Where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?
”Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?”
-Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
-Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
Samar looked around the room in bewilderment. She was not totally sure how she got here, but that was less disconcerting than the flashing lights, and giant creation maps, and podiums and Kejak wearing a hideous red and yellow jacket sitting behind a big ominous desk. At the tallest podium was Dexter, in a bright blue jacket, and he kept calling them Gumshoes. Corbin was so bewildered he had the hookah flat out on his podium already. He was going to be no help. She could see past Dexter to a window where a brilliant golden
"Good afternoon everyone! Welcome to another edition of 'Where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?' I am Dexter, and you all know The Chief, so let's introduce our gumshoes!"
A cheer went up from the crowd.
He pointed to a girl in a yellow jacket. "First we have Larena, Chosen of Journeys from the West. She may seem to have an advantage here, but do not underestimate anyone!"
Someone in the crowd said, "Except maybe the Lunar!"
"Shush, we will not insult the gumshoes! They are all still so young!"
A stern glare from Chief Kejak quieted the hecklers, and Dexter continued, pointing to a girl whose jacket was a lighter shade of blue than his, but no less bright.
"Next is Tareneh, Chosen of Serenities from Whitewall. Her prowess at games might just give Larena a run for her money."
A lot of Serenities cheered, and somehow confetti and small firecrackers got involved.
Gesturing to a girl in a red jacket, he said, "Here is Ulfwen, Chosen of Battles, and an Icewalker. Never met a problem she could not lick!"
The chosen of battles present all cheered.
Pointing to a very young boy with red hair and an oversized green jacket, he said, "Here is Devin, Trainee Chosen of Secrets, from the Northeast. He may be young, but the secrets of Creation are in his grasp."
Pretty much everyone cheered for Devin, even the other gumshoes, especially since his mentor, Kiara, was very conspicuously absent, going so far as to leave an empty, green upholstered chair with her name on it in large letters next to the seats the former mentors of the others were in. Szila, the snake of colorless fire was draped on the back of said chair. There was also notes at each chair that said, "please cheer for Devin," but clearly not in Kiara's handwriting, especially since the tiny hearts and tiny purple butterflies were not her style. The secrets among them did a polite golf clap.
He then pointed to a boy in a violet suit, "Finally for the Sidereal contingent we have Faxon, chosen of Endings from the River Provinces. His best chance at winning is his unbridled competitive spirit."
All the chosen of endings cheered, until Wayang shot them a dirty look.
He then pointed to Samar, suddenly in an orange jacket, "This is Samar, Twilight caste Solar from the far East. While not known for her sense of direction, her passion for learning is hard to beat."
A few people politely clapped, and the Convention on Causing Chaos all cheered, but they were quickly drowned out by a Zenith by the name of Shoren, and no one was quite sure who invited him.
He then pointed to Corbin in a silver jacket, who briefly paused smoking the hookah to be introduced. "This is Aurelius, Changing Moon Lunar from the South. Clearly he is taking some sort of trip right now. But who am I to object?"
The convention on causing chaos cheered again, and most people laughed.
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
"Thank you, Venuscapella. Now, gumshoes, there is a mystery afoot!" said Dexter.
The studio audience oohed as if on cue.
"Let's see what case the Chief has for us today! Over to you, Chief."
Kejak shuffled a few papers on his desk then spoke, completely seriously. "Gumshoes, I have distressing news to report! The city of Meru was plucked straight out of its location and is now missing. Gumshoes, you have to find it!"
The studio audience gasped. Ulfwen seemed to be trying to catch her mentor's eye, as her weapon had not been brought along, and fighting theives without her weapon would never do.
Devin almost inaudibly said, "But, sir, I am not through training yet, and my Mentor is not here."
Faxon said, "And I got denied permission for a less high stakes intervention last week, what goes?"
"I am game for finding Meru," said Samar enthusiastically.
Corbin said, "we have a manse there, right?"
"Yes, and I do not want Amoth having anything else to be mad at us about."
"You will not be doing field work, gumshoes. Rather, your knoeledge of history and geography will be used to help you track down where Meru is hidden."
"Would it not be easier just to go look for it?" asked Dexter.
"The trail of clues must be analyzed this way," said the Chief.
"But..."
"Go away, Dexter."
"Right, Chief!"
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
"Okay, our first clue by scrying stone is coming in now."
A red-haired chosen of battles, dressed in touristy garb stood there in the projection, with a male wood aspect standing behind her off to the side, doing archery practice in random directions to keep the area clear of passers-by.
"Hello Kes! I hear you have a clue for us."
"This city is home to the best military groundside." The wood aspect, Marnin, waved, then resumed firing his jade powerbow. "And it is known for its wonderful tourist amenities, and its proximity to waterways. And if fighting enemies of fate and history are your sort of thing, this city is near a shadowland and built on an old First Age city."
Ulfwen's hand shot up.
Devin, "So Gumshoes, where is Kes? Ulfwen?"
"Lookshy! I so want to visit there."
"Correct, you get 5 gumshoe points!"
"I'm amazed she is standing there prattling so obviously about anathema-y things with a dragon blood behind her the whole time," said an audience member.
"Eh, they probably owe her a favor," said another.
"Or do not speak a word of Old Realm."
"Nonsense, Marnin speaks fluent Old Realm!" said Samar, to a room full of confused stares.
"Okay, while the logistics of terrestrial - celestial relations are fascinating, let's move on with the clues!" said Dexter.
"Agreed," said the Chief.
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
The scrying stone projection flashed and before them was a chosen of journeys contact juggling dreamstones and sitting next to a gilt mouse in the hand of a giant statue of a priest.
"You have a clue for us, Sirocco?"
"Hi Dexter! I am at this statue, known for being a bit unusual." The scrying stone pans up and down the statue a little, then refocuses on Amethyst Sirocco. "This statue, engraved with the text, 'Let him who looks upon me learn to fear the gods,' commemorates a victory against Fair Folk in the face of seemingly impossible odds. Near what city does this statue stand?"
Taraneh got her hand up pretty much as soon as she saw the statue.
"Okay, Gumshoe Taraneh. Where is this statue?"
"It is in the mountains west of Whitewall. It is the statue of the Mice of the Sun God."
"Correct on both counts! Five gumshoe points to Taraneh!"
The serenities in the audience cheered.
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
"And now we have another clue coming in over the scrying stone!" said Dexter.
An image was projected up so everyone could see. There was a red haired woman with beady eyes and large crow wings, seeming to have a very fake coughing fit, and surrounded by very real smoke.
"Hello Natesa! Can you tell us about what you found?"
"Well, gumshoes, cough cough, I am cough cough, in a smoke filled cough cough cough city cough cough of the First cough cough Age cough cough which was cough cough once home cough cough to the most powerful cough cough governing body cough cough in creation cough cough cough cough. It is cough now the cough cough largest known cough cough cough abyssal aspected cough demense. I should cough go find some cough cough fresh air! cough cough cough cough cough..." the scrying stone faded out.
Faxon whispered to Samar, "do you think she is finally coming back full time?"
Samar shrugged. Too many secrets were involved to answer. "Someone should tell her to get eucalyptus and mint tea for that cough."
Ulfwen whispered to Tanareh, "What if she is Carmen Chiaroscuro? I mean, she is a..." she swallowed the word Lunar, remembering who Tanareh's sifu was.
"No way! They would never show the culprit this early!" said Tanareh.
"Okay Gumshoes, where is Natesa?"
They all raised their hands, but Corbin raised his first, somehow.
"Yes, Gumshoe Aurelius?"
"She is in Meru. It is a very coughy city, and very corvid friendly."
"Yes, she is in Meru! 5 Gumshoe points to Aurelius!"
"Why ask about the city that is missing?" asked Faxon.
"Why did she report on the history of it, not its present location?" asked Devin.
"What in the world is going on here?" asked Larena.
"It is a game show, obviously," said Tanareh.
The others all turned to look at her. "What is a game show?"
"This is!"
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
"We have another clue coming in by scrying stone!" said Dexter.
A black haired woman with green sparkly eyes and the most unremarkable outfit possible, and clearly in her manse with a painting of blue white walls behind her.
"Kiara!" said Devin cheerfully.
"I have just returned from an /authorized/ excursion to a place where a year ago I would have been lesser signing constantly just to visit, due to lingering effects of the malfunctioning first age defense that depopulated this city during the invasion of the Fair Folk."
Faxon's hand shot up just seconds before the others' did.
"Yes, Gumshoe Faxon?"
"Denandsor!"
"5 gumshoe points to Faxon!"
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
"Okay, let's see if we have another clue available from the scrying stone!" said Dexter.
The projection lit up and revealed a being made of shifting multicolored strings standing before a painting of a complex of buildings, a tall one in the center, surrounded by a ring of slightly smaller ones, with various much smaller ones acting like spokes on a wheel.
"Is that Lysha?" asked Samar.
"If it really is Lysha, we will never get the clue," whispered Faxon.
"Cryptic prophecy builds character," said the Chief.
"Lysha, hello! what is your clue?" said Dexter.
"So as to the count of Incarnae and thus of the days, the cornerstones are laid. The pages flutter like the wings of a thousand butterflies. They call out in songs of rich forests and brilliant sunsets. Here no enter save those who are called. No leave except the newly wise."
Corbin stared at the projection in shock. "I actually understood that!"
The others seemed totally confused. Larena raised her hand. "The Heptagram, on the Isle of Voices. That is the painting behind Lysha at least."
"Correct for 5 gumshoe points to Larena. I knew your Journey's course work would pay off! I will personally give the first of you who correctly explains what Lysha said in normal terms a surprise."
Corbin raised his hand. "She said there are as many libraries as there are days of the week, which last I checked is seven. Forests are green, that is Jupiter's color. Sunsets are Twilighty, and both Kiara and Samar know Sorcery, so it is a Sorcery library place. I assume it is restricted access and you only leave when you have learned stuff."
Even The Chief grinned at that. "You others would do well to learn a thing or two about prophecy from the Lunar."
Devin said, "We can only understand it under the influence of drugs, or I suppose alcohol like Kes?"
"You have to think outside the box."
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro, as mysteruous fog filtered into the room. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
The projection flickered again. "Oh look, another clue!" said Dexter.
There on the screen was a Woman with black hair and green eyes, sporting a ferret on her shoulder. Right around her seemed stable and calm, but beyond that nothing seemed coherent at all.
"Hello, Chief, Dexter, Gumshoes. I am Amaya, and this is Shizuyo." Shizuyo dooked happily. "We are in an area few dare to tread, without the proper charms at least. This is the sort of place where while money still does not grow on trees, it can grow on cacti in the middle of a blizzard. Speaking of unsafe, I think I will return to a bit more sensible place now. Good luck!"
Samar's hand shot up.
"Gumshoe Samar?"
"She is in the Wyld. If I had to guess, no deeper than the Middle Marches."
"Correct for 5 Gumshoe Points to Samar. This game is getting wild!" said Dexter.
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
There was a woman in silhouette in the scene on the scrying stone projector. She was wearing a large hat and a long coat, the latter of which was flapping in the breeze, as her long hair trailed out behind her.
The studio audience gasped.
"It is Carmen Chiaroscuro!" said Dexter, feigning shock quite well.
"Indeed I am. You may have found me, but you will never find Meru! Mwahahahaha!"
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
The backlighting dimmed and she could be seen more clearly. Her outfit was red and black with yellow accents and a chain served as her belt over her long coat. Her long auburn hair still bore the waves of being tied back, and her eyes sparkled blue.
"Olathe!" gasped the gumshoes.
"Miss Olathe, why would you want to steal Meru?!" asked Taraneh.
"Carmen Chiaroscuro does not need to explain herself to gumshoes!"
"Please stick to the script, 'Carmen,'" said The Chief.
"Ah yes... I have hidden Meru in a place you gumshoes will never find! Its shifting passage ways and strange inhabitants will keep you searching for years! Mwahaha!"
She vanished in a puff of smoke. Dexter turned to the gumshoes, who seemed to be all bewildered. "Gumshoes! You must find Meru! Where has Carmen Chiaroscuro hidden it?"
Samar raised her hand right away.
"Yes Samar?"
"The Labyrinth?"
Faxon sulked. "I was going to guess that."
Dexter said, "nope, Meru is not in the Labyrinth."
"Good!" "Phew!" and other such reactions abounded.
Devin raised his hand timidly. "The Yu Shan Undercity? It's big and weird, I should know!"
"Well, Gumshoe Devin, that is an interesting conclusion." Dexter paused dramatically. "And 100% correct! 25 gumshoe points to Devin! Congratulations to Devin and the Division of Secrets, you win!"
The acapella singing Serenities, all lesser signing, repeated the theme intro. -Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
Well she sneaks around the world from Sijan to Mahalanka,
She's a sticky-fingered filcher from The Lap to Diamond Hearth,
She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to Luthe,
Tell me where in Creation is Carmen Chiaroscuro?-
After it was all said and done, Samar overheard Dexter talking to Ruvia backstage.
"That was quite impressive, Dexter."
"Thank you. So, will you countersign my astrology /now/?"
"Maybe...."
Later on, in Ruvia's office:
"Well played, Ruvia, well played," said Yaogin.
"With Nara-O being the only one left, I highly doubt it will be trumped," said Hu Dai Liang.
"Even if it did get trumped, we would never know," said Yaogin.
Wayang merely shot them a look and continued filling out scorecards.
"That was an impressive petition for countersign, Ruvia, but I think I may have an angle no one will expect," said Nara-O.
"Of course we will not expect it!" said Ruvia.
"But will it be awesome enough?" asked Hu Dai Liang.
Meanwhile at the games of divinity...
"So, you finally convinced the trainees learn enough about geography, Mercury?"
"No. They were almost beaten by a high Lunar and a Solar with no sense of direction, no offense."
"None taken," said The Unconquered Sun. "Watermelons have a better sense of direction than Samar."
"None taken here either," said Luna. "Those are some good drugs the Serenities gave Aurelius."
"I am shocked the Journeys did not win."
"Me too, actually," said Mercury. "Jupiter, did you happen to have a hand in Devin winning?"
"No. You can credit whoever kidnapped him and left him in the Undercity for that," said Jupiter.
"And that would be?"
"A Secret," said Jupiter."
"Of course," said Venus.
Later that Week, after the fact that this was all an elaborate training exercise had been made clear to the gumshoes, and it was made clear that Olathe was not really a crazy city stealer (unless it was authorized and required of her), the Gumshoes were in Kiara's manse, carefully discussing their plans.
"That would be a really dumb way to actually find Meru."
...