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 Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:04 pm
In the Counselor's Care
A roleplay between Dr. Amory Kempe and Mr. Seymour Luikhart, along with his Plague, Clance. Seymour has come from Rosstead to seek explanation for the events in Helios and to acquaint himself with the Council further. The time is early morning, and the place is Dr. Kempe's office at Trisica University.
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:24 pm
It was a quiet day in Dr. Amory Kempe's office, but it was not a quiet day for Dr. Amory Kempe. Still becoming accustomed to his newfound duites as Counselor, his desk was even more in disarray than usual, and it took the lavender stunted addressing him quite a while to navigate his way around the stacks of parchment, ink, and files scattered every which way. Finally though, the stunted managed to clamber over everything and cleared his throat next to Amory's ear, causing the psychologist to look up from his papers in surprise. "Already?" he asked, glancing at his schedule.
"Announcing-" the stunted began.
"Come in, Mr. Luikhart, please!" called Amory, interrupting the lavender messenger and hastily trying to pile his mess into a neater stack. The stunted shot him a rather offended look, for what was the point if there was no formality in his profession, but flounced off to sit on the now-cleared edge of the desk, kicking his feet over the edge. "Good morning! I am sorry about the mess, terribly busy around here, you know, the march of progress stops for no man. However, I assure you that the couch," he gestured across from him, "Is clear, and also quite comfortable. Please, be my guest and take a seat."
Now for the part he had been dreading. The biggest issue that Amory had found himself saddled with as Counselor was first dealing with the disgruntled Grimms coming in from the disastrous meeting the Scientists had both blindly and unfortunately arranged some time prior. There were few that were persistent enough to come right to Gadu these days, and most of them had been dealt with the morning after the meeting itself, but those who came this far were usually disgruntled, angry, or both. Amory was good at pacifying people, but that still did not make the task particularly fun.
"Thank you for arranging to visit me so early in the morning, Mr. Luikhart," Amory admitted, flashing a wry smile. "What may I help you with today?"
He prayed to Panyma that it didn't involve punching.
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:45 pm
Confused, yes, the best word to describe the grimm at this current situation.
He stared at the entrance of the messy office in slight fright, but stepped inside when greeted by the older man. Giving a nod in greeting, Seymour edged awkwardly towards the couch and stood by the furniture instead, he would take a seat as instructed but his legs have turned to stone over the anxiety eating slowly at his stomach. A shuffle could be heard from his scarf as Clance poked his tiny head out of the folds wrapped around his tiny body.
“H-hello,” Seymour responded in hesitation, “I was just w-wondering about what happened...in Helios. It...ah, I remember it happened, but I can't remember what happened or the outcome at all.”
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 3:06 pm
Amory eyed the man standing next to his couch, and paused for a moment before reassuring the giant (Ada, he was big, big and strong looking, Panyma help him), "I assure you that it won't bite. Are your legs sore from the journey, perhaps? I hear you came all the way from Rosstead, good grief!" Dr. Kempe himself had never been outside of Imisus in his life, and his sense of distance was adjusted accordingly. On the desk, the stunted whistled, and several other lavender stunteds of slightly smaller stature seeped from the woodwork to sit on the couch, themselves, bouncing up and down on it for emphasis. Amory waved, chiding, "Yes, well, no need for dramatics, Rene," and the lavender stunted on the desk rather reluctantly whistled again, causing those on the couch to vanish as quickly as they had appeared. Steepling his fingers, Amory turned back to his visitor.
"Can't remember, hm? The teleportation shouldn't have made you that drowsy, from what our mages have told me of the process. Are you particularly susceptible to the process, perhaps? I can tell you what happened, but from what I've heard of the event, it seems to me rather remarkable that you'd forget at all." His inner psychologist took over, and he remarked, "Is this, perhaps a recurring problem?" It was all he could do to restrain himself from opening a new file and writing in it. Counselors don't start files on guests, he reminded himself, drumming his fingers on the table as he spoke. "Anyway! What happened, whether you can recall it or not, was that the Emperor proposed that Grimms should remove their Plagues to the care of the Emperor. There was some dissension at the notion, and for now it has been put on hold, as far as I know due to the disruption that the suggestion subsequently caused." He did not mention two advisors dying, Sir Erasmus killing another Plague, or the chaos surrounding the events in general. This man was a giant. The less upset Amory made him, the better.
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 6:21 pm
A shy smile graced the man’s lips as he watched the lavender plagues bounce on the couch, he nodded at both the plagues and the man before taking a seat on the couch. They were right, it was very comfy. Seymour patted his knees a little and brought his attention back to the man before him.
“No, it...it has never happened before. The forgetting I mean.” He replied, “ A-and I’m glad the proposal was put on hold.”
If it had been passed, Seymour would have probably breached the law out of not handing Clance over. He could never trust a stranger, even if he is the emperor, to look after the little one. Would they even try to look after them?
“Why would the emperor do that!” Clance suddenly spoke up, “We, plagues, belong with our grimms! I would never leave Seymour! He can’t make me!”
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:32 pm
"Perhaps it was the teleportation after all, then," Amory mused. Having never teleported himself, he couldn't answer to the effects. "Would you like to visit one of the doctors here perhaps and speak to them about it?" Not that he was incredibly keen on Seymour remembering the full experience from the effect it had on the Grimms who could actually remember. Still, it was interesting to think of the possible effects magic might have on the mind, and his fingers inched towards a fresh folder again.
"Ah, as to the status of the proposal, I can only assume it was for now. As no decision was reached and you and your Plague," he waved to Clance, "Are still walking free, it seems that for now the matter is at rest. I do hope that the Emperor makes no further move on Panymium's Plagues, but I do not pretend to know his, nor the Advisors' minds." To answer Clance's query, he got up and began to pace the room. "That being said, my best guess, my friend, is that the stigma against you and the increasing desperation to find a cure for the plague you come from is causing stricter action against your kind. However, whether the Emperor wishes to study you in more scrutiny or wishes to keep you away from the public, I can't say. A caedos such as yourself will one day be a dangerous infitialis, and I can't lie to you and say that I relish the idea of beings that spread disease walking the streets."
He offered the two of them a warm smile, and soothed, "But that is why we Scientists are seeking a cure, and why Grimms such as yourself are so welcome in Council halls. Tell me, what have you done to aid the cause as of yet?"
On the table, the lavender plague puffed his chest out proudly, and added, "Dr. Kempe is an esteemed leader in the field of Psychology, and I am one of the head diplomats in the Plague Parliament here in the Council Halls." He took the opportunity to introduce himself properly, bowing with an overly dramatic flourish, and announced, "Rene, head stunted messenger of the Council's Counselor, at your humble service." Dr. Kempe rolled his eyes at the flamboyant Plague, but let it pass just this once.
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Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:52 am
“N-no it’s fine, I don’t feel the effects physically, and nothing else seems to be effect.” Seymour objected politely. He eyed Clance silently as the little being absorbed the information like a sponge. However, he did end up letting out a loud huff along with a pout ever so pleasant on his dark face. He released a muffled whine of complaint when his words have failed him and retreated into the large folds of the scarf once more. The little caedos had no come backs to what Amory said nor can he object to the true nature he is subjected to present or future. He sat himself closer to his grimm’s neck in self comfort. Seymour could only smile apologetically at the other man for the plague’s behavior, and when asked, he could only stare at his own hands resting on the surface of his knees.
“I…” he paused, taking in a deep breath. “I haven’t really done much for the council. I have only been to the forums on the council’s behalf to convince them for some funds, but that was it. I had been staying away for a while since then. Clance became an excito shortly after that, and…”
Trailing off, the man could not bring himself to look the in the eye. He truly have not done much to help the cause, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to; the truth was that he didn’t know how. One can only do so much with left over documents and papers from a deceased man. Not to mention he would much rather forget the crow and pigeon nightmare not so long ago.
This was embarrassing.
“I truly have not done much. I- I’m not sure how.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:19 am
"Still, to have such a large chunk of your memory missing!" Amory exclaimed, but let the matter lie. It wasn't his choice, and there were more important matters to attend to. If Seymour didn't choose to remember, he couldn't say he wasn't relieved. That was one less possible grudge against the Council to be concerned over. It did seem that the Plague had a bit of a grudge against him, though, and he smiled helplessly at it. "I'm sorry my news is unpleasant," he apologized. "You also carry a difficult burden, I know." On his desk, the servos stunted preened, pleased at his own desirable alignment, even if he would never grow to fulfill the promise of a cure it implied.
Dr. Kempe listened attentively as Seymour explained what he had done and laughed. "More funds are the most helpful gift we could ask for. I thank you for your services. As for further help, you've been involved in chores for us, but have you considered exploring science in earnest? have you simply joined us for the political protection we might afford, admittedly less secure after the meeting as of late, or do you take an interest in science?" He withdrew a fresh piece of parchment at last, intending to take notes. "I am the Counselor, so if you have an interest in aiding us further, I can, well, aid you in aiding us, I suppose. Have you had an education prior to joining us? What are your relevant skills?" He paused, then added, "If you do not believe you have the capacity to be a researcher, we also have other work you might want to be employed in. But I highly encourage becoming more active in the Council regardless. In these times, uniting our efforts is the greatest security we can afford."
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:10 pm
“Exploring…science?” The grimm echoed, a look of surprise and interest in his eyes. “Would that be possible for me? I mean…”
“Seymour and I have always lived in our cabin, how much do you think the two of us would know of science?” Clance spoke up again, his eyes barely visible behind the scarf. His voice a little sarcastic, but not much venom laced with his words. He was just being pouty. Seymour only let out an inaudible sigh at the plague’s behavior and returned his attention to the topic at hand. He could feel his eye twitch in anxiety.
“I joined the council mainly because I find it interesting, and my knowledge of science is limited. Is there a way for me to learn and be more active in the council at the same time?”
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:25 pm
Patiently, Amory replied, "More than possible. Here at Trisica we have all manner of classes and lectures open to attend, and as you are a Grimm, you, of course, receive preferential treatment. We have taken in Grimms for their use in providing us research material, however, denying you the tools to educate yourselves further doesn't do either of us any good." He pushed the piece of paper forward and wrote 'theology rhetoric philosophy logic literature science magic' on it. "These are the core subjects Trisica specializes in."
Then, because he was Amory, he added, "Of course, there are subdivisions, too. You might not be interested, but I have begun to pioneer the science of the mind, Psychology. I believe that if we study the mind thoroughly, we may be able to find out more about ourselves. And comparing our minds to the minds of Plagues might help us better comprehend their natures as well, so I psychoanalyze laymen, Grimms, and Plagues. Now may not be the best time, but I am looking for volunteers." He flashed a hopeful smile. Rene cleared his throat, and Amory recollected himself, continuing with the matter at hand.
"If you do not wish to complete four years at Trisica- which is not viable for everyone, tuition is not cheap, I can find a Scientist in a discipline you're interested in to take you on as an apprentice. In most cases, this will be roughly synonymous with 'errand boy' until you're able to understand the discipline and be of use to the Scientist who you work for properly. In some cases it will involve attending lectures as well, and your education resulting from that apprenticeship will be painfully specialized, but will be enough to make you of use to us. If you want to be taken seriously in your field, you may later pursue a degree from Trisica, time and funds willing. The more you're able to flaunt your knowledge in the Trisica application interview, the more financial aid you will receive."
"As I did," he added, glancing at Clance. "I was born to potato farmers in Northern Imisus. An isolated lifestyle means nothing to someone who wants to pursue their own self-betterment."
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:52 pm
All the information Amory has given them threw over Clance’s head, but in contrast, Seymour seems to absorb it like a sponge. Taking the sheet of paper into his hands, his eyes wondering over the words in thought; he took him a moment, but he stared at Amory in confusion.
“Is…Psychology looking for apprenticeship right now?” He asked, a little unsure. As much as he found the other topics eye catching, psychology just stood out in its own little field. Yes, the study itself is part of a subdivision, but for one to try and understand how the mind works sound so abnormal but interesting. The grimm would love to learn more about the mind of human and plague alike.
Clance flinched a little at the man’s words, but only let out another huff. There was a muffled “sorry” from the plague before he attempted to hide his presence even deeper into the folds of the scarf.
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 2:05 pm
Amory's face brightened up considerably. "Oh, always," he stammered, fumbling around for information and finally pulling out a book. "Here, I wrote this on the subject, I do suppose you can read, Mr. Luikhart? Never fear, it's not Ardenian, just plain Panymese, although if you can read Ardenian, some of my students have also..." He trailed off, eyeing the books lining the shelves on his wall and mouthing their titles silently. Rene clapped his hands, and a great multitiude of lavender stunteds began pulling books down one at a time, lining them up on the desk carefully and teeteringly. Amory coughed and turned back to Seymour.
"Well, while they do that, yes, I would be glad to take you on as one of my own apprentices, in fact." Rene held out Amory's schedule impatiently, already so full as to be quite illegible, but Amory waved him aside. "Yes, I can do that, however, as my apprentice, you will be required to attend the unofficial evening lectures in Psychology in this," he scribbled down a number, "Lecture room. You will also be expected to choose your own specialization and begin your own independent research as soon as possible, as I find hands-on experience under supervision works better to educate than watching and copying in this field. You will be expected to formulate and prove your own theses, and you will be expected to study outside of your time with me in order to catch up. This is a new field, you you needn't worry about tradition, but keeping abreast of developments is expected." He passed all these notes along with several books to Seymour. "You can keep the books," he decided. "Learning Ardenian isn't essential, as I have never and will never lecture in it, but it is suggested, as other Scientists will hardly be so plebian."
He rubbed his hands together in glee, thoroughly invested in the venture now that it had been suggested. "Excellent, glad to have you aboard! Your first assignment will be to show up for psychoanalysis sessions with me along with your Plague. We'll discuss what you have read after. I would suggest finding lodgings in Gadu, but if that's not possible, I can talk to my landlady and see if she knows of anything."
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 2:59 pm
“Thank you for giving me this chance Mr. Kempe.” Seymour smiled as he stood up while taking the books and notes, and placed them on the small stack the lavender plagues had so kindly started. He skimmed over the cover of the first book on the pile before opening the cover, and places the notes inside before closing it, keeping them trapped within the layers. The grimm picked up the stack in one hand as he pondered over his future living arrangements.
Should he at least go back to pick up a few things from the cabin? It might take a while to go back and then come back, but for the most part, it was mainly clothing and a couple of small things he would like to bring with him. However he does have the essentials, and not to mention time might be limited and it is doubtful he will get free transportation for this. Also the offer Amory had suggested would be nice, Seymour’s knowledge of Gadu is very limited but finding lodging wouldn’t be easy. His smile became nervous as he thought more about the lodging problem, “Um, sir, i-if you don’t mind. C-could you please ask your landlady for me? I’m…not too familiar with Gadu since I’ve lived in Shyregoed for most of my life…”
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 3:35 pm
"It's not a problem," Amory assured the bearlike Shyregoadian. "I will have one of my messengers promptly to you with a reply on the matter." He nodded to Rene, who nodded to another stunted, who vanished into the woodwork, presumably all the way to Amory's house. "Before the end of the day you will have options to enquire after."
At that moment, another stunted came up and rang a bell, causing Amory to startle. "My word, it's almost time for my next lecture. Philosophy, not Psychology, so you needn't attend, it's what they've got me teaching while Psychology remains a dabbler's art." He gave a good natured grimace, and added, "Still, Philosophy is a noble body of research as well! I begrudge the ancient Ardenians nothing, although contemporary Panymese professors sneer at me awfully for my field or research." He puffed his cheeks in exasperation, but all was fair in scientific research, and he had to prove himself to be taken seriously, he supposed. "Come now, though. I fancy you have a bit of reading to catch up on, so I'll leave you to that. Please do attend the lecture tonight, and if you have any questions, you can relay a message to me through this." He whistled and a lavender stunted made its way to Seymour and bowed deeply, stowing itself on his person. As it did so, Amory reached out a hand, offering Seymour a brisk shake.
"Welcome to the Council, Mr. Luikhart! I wish you all luck in your studies."
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