backdated: txt | @weirdshit (Closed Meeting)

[brosbeforeprose]

Greetings,

You might remember that there was a meeting with the thessyx a few days back. Captain Childe wanted to speak to their representatives, and you don't need me to tell you how important actually making friends with the original inhabitants of this place are, I'm sure.

I won't bore you with the little details - Balthier will just have to tell you himself whether or not he arm wrestled one of the thessyx - but let me tell you about the main points as I heard them from where I was.

[From where he was sitting at the actual table. Obviously implying he snuck in and therefore was not in this conversation is much more fun and importance-free.]

We got answers to some questions - the thessyx aren't shy about any of this, but if you're the shy sort, don't worry, I've got you.

First, as we all know, the shell was full of gifts for the "Children of the Leviathan". That seems to be us.

We, the Children of Leviathan, are the reason they finally came here. Their monarch sensed the psychic impression of the Children of the Leviathan hatching, and since the Children of the Leviathan are the chosen ones of the dragon, and they worship that dragon, they wanted to see us, the Children of the Leviathan, firsthand.

[The dramatic way he's saying Children of the Leviathan is not being expressed in voice-to-text, but it's fine. Repetition will have to do the work.]

Captain Childe wants to negotiate an alliance with the thessyx, and she's willing to let them have access to the basecamp to get it, with some restrictions. For example, no weapons.
But, it seems a lot like the thessyx's main interest with the basecamp isn't the crew, it's us. It'll be worth keeping that in mind in future, but right now, it means Her Captainship is offering to show the thessyx the set-up here, and it might mean they'll help us in return.

Balthier - human, voice like a thunderstorm seducing you, maybe you know him - mostly spoke for the hatchlings during the meeting. Don't worry, he was the perfect gentleman - and mostly steered the conversation back to Captain Childe to do the talking.
I think even without standing on a table and making an inspiring speech, sword held high in the air as a non-existence breeze ripples his shirt-sleeves as I know in my heart he's capable of, Balthier got us some goodwill with the woman in charge around here.

There wasn't exactly time for a Q&A back there, but if the thessyx told you something that's worth sharing, let us all know. If we can gather everything we have about them in one place, it'll help. I've got a few extras of my own as well.


[He has already hit Post before realising that Balthier's voice very definitely reminds him of a close friend...and if he ever told Fenris his voice sounded like a seductive thunderstorm, the broody elf would murder him.]

Comments

[mylawn]

Not a bad idea. Maybe in slightly different circumstances.

[fossils]

The one in the lake? Yeah.

Really? No dreams at all before this?

[ Huh. He's actually a little envious of you there, pal. ]

[fossils]

Voice like a thunderstorm, huh?

[ He appreciates the sentiment. ]

[sunmon]

It's a terrible idea.
They haven't done anything yet.

[mylawn]

Yet, huh?

[spalten]

You're an actual writer, really? Like you do it for a living, not as a hobby at all.

[spalten]

You've a ship? Tell me about her.

[portolan]

I will also accept violin, honey, or meteor shower.

[portolan]

My thoughts as well.

[portolan]

Excellent points. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves with conjecture, but I think it's wise to keep possibilities in mind as we gather more information.

[sunmon]

You're worried that they will.

[portolan]

[ Balthier is sympathetic to feeling young, powerless, and impatient. He feels two of the three, but lately he's too tired to be impatient. ]

When anything turns up and we need assistance to investigate, should I contact you?

[portolan]

[ Ahh, his ship. He actually hasn't talked about her at all since arriving. If they were in person and not on text he would probably monologue, something he's not actually that prone to doing. ]

Best in the skies, only one of her kind -- military prototype that was too expensive and too finicky to mass produce. I, ah, liberated her and my first mate and I upgraded her over the years. Nowhere she couldn't go -- fast, agile, roomy enough for the crew. And the most reliable chameleon clock in history. I'd wager the Strahl herself on that one.

She didn't make it through with me, but one of our two-seat speeders did.

You have a ship back home?

[spalten]

Sounds very charming. It'd be useful to have her around here - it's really too bad.

[ and, well. he does have a ship. he just can't call it his own anymore; he lost the right to that a long time ago.

so he'll talk about his work, instead. more safe. less personal. ]

I was part of a crew - a Skipjack-class battle ship of the Arianrhod fleet. Over 800 metres long, armed to the teeth. The commander is a good friend and mentor of mine.

[portolan]

That it would.

[ It would also be useful to have the crew around...And to have his closest companion here to deal with all of this. He's been handling himself fine; it's not like he doesn't have the ability. But when he isn't busy the loneliness sets in, and the chasm of loss he isn't ready to deal with but knows he will inevitably descend into. ]

Military? Active wars, or just patrols? Excellent luck being under that sort of commander.

[ Who knows. Maybe he'd have gone into research or stayed in the government or even joined the military if he'd had anything like a friend or mentor to work with. He'd found one, of course, in pirating. ]

[spalten]

Active wars. I don't live in a peaceful planet, unfortunately.

[mylawn]

I think it's more likely than not.

[He is, however, paranoid by nature.]

[mylawn]

Hell, maybe we're gods.

[not that he believes in that kind of thing.]

[sunmon]

If we preempt it without knowing for sure that it's going that way, it'd be our fault that something happened.
Then the Adamant survivors would blame us too.

[portolan]

My sympathies. Wasn't a military man, but spent the last year or so trying to prevent one empire from swallowing nearby kingdoms.

[ He doesn't mention he was appointed to government and command of the empire at 16. Or that he ran away by 17. Or that he was the lost Queen's private escort as they fought back against the empire this past year. He's a humble pirate who wanted nothing to do with war and politics, and has no entirely processed just how much war and politics he's been doing lately. ]

[portolan]

[ Balthier pictures the ocurria -- ageless beings with the power to guide the outcome of man -- and shudders. They used his father, used his birthplace to play out their games. So many lives lost. ]

I quite prefer pirate to god, personally.

[spalten]

Well, I don't recommend it. We certainly didn't get paid enough for it and morale is always in the pits.

There's some kind of distance one can afford to have as a man fighting to do what's right in a difficult world, only as themselves, without another behemoth telling them what should and shouldn't be. What can and can't be done.

[mylawn]

Not real gods.

[portolan]

Some would say I'm not a real pirate. No water and all.

[mylawn]

I'm not a stickler.