OPEN MINGLE: Time to Talk, Summoned!

[magicalarchaeologist]

Who: Istredd, Wanda, and all the Summoned
What: Istredd and Wanda called people to the meeting to give an info dump, let people ask questions or share their own information, and then a hang out after with refreshments so people can chat after and make new CR or check in with old CR.
Where: Istredd's Horizon
When: Saturday, September 9th, at midnight so less attention given to them.
Warnings: Discussion of the game plots including all content warnings up to now like psychological thriller, horror, the cult kidnapping, gods being trouble. Abraxas is a wild place, friends.

HORIZON AND SET UP

The Lighthouse was described by Istredd in detail so people would know where to go. During this mingle, it will continue to shine and circle around like a normal lighthouse so people know where to go. His domain is unique for being essentially a tower of books. Shelves upon shelves of books and multiple floors. The only other detail before the talk starts is that there are five ravens who will be curiously watching everyone from a perch nearby. Your character may end up with a lapful of one of the two leosylphs who live here, one baby blue colored and the other one black with red eyes.

The main floor has been turned into a large meeting hall of a sort, although mostly in terms of having a large space full of chairs and a few tables if people wish to sit there. Your character can perch anywhere they want including up a floor. A key note about Istredd's domain is that people can easily morph chairs or create them in whatever form they'd want, so if you want them to have their childhood chair, go ahead. If they want a gaming chair, it'll show up automatically for them. His space is very intuitive. People can choose to speak either from the back of the room, as Istredd will do, or from where they sit/stand.

If your character wants to attend but not be noticed, they can intuitively use his Horizon to mask themselves/go invisible. Istredd will not call you out, Henry Creel.

After the initial formal talk and information gathering, Istredd will ease up the more formal atmosphere of the large hall and create a food and drink section against the walls. Wanda assists him in making this look nicer and homier. There will be extensive offerings but people can add any type of food or drink to this, it's up to them to modify it.

If your character would like to explore the library or get a beat to themselves/talk privately with someone, they can do that by wandering the floors. People will find that if they open a book it will appear to be empty at first, but if they think about their favorite book, the pages will fill in. It is entirely based on their recollection of the book so may not be entirely complete, but if their subconscious mind has memorized much of it, they will see what they need to in there.

They may also find that as they move through the floors, a 'reading nook' may appear in the corner that will instinctively know what they would feel comfortable sitting to read with. They can also 'lock' this room if they want to discuss something with another person and need privacy.

ISTREDD'S SPEECH

[Istredd will wait until it appears everyone has arrived or most people have and he will clear his throat to get their attention if they are already chatting with other people. He appears as he often does in Thorne, with very plain clothes in a dark shade of blue, serious and calm. He stands straight-backed, hands clasped behind his back. Istredd speaks in a very clear and calm way.]

Please sit or stand as you feel comfortable. If you want, you can create any chair you wish to sit in. After the initial conversation, food and drinks will be provided and you are free to add your own favorite dishes. This is intended as an information-gathering conversation. Last year, Sam Wilson hosted something similar to keep the Summoned informed, and a great many things have happened since. Wanda and I thought to do the same this year.

We posted on the network a breakdown of what happened with the kidnapping earlier this year. If you missed it, the general idea was that a cult from Solvunn took half of the Summoned and held us in a pit, where they were experimented on. The cult's intention was to try and take the connection the Summoned have to the Singularity, and what they believed to also be a connection to their gods.

It should be noted that Thorne tried something similar early on in the Summonings. Their experimentation also did not work, as far as we know. We thought it prudent to keep every Summoned informed of what happened in case something like this happens again. We have put forward from the Solvunn and Thorne conclave a request to our factions to allow us to have access to the island. We'll let people know what we hear.

I also put together a history timeline of the Summoned.

[He pulls out a blackboard with this list written down over it in clear readable words. He points to the February 20,078 section where the details about the kidnapping are written out in particular.]

If anyone would like to add notes or months I missed, please either write it yourself or let me know and I will add it. I am hoping to keep this an active timeline for us. This will always be available in my library here to anyone who wants it. We have also been given a pantheon of the gods from our friends in Solvunn that is also available in here.

I have been taking notes since I got here about general information that may be of interest to people when they arrive, including details about magic, the Singularity, and the factions. They're very broad but you can read it on this.

[He creates another blackboard to the side, also able for other people to make notes upon.]

I don't want to be talking this entire time, so instead I would like to invite people to share any findings or information they have that they think the whole group should be aware of, and also ask questions that could be answered or talked about. Please be polite with one another and understand there are some things we simply do not have the answers for as of now.

There are less than a hundred of us, and I believe it is important that we stay on the same team. Thank you. Feel free to eat and talk, or wander in the library.

OOC NOTES

Hey everyone, it's Dee! I am so sorry for the tl;dr. I have the headers below: Speeches (information sharing/tl;dr like mine), Questions (you can specify what exactly they have questions about), adding to the info dumps I have, and whatever else you think of.

If you want your character to speak/offer information but don't want follow-up questions, you can put 'OTA' or 'no follow-up' to indicate what your preference is here. If you put OTA people can reply with a sort of Q&A option, but the no follow-up idea is so that people can share information but not need to commit to that unless they feel like it.

And from there, mingle to your heart's content! Your characters can talk afterward, before, go explore the library, whatever you want, I support it. You can plan closed or open starters, follow your heart.

If nothing else, I want people to take from this mingle that their character can hear any of this information or see it in the library and have it from now on for your RP purposes, and take this opportunity to maybe make new CR/discuss all of this. Do as much or as little as you want! If you have any comments/concerns, please message me on plurk.

Comments

Information Sharing

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ooc: feel free to have your character respond to this with their own information they think important to share. This can lead to back and forth convos or feel free to say 'closed' if you don't want responses.]

[mobezon]

{ he steps forth to say his part and mention his name before slipping back off the spotlight. he isn’t difficult to find by looks alone, and he isn’t going to pretend he can easily blend in. people can seek him out if they want to. maybe some have figured out he’s solvunn’s residential vampire. }

Besides a few unaffected, there were two camps of infected folks as noted. It came about differently in how we were under the influence. Many were rejecting the ascension leading up to the ritual as I understood it, but some of us had been under some succumbing influences and underwent full transformation. I was in the latter. If you have questions, I am willing to answer. I just ask you be mindful.

{ don’t be disrespectful. }

Questions

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ooc: feel free to have your characters ask or theorize anything they want here to the group.]

[itookashot]

[ Jesper stands up, waves with a bright smile. ]

So ... when we were trying to find out where you lot were, me and Sam Winchester went to Aquila and Andromeda Bay. They sent me down to the bottom of the water with this gear, it was pretty wild, but that's not the point. We found the wreck of a ship, but the thing is, it wasn't the one that went missing we were looking into. We followed clues there from bandits who had admitted to moving natives for the cult. Which means, probably, the shipwreck was teleported elsewhere.

This is like a question-info thing at once. The thing is I think we all came to the conclusion that the weird dessicated places were probably teleportation, right? They had to get all of you to the island. So this is what I'm wondering. If they were using a special High Magic spell that allowed them to teleport whole groups of people ... could it be something we can learn and do too? And by we I mean people in Solvunn, 'cause we don't have access, but if we can learn how to do our own group teleportation spell? It'd come in handy.

[everybodysterrible]

"Did anyone else get a creepy 'join the fey' sales pitch at the ball back in June?" Abby askes during a break in things, she hadn't really brought it up too lost in her own crap to really focus on it at the time. But now that everyone was here. "I danced with a bee person, not Claude, who seemed pretty intent on the idea of life in the Wilds being so much better than the other factions."

Notes Your Character Would Make!

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ooc: I/Istredd created a timeline of the Summoned and general info blackboard. If you think your character would like to add something they don't see here, please reply here and I can update it. ]

Nanaue | a single open prompt

[nomnoms]

[ At one of the blackboards stands Nanaue, a piece of chalk in hand, surrounded by the many cats in the tower. They lift their tiny noses to sniff the air around him, and curl around his meaty ankles. ]



[ So far he has managed to avoid drawing over something important. ]

[thedevilwhorose]

[Sometime, 'edited', when the shark isn't looking, because Lucifer can't help himself.]

[carmesi]

Hey, Nanaue.

[wanda walks up to nanaue, and picks at one of the leosylphs—bringing it up to him to see, curled up in her hands.]

Cute, right? [she then motions at his drawing] Is it that one?

[the one with the wings]

Istredd | Thorne | The High Priestess | OTA

[magicalarchaeologist]

Since Istredd put this together, he obviously has to stay visible during the event itself. If people decide to get there early, they can catch him clearing up notes/adding little details onto the blackboards before everyone arrives. He may also be mumbling at the leosylphs and ravens about being on their best behavior for everyone, and/or creating furniture for the space.

After speaking he steps to the side so others can add if they want and gives them his rapt attention. He prepares the food and drink set up with Wanda's help. After that he is easy to spot in the main room, standing quietly and probably looking uncomfortably formal.

At a point in the night, he disappears along with a few other people for a secret conversation. Istredd may take moments here and there to himself, walking into some of the shelves on the second floor to catch his breath and be less stared at. He will say goodbye to people if they wish to before going, and cleans up rather easily afterward considering it's all in his head. If people want to linger for one-on-one conversations, he will be there.

— ◈ with thancred, jaskier, sam.

[gynvael]

As ever, Geralt doesn't give a shit about these meetings. Last time he arrived at one, it was solely to speak to Sam. This time, it is...also to speak to Sam—amongst a couple others—but he needs to find Istredd first.

Fortunately, that's a simple task.

Should he have warned Istredd prior? Discussed it with him? Perhaps. Truth be known, although Geralt's circled this notion for months, he only decided to act on it last night. And though he'd intended to broach the subject within the next week or two, Istredd's little gathering provides a convenient opportunity. He knows folk in Thorne haven't got as much leeway to enter the Horizon. Coordinating the five of them outside this time might prove a hassle.

So. Here he is. He slips in well after the speeches he doesn't care to hear, and takes a small pastry along the way. (It's good.)

Geralt's approach is silent, without announcement. Just takes Istredd by the elbow to catch his attention. If he startles the mage, he makes no remark on it.

"We need a place to talk. Privately."

[invicto]

James makes it a point to make a mental list of anyone who gets his attention, and tonight, Istredd does just that. The speech was rehearsed, of course, but eloquent and to the point, just the right length to keep everyone's attention without losing sight of purpose or anyone's interest.

It's a skill not everyone has. James personally doesn't see himself as the inspirational type, even if he's got a silver tongue of his own, it just serves more selfish purposes.

After he gets to have a good, long look at the information on display, he steps away from the groups gathering near the boards, walking to Istredd and waiting until their eyes meet to greet him with a nod.

"This is pretty useful," he gestures to the blackboards. "It's not always easy to get access to information on everything that's happened involving the Summoned so far."

[soothsighs]

It has been some time since Urianger has found himself in need of a powerful mage — or perhaps what he's looking for is a more flexible mage, with abilities beyond those gleaned from summoning and celestial aether. Fortunately for him Thorne has one such mage on hand, and even more fortunately for him, he said mage is something of a natural leader.

That makes him accessible.

He spends the speeches and presentations in varying states of distraction; most of this information is known to him, after all, which allows room for his mind to drift towards the purpose of his presence. Urianger is tired — tired of fighting that part of himself inclined to slip back into bad habits, and tired of being proven wrong each time he thinks he's shored himself up against ... interference.

First, the Pits. Most recently, Shuma-Gorath. Urianger needs to find a way to better protect his mind from the creeping influence of others, and Istredd is the kind of mage who just might have a lead on how to do that. If not? Well. There's hardly any harm in catching up with an acquaintance, is there?

After the crowd begins to disperse Urianger slips up to the second-floor shelves, his robe a soft whisper against the floor as he moves through the deserted stacks. He's a little more dishevelled than usual — his hair has grown long enough to be pulled into a thoughtless, messy bun, and there are tired circles under his eyes that suggest a lack of sleep. He stops short when he rounds a corner and finds the man in question:

"Istredd," he greets him, one hand at his breast as he inclines his head politely. A small smile lifts the corners of his lips: "It hath been too long, wouldst thou not agree?"

[hatejakku]

"Do they understand you?"

Finn had been one of those early arrivers, a habit formed as far back as he can remember. If you're not early, you're late. Or so he believes. Still, after the last few times he's been to gatherings with the summoned, he's found that it's practically crucial to mingle. The other summoned have been so incredibly helpful and invaluable, Finn wants to make as many friends and allies as possible. Especially with the current tensions going on.

Regardless of all that, given the time and what Finn has spotted this man doing, he can only guess that this must be Istredd, the creator of this Horizon and one of the organizers tonight. Not to mention an invaluable source of information, from what Finn can understand so far.

But the night's still young(-ish), the presentation hasn't yet begun, and Finn just wants to take a moment to introduce himself. The animals, of course, instantly distract him.

He nods to one of the leosylphs. "I don't think I've seen anything like them before."

[beautifullies]

There are things shared that Claire didn't know of, simply by virtue of not being one 'in' on the action when things go wrong. She's always too busy taking care of others, worrying that something will happen she isn't prepared for. Then it's a matter of cleaning up, restocking and checking in on the people she's previously patched up. She'd knows the bolder points regarding the tension between factions, but she hadn't known something similar happened in Thorne before her time in Solvunn. She mostly finds herself wary and tense at the idea of things getting worse before it's better. That always seems to be the way though; at no point in her adult life, especially thanks to time travel, has she not known politics and war.

She waits until it seems everyone is done speaking before taking time to walk alone and explore the domain as it's been made available. She enjoys it, enjoys seeing what others feel comforted by. There isn't purposeful intent to seek out Istredd, but as she's walking with a book in hand, in awe, she quite literally runs into him rounding a corner. Startled, she nearly drops it, becoming a brief comedy show as she moves quickly to keep it from hitting the ground.

"That's what I get for keeping my nose buried in a book," she says by way of apology. "I haven't seen anything like this yet, not in all my months here so far."

[notrunninganymore]

Gabriel is not shy. He's actually quite the social type, able to easily engage even in difficult situations, blending in and out of different groups of people and just generally enjoying himself.

So it felt a little strange to hide out in the back of things for the whole speech, observing other Summoned rather than jumping into the discussion, but he just isn't up for it. Especially when he'd felt more than seen Lucifer hanging around, and although things seemed like they were at a tentative calm between them after their conversations recently, Gabriel just isn't feeling like dealing with that stress right now. So without even intending to he'd stayed quietly invisible, hidden away for until things grew more scattered as Summoned left or broke off into groups.

He could've left as well, but he'd come here for a reason, and not one to do with the drama they'd all been discussing. He's here for personal business.

"Soooooo." He says, sidling up next to Istredd when he finally catches him alone. "You're the special guy, huh?"

And no, he doesn't clarify. He probably doesn't need to, but if Istredd does have to do some guessing, then all the better.

Abby Littman | Free Cities | OTA

[everybodysterrible]

Abby, having basically nothing to add to anything going on, because she's neither been here very long nor is anyone really important, listens to people talk about what the fuck this place has done to them with a air of disinterest. She's fidgeting and bored and possibly curled up next to one of her friends. However she is listening intently, she just generally fidgets, and acts bored so people think they aren't special.

She may also be found laying down on the ceiling. Like one does if you believe laws are stupid and anarchy is fun.

Once things are to the 'refreshments and mingling' portion of the evening she walks the supports of the shelves like balance beams, going up and down the side of the bookcase looking for anyone to talk to, or bother, and generally just being mildly chaotic but not really causing harm. Whatever food she has seems to believe in the same gravity Abby does, balanced on her plate at angles that should make humans nervous, but not actually falling the way gravity would suggest.

She also, helpfully, is wearing a crop top with the mark of The Lovers behind the text 'I killed a monster and all I got was this tee shirt' in the hopes people will treat her a little less like a child, in spite of literally everything else she's doing.

[invicto]

It's a good thing that the food on Abby's plate defies gravity, because slithering between the people quickly gathering near the tables proves to be a challenge. Personally, James thinks it pointless; they can't feel hunger here, so it's not like they need the sustenance. So it's more like a social exercise than anything else, and as much as he wants to roll his eyes and walk away from it, he's smart enough to know that personal connections can go the distance. Especially in a place like this.

His eyes dart down when they bump against each other, sharp and fixed on her. It's not followed by an apology, instead an arched eyebrow and a glance further down to her top as he reaches over to help himself to a full glass.

"Very edgy."

[carmesi]

"Cute shirt," is what Wanda says, in a bit of monotone voice. "I feel like I should have thought of that."

Wanda has been there before, at that age as a teenager when it felt like it was she (and her brother) against the world, being contrarian with everything because she, personally, wasn't the social one out of the twins. The pool of Summoned leans more towards men and boys being summoned, so it's a refreshing change to see the opposite. Even with her own strangled fashion sense, the older woman wears the 'HELLO, MY NAME IS 𝒲𝒶𝓃𝒹𝒶' sticker atop her jacket.

"I think we've talked before." A lingering mental connection speaks to her here. "You usually keep your connection turned off entirely, don't you?"

Bay Kennish | Castle Thorne | OTA

[wasalmostdaphne]

Bay isn't here for the actual purpose of the event, all this information will be better filtered to her through Istredd's notes or talking to someone after the fact. She's mostly here to try to meet people and get a better grasp on the Cities and Solvunn through one on one conversations.

Bay doesn't do much talking during the more formal portions, especially if a conversation starts across the room. In that case she can be spotted with her Sketchbook open using the time to draw anyone interesting in the crowd. Friends, strangers, the Escher-like construction of the tower.

During the more casual refreshments period her sketchbook is safely stowed in a backpack and she will do her best to talk to people. Prioritizing those from the other factions, starting with softball questions like 'what's life like where you live' and 'do you know anything about parallel realities.' A gathering of most summoned means she can maybe find some help with her- nature.

Once she's decided that talking to people isn't worth the trouble she'll retreat to a corner to read. Or in this case look at art because rather than a written work, she's used Istredd's library to give her a book of Renaissance paintings. The book shifted to be a bit larger so she could get a better look at the brushwork.

[carmesi]

The retreating form of the teen is not lost on Wanda, who—after a moment—walks up to her in her corner. In Wanda's hands is a small tray containing mini fruit tartlets, offering them over.

"Do you want one?"

Unfortunately, she's unawares that the girl is deaf.

Jonathan Crane | Free Cities | OTA

[restingstitchface]

[It is a strange time to be invisible. Are his little hairs on end? Are both pupils dilated? Do his feet spring with each step? He smoothes his emotions, swallows his curiosity and bides his time. Not revealing his presence until people are asking questions and speaking their minds. He shows his face once the meeting ends: his calm and curious expression directed towards someone nearby.

Necessity brings him here, yes, necessity and his concern. He knows some of what happened six months ago. Nothing but rumours, whispers and third-party tales. So he accompanies those who wish for private conversation into a sideroom and lets them have the first word.

Compared to what one or two might think, he has no desire to observe and snitch. The thought crosses his mind and is readily dismissed. He is purely here to learn.]

Lucifer | Thorne | OTA, will match style

[thedevilwhorose]

A.

[Anyone with a good eye doing the level of people-watching that is the only reason Lucifer is here will notice that at no time are Lucifer, Kyle, and Kell all in the space. Usually there's two of the three. Sometimes just one. Staggered, coming and going, not on any set schedule.

They did the same thing when there was the Thorne-only meeting in this same domain.

Lucifer was not here for the beginning of the meeting, coming in sometime after Istredd's speech.

He is spending the majority of his time roosting up on a very high shelving of books that doesn't have any natural access to it. He is not hiding the fact that he's keeping a very close eye on all the attendants, one of the ravens occasionally flitting to him, acting like a pest, and then taking off again.

He'll act cordial (probably) if anyone tries to engage him in conversation, though he is more stand-offish than usual to those he's close to. He won't (unless you're family) try to kick you off the shelf.]

B.

For the Thorne stragglers that decided to skip the meeting for whatever reason (sleep, politics, anti-social), they'll see Lucifer around the castle. It's not completely abnormal. He'd usually take sleep instead of midnight jaunts, but he does this every so often just for when this sort of large meeting occurs he has the pretext.

When he's on his "shift" he'll hit the library and then the dining hall, books propped open to various magic symbols as he drinks some tea, and sketches across different sheets of paper layered sigils, eventually to return to his room for a bit (enough time to hop back into the Horizon), and then back out again with a book and paper.

A

[hatejakku]

[ Finn has been keeping an eye out tonight, but he doesn't know the people or patterns enough to realize that anything is amiss. Maybe if he were more paranoid of the other summoned, if he could just stop thinking of them all as a team that completely trusts one another, he might notice more things. As it is, no matter how many people have told him so far (two, maybe three), he sees them all as people on the same side. Or, rather, he hopes they are and pretends that hoping will make it true.

It's not really anything about disappointment in other people or the anxiety of betrayal. This situation is already so complicated and tedious, he just wants a few things to be simple around here. Is that too much to ask?

Anyway, what Finn does notice is a man perched on a too-high shelf later in the night. At first, he just blinks up at him and continues doing whatever he was doing. But then Finn pauses later and does it again. And again.

He knows the other man is intentionally staying away from people, and he's pretty sure his newbie syndrome isn't very wanted, but-... ]

How did you get up there?

[ The question was probably seen coming a mile away. Finn himself certainly was as he finally approached the shelving. But sue him, he's curious, especially about the Horizon and all of this magic stuff.

But if the other man says he just climbed it, Finn's going to bow his head and walk away in embarrassment. ]

wanda maximoff • solvunn • ota

[carmesi]

[wanda is here, for the most part, as moral support. she has heard this speech at least a couple of times already, and while it's not to the extent where she could recite it word for word, she knows that her being around is important to istredd—she's an anchor, telepathically and physically, should he find his nerves getting the better of him.

so, she's one of the lounge sofas, and, having made matt come to this meeting, too, she's leaning against his side, a hand holding the one over her shoulder—while his other hand holds the telling cane he uses to find his way around.]

( A ) HELLO, MY NAME IS—

Wanda. Yeah, that's me.

[just because istredd was in front of everyone talking, it doesn't mean that she ought to let him field every question and topic of conversation imaginable. she tried to lighten the mood a little and make for herself a sticker with her name written on it, stuck to her shirt, so people who only knew her by name could recognize her, now.

she pulls away from the sofa, as matt will be able to mind himself and find someone to talk to if he needs to cure his boredom. wanda is more than sure that he's aware of all the conversations taking place, though.

wanda tucks her hands into the pockets of her oversized jacket.]

What Istredd shared was pretty complete. Do you — have any questions?

[it isn't surprising if istredd disappeared for a minute, though. he had a lot of people hanging onto his words for a moment there.]

( B ) SOCIALIZING ATTEMPT—

[the ravens in istredd's horizon can be rather fastidious, but one thing of note is that they seem to preen and demand wanda's attention. her intention had been to go and talk to others, to meet some of the unfamiliar, new faces, but instead she had found herself halted halfway down a set of stairs by the five ravens who hop and squawk at her.

she makes a face.]

That's a little rude. [she mutters, drawing her hand forward, palm up, until one of the raven fesses up and puts down a shiny trinket on her hand.] You shouldn't be taking things from others, even if it isn't real here.

[a sad croak comes from the raven.

a person approaches, and wanda closes her fist around the shiny trinket. she waves the ravens away, who take flight towards the bookshelves.]

Off you go. Keep out of trouble.

B

[hatejakku]

[ Matt had mentioned a girlfriend living in Solvunn and plenty of others have mentioned Wanda by name. Finn even clued into her post on the network a few weeks ago, keeping quiet and just observing the situation for the time being. This seemed like a good as time as any to meet the Wanda face to face, though he was surprised to find she was the same woman he'd seen with Matt a little earlier in the night.

Really, the revelation just tells him two things. One is that Matt probably knows a whole lot more about this place than what he's already shared, and it might be a good idea to ask him more questions later on. The second thing is that this place feels just a little bit smaller than it had an hour ago. Their number already feels so small, a fact compounded by the gathering tonight, and Finn really doesn't like being small in numbers.

Been up against worse odds, though.

Either way, he still wants to speak to Wanda and walks up the staircase to meet her halfway. He hadn't really meant to interrupt whatever was happening with the birds, but he watches them take flight with little interest. ]

They steal things? Didn't think that was possible in a place like this.

Garrus Vakarian | Free Cities | ota

[thearchangel]

(A) PRE-SPEECH / ARRIVAL
[ Make your own chair if you want, they said. It should be stupidly simple. You know, if you've had practice in the Horizon thing. Which he should have. He really should have. You've been here how long? he's grumbling internally while... attempting to turn a stool into something more familiar.]

[It ends up a wobbly three-legged thing.]

... Yeah, that'll. Probably work. [He'll perch himself on it, in the back. Where hopefully no one saw those embarrassing attempts. If this thing gives out, he's just going to throw himself into the nearest pit.]


(B) AFTER / EXPLORING
[Even after being here, seeing other peoples' Horizons, seeing a real, physical library is something novel. No data pads here. The style of the whole place is pretty amazing, too. Not like anything he's really seen before, or too often.]

[He can be found absently browsing the shelves. Pulling a book out, flipping through it, and frowning. And then repeating the process.] How ...?

Right. Brain world. [Once again, this Horizon place trips him up.] I don't know how anyone gets used to this.

B

[subhuman]

[ Dante will take an out-of-date magazine over dusty tomes any day, but he's not surprised that Istredd's horizon is full of them. He idly flips through some just to see if anything in particular wants to jump out of the pages and announce themselves to him rather than make Dante read it himself. No such luck.

Seems like he's not the only one who's feeling that way.]

"Brain world"'s a good way to put it.

[ Dante turns and leans against the shelves, keeping his gaze down to his current novel and pretending to read it. ]

Who doesn't want to take a nap and do a little light reading at the same time?

louis de pointe du lac » solvunn — the lovers, ota.

[mobezon]

{ louis had considered skipping the meeting. he nearly did, but out of respect for istredd and wanda’s efforts, he has decided to at least make an appearance. it will most likely be short-lived. much of what happened in the pit was far too intimate than he is willing to disclose. however, he isn’t against answering some questions. it just depends on the manner of his chosen response. he’s purposely staying on the outskirts, near the wall, simply observing for a moment. he hasn’t touched any of the food or drinks. }

Interesting. { a simple comment, in a voice that is only able to be caught if someone were close enough in passing. he notes there are less of those who have been taken around, considering they were in close proximity enough to at least glimpse faces. he’s sticking around long enough to see who from the pit folk do show up.

after a while, he hopes istredd forgives him for slipping through the crowds, away from the buzz of what is overtly political even by proxy of existence, away from the center of the mingling. the reading nook is where he ends up. it’s the books that ease his anxiety growing within, only calming a slight since it feels suffocating the longer he stays. he’d gone to the listening tree in the feywilds - it had helped.

instinctively, he grabs a book and settles onto a couch. the blank pages begin to fill with words from a favorite book of his. he’s read thousands that he has lost count, but he did stop for some years due to specific circumstances; twice. it’s been a while, since he’s been allowed the comfort of a good book, so he’ll indulge. the pages fly with each turn of the page from his fingers while the sounds of everyone become a backdrop. the door is open, if anyone were to walk by and see a man dressed earth vintage circa 1910s. if someone where to approach he’ll carefully lay the book the his lap, closed halfway. after his detour, his plan is to head back out once more before officially leaving. }