[Serene] Eye of the Scryer [Isis 1.4]

Mischa

So, Isis.



Hell of a lockup they have here in Sparks.



The Ula placed you here, in this walled room hedged in by elec things of all kinds. There's a steady hum and whirr of power and mechanical things, it's almost relaxing if not for the hard edges and strangeness of it all. You can smell the charged dust, it's almost like a, like a stale lighting strike. You feel like you're being watched, all those lit screens like eyes.

You know, there's nothing green in here at all. Nothing growing. That's gotta be a change. How do you feel about that? The floor is some kind of tiled stone, the walls probably cinderblock, the roof is welded and patched congregated metals, overlapping license plates and sheet metal and siding and all kinds of flotsam and jetsam of the world before.

At least they fed you. What did you eat, if anything?

Who else is in here with you?

KatelynR

Fuck these dudes were strong. They caught me off guard. I'm usually much better at taking care of myself. I did want to know what robe guy was up to, so I guess I got my wish. Maybe I actually wanted them to take me...they must have some kind of connection to the Wolves if they can stay in power, unharmed.

They took my katana...I'm not leaving here without it. Got it from my grandpa. At least they missed my pistol. They don't seem like the gun types so didn't think to check my big boots. I do have one bullet left in there...Wisher should have a few more in his bag.

I like the lights in Sparks, but this room they have me in is weird. Too artificial. They tried to feed me something really strange...colorful of course...you shouldn't eat anything rainbow colored. I'd rather starve.

There's a young guy in here with me. Younger than me. Scrawny kid. Looks terrified. He gobbled up the rainbow shit.

"Hey..what's your name? What did you do to piss these freaks off? I'm Isis."

Mischa

Isis, the kid starts a little when you approach, You're bigger than him, stronger too. He knows it, fears what the strong can do to the weak.

"I'm Barker," he says, licking the rainbow crumbs or frosting or whatever he can off the bowl. His eyes are dark above the bright plastic. He shakes his head. His voice is quiet but fast. "Oh, I didn't make the Ula mad, no mam Isis mam. I'm special. I'm Barker. I'm gonna see the Eye and the Eye will see me. Are you special too?"

Here he is, by the way:

KatelynR

"Nice to meet you Barker. I'm just passing through with a caravan. No idea what they want with me. Creepy dude though...was sure he had met me before. The head Ula guy. Never met him before. I gotta find a way out of here...you can stay if you want."

I wonder if Wisher is gone to get help. Maybe they brought him here too...although I think they only grabbed me. He better not get himself into trouble. Maybe I can get their attention...make a rucus then pull my pistol on whoever opens the door...problem is I only have the one bullet. I don't want to use it if I don't have to...maybe just to scare them....hmm...

Mischa

Barker rocks on his heels, and squeaks with excitement. "Rhododendron said they met you? What an honor. What an honor. They do some prophecy. Why don't you stay and learn your future?"

He seems guiltily delighted that you're not eating. "You want some? No? You sure? I can have?" Barker definitely looks between your face and the other bowl of rainbow shit.


Who's watching Gruff, Isis?

KatelynR

"Be my guest" I say handing over the bowl of rainbow shit. How can he eat this stuff. He does seem a bit spaced and totally obsessed with the Ula...guess I shouldn't be surprised.

"I don't need a prophecy. I have someone to get back to. We are on our way to Oru....say...what else do you know about the Ula? Are they connected to the Wolves?" I ask Barker. Might as well make the most of my time in here.

Barker...speaking of barks...I wonder how Gruff is doing. He is pretty good at looking after himself. I bet Wisher left him with the twins - they like him and he likes them.

Mischa

"Oh, everyone needs prophecy. How else do you know what the future holds?" He closes his eyes and mutters something to the bowl, then opens his eyes and starts slurping blissfully. "Oru? Isn't that far far? I heard Death walks its streets."

He pauses for a moment, looking cautiously at the wall of glowing color. Surrounded by rainbow, he looks at you seriously, and you notice an old scar that disappears under his hairline. "The Ula rule Sparks. The Ula are merciful. The Ula are generous. The Ula walk the future." He's scratching idly at his chest and he pulls aside his shirt almost shyly, revealing a recently-healed wound. You've seen a wound like that before- what is it, Isis?

He hides it again, and you hear a tiny quaver as he lies to you, "Who are the Wolves, another gang?"

What do you do?

KatelynR

Poor Barker. I can tell he is terrified. I see it in his eyes and in his jitteryness. I get that those colorful screens are watching us so he can't say anything.

I've seen a scar like that before...on Nero. I asked him about it once. He just told me he had got in with a wacky cult for a bit while hunting Wolves. That's what they do to non-believers...or in Nero's case someone pretending to believe in order to gain more info. I didnt realize he had meant the Ula. It's starting to click now. I'll have to watch I don't get a scar of my own...

I nod to Barker. "Oh, I'm sure the Ula must be merciful" Yeah right. No city as powerful and yet carefree as Sparks can survive without fear of the Wolves unless the Ula and the Wolves have an understanding. I wonder what they think my prophecy is...if it's not all hocus pocus then I sure hope they have seen me stop the Wolves.

Mischa

"They say they are merciful, so they must be merciful. So merciful." Barker's singsong falters a little as he hugs his knees. He whispers, "I pray for mercy. Pray. Pray. Are you merciful?" He looks at you, eyes big, whites all around.


Isis, you catch a flicker on one of the dead screens. Looks a bit like this:


What do you do?

KatelynR

I don't think Barker sees what I see come across the screen. Or if he does, he does a good job of hiding it. Chills run down my spine. Why do they have to be here...I don't have any back up. Well...I'm not going to sit here and wait to see what happens.

"Oh, I'm merciful to those who deserve it." I say to Barker while staring at the screen.

I stand up and walk right up to the screen. "Alright Ula! What the fuck do you want with me? I don't have any interest in being your hostage anymore. You don't even have the balls to face me do you? You'd rather just hide behind your screens. Well I want out, NOW!"

Mischa

Isis, as soon as you start speaking, you hear a muffled sound from the other side of the door, maybe that someone was startled by your outburst. Moments later, you hear voices, and footsteps approaching the door.

You feel a flicker of wasps buzzing in your brain. It's a little hard to think. Barker sort of rolls his eyes up into his head beatifically, and sighs contentedly like he tasted a bit of something delicious after starving, or the feel of warm water on feet after walking all day.

The buzzing in your head is getting louder, like you imagine your teeth are rattling but your ears are quiet and you can still hear the small noises of oddments and incidentals about you... Ever felt something like that?

You hear the rusty cla-chank of the latch and the screetch of a bolt, metal on metal. The door's about to open.

What do you do?

KatelynR

Damn maelstrom. I hate the way it makes my brain and thoughts go fuzzy. Of course these guys have tons of psychic energy if they are working with...or for...the Wolves.

I go stand near the screens. I'm not very powerful against their mind fuckery but if it comes to a physical battle at least I have a chance (and my pistol)...these heavy screens could also prove useful.

Mischa

Isis, it's Cize, the Ula head honcho. You know them somehow, right? What have you heard that's true, and what have you heard that you're not sure about? Barker whimpers and scuttles to his knees, terrified and reverent and orgasmic and you can smell the sweat and urine on him. Cize's eyes dismiss Barker like an unfed animal and they turn to you. "Isis," they say, relishing the sounds, dripping the sibilants, the voice weirdly doubled. "I'm so glad you are our guest. Did you think it would be easy to hide?"

The maelstrom is strong, here and now. I imagine it sounds something like this. Depending on what (if any) kind of violence you attempt, you're liable to be acting under its fire. And that's not counting the Ula guards in the hallway.

KatelynR

That's Cize alright. The hair and face paint gives it away. I've heard of him. He's basically a legend.

He is very insane...not sure if that's just cause of the maelstrom or cause of his personality. One of those types that in some respects is almost a genius, but in other respects is completely nonsensical.

Barker was going on about prophecies. I've heard folks would make a type of pilgrimage here to try and get an audience with him. Looks like I have a front row seat....and I really wish I didn't.

"I wasnt hiding. Just passing through. What do you want with me??" I say to Cize, crossing my arms in front of me. I know I can't take on him plus the guards by myself...at least not right away.

Mischa

"Along another path," he smirks, "I could use a new concubine. But in this, the best of all possible worlds, I think you have more use to me alive and out in the world... but doing little favors for the Ula and for Sparks. For me. Where is your caravan taking you next?" He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a little green and white flower, which he pops into his mouth without blinking.

KatelynR

"I only joined the caravan a few days ago, so I don't know where we are headed. I just know we are heading out of Sparks. And based on this visit, I'm never coming back here. But besides that, what if I don't want to do your bidding? I don't take well to bring kidnapped and I definitely don't take well to being ordered around. I'm not doing shit for you" As if I'm helping this bozo out. Why does he want me to do things for him? And what does he want me to do.

Mischa

Isis, the buzzing intensifies and Cize gets a creepy-ass smile on his face, and somehow it looks like he's looking at you with both eyes and only one at the same time. "It's more fun if you resist, lovely." He idly tugs on his hair with his hand, and you can see rough colored tattoos scrolling up his arm.

Barker is rocking back and forth, clutching his knees to his legs. Out of the corner of your eye, you see like the tiniest drop of blood bubble out one ear and slowly start to trickle down.

Hey, if you're gonna read Cize, hit those dice!

KatelynR

OOC - read a person

(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 5, 5. Total: 12)

KatelynR

I stare down Cize. I hate when creepy men go on power trips. "I'm not your lovely".

I keep standing with my arms crossed. How the hell can I get him to let me go without him making my head explode or getting badly beaten by his guards. My shoulder is still not in great shape after all.

Mischa

Cize smiles at you, and it feels like he's looking through you somehow, maybe at your fate, maybe at your past choices. It's fucking unnerving. "But you are quite lovely, lovely. And the world needs more lovelies in the world. And the world needs less uglies in the world. Did you know there's a nest of uglies down the road a piece? Terrible group of people, very not-Sparks. Not Ula. Not Ula at all. I want you to head to Tine Line," he says it in four syllables, TEE-nuh LEE-nuh, "And bring me their hardholder's head. Unless you don't know how to use that pretty knife we took from you?"

You want him to let you go? Agree to his bargain and make him believe you'll do it instead of buggering off into the world.

KatelynR

"What did they do to you to deserve a beheading? Oh and it's a katana, not a knife". I say to Cize like he just insulted my weapon.

So he wants me to be an unpaid bounty hunter. I don't kill people who don't deserve it...so I'm not going to take his word for it. Tine Line is on the way to Oru, so we could pass through just to make them think I'm getting the job done.

I do need my katana back and I want to get out of this hell hole....

Mischa

"They offend my vision," Cize says grandly, making a sweeping gesture. He doesn't give a shit what your weapon is called. "Slavers and cannibals make for poor neighbors. No more innocents will be lost to them." He's not looking at you, gazing peacefully into the multicolored screens, a wash of color playing on his face.

KatelynR

I wonder if Cize is telling the truth. Someone doesn't get as powerful as him without having hidden motives...surely he isn't just looking to rid the world of evil. [Spending second hold]

"And what if I don't help you? Are you just going to keep me in this room forever? Kill me? And what about Barker. What's your use with him?"

Mischa

Isis, he's telling a partial truth, but not the whole truth. And he's lying. As far as he knows, they don't really eat the people they take... and not everyone they take have been innocent babes- sometimes Cize offers tribute or sends away the troublemakers to be dealt with. He wouldn't be sad if you got killed or worse trying to take down the leader. He knows what you represent.

He doesn't move. "I could make you want to help me."

KatelynR

I really hate this guy. If only I had my katana back and I knew how many guards were outside that door...

"Fine, fine. Can I please get my katana back and be let out of this room so I can be on my way to Tine Line?" I say to Cize, trying to look as sincere as I can.

KatelynR

OOC
Manipulate roll
(Rolled: 2d6. Rolls: 6, 1. Total: 7)

Mischa

I guess he buys it... mostly. Cize makes a signal to one of the Ula guards, who starts to head out, hopefully to get your katana. "How do I know you'll do as I say?"

Isis, Barker lets out the tiniest whimper. It gives you a dark chill.

KatelynR

Hmm..have to sound convincing...

"Well, if I don't come back I'm sure you'd have no trouble tracking me down. But you could also make him come with me to ensure it is done" I say, pointing to Barker. "Unless you have other plans for him."

Just then I start hearing movement outside the room...maybe Cize is bringing I'm back up?

Mischa

Isis, go here.

[End Scene]