You remember that big arboreon lug who helped us out with the orcs? He never came back from the Pit.
I haven't said anything about this to no one else and I ain't looking for sympathy or a hug or anything. Just felt like someone else aught to know, 'sides me.
Maybe he lost his somehow. Maybe it had something to do with how it happened.
I've looked in the usual places he liked to put down his roots, waited around. Maybe it's cause he was different, or maybe these vials ain't what we think? I don't know.
I've noticed a few others who disappeared. There was a girl, too, on the younger side. She could just be somewhere else but the courier either doesn't reach her or she lost hers. And some others I used to see around the city of the free that just ain't around. I figured they all just went to find somewhere safer or quieter but I ain't their keepers.
[ On hearing that answer, Christine clutches at her vial through her shirt. Maybe she should tie an extra strip of leather to the back to make sure that it stays together even if the knot comes loose. ]
Now that you mention it... I don't know where someone is anymore either.
[ They could be thinking of the same person. Davina was quite young, and Christine had been sure she moved back to Didymos and was setting up her business there again. ]
I didn't notice any strange behavior the last time I saw her. This sounds as mysterious as everything else that's happened to us has been.
All right. I'd like that. By the way, I've found myself a home to live in. It's in the forest north of Didymos. If you ever want to stop by, let me know you're coming and I'll direct you to it.
[ Daud's voice is hoarse and a little tired; he doesn't indulge in niceties but gets right to the point. ]
You mentioned finding a glass orb in the soldiers attacking Krimnos. Did you ever find someone who could interpret the design, and do you still have it?
I may have found something similar, so I'd like to compare.
Oh! Yes, Alucard discovered the runic language used and translated it. Hold on; I have my notes somewhere.
[ As she roots around her desk, she adds, ]
He said it was an old language tieflings used in their scrolls, if that's of interest to you.
[ But she soon finds the notes because she's very organized and she switches her courier piece to be a visual display. She shows off the rune design, which is a series of triangles with curving lines going through and around them. ]
[ The visual through the courier is enough to confirm Daud's suspicions: the design on his orb isidentical to Christine's.
There's silence from his end of the line, for a moment. ]
The designs are identical. [ He'll turn his feed on to show her his own orb -- metal and glass, the size of a heart. ] I believe it's wrought from dragonglass, but I don't know enough about metals to tell what this material is.
[ That's as much of an explanation as she's getting about that. In any case... ]
It seems he was working with the cult for some time. A number of his Defenders were replaced by soldiers similar to those that attacked the other cities, though nobody's tried opening these up.
[ This gives her a lot to think on, and she takes a moment to just look at his orb through the courier. ]
This brings up even more questions about the cult's ultimate goals, but you said dragon glass? The one I saw had a regular type of glass. But I agree on the metal. I couldn't tell what it was, yet I could see it was magnetic. Maybe if we trace people who make dragon glass we can narrow down who's making these orbs.
[ The frown in Daud's voice is almost audible. He sure don't like that. ]
An improvement on the one you first found in the more disposable soldiers. Could have been saving the better material for a more important pawn.
As to tracing the dragonglass, that's a possibility. Another would be to have the tinkers of Krimnos look at the mechanism inside -- if you don't think that's too much of a risk.
There were Krimnos soldiers who helped me with the autopsy of the undead soldier. I should think some rumor has passed through the city by now. It will always be a risk, but we'll never get anywhere if we just keep finding orbs after the fact. We should learn as much as we can.
If you take your orb to the tinkerers in Krimnos, I’ll see what I can find here about the orb that was in Koroc. There are strangers in town asking strange questions— maybe they’ll answer a few of mine in turn.
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Audio
I haven't said anything about this to no one else and I ain't looking for sympathy or a hug or anything. Just felt like someone else aught to know, 'sides me.
no subject
[ There's a pause as she collects her thoughts. ]
Now I see it was naive to assume we all came back. How sad.
[ She knows what he's said, but she still wishes she could offer some comfort. There is none to be had, however. ]
I don't understand. Our vials— what do they mean if not how many times we can return?
no subject
I've looked in the usual places he liked to put down his roots, waited around. Maybe it's cause he was different, or maybe these vials ain't what we think? I don't know.
I've noticed a few others who disappeared. There was a girl, too, on the younger side. She could just be somewhere else but the courier either doesn't reach her or she lost hers. And some others I used to see around the city of the free that just ain't around. I figured they all just went to find somewhere safer or quieter but I ain't their keepers.
no subject
Now that you mention it... I don't know where someone is anymore either.
[ They could be thinking of the same person. Davina was quite young, and Christine had been sure she moved back to Didymos and was setting up her business there again. ]
I didn't notice any strange behavior the last time I saw her. This sounds as mysterious as everything else that's happened to us has been.
no subject
Anyway I gotta swing by Krimnos for about a week. Just making sure you ain't vanished, too.
[Ah fuck, he hadn't meant to admit that. Well. Now it's there.]
Bring you back a souvenir from their fancy greenhouse if you want.
no subject
voice, sometime after may 9th
You mentioned finding a glass orb in the soldiers attacking Krimnos. Did you ever find someone who could interpret the design, and do you still have it?
I may have found something similar, so I'd like to compare.
no subject
[ As she roots around her desk, she adds, ]
He said it was an old language tieflings used in their scrolls, if that's of interest to you.
[ But she soon finds the notes because she's very organized and she switches her courier piece to be a visual display. She shows off the rune design, which is a series of triangles with curving lines going through and around them. ]
Does your example look similar?
no subject
There's silence from his end of the line, for a moment. ]
The designs are identical. [ He'll turn his feed on to show her his own orb -- metal and glass, the size of a heart. ] I believe it's wrought from dragonglass, but I don't know enough about metals to tell what this material is.
no subject
Where did you find yours?
[ Or maybe "inside whom?" is the better question. ]
no subject
[ That's as much of an explanation as she's getting about that. In any case... ]
It seems he was working with the cult for some time. A number of his Defenders were replaced by soldiers similar to those that attacked the other cities, though nobody's tried opening these up.
[ Yet. ]
no subject
[ This gives her a lot to think on, and she takes a moment to just look at his orb through the courier. ]
This brings up even more questions about the cult's ultimate goals, but you said dragon glass? The one I saw had a regular type of glass. But I agree on the metal. I couldn't tell what it was, yet I could see it was magnetic. Maybe if we trace people who make dragon glass we can narrow down who's making these orbs.
no subject
An improvement on the one you first found in the more disposable soldiers. Could have been saving the better material for a more important pawn.
As to tracing the dragonglass, that's a possibility. Another would be to have the tinkers of Krimnos look at the mechanism inside -- if you don't think that's too much of a risk.
no subject
[ She ponders that a moment. ]
There were Krimnos soldiers who helped me with the autopsy of the undead soldier. I should think some rumor has passed through the city by now. It will always be a risk, but we'll never get anywhere if we just keep finding orbs after the fact. We should learn as much as we can.
no subject
If you take your orb to the tinkerers in Krimnos, I’ll see what I can find here about the orb that was in Koroc. There are strangers in town asking strange questions— maybe they’ll answer a few of mine in turn.
no subject