The paths of Power (Exalted 2E, IC)

[vegetalss4]

It is a peaceful evening. You are all sitting in the common room of The Five Petals, a teahouse in the outskirts of the small town Stonebrooks, each of you for your own reason.
The mood of the locals seems to be particular good tonight. The king had apparently chosen to cut the tax considerately this year in celebration of it being the 25th anniversary to his ascendance to the throne.
the good mood is however suddenly spoiled when the door is thrown open and a large group of heavily armed men dressed in red enter with their swords drawn.
"what do you wa..." the owner begins to ask while reaching for his own weapon, only for the leader of the strangers to hit her right between the eyes with a throwing knife.
"We are lucky tonight, Red Crow will reward us well for this many people. Capture them and kill anyone resists." the leader orders his men.
[ooc: what do you do?]

[Gargulec]

Emerald Tempered in Bitterness. Teahouse, third table from the entrance.

Emerald Tempered in Bitterness gave a silent sigh upon noticing the bandits. She was currently playing, performing for her owner, Liliana, and was really not in mood to be bothered by inconvenient mortals, being tired after an entire day of travel.

Her hands shifted ever so slightly over the strings of her biggest treasure, a guqin of extraordinary quality, as she changed the tune she was playing. Plucking the strings, she infused the melody with essence. The music changed accordingly, becoming low and threatening, something rarely heard from such a noble instrument like guqin. And that particular melody was a pure improvisation, created on the spot by the enslaved terrestial.

Suddenly, she hit the strings with greater power, making a loud, unsettling sound. She was conveying a message through it, it was clear for anyone who would know the arts of dragon-blooded music.

"Find another teahouse. Don't linger here" said the melody to the bandits, as Emerald played.


Reflexively activating Talented Improvisation- one mote. Negates all external penalties and raises the stunt rating for one for purposes of improvising.

Activating Soul-Stirring Performance- five motes, one WP.

[roll0] + 2 free successes from Unsurpassed Guqin.

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian, Dawn In Shadows. Teahouse, third table from the entrance.

Lilian, casts an irritated glance towards the mortals. She considers removing them from the equation via bloody death.

Fortunately, the ways of her beloved slave are known to her. She waits to see whether the music drives them away.

[Guancyto]

Iselsi Cathari. Teahouse, center table in the back.

Cathari had been sitting peacefully and listening to the beautiful music pervading the teahouse, a precious moment of relaxation in an altogether too-hurried life. Of course, these brutes would come and ruin everything. Nasty, barbaric, with no sense of propriety at all... yes, she could work with this. A faint blush rises to her cheeks as she considers what terrible lessons she could teach them.

"You stand before a Prince of the Earth," she calls to their leader from the back of the teahouse, rising slowly to her feet and surreptitiously palming her switchklave. She looks like a Dragon-Blood; why shouldn't she exploit the resemblance a little, she reasons? Of course, she could be referring to the musician as well... "Begone if you value your life."

Flurry! Activating Tragic Love Amusement to fall in love with their leader; he takes -4 to his MDVs against me on top of any other penalties. Also a Presence+Manipulation attack to get them to piss off. [roll0]

[Guancyto]

((OOC: I swear to god, rollv is my nemesis. Let's try this again. [roll0]))

[Daisuke1133]

Reishi, Teahouse, first table from the entrance

Reishi opens his eyes and takes notice of the thugs when they throw the dagger into the teahouse's now late owner. He puts the cup of tea down and rises from his seat, placing his armour's helmet back on and picking up his swords.

"It is men like you we should be hunting, rather than the Solars."

With even, purposeful strides he moves towards the leader and strikes at him with both his Daiklaves.

[roll0]
Flurry - A pair of attacks on the leader
[roll1]
[roll2]

If I've done something screwy, please tell me so I can hopefully correct my mistake.

[Grim ranger]

Shimao Idaro, Teahouse, corner table in the back

Sighing to himself as his quiet appreciation of good tea is interrupted by the thugs, Shimao carefully sets the half-full cup down and looks at the attackers: slavers by the looks of it. He reaches for his staff that he has left standing against the wall next to himself, getting up in anticipation of trouble to come.

Picking up the cup of tea almost as an afterthought, he walks next to Cathari and sips the still-steaming liquid thoughtfully. They obviously won't stop with mere pleads... Urgh. And just when this day was looking so good he thinks quietly to himself.

"Are you sure that mere talking will dissuade them?" he asks her in High Realm, his grip on the Serpent-Sting Staff tightening almost imperceptibly.

[vegetalss4]

Bandits, entrance to the teahouse
The strangers stand quaking, obviously unsure as to how they should react to their sudden feelings of dread and the treats of the self-called prince of the earth, when the decision is made for them.
When Reishi and Idaro readies their respective weapons, the bandits shake of their unwelcome and unfamiliar feelings of dread for the far better known erruption of violence and attacks.

[[roll join battle]]
the leader [roll0]
the thugs [roll1]

[Gargulec]

Emerald Tempered in Bitterness, same place as previously.

'For the love of the Peleps, what a band of morons...' mutters Emerald again, with yet another low and resigned sigh. If not for that overaggressive boy, the situation would be already resolved. Her melody- and quite likely the act of that water-aspect girl would surely be enough to scare the bandits off.

And now, there will be bodies.

She looked at Lilian.

'Up to you now' the words aimed at her owner were as quiet and calm as any others she ever said. She herself was not meaning to take part in fight. She was no combatant.

Again, under her able touch, the sounds of guqin changed. All the threatening notes disappeared, replaced only by a smooth, flowing tune. No dissonances, no louder sounds, only calming, soothing tune. One could listen to it all day long and not even noticed the passage of Daystar on the sky- and so, a real master, like Emerald, could make herself unnoticed, almost invisible by playing it. And so she did. Anyone not knowing in advance where she was would be very hard pressed to notice her, even if her music filled the entire teahouse.


Activating Invisible Street Performer Technique- 3 motes. Anyone willing to spot Emerald now must roll Awareness+Wits with difficulty of 8.

Motes: Personal: 5 Peripheral 23
Willpower: 6

[Guancyto]

Iselsi Cathari, Teahouse, center table in the back

"Some days, I'm allowed to hope," Cathari answers Shimao in the dulcet tones of her native tongue, drawing herself into a stance of readiness. Her trailing sleeves still cover the weapon in her hand, ready to fly into action as she bids her companion enter the fray. "Shall we?" Her other hand still holds her teacup perfectly still.

Join Battle! [roll0]

Personal Essence: 14/16
Peripheral Essence: 27/33
Anima: 0 Motes
Willpower: 10/10

[Grim ranger]

Shimao Idaro, Teahouse, center table in the back

Shimao sets his now empty teacup down on the table and taps his staff once against the ground. The before seemingly solid staff is now seven smaller-lenght pieces of dark gray wood all connected by lenghts of silvery chain. "I thought you would never ask" he says with a small smirk, spinning the curious weapon about his body in unpredictable arcs. "I always have time to beat up idiot brutes".

Join battle - [roll0]

Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 29/36
Willpower: 7/7

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian, moving away from her table

Lilian draws her two long, slightly barbed whips, and an imperceptible usage of essence increases her fluidity with them.
She glares at Reishi, eyes making her message very, very clear: You're a complete idiot.

[roll0]
Spend four motes on Whistling Analogue Signal.

[vegetalss4]

Bandit Leader, entrance to the teahouse

the bandit leader takes a step forward while thrusting his hands outward toward Reishi drawing a pair of knives from up his sleeves and throwing them straight toward a gap in Reishis armor in one fluid move, which he then continues into a defensive stance.


3 action flurry, draw weapons, throw 2 knives
Daisuke please don't read on before you have decided which (if any) defencive charms you want to use in step 2.

first attack [roll0]

second attack [roll1]


[battle timer]
tick 1: Reishi, Cathari
tick 2:
tick 3:
tick 4:Shimao, Lilian, the thugs
tick 5:The Leader
tick 6:

[Guancyto]

The Silent Wind calls to these brutes, entreating them to still the cacophony of their lives. Do they hear it? They will soon...

They will soon learn the depths of their mistake, as well. Cathari makes brief eye contact with the bandit leader, letting him know in a single glance that this is your fault. Her dress flowing behind her, she charges at full speed at the nearest thug. The trinket in her hand releases a jade blade as she passes him by entirely. Had she decided to spare him? No. Her pace did not slow, but the reversed blade struck him even as he was behind her.

Flurrying a dash and a basic attack, both Speed 3. [roll0] Note that stunts attempting to hurt the leader (by, say, killing his men) get an extra die as though that were my Motivation.

Also, if that 1-die Join Battle stunt counted for mote recovery, I'm at full essence again. If so, activating Death-Dealing Journey for 3m.

Personal: 13/16
Peripheral: 27/33
Willpower: 10/10

[Guancyto]

((One of these days I'm going to remember that Rollv thing the first time. Let's try this again. [roll0]

[Daisuke1133]

Reishi smirks behind the armoured mask of his helmet, the knives flying so slowly as to be mere aerial snails to one with his senses, reflexes, and training. He repositions his Daiklaves such that the flats of the blades face the incoming daggers and bats them straight up, enbedding them in the ceiling of the teahouse.

Is that good enough for at least a one die stunt to my Parry DV?

[vegetalss4]

the teahouse
Cathari's knife slices of the head of the thug in one swift motion instantly killing him as she moves past him, into the group of the bandits, however she is already long gone and on the way back before anyone has time to react. The leader of the bandits seems to be distracted from the lesson of loss which she attempted to teach him, by the fact that Reishi had exploited a momentary weakness in his defense, and given the bandit a nasty cut with his daiklaive.


seeing their leader in danger, the bandits split up and charges into the room.
four attempt to surround Reishi attacking once each to cut him down.
six charges Lillian and Shimao, pushing aside tables and terrified customers alike splitting in two grups just before they reach them each group making a serie of high chops toward one of them.
Finally the last tree strike after Cathari with wild strikes, seeking vengeance for their dead friend.


against Lillian 3 attacks
1st strike: [roll0]
2nd strike:[roll1]
3rd strike:[roll2]

against Shimao 3 sets of dash then attack
1st strike: [roll3]
2nd strike: [roll4]
3rd strike: [roll5]

against Cathari 3 attacks, one of which spends a willpower to channel conviction in memory of his dead friend, all three of which are made as "fierce blows"
1st strike: [roll6]
2nd strike: [roll7]
3rd strike: [roll8]

Reishi, 4 attacks
1st: [roll9]
2nd: [roll10]
3rd: [roll11]
4th: [roll12]



[battle timer]

tick 4:Shimao, Lilian, the thugs, Reishi, Cathari
tick 5:The Leader
tick 6:
tick 7:
tick 8:
tick 9:

[Lix Lorn]

Liliana dodges the first two strikes with contemptuous ease, swaying aside from them with the subtle beauty of a dancer-and then tries to block the third with a whip, drawing it up with a crack, and a shivering flash of ambient electricity. Sparks fly from the razor sharp whip as they clash, hopefully diverting the attack away.

Trying to stunt a defence there to shore it up. Also spending four motes on a Melee excellency for the same defence. Shall I attack now?

[Guancyto]

Cathari grins as the hapless fools try to surround her. She crouches low as she runs, sliding under the first two blows with a practiced ease. As the third approaches, she quickly sweeps up a leg and with a riotous crash kicks an unoccupied table into the path of his strike. With a calculated movement, she tosses her teacup into the air.

Her first strike had been crude, blatant. Her next would have her targets dead before they even knew they had been hit. As the table flies, she seizes the tablecloth and flings it in the faces of the two in front of her. She runs again, grabs a structural post to slingshot her momentum and circles behind the thugs. She strikes for their unprotected backs as she passes.

Dashing again to the place she had started, she neatly catches her teacup and takes a sip. Not even any blood in it this time. Good.

Flurrying two attacks, each one with 3 dice from my excellency. Now with actually adding the accuracy bonus from my weapon, yay.
Attack 1: [roll0]
Attack 2: [roll1]

Personal: 10/16
Peripheral: 27/33
Willpower: 10/10

[Lix Lorn]

As her strike catches the blade of her foe, she snaps it away, lashing forcefully with both of her weapons for her opponent, intending to tear him apart, essence thrumming in the weapons.

Each lash whips for a different target, coiling around them and shredding them entirely.


Target one. Spending two motes. Melee 5+Speciality 3+Dex 4+Accuracy 1-MA 1. 14 Dice.
[roll0]
Target two. Three motes. Same pool.
[roll1]

Personal: 5/14 (0 Committed)
Peripheral: 20/36 (16 Committed)

-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
-X [ ]

[Grim ranger]

Shimao Idaro, Teahouse

"Step right up, gentlemen: I have three thrashings prepared in nine shades of hurt!" he announces cheerily, his chaotically spinning staff intercepting every blow almost as if it were alive and with mind of it's own. Smiling pleasantly as the bandits are still constantly foiled by his spinning and twirling staff, he suddenly sidesteps an attack and brings the weapon around, switching right to full attack from the defence.

His attacks only pick up the speed as he goes to the offensive, the Seven-Section Staff moving almost faster than the eye can follow, twisting and striking at the bandits who have picked very poorly in assaulting this particular teahouse.

Flurrying three attacks, one for each bandit, 2 extra die from First Martial Arts Excellency for each attack.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Personal Essence: 7/13
Peripheral Essence: 29/36
Willpower: 7/7

Edit: if I got anything wrong, let me know.

[Daisuke1133]

"Foul villains! You face one of Hesiesh's Chosen. Kneel and be judged for your crimes." Reishi shouts as he skillfully parries causing blue and golden sparks to leap into the faces of his attackers. He then continues his attack on their leader, ignoring the paltry efforts of the man's minions.

Parrying the attacks and using 6 motes of Personal to activate Blinding Spark Distraction on each Parry.

Reishi will focus on the leader and allow Mook [roll0] to have his surprise attack.

Another flurry of attacks (2) taking the -2 penalty to my DV and the multiple action penalty for two actions.

[roll1]
[roll2]
Two successes for each.

Health
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
-X [ ]
Essence
Personal: 9/15
Peripheral: 22/35 (13 Committed)

[vegetalss4]

Bandits, the teahouse
it is less than a minute since the bandits entered The Five Petals, of those fifteen only 6 are still standing, 7 lie dead their blood mixing with spilled tea and food from when the villagers rushed out of the way of the fight, the last two lying unconscious on the floor.
one of the bandits near the door shout they got Feather, RUN! an advise which his compagnions attampt to follow, with mixed results seeing as 3 of them currently are blind from the spark Reishi threw in their eyes.

we are now leaving combat time.
As far as I can see you are all faster than the bandits, so if you want to catch them it will probaly succed, otherwise they run away.

[Grim ranger]

Shimao Idaro, Teahouse

"It was good to meet you gentlemen! We should do this again sometime!" he calls after the retreating remains of the bandit gang, grinning and spinning his weapon slightly before tapping one end against the ground, causing it to combine into single, ornate staff once again.

Picking up unspilled cup of tea from one of the tables that has survived the chaos without being toppled over, he walks next to Cathari and serenely drinks the still-hot liquid. "Ah, that brightened a dull day great deal, wouldn't you say? It seems that I will always have someone to hone my skills against when you are around".

[Gargulec]

Emerald, Teahouse

Seeing that the bandits were no longer around, Emerald wrapped up the melody she was playing and stopped. For a brief moment, she sat motionlessly, looking at battleground and observing whether Lilian get hurt- it was unlikely, but not impossible.

But all defenders, including her owner, seemed to be unscratched. Thankful, she quickly hid her instrument inside of a seemingly batiste sheath. Putting it into her sack, she approached Lilian. She was eyeing the Water-aspect and a the Fire-aspect warily- her feelings for other dragon-blooded were not especially warm.

'Your joy taken from mercilessly slaughtering a band of mortals is mildly disturbing, sir' she said towards Shimao in perfectly emotionless voice.

[Guancyto]

Iselsi Cathari, Teahouse

"One of these days we'll sit down for a cup of tea without something like this happening," Cathari answers Shimao, a crooked half-smile crossing her face. "Until then, I'm glad you're such a good sport about it."

"His aren't dead," she corrects the wood-aspect girl curtly before appraising the damage to the teahouse - and to herself. Tables, chairs and cups strewn about the place. The thug she had decapitated had gotten blood on her dress. It would take ages to come out. Sloppy. Terribly sloppy. She would have to do better.

Still, aside from the owner and their assailants no one seems to be hurt.

"Which is good. We're going to want someone to interrogate," she drags one of the unconscious bandits onto a chair. She wipes the blood from her knife off on the poor thing's garments and snaps it back into its sheath.

"And... thank you for trying to get them to leave peacefully," she looks at Emerald again, "that was you, right?"

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian spits on the corpse in front of her, rolling her whips up and putting them inside her robes. She then returns to her table.

[Gargulec]

Emerald, Teahouse

'True, it was me' admitted Emerald, wondering if Liliana is going to call her to her side.

She then bowed her head to Shimao.

'I apologize for that unnecessary comment of mine. I must confess that I was not paying any attention to the combat itself.'

Glancing at Liliana, she twirled her collar in slight anxiety. Well, the women did not appear to be in mood to leave, what left the wood-aspect with a rather unpleasant duty.

Sighing, she started to drag the bodies of the slain outside, removing them from sight and wiping larger of the blood pools. Soon, thanks to her efforts, the overall aesthetics of the teahouse improved significantly.

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian, Teahouse
Lilian gave her beloved slave a ssweet smile, and beckoned her over when she was done.

[Grim ranger]

Shimao Idaro, Teahouse

Smiling weakly, the young man shakes his head at Emerald. "Don't worry about it. You would not be the first person to mistake my stunning blows for lethal ones... And really, I do think that these gentlemen deserve the emperor of all headaches they will have upon waking up".

Turning to Cathari, he leans slightly onto his staff, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Have you perhaps heard something of this 'Red Crow'? I do believe that he is going to be annoyed with us foiling what would doulbtlessly be successful raid... Perhaps he will even attempt to track us down for this. Which is all well and good, as he does not sound like a nice guy, based on people apparently on his payroll. I have never really liked slavers".

Apparently completely oblivious to the fact that Emerald is in fact wearing a collar, he sighs. "Yes, some day I would really like for my life to just... slow it's pace, really. I get the feeling that the gods are just toying with me in these days..."

[Gargulec]

The remark about gods toying with him had an unexpected effect upon Emerald. The wood aspect smirked, and then laughed quietly, with incredibly bitter, unpleasant laughter.

'You have hardly any idea on what does it mean to be a plaything to gods, don't you?'

Her voice for a moment lost its lack of tone and emotion, resounding with resignation, loathing and bitterness. Seconds later, it was back to normal.

'And so I am forced to apologize again. That was completely uncalled for and rather silly from my side. I humbly ask for forgiveness, sir.'

[Grim ranger]

The same weak smile graces the lips of Shimao again. "You shouldn't judge a book by it's non-descriptive cover. I could say I have some...experience on the matter".

Mentally berating and stopping himself before he can say too much and blow his cover, he drags the other unconsicous bandits to the chairs as well, looking around. "Does anyone have rope or suitable substitute? I think our 'guests' need to be properly secured for their own good"

[Gargulec]

Emerald did not reply to Shimao's statement, instead reaching into her bag.

'If I may?' she asked Lilian, taking a heavy bundle from it, and noticing her silent permission, passing it to the boy.

'It should do'

As he unwrapped it, he saw a paired shackles, certainly made of a magical material, probably soulsteel, judging by their anthracite-black color, inlaid with orichalcium. They were certainly artifacts, and probably rather nasty ones too.

[Lix Lorn]

She nods permissively.

[Grim ranger]

Nodding slightly, Shimao barely stops himself from flinching, clapping one of the bandits to the provided shackles. They feel quite wrong to him, even before the fact that imprisoning people is one of the things he is usually quite set against: this time, however, a little chat with one of the bandits is necessary, so restraints are a must.

Sighing slightly to himself, he adjusts his headband and makes discreetly sure that his longcoat is still covering the armour underneath it. "Perhaps introductions are in order all around?"

[Gargulec]

'Emerald Tempered in Bitterness' the dragon-blooded introduced herself with a bow, probably way to deep for a Princess of Earth in front of someone who, for all she knew, was most likely an ordinary mortal.

[Guancyto]

"Thousand Blossoms," the water-aspect girl returns her bow equally deep, having taken the opportunity of their conversation to finish her tea. "It is of course my pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She shakes her head at Shimaro's question. "First I've heard of him, but I'll bet our friend here knows enough for the both of us." She raps a hand on their captive's head for emphasis.

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian doesn't offer her own name, rather looking curiously at the others from her seat.

[Daisuke1133]

Reishi, Teahouse

Reishi tenses as his heart and soul compel him to give chase after the unworthy curs, but his mind forces him to stay his hand and let the bandits go. Hearing the conversation of the others, he realizes that questioning this bandit could lead to the rest of his band.

He sheaths his daiklaves at his side and approaches the rest of the group of exalted ones. He removes his helmet and introduces himself.

"My name is Reishi," he pauses a moment, reluctant to say more than that, "Just Reishi."

[Grim ranger]

Not saying his own name aloud for now for fear of slipping out the name that could really get him into trouble instead of his birth name, he sits down to a chair next to the bound bandit. "It is good to meet you all, even if it is under slightly curious circumstances" he says, gesturing around the partially destroyed teahouse. "That was some very nice swordwork, by the way" he adds to Reishi, bowing his head slightly.

[vegetalss4]

After some time one of the servant girls peek out into the main room to see if the cost is clear, once she has ascertained that the bandits indeed are gone, she calls back into the kitchen "they are gone now." and runs over to the body of the owner in the vain hope that he still lives.
shortly afterward the rest of the guests and the staff reenters many of them in obvious shock over the carnage.
one of the people there, an old man who obviously has the respect of the other villagers walks over to you supported by his staff, and says "Oh Princes of the earth, I apologize that I stand like your equal but my old age prevents me from bowing before you. I am Rain-Falls-on-Fresh-Leaves, the elder of this town, allow me to thank you on behalf of Stonebrooks. Is there any way we can show our gratitude?" he says in heavily accented high realm.

[Grim ranger]

"Think nothing of it" Shimao replies solemnly, bowing his head slightly at the man after Cathari translates the words to him. "They seemed like they would be trouble... Shame that completely serviceable teahouse was wrecked, though. Those were very nicely ornamented tables..."

Shaking himself out of thought again, he gets up and leans on his own staff. "And I am no prince of the earth...I am just a common traveller who dislikes bandits" he adds with a small smile.

[Guancyto]

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! They can think something of it. I don't mind," Cathari interjects after translating for Shimao (curious that one of the Exalted would bother to ensure that a mortal can understand), scandalized at the idea of letting this daring rescue from certain slavery and death go unrewarded. "If you want to do something for us, how about letting us know more about this Red Crow character? And while we're here, someone to get these stains out of my clothes, and some good ale if you've got it and," she grins at the prospect of ale, but hesitates as her gaze falls upon the corpse of the teahouse owner, "maybe something nice for him. Or his kids or whatever, if he has them."

[Gargulec]

Understanding the conversation not, Emerald briefly salutes the elder man, before returning to Lilian's side. She quickly fits herself into the corner of the room, and resting her head on her shoulder, eases herself. Soon, her conciousness fades, as she takes a short nap, hoping to rest at least a bit.

[vegetalss4]

Rain-Falls-on-Fresh-Leaves, village elder, the teahouse
the old man looks perplexed at you, then speaks to one of the other villagers "Young leaf, come here I need you." a young woman runs over to the Elder, "How may I assist you grandfather?" she asks.
"I need you to translate my conversation with our saviors since I don't speak their language."
Of course grandfather. the young woman responds before bowing towards you.

[Guancyto]

Iselsi Cathari

Cathari puts her palm to her forehead. Of course he doesn't speak Low Realm, why would he? "I am versed in your tongue," she says, a bit exasperated, "but if you want to translate for my subordinate, please do so." She indicates Shimao before repeating her requests in Riverspeak.

[Grim ranger]

Shimao Idaro

"And just who are you calling a subordinate, Blossom?" Shimao deadpans in Riverspeak. "I thought that our relationship was closer to partners, and you can be quite sure that I am not going to do your chores for you".

Sighing a bit to himself as he hears her go with the demands again, he casts apoletig look at the Rain-Falls-on-Fresh-Leaves. "Yes, knowing more about this Red Crow would indeed be welcome... As I intend to find that man and bring him to justice".

[Guancyto]

"Because no one could possibly find that strange," Cathari deadpans right back, not even bothering to exclude the onlookers from their conversation, "you are aware how lucky you are, yes? Many others would treat a mortal of your persuasion like chattel."

"Anyway," she addresses the village elder, "My... partner no doubt intends to do something rash. So the more information you have, the better."

[Grim ranger]

"Like I would allow anyone to do that... I am free and will remain so" he replies in Low Realm before switching back to Riverspeak. "I would not say all that rash... The problem would need to be taken care of someday, and since I am in the neighbourhood I might as well get to it".

[Guancyto]

Cathari covers her mouth with a sleeve to stifle a giggle. Apparently the sheer audacity of this lesser being amuses her. "I'm sorry, did I say rash, ill-considered and likely to get you killed? I meant dashing, heroic and noble, of course."

[Grim ranger]

"Bite me and die" he replies in highly annoyed tone, folding his arms and looking at the shackled bandit like he hopes to wake the man up with the glare alone. "And if you dare to call me a hero, I know that you have finally lost what little sanity you have left in that head of yours" Shimao mutters, a small smile forcing itself to his face despite his efforts to keep it neutral.

[Guancyto]

"I'm crazy enough to keep you around despite your impertinence," the water-aspect girl settles into a little smile of her own, "I don't see how much worse I can get."

Perhaps realizing that other people are still present, she coughs loudly, composing herself and turning back to the assembled villagers. "Anyway, yes! Information. And laundry. And alcohol. And do you have some sort of harem you could spare? No, I suppose you wouldn't."

[vegetalss4]

due to a long life with plenty of occasions to practice the Elder manage to keep his face under complete control.
Your wish shall be done oh Prince of the earth, the village will pay for any ale you may drink today and to get your clothes washed, merely give it to one of the servants, it will help get their minds of things.
he then hold a short pause for air "Now about Red Crow, he is a god, not a man, and leads a pantheon from Mount Moji about a weeks travel on foot to the east. I don't know many details about him since our village lies outside of his domain, if you want I can tell you what little I do know, but I am sure one of your captives or our local monk Nanori Kuchiki would be able to answer your questions far more satisfactory."

[Grim ranger]

"A god then?" Shimao mutters, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "This should be very interesting! I always cherish small challenge or two... And entire pantheon should be just enough of a challenge".

Walking around the teahouse, Shimao rearches for bucket of water and upon finding it smiles slightly. "Let's see then what our new friend here knows, shall we?" he asks and throws the water at the face of the bandit, grabbing himself a chair just opposite of the man.

"Hello there" he begins when he is sure that the bandit is awake. "You attacked teahouse full of innocent people. Now normally I would just hand you over to whatever passes as law enforcement here, or maybe even kill you myself, but you are in luck my friend: right now I just need some information".

Placing his feet on table between the two chairs in carefree posture, he looks sternly at the man. "Tell me everything you know about Red Crow, and I promise that your life is yours".

[Guancyto]

"Outstanding," Cathari grins, "the favor of the Dragons grace you." She nods to the villagers. Seeing that her partner has the interrogation well in hand, she approaches Lilian and bows. Not too low, that would be suspicious. Not too short, that would be rude.

"You fight well for one so young," she says to the Dawn, "might I have the pleasure of your name?"

[Lix Lorn]

"Lilian." she says, with a brief smile. "Yours?"

[Guancyto]

"Thousand Blossoms," Cathari answers. Broadcasting her association with the Realm would be the height of folly, especially to one whose ideas on the subject are unknown to her. She settles into a chair next to Lilian, "but please, call me Blossom."

The woman is unusual, but not impossible. She decides a straightforward approach is best. She smiles, leans in and whispers in Lilian's ear, "I think we should talk, don't you?"

[Lix Lorn]

"Talk how?" she whispers back melodramatically, with a giggle.

[vegetalss4]

the Bandit looks around in confusion after the rough awakening, before Shimao's offer pulls him back to reality.
"Red Crow? He is our glorious god and ruler, who will lead us to victory and glory. he say mostly by reflex and without any real conviction, before he really can think about it. then once he has thought about it "what do you want to know about him?"

[Guancyto]

Well, this is going to be fun. The Infernal holds back a giggle of her own. "Quietly, and about yourself. Or loudly, and about something less important. I think I would enjoy either."

"So many questions I have about this stunning girl in front of me," she continues to speak quietly, a tinge of entertained melodrama entering her tone as well, "where does she come from? Where does she go? Where does she get all these wonderful toys? Does she look good in red?"

[Grim ranger]

"What does he want?" Shimao asks without preamble. "Where can he be found? What other gods does he have at his side? What are his strenghts? What are his weaknesses? What does he look like? How many men like you does he have under his command?".

[Gargulec]

Opening one eye, Emerald noticed that her owner is talking with Blossom. Mumbling a silent, yet rather disturbing profanity, she woke up in an instant, straightening and starting to listen.

Lilian was not the... most obvious person that was. And so, talk with her could go awry, and that would be rather dangerous.

[Lix Lorn]

She giggles a little. Flirting? Oh, flirting she's used to. It's generally less subtle, but still.

"I come from quite a way away, and I go anywhere." she says airily. "I get wonderful things from certain contacts, and things I find, and I look good in anything." she says, grinning widely. "But better in nothing." she adds with a conspiratorial whisper.

[Guancyto]

"My word, Lilian, that is positively scandalous," Blossoms feigns astonishment for only a moment before she gives a wry grin, "but I'll remember it." She considers a moment. "And if I were to ask if she would like to help put an errant god in his place, would that be something she would be capable of? Would that be something she would enjoy?"

[Lix Lorn]

"I could try and help." she says in an offhand voice. "Of course, I am merely a mortal, so probably not so helpful." she says. It's not convincing and she's only really saying it for the record..

[Guancyto]

Oh, how interesting. Yes, this will do. "Well, only if you feel you could be of aid," Blossom answers charitably, "I'm not going to ask you to walk into something that's beyond your abilities. But a whole pantheon does sound like trouble, and I can use all the help I can get.

I would be very grateful." She giggles low, words laden with meaning. One of these days she'll stop being so roundabout with these things. But where would the fun in that be?

[Lix Lorn]

"I'd be glad to help." she will say, smiling, yet still sincere.

[Guancyto]

The water-aspect draws back, grins, and throws her arms around Lilian.

"So brave! I love mortals sometimes," she says loud enough for everyone to hear and plants a kiss on the girl's cheek, delighted. She gestures to the bandit being interrogated. "Let's hear what terrors await us, shall we?"

[Lix Lorn]

She giggles quietly.

[Grim ranger]

"Are you two quite ready to get on with it with straight face?" he questions dryly, still waiting for answers from the prisoner. "Let's pretend for a moment we are all grown-ups, shall we? At least that way my ears will be spared".

[vegetalss4]

the bandit is overwhelmed by the sudden stream of questions, but after a moment he begins to answer them "Red Crow seems to seek power, conquest, sacrifices and glory. He and his pantheon can be found at Mount Moji from where he rules. " he cough "He is a great god who is served by every god of the region, but the greatest member of his pantheon are Amatru the Flaming tiger, his sister Song born by the Winds of Love, his brother Opedian the Masked Sage and Morija the god of mount Moji. Red Crow is a terrifying figure standing two meter tall, with the face of a great crow with burning eyes, his feathers are the color of blood, and he should be strong enough to kill entire armies by himself, at least according to feather since I have never seen him myself. As far as I know he has no weaknesses." here he has to make a short break due to his wounds "I have no idea of how many men like me serves him, perhaps a hundred or so? but we certainly aren't the main part of his forces."

[Grim ranger]

"My thanks" Shimao says, patting the man to the shoulder in friendly gesture. "I am sure that my friends still have some questions for you, but after those you are free to go your merry way. Just do try to drop life of banditry... Next time I cannot propably convince everyone to go easy on you".

[Guancyto]

"Who was Feather, anyway?" Blossom asks the bandit, comporting herself a little, "he had guts for someone in so far over his head." She frowns, recalling the bandit's sudden and dashing appearance. Her mind still suffers the effects of the magic she had used. Well. Dead now. Easy come, easy go.

"And what does a god want with slaves, anyway? Or you? If he can destroy an entire army by himself, you'd think he wouldn't need either."

[vegetalss4]

"He don't need our service, but it pleases him and help our part to greatness under his leadership." Again he speaks without great conviction, and almost like he is quoting someone.besides he can't be everywhere at once, as for the prisoners Red Crow prefers most of his sacrifices to live. Don't know why. ha makes a short break then looks hopefully on you "can I go now? or do you have more questions?"

[Guancyto]

"Sacrifices, not slaves. Well, that is better," Blossom answers pensively, standing up and starting to pace back and forth. "Still a bit much, five years ago he would have been buried in Immaculates for something like this. Well, deal with him as you like," she waves a hand at Shimao, indicating that the prisoner is his to deal with.

She continues to pace, looking about the teahouse, trying to plan. The fire aspect? He'll probably come along anyway. She might have trouble handling him, but if he's serious about liking Solars...

...the musician! Gods like music, right? They must, everyone does. As long as she can restrain her partner's enthusiasm, the musician will be perfect. She approaches the wood aspect in her corner, bowing low just as Emerald had done when they were first introduced. "Could I convince you to join us as well, Emerald? Your skills would be invaluable for dealing with this god's forces without fighting more than we have to."

[Grim ranger]

"You have handled your end of the bargain" Shimao says, walking behind the bandit and opening the shackles. "So I will handle mine. You are free to leave, provided you leave your weapons and armour. I can't have you attack me again from the bushes the instant I leave, now can I?" he says with a lopsided grin, studying the face of the man from every angle so he can remember it in detail later.

"And if you decide to return to Red Crow, please do tell him that the days of his ambitious conquest are numbered and that he should stop when he still has the chance" the young man continues, keeping careful eye on the bandit just in case he tries to break his promise and attack, or keep his weapons or armour.

[Lix Lorn]

"Emerald goes with me." says Lilian loudly to Blossom.

[Gargulec]

The Wood-aspected girl smiled faintly upon hearing Blossom's question.

'As you can hear, the decision is not mine to make' she answered. 'I go where my owner goes, I do what she demands of me' she added, raising her head slightly, so that the Wood-aspect could see the collar around her neck.

[Guancyto]

"I... see. I suppose that is a yes, then," Blossom falters, her smile going slightly askew at the implications of this. She bends down, leaning an arm against the wall and bringing her face quite close to Emerald's. She looks into the wood-aspect's eyes, inquisitive. "But do you want to? What is it that you want?" she asks, too quiet for any other to hear.

[Gargulec]

Smile does not fade from Emerald's face, but it grows strangely bitter as for an expression of happiness. Her voice, however, remains as emotionless as it was.

'What I want is irrelevant at this point in time. And even if my will had any meaning, even if I could want something, I would wish to stay with Lilian. For reasons you can't comprehend.'

[Daisuke1133]

OOC:
I'll assume that everything has been translated to a language Reishi can understand, and vice versa.

Reishi listens intently to the man's story before expressing his own opinion.

"We should put a stop all this nonsense. Surely at least some of you agree that this cannot be allowed to continue."

He looks to the others and asks, "Please tell this man my words."

"I will let you live this day. But, if I even so much as hear of a man matching your general description committing further injustices, I will hunt you down and deliver the justice that has been so long overdue."

[Guancyto]

Blossom's smile falters a bit more, but she appears satisfied. She leans in further to give Emerald a kiss on the cheek as well. "I'll take it," she says, "but you are fascinating to me. We'll talk more later, yes?"

An Immaculate would be outraged. A Dynast would probably be disturbed. Indeed, she probably should be both. But it's not like Emerald is the only one bound into servitude...

[Gargulec]

Emerald lightened up a bit.

'If it is your desire, I will be glad to share a few words with you.'

She looked at Blossom with surprise in her eyes. She expected her to be disturbed if not angered, but she accepted the fact of her slavery surprisingly smoothly. Most dragon-blooded would not do so, Emerald knew that well.

[Guancyto]

"Oh, I desire it very much," Blossom agrees, eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief and gives a conspiratorial wink. "When we can find some privacy, perhaps? I would hate for us to be overheard."

She sashays back to the front of the teahouse, nodding to Reishi and noting for future use that the fire-aspect does not seem to speak River. Something that might come in very handy. "A few have agreed to this quest of yours," she says to him after allowing the villagers to translate. "Two mortals and an outcaste, by the look of them. You should count yourself lucky."

[vegetalss4]

once he is released the bandit quickly takes off his armor and runs off hoping to get away before you might change your minds, the villagers grumble a bit over you letting him go, but decides not to contest your decision, since you just saved their life and at least the one who killed the owner is dead.

[Grim ranger]

"Well, now with that taken care of, I think I could do with some more tea... After all, soon I will be hunting a god, and that will leave precious little moments to savour the aroma of that wonderful drink" Shimao muses, carefully picking up a chair and sitting down on it.

"I do believe that some supplies will be needed, since this hunt might take a while" he says to the gathered townspeople. "And does anyone here know how to make this tea? It was very good, but I hazard to quess there is not much left unspilled after all this ruckus"

[vegetalss4]

the Elder, still the teahouse
"I am afraid that while Amil's wife can make tea just as well as he could while he lived, she will need some time with her grief, so you will have to do without it." he nods solemnly. "As for the matter of supplies, I am sure that we can sell some to you for a reasonable price."

[Gargulec]

Hearing the conversation, Emerald quietly approached the village elder.

'I hope that it will be enough to cover the price of tea' she said, putting a polished Guild dinar in his hand.

She disappeared for a moment from the teahouse common room, returning after a few minutes carrying a tray with several cups of tea. She put one before Lilian, before giving the rest to Shimao, the elder and probably also Blossom should she want one.

Saying no further word, she returned to Lilian's side.

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian will give her a smile and begin drinking.

[Guancyto]

Seeing that they have a moment's respite, Blossom sends one of the villagers to fetch her belongings from the place where she's staying. She accepts Emerald's offer of tea with a smile and nod.

"I have a bit of silver to spare," Blossom surreptitiously hands her partner a small sum, "don't spend it all in one place."

[Grim ranger]

"Paying for other people's purchases now, Blossom? You are going soft" Shimao says with a grin, the money disappearing from his hand and into his pocket with flick of a wrist. "And thank you for the tea..." he says to Emerald, bowing his head slightly in her direction before taking small sip from his tea and savouring it's taste.

"I am sorry for the loss your village has sustained thanks to this attack" he says rather solemnly to the elder with sadness in his eyes. "We...or at least I...Will depart soon to avoid drawing more unwanted attention to you in order for peace to be kept. And I promise you, that Red Crow will pay for his affronts against the common people. It might not be enough to repay all the lives propably lost to his lunacy... But I will end it, one way or another".

[Guancyto]

"It... would be too much trouble do to it myself," Blossom insists, turning away from Shimao with a small 'hmph.'

As she makes for the exit, she leans in to whisper in the elder's ear this time. "You are wondering," she begins, quite confident that he is indeed wondering, "my associate is a god-blood of some skill, in battle if not in subtlety. Naturally it is the sin of his parents rather than any fault of his own, but some of the Order are not quite so understanding. I hope we can trust in your discretion."

"I should go prepare. We should meet on the road leading to this mountain of yours, whichever it is," she announces to her comrades. With that, she prepares to leave the teahouse to make ready. And get her clothes washed. She keeps forgetting that bit.

[vegetalss4]

the elder looks at you a bit Puzzled "I do not know how things are were you are from, but around these parts, being of divine heritage isn't something that people have to hide" he cough If someone tries to kill him because of such a heritage, they would be charged with murder.

[Guancyto]

"Everywhere is different. Over time I've found it better to play it safe. But if it is as you say..." Blossom smiles to herself before turning on Shimao, adjusting her spectacles and fixing him with a look that says don't blow this, "dear, they're okay with you being a godblood. I suppose there's no reason to keep that secret, at least."

"Now, shall we?" she beckons to her companions.

[Grim ranger]

Catching the meaning behind her little act with very little difficulty, Shimao simply shrughs his shoulders. "I guess that little secret had to be revealed someday. At least I am glad to know people are not going to be trying to murder me for being what I am...As is the case in some other places we have visited".

Gathering the equipment left behind by the bandit he has released, he shrughs his shoulders. "Might as well get on with it. Those gods need to be brought down and time is a-wasting. So we will need food and water for the journey, a sack to hold everything and perhaps some alcohol or tea leaves...".

[vegetalss4]

we see our heroes as they leave stonebrooks under a clear sky, the villagers watching them go. On their way out they pass by several fresh graves containing the dead bandits marked by their swords.

... some time later in a forest, it is purring down, something is disturbing the birds, suddenly with a a giant boar charges out of the forest with eyes full of wrath

... the group is sitting around a campfire over which they have roasted the beast. In the background a giant statue of a woman stands half covered by the local plant life. For some reason Shimao seems to think she is friendly while the rest of you are certain she looks very sternly at the road.

... we see them move as silhouettes over a river with a water fall as a backdrop as the sun sets.

... finally they arrive, passing over a hill, which allows them a complete overview over Mount Moji as it stands alone reaching through the clouds, and over the villages farmland surrounding it. a long well made road goes from you through the busy fields toward a walled city which grows up the side of the mountain

oc
what do you do? also it has been 14 days if any of you want to use this time for something (training, preparations, etc.) just make a post in the OC thread informing me about it:smallsmile:

[Guancyto]

Having found something barely identifiable to smoke, Blossom turns to her companions. "Gentlemen."

She has no idea why she just said that.

"And ladies. Let's see what we can find, shall we?" She turns to the direction of the city. Unless one of her companions objects, that's the way she'll head.

[Grim ranger]

"Huh? Oh, of course" Shimao mutters as he is momentarily shaken out of his thoughts. The memories of his past lives do not tell him much of this place as of yet, but even what little he can remember is making him quite thoughtful. "Though stealth might be welcome in this particular case. If Red Crow is indeed keeping his little pantheon here, it might be for the best that we do not need to fight through endless ranks of men sworn to serve his designs as well before confronting him. He and his closest allies are still gods, after all".

Indeed, it has stuck him as odd that thus far they have met no group intent on killing or capturing them for the upstart god. Perhaps the news have not simply spread thus far? He doulbts it, but since no opposition has presented itself he can naught but admit that their fourtunes have been relatively good.

"Mojira... What in the name of the Sun are you up to with Crow, hmm?" he mutters slightly to himself, looking thoughtfully at the Mount Moji as he does.

[Guancyto]

Blossom raises an eyebrow at Shimao's sudden bout of lucidity. Well, he could come in handy after all. She looks around to make sure no one is watching the circle. "You sound like you know him. What've you got?" she asks.

[Grim ranger]

"I...It is very confusing. The memories are out of focus. There is no sense of time" he mutters, rubbing his forehead like trying to drive headache away. Looking at Blossom, he sighs and leans on his staff. "I remember Mojira, the god of that mountain. He did me... no, someone else a favour...And he should be quite friendly. Other than that I do not know much... S- Gods, many things don't make sense to me these days".

[Guancyto]

"Good thing I've got enough sense for the both of us," Blossom puts her hands on her hips and puffs out her chest for emphasis. A nasty little thought tells her that she has nearly as much trouble with her past self as Shimao. She banishes it to the furthest corner of her mind in disgust.

"I'm all for approaching this carefully, though," she agrees, "and having a private chat with this god of the mountain should give us a better idea what's going on. You good with that?"

[Grim ranger]

"That sounds okay to me" he replies, looking thoughtful still "Though how we are going to have chat with Mojira without also coming face to face with Crow and the rest of them is still up to debate..."

Turning to the rest of his travelling companions, he folds his arms. "Any ideas?"

[Daisuke1133]

Without a word Reishi brings the thumb and index finger of his left hand to his mouth a lets out a sharp whistle. Almost immediately a most regal looking hawk flies in through the nearest window and takes a perch on his outstretched right arm.

"Everyone, please meet Yokao. He has often served me with the utmost faith in delivering missives. Perhaps he could serve us in this way to accomplish this goal?"

[Guancyto]

Continuing to interpret for Reishi, Blossom looks Yokao over appreciatively. "You think he can find Mojira? Well, I think that will work well enough.

You should try to speak River, though. Haven't we been teaching you anything?" she chides.

"If we're going to write him a letter, let's find someplace quiet where we can arrange that. Shimao, do you know how to address him? I'm not really good at that divine etiquette thing."

[Grim ranger]

He actually laughs at that, doubling over in hilarity and cluthing his staff to remain standing before managing to regain his composure again. "Wait, you ask me for etiquette tips when speaking to a god? Sorry, I just...ahahaha!"

Stiffling his laugh with effort, he shakes his head. "No, I am afraid that my memories are very vague on that regard. But I do believe that at least I can speak to him quite informally: after all, he has already met... someone I knew".

"But the fact that I cannot write still remains, though" he says almost as an afterthought.

[Guancyto]

"Oh, do shut up," Blossom snaps, peeved enough at Shimao's laughter that she doesn't even bother to come up with a witty rejoinder.

"Fine, I'll do it. Let's head into town while I write; he probably wouldn't want to meet out here anyway. And while we're in the city we can probably barter a performance for a place to stay."

With this, she pulls out some parchment, a block to keep it level and balances her various writing implements precariously. She steps carefully in time with the circle; she had better be surefooted, or her things might fly everywhere!

"And... stop me if I'm about to do something stupid, okay? This takes concentration."

She always hates this part, she thinks for only a moment before delving deep into the memories of her predecessor. Terms of address, bugger off Stanewald, terms of address...

Mighty Mojira, whose stride spans the world and whose step shakes the heavens... she begins. Oh yes, the Dancer had been a specialist in this sort of thing. It is good to have his expertise. She continues her letter; some friends wish to meet with him, wanting to inquire about his present situation and the terms of an old debt owed by their ancestors. As she is given to understand that the debt was of a private nature, it would be greatly appreciated if he could handle this with discretion. She also requests he send a time and place with the deliverer of her message.

Writing up a Presence+Manipulation social attack to get Mojira to meet with us alone and without telling his allies; putting 4 excellency dice and my Past Life rating into it and hoping to not roll too many successes. [roll0]

Edit: Well, maybe not quite that few. Still, yay, didn't get possessed.

[Gargulec]

Emerald, who appeared to be too deeply immersed in her own thoughts to even take notice of her surroundings- something that has been happening to her quite often, lately- suddenly snaps out of it, and approached Blossom.

'I can be the messenger too. Of course if I will be allowed' she offers. 'Gods appreciate those who bow to them, as far as I am aware. And I can get in without really being noticed.'

[Guancyto]

Blossom, caught in a particularly heady moment of missives long past, looks at Emerald with new eyes. She smiles serenely, performing a brief twirl to cross the few feet between the two of them. She touches a finger to the wood aspect's nose, speaking only a faint chirp.

Then she shakes her head rapidly to clear it of the influence. "Uh, I mean, yeah, that would be great. Can he follow her to fetch us if she gets into trouble?" this last she asks of Reishi.

In related news, we are an entire party of head cases. Wheeeee

[Gargulec]

Emerald smiles sourly, as the finger lands on her nose and frown at the strange sound Blossom gave.

'Thank you' she nods, hearing her speak a more human language. The Old Realm part is uncomprehending to her. 'Lilian will be able to communicate with me over any distance and see with my eyes, so I won't go alone' she adds, only a faintest echo of irony ringing in her voice. 'I will go unnoticed too... I know how to pass under the gaze. Please, don't be concerned about my safety. It troubles me when someone is.'

[Guancyto]

"Really? That's pretty handy, I'm glad you told me," Blossom answers, taking a step back so as to quit breathing down Emerald's neck. Or face, for that matter. "I'll trust in your abilities, then."

Provided the ink has dried (no sense in making good calligraphy only to smear it), she seals the letter carefully and hands it to Emerald. "I'm counting on you," she says with a wink.

"Yaoko can scout out the place for us if you like, report back with anything unusual. Sound good?"

[Daisuke1133]

"He will not need to come back to get us as long as we follow at a distance no greater than one hundred yards. Provided we stay at least that close to them I can see all that Yokao sees and hear all that he hears." Reishi says, the utmost confidence in his longtime friend evident in his speech.

[Gargulec]

Emerald bows, and hides the letter underneath her robes.

'Before I go' she switches to Low Realm, apparently being more comfortable with it 'there is a question I need to ask. Where can I find this god? The top of his mountain?'

[Guancyto]

"Good, he can keep an eye out for trouble," she nods.

"I..." Blossom stops short of gritting her teeth at this particularly painful admission, but her distaste for what she says is plain. "I don't know. Shimao?"

[Grim ranger]

Pressing his hand against his forehead, Shimao closes his eyes and tries to focus, to dig up some old memory or another he has missed. The memories of his past lives are still silent, however, and the young solar feels the task to be more or less like trying to repair shattered crystal window. Eventually he just gives up, his shoulders sagging in dispointment.

"I am afraid I cannot help you with that. I got briefest of flashes, and all I cleaned from it is that I used to call him simply Mojira. I guess that implies some degree of familiarity...But other than that I cannot remember anything more about him".

[Guancyto]

"Then I suppose we'll be relying on you for that too, Emerald," Blossom shrugs and puts an arm around Emerald, speaking quietly. "Nothing you can't handle, right? Use your best judgment to find him and get him to set up a meeting. And if you can gather information and persuade him a little on your own, I don't know that anyone would complain."

[Gargulec]

'I guess' nodded Emerald, twirling her collar in what you've learned was sign of anxiety. Nimbly slipping from Blossom's arm, she chuckles, as if she was meaning to conceal her unrest. 'It's been a while since I had to rely on myself... she added, not sounding really bitter about, which came as a little bit of surprise. She leaned over her bags, took only her guqin and slung it over the shoulder.

Interestingly enough the cloths on her begun to change too, shifting from drab and practical grab of a traveller she wore to an equally worn down, but by far more colourful trappings of a wandering story-teller and musician, one that goes from town to town, earning coin by telling stories of ages gone by and singing of an exalted deeds of the heroes from those distant days.

She stretched, glancing over the nearby brushes until she saw a branch she thought most fitting, breaking it from the trunk, thus creating an improvised travelling staff.

Before setting out, however, she approached her own.

'Lilian, mistress' she begun asking, bowing her head. 'Am I free to go?'

[Lix Lorn]

"Of course you can, my dear." said Lilian with a wide, sharklike grin, eyes glittering. "I'll be watching."

[Gargulec]

Emerald smiled too, a narrow, but earnest expression.

For a moment, she stood motionless, taking several deep breath, calming herself. Her anima showed, thorny branches sprouting from the ground and wrapping around her, enveloping her in an armor of briers.

Then, saying nothing, with her eyes closed, she made a step, light and swift one. And then another, naturally flowing from the previous one. The branches creaked and snapped, and she shed thorns with her every move, leaving a trail.

She moved gracefully and nimbly, and you could not help but see her dancing, not travelling. There was a distinctive, if subtle pattern to her steps, not a single muscle breaking the perfect rhythm. She seemed to blend in, her moves seeming more and more natural, in tune with endless, ideally harmonious flow of Essence through all of Creation. She aligned to this flow, she opened herself to it, and she moved with it, escaping notice of those that could only see what was characteristic, disharmonious. If you did not know that she was there, you would probably cannot spot her now, because she was now just a part of the background, always on the edge of sight, and never truly within it.

She turned to you one last time, bowing deeply, and then... she was simply gone.


Activating, in that order: Tireless String-Plucking Meditation followed by Invisible Street Performer Technique, both powered from peripheral pool of Essence. Emerald is now at 15 motes of peripheral.

She will heed towards the mountain, still dancing, and thanks to her activated charms both invisible and tireless.

[Grim ranger]

"Well, perhaps we ought to at least go and check out that city? I think that staying here would not really accomplish much" Shimao says, scratching his hair in thoughtful gesture. "We might even hear a thing or two from Crow before actually meeting him face to face. I just wonder what we could use to keep him down for good... Gods are notariously hard to destroy permanently, after all".

[Guancyto]

Blossom watches Emerald go... or doesn't, as the case may be. "If Lilian can see through her eyes, we can find her again without much trouble. I wouldn't mind getting something to drink," she agrees.

"We could stand to keep the advantage until we're a little more sure of the situation, though. Lilian, Reishi, are either of you good at disguises?"

[Lix Lorn]

"Disguise?" repeats Lilian, quirking an eyebrow. "No, not really."

[Guancyto]

"Right," Blossom doesn't look very surprised. "You two might draw a little attention, but it's nothing we can't handle. Hey, Shimao."

She turns on her partner. "Let's do the time warp again."

[Daisuke1133]

Reishi's face colors slightly at the question.

"No, I am afraid not. I have never previously had a need to learn such things."

[Grim ranger]

"I guess that you two just need to let her do the talking", Shimao says with a shrug. "Hopefully the thugs that attacked us are not here, or those of them that managed to escape at least. I will prepare my disguise now".

Taking some time to find a private spot, he carefully changes his normal, longcoated attire to the armour of the bandit he is still carrying around and focuses for a moment. In an instant, his disguise is up, his normal face and body seemingly changing to those of the bandit he let go at the teahouse. It is not the exact look of the man, of course, but very very similiar. Hopefully it suffices for his purposes... But it is best to be sure. Changing his mind, he instead creates whole new look, changing to pale-skinned, scrawny man with black hair and neatly trimmed beard. The facial features of the disguise are also very different from his own to further dissuade recognition.

Walking back with his staff clearly visible to make others sure it is still him, the young man smiles. "Well, what do you think? Is it convincing? It would have been stupid to make it look like any bandit they could have possibly sent out... Someone might have known him." he says, his voice deeper and somewhat rumbling in this new form. "Hopefully it can fool the people we come across... But you will talk for me, won't you Blossom?" he asks with a toothy grin.

Using 7 motes of personal Essence on Flawlessly Impenetratable Disguise. And no, I am not going for the outlook of the bandit we caught way back then if it was not clear from the post: the charm has specific disadvantages against imitating already existing people.

Rolling the needed check (Wits+Larceny for me) here and now too. Fingers crossed!

[roll0]

Oh, and the disguise is wholly Essence-based so it vanishes right after he either chooses to end the charm or goes to sleep.

Essence left:
Personal: 6
Peripheral: 36
Willpower left: 7/7

Edit: Ouch, that smarts. :smallfrown:

[Guancyto]

I'm pretty sure you got Essence back in the couple of weeks we spent travelling... :smalltongue:

Blossom appraises Shimao, noting the Solar's completely flawless disguise. "Good enough," she decides. "My turn."

Finding a secluded place of her own, she looks around quickly to make sure she isn't being watched. Satisfied, she reaches down and grabs her own faint shadow as it becomes solid in her hands. She tears off swathes of its Essence and molds them into appropriate shapes, applying them to herself. She draws in a gasp as the crushing sensation of the world's own causality asserts itself on her modified shape. Fate. She wasn't even conscious of it before her Exaltation, but now its embrace is stifling. How do people stand being inside it?

A few minutes later, a dusty, weathered traveler woman emerges and approaches the circle. Aside from a change of clothes, she has lost the blush cast to her features, her skin is tanned, her hair is black and tied back in a bun and her face is a bit different. Were it not for the glasses, it would seem very unlikely that the girl in question is Blossom.

She winks. "I'm not going to do all the talking," she chides her partner. "but I can spot you this time."

Soom-Lnarling Deception, committed from Personal Essence.
Personal: 6/16 (8 committed)
Peripheral: 27/33 (6 committed)
WP: 10/10

[vegetalss4]

Where Emerald dances

you move through the fields for about an hour your anima having long since died down with elegant steps easily avoiding the peasants working there, however as you get nearer the mountain you notice something strange.
Here all the workers are dressed in the same simple clothing and all have a red sigil tattooed on their face, at first you believed that they where slaves from their posture but strangely they don't appear to be chained or guarded in any way

[occ Perception + socialize/awareness diff 3 from here, diff 2 if you got to get a better look]
their faces show no emotion and their eyes appears completely lifeless

At the city gates
two bored looking guards stands at the city gates watching the travelers pass, as they see you they suddenly peeks up a bit, one of them saying something to the other, then once you get closer one of them raises her hand and waves you over"You there! come over here and state your business"

[occ: what do you do?]

[Guancyto]

((I'm going to assume Shimao removed the feathers. Will edit this if not.))

Blossom stands before the guards and takes a sweeping bow. "My Lord is on a pilgrimage to better understand the nature of the Dragons," she says, "and together with his retainers, he is traveling Creation to see their signs on its people and its lands. He thought that your fair city and the mountain had the markings of Pasiap's favor, and would like to stay a while. We intend only to learn and to observe, so we will be little trouble so long as we are not interfered with."

Manipulation+Presence+2 motes on excellency and spending a WP for an autosuccess; really, we're not going to be any sort of bother to you or the establishment! Honest!
[roll0] +1 success
Personal: 4/16
Peripheral: 27/33
WP: 9/10

Edit: Wow, I hope they don't have much Appearance...

[Grim ranger]

Watching as Blossom starts to bluff their way into the city, Shimao focuses on keeping his visage neutral and disinterested in order to be forgotten as quickly as possible. He is not here to gather any attention, but rather to avoid it. Let the others be the main targets of careful observation: he can do with being dismissed as mere guard for now. But should fight be imminent he is prepared for the eventuality.

It seems that they have found the right place at the very least: the armour of these guards seems familiar. He thanks the foresight of his partner, thankful that she had suggested removing the feathers at the very least before trying this. Blossom has always been more attentive to detail than he himself has.

[vegetalss4]

At the city gates
The guard shrugs and relax a bit
Well thats good to hear, but you will have to speak to one of The Children of the Crow, before we can let you in. Thats them rules.
she opens a small door in the wall and shouts in Risus, we got a dragonblooded here who wants to enter the city, would you sends for one of the children! before anyone can answer she closes the door again and says to you "now you will just have to wait for a time."
her companion then speaks "since you have to stay here anyways, why don't you tell us the news from the rest of the world?"

[Guancyto]

"What would you like to hear?" Blossom asks, hoping to get a bead on the guards' intentions. "I would rather not talk about politics; most of the world seems to have gone to the dogs completely." She thinks a moment, coming up with an appropriate tale both sugary and irrelevant to tell them about. "They were having a festival in a city to the north! Seems that sort of affair resonates with Sextes Jylis, so we naturally had to attend. They had dancers at every corner with streamers floating down from the buildings, and the music! Oh, the music..."

Of course it is not strictly false. She substitutes the various demon attendants for ordinary humans inspired to dance and sing by the sheer energy of the revelries, the chalcanth for imported wine and nimbly edits out the fact that she had arranged and thrown it herself, for herself. Still, she spins a tale of unparalleled celebration.

"I am sorry, I do prattle on. Who is coming to meet us, anyway?" she asks after she's finished, hoping to have gotten the guards in a good mood to answer her.

Just some good old Manipulation+Socialize. [roll0]

[vegetalss4]

It could be any of the Children of the Crow in theory, but today my money would be on magnificient magpie being the one. the guard claps himself on the forehead Oh right, you are outsiders. The Children of the Crow are our leaders, ruling through the divine blood of our great god Red Crow, mayhegraceuswithhisgloryforever, here the two guards clench their fists, hits their own chest and bow their head for a second. they send a reprensative to meet with all important visitors to our fair city.

[Gargulec]

Emerald danced among the workers, ever so light, ever so nimble, and they saw her not.

She looked at them, and felt that she was, at least partially, one of them, without a will, without any hopes for changing her fate. For a moment, she frowned, she grimaced, she felt the weight of the collar on her neck... she almost missed a step.

But then, she reminded herself that she had a task to do. And so, not paying any more heed to the slaves, she danced further up the mountain. She could not do a thing for them. She could not help them, and she could not spare the essence to make their day brighter.

[Guancyto]

"And Red Crow is the god of your city, then?" Blossom inspects her nails, trying to look uninterested. To be fair, she's just waiting on someone actually important to show up. Still, rule by god-bloods? Crow has a lot of time on his hands, it seems. She's glad to have decided on this angle. If they had just charged in looking for blood, things might have ended badly. "What's this Magnificent Magpie like?"

He had better show up soon, whoever he is.

[vegetalss4]

At the City gates
"no Red Crow is the god of our people, as for Magnificent Magpie, decide for yourself, I think I can hear him now." as the Guard finish speaking a man wearing a good quality white uniform appears, the first thing you notice about him is that he has feathers in all the colors of the rainbow instead of hair, the second that he moves with an obvious air of a man who is used to be obeyed.

Greetings travellers, I am Magnificient Magpie and I understand that you wishes to enter our fair city. he nods towards you. now if you would just answer a few questions we can get this over with. Magpie brings up a small book and a quill.
Firstly who are you and from where do you hail?

[Guancyto]

"Greetings, milord." Blossom gets to her feet and bows low to the god-blood. "I am Whispering Heaven, voice of my Lord Reishi, at whose flames the unrighteous tremble. With him is Junichiro Koizuimi, his bodyguard, and my lady Lilian, his concubine. My Lord acquired us all at different points in his journey of spiritual reflection, which I am given to understand has been going on for some time. We have been traveling long enough that our origin is a longer story than you likely have time for. My Lord is Outcaste, if that is your concern."

[vegetalss4]

Magpie looks molified by your gestuere of respect and continue Very well, just a few more questions then. From where do each of you hail, and in which nation or soverein city state did you last spend at least a week? what is the excact purpose of your visit? and for how long do you except to remain in our fair city?

[Guancyto]

Blossom does her best to think fast. She really should have rehearsed all this instead of thinking it up on the spur of the moment... "The last place we stayed was called Bourbon. I hail from an unimportant village near Nexus, Junichiro here comes from Yokosuka, and I believe my Lord and Lady are from the Great Forks region. That was it, wasn't it?" she looks to the two of them for confirmation. "As I mentioned to your guardsmen, my Lord is on a pilgrimage of spiritual reflection to better understand the nature of the world and his place in it. Because of that, it is uncertain how long we will stay; my Lord may decide the aspect of this place is straightforward and move on quickly, or an intricate weaving of the many elements and stay for a long time. I apologize, of course, that I cannot give you a better answer than that."

[vegetalss4]

At the City Gates
Magpie sighs a bit "Very well, I will write you down for one week, if you want to stay longer, go to the city hall to fix it." he writes something down then seems to remember something If your Lord wishes to discuss theology on his journey towards enligthenment our priest are always willing. You would in such a case find them in the main temple rigth in the center of the city.
Now before I can grant you acess I just need to know: which magical, sacred or wyld touched items, substances or devices if any are you bringing into the city, and are you bringing any drugs, alcohol, jade, or jewels with you?

[Gargulec]

Heeding towards the peak of the mountain, Emerald started to be on the lookout for the gods. She had a message to deliver, after all. She concentrated, and irises clouded her vision, yet allowing her to see more.


Activating Walker-Among-Irises Perception, 4 motes from peripheral pool.
Emerald is now at 16 peripherial and 7 personal, unless she has regained some motes since she has departed.

[Guancyto]

Blossom sighs as well. This customs nonsense is making her impatient. This city's habit of keeping tabs on everything is irritating, to say the least.

"A small amount of jade, three pints of ale for personal use, one suit of armor and a pair of daiklaves." Why oh why didn't she rehearse all this beforehand?

She double takes. "Wyld-touched? Does that happen often?" she asks. If the fae frequent the place...

[vegetalss4]

At the city Gates
from the expression on Magpies face it is clear that he is just as bored by the customs as you areyou would be surprised. You do however have no need to concern yourself with the Fair Folk. We the Children of the Crow, with the blessing of our lord and father, keep them at bay. Now if you would just finish your declaration we can finish this.he says and looks over to the rest our your group.

Mount Moji

as your vision fills with the Irises and you attune to the world of spirits, you see the invisible gods of every nearby object, most are sleeping of course but a few are currently awake. the greatest spirit you currently see are a small bearded man who slowly but surely walks along a mountain road you have found. both the road and the man looks like they have known better times, the man having a noble look but wearing rags and the road being cobbled but mostly overgrown.

[Gargulec]

For a moment, Emerald considered her options. She could try to stumble upon the mountain god blindly, but that could take time which she did not have in excess. Or she could ask one of the gods here for directions and advice, though it would not seem unlikely that they would refuse to answer.

Choices! She had not to make any mere hours ago!

She has decided finally after a not so brief moment of consideration. Still dancing, thus invisible, she approached the once-noble god. Moving in circles around always a safe few steps from him, she begun to sing, an old, soothing melody, one she has learned long, long time ago, when she was still free... and that seemed like a lifetime ago for her.

The sound of her feet stomping lightly against the dusty road gave the melody a rhythm. When the song rose in intensity, an occasional clap of hands accentuated the melody.

The tune quickly filled the air with subtle tones, telling a tale without words, so easing, so calm, so pleasant. The dragon-blood could only hope that the god would appreciate it, and would attune himself to the song, easing and calming. Then, she would reveal herself to him, only then.


Charisma+Performance to soothe the god so that he is in a better mood when Emerald reveals herself.

[roll0]

[Guancyto]

"That's for all of us," Blossom says, "We travel light, and I keep track."

"But about these Fae. Does this happen often? I didn't think we were close to the Wyld? Have you fought them yourself? What was it like?" It's not surprising that the situation is more complicated than her delightful companions had wagered on, but an opportunity to interrogate someone like this is too good to pass up.

[Grim ranger]

Shimao listens the conversation between Blossom and Magpie attentively, finding it quite interesting how much they apparently have yet to find out about the local situation that they are not aware of. The presence of the Fae alone is troubling development, and raises new questions about the motives of Crow and other gods. Still, it seems like stroke of luck to him that they had not simply tried to charge in: if the city has enough god-blooded to even establish more or less stable rule on it, who knows what other surprises they might yet run into?

Despite his role is that of a bodyguard, Shimao cannot help but to ask about the curious development himself. "Yes, we were not aware that Fae were present in the region... You can hold them back all by yourselves?" he asks, raising his eyebrow. "That is quite impressive. I take it that your lord helps you in the task?".

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
at first it seems that the figure ignored your music but after some time you notice that he has begun to sweep in the same rhythm and that he now has a happier, almost nostalgic, look on his face.

At the city gates
You are assuming correctly, our Lord and father deals with the most dangerous of the fay himself, while we his children defeat the lesser monsters, through in the case of the fay lesser is of course relative. he rises his head a bit more and poses a bit before continuing And yes I have in fact fougth one of the fair folk myself and maneged through the strength of my will, the gifts of my father and this very iron mace he holds a plain but well crafted mace out towards you.
Now I have other duties to attend to, enjoy your stay. Hail Red Crow again the two guards make the strange salute this time with greater precision and appearent enthusiams May He Grace US With His Glory Forever! with theese words Magpie turns to leave.

[Gargulec]

The final step, and the dance ends. Emerald smiles, widely and earnestly and bows to the ground before the god.

When she speaks, her voice is calm and pleasant, soft and soothing, as her song were.

'Venerable...' she begins, waiting for him to react.

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
the god looks surprised that you are speaking to him, but also very pleased by it once he has confirmed that you indeed are speaking to him and not someone else he just haven't seen. He puls himself up to his full height, and beaming with joy, awaits whatever it is you have to say.

[Gargulec]

'Venerable' she repeated, raising her head. 'I welcome you. My name is Emerald, and I came to you seeking aid and advice... there is a nobility in you that makes me believe that you will be able and eager to help a stranded pilgrim such as myself.'

She looked closely at the god, immediately feeling sympathetic towards him. He appeared to be one that would be able to understand her plight- because, in part, he shares it.

[Guancyto]

"Finally," Whisper undoes a crick in her neck. "Let's go see what's around. This might be more interesting than you thought."

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
The god looks uncromphrehending on you at your words, then speaks with a strange, almost musical and yet clear, accent What do you want from me Terrestial one?



[occ: what do you guys that have just entered the city do?]

[Grim ranger]

Watching the Magpie depart, Shimao silently thanks the Sun of their good luck thus far and gets a sudden inspiration as to how determine the location of the gods they were seeking. Looking at one of the guards, he speaks in down-to-earth tone of his disguise. "Do you perhaps know where Red Crow is to be found? It would be only proper for us to show respect to such powerful defender of the land and great god that he is. I have heard that he even rules whole pantheon...could that be true? And if it is, where could they be found?" he asks, speaking in tone of humble guard truly wishing to pay respect to gods of the region. Of course his true intentions are somewhat trickier, but lying is for greater good in this case.

"Also, I believe that some rest would be in order after our long journey... Do you happen to have any teahouses in this fine city?" he continues.

[vegetalss4]

City gates, guard

Red Crow rules from Mount Moji together with the most important members of his pantheon, accroing to the priest at least, but if you want to show your respect for him, go to the temple and pray. the guard looks behind herself, making sure that Magpie is out of hearing range
If you are interested in the dogma try talking with Kokum the blessed, he is always willing to hear his own voice. she looks back to you as for a teahouse there is the Travellers Nest rigth through the gates, if you are looking for something expensive an a bit pompous, personally I prefer the Little Feather it is along the east wall just a bit north of the barracks, you can't miss it.

[Guancyto]

Blossom smiles and leans closer to the helpful guard. "Always nice to see a practical soul around," she says quietly, "if you're not doing anything when you get off duty, come see me later, would you? I'd like to get a look at the parts they don't tell us tourists about, and I'd love to have an experienced guide." She tips a wink, trying to play off the guardswoman's apparent disdain for Crow's dogma.

"So, my Lord," she says to Reishi after her mark has had time to reply, "where to?"

[vegetalss4]

City gates, guard

"Nope I will be real busy, have to catch a play with my husband". the guard says pointedly
"Now if you will please move along, you are blocking traffic here at the gate, and I see a wagon coming."

[Grim ranger]

"Ouch, that must have smarted. Losing your touch, are you?" Shimao asks Blossom quietly after they have passed the guards and out of hearing range, grinning deeply. "I thought we were here to take care of matter of dire importance, not get ourselves involved in one-night stands... Nevertheless" he says, this time adressing the two other members of their little entourage as well "I think we should visit this Little Feather place and rest some. We will have much to do, after all".

[Daisuke1133]

Reishi chuckles a bit as Blossom's advances are so pointedly rebuffed and says, "I agree, we must be of sound mind and body if we are to accomplish anything of significance."

[Guancyto]

Blossom nods, wishes the guard a good time, and gets out of the way. She doesn't seem fazed by having been turned down...

...until they're out of earshot of the guard post and her companions get in on it. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," she says, "Lilian, you got one for me too?"

"Let's see, east wall is... this way..." she crosses an intersection and starts heading for the Little Feather.

[Gargulec]

Emerald bows her head again, in a gesture of grand humility.

'Chosen by the Dragons as I am, Venerable, I stand before your just as a humble messenger, a slave seeking to deliver a letter from his master' (she was of course simplifying the truth, but there was no lie in her words, at least no major lie) 'to the god that governs this mountain' she says, glancing at the majestic Mount Moji. 'But I was given only the sparsest directions, and I really need to find this god... do you know, by any chance, how best could I try to look for him... and when I find him, how best should I appease him? And, Venerable, forgive me my manners, but could you give me your name? I will offer you prayer in turn.'

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
The god continue to look unchromprehendingly upon you, before speaking again, this time slower clearer and with a less pronounced accent What, Do, You, Wish, From, Me, Terrestial One?

[Gargulec]

'Oh for the love of Peleps...' sighs Emerald, and then proceeds to repeat entirety of what she has said before in the Riverspeak.

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
My name is Gamusenkil. the God says his face filled with nostalgia as he continued I can show you the way to my master Mojira's current location, just as I in the old days served as a guide on the sacred road to his sanctum. the god looks thoughtful then continues.
However to do so would be to risk the wrath of the new ruler of the mountain both for me and for him. What is this message off yours since I should risk this?

[Gargulec]

Emerald saddened a bit.

'I don't know what is within the sealed message, Venerable Gamusenkil. As I have said, I am but a mere servant, I don't know what words do I carry. And, tell me, I beg you, who is this new ruler exactly? The Red Crow?'

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
the god nods That is what his priest call him, I am afraid that he hasen't set foot on my road even once, so i do not Know him, but he is a very strange god. Some of his sacrifices are made to move up the mountain to the once sacred halls of my master, full of either devotion or defiance, but strangely they return soulless their bodies to serve him as slaves for the rest of their life. the god looks at you thougthfully
You have spoken too me with respect as the first in an eon, for this reason I will grant you the chance to convince me to risk the new rulers wrath. Tell me, do you believe that I should brave this danger? and why?

the City
you walk through the crowded city moving along the east wall gradually getting away from the crowd until you enter the teahouse Little Feather, the building is mostly empty except for the bartender a cleaning servant and one very drunk guard.
Can I help you with anything? the bartender asks.

[Gargulec]

'I am not good with my mouth, I admit' said Emerald, reaching to her pack. She sat down on the ground, legs crossed, her guqin, Blind Seer's Eye laid across her laps. 'So I will not use it, Venerable. Listen to the tune, I beg you. You will find what I want to tell there, in a way more perfect that I could ever hope to present you.'

Gently, she hit the string, and the first note flew into the air. The melody begun calmly, presenting the long-gone harmony between the Gods and Humans... but then, there was a discord in tone, a rapid series of sounds that broke any harmony. They were the bandits, those that disturb the eternal peace of Creation. Their sounds muffled the previous tone, replaced it with a music both dangerous and harsh, almost unpleasant. But lo... that was not to last. The discord faded into the background, and Emerald proceeded to play a few interlocked sounds of great potency. They were her companions and masters, each of them powerful enough to stop the disharmony, bring back the serenity. Those sounds melded into a single note, the message, one that passed along with a humbled sound... Emerald presented her as a quiet, peaceful note of mediocre importance. The music harshened for a moment, as Emerald wove a tale of hard trek and great companions that aided her in the delivery... and then, the message was passed to Mojira, who was represented by a moment of silence. For a short while, there was no sound... and then, the harmony came back.

Emerald raised her hands from the strings. It was all she could say. 'Help me... and Creation will be made better'


Charisma + Performance social attack. 2 automatic successes from the instrument.

[roll0]

[Guancyto]

Whisper looks around the teahouse with disappointment. Her hopes to spend time trawling the populace for rumors will have to wait, though trying to get security information out of the guard might be fun. "I expected a bit more... bustle," she says, "but I guess it'll do. A private room if you've got it, a table if not, please."

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
the god listens to your music, his faceful of memories. once you are finished he speaks
Your song has reminded me of how things should be, for this I will risk the wrath of the Crow. To find Mojira you should follow my road up to the old shrine, there lies a broken statue blocking my path, climb over it and you will find a passage leading down into the roots of the mountain, Mojira is chained down there in a magical trap. However I must warn you a few of red crows Bloody Murder's lie down there too, guarding my old master.Please be careful he looks upon you with a touch of sorrow Could you perhaps play for me one more time before you go?


Little Feather
I have the room if you have the money, as for bustle, just you wait till the guard shift is over then there will be plenty o' people.

[Guancyto]

"I'll take it," Whisper says, counting out some silver and paying for the room, or getting Reishi to do it if it happens to be too expensive for her.

"Guys, we need to talk," she says quietly to her companions as she walks to the room, hoping they'll be happy to take advantage of the privacy it offers.

[Grim ranger]

"What about?" Shimao asks curiously, looking at Blossom with raised eyebrow. "I thought that our plan of action was quite simple... Now we at least know, more or less, where Crow keeps his nest. I suggest resting first and then paying him a visit".

[Guancyto]

"That is exactly what we need to talk about," Blossom says, keeping her voice barely above a whisper, surveying their room and making sure that no one is listening in on them.

"How exactly do you think you're going to pull that off? You too, Milord," she addresses Reishi, "I've been avoiding this, but how far are you willing to go to see this through? You're strong, but you're not that strong. Are you willing to work with fae? Ghosts? Demons? Anathema?" She scratches her head furiously, pacing back and forth. "If we're going to plan anything, I need to know what's on the table."

"And even after that, what then? Say you win. What then? Do you just get bored with it and walk off into the sunset to find a new crusade?"

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian is merely watching them, and listening with an amused look on her face.

[Grim ranger]

Looking somewhat serious himself, Shimao actually seems to consider the question, lacking the usual flippancy present in his nature. "All I know is that Crow has to be stopped. If this will go on much longer, I fear that problems of quite grand scale will arise... All I have thought up thus far is centered on how we are going to get close enough to see him. After that, I think that some combat will be unavoidable. Crow does not seem like the type who would stop his actions if we would ask him nicely".

"If we win... I will think of that when it is becoming our concern instead of pantheon of gods and all their subjects" he says cheerily, some of his flippancy returning, but his smile is obviously forced one.

[Daisuke1133]

Reishi's hand twitches slightly at the utterance of 'Anathema', but brings it under control by clenching his hand into a fist for a moment.

"Please don't use that word around me," he sighs, "I've little love for the Immaculate Order and the way it has pervaded Creation. I needn't be reminded of it."

But," he continues, "to answer your question. As long as we do not spread undue suffering to the innocents we encounter and only bring harm to those for whom it is deserved, I have few qualms about who I must work with and what I must do. My prime motivation in all this is to find the truths the Order has hidden away and bring them into the light for all to see. I will do what I feel is necessary to achieve that. Even if I must stand alone against every Dynast in Creation to do it."

"After that," he says with a shrug, I cannot say. I have not given it much thought."

[Guancyto]

Blossom stares at Reishi. She expected something along those lines, given his earlier outbursts, but not something quite so... direct.

"Just the truth?" she says, a bit awed, "that's a deep, dark hole you're diving into. I wish you luck."

Focusing, she continues to pace. "Whatever it takes, then. I can work with that." Her circuit takes her behind Lilian, and she suddenly wraps her arms around the Dawn's middle and nestles in her back. "Emerald doing okay?"

[Gargulec]

'Chained?' muttered Emerald, frowning in surprise. She then heard the god's plea. 'But of course! It will be my pleasure to entertain you a bit more, Venerable' she exclaimed a little too quickly with a little too much enthusiasm. Old habits.

She proceeded to play as asked, interpreting old classic known as "The Dream of Fisherman's Wife". She loved this particular melody a great deal, and honestly entertained herself as much as the god by playing it.

'That is it, Venerable. I hope that you liked it' she said, finally, ending the performance. 'I will offer you a prayer and a sacrifice after I am done with message, to honour your help.'

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian giggles a little at the sudden embrace, and then concentrates on Emerald's faraway presence.

"...that's bad..." she murmurs. "Apparently, this god, Mojira, is a captive of the Red Crow..."

Costs 3m, 1wp, I think.

[Guancyto]

"What?" Blossom says, "ah, hell, I should've known. Can you get a message to her through that... whatever it is?"

[Lix Lorn]

"Sure I can." she nods with a wide smile. "What should I say?"

[Guancyto]

"What, really?" This has just been a day full of surprises. "Damn, I need to get one of those," Blossom says, impressed.

"Okay, tell her to get as much information as she can about where he's being held, who's guarding him, all that. If she thinks she can make the delivery, by all means. If not, get out with whatever she can find out.

Gentlemen. Change of plans?"

[Grim ranger]

Blinking, Shimao sighs slightly. "I guess we should have seen that one coming".

Looking somewhat concerned, he rubs his eyes and paces the room. "Of course stopping Crow is important task... But I think we should go and help Mojira out of his predicament first. We might need his help against this pantheon, and... he is my friend. I just cannot leave him in Crow's trap. We have to go and get him out before we get to taking down that monster".

[Lix Lorn]

"Kay." she nods, before concentrating.

"Emerald-love, can you get as much information abotu where he is, any guards and strategical stuff like that? Make the delivery if you can, but be carerful and make sure you come safe back to me."

[Guancyto]

"Mm, I think I will keep you," Blossom says, giving Lilian a squeeze before finally letting her go. She turns to the other two and continues to pace.

"More than that, he's probably our best bet to not get stuck running the show if we end up winning. Chuckles here," she indicates Shimao, "has been against the idea of me taking charge of so much as a fruit stand since we met, and I'm sure as Malfeas not letting him do it.

I think I'm getting ahead of myself, though. What else do we want to turn before we move? Guards? Bureaucrats? His kids? Any other ideas? We need to prioritize."

[Lix Lorn]

"Keep me?" she repeats, eyes going wide as she blushes.

[Guancyto]

Blossom turns back to look at Lilian. Oh dear gods, she said...

"Not like that!" she waves her hands, blushing as she realizes what meaning Lilian had taken from it. Which is to say, the only meaning anyone could take from it. "I mean keep you around. Because it's handy to have you. Er, here. Have you here. And there are so many ways to use you... wait, no! I mean you're a useful ally. And cuddly. Wait, no, I'll... I'll just shut up."

She gets the feeling this may be less than convincing.

[Lix Lorn]

She giggles, and nods conspiratorially. "Of COURSE I understand." she says.

...
She clearly doesn't.

[Guancyto]

Blossom bites her lip and turns away. It would be easy to not care any more... but no, she should be saving her essence. Better to use it on something else, and anyway it wouldn't make Lilian understand.

"As you can see," she says unsteadily, "there are reasons why he might have the right idea. I think the more we can arrange before we move, the less clean-up after and the happier all of us will be."

[Grim ranger]

"Oh, for Sun's sake..." he says in Old Realm, very nearly facepalming before recomposing himself. "Maybe you two can cuddle after we have dealt with egomanical god and his entire pantheon, hmm?" he asks, his voice utterly dry. "On another note, I am not sure we can even 'turn' them: these people seem to be perfectly content to live about their lives despite Crow's attrocious acts. Perhaps we should merely leave them to be governed over by their god-blooded? After Crow has been dealt with, there will at least be no more raids outside, and I would hate to shatter community simply because they are misguided".

[Guancyto]

Blossom lets the comment slide. Setting aside that it's an accurate assessment of her priorities (and probably true besides), the other things Shimao is saying are doing a better job at making her angry. She takes a deep breath... and starts on him. "Just a frigging second. You want to leave your friend in the grasp of that guy's children, his whole power base and unless you've pulled some new trick out of your shining golden backside, the man himself humiliated but just as dangerous? I'm glad we don't like each other, because I'd hate to see the alternative." She paces back and forth furiously, venting her frustration.

"Wind Above, it's stunts like this that make me remember why I follow you around in the first place. I can't possibly get distracted with booze or boys when I'm this pissed off. For starters, this guy and his cronies can probably take on a whole army themselves. Even if people hate something, they aren't going to make trouble if it's hopeless. And unless he marched into town with his lot in tow, he's been at this a long time. What if this were the only way you knew? What if only the old people or the scholars knew anything different? Would you be 'perfectly content?' Gah, I wish I had a sander around. At least they understand how these things work.

We can't gathered nearly enough information yet, and we need to change that, so I could always be wrong. But the way things are shaping up, unless the next few days give us some big revelations... killing him? Not a chance. You have to break him. How do you feel about that?"

[Grim ranger]

Looking somewhat scolded by her outburst, Shimao sighs heavily. "What do you suggest we do then? We could of course try to find a way to destabilize the hold his followers have over the area, but that might take some time, and I personally am no expert in such a thing. As for breaking him, I have no objection... As long as we will find a way to do that as well. It might be quite a difficult task in itself... Hopefully Mojira can provide his insight on the matter. He has been here longer than even the Crow, so he might have ideas as of how to deal with this whole convoluted mess, provided that we manage to break him out".

[Lix Lorn]

"I think I'm missing something." says Lilian, confused. "WHY can't we just kill him?"

[Guancyto]

"Gods don't... die when they're killed," Blossom says, looking satisfied at Shimao's deference, "if they did, the Order would have an easy time keeping them in line. I wish he were a demon, at least they have the decency of staying down."

"If the Order were here this would be a great job for them. Smack him around, beat him up again when he comes back, starve him with one day of prayer a year... never thought I'd be saying that, but there you have it. They aren't, though, so we'll have to make do with what we have."

"We probably need to find chinks in his armor, so to speak. People not satisfied with how he's doing things, god-bloods that think they can do better than they're doing or that we can find dirt on, that sort of thing. You're right, though, our captive friend can probably help with that better than anyone. And, hm. Emerald has that thing where she talks with music, right? She's probably our best bet. We need to ask what she thinks of starting a revolution."

[Lix Lorn]

"Oh." she says, feeling stupid.

That was ME forgetting, rather than her. Oops. :smallfrown::smallbiggrin:

[Gargulec]

The sensation of her senses and mind being possessed by her owner was really an unpleasant one. It was an utmost violation of privacy, nasty feeling that even your mind does not belong to yourself any more. And it has always made Emerald nauseous, or at least until she grew accustomed to it a few years ago. She squirmed as Lilian's words boomed in her head (she probably had no idea that transmitting information like that was almost tormenting for the wielder of the collar).

'As you wish, mistress' she murmured to herself, before bowing one last time to the god in front of her (she wanted to stay and talk with him, but she could not bear herself to disobey) and disappearing in a dance again, heeding in the direction given to her moments ago.


Reactivating Invisible Street Performer Technique. Mote total does not change, because Emerald regained just enough motes from the stunt to pay the activation cost.

[Guancyto]

Blossom shrugs. "I only know because... well, it's not important."

She checks again to make sure they aren't being listened in on, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm down, and turns back to the group. She doesn't know if Lilian's messages take essence out of her, but further talk of revolution can probably wait until Emerald gets back. She probably should be more cautious than this, she thinks, but the Dragon-Blood seems legitimate in his concerns. Maybe he could do with learning the Order's first lie... "Darlings," she says and looks to Lilian and Shimao, "Reishi here has been very forward about his goals. I don't suppose there's anything you'd like to share with him?"

[Grim ranger]

"Like the fact that I am really the Kukla and here to eat you all?" Shimao deadpans, rolling his eyes before falling into unusually serious and even slightly sad mood. "But if we speak seriously, I guess that there is something I should have shared with the rest of our entourage".

Setting his staff to lean against the nearest wall, he fiddles with the straps of bandit armour, pulling it aside enough to show the armour he always carries hidden under his coat (or in this case, disguise): smooth armour of shining golden metal, with golden ring symbol adorning it rather prominently. He looks at Reishi with somewhat sad smile, pulling his headband up and allowing the ever-present mark in his forehead to glow, the shining golden circle adding somewhat to the illumination of the room.

"I guess we all have our little secrets... Now you know mine" he says, sighing to himself and looking somewhat anguished. "It was somewhat of a lie to call me god-blooded".

Using one peripheral Essence to make the Caste mark glow

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian's eyes widen, and, staring at him curiously, she wordlessly makes her own mark shine.

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
the god, returns your bow with a regal nod, then continues to sweep his road as you dance away.
after a short while you reach the ruined shrine and just where the god said it would be you find a tunnel leading down into the darkness of the mountain's
roots.
However before you can begin your descend you see a pair of faintly glowing eyes apparently made of flowing blood in the darkness, and to your shock the eyes sees you too.
with a loud scream the creature alerts two of its friends and three horrid creatures flies toward you, each one a twisted crow-like creature each one the size of a small man, with feathers made of dried blood, and beaks and claws of obsidian.

OCC: the first managed to gain 7 successes to see through your dance in a very lucky roll (five tens, and by an extra who can't even use them), the other two spends a point of willpower because the first alerted them. roll join battle.
they got [roll0]

[Gargulec]

For a brief moment, Emerald's heart stood still, as the crows saw through her disguise. She was not made for fighting! She suddenly started to desperately long for being at Lilian's side again.

But the creatures were attacking, and there was little she could do to remedy that... little, but not nothing. She was not entirely defenceless.

Without missing a step, she raised her voice and begun to sing, a high, clear sound. It was an old, triumphant hymn, as old as Creation itself. It carried the tidings of immediate loss to the crows, and only faint cracking of thorny branches wrapping around Emerald's wrists and ankles interrupted it.


Activating Inspiring Battle Hymn from peripheral pool. One automatic success on the Join Battle Roll, plus substituting Awareness with Performance in said roll. Rest is in the charm's description on the wiki.

[roll0] (3 wits, 5 MA, 3 speciality in Singing) + 1 extra success.

Current pools: Personal: 7, Peripheral: 13, WP: 7/7
Current buffs: Tireless String Plucking Technique makes all unarmed attacks Emerald makes deal lethal damage.

[Gargulec]

The crows were apparently surprised by the sudden sound, and Emerald made the best use of it.

The thorns sprouted around her, wrapping her in a strange form of harness, as her voice rose and changed. The hymn to the Maiden of Battles it became, even if she did not know was exactly she was singing. The essence in the melody fluxed, bringing physical pain and injury to one of the crows.


Reflexively activating Voice Of The Night Bird from peri pool, then single attack using kiai, paid from peri pool. Emerald's anima starts to flux.

[roll0] (charisma + martial arts) - damage is 10L + success, speed is 5.

Current pools: Personal: 7, Peripheral: 10, WP 6/7
Current buffs: No change

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
The creatures scream in pain as their bodies is pierced by the thorns.
They had imagined an easy prey, instead they got a prince of the earth. Shocked by this turn they soars into the sky and away from the pain, as quickly as their wings can carry them.

[Gargulec]

The song infused Emerald with visions of grandeur and heroism, of power due to her as to an Exalt. Her voice raises, the thorny branches of her anima sprouting into the air, as if they wanted to capture the fleeing birds and tear them apart.

The battle-hymn continued even as the birds were flying away, the vengeful song reaching to them and twisting their essence, warping and ripping them apart, word by word, note by note.


Another kiai, directed at fleeing crows. One mote from peri pool, buffs as before.
[roll0]

Current pools: Personal: 7, Peri: 9, WP 6/7

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji

Even through the crows flies with the speed of desperation, they fail to evade Emeralds deadly song, and explodes into pools of blood whenever it touches them

you get the last with your third attack.
what will you do now?

[Gargulec]

Amongst feathers falling from the sky and circling around Emerald, last sounds of the song resounded.

The ground around Emerald turned verdant green, grass sprouted from the dust fuelled by primaeval Wood essence. Thorns shed by her anima were lying everywhere, slowly crumbling, with the briers slowly retracting into nothingness from the dragon-blood.

Exhausted, with the vision of glory fading from her mind, Emerald slowly collapsed onto the warm, soft grass, falling face down. The sounds were still ringing in her mind, the exhilaration of dabbling with Celestial Marital Styles taking, as usual, damnably lot of time to pass away. She was not one of the monks who could channel such powers with ease, each time she wielded it, she felt as if the powers were to turn her inside out. Long story short, she felt sick, very, very much. Curling up, she refused to stand for a few moments, which passed into a single hour before she finally regained composure to return to the path to Mojira holding place.

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji, path to the roots of the mountain.
you follow the path into the mountain at first swiftly, but soon the tunnel turns and you have to slow down since there no longer is any light left to illuminate your path.
after going down for you don't know how long, you suddenly feel the wall give way, signaling that you have entered a cave
roll perception + awareness

[Gargulec]

Stumbling blindly in the darkness, Emerald concentrates, feeling the path in front of her with her hands.


Single WP for automatic success.
[roll0]

[Guancyto]

"Put those out," Blossom stops short of panicking. They're fine. But she should have counted on her partner's penchant for the dramatic. "Funny story. You know the fifth Insight of the Philosophy? It's a load of crap. They're weird, but not too much harder to work with than anybody else. Except this one," she leans on Shimao's shoulder, grinning, "he's nothing but trouble, but I like him anyway."

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian giggles. "I knew you must not mind, because you were with him."

She paused. "...plus I could kill you. If I had to."

Another pause. "I'd rather not."

[Grim ranger]

Shimao's eyes widen rather noticeably as he sees Lillian shine her caste mark, though he manages to compose himself quite well right after and lets the golden mark on his forehead dim back into invisibility once again when urged by Blossom. "I did not exactly choose this..." he mutters sheepishly as Blossom finishes, pulling the bandit armour once again up to cover the orichalcum one. "It...just happened to me. I can't change it, except by dying. And as one could expect, I would rather keep on living".

Looking at Lillian briefly, he furrows his brow, though his mouth turns into grin. "I am afraid that if you would try, I would have to stop you. She can be an uptight pain in the boot, but I don't allow anyone to beat her... Except myself, of course".

Looking squarely at the dragon-blooded, he sighs. "But as I was saying, I didn't choose this... Still, as I have come this far I figured that I could help the world, no matter what I am now".

[Guancyto]

"Oy, I can handle myself, thank you very much," Blossom says to Shimao, but her gratitude for his... curious manner of support is plain. "But yes, Lilian, I'd rather you didn't too."

[Lix Lorn]

"Oh, I wouldn't." she says happily. "I bet you're a wonderful mistress too."

[Guancyto]

Blossom covers her mouth and turns away to hide the look on her face. If she doesn't have a Fate any more, what is it that's out to get her? No, she can restrain herself. They've got work to do. She even took the trouble of berating Shimao about it!

"Maybe," she turns back and forces a smile, "but I don't think we should be in any hurry to find out."

[vegetalss4]

The roots of the mountain
you manage to notice the faint red glow from the eyes of a veritable swarm of the creature which attacked you. luckily you notice this before they notice you, allowing you to take cover in a niece in the tunnel, until they have passed.

[OCC: what will you do?]

[Gargulec]

Emerald's heart raced to dangerous speeds for a moment, as hastily hid herself in rocky alcove. There were more of these blasted creatures down there, and that made her delivery even more troublesome and dangerous than she thought.

Twirling her collar and wiping sweet from her face, she reconsidered her options. Her order was to deliver the message, but first and foremost, she was not to endanger herself... And trying to reach Mojira amongst the darkness, in caverns full of dangerous beasts was endangering herself.

Sighing in relief, she quietly turned back and headed towards the surface.

[vegetalss4]

the roots of Mount Moji
as you turn to sneak out of the mountain and away from the murder, your left foot accidentally kicks a small pebble which flies into the a pile of rocks. there it sets of a small landslide. Alerted by the loud sound, the murders heads turns as one, their bloody eyes catching you right in the open.


[occ: roll join war]

[Gargulec]

Emerald curses in fear and surprise, and from her fear and surprise are the first sounds of a song spun. This melody is different than the previous one, much more unsteady and disharmonious, as if to reflect Emerald's anxiety.

She makes a step forward, fluidly passing into a dance. Soon, the visions of grandeur will take over her mind and soul again, and the fear will be no more.


Activating Inspiring Battle Hymn from Peri pool + single WP on automatic success.

[roll0] + 2 extra successes.

Current pools: Personal: 7, Peri: 5, WP 4/7
Current buffs: no change.

[vegetalss4]

the roots of Mount Moji
the murder answers Emeralds song with a bloodthirsty scream as they prepare to assault their victim.
join war[roll0]

Action order:
tick 0: Emerald
tick 1:
tick 2:
tick 3:
tick 4:The Bloody Murder
tick 5:
tick 6:

[Gargulec]

Dancing, Emerald raises her head to the sky, beseeching Heavens for aid. Her song raises, and now she sings on the top of her lungs, calling the world around her. She recites the sutra she was not even aware she knew, and the words resonate with all the pain coiled inside her, years of repressed anger, rage.

'Once, there was a maiden...'

The branches sprout from the ground around her, each armed with thousand upon thousands of thorns, and they wrap around her. Her aspect protects her.

'...who struck on iron wall until it shattered her hand'

She feels the flow of Essence in her music, it raises to the Heavens with her voice. Nobody will listen, but now... well, she was not listened for last fifteen years of slavery. Now, freed for a moment, she will at least leave an impression.

'She did not stop, though cracks spread through her bones'

She rembers clearly- for the first time in years- the days when she was unbound. And even in greater clarity- her first few years of rage against slavery and those who wanted to hurt her.

'She did not stop, though blood sprayed her eyes'

She did not know if there was a god or something else that would listen to her desperate prayer. Did she care?

'She did not stop until she shattered the wall'

No, not now. The song carried her voice in all directions, and she only cared about it. Creation faded from her sight, only the pure exhilaration of her prayer and song and voice remained. And the words, echoing.

'"Survival is fury" she said'

And the sutra was complete.


Activating Voice of the Night Bird, from peri pool. And making a prayer to... oh, well. Mars, the Maiden of Battles or any other appropriate God for aid. Funnelling 4 motes into first performance excellency for prayer in song. And one WP for automatic success.

[roll0] for one automatic success.

Current pools: Personal: 6, Peri: 0, WP 2/7

[vegetalss4]

the roots of Mount Moji

through the blood crows are surprised by the clarity and suddenness of your song and vary of the thorns which twist around you, their blood lust can't be contained and they flies straight toward you. As they reach you they begin to tear and cut with their claws and beaks, and it is only due to your skill and the unorganized nature of their attack that you manage to avoid getting your eyes thorn out.


they move toward you, then make 1 attack, those who aren't killed by your anima then flies up and turns, ready to fly down and attack you again once they can act again
[roll0] +2 successes from magnitude, +4 from skill of the unit.
Action order:
tick 5:Emerald
tick 6:
tick 7:
tick 8:
tick 9:The Bloody Murder

by the way please roll 10 dice of damage from your anima before you take your turn.

[Gargulec]

And while the sutra was finished, the words lingered. Emerald raised her head- and she thought that she saw the sky for the first time in years. It was open and clear and free, boundless and limitless.

A single, red as blood, red as vicotory, feather fell from the sky, landing before her feet.

And then the words returned to her. She heard the entire sutra recited again, a heavenly echo. Not her voice, not any voice she could recognize, and yet infinitely comforting and strong one. Her moves straightened, and her voice changed accordingly. She felt and saw and heard in perfect clarity, and now she knew that against all odds, against all fears, against everything that was out to hurt her, she would endure and win. For now, for evermore.

Now her song was as brilliant as diamond, as clear as her mind. The patters of Essence twisted under her voice as easily and swiftly as never before, and she felt that if she wanted to, she would undo Creation whole.

It was a singular moment of perfectness.


Single kiai.
[roll0]

Pools: Personal: 11, Peri: 0, WP 2/7

[vegetalss4]

The crows turns in the darkness, and charges you, this time attempting to impale you on their beaks as they flies past, while you are blinded by the blood of those among them who are to slow to avoid the thorns from your anima.


they attack and fly past again
[roll0] +4 from skill +2 from magnitude.

the unit has 4/7 health levels left for this magnitude.

Action order:
tick 10:Emerald
tick 11:
tick 12:
tick 13:
tick 14:
tick 15:The Bloody Murder

please roll another 10 ¨dice of anima damage

[Daisuke1133]

Reishi leans his head back and lets out a mirthless chuckle at Shimao's statement.

"None of us chose this, Shimao, not a single one. All we can really do is use our abilities responsibly and hope for the best."

"All this aside, however," he continues, "I'm starting to become worried about Emerald. The Upright Soldier does not operate alone, and does not allow those around him to go off alone.

[Grim ranger]

The young solar sighs somewhat in relief and nods, apparently eager to get back to the task at hand. "Perhaps we should go to check up on her... Who knows what Crow might have put into the mountain to keep Mojira locked up? It might take all of us to free him".

[Gargulec]

The crows swarmed over her, but the thorns sprouted from the ground, protecting her, lashing at the swarm. Her song was cutting through them too, triumphant and victorious! And she danced amongst them, gently evading and batting them aside not missing a step, not disturbing the melody.

Yet, the crows managed to draw blood from her, their beaks and claws sharp enough to shred her armour and rend her skin. She felt the pain, she saw her blood drip on the grass growing where she danced, but she could not resist the feeling that there was a serenity in that dance, serenity in that blood.

But she was far from being defeated. She raised her voice, promising swift destruction to the blasted creatures. Even wounded, she felt more alive than ever, intoxicated by the subtle beauty of combat. Her song condensed into a corona of pure, scarlet essence that exploded in brilliant flames, burning and undoing the birds at mote level.


Two motes at second dodge excellency to raise DV, and after DV refreshes, another kiai, accompanied by channelling temperance to reflect upon Emerald's newly found serenity in blood.

[roll0]

Pools: Personal: 8, Peri: 0, WP 1/7

Health levels: no idea, need ST to tell me how many did I lose already.

[Guancyto]

"She can probably handle herself," Blossom says, glancing at Lilian. The Dawn would probably never forgive her if something happened to Emerald. "Fine. Lilian, put that light out and let's go see her."

Provided Lilian does so, she'll head toward the direction they sent Emerald.

[vegetalss4]

the roots of Mount Moji

The combined might of Emeralds anima and her song, rips through the vile creatures, leaving only a mixture of red feathers and blood as the sole wounded survivor flees into the darkness and out of her sight.
in the echoing cave you hear the screams of another swarm coming from one of the tunnels, still far away and yet a bit closer for each passing moment.

[Gargulec]

The crows were no more, and so Emerald stopped to dance and stopped to sing. She took a few deep breaths, calmed herself, and yet found that something within her changed.

There was perfectness everywhere she looked. Serenity in blood, glory in combat, beauty in Creation. And above all else, there was a sky above her, sky she was not even aware that it existed. And now she looked at it, awe-struck, with the words of the sutra still resounding within her, shattering the shackles cast upon her soul by years of slavery. But now...

...she did not care if she was not free. She found her serenity, and they could not take the sky from her!

She noticed that the transformative clothings on her changed colour, somehow. No more of drab brown, they were now bright scarlet, the colour of blood and battle, the colour of the one that listened to her desperate plea.

Quickly grabbing the single crimson feather, she tucked it in a sleeve, and forgetting about the pain from her wounds (besides, she found the sight of her blood drawn in valorous way strangely refreshing after all that years of submission) returned to fluid, perfect dance, aligning herself with the natural flows of Essence. She disappeared soon after.


3m from personal after the anima has died to activate Invisible Street Performer Technique again. She is now at 4 motes personal.

[Lix Lorn]

"She can probably handle herself," Blossom says, glancing at Lilian. The Dawn would probably never forgive her if something happened to Emerald. "Fine. Lilian, put that light out and let's go see her."

Provided Lilian does so, she'll head toward the direction they sent Emerald.
Indeed she does!

[vegetalss4]

Fields by Mount Moji
while Emerald was fighting for her life and later making her way back from Mount Moji, the rest of the group was traveling out to find her.
the group met up with each other at the foot of the mountain, that is to say Emerald sees the group but is not seen herself due to her magic.

[Gargulec]

Emerald's heart started to race when she saw the familiar figure of Lilian. She has never been so happy to see her owner before. But now... now it was different, somehow. She knew that.

Dancing closer, still shedding blood, she deliberately missed a step. The veil of essence fell from her just a few steps in front of the her companions, allowing them to see her, now changed. Her robes scarlet, her face reflecting joy, eyes as deep as the sky.

'Lilian!' she laughed, rushing towards the Dawn Caste and embracing her tightly, leaving a faint trail of crimson in her wake.

'So... so good that you are here' she whispered to her ear, taking delight from her presence.

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian will give a happy squee at the sight of her beloved pet, and will meet her rushing hug with one of her own!

[Grim ranger]

Looking at Lillian, Shimao looks somewhat concerned and lets his disguise fall as there is very little risk of someone recognizing him so far from the city. "I take that there was some resistance?" he asks, eying the gore covering her robes. "Are you wounded?"

[Guancyto]

Blossom is, to say the least, surprised to see Emerald in such a state. She had intended to help give the girl a taste of independence, but Emerald seems to have succeeded beyond her wildest imagining. She feigns disinterest, but can't help but steal glances at her, and can't help smiling when she does so.

Yes, this will do. This will do so very much.

Looking around to make sure there aren't any mortals watching, she steps behind Shimao and emerges looking like her old self. Ahh, so much better. Beyond that, she lets the reunion continue apiece.

Releasing Loom-Snarling Deception.

[Gargulec]

'Indeed, there was... resistance' replies Emerald, and the robe around her arms and backside shrivels and shrinks, revealing the deep cuts from crows sharp beaks and claws. 'But nothing really painful... though I failed to deliver the message, I am sorry' she adds, her voice a bit sadder. 'I guess that you know the reasons, she' saying that Emerald squeezes Lilian again 'picked through my mind. One way or another... Mojira is imprisoned and guarded by swarms of bloody crows.'

She winks at the Solar.

'And... Shimao? Glad to see you again. And you too, Blossom.'

She was strangely cheerful as for one whose blood was painting the ground crimson right now. Or not cheerful. Simply happy.

[Lix Lorn]

"Are you okay?" asks Lilian, still hugging.

[Gargulec]

'More than ever, mistress. More than ever.'

[Lix Lorn]

"Oh, good." she says happily, not understanding the deep meaning.

[Grim ranger]

"Glad to see you as well" Shimao says, smiling some. He is indeed happy to see that the dragon-blooded is still alive and not captured, even though they have not known for very long time. "If you would have gotten caught I would have needed to bash my way through cliffside to break you out... and that would have been such a bore" he adds cheekily.

"Crows? I guess it fits the picture... Trust the power-hungry god to use his own personal minions to guard areas of importance" the young solar muses, scratching his hair slightly. "Well, let us see if they can drive us all away then!".

[Guancyto]

"I'm glad you're safe," Blossom says at last, approaching and failing to hide her smile, "I can see it. You've remembered that you're powerful.."

"I think we should pay them a visit, yes."

[Gargulec]

'Powerful?' Emerald chuckled. 'Me? No I am not powerful. I just see Creation for what it really is, Blossom. Until today, I saw it as if through a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: yesterday I knew in part; but now I know fully even as also I am fully known.'

Her smile widened, giving her face an almost radiant look.

'I found my sky, I found my serenity. And in this, not in me, lies the power, the strength. And pardon me that I speak unclear, I can't express it any other way, I apologize' she added in her usual manner, proving that she indeed Emerald they knew.


I apologize for the quotation, I just could not resist.

[Guancyto]

Blossom's eyes widen in delight as she listens to Emerald's revelation. She... wow. Independence was one thing, but enlightenment? It gives her a warm feeling to have set this in motion. Finally unable to restrain herself as the wood-aspect gives her usual apologies, she flings her arms around Lilian and Emerald both.

Group Hug Prana!

[Gargulec]

Enjoying the warmth of her companions, Emerald finally eases, and all the fatigue of her wounds, long treks, constant dance and combat finally assert upon her. With the words of the sutra that brought her teophany still echoing in her mind, she collapses into a deep slumber. She would refuse to admit it, but her spirits aside, her body was on the edge of fainting due to exhaustion.

[Grim ranger]

"Oh, if there only was some sort of picture-capturing apparatus to immortalize this moment with" Shimao muses wistfully to himself, shaking his head and turning to look at Mount Moji again before returning his gaze to Blossom. "Nevertheless, I think that the celebration can wait until we have at least finished rescuing Mojira, yes?".

[Guancyto]

Blossom shoots Shimao a glare, but her heart just isn't in it. She holds the collapsed Emerald up for a moment. She would carry her, but... Lilian should be the one doing that.

"Well, what are we waiting for, then?"

At least it won't be hard to find the way. All they have to do is follow the blood trail...

[Lix Lorn]

Lilian continues to hold Emerald tightly! If necessary, she will try to carry her.

[Grim ranger]

Shrugging his shoulders, the solar begins to follow the trail of blood apparently left behind by Emerald, quite sure that it will lead them to the site of battle. As Emerald herself is apparently non-responsive for now, it would be useless to ask her anyway.

"Let us be off then: daylight will only last for so long".

[Guancyto]

Blossom nods. To bleed so long just to allow them to follow... such a sacrifice for their own convenience, whether or not that was Emerald's true reasoning, is something that would make her patron laugh for days on end. She doesn't follow the blood; she follows the shadow of bloodshed and the subtle eddies of Emerald's newfound enlightenment, her power mimicking it without any true understanding as befits the Dragon.

It is to her own benefit to remain unfettered by the dreary necessity of cleaning up the mess her companions will produce. Mojira is critical for that, and so even a rescuer can be selfish.

Survival+Perception, channeling Compassion and tossing in 2 dice from my Excellency. [roll0] Edit! Subtract the last 3 dice from that for the direct sunlight penalty and an inapplicable Excellency.

Personal Essence: 6/16
Peripheral Essence: 27/33 (6 committed)
Willpower: 8/10

[vegetalss4]

Mount Moji
you follow the trail up the side of Mount Moji. Sadly (or happily depending on how you look at it) Emerald didn't bleed enough to leave a clear trail, and your enlightenment through surely profound didn't appear to leave a great mark on the world, possibly due to the fact that Emerald used magic to make herself easy to overlook while traveling.
you do however manage to go all the way up to an old abandoned shrine as the sun sets.
There you lose the trail in a pool of blood and red feathers rig in front of a cross road to the left of the shrine

[Grim ranger]

"So... where do you think we should go?" Shimao asks the others, apparently quite lost. "Tracking was never my strong suite".

[Guancyto]

Blossom takes the opportunity to poke Emerald. "Hey, we're here."

[Gargulec]

The dragon-blood groans... she had such a beautiful dream, one in which she freed herself, one in which she understood, one in which she saw. It took her a few moments to realize that it was not a dream after all.

She smiled because of that thought, but sadly was feeling all sore and spent, having troubles with raising without help, and even as she stood, she had to support her weight on Lilian.

'Mmmph...' she muttered, biting her lip. The wounds, which she previously failed to notice now were quite clearly making her aware of their presence. 'Uh, yes?' she said, casting a confused gaze on the surroundings.


Conviction roll to regain WP:
[roll0]

[Guancyto]

"Sorry about this," Blossom considers how rude an awakening that must be, so she puts a hand on Emerald's shoulder and keeps her voice soft and comforting, "no need to get up. We just need you to point out which way to go from here."