[Kenoma] Discussion

[lachtara]

( 🟣 - Emet, 🔵 - Ciel )

Good Evening.

There are some within our ranks who we have not had the pleasure of meeting. I am Emet-Selch. Ciel and I serve as tacticians and teachers to the Kenoma.

I function as acting counsel for devising strategies. Additionally, some of you may find yourself in possession of new magical abilities that you did not have before. I am available to assist you with honing your newfound magical skills. To those of you who find yourself injured, I can provide my magic to heal your wounds so that you may be hale and whole once more.

[ He sighs. My, is this a mouthful. ]

My name is Ciel. I am versed in martial arts and am proficient with most types of weaponry. There are various means of developing melee combat prowess across Achamoth, but if you would like personalized instructions at any level, please contact me and we’ll arrange for a schedule. I can also perform magical healing along with Father Paul.

Unfortunately, We do not have much time for pleasantries. The Pleroma will soon be at our doorstep. Their goal is to retrieve their allies who remain captive inside our walls, and our goal is to lure them deep within the Citadel where we may enact our own plans. You will be provided assignments once it is closer to the promised hour. Prepare in your own way meanwhile; The Citadel is host to all manners of weaponry and the army's training grounds.

[ It’s kept a little vague and unspecific. Though they do intend to give adequate information, there is also no question that they have had traitors in their midst as of late. Everything will be doled out with due caution. Although, there will be a silent message sent to each person asking them to respond with some information of their abilities. ]

We are at war, bloodshed is inevitable. We will be attacked soon, and we must defend our keep. Consider this communion address a formal hub for discussion and organization of the battle to come. We will begin with information sharing of the Pleroma: knowing their names, appearances, and capabilities will better prepare us in dealing with them in combat. Aions may develop new abilities at any time, however; intel from the mission in Venera and Godsblood may very well be outdated by now, so do not assume anything we go over in this address as the extent of what they can do. Anything you may have witnessed at the shrines can be helpful, including other newcomers you may have met that did not return to Achamoth..

To the third wave of newly awoken Aions, it is regrettable that we cannot welcome you better, you’ve unfortunately arrived at a tumultuous time on Horos. If this is all too much for any reason, that’s fine. Contact me privately, and we can at least arrange for you to be somewhere safe during this. To those used to wielding great power, please get some practice in and verify your new limits. Becoming an Aion may have weakened you, do not let that catch you off-guard on the battlefield.

To those who are new, introduce yourselves and ask any questions you have. We will answer your questions as best we can, and I encourage our fellow Kenoma to chime in where they may. Do try to keep your questions interesting enough to be worth reading.

Comments

[regressor]

["simply create"...]

That makes demons sound a bit like gods, in a way...

[zauneyete]

[ How...awful. ]

Ah, yes.

Well, property damage is bound to happen. Might as well be for our cause.

[regressor]

Of course. It's not my place to do so, either...

I just wondered if there wasn't somewhere a bit more like I'm used to. I got used to going to services before I realized it.

[gravings]

No, it's better that you're professional.

[ It's still a bit aggressive, but it's better than being yelled at and insulted. Even if Mordred is still insulting her by calling her names. ]

... What about things like honor and chivalry?

[ It's expected for knights to kill, but aren't there supposed to be a whole bunch of other things that come first... ]

[regressor]

People usually care a bit more about the collateral damage, but... Yes.

The stakes are... very high.

[zauneyete]

You lose your hand and get stabbed by the same being two months later, and you'll also stop being quite so shocked by all of this, I can assure you.

It takes adjustment, but you've simply... been pulled in by the undertow. You'll have to learn to swim, if you wish to survive.

[ Ah, Silco. Always with the drowning metaphors. ]

[cutlery]

Oh, that is quite fine. My masters have generally not been forthcoming with their praise, I must admit, so it is something I am well used to.

[ because he's literally going to eat them? so it's fair? but, ]

I simply like to do an excellent job, ultimately. So whatever is necessary for our cause, I will do my utmost to contribute, naturally.

[zauneyete]

A few thousand years.

[ Dryly. He repeats it just because. Well. Why This. ]

Well, us mere mortals with only a few decades won't stop you from employing your...enlightened tactics.

Although I do think the Regent would take issue if you upset the locals too much. I'd keep some of those on the down low.

[ AKA: Don't get caught. ]

[cutlery]

[ The response is absolutely unfittingly bright. There is the mildest, repressed sense of resentment with it, since Sebastian is certainly still learning how to best conceal things here... ]

Oh, I would have preferred to have not been the sole point of competence within the manor I served, but such was my master's whims. He was quite lucky that I do not require rest, as I would not have been able to do all of this otherwise.

[ ...So even without the empathy, the resentment isn't exactly unclear with his words. ]

Though, if I may, if it was not a job, what would you have called it, in that case?

[zauneyete]

Perhaps not rousing speeches, no. I've been known to...convince others to my point of view, however.

[ You just already need to be a monster, Bruno. Or easily threatened. ]

Let's just say I'm good at being a... motivating touch, when the chips are down.

[zauneyete]

People usually do.

[ But... Silco doesn't care about these people. If it's not Zaun, he doesn't give a crap, and you don't want to see what he does to a city he cares about. ]

I think you'll find that the Regent favors...effort, more than anything else.

The more you give to the cause, no matter the price, I doubt they'll be too displeased.

[ He says, being a precious little meow meow. ]

[gravings]

[ At least she's still in the short girl charisma strong club... ]

I had to try a few times, but I was able to hit him through his shield and barriers eventually... so it might just take a more concentrated effort to fight him.

[ the power of friendship...... and bloodlust probably ]

[regressor]

[She moves clumsily, carefully spooning polite little bites of oatmeal into her mouth with her broken fingers held awkwardly stiff and splinted away from the handle of the utensil. It works, though, she's almost done... and there's quite a few empty plates at her place at the table.

His answer is one that might deserve a laugh. She tries to remember how she'd laughed at Hei, in that grimy safehouse... but it's a bit difficult to make that more convincing. She'll practice it more first.

Instead, she moves her shoulders as if she was amused, a silent chuckle.]

What do you like to cook... ? I'll trade you, of course... to be fair, but I'm much better at baking than cooking.

[Better at taking orders and following directions than being creative or inventive... ? Something like that.]

I'd love to be shown the kitchens as part of the tour, if you don't mind... That, and any other place here you think is worth knowing.

[regressor]

[People. Yes. People who have the emotional capacity for it. The morals. The sensitivity.

But she hasn't had that since the Kenoma brought her powers back.]

Effort? Not success?

[fallingsand]

[ Excuse you, what does he look like, a carnival act? ]

I mean, if you want to use the crudest term possible, sure?

[ Ugh. Fortune teller. Fortune teller! Full offense is absolutely going to come across with that message. ]

[cutlery]

It may not be an unfair comparison, though I would not make it myself...

[ He pauses as he considers how to explain it, but continues smoothly once he reorients. ]

To simply create is not divine. Practically speaking, there are limits, since I could not create life, for example. If there were a trifle I wished for, such as a feather quill, that is not so hard... But something like a telephone is beyond my ability, even normally. And that is only to create! I am bound by a great many rules, at least normally speaking. Such an existence is quite far from divine, at least by my measure.

[fallingsand]

[ There's just this long pause, so long, and then, ]

Are you also known for being unnecessarily cryptic? Because that's what I'm getting here. From this and everything else. Before.

[zauneyete]

[ Yes. ]

Only if it suits me.

I said precisely what I can do. If I don't hold your hand through all the details, well...

Let's just consider it a good opportunity for you to learn later.

[cutlery]

[ The dry note in Silco's tone at least gets Sebastian's cheer to take a step back, since he understands it easily enough. To nearly anyone, his existence was an impossibility. The reception thus far has been... quite understanding, really. And so, he retreats, somewhat. It's not for any disrespect, but more an objective understanding of how what's he said can hit a mortal ear differently. ]

Ah, no, please pardon me— I would hardly call my tactics enlightened. Instead, it is perhaps the result of observing, to put it simply. I have existed a very long time, but it simply offers me a different perspective.

[ Very simply, he would say, but he also feels that elaborating wouldn't help... ]

Though I can at least assure you, all of what I say here is certainly for my fellow Aions only. I know you have no assurance to the matter other than my word, but I offer it sincerely that I am not the sort to value chaos for chaos's sake. It is why I ask. So far as I am concerned, I am a tool for others to wield, and so knowing the extents in which I am to operate is quite useful. It is rarely the same when I have been given opportunity to appear.

[zauneyete]

Success is best, of course.

[ It's said, with the impression of a shrug. ]

However, you'll find by fighting the Pleroma, each success is hard won. Coordinated even accidentally sometimes.

Thus far, the Regent has not sought to punish those who are at the very least not disregarding their wishes. Hopefully the bar will rise with time.

[regressor]

So they’re powerful themselves. I suppose that makes sense.

[She’ll pay close attention to the notes other Kenoma are leaving… it’s only sensible.

What he implies, though-]

… people have disagreed?

[uproared]

That's what I said.

[cutlery]

Then I offer my sincerest thanks. It is quite an odd thing to have another presence!

[ But there's at least a lightness to how he says it that makes it clear that it's not something he's overly concerned about. It really just is something odd, and perhaps especially so for him. ]

Ah, but yes, I have indeed been to the Citadel. I could not claim that I have made a full tour as of yet, but at least the basics, certainly. It is— [ He pauses, then adds thoughtfully, ] Well, to have an offer to server me is quite strange. I almost feel bad, for it was offered in such an earnest nature... But I did enjoy some of my duties, truth be told. Both cleaning and cooking were activities I found quite relaxing. It balanced out the drama of scandals quite well.

[uproared]

[ Smugly: ] What about them?

[entsetzt]

[Crane is undeterred. Maybe her fear isn't losing someone, but everyone fears something, and that fear will be the weapon that destroys her.]

Thank you, I think I shall.

[A dry chuckle.] Self-deception masquerading as charity; when the wealthy wish to fool themselves into believing themselves to be good and moral folk, so they shall hold a charity dinner party for themselves. Some of the proceeds may even find their way to help the destitute they claim to wish to help so much.

[It's said without any particular venom, since Crane largely doesn't care what the wealthy do or do not do, or about the plight of Gotham's less-fortunate, inasmuch as it drives many of them to seek employment with either himself or one of the city's many other crime lords. He's simply familiar with the thought processes that drive such events, and how much of those charities tends to find its way back into the same pockets.]

She comes from money, this Enforcer?