audio | un: silent + un: finn

[callada]

(color key: Rosinante and Finn)

Finn and I just spent the day following a couple people around town. Finn, you want to give them a primer on how that ability of yours works?

So, back on our first mission in Gyeongje, I… sort of absorbed part of the orb for a little while. It’s a long story, but because of that, I can apparently sense the other orbs and track them if I can find something that’s come in contact with it.

All I’ve gotten here so far are just feelings that it’s nearby, but Rosinante and I have narrowed it down. The Bransons have definitely been near the orb, maybe in contact with it. The kid, Jebediah Branson, and a woman named Poppy have probably been near it. As for the orb’s actual location, though, that’s really all we’ve got so far… But Jebediah did mention a father, grandfather, and an uncle he called Ches.

And on top of Finn's sense of all that, they’re not repeating themselves like the rest of the town and they know the others are. Even mentioned it a few times.

Two of the Branson men might, the father and grandfather of the kid, might still be inside the mines, probably in a part outside the loop Gwen described which is why she didn’t see them. This “Uncle Ches” fellow must work there too, the kid Jeb implied he was always covered in dirt when he comes home.

Their house is over by the stables, if anyone is feeling interested in some infiltration. Otherwise, asking around town about this Ches Branson could be helpful. Maybe hunt him down directly, if you can. But if he has the orb, maybe let all of us know before you tangle with him too closely.

Comments

Audio; un: belova

[laviny]

The grandfather is not in the mines. I was following him earlier, I think.

[callada]

Yeah? That's good news, that gives us another person to investigate. I'd thought maybe he was stuck in there when Poppy said he wasn't gonna pick the kid up from school since he had a "long day at the mines". Sounds like the thing you'd tell a kid when their grandfather has something serious going on.

So, you find anything?

[laviny]

I followed him from the saloon to the general store and then to the school. It seemed important that he get there, so maybe he wanted to surprise them.

Or it could be another grandfather. But one of my coworkers from the saloon is a friend of Poppy's and was with their group when the boy went to greet him

[As for what she found…]

I think his name is Ford. And he was shaken by the mention of a group of bandits called the Bouldersnakes. I haven’t been able to dig up any sort of solid information on them, though.

[callada]

Sounds like the Branson grandfather, all right. The school's the first place Finn picked up on sensing the orb. We must've been there just the day after you followed him there. From what Finn said though, it was faint. Maybe he's also affected like Poppy, but not carrying the orb around himself.

[laviny]

It could be. I lost his trail after he met his family at the school house, but I can keep an eye out for him at the saloon.

[callada]

Good plan. If he's like the rest of his family, he shouldn't repeat himself over and over. If he knows anything more about this than Poppy and Jeb do though he might react differently to everyone else doing it. Might pretend he doesn't even notice, even though he should.

It'd be real interesting to ask him a few things. See how he responds after a while, when everyone else in town would get back onto their scripts.

voice; un: stargirl

[bossily]

Jeb's mentioned his Uncle Ches more than once during the school day. He's mentioned how impressive of a horse handler he is.

I was in the process of arranging for some others to follow up with Chesper and the boy's grandfather, after the Doctor and I found a donation envelope with his and Chastity Branson's name on it at the church. It was the only thing in writing we could make out in the end. So I thought the family might be worth looking into.

[callada]

Only thing you could make out, as in, only thing you found, or only thing with writing that translated into actual words?

Good instincts either way, though. Always pays to follow up on outliers.

[bossily]

Only thing that wasn't blurry and managed to translate properly. Most everything here does, so I thought something with a name that was readable had to be important.

[callada]

So the family doesn't repeat themselves, seems like they have their own minds and everything, and their handwriting is readable.

Assuming Poppy and her kid are exempt from everything that's happening, I really want to know what they think is going on in this town, and how long ago they noticed it all starting.

[bossily]

I have a suspicion Jeb is more than aware what's happening around him. But I want to be careful to not involve him, at least not in questioning. Not yet. He's only a child. One that's grown on me since I've become his teacher.

[callada]

Sensible, and I appreciate you looking out for him like that. But his mom, I'd bet someone here can find a way to start a conversation. See what she knows, if anything.

audio; un: Sabriel.Abhorsen

[bindsthedead]

So the orb is either with one of those three men, at their home, or hidden somewhere in the stables.

[Which narrows things down nicely enough.]

And let me remind everyone that stealing it isn't an option- we need the orb to be given up willingly. Remember what happened in Braccia?

[hatejakku]

Are we sure it can't be in the mines somewhere? [ He hasn't been keeping up with every tail, alas. ]

I don't think it's at their home, though. It felt a little stronger there than it did at the schoolhouse but not by much. Granted, this ability's still really new to me.

[bindsthedead]

Because I felt it, when it tried to drain me. It wasn't coming from the mines. It really felt like it was somewhere in town.

[hatejakku]

Oh. [ Oh. ]

My guess is that one of them has it on him. Or absorbed again, maybe. If not, one of them must know something.

[bindsthedead]

Almost certainly- remember, this world doesn't seem to have any magic. It's possible that they don't even understand what they did. One of them made a bargain- possibly to try to revive the town, given what Alenko learned, even though the orb was either unable or unwilling to restore the people to true life.

Which raises the question- what was the price? The orb tried to drain me, but I'm not sure it it was to sustain itself or to keep me from learning something.

[hatejakku]

Maybe it has something to do with the ore. Or the life of whoever made the deal. It feels impossible to know right now.

un: blue

[firstroar]

Those people...

Do they feel whole? Is there anything resonating from their minds at all?

[hatejakku]

Nothing. They seem to have more awareness, but I can't feel them either.

[firstroar]

I don't understand... There has to be some way to unlock this door we're missing. This orb wouldn't idle with nothing but constructs, would it?

[hatejakku]

I don't know. The orbs are sentient. Maybe it has its own motives outside of power grabbing.

[firstroar]

[...]

I'm going to need your help, Finn. [to grab a dude and comb his brain for clues c:]

audio; un: kovacs

[kovach]

Clara asked me to check in on this Uncle. I can see about tailing him out and get back to you. Might check out the stables, but if you've got any other clues about him, I'll be all ears.

[callada]

Don't know, really. What we overheard was that Jeb was complaining about having to wash up, saying his uncle was "dirtier than he was" and wouldn't care. I took that to mean he worked in the mines, but it could just mean he works at the stables.

Ultimately we just don't know much at all yet. I appreciate you looking in to him.