anarqrists anonymous

[rebells]

Who: salty anarchists club
Where: an undisclosed location near the mountains
When: Day 93
Open/Closed: closed to invitees and invitees of invitees!

[So Jay may have pulled you discreetly aside some time over the last week or so and invited you to a particular location near the mountains, or you may have been dragged along by a friend. Either way, there's a small group of people forming in this forest clearing, Jay at the center, pacing back and forth as has become his tendency.

Let the Qri shittalking begin.]

Comments

[rootandbranch]

[twitches his wings restlessly; keeping his voice quiet.]

For what it's worth, when I asked Genette how Qri knew about the Uvi, she told me that she'd wondered if Qri might have some kind of future sight-- or that she might be able to feed off of the magic of high frequency worlds even without anything else. Qri's a "being that can consume energy of many kinds," according to her.

[splinten]

[His mind makes a mental shift: Skaian clouds, Seers of Light, Mind.]

That could explain it. It's possible she chose the time period because we'd be able to get access to the bones instead of massacring everyone. [maybe. it's a nice way to look at it] It's interesting Genette put it that way. The indication is that she needs specific varieties of magic. [So, what. Every species under one genus of magic? Or something else?]

[rootandbranch]

Wait a second, it's easier if I just show you--

[Geir narrows his eyes in thought and then projects the audio of his conversation with Genette to anyone who cares to tune into the fuzzy static fzzt feeling of it becoming available in their signet. he's getting quite a bit better with telepathy these days.]

[splinten]

[thnx geir]

Thanks, Geir. The limitations on her energy are interesting. It might indicate that potential interference for us is minimal, minus the possibility of simply sending us back home.

From what Genette said, it's possible that Qri's observing us right now. Potentially through our signets or powers.

[That is worth pointing out. It may make all their secrecy meaningless.]

[rootandbranch]

That's a cheerful thought.

[he does seem cheerful about it, in a sideways sort of way.]

If we assume that she can see us, then we can also assume that for whatever reason, she doesn't care enough to stop us yet.

[splinten]

It's a possibility.

[He takes his Elto bone out of his pocket.]

Another possibility is that she doesn't need to be given the bones directly to take their power. Genette's words could imply that she can passively siphon off energy from it as long as we have it in enough of a proximity, maybe even in the right world.

[rootandbranch]

That's something to ask about! What happened to the bones that Genette stored in the caravan?

[splinten]

We know she kept some for use in her social experiments. I doubt she'd do that if it limited Qri's supplies. But that would be a good line of inquiry to follow to get more answers about it.

[You know. Lying. Misleading. Subterfuge.

Like Geir's dad! probably]

[rootandbranch]

Sure. The more we find out, the more we can tell everyone Qri's got trapped here. Genette too.

[Geir doesn't seem particularly put off by the idea of lying -- he's used to it, after all. that doesn't mean that he's probably the right choice to lead that kind of effort, and a moment later he confirms it with a rueful little shake of his head.]

I probably shouldn't ask her, though. Dad always wondered why his sons were all such bad liars. I can do okay once in a while, but I twitch.

[splinten]

[That was Dirk's doubt: whether Geir could pull off deceit.]

If you could hold it together better, you'd be one of the best liars around. The level of earnestness you have perfected is difficult for anyone to doubt.

[It is exactly why Dirk had a feeling Geir was not up for the job.]

[rootandbranch]

That's the first time I've heard that one! No, you've got to understand people better than I do to be a really good liar. I still barely know how to talk to people when I'm being honest!

And most people don't really like lying. To be a master, some part of you has to like it.

[he laughs, an unusually dry sound for Geir.]

If Qri was a master liar, I'd say she might have been Genette all along. We all more or less believe her. But it's more likely that she's another person who's just not talking to us.

[splinten]

It's possible to become very skilled at something you despise.

[Just. Noting that.]

That would be up there in the list of shitty twists. You need to build in some kind of foreshadowing before you pull something like that.

[rootandbranch]

Oh, yeah, skilled, sure. But not a master. And you can not like something in theory and still really like the fact that you're good enough to pull it off, 'cause it's sooo hard on you to be that much better than everyone else. I didn't say that what you liked about it couldn't be that it gives you an excuse to rake yourself over the coals.

[FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND MOST PEOPLE VERY WELL THAT'S VERY SPECIFIC AND UNSETTLING, GEIR?]

Yeah, I don't really think that's true. It's more likely that Qri is a bad liar and hiding from having to do it a lot. That's how most people are.

[splinten]

[......]

You know that was a really specific example.

[rootandbranch]

[he huffs out a breath.]

Is it? I've just heard most versions of Dad complaining... or wondering out loud about what is truth, because it doesn't really exist... or whatever it is he talks about.

Maybe he's right, but if he was, I wouldn't be a bad liar, because nothing would be real to begin with. So maybe he's just annoying?

[Geir sounds much more matter of fact than annoyed, though, to be honest. for Loki's kids, it's always like this, et cetera.]

[splinten]

[...]

This is now incredibly off-topic: why are there multiple versions of your Dad.

[rootandbranch]

Oh, there aren't. At least not as far as I know? He just has a lot of things to complain about. Half the time they contradict each other.

[penitently:]

I'm sorry. I'm the one who got us off track complaining about him.

[splinten]

You don't have to apologize, bro, I'm the one who followed you there.

[You are Free of Sin.]

[rootandbranch]

[Geir would debate that, but they're moving on.]

Anyway... let's see what else Genette will tell us without us telling her exactly what's on our minds yet. It's not like we've even made a decision to fight Qri, after all this talking. We still just want to know more. That's honest.