't collecting dreams from her? Or are they turning a blind eye for the sake of their more valuable customers?

[beitangmoran]

From what others have gathered, train staff turns a blind eye to a lot of what longtime ticket holders do. And Firo's crew would qualify. You have seen how others treat them. Who would dare question them, as long as the train runs smoothly?

[somebadnews]

Have you noticed them treating you any differently because of the ticket you hold?

[beitangmoran]

I have a first-class ticket, so I am getting some preferential treatment, but nothing like what Firo and her group is getting.

[somebadnews]

They did pull together an entire wedding for them, which the conductor wasn't terribly pleased about. They could be running the operation.

[beitangmoran]

They're certainly running something. I wonder when they last got off the train.

[somebadnews]

That's not really a bad thing. If they stay on the train, whatever unreality they're forming stays here. [ They aren't the only passengers, but they're clearly the problem. ] I just don't know if we can trust that.

un: pillar of the heavens

[inkfire]

Are her exploits just exaggerated or non-existent?

[beitangmoran]

I would go one step further. Does she actually exist?