OOM: Vivec City, 18 First Seed, 3E 428

[moonandstar]

Garyn hadn't felt the need to involve Ibani in his last little spy mission. Retrieving a skull from a tomb for an alchemist who is a little TOO insistent that she isn't a necromancer had been an easy enough job. But this? This was going back to Vivec...a place where he very much had meant to make himself scarce from. What's more, one of their contacts would be in the Foreign Quarter - the very same place where a number of corrupt Fighters Guild members had been killed by a booby trap he had set.

So a little bit of Sith discretion and underhandedness would be welcome, in addition to backup.

They're approaching from the bridge that leads from the silt strider dock - the Guild Guide would bring them too close to the Fighters Guild for his liking.

The buildings are massive ziggurats crossed by canals - not big enough to be impressive by her standards. But it's far from a typical city in Garyn's.

Comments

[last_kallig]

"Was expecting to find out they're more trouble, would have been nice to be wrong," she whispers in his mind.

Ibani nods her farewell to the Khajiit.

[moonandstar]

"Indeed it would."

They ascend to the Canalworks, whose musty air feels positively daisy fresh at this point.

"We'll be going to the Temple Canton next. That's the next canton over."

[last_kallig]

"It does make one appreciate the fresher air," she drawls. "Temples as in gods? Like the entity I felt when we arrived?"

[moonandstar]

"Yes. The High Fane is the main house of worship, though Vivec's palace is down still further from there. We'll be looking for a woman in the library of the House of Wisdom beneath it."

[last_kallig]

Ibani chuckles. "Well, I suppose we'll find out if Vivec objects to my presence, if we're getting that close."

She leans in to kiss him on the cheek. "Lead on, love."

[moonandstar]

If any part of the city itself were to impress Ibani, they're nearing it. Colossal statues of Vivec flank the entrance - one of them standing with his arms turned out like the branches of a tree, another of him slaying a creature with a spear. The High Fane itself, with its vaulted roof, looks even taller from the base of the canton. Blessed pilgrims hover above them, empowered by the power of the Shrine of Daring. And over everything, the Ministry of Truth is just...hovering there, in exactly the way that asteroids don't.

"Let's see...I think the House of Wisdom is...that way."

[last_kallig]

"Reminds me a bit of the architecture of the Dark Temple on Dromund Kaas," she says, eyeing the statues. "My senses are a bit muddled here. Not sure if it's whatever is holding THAT in place or what," she adds, pointing at the Ministry of Truth.

She follows Garyn, trusting his sense of direction more than her own right now.

[moonandstar]

"I've been to the Hall of Justice before...Hall of Wisdom should be on the other side...that way."

He bounds over across the path toward the entrance, narrowly avoiding a nasty collision with an Ordinator along the way.

The interior is already a lot quieter, even before they get to the Library.

[last_kallig]

"A little better in here," she says, keeping her voice quiet. "Still confusing, but less...ripples." Look, YOU try to explain what the Force feels like to someone who's Force blind.

"Different color scheme than Korriban, at least."

[moonandstar]

"Well, there is a library here."

Garyn smirks, and proceeds to get slightly lost for a couple of minutes. The Library of Vivec isn't easy to find, even as big as it is. After two or three wrong turns, however, he finds it.

He stands still for a moment, looking among the shelves for anyone who might meet Mehra Milo's description. Amusingly enough, he doesn't have to look long at all. A woman in priestly robes is perusing one of the shelves nearest the front.

"Mehra Milo?"

The woman raises an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Our friend Caius wanted me to meet you."

A knowing expression crosses her face. "Ah. Follow me to the back of the library. We can't talk here."

[last_kallig]

There are no holocrons here, which her brain half expects after Korriban. She follows a few steps behind Garyn, covering his back in case of potential treachery. It's only paranoia if you're WRONG.

[moonandstar]

It's hard not to be paranoid when someone is telling you "we can't talk here."

Garyn follows Mehra Milo a safe distance behind before approaching her again at the back of the library.

Her voice is a low whisper. "You're here to ask about the Nerevarine Cult, correct?"

Garyn nods.

"The Temple worships Nerevar as a saint and hero, but prophecis of his reincarnation are punished as wicked heresy. The Nerevarine cult claims the Tribunal are false gods, hence the Temple's persecution of the Nerevarine cult. A group called the Dissident Priests disputes Temple doctrine on the Nerevarine prophecies. The proscribed book 'Progress of Truth' describes heir beliefs. Get a copy of 'Progress of Truth' for Caius Cosades. That will tell him things he needs to know about the Nerevarine cult.

"The Temple has outlawed the sale or possession of the book, so it will be hard to find. We have a copy here, but I fear I'm being watched by Ordinators here. A safer plan would be to search local booksellers. Some booksellers ignore Temple bans on outlawed books for profits or for principles."

[last_kallig]

"Where is the copy that is kept here?" Ibani asks, several possible plots springing to mind.

[moonandstar]

"Would it be possible, Mehra...for you to approach the shelf where it is located? Ibani can be very stealthy."

Milo nods. "Please use discretion. The Ordinators might not see her, but they will be watching me."

[last_kallig]

"I will use my utmost discretion," Ibani replies. And then she simply....disappears. Is she showing off a little? Maybe. But since the opportunity to impress people with this doesn't come along often, she's going to take it.

[moonandstar]

Milo nods, remaining stoic as she watches Ibani vanish. Such magic is far from unheard of. (Indeed, Garyn can combine his ring and amulet to achieve it himself - though he's far less light on his feet).

She walks to the front of the library, doing a fine job of making it look like she's simply on her way back to work. But there's a slight, conspicuous hitch in her step as she passes a shelf near the front - one with an Ordinator seated at a desk nearby. She even manages a very subtle gesture with her finger to indicate the general direction as she walks past.

[last_kallig]

Ibani is silent as death as she moves, her expertise in stealth coming into play. With the aid of the Force, it isn't hard for her to snag the book exactly when the Ordinator is looking the wrong way. She stashes it under her cloak, walks out of sight of the Ordinator and makes herself visible again.

She greets Garyn with a kiss. "I've got it." she whispers in his mind.

[moonandstar]

"Saved us another trip to Jobasha's Rare Books, if nothing else. I imagine they have a copy."

They walk out arm in arm.

"I'm rather curious to read it. Though our room at Milliways would be a safer place to read a proscribed book."

[last_kallig]

"That sounds like an excellent idea." She starts searching for a door back to Milliways amidst all the 'noise' Vivec is making. It takes a while, but she finally finds a likely doorway to pull him through after her.

"Home sweet home," she says, gazing at Bar.

[moonandstar]

"In a manner of speaking," Garyn says, smiling.

"I know there are no Ordinators here, but something makes me want to crack that book open someplace private."

[last_kallig]

Ibani nods. "I have that feeling too." She grins. "It's PROBABLY not just paranoia talking. Our room?"

[moonandstar]

Garyn nods. "Our room. May I have the book? I will need to bring it to Caius once we're done with it."

[last_kallig]

"Of course," Ibani fishes it out from where she had stashed it. "Doesn't feel trapped, at least, so that's a point in its favor."

Their room is a welcome sight, one that makes Ibani relax.

[moonandstar]

"Doesn't look too long," Garyn says."I can read you th3 good bits, if you'd like."

He smirks and winks.

[last_kallig]

"I'd like that," she says, removing her cloak. "A decadent afternoon spent with my lover and a forbidden book in bed, how scandalous," she teases.