[jaunt] [week 1 - backdated to before Jules's death] Royally screwed up

[razorblade_empress]

Met Chloe's overlay a little while ago. She gave me a warning about a pair of siblings, Ghalib and Chara. Says the brother, Ghalib, spends a lot of time recruiting people to Dreampush for him, and oddly enough, the people he recruits become really enthusiastic about Dreampushing for him, to the point that they go out recruiting for him. Given that whoever you're Dreampushing for has total access to your mind while you're 'Pushing and can basically do whatever the hell they want to your thoughts and emotions, I've gotta say that this sounds a little suspicious.

I mean, I'm not sure I trust Chloe's overlay either, but still.

The sister, Chara, supposedly only approaches guys, but she actually did come over and talk to me earlier. I did a quick perspective read on her, and that added another wrinkle to all this: she's royalty. Specifically, she's sister to the king in hiding, who I'm assuming is Ghalib, unless they've got another sibling hidden away somewhere. Chara feels her purpose is to support her brother, the 'rightful Protector of the Umbrian Vale,' and to ensure the line of Malion doesn't end with them. Which probably explains why she primarily approaches men - they need an heir, and responsibility for that's fallen on her. Everything else is secondary to her responsibilities.

Malion, incidentally, was the last god-king. My memory of our last trip here is woefully incomplete, but assuming I'm matching dates correctly in my head, he was still in charge when we were here last, and the Overmind was still a thing.

For the record, Chara is Thorne's overlay. I'm blanking on who 'Ghalib' is normally, but he's also one of us. Short guy, overlay walks with a limp. [There's a short pause while she shares the memory of the likenesses Hana had shown her; 'Chara' is indeed Thorne, while 'Ghalib' is Gil.] These two. Be careful about letting them into your minds, especially him.

Comments

[capital_asset]

You must have talked to him before I did, because he didn't mention Dreampushing to me at all. Given what we know now, I think he probably didn't want to arouse additional suspicion.

[Gil and Thorne are going to hate these overlays so much when they come back to themselves.]

[comebewe]

It's possible. Or maybe he didn't think you were a likely mark.

Thorne, though - Chara - she did tell us that she was planning to try and get in a place called the Shadow District. Except she was pretty secretive about how she planned to get in there. Apparently, the security system makes you sink to your knees in awe and then...breaks your neck.

But if she's part of whatever the bloody hell Ghalib's going on, maybe there's more to what she wants with that place is more than just idle curiosity.

[capital_asset]

Or that. Even if he had, my overlay is a Cleritor; they don't generally Dreampush.

...Charming. If she does have a way to get in there, how much do you want to bet it has to do with her and her brother's ancestry?

[comebewe]

I think betting against that would be a great way to lose your money.

If we really want to know, nothing says we can't get in there too. I have...no bloody idea what kind of security messes with people's heads and breaks their necks. But we could portal right past whatever defenses that place has.

[capital_asset]

Telekinesis is one of the local psychic powers...

[comebewe]

...They can give buildings telekinetic abilities too?

[capital_asset]

I can't say for certain, but much of the old tech was powered by psi, and I could see that extended to security systems.

[comebewe]

Makes sense, I suppose.

[capital_asset]

Although it could also be that the security system might be psi-powered in some way, but the security measures are not.

[comebewe]

I honestly have no idea. This world has things...beyond our understanding.

[capital_asset]

I'm not sure either - I'm just speculating for now.