Editing TheStarsAreRight:Bailey Notes - Nov 12, 2011 (section)

== Meeting with Donal (Aug 12th) ==

On the 12th, come out and have a meeting in the Pentheus building with Donal.  Our plan: (1) ask him about what he intended with regard to Laura; (2) does he know anything about Aspiration or other principals; (3) what kind of thing is he.  Laura and John Elwar gave separate descriptions of Donal/Joc that matched up. 
* Wait a few minutes, then the man comes in matching description though in a medium-cost corporate suit.  
* "Was an unfortunate necessity" to stop talking to her, 
* I know you have had talks with higher-level officers...
* Why interested?  "She is an important and significant person."  He was not sure about how or why she was significant.  (about his sources)  "It has a core in science, but has effects that are not recognized in science."  Henrik shows him the diagram of the 6 principals and 3 kings+powers.  
* He had known her parents, and set himself up as her acting godfather.  He says that there are factions in the company that should not learn where she is.  "Anything that I see or perceive, they have a possibility of knowing."  "Pentheus stretched out its interest and convinced me to work with them."  He had a Russian collegue, and was into alchemy.  
* Why did you join Pentheus?  "It was not entirely my decision."  When you were with the other Donals, was that before joining Pentheus? Pentheus' factions take technology from many sources and expand on it.  They are well-developed in building dopplegangers - they made the other Donals.  
* He believes that his staying here is continuing to buy Laura's safety.  He is not continuing to pursue his alchemical studies, despite their encouragement.  
* Donal writes a quick reassuring note to Laura.  
* Laura being at the asylum was paid well to maintain the fiction that she was living in another century - accomodating of her delusion.  Donal had done that to her to keep her safe, which kept other people from identifying her.  
* Do you know what happened to her parents?  They were killed by a faction of the alchemists from Turkey.  They had worked for a sorcerous warlord named Avala, now gone for many years though a few fragments of his organization survive.  
* What researches are you doing now?  Working on future prediction.  (...)  We can use tools to find significant people.  
* Jack:  To help with Aspiration, need to locate various people - an Outsider - and some specific people.  (The Outsider that is bound to Aspiration is deeply connected to the Earth.)  You have the Principal, Power, Place, Paladin, Priest, and Instrument of Change.  
* Donal says he would need specific information about the tablets to find these.  He says you need to talk to the other principals to find that.  He recommends strongly against trying to short-circuit or speed up the process, and that we should wait for 6/19 in many months.  
* The faction after Laura are straightforward alchemists who are ruthless in pursuing their alchemical projects (enlightenment, etc.).  
* He is prepared to recommend two men in New Orleans who would know about making dopplegangers / homonculi - Mr. Fisher and Mr. Lloyd.  They would need to take pattern from someone with appropriate knowlege - i.e. who can pilot an aircraft.  
* Henrik trades some alchemical ideas and questions with Donal.  Alchemy is a learned skill, but the learning of the skill and grasping principles relies on a level of commitment.  Jack asks Donal if he knows anyone looking to become an apprentice alchemical prospector (to Milo).