<RyanSherbrig> (So where were we? Still having tea, or did we end that scene and move on to 'how to find an excrucian-shard/anchor'?)
<HollyhockGod> I think Ebba was still trying to find a way to ask about alchemy.
<Fiona> (or Ebba being hit on by maths?)
<Ebba> we had some discussion about it, but think it was all ooc
<RyanSherbrig> (So bring it up IC!)
<HollyhockGod> Yes, this was why I was hoping somebody had the log, so I could remember where we were.
<Ebba> (iirc, ebba was planning to meet up with ei'jah later, after the tea had concluded)
<HollyhockGod> Let us assume then, that it is concluding.
<Ebba> the tea party was mostly breaking up
<Ebba> ebba had used exemplar body language to say she wanted to meet with ei'jah later
<Ebba> most of the rest of the familia was starting to think about how to find and excrutian
<RyanSherbrig> "Geshundiet."
<RyanSherbrig> ()
<Ebba> I forget what laughing organ playing guy was doing
<RyanSherbrig> (About to show us the universe-making machine, despite Ei'jah obviously not wanting him to?)
<HollyhockGod> I think he was going to show Alexa and some other people the world-building engine.
<RyanSherbrig> (As I suddenly recall)
<Alexa> (That sounds right.)
<HollyhockGod> Okay, so as Selim and Gloria lead the rest of the party off, E'jah and Ebba are left alone together on the orbiting tea-table.
<Ebba> reports indicated that my world building machine is massive, sturdy, and powerful
<Ebba> "Now that our official business, such as it was, seems to be concluded. whould you like to have a discussion of a more personal nature?"
- Ebba reises eyebrow
<HollyhockGod> E'jah has no eyebrows, so he's handicapped.
<HollyhockGod> …he has no hands, either!
<Ebba> (gah, not quite the pinnacle of twisty phraseology)
- HollyhockGod was accidentally insensitive.
<HollyhockGod> "What could you possibly refer to, cousin?"
<Ebba> (there should probably be another circumlocution or two)
<Alexa> (Ebba's hitting on E'jah now?)
<Ebba> (figured it was time we broke the commands of someone we don't like; all our stuff breaking has been relegated to our friends and allies so far)
<Ebba> (which is not the way we should be operating)
<Ebba> ( :D )
<Ebba> "Your brother indicated that you had much to say about me. Is there something you would much rather say to me?"
<HollyhockGod> "Ahaha… it's in my nature to be extravagant, naturally. Being cut off from suspicion by my lack of fleshly passions, I can get away with it."
<Ebba> (and remember it's not realyl my intention to reduce this game to another scene of ebba and someone else having tea, with the rest of you on the side lines)
<Ebba> (so if the rest of you want to step into chasing excrustinas, or something, speak up)
<Alexa> "So, Selim, how does this thing work?"
- RyanSherbrig inspects the various particulars of the device with great interest.
<Ebba> "You live your life free from suspicion? how wonderful that must be."
- Ebba looks slightly sad
<HollyhockGod> Selim gives a very technical explanation that nobody except Ryan understands.
<HollyhockGod> "I have always attempted to remove myself from anything that could distract me from my work. Some might call it unhealthy, but since I never seem to succeed, I suppose it doesn't matter."
<RyanSherbrig> "Oooh. But how did you reconcile the opposing forces in the jargon jargon jargon?"
<Alexa> "In English?"
<HollyhockGod> "Expetive jargon technobabble in the censored with a magitechnical words sandwich."
<Alexa> "Really."
- Fiona attempts to look interested.
<HollyhockGod> "Alchemy is a science," says E'jah, "which requires a certain degree of dedication to reach the greatest heights of understanding."
<HollyhockGod> "There will always be dabblers and sorcerous generalists, but the true Emerald Art, the creation of wonders beyond even the powers of the Nobilis, demands the undivided attention."
<Ebba> "So your ish it to reduce yourself to an unfeeling machine? say it isn't so!"
<HollyhockGod> "A truly unfeeling machine would be empty," notes E'jah. "Such a creature would have no interest in any sort of accomplishment, or anything at all. No, passion is necessary to achieve greatness in any field. I simply channel mine into those fields where it will be most useful."
<RyanSherbrig> "Hmmm. I don't suppose a demonstration would be possible? These are concepts hard to explain without resorting to esoteric terminology."
<HollyhockGod> "The much-vaunted divide between reason and emotion is a false one; it is impossible to separate the one from the other in the study of cognition."
<HollyhockGod> "But the balance between these elements must be one of the scholar's own choosing, and not merely that with which she is left by circumstances."
<HollyhockGod> "Do you consider yourself a scientist or artist, Lady Ebba?"
<HollyhockGod> In other news, Selim gives a significant look to Gloria, as though saying "Shall we?"
<HollyhockGod> Gloria takes a deep breath as Selim makes a gesture at a nearby monitoring panel…
<Ebba> (min, afk)
<HollyhockGod> And Gloria begins to sing the first movement of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons."
<HollyhockGod> And I don't mean just the vocal parts.
<HollyhockGod> Slowly, shimmering images of Gloria begin to spread out from her main body, separating the various instrumental parts among themselves.
<HollyhockGod> As she sings, you start to feel a slight vibration, as though the crystal sphere were moving under your feet.
<HollyhockGod> Slowly at first, then faster, the walls and floor begin to break out into crystalline leaves and flowers.
<HollyhockGod> "Our primary method of defining those areas of cosmology that can't be expressed in words is music," explains Selim.
- Alexa tries not to look impressed.
- RyanSherbrig lets himself look impressed.
<Ebba> (back)
<RyanSherbrig> "A fascinating idea, and clearly effective."
<HollyhockGod> "Indeed, although in some ways it merely illustrates our need to expand our own perspectives."
<HollyhockGod> "Even I have a certain distinct style," admits Gloria. "Our complete work will need to be able to synthesize the contributions of the entire project."
- RyanSherbrig nods.
<HollyhockGod> "That, of course, is part of the purpose of the Promathion engine," explains Selim. "Part of its growth cycle involves incorporating new artists and their perspectives into its cognition systems."
- Ebba smiles
<Ebba> "I'm afraid that question rather exposes my lack of introspection"
<Ebba> "I am suually much more concerned with being myself, rather than thinking about myself"
<Ebba> "So I must ask, from what you know of me, whould you consider me an artist or a scientist?"
<RyanSherbrig> (It's a pity he missed the whole threaten-to-destroy-the-world incident. It adds so much more nuance the question.)
<Ebba> (reasonable man (tm) goes up against zen no mind)
<HollyhockGod> "I have hardly had the pleasure of knowing you yet," E'jah reminds you. "But hopefully we'll eventually come to a greater mutual understanding."
<Ebba> (what do you think about yourself? answer: "a fish!")
<Ebba> "and speaking of greater understanding… I wish to learn the great art. Are you willing to teach me?"
<HollyhockGod> "Ah, in that case, I would certainly have the opportunity to learn more of your character…"
<HollyhockGod> "Of course, the essential insight of alchemy is difficult to impart to those who have not already seen it."
- RyanSherbrig inspects the details of one of the crystal leaves.
<RyanSherbrig> "I must say, I'm very impressed. It's rare I see the heights of arts other than my own being practiced."
- Fiona examines a crystal flower.
- RyanSherbrig produces a softly shining light (ghost miracle of Radiance) to observe the crystal's refractive properties.
<Ebba> "Of course, I have no wish to impose on any other commitments you might have made.."
<HollyhockGod> "Ah, to spread the knowledge of the Great Art is always a worthwhile pastime for a true scientist."
<Ebba> "but even if you are unable to tutor me in the great art, I hope that your commitments are not such that we cannot at least have tea together from time to time"
- RyanSherbrig nods.
<Ebba> (everyone suddenly has nothing to say?)
<Alexa> (Yep.)
<HollyhockGod> Ah, sorry.
<HollyhockGod> Had to go and find a log to make sure of a fact.
<Ebba> (hmm?)
<Ebba> (and just think, the essential insight will improve my maniacal laughter by over 100%!)
<HollyhockGod> "To instruct you would be a pleasure, Lady Ebba, naturally. But to impart the essential insight of alchemy to you will necessitate a certain expenditure of power and pain on my part. In spite of my eagerness to do so, I cannot perform the task for free, lest I be drowned in a thousand requests for the same gift by those less competent than yourself."
<RyanSherbrig> (Offer him the pleasure of your company.)
<HollyhockGod> "I find myself quite interested in the story of the surviving fragments of your world. Such things would make fine subjects for study to our Familia."
<Ebba> "Would this study involve anything damaging or irrevocable?"
<HollyhockGod> "Perhaps you would be willing to transfer your claim upon those remains to the Cleave in exchange for the tutelage you seek. I can assure you that we would treat them with the respect and reverence such relics deserve."
<HollyhockGod> "The true Scientist is never wasteful or careless. Such a thing is the mark of lesser practicioners."
<Ebba> (gah! cold science talk scary)
<Ebba> ( :D )
<Ebba> "Would I… be able to look in on them from time to time?"
<Alexa> (Don't do it!)
<HollyhockGod> "Of course! We could easily provide a permanent home for them here in the Chancel alongside our various creations and collections."
<HollyhockGod> "Perhaps someday we would learn enough to reassemble them and restore them to a place on the Tree."
<Ebba> (what! how could selling my sorta soul to the math-devil possibly turn out wrong? )
<Ebba> (I'm sure everything will turn out well)
<Alexa> (Indeed.)
<Ebba> (no other comments from the peanut gallery?)
<RyanSherbrig> (Hey, it's Ebba's choice.)
<RyanSherbrig> (Mind you, I'm not sure how she's going to get the worldlet out of the chancel without owing Ryan a favor…)
<Alexa> (So it is.)
<RyanSherbrig> (Although I suppose she could always word of command it.)
<Ebba> ( those who persue the safest course are not the ones who will regain eden! hahahahaha!)
<Alexa> (And it's not like we have a better idea of what to do with the world-fragments, I suppose.)
<Ebba> (silly non-exemplars I can do a deep miracle and put it in my pocket, can't I?)
<HollyhockGod> Yep.
<Ebba> (though I'd probably have to take the tea service out first… nedd to make room, after all)
- Ebba appears indecisive for a moment
<Ebba> but then, the maddness of phoenix, or perhaps, merely the maddness of Ebba comes to the fore
<Ebba> "Very well"
<Ebba> (about time to go)
<HollyhockGod> "Excellent! I hope that this will be the beginning of a mutally beneficial partnership," says E'jah, turining slighly golden-orange.
<HollyhockGod> "We can arrange the exigencies of transport at a later date- I'll have to arrange an appropriate space first."
<HollyhockGod> Was there anything else you wanted to accomplish before the story ends?
<Ebba> (If i have the log for the pervious game, did you want me to put it up on the wiki?)
<HollyhockGod> It's okay, I found it.
<HollyhockGod> I was checking earlier to be sure you'd told E'jah about the worldlet.
<Ebba> (yes, came up pretty early in the tea conversation)
<HollyhockGod> Now it's on the wiki.
<Ebba> (led to ryan making a comment about exemplar level blame deflection…)
<HollyhockGod> I guess this finishes Book of Tea With Moon, then. Have a CP!
<Ebba> (hahahahahaha~)
<Fiona> so, Ebba, what's it feel like to have traded away your heritage?
<RyanSherbrig> (Huzzah.)
<Alexa> (Yay!)
- RyanSherbrig is now known as Benhimself
- Alexa is now known as Uqbarian
<Benhimself> And I must be off for work. Thanks for game, all!
- Ebba is now known as crusher_bob
<Uqbarian> Seeya, Ben!
- Benhimself has quit (Disintegrated: )
- Fiona is now known as borogove
<crusher_bob> ebba can hardly be described as the sanest person ever
<crusher_bob> she did want to destroy the world, after all
<crusher_bob> (maybe she'll make a machine that produces maniacal laughter, and put it into her alchemy workspace)
<crusher_bob> (of course, she can just produce the laughter herself, and doesn't have to worry about things like a sore throat getting in the way)
<HollyhockGod> Moo-hoo-hoo-hoo-ha-ha-ha-ha-haha!
- You are now known as RandBrittain
<crusher_bob> sigh, and another game is mostly consumed by ebba having tea with someone
<crusher_bob> hope everyone else was ok with that
<Uqbarian> No worries!
<borogove> 's not a problem.
<RandBrittain> Ohnoes!
<RandBrittain> I didn't have logging turned on this time.
