4447/Persona:WTWM - Black Coffee

Persona:WTWM - Black Coffee
Date of Scene:	20 August 2016
Location:	Alberichstadt <P:WTWM>
Synopsis:	The Majordomo of the Black Queen's Court makes an offer to some very useful people.
Cast of Characters:	August Kohler, 908, Sanary Rondel, 1031, 1006, 915
Tinyplot:	Persona: Were the World Mine-1

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August Kohler has posed:
In a small city in Germany, known as Alberichstadt, the sun is starting to set. Citizens finish up at work and prepare to go out on the town, or back home, while teenagers flock at the city's hotspots. While this means there's quite a few people out there, it provides a certain smokescreen for those aiming to do less acceptable business.

In a coffee shop in the middle of town, closed down a year ago and abandoned, several people have been given the coordinates and a way to access it. While the front door is boarded up and closed, and the windows are all covered up, the back door has been left unlocked for entry.

Several people who have shown talents in both fear and subletly have been given letters, requesting a meeting at this coffee shop with an enigmatic figure. Known only as the 'Majordomo', he claims to represent a force known as the Black Queen, who rules a magical realm known as the Mirror Forest. He seeks this meeting to offer a business proposal to all who will listen, and who seek power in exchange for creating fear.

The inside of the coffee shop looks like it's used quite frequently, constrasting the external appearance. A fancy little place, it looks like one might imagine a European-style high-class coffee shop, except for the massive mirror lining one of the walls. Sitting at a large table in the center is a massive man, atleast 6'5 but possibly larger, as it is hard to tell with him seated. He's dressed immaculately, much like an English butler, his uniform pitch black with gray cufflinks and a dark-white undershirt. His hair is short and gray, groomed meticulously, and he possesses a full beard, trimmed neatly. He sips a cup of homebrewed tea, reading a local newspaper as he waits. In one hand is a pocketwatch, as he constantly checks the time. As the letter said, they better not be late.

Additionally, he may seem slightly strange on a closer look. His butler's coat keeps wriggling every few minutes, writhing back and forth, and his eyes are a bright yellow, almost definitely inhuman. This is certainly the man who calls himself the Majordomo.

Gudako Ordria (908) has posed:
    It's not clear whether you can say Gudako is subtle, but to say she seeks power is pretty accurate. One can never have enough of that, so the lure of more is never unwelcome. She'd pitched the offer to come along to both Ira and the Confederacy's latest Elite recruit, Ashurel, the former because they're officially besties, the latter because Gudako's always curious to see how the new spellcasters are. And then, who knows, Lezard might want to meet her too.

    Gudako is accompanied by both of her Servants, this time; the twin foxgirls, functionally twins with different hairstyles, are dressed in maid uniforms; where Caster's is a bit more revealing and less humble, Berserker's has kitties printed all over it, and still wears her big cat paws on both hands and feet. It's not clear if they're gloves and boots or not.

    Matters concerning this world have already been relayed to Ashurel, too! By Caster, because Gudako's lazy. There's a mirror world called the Mirror Forest, you can reach it through mirrors, and if people stand in front of a mirror and say a certain thing they enter a sort of death game that if they survive they get superpowers. Also something about the Mirror Forest drawing out physical manifestations of people's darker and more obsessive emotions, called Shadows. But most Shadows are just mindless beasts.

    Gudako isn't late, obviously. She's right on time, and stands before the table occupied by the Majordomo, not taking a seat yet. "Hi, hi! I'm Gudako, one of those two is Berserker and the other is Caster!" Caster huffs at not being introduced separately, while Berserker just sort of laughs at her. One of those days those two are going to get in a fight.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Subtle, Sanary is not. Usually. Sure, she's had a few lucky breaks wearing disguises, but she is probably the furthest thing there is to a master of subterfuge. That's why she's looking rather skeptical as she heads towards the given coordinates, carrying her usual gunaxe on her hip while wearing a (relatively) fancier gray military coat and matching pants. If she's going to show up at all, she might as well try to look like she's got some authority!

     Plus, the promise of power certainly doesn't hurt. Stepping into the coffee shop in question from the back door, the healer takes a moment to check her surroundings for the most stupidly obvious traps before approaching the well-dressed giant with a firm salute and nod.

     "Good evening. Are you..." Crap. What was his name again? "Major.. Dome?" Ooh. Almost. At least she's got Gudako there and the laughing Berserker to maybe sorta cover her mess up! "It's good to meet you. Sanary Rondel, Confederacy."

Ashurel Cloudbank (1031) has posed:
    "Oh wow. Woooow. Thanks for letting me tag along with you, Miss Gudako." Comes a voice, trailing after Gudaku Ordria. Shuffling along behind her with a staff, a hooded set of robes, and a bag across her shoulder containing a large book is a somewhat mousy looking girl.

    Her eyes sparkle in magic and wonderment as she follows along behind the ever-smiling creepy Magus, seemingly engrossed in her surroundings and looking all over the place. She is much shorter than the Majordomo, a scant five feet even as she tries to keep up with Gudaku.

    "Ah! Majordomo! Thank you for letting me come along. My name is Ashurel Cloudbank!" Her eyes flash with inquisitiveness once again as she fixates on him, looking at the strange man with the strange aura and the unhuman eyes.

Razel (1006) has posed:
Speaking of subtlety, this looks like it requires a subtle touch to get in unnoticed. Razel hasn't seen real humans in several millenia, but he remembers how cunning they can be. Particularly when noticing weirdness is concerned. So instead of coming in with all his demonic features exposed, he's got them hidden with a minor glamour. All he really needs to do is hide his horns and clawed hands. He looks relatively normal aside from those.

So as he arrives, he's changed clothes to be a little less stand-out-y. Instead of the evil Ifrit-like appearance, he's wearing a smart looking black suit with a crimson red tie. His long, blood-red hair is pulled back in its usual ponytail, and he's wearing black gloves over his hands. His horns and the clawlike hands might not be visible to the average observer... but an Elite can easily see them.

The promise of power is indeed quite a a draw. But if he's honest-- and if he's asked, he kind of has to be; part of being a Devil, unfortunately-- all he really wants is the ability to feed from whatever rage he can in this situation. Villainous machinations are always going to draw heroes. And not only that, Razel remembers how vindictive and angry teenage humans became when provoked. If this world has an overabundance of them, there's sure to be large amounts of rage to draw on, heroes or not.

Razel arrives more-or-less on time, neither the first or last to appear. Once he enters the coffee shop, he bows respectfully to those inside. "Greetings," he offers. "I am Razel, the Devil of Wrath." His voice is low, deep, and quiet. And he seems to radiate an air of calm, believe it or not, his expression neutral and difficult to read. Perhaps odd for one claiming to be a demon of wrath.

Ira MacNally (915) has posed:
Of course Ira was going to come along.

    Ira has /special/ interest in the Black Queen, though briefly shared with the Confederacy a while back. Though she was also part of the group out to 'save' people from the Mirror Forest and allegedly oppose the effects of those taken inside, that wouldn't prevent her from meeting 'the enemy'. Even if she didn't have her ambitions, just knowing the enemy was a sound tactic, one that Ira followed even before her 'ascension'.

    She keeps a knee-length greatcoat wrapped around her, covering her school uniform. She's been absent and it seems she might have lost a bit of weight in that time. "Hi." The tall teenager stands next to Gudako, grinning a wolflike grin, "I am Ira MacNally. I actually live here and attend the school. These..." she gestures to the Confederacy Crew. "...are my...friends."

    She seems to struggle with the word just a little bit.

August Kohler has posed:
The guests arrive just on time. As they appear, the Majordomo puts his newspaper down, neatly folding it and setting it aside, as he stands up to leave his chair, grabbing a tray from the counter before returning. It contains coffee! Black, though additives are available. Setting down a cup for each person, he waits for them to sit, before speaking. "I thank you for all arriving swiftly. I am the Majordomo of the Black Queen's Court, her most senior servant. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances." He bows his head, before sitting up straight, looking between each of his guests. He seems to recognize three of them: Gudako, Sanary, and Ira. He begins to speak to each at the table. "Mister Razel, I thank you for accepting our invitation. I do not know your exact capabilities, or who you are beyond that introduction, though I trust the magic of our letters to have found someone truly remarkable."

"Miss Cloudbank. I thank you for showing interest in us. I hope that our meeting today, even if we know nothing about one another, leads to a strong partnership between our Court and yourself." A tip of the head to her.

"Miss Rondel. Despite your association with those who oppose us, our letter deemed you a good candidate for working with us. I will trust it until you give me a reason not to."

"Miss Gudako. While you had worked with those opposing us in the past, your most recent endeavor has very much impressed our Most Royal Highness. I see a long and fruitful relationship between us."

And finally, he turns to Ira. He seems much more cautious around her, observing her carefully with those yellow eyes. Finally, he speaks. "Ira MacNally. You are one of those given the power and means to oppose us, correct? While the Court would not mind your service, you must forgive us for caution before giving you details. Before I may begin telling you all why I have called you all here, I must ask you..."

"Ira MacNally, what is your purpose here?"

Ira MacNally (915) has posed:
The Majordomo seems like he should have every right to be suspicious. Ira just exudes 'shady predator' in the way she looks and in the way she stands. Even that friendly smile doesn't seem entirely friendly. "That's right. I /beat/ the Woodcutter's challenge. I /earned/ the power I have. But while my colleagues really care for all the lives that are taken by the Mirror Forest, I do not. If they weren't able to survive your wiles and challenges, then obviously they were not worthy. That is the fate of those who do not outwit the fairy queen or outfight the ghost knight in the tales, isn't it?" she intones in her deep brogue.

    She shrugs, "The Beast is my power. I decide what to do with it. I could oppose you but I could also work for you. Given what I've seen so far I want to say I'd rather work for you and work against the others, unwittingly to them. But that depends on what I hear here. Give a little, get a little, you understand?"

August Kohler has posed:
The Majordomo thinks on Ira's response for a minute. It's a rather long minute, where he closes his yellow eyes and sits in silence. The coat continues to wriggle, attempting to move towards the mirror, but it is in vain. Finally, he places his hands down on the table, opens his eyes, and smiles briefly. It's a short smile, one out of politeness instead of any actual joy. "This is acceptable. Very well. I am, as said before, the Majordomo of the Black Queen's Court. I serve the Black Queen, the powerful and graceful ruler of the Mirror Forest, sitting upon her elegant Black Throne deep in the heart of the woods. The Mirror Forest is a realm borne of the human subconscious, your sleeping brain, ruled by your desires, hatred, wants and fears. And these qualities create Shadows, the darker side of the soul." His yellow eyes glimmer, as if he is indicating what exactly he is.

"The Black Queen has grand goals for both sides, the Forest and your mortal world. But there are interlopers, calling themselves 'Die Reisenden'. Three of you have been acquainted with them. They have been empowered by a creature only calling himself the Red Woodsman, who seeks to oppose our great queen in her goals, and destroy her. This is obviously not in our interests."

"Therefore, we, the Black Queen's Court, have decided to level the playing field, hiring outworlders like them. The Black Queen's goals are very simple. She wants to spread fear to humanity, while defeating this Die Reisenden so she can continue her mission unopposed."

He finally takes a small sip of his tea, enjoying it slowly and quietly. Once it's down, he continues. "How you go about this, she primarily does not care. However, she has one rule: while you are inside this world of men, you may not show them the existence of our world or powers that could not belong in theirs. They are sleepers, unaware of the 'supernatural', and for the time being, the Queen would like to keep it that way. Die Reisenden is an exception, as is the world inside the Mirror and those mortals trapped in there. This is non-negotiable. You must be subtle. If your abilities will not be seen or raise suspicion, you may use them, but caution is always recommended. Of course, if they are not subtle, you are also welcome to just assist in defense of the Forest and our operations. When Die Reisenden attacks, you defend. So in the end, the question is whether you would prefer to be active, proactive, or both."

And then he looks at his gloved hands, thinking as he turns to Ira. "But, of course, you will not go unrewarded. The Black Queen has much power at her disposal, as well as powerful boons. For every way you assist, you will be granted some manner of boon, ranging from more freedom in our Forest, to a title in the Court, to even some manner of tangible reward with power inside. The more you provide to us, the more you will be rewarded. We will 'give a little, get a little' as you have said." He smiles sharply at this last line. It's incredibly unnatural, before he returns to a neutral position.

The Majordomo then takes another sip of tea. "Any questions? I will answer any and all you may have for me."

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Sanary grins slightly as Ashurel speaks up, looking over at the girl and giving her an approving nod and smile as she draws closer. Mental note: Keep an eye on her.

     Razel's arrival doesn't quite get the same reaction, although she does give him a similar, if somewhat more professional nod and smile combo. He seems to have done this sort of thing before, at least! Maybe. She's not quite sure.

     Ira, meanwhile, gets a surprised look before the healer grins widely and nods in her direction as well. That grin grows just a bit when they're mentioned as 'friends', too.

     And the it's time to speak to Majordomo properly now that she knows his name. "It's all to get information, don't worry." She grins slightly and even chuckles a bit when Ira speaks to him regarding her own goals, and she looks outright impressed when Majordomo responds favorably to all of that.

     Maybe Sanary needs to take something out of Ira's book sometime.

     "My own powers are kinda... Not subtle at all, but I've gotten the group's trust. It'll probably be better if I I can feed you whatever information I get from 'em instead of just taking them head on." THe healer strokes her chin for a moment, then sticks her rfee hand in her pocket. "Although if they're attacking the Queen's holdings directly while we're around... That does mean we might have to help them those times to keep them off our trail in the long-run. Is that acceptable, Majordomo?"

Gudako Ordria (908) has posed:
    "Yup, no problem! I gotta scout out magic-users for mister Valeth" Gudako replies to Ashurel, ignoring the quarrels of her two Servants. Razel gets a brief look, but nothing much else-- it's not that he doesn't interest Gudako, who calls themselves a devil when they don't mean it?-- it's that she's here for the Majordomo and the Queen first. She can grill the new guy in a suit another time and more thoroughly.

    As the Majordomo uses his right to also grill someone, on Ira, Gudako eyes him, her smile unfading but a certain displeased air about her. It might be she likes Ira quite a bit, and so having the man and presumably his Queen doubt her makes Gudako less cooperative.

    And more likely to work with Ira, towards Ira's goal.

    It seems like Ira's answer satisfies the Majordomo though, and so Gudako has to do absolutely nothing. Then again, she can't help but think aloud. "I'm glad you two got along! I'd have had to kill one of the two to resolve the situation otherwise, infighting is such a drag!" A subtle mastermind.

    "Oh, oh! But yeah, like Sanary says, we have a direct inside line with them! They've begun infighting a lot, too. I bet I could push those buttons and make it worse, they're all very predictable!" She hms, thoughtfully. "I don't know, though. Maybe we should keep pretending to be on their side for a while longer? They've got weird stuff going on right now with the Huntsman and this guy called Klaus, and also Igor. Your Queen won't miss a bunch of mooky Shadows to protect our cover, right? You gotta research your enemies to beat them thoroughly!"

    Caster and Berserker are still bickering.

    Gudako also adds: "Ooh, but, tell me more about this 'power' you can give us."

Ira MacNally (915) has posed:
In this time, after she's said her piece, Ira takes a seat, leaning back in the chair in a rather unladylike way. She doesn't care. There is zero effort at politeness on her part with the exception of her words since she doesn't want to say anything that would set the Majordomo off or make him suspicious. "Meaning you were born outta someone? I wonder who." She says, catching that yellow-eyed glimmer. She carefully does not react to Die Reisenden being namedropped, given that she is an official memeber of the group, if a very absent one in the past few months.

    "Yeah so I do have a question what do you mean by 'defeating' Die Reisenden? As in killing the members? That kind of defeat? Or turning them into fairtale bears? I know this whole 'fate worse than death' thing can get pretty creative in this neck of the woods."

    She's quiet for a moment, mentally running the calculus of whether or not she'll have to out herself or if she can play both sides. But eventually she smiles. "Ahhh, rewards, I'm liking the sound of that. I am /very/ curious about this whole 'freedom in our forest' aspect, in particular. Do you have any details about that?"

Ashurel Cloudbank (1031) has posed:
    Ashurel's smile seems to grow wider as she takes a few moments to look at the man. Whatever she sees, she keeps it to herself, politely. She simply nods her head several times as he speaks, listening carefully.

    "Well. I am a very simple woman, I admit. A scholar, so to speak." She points out, patting the book bag she carries at her side with a free hand. She opens that bag a moment later and reaches almost shoulder-deep inside a bag that looks like it could barely fit her hand. After a few moments of rummaging, she produces a thick tome that she holds under one arm.

    "I have no interest in the politics of your world, in either direction. But I think these people who you're so against are, well..." She scratches the side of her head, "I suppose I wish to learn EVERYTHING, so it would naturally assume that my studies would both require me to be in their proximity and to work against them in some contects."

    She rubs her hand under her chin a couple times, "Don't worry about my powers for now. They're inconsequential to the matter at hand. Yes. Inconsequential." She waves it off with her free hand as she then opens her book and scrolls through it rapidly. The book, itself, is practically seeping with magic for those that can sense it.

    "So here is the deal, Majordomo," She decides eventually, stopping on a blank page, "I will see if I can help your queen. In return, your queen will teach me things I do not already know."

Razel (1006) has posed:
"Quite so," Razel replies to the mention of being 'remarkable'. There's no trace of an arrogant note in his voice. This is someone who believes in his abilities, believes in his own power. Secure in his powers, if you will. However, as Ira is brought to his attention, he also turns his gaze to her, while finding a place to sit down. He listens to the explanation Ira gives, and it seems to satisfy him perfectly. He knows well the benefits of giving a little to get a little.

Then he turns to the Majordomo as he speaks again. Razel's expression does not waver. The question of whether he is to be active, proactive, or both provokes a moment of thought. "I will need to recruit from your mortal world as well before I am to be proactive," he notes. "My servants... will be easily spotted amongst the Two-Canes of your world. However, subtlety is something I'm quite familiar with. But I will need permission to recruit a few of your mortals so my own servants don't stand out to much."

Gudako's words of infighting get a raised brow, and he looks in her direction. "Have they, now?" There is definite interest in his tone, but the raised brows soon fade back to his neutral expression. He regards Ira with a look, and then his gaze moves to Ashurel. But he turns back to the Majordomo soon enough. Notably he hasn't asked for a specific reward.

August Kohler has posed:
The Majordomo nods briefly at Sanary. "That is acceptable. Spycraft is not something we are averse to. However, if you take this path, our forces will continue to attack you when you are on an operation. You may destroy them as you need...humanity is full of darkness." He smiles again slightly, before turning to Gudako. He doesn't laugh or even really react to her comments or mood change. "Klaus Bruckheim, one of those we captured. It is unfortunate, but this is why we are having this discussion, after all. Please, maintain your subterfuge. There are special tasks we may have for that." He actually seems to have one, but is waiting to speak to the others first. For now, he responds to Gudako's inquiry. "Imagine being able to uproot trees with your barehands, or take the strike of an axe without flinching. To move faster than the eye can see. Or perhaps, a blade that curses those it strikes, or a glove that allows you to release energy from your hands. And then you could always gain the ability to manipulate our Forest itself...to a degree. And then, you may also request specific boons, once you have proven yourself further. We could not guarantee that you will get what you request, but we want to compensate you fairly for your efforts."

Ira gets a laugh in response. "Not all of us were born out of specific men. Some of us were born out of ideas themselves." He refuses to elaborate, instead moving to her next question. "While the art of killing is the most efficent and guaranteed to get them out of our way, if you have more...elegant manners, those are welcome as well. Creativity is a very powerful asset." And then he thinks on her last question. "If you do enough to assist us, you will eventually be able to roam our Forest freely, and even be given a way to guide through the ever changing woods. Before then, you may request explorations into the Forest, and given an escort to do so. Also after you have proven yourself, you will eventually be left alone by the Shadows that serve us, unless you are performing subterfuge. Though, as always, you must earn all of this." He thinks, and then smiles again. "However, if you truly prove yourself, you may even join the high ranks of the Black Court, given the freedom and power that we possess. I am sure that collectively, you have met atleast three of us, and can see what freedoms we get."

The Majordomo nods gently at Ashurel, enjoying her proposition. "That is a fine trade. Attuned with humanity, the Black Queen's Court has much in the way of knowledge, ranging from the mundane to the supernatural. In return for your service and loyalty, you will be taught whatever you wish to know, though what limits there are will grow only as you prove yourself."

The Majordomo thinks briefly, before nodding to Razel. "As long as any supernatural you provide them does not spread to the masses, I can permit that. A few is no loss to us. They will lose their worth in the end." Another, more ominous smile, as he refuses to ask Razel what he wants. Instead, he turns to Gudako and the others who will be providing spycraft. "We have a request for you, in fact. Take it as your first true opportunity from us. The firehaired child, August Kohler, wields a strange burnt spoon when he summons his other half. We would like you to steal it from him, without alerting him to the fact it has been stolen. You will be rewarded for this. The rest of you may provide any ideas or ways to assist you have now, or later. If you wish to contact the Court, knock on any Mirror in this city four times, and speak clearly, 'I seek what lies behind the doorway to the soul.' We will respond."

And then, he drinks more of his tea. "Any comments? Questions? Or is this enough information for you?"

Gudako Ordria (908) has posed:
    Gudako nods; everything offered is fair, and the constraints imposed on the group so far very light. She's sure there's strings attached, but one step at a time. She ponders what to ask, and then settles on something easy.

    "Do you think the spoon actually matters that much? I got the impression it was just a catalyst, not a container or anything. I guess you could stop him from being able to eat his soup?" Then again, she knows precious little about Persona. It's true everyone seems to use a special object to summon theirs, but it didn't feel like the object was really... special? From explanations given, they sound like knives. Great to kill someone, but you can do it barehanded too if you know how.

    "Sure, though! That's easy. Oh, oh! I know what I want when this is over. I need divinity. That is, I don't want to become a god, I just need like... divinity in a bottle. Or something close enough."

Sanary Rondel has posed:
"Ah, that's fair. I'll try not to give the group too much help, at least, but... You know. Appearances and all." Sanary chuckles lightly and nods at the Majordomo, crossing her arms over her chest after a few moments to conisder what she would even try to seek. The things he tells Gudako about certainly sound useful enough, and his offerings to Ira and Ashurel... Maybe. More power, more magic, but...

     "Power sounds good. The more power I have, the more things I can get done. And then..." Then what? Sanary's not so sure herself. There's even a few doubts floating around in her head, but at least there's tangible benefits to all of this. Probably.

     "... A spoon? I.. Yeah, taking a spoon doesn't sound too hard. If we can get close to him, maybe we can..." How the hell do you make an excuse for losing a /spoon/? There's definitely some kinks to be worked out in this non-plan. "Ah, whatever. WE'll come up with something sooner or later, I'm sure."

Ira MacNally (915) has posed:
"Mmm, the thought of being able to move around the Forest freely is definitely something I'd be /very/ interested in. Very. But I do agree, I don't think death would be very appropriate. Surely there are more...fitting positions the other students and persona-users can be put in, right? Maybe court fools or peasants or something. Stripped of their powers, serving out a role, something like that."

    Sanary and Gudako bring up the spoon used to summon and Ira speaks up, "It's more about the reflection and less about the object." Ira brings out her shiny zippo lighter, which has a nicely mirrored surface. "Though it helps to carry around an object people aren't going to question that much. Spoons, lighters, they're all kind of mundane." She doesn't outright /say/ that not being able to see her reflection would prevent her from summoning her persona but it does seem like a possibility. Of course, she does not confirm this at all since it could bit her in the ass as well.

Ashurel Cloudbank (1031) has posed:
    "Yes! I do have an additional question!" Ashurel proclaims, raising her hand patiently like a student in a classroom. After a few moments, she speaks again.

    "I'm told there's a ritual to use mirrors to transport to your world. Do you have a list of somatic incantations and spell components to perform this ritual?" She asks directly. She waves her hand across the book and text begins appearing, taking notes on the entirety of the conversation, "Oh. Or if you have some sort of metal attuned specifically to your plane, you can give me a bit of that and I'll make a tuning fork and can do it that way."

    "Ah, but would a world within a world count as a plane? Or would it simply count as another world?" She scratches her chin a couple times and ponders over it, "Would a teleportation spell be better? Well, if it doesn't work, I can just use Contact Other Plane and ask the Majordomo personally," She scratches her head some more, "Oh no! Unless it's not another plane and it's another world! Then I'd have to use Sending! Have to buy copper wire. And a quartz crystal. And a photograph. And I need more stardust anyway. And if I could find a shard of a rainbow, that would help me. Argh, where's Beltran when I need him, gathering these things is his job."

    She waves her hand a few times, "Sorry, sorry, I get caught up in my thoughts." She shakes her head a few times and looks up, "I'll help out to the best of my ability. I do not require any powers or great trinkets, and as I said, I merely wish to learn."

Razel (1006) has posed:
Razel listens to the Majordomo once more as various rewards are given as examples. And still he remains quiet. Until the Majordomo gets to his concern in turn and gives permission for the recruitment of a few humans. "Thank you." He nods. "I will keep all that I equip any of the mortals with in return for their service subtle," he promises. "A bit of extra strength, acumen while playing a sport or in studies, skill at a performance art, a magnetic appeal to boys or girls... this is easy. And mortals will overlook them."

But he does think to add, finally, "All I wish in return is the ability to feed on the rage of any of those involved, either the mortals or those who oppose you." A pause, and then, "...Being able to do this without being accosted by the Shadows in the Forest would also be remarkably helpful." A trace of a smirk pulls at his mouth, just for an instant, before his face settles into that neutral expression again.

He doesn't have an 'in' to the group that opposes the Black Queen, so he can't help with the spoon theft, but he will listen anyway. Perhaps he can insert an agent in if necessary, though he doesn't speak to this yet. He does listen to Ira's words of the spoon-- and her lighter-- and what the function is. Razel's quiet during the explanation, filing this away for later use.

And when Ashurel begins to note specifics about her particular abilities, he files those away as well. "I could assist you in returning here if you need to," he offers. "I have been here, so I am likely to be able to return easily, at least to this specific place." A look to the Majordomo. "With permission, of course."

August Kohler has posed:
The spoon /is/ an odd thing to steal, isn't it? But the Majordomo seems to be adamant on this operation. "The spoon is symbolic. But symbolism is important to humanity. Have you not seen the firehair's interest in it? He has it every time he feels uneased. It is important to our goals regarding him that you retrieve it." He then turns to Gudako thoughtfully. "Tangible divinity? That is arrangeable." And that's that, really.

To Sanary, the Majordomo replies. "Give them as much help as furthers your goals. But at the same time, undermine them. That is all we request."

To Ira, the Majordomo nods. "You may do that if you wish. However, if this is because you feel pity for them, or a sort of kinship, do note that they may, and several of them likely will, die. This is how the world works. I hope you understand, miss."

To Ashurel, the Majordomo listens to her entire thing. He may not understand specific words, but he understands her intent. "You may only access our world from this city. While I recommend the knocking on mirrors as said before, I can easily give you some manner of metal after your first operation for us." And he smiles at her response. "Learning is excellent. We will provide you, as before, with any knowledge you seek, to a degree."

The Majordomo replies simply to Razel. "That is acceptable, as is your feeding. If you are assisting us at the time, the Shadows will not harm you while you feed. Long-term immunity will, as before, require proof of loyalty." The Majordomo just nods simply to his last response. "This place is not important, besides its purpose as our gateway. Come here as you wish. The coffee and tea have been stocked with only the finest."

Finally, he sits up straight. "I have no more information for any of you, but I can still provide answers to questions. Though, I do have one important warning." His eyes are analytical as he says this. He wants to know how the others will react. He smiles inhumanly.

"One of Die Reisenden will be abducted in the near future."

Ashurel Cloudbank (1031) has posed:
    "Okaydokey." Ashurel says as she smiles at the Majordomo, "That all sounds good to me. If I look different next time you see me, I will still let you know it's me. I will talk about raspberries or something." She considers it a couple moments.

    Then she looks over at Razel, "Oh please. Do not trouble yourself over me. I can find my way back easily. I was just pondering upon the best way to do it. The easiest way," She explains with a bright smile, "I apprecaite it, though. I look forward to working with everyone here in the future. Yes."

    "An abduction. Oh my. That will likely get their attention." She ponders, "Should we show up to help them?"

Ira MacNally (915) has posed:
"I'm not sure just how much kinship I feel with...them." Ira considers the others. Kohler was..alright. Kaz was somewhat of a pain. Janine and Hoshi? She wouldn't be sad if they disappeared for good. "But yeah, I understand. It's already happened, hasn't it? To those who weren't strong enough."

    She threads her fingers together, after putting away her lighter, and listens to the Majordomo answers the other questions and requests. She'll have to think about a more specific wish from the Forest, she realizes. "I think we may need to talk again, perhaps some more, about what the current limitations are for those that enter the Forest. Us outsiders, even us persona users, aren't familiar with all of the rules. Oh and.../which/ one of Die Reisenden will be abducted out of curiosity? Not me, of course, because shit like that doesn't happen to me. Ha ha...well, I'm going to need to show up to help them."

    She taps a finger to her chin, "I haven't helped them directly in a while. This'd be a good thing to come back to help on."

Sanary Rondel has posed:
So that's what the lighter's for... Huh. I guess that makes sense, yeah..." Sanary glances at Ira's lighter, then at her gunaxe, then chuckles and pats the weapon lightly. "Definitely not as suspicious as carrying this around neutral areas, anyway."

     The healer goes quiet again as the Majordomo addresses them, listening intently to his explanations about how to access the Mirror World, what support they can expect, and what limits there are on said support. The last part about an abduction does draw a raised eyebrow from Sanary, however, and she gives Ashurel an approving look at that queston. "She's got a point there. If we try to help stop it, that could make it harder for any of 'em to figure a connection."

Gudako Ordria (908) has posed:
    "That's all, I'm good! We'll get your spoon. I hope my little stunt impressed your Queen, though~?" Gudako takes the credit, but the distracted Caster behind her does, for a moment, puff up with pride. It wasn't easy replicating the mirror-portal feat, much less on several mirrors at the same time, for an extended period of time. Then Berserker boops her on the nose and it's catfighting again for those two.

    Gudako spins on her feet, turning to face Razel. "Ah, ah~ say! You said you're a Demon of Wrath, yeah? Does that mean you feed on and manipulate wrath?" She's sharp, although it's not that hard to guess. "Sanary! Tell this man what you told me about the infighting in the group~. I'm sure he could ~capitalize~ on it and make things fun for everyone."

Razel (1006) has posed:
Razel nods once more, this time firmly, as the permission is given to feed as needed. And to the note of the Shadows not harming him while he's with one of the Black Court. "A guide to your world would be appreciated in that case," he notes. A dual-purpose outing! But then again, most of his feeding will probably be done in the human world. He'll need to find a site in this mortal world where he can be summoned by those who truly want the power he can give them. Recruiting starts with desire, after all.

The note of the kidnapping gets a raised brow, but nothing else. They're not his mortals. Besides, he doesn't really care much about mortals in general, other than what they can provide to him in nourishment and service. He does note, "They will be quite put out with that, if they fairly close to each other. The infighting may prove useful as well." To Razel, anyway. Infighting means anger. And anger means food.

He nods to Ashurel's words. "As you wish," he replies simply. Ira brings a good point though. Looking to the Majordomo, he adds, "Yes. Wht are the rules of this Forest? Spirit and letter, if you don't mind. Since the two can differ greatly." Boy doesn't he know that one?

Gudako's call draws his attention to her, and he raises his brows in question. At her inquiry, he nods. "That's correct," he confirms. "I can stoke it as well, so long as it exists within a heart. Call it... 'seasoning the meal', if you wish." Then he looks to Sanary. "Hoh?" That is an interested sound!

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Oh, right. The in-fighting! Sanary chuckles lightly and leans back against a wall, looking just a little more pleased (and only mildly confused about... Something. "So the last time Die Reisenden gathered together, there was some talk about the nature of the forest. The Shadows, people's minds creating it, maybe destroying it all. One of them... Er. Staren, I think his name was? Science guy, weird tech, /very/ into destroying it even though the rest of the group was talking about how doing that could.. Uh. Destroy everyone's minds because of how they created it together or something."

     Even Sanary sounds confused! "Then Finna-er. Fox lady tried to get him to stop with some kind of magic, and he started waving his gun around and it just got reaaaly awkward with everyone inside." She strokes her chin, glancing between Razel and Gudako a few times. "... You think maybe dropping some fake intel could work? And then give them some nudges of... Some type?"

Razel (1006) has posed:
Razel listens carefully to Sanary's words. "Interesting," he notes. "He wanted a... 'nuclear' solution?" The smirk that pulls at his mouth there is an ironic one, for reasons unknown. Though the mention of fake intel gets a shake of his head. "Let's try to nudge them with the truth. It's easier for me to work with." He doesn't say why. There are cards he's not putting on the table here, and for good reason. What would Die Reisenden do with the information that he couldn't actually outright lie? His ability to feed on their numbers would be reduced. As would the amount of assistance he could give the Black Queen.

"I would like to assess the situation myself before I can promise any sort of capitalization on it," Razel replies. "It's definitely tempting-- the kind of resentment that will foster in the others would be worth looking into. But heroic types who want to 'just burn it all' do tend to be a handful. The amount of energy I expect trying to feed from their rage is, ironically, sometimes greater than what I can receive during feeding. If done carefully, it can be done." He merely needs to be nearby and try to stoke his rage to feed on it. Though being nearby without tripping a heroic sense... that's the hard part, isn't it?

August Kohler has posed:
"If you would like, that would be useful. Though I would prefer that some of you attempt to oppose them, as well." The Majordomo begins speaking to those asking about the abduction. "Do not prevent the abduction, though. It is paramount that it succeeds." He turns to Ira, when she asks who. "The Lizard. 'Ainsley'. She has proven a threat to the Black Queen, and therefore, we are disposing of her in the manner we see as best. Take a fall in attempting to prevent it, and you will be rewarded."

He then replies to Gudako. "The Black Queen has high hopes for you, Gudako Ordria. Do not fail her, and you may see yourself among the greatest in this Court someday."

Next, the Majordomo turns to Razel. "Do not betray our Court, whether indirectly or directly. Intention to betray the court is enough. Do not reveal the Forest to the masses, in any form, even if you have someone else do it. Do not bring lasting harm to the Forest, or attempt to destroy it. Check the food carefully before you eat it." There seems to be no other rules. "I will procure guidebooks as soon as I have the time. You will obtain them in the same manner as the letters."

And then, he continues to drink his tea. "That is all. You may leave now. Thank you for having this meeting. We will know if you abuse this information."

Ira MacNally (915) has posed:
"Ah, no, thank you." Ira stands, that toothy, unsettling grin returning. "This meeting has been really helpful. I'm glad we had it." The upcoming abduction remains uncommented upon, though that doese sound like a good offer for some action.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
"Hey. I usually take a shield with me on missions, anyway. I think I can make it look pretty convincing." Sanary might not be particularly fond of willingly taking a beating, but it beats having someone else do it when they can't even heal themselves. Or... "... Maybe I could focus on keeping whoever takes the fall alive if someone else does it, too. We can figure it out when it happens, though..."

     Seeming satisfied with that, the healer dips into a formal bow at the waist to the Majordomo. "Thanks for having us. We'll keep you updated."

Razel (1006) has posed:
Rules! Yes, this something Razel must know. "I will keep my feeding to those who oppose the Black Queen and those who have no value to her," he promises. "Needless to say I will keep my flames in check." He is indeed color-coded for convenience-- a demon of wrath using fire? Not too unusual, perhaps. "And the forest will remain secret to me and mine." He plans to study this rulebook in detail once it arrives, too. Letter and spirit, after all.

As they are dismissed, he bows, and then stands. "It was a pleasure meeting you all," he notes, to the group at large. "I look forward to working with you."

A pause. "Oh yes." Looking to those who had indicated that they were working with those who oppose the Black Court as double-agents of sorts, he requests, "I would appreciate that no name for me was given, if you must work with Die Reisenden. My name is a contact means, and to speak it is to invoke me. You've heard 'speak of a devil and he will appear', yes? This can prove inconvenient for me, as I'm sure you are well aware."

August Kohler has posed:
The Majordomo waits for everyone to part, sitting his chair the whole time. Once they leave, he gets up, brews a new cup of tea, drinks it slowly, and then leaves through the mirror. It'd seem he has much to report.