01: A thought (voice: TheOtter)

[of_bokthersa]

I find it interesting that ever so suddenly things are beginning to become unraveled. Suddenly, once people who are new and different arrive. Perhaps I've been around nobles too long, but it seems to me as if someone was waiting for just this moment to do whatever it is that they're doing.

The local's darker turn is interesting too. It takes a good bit of charisma to cause so many to defend one's honor so. I'm certain I could never do it. And yet, forgoing coin out of loyalty, or so one would suspect. After all, to many a merchant, coin is coin no matter who is offering it.

It should be very interesting to see where things go from here.

Comments

[of_bokthersa]

Meanwhile leaving us to pick up the investigation. How noble of them.

[customplates]

Well, from their perspective, they may not think there's a reason for one.

[of_bokthersa]

Do you think there's a reason for investigation?

[customplates]

I do. I think it's a little odd the Council is increasing our stipend when the people they lead are blaming us.

[of_bokthersa]

From what I understand, the vote wasn't unanimous.

[If he knew anything about these sort of things (and he made it his job to) that in and of itself was telling.]

[customplates]

That's what Alex was able to find out, yeah, and considering it was Annie who didn't agree...that's odd, too. She's the youngest, and she came here the most recently. You'd think she'd be on our side.

[of_bokthersa]

She's the one involved with this world's technology, yes?

[customplates]

As far as I know, yeah. Which...is pretty suspicious already.

[of_bokthersa]

It is a rather convenient position of power.

[He knows this game. He's seen it played a million times over in Skala, and hadn't realized it at the time, but seen it in Aurenen too.]

[customplates]

Given to someone who came in so much later.

[of_bokthersa]

And someone who seems less invested in those that are coming than those that came before.

There's a question in that, don't you think?

[customplates]

Yeah...but I'm still really working on exactly what it is.

[of_bokthersa]

Perhaps she is not capable of doing something with new people here - or perhaps she has been waiting.

[customplates]

Waiting for what, though?

[of_bokthersa]

Another good question.

And here's another; what can be gained from pitting the established against the new? What can such fighting do for her?

[customplates]

Cause a distraction?

[of_bokthersa]

Exactly. Now, what could she want to cause a distraction for?

[customplates]

So we don't pay attention to the man behind the curtain.

[A beat.]

Sorry, that's...probably not a reference you get. Basically, so we don't pay attention to the puppeteer and continue to fall for the smoke and mirrors.

[of_bokthersa]

Precisely. What do you think should be done about it?

[customplates]

Continue "falling for it".

[of_bokthersa]

I wonder, is there something more to that statement?

[customplates]

Possibly, but I think we've given whoever might be listening enough to wonder about right now, don't you?

[Hey, look. The good guy isn't the naive guy.]

[of_bokthersa]

[He's very impressed.]

I'm sure they wouldn't be listening in -

[They so would. Even he would be, and he's not a bad person set on doing weird things to the place they're currently living.]

That would be very nefarious of them. Whoever they might be, which is no one because no one is listening.

[customplates]

Of course not.

[He used to work in politics. He knows exactly what to expect.]

But I'm sure they'd understand the suspicion.

[of_bokthersa]

Well, finding yourself suddenly in a place you can't leave and being treated as we're being would certainly cause rumors and suspicion.

I'm sure if they were the cause it wasn't their intent. From what I can see it's all just gotten out of hand.