COTERIE INTERACTIONS (IC) - CHAPTER I

[treasuremap]

COTERIE INTERACTIONS

NAVIGATION

✶

RULES/FAQ

✶

COTERIES

✶

LOCATIONS

The leader of each coterie, all colloquially known by the same name as their group—Jaguar, Eagle, Viper, and Salamander—will play a major role in the story, oftentimes appearing in events and even, during major plots, accompanying the player characters on their quests. While having constant access to them in threads would be difficult to keep track of and may lead to unfair advantages for some characters, and they will never directly comment to any network or log posts made in incensed or incenselogs, we do want to offer the opportunity for characters to interact with them. Therefore, with the exception of the aforementioned event posts where the NPCs might appear, all direct interactions with the coterie leaders can be done here. Simply comment below with the leader you'd like to interact with and whether it is in person or via medallion/journal in the subject line.

Note that it is fine to handwave minor interactions with the NPCs, such as in the case of exposition or receiving their quest orders, and you do not need to thread that out here nor ask permission from the mods. Relationships beyond passing familiarity as leader/subordinate cannot be handwaved however—in general, characters will not "build CR" with their leader to the degree they might with other characters in the game. They will still get to know them well over the course of the story, though.

Please also note that the NPCs are played by the mod team and are subject to the same tagging speed or question-answering expectations. We will respond as soon as we can!

Comments

Jaguar ➤ in person because wHY THE HECK NOT, before the expedition 12/5

[jaegerbomb]

<sub>[ In an odd turn of events, Morga is the one to linger in the lodge after the rest of her hunting party has left to gather their equipment and supplies for the upcoming foray into the ruins. Any other time and she'd have been the first one out with bloodlust singing in her veins, but... not this time. She spent most of the "meeting" listening to tone of Jaguar's voice, watching his body language and quietly fussing over the great eagle she'd brought with. It'd be easy to assume that she was simply including the bird because he often went wherever she went, and the animal was more intelligent than he let on but it was also pretty obvious that he wasn't quite feeling himself.

No doubt from the thick mist that was no doubt getting to everyone at this point.

And with Jaguar evidently staying behind, that left Morga no other choice - she knew what she had to do, even if it gnawed at her inside to even consider it. ]</sub>

...I have a favor to ask of you before I go anywhere, boy.

[treasuremap]

[ As far as he's concerned, that's meeting adjourned. Jaguar's not one for goodbyes, or for dragging things out. Once the others start to disperse, he gets up and gathers up the parchment he'd spread across the table: a map, a hastily handwritten set of notes he'd been taking his cues from in lettering that could almost pass for Anglo but isn't, rolling them all up into scrolls in his hands. He's not expecting anyone to linger, least of all Morga, but it (or any reaction to "boy") hardly registers in his expression when he stops what he's doing to answer her. It's just the same serious, critical, and yet not quite cold as always. ]

...What is it?

VIPER > forward dating to 12/7 > medallion contact

[soulofmagus]

[ Things are calming down, the corrosive incense having dispersed and the temple’s resident evil dealt with. So it is that around midday on the 7th, Lao (one of the squad leaders left in Kiichpan) sends a message to The Viper herself. ]

‘Hey, Boss Lady? One of the outlanders showed up this morning, right out of the incense. Woman from our coterie, the one with fancy teal hair? She’s currently quarantined, seems pretty out of it due to the incense - last I heard she keeps insisting she died.

I know you sent word that things had been dealt with over there, but should we expect more lost stragglers to arrive back on foot?’

[treasuremap]

[ Viper, who had been drinking, half spits her mouthful back out at this report. ]

Died?! Yeah, they're all supposed to be arriving back on foot! Alive!

Whadya mean she came outta the incense? Are you sure it's the same person?

for eagle - Kiichpan

[jinxs]

(okay, she wasn't expecting to see him. she barely does, usually, so when she has the opportunity, she likes to take full advantage of it.

so seeing him from afar means she lunges at her full speed, jumping on his back and wrapping her arms around his neck, legs koala-ing the poor leader.)

Boss-man!

[treasuremap]

[ He's not exactly prepared for that, but in spite of his near waifish appearance, he holds her up just fine. Laughing with an oof and tilting his head back to get a glance at her over his shoulder. ]

And there she is, our little spitfire! In a good mood, in spite of everything that's happened. Just what I like to see.

Eagle - after healing the refugees in Coba 'cause he promised that + stories

[eidxiety]

[A promise is a promise, not that Ain has ever really struggled with healing people to begin with — it's sort of just something he does. The concept of maybe taking a break to eat or rest doesn't occur to him since he physically does not need either of those things — just needs to keep his mana above a certain level before he runs out of El energy and dissipates like dust on the wind — but beyond that, he's perfectly alright to spend all day healing people.

Belatedly, he recalls Eagle saying that when he's done fixing up the refugees, that he'd be compensated for his time — and he'd also promised the man stories, so. To the medallion!]

Mr. Eagle? Haha, you're not free right now, are you? I just finished taking care of injuries in Coba as instructed, and at the last minute I remembered that I owe you tales of adventure.

[He pauses then, like, is Eagle currently in Coba actually? and realises he has no idea what the guy even looks like so it's not like he can go scout him out if so. Oh well, if he's in another city, Ain will just make the journey there, it's no skin off his nose.]

[treasuremap]

Oh, yes! I am free, in fact, or as free as I can be with all this terrible responsibility thrust upon me.

[ Oh the humanity, having to shelter and take care of others. ]

I remember you, yes. I'm up at the top of the Eagles' tower if you'd like to meet me. Just say I sent for you if anyone asks, though I doubt they'll bother.

viper, soon after their network chat

[fallingsand]

[ As he'd said before, he wasn't far. They're literally in the same building, making it very easy to drop by once Viper's mentioned she's there, too.

Of course, half of that 'soon' is spent actually convincing himself to go through with dropping by and talking to her in person. It takes a moment. He gets there. Eventually. And it'll be with a very tentative and worried expression plainly written across his face that he finally arrives. ]

Uh, hello? Viper?

[treasuremap]

[ Viper's room was a lot neater before the whole debacle, but now it seems like everything she owns is scattered in every direction. The sealed relic is visible front and center in its space, untouchable for the ward around it. Viper herself looks... well, like utter crap, sitting sideways on the edge of her rumpled bed, turning her medallion around and around in her hand. When Bruno enters, she twists the chain around her wrist and sets it aside. ]

Aye, come in. Sorry for not standin'. Have a seat if you can find a clean spot to sit on.

Viper; start of February, weekish after coterie network broadcast - voice

[soulofmagus]

Viper. If I might have a moment of your time?

[treasuremap]

Sophia.

[ Said warmly enough, which is better than hotly and full of crazy-rage. ]

How can I be of service to ye?

@eagle

[jinxs]

BOSS FLORIAN MAN

top 5 best drinks GO

also i have a favor to ask you

[treasuremap]

1. White wine
2. Tequila and orange juice
3. Whiskey and lemon
4. The skunkiest beer imaginable, drunk all in one sitting
5. The blood of my enemies.

How can I be of service~?

VIPER In person???

[namestrees]

[Guess who finally made their way back to fucking Kiichpan.

It's been-- over a month, but a lot of that was spent as an emotionless Zombie. Then doing hot springs stuff and trying to learn how to control magic, and then crossing the entire continent--

Kiichpan is still a hot mess. Half flooded, half destroyed, but the reconstruction efforts are certainly coming along. He heads straight to the coterie building (assuming it's standing), giant dogmonster following at a lazy pace, tail swishing as they walk in. Last time he was in here he had barely paid attention to anything, focused only on the relic and the blinding, blistering rage within him. And walking in definitely brings a call back to those emotions, that sparking heat trying to find someplace to latch in his chest, before he's slowly sighing out a breath and shaking his head. At least he remembers where Viper's office is, where the sealing had took place.]

Hey... Viper? [He sticks his head in, knocking on the door after, like an idiot. The dog also sticks his head in and it's like some scooby-doo dumbass bullshit.]

Oh, hey, you look way less scaly. [A com...pliment???]

[treasuremap]

[ That invitation to work together was open in a Super Open capacity, as in "do or don't, whichever," so as the time's gone on, Viper hasn't worried very much about whether Lloyd is going to show up or not. He's not one of hers, and communicating with Jaguar fucking sucks—communicating with any of them sucks right now quite frankly, because they're all up to their eyeballs in busy. It's not unexpected when Lloyd (and his........... dog) poke their heads in, but she does look up from the mess of papers on her desk (maps, mostly of Kiichpan, outlining the damage and reconstruction plans) in surprise.

And then with a lame look and a very crooked smirk. ]

Good gods, what a flatterer. You must be a real hit with the ladies back where you come from. [ Or the men. Or both. Or Other. She doesn't judge. ] Heh, get in here, lad. Take a seat. You, uh... you and your...

...animal.

[ ??? ]

jaguar in person!

[abyssions]

[Yuri and Flynn have no choice but to make a pit stop in Tikal on their way back to Kiichpan, but Yuri would have gone out of his way for it anyway. He's not terribly impressed with the coterie leaders at the moment, but really, Viper is the only one he's had any real interaction with. The most he's seen of Jaguar is a few passing glimpses.

If he's a part of this man's guild (and a guild is how he can't help but think of it), he wants to know how the guy thinks. Which requires tracking him down and picking his brain. Or badgering him, he's certain Flynn would say.

So, Yuri catches Jaguar when the guy looks relatively free, and greets him in that casual way he greets everyone. Ranks are fake.]

Got a minute?

[treasuremap]

[ Relatively free is a fair assessment, seeing as Jaguar is basically addicted to fighting and doesn't ever seem to rest. Come back from monster hunting, go straight to the arena for squad training. And so on. But he has to head back to base to do other work sometime, and seems more than happy for an excuse to stop squinting at maps and reports when Yuri arrives.

Or... okay, well, Jaguar never looks happy. But he does look attentive, nodding his head in a gesture to come in. ]

Of course. What do you need?

viper / medallion, around the 15th

[comelately]

[ he is still in Kiichpan, if only because it'd be more of a pain in the ass for him to try and move out - and, along the same line of thought, that's why he's calling instead of going to see her in person. Between the stairs and the rubble, it'd be more trouble than it's worth. ]

Hey, Miss Viper. You got a minute?

[ Johnny doesn't sound urgent, but he does sound serious. ]

I need to ask you about something.

[treasuremap]

[ She's quick to answer, so she must not have been particularly busy. ]

'Course, lad. What's up?

around the time of For A Good Cause - Viper, AT Y'ALL'S LEISURE

[indeferent]

<sub>[ It's strange seeing Kiichpan looking much, much more lively over the coming days when he compares it to how somber her people felt and looked when he and the gang first arrived. Instead of the air being thick with sorrow and tragedy, there was life being breathed back into her crumbled streets and markets. People were being people again, and when rumors were circulating about not only Viper but the other leaders being in town? That was cause for Gladio to start sniffing around

Besides, he had a few things to pick up anyway. What he wasn't expecting was to see Viper herself, and while her appearance gives him pause? His attention is drawn towards that funky looking contraption in the hands of a volunteer. ]</sub>

Sorry, 'scuse me- Uh. Ma'am? Miss? What is that?

[treasuremap]

[ It's depressing to think there are new arrivals that never saw Kiichpan in all its glory, the Most Prosperous City, her pride and joy. But funnily enough, there're a lot of people who haven't, and a good chunk of them are Vipers. Irony sure is a big old bitch!! But this—this is a taste of what it was, and she's happy with that, actually sort of grinning while she lingers at the market stand, and just a little bit more when she gets called "miss" and "ma'am." ]

Just "Viper"'s fine. That right there, m'boy, is the one and only The Claw. [ The "The" is a required part of its name. ] It'll get you up'n over any obstacle in seconds flat. Wanna give it a spin?

Eagle, aroundabouts the end of February

[fallingsand]

[ Okay, okay, so Bruno never actually agreed to look into how any of the distilling in Coba worked for Silco, but there's something to be said about being curious enough now that the thought was in his head. If he was already passing back through Coba on the way to Kiichpan, what could it hurt to ask?

And so ask he did. Originally, he only meant to ask around at Viento, given it was the most sensible place to start asking about the distilleries in Coba, but it would be just his luck that one of the Eagles there he would ask would... literally be Eagle.

Look, he only knows what Viper looks like, okay? He can't totally be blamed for posing the question to the coterie's leader by sheer accident here, but whether directly or because someone else flagged their leader down to handle Bruno instead, it would be inevitable. ]

[treasuremap]

[ It sure would be. Eagle would've jumped at the chance to pester him anyway, but when he hears the siren's call of "someone with a medallion asking questions," there's no resisting it. He exercises his remarkable talent for Magically Showing Up and just so happens to be there at Viento when the questions start coming in, jumping in right on cue like this is all just a stage play.

If only it were. There's a tragic lack of theater here. ]

You know... they say the best way to really learn is to experience it for yourself. How about a tour of the facilities~? Perhaps you'll even receive a souvenir at the end!

Jaguar, just a quick note in the journal actually because translations don't work otherwise OTL

[fallingsand]

[ Sometime into March, a note about something interesting about the maze and its various ghosts is left for Jaguar via journal. ]

The wraiths in the proving grounds turned out to be affected by salt. It's considered an old bit of folklore about dissuading malicious spirits from entering homes back in my own world. They won't like coming in contact with it and a line of salt will stop them.

I don't know how useful that will be for helping make the grounds safer but anyone using it might want to consider carrying a pouch of salt just in case.

Hope that helps,
B Madrigal

[ It was essentially a drive-by note from Bruno. There's no real expectation of a response. ]

salamander, voice via medallion

[cyberlife]

Is this Miss Aminat?

...

Ma'am, my name is Connor.

(here we go.)

Initially, I was going to ask you a question about laundry, but I have since procured some soap. (he says, as though salamander were involved with his debate about soap versus detergent. now she can stop worrying about a non-issue she never knew she had to worry about!) I have something more important to discuss with you now—if, of course, you can spare a moment of your time.

Sorry for the delay!

[treasuremap]

Connor, yes, of course. I'm glad you've found the soap.

[ She sounds a little bit amused, but mostly really that patient, like she might actually mean it, too. ]

What can I help you with, dear?

to eagle... heres drunk texting

[jinxs]

hey FLORIAN

[treasuremap]

Yes, JINX? How can I be of service?

Salamander, Voice

[takingchances]

I'm sorry it's taken me this long to introduce myself, Miss Aminat. I'm Eva Rosalene, one of the new recruits. I've been mostly in the library and introducing myself around as much as I can. I'm mostly just messaging you now to introduce myself but if you need anything from me, my door is always open.

[A pause. Is this right to ask the coterie leader? She'd have pretty freely asked her bosses back home but it was sort of a different relationship too. ... Eh, couldn't hurt.]

Okay, maybe one question. I'm not thoroughly familiar with the cuisine here but there seems to be a pretty good amount of ingredients and all. I like to think I'm a good baker so ... what dish would you recommend for a birthday party?

[Her tone sounds amused. There's a certain sort of "OooOOo" razzle dazzle to the way she says 'mysteriously' too.]

I don't really know the person it's for but she called me a 'mysterious stranger' so now I've got to bring something and leave it mysteriously.

[Apparently without Neil to joke with she's choosing to do so with anyone she can.]

[treasuremap]

Ah, yes. It's good to speak with you properly. Have you been settling in adequately? If there's anything I or the coterie can offer you, please let me know and we will do our best to get it to you.

[ There's a brief pause, apparently out of surprise, but then Salamander hmms softly in what's apparently a patient sort of laugh. ]

I'm afraid I've never been one for parties, myself, but... if it's for a birthday, then... hmm. I believe you could find the ingredients for a rice pudding here. There is one I was most fond of, growing up, that was made with only a few things. Rice, milk and nectar to sweeten it. Then you could add vanilla and canella for flavor. Lightly scorch the creamy surface to form a shell beneath an open flame after it's finished baking, and there you have it.

viper, medallion

[fallingsand]

[ After taking a good day or two of trying to unravel the "water acting weird and also this giant fish" vision, well, Bruno's not sure he's got anything too useful to let Viper in on but... ]

Hey, Viper? I know you didn't ask me to, uh. Take a peek at how the expedition goes or anything but. [ He did anyway. Look, people he cares about are planning on going, okay? ] Not that I want to get your hopes up too much. It wasn't a straightforward vision. Definitely a bit. Odd.

[treasuremap]

You wha— [ Sighing. ] Augh, lad, you didn't. Didn't we agree that's risky?

[ And yet... this time she really can't help herself. It hardly takes a whole half a second. ]

What'd you see? Was it about our trip?

Eagle; Medallion

[soulofmagus]

Hello Eagle.

I'm sure you've heard Salamander's recent announcement, and no doubt some of the responses to it. While speaking with one of the younger members of the coteries, a thought occurred to me that there was a question perhaps only you might have some answers to. If you have a few minutes for me?

[treasuremap]

Why hel-lo my dear Sophia! Yes, I heard an awful lot of prattling about in circles recently, it's true.

With younger members of the coteries, you say? Oh, I'm so curious now! Yes, of course I have time. How can I be of service?

The Relic Spirit In Viper's Bedroom; action

[namestrees]

[ A continuation from here!]

[In what is probably a very poorly thought out plan, Lloyd presses his bare hands to that magical plexiglass surrounding the relic, brows furrowed as he tries to figure out how this will even work. Last time he'd touched the relic itself and heard that voice directly in his head. Now he might have to-- call attention to it?]

Ah... Hello? It's me again. You got a second?

[Yeah he's just talking at the barrier, as though they can just yell at each other through it. It's fine, they'll figure it out.]

[treasuremap]

[ While the rest of the room is otherwise completely normal, and the space inside the barrier is clear and free of incense, the influence of the relic (or the creature inside of it) is a different story. For one thing, the barrier feels somewhat hot to the touch, as if it were the door to an oven. Hunter will be able to feel that should he get close enough, but the influence of the guardian itself latches immediately on to Lloyd. It can't reach him through the seal, but he might still be able to sense the distant suggestion of hatred and simmering rage before the voice inside starts to speak. ]

You...

[ The voice is more of a chilling whisper, muffled by the barrier and reverberating oddly in the sealed space. Even the sinister but strangely satisfied laughter sounds kind of ghostly. ]

You've come ssseeking more power?

Salamander, text;

[crimsoncrow]

Aminat? Law and I have a few concerns that we feel ought to be brought to your attention and if possible, get an idea as to what we should do.

I'll keep it as short as I can because I don't know how/when/why it happened exactly, but he seems to have grown a tail while I've kept that heightened sense of smell I normally only wind up with when we both change into beasts. Is this _{[ A blot of ink- ]} something we have to worry about getting worse over time? Or could we be sick with something?

[treasuremap]

A tail?

[ That's all she writes for a long moment, clearly somewhat baffled. ]

I don't know that tails and enhanced senses are indicative of a sickness, and it's not unheard of for effects to linger well after you've been exposed... conversely, what we call "mist sickness" is a very real thing, it's just that it's precisely that: an illness, something that can lead to coma or even death. But you'd know if you had that, you'd barely be able to move, let alone write.

If I may, how long has this been going on for the two of you? And what would you say your exposure to the incense has been like since the effects started happening? It's alright if you aren't sure... your best guess is fine.

@viper @salamander

[hanyous]

let me smell your relics.

[treasuremap]

not fucking happening i'm not letting any more dumbasses anywhere near this thing.

Salamander | in-person

[burtgang]

[After both Jaguar's information on the journal and all the research that Bruno's team collected, Sarah has some questions that she hopes can be answered from the source.]

Excuse me, Aminat? If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you some questions about how you came to Copalli in the fist place.

sorry for the delay!

[treasuremap]

[ Salamander is often surrounded by tomes and pages and various magical artifacts, but today it's almost entirely maps, some with various notes written on them in what appears to be some sort of Arabic script. So it's conveniently topical. ]

A hundred years ago? I remember that well, especially after... what the incense reminded me of a few months ago. Would you like to sit? Sorry about the mess.