Seekers

[bravenewmods]

"This is Union...?"

They stop outside the gates and exchange a glance. Moments later, the Warp Band network across Union switches on to broadcast a message, displaying two strangers, similar enough to be siblings apart from their stereotypical color schemes. The man in blue speaks first.

"You guys mind opening up? It's been a long trek; we can't all just align with Ponyta and gallop across a desert."

"Though I'll bet Ponyta are less grumpy to travel with than this guy. How about we introduce ourselves? I'm Maeve."

"Ceilto. We're here representing a group called the Seekers, from the branch up in Caldera. You guys hear anything about us yet?"

A short expectant pause before Maeve smiles. "No problem. I'll explain! What we do is seek out information about the old gods. You know, the ones that a lot of people worship or hate depending on who you are and where you're from. The ones who're in the legends, buuut other than that, we don't really know much about them. So! Our Boss wanted us to come here to do some digging."

"Yeah. You'll meet him sooner or later, but the Boss-man wants to start up a new chapter here if he can - heard you guys built your whole city on top of some old ruins."

Both of them look more enthused as the topic shifts to the Old City. "We don't know how deep you guys have gotten or how much you know, but we thought that maybe, just maybe, there might be some information down there. We want to help check it out!"

Ceilto holds up a finger. "We heard those Team Evolution nuts've been around already. If you're worried we're like them at all, don't be. We're interested in learning more about the old gods, not in catching them and rubbing on a Pokéball for three wishes. But you can kick us out anyway if you feel like it - long as you let us borrow your artifacts now and then."

He receives a sock in the shoulder for his troubles. "Arg, don't tell them to just kick us out when we haven't even gotten in! ...But yeah, those Team Evolution guys? Far from what we're here to do."

"We've got a few expeditions you might be interested in, too, since you guys've got some more tricks up your sleeves than the Calderans. Small groups, though - we don't need a hundred of you coming along with us and getting killed when you blunder around and collapse it on your heads."

"Oh good grief. Don't listen to him. We do have some favors to ask, but what we're asking for isn't that dangerous. No one is going to get killed. ...Probably."

The man grins mischievously. "Probably. ...Yep. ...Well, that's about all. We'll be by the gates if you've got any questions. ...As soon as someone lets us in, c'mon already."

"Maybe if you stopped acting like that, they will."

The conversation devolves into meaningless bickering before the Warp Band unceremoniously switches off.

((Respond as you please!  Thread jacking will likely occur.  Don't feel the need to wait for both characters to respond before you do; it will be in and out!))

Comments

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

...

Well. No news is good news.

You can check with her again if you don't believe us, but the Seekers have been around for a while now. All we're really interested in is figuring out what happened during that lost era.

[somnambulatory]

Actually, my cousin and I found something you might be interested in seeing in some nearby ruins. I don't know if it would be helpful, but the academy has our notes if the council decides to let you into the city.

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

[Ceilto's eyes brighten slightly at this.]

Nearby ruins? The one up north in that swamp? We would've jumped right in if we hadn't been sent here on a mission.

Mind sharing a quick overview, anyway?

[somnambulatory]

Okay. Um, here's what I remember.

[Jinxie more or less summarizes this stuff.]

I'm not really sure what it means, but I think those were probably paintings of some of the old gods.

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

[When Jinxie finishes, there is a very long pause.]

...
...
...
...

Maeve! Maeve, get over here. Seriously. No one else in this city is as important as this girl right now.

[somnambulatory]

H-huh...?

[That is not the reaction she expected. Jinxie's a little overwhelmed here.]

AHAH OK that was amusing.

[bnw_tara_npcs]

Huh? What is it? How is this girl important?

[ Wow the only time it's important she wasn't paying attention oops ]

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

Tell her what you just told me.

[Ceilto crosses his arms and waits with an expectant smile. Sorry, Jinxie, go through the spiel again.]

[somnambulatory]

Um...

[Well, okay. She repeats it for Maeve. It's more or less the same, but now she's nervous, so it probably takes a little longer.]

[bnw_tara_npcs]

... Woah.

Woah woah woah. Are you serious? You are currently my favorite person in the whole world right now!

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

What my sister is trying to say is that, apart from present company, you're her favorite person in the world.

We've been on the trail of something important the last few years. I mean, the Seekers are interested in all lore, but a while back, we came across some documents suggesting that an ancient people - a tribe, a civilization... we don't really know - believed the lands were brought about by one specific god.

I'm sure you figured out the blue sphere is representing the world. The three large stones you mentioned are guardian figures or some sort of minor deities. The rest seems self-explanatory - either it's about the calamity, or it dates back before even that. The calamity wasn't the first time humans challenged the gods.

[He lapses into silence.]

'Forgive us and return...'

Almost sounds like something happened.

[somnambulatory]

Uh huh. That's what it looked like was happening. Like they were trying to chain up and control the gods.

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

You said you and your cousin explored those ruins on your own, is that right? Maeve and I will take a look when we have a chance, then.

...Want to know a secret?

[somnambulatory]

What is it?

[Jinxie leans in toward the screen.]

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

...

Maeve's not actually my sister. She's a stray Gastly Shifter who thinks she's the ghost of a human. I just humor her.

[......She looked so interested Ceilto was obligated to mess with her a little.]

...No, that's not true, I'm pretty sure we're related. Pretty sure.

The secret's that we think the home of these gods... what the people believed to be gods... are somewhere on this continent nearby. ...And we're gonna find it.

[somnambulatory]

[Jinxie would have believed every word of it had he not given himself away so quickly.]

O-oh.

[As it is, she looks a little embarrassed.]

The gods' home...? Do you think they still live there now?

[bnw_tara_npcs]

[ Wow. WOW. You see that look that Maeve is giving you Cielto? It's the look of you're going to sorely regret whatever you just whispered even though Jinxie didn't believe it. ]

They might! But we're unsure of that and we won't find out until we dig up more information of them. As it if we don't really even know where the Gods live to begin with.

[somnambulatory]

Well... I hope I was able to help, then.

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

Don't act so much like a scared Deerling. You did a good job.

[somnambulatory]

My cousin Maya deserves half the credit. She was with me at the time, and it was her Woobat that left the heart stamps on the wall so other groups could find the same place we did.

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

Good for Cousin Maya. But she's not here right now, so you'll have to take the praise on her behalf and communicate it later.

[Somehow even his compliments sounds like he's joking.]

[somnambulatory]

Oh. Um... okay. I'll let her know.