Start of #Sharn buffer: Wed Jul 04 21:36:50 2007 [17:16:33] [Aun wakes up, blinking at strange ceiling. The first morning in her new place is quiet and peaceful, and the amount of the light of drawn streaming into her windows suprises her. Nothing like the few weak bands of light that struggled to pierce all the way into Lower Menthis.] [17:17:37] [Her boxes are still all over the place and mostly unpacked. She didn't have enough time to move everything, some more boxes still in her old place. She was too busy writing her latest article which she will hand in today.] [17:17:45] [Minisession Go] [17:20:00] * Aun gets out of bed and gets ready for work, showering, dressing, and adjusting her face quickly, and gets a sandwich for breakfast before heading out and going to the skycab stop [17:22:31] * Aun stops just outside her door, goes back in, gets her briefcase, then leaves! [17:22:49] [Aun receives a friendly waves and "good morning!"s from her new neighbors as she makes her way to the skycab dock. She doesn't have to wait long for one, though the trip to the offices of the Sharn Inquisitive is a bit longer than from her old place. Still though, the entire route meanders through the higher levels of the city, and the open spaces are quite refreshing.] [17:23:11] a few* [17:23:50] [She gets off at the usual stop, the closest one to the offices.] [17:31:29] * Aun jogs to the offices, holding her briefcase tightly [17:32:31] [A male half-elf sits at the receptionist desk] "Morning Aun." [17:32:58] Morning, Llew. Is Mort in? [17:33:23] "Isn't he always? I swear the man sleeps under his desk." [17:33:55] [One of the other desk reporters leans back from the bullpen and laughs.] "Probably to avoid his wife." [17:34:05] * Aun laughs [17:34:22] Is he eating anyone's face right now, or is it my turn? [17:34:24] [At that moment Mort's door crashes open.] [17:35:14] [A red-faced female dwarf hurries out in hail of parchment papers and Mort's voice booms from his office.] "TRASH, UTTER TRASH! I WOULDN'T EVEN WIPE MY ASS WITH THIS!" [17:35:51] [Llew looks back at Aun.] "Next course." [17:36:52] * Aun cringes. "Well, here I go." She heads into Mort's office, taking the article out of her briefcase [17:37:11] * NovaSeaker is now known as Mort_Grannison [17:37:22] "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BACK IN MY OFF.. oh." [17:37:28] * Mort_Grannison looks up and sees Aun. [17:38:04] * Mort_Grannison looks absolutely red in the face. "You've got six seconds to give me something good enough for the first page or you're fired." [17:38:36] * Aun passes Mort her article. "I'm not sure if I have that, sir, but this is at leasts page six work." [17:39:29] "If you have any gods now would be the time to pray to them because I wasn't kidding. NOT ONE FRONT PAGE WORTHY STORY SINCE THE RAVER RIOTS! NOT A ONE!" [17:39:56] * Mort_Grannison snatches the article from Aun and leans back in his plush chair. [17:41:06] * Mort_Grannison looks at the page for an amount of time that could only possibly let him scan the first page of read the first paragraph in detail. [17:41:52] * Mort_Grannison 's face slowly drains of color until it's back to his normal complexion. "Congradulations, you still have a job." [17:42:30] "But don't think for a SECOND that this trash would make the first page under normal circumstances! I'm against a wall here!" [17:43:01] * Aun nods. "Thank you, sir. I'm grateful." [17:43:03] "Now get out." [17:43:46] Absolutely. [17:44:03] * Aun leaves the office, breaking into a run once she's out of Mort's sight [17:44:04] * Mort_Grannison looks back down to the article and starts reading, Aun's precence underneath his notice. [17:46:33] * Mort_Grannison is now known as NovaSeaker [17:47:02] [Aun reaches the front office without so much as a bellow to close his door.] [17:48:59] "...We didn't hear him at all." [17:49:04] "...are you fired?" [17:49:18] * Aun shakes her head, smiling. "I made the front page." [17:50:16] "Congrats, Aun." [17:51:42] Thanks! I figure I'd better get going before he changes his mind, and I do get fired, though. See you, Llew. [17:52:10] "Later Aun" [17:55:17] * Aun heads to a nearby cafe to write until the end of her shift! [17:57:53] [Aun spends a pleasant day in a nice upscale cafe in Upper Menthis, overlooking the gap between Menthis and Central Plataeu. The silver, cloudy underside of Skyway hangs overhead, casting a distant shadow.] [17:58:43] [As she subconciously counts the bells, she realizes that her second date with Miashta is approaching soon.] [18:02:21] * Aun gets up and heads back to her apartment to change before the date, before going to pick Miashta up. She changes into a long, narrow-skirted dress with a low neckline and the choker she got off the changeling, because dead-people jewelry is classy! [18:02:44] * Aun heads to the skycab dock to go over to the kalashtar district [18:03:47] [Aun is deposited in Overlook, the drab gray, uniform towers only kept from being depressingly generic by the colorful taprestries of Adaran design hung from windows and on doors.] [18:04:21] [Remembering the directions to Miashta's apartment, Aun arrives with a few minutes to spare.] [18:06:00] * Aun knocks on her door! [18:07:43] [Sounds issue from inside, coming closer until the door opens and Lanashta, Miashta's younger sister, opens the door. She's dressed in.. leather pantaloons and a tunic, looking rather mundane except for her beautiful face and figure.] [18:07:50] "Oh hey. You again." [18:08:29] Hey, Lanashta. Is your sister here? [18:09:01] "Yeah." [18:09:31] "And call me Lan." [18:10:06] Sure thing. Can I come in, Lan? [18:10:07] [She turns her head and screeches at the top of her lungs.] "MIA! YOUR DATE'S HEEEEEERE!" [18:11:30] [Her eyes glaze over a bit and after a moment she inhales deeply to scream again.] "GET OUT OF MY HEAD! YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER!" [18:11:59] ["Lan" stomps into the apartment leaving the door open, and storms upstairs.] [18:12:38] [A muffled scream issues from upstairs.] "You're not even my real sister!" [18:13:00] [A door slams loudly.] [18:14:03] * Aun lets herself in and stands by the doorway, not sure wether or not she should laugh [18:14:16] [Shortly thereafter Miashta descends the stairs. She wound look beautiful in her silk dress with brass and gold wire-jewelry and crystal earings, if her face was not pinched in worry.] [18:14:47] "I'm sorry about that... Lanashta is... going through a phase." [18:15:54] * Aun nods. "It's alright. I remember when I got my gender, so I don't blame her." [18:16:38] [Miashta blinks and tilts her head.] "I'm sorry?" [18:21:25] You know, when I found out I was female. I was expecting to be a guy, so it threw me off my game for a while. [18:21:47] * NovaSeaker is now known as Miashta [18:21:56] "You didn't know... you were female?" [18:24:04] ....I guess it's a changeling thing. [18:25:52] * Miashta smiles softly and puts her arm into Aun's while leading her out of the apartment. "Well you can tell me more about it. And where you learned to manifest psionic powers too." [18:27:16] * Aun smiles. "Absolutely. I booked a table at this nice little Aundarian place. Let's go." [18:29:09] [They walk arm in arm to the skydock a few levels down from Miashta's apartment, drawing looks from passerby and waiting skycab passengers once they reach it.] [18:30:32] "So.. I read short article about the Raver Outbreak. It said there would be an in-depth follow-up story written by a chronicler on-the-scene. That you?" [18:31:19] Absolutely. With any luck, it'll be on the front page tomorrow. [18:33:34] * Miashta turns to Aun while the wait and puts her hand on Aun's other arm. "Front page? Of the Inquisitive? Aun that's amazing! Congratulations!" She draws Aun into a hug. [18:35:28] * Aun holds Miashta. "Thank you so much! I hope you'll pick it up, I'm really proud of myself on this one." [18:36:57] "Oh, I'll be at the stands. Maybe I should buy a subscription now and support my favorite chronicler." [18:37:31] * Miashta smiles as the next skycab becomes available and she moves to help Aun in. [18:40:14] * Aun gets in behind Miashta. "You should! I think it's going to be nowhere but up from now on." [18:40:34] [Driver] "Evening ladies. Where are you two going all dressed up?" [18:41:56] We're heading to the Blue Crocus over in upper Menthis to celebrate, my good man. [18:42:22] "Celebration it is then!" [18:42:35] [^Driver] [18:44:15] [The skycab leaves the dock and begins a meandering, scenic route, cutting through Upper Central and half of Upper Menthis so show off the most ornate of Sharn's towers. When he lands at the nearest dock to their destination, he asks for the normal fare.] [18:45:03] * Aun pays the driver, and gives him a five gold tip. "Thank you very much, sir. Have a great night!" [18:45:57] [The driver takes the tip with class, and bows as he pilots the skycoach away with one hand.] [18:48:22] * Aun begins walking to the resteraunt, taking her time. "How's your week been?" [18:50:01] * Miashta smiles. "A regular stopped coming. I don't think he needs me anymore." [18:50:44] "And, well, you saw what was going on with Lanashta." [18:53:22] That's terrific. The regular, that is. Has Lan only been like this for a week? [18:54:04] * Miashta sighs. "It's been a long time coming. Last time you came to my place she had already started "forgetting" to go to communal meditation... She thinks Ashta is trying to use her like a puppet." [18:55:32] * Aun nods. "What would Ashta be? I'm sorry to say that I'm that familiar with Kalashtar customs." [18:56:34] [The Blue Crocus isn't far, jutting out of the side of a tower with pattio seating overhanging a five-hundred foot drop, it's main entrance facing the inside of the tower.] [18:56:54] "Ashta... is part of me. And Lanastha, and our mothers and sisters." [18:57:39] "We're all daughters of Ashta... but Lanashta is picking up customs of humans and is starting to think that the only family is blood related.." [18:58:09] * Miashta looks down. "That's why she's shortened her name and refuses to call me by mine." [18:58:14] Oh... [18:59:27] * Aun holds Miashta's hand. "Is there any way I could help? I don't know if she'd be willing to listen, but if I can do anything to help..." [19:00:05] "Don't worry. It doesn't happen to all of us in Overlook, but this phase is a lot more common than in Adar. It comes with the territory of not hiding ourselves as much as we do in our ancestral home." [19:01:08] "It's hard to hear her reject our ways, but she's a good girl, and Ashta will guide her." [19:02:42] * Aun nods. "Well, I hope she gets back into the fold soon." She heads into the restaurant with Miashta [19:04:23] [With Aun's reservation, they are seated shortly under a vine-encrusted archway. A few feet above eye-level, motes of pin-point light flicker and drift through the dining room.] [19:05:03] * Miashta stares up at them and smiles with wonder. [19:05:51] "Illusions are wonderful aren't they? They can make you see something that isn't there without having to intrude upon your mind." [19:07:51] * Aun nods, smiling. "I can't say I've had enough experience with mental powers to say for sure, but it's things like this that always manage to take my breath away." [19:08:24] Oh, that reminds me! How do your people develop your abilities, usually? [19:10:59] "Well, it's a bit of nature and a bit of nurture. There's a lot of patience and meditation involved." [19:12:42] * Aun nods. "For me, it was... Well, I don't want to spoil the article, but some barrier ended up breaking after we finished a big fight. I was wondering if it was normal to develop them under stress." [19:15:14] * Miashta frowns in thought. "Well, normally no. Only through years of meditation and practice do we usually advance in level. The Enlightened is almost a century and a half, and he's not yet gained access to powers of the seventh paradigm." [19:16:06] "But.. it is possible. It most frequently happens to the shadowatchers." [19:17:07] Shadowcatchers? [19:18:14] "Watchers. Those of us who battle the darkness in the most literal sense." [19:18:59] * Aun nods. "I see." [19:20:08] "Lanhamelk is the most recent example... he returned from a battle with knowledge of powers he did not have when he left." [19:21:19] * Miashta frowns. "Or was it Harharath..." [19:22:51] [A waiter steps in to take your orders, and makes a suggestion of wine for the occassion; They've recently shipped in an excellent vintage of Windshire rainbow wine.] [19:23:31] * Aun orders her meal, along with a bottle of the wine, sparing no expense! [19:24:49] [The items on the menu are fairly inexpensive, but are organizes into "Cold Appetizer" "First Entree" "Hot Appetizer" "Second Entree" "Middle Meal" and so on, ending finally with "Sweet Desert". Apparently you're supposed to order several courses.] [19:26:22] [There is also a tendency for descriptions of dishes to take two or more sentences describing the composition of the sauce used in it.] [19:27:38] * Miashta seems slightly distressed at all the options. [19:28:14] "I'm.. not sure I know how to order Aundarian food." [She laughs.] [19:30:21] * Aun smiles. "It's rather a lot, but I'm sure you'll like it. Just pick out a few things. I'd reccomend the rabbit in wood-nut sauce, or the salmon in butter and dark wine sauce. It's pretty sauce-centric, but at least it's not as spicy as half of everything else around here. [19:31:34] * Miashta looks to to waiter and nods. "Rabbit in wood-nut sauce it is." [19:32:06] [With Aun's help, Miashta orders the rest of her meal.] [19:32:52] * Aun picks off a few dishes, seeming to go mainly by the variety of the types of sauce. [19:33:39] [Smiles once the waiter leaves.] "You know, if you're really interested in unlocking more potential, you can come to the Gathering Light with me." [19:34:36] "It's where we hold our communal meditations, but we use the towerspace for other things as well, like self-defense classes and training in the psionic arts." [19:35:15] I'd love to! It seems a shame to uncover this, and just let it molder without exploring the possibilities. [19:35:48] "It's truly a wonderous gift..." [19:36:52] [They are served their first courses, and it become clear why each dish is individually inexpensive, as the portions are maybe a third of what one would expect on a good home-made brelish dish.] [19:38:08] [Their appetizers are set on the table, Aun's food sculpted to resemble an aundarian dragonhawk in flight while Miashta's takes the form of the Towers of Arcanix suspented on stout stalks of some sort of vegetable.] [19:38:37] "...I'm almost sad to have to eat this." [19:38:47] "They put so much work in it." [19:38:58] * Miashta stares at her miniature building, eyes wide. [19:40:25] * Aun nods. "It always brings me down a little, but actually eating it more than makes up." [19:48:17] * Miashta smiles a bit mischeviously. "Forgive me if I don't just take your word for it." She digs in. [19:48:58] [About an hour and a half later Miashta and Aun have finished their meal and left, strolling under the stars on Upper Menthis's skybridges.] [19:50:06] "Thank you so much for dinner, Aun. I'm so used to brelesh and adaran food, it was quite something else. Intense without being overwhelming." [19:51:37] I've always loved Aundarian food, and I think it's a shame so few people try it. So many resteraunts just try to burn your tongue off. [19:53:39] "I've taken to ordering creamy soups at normal resturants, just to survive the night." [19:54:54] * Aun laughs. [19:59:07] [They finally reach the skycab dock, walking slower now that they're full.] [19:59:19] * Aun pauses. "After the break-ins, and the guys trying to kill me, I moved up to a new place. It's not quite ready yet, but I was wondering if you'd want to come over for some tea?" [20:00:25] * Miashta smiles. "I'd love to." [20:00:57] Terrific! [20:01:18] * Aun begins walking towards the skydock for a ride back to Northedge [20:01:52] [Aun takes Miashta to see her place, completing the night.] [20:03:49] [The next morning, Aun wakes to a soft and muffled thump against her front door, several rooms over.] [20:04:04] [Cracking one eye she waits, but no further sound comes.] [20:04:12] Mmmh. [20:04:38] * Aun gets up, pulling on her bathrope, and goes to check the door. [20:04:38] * Miashta sleeps soundly with an almost frighteningly blank look on her face. [20:05:43] [Aun opens the door to find the early edition of the Sharn Inquistive on her doorstep. The headline on the front page is her article.] [20:07:59] * Aun laughs, and picks it up, unfolding it, and rereading her article. She puts it down on the kitchen counter, and begins lighting the stove for breakfast [20:08:56] [Aun quickly finds that her article has been heavily censored. Any mention of government activities have been erased and edited out.] [20:09:47] [At the bottom of the portion of the article on the front page there's a note "con't on pg 3"] [20:10:14] * Aun frowns, trying to pick out all the differences. She flips to page 3 and keeps reading [20:12:33] [There's a big note, handwritten inserted into the paper.] "Ms. Aun, please see me in Mr. Grannison's office at your earliest convenience. -Haftak ir'Clarn" [The owner of the entire chronicle's signature is at the bottom. Haftak ir'Clarn.] [20:14:02] Oh, damn. Oh damn damn damn. [20:20:31] * Miashta shuffles into the kitchen, wearing one of Aun's male-fashioned shirts. [20:21:06] * Aun looks up. "Oh, morning, Miashta. That... it really suits you." [20:21:57] * Miashta smiles a little but looks worried. "What's wrong?" [20:24:26] The morning paper came. They censored my article, and there was a note from the paper's owner to see him." [20:25:25] "Oh my.." [20:25:32] * Aun tries to steady her voice. "The article I wrote showed that the government had a hand in the crystal fall. I think I might get fired. Maybe arrested." [20:26:01] "You.. acused the government of crashing the Crystal Tower?" [20:28:48] * Aun nods. "Best as we could tell, there was a battle in the chamber holding it up, between some half-rakshasa nobles and a party of heroes, including a Dark Lantern. [20:29:50] It looks like they crashed it on purpose, to deal with the fiendish taint, or maybe it was just hit in the confusion. Either way, the evidence supports it. [20:30:07] ...Supported it. We took the evidence out of the chamber. [20:30:12] Oh Traveller. [20:30:19] "Oh dear... Well... lets think about this logically... if the Dark Lanterns were going to arrest you I would have woken up alone." [20:32:35] * Aun nods. [20:33:01] So the worst that can happen is I'll get fired. [20:33:13] "I.. I hope not." [20:33:33] * Miashta moves over and hugs Aun. [20:33:55] "You're very good at what you do Aun, or they wouldn't be making this big of a deal." [20:34:09] * Aun half-smiles, but doesn't sound particularly sincere. "Maybe if I can find a way to spin this so I don't lose my reputation, I could get a job with the Korranberg Chronicle." [20:34:49] Thanks, Miashta. I hate to leave like this, but I don't want to keep the boss waiting. [20:35:29] * Miashta steps back. "No I completely understand.... Why.. why don't you come find me at the Gathering Light when you're done? It will help." [20:36:34] * Aun nods. "Absolutely, I'll see you then." She gets dressed, picks up her briefcase and quickly kisses Miashta goodbye and darting out the door, heading for the skydock [20:39:33] [Aun arrives earlier than usual. There's no one in the bullpen or the reception desk.] [20:39:39] * Miashta is now known as NovaSeaker [20:39:56] * Aun heads for Mort's office, knocking on the door. "Hello?" [20:40:55] "Ah, Ms. Aun, please enter." [Aun recognizes the voice from company events as Haftak, and older-middle-aged human male.] [20:43:20] * Aun pushes the door open and walks into the office [20:45:25] [Aun enters and sees three men. Leaning on the desk, facing the entrance, stands Haftak in his crisp nobleman-quality business attire. Standing off to the side is Mort Grannison himself, looking like he's sweating warforged. Behind the desk is a tall man in a black oiled leather cloak, hood pulled over his head. His back is to Aun as he peers out the window, looking at the cityscape.] [20:46:46] [Haftak pushes himself off the desk and approaches Aun.] "Firstly, I would shake your hand, Ms. Aun. I read your unedited article and found it to be exemplary work." [20:47:03] [Despite himself, Mort mutters something under his breath.] [20:47:33] * Aun bites her lip. "Thank you, sir." She shakes Haftak's hand. [20:49:44] "Secondly, I want to assure you that no, you are not fired. I would be remiss to let such talent fall to waste. However, how you handle the next few minutes might take such matters out of my hands." [His business-face hardens into a worried seriousness.] "Understand?" [20:50:01] * Aun nods. "Yes, sir." [20:51:22] [Haftak nods and steps to the side.] "Agent k-" [the beginnings of the sound of the man's name are cut short by the cloaked figure's clearing of his throat.] [20:51:41] [He doesn't turn from the window.] "Agent K will do." [20:52:00] [Haftak nods.] "Of course." [20:53:34] [The unrevealed man continues.] "Ms. Aun, you have stumbled upon information that could be very damaging for the Crown and you tried to share such information with the general public. May I ask why?" [20:57:12] * Aun swallows, nervously. "I believe that the public needs to know the circumstances of the crystal fall, so that they can understand and come to terms with it. It was a national tragedy, but if it was destroyed for a good end, to protect ourselves from a major threat, then I believe that the people need to know about it, to be able to properly respect the sacrifices made, sir." [20:59:09] * Aurora (~demota@c-67-188-98-31.hsd1.ca.comcast.net) Quit (Quit: ) [20:59:39] * Demota is now known as Aurora [20:59:43] [The man is still for a moment and then turns from the window. There's an odd.. ticking sound, like a clock, that accompanies his movements. His hood is pulled low over his face obscuring much of it in shadow.] "Either you sincerely mean that and are a very unique individual, or you know how to brown-nose better than anyone I've ever known. Possibly both." [21:00:35] May I take that as a compliment, sir? [21:01:51] "Yes you may. Unfortunately, Ms. Aun, I am unable to harbor such idealist thoughts. We deal in facts in the Citadel, and the fact of the matter is that the populace isn't ready to understand the events of the Crystal Fall were in there best interest. They would just panic if they knew what lengths we would go to to protect this crown and country of ours." [21:03:38] "Something much like the Raver threat you helped quell would have swarmed the entire city and spread outward had the situation not been brought to our attention by-" [He catches himself] "By our sources. But the populace would just see the government murdering its own people." [21:03:50] "Can you really expect anything less than revolt?" [21:06:02] [He waits, indicating the question wasn't rhetorical.] [21:07:39] With all due respect, sir, I feel that a revolution pales in comparison to the threat of the rakshasa eating crown and country from the inside out. While I didn't think my actions through to the end, there's a fiendish cancer in our country that needs to be exposed if it's to be excised. [21:09:32] Had it ended with the crystal fall, then I could stand by, but the thing in the tower was one of them as well, and I think more could well be among us. [21:10:41] "Perhaps, but the panic caused by an article such as yours would only worsen our ability to deal with such a threat." [21:11:06] * Aun nods, slowly. "I understand." [21:11:48] "Also we've begun our own investigations and so far have found no evidence of any further demonic taint." [21:12:56] "You've done a great service to the Crown in stoping the rakshasa in Fallen, and it is for that reason, and the intent to do the best for this country in your article, that you were politely asked here today." [21:14:19] [With more whirring and ticking, the man reaches his right hand into his cloak and takes out a scroll case, unrolling the scroll from it. He bends down and flattens it across the desk.] "Sign here." [21:14:33] * Aun blinks, and looks over the scroll. [21:16:28] [It is a nondisclosure agreement of sorts, that says that any further attempts to disclose the events pertainting to or surrounding the Crystal Fall, or any other "potentially classified" information, in a public forum, will be recognize as Treason and will be punishable by death and that this document serves as a confession of guilt for any future occurances of such.] [21:17:24] * Aun nods. "Well, I suppose I don't have much choice." She signs her name with a flourish. [21:19:47] [His right hand, specifically now that Aun is bent over the desk and close enough to hear more accurately, whirls as he rolls the scroll back up and his right arm ticks as he tucks it away.] [21:20:13] I don't suppose you'd want the corpse of the Rakshasa we killed? It might help if the investigation is ongoing. [21:21:08] "And the Dark Lantern agent, Silver Flame cleric, and Tyrant lord." [21:22:19] * Aun nods. "Wait, he was- Wow." [21:23:00] I don't have the bodies with me. One of my associates has them right now, and I'm frankly not sure what she's done with them. What should I do with them when I recover them? [21:23:35] "Bring them to the city archive as quickly as possible." [21:24:45] * Aun nods. "Absolutely. [21:26:11] "I just hope you understand the situation fully, Ms. Aun. The Last War isn't over, it's just grown cold. The last thing we need is the excuse of demonic infestation and internal strife to appear weak." [21:26:49] "If any information is leaked about the Fall, the consequences can be much worse than you imagine." [21:28:25] "Making you sign a document under the threat of treason charges is one thing, but I want you to walk out that door understanding how the saftey of Breland is ensured." [21:29:52] * Aun nods. "Sir, I assure you that the safety of Breland and continuing to be alive are the two things that mean the most to me in this life. I won't say a word of it." [21:30:58] "Then I suggest you bring those corpses to the archives before any divinatory magic is used to spread any more information." [21:31:57] * Aun nods. "I'll get right on finding out where they went." [21:32:17] [Haftak nods.] "I'll see you tomorrow at work Ms. Aun." [21:34:50] [Minisession Stop] [21:35:03] * Aun nods. "Have a good day, sir." End of #Sharn buffer Wed Jul 04 21:36:50 2007