[X] [Crew] Who are you sending outside first?
-[X] March
[X] [Conversation] What will you talk about?
-[X]"How would you describe Belobog?"
-[X]The Preservation and Qilpoth
10:35 AM, System Time
Belobog, Qilpoth Fort
You turn to the member that would likely be least helpful in this situation. "Hey March, go reserve us a room."
March smiles. "Alright, I'll see you guys later! Meet me at the hotel~"
She bounds out of the room happily, and you quickly take her seat.
Good, my legs were starting to hurt.
Your legs? Who's the one that's been walking for an hour now?
No, seriously. Do you feel the same things I feel, or are you more like a ghost tethered to me?
No comment.
Hey!
You shake your head in frustration, before turning to Cocolia. "Pardon me, I just have a small headache. Please, ignore it."
Cocolia gives a small nod. "I'm very used to headaches as well. Continue."
63+3=66/100 Note: When Stella sees fit to help with certain checks, an extra d20 will be rolled and added to Stelle's.
Stelle's eyes sharpen, and she leans back a bit, before typing in a message. As you and Cocolia talk about something unimportant, she hits send.
Your phone dings, and you silently excuse yourself to look at the message.
Galactic Baseballer
Stella says that whatever's up with Cocolia, It's likely related to the Stellaron, but she doesn't know what, exactly.
Harmonious_Maestra
Got it. Shouldn't Stella know more, being a former Stellaron Hunter?
Galactic Baseballer
She says that our memories are currently "fragmented", whatever that means.
Well, until you can figure out what's up, you'll have to wing it with whatever topic comes to mind so that you can tire out Cocolia.
"While we're here, can you talk about how you see Belobog? It's the only human presence for miles around, and you've probably developed a strong opinion on it, being the Supreme Guardian and all…"
Not the best bluff.
It'll have to do!
[Social Check: Tough (15)]
[-4: ???]
[+5: Great Social Skill]
[+3: Stelle's Suspicion]
[19+4=23. Pass!]
Cocolia seems to stare into your soul, searching for any signs of malicious intent. For a second, you almost feel like you're being stared down by a wolf, by something you absolutely can't avoid.
Then, your training as a Devil Hunter kicks in. You straighten your posture, and soften your eyes. You lower your voice a bit. "I've always been curious about other places where people have to work in difficult conditions, since I was born in this city called Pteruges, where crime is tantamount to a way of life. I'm really interested in how you manage to keep such a small space so orderly, and how you see this place."
Cocolia seems to relax a bit. You can see it in her eyes and posture. For a second, you wonder how she sees you.
And then it hits you; when she looks at you, she's not really seeing you for who you are. You're reminding her of someone else, like a kid or student. Even if she's been battle scarred by years of local Fragmentum monsters and supply droughts, this is likely one of her weak spots.
She breathes in, before starting to speak in a nostalgic tone. "To me, Belobog isn't a shelter, nor is it a bastion. It's my home, the same way the fire is a Snow Plains Explorer's or the same way this fortress is the Architects' homes."
She stands up, and looks through the window. Far away, in the north, east, west and south, perhaps there is a voice, a Harmony, to the rhythm of this city. The people walking through the streets, through the snow, make a beautiful song of life through their actions and experiences.
If there's anyone that could hear that Harmony aside from you, it'd be Cocolia. No doubt about it.
"These places, these people… for them, I would do anything up to and including death, as is my Aeon-given responsibility as Supreme Guardian. Anything."
There's a peculiar tilt to her tone at the end of the sentence, but you can't identify it before Cocolia turns around to give a small smile. "I want to Preserve this home for as long as possible. That's both my responsibility and my wish."
Stelle gives a small nod. "So protecting the things you love, and hoping they stay the same… is that what Preservation means to you?"
Cocolia nods back. "Looks like you get it."
Huh, I'm kinda interested now. I don't think we can keep talking, though…
No. There has to be one more thing we can say here. One last word to get in before we make the conversation turn towards the elephant in the room.
47/100
While all of you have been talking, Dan Heng's been taking notes to enter into the Astral Express archives later. He clicks a pen, before shutting his book, and looking towards Cocolia. "Madam Cocolia, since you seem to focus on the Preservation, am I correct in assuming that you worship Qilpoth?"
Thank Xipe for you, Dan Heng. It's a start.
Dan Heng doesn't seem to have anything else to say about people like the Architects (a galactic group of people blessed by Qilpoth, who are much more than just the governors here.) or Qilpoth's philosophies and actions like you hoped he would, but he looks to you to see if you can pick up the conversation.
[Social Check: Decent (10)]
[-2: ???]
[+5: Great Social Skill]
[+2: Dan Heng's Knowledge]
[9+5=14. Pass! (Again.) ]
It's safe to say that you can.
"Yes, I'm curious. There are other Aeons of other Paths, like Xipe, who preaches Harmony, and Aha, who represents Elation, but the rocks and crystal I've seen used as sacred artifacts seem to point towards a worship of Qilpoth."
Cocolia sits back down, and seems to be a bit more somber now. "Yes, Qilpoth is our founder deity. But unlike the days of old, we do not have any intensive religious ceremonies aside from the occasional festival."
She taps her pen on the desk, and coughs. You hear her talk underneath her breath. "Which reminds me that the Solstice Festival is coming up, I need to start getting people together for that..."
She coughs again, and then turns back to you. "I do think that while Qilpoth is a kind Aeon, THEY are also an aloof one. THEY have to be building the walls that keep the universe safe, so aside from the occasional Emanator, such as Eula, it is up to us on Belobog to keep our own spirit of Preservation going."
…Wait, did she just say that they have an Emanator of Preservation? You'll have to talk with her on that one, you did not get that vibe from this planet.
"But even if THEY are a detached Aeon," Cocolia continues to speak about Qilpoth, "THEY granted the Architects of long ago the idea to build walls to protect Belobog from the Eternal Freeze that blankets the land. Because of this, I suppose that Qilpoth knows that we can and wants us to try to fend for ourselves."
...Right there.
What?
There was the tiniest bit of loathing there. You wouldn't notice it, but I could.
"Fend for ourselves". I don't think she believes in Qilpoth as much as she might have 20 or 30 years ago. Weird, for the leader of a city that represents Preservation.
So you're saying…
It's probable that the Stellaron could have caused this. While it creates Fragmentum, being around it also causes mental damage and disorders.
Like you?
..Touché.
Cocolia picks up her phone, and then quickly responds to a text before putting it down. "I have representatives to talk to. If you please, it would be nice of you all to go to the Goethe so that I can meet for government business. I hope that you all find what you're looking for."
Dan Heng and Stelle start to get up, and make sure they haven't left anything behind. You are about to walk away too, before your gaze meets Cocolia's.
"By the way, Shelley, you can stay if you want. I feel that I've got a few reasons to have you stay around."
Looks like I was on the money. She's probably dripping with Stellaron Corrosion.
Shoot, what do we do?
Well, we either talk and try "diplomacy" or go away.
And for once, I think I can help with the "talking" part. Since I'm here because of a Stellaron, I might be more convincing here.
Might be unsafe. I don't trust you too much with helping us socialize.
Well, you better trust someone, because Cocolia's going to kick us out if we don't respond soon.
Hmm…
[ ] Walk away, Shelley.
-A safer option, will lead into one to three Free Time segments. The first will have one extra action.
-You will have time to finish the long term projects, Investigate the Underworld, and Investigate the Horn of Doomsday.
-You have currently failed none of the checks with Cocolia, somehow. While Heat in Belobog will fall to 0, Cocolia probably won't invite you to her office or try to arrest you anytime soon. This has both benefits and downsides.
[ ] Talk with Cocolia about the Stellaron.
-[ ] Let Shelley take point.
-[ ] See if Fran can convince Cocolia.
-Both Fran and Shelley seem to be on the same page for once, and they want to take this choice.
-This will temporarily dismiss Stelle and Dan Heng. They will be safe at the lovely Goethe Hotel nearby.
-Since you have currently failed none of the checks with Cocolia, this will be two Very Easy (5) Social/Spiritual checks.
-This may (probably will) lead to canon divergence. Author's Note
Me: My OC will go through Belobog calmly and normally, and she will likely experience the canon story alongside the Astral Express.
Aha/Dice Gods: 98. 19. Another 19.
Me: ..Well, shit.
I don't even have anything to say. You guys are just lucky.
Just one disclaimer: voting for Fran here isn't a trick option. Both Fran and Shelley have different perks and stats that makes them a valid fit for this situation. It mostly just changes up dialogue.
Bro just wanted to write a script for the future, now he has to wake up at 2 in the morning and change said script because some lady with a flaming instrument that she uses as a weapon for some reason keeps fucking with it.
EFf it we ball. Lets see right or wrong this rabbit hole goes, and hey scripts go through revisions multiple times, whats a little re-writing here and there?
[X] Talk with Cocolia about the Stellaron.
-[X] See if Fran can convince Cocolia.
[X] Talk with Cocolia about the Stellaron.
-[X] See if Fran can convince Cocolia.
All I can say, is let's hope we don't go the way of Aha's worm Emanator and get THEIR blessing of god dice ripped away from us at this most crucial moment because it'd be funny.
[X] Talk with Cocolia about the Stellaron.
-[X] See if Fran can convince Cocolia.
We knew what we were doing when we bonded with Stelle in the station, now it's time to cross the rubicon! Not one step back! If we fail we will do it spectacularly as an emanator of harmony!
Think we pull back here, just to be safe (or if we actually want continue talking, we ought to do it with Shelly, not Fran; Fran likely has worse scores in Social and Spirituality than Shelly, so unless her nature provides enough of a bonus to compensate, then Shelly has better odds here).
Bro just wanted to write a script for the future, now he has to wake up at 2 in the morning and change said script because some lady with a flaming instrument that she uses as a weapon for some reason keeps fucking with it.
So is CocoliaXServal (before the whole ruin her life to keep her from the stelleron shitshow) canon in this quest?
If it is that's gonna be a nasty as hell emotional minefield for those two and Bronya if Cocolia isn't dying here (I mean seriously if Cocolia hadn't listened to the magic murder spark Bronya would have had two parents rather then an over worked single mom)
....... im not sure if that preview is good, bad or We need to leave the planet before were shot in the head... goodness we were going so well... welp, we did ask for it.
Looks at my authors note from my doc (it's delusional rambling)
Looks at the comment I made a few hours ago
I'm going to be honest with you.
I may have been stressed, sleep deprived, and off my meds when I wrote that.
Lemme get back to you in a few minutes, because I've a. Got work to do, and b. Don't know what I was thinking when I said that and made Gepard an Emanator.