Ch.6: "Bob Oracle's Inferno" / The Underworld

[Legendary Sidekick]

Spoiler: theme song "Exquisite Dead Guy"

When you pass through the tunnel, Bob Oracle and Hades await. Both are well dressed, each in his own way, and with all the amazons lying about catching rays, the Underworld looks more like a tropical paradise than Arcadia—especially now with the PlatBot mansion in ruin.

Grææ is now seated in front of her sister's eye, and she seems to be having a rather pleasant conversation.

What you were unable to see earlier, due to the way the Grææ eye was pointed, are a pair of amazons conversing with two of Heracle's soldiers. They seem to be hitting it off, though most of the soldiers are keeping their distance from the amazons.

"Welcome to my world," Hades says. "Have you two been acquainted with Mr. Oracle?"

"Call me Bob," Oracle says. He fist-bumps Icarus, leaving the child staring at his fist in mildly-amused bewilderment, and he seems to offer each of you a handshake—though if you give him your hand, he actually bows to kiss the back of it, if you allow the gesture. (Otherwise, he'll just shake hands.)

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn bows to Hades in respect, and blushes a bit when Bob kisses her hand. In answer to the question, she says, "We've spoken through HearthVision and visited the Hearthland a time or two."

She looks around in interest, glad that the dead seem to be enjoying themselves. Better a warm, sunny Underworld than a dark, gloomy one, in her opinion. She wonders what Hel would have to say about that.

 

[tbgg]

Kell offers Bob her hand, then replies to Hades, "We've spoken to Bob via HearthVision a handful of times, but this is the first time we've met face to face."

Looking over at the two Amazons conversing with the two soldiers of Heracles, she asks, "What are those four getting so chummy about?"


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[Ireth]

"Beats me." Sigrlinn tilts her head. "At least it's a good thing they're getting along, considering how they all apparently killed each other and their friends."

 

[tbgg]

Kell asks Hades, "If I went over to speak to the two Amazons and the two soldiers for a moment, would I still be close enough to you to be in compliance with your rules?"


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[Legendary Sidekick]

After kissing each of your hands, Bob whips out two pictures of himself. They're already autographed:

Looking forward to more
fireside chats,
~BOB O

"Yeah, I never forget a responsive member of the audience. Except names. Sorry. You'll have to remind me."

Hades leaves time for you to introduce yourselves to Bob (if you do), then responds to Kell's question. "Those are two women and two men who died before their time, and at the hands of each other's comrades. But now they are all here where factions are as meaningless as grudges. These four have caught on to that rather quickly, and as long as they aren't causing any unrest, they are free to speak to each other.

"If you are interested, you may speak to them. You might not want to reveal the fact that you are still alive, however. Some might become envious, and the envious might become dangerous."

Bob Oracle adds, "Oh… and don't lie and say you died. Lying is what Hades detests most."

Hades looks mildly impressed. "You've done your research, journalist." He turns to you. "Yes. Speak only the truth. Stick to topics that will not cause unrest among the departed. Technically, they are 'arrivals' from my point-of-view, but those at rest prefer I refer to them as The Departed. The linguistic technicality is not my concern. Their comfort is."

Hades steps aside, and waits patiently for you to talk to The Departed, or decline to.

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn smiles as she accepts a picture. "I'm Sigrlinn. I was introduced to you the first time as Leto."

She listens when Hades speaks, and nods slowly. "That makes sense. I'm glad they're happy, in any case."

 

[tbgg]

Taking Bob's photo with a half-raised eyebrow, Kell tells him, "My name is Kell. As you can see, I'm a nymph. And it's a good thing my boyfriend has seen you in the HearthVision. Otherwise he might get the wrong idea about your photo."

Kell asks Hades, "Would talking to the Departed about events near the time of their deaths or things they did while alive be likely to cause unrest?"


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[Legendary Sidekick]

"Yes," Hades replies. "Some of the Departed may choose to discuss their former lives or even their demise. But generally, it is best to let the Departed bring up their own past without prompting."

 

[tbgg]

Ch.6: "Bob Oracle's Inferno" / The Underworld

Kell frowns at Hades, feeling slightly disgruntled. "So I can ask, 'Hi, how's going?' or 'How's the weather down here in Hades?' and that's about all? You certainly know how to suck the enjoyable bits right out of a conversation, that's for sure. We might as well skip talking to these people here. I'm sure they have no interest in such trivial talk and I can assure you, unless there's something unusual or noteworthy in the physical environment, I don't either. "

Then she points toward anything that resembles a path, trail, or road. "Lead on, Mr. Hades. It's your realm, and your rules."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Hades replies, "I would think the weather would prove to be an interesting topic, and there is nothing trivial about it at all. But if you seek information on other matters, such as how the Departed ended up here--at a young age, in the cases of those around us--all I ask is that you strike up a conversation. Make them want to talk, not just interrogate them.

"But seeing how you have made it apparent you have no interest in these people, I suspect that when they tell you what plans death has taken from them, what loved ones were separated from them, their stories will matter to you as much as the weather you take for granted."

Hades then leads on as requested. A harpy swoops by and waves to Icarus. Behind her is a flying man. The harpy points down, and the man waves to her before landing. Icarus runs to him. "Dad!" And father and son embrace.

Kell recognizes this man--the same man who stabbed Heph, fought her, and was struck down by her blade.

Hades senses Kell recognizes the man, or perhaps he knows she killed him. In any case, he says to both of you (and Bob), "Given your history, and that Daedalus knows his son is not confined here, I will introduce the three of you as guests. I also ask for decorum. The man lost his battle and lost his life. He may have put himself in that position, but let him be the one to bring it up. Or his son... I cannot tell a child what topics are taboo in a conversation with his own father."

Hades steps aside, allowing you and Bob to speak to Daedalus.

Bob says, "To be honest, I was hoping to talk to those amazons and soldiers."

Hades nods, and it turns out you hadn't walked very far when the harpy led Icarus' father to him. Bob strikes up a conversation with the four unlikely (apparent) friends, leaving the two of you with Hades, who is, at the moment, dead-silent.


((He will introduce anyone who chooses to talk to Daedalus.))

 

[tbgg]

Kell studies Hades intently for a moment, grinding her teeth, then says to him, "We seem to be misunderstanding each other, or something. It is not that I am not interested in talking to these people, but I find the restrictions you place on conversing with them to be rather...confining. You tell me to make them want to talk. Well the best way *I* know to do that is to ask them about themselves, how they got here, what they think of it here, that kind of thing. Yet asking them about themselves is the one thing you say I cannot do, I have to allow them to bring it up. Well, I am trying my best to respect your rules because it's your realm. How, pray tell, do you think it's possible to 'make them want to talk' if I can only speak of trivialities? I can assure you they would find me boorish and rude if I talk only about myself - minus the reason I am only a 'visitor' here, of course. And while it's true I know nothing of the weather here, I don't see how my asking about that would make them likely to talk about anything that I would find interesting or at least useful to know. I feel like you have taken away every conversational tool I am accustomed to working with. I feel as though my hands have been tied to the point of uselessness." She regards him with mournful eyes.


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Hades' expression remains neutral. He replies to Kell, "Perhaps there is a misunderstanding on my part. However, the Departed you see here are new arrivals. You may find they also lack conversational tools, and they might bring up the topic of their demise without you prompting them.

"If you are hoping the amazons and soldiers can provide you with some information you might find useful, based on the conversation I heard you having with Aphrodite and Artemis, I suspect those people might have something to say that would interest you. But I also suspect it is not the information you think you are going to get out of them. My impression is that their loyalties to Hippolyta and Heracles no longer matter to them. So what does? Perhaps Mr. Oracle will find out. Perhaps you will.

"Or perhaps you need a lesson."

He gestures toward two women. They are sitting side by side, cuddling together. One is muscular, one is soft—with skin so perfect one who isn't a nymph might think the blonde woman is a nymph. The dark-haired one is clearly an amazon. If not for the hair color, eye color and differences in muscle tone, these women might pass for twins. The soft-skinned blonde is slightly taller than the dark-haired one. The dark-haired one is especially affectionate, and even taps the blonde on the nose. The two stare lovingly into each other's eyes as they converse, though all this time you're watching, only the muscular brunette is speaking.

Hades says to both of you, "Tell me what you know of these two women."

Assuming that his question catches you both off-guard, Hades says, "I may not be the most fun Olympian, but this is a guessing game. Kindly indulge me with a guess."

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn keeps quiet throughout Kell's conversation with Hades, but looks at the two women he points out, and tilts her head as she guesses. "They look like they're a couple. The blonde could be a Barbierian, if she isn't a nymph. Or, what do I know? Maybe she's both."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Hades cracks a slight smile. "They are not a couple. But if you were to ask them outright, what is their relationship, they would gladly tell you. You may even guess how they died... but they will not tell you that. They will only tell you a part of their story. Why not speak to them? Then report back to me and tell me if you find their story to be surprising."

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn blinks, her eyes still in the couple as she responds to Hades. "I'm not that good with conversation, to be honest... maybe I was once, but that was a long time ago, and beyond my memories. I wouldn't know what to say to start with, especially. They look pretty happy as they are, I'd feel rude just walking up and butting in."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Hades replies, "I assure you, approaching them will not be seen as rude. You are right that they are happy. Dying before they could grow old is not a happy thing, yet those two may be the happiest souls I have seen in some time. I could tell you why, but I would think myself rude for telling a story that is theirs to tell."

Hades again gestures toward the two women, who apparently haven't noticed you are watching them.

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn looks uncertainly at Hades, then shrugs and walks toward the happy pair, raising a hand to wave to them. "Hallo!"

 

[tbgg]

Replying to Hades' earlier question, Kell replies, "The two women *act* in a manner consistent with that of a couple, but different coloring notwithstanding, they *look* like relatives, anything from sisters to cousins to aunt/niece or even mother/daughter if the blonde one is a nymph or half-nymph. Perhaps they are cuddling because one has just arrived here and they were close in life."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Hades confirms none of Kell's guesses are correct. He encourages her to join Sigrlinn and find out.



The women look up as you approach. As far as you can tell, they're both in their early twenties. They are certainly as cuddly as a couple. Despite Hades' claim that they are not, you can see these women love each other very deeply. That detail is impossible to miss.

That said, the pleasant smile from the strong one suggests you're not interrupting anything. The soft one looks like she wants to hide behind the strong one, but she relaxes when the strong one replies, "Hello."

She then says to the timid blonde, "Look, Khloris! - Some nice - ladies - have come - to chat!" Her words are slow, gentle, enunciated. "Why don't - you - introduce--"

Her tone becomes ordinary, her speech quicker and softer, as she says, "Oh, right. I said your name already."

Again, her tone is gentle, her speech louder and slower, when she speaks to Khloris: "Introduce - me."

Khloris looks at the dark-haired amazon.

The amazon holds Khloris a little closer and rubs her arm. She says to you, "Maybe if you tell Khloris your name, it'll help. Oh, and thank you so much for doing this, by the way."