[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 Aions may develop new abilities at any time, however; intel from the mission in Venera and Godsblood may very well be outdated by now, so do not assume anything we go over in this address as the extent of what they can do.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]

… Yes, it does.

[gravings]

Then... is there anything we can do to help you if your powers become necessary?

[regressor]

There’s a few things.

I might just need… a lot of space. For one thing. Where I can do it and not worry about hurting anyone I shouldn’t.

And after… maybe if someone can take care of me. I hate to be a burden, but… I might be tired.

[I should probably start eating more…

[gravings]

... Okay. Hopefully it won't come down to that.

[ Gray can't see her, but this person sounds a little unwell. Aion or not, it's a little concerning. ]

Um, in the meantime, you should do your best to gather your strength. The servants are happy to help... and there are a lot of food options.

[ They're basically all filthy rich, so might as well put those jools to good use. ]

[regressor]

I hope so, yes.

["She didn't want to hurt anyone"... That was what she had said in her Regressor state, she remembers how to recreate it. And until she gets a better feel for this place...]

I've heard the food is really good... I'm looking forward to that. And we can even use the kitchen ourselves... ?

I wonder if they have what I'm used to... Or, I guess if our worlds are gone, maybe it's all different fare...

[gravings]

What are you used to? Or maybe... where are you from?

[ Though who knows if Gray will even have heard of the place. ]

[regressor]

It’s a world that was called “Earth”… and the country was called “Romania”.

I don’t suppose that rings any bells… ?

[gravings]

Ah... I've never been there, but I've heard of Romania. I'm from Wales...

[ A fellow Earthling... ]

[regressor]

Ah… I didn’t expect it to feel comforting just to hear something like that.

I’ve been to Britain before, but not Wales… what’s it like?

Or- what was it like… ?

[gravings]

[ Gray bears the pointed past tense without comment. ]

I can only speak to the village I came from... but it was very quiet, cool, and rugged. But I also lived on mountain far from the rest of the world.

[ Perhaps obviously, it seemed normal and unremarkable to her since it was all she knew growing up. Since then, she's come to appreciate how idyllic that mountain was. In terms of environment, anyway. ]

I also spent about half a year in London. Did you happen to go there?

[regressor]

[The Regressor that she had been when she had arrived in this place... would have liked the idea of that village in the mountains. But now-]

Oh... I did. It was London I visited when I went...

I was working, so I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to explore, but... It was a lovely place. I liked the fog, actually...

[gravings]

[ She really wasn't expecting to meet many others who knew London. Even if it wasn't her hometown, in many ways it became her home, and memories of that city rich with history and personality bring a small smile to her face. ]

It really was lovely. It took me some time to get used to, but it was full of life.

[ In a different way to Achamoth, which revels in excess. Gray misses more mild mannerisms and abundant offerings of tea. ]

What is Romania like in comparison?

[regressor]

I imagine it must have, if you came from a small village...

[She projects warmth- the sort she could recall from those days as a Regressor. Something like nostalgia.]

It's not quite as modern, in some ways, and... I'll be frank, the part I lived in when I moved to the city wasn't the nicest area, but... the food was amazing... and the cobblestone streets in the old district were beautiful...

I actually liked the countryside the most. I lived with a family there for a while, and it was nice just... having a quiet life after all the work I did.

[gravings]

[ Gray can very much see the appeal of Romania then, since it doesn't sound too different from what Gray misses of her hometown. She wonders if it's just natural for people to feel happier in smaller populations and homier surroundings; it feels like it's so much easier for people to become buried in big cities.

There are a couple curious details that niggle at Gray, though. ]

"A" family? And what kind of work did you do...?

[regressor]

... Oh, yes. I didn't have one of my own, so a kind woman took me in in exchange for helping with her children, and on her farm.

[As if they were just casual things, details like that, but the second question...]

... Before the countryside? Or when I moved to the city?

[Neither are pretty.]

[gravings]

[ Shelter in exchange for honest work in a quiet corner of the world does sound very nice... If only things could be that simple for them in Horos.

The request for clarification gives Gray a weirdly ominous feeling... but she is a curious cat. ]

Um... both?

[regressor]

[It would be very easy to lie in this moment, but would it be profitable? No, perhaps not. Taking into consideration what she'd already said about her powers, for the first option, what image she wished to project, for the second...]

Before... I was used for my powers. So it wasn't... Mostly, I killed people.

[A few hundred to a few thousand, no one can really agree on the number.]

After I went into hiding... I couldn't really get a proper job, because I didn't have any papers or ID, so. Mostly I just did whatever men would pay cash for.

[Perhaps that would pass as an attempt to "soften" the dirty truth of that matter. It would probably be best to act the slightest bit ashamed of it, until she established the boundaries of morality in this place.]

[gravings]

[ A trickle of sympathy from Gray runs over their connection. It doesn't sound like Havoc enjoyed the killing, and Gray isn't really in a place to judge people for having done those things; somehow, she's come to know many people who have killed or would kill, whether as a matter of survival or otherwise. As for the other matter, Gray can't really judge either; the topic is embarrassing enough to her that she couldn't begin to speak of it without severely stuttering, let alone police other people about it. ]

... I'm sorry you have to work again so soon after coming here. It hasn't been this dangerous until recently.

[regressor]

... Thank you.

[As if in consideration, not wanting to speak of things that might want to upset other people...]

What do you do here? When it's safer...

[gravings]

Oh... I usually practice in the training grounds, look for something to read... and, sometimes I feed the cats.

[ Exhilarating... ]

But there's a lot to do in Achamoth if you're looking. Especially... entertainment-wise... [partying, she's talking about partying,] And there are a lot of nice eateries too.

[regressor]

There's cats? Like... normal cats?

[Look, Achamoth seems... interesting. Partying is the last thing she's interested in.]

If you have a favorite restaurant... I'd like to hear it. I love trying new food.

[gravings]

My favorite restaurant... is probably a patisserie. I can show you where it is, if you like.

[ Give her the forbidden fancy desserts... ]

And yes, there are normal cats. Do you like them?

[regressor]

I'd appreciate that. I like baking.

[Does she like cats? As a Regressor, she had... felt fondness towards any animal that had even looked at her, because she'd never been able to feel anything but utilitarian towards such beings, so-]

Mmm, I like cats, too. I just wanted to make sure that in this place, "cats" didn't mean... you know, giant chimera cats or something.

[gravings]

... There might be some of those too.

[ If there are giant monster spiders around, then why not monster chimera cats. ]

I'll show you the nice cats. Um, maybe when we aren't too busy with preparations.

[ Gray might normally be too shy to invite a near stranger to anything, but now she's in the strange position of being a senior, so to speak, to someone with just as soft(?) an air as she has. For some reason, she feels like they're kindred spirits... ]