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D&D Campaigns => Eberron => In Character Discussions => Topic started by: Dray on March 30, 2008, 09:38:44 PM

Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on March 30, 2008, 09:38:44 PM
A cold day, but a clear one nevertheless, thought Temmit as he made his way around Nottingham Hall. The large courtyard of granite tiles was freshly shoveled as was typical of all the 'uppity' parks in the Winter.

Other than the Church of Kaine itself, Temmit didn't find any other building quite as obnoxious as Nottingham Hall. Finished just 30 years ago, the brand new granite building was the "main attraction" for theater extravaganzas and symphony concerts for the 'well-to-do' in the Kingdom.

Leslie had once told him of her "dieing to go", but Temmet deduced that the 200gp ticket, just for the last row of the balcony, was something her parents probably couldn't justify.

He made his way around the ridiculously sized building and towards the Nutcase. As expected, there was an unfortunate amount of the older kids, almost two dozen, hanging outside, including Emma who stood in line behind none-other-than Stew the lunchroom-lacky under the canopy in front of the small building.

As kids picked up there coffee and nutbread from Monty, or his daughter Luminda, at one of the two windows, they would turn and join their intimate groups milling about the adjacent Hall's courtyard.

Five kids were in line at the moment, with Stew in second and Emma third.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on March 30, 2008, 09:47:19 PM
Temmit got in line, as was his wont, and waited patiently for his turn to get an adequate dose of sleep substitute.

While waiting, he cast about, looking for anything on interest; anything that caught his eyes as out of place.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on March 30, 2008, 09:55:27 PM
The only look he got was from a girl named Samantha, Age 16, and also from the House of Scribes. The girl rolled her eyes at him as if he had no business hanging out at the "Cold kids spot".

Emma noted that he had arrived with the pull of an earlobe, the common Whisper greeting, when he approached. She didn't speak to him though, as all in Whisper had an understanding that Emma needed to portray herself as "above the commoners" when in public. This ruse, more than anything else, kept her pretentious father off of her back.

Emma took it farther though and disn't speak to any of the popular rich kids either, which Temmit imagined made her existance when not in guild a very lonely one.

With a quickness that Temmit always appreciated here, he was next to order.

"Good morning Master Temmit," Monty said. "Want a spot of Nutbread with your coffee this morning sir?"
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on March 30, 2008, 10:03:16 PM
Temmit motioned an appropriate response to Emma, but didn't look directly at her.

"Aye, sir. Thank you." Temmit said respectfully. Monty usually objected to the formality, but Temmit enjoyed it. Monty was one of those adults who actually deserved respect.

He reached into his bag for his tall ceramic stein for Monty to fill. His stomach growled in anticipation. "A rather large piece, please. I'm rather hungry this morning."

A few pleasantries later and Temmit was standing out of the way, eating his nutbread, drinking hot coffee, and watching the people come and go.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on March 30, 2008, 10:18:28 PM
All the kids, including Emma were wearing the normal fare, heavy leather breaches, cloaks and jackets lined with rabbit fur. The popular item this Winter being handknit wool hats with a silly tasle at each side holding a ball of wool only a cat would find endearing.

Emme merely had her cloak hood up.

Time passed to a quarter-pass 8 dawnhand and Renee showed up wearing her school uniform with a long dark leather fur-lined cloak, he could see the tip of her longsword scabbard poking from beneath. The longsword was something most kids in the Capital neglected back at the school, despite the flack they received from teachers.

Temmit always loved watching the reaction from the older kids who didn't know the girl personally. For Renee had a reputation of being the toughest kid in O.C., one that she tried to maintain no less. Her walk in public was a confident and almost slow-moving military strut as if she was always examining the troops. And without failure it always made kids uneasy. Granted she could wipeout all the kids near the Hall should she so choose, but a bully was something Temmit knew she was not.

She made her way to the window, which was just again vacated, and got her coffee and bread. Without a word she pass bye in front of Emma, a signal for her to follow.

As was familiar, Emma did so, followed by Temmit, all three of them at an unobvious interval, knowing their friend would be around the very next corner.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on March 30, 2008, 10:28:28 PM
Temmit rounded the corner with his drink on his lips and his hood pulled up against the mid-winter chill. Both ladies were there as expected. They moved towards their goal, not stopping for a too-obvious greeting, Temmit a few steps behind.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on March 30, 2008, 10:48:35 PM
With their hoods up, no one happening bye would even note who the two girls were, and Temmit was familiar with looking like a stalker.

They passed through the fancy shops and businesses that were just north of the Hall. It was obviously quiet this early in the morning and they hardly encountered anyone. When they reached the main road that was parallel with the western edge of ShantyTown, Temmit watched the tops of the delpidated flat roofed buildings pass bye behind the wall. It amazed him that some of the buildings were the oldest in the kingdom, some of them didn't look like they would make it another week, let alone to have lasted a over two millenia.

Renee and Emma turned the corner and into ShantyTown, Temmit trotted up to walk almost right behind them, the precaution of being identified no longer being as important as their safety in the hard neighborhood.

They walked along the muddy streets and thru the narrow streets in between the tall residential towers that made up this quarter of the district. Temmit could understand why Fresenius was wiping out the eyesore known as ShantyTown, but cringed at all the lost souls he was creating, according to the words of his daughter.

On what was probably a parallel street a block over, a man started yelling profanity at his wife. A typical occurence that made Temmit take a step closer to his companions. A few more blocks passed, blocks of broken porches, babies crying behind broken windows and more than a few lumps of cloth which were people sleeping in the street. It was always disheartening to walk thru ShantyTown during the day.

At night it transformed into something else entirely, a place where inhabitions could be put on hold and soldiers, men and women could find entertainment at almost every corner. Temmit didn't come here at night.

Finally, after taking his fill of depressing living conditions and taking one too many alleys to get to the place, Emma and Renee stopped and pulled him into the group.

Renee was quickly all business.

"Morning Temmit. The next house on the left, kind of obvious by the sign I guess," she said looking over at it.

FORTUNE TELLER

"Supposedly the rumor is that Mia is available from 8 dawnhand and works until 5 nighthand," she said and handed him a small purse with a few coin.

Temmit looked at her with the obvious question.

"It's only a few coin, to make this all legit I am thinking you should get your fortune told in order to get to know her a bit."

(OOC, okay, its too late in the night to proofread, so I apologize beforehand)
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on March 30, 2008, 11:16:14 PM
Temmit stowed the purse away and committed himself. "I'll be back." He said simply. He pulled his cloak around him and strode towards the door under the sign.

He entered through the door, taking in the scene inside.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on March 31, 2008, 12:26:09 PM
As he stepped into a corridor that seemed to connect multiple adjoining rooms he was met quickly by a rotund woman wrapped with colorful silk cloths and an ungodly amount of costume jewelry. The scent of morning breakfast came with her and settled warmly over him. The woman had a spatula in one hand and a pitcher of milk in the other, her smile was contagious and Temmit felt he would take an immediate liking to her and her kind demeanor.

Eggs, bacon, honey on toast it all smelled lovely and suddenly that nutbread wasn't so filling after all.

"I was looking out the front window and saw you approaching young sire, how are you this morning? Here to get your future told by my niece?" the woman asked pleasantly.

Temmit scanned the corridor with his peripheral vision while nodding yes to her. The old horse-hair plaster walls of the corridor were covered with nick-knacks of various types, sized and shapes, a collection he presumed. The entry to the kitchen was missing a door but the door to the other two rooms were closed.

(OOC: I am only pausing for a moment to see if there is anything you want to do or say before I bring you into the Lion's den,,,,,erm I mean Mia's room).
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on March 31, 2008, 02:44:23 PM
Sense motive: Modified 23. Just needed to get a roll in. :)

Temmit smiled warmly back at the woman. "Yes," he answered. "At least, I think so. I am looking for someone named Mia? Surely she can't be your niece? Her father must have been a darn sight older then you, I'd wager."

He looked at the spatula in her hand. "But I'm sorry." He continued. "I didn't mean to interrupt your lovely breakfast. I can come back at a better time, if you like." He took a step backwards towards the door, hoping that she would stop him before he got too far.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on March 31, 2008, 09:28:49 PM
The woman let out a hearty belly laugh that shook the wall hangings, "Darlin you best not touch that doorknob after taking that silver-tongue out of yours.

Temmit stopped, happy with the comment, but kind of frightened by it as well. While he was frozen with indecision, he heard the chuckling woman turn and walk to the door at the end of the hall. She gave it a hardy knock.

"Mia? Mia darlin are you decent? You have a customer," she said while knocking. Almost immediately the door opened a crack and a pretty girl with long brown hair and green eyes popped her head through.

"Oh, uh....hi," she said to Temmit.

"Boy wants his fortune told sleepy head, you ready to open shop?" her Aunt asked her.

She looked at Temmit with a slight blush of embarassment. "Could you give me 5 turns to clean up my room?"

Temmit could see that she already knew his answer as she ducked back in her room and closed the door.

"I will make a plate for both of you darlin, just wait here for a few moments and us two girls will fix you up good," the large woman said and shuffled back into the kitchen.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on March 31, 2008, 09:43:57 PM
"Is there anything that I can do to help?" Temmit asked. He had noted that people tended to be put more at ease when you offered help. While waiting for an answer, he looked about the hallway that he was in.

This was clearly the place of a person - or people - who liked stuff. Clutter. He looked for personal effects (pictures, awards, and the like) that might tell him something about the people who lived here. Most telling might be effects that reflected their feelings about the government (that family that had the statue of Emma's father came to mind).

Thus far, it seemed that young Mia was orphaned and taken in by her aunt. It sounded as though it was just the two of them living here too.

What else was the case had yet to be ascertained.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on March 31, 2008, 10:07:07 PM
Never before had Temmit seen such a confusing array of things put all in one place. An oil painting of some old guy in a white wig was surrounded by beerbutter corks, all stamped with different single and two words phrases like "Cold buttah", "Lakeshore Ice" , "KT Brew" and the like. Temmit remembered that it was a promotion effort to push the buttery liquid last summer, and it looked as if the wall had the entire collection of 24 corks.

"I am just going to put everything on one big platter for the two of you darlin," said the sweet woman from the other room. "You just nibble off of it what you want....now where did I put that platter, ah yes...."

While the woman started humming a ditty, Temmit continued his scan of the trinkets for more clues on the family.

Bronzed baby shoes on a plaque, an oil painting of Mia when she was probably 5, a theater mask, a lute only a doll could play, some crazy wall sculpture made out of thin strand of metal wire, a rough carving of a sailboat mounted on a block of wood nailed to the wall, the words Mia on the Lake written on it, a fake play sword with dusty runestones stuck to it, a clay bowl mounted to a backboard with Mia scratched at the bottom, a picture box with....

Temmit's heart froze in his chest.

Mounted within the picture box was a copper medallion about 3 inches in diameter with a Spire at its center, an open eye to the upper right of the Spire, with a full moon and stars in the sky behind, and a closed eye in the upper left, with a sun and sparse clouds behind.

It was definitively the symbol of the Hunters Patrol!
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on March 31, 2008, 11:03:18 PM
So many unexpected things in such a short period of time.

"Do you see what I see?" Smokey asked unnecessarily.

"Of course I do." Temmit thought back. He pulled his eyes away from the symbol and looked back to the carved boat. He shifted his eyes to see if anyone noted him gawking at the medallion.

He cleared his voice, searching for something disarming to say. The kindly woman seemed the sort who liked people, and liked to talk. "You've a fascinating array of remembrances here." He noted. "Tell me: who plays the tiny lute?" He asked, hoping that the query would be identified as a joking question.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 01, 2008, 06:23:14 AM
(OOC: Yeah, Temmit has had an UNCANNY amount of information dumped in his lap in the past 24 hours. Had you not scanned the wall though, it would have stayed there undiscovered - 100xp reward)

The woman gave a short laugh from the kitchen, it was apparent to Temmit that she wasn't even watching him, and intent on making their breakfast.

"Mia's toy when she was 3. Her mother once told me, 'I have no room for all of these memories'," she said in what must have been a mocking voice of Mia's mother.  "So I put everything on that wall."

She paused then said, "OOPS! Ah well, I guess I will eat that one."

"Everything on that wall darlin belongs to Mia, I wanted that dear fatherless child to always know that she was important in this world," she said.

Just then the door popped open, this time Mia's head had a dark blue silk cloth wrapped around it, with pretty gold stars woven in the fabric. A large loop earring hung from each ear, each with a delicate star charm hanging from it.

"Only two more turns sir, I promise," she said with a low-toned and sweet voice. She then peered at the kitchen. "And don't listen to whatever that woman says, she nuts," she teased and with a smile closed the door again.

From the kitchen he heard her chuckle and respond in a whisper to herself, "on second thought this one can go on Mia's side of the plate."

Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 01, 2008, 11:01:07 AM
"It's very kind of you to go out of your way for a stranger." Temmit said. "I thank you kindly. And by all means, I am in no hurry this morning: take your time." He felt a little guilty saying as much, since both Renee and Emma were waiting outside for him to return, but these things could not be rushed.

Temmit forced himself to scan the rest of his environment...you never knew what you might see for simple looking.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 01, 2008, 12:22:53 PM
As Temmit scanned the wall again, an idea of continuity amongst the items formed in his mind, it was only when he came across an old framed certificate that his idea was verified.

FIRST PRIZE – JUNIORS TINK CONTEST
MIA PRESCOTT
TINKERER'S GUILD FAIR – 2128
Sponsor: James Prescott

It appeared to Temmit that Mia had some craftsman in the family and she had picked up the trade, thus explaining the wall. Unfortunately no other items appeared to be of unique interest, but his heart still pounded at the discovery of the medallion.

This excitement caused him to jump a bit when the Mia's door swung open wide and a very elaborately dressed Mia stood within it. From head to toe she was dressed in dark silk fabric, the color of midnight blue with small gold stars. Her feet and mid-riff were bare and the large looped earrings were now framed by her hair which had been pulled in length from the skil headwrap.

The entire ensemble had a bit of a racy look for one so young, but Temmit didn't forget what town he stood in, knowing that the more daring her outfit, the most likely her business was better with the soldiers.

The smell of incense was now coming from the room.

"I don't usually get classmates from school. My name is Mia Prescott, age 13, The Artificers House, very nice to meet you," she said politely. Temmit noted that she had a low voice for a girl, not a baritone, but low nevertheless.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 01, 2008, 01:34:26 PM
Temmit turned to face Mia propely as he made his introduction. "It is my honor to meet you, Mia. I am Temmit Janalinus, age 15, The Scribes, and I apologize for distrubing your weekend morning."

He pointed a thumb at the certificate. "You won this at such a young age? Congratulations. Did you make everything here?" He asked matter-of-factly.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 01, 2008, 05:48:00 PM
"I did indeed," Mia said proudly and came into the corridor. She looked at the wall with him and smiled, a bit in embarrassment. "A lot of this is really just sentimental stuff. Well, not all of its mine though, some of it was made by my grandfather."

The Aunt tried to sneak by them without distracting them away from the wall discussion, a bit of a tough task in the narrow corridor, considering she was a big woman with a large platter of food.

"You kids keep right on talking, I will set this platter down in Mia's room," she said. When she got to the other side of Mia and was at her back, she motioned back towards Temmit, getting his attention and pointing out 'Mia's side of the plate'. Temmit tried not to laugh.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 01, 2008, 06:28:35 PM
"No need to be shy." Temmit said. "If you enjoy making things, then you should make things. We all of us have talents that we need to use, or else they're just wasted."

He looked again at the wall. "And what of this copper medallion? This must be one of your more recent creations; it's quite lovely. It's clear that your skills are growing."
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 01, 2008, 06:36:26 PM
"That old thing? No, that isn't my work, I probably could make a good copy of it though," she said, leaning down to peer at it more closely. It was as if she hadn't looked at it for years.

"It's actually quite old, passed down thru my mother's side of the family until my grandfather gave it to me of course," she said, standing back up. She shrugged, "just an odd relic."

"Want to go eat?" she asked with enthusiastic smile.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 01, 2008, 06:55:43 PM
Temmit turned to her and smiled. "Absolutely!" He said enthusiastically. "Tell me though: do you feed everyone who walks through this door? Or perhaps I only arrived at a convenient moment?"
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 01, 2008, 07:15:41 PM
"Two things is my guess. One, is your impeccable timing, as you imply and..." Mia caught herself.

Temmit waited patiently.

"Well," she paused, "well I don't get to see a lot of boys...erm I mean kids my own age and my Auntie is always riding me about it."

He could tell she flustered a bit easy.

"Come into my parlor," she said with dramatic flare, trying to change the subject while she spun around to open the door.

Past the door was a very small bedroom, but it looked like the young lass had done everything she possibly could, with whatever she could afford, to make it pleasant. Silk curtains, of hot pink in color inlaid with gold trim, hung by the ceiling and very close to where a circular pine table with two chairs stood near the door. On the table was not only burning incense sticks, but breakfast as well, the two different smells making a bit of a mess of the air.

Beyond a small slit in the curtains and just behind them appeared to be a cot with  folded blankets for a mattress.

As Mia entered the room she did a curious thing, she turned the platter 180 degrees on the table and then sat down, giving Temmit a challenging smile as she did so.

At the center of the table was the only item that looked out of place in the house with limited means. A 6" diameter glass ball sat in a wonderful setting of polished steel that resembled a knotted root. The crystal globe was so flawless it caught Temmit's attention for more than a few moments. It looked very valuable.

Mia picked up a fork and started to eat her eggs.

"We don't often get customers this early, they usually don't start coming in until just before mid-day," she said in between bites.

Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 01, 2008, 10:04:06 PM
Temmit's eyebrow rose as a smile crept across his face. "In truth, Mia, it doesn't matter to me much what I eat." He picked up the fork left there for him and ate a small bit of egg. "Although this is quite tasty. Tell me," he said around the eggs. "How is it that you came to be in this business? Was it, too, handed down through the family?"

At this point, Temmit will use his Psionic Focus to hide the fact that he's going to use Empathy.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 05:09:13 AM
Mia smiled knowingly. "It's the second sausage from the right, that is the one she dropped. My Auntie Deidra is very easy to read."

She bit into a piece of toast and after swallowing it down answered his question. Temmit was getting a sense of happiness and contentment from the girl, but although she had a calm exterior, she seemed to be slightly nervous.

"Two summers ago, my grandfather showed me this crystal ball from his collection. and I played a game where I was the Great Mandini, the famous fortune teller from the play. Well, the next day, the fortune I had given to him came true," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"So I tried it on some folks around town afterwards with amazing success and 'snap', here I am, Mia the Fortune Teller," she smiled and flicked the offending sausage off the plate just as Auntie Deedra came in.

Deidra put two mugs of coffee down, picked the sausage up off the table and walked back out while chewing it down. She left the door open as she departed to the kitchen.



Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 10:17:45 AM
"Coffee." Temmit leered. "Thank you, ma'am." He put a small clump of egg onto a piece of toast and folded it to eat while he asked his next question.

"You have a true gift then. I wonder: Have you ever told you own fortune?" He gazed into her eyes while he chewed and poised the coffee cup for drinking, all the while continuing to read her emotions.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 10:33:33 AM
Temmit didn't need a crystal ball for her emotional response to his latest query, she turned scarlet red.

Slightly choking on a bit of food she replied, "..um....every morning."
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 10:37:18 AM
Temmit didn't need a crystal ball for her emotional response to his latest query, she turned scarlet red.

Slightly choking on a bit of food she replied, "..um....every morning."
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 11:47:09 AM
Temmit smiled, and also became a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry." He said as he drank, "I don't mean to put you on the spot. "

Temmit regarded her for a moment. "You know what? I'm supposed to meet a couple of my friends nearby soon. Would you like to come along? It's just a morning walk and talk; I feel like you would fit right in with them."

Still reading emotions!
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 12:48:11 PM
The change of subject ended the embarrassment like magic. She finished the last bite of her second piece of toast.

"Sure, like I said, business doesn't pick up till mid-day anyway."

She rubbed her hands together to warm them up in the slightly cold room. "We should get your future told then, if you are in a bit of a hurry we can skip the ten turns of theater that isn't necessary and go right to the good stuff," she said and pushed the platter off to the side.

Sitting up straight she gazed into the crystal ball and then gently touched each side of it with her finger tips. Closing her eyes she simply said, "Greetings again to the spirit of the crystal. I have a boy named Temmit..." she interrupted herself and opened one eye to question him.

"Janalinus" Temmit answered.

She closed her eye and continued, "...Janalinus, age 15, The Scribes. He comes to me seeking his fortune."

With that, she was quiet, nothing strange occurred, no voices came out of the walls, no lights emitted from her eyes, no mist came from the crystal ball. Temmit wondered if he should have insisted on the theater.

After not even a turn she opened her eyes, put her hands down and smiled.

"What the crystal says to me is often cryptic, but sometimes the words are immediately quite meaningful to the receiver of the prophecy," she said. "I have receive feedback from customers quite often recently, it appears that the words often become verified within a day."

Temmit politely nodded, a silent request to state the words.

"The crystal said, One will lead to hope, another will lead to laughter, and one will lead to danger," she said and simply looked at him. It was her turn to await him for a reaction.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 01:13:18 PM
"That's very interesting." Smokey said. "Let's try to trick her! Here's how it'll work..."

"It is indeed." Temmit thought back to Smokey. "And no." He immediately trained the meaning of this auger on the three subjects waiting for interview, Mia being one of them. And she leading to hope on a few different levels.

"Interesting." Temmit echoed Smokey's sentiments aloud. "And so quick too." He could tell that Mia was very sincere now. He detected no animosity, no ulterior motivations, or any sort of deviousness to the girl...or her aunt for that matter. He had the distinct notion that this youngster was an individual with power...a candidate for Whisper indeed.

He smiled again and asked cordially, "How much do I owe you...for the portence as well as breakfast?"
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 06:14:03 PM
"5 silver pieces," she said.

Temmit jumped out of his seat as Auntie Diedra shrieked with laughter from the kitchen. "FIVE?! You slick, silver-tongued boy! She sometimes charges up to twenty. She must think your a cutie!  HEEE-HEEEE, FIVE she says! ain't that rich!"

She didn't come out of the kitchen, but Auntie Deidra had a good laugh, stating 'five' under her breathe over and over.

Mia, a little red-faced again, seemed to wait for her Aunt to simmer down a bit so she could hear, "so are we leaving? I am moving out you see and need to start looking for an apartment with all that coin I have earned, we should...."

"Not even funny girl," she heard Auntie speak again from the kitchen. From the tone of her voice she could tell Deidra thought it a bit funny, and Temmit wondered how many times these two family members teased each other each day. A lot he assumed. It was very endearing.

It was Mia's turn to giggle.

"My Mom is very boring, Auntie would die if I wasn't here to clean and cook for," she said to Temmit.

"mmmm--hmmmm," Auntie said from the kitchen.

"Come on Temmit, let's go meet your friends," Mia said, then she ducked around the curtain for a moment and resurfaced with rabbit-lined boots, cloak and ... one of those hats Temmit was thinking about earlier.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 07:11:47 PM
"I'll bet it has more to do with what she saw when she told her own fortune this morning." Smokey ventured. Temmit had to admit that the little crystal was probably right. It would explain a lot of unusual kindness.

He stifled a grin as he reached for Renee's pouch, wondering how much might be hidden inside. He sighed inwardly and peered inside. There was certainly more than 5 silver, he saw with relief.

He withdrew 10 and placed them upon the table. A little extra for superior coffee." He explained. "Not to mention the exquisite faire." He smiled and waited for Aunt Diedre's response.

"Interesting also: it seems her mother might be alive after all."

"I noted that as well."

Temmit stood expectantly as Mia donned her boots, cloak, and hat. "Thank you again for the wonderful food, ma'am. I will keep Mia safe until her return."
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 08:56:43 PM
As they walked by the kitchen entry they could see Auntie leaning against a cupboard eating her breakfast. She finished chewing and put her plate down.

As Temmit and Mia headed outside, Auntie Deidra followed them through the corridor and to the door. As they headed out the door and into the cold winter air, she purposely whispered loud enough for Temmit to hear her final tease. "Charge him another FIVE silver should he kiss you."

Mia turned on her, and looking past Temmit, gave her Aunt a look of mixed anger and embarrassment.

"OOPS, took it too far...um, bye now!" Auntie said and quickly and vanished behind the door and back into the house.

Mia rolled her eyes and walked off the porch and out onto the narrow street. As soon as she realized that she didn't know where Temmit was to meet his friends she stopped in her tracks and turned back to him. He could see she was a still a little miffed at her Aunt's quip.

Prior to her turn, Temmit had scanned the area and saw Renee and Emma waiting in an alley. Renee made a signal that she and Emma would follow them.

Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 09:27:46 PM
"She's a playful sort." Temmit said. "I think that she was trying to embarrass me as much as you though."

Instead of heading off in some random direction, Temmit turned towards Renee and Emma where they had been waiting. "Here they are now." He said, waving to the two young women.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 09:36:02 PM
"Most likely, although I think she really lik...." Mia stopped in her tracks. She shot a nervous look at Temmit with eyes as big as saucers.

"Renee Olsteel?! That is one of your friends?" she asked in a panic. She started looking at her own attire, what looked equivalent to silk pajamas, and started to fidget nervously.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 09:42:34 PM
"Aye, she is." Temmit admitted. "But you've no need to be nervous. I'm sure she'll be happy to meet you."

As they approached the two ladies, Temmit hailed them and introduced Mia. "Good morning, ladies. I'm not sure whether you know Mia Prescott." He held his arm wide in introduction, but left the introductions of Renee and Emma to them; sometimes Emma liked to remain anonymous if she could.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 10:08:01 PM
Renee had approached without her normal public swagger. It sometimes amazed Temmit on how intuitive the leader could be.

"Hello, Mia, I am Renee, this is Emma," she said as Emma lowered her hood. It didn't look like Mia recognized her, as there was no awkward response by Mia to her.

"Hello. Um...sorry about this getup," Mia said as she shuffled. "Kind of an early morning I guess. Where were the three of you going?" she asked Temmit.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 10:14:32 PM
"Well, we have a few errands to run in a few places." Temmit answered evasively.

He turned to Renee and Emma then, and said, "Mia was good enough to read my fortune this morning, and you know what she said?" He didn't wait for any answer, but spoke on. "She said 'One will lead to hope, another will lead to laughter, and one will lead to danger'. That's correct, isn't it?" He asked the younger girl.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 10:19:57 PM
"Alright...without context you are making me sound like a crazy person," Mia said while smiling nervously. She was obviously out of her element now that two other girls, both older, had shown up. Temmit noted she was definitely nervous.

"Do you have any idea what it means?" she asked Temmit.

Renee and Emma were quiet, knowing the way Temmit worked, they would allow him to run the conversation for awhile.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 10:32:23 PM
"Believe me, Mia." He said seriously, "no one here thinks you're crazy, and while I don't *know* what it means, there is a distinct possibility that raises in my mind. I do have no doubt, however, that it will make sense to me this evening." He smiled, reflecting upon her the explanation that she had uttered earlier.

He cast about for a more private, out of the way spot to carry on their conversation...the one that would be coming.

"Any chance we can get out of the middle of this street for a moment?" He asked. "This wind is cutting through me."
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 10:44:43 PM
"Nothing in ShantyTown is open this early, people are still working off the night festivities," Mia said to them.

"Were you girls headed to the shops today?" she asked the other two.

(OOC: "The Shops" are equivalent to "The Mall" in RL. They are a myriad of strip-mall like businesses that are in the northwestern part of the Theater District near Nottingham Hall. Temmit knows of two specialty coffee shops there.)
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 02, 2008, 10:53:41 PM
"Mia, the fact of the matter is that you are one of the errands that we have to attend today." Temmit said, pulling his cloak tighter around himself. He knew that Renee would pick up on this segue and introduce the purpose of their visit this morning. Temmit always found it a bit surprising how she was able to convince people to drink her Truth/Forget quaff.

Read: How the hell are we supposed to introduce this line of questioning?!!?
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 02, 2008, 11:21:30 PM
Mia responded a bit incredulously, "I am a what?" she asked with a disbelieving chuckle.

Renee chimed in as silently requested. "You are the first of three kids that Temmit, Emma and I want to interview as likely candidates for membership within a special club, or guild if you will, of gifted children thoughout the city."

Mia said, "what kind of guild?"

"One in which the gifted children keep each other safe from the government and there ridiculous ban in the use of those gifts, in other words, their magic." Renee replied.

Mia looked at her ready to politely debate. "But I don't use magic, I just predict the future and some soldiers get lucky at card games or find their buddy has knapsacked there wives or they..." she stopped.

If the phrase 'Dawn lights upon marble head' was to have a place in the library, Temmit thought a painting of Mia at that exact moment would have been perfect with it.

"I guess some would consider that magic." she said, suddenly a bit shaken.

Renee seized the opportunity. "They would and they already have, that is why we are here." She withdrew the Forget the Truth draft and presented it to Mia.

"We don't have much time." Renee said and as she looked around the street she started guiding them all back into the alley that Renee and Emma had come from.

"Do you trust Temmit?" she asked Mia.

"What? I just met him, he's nice and all but..."

As they reached the alley, Renee interrupted and took a step into Mia's personal space and spoke a little more quietly, but with such a serious brovado that it truly captured her attention. "Not everyone has to be a fortune teller or a mind-reader to see things. Something in the way you looked at him this morning tells me there is more going on here than either he or I know about."

Renee paused a few moments.

She continued, "So do you trust Temmit?"

Mia looked at each of them in turn, her confusion clearly on her face but something about her suddenly made Temmit wonder, something she was holding back.

"My own fortune this morning," Mia said, "the crystal ball said I would meet a boy this day....a boy that would change my life forever." She looked down at the muddy ground, slightly embarassed.

Renee didn't let up, "and change it will, for the better Mia Prescott. Take this potion from Temmit, it is merely a potion that will help us determine your talent, nothing more. Trust the boy from prophecy and I guarantee you, your life can only become safer because of it."

Mia looked at Temmit, who nodded and gave a warm smile.

Without another thought, Mia took the potion from Renee, uncorked it and drank it down.

As the potion reached Mia's stomach, her eyes became a bit unfocused and the Whisper members knew that it would take another half turn before they could start asking her the questions.

"Damn Renee, how do you do that?" Emma asked with a smile.

Renee simply ignored Emma and turned to Temmit. "You're up life-changer."

She then took a step back, looking a bit miffed.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 03, 2008, 09:09:51 AM
Yay! "Post reply" works! Thanks, Griz!

"Don't worry, Mia. You're among friends at the moment." He spoke soothingly while the potion settled into her system.

"Let me first ask what is your full name, please?"
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 03, 2008, 01:04:21 PM
Mia didn't look at him directly as she answered, it was as if she were far away in thought.

"Mia Blanchetta Prescott" she replied.

Temmit was very familiar with this sort of response. He had seen it many times since he started interviewing candidates under the effects of Renee's potion. "What is your age and your house?" He asked quickly, too aware of the amount of time that they had available. He never knew quite how long one of these interviews might take. It was often quick, but sometimes they didn't have enough time to explore all of the candidate's answers.

"13, The Artificers House" she answered a bit blankly.

"Are you able to keep secrets, even from your family?"

"Yes, and I have."

"Ask her what secrets." Smokey instigated. Temmit ignored him. "Do you acknowledge that you have a special ability that could be viewed as magical, and that could put you in danger?

"I do."

"Do you trust our current government?"

"I do not. They don't care about people."

"If you met others kids with special gifts that might get them into trouble, could you keep their gifts a secret?"

"Of course I would".

Temmit turned to Renee and Emma. "I'm good." He said, indicating that he had already come to his conclusion, affording them to ask questions while the potion remained in effect.

Renee immediately chimed in. "Does anyone who you do not trust know of your ability?"

"Which ability?" Mia asked plainly.

"How many do you have?" Renee asked, not quite surprised at the response. They did get this response every now and then, but it wasn't exactly common.

"I am learning to make magical items." Mia's answer caused Temmit's mind perked up at that, and Emma gasped slightly. Renee took it in stride, as she was in her full leader persona. Still, her posture stiffened slightly, indicating to Temmit that she too was surprised.

Renee pushed on, asking, "Has anyone seen you use these abilities, of any type directly, enough to get you arrested."

"I don't think so." She answered with a thoughtful, yet flat consideration.

Renee looked at Temmit, "I am good too". Emma also nodded in agreement.

Emma then said, "Is it unanimous then, shall we stay in the alley to get her caught up when the potions where's off?"

Renee replied quickly, "I think it would be prudent. How about you Temmit?"

Temmit nodded in agreement. "Just stay. This is one that we definitely want, and I'll share more with you two later."
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 04, 2008, 10:43:14 PM
In two turns Mia went from a blank expression to a confused one. She looked to Temmit first and then said, "Temmit, how did we....how did we get into this alley?"

Then she went rigid and almost frightened, "your Renee Olsteel! What are you doing here?"

Renee immediately went to work. "Shush for just a moment Mia ok?" Renee said with the gentlist of voices and put a finger to Mia's lips.

"Clear your mind for a moment Mia, just relax and I will explain everything," she said.

Mia seemed to be slowly reaching a panic however, "but, Temmit and I were just exiting my house and all of a sudden I am here, what the..."

Renee, experienced in this reaction, persisted. "Yes I know Mia, I know, shhhh, it's going to be okay, shhhh," she soothed and Mia did slow down a little.

"Just listen. A few turns ago, Temmit introduced you to me and Emma here, we talked a few moments and you agreed to take this potion," and with that she held up the empty vial for her to see. "This potion allowed Emma, Temmit and I to discern your true magical abilities, as the three of us are of like-mind and wanted to be sure you indeed possessed magic, as we do. But unfortunately it also has the affect of making you forget the last few minutes of your life, that is why you are experiencing the memory loss now."

Mia digested all that and continued to stare apprehensively. "Am I in trouble?" she asked.

Emma responded, "not at all Mia. The three of us are on a mission to collect kids like us to form a special guild that helps us all understand our gifts. We do not seek prosecution for the government, we seek to hide from it until someday we can show them that they are wrong to distrust our power."

Renee continued, "while you were recovering from the potion affects we discussed your candidacy and unanimously decided that we trust you and would like you to join our guild."

Mia relaxed her arms a bit, which had been in an almost rigid upright position in which she planned to defend herself. "This is turning into a weird day. First I thought that you," she said pointing to Temmit, "was going to be my future husb...." erm, anyway, now I am being greeted by a revolution?"

Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Johan on April 04, 2008, 10:57:03 PM
Temmit smiled at Mia. "Even though you can see the future, I'm betting that you can't see *that* far into it, Mia." He said with what he hoped would be comeraderie.

"We're here to help protect each other, Mia. And to help each other to grow. We would like for you to join us in that effort. You meet a lot of good people, and discuss how we might work to make Safe Haven better. More true to its namesake. But I'm sure that you can imagine the need for secrecy. We are all gifted with abilities that would land us in unjustly jail, or worse. What do you say? Will you join us in keeping ourselves safe?" He looked into her eyes while she digested what he was saying.
Title: 12.22.2132 - Interview in ShantyTown
Post by: Dray on April 04, 2008, 11:04:17 PM
Mia looked at the three of them for more than a turn.

"At least my fortune was correct," she said to Temmit. She then took a step towards Renee, instinctively knowing that she was in charge, and asked her, "alright Renee, I accept, what do I need to do?"

And with that, the three leaders sat the young Mia down in the alley for almost a hand, and whispered to her the story of the past, present and future.

*  *   *

End of Thread, to be continued in "12.22.2132 - Interview in Utopia"