Patchwork Universe

Dr Jewel · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 7:43 am Post subject: Nearly Diagonally

[OOC : From Juniper School : Fury said to a mouse...]

Dr Jewel emerged in the south west corner of the map room. She looked around for a moment, noting that she had arrived in the expected location.

Then she turned to watch her companions step through the mists.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 471 Location: The Museum

[OOC: from "Juniper School: Fury said to a mouse . . ."]

Dr. Odom stepped through the mist and hurled the stub of his long-dead cigarette from him with a snarl.

"Unreasonable bastard!" he snarled, wrenching his tobacco from his pocket. "I tried to be polite to him when the chaos started at the public house, and he's still never done anything but insult or threaten me! I do believe it's easier to talk to Mr. Trubshawe."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 4:43 pm Post subject:

"We'll be able to part company when we get to Father Michael's church." Jewel said comfortingly. "Whether he consciously brought about Father Michael's death or not, I have no wish to travel with him any further than I have to either. Losing control of one's mind is one thing, huffing and puffing about 'lesser races' is something else."

Jewel realised that she had completely accepted Kao Sheng's explanation. Her dislike of Kalyndis now stemmed from a totally different provocation.

"You know how I said that I wanted to see the Museum dragons?" She added. "I've gone off the idea now."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 471 Location: The Museum

"Curious," Dr. Odom answered wryly, "I was rather looking forward to admiring their inanimate carcasses."

The notebook came back out.

"I imagine after we visit San Pietro and discharge your promise to Miss Briar we ought to double-check our maps against the . . . ah . . . master copy and then see how things fare in your village and then the Museum. Barring, of course, further needs for immediate action. It seems awkward not to stop by your patch as long as we will be so very close to it, though."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 7:20 pm Post subject:

Dr Jewel looked south east rather wistfully.

"I'd like to take a look." She said. "But, I more or less promised Rose Briar that I would come to the rose garden as soon as I had done my best to break the news to Michael's people. And, well, she said that she was one of the fairy folk and, well, given we've already seen a dragon and whatnot she's probably telling the truth.

"Because she is a fairy then it might be a good idea to keep my promise to her and in as literal as way as possible. In my world, we don't have fairies, but we do have stories about them. Some of those stories suggest that breaking one's word to one of them can be a really bad thing.

"Of course, it's my mistake, I should have remembered how close we would come to Maypole Hill. Besides, I am a little concerned about what that man will do in our absence. However, at least Maypole Hill is on the edge of the map, which hopefully means that other travellers are unlikely to visit. So, with any luck, I should be able to leave things a little longer without repercussions."

Kalyndis · Good Joined: 22 Jan 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Kerya

[OOC: From Juniper School: Fury said to a mouse...]

Kalyndis strolled up behind them.

"Doctor Jewel, as I was attempting to say to Doctor Odom a short while ago, at least part of the current awkwardness stems from mutual misunderstandings. Although the differences between Doctor Odom and myself are not currently resolvable, I wish to apologise to you both for any slight I have unintentionally uttered."

I hope it is clear which slights I have uttered intentionally. This intercultural diplomacy is harder than I thought.

Kao Sheng · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:28 am Post subject:

Kao Sheng quietly stepped through the mist behind him, to stand quietly in the background...

Dr Jewel · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:59 am Post subject:

Unintentionally is an interesting choice of word. Dr Jewel noted. Doubtless William Odom will have noticed that too. Well, let's try and get out of the Map Room without another of those exchanges.

"Thank you." She said aloud. "I agree that none of us had accurate preconceptions about each other's way of life and it has not helped matters at all. Also, I think we're all eager to reach San Pietro to see whatever it is that Kao Sheng has said might help matters."

I haven't really thought about what Kao Sheng is going to show us. If it settles this argument one way or another then it's going to be nothing short of a miracle.

She turned to to the polite God.

"I'm afraid I hurried through the mists before I heard your reply." She began. "But, how much choice do the Gods have over here? Did you chose to be here? Do you chose who else comes here? Did you, in some way, get given the choice to be Gods?"

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 471 Location: The Museum

"Yes," Dr. Odom somehow managed to murmur wistfully between clenched teeth, "I believe I shall take great pleasure in that line of exhibits from now on."

His eyes were fixed on the mist that stood very close to the south and he hurried toward it.

Kalyndis · Good Joined: 22 Jan 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Kerya

Kalyndis walked casually after Doctor Odom, his head half turned to catch Kao Sheng's reply.

Kao Sheng · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:57 pm Post subject:

"Of course," said Kao Sheng, "You have my most sincere apologies for my inexcusable delay in replying to your most insightful inquiries.

"It would perhaps be most correct to say that those of us who came here originally do not specifically have direct control over who is here, but rather over who is not here. Although it may come perilously close to subjects about which I may not speak, it must be admitted that I am blind to the worlds beyond the Patchwork, and have no more information about the people there than that which I learn from the those who arrive here. For my part, I did indeed choose to come here, yet more than that I am unfortunately not permitted to say.

"As to the manner in which you may make your wishes known, you may be assured that most attempts to contact me are likely to meet with success, whatever medium you may choose to employ."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:19 pm Post subject:

Jewel thought over Kao Sheng's words. He was obviously skirting around closed topics and it was difficult to figure out how much might be missing.

She walked over to the wall of mist and gazed through. To her relief, the scene on the other side looked promising.

"Do the Gods all have patches of homeland here too?" She asked, her mind mainly on Father Michael. "Or do you share some sort of divine patch?"

She gestured to Dr Odom and Kalyndis.

"This should be it." She said.

Kao Sheng · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 7:34 am Post subject:

"Such areas as those you describe do exist," Kao Sheng replied a little nebulously. "However in this particular case it may be a little misleading to to draw a conclusion from this element of symmetry.

"It might be more correct to state that we are associated with the Patchwork Universe as a whole just as a person who has but recently arrived is associated with their own patch, although this person would not encourage the consideration of this particular element in any analysis of the nature of the patchwork structure..."

Dr Jewel · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 10:16 am Post subject:

"Thank you." Dr Jewel said to Kao Sheng.

She stepped through the mists.

[OOC : Jewel goes to San Pietro : Searching for the House of God]

Kalyndis · Good Joined: 22 Jan 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Kerya

Kalyndis followed.

[OOC: Kalyndis goes to San Pietro: Searching for the House of God]