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Player Plot: The Salvation of Geardagas, Part 1
Event Log: January, The Salvation of Geardagas: Part 1
The Evergreen Circle
A rash of disappearances has finally caught the attention of the authorities, but only thanks to a strange twist: a handful of the missing individuals are starting to turn up again, and not as they should be. It began with a harpy. After a week of nothing she returned, fully transformed into a Shade and too far gone to save. The same happened with a trader the next day. And the next with a witch. All three were infected, albeit to varying degrees, and only one of them was able to be brought back from the brink. Naturally, this is a huge cause for concern. There's little sign that the Bright Wall is damaged and none of the victims were known to have left the city. Questioning the survivor, Owain, doesn't produce any leads either as he can't remember anything before his disappearance. It's only after he's had some time to recover that he notices something off. As the blackening of the Cwyld fades, a small tattoo on his palm that wasn't there before becomes visible. To the concern of the Coven, it's a symbol that's familiar to them as the emblem of a rising spiritual movement favoured by the wealthy called the Evergreen Circle, led by a witch called Cillian Alder. Their purpose, he claims, is to provide hope through interrogating the Cwyld from a scholarly and philosophical perspective. In spite of this, Alder has developed more of a cult-like following than anything. Mirrorbound of standing (business owners, members of parliament, public figures, etc) might have already received one of their pamphlets. Naturally, it's an incredibly sensitive subject. The Evergreen Circle has been entirely peaceful up until now, and with such influential and powerful figures among its numbers, the Coven is reluctant to make any outright accusations. Instead, the task of investigating them has been covertly passed to the Mirrorbound. As outsiders, they stand less of a chance of causing political unrest. However, they explicitly warn against taking any hostile actions for the time being: this is an information-gathering request, nothing more. They can provide basic information about the Evergreen Circle meetings but that's about it.
 Cillian Alder
The meeting convenes at 8 o’clock sharp and silence descends upon the room as a figure takes the stage. With his commanding presence and charismatic smile there's no doubt about who this is: Cillian Alder. A man in his late fifties with greying hair, he speaks with an accent crisp as cut glass and a strong voice, no doubt amplified by some kind of spell to reach around the room. He's hypnotising, those cool blue eyes of his impossible to look away from and piercing in their intensity. "How wonderful to see you all tonight, both familiar and unfamiliar faces alike! You are all welcome. I have only one request." He brings his hands together with a smile. "That you keep your hearts open. How else might our minds grow Evergreen?" Alder's speech is nothing if not passionate. He paces and proselytises, responding to the audience's interruptions and cheers with enormous enthusiasm. Throughout, his message is clear. "Who are we to immediately decry the Cwyld as a curse? Fear of the unknown, of what we have yet to control, can only hold us back! We must instead seek to understand it and be at peace with its presence! This is a test of our conviction! Our will to survive!" It goes on for the better part of an hour and, afterwards, he descends into the audience to receive their praise and questions with the gracious smile of a beloved king. He might even turn that magnanimous presence on you, affording you a few crucial moments of conversation (limited to 2 RNG characters). Will you stick around to find out more or try and slip backstage while everyone is distracted? For such a warm, welcoming atmosphere, there seems to be a lot of security around the doors leading back there so it might take some quick thinking to get through without conflict. Those who are caught will have to face the consequences, but the results might be… unfavorable.
It's easy enough to fight off the attackers but nigh impossible to actually catch or identify one: each is dressed in black and smells of the tell-tale decay of the Cwyld. But even assuming you do manage to apprehend one, they will refuse to talk in anything but vague, confusing comments about salvation and new beginnings.
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[ ooc: More information about the event can be found on the plotting post along with comments for questions, and RNG sign-ups for directly interacting with Alder! ]
no subject
He doesn't try, then.]
Forget you? Perish the thought!
[Mock shock, indignity.]
If I can last for a year in this place and somehow not manage it, it would have to take some kind of shapeshifter. And the kinds of things that would certainly prove it wasn't you, perhaps.
no subject
Instead, Light decides to play tennis with L. Again. ]
And what kind of things wouldn't I do?
[ Serve. ]
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It sounds like I really do know you the best. You can't think of anything?
[Light's default is taking things seriously. It makes him fun to rib and needle, in the way that people can when insecurity isn't on the table, and punching below the belt is distinctly disallowed in the contest.]
You're many things, Light. Impetuous is not one of them. You're consistent, fastidious, and stern, tending not to deviate from those traits, and so... I would know.
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[ L does well to describe him. Those are traits he would be proud to carry. Those are traits that made it necessary for him to become Kira. ]
But they shouldn't respond in too many ways so out of character that it would be a distraction to you. Unless they begin trying to murder the perish or seduce the priest, it'll be small inconsistences.
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[But an amusing one, nevertheless, in a few different ways. L is enjoying this in a more languid, biding way than he's been tearing through the conversations and case materials as of late. It's as though a blur of motion has come to rest for a few moments, properly in focus, if only briefly.]
Truly, Light... it's not so much about the decisions you make. It's how you make them. You decide things quickly, at times, but never impulsively. I don't think it would be beyond you to do either of those things, or myriad others. I think you're capable of anything, given proper reason.
[Being Kira. It's the highest praise, from him.]
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Self-defense isn't murder, and I can't imagine ever committing murder.
[ A complete lie instead of one rooted in truth. L's right, Light will do anything the situation calls for. This one calls for him to obfuscate the truth. ]
... I can't imagine why I would have to seduce the priest, either. If we need a distraction, I'm sure we can think of another plan. After it was finished and everyone was okay, I could appreciate having Matsuda fall from a window. We could try that again.
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Near is a factor. Near has also chosen to Bond with both of them. It's a complication, but perhaps not a detrimental one. Certainly an interesting one, though L has to wonder how much of it is motivated by surveillance, the notion that the two of them can't be trusted together. Near literally had his job in their world because the two of them met, after all.]
We can extend or retract meanings as we see fit to serve an agenda, and that's precisely what the law does. Self-defense might not be a murder motivated the same way as a serial killer in search of gratification, but... the result is still a death. Plenty of killers get away with their crimes, and plenty who kill in self-defense are convicted.
[Then, airily]
I'd say it's a problem, if you can't imagine killing someone. A detective has to imagine many motives, take the attitude that anyone is capable of anything, given the proper one. Don't worry... it won't incriminate you.
[Self-defense, then. Allegedly. At least. He's missed this.]
It's interesting that your mind went to a distraction, first. It implies that, even with the caveat that it would be a last resort, this is why you'd seduce someone.
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[ He kills through a notebook, admittedly. So far, Light hasn't gotten his own hands physically dirty. Still, even before Kira, he was prepared to kill in the line of duty if that's what was necessary. Not lightly; even his first judgments were very heavy. ]
You don't have to worry. When we're inside, I'll watch your back and do what I have to do to make sure we both make it back safely.
[ Light's offensive magic is growing by the day, and he's very capable in elemental magic. However, shielding and healing seems to be his best thanks to the doubling up of classes. ]
And it's the most likely reason I would seduce someone I'd only met in a room full of people when I'm on a mission with you. Do you imagine I'm the kind of guy who would fall for someone and immediately abandoned something this important in hopes of spending a night with them? I know young men don't have the best reputation, but you know I have a lot more restraint than that.
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[Just very fascinated. Light has that effect on him, practically regardless of the conversation topic.]
And it's a thought experiment, Light... I'd ask you not to take it too seriously, or too personally. Sometimes, to establish a point's boundaries, it should be pushed to the absurd. This isn't about the reputation of young men, or yours, just a bit of fun.
[He reaches for his coffee, much cooler now, taking another sip.]
No amount of restraint precludes a bit of fun, in the interest of being motivated and staying motivated. We needn't discuss how you would seduce the priest, though, if the topic is uncomfortable to you.
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[ The idea is absurd enough that he hadn't taken it seriously, but he can be prone to serious answers, even when joking. He does have a critical outlook on life. ]
It doesn't make me uncomfortable. We're both adults, and we're not strangers. You've also spent months watching Misa's attempted sex life with me, and we've discussed yours. 'How' isn't an easy question to answer without knowing anything about them. Compliments and direct interest are probably the easiest way, but some people can see through them if they're not sincere. With you, if a stranger approached and began to praise you, you'd immediately be on guard. Even if they compliment your intelligence, something you agree is your strength, it wouldn't matter if you didn't already have some respect for them.
Besides, a priest is used to being worshipped. You'd need to stand out. They'd be a lot less likely to be interested in someone who didn't believe. If they're smart enough, somebody who asks interesting questions might get their attention. If not, an attractive face is more likely.
As a reminder, I'm not seducing the priest.
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[There are layers to what L says, as is often the case. Different dimensions, depending on the exposure and the angle. There's enough there to hint at particular implications and suggestions... but also enough to provide him with some plausible deniability, should Light confront him about it.
Interesting, that you'd take it that way. Don't you think so? What do you think it means?
He chuffs a breath of laughter; Light is bleakly correct. L, who does not have an attractive face or a charming bearing, would immediately be suspicious of praise and compliments, in spite of his position of power back home. Misa had only flirted with him as a joke after L had expressed his envy at university, and the joke was that L could be sexually desirable in any way that mattered to her. The joke was that she dangled her own desirability in the face of one who didn't have a snowball's chance, while kissing and cuddling against one who did.]
No... you'll not be seducing the priest, although it would be more than just a bit of fun to watch you try. However, I'd ask you to elaborate more on the worship that a priest is accustomed to. My understanding of the position is that the church, or the figurehead, or the deity is the subject of worship, and not the priest, himself. Is that just the uncorrupted ideal? Would you say that many drawn to positions of power within a church, and especially cult leaders, do so because of their access to ready and willing admirers who fancy them sexually?
no subject
In theory, that's the way it's supposed to work. Sometimes, it does. Even then, they have more respect and recognition than the other members of the church. They're complimented, and the people in the church will usually side with them.
A lot of cult leaders definitely take advantage of the power they hold. I would say that's the biggest difference between them and a priest. A cult leader demands such devotion that he can have sex with any member he wants and convince them it's not only the right thing to do, but that they're lucky to have the chance. Religion is a bit more removed. The priest doesn't have that much power. Instead, when it's abused, the victims are shamed into staying silent. Who would believe someone so high in the church would go against their faith? They're above us so they should also be above our temptations.
I'm not saying that's the case for this church. I don't expect the priest to try and seduce me, either.
no subject
When it's practiced the way it should be... that is, ideally... I'm sure you'd also agree that a priest enters his position out of a desire to do good in the world. A cult leader, contrarily, does so out of ego. It really takes a formidable one, to assume that one is entitled to that level of power, that level of worship.
[It sounds like someone they are mutually acquainted with. That's not an accident, not quite... but L has yet to hear Light say directly that he wants to have sex with anyone, at all. The closest he ever came was admitting he had something of a type in Kiyomi Takada, and L didn't exactly live to see the extent to which Light was willing to discard her when his ends required it.]
They're only above us if we believe. I believe you'll be seduced as much as I believe you'll resort to trying it, whether or not a distraction is needed.
[He laughs; the sound might be startling, given that the tone of the conversation or L's voice didn't hint that it was coming.]
no subject
Hmn. Ideally, there are a lot of differences between a priest and a cult leader, motives included. Sometimes, it's not always easy to tell what is a church and a cult. Tomorrow, we'll find out if that's true for this one, too.
[ Sex isn't any more difficult for him to fake than the things he fakes on a daily basis. It's also not very often a natural urge. His first few months in this world were spent learning magic, as if to cram years of knowledge in just a few months. He'll need to start building relationships now that he has a good foundation. The one person he's closest to...
Well, he sits across from him, and that's a bit more complicated. Until very recently, Light really assumed L had no sex drive. It would be a lie to say he hadn't thought of how that would be useful for him, even if they are allies in this world. Myr is Light's only real point of comparison, and L knows Light and Myr to be two very different people. Still, he also knows there's an intense connection between the two of them, one beyond the bond. They were both splashes of color in a world full of grays. Knowing L, that sense of danger and challenge would be a draw, not a deterrent. ]
Good, we can add that to the list of things that would blow their cover. Besides, isn't there a saying? Dance with the one who brought you?
no subject
I'm not sure. The magic of this world occasionally translates things in unexpected ways... you're surely speaking Japanese right now, and I'm speaking something else, but we understand each other perfectly.
[Man of mystery that he is, L doesn't say what he's speaking. He's so multilingual, he might actually be unable to assume with perfect confidence.]
What I'm saying is... I'm not really familiar with the phrase. Could you elaborate, Light?
no subject
[ Languages is one area in which L has the advantage, but Light can speak perfect English in addition to Japanese. It does make him wonder if L simply switches between languages all day. He can see L playing small games that no one will ever know about. ]
I don't really know the history of the phrase, but I think it used to be taken literally. A girl would go to a dance with a guy but end up more interested in somebody else. I know it happens in movies, but I don't know how often it was a real problem. Now, a lot of people use it to mean you should leave with the person you came with.
So, I came with you, and I'll leave with you.
no subject
[So much that it's possible he was pretending not to know, just to hear Light's explanation, glean a little more about his intended (and unintended) meaning from the additional words.]
The handcuffs we wore made it here, you know. I could always bring them along so there's absolutely no mistake that we came together.
no subject
Light's much more interested in the revelation. L's from a slightly more advanced time so he wouldn't have been wearing the cuffs, and the detective is far too skilled to let it slip he was lying. ]
They did? How?
no subject
[He sets his coffee down again, sitting back against the softest part of the armchair and looking up thoughtfully at the ceiling.]
I'm not much for sentimental possessions, and I suppose it was never properly mine, but it would have been something, if the notebook had made it here. I'd have liked to study it more.
[He shrugs.]
It still could, perhaps.
no subject
We didn't get long to really study it, did we? I have a lot of questions myself, but if it still holds the power to kill, I wouldn't want it to show up. If it leaves our hands, it could be a disaster. That kind of power can corrupt all too easily.
[ It's still a very nice weapon to have, and Light isn't easily corrupted. He handled it in Japan, he can do so here. Still, it's highly likely it will work without the Shinigami, even if the Shinigami weren't directly killing. ]
There's no obvious trigger for what made them appear?
no subject
He sighs shallowly.]
If there was an obvious or reliable trigger, I think it goes without saying that more people would be acquiring their preferred weapons and technology from back home. The potential for profit alone is ridiculous, and no one with an appreciation for opportunity would fail to exploit it.
[Not L, so much. For all that he had amassed his own ridiculous fortune back home, it had seemed almost incidental, a side effect of just being that good at his job and having the proper manager to direct his talent through the correct channels. Working alongside L has probably starkly illustrated to Light just how important the role of a handler really was, because left to his own devices, what's interesting to him will draw L, regardless of its potential for making money.
He knows that other people are greedy, though. Excessively so, well beyond the means for standard or comfortable survival. That's usually a pretty good metric to measure what's going on in the world: whether or not people can profit off it, and if they are.]
At any rate, I'm certain that the handcuffs are the same ones worn during the case. Down to the last hairline scratch in the hardware, they're fairly unmistakable.
no subject
I don't really have any intention of wearing them again and even if I did, I don't think playing the role of the couple into public sexual bondage is the right cover for our story. That would win us their attention, but it's not really the kind we're aiming to receive.
no subject
No... at best it would be distracting, even if we're not overly concerned with presenting ourselves professionally.
[An absurd thing to entertain or treat with any measure of dignity, and yet they're discussing it like it's a serious prospect.]
The attention we're "aiming to receive" is a good thing to establish, as succinctly as possible. It's likely enough to say that we're Bonded, to explain our association, if that's something we care to divulge. If they know, it might result in them trying to separate us more quickly. They could assume an effort to triangulate.
no subject
[ Light sits back, hand going to his chin. ]
In fact, we should play up the bond. I don't have a reputation or reach here yet. [ Yet. Light plans on changing it. He'd just spent all of his time amassing savings and learning magic. It's time to start amassing connections, too. ] But you're part of a Council that has some say in certain places. You're the skeptic. Your bond, however, is more willing to listen, and he has your ear. The story will keep either of us from being completely singled out, and we'll be able to compare stories once we're home, if we're separated.
no subject
[It's not L's intention to sound like he's already getting into character as the designated cynic, but he takes notice of when new Mirrorbound businesses open up. A church interested in recruiting and any form of philanthropy would probably also take notice.]
Convincing them that we are there in good faith could well be our biggest obstacle to overcome. I certainly wouldn't trust us, knowing what I do about our motives from the inside, and I'm not sure that I would knowing what's possible to find out about us.
[They're not exactly working anonymously, in Aefenglom, behind the comfort of a computer screen.]
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