a few days into the jaunt

[runs]

What do we know about Beatrice's overlay?

[She's observed a few things herself, but it is only prudent to do what legwork you can and gather what information is out there before starting any operation.]

Comments

[scarsolderthanyou]

Ren works for her, the one who is also Tachibana with the young son, and she's apparently commanding the digging going on. I suppose that means she's someone important.

If she commands the digging, that also means she might have the amulet pieces, since they're not at the site.

[runs]

[That matches up with what she's observed.]

A lot of humans here work for her, directly or indirectly. And she has a lot of political power, I think, but she doesn't surround herself with bodyguards and tries to make people think that she is nice. [People in that position are never nice. You don't get into that position if you're nice. That's Kitty's thoughts on this, anyway.

And yes, someone has done a significant amount of stalking. Because the real Beatrice is a dragon on the inside from what she's seen on her, and overlays have a connection to people, and if there is a dragon opposite you you better watch them closely.

And that opinion of her also means...] ...She's intelligent. She might assume that they're much more than just old pieces of junk that historians like.

[scarsolderthanyou]

[Some people in that position can be nice. But Stone doesn't have experience with humans in that position, only really Raksura and a few other groundling species.]

Only if she's looking for magic. She might look for the third piece, though, if it's obvious there's one missing from the thing.

[runs]

She might be looking for magic. They have the mirrors and such. [So it's not a completely lunatic leap for them to believe in the possibility of more.] People started doing science on magic very quickly when it showed up again. [That's about as in depth as she can go on it, but that IS a thing.]

[scarsolderthanyou]

Hmm. Magic never left, where I come from, but it's not much like these mirror and amulet things in most places. I can't offer much help, there.

But I can try to sniff out things about Beatrice. What does she look like?

[runs]

It keeps leaving and returning where I'm from.

[...Dammit. She doesn't know how to project her memories on the network, does she? She'll have to figure that out. Or ask someone. ...Whom does she know who should know...]

Wait a moment.

[And after a while (definitely much longer than a moment) he will be treated to Beatrice's backside, from a perspective that is very low to the ground. The perspective circles around, obviously trying to not be seen, and then finally he'll get a fairly good half-frontal perspective.]

[scarsolderthanyou]

[He'd be startled, if he hadn't already seen Wash do the same thing with baby Rose. As it is, he's only a little startled, having not expected that. He watches intently, not questioning her size for now.]

Good, thank you. I'm not sure how discreet I'll be, since I stand out a little here, but I'll see what I can do.

[runs]

You should probably have a very good story at hand if she asks you why you look the way you do.

...Since everyone thinks that the forest and stone people are just masks, you could always say you're too poor or bad at costumes to make a proper one.

[scarsolderthanyou]

People have just been assuming it's some kind of paint. Haven't been that many questions.

[There's a mildly annoyed sort of growling noise, then the grumpy comment:]

I don't know what I'll do when the festival thing is over. You don't think we can just break open the secrecy by then and tell the humans other species exist, do you?

[He's not really serious, there. But he wishes.]

[runs]

That would be dangerous for them. Humans tend to try and destroy what they don't understand and can't control, and even if they think they can take control of the other two species that isn't good at all.

[scarsolderthanyou]

I get the feeling you don't like humans much. You'd better nose around more before you act on it. These might not be the same as the ones you don't like. They might be, but they might not.

[runs]

I don't have an issue with humans. They can be very nice. [She rolls her eyes.] It's how people are. Elves and orcs and trolls and dwarves are the same. And awakened animals too.

But the group that is dominant is the most worrying in that regard, and here, that are humans. [It's the same back home, really. The only reason why dragons manage to be at the top of the food chain is that they're old enough to be better at playing the games of society than humans are.]

[scarsolderthanyou]

[Well, at least she comes from somewhere with multiple other species. She's the first one who seems to be familiar with dealing with non-humans, at all, in Stone's experience.]

Hmm. In my experience, it depends on the culture of the dominant group-- different groundling groups react differently to outsiders, or to surprises, I've found. But I don't know much about the local ones yet, except they have tasty food and have mostly been friendly.

[runs]

They've never had to deal with other sentient species being real, and thus there's not really a way to check. So it could go well. But if it doesn't go well it can't just be undone, so it's better to be careful.

And you can't really testrun it, because single people will react differently from large groups. Especially when the group is big enough that it contains lots of people who have never really made a personal in-depth contact with one of the new, other groups. Or if the new group is big enough that you can think that the one that you know is different and the exception.

[She doesn't fully grasp what he's saying about different groups because different, unconnected groups don't exist in her globalised world. Everyone is influenced by everyone else. Different cultures do in fact react differently to certain things, but only to a degree. Though... thinking about some big cats...]

And if they are welcomed, they might find themselves being forced into an accepted corner of the humans' lore to not be perceived as a threat.

[scarsolderthanyou]

They have, actually, it's just been a long time. They had to have gotten along with them in the past, because of all these Golden Age stories they have passed around. The species can't have changed that much since then.

[He makes a thoughtful noise.]

I believe you that it could be terrible. But it still has the possibility of going just fine. We'll have to watch things, I guess. The goal is to not have it go badly, right? Help make them all get along?

[runs]

[She shrugs at that, as much s he can't see the motion.]

The goal could be anything.

[scarsolderthanyou]

So the goal could be to keep them from reuniting? Or to have one race slaughter one of the others?

[He sounds skeptical. That'd be a pretty bad goal.]

[runs]

I don't know. I think it's more that it could be something more tangential to that, or something smaller or a specific way in which it's done, but the Arcana never tell us what they want.

[scarsolderthanyou]

Then it sounds like we have to do it the way we want to, and if they aren't happy with it, that's their problem.

[He doesn't approve of being given a task and then not told anything about it.]

[runs]

Pretty much.

[Her opinion of the Arcana is generally low enough to say hi to earthworms.]

[smokeandcarbs]

I'm working for her as a temporary employee. All I could tell is that she is losing more money than it's wise for her business.

[ninjayeehaw]

Thought she was one a' the most lucrative names in town. [That was the impression Zed left, at least.] How's she losin' money when she owns half the city?

[smokeandcarbs]

Oh, she's still much richer than most of us will ever be. But she has been spending a lot of money on her hobbies. History and folklore. Museums, mostly. Those things are not directly related to her business or remotely profitable.

[runs]

...Do you think she does it to make the public like her, or to find something or some things, maybe to gain power from it or to sell things illegally? [Collectors will pay high prices for historical and folkloric items at times.]

[smokeandcarbs]

[He wonders at Kitty's grown-up questions. Was Jean as weird as Kitty when he was her age?]

If she is doing anything illegal, the money is not being laundered through the companies. Their accounts look normal, if in a bad state. Perhaps a little of the first two? She is paying for the excavations, of course. Tax-deductible and all.The festival wouldn't happen without her patronage, and she is holding an exhibit at the Hyperion Museum next week.

[runs]

...What is the exhibit about?

[Hm.]

And maybe she's looking for something specific and hasn't found it yet, then. [Can you tell who has an inherent distrust of rich people, even more so when they are Beatrice?]

[smokeandcarbs]

[Jean can tell a lot of things. It's just very strange to get all those vibes from a tiny like Kitty.]

The ledgers specify only the costs, though it wouldn't be surprising if the the exhibition were linked to the excavation.

[runs]

[Definitely a good reason to have a look at the excavation when it opens...

Pinging Earendil into this conversation.

And back to Jean...] Do you have access to the invitations for the exhibition opening? Can you get me two?

[pretentiouself]

[What why is he being dragged into this, this is new to him and he doesn't like it.]

Wait, what? Why two? [Yes he is suspicious.]

[smokeandcarbs]

Because Kitty needs a responsible adult.

I believe I could ask really nicely. For my family.

[runs]

Thank you!

Leo is really good at being around places like that, so you don't have to worry about him misbehaving. [Putting a good word in for the embarrassing stupid elf who doesn't remember her.]

[pretentiouself]

[Wow she's so kind. But at least they seem to think he's a responsible adult. He just wishes that his parents would remember that sometimes.]

I'll need something to wear, though. I don't exactly have access to my normal wardrobe here. ...Not that I'd fit in my usual suits in this human body.

[Also flattery is the best way to get him to do something without arguing.]

[smokeandcarbs]

["This human body", what the heck.

Jean takes a long drag on his cigarette, summoning all mental strength he needs to keep this conversation on a mostly sane level.]

I'm quite sure we can rent clothes for a fair price.

[Does this responsible adult have a job? he wonders.]

[runs]

Where will we meet for that?

[Better nail this down now so she can drag Leo there at the agreed-upon time.]

[pretentiouself]

[This responsible adult absolutely does not have a job because menial jobs are for poor people and he has no skills outside of the matrix.

He's also shuddering at the idea of 'clothes for a fair price'. Surely this does not include made to measure.]

I wouldn't know where to start looking in this place. At home, I would be fine, but here... I suppose I can have a look, though.

[runs]

There is a store on [street name], next to the red painted bakery. We will meet in front of that in three hours.

[And with that she goes off to do some other things. Don't let the adults get a word in edgewise, is what life has taught her.]