Accountability.

[explosivecombat]

There are all sorts of secrets to this place, really, ways to get from place to place reasonably unnoticed. Some of those ways involve the ability to shift one's appearance, some of them involve shadows and vessels and darkness; for those without those sorts of gifts, though, one has to rely on more conventional means. Panels and doorways, joins and seams that don't join up quite right; portions of the wall that will open up if you manipulate them properly. The Conductor himself tends to rely on the latter; he is, after all, entirely human. He's thin, as though he doesn't eat terribly much, but his clothes are immaculate and sharply-tailored, a suit and long coat all in white and shades of pale grey; his hair is long, trailing at least halfway down his back in a thin, tightly-tied ponytail, and his eyes are cold when he moves to stand at the thirtieth podium – it's not his, it never has been, but it's going to do for now. He doesn't seem anxious at all about being here; there's nothing nervous in his demeanor, and he's keeping his head up, perfectly willing to look everyone in the face. There's a definite arrogance about him, as is probably to be expected, though he'll certainly acknowledge everyone once he's there – when he bows it's enough to be respectful, but not nearly enough to expose the back of his neck. When he speaks, his voice is recognizable but it's quiet, far moreso than one would assume him to be based on the volume of the intercom alone; his tone is even, almost unsettlingly calm given the circumstances, though there's a hardness to it that never quite goes away. "It's a pleasure to speak to all of you in person; I'd say that it's almost a shame that the circumstances have to be what they are, but I'm not going to insult your intelligence like that." He straightens up then; the smile he's offering is understated, but it's not particularly nice. "I understand that we have a fair amount to discuss; shall we begin?" Your host for the evening, everyone; let's start.

Comments

[sunsong]

Alchemist? Aren't those people who try to turn metal into gold or find eternal life or whatever?

[explosivecombat]

Well, technically we could do that first one, but it would be a waste of one's talent to be so narrowly-focused. The only thing transmuting gold is good for is upsetting the economy, we actually have laws in place against doing it.

[oftheland]

It's cute how you act like those laws still exist when anyone who would actually enforce them is dead as hell.

[sunsong]

[ snort of laughter from his right ]

[explosivecombat]

The fact that they're all so horribly dead also makes the value of gold drop quite a bit - so it's something of a moot point to begin with, wouldn't you agree?

[sunsong]

...you don't have a settin' other than "smug", do you.

[explosivecombat]

I'm told it's a flaw of mine.

[oftheland]

True, true. I guess if there's nobody to sell it to, the only thing you can do with it is make pretty things out of it or... something.

[explosivecombat]

Exactly, and it's really not worth the effort once the novelty wears off.

[oftheland]

Yeah, I bet it really does get kind of boring when you're partially responsible for the deaths of practically everyone else with the capacity for rational thought.

[sunsong]

So alchemists are - uh, were? - common here, then? I mean, if there are laws regulatin' that shit...honestly, I don't know a lot about the topic. Just that fairy-story shit about Nicholas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone.

[ which...turned stuff to gold?

the extent of her knowledge has now been reached, although she's pretty sure - ]

...Didn't those Harry Potter books have that? [ ok now we've reached the end of her alchemy knowledge

99% sure shit went down in the first one with the philosopher's stone ]

[explosivecombat]

They certainly were - most were civilians, though there were quite a few of us in the military. We were more or less a specialized unit, and we were a bit frowned upon by the people in general; aiding the military with our talents was seen as disobeying one of the fundamental principles of performing alchemy to begin with.

I'm curious about what you've heard regarding philosopher's stones, however, because those things most definitely do exist here.

[announcemyvictory]

Do there are more than one? From how Sol was speaking, I thought it was a single item.

[sunsong]

It was like the goal of every alchemist or what the fuck ever. I really don't know much about it, it's literally just like...a kid's book series...

[blazeit]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the philosopher's stone is definite, absolute fiction where I'm from.

... Although I bet somebody's got the power to make gold where I'm from.

[sunsong]

Same here, on both counts.

[sunsong]

Uh, I think Voldemort wanted it so he could live forever? Because they granted eternal life or...something. And the metal to gold thing.

[ ... ]

Is your boss Voldemort?

[ it wouldn't be the stupidest thing to happen today ]

[explosivecombat]

...I'm sorry?

[sunsong]

[ LOOK

okay no this is a dumb question but this is a dumb day and she's so done with smuggity mc smuggerson over here and weirder things have happened ]

Your boss is this god entity, right? But he wasn't a god originally? Is he like, creepily into not dying or anything? Does he stalk young boys and try repeatedly to kill them? Like, is he Voldemort?

[ SHE'S NOT EVEN BEING SERIOUS although at this point she half expects a yes. ]

Talk to snakes?

...

I know, I know, dumb questions, I'm just majorly done. What do your philosopher's stones do?

1/2

[explosivecombat]

...I...what?

[...What...does he do with any of this.]

[explosivecombat]

[OKAY LOOK LET'S JUST-]

The philosopher's stones are items that allow us to do something I mentioned earlier - to put it in layman's terms, they allow us to perform miracles. To bypass the laws of the world.

[sunsong]

So that's the energy-whatever that brought us here, or? That's what you were talkin' about earlier, isn't it?

[ ??? literal magic? ]

[ninehundredlives]

He's a sort of...really pale guy without a nose?

I never saw those movies.

[explosivecombat]

[thank you based susan, he supposes]

...No, not at all.

[ninehundredlives]

I'm glad we've established that.

[God: Does Not Look Like Voldemort]