07.12f: Meeting on the Castle

[khadjair]

Cameron gulps a bit. "Well, that question was a little autobiographical..."

He shakes his head. "I've done architecture for fortresses and warcamps, and I've survived five years entirely on my own wits. I don't know magic so much, but I think that's more about what I've had access to than a lack of innate skill. I admit I'm not as sure on that, but I did manage to arrange for several POWs to escape without ever indicating to anyone that there was anything untoward. Even in the face of ... vigorous questioning."

"And besides... I've gotten to see how useful the Star is in a fight. So I feel I might actually be able to do this, something useful. To make up for my little vanishing act, maybe. And if things go south, I just get out of the city. Away from people. I know how to do *that* exceedingly well." Trpidation fades as he talks, until at the end he seems as though he's convinced himself.

[misfit]

"It sounds like we have our volunteer. If there is anything you need, please let us know."

OOC - If we don't want to do a long IC discussion of planning details, I'm okay with assuming that we have and that Cameron can tap us at need. I'm fine with him saying like "About now I get the Trump call that I asked Harrune to make". That lets us move things along and allows the story to flow better than trying to follow a tightly planned script...at least in my opinion.

[khadjair]

OOC: Cameron's suggestion at first would be to try and make contact through the phone. As a representative of "a young place looking to start". Approach as a fellow, but a fledgeling. Weak and willing to owe a benefactor. It's not technically a lie, since he is a representative of the orc camp. Barring that, he can be sent as an emissary to one of the Hiver.. host cities? for a more in-person negotiation.

[Wyvern]

Alys shrugs. "Were I to approach it, I would not pretend to be speaking for a being like itself; it took insult from Aibne in part from the assumption that there was such an intellect behind him - it did not like being 'forced to talk to a proxy'. That said, my interest in the negotiations lies more in minimizing the damage should negotiations fail, so I am willing to support whatever approach you think is best."

((Responding IC to your OOC comment, on the assumption of skipping over the IC planning details as per Misfit's suggestion.))

[khadjair]

Cameron looks thoughtful for a moment. "I was presuming that maybe approaching it as a supplicant and fellow might put it at more ease. I wonder if it would react the same way if presented not as a proxy... This really makes my head hurt, trying to negotiate with a city. Perhaps approaching from a scholarly route? Wanting to study and converse with a paragon of cities for what insights it may provide..."

He shakes his head. "I'm as out of my depth as everyone here, I'm just volunteering to be the go-between. I just know this: If I am going to tell it lies, I need to know them before I open my mouth, and remain consistent with them. I suspect it won't take will to discovering lies."

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((OOC: Pretty much this is the only thing I can see discussing about this; everything else is pretty much going to be played by ear. Including periodic Trump checkins to make sure he's not been compromised))

[Joshua]

Oberon laughs. "Or we could figure out if the Pattern is, in fact, sentient. Then you wouldn't have to lie. To be honest, we're not sure if the power has a goal or is capable of communication. And if it is, what would it see us as? Beyond which, Harrune, that hall you found... was that not a representation of the Castle?" He will look at the orc. "Perhaps the ambiguous truth would serve best? We have had clues related to the sentience of the city and are interested in learning more. It would help us with the greater mystery and we'd be portrayed as less of a threat?"

Darnell will coldly add, "Or more of a victim."

[Rasanam]

Rasanam looks at Oberon, "That is certainly one option. However, even if we use such an ambiguous truth, I would want to emphasize that it is us it needs to treat with, not the Hall of Mirrors or some possibly-comatose spirit of Power. Depending on how these 'phones' of its work, it might be worth approaching that conversation with Pattern already brought to mind; if it can speak through that using sound, but all its attempts to establish psychic contact fall away effortlessly... perhaps that might make enough of an impression that it would not try to treat us as ants?"

[Wyvern]

Alys looks thoughtful at Oberon's comment on the Pattern being possibly sentient; it's clear she has some thoughts on the issue, but doesn't consider them relevant to the immediate discussion of Hivers.

((OOC: This post is meant more as a note of "this is something people could ask her about later" than an immediate contribution to the conversation at hand.))

[misfit]

"Well, it made Here sit up and take notice while in the Hall of Mirrors, so it is likely to do similar. Of course that's assuming that Cameron knows how to do that trick and that the phone will still work." Harrune looks to Cameron. "If not, we can try to teach you."

Harrune scratches his ear. "Hmmm...the Pattern sentient? That could explain some things. I could investigate that the next time I walk." He pauses and shakes his head. "I am become far too blase about that."

[khadjair]

Cameron chuckles at that. "I think we've all become quite accustomed to things that should be considered madness."

"As for bringing Pattern to mind, it's.. not something I've practiced but just mentioning the idea and it begins to come into the mind's eye. Is this what you mean?" and with that Cameron will attempt to do exactly that, to focus on the image and to feel all the little details.