A Cautious Meeting (spies) -- Booya

[Nyr]

This log is also heavy on exposition, but I think you get a chance to see what happens when they are behind closed doors.  I had to edit out some things that did not quite meet the restrictions of the rules (I thought I'd wiped them in the first log but they weren't!).  What's left is a discussion at the Tooth followed by a brief bit of a meeting at an apartment.

******The 2nd time Ella and Alize run into each other, Alize is unsettled and curious to meet another spy like her  - jolted out from being so deep and immersed in her cover (hence her being remiss of -complete- caution later in the apartment):*****
"The Tembo's Tooth" - Tavern [EWD Quit]
The lanky, jade-eyed youth lounges at the bar.
The ancient, tremulous man sits at a far table, chatting to some youngsters.
Leaning against one wall, a curly-haired man keeps an eye on the tavern.
The black-bearded, heavyset man leans against the bar, frowning.
Sitting at a booth, the rangy, iron-haired woman converses with some hunters.
The robust, head-shaven man stands patiently behind the bar.
The toned, ruby-red half-giant sits cross-legged beside the bar.

The solid, tanned woman has arrived from the west.

The silver-streaked, willowy female sends you a telepathic message:
     "Trying to get Belek to stop calling me something dreadful he knows I hate!"

Stepping through the room, the solid, tanned woman sits at a curved, agafari bar.

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, smiling at you:
     "Alize!  Hi."

Smiling a greeting, you look at the solid, tanned woman.
This human woman is tall and athletic with solidly muscled limbs, though
her waist narrows smoothly between swell of bust above and hip below.  She
has long fingered hands with calluses to hint at frequent use.  Her skin is
tanned bronze and marked with blemishes of several minor injuries past, most
visible on the back of her hands and her arms.  However, one such scar
crosses the corner of her mouth towards her round chin.  Her nose is just a
bit upturned and just a bit flattened.  Deep brown lidded eyes and straight
brows lend a nonchalant air to her face.  Her straight hair is only a few
shades darker than her skin. 

Three small yellow circles are tattooed above her left eye.  Her shoulder-length hair is held back from her face by a slim, duskhorn-scale bangle.
The solid, tanned woman is in excellent condition.

The solid, tanned woman is using:
<in hair>                a slim, duskhorn-scale bangle
<face>                   a tattoo of three small yellow circles
<neck>                   a blue and purple inked band
<slung across back>      a slender wooden spear
<across back>            a rough canvas backpack
<on torso>               a dark grey worm-hide cuirass
<on arms>                a pair of dark grey worm-hide sleeves
<hands>                  a tattoo of a six-pronged star
<secondary hand>         a light brown, leather instrument case
<as belt>                an earthy leather pouched belt
<hung from belt>         a slender wooden dagger
<hung from belt>         a waterskin
<around body>            a hooded brown sandcloth cloak
<on legs>                a new pair of dark grey worm-hide leggings
<on feet>                a pair of grey hide boots

She is carrying:
nothing obvious

The solid, tanned woman looks at you.

At your table, you say in sirihish, her tone warm:
     "Hello Ella, how are you?"

You send a telepathic message to the silver-streaked, willowy female:
     "Oh? What's that?"

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
     "I'm quite well, been learning plenty of things.  You?"

At your table, you say in sirihish:
     "It's been a bit slow these last couple of weeks, it seems like. I don't feel i've done anything very productive."

The silver-streaked, willowy female sends you a telepathic message:
     "*wariness* Promise not to call me it if I tell you?"

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, nodding:
     "Well that's too bad.  I think Tallis has something fun planned in a few weeks, though!"

At your table, you say in sirihish:
     "Yes, are you going? And i've been busy chatting and being a social...ite. You know."

The lithe, henna-haired woman grins to the solid, tanned woman a little.

You send a telepathic message to the silver-streaked, willowy female:
     "Hmm, I wouldn't want to promise. What is it though?"

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, chuckling:
     "I'll be going.  She was bugging me about it."

The silver-streaked, willowy female sends you a telepathic message:
     "*fond annoyance* Ah krath damn you!  Ha!  Toes...."

You send a telepathic message to the silver-streaked, willowy female:
     "(her brown eyes bright) It should be fun. I'm trying to get inspiration to compose a song for this Trade Fair."

You send a telepathic message to the silver-streaked, willowy female:
     "Ooops."

You send a telepathic message to the silver-streaked, willowy female:
     "Sorry Toes."

At your table, you say in sirihish, her brown eyes bright:
     "It should be fun. I'm trying to get inspiration to compose a song for this Trade Fair."

The silver-streaked, willowy female sends you a telepathic message:
     "*growling playfulness* Oh... ohhhh!!! Your so going to regret that!"

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, curiously:
     "Trade fair?"

You send a telepathic message to the silver-streaked, willowy female:
     "Hah."

You dissolve the psychic link.

At your table, you say in sirihish:
     "In a month or so."

The silver-streaked, willowy female sends you a telepathic message:
     "May be around the Tooth soon if your still around.  Got go run one or two things around for the House first though!"

You sense a foreign presence withdraw from your mind.

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
     "Oh!  Yes yes, now I remember now."

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, grinning:
     "Come up with anything good yet?"

At your table, you say in sirihish:
     "No, but after our chat the other week I was wondering about trees. You know, Isar's tree and the other in the Cemetry. Tallis called it Isatep's."

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
     "Yeah?"

The tiny, sapphire-eyed youth has arrived from the east.

The tiny, sapphire-eyed youth walks west.

At your table, you say in sirihish:
     "I'm not sure whether it would be right for the Fair, but either way I agree with our mutual friend it would be interesting to find out more about them. There
most be a song in there somewhere."

At your table, you say in sirihish, smiling a little to the solid, tanned woman, her brown gaze lively:
     "Do you know anything about them?"

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, nodding:
     "The only wasted song is one unsung."

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, shaking her head:
     "I haven't been taught about them.  Perhaps I'll ask, though."

At your table, you say in sirihish, with a small grin:
     "Maybe we should do a duet about them, actually."

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
     "That'd be fun, or at least I'd certainly lend my strings to your song."

At your table, you say in sirihish, with a contemplative nod as she looks to the solid, tanned woman:
     "Yes, and help me with the lyrics."

At your table, you say in sirihish:
     "So, maybe not do that for the Fair. That will give us time to work on it."

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
     "Always happy to listen to lyrics."

You suffer from use of the Way.
You contact the reddish-blond, slender man with the Way.

You send a telepathic message to the reddish-blond, slender man:
     "Any luck or news when you'll be back?"

l me
This woman has shoulder-length hair dyed a reddish brown and it frames a
rounded, softly accented face.  She watches the world from dark brown eyes,
framed by thick black brows and lashes and her nose is blunt above thinnish
lips.  Her caramel-hued skin is flecked with small scars and imperfections
and she has slight contours that tell of her femininity.  Her lithe physique
and lean limbs tell of an active lifestyle, and her hands have callus-tipped
fingers. 
Her hair has been gathered up into a high ponytail and tied off with a scrap
of leather, which also secures the blue flowers.
The lithe, henna-haired woman is in excellent condition.

<in hair>                a cluster of pale blue kanjel flowers
<on face>                smudged kohl eyeliner
<neck>                   a blue and purple inked band
<across back>            a blue silk backpack with purple lily embroidery
<on torso>               a loose-cut white linen blouse
<around right wrist>     a wood-clasped charm bracelet
<around left wrist>      an ornate wooden bracelet
<hands>                  a tattoo of a six-pronged star
<on forearms>            a supple, dark-grey strap-sheath
<on left index finger>   a rose-carved wooden ring
<around body>            a long, dark-blue, green-edged greatcloak
<on legs>                a long, modest white linen skirt
<right ankle>            a tattoo of three orange triangles
<on feet>                a pair of black linen slippers

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, chuckling:
     "Also I get fed when I visit."

A foreign presence contacts your mind.

The reddish-blond, slender man sends you a telepathic message:
     "tomorrow evening you will probably see me."

At your table, you say in sirihish, her features softening with a grin:
     "Even better!"

At your table, you say in sirihish:
     "I can't offer you food, as i've run out. But do you want to come over to mine for tea?"

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
     "Sure!"

At your table, you say in sirihish:
     "I so rarely see you, I want to keep you to myself for a while!"

With a grin, you stand up from a curved, agafari bar.

The solid, tanned woman stands up from a curved, agafari bar.

The solid, tanned woman falls in behind you.

You send a telepathic message to the reddish-blond, slender man:
     "Okay!"

The solid, tanned woman says to you, in sirihish:
     "Just don't lock me away!  I have things to do."

The reddish-blond, slender man sends you a telepathic message:
     "I love you baby."

You sense a foreign presence withdraw from your mind.

With a grin over, you say to the solid, tanned woman, in sirihish:
     "Of course. "

You send a telepathic message to the reddish-blond, slender man:
     "Me too."

You dissolve the psychic link.

The lithe, henna-haired woman smiles a greeting to the sun-ringletted, round-cheeked woman and holds out her hand.

[Nyr]

Part two:

The sun-ringletted, round-cheeked woman hands you a plain obsidian key.
A Dim, Clay-Walled Hallway [NESW Save]
     Candle stubs flickering in shadowy sconces set into the thick
mudbrick walls of this hallway provide scant illumination to the area.  The
walls, left in a natural and unpainted state, are broken at intervals by
doors set in slightly recessed doorways along the hall.  The ground has been
paved by slate tiles, their surface slightly uneven.  Directly to the north
is a red-walled entryway. 
The solid, tanned woman has arrived from the north.

You intently scan the area.

You unlock the door with a plain obsidian key. - *click*

You open the door.

An Escru-Floored Chamber [NS Quit Save]
    This mid-sized chamber has been furnished to maximize every cord of
available space.  Cabinets have been built into one wall, their doors flush
against the wall's surface.  A large bed sits in the northeastern corner,
built low to the ground to free wall space for a set of shelves.  Painted a
practical, off-white shade, the walls are mostly free from adornment, though
a red tile mosaic border circles the room near the ceiling.  The floor has
been covered with a fuzzy, dense rug of escru wool, soft and comfortable to
the touch.  To the north, a glass-paned door lets light into the apartment,
and leads out onto a small balcony.  A ceramic lantern hangs from the
ceiling, painted purple and red. 
A small mirror, made of polished obsidian, hangs on the wall.
A sturdy baobab bed stands in the northeastern corner of the room, covered in hide pillows and red silken sheets.
A six-sided purplish basket has been tucked up against the end of the bed.
A framed painting of a vibrantly-colored forest scene is here hanging over the bed.
An unlit candle of swirling red and white tones has been left here.
A light brown, leather instrument case sits on the soft, woven rug.
A large bag is here set to the side by the main door.
A hefty wooden barrel sits here.
The solid, tanned woman has arrived from the south.

After the solid, tanned woman, you close the door.

You say, in sirihish:
     "I'll leave the key in the lock."

You lock the door with a plain obsidian key. - *click*

Leaving it in the lock, you drop your plain obsidian key.
Shown to the room as:
A plain obsidian key is here in the lock .

The solid, tanned woman looks around the room curiously.

You say to the solid, tanned woman, in sirihish:
     "I live here with Xen."

A Sheltered, Red-Tiled Balcony [S Quit Save]
    Surrounded on four sides, only the north face of this area is open to
the elements, the south, east, and west sides of the balcony sheltered by
the thick walls of the building.  A faded canvas awning shades the area,
keeping off the worst of the blistering desert sun.  The sounds of the city
float up from below, a dim cacophany of dense population that never quite
fades.  A bone railing to the north prevents unhappy accidents, and the
floor has been tiled with red ceramic.  A small bench against the eastern
wall has been strewn with leather cushions, and a bone grill in the center
of the balcony provides a place to cook food.  To the south, a glass-paned
door leads back into the building. 
A large bag is here beside the bench.
An empty fine, geometric-patterned ceramic teapot sits here.
A sturdy twig broom leans against the railing.
A duskhorn-carved wooden panel is here hanging on the wall.
The solid, tanned woman has arrived from the south.

The solid, tanned woman says, in sirihish:
     "Looks quite nice."

You are a little hungry.

With a little nod as she lifts her hand to her head and taps it, you say to the solid, tanned woman, in sirihish:
     "Yes."

You build a psychic barrier around your mind.

After a moment, the solid, tanned woman nods to you.

You say, in sirihish:
     "I'm shielding up, to get some peace."

You sit on a small white stone bench.

The solid, tanned woman sits on a small white stone bench.

Twisting on the bench so she's angled to face her, you look at the solid, tanned woman.

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "Krath...even now it's hard to lose it hmm?"

The lithe, henna-haired woman itches her cheek with a finger and a faint smile.

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, after a considerate moment:
     "There seems little reason to."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "Yes, I was curious to see what it was like. Funny that it feels more wrong than right."

listen
You start trying to listen.

You feel strange and guarded.

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, narrowing her eyes a bit:
     "Was there something you needed?"

The lithe, henna-haired woman rubs the back of her neck and looks to the solid, tanned woman, her kohl-smudged gaze narrowing slightly in return.

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "What's the matter?"

You think:
     "she does know, doesn't she?"

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, shaking her head:
     "Nothing."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "Anyway yes, it would be good if you could help with the Trees, and I wondered if there was anything I could help you with."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, shaking her head again:
     "I've been doing fine.  Settling in."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "Alright. Just let me know though okay? I know some useful people."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, nodding:
     "Of course."

At your seat, you say in sirihish, with a vague smile:
     "And it's handy we can work on a...duet about it isn't it. Couldn't have planned that better. You know Xen?"

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, with a small smile:
     "I do.  I consider him a friend, though I don't know him -that- well."

At your seat, you say in sirihish, a smile hovering on her mouth:
     "You seemed surprised when I said he was my mate."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, chuckling:
     "That is how I know I don't know him that well."

At your seat, you say in sirihish, with more of a grin:
     "Yes, we keep it quiet really. So it doesn't come across in any political sense."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, nodding gently:
     "I could see that being complicated."

At your seat, you say in sirihish, with a little nod:
     "It works."

You think:
     "I wouldn't mind sharing my annoyance at him with her, and letting her know it's just for his use I'm with him. but...she seems distant. better not risk it"

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, setting her hands in her lap:
     "So tell me of these trees?"

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "So far all I know is that the first, on the main road in, sprang up after the Fourth Rising of the city."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "It's guarded by Thryzn, which are a tribe of mutants that Muk Utep called."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, nodding:
     "I've certainly seen it, but paid it little thought."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "One of the six tribes he called when he rose against u...Allanak."

At your seat, you say in sirihish, with a pointed nod to the solid, tanned woman:
     "It's of interest."

You are hungry.

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "The second sprang up after the Fifth Rising, the last one after the flood."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "That's in the cemetry, and as yet unguarded. Though some...think it maybe should be."

The solid, tanned woman shows the briefest smirk.

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "It's a stunted thing, and I have heard it called Isatep's tree, after a past Faithful Lady."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "You remember them talking about Isatep and the Red Fangs, at that Jubilee."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, nodding:
     "I do."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "Anyway, I couldn't learn anything else offhand about it."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "I thought they were simply symbolic."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
     "I shall look for them next I go on one of my frequent wanderings of the city.  Perhaps I'll be inspired to verse."

At your seat, you say in sirihish, with a nod:
     "I thought if we say it's a duet, then less suspicions might be raised for the sudden interest in them. I've laid the ground with Dragean already, to ask more."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "Maybe I could accompany your verse."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, shrugging:
     "Learning the lore of the Ivory is expected of us.  There are many things I would ask of."

At your seat, you say in sirihish:
     "That's true. Especially coming from a Groot. So, no duet then? So we're both singing the same tune."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, chuckling:
     "Why not?  It need not be shouted, but there's no reason to deny it either."

At your seat, you say in sirihish, with a faint smile:
     "Yes, I wasn't planning on shouting it. But I like having it straight in case i'm in a position where it would be useful to say."

The giant crimson sun sets low in the west.

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish, lifting her chin:
     "We have spoken of a duet, with expectations that we may share verses later."

At your seat, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
     "As friends and circle apprentices, this should not be unusual."

That's the end of this section.

[valeria]

I'm really enjoying this series.  What I'm enjoying the most is all of the coded talk about what they're trying to figure out.  I think it's something about that extra layer of being so damned subtle that it is stereotypical Tuluk.

[Harmless]

I am really enjoying the use of the analogy of a duet on the trees by the spies. I think that is excellent, really.

The lines: "the tribe that guarded the tree when they rose up against u....Allanak." and the use of the word "suspicions" in part two above are highly suspicious. If someone heard those two statements the plots should have drawn massive attention right then and there. If those statements weren't overheard by any Tuluki loyalists, then they got lucky here. Apartments... The deus ex machina of this plot, perhaps?

Those are my comments on this one.

[Nyr]

I am fairly confident that they were in an apartment by that point, given the description, so I guess that it would make sense that there were not Tuluki loyalists with microphones listening to the conversation on the balcony at an apartment.

[BadSkeelz]

Do apartments actually help keep you alive in Tuluk, then?

Taking notes for my next PC.

[Nyr]

Apartments are nice to have.

You can kank in them and kill in them, and in between the two, you can plot in them! 

[bcw81]

Urgh ... the nostalgia is turgid and greasy.

[Booya]

There was a possibility that someone could have been hiding in the apartment and was listening in. Alize's scan was only mediocre. Not sure if Ella had it.

[Harmless]

Arranging the "apartment meeting" is, in general, a stepwise process when beginning from the bar, but these two logs are excellent at demonstrating one kind of arrangement. This is my summary of it and my comments/question.

1. Characters meet in bar, at the bar, to talk. Rather than look for a private booth, they are in the open.
2. A quick confirmation of shared interests in code.
3. The decision is seemingly made mutually and automatically that a more in-depth talk is vital. However, further discussion shouldn't happen at the bar, because at any minute a random visitor who knows both PCs might interrupt the exchange and risk interrupting the visit or worse, forcing an explanation for their sudden need to visit.

  question:At this point, it's unclear to me if a visit was pre-planned. It seems like no; any comments? In any case, making the visit -look- spontaneous is a good way to reduce suspiciousness.
 -->Maybe the character could think at this point something to decide on her intent, but it's stylistic.

You think: "We need a little more privacy."

 --> If someone in the bar happened to know both characters well, they would probably be curious about the visit. It was important for the spies to quickly get out of the bar and get to an apartment so they could keep talking. It was important to make the exit casual, before someone who knew them both came in.
4. Success: the offer is extended, and accepted, smoothly:

At your table, you say in sirihish:
    "I can't offer you food, as i've run out. But do you want to come over to mine for tea?"

At your table, the solid, tanned woman says in sirihish:
    "Sure!"

At your table, you say in sirihish:
    "I so rarely see you, I want to keep you to myself for a while!"

5. With that, the characters succeed in exiting the bar without raising any suspicions to those who were around. In the apartment, they can finish their exchange.

[Marauder Moe]

It wasn't planned.

These characters were friends even before both become Circle apprentices, and before they knew each other were spies.  As Ella points out at the end, there's nothing at all suspicious about them having frequent contact or shared interests.