(no subject)

[spitemancer]

I want samples from the Fowler Museum sinkhole, and you need better minds than yours to work on the problem. That's me. I need someone to tell the humans stationed around the perimeter to let me by; they're not as corrupt as Rata Sum Peacekeepers and they didn't take bribes. Who do I talk to so that I can get that done?

Speaking of perimeters, if you have to put one around a pit that is one hundred meters deep to stop yourselves and your progeny from throwing themselves over the edge, then there is no hope for you as a species.

Comments

[risenridingwolves]

I don't think that attitude is going to get anyone to put their faith in you. Nor is outright admitting that you tried to bribe the cops, for that matter.

[spitemancer]

What does attitude have to do with anything? It's the truth.

And bribery is sometimes a necessary expense in the pursuit of knowledge, especially when it comes to bored junior krewe defending a magically-interesting site from intellectual competitors. Your police were in a similar situation.

By the Eternal Alchemy, I've never heard of a city where this kind of incident has so much pomposity attached to it. Maybe the dredge, but who wants to follow in their footprints? I shudder to think of the intellectual stagnation this world must be under.

[risenridingwolves]

We have this little concept called ethics that precludes that sort of thing, you know.

And considering how a sinkhole just like this one ate up three of the most powerful superheroes on Earth, I would think a bit of "pomposity" is warranted. Intellectual curiosity is wonderful and all, but let's be reasonable, there are more important things to worry about here.

[spitemancer]

What's unethical about it? It isn't as though I were trying to take any actual research.

Someone who wants to investigate the phenomenon anyway should be prepared to assume the relevant risks. Even progeny know that.

[risenridingwolves]

Bribery is generally considered a bad thing around here...

That's not the problem. There could be something dangerous about those crystals or even something else in there that they just haven't found yet, CONDOR aren't going to risk some supervillain getting their grubby hands on it.

people may have thought she was a supervillain at first...

[spitemancer]

Of course it is; obviously you wouldn't want to trust anything important to someone who accepts bribes.

I am NOT a supervillain! I am a registered student of the University of California, Los Angeles, which CONDOR knows perfectly well. If I want to put myself in a dangerous situation, that is nobody's business but my own.

[risenridingwolves]

You didn't exactly make a good first impression! I can't quite say I would blame them if they were still leery of you.

what do you mean necromancy is weird and creepy

[spitemancer]

I don't remember getting a good impression from you either. You can't expect strangers to know your arbitrary restrictions on schools of magic!

and guess who's had bad experiences with necromancers?

[risenridingwolves]

"Arbitrary" nothing! I've met people who play with the dead before, and not one of them was anything but trouble! Forgive me for seeing someone show up out of nowhere surrounded by shambling horrors and making the logical assumption. I'm not a damned mind reader.

Nivata's favorite person? :D

[spitemancer]

My constructs have not shambled a day in their unlives.

I've met exponentially more necromancers than you, since it's a perfectly normal field of study all over Tyria. Including among humans.

[risenridingwolves]

Okay, really? That's the thing you take exception to?

...Either way, the fact is that's completely irrelevant because right now you are not on Tyria. You don't have to like how things work in our world but as long as you're here you are expected to accept it.

[spitemancer]

Yes. I do.

At no point have I forgotten that I'm not on Tyria, I assure you. I wasn't supposed to end up anywhere that was occupied at all.

[risenridingwolves]

What happens happens. You're not about to change the situation by grousing over it.

[spitemancer]

I'm not. I'm telling you that your impressions of necromancy are based on a sample size that doesn't meet minimal requirements.

[risenridingwolves]

You speak as if you have any idea where I'm coming from, but I can tell this discussion is going nowhere fast so fine, whatever you say.

[spitemancer]

Whose fault is that? You haven't told me anything except that you've had bad experiences with some necromancers.

[risenridingwolves]

So what, I ought to expound upon my life story on a public forum for the benefit of a stranger?

[spitemancer]

If you want to use it as an argument against my profession's innate morality? Yes.

[risenridingwolves]

Gods above, I am not trying to argue anything of the sort, just that based on all empirical evidence available to me it was perfectly reasonable to assume hostility.

[spitemancer]

And now you know better.

[risenridingwolves]

What I know isn't relevant, though. I personally am not accusing you of any ill intent, but the perceived morality of your profession, justified or not, means you will inevitably be treated with suspicion. All I'm saying is that it might be a good idea to toe the line; openly engaging in bribery doesn't help your case.

[spitemancer]

It's only immoral to take bribes, not to offer them - except, apparently, here.

[risenridingwolves]

Yeah, no, I'm pretty sure it reflects poorly on both parties.

[spitemancer]

I've heard that before. Usually from three-day-old saplings, mind.

[risenridingwolves]

..."Saplings"?