~~~ IC ~~~

::It's another freaking beautiful afternoon. You've all headed out hither and yon on your various and sundry errands. Vasili is looking for heraldric info on Vultures, Martel and Lan are looking into the significance of a gray, sword-esque stone in history, and An and Budi are going out to try to track down what happened to the pegasus gargoyle that was last seen on the ship bound for Tacean Frigorea in the Vera Cruz system, 4 years ago... The scene focuses on Vasili, and how he's beginning his search::

::meanwhile, doc is steadily concocting formulas he likely can only test by addicting himself to selchaka::

::Vasili, his clothing as casual as his form will allow, enters a local bar named Florien's. Known for hard drink and harder stock, Vasili expects to find the military sort he is more comfortable speaking with::

::as in any military institution whose chain of command is uncertain, and jobs and positions could be on the line, but no immediate combat is likely, the bar has a goodly number of Hazat soldiers trying to forget their problems::

::a few guys that Vasili has talked to over the last few weeks, a local ground unit from the army, have taken over a table to the north wall::

::Vasili nods casually and heads in their direction. Casually.:: Is there a seat at this table?

::the sergeant of the group leans back and looks half-drunkenly at Vasili:: Hey, big guy, sit down, have a drink.. on you though, I can't afford to fill that massive belly

I agree. In fact, I'll buy a round for everyone at this table.

::one of the privates leans over and in a slurred whisper states:: That wasn't very nice Don, you just... implied.. that he's fat

Oh... sorry about that Vas... but yeah, we'd love it if you bought more beer

Then I will. ::Motions to nearest bartender to bring a round for the table::

::it is quickly in place::

So what's the word up in the high places these days, man?

Not much, not much. Just waiting to see if this place will ever recover from the accident.

Not until they figure out who's in charge, non? It's very unsettling to be on the bottom of a pyramid with too many people trying to be on top

Anything interesting happening on your front?

Not much, my friend, not so much. Playing serious politics doesn't leave much time for playing at general

One must simply wait long enough and another opportunity will present itself. It is always the way. In fact, I might be available for anything, if it comes up. I have the credentials.

True, true.. but what brings a man with bodyguard work such as yourself to our party of pity, eh?

Just bored with the non-action of my post. Seeking out like-minded company.

Be thankful for what you have. From what I understand, having a man with enough enemies to keep a bodyguard interested is not far from a man with too many enemies indeed.

::Vasili nods, not really understanding the drunken slurs spitting forth from the Hazat's mouth:: Actually, that may be coming true. My current employer has interest in an obscure item. I fear he may be digging in areas that might make him further enemies.

::nods sagely, as if this is always the way::

Perhaps I should seek out the source of the item myself, eh? At least know what I am up again. ::Vasili takes a drink, hoping that the Hazat grabs the bait without Vasili seeming too eager.::

You might do that, as well... for you know, eh... if your employer, he makes enemies, you will have to fight them and protect him.. but if you make these enemies instead, you need not worry for your employer

Aye! Such is wisdom! ::head falls onto the table::

::Vasili curses to himself. Maybe one drink too many for that man.:: Maybe. Maybe. Well, would you know of anyone who could identify strange insignias? Symbols?

Ah... it is a ::slurred, too loud whisper:: secret society, eh?

Or perhaps some gang leader youth trying to play warlord. It is a trivial thing.

What are these ::loud whisper:: secret symbols?

Hardly secret. It's some trivial piece of heraldry with a bird on it. A buzzard, vulutre, or other such scavenger bird on it.

A vulture? Your enemies fly the sign of the vulture?

No, not at all. Remember, I did not say my employer had made these enemies. Just that he was interested in an item and don't want him to get in over his head. Should I worry?

But these enemies, "in potentia," fly under the symbol of the vulture?

I suppose. You seem to know what I'm talking about?

If I do, you may be deeply in trouble indeed. Angelo.. Angelo... ::smacks Angelo across the table::

Eh! What?!?

::Vasili keeps an even, disinterested manor, despite being quite interested in what is happening here::

The sign of the vulture, proudest of birds, survivor of the desert, who does it herald?

The vulture? She flies on the ships and standards of our greatest enemies ::spits on the floor in contempt:: She flies over the heads of the Kurgan elite, guards of their heathen patriarch!

Indeed, indeed, young Angelo. Mark well the sign of the vulture, Vasili, for it is the sign of the Kurgan hordes.

I see. I am glad to have spoken to you, then.

::nods sagely::

((::blinks:: I suppose the Hazat *do* rather hold back the Kurgan Hordes, don't they? ::angles his book/map sideways:: ))

::Vasili continues to press them, gently, for information on the Kurgans, while bonding with them over drink. Until they pass out.::

::they give you very little information beyond what can be found in general locations known to many:: ((such as the information in your game book))

((No wonder Budi did not know it, he works the other side of the known worlds.))

::meanwhile, Lan and Martel are supposed to be looking into stones::

::which they are. Step one is arranging to meet with those folks who served as medics on the scene of the destruction of it's resting place, under some further-medical-response-procedures type of thing.::

::except the stone you're looking into this afternoon is the sword-looking one from the vision, not the Orb::

Well, I say we go mug that fellow we read about in the paper. you know, the artifact expert guy Budi found out about in the news archives? wonder where we could find him...

::nods, considering:: Seems a likely start. Hrm.

He was an eskatonic, so i supopse one of their churches should be able to point us in the right direction.

Let's run and see. ::Stands up from their lunch, which is finished anyway::

Right. ::nods and heads for the transportation:: ((i do know where the eskatonics are around ehre, right?))

::heads them off to the nearest likely source of eskatonics. Ask directinos if necessary::

((indeed))

::after wrangling a transport from some likely source or other, Martel and Lan wander into the small Eskatonic Chapel of Isabella's Landing near the north edge of the Port::

::knock knock knock::

::the chapel, on a nice sunny afternoon, is not closed::

::opens the door and strolls in, looking for a likely lay leader::

::realizes about this time that Frater Miguel De Aragon is who knows about the GLOBE. Somehow, he was getting the two confused::

::a frocked clergy looking man is fiddling with the ornate draperies hanging on the pretty stained glass windows::

(("Frater Miguel de Aragon, priest of the Eskatonic Order and expert on artifact lore"))

::so, he probably knows about other sorts of things as well. Might as well see if we can get an audience with him and talk up the esoterica::

::walks up the the priest:: excuse me sir. we are looking for Frater Miguel de Aragon, and was wondering if you could help us out?

::the priest looks down, starts momentarily at the sight of an inquisitor, realizes that you're probably not about to start something, and then nods and heads to the back after putting up a "one moment" finger::

::nods::

::whispers:: You see the look he gave you? Try to look, docile and intellectual, or something.

::looks at the doctor like he's insane:: me? DOCILE?

Well. ::shrugs::

I'd rather eat a poodle.

::elbows the deacon::

::attempts to look dignified at best. he can live with dignified::

::and eventually a graying gentleman of obvious Aragonese extraction wanders out from the back, his robes hanging extravagantly over his growing paunch::

Greetings brother and gentleman. How may I help you today?

Hello brother. We seek information about a potental artifact which has come to our attention.

We. Crave some of your learned time, perhaps to discuss it and other matters?

Oh? You're not planning to ::deadpan stage whisper:: set it on fire ::normal voice:: are you?

This is Deacon Azo, and no, he's no such intention. I'm Doctor Maninzhoue, humblest of students of the Great Art, and its attendant mysteries.

::scratches back of his head looking a little embarassed:: you wouldnt happen to know anything about a grey stone sword thing wouldja? and kinda, meybe yeah. but not us. some fire will probably be involved in a metaphorical kinda way . ::looks to lan:: take it away, doc.

No, we're not.

How very strange ::gestures grandly at a back room:: walk this way

/follow

Kind of you to spend time with us, Frater. I've been meaning to correspond with you since I came to the planet here some time previous. ::follows too::

::looks strangely at the Avestite and his narration of his slashfollow, and leads you into a small conferance room:: Sooooo.... ::takes a seat with the careful grace of an aging fat man:: what is it you want to know about now?

::sits down and begins:: Frater. It is a matter of interpreting, images. We have lately found ourselves confronted with a recurrent image. Its origin, of course, we may not know. But this itself should not prove a bar to inquiry, should it?

::shrugs::

The image, is of a stone, which prevents a fire. But the stone, is shaped like a sword, or sicle.

::looks strangely at lan:: ummm lan, it was straight as a needle...

In the magnum opus, of course, this refers to... the birth of mithras, and all that attends that mystery. But. I admit, I find myself lost in these kinds of matters. The reference is more concrete, I think. ::looks strangely back::

::shrugs:: just sayin it wasn't sickle shaped. it was staight.

Just a moment. ::closes his eyes to think::

::yep, straight and pointy, not curved::

Well. It was thin. Grey. And stone. ::opens his eyes::

So you're looking for an artifact, that is a gray stone of needle like identity that reminded you of a sword, yeesss? How big? Sword sized?

((i remember no points of reference))

((nope))

I remember no points of reference. Lan, you got anything?

Well.... Big enought to... ::shrugs:: occlud stars, yet. ::shrugs:: I don't think it was that big. Thin. It was thin. ::nods meaningfully::

::nods:: yup. definately thin. ::nods again. for empathis::

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm....... I'll be back ::stands and shuffles off out of the room::

::stands nervously in a corner polishing some nonexistand rust off of his flamer with the hem of his robe::

::wishes he hadn't brought that thing::

::shuffles back in a few seconds later with a sheaf of papers and a large book:: Would you say, it looks like this? ::shows them a picture of a gigantic stone column, with a person to indicate scale, this is not it::

nope.

::shakes head::

Hmmmm ::pulls out another picture of what is clearly a rapier with a black domino mask laid across it:: This?

nope. too many details i think. it was a very plain needle like grat stone holding back the fires of the cosmos.

There you are. Or perhaps, a very small thing indeed.

Hmmm ::pulls out a picture of a large needle of the kind that Martel is familiar with for testing for witches, not really like the one you saw:: This?

That is, too many details-- sounds right. ::peers at it::

::shakes his head::

Ah, here's one ::pulls out a picture of a pole-like item that tapers to points at either end, and seems to have faint designs carved into it that are hard to see in the picture. The legend indicates that it's about 3-6'::

hmmm ((is it close?))

((sounds not sliver enough to me))

((from what you can tell, and from the quality of the picture, it's the closest))

closest I've seen yet though.

Hmmm. ::scrutinizes closer:: Could be.... could be.

::consults the page notation at the bottom of the picture and begins flipping in the book:: Ah! yes, I thought that sounded familiar.. this is one I rarely have to look up since sightings are unknown... How familiar are you gentlemen with the story of the first emperor?

gimme a refresher?

::shakes his head::

Vladimir Alecto.. united the universe.. most powerful man until his mysterious death?

::nods::

Come now, you must remember the greatest mystery of all about the story? The method by which he united the universe and confounded his enemies?

Anyone? Anyone? Azo?

hey, don't look at me. i ignored the tutors.

Well, as I recall, he was fairly well connected among the nobile houses, such as they were at that time... And, he promised to restore rightful rule, where he went...

wait. the assassination?

No, no.. I can't believe this isn't in the history books anymore.. the greatest artifact ever! The "grail" so to speak for all artifact hunters across the known worlds?

((HA! I knew it was in the main book.. p 251))

::flops disconsolately across the book:: Nothing is sacred anymore. They've allowed my area of expertise to vanish from the minds of the children of the universe.

Its a tragedy, but circumstances sometimes prevent us who would be willing to learn from doing so.

::face still firmly planted in a heap on the book and under his arms, so rather muffled:: Jumping without a jumpgate, people, the philosopher's stone that let him jump from anywhere in the system.

((I did read the background history when I bought FS. And I've read the section on alien artefacts like, a zillion times even before tonght. Sorry. ))

It's only the most sought after artifact, ever. There's even an imperial knighthood promised for finding it, and they don't promise those lightly.

hmmm, if thats the right one, then I guess we'll just have to find it. ::sigh:: but hey, at least the knighthood could help. any clues on the location brother?

Ah. The Philosopher's Stone that ... ::gestures vaguely:: allows travel without jumpgates. Yes. It's supposed to look... like this?

No, no, it was hidden before his death... Yes, this is based on a description by a charioteer that saw it

sooo, where do people look for it?

::gestures wildly with an arm from his heap:: everywhere... or they did when I was a boy

::eskatonics are just like this. As everyone knows::

well, ok, at least we know what we are looking for.

Frater. Are there any books, on the matter, that you could reccomend, for a remedial student, such as I?

::turns to Lan:: we should still try to turn up the orb as well. between the two artifacts, An could get into ANYONES good graces.

Try Machaffy's "Life of Vladimir I; Volume 2".. it goes into great detail about the stone as a metaphor for Alecto's bid for empire... There's little real information on it, however, just the vague description you have there, reports that it would interface with jump engines to go anywhere, and that he once sheared an enemy's personal shield with it...

like it was nothing

::nods::

Great. here's betting An's gonna end up stabbing someone with it.

Nothing...? ::kicks the deacon under the table::

::looks up, surprised:: what?

Beg your pardon, deacon. Must have a potassium imbalance. Pernicious thing.

hey, if its good enough for ole Vlad to stab with, its good enough for An... ::stands:: in any case, i think we got what we came for.

No, no, the term used was definately shear, not stab

Good to know. Thank you very much brother. If you think of anything, we can be found at this address. And if you need any assistance, feel free to give us a call about that as well.

::stood as well:: Frater. Thank you for your time. Machaffy's Volume II, I shan't forget.

Good good.. I'll stay here and wallow in regret at the education system of the universe these days

well, ummm, have fun i suppose...

::finds this insufferably irritating, but looks like his usual docile self::

::heads out with the deacon::

((right, rob's gotta go soon, and Lee disappeared for An's scene.. so do Lan and An want to get together for a discussion or just end tonight?))

((Hmm. end it for now. ))

((I'm going to do some remedial reading, I guess. ))

((okay, see you all next week then unless someone notes otherwise))

~~~ OOC ~~~