Following Envoy's visit with Dean Malthus

Chiaroscuro opens the door for Envoy. He's been much more quiet than usual on the way home, though not in a grumpy or sad way. Just… quieter.

Envoy almost bounces into the room, in contrast.

Chiaroscuro closes the door carefully, sitting down on the bedside afterwards, smiling slightly. "So, whom precisely did you meet at the college?"

Envoy smiles, "Dean Malthus, of the Sphere of Mind. I sent him a description of what I experienced during Isstan's spell, and wanted to ask me more about it… and help me figure it all out!"

Envoy teases, "He must have been close to forty feet long, probably of anaconda stock."

Chiaroscuro ahs… "A snake." He frowns slightly, then looks back at Envoy. "So he agreed to help you, did he?"

Envoy nods! "He's going to find out if some of the other Mind Mages will be interested, and let me know."

Chiaroscuro nods a bit. "I see… it sounds to be a wise idea, then."

Envoy smiles, "I might be able to find out for certain if I have developed a seperate symbol-processing form of consciousness."

Chiaroscuro tilts his head. "Pardon me, Envoy?"

Envoy gestures vaguely, "Like your subconscious. It filters out extraneous information and only relays the important things to your awareness. Only for me, it seems to filter symbolic information, such as emotions and dreams."

Envoy says, "I'm sure it has to do with Isstan's memories being transferred. You store your memories as symbolic gestalts, so a symbolic processing system is needed to interpret them."

Chiaroscuro ahs, and smiles… "So you are developing a side of yourself which deals in emotion, rather than logic… and which you cannot predict exactly… but it is still a part of whom you are?"

Envoy says, "That is what I hope to determine."

Chiaroscuro hmms, as if that were not the answer he was wishing to hear. "Tell me this, Envoy: how much of an emotional side do you wish in your life?" he asks in a curious tone.

Envoy says, "How did your meeting at the Temple go?"

Envoy says, "I don't know yet."

Chiaroscuro nods quietly. "That may be something to think of. As for my meeting… " He stretches his neck a moment before continuing. "It went well, I suppose. Officer Nuttenbolschen has a surprisingly forceful personality, for her age."

Envoy cocks her head, "Is she very young then?"

Chiaroscuro shakes his head. "On the contrary… very old indeed. She is the mother of a Verdigris, whom she mentioned you had… run into.", he says with a bit of a chuckle.

Envoy blinks, "Wouldn't you expect someone older to have a very forceful personality?"

Chiaroscuro says, "Not for the very old, Envoy. At least not in my experience… the oldest ones in my community are very kind and relaxed… since they know they will go to The Garden soon, they have fewer worries." He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "The forceful ones in life are usually in the midst of their years."

Envoy blinks, "I see. I don't have much experience with elderly mortals. The oldest one I know is Roho, and he hardly seems impaired in any way."

Chiaroscuro nods. "I have spoken little with Roho… but he seems a gentle soul, though one with much vigor still."

Envoy says, "I'm used to people just getting more formidable as they age, like Inquisitor Melchizedek."

"Then, she asked me a number of questions about what had happened since then… I mentioned your name, and she recognized it instantly… ", the mongoose says, with a concern in his voice. "She asked a number of questions about you, mainly what had happened with you… after Isstan's death."

Envoy says, "Odd that she should be interested in me… other than for her son's apparent need to see me drawn and quartered."

Chiaroscuro chuckles a bit… "She said, and I quote, 'If I had a drop of water for everyone Verdigris got mad at, I could douse the Savan'."

Envoy blinks, then giggles.

Envoy says, "So, does the Temple think the disappearances at the paquebot were the result of some new Babelite super weapon and they're worried about it being used against Rephidim next?"

Chiaroscuro grins. "She seemed more curious about you than anything else… especially your ability for remembering and your great knowledge." He looks to the floor a moment, and continues. "In any manner… she made an offer to me. There is a group which will go and explore the paquebot again, and she wants me to be part of it. The pay is two silvers- with additional money for each day of the trip."

Envoy blinks! "Will there be an armed escort? How will the ship get through the Babelite blockades?"

Chiaroscuro says, "She mentioned something of that nature… there will be mages aiding the craft, to enable their passage. She said no more, and I asked no more."

Envoy nods, "The paquebot may have been remanned by troops from Ashdod. Did you agree to go?"

Chiaroscuro nods once, slowly. "It was… a very generous offer, and I have not been paying my share of our bills. What is more, I have a great curiosity of what happened on the paquebot… "

Envoy nods, "I'll go too then. Someone has to record events."

Chiaroscuro lets out a small, tense breath… "That… is just what Miriam said to ask you. If you would accompany the mission as a recorder, and report the events to her." He somewhat frowns, and looks away…

Envoy cocks her head, "You don't seem too happy about that. Why?"

Chiaroscuro gazes at Envoy, his brown eyes looking deeply into hers… "This might be dangerous, Envoy… and I would rather run into the tunnel of Nakh himself then to put you in danger." His tail flicks once behind him, then stays still.

Envoy blinks and gazes back blankly. Finally, she says, "I'm not that fragile, don't worry."

Envoy smiles, "Besides, what's the worse that could happen?"

Chiaroscuro smiles back… "Indeed… very well then. I shall be glad you will be there, to be sure, despite danger… I would miss you greatly otherwise." His muzzle assumes its regular happy expression.

Envoy smiles, "It will be fun to go on another expedition. I really enjoyed the Savan, except maybe for the carnivorous plants and crystal zombies."

Chiaroscuro raises an eyebrow. "Crystal zombies?", he says curiously.

Envoy nods, "The Priest King turned a Naga and a poodle into undead crystalline zombies that came back to the camp to kill everyone. Want to hear the whole story?"

Chiaroscuro nods. "I certainly do." He settles back on the bed, leaning against the wall.

Envoy stays up late into the evening, regaling Chiaroscuro with tales of mock-pirates and dangerous jungles and lethal traps and ancient undead terrors…