video. un: a_civil_serpent. [set before the Colosseum-attacks]

[inferus]

( Wrath has the device pointed toward himself, but over his shoulder, the rest of the crew who went after the news shouters are clearly in view. It is possibly an amusing village with Wrath being so entirely tall and broad, and the rest being much shorter, smaller: Kamala, America, Hermione, and Five walk behind him. Together, they enter Wrath's current residence (it's quite fancy, because the devil likes fancy things) to review what they have learned and make sure the coast is clear after breaking the shouters out from where they had been taken.

It's only when the door has closed on his magically warded residence that Wrath speaks: )

Kamala was right to worry about the veteran news shouters. We found them being held captive in the House of Scribes. According to these shouters, they had been beaten as a part of... conversations they were made to have over their 'poor civic spirit' - a direct quotation.

They were apparently detained for refusing to spread fearmongering about the supposed imminent resurrection and upcoming apocalypse of the Chained God. Their orders to do so were signed by Caius Justus himself. It is their belief that Caius Justus weaponizes this fear to stir the public in a particular direction - usually toward violence, bloodshed, fighting.

The shouters did appear to admire Messalina. They consider her message to be of one of... peace and liberation of the dead. As with all things, take that final particular information not as fact necessarily, but as their opinions to take into consideration.

( ooc: threadjack away, feel free to address any of the crew/threadjack, and also, replies could come from any of the crew )

Comments

[matermali]

[ Vanessa can’t imagine anyone trusting either of them, but she also can’t help but hope there’s some truth to Messalina's purpose, no matter what else she will likely gain from such an agreement. Certain members of the Hand do need to be taken care of if that’s to be plausible.

There are many powerful beings in their company, and she knows Wrath to be one of them. Whatever she once thought of him, she is now too old and weary to care for anything but the threat of stolen power. ]

Any attempt at mimicry must be removed, no matter who thinks to wield it. I would vastly prefer our skills and…abilities kept where they belong.

[ Locked up, perhaps in some cases like hers. ]

This would all be so swift if everything did not hide behind politics.

[inferus]

It must be the group's priority. That was originally the Merchant's worry. If we remain one way or another, the dead would be able to utilize us as part of their army. I imagined previously they would take control over those who died, but it seems there may be the means to do so regardless.

( That is concerning. Wrath has yet to have the chance to fully explore just how much the dark water can create such mimicry. If one's power comes from Hell itself, from the primordial creation of the world, can any source truly and fully capture that? It should be impossible.

The copy should not be able to be as good as the one who wields the power, who has the source of it. )

Beyond the politics, the dark water itself will give whoever controls it far more ability than we can allow. We still do not know nearly enough information to be making such political decisions.

( And he thinks it may not matter what they choose, what they influence - every option is a terrible one. )