Exchanging quick glances the man had no visible change to the expression. He took a seat by the far side as if saying he's just here to observe the proceedings.
Within the frame and elsewhere entirely the picture was different from the surface. The ancient dreamer had been gathering thoughts. Evaluating. Estimating the outcomes, what factors play a role and most importantly what could be exploited. For now he was content to let the Vagrants and their puppets do away with the small talk and perhaps earn their keep if all goes well. Performance expectations were set higher so he'd wait for his protégé to act bolder this time. On the other side of spectrum of possibilities rested the motion to erase the lost tribe, as his wrathful brethren had strongly advised so far. It would have been a simpler solution, however it was too blunt, distasteful even, it lacked certain finesse that the elder one would look forward to while reserving aggression for the time when it will be needed the most.
Recalling recent encounter with the Revenant, this former Core Guildmaster, it had reminded him of something.
Scientists from the Order had long theorized that cybernetic augmentations could negate some of the effects of telepathic abilities. A few attempts were made in a way confirming so, but where one's mind would get a little respite, and may even hold for a while, the other parts will struggle to cope with the increasing stress. When pushed harder eventually something had to give in and the severity had only increased with the strength of the link. The pressure builds up and finds way out eventually. Quite gruesome fate. Not to relish at plain sadism it was interesting to observe nonetheless. As for the Order in the end they chose not to pursue this path and rely on simpler methods. Here however was a glimpse of what could have been, a very different outcome.
Predictably the ancient dreamer did 'dislike' it. The very notion of inhabiting such body wasn't just repulsive - these forms were tainted and irrecoverable. All the mastery at genetic manipulation and organic technology would still take considerable effort to restore these broken shells and even then the result most likely will be incomplete. Regrettably the gift of enlightenment didn't seem like viable prospect for these 'humans' anymore.
That is not to say the nomads had no machinery of their own but in the view of the dreamer to purposefully maim the form was like a sacrilege, if such a word could be applied. Some of the examples witnessed in the past had only hardened convictions and seeing those 'augmented' humans again reminded him of that.
![[Image: z7yB3he.png]](https://i.imgur.com/z7yB3he.png)