<El-Cideon> OOC: Ball's in your court right now, really. I assume some manner of group discussion is in order, unless there's something else you all want to do first. Going to say we're at the next day and everyone used the time Erin spent talking to Grace to rest since that's likely desirable after weeks of nonstop travel.
<Yomi> OOC: Show us a movie!
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ah yes, I can do that first.
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: yeah, lets watch the reel then talk to Rena about her patricidal impulses?
<Erin> OOC: I figured we'd talk amongst ourselves about Rena before talking to her, if indeed we do? .>.
<El-Cideon> OOC: that was my impression. Anywho, lining.
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: sure
<El-Cideon> Morning in Erin's darkened living room, the curtains drawn for movie-viewing. A borrowed projector whirs into life and casts jittery numbers on the wall, counting down. 3...2...1...Action starts. No sound, just black and white figures in motion. Ivo speaking to a small group of men in military dress. (more)
<El-Cideon> They're in a storehouse or something, somewhere plain and utilitarian. Ivo walks to a pair of altars, one bearing an intricate, houselike box with a cross on top, the other a nasty-looking winged statue. Between them is a block of concrete. Ivo gestures to marks on the floor, a pentagram surrounded in illegible writing. Assistants light candles. (more)
<El-Cideon> A woman enters the scene. You recognize her vaguely, from a brief encounter in Istanbul. Stern, serious, solid-looking. Masha Konstantinova. There's a brief exchange between her, Ivo, and the generals, then she takes up position behind a metal frame with an opening that looks out on the altars. The others retreat to watch from a somewhat greater distance.
<El-Cideon> (more)
* Nadia_Chekova resists the urge to hiss at the sight of Masha.
<El-Cideon> Masha begins to gesture at one alter, then the other. The movements look very routine, rehearsed. You can see that she's speaking but have no way to make out the words. In time there's a disturbance in the air over the arcane objects--the camera can't seem to capture what it is with great detail. It's akin to a heat haze. (more)
<El-Cideon> This builds for some time. Sparks, tiny arcs of electricity ground themselves in the concrete block at the center of the arrangement. Finally, Masha raises both arms as if a conductor at the climax of a symphony, then quickly presses them together. The disturbances shoot towards each other. (more)
<El-Cideon> Everything goes white. For fifteen, maybe twenty seconds, it seems like the movie might be over, but then the glare clears. Bits of debris lie scattered everywhere. The concrete block is just a smoking stump. Masha's protective frame is warped, twisted, she herself knocked to the ground. Ivo strides forward, helps her up. Both take a bow. the film ends and the reel clacks noisily.
<Erin> OOC: This is the part where I pull a K:A check?
<El-Cideon> OOC: Sure.
<Erin> OOC: I'll take 10! For 26!
<Erin> "The demon was being quite truthful," states Erin, after a few moments of silence. "Her ritual was an exorcism, and the pentagram was there to profane the holy alter simultaneously. There is certainly magic of destructive power, but nothing quite so forceful, nor anything I know of that could be empowered so easily."
<Yomi> "Can it really be used to destroy an entire city?" Yomi asks, eyeing the reel doubtfully.
<El-Cideon> "So, that was a movie?" Rena says, apropos of the actual conversation. "I'd never seen one before."
<Nadia_Chekova> "It looked like a large bomb, but not *that* large," Nadia opines.
<Erin> "I can't say, but those were common altars- with some significance, but I would imagine not having that large a spiritual footprint," replies Erin, frowning. "Suppose, instead, one were to use a large collection of more famous items- or even a place, such as a church."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh..." Nadia doesn't understand metaphysics very well so she decides to take Erin's word for it.
<Yomi> "That helps us narrow it down," Yomi points out. "They'll need something as close to the city's center as possible, so if we add both criteria, just how many options would there be? If we can tell which city they'll be targetting, we should be able to find the place they'll use as focus."
<Erin> "Many cities held great churches and relics at their centers; Mecca springs to mind," responds Erin. "And places such as the Vatican consist almost entirely of holy ground. I think you're right, but there are no shortage of cities to choose from..."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Well... we'd need maps and enclycopedias, wouldn't we? And Erin's right, we're likely to find too many options to narrow down," Nadia considers, "But perhaps the British spies might at least be able to link our findings with their knowledge of German movements to identify their target?"
<Yomi> "It would be pretty foolish to use the Vatican, and Mecca's likewise out. Though yes, I agree that without the intelligence from the British we likely won't get anywhere."
<Erin> "Well, there is one thing. I doubt the Germans have anyone who knows how to peform this ritual, save Masha. And even if she isn't, I'd bet she knows who else can." responds Erin. "Grace is capable of performing a ritual capable of finding her rough location- it's how I was able to track Ivo in the first place."
<Yomi> "So if we learn that she's leaving Germany, we use it to find out where she's headed, and follow?"
* Nadia_Chekova perks up. "I think I remember you mentioning that, but at the time I didn't give it much credence since all this magic was so new to me."
<Erin> "Exactly! We can at least narrow down the city she's in, and give swift chase," replies Erin. "We should easily be able to pick it up once we're close."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Anyway, I think it's time for dinner," Nadia gets up. "Yomi, you can help me cook, and Erin I'll need you to show me around your kitchen," she subtly suggests for just the two of them to come along as she heads for the door out of Erin's living room.
<Erin> "Don't be ridiculous, I can't have you cooking for me when you're my guests!" exclaims Erin, bustling ahead of Nadia towards the hall.
* Yomi follows the two, rolling her eyes.
<El-Cideon> Rena seems oblivious to any subtext here, scanning book titles or looking out the window at passings cars and pedestrians.
<Nadia_Chekova> Once they're safely ensconsced in the kitchen, Nadia closes the door behind her. "So..." she drawls out languidly, looking back. "The film reel was interesting, but not quite as interesting as Professor Linden's journal, non?"
<Erin> "It reminded me of my own parents; always so convinced they're in the right when any outsider could clearly see them in the wrong. Of nature and nurture, I wonder which truly contributed more to Rena's mind..."
<Yomi> "I'm afraid even I didn't have much in the way of ethics when I was eight," Yomi admits with a shrug.
<Nadia_Chekova> "I suppose I understand ethics, in theory," Nadia allows a slight catty smile before her expression sombers, "But she did kill her own father. As much as my mother and I quarrelled, I could never have done such a thing... yet she seems so harmless, at least to us."
<Yomi> "She can't tell right from wrong. I don't think anyone's bothered to really explain why instead of just forcing their values on her, so it could be that," Yomi suggests. "It's always possible she's just not capable of understanding it, though as long as she can function in society, it should be fine. Given she's demonstrating the ability to learn and adjust...."
<Erin> "I don't fear Rena," replies Erin, though her voice certainly sounds a bit worried. "Left to her own volition, she only reacts. I don't think she'd use violence to gain something she wants, because she seems to want nothing. It's only if someone oppresses her, or if she feels threatened or irritated..."
<Erin> "You've been instructing her in swordplay, haven't you? How has she been responding to the lessons? Good student or not, does she show a desire to learn?"
<Yomi> "I'm not forcing Rena into anything, and she returns for the lessons," Yomi responds. "I think she likes new experiences, and probably finds it sensible to learn skills she can see as valuable to her."
<Nadia_Chekova> "To be honest, I rather like her," Nadia shrugs, "But now I can't help but wonder - does she like me? Might she decide I'm being too irritating one day and strangle me?"
<Yomi> "Given that Rena is honest, I figure that if you ask her to tell you when you're being irritating, she'll do that."
<Erin> "Even if she did come to dislike you, or us- I believe she'd simply walk away rather than force herself to stay alongside," replies Erin. "I think that her friendship with us, though- and I will sound very puffy now- may well be the best thing to happen to her in her life."
* Nadia_Chekova exhales and nods, "Yes, I suppose you're right. She does seem happy travelling with us, regardless of what happens."
<Erin> "
<Erin> "I must admit, I'd thought of having her stay in London whilst we continue our travels," replies Erin. "I'm not entirely sure our travels would be the best atmosphere for someone who must still learn of empathy. But it is my belief she would only seek to emulate or learn from those she has come to respect."
<Yomi> "Plus it's her choice, and she chose to travel with us. You can't treat Rena like some pet, and she's done nothing wrong to us."
<Erin> "That's not what I'm- well, that wasn't my intention... I can't treat her entirely like another adult, to put it that way."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I don't think she could ever have a normal life, being what she is. The authorities in any other country likely wouldn't be that much kinder than the Germans were to her," Nadia considers. "We may not be the best example for her, but it's the sort of world she lives in."
<Yomi> "Let's destroy the journal," Yomi proposes suddenly. "And any references to it in Ivo's notes."
* Nadia_Chekova shrugs. "I don't particularly care either way. I doubt anything in it would be a surprise to Rena, but there's nothing valuable there either."
* Erin scratches her head. "Is this to protect knowledge of Rena falling into the hands of those who might seek her out?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Oh, that's a better point," Nadia nods readily. "Yes, better to destroy it so the opportunity never arises."
* Yomi nods. "Ivo's dead, and his assistant will follow one way or the other. The German project involving her was scrapped and never appeared a priority, so we should hold the only notes available."
<Erin> "I made copious notes of my own on all of the files," mutters Erin. "I suppose it's for the best if I black out all the references to her, though."
* Yomi nods once more. "It would be for the best."
<El-Cideon> Once the morning meal is dealt with (and Rena's confusion about both the lack of dinner and the strangely early hour for this rumored dinner are dispelled), everyone sets out for the address given by Walker. It's a ways outside of London, a country estate amidst rolling green hills. The weather is clear and bright today and it's a pleasant enough morning's drive. (more)
<El-Cideon> The Fairchild estate is every inch the archetypal English manor: grand colonnade before the front door, flowers flourishing in a perfectly kept garden, acres of sprawling grounds behind hedgerows. A large, nondescript man with black hair answers the door when you arrive. He's not dressed as a servant, exactly. He looks more like a bouncer. "Yes?" he says, politely enough.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Good morning," Nadia smiles pleasantly at the man, taking the lead. "My name is Nadia Chekova - these are my friends, Erin Callahan, Yomi Iyasama, and Rena Linden. A mutual aquaintance by the name of Thomas Walker suggested that the good lady Fairchild would be willing to meet with us to discuss matters of mutual interest." Hopefully the name dropping will do it.
<El-Cideon> He nods. "Of course. We've been expecting you for some time. This way, please," he says, stepping aside to lead you into a foyer with hardwood floors, several doors, and a staircase sweeping up to a second level. Two dogs lounge here, huge wolfhounds of some sort by the look of them. Each has fur of the deepest black, that seems to shine a faint green in the light, like an oilslick reflecting the sun. They watch you with uncanny interest as you pass. (more)
<El-Cideon> They watch you with uncanny interest as you pass. (more)
<El-Cideon> The man leads you down a central hallway. Paintings flank you on both sides, mostly lush, colorful depictions of mythological scenes and creatures: a mermaid, a faerie banquet, knights in battle. He leads you past a library and through a sitting room before you wind up on an outdoor patio. (more)
<El-Cideon> A woman sits here, reading at a wrought iron table. She looks young, certainly not past her twenties. Nonetheless, she seems to have fallen behind the fashions of the time by at least a decade. Unruly auburn hair cascades to her waist and she wears a flowing green dress. "Ah, welcome," she says with a friendly tone, gesturing to chairs ringing the table. "Sit down, if you like."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Thank you, Miss Fairchild," Nadia nods graciously and takes a seat. "I am Nadia Chekova, and these are my friends Erin Callahan, Yomi Isayama, and Rena Linden," she repeats her earlier introductions for their hostess's benefit.
<El-Cideon> "You call me Myriam if it's easier. Or Lynn, that's my middle name. We've never stood on formality here." The big man takes up station behind Myriam, hands clasped behind his back. "Now, Walker sent you, so I assume we have a shared concern about the recent activities of certain German operatives?"
<Yomi> "It's more than a concern, if what we've seen thus far is considered," Yomi says, sitting herself comfortably next to Nadia.
<Erin> "That's right, although I was curious; he mentioned that you were following the activities of a particular colonel, whilst we were more closely following a particular scientist directing the military rather than the officers themselves."
<El-Cideon> "Both, actually. It's in my interest to monitor the status of artifacts of supernatural relevance. Consider it the family business. I have watched with increasing concern as these Germans collected such and made sequential visits to locations of arcane importance. Shall we share information? Apologies if I leap straight to business, but I have been waiting for some time for anyone to speak to about this."
<Yomi> "Do you know what they intend to achieve?" Yomi asks, responding with matching curtnes.
<El-Cideon> "I have no notion of what they might intend to do with these objects. Do the best of my knowledge, the specific artifacts are lacking in actual magical utility. What drew my attention was the locations they visited."
<Erin> "We know that the thievery of artifacts and the sacred places they visit are seperate tasks, to put it one way. We do have a good idea of what the artifacts can be used for, but not so much on the purposes of their visits."
<Yomi> "The Germans have a ritual that might annihilate an entire city, which uses these artifacts for power and sacrifices the one invoking it, and we believe that they can accomplish this," Yomi tells Myriam afterwards. "We also have good reason to believe they intend to use this ritual within the next few months.
<Yomi> To use it properly, they would likely need a very spiritually strong altar or religious spot, isn't that right, Erin?"
<Erin> "Er, yes, that's right," replies Erin. "The religious icons revered the most tend to also be rather difficult to move."
<El-Cideon> "Is that so?" Myriam says with some obvious distaste. "I had assumed the purpose of their visits was to arrange some great and terrible work of magic, based solely on the places they chose to visit. I wasn't sure what purpose the artifacts served. Where do you believe they intend to perpetrate this act?"
<Yomi> "We were hoping you might tell us, based on what you know of their movements."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Logically it would be a city with a great temple at its centre, and one not friendly to Germany," Nadia posits, "But that's still likely a large list."
<Yomi> "The best target would be London," Yomi notes. "Whether Ivo's assistant could set up shop here is another matter entirely."
<El-Cideon> "What I know of their movements is that--well, I should explain why I began to suspect something was amiss. There are numerous places around the world where the Earth's natural energies converge and focus. Magical undertakings are often easier to perform there; these places are usually recognized subconsciously as being important even by unsuspecting commoners. Great structures are often erected there, or they may be the site of geographical features that dominate the surrounding countryside." (more0
<El-Cideon> or they may be the site of geographical features that dominate the surrounding countryside." (more)
<El-Cideon> "If someone wished to power some great arcane project, it would be natural to utilize these sites for that purpose. When I heard from friends abroad of this same band of Germans visiting these locations in sequential order, it was only natural to assume that this was their purpose." (OOC: anyone with K:A can roll here, also.)
<El-Cideon> "I find it hard to believe that they could set up shop in London and avoid notice, personally."
<Erin> OOC: I'll take 10!
<Erin> "The Lodge would definately notice any large-scale magical ritual within the city itself," replies Erin. "The trouble is that in much of the world, magic is a dead art, even in the so-called centers of spirituality. There would be many places where none would take any notice until it is too late."
<Nadia_Chekova> "What about Paris?" Nadia asks, "Countess Masha, the one likely to be casting the spell, has allies there she could dupe into helping her. And France is no friend of Germany."
* Yomi frowns in thought. "Perhaps it is best to take a step back, first. The Germans pursued two projects, Myriam. One is as you've heard, having to do with a ritual to utilize these normally harmless focuses of worship with great destructive powers. The other had to do with a man going by Roscoe Elgin.
<Yomi> He was possessed by some manner of being while on a trip to the Soviet Union, and later assisted Ivo in trying to free some kind of sealed ancient master. It was powerful, and related to fire in some way-- Erin, did you by chance keep some of the runes you copied from one of the seals?"
<El-Cideon> "The arcane arts are sorely neglected in this day and age, yes," Myriam says to Erin. "Hence my concern. I do not normally trouble myself to interven in international politics, but all this militaristic bluster coming from Germany these past years? I have heard this kind of talk before and there is only one place it can lead. It's only a matter of time. I don't wish to see them accomplish whatever their goals might be here."
<El-Cideon> might be here."
<Erin> "I do have the tracings we made," replies Erin, fishing out a notebook and placing it on the table. "I've heard enough of their twisted ideology to know it has no place amongst decent people," she adds, hotly. "They cannot be allowed to possess tools of such destruction, at any cost!"
<El-Cideon> Myriam takes the tracing and examines it for a moment. "I've seen the like, on rare occasions. A great many magical objects pass through our possession. There are some that defy known methods of production, and I can only guess at their age. I have only seen this writing associated with them. Where did you find this?"
<Erin> "Not on Earth, but on a world that shares a border with it," replies Erin, although she still sounds quite uncertain. "The etchings were difficult to translate completely, even with magic, but they were from a tombstone honoring those who made a sacrifice."
<El-Cideon> Myriam frowns. "Did you go this other world yourselves? How and from where did you reach it? I apologize for focusing on this to the exclusion of other subjects," she nods to Nadia and her overlooked question, "but this talk of ancient mysteries and beings, it raises some very old questions for me."
* Nadia_Chekova shrugs agreeably. "While much of it lies beyond my understanding, I can see how compelling it can be."
<Erin> "
<Yomi> "Can you share those questions with us, so that we might see their significance as well?"
<El-Cideon> "It's as I've said before. In our work, we sometimes come across suggestions of a civilization vastly older than any recorded history. Perhaps human, perhaps not. I would very much like to know *what* it was and what happened to it. As I've said, works of magic such as casually visiting other worlds is quite beyond our means these days. I would like to know who accomplished this."
<Erin> "It may be the world from which the first mortals Ascended," posits Erin, quite uncertain. "It was a bleak and empty place, occupied only by ghosts and darkness."
<Yomi> "Considering it was a graveyard, we shouldn't expect much," Yomi muses, before addressing Myriam, "How would you like to visit one such spot? We know enough of them to attempt this."
<El-Cideon> "A tomb in more than name, then? Hm." To Yomi: "For various personal reasons, I have difficulty leaving home for extended periods of time. It would have to be close by. If my speculation is correct, however..." She turns to the large man. "Mat, fetch the ley map, will you?"
<El-Cideon> He leaves for a moment. "I have many friends abroad," Myriam says. "At the worst, I can have one of my correspondents accompany you and be my eyes." Soon, the man returns with a weathered map of the world. Various locations are circled, with lines drawn between them.
* Yomi draws Ivo's travel documents, for her part, to compare their notes.
<El-Cideon> Quite a few locations overlap between Myriam's chart and Ivo's destinations: one near Stockholm seems to be closest, but there is also one in Spain and Greece, as far as Europe goes. Several familiar names in the middle east and Africa also occur on both.
<Erin> "We'd be better off trying one of the locations Ivo hasn't visited yet, I think," remarks Erin, comparing the maps. "At the location we visited in Petra, he had destroyed the tombstone; surely it would be more informative to see one still intact?"
<Yomi> "It might be interesting to visit a spot that fits the theme for the seals we know, yes," Yomi agrees. "A bit more dangerous, certainly, but without a doubt far more rewarding."
<El-Cideon> "What I have marked here are the Earth's ley points," Myriam says. "Think of them as wellsprings of natural arcane energy. My correspondents often find it convenient to live near such places and notified me of the same band of Germans visiting the vicinity. This is how the matter came to my attention."
<El-Cideon> "You may have to go far afield for that, if my suspicions are correct. They completed their circuit of Europe and Africa, did they not?"
<Erin> "Yes, but our travels will be taking us to distant locales as a matter of course," replies Erin.
<Yomi> "It might be a strange suggestion, but what if the Germans decided to combine the two projects? Wouldn't one of these spots be usable to power their other project with destructive results?"
<El-Cideon> "Ah. Well, you have your pick, then. And there may be some value yet in visiting locations they've already reached, simply for the purpose of research, either by investigating more such tombs or those from whom the Germans stole--as I gather their acquisitions were not always voluntarily offered."
<El-Cideon> "That would be an efficient way to go about things, Yomi. And they are nothing if not efficient, no?"
<El-Cideon> "It would be reliant on these locations being places it is advantageous for them to destroy, however."
<Yomi> "The one in Istanbul is easiest reached. Unlike the spots in Jerusalem or Petra, they didn't require traveling through sewers or lengthy drives out into the middle of nowhere. We could head there and compare notes before seeking out a fresh one."
<Erin> "Would these locations truly fit into their existing ritual?" asks Erin, doubtfully. "Certainly, they are at the focal point for ley lines, but I can't say if the tombs in the other worlds are inherently sacred in the same way our human relics are."
<Yomi> "It's merely a possibility. Do you feel confident in ignoring it?"
<El-Cideon> "I could not say for sure without seeing one," Myriam says with a shrug. "But take the chart, if you like. I have other copies. I can say that this location--" she points to the one in Sweden, "--is the earliest occurrence I heard of these men, but I don't know if that has special meaning or not."
<Erin> "There are many possibilities. We will certainly find out when we encounter the Germans next," replies Erin. "It did just occur to me, though, that these tombs were ancient, and warded with magical protections- but a spiritually-fueled detonation of the type they can produce may have been the key to breaching those defences..."
<Yomi> "I don't know about that," Yomi hedges. "Even in the film we saw, a protective frame was required to avoid the explosion. And Ivo only had one assistant who could do the ritual."
<El-Cideon> "Film?" Myriam says.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Ivo made a film of what we think is a smaller scale version of the destructive ritual," Nadia pats her handbag. "If you have a film projector we could show it to you."
<Yomi> "I said that we had good reason to believe the Germans can achieve this, didn't I? That film is part of it."
<El-Cideon> "I would appreciate seeing it for myself, yes. Information is power, after all."
<Yomi> "Pardon my bluntness," Yomi tells Myriam, "but perhaps you could share some more with us first? At the onset, you've proposed pooling our knowledge together, but other than a map of leylines, is there anything you know that might help us in any way? I don't wish to keep high expectations and be let down, that is all."
<El-Cideon> She doesn't seem offended. She's smiling, actually. "I didn't mean to suggest that I already had all the answers for you. But I believe that I could make sense of everything given sufficient time and information. I meant to propose more of an ongoing partnership. Keep me informed of your travels; anything magical that perplexes you, I can explain. there is not a human being in this world more knowledgeable of such matters than I am, I can assure you of that." (more)
<El-Cideon> more knowledgeable of such matters than I am, I can assure you of that." (more)
<El-Cideon> "Find me unknown languages and I'll decipher them. I can make sense of any mysterious artifact you encounter, given time. I can provide you with more of such, if you think they will help. They may well, next time you encounter the Germans, come to think of it." She removes a ring and bracelet from her right hand an places them on the table.
<Yomi> "What about more mundane matters?" Yomi inquires. "Is there a way the importance and severity of this matter could be properly conveyed to those in positions of power, so that the matter of tracking Countess Konstantinova's movements, at least, were made easier? Without that, we are forced to heavily rely on luck to stop her."
<El-Cideon> "It depends on how convincing the proof is of their intentions. The authorities sometimes come to us because we are adept at making certain curious problems disappear, but I am far from being an influential member of the government. If I am unable to convince those in official positions, however, then I have friends who I think could keep a discreet watch on her movements."
<Erin> "We need to stop her carrying out her mentor's will as quickly as possible. Their goals aside, their methods are quite reprehensible," murmurs Erin.
<Yomi> "We believe that if we know Masha is on the move, we could track her down. But we obviously cannot do that constantly, so on our own, we are limited."
<Yomi> "A matter tangentially relevant to this is that one of the objects of worship is a snake idol that had been worshipped by a cult of cannibals, from accounts," Yomi adds. "A man working with the Germans in Saudi Arabia held it, yet he and his guards were slaughtered one night.
<Yomi> Would it be possible for you to have one of the friends you've mentioned look into it, and see if the two matters are related somehow?"
<El-Cideon> "This film, she is depicted in it or not? I can find her without much trouble knowing as little as her description, if need be. From there, it's a matter of detailing someone to track her movements. My correpondents are quite good at remaining incognito and unobserved."
<Yomi> "Let's watch the film, then. It should help visualize the threat."
<El-Cideon> "Cannibals? My. What was this man's name? That will make things easier."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Abdul Hassan," Nadia offers. "An Anglophile living just outside of Mecca... until his demise, anyway."
<El-Cideon> She nods. "I'll look into it. I can devote some time to research what their possible targets could be, as well."
<El-Cideon> Soon enough, everyone heads indoors to a library to follow Yomi's suggestion. Myriam is silent during the movie. Then, once the lights are back up: "Grotesquely ingenious. Quite the perversion of divine rituals. I had never considered using them for such a purpose before. I say that with some pride, of course, much as I'd normally not like admitting to ignorance.
<El-Cideon> "
<Erin> "What surprised me is that none of these items held any magical power of their own that I could see," remarks Erin. "The fuel was entirely that of how symbolic the icons are, rather than anything tangible, even to me. It's as though it's the opposing ideas generate the explosion, rather than any physical force."
<El-Cideon> "Belief has power of its own. It seems they simply found a way to extract and exploit it. It's akin to ripping the soul from a living being, really."
<Yomi> "It could always be that this is something we can't sense, having never required the development of methods like this," Yomi adds. "I couldn't tell Elgin apart from a normal human, yet he was clearly not one. This could be similar."
<El-Cideon> "There were no distinguishing traits at all? I had thought to check my archives for anything similar, if there was anything helpful you could say about him or this force that took him."
<Yomi> "Other than the fire and the symbols on the seal, which appeared to be a great, sundered tombstone? A demon Ivo kept referred to Elgin -- or the being possessing him -- as Something Else and was clearly uncomfortable at its existence." Yomi pauses. "Another venue of investigation is the place where Elgin was possessed, quite possibly, if you know anything about it."
<Erin> "All we know for certain is that he was transformed in Siberia, during a journey to the site of a fallen meteor."
<Yomi> "We have his travel diary, if that would be helpful."
<El-Cideon> "It may. And Siberia? There's a convergence of ley lines there as well, quite isolated and far from distinct landmarks, unlike most others. Interesting."
<Yomi> "Any of them bordering the site of a fallen meteoerite?" Yomi asks, providing said diary.
<Erin> "I feel it would be unwise to travel there unless all other avenues of investigation prove fruitless," remarks Erin. "If Elgin was transformed, then so could others."
<Yomi> "Oh, certainly. But knowledge might exist even without traveling there."
<El-Cideon> Myriam seems to search her memory for a moment. "They're very close, actually. There was an astronomical incident not far from there in 1909. Hmm."
<El-Cideon> "It could narrow down my research, at least. I could look for similar transformations within Russia?"
<Yomi> "I certainly hope you won't find anything," Yomi mutters.
<El-Cideon> ~