You have disconnected.
Ganaroth has connected.
vonel has connected.
skypotato has connected.
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Ra'ven:
wuf
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Ganaroth:
Things
n' Stuff are up. I swear, I'm doing this even if it kills me, lol.
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Ra'ven:
but
if you die you cant do it later too
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Riot has connected.
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Ganaroth:
How
are things?
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Ganaroth:
Just
barely things.
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Riot:
How's
everyone else?
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Ra'ven:
work
being suckx
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Ra'ven:
sorta
cascading personell availablility failure
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Ra'ven:
on
the bright side almost to my time off
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Ra'ven:
hopefully
nothing changes tha I can take it
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Ganaroth:
I
shall cross my fingers and such.
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Ganaroth:
On
the 20th, I have to watch the mom house for 2 weeks again. -.-
Hopefully the internet there doesn't explode, because it's that
place.
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Ganaroth:
I'd
say she was taking advantage of me, but she really isn't. It's
more like I wish that I'm envious of her being able to take
vacations like that.
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Ganaroth:
(sans
"I wish." Artifact of an earlier draft.)
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Ganaroth:
I
somehow borked my BG3 act III save by doing something involving
mods... though I'm not totally sure what. Regardless, I needed to
start over, so this time I'm playing as Lae'zel instead of custom.
Just with, as noted, a shit-ton of mods, some foreknowledge of
what and what not to do, and me respeccing into monk as soon as
possible so I can be an mma fighter.
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Riot:
Oh
you're already to act 3? I just got there (I've been slow rolling
because I know some things that I wasn't excited for but that
changed with patch 2)
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Ganaroth:
Like
what? Or send me spoilers on discord, or however.
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Ganaroth:
Regardless,
there are some things that I've seen that suggest a couple of
changes that I was hoping for as well, but things aren't TOTALLY
confirmed yet, as far as I know. I do confess to being mildly
annoyed about a particular character showing up in act 3, acting
like the original version of said character. This was after I
spent a fair bit of time with that character in Baldur's Gate 2
getting the character to realize that they could just not suck
towards others, and change alignment. So I guess that's non-canon,
then. But oh well.
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Ra'ven:
I
was mad about romance stopping bug with karlach so I just switched
to Laz'el
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Riot:
I
will include Lae'zel in my second playthrough but she was annoying
AF to me so I never rescued her in act 1
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Riot:
I
hear her arc is good if you can pull it off but yeesh there's just
so much I HATE THING
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Riot:
Even
Shadowheart isn't as angry about everything
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Ganaroth:
Both
of those character have pretty good "learn to be less shitty"
character arcs, the biggest difference in which is that
Shadowheart was an essentially good person who was inexplicably
part of the hyper-cult of E-ville, while Lae'zel wasa fascist
soldier and acts like it. And even after she starts progressing,
she's still pretty severe and humorless. It made the small
movements for her seem more meaningful. With Shadowheart, it was a
process of finally becoming who she really was, while with
Lae'zel, it was more about becoming the things she wasn't. Of
course, they hate each other, and their journies are thematic
mirrors, which I why I am going full-on "now kiss" in my Lae'zel
playthrough.
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Riot:
Yeah
I hear that when you break Lae'zel's programming she starts
basically acting like a little kid with how she experiences the
world in a positive way
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Ganaroth:
She
does. I mean, a kid who is still fine with throwing a bunch of
kids into the woods, and then raising the ones who make it back
alive (not a thing that actually happens I THINK), but in terms of
being willing to learn and take it all in and appreciate new
things, yeah. She doesn't shed her indoctrination so much as grow
beyond it. And it's cool to watch.
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Ganaroth:
Well,
I hope that things are going well in terms of quality, then. I
actually need to go for just a sec, but will be right back, kay?
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=^v^=:
(( lol that's a really specific
example and lulzy actually a thing relevent to someone ))
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Ganaroth:
((The
specific example was inspired by a specific example, but it's not
really the same. The other one was ceremonial. Lae'zel would be
willing to do the traditional gloves-off version.))
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=^v^=:
(( I would rather like them to make
the male npcs a bit more endeering ))
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Ganaroth:
(Mm.
I thought that Gale and Wyll were endearing enough (the way that
Gale is just slimy in a very specific way that I'm fond of helps)
but I have the issue in that I don't think they are particularly
INTERESTING.)
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Ganaroth:
Part
of that has to do with the structure of the cosmology in the FR
and such, though. Gale would be way more interesting if the gods
weren't played unbearably straight in that setting.
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Ganaroth:
(Anyway,
how are things? Folks willing to start doing this?)
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Ra'ven:
sure
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Eileen:
yep
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=^v^=:
(( lol, someone has a 9 and a half
hour youtube video about fallout (all) and their thing is "if you
enjoyed this video and want more fallout" as pinned self promotion ))
Kay, so last time we were all here, you ended up in home of one Pasha
Plegon; a member of the upper genasi nobility in the city, and secretly
a patron of the Silverfang Cult. It became obvious very quickly that
there was some tension between the pack leader, Vayak, and Phlegon, the
first of whom is an active member of the cult hierarchy, but apparently
has to show some deference due to Phlegon's money. You discussed a
number of topics, including the apparent insanity of the Emir's edict
regarding the Garmera crisis, and the expected fallout.
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Ganaroth:
((And,
I'll be completely honest, it's been a while and my brain is not
running on 100% despite my best efforts, so if someone could
remind me of the rest, that would be great. I can pick up these
threads easily, I just need to be gently reminded of what they
are.))
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Riot:
(( I think it was mainly discussing
trying to get intel from inside the house before we dipped out? ))
=^v^=:
(( it was said we probably should
kill most of these guys cause they will probably be mad we aren't
cultists, they have teleportation wolf orb, we were going to have
necromancer girl try to cozy up to the researcher involved, we were
going to at some point try to see if the knocked out prof was possessed
and/or question him, Ra'ven wasn't super keen on vile betrayal, but
terrorist cell. ))
=^v^=:
(( also there isn't many foxes since
Vul isn't here, but that doesn't really matter ))
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Ganaroth:
((Thank
you. I remember most of that, though I forgot about the thing with
the researcher (Vayak's bf, though I can't remember the name
either). Regardless, I've got it together now.))
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=^v^=:
(( proper name is a log scouring ))
vonel:
(( Doesn't look like we ever got the
name of the inventor/researcher. ))
=^v^=:
(( ya, just that it's a her ))
You currently find yourself in a large room... a study of some variety
by the look of it, with several bookcases, comfortable seating and
reading stands in evidence. It looks as though it hasn't been used in a
while, though, if the thin layer of dust is any indication, and while
most visions of a reading room contain large, open windows, this one is
barely an arrow slit, and not wide enough to slip a gnome through. The
room is still perfectly well lit, though, owing to a complicated
arrangement of glowing crystals, lenses, and mirrors, which mimic the
appearance and feel of warm outside light very acceptably. On the
ground, Okorion allows a small groan to escape his lips.))
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Ganaroth:
((Wait,
is it a her? I know that Vayak has a boyfriend who works with
him... did I claim a different researcher, and then conflate them?
Grr. Man, I hate when I screw something like that up.))
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vonel:
(( Asger Vayak: "Huh. Well, I'll pass
it along to the inventor, then. She'll know better than me about the
technical stuff, and I'm sure she'll want to know." ))
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Ganaroth:
((Oh,
right. Durrrrr.... now I recall what I was thinking.))
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Ganaroth:
((Vayak's
bf is a different person in this whole shitshow.))
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Ganaroth:
((Sorry
for the confusion.))
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vonel:
(( I f you ever need/want to review
the logs to see what happend just let me know. ))
=^v^=:
(( ya his bf was the person who
accidently re-experenced being in the womb on a telport ))
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Ganaroth:
((Thanks.
Part of the issue, of course, is that I don't always know what I
don't know until I'm suddenly trying to explain it again. Bad on
me, though.))
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In any case, from his position on the floor, Okorion gives out a pained
groan, and his left hand twitches, as though attemting to reach his own
head.
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Eileen:
"Well
now we can get some answers from one of the sorces."
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Hector Achilon:
"Ok,
back up a bit. I dabbed him with a bit of magic earlier, but that
doesn't always take care of the complications, so I'll check him
out. Ask away while I make sure his eyes are still working right."
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Professor Okorion struggles to sit up,
supported by Hector. "What....I don't understand..."
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Ra'ven:
"What
yawn-crazed sort of speach was that?!" Ra'ven tries to not shout
at the prof
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Lucky:
"In
what universe is 'work together and figure out a solution right
now or we'll execute you' a good idea?"
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Ra'ven:
"A
soution that involves harming the wolf. In a room that has
Silverfang in it."
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Eileen:
"Subtle..."
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Professor Okorion winces. "Ah... yes,
you're upset. I don't blame you, I suppose. This has been handled
a bit... impolitically. I'll refrain from belaboring the obvious
too much: That I don't make policy, and that my advice carries far
less weight with the Emirate than you might imagine, even in these
circumstances. Provided that Elsora Tenning's research could be
used to authenticate our other observations, my instructions were
to make his own position on the matter perfectly clear. If I
failed at that... well, I am no rhetorician.I am a capable
administrator and an excellent scientist. Speaking to a crowd is a
rare and regrettable part of my job." He tries to pull himself to
his feet, only to have his spindly frame forced back down by
Hector. "To be completely honest, even if a bit rude, I have to
agree with the Emir's position. It wasn't spoken with due enough
concern for propriety, certainly, but even the Silverfang cultists
should be sensible enough to understand that working with the
others to help arrive at a less harmful solution would be a wiser
course of action than simply setting themselves against the great
powers of the world. They all should. They have so much more to
lose than to gain by attempting to upend everything now."
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Lucky:
"A
less harmful solution was not what you suggested. You suggested
precisely the thing that would set the Silverfang off in the
Worst. Possible. Way."
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Professor Okorion 's voice is stiff,
and clearly offended. "The advice I was given called it "an
opening gambit." They claimed that by startling others with a
severe set of standards, they would be more willing to bargain
down to a reasonable position of their own."
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Professor Okorion:
"As
I am not in the habit of haggling, I felt it prudent to take that
advice."
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Lucky:
"Zealots
don't really bargain when you're talking about hurting their god
or their god's kids."
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Eileen:
"Tacitly
that makes sense, but..." She trails off and motions to Lucky,
"...yeah what she said."
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Ra'ven:
"Also
they were going to kill a rather number of those people there
anyways..."
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Ra'ven:
"I
managed to lower it to one, but now you happen to be their
prisoner, sort of."
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Professor Okorion:
"One
would think that even Zealots would prefer to bargain if it would
mean that their deified ethereologic phenomena might be spared a
large scale attempt at attacking her." He sighs. "I honestly don't
understand. What you say isn't nonsensical, but it relies on the
idea that people are venal and shortsighted to a far greater
degree than I wish to acknowledge." He looks at Ra'ven in horror.
"I... well, I assumed I was a prisoner when I woke up here.
Otherwise I expect I would have been in a bed. I am very much
saddened to hear of the death, however. Did you get hthe person's
name? At the very least, I should recommend them for an official
incense burning."
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Eileen:
"Didn't
really have the time, also don't be suprised if your word or clout
mean much to a lot of the others when we get you back. Your
students and staff may still hold you in a high regard but
everyone else..."
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vonel:
(( *don't mean ))
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Ra'ven looks a bit dumbfounded, "So
you are saying you just... had that bad of a speech?"
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Professor Okorion:
"Oh,
no. I fully expect to be relieved of my posting. The Emiral
Society is, by its nature, an organization which takes the Emir
himself as its ceremonial head. Although rarely invoked, I serve
at his pleasure. If the content of his message was a poorly
received as you say, I have no doubt that I'll be sacrificed to
appease others. My research and knowledge are still important, so
I don't expect to be forced out; merely forced to give up power to
an appointee that the emir finds more convenient." He shrugs. "I
take your word for it that my performance was bad. I was told what
to say, and did so. The words themselves were mine, but I am very
confident that I interpreted the intent of my instructions
correctly. Whatever my failures, they did not involve an excess of
my own zealotry."
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Professor Okorion:
"Hm.
Provided that I survive, it might not even be such a bad thing. I
believe I did important work administering the society, but
getting back to more pure research has its appeal as well, and I
have a number of subordinates who I'm confident can handle the
position."
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Ra'ven hmms
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Ra'ven:
"Well,
they were bad to an extent that you saying them is going to
attempt to be spun as a trick by Silverfang?"
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Professor Okorion:
"The
extent of my statement's unacceptability is irrelevant now. I
certainly regret my part in it, but blaming me for following the
orders of my sovereign while also believing that they were
rational, no matter how mistaken that must have been, seems
unhelpful to me." His tone carries a certain amount of
acknowledgement. "Even if I'd been told to avoid saying things
that would play into their hands, I wouldn't have known what to
do. That kind of conference, driven by politics and emotion, is
not a situation with which I am familar.
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Ra'ven nods, "Well, I mean, that's
actually what I told them to do... It's a strange order to be
given though."
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Ra'ven turns to hector, "He's not
possessed right?"
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Hector Achilon:
"Not
that I can tell. 99% That's it's not a spiritual posesssion, or an
ACTIVE diabolical one. There's a chance that it could be latent
diabolism, or an abberrent posession, but the first one is hard to
check for, and the second one is really uncommon. Could be a
demonic possession, but I sure hope not. Those get messy nine
times out of ten. If it's any of those, it's probably a latent
form, like with that girl. But you said that when she was active,
she actually looked different. Took on a completely different
appearance and personality. I don't know this guy very well, but
you are all acting more like he made a stupid decision, rather
than like he was in the thrall of dark forces, and he definitely
didn't turn into someone else physically."
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Professor Okorion seems to be taking
in the explanation quite calmly.
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Ra'ven:
"Well,
it seems more that he didn't make a stupid decision, he merely
followed as best he could someone else's stupid decision."
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Eileen nods
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Ra'ven:
"It's
important distinction, right?"
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Professor Okorion:
"I
also didn't see it as stupid at the time. If I've caused great
harm, I shouldn't be exonerated for things that I really did fail
at. But yes, the positions I expressed were not my own. The Emiral
Ethereological Society does not in any sense have the capacity to
set policy for any other entity. We barely have the atonomy to set
policy for ourselves. I hope that the others will see that
clearly, at least, but I'm very concerned about their bruised
feeling; we don't have the time or resources to give over to
mollifiying wounded egos."
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Eileen:
"Right
then, so the question turns to how do we get out of here. Could
just try and force our way out the front door, but I don't know if
were even still in the city or not."
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Ra'ven hmms, "To be fair, their egos
might be a bit molified by blaming this not on the Emir but the
silverfang."
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Ra'ven:
"If
we wanted to leave we probably could. If we want to take the
professor with us, that'd probably take a bit of convincing."
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Ra'ven hmms, "But, I could see it
possible? Him being released plays into that ruse."
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Ra'ven:
"Only
downside is they'll probably want to ungently question him first."
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Rai Patience Cantor:
"That
will depend on who successfully spins the situation first, and if
we assume that what occured with the Emir's announcement was
purposeful, then it is almost certain that our enemies have stolen
a march on us." She nods. "We could see about attempting to
convince them, but as you said... Have you ever been tortured
before, professor?"
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Professor Okorion:
"No,
and my confidence in resisting is very slight. Might it be better
to simply say a great many things, true and false, at the very
beginning, in order to make your later testimony less credible?
I've occasionally had that thought."
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Ra'ven:
"Thing
is, true or not it doesn't matter."
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Ra'ven:
"You
don't know anything particularly useful nor dangerous, other then
that my faith in the wolf isn't actually their cult."
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Ra'ven:
"Also,
you don't know that either."
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Ra'ven tilts her head, "I mean I am
playing an infilitrator."
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Ra'ven:
"Were
you given like, details on how people were supposed to get
together, or were you just given that directive to make a speach
like that and let the next guy run with it?"
|
=^v^=:
(( also lol Ra'ven accidently doing
good cop bad cop ))
Riot:
(( lol ))
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Professor Okorion:
"Well,
I thought it might matter if they realized that I was lying to
them, and they were able to advance their goals or harm others
because of me. I know I wouldn't be able to resist long, I'd only
ever thought, idly, if doing something like that might help "the
cause" more than trying to strictly lie or stay silent. Worrying
about my own fate in such a situation is beyond pointless." He
nods appreciatively. "There is no need to worry about how I view
you. There are many groups across the column that venerate Garmera
in one way or another. Some are malicious, some are forces for
true good, and some are merely inoffensive. Whatever you believe,
I think it is obvious that it isn't quite the same as what THEY
believe. That you speak the same language, figuratively, in only a
boon now." He coughs, then attempts to pop his back into position
again. "Ugh... I was given a varying amount of details on the
kinds of projects that were being considered, the organizational
structures being developed, an endeavor's technological, financial
and personnel resource costs. However, I am and was still a
general manager. I don't have as much specific knowledge as any
given department head does over their own kingdom, nor they as
much as a project head, then a team head, etc, etc. If you want
information on the logistics of the event itself, I will either
know the answer or know who does."
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Professor Okorion:
(I
have no idea if any of that was coherent. I was literally typing
like the second half of that while drifting in and out of
consciousness.)
|
=^v^=:
(( if you are dead we can like, pause
here? ))
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Professor Okorion:
I
have no idea why I can't stay awake.
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Professor Okorion:
I
was really trying today.
|
=^v^=:
Riot:
(( it's entirely okay! ))
=^v^=:
(( so you didn't fail or be unable to
etc ))
=^v^=:
(( who knows maybe tomorow night
Perra's 11 heist ))
=^v^=:
(( or not! And I play like, starfield
or something and MINE MORE ORE ))
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Professor Okorion:
I'm
not fishing for compliments. I'm just pissed because I did
everything I could to make it work. Yeah, willing to Perra's 11
it, sure.
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Riot:
(( don't beat yourself up too much.
Sometimes your body just betrays you ))
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Professor Okorion:
Well,
see you next week in this kafka-esque nightmare we call social
activity. (I won't beat myself up too much. that last bit was
purposefully dramatic.)
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Riot:
(( Okay, get some rest! Gnight y'all ))
Riot is disconnected.
vonel is disconnected.