2023.04.27 The 63-Year-Old Cub
| 04.27.23 The 63-Year-Old Cub | |
|---|---|
| Discussions, mostly about a 63-year-old pre-change cub found at the local library. | |
| IC Date | 04.27.23 |
| Players | Branton, Iris, Irsa, Memo, Rhapsody, Trey |
| Location | Sept of the Enduring Spirit |
| Spheres | Garou, Bastet, Sorcerer |
Mystic Valley - Deep Forest(#1747RJU)
The forest floor of the Large Cavern begins to slope sharply downwards into a deep, subterranean valley, the pathway ages ago etched into long, wide steps worn by countless feet and paws over the years. The walls of this valley cavern are high and extremely steep volcanic rock and granite slabs, the ceiling of the cavern so high that the valley has taken on its own internal weather system. Hundreds of feet overhead, the vents and cracks allowing sunlight to filter through can no longer be seen, light spreading as though the valley were lit with a gentle and unseen underground sun of its own. Mist from underground streams and waterfalls create en endless cycle of clouds, brief rains, and evaporation into clouds again, while breezes from any number of caves and tunnels bring fresh air and move the clouds through their false sky.
The subterranean forest is thickest here, towering evergreen trees are dwarfed by the sheer size of the valley cave, weeping willows hang curtains of greenery over meandering streams and pools of mineral water. The steep, unclimbable valley walls are dotted with vines and bushes that have, against all odds, found purchase and growth potential. Stone pathways wend and meander through moss and wild grass along the valley, creating miles of walkways all throughout this sacred place.
A large central meadow has become a meeting point for the valley. Near enough to the Large Cavern's steeply stepped pathway and with wide stone avenues branching away to living areas, shrines, and the amphitheater. A well maintained seating area takes up the middle of the meadow, with a stone pit made for a large bonfire, several old logs and small boulders pulled up around it for comfortable seating. A large and ornately carved totem pole stands tall nearby, detailing the leadership of the Caern. Also nearby, a massive stone tablet jutting four feet out of the ground has inscribed upon its polished face the rules of the Caern, unmissable by anyone in the area.
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Irsa's eyes glint as Memo begins his tale. She leans forward in her seat to listen, not taking her eyes off the Galliard as he spins the tale, bringing his listeners into the past. She's silent for a few moments afterwards, mulling over what she's heard. "Right off th' top of your skull. That ain't, in no way, a bad story at all. Fact, it's a damn fine one. Y' told that one well, as little time as I gave ya." She bobs her head in greeting to Mercy. "How's it?"
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Memo bows his hand with his hand on his chest, "Thank you. To be honest my specialty as a Galliard is more the gathering then the telling of tales. I'm please not to have dishonored my tribe in the process.". The Galliard bows his head to the entering Black Fury, "Merc...Iris-rhya.".
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Trey comes in from the training areas, a bow across his back and a quiver at his side. He seems to be pleased with himself. His long hair is drawn back from his face in a tail, and he comes over with an easy loping stride. "Hello!," he calls out to where Irsa and Memo and Mercy are situated, "Afternoon! How goes? Am I missing anything? Good stories? Drama? One of the Kin bringing amazing food again?" Of course the cat is curious, as always.
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"It's good!" Mercy tells Irsa, and thunks her heavyass bags down near her and Memo, the contents clattering in a stoney way, and then her other bags follow suit. She gestures at Memo with a finger and says with a wink, "Just Iris! The honorific doesn't work right with human names, it's like calling me Mrs. Iris, which only works if you're in grade school." She drags a tatty old blanket out of one of the bags and spreads it out to sit on, before dumping tools out of her satchel. Little hammers, chisels, wee picks, stuff like that. "You *did* miss a story! I only heard part of it, but it was pretty awesome. Crazy odds, personal sacrifice, heroes, pan-tribal unity, cleared debts, all that good stuff."
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"That ain't a surprise with your Rite Name," Irsa remarks to Memo. "Auspices come in all kinds of flavors. For example, I ain't th' typical Bone Gnawer theurge, rantin' and raving on street corners and throwin' things at passin' apes." She doesn't fill in the blanks, more people have arrived. "You missed a short tale from Guillermo here," she agrees with Iris. "As for food, right over yonder. I ain't checked direct what they're makin' today, but I'll bet five bucks it ain't duck."
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Trey awwws. "Awww, man, I hate when I miss stories. And yeah, it ain't duck. Smells like chicken, but doesn't everything?" He steals a corner of Iris' blanket and plops his kittybutt right down on it, then fishes in his bag for a tin box. "One of my kin back east sent some maple sugar candy, if any of you like it." He opens it up, holding the box out for people to sample. "Sacrifice against the odds, people working together, debts paid... sounds like a good story! We cats tell most of our history in teaching tales rather than outright. A good storyteller does really well at our gatherings." He regards the others with a warm smile and adds, to Memo, "I've been trying to pay back all the people here at the sept who've helped me out as a young cat still learning, so if I can help you out with stuff, just ask."
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Mercy leans so she can head bonk Trey once he sits, her hands organizisng her dumped out tools a little bit. She makes a gimme gimme motion with her hand at the mention of the candy, "I'm assuming it's all, like, ethically sourced and home made as home made can be?" she asks, but seems willing to trust Trey's word on food items, which is a big thing for her. Once candy is in her face though, she drags a hunk of rock out of one of her bags and sets about working on it, chipping bits off and working on turning the lumpy thing into a proper sphere, while the blanket catches the chips and dust. "Speaking of stories and the collecting of such, I wanna go to Niagara Falls. You lot wanna go with?" she asks, gesturing at the three nearby. Not immediately, I've got stuff to do, but super soon."
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Memo looks up for a moment before looking to the Bone Gnawer with an apologetic frown, "Will you be here in a few hours Hammer-tooth-rhya? I realize some of time is owed and I best pay it now. I apologize for the swift exit." he trails off holding his hands out helplessly.
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Irsa is the last person to turn down free grub. If her Tribe paid any attention to its Ancestors, they'd bitch her out for weeks for committing such a grevious sin. Besides, she's a large woman, she has a furnace to feed. She's quick to swipe up a few maple treats in her fist and promptly stuffs them into her face-hole. "Fanks," she mutters to Trey as she dusts her hand off on her pants. She swallows hastily at Mercy's question. "Niagra Falls? Uh, sure. You ain't plannin' on goin' over it in a barrel, are ya?" She shrugs at Memo's question. "Should be, unless I get dragged off. If I ain't here, you can leave word."
Memo has disconnected.
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Trey gets headbonked and lets out a little 'blllrt!' to Mercy, which is Feline for 'Hi, packmate!' He nods at the question and says, "Handmade by said Kinfolk from wild-grown trees on Tribal land designated for personal use only, they don't sell this. They just know I really like it, so I get a little when they make a batch." He understands Mercy's limits with food, and doesn't press them -- ethical choices are ones he can respect. He offers Memo a smile and says, "Commitments are commitments," amiably. Not that he was asked!
"Oh, Niagara is really close to where I was born and grew up. I mean, it's pretty much a deep forest, tribal land, really pretty but there's no caern or anything on it. Best time to go is fall, but I don't mind going any time. Might want to peel away a few hours to visit my faerie-kinfolk Belle, she's awesome and I promised her souvenirs from California." He takes one of the candies, which are soft and sugary, melting in texture and soft, and pops it into his mouth happily. "She's a riot. She taught me a lot of the things I learned at first about the fae. She does cosplay stuff, makes custom clothes for people. She taught me to sew, actually."
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"Well, I mean, I haven't *not* decided that." Mercy says very innocently. "Mostly I just want to see a REALLY big waterfall, and there's a sept right over there too. Uktena, Fianna, stop in for some lunch, do some tourist stuff and take some pictures, maybe camp over night depending on how everyone's feeling, and then come back. Something like that, any how. I have not formed any greater plans beyond 'see a fuck ton of falling water and be awed by it'." And also it'll be a great excuse to kidnap a new Cliath PC and bring them to California. She waves at Memo and then nods to Trey, "Sure! Sounds like a good plan!"
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Irsa thinks, scratching her nicked ear. "Yeah, I don't recall where exactly that sept is. Largest one I know of in New York is Sept of th' Green." She eyes Mercy suspiciously. "This ain't an excuse t' try out a new fetish, is it?"
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Trey says, "Well, if you want, I could get us camping rights on Iroquois land, depending on how the Sept of the White Water feels about camping cats. I know the Uktena have always had pretty decent relations with my folks. Mostly because we have a lot of the same groups of human kin, or close enough." He nods, and adds, "Be nice to see a couple of my kin; I don't have a lot of close human kin, but I have a lot of semi-sorta-kin, if that makes sense. Pretty sure my mother still lives on the preserve too but... well, I don't think she'd welcome me, I'm a grown male. Not sure if I still smell like her kitten to her any more." He seems a touch sad at that thought, but it doesn't last long -- or he doesn't let it. "A new fetish? Ooooh, what do you have?"
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"Not... not *specifically*, no." Mercy admits, still as innocently as possible. "I mean, MAYBE I want to try out my whip that I've never gotten to use, and MAYBE I want to irresponsibly use it to swing across a river, and MAYBE the threat of definitely dying by going over a waterfall makes me want to do it more, but I mean... I also want pictures and tourist stuff." She shrugs her shoulders and says, "We'll just stop in at the sept and ask, worst they say is there's no room at the inn and we make it a day trip instead of an over nighter. No bigs." She stops shaping her orrery stone so she can dig in her Bigass Purse and bring out a neatly coiled whip for Trey to check out. It's simple but well made, using green leather for the floppy whip part, and its handle is carved all over with venerations of lizards.
<---======##============[ Item Tangling Whip: 390507 ]============##======--->
Gnosis:.................8 Level:..................4 Magic Type:........Fetish
Name:.......Tangling Whip Owner:..Mercy's Messenger Reference:......WW3813/66
Type:...........39/Fetish
Created:....20221005-2156 by SassyCat Updated:....20221005-2205 by SassyCat
Description: A supple whip of braided green leather with a steel grip. A lizard spirit is bound within.
Effect: A favorite among the Children of Gaia but also popular among the Glasswalkers Shadow Lords and Silent Striders the tangling whip must be created from green leather strips woven and bound into a complete whip with a steel handle. The fetish maker then binds a lizard spirit into the whip.
The lizard spirit lends the fetish (when activated) the ability to shed its own tail. With every strike the whip sheds from the handle and wraps itself around the victim as quickly as possible wriggling like a work the whole time. The victim must immediately make a Dexterity+Alertness (difficulty 9) roll or lose one dot of Dexterity until the cords are pulled loose from his limbs. Since the roll involves the Dexterity being stolen multiple strikes quickly bind the victim until he loses all Dexterity at which point he is completely immobilized. The whip cords have a Strength of 7 and 5 health levels each for purposes of rending or overpowering them.
Once a whip has been shed a new one sprouts from the handle almost instantly. The whip may be activated only once per round, but otherwise suffers no ill effects from this shedding.
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Irsa snickers at her mentor. "I knew it. Well, if you're bound and determined t' go wild with that thing and your own neck, I'll make sure t' pack some extra healing talens along." She stretches out her legs to there full length, and begins packing her Keys of Vision away. "We should bring 'em a gift. That's standard practice for any sept. But what should it be?"
Rhapsody has arrived.
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Trey mmhmms knowingly, and takes the whip into his hands, looking over the craftsmanship with an eager and approving eye. "This is gorgeous, you worked the grain edges together really nicely. And I love the work on the handle." He studies it and then returns it to her with a cheerful grin. "Tangling, huh...? Very useful and really cool!"
He pipes up, "If you want to get in really good, bring materials for fetishes that are common here but harder to get in New York. Skins of native species, or local plants, or things like that. Seeds, too. Lizard skins or talons for one, not a lot of desert in New York state."
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Mercy bobs her head in agreement and says, "Oh definitely. I figured Branton and I could make a food thing, I'll bring a good supply of arrows, maybe if Memo goes with he can pack along some local tales and news, maybe. Someone can do up some healing talens we can bring, and some- Yeah, that stuff." she says, gesturing at Trey. "Helpful stuff that wont break anyone's bank, but that people tend to need. Since we've got quite a lot of desert here, and a mokole place, we could probably ask them for any sheddings their reptile bros squeeze out of." She slides the whip back into her bag and says, "Part of that semi pacifist 'I like being super annoying to bad guys' thing I do."
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Irsa thinks the suggestions over. "Seeds an' seedlings I can cover, definitely. There's a lotta native plants that're good for a lotta things. I got plenty extra in th' hydroponic set-up Journey sent inta overgrowth drive."
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Trey nods. He is seated on a blanket that Mercy laid out on the ground, perched on a corner while Mercy works on one of the stones for her Orrery. Irsa is seated nearby, all three talking, and a small tin of some sort of candy is in the middle, opened to offer the contents to those gathered. "Reptile skins would be great, yeah. Rattles from dead snakes, if possible, too." He's thinking about this and chewing his lower lip in thought.
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Mercy's Messenger rolls Wits + Jeweler vs 6 for 3 successes.
1 3 3 4 +6 +7 +8 10
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Mercy works on turning a lumpy rock into a round rock, and she's not doing too bad at it, pausing occasionally to pick up the chips and get them into a little container. Waste not, want not! And who doesn't want space rocks for their mystical whatevers? "We'll come up with some good stuff, but we also don't need to drastically over think things either, we're not exactly running supplies to a desperate sept on the edge of oblivion or anything. We can manage and be great neighbors."
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Rhapsody is coming in with a basket filled with herb cuttings destined for various place here at the caern. She's looking around and it does not take long to find Irsa here. And there is Mercy and Trey as well. "Afternoon! Or is it Evening?" She just knows it was time to get out here. Coming up alongside her pack mate she says, "I hope I'm not interupting something?"
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Irsa nods as she zips her pack closed. "Dead snakes? Easy enough. I'm used t' desert, won't hurt me none t' wander. If I find ones that ain't too far past their prime, I'll collect their skins and fangs, too." She has no intention of just murdering some poor reptile, she's a responsible scavenger. She perks up as her packmate arrives. "Naw, nothin' important. Plannin' a trip, and you just missed a story from Guillermo. Pull up a seat!"
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Trey waves amiably and says, "Good to see you, Rhapsody! Can't speak for anyone else, I just spent the afternoon getting in some bow practice. I suck a lot less than I used to!" He smiles amiably. "Oh, I have maple sugar candy from Kinfolk of mine back in New York, if you'd like some." He motions toward the tin box, which had little leaf-shaped soft candies. "And Guillermo, yeah, he seems like a decent sort."
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Mercy sets tools and rock down so she can offer tribe hugs to Rhapsody, then gets her ass back to work. Them rocks aint gonna shape themselves! Though it'd be super cool if they did. "You wanna come with? There's no major goal or anything, mainly it's just an excuse to go see something cool - Niagra Falls - and do a little bit of Garou tourism before coming home. You should totally go, you missed the last Bite Sized Adventure trip we did! A few hours in India, a few hours in Norway, and a few hours in Turkey. It was good stuff!"
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Rhapsody nods! "I would love to go, but uh... I'll stay back when there is any snakes involved.. That is a nope for me." She hears Guillermo spoken about and says, "Oh the Shadow Lord Galliard, right?"
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Irsa hunts through some packs for some snacks, and offers up some of Pandora's homemade, totally awesome Snax (tm pending). "Th' very one," she confirms for Rhapsody. "I put him on th' spot, t' get an idea of his skillset. He didn't do too shabby, given me springin' that on him. He admitted he's one of them that gather intel better than they tell tales. Not a surprise, given his Rite Name."
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Trey ooohs, and when his turn comes, takes a handful of the Snax with a happy expression. "Pandora's stuff is awesome," he says with a smile, and then adds, "The only snake stuff in the trip is maybe bringing some parts for fetishes. It's really gorgeous there this time of year."
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Mercy does not take snax and waves them off politely if they're offered to her, for it's just a bag of mass produced, probably totally wyrm tainted snack products with preservatives and additives and artificial whatevers and micro plastics n shit, regardless of how lovingly packed and extra spiced up it is. Picky Fury. She does nod at Trey's words though and says, "Yeah, just parts and pieces."
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Rhapsody ooos with snax! "You read my mind!" She will get a bit of it and offers, "Actually, we have a thing we need your help with, Mercy's Messenger'rhya. We found a pre-change Cub. But there are outstanding circumstances that are well... above our paygrade."
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"My momma always taught me you don't go to nobody's house without a gift. That goes double for Garou. I'm still kinda amazed th' sept didn't ask me for chiminage when I first moved here with my cousin and my nephew. That's standard for most places in the Nation." Irsa cracks her neck from side to side as Rhapsody speaks, working out a kink in her neck. She's leaving the Mistseekers's mystic to kick off the convo, like a good alpha.
The warder passes on patrol carrying a clothing iron at the end of a steel chain.
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Trey munches happily, but falls silent, letting the Garou discuss the subject. He's smiling, though, well at ease as he draws out his notebook and pen, taking a few quick notes about a project he wants to make.
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Mercy quirks a brow and looks up from her steady, careful rock chipping. The one she's got in her hand is close to done, though it hasn't been smoothed yet, so she cleans up the chips and dust off the blanket, gets it into a little container and seals it before starting the process over with a new, different lump of stone. "Like what, is it an alien? I've never met an alien cub!" She's obviously thinking of what extenuating circumstancess there might be, and alien is the only one she really comes up with right off the bat. "Garou cub, I'm assuming? Or somethin else?"
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"I confirmed it, after I dragged Rhapsody over t' check it out," Irsa backs up her packmate. "Both of us used Gifts, and took a look at th' spirit bound to the Cub. Garou, without a doubt." Back to Rhapsody, for more details.
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Rhapsody nods, "Garou Cub. Has a kinfetch, chameleon spirit. Rather simple minded. Protecting his cub. But the rub is, she knows nothing of Shifters. She's a librarian. Was adopted to another state after her mother disappeared and her father had already died as an infant. Her birthday is today. She'd be a Theurge. And today she is 63."
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Trey blinks slowly. "Wait... librarian? Like... the nice older lady we talked to the other day at the library?" His jaw drops. "You're joking, right?" He shakes his head, and smiles ruefully.
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"...Eine minuten." Mercy says, stopping her whole project and setting her work down. "I just wanna make sure I didn't accidentally miss a thread here. Did you say she's a 63 year old pre change cub? HOW in the holy hell did this woman avoid raging for... for fifty - FIFTY - years?"
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Irsa lets out a slow breath. "Wish we were," she says to Trey in a low voice. "That nice old lady, in th' winter of her years, ain't shifted like she should have. And now? I dunno what shiftin' would do to her." She shrugs at Mercy's question. "You got me. I mean, ya hear stories 'bout people changin' late, but this?"
Rhapsody has disconnected.
Rhapsody has connected.
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Rhapsody shrugs and holds out her hands, "I have a theory. But I have no idea if it is just my wild imagination. What if her mom was a willworker. And they were in trouble there. Dad was killed by whatever forces of the Wyrm or some other threat. Mom cast a spell to keep baby from shifting - kinfetch was put on for safety. And then she was put anonymously into foster system - sent away from their home Sept to Pennsylvania. Mom figured the threat would end at some point and she could be retrieved. Or the spell would wear off. But mom died first. No one knew to go looking and the spell just went wrong?" It could happen? Maybe? "Or perhaps she was cursed. I'm not sure. But she is a sweet lady, taught me how to knit even. Loved the rainbow yarn I got from Irsa too. I just want to help her."
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Trey ohhhs and just... winces. "She really must be the calmest Garou alive," he says, shaking his head in nigh-disbelief. "I heard about someone who shifted in mid-20s but that was the oldest I ever heard about. Did you... I mean... does she *know*?" Trey is a completely gobsmacked cat. Even he seems to be struggling with finding something coherent to say. "I... shit, yeah, discovering this about herself *now*? That's..." He holds up his hands in a helpless gesture. He listens to Rhapsody and nods slowly. "That's an interesting theory. Entirely plausible, too. I don't know if a Mage *can* do that, but if they can... that's pretty damn terrifying. But I can't think of any other sort of entity that could, short of a god or an Incarna."
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"Physically? Nothing." Mercy says with a jedi wave of her hand, "She wouldn't break a hip or anything, she's got regeneration and super strength. MENTALLY though? ... I mean... I guess it depends on how it happens. Kids that know what's going to happen do a hell of a lot better than kids that pop without warning, mentally speaking. On the one hand, she's a silver bird and it's not like she'll be going to war for us at that age, but on the other hand, not telling her or letting her, like, experience her heritage would be kind of cruel, do you think? Jesus, sixty three, that's *wild*. Any clue what tribe she'd be?" Damn, if Jack was here, he'd totally offer a smidgin extra to this theory. But he's NOT, and Iris doesn't know his info! She doesn't speculate about the family dynamic though, too many variables.
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"You see why we wanted t' bring this to an Elder," Irsa remarks. "This is way, way outta bounds for us t' handle, without the proper Gifts, Rites and experience. Her Kinfetch was kinda a trip, for sure. It's pretty damn dim, like all of 'em are, but it's crazy beefed up. Somebody wanted this Cub protected an' hidden, for damn sure."
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Rhapsody just keeps nodding as people speak. "I have no idea what tribe, but she is smart as a whip. She does not seem all that interested in finding out about her birth parents either. Probably at this point, accepted her adopted family as family and never thought of it again. Perhaps that was even baked into whatever caused this. I wouldn't want to be the one to pop her cherry, so to speak on it, but I really do not think she has a clue that there is more to life than being a librarian and knitting sweaters for her cat."
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Trey hrms and looks pensive. "There are ways to try and find out, but... I'd have to talk to the fae to do it, and this is a Garou matter." He huhs again, looking to Mercy to try and read her expression. He's clearly at a loss. "Her adoptive parents may even be gone, if she's 63."
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"Holy shit." Mercy says, and just sits there for a minute and thinks about it. "Well.... Okay, feel free to offer dissenting points of view, but here's my immediate thoughts on things. No one deserves to go without knowing who family is or without knowing their heritage, nice old ladies included. Regardless of her age, she should know where she comes from, even if she wants to keep embracing her mortal life. She should be able to do that if she wants, if she makes Cliath then she's got all the right in the world to just be a librarian and call it good there, but the Nation wants its cubs in the know, so I feel like she *should* know, she should come into the fold for a hot minute, learn, do the manditory learning shit, and then make her own decisions about her life path. It's entirely possible that, once the innitial weirdness and shock passes she might be super into it. I mean, imagine being a keeper of knowledge and then finding out there's a whole fucking *world* of knowledge that you could also know. BUT, she IS a little old lady, so it shouldn't be done like it is with young cubs. She's a grown woman, she's earned her seniority over humans and it will not be easy to be a kid again. She needs a careful but forward introduction to our world. Something tangible and provable that will hook her interest, not scare her."
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Irsa lets out a long, slow exhale. "Folk like Erin can't keep their mouths shut. You ain't heard those stories 'bout that happening here, I reckon. There ain't a lick of sense -- they'll blather your secrets wide an' far, not even think of th' consequences. We got Black Spiral Dancers runnin' around with their Kinfolk, and I don't even wanna think about how they'd force this nice old lady to Walk th' Spiral." She looks disturbed, and falls silent to consider Mercy's words. "We'd need support already in place here for that. Where would we start?"
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Rhapsody agrees, "I would want to tell her too. The question is in my mind, should we try to research and find where she came from and her tribe/Sept/lineage out first? Or burst the bubble and try to teach her and then get her help to research?"
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Trey shakes his head. "I wouldn't tell her. But... like I said, this is Garou business. Even me knowing it means I need to shut my mouth and not talk about it, and I'm fine with that." He stares and says, "Wait... there are Kinain running around with Spirals?" His eyes go wide. "I mean, there's Unseelie, but that's just stupid. There's no end to Winter when everything is destroyed." He blows out a long breath and twists his lips, and now *he's* worried about this poor old lady getting harmed.
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"Well... One thing is making sure that what she loves will be okay in her absence, she'll probably worry about that if she loves her job." Mercy says, and points at Irsa, "Find a Frankwielern or associated kinfolk with proper librarian experience and call them in for a job. Second, her cat. Rhapsody, find a trustworthy kinfolk that's willing to house sit for the lady and keep her cat happy and healthy. Branton can cover the lady's bills and groceries. It's gonna take a little time to get both of those needed folk here and ready to rock, so that gives time for getting to know Mrs. Old Lady for trust purposes. The hard part will be How to tell her. I'd suggest starting with lore, she's probably a librarian because she loves books and knowledge, so let's work out some kind of a... weekend librarian retreat thing, maybe? Again, might need Frankenweiler support on this one, her lure needs to be weirdly specific and tailored to her. Expose her to ancient lore, give her a little contact with an old wolf perhaps, sort of baby step the magic and the werewolfness into things. While all the prep is happening, it might be a good idea to do some subtle pokes and prods at her dreams. If she's dreaming of magic and wolves, that might make her more receptive, more interested in talking about what she knows about her birth parents with her two new friends, and in the end? Maybe we can figure out who her mom is and summon her spirit, and uh... I dunno. Closure, growth, secrets spilled, that sort of thing. Thoughts?"
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Irsa grunts at Trey. "Got no idea, but it wouldn't surprise me. People will rub their meat bits with anythin' these days. I'm thinkin' more like, 'I'll tell this dude Riptavian I just met 'bout this nice old lady, he's a werewolf so all good.' Some people got no sense at all, 'specially when other people's necks are on th' line." She grates this out like she has some personal experience there. "Iris, you sure she'll regenerate if she pops? She ain't too old?" Nightmare #2, right there.
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Trey ohhs and winces. "Yeah, last thing you want is..." A pause. "Um. Did you check her for taint? I know this is a horrible question but..." He exhales. "I can see a twisted plot that would involve playing on our sympathies..." He shakes his head and says, "My mind goes dark places sometimes. I'm sorry, of course you'd know."
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Rhapsody replies, "Agnes. Her name is Agnes Daylight." She agrees, "I can find a house sitter, no problem. One good with cats." She shakes her head to Trey, "It was the middle of the city. She's certainly going to pop for some taint, but the spirit seemed good."
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"Regeneration is a birthright, just like breathing is. You don't lose the ability until you stop living." Mercy assures Irsa with a nod, "As long as she doesn't have a weak heart - and I imagine she doesn't if she's Garou and also not Metis - then she should be fine physically. It's the mental break from reality that'll be the biggest hurtle for her. She's got no experience with any of this and the older you are, the harder it is to change your way of thinking. BUT, if we do it right, if she feels like she can trust, is safe, is understood, then she'll heal, she'll be okay, and in fact may find a lot more joy in life by knowing things she wasn't ever able to articulate about herself." She nods to Trey though as well and says, "It's not wrong to think of that, but if she's got subdued taint somewhere, it'll get uncovered with the amount of work that's about to go into her." Back to Irsa and Rhap, she says, "We could handle her dreams, if you want, but you found her, and most of the prep falls in your respective wheel houses, you're Adrens, so I think it's right to call her your charge, so you'll make the decisions about who's poking at what, concerning her."
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"Yeah, she ain't Wyrm-tainted. Checked her for that, she's clean." Irsa folds her arms over her chest as she thinks, mostly to hug herself into a bit more calm. Beat it, nightmares! "All right, so, sounds like all th' bases are covered. Think it might be smart to follow up with her past, see if there's a way to find out more 'bout her birth family. But, uh. There's a hitch. Th' Denfather. I mean, he's gotta know at some point. Last thing I want is him losin' his shit and bustin' our asses back down to Cliath."
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Trey nods and looks relieved. "Okay, then my mind is just an ugly place, one less thing to worry about. And yeah. Miss Daylight, I remember that now." He exhales and nods agreement with all that is said, and says, "If she spends that much time reading fiction, it might be easier for her to adapt than we might think." He offers a wry smile and says, "Isn't there a Rite to trace lineage?"
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"So go tell him." Mercy says with a wave of her hand, "And also deal with the issue at hand. Fact of the matter is, yes, she's a hundred percent the Den Father's business, but no, the Den Father can not just take off and go spend a few weeks gently prodding a lost cub lady into the fold. If it was a young person, I don't think he'd have too much of a problem hastening things, some mild kidnapping if need be, but this is a sixty three year old woman and I'm sure he'd agree the usual way isn't the correct way in this situation. She STILL needs the preparation and prodding. When she's in? Her training falls to him, with the help of her two new friends that she knows and trusts to help a bit. He'll be the one to determine when she's ready for a rite of passage, and how that will happen. Your job is to get the cub TO him while he's busy dealing with a bunch of ragey teenagers here at the sept."
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Rhapsody will think about it. "I can talk with the Rite Mistress, but I seem to think there is a rite that can be performed - with Agnes's permission - to try to find her heritage. It just is not my tribe's thing. It is worth researching." She agrees, "We should talk to the Den Father as well. Before we talk to Agnes. There has to be some sort of protocol for this that can be adapted with her age."
Branton has arrived.
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Mercy can’t help it and snoooorts a laugh, saying "Protocol." like the idea is just hilarious. "Still do the things, find the people, get their agreement, *prepare*. Once the wheels start turning, things are going to go very fast for everyone, even if we are talking about being delicate about stuff."
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"If you can get th' name of the Rite, I'll ask around, see who's willin' to help with that," Irsa suggests to Rhapsody. "Far as Bryan's concerned, he's gotta know, but yeah -- I don't think he'll be game for kidnappin' a nice old lady outta the blue, not when she's already been pop-free this long. He's a Child of Gaia, he knows what that kinda trauma could do to her."
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You say, “This," he says with a wry smile, "Is going to be complicated. And interesting." He adds, "I don't imagine there's much I can do, specifically, but if you need help, let me know."”
Writing reality out to disk. Please wait...
Reality saved. Thank you for your patience.
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Irsa is sitting under her favorite oak, by the way, discussing crazy things with the others. Like you do at the Sept on a Thursday night.
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Branton comes along from the tunnels that lead back to the surface, looking around briefly before he spots his mate and heads in her direction "Evening all."
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Rhapsody mmms, "I think if anyone has access to a library that might have books she can learn from - it might be more comforting for her too."
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Trey waves to Branton as he arrives, from where he's seated surrounded by Garou. He smiles, but seems to be mostly listening at the moment as the others talk animatedly.
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Irsa looks up as Branton arrives, like the most awesome of miracles. "Heya! Man, ain't you th' sight for sore eyes. We, uh... might need access to a library. You got a section of yours that's safe?" she asks, right out of the blue.
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Mercy gestures to Irsa and says, "Exactly, and she's not young enough to be easily manupilated either, which is why I'm totally pressuring you to stay on target and don't waffle about it, do the needfuls, make all the pre-talk preparations you can, cause it's gonna be people she trusts that make this happen, not a pretty man's face and convincing tone. And besides, it's you trusted new friends that are going to find out the clues about the how." And there's a Branton! She makes grabby hands. She's sitting on a blanket and has been chipping orrery stones into spheres.
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Branton blinks a couple of times at Irsa as he plops down next to his mate in a space free of chips or bits, responding "I'm going to need some clarification. Safe could mean a lottttttttttt of things." He nods to Rhapsody and adds "Who? Learning what? I probably have books for it or I can get some."
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Rhapsody takes in a big breath and tells Branton all about it. "We went to the library and met this sweet lady there. Turns out she is a pre-change Theurge cub, with a kin fetch, and knows nothing of Gaia or shifters or any of that - just has been a librarian living outside the nation for the last 63 years." All that in one breath! "We brought this to Mercy's Messenger'rhya as it was above our paygrade, and were working out a plan of action that includes taking the information to the Den Father and then finding out about a rite from Bane-Breaker'rhya to help trace her heritage. Oh and figuring out how to bring her in gently without breaking her brain."
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"Yeah, what she said," Irsa adds, taking this opportunity to fetch out more snacks. Not Snax-snacks, alas! She's fresh out. Fruit leather, strawberry this time.
Irsa offers that around, sharing is caring!
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Trey nods slowly at this and offers Branton the tin with maple sugar candy, looking like he's curious to see where this is all going to go. "I think she's definitely going to need some TLC," he says, in agreement with earlier statements. "But I imagine she's gotta be pretty tough, too, never once having lost it."
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Branton gets a wide eyed look for a second and holds up a finger and rummages through his pouches for a moment "I really don't know how someone could go through the Change that late but the other question I can actually solve. Not a rite but something that got made once but the materials just don't exist to make it again." He fishes out a flat oval shaped stone about three inches long by two wide with rows upon rows of tiny glyphs and runes "Its called a Stone of Blood's Revelation." He does take some candy and fruit leather with his free hand.
<---======##=====[ Item Stone of Blood's Revelation: 344492 ]=====##======--->
- ........................ Owner:............Branton Type:..........0/Anything
level:..................1
Created:.20210409-2342 by HoneyBadger Name:.....Stone of Blood's Revelation
Updated:.20210409-2344 by HoneyBadger
Effect:The kinfolk or Garou sheds blood on the stone and either they or someone else concentrates to activate it spend 1 wp and roll willpower vs diff 4. Each success on the roll causes garou glyphs to appear on the stone with details about Fera type, tribal and house/camp affiliation, and even names of notable Ancestors. (Emulates Thaumaturgy Path of Blood level 1)
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
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Mercy nods as Rhapsody lays it out, "Sixty friggidy three, Branton. Librarian. Whaaaaaaat! So I've advised them to start setting some things up, get some people able to handle her job and home while she's getting the introduction to the world. Bryan'll likely have some better ideas than me on how to handle a newbie," she agrees with Irsa and Rhapsody, "But I and possibly also Trey are on stand by to do any dream influence she might need in order to open her up to things. I cant even wait to meet her, she sounds like an absolute peach!" And Branton produces a super relevant thing! "Hey, great!"
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Rhapsody mmms, "Blood. We are going to need her to be willing to give it up. But I think the offer of new books, new learning? That can be a big help in this transition. Branton, I'm sure you have books on subjects that could be appropriate? Or know where we could find some?"
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"Well, she's old," Irsa points out. "She's gotta have a doctor, yeah?" Ideas, she has them on occassion. "Can you use older stuff, or does it need t' be fresh?" she asks Branton.
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Trey nods agreement to Mercy and says, "I'm surely willing to help. Maybe she'd be easier talking to a lynx? She likes cats. Oh! Wait, you can be a cat..." A pause. "Sorry, overthinking things. But yeah, how were you thinking of doing the dream-thing?" He gazes at Irsa with that question and huhs. "I wouldn't've thought of that." Mainly because he's never been to a doctor in his life.
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"I think you should get her to do it." Mercy opines with a grin and a shrug, knowing full well that 'hey lady, bleed on this rock for me' is a totally morbid thing. "She's a Theurge, and a brain, there's gonna be a part of her that's totally down to play with magic, even if she thinks it's just to disprove it." She shrugs at Trey and says, "Well, it'll be tricky, but possible. It's just realm travel like any other, and there's rites to help knock us into the correct zone for our sleeping minds to go find her sleeping mind."
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Branton nods at Rhapsody and grins "Find out what she's into and I either have or can get books that appeal. What sort of library does she work at? What does she do there?" Then to irsa he frowns "I...don't know, I've never tested that. I know it works with Liquid blood and it doesn't have to be freely given. Technically. Really I think the question needs to be addressed about how she is still pre-change and sixty three years old. What ever caused the delay or the false positive...could change the outcomes of any divinatory magic. Something more has to be going on here."
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Rhapsody nods to Branton. "She was adopted into another state from where she came from as an infant. She was told her father died before she was born and her mother disappeared. My theory is that her mom either cast a spell on her, possibly a kin mage, and that hid her and stopped her change - while they took care of some threat. Problem is - the threat won and she was lost." It's just a theory. "She works at the library a few blocks from our pack house."
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Irsa shrugs at Trey's question. "I ain't got th' Gifts nor Rites for Dreaming. Not yet, anyway. And I'm thinkin' it's probably not smart to wait on me pickin' those up. I don't wanna rush things, but I don't wanna be too slow, neither." She points at Mercy, nodding along. "Yeah, like that. Uh, Rhapsody? What was she sayin' to you, when you were talking?." Peeking from the Umbra only goes so far. She shrugs at Branton. "Someone hid her, pretty good at that. Chameleon spirit, and it's a beefy one. Never seen that with a Kin fetch before, but never seen that kinda lizard used, neither. Most folk stick to their Tribe's totem broods."
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Trey huhs. "And we're sure she's definitely Garou and not something else?" He chews his lower lip and thinks about this some more. "The kind of spirit makes me think there's a lot to this story that could be discovered. I think the theory about a mage parent is a plausible one."
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"It'd make some sense if she - her mom I mean - didn't have like a Garou support network around her, or if that network died with her. Assuming she died." Mercy says, "City folk maybe, gotta keep the kiddo's rage suppressed." She nods with a gesture at Trey and says, "We should triple check, I think the oddness demands it." She turns a confused face to the ladies though and asks, "Why *do* you think there's a mage as a parent? Like... There's a spirit involved, that's our bag, was there something going on that was more arcane than Gaian?"
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Rhapsody nods to Trey, "I'm sure. The spirit made it clear too." She kinda shrugs to Mercy, "Mostly because that is the one thing that makes sense to me with my limited knowledge that could hide that. It could be something else though. I just do not know." At that point she sees an impatient looking Athro at the ritual clearing. "I got to go drop this stuff off. Tomorrow, reconvene?" She says to Irsa. "Thank you everyone for all your thoughts and help. Together... we'll figure something out!" And she grabs her basket and heads off.
Rhapsody goes home.
Rhapsody has left.
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"She's Garou," Irsa confirms. "Confirmed it with a Gift, and that spirit is for sure a Wyld spirit. I dunno much 'bout Mages, but I dunno know that any would try and hide an infant cub."
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You say, “Because really, when it comes to dealing with spirits, it's either shifters or mages. And I know of some mages, or types of them, who deal with nature spirits. They have their own folks who call themselves shamans." He shrugs. "A sorcerer with a lot of skill is possible, but you don't meet many sorcerers with that level of diversity in magical skills. I mean, how often do you run into a Kin Sorcerer like Branton? Mages are also..." He tries to figure out how to put this. "They have their own motives, and they're not always selfish or contrary to what we might want. But it could just be a very skilled theurge who worked that magic. And if it's a kin fetch... I don't think a kin fetch would answer to a mage, now that I think about it.”
Trey adds, pensively, "I'm sorry if I'm muddying the waters here."
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Branton frowns and considers "A spirit yeah but this is a serious deviation from how those sorts of pacts usually work. And to suppress a first change is some major will working. Its almost got to be some sort of mage or a really potent greater spirit." Pointing at Trey and adding "It could be a Dreamspeaker thing or a Verbena. Heck even the Order of Hermes have some history of working with certain kinds of spirits But of the three they are the least likely to be friendly to the Garou. Shamanism or Witchcraft are a more likely bet."
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"If it was their kid, sure, but..." Mercy wobbles her head side to side, "Mages are rare, kinmagi even more rare, and it's a chameleon spirit, they hide things, that's like... their thing. I think it's not impossible, but it's much more likely her mom was a garou and either herself bound a talented spirit to her daughter, or had a packmate do it, and kin fetch her at the same time just in case. I don't think a mage would even know to *do* a kin fetch without having actual garou around to tell them that, in which case a wolf wouldn't let a mage do that unless there was literally no other option. That's a bit on the sacrilegious side of things since we're the ones with the age old pact with spirits. And if everyone involved in dealing with the chameleon were dead or somehow otherwise gone-ed, the spirit itself might not have been told when to *stop* suppressing Agnes's rage. 'Do this until I get back' is something we tell spirits, cause... I mean we never really think we're gonna die. And then they don't come back and it just keeps plugging away at its directive."
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"We don't got a lick of proof 'bout that bein' Mage stuff," Irsa remarks. "I ain't meanin' to piss on th' theory, but I have got t' say this -- Mages, most of 'em, would gladly suck this caern dry, if we weren't here t' defend it." She takes a slow breath. "I ain't mad, don't even think that. But I trust Mages 'bout as far as I can throw 'em, for damn good reason. We had a group of 'em show up here not long before I arrived, and they weren't here t' borrow a cup of sugar from th' sept. And there's centuries of tales, 'bout what they do to our caerns," she adds for Trey. "But yeah, it's worth checkin' out that spirit. That, our theurges can easily do."
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Trey nods again, and hrms. "I'm speaking purely from conjecture, I admit. But they're *capable* of it. Except the part about it being a kin-fetch, and Kin-Mages are, like Iris said, rare. I'm left with a lot of supposition and questions, and I think I should sort 'em out before I babble," he says ruefully.
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Branton nods slowly and considers "And we know of at least one other time something that seems similar to this has happened. And if we hear back from the Ancestor responsible, we might even get to ask her about how this sort of thing would work." Then he looks to his mate and asks a bit tentatively "Do you think she'd help? Its not our tribe's business exactly. At least we don't think so."
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"Witches stick their noses in things, so why the hell not?" Mercy says to Branton with a smile and a shrug. "But before people get too deep in their theories and start tapping their resources, take it back to ground level and start checking the details. Chat up the spirit, chat up the lady, figure out how to get that stone used. I mean we're goin wild with speculations when we might only have to ask the lizard who set it to work and it's all oh, lemme tell you ALL about her, and the mystery collapses like a flan in a cupboard. We should definitely think of what resources we CAN bring to bear on this for whatever eventuality, but we don't need to jump on them yet." She grins though, theorizing and trying to pick apart a puzzle is *fun*!
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"Don't worry none 'bout that. Like I said, I ain't mad," Irsa assures Trey. "Me, I'm leanin' towards what Iris is sayin'. Chameleons hide in plain sight. It's what they do. And all it could say to us was ~ Cub. Bargain. Hide. Protect.~, she adds, quoting the spirit in its own tongue. "I dunno who struck that bargain, but whoever it was wanted that cub hidden an' safe. It's pretty sleepy, but you could feel th' strength comin' off the spirit."
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Trey hrms at that. "It sounds like it wasn't very smart, but... huh. I wonder..." He smiles and stops himself before another round of speculation begins. "Well, I am going to check my own books and notes, but I am pretty sure I don't have anything more definite than we've said. Still, I'm here if you need another set of hands. Or paws." He flashes a grin -- he doesn't have any hard feelings.
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"This'll be nice! What a strange, delicate thing this all is." Mercy says with a bright grin. New cubs are great, and Agnes just sounds wonderful, from what she's heard. "But, till any of that... I'm going to Niagra Falls. With whomever is available to go! Trey, maybe Irsa and Rhapsody, maybe Memo, maybe you if you're not busy. I've *just now* decided that this is happening tomorrow, in case this whole cub thing puts the kybosh on traveling for a while."
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"Rhapsody and I wanna get ahead of this," Irsa remarks to her mentor. "But it might take a couple days t' get word around th' sept for that Rite, so it could still be a go for th' trip. I'll let ya know if we can't make it, for whatever reason."
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Trey nods and says, "I can do tomorrow," with a light chuckle. "You know me, I try to always be ready to just go."
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"Yeah, and like it's a day trip with the *possibility* of an over nighter and returning in the morning." Mercy makes sure to emphasize that this isn't a week long 'I wanna go to Neptune' type of a trip, "Little sight seeing, little picture time, socialize with the sept neighbors, that's about it. If you've got your phone with you, you can still work!" Mercy tries to tempt against resistance like some kind of road tripping siren.
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Trey rises and says, "I'm gonna get a few things done tonight, still, and I'll head back here tomorrow to meet up, then?"
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"Absolutely!" Iris beams, "I'm gonna go talk to some Theurges about making some gifts, gimme a call when you're ready to get together!"
