Completed Grave Concerns (Corpus Aeternum)

[Kuvarakh]

Kuvarakh found himself leaning forward, his eyes boring into those of his current prospect. Everything the man had said after "...at the time that the empire sanctioned a magical experiment that was to give them the upper hand, so I followed the the trail and went to Sahova..." was lost in a distracted mental fog.

He caught himself staring and realized he could not now feign disinterest. 'But will this man be numbered among the enemy? Or is his connection distant enough to no longer matter? He knew he needed to make some remark. The man before him was chuckling, something about having made a blob of tinted air, which under normal circumstances, would be worth discussing, but was now relegated to Kuvarakh's afterthoughts.

"Are you referring to the work of...Zare...Zariek...something? The whole military application of Nuit development from before the Valterian? The plan to create an undead army for the Alahean Empire? Were you one of them?"

He made a profound effort to keep the concern from his voice. 'Only academic interest, Ku. Show no fear of any militant intent, show no concern.' he told himself over and over. There was no particular reason to believe that it had been anything other than an Alahean citizen's patriotism that might have driven this man to seek the Daek-nuit transformation. And with the long-past fall of the empire, as well as the rival Suvan empire, it could be that this man truly wants nothing more than to indulge his interest in alchemy among like-minded individuals.

But Kuvarakh knew well that much of Sahova was bent on militaristic views as far as their djed-craft went. Many with a psuedo-genocidal aim to eliminate all living humanoids and create some sort of undead Utopia. What did they think would happen when they achieved it? Suddenly they've got three or four years before lethal decay takes them down and no humanoids to jump to?

Not likely, they would set up a farm system, reducing humanoids to cattle, probably lobotomizing them for docility. He was not about to stand by and allow such a horror. He needed to find out if this man felt that way. Was the old imperial program lingering in Sahova? Were you 'programmed' to share this view upon arrival? He needed to find out what this man's viewpoint was.

He smiled, but reined it in quickly. 'Don't want to overdo it.' he thought to himself. After coming down on the man for his unprofessional approach to the application, he didn't want to suddenly be all buddy-buddy. "So tell me, have you worked with living assistants much? I've done quite a bit. I enjoy their company. They have a lot of drive. I suppose it stems from their short life span, the need to accomplish something in so short a time. Of course, some have a deep bias against us. I suppose with the attitude some nuit have towards them, it's understandable. How do you feel about humans?"

[Corpus Aeternum]

Corpus scoffed at the concept that he was a militeristic man.

"I do not agree with militeristic views of our fellow racial brothers and sisters. I took the transformation to further my ability to learn about the fraility of mankind.

As for your question about working with humans and their various subspecies, no I have not worked with any. Recently I have come across one in which to further my studies. She was quite warm and friendly enough to teach me a mundane skill that I found useful in my studies."

Corpus smiled and looked off in space for a few seconds, "There was one human, a male, a few years back in the middle of winter it was. He found it offensive that I wanted a couple of dead bodies to further my studies.We fought, but I still managed to get my specimens.. Well, one. I could've used another one as well."

Corpus shrugged and looked at the man, "How do you feel about my reasonings to take the transformation? And why, pray tell, did you partake in it?"

[Kuvarakh]

Kuvarakh paused a moment, then shrugged. "I suppose it's only fair...Since it's not a question pertinent to application, yet I asked it, and you answered, a reciprocal gesture is reasonable."

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, "I took the transformation to gain the extension to my life span in order to pursue a goal that could not otherwise be possible. It may not BE possible anyway. But I have come to a new view on that, and no longer pursue it. It kept me focused for my entire Nuit existence up to that point. But that drive has been replaced, by my work for this Order.

There are a few Nuit among us, but for the most part, we are comprised of mortals and I enjoy their vitality, their awareness of the present, their celebration of their existence. I admit I have never been to Sahova, nor have I any desire to. Too many Nuit live in a tunnel. They see nothing around them. There is that point in their past when they made their decision to seek the change, and there is the point in the future where they gain their goal. All that lies between is ignored and often disdained as irrelevent. They care not about what must occur for them to reach the end of their tunnel.

Deaths, destruction, alienation, chaos, anarchy, pestilence, it's all the same to them. 'Does it affect ME? Does it stand in the way of MY goal? NO? Then Who Cares? They do? So What? Why should it matter to me?' Such self-centered disregard for others sickens me. That is the point of our policy of amity with Alvadas. We do not do it just to 'keep them off our back so we can go on with our work'. Spreading an acceptance of magic is also a major goal for us. And that requires caring about what people think and feel."

He eyed Corpus closely a moment. Hesitated a moment, then asked, "Where did you get your current body, if I may be so bold?" He winced with the realization that this question WAS rather intrusive. "Pardon me, let me explain. MY current body was a suicide. I had nothing to do with it, and it does strike me as illogical for people to object to my occupation of it. The soul has fled, it is dead flesh. It is of no use to them, why should they object? Nonetheless, I feel an obligation to try to relate to their discomfort and come to an understanding with them. Do you think this to be a pointless concern?

You may have noticed that this is becoming more of a philosophical discussion than an academic one. To be honest, where the acceptance of an Alchemist is concerned, I am more concerned about that. I suspect you have more than sufficient alchemical talent to merit inclusion in our ranks, but even if you didn't, it would take little training to change that, even if you were to be no more than an assistant. It is more the coexistence with mortals that I am gauging.

I asked about your body, because I find it to your credit that you do not appear to be...shall we say...image obsessed?. No offense, but many Nuit would have long since switched out to a younger shell, necessitating an younger death for someone along the line, and wasting the year or two still available in the body they had. And believe me, I have been on the front line of efforts to halt the cruel 'farming' of young bodies."

He paused, his focus growing distant as they relived remembered horrors. He looked back at Corpus, his eyes measuring. "You asked what I thought of your reasons for seeking the change? In all honesty I find them somewhat contradictory. Potentially anyway...What I mean is, to say you are not militaristic seems at odds with the idea that you seek to learn about the 'frailty of mankind'. Unless you have healing applications of alchemy in mind, the idea of finding someone's 'frailty' is very much in line WITH militaristic views."

[Corpus Aeternum]

"I dug up this body." Was all Corpus had to say on how he obtained this body. It was a comment that Corpus neither dismissed or defended, it was what it was.

"As for the fraility of mankind. my mother passed on while giving birth to me. I didn't know the story for several years until my uncle told me the story. It shocked me so much and made me question just how frail and easily breakable humans truly are." Corpus looked at his hands, they weren't his truly.

"So I set out to become something stronger. I guess what I am now is a mere... Unfortunate transition. Each shell is just as frail as the last. As frail asmy mortal shell was." The nuit shrugged, feeling then just how frail this body truly was.

"No militaristic views about it. Your words there are the proof of the narrow-mindedness that the societies nowadays bestow upon our kind. I see no militaristic anything about my transformation. The original ideas that founded the project that our kind is derived from were most definitely military based."

[Kuvarakh]

Kuvarakh was truly warming up to this debate. He nodded, "Point taken, IF, as you indicate, you seek these frailties in an effort to secure your own protection from them. My own obsession was along these lines as well, not only for myself, but for the Nuit society as a whole. But I learned, to my dismay, that enough of our kind would still continue killing, even if they could obtain a body immune to decay!

It is because of this...policy...that I do not fault mortals for their presumptions about Nuits. And Sahova is filled with such conviction. They speak of their "Right" to kill. I do not share this conviction and will hinder it wherever I may. But I fully support your goal to simply bolster your own body's resistance to it's admittedly numerous drawbacks. This is a goal that holds my interest as well, though mine was more in the area of decay prevention to delay the need for a new body at its most fundamental level. Frailties can be avoided with caution, to a degree."

He stood and paced a moment. Turning to face Corpus directly he took a deep breath. "I will come clean with you. My daughter was murdered by a Nuit. A mage that needed a temporary disguise. He was found out by his adversary anyway, so my daughter's death was utterly in vain. After several weeks of raging hatred, I came to the conclusion that the creator of the Nuit condition is the true villain. He must have realized at some point that he was creating a predator race that would grow less and less connected with the sanctity of life as its existence went on. And that mortal races would have no choice but to develop a guarded attitude against this race as an understandable precaution.

"They are right to be on guard. We are obliged to endure their suspicion. We made the choice to be transformed. The mages of Sahova are not a benevolent lot. Many see a future of undead dominance. Some go a step further. I believed the development of a body immune to decay would bring the two together by eliminating the need for Nuit body transferring. What I found instead was the thought that it would eliminate the need to suffer the existence of mortals altogether.

"I say this so you understand my concern that you have lived a long time and seek the improvement of the Nuit body. I am unsure if there is anything that you can say to give me the assurances I seek. On one hand, I myself had a very similar goal, and know that I meant no harm. On the other hand, I have only your word, a 'Time-Will-Tell' reality, and a goal with potentially dangerous applications."

He sat back down, resting his chin in his left hand. "I need to know that any progress you might make with us never be allowed to reach Sahova."

[Corpus Aeternum]

Corpus listened to the man's story, it was a common story amongst others he heard, well, at least in similiarities. It even struck a chord with his own reasoning, in a remote way.

When told that none of his own research should ever reach Sahova in anyway Corpus nodded, "The research I gather and obtain shall not reach Sahova by cause or effect of my own actions. I can not make any guarentee of others."

It was the best the older Nuit could give, beyond that the other Nuit had to take his word upon.

[Kuvarakh]

"Good enough." Kuvarakh said with a hesitant smile, "I am fairly impressed that you did not walk out in a huff. I'm not saying I was testing you, I meant every word. But you stood right in the face of it and met my terms without compromising your self. Others have stalked out, infuriated at my insistence on strict behavior codes. I can only assume they consider it an insult to the sovereignty of their personality."

He rose and walked around the desk. "And most of them were less flamboyant than you at the start. I guess we're done here, then. If I haven't completely soured you on membership by now, perhaps the reminder that you will be expected to obtain employment will do the trick. And if not even that, then know that you'll probably be working with me more than most of the others."

He extended his hand, "So, I guess all that's left to say is welcome to The Order of Transcendence." And as the smile warmed his undead face, all that was left UNsaid was that he would be working with him primarily to keep an eye on him. But somehow, he felt Corpus was intuitive enough to have assumed that anyway.

[Corpus Aeternum]

A Job? If I must. Need one soon enough anyway. I won't be able to survive much longer without one so it works out I guess.

Corpus shrugged,"I can look for a job... As for working with you, seems only right, as you are my sponsor in this order." Corpus stood and extended his hand when the man did so, he wasn't a stupid Nuit... Having been around for a millenium and some change, Corpus knew what the man was implying.

He doesn't trust me... Fair enough. Corpus shook the man's hand.

"Keep me posted on mettijngs. I must be off to locate the requirements laid out for me. I shall bid you good day." With that Corpus turned and left the man's office.

[Fallacy]

XP Award! Name:Kuvarakh XP Award: +1 Observation +2 Rhetoric +1 Persuasion +1 Negotiation +1 Philosophy Lore: On the Word "Pleased" Another Alchemist Notes: Name:Corpus XP Award: +2 Rhetoric +1 Interrogation +1 Negotiation +1 Philosophy Lore: Welcome to the Order He Doesn't Trust Me Notes: Any questions or concerns about the rewards gained please send a PM