[PLEROMA] | I heard a rumor...

[wolof]

[ The communion is clear, practiced, and clipped. Business-like. ]

We have quite a few new arrivals, so... Welcome to the Pleroma. I am sure we will all have the opportunity to introduce ourselves to you, but it's often polite to introduce oneself, isn't it? My name is Akua Sahelian, and I speak to you now of what I wish were a warm welcome, but instead, of serious tidings.

I do not know how many of you have been introduced to the wider group, or how much information you've been presented, so allow me to give you all a basics, hm?

If you can hear this, you have accepted the Pleroma. You may have already met one, or many of them, but regardless if you met them before -- we oppose the Kenoma -- perhaps not the individuals, but the... force of kenoma itself. Pleroma and Kenoma are no mere forces of Good and Evil -- The Kenoma would destroy this world -- and all worlds -- to rebirth a world of their own making from the ashes. If you have joined with us, then you have found perhaps something to save here -- or perhaps you believe that your world is still out there. Some do, but I will not promise that which I cannot see with my own eyes. Whatever has brought you to us, I'm afraid that I cannot promise an easy fight -- or an easy existence here. Even now, the Kenoma have captured two of our own, and I have no doubt that they will come out with an experience that only a True Villain by the name of the Regent could craft. [ In communion, it sounds like a Title, a Name. ]

We will have to rescue them, and though I wish I could say that only those that are willing to fight should come, the truth of it is that we must collectively join together. There is no choice, and we will need every willing person to join in, to save our allies. If you have experienced combat before -- of any sort -- your experience will be more than welcome. If you do not, please reach out to one us, and we will find a place for you. We all have...grand and great talents, and we'll need every single one, to find victory when our allies are eventually retrieved. You will be needed, no matter what your experience was before you arrived, you will be able to find some use of your unique talents. Please, if you are new, speak up, tell us about yourselves, and ask your questions. I'm sure someone will answer it. Even the smallest of talents, can mean the difference between losing more of our allies an assets, or victory.

I cannot provide details at this time -- no plans have been set -- but I will tell you to be ready.

Speaking of being ready, however... I must turn a part of our discussion to something just as serious, but in a different vein. I think it clear, that we will have to continue to fight those who have signed on to the Kenoma, and while it's an inevitability, particularly in these times -- we need to assess our enemies. We will want to share the names, the abilities, and the demeanors of our enemies, those in the Kenoma who may be a threat, those who would be weak to physical threat, or...

[ A pause, then. ]

I was...dissipated recently. As I regrew, I... knew something. [ Her voice now almost sounds...authoritative. Like she is Speaking something of great import, the communion gives her words an emphasis that she can only imagine, as it would not work in person. ]

While no Sovereign, they are sovereign in this land, and though their plans have been thwarted in some small ways, they have been given a gift. The gift of knowing the true hearts of their followers, one way or the other. They have no use for the frail and the convictionless, after all. Venera and Godsblood are not the only ones that face culling, as the light of the Sovereign fades.

I believe... there may be individuals within the kenoma that have less conviction than others. They may be willing to help, or even defect, although we will be racing against the Regent's own touch. We may wish to seek them out, and free them from the Kenoma, they may come willingly, but they may also come by force. If you have spoken to those who lack conviction for their Sect, please, share that as well. It may be invaluable. If we know who lacks the resolve to stay with them, we can then pursue them, convince them, or bring them to our bases, to be convinced. I know some may find that unpleasant work -- but... Well, let's just say occasionally, capturing your enemy and teaching them of your perspective works.

I'd know.

[ A pause, before: ] Well, now. Please chime in, I shouldn't do all of the talking.

Comments

Barnaby and Liem, also Paul

[youngprodigy]

Going forward, we must needs be extremely careful who we converse with.

I... met with two Kenoma, along with Meteion, in Venera. All three of them proclaimed their intention to defect in front of me, and I've no reason to doubt either of them.

But they did not appear when time came to make our egress out of the city.

[He lets out a frustrated sigh.]

I am not saying not to trust them, merely that they were privy to information that is absolutely in the hands of the Regent now. If you aim to save anyone who looks as though they are imminent to defect, you cannot give away any information that could be used against us. Them being captured is not out of the question.

[And then there's a moment where he seems to be gathering his thoughts, because while the previous two had been frustration, this next part comes with no small amount of agitation.]

There is another. His name is Paul. Don't mistake him for someone unassuming or misguided; he's one of the Regent's most loyal. He earnestly believes bringing about the end of this world, of all worlds, will end suffering. That this new world of the Regent's will somehow be free of it.

I strongly suggest avoiding him at all costs. At the Communion the Regent summoned all of us to, he compared slaughtering people to pruning "the branches that are infected with rot". He cannot be reasoned with.

[comelately]

Yeah, it was obvious that Paul guy was fuckin' crazy after that meeting last month.

[ regardless, Johnny's words carry an air of disgust. There's a difference between an enemy who he can sympathize with and one who he can't; the things that man said ran counter to everything Johnny has come to believe, and he doesn't have the patience for it. ]

He's just a priest, though, right? I didn't hear anything about him summoning demons or anything during the raid.

[youngprodigy]

I didn't see anything like that from him, no.

[Though given how Misa can turn people to stone, he's not going to discount it.]

But we shouldn't assume he's without power.

[comelately]

I'm just saying he's not exactly on their front lines. If he's got an ability, he either doesn't want to use it or doesn't want to let anyone see him use it.

[ Johnny hums. ]

He's crazy, but he hasn't tried killing us yet.

[youngprodigy]

That doesn't mean newcomers shouldn't be aware of him; I thought he was a priest who could hear that life intrinsically has value. Instead he accused me of only caring about my star alone.

I'm more concerned with his ability to rally others to the cause than I am of him killing us.

He's far too charismatic to ignore.

more on Paul, Meteion flavored.

[perfectlygoodbird]

It's you! [Meteion is definitely happy to see? hear? whichever! this particular voice; her sending is tinged with joy. She's happy Cid got out and is safe.]

Father Paul is...very devoted to the Regent. I cannot tell you why. He is not much of a combatant, as I am not. What he is, is one of the Kenoma's healers.

I do not think he is entirely unable to defend himself, just that he is unwilling to fight offensively.

[youngprodigy]

[Cid's own happiness might not be as intense as Meteion's, but he's very happy that she made it out of Venera. Even if the methods to do so were... unfortunate.]

Aye, that's the impression I've gotten from him.

[That he's a healer, though,... huh. Makes sense to keep his side going. It's obvious Cid doesn't know what to make of that, but he also seems fairly puzzled by magic in general, even now.]

He's like to stop at nothing to carry out the Regent's will.

[perfectlygoodbird]

That is very accurate, ser. I am not certain he'd become violent, but for the Regent's cause, I would not put anything past him.

[youngprodigy]

I wouldn't either. It's best to be incredibly cautious with him. With any of the Kenoma who are particularly fanatical.

[perfectlygoodbird]

Father Paul. M. Howl. [That one hurts, but he was...changed. They were still friends, and maybe Howl wasn't truly fanatical, but Meteion wasn't sure how deep that well went. She's sure there were others, but she can't bring the names to mind at the moment, and there might be flashes of faces that Cid can catch glimpses of, but nothing concrete.]

I'm not certain of Howl, but I don't know how bad he can get. Oh! [It's a little cry of sadness that escapes her, as she thinks of another friend who has leaned fairly fanatical.]

Majorita.

[youngprodigy]

[The name Howl sounds familiar, as though he's heard it in passing, but he does pick up on the general sadness.]

That's... quite the list.

We'll need to use caution.

[perfectlygoodbird]

We would have needed to anyway. Now it is even of more importance. I know we all want to rescue our friends, but surely the Kenoma have the upper hand, here. I am not certain that they are laying a trap, but...

This is not going to be easy. [She could wish it were.]

[warmare]

Liem cannot be faulted in this case, as he was captured before my eyes.

I did not allow him any information that should compromise another. Not him, nor the other.

“Barnaby” did manage to deceive me. We arranged a time to meet in exchange for his life, but he did not show himself.

But I know about his powers, if that part was not a lie.

And I have his scent. I can find him glamored or not.

[youngprodigy]

[Well, that answers that. Hayame will be able to tell that Cid believes her completely; if she can vouch for Liem, he's pretty sure that's a glowing recommendation.]

We can't discount the possibility that he was captured similarly to Liem, but that does bode ill.

What manner of powers does he have?

[warmare]

… perhaps.

[No one here has yet come forward to say they witnessed such a thing, and it is easier for her to doubt and rage, but…

Perhaps.]

When he is aglow he moves far too fast to be human. He avoided my arrow from a range no one should have been able to.

But he claimed it had a time limit. Just a few minutes, and when the glow fades he should be human as anything with two legs.

[youngprodigy]

["Human" is something of a generic word in his world, so it takes him a moment to process that Hayame isn't including herself in the description, which is absolutely a good thing. It stops him from sounding like an asshole later.]

That's... incredible.

By the sounds of it, this is a power he had before joining the Kenoma, then.

[warmare]

He sounded most familiar with it, is all I can say.

[youngprodigy]

Well, I won't speculate. There's no reason to.

Thank you for the information, Hayame.

[warmare]

[Hnnn.]

[hippocarnival]

Barnaby is the one who gave me the list of Venerans being targeted. [The one he'd passed on to Cid and Ryunosuke, to spread among them.] If all of us knew he was going against the Regent... some of the Kenoma must have, too.

I tried to reach him by communion, when all of it was over... but I couldn't get an answer.

[warmare]

It is the same in my case.

[hippocarnival]

[Ugh, that makes Yuya's feelings sink even lower.]

I didn't tell him where we were going to take any of the Venerans. He accepted us helping each other indirectly, instead of doing everything himself. I... they're probably as safe as they can be right now.

[Assuming. No one else spilled it.] Maybe we'll find Barnaby and Liem the same place we'll find Himeka and Abel...? They'd probably be punished, right?

[warmare]

If Barnaby is not just a deceiver, then potentially.

If your Himeka and Abel are even still alive themselves.

[Does everyone in this group just... assume the best all the time wtf]

[hippocarnival]

[That's what it means to be ~Pleroma~!]

Well... the list was right so it seems like it'd be a really bad idea to give it to people you know are going to mess up the Regent's plan, right? [He's not exactly smart but even he can see why that doesn't make strategic sense.] Wouldn't that just get him in a lot of trouble?

[He's not even addressed Himeka and Abel.]

[warmare]

[Oh, okay, that must be it. Hayame doesn't consider herself a Pleroma properly, she's immune to the BS]

Despite all of the precautions I and Liem took in our attempt to save the target, we were still somehow discovered. How do you think that is? It would be easy enough to take out both targets, Veneran and aion, if you gave out an accurate list.

[Cause it definitely wasn't her. Obviously.]