Moon Goddess: Scene 13

Introduction to this thread: The Moon Goddess Is A Harsh Mistress
Explanation of Mythic elements: What's All This Mythic Stuff?
Previous Scene: Scene 12

 SCENE 13
In which Nina takes Katja with her to visit a professor to gain information on the sword before going to the antiquities dealer.

CHARACTERS
The Silver Huntress (her deity)
Soldiers/Police
Drachen (her old warhorse)
Nina
Nina's Mother
Nina's Father
The Hard Man with the Nasty Scar
Susi
Yuliya
Igor
Deidre
Nina's uncle Ulrich
The target of Nina's hunt
Hamid
Efim Mororov
Professor Nasir [name from last scene's complex question]

THREADS
* Escape to freedom
* Solve the mystery of Nina's mother
* Decipher the writing on the menhir
* Deliver antique sword to the target of Nina's hunt

CHAOS FACTOR: 3

********************
The scene occurs as expected.

The scene opens with Nina and Katja walking into a [Q: Library (50/50)? No. Office (Likely)? No. Classroom then] classroom while the students transition to another class. Professor Nasir is organizing papers and doesn't notice the two of them until they are practically next to him.

Q: Is he startled [Somewhat likely]? Extreme yes.
Q: Does he appear to be startled more by Nina [50/50]? No. Given the strength of his reaction, I'm going to assume he recognizes (or thinks he recognizes) Katja. Therefore, he is likely an associate of Nina's mother.
Q: Does he utter Katja's name when addressing her [50/50]? Extreme yes (they share the same name)!

Professor: "My God, Anna-Katarina!"

Nina (in German, for Katja's benefit): "Don't be a fool, Professor. My Mother was much older even when she died, and that was years ago. As fate would have it, though, this young woman shares my mother's name."

Katja: "Please call me Katja, Professor."

Professor: "How is this possible?"

Q: Does Nina expect the Professor to know anything about magic [Likely]? No, which seems weird. If he associated with her mother, then he likely had come into contact with the supernatural.
Q: Is he a man of Science! [Likely]? No. That means he has to be a more conventional scholar (at least as far as Nina is concerned).

Nina: "Your guess is as good as mine. You know what my mother would say, of course. She would say it was the hand of the Goddess or magic or some other nonsense."

Katja gives her an accusing look. How could she doubt...

Professor: "But she is the spitting image... is this why you are here? To solve some mystery concerning this young woman?"

Q: Is this the case [50/50]? No.

Nina: "Perhaps. But first I need your help with a small matter of State."

The Professor's eyes darken and assumes a more formal posture. "Of course. I'm always happy to do my duty."

Q: Does Nina switch to Russian [50/50]? No, she'll continue in German for Katja's benefit.
Q: Does she expect Nasir to know Mororov [Likely]? Extreme yes.
Q: Does she expect Nasir to have positive reaction toward Mororov [50/50]? No

Nina: "I'll be visiting Comrade Mororov concerning a cavalry sword taken from the Hermitage. Are you familiar with the item?"

Q: Is he [Very likely]? Yes.

Professor: "Cavalry saber that once belonged to Peter the Great, correct?"

Nina: "Yes. Anything special about it?"

Q: Does Professor note that it's being sold with Party sanction to raise money for the State [50/50]? Extreme no.
CQ: Who is selling it [Wikipedia]? Richard Greenbury of Marks and Spencer. I'll interpret it as a Commissar in charge of one of the State Department stores.

Professor: "It's not being sold by the State, if that's what you mean. There are rumors as to who is responsible, of course. Very dangerous to say his name."

Q: Does Nina suspect the same person [50/50]? Extreme no.
Q: Does Nina mention that she's in the NKVD [50/50]? No (but it doesn't rule it out).

Nina: "You may safely tell me who it is, Professor. The State needs to know who is selling off its treasure."

Professor: "Am I really safe? How do I know the information won't be used against me?"

Nina: "You don't."

Katja: "Excuse me. I'm not from here and I'm not a citizen of your country. Seems to me that if you told me, Professor, I could offer some measure of protection. This is important."

Q: Does Nina glare at Katja [50/50]? No.
Q: Does a roll of 3 vs Noble Family cliche succeed in convincing Professor to tell (Very Unlikely)? No.

Professor: "You may resemble the Anna-Katarina that I know, but I do not know you. Forgive me, but trust is a rare and precious commodity in this land."

Nina: "Fine. We'll deal with who is responsible for stealing the sword later. Is there anything else you can tell me about it?"

Q: Does the Professor volunteer anything else [50/50]? Yes.
CQ: What [Brewers]? Pickanin'ny (west indian term for a young child). Clarify with a hit on the Mythic Subject/Action Table: Intolerance Food. Hmmm... Ok, I have an idea.

Professor: "They say the sword is cursed."

Nina: "These things are always cursed."

Professor: "This one seems credible. I've heard stories. Mostly old wives' tales of milk curdling and wine turning to vinegar. They say it's inhabited by the spirit of a child slaughtered by Peter's champion while razing a rebellious village in the Caucasus. The Tsar fell ill shortly after the sword was returned to the castle. He never recovered. The sword wasn't suspected, at first. But then ill-luck continued to plague the Tsar's champion. He finally committed himself to a monastery to repent for his sins. His diary explicitly blames the sword for the Tsar's death, though it remained in the collection of the Tsarina."

Nina: "You believe this?"

Professor: "Does it matter?"

Katja: "Why would someone want to buy a cursed sword?"

Nina: "Why indeed?"

Q: Does the Professor mention anything else [50/50]? No
Q: Doe he mention that he knows who is trying to buy it [50/50]? Yes.
CQ: Who (clarifying the Target) [wikipedia]? List of Earthquakes in Sichuan. Weird. I assume he's Chinese, then. [Everyone Everywhere - Chinese Male]? Fanqin Lanfeng

Professor: "I have no idea. But I hear that Fanquin Lanfeng is interested."

Q: Is Nina surprised (angry) that he knows this [5050]? No.
Q: Does Nina mention that there are others interested [50/50]? No

Nina: "I think we're done."

Q: Does the Professor try to extend the conversation with Katja [50/50]? Yes.

Professor: "Wait. Must you go so soon? Katja, I would love to hear your story. I had great fondness for your namesake."

Q: Does Nina let Katja stay with the Professor alone [unlikely]? No.
Q: Does she agree to stay for lunch [50/50]? No

Nina: "If you were more helpful then we could find time to stay. As it is, we must be going."

Q: Does the professor offer up the name of the Commissar to get them to stay [50/50]? No.

Professor: "Very well. Perhaps we'll meet again soon?"

********************

CHARACTERS - Add the Unknown Commissar and Fanquin Lanfeng (he may or may not be the same person as the "Target").

UPDATED THREADS
* Escape to freedom
* Solve the mystery of Nina's mother
* Decipher the writing on the menhir
* Deliver antique sword to the target of Nina's hunt

Updated Chaos Factor 4