(05-04-2025, 05:30 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

Morgana's grin turns a tad sharp at you turn the tables on her, and sort of...hungry amusement about her now.

"Clever question, such Insight from a peer so dear. But not the right one, no not quite-precise."

She leans forward, an air of deviousness about her.

"The question you should-must be asking is thus: Why haven't they dealt with it until now? Surely, so assuredly, they could have tried and plyied to nip the gale before it a'came a'roaring, if the want was there and the power where. Care to take a guess, ponder and donder such slothful negilgence of those Sutenous fools?"

(05-04-2025, 05:33 PM)Redstone Wrote:

(05-04-2025, 05:21 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

Your sharp eyes and senses spot two potential options for get-away:

1. Bold as brass you dive past the Big Gloomy Dragon and back into the Pipe. Where it will take you at this point is Unown, and you risk getting STOMPED, but you're confidant enough that you can finagle a way past them and just might catch the big beast off in surprise at your bold play!

2. You spy another Pipe in the distance, past some ROUGH terrain and stream of questionable with and depth (Hard to tell from here). You can attempt a mad dash to get there, and almost assuridly will cause the Big Gloomy Dragon to chase you, but any port in the storm kahuna aspiree!

As for Lani's Willingness to Fight....

Loyalty: (6)(5)(3) + 1 (Yikes!)
Disobedience: (4)(2)(5) + (6)(5) (Oooh, a REAL Challenge!) Ah fiddlesticks

Lani's INS Check: 12D6
*Rolls* Hmm...

Lani does NOT share your hesitation, perking and squaring up as she looked ready for her first TRUE challenge! From the Bond you share with her you get the feeling that she believes that she's capable of actually having a chance against this big ol' beast, though she's not 100% confidant about it. Also, you get the sense from her that Big Gloomy Dragon is going to Pursue you no matter what due to....what feels to be territorialness? Oh, don't tell me that it sensed its kin and their power from that Fight and decided to intervene?!

If it has to be this way, she'll learn a lesson either way.

He'd give her the chance to dig in, should things prove to go badly there was *something* to be unleashed on the beast.

''Fine then, begin with Dragon Dance, then Bullet Punch EX and Drain Punch.''

(5+2+3-2=8, 6+3+4-1-4=8, 6+3+4-6=7)

(05-04-2025, 06:17 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote: "I believe I implied that with the last statement of my question, but sure, I'll bite.  They could have been hoping the critter decided to stay put.  Not that I have much reason to believe they thought it might, given the the gradual expansion of its territory that they'd been documenting. 

"More likely, for one reason or another, they weren't able to assemble a force capable of taking it on.  Nobody around here was exactly volunteering, and there's very few in this city that would even dare to attempt a fight of that caliber to begin with, so that leads me to assume there's some internal politics at play that's either interfering with their capacity to ask for assistance or would require severe concessions from them if they sought that help. 

"That is where my exact knowledge of the situation ends, and it's merely a hypothesis.  But they were desperate enough to rope me into it via their politics with my region.  Implies to me that they have less political leverage with the Mageocracy than they'd like, and had to jump on any more favorable opportunity they could.  Especially with the upcoming festival that they do not want ruined under any circumstances."

Seddi waves a hand, semi-dismissing his own remarks.  "As I said though, that's just a hypothesis using my limited knowledge of the situation.  Which is why I hope you can clear up any little misunderstandings I might have and fill in the gaps."

(05-04-2025, 06:40 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

*Clap clap!*

"*Beaming Smile!* Correct and yes, oh Justified man! *Giggles* Well and no, more to it than that, Indeedee ye. Not just that, but so and so: Bayhama did not, could not afford-to-pay the price of appearing weak. Or rather the ones currently in charge, those woeful mutts chasing their tails, lost glory, and polls, ugh."

Morgana rolls her eyes at the last bit, steepling her hands underneath her chin with a put upon huff.

"They and thus could've called in the National Guard, could've should've wouldn't their dear allies, but they didn't! Thus and they feared the loss, the defeat and dour gains that entreating such aid could bargain....and the consequences if that too didn't fair so well dealing with those dreadful winds."

The Fair Lady Smiles, tilting her head at you ever so slightly.

"Now, another question for you, too and true: What could the reason behind such fear, such cavernousness, such defensivenss be? He he he he....."

(05-04-2025, 07:26 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote: Seddi nods, a thoughtful expression on his face.  Fear.  Such a motivating factor.  Fear of what?  That's the real question.

Though Morgana might have just answered the question for him already, given her last batch of statements.

"That, I can only speculate on.  Though if I were to take a wild guess, it could be a common reason between basically all politicians: their odds of re-election and maintaining their power.  As I said, they really don't want anything ruining the upcoming festival.  Biggest event of the year overshadowed by inadequate forces getting slaughtered by a god-like critter, the very people they're celebrating getting decimated before they could be honored, or sitting idly by and letting a living hurricane cancel the festivities altogether?  None are a good outlook for someone trying to claw back or maintain a positive approval rating.  Doubly so if they couldn't hide anything because they relied on a close ally that the people are familiar with and trust.  It's no secret that if a band of heroes were to assemble by their own accord (for all appearances) and fail to take down the beastie, the suits would have had a scapegoat to blame for the city being targeted by that critter, thus preserving their political images.

"I could be entirely wrong about that, of course.  I've seen men do worse to maintain power though.  At their most intense, politics aren't much different from a turf war, after all.  Underhanded politics to save their own skins wouldn't surprise me in the slightest."

(05-04-2025, 07:47 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

"Hmm....an apt answers, but one lacking vision - or is it too Scope in, per say? Not untrue, nor fore incorrect. Just....imprecise. Grazed, pointedly missed. Bigger, wider, fuller: just what are the targets of this show-showering-scene these lowly lapdogs are trying to stage? What made those hapless fools so, so desperate to skulk so deep, to save such pale face? Who know - well, they know, and oh it bequeaths them a world of woe, he he he he....!"

The Fairy Queen of Unova, amused as she was, let out a sigh and motioned to you, impatient\ce not quite draped about her but close.

"Now enough, tarry your queries here. Humor you, humored this Lady those comedians' farce, we have short and long this dreary day. Satisfy and slacked your curiosity, have or have not, now 'tis time to indulge the Lady her own.'

She reaches out to you, as gesture beckoning as it was welcoming.

"Once asked, now twice spoken: May you share your name with me, here and dear, my fellow peer?"

(05-04-2025, 08:11 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote: As he'd suspected, Morgana confirmed he didn't have enough information.  There's something more going on behind the scenes in Sutalör.  Likely something dangerous...

"I suppose playtime is over, yes.  I do have other business I need to be attending to, as do you I imagine.  As you have so graciously humored me, now it's my turn.  If you were to go digging, as you said you could and which I do not doubt, the name you would find is Seddi M. Entary.  Simple as that."

(05-04-2025, 08:25 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

Morgana froze.

"......."

Silence.

A long pause as she Looked at you.

Long

and

hard....
...
...

Reaction: INS + Survival + Alert 
(4)(2)(6) (3)(2)(2) (3)(1)(4) Not near enough.

Pain, quick and sharp, lanced up your right arm. Your eyes rapidly dart to it and find a small, open wound, oozing free blood.

"Oh. Oh."

Your head jerks back to Morgana, and it takes little time to notice one of her digits was bloody red.

The same shade that now stained her lips as she just.....stared at you in with....you honestly can't rightly telll. All you could parse from that still and stony face was...

"Oh dear, I've fucked up."

Dismay and Regret.

(05-04-2025, 08:51 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote: Despite the situation, Seddi keeps his cool.  He does give Morgana a rather pointed stare though 

"Unless you want a diplomatic incident, I'd advise against further violence in reaction to a simple name.  I have done nothing to you, nor your cause.  I'm just a researcher and diplomat from Paldea.  You have no reasonable reason for this aggression."

He knows exactly why Morgana reacted like that.  And it's exactly why he delayed giving her his name.

It's worth reminding her that the ghosts of Unova's past are simply that now: ghosts.  Enigma made sure of that.

Politics.  Blegh.

(05-04-2025, 09:06 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

Morgana stirred at your remark, her look turning confused and then incredulous, before she barked out an almost hysteric giggle.

"Wha - you believe politics...? Perish that thought! Your Status and Rank has been known to me since days yonder - I wouldn't dare attempt to verify your Identity this way or incite conflict between our....homes over...*Sighs* ."

Her speech, once flowery, was shockingly plain and tinged with....endearment, sadness, and regret? 

What?

"Oh dear, dear, dear...."

The Lady burries her face into her hands.

"How do I - *Sighs* I suppose..."

She looks back to you, a sort of humerous chagrin tinge to her ever so slightly shaky smile.

" Seddi , I have... news to share with you now that I know who your are with 100% Certainty. It is of....personal nature. I will give you choice: I can share it with you now, bluntly, and we discuss what it means to us, or I will leave you with it and give you time to....deliberate before we meet again. Whatever you choose...I understand, and know that I am sorry for the.....excitement I caused you."