>>175148
Best not to tell him about Ves. How do we explain that the creature disappeared though...? We could say we mortally wounded it but it ran away. Or that we atomized it.

>>175196
Why lie? Tell it straight and get the matter over quickly.

>>175229
agree. start with hearing a scream and end with the guy shlorking into the ground.

>>175196

Agree with this. We should BS about the monster disappearing and not say anything about Ves.

Desperately resist the urge to comment on how his head looks like the scrying ball.

seriously guys, why are we lying for him? for all we know he is a wanted dude and giving info about him will net us a reward and keep bad stuff from happening.

>>176456
He's not wanted. He's just not supposed to be in town so he'd get in trouble.

>>176469
and that's our problem... why?

>>176470
No reason to be a dick.

>>176479
instead we just lie to the mayor of the town we grew up in. i don't know about you, but that sounds more dickish then not lying for some guy we JUST met.

Nurk 2010/05/13(Thu)16:34 No. 176939 ID: 48de3d
File 127379368012.png - (39.40KB , 321x590 , Intense.png )

After a brief moment of internal deliberation, Grace decides to come clean, no matter if Ves requested she didn't. Who was he, after all? Without knowing that, or him, it made more sense to include him in her story.

The Mayor listens as Grace goes over her encounter with the "guard beast" and then meeting Ves. He doesn't interupt until Ves enters, only to ask for clarification, and even then his face says... very little.

Finally, Grace wraps up and there is a long pause as Mayor Edmund digests what she's said. Finally, Grace breaks the silence. "Who is this 'Ves', then? Someone I should know?"

It's another long moment before she gets a response.

> "Ves is... a bit of a maverick. He's an Elemental who serves Usha, one of the major powers in this region."

"Why isn't he supposed to come into town, then?" The mayor hesitates over the seemingly innocent question. He's picking his words with care.

> "It's not just him. We have some standing agreements with several elder Elementals, and one of the tenets of those is that they agree not to enter town without permission from me or Xabi. Ves was probably telling the truth about hunting down that monster, which it's hard to be upset about, but he did break the letter of the law."

The cigar switches sides. Evidentally the mayor isn't exactly pulling on it too hard; it doesn't look any shorter than when Grace first came in. Really, she would have expected him to be dragging on it for a bit of nicotine relief given how serious he looks... but she doesn't know anything about cigars, anyway.

> "Figures this would happen while Xabi is out of town. Just simple rotten luck. I suppose the best thing to do would be to let him figure out what to do from here, he's always been more familiar with you Elementals than I have. Would you mind helping him if he wants that?"

For someone "more familiar", Grace has never actually met the man, unlike Mayor Edmund.

>>176939
Sure, fine. We'd want to meet him eventually anyway since it looks like he's going to start dating our friend, right?

indeed, getting to know someone that your long time friend will start hanging out with sounds good. and his way it wont be like you are stalking him as you have a legitimate reason to hang around him.

Nurk 2010/05/14(Fri)21:56 No. 177643 ID: 48de3d
File 127389936642.png - (114.68KB , 869x676 , Lots.png )

"Of course," Grace says, almost immediately. That seems reasonable.

> "All right, then I think we're about done. Take a few days off of work, if you need to; I can understand you've had a bit of a rough day, here."

That's basically the end of the meeting. They wrap up as quickly as politeness allows, and Grace is back outside shortly. She drops by Kassi's job, first, but it's closed; there's a couple people doing clean-up, but they're not open for business and Kassi isn't there; she left a message for Grace, though, saying that she just wanted some time by herself for the rest of the day.

So, Grace gets home late afternoon. It's earlier than she usually gets home; she actually gets back just as her dad is leaving. He works nights, as a cook in one of Civiton's nicer restaurants. He cocks his head questioningly as she comes back earlier than normal; usually they miss each other, instead of meeting at the front door. "Hi, Dad," Grace says. "Man, you wouldn't believe the day I've been having."

Dad doesn't reply verbally. He can't, actually. He got a curse placed on him about twenty or twenty five years ago now, that he's not able to use words or letters to communicate--spoken, written, or through any sort of code. Just random fall-out from a couple of mages fighting each other and being in the wrong place at the time. Instead, he gestures for Grace to come along and tell him about it on the way. He's going to be late otherwise, and much as he does care for his adoptive daughter, it's difficult enough to hold down a job without being able to speak. Finding a new one would be a nightmare.

So, Grace walks with him part-way, explaining her day as she goes. Repeated telling seems to have dimmed it to an almost mundane experience for her, but her dad is clearly worried. "Don't worry," she finishes, noticing her dad's concerned expression. "I'm not going to do anything stupid. The mayor just wants me to talk to Xabi. Nothing dangerous. Have a good shift." With a quick embrace, Grace and her father part.

She returns home, but isn't there too long before there's a knock at the door; she answers it to find an unfamiliar man on the step.

> "Grace?"

"That's me," Grace confirms, with a nod. She could probably guess who the man is, but he gives his name before she can ask.

> "Xabi. Good to meet you; I got back a little early, and was hoping you'd be here. No reason to wait until tomorrow what can be done today, right?"

"Uh... of course not. Come on in--can I get you something to drink?"

> "No, thanks. Can't waste time. I spoke to the mayor and Kassi already since I got back--I understand she's a friend of yours, too, right?--and apparently Ves was in town? Can't let that sit. The longer we spend before we act, the more we'll look like we don't know what we're doing. I was going to see Usha. She's only an hour outside of town or so, even on foot. I think I should speak to her today, if possible. Would you come along? I'd feel better if you did, and I suspect she'll want to see you, too. That's not a problem, right? If you have any questions, we can cover them along the way; I'll tell you everything I can."

How much energy does he have? Kassi mentioned him fighting a chimera nest earlier today, and he's still rushing about on something new right upon coming back home.

>>177643
Enough.

Get to work!

>>177643
What exactly are we going there to do? Just yell at them a bit for having Ves come into town?

Nurk 2010/05/15(Sat)00:13 No. 177692 ID: 48de3d
File 127390761132.png - (19.48KB , 233x260 , Cough.png )

>>177665

"What exactly are we going there to do?" Grace asks. "Just yell at them a bit for having Ves come into town?"

> "Well, honestly..."

Xabi looks abashed.

> "Usha's going to yell at me, too. You, uh, well, any Elemental--you're not really supposed to be in town. The Mayor and your parents brought you in here long before I ever became Champion--heck, we're almost the same age, right?--but that was really bending the rules. Elementals are an extremely rare and high-level spirit, and officially you're going to cause us some trouble. I don't blame you, though, alright? You weren't supposed to know. Your mother asked for that when she and your dad first found you and tried to settle here. But... Civiton, Usha, Leander... we've all had some agreements with each other, and now Usha's group broke one of them and she's going to find out we broke our end. It's going to be... touchy. But I think she's less likely to try to hit me with a laser if you're there. I don't want to have to fight; you Elementals really have more raw power than I do and there's no way I could take Usha and Ves together. So I'm hoping that you and I and Usha can smooth everything over before someone decides to wipe this whole town off the map. If Leander gets upset that there's a sixth Elemental in the area and no one told him, he might decide we could use a nice hurricane."

He doesn't sound like he's making a playful exaggeration with those last two lines.

... okay. sounds like a plan.

>>177692
This whole situation kind of sucks, doesn't it? Ah well. Can't think of any better way of dealing with it. We almost there?

>>177692
Ok, sounds good.
I think you should emphasize how you're just living your life, and would rather have nothing to do with their power squabbles.

Why is it that the presence of an unknown Elemental would cause such unrest? Xabi mentioned that an Elemental is rare, but enough to destroy an entire town over?

Civiton, Usha, Leander, and Ves. He said there were five. Did I miss one?

Nurk 2010/05/20(Thu)00:22 No. 180100 ID: 48de3d
File 127434017548.png - (62.38KB , 553x504 , VesAgain.png )

>>178053

Civiton is the name of Grace's hometown, not an Elemental.

Still, that doesn't add up yet. Although she hardly needs to, she makes a show of counting on her fingers. "So... you said six Elementals. Me, Leander, Usha, and Ves... that leaves two."

> "I don't know the other two. They're with Leander, and he and his crew don't like humans. He tends to just send out some messenger more to tell us what he's decided rather than negotiate. That's just his way. One of his friends there is a fire-aspect with empty eyes. I'm not sure what his second aspect is. The other one is a tall girl. No idea about her at all."

"So, then, why would me being around cause such problems? Why is that enough to talk about destroying a town over?"

> "Well... you've probably guessed that Usha and Leander don't see eye-to-eye. Leander's currently stronger, but one Elemental one way or the other upsets their balance as it currently stands, right? Usha's a lot more reasonable than Leander, but either one of them could blow up a lot of real estate if they took it into their heads to do so. It's not even really about you as 'you'; it's just being another really powerful being, right? That's all. But, if we and Usha have a united front, it'd be too costly for him to start anything. Well, really, just you showing up full-grown and not on either 'side' is the potential problem. I don't know Leander that well, but I could see him deciding that if someone's hidden you from him for the last twenty years, the only logical reason would be that we were planning against him. And if that's the case... better to strike preemptively, right? You going and introducing yourself to him might work just as well for defusing the immediate problem. He's no friend of humans, but you're not one. You'd probably get a warm welcome from him."

For obvious reasons, Xabi sounds a little bitter there. A moment later, a stone near Grace ripples and Ves' head appears. She tries not to jump in surprise. Ves doesn't really seem to notice either way. "Oh, so you're the ones I sensed coming to visit, hmm? Xabi and... I don't think you gave your name, miss?"

For a moment, Grace flushes--she hadn't realized she'd forgotten that. "Grace."

"Nice to meet you both again, then. Obviously you're here to meet Usha, so follow me." Ves steps completely out of the stone, and leads the way through the rocky terrain to a door--there seems to be a small cottage squirreled away here, where it could not easily be seen.

Nurk 2010/05/20(Thu)00:24 No. 180103 ID: 48de3d
File 127434025653.png - (59.42KB , 536x607 , Stuff.png )

Ves dramatically throws the door open to a small, cozy room, mostly dominated by a large table, with only one of its several chairs occupied. "I'm hooome~ Oh, and here's Xabi, and apparently the girl's named Grace." It's not a very good introduction, to Grace's mind. Two people are here, one is a woman--clearly an Elemental, by her eyes and the sense of power she radiates; doubtless Usha--sitting at the table in a simple wooden chair, reading, and behind her stands a human man with a monocle. His posture suggests that he's a servant.

Usha offers a small smile to greet you as you and Xabi file in.

> "Well, good to meet you then, Grace... Xabi. I understand we've got a lot to talk about. I wasn't actually expecting you until tomorrow or so. Xabi's always in a rush, isn't he, Grace? Take a seat. Can I get you something to drink? Would you care to split something alcoholic, or would you prefer coffee? Tea?"

Grace actually hasn't had too much experience with anything alcoholic... it's tempting...

>>180103
Go with Tea. If we're going to negotiating, it'd be much better to not also being dealing with getting drunk the first time.

Let Xabi take the lead in the discussion. It would honestly be best if we stayed out of this mess entirely, but I doubt that will happen.

Develop a crush on Xabi.
Also, ask for tea.

You can always get drunkexperiment later when you don't have to worry about needing to talk to important people.

Ask for the tea and openly check it for any foreign substances using your WATER powers. Alternatively, inform them as to your WATER prowess by simply filling your own cup/politely refusing any drinks by means of explanation.

As for discussion, stay true to your LIGHTNING roots and strike fast. Ask her what use she has in mind for your powers.

>>180354
As for checking for poison, I agree, but subtly.

Why would we do something so rude as to insinuate that our host would poison us? In fact, I must object to using any other powers in this setting. It may be rude or even threatening.

If we see Usha using them perhaps, but this is an unsure setting and we should follow the lead of someone more experienced.

No one is going to poison anyone, all parties involved are quite powerful, or are representatives for larger powers. A poisoning would go over like a lead balloon and would eventually lead to war.

Nurk 2010/07/13(Tue)22:36 No. 207553 ID: 1f380b
File 12790857756.png - (96.38KB , 850x506 , Finally.png )

"Tea, please." Usha seems disappointed, but gestures for the quiet man at her shoulder to serve some.

> "Too bad. Usually people get much more agreeable after a few drinks."

Well, that's... honest. Grace quietly extends her senses, and confirms to her satisfaction that there's nothing she can detect amiss in her tea or in Xabi's tea. Furthermore, it's identical to what Usha is drinking, so if something escaped Grace's detection, she should be vulnerable, too. Satisfied, Grace sits back to wait--she'd rather not take the lead. Usha takes a long drink before speaking again, looking at Xabi.

> "So... let me see if I got the order of events straight, here, just so we're all on the same page. Yesterday, I sense one of Leander's guard beasts, escaped from its pen and lost. I send Ves here to deal with it, and he comes back a few hours ago, telling me that not only did he have to chase it into town, but he's met a new Elemental there, not only living in town, but seemingly completely unaware that she should be circumspect. Then, sure enough, she shows up on my doorstep just to let me know that Ves didn't have some fever dream. Leander is going to check up on his little beastie, and it won't take him any time at all to notice what happened."

Usha folds her hands in a gesture of deep contemplation.

> "Very well. Then here are the immediate problems: first, the guard beast's memory. It's linked to one of Leander's more powerful magical devices, and it records what the beast sees, real-time. It's already seen Grace, as he will find out when he plays it back and finds out how it was put down. An unknown girl, putting down one of his stronger creatures in, according to Ves, two strikes. Two magical elements used, and clearly Elemental appearance. It doesn't get easier to put together than that. So that leads to the second problem. Leander is going to be quite upset that no one's told him about Grace, and given that he can't leave a town alone that's openly flouted a rule of his, he's probably going to want to level the town. Hell, Xabi, if I had any less self-control, I might just pitch in! Do you know how incredibly stupid this was? Signing an agreement not to harbor Elementals and then raising one there is like... like showing up to peace talks with a sword across your back!"

"Hey, now!" Xabi comes to his feet, irate. "By the time I ever even heard about Grace, she was seventeen, alright! I never met her until today! Whatever she is, she's never caused any uproar I've heard about--she's just been another normal person, and you're telling me I should have thrown her out two years ago just because, 'hey, sorry, someone else put you in a bad spot and I don't want to have to deal with this so get out'?"

> "Oh, and if everyone dies because of that, I suppose it would be a moral victory. I've spent a human lifetime trying to curb Leander's excesses, and today I find someone's spent almost two decades sitting on top of an excuse for him to rampage!"

It seems like it's going to be up to Grace to prevent the argument from escalating... so much for not taking the lead.

Oh, look, the tea's cold, too. This seems like it's taking forever.

Sorry--sidetracked, not abandoned. Next update will come rather quicker.

>>207553
What if we left? Would Leander blame the town if Grace were no longer living there? Or perhaps we can immediately go speak to him, and reveal ourselves before he knows where we came from? Two smaller shocks instead of one big shock.

slam your fist to get everyone's attention. 'then we need to do something now. let's meet Xabi and get this sorted out as soon as possible. just waiting for him to find out and jump to the wrong conclusion will be worse then him being told what is going on'

>>207560
We're with Xabi.
>>207558
To be honest Leander doesn't really know that we live there. All he'll see through the guard beast is someone showing up and putting down his creature.

The only option I see is putting up a pretense of blowing into town and deciding to play hero. We'd have to leave but it would absolve the town of any wrongdoing.

...we would make a good superhero. Wandering around the country righting wrongs and fighting for justice.

>>207841
ack.... i meant meet leander.

>>207843
Who to be honest doesn't sound like the most stable of people. Meeting him, especially with Usha's group involved would just make him feel like he's being conspired against. We want to draw his attention away from the town.

Well I've got an idea. It may not be a terribly good idea, but it's an idea for avoiding a war.

Let's destroy that magical device, or steal it, or erase it; remove the evidence anyway.

After that, let's set to removing the paper trail in city hall. We'd need to change the references to what exactly Grace did as an employee of the city to her being a clerk or something equally mundane and reasonable for a young woman. Anyone who knew what Grace did, or knew her actual nature, will be sworn to secrecy and made aware of the consequences of talking. If someone is uncooperative we will take whatever measures are required to silence them. One or two lives is nothing in comparison to a whole city.

With the immediate crisis resolved in that fashion, we'll return to negotiate about what will become of Grace.

>>207841
actually this plan sounds good. we were just in town at the time and killed the thing. we were planning to leave after that but then xabi and usha contacted us. leander never heard of us because we were always moving.

Nurk 2010/07/15(Thu)16:58 No. 208652 ID: 1f380b
File 127923830082.gif - (7.13KB , 410x346 , Usha.gif )

"Hey. Hey! Hey, calm down!" Grace finally manages to get herself heard over the two arguing. "Maybe we can try to figure this out without losing our tempers?"

Thankfully, they seem to take it pretty well. Xabi subsides back into his chair, and Usha takes a sip of tea to regain her composure.

> "I'm sorry, Grace," Usha says. "I suppose I really should be keeping my cool better than that. That's inexcuseable for me, and we should have brought you into the discussion earlier."

Grace nods, to show she accepts the apology. "So the real problem is Leander finding out exactly where I come from, right? How about if I sneak in there or something and destroy this memory recorder before he thinks to check it out?"

> "Hm. Dangerous. I wouldn't recommend it, because things would go very badly if you were caught. But, on the other hand, Leander doesn't normally keep a very large court. If there's only four to six people there... I could drop a spell on you to help prevent your discovery. Probably better than even odds of working in the short term, but then Leander's going to want to know why his little treasure broke. Still could work."

"Okay, so... maybe I just go talk to him? If I tell him I just came in by ship and Xabi told me to go see him, could that work?"

Usha answers promptly. She may have been thinking along these lines already.

> "That should work out just fine unless Leander starts asking around--and I can't imagine he would. He doesn't think like that normally, so unless he had reason to be suspicious, he wouldn't go ask around. If he did snoop on human towns, you'd never have been undetected until now. I do see one potential downside, though: what if he asks you to keep on moving? I don't know the chance that he would; it would probably depend on how well he takes to you. If he does send you on your way... well, that would save your hometown, for sure, but where would you go? That would be a noble sacrifice, indeed. For my own part, I'd hope you don't have to leave. To be completely transparent, I'm already thinking of ways I could use you if you stay here."

>To be completely transparent, I'm already thinking of ways I could use you if you stay here.

That's probably why it's better to move on. Both Usha and Leander want to get the upper hand, and staying unaffiliated wouldn't work because nobody likes a wild-card.

Still, ask Usha about the differences between her and Leander's groups. Then get Xabi's opinion.

>>208652
"To be completely transparent, I don't want one damn thing to do with the local power struggles. I'm not saying I wouldn't help you, just that I'm not going to play favorites."

>>208667

Being rude could cost Grace a favor if we want to use the sneaky method for ending this. Usha's a shadow and light elemental, so stealth and illusion would be her specialty. Being a skilled diplomat complements her powers nicely.

Still, it's an interesting sentiment. The way you phrased it is very undiplomatic and tactless though.

Usha wants two things: For Leander to not have a reason to become unhinged and destroy the town, and for Grace to side with her. Grace's powers make her a powerful offensive type.

Grace certainly wants the town to survive unscathed.

What about getting involved in the Elemental politics as one of Usha's enforcers? So far Usha's proven to be reasonable, and Grace, barring mishap, will live much longer than any of the humans she knows.

It seems like seeing Leander and claiming you just came into town is our best bet. What we'll do afterwards depends on how that goes, but really, staying out of the power struggle would be for the best. Usha doesn't seem that bad, but this whole problem is caused by everyone worrying about you being upset the balance.

What we need to decide on now is where you came from, why, and whether you're actually supposed to be there.

Also, if you do get forced to leave, I'm totally throwing my weight behind you becoming a superhero.

Nurk 2010/07/15(Thu)22:03 No. 208743 ID: 1f380b
File 12792566356.gif - (7.11KB , 410x346 , Usha2.gif )

Grace puts up her hands, in an obvious gesture to slow down. "Hey, I'm not trying to get involved without knowing what's going on. Can I at least ask what the difference is between you and Leander?"

> "Oh, philosophical, of course. We don't get along personally, but the bigger issue is how we interact with humans. I'd like to work together and apply everyone's talents for the common good. Leander's belief is that an Elemental's lifespan just precludes that, and we're all better off staying with our own kind. Of course, up until a century and a half ago, he was worshiped around here as a god of weather, and he's never once stopped issueing decrees, so I find his behaviour sort of hypocritical."

"Well, I'd like to stay out of it, but it seems like the best option for now might be meeting Leander and talking it out."

> "That would be my advice. Hm. How does this sound? You're from Silas. I know you probably don't know much geography, so that's the first little town on the other side of the sea. That's outside of Leander's usual stomping grounds, so you could reasonably have no idea of things over here until Xabi 'finds' you. Your adoptive parents sent you here to meet family of theirs. Don't sweat the details, they won't come up. Does that sound good?"

That's one plan, for sure. Grace hasn't fully committed, but Usha's got the answers if she wants to try it this way.

>>208743
How would he react to the truth? Just go over and tell him that nobody in charge knew? He wouldn't believe it, would he?

Sounds like Usha's plan is ideal for now.

>>208768
indeed, i highly doubt he would accept the truth.

Usha's plan is sound. Meanwhile, it seems fitting to ask her to expand on what she mentioned earlier about uses for Grace. It would be nice to work with her own people for a change, who surely have more creative intentions for her powers than purifying saltwater.

>>209230
Don't knock steady employment. Besides, providing clean water and a needed product, is that not part of the common good?

We should also get Xabi's view of Ushas description... just for a balanced perspective.

Suggestion 2010/08/06(Fri)21:06 No. 216015 ID: a9f6ce
File 128115397814.png - (92.71KB , 778x477 , Talk.png )

"Do you mind if I talk to Xabi outside?" Grace asks. She's a little more trusting of the town champion than this other Elemental. Usha gives a gracious wave, and the two exit. "She isn't going to listen in or anything, right?" There isn't much point if Xabi isn't going to be honest, after all, but he quickly assuages those fears.

> "Nah. If Usha has a good point, it's honesty. She won't listen in, and she won't lie if she can help it."

"You sound awful bitter with that compliment."

> "Well, I don't like her. Hm. I wouldn't really have gotten into a fight in there, alright? She's aggravating, but she's smart and she doesn't want to see anyone--human, Elemental, or lesser spirit creature--to suffer if she can help it. I figured that she could help now, plus with Ves she'd have figured something was up anyway, right?"

"So she's better than Leander, then?"

> "Hell no. Well, she's less likely to go on a killing spree right now, but she's a meddler." Xabi practically spits the word. "Last thing anyone needs is some nigh-immortal with superhuman power setting herself up as the supreme authority. I don't want that."

Xabi looks at Grace again, almost as if for the first time.

> "Well, I suppose it may not be too bad for you, right? Eh, whatever. She can help for now. I'd make a deal with a demon if that was the only way to save everyone. If I were in your position, I'd try this idea to placate Leander, and then worry about where to go from there. Heck, if it goes right, maybe you can even come back home, right?"

>>216015
Yeah, that's true. Let's go with this for now.