092414merrowmiloko

 -- aspiringArchon [AA] began trolling timidTheurge [TT] at 01:03 --

 [01:03] AA: Hello Miloko.

 [01:03] TT: hey?

 [01:03] AA: How are you getting on with your team?

 [01:04] TT: e-everyone e-else s-seems to be d-doing a-alright so far?

 [01:04] AA: And you?

 [01:05] TT: out of my e-element m-mostly?

 [01:06] AA: Heh. Try being a seadweller stuck in a desert.

 [01:06] AA: I ran out of moisturizer on my first day here.

 [01:06] TT: t-that s-sounds u-uncomfortable?

 [01:06] AA: Very.

 [01:07] TT: d-don't dry out, you h-have an e-empire to run?

 [01:09] AA: I'll try. We're headed to a lake now anyway to retrieve drinking water for a town of tumbleweeds. Once we've collected what we need for the townsfolk I may see if there's any left to take an ablution in.

 [01:10] TT: t-that h-honestly s-sounds b-better t-than w-what's b-been g-going on h-here? you s-sound l-like y-you're a-actually m-making p-progress?

 [01:11] AA: I don't know. We're fixing a problem we caused, and one of our number was executed.

 [01:11] AA: A human by the name of Eric.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:12] AA: Did you know him? Acenia didn't seem to.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:12] TT: not p-personally, I did i-intend to c-contact him at s-some p-point t-though?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:14] AA: He didn't seem to have that many connections among the group. It is regrettable that we couldn't save him in time, that he might have had a chance.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:15] AA: But the Tumbleweeds say he was guilty of murder against their number. I am intending to get copies of the paperwork to make sure all the proper protocols were followed. I am not fond of the loss of a teammate regardless, but I won't stand for vigilante justice being perpetrated against our teammates.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:16] TT: t-this is a s-seriously bad o-omen for our c-chances of s-success?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:16] AA: Agreed. I hope that the arrival of the veterans is a better omen.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:17] TT: I d-don't k-know? all it d-does is m-make me f-feel i-incompetant?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:17] AA: Really?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:19] AA: I suppose I can see that. Their powers are amazing. Or at least the ones I've seen. Rilset and Nate appear to be able to create objects from thin air, or eradicate them in Rilset's case. And the younger version of Seriad appears to actually be a tolerable person and is some sort of healer.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:21] TT: wow!? you got t-three of t-them? you m-must f-feel p-pretty l-lucky?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:22] AA: How many did you get? I had heard something about the younger colonel Heston, and our mother. Was that it?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:24] TT: t-those are the o-only two I've s-seen? w-which is u-unfortunate?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:25] AA: Are they not impressive players then?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:26] TT: oh, t-they are? but it m-means I'll get to d-disappoint t-them t-that m-much s-sooner?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:30] AA: Has mother been critical, then?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:32] TT: no, it r-really c-caught me off g-guard at f-first, but s-she's a-actually v-very n-nice?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:33] AA: Really?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:33] AA: Acenia said something like that, too, but I thought maybe it was just a ruse.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:33] AA: To catch us off guard or something.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:34] TT: y-yeah? I'm b-beginning to t-think t-tyrianbloods b-being t-tyrants is s-some p-propaganda or s-something?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:35] AA: You haven't spoken to grandmother, then.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:35] AA: But then again, I suppose there haven't been that many of us. We live so long and new tyrian bloods are born so rarely....or those that are born don't make it to adulthood

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:35] AA: I'm not even sure how many there were before grandmother.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:36] TT: t-thank the g-gods I got b-brown b-blood i-instead?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:37] AA: I suppose there are benefits.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:37] AA: And it could be worse. I could be a highblood.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:39] TT: you say t-that l-like it w-would be i-inevitable t-that y-you'd be a j-jerk?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:39] AA: Perhaps not. Darmok turned out all right after all.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:40] AA: But when I look at my father...

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:40] TT: so? y-your a-apple f-fell far f-from the t-tree? and t-that's a g-good t-thing?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:41] AA: Fair enough. I do worry though. Lily was asking me about chucklevoodoos and the other powers of the highbloods the other day, and I was seriously thinking about whether I should explore that side of my nature.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:42] AA: But I was worried that doing so might be inviting the same madness that overtook Balish into my own mind. And perhaps I wouldn't be as strong as Darmok.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:43] TT: I can see why y-you'd be a-apprehensive? I'm s-still s-scared to o-open m-mine?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:44] AA: What? You mean the Trolltec rituals?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:45] TT: no? D-Darmok s-sent me a p-package w-with a c-chucklevoodoo c-contained in a bag s-shortly b-before my a-arrival on the b-base?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:46] AA: Oh! I had forgotten about that.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:46] AA: So he does use the chucklevoodoos then.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:46] AA: I wonder if Lily will interrogate him about them? She seemed like she was on a mission.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:46] TT: if she can f-find him?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:46] AA: Not that I expect she'll have much luck interpreting him. I don't think she has the patience.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:46] AA: Is he hiding?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:47] TT: yes? w-when H-Heston a-arrived he b-became v-very s-skittish?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:47] AA: Heston? Really? Is she dangerous?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:49] TT: she has s-said she has s-some d-demons in her h-head m-making her do e-evil t-things, but I d-don't t-think s-she's d-dangerous to us?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:49] AA: "Demons in her head making her do evil things?" Is she insane like Balish then?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:50] AA: Or does it seem more like an excuse to explain away her bad behavior.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:50] TT: I d-don't k-know? I'll go and ask for m-more c-clarification?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:51] AA: If you wish. But don't put yourself in danger. If Darmok is afraid of her he probably has good reason to be.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:51] AA: Our age or not, this is the Horntaker we're talking about.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:52] TT: ehh, if I e-expose her as d-dangerous, t-then I w-will at l-least h-have p-proved s-some w-worth?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:53] AA: You already have plenty of worth, Miloko. Who is telling you you don't?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:55] TT: no one is s-saying a-anything? but t-they s-show it t-through t-their a-actions?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:55] AA: How so?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [01:57] TT: w-while e-everyone e-else c-chased a-after the j-jerk who s-stole my s-sister's s-sheet, I s-stayed b-behind, t-trembling w-with f-fear?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:01] AA: Well, your caution is understandable. We know for a fact that this game kills people.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:02] AA: Not only do we have the reports of the prior session, but our team lost one teammate before we had even really begun the quest.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:04] TT: I k-know? but it s-still f-feels l-like an e-excuse?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:05] AA: Perhaps. But if you feel that way, just work on getting better. You're not going to be able to overcome it all at once, but if you can just take little steps to be braver when you feel like you're being more scared than you should be, that's all anyone could ask.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] TT: w-what if I f-feel t-that way all the t-time?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] AA: Then I guess work on making it only most of the time, first.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:07] AA: Once you've got it down to most of the time, you can worry about making it some of the time.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:08] AA: Anyway, I'm sure you have nothing to fear with Darmok at your side. He would sooner die than allow harm to come to you.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:10] TT: p-please no? my d-dreams are h-haunted by t-that e-enough as is?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:14] AA: Why would they be? I would think if anyone could handle themselves, it would be Darmok.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:15] AA: He is an impressive fighter, and hardy as well.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:15] AA: The whole reason I stepped in on those fights between he and Thiago, before I realized it was just blackflirting, was because I was afraid that he was going to kill Thiago almost effortlessly.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:17] TT: you k-know w-what? f-forget I s-said a-anything a-about t-that? I'd r-rather not d-dwell u-upon s-such g-grim e-events?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:20] AA: ...now I'm quite curious as to what events you're referring to. But you seem to be uncomfortable talking about it, so I'll let the matter drop.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:22] TT: t-thank you?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:23] TT: hmm, p-perhaps I s-should ask the g-gods for s-some c-courage, so I can act l-like I'm e-eight i-instead of two?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:23] AA: If you think that would help.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:23] AA: I've rarely seen your rituals in action. But if it's anything like Acenia's seals, the fact that I don't understand it doesn't mean it doesn't work.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:23] AA: At least for the people who have the knowing of it.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:25] TT: I d-doubt it w-will w-work t-though, I h-have b-been n-neglecting my d-duties as a s-servant of the g-gods? a-another f-failure?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:30] AA: Don't get too down on yourself. You've been busy.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:30] AA: We've all been busy.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:33] TT: I g-guess? it j-just f-feels l-like I h-have no c-control a-anymore? l-like e-everything has b-been t-turned on it's h-head?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:52] TT: ((test))

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:52] AA: (( Sorry. ))

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:53] AA: Yeah. In a lot of ways we're NOT really in control. First our parents from this world were controlling everything for us.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:54] AA: Now that our parents from the previous world have arrived....even if they are content to be merely "teammates" rather than leaders, their greater experience puts them in a position of authority over us again.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:56] TT: is it j-just me or is it a l-little s-strange to t-think of t-them as our p-parents w-when t-they're b-barely o-older t-than us?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:57] TT: I m-mean m-mother c-can't be m-more t-than t-three s-sweeps my s-senior?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:58] AA: Yes. It is a bit strange.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:59] AA: Perhaps it would be better to think of her as "Maenam" than "mother." But it feels so odd to call anyone Maenam.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [02:59] AA: There was a time when even using that name could get someone in a lot of trouble.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:01] TT: I'm no s-stranger to the h-horror s-stories r-regarding t-those o-occurances, M-Merrow?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:02] AA: Ah, yeah, I guess you do.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:04] TT: I d-doubt t-this M-Maenam w-will c-care m-much t-though? her t-temperment is n-nearly a m-mirror i-image of the c-condesce?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:05] AA: That's very odd, too.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:05] AA: Balish was honorable and controlled his madness in the other world. Maenam is apparently the opposite of the Condesce. And Darmok is afraid of Heston.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:09] TT: y-yeah? I w-wonder if n-nearly e-everything is the o-opposite b-between t-their w-world and o-ours?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:10] AA: That would explain a lot of things.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:11] AA: But so far Rilset seems much as I would expect him to be. Mad about plants, not very respectful toward authority, and not very keen on the man who's courting his daughter.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:14] TT: o-ouch? w-what a s-stroke of bad l-luck for him to h-have to be on the s-same t-team as you?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:15] AA: I think it would have happened either way. He seems to be judging my worthiness.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:15] AA: I wouldn't be surprised if he WANTED to be on whatever team had me on it, specifically for the chance to do so. But maybe I'm just being paranoid.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:19] TT: if t-there's a-anyone who can p-prove t-that t-they are w-worthy it is you?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:20] TT: s-speaking of, w-when are you p-planning to h-have the c-cerimony?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:21] AA: I hope you're right. I still haven't messaged Scarlet to ask her if she thinks anyone else could possibly fill Acenia's primer but me.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:21] AA: At first we thought we were safe, but Acenia made it sound like Scarlet seemed doubtful when she saw it.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:24] TT: d-don't w-worry w-what o-other p-people are d-doing? f-focus on g-getting it d-done y-yourself? if you k-keep l-looking b-back o-over y-your s-shoulder, y-you'll m-miss out on w-what's c-coming up?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [03:44] TT: w-well b-brother, g-good l-luck? I'll see a-about g-getting M-Maenam to c-contact you in the n-near f-future?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> -- timidTheurge [TT] gave up trolling aspiringArchon [AA] at 03:45 --