Meet and Griva
Log Info
- Title: Meet and Griva
- GM: Whirlpool
- Place: Resurrectionist HQ
- Summary: Some people have expressed an interest in meeting Griva Brassbringer. She has torn herself away from her studies of the Shards of Animus to do so.
Griva Brassbringer is seated in her office, such as it is. A non-descript home in the Lowers serves as the headquarters for the Resurrectionists. Defacto, anyway.
She's signing documents, expenses really, and talking to a goblin. The goblin in question is Fidget.
As the others file in, she lifts her piercingly blue-grey eyes in their direction, looking stormy at the sea itself.
"Seldan. It's good to see you again. I understand you needed to talk to me?"
As he often does when in this area, Seldan has dressed down, his armor appearing to be no more than weathered and well-cared for steel, a sword of ornate if antiquated make at his left hip, a ruby set into the pommel. Over the armor is an open-front duster-style robe, blue with silver traceries of celestial creatures covering it. He enters and bows formally, waiting at the door until acknowledged. "I did, Mistress Griva," he greets politely in a formal tone with a bit remaining of a Myrrish lilt. "We have - learned some things, things of which you should be aware."
Following in after Seldan is a heavily scarred mul'neissa woman, her verdant buckle jacket shoulder robed as bare arms clutch a journal against her black tank top. Aryia holds several copies of a list. Questions and answers, but only one has been given away thus far: to Seldan.
She gives a wave, watching Seldan give a bow before she gives one as well, hesitantly.
Her gaze shifts to Fidget, head quirking slowly to the side.
A brown haired elf wanders in behind the rest of the group, taking some time at the entryway to attempt to stifle a yawn, ineffectively as the wooden arm isn't able to reach their mouth, leaving the hand awkwardly hanging in front of their face while they were already finished yawning.
"Sorry, I am not trying to say that this business is uninteresting or unimportant, not at all." The elf adds quietly. "I think we met before? Hard to remember. But they thought it was best that the information they have was brought to your attention, and I'm inclined to agree."
"Thanks for the info, and I'm sure I can be of use to the...uh", Fidget snatches a bit of paper that had been hovering beside her, taking notes by itself, and skims the page for the name she's forgotten, "...ressurectionists. Plus, I'm sure they're going to get involved in lots of interesting stuff that can further my own research, too!" Fidget glances over her shoulder, "Oh, you have other guests? Is this... related, or should I go?" she asks.
"You should remain. It may be relevant to your task here," remarks Griva to Fidget. She gestures towards the spare seats in her office.
"Please," she offers kindly, "sit down. Shall I have some tea sent in, or is this a 'make sure you have your alcohol handy' kind of conversation?"
"That do I permit you to decide," Seldan counters, entering more fully and claiming a seat as bid. He does not, however, seat himself, looking instead to the two woman accompanying him and seeming to be waiting for something. "I would only have you keep both close at hand." A telling enough comment.
"We have come to discover, in following the trail left by Lady Belvade, that much more is at work than previously believed. Magic wanes, yes, but it is in my mind that it has help. Animus was slain by the Tempter, as you know, but using the Knife of Dreams, a weapon that our inquiries to the servants of the Dreamer say is now missing. Something targets the Tempter and Her faithful, something with which the man known as the Griever is likely to be in league. He produced from the vaults beneath Charn a - knife, of unspeakable evil." Something icy and hard lies within the even tones of explanation. "It was put in the hand of a desperate man, and turned upon the faithful of the Temper, who fled, likely to Her realm."
Aryia gives a side glance to Schara, an exhale puffs her cheeks out, as her expression cannot be read as anything other than 'this is going to be some shit'. She enters, grabbing a chair and kicking it around so she could rest her arms on the back of it.
Seeing as that Fidget is suggested to stay, she gives a little wave in greeting, but she ends up pointing to Seldan in agreement. Yep. Keep both drinks close at hand.
The mute consults her notes as Seldan speaks, nodding along, finger going down a list of notes. It seems like she has other points of discussion, but that's for later.
GAME: Fidget rolls knowledge/religion: (17)+9: 26
"Someone stabbed, and tore apart a lot of followers of Taara, after they all vanished suddenly to a pocket dimension for some not entirely known reason or purpose." Schara answers flatly. The elf wanders into the room proper, and takes a seat nearby. "We don't know specifics, we just know what happened at the moment."
Blink. Blink. Blink.
Griva just stares at Seldan for a long moment.
"Oh," she says after a moment. She turns to Fidget.
"It wuld appear it is time for the stronger than tea beverages after all. And tea. There is always a good time for tea. Perhaps I ought to mix the two today," she muses, pinching the bridge of her nose. "A knife of dreams, and the tempters faithrful are likewise terrorized by a knife, you say. A coincidence, perhaps, but , coincidences are still symbolic. Gods. The knife of dreams? Truly? I am no Elunan, but the name rings a bell."
Fidget finds a seat towards the side of the room and hops up onto it, perching on the backrest with her feet on the seat, it puts her almost at eye level with the rest of the group. She tries to match some of those names Seldan threw out with some of what she'd heard before, or had been mentioned today, and once again consults the notes that her unseen servant had been taking for her, remembering stuff is hard. She frowns as she comes up with at best, guesses at what half of what Seldan had said, and she pauses in her mental searching to give a quick smile and wave at Aryia.
"You people need to come with a glossary" she mutters to herself, and hands the piece of paper back to the unseen servant, "Write all those down so I can look them up later." comes a whisper from the goblin to the hovering quill.
In spite of the frustration at the barrage of unknown or partly-known terms, she does lean forward in her perch after unburdening herself of the paper, intrigued by the hints she has so far.
"Her weapon," Seldan answers simply. "The starknife that She, Herself, carries."
He turns his gaze to Fidget, regarding her evenly and steadily with pale blue eyes. "I would see to it that all who are to know, understand what it is that we face. If Mistress Griva has bid you remain, then shall I speak freely on the matter. Ask me that which is unclear, and I shall endeavor to explain."
"The knife that terrorizes the Taarans is not Hers. It was made by one mighty among the kytons, and must be reunited with the hand that made it to be destroyed. That have we also gleaned. It is a dangerous thing, and is now hidden in the vaults beneath Her temple, under wards. Once it takes hold of a mind, it retains that hold even when separated, and the breaking of that hold is - not a small feat."
Aryia grimaces at Schara's recount. It was something that even phases the stern pugilist. There's an idle curiosity at the floating paper, but it quickly passes as she goes to the conversation proper. A nod in agreement with Seldan. Her hands raise, and then flit about quickly. Even if one does not know the visual language, the gist gets across, "And whatever he doesn't know, I can fill in too. I've ran into several Shards. And other, annoying shit."
"Forcibly disarming the wielder severs the physical control. I think. Guy dropped like a ragdoll when I did it," Aryia adds in. <Handspeech/Tongues>
"Oh." Fidget realizes that she had, in fact, said that out loud. She grins in the awkward pause, "Yeah...most of that. I know The Dreamer's Eluna, the Tempter might be Taara? Animus, I've heard a little of and Griva here gave me a brief rundown of what people have been looking into. I dunno anything about that cool-sounding magic knife. Nor the Griever. Some weird name for Illotha maybe?" After a moment's thinking, she also adds, "And noone's explained why the Ressurectionists want to revive the dead god, though if it brings more magic into the world, I can see why that would be awesome."
Then Aryia speaks with her hands a lot, and Fidget gets a general idea but can't quite follow it, so she glances over at the floating paper once again, and complains at the air, "What do you mean you don't know Handspeech either? Unseen servant? More like useless servant."
"I would refrain from too many strong drinks, since this is an important matter and a clear recount of information is important." The artificer adds. "Maybe you could try some peach stone liquer with your tea? It doesn't taste like peaches, but I used to know some people who had a peach orchard, and they made alcohol from compounds in the kernel of the fruit, and my mother often added some to her tea on occasion."
"Not entirely important right now however." Schara corrects after a moment. "Yes, the person who was holding the dagger lost conciousness after Aryia forcibly removed the weapon from their hand, but they remained unconscious for some time, only waking up after Seldan dispelled whatever magic remained. But whatever that dagger is, it allowed what we assume is a single person to kill the majority of Taara's clergy in the charn region with little in the way of issues, which is concerning."
"As a member of the Khazadi people, I promise that I can hold far more liquor than anyone present. Except maybe here," She gestures at Aryia. SHE KNOWS.
Eyeing Schara a moment, Griva then answers Fidget's question.
"Everythin's been terrible since he died. He was the lord of Equilibrium. Don't you think things are a wee mite out of control?" She tghen nods towards Seldan, though, hearing his words. "...all right. That makes sense. Symbology aside, where did we learn of the knife of dreams being used? There's never before been any indication as to what Taara did to slay Animus." She clearly believes him, but she's concerned about where this came from.
Seldan continues to regard Fidget with that even, steady gaze, that holds nothing of anger, only a quiet pool of controlled calm. "It is as you say. Mulria the Tempter is my people's name for Taara. As to why they might wish to do so, Animus was the keeper of the balance. Magic is - shifting, in his absence. Out of balance. Places there are where no magic is to be found, and others where it collects in such a way that it may well explode, do we handle it amiss."
Now what is a man in armor doing talking about magic?
"The effect remaining upon the man was a mental bond, of sorts. It is as Mistress Aryia says, that forcibly disarming him sufficed to stop the acts being committed, but were the hold not broken, were the knife to be returned to his hand, they would begin again."
Griva's question, though, draws a long, slow sigh. "A vision was visited upon the Seers, and some few others, of which I myself was one. It went thusly -
The moon rises in the sky, a crescent, round and seamless.
A flash, a man standing at the shore in the sea.
The moon descends, slowly, creeping toward the midnight water.
A flash, a woman’s voice sweetly calling.
The moon slips silently into the ocean and the water turns red.
A flash, crimson spills across the tide.
When his recounting is done, he watches Griva for her response.
Aryia cannot help but snort at Fidget's antics. She waves at the gobber to get her attention, then points at herself. "Focus on me. It makes more sense if you're directly watching me sign," she gestures, slowing down the motions as she was quite used to present company either knowing the language or having gotten used to her supernatural communication.
She looks at Schara. Then points at Griva. Griva's goddamn right.
And then topics shift to Animus. Her brow quirking at the location of lordship. She bites her lip, listening to the verbal recounting of the vision. "Learned of this through a Commune with a servant of Eluna," she amends to Griva's concerns. But her mind is someplace else, fingers brushing against her open journal, across a few lines. <Handspeech/Tongues>
"Well, we didn't learn about the vision through communing with anyone, that was shared by a priest, and I guess Seldan saw it too." Schara adds in one of the pauses. "We really are missing a lot of the specifics still though. It seems that things are missing, and not even the gods know what is going on. I could look for more leads, but I do not know what we should be looking for. Is the dagger important when a god is missing their important god knife that we don't even know what it is entirely used for, or why it was stolen?"
Paying a little more attention to the handspeech after her attention is drawn to it, Fidget blinks confusedly, as she does in fact understand it. She must've learned Handspeech when she fell asleep on that book on languages last week. Or maybe there's some shenanigans afoot. Either way. She gives Aryia a nod of understanding.
Glancing over at Seldan, Fidget asks, "Is there more to the vision than the riddle? I can share your memory of the event with, well, at most two people today. One of which has to be me."
Griva's cheeks puff out as she listens to the revealed vision. Her brow furrows.
"...how does ... but that would mean... what??? Correct me if I am wrong, but if I'm understanding that vision correctly, what it's suggestive of ... it just can't be that way."
She scoffs, briefly, shaking her head. She looks troubled.
"Eluna herself did not commit the deed, Mistress Griva, or so we believe. Mistress Aryia, perhaps you would show her the results of the communing. Once again do I regret that I was unable to be present." Seldan again looks around at the others gathered. "If it is desired that I share my memory of the vision with those present, that shall I do. More is there to understand of it, but seldom are Her visions quick or simple to interpret."
"As to the Knife of Dreams, that is Eluna's weapon. The weapon may have been stolen - although if that be so, then where is it now? Do we locate it, we may understand more of what is needed."
Aryia shoots Schara a look and a scowl. "I'm not talking about the vision, I'm talking about the Knife of Dreams being missing, and the information surrounding that with a Communion with a servant of Eluna," she signs, holding up a sheet of questions and answers. It gets stashed away on her journal.
She turns to Griva. "It's a vision of the past. And when I asked if Eluna killed him, I was given the answer that the Knife of Dreams killed Animus. And the knife is missing. Someone used her knife to kill him. Shattering someone into pieces is something the Knife of Dreams can do."
She looks to Seldan, nodding once. "I doubt we'd be able to find it, as if a Commune doesn't know where it is, the answer I got was 'it's missing', then we're kind of fucked on figuring that out."
The mute takes a deep breath. Pulls out her sheet of questions and answers. And slides it over to Griva. "There is a lot of information there. I will point you to the last four questions that will interest you, Griva."
She shows her copy to the others for their reference.
-Does the Knife of Dreams slay by shattering a being into pieces?
It could have that effect.
-Do the Shards of Animus have to be brought back to where he was shattered to bring him back?
Yes.
-Was he shattered in the Sea of Mana?
Yes, in Equilibrium.
-Once the Shards of Animus have been gathered in Equilibrium, do we need the Knife of Dreams to put him back together?
No.
"I am saying that I don't know if the missing knife is more important or finding the hand responsible for the knife given to the prisoner, or the way to destroy it is more important at the moment. There are too many unknowns, and given the nature of your answers, it can not be ruled out that Eluna killed animus for some reason, as given my limited knowledge the answers were second hand from a servant, were they not?" Schara shrugs again.
Griva listens.
She listens some more. She looks at Fidget. Stares at her a moment. Not quite how she intended to talk to her about all this, but you know, the deep end is something you occasioinally juset get chucked into, clearly.
She does nod towards Seldan again, eyes closing. She has a stiff drink.
Very.
"... all right."
"Mistress Schara, it is not in my mind that you possess much familiarity with the act of communing with a servant of the deity," Seldan closes and lowers his eyes as well, seeing what it is that Griva is drinking - or, more likely, smelling. "The servants will answer truthfully to the best of their knowledge, but do not know all. Where they can, they will answer in the affirmative, or in the negative. It is not possible to convey long and complex answers within the power of the spell."
He turns his head, opening his eyes, and his gaze goes faraway. He blinks, in the way of one realizing something, and shakes his head sharply, then returns the steady gaze to the others. "The answer to the question posed regarding whether Eluna killed Animus, was not answered _yes_, or _no_. Had she done so, the answer would simply have been _yes_. Instead, the servant felt it necessary to clarify. Thus do I think it important to locate the Knife of Dreams, that we might learn more about they who stole it. I cannot pursue all, and the Griever remains a threat. I would know what he meant by _burn away the lies_. Who drives him to this?"
"We should also probably locate it because whichever god or gods shattered Animus might take issue with anyone trying to reassemble him, and it would probably be handy to have a shank that even a god might be afraid of while discussing that with them." Fidget points out matter of factly. Fidget has also located a flask from somewhere in her voluminous outfit, and she raises it towards Griva with a grin, and takes a swig. "You know, in case you need to kill a god, for self defense reasons, of course."
"How far has this vision been spread? Do you know?" asks Griva, cautiously, concerned etched all over her face.
Aryia turns to Schara. Steeples her hands together. It looks like she's about to sign something crass, but she ends up taking a deep breath and motions, "It's all quite important. As Seldan said, he, and by extension, we, cannot pursue everything collectively. We'll probably have to split our focus. We have friends we can tap to help with that." Another nod in agreement to the Silverguard. "I hold similar suspicion Schara, but trying to factor in too many unknowns causes action paralysis, and we don't have time to waffle on shit."
She leans forward, and helps herself to whatever Griva was having. A snort leaves her at Fidget's point. "Shit. I like you. What's your name?" she asks of the purple gobber. "I can help track down this knife. Unless you want me on Griever duty with you, Seldan."
She shrugs. "I don't know. A handful of adventurers that seem trustworthy and have a good rapport. Outside that- with Elunites...?" Aryia looks up to Seldan, taking a looooong sip of that spiked drink. <Handspeech/Tongues>
"The question from Griva elicits a sober stare from Seldan. "Farther than I would wish," he replies evenly to Griva. "A doppelganger duplicated one of the younger Seers and began to rant about it in public. I believe that I have sufficiently soothed the minds of those listening, for now, but well do I take your caution, that this be discussed no more than needed."
A ghost of a smile comes to his features at Fidget's remarks, though. "The point is well-taken," he agrees. "She is quite correct, that a weapon capable of slaying a god should swiftly be wrested from the hands of those who would use it thus, for the safety of all."
"..not wrong," muses Griva to Fidget and Seldan both. She rubs her face, then says, "...great. Great care must be taken. If word begins to spread that it could be Eluna or her servitors behind all the troubles laid at the doorstep of Animus' death..."
"I am aware of the basic idea of the spell, yes. I am also aware of the fact that unless it was Eluna herself speaking, then your answers are limited by whoever it is you are actually speaking to. I am not going to commune with the gods without knowing what to expect after all, and I decided it best to not be involved in such matters in the end." The elf answers after a pause. "Unless it was Eluna themselves who stated the answers, then it can not be ruled out. If a cleric can hide their actions from the gods, then why couldn't a god do such in reverse?"
"Regardless, it is not my intention to sow unsubstatiated theories when I am only trying to figure out what actually happened." The elf sighs, trying to nod to Aryia once. "Finding this star knife is probably more important, and I guess that I will refrain from mentioning these visions with anyone else."
Seldan levels an even and cool stare at Schara, and holds it for several moments, but whatever is passing through his mind, he opts to keep to himself. "A wise decision, I think," is all he says in the end. "I have had my fill of being hunted, and if held tongues are all that is needful to prevent a repeat, then that shall I gladly do."
He turns to regard the others. "We must locate the Knife of Dreams. Locate the hand that held the accursed knife, that we might destroy it. We must also learn more of that which threatens the Tempter, and it is in my mind that do we find that, we shall find that which attacked Animus as well. A mighty list of tasks, indeed."
Mul'neissa to Llyranesi relations seem to break down as Aryia huffs once and throws a hand up, opting to skull down whatever drink she managed to snag. "Think less, discover more," is the only quip she can muster before turning back to the conversation at hand.
"Right. Find the Knife of Dreams. You know, just find a god's knife like its in a drawer somewhere," she poorly attempts to joke before shaking her head with a heavy sigh. "Big list. But we know people. Can get this broken down into smaller parts easily. Disseminate. We've many more than just us here, Seldan."
Smiling and flashing her teeth, she loudly cracks her knuckles, "I can drag some friends out. They owe me favors." <Handspeech/Tongues>
"I would be lying if I said I had a non biased view of the gods. I just want to get to the bottom of this, and stop everyone from suffering because of everything going on." The elf shrugs again. "A lot of tasks, and incredibly difficult ones. Since this dagger was stolen once and was said to potentially be able to shatter a god, I imagine that if it's location is found there are many who would wish to get their hands on such an object."
"Find whoever gave the dagger to that prisoner may be a good place to start, at least. If he knew the dagger existed, he may know more about it perhaps, in some form or other." They consider. "That is a good idea to get further help from people you trust."
"Mistress Schara, it is said that the gods gave us two ears and one mouth, that they might be used in same proportion. I know not your story, but your prejudices will not serve you in seeking the truth of the matter, and continuing to air them to all you meet will serve only to alienate those who would aid you." Seldan's even and cool stare remains firmly on Schara. "None of us shall solve this alone. I shall maintain my focus upon the Griever, and wresting the Shard from him. Without it, it is in my mind that swiftly will his enemies turn upon him. The other tasks - shall remain for others, for I have family matters to see to as well."
"I do have a concern about that," remarks Griva to Seldan, thoughtfully.
"If this man you captured was his agent, surely he was watching him, yes?"
"You aren't alone in that, Schara. I hold similar views," Aryia signs, pointing to herself. "But Seldan speaks true. Cool it. Or you're going to piss a lot of people off and shut a lot of doors."
She nods sharply to Seldan. "Good. You do that. I can see about this Dream knife. Send me a message when you need brawn. I don't think this Dream knife and the dagger giver is related, since the latter is infernal in make. I think it lends more towards Griever's intentions."
Speaking of. She blinks. Huffs. "Well fuck me, I guess? He's in a warded cell. We didn't speak much about things around him." <HAndspeech/Tongues>
-End Scene-