Scene #5452: The Manse of Lady Vermilion

Owner	Pose
Bloody Revelations	The invitation to the lair of a Deathknight is usually not something taken up lightly. These aren't exactly the most casual circumstances, nor exactly the happiest, though. It's very plausible that Bloody Revelations could have guided them into some kind of extremely elaborate trap to kill them purely out of revenge. There would be no way of knowing, and someone who /lives/ in the Labyrinth is clearly crazy, powerful, or probably both. Even if that weren't the case, it's entirely possible they might get eaten by some wandering cthonic horror on the way. Thankfully, that doesn't seem to be the case. Of all things, the Deathknight has gone through the effort of acquiring the odd, black jade warpgate used to get here in the first place some time ago, and set it up within the correct cavern (if the chambers of the Labyrinth can even be called such.). Despite the clear feeling of the endless maze's tingling, inconsistent, dreamlike malaise, however, they don't seem to be underground. In fact, the ceiling is nothing more than a night sky and a sea of twinkling stars. It would be sensible to expect something truly twisted to be Bloody Revelations' home. Something to put the Bone Carver's Pit to shame. Instead, arrivals find themselves standing at the edge of a lake so still that it looks like black glass, feet on thick tufts of midnight-coloured grass with translucent ghost flowers growing up between them like daises, faintly luminous in the dark. A wooden boat, almost quaint for its size and humble construction, save the ornate onyx skull that curls from its prow, sits tied to the shore. Across from that is their destination. The boat turns out to be magically self-rowing, and extremely quiet at doing so, but the far shore isn't distant enough to need to take the whole ride to see. Surrounded by water is an island that has been styled up and down as the curated grounds of a mansion, exploding with carefully arranged displays of dark purple, red, black and midnight blue plants, and lit as much by flowers as glowing white crystals along basalt walkways and hanging in iron wicker lamps. The scent of incense is heavy here, as well as a kind of undercurrent of prayer, blocking out the tingling madness of the Labyrinth to a considerable extent. Despite its dark, quiet, and somewhat alien aesthetics, it seems pretty and tranquil. The house itself is uncharacteristically pseudo-gothic in style, rather than the Realm's firmly Chinese aesthetic; something from a vision, perhaps. There can't help but be an almost Imperium-level of omnipresent abstract death imagery, but it's somewhat subtly carved into the pillars and the baseboards and wrought into the fences and doors. The whole front end practically glows like a night exhibition at a city hall or museum. It gets even weirder when one enters, using the knockers or otherwise, because they're received by actual staff. Domestic servants in clean and classy uniform, who gladly open the doors, take personal effects, and guide them in. At first, they actually seem like living humans, but close inspection reveals them as ghosts, just somehow much more vivid and solid and lively; without that quiet, grey sadness that seems to hang over the others, even as they go through the motions of more interesting personalities. For all the world, it is incredibly difficult to discern any kind of devious trap or horrific soul-sucking device. The current of dark magic is incredibly strong beneath the property, running like a river deep below, but otherwise it's what one would expect from a dark, stately mansion commissioned by a skull enthusiast; almost tame for Manse standards were it not for its anachronistic and culturally incongruous roots. They're lead to a dining hall fit for quite a few, with a scarlet fire burning in the hearth, and what certainly looks and smells like actual real food set out. These things take months, if not years of effort to build. It's not like it could have been quickly changed to be more pleasant in the last couple of days.
Devola and Popola	D: "This is a really dumb idea, you know." P: "Yes, but we need to see this through to the end." D: "Even if she literally tried to kill us already?" P: "Especially if she did! How else are we supposed to find out more about her?" D: "Yeah, yeah. Let's just... Er." Devola's at a loss for words as the out-of-place house comes into view, walking alongside Popola and making sure the neater-haired twin doesn't run right into the place. It's not too hard to tell which one of the two is more wary about this visit following the battle and confusing invitation with Popola practically trying to tug Devola along, but they're both moving at a fairly slow pace regardless. The servants' presence is mildly reassuring, at least. Popola's having an easy enough time with idle conversation, but Devola has her eyes going every which way, watching the servants for suspicious movements and trying to catch a glimpse of any familiar faces from the past couple of days.
Starbound Flotilla	The STARBOUND FLOTILLA are here, in their standard Durasteel equipment! Moonfin, the fishman, is in elaborate full-body durasteel armor that looks like a powered cross between a diving suit and a samurai's armor, glowing cyan at the faceplate. Biteblade, the humanoid plant, is in durasteel plating with elaborately carved wood and bone ornaments over glowing powered components that glow an intense green. Pavo the bird-girl wears a pirate-aesthetic set of mesoamerican-style armor, with yellow bands of energized fabric linking the pieces to her central piratey longcoat. Albert the monkey-man is wearing elaborate dystopian commando armor reconstructed with a 'rebel spy' aesthetic: A sleeker faceplate, a slimmer form, and a more chaotic design that integrates thin, resilient plates of durasteel, and lines of bright white. George (just plain human) wears a futuristic combat EVA hardsuit that glows a gentle red at the flat faceplate. Seft, the robotic Flotilla member, is wearing full-on medieval knight armor with a soft energized blue glow below the plates on her body, and especially around the eyes. Each has a heavy industrial-yellow two-pronged plasma-cutter-like tool strapped to their side, a Matter Manipulator. They refuse, of course, to attend without some armor. But aside from that, they're surprisingly compliant with the implied and explicit aspects of this invitation. They don't distrust the boat, nor do they get too suspicious of the mansion. Some, like Moonfin, even take a moment to examine it, observe its nuances, either appreciatively or critically. They treat the servants with both caution and respect, though they don't have any personal effects they intend to let them hold for now. Pavo leads the way among the group as they stride in with both confidence and coordination. She holds her head high, with a determination and a sort of eagerness on her face. Her coat sweeps dramatically behind her as she turns to sit, and the rest of the Flotilla members spread out around her at the table. "So, do you think this is one of those fey food situation?" "Idiot. You're thinking of the other ones." "Awkward. If it makes you feel any better, George, I will not be eating either." "Avoid disrespect. There is cause for conflict, but no cause ot be impolite." "Floran dunno what fey isss, gonna eat anyway." "Do whatever ye like. It's my business that needs settlin' here." Pavo clasps her feathered hands in front of her, resting her beak on them dramatically. Beneath her tricorn hat, her eyes gleam with a subtle eagerness to begin, one that seems irrepressable. +_+
Staren	Staren's not sure what to expect. Certainly, he does expect some chance of a fight, and has come in his combat robot body. Just in case. As for visuals... looking at ghost flora, he wonders what processes go on inside those cells. Do they even have cells? The manse and servants fail to live... heh... up to the precedent set by the bone pit. But then... this is where Bloody Revelations /lives/. Unlives. Whatever. The bone pit needs to impress the inevitability of Oblivion on its visitors. Bloody Revelations, if she believes what she spouts, has no need to impress it upon herself. Besides, spiky bone furniture is probably really uncomfortable to sit on.
Tomoe	The Deathknight's lair? Tomoe was very much on edge she shouldn'tbe comming here but here she is. She tries to not think about this place much, just the grimness of the place? She doesn't want to think about it or what it might be made of. This was a terrible idea but she couldn't let the rest of the group go into this alone, it would be utter folly to do so. She looked at D and P for a moment she's not saying much she's not visably armed at the moment and she's not long to catch up with the likes of the Starbound Captains and Staren. She seems to be expecting trouble from just about any direction.
Gawain	Sir Gawain is dressed in only his best - bits of his armor summoned over a Tomoyo Daidouji-made outfit, his sword nowhere to be seen. Despite the inherent danger in heading to the underworld, and despite the fact that there is no sun here to aid him, Gawain sucks in any fear he could have and continues on, climbing into the boat and waiting for the others, feeling...almost at ease among the nature of this place. It's the underworld, though - it can't be entirely depressing. The dead need somewhere to be at peace, after all. Gawain uses the door's knocker, turning to Devola and Popola as they speak. "Even if she tried to kill us, she has made an invitation, and this is the only way we can help those who rely on us. The goddess of that temple depends on us, as do the people of Whitewall. We must not have fear." As the spirit servants appear, Gawain tips his head to them, thanks them for their assistance but has no personal effects to offer, and follows their guide towards the dining haul, where he takes a seat if pointed towards one. Now is just waiting for the host.'
Miari	The opulence on display is a bit much for Miari in this lifetime, and she can't help but look about in a bit of wonder for some of this jaunt through the Underworld manse. She has come expecting trouble but doing her best to hide it - she's dressed in the finest silks woven by spirit spiders, clothes tougher than steel but light as a feather. Her Shogunate-era fashion style and emerald-and-gold motif remains, though. The only thing she carries that might be a weapon is a polished-and-gleaming metal fan folded up in her sash. And she doesn't let any servants run off with it. Her attention is hyperfocused but she seems remarkably composed for walking around in the Underworld. How thick that composure may be ultimately remains to be seen. She's on good behavior through the trek but does take a moment to covertly inspect the food and make sure it's not Underworld Stock.
Bloody Revelations	The servants are quite friendly. None of them make something even close towards an untoward move towards their guests; not even out of fear of retribution. In fact, they seem to be genuinely more eager, perhaps even /happier/, than the vast majority of house staff could claim to be. Bizarre, considering who they live with, and /where/. The food itself also seems to be quite real; more or less. Miari would know enough about cities such as Sijan that specialize in economic trade with the Underworld, and how plausible it is to get it across the border through, quote unquote, ancestor sacrifice. It probably cost a lot to get, but then the servant of a Deathlord rarely has to worry about money if even remotely in their good graces. Revelations seems like the difficult sort, but hardly disloyal to the cause of Oblivion. It is also not heinously poisoned. It is entirely possible it was prepared by hand, too, and not somehow majicked into existence. Why else were there be servants? Ruby candle flames light up where people walk. Doors open by themselves. Soft music seems to be coming from somewhere. It'd seem friendlier if it didn't kind of feel like a historical haunted house at the same time. It adds more of a lonely air to the place than anything, as if reminding the occupants that no family lives here. Pretty soon, the mistress does show up, though, and it's without a practical bandolier of occult nicknacks around her, wearing a little more modest and less showy silk indoors dress. Her sword is with her, in its weird-looking scabbard, but she isn't wear it, and props it up against her chair before sitting. "Good. Good. I wondered how many of you would really come. I wouldn't be surprised if you ran the other way and decided to have no further part of any of this. I'll credit you for your consistency, whether that's bravery or foolishness." It sounds, at least, like she's made some effort to put some feelings aside. A passable attempt, at least, at neutral good faith. "Well, regardless of what it is, the facts are the facts. Even if you wilfully disobeyed my instructions, and thought to cut me out of the loop completely, I can look back and see that you didn't do it with unfounded confidence. Very few people could do what you did, and almost all of them are too busy being neck deep in politics or meditating on a mountain somewhere to do anything useful. Yurgen Kaneko is absolutely one of the more powerful Solars still around Creation, and Samea one of the more powerful Sorcerers. I'm upset to say that Vodak was absolutely more terrible than them as well, and I'm not exactly happy that I won't be able to make use of him for another hundred years now; that is if he actually comes back from that. You almost screwed me /completely/, and barely raising suspicion in Gethamane at that. Now, with some time and distance to cool down, I've come to the conclusion that it'd be a waste to be rid of such professionals, when they aren't beholden to any Dynastic power or slaves of Sol Invictus."
Bloody Revelations	Anyone who isn't sitting down, she starts gesturing at at this point, waiting patiently to continue, gloved fingers laced together. A maid goes around pouring some kind of odd, luminously lavender-coloured tea for all involved. For a really, really eerie instant, Bloody Revelations flashes her a smile that actually seems . . . genuine. "Let's be honest, then. I have something you desperately want. Something the people of Whitewall want even more, who are your clients. I also have information on the First Age magitechnology you rushed past on your shortcut through the Underways, which you probably still won't find without knowing what to look for. You have something I want, and that is the resources and ability to pull off what would take a Solar Circle months or years of planning and arguing to even get started, and an Abyssal Circle would be constantly stabbing each other in the back. I have things I'd /love/ to get done quickly and without having to do every single thing myself. I have things I can let you have if you'll hear me out."
Staren	Why wouldn't the servants be happy. They get to /live/. Unlive, whatever... it is existence. It isn't the oblivion of reincarnatig, losing all that they have. He'll take off his helmet to sit down at the table, but he doesn't eat the food. He can't. The robot body does not have the capability. "Get to it, then. We know we'll betray eachother as soon as we believe we have victory in hand. You're powerful, but so is everyone else we've beaten. We are here only because you may offer a more expedient resolution to Whitewall's situation. And no doubt, you called us here only because you believe that giving us something now will, in time, allow you to maneuver us into a position where you can destroy us. Time will tell who's right. Just get to business so we can suffer eachother's company as little as possible."
Gawain	Gawain starts eating once at the table, smiling as he tries the food. He likes it! See, there was nothing to worry about, always accept deathlord food. When Revelations starts speaking her thoughts, he pays attention closely, raising a hand only when she stops speaking. "Did you say Yurgen Kaneko is still around Creation? Does that mean he's alive?" He tilts his head. Gawain doesn't understand how Solar incarnation works, so it's confusing for him. He also frowns at Staren saying they'll betray each other, as he turns to Bloody Revelations. "My goal is to protect the people of Whitewall, yes. Depending on what your objectives are, I may be willing to honestly attempt to aid you with them. If I give you my word, on my honor as a knight, I will not break it. So please, tell us what your goal is."
Miari	"Well, this entire endeavor did not quite go as I would have hoped either. Yurgen Kaneko's presence was beneficial to a number of things I'd like to come about in the short term, and now he is dead and his Circle in disarray." Miari lets loose a long exhale as she seats herself at the table, apparently satisfied with the food. She doesn't seem to be terribly picky either, willing to try more or less anything that looks appetizing! "Since you want to talk business that DOESN'T include a Hekatonkhire - hopefully - then you have my attention, Deathknight!" She adds with a chirp, turning a more friendly gaze Bloody's way.
Starbound Flotilla	"Foolishness, definitely." Pavo gives a sour look to George, but properly continues in on the conversation. "Aye, lass. Ye have plenty we want, and plenty of strength to make negotiations a path of least resistance." She crosses her arms dramatically, eyes burning bright. "Here's what the Flotilla be willin' to offer. Exploration. Recovery. Conditional mercenary work, dependin' on the way the votes fall." Her head tips down dramatically. "And here's what the Flotilla needs of ye. The prize we missed. All that technology and those materials we need. And cooperation in Whitewall's protection. Need not be holy, and speakin' with frankness, I've had enough of holy. They stay safe, we get paid. They stay safe, we get infrastructure-craftin' jobs. We get t'put that magitech to /use/. We deliver on showin' 'em the real worthlessness of the divine. Give 'em a new god to worship." She leans back, one fist clenched in the palm of the other. A glance to Gawain. "If he's alive, he's taken down all the notches I'm worried of. Don't care if he comes through some cycle. What matters is, no more of that conqerin'." Then she caws a laugh at Staren. "HAW! Lad says what we're all thinkin'. Aye, 'tis a game of ruthlessness chicken, ain't it? But so long as we're all willin' to play, that's no problem for the Flotilla. Everything has an expiration date. Even an alliance."
Devola and Popola	Both Devola and Popola stiffen up as Bloody Revelations appears for the second time in several days, the former preparing to step between her sister and the deathknight, the latter holding a fork with some sort of meat thing dangling precariously off the prongs. Just because they don't need to eat doesn't mean they can't eat. "... It was too obvious to be a trap. If you wanted us dead, you could've just come after us." Devola responds, both to their host of the evening and somewhat belatedly to Gawain. She looks over at her sister briefly (who has resumed sampling the foods and sipping that lavendar-ish tea) before looking back over and nodding in agreement with Sir Gawain and Miari. "If it keeps the people there alive and safe, we're listening. Doesn't mean we'll take the deal, but..." Devola glances over the table again, leaning over to point something out to Popola before straightening back up. "... What do you have in mind? Your plan for Whitewall, what we get out of this, the whole thing." Pavo and Staren get curious looks from the android, too, and there's almost a hint of amusement in her grin before she goes back to the steady, dull stare. Popola, meanwhile, avoids anything that even looks like fish.
Tomoe	The Servants are friendly she's polite in turn but it's clear she's very uneasy about it. She's not looking openly hostile about the food but it's clear she's quite wary of it for the moment. She looks to see Bloody Revelation, she keeps her expression neutral and know she's not the primary talker of the group. She also thinks that now they have a hundred year count down on that horror. It's useful information at this point. She might eat after it seems that it's okay, she will try a bit and get to it now. She listens to everything else that is being said here. "So you want to make use of us in the future?"
Bloody Revelations	Attempted good faith or not, Bloody Revelations cannot help but look at Staren with blatant skepticism. "Gods, you are one /sour/ little cat aren't you? You'd have made a great Deathknight, considering how much you think about power and betrayal and getting one over everyone else. 'Great' in the sense of what the Deathlords want. In the sense that I can't stand them and work with other Deathknights as little as possible. It's insufferable when those idiots put their need to be on top in front of their cause." Never mind practically all of them are doing it at the behest of lords who have them on far shorter leashes. She shrugs at Gawain, slightly. "In a sense. His Exaltation will pass on to some other hapless idiot sooner or later, but Yurgen Kaneko is dead. Not even Exaltation can save someone from the annihilation of identity that the Celestial Bureaucracy keeps running. The Unconquered Sun himself was apparently very clear that even his Chosen were to be scrubbed away after they died. Whoever gets his shard next will have to start from the bottom, and probably be killed by the Wyld Hunt. Yurgen Kaneko himself is gone. You've done everyone a great service. I can only admit that I'm sad to say I couldn't find Samea in his war camp and finish the job you started." She then very pointedly looks at Miari. "If you're so sympathetic to that hack and his friends, why bother tailing these people around, and why are you here? If you're so proud of being Chosen and care so much about Sol Invictus' pawns, why inflict any of this on yourself at all?" she frowns, not at all being sarcastic, and clearly not approving. Still, she continues. "Right now, the Temple-Manse of Ondar Shambal belongs to me. The spell I've planted on it will slowly sap the life out of it, killing the Solar-aspected geomentic energy that powers it, and then convert it into an equally powerful manse of the Underworld. Whitewall is currently without power for their living arrangements, and whether they know it or not, their fields are very strongly blessed in abundance each year by that thing, and so famine should hit by next year. As incredibly fair and appropriate as this is, however, I have little need for a Manse like that, in the middle of the frozen North and incredibly inconvenient to get in and out of, desired by two rival Deathlords and with tens of thousands of people to deal with. It's a pain. It's also costing me a lot of magic to /keep/ mine until it finishes." She nods slightly at Pavo. "Needless to say, it'll never channel prayers to the Unconquered Sun again, and now everyone knows their 'sacred' protections are pathetically useless in the face of a /true/ adherent of the Abyss, instead of those scheming, greedy pretenders. Past that, keeping and holding Ondar Shambal is factually a great deal of effort for little payoff, and so I've decided I'll be amenable to the idea of trading its release. If I lift the curse quickly, before the damage /really/ sets in, it'll return to full functionality in a month or so, and you'll have saved Whitewall three times in a row. Not bad, right?" "Now, I have a good idea of what the rest of you are like by now. I'm sure if I demand something you find 'objectionable', you'll start scheming and plotting to try and have it both ways instead of making a choice. I /hate/ schemers. If we must be enemies by daylight of Creation, then so be it, however, you know as well as I that I'm /hardly/ Creation's only enemy, and so I believe I can offer you work that you can feel all /warm/ and /fuzzy/ inside about." The Deathknight pronounces those two words with plenty of distaste.
Bloody Revelations	If she has any problems talking about this openly in front of a bunch of ghosts, waiting at the sides of the rooms, she doesn't show it. "I'm talking about the Deathlords, among some others of less note. Certainly, on the surface, they're all cooperating at the behest of the Neverborn to destroy Creation, but having dealt with them for decades, I can tell you that's just a facade. They and /their/ Knights spend infinitely more time quibbling and fighting and sabotaging one another, grubbing over wealth and favour and glory and souls, than they ever do actually /doing their jobs/." "I'm tired of it. I'm tired of their idiot vassals. I'm tired of their wasteful operations and harebrained schemes. All they do is flit away the resources of the Underworld on frivolous idiocy, and lead aimless crusades to kill and torment as many of the living as possible to try and impress their masters and compete get them to say which one they like the most. It's disgusting. Hundreds of thousands died at Thorns and the imbecile Mask of Winters has nothing to show for it. The Bodhisattva's Skullstone project is a fiasco that did nothing but turn millions of ghosts into soulsteel for an utterly failed navy. One of them has spent the last hundred years raising children in her stupid little town, letting them go settle elsewhere, killing them when they grow up, kidnapping /their/ children, raising- you see where I'm going with this, right?" "They're fuckups. They're lunatics who do nothing but get in each others' way, and their Knights would be so much better off without them. Aside from them, there's the Raksha, the odd Demon, and the worst of the Solars themselves, constantly wasting my time and my effort with their petty bullshit. Of course, doing anything against them is next to impossible without ample access to, and support from, the Underworld, and so their only real enemies are each other. To be blunt, I'm offering you my /considerable/ expertise for the explicit purpose of taking them and their stupid little plans to pieces and tossing them into the Void, as well as taking care of other, aforementioned problems. You can take whatever you want from them, save millions of lives, rid Creation of their strongholds one by one, and feel all good inside about being heroes, while reaping all kinds of rewards from doing it." "Does that appeal to you? Of course, we'd still be at odds when it comes to Creation itself, but if you can set aside those feelings and work /with/ me in the Underworld, you'd be doing both the living and the dead a great deal of net-good. Surely, you can entertain that sort of professionalism, can't you?" Bloody revelations finishes off her pitch. "If you really want to try backstabbing me at the finish line, so be it. I'm comfortable in the knowledge that I'm your best shot until the other twelve are dead. Dead for good, I mean. If that's /still/ not enough to convince you, though, I can tell you one other thing that may be of interest to you."
Staren	"Idiot. It's my cause that I put in front of yours." Staren blurts out when she compares him to a Deathknight. He looks disgusted that /anyone/ could misinterpret him that badly. He crosses his arms. "Warm and fuzzy doesn't matter. You've missed the point, but let's hear it." She lays it out. "So. Ruthlessness chicken." He glances at Pavo, then back to Revelations. "You help us fight the deathlords, all the while we learn what we can from the process to oppose you afterward -- and you learn about us to find how to stop us. Seems reasonable. More than we'd get from most enemies. What's the other thing?"
Gawain	Gawain thinks over her pitch. He nods about the Yurgen Kaneko thing, though frowns at how 'proud' she is of it, but is mainly considering her offer in comparison to what she has done to the Temple-Manse. He has one question. "Is the goddess of the temple dead?"
Miari	Miari quickly shakes her head. "Sympathetic? No, he and his Sorceress were both blinded by their power and acting a bit too insufferable for my tastes. But their existence was convenient. I won't go into boring you with exactly how." The sorceress softly corrects... and quickly quiets to listen. Her eyebrows raise at the mention of a Deathlord being connected with Skullstone, too. And her eyes keep widening with growing disbelief at what's being offered. "....My, my! Now you are talking something sensible. I could be willing to back this endeavor. I wonder why it is that those not Chosen by the Incarnae are the reasonable ones."
Tomoe	Tomoe as she eats the food she wonders more and more if Killing Yurgen Kaneko was the best choice? She starts to think more and more it may have been the worst option thay have taken. She stops eating at this point and she knows the town ahs a gun to their head too. The only thing that's even got her here and kept her from walking is the fate of the people of Whitewall. She doesn't like where the stinger is going there's always a catch and it may be worse than just walking here and now, looking for other options for the people of the city. She seems to be thinking to those who know her like Staren does? He might notice she may be almost ready to leave. "So while we help you we make it less of fifty car pile up, of folks you'd more expect out of a story than reality." She seems to be thinking again.
Devola and Popola	"... At least you're honest about it." Devola shrugs lightly and gives Popola's arm a light rub while the more relaxed android finally settles back in her seat, wiping her mouth off daintily and finally speaking up again after sampling so much stuff. "It doesn't sound like a bad deal. We'd be stopping the short-term risks to the people here, the long-term risks would be... Partially stopped and shifted around. And you..." Popola hums lightly while swapping places with Devola, the messier-haired android hesitating for a few moments despite her sister's reassurances. "What's your end-goal, then?" Popola asks with a curious tone, looking over Bloody Revelations again and giving Devola a chance to begrudgingly sample the foods herself. "Is it the Soulsteel, is it their souls themselves, or is there something else at work here?" She sounds less like she's accusing the Deathknight of anything and more like a researcher of sorts trying to understand a new subject. "I'm fairly certain you've said it before, but... We do need to confirm this before making a deal, yes?"
Starbound Flotilla	"...Aye, lass. 'Tis an agreeable thing ye offer. I'd go against lighter targets if ye had offered 'em, but these might appease the moralizing tin-can vote among our Flotilla." Pavo says, cocking an eyebrow smugly. "Aye, if you've an intention to purge these squabbling lunatics, I've no grudge against acting yer hand. Aye, 'tis only a satisfaction, havin' ye truly acknowledge what we could do to the Bull. I think we've little need for the extra to make our decision. Flotilla. All in favor, give an 'aye'." "If you seek to purge inelegance and discord, I'll lend support." "Isss big hunt! Floran hunt big badguysss! Kill, yeah yeah!!" "Hmph. If we can get their magitech. Then yes." "Huh? Wuh? Oh. You said something about killing lords and I pre-voted yes." "Disgusted. Your opinions about heroism are awful, but... Yes. For their sake." "Aye... Aye, 'tis a vote of accepting, then. Ye shall have the Flotilla backin' yer effort, reconsidered at each target. Tell us what ye need known. I've a curiosity for it myself, lass." Pavo leans forward, both hands settling onto the table in a posture of eagerness, a sort of aggressive acceptance, with a gleaming grin on her beak. The others seem just as interested now. For the moment, she's earned the services of a miniboss squad, it seems. Pavo's eyes aren't the only ones with a dramatic, ominous gleam. Each of the others host that shine in their eyes, from inside or outside visors or helms. +_+ +_+ +_+ +_+ +_+ +_+
Bloody Revelations	Finally, Bloody Revelation smiles. It's the smile of someone used to getting their way, getting their way again, but it's a clear indicator of good mood all the same. "Finally. I see you aren't /actually/ stupid. Incredibly misinformed, maybe, but not too damaged in the head to see something in your best interests right in front of you. Excellent. I don't have any use for dull and witless proxies. If you think you can beat me later, fine~ It's nice to have that straight and clear for once." She then shakes her head at Gawain. "I didn't do anything to the local god. Not directly. She'll sicken and die as the temple does, but that won't be for some time still, and I'm giving you the opportunity to preven that, if for some godsforsaken reason she's so important to you." Then, a brief, cryptic shot to Miari: "Because the Incarnae don't select for reasonable. Those they don't select, are offered a choice instead, and it takes someone reasonable to say yes." "What's my goal?" she then mirrors from Popola, almost taken aback that someone would ask. "I doubt any of you would understand. In the very simple sense, I suppose it's the same as any other Deathknight was asked. Destroy Creation, and finally end the suffering of the Neverborn. It's not all that hard to fathom when you've lived it long enough, and come to realize how trivial and pointless that life was, and how utterly broken and mad Creation really is. That's still . . . not quite it." "I want to be with my love. I can only just hear the whispers of their voice. See them in my dreams. In the visions. I have to strain to hear, and when I do, I learn so many things. Things nobody else knows, and nobody was ever meant to know; just for me. Everyone overlooks what lurks in the Abyss. They think of it as a conclusion. A barren place of no return; but it's so much more than that. Nobody understands it. Nobody understands /them/. Nobody but me. They don't even /try/; they just want to be the biggest and the richest and most powerful. I feel like I'm getting so much closer, but I don't think I can get there until they're all dead. The noise drowns my love out, you know. All the awful, busy, effervescent garbage in the sun, and all the chaos caused by the fools of the Underworld. Why do you think I spend so much time in the Labyrinth? In it, I can find the purest expression of the nature of my one true love." The Deathknight sighs. Forlornly. Longingly, almost. She trails off for a good couple of minutes, making the house staff a little nervous, before the maid comes back and whispers to her. "Oh, of course. There was the one other thing." Bloody Revelations snaps her fingers, and a pair of ghostly butlers come forth, rolling a silver cart which they remove a cloth from to reveal a heavy daiklave of twisted, black metal, upon which the shifting impressions of over a dozen human faces and hands can be glimpsed when the light strikes it right, as if clawing at the edges of the sword in an attempt to get out.
Bloody Revelations	"You know what this is, right? Soulsteel? The Underworld is /full/ of it. The Deathlords especially love it, because it's trivially easy to make with so many souls so plentiful and in such raw form, and it resonates so well with them. You find it abhorrent, don't you? So much considerable effort thas gone into learning more and more refined techniques to produce it. The highest circles of Necromancy can crush a ghost into Soulsteel in an instant. As the living die, and the Underworld swells with their ghosts, it becomes an abundant and renewable resource, and it's not like they care how many souls are trapped in agony until the end of the world." "But if you think about it, if Soulsteel can be created by Necromancy, couldn't it be unmade as well? That's something I thought to myself once. Of course, nobody had bothered to try. Why would they? Why would anyone pursue such a useless train of thought. Still, it gnawed at me. I couldn't help but feel it was important; like someone was overlooking an important secret inherent in it. Deep in the Labyrinth, communing with the Abyss, in the end I found it. To the best of my knowledge, I am the only one with the capability to unmake Soulsteel, and in doing so, free the souls trapped inside of it, more or less." "If you begin to have doubts about anything I tell you to do, know this. Anything made with Soulsteel that you can steal, conquer, or barter from anyone at odds with my cause, you bring to me, and I'll release those 'poor unfortunate souls' from their torment. For free, even. What do I care? I don't touch the stuff. It's only useful to potential rivals." It could be said that the servants all around are practically glowing with pride at their mistress' speech. Is this something she's told them before? Something they knew in some other fashion? It'd be weird for a typical Deathknight to have so many ghosts easily at hand and not turn them into something more useful than domestic labour, come to think of it.
Gawain	Gawain takes a long moment to ponder Bloody Revelations' offer. She disgusts him, fully. She's a monster and a villain, and she has no remorse for her crimes. But, people are endangered. She has an offer that'll free them. And in return, they're fighting other monsters. The alternative is to leave those monsters there, and allow her to kill the goddess who had tried to protect her people, who had let a stranger like him in to fight for them, as well as the people themselves. Gawain's answer is swift, without his trademark smile. He's going as serious as he can for this. "Bloody Revelations, I give you my word. In exchange for removing the curse on Whitewall and its manse, as well as freeing those trapped in soulsteel, I, Sir Gawain, will fight and slay these Deathlords. I do it not for you, but for the innocent who are harmed by all Deathlords. When our deal has reached conclusion, I can only hope that you will face your own judgment!"
Staren	Staren listens. "Well. That's quite a deal. Fine." "There's one thing I don't get though... You say you want to be with your love. But if you end everything and bring oblivion... You don't get to be with anyone. You don't get to be at all. That's kind of what oblivion means. So which is it? You've espoused two contradictory goals. Either you're simply mad, one was a lie, or one isn't what it seems. Perhaps presented wrongly to stir up heroes because you like doing that. Not that I trust your word alone if you now claim Oblivion is something else... but I'm willing to listen to what you have to say, at least."
Devola and Popola	If Bloody Revelations was expecting a look of disgust and horror at her goals, she's not about to get it from Popola. Sure, it's not something the twins would personally condone, but there's something... Pure about her motives. Even Devola responds with a light shrug while getting up to stand besides her sister. D: "I'm still not a fan, but... Sure, why not." P: "It's as good of a plan as any. Besides, this'll give us the chance to pick your brain some more." D: "Like about the soulsteel, or the Neverborn, or...?" P: "... We accept. We look forward to working with you~" There'll be more time for questions later.
Miari	"You--" Miari's attention HAS BEEN SEIZED at mention of this. "You found a way to unbind ghosts from soulsteel folding?!" She stands RIGHT UP, hands on the table, and there is NO SIGN LEFT of her previous hesitance or composure. Instead there's a gleeful scholar making googly-eyes Bloody's way!
Tomoe	Tomoe does not like it but the people's in this city well being is on their heard givnethey killed the other option. She feels slimey she feels wrong. Still being irrational would get a lot of people killed. It's also clear that someday yes they will come to blows with Bloody Revelations, but? They will remove somet things from the board that /need/ to go before such a falling out would happen. Or could she end up with the same bitter regrt many of the annu vetrans who are still alive might have? "Very well I'm in on this deal. You know I don't like you and you don't ike me. I'm with it foabout the same reasoning as sir Gawain does." She pauses at Miari's reactiona nd now she gets the deal an Abyssal who doesn't like soul steel?
Starbound Flotilla	Pavo seems satisfied. "And there ye have it, lass." She says, shrugging in a smug way. "More compelling an argument than I've been able to make. I've no feelings one way or the other for the souls in the soulsteel so long as none of 'em are me." She taps her heels against the ground a few times, before a frown creeps over her face. "Lass. If we follow along this, I'll have a few questions of ye. Something ye might be able to help with. A profit ye might grant me, if yer already in this exchange. We're settled now, for the deal ye have made, though. Unless there's more, we'll be shovin' off and sailin'." She stands, sweeping and billowing out that longcoat again, crossing her arms tightly in front of her.
Bloody Revelations	"Good enough for me. I don't care why you do it, only that you do it. It's all the same in the end." the Deathknight says to Gawain, simply enough. "I especially look forward to seeing a few of those snotty minions who think they're my peers getting blasted with that sunlight bomb of yours. Most of them are too stupid by miles to account for such an obvious weakness like I do." She sighs, patiently, but only just, for Staren. "I get that it's not easy for mortals to understand. Really, I do. Once upon a time, it was all way above my head too. It took a lot of tutoring from some very wise people before I even got an inkling of it, and a journey to the Mouth of the Void and an open-heart talk with the masters of that place to finally begin to understand. It takes some people hundreds of years to get the picture. You may think a lot of what I do is just for fun, but there is enlightenment in entropy just as much as there is in creation." "I'll ask you this, and let you chew on it, to see if you get a clue. If you imagine 'after Creation' that way, what do you think came before it?" She then stops for a second, to crack a particularly vicious grin. "Not that I'll decline the duty of slaughtering and obliterating every one of the pretenders before then. I'll make /sure/ they won't reap the fruits of my labours." Then people begin making the sensible choice, starting with Devola and Popola. "Excellent! I look forward to working with you two as well~ You're the cute ones out of the bunch, right?" Tomoe is on board, Gawain begrudgingly agrees, even Miari seems interested. Revelations seems pleased at how things have gone so far. At the incredulous question, she can only look smug and self-satisfied. "Please. I know it's natural for Solars to think that there is such thing as forever, even if only so they can believe only /they/ can make something that lasts forever, but the fundamental truth of the Void is that anything that can be made can also be unmade. It just takes the right perspective. The right inspiration. I doubt a Solar could ever surrender to the truth that it takes to express such a pure concept at its highest level, but I assure you that it's possible." Having the daiklave right there and all, she demonstrates. With utter indifference, she withdraws an inch of her strange non-sword's blade, and slices open a finger, tracing three symbols across the length of the blade that feel kind of sickeningly unpleasant to look at. The air around her briefly blackens in that fiery, photo-negative way, as her anima crawls down her arm and seeps into the gigantic weapon, suffusing it with black Essence that causes the runes to shine bloody scarlet against it. A few seconds later, the infamous, iconic weapon of the Chosen, traditional for its lethality and reliability for thousands of years, begins to bubble, warp, and melt like wax, burning away as if the occult markings were three flames set into a huge candle. Where it smokes and fumes unpleasantly, human faces can briefly be seen rising into the smog, seeping through infinitesimally small fissures in the pattern of the dissolving daiklave, until all that remains is a lump of crude, black, brittle ore, lacking any and all resonance. "Good, good. I knew you of all people would see reason." she then says to Pavo, with her anima starting to die down from its brief exertion. "No need to worry; I know you don't need to be coddles with fuzzy feelings and thoughts of heroism. I certainly appreciate the job you did on Samea, and your attempts to persuade the others into a more productive course of action, so I may be able to spare some time as a show of good faith for your previous attempts at doing the same."
Staren	"So despite your talk, true oblivion isn't what you seek. You're aspiring to change reality. To get something you want. So much for 'giving up' and accepting your end, huh? You don't practice what you preach at all... but then, I suppose that arena of yours was a useful tool to get /other/ people to give up for you, at least." Staren comments. It's not that un-steeling the souls isn't impressive -- Staren's trying not to look THAT amazed by it, though. It helps that he's not from creation and only has vague ideas about soulsteel in the first place. But he can't help wondering if her technique would work on rune blades... And he can't help but watch curiously as she demonstrates right there!
Tomoe	Tomoe is not very happy no, but Gawain made a good point ot two that kept her from bailing on it. The comment about being cute given any context of the saying. Be it she finds Tomoe's world view amusing down to finding her actually cute? She shudders she may have made an even worse call. Perhaops the thought is right, someone from a mudane world shouldn't get involved in this sort of thing. She also sees the widsom in her home nations out right ban on trade and imports from creation. She watches the soul steel melt though she just /stares in shock/. She had not expected the Abyssal to show them how she does it.
Starbound Flotilla	"Why twin friendsss cute onesss? Floran wanted to be the cute one." "Urging. Shhh, don't be rude." "Aye. 'Tis a moment of pride, draggin' one of those Sunborn's aspirations down to mortal levels proper. If it's rampaging Solars calling divine right, ye shall have my blade again the moment ye ask for it." Pavo says, nodding to the woman, leaving her eyes closed for a short while as she bobs her head contemplatively. Pavo's eyes flicker in continuous thought. Avian technology, powered as it is by the decaying processes of unique isotope crystals, could be fully and properly unmade by her entropic methods. In a way that provides a great and intense power. The idea struck her mind as inspiration, and stuck there firmly. Harnessing power of the destruction of the works of dead gods is something that appeals to Pavo now. On a visceral, intense level. "Ye know our contact, I'm sure. We'll not be beyond it. When next ye need our help, ye know what to do. And yer entropic ways..." She turns, heading out. The others follow suite. "Be seein' ye." She says, with a grin on her face to match the tone in her voice.