The human smiles politely and listens to Maelfina's recounting, though with her trained eye, the tiefling notices a subtle nervous shift in her body-language and a barelyperceptable shift in her facial expression - one from fresh-faced wonder at the blue creature across from her to a slightly more narrow-eyed jaded look. The shift lasts less than a second but it's all that Maelfina needs to detect it.
"You must have many a story. I'm curious about what happens when one of those demons in your heads is ..un-c-caged." She offers congruently in her meek manner, though something about it seems uncharacteristically contrived .
Harbinger House Rp Thread
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*Cadence
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A fiendling's eye like Maelfina's, could pick up on things that human eyes could not. Nuances, spectrums of hue as well as brightness, and vibrations of minuscule amplitude that would be missed by the full-blooded mammals were all within range of her detection.
It is now that she noted a most peculiar facet of Vuna's motions as the human's hand went to casually dismiss several errant hairs on her forehead before once again speaking. There was something -too- steady about her movements that Maelfina handn't noticed previously. Such steadiness of motion (the likes of which the blue-skinned fiendling herself didn't command) she had seen before in fiendish assassins, golems of iron, and certain members of the Transcendent Order.
"W-well I don't really know if I can control it or not. Wasn't trying to impress you, j-just telling you what I knew."
As usual, she meekly fell into Maelfina's frame of conversation and questioning, answering in stutters. But, the fiendling whose life had already surpassed the span of several human ones sensed a nagging disingenuity about the way she acted now from even a few moments back. Maelfina's ears also picked up a much more steady timbre in her overall voice pattern, punctuated by stutters that seemed to be more unnatural than they were previously. An unaided human in conversation wouldn't have noticed any of this.
"I'm eager to listen to any specific tidbits of experience you have to share."
She loosened a smile that was simultaneously nervous and friendly, as one would expect out of her. She then gently tilted her head (this movement, too, was was berefit of the baseline fine-tremor that one would expect out of a human) and her pupils dilated slightly as she moved her eyes across Maelfina's body to finally lock them at eye-level.
It is now that she noted a most peculiar facet of Vuna's motions as the human's hand went to casually dismiss several errant hairs on her forehead before once again speaking. There was something -too- steady about her movements that Maelfina handn't noticed previously. Such steadiness of motion (the likes of which the blue-skinned fiendling herself didn't command) she had seen before in fiendish assassins, golems of iron, and certain members of the Transcendent Order.
"W-well I don't really know if I can control it or not. Wasn't trying to impress you, j-just telling you what I knew."
As usual, she meekly fell into Maelfina's frame of conversation and questioning, answering in stutters. But, the fiendling whose life had already surpassed the span of several human ones sensed a nagging disingenuity about the way she acted now from even a few moments back. Maelfina's ears also picked up a much more steady timbre in her overall voice pattern, punctuated by stutters that seemed to be more unnatural than they were previously. An unaided human in conversation wouldn't have noticed any of this.
"I'm eager to listen to any specific tidbits of experience you have to share."
She loosened a smile that was simultaneously nervous and friendly, as one would expect out of her. She then gently tilted her head (this movement, too, was was berefit of the baseline fine-tremor that one would expect out of a human) and her pupils dilated slightly as she moved her eyes across Maelfina's body to finally lock them at eye-level.
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*Xndar
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"In me experience, it typically be easier ta manage or control such things if one's got a proper channel, focus, an' purpose. Now ye obviously dunnae lack focus o'er yer body, which generally dunnae come withou' some focus o' tha mind."
She shoves herself off the padded wall, casually moving somewhat closer to the desk and the handcuffed patient. There was something familiar about those movements, the incongruity and feigned meekness, that she wanted to confirm closer at hand.
"So, 'gain, me question'd be...wha's yer mind focused on? Wantin a normal life?" She scoffs, "I dunnae think so, an' it wouldnae be 'nuff even if ye were. So tell me...wha' do ye wan' ta do wit these gifts o' yers, when ye can control 'em?"
She inquires with an appearance of both innocent curiosity and jaded indifference, as though she wishes an answer but is unlikely to judge or be phased by any answer she might give.
She shoves herself off the padded wall, casually moving somewhat closer to the desk and the handcuffed patient. There was something familiar about those movements, the incongruity and feigned meekness, that she wanted to confirm closer at hand.
"So, 'gain, me question'd be...wha's yer mind focused on? Wantin a normal life?" She scoffs, "I dunnae think so, an' it wouldnae be 'nuff even if ye were. So tell me...wha' do ye wan' ta do wit these gifts o' yers, when ye can control 'em?"
She inquires with an appearance of both innocent curiosity and jaded indifference, as though she wishes an answer but is unlikely to judge or be phased by any answer she might give.
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*Cadence
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Maelfina found it difficult to believe. Somehow as she finished speaking, one of the woman's wrists managed to get nearly free from the manacle (the large part of her wrist had broken through, she merely needed to yank her fingers out). Vuna must have noticed Mael's eyes though, for her wrist was swiftly back in the manacle in the same motion, and she coughed casually as a cover to disguise her intent. The moment barely lasted more than a second and the human never removed her eyes from Mael
"I w-want to fulfill in the multiverse, not sure what that is yet but like you said, I doubt it'll be something mundane."
Again, it was disingenuous, Maelfina could tell. Additionally, there was something else... different about her now. Her facial expression, tonality and way of speaking remained more or less the same but perhaps it was the way her eyes looked upon Maelfina now. She couldn't help but feel as if the human was trying to size-her up. She opened her mouth to speak once more but just as she did, an armored guard entered the cell, grabbing Vuna's attention for the time.
"Humblest apologies for intruding, but the visit must conclude, per the preordained time limit for you."
The hulking, helmeted ..orc presumably... had the door open and had an arm outstretched towards the exit hall. Strangely enough, Maelfina noticed the fine tremor and vibrations return to Vuna's body as her focus shifted.
"I w-want to fulfill in the multiverse, not sure what that is yet but like you said, I doubt it'll be something mundane."
Again, it was disingenuous, Maelfina could tell. Additionally, there was something else... different about her now. Her facial expression, tonality and way of speaking remained more or less the same but perhaps it was the way her eyes looked upon Maelfina now. She couldn't help but feel as if the human was trying to size-her up. She opened her mouth to speak once more but just as she did, an armored guard entered the cell, grabbing Vuna's attention for the time.
"Humblest apologies for intruding, but the visit must conclude, per the preordained time limit for you."
The hulking, helmeted ..orc presumably... had the door open and had an arm outstretched towards the exit hall. Strangely enough, Maelfina noticed the fine tremor and vibrations return to Vuna's body as her focus shifted.
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*Xndar
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Vuna would find a virtually identical look being leveled at her both during this little incident with the manacle, and during the orc's interruption. Mael's lava-filled orbs size her up with no hostility or fear, but rather like a butcher examining their stock. Dispassionately but with interest.
"We'll chat 'gain 'm sure. Ye behave yerself mmh?" With that, she leaves the cell and proceeds back to where the robed guard has her things, and re-enters the changing room, talking with the guard through the door.
"In a few turns, ye shoul' send a medic in ta set 'er wrist, seein how she jes' wrenched it outta its socket. Nay not now, leaver 'er for a bit an' record how she's delt wit tha pain. Likely 'nuff she'll pretend that it hurt. Also record 'ow she claims it happened...if she says a word. I'll be innerested ta see wha' her account be. In tha meantime let tha warden know tha' I'd speak wit 'em at their earlies' convenience."
"We'll chat 'gain 'm sure. Ye behave yerself mmh?" With that, she leaves the cell and proceeds back to where the robed guard has her things, and re-enters the changing room, talking with the guard through the door.
"In a few turns, ye shoul' send a medic in ta set 'er wrist, seein how she jes' wrenched it outta its socket. Nay not now, leaver 'er for a bit an' record how she's delt wit tha pain. Likely 'nuff she'll pretend that it hurt. Also record 'ow she claims it happened...if she says a word. I'll be innerested ta see wha' her account be. In tha meantime let tha warden know tha' I'd speak wit 'em at their earlies' convenience."
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*Cadence
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A brief look of confusion crossed Vuna's features, but she caught it and smiled uncomfortably in farewell. Only as Maelfina exited the circular chamber did she appreciate the crisp neutrality of the air in the foyer outside. There was a faint, peculiar odor about Vuna that wasn't appreciable outside her chamber. It was more than what could merely be attributed to the natural smell of humans.
************
There were only three individuals more powerful, more influential in the Believers of the Source than the current Warden of Harbinger House. Within an hour of Maelfina's meeting with Vuna, she managed to catch him not in an office, but in one of the many bizarre, angulated hallways on one of the upper floors of the House. Factor Bereth stood tall and lanky for a human. He wore loose clothing which exaggerated the appearance of his thinness. Unlike that of most other Factors (in any faction), his garb was nondescript, featuring only neutral colors. Indeed, he would fit right in as a common worker in the Foundry due to his largely unremarkable appearance. Maelfina started to wonder if she'd passed by him before at the Godsmen Headquarters, not bothering to pay the ordinary-appearing fellow a second glance.
The darker chant was that the recently deposed previous warden had been removed by Vergrove himself due to horrendous mistreatment of certain inmates within Harbinger House. It remained to be seen whether Iel was an interim figurehead installed to run the place for the time being or whether his appointment was for life as per tradition.
Dark hair and dark eyes gave him an air of subtle intrigue. His face was gaunt, and the lack of meat on his bones gave him an eerie skeletal look from certain angles. Around his neck was a coarse thread of cloth that held a small, spherical green gemstone at the center - an amulet in the loosest sense. The green wasn't quite bright and translucent like emerald, nor was it too dull and dark like jade. His voice was subdued with a raspy undertone. As she had heard, he wasn't much for small-talk.
"I visited Woryl a few hours back. Quite interesting, that one. Any insights into him today?"
************
There were only three individuals more powerful, more influential in the Believers of the Source than the current Warden of Harbinger House. Within an hour of Maelfina's meeting with Vuna, she managed to catch him not in an office, but in one of the many bizarre, angulated hallways on one of the upper floors of the House. Factor Bereth stood tall and lanky for a human. He wore loose clothing which exaggerated the appearance of his thinness. Unlike that of most other Factors (in any faction), his garb was nondescript, featuring only neutral colors. Indeed, he would fit right in as a common worker in the Foundry due to his largely unremarkable appearance. Maelfina started to wonder if she'd passed by him before at the Godsmen Headquarters, not bothering to pay the ordinary-appearing fellow a second glance.
The darker chant was that the recently deposed previous warden had been removed by Vergrove himself due to horrendous mistreatment of certain inmates within Harbinger House. It remained to be seen whether Iel was an interim figurehead installed to run the place for the time being or whether his appointment was for life as per tradition.
Dark hair and dark eyes gave him an air of subtle intrigue. His face was gaunt, and the lack of meat on his bones gave him an eerie skeletal look from certain angles. Around his neck was a coarse thread of cloth that held a small, spherical green gemstone at the center - an amulet in the loosest sense. The green wasn't quite bright and translucent like emerald, nor was it too dull and dark like jade. His voice was subdued with a raspy undertone. As she had heard, he wasn't much for small-talk.
"I visited Woryl a few hours back. Quite interesting, that one. Any insights into him today?"
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*Xndar
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She took half a second to gain a measure of the man she was dealing with before responding.
"Remains ta be seen whether or nay addin chaos ta 'is form helps ta siphon off some o' tha chaos rampagin through 'is mind. I've met slaadi before on a number o' occasions, but this one seems even more scattered than they tend ta be. Still, there be potential. Tha minder I left ta watch 'im said tha' tha blek 'e threw everywhere suddenly changed inta bars o' silver, seeminly outta nowhere. Kin make jink offa 'im if nothin else."
She smirked, before turning a more serious gaze on the factor, her tone taking on a more brisk quality.
"I met wit Vuna as ye suggested. Is there anythin more ye kin tell me 'bout her? Wha' she were doin when she were brought here, where she came frem, any trouble she mighta caused in her stay here, an' if anyone 'as been able ta determine wha' species she is."
Maelfina lifted a brow.
"I take it I aint tha first ye've sent ta 'er wha's noticed tha' she aint exactly human aye?"
"Remains ta be seen whether or nay addin chaos ta 'is form helps ta siphon off some o' tha chaos rampagin through 'is mind. I've met slaadi before on a number o' occasions, but this one seems even more scattered than they tend ta be. Still, there be potential. Tha minder I left ta watch 'im said tha' tha blek 'e threw everywhere suddenly changed inta bars o' silver, seeminly outta nowhere. Kin make jink offa 'im if nothin else."
She smirked, before turning a more serious gaze on the factor, her tone taking on a more brisk quality.
"I met wit Vuna as ye suggested. Is there anythin more ye kin tell me 'bout her? Wha' she were doin when she were brought here, where she came frem, any trouble she mighta caused in her stay here, an' if anyone 'as been able ta determine wha' species she is."
Maelfina lifted a brow.
"I take it I aint tha first ye've sent ta 'er wha's noticed tha' she aint exactly human aye?"
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*Cadence
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He seemed to take in Maelfina's report of the Slaad and especially her appraisal of Vuna with an excited glimmer in his coal eyes. Nodding a few times, he began in a likewise brisker tone:
"Interesting viewpoint and I appreciate you for sharing it with me. I'm still not fully sure ..yet... what to make of Vuna, but I am certain she is a human. I'm trying to get as many..*unadulterated* impressions of her as I can, just in case my extensive knowledge of her prevents me from seeing an angle that I have not previously."
He shifted his weight towards Maelfina
"Apparently she has multiple personalities, and not quite in the same way a barmy does. What I mean to say is, the personalities when present are so dominant and so long-lived that up until this point she has had everyone fooled into thinking she's at least two separate cutters: the first is Vuna, who I believe is the current dominant personality, a quiet, barely known Indep from the Market Ward; the second is Aeorae Re'Kan, a Transcendent Order diplomat. I've cross referenced numerous sources and worked closely with the Ciphers to learn that everything thusfar uncovered is consistent with the split-persona theory.
The Lady Re'Kan has been the predominant persona over the last two years, unsurprisingly coinciding with the disappearance of Vuna from the bazaar. That is until recently when Aeorae Re'Kan started murdering several powerful bloods and was brought in after the attempted the murder of a Factol. Our factol, to be specific.
Her magical abilities are incredible, and her capture would not have been possible without the use of psionics. Unfortunately, Vuna is not nearly as effective as channeling these abilities as the Lady Re'Kan."
His weight shifted to the side uneasily.
"This is merely the backdrop to the more pressing question of .. how a woman who had been well-adjusted for most her life suddenly becomes overtaken with a persona who not only goes on to become a well-known, influential blood in the Cage, but also manages to unlock her latent Spellfire.
Vuna has given Ambar her promise that she will work with the treatment team here for her well-being as well as for her own protection."
"Interesting viewpoint and I appreciate you for sharing it with me. I'm still not fully sure ..yet... what to make of Vuna, but I am certain she is a human. I'm trying to get as many..*unadulterated* impressions of her as I can, just in case my extensive knowledge of her prevents me from seeing an angle that I have not previously."
He shifted his weight towards Maelfina
"Apparently she has multiple personalities, and not quite in the same way a barmy does. What I mean to say is, the personalities when present are so dominant and so long-lived that up until this point she has had everyone fooled into thinking she's at least two separate cutters: the first is Vuna, who I believe is the current dominant personality, a quiet, barely known Indep from the Market Ward; the second is Aeorae Re'Kan, a Transcendent Order diplomat. I've cross referenced numerous sources and worked closely with the Ciphers to learn that everything thusfar uncovered is consistent with the split-persona theory.
The Lady Re'Kan has been the predominant persona over the last two years, unsurprisingly coinciding with the disappearance of Vuna from the bazaar. That is until recently when Aeorae Re'Kan started murdering several powerful bloods and was brought in after the attempted the murder of a Factol. Our factol, to be specific.
Her magical abilities are incredible, and her capture would not have been possible without the use of psionics. Unfortunately, Vuna is not nearly as effective as channeling these abilities as the Lady Re'Kan."
His weight shifted to the side uneasily.
"This is merely the backdrop to the more pressing question of .. how a woman who had been well-adjusted for most her life suddenly becomes overtaken with a persona who not only goes on to become a well-known, influential blood in the Cage, but also manages to unlock her latent Spellfire.
Vuna has given Ambar her promise that she will work with the treatment team here for her well-being as well as for her own protection."
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*Xndar
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Maelfina listens to the Factor's report on Vuna/Lady Re'Kan with considerable interest, nodding along at several points.
"Yeah, I definitely met Re'Kan at a few points...coul' tell by 'er movements tha' she'd 'ad Cipher trainin or somethin similar. Multiple personalities makes sense, as between tha shifts in 'er personalities I couldnae trace any common thread o' reasonable deception tha'd exist wit one person tryin ta lie, cept perhaps a wariness toward me."
She ponders for a moment.
"Has tha possibility o' demonic possession been completely ruled out? Somethin I coul' smell on 'er struck me as well, nay quite right if ye follow me. If tha righ' succubus or lilitu were ta get inside tha head o' a gifted lass like tha', they migh' 'ave tha wherewithal ta force such abilities ta tha surface. I know tha House be warded ta tha nine hells an' all, but some canny demons be able ta hide frem mos' any detection while possessin a sod if they want ta."
"If possession 'as been unequivocally ruled out though, there be another possible explanation. Maybe Lady Re'Kan be a past life o' Vuna wha' somehow 'as gained awareness in 'er present life an' seizes control frem time ta time?"
"Yeah, I definitely met Re'Kan at a few points...coul' tell by 'er movements tha' she'd 'ad Cipher trainin or somethin similar. Multiple personalities makes sense, as between tha shifts in 'er personalities I couldnae trace any common thread o' reasonable deception tha'd exist wit one person tryin ta lie, cept perhaps a wariness toward me."
She ponders for a moment.
"Has tha possibility o' demonic possession been completely ruled out? Somethin I coul' smell on 'er struck me as well, nay quite right if ye follow me. If tha righ' succubus or lilitu were ta get inside tha head o' a gifted lass like tha', they migh' 'ave tha wherewithal ta force such abilities ta tha surface. I know tha House be warded ta tha nine hells an' all, but some canny demons be able ta hide frem mos' any detection while possessin a sod if they want ta."
"If possession 'as been unequivocally ruled out though, there be another possible explanation. Maybe Lady Re'Kan be a past life o' Vuna wha' somehow 'as gained awareness in 'er present life an' seizes control frem time ta time?"
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*Cadence
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He spent some moments in silent contemplation as Maelfina presented the different angles before responding.
"Though the traditional methods of demonic possession have been ruled out, there might be an insidious etiology as you suggested. So I'm not willing to table the possibility just yet. More studies must be conducted regarding the scent you mentioned. One of our fiendish minders has stated something similar - describing a most subtle "Gehennian Scent" that emanates from her when one is in close proximity.
The second possibility has also been considered, though it is lower on the list of differentials."
Bereth's tone shifted abruptly as he continued. "Thank you for your time, Maelfina. I'll look forward to hearing more about Woryl. As for Vuna, I won't pester you with more requests to meet with and speak to her, unless of course you're interested in tracking her treatment. "
"Though the traditional methods of demonic possession have been ruled out, there might be an insidious etiology as you suggested. So I'm not willing to table the possibility just yet. More studies must be conducted regarding the scent you mentioned. One of our fiendish minders has stated something similar - describing a most subtle "Gehennian Scent" that emanates from her when one is in close proximity.
The second possibility has also been considered, though it is lower on the list of differentials."
Bereth's tone shifted abruptly as he continued. "Thank you for your time, Maelfina. I'll look forward to hearing more about Woryl. As for Vuna, I won't pester you with more requests to meet with and speak to her, unless of course you're interested in tracking her treatment. "