Alcohol and the Occult

[Cole Volker]

Cole was still drinking. He'd managed to sober up enough to buy more booze, blowing through most of his funds for the month at this point, and had resumed this journey of down-cooling and hidden self-loathing.


While he wasn't quite drunk anymore, he was still on enough to think that inviting the Creepy King at this low point in Cole's life would be a good idea. So, he'd sent the message, and now waited, still working with the wyrd material from his talk with Fawkes. Maybe Rhodes would have an idea of what to make with it.


Maybe a gun? A sword? A suit of armor? Any time he finished a drink he just added it to the pile, and as Cole's indecisiveness grew so too did the collection of molten material.

So he waited in his Hollow- he'd taken some time to clean things up, easier now that all the glass was gathered- and brought some chairs and a table from his house inside. Hopefully he wouldn't break these.

The forge was dimmed, the area not as warm as it might normally be even with such a small space and a Summer's Mantle. The presence of anyone else could easily overtake it.

Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Rhodes emerged from the cab and made his way along, looking for signs of the Hollow Cole had described.

Hmm. Quaint.

Sure enough, there it was. Rhodes had a few books in a satchel on varying Hedge topics. It would depend on what Cole wanted to learn, and discuss.

Smartly, the Dread Lord rapped on the door, the icy wind of his Mantle already whistling trough the cracks and trapping sminning leaves in the holes.

[Cole Volker]

Cole opened up, looking... Well, looking like someone that just got back into heavy drinking. The metalflesh at least looked rested- though a keen eye and prior experience would note that his veins and runes weren't glowing as heavily, and the metallic look was slightly more dull.

"Hey Rhodes. Thanks for coming- er... Come in?"

There was booze on his breath, but Cole wasn't drunk- maybe halfway there? Still lucid, and apparently not a wrathful tipsy.

Cole motioned to the table. The Hollow was otherwise quite sparse, save for a sleeping motorcycle in one corner and a forge in the middle. Some molten material was set in a bowl within, a collection of glass from an assortment of bottles, now turned into Wyrdstuff.

"I'm ah... Not sure how this usually works. Been a lifetime since I attended school." a bit of a chuckle, though it sounded quite forced.

"I'll defer to what you say is best. I've learned the basics, just from trial and error- Anything more you can tell me about Changelings, their structure, and all that. I could probably use the lesson." It might save him some grief.

[Rhodes]

Rhodes looked the elemental up and down. He could smell the alcohol on him - and it clearly wasn't a one-off event. "Mr Volker... are you feeling alright? If you've been drinking," And I know you have, "this may not be the best time..."

He looks around the hollow, though his eyes focus on the motorcycle eagerly. "Wait. Is that... a Hedge beast?" He moves closer to the motorcycle curiously. "Did you sculpt this?" The Dread Lord is clearly fascinated.

"Mmm? Oh, yes. Well, it depends what it is you want to know. The Hedge, the Occult.... If you want to know about Changelings, I don't suppose you've been out of the Hedge all that long, would that be right?" Rhodes asks, curious.

[Cole Volker]

Cole gives another grim chuckle as Rhodes asks if this is the best time. "Would you rather teach me stone sober? I don't make the best impressions when I am. I've confronted, inadvertently or directly, every other court except for yours. I'd rather not make it four for four. Not today at least- in enough of a dive as it is."

At his interest in His hedge mount, Cole nods, picking up his current bottle.

"Aye. Technically the hedge-beast is inside the machination- Circe helped. Some fire hobbe or other? I give him drinks, he drives me around. His name is Hen-rei. Don't think he's going to wake up for a while yet, I usually have to coax him with glamour."

The metalflesh took a swig, emptying the drink, and tossing it in the molten mix; making it pretty clear where all the glass came from. Cole stretched his metallic joints

"I suppose anything's a start. I've been out less than a year- and I've got a very...er.... Shaky... Grasp of Freehold standards." to say the least

[Rhodes]

"Your did passably well at the Spring Coronation, or I wouldn't be here," Rhodes says distractedly, not turning around from the motorcycle. "This really is fascinating. Hedgecraft, as I said, is not an innate talent of mine... but something like this, a blend of modern machinery and Hedge spirit. I could certainly begin some research into it."

The Dread Lord looks around wryly. "You don't say. By my reckoning, you've publicly locked horns with the Winter Queen, been banished by the Summer King, and been permanently banned from Garden Grounds." He folds his arms, smirking. "Quite an accomplishment in so short a time."

He walks over to the table and takes a seat. "Changeling Society is a blend of people taken from across the ages. Some of us aged decades but were gone weeks. Others were gone decades and never ages at all. We try to embrace change where we can, but ultimately we all need to find something to keep us going after we get free. We find Purpose. We join the courts. We find new philosophies. Each Court has differences and Nuances. Two Autumns may focus on completely different aspects, like the magical power of the Wyrd and the raw emotion of Fear. There is no one way. What is uniform," An icy breeze ripples through the forge, and some leaves twist into existence before smoking on the fire, "is our Mantles, that show our dedication to our Court's ideals. The more powerful the Mantle, the more we have devoted ourselves to those ideals. It also lets us see the devotion of other to theirs." Nothing about the tone is condescending. It just sounds like he's broken into a lecture.

Rhodes opens the case and pulls out a small book on the Fae. "Mortals can't understand what we went through physically, Mentally.... emotionally. There are Changelings that fully sold their souls to the Gentry that will drag us back. But only other Changelings can understand what we are, what we have become. But the Part of the Wyrd that changes us also connects us to the Hedge, and the power of the Fae - such as Pledges. The ability to fully bind another to their word. That is why they are so important to us."

The Flowering looks directly at Cole. "Could I trouble you for a drink? It's warmer in here than I'm used to." An easy smile flashes across his face.

[Cole Volker]

The Autumn's attraction to Hen-Rei might have been unnerving... Were it not for the fact that it's creation involved finding a hobbe that thought booze for rides was a good lifestyle. he'd gotten a bit used to weird by now. And the monarch's notion of getting into such a craft was an interesting one. "A good tip is to find something that fits you. Hedgespun works best with a catalyst- In most cases, that's going to be some aspect of yourself. That flower I made for the Spring Coronation was made with the remnants of my ah... Of an outburst. I used my wrath to fuel the process- it served as a good outlet. Memories, intense emotions... With the Hedge, 'putting a piece of yourself in everything you do' can be quite literal."

Cole walks to the motorcycle, gently shaking a fuel can labeled "Long Island," the audible sound of alcohol poisoning satisfying enough to the Metalflesh. He wouldn't have to buy more food for Hen-Rei anytime soon.
"Hen-Rei here? Loud, fired up? He was made with me in mind. Find a theme that suits your expressions; clockwork, perhaps? I can see you riding atop a clockwork spider." It would so perfectly fit the mysterious-yet-dread-inducing demeanor Autumns of such high mantle seemed to carry around with them wherever they went.

As for his 'accomplishments'... "Mmm. Surprised it took this long to get banished? Haha... Ha...." No boisterous, loud expression- more a half-hearted attempt.

And then the Autumn starts to present. Normally Cole would be bored and perhaps even irritated, having to sit through a lecture from a creepy crawly. But considering the subject matter and the... Three?... Bottles in his system, the metalflesh was quite amicable to the lessons.

Mantle and Court as distinct things... Cole could recognize that. Richard's Wrath was not Cole's, but even Cole could recognize the experience behind their new king- even if he didn't agree ideologically... And even if their new king could be SO IRRITATING at times.

The distinction and purpose of pledges was also understood. Still Cole didn't quite trust them- they were so... Fickle. But Cole could grasp the concept... Hm? Now the flower needed water. Luckily, he'd kept some handy to help dilute between drinks. That was a thing right? Anyways, the Forgemaster tossed his lecturer a bottle, taking the opportunity to weigh in.

"I understand pledges- but they're as Fae as they are 'us.' People can abuse them- people smarter than me, and more malicious than the common folk. Still, it would help to learn."

[Rhodes]

"Hmmm." The Wyrd was personal. It made sense that making something during Hedgespinning required an injection of the self. "Clockwork spider?" An eyebrow arches. "I'm not so sure that's my style. But I understand what you mean. Perhaps something in shadows."

Rhodes snatches the bottle out of the air and takes a drink. "Not so. While the Wyrd binds the words, there is nothing more Fae-like about them. The words are literal.... Unless that is what you mean? That the Gentry have literally centuries of experience manipulating the words so precisely? A point, I suppose." Some autumn leaves twist out of the air and drop onto the table. "Pledges just require thought. You need to be clear about what the pledge should be doing, and tailor the benefits, timing and consequences accordingly. You don't even have to swear on a specific thing. They don't need fancy words if that's not your style. That's just... common."

He flicks through the book. "Most changelings that are concerned with Pledges worry about tricky wording. Like most things, it's important to keep them simple. That avoids loopholes that can be exploited, which seems to be your primary concern."

[Cole Volker]

Cole chuckle and nods, understanding what the lecturer was saying.

"Aye. There's also the matter of punishment- A slap on the wrist for breaking a pledge, even a supernatural slap, might be well worth the price- unless it's death, there will be people more than willing to champ the consequences. And even then." Cole grabbed some water himself, standing up and moving towards his forge, stirring the molten glass material with his hands

"I know what you mean- for small things I don't usually mind it much. But when it affects a freehold? When it's something technical? It's... I'm not sure how to take it. I doubt you'll make the penalty death, and if you don't it'll just be a false sense of security until someone decides to abuse it."

The metalflesh pulls his hand out, the glass not sticking at all. Still didn't know what to make, still couldn't give it form.

[Rhodes]

Break a pledge... on purpose? Rhodes arches an eyebrow. "I... suppose that is technically true, although any such occasion should be incredibly rare," he says very slowly. "This is why these things need to be measured carefully. Think about it. Whom do you trust? Truly trust? Who do you know is not secretly working against you, like all the beings of the Durance? The only laws that make sense to all of us are once that have preceded us all. Why do you think we fall so easily into Kings and Queens, Courts and rulers? Because it is established and created with a singular purpose - to protect us from Them. So it is with Pledges. Being the Boy who cries Wolf will only get an individual ostracized by us, because we cannot trust such a being even when they swear their word. It is an anathema to us. Their word becomes less than nothing, forcing deals with such a person to be bound by the soul. For such a changeling to be sworn in an Oath, every pledge made with them is to be held over a literal Sword of Damocles and then one slip of the words snuffs out a life, and not necessarily the one that is the Breaker of Vows. Is it worth the risk to them, after we have escaped prison and torment, to gamble our very lives on a known Oath-breaker? Not likely - safer to let the fool stand alone. How could a society work with such a being? It is the way of Loyalists, who will say anything, do anything, to serve their Keepers." He looks deeply into the embers of the Forge. Yes. We would have done anything for them, once. Even keep others in there for an iota of their praise... He looks up, the words measured. "Breaking a Pledge is one of the most serious acts we can do, and should never never, be done flippantly. The immediate consequences of the Pledge may be endurable, but the lasting effects are permanent. Word through Freehold and Court that one is an Oathbreaker? Trying to interact with any free changeling becomes nigh impossible."

The Dread Lord takes another drink of water, the bitter winds rippling through the air. "Do not forget, when an Oath is broken, all bound know who has done it. So break a freehold oath, and your entire locality knows. Most weave in clauses of allegiance, mutual defense, denying aid to wound see Freehold members hard, et cetera. Break it and you are actively acting against the Freehold. Not everyone is as fortunate as to find Lost so kind as here. Sacramento is an exception, not the rule. And many that pass this way need that initial reassurance, that we are not a hold of Loyalists striking in the real world. It is one think I have worked on, gathering allies and swaying their opinions. Winter, however, forced an acceleration of that plan."

The Elemental had a curious way of looking at Pledges. "You think people will abuse pledges? How different is that from a mortal abusing trust? How is the security false? At least with a Pledge, we have an assurance, and a knowledge if our trust has been broken, and that a punishment is inflicted on the guilty. Pledgeless, we can be lied too forever and never know."