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

[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.

[bindsthedead]

Their life might be plausible. Would the orb consider the ore within some average miner's authority to give though?

Hopefully it's not like Cheruvia's bargain, where they're feeding others to the orb.

[hatejakku]

If they were the last one in town alive, probably. But I wouldn't doubt that theory, either.

[bindsthedead]

We know the orbs aren't benevolent- and speaking as a necromancer, anything involving life and death always carries a high price.

[hatejakku]

Higher than any one persons life... [ In exchange for many others, at least. Or that's how it is back home. ]

Maybe the price was something that doesn't even exist anymore. It's hard to say and it hopefully won't even matter in the end.

[bindsthedead]

Fairness, equal exchange... those are generally not relevant concepts for that kind of power.

Hopefully. But we should be prepared for the worst.