Splintered Blades of Forgotten Ages[exalted IC]

[Dragnar]

The morning sun shines on a small town, surrounded on all sides by peaceful farmland. As the ordinary people of the town begin to awaken one by one, a small group of exalted slumbers on. Within a room in the town inn they still sleep, oblivious to the cloaked figure watching over them. The figure glances at the sunlight streaming through the window, then gives a quick nod to the sleeping exalts and vanishes in a loud crack of thunder. Startled awake by the sudden sound they find themselves in a place they have never seen before. And perhaps more worryingly, they are all rather certain this is NOT where they went to sleep.

Drake, Rey, Lix, Random, you're in. Others will appear as soon as Lucus stops being lazy.

[Reynard]

A heavy crunch followed the sharp crack, as the bed Ranoi found himself on top of gave into inevitability, and broke from the sudden weight of his armoured form both appearing and jumping from it.

But he was on his feet a moment later, a golden glow as his armour powered up, claws extending and plates deploying. He scanned angrily around the now slightly lit room, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"*grrrumble*"

Per+Awareness: [roll0]

[DrakeRaids]

Miri frowned, as she settled awake, moving into a setting position on the bed. Something felt odd here, she could feel it int he air around her. Her essence sight was up instantly, as she quickly and efficiently scanned the entire room, looking for some trace of what brought them here.

"Wotan. Wake up." The bird fluttered around the edge of her bed where it had been sleeping, muttering angrily as its eyes opened, a a sudden, shocked silence settled over the two of them.

"This isn't good." Wotan muttered, hopping from side to said, its head searching the room worriedly. "How did we get here?"

Miri shrugged, remaining calm for the most part as she picked up her pack and dressed herself, "I'm not sure, but finding out where we are is as important as how we got here. Go scout the area, while I wake the others." She said gesturing toward the window. Wotan obeyed immediately, darting out and flying high above the village, trying to get a lay of the land around the village, and some idea where in creation they had been dropped.

Meanwhile, Miri tapped each of her allies with her mind, gently shaking them awake.


[roll0]

[Dragnar]

Wotan flies back to Miri a few minutes later, with relatively little to report. The village is nestled in the middle of a shallow valley, gently rolling hills all around as far as the eye can see. A few roads wind their way north, east, and west from the town. Nothing at all lies to the south though, the entire direction blocked off by a gigantic stone wall that stretches as far as Wotan could see. Apart from that rather odd feature, the landscape seems fairly mundane.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika looks around rapidly. She's okay? Good. Miri's okay? Good. Nothing about to eat them? Okay.

...
Where in Creation are they?
"Where in Creation are we?" says the baffled Lunar, looking curiously at her mistress, head tiliting. "We weren't sleeping here before, right? What happened? How did we get here?"

She starts fidgeting.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri frowned as Wotan settled onto his spot on her shoulder. "I have no idea, but I don't suppose we'll find out setting around this room." She said, stepping across the room to the door, opening it with her mind, then stepping through. Her essence sight was still up as she moved down the stairs, watching with wotans eyes as well as her own....

[Reynard]

Ranoi removed his goggles from where they hung one of his many armour spikes, and pulled them onto his head, letting the essence of the area reveal itself to his eyes.

Hopefully, if there had been some shennanigans used, traces would show up.

If not, then Ranoi would have to hit the streets.

[Lix Lorn]

"Okay!" says Kimika cheerfully, bouncing after her mate. "Do you think they have ice cream?"

[Dragnar]

Leaving the inn, the trio of exalts find themselves in an ordinary town. People are just beginning the bustle of everyday life, going about their various tasks. Some passersby give Ranoi short bows as they pass, but other than that the group receives no unusual attention.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri tapped on on the people on the street, stopping them from passing as she pulled them aside. "Hello." Her voice was nonthreatening for the moment, "We need to know where we are, we seem to have gotten lost. We also need to know why you keep bowing to my friend there." She would try speaking in all three languages she knows, firetongue, rivertongue, then old realm till he understood her.

[Dragnar]

The people Miri stops merely stare in confusion as she tries to speak to them in firetongue and rivertongue, but their confusion fades as she tries Old Realm. One responds in heavily accented Old Realm, his pronunciation very different from any Miri has heard before, but still obviously Old Realm. "You are in the town of Erel, a hamlet of the great kingdom of Telna. And why would we not show our reverence to one of the queen's chosen servants? This kingdom would be nothing without her."

Another of the mortals is looking at Ranoi oddly, the look of respect changed to suspicion. "Actually Berl, I don't think these people are the queen's servants. I've never seen one of them with a model like this, and he's got wings too! Who are you three?"

[DrakeRaids]

"Model? Model of what?" Miri asked, honestly confused thus far. Where in the creation had they ended up? She had never heard of this Telna before, and she was at least passingly familiar with most nations in creation. "What direction are we in? The South?" Maybe if she found that out at least, they could get their barrings somehow.

[Dragnar]

The man looks a bit confused. "Your friend's armor. It doesn't look like the usual design of any of the queen's troops, though it's a similar material. Too... spiky, though. And none of her servants have winged armor as far as I know. And this is the southern part of Telna, yeah, why do you ask?"

[DrakeRaids]

This was odd. Miri tried to contact one of her clones, and failed immediately. that had only happened once before, when she had tried it in malfeas. Which means, wherever they where, it wasn't creation anymore. Miri quickly switched over to rivertongue, explaining that to her allies, before turning back to the man. "Do you have a library or archive in this town? And if not, where is the nearest town that does?"

[Fortuna]

Having drifted off to sleep, Starborne sits bolt upright, glancing around. Worried and bemused, he gets up, dressing quickly before bolting outside.

Seeing three others who look similarly lost, he walks over to them.

"Hello? Excuse me? Do you know where we are?"

OOC: One system that I've found useful for handling multiple languages is to use different fonts. If Riverspeak is the default font, and Book Antiqua is Old Realm, it makes it vastly easier to keep track of who's speaking in what language. More can be added as they appear.

[Dragnar]

The man just shakes his head. "You want history books or something? Eh... you might find something in the provincial capital, a few days travel due north of here. Nothing like that around here though, and even if you do head to the capital, you'll probably need authorization to get access to most of it."

Catching sight of yet another confused stranger coming from the inn, the man sighs. "Who are you anyway? You speak languages I've never heard, don't know things that are common knowledge around here... Just how lost ARE you all?"

[DrakeRaids]

"Rather far away." Miri said vaguely, they needed to get to the capital is sounded like. If they could get some books they might be able to figure out just where they where without drawing more attention to themselves. "How do we get authorized by the way?" She asked, before turning to the man and speaking in rivertognue.

"No idea where we are. We're not in creation though, for whatever thats worth."

[Fortuna]

"Oh, is Old Realm the norm here, then? Pleased to meet you, I'm He Who Is Borne Of Stars." The name is literal in Old Realm, although the way he says it suggests that in any other language it would merely be a name.

[Dragnar]

Most of the small group you attracted has drifted off, uncaring about you after if became clear you don't serve their queen.
"Uh... I'm not sure exactly. Any of the queens servants or the local authorities could get you in I suppose. But they'll need a very good reason to let you near anything really valuable. And... well, your friend there is going to draw a lot of attention like that, only some of it good. If anyone thinks he's trying to pass for a servant of the queen, it'll be trouble."

[Lix Lorn]

"So who is this queen?" says Kimika curiously. It's lucky this mystery caught her attention, or she'd be doing a handstand by now.

(I have no idea if she knows old realm or not. I shall make sure to jiggle things about so she does.)

[Reynard]

Ranoi was slowly getting more and more annoyed. He had understood not a word of what had been spoken since being woken up. But it didn't look like that was going to change any time soon, so he attempted to push his temper down.

Miri seemed to be having some success, which was good enough for now. She was the one infernal he'd seen with some degree of competence, and was set in a path that would hinder and damage the plans of the Yozi she and he had once served.

Occasionally, he'd felt the slightest bit of remorse for the amount of her copies that he'd slain when she was trying to explain that fact, but once he'd learned she could easily make more, that had faded.

[Dragnar]

The man is clearly growing tired of the number of seemingly idiotic questions. "The queen is... The Queen. She's the ruler of this kingdom, and her chosen are it's peacekeepers. What else would she be?"

[Lix Lorn]

"What kind of queen? Is she eight foot tall and neon green? does she have six arms and dual wield dual wielded bows? Can she regurgitate her stomach as a weapon? You really should be more specific."

[Dragnar]

"She... what? She's as human as you are. Where would you get such a ridiculous idea? She's a great woman, not some sort of monster. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to work soon. You know where to go if you have more questions about the kingdom."

[DrakeRaids]

"I'm sorry, my friend. Where can we get some transportation and food for the trip to the capital?" The sooner they got more information the better, being in the dark was never good.

[Dragnar]

"There's a stable on the northern edge of town, you should be able to get any supplies you need there. Now, I must be going, I hope you find what you're looking for." He waves goodbye to the group as he heads back into the ever-busier street.

[DrakeRaids]

"Wait, what is the coin here made of? I get all the different coinage mixed up. You know how traveling is."

[Dragnar]

"No, no I really don't... Silver mainly, some gold for the richest."

[DrakeRaids]

Miri nodded then switched into rivertongue, "Well then, lets go make some money then. Outside of town will probably be best." She said, heading out if town, hoping to find something to murder and turn into silver.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika giggles at the implication.
"Can I help? Please say I can help, Miri-san Miri-chan pleeease?"

[DrakeRaids]

"Yes Kimika. Go find it, but make sure its alive when you bring it back to me." Miri said with a slight smile.

[Lix Lorn]

"Fiiiiiiiiiine!" she says with a drawn out sigh, before -literally- bouncing off to find something.

...she does stop bouncing eventually. She IS a hunter.

[Reynard]

"Make some money, Miri? ya found something promising?" asked Ranoi. He was less annoyed now.

[Dragnar]

Not long later, Kimika finds a small rabbit warren, a cluster of the creatures obliviously eating grass. Kimika sneaks up on them without any trouble at all.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika will continue to be sneaky until she gets within pouncing range... and then POUNCE!

With a flurry of activity, she tries to grab as many as she can, hopefully without tearing them all apart.

[Dragnar]

Kimika manages to grab a trio of struggling rabbits, before the rest scatter in all directions. Probably more than enough for Miri's purposes.

[Lix Lorn]

And, holding the struggling creatures, she happily skips back towards Miri.

[DrakeRaids]

While Kimika hunted Miri turned tot he solar, explaining. "Yes, it seems we've been dropped into some reality separate from creation, I have no idea why, but asking more question just draws more attention to ourselves. Their is a repository of lore a few days away from here in the capital, I'm hoping we can find more information there. In the meantime, we need horses and food. Kimika is going to help me make some money to procure those supplies."

Once her mate returned Miri smiled at her and spoke briskly,"Excellent job Kimika, as always." She gave Kimika a brief hug, slightly uncomfortable. Ever since her...introduction to the Yozi physical affection had become more difficult for her. She was getting better though, and that was all she could hope for. Wotan turned his gaze to the rabbits, giving her a wonder angle to transmute them, pinning them down and altering them from the inside out, their flesh burning and changing like a quick moving sickness.

"Now," she murmured, making her way back to town and directly to the stables, silver rabbits in hand, "Time to secure some horses."

[Dragnar]

Miri and the others find the stables without much trouble, finding the place rather empty. A single very bored woman appears to be running the place, though she's half-asleep, resting against the side of the stables with a hat over her face.

[DrakeRaids]

"Hello. I need four horses please." Miri said briskly, "And one heavy riding cloak." The sooner they got moving the better, in her mind. "And food. Enough to get us to the capital."

[DrakeRaids]

"Hello. I need four horses please." Miri said briskly, "And one heavy riding cloak." The sooner they got moving the better, in her mind. "And food. Enough to get us to the capital."

[Dragnar]

The woman wakes with a start, surprised to have customers. She nods to Miri and tosses her her hat to the ground beside her as she heads into the stable to retrieve the horses. A moment later she returns with the horses and points as a pile of sacks off to the side.
"Here ya go. The food's in those sacks over there. That'll be... oh, half an ounce of silver, a bit more if you'll be needing extra food."

[DrakeRaids]

Miri tossed her one of the silver hares. "Here. And a good map too." No point in getting lost on the way up their. Or down. they honestly had no idea where they where, and that needed to change, fast.

[Dragnar]

The woman barely manages to catch the silver creature out of mid air, a look of shock on her face. Stuttering a bit, she pulled a rolled up cloth out of her pocket and tossed it back to Miri.
"Y... yeah, here you go. That's the best one I've got. Take as much food as you want to!"

[DrakeRaids]

"Thank you dear." Miri said, packing the packs quickly, with Wotans aid. Before long they where all ready for the trip, and she had even given Ranoi a heavy cloak to hide this armor. She knew getting him to take it off would be impossible, but covering it would have to do. that done, she saw fit to leave the city behind them, hoping to find answers over the horizon.

[Reynard]

Ranoi looked at the horse he'd been bought and the cloak he'd been handed. He threw the cloak to the side and left the horse behind as his wings flared into life.

He shot up into the air, and hovered above Miri and her mate, letting her leed. A gold trail of light followed him through the air.

[Fortuna]

"Very impressive. Don't you think it's a bit conspicuous, though?"

[Reynard]

Ranoi gave the following statement a great amount of thought. "Do we care, then?

[Fortuna]

"I never said we did. Just mentioning it."

He looks around one more time.

"Shall we go, then?"

[DrakeRaids]

"We care Ranoi." Miri said, not looking, for Wotan did that for her. "Keep the cloak for when we get into the city please, you don't have to wear it now, and try to stay out of direct sight of the road while we ride." She put the various foodstuffs and supplies on the free horse, to lighten the rest.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika looks confusedly at the horse. She's not been the one riding the horse before!

[DrakeRaids]

"You don't have to ride if you don't want to Kimika, I thought you might enjoy not having to run the whole way though." Miri said with a slight smile. It was nice to be able to treat her mate sometimes.

[Lix Lorn]

She keeps staring for a moment, and then replies cheerily.
"Okay Miri-chan! I'll try it!"

[Dragnar]

Several days later the group arrives at the provincial capital, much more resembling a real city than the small town they had arrived in. The skyline is dominated by a pair of large buildings, towering over the relatively unimpressive stone houses making up most of the capital. a majestic gold-plated palace, rivaling any mansion in the richest parts of creation. Though it was still nothing next to most remnants of the first age. The second was a large hemispherical dome, rising almost as high as the palace above the city. The two are situated at opposite ends of the city, each clearly marking the ends of civilization in the area.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri paused outside the city, taking one of their horses aside, as she pulled her will around her, and crushed it suddenly in a wave of heat and gravity, until only a small hunk of silver stood floating where it had been a moment ago. "Kimika," Miri said, neatly severing a small piece of it and handing it over to her mate, "Go trade this for a silver coin and bring it back to me."

[Lix Lorn]

"Okay!" she says cheerily, dismounting and taking the silver, before skipping towards the town.

[Dragnar]

Kimika wanders into the city, finding the streets crowded and busy. People scurry every which way, heading to wherever they all need to go. Any one of them would probably have a coin or two.

[Lix Lorn]

"Hey someooooone!" she calls, waving the silver in the air and jumping up and down. "Will someone pwease twade me a coin?"

...yes, she actually said pwease and twade.

[Dragnar]

Kimika is mostly ignored by the crowd, everyone rushing by without paying her the slightest bit of attention. A little boy worms his way through the crowd soon after she speaks though, holding a silver coin above his head.
"Hi lady! I've gots a coin! Will you give me candy for it?!"

[Reynard]

Ranoi scoffed and shot up into the air, high above the ground. If any trouble started for him, at least Miri could claim they weren't together after the inevitable fallout.

He stopped a few hundred feet up, using the essence sight of his goggles to keep track of Miri and anything else that might cause trouble.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika is mostly ignored by the crowd, everyone rushing by without paying her the slightest bit of attention. A little boy worms his way through the crowd soon after she speaks though, holding a silver coin above his head.
"Hi lady! I've gots a coin! Will you give me candy for it?!"
"Oooh candy!" she gasps. "I might have some!"

She starts checking her pockets.

[Dragnar]

The boy bounces up and down, excited about getting candy. It was much better than that worthless piece of metal he got for his allowance!
"Yay! Candy!"
Have candy, don't have candy. It's up to you.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika seems like the candy type. xD
She fishes out some candy! It's not even very dirty!
"Yay! Candy!"
She goes to eat it and then remembers.
"Oh. Here you go."
She is sad Lunar as she hands it over.

[Dragnar]

"Yay! Candy!" the child echoes Kimika. Then, snatching the candy out of her hand, he hands her the small silver coin. "Here ya go lady! Thanks for the candy!"

[Lix Lorn]

"It's okay!" she says, bubbly again. She takes the coin and skips back lookin for Miri!

[DrakeRaids]

Miri smiled as he mate approached, her levity no doubt to the success of her mission. "Excellent Kimika." Miri beamed. Or would have beamed if she had eyes. Wotan had to do it for her, and in the end it just looked more like an odd leer. "You have the coin?"

[Lix Lorn]

"Yep!" she chirps, waving it in the air with a flourish and handing it to her mate with a beaming smile.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri took the coin carefully, examining its every pattern and curve. She touched it, saw it, smelled it, even paused to taste it. Then, lifting her hands before the horses, she shattered them. Each exploded into a mass of silver coins like the one she was holding now, pooling on the ground.

"Well then," Miri said gesturing to her allies, as she herself picked up a sizable amount of the coins and put them into her pack. "Help yourselves."

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika pounces the heap! There must be enough for LOADS of candy!

[DrakeRaids]

Miri gestured for Kimika to follow her before entering the city, and going about her business. First, she secured lodgings in an inn for her and Kimika, then got them some proper food. And candy for Kimika of course. Afterwords,, she began looking for the archive, the library, whatever they called it here, wandering town for a while before she came before the giant dome. What she sought would be inside, or so she hoped, she thought as she towards the guards, "I am a traveling Scholar, and would see your archives if I could. To where must I got to gain permission to do such a thing?" She asked.

[Dragnar]

The guards, each extremely tall and wearing heavy golden armor, stare down at Miri completely emotionless for several seconds, before answering simultaneously in perfect rivertongue.
"We have been expecting you. You may pass once you have answered our questions, no sooner. First: What do you know of this land?"

Ranoi:
Ranoi, from his vantage point above the town, recognizes both the palace and the library as manses, and powerful ones at that. The rest of the town appears mundane as far as he can see.

[Fortuna]

For want of anything better to do, Starborne has been following Kimika and Miri. As the guards make their challenge, he listens carefully, considering before he responds, in the most formal dialect of Old Realm that he knows.

"Would ye also have hearing of me? I speak unto thee and thee, and profess the most profound of ignorance in response to your queries."

[DrakeRaids]

If Miri had eyes they would have narrowed. She had Wotan though who cawed once, a loud, sharp, startling cry that gave her a moment to compose herself as she offered them each a wicked smile. So that was how it was to be then. She gathered defensive forces around her silently, invisible to the naked eye, just in case after all, before she answered in a sing song voice, speaking in the old tongue.

"I know the name of the wind and the sound of rock. I know the three things a wise man fears, and I know the color of a falling star. I know the colors of the rising sun and the kindness of a stranger. I know what the smallest lizard looks for in the cracks of rocks and the sound and fury of a passing dream. I know the secret in a dead leaf and the name of the unseen things that live in corners. What do you know guardians? What do you know of your land?"

[Dragnar]

The guardians do not so much as blink at Miri's answer, standing unmoving as she speaks. when she is done, they answer rivertongue once again.
"A useless answer. But it is an answer nonetheless. Second: Where do you believe yourselves to be?"

[DrakeRaids]

Miri made a tsk tsk sound, her playful smiling remaining firmly in place. Saw what you would about her, she had an excellent poker face when push came to shove. "I am where my feet take me good guardians. To presume more would be foolishness."

[Dragnar]

"So you say. But is even that truly safe to assume? Why trust your feet if you presume so little? Three: What are you seeking within these doors?"

[DrakeRaids]

She needed not spin a riddle for the last question. "Knowledge." She said simply and purely. And it was truth, she sought nothing more, and nothing less.

[Dragnar]

"A noble goal. But will you be satisfied with what you find? Fourth and finally: Who are you? All must answer, not merely the princess of the fallen."

[DrakeRaids]

"Miri." She said no more, she said no less, and even then it was barely a whisper that claimed itself to the guards ears. Why did these creatures ask questions, if they presumed to know so much? Perhaps she would learn, though she somehow doubted the library would house such knowledge.

[Fortuna]

Starborne blinks. Princess of the fallen? That has ominous connotations. Perhaps his companion is some servant of the hated Neverborn. It never crosses his mind, even for an instant, that his own kind are as fallen as they.

"I am He Who Is Borne Of Stars. My father was the Northern Light, the Crystal King, and one of the God-Kings given the Mandate of Heaven. My mother was Alyeesa Jannesh, resident of the forgotten town of Emsmour. My Shard's Bearer was the Northern Light and the Crystal King. I have no siblings, nor uncles, nor aunts. My grandfathers were Gordan Krelya, resident of Meru, and Arken Jannesh, resident of the dying city of Emsmour. My grandmothers were Jenni Krelya, resident of Meru, andd Leara Jannesh, resident of the dying city of Emsmour. My Shard's Bearer's Shardbearer was She Who Walked In Light, the Empress Of The Beyond, veteran of the War."

[Lix Lorn]

"Name? My name is Kimika! But sometimes people call me ohgodohgodhelpmeaaaaaaargh. Or cuddles." says Kimika cheerfully.

[Reynard]

Above, Ranoi watched and listened. Not that he understood what they were saying, but at least they didn't sound angry. He looked ahead of him at the building in front of him, wondering what would happen if he flew into it while following Miri.

The guards weren't likely to let him in, after all.

[Dragnar]

The guards step to the sides of the doorway, tapping their spears against the doorway simultaneously. They settle into an almost statuesque stillness as the doors slide open automatically.
"Your answers are satisfactory. You and your flying friend may pass. If he answers the final question as well that is."

[DrakeRaids]

Interesting, and more interesting. Idly, she wondered where these men where getting their information, but for the moment, she had to play along. Glancing up to the sky she made beckoning to Ranoi, pointing to the guards when he landed, "Tell them your name please."

[Reynard]

"Ranoi." He responded, in his cracked, raspy voice.

[Dragnar]

The guards give only a brief nod at the name, leaving the doors open as he lands.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri stepped into the library, a manse. Interesting. Wotan, her second, and only pair of eyes watched the place curiously as she looked for an aid of some kind to guide her to the books of history.

[Dragnar]

The interior of the building is strikingly different from anything the group has seen since they awoke in this place. Stark white walls rise all around, curving up to the top of the dome. The floor is similarly featureless, gray tiling covering everything. The only distinguishing feature of the large empty building is a bright light coming from the center, where glowing orbs surround a large pedestal.

[Lix Lorn]

"Oooh!" says Kimika, running past Miri and towards the pedestal. "Shiny!"

[DrakeRaids]

Perhaps due to the utter lack of options currently available Miri approached the spheres warily, moving to touch one gently, pacing back and forth as she did so, ready to dash back if something unexpected happened.

[Dragnar]

The orbs flash and disappear at Miri's touch, the chain reaction filling the room with light. As the light fades the group can see that the formerly empty building is now filled with a gigantic map, an entire country in miniature. A beam of light illuminates what appears your current location, while the rest of the building is subdivided into four equal parts by transparent walls that split the map into distinct regions. A region of fields and forests, one of tundra, another desert, and the last a series of islands.

Moments after the map appears, five more glowing orbs appear, one over each region and a fifth over the pedestal in the middle of the building.

[DrakeRaids]

Wotan fluttered up, giving her a better view of this strange map. She committed it all to memory, examining each region carefully before moving to the center orb. It seemed the logical place to start. Gently she laid her hand upon it, waiting for what would happen next.

[Dragnar]

The map remains unchanged, but in another flash of light an ornate throne appears on the blank pedestal. Sitting on the throne is a figure in similar armor to the guards outside, but much more ornate. The armor completely covers his face, the only visible feature bright blue eyes staring directly down as Miri.

Those of you with essence sight do not pick the armored figure up at all. He appears no different from the projected map around you.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika scampers up to the throne.
"Who are yooou?" she says, and tries to poke the occupant.

[DrakeRaids]

"Hello." Miri curstied gently, unsure of just wait this thing was. Perhaps she asked it questions, and it would answer like some form of automation? "Who, are you?"

[Dragnar]

Kimika's hand passes straight through the figure, as if it were not there at all. But it does respond to her and Miri's question, a deep raspy voice emanating from the motionless armor. Like the guards outside, it speaks in rivertongue, instead of Old Realm like the others living here.
"I am Golden Scholar of Eternity." The blue eyes within the helmet glint momentarily, almost smirking at you. "Or would you prefer a more useful answer than your own? I created this place, and I brought you all here to test it. What exactly this testing entails I will not say. But you will not leave here until it is complete."

[Reynard]

Ranoi glared at the figure, waves of pure hatred shimmering between them, entirely from Ranoi's own attitude. "We haven't got the time ta take part in any stupid tests. Send us back to where we should be, an' I won't get aggressive."

[DrakeRaids]

Miri looked at him, then frowned slightly. She disliked this man, this Scholar. Mores the point she was not found of having everyone around her play these stupid games with her without offering anything in return. "No." Miri said looking up at him without a trace of fear. Unless this man made it worth her while she saw no reason to go along with this. "You obviously have nothing worthwhile here. I grow tired of this place already."

[Fortuna]

"Please, disregard my comrades. It is in all our interests to understand one another, and you are our best road to that goal. Perhaps we should begin by asking what you know of us, beyond what we have told yours."

[Dragnar]

The figure sat quietly for a moment, and then began to laugh. A deep roaring laugh that continued for some time. Finishing, the armor finally moved, it's head turning first toward Miri.
"Worry not about that Miri. You have my word you will all recieve adequate compensation for this. Unfortunately the nature of the project makes willing volunteers hard to come by, but you are aiding me nonetheless, and will receive fair pay for it."
The armored figure then stood and faced Ranoi, before reaching up and removing it's helmet. A blonde-haired woman with unnaturally perfect features glares down at Ranoi from within the armor, eyes narrowed. Moments later though, she smirks, and reclines back on her throne.
"And as for you... I assure you that time is not a problem, not for you, and not for me. And besides that, I have absolutely nothing to fear from you. Hate me if you will, but my project will be completed. And you cannot hurt what is not there."

[DrakeRaids]

"No. Bribery will only go so far. Tell us the nature of your project and then perhaps you may have our willing aid." Miri's voice was calm and serious, despite the womans booming laugh. She would not be toyed with and used like a half piece whore. Not again.

[Reynard]

"Ye right, I can't hurt ye yet, hiding behind yer smoke and mirrors. But do those guards of yers have any? Do the peasants?" Ranoi glowered. He was almost completely sure they weren't in Creation, a fact which he intended to change at any cost.

[Dragnar]

Scholar simply shrugged at Ranoi, not even a flicker of care crossing her face.
"Oh, you may destroy all you like. Smash my creations, destroy their protectors. But you still have not touched me. I crafted them from nothing, and I can do it once again. Hurt them, and all you do is destroy innocents... and advance my plans in the process."
She then turned to Miri, giving a brief sigh at her continued questions. She absently tossed her helmet out of the projected circle on the dias, it fading from view as soon as it crosses the edge.
"You demand information from me, yet refuse to give any more than you must yourself. A bit hypocritical, don't you think? Telling you the exact nature of the project would render your aid useless, but I can tell you this: This world I have created is incomplete, and to finish it I require more information. All I ask is that you travel the four sections of my creation, interacting with it's inhabitants."

[DrakeRaids]

"It might be hypocritical," Miri ceded, her tone hard, "If I hadn't been dropped her without warning against my will." This must been one of the surviving mad lawbringers, escaped out here who knows how long ago. Given time and patience it would be well within an ancient solars power to build a world from nothing. Merely interacting with its fake world didn't seem like it would be that difficult, thought they had no proof this Exalt would keep its work.

[Reynard]

Ranoi smirked and stalked from the manse. Inside, he was conflicted... She'd told him he could do what he liked to this place, as it would only advance her plans and get him sent home...

But on the other hand.. he was advancing her plans. He decided he didn't care, and that he may as well have some fun while he was here. He shook his head as he through about which direction he would go, and noticed the blood dripping from his armour's claws. The two fake-mortal guards lay gurgling at his feet.

Oh.

How had that happened?

Oh well. Ranoi picked a direction and took off.

[Dragnar]

"You may not like it, but frankly you cannot leave here without me. And I have no more to say to you just yet. You WILL be fairly compensated. But until then, this is unfortunately not optional."
Scholar clapped her gauntlets together once and she and the throne's image fades from the pedestal, leaving it blank once more.

Ranoi:
Ranoi flies for some time, several hours flying over nothing but trees and hills. Eventually he reaches another small town like the one they arrived in, little more than a collection of wooden huts and farms, with a cluster of shops in the middle of it all.

[Fortuna]

Starborne stands quietly, pondering the situation. This realm sounds almost like the ancient tales of Solars using magic to carve their own realms from the Wyld. If he strains, he can barely remember that flood of power as one reshapes reality through raw willpower. Perhaps this is one such realm.

In any event, there seems no ready alternative to obeying Scholar's demands. The first thing to do is acquire a copy of that map, and since this seems to be a manse....

"I would like a map of this world, please."

[DrakeRaids]

"Well." Miri said with a sigh, walking from the room without pausing to look at the crumpled dead bodies Ranoi had left behind. "I suppose I'm going to go convenience some people to worship me while Ranoi goes on his inevitable killing spree." She sighed, shame about that, she would prefer not to go cutting through these people till they found out more about them, but she for one wasn't about to try and get in Ranoi's way. "I suppose I should leave a clone here for when he comes looking for us..." She said, waving her hand as motes of light drifted out of her and formed a mortal figure.

Pulling out her map, she began looking for the closest major town to start her mass conversion, hopefully not in the same direction Ranoi went.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika, meanwhile, danced around her mate cheerfully. She didn't really care at all about all this stuff, as long as she got to have fun with her Miri-chan.

[Dragnar]

Miri:
Miri sets out to the west, toward the center of this section of Scholar's world. The nearest major town apart from the city she just departed is a few days away at walking speed, but is almost as large as the capital itself was.
I'll give everyone a chance to decide whether or not they want to follow before you get there.

Starborne:
Nothing happens. The manse does not seem to respond to voice commands. There are, however, four glowing orbs still floating over the subdivisions of the map projected onto the manse's floor, the same as those that activated the projection in the first place.

[Reynard]

Ranoi got to work, shoving a clawed hand into the side of a farmer's hut, before wrenching it and all it's squishy contents up into the air. While it sailed, screaming, Ranoi did the same to yet another one, flinging it up to crash into the descending farmhouse. As the wreckage of two farm houses fell to the ground, he made a few dancing steps while looking for a good place to put this.

A copse of trees on a hill not far away caught his attention, so he drop-kicked the wreckage towards it, where it with the screaming of both poor trapped farmers and timber. The fireplaces within the houses soon set the whole thing ablaze.

But Ranoi had already moved on. He was now juggling about a fields worth of livestock, and would periodically launch one of the mooing/bleating/whinnying creatures into a farmer, splattering both into little patches of gore. Two cows sailed in tandem into the same farm house, punching messily through the walls and raising in up screams of terror and pain from inside. Now the farmers and their families were running around in terror, being struck down by houses and animals and god-queen knows what else.

Basically, Ranoi had a whale of a time.

And he probably would have killed them, if they'd been there.

"Nooooooooooooo!"

[Fortuna]

Starborne mutters under his breath for a moment, and steps over to one of the remaining orbs at random, waving his hand through it.

[Dragnar]

Touching the orb, Starborne's mind is filled with images of the region he is in, snapshots of villages and landscapes from all over the area bombarding his eyes. Before long the images end, but he is still able to remember all of them perfectly. It's not exactly a map, but as long as the memories last, the images are in total a rather comprehensive schematic of the area.

[Fortuna]

"Interesting."

In turn, he touches the other three orbs, seeing what knowledge they contain.

[Dragnar]

Each orb grants visions of the area it is situated above one the map, but Starborne finds that as soon as he touches one, the memories of the previous fade away, replaced by the new information.

[Fortuna]

Disgusted, Starborne hunts around for some paper. He has some small skill with a brush or pen, and he can draw himself a map if need be.

[Reynard]

Ranoi, left with nothing left in the village to break or maim, with the exception a sole chicken, took off.

Taking said chicken with him, he flew towards the biggest collection of lights around.

[Dragnar]

Starborne:
The manse is empty apart from the now-empty pedestal and the holographic map covering the floor. There does seem to be some commotion coming from the exit though.

Ranoi:
It's nearly nightfall before Ranoi reaches his destination, finding it to be a city of significant size, though not as large as the capital, or the one or two other large cities that had been on the map.

Miri/Kimika:
Several days of travel later, the pair of you reach the city, largest one in this region of the queen's world. Even the capital wasn't as big as this one, which looks to rival some of creation's larger cities. No impressive palaces or anything dominate this city though, and it appears to be centered around trade more than any creations of the queen's.

[Reynard]

Ranoi glided peacefully into the city plaza, looking down at the statue of the "Queen" as he descended. Even if they weren't quite real, it was still rather cruel of her to treat her subjects like this. Ranoi shook his head and held the not-Chicken at eye level. The thing was alive, but had stopped kicking out of exhaustion some time ago.

He tossed it over arm and the statue in front of him, the airborne poultry punching through the queen's face in a puff of feathers and dust. The remnants of chicken carried onwards to impact the side of a building, leaving a sizable crater in the wall.

Ranoi roared out to the city. "Come out, come out yer bastards! Yer good queen has sent me with a proclamation!

[Dragnar]

Several rather terrified-looking mortals look through the new hole in their home, staring at Ranoi in horror. For a short time everything is totally silent, the usual bustle of the city fallen quiet at everyone in the area drops what they were doing to stare at Ranoi, several of them backing away slowly. The silence is broken as a calm monotone voice speaks from behind Ranoi, a group of a half-dozen golden-armored guards having arrived.
"Solar! Speak your part, then begone. Our queen has granted you no authority here. And if you cause any more damage, we will be forced to remove you, needed by the queen or no."

[DrakeRaids]

Miri whistled a happy tune as she strolled into the town. She had asked Kimika to catch her a nest of birds the day before, and now had about a dozen of the creatures still alive in her pack, there wings broken to prevent them from thrashing overmuch. She choose not to step into the city and start her converting immediately, she examined the city, heard the people. She listened, working on the best place to strike.


Per+Investigation 7 motes spent: 14d10

[Reynard]

"Now now, don't ya want the hear the order she gave me?" Said Ranoi, smiling grimly as he slinked towards them. He was going to enjoy this.

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
The guards do not budge an inch, standing completely still as Ranoi advances on them. One's eyes go wide for a moment, before rolling into the back of his head. He appears to be unconscious, but a few moments later his mouth beings to move.
"I gave you no orders, Ranoi. I merely stated that it is not my concern WHAT you do. If you kill my subjects, you harm only innocent mortals. Do what you will, it won't get you out of here. And I had been given to understand solars were better than this, randomly slaughtering people. Perhaps my information was inaccurate... but then, that's why you are here."

Miri:
Miri's search turns up a good deal about the town. The place seems to be primarily a trading center, serving as a central hub for all the various farming towns around it. People come from all around to trade their goods, buying and selling food, hiring craftsmen, and the like. Miri's search cannot turn up one fact though: How it came to be here. The city isn't in some easily defended location, it's not alongside a river, it's not of strategic value... it's as if the city was just randomly placed, with no possible explanation for how it could have grown in such a location.

[Reynard]

"Nah, this ain't random. Yer did say these things were merely creations of yer own time and effort. And that yer did not care what happened of them, as I would've been sent home eventually anyway. See, there's stuff happening in Creation that I really can't be trapped in here and miss, stuff more important than yer little projects. The Yozi want out, and the Ebon Bastard is gettin' close. So, I'm going to keep this up until you send me home." Ranoi spoke all of this with some venom, disgusted at the woman hiding behind such fragile shields.

[Dragnar]

The other guards seem slightly unnerved by what's happening to their comrade, this clearly not a common occurrence, but they remain silent as the queen continues to speak through him.
"I created them, true. And yet, this does not make them any less real than you or I. But I'm not here to argue philosophy with you. And my project is far more important to Creation's future than YOU, solar. Do what you will to my creations. You will not speed your escape, and they are not the ones that brought you here."

[Reynard]

"Tell me what will, b*tch, or I'll come after ya next." Shouted Ranoi, in what was more a primal roar than anything else.

[Dragnar]

"Oh, now THAT would be interesting. You're welcome to try it. Who knows, maybe you'll even find me. I'll narrow things down for you. You want out of here you have two choices. Either find me, or explore all four corners of my creation."
The guard jerks back to consciousness, looking around with a confused look on his face.

[DrakeRaids]

Fascinating. They where like children, and like children, they would come to love her with a pure and honest love. She would see to it. This place could use a new queen after all. With Kimika behind her she stepped through town, speaking in half truths and mysteries, of wonder and beauty. She would draw them close, so close, before flickering away a prize to be chased forever but never caught.

She inspired minds, and quieted storms with but a word, until finally she found herself in the center of the town, where she spoke louder now, offer them wealth and happiness like the had never held before.

She opened the bag, and instead of birds, coins spilled out, far more then the bag should be able to hold, for she was carefully destroying each bird just before it passed through the mouth of the bag, leaving a mountain of coins behind her as she turned and smiled slyly at those who had gathered, offering them a simple request.

Bow.

[Reynard]

"Ya hear that, ya things? Ya queen don't give two dead dogs 'bout your well-being. Now, ya gonna run or are ya be stupid?" Growled Ranoi, glaring at them through the slits of his armour.

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
The guards don't flinch at Ranoi's threat, each drawing a golden sword from their side. One takes a step forward, holding his sword out toward Ranoi as he hesitantly speaks.
"And? you think this is news to us? The civilians don't know it, but this place is only a few months old, at most. The Queen set things in motion, but it's OUR job to make sure things continue on from here. Leave, now."

Miri:
Miri gathers a huge crowd, all following as close behind her as they could manage without tripping over each other. By the time she has reached the center of town, even that pretense has faded, some of the more effected people fighting to get to the front of the group, climbing past anyone in their way. A cheer rises up from the crowd as gold begins to pour from her bag, and at her command almost the entire group, several hundred strong now, fall to their knees. Some select few remain standing, suspicious of Miri's miracle, but the vast majority obeys.

[Reynard]

"Heh. Stupid it is."

((Join Battle in AIM soon.))

[Fortuna]

Starborne steps out of the manse, quietly fuming.

And freezes.

The bodies of the guards are bad enough. But the crowd of people is worse, and the hostility in their eyes worries him. Not much, but a little. There is only one option, really.

"My friends!"

"My friends, I grieve for you. I grieve for these guards. That is my first grief, and it is strong."

"But my friends, I grieve almost as much for the man who did this deed, who so callously tore these two lives from their bodies. I grieve for him twofold. First, his actions, which show beyond doubt that he is so far from humanity that he deserves the same pity as a wild animal. But more importantly, I grieve for him not because of what he has done, but because of what he will do. He will suffer. He will scream. He will be rent limb from limb, because we will ACT! Because, my friends, we will take our vengeance on him. We will ensure that this new threat dies away as quickly as it has materialised."

"My friends, I say this thing to you because it is true. But moreover, I say this because I wish you to understand that I stand with you, and with your Queen. By my words, I hope to sway you. By my actions, I hope to show you my meaning. By my choices, I hope to demonstrate to you that I am your servant, far more so than any will ever be mine."

Flurrying two Performance attacks. One to inspire hatred against Ranoi, and one to convince them that I'm on their side. I'll deal with mechanics once the roller's back up.

[Lix Lorn]

Throughout Miri's entire speech, and subsequent bowing, Kimika remains shockingly still.

She is, to be specific, hanging from Miri's arm, cuddling her tightly. This helped, most like, showing the great and wonderful being that just came into their midst to have a more personal side.

Of course, Kimika was just doing it cause she liked cuddling her mistress.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri smiled a small, secret smile when she felt Kimika move in closer to her, one arm moving other to hold her mate gently, enjoying the closeness if only for a moment. She didn't deserve Kimika, or her devotion, and that only made her treasure the Lunar more. Turning the the crowd, feeling better then she had in a long while she raised her arms once more, marking note those who refused to bow mentally before her. The smell of ozone filled the air, as bolts of lightning crackled down, striking those still standing and sending them crumpling to the ground, out cold, there bodies still twitching lightly, but alive.

Miri looked over her new servants and began to speak, telling them of the temple they would now build, a glorious one unlike any that had ever been built. All who helped her with it would never want for anything again, all who served her would be her children, her servants, and she would protect them.

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
(You win JB, should probably wait til the roller's working again to try fighting though.)

Starborne:
The people gathered around the manse begin shouting and shaking their fists at Starborne as he begins speaking, but they slowly quiet as the speech goes on. By the end of the speech, they have once again began shouting, but their wrath has been redirected, their undirected anger replaced by a desire for vengeance, to stop Ranoi from doing this again... It's still rather undirected though, since they have no idea who Ranoi is.

Miri:
Several of the onlookers begin to look rather frightened as their less compliant compatriots are struck down. Still, they remain bowing at Miri's feet, and at her command, the group springs back to life. Most resume their normal duties, doing the work that keeps the town running, while others, a group of architects it appears, approach Miri to reverently ask what sort of temple she requires, how long they have to build it, etc. All the details of the construction.

[Reynard]

Ranoi moved like molten gold to one end of the line, thrusting his wicked claws through the chest of the farthest mortal, before bounding off towards the far end of the line, golden claws and armour spikes tearing through the ranks of the soldiers.

The last one, he grabbed firmly around the neck and hoisted him up, his immense strength making lifting the power-armoured soldier seem like child's play.

And here are Ranoi's free attacks against the mortals:

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

And a Clinch for the last one.

[roll6]

All attacks are outside of the tick order, and Ranoi still has another action. Waiting for stunt results and such before continuing.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri spoke to them, helping them draw out plans for a great shinning stone temple. Any resources they lacked for its construction she would provide after a sacrifice of a living livestock, bird, sheep, or cattle was made to her she explained. It wouldn't raise above the city but it would be a gem to say the least, with white pillars and an ornate gilded roof.

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
Ranoi's attack downs most of the mortals instantly, but one raises his blade to the blow just in time to deflect the deadly claws, and as he lifts the last off the ground, the mans twists to the side quickly, far faster than any normal mortal, and breaks free from Ranoi's grasp.


tick0: ranoi
tick1: them


Miri:
The architects give Miri a rough estimate of how long the construction will take, predicting about a week to get the plans completed and workers organized, then another several months to actually build the temple.

[Reynard]

Ranoi grimaced, crouching low and twisting up. He held that pose for a the slightest moment, before unwinding like a deadly spinning top. The mortals standing either side of him were right in the midst of the golden tornado, and found themselves torn to bloody shreds.

Actually, it'd be:
Tick 1: Ranoi
Ticks 2-5: nothing.
Tick 6 Mortals (if alive)

:P

[roll0]
[roll1]

The attacks this tick were speed 3.

[Fortuna]

"My friends, I feel your pain, and your anger. But I feel in my heart that to blindly lash out would lead only to more death, more destruction."

As he speaks, Starborne's face is filled with pain, and with grief. His caste mark begins to show, and then to burn.

"This man's heart is set against your Queen, and unless something is done, she will lie at the end of his trail of destruction. I am a stranger to these lands, as is he, but ultimately, he will come to her, and she will die."

He is visibly glowing now, his eyes filled with despair as ribbons of golden light flash around and above him.

"Unless we wait there! He is mad, mad with power and anger and, above all, fear. Somewhere within himself, he fears. We shall confront him! We shall show him the error of his ways, in words or blood. Am I heard?"

His face is almost lost in the light surrounding him.

"AM I HEARD?"

Spending the full ten motes allowable with my performance excellency, all of them peripheral.

[roll0]

[DrakeRaids]

Miri agrees, and in the meantime will shower the town with her blessings. If they work as such for her she will not have it be in vain, and unlike the Yozi, she KEPT her promises. Miri asks to requisition a decent sized house, hopefully one close to the center of the city, she would set up there, where she would act as an impartial judge to disputes, and supply the needy with money and food, and other things. She would assist in the building of the temple as well, for it pleased her to do so.

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
The remaining two mortals fall, all six defeated by the blur of gold among them before they could so much as move. Before Ranoi can relax though, the six fallen suits of armor lurch back to their feet, their occupants still quite clearly dead.

Tick4: Ranoi
Tick5: Armor

Starborne:
The crowd hears you. And have reached a fever pitch of excitement, all those who remain now willing to follow Starborne almost fanatically, shouts going up everywhere of how he will lead them to vengeance.

Miri:
A week passes, great progress being made on the temple with her aid. Then she and Kimika awaken to find the temple completely gone, with no sign of it or the workers anywhere. Where it's foundations once stood, a large stairwell now descends into the earth below, with no end in sight.

[Reynard]

Ranoi laughed, openly mocking this queen who would think this could stop him. He would find her, and he would make her pay.

The Solar paused for a moment, his claws starting to glow a bright white with essence. He let the suits make a couple more steps, than exploded outwards towards two of them, his huge sweeping backhands lifting them clean off of their feet, smashing into the buildings just behind them. The ruined and airborne suits of armour carved a path of destruction through several houses, catching who knows how many mortals in their wake, either smashing through them or bringing the buildings down upon them.

Spending a mote to negate multiple action penalties for an attack with each claw. And then 6 more motes on a Heaven Thunder Hammer for each. All personal.

Distance: ((15L + Extra Successes) x 3) yards. Every yard that they have left to travel when they hit the first building becomes another damage die.

Martial Arts: [roll0]
Martial Arts: [roll1]

Speed: 5

[DrakeRaids]

"Goddamn it." Miri said looking down into the stairway. That woman must be meddling again, couldn't she just leave them alone? She was interacting with the stupid faux creation wasn't she? Just don't it how she choose. "Looks like that woman wants to talk to us again. Kimika, I'm sorry... but can you go first?" Miri hated asking, but the fact of the matter was if there was an ambush down there she would go down like a sandcastle. Kimika was made of stronger stuff, and while she didn't like the thought of her mate being in danger, at least Kimika was likely to survive.

[Lix Lorn]

"Kay." says Kimika happily. She takes a few seconds to adopt a peculiar stance, and then cheerfully starts down the stairs.

Going into my form type. If my motes are right on this old old sheet, I now have 17/22 personal essence.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri trails behind Kimika carefully, eyes darting as she raises her own defensive shield. Better safe then sorry.

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
The pair of suits are sent flying, crashing through the nearest building. Smashing clear through it and out the other side, Ranoi loses sight of them, but it's safe to say they won't be moving anytime soon.

The remaining four suits step forward as one, swinging their golden blades at Ranoi simultaneously.

Ranoi:
First armor: [roll0]
Second armor: [roll1]

Armors:
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

tick7: Ranoi
tick9: armors

Miri:
Miri and Kimika descend the stairway for some time, heading deeper and deeper into the darkness. Eventually they emerge into a long tunnel, stretching far into the distance. Lights periodically reveal golden suits of armor like those the guards of the queen use.

[Reynard]

All four golden blades stopped dead, all caught by one outstretched claw of Ranoi's own armour. Ranoi began to laugh, his voice loud and cracked. There wasn't anything these things could do to hurt him. Forcing their blades away, he got ready to start his attack anew.

Stunting defense. Ahah. For motes.

[DrakeRaids]

She recognized the guards. Damn meddler wouldn't leave her alone. Looks like they where going to have another talk at least...

[Fortuna]

"My friends, I thank you for your ears. As I have said, I am a stranger to your lands. Who here can lead me to your queen?"

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
(1 die stunt, +2 motes. still your move.)

Starborne:
The crowd mutters amongst themselves, glancing around for anyone who might have a satisfactory answer, but no on steps forward.

Miri:
Miri and Kimika walk down the tunnel for some time, nothing but the suits of armor along the walls to break up the monotony. Eventually though, the tunnel widens, opening up onto a vast cavern. In the center of the cavern stands Miri's temple, fully completed.

[Lix Lorn]

"Oooooooh pretteeeee..." murmurs an awed Kimika.

[DrakeRaids]

"Indeed. Come Kimika."

Miri looked over the temple curiously, stepping into it and making her way toward the center as she kept her essence sight open, scanning for any powerful users as she tended to do, even here. Did wodners to avoid being caught unawares. Wotan was getting nervous as well, he hated being underground.

[Dragnar]

Miri detects a pair of powerful essence-users inside the building, one significantly stronger than her, the other of roughly the same level of power. Stepping into the temple, the pair immediately see the weaker of the two essence-users. The queen sits in the center of the temple's main room, seated on an ornate throne without the armor she wore when you first saw her. Apart from the throne, everything matches Miri's designs perfectly.

[DrakeRaids]

A stronger creature then this queen? A power behind her throne? Interesting. Miri stepped before the Queen clapping slowly like one applauding a common street performer. "Well done, well done. Now what did you need to speak to me about?"

[Reynard]

Ranoi stopped for a moment. This was fun and all, but he really had to be finding the queen. He stepped away from the constructs, sliding to a halt with his clawed hands held high.

"Good creatures of a bitches realm! See what your queen has let me deliver on ta you!" All around him, golden light coalesced into the shape of a monstrous ape, mirroring Ranoi's own pose. The ground under Ranoi's feet began to crack and tremble, as if sensing what was coming to it.

The sound and life of the city went silent and still for one brief moment, as Ranoi's huge claws came arcing down, smashing into the ground with all the force of a true God-king. The ground around him exploded, ripping away from him as it was blasted by the shockwave, the buildings collapsing and folding away like decks of cards under a hurricane. The statue of the Queen became little more than a wisp of marble dust blowing in the tumult that was once the city center.

The sound throughout all of this was a deafening, howling roar, the sound of the ground being pulled apart and twisted, the sound of eruptions and earthquakes, of avalanches and tidal waves.

Of a very angry Solar punching the ground in it's metaphorical face with all, well almost all, the god-blessed force he can muster.

As the the roaring ended, as stray bits of rubble collapsed and tattered bits of cloth waved in the wind, Ranoi straightened up. His golden ape beat it's chest in triumph and in challenge.

Heaven Thunder Hammering the ground. 6 motes on the First Excellency. Total Damage to the earth: 152 levels. Use what we came to in AIM to work out the carnage.

[Fortuna]

"Then it is as I thought and feared. If we have no such knowledge among us, then there is only one option. We must seek out the queen!

"This land is wide, and filled with many great things. I suggest that you scatter, turning to those who you know both inside and outside the capital for whatever knowledge you can muster. Any who are not here today, wherever they may be, send them to me! I shall remain here, eternally hopeful, and whatever news you may learn I ask that you bring to me, be it good or ill. This shall be my residence, and here shall I perform daily my devotions. Those gathered shall hear my words and decide for themselves my truth. Go forth! Go forth and seek!"

Husband-Seducing Demon Dance, creating love for this cause. Because seriously, they couldn't think of a less disturbing charm name? It sounds more Infernal than Solar. Anyway, spending from personal Essence.

Let's see, five plus five plus eight is...

[roll0]

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
When the dust settles little remains of what was once the city's main square. For dozens of meters in all directions, buildings lay in ruin and the queen's creations are scattered across the crater that remains. A couple look to still be functional, struggling to regain their footing, but they are both trapped under the rubble, unable to move against Ranoi.

Starborne:
The crowd obeys your commands perfectly, splitting up to go their separate ways after a loud cheer as Starborne's speech ended. For several days no news of the queen in heard, until one of the queen's soldiers appears in the doorway to the manse. He speaks not a word, but simply stands in the entryway, staring at Starborne.

Miri:
The queen remained seated as Miri and Kimika approached, lounging in the throne with an almost bored look on her face.
"Well Miri, you and your... friends, are almost done here. Four of the exalted, three entirely different paths. Not the most desirable result, but expected. Anyway, my study of you is complete, the others should be along shortly, but for now: I promised you a reward. I have something planned already, but I'm curious. What would YOU think is sufficient for my imposition on you here?"

[DrakeRaids]

"Knowledge should suffice. Tell me what you and your master are doing here, assuming you even truly know." Miri said her tone of voice had changed drastically from the last time she had spoken to the Queen, in anger, and frustration. Now she just looked up at her like one does an especially slow child, or a particularly annoying mortal.

[Fortuna]

Standing from his meditations, Starborne walks to the soldier. "Greetings. May I hope that you have news to aid me?"

[Reynard]

Ranoi chuckled as he wandered over the destruction towards the last trapped suits of armour. One by one, he plucked two of them from the rubble and broke the hands apart with all the ease of a child ripping the wings off of flies. Removing the swords they had held in their death grip - They'd allowed a mortal to parry his blows, after all - he took two of them for his own.

They would aid him well against the Queen.

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
The city center is dead silent, not a creature moving in the stillness following Ranoi's attack. The occasional gust of wind blows through, but no one from what remains of the city yet dares approach the carnage.

Starborne:
The armored guardian gives Starborne a short stiff bow, quickly returning to his original position.
"You seek our mistress? She has contacted me with instructions to bring you to her, and said that her task for you and the other exalted is done for the moment."

Miri:
"Hmm, and interesting implication. Do not be so sure of yourself, I assure you, I AM the master of this place, thought I will admit to having superiors. They are not present at the moment though. But before I answer you, I'd like to hear from your mate there as well."

[Fortuna]

"Then by all means, lead on."

[Lix Lorn]

"Me?" said a confused Kimika.

[Dragnar]

Starborne:
The guard turns on his heel, walking out of the manse at a rather brisk pace for one in such heavy armor. Leading you through a maze of back alleys and side streets, he eventually comes to a stop, pointing silently at a stairwell descending into the earth in the middle of an abandoned culdesac of the city.

Miri/Kimika:
"Yes, you. What do you think of this place, and what sort of reward would you like for helping me?"

[Lix Lorn]

"Oh, I don't need anything as long as miss-Miri-san is happy." she says cheerfully. "The place is real pretty though!"

[Fortuna]

Starborne descends, following the tunnel beyond.

[Reynard]

Realizing the sword was little more than trash to him, Ranoi bent it into a knot and discarded it. His wings flared and he shot up into the sky, determined to search all of this place until he found the "Queen," or she got scared and sent him home. Either or.

[Dragnar]

Starborne:
Starborne finds himself in a similar tunnel to the one Miri and Kimika traveled earlier(To keep things straight ingame: you're going through a few hours after them). Several hours of walking later you emerge into the large cavern containing Miri's temple.

Miri/Kimika:
"Hmm, a simple enough request. Regardless, I shall answer your questions soon. For now, suffice it to say that I created this place to learn about the various exalted of creation. Ask whatever specific questions you have now, but the full story will have to wait until all four of you are here."

[DrakeRaids]

"Who you are working for is an excellent place to start." Again, this was assuming the woman even knew for certain. It looked like she was being manipulated to be honest, but by what?

[Dragnar]

Miri:
"This project here is being orchestrated by me alone, out of curiosity. More long term, I am a... scouting party. I could give you a name, but it would mean nothing to you. I can show you exactly who I work for once the others have arrived though."

Ranoi:
After flying around randomly for several days, Ranoi finally found the queen's lair. It was on the exact opposite side of this section of the world from where he was, directly in the center of the map the group saw in the capital. The same giant wall rises up there as everywhere else along the perimeter he searched, but carved into it was a grand palace, easily the size of the cities this world held.

[Reynard]

Ranoi's arrival to the palace was marked by a profound explosion, as he slammed into the upper reaches, scattering masonry to the winds.

From the outside, an observer could see the golden trail of Ranoi's wings ending abruptly in a cloud of dust from which horse-sized lumps of stone fell, while any in the immediate area inside would know only pain and a choking dust that filled their lungs.

When he emerged on the other side, Ranoi turned to see that, for all it's grandeur, the place was largely a fake. Chuckling to himself, he glided down to land at the entrance, and headed inside.

[DrakeRaids]

"I see. How did you create this place? Wyld shaping I assume." Miri was interested in that, this must have been quite some intensive effort to craft something like this. "Hmm. Sounds like we have company. Ranoi no doubt. You may wish to start running."

[Dragnar]

Ranoi:
Descending a long, sloped hallway, Ranoi finds himself in the same chamber the others have. The same giant chamber with Miri's temple in the center, he does get a slightly different viewpoint on the building. While the others emerged at ground level, Ranoi stands on a stone ledge looking down on the temple from almost a hundred feet up.

Miri:
"Run? Hah, no need... Anyway, this isn't the Wyld. I created it through a similar process, yes, but this place is less... real, than that. Nothing from this world can survive in creation."

[Lix Lorn]

"Ooooh, are we dreaming?" says Kimika curiously.
Then she gasps.
"Are you fey?" she says in curious horror.
"...please don't eat our brains! We need them to think with!"

[Reynard]

Ranoi stood on the guard rail of the balcony, looking down at the palace below. The design didn't match the rest of the works he'd seen in this place, which meant something... though he wasn't sure what. He roared out his challenge at the top of his lungs.

"B*tch Queen! Are you going to stand and face me, or hide and make me kill ya like a rat?!"

[Dragnar]

The queen frowns at Kimika's question, then stands and starts walking toward the back of the room. She answers as she walks off, not even turning back to look at Kimika as she speaks.
"Bah. Don't compare me to THEM. Not even in joking. I tell no stories, only the truth. Now, if you're excuse me, your friends have arrived, and while Ranoi lacks the power to actually kill me, being destroyed would be extremely inconvenient. Not to mention expensive."
Reaching the back of the chamber, she presses a panel on the wall and watches calmly as a section of the floor begins to glow blightly.

[Reynard]

Ranoi waited for a response from the queen for nearly a minute, but soon grew frustrated.

"Have it your way."

Ranoi focused on the moving beacon of solar essence within the temple, and launched himself from the balcony like a champion diver. He rocketed into the side of the the temple on a direct course with what he assumed was the queen.

Traveling at well of 60 miles an hour, Ranoi turned the walls before him into dust and rubble as he closed in on her, not even pausing once. Soon, so very soon, he was mere feet away, and he started to roar.

"Whhhhooooorreeeeee!"

The area where the queen had been standing exploded in dust and debris as 500 pounds of anrgy solar flew through the walls. His claw-covered hands crasped firmly around her neck and hoisted her off the floor.

Stunting unexpected clinch like a Kool Ai man who shouts "whore".

Activating Dragon Coil and spending 8 motes on the first MA excellency. 11 motes total, activating anima power.
[roll0] + Stunt.

[DrakeRaids]

"Not a fae? Then what are yo-" Miri was cut off as Ranoi exploded into the room, sighing as she shook her head in disappointment. There goes the Queen, though it sounded like he would be unable to really destroy her. Perhaps this other entity that was watching them now would prove more enlightening to commune with. turning directly toward its essence signature she tried to gauge its location.

[Dragnar]

The queen merely sighed as Ranoi lifted her, making no move to avoid his attack.
"I was wondering how long you would take to get here... Now, if you're quite done destroying things, would you like to actually find out WHY I brought you here, or is destruction all you care about? Because if THAT is the case, there are several better places I could send you. Might as well be PRODUCTIVE with your anger."

[Reynard]

Still holding the Queen aloft, he pressed her against the wall with his hand, his other hand coming back to prepare to deliver the last blow. But it wouldn't come if she cooperated.

"Good, yer learnin'. I have Yozi to screw with, an' you've put yerself in the way.

[Dragnar]

The queen shakes her head, not the slightest hint of fear in her eyes.
"I told you, time is not an issue. In Creation? Less than a day has passed since I brought you here. Now if you're ready to listen, allow me to explain myself to you all, once your last companion has arrived that is, and I shall send you back."

[Reynard]

"Nah, nah. I'm thinking ya send me back right now. I don't give a dead dog about this place, and don't care ta hear it explained." Ranoi growled, his voice promising various painful things.

[Fortuna]

"I should ask for a moment of your time first."

Starborne, somehow managing to stride through the rubble, pitches his voice to carry as he sweeps across the intervening space.

"Two moments, to begin with. Two apologies, followed by any more that may be warranted. I think you understand me."

Charisma + Presence: [roll0]

[Dragnar]

The queen looks over at Starborne, striding through the rubble toward them.
"Ah good, the last of you have arrived. Now, I cannot let any of you out of here until I release ALL of you. So if you want to leave without hearing me out? Take it up with them."

[Reynard]

Still glaring at the Queen held in his fist, Ranoi shouted out so that the others would hear him. "Ya hear that, people? We're leaving."

[Fortuna]

"An interesting position to take. I, for one, am more interested in answers than in mindless cruelty and violence."

[DrakeRaids]

"Patience Ranoi." Miri remained motionless among the chaos, Wotan perched lightly on her shoulder. "You think I don't desire to return as well? But after all this time a few more minutes here will not make the difference, and enlightening answers? They could. Ranoi had his uses but diplomacy was hardly one of them. She just hoped she could find out what was going on before he decided to start murdering things again.

[Reynard]

"Enlightenin' answers 'bout a place we were forced into. Fer a reason that has nothin' ta do with our goals 'gainst the Yozi. Yea, I can see it coming' in VERY handy."

[Fortuna]

"Are you so utterly blind as that? Can you see no possible value in hearing out a being apparently capable of feats that were considered nigh-impossible at the height of the First Age?"

[Reynard]

"Oh, I'm sure if yer ever need ta hide, or need some little bit of tail, this bitch would be glad ta let yer into her world of fake people. I've seen nothin' here that could be of any real use ta us in our fight. Nothin'. 'Ave you, hmm?"

[DrakeRaids]

"Ranoi there is more to this world then fighting. Knowledge is power, and knowing just what these people are trying to do here may be important to our long term goals. If we may be planning around them, trying to use them as allies, or even fight against them, that knowledge will be of importance. And don't try and pass them off as bit players. Do you not sense the greater essence around us? More then the Queen? Open your eyes Ranoi, its massive. We are not dealing with playthings here."

[Fortuna]

"Precisely."

[Reynard]

"Then they're wastin' it, ain't they? Maybe they've got a bit of oompf behind 'em, but look how they use it. Fake people inna fake world, and fake queens livin' out power fancies. Nothin' that matters. Nothin' that helps us FIGHT!"

His grip tightened and he put more weight against the wall, a spider's web of cracks spreading out from the pressure he was putting on the bitch-Queen's neck.

"Maybe, 'stead of screwin' us aroun' and kidnappin' us an' all the other stuff, they shoulda came and told us what they wanted, what the 'ell the purpose of this place was. And maybe they shoulda given the option of "Nah, eff off, We've got a bloody war ta fight." They didn't, so they're gonna regret it.

[DrakeRaids]

"We don't know the reason behind this fake world though. There is more to fighting then your fists Ranoi, I thought I had shown you that by now. Lets hear what they are planning at least, and then decide what to do. Knowledge is a power all its own, and we need to think in the long term if we truly want to harm the Yozi. Sure, we could go on a slaughtering spree and do a short amount of damage in the short term before we are taken down, or we could be patient. Move carefully, and utterly destroy them when and where it matters. But in order to do that we need to be able to factor in more then merely ourselves, the yozi, and who can hit harder, and playing this gambit because magnitudes more difficult when we don't even know all the players."

[Lix Lorn]

"I think you're being silly too, 'Noi." says Kimika cheerfully, doing a handstand. "I mean, it's not like we have limited time. We are EXALTED, we don't do the dying thing for aaaaaaages. 'sides, they sell reeeeaaaly nice candy."

[Reynard]

"Ya not gettin' it. Maybe what they're doin' here isfer the greater good. Or maybe they're just out fer themselves. I don' care. Point is, they shoulda asked before whiskin' us away ta some model world. I don't give a damn how long it's been since we left, or what we got taken fer, just that they've gone 'bout gettin our help in completely tha wrong way."

Turning back to the bitch-Queen, Ranoi leaned in towards her, bringing his face mencingly close to hers. Through the gaps in his helm, she could catch glimpses of his tainted and burned flesh.

"Now, ya got that much?" He rasped. "If ya send us all back right now, yer can explain ta yer hearts content to those that give a damn. Me? I'm not one of 'em."

[Dragnar]

The queen sighs again, then snaps her fingers together and watches as a white rectangular doorway appears next to her and Ranoi.
"There, you all have a bit under a minute to pass through, or else you might be stuck here a while. I'll be directly behind you, and it would NOT be in your, or Creation's, best interests to break anything on the other side."


Meanwhile:
Mark and Anylva have tracked one of the criminals they were after to a strange gateway in the middle of the wilderness west of the hundred kingdoms. Almost a hundred feet high, the solid metal gate is set into a valley, hidden away until you were nearly upon it. Within is visible only a solid plane of whiteness.

[Reynard]

"Nah, you'll right where ya are now, in my grip." Said Ranoi, carrying the Queen through the portal with ease.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Meanwhile:
Mark and Anylva have tracked one of the criminals they were after to a strange gateway in the middle of the wilderness west of the hundred kingdoms. Almost a hundred feet high, the solid metal gate is set into a valley, hidden away until you were nearly upon it. Within is visible only a solid plane of whiteness.

Mark looks at the gate unhappily. He might be a Solar, whatever that meant, but he still wasn't comfortable with obvious displays of magic. He had acclimated himself to the weapons he bore, but this gate spoke of something more.

"Lemme guess, the trail goes through there?"

The Solar smiled at his Mate, waiting for her response.

[Fortuna]

Frowning slightly, but seeing no way to rectify the situation, Starborne follows.

[Lix Lorn]

Kimika looks immediately at her mate.

[DrakeRaids]

"Lets go." Miri sighed, Ranoi could be as insufferable as he was useful. The things she put up for, all for the sake of revenge. Stepping through the door she gestured towards her mate, "Come Kimika, we don't want to be late."

[Lix Lorn]

She cheerfully follows!

[Dragnar]

Emerging from the portal, the group finds themselves in the middle of a large chamber, filled with screens displaying various parts of the world they just came from. Mechanical creatures of all shapes and sizes mill about the room, manipulating various control systems.

As they enter the room a loud stomping is heard behind them, a giant golden machine looking like a more stylized version of the queen appearing through the portal after them, it closing instantly behind the machine. The body in Ranoi's grasp has gone completely limp, no sign of life remaining.

[Reynard]

Dropping the useless dummy body to the ground like an old sock, Ranoi turned to keep this new form of bitchiness in his sight.

"This seems ta not be Creation, Queeny. Last chance."

[Dragnar]

The queen's robotic body shakes it's head, walking past Ranoi toward a lift situated against one wall. she answers Ranoi as she walks,
"Patience is a virtue solar. This is as close as I can bring you directly, the exit to creation is in the middle of this city. Now if you'll all follow me, I can explain all this to the rest of you, as this self-righteous chosen heads back to fight his little one-man war."

[Reynard]

"Directions, an' I'll be outta your hair fer good."

[Dragnar]

Reaching the lift, Scholar motions the other exalts over, as the machinery around it whirs to life.
"You're already out of my hair, one way or the other. As I said, it's in the center of the city, you cannot possibly miss it. But to get up to the ground level, you'll need to wait on this lift. I'm sure that your plans will be set back massively in the minute or so it takes to reach the surface."

[Fortuna]

Starborne shakes his head. "In the meantime, do you think you could perhaps explain yourself? I am as patient as the next man, but even my patience is beginning to wear a little thin."

[Dragnar]

"Yes yes, everyone just get on the lift and I'll explain on the way."

[Fortuna]

Starborne gets on the lift.

[Lucus Casius]

Mark looks at the gate unhappily. He might be a Solar, whatever that meant, but he still wasn't comfortable with obvious displays of magic. He had acclimated himself to the weapons he bore, but this gate spoke of something more.

"Lemme guess, the trail goes through there?"

The Solar smiled at his Mate, waiting for her response.

Anylva sniffed at the air, and shook her head. "Hard to say. There isn't much of a trail here... probably because of whatever this thing is."

The Lunar looked up, peering towards the top of the gateway, far above them. Whatever it was, it made her uneasy- and it was rare indeed that Anylva felt uneasy about anything. She glanced back at her mate, managing to return his smile.

"So, what now?"

[Tackyhillbillu]

Mark

Mark shrugs, bending down and picking up a rock from the ground, hefting it once or twice.

"If he came all this way, he'd go through. So..."

Mark chucked the rock through the plane of Whiteness, curious what would happen.

"We are bound to follow."

[Dragnar]

People who are not Lucus and Tacky:
Taking the lift up to the surface, the group finds themselves in a huge city, towering buildings on every side, looking nothing like any place in Creation. Any piece of the place would qualify as a precious artifact in Creation. The strangest thing though is not the advanced technology everywhere, but the completely featureless white sky.

[DrakeRaids]

"This is not creation." Miri said with a annoyed sigh, "Though I suppose that will have to wait won't it? Lets hear your explanation first, then work into where in creation, or outside it, you just dropped us. I am beginning to become as irate as Ranoi. you don't want that."

[Dragnar]

The city bustles with life around the group, as Scholar turns to face them, arms crossed.
"Well, if you are so impatient to leave, here's the short version: You were brought here to give us an idea of what to expect from the Exalted of Creation. Searching for volunteers would have been pointless, because anyone who knew what we wanted from them would be useless to the study. We still lack enough data to declare the project complete, but your part in in is done. The gate to creation is just north of here if you seek to leave, though you are free to stay here for now if you wish."

[Fortuna]

"And where is 'here'? I confess myself extremely curious."

[DrakeRaids]

"As the solar says. And you never told me who exactly you where working for, I believe that was part of the bargain."

[Reynard]

As the stupid automaton opened it's mouth to talk, Ranoi took off, noisily, leaving a cloud of golden sparks that floated in their air for some time. He glided through the city, looking for the way out of this damnable place. He did not care where he was, only that is wasn't where he should be.

Besides, if he stayed around that damn robot any longer, things would die.

[Dragnar]

Patience:
"The answers to your questions are the same. While describing the entire organization to you would take an inordinate period of time, my immediate superior at the moment is right here. This city, floating in elsewhere at the moment, is the one in charge of the project you were brought here for."

Impatience:
Ranoi almost immediately spotted the giant gate leading out of the city, from this side appearing as a huge doorway with Creation clearly visible on the other side.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri looked along the city as she slowly realized just how powerful this place is. She nodded to herself as she began considering the ramifications of this thing entering Creation at all. The tools it would have at its disposal, the tools she could have at her disposal perhaps? This thing, and if it had more Exalts like that woman could pose a serious threat to the Yozi's schemes, while simultaneously increasing her own power base as well. Further more, this much technology and power entering Creation at once would shatter the current power structures. This place could be another lookshy.

No.

It could be greater then Lookshy.

"How may I speak with this city?" She asked carefully, "And does it have a name?"

[Reynard]

Ranoi simply headed towards it at full speed, ignoring the wondrous wonders that surrounded him. He couldn't use them for anything but clubs, after all. They were worthless in his eyes.

[Dragnar]

Elsewhere:
Raising an eyebrow for a moment, Scholar grinned at Miri and pointed out a short cylindrical building about 50 feet away.
"Curious now are you? Well, speaking to her is easy enough. That building over there is one of the many terminals spread throughout the metropolis she can speak to the citizens from. Careful though. Unerring Servitor's her name, and she's... Very rational."

Back in Creation:
Ranoi ends up in the middle of a large valley, surrounded by forests on all sides. He also narrowly avoids crashing into the pair of exalted standing outside the gate, the portal into creation ejecting him mere feet over their heads.

From Mark and Anylva's perspective, the plane of white seems to ripple for a moment, before spitting out a golden and very spiky man with wings.

[DrakeRaids]

"I like her already." Miri murmured under her breath, as Wotan began flapping to the air, giving Miri a better look of the strange city as she slowly and carefully approached the Terminal. If the city was desperate enough for help understanding Creation getting it to listen to her should be fairly easily, and mayhaps she could discover just what their goals upon Creation where as well.

"Unerring Servitor?" Miri asked approaching the terminal warily.

[Dragnar]

The terminal flickered to life, an angular female face lacking in all non-essential details appearing before Miri. It spoke in an almost robotic voice, completely monotone and emotionless.

"That is I, yes. I see Scholar's task is complete. Has she explained the situation to you three properly yet?"

[DrakeRaids]

"Some." Miri said, she did not see the face with Wotan about examining the city, rather she simply focused on the strange clipped voice. "And I would like to make you an offer. You need help understanding creation, and you can only gain so much from research. In return for your aid and patronage my mate and I will happily help you. I already have an extensive spy network in creation which you may find useful, on top of extensive knowledge gained from traveling Creation myself."

[Dragnar]

"Perhaps. I require more details. Your demands, your offer. I cannot agree to a trade without knowing what exactly you desire, and what you shall give in return."

[DrakeRaids]

"I will advise you throughout all your dealings with Creation, offer you insight into the political and essence based mechanics of the world. My skills as a diplomat, warrior, spymistress, and scholar will be at your disposal."

"In return I would like you to aid in safeguarding my life, I have enemies as well, and I am always looking for ways to confound there efforts. I am rather found of existing after all. I would also require unrestricted, access to your lore bases, limited access to your technology, permission to mingle with your people as I will, and limited support of your forces in endeavors of my own in Creation."

"We well test this arrangement for... perhaps three years. Should we find it satisfactory we will discuss an extension, if not then we go our separate ways."

[Lix Lorn]

"An' I'll help too!" says Kimika brightly, suddenly cuddling Miri. "I'll do anything I can if Miri-kun wants me to~"

[Tackyhillbillu]

Mark

Mark jumped back as Ranoi appeared through the gate, his hand flying to his weapon, before withdrawing his hand from the weapon. It wasn't one of the men he was chasing.

"Greetings! Would you mind telling us what lies through this gate?"

[Reynard]

Ranoi pulled up to a halt, and looked down on their pair of intrepid adventurers. Well, adventurer. The female of the two gave the impression she was here for something else, and bored at the lack of it.

"Idiots, goddamn cowards, an' more baggage than ya can shake a stick at. Don' waste ya time, they ain't giving anything away, an will jus' talk yer ear of fer enterin'. But, at least ya get a chance ta walk away."

"Naw, I see by yer arsenal, that ya are like me, so I give yer info that fer free, but I got stuff to be doing, ya want to come help? It's fate-a-tha-world type stuff."

[Tackyhillbillu]

Mark

Mark listened to Ranoi, and then shrugged. They had their own task. They would follow their quarry till they found his fate. Dead or alive, he'd drag the man back to Whitewall.

"We are bound within. We all have our tasks."

Mark didn't think it would save the world, but it might make it a better place.

"Thanks for the info. Good luck with whatever you are up to. Come on Annie."

Mark headed toward the gate.

[Dragnar]

"An interesting deal. But your demands are unacceptable at the present time. Most of what you ask we can provide. But our History and accumulated lore cannot be released to an outsider just yet. In time you might prove yourself worthy of that trust, but not yet."

[DrakeRaids]

"Do you have a counter offer then, or shall we be going?" Miri asked as Wotan hovered back to her shoulder. "While I was interested in the lore it can wait should the deal be suitably altered."

[Reynard]

"Well, don' say I didn't warn ya." Said Ranoi, rather sharply, before he shot off into the sky. Now...

Where was he in Creation? Near one of the little hidden paths he knew about? Ranoi gave the landscape a good, hard look, to see if he could see anything that might tell him where he was now. Jungles meant south

Per+Aware: What does the terrain look like?[roll0]

[Lucus Casius]

Anylva shrugged. She'd heard a lot of people talking about "fate-a-tha-world type stuff" back in Whitewall, most of them crazy, and it was rare indeed for whatever they wanted to be more urgent or important than doing her actual job.

"Sorry, sir," she said respectfully enough, turning to follow after Mark before he flew off. By the man's words, it wasn't likely to be truly dangerous within. Either way, she just hoped they could find their target quickly and drop him off in a nice little cell.

[Dragnar]

Miri:
"In exchange for the aid of the two of you, we can grant you access at a variety of our technology, though no more than a few artifacts at any given time. Additionally, we shall allow you full access to my facilities and populace, as long as you do not harm anything here. You might be able to receive the aid of one of the Champions like Scholar here at times as well, though they are often busy with their own tasks."

Ranoi:
Ranoi sees for many miles in every direction from his place in the sky, clearly able to place himself somewhere a bit west of the hundred kingdoms, the blessed isle just barely visible far to the southwest.

Mark and Anylva:
Stepping through the portal, the pair find themselves in the middle of a bustling city, filled with advanced technology and stereotypical curved white buildings everywhere. A bit of that technology is currently pointed directly at them, a pair of guards with strange looking guns pointing their weapons at them.
"State your purpose here, people of Creation. How did you find this gate, and why have you come through it?"

[Reynard]

Smirking, Ranoi headed to a place he knew had what he needed. His old home of Nexus.

And the Yozi Cult he used to be part of. It would do so much good to be back.

[DrakeRaids]

"This is acceptable. You must understand however that I have other tasks to see to in creation as well. When I do I will leave you with a way to contact me at any time." She explained. This was a deal breaker. She had to many wheels turning in creation to only ever be here and helping them. There would be times where she would have to leave suddenly and work outside of their preview. However.... "Assuming you understand this, both Kimika and I will be at your humble service." Miri said with a short curtsy.

[Dragnar]

Miri:
"Of course. We cannot expect you to be present at all times. Not without much greater compensation than we are willing to present at this time. So, do we have a deal?"

Ranoi:
Ranoi flies to Nexus, arriving without problems after about two days of flight. The city's busy as ever, people rushing about to sell their various wares. Nothing of any obvious interest to him is visible from the sky though.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Mark

Mark looked at the men, and smiled faintly.

"Boys, lower those rifles. I'm Mark, and this is Annie. We are member of the Whitewall City Watch."

Mark could have his Rifle in his hands faster then the men could pull their triggers, so he was reasonably confident in being unamed.

"We are in pursuit of a criminal. His trail passes into your city, and we just want to take him back to Whitewall, to stand trial."

[Fortuna]

Starborne simply wanders through Unerring Servitor's streets, admiring the architecture and craftsmanship inherent in the streets. As he wanders, he keeps an eye out for another of the terminals: although the other Exalt made his skin crawl, he could not deny that this was a source of interest to him.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri nodded, "Yes, yes we do." Her mind was whirring with possibilities. Though the first thing she needed to do was get acquainted with the people and those in power, understand what she was dealing with here. After that she needed to see what they had discovered about Creation so far, and correct any mistakes. "Well then, could I have a tour then?" She asked carefully, "I'm interested to learn more about this place." She added, running her fingers through the cuddling Kimika's hair idly, without even realizing it.

[Reynard]

Ranoi smiled as he glided down to the scummy old streets that used to be his home, scattering the scummy mortals that used to be his neighbors before him like rats from a lion. He stalked purposefully through the streets to the place that had brought him into this world of elsewhere-borne cities, magical fools, robotic bitch queens, and worst of all, the Ebon Dragon.

He hoped so dearly that the man that had recruited him was at home, he'd so love to see his face again, one last time...

[Dragnar]

Mark:
One of the guards seems to relax and pulls a handheld device from his pocket and taps at it for a moment, while the other continues pointing his gun at the pair of exalts.
"Criminal you say? Eh, lemme see... Ooh, you said you wanted to bring this guy in for a trial elsewhere? Yeah, that might be a bit of a problem. Only other visitor we've had over the past few days is currently locked up. Panicked when he arrived, tried to shoot a guard and run."

The other guard squinted for a moment, a slight gleam coming from his eye as he looked Mark and Anlyva over.
"Hold up a sec, these guys ain't mortal. Scholar's gonna want to see them before they go..."

Starborne:
Wandering the strange city, hardly a sharp corner to be seen anywhere, Starborne is able to quickly locate another of the terminals. The screen silently blinks to life as he approaches, Unerring Servitor's face staring back at him impassively.

Miri:
"A complete tour would take an impractical amount of time. But will have one of my citizens show you the more important features. One moment."
The screen blinks off almost the instant she is done speaking.
((Assuming you wait a minute or so, a mortal will show up and ask what you would like to see first. No reason to waste time on that introduction.))

Ranoi:
The busy streets empty as Ranoi walks past, people retreating from his menacing golden armor and wings. Apart from the general reaction of terror from the people of the city though, he locates his old cult's base of operations without problems. The place is almost empty as he arrives, only a few terrified cultists present.

[Fortuna]

"My greetings. I am called He Who Is Borne Of Stars. May I be of assistance to you?"

[Reynard]

Ranoi laughed as he saw them running from him. He knew that guy, one of the bullies of the cult. "Ah, Jerom, don't you recognize me? It's Ranoi! Ya know, tha weed?"

He advanced with a predatory prowl, the spikes and wings he wore retracting to try and seem less threatening.

[DrakeRaids]

Miri would ask what there was to see her first, being unfamiliar with a city of this scope she had no idea where to even begin.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Mark

Mark looked at the two guards, and nodded.

"This scholar some kind of bigwig? We need you guys to give up the criminal to us. You can be sure he won't be causing you any more trouble."

Mark smiled grimly at that.

"However, until you lower those weapons and start treating us more like guests, I'm not going anywhere with you."