The Plays of Power
13th of January 2007 A.D.
Tempted as you might be to ask more questions, you're
always tempted to ask more, the same caution that has stayed your wandering eyes in the company of fairy queens does so now. Without knowing the nature of the Ferryman, the scope of his power a question carelessly asked could spark a fight all of your company is poorly suited to engaging in or worse,
much worse perhaps, you turn a sketchy ally into a foe who will remember and work against you from the shadows.
Lost 1 Essence -> Now at 7/15 (Etiquette Excellency)
"Alright," you nod slowly. "You have my thanks for the helping hand extended and if one might be so bold as to say so for knowing that there was some plan in the works to deal with this madness that did not count upon us strangers swept in my a cold wind."
A bow of the hooded head is his only answer, acknowledgement, respect, understanding, all three together? It is still maddeningly difficult to read, but at the very least more positive than negative.
If things weren't quite so dire perhaps you would have pondered more, but the hourglass still turns and the guardian spirit still lurks, unseen but heard.
"I am guessing we need a new 'Dragon', for the record that is a very bad name for it, someone more deserving of it might get offended, before midnight."
"Wouldn't it be nice to reign and to decide whatever there's attracting you will give its due to you. Let me be there. Just say you want to share
a power no one will withstand. Just be my human hand," the voice of the spirit is only static-y. Where have I heard that before? The answer a moment's pause gives you is classic
German death metal. That is
King for a Thousand Years, came out two years ago, good to know the ancient Sin Eater is keeping up with the times you guess.
"What
me?" You drop out of the formal register as though in shock really more to punctuate the refusal. Your plans for the future may be in flux, but one thing you will definitely not be doing is setting down roots in Las Vegas like a flashier Tom Bombadil to hold the door.
The only answer to that is a off pitch guitar riff which you are going to interpret as 'well duh', just because it's funnier than the more polite versions. You
might, conceivably, be getting a little loopy. "Do you have someone in mind to take up the mantle?"
"Wages of sin is death..." the truncated verse is followed by a distant gunshot.
"Oh, you mean you want your next hand on the living world to be someone who saw what became of the this one so they would not be tempted to do the same?"
Tiffany offers a firm nod while Harry gives you a funny look.
"What? It's obviously not going to see the kinds of sins that are intrinsic to its being as bad. So that leaves the sin of treachery ended with death. In the context of the question that means it wants to select someone who saw what became of Samuel did you say his name was?" You glance at the Ferryman, taking his silence for assent. "One of... us."
Adkin speaks in the measured cadences of someone who probably studied rhetoric in school. "I was bid to gather the people of Ra and bring them to this city of the worldly under which an otherworldly beast slumbered. I was called forth to see that the sun might shine over the land once more. My luck and skill, fortitude and courage the hand of night has been stayed and so no new sun shall rise. I am willing to take up the mantle spirit so long as you understand that my oaths to you shall come second to older and deeper vows of the heart."
"We are king for a a thousand years. We are king of a million tears," Back to lyrics from the song, that is a yes then.
"Harry I'm going to assume..." The ever bold and heroic warden in question is presently too busy half-cursing among other things Outsiders, the city of Las Vegas, the Old Ones and the Red Court in general, only half-because he always stopped short. A wizard's words have power and they aught not be lightly spoken.
"I'll be sticking with you Molly," Lydia offers. "No offense to anyone to whom this is hearth and home, but I am not looking forward to trying to track down the slot machine that twists the heads of its players in more than the usual way."
Tiffany raises one perfect eyebrow above an eye still glowing. "There's nothing here to catch my eye or bend my ear towards that I have not heard a thousand times before. Each sin might be unique in perpetrator and circumstance, but so does each snowflake have its own design and rare is the one who would spend eternity counting them. I'd grow bored inside a week."
"I..." Harrowmont sheathes the sword he had still been holding listlessly by his side. "I was about as good as an underwater hairdrier in the fight, but with such powers as investiture might bring I would put all my knowledge and all my skill in making sure nothing like this ever happens again." If someone had told you twelve hours ago that you'd be seriously considering Alexander Harrowmont for all practical purposes the Freeholding Lord of Las Vegas you'd have had a good laugh, but it had been his idea to enact a counter-ritual and upon the bones of his prodigious knowledge of the arcane had it been built. At the last he had been the one to resist the Sandra's poison words. All he really lacks is power and the Sin Eater gorged with the sins of Sin City is more than able to offer that.
Charon nods once without speaking. He is certainly competent, but you know less of him than you do the others and what you do know is murky in the telling. Even in the best of lights he had planned treachery against the Samuel.
"What about your people?" Lydia asks as the people in question bring out everything from clothes to electronics to bundles of cash and, again bags of suspicious white powder.
What is it with the Red Court and paying its people in coke?
Discordant piano like someone had smashed his head into the keyboard is the answer. No off-worlders then, or maybe it's sumpler than that. Each Agent of the Hand is bonded to their implants as closely as a man and their shadow. Few bonds of power can touch upon a soul so carefully balanced between so many Sutras.
Yet, oddly enough, it still falls the party of out-of-towners to decide, not through any political machinations, but just because none of you are planning to make a play for the mantle.
Who do you support for the next 'Dragon'?
[] Oliver Adkin
[] Alexander Harrowmont
[] Charon
[] Try to get the Sin Eater to accept another candidate
-[] Write in
[] Do not express support one way or another
OOC: Here is your chance to put your finger on the scale if you wish. 
