- Pronoun
- they/them
The Shining Congress's Department of Natural Philosophy is well-known amongst the Covenant for dedicating themselves to the topic of scientific inquiry. But within the Department, more sensitive fields of study are kept on a need-to-know basis. Researching the powerfully volatile exotic energies that would normally be the domain of lords and saints. Untangling the fabric of the world and the entities who keep it in balance. Unveiling the means by which offworlders keep slipping through the gaps in reality and falling to Forlas. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the world's most potent natural phenomena would surely allow those within the Covenant to become a beacon of knowledge to aid the world.
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Tucked away in the eastern wing was a secondary corridor branching off from the Department of Natural Philosophy that led to the archival and storage rooms. Most people wouldn't have any reason to head down there unless they worked in the boring positions like, well... archiving. But Jade was sure she'd seen some mon head in that direction a few times—the same mon who were apparently important staff that somehow never got assigned to anything on the public record.<><><>
Halfway down the hall was a curious alcove with a small gilded bench and a statue of a cloaked Lopunny holding a lantern and a staff. It wasn't obvious right way, but there was enough space around the bench that one could easily step behind it and get access to... the wall. Or rather, a sliding panel built into the wall, behind which lay a brass cage-like elevator, electric lighting overhead.
Jade bounced lightly on her toes as she loitered in the archival hallway, continually having to shake the feeling that they were trespassing. The Wayfarers were honorary Covenant members after all. They'd all gotten silver lantern badges and everything. And the elevator they'd found here wasn't explicitly off-limits. Just... implied high clearance.
"Alright, so..." she began, turning to the others, "the cover story is that we're here to help them out with their Radiance research. These guys don't get the chance to study real actual Radiance all that often... probably why they tried to make their own Radiant Knight. Anyway, they've been super interested in the fact that we can just... use it. So I figure we'll have a few of us talk to them, do a few simple demonstrations or whatever, maybe try to get some info on their past projects. Meanwhile the rest of us keep a low profile and see if there's any hidden areas with stuff they don't want us seeing." Well... more hidden than the rest of the commission that was already hidden.
She threw a glance at Laura to confirm that she had the details right. It felt weird to be the one briefing everyone, but this mission was... important to her. Personal. She'd make sure they found what they were looking for.
"With Bellatrix's illusions, it shouldn't be too hard for some of us to split off and go snooping while the others keep the scientists distracted." She was already pretty sure that Silver and Ghaspius in particular would be good for that. "Alsooo... we've got one big advantage they don't know about—we can use Betel's network to plan stuff right in front of them with no one hearing."
Betel's telepathy was honestly their strongest tool in being able to improvise and react to whatever they found down there...
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