Tower of Ghenjei: An ICanon subplot

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

3 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

"But ironic? Why? And why do you keep almost calling her her childhood nickname?"

"I'm not... Look, forgive me if I don't want to say to much."

 

1 minute ago, Ranryu said:

Kill you or die trying. And even if I die, I won't stop trying. I can't set the Hunt on you because you've done nothing wrong by universal standards, but I have no doubt that you'll cross the line eventually.

Wynn raised her fist in farewell, then ended the spell.

"Nice to know I'm not alone." She muttered to herself. "Now to my room..."

And how do you plan on accomplishing your task?

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"I'm not... Look, forgive me if I don't want to say to much."

 

And how do you plan on accomplishing your task?

She shrugged and sat back. "I suppose that's fair. I'll dig it up eventually."

[Ranryu she/her]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

And how do you plan on accomplishing your task?

That's for me to know and you to find out.

Wynn made her way through a network of tunnels high in the trees' canopies. 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

A bored-looking man in minimal steel armor knocked on Death's gates. "Afternoon," he called.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

She shrugged and sat back. "I suppose that's fair. I'll dig it up eventually."

I'm sure you will.

He directed his attention back to Haly and her betrothed. I wonder what they're talking about. He burned tin, enhancing his senses to hear, and flinching visibly at the increased strength of the light.

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

A bored-looking man in minimal steel armor knocked on Death's gates. "Afternoon," he called.

The gate admitted him, and the doors swung open. "What do you want?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

I'm sure you will.

He directed his attention back to Haly and her betrothed. I wonder what they're talking about. He burned tin, enhancing his senses to hear, and flinching visibly at the increased strength of the light.

The gate admitted him, and the doors swung open. "What do you want?"

"...beautiful countryside. The palace is so different--sleek and spiraley rather than a huge fortress." It was the man.

Haly nodded. "Yeah, I've always liked it."

He waited a moment, wondering if she'd say something else, but she didn't. "I hear you have a lot of siblings."

"Four sisters, two adopted, and three brothers, two adopted."

"Are they here?"

"Just the blood ones. Sykel's there, Jaera skipped out, and Cjehu's not here."

"Oh."

They both fell silent, Haley very interested in her food.

---

"Looking around. I'll need a tour."

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

3 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

"...beautiful countryside. The palace is so different--sleek and spiraley rather than a huge fortress." It was the man.

Haly nodded. "Yeah, I've always liked it."

He waited a moment, wondering if she'd say something else, but she didn't. "I hear you have a lot of siblings."

"Four sisters, two adopted, and three brothers, two adopted."

"Are they here?"

"Just the blood ones. Sykel's there, Jaera skipped out, and Cjehu's not here."

"Oh."

They both fell silent, Haley very interested in her food.

---

"Looking around. I'll need a tour."

Well, he doesn't seem too bad...

TAAron turned to the woman. "Do you know how long until this is over?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

Well, he doesn't seem too bad...

TAAron turned to the woman. "Do you know how long until this is over?"

"Should be any minute now. Ah, see, they're clearing the dishes." Indeed, servants shuttled the food from the table through doors that presumably led to the kitchen. "They'll formally end it soon."

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

"Should be any minute now. Ah, see, they're clearing the dishes." Indeed, servants shuttled the food from the table through doors that presumably led to the kitchen. "They'll formally end it soon."

"Great." TAAron sat or the rest of the feast, wondering where he would go once it ended. Back to the room, maybe?

Quote

Did you see the response from Death?

 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Great." TAAron sat or the rest of the feast, wondering where he would go once it ended. Back to the room, maybe?

 

Quote

I thought they were both TAAron.

A woman sitting in the center of the long side of the table stood up and raised her hands. She had long brown hair and features remeniscent of Haly. A small, delicate crown rested in her hair, and she wore a long cream dress. "Thank you all for coming tonight. I shall retire, as shall my family. Feel free to leave or stay as you wish." Haly and Sykel both stood up, and the three left into the hall. 

"It was more ceremonious at the beginning," the woman whispered. "Per the custom."

---

"Excuse me, I said I need a tour."

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

2 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

A woman sitting in the center of the long side of the table stood up and raised her hands. She had long brown hair and features remeniscent of Haly. A small, delicate crown rested in her hair, and she wore a long cream dress. "Thank you all for coming tonight. I shall retire, as shall my family. Feel free to leave or stay as you wish." Haly and Sykel both stood up, and the three left into the hall. 

"It was more ceremonious at the beginning," the woman whispered. "Per the custom."

---

"Excuse me, I said I need a tour."

TAAron stood up, but didn't go anywhere. He didn't want to seem suspicious, going to Haly's room... He decided to wait and see where others went.

Quote

Back when the person showed up in the underworld, I responded.

 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

TAAron stood up, but didn't go anywhere. He didn't want to seem suspicious, going to Haly's room... He decided to wait and see where others went.

 

Quote

Yeah I know I put three lines before he said "Looking around; I need a tour."

Some people stayed, chatting. Others left the room, headed down a staircase, and went out the door. The woman beckoned him to follow her with a small group of people past those stairs and down another hallway.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

2 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

Some people stayed, chatting. Others left the room, headed down a staircase, and went out the door. The woman beckoned him to follow her with a small group of people past those stairs and down another hallway.

Quote

Ohhhhhh

TAAron glanced at where Haly had left, but reluctantly followed the group.

---

"I don't give tours."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

TAAron glanced at where Haly had left, but reluctantly followed the group.

---

"I don't give tours."

"Who might you be?" Asked a man with a little stubble and short hair. 

"This is Evander Carstile, appointed Watcher of Redeline," the woman answered for him. 

He nodded, eyes roving over TAAron's face. "Nice to meet you. Daente Puerten, Coordinator of Foreign Communication."

---

"You do now," the man scoffed. "Let's get on with it, please."

Edited December 30, 2022 by The Halcyon Girl

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

2 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

"Who might you be?" Asked a man with a little stubble and short hair. 

"This is Evander Carstile, appointed Watcher of Redeline," the woman answered for him. 

He nodded, eyes roving over TAAron's face. "Nice to meet you. Daente Puerten, Coordinator of Foreign Communication."

---

"You do now," the man scoffed. "Let's get on with it, please."

"Nice to meet you too. What are we doing here?"

---

"Who are you, man?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 hour ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Nice to meet you too. What are we doing here?"

---

"Who are you, man?"

"Heading back to the politician quarters. When we're in the palace, we prefer to be near the center of power, so there's a wing in the castle for all us dignitaries. We'll find you a room, then introduce you to the princess."

"That's custom too," the woman added.

Daente blinked.

---

"I'm here representing the Wild Hunt. I'm here to survey the quality of this place. Tour. Now." He was impatient.

Edited December 30, 2022 by The Halcyon Girl

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

"Heading back to the politician quarters. When we're in the palace, we prefer to be near the center of power, so there's a wing in the castle for all us dignitaries. We'll find you a room, then introduce you to the princess."

"That's custom too," the woman added.

Daente blinked.

---

"I'm here representing the Wild Hunt. I'm here to survey the quality of this place. Tour. Now." He wasn't impatient.

"Meet... Right." Well, this could have been worse.

---

"You've already pretty much seen it all. Souls about their business, interacting."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Meet... Right." Well, this could have been worse.

---

"You've already pretty much seen it all. Souls about their business, interacting."

They arrived in a hallway that opened out into a large, round, dark-wooded room with lots of doors on the walls. Some had a red and gold plaque with a name, and others were blank. 

"Pick any room and I'll get that plaque set up while Ashli here takes you to Evalyn," Daente directed, indicating the woman, "since you already seem acquainted."

---

He squinted disapprovingly and scribbled something in a notepad. "Yes, I can see that. But the punishments and rewards?"

Edited December 30, 2022 by The Halcyon Girl

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

They arrived in a hallway that opened out into a large, round, dark-wooded room with lots of doors on the walls. Some had a red and gold plaque with a name, and others were blank. 

"Pick any room and I'll get that plaque set up while Ashli here takes you to Evalyn," Daente directed, indicating the woman, "since you already seem acquainted."

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter much." He indicated the one nearest him, then turned to the woman. "We go, then?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

8 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter much." He indicated the one nearest him, then turned to the woman. "We go, then?"

"Off we go," Ashli agreed. They traversed the halls to Haly's room, then knocked. 

Haly opened it, looking rather tired, but she straightened when she saw Ashli. "Another new one?"

"I'll leave you to get acquainted and return soon." Ashli left.

Haly slumped, feeling suddenly exhausted. "Thanks for being there, even though it was so boring. Come in."

---

He squinted disapprovingly and scribbled something in a notepad. "Yes, I can see that. But the punishments and rewards?"

Edited December 30, 2022 by The Halcyon Girl

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

2 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

"Off we go," Ashli agreed. They traversed the halls to Haly's room, then knocked. 

Haly opened it, looking rather tired, but she straightened when she saw Ashli. "Another new one?"

"I'll leave you to get acquainted and return soon." Ashli left.

Haly slumped, feeling suddenly exhausted. "Thanks for being there, even though it was so boring. Come in."

---

He squinted disapprovingly and scribbled something in a notepad. "Yes, I can see that. But the punishments and rewards?"

He entered. "That's alright. Although, she figured out that I wasn't who I said pretty quick. How are you doing?"

---

"The worst ones get isolated, the best get room in the castle and decay more slowly."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

He entered. "That's alright. Although, she figured out that I wasn't who I said pretty quick. How are you doing?"

---

"The worst ones get isolated, the best get room in the castle and decay more slowly."

"...fine. Just tired." She rubbed one eye. "Who did you say you were? How much does she know?"

---

"'Room in the castle'. That's the best you offer? And at worse, isolation?" He scribbled some more. "And the souls are under your influence at times, yes?"

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

"...fine. Just tired." She rubbed one eye. "Who did you say you were? How much does she know?"

---

"'Room in the castle'. That's the best you offer? And at worse, isolation?" He scribbled some more. "And the souls are under your influence at times, yes?"

He looked ashamed. "I couldn't really come up with a lie. She knows I'm not from here, and that I know you. I'm sorry, I'm no good at this."

---

"The ones that have fully degraded become the mists. At that point, they are subject to my influence."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

9 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

He looked ashamed. "I couldn't really come up with a lie. She knows I'm not from here, and that I know you. I'm sorry, I'm no good at this."

---

"The ones that have fully degraded become the mists. At that point, they are subject to my influence."

She shook her head. "No, its fine. I'm just glad you're here. It's amazing to have someone around who I can trust completely."

---

"And the other ones? They are not?"

Quote

Apologies, techno difficulties

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by The Halcyon Girl

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

She shook her head. "No, its fine. I'm just glad you're here. It's amazing to have someone around who I can trust completely."

---

"And the other ones? They are not?"

He felt a warmth in his chest at the words, and his face reddened. Again. "Thanks. I... What do you think of him? Ashlie said she was hoping you might be able to, uh, get along at first." He emphasized those words, thinking of what she had really said.

---

"They probably could be, in an emergency. I haven't tried."