The Scholar's Guild

[Gears]

2 minutes ago, Invocation said:

Stormlight?

"Investiture. Equivalent to energy and mass." This statue was unfamiliar with common terminology, indicating a lack of knowledge concerning Roshar at the very least. Still could be an uninformed entity from another planet, though once a person was worldhopping, they usually knew about most types of Investiture.

@Rushu42

[Rushu42 she/her]

4 minutes ago, Invocation said:

This time more than just a question mark, but that dreaded punctuation of inquisitivity was still there. ... - --- .-. -- .-.. .. --. .... - ..--..

Stormlight?

Quote

Gotcha. Aln won't know that yet, though, so I'll have her ask.

Aln cocked her head. This...person didn't know what Stormlight was? They couldn't be native to the Alleyverse, then, or anywhere else Cosmere aware. And she had certainly never seen anything like this before. Awakened object seemed mostly ruled out, so it was likely the result of a variable system of Investiture. It didn't seem to fit with a Smedry Talent, so she took a gamble. As soon as Gears finished explaining Stormlight, Aln replaced the sphere. "Was an Epic involved in this?"

@Gears

[+Invocation]

17 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

"Was an Epic involved in this?"

Three words again. -- . .-.-.- / --- - .... . .-. .-.-.- / .- - - .- -.-. -.- .-.-.-

Me. Other. Attack.

@Gears

[Rushu42 she/her]

Just now, Invocation said:

Three words again. -- . .-.-.- / --- - .... . .-. .-.-.- / .- - - .- -.-. -.- .-.-.-

Me. Other. Attack.

@Gears

The way the statue phrased that implied two Epics, and a fight. Clearly, the one before them had lost. "So you are an Epic as well? And another Epic attacked yu and turned you into stone?"

@Invocation

[+Invocation]

2 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

"So you are an Epic as well? And another Epic attacked yu and turned you into stone?"

A much longer phrase. It was a wonder the sphere lasted through the whole thing, even if it had died directly after. .--. . - .-. .. ..-. .. . -.. .-.-.- / --- - .... . .-. / .--. --- .-- . .-. .-.-.- / .- .-.. -- --- ... - / -.. . .- -.. .-.-.-

Petrified. Other power. Almost dead.

@Gears

[Rushu42 she/her]

Just now, Invocation said:

A much longer phrase. It was a wonder the sphere lasted through the whole thing, even if it had died directly after. .--. . - .-. .. ..-. .. . -.. .-.-.- / --- - .... . .-. / .--. --- .-- . .-. .-.-.- / .- .-.. -- --- ... - / -.. . .- -.. .-.-.-

Petrified. Other power. Almost dead.

@Gears

Did it mean that the other power was almost dead, or that it itself was dying? It didn't seem worth a sphere to work out the specifics. It was clear that the petrified epic needed help. She replaced the sphere again. "Do you know how to return yourself to human form?"

[+Invocation]

2 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

"Do you know how to return yourself to human form?"

A return to an earlier message with that one: .-.. .. ..-. . .-.-.- / -. . . -.. / -- --- .-. . .-.-.-

Life. Need more. 

@Gears

[Rushu42 she/her]

1 minute ago, Invocation said:

A return to an earlier message with that one: .-.. .. ..-. . .-.-.- / -. . . -.. / -- --- .-. . .-.-.-

Life. Need more. 

@Gears

More life? That must be referencing the plants it had been draining .. and the drain she had experienced herself. She drummed her fingers on her arm, thinking. As signified by the progress it had made before, it would be inefficient to provide it with foliage to drain, and allowing to to absorb the life of a human was out of the question. It was probable, however, that Progression would prove a worthy stand-in. She rolled up her sleeves, then paused, and switched the sphere. "If we manage to heal you, what will you do?"

@Gears

[+Invocation]

1 minute ago, Rushu42 said:

"If we manage to heal you, what will you do?"

Very simple this time: --. . - / -- --- .-. . / .-.. .. ..-. .

Get more life.

@Gears

[Rushu42 she/her]

1 minute ago, Invocation said:

Very simple this time: --. . - / -- --- .-. . / .-.. .. ..-. .

Get more life.

@Gears

"As in, you'll continue to leech from plants? And people? I don't know that I can let you free if you're planning to hurt anyone."

@Gears

[+Invocation]

3 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

"As in, you'll continue to leech from plants? And people? I don't know that I can let you free if you're planning to hurt anyone."

@Gears

Again with the threes came the message: ... -- .- .-.. .-.. .-.-.- / --.- ..- .. . - .-.-.- / .. -- -- --- .-. - .- .-.. .. - -.-- .-.-.-

Small. Quiet. Immortality.

@Gears

[Rushu42 she/her]

Just now, Invocation said:

Again with the threes came the message: ... -- .- .-.. .-.. .-.-.- / --.- ..- .. . - .-.-.- / .. -- -- --- .-. - .- .-.. .. - -.-- .-.-.-

Small. Quiet. Immortality.

@Gears

"Small, quiet, immortality"? What did that mean? It was as if the statue was deliberately trying to confuse. It likely meant that it wanted immortality, but did it mean that it would stay small and quiet, or that it would leech from small, quiet things? Aln tried a different tactic. "If we heal you, will you stay and answer our questions?"

@Gears

[+Invocation]

Just now, Rushu42 said:

"If we heal you, will you stay and answer our questions?"

And here the conversation takes an odd dip. It's not the same language as before, Latin, this time: --.- ..- .. -.. / .--. .-. --- / --.- ..- --- ..--..

Quid pro quo?

@Gears

[Rushu42 she/her]

6 minutes ago, Invocation said:

And here the conversation takes an odd dip. It's not the same language as before, Latin, this time: --.- ..- .. -.. / .--. .-. --- / --.- ..- --- ..--..

Quid pro quo?

@Gears

An unknown language. One from the Earths, she was sure. Was it Latin? She had heard of Latin in her studies, and the word forms seemed to fit, but she had never bothered to learn it. She had enough on her plate studying the most common current languages without bothering with dead ones. Aln stepped over to a bookshelf and ran her fingers along the spines, searching. Didn't she have a Latin dictionary? She thought she had picked one up - but no. She'd never been to Earth. She must have been remembering something else. Instead, she turned to Dr. Gears. "Do you understand that?"

@Gears

Edited August 6, 2020 by Rushu42
typo

[Gears]

10 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

"Do you understand that?"

"Quid pro quo, the idea of reciprocation, particularly when relating to favors. It seems to be saying that it will answer our questions in exchange for our aid."

[Rushu42 she/her]

2 minutes ago, Gears said:

"Quid pro quo, the idea of reciprocation, particularly when relating to favors. It seems to be saying that it will answer our questions in exchange for our aid."

Aln nodded. That made sense, and the deal itself seemed fair. But it had been so vague about whether it would hurt anyone. If she freed it from the statue, and it went on to cause damage, would she be to blame? Was the knowledge to be acquired from the Epic worth the risk? She sighed, turning the matter over in her mind. I'm a Truthwatcher. But what does that mean? Certainly not that I know the answers. 

Finally, she nodded again, this time to herself, and spoke. "I will help you to the best of my abilities. In exchange, you will tell me what you know, to the best of your abilities. Do we have a deal?"

@Invocation

[+Invocation]

2 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

"I will help you to the best of my abilities. In exchange, you will tell me what you know, to the best of your abilities. Do we have a deal?"

One word, very simple: -.. --- -. . .-.-.-

Done.

@Gears

[Rushu42 she/her]

1 minute ago, Invocation said:

One word, very simple: -.. --- -. . .-.-.-

Done.

@Gears

Aln began to strip the aluminum coating from the rest of the statue. Her mind was still riddled with doubts. Pel had told her to help people. That's what she was doing, right? She was helping the Epic who had turned to stone. And yet, it still felt as if she was selling out. Like she was allowing people to be hurt for the sake of a bit of information. Well, she thought, so be it. Seeking knowledge is my job.

She circled the room, removing any charged spheres from the lamps on the wall. By the time she had finished, the only light in the building was cupped in her hands. She placed the spheres on the table, beside the statue, and rested her hands on the cold stone of the Epic's arm. An inhale drew  the Stormlight into her body, and she felt the storm claim her veins, raging and pulsing. She channeled that energy outward, letting the light stream from her to the statue, until every last bit was drained. 

Quote

If it doesn't seem to be working, she'd stop before using all her stormlight. Otherwise, it's all going in.

@Gears

[+Invocation]

Life. Glorious life. 

Where was it coming from?

She didn't know.

How long had it been? 

She didn't know.

Was she still under attack?

She didn't know.

But there was someone asking her questions...

And she could respond.

*

Life. Glorious, unrestrained, rushing life.

It was a river - an ocean - of pure life rushing into her. The same kind as before, unfamiliar to her, but just as effective. 

And for the first time since she regained consciousness, she twitched her fingers.

Once. Twice. Three times. 

It became easier every time.

Quote

I'm gonna give y'all a chance to respond to the statue suddenly twitching its fingers before I move on to the rest of the resurrection. 

@Rushu42 @Gears

[Gears]

Dr. Gears watched as the statue began to move its fingers. It seemed that Progression was indeed successful, as expected. Given that Stormlight healed it, by logical extension, Progression would heal it as well. Fascinating. Possible applications: Hibernation, infiltration, decoration

@Rushu42 @Invocation

[Rushu42 she/her]

Through the glow of the stormlight, Aln saw the fingers of the statue beginning to move. It's working, she thought, exhilarated. Or perhaps that was merely the effect of the energy streaming through her. This was the most stormlight she had ever handled at one time, and the effect was nearly overwhelming. Nevertheless, she redoubled her efforts, focusing on healing even faster.

@Invocation @Gears

[+Invocation]

The rock coating her skin began to crack as she moved her elbow. It had been so long, even with the...gap...in her memories. Another crack sounded and air flooded in, blessedly cold. Another feeling she'd been missing out on in her stiflingly stagnant stone shell. It felt like one more good push would do it. 

One. More. Push. 

She lurched against the inside of the now slightly-loose encasement, and, to her great relief, the other half gave with another crack. 

She stepped out, taking a deep breath. Her first true breath since before that...incident...with the claim-jumper. Unfortunate that it had to end the way it had, but she had another chance now. But that second chance could not be started by being rude to her hosts. She was in...a library? Not somewhere she normally would have been, but so be it. 

She also had to stop herself from reflexively draining vitality from everything around her. Even at a low drain, who knew the effects it could have? It couldn't be risked without knowing how badly it might reflect on her. 

Oh yes. She needed to say something. Mustn't be impolite. One more breath first. 

"Thank you for freeing me."

Quote

If you need a reference to what she looks like for your posts, she's a fairly tall African woman with a wiry build, short hair, and blue eyes. 

@Rushu42 @Gears

[Rushu42 she/her]

The room fell into darkness as the last of the Stormlight was expended, and she stumbled back, drained. She could make out a figure rising from the table, but the details of their appearance were obscured in darkness. Aln forced herself to her feet and retrieved an electric lantern from a drawer. Flicking it on revealed a tall, wiry woman, with the same bright blue eyes that had unnerved her when on the statue. Did she just say something? If she had, Aln had missed it. "Right," she said vaguely, hoping that the response was appropriate. It was hard to think through her sudden exhaustion. "Um, do you have a name?"

@Invocation @Gears

[+Invocation]

2 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

"Um, do you have a name?"

"Once, yes. But now I am only Deadspot," she sighed, still regretting the loss of her family name. 

@Gears

Edited August 9, 2020 by Invocation

[Gears]

14 minutes ago, Invocation said:

"Once, yes. But now I am only Deadspot," she sighed, still regretting the loss of her family name. 

Dr. Gears wrote down the statue's mononym. Signs of regret related to name. "Are you going to stay and answer our questions?"