[center][h1][color=00aeef]Chres Sansus[/color] 
& 
[color=8493ca]The Being of Many Names[/color][/h1][/center]

Interactions with [@Elevation], [@13Org], [@SonofJet], [@HokumPocus], [@Jerkchicken], [@RangingWolf]
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Chres took a seat at a nearby unoccupied table. With his hand to his head, slowly Chres digested everything Gin said. It was a lot to take in. As he sat there, he unconsciously added illusions to the list of things Gin could do. Was the hat from earlier an illusion too? The rum certainly was not. DB had taken a sip from it after all. Materialization could stay on the list then, for now.

This man spoke of a time when the cult had run rampant. This was something Chres had never heard of before. Was it a known fact that scholars were already aware of? Or was this knowledge which was lost to the sands of time? What had stopped them from completely taking over. How did the world recover? Questions, so many questions. [color=00aeef][i]Pay attention, Chres, ask questions later.[/i][/color] He thought to himself.

Gin spoke of the visions. Insight, he called it, confirming Chres's suspicions. Most immediately worrisome, though, was the fact that Gin had pointed out that Chres was already exposed to the Insight and was twisting his thoughts even at this very moment. Was it true? 

Chres felt fine. He didn't feel as if an external force was twisting his decisions. Would he even be able to tell the difference, if what Gin said was true? What did that mean about his own mental state? Could he even trust himself anymore?

The itch from earlier lingered on the back of his neck. The itch that never truly went away. It wasn't an actual itch, He had scratch at it in the past only to never get relief. He had long ago come to terms that this itch was his imagination. Was it true? Was the itch related somehow to the vision he had see a year ago? Perhaps he should start taking note of when the itch occurs, or better yet, interrogate another person who has been given visions through Insight. A cult member might lie if asked. 

As Chres thought through all this, the itch lingered for a second. Then slowly, almost reluctantly, it faded. Odd. Can relief from a itch feel reluctant? 

Chres slowly looked up from the table. Making eye contact with Gin. What was Gin really? Gin met Chres's gaze and smiled back with that knowing smile of his. The man Gin labeled as DB, then spoke.

"Alright, consider me as signed up. So what about this information that will save me and whoever else decides to cooperate with your plans? Will it involve hanging around with that guy over there?"

[color=8493ca]"Him?"[/color] Gin asked as he point to Chres with his thumb. [color=8493ca]"That overly serious sap over there?"[/color] Gin smirked and closed his eyes momentarily as he shook his head. [color=8493ca]"DB, it seems your personal being, from beyond, misunderstands part of the purpose for my existence. When this man sets his mind to something, other than his own death, you will find that he will be most certainly a valuable asset to the rest of you. And if he accepts my offer here, I foresee him sticking with the rest of you for most if not all of the adventure your continued bout of living will provide. Though if he is to decline my help, it wouldn't be too much of a loss. There are many others I have begun to appear before. Their assistance will work just as well."[/color]

Chres listened carefully weighing his options. He had no way knowing whether anything Gin said was true. This man had just suddenly swooped in out of nowhere, made a bunch claims and performed a bunch of magic tricks. Every claim he made could be a lie or simply not true. He presumed that everybody here would play along just because the incredible magical feats he pulled off. Incredible feats does not make a person more or less credible. Incredible feats just are. 

And yet... that pulse he felt before everything froze. The half second the world distorted in a similar fashion to the Distortion. Something had happened to the world before Gin appeared. It wasn't just Chres who noticed the distortion. In fact everyone in the room had been glancing around as if they saw something strange. Perhaps simply listening to what Gin had to say wasn't such a bad idea. Chres could decide afterwards whether to play along or disregard everything.

Gin shook his head and smiled. [color=8493ca]"Seriously, Chres. You are thinking far too much on this. I feel for the ones beyond who actually end up reading through all of that."[/color] Gin said. He then leaned in toward Chres and placed the back of his right hand to the left side of his mouth, as one would do when whispering a secret. [color=8493ca]"Just between you and me, that was a lie. I don't feel sorry for them."[/color] He said in a whisper that was not a whisper.

Chres furrowed his brow in confusion at the words. [i][color=00aeef]What?[/color][/i] He thought at a loss. Some of the things Gin had said since meeting them, really left Chres at a loss for words.

Gin smiled and turned his attention back to DB. [color=8493ca]"Why DB I-"[/color] Gin began before stopping abruptly. Suddenly Gin's smile faded and a serious expression crossed his face [color=8493ca]"It seems I may have overstayed my welcome... That was faster than expected... Vi’daerus has become better at detecting me with age it seems..."[/color] Gin said more to himself than anyone else. 

[color=8493ca]"Friends,"[/color] He said, refocusing his attention on the group. [color=8493ca]"It appears my time with you has grown short. I have been noticed. And although that is not a problem for me it most certainly is for all of you. The longer I stay, the easier it will be for the cult to determine who I have spoken to. You must stay here for the night. Do not leave the Inn. They will capture and interrogate anyone who does.

In any case time to get to the point. What I have to offer you is information about the cult. How they operate, how to avoid their detection and how to escape being corrupted by their Insight. Buy yourselves a room at the inn tonight and make sure you have a source of light. The Innkeeper will most likely have more than a few Jade Crystal candles. Place them around you before you sleep. The cult has planted a seed of Insight somewhere at the Center of the town. Before the night is over, the seed will take root and form a Distortion around the town. 

For the first few hours the effects of the Distortion flicker in and out of existence. Perhaps you noticed the black flames and the change in your shadows before I arrived. The Distortion itself is not harmful, however sleeping in shadows is, while inside the Distortion. Doing so will submit you to the Insight. So don't do it. That's why you'll need the Jade Crystal candles. Their nightly glow will protect you.

Light is protection from the Sightless's Insight. Light will hide you from their visions. The Sightless don't see light. They see darkness and the life force of living creatures. Beware, just because the light will hide you from, doesn't mean they won't notice and blank spot in their vision when someone walks around with a candle at night. If you do so, do so in a way that will not rouse suspicion. If you have to stay in the town for more than one night before escaping, switch inns every night. Continuous blank spots every night at the same place will peak their suspicion. If you must do something in the dark, vital information should be shared in writing only.

Insight is addictive and tends to cause violence to those influenced by it for the first few times. Be on your guard tomorrow morning. It will be a blood bath. The cult's lord uses this violence to get rid of those who would get in the way of the spread of his influence. Do not succumb to it, for if you do, you will surely die.

Many of the soldiers manning the walls have already succumbed to Insight. Leaving this town will be difficult. The Sightless will foresee an attempt to escape. It will be a hard fight. However there may be a way to disrupt them long enough to mitigate the amount of fighting that will need to be done to escape. Killing the Seed of Insight will disorient the Sightless long enough to escape, and what's more it will rid the town of the Distortion at least until they plant a new seed. The seed is still young, potentially kill-able by you lot, but not easily. 

Its up to you all to decide how to go about escaping. Just do it safely. Any questions? Anyone prefer death to living? I wouldn't blame you for choosing death over life. Death isn't too bad, if you think about. After all, death is forever while life is only temporary."[/color] A smile crept onto Gin's face again as he said the last sentence.