Sunday (4 Jul) - JB's Naithipe Obsession

Sunday (4 Jul) - JB's Naithipe Obsession

[Note: Taking a step away from the daily grind, the secretive Naithipe gets a little blog time, thanks to JB's own brand of relentless curiosity]

Naithipe has few friends, JB would have to admit. JB could not say that even she was counted as a friend by Naithipe, although Naithipe most often comes to JB when she must ask for the help of others. JB does admit that she is strangely fascinated by Naithipe, and has become somewhat obsessed herself in learning what it is that's driving her so hard. Each new request for some odd bit of material, each new expedition to go rummaging around in some forgotten out of the way place, has further fueled JB's curiosity.

It is pretty clear that Naithipe knows what she is after, even if she refuses to spell it out. JB could assume that Naithipe wants what all adventurers want - to explore the world, to accomplish great deeds, to learn things and to acquire things that would aid her. JB isn't sure those are the things that drive Naithipe, but if they are, she seems to be going about it in very odd ways.

JB and Philly talk about Naithipe sometimes. Philly has her own secrets and a long prior history before she found her family and Wild took her in. She and Naithipe may be more alike than either want to admit, and that, strangely enough, is a barrier between them that neither seems very interested in bringing down. Perhaps they are both afraid that too much would be revealed. Still, JB talks with Philly, hoping to learn more about Naithipe.

The sense JB has about Naithipe is that despite her seemingly single minded approach and very purposeful assault on her goals, she in truth moves unhurriedly through her world, savoring in her own private way each accomplishment she has set for herself. While there is little that could bend her away from a goal she has set her sights on, she does to not rush to finish, but takes the time to fully experience the effort to reach that goal.

JB notes that gear continues to flow between Naithipe and Happy, so whatever Naithipe is doing to acquire it is still in full flourish. Happy is delighted, of course, to be Naithipe's middle man and doesn't care how she gets it, so long as he gets his cut of the profits. There is nothing mysterious about Happy, that's for sure. Although, like most successful bankers, Happy has kept silent whatever he has learned from Naithipe's transactions in the interest of keeping his own profits coming. So JB has had to ferret out what information she has learned through her own observation, deduction, and what little she can wrest out of Naithipe herself. JB thinks that Happy knows a few things, though. She also vaguely recalls a past scandal that Happy was once embroiled in. Hmm, JB thought that perhaps she should do a little research on that. Scandals are bad for business, and maybe a little pressure on Happy would get him to talking.

Now, if only JB could figure out why Naithipe is suddenly and intensely interested soul essences?