Dalken Starbyne - Meetings

I could only hope the message I left on the imager in Pahratehs was noticed by the right person. It was innocuous enough. A generic greeting to most, a text post I spread across a few of the 'hoods to make it seem less targeted. But within it was a single clue. One that would only hold significance to those with the right pieces of the puzzle and would lead them back to me. With that in place, it was time to wait. A few hours passed. As I looked out over the light garden from the bridge in the TCT 'hood, I heard the familiar sound of an incoming link. I checked my KI for the name.

Jessie Pollick.

I pushed myself up from the rail and made my way toward the fountain. My Relto was already off my belt. Without a word, before anyone else could show up, I held the linking page out to him. And just like that, he was gone. A moment later, so was I.

We spent some time gauging one another, though I think we both knew we were after the same thing. We wanted the truth. It didn't take long before we began exchanging information. Locations we'd spotted the spirals. What each of us had found. I brought up the journals. That got him interested. Noloben and the Bahro even more. He told me about the incident in Tokotah, and the investigation that had led up to it. Others were involved, at least to some degree. Jeremy Reinold, David Farwell, Terry Suguino.

We came to the conclusion that it is probably an explorer leaving those spirals about. And they're doing it to draw attention. It's working, too. Talk is spreading. Quickly. I'm concerned with the danger surrounding this whole Triple Shell thing. I expressed my concerns to Jessie, and he seemed to understand. We can't have the Cavern at large delving into this. Not until we really know how to handle what we've got here, at least. He said he'd try to get a hold of the others so that we could discuss our next course of action. After a stunt like that, I can understand why they'd be laying low for a while. Especially if my interactions with Pahratehs' "management" are any indication of how serious they can be.

In the meantime, I have someone else to get a hold of. I have a hunch about who's been leaving those spirals, and I aim to find them. Of course, that's easier said than done.

Dalken Starbyne - On the Verge

I sit here in Relto, watching the lightning strike in the distance as I write this. I've always loved that lightning. Yeesha calls this 'the high place,' which I'll admit is rather apt, if nothing else, and it makes for a great view. And it's cozy and makes for a good home away from home, particularly when I don't want to be bothered.

Well, most of the time, anyway.

I'm looking through my notes again. I've been on this trail for a year now, and the more I investigate, the more I'm convinced it's of the utmost importance I get to the bottom of this. This isn't just some report for The Cavern Today anymore. What started as a brief trip to the Descent to check against Pantaleon's story has spiraled (pardon the pun) into something much deeper.

The appearance of the spiral in the Watcher's Pub all but confirmed what I already suspected. I've been talking to several explorers since I got back from my...excursion, but the correlation with the journals I've found is too consistent to dismiss as coincidence. While I still need to interview those explorers from Pahratehs and check against the facts, I feel like I'm on the verge of a major breakthrough.

Of course, it's still possible that this is all an elaborate ruse. It wouldn't exactly be the first time it's happened around here. And that's part of why I've been playing this close to the chest so far. The last thing we need is a bunch of explorers getting all worked up over nothing. The last time that happened, we had a real emergency not long after, and someone died. I'm not going to let that happen if I can help it.

Still, now that I know the Bahro are involved...I'm pretty sure I'm on to something.