tushanshu | 006 video;

[Is there no time at which the man won't crack a joke? Wait. He might be serious.]

I suppose it depends on your drink preferences.

[A little sigh. It probably had been too much to hope to be able to trust those in power.] I take it, then, that the library was inspecific beyond 'in power'? And also that foreigners are unlikely or impossible-- you wouldn't be talking to me if you thought there was the risk, correct?

[No there really isn't. It's his best quality really, or worst depending on whom you ask.]

This city would fall within a week if that happened.

[Then again Hawke supplies many of the bars under the table so maybe not.

Hawke snorts.]

Like it would ever be that easy. Maker I'm surprised it revealed as much as it did. I half-expected some cryptic riddle to decipher first and then being forced to kill a monster of some kind.

[He goes silent for a moment before he continues.]

Honestly I've got no clue whether or not it can get us. It was one of us that killed the first emperor after all, but if we start getting paranoid of one another then I feel like we've already lost.

[He definitely has an overinflated opinion of the importance of ale, at any rate.]

[The idea that having to kill a monster for vital information is a matter of course to Hawke makes her laugh a little, more rueful than actually amused, mostly because she's been there.]

I wouldn't suggest complete trust, either, but paranoia will serve the enemy better than us. [She can't decide what's worse: the idea that the enemy can possess them or the idea that the person who murdered the Emperor did so out of nothing but their own free will and foolishness.]

You said you also learned details of its creation?

[It should say something about both their lives that this is a common occurrence for them. At least he managed to get a laugh from her.]

Maybe not, but at this moment I think we've all got a common goal.

[Hawke nods his head.]

People called the Vilii made the thing to kill. After that, it killed all of them so at least we know it has a sense of irony now. There was a stone involved in the ritual that made it though. Now I might be somewhat clueless when it comes to magic, but I have a feeling we can use that against it.

[He looks toward her and smirks.]

There's just the small matter of finding it.

[What it probably says is that they need to rethink their life choices, but that's low on the priority list.]

While the irony fails to amuse, the news of a concrete object involved in the ritual is the best news Raine's heard today.]

That's a reasonable guess. Especially if the library pointed it out specifically. [Since there's not exactly any text to draw from, the only assumption she can make is that everything that showed up in their heads is of particular note.] How long ago was this? And what do you know about the stone itself?

[Well at least Hawke finds it funny.

Finally Hawke just shrugs. This time he's utterly clueless.]

That I have no idea, but I figure someone here must know, like a certain emperor for example. And if he just so happens to possessed then it means we need a rescue mission.

[Killing him would be bad for so many reasons.]

[About this time she'd usually look for a library; the Emperor will have to do, provided he can be convinced to talk. She's never interacted with the man, but he has a reputation.]

It's probably worth asking him, at least, but...

[She gives Hawke a sideways look, not fully sold on what he's suggesting.] How would you tell? And, for that matter, do you know of a method to fix that particular problem?

Personally I hope he just starts laughing maniacally and from there we can just beat him in the head until we knock the evil out of him.

[He says this completely deadpan.]

But I'm not sure that everyone would agree with me on that idea, so there are some alternatives.

[Sort of. He's really just making things up as he goes.]

I know some people that sense that thing's presence. Hopefully they can tell if someone is possessed by him too.

[She thought she could tell when he was joking, but now she's really not sure.]

Has that worked for you in the past? [Complete with skeptical browraise.]

Still, if you know people who can sense its presence, it stands to reason that they'd be able to sense possession, as well. What are your alternatives?

[Playing it by ear does not sound a good plan when something has the potential to backfire this spectacularly.]

[Hawke meets her skeptical look with a coy smile.]

The only way I've found to unpossess someone is to stab them until they stop moving. I think I'm being rather progressive for looking for a different solution.

[And he rather not take part in regicide again.]

All the stories I've heard about that thing possessing someone ended messily. If Evandau is possessed, the only idea I have is to take him to Milyn or Eva. Of course if they're possessed too I suppose if they're possessed too then we're out of luck.

[She does appreciate his progressiveness, at least, if not his sense of humor. Or lack of a backup plan.]

A solution without stabbing would be better, yes.

[But she doesn't have any possible solution besides dragging the possessed party to Milyn as well, and that's frustrating. This is going to be a lot of guesswork and winging it. She sighs quietly.]

It may also be worth asking around with the other foreigners, to see if anyone has an ability that may help.

[It would be better than simply resigning themselves to being 'out of luck.']

Comparatively, what I learned doesn't have nearly as much impact to the current situation, but you may find it of interest anyway.

Anything is worth a shot.

[At this point Hawke won't say no to any ideas. They're already running low on them as it is.]

I think at this point any information is good information. Not like anyone else is telling us anything.

[He frowns at that. Hawke hates it when he feels like he's being kept in the dark.]

[She has no ideas relevant to possession yet, but that doesn't mean she won't think of some later.]

[Raine does share Hawke's hatred for being kept in the dark, and it's with that in mind that she starts to lay out what she learned. She does, however, wait until they're in a slightly more secluded area, as this isn't something she wants to broach in earshot of a lot of kedan.]

The information I found in the library pertains to the kedan. Most specifically, the fact that they aren't capable of mental communication with the turtle children, and that attempting it will kill them. The implication that accompanied this fact was that they likely were not always that way.

That...could be important.

[Hawke takes a moment to think on what she just told him. There's likely some significance to this but it might take someone smarter than Hawke to figure it out, or someone with more information than he.]

Maybe that's part of the reason Evandau can't communicate with Asti.

A premature assumption, but certainly possible. [That is worth thinking on, but she knows little about Evandau's history- only his current actions. She frowns a bit at the addition to her picture of him.] If he was altered somehow, by the previous Emperor or... other means, more probable, but... Hm. What do you know about him in general?

[Before that idea can completely distract her, though, she finishes her explanation.] The other, related fact I learned is that some kedan seek out the contact regardless, with the predictable result, and the frequency of those occurrences has risen significantly in the last twenty years or so.

[If there's a correlation to an event, she doesn't know what it is, but it's on her ever-growing list of things to look into.]

About Evandau? Only that he's been here for centuries as the Emperor's right hand. That and he has absolutely no sense of humor.

[Which is a real shame if you ask Hawke.

Finally he just shakes his head.]

I haven't got the slightest clue about any of that. All I have are creative shots in the dark.

[He smirks at her.]

It might be best if I left something like this to those who know what they're doing.

[She returns with a little smile. If her excursion the day before was any clue, she doesn't know what she's doing-- but that's not going to stop her.] I'm looking into it myself, but I've only been here since March. Something that might help, if you have any idea -- what would you say have been the most significant changes while you've been here? Things that would affect Asti?

[A pause, then she adds,] And if there's anything I can do to help with your issue, let me know.

[Hawke stops and thinks about that. Unfortunately he never pays the giant turtle much mind, despite living on the great creature's back. Their meeting in his dream was the first time Hawke ever had contact with him.]

Well I'd say big, dark, and ugly taking residence in the city probably affected him. Maybe the loss of the former emperor too. Maybe he's had a centuries long head cold.

[Finally Hawke just shrugs.]

Honestly I don't know that much about him. You might want to ask someone who's been here longer than I have.

[Raine was pretty sure those events were the most likely. The independent confirmation just reinforces that. She sighs a little: she's resigned, but not surprised at all.] ...Head cold aside, those are the most probable options. Especially if the Emperor can't speak to him. Perhaps, like the children, Asti needs to have contact with someone...

[But that's way too far into speculation, she doesn't have anywhere near enough support for that theory. She shakes her head.] I'll do that. How long have you been here?

Since, what was it, January I think?

[Hawke shrugs his shoulders slightly.]

The calenders here are different. Sometimes I lose track of these months.

[He's been here only two months longer than she has. Huh. She'd have thought it longer.]

It's similar enough to my world's, fortunately. [And now she's reverted to pure curiosity, since they've mostly covered the matters of business.] How is the calendar structured in your world?

Thirty days and twelve months so similar in some regards, but the names are all different. I can lose track if I'm not paying attention.

[After thirty-one years of the calender that he's used to it's hard to switch to an unfamiliar one in little over half a year.]

Don't even ask me what Age it is here. I don't think they even have them.

[She can understand his confusion, at least, even if that aspect isn't something that gives her particular trouble. They've all had a bit of culture shock, though, some more than others.]

Interesting, that the names would differ more than the structure, especially across multiple worlds. How do you define an 'Age'? [Whatever he means by it, she's pretty sure she doesn't have them either.]

Maybe it's more of a case of lack of imagination.

[He grins. To be honest this isn't something Hawke thinks about much, or particularly cares a great deal about. Of course, that's why he never became a scholar. Too many others things held his interest.]

A long damn time is what they are. They only change when a Divine decides on whatever whim to make up a new one.

[There's likely more to it but again, Hawke's never cared enough about Chantry teachings to find out.]

[Lack of imagination on the inhabitants' part, or the creator's? Oh no, she's contemplating theology. Raine shakes her head.] A theocracy?

[That aside, though, she needs to mull over what he's said, and she doesn't have anything more to contribute to the more important part of the discussion right now.] Well, it's been... an equitable exchange of concerning information, Hawke. Thank you. Though it's given rise to more questions than answers, so far. [He probably can't help that. And she'd rather have the questions than nothing at all.]

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