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Imrama Renovations are well underway in the former House of Sullen Murmurings, the Stygian Embassy of the Exalted Deliberative. Spectral servants are busy about the estate clearing carefully arranged cobwebs and repairing heirloom cracks in the outer walls and support columns. Under their care, the building is beginning to take on the look of something almost new - a sure way to set it apart from...
Imrama ...neighboring construction on the streets of Stygia.
Imrama Inside, in the freshly re-decorated den, surrounded by tapestries of bronze, silver and gold, the Shadeborn Holbar sits down to tea with Varanim and Imrama. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Chosen of Pluto. I am particularly grateful for the consideration, given your past experiences with my Circlemates." Imrama offers tea to his guest.
Holbar accepts the tea with a grunt and throws back the entire cup in a single gulp.
Imrama * And also Spring is there too! *
Varanim leans against a table topped with a vase of extinct flower-memories, one fingertip tapping constellations as she addresses Holbar. "You've been around long enough to see the state of the Underworld. Most people know what to do with their lives, but not their deaths. The Shadeborn can help fix that broken social order."
Holbar "Right."
Varanim opens her mouth to continue, then squints a bit at Holbar. "Is that a 'yes, how clever of you Varanim' right, or a you're-blowing-me-off right?"
Holbar "Not much for pleasantries," he says.
Imrama raises his hands broadly in a conciliatory motion. "That's perfectly fair, Holbar of the Shattered Rock. We won't ask them of you if you don't them of us. But it begs the question: if not for pleasantries, what are you much for?"
Holbar "Not giving up," he says.
Imrama cracks a smile and laughs lightly as he nods. "I can assure you, then, that you are in good company." He downs his tea in the same manner as Holbar and proceeds. "We have noticed that a dangerous and saddening number of ghosts do not share this trait, however, and surrender to the void, damaging the cycle of reincarnation and strengthening the adversaries of Creation. We would like to enlist...
Imrama ...your help in addressing this problem. More tea?"
Holbar hands his cup to Imrama. "And how do you plan to do that?"
Varanim "Tactical benevolence." Varanim tosses Holbar a small, neatly rolled scroll.
Holbar opens it up and takes a look.
Spring ::Do not forget to emphasize the part of the plan where we do not become an evil empire.::
Varanim Inside is the collected wisdom of Varanim's research and experience on the troubles of ghosthood, condensed into a list of twelve behavioral guidelines--simple in form, but far-reaching in implication. Notably absent are suggestions of loyalty to any particular person or political body.
Varanim "These things should be done, but they can't be forced."
Varanim ::Don't worry, I hate empires.::
Holbar "Hrmm."
Varanim seems to be willing to wait for him to think it through, as her finger taps out the sign of the Feather.
Varanim ::You people knew this guy before he died, right?::
Spring ::We killed him. It is not as good a way to meet people as you might think.::
Varanim ::Well, what was he like before you killed him?::
Holbar continues perusing the list, offering no visible sign of intent to speak.
Imrama pours tea for Holbar and himself, and produces a bottle of churning green fluid. "May I offer you a shot of pyreflame brandy in your tea?"
Spring ::Our nemesis.::
Holbar "Sure," he says, and after his long perusal he looks like he's finally finished. "So you want every ghost to settle down and adopt a self-help regiment."
Varanim ::You can't imagine that narrows it down usefully, so I'll assume you're being snide.::
Spring ::We never spoke.::
Varanim "No, I want a small group of dedicated people to quietly spread this word and see that it's not exterminated before ghosts have a chance to hear it. The rest will be up to them."
Holbar "Uh huh," he says, and shoots down his latest, brand-infused tea with a satisfied grimace. "That's doable."
Imrama finishes his own tea. "I am glad to hear that. Is there any way in which we can be of assistance to you and your fellow Shadeborn on this matter, or any other area of our mutual interest?"
Varanim looks faintly surprised. ::Is talking to people always this easy with you?::
Imrama ::You have your field of of expertise, and I have mine.::
Holbar "I'll tell you if there is." He stands up. "As for anything else... we're going to send a rep to the Deliberative, and you can ask them."
Varanim grunts and nods to Holbar's agreement, already scowling in thought about something.
Imrama ::What's got that look on your face?::
Varanim ::Hm? Nothing. I just... don't usually start projects like this.::
Imrama ::Ah. Only attracted to the difficult cases.::
Tags: (:tags :) < A Heavy Destiny | Sol Invictus Logs | Return to the Basement >
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