HALO CLXXXV: The Titles End Here

[Shadowcaller]

Lab

Jaahlyn raises her hand to say something but whatever she was going to say is cut-off mid-sentence as Libra dismisses the vision of her with a wave, returning the lab to normal.

"I dunno, ask her. She's the one insisting on making everything so hard." Libra gestures to Artie but suddenly seems to get an idea.
"Actually, I got something, what about I just give you a new mask instead? One that is more human or centaur-y? Then you can just switch between it and this one as usual. Super-easy."

[Keeper]

Lab

Artie has to fight not to roll her eyes at this point.
"Libra. Maybe if you didn't constantly suggest things that involve altering someone at a fundamental level, people would be more open to your ideas. It's not about how many legs I do or don't have, it's about the fact that you altered me without asking first."
She sighs, deflating a bit.
"What kind of mask do you have on hand? It's not stolen too, is it? I'm not opposed to this severance idea either, but you're getting upset and throwing away ideas before we've even discussed them. This is a big deal, I can't just agree to a live-changing event over a thirty second conversation."

[quillpleasant]

Post-Shuttling Down

"Ooh, you have books?" Perhaps the only thing that could really distract Lia from her focus on Henry's edibility. "So there's a lot of research done at HALO? Sounds kind of interesting." She does love research.

She casts a sympathetic look at Neveah as the elf explains. Truly sounds like an unfortunate situation. However, Lia is confident that there's some way of fixing it. Curses are a dime a dozen in the Nexus, so surely there are people capable of getting rid of them.

[Gullara]

[A Meeting of Minds]

"I'm not sure about ancient religious practices but I think it's important to separate the concept of religion from organized religion. Since where organization goes politics usually isn't far behind." And she assumed that Utayo meant unorganized religious practices when she said ancient ones. Since it was all too easy to confuse the two.

Then she turns to Dorota. "And the politics of scholars isn't really supposed to be completely divorced from contemporary politics either. Since that's how you build an ivory tower and forget who our knowledge is supposed to help ultimately."

[A Meeting of Minds]

"Well, I-" Dorota was about to say something, but then some movement of the figurines caught her attention. "Let's see how these are getting on."

[A Meeting of Minds]

By now all three sculptures have animated to some degree.
However, Utayo's carp is acting much more life-like than the other two, flailing around on the table just like one would expect a carp would.

Ambrosia's tiger is walking around on the table but its not really acting like a tiger or even a cat. It seems clumsy and rather stiff with the behavior of a electronic toy rather than an animal. It has curiously grown a set of tiny wings though.

Dorota's construct is not moving around at all yet rather than the complete lack of motion one would expect from a turned off machine its cubes are all sliding against one another ever so slightly, almost as if was breathing. Ironically, these slight movements seem less stiff than the tigers.

"Not sure what I expected but as a first experiment I would call this a success." Ambrosia remarks as she turns to look at the now animated sculptures.

[A Meeting of Minds]

Utayo seems remarkably unperturbed by the crude simulacrum of life on the table before them. It's quite bizarre, she thinks to herself, but that was hardly a scientific observation. "The effects are more dramatic than I was expecting from the initial change," she settles on instead.

[Morty]

[A Meeting of Minds]

"I don't think I was expecting anything. I was just going to see what happens," Dorota admits. "Let's write down as much as we can before it wears off. Or... maybe it won't wear off?" She leans over her construct. "I'm surprised by this one, though. It looks like it's breathing."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Meeting of Minds]

"It won't wear off, I know that from what little experiments I've already performed with the orbs." Ambrosia confirms before she looks over at Dorota's creation. "Yes, I suspect that's since dragons are biological creatures. So while I'm sure it isn't actually breathing, it doesn't even have a mouth after all, it still mimics the motion."

She pauses for a moment and gestures at the animated objects. "The only example I could find on how the orbs were used where from the miracles humans had seen them perform. And one prominent one was raising the dead at the price of, well, you've seen what features these have taken so imagine what it would do to people." They all have gained a few draconic features or more specifically, Ambrosia features. Much like the scholars human body have.

[Murkus]

Fourth Tower Compound

That's right Jim! Only Sticks gets to do that! But Sticks doesn't take issue with that aloud. He puts a hand on the boy's shoulder, if only to show he has his back. He doesn't want to bicker about what neverath can or can't do - first he asks, "Jaahlyn, are you certain we can handle and use this substance safely?" She seemed... er... experienced? He isn't sure whether to defer to the younger-seeming lady or Vax here, or whether there's a more safe and practical solution, but he adds, "Lady Vax. You've seen the potency of my dweoming firsthand. Surely there is something I could trade for a small amount of this substance, or your help otherwise. Something you might find useful."

[Keeper]

Shuttling Down

Henry nods to Lia. "Well we don't have a ton of people, but that's a lot of what we do. Maria is going to go through the library, which is pretty big. I've been meaning to look through it to do research on ghostproof pants." Henry explains casually.
"Well, I'm sorry you have to go through that. I know what it's like to have to deal with curses. My house is probably going to eat me at some point."

[Earl of Purple]

Post-Shuttling Down

"That... is a pretty serious curse. Are you working on fixing it?" And if not, Neveah has no idea why. An anthropophagous house is pretty dangerous, at least according to that animated film she watched bits of once.
"We're up for helping out, y'know, if we can. Mycroft wrote a book once, he's done research." Leotello nods and gestures to the red-eyed elf.
"Hey man, that were a flop. Nobody's bought a copy, like, ever. A hundred printed, ninety-nine of which are at home in the living room." The hundredth is in the van's glove box, and Lia may have read it. If she enjoys purple prose with next to no punctuation, she might even have figured out it was a murder mystery- although despite the floridity of the vocabulary, it appears a thesaurus is the only book the author referred to. There's errors everywhere there could be errors- including in the suburban house where the murder took place; it apparently has both a turret and a crypt.

[quillpleasant]

Post Shuttling-Down

"Big library?" Lia's pupils expand to fill her eyes. "Hm... who do I talk to about joining your organization?" If it's all about research, then it seems like a natural fit for her. And she doesn't hate being under the ocean as much as she expected.

"I'd buy a copy of your book if I had money," she says mildly to Mycroft. She happens to like purple prose, and since she started reading it on the way, she would hate to leave it unfinished.

[Shadowcaller]

Lab

Artie has to fight not to roll her eyes at this point.
"Libra. Maybe if you didn't constantly suggest things that involve altering someone at a fundamental level, people would be more open to your ideas. It's not about how many legs I do or don't have, it's about the fact that you altered me without asking first."
She sighs, deflating a bit.
"What kind of mask do you have on hand? It's not stolen too, is it? I'm not opposed to this severance idea either, but you're getting upset and throwing away ideas before we've even discussed them. This is a big deal, I can't just agree to a live-changing event over a thirty second conversation."

Lab

Libra makes a dismissive waving motion at Artie as she voices her frustration all but saying 'yeah, yeah'.
"On hand? Nah, masks like these are easy. I can make one just for you. All I need is a few things. First off is a human to base it on, since you wanna look human, right?"
She seems to fade from existence, like smoke evaporating in the air, only to reappear right next to Skye. Resting her hands on the young woman's shoulder. To Skye she seems to weight nothing at all.
"Maybe we could base it on Skye? Since she's pretty hot, right? If a bit young."

[Keeper]

Lab

"I cannot answer that question because I'm pretty sure she's underage." Artie says formally.
"But I mean I guess...broadly? I like myself mostly. And I like my scales. And I certainly didn't mind having my four legs. I don't think there's anything objectively better about looking human."
She turns to Skye.
"Well, what do you think? Did I go a bit...much with my current self?"

Shuttling Down

"Oh yeah, I have a necromancer and a goddess on it.
Um. I'm pretty sure if you wanna join I just tell Mister Reinholdt that you're joining as long as you have something to contribute?" Henry scratches his chin. Halo's recruiting seems pretty lax.

[Gullara]

[Fourth Tower Compound]

Jaahlyn wasn't too fond to be lectured, especially when the people in question insisted on suddenly replacing old terms with ones that they just made up.
"I've used the term cold iron for-" A beat. "-a long time and everyone has understood what I meant. So I apologize but I don't see the point of suddenly changing it to some complex term no one but warlocks will understand."

Vax might find this attitude a bit perplexing considering that Baphoreth, Jaahlyn's alter-ego, who was frequently summoned by warlocks to learn of obscure secrets was known to speak in riddles and grant confusing visions. Hardly a being known to be concerned with clarity.

[Fourth Tower Compound]

Jim does not seem impressed.
”Well, I just said that I am not attached to this plan in particular and that you were free to give me a more practical solution. So is there or is there not?”
He at least attempts to have some sense of formality and softens his tone.
”And of course I defer to your knowledge on this matter. But I also ask that you respect that I am a mage by my mentor’s judgement. I have earned my staff fair and of my own merit. And I’ve been adult by all standards for at least six years. So please do not call me ‘young man’ like I’m a high school apprentice.”
Only Sticks gets to do that.

Fourth Tower Compound

That's right Jim! Only Sticks gets to do that! But Sticks doesn't take issue with that aloud. He puts a hand on the boy's shoulder, if only to show he has his back. He doesn't want to bicker about what neverath can or can't do - first he asks, "Jaahlyn, are you certain we can handle and use this substance safely?" She seemed... er... experienced? He isn't sure whether to defer to the younger-seeming lady or Vax here, or whether there's a more safe and practical solution, but he adds, "Lady Vax. You've seen the potency of my dweoming firsthand. Surely there is something I could trade for a small amount of this substance, or your help otherwise. Something you might find useful."

[Fourth Tower Compound]

Vax frowns at Jaahlyn, but doesn't bother to address her protest. She was wrong, obviously, but what use was there arguing with a fey acting on ancient memory?

"Jaahlyn, specifically, can't handle nevarath at all without doing severe harm to herself, but she would know that." She's not yet certain if Jaahlyn was demonstrating a galling lack of caution, or if this scenario really was so dangerous. Given that Jim wasn't permanently maimed in some capacity already, she's not yet certain.

"Now, dealing with fey and other spirits is quite specifically our specialty, but you also haven't actually given a proper explanation of the scenario. So rather than jumping to supposed solution, or payments for such, how about we start with the problem?" For all his protest, Jim certainly had the impatience of the young man he resents being addressed as.

[A Meeting of Minds]

"I don't think I was expecting anything. I was just going to see what happens," Dorota admits. "Let's write down as much as we can before it wears off. Or... maybe it won't wear off?" She leans over her construct. "I'm surprised by this one, though. It looks like it's breathing."

[A Meeting of Minds]

"It won't wear off, I know that from what little experiments I've already performed with the orbs." Ambrosia confirms before she looks over at Dorota's creation. "Yes, I suspect that's since dragons are biological creatures. So while I'm sure it isn't actually breathing, it doesn't even have a mouth after all, it still mimics the motion."

She pauses for a moment and gestures at the animated objects. "The only example I could find on how the orbs were used where from the miracles humans had seen them perform. And one prominent one was raising the dead at the price of, well, you've seen what features these have taken so imagine what it would do to people." They all have gained a few draconic features or more specifically, Ambrosia features. Much like the scholars human body have.

[A Meeting of Minds]

"That's quite a drastic step away from this simple experiment. I admit it's difficult to see the connective tissue. I imagine you could dedicate years of study trying to close that gap." Utayo says.

[Shadowcaller]

[Fourth Tower Compound]

Jaahlyn frowns right back at Vax, hmph.
But she couldn't let an argument like this distract her, Jim and by extension Mr. Sticks still needed her help.
So she turns to the mechanical man and nods.
"Most assuredly so, Mr. Sticks. I've seen people handling it without any issue."

Though Vax would know that the "cold iron" she's talking about is most likely didn't carry a higher concentration of neverath. Not that one would even noticed it right away since as long as a mortal body didn't get a lethal dose as one could live for decades until the side effects started to manifest. But in most cases it was likely harmless for a mortal to handle it since higher concentrations were extremely rare to just find. The only objects she knew that carried higher concentrations had been made by mortals, usually the fourth tower, using special tools.

"...but she's right in that I wouldn't be able to handle it. I can't even be in the same room as it due to my nature." This meant fey at least knew to stay away from it at all times.

But then the satyr falls silent and turns to Jim, feeling that he should give Vax the explanation.

[Keeper]

Fourth Tower Compound

Jim continues to feel like Vax is simply being a pain for the sake of it. He already told her that a vettir tried to turn him into livestock, is that really not the most important piece of information?
"An angel asked me to help them gather evidence on a satyr who had committed a number of heinous crimes, and a few to Jaahlyn back in the day. They were using me of course, but I said yes and I accomplished that mission without issues. Apparently his friend, some woku whose name wasn't given, wasn't very happy about this, and instead of taking it out on the angel in question got her vengeance by trying to turn me into a cow. That is the entire story."

He pauses, considers the worthiness of his sass, and continues. "And yes I already got the lecture from Jaahlyn that getting involved was stupid." So the other two in the room can spare him that.

[Earl of Purple]

Post-Shuttling Down

"You can have it, I got plenty more." The ending might be a disappointment- there's no foreshadowing at all over who the killer is, and the narrator's justifications are incredibly feeble when they make their accusations, though the other characters seem to be totally convinced. And the final paragraph's 'reveal' that the narrator just framed the person they accused of being the murderer and they killed the victim likewise comes out of nowhere with no prior hints or clues. It is not, despite Mycroft's belief, a good book in any way.

"I'd offer our assistance, but like, none of us are gonna be any help. Leotello's one magic trick is manifesting his dreams within a yard of him, and that only works when he's asleep." He could dream he'd broken the curse, and so long as Henry stays within a yard of a sleeping elf it might even stick. That, however, is a pretty major drawback- especially given what else might occur within that yard.
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do. I've seen it."
"I think I'd know if I could do something like that. I don't do it."

[Halae]

Lab

Libra makes a dismissive waving motion at Artie as she voices her frustration all but saying 'yeah, yeah'.
"On hand? Nah, masks like these are easy. I can make one just for you. All I need is a few things. First off is a human to base it on, since you wanna look human, right?"
She seems to fade from existence, like smoke evaporating in the air, only to reappear right next to Skye. Resting her hands on the young woman's shoulder. To Skye she seems to weight nothing at all.
"Maybe we could base it on Skye? Since she's pretty hot, right? If a bit young."

Lab

"I cannot answer that question because I'm pretty sure she's underage." Artie says formally.
"But I mean I guess...broadly? I like myself mostly. And I like my scales. And I certainly didn't mind having my four legs. I don't think there's anything objectively better about looking human."
She turns to Skye.
"Well, what do you think? Did I go a bit...much with my current self?"

Lab

Skye considers, "I wouldn't object to being utilized this way, given I'm being asked," she doesn't try to step out of Libra's grasp, aware the creature doesn't need to actually be touching you to make things happen, "As for your appearance, I don't think you went too far. You look beautiful."

Of course, there may be a tiny amount of bias in there, given Skye's love of large curves.

"Libra, if you're looking to give her beauty, there's a raksha I encountered when I was around eleven years old that you could potentially take ideas from. I understand you can interact with memories?"

If Libra does look, the creature within her memory is a fae overlord, with beauty far and away out of scale with human norms. It's downright beyond human, in fact, with every little thing working together to create a beauty that synergizes, even having a few minor flaws that enhance the overall appearance of the entity. This is a creature that traded specifically on beauty above all else, and it shows in how it designed itself. The image is burned into Skye's mind, even years later.

[Gullara]

[Fourth Tower Compound]

A flash of irritation crosses Vax's face and she stares the satyr down. "Jaahlyn. It's said that incomplete knowledge can be more dangerous than ignorance. Did you not bring these two here seeking the expertise of the Tower? Yet here you are, undermining me with every breath. And what's worse, you're painfully mistaken. Whatever trace amounts of nevarath you've seen people handle is nothing compared to the substance as used by the Tower. It's been concentrated and refined, and absolutely cannot be handled by an ameteur. I do not blame you for not understanding, but your bullheaded refusal to listen to my warnings has become most galling."

[Shadowcaller]

Lab

"'Under-aged'?" Libra asks as if she had never heard the term before, scratching her head in confusion. "How can something be under an age? That doesn't make any sense." And that answers that.

Then she turns to Skye since whatever Artie was talking about she felt like she should best leave it alone. "I mean, sometimes yeah." She shrugs. "So I guess I could take a-" She leans her head straight into Skye's who can't feel a thing, seemingly disappearing into her without coming out on the other side.
"-OHSWEETFIRST." She shouts as she suddenly pulls back, somehow falling over in the air.

"What the fuck was that?!" Libra inquires as she retains some semblance of balance.

[Fourth Tower Compound]

That's gonna be a bit much for Jaahlyn's pride to handle.
At first she just seems to be surprised by Vax's outburst, her mouth left hanging open. But that soon melts away into a frown. "I've lived thousands of your lifetimes! Don't you dare treat me as some damn child!"

[Morty]

[Rec Room]

Calm Reed feels increasingly incensed throughout Reinholdt's tirade. How dare he... has he no decorum? This land's customs are far more loose, but to speak this way to an Exalted monk? Disgraceful.

"I hardly think such a tone is warranted," she replies, her tone rising ever so slightly - it wouldn't be very noticeable if someone else did it, but from her it's almost like shouting. "As a monk, I must ask questions, no matter how uncomfortable they may be. Such is my duty. Magtok's reputation renders his influence on Vigil a concern. I must investigate all potential threads."

[A Meeting of Minds]

"If I find myself lacking research material someday, I know what I can focus on," Dorota half-jokes. "I should put these somewhere safe and observe them."

[Keeper]

Lab

”Not old enough to be an adult.”
Artie explains simply, trying to be patient.
She raises a feathered eyebrow at the display. She’s not sure if that was Libra saw the inside of Skye’s head or Skye was thinking some strange thoughts.
”You alright?”

[Halae]

[Lab]

Skye turns to look at Libra in surprise as well. Are Raksha really that bad?

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt often forgets how different the place is Ambrosia came from. Town criers! Ironically, the best job to give to a dragon. They could just fly overhead and bellow the news out. He nods to her as she heads off for a medkit. "Thank you."

His attention returns to Calm Reed, his previously forced politeness slipping more and more into a scowl. "Must ask the questions, no matter how uncomfortable? You're speaking out of both sides of your mouth. If you had such a duty, you would have asked Blanche directly no matter how busy. Now if you truly want to topple Magtok, I'll gladly support you, but don't play me for dumb."

[quillpleasant]

Post-Shuttling Down

"Thanks, I will keep it," says Lia to Mycroft, pleased. Despite her love of reading, she doesn't actually own any books- or anything else, for that matter. It's a start.

Turning back to Henry, the mycoid nods brightly. "I can contribute. I have a vast fungal spy network spread throughout most populated areas of the Nexus now, allowing me to manifest anywhere or grow new bodies in obscure locations as needed. Plus, I can grow essentially unlimited fungi of any variety if I'm supplied with decaying matter to ingest." She can do other things too, but those seem like suitably helpful things to lead with.

Lia listens with interest to the discussion on dreams. As a mycoid, she can't dream, or even really sleep. Meditation and mind melding is the closest she gets. Hm... maybe with the right fungal concoction Leotello's dreams could be influenced or controlled...

[Keeper]

Post-Shuttling Down

"Um. I'll text Mister Reinholdt to let him know. There's an open room down the hall on the left."
That's really all there is to the recruitment. It's pretty lax. Possibly abuseable but maybe they're banking on no one really trying it when actual-goddess-Felandria is on the scene.
"And honestly my grandmother is still around so I know the House is pretty slow about everything. I'm more worried about her than I am myself." By all accounts the House needs people to eat so it doesn't take anyone until they've been dead a while, it seems.

Halo Skybase

At another time, Henry Vadnova is making a personal inquiry. Dressed in casual slacks and a buttoned shirt, he makes his way through the base, mostly seeing the sights as he's never been here before. But also attempting to locate one or more members of the SCIENCE TEAM! Which given Halo's nature is probably most people there in one way or another.

[Shadowcaller]

Lab

”Not old enough to be an adult.”
Artie explains simply, trying to be patient.
She raises a feathered eyebrow at the display. She’s not sure if that was Libra saw the inside of Skye’s head or Skye was thinking some strange thoughts.
”You alright?”

Lab

"That's not who should be asking that question to." Libra exclaims while pointing at Skye. "Since she got some messed up stuff in there. Subjectivity breaking crap, you're very lucky that thing didn't completely rewrite your personality or something."

She gestures to herself, holding her head high. "Thankfully, I am not influenced by such things but to uses it as a basis of an appearance? No way, that shit is messed up. It's more than just looks, it bores into your miiiiind." She taps her finger against the middle of Skye's forehead. "Which is why you still remember it so clearly. Like, who else do you remember with such detail from six years ago? Nothing is what. It's like a part of it just lives inside your head now."

[Keeper]

Lab

"Yes, we all know that rewriting personalities is quite bad." Artie says drily to the being that caused an event that rewrote her personality and is mildly sure tinkered with Skye's.
"Anyway yes I whether you go with this Mask or something like your severance idea I think all of us can agree that being a cognitohazard is bad." Of course she isn't aware that Skye kind of maybe is one but still.

[Halae]

Lab

"That's the kind of creature I would hunt, Libra. Things that preyed on the minds and souls of people with no recourse," Skye says simply, not willing to gainsay what she was talking about.

[Ironsmith]

Halo Skybase

At another time, Henry Vadnova is making a personal inquiry. Dressed in casual slacks and a buttoned shirt, he makes his way through the base, mostly seeing the sights as he's never been here before. But also attempting to locate one or more members of the SCIENCE TEAM! Which given Halo's nature is probably most people there in one way or another.

[Halo Skybase]

As Henry works his way through the base, he'll notice... a lot of aeroplanes. Like, seriously a lot of planes. More than HALO probably had in their inventory before they hired on Vladimir Lustig to look after them. And not just of any one particular model, either; there's fighter planes, seaplanes, jet-powered planes, old-fashioned propeller planes, planes that look something like repurposed missiles, unmanned drones that are only slightly bigger than Henry himself, and... and that one is literally just a bus with wings. That presumably somehow still flies.

In among these pieces of hardware, there's the engineer himself, currently busy at work with the fuselage (so to speak) of what looks like an attempt to make a working aircraft from a series of garbage bags and metersticks. He doesn't look up as Henry approaches, and probably doesn't even notice him.

[Keeper]

Halo Skybase

Henry's claws tap on the tarmac but that definitely isn't audible over the noise. He clears his throat loudly.
"Hello? Are you one of the members here?" he asks, adjusting the little scarf he has around his neck (which happens to conceal a few moisture packs for his gills).