The Nature Of The Soul

The Nature Of The Soul
Date of Scene:	16 July 2014
Location:	Great Painting of Ariamis
Synopsis:	Priscilla invites her allies to the newly lit Firelink Shrine to discuss future plans and catch people up.
Cast of Characters:	13, Staren, 69, Priscilla, 134, 168, 182, 268, 385, Reina Kinney, 395, 396, Blurr
Tinyplot:	The Dark Souls TP I Don't Know The Name Of

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Priscilla has posed:
Coordinates to a warpgate dump each person in sequence out ankle deep in water, from one in particular that appears to have been naturally constructed by trees wound around a broken arch, before a defaced statue of some deity or another. Those who have been here before will recognize it as Firelink Shrine, once the greatest holy site all across the country of Lordran. For anyone else, all it resembles is a skeletal wreck of a once grand structure, all but completely reclaimed by nature. Even the ground outside has worn away over the ages into a steep cliff only a stone's throw away from the steps, kept solid by the roots of a gargantuan tree that shades the entire area from above. The intended gathering point seems to be outside rather than the crumbling, moss smothered interior; by where a bonfire is steadily blazing in absolute silence, built atop a little pile of human bones. Despite that little detail however, the place feels peaceful and safe, albeit, just a little abandoned. Once busy with pilgrims, the only beings present today are Priscilla, knelt by the fire in her full form, and an equally giant crow perched atop the boughs of the great tree, canting its head back and forth to watch the gathering elites with its beady, intelligent eyes.

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Ciaran is among those to join the gathering.

Priscilla's world is a solemn place, and the Hornet is quiet to match it. She is not reluctant to answer the summons, but she feels something like reluctance, coming here; perhaps some part of her is still afraid? This, after all, is the grim future she may face herself if certain errors are not corrected in her own timeline. But how to correct those mistakes...

Perhaps in continuing to aid Priscilla, Ciaran shall find the answers she seeks.

Stepping into the radius of light cast by the welcoming fire, Ciaran offers a formal greeting to the half-dragon in white. Wrists crossing over her chest, the littlest of the Fourt Knights bows at the waist, her echoing voice a murmur. "Greetings, Lady Priscilla."

Gough (268) has posed:
One of the Four Knights of Gwyn is also here.

He is kind of hard to miss.

Hawkeye Gough is a giant, and at a loose estimate of twenty-five to thirty feet tall, it's pretty blindingly obvious that he's not human. He seems to share the same solemn air as Ciaran, clutching his greatbow in one hand, the other hanging down, but he is eerily quiet as he follows her into the area. His greathelm tilts slightly, as though he were cocking his head to study Priscilla.

"Ah, yes. Greetings to thee, Lady Priscilla." His voice is like the voice of a mountain; deep and slow, patient as time itself. Although his face can't be seen, one can imagine a solemn expression solely by his tone. "I thank thee for the opportunity to see this place."

Seriously, he's huge. Those broken-down walls are practically garden walls for a dude his size.

Reina Kinney has posed:
Once the coordinates were received by Reina, she immediately plotted a course to get as close as she could to the location so that she could leave her craft in orbit while she teleported down to the surface. After getting suited up as best as she could, Reina stepped into the teleporter and beamed down onto the surface... finding herself up to her ankles in murky water. She sighs and says, "What a cheery little place. Good thing my boots are waterproof." After that, she begins to head towards the spot where the gathering is taking place. Once she arrives, she stops and takes in the general surrounding area before looking at the bonfire. Reina simply stares there, in a mix of a solemn silence and a bit of confusion as to what's supposed to be happening right now.

After a moment, she says, "I don't know if we've met, but I'm Reina Kinney of GUARDIANS." Her greeting is simple, but it has a formal tone to it. Even Reina knows when it's not a good idea to be sarcastic.

Artorias (182) has posed:
If Artorias could have avoided coming back here, he probably would have done so. But even if this isn't /his/ Lordran, necessarily, it still is an iteration of his world, and one he has a responsibility for. Perhaps there will be something he can learn to prevent his own iteration of this world from meeting a same fate. Or maybe, at least, he can prepare for the inevitable.

The Wolf strides out just behind Ciaran and Gough, followed by Sif padding along slowly behind him. A nod of greeting is offered to Priscilla. "Well met, Lady Priscilla."

His greeting is simple, and a moment later he decides to just take a seat on the upper edge of the depression around the bonfire, one knee lifted as an armrest before Sif settles in beside him.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
As the coordinates in question lead back to Priscilla's world, Yuna - who's apparently missed quite a few things - is taking the same precautions she did on her first visit: she's already in her Light Suit when she arrives, and she's got the full Matrix of Light accompanying her, most importantly Elner.

At least, she hopes (as usual) that Elner's presence is more important than that of her android partners ... time will tell, though. For now, Jiina, Marina, and Erina arrange themselves around the warpgate - sort of like they're going to be sentries against any wandering monsters that might sneak up on people - while Yuna and Elner head outside to the shrine, heading over to the bonfire. "Hey, Priscilla," she greets the 'halfbreed' with a smile and a wave; the crow gets a respectful bow, if not a deep one, while the others who show up are getting friendly greetings from Yuna, whether she actually knows them or not. (If she knows them, Yuna greets them by name. Otherwise, introductions may be in order.)

Milla Maxwell (13) has posed:
Today Milla is not coming alone; her handmaid insisted.

The young woman arrives by means of teleportation, not far from the Warp Gate, clad in her usual; the white-pink, black and red clothes, colorful, probably stick out like a sore thumb in this world. A young man is with her, dark-skinned (more of a strong tan than dark, really) with long very pale brown-white hair. He's a bit taller than Milla is, wearing mostly white clothes, with a bit of black and red. Where Milla only has the one short sword sheathed, Ivar has two, one long and one short. The Four Great Spirits are with them, though as usual invisible to those without spiritual senses for the time being.

Milla arrives with a wave towards Priscilla, and those she recognizes at least. Ivar just puffs his chest and attempts to look impressive. He isn't really.

"Greetings again, Priscilla. And everyone else," Milla says.
"This is the company you keep outside the village, Lady Milla?" Ivar glances towards her, as if surprised. Probably because of Priscilla's appearance, really.
"Be polite, Ivar. We are here to help them."

Sakura Haruno (134) has posed:
Sakura is here, a cloak wrapped around herself as she steps out of the portal and onto the water, subtley showing off by standing atop it. Or just not wanting her feet wet, given the sandles. Still, she found this whole place somewhat chilling, and being sensitive to the emotional state of her surroundings even draining to be in. She'll join the others near the fire, not sitting down, but flexing at her somewhat sore hands as she stands there quietly and waits to be addressed.

Kaydon (69) has posed:
Unfortunately for Kaydon, water is one of his opposed elements, so he just splashes down heavily into the water after he appears out of the warpgate. Ankle deep water isn't too bad. He's been in worse. He does move to step out of the water, and towards the fire, taking in the strangeness of this place. Despite everything he has seen in the Multiverse thus far, there's always something new that surprises him, "Hail, allies of the Union."

Staren has posed:
Staren arrives!

*SPLASH*

"Oh, COME ON!" Staren's energy wings appear and he levitates out of the water, but the damage is done with soaked socks and sneakers. "What the heck?! Aww man..." He sighs, looking at his soaked feet in disgust. Then he nods to the others, "Hey, guys." And then he flies over to Priscilla. "So what's this place? And what are we doing next?" He lands on the dry ground the fire is presumably on, with a squish and a rather disgusted facial expression. He then relevitates and pulls his shoes off, shaking the water out of them.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
Nathan has hiked through Firelink enough that he's now familiar with the place, and has good boots for the water. He keeps a grimly stoic sort of mannerism, appropriate to the locale, just like his adventuring outfit. Seems pretty empty, though! Nathan remembers how it usually has at least Oscar's group. Maybe theyre out on business!

"Salutations." That's the simple, concise greeting he gives before he kneels down at the fire across from Priscilla. That seems to be the sensible thing to do, right? He assumes there's gonna be some exposition, and sitting on the opposite side of a fire while that goes on strikes Nathan as the appropriate thing to do.

Amalthea (395) has posed:
Enter Amalthea. Through the gate, nothing fancy. Just in through the gate, wetting her boots, and the unicorn knight is here. As ever, she's clad in the blue surcoat of the local Astora knights, though her weapon is sheathed. "Yep cheery as ever." She idly comments at Reina, but the locale doesn't seem to unnerve her right now.
As long as there are no hollows around she can chill by the bonfire. "Priscilla, Ciaran, Artorias..." She does not know Gough by looks. "Bigness Supreme."
"What's up?"

Gough (268) has posed:
That big bucket greathelm turns when the robot unicorn strolls through the gate, turning for the bonfire and greeting the Four Knights (or at least Three Knights) in passing as she goes. Gough respectfully bobs his head.

"Greetings to thee." He chuckles at her placeholder title, the sound not unlike rocks being ground together. "I am Hawkeye Gough of the Four Knights of Gwyn, and companion-in-arms to Sir Artorias, and the Lord's Blade. You may call me Gough, if you wish."

Blurr has posed:
Blurr was the first one here. So as everyone else is arriving, he's pacing back and forth, making it painfully obvious how much he hates waiting for anything. Well, 'pacing' is a relative term. To a normal person it looks more like dashing.

He doesn't get too close to the fire, so as not to accidentally step on those who are smaller, given he's probably about the same height as 'Bigness Supreme'. The speedster also keeps glancing around to see if everyone's arrived yet. Not that he actually know who all is supposed to be here.

Milla Maxwell (13) has posed:
Milla pauses and looks at Amalthea.
She seems... excited?

"Oh! Look, Ivar! That's a real unicorn!" she says, approaching.
"Erm... yes, Lady Milla, but haven't you ever seen one before? There's a handful around Nia Khera, you know?"
"I have not! Praytell, can your horn really cure all ailments?"
Ivar cringes a little bit. He seems to realize the poor implications that Milla must not be seeing in her own statements. "L-Lady Milla, shouldn't you... know that? More to the point, removing one's horn is..."
Milla blinks, and then ohs.
"Oh. I apologize. Was I being rude?"

Priscilla has posed:
Priscilla isn't exactly surprised to see the Knights of Gwyn here. They had been indispensible since this whole 'quest' had started. Who she /is/ surprised to see, is a third one among them, specifically the giant. Gough is the second person since joining the multiverse she'd ever had to look up at, though with the shrine empty for the time being, there is more than enough room for him. "Well met Sir Artorias. Lady Ciaran. Lady Kagurazaka. And hail to thee as well Sir Gough and Lady Kinney. I wouldst not turn down any who wish to offer their aid. Thou art welcome here." Speaking of new faces, Milla appears to have brought some along with her as well. "As will I not decline thine, Lady Milla. As usual, thou art in robust company."

As more people file out, Priscilla seems somewhat taken aback at the number of people who are showing up; perhaps having expected less interest in something not quite so "adventurous". "Lady Haruno. Sir Staren. Sir Hall. Lady Amalthea." Her gaze settles also on Kaydon and Blurr, not knowing either of their names. "And hail to thee as well, strangers. I hope this choice of place is not too far from thine liking." Dusting off the front of her skirt however, Priscilla finally settles down to business, rummaging around inside someone's big camp-out backpack as though it were a purse, before drawing out an extremely large and rather yellowed map, scrolling it out on the stones clear of grass and weeds. It appears to be a map of the whole country; obviously small judging by its borders, but with the map itself being so huge, there is plenty of room for great detail. Most of it is meaningless to anyone but the three knights, though a sizeable city set against its southwestern border is easily recognizeable as the burg of the undead the last groups had to cross through.

"There art, mainly, two things to discuss. The young sorceror Griggs, as thanks for the safe escort provided by many of thee, hast been kind enough to lend me his belongings whilst he attends the ceremony at the parish. Lady Rhea of Thorolund is conducting it at this time, attended by every pilgrim in the area, hence Firelink's current state of abandonment. Knight oscar and his five companions art currently in attendance as well. The ringing of the first bell is a major event in the lives of those pilgrims who hath come to this land in seeking of an end to their curse, and so now they show their worship. I am told to forward their gratitude for the timely rescue of their lady and the reparation of the way to the church." Her finger trails along the parchment to a specific point in the city map; one of the several locations where tiny notation has been scribbled in some blank space. "In their earlier scouting however, they hath reported the way of entry to the second bell, far below the burg, lies here. It is a point of connection between the streets above and the lesser used buildings below, eventually connecting to the waterway. This shall be our next goal. Plans hath likewise been made to scout it more thoroughly for what dangers lie ahead, as the underside can only be worse than the better travelled roads."

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Ciaran falls back to stand between Artorias and Gough. It's obvious where her loyalties lie, and who here grants the most comfort.

Where Artorias has decided to sit, Ciaran remains standing, her arms hanging at her sides around the portruding hilts of her mismatched weapons. The wind teases her braid, skirt, and loose sleeves. She seems to be giving her attention to the gathering -- she faces them, anyway -- but her mask makes it hard to be certain. For all anyone knows, Ciaran's just turned to daydreaming.

Blurr is on the receiving end of a long and thoughtful stare. What a strange thing to find in Lordran...

The Hornet misses no details. The map. The outlined plan. "What kind of scouting do you require? A smaller, armed party, or a stealthy one? I know little of what lies below. We are not so far from New Londo, but the region you point to is...deeper. A territory I have hardly seen."

Amalthea (395) has posed:
It's a good and apt placeholder! It's a good thing Sir Bigness The Giant of Huge doesn't take offense to it. And getting a name to go with the bulk does help, so Amalthea tips into a slight bow to reply to Gough. "Lady Amalthea." She keeps her introduction fairly simple. "I don't stand on ceremony too much so Amalthea works for me too. Good to meet a brother of Atorias and Ciaran."
Then she pauses.
"Er."
Milla's excitement seems to leave her a little flummoxed for a moment. "Uh." That question normally sets off all kinds of red alarms, but she gets the feeling in this case it's just genuine excited curiosity. Right? "Well. Yeah kinda sorta?"
She silences though once Priscilla begins getting with the plan-talking. "How far below are we talking?

Staren has posed:
Staren listens. "So, we're going under the city. Do we know anything about what's down there? I mean... does this city have a history, or does this land have more exotic origins?"

Reina Kinney has posed:
Reina is about to speak up at the bit when Priscilla calls her, "Lady Kinney," But then thinks better of it, knowing that now is not the time to be correcting people on titles of address. Instead, she simply stands attentively, listening to what Priscilla has to say. She's never been in this area before, so she doesn't know anything about the bells, aside from the fact they're fairly important based on how she's talking about them. She nods a little and waits until Priscilla is done talking before she speaks up finally. "How dark is it down there? I don't have enough for everyone but I can provide a light source for the group if necessary." She doesn't ask about what might be down there, since she's already got the sense that she doesn't want to know.

Gough (268) has posed:
"Ah, yes; well met, Lady Priscilla." Gough inclines his head when he's spoken to. "Wouldst that I could have helped you previous, but I had duties of my own within Anor Londo." His tone turns jolly, though it's still deep and measured. "Someone must be firing at that old bat, lest he draw too close to the walls, hmmm?"

Still, he settles down quietly near his fellow Knights of Gwyn, cross-legged, which means that Priscilla no longer needs to look up at him. As he listens, he pulls a chunk of wood from a pouch at his belt, and a knife from the other side; the rhythmic scraping of steel against woodgrain marks his words.

If the more unusual elements here bother him, he sure doesn't show it. He simply listens in thoughtful silence -- but to his companions, that's hardly going to be a surprise.

Amalthea, however, earns a tilt of his head as the giant studies her. "Thou art allies of Sir Artorias and Lady Ciaran? Then I am honoured to have thy acquaintance, as well."

Milla Maxwell (13) has posed:
Robust? Would Milla call Ivar robust?
She looks at him briefly.
Answer uncertain.

She is about to ask of Amalthea whether the yes applies to her being rude, or to her horn being a magical super cure, but the speech and exposition from Priscilla draws her attention. The robo-unicorn is spared. For now.

"If you do not mind me asking, what can you tell us about these bells? I'm afraid I have missed that part of the mission, and only know about this area. It is good to see it was lit without a problem at least." Considering the mess that came up when they were clearing the way to get here...

Ivar glances about a bit.
Mostly he's realizing that the holy feeling tingling everywhere isn't from Milla's presence, it's from the area itself. Well, that, and unlike her, he has not gotten quite accustomed to the variety of people present in the room yet.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna winces slightly, "I'm sorry I haven't been around to help out more with clearing the path to the first bell ... and you all can just call me Yuna," she adds - primarily for the benefit of those who don't know her yet.

Elner flits upwards a bit for a better look at the whole of the map from straight overhead, while Yuna leans in slightly to look at it with the others. It seems like the others - particularly those who've been actively engaged with the quest to date - may know more of the questions that need to be asked than either Yuna or Elner do, so Yuna's mainly listening for now. If she thinks of anything that nobody else seems to be asking, she'll speak up.

Artorias (182) has posed:
Artorias's shadowed gaze lingers on the map as it's taken out. He ponders for a few moments, tilting his head slightly to one side. "'Tis a refuge that many who survived New Londo fled to after the city was flooded; other than that, I know little of the lower regions of the settlement."

He rubs the side of his head in thought, trying to remember the landscape. It's been a while. "I believe...there art two regions I know of below the earth. The Tomb of Giants, where Gravelord Nito lieth in rest, and Izalith, where the Witch and her Daughters reside. I know not if they art still present in this time, however, but 'tis possible, if we art descending below the earth, the second bell may reside in one of their domains, if 'tis so important. Whether such entry to either couldst be found below the Burg is something I am not certain of."

Blurr has posed:
Blurr finally stops his pacing when Priscilla officially starts the meeting by taking out a map. Er...a very primitive map made from plant material. Really? People still used that stuff? Pssh.

And then she starts talking about churches, and pilgrims, and knights, and sorcerors, and a bunch of stuff that makes absolutely no sense to him. Oh, wait but there's a bit about underground recon. Maybe -that's- why he was sent here. "Okay so I get that you need some underground recon somewhere but could you explain what you're doing here again because I didn't quite get what it was for with what you said right beforehand about all churches and sorcerers and bells and knights, and whatever else but anyway if it's a scouting party you need I could---"

He stops short, noticing Ciaran staring at him. He quirks a brow at her. "What? What are you staring at huh?"

Sakura Haruno (134) has posed:
"Priscilla." Is the first thing that Sakura says, offering over a small smile in return of greeting, the map being of primary immediate interest. She hadn't gotten a great chance to look around, what with the repeatedly almost dying and all of those sorts of things, and she's curious what might be had in mind for fixing it going forward.

The idea of a second party heading downwards, though, is something she believes she could be of more help with. "That doesn't sound too bad, at least, if we do know how to get there. I think I might be able to help more with the second than I was with the first; underground and surrounded by the earth is something of a speciality.."

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Ciaran addresses Milla.

"The two bells must be rung as part of our quest to undo the curse plaguing these lands. The first bell was guarded by living gargoyles perched atop the Burg's chapel." Here, she gestures helpfully toward the nearby stone walls marking the closest perimeter of the Burg's considerable sprawl. "The other is likely as guarded. Without these two rung, we cannot complete our work. The ringing is deeply tied to an old prophecy among humans...or so we are led to believe."

Kaydon (69) has posed:
"It is remarkably close to where I spent many years in hiding." Kaydon replies to Priscilla, "I do not believe we have been formally introduced. I know your name, but you don't know mine. How rude of me." The scarred stag bows before Priscilla, being way too formal.

"Kaydon Grovestrider." He rises back up from his bow, and moves closer, to listen in on what the ultimate plan for their presence here is.

Priscilla has posed:
"Both very well reasoned questions" Priscilla replies to the two female knights. "The undercity itself is not large, however the waterways below, are. They were once used as sewers, but it has been over a century since they were last used, and so now the water runs clear, save for whatever creatures maketh their dwelling there. No party shouldst travel unarmed within these borders, however stealth may be preferable, as it shall be impossible to simply clear the way by slaying whatever thou wouldst come across, as it will be unlikely to stay dead for long." Staren and Reina get the next round of replies. "Thus deep, sunlight penetrates not. Those that had once used these waterways woulst presumably hath left means to get about them, as well as perhaps more permanent fixtures of light, but the only ones I couldst imagine still possessing an interest in keeping them lit wouldst be bandits, smugglers or theives. As for what lies below, the answers art not certain. Supposedly, there was once an entirely seperate town at the outlet where the water didst once flow out. A place of outcasts and pariahs unwanted by the city above. There is no certainty it hath survived so long as a township wrought in stone. Aside from the inevitability of the undead, what beasts lie down there, I cannot say. Pilgrims hath whispered of all sorts of creatures emerging from below, but seperating fact from fiction in their accounts is impossible."

Yuna and Milla weren't part of the first expedition, but that doesn't seem to bother Priscilla at all. She offers the both of them a thin smile for their thoughts regardless. "No matter. As for the bells, they art both sacred relics from centuries past, but their significance art recent. It is said whoever rings both bells, shall know the fate of the cursed, and the answer to the plague of undeath upon this world. Those undead from all countries hath come here in pilgrimage in search of these bells, hoping to find these answers before their curse takes them." Handily, both these answers more or less cover Blurr needs to know, though perhaps someone else might have to explain the entire "undeath" thing to him. "A reconnaissance party may be of most use. Charting the way forward, swiftly so as not to draw legions of what hungry things lie in wait. Fighting may be a necessity regardless. As Sir Artorias hath said, I worry for the possibility that Izalith's creatures or Nito's dead emerging to the surface may be the source of rumour."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
"Our primary opposition would normally be Hollows and assorted hostile creatures," Nathan points out to Ciaran. "But with more devious entities at work suffering from less humanity loss, we have to assume a certain degree of stealth is going to be needed."

Milla Maxwell gets a quick aside. "All we know is that the two bells will provide, in some fashion, further information about the nature of the curse that the Undead suffer. This is our best lead for solving the problem entirely."

Blurr gets a raised eyebrow. With a quick gesture and a magical spell, Nathan casts a small quantity of information at him. "Please peruse the relevant Crisis Report." He says, simply, as translucent, yellow floating words drift towards Blurr. It's an excert from Union report 26/48!

"* Priscilla's World - Union Ally Priscilla has an issue with her world, wherein humans(and only humans, it seems) become cursed and unable to die. These undead eventually go insane. A prophecy states that the answer to the curse lies in the Bells of Awakening. Their prime deity, Lord Gwyn, has disappeared. Please speak to Priscilla for details." And then all the associated information.

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Ciaran next addresses Gough.

"The curse we know has spread to devour the lands. Humanity here stands on a fragile precipice. As implied by the report Sir Hall cites, the disaster's cause...it may have been our Lord's failing which fueled to the curse's intensity. We have a duty to discover what has befallen Lord Gwyn, and to aid these humans in completing his work, that the curse may be stopped."

To Blurr, she gives a startled look. "Forgive my rudeness, Sir. I know neither you nor your kind. I am Lord's Blade Ciaran."

Gough (268) has posed:
"Hmmm." Gough's response is a thoughtful rumble when adressed by Ciaran. The giant never stops his woodcarving, though, but he does tilt his helmeted head in evident contemplation. "Yes, of course. I wouldst know why Lord Gwyn failed in his task. And if he did fall, then I wouldst aid these humans in finishing his work..."

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna wonders aloud, "So do the bells have to be rung simultaneously, once we get the paths cleared to both of them? Or are we going to find that out further down the line?"

Reina Kinney has posed:
Reina hrms as she thinks about this situation for a few moments. She then feels above her left ear, noting the ear-mounted flashlight she brought with her, and frowns. "This may not be enough," She thinks to herself out loud, while realizing what Priscilla said was most likely true, although rather troubling. "If there are bandits down there, then we best be ready for them." Her eyes narrow and they dart from side to side as if she's expecting something to happen. Then she simply shrugs it off and then glances to her right to the fox-raccoon hybrid creature levitating above her shoulder. "Looks like we're going to do a bit of spelunking, Ryulikon. Good thing you aren't afraid of the dark!"

Blurr has posed:
Blurr reads the cited report faster than a human can even blink three times. And then Priscilla says something about being swift. "Did someone say fast?" Because fast is Blurr's forte. "Er, swiftly, whatever. Same thing, and if these former sewers are wide enough to fit me you probably won't even have to deal with any monsters or whatever you're going to be up against... Because obviously, -nothing- can outrun Blurr. At least not according to him.

"...wait, isn't not dying a good thing, at least most of the time anyway, oh wait they go insane right so ringing the bell makes them sane again but wouldn't it kill them if they were supposed to have died a while ago but didn't because of the disease or whatever? Wait how does the bell fix it anyway is it a pulsewave on a specific frequency or something?" These probably all sound like stupid questions to everyone else, but suffice to say that the former racer is pretty out of his element right now.

Artorias (182) has posed:
Artorias turns his head to regard Blurr as he speaks, and after a moment he simply chuckles, shakes his head, and raises a hand to try and get him to slow down. Not like that might be terribly effective. "Calm thyself, sir. 'Tis the unfortunate fact that...well, we know'st not how exactly this may work. We hath little to go on save a prophecy, one which sayeth that two bells must be rung. 'Tis little to go on, but 'tis better than naught, aye?"

He shrugs slightly, corroded armor rustling and scraping. "The curse of Undeath weareth the will from a human until they are naught but a mindless, soul-seeking shell. Perhaps they may be granted a peaceful death, or perhaps they may be given their minds once more. We must simply find out, and hope for the best."

He sighs, then, turning back to the map. "...if 'tis Izalith, I see not why there would be monsters. 'Tis a peaceful land, inhabited by those seeking to learn the art of fire sorceries. The dead that linger in the Gravelord's realm should be peaceful as well; 'tis a realm of quiet and rest, not bloodshed. I suppose in the worst case, we Knights may be able to speak with either of them to aid us in gaining passage. Nito is a friend, as is the Witch. Surely they hath not forgotten us after so long?"

Ciaran (396) has posed:
"Ringing the bells does not restore sanity alone," Ciaran corrects. "If it was that simple, the curse would have been ended in our time."

Priscilla has posed:
"Yes, unfortunately other humans art the most likely of threats. I cannot imagine how else such a market dealing in Humanity and souls coulst hath sprung up around this place. More than likely, there art those slaying travelers alongside the hollowed. As for the bells, it is not clear. If they may be rung sequentially, we shall knoweth immediately. If it must be simultaneous, it wouldst be a simple matter to have the keeper of the parish to aid us. After all, we possess radios, do we not?" Blurrs high octane rambling gets something of a squinty look from Priscilla, but perish the thought that she'd actually tell him to shut up in polite company. "For those undead that hath gone Hollow, yes, the cessation of the curse wouldst most likely be the end of them; a fate kinder than their current lot. As for those otherwise, I cannot imagine why they wouldst die so suddenly after failing to do so many times before. The term "undead" refers not to "zombies" or the ilk most common to other words. It applies to a living, breathing human, stricken by something beyond our understanding. The bells themselves do not likely lift the curse, but more probably offer some manner of information pertaining to it, or perhaps summon someone or something capable of lifting it."

Priscilla clears her throat, reaching into the bag to pull out a rather sizeable tome with too many bookmarks wedged in it to count, followed by some sort of package wrapped up in cloth from beside her rather than the bag. "In any case, I hath called thee here for a second reason as well. After giving the matter some thought, I believe continuing as we hath so far is far too dangerous. Aside from the obvious perils that press every second of our expeditions, there is a more grave matter to which I must give thought. We know so little about the Darksign and how it chooses its victims, that we cannot rule out the possibility that prolonged exposure to the undead couldst transmit their curse to an unfortunate Elite. There art no surety any of thee couldst be immune. Even the non-humans among thee could possibly serve as carriers; unwittingly bringing its influence back to thine homes. I believe the risk of this unknown far too great to organize so many more of these expeditions. I propose an alternative."

Just as she goes to unravel the cloth however, Artorias catches a sad, wary look from her. "Sir Artorias. It has been one thousand years since the times thou art familiar with. If Lord Gwyn hath taken absence, there art no guarantee the other Lords hath not done the same. What didst becometh of their kingdoms, no-one here knows. It couldst be that they simply keep to theirselves now, as Anor Londo does, but there art no certainty in that."

Milla Maxwell (13) has posed:
"I see," Milla says, simply, having the bells explained to her. It does sound simple enough, although they admit they don't know what happens after.

"I do not know how much use I can be for a stealth operation, but obviously it would be rude not to follow up on my offer to help."

Ivar speaks up, suddenly. "So, I might be missing the big picture here, but why would humans or the undead that're still sane want to stop people from breaking the curse? Shouldn't you have most of the world backing you for something like this? I mean, this isn't "good for one kingdom" or "good for one person" this is "good for everyone", isn't? What do people have to gain keeping things... you know, bad?"

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"That's probably where the demons come in," Elner answers Ivar.

Yuna winces, remembering the demons she and the others encountered when they followed Priscilla's distress call. "I *was* wondering - how do the demons fit into things? I know they're ... ah, how to put this ... they tend to be the primary enemies in a given area, right? Are they actually 'in charge' of things beyond that? Do they stir up the undead and the 'Hollow' or something?"

Sakura Haruno (134) has posed:
Sakura, being ever the medic, feels her mouth go dry a bit. "Examining it, I didn't thiiink it was too likely to transmit to us. But that said, I don't really want to end up finding out otherwise by waking up one morning cursed and undead." She admits, watching closely to see just what Priscilla's alternative was - given how illunderstood the curse seemed to be, after all, it would be interesting to see how Priscilla planned to guard against it.

But she's a bit tease about it, and manages to keep Sakura on her toes watching closely.

Kaydon (69) has posed:
Kaydon has not had the fortune of attending any of this particular groups past adventures, and finds himself mostly in the dark on the mechanics of the world at large. He listens intently to Priscilla's explanation, but for now, will remain quiet until he has something to offer in regards to his ability to assist. That is his primary goal here, to help however he can.

Staren has posed:
Staren listens to the infodump, perhaps slightly distracted by the Divided Equestrians talking on the radio for a bit. But he can record and play back Priscilla's words, so no loss.

"Would it really be better, to have a recon party fight there /and/ back to map it for the rest of us, when we'll have to fight our way there and back again anyway?" And then... They could become undead plague carriers?! "I didn't even /think/ of that! What are you proposing we do about it then?"

Reina Kinney has posed:
"Demons... undead..." Reina simply shakes her head and wipes her forehead with a sigh. "This place is already giving me the creeps and we haven't even gone in yet." She closes her eyes for a moment as if saying something to herself, then she opens them again. "What am I saying? I can't be acting like this now."

Blurr has posed:
Yes, 'high-octane rambling' is probably a good way to describe the way Blurr talks most of the time. He's sort of learned to keep a pace that other people can understand for the most part, but when he gets excited or is distracted or whatever, he sometimes forgets to focus on keeping that pace. "Okay so some of them are beyond help then, but are you sure we can't just give them some kind of antipsychotic drug or depressant or something in an aerosol or in the water supply I mean maybe this sound stupid but I'm just not seeing how ringing a bunch of bells is going to help fix this or make things normal again or whatever."

And then wait this thing is contagious? "Whoa wait so this is some kind of contagion like a virus or a disease or whatever then there has to be some transmission method is it nanoscopic? Microscopic? Or maybe it's a liquid, or ..." At this point Blurr's player stops typing, though this does not mean he actually stops talking...

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Ciaran looks to Gough and Artorias again. "I had thought the Lords eternal..."

Priscilla's suggestion otherwise leaves her feeling apprehensive. Ciaran has no fear of the curse itself, except as the agent responsible for ravaging her world and rendering it a bleak shadow of its former glory. It is /change/ making Ciaran so anxious -- a strange thing to fear, considering her part in the ancient war.

To the rapid-speaking Blurr: "Scholars have dedicated their lives to the understanding of the curse. Clerics, too. I...am not aware of any true understanding found in all their efforts, and certainly no miracle has proven an effective balm. Only souls seem to strengthen the afflicted."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
"Speaking as the one who seems to suffer the most severe wounding each time, I find myself keenly interested in any means you may have to offer to reduce the massive risks of your world." Nathan Hall says, with a frank monotone. "What alternative might you have? I would like to assist with much less regular lethal risk to myself." He adjusts his glasses and speaks about this the same way you might talk about returning a library book.

Artorias (182) has posed:
Artorias exchanges looks with Gough and Ciaran, then simply gives an uncertain shrug after a moment. "...we shall see what time has wrought, I suppose," he murmurs quietly.

He looks up again to Blurr. "We know not if it spreadeth by conventional means, nor if 'tis even a plague. 'Tis only clear that it affecteth humanity." He pauses, rubbing his helmeted head in thought. "...I recall Bishop Havel investigated the curse in our time. Even when he returned from his expeditions, however, it seemed as though it still hast not gained a hold in our Lordran. I do not mean to say that we art perfectly safe, but...there is a chance it may not be something which can be carried like a disease."

Ciaran (396) has posed:
"Lady Priscilla is right to find us a safeguard and insist on its use, anyway," Ciaran adds, and an expectant look is sent the lady's way.

Blurr has posed:
A lot of times, someone else literally has to start talking over Blurr before he stops talking. This time Ciaran talks to him. "Well maybe we need to get a sample of something affected by it so we can learn about what it is so we can find a way to get rid rid of it or fix it or something I mean has it been done and if not why not if there's any reason at all?"

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Ciaran raises her hand in a gentling gesture. "Let us hear what Lady Priscilla has to say before we discuss other subjects."

Priscilla has posed:
Priscilla looks to Ivar. "For the same reasons as always. Greed and fear. There art those who believe lifting the curse is impossible, but still cling to their sanity. They steal that which others need for their own. There art no purpose in simply amassing gold or weapons, obviously, but taking the souls and Humanity of travellers couldst theoretically fend of Hollowing indefinitely. There art still others who sought refuge in pledging themselves to a native being of this land, exchanging their service in turn for their salvation. Such beings art not likely to highly value the lives of humans outside of their covenant." To Yuna, she seems less certain. "The demons we hath encountered thusfar hath been in the position of an apex predator rather than a leader. Living humans flood into these lands at all times, art slain in droves by beasts or hollows which taketh their souls, which art then in turn slain by greater beings. In doing so, the souls of these pilgrims art concentrated again and again. An individual hollow may ambush three men, then a beast may devour five hollows, and then a demon may hunt ten beasts, reaping the spoils of one hundred and fifty travellers. It is cruel arithmetic."

That finally said, Priscilla at last unrolls that canvas, laying out a . . . variety of things. Most appear to be odds and ends or personal effects she swiftly removes from the spread, but the items left over are much stranger. A complete set of odd crystal splinters, glowing softly in all hues; old and weathed engraved stones; crude, petrified talismans; and a selection of esoteric stone orbs fixed with literal eyes which quiver faintly in place. Placing her finger against a particular bookmark, she flips open to a specific chapter in the massive old tome, placing it out where anyone who feels like lifting it can read through. The title reads 'A TREATISE ON THE SUMMONING ARTS OF ANCIENT LORDRAN'. "This land, as the site of the First Flame and the originating point of all life, is unique in the spiritual power that infuses its every inch. In the times of which the Knights of Gwyn and I art more familiar with, summoning others as spiritual entities was a common practise, used in conference, service to the gods, and in battle. By extending thine own awareness through the means of a summoning catalyst, it is possible to grant thyself an astral body of sorts, with which to exercise thine own powers, whilst leaving thinself safely elsewhere."

Staren has posed:
Staren blinks. "So... we can travel here astrally? I suppose drones are also an option, for anyone that makes uncomfortable... although, I don't know how well aura will transfer with /either/ method... Practically speaking, how much power and gear can come along and be used effectively? How do you know the undead affliction isn't a disease of the spirit that could still affect us?"

Ciaran (396) has posed:
The assorted crystals are looked on, their function understood; Ciaran is quiet for now, however. At least one of those artifacts provokes an unease or a discordancy in her soul, as if her very essence is innately repelled by the thing.

Well. She must admit it is a clever solution. Death, even as a phantom of one's true self, is not a pleasant experience...but it would be far more pleasant to die a thousand times without penance than to become a carrier of the curse.

Blurr has posed:
So demons. Like, sparkeaters? Blurr tries to imagine what Priscilla is talking about. And then she takes out a bunch of crystals and a very primitive book. Primus people still store information like that? Sigh.

And then there was the bit about an astral body? "Uh...so...so like an avatar? Holoform? A holomatter matrix, that's what I use anyway."

Reina Kinney has posed:
Reina looks at the crystals for a moment, but says nothing. Still, there is a solemn look on her face as she stares at them while the information sinks in. She opens her mouth to speak to Blurr, but then stops suddenly as she realizes she might be biting off more than she can chew.

Sakura Haruno (134) has posed:
That actually gets Sakura's attention on a technical level, as well, mostly because of the way her techniques are actually powered. "I'm.. not completely certain if chakra will continue to work with something like that or not, but I'll be glad to try it if it means avoiding risking ending up quarentined here." Because she would take measures not to spread a curse, but she doesn't particularly want to stay here. It's dark enough just visiting.

Priscilla has posed:
Priscilla sure has a lot of talking to do today. "Astute queries, but thine worries art unfounded. The soul remains firmly planted within the body whence summoned, else it wouldst be released into the air once the phantom dissipates and result in the death of the summoned regardless. An avatar is perhaps the best way to describe the process. Spacially, the phantom body is tied to thee. For most purposes, it is though thou art actually present. As far as I am aware, all manner of equipment may be carried, and all forms of personal power may be employed, though such will still tax thine energy the same. Warriors once fought as phantoms in great tournaments to gain entry to the city of the gods in times past. It wouldst be a pale imitation of a contest were these rules not the case. Additionally, by tying thineself temporarily to the fabric of Lordran, thou may yet gain the perceptions common to those of native origin. Perhaps then thou wilst come to better understand the things going on about thee unseen."

Staren has posed:
Staren considers this. "So you can use all your powers, you're completely safe, /and/ you gain new senses. What's the catch? Otherwise there'd be no need to go anywhere physically."

Kaydon (69) has posed:
The stag hrms faintly as he listens to the explanation. Astral bodies, still completely capable of carrying weapons and using abilities? Seems somewhat strange, even to him, "I am with Staren." The stag replies, "It does seem far too good to be true."

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"Astral projection ..."

While it sounds like the people of Lordran are used to such things being relatively (if not completely) safe, and almost run-of-the-mill once upon a time, Yuna still looks somewhat troubled by the discussion of it. "You make it sound sort of like the AmuSphere system we use in Alfheim Online, really. But there *has* to be more of a catch to it than that, somehow ..." She nods to Staren as she finishes saying it - and he got the thought out in words faster than she did.

"- hey, when did the curse first appear relative to the time when this astral-projection summoning magic became commonplace?"

Blurr has posed:
Blurr shrugs. "Well my avatar still requires a fair bit of energy to keep running. And plus it has a limited range. We use them for short-range communication in most cases but I don't know about the ones she's talking about." he says, gesturing toward Priscilla.

Priscilla has posed:
Priscilla continues. "Predictably, thou wouldst requireth a summoner. Thou must find somewhere safe for thine sleeping form. Both of thee art required to know how to transpose the sign to which indicates thine true name. Thou art also at some whim of the summoner himself, as thou may be banished at any time. Lastly, the summoning lasts not forever. How long one may stay in phantom form, and how many phantoms may exist at one time, is again, tied to the summoner's own power." Yuna gets a look as if she has no idea what the girl could be asking for. "Hundreds of years hence, why?"

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
"This seems fantastically useful." Nathan says, with the closest Nathan can get to eagerness. "I recall my time in SAO, this strikes me as somewhat similar." With a contemplative consideration, he says, "I would guess the primary disadvantage may come in matters relating to the collection of Souls? Otherwise I expect many more hollows might attempt to exploit these for attacks with lessened chance of harm to themselves." Nathan has a wide-eyed, fascinated sort of look. He also tilts his head somewhat. "Would it be possible for someone to be summoned from offworld? Our SAO Elite deployment ward in Union Medical is still in the process of being shut down and has not been unstocked, so that could be a useful safe place for sleeping bodies during the process."

Ciaran (396) has posed:
"As I understand it, the act of summoning itself can take time, and may not always be reliable -- the flow of time and space is fickle in our lands, and sometimes, a summoning fails. Perhaps the art has been refined across the centuries?" Ciaran shrugs, and defers to Priscilla's studied expertise. "Lady Priscilla, with these tokens in use, will we be at risk for further invasions of malicious spirits, too?"

Staren has posed:
Staren nods. "I see. So who wilt be -- I mean, will be the summoner? And yeah, this works across worlds right? Also, if anybody doesn't want to try this, I'm reasonably sure I can work up a drone and FullDive-based solution. Of course, that would have its own downsides."

Priscilla has posed:
Priscilla has yet more explaining to do. Perhaps somewhat irritated, she picks up and foists the book into the hands of the librarian present. "Lady Ciaran is correct. Hollow however . . . I cannot imagine how a Hollow wouldst be capable of transcribing its own summoning sign, or why anyone wouldst wish to summon one. The truth is entirely contrary to thine assumption Sir Hall. By taking phantom form, those of thee from other worlds wouldst be able to maketh use of the souls released upon our journey. Not that I mind the current state of affairs where Sir Artorias, Lady Ciaran and I are privy to a three way share. At the very least, thou wouldst be able to see them, rather than taking mine word for it." Ciaran has a pretty good question though. "Perhaps, though I believeth Lady Amalthea hath already been made to deal with such. Twice. Any grouping we coulst form wouldst be an attractive target all the same. At the very least. Likewise, I believeth summoning from off world should be possible, but summoning to somewhere outside of Lordran art not." Then Priscilla looks at Staren like he just asked the silliest question ever. "Obviously mineself, to which these items belong. Such was the reason I returned to the Asylum to retrieve them in the first place."

Sakura Haruno (134) has posed:
Sakura will consider over it for a moment, before asking, a hint of hesitation in her voice as she does. "Well. Is there any danger to us from letting you know our, ah, true name?" Sakura asks, as though it weren't on all kinds of paperwork and her Union id card and all those sorts of things. She's not really going to dig too deep into the souls question; this all is sticky enough without asking too much about THAT.

Staren has posed:
Staren nods. "Well, I guess leaving my body won't really be anything new, although I'd love to know more about how this works..." He looks around, "I imagine the arcane details would bore everyone here to sleep." He sighs. "Perhaps I can find out later. Well, this seems pretty straightforward. What do we need to do now to prepare? Something about summoning signs, you said?"

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"What if *we* don't know our true name?" Yuna points out. "Or is there some kind of ritual to help us determine it for the purposes of inscribing it so we can be summoned?"

Behind the honest question, though, Yuna seems a little bit guarded. She's done well enough so far in her visits to Lordran; she doesn't see a particular need to use souls ... or more accurately, the idea of 'using' souls gathered in Lordran sits ill with her. She's not about to make an open issue of it - but there's a hint of that unease on her face, if you watch her expression closely enough.

Priscilla has posed:
"Mine apologies Lady Haruno. I meant no True Name business as Loros so loves to prattle about. I meant only the name given to thee first. I will be able to teach thee how to write it in the ancient script, or else one of the knights, should they be willing." Moving on. "If thou art interested Sir Staren, there is an entire chapter dedicated to the study of it in that book. Perhaps photograph the passaged for later perusal." Clearing her throat, Priscilla begins to organize the talismans by type. "For now, the most prudent course of action wouldst be to select a summoning stone that resonates most strongly with thee. Different souls hath different natures. I cannot use a single stone to summon every last one of thee. The usual four art most commong, but the odd soul requires a more specialized stone, of which I hath several. They art not so easy to come across in these times."

Blurr has posed:
Blurr stares at Priscilla as she explains something about souls and um...he's not sure what else, exactly. "Um so what about souls again? Is that like energy or something?" Because she said something about using them. "Look maybe I could skip out in the summoning thing, since I already have an avatar, which is basically the same thing right at least I think that's what you said."

Staren has posed:
Staren nods, "Photographing it would be great, thanks!" he smiles. Then he looks over the summoning stones. "What's the difference? I assume there's a bit more to this than choosing my favorite color..."