CLEPTEEL, MILAVE

JANUAE

After my encounter with the chirog I spent two days walking the land of Milave before I came upon the village of Clepteel. For most of the walk I was followed by scavenger birds circling above, waiting to pick my bones from a number of potentially lethal threats throughout the land. Spots that emanated with numenera effects that melted animals careless enough to wander into them. Innocuous looking bushes that cast gooey nets to snag prey and slowly absorb their nutrients. And evident by the chirog I’d encountered, the persistent potential of an ambush by abhumans. I had been more than fortunate the last two days, but continued travel on foot through this land could prove deadly.

The population of Clepteel is maybe a couple hundred at most. They are very friendly and welcoming, offering me food and a place to stay for a couple of days. They rarely see travelers as they are not on any main routes or near any of the cities. I ask how far it is to Orrila and they tell  me it’s a couple of weeks travel on foot if I can find the safest route. They seem concerned with my eagerness to make the journey, as the lands between the cities are wrought with dangers. Their town is self sufficient and is set within a large ring that employs the numenera effect that melts flesh, so they are quite well protected from abhumans and other dangers. They tell me the town is open to me to stay in for as long as I like, but I am determined to continue my mission to meet with people who can spread the truth of the Papacy’s propaganda.

It is the morning of the day before I plan to set out when a caravan of wooden wagons and a great covered platform made of floatstone arrives at Clepteel. The villagers are incredibly excited for the return of “Ossam’s Traveling Menagerie and Soaring Circus”. Every couple of years this spectacle of entertainment appears in the morning and sets up to perform its shows and acts over the next three nights. With little else to do I watch as they unpack their wagons and set up tents and stages and platforms. I don’t see much out of the ordinary as they prepare for the evening’s shows but I can sense considerable amounts of numenera among their trappings.

Night comes and the barker beckons the villagers to come witness the wonders of the circus. These folks willingly pay their two shins each to pass through the gate and onto the grounds, and out of sheer curiosity, I do as well. Never have I seen the likes of anything such as this! Strange and wondrous creatures on display… one with three heads called a moranx, another called a harraspawn with eyes that eject flames. A fortune teller who foretells people’s futures. A performer who transforms various small animals into pyebirds. A glaive who demonstrates fighting movements with and without weapons faster than the eye can register.

Within the large tent is the floatstone platform on which they display their greater acts. Presented by Ossam himself, he announces the wonders of the Great Theon, whose flying cragworms steal the breath of the spectators. The Kaprof Brothers who spin and soar through the air dozens of meters above our heads seem to defy gravity, performing acrobatics in mid air as they toss blades to one another while sommersaulting on high wires or balancing on the tip of a pole. While the audience roar and applaud these sites and wonders, I can’t help but suspect many of these effects are created or enhanced by numenera.

As the main event ends and the villagers begin to depart, I feel as if I am being beckoned by someone as I’m about to exit the fairgrounds. Sure enough, it’s the old fortune teller, trying to convince me to pay her a visit. I laugh and shake my head, knowing her tricks are nothing more than cold reading, taking subtle cues from people and spinning tales of their potential future that can in no way be validated. I’m sure these simple people believe in such things as fate and destiny, but I know that one makes one’s own. The one I’ve made for myself, sadly, has been rife with misfortune.

YERI

Yes, I know you do not believe in fortunes, but perhaps yours may change. Come over here, handsome, let me see you. You have nothing to lose.

JANUAE

This takes me a back a bit, I admit. Of course, I don’t believe her to have read my mind, but her words were compelling. I find myself wandering over to her small canopy and taking a seat in the chair across from old lady at the little table between us.

YERI

Look into Yeri’s eyes. Good. Okay. You are lost. Lost in this world, and lost in your way. You are on two paths at once. The path you are meant to be on, and the path you are not.

JANUAE

I don’t give into the idea of any predetermined-

YERI

Shh. Yeah yeah, I know you don’t believe in fate or destiny or whatnot but it doesn’t matter whether you do or don’t. Your purpose doesn’t need you to believe in it. Now shut up and let me do this.

(a couple of beats)

The real problem is, you’re not in control. You’re not in control of your paths, how you walk your paths, where you are on your paths. It’s all too random for you. Or at least it feels random to you.

JANUAE

That… that can apply to anyone.

YERI

No, not really. But it applies to you.

JANUAE

So let’s say it does. Here’s my problem with all of this. I can’t do anything with any of the information you gave me, which is obscure and cryptic at that.

YERI

Can’t you? Let me tell you something… I felt I needed to reach out to you when I saw you. I need to share with you what I’m picking up because you need to hear it. I know who you are. Your resistance to hearing what I’m telling you is precisely why you need to hear it.

JANUAE

You know who I am, huh? Then tell me who you think I am.

YERI

No, you tell me who you think you are.

JANUAE

(laughs bitterly)

That’s a cop-out. Just goes to show you can’t tell me.

YERI

I just told you, but you won’t hear it. The problem is, you can’t tell me who you are.

JANUAE

I know who I am. I’m Januae. I’m an Aeon Priest. Well, a nano. Well… I’m still working that part out, but I know who I am.

YERI

Then who are you, Januae?

JANUAE

I am an inadvertent traveler.

(beat)

Okay, you’re right about me being lost. I can’t control where I go or when. But I know what I’m meant to do. I am meant to stop the Amber Pope from launching his crusade against a land of innocent people who pose no threat to the Steadfast.

YERI

And how do you propose to thwart this… crusade?

JANUAE

I plan to travel the Nine Kingdoms and meet with people who can spread the word about the Amber Pope’s true intentions.

YERI

If you can’t control where you go, then how do you suppose you’ll reach your destinations?

JANUAE

I… well… I will just keep at it until I jaunt again. If I’m lucky, I will appear close to where I need to be.

YERI

You don’t believe in fate but you believe in luck?

JANUAE

I believe in hope. I have to keep trying until I achieve this purpose.

YERI

Jaunting, you call it? You mean you just appear in some random place at some random time?

JANUAE

Pretty much.

YERI

Then it sounds like you’re on a fool’s quest. How can you possibly spread your news throughout the Nine Kingdoms if you can’t control where you go? It sounds to me like that should be your focus, learning to control where you go.

JANUAE

You sound like my duplicate.

YERI

You have a duplicate… Another you…

JANUAE

Yes, we parted ways in the Twinned Cities. His focus was just that, to learn to control the jaunting. That may take him a lifetime, if he is ever able to. I don’t have that kind of time to waste while the Amber Pope is putting his plan in motion.

YERI

All that is well and good, but you haven’t told me who you are.

JANUAE

I… I just did.

YERI

You told me what you do and what you intend to do but you did not tell me who you are other than that you’re a lost nano. You cannot have any control over what you do or where you go until you learn who you are.

JANUAE

Well I intend to reach Orrila and share my news with Archbishop Slemtar there. Once I do that I will figure out my next step.

YERI

If you are traveling on foot you won’t reach Orrila. You’re lucky to have made it to this village.

JANUAE

Well it is imperative I get the word out about Pope Durranet’s plans. I have to find a way to get to Orrila.

(beat)

Does this outfit travel that way? Will your caravan pass near Orrila?

YERI

Are you asking if you can join our caravan? No, no… I don’t think so.

JANUAE

If you are headed in that direction… I could make myself useful. I’m no stranger to hard work. I’m sure you could use an extra hand.

YERI

As nice as it would be to have one as handsome as you around to look at, we have no need for any extra help. I don’t think so, no.

JANUAE

Well… is there any way I could… persuade you otherwise?

Pause

YERI

Are you proposing what I think you are?

JANUAE

Is there?

YERI

(a couple of beats)

Okay, Lost Nano. Come with me to my wagon. In return for your… service I will speak with Ossam in the morning, but I can’t promise anything. He prefers to keep our little troupe pretty insular. All you’re out is a little sleep, right? Come this way and we’ll… seal our deal.