[Jack_Spade]

Isaint just lifted an eyebrow.
Through his commlink he asked her: <<I assume you did not inform anyone of our plans to come here, did you? If so, please tell me exactly who else knows of our plans to come this way.>>

[Aria]

[Sunday July 5th, 2076; Approach to Nightside Market, London Below]
 
To Isaint’s other sight the Old One appears to be both there and not there.  The fact that Robyn’s ultrasound registers his presence implies he’s more than simply a manifest projection, a materialised spirit perhaps?  Either way his aura is otherwise unreadable, masking rigidly controlling any sense of emotion or power
 
“I know who Isaint, Guthrie and the Jackhammer are!  They have been here before.  I am sometimes called the Old One, here I am the Storyteller.  I am here to tell you a story of brave Overworlders venturing into the cesspit of Below and disrupting the careful balance through their heroic ignorance.  They are not to blame, Below has its own arcane laws, but nevertheless they must face the consequences of their deeds.  If they wish to travel Below again then there is a task they must perform…a task to rebalance the scales…”
 
_#08
 

[Jack_Spade]

'For a moment I thought I heard him call himself the Dungeon Master... Keep a straight face, damn it! This one is not a person to be trifled with.'

"And what would that quest... I mean what would that task be? As you probably already know, we are on a mission. A mission that has certain time constraints."
Isaint allowed himself to relax a fraction, now that no immediate attack seemed to be imminent.

#272

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn steps back politely now that the introductions are unnecessary.  She responds to ISaint's question, >>I spoke to no one of our coming here, other than the Mechanica to get an escort through the Zone  Iris was laying all the groundwork Below, perhaps she said something?  The Old One has powers that no one really understands and perhaps he simply divined that we were coming this way.<<

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint made sure the others were in on the electronic conversation: <<Iris didn't know we would take this particular entrance. "Powers that no one understands" is just another word for highly efficient spy apparatus.
And if one man has this information already, we can expect that others know about this as well. Consider our cover for Below as compromised if not even completely burned.>>

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn adds, >>The Old One is known to keep his council on many things.  It is unlikely that he would have set us up or exposed our cover.<<

[Aria]

[Sunday July 5th, 2076; Approach to Nightside Market, London Below]
 
“It was you who destabilised the status quo down here and the price of your passage is to rectify that.  I don’t care much about your mission and its time constraints, that is your business, but if you wish to pass through this domain then those are my terms.
 
I wish you to arrange an alliance of House Laésal and the Iron Company.  The notion of marriages of alliance are outmoded Above but they carry weight here Below and I know of two young lovers who risk their Houses’ displeasure to form a union.  We will call them Romeo and Juliet for now…I am sure you will do your utmost to ensure that the story ends better for this couple…”
 
***
 
#09

[Csjarrat]

It was a shockingly small amount of time before things had begun to go wrong. Halfpint observed the goings on from VR through the varying feeds of the noizquitos, ready to jump into the big lad if things went south.
<<Fuck. well so much for that story then. Plan B anyone?>>

[Jack_Spade]

"We... wait, what?"
Isaint pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a moment to concentrate, than began to count on the fingers of his left hand:
"Ok, let's assume for a moment that our actions did destabilize your power structure - which by the way does not speak in favor of your system if all it takes is a gas grenade and a few bullets against a bunch of drug heads - and we further assume that we do this task instead of using another way to reach our destination.

The very first thing we should clarify: You don't call a pair of teenagers Romeo and Juliet. At least not if you want them to have a happy end and survive.
Secondly, how is this going to stabilize the houses if both are against this marriage? Wouldn't that bring the hardliners in either factions to target the spouse of their kid to end this marriage prematurely?

Thirdly: Why do you care that the drug heads lost power? For all I've seen of them, they are a vile bunch of slavers, targeting teenagers with mind control magic. Stabilizing them would mean to condone their actions.

Fourthly: How on earth would we even get near the druggies without causing yet another clash? If I remember correctly they did call out a Fatwa or something like it on us. So to join the happy couple together we would have to infiltrate an actively hostile house and someone who sounds like a serious paramilitary organization. Probably without killing or hurting any of the two, since that would defeat the purpose of this exercise.

And fifthly: We would have to do that within the next 12 hours. Otherwise our window of opportunity closes and we don't need this FUCKING PASSAGE ANYMORE!"


#274

[adamu]

Al sat down against a wall and lit a cigarette. The old coot's attempt at logic didn't match his rep, and Al knew for a fact he was crazy, but he was still a big honcho down here.

But none of that mattered - Al had made sure Isaint was in charge precisely so that no-win calls like this would remain well above his pay grade.

[pistolgrip]

Jackhammer smirked in spite of himself. His first instinct was just to knock this guy out and keep moving, but apparently there was magic involved, and that might mean he's not even standing there, or that he's not physical, or something else equally inconvenient and difficult to understand. But of course ISaint had a gun, so if he wanted the man dead, and thought it possible, it would probably be done by now. And if he wanted him knocked out, he'd have said something surely. That was the great thing about someone else being in charge. But the other great thing was who else was in charge. A terribly charismatic, apparently otherwise likable character, with both knowledge and influence in the below. Someone perfectly suited to smooth out this relational 'concern'. And with their time crunch, there was no way she'd be able to get it all handled and meet back with them before they'd already mostly completed the mission, meaning she wouldn't be there to be equal shares annoying and visually distracting. He wasn't sure ISaint was totally ready to make that leap just yet, so he spoke up and simply asked, "What about Iris?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn steps back to where ISaint is standing.  "Iris could be a good choice, but we do not know her situation and time is of the essence.  My guess is that she is experiencing.........difficulties of some kind.  I would offer my own services.  I know the lay of the land down here and have no bad relations with either House."  She turns her sightless eyes to The Old One and removes her mask.  "There is some leverage we can use to try to convince the Poisoned Maiden and the Heartbreaker to let these children marry.  The House of Flowers lost considerable face when it failed to stop a small group of Overworlders from escaping their clutches.  Perhaps an alliance with the Iron Company would give them some influence back.  And, while the Iron Company is soldiers, it is also merchants.  Every House in Below has long coveted some of the drugs of House Laesal and this marriage could be a way to get some that the other Houses would not have access to.  I imagine that it would take a broker of some sort to get these people to see the value of such a relationship.  Would it be possible for me to act with the blessing of the Earl on this?  It might smooth things over for me.  Would you allow the rest of the band to visit the Market where I can rejoin them when I am done?  It would make it easier for us to continue on our way if they are already near the tunnels to the Underplex."  She faces ISaint.  "Would this be acceptable to you as well?  I will do what I can and rejoin you in the Market."

[Jack_Spade]

To Jackhammer he sent a short text: <<Do not volunteer information the opposition might not yet have>>

To Robyn he said:
"Please wait. Let's first hear the facts before we commit to any compromises.
And just to be clear: I'll be damned if I let you go alone into danger.
As far as I am concerned the drug heads got exactly what they had coming to them for their frankly uncivilized behavior. I am willing to help if this improves the situation for the common people and reduces the despotism of those in power, but I will not aid our declared enemy that has proven itself to be devoid of the most basic human decency." 

[Aria]

[Sunday July 5th, 2076; Approach to Nightside Market, London Below]

The Storyteller gently taps his staff against the ground to emphasise each point but the smile is mocking with a sense of ignorant Overworlders in his tone

“Your companion is correct, when they failed to master you they lost face, that they involved the Harlequinade compounded their problems…they have been ruthlessly satirised and although the clowns are Overworlders their stories have substance and power here, more so than above.

So, firstly…I will not reveal their names to you until you accept this task, names have power even in your world.  The ones I chose are linked to great love and great tragedy, if you act to change that then the names will change.

Secondly…I did not say the Houses were opposed, you assume too much, again your companion is right, they both stand to benefit.  Each House is not a unified whole of course, in every group of humans politics inevitably emerges, it is your nature.  With this marriage ratified according to our customs the sharks will circle off for a while longer.

Thirdly…phah, you betray your ignorance, drug heads, vile slavers, that is far too simplistic, they are the premier herbalists and healers Below and in one way or other the whole of metahumanity are enslaved to a degree.  I know you runners pride yourselves on your freedoms, but you too are slaved to the systems you seek to skulk underneath…and yes, I know you will throw choice in my face, but that too is an illusion.  The Flowers treat their people no worse than any other, and better than some Below. 

Below is a distorted mirror of Above, what do you think would happen if your corps were to fight each openly?  Do you not think that suffering should be avoided if possible?  This is my domain and I do not want the blood flowing in the streets.

Fourth…this pair have been conducting their assignations in secret for nearly a year my whisperers tell me, I am sure it could be arranged for them to come to you.  Provided you do not throw yourselves in the Maiden’s face then you should be able to avoid unpleasantness with the Flowers.  The Bane they pronounced on you was lifted the moment you left Below…

Fifth…I did not stipulate the timing of this marriage, granted it needs to be sooner rather than later to forestall the chaos of a House War, but if you return to it after your precious mission I am sure that will be acceptable.  I thank your companion for her offer to deal with this alone but there are symbolic reasons why it has to be the three of you righting the balance…”

***

#10

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn nods first to ISaint in acknowledgment of his words then to The Old One.  She turns and goes back to her position in the diamond formation and waits there.  The Old One's words are meant for others and she can wait to find out her role in what is to happen.