[Dancers in Emerald Twilight] If a tree falls...

NoisyCricket

NoisyCricket

Elder Member
Szoreny's majesty simply cannot be denied by man or demon. Quicksilver trees create a canopy above you of light and shadows...and some of those shadows look like you.


Worse, a few of them winked when you stared hard enough.


The Reverent Society of Reflective Foresters invited you to their camp a few days ago, and now is the first time you've been able to appear before them. While you might not have needed to entertain the request of a group of first circle citizens, they have been a rather successful (and a rare constant) power within Malfeas since the first age.


More importantly, they have no small knowledge of the art of Genesis, and indicated a willingness to share.


The female tinsiana in front of you manages to somewhat delicately pour you tea from a Malfean porcelain tea kettle, into a matching cup, before pouring her own.


"Thank you again most wise and just Glass Spider for answering my humble summons. I do hope the tea suits you." Her voice, while perhaps not the most melodious you have ever heard, is both cultured and well-mannered. Not so much as a gesture or turn of phrase has been any more or less respectful than befits your station, which is impressive, to say the least.


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Feel free to react as you wish, but please also give me an Intelligence + Occult roll, regarding the foresters. Also give me another roll of Intelligence + Occult, for tinsiana.
 
The Supplicant of Truth, Awestruck and Wary of the miracles of Malfean life


Walking into the forest of Szoreny is a truly fantastic experience for the Creation-born and The Supplicant of Truth is no exception. If the Supplicant is more appreicative and perceptive than most, and with a fair bit less terror, it detracts nothing from the fantasy.


Weighing the liklihood that the tea would have a deltrious effect with the liklihood of offense taken for not partaking of the hospitality immediately verses belately along with the time it would detract from the conversation at best and next week at worst as well as - most privately - how much of a good time he might have if the tea were laced with certain substances he had read about, The Supplicant of Truth decides that not drinking is the most efficient way forward and resists for the time being.


The Supplicant of Truth had read of and conversed about many substances the Reverent Society of Reflective Foresters managed to produce for the Malfean markets, but had heard little of thier means and methods. Such a mystery, usually surrounded by more fiction than truth, was hard to discern from afar and thus worth the risk to accept the invitation as he had. If things go sour it wouldn't be the first time a group of first circles found out just how unlike his frail outwardly human appearance he truly was.


As for the tinsiana in front of him, she might be the key to the riddle. Having no need to feign interest The Supplicant of Truth brushes aside the matter of tea with business. "You are as welcome to invite me as I feel welcome in your Forest. So that I might feel more welcome yet, please introduce yourself. I'm interested to know your connection and place within the Foresters. And that is the beginning of my curiosity."


After all, being personally acknowledged by a peer doesn't happen every day.


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Assuming this is for me, if not, please disregard with my sincere apologies. Its great to be posting again.


In the first paragraph "being more perceptive than most" is an activation of Essence Dissecting Stare from peripheral, 5m.


First Intelligence+Occult roll, for the foresters assuming no Occult specialties apply, (5+5+stunt? (third paragraph)): 5 successes


Second Intelligence+Occult roll, for the tinsiana assuming no Occult specialties apply, (5+5+stunt? (fourth paragraph)): 5 successes


Current pools/effects:


Personal: 19/19


Peripheral: 40/45


Anima: 4-7 level
 
Sakari


She smiles, "Ah, my name is Sakari and I am one of the founders of the Reverent Society of Reflective Foresters. We had heard of your prowess in academic matters, and wished to speak with you about a matter of retrieving some information for us. We would, of course, love to sate your curiosities, O Great Prince."


Essence sight reveals her to be just what she seems to be, though greater in Essence than the average of one of her kind (4 instead of 3).


The Foresters have been around since the first age, and Sakari founded the initial venture, then merged with several other loggers to form the current organization. There are currently 7 on the board of directors, of which she is one, along with three other founders and three newer members (relatively speaking of course). They work with harvesting wood from all of the forests in Malfeas, though they specialize in Szoreny. They seem to know a great number of tricks for getting around the dangers, and are skilled at horticultural arts. Rumor has it that they might know how to grow Malfean plants in Creation's soil...if such a thing is possible.


As for the tinsiana, I'm lazy and they're on page 150. Suffice to say, they're generally used as warriors and enforcers. They have the ability to shed their normal bodies, then inhabit other ones. You've heard that the poison from their tails is quite painful.


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Two-die stunt for the first roll, though you don't need it to succeed. No stunt for the tinsiana information.
 
The Supplicant of Truth, Knower of Many Things Yet Still Not Most


Still ignoring the tea, the Supplicant of Truth takes a moment to analyze just how much trouble searching out information for the Forresters might net him. Of course, no benefit was without risk, and learning the way life flourished in Malfeas was near the top of The Supplicants matters to read up on, and no better tutor had presented itself.


Giving up, The Supplicant decided the risk calculus was inconclusive, and more information about this information would be needed.


"I am intrigued enough to hear both what you seek and how you would make it worth my time, Sakari. Please go on and I'll stop you as soon as I have enough information to make a decision."


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The Supplicant just wants to know what he's getting into, not being overtly rude and/or haughty.


OOC, I'll almost certainly accept the quest. The Supplicant's just not going to sign up on vague intimations.


Current pools/effects:


Personal: 19/19


Peripheral: 40/45


Anima: 4-7 level
 
Begone the lies of the world!


The world always looks interesting with your Essence sight. Certainly, your normal vision is still there, but there is also an overlay of the various essence patterns that make up all things, as well as mathematical representations of their precise strengths and types.


Praise She Who Lives In Her Name that the information is so cleanly organized as to not hamper social interaction or normal vision.


Sakari smiles, which you see as both a shift in her Essence patterns as well as with her lips, neither seems to reach her eyes, mere social considerations for politeness then. "Honored Supplicant, we seek a series of scrolls of ancient genesis techniques. They should be within one of the ancient libraries which may have fallen into Great Kimbery. We believe the scrolls would have survived, even if they have fallen in, but we would need a being with far more academic puissance than those we currently have on staff."


The Essence of her words pours out with the sound, a fascinating phenomenon of properly spoken patterns and respectful constructs, re-enforcing the proper order of Cecelyne.


She leans in closer and whispers, the essence patterns now re-arranging to give off a sense of secrecy. "I believe with these scrolls, we might birth a demon plant which allows others to grow in Creation's soil, think of the boon this would be for the Reclamation! And think of the boon it would give the Glass Spider who introduced it to the Yozi Lords...with a small nod to our organization of course."


---------------------------


Completely didn't pay attention to how you'd be viewing the world last time, so we'll try it again with this post...


 
The Supplicant of Truth,


Using mindless plants to further the Reclamation! Nigh-riskless invasion! This is why Genesis is on the top of my reading list. But just to be certain...*


The Supplicant wove a bit of Essence through his mind to verify the truth of the implications, at least so far as the speaker was aware of it.


Addressing Sakari with an even tone despite his excitement "You may stop with the incentive, I'll take your offer. On to the details, should you have any. How might I know these scrolls once I find them? Do they have something in common with one another or a certain item mentioned? Would you be able to front the money for a sacrifice?"


I do know of the nearest coven of demons capable of dredging Kimberry's depths. Searching out a placating sacrifice for Kimberry is rarely a challenge, just a few ritual mortal corruptions usually does the trick.


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*Factual Determination Analysis for 2m from Personal.


Mmm, Temperence.


Current pools/effects:


Personal: 17/19


Peripheral: 40/45


Anima: 4-7 level
 
Mingling Essence


The Supplicant's Essence moves briskly and efficiently to scour and examine the essence of Sakari's words, and find them to be factual to her understanding.


Sakari nods and clacks her pinchers in apparent satisfaction, reflected by a relaxation in her Essence patterns. "There are five scrolls, and they were written long ago when such things would have been purged by the hated Solar Deliberative, so they were encoded as a series of parables about trees. We are uncertain as to the exact nature, but we suspect that they would have clues relating to the natures of the various forests within Malfeas. We know this from a journal we discovered in a reflection of Great Szoreny, so we cannot trust much of the journal, but enough to give you a level within the demon city to begin your search."


She pauses and thinks for a moment. "Ah, I believe we would be able to provide sufficient sacrifices, if necessary."


-----------------------------------


She was telling the truth earlier (which is what I assume that application of the charm was for).
 
The Supplicant of Truth, Ready to Go


The Supplicant listens quietly as the specific layer of Malfeas is identified and the arrangements for sacrifices are laid out.


"I'll send a messanger in a few days time to tell you my progress, Sakari. I hope this venture will benefit us both as much as it seems to."


The Supplicant gives a curt bow, one given to an inferior, and departs. The nearest Agata is likely out of the forest, so he retraces his steps.


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I'm off to see the wizard~, the wonderful ... ocean of acid?
 
Where in Malfeas is Carmen Sand...no, that's not quite right


As the Supplicant mounts the Agata, his mind begins to formulate plans and re-arrange facts in order to create a most efficient plan of action.


The first variable that presents itself as an unknown is where to begin his search. He knows it is upon a single layer of Malfeas. However, that layer it significant in magnitude, and further elimination of places to search could prove useful.


Now, where to find that information...


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Give me a roll of Intelligence + Lore/Occult, a specialty in Demons or Malfeas will apply. Feel free to stunt focusing on places of knowledge for the Demon City.
 
The Supplicant of Truth, Haunting the Library Since Before He Was An Infernal


Flying an intelligent demon was in all ways superior to riding a beast or sailing an inamate ship. Simply command it where to go, hold on, and think about other things.


As much of a mess as the place is, the current library might hold a clue to the former. Scholars hate change, and none more than Demon scholars. Some terrible poetry of loss could hold a clue... I just hope it's not that terrible.


And an underwater shrine to Kimberry would be another good find to keep my eye open for.


------------


I'm off to the library I visited in my fiction.


Roll: Int 5 Occult 5, no relevant specialties : 5 successes
 
The Supplicant of Truth, in the Library, with the...


Though they were far less organized at that time (he had of course seen to it that the lowly demon clerks here had been made more efficient), he recognized the sights, sounds, and smells of the library as he walked in.


The clerk nearest the door looked up from his wheeled cart filled with books, scrolls, tablets, and other sundry items to see the Peer walk in. He lowered himself to his knees respectfully to the Infernal.


"What may I do for you today O Great One?"


----------------------------------------------


Your cue, feel free to embellish on how the efficiency training happened, or what you see.
 
"Today I'm looking for the location of a either a submerged or landed shrine to Kimberry. Submerged is preferred. I'll also be looking for the location of the previous library as well as any annexes, temporary storage places or likely places documents could have been stolen and taken to. While searching for those, report any parables about trees you may find."


Before the demon could run off, The Supplicant grabbed him and leaned closer.


"And no prayers to Braxelbob this time prior to searching. You and I both know he doesn't exist and I won't tolerate my time being wasted."


First Circles and thier superstitions. I swear the higher souls put inanities in their heads for the fun of it.


Understanding that even sped up the search could be a while, The Supplicant went in search of some edible food, then to begin rifling through the library himself.


--------------


Co-opting a serach team, eating, then searching myself
 
All Hail Braxelbob!


The demons hustle through the library, wheeling carts madly and riding other demons almost haphazardly as you watch and munch on your food.


But to the eyes of the Supplicant, it all looks to be part of the great pattern put into place by the Creators. All of the demons move in concert with one another, what look to be near misses to the unenlightened are actually the most efficient movements for each to make.


Praise She Who Lives In Her Name!


A pile of books, scrolls, and other varied and sundry items accumulate on a table before the Supplicant, growing almost as the grains of Cecelyne shall grow upon Creation's surface once more.


----------------------------------------


You'll get a bonus for this from the demons, but feel free to stunt the roll for digging through these books and/or looking through the library more on your own.
 
The Supplicant of Truth, Awash in Data


Continuing to sit and munch his lunch of charred human leg with his hands (the demon who got him a meal had little imagination, no sauce?) The Supplicant used his mind to do the real work. There were times the supplicant wished he could escape his own body with its incessant needs and use his Essence in its pure form. Alas, he was stuck for now.


Reading is a welcome escape, at least.


Several papers on the desk jumped from the table and arrayed themselves in sensible order before The Supplicant as he scanned and mostly discared the documents brought to him. Once discared they fell in a neat stack on another unoccupied desk on The Supplicant's right to await either re-reference or once The Supplicant left re-shelving.


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Multi-screening Infernal style


I enjoy the idea that when Infernals eat people without sauce, they complain about the lack of sause more than the source of meat.


From a Virtue standpoint, The Supplicant would be truly appauled if someone with rights was casually digested against their will (such as a Citizen or a Peer) but considers mortals in the same level as animals in The Heirarchy and treats them as such - with no moral compunction for blatant manipulation and use (even that of consumption).


Activating Mind-Hand Manipulation from Peripheral


Current pools/effects:


Personal: 17/19 (Assuming no Essence gain in flight here)


Peripheral: 30/45 (Assuming no Essence gain in flight here)


Anima: 8-10 level (Assuming Anima diminishment in flight here)


Charms: Mind-Hand
 
-----------------------------


Go ahead with a 3-die stunt, no one specific part of the post made it, but the combination of Mind-Hand Manipulation + The Human leg joke got me.
 
Methodical, Magical Multi-Tasking


Scrolls unfurl and furl in an orderly procession in front of the Supplicant, most of which are ultimately useless, though a few of the parables are good. None of the parables have any suggestion that they are parts of a continuous set, so those are easily set aside.


One book does have something interesting though, relating a brilliantly written series of scrolls on the pride and downfall of the Yozi's being stored within a particularly out of the way Shrine to Kimbery. The author expresses incredulity as to the existence of such a text, and helpfully gives a layer and approximate location for those who would also be curious. It then goes on to a 10 page documentation of a particular form of wood rot, common in Srozeny's souls.


-------------------------------------------------


And there you are.
 
The Supplicant of Truth, Finding a Mark


"You there! Get an aalu to make two copies of this immediately, one for me and one for the library. Reshelve the rest when I leave."


The First Circle demon scampers to obey, but leaves the document behind. The Supplicant grabs him with tendrils of mental force and deposits him at his desk. "Take it with you, feeblemind! Don't bring an aalu here."


"The rest of you, find me the nearest ummuhan to this layer of Malfeas."


Once arrangements had been made The Supplicant allowed himself to be swallowed, ironically still digesting his lunch, and travelled across Malfeas.


I'll get the lay of the land before I order the sacrifices brought. No telling what has congealed around a backwater shrine to Kimberry.


The Supplicant laughed inwardly to himself. Backwater. I kill myself.


------------


ummuhan page 35 of Malfeas


aalu page 138 of Malfeas


Current pools/effects:


Personal: 17/19 (Assuming no Essence gain in flight here)


Peripheral: 30/45 (Assuming no Essence gain in flight here)


Anima: 8-10 level (Assuming Anima diminishment in flight here)


Charms: Mind-Hand
 
Backwater Shrine


Taking a few different modes of travel and no small amount of hunting, the Supplicant finally arrives at the threshold of the shrine of Kimbery.


It is certainly out of the way. It's not deep enough to be worth the risk to get a better answer to prayers to the great Yozi, and not near enough to major areas of the city for the lazy to visit.


The shrine itself is the size of a large house, resting on a small island in Kimbery's waters, the walls open to the slightly acidic and toxic spray. A small rope bridge connects it to the shore.


You can see a few demons moving in the shrine, moving scrolls or praying or offering up sacrifices, which they drop or push screaming from the shrine into the waters below.


---------------------------------------------------------


Give me a Perception + Awareness roll
 
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Linkhttp://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2904297/


10,3,10,3 -> 4 successes.
 
What mighty-fine orbs you have there...


You notice that the rope bridge is in sore repair...and one good splash would probably drop it down into the loving/loathing arms of Mama Kimbery below.


You can guess as to how well that would go for you, or anyone.


Beyond that, the temple seems somewhat unstable, and there are a fair number of worshipers here, despite how far out of the way/how dangerous it is.


All in all, certainly not the best shrine to The Sea That Marched Against the Flame you've seen.
 
The Supplicant, Paragon of Order


How disorderly.


The Supplicant spends a while peering into the depths around the bridge, looking for denizens of Kimberry's waters.


-----------


Looking for a first circle to command to skip the drawbridge. Oh hells, don't make me roll sail =D.
 
Under the sea, under the sea


Below the waters are all manner of creatures, a few even skimming the surface.


After a moment of watching, one leaps from the water and wings snap out from its back. The demon looks similar to a large goldfish, save a more aqua color, causing it to blend in with the ocean, and the wings are translucent membranes.


You can't tell if it spotted you from this distance, but it did come fairly close, about 15 yards out.


--------------------------


So I have no idea how I missed this being posted, but I did. Take an XP and I'll just give you the roll for this one.
 
The Supplicant takes a nearby stone and places it on the water. With another he taps out the name by which First Circle Demons are controlled in a Old Realm code meant for light-tower communication. I do hope that fish-Demon is the only one in range.


The translucent dorsal fin emerges travelling in a straight line towards the Infernal at the shore. Travelling at a good clip, the Demon turns in the shallows and extends a fin to the shore for The Supplicant to board like a gangplank. With such deference to its betters, I should learn this Demon's type next time I'm in my library.


Balancing atop the demon, holding onto the dorsal fin for balance, The Supplicant approaches the shrine. Moments later...


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Using a First Age code might be a good time for Past Lives to pop up.
 
The fish has an easy time of making it across the acrid water, and your approach is noted by various demons, some of whom throw themselves to the shrine's floor in supplication, others continue on their business. The shrine is not terribly large, but has some scrolls packed into alcoves, a sacrificial ledge (being used currently), as well as a few cots, possibly for priests.


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Indeed it is. Go ahead and roll involving that. :)
 
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