Chaper 14: The Blessed

[Max Alexander]

Max noticed the the fairly beautiful woman looking at him and then saw her leave the stage to grab a drink. He decided to make conversation and walked over to her.

"That was a nice performance you just did. My name is Max Alexander. Please to meet you." He gave her a sincere smile.

[Li Violette]

"Yes, I would like to visit. Perhaps after this party we could take a teleporation booth to your lab. I have a little bit of time before the next meeting of the Economic Council." I reply to Isvara. A concert has started and people are now gathering around the stage. I remain back though, making a point of trying to avoid Keitoleinen and Scrag, both of which I am not fond of.

"You should be careful with your technology. Some people might become interested in your company and try to take your ideas by force. It has happened before. Companies like Genetech, Sota, and Crest Mining are large enough to have private armies. They could easily take your ideas by force if they wanted them. Everyone here is out for something and no one here should be trusted. I tell you this because you seem like a nice guy...too nice for your own good." I warn him.

I look around at everyone, having said what I just said, and knowing that all of these people ...although they are getting along happily at this party...could be rivals...and some of them have some dangerous ambitions.

[Annette Rosenthal]

Annette notices Tuesday enter the kitchen as well, but for the most part she ignores her and continues to talk to Calithin. "I'm here because I am feeling stressed. I needed a moment of peace." Annette replies quickly.

"Yes, that's good that business is going well. I am hoping that the Manala Mas season increases spending...things aren't going very well at the moment, although they could be far worse. People aren't spending as much. The Moderator is going to discuss this at the meeting next week. It is important that everyone here attends." She states. She is feeling a little more relaxed now that she is away from the party.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen also stands by the stage, by Max. He decides he may as well talk to Max and Anya as long as they are both standing there.

"Yes, I agree that was a good performance. You really have talent." Keitoleinen tells Anya, even though he wasn't actually listening to the music.

"Have you enjoyed the party, or did you just arrive?" He asks the musician.

[Dinari Dollar]

Dinari helps himself to a mammoth sized portion of mammoth meat and sits down on the ground by a tree to eat. He watches the concert a little, but mostly keeps to himself now. He isn't sure where Tuvi went, or why Peter didn't show up. He could be attacked by a wild terrorist or something and there would be no Peter to protect him.

"You know, I think when I see Peter next I'm going to ask him to teach me how to fight!" Dinari says to himself.

And then...he has another idea.

"My company sponsors that Cris guy. Maybe he can show me how to fight!" He decides. "But what if I look stupid. Then he will think I am weak and lame. So...maybe I better ask Peter, since he already thinks I'm weak and lame."

[Master Scrag]

After Scrag gives his Blessing, he sees no reason to remain at the party. He is not a social person. He keeps busy with running the Manalist temples. Because he is busy he is also illusive. He does not help himself to the food, but silently walks away. With each step he takes, the grass under his feet turns brown. He leaves a set of dead grass foot prints behind him as he returns inside of the mansion. This is another reason why he is not social...everything he touches decays.

As he is leaving, he notices Rutheven, the ambitious vampire on the Economic Council. The Master squints at him and coughs a little. A cloud of brown pollen comes out of his mouth when he coughs.

He pauses as if to say something to Rutheven, but instead he remains silent, looking at him in a stange way.

[Anya Louteius]

Anya smiled at the lovely gentlemen and blushed softly. "I will admit I just arrived, but I am having a wonderful time. Such a lovely place you have here....Mr. Keitoleinen. And Mr. Max Alexander, it's very nice to hear from you and Mr. Keitoleinen about my work. So how are you two enjoying the party?" She smiled at them and then blushed a little, they were both very good looking men, but probably twice her age.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"The party has exceeded my expectations. The best part was when they killed the animals from Genetech. Now...they are being served, if you are hungry." Keitoleinen offers. He does like the party. It is the best party that anyone has had for some time. He thinks that next year the Banquet of the Blessed will likely be very boring compared to the excitement of his party.

"If you like the place so much, maybe you would like a tour later." He offers to her. He isn't sure if he feels like a tour right now, and anyway, he wouldn't want to cut Max off from the conversation.

"This place is a little small, but since I live alone...but for my servants... It is fine for me." He admits. "I am open to decorating tips if you have any. I don't have much taste in landscaping or interior design."

[Jack Kruschev]

I grin as Kaschei leaves the room and stand up myself. Waving to his back, I turn my own and begin to pace around looking for another conversation. The time when the Manalists would fall and the new time would rise is somewhat close, I can just feel it.

[Jack O. Trades]

A purple gloved hand gripped a doorknob turning it slowly. His eyes closed before he drew in a deep breath sighing heavily "Ok....you can do this....you can do this..." Seeming to take a moment he remained stone still. His mind racing every second of silence seeming to agonize him as visions of fiery plumes filling the air passed through his mind. Eyes snapping open exposing a fevered glint in his eye his scarred lips spread wide in a Cheshire grin "Smiles Gents..." he whispered to himself, feeling naked without his face paint.

Throwing the door open he strode in tugging at the wrists of his dark magenta suit. Despite the force used to open the door he spoke softly the manic smile turning into a soft grin, speaking gently "Made it." Hooking the thumb of his left hand into a pocket he began to walk slowly into the room his eyes darting franticly from person to person. Too quiet....patience Jacky...this'll be fun His gaze trailed across the room focusing on a table of Hors d'œuvre. Humming quietly to himself he began to skip towards the table, circling every person he passed with a smile until hopping up once to land next to the table as he proceeded to test the little delights his focus on them.

[Bonifaz Artz-Lehrer]

Bonifaz helps himself to some of the meat, which he actually butchered himself when the animals at the party were slaughtered. He has been watching people carefully and has some ideas now. He didn't socialize much, but attending the party has been fruitful, since he overheard mention of a Manala Mas Party held by the Global Bank in late December. It might be a good opportunity for Null to make its terroristic debut in the world.
Bonifaz continues to watch people carefully. He is on the look out for anyone particularly vulnerable.

[Anya Louteius]

Anya smiles to Jumala and speaks softly. "Forgive me, but I do not eat meat, and I would love a tour. Perhaps I could help you with interior design. Although I am not in school for it, I love designing." She said with a smile. Her attention diverted to the new comer who darted around like he was impatient. She laughed a little and then kept watching him. He had a very handsome face as well. But when he turned she looked back toward Max and Jumala.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"I'll give you the tour then. Catch you later, Max." Keitoleinen says with a smirk. He then leads Anya to the back door of the mansion, away from the meat being cooked and consumed outside. "Well, you've already seen the backyard. All there is back there is some trees and an empty pool right now." He states before they head inside.

"I have a large kitchen and dining room, and then another larger dining room for when I have parties and guests." He states. He finds these rooms pretty boring, so he just walks past them mostly.

"Then there is the larger living space where most of the party was taking place. The upstairs rooms are more interesting than the downstairs ones..." He says, leading her up the stairs. The rooms are not decorated very well, but do contain some artifacts from Finnish history. There are old weapons and artifacts, although the Finnish people didn't have much for weapons. Their iron age came later than the rest of Europe..and they were more farm based people than fighters.
Nevertheless, there are some interesting old relics.

"Tell me a little about yourself." He says as he leads her upstairs.

[Anya Louteius]

Anya smiled as she listened intently. She looked up at him and spoke softly. "Well my name is Anya Maria Louteius. I am a singer/musician and even though I am very wealthy, I wander from place to place. I get bored very easily with my place. So I usually crash at hotels or something. Is there anything in particular that you wanted to know?" She said with a smile.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"This is my office...and across the hall is a small library, even though I don't really like to read very much." Keitoleinen states as they are walking down the upstairs hall together. He thinks of anything in particular that he should ask her. His mind is pretty blank.

"What's the worst thing that has ever happened to you?" He asks with a curious smile. He walks down the hall a little more. "And these are the guest rooms....though I don't often have guests here."