Getsemiel, part 2

[Drannin]

Eishun handed Rose back the artifact from earlier. "A strange object," he commented. "Our source couldn't make much out about it directly. However, he was able to get a clear image of the man who used it last."

"We did some follow-up work based on the image we got," Waiju put in, "And we found that this individual was originally trying to find passage south."

Argus nodded slowly. "Originally, you say?"

"It seems he either changed his mind or was trying to throw someone off," Eishun went on, "Because as far as we can tell, this fellow of yours was heading north. Possibly as far as Confederacy territory. I looked into it, and a man matching that description was spotted on board an airship heading to their city-states."

Argus frowned. The Northern Confederacy, was it?

[Graybeard]

Sister Rose winced as Eishun answered Argus. The Northern Confederacy ... I didn't see that one coming. And it's going to complicate things.

She turned to Desiree, who wasn't looking entirely happy about her new outfit, to gain a little time to think. "Here," she said, "if you gather this robe up here, and put a couple of pins in it there, you can make it so it looks like a light dress rather than church garments. I do that sometimes in Kiyoka." (Of course, she'd had her shapeshifting magic to help with appearances, which wouldn't help Desiree, but still.) She smiled wryly. "There's a nun in the temple back there, friend of mine, that even figured a way to make the thing look like a mini-skirt -- all for the sake of evangelism and outreach, of course. You should meet Sister Marilyn. I think you'd like her."

The digression actually worked; Rose was able to clear her mind and think about what might be involved in chasing Blaise. It depended, of course, on which Confederacy city-state he was going to. Salvus would be a logical enough destination, being on the southern border of the Confederacy, and they also had reasonably good relations with Veracia. Albigenish ... not so much. They wouldn't be able to take the airship in there without a hue and cry. She couldn't remember off the top of her head how most of the other Confederacy outfits were getting along with Veracia at the moment; not very well, probably, which (Rose had to admit) was as much Veracia's doing as their own.

Well, nothing to do but find out. "Do you happen to remember exactly which Confederacy state they were flying to?" she asked Eishun.

The man rummaged his memory for a minute, found an answer. "I think so, ma'am -- miss." (Still trying to figure out the relationship between Argus and me, Rose guessed. Fair enough; so are we, after all.) "I think it was a place called Goriel. Ever heard of it?"

"Crap," said Rose softly, the single word hissed into the breeze.

[Alberich]

Tim kept his face as neutral as he could, but a close observer would see he was crestfallen. Naturally, the man had escaped again after killing someone else with a heart stoppage, and somehow found an airship they hadn't seen, and was off to yet another place, where they could arrive after he killed some more people, to chase him to the next place, where he'd kill more before escaping to another place where he'd kill more, and so on. And they'd never be in much of a hurry. That it would be other people besides his countrymen getting killed...that didn't comfort him.

He was less than enthusiastic about these potential new companions as well -- the cat monster was kind of fun to listen to, but seemed even more unpredictable than Eli. Eli was hot-headed and awfully strong...but his motives were human, or at least, something a human could understand and work with. She was a different story. This other fellow was doubtless the embodiment of the worst Tsuirakuan decadence.

Then again, at least this might save them from going to Tsuiraku itself, a place he was sure he did not belong. And Rose might need him yet.

* * *

Udo, oblivious to his own lack of tact (he didn't know how easy his face was to read), was hoping he'd be able to join this adventure...if Tamina was coming, that was. This was the life he'd been hoping to lead! With a kobold! and an elf who was disposed to end up naked, and Hieronymous himself to take it all down...he'd be able to put up with god-freak lady. Maybe even catch her breaking her vows with that frowny kid who never talked. Nuns, catgirls, elves - that was half the fetishes in the illustrateds! And practically all the ones that wouldn't kill you or get you executed. These were the people to stick with.

Seeing as the hot elf was being consoled by that other guy, and being just as skittish with him as she'd been with him, Udo stayed back and hovered around where Tamina was. If she was going to start doing some kind of "body contact" magic, he'd have to find ways to need some magic himself.

[Graybeard]

OOC: Opinions wanted on a thing that's about to happen.

The pursuit of Father Blaise will continue in "Goriel," one of the less savory of the Northern Confederacy cities. (See this note by Poe, and consider Goriel to be one of those "Gor like places" he talks about at the bottom, which should explain why it's unsavory; Rose and Desiree aren't gonna like it at all, and there should be abundant role-playing opportunities for all concerned.) However, there will still be things to do pertaining to Blaise in Lorrel itself, for any characters that want to stay behind and/or feel like there's no place on the airship for them. The latter is an issue -- I can't for the life of me see how the group can justify taking Udo with them, I'm not totally sure about Tamina, and if Keyes ever resurfaces, he's certainly not going, although he potentially has a role to play in what happens in Lorrel.

One possible way of handling this would be to keep the usual contingent going on the airship (with a new thread to start soon), and then reactivate the Lorrel thread for those who stay behind. There's a whole bunch of stuff planned in Lorrel that would give that second crowd things to do. On the other hand, all of that stuff is also material that can go on behind the scenes and/or in "Background Noise," so it is by no means essential to reactivate the thread. As an alternative, we can find a way to take Tammy and Udo along. I'm not seeing a clear justification, but maybe someone is more creative about such things than I am.

So what are people's preferences? We can go ahead and game the preparations for the trip north while we're deciding; the Veracian airship would presumably have to refuel, etc., before making the long trip to the Northern Confederacy, so we can still get into trouble in Lorrel until the next morning if people wish. (BTW, what have Maduin and Bryce been up to all this time? Haven't heard from you in a while.)

[Drusia]

"Gor like places" he talks about at the bottom, which should explain why it's unsavory; Rose and Desiree aren't gonna like it at all, and there should be abundant role-playing opportunities for all concerned.)

**clicks on link. reads...**

...Gor like places... women are basically slaves...

OOC: Okay, I'm starting to wonder if someone has a fetish here. And I'm not talking about Udo. ... or not JUST Udo anyway.

Then again, on the flipside... might be an opportunity for something interesting. So I'm game.

Anyway, Desiree is going to be rather skittish around Eli (and Udo) for the moment... she's probably sticking close to Rose. (just FYI)

[Alberich]

[OOC: I suspect Udo would be hard to detach from going wherever Tamina goes, 'least as long as she's even halfway friendly to him. And Tim is going to stick by Rose regardless. I like interesting adventures and plots, and don't care how the characters mix 'n' match as long as we get into them. Main thing for me is to resolve this Jamie-centered "Oshima" plot -- I PM'd you with my proposal for that -- and so free Udo and Tamina for something else.]

[Jack Rothwell]

Eli watched Desiree leave, and winced. The worst part of it was that he wasn't really surprised; killing helpless people, morally bankrupt or not, wasn't something that could be considered an endearing action. His hand came up unconsciously and clamp on the amulet around his neck, the effect steadied him, a little.

"We should go back to my uncle." He said, to those within earshot. "He'll have answers."

[Alberich]

Tim was neither unfriendly nor challenging as he asked, "Answers about what?"

The urgency was less since Blaise had escaped again. He wouldn't really be upset at the delay. But Eli was in a state of agitation, as he so often was, and it was right to want to know what this was about. In fact, Tim thought he'd like to meet a human-side relative of this hot-blooded half-elf, and see if his theory was the truth, that the human blood ran stronger than the elf in Eli (but not by any means in Desiree).

Yes. If Eli was going back, and the whole group didn't thunder along, Tim would ask to go with him. To watch his back. And to listen if he wanted to talk about something.

[Jack Rothwell]

"About why Desiree was snatched from his doorstep while I was guarding him from his business partners." Eli replied truthfully. "He's involved in this. I know it. The 'stock' he was talking about was way too vague to be on the level, so..."

He stood up, striding for the door and coughing sharply as the stench of burning hit his nose anew.

"I'm going to find out what he knows..." He said flatly. "...and Anilis help anyone who gets in my way."

Despite his anger rising back to the surface, the half-elf made a gesture to Tim, showing the human he was welcome to come along.

....

Tamina, meanwhile, had sidled up to Rose in an inconspicuous manner as she could manage (which was surprisingly quiet) and whispered to the pretty nun.

"Umm... might be able to help with finding the bad men. Got some thoughts I can give you." At this, the kobold tapped the side of her head and made a pushing gesture towards the other woman.

[Graybeard]

"Answers," Sister Rose echoed Eli hollowly, at first not enthused about the idea. On the other hand, why not? The airship was going to need servicing before it took the long trip north, and they wouldn't want to fly over unfamiliar country by dark, so they had time.

She fell in beside Argus (of course) as the group headed for the other warehouse. "Good news and bad news," she said. "I don't know a lot about Goriel, but I know enough to wish we weren't going there. They -- don't treat women very well up there." That was an understatement, from everything she'd heard. She smiled wanly. "I may have to put myself under your -- protection while we're there." She stole a quick glance at her companion to see how this bit of news was going over. However, she didn't get a chance to see his face before Tamina interrupted.

"Umm... might be able to help with finding the bad men. Got some thoughts I can give you."

Another telepath? thought Rose. Well, it would be possible -- and if she had something, then again, why not? "Go ahead," she smiled encouragingly at this strange new member of their group. Maybe.