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Nine Roads Alani	Great Forks contains immense resources for tourists and travelers, but like in any big city, there's huge swathes of the city that most tourists are never really meant to see. The quieter, more insular places that locals go to and people ask few questions. In this part of town especially, full of everyday trade. Business, really, not the gaudy streamers and perfumed scarves of the Temple District. Here, there stands the Gatehouse Inn and Tavern, not too far from the western gate leading to the road to Nexus. It's large, sturdy, but you have to make sure sawdust doesn't fall into the soup or a cutpurse doesn't make off with your drinking money. Here, Nine Roads Alani sits and sips at a not-exactly-great glass of wine, picking at a large but plain bowl of stew. It could definitely use a little something other than sawdust for flavor, but at least it's fuel. What the people of the Gatehouse don't know is, the person she's asked to meet with here got her message via a little god of Heaven, asking to meet, greet and coordinate, so to speak.
Vetiver Mirror	It's the quiet places like this that somehow seem more real. The secret side of a town, the side that makes the whole rest of the glitz and glimmer actually work every day. That is the kind of place someone can be their self. No masks, no assumed names, and no one will even notice you where there. Even if fate gave them the chance. Vetiver Mirror slides into the seat opposite of Nine Roads Alani, food and drink already in hand. Pilfered off a server's tray on the way in. Smelling fresh of Yu-Shan with just a bit of roaddust she tracked in along the way. "Got your message." Voice full of smiles and occasionally bread dipped in stew. Chewing with the veracity of someone who deeply missed creation side food flavor be damned. "Glad to know I'm not the only one in town."
Nine Roads Alani	The blonde with the wine glass offers a faint but knowing smile and says, "If you ask the innkeeper, Elena--" She taps her chest briefly. "--will be here for a little while, until she finds a place to live." She chuckles quietly. "Something about red tape. Anyway, thanks for stopping by. I know it's a bit out of your way, but once I heard you were in Great Forks I figured we should chat. I'm gonna be here for the foreseeable, just...getting settled...you know what I mean." It's pretty obvious she means ingratiating herself into the local community, making connections, maybe getting a job...all the usual crap they don't talk about in the plays in Yu-Shan. "So." She sighs and stares into her swirling wine glass. "I can do all that stuff myself, of course. What worries me, and what I wanted to ask you about, was what I--and probably all of us--are going to be asked to do once we're settled in. Did you see that memo...from I think last month, that talked about just how little of what went on in Great Forks matched their predictions?"
Vetiver Mirror	The Seer nods with understanding and gives the place another look. Assessing it from the perspective of bolt hole rather than a place to quickly meet up. "No worries, its good practice to learn the layout of town. Sounds like we are both going to be entrenched here for a while, so its good to establish where all our friends are." Though her posture is relaxed as she eats her large ears are perked. Tilting to follow the conversations nearby, and keeping tabs to make sure no one is eavesdropping. "I'll make sure to check up on Elena when I'm more settled in." Face falling a bit at the expected question. The question that has been dogging a lot of reports. "Urg ? yes. I mean I can't see so many resources suddenly being allocated here if it wasn't true. I think there are at least four of us?" putting down her spoon to do the math again. "That's almost a classical circle. They should send a Violet Bier agent just to round the project out."
Nine Roads Alani	The Harbinger just nods in reply, a wry grin on her face as she takes another sip of wine. Pity she's not as decorous as even the least rigorous sifu would demand in Heaven, but there's clearly upsides to being in Creation. "Yeah, then you saw it, too. Not even sure it wasn't luck...or fate...that set it up that way, to be honest. I can't imagine the Violet Bier would cut themselves off from this, with an increase in unplanned for events...enemies outside fate...with a shadowlands not very far away at all. The brief said there was -some- sort of thing happening with whoever was in charge of the shadowland ages ago, but it was kind of vague on details." She leans forward, elbows on the table, and looks Vetiver in the eyes. "Not gonna lie. We already know there's Exigents in town, though I don't know if I've met any yet, and there may be others. I'd bet you a bite of my salary that at least one of the things they're going to have us do is identify as many of the Exalted in this city, of any flavor, as soon as possible. I know my old sifu is getting -very- sick of looking stupid every time she predicts anything to do with the city. I heard the minor god of qat is short of maybe a half talent of silver because someone in town makes better product. How do you eff up a reading that simple?"
Vetiver Mirror	"Isn't that the thing though?" Tail wrapping about her lap like a blanket. Looking down into her mug of mystery ale, avoiding the gaze just a little "Great Forks might as well be next door to home and all our intel is shabby." Finishing the cup and setting in neatly next to her empty bowl of stew. "Vague info on the shadowlands, missing info on actors able to out sell gods in their own preview, and who knows how many stray exigents." Slowly her blue-green eyes meet Alani's "I even heard the last of the fellowship to man this post is AWOL. Reeks of malfeasance to me. " Returning the wry grin with one of her own. "The mystery, the drama of it all. So much better than playing desk jockey." Stretching she shifts to watch the crowd of working people a bit more going about their lives. "I think I got my cover figured out. Going to try and mingle with the leading spirits to see if they are really this blind or just that incompetent. If we get more free time though we should hang out more. Way more cozy down here without all the pomp of ? well you know."
Nine Roads Alani	Alani nods in agreement, the wheels turning in her mind. For all that her training couldn't quite polish all of her coarse upbringing from her, she's a good deal sharper than she looks. "Eh. I don't think they're dumb either. Like a lot of gods in Creation, they're a lot more focused on their own personal power in the city over their duty. What a shock, am I right?" She chuckles quietly. "Yeah, I'd bet on corruption, too." "Well, if your cover involves needing a courier or quick travel over the city, you know who to call. You can find me here for now, and once I have a place to live I'll let you know. And hanging out sounds like a lot of fun, I'd love to! I...well, look, I have a manse in Heaven, sure, but it's a temple built into a cave in a massive mountain. Impressive? Yes. Metaphysically inspiring? Very. Cozy? Not even close. I'm surprised my pillow there isn't a -rock-. Having a second place here...I like the idea."
Vetiver Mirror	"More I hear the more I think Manse are more trouble than they are worth. I have visions of austere cells of pious monks. A rock might be more comfortable." Sticking her tongue out a bit and waving a hand as if to banish the idea before it threatens to become reality. "Simple as it can be creation always feels more comfortable. At least to me. I'll pick you up a house plant for your new place. They really liven a place-ah one sec." With a def movement she slides from her seat and nicks another drink from a passing tray. Making a sound not unlike a disappointed fisherman seeing another ale of questionable quality. She starts drinking it regardless. "I should start thinking about it too. Housing that is. Gods are not known for sleeping. Hardest part of that act ? besides the walking through walls I guess." Giving another smile she stretches and has that distant look, like she has been loitering about the water cooler a little too long. "I'll keep in touch, but I should get started unless your looking to bunk me as well, I should find a face they wont forget they rented a room to."
Nine Roads Alani	Alani responds with a cheeky grin. "I guess the point is that the ancients didn't always build a manse to be a -home-, they built them to focus the Essence of a demesne, and sometimes I guess the two butt heads like an old married couple. I see the elders and they don't care...they're used to it. And we still remember..." She sighs. "Well, you know. Before. "But instead of worrying about that, we can take the chance we're given and use it to be more comfortable." She grins. "A plant sounds lovely! I'm no gardener, though, so maybe something easy to care for. I should take care of a few things too, so I'll let you be." She snickers just a bit. "Unless you -want- to bunk with me right now. I'm assuming not, so I'll let you go. Thanks for meeting with me. I'll be in touch!"
Vetiver Mirror	"Ya before ?" Voice trailing off as Vetiver downs the cup as to not let it go to waste. Cheeks just a bit rosy now as she stands with a sudden hop. Either a bit of a lightweight or just being dramatic for the flare of it. "I wouldn't mind the convenience Alani but I think I will spare us the office drama." Giving her own little wink "But I wont spare the plants. I'll have you swimming in green before you know it. Enjoy your real pillow made of geese feathers and cotton~" with that Vetiver makes her exit. Artfully leaving a bit of parchment with some particularly juicy intel right where Alani will find it.