Lucifer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thedevilwhorose) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2023-07-07 12:38 am
thedevilwhorose) wrote in abraxaslogs2023-07-07 12:38 am
Set my sights on the setting sun
Who: Lucifer
When: July and August
Where: Thorne, Horizon
What: Catch-all
Warnings:me apparently not being able to label prompts correctly alphabetical
Heaven talks, but not to me
'Cause Heaven knows that nothing good comes free ♫
[Will match style.]
When: July and August
Where: Thorne, Horizon
What: Catch-all
Warnings:
Heaven talks, but not to me
'Cause Heaven knows that nothing good comes free ♫
[Will match style.]
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He has other needs for this man.
He holds out a hand to gesture at the entrance, brows raised, partially hoping that Crane actually let him in.] Shall we?
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His hands clasp behind him as his voice softly echoes.]
Do you prefer my office or somewhere a little more casual?
[No reason had been left with the message but he knows not to take it at face value: people always want something.]
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[Good. He does share a preference for privacy on these kind of affairs. His path leads towards a bright and welcoming building with windows surrounded by flourishing ivy.
The entrance is unlocked - because of his presence and intent - and leads them into a distinctive corridor. Old meets new, steel and glass, iron and stone, with mosaic tiles that line the walls while columns line the aisle. The voices that whisper white noise are absent today, on this matter of business.
He gestures to a chair and immediately takes his own.
Let the man speak first. It's a nice test of character.]
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He does not, however, take a seat as offered. He instead wanders about the edges of the space, eyes up, trailing over walls, where they meet with ceiling, the columns. He keeps his hands in his pockets, and for all intents and purposes he just seems to be taking about an idle meander.] Thus far you're the most... mmmm... let's say cognizant person I've met from Free Cities. Most have either been downright barbaric or kept so neatly in their little bubble. Hoping for the best and not asking enough questions, unwilling to question.
[It's almost a slap in the face to the Thorne Summoned to have the freedom to be in that kind of bubble. He glances over his shoulder, words easy, light.] But you're a question-guy, aren't you?
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Perhaps. Or maybe he's projecting.
He keeps his hands pressed against the table as the man wanders around; inserting himself into every nook and cranny as though he owns the space. Does it matter, really? Architecture is mortal and will decay. Even these bright and ethereal corridors will vanish eventually.
Anyway. Deliberations are over.]
I presume you are fishing for information?
[A questioning guy, yes. A questionable guy, also. But a smart guy can be a good thing to have in one's pocket.]
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[Lucifer acts like every place in someway belongs to him. Short of rubbing up against everything, he's almost like an animal marking its territory.
But the longer he is in this space the more he just paces and keeps his attention to Crane instead of their surroundings.] I'm not looking to fish, I'm looking for an associate. You can't observe Thorne, I can. I can't observe Free Cities, you can. [He spreads his palms.]
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His temper remain unaroused. Everyone manipulates each other in some fashion. He's got better things to devote his energy towards.]
An exchange of information, then.
[He is not afraid of holding to his opinions.]
Though it begs the question why you haven't found an associate there already.
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[He shrugs.] I'm not the most socialite of individuals. I don't actually know many outside of my own faction. [But he knows the majority of his faction.]
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[Asocial. Antisocial.
Most criminals are. Many people are. Maybe he ticks the diagnostic criteria, himself. Not that he follows other people's standards. Perhaps they have that in common.
His hands reposition in his lap. This man is sharing what he wants but offering little in return. Thorne doesn't interest him. What fascinates him are its people, especially those in their position.]
Well, I suppose one question is how much are you willing to share?
[This man doesn't strike him as the kind to identify with his nation as much as his fellow summoned. Should he claim he will share everything then, well, that certainly smells like lying.]
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What are your interests? What do you value? I know you were potentially curious about the different societies and how they functioned outside of Cadens alone.
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I value my work.
[It's neither societies or nations that matter. Not the structures nor the people. His moral integrity might be dubious to others, but he will always remain true to what matters.]
There's nothing more frustrating than awaking in a world without one's purpose. Nothing convenient about losing access to years of research. Love's labours lost, indeed.
[He speaks so quietly, so softly, that one could find it hard to imagine him frustrated.]
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[He shakes his head, turns, leans against a wall. His arms are at his sides, scratching a fingernail from one hand idly at the surface behind him. Some part of him, Crane will find, is always in motion, even the smallest twitch.
If he's ever completely immobile, stone, that's the ultimate danger.]
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[It is a blunt and harsh assessment. His experience of education and employment taught him to fashion his way in life. To remain loyal and integral to his ideals and refuse to accept those of others.
He notices the restlessness - the scratching and scoring of his domain - and finds it curious not bothersome. Why fret? He can always replace the brickwork.]
They can believe we were summoned for a purpose but cannot replace our ideals with their own. Not without a significant amount of coercion. Or, I suppose, medication.
[The one thing he knows is how to blunt the mind and make it pliable.]
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But he doesn't have the power that he should to pull all the control he wants back to himself.
He's a puppet.
He shouldn't be, but he is. Dancing to another script, out of his Father's hands. The question is: would it be better if his Father was involved, or not?] Maybe your 'Free Cities' holds up to its name but I sincerely doubt it. Summoned are just pawns, no matter the territory they're brought to. The factions don't have to 'replace' ideals. They don't need that much effort. We'll always be less. Citizens with no voice. Silenced when they wish. Speak when directed. [Does Lucifer have issues playing to Thorne's game? Noooooooooooooo of course not, where would you get that impression.] Thorne says we're Summoned because their world is in 'peril' and our 'exploits' heard across the universes--there's some free information for you. It only takes some time with them to realize they're likely batshit insane.
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He listens, with attentive focus and a calm expression, to a passionate speech that back home would be labelled as delusional. But those standards are hard to apply here. This strange world with laws that deny science and physics - but not the knowledge behaviour is universal.]
If you are bound to whatever power they hold over you why would they ever permit you to be capable of recognising it?
[He had been in that position. He understands the anger that comes with realisation and feeling stuck. But he had carved his way into a new life. He had convinced some patients he was their confidant: offering comfort and council. Others he had drugged enough they entirely lost their ability to function.
The point? This man still has freedom of a kind. Realisation.]
Now will you take a seat?
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[Eyeroll.]
No.
[He will not sit down. The fact that Crane asked him means even more so he won't take a seat.
If Crane was having some issues with some guy that has the devil's name, the offbeat childish behavior might lend nicely to that.]
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He listens, patiently closing his eyes to think, calmly tapping his nail thrice against the table, before bringing his fingers to his lap.]
I thought a man like you [ha ha] could withstand a little pressure.
[Is he going to end up offering a man who believes himself the devil therapy? Wouldn't be the first time.]
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[So actually no. He's not great at withstanding pressure. Actually, just ask anyone from his world or anyone from Thorne: he's always on a hair-trigger, contents-under-pressure, always about to blow.] I ask you again: what do you want, that I may be able to provide? The Summoned are off-limits. [He doesn't trust this guy a lick and he's not providing him information of his only actual allies, even if many of them aren't in that category.
It's the constant mantra of what comes down on one of them, comes down on all of them.] What information does your 'work' need or are you just going to take the coin? [Providing the guy is willing to give Lucifer information, that is.]
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What I need is money. What I want are people.
[Perhaps they are at an impasse. The Summoned are off the table. But one pattern of behaviour is similar to another. There are hundreds of thousands in Thorne who fit the bill. Will the authorities notice if one or two undesirables go missing?
And were there to be a little war, well... prisoners would have to be taken, wouldn't they?]
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[He finally, finally takes a seat, leaned forward, fingers laced together, the first time he's really been something close to serious.] Nott is the bottom of the barrel. Borrel is the military center. Hayle is the gem.
[Take your pick of people.]
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[He will take his pick of people. He will not play the political game nor bore himself with mundanity.]
Well, perhaps we can make people interesting. How many live in Hayle?
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But no matter where is being pulled from, Lucifer might have a wildcard in the wind that he can pay, who's loyal to coin.
The asshole is already well-familiar with a particular Creed trade route. If Lucifer can find him.] Hayle has the largest population in Thorne. It's home to its most-prominent university, so-called having the greatest mages. [Slight eyeroll. Because ugh. Prestige.]
I believe I have a resource I can lean on to get in and get out of locations. [With the occasional plus one.] But I cannot get to Hayle to observe anyone necessarily interesting for your picking. However, many alumni come from Thorne and Borrel, and return home post graduation.
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Perhaps. But targeting individual cases requires greater time and expenditure. Perhaps were the situation were ripe to analyse everyone together...
[War is good for business. Nothing like a good war, right?]
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Nothing like a good war when they actually have replacement options for Thorne that aren't going to ultimately get them completely outright flattened by Free Cities and wherever Solvunn decides to land.
There's a reason he'd prefer the fey just to raze the continent because he does not want Free Cities coming out on top.
Ugh.
Why can't he just want war why does he have to care about strategy now?
What a joke.] You're not going to get what you're looking for until Free Cities acts or has something to 'fear' up their sleeve. Thorne has no reason to make the first move, believing themselves impenetrable and on top of the world, as they always have been.
There's yet to be a real breaking point between the factions. It should've been Solvunn, but Solvunn is like the middle child. 'That's nice, you did a bad thing, now go back to your room.' Ignored even for its antics. It's Free Cities and Thorne and all they've accomplished is throwing fire back and forth at each other and sidling back under the banner of begrudging 'peace.' [Lucifer will not be the one to encourage anyone to pull the trigger, not without a damn good reason--or excuse, as Thorne would likely see--to do so. He's in no position to either be listened to without consequence.] I need information to use in order to give you what you want, mm, so we really are at a standstill, aren't we?
[Or rather, take the damn payment, IOU people in the event that information procs genuine wartime.]
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