( 01 ) video.

[oversleeps]

[ when the feed clicks on, marduk is in what appears to be a ruined building near the edge of town. there's snow on the floor and holes in the walls, but he's not wearing a single scrap of winter clothing. more importantly, he doesn't look especially pleased to be doing this. ]

Recently, one of the locals here went missing. Don't ask me what his name was, I'm not the one who gives a shit. I'm just here to solve the mystery.

He's missing because he's dead, and he's dead because I killed him.

[ he pauses here. it looks like it's for dramatic effect, but really he's just trying to figure out how to end the announcement. ]

Most of you would call that murder, wouldn't you? Can't remember if you all figured out what to do about that, but-- if you want retribution, you can come and get it.

[ good enough. the video ends there. ]

Comments

[hyanaimne]

I said country, not people. As if my people who give their lives so easily for a country that would see them dead sooner than what is attacking them in the first place.

[oops, got a little personal there]

A reason you still have yet to give, you mean.

[oversleeps]

If it's a fight you have so little belief in
Then all the more reason to abandon its cause.

Why are you so concerned with my reasons, exactly
You can't possibly be that worried for yourself

[hyanaimne]

I've my reasons for joining and remaining.

I am not concerned, I am curious. As I said, you are calling a lynch mob upon yourself.

[oversleeps]

Is that how this is going to go, then
Mutual curiosity over reasons
As I don't see what could motivate anyone to hold onto things from home
Here in a place where they've been discarded
And where we could be til the end of days

[ and thank god he's talking to someone who's not capable of calling out the hypocrisy in that line of thinking. ]

The mob is slow coming, sadly.

[hyanaimne]

And what is it that we are speaking of holding onto?

Mutual curiosity is how discussion continues, in any case. And as I said earlier - terrible justice system. At the most you will probably be locked up, if anything.

[oversleeps]

Anything.

[ his turn for things too personal? whatever. there's a long delay before anything else comes through. ]

Imprisonment
Honestly sounds worse than the lynching.
I'd throw myself to the wolves before being so restrained again.

[hyanaimne]

A waste.

[she won't go into details, but it's safe to say there isn't much for her to hold onto back home]

I speak from experience that it drives one a bit mental. I do not recommend it.

[oversleeps]

Would you believe me if I said
I speak from experience as well
Two weeks sounds blessedly short, to be fair
But I'd rather make it none at all

At the end of the day
It was over property
And nothing else.
A petty reason for murder, but
I've seen it done for less.

[hyanaimne]

You should not have said anything, then, if you do not wish to be locked up.

Property? I have seen it down for less as well. Sort of boring, that. No offense.

[oversleeps]

Where I come from
They brand you or they exile you or they kill you
Imprisonment does nothing but waste the resources of the system that supports it
I don't understand why anyone would bother with it here.

I'll be sure to make it for a more interesting cause, next time.

[hyanaimne]

Because there are a bunch of lawful types. Though I will admit the young woman in charge of us was very kind.

Try not to announce it either.

[oversleeps]

What constitutes lawful is easily manipulated
There's nothing inherently unlawful about execution, is there.

I'll be sure to send the broadcast to only you
Just to prove it was intriguing, next time

[hyanaimne]

Now, you would be asking the wrong person about that. I am nothing near lawful.

What a dear you are.

[oversleeps]

World renowned for my kindness.
But I'm sure you were able to tell from the post.

[hyanaimne]

Yes, quite kind.

Has anyone actually done anything, though? Out of curiosity.

[oversleeps]

So far?
No.
But the law always does have a way of sneaking up on you
Doesn't it

[hyanaimne]

My, but I bet I can get there before they do.

[oversleeps]

And if you did
What then

[hyanaimne]

Keep you company and watch the coming show.

[oversleeps]

Well
You're certainly welcome to watch the show
If one ever happens.

[hyanaimne]

Then I shall be there in a few minutes.

action!! 8)

[oversleeps]

[ a few minutes, eh.

marduk still hasn't bothered to switch locations yet; he's returned to his windowsill, electing to passively wait and see if tempest truly shows. he hardly has any choice, there. it's hard not to be intrigued by someone who actually has some familiarity with the terms that you do, in a place like exsilium where nothing has ever made sense at all.

well, almost nothing. either way, he's stuck here for the time being. he tries to wait patiently, but he taps his nails against the face of the tablet in a way that betrays his apprehension at the moment. ]

[hyanaimne]

[Tempest makes good on her not-quite promise; a few minutes later Marduk will hear someone enter the building, albeit at a slow, wary pace. She may be dumb enough to come out here when a possible lynch mob is being formed, but who knows who may already be here. She isn't taking any chances.

When she comes across Marduk, though . . . that is a huff, and if she wasn't on guard her hands would be on her hips and she'd look for all the world a petulant child]

Drow indeed, you bloody liar.

[oversleeps]

I don't think I ever directly claimed to be one.

[ his head snaps up immediately, and he squints in tempest's direction, trying to take measure of her. half-elven, she'd said, but he was never the best at being able to tell all the common races apart-- short of demanding to see her ears (which is more than a little rude), he'll just have to take her word for it. ]

Maybe you shouldn't jump to conclusions, eh? More than elves can know about old hatreds.

[hyanaimne]

[Tempest just rolls her eyes and pulls her hood back—and well, inadvertently giving Marduk a view of her ears. Shorter than an elf's, but pointed like them. Aside from that, she could pass for either race]

Maybe you should not ask about them in a way that would make me jump to conclusions.