20:58 <banana> Mari's pretty busy with what she calls "swotvac". In lieu of active assistance, she's given Bob... a list. 20:59 <tom> Bob’s the kind of guy that likes simple instructions. 20:59 <banana> SUMI'S FRIENDS (don't piss anyone else off (baby it'll be ok)) 20:59 <banana> -------------- 21:00 <tom> Better underline that bit in the parens. 21:03 <banana> Riann - fuckbuddy is what she says 21:03 <banana> @ Irwell Grove, just south of our place 21:03 <banana> Joanna - hung out with Sumi before i did, probably knows something 21:03 <banana> @ 34 Millgate in Bury. call ahead 21:03 <banana> Premson - mentor in this.. thing they do. it's like a mail catalogue for goblins 21:03 <banana> @ he lives in every garbage bin. find one of the big green ones, ignore the smell, knock in this special pattern 21:05 <banana> Paul Z. - flatmate 21:05 <banana> @ corner of fairy & rhine in Cheetwood. where sumi also lives, so... 21:06 <banana> These are the four changelings who know the way to a woman's heart. 21:07 <tom> Gonna be ignoring that one for now, as he can’t guarantee she’ll be there and complicate things. He’ll start with uh, Joanna, who he remembers being generally agreeable and polite. The tall woman with the smile that never really made it to the eyes. 21:07 <banana> Most of the addresses aren't too far away, but Bury is way up north ('oop north', they say around here). It's technically a separate town, but part of the same 'county'. 21:07 <banana> Has Bob got any access to transportation yet? There's always Uber. 21:08 <tom> Bob is going to need to take some sort of UK driving course before he risks a roundabout. Uber it is for now. That’s not a problem, he’s not carrying anything illegal. Or doing anything illegal. 21:08 <tom> But first he’ll call ahead, as directed. He’s starting to get the paranoia now. 21:09 <tom> He’s got a shitty burner phone. It’s got text.. but the list didn’t say anything about texting. 21:10 <banana> On the phone, Joanna Maybe sounds... surprised. She doesn't object to him dropping round. "Our Mari did say you'd make an effort, get t' know us. I'll warn you that there are few things the Winter Hill dislikes more than being known or seen." 21:10 <banana> "I'll be in until bedtime." 21:10 <tom> “Thanks.” Hangs up. Spooky. 21:11 <tom> He’ll queue up an uber and burn through a cigarette, standing out there in the cold. 21:12 <tom> It’s not a long drive, ‘oop’ north. 21:14 <tom> He briefly considers knocking on a trashcan- sorry, garbage bin, and just getting that one done now. But that’s... there’s no way that’s a real thing, right? 21:14 <tom> Right? 21:14 <tom> She’s gotta be fucking with him here. 21:15 <tom> ...Maybe after he gets a general view of the terrain first. 21:16 <banana> The terrain: https://limits.thomascastiglione.com/media/bury.jpg 21:16 <banana> That's the long view of Bury, Lancashire. Joanna's home is at the end of a row of townhouses by a church: https://limits.thomascastiglione.com/media/bury-joanna.jpg 21:17 <tom> Looks nice. 21:17 <banana> It's pretty middle-of-nowhere, but everywhere in this country has SOMETHING in it. 21:17 <banana> The cities are small, though, unsprawling. The drive from Manchester took half an hour or less. 21:18 <tom> It feels like the whole country could fit in a back yard sometimes. 21:18 <banana> Bob can hear a great many bolts and chains rattle before the door opens for him. Joanna's looking fairly self-assured on the other side - there was a peephole - but she's still a bit fundamentally confused about the idea he's come over for a chat. 21:19 <tom> The townhouse has high ceilings, right? 21:20 <banana> Reasonably high, but there's also a second storey. The lack of heat pools up there, and you notice that everything is carpeted. 21:20 <banana> Suspicion hasn't stopped Joanna from preparing tea. "Do you take milk, Goreman?" 21:20 <banana> She has a teapot with intricate chinese characters on it, and a tea-cosy that looks hand-knitted. Everything in the parlour is fluffy. 21:21 <tom> Bob will be apologetic as he explains the basics of the situation- he angered Sumiya and wants to make right by her, wants to prove he isn’t someone to be causing problems, that Mari told him Joanna goes way back. ”...Sure, that sounds great.” 21:22 <tom> There’s something really off about all this. Not the scary kind, though, which is a nice change of pace. 21:22 <tom> Is she a knitter, then? Just slowly covering every surface with a little sweater.. 21:23 <banana> He gets a cup with a strong smell and a splash of milk to mitigate it. "I have to say.." Joanna regards Bob from her vantage point, eyes slightly above his when they're both seated. "It's a bit of an American stereotype. Barging into a situation, ignoring the niceties. Probably in this case that wasn't the main thing going on." 21:23 <tom> “Yeah, no, I.. lied to her.” 21:23 <banana> "Because of your job?" 21:24 <tom> “Yeah. I mean, there’s... reasons for why we didn’t operate openly under light of day back home. Some of the reasons aren’t even bad.” 21:25 <tom> “But I guess that’s all behind now.” 21:25 <banana> Joanna: "You won't get any argument from me in re: the necessity of secrets." 21:25 <banana> "Sumi's a good girl. She gets too deep into herself, but it doesn't last. At this point she probably won't care that you were a doyle and just wants to see some sign of caring." 21:26 <tom> Bob relaxes a bit, enjoys the tea. Is the whole place done up like Grandma’s Cozy Home? 21:26 <banana> Only Joanna is out of place. She could be the right age for the aesthetic, it's difficult to tell, but she doesn't *fit* it; angular, rapid-moving, like someone used to wearing shoulderpads. 21:27 <tom> “Mari said you’ve known her since forever. What do you recommend?” 21:28 <tom> “Unless it’s one of those things where.. she can tell I’m just doing what someone else said.. and gets madder.” 21:28 <tom> He ponders on this while the tea cools. 21:30 <banana> Joanna pours herself - and you - another cup of tea. "No shame in taking advice, Goreman. I knew Sumiya better when.. before she joined Winter, actually. She's changed a bit, as we all hope to do. But fundamentally.. she'll be looking for good intentions. I suggest you do something comes from the heart, not a bought gift or anything like that." 21:30 <tom> He’ll have removed his glasses now, if he hadn’t already. This isn’t the kind of conversation you have with someone without looking them in the eye. Rubs the bridge of his nose. 21:34 <tom> He straightens his posture and nods. ”That... I can do.” He enjoys the tea, some unrelated chit-chat. Probably the only thing she wants is a normal conversation. Then he’ll nod, thank her for her time, and roll out. 21:35 <tom> It’s after he’s out the door that he remembers the stuff Mari said about her people and it all just feels like way too much. 21:35 <banana> The price of these rides seems so much less important than it used to. Bob could catch a taxi to Scotland without feeling it, as long as the Hunt continues. 21:36 <banana> Is he going to visit Riann back near home... or look for a dumpster? 21:36 <tom> Next stop: Irwell Grove. Back towards the fdlat. 21:37 <tom> flat 21:37 <banana> This is a place he's been a couple of times now. Coetzee is a jovial guy, always friendly to Bob.. although kind of condescending to 21:37 <tom> Dumpster seems like the thing you do after you’ve wrapped up the in-person interviews. 21:37 <banana> Mari at times. And he's Sumi's 'something'. 21:38 <tom> That will go uncommented on if he can help it. 21:38 <tom> He’s- you know, you’re one of Sumi’s friends. That’s what it says on the paper, that I will not be showing you. 21:38 <banana> The stone townhouse has a similar basic plan to Joanna's. Ringing the bell gets results after a couple of minutes of chair-scraping and footsteps. 21:39 <banana> "Ah," says Riann at the door. "You'd better come in. I'll wrap up this document and make us some tea." 21:39 <tom> “Coetzee, hey.” Bob steps inside, does his best to get out of the man’s way. 21:41 <banana> The kitchen was always occupied at the dinner party, so this is the first time he's been through there. It's tiled like the main hall and bathroom, with an old fridge, cupboards groaning with spices, and multiple kettles. 21:41 <tom> Bob won’t object to more tea. That stuff has caffeine in it, right? He isn’t sure. 21:41 <banana> "Hard water," Riann explains. 21:42 <tom> Bob, not sure if he’s getting the context: ”Hard water?” 21:43 <banana> Riann: "It's the limestone. Not bad for your health, but it ruins dishes!" 21:43 <banana> The changeling taps some leaves out of a tin into a pot - more chinese characters on this one - sets water boiling, then retreats upstairs to close down whatever he was doing on the computer. 21:44 <banana> A few minutes later, he's watching Bob mildly over the rim of his cup. The living room's comfortable but a far cry from Joanna's wool and lace. 21:44 <banana> "I do have some inkling of why you'd be here, Bob." 21:47 <tom> If anyone he’s met in the Tor looks like they can handle themselves in a fight, it’s Riann. Of course, Joanna is a giant woman, and if Bob’s recent rewatches of the early Steven Universe seasons with Mari (she wakes him up for the fights) have taught him anything, it’s that those can throw down ably as well. 21:48 <banana> It's the way he carries himself. Physically confident, whether of a fight or his ability to catch up with a departing bus. 21:49 <tom> “Oh, no, I don’t need you to help me blow anything up,” he chuckles. ”I’m actually- you know, it’s embarrassing-” 21:50 <tom> He’ll explain the shape of the situation, adjusting the dial depending on how Riann reacts to the news that he’s made Sumiya upset. 21:50 <banana> Riann: "I'm disappointed mate but not surprised." Riann doesn't have the northern accent a lot of people around here do.. he sounds vaguely British, but not that kind of British. "You let me know if you do need a bagman." 21:50 <tom> The last thing Bob wants right now is to get clocked in the face by any more tractor-shaped objects. 21:51 <tom> “Oh yeah, no worries dude, I am really looking forward to see how you guys scrap.” 21:51 <banana> The main way he reacts is that it isn't news. "Yep. I know about that. The question I have is, do you know how you upset the girl?" 21:51 <tom> “....She didn’t like when I lied?” 21:52 <tom> <--- Clueless 21:53 <banana> Riann takes his empty teacup and refills it deliberately. "That's not the main issue Bob. From what I hear, and this may not be how you saw it, you went from zero to making demands." 21:54 <tom> Well of course she told him her side of the story. Seems sort of obvious in retrospect, doesn’t it 21:55 <tom> “I got heated, yeah. I got..” He squints. ”No.. you’re right.” 21:55 <banana> "Oversharing and expecting the same. Sumi says Bir-Medwar calmed you down by spilling some of her own story, which is certainly hers to tell. Does that still sound right?" 21:56 <tom> “I have learned a lot in the last two days.” 21:56 <banana> Riann: "That's good!" 21:57 <tom> Bob, who is trying to hide his absolute horror at this take on the events: ”I would have handled things different if I knew.” 21:58 <banana> "You know, there's a lot we would all change if we could go back to it." 21:58 <banana> "That not being the case, you'll have to handle things differently from now on instead." 21:59 <tom> He claps his hands in the armchair. ”What’s your professional recommendation?” 22:00 <tom> “Sometimes... the things that come out of my mouth... are frankly, baffling.” 22:00 <tom> “When you’re Valkyrie they just teach you to be pure reflex, you know. Nerve twitch response, all Id.” 22:01 <banana> Riann looks wry for a moment. "Oh, I'm no Lensburg. You'll have to settle for a personal rec." 22:02 <banana> "That's the military force you were in? Explaining can't hurt, if it's now safe to do so. But the main thing Sumi will want to hear is why you won't do it again." 22:04 <tom> “We can talk about it later. Still need to debrief you guys properly on Cheiron, see if you can’t get the word out to-” he waves it off. ”I think I am starting to feel it.” 22:04 <tom> “This isn’t a world that rewards that much openness. Too much exposure.” 22:05 <banana> Riann: "You have the gist. Trading in each others' vulnerabilities... we don't do that under this hill. Not in this second lease on life. We don't force each other into disclosures or use guilt as a weapon. It works too well, reminds us of where we've been and then we can only see the faerie, not the man." 22:07 <tom> The pieces are coming together. ”So when I said she should get it- that was me telling her that because of what happened.. she should.. oh Jesus.” 22:07 <tom> “You ever feel like a real dumb piece of shit, Coetzee?” 22:07 <banana> Coetzee's said his piece, but you're not totally persona non grata: he offers you another cup. 22:08 <tom> He takes it. As with everything offered by these people, including their weird gravy puddings. 22:08 <tom> He heads briskly out the door determined to put this to rest before people get the wrong idea. 22:08 <banana> The roommate? Or the business partner? 22:10 <tom> The roommate. Bob’s not a smart man, but he knows how to avoid making things worse if he tries. 22:11 <tom> So he’ll see if they respond to texts asking if it’s okay to meet. If that’s not weird? This is all kind of weird. 22:12 <tom> Oh, come on, man. You are a Corporal in the United States Army. 22:12 <tom> He’d rather face a pandoran. 22:14 <banana> +44434956180: [Tyagabrahmam is out working. You can come over, Im excited to put a face to the myth. Do a cool soldier pose at the gate cam and Ill know its you.] 22:16 <tom> Well, that’s better than what he got from Coetzee, although he’s coming to understand he probably deserved it. The camera at the door gets to see Bob present finger guns (9mm). 22:17 <tom> Was paul at the meet&greet? 22:17 <tom> Paul 22:18 <banana> Cheetwood is pretty suburban. Bob's come to a sharehouse on the corner of Fairy Street (do they do this on purpose?); a moderately sized stone house on a much larger lot, festooned with cameras. The sun is going down, and in the shadows of the dilapidated property's rock garden he sees what might be tripwires. 22:18 <tom> He will not be triggering those, thank you very much. 22:18 <banana> Paul Z. was not at the dinner party. There's a buzz and click from the front gate, then answering click from the front door, which is down a short path of stones. 22:20 <tom> Well, he’s met Rolf, so the perfidious albionese hold no further horrors for him. 22:20 <tom> Bob will progress inside, hopefully not face-first into a claymore. 22:20 <banana> There's music playing as Bob walks up, but it cuts off. A prematurely middle aged guy in a t-shirt and baseball cap opens the door, looking him up and down with great interest. "Muscles. The haircut. Is that a holster i see beneath your shirt?" It isn't. 22:21 <tom> “I don’t carry off-mission,” he replies, as if an apology. 22:21 <banana> Paul: "Not a problem. Follow me to the Grand Vault." 22:22 <banana> He leads you inside, briskly passing darkened rooms. Apologetically: "I'd offer you tea, but we're cutting back this month." 22:22 <tom> “I have had so much god damn tea, man, thank you. Where’s the bathroom, real quick?” 22:23 <tom> There are downsides to just never refusing anything offered, but refusing is also the quickest way to sour things. 22:23 <banana> One stubby finger indicates its direction. Paul waits patiently by a basement stair for your return, browsing some blue social media site. 22:24 <tom> So.. ”The vault?” 22:25 <tom> He’s back shortly, smile restored. 22:25 <tom> “I thought I’d get a.. sorry.. colder reception. Everyone’s being real.. understanding.” 22:26 <tom> “I’m starting to learn I’m not the first absolute rube to stumble into your guys’ business.” 22:26 <banana> "Here." He leads you into what looks like a closet, but is actually a narrow sub-level access. There's a metal grate with sophisticated electronic locks. "Before we proceed.. Mari vouches for you, but she's in love. Make me a promise." 22:26 <tom> “Alright.” 22:26 <banana> Paul: "Swear you won't enter this place without my say, you won't divulge its contents outside the Winter Hill, you won't take anything from the room without my say." 22:27 <tom> “I swear that I, Bob Goreman, won’t enter this place without your permission, won’t talk about it to anyone outside the Winter Hill, and I won’t take anything with me unless you say so.” 22:28 <tom> After: ”Will I just get instantly pasted if I go back on that?” 22:28 <tom> Should he have raised his hand? Shook on it? 22:29 <banana> Paul snaps his fingers. The gesture is unimpressive, but it takes hold of your limbic system and grips - Bob feels the potential pasting in every nerve of his body. 22:29 <tom> That answers that. 22:29 <tom> “I guess you can’t just be careless with your words, huh.” 22:29 <banana> "In a word, yes." He unlocks the door. This involves a key and a passcode; there's a retinal scanner, but it appears to be broken. 22:30 <tom> He politely looks away while he keys it in. 22:31 <banana> The so-called Grand Vault is just a wine cellar, but all the racks are filled with weaponry. Mostly modern firearms, mostly civilian class - not in this country, of course. There are also grenades, some specialised armour inserts, an array of knives on a special circular display and an M72 LAW. 22:31 <tom> “Okay, yeah, here we go.” 22:31 <banana> Paul trots inside. "Nice place for a chat, right?" 22:31 <tom> Bob instantly relaxes. 22:32 <tom> “Now I remember. Mari said you work with Premson.” 22:33 <banana> Paul: "Ah, I try. The man's a nut." There's nowhere to sit down, but he doesn't seem to care. "One of the good nuts. That's why you're here, or something? To go for good nut status?" 22:34 <tom> “I accidentally beefed up with Sumiya and I’m trying to get it right.” There’s so much he wants to ask the guy- and so much of it has absolutely nothing with the problem he’s trying to fix here. Infuriating. 22:34 <tom> “Mari told you how we met, right?” 22:34 <tom> “Originally, before I knew any of you guys.” 22:34 <banana> "Mm. I piss her off about once a month.. sometimes by implying it's once a month.. this sounds more serious?" 22:35 <banana> Paul: "What she's told us is that you rescued her from monster hunters, the bad kind. Some of the details, the daring escape. Leaving your own similar occupation behind." 22:36 <banana> "That you're not one of us but you could be a good friend and could use some good friends." 22:36 <tom> “Yeah that’s the basics. I didn’t know her deal at the time. I didn’t know her deal until yesterday, ten minutes after I tried to guilt Sumiya into being cool with my weird bullshit because of something I didn’t understand.” 22:37 <tom> “So I’m doing the apology tour. But there will come a day-” He gestures at the rocket launcher. ”Where we talk about that.” 22:37 <banana> Paul: "That's on Mari to some extent, you know? She hasn't been.. back.. much longer than you've been together. Inexperienced. But skilled. And very loyal." 22:38 <tom> Bob, quietly: ”I get why she wouldn’t want to tell the whole story.” 22:38 <tom> Brighter, now: ”So you’re like, the security guy?” 22:38 <banana> "We are perhaps too committed to our secrets," says the man who lives in a landmined panopticon guarding a secret gun vault. 22:39 <tom> Bob is jealous. 22:39 <tom> “I hope you won’t get mad for just assuming you all had magic swords or something. A LAW is much more my style.” 22:40 <banana> Paul: "I just make sure backup's available. If I had to fire these things.. I'm not much good past 20 feet." 22:40 <tom> Bob’s not sure what he means, but doesn’t want to push it. 22:41 <banana> "Count Starling has a magic sword, of course. Caliburn Crucis. Like the Vault, if he ever has to use it again.. we'll be glad to have it, but unhappy for the occasion." 22:41 <banana> "Tell me, Bob. Are you coming to the Solstice?" 22:41 <tom> “Is it like a big-ass zweihander?” 22:42 <tom> “I’ve never seen Cirque du Soleil before.” 22:43 <tom> The whole possibly-gay maybe-french acrobatics thing was the forbidden fruit of the midwest. 22:43 <banana> In the brightly lit cellar, Paul blinks. You see multiple expressions pass over his face before he settles on, "We'll see whether they're doing invitations for this year soon enough." 22:44 <banana> "If you want to apologise to Sumiya... well, there's one thing that always works for me." 22:44 <tom> “Do they usually let muggles tag along?” 22:44 <tom> He shuts up, of course. 22:44 <banana> Paul: "What I do is, I waive her share of the utilities for the month and stock the freezer with treats. Rank bribery." 22:45 <tom> “I appreciate the information but feel that is of limited use to me.” 22:45 <tom> “What kind of treats?” 22:45 <banana> "I'm not very good at talking to girls either." 22:45 <tom> Feel felt. 22:46 <banana> Paul ticks them off on his fingers. "Boiled lollies, the kind you used to get in village sweet shops.. fish fingers but not Birds.. any kind of icecream other than vanilla.. and she loves jalebi, which is easy to make with some bread rolls and yoghurt." 22:47 <tom> This is good information. Old timey candy isn’t... good, but maybe it has nostalgia value? Shit, all of these people are way older than they look, aren’t they.. 22:48 <tom> Oh. ”Oh, one last thing.” 22:48 <tom> “I’m being told to knock on.. a garbage can.. to talk to Premson.” 22:48 <tom> “Am I being hazed or is that a thing.” 22:48 <tom> “I am absolutely okay if this is to make me look stupid. I can take my lumps like a good soldier.” 22:48 <banana> You think that's what's behind the way Mari gets talked-down-to a bit. She's probably less than Bob's age (and looks significantly younger). 22:49 <tom> Whatever Sumi likes is probably still better than turkish delight. 22:49 <tom> What a crippling blow to his esteem of the English. 22:51 <banana> Paul starts locking up the vault, having left everything on the shelves. There isn't much dust, and you see a small workshop, so he probably does maintain them. "Not a hazing. You will need to knock correctly, while in possession of a locally grown sprig, and pick a bin large enough to physically enter. Personally, I'd wait for him to come out." 22:52 <tom> “I only refer to the trash as my home when I’m doing a bit. Are you telling me someone like, made him live like that? And he’s still doing it?” 22:53 <tom> Bob shuts himself up before he goes too far. ”It’s all so much.” 22:53 <tom> He doesn’t like the implications, no sir. 22:53 <banana> Paul chuckles, or at least burbles. "Our Premson is fine. Just knock, carry the.. ah. Hmm." 22:54 <banana> He thinks for a moment on the sharehouse porch. "Check your pockets?" 22:54 <tom> “Alright I’m trusting you not to drop live grenades into my pants here.” 22:54 <tom> He reaches in. 22:56 <banana> There's a little spray of leaves and berries. Bob didn't put it in his own pocket, but he hasn't checked that one since leaving the house... 22:56 <banana> https://limits.thomascastiglione.com/media/sprig.jpg 22:57 <tom> He would have to be the world’s biggest maroon to assume it was there when he left the flat, by now. ”...Thanks, man.” 22:57 <tom> “Sorry about the intrusion, and all the.. bad vibes? I guess? This caused.” 22:58 <tom> “Like you, not my skillset.” 22:58 <tom> He heads out. Let’s go find trashcan man. 22:58 <banana> Paul: "Bob - Robert - you're the most interesting thing to happen around here since that time nearly everyone died." He makes it sound like a good thing. 22:59 <tom> Let’s let that one sleep for now. 23:00 <banana> There are big green bins down every alley in Cheetwood. 23:01 <tom> Is he allowed to do this in plain view of the public? Should he like, go down an alleyway? 23:02 <tom> Fuck it man. He just strides up and raps on the jolly green giant in the directed manner before his fears can consume him. 23:02 <tom> If this doesn’t work I’m just gonna look like a fucking insane person. Maybe if it does work, too. 23:03 <tom> The smell can’t be.. that bad, right? 23:03 <banana> It's quite a complicated knock, and Bob may have got it slightly wrong because the yew spring in his left hand crumbles to dust. Still, sunlight begins to spill out of the lid - incongruous as it is now nearly full dark. 23:03 <tom> Surely the sprig crumbling is evidence it did work. Bob has played Dark Souls. 23:04 <tom> But it’s not like he’s eager to go down the Super Mario pipes. 23:04 <banana> This one's got a ladder. Can't see much of what's down it but bright clear skies. 23:05 <tom> Fuck it, what’s one more shirt. He has the cash now. 23:05 <tom> He vaults up over into the garbage can. 23:06 <banana> The inside isn't rubbish - just sky and a ladder that seems to be made of sugar-glass. You catch it easily enough, falling far more gently than under Manchester's cruel gravity. 23:07 <banana> A few rungs down and the world begins to form below you - an island, bright green grasses running up to white cliffs and a tropical jungle flowing off in the other direction. 23:07 <tom> Every time Bob thinks their lives must be just full of crushing dread at all times, the weird bullshit is there to catch him. 23:07 <tom> Kinda nice, actually. I bet they get used to it. 23:08 <banana> The climb is taking you onto the grasses, which look perfect for a horse to roll around on (were it not for the totally unprotected cliffs). There's a building up the hill, an observatory; it's built of steel segments and more glass. You can see a couple of floors inside but the sunlight is too bright off the sides to really get a good look. 23:09 <tom> Does.. does it look like anywhere real? Bob is, of course, virtually struck dumb the moment he comes off the ladder. He hasn’t seen anything like this since... Mari grabbed him and pulled him into a mirror like the girl from The Ring? 23:09 <banana> Has Bob ever been to Sri Lanka? 23:09 <tom> No, sir. 23:10 <banana> That's what the jungle looks like. The grassed cliffs look like an idealised and fantastical English coast. 23:10 <tom> He tests out the grass. The experienced Fae Enjoyer can scoff, this is still bleeding edge new to the man. 23:10 <tom> “What the fuck.” 23:10 <banana> It's springy. 23:10 <tom> So the cliffs are chalk-white, huh. Like Dover but... 23:11 <banana> Waves roll through the vast ocean, but there's stuff out there.. stuff that doesn't quite make sense. City streets. Airport runways. 23:11 <tom> Weird, but at least it seems nice. Peaceful. This is at the bottom of a garbage can? 23:11 <banana> Still, it's pretty far away from the island. 23:11 <tom> Bob pinches his cheek to make sure he isn’t just having a stroke or something, and proceeds up to the building. 23:11 <tom> Hopefully there won’t be any land mines this time. 23:12 <banana> He struggles up the hill and finds the observatory wide open. It's unguarded and has no doors, only some pentagonal segment-frames without glass that serve as archways, some filled with chains of beads. 23:13 <tom> “Premson?” He doesn’t want to just burst into the guy’s home. Although I guess.. 23:13 <tom> Is there anything to knock on? 23:13 <banana> Immediately inside is a lowered sitting room. Premson is there, cross-legged, papers spread out on the grass in front of him. Sumi's on the other side of his workspace, drinking directly from the pot. 23:14 <tom> FUCK 23:14 <banana> Our Premson: "Oh, Mr. Goreman. I wonder what effect goblin tea would have upon your biology."