Scene #4081: You met WHAT?

Owner	Pose
Lin	As advertised, Karal Rei Lin's at a certain table in a far corner of the Bar and Grill. It's a fairly large table, there's never been much trouble with space out here. The redhead's seated in a plain wooden chair. Spread out within easy arms' reach are a few plates of food - looks like chicken and a few other meats, along with a sandwhich and... wow that's more like a dinner than anything else, and it's a wonder how she might keep her physique if she eats like this a lot... Karal Rei Lin's periodically munching on some of her meat while also reading through a few pamphlets and books. Judging by the labels, most of it are (slightly outdated) ones about the Multiverse itself. Guidebooks and the thoughts of various scholars of many schools of thought. Probably not the sort of fare one would expect from someone with her rougher manner of speaking, but... at least she's literate!
Staren	Staren walks in from one of the gates, and then... just sort of looks around. He doesn't know what Lin looks like, and there's a lot of people here!
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa was not expecting Karal Rei Lin to be literate, this will help with a lot of things she muses quitely as the blure haired woman makes for the far corner wioth KRI at the tbale. She wears a sleevely long jet which is open, fingerless gloves, a shirt, shorts, and long stocking andf leggings finished it up. She also ahs an odd faintly glowing hair clip in her mess of blue hair. Though there mgiht be something off about her to young woman from creation. "Hey, are ytou Karal Rei Lin?"
Guest Madeline	When Madeline enters, she's wearing a loose T-Shirt that says 'Neverborn Go Home' and a pair of jeans. She's also wearing a pair of glasses today, but they're just normal reading glasses. A quick look about determines pretty easily where to go, and the woman meanders that way and... pulls up a chair without even asking. "Good afternoon," she says. She flicks her eyes to Staren, then Kotone, and back to Karal. "You were the one asking about Anathema?"
Lin	Several people enter and Lin blinks. And they seek her out, so... it would have to be the ones who got her table number, right? Clearing her throat awkwardly, she closes the book after slipping a napkin in as a bookmark and puts down her food. "That's me! Good..." She peers at Vance's shirt, as though incredibly puzzled by the idea of putting such weird writing on one's front like that. "Good afternoon! And I was. If people have stories to share of 'em, I'd like to know. There's plenty of stories about them goin' around these days."
Staren	Oh, that must be her. Staren approaches. "So you're from Creation? I'm Staren. A researcher, I guess you could say..." he holds out a hand to shake, then takes a seat, nodding to Kotone and giving a glance to Madeline. "The solars and lunar I've met seemed friendly enough. Very friendly, albeit from a culture so very different from mine... The ones I've interacted with most were Untamed Breeze, an artificer, and Finna, who now that I think about it must have some flowery Creation name I don't recall off the top of my head, who turns into animals, but they both are very much... enjoy life sorts, while I have my nose in books and my head in the clouds, so to speak..."
Guest Madeline	Madeline rests her hands on her lap. "Madeline Vance, also known as the Radiant Princess of Unwavering Rule," she introduces herself. "I am from a version of Creation, but likely one with many differences from yours." She smiles faintly, then glances at Staren and tsks, going into a little more detail. "Untamed Breeze is a Twilight of the Solar Exalted. Finna is some kind of Lunar Exalted, though I haven't spoken with her enough to obtain her caste. There are a few others, such as the Dark Hero, Yuri Stinson, who is... something like a proto-Primordial. Others have been in and out of the sector over many years, of many types."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa gives Madeline a nod and a bit of a grin for a moment. "Kotone Yamakawa I'm a mechanic and adventuring sort I guess. I known of a few solars and I know a Lunar. She's a hell of a trickster but I think that's just her and her totem is a fox." She seems amused for a moment. "The Lunar I know is Finna, I know of several solars by reptuation frm what I know. I never bothered to ask her what she was either I'm afraid."
Lin	Lin rises to shake Staren's hand, but quickly takes a seat again. It's a good thing because someone sees fit to drop a CRAZY TITLE on her and promptly gets stared at for a bit. That being Madeline. Thankfully Lin quickly realizes she's staring and blinks. "uh? That's a heck of a thing to be called... just Karal Rei Lin. Lin for short." The redhead's quiet but treats the others with a very intense gaze while she listens. "I notice you're not speaking of them like they're public menaces." Is her first response. She soon purses her lips, makes a move as if to grab some more food... then thinks better of it. Instead she folds her hands. "Kind of expected the opposite!"
Staren	Staren's ears reflexively perk up when Madeline says the word 'Twilight.' At Lin's comment, Staren blinks. "Ah. I guess you're from somewhere with more Immaculate Order presence, huh? Well... any Exalted that go out and make friends with people probably aren't horrible demons, you know?" he shrugs. "Or perhaps what this order says is just propaganda. After all, on my own world, according to the Coalition..." he wiggles his ears for emphasis, "My mother's a /demon/, an evil menace to humanity. And anyone who practices sorcery is in league with demons." He says this with a casual, almost flippant tone of one who lives somewhere safe enough that they generally don't have to worry about being affected personally by such propaganda. "I suppose if the exalted I met had all been my enemies, I'd have a rather different view of things."
Guest Madeline	"Just call me Madeline, or Radiant Empress if you really wish," Madeline replies. "My full title is longer, but as you can tell from my current attire, I'm not particularly one for title when I'm not acting as a formal representative." She listens quietly for a long moment, then, "I'm a Zenith of the Solars, myself. Naturally I would not think poorly of Solars by association. Of course, some Solars are more problematic than others." Again, she glances at Staren and Kotone. "The Union that Staren is in has several other Solars associated with them. They're from worlds more like your own. My own does not have this 'Realm' that is so problematic for others, but the Shogunate does practice something like Immaculism. Of course, Staren /is/ my enemy, technically, but he's helped me out in some matters even so."
Lin	"Probably not the Immaculate Order you're thinking of, but somethin' like that. Dad was from Lookshy if that means anythin' to ya!" Which gets her turning to look at Madeline and staring again. "... are you kidding me?! ... No you're not... nobody'd be brazen enough to claim that 'n not mean it..." She's wide-eyed with a bit of awe. Maybe worry. But for one who's not proclaimed themselves as anything more than a wandering martial artist and a smith, she's taking it without breaking down in anxiety at least! Staren's words likewise get her peering at him a bit later. "Awful casual way of speaking about your own mom if someone's THAT incensed about her. Kinda right about the sorcery part for Creation. Most sorcerers do traffic with demons. Usually means enslaving 'em." She folds her arms, possibly holding some thoughts about that matter. "... err. Enslavin' the demons, not the sorcerer." She focuses again on Madeline. "Yeah... the Shogunate came before the Scarlet Empire and I'm descended from it through my dad, and him through Lookshy... which was called... what was it back then.... Deheleshen? Do you know any Deheleshen, Madeline...?"
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa says "It depends on the person like anyone else to be honest." She notes she looks over to Staren for a moment. "I only heard of Breeze in a few old news reports I'm afraid. She didn't sound like it and lets not get into Chi Town." She looks back to Madeline for a moment listening with intrest about her and her world. "I see yet I apologise, Staren...I get a lot of crap for what I am in some places back home too." She sings her head for a moment. "Lookshy? They are remants of an older empire if I recall right?"
Staren	Staren looks at Madeline. "Yes, well... while the Union and Confederacy are at odds, I choose to help people on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes a Confederate's personal cause is just. In your case... I'm not sure how /you/ treat your followers, but I'm pretty sure the people we were fighting were worse." Staren blinks at Lin and scratches his head. "Well I mean... a little more than half the people in my home /city/ are nonhumans. Obviously the Coalition, as the biggest power on the continent, is a military threat but... None of us are going to listen to their propaganda. Not when ourselves or our friends are painted as monsters and it's, y'know, just plainly not true!" He nods a little. "I mean, there /are/ demons out there, obviously, but they're not welcome in Lazlo, nor is anyone who openly associates with them." He looks to Kotone. "It's fine... people who think people aren't people are dumb." He looks back to Lin. "Fair folk aren't people, though." he adds flatly.
Guest Madeline	Kotone gets another look. "Chi-Town sounds familiar... Staren's world? I've mostly been in Germany there. I should follow up on that sometime, if I can find the time." She nods at Karal, crossing her arms in front of her. "Staren has a lot of solutions, but his own world has plenty of problems. He did help me with the Skullstone matters, however." Karal gets a smile. "I don't trust demons much, but I sometimes call upon a Second Circle. Sorcery is one of my specialities. The place you call 'Lookshy' does exist though, in my world... though I expect it's a little different for many reasons. I have been avoiding them because of their air force's strength. It would be too much of a commitment of my forces to offend them, and they have so far not been doing that poorly in taking care of their own compared to... most." Staren's comment has her smiling. "I do try. The whole point of conquering Skullstone was to provide a better alternative. I'm surprised you didn't help earlier."
Lin	Lin's starting to frown a little. Her gaze sweeps back and forth from Staren to Madeline, but before addressing them... she answers Kotone. "Lookshy's the home of the Seventh Legion of the Shogunate! Still persevering until rightful rule's restored. The Scarlet Empress isn't legitimate to them. But I just know what dad told me. Wasn't raised anywhere near the place, sorry." Lin rubs her forehead a little upon that declaration. Staren's explanation gets a nod. "Pretty right on every co-- count?!" Swwweeeerve goes her attention, right to Madeline. "SECOND Circle? ... That's a completely different league from a Blood Ape or Stomach Bottle Bug. You can control those things?!" She sounds... doubtful. Maybe a little spooked even.
Staren	Staren looks to Madeline. "A lot of stuff's happening in the Multiverse, and I can't keep track of it all. Sometimes I just overlook stuff." At the comment about second-circle demons, he holds his hands palm-up to emphasize his shrug. "Demons on your worlds... well, okay, I've heard some stuff about them in theory, but I don't know what specifically a 'second-circle demon' is like in practice."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa says "It's the capitol of the nation Staren spoke of, what I do know about it even the slums outside it are safer than most of the contient is. I don't know much more about thme that that but it sounds like what might happen on my world if reality ripped open and vomited up magic, demons and more out of nowhere. I perfer to avoid trafficing in such powers entirely not only on personal relgious reasobns but practical. I have seen Kingsmouth..." Kotone is clealry creeped but also not intending to be well insulting but that sort of thing just spooks her.
Guest Madeline	Madeline waves off Staren's apology. Not dismissively, but with a little smile that says she understands it. Right now she isn't being particularly evil. "Demons on our world are... they lost the war, and their servitude is part of the bargain when the peace terms were set. There are limitations and rules, but as I understand it they are not nearly so dangerous as other worlds... provided you have the power to do so. I generally prefer Elementals for most things, and only rely on demons for aiding in large battles. Fair Folk are the closest equivalent to what other worlds would call 'demons,' I think." Not exactly right, but eases the tension hopefully. "Every world has problems, I find."
Lin	"No, demons are trouble even if you can control them." Lin exclaims solidly. "Gotta watch them like a hawk, I hear... ah.. Staren, right?" Lin purses her lips, then plants a hand on her hip. "Second Circles are... I don't know specifics, bt they're the bosses of the common demon ranks. Much more powerful. Much more intelligent. Much more SCHEMEY. If the typical demon - of the First Circle - is little more than a powerful beast that can maybe talk and acts like a monster, they're the ones holding those things' leashes. Except they're DEVIOUS bastards. The ones that cults form around. Nobody'd worship a Blood Ape. Stupid, smelly brutes. Makarios the Dream Merchant, though, I've heard there's some really secretive group hundreds of miles away... nobody's found 'em, we just hear rumors." She shrugs with a sigh of disgust. "Which is about all I can tell you about 'em... anyways, what I wanted to know is, you guys don't buy into the Anathema tales? I was hoping to learn more about the nature of these Chosen... what they DO... because the Solars were gone for a long, LONG time... but now they're back. And I've heard enough mixed news to confuse a god!"
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa says "Sounds like drone intellgence levels in way there's lower AIs and higher and higher ones till you get the point? Your not sure if they might not be a person or not." Kotne clearly is paying attention here but there's also a lot to learn from just this converstation for a moment. "I think the tales may be rooted in the truth some exalted went mad with power yes, but all of them? No I do not, I try to take them as they come." She looks to Madeline for a moment. "It's very apt everyone has problems it's just what said problems are, I find."
Guest Madeline	"Well yes," Madeline agrees. "Demons are not /nice/, which is why they're best used in my opinion for fighting your enemies. Others use them for more utilitarian purposes, but Elementals are less hostile to the summoner, or simply using Sorcery to begin with." Ah, the Anathema issue. "The Immaculate Order has a much less strict hold on my world than yours, I think, but Solars are still regarded as monstrous by many. However, with the threat of the Deathlords and their Knights having been growing steadily, some have turned to... others than the Terrestrials. The Phoenix of the Perfect Horizon is a known Solar who has quite a following, though he is loathed in the Shogunate. I don't have much of that problem, since I'm based in the former Skullstone Archipelago and out of Paragon, neither of which hold much faith in the Immaculate Order. Going toward the Blessed Isle, however, it becomes more of a 'problem' for now."
Staren	Staren nods as his name is given, and sips iced tea while the others talk. "Remember, we're from other worlds. We didn't /hear/ these 'Anathema tales' unless we went to Creation and asked about 'em. As for what the Chosen can do... I've seen Finna turn into animals and monsters and I'm sure she has less obvious stuff too. Breeze... I've seen her turn off gravity, she's made magitech wings a man can fly with, and I heard she once temporarily overwrote the laws of reality in an area around her with, I presume, Creation's."
Lin	"The Anathema tales say they spread chaos and disharmony, bewitch people into thinking everything's hunky-dory when they do awful things. I'm not saying I buy into it, but... what'm asking is, you haven't seen that kind of stuff going on?" Lin re-iterates, arms still folded and a very pensive look on her face. Well that was mostly to Staren at least. "I see... sounds like it really is mostly propoganda. Not sure who's spreading it or why besides making it hard on the previous guys in charge.." Now she's rubbing her chin.
Guest Madeline	"Of course I have," Madeline replies. "Solars have a lot of power, so they cause a massive amount of disruption when they aren't paying attention. The Phoenix of the Perfect Horizon is loud, obnoxious, and often causes quite an episode when he shows up... but he's also a disciplined commander. The Dark Hero is a vicious and brutal fighter, but most of his appearances have required that, given his focus on rebellion and sponsoring it." As for what Karal says... "There are reasons to say it. It keeps the Immaculate Order in power. The actual reasons are... complicated, and even I am not aware of all the specifics, not to mention that the differences in our worlds may mean that they aren't even right."
Staren	Staren leans back in his chair slightly. "Honestly, if stuff like that /was/ going on, I'd be the last to notice... But I've known them for years and they don't seem to be up to such things, even according to those more powerful and observant than me."
Guest Madeline	Madeline pauses, then sighs as she spies the clock. "Excuse me. I have to leave for a bit." She rises and gives Karal a tiny smirk. "If you have more questions, please visit the Radiant Empire. It is reasonably safe for anyone curious about Solars... though Solars themselves may have trouble if they try to cause issues. I would be curious to see your version of Creation sometime."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa says "Given what I hear of creation maybe someone out there recalls what happened or has an axe to grind and is just keeping this up Karal? I'm not sure I never been to creation in my life only interact with a few people from it or heard about it. I could go info searching for you if you like it shouldn't be too hard to search the net for something but well it might not be reliable and who knows how much I'd have to sift through honestly. She looks to Madeline as she stands corrected. "I see...hummm."
Lin	"Well..." As Madeline's suddenly readying to depart, Karal was about to speak! But she waits until she's done before opening her mouth again. "My gratitude for the invitation! Wilol definitely... try to find my way there. ... And thanks. Didn't reach any full conclusions with this but... I've got some more ideas than before now." Another nod's given to Staren in turn. "... Oooooooh, right, you were talking about alloys earlier."
Staren	Staren scratches the back of his head, "Umm, yeah... I mean, you need materials with better properties than are found in nature, to build more advanced stuff, right?"
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa says "There's something I'm far better versed in, my world produces materials you won't find on creation in all likelyhood and same goes for STarens. We also both work with these mateiral to some degree. So what sort of thing has you looking for off world alloys?"