Salvus and homeward

For in-universe game play. Journey through both familiar and foreign settings, explore lost ruins and forgotten cities, and try to bring light to the darkness of the world... or, you know, blow stuff up. Either way.
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Drusia
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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Graybeard wrote:[OOC: Opinions wanted here. The search for "Compassion" could very easily become another full-blown thread complex if people want it to. (Rose won't be participating; she'll be going off with Argus to Live Happily Ever After as soon as this caravan gets back to Veracia, although she has some significant loose ends to tie up that might get done in fanfic. Therese, however, is still available, and due for some development.) If that's what people want, we'll make it so, but I thought I'd detected interest in drawing this incredibly long-running series of threads to a close. So what are people's preferences? I think there's still fun to be had, and if that's what people want, Rose's responses to Desiree and Therese will set it up to happen; I've thought a little about how it could work. But it's you-all's call(s).]
OOC: Well, I certainly wouldn't compain. I've been trying to get a plotline geared towards Desiree for the past two and a half years. I'm happy to continue on.

On the other hand, if I'm the only one who cares, I don't feel the need to drag everyone else around with me. So if I'm the only one, then never mind. But if others want to, then I'd really enjoy getting a chance to explore some plot with Desiree at the helm.
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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[OOC: OK, just fine with me. To begin moving in that direction, while offering Tammy a chance to get into trouble:]

"Hey, lassies, we're stoppin' here," a cheerful Dess Marson announced after the steam-powered 18-wheeler came to a halt. They'd paused in a clearing in a low, scrubby forest on the side of one of the volcanic cones, with a not-overly-well-concealed cave entrance in front of them. Almost on reflex, Sister Rose put up some of her limited detection magic and checked the surroundings for signs of life. There appeared to be none larger than squirrels or maybe foxes, apart from small, human-looking footprints near the cave entrance; those of Ghob, presumably. Her magic was insufficient to tell anything more about them.

"Back in an hour or so," Marson chirped, and he took Argus by the arm and led him into the cave entrance. Perhaps unexpectedly, Harker tagged along, although not without favoring Rose with a rolling of eyes and a shrug.

"Well, looks like we have time to stretch our legs," Rose commented. It actually looked like a pretty good place for the purpose, and she took the opportunity to start raising the subject of "Compassion" with Desiree and Therese. "If you really want to look for her," she said, "the last time we saw her, she was with a very odd graduate student from Tsuiraku, by the name of Sasha Doyel, or Sasha Mitchel, or Sasha Ravanel." She chuckled. "She didn't seem completely sure of her name herself sometimes. Anyway, the -- Compassion kept talking to her about her 'destiny.' None of us, including Sasha, had any idea what that was all about.

"One thing," she continued. "Sasha turned out to be half elven, which came as something of a shock to her... and she was not altogether friendly to other half elves. Actually, that's putting it rather mildly." She glanced at Desiree, remembering the brawl that Sasha had had with, of all people, the utterly inoffensive Lillith.

[OOC: If Drannin ever comes up for air, we can transact some of what happens in the Ghob city, but no real need for anyone else to worry about that, at least for now.]
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Drusia
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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"If you really want to look for her," she said, "the last time we saw her, she was with a very odd graduate student from Tsuiraku, by the name of Sasha Doyel, or Sasha Mitchel, or Sasha Ravanel." She chuckled. "She didn't seem completely sure of her name herself sometimes. Anyway, the -- Compassion kept talking to her about her 'destiny.' None of us, including Sasha, had any idea what that was all about.

"One thing," she continued. "Sasha turned out to be half elven, which came as something of a shock to her... and she was not altogether friendly to other half elves. Actually, that's putting it rather mildly." She glanced at Desiree, remembering the brawl that Sasha had had with, of all people, the utterly inoffensive Lillith.


"I know what she was talking about," I tell Rose brightly. However, rather than elaborating, I say "And no matter how... unfriendly this Sasha is, I've got to do this. The chance to meet a Paedagogusi is like... well, imagine you heard from someone that Luminosa had a daughter, and that she was living on a farm somewhere. How could you not go meet her? It's the same for me -" and Therese, I'm sure "- I can't not go find her. And besides, I've always wanted to visit Tsuiraku. Compared to some of the awful places we've ended up, this adventure sounds positively relaxing."

I pause and glance back at the... thing... we've been riding on. "Present situation aside," I add.

-- Desiree
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Graybeard
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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Sister Rose looked unconvinced, but Therese nodded her head vigorously. "I feel the same way," she said. "If the Five Great Mothers are becoming six Great Mothers, it isn't just abstract theology for my people." She squeezed Desiree's hand.

Rose thought about it. The analogy to "Luminosa's daughter" -- by now she'd become used to the Snamishite pronunciation of Luminosita's name -- did have a point. On the other hand, it also had more than a little irony to it. Particularly in view of what I've been learning lately... no, don't go there. It certainly raised one issue that needed to be laid out where Therese and Desiree could see it.

"All well and good," she said, "but what are you going to do if you track down this 'Compassion' and find out that she's not related to the Paedagogusi after all? Or worse, that she's, I guess I'd say, a counterfeit? Is that going to be -- I guess I'd say a 'disaffirming' experience that'll make you wish you hadn't tried?"
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Drusia
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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"All well and good," she said, "but what are you going to do if you track down this 'Compassion' and find out that she's not related to the Paedagogusi after all? Or worse, that she's, I guess I'd say, a counterfeit? Is that going to be -- I guess I'd say a 'disaffirming' experience that'll make you wish you hadn't tried?"

That is a vaild point. Hm. "I don't think it would be disaffirming so much as disappointing," I reply thoughtfully. "And in that case, it would be worth finding out who put together such a counterfeit and why." I suppose it could be the elves, but why? It doesn't make much sense as a trap - it's more likely to attract full elves than half elves. It might be someone trying to catch elves, I guess, but again, why? And how - that's a pretty obscure piece of esoterica. "And... somehow I doubt it's a conincidence. It's way, way too specific for that."

I pause, then continue, turning to Therese. "And, if it does turn out to be fake, then I still need to go visit your home. Before, I was just curious, but now... the elves believed that the Paedagogusi left the world with the gods. If they traveled to your home instead - or first - then that is still incredibly important." Particularly as proof that Anilis and Senilis created humans as well.

-- Desiree
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Graybeard
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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"And in that case, it would be worth finding out who put together such a counterfeit and why."

Be careful what you wish for; you may get it,
thought Sister Rose. The sudden appearance of "Compassion" just as all the nasty business with Egbert was winding up, and the even nastier business with the Convergence was starting ... I wish I was convinced that was coincidence. On the other hand, Sasha had been a weirdness magnet in ways having nothing to do with either Father Egbert or the Convergence. Besides, Desiree had a point. Whoever or whatever Compassion was, she/it didn't just form spontaneously out of the mists of the air. She briefly considered joining, or offering to join, Therese and Desiree (and Tamina?) in this hunt ... but there were limits, and those limits had changed quite a bit recently, since ... well, since.

"Very well," she finally said. "I feel a little guilty about this, but when we get to Salvus, I'll try to use some of our resources and do some fact finding that may get you headed in the right direction, whatever that turns out to be. I do feel guilty, because I promised your mother that I'd get you safely back home in one piece." She smiled gently at Therese. "But home is where the heart is."
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Drusia
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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"Very well," she finally said. "I feel a little guilty about this, but when we get to Salvus, I'll try to use some of our resources and do some fact finding that may get you headed in the right direction, whatever that turns out to be. I do feel guilty, because I promised your mother that I'd get you safely back home in one piece." She smiled gently at Therese. "But home is where the heart is."

I smile gratefully at Rose. "Thank you. And, actually, if you see my Mother, you should tell her where you sent me. I'm sure she would be as interested in finding out about this as I am." And, if Compassion really is what we hope she is, then my mother is only person who could deliver her to the elves.

-- Desiree
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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[OOC: Warning: Deus Ex Machina spell being cast here. Effects may vary...]

"Glad to help," Sister Rose smiled. And glad to have an adventure shaping up that I don't have to be part of ... so that Argus and I can ... start being, and raising, a family. "I have to say, though, this isn't going to be easy. Sasha was kind of a rolling stone, and she was pretty good at covering her tracks. The last time we saw her was in southern Veracia, and she just sort of disappeared from there."

She was going to say more, but Dess Marson was approaching the vehicle. At first she was nervous -- where was Argus? -- but the look on Marson's face was one of amusement, not concern. "Your husband's familiar is causin' quite the sensation with th' Ghob," he said when he reached the women. "They're callin' him 'Little Beaver, Best at Porn.'" He chortled. "In Ghob-speak, that's quite a compliment."

"I can imagine," Rose replied neutrally, doing her best not to roll her eyes.

"So Argie 'n he are gonna be in there for another hour or so," Marson continued, "doin' some tradin'. That'll pay th' cost of transportin' all you folks and then some. Not gonna be as profitable as I hoped, though. Turns out some Tsoo-rakyan outfit called 'Chrysalis Industries' got here 'fore us and talked 'em out of all the really good stuff. Glork, Best at Bargaining -- that's kinda their trade representative -- said the Tsoo-rakyans was headin' for Salvus from here. We'll have t' hustle t' keep 'em from acin' us out there, too." He didn't wait for a reply, but busied himself with getting the vehicle ready to go as soon as Argus and Harker emerged.

"Chrysalis Industries..." Rose thought out loud. "I'm just sure I've heard of them before... Chrysalis... Aha." She snapped her fingers. "I remember now. When Sasha was traveling with us, she had this incredible gadget that let her look back through time, at least until it got broken." This didn't seem like the time to tell anyone about the bat-reptile and the Melnibonean kingfisher. "And the thing was: it was made of components sold to her by this same Chrysalis Industries."

She looked at Desiree and Therese. "I'd almost call that an omen or something. So do you feel like poking around with some Tsuirakuan traders once we get to Salvus?"
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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Tamina had missed the conversation between the nun, the half-elf and the tall woman as she'd run gratefully away from the vehicle as soon as it had rolled to a halt. She'd stopped close to the entrance of the settlement to compose herself, sniffing at unfamiliar scents and squinting around for signs of trouble.

Despite herself she was beginning to grow curious about the unusual humanoids. The prospect of having a look around didn't seem so bad now she was out of the cage and into fresh air.

OOC Really don't have anything to add atm./OOC
Last edited by Jack Rothwell on January 16th, 2014, 4:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Salvus and homeward

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[OOC: I thought you'd never ask... Incidentally, Therese isn't "burly," she's quite tall and rather willowy.]

It only took a minute or two of Tamina sniffing around the clearing before there was a grinding noise from the cave entrance. Moments later, a short, bipedal hominid with brownish-green skin and obvious claws emerged, wearing dark glasses. It spoke in heavily, and oddly, accented Veracian.

"Hey! Weird cat thing! No hang around gate to Ghob city!"
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