gistfile1.txt

<RobinStamer> (7 Resplendant Wood); The day after the completely botched infiltration mission in Marruk's office, Forrester wasn't immediately invited.
-*- Hidden flopped down into one of the chairs in Marruk's office with a sigh. "So, that was a waste of time."
<Marruk> "It could have gone worse." Marruk was quick to point out.
<Hidden> "Massively. But that still leaves the question of what we do now. We don't have -time- to wait for another gathering, and getting in might be difficult either way."
-*- Hidden leaned forward, grimacing slightly. "I've got two options: Either we just skip learning anything else, and use what we have to get rid of them - telling people how their priestesses get initiated would be a decent start - or we interrogate one. Since, as I said, surveillance takes more time than we've got."
<Marruk> "Why do we not have time?" Marruk frowned, looking a little baffled, "This didn't seem to be overly pressing, the cult is problematic, but growing to the point there they are an open threat. Another meeting will occur in about 2 weeks, during which we can learn more, without Forrester."
<Marruk> "In fact, we will be taking an expert. Reflection will be joining us, to observe."
-*- Hidden winced. "...Right. Let me try that again: -I- don't have time. If you try that, it will be without me."
<Marruk> "...Why?"
<Hidden> "Upgrades." Was all she said in response, as if that actually explained anything.
<Marruk> "What kind of upgrades?"
-*- Hidden shrugged. "Does it matter? I'll be out cold for a week or two, either way."
<Marruk> "You're my friend and I'm curious. Lighten up Hidden, you don't need to be so enigmatic here."
-*- Marruk gave her an amused grin, "Trust us."
<Hidden> "...I'm not sure how it's going to work. You'll be the first to know, once the plans are done, alright?" The alchemical answered with a slightly clipped tone, clearly a bit defensive about it.
<Marruk> "Alright. So unless if we act within the week, we lose access to Hidden for 2 weeks, assuming worst case?"
<Hidden> "Two weeks, not one. But that's the gist of it, yeah."
--> Forrester ([email protected]) has joined #damagedcircle
<RobinStamer> Reflection walks into Marruk's office shortly after Forrester does.
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Shade said I had a thing to do?"
<Marruk> "Hello Reflection, Hello Forrester. Yes, we're having an issue understanding the activities of a cult, and I was going to invite you to come with us and observe."
<Marruk> "They are using ghosts, so it seemed like your expertise may be useful."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Using Shade's ghosts, or that other girl's ghosts?"  She looks confused
<Marruk> "None of the above. Its whats troubling us."
<Marruk> "Also, the ghosts can resist holy effects."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Holy?  That's like when Lunars glow funny and make their attacks hurt alot?"
<Marruk> "Yes, exactly."
<Hidden> "There's a primordial involved."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Can I kill it?"
<Forrester> "They're not ghosts... At least, not only ghosts..." Forrester mumbles timidly.
<Hidden> "Yeah, well we might -know- what they are, if they'd finished..." The alchemical grumbled under her breath.
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Wait, I'm just supposed to watch something?"
<Marruk> "A ritual, where they turn a mortal priestess into one of the strange ghosts."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Without getting pulled, hmm.  MAybe they're using Necromancy of a sort?"
<Hidden> "Well, it -does- apparently take them a few weeks to 'return'. We got interrupted before we saw where they went."
<Forrester> "There's no telling how long these rituals last..." Forrester adds quietly again.
-*- Snow yawns, reclining in a seat with a cute lil' sessalja (which is usually swimming around her stomach) wrapped around her hands. Actually, it's probably not very cute at all, and looks more like a horrid demonic parasite. "That's pretty weird. I thought ghosts couldn't become Akuma."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "THey can become Deathords."
<Forrester> "Anything's possible."
<Snow> "Ten or twenty weak deathlords? Seems unlikely."
<Marruk> "Hidden has suggested capturing one."
<Marruk> "This may be prudent."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Name one, I can summon him with that."
<Marruk> "Try 'Ivy Bridge""
<Forrester> "Ivy..." Forrester mumbles.
<Hidden> "Eh... I wouldn't be surprised if that's not her name."
<Hidden> "It's the -body's- name, sure, but hers? Who knows."
<Marruk> "We've got nothing better to try, and nothing ventured nothing gained."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "I'll get started..." (I'm almost home, at which point I'll be having supper, I'll rejoin after that) she leaves to prepare.
-*- Forrester sits in the corner of the office, wrapping his cloak around himself.
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<RobinStamer> Reflection returns shortly with a bone-cup filled with blood, she begins drawing a seal on the floor.
-*- Hidden watched in silence, yawning a bit as the abyssal returned. Well, yawning and shooting Forrester a quick glare.
-*- Forrester doesn't seem to care about the glare.
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "So this takes an hour.  Some people don't like waiting however long that is."
<Forrester> "I can wait..." Forrester mumbles.
<Marruk> "As can I."
<Hidden> "Unfortunately, I'm in no hurry."
<RobinStamer> She begins the hour-long process, her Anima errupts basking random objects throughout the room in a non-light that devours color.  Five minutes in seems to be the point where she names the subject, at which point a vaccume errupts in the middle of Marruk's office sucking in anything not nailed down or heavier than a paper weight.  Reflection's Anima is stiffled, and all the collected objects abruptly fall or flutter to the floor.
<RobinStamer> <Ref> barely looking annoyed.  "... and that was Obsidian Countermagic."
<Marruk> "...Is that void circle?"
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Yeah."
<Marruk> "I was under the impression only Abyssals and Deathlords could use that."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Well the Neverborn can... technically.  As can certain other unique things."
<Forrester> "It's something that should not exist in this world." Forrester mumbles, scrunching his cloak in his hand.
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Neither should we.  /Solar/."
<RobinStamer> She makes a gesture pointing to every Exalt in the room.
<Hidden> "Should, shouldn't, I'm not even FROM this ****ing world. Not exactly important." The alchemical shrugged. "Could a Primordial do it? As I said, I'm betting that's what their 'great mother' is. Sordathica is one of hers."
-*- Forrester is too inwardly focused to deal with half of what's going on at the moment, mind clearly tempest-tossed.
<RobinStamer> Reflection looks to Snow.
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-*- Snow shrugs. "Am I supposed to know?"
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Then I don't know."  ~Maybe we could ask one?  One that no-one would mind being stabbed?~
<Hidden> "...Urk." Hidden winced, recoiling slightly at that idea. "I... don't think any would be willing to answer that." Damnit, she'd entirely forgotten about that one the [SH] guarded. It probably COULD help... if anyone could talk to it without being brainwashed.
<Marruk> "Capturing one ourselves seems our best choice at the moment, if we can't get one in time, then we let Hidden do her thing and we take Ref' to oversee the ritual. Sound fair?"
<Forrester> "A ritual in which someone would be murdered as a sacrifice to an unnatural terror..."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "What is the unnatural terror?  That sounds like suffering..."
<Hidden> "Happens all the time Forrester. That isn't news, and we're -trying- to stop it." Hidden said with a sigh. "Anyway Marruk, I set one of my drones on them when he scared them all off. Not sure which priestess it ended up following, but I should be able to track one down."
<Marruk> "Forrester, we cannot stop this without understanding this. Please understand. Hidden, that sounds perfect, where is it?"
<Forrester> "There's always another way... Perhaps a sympathetic connection exists between these damaged souls and their master." He suggests.
<Hidden> "Yeah, always a way. Good luck finding it, if you won't even figure out what the hell they are." Hidden said, rolling her eyes as her vision was suddenly sent flying miles away. Now, where had that drone gotten to...
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Also, didn't you say earlier these people were being turned into ghosts?  Where's the sacrifice?"
<Forrester> "In giving up their life. A ghost is not a living thing; it's the relic of one. A leftover. A shard..." He explains, not feeling very comfortable with the topic.
<Marruk> "They are the sacrifice, as near as we can tell."
<Hidden> (She said where, not what)
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Ghosts are more powerful than humans in many ways though.  It's like when a mortal ascends into godhood."
<RobinStamer> (Hidden: they got her meaning)
<Hidden> (...oh, derp.)
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "So is it really a sacrifice if they become something else?"
<Hidden> "Seeing as it kills off all their emotions and drive far as I can tell, yes."
<Forrester> "Yes!" Forrester answers, but has the why answered pre-emptively by Hidden.
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "They can get new ones.  Amanda isn't any less a person."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "She's just a different sort now."
<Forrester> "It also destroys your capacity to grow... To become something new... Besides a creature of death and suffering."
<Hidden> "Anyway..." The alchemical's eyes focused on the present once again. "The drone's with Ivy. I can show you all there."
<Hidden> "...and frankly, I don't CARE about the ghosts. I care that those psychos are preaching some insane end-of-the-world doctrine and telling people to quit working. With a war on the way. Someone wants to kill themselves for their god, the hell do I care?"
<RobinStamer> <Ref> Angry, "She.  Does.  Not.  Cause.  Suffering."
<Forrester> "Think of how many lives, how many futures, she denies by choosing unlife over rebirth. Choice through inaction is still a choice."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> looking upset she remains horrifyingly silent.
-*- Hidden glared at Reflection. "Yes she does. Because she tells people to drop their jobs and laze around all day. who cares if the priests are suffering, everyone ELSE certainly does."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "I'm with Amanda nearly all the time... she does that when I'm not around?"
<Hidden> "...Wait, what?" Hidden blinked a few times. "SHE is in this insane Armageddon cult?"
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Shade's cult is an insane whateveryoujustsaid cult?"
<Marruk> "Everyone."
<Marruk> "Lets take a step back."
<Marruk> "Shades cult is different from the cult we're investigation Reflection."
<Marruk> "Forrester, I will ask you to be considerate of our guest."
-*- Hidden facepalmed. "Reflection? This cult we're talking about is not connected to your daughter in any way."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "You just said she told people to laze around..."
<Hidden> "That's why we need to figure out how the hell someone is keeping those ghosts around."
<Marruk> "Reflection, I believe Hidden and yourself had a misunderstand. She did not mean what she said precisely."
<Marruk> misunderstanding*
<Hidden> "Yes I did." Hidden said with an annoyed growl. "Not my fault Reflection is suddenly babbling about her pet ghost instead of the cult I've been insulting."
<Marruk> "Hidden shut up."
-*- Hidden just shrugged.
<Marruk> "You both made a mistake and where talking passed each other. Lets move on."
<Hidden> "Whatever. Let's just go track down Ivy and see what she knows." Hidden said with a sigh, standing up and heading for the door. "who all's coming?"
<Forrester> "Tracking down Ivy seems, by far, to be the best course of action." Forrester agrees glumly, rising once more.
<RobinStamer> <Reflection> "I"
<Marruk> "...Going for Ivy is a poor plan. One of the lesser priestesses is safer. I'd rather track down one of them."
<Hidden> "On the other hand, Ivy probably knows more... And she LEADS the cult, so there's less of a chance their 'great mother' will kill her when we try to find anything out."
<Forrester> "They all probably possess the arcane link... And I'd honestly feel a bit less terrible about hurting her than I would any others." Forrester admits.
<Marruk> "Ivy is the wife of the leader of the territory."
<Marruk> "Kidnapping her is not a step I can take."
<Forrester> "Because you're afraid you'll get caught?"
<Hidden> "It's one -I- can." Hidden said with a blank look. "You deal with the politics. I say: she's the best target, and no one will ever trace it back to you. Any luck, she'll be back before she's missed."
<Forrester> Forrester twirls his flute a moment. "I can make sure Ivy never talks to anyone, ever again, once we're done with her..." He admits perhaps a little darkly.
<Hidden> "Worst case, either her master murders her, or I convince her she went on an unscheduled vacation."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Oh right.  Well it's not like they'd be very willing to excercise their threat if I were to?"
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Even if I did, I'm one person.  I can hide."
<RobinStamer> (they did)
<Forrester> "No returning, no secret messages... Just... Poof. Gone. Back into the cycle of reincarnation she goes..." Forrester offers quietly.
<Marruk> "Yes Forrester, the political backlash would be massive, and I can't condone or support this. I know I can't stop you but I can't be a part of this."
<Hidden> "And then people start asking -questions- Forrester."
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "But then she could end up in a new life where she could suffer. I'm not going to let you do that to a person."  She says forcefully.
<Forrester> "Asking questions of whom? For what? They suspect, they suspect, they suspect... But what can they prove?" He asks easily.
<Marruk> "And I'd prefer if neither of you killed her, just yet. Understand?"
<Forrester> "Hard to kill what's already dead. All you can do is ease its remarkably slow passage..."
<Hidden> "They suspect. That's good enough, and it's something -I- can avoid." She added under her breath: "...backwater waste of time, thinks he knows hot to kidnap..."
<Hidden> *how
<Marruk> "I don't know Forrester. Maybe one she vanishes all the people who saw a solar get in a massive argument in front of her congregation, right before she vanished?"
<Marruk> "Maybe they'll think to look into his allies."
<Marruk> "The mental leaps required here are not large."
<Hidden> "Fuck it." The alchemical said with a sigh, turning around on her heel. "Anyone who wants to get something done, follow me. Anyone who wants to continue telling me I don't know how to do my job, please, keep yapping." Well, someone was in a poor mood today.
<RobinStamer> Reflection lines up behind Hidden
-*- Forrester smiles politely at Marruk. "I'll take the option that does not lead to Ivy placing a knife in someone's gut again."
<Marruk> "Even if it leads to war? How many more will die because you refused to show restraint?"
<Hidden> "Marruk, no one will suspect a thing unless her own freaking god kills her. I won't."
-*- Marruk sighed, and went to begin cleaning up his office.
-*- Forrester turns his nose up at Marruk, not bothering to debate further, following Hidden wherever they lead.
<RobinStamer> (7 Hard Wood); The more compassionate members of the group splinter to seek out Ivy.  Who is currently at her own house with one of the younger SH.
<Forrester> "You know... It just occurred to me: How do you shackle a ghost?" Forrester inquires, feeling really rather uncertain as he stands with the others, only having thought to ask this now.
-*- Hidden paused outside the building, having approached from the back alley. "...Bah, she's got company. Exalted even." Gotta love x-ray vision.
<Hidden> "By shackling the body. She needs it to keep her position."
<Forrester> "Something in me doubts she's more attached to that than her wretched excuse for a life. She can always find another body." The elf says with a degree of discomfort.
<RobinStamer> Reflection knocks on the door anyways.
<RobinStamer> Ivy answers the door, spots Forrester, "Go away!"  Slamming the door shut.
-*- Hidden sighed. "I'll take care of it." Damnit, did no one here have a brain?
-*- Forrester is finding himself increasingly confused.
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "She seemed mad, did we make her mad?"  A horrible realization crossed her mind, "did I make her mad?"
<Hidden> "No, the forest-child did by interrupting her cult's rituals with magic and shouting. Now if you would please be quiet for a minute..."
<Forrester> "I saved someone from becoming one of their puppets..." He explains quietly to Ref, while Hidden prepares to do whatever they have planned.
-*- Hidden vanished from sight, searching the building for a window far enough from the conversation to open without them overhearing.
<RobinStamer> Reflection scowls at Forrester /silently/.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy:overheard> "Just the nuissance from yesterday actually."
<RobinStamer> <Lok:overheard> [same one that interviened when the Squiggles got loose] "Alright, so I'll be security for tonight's ascension ceremony."
<RobinStamer> <Ivy:overheard> audibly smiling, "great, you talked to the grieved then?"
<RobinStamer> <Lok:O> "Yeah.  Seems kind of backwards still though."
<RobinStamer> <Ivy:O> "We all went through it.  They saw exactly what happened during the last successful one."
<RobinStamer> <Lok:O> "Yeah, yeah.  I'm still uneasy about it.  But I can't deny that you do seem to be doing good."
-*- Hidden had heard enough: There was going to be another ceremony. There was still a chance to do this -safely-, without the (minor, she would claim) risks of kidnapping. The alchemical returned to the group instantly, leaving her drone to record the rest of the conversation.
<Hidden> "We're heading back to Marruk's place. They're holding the ceremony again, this time with guards... and -without any interruptions-."
<Forrester> Feeling his face sink into a frown, Forrester says nothing to Hidden. No reason to say anything, not yet. He has thinking to do for the moment...
<RobinStamer> (7 Resplendant Wood); Back at Marruk's place...
-*- Hidden burst through the door, not wasting any time when they might miss the ceremony if they delayed: "Marruk, they're holding a replacement ceremony today. One of the [SH] will be guarding it, but there SHOULD be no problem if we don't interrupt..." She glared at Forrester once more.
<Marruk> "Thank the moon. Reflection, are you alright with overseeing this?"
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "I am.  I think having Forrester present will only antagonize that woman we met today though.
<Forrester> Forrester is a ways behind the others, arriving out of breath and smelling vaguely of strange alchemical and herbal oils.
-*- Hidden shrugged. "Then he ain't invited."
<Forrester> "Invited... To what?" Forrester pants, slightly out of breath, finally stopping to rest his hands on his knees.
<Forrester> "Is there a party... Going on?" He asks, clearly having run quite a ways...
<Hidden> "You heard me the first time." was the only answer the alchemical gave. "Anyway, Marruk. It's still probably a good idea to question one of the priestesses afterward. No reason to risk Ivy if we can see the ceremony, but there are some things they just aren't going to share otherwise."
<Forrester> "First, you invite me here, out of my forest, because you want my help exorcising a ghost. Now, all of a sudden, you don't want me to..." Forrester complains, finally rising to stand upright again. "Why did any of you call me here in the first place if you didn't want this ghost dealt with?"
-*- Hidden just shot him a glare back. "Because apparently you aren't capable of HELPING. We need information, some idiot thought you could get it. Clearly they were wrong."
<Forrester> "I can get you information, I just refuse to do it at the expense of a deluded person's life!" Forrester snaps back, showing the first bit of bite he's had all day. "Perhaps, if you are so eager, you, yourself, would like to lay under the knife, hm? So eager for your precious information, perhaps you would offer yourself as the sacrificial lamb?"
<Hidden> "They want to die. Not my problem that someone granted their wish."
<Forrester> "If you honestly believed that, you wouldn't be so vehemently trying to stop them, now, would you?" Forrester asks in turn.
<RobinStamer> (Oh, nice)
-*- Hidden sighed. "Clearly you weren't listening. I care that they're undermining the safety of Order, and are liable to cause a panic. Not that they're killing themselves."
<Forrester> "And you care about Order, because...?" Forrester continues, starting to grow more impish, tilting at his side a little. "Are you concerned about land? About trees? About the dirt? What is it about the mud within an arbitrary border that tempts you to risk your life and soul for?"
<Hidden> "Look, Forrester. I don't care what happens to people who want to off themselves. They're insane, we're better without them. I care about the people who their psychotic end-of-the-world beliefs and lack of work ethic cause harm."
<Forrester> "Harm to what, exactly? To numbers on a balance sheet? To statistical quotas?" He continues, probing and prodding, a devious smile appearing as he starts to dance around Hidden. "Could it be that you actually care about people? Gasp! What a horrible thing to admit that would be..."
<Hidden> "Yeah, horrible the way I just -said- that." She said, rolling her eyes. "Marruk? Let's just get going. We've got things to learn, and letting this idiot interrupt them -again- does nothing but waste our time."
<Marruk> "I'm sorry Forrester, but to help people, I think this is honestly the best plan of action at the moment. I'll tell you what happens." He nodded, before following.
<Forrester> "But you didn't say it... Because, if you did, then you might have to admit that the deluded people are people too. People like the ones you care for. Like the ones you fight for. Who deserve you fighting for them too." He continues, dancing behind them, sprightly bouncing from foot to foot.
<Forrester> "Do you fight for those strong enough to fight on their own? Work to feed those who can feed themselves? Teach the learned? No, you fight for the weak; the hungry, the stupid! After all, if you didn't, who would you fight for at all?"
-*- Hidden growled, spinning back around to face the solar as her arm unfolded into a massive cannon. "I'll say this once. Stay out of my way, or you'll join the ranks of those I DON'T care about."
-*- Forrester admittedly blanches at the sight of the giant cannon being pointed at him, but still manages a smile, even if a somewhat more timid one.
<Forrester> "Struck a nerve, did I?" He asks, starting to take a step back.
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "Is Forrester causing you suffering Hidden?"
<Hidden> "No, but I might change my mind if he interrupts the next meeting." She said, spinning back around to leave.
-*- Forrester laughs awkwardly, eyes slowly rolling to the side at the mention of the next meeting.
<RobinStamer> (7 Resplendant Wood); Hidden manages to find the new ceremony locale, Ivy has cut her hair quite short and Lok has multiple burns all over his arms.
-*- Hidden had shifted form on the way there, this time taking the form of what looked to be a poor and malnourished peasant girl. No reason to stand out among the desperate if she could avoid it...
-*- Marruk had likewise altered his appearance, invoking a different age and ethnicity, looking older and more matronly then before, though female still. Regardless, he stayed to the back with Reflection.
<-> ShadowDragon8685 is now known as Tisiri
<Hidden> !e 10 per+aware, if I need it
<SwampLing> Hidden: 5 [0, 5, 7, 5, 5, 4, 8, 6, 1, 8] per+aware, if I need it
<RobinStamer> (You already got the info bit)
-*- Marruk opens up his third eye.
<Tisiri> !e 11 Per+Awareness
<SwampLing> Tisiri: 9 [7, 4, 8, 9, 9, 1, 0, 0, 7, 1, 6] Per+Awareness
<RobinStamer> Her "dress" isn't so much a seperate thing and more just a collection of leather straps sewn into her skin.
-*- Tisiri is a sight that probably stands out; a tall, pale, wiry and attractive blonde with short hair hanging around her face in mostly-unkempt spikes; tall and visibly toned, wearing heavy working boots and cargo trousers, with a short tank top that leaves her midriff exposed. She has a pair of tightly-coiled cables of braided steel hanging on the front of her belt, resting above her thighs, and wears a heavy courier bag that
<Tisiri> and wears a heavy courier bag that clearly has a lot of weight in it, and a pair of spectacles with crystalline lenses, that attach to her ears with slip-over earpieces. She doesn't have any jewelery on her person, but the buckles of her boots shine a brilliant golden color, and she wears an adornment on her shirt, a small badge in the form of crossed electric blue lightning bolts superimposed on a golden gear.
<RobinStamer> Ivy looks sligtly miffed at the sight of some unrecognizables.  She first queries a sickly women until the woman accidentally identifies herself as Friend Computer again.  Ivy sighs and heads to Marruk.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> smiling.  "I don't recognize your face, you'll have to excuse my rudeness, but could you remind me who you are again?"
<Marruk> "New, erm, curious. Its ok I'm here right?"
-*- Tisiri seems to have recently acquired a snack, but she seems to pause in the eating of it as she spies the woman who had been on the stage, taken aback by something and peering at her for a second look.
-*- Marruk fidgeted and looked awkward.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "We had a recent... interuption. I'd like very much that it doesn't happen again. If you feel like causing a scene I ask that you respect our young fledgelings and leave instead."
-*- Marruk nodded quickly.
<Marruk> "That sounds ghastly."
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "But, I do welcome you, I am Ivy Bridge, head priestess.  Did you have an questions?"
<Marruk> "None yet, I think I'd like to listen and watch first. If thats alright."
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Yes, please do.  Thank you."  She places a hand on Marruk's shoulder then moves on.  Spotting Hidden's guise.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Good evening, I don't believe we've met, I'm Ivy Bridge, head priestess."
-*- Hidden nodded, shifting a bit nervously in her seat. "Hello. It's nice to meet you, I'm" ...and then she gave some random name that I'm awful at coming up with on the spot.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Well Cherisa, you don't mind if I ask what brought you here tonight, do you?"
<Hidden> "...I'd, er, heard about your group's teachings from a friend. Wanted to learn a bit more, if that's alright?"
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "I could answer any questions you have."
<Hidden> "I..." She paused, seeming to be fumbling for words for a moment. "...I heard life here is going to change, or end, soon?"
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Yes, everything is going to end soon, the-"
<RobinStamer> Reflection, having obviously overheard this, emits a high-pitched squealing sound which might be mistaken for a sound made out of intense joy... if it weren't for the fact it is one of the most mind wrenchingly horrifying sounds she has ever produced.  Several of the collected mortals show extreme signs of intense physical discomfort, especially those sitting.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> turning to Reflection, "... I will ask that you never make that sound again."
<RobinStamer> <Reflection> "Everything's going to end?"  She almost looks... relieved.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "I just- yes.  Yes, everything's going to end.  That's why we have to spread joy instead of mindless work."
<Hidden> "...erm, yes. That. Could... Could I ask why? Or when? why isn't anyone preparing?!" She became increasingly scared and desperate with each passing word, giving of every bit the impression of a panicked peasant.
-*- Tisiri can't believe she heard that; double-checking with her headgear's Animating Intelligence, asking it to play back the last few sentances she heard from Ivy, transcribing them to text on the inside of her glasses lenses so she can parse them very, very slowly and carefully.
<RobinStamer> S2
<Tisiri> !e13 Per+Awareness (Audio, 2-die)
<Tisiri> !e 13 Per+Awareness (Audio, 2-die)
<SwampLing> Tisiri: 9 [9, 7, 3, 7, 4, 5, 0, 8, 4, 1, 0, 7, 2] Per+Awareness (Audio, 2-die)
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "The Great Mother knows, she forsees it.  She has warned us, and we spread the word."
<Tisiri> 'Everything's going to end,' Tisiri thinks, the words echoing in her head, followed by another, quite clear word: 'Voidbringer!' Still, caution moderates her immediate reaction; firstly, she's not where she came from, so Voidbringers are less likely to be in such a place, and secondly, they could well be something else. Still, she starts to slide her way towards the woman with the leather straps sewn into her flesh, keeping
<RobinStamer> (her flesh, keeping)
<Tisiri> (Keeping her ears open for more.)
<Hidden> "...a-alright." Hidden quieted down, settling into place to watch the ceremony.
<Tisiri> As the person who had been talking to the creepy woman quiets down, Tisiri slinks up close to her, peering at her through the lenses of a pair of rather nice spectacles. "Excuse me," she asks, quietly. "Did I hear you say that everything was ending," she asks, knowing full well the answer.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Yes.  That is a popular subject tonight..."
<Tisiri> "It's a rather... Strange thing to disclaim, you have to admit." Tisiri folds her hands together, staring into the woman's eyes. "Would you care to... Elaborate?"
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Honestly, tonight isn't the forum for that.  I dislike being needlessly blunt, but are you going to be interupting the ceremony tonight?"
<Tisiri> "Now that's a strange thing to ask, isn't it? Why would you even wonder such a thing," Tisiri turns her question around. "Do you have cause to believe your ceremonies are especially... Likely to provoke random strangers to interrupt?"
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Seeing as how they did yesterday, and my house was burned down this morning, yes!"
<Tisiri> "Really? That seems quite peculiar," Tisiri murmurs. "Why would that have happened, I wonder?"
<RobinStamer> <Reflection> "Because Forrester has misguided conceptions about the nature of ghosts.  Did that cause you suffering Ivy?"
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Why do you care?"
<RobinStamer> <Reflection> "I'm Reflection of Perverted Purpose, I want to end all suffering."
<RobinStamer> Although it wasn't readily apparent there were other conversations during this, the abrupt silence does little other than highlight their absence.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "You're... you're here to kill everyone aren't you?"
<RobinStamer> <Ref> "No.  That'd be boring.  Besides!"  ~Everything is going to end soon~
-*- Tisiri raises her eyebrow, looking towards the person who spoke to Ivy. 'That's a strange name,' she thinks. 'It almost sounds like a... Designation.' Her mind flashes back to names like 'Opener of the Crimson Circuit', and she purses her lips. "Strange name on that one," she says, directing her attention to Reflection.
<Marruk> Well. This was going to go horrifically. Marruk had drifted away by this point and was watching from a distance, hoping that Ref didn't mention him by name.
<Hidden> ...Well, this wasn't going well at all. Hopefully the ceremony was able to proceed anyway...
-*- Tisiri walks away, as if suddenly lost in thought, finding a quiet corner of the ceremony room.
-*- Tisiri switches her visor into thermographic imaging mode, the lenses of her spectacles seeming to darken in the normal light, becoming a subtle red shade that would be visibly glowing in a lightless corridor, scanning the assembled personages for people whose temperature is abnormal - especially those who appear to be room temperature.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "Well, it's... uhh... late."  Addressing everyone, "Ladies and gentlemen!"  She strides to her altar.  "Our /other/ entertainment for tonight."  The crowd nervously chuckles.  "Is what you came for.  These three young women, have been /cruely/ deprived of their journey!  But the Great Mother is kind!  She gives them another night, another night in which they can breach her trials and earn a private audience!"
<RobinStamer> There's slight cheering as the fear wears away.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "... and so!  We begin!"
<RobinStamer> The bell of the final hour strikes for the first time this night.  The first fledgeling lays herself upon the atlar as Ivy draws the curved ceremonial knife.  Ivy makes some calming touches to the fledgeling as the bell continues to toll untill the 25th strike, where she raises her arms again...
<RobinStamer> Tisiri: one person is very, /very/ hot.  The three full priestesses (all in the leather straps) are cold, Reflection is barely room temperature and the sickly woman with boils is room temperature.
-*- Tisiri finds herself unnerved by being surrounded by so many thermally-significant people, and quickly starts capturing images of them, having her A.I. tag them all by number, and give her a reading on their relative temperature. "Those women are... They're cold," she mutters to herself. "Not even ambient temperature, they're cold..."
<RobinStamer> Tisiri: there's also a small fire lit in an unoccupied room.
-*- Tisiri pays three motes' commitment out of Personal to activate her visor's Essence Sight mode for the scene.
<RobinStamer> Ivy's knife plunges into the young woman's heart, audibly cracking ribs on the way in.  The fledgeling gasps as Ivy twists then pulls the knife out.
<Tisiri> (It also lets me see incorporeal things.)
<Tisiri> !e 4 Compassion roll.
<SwampLing> Tisiri: 3 [9, 1, 0, 3] Compassion roll.
<RobinStamer> Smoke begins pooring into the ceremony room.
<RobinStamer> <Ivy> "For fucks sake."
<RobinStamer> <FC> "Friend Computer will be baking. MUFFINS. TONIGHT."
<RobinStamer> Tisiri: The hun is immediately expelled from the body and some kind of effect attacks the ghost's senses.
-*- Tisiri was so distracted looking for thermally-significant people that she missed the priestess's obvious preperations to murder the girl on the altar. But seeing it, she gasps, and her hands drop to her thighs, gripping the cable coils, pulling them from their loops and walking towards the altar, up the side of the room.
<RobinStamer> <FC> spotting Tisiri's obvious movements.  "Friend Computer will not allow interuptions.  Cease."
-*- Hidden watched the ghost carefully, her spare drone recording every second of this for layer analysis. Fir now though... What the hell was happening to that thing? Complex series of readouts overlaid with her vision, as Hidden borrowed the Maker's sight for a moment.
<RobinStamer> S2 Hidden
<Hidden> *for
<Hidden> !e 12 essence sight
<SwampLing> Hidden: 7 [4, 0, 3, 8, 9, 6, 5, 0, 7, 3, 6, 2] essence sight
<RobinStamer> Ivy rushes off to try and douse the flames.  By backs away from the inferno that jumps out when she opens the door.
-*- Tisiri clearly has some kind of interruption on her mind, but she pauses and turns to glare at the woman covered with the plauge boils, staring at her under Essence Sight and noting that her A.I. is reporting that she has a room temperature. "What are you," she hisses.
<RobinStamer> Hidden: same thing as Tisiri.  The knife itself is an Artifact.
<Tisiri> The building seems to be on fire?
-*- Hidden sighed, flickering out of sight. "...Well, no more warnings for that idiot..." Invisible, and heedless of the fire, the Alchemical decided to do the next best thing: Pickpocket that knife. Weaving through the crowd was easy enough, and with any luck Ivy would be too distracted to notice... There were sure to be backups, seeing as there were other cells, but that wasn't her problem.
<RobinStamer> Hidden: the ghost is left unable to notice or be noticed by other spirits and barely able to notice any living or Creature of Death in the material plane.  To her perception she is abandoned and alone.
<RobinStamer> !e 7
<SwampLing> RobinStamer: 8 [0, 0, 2, 0, 6, 9, 8]
<RobinStamer> A pulse of air is unleashed from Reflection, any religious symbols to a /god/ or /gods/ tarnish and shatter, flowers and seeds rot, the wooden structure of the building creaks as if countless eons have poisoned its durability, and the flame becomes snuffed out.  The smell of rotting flesh and blood fill the air.  Everyone can clearly see the ghost.
<RobinStamer> The crowd panics.
<RobinStamer> (I guess we can end here)
<RobinStamer> (4xp)
<-> Forrester is now known as Axel
<Hidden> !e 15 LARCENY
<SwampLing> Hidden: 8 [2, 3, 9, 7, 5, 3, 4, 8, 9, 9, 8, 9, 3, 7, 3] LARCENY
<RobinStamer> Hidden: you manage to aquire it