[ empatheias ] message box

[opportunitycosts]

Alvin will have acquired his own little carrier pigeon to send messages, so he'll have one stationed at the main carrier pigeon place that will come and find him.

In the meanwhile, this is the entry for any private messages that are delivered via the carrier pigeon system.

Comments

[opportunitycosts]

[Alvin is already starting to take a sip of the drink before Lu Meng even starts—mostly to try and sneak a taste (damn it's strong—good, but strong). As the heat descends down his throat, he listens and recalls seeing that notice on the task board. Even then he had a feeling it wouldn't end well, but when he hears how badly, he could only sit still and stare wide-eyed.

Not only at the imagery, but his friend's justified anger about it.

Still, he tries to remain calm.]

Were you able to figure out who did it or why?

[Try to stay logical and practical. Although he was here to kind of "vent" for Lu Meng, he's also going to try and keep the place in one piece.]

[young_oldman]

We have an idea why. There were posters of the Anti-Arehtei movement plastered all over the walls, as well as posters about the Cult of the Arehtei. But one of the men we captured babbled that what they were doing was for the good of the island, to save the island and the world...and that the Arehtei were evil.

A line touted by the Red Haired Girl.

[He leans forward, elbows on the table, hands clasped in front of him.]

Even more troubling, we found old plans and blueprints depicting the location of the bombs that were set off during the Boreas Harvest Festival. They're interrogating that man right now, but the coincidences are there, and so far they've lead me to one conclusion; that they are advancing the agenda of the Red Haired Girl, to cause negative emotions on a wide scale so that they may gather such emotions for their cause.

[opportunitycosts]

...Damn. [Yeah, he's going to take a good swig of that drink.]

You know, I had wondered about what happened to those bombers. I don't think it was ever resolved, or at least I never heard anything about it. But it had been so long I also forgot about it until you brought them up now.

And if you're right about them being related to the Anti-Arehtei movement... [This can't bode well.]

But using dead remains? [That's just sick, man.] Were the graves targeted?

[young_oldman]

The selection of the deceased was deliberate. There was a list of names discovered at the cemetery, matching the targeted graves. However, why they were chosen is still a mystery.

The investigation has been turned over to the Enforcers, both the local and Otherworlder arms. That is where my participation ends. But I cannot understand how anyone can be so, so cruel to desecrate the dead, so close to Selenium. It must be deliberate.

[opportunitycosts]

Well, sad to say but there are all kind of people out there, including crazy lunatics like that.

[He sits back, mind processing the information while he idly swirls the bottle in his hand.]

It does make me wonder, though. It sounds organized—too organized. This wasn't just some nut job, like those cult people. [He never took them seriously whenever he saw the postings on the board.] If this really is for some kind of agenda, I can't help but try to figure out their end game.

Spur on certain emotions? But okay, then what? What are they trying to gain from that? As far as I understood, the people here can't align with the Arehtei, so the influence on them isn't going to be as great compared to us. Whatever they do mostly affects this entire island.

[young_oldman]

The entire operation was well oiled like a machine from start to end. We even found hints that they were carrying out illicit economic activities to fund their plans.

If we take the ramblings of the one person we apprehended with a little weight, it may have to do with destroying the Arehtei to save the island.

[He sighs and crosses his arms, looking quite frustrated.]

You're quite well-connected around the city. I don't suppose you've heard anything similar to that?

[opportunitycosts]

[A small pause.]

Aside from the general anti-Arehtei sentiment that's been going around? The only thing I can think of would be that woman who ran the tournament last year. You know, the one who was apparently out to inspire fear instead?

[young_oldman]

...no. I'm not aware.

[And now he leans in to listen, eyes sharp.]

What's this about the tournament?

[opportunitycosts]

[And now there is a genuine look of surprise.]

You haven't heard? [...Ah. Well. It did come up in the Town Hall Meeting...]

Apparently the woman was actually from Shaarnath. Have no clue how she got up here, but apparently she's part of some rebel faction that's against Thras and the Arehtei in general. They believe the Arehtei are doing more harm than good and are trying to destroy them.

If I remember correctly, the point of the tournament was to inspire fear within the local populace and cause conflict between all the parties.

[young_oldman]

...do you think she might be behind this? Using the dead's crystal records, the dead were noted to have a history of having strongly negative emotions. I don't know how they were going to extract those emotions, but all that machinery down there must have been installed down there for a reason.

[opportunitycosts]

I don't know, but I wouldn't rule her out.

At the very least, someone very organized is behind this.

[young_oldman]

And it could even be someone with access to the crystal records or someone who had broken in, since we found the names of the dead on a list.

The scale, depth and complexity of this operation is...not something to be laughed at.

[He leans back onto his chair, troubled.] Did you hear anything about the meeting about what would happen if an Arehtei were to be torn apart or die?

[opportunitycosts]

No. In fact the meeting was the first time anyone learned they could die and actually have generations. At least that's what Thras told someone.

[young_oldman]

...alright, I think you're going to have to tell me everything that went on at that meeting, since I've really heard none of this.

[Seriously, the one time he called sick and he misses all the deets!?]

[opportunitycosts]

[Yep.]

You want me to tell you everything? Any place I should start first?

[DID SOMEONE WRITE A REPORT ON THIS YET...]