Fethryth has been standing at the back of the group, torn between glaring at Gale and looking around to see if there are any of her lackeys hiding in the bushes or moving to surround the constables; she doesn't trust Gale at all.
Gale is a lawbreaker. Gale is a terrorist. Gale is an Eladrin. Fethryth does not trust Gale one bit. She could be lying to the constables. It would certainly help Gale on a personal level if she got members of law enforcement on her side. Nevard may trust Gale, but that doesn't mean Fethryth is going to trust his judgment without looking over Gale herself.
It grates on her that she agrees with Gale on the explosive growth of industry and what it's done to the land, on what it's done to other followers of the Old Ways, on how it's filled the air with poison and clouded the visions of other Skyseers. How could she not know, when the power of the Dreaming beats inside her her chest? But, while she might agree with Gale on what the problem is, Gale's methods are absolutely anathema to her.
Fethryth's eyes narrow when she sees Gale's reaction to Gemma; she's immediately reminded that Gemma disposed of Ethelyn's handmaiden and that her fellow constable is being hunted by Vekeshi idiots over it. She moves to stand next to Gemma and glares at Gale in response.
"You know, if you want us to help you, we'd have a much easier time with life if there weren't Vekeshi idiots gunning for Atherton. People that might back down if, say, an Eladrin woman asked them to."
Gale looks upon Fethryth's abrupt remarks with what can only be described as bemusement, shrugging and smiling slightly as if taking in a joke she did not expect. "And here are the cutting words and harsh tone of what I expected would be uttered from Gemma Atherton's lips, only to have them said by none other than Fethryth Teldanona the Skyseer, Nevard's chosen favorite."
She levels her azure eyes squarely upon Fethryth then, a slight edge to her voice that cannot help but make Fethryth somewhat uncomfortable in the presence of a full-blooded eladrin. "No doubt you assume by my heritage that I would see you as inferior or servile, a siwan'est caste that should show deference to those of the Elfaivar, hmm? Should I know what enclave you were born and raised from then, to better understand the level of your disrespect? Alas I cannot claim the haughty heights, for I was reared in a Danoran elite plantation in the Yerasol, and for four score of my short century upon this world I was raised as a slave, for tortuous pleasure and sport. A trophy, to be displayed and traded by elites who are so rich that simple gold or treasure no longer holds their interest. A brood mare..." At this Gale clenches her hands and the winds seem to rise about them all, her eyes flaring briefly and her jaw set in anger. Then it dissipates. "But I did slay the slavers, and gained my freedom, and came here to Risur to start anew. Whatever you think you know of me, you do not."
"As for the Vekeshi 'idiots' and their Pact upon Gemma Atherton..." Gale shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head. "The Vekeshi cell here in Flint are led by their Old Stag, and he has tried to court me from time to time, desiring my abilities to aid in their pursuits. Yet just like the Unseen, though we share some of the same friends in both the Waking and the Dreaming, their ways are not my ways. I am no Seedist, and do not seek to enslave myself in cultish mysticism or be a willing pawn for the Unseen Court. Though they might make bloodoath of vengeance if I was ever laid low, they would not amend their activities merely from my words."
Gale pauses then to coolly regard Gemma and looks at her up and down. "I am aware of you being marked, Gemma Atherton. I am aware you executed - some say murdered - Sorkana Dell upon the fall of Ethelyn Lesterman at Axis Island. A great sacrilege to survivors of old Elvaivar, the Seedists and the Vekeshi no doubt. Yet that news came back to Risur with...surprising speed I thought...given the participants were localized to your Constabulary, the Navy and the Army. As far as I know, the Old Stag did not formally declare a blood-vengeance pact against you, but again their ways are not my ways and they often stray into fickleness and contrariness in honor of their fey masters."
Jesselle stands before the woman as her companions make their statements or comments to Gale.
As Gemma comments she considers that she thinks along a similar vein to herself, she thought it better to not say so aloud but after coming forward she gives a shrug and comments, "I cannot say that do not disagree with her." She motions to Gemma and gives her a nod.
She gives a nod to Emmerson as well.
As considers what Feth says and it's harshness but also considers who the woman was. It might be and she was entitled to her opinion.
She turns her gaze back to Gale, "Do you know of a Doctor Wolfgang von Recklinghausen? As Constable Emerson has asked, do you know what they Donarans are up to? A lot has occurred over the last five days emanating from the day Nilassa was taken from us all."
"Do I know of a Doctor Wolf...whom do you mean?" Gale looks quizzically at Jesselle then, almost in confusion. "No. No I do not recognize that name whatsoever - is he the one you suspect killed Nilasa?"
Seeing the declining nods from the constables that Recklinghausen is not the murderer, Gale shrugs and says, "No matter. In terms of your question about what the Danorans are involved in, Emerson Hill, I have assumed their involvement in many corrupt dealings of so-called "industry" and the ruination of the Land in Flint with their machines for the factories and railways here. After Aodhan's peace declaration and the resolution of Ethelyn's Rebellion in early Spring, I assumed the Danoran Consulate would be much more active in meddling in Flint politics. I assumed correctly, and their comings and goings have increased tenfold - mostly to industrialists and financiers in North Shore and the Ayres."
"Then the burnings of factories started. I was blamed for it of course, as prior attempts last year to sabotage factory machinery or the moored boats that carry their production was part of my efforts. But I had no doings with these arsons, nor the deaths of the working poor that were caught up in it. These fires also seemed very...selective to me somehow...seemingly random but with a pattern just out of understanding - particularly as most of these factories were not put out of commission permanently, and restored to production after a relatively short period of time. Which means wealth and power was involved. But I could not give it much attention, as my cadres and I were continually harassed by your Constabulary team throughout Spring, with the treacherous Kaea Than'dil trying to lead them to my "doorstep" as it were."
"Then, shortly before the Black Moon in Spring, an opportunity came to me unexpectedly. I have a contact - a courier to the Unseen Court who lets me call him Ellik. He's a rather eerie creature, dwelling in shadows and capricious in his way as most fey are, but is loyal to the Court and has a fondness for the Pact and the Land which has sustained upon Risur since Kelland's time. He and I share the concerns of the blight upon the Land by the Malice-born and their Danoran puppets encroaching upon Risur, for it affects the Dreaming as much as it affects the Waking realm. When the Black Moon - the Dreamer's Moon aligned with Nem - when it occurred, Ellik was able to take me with him into the Bleak Gate, something normally only possible upon death as you know. He wanted me to see something that disturbed him greatly there. And so I went on that night. I will spare you the details of that journey's emotional toll upon me, but during the few hours that night when I traveled there, I discovered something."
Gemma resists the urge to openly spit upon the ground at the mention of the Unseen Court. As far as she's concerned, nothing good can come of working with the Fey and there's always a price to be paid. She does feel for the woman when she relates her story of her upbringing but feels little about her emotional toll when traveling with Ellik through the Bleak Gate.
As they all wait on baited breath for more of the story and none is forth coming, Gemma finally blurts out..."And? What was it?"
She realizes that her outburst was rude but the suspense seemed unnecessary.
Emerson lets out a laugh at Gemma's outburst. Not a snort nor a chortle, but a deep belly laugh. He couldn't help himself. The near certain death of Cauldron Hill. The threat at every corner from the criminals of Flint. The clandestine meeting with, Public Enemy Number One, Gale of all people that could end their careers and possibly their lives. It was all too much. "Yes, yes. Please do tell." He manages before finally controlling his mirth.
Gale seems somewhat perturbed at the reaction of the constables in this unique foray into the Bleak Gate, yet shrugs and continues her story matter-of-factly. "There is activity in that mirror image of Flint, in the pale grey world of the Bleaking. Not much, but there should be none, beyond spectre or shadow or shade. I myself never saw anyone other than my guide, but Ellik swears he had seen living men pass in places where the living do not tread, which is why he sought me to understand it for myself. Most of the buildings are hollow, like abandoned shells of dead sea creatures in the deep. But there are no echoes, and no wind blows, so you can hear footsteps from miles away – the footsteps of the living. And in the distant gloom I saw torches and lanterns, lights that the denizens of that world would never need or use. Their path ran along the Stanfield Canal, to the still analogue of Parity Lake, and then up toward the Nettles and Cauldron Hill. I did not have the time to get close, but I heard the churning of machines there, and saw smoke and steam drifting into the starless sky. Upon Cauldron Hill! This is no grim reflection of the Waking realm, for as you know there are no factories and no industry to speak of up in the Nettles."
Gale points a hand to the west in the direction of Cauldron Hill. "They are working, assembling something, hidden right where we can’t see it, on the other side of the Bleak Gate. Ellik said he first became aware of something amiss with the first rumblings and quakes in late Spring, knowing somehow that they originated in the shadowy world of the Bleaking. Not long thereafter I sent Nilasa on her mission, she found the truth, and they killed her for it. I am furious at her murderers, but Nevard has made me realize that this conflict is larger than my selfish desire for revenge now. I cannot root this out alone."
"Unfortunately, I cannot return to the Bleak Gate, nor show you what I saw there. The same alignment with Nem will not repeat for decades, and I have not yet found another way into that world, though there must be a way that it is being done by these others. But I do have indirect proof of my own...and I am willing to share the means by which to obtain this proof for yourselves."
Something about what Gale says sparks a thought for Gemma. She hesitates for a moment before saying anything but then decides not speaking may be worse than speaking in this one case.
"Emerson, Anneca, remember on Axis when the space shifted to that alternate place? What if the Danorans have figured out a way to control that somehow and use it to their advantage? I don't even know if that's possible. Is that possible?"
She looks to the other constables questioningly. "Or if anyone else has any other suggestions?"
"A moment if you will?" Jesselle asks as she stops to consider Gale's telling of her experiences within the Bleaking. It almost explains a lot of things in the last while. Missing people, quakes where there should be none.
"That is... disturbing... worrisome... and something that needs to be stopped!" The woman stats as she tries to bring her thoughts into something resembling coherency. "Why here of all places?"
She looks to Gale, "If there is anything else of those in the Bleaking? And yes, please share what you do know, as we will need some sort to proof of the happenings to explain to others, if we want any sort of help on this matter."
"There is also something to be said about the mechanical automaton we saw on Axis island as well as the strange 'blood-oil' substance that we found here in Flint. There must be some sort of factory where the Danorans are fabricating these monstrosities" Emerson pauses for a second before continuing. "If you recall, we found a copy of a deed of ownership of a canal barge with the Danoran Consulate seal."
”As I said, Jesselle Wesmere, I never saw anything moving beyond my guide Ellik in my brief time beyond the Bleak Gate, just the voices of the living and the echoes of active industry. Ellik had warded me against those fell shades, spectres and ghouls who would have smelled my living blood and hunted me, but just the same we avoided treading where I could have perhaps spied something out – he warned me that more than my life was at stake, that my very spirit could be captured and consumed by some black essence he would not name, like fell nightmares captured by a witch-ball, and so I erred on the side of great caution. Perhaps I should have been bolder, but I did not know what I did not know.”
Yet Jesselle realizes that if the Dreaming is any indication of possibility, perhaps there is more to consider beyond the schooling and the tales. The Great Hunt and the well-documented Night of the Mirror Moon are but two examples of crossings-over possible each way, so why not some sort of celestial convergence of the sort that Gale speaks of?
Perhaps there is some sort of material manifestation that can be keyed upon, Jesselle thinks. For places where the Veil is thin between the Dreaming and the Waking, it is said that “faerie rings” of multi-colored toadstools mark such a locale. Could the Bleaking have a similar manifestation?
In the faintest recollections of dark arts and her spirit-sight when she was younger, Jesselle recalls a warning tale from an old book on witchery and wardings, though she cannot even recall what the title may have been. In it contained a warning for the departed, which seemed to be not much more than a superstitious wife’s tale: 'beware the black stain of the taint of death atop Cauldron Hill, which bleeds from beyond the Bleak Gate, for should you die nearby your very soul shall be bound within, trapped, never to journey beyond to the Heavens. From this the Covens of Cauldron Hill gained their unholy supreme power, from the countless souls that were consumed in their incantations of sacrifice.'
Gale shrugs regrettably and says simply to Emerson, ”I know not of these automatons or constructs you speak of, Emerson Hill, though that is certainly the way of the Danorans and their Cursed masters. I have never been to Axis Island, but those that I have known which have gone near its shores have said it is a terrible and twisted place, where the realities of the Waking break down, held in check only by the iron and gold of the Ancients. It would not surprise me of what you may have encountered there.”
”Of proof, I can only give you the means to discern it for yourselves.” Gale produces a tiny vellum book from her belt and offers it to the constables, to no one in particular but rather the first that would step forward and take it.
”Contained in the book are arcane formulas, prayers of the Old Faith and poetry of the possible, variations on the mastering of a spell that will detect various energies which intrude into the Waking Realm, be it the Dreaming, the Bleaking or perhaps even other realms of possibility and understanding. I now bequeath it to you to study and master for yourselves.” Gale pauses and smiles at the irony of her next statement. ”Unfortunately, it only works if one has directly touched or been affected by the otherworld in question…as such it’s worthless to most people. Still, I have been beyond the Bleak Gate during the Black Moon…and I believe from speaking with Nevard that so did you when you went atop Cauldron Hill, or at least you touched the Veil of the Bleak Gate.”
Once a constable takes the offered book, she nods and begins to pace about in troubled thought. ”After the Black Moon with Ellik, I began my own hunt for proof upon our side of the Waking. I’ve flown across this city, trying to find sources of the taint. Of course in some places the stink of it bleeds through naturally – Cauldron Hill especially - but I’ve discerned and followed trails that lie beyond the Hill’s warding line – trails that mimicked the voices and lights that seemed to traverse along Stanfield Canal, Parity Lake and up through the Nettles.” Gale then exhales a heavy sigh and throws up a hand. ”I found a strong source at the Danoran Consulate, and I tracked threads of it across three districts before I lost it each time, at times clinging to factories, or in the foyers of rich businessmen or their lackeys. Kane Westman for one, which is why I went after him directly, but he seemed too obtuse and befuddled to be a conspirator…and in any event ill-favor nearly brought that ‘meeting’ out-of-hand. So I relented for a time, until Nilasa bade me to let her try her plan at the consulate with her Danoran milksop of a guard wrapped around her finger, and I too-eagerly agreed to it, which led to her death.”
Emerson will step up and take the book from Gale before asking "So, do you have the information Nilassa took from the Consulate? We had witnesses say she spoke to someone and gave him a small parcel before succumbing to her wounds."
"No," answers Gale with a slightly-surprised look, "I assumed she did not make it out of the consulate with anything intact...I had no one else in my cadres in the vicinity of the heist. Only later on that night of the 1st of Summer did I fly directly above the consulate to discern if the taint of the Bleak was present from her murder, using the divination incantation that I have now given to you: the presence of that energy was strong there that night, and trailed off into various areas of North Shore and into Parity Lake before I lost it."
Gale pauses in thought then, thinking through the revelation of Emerson's statement to her. "If Nilasa actually did emerge with evidence from the consulate, it must be found! Nilasa also had a momento of mine, a pendant of a golden canary on a golden chain, warded with protective magic and which bestowed a brief degree of flight to be used in dire need. It makes me ill to think this was taken by some ignorant passerby or common street-thief who has no idea what he actually possesses."
Fethryth wipes the sullen look off her face and shoves any annoyance she feels down where it can't bother her. It's time to focus of the facts of the case, although she can admit she's very curious about the book that's now in Emerson's possession.
"Did she say anything to you about a contact or a person she'd been duping, outside of that Danoran she had fooled in the consulate? The person who took the papers from her was in an awfully convenient place considering how quickly they scooped them up after-" she trails off
"What...after Nilasa was impaled on the fence in front of the consulate? As if that was their predetermined meeting place?" Swirling around to stare at Fethryth, the eladrin woman's eyes flare in anger and she clearly scoffs at Fethryth's suggestion, though a moment later it appears that Gale is trying to control her anger and sound more reasonable. "No. I am sure there were no others. Nilasa went over her plan in full with me, and I trusted both her judgment and her dedication to that plan. And I am not the kind of woman to give my trust often or easily."
Gale begins to pace once again by the water's edge, thinking through the possibilities of the Danoran files being out in the wild. "If Nilasa had survived and I had gained these documents, I would have used them to target those most responsible for this conspiracy, showing them no mercy. That, and I would have informed my allies in the Docker movement and certain traditionalist scribes of the conspiracy, so that the truth would be exposed to the people. Now, that is no longer possible by me...but you still may succeed where I have not, and find this evidence that Nilasa died for. Nevard asked me to trust you, and so I shall, though I am not normally inclined to do so."
"Constables, there is a conspiracy afoot. The Danorans are involved, as are industrialists in this city, and some third force beyond the Bleak Gate, though I cannot fathom how they manage it. They’ve already killed to protect their secrets. We need to find out what their true goal is."
"That's not what I...." Fethryth pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. "Somebody, for whatever reason, was close enough to scoop up the papers and take off with them almost immediately, which means if Nilasa didn't have someone she was meeting outside then somebody else could have known what she was up to and been waiting to take the papers themselves."
"Thank you Gale," Jesselle mentions sincerely.
She nods to the eladrin, "It is what I eluded to earlier, I believe we might have located said person. The name I asked you about. Unfortunately, he is under the protection of Kell. I is also the reason we were able to intercept the Family's cargo meant for 'Rebel' forces." She looks almost apologetic, "Should we find any information or the pendant you spoke of, I would not be against sharing it with you. The more that know, make it harder for that information to be wiped away."
The woman does consider and recalls the wants that were meant for Gale and her associates, "A question of the wands, if you know that is, how is it that can be used by those with no magical abilities?"
"Yes, I was going to test that peculiarity with the Crisillyiri wands myself - the Family said the cache belonged to a military collection and were enchanted so that they could be...how did they put it...easily 'shown off' to visiting nobles and religious hierarchs. Possible once per lunar cycle, or so they said."
Gale taps her chin in thought and shows a wry smile. "I suppose I should be very put out with you for spoiling that shipment. Then again, you saved the life of Renard Woodsman and his love Morena, so I know you are not in Lorcan Kell's pocket. The wand cache was in no small part to arm my cadres against the recent encroachments by his guild into the Cloudwood, to counter the malice of firedust, pistol and musket."
"Know that Lorcan Kell's reach goes well beyond Parity Lake since last Winter, seeping now into both Bosum Strand and most of the Nettles and threatening the farmsteads of the eastern Cloudwood, his power and wealth grown fat as of late." Sighing, she adds, "In part this is why I agreed to Nilasa's initiative to entreat with the Family and risk the rather costly deal with them, for though I would not trust the Family I believed I could rely on their desire to deal with a common enemy in Kell. I fear Nilasa was too trusting in her own right on this - in the Wareyes and her Docker connections - that the plan became compromised and came to ruin."
Gale turns then back to regard Fethryth a moment, finally giving her a nod as she parses through her words. "I do agree with you, Fethryth Teldanona, that the arrival of some man at the point of Nilasa's fall seems too likely to be mere coincidence. If this Doctor Wolfgang does work for Lorcan Kell or has done a deal with him, then I fear any chance of recovery of these documents is now gone. Perhaps chaotic coincidence is all we can hope for now in this."
To Jesselle she now turns, and with a slight smile Gale nods graciously to her at the words of sharing information and a token given in clear affection that was lost. "Your kindness and sincerity is well taken, Jesselle Wesmere, and I thank you. Though your family is well-entrenched in the industry that the traditionalists and I abhor, I do not hold you accountable for it. As for the further sharing of information..."
It seems then that Gale muses another choice in her mind, and then nods to herself as if making her mind up on it. "I have given you one gift this day," she says while pointing to Emerson and the small book, "freely given for you to prove for yourselves what I only know. Would you be willing to accept another gift then from me, one that would allow you to more freely communicate with me in the future as well as to yourselves as you pursue your hunt for justice?"
Gemma decides to speak up once again. "It probably wouldn't be the wisest of choices but it makes sense. And before what I just said goes misunderstood by anyone....what I mean is that, as constables, our group isn't even supposed to be here. We're taking it upon ourselves to delve further into this matter, to find justice for Miss Hume. Our open communication with you would be severely...frowned upon to say the least. Being able to communicate more freely would be a boon but may have consequences later, consequences which I'm willing to accept to get to the bottom of all this."
"Besides, if it is way to keep tabs on all of us, everyone seems to always know where I am anyway, so it would make no difference."
"Agreed. Some of our superiors have a somewhat unnatural obsession with your capture, regardless of what the facts suggest. We should keep any communication as surreptitious as possible."
Jesselle considers a moment as she listens to her colleagues reveal more than she would have wished to let on to the Gale. Perhaps she knew, perhaps it would be something she would not realize , or just not really care.
The woman thinks a moment, {b]"Sure. I hope it is not something that others might use against you or I."[/b]
"I agree as well," says Gale promptly, "and it should be noted that the disclosure of my crafted enchantments unto you bear no small risk to me as well, as you may easily discern for yourselves. I shall have to take the risk of trust to you five then, and risk to hope. For Nilasa."
Gale pulls forth from her small belt pouch an object that seems larger than the aperture she drew it from, though its shape and diameter is rather hard to fathom: six exquisite golden feathers spin in tiny eddies and currents in what can only be described as an invisible orb of winds, roughly the size of a ball used in a game of scrapper's pitch. In fascinating fashion, the wind sorceress holds forth the 'ball' of winds out towards the constables and then abruptly withdraws her hands from it, demonstrating that it seems to hover on its own and does not succumb to rudimentary physics. Gale deftly plucks a single golden feather from the wind orb and whispers to it, leaving five feathers left swirling within the sphere.
"This is my Messenger Wind, of which I have crafted only a very few in my time of freedom upon Lanjyr. You may store the wind away for security, though as you can see it is not readily apparent from a distance; you may also leave it suspended in a location, as it will not fall. Simply remove a feather and speak your name to it, and it shall attune itself to you. Once in a given day each bearer of a feather may call the winds and speak a message to it, whereupon it will fly to its intended recipient who also bears such a feather. The range of this is ten leagues or roughly thirty miles between the feather bearers, so it would cover your needs in Flint and well beyond its borders. Thus you can speak a message to me and safely send it as you wish, and I can do the same unto you, but the messages spoken are otherwise your own and beyond interception or observation...unless an attuned feather is taken by another that is. If you wish to attune a feather once bestowed, simply return it to the Messenger Wind when not in use and withdraw it again by its new owner."
Emerson gazes at the sphere. Something about it seemed vaguely familiar somehow. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "That is a truly magnificent tool."
He looks around and notices that Fethryth is still staring at the book in his hands. At once he walks over and hands her the tiny vellum book. "I'm sure you can make much better use of this than I."
It pains her to want anything from Gale, but Fethryth eagerly takes the book from Emerson. She runs her hand over the cover and thinks about what kind of things she might discover insider.
While she's staring at the book she says "We're gonna have to figure out where we hide the messenger thing, but, yeah, that's useful. How obvious are the feathers though? Like could one come zooming in during morning briefings and float in front of us?"
"It could," answers Gale to Fethryth, "but that shall not be by my doing. Once the winds are called by a feather-bearer and a message spoken to it for another attuned feather-bearer, it will travel immediately - though it travels only as fast as a light wind travels and no faster, taking three hours or so to travel the full extent of its range."
You cup an invisible orb of winds in your hand. Five golden feathers spin in tiny eddies and currents, and you pluck one from the tiny miniature cyclone, then release the orb. The winds wait until you whisper to the feather and call upon them to deliver your message.
The energy drifts to you like a fragrance on a breeze. You spin and locate the strongest source of the smell, then set out.
Jesselle looks to her companions about her from one side to the other and noticed that they each seems to have said what they came to say. She turns back to Gale and smiles before she starts, “I want thank you for extending your trust to us,” she motions to those assembled, [b]“to engage in this meeting. I has provided some helpful, if not disturbing, information.” She gives a shot, but respectful bow.
“I hope that together that we can discover who is behind this, expose them for the wrong that they are doing, and bring someone to a just end for the murder of Nilasa and the numerous others who have suffered for what they have done.” The young woman says with a fierceness that surprised even herself.
“We have different ways of doing things,” She eyes a few of her companions who have voiced their concerns, “Let us hope that coming together can provide a… beneficial outcome for everyone.”
“Thank you once again, Gale.” She says looking to the woman before her.