2018-09-09: We Call It Sin

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<Pose Tracker> Mihaya has posed.

The mass teleportation from the ruins under Azado to Filgaia had resulted in quite a bit of confusion - being teleported into a battle was liable to make even the most level headed person run for the hills, and given everything that had happened with Sin just hours before... its not unreasonable to think that people are less than level headed.

Mihaya had been teleported into the outskirts of the battle and had done her best to gather and protect people from the chaos. It had taken her some time to find a place to go, especially as they seemed to be on the BLUE STAR of all places, but when rumors of a refugee camp for those from Azado had reached her, she had taken her small group and set out to travel there.

The trek had been somewhat arduous, and without money it had been more a matter of foraging and depending on the kindness of strangers, but at last the group had reached Riese's refuge. There are already a few cries of joy as a few people who recognized friends and family who had already arrived safely, and they break away from the small group to run and join the main camp. Bringing up the back of the group, the elven Symbologist that some many recognize from Azado and the battle against Sin allows her staff to rest against the ground for a moment, smiling. "Finally," she manages, a bit more of a spring to her step as she walks forward. Her charges are delivered, and now she needs to... well, find out what's going on.

"Excuse me!" Mihaya calls out. "I'm looking for whomever is in charge of this lnywo bmyla!"

A pause, and another look around. ...maybe the person in charge will stand out somehow...?

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Old Petra, to those not in the know, is just one of the many failed villages along the Adelyn frontier that lines the Badlands -- a victim of desertification, bandits, and many of the other inhospitable reasons villages along the frontier fail.

To those /in/ the know, as of last year ago... Old Petra was transformed into something of a village for the Metal Demons. In part, it was a staging base for the invasion of Adlehyde, something Riese did not particularly like having to compromise for the Tainted's first shelter...

... but now, in the wake of the Demon of Elru's explosion, it's back -- where there was just a crater, several Manning cottage-style prefabricated buildings have been constructed to support the refugee tents and other shelters surrounding a warming bonfire within the epicentre.

It's pretty telling, but at this point, the Waysiders have so much experience with tearing down and putting up buildings around the signs of danger that they can do so in a matter of hours where needed.

Riesenlied is in the midst of this, perhaps accompanied by Lily since she's in a somewhat fragile state -- right now, she's taking charge of taking down the details of the refugees from Azado, to know what they all may need, who's missing...

... it's hard work, since-- she can still feel the echo of those that had fallen within... but she perseveres.

"Miss... Noventa, was it? Thank you," Riesenlied bows her head. "I understand it's difficult, but we'll make sure to work hard to bring you all back when it's safe..."

But then she hears a voice calling out, blinking as the Hyadean with the horns perks up. Mihaya's right -- whoever is in charge does stand out, by way of her horns wiggling at the call. She steps towards the elf, smiling as several refugees are already joining each other and crying out.

"Hello, miss... welcome to New Petra. My name is Riesenlied -- we're currently organising the refugees from Azado..."

<Pose Tracker> Dayton Derrida has posed.

Some people did not, in fact, travel to Lunar. Some people no longer have an adventurer's heart beating in their breast - or at least, no longer have a body capable of carrying such a heart on those sorts of adventures.

That's what horses are for. Namely, the good-sized chestnut horse that comes riding up the road towards Old Petra - or perhaps /New/ Petra now? Aside from a saddle with a couple of heavy saddlebags hanging from it, the horse doesn't seem to be armed.

Neither does its rider - a tallish and somewhat stocky man with sandy hair and glasses, the collar of his knee-length coat just brushing his chin. Rising a bit in his saddle, Dayton squints towards the settlement ahead, making out figures among the cottages.

One of them he even recognizes - the woman who looked out for him during the battle with that Gear off the coast of... one of the ports. Dayton can't remember which anymore. /Riesenlied./

The calling elf is spotted, but Day doesn't recognize Mihaya, merely tilting his head a bit and sending a quiet smile her way. "I think we might be looking for the same thing," he concedes before rising a little to call out.

"Hello the settlement!" he shouts with a smile and a wave. "I'm here in peace."

His volume drops a little as he realizes Riesenlied is coming closer. Settling back into the saddle, Dayton folds his hands atop the saddlebow and inclines his head. "So we meet again. Fortunately this time in less threatened circumstances!"

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

There's no question--in Riesenlied's condition, Lily is not allowing her to travel in front of a crowd of strange unaccompanied. It's true that Lily herself isn't feeling at her best either, but she's accustomed to pushing through that regardless. So it is that she walks with Riesenlied, making a few notes herself, but largely remaining vigilant. She wears gleaming plate armor, a sword at her hip and a pistol at her other side, bandages wound about her head--covering one eye completely. She... Well, she's an intimidating person; her single gold eye is sharp. And Mihaya--

Lily recognizes the woman as she approaches, sees the extra refugees...

The ex-soldier glances to Riesenlied and nods, having apparently deemed this safe for the moment, and looks to her and... The man approaching as well. "Lily Keil," the sorceress introduces herself, looking about the others, and to, "Here, we can have someone take care of your horse. People who are approaching to help, in peace, are welcome here."

There's a stern note to her voice even in greetings, but she calls over a Waysider to help with Dayton's horse before even being asked.

<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.

Dayton isn't the only one riding up on horseback. A second horse--a dapple-grey mare--approaches at a slightly more leisurely pace, her rider's identity hidden at a distance by a broad-brimmed hat and a long leather coat with the collar turned up. The horse's saddlebags are weighed down with something, but she carries both load and rider without complaint.

"Just a little further, girl," says Ida. It's encouragement for herself as well as Grey Lady. The thought of actually approaching something Wayside-like of her own free will is nerve-wracking. It ties her guts in knots. Grey Lady, ever a sensitive sort, has picked up on it, despite Ida trying to convince her that everything is just fine. Eventually, though, the horse trots on up to what passes for the perimeter--the crater wall. Ida disembarks, raises a hand to wave, and starts leading her horse down the slope. Easy does it.

Dayton's horse is already being led away by the time the strange lady Drifter shows up. Who is she? What does she want?

"Riesenlied...?" Ida says. Her voice is soft, hesitant. She pushes the brim of her hat up with her thumb, tilting it so it's not hiding her face. She looks a little better-rested, and she doesn't look /quite/ as painfully thin as the woman Riesenlied last saw. She doesn't look /good/, but she seems better.

<Pose Tracker> Mihaya has posed.

Mihaya stops as Riesenlied turns to greet her, and for a moment there is a bit of hesitation there. Which isn't all that unusual, because there is something Fiend-touched about the strange young woman who introduces herself as Riesenlied. But Mihaya reminds herself that a lot of the Drifters she encountered back in Lunar were weird, so what is one who looks a little weirder than most? She takes a deep breath to steady herself, and walks over towards Riesenlied and the other woman.

The Symbologist remembers Lily from that one island expedition, although she wonders if her impression of the elf has changed ever since the whole disaster in Azado. Then there is another traveler, but having discharged her refugees to the New Petra, Mihaya merely looks interested rather than warding them off. She's sure there are a number of people approaching this place for their own reasons, and unless the others seem alarmed... well, it's best to take note from those who are familiar with the situation. It's what she has been doing every since arriving on Glennwood, at least.

But Mihaya walks up and tucks her staff in the crook of one arm, and raises both hands towards her stomach... and then pauses, realizing that the gesture is probably even more meaningless for someone from the Blue Star, at an incalculably greater remove from her home than those across the ocean. One is only a sea of waves, but crossing the gulf of stars... her mind boggles at the idea. "If you are the one who has created this refuge for those who lost their homes in Azado, I wish to give you my heartfelt thanks. Those who are touched by the Calamity often suffer greatly, and I am glad to see that even those from a land different from our own still show kindness for the afflicted." She considers, and then offers a polite bow to Riesenlied. It seems the most appropriate gesture from those she has seen people use in Rolance.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"Mister Dayton...?" Riesenlied sounds surprised. She did in fact remember him -- from that terrible struggle against the one who'd stolen the Everstead-Rey cache they were planning to sell to Kislev. She was glad to see he was okay, bowing her head gently to smile. "It's nice to see you again. I hope you're well...?"

Lily is with her -- Noeline was necessary elsewhere, with everything they have to keep tabs on, so she's really glad that the Black Wolf Witch was feeling protective. Having her mirror on hand made her feel more at ease and calmed, nodding as Lily gestures for the Waysiders to help take care of the horses.

Grey Lady appears next, and she recognises the horse moments before she recognises Ida, eyes widening. "Miss Ida!" she exclaims with wide eyes, softly bowing her head. She looks a bit better... and that's a good sign. She was hoping she could recuperate a little after what had happened at Castle Rabenstein...

... Riesenlied herself seems to be, as always, pushing herself a bit. There's a bit of tremor going on with her, and it's clear that talking to the Azadians is... difficult, the way she's reminded of all the cries of those Azadians consumed by Sin... by Obsession.

She glances to Lily, remembering she shouldn't just -- rush towards company or anything, bowing her head again. "Yes, it's me... we're doing our b--best for the people of Azado here." She hitches a little, struggling through anxiety as she turns towards Lily again.

She's not familiar with Mihaya the way Lily is, and unfortunately while she did see the Heavenly Queen she... was also too busy making sure the Fereshte wasn't /too/ on fire to see who'd summoned her.

"I just-- represent the people here," Riesenlied speaks bashfully to Mihaya. "It's the people of Wayside that's made these kinds of shelters possible... but-- you're welcome, none the same. I can only hope... we can provide enough comfort and care for them in the coming days, and hopefully find a way back home for them before too long."

<Pose Tracker> Dayton Derrida has posed.

The good news for Lily is that Dayton isn't carrying a visible weapon - and it's immediately clear as the Waysider helps him out that he's no danger. He moves with a visible stiffness to his left leg, and when he does slide out of the saddle, he lands with a slight wince, that knee not seeming to bend very well. "Thank you," he offers the Waysider with a murmur before looking up towards Lily.

"Thank you too," he says with a quiet smile and a nod. "I'm Dayton Derrida... I'm an engineer."

Then someone else comes riding up. Dayton looks back with a blink. "...Ida?" he asks as recognition immediately flickers in his eyes. She doesn't look /quite/ like hell but it's enough to worry him.

The fact that Riesenlied remembers him is a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. Straightening his posture, he pushes a hand through his hair with a quiet, rueful sort of chuckle. "Yes, I've been well. I hope you've been too, though it seems from the look of things that you've been through quite a lot. And so have the people with you."

When Riesenlied explains things, Day drops his hand back to his waist, curling a thumb into one of his belt loops. The talk of the people of Wayside brings a small, sympathetic frown to his face. "I'd heard about some of the things Wayside had gone thought. I'd assumed the worst after the news came down of some kind of attack, and then everyone seemed to fall off the face of Filgaia. Then I heard someone say something about an airship."

Dayton shrugs. "And I thought I'd see if you and your people needed help with things here. I know a thing or two about airships, as it happens. Among other machines and devices."

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

When Ida shows herself, Lily looks to her--and it is not at /all/ difficult to understand the up and down look she gives the other woman as checking her condition. Whatever she decides, she decides it quickly. And Mihaya?

Lily recalls her from the island as well, and indeed she looks at her in a new light now, having seen her abilities, heard of her experience with the monster in Azado. ...It makes the way her gesture pauses, stops, the way she knows the creature all show in a different light.

But when Riesenlied shows difficulty--Lily can't /see/ Riesenlied's glance; it's impossible. Nevertheless, she notices it, reacts. Her gauntleted hand gently touches Riesenlied's arm from behind before Lily looks over the assembled group. Dayton gets a nod again, and she does notice; his lack of weapon, his un-dangerous movements...

Within moments, Grey Lady, too, is being cared for, and Lily speaks up, "If you'd like to speak, let's get out of the crowd; I'll take us somewhere we can sit down."

Lily doesn't have to /say/ that she's also trying to get Riesenlied into a safer space, get her somewhere she won't feel as pressured... or have to show her difficulty to the others.

Indeed Lily tilts her head towards a tent not far off, starting to walk there--and offering Riesenlied her arm.

"Riesenlied is too modest," Lily says to Mihaya. "...This sort of aid is her work. To those who need it, regardless of where they come from."

""As for where we were," she says to Dayton, "It's a long story."

<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.

Introductions happen. Ida doesn't join them immediately. Instead, she drops Grey Lady's reins, and walks around to undo the clasp on a saddlebag. She pulls out several large paper packages, each one marked with a bright red +-sign. This doubles as a chance for her to get away from the others for a moment, to calm her nerves, and to try not to think about what Dayton must think of her showing up so ragged. She's clearly anxious as well, and trying to hide it. Lily has an eye bandaged again. When did that happen? Was that at Azado, or Adlehyde, or... What did she miss? She shouldn't be here. She should just leave.

Ida steps back towards Riesenlied, her arms full of medical supplies. "For your people," Ida says. Her posture is a little too ramrod-straight. "There are bottles of tonic water and berry concentrate in the saddlebags." They can just take those out themselves--Grey Lady trots off, contentedly, far more at ease with this whole scenario than her rider. "I just came here to give them to you." She can't help but look at Lily out of the corner of her eye, trying to assess how bad that injury is. She's trying not to look at Day and Mihaya at all.

<Pose Tracker> Mihaya has posed.

Truth be told, it wasn't as if Lily and Mihaya actually knew each other well. They had just met previously, that sort of thing. She had done her best not to seem too suspicious, while trying to learn as much about Lily as possible. And truth be told, Mihaya had felt that she had remained fairly covert in her mission up until the point Sin had decided to just show up and ruin everyone's day.

Sigh.

"Still, I know from a good friend that simple representation can often be a very difficult task. He said..." She pauses, thinking for a moment. And then the elf grins widely. "E'ja caah lydc dryd fana aycean du rant dryd drec mud, I believe. It means 'The leader's task is often a quiet one, but important.'" Mihaya giggles for a moment, as if amused by a private consideration, and then schools her expression. "I can tell that things have not been easy, and I ask that you pass my thanks to the people of Wayside for assisting these people in their time of need."

A glance at Lily as she expresses that this sort of thing is par for the course for Riesenlied, and the elf smiles a bit more broadly. "I understand, truly." Riesenlied's modesty is even more impressive in light of that, all things considered. "And yes, let us find someplace to sit down, relax, and have something to drink if at all possible. Not knowing where we are going or what is waiting for us at the end of our journey..." A very faint chill manifests as only the slightest of shivers in the elf's shoulders, but it is noticeable. "Being among potential friends would be quite welcome."

She follows along to the tend when the others set out for it - willing to be lead along, and trusting that nothing too untoward will happen. She isn't sure of the other two - Ida she barely recognizes, and she's not seen Dayton at all before this moment. She'll keep an eye on them, and see how the others react for the time being.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

There's a soft smile, but one with surprise as Riesenlied nods to Dayton. "It's been... a very long story. I scarce imagine you might even believe if it I told you we went to the Old Moon above, hehe..." She doesn't really find a need to hide that anymore. People who aren't gonna believe them never will, after all, and better that she be open about it to those that may.

She looks a bit surprised when Dayton suggests wanting to help out. "D-do you, Mister Dayton? Well, I would not say it would not be welcome. Lydia, Leon and Hammer have been our chief engineers... and in many ways it is rather ramshackle as far as airships go--"

The list of things installed inside the Fereshte, after all: an EMMA Motor, Kislevi Gear parts, random junk from the Grindery, a boat, Hyadean leftovers.....

"... and-- well, I will be honest. We do have a way of attracting danger," Riesenlied speaks a bit more faintly, clearly concerned for his safety-- then Lily holds her arm and she turns towards the Kislevi.

She nods, wordlessly; she steps a little closer to her, taking a moment to iron out the erraticness in her breathing. A measure of grounding for herself. She looks a bit shy at Lily expressing that this is her work... and that's true -- but she's always thought of herself as a representative above all. Everyone's spirit, here...

Ida offers first aid packets, which Riesenlied can recognise on sight. She nods quietly and-- well, she accepts some of them, but a Waysider on hand helps take them away. "We've been low on supplies in the first critical period... this helps a lot, thank you."

The suggestion that they get out of the crowd is a good one.

Riesenlied smiles faintly at Mihaya, though surprised at the use of a language she's not familiar with. "Oh, I see... m-mm. Yes, I will do just that, don't worry. We should go to the tavern, then..." She pauses, then offers to Ida, "Would-- you like to come stay for a drink as well?"

... sure enough, Val herself has made sure one of the buildings that's first erected is the V4L-H4LLA, an Ignasian-style tavern that's gained some repute for its sadly short-lived (due to reasons of Wayside exploding) run of Demon Vodka.

And if you're not familiar with Val... she's a Tainted demon with a literal cylinder-shaped refrigerator for a torso. She's tending bar right now. The blinkers that serve as her eyes light up as she goes: "Welcome, folks!! The usual, Lily?" She cackles, and her voice sounds like a lounge singer's combined with a concrete mixer.

<Pose Tracker> Dayton Derrida has posed.

Dayton's not a small man - he's six-three and fairly broad-shouldered - but he'd have a lot of trouble menacing Lily when whatever's wrong with his leg would limit him to walking speeds.

"Drifters and long stories go together pretty naturally," Dayton concedes with a crooked smile back at Lily. "Though it seems like they've gotten longer lately."

If nothing else, Dayton doesn't /seem/ to be judging Ida; there's worry behind his eyes, but he doesn't fixate on her. It's simple concern for an acquaintance of a similar background. But he's also keeping track of a few people now, and keeping track of what Mihaya's saying, too. "That's a pretty good adage," he compliments quietly, nodding. "Whatever happened to you and all of these people, I'm glad there's a place for them. Hopefully there's something I can do to make things a little easier, even if it's just the simple things an engineer can accomplish."

Back to Riesenlied Dayton looks. Surprise flickers in his face as he looks up towards the shape of the Moon far above. "Really?" he says. "I guess if anyone would, it would be you... there were a few from the Old Moon about, weren't there? Captain Manydays and the Guard of Althena were, if I remember right."

When he looks back down, it's with a quiet smile and a brush of fingers through his hair. "Well, ramshackle is sometimes how these things work, after all. But I might be able to help out - I've dealt with this sort of equipment before." Where? Airships aren't really common on Filgaia.

"You've made it through all the dangers so far. And I suppose I'm no stranger to it, though I won't be of much help to you in fighting it off," he concedes as he settles to a seat, hand on his left knee. "But I can at least help get you ready for it."

The offer of drinks leaves him arching his brows. "...I wouldn't want to take away from someone who needs it more...."

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Lily is a suspicious person by habit; it's not unusual for her to keep watching people... particularly people who /had/ been quite covert in the first place. For instance--

"What language is that?" Lily asks, it being wholly unfamiliar to her. "...The saying sounds accurate to me, though. We'll be sure to let the others know."

Someplace to sit... have a drink. Not a bad idea.

"That's true," Lily answers when Riesenlied mentions danger. "...That's very true." A nod to Dayton though. "...Tell me about it."

He seems to recognize a number at least...

When Ida looks over Lily, she can tell that Lily is concealing some of her own fatigue; it's hard to get a sense of the injury, though, because the bandages completely cover over where the eye should be. Lily glances Ida's way for a moment, at that.

"Helping us prepare for it goes a long way--it shouldn't be underestimated." She lifts a hand to wave Val's way, though. "Just a half, I'm still working."

This might lead someone to expect Lily to end up with a small drink. This is not going to happen.

"...I'm sure you can imagine I have questions," Lily says to Mihaya as she leads Riesenlied to a comfortable seat. "And I wouldn't hear of it--you can have a drink, there's no matter of 'need' here."

<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.

Riesenlied offers Ida a drink. Her first impulse is to think up a reason to politely decline. She still remembers when Noeline dragged her off of Kalve's porch in a vain attempt to "cheer her up" by forcing her to socialize with people. She came away from it even more anxious and depressed, and the memory bubbles up to the forefront of her mind, and hangs there. Ida opens her mouth, but does not speak. The others can see the hesitation and worry on her face. Riesenlied and Lily can feel it, too.

"Of course," Ida says. She's locked herself in. She follows along as the group gets to the bar, and sure enough, the individual Ida remembers as 'the unsettling refrigerator woman' is there. Ida takes a seat next to Lily. "Gin, please," she says. She'd ask for tonic, but that's best saved for medical reasons.

<Pose Tracker> Mihaya has posed.

Mihaya is DEFINITELY taken aback by the considerably stranger bartender. But she laughs nervously, and then taking a moment to collect herself, the elf forges onwards into the tavern with only a small amount of trepidation.

You can tell yourself that you are ready for what is coming next, she decides, but that doesn't mean you ACTUALLY ARE. Especially when what comes next is a bartender who has a fridge for a torso.

But she settles at whatever table the group selects with a quiet sigh of relief, and considers for a moment. It takes her a few tries to find something that's similar enough to what she considers beer to be comfortable, but at least her taste in alcohol seems normal enough. She settles back with a pint in one hand, and drains half of it in one go. She's been on the road for a long time, and even longer without a good drink. She fully intends to enjoy this opportunity.

"It's a language of a group of..." She pauses. Thinks. Starts to say something. Pauses again. Thinks some more. Another pause. "...let's just call them 'nomadic eccentrics' that I know. I stayed with them for quite a while and picked up on some of their sayings." She doesn't really want to go into it all that much right now. It's hard to say what these people's values are, and while they SEEM welcoming... well, the elf doesn't want to stray into troublesome territory just yet.

"As for having questions... I'm sure I can imagine what some of them would be." She takes a deep breath, and considers for a moment.

"We have a number of monikers for a moment - but mostly we call it the name it was originally given.

"We call it Sin."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"... I think Lydie would be happy to have more hands... it's been her passion to fly, but we've-- only managed very short, mishap-laden voyages so far," Riesenlied says with the exact tone of a mother looking out for her daughter's interests. Dayton having knowledge of airships does surprise her... but she doesn't pry. Maybe it would be a bit rude, or bring up unpleasant memories with his leg the way it is.

But Dayton talks about how he's no stranger to danger, and he can at least get them ready for it. "... I would be happy to have you onboard as a mechanic, though, Mister Dayton. I'll have to refer you to-- er, some of the more technically minded people for details, like Lydia... but know you have my blessing," Riesenlied nods.

Apparently Val is onboard of the idea of 'a half', in Lily terminology, being a full glass, served neat.

Riesenlied pauses, biting her lip as she nods towards Ida. Well, she wouldn't force her to an alcoholic drink, but she doesn't exactly know what she prefers... she nods at Ida as she agrees, feeling a bit unsure what to say to her herself.

Val looks towards Ida to go, "You been eatin' okay, hun?" She doesn't even seem to mind; everyone who walks into her bar, it seems, is a customer to be served. Ida gets a gin on the rocks.

Riesenlied, meanwhile, graciously accepts Lily moving her to a comfortable seat where she works through and breathes gently. "I see... 'Sin'. So that is its name..." she furrows her brow. "Now that I think about it, I seem to recall some records from Miss Miria's library of scholars attempting to find it -- and turning up empty handed, if they even returned. To think such a mythical creature would surface... ..."

A pause, as she furrows her brow. "I heard it, at the time of the disaster. The Guardians native to the Blue Star..." she uses the term for Mihaya's benefit, "They called it 'Obsession'..."

<Pose Tracker> Dayton Derrida has posed.

Clearing his throat, Dayton brings a hand up to adjust his glasses, looks back up at Lily through them. "I appreciate that. If this were me talking a couple years ago, of course, I might've pulled out my ARM and fought alongside you. Fate kind of put a spike in /that/ possibility, though."

Mihaya explains something Dayton only distantly understands. He scratches his cheek and frowns faintly, giving the sorceress a considering look as he tries to piece together what little he's heard. It isn't much. "It sounds like you've been through quite a bit," he murmurs, seemingly more focused on trying to figure this one out than he is on the weirdness of a bartender with an appliance for a torso.

Talk of the Guardians leaves him biring gently down to his lower lip. "...The Guardians," he murmurs, a touch of wonder in his voice. "If it's something that troubles the Guardians, then it's a real problem. From what I've heard from the Baskar, the Guardians don't usually get that excited about the things we mortals do."

Dayton nods to Riese quietly, managing a quiet smile despite the gravity of the conversation. "Thank you. And you can call me Day, if it'd make things easier."

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

"I've sent more than one soldier home from the front after a disabling injury," Lily answers Dayton. "...Sometimes fate is the way it is." She pauses. "As for flight... That's probably because /they/ make sure to target anything that tries." This she says in a dour tone.

Lily seems unflappable enough, or at least unsurprised by anything here, easily comfortable. She takes a seat herself after seeing to Riesenlied, clanking lightly as she begins to unbuckle her gauntlets. Once she does, the strange markings on her hands are once again visible, circuitry for those who would know it, gleaming faintly, over-flat against her skin. The colors shift only to blue as she gets her drink and places her palm over it; the glass, of course, freezes over.

She can appreciate Mihaya's drinking, at least. Though for now, "...Hm," she answers about the nomads. It doesn't really help illustrate her values. But the creature...

"Sin," Lily recalls, thinking back to it. She lifts her glass and takes a drink, setting it down after a moment--to settle her sharp golden eye on Mihaya again.

"Whatever its name... What is it? What does it want? ...And why would it come here /now/?"

"...We're not in a position to try to ask the Guardians, either. They said that they can't speak through, for now."

<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.

Ida doesn't quite meet Val's gaze, at first. "...Better than I have been," she says. She takes the shotglass, running it back and forth between her fingers and trying not to dwell on where the gin and ice might have been. She matches up details with what she observed, and what she learned from Prissa. "Can it be killed?" Ida says. Surprisingly, she's the one to ask that question, and not Lily. "We've still got no idea if it stayed behind, and even if it did, we can't just allow it to kill more peoeple." Ida's gaze has gotten more focused, as if the objective of getting information is a life preserver she's clinging to. "But the more we know, the more effective we can be." She takes a drink. It tastes like perfectly normal gin.

<Pose Tracker> Mihaya has posed.

Mihaya tilts her head slightly to one side as Riesenlied describes the Calamity as 'Obsession'. "I cannot gainsay what your gods may or may not say about that monster. It is something as old as history itself from our land, a disaster which has returned again and again to plague mankind. It seems to have no other purpose than to discover the works of humanity and wipe them from existence. And it does so, as you have seen, with great effectiveness, before it returns to the sea once more." There is something shadowed in the elf's eyes as she says this - an emptiness that speaks of remembered horror being called to the fore of memory once again, even though it had long since been buried under the dust of the passage of years.

"As you saw, it sheds parts of itself where it passes - some are small things, its scales which animate with malice and a desire to do harm and draw blood. Others are larger creatures - Sinspawn, we call them. They bedevil us, lurking in the wilderness and terrorizing villages and travelers. And sooner or later, they will travel to a place where people gather, and Sin always seems to return at that point to collect the abominations it has left behind... and to destroy all it finds in the process."

After a short pause to collect herself, Mihaya downs the rest of the beer she had been holding, more to chase off some of the memories than anything else. She gestures for another, and takes a good quarter off the top of that one as well before she starts to relax a bit more. She listens as questions are asked, and replies, "I have no idea why it would come to Azado, however. Yevon has always taught that Sin was a punishment for our misdeeds in the past, but our land is not your Glennwood. As far as I know, there was no reason for Sin to come to Azado... and yet it did. It is a disaster I would not wish on anyone else. That we suffer for it in Spira is terrible enough." As for Ida asking if it can be killed...

...Mihaya is a bit rude and doesn't answer, although she does glance - briefly, and guiltily, at Ida for evading the question for the moment.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riese looks a bit apologetic after her explanation that it might not be something Dayton's used to. She nods bashfully, looking back towards Mihaya as she has her beer; Val seems to rather approve of this new beastwoman and her love for beer! Then again, her only criteria seems to be that of alcoholic drinks at times...

She listens to Ida ask the most direct question -- can it be killed?

"... to be honest, I don't think we have the means to combat it right now. Even Gebler's airship struggled with it, and Miss Elhaym's Gear is in a state after an encounter with it," Riesenlied lets that more strategic side of hers take over for a moment. Even if it's hard to think of that creature, which inspires so much fear in her...

It's a depressing thought, and it shows in the way the Dragon's Tear begins to emanate towards darker colours. She looks towards Lily's ungloved hands for a moment, biting her lip.

Mihaya explains the legend of the creature. To discover the works of humanity and wipe it from existence... why does such a creature exist? And the tale comes from 'Spira'... which was a land she'd only read about, that she didn't know herself personally...

"... the Guardians present implored that we sought after... the Guardian Lords, but-- I know not of what means we have to do so. They said... the 'Elw did not finish it properly', or something to that effect..."

It makes her feel even more sad. "... and we know that the last time the Elw and the humans desperately tried to avert disaster... they scarred Filgaia -- the Blue Star -- in the wake of their attack."

It didn't feel like there were great solutions there. But... that's why they're Drifters, are they not?

<Pose Tracker> Dayton Derrida has posed.

Dayton rolls his eyes and sighs when Lily commiserates. "Yeah, /they/ are a bit of a worry for me, I'm not going to lie. We can /hope/ that there'll come a day when we can sort of reclaim the skies from that bunch. That's something I'd like to see, even if all I can do to that end is build and work on the back end."

Lily makes another troubling point, one Day can't really answer. His Guardian knowledge is fairly surface. Meanwhile, Mihaya's answering in her own way. Dayton listens and takes a few mental notes.

"All you can do with an enemy like that is try to control the damage and build up to a point where you can find a weakness and exploit it," he muses in broad terms; he, after all, didn't go to the Lunar with the rest of them. "From what it sounds like, it's far too much for even a good-sized group of Drifters. Maybe even an army. Maybe...." He trails off, then gives Mihaya an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I'm theorizing ignorantly about a serious problem for you. It sounds like the experience was terrible. If there's anything I can do to help the people who've lost things to this Sin creature, let me know."

If only Lunarians had machines to fix. Ah well. At least the Waysiders do.

And the chief Waysider is saying something of note. Dayton furrows his brows and looks down towards the floor, then up again.

And smiles. "Hey now," he encourages. "Don't let it drag you down, Riese - can I call you Riese? Things may look grim right now, but the truth is, you're only at the start of a journey. As you move along, you'll learn new things and gather new clues. The puzzle always seems hardest before the first few pieces come together."

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

That Dayton knows about 'them' is interesting to Lily--she watches him for a moment, and inclines her head. "In that case, you have a reason to stick near me. ...Give me time. One way or another, I'll reach them. And I'll destroy them."

"Sin, Obsession..." Lily shakes her head. "...An ancient being that... simply exists to destroy?" Lily asks. It's frankly hard to believe--hard to /imagine/ something like that, even for her. "How often does it return?" Lily asks, and pauses. The small creatures...

Lily lifts one of her hands to her bandaged temple at the talk of its scales, a phantom pain reminding her of it. "Like beacons..." She considers. "Is it possible then that someone brought one of its... spawn, to Azado somehow? Took it from this Spira? That would explain its presence, though it brings its own questions."

Sin--a punishment.

"...That's some punishment on your lands," Lily answers with a shake of her head. But that question--

"I don't either," Lily agrees with Riesenlied. "I was barely able to scratch it with my magic--and even when I /did/ wound it, it fired off those... creatures that prevented me from doing any more. At first I'd thought that maybe with our Gears we could do something, but..."

Lily places a hand on Riesenlied's; Riesenlied is on her blind side, but she can still /feel/ her presence.

"The Guardians are good at a lot of things... but not being clear," Lily admits. Dayton's helpful words to Riesenlied get a nod--and then Lily says, "That's true. Maybe the Golems would have some impact against it--but the way the Guardians reacted... I'm not sure even they could. And unleashing that kind of power could do more damage even than this Sin does already."

"...Not that we have a way to get there," Lily adds. She pauses, at that, considers. "...It's true that this seems a difficult subject. ...As it would be for anyone, really. It's all right if you need to take your time. But..."

"What do you usually do, to cope with its presence? How often does it appear?" She pauses. "...And what was that strange magic you used?"

<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.

Lily brings up an unsettling possibility--that someone lured this creature off its usual path of destruction. /That/ is something that Ida had toyed with, but not seriously considered, but in retrospect she doesn't feel surprised it's a possibility. She downs the rest of her gin, and calmly slides the shotglass across the bar, to Val. "Azado is gone," Ida says. Her expression doesn't brighten any. "The Church will not react well to the destruction of one of their seats of power." She seems to turn something over in her head.

"Yevon," Ida says. "Who are they? Do they have a stake in this?"

<Pose Tracker> Mihaya has posed.

Beer is the nectar of Yevon! Loosener of lips and inhibitions! Relaxer of tensions and all around general solution to really long, difficult days. At least that is how Mihaya generally treats it, and she feels glad that she can finally relax after having been on her best behavior for quite a long time.

Sadly, as an elf, it also takes a LOT to get her drunk. It's why they tend to go for much harder liquors when drowning their sorrows.

"I'm afraid that your words are little more than nonsense to me," Mihaya admits to Riesenlied after a moment. "Nothing in the teachings even sounds similar to what you've spoken about, so the best that I can say is that I am glad that you received some sort of enlightenment regarding the Calamity. It is certainly more than I ever received."

This Drifter, Dayton, is at least sympathetic, and Mihaya smiles at him after a moment. "Indeed, there is... not much we can do besides damage control. As Lady Riesenlied said, the Drifters in the town employed their considerable powers against it, and..." Pause. "...and...."

And poor Mihaya just sort of melts down into the chair, one hand laid out across the table, the other cradling her beer near to her face. "...I was hoping that you had some sort of potent weapons that would be effective against Sin. ...it was part of why I came to Glennwood. There were rumors that... something had happened, and new and unusual people, magics, and weapons had appeared after some unusual event. Initially we hoped that perhaps the Sorcery Globe might have brought some new element to the world which could be used to fight Sin, and then when I arrived we heard about the Drifters appearing and the new weapons Rolance and Hyland were using.

"It was worth a shot to try and 'acquire' some and see if they could help us fight against Sin. But perhaps the teachings are right, and only Yevon's blessing is enough to stand against the calamity..."

A long, depressed sigh rattles out of the elf, and she seems to deflate somewhat. But one pointed ear does perk up as Lily suggests something interesting. "...that... I hadn't considered that," Mihaya admits. The idea of someone having brought a Sinspawn to Azado? That was... horrifying. That someone would deliberately provoke Sin to attack something other than Spira? "I... no one I know of would actually capture a Sinspawn. They are too dangerous, and usually too obvious, but..." She thinks furiously. Oh when you find out things and suddenly can't TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT IT BACK HOME.

That is *really* frustrating.

"The only way we've had to fight against it for generations is Yevon's blessing - the Art of Summoning. Beckoning forth Aeons who are pledged to defend humanity to battle against Sin, its spawn, and the fiends of Spira." Mihaya rolls back into an upright position, and looks over to her staff for a moment. "I won't lie - for most summoners, confronting Sin directly is still a path to a quick death. But for those who have achieved the pinnacle of the art... victory is possible. And it brings with it a period of peace. The Calm."

She looks to Ida, and replies, "Yevon is... god. The highest power, whom provided mankind with a means by which they could protect themselves against Sin. The Church of Yevon ministers to Spira, and ensures that people follow the teachings - in order to appease Sin, and to perhaps one day bring about absolution and allow it to be defeated once and for all."

There is something odd in Mihaya's voice - she sounds very much like she is reciting some sort of rote. One that she is used to repeating... but is not entirely invested in.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

A weakness to exploit... it's true, they know so little about what makes the creature tick. Sinspawn... they'd encountered one on their way down to the Flooded Ruins, and they already had their hands full with just one. Let alone it can create a number of them.

Riese realises she's letting her mood and anxiety drag her down again, blinking a few times at Dayton as she bashfully says, "T-that's true." She smiles a bit weakly, saying, "It's always darkest before the dawn. We still have leads, and things to do... and yes, Riese is just fine, Day." She even remembered to not call him 'Mister!'

Riese always thought of herself as an optimistic person, but she's recognising how the experience with Sin's unseated her from that confidence. She's glad to have Lily to help her work through this...

Lily places a hand on her. She squeezes her eyes shut, works through that breath...

Val chuckles for a moment to go, "Let me know if I can bring you anything else, then," she asides to Ida as she goes and... opens her refrigerator door to reveal that she's literally got a keg inside of her right now. "Just a few more days now, mm-mm."

Ida's suggestion that someone lured it... and Mihaya follows it up. "... could it be?" Riesenlied furrows her brow. "Down in those Flooded Ruins... we saw-- Sinspawn /past/ the doors... or at least Lily and I did. Was it drawn there because there were spawn trapped underneath?"

And those were Elw ruins...

She listens to Mihaya explain about the art of Summoning, Aeons... and Yevon. "I see... so there is a process." But it is still a path full of peril... she swallows very faintly--

The screams return to her. In a single sweep, a fin shatters through the deck of the galleon...

--something wavers and shakes in her head, as her voice raises. "I'm-- I'm sorry. I think I need..."

She shrivels for a moment, looking to Lily again. "I'm... I'm going to go upstairs, I think I need a moment... I'm so sorry, everyone." There is a shame that encroaches up to her, locks her throat up. The look is doubly apologetic in Ida's direction, as she rises up from her chair. The tremors are back.

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