Shadow Talk and Demands - RPLOG
Participants
Date
1/8/477
Log
There isn't much sound in the bar, in fact, if not for the chatter of the 'regular' beings, it would be down right quiet. However, there is a tention in the air that could almost be cut with a dagger. There are quite a few beings with the Shadow Pendent upon them, that same feeling of 'wrongness' coming from them all, but much more muted then that from a 'pure' shadow. They sit, sipping from cups, are idly eating a meal. Even the bartender, a white rabbit, looks slightly edgy, though there is no pendant around her neck, shadow or otherwise. Within the bar itself, it looks very similar to Freeswords, with a different arragement of furnature. Racks of drinks, a kitchen in the back, even rooms that could be rented for the night.
Calisiel has been looking for a new place to stay, as her tent had caught fire again. Probably her fault, given her affinity for flames. She heads towards the bar, taking a seat on a stool. She tilts her head, looking at the rabbit. Gives the bartender a small wave. "Hello."
Sinead picks her way through the outskirts of her city, carrying her staff and her bag of tools. The ferret pauses just inside the Roost as she adjusts her ascot (and the pendant she wears under it), and spends a moment listening to the crowd. Her hackles start to raise as she keys in on the murmurd words - both heard and unheard - then shakes her head and moves to the bar.
The bar tender looks over toward Calisiel as she walks in, "Oh thank the Creators another normal being." She says, looking about the place. She waves Calisiel over, leaning against the bar. Her Shelled Clan symbol easily seen on her shoulder. "Come on over here, what can I get you to drink?" She asks, then notices Sinead walking over. She looks the ferret over a moment. "And you, go ahead and take a seat anywhere you'd like! I'll be over to take your order in a moment!" She says just as cheerfully
[Among the telegraphed conversation, it is easy to tell that the general topic is the shadows that are now awakened out near The Green Valley. Without trying to make clear communication with one or another though, it is hard to sort out the chatter that is just permiated trough the place. Something is clear from the get go though, worry is the chief feel of what is caught.]
Calisiel nods to the bartender. "Yes, drink. Do you have whiskey?" She asks, instead of assuming. "Maybe some bread too?" As one who is not shadow tongued, she cannot tell any conversations of the sort going on. "Is there anything important happening?" She scratches at her chest, tapping the soulgem around her neck.
The short ferret gives the bartender a look, tilting her head to the side; then Sinead moves up to the bar and settles onto a stool. She had said anywhere, after all. She waits her turn for a drink, though, folding her hands together and resting her arms on the bar as she patiently waits, giving Calisiel a little nod. [What happened?] she asks one of the stronger voices she picks out from the murmur. [I have not heard many details.]
The bunny continues to look about, then gets out a glass, turns around and pulls out a bottle. Filling it up, she hands it over to Calisiel, "Here we are. Now," she leans in close to Calisiel, trying to whisper quietly, "can you tell me what has all these shadow types in an uproar? Not that you could tell just looking at them, but trust me, I've been around them enough since the king started letting them come near the city, something's up, and they ain't exactly keen on saying what." She says, "Tell me in a minute, I'll be right back." Before walking over to Sinead next, "And what can I do for you? Anything at all?" She asks.
As Sinead reaches out to one of the louder voices, a raccoon turns to look at her, [I take it you haven't heard yet then, another group of our kin, survived in stasis since the crash into the moon, was revived by some foolish beings looking to, 'learn more about creator artificts.' Calls themselves the technologists. Needless to say, they are convinced that it is our mission still to elimenate all the beings on the planets.] He answers before resuming at his own drink.
Calisiel chuckles softly to herself; knowing she'll be no help to the bartender. At least, not through more direct, unpleasant means than eavesdropping. She takes a sip of her whiskey, looks at some of the shadow touched in the room. Briefly considers just flat out approaching one, flashing some flames, then asking bluntly: 'What's up'. But, she waits for now. Probably not a good idea to do that.
Sinead looks up at the bartenderm, and her nose twitches. She looks over at Calisiel, then back to the bunny, and puts on her best-practiced polite smile. Something like a polite smile, anyway. "I will have a whiskey, too. A short one. Please." She bows her head, in gratitude. [Oh, is that all? So they join the ferals and the unenlightened. A few might be saved. The locals know we are not affiliated, right?]
Turning around a moment, grabbing a small glass, the rabbit pours another glass from the same bottle. "Here you go, if you need anything else, feel free to ask!" She says, seems very cheerful. She returns however, to Calisiel, leaning in once more, "I heard that there was a group that went to figure out things out there, even ran into Jessica Blackback! Have you any news there?" She says, still trying to keep the hushed tone. All about the shadows seem to shift slightly, both those in a being, and the shadows from the lights.
Sipping again from his drink, the raccoon doesn't answer, but another voice comes to Sinead, a kangaroo in the back left corner, [This isn't that small a matter young one, they could pose quite a threat to the beings here, make no mistake of that. We are not yet completely sure of what they wish, only that they woke and began their work. They were quick about taking care of those Technologists, though what I've heard of them leaves me to believe the beings themselves wouldn't have been kinder to them. No, those beings that went after to see about things, I'm glad they didn't get any farther then they did. They should have listened to Jermey. As far as the locals know, we are seperate yes, but tentions are still renewed by some.] She says as she continues to work on her salad.
Calisiel nods. "I was with that group, yes. Jessica sounded scared, to me. Heh, it was amusing. Really, I kind of tuned out of most of the discussions, hadn't slept for a day and a half before joining that group." She drinks about half her glass quickly. "I remember a big flash of light, thought it was lightning. But was told it wasn't lightning. I did fight some shadows, though." She looks at a few of the shadow touched in the room, or those she believes to be shadow touched.
Sinead nods her head, mulling over what she was hearing, and takes a drink from her glass. She looks over at Calisiel and the bartender, leaning towards them a little. "Really?" she asks. "What happened? I heard there was some group that found something out there in the Valley, and then another couple of groups moved in and that there was a big fight. Who else was there?"
The bartender takes what she hears in stride, "So, you were there? What did you see?" This combined with Calisiel's talk gets her some attention! Many eyes and ears are now upon her. The bartender then looks next over to Sinead, "And where did you hear that? Trying to start a rumor about things or something?" She asks. Quite a few shadows look over to Sinead a moment, though for now, mearly listen. The bartender refills Calisiel's glass, "But do please go on, what else did you see? Names Rebby if your interested." She says.
Calisiel scowls at the now attentive patrons. "ALright, Rebby. I only remember two groups. One from the Solacious, which I was with. And one from the Blackbacks. We worked together but got outnumbered. Was ordered to retreat." She shakes her head, drinks the rest of her whiskey. "I only saw three up close. Was told there were a lot more. I think. Was too mad at Jessica to, uh, pay attention. Crazy griffon tackled me while I was flying over to scout." Another scowl at the patrons follows.
The ferret's nose twitches, and she shrugs. "I am a doctor. With the Guild. I hear things," she answers, fingers tapping on her glass, "but I hold doctor-patient confidentiality as a prized treasure. I am not at liberty to say... just that it is something I have heard." She gives Calisiel her practiced smile. "Similarly, you can be assured that whatever you say, *I* won't tell anyone that you said it," she assures the crow, oblivious to the scowl.
Rebby looks between the ferret and the crow. "Alright then, and if Jessica tackled you over, I'd be willing to place every crown to my name she did it for your own good." She says. Starting to polish a glass. "Alright, so you won't say where, but what else do you know then?" She asks. Another refill on Calisiel's drink, "Don't worry, I'm only going to charge you on the first one." She says looking back at the shadows as the crow scowls at them.
The shadows make no motion back at Calisiel, more concernd with what Sinead was going to say. One of them gives the mental equivilent of a very sharp tap to the shoulder, [We are going to try and handle this between ourselves, careful with what information you offer young one.] The voice says, though it is hard to tell whom said that. [Do not make mention of the dnager of the situation, and all should be fine.]
Calisiel shrugs, turns back to the bar. "Thanks. It was by the forest, though. Left that out I guess." She drinks, then continues. "Yes, she said the tackle was to keep me from getting too close to the shadows, or something. Still, I don't like to be touched when I'm flying." Another shrug. She then looks to Sinead. "Spread the word around all you want. I'm not confidential at all. Spreading rumors is fun for me. Don't have any others right now. And we're reaching the limit on what I remember."
Sinead frowns and takes a sip from her glass again as she thinks that over, then gives her shoulders a small shrug. "Not much more than what... sorry, I don't think I got your name," she pauses, giving Cal a small nod. "Not much more than what she said. That the Blackbacks were all over it in the end. They said they had it under control." The ferret's nose wrinkles a moment. "And *I* am certainly not going to head out that way to look for myself. At least not without a nice pay check, I don't work for free."
Looking to Sinead, Rebby shakes her head, "Hey no, I thought you said you had other things to say about this." She says. Looking a bit indignant, but the shadows about seem to relax anyway. Many getting back to what they were doing. Rebby gives a sharper eye to Sinead, but she knew better than to mix things up. Shadows were among the bars number one clients after all. Another shadow comes in, requesting some of the stew of the day. Rebby heading back to the kitchen, gives a slight wink to Calisiel.
Calisiel notices the wink, unsure what to do with that. She looks to the newly entered shadow, assumes he's going to do that 'silent communication' thing shadows do. Looking to Sinead: "I'm Calisiel, if you need to know. You are who, then?" She extends a wing slightly, then refolds it. A slight stretch follows.
Sinead quietly snorts, looking back at the bartender. "You asked where I had heard the bit I did," she points out. "And I told you I couldn't say." The ferret shrugs, and her nose twitches. "Distracted by the sound of your own sloshing," she mutters after the bunny leaves, very quietly, then gives Calisiel a quick nod. "Sinead. Doctor Sinead."
The door opens to admit another patron to the bar. This one is probably well-known to those who frequent the town. Not too many Ankylosaurs around who openly display the Shadow Pendant on a bare torso. The budding Tanner trundles toward the bar, wings tucked tightly to his back and each step causing tremors to erupt, light though they are. The heavy bulk is seated soon enough and the 'tender is flagged down for a large herbivorous meal.
Rebby stays back in the back for quite a while, but the arrival of a new shadow gets the rest to look over at him. Climbing down the stairs, a white barn owl, proudly displaying the clever clan patch upon his left breast pocket comes to take a look over things, seeing the crow and ferret at the bar, and mostly shadows around, he gives a slight sigh, "She in the back I take it then?" He says, stopping only a moment before he ducks in there.
The shadows look to the newcomer, the feel of the room shifting slightly towards one of curiosity. They knew him of course, but they weren't too sure what he knew. A male doberman is the first to 'speak' to him, [Greetings young one, this is a tense time. Careful with your words to the beings, if you could.] He says. Even without access to the 'shadow net' it would be easy to tell what that dog was doing, oblivious to the way his eyes gloss over, and all motion stops as he talks.
Calisiel grows frustrated, knowing that shadows can communicate without her hearing. But, doesn't show it. "Hey, you, new guys." Referring clearly to the robin and ankylosaur. "Come, sit with me." She pulls a couple stools up next to her and waits to be joined. Or not, depending. She intends to 'interrogate' them on the shadow talk going on. If there even is any. The crow just assumes there is.
Sinead watches Calisiel for a moment, then looks over at the new people, her expression curious. She takes another small sip of her whiskey, and watches quietly, free hand tapping on the bar. [Evening,] she thought-whispers to the newcomers.
The Heavy-clan Ankylosaur, on the tall side even for them, actually does not acknowledge anything said to him in either language until after the Paleo-style meal is delivered. This includes a large fruit drink. After that he finally takes the stuff over to the offered chair. Along the way he communicates in the shadow language, <Tense time? What do you mean?> Apparently someone is, somehow, rather clueless. Even after sitting on it carefully it still groans a little and the club tail curls around the legs, "Yes?"
Rebby comes back out a short time later, a meal for the Ankylosaur on a platter along with the stew for the robbin, "Here you both go, anything else, feel free to give me a word!" She says. She gives a look to Calisiel, wondering if she has found anything else out from the shadows besides what was already known. "Boss is here to do the nightly tally though, so if it takes me a moment, don't worry, I'll be back out in a moment." She says, ducking back into the back once more.
The shadow robbin looks over to Sinead and then to to Balrokzor, before joining with the crow and ferret. He decides to comminicate things to the Ankylosaur, [Yes, have you heard of the new shadow's nest that has been brought to life out north of The Green Valley? Seems they are still running on our old mission. To destory the beings. This could bring about another war, though we are hoping to handle things between just us.] He says, even as he looks to Calisiel and talks in common tongue to her, "Yes? Is there something you'd like warrior friend?" he asks, taking the stew from the rabbit innkeeper.
Calisiel smiles innocently. "Yes, I want to know why it's so quiet in here. What are you shadows planning?" Her smile immediately becomes a scowl. Calisiel is quite blunt. "Not that I group you in with the murderous, evil ones. But, I know that shadows can communicate silently. So, out with it. What's everyone talking about." She finishes her whiskey, smiles again. She looks to the Ankylosaur. "Same to you."
Sinead snorts. She shakes her head and watches Calisiel, finishing off her whiskey and then setting the empty glass - and her coins - on the bar. She rests an elbow on the counter, steeples her fingers, and smiles. "So... direct."
The Dino stabs at his food and raises the fork with its portion, "Is that really why you wanted the two of us to come over here, to make demands to reveal what we are saying to you? It is obvious that there are those who are not Shadow who can hear the speech, for I have met some of them." If it is possible, he speaks simultaneously in the shadow tongue. If not, it comes afterward,
As the owner and bartender continue thier work in the back, the shadows around the bar look over to Calisiel, fairly close to all of them. The robbin looks her over a moment before smiling, though his eyes were leaking that tarry black, "Don't worry friend, everything is under control." He says, looking back to the other shadows, "Indeed, everything is fine yes?" A few cheers and the clanging of glasses. "So nothing to be worried over." He says. To Balrokzor though, [Worry not about it, it will be handled, but keep your head low and ears open.] continues the robbin to him, [And any being that asks about it, just reassure. Don't purposefully hide information, but don't make the situation's severity well known.]
But as if on que another shadow walks in... no charm on him, no pendent. A miasima of WRONG coming of him as thick as if it were the morning fog. To those beings not shadows, the feeling alone is like something crawling over the skin. He looks around a moment, a large bovine with a massive pair of horns. His eyes darks as midnight, weeping tar black tears as if the body he is in moarns what has become of it. He says via the silent speech, for now, but a single phrase, [A CREATOR.]
Calisiel doesn't believe the robin, continues. "Sure, of course nothing is wrong. Theres a nest of shadows in the forest. Alls well with the world. Now, please, don't try to jerk me around, yes?" She turns to Balrokzor. "I'm Calisiel. I demand what I want from who I want it from. I don't like being kept in the dark. Now, you did admit to communicating, I believe. I can pay you to tell me what the shadows are saying." She doesn't speak to Sinead. Too busy trying to figure out what the shadows are saying. If anything.
Sinead blinks, her eyes widening. The ferret turns quick enough that she almost wobbles in her seat on the stool, but her grip on the bar keeps her more or less steady. She looks from Calisiel to the cow-being, then back to the crow, then back to the being in the door. [Whaaaaat?] "The Freeswords fight a lot of feral shadows every day, Cal," she says carefully. "And if the nobles say they have a new nest handled, I would be inclined to believe them."
Balrokzor snorts, "It looks like you'll have to be kept in the dark, then. I, for one, have only just been informed of the current topic that your friend here has just stated." His gaze shifts to the Bovine who has just arrived, "And it seems that things are about to get even more interesting. Try demanding something from that one." With that the dino finally begins to eat the salad, <Non-shadow Ferret, I take it you know the paranoid one?>
Just about every shadow looks over at the bovine, and cringes. There was no question, if this wasn't the elder, the boss of that shadow nest, then it was someone close to him. They all go very very quiet, for now, not even whispering in their shadow tongue to each other. For the time, the air seems to just go still, quite a few beings paying their tabs and leaving, quickly. The bull simply looks about a moment, before saying in the shadow's tongue again, [A creator, bring to us a creator. We wish to speak directly to them!] He annouces, before looking to the few beings that remain, a slight look that speaks of the horrors he could commit, "Creator, seek creator." Is all he manages in the normal tongue.
Calisiel blinks at the bovine, mostly ignoring what the ankylosaur said to her. Wasn't really helpful. "Heh, seems he is more inclined to talk." Calisiel can feel the wrongness, of course. Felt it the other night. Calling out to him: "And what do you want with a creator? Only one I know about anywhere nearby is a wanted criminal. So, good luck finding him." Noting that he is likely involved with the nest: "You have something to do with the shadows in the forest?" Her tone is aggressive, she prepares to set him ablaze if he tries anything.
Sinead sighs, and rubs at her face with her hand. She shakes her head, then looks up at Balrokzor. [I am as much of a meat-brain as you are,] she replies, tightly focused. [I have just spent a lot of time working on how to hide amongst them. It is usefull.] The ferret slips off of her stool, and reaches out to carefully tap Calisiel on the shoulder with her staff. There was no way she'd get within arm's reach of THAT crow. "Cool it," she says, tone helpful. "And I am trying to give you advice here. "You do NOT want to be the citizen responsible for a diplomatic incident." She pauses, then bows her head to the bovine. [I do not know where to find one. The church has means of sending a message, although you will need one of their pendants to be allowed into the city directly... do you want me to carry the message for you?]
Balrokzor does not stick around the table. While still chewing on the first bite of the salad the Ankylosaur rises and relocates to one of the other tables, one hopefully not within immediate striking distance of the bovine should things get ugly. This one is quite calm and collected, if only because he is one of the Shadow-kin, and works to eat in relative peace, <At this time I do not see reason to hide what I am. I have even explained how I obtained my host to a number who would listen.>
The bull looks around a bit more, then seeing Calisiel, "Bring Creator, see Creator." He then looks around again to the shadows, most look about to each other a moment. They seem hessitent to do anything at this poing. One of them says though, [Jermey can help you talk to a creator, please, remain calm and we can sort this all out.] Says the robbin in the shadow's tongue. However, the mention of one of those pendents makes him look more than a bit pertuerbed, [I will have nothing to do with those pendents or the ones you call warriors, bring out a creator. I'll have no explination from lowly beings or shadows who would abandon our mission. I will hear from the lips of a creator only if our goals have been changed! And until then, we will prepare to continue as we were originally instructed.] Seems he isn't that great at speaking the being's words just yet.
Calisiel just blinks as Sinead tells her to relax. "Don't poke me." Not hearing much from the bovine, she just glares at him. A bit pissed because she is sure those with shadow speech are communicating with him. "I can't get you a creator. Noone here can, probably. Now, leave. Before someone makes you." Always so threatening. She turns away from him, done speaking. Apparently, she did not 'cool it'. She grumbles something to herself. Something about 'fire'.
"Fair enough," Sinead sighs. She returns to her bag, left on the bar and collects it, then stands there by the bar, holding her things and watching how the scene unfolds. [The crow is irrational. Even for a meat-thing.]
<This one is definitely much worse than one of those others I have encountered.> The Dinosaur continues eating with some sips of the drink from time to time, his attention on the unfolding scene, <I would like to be reminded of the mission that we were to complete. In my interest to know more of the meat-bags through knowing their fears and strengths, as well as making deals, I have forgotten.>
The shadow whos body still rejects him gives a hard look around, [You do not even tell of our mission to your younger kin anymore? Then I will remind them! We are death, we are the destoryers sent by the creators to purge THEM from their worlds after the beings' job is done. They should have died out ages ago on their own, we are a messure to ensure that happens should all others fail. And they have failed, and you all have failed. The one you know as Jermey told me there were creators here already! Now, bring me one. I will await back at our home, do not seek us out without news of a creator and where one could be found.] He says around, then a sharp eye to Calisiel, "This... one like you..." he says, face controting into a grin that should shatter every bone in that cow's own face, "Find Creator, br-eng 'ere." He says before giving another glance around the room and, with a heavy foot, walking back the way he came in.
Calisiel is slightly confused by the bovine. Did it just say it likes her? "Pfft. Crazy bastard. He say anything important while he was here?" Having no shadow tongue, Cal is abit lost at the moment. She turns to the others nearby.
Sinead snorts. She shrugs her shoulders, and then makes a circling 'wrap up' gesture with her finger. "You heard him," she says quietly. "He wants a Creator." Her nose twitches once, and then her expression blanks as she sinks into thought. "But where to get one..."
<Their public records indicate that there are many factions amongst even the creators.> Balrokzor watches the bovine while he is leaving, adding, <Apparently there are now creators wishing to keep them going, help them to further become independent.> Of course, he has thoughts of following the Bovine out, if only so he could learn more. Such is resisted, however, for that would involve going through dangerous territory.
Finally done with their books, the rabbet Rebby and her boss, the white barn owl come back from the back room, "Alright everyone! Sorry for the delays there, do you all need anything? My shift is just about over though!" She says as the owl works his way back up the steps. She checks out the glasses of the patrons, the food, and notices almost nothing, save for Balrokzor's, was eaten, "Well, something interesting must have been going on in here while we were back there, and did I hear another customer coming in? Where did he go?" she asks. The shadows just stay silent.
The chatter is back up the moment the shadows are fairly sure the ox of a being and shadow is out of range, [There are some creators staying in the city proper, maybe we could talk one of them into coming out here?] [They still want to kill every being off! Don't they know what would happen to the shadows after? There isn't some great reward waiting for us or anything.] [Calm down everyone, there's not going to be a war, he said so himself, he just wants to talk.] [Not going to be a war? I bet if it wasn't for Jermey, we'd be up to our necks in hostiles right now!] [Hey! We can work this out, just need to get one of the creators to talk some sense into them.]
Calisiel looks to Rebby and the owl. "Yes, had a shadow come in. Another one. Wanted a creator." She shrugs. "Then he left when noone provided one. Of course, I have no idea if that's all he said. Frigging shadow talk. Probably shouldn't have let him leave. Felt, uh, dangerous, that one."
Sinead drops her gaze to the floor, mulling over the evening. "Yes." [Yes,] she echoes. [We can work it out. Bring them a Creator who will tell them things *our* way, and our own numbers will swell. Consensus?] Her grip tightens on her staff then and she looks back up, slowly blinking, re-exerting her control and finding an actual, suitable, serious expression.
Balrokzor has finished his meal by the time its condition has been checked, and the glass is soon set down alongside it. He looks to both the rabbit and the owl one by one, "It came and left. It did not seek service. Probably good that you were not present." He does not join in with the shadow-speech, instead rising to head for the door, expression thoughtful.
