natha: (Default)
ɴᴀᴛʜᴀ orbiters ❰ mod collective ❱ ([personal profile] natha) wrote in [community profile] nysalogs2018-07-16 04:47 pm
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❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

You've spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Now, the time to put all your survival training into practice has arrived: El Nysa needs you, and you're here to help the planet thrive. Are you ready?

THE DESCENT    
All refugees on the station are called to the hangar, where a large-scale teleporter awaits. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait; everyone will be sent down to the planet together. Before they depart, all refugees will be given a cold weather survival kit with warm clothing, rations, and bedding.

The arrays build into a brilliant wash of light, creating a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa, teleporting the refugees to the planet on an aurora. Once on the planet's surface, refugees receive one last message from Darma.

It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet we must ask you to brave further peril. Within Nadril are the secrets to how poor Ysverai's revival was hidden from our sight and how this disaster has come to our star. Find the first refugee from beyond this planet, a man named Magda. He will not speak to us, for much has come between us, but to you… If you prove yourselves, he may be willing to answer your questions. We beseech you, for there is a veil over Nadril that hides all within from us. There may yet be more untold dangers waiting to befall this planet. For the good of all who make this world home, we ask you to lend us your aid.

There is yet one more favor we would ask of you. In warding off the Storm's encroachment, the physical aspect of ourselves that you call Thesa Station was damaged. We must remain to continue repairs to El Nysa and to deal with Ysverai, but there should be suitable technology within Nadril that could be used for spare parts. If you have the chance to find it and can return it to us, it would hasten—


Darma's message crackles with static, another image overlaying hers — her broadcast is cut off and replaced with another. A more sullen and alien voice takes Darma’s place, overlapping on itself in an ominous reveal.

It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet you’ve only just arrived here. To say I’m not disappointed in your… generation would be to lie, and I am nothing if not an honest creature. But I suppose these have been unusual circumstances. You must ask yourself this — are you only here as Darma's lapdogs? I can assure you, it's not worth being on the Natha's leash. With time, that will be something you'll have to learn for yourself. If you're so determined to come find Nadril, then follow the path north, and you'll find the border. What awaits you is revelation, if you're up to the challenge.


A FROZEN LAND    

The refugees land on a literally frozen world, both in temperature and time. Curls of icy wind hold swirls of snow aloft and an uncanny silence is broken only by the crunch of hoarfrost underfoot. Only Darma's protection allows the refugees to move through this frozen world — and movement is very necessary. Bitter cold sneaks through even the thickest clothing and without warning, a snowstorm rises: unnaturally quickly, a wall of white howls directly in the refugee's path. Bizarrely, the way back is perfectly calm; it's obvious that this storm is no product of nature.

Magda's challenge becomes clear: the only way to Nadril lies through this storm. Visibility within the storm is near zero, the whiteout hiding any landmarks from view and making navigation near impossible. The only guidance refugees have is a sporadic path of faint, greenish lights, easily lost in the raging storm. Refugees need all the survival skills they practiced on Thesa Station to survive, for getting lost alone is a death sentence. Luckily, those separated from the group can happen upon guiding lights Magda has planted throughout the tundra. These blue-white sparks cause frostbite if handled recklessly, but they also serve as directional anchors, turning into ghostly flames that lead lost souls back to the path to Nadril.

The trek through the storm will be no mean feat and will last for the better part of three days. By the time the refugees reach Nadril's gate, most will find themselves exhausted and running on fumes. As the snowstorm dies away and a gap in the glittering forcefield around the city opens to usher the refugees inside, it's clear that Nadril is a different beast.

A WARM(?) WELCOME    

I. Despite the unforgiving journey, entering Nadril is painless. Once inside, characters will be greeted by their predecessors: the original refugees who made this advanced city. They'll immediately be offered medical attention, as well as warm cider and blankets. But it's obvious that the Nadril citizens prefer higher tech to fend off the weather: they also offer wristlets and ear cuffs that that double as mittens and earmuffs by creating warm bubbles of air. The earrings also feature a few quality of life programs, such as timed alarms and thought-to-speech messaging. However, both programs are in beta stages so it's not unusual for a stray thought to accidentally slip through or an alarm to accidentally ring at an inopportune time.



II. Refugees are offered free lodging in a large, crystalline building crafted from ice. Despite the coarse building material, the ice is unmelting and surprisingly well-insulated, and the beds are as warm and cozy. The rooms are, however, small. The sleeping quarters house two people, and are some cross between an igloo and a capsule hotel.

Though built for efficiency over comfort, all rooms are also outfitted with the latest Nadril AI, RoboAlfred, or Ralf for short. This helpful program is installed in practically all the furnishings: the closet tells guests to bundle up, the bathroom sink reminds them to brush their teeth, and the mirror offers helpful fashion tips. Ralf's personality matrix still needs polish, though: it may very well insult your clothes and passively-aggressively question your lifestyle choices for the entire stay.



III. Though not as advanced as Thesa Station, the colony has technology far beyond the rest of the continent, such as rudimentary AIs and mechanical transportation. Nadril's skyline is a point of pride — refugees can take a (literal) lightrail that gives an aerial view of the colony, which is hewn almost entirely from ice and rock. Despite its tech, Nadril is much more sparsely populated than Olympia and Wyver, and its residents stay near a central hub: a Natha refugee drop ship, Central, which has crashed and long embedded itself into the earth.

Central is similar to an older, smaller, grounded model of Thesa Station, in functional order with round-the-clock solar power. Within Central are lounges similar to ones on the Station, though many of the damaged areas have been converted. They include repair stations, different wings dedicated to science, botany, astrology, and mechanics, and a research and history facility, which has a smattering of technology from planets beyond El Nysa — including your own. The staff here don't mind if anything is sampled and studied, but objects cannot be taken from the labs.



IV. On the outskirts of the central hub, many will find several curious looking bots with insect-like wings perched about high traffic walkways. Simply passing the bots will cause a dizzying flash before a series of photos print out. Upon closer inspection, people will find that these images reflect stills taken from their home worlds as they remember it. Unfortunately, these photos only last a couple of hours at best. At that time, they will revert back to regular pictures of the refugees.

People will be encouraged to share these images of their worlds. The residents of Nadril comprehend the value of remembering one's origins, and will be pleased to see that people still hold memories of old homes close to them.

RECREATION IN NADRIL    

I. Small, mechanical creatures scampering through the city are a common sight. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that they come from a shop called Paws About Town. They’re very useful, as companions, gophers, and couriers (though the more mischievous will note that they’re just small enough to keep tabs on people without being noticed).

Premade robotic pets are available on display inside the shop. They come in all shapes, but small sizes; one may be able to find robots that even look like miniature creatures from their homeworld. These are a part of a new, highly customizable line with programmable personalities. Customers have the chance to take pets for a one-day trial run. Those who don’t know how to program may want to enlist more knowledgeable aid, but the pets come with instructional pamphlets for basic personality traits such as obedience, helpfulness, playfulness, and bloodthirst.

For returns, the switch to wipe the robot's personality to a blank slate is on the back of its neck, right between a switch to invert all traits, and a switch to have them learn by observing. Try not to press the wrong switch — you might wind up with a pet with a mind of its own!



II. A. The Frosty Tap Cantina is a thriving hub of activity, but one of the major draws is the self-service bar: molecular mixology is wildly popular here. Playing with drink compositions can be a game in and of itself, and newcomers to the cantina will find that the bartender — a cheerful woman with lilac skin and three eyes — is always happy to give them a few tips on how to use the wide array of tools within reach of the barstools.

All manner of drinks are possible — from glowing, layered cocktails, to clear drinks with colored, spherical bubbles and vividly-colored shots that give off their own smoke. There's a nightly contest in the cantina for the most creative drink created by a team — this may be as good a time as any to partner up with someone and see what can you come up with. Winner gets all their drinks for the night free!

And, hey, even if you don't win, you get to drink whatever you make. The well-lubricated patrons of the bar are eager to challenge anyone nearby to a different sort of drinking game… Just how well can you hold your liquor?

B. Holo-screens in the cantina are nearly always broadcasting some match or another of a game that looks very much like hockey, albeit played with sticks that light up and a puck that changes shape from time to time. Colonists here merely refer to the game as "the sport," and one of their favored pastimes is betting. However, they don't use currency — they wager dares. Nadril colonists are a tough, weathered lot, and they prefer to speak with actions over silver.

Colonists will urge the refugees to take part as well. Common dares range from the ridiculous (lead a sing-a-long, attempt to make someone with a poker face smile) to the suggestive (kiss the person in the cantina you find most attractive, strip off a piece of clothing), to the outright reckless (venture out into the snow for a certain amount of time, and no one will judge if you find some company to keep warm). The colonists are unfazed by even the most insane or tawdry of dares — but you'll certainly be called a killjoy for refusing too often! Why not grab a friend and give it a whirl, or challenge a rival to a dare yourself?
THE MISSION    

I. On the outskirts of Nadril is the communications tower of the old refugees. This is where Magda resides, monitoring Nadril's technological protections, the extent of the Natha’s influence, and running his own personal projects for El Nysa’s technological advancement. It is isolated, filled with research labs and relics of the past refugees who have come to El Nysa — a living mausoleum of worlds swallowed up by the Storm whose peoples have refused to forget where they came from.

Crew photos line the walls of the tower: pictures of alien families and friends, the refugees who came to Nadril before you. Each group of photos gradually becomes smaller in number, and the most recent of the pictures are from half a century ago. Magda's picture can be found among the first group of refugees, an unusually small cluster of photos dating back centuries in El Nysa's past.

I have been on this planet for nearly two centuries. Life has come, evolved, and collided in an ever expanding culture. But Darma fears interference, and made this place a prison, with she our warden, stifling the growth of the creatures native to this world rather than encouraging them to flourish.

She sent you here for answers in her stead because she knows I'll spurn her, and after seeing what that fool Raysc has wrought, I'll give you them — not for Darma's sake, but because I trust after all the Natha have done to you, you'll understand my decision. Mistakes were made, and I won't hide them. You've made it here so there's some mettle to you, and unlike the Orbiters, I'm not interested in hiding the secrets of the dangers we face.

I gave Raysc what he needed to keep his actions hidden from Darma's eyes — what he needed to advance the primitive magics the Natha had doomed him to. It was old Natha tech, Darma's very own used against her. Hilarious, isn't it? Raysc learned of Nadril, and like you, braved the snow to find his way here. He proved his worth and his determination, and he spoke of a brighter future, El Nysa coming into its own, its people realizing their true potential, unhindered by the shackles that had been put upon them. I believed him. He had vision — or so I thought. In truth, he was a fool. A madman. He wasted the opportunity I gave him on his petty vengeance.

But not everyone on this planet is such an idiot. Surely you lot aren't. The Natha are hiding things from us — about the Storm, about everything. And here in Nadril, we're going to find all those secrets. What's it going to be? Will you help us, or are you going to stay obedient dogs on Darma's leash?


Magda isn't too talkative yet; after all, the new flock of refugees may just be here as eyes and ears for the Orbiters. But what he has said leaves you with plenty to talk about, and if you can earn his trust by helping out around Nadril, he doubtless has a great deal more to reveal.

II. Central isn't the only Natha ship that made its way to El Nysa — another, crashed just outside Nadril's borders, is little more than a junk heap. It's here that you'll find the spare parts Darma asked you to retrieve for Thesa Station.

What remains of the ship's hull serves as a windbreak, and snow has built up against it, turning the piles of old Natha tech inside into something of a snowy morass. Holes in the deck offer would-be scavengers passage to the ship's innards, barely illuminated with flickering lights — the tech is old, but hardy enough to withstand a crash landing, the severe weather, and the passage of centuries.

Deep in the wreck are the remains of living quarters, research labs, VR arenas, mecha bays, cafeterias, and a host of other rooms, many of which may seem familiar from Thesa Station, albeit with a decidedly older feel to what remains of the smooth curves and sleek surfaces of the Natha architecture. Most of the ship's systems are damaged and the technology is nonfunctional, but that just means there's plenty of spare parts to be found. The wreck isn't in the best shape, its structural integrity damaged, and the drifting snow threatens to block off exit routes. Be careful while exploring and be sure to bring a partner.

As it turns out, Darma isn't the only one interested in the wreck — Magda is also eager to get his hands on Natha technology. In his own way of taking some responsibility for Raysc, he's asking scavengers to bring him parts, muttering about seeing what he can do about Ysverai's curse. Bring him anything that looks useful, and he may have a chance to succeed, though whether he'll be more effective than the Natha Orbiters is up for debate...

FINAL OOC NOTES    
An AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 NADRIL REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE BY AUGUST 5TH, 11:59 PM EST.

As always, feel free to create your own prompts and explore the Nadril location page! There are a variety of activities made available, including fishing and cave exploration!

Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you!

conqueredhearts: (Shall We Drink?)

Welcome 1

[personal profile] conqueredhearts 2018-07-19 09:30 am (UTC)(link)
Hm?

[Hearing Diamond, he looks over and laughs a bit. The offer is kind and he imagines that whatever Diamond is must mean that the supplies are wholly unnecessary.]

I don't require them either actually. But I could come with you to find someone who does! What say you?
gekkajuu: commissioned, please do not steal (eatsushi062_zpszfla6brq)

[personal profile] gekkajuu 2018-07-19 09:33 am (UTC)(link)
It really is surprisingly fragile, isn't it?

[Maybe it's no wonder that these robot animals in particular were given out for a try to any stranger in town. If Atsushi were any more suspicious, he'd expect a scam. As it is, he still considers it a possibility, though without the feelings of anger that most would experience under those circumstances.

Not wanting to risk using the sharp hook of his claw again, he tries with the rounded side of the tip, instead. That seems to fix the dent a lot better.]


... It's not perfect, but it will do.

[He's still going to have to apologize, but he feels a little better at having limited the damage all the same.]
conqueredhearts: (Just Me And My Sword)

Welcome II

[personal profile] conqueredhearts 2018-07-19 09:36 am (UTC)(link)
[He recognizes that figure almost right away and smiles as he goes on up to him. Bringing a hand around Linneus, he lightly touches the ice himself. It's truly amazing for it to be so cold yet never melt away...]

Beautiful isn't it? Almost as if there is some sort of magic allowing it even though I know it must be some technology.
gekkajuu: commissioned, please do not steal (少し経てばもう元通りだ)

[personal profile] gekkajuu 2018-07-19 09:38 am (UTC)(link)
"It can be hard to have to keep adjusting," he says, trying to be sympathetic without forcing possibly unwanted sympathy on her. She seems nice enough, but he doesn't want to make her feel patronized or anything.

"A year, now." It still doesn't seem real. "A little longer, if you count the time on Thesa."
gekkajuu: commissioned, please do not steal (eatsushi005_zpstfvbktnl)

clearly you have to become pink and cause a love-splosion

[personal profile] gekkajuu 2018-07-19 09:42 am (UTC)(link)
[OHGOD HE RUINED EVERYTHING?!?! Flying into half a panic, himself, he tries to help her gather the photos.]

No - I'm sorry! [He's... pretty sure she's not apologizing to him. But even so!] Here, I'll help..!

[He does that, anyway, gathering his share of the photos. He doesn't mean to look at them, but once he's got the majority that she wasn't grabbing for collected, he's distracted by the images on them all the same, staring a little.]
ofhousetarly: (26)

[personal profile] ofhousetarly 2018-07-19 09:45 am (UTC)(link)
A few months now. [ Sam sits down opposite from Bree, then continues. ] Thankfully, my best friend was here before me. I doubt I would have gotten very far if he wasn't around.

[ The same friend who was having a difficult time at the moment. Someone he cared for had gone back into stasis. ]

This place is really different to where I'm from. Is it the same for you?
hedonistic: (pic#10783865)

i.

[personal profile] hedonistic 2018-07-19 09:52 am (UTC)(link)
I know, right?

[It's been a very long time since Kagari's crossed paths with said procyon lotor, but he definitely remembers the guy--you just don't forget a talking raccoon--and definitely shares his enthusiasm to be around technology again while planetside. Wyver is Acceptable due to the dragons and magic and all, but there's still nothing quite like a technological Convenience.]

What I don't get is why the Natha don't let everyone live like this. I mean, I know they don't want people to know about 'em, but there's a difference between space travel and like, the stone age.
Edited 2018-07-19 09:52 (UTC)
dancerefresher: (you must have)

so it's pink pink fall in love?

[personal profile] dancerefresher 2018-07-19 09:59 am (UTC)(link)
It's not your fault-!

[They're going to have an apology round about at this rate. But then again, seeing that she's gotten some of the photos collected and pressed to her chest...seeing Atsushi stare at them, she offers a watery sniff.]

T-they're not very interesting are they?

[They could be of her dancing, fighting in the midst of Unrisen (aka zombies) or bandits...but there are more domestic scenes of her using first aid and cooking for the people in Ylisse.]
atwo: (021)

[personal profile] atwo 2018-07-19 10:16 am (UTC)(link)
[ pushing her brows together, she stares at olivia for a moment before dropping her shoulders. ]

You don't...? [ how does she not. she does suppose that not all humans would be aware of it -- or maybe she isn't human? she shouldn't judge people based on their appearance now that she thinks about it. ]

Everything that has happened is human nature.
gekkajuu: commissioned, please do not steal (eatsushi031_zpshwu3ngeu)

i guess falling in kiss would be... painful

[personal profile] gekkajuu 2018-07-19 10:18 am (UTC)(link)
[The top picture is one of her dancing, as it happens, and while it's enough to make him curious about the rest, he resists the urge to browse, turning the photos into a neat stack before handing them over.]

On the contrary! Your dancing looks very impressive.
illuminating: (pic#12428545)

[personal profile] illuminating 2018-07-19 10:18 am (UTC)(link)
[Wolf at shivering, sniffling You's side is crying in concern, rapid, short whines stumbling out of her. She's much too small for this. This wind is highly unnecessary. That it's unnatural is a good indicator they're moving in the right direction, but she'd still like to give a scolding chomp to the person responsible. It's overkill.

Ammy stays as close as she can, her form moving fluidly and noticeably with You's, putting in what effort she can to both shelter and warm her as they walk. If her knees seem like they're having trouble, she'll slow for her, or even stand still till she finds her strength. Whimpering all the while, as if trying to talk to her, as if trying to reassure her the best she can, she bumps her head and muzzle under hands. Pets are a decent way to occupy them, and to keep them moving in this bitter cold.]
atwo: (Pkq1IFj)

[personal profile] atwo 2018-07-19 10:20 am (UTC)(link)
A bunny?

[ What a weird name. She gives Cain an awkward stare as she watches him pat the rabbit, unsure of how she is supposed to react to it. ]

I guess it's cute. [ The way its fur is all fluffy is rather nice and she does gently move her thumb over it. ] It's strange looking though.
dancerefresher: (always with me)

[personal profile] dancerefresher 2018-07-19 10:25 am (UTC)(link)
Bringing an undead dragon back to life...Magda helping the cult do that...all the other things I don't even know what's happened...and our being put on the spot is human nature?

I...I'm not sure if that's right.

It feels...

[Her face screws up briefly as she thinks.]

It feels like it's not the whole story. Does that make sense?
dancerefresher: (seamstress for the band)

bruising even

[personal profile] dancerefresher 2018-07-19 10:28 am (UTC)(link)
T-thank you.

[She takes the photos gingerly, before making to wipe at her eyes with the heel of her palm.]

I-I don't think I'm that great-I-I have so much more to learn. But thank you.

For the help.
quevalry: (AVKxfg0)

[personal profile] quevalry 2018-07-19 10:28 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah. [ She crosses her arms. ]

You've got a good point. I do wish they mentioned more to us about what they're doing and everything like that... and why only now they stepped in. [ When they could have stepped in right from the start when all the disasters were happening. ]

I've got mixed feelings about Magda seeing what his actions have done so far.
illuminating: (pic#7829646)

[personal profile] illuminating 2018-07-19 10:29 am (UTC)(link)
[It's a shame since—and not that he'd know this, but—she's not a dog. Perhaps if she had that kind of domestication in her blood, even with being a god, she might mind him. She's too wild for it. As far as animals like her are concerned, anywhere is free real estate fair game for slumbering. Her ears hear too well to not have noticed him, and perhaps he even notices himself their vague movement, close to the top of her head, scarcely lifting when he speaks. ...so, yes, she's outright ignoring him.

Then, he has the audacity to start pushing her, and she weights herself, mattress creaking, and the bones of her paws protruding when she sinks her claws down. She doesn't open her eyes, but she does give him a low growl. She's sleeping! What a rude child. Just go to bed with her, it won't hurt anything.]
atwo: (pic#11578846)

[personal profile] atwo 2018-07-19 10:55 am (UTC)(link)
[ Hi Rohan, A2 is already sick of your shit and it shows on her face. (Although, the expression doesn't change much in the first place.) Part of her really wants to just ditch him, but after how he got stuck last time and just ended up being bullied by a dolphin, she feels like he won't get anywhere without her.

He's just that hopeless in her mind. ]


What scenery? I promise you, you'll be sick of this 'scenery' when we're halfway there.

[ She's already sick of it. ]
atwo: (pic#11579574)

[personal profile] atwo 2018-07-19 11:04 am (UTC)(link)
The need to help, to fight, to cause despair is human nature.

Or, at least, that is what I have learned. [ and that people use others. there's no need for a2 to get all dark and grim though. ]

There's most likely more to it, I can agree to that. But, we're not going to find out easily.

[ There's always two sides to a story and she has no doubt that there is some real dirt and heavy information buried under the surface. ]
insist: (224.)

[personal profile] insist 2018-07-19 11:04 am (UTC)(link)
At least you know that. [ This jerk. ] I thought I was stepping on a pile of clothing.

[ Maybe Rohan should have been actually PAYING ATTENTION, but nah. ]

I'll accept this apology, but I have to say -- Your clothes really aren't suited for these conditions.
insist: (148.)

[personal profile] insist 2018-07-19 11:11 am (UTC)(link)
[ He didn't exactly ask for company, but sometimes fighting it is more tiring than tolerating it. Rohan lets out a sigh, and doesn't look too enthusiastic. ] Do what you like.

[ Now, he tries to recall a place called 'Fuyuki City'. ] I was also from Japan, and I've been to almost all the prefectures but I've never heard of that place. I suppose you must be talking about an alternate Japan.

[ He does like to learn about other people's worlds, however. He'll bite. ] Were you there on vacation?
impavid: (❖ Let it go by)

[personal profile] impavid 2018-07-19 11:12 am (UTC)(link)
"You're right, they probably won't be able to."

No point sugar coating it.

"But I will. If all this goes wrong, I'll make sure we get back to the outpost -- don't you worry."

He steps close enough to make sure Ianto is steady on his feet, gives him a moment to fuss before settling a hand on his back and trying to coax him into walking again.

"Come on. When we get there maybe they'll have something like coffee for you. You can tell me all about how badly they make it."

Unless it's actually up to Ianto's exacting standards, of course, but somehow John doesn't expect that.
conqueredhearts: (You Can Count On The Big Guy!)

[personal profile] conqueredhearts 2018-07-19 11:17 am (UTC)(link)
[Rohan, the sooner you accept that he's your friend now and will involve himself in everything the better. For who exactly? We just don't know.]

An alternate Japan? I suppose it is!

[He will just roll with that like he does everything else honestly.]

Ah but no. I was summoned there.
insist: (11.)

[personal profile] insist 2018-07-19 11:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ Um, it will, because he hates sharing his bed! He also dislikes dogs, even if her strange markings do make him curious. Dogs have that honest loyalty to them that makes them preferable over cats, but they're also too energetic and in-your-face.

Is it just him, or did this large dog just sink its claws into his mattress in defiance? Wow. ]


I've spent enough time with Percival's dog to know how to handle one. You should know better than to underestimate me.

[ Rohan, starting a fight with a dog? Yeah, this is exactly how it would go down. He eventually gives up on trying to overcome Ammy with strength (since he doesn't have much) and strides into the kitchen to get a pepper shaker. Dogs have those sensitive noses, right? She's probably going to hate having some pepper placed directly under her snout. ]
torchwoodteaboy: (Default)

[personal profile] torchwoodteaboy 2018-07-19 11:26 am (UTC)(link)
got it, thank you so much!
insist: (73.)

[personal profile] insist 2018-07-19 11:28 am (UTC)(link)
[ This non-con friendship is going too far. Anyway, Rohan's interests are definitely peaked at Iskander's odd phrasing. ]

'Summoned' ...? [ Come to think of it, he doesn't know much about this guy because he didn't have the chance to ask before. He wants to find out more now, because it sounds fascinating. ] That's a strange way to put it. Elaborate.

[ He will order u around because he can. ]