005 | Video

[clickclickbang]

Name: Prompto Argentum
Date: 2/8
Format: video

[In the background of this video, there's the (relatively) hushed sounds of a certain Sun King's voice, trying to get someone to stop and rest, as she should. He's being met with growls of "I'm busy!" along with some pots and pans clanging and chopping as she’s clearly trying to make Something. It might be a stew? There's still the remains of a varied breakfast and food packages that were just set on the table. Pointing this out does not appear to be much of a deterrent.

While all that’s going on, Prompto just sort of. Gives the camera a Look.]

So, I was going to let everyone know that hey, I'm back, Insomniac Delivery is back up and running, please do not try to eat my chocobo, photos will be back soonish, et cetera et cetera, but Caren dropped some interesting information at breakfast this morning and that takes priority. So.

[Pause for effect. An effect that is likely somewhat spoiled as more extreme measures of putting things on higher shelves is met with highly vocal protests decrying it as an unfair move.]

Apparently Dorchacht used to be a monster city.

[Yet another pause for further effect. And also a drink of coffee because boy, does Prompto need the (sugary, creamy, mostly everything but coffee) caffeine this morning.]

So, according to Caren's...contact? Before Drummond or whoever came around, witches lived in a separate part of the city because they were considered the dangerous ones. They said they treated the witches fairly and I'm pretty sure it'd be hard to treat people worse than how Dorch was when we got there, but, uh, maybe take that part with a grain of salt?

[And of course, in the midst of Prompto trying to explain, he’s interrupted by the menace in the background.]

This also could have been centuries ago so- no, I don't want tea. I don't feel like being drugged today, thank you!

That's not what-- [He lets it go. It's not that important right now. He plucks a ladle away from Caren.] It sounds as though they avoided the consequences of full moons without Bonds, but still engaging with one another.

[Prompto is just gonna ignore all that going on in the background. This is important. And also Ozy can handle Caren better than he can, let’s be real.]

They also told Caren about where Monsters and Witches came from, according to Dorchacht's lore, and what the Cwyld is...sort of. At least why it's a thing.

It's different from what they tell us here. According to their story, the Sisters freed the monsters from the True Fae and...Ozymandias! Don't put my knives there!

[And there she goes, back into the background. Specifically, onto the counter to save her knives. Her efforts are near-immediately spoiled as Ozymandias loops an arm around her middle and tosses her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.]

You're only going to confuse everyone worrying about something like that right now. If you’re not going to rest, at least focus. [He brings Caren back into view, setting her down, but keeping a firm arm wrapped around her. It would probably be a very nice hug under other circumstances.] What Caren was trying to say is that the True Fae then angered the Sisters by teaching humans magic. Thus, they created the Cwyld as punishment for their insolence.

Prompto, I trust you can manage from here. I'm going to remove the temptation to continue trying to cook.

[He barely waits for an answer before opting this time to at least princess carry Caren.

Prompto, meanwhile, stares in utter bafflement as they go off because that sure is a Witch princess carrying a freaking Chimera. Just for a moment, though, before he turns back to the watch.]

Yeah, what Ozy said. Anyway, uh. That was a lot, but there were other things Caren’s contact mentioned, but this is already pretty nuts so...any questions?

[[Prompto, Ozymandias, Caren. All three are available for questions!]]

Comments

[getting_better]

So these Rathmores were associated with the black market.

[That tells him a few things that he makes a good note of. She mentioned crack downs so he assumes that the black market still lives somewhere far from the eyes of the public.]

Refugees? From where and why did you need to take them in? [A beat.] Is it related to that thing, the Cwyld?

[showsnopiety]

An uncle, from the conversations I recall. They sold our parts too, to recoup on losses.

[The way she says it- her voice is a little flat, distant. But she manages to shake it off.]

They're from Dorchact. We didn't know if there would be a successful rebellion or not, so we brought them with us, so they could have a new chance at life.

[getting_better]

[Vinyl CD scratch noise.]

Wait a minute, they sold your parts?? As in illegal organ trafficking????

[Now the kidnapping made more sense, but it also opened up a myriad of questions.]

[showsnopiety]

Blood, fur, feathers, teeth. Sometimes more.

[She brought up a hand and flexed. Her nails, structured like a big cats....well, there wasn't much to them.]

Monster parts are useful for foci and alchemy.

[getting_better]

[Did that mean the Rathmores were witches? Is there a divide between monster and witches now because of what had happened? The reason for the grand public execution was made clear, to prove their devotion to aid the Mirrorbound and appease the affected without causing a bloody riot.

He pauses for a while digesting what he learned while trying to plan out his seemingly changing itinerary.]

Let's continue. Dorchact, tell me about it.

[showsnopiety]

[She could see the wheels turning in his head. But that wasn't important right then.]

It's still very much a city in recovery. People are still learning to work together, and monsters in particular are needing to get back on their mental feet, make choices for themselves.

But the old Coven building has been converted to a memorial, and the old auction platform has been completely taken down.

I tried to do what I could to help out. I would like to continue but...I may need to hire replacements, at least for this month.

[getting_better]

[Get back on their mental feet? Make choices for themselves? Auction house?]

...Slavery?

[It made sense given the situation. The information about how it used to be a monster city would mean they were occupied. Hmm, he wonders who?]

How do I get to this city?

[If he's to get a grasp of where he is, he should see it for himself.]

[showsnopiety]

The monsters were slaves.

[She sighed, taking a moment to settle herself.]

There's a teleportation device that can take you directly to the city.

If you're going in for investigating, please. Be gentle.

[getting_better]

[Ah, so the wound still bleeds. Of course it would, slavery isn't something that just heals. Although that means the divide between witches and monster runs deeper than he thought.]

Of course.

[He feels like there's so much going on and he doesn't know where he'll fall. Will he help, or will he do as Pontious Pilate? Her slight pause was not lost on him, clearly she's heavily invested in this.]

Are you still okay to continue? I understand if you'd like me to stop with this line of questioning. There are still other questions I'd like to ask.

[showsnopiety]

[It certainly did, more then any of them had realized before. And it sucks.]

It's all right. Please, continue. I would be pleased to answer any questions I can answer.

Whether it is this line of questions or another is fine with me.

[getting_better]

Very well. Then let's move on back to Aefenglom, specifically to the Parliament.

[Now, how to ask this without being to obvious about his intentions.]

What are their intentions for Dorchacht?

[Or, you know, fuck it.]

[showsnopiety]

[And there right into the fray. She laughed quietly.]

Officially, they welcome the contact and the trade that Dorchacht provides. Nessie Bell, the rad of the Coven, has always been for further cooperation.

After all, they agreed to the teleport device and they considered them to a Sister city.

Unofficially...it's difficult to know how much meddling can be done between city states. They may still be watching to see if the Council will survive or not.

[getting_better]

[Not a lot on the surface he imagines. Maybe the odd donation here and there, the usual act of goodwill to sway a few desperate and naive souls to their favor. Underneath the table is probably another story, the kind where he'll have to step on a few toes to get answers for.]

And the members of the Parliament, how- [No, he doesn't need to know that, not now. He pauses to think, what does he need to know now?] -....I'm assuming that there is a Prime Minister or a speaker of the house, yes? What are they like?

[showsnopiety]

The ones I'm most familiar with is Nessie Bell, head of the coven, and her bond and mate, Mhairi Ainsley the monster representative.

Nessie is known as the most powerful witch in the city, and while I am aware she took over ten years ago and is very much in love with Mhairi...

I don't know them. Not truly. Nessie is cheerful usually, Mhairi aloof, but they're both seem too busy too truly get to know.

I don't even know what Nessie's magic specialty is. However...

I will say that Nessie is not to be underestimated.

[getting_better]

A witch and monster couple.

[He had a feeling that was the case when he saw them upon his arrival. He can only imagine what interest they have in keeping relations civil between the two, if they are that is.]

Would it be safe to assume that they...have the confidence of the populace?

[A round about way of asking if they're trust worthy.]

[showsnopiety]

Mm.

[Which the longer she's here, the more she realizes how unusual it is, what with the racial and class divide.]

I will say that the grumbles about bonds and such arose when Nessie left for another city for a month, and Mhairi stayed.

[getting_better]

[Imagine how he feels? He's been trained to shoot monsters on sight.]

She left for a month? For what reason?

[showsnopiety]

[He's not the only one either.]

She came with us to Dorchacht to help negotiate an apology or at least help keep Drummond busy. Or be the token babysitter. You mighy want to ask someone who went.

[getting_better]

[Maybe she isn't suspect as he might be thinking. Might. She's still on his list(although everyone is currently on that list), but at least she's leaning to more positive sides of his guage.]

And Drummond is?

[showsnopiety]

Morgana Drummond was the witch that took over the city somehow.

But it seems she was rather powerful, and was capable of dream divination.

Apparently she was run out of the city after the rebellion and is assumed dead by city residents.

[getting_better]

[So they could be alive, or is most likely alive. Someone powerful enough to take over a city doesn't just die from being chased out.]

Why assumed dead? Why not-

[Unless they chased her out somewhere where death was certain.]

Did they chase her into the cwyld?

[showsnopiety]

Chased her from the city, but unknown where exactly they chased her to.

Cwyld is more of a general term citing the infection. So yes, it's possible she could have gone somewhere covered in infections- it's nearly a promise, as they didn't have as much cleared out beyond the city compared to Aefenglom- but she's vanished.

With her bond snapped and it being impossible to scry her, she's assumed dead.

[getting_better]

Hmm I see.

[These terms are so confusing without someone taking time to go into detail about each one. Or a mission briefing. Hell, he'll take Tower's inability to shut the hell up at this point.]

But there's no body.

[showsnopiety]

Exactly.

[She made a gesture with her hand, vaguely half on screen.]

You see why there's some doubt among us Mirrorbound.

If I remember correctly from my reading about horror stories, there's a rule. And that rule is "They're not dead unless you see the body".

[getting_better]

[Or if you confirmed it dead yourself.]

What kind of character was or is this Drummond, and would their return cause us some manner of trouble or concern?