[22:15] <Crion> 14Stranger-Visits-Heaven is still tending to his hearth as morning creeps into afternoon the day after the Arsenic Handshake summons his first demon into Creation.
[22:16] <Crion> 14At least, his first demon while in Nexus, where Stranger is required to care about it.
[22:16] <Crion> 14He'll be waiting with two pots of tea for the man to finally emerge from his room. With or without the great ape.
[22:19] <mattbaby> 5No sign of the ape, though the faint whiff of hashish drifts out of the room like a cloud as the sorcerer and his dog emerge.
[22:20] <Crion> "Good afternoon, Xu Sim. Good afternoon, Princess."
[22:20] <Crion> "Join me for tea?"
[22:22] <mattbaby> "Two pots, eh? I'd better."
[22:22] <Crion> 14He'll lay out a dish for Princess, too. Either filtered water or tea, depending on what she prefers.
[22:24] <mattbaby> 5The dog's preferences can be inscrutable. But tea should do nicely.
[22:25] <Crion> 14Excellent.
[22:25] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim smoothes out his robe and takes a seat across from Stranger.
[22:25] <Crion> 14Stranger: "There's a load of bread and some cheese in the kitchen, if you want some staples. Bought them this morning."
[22:26] <mattbaby> "Cheese? We truly are moving up in the world!"
[22:26] <Crion> 14He sips his tea. "We haven't had the chance to talk since...since I told you to go on a date, if I recall correctly."
[22:26] <Crion> "There are perks to being the Emissary."
[22:28] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim squirms ever-so-slightly. "A meeting of minds, at least."
[22:29] <Crion> 14Stranger: "That's a start, at least. How is she doing, in the aftermath of our bullshit?"
[22:35] <mattbaby> "Our bullshit...?"
[22:36] <Crion> 14Stranger waves. "Politics. Everything that happened in near the Deliberative. Our bullshit."
[22:38] <mattbaby> "It's tough for me to say, in any case. There's so much more to learn about her," 5this last part, unusually wistfully. "But her skills at artifice are certainly impressive."
[22:39] <Crion> 14Stranger: "...Do you mean making things, or lying?"
[22:40] <mattbaby> "Lying? I hadn't considered the possibility. She returned to me a set of cartridges for my steambreather that are the highest quality."
[22:41] <Crion> 14Stranger just sips his tea.
[22:41] <Crion> 14A different tack: "Didn't you just invent that thing last week?"
[22:41] <Crion> "That's some skill, on her part."
[22:42] <mattbaby> "Absolutely - I hadn't considered the use of hashish in a steambreather, but it's a flattering iteration."
[22:43] <mattbaby> "And there's more cartridges she put together I haven't even tried yet!"
[22:43] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Good luck to you, and your drugs."
[22:44] <Crion> "How are the siege weapons coming?"
[22:46] <mattbaby> "The onager is basically complete. Its ammunition and the delivery systems shouldn't take much more than another afternoon to finish. The thistledown is waiting on parts from Lookshy. But you should have seen the look on the Dragonlord's face when I told him my plans for it!"
[22:46] <Crion> 14Stranger: "His face doesn't move too many different ways, in my experience."
[22:47] <mattbaby> "It might crack when I call the thistledown on our enemies. His face, I mean. Not any of the systems, I dearly hope."
[22:48] <mattbaby> "And about that: I believe we will win. But I'm concerned about the cost it will bring Nexus. They say that this army is going to be enormous."
[22:50] <Crion> 14Stranger: "There are some four armies, coming from the poles. So, yes."
[22:51] <mattbaby> "One city, four armies. Even with the thistledown, even with Keldar in command, with the help of Lookshy and Thorns... I'm no military mind. But it boggles the imagination."
[22:51] <Crion> "It's not good."
[22:51] <Crion> "There was a reason I wanted to convince the Thorns delegation to stay outside the lines and harry an army coming in."
[22:52] <Crion> 14He sips the tea. "It's not just because I don't like them. Trading Thorns's help for a single army is a deal I'd gladly make."
[22:52] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim swirls the cup, a little anxiously.
[22:53] <Crion> "That would be a direction we don't have to fully defend, and gives us more leeway dealing with the other incoming forces."
[22:53] <Crion> "As it is, we have the worst of both worlds."
[22:55] <mattbaby> "You... put me in a difficult place, you know." 5Xu Sim isn't completely believable, but he's not completely bullshitting either.
[22:55] <Crion> "Did I?"
[22:55] <Crion> "Or did you just as much do it to yourself?"
[22:57] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim takes a gulp of the tea. "It would be easier to pretend it wasn't a date if you weren't so damn supportive. Then I could pretend that I was just doing a favor for the Dragonlord and gathering information in return for help with our wonder-weapon."
[22:58] <Crion> 14Stranger blinks, and drinks the rest of his tea, and refills his cup, rather than reveal his surprise that this is what they were actually talking about.
[22:58] <Crion> "You like her, don't you."
[22:59] <Crion> "You wouldn't be blaming someone else for all this if you didn't like her."
[23:03] <mattbaby> "I want to get to know her. Yes. It's not easy when you're trying to get her killed and also play some kind of matchmaker at the same time. You're keeping a lot of plates spinning at once, you know."
[23:03] <mattbaby> "It's even harder," 5Xu Sim is on the verge of venting - "with the Governor inserting himself at every chance, and that Hunter creature lurking who-knows-where."
[23:04] <Crion> 14Stranger: "I'd prefer she live, if 'living' is the right term for her. I have no argument with her."
[23:05] <Crion> "You can guess my feelings on the Governor."
[23:11] <mattbaby> "I suppose. But he's a tricky one. We shouldn't underestimate him, in any regard."
[23:12] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Oh, we're not."
[23:12] <Crion> "I'd just prefer we resolve our issues with him outside city limits."
[23:14] <mattbaby> "Is defeating the armies in the field even possible? Keldar seems to think so. But the Thorns delegates don't - and they are the ones with the experience, I think, of an all-destroying army foreign to Creation attacking a major city."
[23:16] <Crion> "Their experience is on the other side of the wall. I think they'd tend to overrate it."
[23:18] <Crion> 14Stranger sips again. "Keldar is who he is, and I won't lie and say that he and get along all the time. But I trust him to know who will win a fight."
[23:19] <mattbaby> "Seven gave me the impression that the Governor's plan to strengthen the city for a siege was his way of 'fighting the last war'. I am not so sure that he, or Seven, was on the Mask's side before Thorns fell. Fair point about Keldar."
[23:20] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Well. That invites further questions, such as: why hasn't the Mask annihilated him, and replaced him with someone loyal?"
[23:21] <mattbaby> "We have a lot to learn about the loyalties of the Mask and his servants. You want to send the delegation outside the city, so they will be destroyed and won't present us a problem in the future. Maybe that's why Mask of Winters sent them here." 5Xu Sim pours himself another cup.
[23:21] <Crion> "And if we view that question oppositionally, then maybe there's a reason the Governor was sent afield from Thorns to fight this war. Perhaps he's the victim of his own rearguard action back home."
[23:21] <Crion> 14Stranger nods.
[23:22] <Crion> "But my opinion on that is the same as it's always been."
[23:22] <Crion> "Fuck him if he can't take a joke."
[23:22] <mattbaby> "What's that?"
[23:22] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim chuckles, deep down in his throat.
[23:23] <Crion> 14Stranger walks over and stirs the tea. "The Governor has taken an interest and you and the Scion, you say?"
[23:26] <mattbaby> "He was perfectly cordial, of course, but he seemed to pick up on things right away and interject himself to, ah," 5Xu Sim struggles for a word here.
[23:27] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Cockblock?"
[23:31] <mattbaby> "Ah. Well. That's rather crude." 5Xu Sim does not deny its accuracy.
[23:34] <Crion> 14Stranger: "So is life; so is death."
[23:34] <Crion> "What do you think he suspects?"
[23:35] <mattbaby> "What is there to suspect?"
[23:35] <mattbaby> "Nothing suspicious has taken place, surely."
[23:36] <Crion> 14Stranger closes his eyes. "Does he think you're fucking her?"
[23:36] <Crion> "If you believe the answer is yes, pursue the relationship openly. There's nothing left to lose."
[23:37] <Crion> "If you think the answer is no...well, my advice is still to pursue the relationship openly, but be aware that he might bring more assets to bear against both you and her."
[23:37] <mattbaby> "She didn't want to meet where the Hunter could follow. I suspect it's something to do with his sense of smell. So I don't know what that means."
[23:38] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Perfumes."
[23:38] <Crion> "I bet the Hunter hasn't adjusted for perfumes."
[23:39] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim strokes his moustache contemplatively. Extremely contemplatively.
[23:40] <Crion> 14Stranger: "I can help you with this, if you'd like. Not with making the perfumes; that's all you. But bombing the Hunter's sense of smell -- it's better that I take the fall for that, should it go wrong."
[23:41] <Crion> "Especially if I can do so in such a way that I serve as a distraction."
[23:41] <mattbaby> "This is coming dangerously close to some sort of plan, Stranger."
[23:42] <Crion> 14Stranger: "I love it when a plan--" 14He frowns. 'Comes together' has a bit too bold of a double meaning. "--aligns."
[23:43] <mattbaby> "It is most auspicious. But that still leaves me with what to tell the Dragonlord, to whom I promised a report."
[23:43] <Crion> 14Stranger: "You could tell him the truth."
[23:43] <Crion> "But I do admit to having a fondness for the Dragonlord."
[23:43] <mattbaby> "Whose truth?"
[23:44] <Crion> "Whose truth besides your own were you considering?"
[23:44] <mattbaby> "It's absurd to say, but it feels dishonest to tell him the truth."
[23:45] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Does it feel dishonest, or does it feel like you're serving someone other than yourself?"
[23:46] <Crion> "I only ask because when someone says something like, 'it feels dishonest to tell him the truth,' there could be something else going on there."
[23:48] <mattbaby> "I was up front with Seven that the reason we reached out to her was because of the Dragonlord's request. I also told her that the reason I reached out to her - instead of you, I suppose - was because, well, you know. But the Dragonlord? What would he do, if he knew all that?"
[23:49] <mattbaby> "Dorma believes himself my friend, I think. But he, or the Lookshians, could leverage that if it was necessary."
[23:51] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Dorma is angry all of the time, not an idiot. First he'll think you're just trying to get your dick wet. Pardon the crudity. Next he'll think you're trying to make in-roads into the Governor's command structure, because even if it occurs to him that your feelings are genuine, he'll have no choice but to interpret them in the context of a greater game. This is one of the 
[23:51] <Crion> curses of politics: when truly personal choices get built out into political ones."
[23:52] <Crion> 14He sips his tea. "So when he learns of this, he will think of it as a dalliance and, most likely, contextualize it in the framework of the Governor."
[23:53] <Crion> "How can he use this to fuck over the Governor?"
[23:53] <Crion> "Because what else is he going to do? Try to use it to fuck over YOU? What, by telling the Governor? The Governor will already know."
[23:53] <mattbaby> "This is all very complicated."
[23:54] <Crion> 14Stranger: "It is. This is what happens when you start caring about people."
[23:54] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim reaches down to pet his dog.
[23:55] <Crion> "And I think it's worth it, if you want me to editorialize."
[23:55] <Crion> "All the political bullshit is worth the connection you might make here with another person."
[23:56] <Crion> 14He finishes his cup. "We all can adjust. This isn't normatively good, or normatively bad. It's just something that needs to be accounted for."
[23:56] <Crion> "And it's better to be happy than it is to be sad."
[23:57] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim sips on his tea as Stranger speaks.
[23:59] <Crion> 14Stranger: "How are you getting along with Old Selin?"
[00:01] <mattbaby> "He is wise!" 5exclaims the doctor. "Our sparring sessions grow more intense. He is an excellent sifu."
[00:03] <Crion> 14Stranger nods and smiles. "You should talk to him about things besides martial arts. He is an excellent architect and city planner."
[00:03] <Crion> "Might come in handy, with all the siege engines."
[00:04] <mattbaby> "It seems an odd combination of talents. Well, no odder than it is for me, I guess."
[00:05] <Crion> 14Stranger: "I am no artist in your form, but it seems to me both Crane Style and city planning are reactive. Especially when one is dealing with rich idiots who want to do stupid things with their money."
[00:06] <mattbaby> "I haven't attended a minute longer of a Council meeting than possible under any circumstance, but my impression was that the only person stopping all the rich idiots from doing the smart thing with their money - getting it as far away from here was possible - was you?"
[00:07] <Crion> 14Stranger: "No."
[00:08] <Crion> "Keldar has been important, in his own oblivious way. So has our Council alliance -- Kratz, Hayle, Udelph."
[00:08] <Crion> "But just as important have been our 'foes' on the Council. Thalevar and Ephiselle, especially. Master Gen is a coward who tried to cut and run, and he lost face from it. I convinced him to come back. Time will tell if he re-earns the respect of his peers."
[00:09] <Crion> "We're appointing a new Evening Master today who is unbeholden to the Guild. In the face of annihilation, that might not seem like much, but it is a massive shift in Nexus politics."
[00:10] <mattbaby> "And the Guild is going to accept that?"
[00:11] <Crion> "The Guild made their choice. And it was to withdraw from the city. I have a sworn oath to deal with them in good faith, and I am. I sent the Overfactor a letter informing him he would not be consulted on this matter."
[00:12] <mattbaby> "Just like that?" 5he swirls the cup.
[00:12] <Crion> "Just so."
[00:13] <Crion> "If the Guild wants to reinvest in this city, they're welcome to do so. But they've made a business decision. And now, so have we."
[00:15] <mattbaby> "Impressive. The Sun really has blessed you when it comes to these affairs of state."
[00:17] <Crion> 14Stranger: "We are all good at certain things. And not so good at others. You've seen me in a fight."
[00:18] <mattbaby> "That's true. Is there anything you need from me to help you? With the river-gods or somesuch?"
[00:18] <Crion> "That said: you should feel free to act with utmost latitude, within the framework of reasonable goals. Keldar can protect you in the streets. I can protect you in the courts and in the Council. Xia Lan can protect you in the realm of popular opinion. Now is the time for bold action, and cleaning up the mess later."
[00:19] <Crion> 14He pauses. "...So long as you're no longer planning on poisoning the water supply."
[00:19] <mattbaby> "That would be a step too bold, I think."
[00:20] <Crion> "As I recall that was the proposition that got Keldar to threaten all of us, along with my woman, with death. So yes. I agree."
[00:22] <Crion> 14He finishes one of the pots. "To the extent I have an ask of you, it relates to Old Selin's structural duties. Work with him to reinforce whatever he needs to reinforce; buttress whatever he needs buttressed. Tell me when you need work crews sent your way, and they will be sent. The two of you working together, with manpower, should be formidable."
[00:24] <mattbaby> "That, I can do. I think. With the time we still have."
[00:31] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Excellent. And an excellent talk. We don't do this enough. I've kept you long enough, I think, and I--"
[00:31] <Crion> 14He pauses. "Where's your ape?"
[00:33] <mattbaby> "It's in my anima, waiting to be called forth. I don't think it gets hungry, or even notices time is passing, while it's in there."
[00:33] <Crion> 14Stranger: "You might want to ask it."
[00:33] <mattbaby> "Ask it?"
[00:34] <Crion> "If it gets hungry, or notices time passing. While it's in there."
[00:35] <mattbaby> "Ohhhh, right, because you consider, as a matter of ethical philosophy, that it's basically been enslaved, by me." 5Xu Sim seems agnostic on the principles at stake.
[00:35] <Crion> 14Stranger: "I wouldn't have needed so many words to say so."
[00:36] <mattbaby> "But haven't I also heard you carry on about the 'enemies of Creation' or something along those lines?"
[00:37] <Crion> 14Stranger: "And you think it's some contradiction in terms that I oppose you both bringing the ape here AND that I oppose you keeping it here in slavery?"
[00:39] <mattbaby> "Well, it certainly would be quite foolish to let it wander around town, doing as it pleases and eating strays and vagabonds. And why should it remain in Hell, doing nothing to serve the people of Nexus in a time of need?"
[00:39] <Crion> 14Stranger: "I do not believe Vladok is a fool."
[00:40] <mattbaby> "You don't? It was your idea to trick him, if I recall."
[00:42] <Crion> 14Stranger: "It was my idea not to let a teenager lose a contest to him for her name. I cheated Vladok because I respected him, not because I didn't. And I prefer his vision for how demons exist in Creation to the essence-madness of sorcerors whose best excuse for their chains is 'well, what else were they doing?'"
[00:46] <mattbaby> 5Xu Sim bristles and pours what remains of the pot, taking a sip to collect his thoughts. "Bannermen conscript soldiers, kings call bannermen, sorcerers call upon Hell. Surely this is the way of the world."
[00:47] <Crion> 14Stranger: "You appeal to the way of the world too much and eventually you won't have anything to say when you're in the world's way."
[00:48] <Crion> "But then, you already knew that. You're not in Nexus on vacation."
[00:49] <Crion> "And neither am I."
[00:51] <mattbaby> "I will ensure the demon is comfortable and so forth. Perhaps, if it shows promise, I will give it a name."
[00:56] <Crion> 14Stranger: "Not particularly the point. But I'm not going make any demands of you on this, especially not while circumstances are what they are."
[01:02] <Crion> 14They finish the kettles of tea, chat a bit more, and the day moves on.
[01:02] <Crion> 14One day closer.
[01:03] <mattbaby> 5 XX Hours Remain