[A Time Apart] (Current IC) What once was

With everyone rounded up Bria, somewhat less confident than before speaks up in English, "Um, so, we are in deep deep shit here guys. Basically it looks like over Calibration someone altered the treaty that governs the boundary between the Haltans and the Fae. A clause was added that essentially makes any Haltan always considered in a tree even if they aren't. At the same time the town was moved from the branches to the ground. Given what happened last Calibration... I'm afraid it may have been Barbara, but if not her then it must be some sidereal right?"


"The goblins you saw running around outside of town are working for a 'loremaster' who serves the local fae ruler guy. He is desperately trying to fix the situation before his master finds out and goes berserk. I made an arrangement with him that I will investigate the matter and he will cease raiding the town and investigate outside the town and in the treaty. We have three days. Also, when the real Lunars find out about this they are going to be just as pissed off..."


"Oh, and I said he could hunt whoever did it regardless of trees, I had to give him something... But just that I wouldn't interfere. I figure you fighting types can keep Barbara safe, right."


Bria scans each face looking for reactions and almost premptively expecting everyone to be angry with her.
 
"My money's still on Sidereal fate bullshit." Dylan nods to Bria, thankful for the update. "But I guess we won't really know until Barb wakes up. Can this loremaster guy hunt inside the city? Because it sounds like searching the city is our job."
 
"Absolutely not. I didn't trust his methods nor did I want to reveal the rest of you. He, uh, know's I'm a Lunar. It was the only way to get him in a negotiating mood, also he had Rose at the time. I sort of implied that I was here in a more.. official capacity.."


"So yeah, the city is for us to investigate. I wouldn't have any idea where to start though."
 
“I would suggest,” says Grant, “that we attempt to integrate ourselves into the population for now. Find jobs, make friends…that sort of thing. We’ll probably find out more than if we’re slinking around in back alleys…or worse, walking about asking bizarre questions.”
 
"That is assuming the people here know anything... I mean, none of them even remember the old town being in the branches. Plus we only have a few days. After that we may not have many options. I mean, I like the new version of the treaty, but it sounds like the Fae will break the agreement if it remains as is."


"What if.. I mean, does anyone think it would be a good idea to contact the Silver Pact?"
 
“I very much doubt it. If I remember correctly, Halta is the territory of two elders, and the rest of the Pact keeps well out of it. That’s why people didn’t flip out at the sight of your tats -- any Lunars passing Halta are careful to be on their best behavior. We could try to find the elders, I suppose, but the books didn’t say exactly where they live -- and besides, they’d have a lot of awkward questions.”
 
“We need for the people here to believe us and trust us -- especially if the town gets attacked by angry faeries. The most effective way of doing that is working alongside them.”
 
"Elders...elders." Grants words strike a chord in Dylan's mind. Who said they needed to ask people who could channel essence? "Here's an idea. What about the elders in the city? The ones that have been around a long while? They'd have more memories floating around about the days when Black Branches was still in the trees then anyone else. And you can't overwrite them all. They might be able to remember seeing something out of the ordinary before everything got screwed up."
 
“We need to find out these things, then,” Grant says, holding up fingers one by one.


“We need to find out whether anyone in Black Branches remembers the canonical version of reality.


“We need to find out whether the changes to canon involve more than just the treaty and the size of the town.


“We need to find out whether ‘houserule country’ stretches beyond Black Branches.


“Anything else?”
 
A thought occurring to him, Jake took this moment to speak up. "One thing I am worried about is the bandits. The guard mentioned they tend to fight to the last man. That doesn't seem natural and I suspect outside, potentially supernatural influence. Even if it's not, there isn't anything saying that the Fae could do it and turn them against Branches." He frowned, wishing he had been more careful. "We really should try to find that runner, they might have some answers for us."
 
"Houserule country..." Dylan chuckles, still coming to terms with the fact that such terms were actually usable here.


"Beyond getting some answers out of Miss Worldjumper here," He jerks a thumb at Barbara's unconscious form. "I can't think of anything else."
 
"The Fae I met was certainly motivated enough to drive things to extinction to get rid of this city." Bria looks to Barbara with curiosity, "Can you get her conscious?"
 
"Black Voyage." Dylan states. "It's one of the poisons. Those afflicted by it get knocked into a ten day sleep full of nightmares. So yeah, it shouldn't be any harder then to get out then the first one. I'll want to get Blunted Mind out pretty quickly after that, though. When she wakes up, she'll have no willpower and won't be able to get any back for ten days."
 
“Then that’s where we’re at, for now. Dylan, Bria, try to get Barbara on the road to recovery, and find out what Rose Blossom knows about the overall situation in Halta. Emily, Jake -- play ‘dumb tourists’. Ask lots of questions. Act curious and excited. Find out as much as you can about local history, religion, customs, cuisine -- see what’s changed from the books. Me, I’ll see what the city guard knows about the bandits and the Fair Folk…and for pity’s sake, if anyone feels the need to concoct a cover story, keep it simple and as close to the truth as you can, and inform the rest of us so we don’t get caught foot-in-mouth again.”
 
"Wouldn't I be more useful out talking to people or gathering information? Besides I already said I was going to talk to the head of the village... whoever that is."
 
“You seem to be hitting it off with Rose, though. And she can tell you who the important people in the town are.”
 
Bria nods, but seems concerned. The brush with the Fae both boosted and confused her confidence. On the one hand she convinced that Fae to give her more time, but on the other it didn't feel like herself. She should have been scared right? Thinking back on it she is overcome with a nervousness. What if she can do that? What if she has to be responsible for this whole town now?


Doing things seems to help so she moves Dylan's side, "So, what do you need?"
 
Dylan nods to Grant. They had a plan now. This was good.


"You gave Chameleon some dots in medicine, right?" He turns to Bria. "The more hands I have helping me out, the better. Those poisons are nasty. The last thing we need is for me to fuck up while I'm removing them."
 
Giving Bria a reassuring smile, Dylan turns back to the group. "So, one last question. There's a chance that'll need to start flaring while I'm doing this. If anyone wants to veto, now is your chance."
 
A pause.


Grant says, straight-faced, “This might be a good time for me to mosey on back to the guardhouse.”
 
"Shouldn't you wait until after your personal Motes have recovered before you start busting out the magic? Seems like that would lower your odds of flaring."
 
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