Airships Over Aranor [Prose] :: 5--Furious Red

[Ellume]

About the novel idea. Yeah, it would take some work to edit, and I'm sure it would be a learning experience. Still, what I'm saying is that if you already have a novel length story, it is a whole lot easier to edit it a bit then it would be to write a completely new story. You would have to smooth the transitions, and edit the speech to not depend on color, perhaps there would be other things you would add or alter but that is pretty normal with all editing. So long as you don't have the same character names as in other works I believe you are safe. There is a big difference between plagiarism and inspiration, and many people base characters off characters from other works. Since you have an original setting with unique histories for your characters, I would be surprised to find anyone in the know considering it anything other then inspiration. It could be a really good learning experience, and it would be pretty cool to say you actually wrote a novel If you make a bit of money for it well that is just bonus.

Gemini/Callor > Bring up the topic about how Xindaris disappeared, it is pretty shocking news. Maybe a good spot to hear a little more about him, since for such a influential and important character I still feel like I know very little about him. Also the flirting could be fun if even semi-appropriate.

[Xindaris]

"You look like you're in a good mood today." When he's in a bad mood, the Choneiji is Gemini's first choice of ways to calm down, the others being to direct his rage in Karua's general direction until they both burn themselves out, or to lock himself in his home's library and brood while reading through ten to twenty books. But they both like it a lot better when he starts out in a good mood.
"Jutht theeing your beautiful fathe is enough to cheer me up." The Choneiji traditionally wear a simple, loose garment made from a single animal's hide. As the first fully Shadow Fang Choneiji in numerous centuries Aureia could hardly help but keep up that tradition. Still, to him she looks absolutely stunning.
She blushes a little bit. "It's great to see you, too. So what have you been up to all week?"
"Jutht being a uthelethh wathte of the Camp'th food like uthual."
"Aw, you're not useless, you just aren't ready yet. I'm sure you'll do great things once you're old enough to go around on your own."
"Did one of your dead frienth tell you that?"
"Nah. But with all those books you read you must know all kinds of things I can't even dream of. That's gotta be useful for something, right?"
"..Dad thure thought tho."
"He thinks so."
"Thinkth. Yeah. Tho what did that guy want? Hith apprentithe or whatever thaid he had to deliver thome methhage from the Thhadow Fang or thomething?"

"Oh, well, it was about Xindaris. Ichoneiji wanted me to let him know immediately I met him, or Kytha."
"Have you?" For some reason, the very recently dead seem to almost always present themselves to Aureia within a few days of their deaths. It was thanks to this fact that Gemini was able to get the correct, full story of his father's death.
"Nope. And other than that, I just asked him how things are back home, if my family had any messages, that sort of thing. But I do wonder why Ichoneiji is so worried all of a sudden."
"Did he tell you Thindarith dithhappeared?"
"He conveniently left out that detail. Do tell." Gemini proceeds to relay the same information Arozi gave him.

"Huh. Well, that explains it."
"But if he left...why do you think he wanted to leave? I mean, he could've had practically anything he wanted in the palathe, he'th already more famouth than Rithara, or any of the other people he told thtorieth about..."
"..Maybe he was stuck."
"Thtuck?"
"Yeah. The king probably didn't want him to leave, so he couldn't just walk out without someone trying to stop him..physically. It can get really boring just sitting around the same place for years and years on end. So he decided it was time to leave whether they liked it or not."
"I guethh that maketh thenthe. But why would the king care if he left or not?"
"I've spoken to Ritharan royalty of the past a few times. Xindaris' insight and knowledge has helped keep relations between the court and practically everyone else in the country, especially the Neshoban Clans, stable and healthy for centuries on end. It's hard to imagine a king who wouldn't want to hang onto an advantage like that. Maybe he even thought it was Xindaris' duty to keep on doing it."
"Well, I guethh he didn't think tho."
"Maybe he did. Maybe he just decided that what he wanted to do was worth giving up his duty, especially since he'd been faithful at it for such a long time. Maybe he felt that the people he'd been serving owed him enough appreciation for his work to let him take a break from it!

"..."

"..."

"...Um, anyway. How--how's Karua?
"He'th fine. Buthy dying hith fur dark red again today."
"Oh, it's that time of the month again? I don't understand it at all, his natural color looks fine."
"It maketh him look like he'th part White Grathh."
"I hardly see a problem with that. I mean, he's one of the most honest people I know anyway--what's a little white in his ancestry gonna hurt?"
"I don't dithhagree, but if I bring it up we'll have another thhouting match and both end up thulking about it for the next day or tho. Bethideth, I think he believeth by now that I only bring up touchy thubjectth when I want to argue."
"And that, is your own fault. Choneiji wisdom for the day."
Gemini laughs. "Yeah, yeah."

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I hope you're catching the subtext of this conversation. Because I'm throwing it, and if it hits a brick wall it'll splatter all over my good T-shirt. Do you know how hard it is to get subtext stains out? It requires the ritual sacrifice of a Wiimote and a PS3 controller, among other things. Yeah, this metaphor is officially broken. I just saw the opportunity to make a broken-metaphor joke coming, and I not only jumped on that train, I robbed it of all of its valuables and then pointed and laughed at the conductor for five minutes before getting back onto my metaphorical horse and riding away into the sunset.

So, some recent excellent criticism by one of my readers (which was asked for in the adventure criticism thread place) pointed out that I've violated the "show don't tell" rule several times in this adventure. I think it's probably a byproduct of my long, long experience as a roleplayer--in an RP the players are expected to read the OOC thread, which often contains a lot of the kind of background information that most people of the world could reasonably be expected to know. And it's that very kind of information that I've had trouble introducing in a non-clunky way. It doesn't help that we're not in a first- or second-person narrative (which would make it so awkward to introduce information in narrative I would be absolutely forced to put it elsewhere), and we're not following anyone ridiculously ignorant of how stuff on Aranor works. (All three of these strategies are being used in either adventures I run or am following)

But never fear! I still have a number of things in my bag of information that not necessarily everyone knows, or that they might know, but I still mean to introduce after they are used for something kin to dramatic effect. I say that to say, sometime after we get back to Charlotte's group we'll probably get a scene where one of them goes over the proper information about Xindaris and his group, and what it is they did that was so important to the future of Aranor--in the form of a story around the campfire, of course. So for now, I'll just build some tension for that in the form of people talking about how important that group is/was.

[Crumplepunch]

I hope you're catching the subtext of this conversation. Because I'm throwing it, and if it hits a brick wall it'll splatter all over my good T-shirt. Do you know how hard it is to get subtext stains out? It requires the ritual sacrifice of a Wiimote and a PS3 controller, among other things. Yeah, this metaphor is officially broken. I just saw the opportunity to make a broken-metaphor joke coming, and I not only jumped on that train, I robbed it of all of its valuables and then pointed and laughed at the conductor for five minutes before getting back onto my metaphorical horse and riding away into the sunset.

And then the metaphor train derailed. The conductor staggers away from the wreckage with a tear in his eye. Behind, there is an explosion, which might mean something about man's inhumanity to man. The valuables are an extended metaphor for tax evasion. Somewhere above, a blimp with "stem cell research" written on the side floats unnoticed. An editorial cartoonist smiles a toothless smile.

Anyway, yes, sorry that I forgot about all the Chonieiji being Shadow Fang. I just assumed there was one for each clan, what with there being seven of each. Do I have that right? Suddenly I doubt myself.

How practical is a desire to give up one's Chonieiji duties? Actually, I'm sure you said that the wandering Chonieji was the youngest. Has the rule been waived out of political expediency?

It doesn't help that we're not in a first- or second-person narrative (which would make it so awkward to introduce information in narrative I would be absolutely forced to put it elsewhere), and we're not following anyone ridiculously ignorant of how stuff on Aranor works.

I can attest to the difficulty of doing exposition in the second person. It's not pretty. I would say that you don't need anyone ridiculously ignorant, a run-of-the-mill operational ignorance will suffice.

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes.

Gemini> Who were those guys, anyway?

[Xindaris]

How practical is a desire to give up one's Chonieiji duties? Actually, I'm sure you said that the wandering Chonieji was the youngest. Has the rule been waived out of political expediency?

Basically, yes. There were only 5 Choneiji before Aureia was born, and the Red Claw were getting angry that they didn't have one and everyone else did. And what's going on here is one of the main arguments for having the youngest Choneiji wander the world a while before taking their practically permanent post with a single Clan. As for the practicality..well..just wait and see what happens here is all I'll say for now.

[deificAnuran]

Metaphors within metaphors (some ironic) about subtext.

Spoilered just in case this is a spoiler:

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I'm guessing Aureia's saying that Gemini should leave camp because he's not appreciated.
... Yeah this didn't need to be spoilered. Oh well.

Dayum, that's some Eridan-level fishing for compliments! No commands to input this time.

On the subject of narration, all I can say is don't be afraid to repeat information.

[Crumplepunch]

Spoilered just in case this is a spoiler:

I'm guessing Aureia's saying that Gemini should leave camp because he's not appreciated.
... Yeah this didn't need to be spoilered. Oh well.

Unspoilered because see above.

I got a different impression; Gemini is a pretty intense guy but nothing that we've seen him do seems to suggest problems with a weighty responsibility, so I'm pretty sure Aureia's little rant about people allowing Xindaris to be free from his commitments reflected her feelings on her own position.

Furthermore, to my mind the phrasing of "what he wanted to do" betrays an ambition beyond mere escape. I surmise that, unless she has some other motive that we haven't heard of, she wants to run away with Gemini.

I don't think this is going to end well.

[Ellume]

Wow, it is pretty interesting how you guys are reading into this stuff. When I read over it before I literally just took it at face value. But that is generally how I do go about things, there pretty much has to be fireworks and large flashing arrows if I'm going to have a chance of noticing anything other then what my tunnel vision is pointed at.

Gemini> Who were those guys, anyway?

Answer: They are a case of the blind leading the blind... Couldn't help myself haha.

Gemini > Maybe talk about future plans, or how there is a lack there of? A blind girl out wandering has got to get those creative thoughts flowing. Not to mention it seems like even Xindaris decided to go off adventuring or something.

[deificAnuran]

I got a different impression; Gemini is a pretty intense guy but nothing that we've seen him do seems to suggest problems with a weighty responsibility, so I'm pretty sure Aureia's little rant about people allowing Xindaris to be free from his commitments reflected her feelings on her own position.

Furthermore,...

Okay that makes a lot more sense. I suppose I just made the link between Gemini getting in fights with people (over misunderstandings sometimes(?)) and being unappreciated.

Ellume, I usually try to refrain from reading into things too much because I almost always draw the wrong conclusions, but I can't help it when the author's good T-shirts are at stake.

[Xindaris]

"Tho who wath that guy anyway? Why'th he wear a blindfold?"
"Oh, he's..Arozakim. Most people just call him 'Zak' though. As far as I know, Ichoneiji told him something that made him want to cover his eyes forever..so he re-learned how to do everything by scent and hearing."
"And that Arothi girl with him?"
"He was living with her in the Shadow Fang Camp, acting as kind of a surrogate father, since before I was born. I've met her parents before..they were killed by a dragoon misusing the 'Mad Strength' spell."
"Ith it even pothhible to not mithuthe that one?" Of all of the 'bad deal' spells available to the Shadow Fang, Mad Strength is one of the most notoriously horrible. It gives one temporary superhuman physical ability in exchange for just a little bit of one's sanity. The problem is that nearly everyone who starts out using it for charitable or noble reasons quickly becomes dependent on it. As far as records can tell, there is no such thing as running out of sanity, so the world ends up having to deal with a murderous super-strong lunatic.
"Tho I guethh that'th what happened to her eyeth, too?"
"Yeah."

There is another brief pause in the conversation. "...You know I can't leave until I'm old enough to hunt and fight for mythelf," Gemini says quietly.
"I know."
"When the time cometh..I want to get you out of here. Jutht for a year or two. We can go on a tour of all the old placeth you've heard about, and any more we happen to find."
Gemini leans forward a little bit, putting one of his hands on one of hers. "Thooner or later thomeone will track uth down and probably make you come back. That'th jutht the truth of it. But until then...jutht for a little while, you'd be free to do what you want."
Aureia takes his hand gives a very genuine, bright smile. "I'd like that."

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Are you done intruding on my sensitive memories yet? Callor has come to the conclusion that some other entity is present in his dreams, directing this little memory train around--or at least pushing it in certain directions. And he is right.
Not really. I was only beginning, to be honest. It's the same voice as the first-person perspective of that first, unfamiliar memory. That explains where that came from, at least.
Who are you and what are you doing here?
That I cannot explain. I must leave you with ambiguities for the moment.
And why is that?
I...do not know. I have the peculiar sense it is against the rules. But suffice to say that I am an ally, and ultimately knowing more about one another will prove advantageous to you. I would certainly like to know what transpired.
Fine, then I'll just tell you. About ten years later she told me we couldn't be together. She said The Spirits had predicted that we would break up, and she wanted to make it as painless as possible.
I assume she acheived the opposite effect.
Perceptive of you. I wanted nothing more right then but to hurt her. Inflict her with a pain that she would feel for the rest of her life. Because that is what she had done to me. And that was when I found out what my spell is as a Red Claw. The building collapsed in the explosion, and somehow I got thrown out of the building before I could be crushed by it.

She wasn't so lucky. I woke up three days later and they exiled me from the Camp as fast as they possibly could.
Did you feel remorse for it?
No.
Do you regret it now?
Not in the least.
And...Karua went with you?
He was just looking for an excuse to leave.
We have an overabundance of time. May I look in on some of the resultant peregrination?
Sure, fine, whatever.

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"I'm going to change my name." It has been two hours of walking in silence. The crushing, oppresive silence of two people who have absolutely no idea what to say to one another in the face of a very recent, highly emotional moment between the two. Gemini and Karua are walking down some Ardanian road toward no destination in particular--just onward, forward, forever if necessary.

Karua is a full Red Claw, but his natural color is an unusually bright, vibrant red. It has led some, probably including himself, to the conclusion that one of his great-grandparents or possibly even higher up on the ancestry line must have been a White Grass Neshobe, even though neither of his parents had any similar traits. The White Grass love to deceive, and some people dislike them for that. So, even though most people already know what his natural color is, and his eyes give it away anyway, Karua habitually dyes all his fur the darkest red he can find. Even an attractive girl telling him his natural color is much more delicious was not enough to change that.

"Oh yeah? To what? 'Murders Girlfriends'? Oh wait, you wouldn't be able to say that without spitting in the collective faces of everyone present. Actually, no, you'd like that wouldn't you?"
He's in a predictably terrible mood--not that Gemini isn't. Actually, he might just have no idea what to say still, so he's falling back on the old standard of starting a battle of insults. But now Gemini has to come up with a sufficiently insulting retort or the conversation ends and it's back to the silence again.

Their friendship is weird like that.

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Neshoba live very, very slow compared to humans. Traditionally anyone under a century old is considered a pup and not even allowed to try and obtain spiritual maturity; that's broken down a little bit but a half-century is still a pretty absolute floor to it at the moment. So Gemini basically doesn't have any responsibilities other than learning all he can from his elders.

I dropped a small allusion earlier to Aureia wanting to visit ancient places if she ever actually had free time. It is, of course, a carryover from Aradia's love of archaeology. Just as the events described in the middle section above are a carryover of Aradia's death via Sollux's eyebeams. The difference here is that the manipulation was deep and subtle enough to make it strongly appear to be entirely Gemini's fault, and Verra(Vriska) was in no way involved with this event.

Anyway, yeah, so any guesses who or what the intruder on Gemini's mind is? The question will be answered near the end of this chapter if you don't want to bother guessing and happen to have a time machine or are reading this as an old post or something.

[deificAnuran]

Just learned that Aureia is Aradia...

I'm going to guess blue-text is the Ichoneiji.

> "What'th that? Thcared of your dye running, thhhhhir?"

[Ellume]

I would laugh if the blue text was in fact the cat staring at him. Maybe it is Xindaris with the help of his wife? I think my mind would explode if Bernard and the cat were actually Xindaris and his wife with a perpetual illusion, but really doesn't seem to be the right character.

So how old is Gemini/Callor when he was exiled?

I'm going to pass on commands this time as insults really aren't a strength of mine.

[Crumplepunch]

I'm going to guess blue-text is the Ichoneiji.

I think that can be ruled out, because Ichoneiji is mentioned by the mysterious guy talking to Blue-Text, and it doesn't fit that they're the same person.

We know a few little things about Blue-Text, but the only one practically useful is that mind magic is in use. I think I am right in saying that it is exclusive to the Fylenis. The text doesn't match any of the three characters with Fylenis powers introduced so far. I'm betting that Gretchen is cloaked by an illusion.

Actually, while we're on the subject, remember that Callor said he had never seen Bernard without the cat? I'm guessing they are the same person. If this is true, Verra would know about it, which might partially explain their cosy relationship. Mutual blackmail.

"I would love that. People would gather from far and wide to thtand in awe of my ecthpectorating proweth. They would avert their eyeth in wonder. Their voitheth would thtill to a... what'th the word? Like 'whithper', but with more of a thhhh thound."

"No. You don't get to say that word, you demented, slobbering assclown. I will fucking end you. You will die where you stand, shitting out your fruity colored intestines in abject, naked terror."

"Oh yeth, I remember. Thuthurruth."

(susurrus)

Probably not the tone you're going for, now I think about it.

[Xindaris]

Gemini makes sure to turn his face entirely toward Karua. "What'th that? Thcared of your dye running, thhhhhir?"
"Hey, cut it out, I could take a flaming shower in all that spit."
"Well if it'th on fire already I'd better put it out. At leatht I left over thomething meaningful, not so I could go chathing after a blind girl I met for five minuteth ten yearth ago."
"That isn't why I left, moron. I left to help you, and because I'm flaming sick of all the hypocrites in that town. Is it too much to ask you actually appreciate me actually doing something nice for you for once?"
"It'th a little hard to do that when I haven't had any practithe. If you were planning on leaving why didn't you actually pack thome weaponth? What are we gonna do if a monthter thhowth up?"
"Can't you just blow it up with your gigantic eye explosions? Or is this one of those spells that only works when you use it in the most dirtbag fashion available?"
"I wath unconthiouth for three dayth after doing it oneth. Do you really want to drag me around for however many mileth it ith to the nearetht town?"
"To be honest I think it would be a lot more pleasant. Or at least quietier."

"I'm thure I'd enjoy it more too, but you'd be back to thquare one. Thcratch that, negative one: No weaponth and carrying a heavy load."
"What even is a negative number anyway? How do you have less than none of something?"
"It'th like being in debt. It'th a thimple conthept tho I'm not thurprithed you don't underthtand it."
"Yeah, sure, a simple concept to anyone with ten billion books to read about it. Oh wait--you don't have that anymore, do you?"
"Hmph. There'll alwayth be more bookth."
"Yeah, and there won't be any more Aureias. You blew your only chance at anything resembling a romance. Literally!
"Pffffft. Like you know anything about romanthe. You thpent ten yearth trying to tell everyone in the camp how to know if they're really in love or not. At leatht I actually had a relationthhip to thcrew up. You have thomeone who told you your eyeth thmell nithe and then left after barely thaying goodbye. I wouldn't be thurprithed if thhe'th found thomeone elthe by now, and--"

"HEY! What in the name of Rithara's rotten tailbones? I just brought up the most senstive flaming topic me or you has ever come within a nine-year journey of, the one most people would just dance around forever, and you just shrugged it off like it was nothing and kept going?! What is wrong with you?! You nearly flaming murdered someone, on purpose, you were exiled for it, and you're just talking to me like everything is normal and we're not walking on a long road to flaming nowhere!

After that rant--without pausing for breath once in the entire time, Karua is panting. Both of them have stopped walking for the moment. "..Look. I don't underthtand what happened. Right now, even though everything I know in my mind tellth me it wath my fault and I thhould feel terrible about it, the only thing I can feel ith more anger. I know it maketh no thenthe, but I feel like it wath all her fault--not mine. And ath long ath I feel that way I can't even act like I feel perthonally rethponthible for it. Tho ith it too much to athk that I have thome themblanthe of normalthy from you at leatht while I try to thort it all out? You're the only friend I have right now, and--what?" Near the end of Gemini's speech, Karua stopped paying attention to him and started paying attention to something behind him. At this point the Red Claw dives straight at the half-breed, knocking him to the ground, while something very large jumps straight over them.

"Oof!" They both get up as quickly as they can, to see the thing that had nearly torn Gemini's neck off turning itself around to face them. It looks like an overgrown coyote with giant, pitch-black wings folded against its back. But when its mouth is open..rows upon rows of teeth are evident inside. "..An Erynokth."
"A what?"
"A monthter. But you knew that already."

The two young Neshoba get in the most battle-stance approximating postures they can manage. They are unarmed and inexperienced. Karua doesn't know his spell yet, and Gemini can't afford to use his. But Neshoba backed into a corner do have a weapon of last resort. For reasons unclear to everyone, they have retractable claws, harder and less brittle than the tissue normally found in fingernails or even normal animal claw. The claws of the wilder clans tend to be longer, but these 'tamer' claws will just have to do.

The monster is assessing them, possibly preparing to attack again. They both draw the claws in their hands and prepare to fight. But they will need a strategy to survive.

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Ah, here we are. Something I knew about the Neshoba all along, being introduced in a dynamic and dramatically interesting fashion.

Crumplepunch--yours was good too, but as soon as I saw dA's I knew I had to use it. It was perfect. Verbatim. And then I couldn't use yours. Also, see below for the other reason I didn't use yours.

His age at this point=19+10. And Karua is actually the exact same age. They technically shouldn't be leaving a Camp at all, but this qualifies as extenuating circumstances. Basically what this exile (and allowing Karua to leave) says about the Red Claw leadership is that they couldn't care much less if these two die and are never heard from again.

I guess I should elucidate something about my translation of Aranoran common at this point. They don't really have anything equivalent to our 'cuss words'--words that carry this heavy emotional significance, and can be used as literally any figure of speech as long as you're really passionate about whatever insult or expression of upsetness you're trying to make. So in all heated dialogue I have to dance around that idea and come up with really creative expressions of extremeness to make it all work right. It's actually a huge challenge to do that. I hope I've succeeded here.

[Crumplepunch]

Crumplepunch--yours was good too, but as soon as I saw dA's I knew I had to use it. It was perfect. Verbatim. And then I couldn't use yours. Also, see below for the other reason I didn't use yours.

That's okay, I thought dA's was funnier anyway, not to mention more in character.

I guess I should elucidate something about my translation of Aranoran common at this point. They don't really have anything equivalent to our 'cuss words'--words that carry this heavy emotional significance, and can be used as literally any figure of speech as long as you're really passionate about whatever insult or expression of upsetness you're trying to make. So in all heated dialogue I have to dance around that idea and come up with really creative expressions of extremeness to make it all work right. It's actually a huge challenge to do that. I hope I've succeeded here.

In retrospect obvious, sorry I didn't pick up on this. Profanity is deeply ingrained in my vocabulary. Coming up with a natural-sounding set of alternative expletives is quite an undertaking; It's very easy to make the phrasing sound just slightly unnatural.

As for a command. Hmmmmm. When coyote-shark-bats attack.

Attacking from the front is going to be very dangerous against those teeth. I suggest fleeing a short distance, splitting, then flanking it. It's wings are probably sensitive.

[deificAnuran]

I will come up with the retorts, you come up with the correct reading of the story Crumplepunch. Together we will make one super-competent reader.

> If the thing puts its wings out, get it on its side or back and make it go full out parlor pigeon.
> Swipe the leg?

[Ellume]

Well, my take on this situation is they just want to make it give up or flee, if they kill it well that is fine too but not the goal. What is the terrain like, is there anything they can use to their advantage? Something to use as cover? Rocks to throw? Does either Gemini/Callor or Karua have any particular strengths in combat? Can't say I'm any master of combat, but it sounds like the wings might be a weak spot on this thing.

[Xindaris]

"Tho here'th the plan. It'th going to charge at uth. Run from it, thplit up, whoever it doethn't chathe, try to hit itth thideth. Aim for the gigantic wingth if you can. Nothing on that creature ith worthe to come into contact with than itth teeth."
"Who appointed you the grand plan-maker?"
"The board of 'we-don't-have-time-to-argue-thtupid'!" The Erynox starts charging forward at them, as predicted, and they both turn tail and run. It chases after Gemini, and after a couple of seconds of running he is able to hear the noise of Karua's claws scraping against the skin of its wings, followed by the far less pleasant sound of something like a bark as it reflexively bites at him.

Gemini turns around to see that it caught him, just barely, near the front of his stomach. Karua's right hand is busy trying to stop the flow of blood from the wound, but it looks like he forgot to retract his claws.

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"Karua! Clawth! You're making it worthe!" The monster drew back for a moment rather than pressing the advantage, probably because of the pain in its wing. It looks almost ready to attack. The look of pain on Karua's face turns briefly to one of...realization? And then straight to one of pure, unbridled rage. Then he takes his hand from the wound and throws the blood straight at the muzzle of the charging monster. Then, the blood is on fire.

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The burning blood catches the creature in the middle of its muzzle and back, and some of its fur catches fire. It makes a loud, thoroughly non-canine screeching noise from its mouth, an expression of pain. "What in the..Bloodfire? This has got to be the second worst spell in all of history!"
"Wait, tho you can thet blood on fire? Jutht burn all of the blood in the monthter'th veinth and we'll be done here!"
Said monster jumps at Karua, requiring him to start dodging. He manages to sidestep a number of swipes from its mouth and still talk at the same time. "I don't think I can do that! I have to see the blood!"
"Then I'll give you thome blood to thee!!" Gemini charges at the monster from directly behind, thanks to its current focus on Karua, and stabs his claws into the center of its wings, before raking them out to either side. It makes another, louder and higher-pitched screech, reaching into the range that humans can't even hear..but "fortunately", Neshoba can. He keeps at it as long as he can before it starts flapping its wings to toss him off, and then he jumps back. "Now!" Karua makes a gesture toward the monster with the cleaner of his hands, and the entire back end of the Erynox's wings are set on fire.

Karua moves around to its side and kicks it as hard as he can, knocking it over. It starts flailing its wings, trying to get itself up while also dealing with being on fire. He halfway kneels over, getting ready to claw out its stomach, but Gemini stops him. "Let'th get out of here. They hunt in packth!"
He stands back up and looks around. Gemini looks too. There are about five more Erynoxes, but fortunately they are all coming from the same direction."You could have told me that sooner, you know."
"RUN!!!"

They both book it as quickly as they can in the opposite direction, and manage to keep pace for only a few seconds before the monsters start to catch up. Not only are they quadrupedal and unusually aerodynamic, but Karua's wound is already starting to slow him down.
In a desperate attempt to slow them down, he throws some blood behind his back indiscriminately and sets it on fire. In fact, he sets all of the blood that's been leaking on the ground on fire. No reason to waste perfectly good bleeding, after all. "So, I don't want to die curious. I'm the only friend you have right now and what?"
"And I need your help more than you need mine."
"Well, isn't that sweet?"

Both Neshoba turn to see the source of the voice hopping down off a tree branch. It looks to be a woman with short white hair, in a somewhat dirty kimono, with a katana hung by one side. Either a white dragoon, an ordinary human with a striking resemblance to one, or a White Grass Neshobe relatively skilled at hiding her tail. In any case, and despite the fact that both of them would rather not deal with a White Grass under normal conditions, a sight of relief. She turns to the approaching monsters and charges at them.
She draws the katana and slices it across one Erynox's throat, and sheathes it again in one quick motion, making it appear that a silver blur was responsible for knocking it over. The others jump at her, and she ducks back. One of them catches the edge of the kimono, and it looks like it's going to tear it up or knock her down depending on which is stronger. There is another motion, just as quick as the first one, and two more are down, the katana stabbed through the neck of the one attached to her clothing. The one remaining--monsters never give up--jumps at her and receives a swift kick to the bottom of its jaw, making it bite on its own tongue. It pauses to shriek in pain, and that is all the time she needs. That shriek is cut short by another slash across its throat.

So within the span of five or six seconds, all of them are dead. She kneels over at the one still clamped onto her kimono and starts pulling its jaw apart. Both of the young Neshoba are too stunned to say anything until the snap of the jaw cracking in two brings them back to reality.
"Uh..thankth?"
"Yeah, what he said."
"No problem. I couldn't bear to see a couple of pups lose their first battle. Especially after such a dramatic revelation."
"Wait, you were watching us the whole time? Why didn't you help sooner?"
"You didn't need my help until the others showed up." Definitely a Neshobe. "Besides, I'm sure if you were exiled at such a young age you do deserve some punishment. I'd love to hear the story behind that."
"Can it wait? I'm kind of bleeding to death here."

"Just set the blood on the outer edge of the wound on fire. That'll cauterize it."
"What does that mean? Is that a real thing?" He's asking Gemini.
"It'th real. Hurtth like you'd ekthpect fire to, but helpth clothe and dithinfect the wound." The woman looks somewhat disappointed that Gemini said that last part. With his assurance, Karua does as he was told.
"AaaAAAaaagh. Sky-fire, that hurt."
"Now let me look at it." Karua sits down, and Gemini kneels close to work on the wound. He has read quite a bit about Blue Tail magic, but has never had occasion to use his own before now.

While he works, information is exchanged. Both of them tell the stranger about what happened to get one of them exiled and the other leaving so early, and in turn she tells them her name--Aurica.
The White Grass are a people who value deception. They aren't malevolent, they simply enjoy messing with people. To a White Grass, there are only three kinds of people: Gullible people, clever people who play along, and smart people who don't. They like second kind best, and the third kind least. Their spells are plant-based, but they have a unique ability among the Neshoba to actually alter their appearance. This power is not nearly the caliber of the doppleganger's: They cannot change their total mass or become capable of new forms of magic by looking as if they are able to use it, but they can look like other animals or even appear largely human. They can't change the color of their fur or eyes, or get rid of their tails, however, so anyone suspecting another of being a White Grass does have a few signs to go by.

Once their story is finished she says, "Hm...well, it sounds to me like it's all your fault. Not that I blame you."
"..What?"
"You don't blame him?"
"Nah. You didn't know what you were capable of. If you'd figured out your spell sooner and blew her up because you knew you could, that would be different. So you're looking for an eyeless girl, eh?"
"..Sort of. We need to get somewhere that isn't full of monsters first, though."
"Well, I was on my way to the main Blue Tail Camp. Since you're half that, I bet they would take you in..you sound pretty well-studied, anyway. They like the well-studied. And..there's a good chance your girl would visit there, since it's half her heritage too." Aurica moves her eyes from one of them to the other as she talks, just barely indicating who she means by each use of the pronoun 'you'.

"You feel well enough to walk?"
Karua tries to stand up, and barely manages it. "I guess so. Still kind of dizzy." Gemini gets up and take's Karua's arm, swinging it across his shoulder. "Urgh. And, still in some pain."
Aurica stands up last. "Don't worry, I have the perfect distraction for that--a story.

"Now, you probably already know that some six centuries ago, Lisare was able to put Invidia permanently to rest, using some information from Erasil and the help of Ichoneiji--not Xindaris' son, of course, but He of Many Souls. It was a valiant work, and it's a shame they were unable to make a repeat performance on the other five. But do you know that Invidia, before being cursed by the dragons, used to be Rithara's closest friend?"

--------------------------------------------------------------

I think I know what you are now. What you're doing here.
Oh?
You're my second soul, aren't you? You're about four and a half hundred years early.
That is hardly my responsibility. I have no control over when I come to you, I merely awoke.
I know, I know. So who are you, then?
I..still cannot tell you that, I am afraid. It is strange, I do not recall my second having such trouble explaining himself to me. Perhaps it is different for everyone.

So...what transpired after that?
She told a story full of deliberate mistakes and led us to the Blue Tail Camp. Karua got better. What else do you want to know?
Well, to be honest what I am most interested in knowing is how you got to where you are now. Working for a pirate. And distant from Karua, apparently.
You sound like a Blue Tail soul to me.
...My heritage was technically mostly human, but yes, I lived most of my life as a Neshobe of that Clan.
So you're familiar with their requirements for spiritual maturity: Research something meaningful and present your findings, or create a great work of some art or other.
Of course.
I decided to research pirates. Nobody agreed with my findings, but they were too well-researched and well-defended for anybody to refute them.
What were those findings?
A lot of things. The most controversial one was that pirates are a necessary part of airship trade, and the present economy in general.

I didn't let anyone stop me. Karua's girlfriend is obsessed with 'justice', but what she really means by that is 'revenge'. She was intent on becoming a peacekeeper captain. And he himself didn't agree with me emotionally. So after a while we stopped talking to each other.
And Verra?
She heard about my research somehow. Once I had been formally declared an adult and left the Camp to go find something else to do, she approached me and offered me a deal. And I took it.
I see.
What, no judgement?
What you need to understand about me as a second soul is that, I have already had my chance to live. The only reason I am with you is to help you. So it is my responsibility to aid you in what you are doing, even if I would have disapproved of it and even fought against it in my own lifetime. I have come to an understanding that even if what you do personally is somewhat..morally reprehensible, everything will turn out alright in the end. I may not be fully in sync with you, and I may feel strongly enough to stop you from doing anything to any of my friends who may happen to still be alive somehow..but I will always be able and willing to advise you.

..Good to know. Are we done here?
I think we still have a little time left before you wake up. Do you have any questions for me?

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If you remember the Karkat-gawking image, that's probably the apporpiate expression to see on both of them right after she pulled off the speed-kill stunt.

The idea of the second soul will be further clarified later on through proper exposition. Suffice, for now, to say that it's a Neshoban thing. And yes, this makes my earlier question a little unfair, as the correct answer requires a bit of information I hadn't given you yet, but trust me when I say there is a reason I wanted to ask you that question anyway.

[Ellume]

Interesting. So am I understanding this clearly that Gemini/Callor's second soul has awoken to spiritually help him, and in fact his second soul is a dead Blue Tail Dragoon? I guess I can wait to have the whole second soul thing clarified, but that is my impression.

> So if the second soul can't say who it is, ask what things it can do? How can it help? What other restrictions does it have? Can it say anything about when it will be able to say its name or any other stuff that is currently restricted? Ask what the most valuable thing it can tell you for your current situation is. If it can do more then just talk then what is the most valuable thing it can do for you in your current situation. Ask if there are any important things that would be good to know when dealing/working with this second soul. EDIT: If the soul can tell Gemini/Callor about it's life, then maybe he can figure out who it is even without being told. So maybe ask about the souls life.

[Xindaris]

So do you know anything else about these rules that keep you from telling me who you are? Like, what kind of other information you can't tell me?
Not really. It seems as if when I try to inform you of something against these rules, I discover that it is against the rules and find myself unable to do it. It is a most perplexing experience.
Tell me about your life. Just in general terms, to save time and dodge the rules a little easier.
Very well. I was born very far away from where I died. I was famous and relatively affluent at my death, but never cared much for either. I saw my great-grandchildren grow old and die. I narrowly avoided exsanguination once, centuries before my death. I have been employed at various occupations from medical professional to ambassador's confidant. I met three kings in my lifetime, the first of which was the most noble and one of my best friends. And the woman I married fell in love with me while disguised as a man. Is any of that helpful?

...Yes. Yes it is, actually. I think I may have it. But I would ask your opinion of a few things before I decide. First, what do you think of my thesis? Or if it makes you feel better, what would you think of it if you were alive?
I am certainly astounded by it initially, and then I am curious. On what evidence does your conclusion rest?
Statistics. All the numbers. Do you have any idea how many people are employed with the sole task of keeping airships safe from pirates? How many incredibly powerful in magic, good with weapons? The answer is at least as many as there are pirates. You build some peacekeeper coalition, start policing airship traffic, only allow official peacekeepers to protect ships...you'll be doing a great deal to stamp out piracy. And you'll be angering a great number of people, whose combined power is more than I can even possibly imagine.

Not everyone who works to protect airships is committed to justice. I would wager at least half of them are after something else--money, fame, excitement. There are a lot of loose cannons out there who would rather turn criminal than join any official policing organization. And that kind of thinking, with uniting the peacekeepers, could spread to the next logical occupation for people of that sort of power: Hunting monsters. Right now, there are practically no regulations in place. Sure, anyone who hunts monsters is just as subject to the law as anyone else. But if they can stamp out a threat as chaotic and widespread as piracy, it'll get someone thinking. Form the hunters into a more official coalition, go and wipe out monsters instead of just reacting to their attacks like we do now.

I don't even think that second part is necessary. Just removing piracy from the equation, or making an organized enough effort to do so, would take jobs from many powerful people. And they..at least half of them..will find things to do that are far less helpful to society. When you live for the thrill of the fight, you never take a job keeping up a shop. When you want to be paid well, you don't turn to farming. Best case, we have a brand new generation of pirates and robbers who know all the tricks once used to defeat their kind of people. Next to worst case, someone brings them together and they take over as much of the world as they can, creating a messy war and costing millions of lives. Worst case, every country on Aranor gets the same idea and an all-out war breaks out. Personally, I doubt our world could survive that kind of war. Right now, pirates and bandits and monsters are the common enemies. You take them away, and you end up with a world full of people used to having an enemy. And they'll make up new enemies if they have to. Personally, I prefer a relative peace to all-out war.

Hm. An intriguing argument. I would have to think long and hard to counter it. Am I to understand that you took on an occupation with pirates in an effort to preserve some sort of equilibrium?
No. I was offered a job, an extremely well-paying job that fit my skill set, and I took it. The conclusion my research has led me to is that it's all the same: The risk of being arrested is no worse than the risk of being murdered in revenge. There are vicious killers on both sides. Speaking of which, what do you think of Verra? Have you had a look at those memories?
I am aware enough of them. It seems to me that Verra could have been an excellent storyteller in another life. That is--she seems to be trying to create a story for herself, like an actress who never leaves her part. It just so happens that her part is that of an amoral, moderately insane, murderous pirate. She seems to want to be the woman raised by a monster who became a monster herself, but not merely a thing someone slays and is done with...rather, some higher grade of monster. I cannot even begin to sift through the psychological implications of all this. If I had met someone like her in my lifetime, I think I would have wanted to capture her, somehow disabling her powers, and debate for a while in an effort to understand her..and then to kill her before she could get away. I do feel she deserves to die for the horrors she has committed...but I know and respect that that is not my place.

I would ask you a question. Do you still feel that what..transpired between you and Aureia was her fault?
Yes and no. I think she deserves the blame for telling me something she should have known was going to set me off. I think I deserve the blame for becoming as angry as I did. But I think The Spirits themselves deserve the most blame of all, for setting up that whole mess. They did it on purpose. They watched me telling her we could escape for just a little while, and disapproved. Did they really need her too badly to leave her be for just a year or two--likely a tiny fraction of her life, or it would have been if not for her injuries? And they couldn't just tell her that plan was unacceptable..no, they had to punish us both for even thinking about it. I don't know if you remember anything of being a part of The Spirits, but suffice to say my opinion of them is not high at all. I hope I get stuck as Lost Soul forever after I die rather than be a part of an entity like that.
What happened between my death and now I genuinely cannot remember in any detail.

..And one more, if you would indulge me. If it is not too..sensitive. How exactly did your father die?
There was a huge bunch of monsters coming toward the Red Claw Camp, and my father happened to be hunting with the pack who discovered them. He knew, and they knew, that if they let the monsters into the Camp it would be a disaster. Kill a lot of people. They sent a messenger to warn the Camp, but it would take too long to get the message around, get the better fighters together and the weak, sick, injured, and young protected. They needed to delay the monsters somehow. The pack's alpha wanted to rush at the monsters and delay by sacrificing all of their lives.

My father had a better plan. Just a little bit of diversionary tactics, throw around a little magic, and the monsters would not only be distracted long enough for a proper number of warriors to get there, but some of them would already be dead or badly wounded. The only flaw was that the plan needed someone to act as bait. My father volunteered for that job to convince them to go with it. The plan worked perfectly, and the bait was the only one that got killed. Do you know what they told me and my mother when they brought in his mutilated dead body to burn on the pyre--the only death from the attack, I might add?

I think I do. But go ahead.
They told me he'd been killed by monsters. That was it.
I see.

..So, you believe you have deduced my identity? Something tells me the game ends, and its bizarre rules with it, if you are correct.
Good. That memory at the beginning--it was yours, right?
Indeed.
I was reminded of something by my last memory. Just a little piece of history. With long-forbidden knowledge from Erasil, the first dragon in ages to directly befriend anyone smaller than another dragon, and who was effectively a Neshobe in the long run...with the help of the Ichoneiji of that age, and after a desperate battle against all six unrepentant sins that ended up killing the most recent incarnation of the Silver Soul, you were the one who ultimately released Invidia's soul to The Spirits, freeing her of the curse the dragons had placed on her long ago. And now it seems I know you sought the Cat King's advice before beginning that endeavor.

Lisare. Were you disappointed Xindaris wasn't present to help out in that mess?
No. We all--himself included--believed his days of fighting were long over by then. He was more than double my age, suffering from a bad leg. He must have found his second wind somehow, something big must have motivated him to have ever left that palace, those archives. But I could not hope to guess what it was.
But I guess I've won now, haven't I?
I suppose so.
I find some satisfaction in that. Perhaps Verra's love of games is rubbing off on me.

And the morning comes.

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Half the world away, an unusual visitor enters the main Camp of the Red Claw today. He hasn't been here in over a century; he isn't especially welcome or missed, but he isn't unwelcome or forbidden, either. He comes like any other traveler, not like a native of any disposition.

After attending to some business, he enters the dwelling of the Choneiji. This one is unlike any other building in the Camp: Built with metal and stone rather than wood, made as sturdy as it can be, guarded at all times. She isn't busy, and he doesn't look particularly hostile or suspicious so he's allowed in with only a glance or two. At the noise of the door shutting, the Choneiji looks up.

"Hey." Her body is as covered over as it can be with clothing, but her face is fully exposed. There are old burn scars all over it, the unceasing evidence of the past. One of her ears is half gone, with what's left showing the clean cut of an amputation, long healed, and the other looks like it isn't on straight, the bones improperly healed.
"I never expected to see you again. Not in body, at least."
"Yeah well, I had to do some stuff around here..and I haven't seen you in flaming forever anyway."

There is a moment of silence. The visitor notices a bookshelf in the back of the room with several old artifacts and trinkets on it. "Nice collection." The Choneiji are not supposed to keep wordly possessions, but this one has made use of a small loophole.
"You want any of them? People keep bringing me this junk, and I keep trying to give it away."
"...Nah. I need to travel light anyway. Do they do a burned thing for you?"
"Not really. The joy of archaeology is all in going and discovering things, not in keeping and looking at junk."

After another moment of pause, the Choneiji speaks. "You want to ask me how I am, but you don't know how to bring it up without dredging up painful memories."
"..Yeah."
"Don't worry about it. I don't really care anymore, anyway."
"Are you saying you've forgiven him?"
"No. I'm saying it wasn't his fault in the first place. I was too trusting of the dead."
"Well, they're always flamin' right, aren't they?"
"They're right about what they tell you. They don't warn you about the things they want to happen. And I trusted the living too much, too."
"How's that?"
"I thought I knew what people are capable of. I thought being honest with them about everything would keep everyone just a little more sane." She sighs. "I'm more curious why you wanted to defend him if you thought he did it."
"I think it's just burning time to blame anyone for what happened. Nobody flaming predicted any of that. Nobody could have! Ichoneiji was probably sitting in his tent asking The Spirits what stupid obscure prediction of horror to make next, and they were like 'uh, we don't know, oh hey look some Lost Souls to fight!'"

"Egh..since it's out in the open now, how are you?"
"I'm alright. I didn't really have the energy or the time to be angry with anyone while I was busy trying to stay alive. And after that, I found out that I really just don't care."
"Hence the new name."
She nods. "Dimeos. 'Stone Heart'."
"Hmph.

"You know, you did a great job training your apprentice not to trust anyone. He's now officially the most hated and feared Choneiji who's ever lived. When he walks into a town looking like he just got a revelation and he has to dump it on someone the streets clear out in record time."
"Good. The less people know about their own future the better. It just leads to trouble."
"You really think so? Sometimes people need to know if they're really doing the right thing. Ichoneiji told Xindaris he was right to leave, and he'd return with a pack of his own, and look how that turned out."
"Maybe. But if you tell someone they'll fail at something it doesn't matter whether they accept it or reject it. Either way you end up half dead in a pile of rubble."
"You know, maybe it was your fault. You just took what they said as fact without thinking about it. Maybe if you'd given enough of a fire about your relationship to stand up to them you wouldn't be too busted up to hunt for yourself."
"Maybe."

"That's code for 'I don't care' isn't it? You're just as dead as you'd be if they'd left you in that rubble. You're like a Choneiji machine: Put in food, get out names and stupid cryptic predictions. Still about as much backbone as a fish." He angrily turns to leave. But the Choneiji has one more thing to say.
"...Did you ever wonder why Gemini wasn't crushed with me?"
"No. When you blow up stuff right in front of your eyes you get thrown back," he says over his shoulder.
"About half a foot. He was unconscious. The alpha officially exiled him, but I was the one who threw him out first."

He pauses at the door. "...Do me a favor. Next time you have some big secret to give out, just say it straight. Don't wrap it in flaming cryptic wordplay. Sitting in a metal box all day is getting to you." He opens the door and leaves without another word.

End Chapter 3

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I was really, really hoping for more questions. In fact, if you have questions that might fit into the flow of that dialogue please go ahead and suggest them, I might add them retroactively. The other thing that might be added retroactively is a portrait of pathetic Dimeos. Other than that, look at all this unsubtle mythos importing I'm doing here.

Next update, we rejoin the C&C siblings and crew. In the meantime: Comments, questions, discussion anyone?

[Ellume]

Hmm, I agree about wanting more questions before the revelation of who it is. Who, I actually have very little idea about who they are still.

Questions though... It is a little difficult to think of some since Callor is currently not really trying to obtain anything specifically or overcome some specific challenge. Although..
> Ask what Lisare's thoughts are on Callor/Gemini's project. That is about all the life he seems to have, so seems worth asking about. Maybe debate it a bit, show why Gemini thinks piracy is necessary.
> Maybe ask what Lisare thinks about Verra specifically?
> Ask what Lisare thinks about the whole dream? He spent all that time digging it up, so what are his thoughts? Does Gemini still think it is all her fault for what happened? Is he still angry about it? What does he think about her now?

I wonder if Callor/Gemini will one day go kidnap poor Dimeos in the ultimate act of piracy.

[Xindaris]

I've edited some of those into the prior post. But I'm not posting this mostly to say that. I'm posting this to say

AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Now, let me explain that expression of exasperation. I keep upcoming and prior posts in a set of .txt files in a folder on my computer. And after making a minor edit to the prior post (after the major ones) to fix a tensing issue, I copied and pasted it into the archive text and resaved the new version. Fine, right? Wrong. I saved that edit into the next post. And when I move an edit I use the combination ctrl+a, ctrl+v, ctrl+s in rapid succession. The bottom line is that about an hour or so's worth of writing on the next post now has to be redone, including a nice dialogued bit of exposition and history that I really liked. Hence.

AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Now I just want to play video games and work on it tomorrow. Is that okay? I hope so.

[Ellume]

Wow, that is unfortunate and an understandable expression. Take it easy awhile.

The talk does feel a lot more fleshed out. But I don't know about Callor/Gemini's argument, likely because if I was a character in this story I would disagree. But I also like the topic of logic, and when I read his argument I see this: If not pirates then the world is worse. Which isn't a very solid proof imo. I may write more about this and try to think up some more reasons to support his view too, but not today.

EDIT: Actually, wanting to argue against his point is kinda a cool thing to instil in a reader.

[deificAnuran]

Done exams!

Mkay so one problem with Callor's (I guess he'd be Callor by the time he's presenting his thesis?) is that there's a difference between suddenly removing pirates from the world and having them not have been there in the first place. In the end, his argument is the same: there are violent people, and they will do violent things. But consider the full situation if pirates had never existed: there would be fewer and less violent people (because military training does instill violence in a person) because there is no large threat to train to fight against. These less numerous violent people could focus their efforts on monsters. In the first situation, pirates disappearing overnight, there are too many skilled militants for the monsters to make an adequate Common Enemy. But if pirates were never there in the first place, this would probably work.

Why does Karua's text color change?

Questions for Lisare (don't know if you still want to do the whole retroactive thing but whatever):
> Ask something about why he did ____, some mysterious thing he did with no apparent motivation. It's a good opportunity to give some backstory on his life.
> Since we're on the topic of grand-scheme Verra, what's the logical endgame of her life?
> Get a better idea of the mechanics of second souls. If Callor guesses his identity and "wins," does that send away the second soul forever? Seems like you'd be giving away a big advantage by doing that.

I agree with Ellume (in a sense), more bad stuff needs to happen to Dimeos. And I'm guessing you already have some of that in mind, Xindaris.

[Ellume]

I think that if we follow your line of thought dA, then we could say that by slowly reducing the number of pirates it would be possible to achieve a situation like there never had been any. Which I would have to agree with. The reason I brought up my argument is that for any kind of If Then argument the only way to disprove the statement is to have the If condition be true and the Then condition to be false. I could easily make a similar type of argument that if all Neshobe were dead then there would be world peace. You can't disprove the statement because it is based off conditions that aren't true. In order to have a solid argument, we want Gemini to have a number of currently true statements that support his conclusion.

I think that "Many people are employed to defend against pirates" is a good statement to work with. Along the same lines you might be able to say that "it inspires research and technology to be developed to prevent piracy". Perhaps "It influences the prices of goods because of shipping dangers". Still it is pretty hard to conclude that "piracy is necessary". But you could argue that "Piracy is an integrated factor of the current economy".

EDIT: Also, the opinion rant about it would be worse off is just fine for Callor/Gemini to say. It just doesn't support his conclusion very strongly.

[Xindaris]

Chapter Four: A New Journey's Beginning Tangle of Tales

We rejoin the group of six--Conall, Charlotte, Leona, Khazu, Shazak and Terminus--in the morning, heading down a road south of Rysinth, in mid-conversation.
"It is highly disrespectful to refer to other persons as 'cherries,' Charlotte."
"But it's alliteration! Everyone loves alliteration!" Her brother just glares for a moment. "Okay, how about the Treasure Troop?"
"We are practically guaranteed to not find any treasure."
"Bandit Busters?"
"W-with all due respect, there may be no bandits," says Khazu.

"Daora Slayers."
Conall says, "Not only does that fail to describe what we are trying to do, but that name is already taken. Remember?"
"Oh, yeah yeah, you're right. Hate to be unoriginal. Flame Throwers?"
"That only describes the two of us. Unless you use fire magic, Leona?"
"I know a little. It isn't my focus, though."
"You seem to have accepted that the group will have a name at all," says Shazak.
"Sometimes you have to pick your battles."
"Maybe we should call ourselves the Charlotte Appreciation Club," suggests Leona.

Charlotte seems to be genuinely considering that for a minute or so. "...Nah. I'm not that vain. Glory Blazers?"
"I am not feeling particularly glorious today," says Conall. "We were brought together by a number of coincidences and none of us really has any idea what we are getting ourselves into. The most accurate and succint description I can think of is 'Makeshift Misadventurers.'"
Everyone pauses for a second or two. "That's perfect! I like that. Alliteration and everything," says Charlotte.
Khazu says, "That does sound accurate."
Leona shrugs. "Works for me."
"What do you think?" Charlotte asks the young Shadow Fang, in an effort to include him in the conversation. Terminus just nods; he's barely spoken since yesterday afternoon. He might have been taught to listen rather than talk, especially around people older ore more mature than him, or he might just be trying to save everyone the hassle of translating what he says. He also might not understand half of what everyone else is saying.

"So it's agreed then! We are the Makeshift Misadventurers. From here to the tomb and back, or bust! Or break a bunch of bandits' bones. Now, how about a story?"
"You want to tell a story?" says Leona.
"Hm..actually, I'd rather you tell one. I was taught to let the eldest teller tell a tale first."
"..Among numerous other rules Aurica made up so she could keep on telling you stories without interruption." says Conall dryly.
"No, I think she was serious about that one."

"Well, what sort of story would you like to hear then?" says Leona.
"It doesn't matter too much to me. Just whatever you're familiar with."
"Very well then. I am rather familiar with the stories of Xindaris, largely from playing Elestari's part. I resemble her quite closely with a change of clothing, and a temporary tattoo for my cheek. I'm actually of the Rain Clan myself, you know, though my mark is in a less obvious place.

"Now, when I was young, an apprentice in a traveling troupe, our troupemaster would always begin a tale in the morning, and wait till the night to end it. 'Survive the day,' he would say, 'if you want to hear the rest.' So I would like to begin today by telling what is known of the first Xindaris, the better-known one's second soul."

"<Wait..what does that mean?>" Terminus interrupts.
"He wants to know what that means," says Khazu, translating.
"I understood him. You mean you don't know all about about that already? Khazu, why don't you explain it?"
"Not that I mind, but, why me?"
"Because I prefer to defur any questions I wasn't already going to answer in-story to someone else. And a Neshobe should really explain this sort of thing; I'm more of a cat person myself. Also, I like using the term 'defur'."
"Oh, all right.

"Well, when a Neshobe is lucky or clever or strong enough to live to the age of six centuries, six decades and six years, on that particular birthday, a single member of The Spirits enters his or her body. Other than highly exceptional cases, usually involving those of mixed heritage, the entering spirit is from someone of the same Clan and gender as the recipient, who lived and died before the recipient was born.

"This second soul retains his or her memories of that life, but is--again, in non-exceptional cases--highly submissive to the original soul of the body, even willing to give advice on performing acts he or she would never have approved of in life. As someone who has experienced many years of life, and usually having a very different perspective from that of the original soul, the second soul's advice is nigh on indispensable for anyone who has one. Second souls have also been responsible for filling a number of gaps in known history in the past. But those advantages pale in comparison to the greatest one.

"When the first and second souls of a Neshoban body are in a state generally referred to as 'in tune'--which means that they agree wholeheartedly, mentally and emotionally, on a matter of sufficient urgency--they are able to temporarily combine into something far more powerful. And the Neshoban body is reshaped to best use that power. This new form, the Two Souls form, is different for each of the Clans--for instance, that of the Shadow Fang is a giant wolf with glowing red eyes and unimaginable strength."

Terminus listens carefully, but only seems to understand maybe half of what Khazu is saying. Near the end, however, a look of recognition comes to his face. "<Oh! You mean the living-again-in-another.>"
"...Yes."
"You did not recognize the term, right?" asks Conall. Terminus nods. "Understandable. It hardly sees use in everyday conversation."
"Then, shall I continue?" Everyone nods or at least doesn't object. "Alright.

"It was some two thousand years ago now. The Neshoba were very low in population, to the point of each Clan living in only a single Camp. And those Clans had become distrustful of the outside world, of all other races of people, and even of one another. While many wanted to shut themselves off from the world and one another, as much as possible, others understood what kind of problem this was. There was a Blue Tail named Roku who was especially vocal about this problem, and he suggested a plan to fix it.

"He would go around to the other Neshoban Clans, taking an ambassador, a representative from each, and bring them together in Rithara's capital. And they would discuss and work out their differences, mediated by the king of the day. There was enough support for him to at least try, so only a few days after presenting his plan he left.

"Roku went first to the Red Claw Camp, as it was closest. They chose as representative Rua, who was half elf, and happened to already be an old friend of Roku's. They felt that it was an expression of the most extreme tolerance to allow someone not entirely of their Clan to represent them in such an important matter, and he qualified for the job even without that consideration. So they moved on.

"Next they came upon the Camp of the Shadow Fang. The alpha insisted that, in addition to the representative, they should take along a bodyguard, for the way between the Shadow Fang and next closest Camp was especially dangerous, full of monsters. They agreed; and the representative the Shadow Fang sent was the first Xindaris. The bodyguard was his sister, Iokka. I don't know what kind of beauty she had, but her spell was an aura that amplified the existing emotions of those around her. Whatever the reason, both Roku and Rua were interested in her. Neither made any advance, however, because their mission was too important, and their friendship too valuable.

"They made it to the Yellow Moon Camp safely, and Iokka's help was indeed necessary for that. They had to rest a month in that Camp to recover from their injuries. When they finally left, they went with the Yellow Moons' blessing, and with their representative, whose name was Simeon. Somewhere along the way, Iokka developed an attraction for Roku. Among the Shadow Fang the woman is normally the one who approaches the man first, so that is what she did on their way to the next Camp. He insisted that they should wait until this matter of grave importance was tended to, and after some persuasion she agreed.

"They reached the White Grass Camp, and took another representative into their number. Her name I have never been told. On the way to the final camp, that of the Black Earth, there came a disaster. Rua, somewhere along the way, gained a second soul--many, many years too early. And this soul was that of Zeno, the elf supremacist. He was the one who began--created, more like--the Rain Clan, and who was ultimately put down by a coalition led by Ardan, the founder of the republic by the same name. He was one of those exceptional cases--not only an elfin soul, but one that did not feel submissive in the least. He could not bear being trapped in a body that was only part elf, and drove himself insane. Even in a body not his own, he commanded incredible magical power.

"It's possible that he had been there sooner, that Rua had been holding him back for some time. It's possible that he tempted Rua with something..some jealousy of Roku with regard to Iokka. But whatever the reason, Zeno took control of Rua's body and used it to kill everyone he could. The White Grass representative found a way to escape, and protected Roku by the same trick; she was unable to help the others. The two of them fled in separate directions, and nobody is quite sure what became of her. Xindaris, Iokka and Simeon were all killed.

"Roku felt personally responsible for the entire disaster. And he knew what it would cause. The six Clans each blamed the others for the summit's failure, and those who wanted to shut themselves off from the rest of the world had all the excuse they needed. Within a few hundred years many of the people living in those Camps knew no other way but that of isolation. He thought he deserved to die for his failure, but couldn't bring himself to any form of active suicide. Instead, he took a small boat and sailed out onto the ocean, expecting to die of starvation or drown.

"Somehow, he didn't. Somehow he survived the long trip across to the other side, to this continent. And after being rescued by some kind humans, he went on to live a life here, marry and have children. But the regret never left him, to the day he died trying to save a town from a fire dragon's attack. Most of his family was killed in the same effort, except for his great-grandson, who was still quite young at the time, too young to fully remember the unusual traits of his relatives once he had grown up in a land full of humans."

Leona is silent after that, and the six of them walk in silence for another couple of minutes before anyone catches on that she's finished for the moment. Someone might as well break this silence with some more standard conversation..but about what?

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Arrrgh, the diction and phrasing for the rewritten section (which is everything from where Charlotte suggests a story to the end of Leona's tale) was so much better in the original version. I just know it was. But it's never coming back. Urgh.

Rest assured that you're not supposed to agree with the villain's argument. But I will say he didn't give the whole thing, just some of the more important points; and it arises from a fundamental worldview that generally assumes the worst of people...or at least half the people. Anyway, arguments against the idea presented in your posts will probably make some sort of appearance sooner or later, in the mouths of someone who knows enough about Callor's arguments to make them. That club, including Callor and Lisare, currently consists of maybe four or five people.

I may as well mention that each race of Aranor has something unique they can do under the right conditions that allows them a brief burst of incredible power. I've already mentioned what elves can do (buried deep in the spiel on souls in this post), and with this post we know what the Neshoba have.

Since this involves a conversation between five or six people at once, I'd like to know if the conversing near the beginning of this post would be comprehensible with respect to who's talking when without the colors. I tried to make it that way, but I don't know whether I succeeded or not.

EDIT: This post is Ninja'd by Ellume but thankfully that post didn't contain anything to affect this. I might edit a little more into the previous post, we'll see. Things like what Ellume suggested in the ninja-ing post are among Callor's arguments, he just didn't bring them up in that brief discussion because he was focusing on developing the argument he had going on right there then.