Skyscraper Graveyard IC: Renaissance City

[the_druid_droid]

Turing kept his attention on Cyprus as Amun spoke.

“I have a guess, at least. Given that you serve the Iron Throne and that this work,” here he waved a hand at the incredible painting behind him, “represents a piece of the Truth filtered into our fallen world, you most likely have been ordered to deface, destroy, or confiscate it.”

[Thanqol]

Cyprus held up a hand to Slade, who stopped the spell mid-cast. To Turing she said, "You can see as well as I can that this painting is incomplete. While keeping something as valuable as this out of unworthy hands is important I would far prefer to locate the source. I would appreciate it if you worked with me on this."

Evidently, Slade's casting had been a veiled threat - ending that sentence on 'or I'll have to take it from your mind'.

[the_druid_droid]

“I didn’t realize the Throne was in the business of offering commissions. Or did you have something else in mind for the artist?” Turing’s tone conveyed that he had a few ideas about what Seers were prone to do with their mortal or sleepwalker captives.

While waiting for an answer, he shifted his weight slightly and the ember of his cigarette flared.

[Thanqol]

"Oh please," Cyprus said, with genuine contempt. "I am not one of the raving psychopaths who inhabit the streets of this corrupt city. I have no desire to brutalise anyone, let alone anyone so valuable. No, what is going to happen is this: We shall give the painter an extraordinarily well paying job and all the materials he could ever desire, and we shall keep him fed, comfortable, and away from where you will ever find him."

She laughed. "Not in the business of offering commissions? What do you think the Iron Pyramid is?"

[the_druid_droid]

“I think it is an organization that has made you afraid. That wants to make everyone afraid, or bored, or dead inside.” Turing straightened, “I’m not so much worried that you would brutalize our artist, as that you would do the Exarch’s will in regard to him.”

[Thanqol]

Cyprus' eyes hardened, and the glimmer of empathy she'd briefly held disappeared. "Mr. Slade, it is clear to me now that we are dealing with an... what's that word for 'uneducated rube' they use these days?"

"Idealist, ma'am,"

"Quite so. I am not here to debate philosophy with you, I am here to do what must be done," Cyprus said. "If you knew even the slightest whisper of what you were talking about when you mouthed the word 'Exarch' you would be afraid as well, and you would also be out of my way."

[the_druid_droid]

Turing nodded slightly. “Very well. I am, as you say, an idealist and on principle I refuse to willingly aid a Seer in their work. However, I am not stupid, and you clearly have us at an advantage so I do not intend to actively oppose you.”

He moved slightly, out of the center of the aisle. “Do what you will.”

[Anarion]

Although Turing steps aside, Tessen does not move with him. She starts to say something, coughs slightly, looks at the cigarette like the traitorous little paper roll it is, throws it on the floor and stamps on it, then starts again.

"When you said, 'away from where we will ever find him,' you mean everyone, right? Every mage, even other Seers? I understand that maybe something supernal like this could cause a paradox if exposed to too many sleepers. But, keeping it from everyone? Why would you do that? It's so beautiful."

[Thanqol]

"No, not away from other Seers," Cyprus said. "Just away from you. When one has access to an effective prophet one does not go sharing him around."

She started walking slowly forwards, looming over Tessien.

Slade turned his head to look at the door of the antechamber, and pursed his lips.

[Anarion]

Tessen shrinks backwards, but does not actually move.

Genuinely surprised, "the artist is a p-prophet? You mean he can do more than just this one painting? Then, you want him to make prophecies for you, forever. But, you'll use them to hurt us, won't you?"

[Thanqol]

"Probably," Cyprus said to all three questions. "Ask yourself if us maybe hurting you later is worse than definitely hurting you now."

[Anarion]

"They're both horrible! Why do you want to hurt anyone?!"

[Thanqol]

Cyprus looked like she was going to snap at Tessen in the same way she had at Turing, but for some reason she caught herself. There was a strangely troubled look on her face and her voice softened a bit.

"Because I met an Exarch in person. Because I know what they will do to this world if denied. I don't want to hurt anyone, but if it spares this world divine vengeance then I shall. I would appreciate it if you didn't make this trial harder than it already is."

[Deadly]

Amun hadn't moved either. Seeing Tessen stand strong he had decided to remain by her side for support. He hoped fervently that Tessen knew what she was doing, or had inordinary good luck with this line of conversation.

He tried to ignore Slade's little look. The earlier show with the spell had convinced Amun that Slade liked playing mind tricks. Amun hoped he was right, that Slade was just fishing for a reaction.

And then he couldn't help himself any more. "So you fight against those who are weakest? Tell yourself if that sounds right. We may be lowly idealists, and yes we may fail, but at least we won't simply let ourselves be threatened into submission by divine bullies."

[Thanqol]

That didn't look like it was remotely the correct thing to say.

That momentary flicker of empathy died on Cyprus' face, and her right hand raised. There was an audible hum in the air as the spell began to take hold around her fingertips. The lights in the church began to dim; the painted blue sky almost seemed to cloud and darken. The crucifixes that adorned the room began to glow an ominous purple. The hum enhanced to a throb as Cyprus raised her hand above her head.

"If threats do not work," said Cyprus grimly, gathering the threads of Celestial Fire around her fingers, "then all that is left is the violence."

[Anarion]

"No, wait! That's not, you don't need to do that. We'll move. Just...just do what you want." *Tessen immediately begins backing away to join Turing.*

[Deadly]

Amun didn't move, but neither did he counter the attack. He looked her in the eyes. "I will not fight you. Will you strike me down?" It was, in fact, a challenge. Amun knew he would be overpowered if he fought, but he also knew he was right, and he would not be forced to stand down so easily. He hoped to win a different kind of battle.

[Thanqol]

She was going to do it. He could see it in her eyes clearly. She'd done this before and would do it again because there were things that were more important to her than her conscience -

"Rebecca d'Payens."

Cyprus looked around reflexively, and then her face froze in shock when she realised the significance of what she'd just heard.

The Painter had stepped out of the antechamber, and was looking at Cyprus clearly and directly.

"How - how do you know -"

"How could I not know your name, Rebecca?" the Painter said, a distant sadness mixed with kind chastisement.

"Never," Cyprus got a hold of herself. "Never call me by that name ever again."

"It was necessary," said the Painter.

Cyprus pointed at him. "You are coming with me," she said. It wasn't a request.

"I know," said the Painter calmly.

Cyprus made to walk past Amun and approach the Painter. The tension in the air as she made to step past Amun clearly warned him not to push it.


Meanwhile, Slade had walked over to stand directly in front of Turing. He took a deep breath, and looked for a moment like he was trying to gather the courage to say or do something.

[Anarion]

"Fear obliterates even the search for truth. Fear of something terrible is a form of faith," Tessen suddenly blurts out. "We cast a fate spell about you, Cyprus, before we got here and that's what it said. Fear...it's something we all have to live with. But, but if the exarchs are as powerful as you're afraid they are, why do they need to send you here? Why does this *gestures to the ceiling* even exist? It's...it's because they're afraid. They're afraid there's still beauty in this world, and that if people like you realized it, and stopped being afraid of them, they would lose their power."

[Thanqol]

Cyprus stopped where she was.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand," she said. "You don't understand how lucky you are that They have people like me."

[Anarion]

"Then tell me. Tell us what's so frightening, we can't possibly understand it."

[Thanqol]

"There... is no way to say something like that in this language," Cyprus said, fists clenching. She spoke three words in Atlantean:

"[Totality/Absolute/Would obliterate if it had not already dismissed the concept of Death from it's domain]"

"[Scale/Volume/Noise/A sound that permanently changes the soul of the one who hears it]"

"[Warning/Divine Commandment/Condemnation/Judgement/Prophecy]"

"This is not a matter that can be debated. This is the nature of God."

[Anarion]

Tessen smiles, but her eyes look sad. "It is the nature of humanity. We are capable of the highest nobility and the most base villainy. Man and god, we are not so different. The exarchs may have reached the pinnacle first and cast down the celestial ladder, but they couldn't change the nature of the soul, only hide it beneath the lie. They couldn't prevent the creation of the watchtowers, and whatever you may think, they can't stop sleepers from awakening, from remembering who and what they are. They stumble along the way, and your order helps slow the process, but eventually they will remember that they're all gods. And we will be there to help them when they struggle, if not me, then someone else."

[Thanqol]

"Psh. Words," Cyprus said, starting to walk again. "That's all you have. Words and hope and cheap philosophy. That is not nearly enough."

It wasn't that she wasn't listening. It's that she didn't have a more coherent response.

[the_druid_droid]

Turing had smiled faintly when Tessen stood her ground. He hadn’t wanted to put the others’ lives on the line with his actions - he had seen the fear in Tessen’s eyes when she had first heard of Cyprus and he could hardly bear to drag her into this confrontation.

But now, after seeing their resolve, Turing felt pride grow in his chest. He was glad to say he had friends crazy enough to argue theology with a Seer even his Guardian superiors were wary of, and if they were going to die they would do it defying the false Thrones. It was starting to put him in a better mood.

As Slade approached, he turned his attention to the Seer. “And what do you choose, Mr. Slade? Now that our prophet has made an appearance, I don’t suppose you will be needing me for information.”

[Thanqol]

"Well, actually..." said Slade.

He took a deep breath and looked like he made his decision.

He turned to look at Cyprus. The Archon turned to meet his gaze. Something passed between them - from the mix of reactions on Cyprus' face, it was like an entire conversation carried in the course of five seconds. The Archon went from shock, to contemplation, to agreement. She nodded to Slade.

Slade looked back to Turing. He took another breath, and then forced his face into a snarl. "Of course we don't need you for information. The Eye sees everything," he stressed that entire sentence, "and I am sick of you looking at me like that."

He swung a left hook at Turing's jaw.

[the_druid_droid]

Turing wondered to himself what the unspoken communication might be, especially after the look that appeared on Cyprus’ face. His thoughts were interrupted however when Slade took a swing at him.

Why the hell isn’t he using magic?

The gray-haired man attempted to dodge the punch, trying to wrap his brain around what was going on. Weren’t they supposed to be calling down fire from on high? An old-fashioned brawl felt... almost funny in this situation.

[Turing attempts a dodge, still trying to buy time here]

[Anarion]

Tessen lets out a shriek. "What are you doing?! The painter's right there. You got what you want. Leave Turing alone."

[Thanqol]

Slade caught the side of Turing's head with his punch, stinging and making his head spin. The detective was strong.

He twisted his arm out to grab the front of Turing's shirt and pull him in. Turing would get the momentary feeling of Slade stuffing something down the front of his shirt before the detective took another swing at him.


Cyprus turned on her heel and backhanded Tessen hard across the face.


[For really interesting combats, don't tell the players how much damage they're taking]

[the_druid_droid]

Turing grunted as the agent’s punch connected, but managed to keep his head clear enough to feel the other man slip him something.

Something was up...

“Alright, if this is what you want! Might as well put the close-quarters training into action!”

[Turing’s turn to try and swing. Let me know what attribute and skill; I’m thinking Strength+Brawl]