(Bibliophile) Poor Connection

[Morgan Bellanar]

Morgan felt Degnar's contracts and his disappearance when she looked back. She actually pouted, grumbling out, "Wish I'd t-thought of that."

Morgan froze mid-step when the command of hold fire was given. She was quick to take in what she could see of the place with her eyes darting about. The blue anti-gremlins were everywhere, working the probable combination of mundane and hedgespun electronics. The raccoon eyes bugged when she noticed all the computer equipment, her face quickly turning to worry. Raccoons and computers had a less then stellar relationship.

In the blink of an eye the raccoon's posture shifted. Frozen mid-step quickly changed to ramrod straight with her hands flat to her side, "Heh-heh-heh, nada t-t-touching the computers, heh-heh." She turned back to look at Lynn and wherever Degnar were, "Computers, rrregular ones, used to b-b-break on my t-t-touch. If-if-if I t-t-touching, heh, needed, p-p-please someone else do it, prevent oops. Okay-yes-good-thank-you," a head tilt with a goofy, toothy grin ended the sentence.

She then turned back to look around the room, trying to spot who was in charge. She was guessing it was the figure in the chair at the desk. "Uh, t-t-think desk is HAL's?...Wwwonder what heh-he look ah like."

[Trickster]

Lynn reached out a patted Morgan's shoulder reassuringly. "Um, don't worry. I really doubt that any of us are going to get the chance to touch a thing here. But I'm not so sure I want to touch anything either." Like Morgan, she tucked her hands into her pockets in an effort to make sure she didn't touch anything that she shouldn't.

She turned on her heel slowly, trying to take it all in. Most of her time since escaping the Thorns had been spent in the mundane world with very few trips into the Hedge. She didn't even know anything like this was even possible. It was simply amazing, awe inspiring. She wished that she had even a fraction of the knowledge needed to understand what was going on. Instead she simply turned to watch their guide, waiting to see what the next step would be.

[Forn Clakes]

Garth takes a step back after finishing his short conversation and a second passes as a man unfolds himself from the high-backed chair, moving from the bank of screens and turning to take in his 'guests'. A tall, stick-thin man, his grey suit matches the grey of his skin, the dash of colour coming from the tie that hangs loose from around his neck. Circuits and wires crisscross his exposed skin and his hair is actually a side-swept bunch of thin cables that spark with electricity. Diodes and LEDs blink at various junctures, but it is his eyes that are glowing behind the spectacles perched on his face, and not due to his kith. Something else has given his mien this unfamiliar sight, along with strange signs and sigils that trace his clothing, almost as if they have bled through from his flesh, wanting to be seen by all.

"Good day, welcome/salutation/greetings to my endeavours/workplace/legacy," he says, voice possessing a distinctly robotic undertone. "I am Horace Albert Liebowitz. If I had known/foreseen/anticipated your arrival, I would have prepared lunch/sustenance/fuel. Still, here we are. I assume you have come to help/assist/experiment?" he asks, luminescent eyes taking in the group. He hadn't moved from the desk, standing perfectly still. A powerful Mantle pushed itself onto the Motley, a feeling of being on the verge of the unknown and staring directly into the abyss.

Yes. This is definitely the banished King of Autumn.

HAL

HAL | Darkling | Antiquarian/Levinquick
Presence 3 (Haunted) | Distinctive Voice 2 (Robotic) | Mantle (Autumn) 5

[Trickster]

Lynn swallowed hard and took a step forwards, dipping her head and shoulders in respect to the former Sovereign. She and Daniel had been elected as those to talk and now she could only hope that they could somehow find the words needed to reach their goal.

"Greetings, good sir. My friends and I have actually come in search of knowledge that we were told you would have. We hoped that we would be able to bargain for access to your library." She waved one hand to indicate the satellite dishes and spools of wire, bags of connectors and assorted oddments that they had bought. "We brought these in the hopes that they would be acceptable trade goods, but we're willing to locate more specific items if that's what you would want in exchange for the knowledge we seek."

[Morgan Bellanar]

And now Morgan has met three kings of her Court. Though she was wary to touch the machine man for the same reasons she was wary to touch the computers. Her own Mantle felt piddling in comparison to HAL's, leaves popping into and out of existence as it was quickly overwhelmed by the more powerful Mantle. A sigh of relief proceeded nods of agreement with Lynn, who had thankfully decided to be the first to speak up.

The Twilit Page gives a formal bow to the exiled Autumn King before quickly speaking, "Y-y-yesss. Frrriend Lynn t-tis correct. We-we sssought knowledge t-t-that may be gleamed fffrom your t-t-t-library, heh-heh. Tis heh-highly probable our g-g-goalzzz are compatible. A-a-a-and we've more-other to-to barter t-t-too."

[Degnar]

Degnar remained quiet towards the back of the group, remaining alert as they were lead towards the Hobs and the variety of strange electronics. His black beady eyes blinked a few times, as he took the whole scene in and watched each Hob carefully. If one could be certain of anything, it would be that the Darkling would not be caught unaware. He was far too paranoid, and he was ready to vanish from their sight if things came down to that.

Fortunately, things didn't come down to that. As the Antiquarian who had once been the Autumn King of Sacramento approached, Degnar simply offered a tip of his hat to the man. He had never met him before, for his reign of the Autumn Court had taken place before the Tunnelgrub's arrival to the Freehold. "Hello," he offered to the banished King, keeping his greeting short and simple. While HAL's robotic voice was somewhat strange, its monotony was strangely similar to Degnar's own voice.

Hmm. He doesn't seem all that bad.

Yet, this man had been banished from the Freehold long ago, which meant they had to be careful in their dealings with him. Not being comfortable in such situations, Degnar was glad to see that Lynn took over and began to converse with HAL about their goals. Besides, the Tunnelgrub was still not sure as to what they were looking for. If anything, he was just tagging along for the ride, and to make sure that Katrin Byeli would remain informed.

[Forn Clakes]

Seconds passed after Lynn and Morgan had finished speaking where nothing was said, the banished Sovereign not moving a muscle as he observed the motley. Around them was a continued flurry of activity as the hobgoblins didn't slow despite the arrival of unknowns.

"Well, I am surprised. I did hear of the attack/devastation/destruction caused by the dragon and my heart turned to lead. Even though Sacramento may have abandoned me, you see, I have not abandoned/deserted/forsaken her. Now," the Darkling said, clapping his hands together and grinning, sparks arcing between teeth, "what I have been working on here is quite revolutionary/innovative/radical, something that I believe will assist in finally stopping the Gentry. Would you care to hear/learn/know how? If you are not too pressed, I would gladly offer some refreshments as we discuss the matter/terms/dangers."

[Trickster]

Lynn titled her head slightly as she regarded HAL.

We didn't mention the dragon . . . .

On the other hand, she hadn't told Gianna the truth about her fiddle and the woman had somehow known. When another Lost was as powerful as this man clearly was, all bets were off.

"I would welcome the opportunity to hear about your endeavor, sir." She glanced around the clearing again. "No knowledge is ever wasted, after all."

[Morgan Bellanar]

Morgan wasn't surprised. The one who'd put them on this path had said HAL suspected Fairweather before he was outed, right? And every Lost had to know about the dragon's assault, it was the biggest news among the Sacramento fae.

The Twilit Page just kept nodding her head in agreement with Lynn, "Y-y-yes-yuppers. B-b-be most joyous to-to heh-hear oro-or help ffffell HIM. Or-or any of THEM."

[Daniel Leto]

Daniel stayed mostly silent as the others spoke. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of HAL. While the darkling seemed fairly lucid there seemed something deeply off about him. Daniel wasn’t sure whether HAL’s knowing about their desire to defeat the dragon was lucky assumption, creepy access to knowledge, or what seemed to be HAL’s own obsession with Fairweather. Of course Daniel had to admit he had some prejudice knowing HAL had been banished. Then again, without knowing the whole story Daniel of all people had little reason to immediately distrust someone who had been run out of town.

Daniel did perk up at the offer to explain what the whole coppery tangle was, though he also noted how the last word HAL said was ‘dangers’.

“I would be interested in knowing what all this is." Especially since it shouldn't work.