City of Shadows Mux City of Shadows Mux

Autumn Census: Ben
"It's good to see that someone out there knows me. Makes me feel a little less lonely."
Players Solomon, Ben	18 October, 2022 Solomon shows up at Ben's house to ask a few simple questions
It's evening and the house where the Spring Court member named Ben supposedly lives is not far from Solomon's domain in the city. The living room light is on, but the curtains are covering the windows and nothing inside can be seen clearly despite a human shadow wandering around the house, probably doing some chores before it gets too late. It's just after the sun has slipped beneath the horizon, but not yet drained all the color from the sky. Solomon is here in his more formal, Freehold-meeting suit, a black suit with a black tie, the only color being an embroidered scarab dead center on the tie's fabric. He walks up to the door and knocks, briskly. If the door opens, he is solemn faced and quiet, like a cross between The Fly and a Jehovah's Witness. Ben opens the door and smiles to the other man. He looks tired, but his semblance is sincere. The middle aged man is still wearing his uniform, a hospital doctor uniform."Evening. May I help you, sir?" He asks genlty. "Doctor Pearson?" Solomon offers one hand. "Solomon Jessup. Sorry to drop by unexpectedly, but I was in the neighborhood and wondered if you might be willing to answer some questions. For the Freehold." He offers a thin little smile, and the tiny feelers at the corners of his mouth wiggle back and forth, as if excited about something, although the rest of him is quite still. Ben takes the offered hand and shakes it. His grisp is firm, but gentle and doesn't hold past the necessary."Yes. That's my name. Please, come inside, mr Jessup. I just got home and was about to start organizing this mess." He says as he steps backward to leave room for the othe Lost to come inside if he wants to."I heard the Autumn Court is doing some kind of cesus. Is that it?" "Solomon, please." His own grip is chitinous and brief. "And thank you." He steps inside at the prompt and looks around with unhidden curiosity. His Mantle is the low, droning hum of sleepy insects on a hot afternoon. "That's right. In the interest of understanding better what the Freehold can muster when required - and what vulnerabilities might exist, we ask a few questions. Answering is entirely voluntary," he says, with a faint smile. Ben closes the door behind then and leads the way to the living room."Please, take a sit. Do you accept juice? Or water? I'm trying to have a healthier diet so I don't have soda, neither beer in my fridge to offer." He says as he keeps himself standing up until he has an answer."I honestly have very little to offer to the Freehold. I'm a plastic surgeon. But also have some Contracts that allow me to heal people. And I have this old house." "Juice would be nice," Solomon says, following behind him. He takes the offered seat, settling into it, his stare on Ben unwavering. "Everyone can use a good doctor. I don't know if many of us would benefit from plastic surgery, as such, but--" one of his fingertips goes up to scrape against one of the chitin plates on his face, "you never know. You have one or more healing Contracts? Do you feel confident in their use?" Upon seeing Solomon sitting, Ben gestures to him to wait for a second and heads into the kitchen. The sound of cabinets, and glasses and stuff can be heard from there before the owner of the house returns with a pair of glasses filled with an orange liquid."It's a blend of orange and carrot." He says as he offers the drink to his guest and takes a seat not far from him."Well. If you want me to name the Contracts I have signed, I can do it. Read Lucidity, Fortifying, Shared Burden, Cupid's Arrow and Dreams of the Earth. These are the one associated with healing. But I have no experience using them since I can't do it at the hospital and so far no othe Lost has came to me asking for that kind of help." Solomon takes the offered drink although his nose twitches dubiously at the mention of carrot. He still takes a sip, and smiles. "Thanks." He reaches into his jacket pocket to pull out a small notebook to take notes. "That's a good spread. And the Clarity healing contracts as well. Would you like it to be known that you have these Contracts and wish to use them where they can help members of the Freehold? I know people have needed healing, but didn't know who to go to, or what their price might be for helping. The Freehold is still recovering from the attack, and things...are not as organized as perhaps they could be." Ben nods gently."Sure. You can spread my number and my address too if you want. I don't mind." He says and takes a greeting card from one of his pockets and offers it to the Autumn courtier. It's simple and only bears his nickname and a phone number."It's a card I offer only to our people and it has just the necessary info so no one gets tracked back in case of things go bad. The number is a disposable phone number." Solomon takes the card, looks at it, and tucks it away. He exchanges it with a business card of his own. "This has my cell phone and office number, if you should like it. It's actually rather surprising to meet someone else in the Freehold who has a job that's well integrated into the world. Most of us struggle with that sort of thing." He takes another sip of the drink. "I'll make sure people know. Do you have any tokens that you are holding?" Ben gives Solomon a grin that doesn't quite reach his eyes upon hearing about those that can't or don't want to head back to their previus lifes."No. I don't own any magical item. I don't even know how to get one for myself. I mean, I know I can head to the Market and get my hands in one, but I don't want to go to that place on my own. And, in fact, I don't even know how to use a weapon. I'm not a fighter." Solomon nods. "Not everyone is a fighter, Dr. Pearson, and that's fine." He makes a note, then takes another sip. "The Market is a dangerous place, always. Thank you for the information." He smiles. "Do you have any outstanding oaths or favors which may bind you or be invoked against the Freehold? Goblin Debt, perhaps?" "The only oath I hold is the one to the Freehold. And I have no Debts. I heard enough stories about hobgoblins to keep myself as far away from them as possible." Ben answers calmly before sipping from his own drink briefly. More notes are taken. Solomon bobs his head, and smiles. "Thank you. And being clear-eyed about the debts you might owe is a wise thing. He takes a deep breath. "That's all of our questions; it's a very simple sort of census. But the other part of it is - we of Autumn do our best to help the Freehold be more knowledgable, and better prepared. Do you have any questions that I could answer as a member of Autumn? Or if I couldn't, perhaps I could talk to my brethren and see if anyone could." Ben looks slightly more relaxed when he hears that the census is already done."Well. To be completely honest, I was wondering if there was someone in the Freehold with Contracts of Mirror that could take me as their apprendice. I have interested in a few of them. So let me know if you know someone that could help me. Or just pass my name along straight ahead. If you don't mind." Solomon's eyebrows go up. "Hmm. I don't know of anyone right off hand, but I can ask around." He grins, then, showing teeth. "As I am doing now. Mirror has never been my area of expertise, but it's a fascinating sort of study." He makes another note, then tucks the little notebook away. He finishes off the drink. "Thank you, Doctor Pearson, for your time and your answers. And your questions; it's always nice to be able to see if needs and holes can be filled." Seeing that their meeting is near its end, Ben lands his glass in a side table and stands up."It was my pleasure to have you here tonight, Solomon. I'm always working and that leaves me with very little time to go around the city to talk to the community. It's good to see that someone out there knows me. Makes me feel a little less lonely." Solomon chuckles. "It's amazing anyone wants to be a doctor, with all the work hours involved. But I guess those buckets of cash probably help," he adds, dryly. He stands as well, and nods. "Either way, don't let yourself be forgotten. People here can be friendly enough, but with the Freehold in the situation that it is, we have to reach out and do the heavy lifting for each other." He starts to walk towards the front door. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Pearson. You've got my number." Ben leads the way back to the front door and opens it, leaving space so the other man can head out."I say the same. Have a good night, Solomon. Let me know if you need my services."