Return of the Scarlet Empress II - Nothing on My Back... [Archive]

industrious

2013-02-25, 03:53 AM

???

"A revolution is upon us, Nexus in flames...and a girl bearing jade trinkets is crying. The thought that the mighty are still human may be amusing."

The woman bears herself regally, physically close to Isa and yet distant at the same time.

"A friend or a lover?"

Black Ice Shadow

"A full explanation would take some time. Suffice it to say that while I am indeed Ghost-Blooded, I am no deathknight; rather the opposite. I try, as best as I can, to keep Creation safe from those who would do her harm."

The newcomer has a soft, quiet sort of voice, the sort that causes one to strain to catch each word.

"Your sister and I both went to Thorns in search of information. Unfortunately, we are being pursued, and she sustained injury along the way. There is a ship at the docks that will take us to where healing can be found."

The burns over the Wood aspect aren't like anything Zhou's seen before. In fact, calling them burns might well be mistaken; there is as much frost as fire in the wounds.

With 1 sux...they're not burns. That's about it.

Ifni

2013-02-25, 04:23 AM

Orchid's Apartment

Eris listens carefully, parsing the resonance of each soft word. Then she breathes in, and steps back, boots crunching on glass, lowering her daiklave - albeit not sheathing it, not yet. "All right. You're with the Sidereals? If so, we have directions to their ship."

She glances around the shattered room. "Did you do this? And if so, what were you after? I have some paper prayers for healing, if you wanted to try, but I'm neither a physician nor a priest."

The little Solar swallows as she looks down at her sister, and then quickly away. Dragons, those burns. But Zhou is good at first aid, and the Ghost-Blood has a plan, by the sound of it.

"And don't call me... people know me as Orchid here, or Eris."

industrious

2013-02-25, 04:30 AM

Black Ice Shadow

He starts at the name "Sidereal."

"How did you learn that...it is unimportant. But yes. I am Black Ice Shadow. Chosen of Saturn. As for your name...I do not understand that custom. But Eris or Orchid it shall be."

There is a slight bow.

"As for the room...your sister was most insistent that we retrieve you, either to request aid or to ensure that there would be no reprisals against your person. As you were missing, I attempted to find a record of where you would be this night, with...mixed results."

"Her wounds, unfortunately, were caused by an agent of Oblivion; she was unable to heal herself with her craft. Nor am I able to heal such wounds with my own. These are injuries beyond the reach of most gods."

Ifni

2013-02-25, 04:57 AM

One corner of the little Eclipse's mouth lifts in a faintly bitter smile. "You're a Sidereal and you don't understand why I don't use my Dynast family name?" She shakes her head, just slightly.

(Although Shadow doesn't seem especially surprised by her caste mark, and if Firi told him that much... well, that suggests a fairly high degree of trust. It would be good to know that her sister doesn't have to fear reprisals from the Sidereals, at least, for her association with a Solar.)

"And ah, I see. Tonight has been... unpredictable. Do you know about the revolution? Anyway, if you're done here, then yes, let's get moving." Eris glances around. "There's nothing for me to retrieve here, I always had to be ready to run on a moment's notice. Or... well, almost nothing." A hint of some complex emotion flickers in her green eyes, and she lays down her daiklave and steps out onto the balcony, returning a moment later with a lush red flower and a few seed-pods in her hand. Her brief glance at the Sidereal dares him to comment, as she tucks them into the pockets of her coat.

"Anyway. I can't heal such wounds either, and the Wood-Aspected Immaculate master in Nexus was unmasked as akuma earlier tonight, so getting to this ship sounds like a good idea. There's a god I know who might help, but he's not in Nexus. We ran into Typhon earlier - I hope we haven't led him to you, but I couldn't see a way around it, I don't have means to spot Day Castes who are trying to go unseen."

She considers for a moment, and then goes over to kneel beside the Wood Aspect. A hand reaches out almost reflexively to brush her sister's dark green hair away from her face. "Can she be moved safely?" The question's addressed to Zhou, but she glances up at the Sidereal as well. "I can carry her. If Typhon finds us... Zhou, I know you said you were low on Essence, but you're still better in combat than I am."

The_Snark

2013-02-25, 04:57 AM

"Yes."

Cold stone walls at her back prevent Isa from leaning away. The stranger's closeness is off-putting; not threatening, exactly, but distinctly uncomfortable. Too tall. Too close. She feels vaguely like a cornered animal, or... well, a child caught crying. Foolish. She should have hidden herself better. But... she finds anger inside her too, warring with embarrassment. Who is this woman, to intrude on her so?

"Are you here just to laugh at me?" she asks stiffly. "What do you want?"

Maugan Ra

2013-02-25, 05:08 AM

"As best I can tell, yes." Zhou says, finishing his examination and frowning. "I've... never seen wounds like those before. Granted, my medical training extends only a bit further than the field corpsman level, but even so..."

He shakes it off, and carefully picks Firava up in his arms, the coiling flames that surround his body barely even touching the Wood Aspect. He glances at this... Black Ice Shadow. "Another Sidereal? Dragons, that's what, four of them in one night? Bah. Come on, let's go."

Zhou has the best Athletics, so he'll do the carrying and potential running away at speed.

Ifni

2013-02-25, 05:58 AM

"All right." Eris rises to her feet and picks up her daiklave, again resting it on her shoulder. "We're aiming for the Nexus Pool, fifth pier west of the Brood Market canal, should be pretty close to due north of here. Does that line up with your directions, Black Ice Shadow? If we're forced to split up... Zhou, keep the Guild Tower on your left and you should at least get to the Pool."

One last glance around the room. It's been a good home. She's grown a great deal here, slowly learning how people live without the threat of death hanging over them every day - the good, the bad, the amusing, the bewildering, the heartbreaking. Sunrise over the Parko Llana, and red flowers in the springtime...

Now a chaos of broken and shattered pieces, with the smell of ash hanging in the air. Seems appropriate.

Eris carefully, almost reverently picks up her sister's jade powerbow, and slides it into her coat pocket. Then she walks back out to the stairwell, and leads the way down to the street.

She will also lock the door behind her once everyone else is out, if she still has a door after Shadow got through with it :smallwink:

Aevylmar

2013-02-25, 11:19 AM

"It isn't that I don't want her dead," he says. "It's that I am considerably less proficient at slaughter than you are, and she has access to more elaborate backup than we currently do."

Skandi continues to walk towards the docks. "Chimes. They have an out-of-essence Celestial Akuma and a how-many-motes-do-you-need-to-regenerate-your-spine Terrestrial Akuma. We have an out-of-essence Celestial Exalt and a not-out-of-essence Celestial Exalt. I think it's a fair fight, I just don't think I can convince you of that, since you're keeping the secret techniques you learned during your ten times my Exalted life in reserve."

"And while I probably should not need to remind you, the Sidereals are not to be trusted. Their treachery is as certain as the Argent Protector isn't."

Skandi nods. "It looks as though they have internal divisions that might be exploitable - and by that I mean I think one I ran into was either a better manipulator than you are, or wanted to stick a knife in boss - but that doesn't mean I trust him. If I was a Sidereal, I wouldn't trust any Lunar, even one that had helped me in the past, for fear of vengeance, even if he looked at his boss the same way you and that ultrabarbarian faction look at each other. I'm a Lunar, and I don't trust any Sidereal that tried to wipe us out. They did it once, they can do it again, and that means I shouldn't let any Sidereal into my pack and should, instead, distrust them as a force of evil traitors. Which I do."

He sighs. "Was that the speech you were planning to give? Because I know it already. Anyway, do you have any plots I should know about that are likely to lead to an angry Lunar-hunting mob showing up? Because I need to go rescue some people. Also burn Thorns to the ground with holy ire. I mean fire. I mean both."

industrious

2013-02-25, 12:11 PM

Chimes

"I've always thought it wise to keep something in reserve," Chimes agrees. "If you're in a fair fight, or if there is an unknown chance of losing, then something's gone horribly wrong. Alternatively, there is a great potential benefit to doing so, but in this instance, the life of two akuma is not worth the risk of my own."

"As for keeping the Pact informed...I acquired some leverage on one of those Sidereals. I predict that for the next few months, at least, Nexus will be free from Sidereal interference."

He nods sagely at Skandi's final words.

"Do tell me when you plan to march on Thorns, Skandi. While I won't risk joining you personally, I do have a number of favors that I would call in to rid the world of that blight."

Black Ice Shadow

"Four? Who would the other two consist of? I contacted Emerald Stormwrack, but I do not know any others currently in the area. "

He draws his daiklaves, then, absently spinning their hilts, in preparation for any unexpected guests.

"I do not know of this revolution, I fear. We entered Nexus through the Underworld.

The door closes on Eris's apartment, and with it, a chapter of her life.

???

"Many things," she says, a faint smile upon her full lips. "Some are more likely to occur than others."

"And I would hope that one like yourself would know better than to sob like a child. Acknowledge what has happened, and then seek to balance the scales in your favor."

The woman stares at Isa for a long moment.

"Tell me what the good Symphony of Chimes is forcing you to do."

It isn't a question.

Ifni

2013-02-25, 12:32 PM

Cinnabar District

"The other two are called Isa, and Child of Steel and Ruby - Chosen of Saturn and Mars respectively, I believe. Stormwrack's working with them, Isa gave us directions to the ship."

"As for the revolution - Exalted infernalists trying to take over Nexus using bribed and mind-controlled mercenaries." Well, that's getting more succinct with practice. "Zhou and the local Cleansing killed their leader, and another of their Exalts died in the fighting, but there are still at least two akuma out there - the Wood Aspect I mentioned and a Lunar. We fought the Lunar, but she ran away." Eris grimaces slightly. "The Full Moon we were working with went after her, none of the rest of us had a hope of keeping up."

"The mercenaries are likely still out there too - we took down a few hundred at one of the Councilor's estates, but several companies were subverted - but if we see them I think our best bet is just to run, unless they're blocking our path to the docks. Armored mortals tend to be slow."

Stepping into the street, she adjusts her grip on her daiklave, staying close to Zhou and his precious burden. "Right. This way. I'll try to keep us out of the main streets, but I think speed is important."

If it's at all possible out of combat, defending other on Firada. If it's not, no worries.

Aevylmar

2013-02-25, 01:43 PM

"I've always thought it wise to keep something in reserve," Chimes agrees. "If you're in a fair fight, or if there is an unknown chance of losing, then something's gone horribly wrong. Alternatively, there is a great potential benefit to doing so, but in this instance, the life of two akuma is not worth the risk of my own."

"And that's where we disagree. The reclamation of one Exaltation for the Silver Pact is worth the death of two."

"As for keeping the Pact informed...I acquired some leverage on one of those Sidereals. I predict that for the next few months, at least, Nexus will be free from Sidereal interference."

He nods sagely at Skandi's final words.

Do tell me when you plan to march on Thorns, Skandi. While I won't risk joining you personally, I do have a number of favors that I would call in to rid the world of that blight."

He grins. "I've got a Solar who'd really like to get the job done. We probably won't be doing it today, but I can hope we'll manage it within the year."

... "Wait. What did you do? How are you blackmailing a Sidereal? How are you blackmailing ALL the Sidereals? What did you just do?"

"If he's blackmailing one of the Terrestrial faction, the Solar faction will expose it to get rid of him. If he's blackmailing one of the Solar faction, the Terrestrial faction will expose it to get rid of him. And they'll probably kill Chimes while they're at it...

industrious

2013-02-25, 03:48 PM

Chimes

"My sources tell me that one of the Sidereals here, the girl, is connected to their leadership. I lean on her, and she leans on their elders. As for how I did it..."

Chimes's lips twitch.

"As for how, I'm very good at what I do, Skandi. I don't presume to tell you how to wield a daiklave."

Aevylmar

2013-02-25, 05:08 PM

Skandi sighs, slipping into his serious-negotiator mode.

"He doesn't know. He wasn't there."

"Chimes, what you are doing is possibly a useful tool to kill a Sidereal, but I don't think it's a very useful method to stop Sidereal interference. The girl is the mistress and apprentice of the eldermost Sidereal, yes, but I think you overestimate her influence."

He looks around. There's clearly nobody obviously around, or he wouldn't have said this much, but... "I don't think I'll be able to push Nalis over the line from injury to death tonight, but I have been privy to some very interesting conversations between junior Sidereals recently. If I gave you a full, private report on the four Sidereals I have met in the city, including relations and apparent political situation, would you consider that to make up for the favor you won from me earlier? Several of them are even worse at keeping secrets than I am."

And by that, I mean that Stormwrack is even worse at keeping secrets than Skandi is.

industrious

2013-02-25, 05:21 PM

Chimes

"I think my leverage is more than adequate."

Chimes's tone is subtly different there, brooking no further argument. His business was his own. And he would defend it.

"I think, Skandi, that you undervalue yourself. I would be happy to pay for that report, in jade, gossamer, or even moonsilver, but a favor from yourself...that is quite valuable."

Chimes is offering enough to increase Skandi's resources by 2 dots, or a moonsilver artifact.

Aevylmar

2013-02-25, 06:08 PM

Skandi shakes his head. He wants a moonsilver shield, but not that much. "I know how valuable a favor from myself is. I largely failed to accomplish the favor you required; I am offering another favor of equal value - and I do think that my information on Sidereals, which only I or a Sidereal can provide to you, is more valuable than bothering to finish off Nalis, who you could kill by bribing a mortal monk to slit his throat while he slept."

Selling Chimes information for anything less than having his debt annuled would violate his Compassion; he'd need to overrule the virtue to do it. He doesn't care about wealth, and any artifacts would have the blood of the innocent previous user on them - and yet being out of Chimes's power is worth quite a lot to him, because it means he's free to befriend people Chimes would want to kill.

But *I* want a moonsilver shield for Skandi. :smalltongue:

industrious

2013-02-25, 06:25 PM

Symphony of Chimes

"Nalis is a light sleeper; a mortal monk can't do it"

Chimes is casual about his statement, absently brushing off a flake of ash on his jacket.

"...When your business with the Sidereals is concluded, I will want a full report. I believe that you aren't quite finished with them yet."

Aevylmar

2013-02-25, 06:34 PM

Skandi grins. "Well, that's reasonable. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to flee your presence. Nexus is about to be the center of a storm of heavenly wrath, and if it's going to be targeting me, I'd like there to be several angry deathknights that the Sidereals will need to cut through before they can get to me."

If Chimes doesn't want to continue the conversation, Skandi is going to speed off over to the docks. If he runs into any armed mercenaries who are pillaging the city and who don't seem to have any supernatural resources and who are in Unordered mass combat formation, he's going to engage them offscreen, whack a few of them with Moonwrath, and then run away once they rout, provided that he isn't wasting much time or starting an actual scene scene that would slow down the plot.

The_Snark

2013-02-25, 06:51 PM

Hearing her own thoughts echoed back at her is humiliating. She should be stronger than this; shouldn't have let herself be reduced to this state, shouldn't have let herself be seen. And yet - what the woman said just a moment ago -

"I'm not ashamed of being human. People cry sometimes."

Isa stands, folding her arms. It makes her feel even more cornered, her back literally up against the wall, but anything is better than huddling at the stranger's feet to be looked down on. After all that's happened tonight, she's not even surprised to find that the woman knows more than she should. Why not? Only one more unpleasant surprise in a night full of them.

"He wants me - and all those like me - out of Nexus. Indefinitely." She tilts her head back to meet the woman's eyes. "Not a price I can meet."

industrious

2013-02-25, 07:44 PM

???

"I will spare you and not pretend that I do not know what 'your kind' is."

Her eyes are arrogant, self-satisfied, predatory...and utterly fascinating.

"I would be willing to intercede with Symphony, and free your lover, in exchange for two considerations. The first is that Burning Waters is to remain dead to all until he announces his presence."

"The second is a destiny that I wish to have laid upon the Roseblack for the next year."

Chimes

"A pleasure doing business with you, Skandi."

He turns away from the other Lunar, and whistles a nameless tune as he walks away.

The_Snark

2013-02-25, 08:16 PM

Isa considers. Nothing in that is necessarily a betrayal; certainly it is more appealing than Symphony of Chimes' impossible price and vague assurances of freedom. For the first, well, there's nobody she planned on telling anyway. For the second...

"And what destiny is that?"

industrious

2013-02-25, 08:34 PM

???

"I wish for her to be less accepting of those with authority over her. She was not permitted to attend the funeral of Cathak Cainan. I would have her less blind when following orders."

industrious

2013-02-25, 08:59 PM

Black Ice Shadow

"...Ah."

He seems surprised by the names.

"...I did not expect those two to be here. Especially with Stormwrack."

The streets of Nexus aren't empty, but while sounds of riots and looting blare in the distance, Eris's anima keeps any would-be looters from approaching.

Tavar

2013-02-25, 09:36 PM

Child

There are many things to discover in the chambers, things that not even the bureau truly knows. Many would be almost manic, trying to discover everything possible in their short time there, but Child resist that urge. He could do it, but haste in an investigation is worthless at best, and often times is detrimental. Better to take things slow, intentionally missing some things, and thus fully explore the areas one can. The Bureau has learned many times that one verified fact is better than 100 half uncovered hunches.

Perception + Investigation: [roll0] +3
Temperance Dice(if channel worked):
[roll1]

Stunt Dice:
[roll2]

industrious

2013-02-25, 09:39 PM

Child and Lauren

Working meticulously, Child finds a sliding panel in the Emissary's chambers, and the hidden catch to open it.

Inside a small secret compartment, neatly folded, lie a long white robe, and a plain, featureless silver mask.

Two die stunt. Stunt succeeded.

Ifni

2013-02-25, 10:59 PM

It's gratifying, Eris supposes, the way the streets clear before her. Make the mighty what the once-meek dread, but there's no need for Elegance's corruption here: they can see what she is, and it seems like even the scum of Nexus' streets are smart enough not to block a Solar's path. Fear may not be the same as respect, but it'll serve well enough for now. It means that any stranger approaching them is very likely an enemy, and a dangerous one; no need for restraint.

She leads the group down a side street, snaking around through a small square with a fountain that bubbles in blithe unconcern for the chaos around it; a little further west than the direct route, but this way is flatter, and with fewer rooftops with good vantage points for snipers.

"Mm. Stormwrack was quite unpleasant, toward Isa. I gather he's less than impressed with her... associations." She's not looking at the Sidereal; her gaze flicks across the street ahead, noting alleyways and flat rooftops, fitting what she sees into her mental map of the area. "But you work with the Cleansing, like Isa, I gather?" For just a moment, her eyes stop their methodical scan of the streets, flickering to Firada, before returning to their pattern. "Does my sister know you're a Sidereal? Or what Sidereals are?"

Pokepokepoke let's throw out some comments/questions of varying levels of vagueness and see what happens.

industrious

2013-02-25, 11:26 PM

Black Ice Shadow

"On this occasion, yes. But I rarely work with the Terrestrial Host; few of the Dragon's Blood are capable of surviving in the Underworld for extended periods of time and I am not favored by those of the Bronze. I serve Fate and oppose Oblivion, little more."

"I went with your sister and four others in the form of a Child of Hessiah; an ambush killed the other four, and in saving her, I revealed that I was not a thing the Immaculate Faith had included in its dogma. But what does...Eris know of the Five-Score Fellowship?"

"Incidentally, Typhon's favored weapon is a reaper daiklave, forged of soulsteel. It is not the archer on the rooftop but the sword in the back that you should watch for."

Lix Lorn

2013-02-25, 11:47 PM

"Did you find anything?" Lauren calls casually, not looking back as she (badly) searches.

Tavar

2013-02-26, 12:00 AM

A mask. Simple in design, at least aesthetically. But he doubted it was that simple. Oh, it could be a simple mask, and the powers of the Emissary unique to that personage, but Child doubted it. There was too much power, and too much mystery. Their are ways of piercing normal masks, but no one had ever pierced His mask.

An artifact...that could do it. Child mentally cursed for a second: he almost, almost wished that Emerald was here, to see deeper into the mask than Child could. Oh well, he might not be able to magic out an answer, but he could push physical observation to it's limits.

Oh, hiding certainly wasn't His only power. But the mask...it kept any other question from being answered. So many questions, even with the resources of Heaven at their disposal. And now he might cross one off the list. He might not be an Oracle, but their thirst for knowledge wasn't uncommon in the fellowship.

He absently answers Lauren's question, running a finger over the top of the mask before turning it over with the same finger.

"Yeah.

I found something."

After a few seconds, he even moves to pick it up.

Let's try this again.

[roll0]+3
Conviction Channel: [roll1]

Stunt Roll:
[roll2]

Motes
Personal:8
Perriferal :0/37, 4 committed, possibly minus one more.

industrious

2013-02-26, 12:19 AM

Child

The mask is made of a material unknown to the Shieldbearer; some sort of composite material. It feels smooth and slightly cold to the touch, and the oils on Child's hand smudge the plain surface before vanishing entirely.

It's surprisingly light for its metallic appearance, too. There doesn't appear to be any sort of strap or way of affixing it to a face that he could tell, so it was probably an artifact of some sort. An Old Realm inscription, written on its interior across the forehead confirms Child's theory.

We all become what we pretend to be

Ifni

2013-02-26, 12:27 AM

The Streets of Nexus

"Thank you for the advice, and I'll try to keep an eye out, but I'm watching for hirelings and informants as well. Honestly, I suspect my chances of spotting Typhon himself are low." Eris' voice is clinical, merely acknowledging a fact. "If you have suggestions for avoidance, though, I'd be happy to take them; I'm just trying to get us to the Lucky Starr by merely the third-most-obvious route. But it's been a long time since I've tried evading a deathknight and you clearly have experience." She does think for a moment, though, and then cuts through a small park, leading the group out into an area of slightly wider streets and taller buildings. Harder for a blade to strike from the shadows, easier for an advantage of numbers to tell.

"As for what Eris knows..." She laughs softly, humorless crystal chimes. "It's been a busy day. I've been told many things, by people who believe them to be true. But I can give you the list, why not?"

She pauses for a moment, forcing the anger back. "Understand, Black Ice Shadow, I'm grateful for what you've done for my sister. She must trust you, to tell you where to find me. And you say you oppose Oblivion and seek to protect Creation and you believe it's true... so fine, you get a fairly substantial benefit-of-the-doubt from all that, and certainly between you and the deathknights, I know whose side I'm on."

"But still - 'serve Fate'? Is that the same as seeing that Creation runs properly? That's how Isa characterized her job, around the same time she was explaining how the Immaculate doctrines are so convenient. For dealing with the occasional little silver and gold problems that crop up, presumably." The diminutive Solar's voice sparkles like ice in the sun, so cold beneath the surface brightness; her smile matches it, as she continues. "I didn't previously know there were a hundred of you. Poetic name."

"I've been told you work for the Bureau of Destiny and the Maidens. That after the Great Uprising, and the exile of the Lunars, your elders created the Immaculate doctrines as a means to control humanity, and to ensure the preservation of a status quo that suited their interests. I've been told you defend Creation from all threats, and count any Celestial Exalts who aren't you in that category, and the Dragon-Blooded as pawns to be used and discarded. Although at least some of you think the Cleansing is inefficient, and weakening the Realm, and oppose it for that reason." Her tone is soft and dispassionate, but every word carries a razor-edged sharpness, honed to cut deep. Yet she doesn't pause, half-running half-walking onward toward the Pool, the words punctuated by the tap of her footsteps; and her gaze is never still, darting from point to point, and back along the street as she glances over her shoulder.

"What I know... well, that's always a harder question, isn't it? Want to tell me what you believe, add another data point to the list?"

That word Bronze has come up before; Child mentioned it, in association with Chejop Kejak. Gold, silver... well, there's an obvious possible correlation. Inner circle, or...? Hmm. Let's see what if anything he'll volunteer. How much does it matter to him, what I think? How devoted is he to his ideals, and how quick to defend them? You can learn a lot about a person or a situation, from the answers to questions like that.

industrious

2013-02-26, 01:25 AM

Black Ice Shadow

"Those are the words of Bronze, yet shod in the rhetoric of Gold as well. Curious."

Black Ice Shadow's eyes seek the shadows, the dark corners of Nexus.

"What you have described of us lies between truth and fact, I fear. And while I am not gifted with words enough to properly explain, I will try."

"We are indeed Chosen by the Five Maidens, and we work for the Bureau of Destiny. We ensure that all things come to pass as they should, and maintain the fates and destinies of Creation. Else, all would be chaos."

There is a pause, a consideration.

"Our relationship to the other Chosen is...complex. There are those who seek to support the Realm, to maintain the power of the Dragon-Blood. And there are also those who would see the Lawgivers return to power. Both argue that their way is the most ideal for maintaining Creation. "

"I cannot give arguments to either side, I fear. Isa and Emerald Stormwrack would be better able to explain, for the two stand on opposite sides of this debate."

Black Ice Shadow suddenly blurs into motion, daiklaves at the ready against a foe that does not appear. A moment passes, and he continues forward.

"I can tell you, that Ayesha Ura, the Chosen who manages the East, views the Lawgivers in high esteem. And that in Yu-Shan, it is a great crime to kill any Celestial Exalt."

Ifni

2013-02-26, 02:26 AM

The Streets of Nexus

Eris blinks, as she turns over those words in her mind. Those truths. He didn't deny her accusations, not one. The suppressed anger still simmers, fueled by the memory of names not written on any grave-marker - of those she left behind in Thorns to die, because of deliberately crafted lies that stole away her chance to help them. She knows the limits of her own self-control and this day and night have tested them to the breaking point: part of her just wants to lash out again and again, do something to quench that rage and acknowledge those memories, be it with her daiklave or words sharper than any blade.

Her gaze again lingers on Firada for a moment (and Zhou, silent, effortlessly keeping pace despite the woman cradled in his arms).

He's doing what she's doing. Ignoring the politics to the best of his ability and just trying to stop the darkness, to fight against what has to be opposed. And he says he saved her life, even when it meant revealing his nature.

The Eclipse nods, after a little while. (And glances at the Sidereal thoughtfully, and prods at a darker patch of shadow with Remembrance, even as she keeps moving forward.) When she speaks again her voice is considerably milder. "We're not in Yu-Shan, I note. Unless... is that where you're taking Firada, for healing?" She notes the qualifier on his statement: Celestial Exalt. Perhaps just an oversight. Perhaps not. She still remembers how Swift felt about the Dragon-Blooded.

"I... thank you for the explanation. I'll add it to the list. Although the Cleansing seems able to operate just fine, here in the East, when it comes to killing Solars and Lunars, so I'm not sure Ayesha Ura's opinion of Lawgivers is particularly relevant -" Her words come quicker, sharper, more bitter, before she cuts herself off.

"... but I should not blame you for that, by the sound of things. Not if you've been in Thorns. I'd ask what you were doing, but... perhaps not until we're sure we're not being observed."

She continues in silence for a moment, turning to cast light down into the shadows of the alleyways as they pass. The information about factional disputes is new, and - "Wait. Stormwrack wants the Lawgivers to return to power? Stormwrack?!"

... all right, the incredulity in her voice was not very well hidden. But he outed her, to a room of Exalts! Not to mention the sheer... well...

Yes, all right, she doesn't actually know what happened in the Great Uprising. Doesn't know to what degree the legends are true and how much is a Sidereal construct. (Although she remembers the certainty of her right, and rage at their presumption, and a bloody spear in her hands...)

But still, her gut reaction is that the judgement on display here is... well, exactly what she'd expect of a man who'd drink an entire bottle of straight baiju, to be honest.

"... do both sides then see that as the conflict? The An- Solars to rule as they did before the Uprising, or the status quo to endure?" Her tone is carefully stripped of emotion, although possibly not carefully enough to conceal her complete lack of enthusiasm for those choices. And how the hell the former faction thinks they have any chance of pulling that off and still having a world to rule at the end of it...

industrious

2013-02-26, 03:02 AM

Black Ice Shadow

"That is indeed the dilemma whose horns the Fellowship stands upon. Shall we continue to support the Realm, and the Dragon-Blood, or throw our support behind the Lawgivers once more?"

"And yes, Emerald Stormwrack is quite vocal about his beliefs. While he has never spoke of them to me, he does speak with some of my circlemates about the Lawgivers. He once attempted to speak with one of my other circlemates about the same topic, and ended up being bashed about the head with a goremaul."

There is a faint smile upon Black Ice Shadow's lips at the memory.

"As for your sister...yes. She is to relay what she has learned to Ayesha Ura herself."

He pauses then, nearly stopping as he ponders his next words.

"I have also been instructed to bring you and several others along, though I was not informed as to the reason why. I presume that you, too, have important information."

More silence. Black Ice Shadow speaks very quickly, trying to salvage the prior statement.

"...I do not wish for you to construe this as any sort of duress. You will be treated as honored guests the entire time, and will be free to experience Yu-Shan. I do believe that officially, no Solar has set foot in Heaven in thousands of years outside the Carnival of Meetings."

Maugan Ra

2013-02-26, 04:17 AM

Zhou nods. "Yeah, Stormwrack called himself a member of the Gold faction. We had a nice little chat earlier tonight... mostly about what exactly that would mean for the world, and the Dragon-Blooded."

He mulls this over for a moment. "Man seems to have a decent head on his shoulders, when it's not doused with alcohol. As far as I can tell, the plan is closer to 'make sure the Solars are the sort of people we want running creation' rather than simply handing it to them. Which I think I can support... maybe. Dragons, but life was much simpler a few days ago."

Still. I'm going to Yu-Shan? Bloody hell...

Ifni

2013-02-26, 05:38 AM

"... we killed a Solar earlier tonight, Zhou. Well, Lauren did the hard part, Skandi and Child and I just took out his troops. I tried to talk him around, first, but all he wanted was the chance to plunder the Councilor's estate."

"Solars aren't... we're not all..." She stops. Starts over. "Some of the gods I've talked to have very strong convictions about this, but I don't think..." Her voice is trembling.

You're babbling. Why now? Why are you bothering to argue on this point, of all things? At least he's not calling you Anathema anymore.

The mental lash is acid, but it stops the whirling of her thoughts. She takes another breath, and looks away, to peer into a dark alley. When the Eclipse turns back she's wearing a small controlled smile, and when she speaks again, her voice is smooth. "It's not my ambition, in any case. You know what I want, Zhou; it's my hope and belief that Shadow's dilemma is a false dichotomy. As for the other Solars... well, I suppose we'll see."

The smile becomes something more edged. "I'm also not sure Stormwrack is the one I'd trust to determine what kind of people should be running Creation. If you think he's more than he appeared earlier... perhaps I've misjudged him. Still." Who could you trust, for that?

The Eclipse arches an eyebrow at Black Ice Shadow. "Treated as honored guests? For how long? What happens when we want to leave?" Her voice is cool and curious, no trace of anger in it. "And you said... it is a great crime to kill any Celestial Exalt, in Yu-Shan. Are the Dragon-Blooded equally protected by those laws?" She tilts her head slightly toward Zhou and Firada.

Maugan Ra

2013-02-26, 06:03 AM

"Huh. Interesting. Didn't even notice any sign of a Solar running around earlier." Zhou says, and then shrugs, adjusting his grip on the unconscious Firada.

"And I never said I'd support every Solar, just because they were Solars. Glowing gold doesn't give you the right to rule. Nor does simply being the most powerful individual in the area. You have to earn that right, through words and deeds and expressed beliefs, regardless of who or what you are."

He smirks. "It's a bit of a naive view, I admit, and I don't imagine that even a fraction of the rulers in the world as it stands believe in it. But a man can dream."

Ifni

2013-02-26, 06:20 AM

"He Exalted on the battlefield, fighting against us. You didn't see the totemic Dawn anima? It hit Risa pretty badly - I think it may have been her husband's Exaltation." Eris sighs. "I imagine it would've been about as hard on Sar and Nalis - two of their Brotherhood lost, to buy a week. It would be a stupid war, this one, even if it wasn't based on lies."

Her eyes crinkle a little as she smiles faintly back at Zhou. "For the rest - well enough. Even if taking that dream seriously would make you more of a revolutionary than I ever was." But fragile and naive and impossible though that dream might be - well, he didn't deny hers.

She glances quickly to Firada to make sure her sister is still breathing, and resumes her watch as they move on through the streets.

The_Snark

2013-02-26, 06:40 AM

Isa hesitates. On the surface it seems a small thing to ask, but... Tepet Ejava is known as one of the more popular candidates for the Scarlet Throne. She hasn't declared her ambitions openly, but nor has she refused to put herself forward as Cathak Cainan did. Putting her at odds with her superiors might lead to civil war.

Might. Maybe civil war is inevitable without her nudging, and maybe Heaven will decide that it must be so, but nonetheless. You don't meddle carelessly when the stakes are this high.

"Why?"

industrious

2013-02-26, 09:49 AM

???

"Because if you do not, she will die, one way or another. Let her have a chance, if only a slim one."

Black Ice Shadow

"When you wish to leave, you will leave. Provided whatever business Ayesha wishes to discuss with you is concluded. Or so I believe. I am not in charge of such matters, nor are they discussed with me."

There is a slight tinge of bitterness in his voice at that last sentence.

"The slaying of a Terrestrial is a lesser offense. But there is little enough reason to do so."

Lix Lorn

2013-02-26, 01:28 PM

"Something important?" Lauren blinks, turning around to look. "...a mask? Doesn't... the Emissary wear a mask?" she says thoughtlessly, carrying the idiot ball just a little for the sake of comedy and drama.

Ifni

2013-02-26, 05:34 PM

The Streets of Nexus

Little enough reason to do so? Well, perhaps. But anyone who knows Ireva's background will realize how much her sister matters to her.

Even now, knowing that Typhon might be out there, it's hard to keep herself from glancing over at the Wood Aspect, looking for the slight reassuring rise and fall of her chest. Ten years of near-solitude can vanish in a moment, set against Firada's presence, and the memories. Thorns had been darkness and despair, but at least she'd never been alone in that unending night.

They wouldn't need to hold a grudge against Firada personally. And the dismissiveness implied by Shadow's words grates at her.

But do you have a better idea? She needs healing, he's not lying about that. It's not as if you can keep her safe.

As for herself -

Potential downsides: may die a horrible death and/or be forced into something you would much rather not do. In any case you'll be putting yourself in their power, and you can't even get sworn assurances from Shadow in advance, they're not bound by his word.

Potential upsides: ... they're thinking about the same questions you are. Even if they're clinging to tried-and-tested-and-failing answers.

It also gets her away from the Nexus area before the Emissary and/or Lookshy and/or the Cleansing try to kill her, although that's less of a consideration; she has enough Essence left to acquire a fast horse for a less-than-ethical price, and Nexus probably won't put a price on her head provided she demonstrates that she's leaving. (After all, they have her promise not to return; if she dies, the next bearer of her Exaltation will not be so constrained.)

But the first point... that matters. Trying to ignore the Sidereals is clearly a fool's game.

The Eclipse's ears prick up slightly at the tinge of bitterness in Shadow's voice. Interesting. Now, is that a lure for me, or an actual sign of disaffection? May as well take the bait, either way.

"Ah, one of those responsibility-but-no-control situations? Lovely. And being ordered to bring a Solar to Yu-Shan - for the first time in millennia, you say? - while evading deathknights... that sounds like a rather impressive example of the category." The sympathy in her tone isn't quite as heartfelt as it could be, but there's probably a fairly strong correlation between expert enough to notice that and trying to manipulate her himself.

"You needn't worry on my account, at least." The Eclipse pauses for a moment to bow slightly to the Chosen of Saturn, the angle precisely matching the bow he gave her earlier. "I would be honored to visit your home, Black Ice Shadow." Her tone is exquisitely courteous on the surface; the lingering wryness is as subtle as the faint stress on your.

"I would like clarification on one other point, though. How long has the Bureau known about Tepet Ireva?" And is it going to cause problems for Firada? Has it already? Is that why she's reporting to Ayesha Ura, not to someone in the... Bronze?

The_Snark

2013-02-27, 08:25 AM

Fairness has very little to do with the politics of nations, but... "All right."

It's not a bad answer. Surprising, really; the stranger does not have a kind face. But she didn't have to give an answer at all. She holds all the leverage here, just as Symphony of Chimes did; if she'd replied with a curt "none of your business," Isa would have been forced to accept that. Would it have made any difference...? Maybe. She'd like to think so.

"It may take some time to place the destiny. But a year it shall be." Isa studies the woman's face, watching for a reaction. Some clue. "May I ask you something?"

Tavar

2013-02-27, 02:20 PM

"Important? Oh yes. This artifact is the Emissary's mask..."

Child waffles for a moment, before handing the mask to Lauren.

"Here, hold this for a moment. I want to check the other contents."

Perception Investigation on the rest of the items in the cubby: [roll0]

Lix Lorn

2013-02-27, 02:42 PM

"Oh woooow..." enthuses Lauren, holding it up to the light, looking at it from the front and the back. "...I wonder where he is. Doesn't he need it?"

industrious

2013-02-27, 07:11 PM

Eris

"I would be honored to have you," he says, surprised yet formal. "Though my apartment is meager, you would be welcome. I do not have much company."

Firada's chest breathes shallowly; while she is injured, the trouble is not further harm but lack of healing. Such are the blessings of the Exalted.

""...As for how long we have known of her, I could not answer such a question."

the last sentence is a half-truth.

Emissary's Chambers

Underneath the robes is a note. It reads: Impossibility is a sign that your perceptions are limited, and your view of 'the world unclear.

Broken whispers the voice in Lauren's head. broken broken broken why did they break it broken

"Yes, actually," comes a voice behind them. "I would like my mask back."

Lix Lorn

2013-02-27, 07:17 PM

Lauren starts at the first voice, when she rarely hears, and then almost jumps at the second, whirling around to see if the spearker is who he claims to be.

industrious

2013-02-27, 07:32 PM

Emissary Chambers

The Emissary of Nexus, sans mask and robe, leans against the doorframe to her quarters.

As it turns out, the Emissary is a gorgeous woman: long tresses of blue hair curl and cascade down her back, and her eyes are an electrifying green. A traveler's cloak, stained with the road, hides the rest of her figure.

"I'm going to ask you to get out."

???

The other woman's face remains calm and collected; her emotions are very firmly under her grasp.

"You may. Though I may not answer it."

Lix Lorn

2013-02-27, 07:35 PM

Lauren looks straight to Child, and then back to the woman.
"With... all due respect... how do we know you're the Emissary? You could be one of the monsters we just fought to keep out. At least one of them can shapeshift, after all." she says bluntly.

industrious

2013-02-27, 08:04 PM

"Because I was able to see both silver anima banners already out there. I'm not a Lunar, and given that two of them are rampaging through my city..."

She takes a step forward, and reaches with her hand.

Ifni

2013-02-27, 08:30 PM

The Streets of Nexus

Eris smiles faintly, amused. Not quite what I meant, but I'll roll with it. She'll want allies where she's going, and Shadow... seems to have his priorities straight. To the detriment of his career, by the sound of things.

"Hey, it's got to be in better shape than my apartment at the moment."

That he can describe his apartment as 'meager' (and mean it), when he risks his life spying in Thorns... well, that says something about his superiors' priorities. Although she supposes it's not really new information, only confirmation. Child may call it an abomination, but it's one that's endured for nearly thirty years, while how many resources have been poured into the succession struggle and now the Cleansing?

At his reply to her question she goes silent for a moment, again looking away to warily study the side-streets. They're drawing closer to the Pool, now.

"Not quite the truth, I think, Chosen," she says eventually. "Understand why I'm asking. My sister is a monk of the Order, who allowed an Anathema to live." That much he must know already, since he'd said Firada had been insistent on finding her. And anyone trailing them, seeing her caste mark and the resemblance between them, has likely put two and two together by now. "Since then my existence has been a danger to her. Not how I'd like it to be, but so it is."

"I'm not interested in your sources of information." Well, she is, but it's not her priority right now, and in any case he shouldn't disclose that kind of information in an unsecured location. "I am interested in whether the... Bronze... knows about Ireva, and whether that is likely to have adverse consequences for Firada. Or has already, given that you are taking her to this Ayesha Ura, who from what you've said is likely not fond of the Realm."

"So what could you tell me, if I should ask a different question?"

Lix Lorn

2013-02-27, 08:30 PM

"I... that's a decent point. This is a really bad situation for me here. I mean." Lauren's eyebrows quirk slightly. "If you are the Emissary, then I'm getting in the way of saving Nexus. But if I just hand it over and you're not, I just screwed the place over. Completely."

She takes a step back pretty much as the woman steps forward, and looks to Child again, hissing at him.
"Help me out here? I am SO far out of my depth."

industrious

2013-02-27, 08:56 PM

Ifni

2013-02-27, 09:35 PM

"... I see. Thank you. Your orders to bring me in, what name did they -"

At the silver glow the Eclipse stops talking, bringing Remembrance down into a guard position as she moves between Zhou and the silver light. "Zhou, if it's the damn spider again, you should give me Firi; you were the only one of us who really hurt her."

Best would be Skandi with the akuma's head, or Symphony of Chimes. Although... the latter might be slightly inconvenient given his opinion of Sidereals. But she did want to talk to him.

Then again... you contacted him, and he had half an hour of obvious anima to find you, while you were running down to Cinnabar with Zhou. No Sidereals around then. You've done your part. His loss, and perhaps Nexus', but - remind me why you care about the latter, anymore? She'd meant to seek the aid of Chimes' network in finding her sister, but with matters as they stand... I don't think he actually has anything I want, right now. And nor does Nexus.

That's a somewhat surprising thought - but not, Eris realizes, a displeasing one.

Her lips curve in a small chilly smile as she watches the shadows, falling into a defensive stance; it would be ironic to miss Typhon in worry over a Lunar.

The_Snark

2013-02-28, 12:00 AM

As expected. The obvious question is "who are you?" but she somehow doubts that will get a useful answer. Isa has played the role of mysterious stranger a time or two herself; she knows how it works. If the woman wants to introduce herself, she can (and probably would have already). Instead...

"How do you know Burning Waters?"

industrious

2013-02-28, 12:20 AM

???

"My dear girl," she says, the tip of her tongue tracing over her teeth. "Who do you think we are?"

Her brow furrows, and she gives Isa a sweeping bow, her cloak billowing around her, and vanishes.

Aevylmar

2013-02-28, 12:58 AM

Skandi arrives at a dash, scanning the group as his anima's light steadily dims. "Sorry about that, everyone, I met an old friend and just couldn't let him be... Hello, deathknight! Would you please repeat to me what made Eris not want to kill you?"

industrious

2013-02-28, 01:12 AM

Black Ice Shadow

"Hello, Lunar. And I am not a deathknight. I am"

At his next words, his shoulders slump in resignation. He had rarely, before this night had to explain himself, and before Eris, had never had his subtle deflections been pierced through with prior knowledge.

"a Sidereal. Myself and the Dynast have urgent business in Yu-Shan, and if you are indeed Skandi the Wolf, your presence is required as well."

Ifni

2013-02-28, 01:26 AM

"You do need to work on your diplomatic skills, Shadow," Eris sighs, swinging her daiklave back up to rest on her shoulder. "Skandi, may I introduce Black Ice Shadow, Chosen of Saturn; he's been spying in Thorns, he's the agent Isa mentioned. And... my sister, Tepet Firada, also known as the White Rose of Thorns." She nods to the unconscious Wood Aspect in Zhou's arms. "To whom I owe my life, about a thousand times over." She watches Skandi cautiously. Dragonsbane, they'd called him. He'd been fine with Risa and Zhou, but Firada is a Dynast.

"She was wounded fighting... an agent of Oblivion, you said, Shadow? The rest of her brotherhood was killed, but Shadow got her out alive. But Typhon is hunting them, and she wasn't able to heal her own wounds - if we can get her to the ship, Shadow says they can heal her in Yu-Shan."

"He also says there are divisions among the Sidereals, on whether to continue supporting the Realm or aid the Solars. I don't know how they feel about the Silver Pact...?" She raises an eyebrow at the Sidereal. "But he says Ayesha Ura, the Sidereal who manages the East and who wants to talk to us, thinks highly of Solars."

The little Eclipse shrugs. "I'm going with them. Shadow hasn't lied to me yet, except for one little half-truth, and I owe him for Firada and for his work against the Deathlords. No reliable guarantees of safety, of course, but it's not like staying in this area would be obviously healthier for me. I'm not going to try to talk you into it, though."

"Any luck with the akuma? And was your old friend the musical sort?"

Aevylmar

2013-02-28, 01:46 AM

Skandi holds out his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Black Ice Shadow! I am indeed Skandi the Wolf." He looks at Firada. "And anyone who saves Solars and gets Typhon after her is a friend of mine."

"Emerald mentioned Ayesha... She sounds like a potential ally. Unless Ma-Ha-Suchi's as bad as everyone says."

"Anyway, I'd be glad to visit Yu-Shan. It seems like the sort of thing everyone ought to do at least once."

He smiles sunnily at Eris. "Yes, one of my musical friends. And the Akuma got away. Well, pulled me to her archer friend who hasn't been doing anything except using his Wood Dragon regenerative abilities and regaining motes. With luck, she'll come after us."

Ifni

2013-02-28, 02:05 AM

Eris frowns. "Pity. I was hoping you could take her down. Let's run, then; I'd rather get Firada to at least comparative safety before a couple of akuma show up to help Typhon along."

"But one other request, to all of you, while we're alone - Firada is an Immaculate monk. Shadow says the Bronze, the Sidereals who sponsor the Realm and the Order, may not yet know about our relationship, or that she didn't kill me when she had the chance. If so, I'd... prefer that state of affairs to continue, for her sake, although I realize it may be impossible. Still, in the interests of not making it completely trivial for them, I'd appreciate it if you'd avoid the term "sister" - or my original name, Zhou, Shadow - in front of Isa. Or Stormwrack, or anyone in Yu-Shan, for that matter."

The Eclipse nods to Skandi. "I'd hoped to chat with one of your musical friends before leaving Nexus, but no matter. I'm glad to hear he's alive. Maybe he'll figure out for himself what I wanted to tell him, maybe not." She's smiling faintly as she turns to run the distance remaining to the docks.

She's planning to bring them out a little way along from the named pier; there are some warehouses for cover there. The most efficient way to ambush them would be to wait at the ship itself, although from Typhon's perspective, that would have the disadvantage of Emerald likely getting involved on their side.

Then again, he might not be chasing them at all; he's only one Exalt, and a diplomat more than a warrior, from what she knows of him. Which begs the question of exactly what he has been doing for the last hour or so...

Maugan Ra

2013-02-28, 07:29 AM

Zhou shrugs. "Fine by me. I intend to do my best to stay quiet and not reveal just how little attention I paid in the divinity-related classes in the Academy."

Ifni

2013-02-28, 12:27 PM

"Skandi, another question, you didn't see Risa did you? I asked if she could help with the akuma but I was rather anticipating her having at least one Lunar ally."

Surely Risa knows the Wind-Carried Words Technique. So if she hasn't replied it likely means she's still recovering, and unlikely to be throwing herself into suicidal fights with akuma. Eris hopes that's the reason; the Wood Aspect was useful, earlier.

She glances at Zhou, amusement crinkling her eyes. "Oh, you had classes? You're ahead of me, then."

The Solar falls back slightly, level with the Fire Aspect, waving Shadow ahead. "Are you sure you want to come, Zhou? You said you'd help me rescue my sister, but once we get her to Yu-Shan - she might still be in danger there, but if so, I'm not sure how much either of us will be able to help. I have to leave Nexus, but you don't, and your own people will be showing up in a few hours..."

Shadow might object, assuming the you in bring you and several others along included both of them. But she doubts the Sidereal would resort to force.

Maugan Ra

2013-02-28, 03:26 PM

Zhou doesn't reply for a long moment, before making up his mind and speaking in a low voice. "I'm sure. She isn't safe yet, and until she is, my job isn't done."

There are other reasons, of course, but this is neither the time nor the place to speak or even really think about them.

Aevylmar

2013-02-28, 09:05 PM

Skandi shakes his head, deliberately ignoring the byplay between Orchid and Zhou. "I didn't see her, but unless she recovered quite a lot in the last five minutes she's not in shape to be fighting anything."

Ifni

2013-03-01, 12:29 AM

The pause gives Eris time to wonder. She's not sure which answer she wants. On the one hand - the slaying of a Terrestrial is a lesser offense - Zhou might very well be safer staying in Nexus, even with Typhon bearing a grudge against him. But on the other...

It's only once the Fire Aspect replies that she realizes she was holding her breath. She lets it out slowly, and nods. "If you're sure."

"... thank you."

For a moment she considers - but no, she needs to save her Essence in case Typhon does turn up. (Or sends someone else. He is a diplomat, after all. She's trying not to think about certain possibilities along those lines, lest capricious fate overhear her.)

Instead, the Eclipse glances to Skandi. "All right. Although... five minutes? Skandi, you're fast, but not that fast. I make it well over an hour since we saw Risa, unless you ran into her in the meantime. Or am I misunderstanding?" A momentary sprint forward brings her level with Shadow again, and she waves toward a nearby side-street. "We can cut through there..."

Aevylmar

2013-03-01, 01:14 AM

He rolls his eyes as, still in beastman form, he follows Eris. "I was doing that figurative speech thing. Are we ready to go grab that boat and say hello to Heaven?"

Ifni

2013-03-02, 05:33 AM

"There are important differences between five minutes and one hour, Skandi. Remind me not to ask you to handle scheduling; 'in the nick of time' is heroic but lacks precision." Eris' tone is idle, but then her voice grows more serious. "And yes, we should be getting close. Keep an eye out; if Typhon knew where we were heading but not which route we were taking, setting an ambush at our destination might make the most sense, assuming limited resources. I still have a couple of things I'd like to take care of in town, but I want to make sure Firada gets to the ship safely first. Presumably we'll have to wait for Isa and Child and Lauren, anyway."

For a moment her brow furrows in concentration and the soft golden glow of her gown fades into nothingness, as the layers of silk sublimate away. The street becomes a little darker, as the Eclipse's garb shifts to a cloak, shirt and trousers of softly blended grays and browns and blacks, merging easily into the shadows. She reaches up to check the headscarf wrapped around her forehead, and to pull forward the hood of her cloak - "Is my caste mark still showing?" The light around her has faded, at least. The caste mark takes longer, from the few times she's tested it, but she's not sure how long it'll shine through any covering, or how long it takes to fade altogether.

Anima goes down at the rate of one level per 20 minutes; starting from 11-15, it should at least be down to the 4-7 level now (assuming it's been 10 minutes+ since we left Orchid's apartment), maybe the 1-3 level if it's been half an hour since her apartment (so an hour since the fight with the akuma). In either case it should basically just be her caste mark that's shining; at the 4-7 level it'll be shining through any concealment, at the 1-3 level it can be hidden.

In any case, assuming Stealth is no longer made completely impossible by her anima, switching the IRA down from the App-7 level to Subtle Mode.

She may regret this if the Emissary shows up and she has to try to talk, but she's aware we're getting closer to where Zhou left the Cleansing, and she really doesn't want to get into a fight with them.

Tavar

2013-03-02, 10:18 PM

Child freezes for a moment, but Lauren's comment snaps him out of it.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can trust you. Too many things have happened with the implication that the Emissary was somehow not a problem. How do we know you are who you imply yourself to be?"

The_Snark

2013-03-03, 07:08 AM

Who indeed. A nice cryptic parting, notes a tiny professional part of Isa's mind. Well-timed. The vanishing trick is especially good. (She waves a hand through the air where the woman stood, testing to make sure she's really gone and not merely unseen.) What did she mean by that? If "we" referred to the stranger and Isa, it tells her nothing. Not that she can see, anyway. Maybe it's just a way of refusing to answer: who do you think you are to ask that, girl? Maybe. But if "we" refers to her and Burning Waters...?

Nocturnal, Symphony of Chimes called him. Perhaps he hadn't realized what he gave away. The name suits Burning Waters, with his mark of indigo and mantle of starless night. Isa has no idea what it means - Luna is the goddess of night, and she already has her Chosen - but it suits.

Well. If the stranger's word can be trusted, Burning Waters is safe. Not a certainty, but a much better chance than she had five minutes ago. And yet...

Looking back, Isa can't help but wonder if she's done something very foolish. Just a tiny little destiny - on one of the most important people in Creation. Oh yes, nobody in Yu-Shan is going to look askance at that. Tepet Ejava's slim chance of survival might be the same as her slim chance of starting (and winning) a civil war. Hundreds of thousands dead, the Realm thrown into chaos with only an uncertain hope of renewal after the destruction. And for what? Personal reasons. Isa would risk her own life for Burning Waters - she already has - but she hasn't the right to risk this. Even if she finds some way to reconcile this with her duty to Heaven, even if she persuades Chejop and the Bronze that the Roseblack ought to be kept safe from her elders, even if it turns out to be the best thing for everyone, the fact remains that she agreed to do it for Burning Waters first. Everything else is justification after the fact.

And that frightens her. A minute ago Isa said she wasn't ashamed of what she felt, and that was true. (A little embarrassed at being caught displaying those feelings so nakedly, maybe, but that's not the same thing.) What she is ashamed of is that she's being selfish. She would never have risked this for any other person, no matter how pleasant or virtuous.

She is very much afraid that she is becoming a liability for the Bureau of Destiny, and for Chejop Kejak.

But what choice did she have? Losing Burning Waters would be... painful. Worse. She wouldn't literally trade the world for him, but she can't just sacrifice him on the altar of duty either. She has no one else, except Chejop, and that's different. If she'd refused, then - what? Maybe leaving Waters in Symphony of Chimes' hands for a little while would not have killed him. Isa can't keep the Five-Score Fellowship out of Nexus, but Sidereals are discreet, and it would've been easy to pass a warning on to the Gold Faction: Lunars in Nexus are watching, keep your head down. Not a promise of safety, but a chance. Maybe that would have been enough. Provided that Chimes didn't feel like waiting too long before making his next demand. And provided that she could meet it.

No, better to have him free. She only hopes the price isn't too steep.

After a few more minutes to settle herself, Isa rises and makes her way to Maren's quarters in the shrine.

Aevylmar

2013-03-03, 10:21 PM

Skandi smiles at Eris in a manner that is both fanged and sheepish and keeps an eye out for Typhon.

industrious

2013-03-04, 01:19 PM

Emissary's Quarters

"Really, Sidereal?"

She takes another step forward, reaching for the mask.

"Your paranoia is interfering with my duties. Give me my mask back. It is not yours to reserve for who you see fit."

Isa

Maren's quarters are small and nearly austere. Nearly, because though the room is sparsely furnished, the rooms in an Immaculate shrine are designed to remind their inhabitants of one of the five elements.

Black Ice Shadow

"A little."

Lix Lorn

2013-03-04, 03:08 PM

Lauren takes another step backwards in time with her, towards Child.

Tavar

2013-03-09, 08:39 PM

"Paranoia? How is it paranoid to be wary of the revolution of which all the principle members have not been killed? Which had some means of disabling the Emissary? It is not paranoia to be worried about Siaka in bloodsoaked waters, but it is stupidity to ignore them."

Child takes a deep breath, still holding the mask.

"What did the notes say? Either one. Then I will give you the mask. Unless you are the Emissary, if you do have your power, you may strike us down, but I will die knowing I did not help Creation's enemies, did not help Nexus's enemies."

industrious

2013-03-09, 09:21 PM

Emissary

She snort, rolling her eyes.

"Really? That old trick? The answer is that there aren't any notes, clearly. Now, give me my mask, and I might just forget who you are."

At their response, she sighs, and her shoulders slump.

"...Okay. You got me. I'm not the Emissary."

She looks at the mask Child holds with undisguised longing.

"...but it was just such a tempting target. I just...had to. It's gorgeous, and wonderful, and like nothing I've ever seen before. I can tell it's unique even from here."

The Docks

As they approach the pools of Nexus, they see a green light, minute and faraway, that might be at the end of a dock. As they continue to get closer, the light begins to flicker, and soon enough, it fades from sight.

They hurry towards the dock, then, and the moonlight illuminates the small battered junk known as the Lucky Starr, decrepit and derelict. Upon its deck lies the crumpled form of Emerald Stormwrack, blood seeping from multiple wounds. Standing over him is Typhon, idylly sharpening his blade on a whetstone. Every few seconds, a drop of blood drips from his forehead onto the metal, and he is forced to begin again.

"Really?" he says as the Sidereal painstakingly reaches out to pull himself away, inches at a time. "As much as I love breaking people, this might just be a bit much. The only reason why I haven't killed you is yet that the sight of your filthy form futilely fleeing is just so amusing. Honestly, what are you trying to accomplish here?"

Tavar

2013-03-09, 11:35 PM

Child
"It is tempting. But the cost likely isn't worth the price. I must ask, if you aren't the Emissary, who are you?"

industrious

2013-03-09, 11:46 PM

???

Her expression turns defensive as her body shifts away from Child and Lauren.

"I'd like some sort of promise that I won't be killed first, if you don't mind? Given the circumstances we're in, all of us are probably violating the Dogma, but I'd really rather not have to dodge the actual Emissary and the Bureau of Destiny?"

"...I'll tell you what. The cute one with the cards can hold one up to my throat, I'll touch the mask and try to figure it out, a little, and I'll help the Bureau get some information on the Emissary, since you're just as curious as I am. It won't be much, but it'll be something. Everyone walks away a little satisfied, and nobody gets hurt, audited, or killed."

Tavar

2013-03-10, 12:36 AM

"We won't kill you out of hand. Though I'd also like to know where you've heard about the bureau from. Not many can claim such information."

As he says this, he holds out the mask, though with a very firm grip.

industrious

2013-03-10, 01:19 AM

???

"Not a mortal," she says, nearly leaping upon the artifact.

Her hands touch the mask, and she sighs at the sensation, edging even closer to Child; the two are nearly nose to nose, the mask between them.

"Oh yesss...I could study this for hours..."

"Starmetal," she says eventually. "Alloyed with silver. It's a mask that was part of a mask but then got broken so it fell. Oh, this is a beauty...those essence channels are like nothing I've ever seen before..."

Slowly, she steps back, and releases the mask, her fingers lingering over it, reluctant to part.

"But anything further," she says, her tone returning to something more demure and professional. "I'll need to do at my place. Figuring out what it does, and such."

"I'd also like an apology for being mistaken for a mortal. I know I've let myself go a little, but I am not merely mortal-pretty just yet, okay? I worked for Humanity, I know how pretty they get."

It was true, technically speaking. Some Elders looked better, but as far as aesthetics went, the woman was on the level with the Raksha.

With this information, and his Backing in the Convention of Wood, Child recognizes the newcomer as Shalrina, Daimyo of Masks.

Ifni

2013-03-10, 01:52 AM

The Docks

For a split second Eris is still, her eyes fixed on Typhon and the wounded Sidereal at his feet. Memory, treacherous memory, of another night, and another deathknight, and another bloodied victim...

Stormwrack doesn't matter to her - indeed, there's a spark of satisfaction in watching him crawl, remembering their earlier interactions. Her lips curve in a faint smile at filthy form futilely fleeing; whatever else Typhon is, he has a knack for words. The memory of that decade-ago night's love and terror is a lie, here and now, even as it quickens her heartbeat to the rhythm of war-drums and sends a jolt of adrenaline along her nerves.

And yet... not disconnected. Not while Firi's healing might depend on the Sidereal sorcerer.

So a split second later the Eclipse steps back into the shadow as quietly as she may, glancing to Skandi and Shadow and mouthing the names Typhon, and Stormwrack, the latter with a quick finger-slash across her throat that doesn't quite complete. Instead, her fingers twist downward like a hook; ware the baited trap, that gesture had meant, a long time ago. Firi would've understood - will Shadow, having worked with her in Thorns? Who knows...

The step turns her toward Zhou, and she holds out an arm, wordlessly offering to take her sister.

Zhou is a trained and experienced soldier, as she is not. His greater chance to reach the supposed safety of the boat is no longer an advantage. And he's already proved his skill and enthusiasm for killing Anathema, tonight.

I think Skandi's joining battle and charging as soon as he sees the situation, so not doing very much here; this description is justified by (a) Eris was leading the way, since she knew Nexus better than the others, (b) Skandi has Perception 1. All I'm trying to achieve mechanically with it is, "Eris can take Firi off Zhou's hands, if he wants, so he can charge in too".

Maugan, Eris isn't going to wrestle Zhou for Firi if he wants to hold onto her, she's just offering - but if one of them is going to largely sit out this fight due to guarding the unconscious woman, I think both IC and OOC that it's better for it to be Eris. Zhou has much better offensive charms and should've gotten a bit of Essence back in the walk over (plus the stunt on attacking Shadow).

Maugan Ra

2013-03-10, 04:43 AM

Zhou nods, and carefully hands Firada over to her sister. Then he cracks his neck, draws Aurora, and nods to Shadow. A quick gesture, easily interpreted - circle round, while we draw his attention.

Then he steps out onto the docks and begins walking towards the Lucky Star, Daiklaive held loosely in hand, eyes fixed on Typhon. His voice is light, and carries well.

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to back off there, Sir Typhon." he calls to the Deathknight calmly. "I don't think I can call that poor bastard a friend, but I'm somewhat fond of him at least."

industrious

2013-03-10, 05:53 AM

Typhon

Who? There wasn't anyone important to be signaling to...

"Ah, Master Kharal! It is good to see you again."

Emerald ignores Typhon, continuing to crawl away as quickly as possible. This was still not very fast.

"I'd consider your request, but I'm afraid that the good Master Stormwrack and I are busy having a difference of opinion; this is no concern of Lookshy. And I would hate for your career to come to an end for attacking an ambassador. Hold on a moment, would you?"

Typhon takes two steps forward, and lashes out with a boot to the stomach; Emerald cries out in pain, curling into a ball.

"Is that the good Eris with you? I'd advise you to hand over the White Rose, Kharal Zhou. She has been tried and convicted for murder, espionage, theft, and conspiracy. In the name of justice, I would ask that she be turned over to me."

Now we get some nice moral conflict for Zhou. Compassion and Valor both move him to act, but his Motivation towards Lookshy might tell him that he's got to yield to Typhon.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-10, 06:19 AM

"I refuse." Zhou says casually. He stops at the base of the ramp leading up to the Lucky Starr's deck. The White Rose has asked for sanctuary from her pursuers, and I have decided to grant that request. Simply handing her over... no, I'm afraid that's not really an option."

Well, technically, it was Orchid who asked for my help, and even that was mostly implied. But Firada's unconscious right now, and her sister is a direct blood relative, so that works.

" And as the highest ranking... and as far as I know, only surviving Lookshyan officer in this city, it is my decision that matters in this case. You are of course welcome to go through official channels to request that my superiors overrule that decision, but until they do, you cannot have her."

He shrugs. "I'll admit, I'd rather not fight you. You are an officially appointed ambassador, after all, and I'm somewhat tired to boot - you probably noticed the totems earlier? Lunar Akuma. Rather dangerous. So I'd appreciate it if you would depart, and we can resolve this another day."

He doesn't really expect Typhon to back down, honestly, but he has to try...

Ifni

2013-03-10, 11:48 AM

The Docks

Firada bundled over her shoulders in a fireman's carry, Eris watches and listens. Her lips purse slightly as she regards Stormwrack with the same cool assessing gaze she turned on Isa earlier. Honestly, Stormwrack, what are you trying to accomplish here? Just trying mindlessly to escape the pain?

A fool and a sot, she'd thought him earlier. Competent, in his areas of expertise, and dangerous by virtue of that competence and his alliances; either her enemy or less-than-careful with others' secrets, and in either case, not to be trusted.

Zhou implied she'd misjudged him, though.

So she stays in the shadows but circles to the side a little, absently noting alleyways and other avenues of escape, and studies the pattern of blood-spatters on the deck, and the line of Stormwrack's gaze and his attempts at movement. If he intended to use the junk as an escape route, it's possible there's more to it than meets the eye...

Just trying to figure out if Stormwrack has a goal at the moment beyond "put more distance between me and Typhon". Can I do this by a read-motivation-in-the-scene action? Perception+Investigation seems like the right pool in any case.

So, firing Mastery of Small Manners on the chance he has Perception+Socialize 6 or less (wound penalties might apply?), and rolling a mundane Perception+Investigation as well (to study the scene and Stormwrack), while Zhou and Typhon chat.

Perception+Investigation: [roll0]
Possible stunt?: [roll1]
EDIT: Whoo, 6 sux! 7 sux if that became a 2-die stunt.

(I have a possible way to figure out exactly what he's after if I know he's after something, but trying not to burn motes until I have a sense of whether he has a purpose here or is just trying to move away from the source of pain.)

Lix Lorn

2013-03-10, 12:57 PM

"I try not to be blinded by the pretty." says Lauren dryly. "Too many deathknights, insane lawgivers and crazy, baby eating shapeshifters look like supermodels."

Supermodels probably don't exist in Creation. So... insert a cultural simile there?
'look like the mona lisa' would work for us. 'Looks like (famously hot dragonblood)', '(famous work of art)', whatever, you get the point. xD

industrious

2013-03-10, 02:56 PM

The Docks

Stormwrack gasps for air, bare chest shuddering with enormous effort...

Wait.

When they first met, Stormwrack wore a crude crystal on a leather thong. Now he isn't. A second later, and Eris spots it, lying on the deck, the leather cut through and splattered with blood. Judging from the patterns of blood, Stormwrack's been dragging himself towards it the entire time.

Aevylmar

2013-03-10, 03:00 PM

Autumn had once explained to Skandi the idea of personal stealth; That one would sneak up on enemies and kill them while they were distracted. Skandi had thought it was silly. Yes, trickery was a good thing, and ambushes were useful, but learning how to be sneaky just seemed so superfluous.

After all, he could always do - this.

One moment, he was around the bend in the alleyway, listening. The next moment he was next to Typhon, blade swinging.

"Hey, Deathknight. You just spent your second chance."

Not sure if this is technically a surprise attack (well, surprise attack followed by regular attack - flurrying is good) triggering join battle rolls from everyone else, or if it's just a join battle roll.

So I'm rolling both.
JB: [roll0]

Roll for Surprise: [roll1]
Attack 1: [roll2]
Speciality: [roll3]
Stunt: [roll4]

Attack 2: [roll5]
Specialty: [roll6]
Stunt: [roll7]

Tavar

2013-03-10, 09:54 PM

"You're the first to mention mortals here, not me."

industrious

2013-03-11, 01:20 AM

Shalrina

She shrugs off his comment, and crosses her arms.

"Are we done here, Shieldbearer?"

Typhon

At the last possible second, Typhon ducks out of the way of Skandi's blow, while his scimitar shudders at Moonwrath's impact, his defense holds.

"A blasé Lunar, a battered Solar, and a broken Sidereal."

He smiles at the three of them, and beckons with his free hand.

"Should be...fun."

Join Battle!

[roll0]

Ifni

2013-03-11, 02:18 AM

The Docks

Oh, now look at that.

A scatter of light, wedged between two of the rough wooden planks. A desperate gasp of air choked with blood, starlit green eyes fixed on an unattainable goal mere feet away. I know your heart's hope, Emerald Stormwrack... now what shall I do with it?

But the exigencies of this particular situation require practicality. Her sister's slow heartbeat pulses next to her ear, counting out the moments of her life.

Zhou's words register, in some part of her mind below the surface. His courage, his caring, so blazingly bright. His willingness to risk his reputation and career to save Firada, to pledge his strength and Lookshy's name to her safety. And why? Because you told him her story. Because you asked...

But the world seems distant, a thing kept under glass for study. And in the back of her mind those words - like everything else - are noted without much emotion, and then filed away in the column of Reasons to keep Zhou on your side.

As Skandi moves from the alleyway in a flash of viper-fast silver blade, the Solar moves in counterpoint - silently, except for the scuff of her soft boots on the damp and faintly fishy-smelling stones - toward the small boat-shed closest to the junk. A corner, there, where a river-wall borders the Pool between piers; a shadowed spot with cover from two sides, nearly three. A place to lower Firada to the ground, where she can stand at bay to defend her, should it be needful; she'll be much more effective at turning blows away from her sister when she's free to swing her sword.

(... if Zhou does not betray her. If the best choice is not simply to run now. Skandi could delay Typhon, and if she can find the Cleansing, Sar and Pell would help protect Firi...

... but they won't be able to heal her.)

The clash of moonsilver and soulsteel is noted, and set aside. It does not figure into the geometry of the problem she's now calculating: the angle of the junk's deck, the distance to the blood-stained leather thong, the remaining strength in Stormwrack's arms and the degree of desperation in his eyes. Her gaze remains on Typhon, though; it's foolish to turn your back on a Day caste, and no need to give him clues.

The Eclipse arches a finely-drawn eyebrow at the Ambassador of Thorns, her smile barely visible in the moonlight. "Speak for yourself, deathknight. I note that I'm not the one bleeding."

She resists - with some little difficulty - the urge to add, And I think your count is wrong.

Join Battle!
[roll0]
Possible stunt: [roll1]
EDIT: 2 sux, 3 sux with 1-die stunt, 4 sux with 2-die stunt. Could be much worse!

Since I will undoubtedly be slow, Eris is doing reflexive moves as described in the post. She's trying to stay clear of Typhon, albeit moving toward the junk. If my editing of scene elements above worked as desired, she should have a reasonably protected spot to put Firi within five-ish yards of the deck of the junk; unless she has to run away, I think this approach makes more sense (in terms of keeping Firi safe and not putting stress on her injuries) than trying to do stuff on a battlefield with both hands occupied holding an unconscious person.

If at any point Firi is attacked Eris will be doing her very best to take the blow on herself instead.

industrious

2013-03-11, 01:25 PM

Typhon

"No. But your sister is."

The deathknight chuckles, and fades from sight. The waters of the dock ripple, and the junk bobs up and down. There is no sign of the Day Caste, no sign of Typhon.

Is he that noise, so close to Eris? Is he the smell of the grave hovering around Firada? Where is the deathknight?

There is the whistle of a sword, finely honed to a razor's edge, sweeping through the night air.

And it is met by the ring of steel on starmetal. From the shadows around Firada comes Black Ice Shadow, tattered purple scarf wrapped to cover his face, eyes twisted in hatred, his blades crossed in defense against Typhon's unseen attack.

"I see you, Wink of the Storm's Eye."

He shoves his blades forward, and there is the scuffle of boot upon wooden dock. Black Ice Shadow steps, and becomes cold, emotionless. His is the inevitability of death, untainted by the crude mockery of the Underworld. Life and death, and nothing between the two.

His form glows in dark purple, his features cast into shadow save for the sign of Saturn upon his brow. He waits, patiently, for Typhon to come once more.

Typhon: activating Charm, flurrying an attack

Attack:[roll0]

BIS: Defend Other triggered, Charm, Form-Charm

Ifni

2013-03-11, 03:13 PM

The Docks

"Your count was off, Typhon. In more ways than one."

Eris dances back, behind the shield of the Sidereal's deathly blades, to the sheltered cranny she picked out. She tilts her shoulders to slide Firada to the ground, as gently as she can, one hand cradling her sister's head even as the other reaches for the hilt of her daiklave. The little Eclipse straightens and turns as she draws Remembrance, the leather of her baldric parting like silk as the great jade blade sweeps out and around. (Presumably she'll be able to get a replacement in Yu-Shan; this style of back-sheath isn't really designed for re-use after a fast draw.)

Between her and Shadow, they should be able to hold this line. But for now the Chosen of Saturn seems to be keeping Typhon at bay well enough on his own, and in the seconds so bought...

Three quick steps on damp-warped planks bring her to the edge of the dock. In a single swift motion she raises her boot to the deck of the junk (sitting rather low in the water as it is; she would not have taken passage on this particular boat, given the choice), and pushes downward, even as she lunges forward with her daiklave.

The deck tilts slightly toward the Eclipse, and a wash of greenish river-water sloshes around her boots. The old watersoaked wooden planks of the junk creak faintly. But her focus has narrowed to the crystal, falling free from where it was wedged between the planks, trailing a cord of bloodstained leather.

--------------

Respect for your sword had been one of her sister's oft-repeated lessons; one of her own instructors had apparently made an impression on her. Even a crude iron dagger deserves cleaning and care, if you don't want to kill yourself with a nick from your own rot-poisoned blade; to carry a good sword is a privilege, one that comes with responsibilities.

And any heirloom daiklave is a sacred trust, and this one more literally than most.

However, it is important to remember that a sacred trust can also be a six-foot-long lever.

--------------

Six feet of dark jade sword slide through the night air, to scoop up a tumbling crystal in the runnels carved into the broad blade. There is blood there, not quite dried, enough to provide purchase; and a rough tuft of spider-hair to catch the leather cord.

The blade swings toward Stormwrack, almost lazily. Stopping... just short, the crystal glittering tantalizingly.

The Solar's gaze is already turning back toward Typhon and Shadow and Firada, but she takes a moment to smile at the Chosen of Secrets, contempt and amusement both in the curve of her lips and the glitter of her green eyes.

Stormwrack should be able to reach it, from where he's lying curled up and trying not to scream. It'll just take a little motivation. And probably more than a little pain.

After all, she does want him to have the crystal, on the chance he can do something useful with it. She's just... having a little fun with him.

Speed 7 four-action flurry, probably.
(1) Put down Firada (ruled as Speed 7 in OOC)
(2) Draw daiklave (I don't see any reasonable way I could've had it out while carrying Firada)
Reflexive move to the junk, then
(3) Modified stunt-attack with daiklave to try to pass Stormwrack his crystal - if this is approved, I'll do the rolls in OOC.
(4) Declare Defend Other, joining Shadow's guard on Firada.

Aevylmar

2013-03-11, 08:15 PM

Skandi grins for a moment. Invisible enemies... really takes him back. But every trick has its weakness. The ring of steel on starmetal sounds, as Typhon's metal blade strikes sparks off of Black Ice Shadow's heavenly one -

And then here is a third metal, between the invisible-but-audible steel of Typhon and the inevitable wielder, as that blade forged of Luna's wrath crushes Typhon's steel sword between the Second and Third Magical Materials.

Making one attack with Moonwrath against Typhon's sword, spending 5m on the First Excellency. An iron statue's durability is given on p.154 of the core rulebook; on a bare hit, Typhon needs a new sword.

Also, I'm assuming he can't parry an attack aimed at an object with the object itself. Also also, what was the stunt value for my last action?

Base+Excellency: [roll0] = 8s
Specialty: [roll1] = 3s
Stunt: [roll2] = 1/1/2s

All buffs are factored in.
Boosts: Deadly Beastman Form (+1 all physical attributes, heal a Bashing and a Lethal each round, +4L/4B soak, +4 yards/tick of move)
Penalties: None.

Attack Pools
Moonwrath - Speed 5, Accuracy 15 / 17, Damage 14L / 2, Rate 2, P
Axe - Speed 5, Accuracy 12 / 14 + 1S, Damage 11L, Rate 2, P
Shieldbash - Speed 6, Accuracy 11 / 13, Damage 7B, Rate 1, P
Dagger - Speed 4, Accuracy 13 / 15, Damage 7L, Rate 3, P
Iron Boot - Speed 5, Accuracy 11 / 13, Damage 12B, Rate 2, P
Note: (Fierce blows are currently off.)

Defense Pools
Moonwrath - 6 / 7
Axe - 5 / 6
Shield - 7 / 8
Dodge - 4

Essence: 3
Personal: 8/23 + (unknown stunt) + (unknown stunt)
Peripherial: 5/52
Willpower: 1/10
Committed: 13

Getting Hit
Soak: 17L / 19B
Natural: 7L/10B
Hardness: 8L / 8B
Health Levels: 0/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/2/2/4

industrious

2013-03-11, 08:38 PM

Skandi

The blade shatters into now-visible fragments, and the hilt clatters to the ground. Typhon is still nowhere to be seen.

Tavar

2013-03-11, 08:58 PM

Child

"I see no reason stay. The emissary is elsewhere, but it looks as if nothing untoward has been done. We best leave before he or she comes back; I doubt they would bluff."

industrious

2013-03-11, 09:02 PM

Shalrina

"Then I'll take my leave. Pleasure doing business, Sidereal. But I hope you take no offense if I sincerely hope we never cross paths again."

She bows at Lauren, then Child, and departs.

industrious

2013-03-12, 12:47 AM

Emerald

Desperation and pain twists the grimy Sidereal's features, but he lunges for the crystal, and points the thing in the general direction of Typhon.

"Sleep," he says softly, voice hoarse and raspy. "Sleep now."

And Firada is surrounded by a swirls of gently swirling mist.

Everyone near Firada, meaning Shadow, Skandi, Eris, and Typhon, have to roll Stamina+Resistance, or fall asleep. Difficulty is 4.

Shadow: [roll0] - 1 Compassion Channel
Typhon: [roll1] + 1 sux

Ifni

2013-03-12, 01:34 AM

Eris

There's a temptation to move the sword away as Emerald reaches for the crystal, to taunt him a little longer... but no. This isn't the time to amuse herself.

And at his words and the first sight of that opalescent mist the Eclipse's eyes widen and her sword flashes around and up in reflexive reaction. Mist rising that fast is never a good sign, whether in a long-abandoned manse or from bone-white luminous pools in the deep Undercity. Not something she can parry like a sword-thrust, but she presses her forehead against Remembrance as she gulps in a last lungful of hopefully-untainted* air; the blade is wide enough that the extra fraction of a second the mist takes to curl around its hilt might just give her an edge.

More importantly, if she falls to the spell - at least her blade won't be lost to the river.

*Well, as untainted as the air ever gets down here, anyway. A lungful of Nexus' distinctive waterfront atmosphere is something of an acquired taste.

Let's see what the dice say!
[roll0] Stamina + Resistance
[roll1] Adrenaline-Fueled specialty (totally an ST call)
[roll2] possible stunt
+1 sux Infinite Resplendence Amulet.

EDIT: ... yeah, the dice aren't letting me off Deliberate Cruelty this easily.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-12, 08:49 AM

Carefully, Zhou moves onto the Lucky Starr and kneels at Stormwrack's side, Daiklaive held ready in a classic defensive stance as his eyes dart about, trying to deduce whether that spell managed to incapacitate Typhon or not.

Defend Other on Stormwrack, unless we're dropping out of combat ticks. Whatever works.

Aevylmar

2013-03-12, 10:46 AM

As the soothing mists surround Skandi, he holds his breath and tries his best to move out of the way of the cloud. If he can make it away before the cloud hits...

Base: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Edit - Success with no stunt.

He emerges ten feet away, standing over Emerald.

"Need a hand?"

Are we out of Combat time?

industrious

2013-03-12, 12:43 PM

Stormwrack

"Need more than a bleeding hand," he says bluntly. "Bloody Day Caste did something to me leg. Can't put any weight on it."

He pauses for a moment as he stares at Black Ice Shadow.

"...Wonderful. I get the freak seeing me all helpless, too."

"Emerald Stormwrack. If you seek to offend me, any attempt you make will be futile. Your predilection for insulting all you encounter is well known. Now, if you wish to be in less pain, allow me to assist."

"Go stick it in a corpse. You ain't my type." he says, but he nods and at the other Sidereal's touch, some of his wounds simple vanish.

Aevylmar

2013-03-12, 01:18 PM

Skandi sheaths his sword and, in fact, does offer a helping hand to pull the newly-healed Stormwrack to his feet (assuming Stormwrack can, in fact, be pulled to his feet) before running Moonwrath all over the area where Typhon fell.

If he touches something solid and invisible with his moonsilver sword, he's going to whack it until it dies.

This is the equivalent of taking 20 on a search check in D&D: Go over the area, bit-by-bit, until I find him. Then murder.

Ifni

2013-03-12, 01:22 PM

As the brief mists fade, Eris moves back to her sister's side, daiklave held ready as she scans the area. She grins at the Chosen of Jupiter. (Well, her teeth are showing, at least.)

"Nice trick, Stormwrack - and you too, Shadow. I'll have to remember not to underestimate Sidereals. Can you tell if you got Typhon, or if he just decided to decamp?"

She frowns at Skandi as he starts prodding around with his daiklave. "Careful with that edge, Skandi. If he's unconscious... well, we might not want to kill him right away. And given we're going to Yu-Shan - Shadow, think your bosses would like an Abyssal to question? Or would you consider it too dangerous?"

Aevylmar

2013-03-12, 01:23 PM

Skandi sighs, since he hasn't found Typhon by the time she says something. "My plan was to whack him until he died once I found him. The larger scheme of things might have some value, though."

Ifni

2013-03-12, 02:03 PM

"You're more merciful than I would be." The little Eclipse glances down at Firada's burns, her hands clenching briefly on the hilt of her daiklave. "He doesn't deserve a quick death. Better than letting him get away, though - I'll defer to our Sidereal friends on whether bringing him with us would be a terrible idea, if he actually is still here and asleep. How long do the effects of your spell last, Stormwrack?"

She doesn't join Skandi, preferring to remain with her sister, but studies the slick planks of the dock, looking for places where they might be bowed downward slightly with an invisible weight.

industrious

2013-03-12, 05:30 PM

Black Ice Shadow

"I have enough essence to get us to Yu-Shan and smoke at the same time. Since none of us are dead, I'm assuming we've got him. And in Creation, should last two days. He'll still be tired at the end of it too."

Emerald's expression is surly and disgruntled at the beginning, but his teeth, too, are showing by the end.

"I do not believe that Typhon is currently awake. Else he would be attempting to slay me to the utmost of his abilities."

Black Ice Shadow does not elaborate on that statement.

"And as tempting as it is to make him squeal, we can't take him. I vote I get bash his brains in with a belaying pin."

"While I agree with my colleague that bringing a deathknight into Heaven is far too risky, we cannot kill him. It would not be right."

"He's a ****ing deathknight! Or does the sight of his cold, pointy body get you"

"He is a human being, regardless of his choices. Ending a life falls under my domain, Emerald Stormwrack, and I do not do so unless absolutely necessary."

Black Ice Shadow's form remains unyielding, daiklaves raised en garde.

"If any of you attempt to bring him harm, I will respond. If he were in our position, he would not hesitate to murder. We must be better."

Aevylmar

2013-03-12, 05:38 PM

Skandi sighs. He doesn't sheath his sword, but he does leave guard position. "Either we kill him, we take him prisoner, or we let him roam free. If we can't imprison him and we can't kill him, he'll keep on murdering people. If we kill him, his Exaltation will presumably go to someone else evil - like most other Abyssals - but whoever it is will be new and not so dangerous. I don't like murdering people, but if we let him live, whoever he kills next we're failing to save."

Ifni

2013-03-12, 07:13 PM

"Skandi is correct. What do you want to do, Black Ice Shadow? Just leave him here to sleep it off? He tortured Stormwrack, he would've done worse to Firada if he'd gotten the chance. At what point do you call a death necessary, if not for such as him? He's a murderer, a torturer, worse; he speaks for Thorns. It would be a blow struck against the Mask, to take him out of the picture." The little Solar's voice is intense, and slightly rough with emotion.

She pauses, and dips her head slightly to Stormwrack. "I agree you've earned the right, if we do kill him, but let me help? I was from Thorns, once."

She looks back at Shadow. "If you won't agree to let us kill him and won't take him to Yu-Shan... do you have another idea? Or is this just a statement of idealism that maps rather poorly into reality?" She doesn't say I'm disappointed in you, but her eyes are reproachful.

"Do you have allies in this part of Creation who could hold a deathknight?" It's a genuine question, not rhetorical, although her voice is strained. She glances at Zhou, watching silently. "I'm pretty sure the Cleansing would kill him without a second thought, and Lookshy troops won't be here for hours yet - they'd be subject to pressure by the Mask, anyway. Possibly... the Pact, Skandi? The friend of yours I'm thinking of certainly doesn't like deathknights, but I don't know if he has the capabilities to hold one prisoner without killing him, even if he's delivered unconscious."

She's pretty sure that if Chimes did have such capabilities, Typhon's life in the Lunar's hands would be interestingly painful, and with a length directly proportional to how much information the deathknight has to divulge - but Shadow doesn't need to know that, and while she'd prefer to obtain that information directly, it's a better choice than letting him go free.

"Or give me a better option, Shadow. I respect your fight against Oblivion and quarrels between us would be foolish, especially over Typhon. But letting him walk free when we have a chance to stop him would be a damn betrayal of the war you claim to fight."

Aevylmar

2013-03-12, 08:00 PM

Skandi grins. "Actually, yeah. He has worse odds of escaping from Death Itself than he does from my silver friend's keeping, and he'd hold him forever - Typhon escaping or dying would give our enemies another Exaltation."

"Reasonable?"

industrious

2013-03-12, 08:10 PM

Sidereals

"Well, I suppose..."

"Malfeas's guts no. Adorjan's love, no. We are not turning in the bleeding ambassador to Thorns, a bloody deathknight over to the barbarians. They'd take all his information and end up invading somewhere, I just know it. Can't trust a Lunar with the key to civilization."

"And we aren't going to be getting any of that information, either. We are not going to hand that much power over to the Silver Pact."

"...Emerald Stormwrack is correct. The Silver Pact possesses great animosity towards the Five Score Fellowship. It would not be prudent for us to give them something they may use to attack us."

Ifni

2013-03-12, 08:19 PM

Eris gives both Sidereals a level look. "The Lunar in question does not strike me as the destroyer-of-civilization type. And should we hand Typhon over to him - at the very least, I would ask for access to any information he extracts from the deathknight, as a condition of my agreement."

And then you only need to get that information from me. Of course, should I not leave Yu-Shan alive, you'll lose that access...

She glances at Skandi. "If we do go that route, Skandi, remember we're the ones offering a valuable favor, not vice versa. You may want to let me handle the negotiations, and your friend does not need to know about Shadow's scruples." She thinks for a moment. "The Silver Pact has some kind of honor-debt system, yes?"

She looks back at Stormwrack and Shadow. Her voice is silken. "And if you do not like my suggestions, Chosen, kindly provide some of your own. If you won't take the risk of holding Typhon yourself, then stand aside and let someone else do it. If you think his information is likely to be so valuable, then put some skin in the game and take him to Yu-Shan for questioning. Or come up with a third path, one that doesn't leave Typhon free to work on the Mask's behalf. But I doubt very much you'll find a solution that gets you all the reward with no risk whatsoever. It doesn't work that way."

She shrugs. "The distrust between the Pact and the Bureau appears quite mutual, to my outsider's eye. You can hardly blame the Lunars for animosity, after a thousand years of Wyld Hunts." A faint edged smile. "But deathknights seem to be a topic you - where by you I now mean those Sidereals and Lunars presently in Nexus, who I have spoken with - can agree on."

This could perhaps serve as an overture, toward joint action in a common cause. A side effect - primarily, she wants Typhon to pay for Thorns - but possibly a useful one.

"Or to boil it down, Shadow - not prudent, you say. More or less prudent than taking a deathknight to Yu-Shan, or letting him walk free?"

There's no challenge in those last words, only curiosity. It'll be interesting to find out what worries the Sidereals most.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-13, 05:52 AM

Zhou sighs, and then speaks. "We can't kill him. Bastard of the century or not, he's still helpless right now, and you can't just go around killing defeated foes when they're helpless."

He looks at the Sidereals. "You're sure there's no way to imprison him in Yu-Shan? I find it hard to believe that heaven of all places completely lacks any sort of secured holding cells. The guardianship of the Celestial Lions is legendary at least, and there's got to be a god of 'utterly inescapable death traps' or something, surely?"

He doesn't know if he should even be weighing in here at all. The man is an ambassador... but no. He already got involved when he placed himself between Firada and the Deathknight, however figuratively. Trying to claim neutrality now is a pointless gesture.

industrious

2013-03-13, 11:32 AM

Sidereals

"I don't have the authority to"

"...I do."

"What if the bastard escapes? Are you really going to accept that sort of responsibility on your own head?"

"I have no career to speak of. I would say much like yourself, Emerald Stormwrack, but your patronage protects you. I wasn't even approached."

Emerald spits into the water in disgust.

"Fine," he snarls. "We'll bring the bloody deathknight to Yu-Shan. I'll keep him knocked out the entire way, and someone who isn't bleeding crippled at the moment guarding him the whole time. If he tries to escape before he's in the lion's hands, he's dead. No more arguments."

Ifni

2013-03-13, 11:53 AM

The Docks

You can't just go around killing defeated foes when they're helpless... Eris' lips twitch in a faint and faintly bitter smile. She's quite sure no such mercy would be afforded to her if the Cleansing knew what she was - or the Lookshy troops arriving at dawn, for that matter.

But grating as she finds Zhou and Shadow's sudden attacks of conscience - especially Zhou's, set against his earlier readiness to call her a friend in the same breath that he threatened to kill her - the insight afforded is probably worth the annoyance.

In a brisk tone she says, "Works for me, if it does for Skandi." The little Eclipse studies the two Sidereals. I have no career to speak of... wasn't even approached... yes, this is not improving her opinion of the Bureau's promotion criteria. But it may present an opportunity, down the road. "I'll note, Emerald, that I am coming to Yu-Shan only because Shadow asked me to. Your colleague seems to have his priorities straight."

"However, this remains rather moot unless we can find Typhon, and I'm not lowering my guard on Firada until we do."

"Assuming we do, though - I take it we'll be waiting for Child and Isa and Sierra? I'd like to stop by the Guild headquarters before we leave, if there's time. It's not far. Zhou, Skandi - is there anything else you need to do before we leave? It would probably be best if at least one of you could stay here, so Shadow doesn't have to protect Firada and Emerald and guard Typhon on his own."

Aevylmar

2013-03-14, 01:55 AM

Skandi shrugs. "Sounds fine to me. I'm ready to visit heaven once the others show."

He resumes slowly dragging Moonwrath over the area where Typhon vanished. The tip scars the wood of the dock, but the flat edge would touch the Deathknight if he found him - and not hard enough to be likely to wake him up.

Resuming my extremely slow and careful search for Typhon.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-14, 06:00 AM

"I'll stay here. I already left a report, and really, I don't think I want to add anything about a fight with the Thorns ambassador to that."

The_Snark

2013-03-14, 06:25 AM

Ragara Soras Maren's family is known for its Earth-aspected scions, and so her room is redolent with the imagery of earth and stone: straight lines and blocky corners, sturdy furnishings, bare walls and an earthen floor. Isa would have preferred a gentler aspect, Water or perhaps Wood, but her disguise does not offer her that choice. It hardly matters.

Kept within the small, sturdy bedside table is a vial of green ink and a roll of something which resembles parchment. A touch reveals it to be thin silk, not paper. Isa unstoppers the vial and begins penning a letter. Her handwriting is precise, the style formal (as all Bureau missives are). Yet even accounting for the care she must take with such an expensive and delicate medium, it takes a long time to finish.

industrious

2013-03-14, 01:22 PM

Black Ice Shadow

"There is no need to do that, Skandi the Wolf. Typhon is right there."

The aura around his weapons fade and his stance becomes more casual, as he points to a small corner of the dock.

Ifni

2013-03-14, 01:48 PM

"Fair enough, Zhou." Eris pauses. Some part of her prods at her, that she should say more than that, should acknowledge the risks he's taking -

She manages, "Thanks for what you said, for Firada."

Watching the Chosen of Endings, the Eclipse relaxes slightly as well, and nods. "I have some spare bowstrings, if we want to tie him up." She hesitates for a moment, and then walks over to the area Shadow indicated, daiklave still held at the ready. "How deeply is he likely to be sleeping, Stormwrack? Would searching him for weapons wake him?"

industrious

2013-03-14, 03:31 PM

Stormwrack

"Pretty godsdamned deep. He won't wake unless you slap him awake. And there are chains and the like belowdecks. If someone can help me there, I can put him there."

Black Ice Shadow has something resembling a smile behind his scarf.

"I can tell you that Wink of the Storm's Eye does not possess any soulsteel weaponry, Eris Orchid, and was forbidden from acquiring any after his were stolen from him."

Ifni

2013-03-14, 03:51 PM

"... I like you, Black Ice Shadow." Eris grins at the violet-eyed Sidereal, and then nods to Stormwrack. "That sounds like a good idea. I assume you'll want someone to carry him down there?"

The little Solar crouches down, lowers her daiklave carefully to the ground within arm's reach, and begins passing her hands slowly through the air in the region Shadow indicated. She glances back over her shoulder at Emerald. "And... does that mean we are taking the boat to Yu-Shan? As opposed to some -" She pauses in her search to wave one hand in a vague gesture, which might possibly be considered mystical by someone who knows absolutely nothing about magic, "- sorcery that takes us there instantly?"

industrious

2013-03-14, 04:24 PM

Stormwrack

"Sure, we could do that. I could call down the Calibration Gate right now, and send us all to Yu-Shan in the blink of an eye. And then while we're at it, we can light a beacon proclaiming your Solarship to everyone in Yu-Shan, and throw an enormous party in your honor where an Old Man can slip you a nice dose of poison so you choke on a fishbone and die."

Emerald is very matter of fact with his hypothetical. There's only a twinge of sarcasm throughout the whole spiel.

"Or I can get you there in five days on a boat, where you won't have to worry about being mobbed by overly friendly gods or backstabbed by false friends. It'll be better, safer, and a nice sea voyage will help everyone relax. You'll be better prepared for whatever happens in Yu-Shan, and if you ask me questions while we're on our way, I might even answer them, since you apparently don't trust us. I blame Lunar propaganda."

Aevylmar

2013-03-14, 07:46 PM

Skandi stops dragging the sword and sheaths it before turning to Stormwrack, eyebrow raised. "You just talked about how your boss would poison her just to see her die, and you're blaming me because she doesn't trust you? What's next, claiming that the reason the Immaculate Faith is out to kill her is because one of us told the truth to the Old Man's face?"

industrious

2013-03-14, 08:08 PM

Stormwrack

"I'm saying there's a reason why you don't get nearly as many Wyld Hunts in the East and that there's a reason why Ma-Ha-Suchi is a household name. There are bloody awful excuses for Sidereals and in theory there is such a thing a decent Lunar. But you lot like to say we're all bad eggs."

Being unable to lift himself up had not, apparently, curbed Stormwrack's tongue.

Aevylmar

2013-03-14, 08:45 PM

"Well, yes, of course we do," Skandi points out as he sits down, leaning against a wall. "The only time Sidereals come near members of the Silver Pact is to lead Wyld Hunts at them, so we don't exactly have any proof that non-bad-eggs exist. And now you're trying to defend your organization as good because it murders us less often than in some other places?"

He rolls his eyes. "For that matter, Ma-Ha-Suchi being a household name is better support for your propaganda team than for ours - if I was actually spreading Lunar propaganda, I'd be talking about how great the not-savage elders are, and the only thing you'd hear about Ma-Ha-Suchi would be the enormous stretch of Creation he keeps the Raksha out of."

Ifni

2013-03-14, 09:41 PM

Eris remains crouching in the corner of the dock, searching methodically for the elusive invisible deathknight, but listens with interest. It's always useful to hear how people justify themselves.

"Child blamed Lunar propaganda, as well," she notes to the air. "I'm not quite sure why you all seem so eager to envisage me as a wide-eyed pupil avidly drinking in tales of Evil Sidereals from a manipulative Lunar teacher. Projection, perhaps?" She looks over her shoulder to grin at Stormwrack. "I can tell when people are lying to me. The corollary is that I can also tell when they're not."

"If you're surprised I don't trust you - give me one reason I should? One not based on facts not in evidence, like you don't get nearly as many Wyld Hunts in the East." She tilts her head, eyes widening slightly in spurious thoughtfulness. "Did you say the same to Dace, perchance?"

Pokepokepoke, being a jerk, testing out various possible buttons to see if any of them get a reaction.

industrious

2013-03-14, 10:49 PM

Stormwrack

"No, but look how cuddly you are with that other Lunar here. Choir of Bells. Real shining example of the Silver Pact, him. Look how you don't want to tell us about him. Your nice little 'musical friend.' I wonder how you met that marvelous specimen, and all the things he's told you about us. I'm at least honest about what the dangers are before she gets to a place."

Emerald sticks a cigarillo in his mouth, lights it with a thaumagurtically covered twig.

"And we're also the only organization in Creation that actually is looking at helping Creation as a whole. Yeah we bloody disagree about how, and the Bronze are a bunch of old bleeding scum who've been sucking at the teat of power too long. But at least none of us think we should destroy civilization. Or sell people to the raksha like your friend Bells does. Or oh yeah - bleeding **** animals."

Aevylmar

2013-03-14, 11:34 PM

Skandi glowers at Stormwrack. "I met my "musical friend" when he was helping me storm a Raksha freehold that had been sending out raiding bands against miles of Creation. Along with a third companion, we killed six noble Raksha - any of whom could have taken your head, most without even trying - and several dozen commoners, and enthralled the rest such that they were used as weapons against the other Raksha of the region. If you doubt me, I will swear an oath bound by Eris that what I say is true."

His expression changes mercurially back to his normal grin. "This is an average week for members of the Silver Pact. Most common Raksha are weak, but well-trained and well-equipped, they can reach the power of a Terrestrial legionnaire. Cataphracts are born with power on a level with Zhou, and only get stronger and stronger. There are three hundred of us, and more than two hundred spend their lives on the border, holding back the Raksha. Anyone remembered what happened the only time we were beaten? Total collapse of your ****ing civilization, I think?"

The expression is sharper, more fixed. "And you say that you're the only organization dedicated to helping Creation? My "friend" would kill to achieve his goals, without mercy, without compassion, without honor. But his goals are the same as mine: The protection of Creation."

Yeah, Stormwrack touched a nerve. Also, the stuff about the Raksha is completely accurate. Official sources consistently underestimate them; starting Cataphracts can actually wipe the floor with starting Solars.

Tavar

2013-03-15, 12:53 AM

Child

Putting the mask and robe back in the hidden cabinet, Child hesitates for a moment, then takes out a sheet of paper and an inkwell.

Emissary,

Given your past stance, I doubt you want to do business with the Bureau. But someone targeted your city, and not simply the overt display. Someone manipulated the rebellion, and I feel there is a deeper game going on.

I have no hold over you, nor do I wish one. But I fear what would happen should someone else obtain one, especially ones from Greener pastures. I cannot promise aid, but if you ask, I shall try.

Oh, and you may wish to keep an eye on divine visitors. At least one seemed very interested in your mask.

Chosen of Mars, Child of Steel and Ruby

Leaving the note with the mask and Robe, Child motions for Lix to follow him out. They've spent enough time here: the others will be waiting. Never enough time...

Not sure if this is the smartest thing to do... but it doesn't seem stupid.

The_Snark

2013-03-15, 04:41 AM

Sifu:

I am alive and well, despite recent unrest in Nexus. The assignment from Oversight is not yet complete, and the Convention on Wood has requested assistance with a Thorns-related matter. I write this letter because I do not know how long it will be before I return to Yu-Shan, and there are two things you should know urgently.

The first is that the Yozis may have fashioned their own Exalted. Child of Ruby and Steel encountered one the day before yesterday, a woman who called herself the lady Aya and claimed she was Chosen by the Endless Desert and her brethren. She bore a caste mark in the shape of a silver hourglass, and insisted she was not akuma, that she retained her free will and had rejected her old masters. I judged her sincere when I met her, though I cannot rule out the possibility of a clever infiltrator or a deep-cover agent, but her existence is troubling regardless. If she is truly something new, she is not unique. Others like her will remain loyal. Yozi agents have been active in Nexus of late, and perhaps elsewhere in the Scavenger Lands.

One such agent, a man named Primal Elegance, has been traveling the Confederation of Rivers in the guise of a playwright, mostly recently in Nexus and Lookshy. I am told he was killed yesterday, but it may be worth investigating to see if his influence lingers.

The second is a puzzle, an Exalt who shone like the night and displayed a caste mark I have never seen:

http://a.imageshack.us/img828/322/nocturnalempyreanh.png

He died in the fighting before I could discover more, but I heard a name mentioned. Does the phrase Nocturnal Exalted mean anything to you?

Isa

She lays the quill to rest, finally. There. Emerald Stormwrack can demand any oath he likes, but it won't keep word of this evening from Chejop Kejak's ear. And yet...

There's a lot left out of that letter. Isa has never lied to her teacher before; not on purpose, not about anything that matters. Some things she omits purely for the sake of brevity, while others she would rather explain in person. But the rest... She promised not to tell anyone about Burning Waters, no way around that. But she can't blame it all on that - she's not sure how much she really wants to confide. Stormwrack obviously fears what Chejop Kejak would do if he discovers Exalts with a penchant for tying the Loom in knots, and she can't deny that it worries her, too. Better to introduce the idea slowly.

But she can't make herself feel happy about it. He trusts so few people already, and it would be so easy to lose his trust. Just one mistake. Even if he never discovers it, she knows.

Well. Nothing to be done about it now. She'll just have to face this when she returns to Yu-Shan.

Isa feeds the letter to the room's single square candle, careful not to burn her fingers or extinguish the light.

Using Superior-Entreating Memorial Style to send this to Chejop Kejak, then heading for the docks.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-15, 06:33 AM

While the others discuss and argue, Zhou follows Shadow's directions and picks up the unconscious and invisible Typhon, stowing him below deck on the Lucky Starr. It's not an easy thing to tie up someone when you can't see them, but he compensates with an over-abundance of ropes and chains until the Deathknight practically looks like a cocooned insect. That done, he heads back out onto the docks where they can await the arrival of the others, just in time to catch the last few exchanges in the conversation.

"That's an average week for quite a few other defenders of Creation as well, Skandi. None of us support the Raksha." he says tiredly, taking a seat and letting his legs dangle freely over the side of the boat. "But just fighting the Fair Folk is no guarantee that you're a good person, just sane. Look at the Scarlet Empress, for example."

industrious

2013-03-15, 10:38 AM

The Docks

The expression is sharper, more fixed. "And you say that you're the only organization dedicated to helping Creation? My "friend" would kill to achieve his goals, without mercy, without compassion, without honor. But his goals are the same as mine: The protection of Creation."

As Isa, Child, and Lauren approach the docks, this is what they hear.

Ifni

2013-03-15, 11:59 AM

As Zhou moves to join her - and finds Typhon rather promptly, clearly she'd been looking in slightly the wrong place - Eris puts a hand on the Fire Aspect's arm. "Let me check him for weapons or anything else, before you take him?"

She quickly runs her hands over the invisible shape, closing her eyes as she maps out the way he's lying. She checks his hands first, then belt, boots, sleeves - anywhere a knife might be easily kept or concealed. Once she thinks she's found anything there is to find, she pats him down again, feeling and listening for anything out of place - the crackle of paper, for one.

That done, the Eclipse listens to the exchange, with a faint quizzical smile. A few motes of Essence heighten her senses - they both believe what they're saying. Interesting. Not that she'd thought otherwise, but still... interesting.

As Zhou re-emerges, she sheathes her daiklave and walks back over to her sister, lifting her up as gently as she can and carrying her over to the junk. It sounds almost as if he speaks from experience, with the raksha... Something to look into, later. "Zhou, will you take Firada and find her someplace to rest? Enlightening as this conversation is, I should stop by the Guild Tower if I'm going -"

She glances around at the sound of footsteps.

Eris had been explicitly looking for Typhon for several posts, not just talking - I just didn't want to assume. I am fine with Zhou taking care of it, though.

If a roll is needed for searching Typhon,
Perception+Investigation [roll0]
Possible stunt: [roll1]

Something is telling me I'm not going to get to visit the Guild Tower :smalltongue: I have a backup plan (grab random person off street, terrorize them into delivering an encrypted letter for me), so please let me have at least one more post before we leave Nexus, but while Eris would really like to know if her Contact is alive, it's not strictly necessary.

Tavar

2013-03-15, 01:53 PM

Child hears Skandi's comment, and can guess the direction of the conversation. Now, he could just ignore it, after all he's not really part of the conversation. Or he could make a dig at Skandi.

It's really no contest.

"Yet you criticize the Fellowship that it would do the same."

He spoke as he steps on the boat, taking in the scene. Emerald doesn't look good, but no one seems too concerned. Black....Eyes? Shadow was also here(and he really needed to get better with names). He didn't really like the Ghost-borne, but he didn't dislike him. And Fallen Star did say Wayang thought highly of him. And Emerald seemed to dislike him. Certainly a mark in his favor.

" No body. Did the opponent get away?"

industrious

2013-03-15, 02:01 PM

Eris

There were at least three knives on his person that she could find. One was nearly the size of a short sword, the other two barely three inches long.

1 die stunt.

Ifni

2013-03-15, 02:40 PM

Moments earlier:

Eris takes all three knives, examining them for special features or distinguishing marks before sliding them into Elsewhere via her pockets. She can study them more carefully later.

Now:

"Hello, Child. I think Skandi's point is that when you're devoting significant resources to killing the people defending the world from the raksha, while claiming to protect Creation, you might want to rethink your strategy. And that contrary to Stormwrack's beliefs, your Bureau is not the only organization striving to help the world - at least if keeping it safe qualifies as helping." The little Solar shrugs. "Which seems fair enough to me, as an external - if not disinterested - observer."

For a moment her smile is slightly pensive, and slightly wry, as she glances at Stormwrack - but at Child's question, it becomes a smirk. "The Ambassador of Thorns is chained up in the hold, under a sleep spell. Your colleagues decided that taking him to Yu-Shan was preferable to handing him over to the Pact, when it was phrased that way."

"Find anything interesting in the Council Tower? Did the reinforcements get there all right?" She peers past the Chosen of Battles, looking for Lauren and Isa. She'd been hoping she had a little more time before they arrived, but - well, she has a backup plan if necessary. Since she's likely to be pressed for time in any case...

The Eclipse sits down on the low wall next to the boat-shed, extracts her writing-case from her coat, and unfolds it. Selecting a narrow brush, a sturdy grade of paper, and a plain black ink, she begins to write as she listens.

Using Letter-Within-A-Letter Technique, writing a report to Anaxos Ro. She's figuring if she has time she'll run over to the Guild Tower and drop it off, it'll be quicker than explaining everything; if she doesn't have time she'll bully some random citizen of Nexus into taking it. Of course if he's dead this is unnecessary, but apart from the cost of LWAL it also won't do any harm.

The surface letter is just saying she has to leave Nexus in a hurry and granting Anaxos Ro power of attorney to handle the sale of her apartment. The hidden message has a pretty complete description of everything she knows about what happened in Nexus tonight - I will probably touch on the highlights in a later post.

Lix Lorn

2013-03-15, 03:33 PM

"Does the Emissary's mask count as interesting?" says Lauren dryly. "What about some random goddess trying to claim she was the emissary?"

Tavar

2013-03-15, 03:38 PM

Child

He gives a short snort of laughter.
"Lunars don't protect Creation from the Fairfolk at large, any more than Sidereals do. The Scarlet Empress, with the Realm Defense Grid, protected us. Cowed them. Everyone else's efforts can support hers, but it was only support.

And generally, well, we don't support killing the Lunars. Not directly, at least. The Realm, that is something we support, and the Realm, well, it's policies come into conflict with the Lunars, even dismissing the religious grounds. But the Realm protected Creation from many threads. It's legions held back minor incursions. It's monks held ravenous gods in check. It isn't perfect. It isn't nice. But neither are Lunars. And we could work with the Realm to defend Creation."

Child shrugs.

"I don't know how long that will last, though. The Realm was tearing itself apart before, and now it looks to by trying to bleed itself to death. Who knows what will come next?

There were a couple things of interest in the tower, yes. Not sure if they're important yet, but certainly interesting."

industrious

2013-03-15, 03:54 PM

Emerald

His eyes widen at Lauren's presence.

"You."

He bares his teeth, clenches his fist.

"Bring Sierra back. Now."

Lix Lorn

2013-03-15, 04:10 PM

Lauren blinks.
"...what? I... I can't. Even if I would. It isn't that easy."

industrious

2013-03-15, 04:32 PM

Emerald

Emerald snarls at her.

"Like I'm going to believe that. You were happy enough to leave her at Waypoint. Change back or you're going in the hold with Typhon."

"And Child, that's Bronze talk. The raksha wouldn't have godsdamned invaded in the first place if the Old Man hadn't killed the ones keeping them back. The Realm is a **** substitute for the Deliberative. And now it's crumbling, your leader is old and would be senile if he ever was lucid, and Yishie's going to have to pick up the pieces when it all crumbles before him. Bravo."

Black Ice Shadow

"These," he says quietly, uncaring if any hear him. "Are internal matters. Politics. We all desire for Creation to continue. And we should not reveal our troubles to outsiders."

Tavar

2013-03-15, 05:02 PM

Child

"Keeping them back? Like Wyldhand? Or the Crusade before that?

You know the impetus, why the Old Man acted. Is it better to be safe, and diminish, or roll the dice, with the world on the line, and precious little chance of victory, but be greater in that chance? I've yet to see a Gold answer that without dismissing the possibility of failure. You think I don't know things are crumbling? There's a reason I don't follow Him anymore. But I don't see your position as any better."

Glancing at Lauren, Child narrows his eyes as he looks back to Emerald.

"What are you talking about? Is she some danger to the mission?"

industrious

2013-03-15, 05:12 PM

Emerald Stormwrack

He's yelling now, foam and spittle exiting his mouth as he lies on the deck.

"Be safe and diminish? You call this safe? There was never going to be safe. We were going to roll the dice no matter which direction we chose. We had at over three thousand years before things got to the point where we have to choose, and now it's been less than two thousand and Creation's gone to absolute bloody ****. That's the Bronze, Child! Cheaper, poor quality, and it breaks if you sneeze at it."

He looks at Lauren, and his voice subsides in volume, if not in anger. It's a more controlled fury; his voice becomes quick, clipped.

"Lauren is a personal matter. None of your businesses."

Lix Lorn

2013-03-15, 05:14 PM

"And it's something I have no control over, and you don't look like you're in any shape to be demanding anything from me." says Lauren, quite put out by his inexplicable seeming hatred of her.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-15, 05:43 PM

"Or, and here's a stunning thought, you could stop arguing over a disagreement that's two millennia old and long stale." Zhou says dryly. "Especially in front of outsiders."

industrious

2013-03-15, 06:09 PM

Emerald

He pinches his nose, exhales, and some of the anger seems to go with it.

"Zhou is right." there is a grumbling from a certain black-clad fellow in the corner that goes ignored. "This isn't the place for this."

Maugan Ra

2013-03-15, 06:13 PM

Zhou chuckles. "My sympathies, Shadow. For whatever it's worth, you're rapidly proving yourself the most likeable and competent of all these fine folks."

He pauses. "Stormwrack gets bonus points for banishing the demons that were about to eat my face, and loses them again for being a cantankerous drunken bastard. And I mean that in the nicest possible way."

Ifni

2013-03-15, 06:17 PM

"I was finding the discussion quite informative, actually," Eris says, looking up from her lap-desk. She blows across the parchment, and folds it up. "But we'll have five days to talk about whatever topics strike our fancy, I suppose." Her lips twitch slightly. "Hopefully we can refrain from throwing each other off the boat."

The little Solar stands up, tucking her writing kit back into her coat. She glances at Stormwrack. "Lauren is Sierra's second-self, alternate face, something akin to the more-than-disguises you Sidereals wear. This I know because she told me, Stormwrack; I don't know what you think she is. And she's not lying, when she says she can't easily return to being Sierra."

"None of you have lied or even told half-truths, actually, in this conversation; everything everyone has said has been what they've truly believed." She shakes her head slightly, with a faint smile. "Isn't that a worrying thought?"

"Anyway. I have a letter I need delivered. If everyone else is ready to depart, just give me a few minutes to find someone to carry it." She pauses, and looks at Lauren and Child. "Did reinforcements show up to the Tower?" Either way, if the akuma comes back for a second try, that could be unfortunate - although it seems a glaring vulnerability, if the mask actually matters. One that should have been exploited before.

There's little enough she can do about it. And little enough reason left for her to care. But Anaxos, if he's alive - one reason, maybe.

industrious

2013-03-15, 06:25 PM

Emerald

"Being drunken implies that you can't drink. I'd like to see any of you match drinks with me. Given the contents of this boat, that'll probably happen one night."

"And you can't blame me for being paranoid about Sierra. Nice girl turns into a killer like her, I'm not thinking this is voluntary."

This, it appears, is as close to an apology as Stormwrack gets.

Ifni

2013-03-15, 07:19 PM

"Yeah, baiju isn't my beverage of choice. And as for Lauren - sometimes what you need is a killer." She glances at Lauren, the corner of her mouth turning slightly upward. "You think Sierra would've enjoyed this evening? Although she was helpful, at the play."

Eris draws a length of bloodstained periwinkle silk from her coat pocket and cuts a piece free with her knife, wrapping it around the letter before tucking it into an envelope from her supplies. She's not very familiar with sorcery, but perhaps Anaxos can do something with the blood as an arcane link.

She looks at Child and Lauren, wondering if they'll offer an answer to her question before she leaves.

-----------

The letter, folded in the Eclipse's hands, is on first reading simply a polite and rather legalistic missive, advising Anaxos Ro that she has found it necessary to depart the city on short notice, and requesting that he arrange the sale of her apartment and see the proceeds deposited in her account with the Guild.

But between the lines, between the ink and paper, in the images and recollections words shape in a mind -

She knows Anaxos Ro. She's known him for half her life, since a meeting in the Undercity, between the White Rose of Thorns and a young Guildsman newly posted to the city. And the Prince of the Earth's little mortal clerk, fading into invisibility beside her sister, watching and listening and recording every detail of their agreement.

He'd tried to bribe her, not very long after that; she'd taken his money, of course, and then smiled at him a few months later, when his attempt at blackmail had fallen rather flat with the discovery that her sister had known all along. She'd held no grudge; he hadn't been trying to betray her to the Mask, after all, or weaken the Resistance, only to gain an advantage.

He'd never given them anything for free or cheap, and he'd deliberately stayed well clear of the inner council, for his own safety and theirs. But he'd been willing to smuggle weapons in and refugees out, he'd saved scores of people from the darkness - and when she'd desperately needed a way out of Thorns, he'd kept his asking price to something she could pay, even though it meant risking his own life.

Ruthless, yes - you have to be, to rise so high in the Guild - but not an evil man.

And she'd paid back his investment many times over, in the manses she'd helped him find, in a decade of favors given and traded. He'd helped her learn how to live in a world of sunlight, and she'd showed him the lies and the secrets, behind people's eyes...

She knows Anaxos Ro, and he knows her. And from the sparse legalistic language of her letter she builds structure out of old references, and in-jokes, and shared memory, to speak meaning to his mind alone.

The truth of the night. Descriptions of Elegance, Burning Waters, the two akuma and what she'd seen of their powers, and an explanation of the silk wrapped around the letter. The play, the mind-control, the subverted mercenary troops. Her belief that Waters was most likely a dupe, and that in any case the rebellion was set up to fail by infernalists whose intent was to shatter the Scavenger Lands. The possible link to events in Lookshy. What she'd done to bar Nexus from aiding Thorns, and the nature of the Charm. Her exile and its terms. The imminent arrival of Lookshy troops. Her assessment of Risa, mentioned as a still-trustworthy mercenary commander, and the members of the Cleansing still in the city.

The Midnight Queen will be seeking someone competent to explore possibilities for social reform in Nexus, provided she survives the night. This may be something you wish to involve yourself with, as an opportunity to influence the future of Nexus, and perhaps to win Ephiselle's gratitude, as by her sworn word she must find someone. This rebellion reveals a weakness, and Elegance's intent was that the city's response should crack the flaw wide open; I would rather see it repaired. I must leave, so I warn you of the danger, and offer you what information I have to hand.

A gap, then, in the flowing brushwork, a space where the words are only their surface meaning - and then she goes on, to tell him about the Sidereal Exalted, about the nature of Symphony of Chimes. What follows is information you could die for knowing. But they know that I know, and if they know you received my letter they'll suspect, whether I actually tell you or not - so I choose to offer you knowledge, with which to arm yourself. If you would rather not - skip the next paragraph.

As well as the Solar and Lunar Exalted, there are the Chosen of the Maidens...

She doesn't tell him about Typhon. She's not the only one in the world who can read truth. Better he has no idea of her involvement, and can truthfully testify to that. Nor about the Emissary's mask, although she does describe the rebels' focus on the Council Tower.

The signature is just a signature: Untimely Orchid. Perhaps the last time she'll sign her name that way.

The_Snark

2013-03-15, 08:50 PM

Isa slips through empty streets and alleys like a ghost, unseen by the few who dare venture out into the city streets at this hour, on this night. She is in no mood to be followed and accosted again.

The docks are dark at this hour, the gloom pierced only by the occasional hanging lantern. The Lucky Starr is not one of the ships carrying a light, but she can hear familiar voices, rising and falling in the sound of argument and probably carrying further than their owners intend: Skandi's normally-carefree voice lowered to a near-growl, Stormwrack's habitual scorn a little sharper than usual, Child's controlled annoyance, Orchid's cool precision. Despite herself, she hangs back a minute, listening to tones of voice rather than words.

Until somebody - Stormwrack - starts shouting. Time to intercede? Luckily, the discussion has died down by the time she reaches the ship.

"Everybody here?" Isa calls softly by way of greeting. The first thing she notes is the presence of a fellow Reckoner; reinforcements? The agent they're supposed to retrieve? She doesn't know Black Ice Shadow very well - she doesn't know anyone in her division all that well - but he's supposed to be an expert on the Underworld. Seems awfully easy, but he would be a natural choice for a mission to Thorns.

The second thing she notes is the blood on Emerald Stormwrack's clothes. That earns a raised eyebrow. "What happened? I know he's very annoying, but..."

industrious

2013-03-15, 09:10 PM

Emerald Stormwrack

"Bleeding deathknight. I can't bloody use me legs at the moment. He's taken care of now. That teetotalling Terrestrial has him chained up in the cargo hold."

Emerald is still lying facedown on the deck, but the thought of paraplegia doesn't seem to faze him too badly.

"I greet you, Isa of the Birch River Clan."

Black Ice Shadow's has a low, quiet voice, possessing little charm and perhaps less volume.

"I believe Eris Orchid has a letter she would like delivered, but afterwards, we are to sail to Yu-Shan immediately. I have urgent news for the Bureau, and while I have sent a report, we must convene quickly."

Ifni

2013-03-16, 12:41 AM

Birch River Clan? Hmm... from the forest lands? Linowan, maybe? Halta? The Chosen of Saturn has a Linowan look...

The diminutive Eclipse smiles at Isa in satisfaction. "Yes, we got here to find Typhon torturing Emerald while waiting for your agents to show up for their rendezvous; this didn't work out well for him. We're taking him to Yu-Shan; Emerald says he should sleep for a couple of days, at least."

Her expression becomes more serious as Black Ice Shadow speaks, and she gives him a nod of acknowledgement. "Understood, Shadow. I'll be back as soon as I can, once I find someone to carry it."

(She knows, of course, that Anaxos may be dead in the rebellion. But if that's the case it might be days before anyone confirms it; she has no good way to check. No one else can read the letter, no one else will hear her wind-borne words. It costs only a little Essence, and a little time. So work on the assumption he's alive. And hope.)

The little Solar vanishes back into the maze of streets, dark clothing blending into the shadows. It's easy enough to follow the sound of voices and breaking glass; plenty of looters and petty thieves in this area. And while such might not be inherently interested in breaking off their entertainment to carry a letter for her, she's fairly sure she can find at least one who's persuadable - and the others, well, if they're that stupid then nobody will miss them. A slight smile curves her lips as she approaches the firelight, bright and thin and cold and merciless as the first sliver of the crescent moon.

-----------

"Anaxos Ro. You think you can remember?"
"Yes! Please, don't -"
"You're not very good at following instructions, are you? I'm sure I told you to confine yourself to answering my questions. Do I need to find someone else?"
"... no, please..."
"Honestly, I've hardly hurt you at all - yet. If you manage to botch this very simple task, on the other hand... let's go over it again."
...
"... and if they tell me he's dead, I tie the letter to the stone, and it'll vanish when the time is right."
"Good girl! Now, off you go. And here, have a little something for your trouble..."

The girl manages, after a few tries, to transfer both silver coin and oddly-shaped stone to her belt pouch. It's made harder by the fact that one hand is locked in a death-grip on the letter, and the other is trembling like leaves in a high wind. For a moment she looks toward the Pool, but then hastily away; she pushes herself to her feet, and begins to run toward the twelve-story tower of the Guild.

-----------

Anaxos Ro, Guild headquarters, Nexus.

Anaxos. I leave Nexus tonight, by Ephiselle's order. Dispatched letter with details.
Commander Risa trustworthy. Council Tower may be vulnerable.

Then there is a pause. A gap. A slow inhalation, before she whispers,

Thank you for Nexus.
... Eris.

-----------

And indeed, Eris is back in only a few minutes, smiling and letter-less, eyes bright with a restless energy. "Right! That was straightforward... shall we go?"

Confirmed with industrious that no, I do not have to roll to be evil and exceedingly persuasive to an extra, and while knowing that this happened might be important, it does not need to be drawn out.

The algorithm is "take the letter to the Guild headquarters, give it to Anaxos Ro or someone who promises to take it to him or at least stick it in his mailbox, if they tell you he's confirmed dead then attach the letter to the Lucky Rock, which will wend its way back to Eris sometime in the next few hours."

The third bit is WCWT, if it wasn't clear.

The_Snark

2013-03-16, 06:22 AM

That's a note more formal than she was expecting. Isa's clan name isn't a secret, exactly, but she doesn't use it much these days. She walked away from the Birch River Clan years before she ever Exalted; they have no claim on her, nor she on them. The only ties remaining are those of blood, and thin ones at that.

Still. It's polite, unless it's meant to hint at how much he knows about her, and she's too weary to deal with that right now. She gives Black Ice Shadow a cautious nod. "Hello to you, too. I take it you're the agent we were supposed to look for?"

The news that there's a deathknight chained up in the hold is... she doesn't even know what to say to that. Is that safe? Foolish question; of course it isn't. But she can see the benefits along with the risks, and she can only assume they've taken precautions. Orchid and Child, at least, are no fools, and even Stormwrack is usually cautious when it comes to his own skin. Nice work seems inane, and she's not in the mood to hand out compliments. "Risky," is what she eventually settles on. "Should we expect more pursuit? Or was there just the one?"

industrious

2013-03-16, 06:54 AM

Black Ice Shadow

"There were others, but Typhon was the only agent of the Mask that could have reached here in time. As far as I know, none will be here in time to hinder us."

Emerald Stormwrack

"Finally. Everyone's here, nobody has any more little errands to play, and we can cast off."

He tries to get to his feet, and hits the ground chest first.

"...Still need someone to help with that."

Maugan Ra

2013-03-16, 06:56 AM

Zhou moves over and helps support the Chosen of Secrets as they move onto the boat. His face is completely stoic. Mockery will come later, assuming the Sidereals heal as well as the Dragon-Blooded.

industrious

2013-03-16, 07:08 AM

Anaxos

As Eris stares into the bay, letters spun from liquid gold float up to the surface. Anaxos was a mortal, but he wasn't quite helpless.

Eris. It has been a pleasure. If you should need aid, my name and a letter with my seal will go a long way.

Emerald

Emerald unmoors the boat, with Zhou's help, and when the party is all aboard, the Lucky Starr sets off.

"To the Prow," he says, reaching into a pocket, and at the prow, casts salt into the air.

The world dissolves into a field of white, the world scattered on a bed of lotus petals. There is no wind in this eerie field, but there is motion of a sort. The salt air is replaced with one thin and austere, and Stormwrack's hands tremble.

"A night's rest for all of us. There are three quarters here, with three hammocks each. I'll keep an eye on Lauren. The rest of you can figure out who's sleeping where."

Unless anyone has any objections, I'll move us to the next day with the next post.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-16, 07:40 AM

"...huh. Neat trick." Zhou says softly, looking over the endless expanse of white. Then he shakes off his distraction, and helps Emerald back to his quarters.

He picks one of the other two rooms essentially at random, and claims an equally random hammock inside for his own. The armour at last comes off, carefully removed piece by piece and set down by his bunk with the same exacting precision as if he was still in the academy. He takes a moment to run careful touches over the few nicks and dents that it had sustained in the fighting - and then momentarily on the still-healing wound in his own side - before laying Aurora down next to them and collapsing into the hammock.

He sleeps the sleep of total exhaustion, and allows all the troubles of the world to simply melt away.

Ifni

2013-03-16, 12:17 PM

Eris smiles as she watches the water, in the last moments before they leave. That's considerably better confirmation than she'd hoped for; not just that Anaxos is alive, but that he has a sorcerer with him, or is in a position to expend the resources himself. (She didn't think he was a sorcerer, but that doesn't mean much; Anaxos believes in keeping aces up his sleeve.)

And with that, her last tie to Nexus parts.

----------------

The Eclipse watches Stormwrack curiously as he invokes the Charm; her eyes widen momentarily in wonder as the world fades into the lotus-petal sea. Is it some passage through Elsewhere, or somewhere else entirely? I wonder if he would teach me...

She shakes her head slightly as she turns back to the others.

"I'll take first watch on Typhon. As you said, Stormwrack, someone should guard him, and I'm not so tired yet. For rooms..." Eris looks after Zhou. "I'll put Firada in the third one, then. Gender seems a simple enough way to sort things, Isa, if you want to share...?"

And she does want to talk to the Sidereal. The Bronze Sidereal, from what she now knows, and more: apprentice of Chejop Kejak, Old Man who'd kill her in the heart of Heaven, who helped hunt the Lunars to the edge of the world long ago.

But not tonight.

"Or Shadow, if you wanted to stay close to Firada, since you know her and clearly have medical training, that would work as well. I don't mind."

Once any necessary discussions have been concluded, Eris picks up Firada from the deck and takes her to her quarters. She unbuckles the sheathed daiklave on the Wood Aspect's back, and removes her boots and any armor she's wearing, before maneuvering her into the hammock. The blanket she keeps in her coat is soft and warm; she tucks it around Firada, careful not to snag it against her burns. She spends some time carefully trickling water into the taller woman's mouth, wondering absently whether Stormwrack actually bothered to pack food, or any non-alcoholic beverages.

(Oddly familiar, this scenario; fleeing a city by boat, her sister unconscious and injured by an agent of Oblivion. Perhaps history does cycle, although ten years seems like a short period. From shadowland to Creation to Yu-Shan... and where next? But it's good to be at Firi's side again, even if it's only for a little while.)

That done, she heads to the hold, sits down beside Typhon in his chains, and draws her daiklave. The hours of her watch pass quickly enough, in memories of Thorns and dreams of vengeance.

And later, when somewhere in Creation the sun is rising and perhaps a furious Emissary is returning to a battered Nexus, Eris Stormcrow clambers into the hammock next to her sister's, to sleep, and for a little time know peace.

Happy to move on to the next day.

Conviction roll to regain Willpower: [roll0]

Aevylmar

2013-03-16, 03:03 PM

"None of you have lied or even told half-truths, actually, in this conversation; everything everyone has said has been what they've truly believed." She shakes her head slightly, with a faint smile. "Isn't that a worrying thought?"

"Fascinating. Either she's lying, or the Sidereals... Oh, Luna. They're just another group of well-intentioned fools with internal problems of their own, aren't they? Kind of a let-down, but it ought be make my job easier...

Skandi remains silent throughout the rest of the conversation as the others discuss locations. He doesn't claim any particular bunk, but waits and sees who he ends up next to. His jade armor is carefully removed and placed under his hammock with his collection armament; he's learned to travel light, and (aside from salted, smoked, near-inedible jerky) that's all he bothers carrying any more.

It's been quite a while since he's been on a boat, but soon enough the motions change from discomfiting to relaxing. It takes the Lunar only a few minutes to start snoring as though he had not a care in the world.

Purchasing a second dot of Conviction, which I've been meaning to do for a while because Skandi is insufficiently Conviction 1. Then rolling to regain wp from sleep: [roll0]

Lix Lorn

2013-03-16, 05:14 PM

Lauren rolls her eyes derisively.
"It's almost like he doesn't trust me." she says caustically, but doesn't interfere or argue.

The_Snark

2013-03-16, 07:04 PM

It would have been nice, if only for the sake of nostalgia, to sail down the river for a while. Feel the current under her feet, watch the countryside pass by. It's been a long time since Isa spent any time on the water. But - no, better this way. Safer. No need to worry about ghosts lurking inside the hull, or vengeful ships setting out from Nexus to pursue them, or complications downriver. Just them and a world of empty whiteness.

Isa glances over at Orchid—or Eris, whichever name she's using at the moment—before nodding. Share a room with a Solar? Why not? Just one more bit of insanity on top of everything else that's happened tonight. She doubts Orchid will try to murder her in her sleep, and (sad though it is) she doesn't trust anyone else on board much further than that.

She follows Orchid down - who's the third woman? Another Terrestrial friend of Orchid's? Too tired, worry about that in the morning - and curls up in the hammock on the far side, letting the ship's motion lull her. No more tears tonight; she won't feel private again until she reaches home in Yu-Shan, and perhaps not even then. Perhaps she's shed all she needs to.

Exhaustion, physical and emotional, settles over Isa like a heavy blanket. She succumbs and slips into a thick, dreamless sleep.

Tavar

2013-03-17, 07:23 PM

Child grits his teeth(a common occurrence when dealing with Emerald) and walks to a cabin, any cabin, that Emerald isn't in.

Sleep should come easy: the day was exhausting. But something keeps him awake. Doubt. Doubt about his decisions in the main. But also about so many certainties. After what seemed like hours, he managed to reach sleep, but even then his dreams remained troubled.

industrious

2013-03-17, 07:46 PM

A Dream of the First Age

The cigar was exquisite. Fine Southern Vegan tobacco, mild to the lips and tongue and yet bursting with flavor. Notes of pepper, lemon, and just a hint of vanilla. The smoke curled around the room, swirling and fading in a faint breeze.

“I am very disappointed in you, Captain.”

The Captain was a young woman, her uniform hanging delightfully upon her lithe figure. Barely thirty, but widely considered to be a rising star in the Navy. Several commendations and awards marked her breast. And, perhaps most surprisingly, a Fire Aspect. To have come this far despite her Aspect…well.

“Sir, I would like to note again that the Lintha had twenty ships, and the Valiant --”

“You were ordered to hold position, Captain, and you failed to do so.”
She begins another defense, but a hand is sufficient to quell any further protestations. He takes another drag of his cigar, blows the smoke towards the ceiling. The Admiral runs his tongue over his lips, tasting the exhaled smoke. Exquisite.

"I ordered you, Captain, to hold your position. And you failed."

"...yes, Admiral."

He closes his eyes briefly, opens them. Sighs in disappointment.

"It is a pity. By all accounts, you were quite promising. You've had quite a rapid ascent up the ranks. Several commendations. And your Dynasty is quite proud of you, from what I hear. If you had been a better officer, if you had followed my orders directly, there would have been far more. And I, personally, would have bestowed on you an even...greater honor. But, you failed. And there is no room in my fleet, in my Navy for failures."

The Admiral sits up straight, and speaks in a deceptively conversational tone, his caste mark shining. He wants her to know what he's done.

"Henceforth, the Deliberative Navy is forbidden from speaking to you, or acknowledging you in any way. They may not offer you any aid, nor by inaction assistance. Your Dynasty is likewise forbidden to do the same. You are relieved of your command, and discharged from the Navy."

He speaks, and the world changes. Her eyes widen, her mouth opens and closes, as she tries to find the words for mercy, please, Admiral, don't do this I'll do anything please don't, and he smiles at her agony.

She is a Dragon-Blood without a family, a military officer who for all intents and purposes never existed. What better punishment for failure? What better motivation for all of his other Captains? For her replacement to do better?

"Good girl! Now, off you go."

Tears trickle down the Dragon-Bloods face as she turns to leave, too afraid to protest further. Too shocked to do anything but obey. He clicks his tongue against his palate, halting her motion.

"I almost forgot, actually. You're due your final paycheck. And here, have a little something extra for your trouble..."

The letter of credit is for a large amount. A single Dragon-Blood, on her own, could survive on it for perhaps six months. But what after? Where could she go that would take someone the Admiral so punished?

And even worse was that the letter was marked by the Deliberative Navy, and in her name. And by his recent proclamation...

"Have a pleasant day. I wish you luck in any future endeavors, my dear girl."

The Admiral leans back, and takes another puff, savoring the smoke and the burn and adds a touch of essence. Breaths the smoke out mixed with orange flame. Yes. This was a very fine cigar, wasn't it? He'd have to put in an order for another box soon...

The Lucky Starr

The ship sails across the field of white, and its passengers sleep. Come the dawn, there will be much to talk about. But for now, they rest, exhausted by their time in Nexus, and dream.

Ifni

2013-03-17, 08:46 PM

Untimely Orchid (yes, she's back!)

Tears trickle down the Fire Aspect's face, but only that. She doesn't sob or plead or scream, as her world is ripped away by the Solar Admiral's whim. She's a military officer, a Dragon-Blood, and -

- don't cry, little sister...

Moments and millennia later - Orchid screams.

As the paralysis of the dream fades she jolts upward, hands clawing at her lips, at her forehead - as if she could push back those hideous words, stripping away career, hopes, family. As if she could unmake the so-familiar sunlit force of Essence, imbuing the Admiral's condemnation. As if she could cleanse from her mouth the taste of smoke and pepper and lemon...

The wrenching cry from the Solar's sleeping quarters is followed a moment later by a loud thump, as of someone falling out of a hammock.

And a moment later Orchid pushes her way out of the room, running for the deck, dark green hair and clothes disheveled, feet bare, and an age of horror in her eyes. She doubles over the junk's low railing, half-collapsing as she loses the contents of her stomach into the sea of petals.

But it's just a dream...

Except it wasn't. And isn't.

Because as the horror of it begins to fade, as the rough wood beneath her hands and knees reminds her that she's Orchid, not the Admiral, not on some grand ancient flagship, Orchid, even if she's sailing a white ocean of flowers in the company of Exalts who she didn't know existed a day ago...

The nightmare fades and is reborn, laughing mockery and madness in her ears, as the memories of the night before begin to take shape. Her lips shape the words again, horrified, disbelieving, remembering: Good girl... Now, off you go... And here, have a little something for your trouble...

Different languages, but oh, Dragons -

And the taste of terrible power behind her words - his words - her words, as the world changed; and the blood on her sword, on her sister's sword... You'll need this more than I will...

Smiling at agony.

She can barely breathe, barely move, and the wood of the railing splinters and breaks beneath the white-knuckled clutching of her hands.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-17, 09:02 PM

You can tell the nature of a man by the instincts he develops. When the unexpected happens, and all the carefully prepared masks are stripped away, what remains? What does the very core of his being urge him to do?

When the otherwise silent night is suddenly split by a horrified scream, Zhou doesn't even hesitate. He rolls out of the hammock with a grace only slightly dulled by his slumber, one hand reaching out to snatch up Aurora with precise and confident movements - can you misplace a part of yourself? - and it out the door before his conscious mind has even properly sparked into life.

It's only then, standing bare-chested on the deck of the ship, gleaming Daiklaive in hand, that he properly comprehends what is going on. Orchid, clutching the railing with a grip strong enough to splinter wood, tears streaming down her face...

Oh, Dragons. That explains it... it just caught up with her. In Nexus, watching her home burn down around her for the second time... she must have repressed it all, forced it all down. And now it's just hit her full force. Well, don't just stand there, you idiot...

Aurora spins in his hand and plants itself firmly in the deck, quivering slightly as he lets go of it and steps forwards towards the Solar. He drops into a crouch just in front of her, his gaze meeting hers, hands outstretched but not touching - don't want to startle her, especially not now...

"Orchid." he says softly, his voice full of concern and offered support. "Orchid, can you hear me?"

industrious

2013-03-17, 09:02 PM

Emerald Stormwrack

He's up first, of course. He was born at sea (don't think about that night don't think about that night too closely), and the sea's in his blood. So he's up, his wounds healed, before what would be the morning light.

First things first. Breakfast for everyone. The cargo hold (not the sub-cargo hold, where Typhon is stored with the chains) has more than enough for all. Salt pork, ludefisk, and rum. Perfect sailor's breakfast. He doesn't hold with hardtack at all.

The pork and fish are in seperate pans over the firepit, and some of the rum goes into his belly and some into the pan. He even tries whistling again. Sailing has a way of making things peaceful.

As Orchid rushes past him, gripping the railing with hands of iron, he sighs, and suppresses the urge to chuckle. As Zhou heads past, he nods his head at the pair.

"If she's seasick," he calls out. "I have cigars! They'll help!"

Ifni

2013-03-17, 09:30 PM

Untimely Orchid

She flinches violently back from Zhou. His face blurs before her, through the tears; they look nothing alike, except for the Aspect markings, but still -

Is the Immaculate faith right when it calls you Anathaema?

The remembered words echo down to her core, fury and harshness and more than a hint of threat, an edge of fear that's echoed and multiplied into something dark and vast and terrible -

But it's the concern in his voice and the softness in his eyes that breaks her, that makes her turn her face away because she can't look at him now, not now.

And then Stormwrack calls out, jauntily...

She hadn't even noticed him there as she ran past. Another time perhaps the smell of cooking fish and meat would make her hungry - there wasn't much in her stomach to lose, just the uttapam she'd grabbed from a street vendor outside the Menagerie last night - but not now.

Cigars! They'll help! From Stormwrack, who believes - who wants to - who told Zhou -

And the taste of lemon and pepper and vanilla rises in her throat again, and there's nothing left for her to throw up but that doesn't stop the retching, and when it's over she's on her knees and only her grip on the railing is holding her up at all.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "Please, I'm so sorry -"

Maugan Ra

2013-03-17, 09:44 PM

The pain in her voice is the first thing that clues him in to the fact that there's something more going on here. Why is she apologizing, of all things, and why now?

He takes a chance, and reaches out, embracing the distraught woman and holding her close. Physical and emotional support, all in one.

"Hush." he says softly. It's over now. There's nothing to apologise for. I've got you."

Little phrases, snippets of anything that comes to mind which might offer comfort or reassurance. A proper discussion can come later, once she's calmed down and had a chance to put her thoughts in order. Right now, this is much more important.

industrious

2013-03-17, 09:57 PM

Emerald

He looks at him, looks at her, looks at the two of them.

Ah.

A thought and a wink, and the Sidereal becomes unimportant. Another, and he fades into the background.

Perhaps the door to belowdecks opens. Perhaps it closes again. It doesn't matter. So it never happened.

Belowdecks

"Isa."

Emerald leans against the wall of the cabin, a cigar in his mouth, and the man happily puffing away.

"Figure now seems a good time to talk. I'll want the oath afterwards, but now...now's a good time."

Ifni

2013-03-17, 10:20 PM

Untimely Orchid

Orchid stiffens for a moment, in wordless protest - No, Zhou. No. You don't understand...

If he understood, if he knew what she had to apologize for, he wouldn't be embracing her. Wouldn't be looking at her with concern in his eyes, speaking to her so gently. He doesn't see the horror within -

But she can't make the words form. And selfish though it is, she doesn't want to. Later, she'll have to tell him, to explain - but for just a little time?

So for now she forces her muscles to relax, and nestles into the hearth-fire warmth of Zhou's arms, and rests her head on his bare shoulder. It can't last, she knows. But her breathing slows a little, and the relentless march of the memories in her mind seems... not quite so unbearable.

Aevylmar

2013-03-17, 10:21 PM

"Oh holy -"

Skandi was a deep sleeper, once. It took a long time before he trained himself out of it, and some of that still remains. Perhaps that was why he was three long paces behind Zhou.

Then he watches, and pauses, and smiles, and fades back into his cabin, shaking his head with a quiet affection. He was shocked, yes, but then...

"They'll need a cabin of their own soon..."

The_Snark

2013-03-17, 10:32 PM

The scream reaches into Isa's dreams and pulls her out like a hook dragging a fish out of water. She wakes with a start, struggles free of the net she's trapped in - hammock - that's right, a ship. She's aboard a ship headed for Yu-Shan - and puts her back to the wall in time to see someone vanish through the door. The middle hammock is empty, so... that would make it Orchid.

Ah.

Right.

Yesterday happened.

Isa leans back against the wall as memory comes flooding back. In a minute she'll go after Orchid and find out what's going on, but pull herself together first. She won't be much use to anyone if she's still half-asleep and wishing she could forget. After a few seconds she glances over at the third woman in the cabin. Jade powerbow lying below the hammock. Still breathing. Nasty-looking burns. Isa moves to check and make sure Orchid's rapid exit hasn't disturbed her, and this is where Emerald finds her.

She considers Emerald Stormwrack for a few moments. "All right. Talk."

industrious

2013-03-17, 10:53 PM

Emerald Stormwrack

He puffs on his cigar, filling the small cabin with haze and the scent of burnt leather.

"I'll give you the short short version first. Then you can ask questions. And then I'll give you the long version. Frankly, nobody else in the Bureau knows about this; I haven't told anyone, and neither will you. Nobody else in the Bureau can know about this. You may think I'm just a drunken, foul-mouthed Golden turd, but this is important."

He pauses, reflecting on his words and his warning.

"Now then. Short short version is pretty simple. World-blowing, but simple."

"There were eight, not seven, Incarnae. And your Burning Waters was one of his Chosen. That's the short short version. Now you get to barrage me with questions. And keep your voice down, while you're at it. Child and Shadow are in the other cabins."

The_Snark

2013-03-17, 11:26 PM

Oops. Now is probably not a good time to mention the letter she sent last night. Not that she ever intended to, really, but... just because Stormwrack is a drunken foul-mouthed Golden turd (what an apt way of putting it) doesn't mean he's wrong about everything. Simple but world-blowing, that sounds about right...

Well. Time to find out if she make a mistake last night. "Why don't you start by explaining why, exactly, it's so important that nobody else know about this?"

industrious

2013-03-17, 11:41 PM

Emerald

"S'has to do with how Nocturnals are Exalted. And what they can do. You might have seen it yourself, maybe. Things that shouldn't happen. Bend and break and warp the Loom."

He looks to the left, looks to the right, beckons her closer.

"And how they're made," he whispers in their ear - softly, very softly. "You have to break Fate. You have to deliberately snap someone's thread, destroy their destiny."

He steps back, lets Isa sit on that for a moment.

"You know the Old Man, probably better than anyone 'cept for Yishie. What do you think he'll do if you tell him that there might be about a hundred Exalts running unaccounted for? And those hundred are damn near invisible to the Loom while somehow being able to break it whenever they damn well please? You think he'll let them run loose? You think he'll welcome them into the Bureau with open arms and starting pay? Or you think he'll order them all killed off? You think he'd let Burning Waters live?"

He takes another puff of his cigar.

"This is serious, world-shattering ****. And the Old Man ain't very good with welcoming serious, world-shattering ****."

The_Snark

2013-03-18, 04:19 AM

"Nobody with any sense welcomes world-shattering ****."

Still, Isa takes a moment to consider. His worries mirror her own, though she hadn't taken the time to put her thoughts into words. What Burning Waters did made her uneasy; if he'd been anybody else... There's a very real chance the Bureau might decide he and his ilk are enemies, and then her loyalties will be stretched to breaking. One way or the other.

"He won't like hearing it," she admits quietly. "But he already has the Solars to worry about, and the deathknights, and maybe these new Yozi-Chosen if we can confirm that, not to mention everything else that's going on. I don't think he'll be as eager to make new enemies as you say. Not if there's a better way to do it."

"Anyway, what's your plan? Pretend they don't exist and hope nobody else finds out? People are already noticing those odd disruptions in the Loom. Sooner or later somebody is going to investigate and figure out what's going on."

industrious

2013-03-18, 07:39 AM

Emerald

He lets out a bark of laughter when Isa uses his phrasing against him.

"Maybe. A good number of us were pretty welcoming when the Day of New Sun happened.*"

He avoids looking at her eyes for the next part. Emerald isn't entirely a fool.

"As for me honest plan...right now, it's 'wait until Yishie's in charge.' She's better when it comes to taking chances. Doing something that ain't entirely sure and true and tested. The Old Man ain't going to be trying new solutions when he's got what? Five years left? Less? Nobody's had a godsdamned clue for twenty years**.."

He starts puffing on his cigar furiously, filling the room in a smokey haze.

"If he thinks something's in the way of his Bronze Age, he ain't going to allow it."

There's something else that Emerald isn't saying. Something more personal. And it didn't take much thought to figure out what he's trying to hide. Or, rather, who.

*Day of New Sun: Quasi-Official name for 6 Ascending Water, when Lytek informed Chejop of the return of the Solar Exalted.

**Twenty years ago, the Gold Faction expected Chejop to expire after a clerk found records putting an upper bound on his age. When he showed up to work the day after it was calculated that he could not survive, the Gold Faction was thrown into shock.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 08:57 AM

He holds her for a time, until the shaking subsides and her breathing is more controlled. Only then does he carefully disentangle himself and stand back up.

"Well. I'm going to go put a shirt on. And then we'll see if anything that Stormwrack cooked up is actually fit for human consumption. And then you can decide whether you want to talk about it... whatever precisely 'it' is." he says softly. Then he turns and walks back into his cabin, plucking Aurora out of the deck on his way past.

He finds Skandi inside, and the smile on the werewolf's face isn't hard to interpret. Zhou just rolls his eyes, and carefully stows his heirloom blade back with the rest of his effects, pulling out a spare shirt from the small bag that he'd managed to pick up before he left Nexus. "Not a word." he mutters, pulling it on and then heading back outside.

Surprisingly, Stormwrack's provided food is edible, if only just about. Zhou takes a small sip of the rum, grimaces slightly - really, for breakfast? - and then takes a seat, waiting patiently for Orchid to make a decision, one way or the other.

industrious

2013-03-18, 09:24 AM

Zhou

The Lucky Starr's firepit has a single long bench curved around most of it. As the two sit down, and eat Stormwrack's food (only slightly burnt due to his swift exit), Zhou finds a letter affixed to the bench under his knees.

Zhou,

A bit below the bench is the bottle of wine I owe you. It's yours, obviously. I pay me debts.

...Course, the wine might also be a powerful healing agent, a glass of which would get the Littlest Solar's sis back on her feet. And maybe she'd be grateful if you were the one who did it. Or maybe I'm a liar, and I just want to get the girl drunk while she's unconscious.

-S

PS. That wine is illegal for Terrestrials to hold, in Yu-Shan or otherwise. So don't tell anyone who gave it to you.

The bottle is tall and narrow, and the golden liquid within seems to shine faintly from within. It certainly doesn't look like any wine Zhou's seen before.

Lix Lorn

2013-03-18, 09:40 AM

Lauren is quite a deep sleeper, but no-one who makes it their business to be a hero sleeps through a scream like that.

A mostly undressed nocturnal dashes out, to see a solar in tears-but not alone.
"Hmmmrmph... well that's good..." she murmurs.
"...'m going back to bed."

industrious

2013-03-18, 09:48 AM

Black Ice Shadow

The Ghost-Blood sleeps like a dead man. Literally; he lies still and pale and unmoving while asleep. When Lauren heads back into the cabin, the man is awake, and blinks at her appearance.

"A pleasant morning to you," he says in his soft, still voice, ignoring her state of undress. "I trust your sleep was restful?"

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 10:11 AM

"...or, apparently, we could put off any sort of talk like that until Firada is awake, if you'd prefer." Zhou says in a slightly stunned voice, holding up the narrow bottle of golden liquid. "Since I appear to have coincidently acquired a bottle of immensely strong healing tonic."

He leaves out the part about the illegality. No need to worry about things like that just yet. One problem at a time.

Ifni

2013-03-18, 11:34 AM

When Zhou leaves, Orchid doesn't move, staying at the railing. When he comes back, she stands up slowly and goes to sit beside the Fire Aspect, eating mechanically. She doesn't taste the flavors. So long as she can avoid thinking about anything, she can keep at least an outward semblance of composure.

She does glance briefly back at the railing, once. But she has no idea what would happen if she jumped off. And that's... not really an answer, anyway.

And then Zhou holds up the bottle, and she stares.

Her surface composure remains. Barely. Fragile as glass, or a thin skin of ice, with cracks spiderwebbing across it. But beneath -

Oh, Dragons, Firada...

To tell her sister about - about the things she's not thinking about -

For a moment she considers saying No, or Wait.

And then the rest of her roars indignation at that small terrified voice. You'd keep her helpless and in pain because you're afraid of her judgement? What if Typhon wakes up? What if something else goes wrong?

The little Eclipse blinks, once. "Yes," she says very softly. Her voice has a faint tremor to it. "If you can heal her - thank you, Zhou. I would be very grateful." She stands up, putting her bowl down on the bench. "Can we go now?"

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 11:57 AM

"Of course."

With that, Zhou stands up and heads to the cabin he knows that Firada was in. He knocks on the door, waits for a few moments out of courtesy, then enters. He's mildly surprised to see Emerald inside, speaking with Isa no less, but disregards that after a moment with a simple nod.

He crosses to Firada's hammock, and gently lifts the bottle to her lips. His old medical training comes back to him, tending to injured soldiers in the wake of battle - tilt gently, give them time to swallow, don't force it on them.

Hope this works. Or I am going to punch Stormwrack through a bulkhead for giving Orchid false hope.

Ifni

2013-03-18, 12:03 PM

Orchid enters the room after Zhou. She's neatened her clothing in the meantime, although her hair is still tangled and her feet still bare. Her eyes are red from crying, and there are the faint marks of fast-healing scratches on her cheeks and forehead. (And dried blood beneath her fingernails, if anyone looked so closely.)

She bows slightly to the two Sidereals as Zhou moves over to Firada, and says quietly, "Good morning, Isa, Emerald. I'm sorry if I woke you, and sorry again to interrupt your discussion. Would it be possible for us to have this room for a bit?" Her gaze returns again to Firada's hammock.

industrious

2013-03-18, 12:07 PM

Stormwrack

"Sure. Right this way. Come on, Isa. Cargo hold should be empty."

Emerald practically drags the other woman out of the cabin, doing his best to shield the bottle of wine from the other Sidereal's eyes.

Tepet Firada

As the liquid pours down Firada's throat, the burns begin to fade, and color returns to the Wood Aspect's cheeks. Her breathing becomes more regular, and her limbs twitch as nerves and muscles repair themselves, augmented by Celestial Essence.

Tepet Firada opens her green eyes, and sees her sister, and smiles. She's still injured, still nowhere near well, but she's awake, and alive, and with her sister.

"Iri?" she croaks out, her voice hoarse from disuse. "...We have got to stop meeting like this."

And overcome with emotion, Orchid's sister starts to laugh, tears welling up at the corner of her eyes.

Ifni

2013-03-18, 12:29 PM

Orchid doesn't breathe a sigh of relief as Stormwrack and - especially - Isa leave, but it's a near thing. Once the door closes behind them, all her attention focuses on the woman in the hammock, drawn as if by a lodestone. She moves closer, watching with bated breath as the sacred wine does its work.

And then Firada opens eyes of precisely the same color as her own, and smiles, and despite everything else that's happened, for a moment there's only joy. She smiles back, although it's a little wobbly - and so is her voice, when she speaks.

"Hey, I'm not the one who keeps getting into desperate heroic battles with agents of Oblivion."

There are tears in her eyes too, as she reaches out to hug the Wood Aspect. Not a tight embrace; the burns aren't completely gone, and she doesn't want to hurt her.

She looks past Firada's shoulder at Zhou and whispers, "Thank you. Just... thank you."

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 12:34 PM

Zhou smiles, and re-seals the bottle. Powerful stuff, this, whatever it is. Shame that it's apparently illegal.

"The fact that we have a Deathknight chained up in the ship's hold is completely coincidental." he says dryly. "Pleasure to meet you, Tepet Firada. Your sister has told me quite a bit about you. Most of it almost embarrassingly positive."

industrious

2013-03-18, 12:45 PM

Tepet Firada

"Thank you, Chosen of Hessiah," she says, her arms squeezing far tighter than Orchid's. "Though I'm afraid you have the advantage of me, here."

"As for that deathknight...if I told you he was actually another type of Exalt entirely, one that kept themselves hidden away, would you release him? He actually saved my life, believe it or not.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 12:51 PM

"Hmm? Oh, my apologies. Kharal Zhou, at your service." he says, leaning back against the far wall. "Also, I assume you're referring to Black Ice Shadow, the Sidereal? He's here, and unbound. No, it's Typhon, the Deathknight ambassador from Thorns, that we have chained up in the hold."

He pauses. "Oh, and I know about your sister." he says, tapping his forehead with one finger where a caste mark would manifest. "So no particular need to worry there. Though if you'd like privacy to catch up anyway..."

Ifni

2013-03-18, 12:53 PM

Orchid nods at Zhou's introduction, and adds, "Zhou is from Lookshy, he was posted to Nexus." She hesitates for a moment. "We're friends, and I would trust him with my life. Based on empirical evidence. He figured out... what I am... yesterday."

"To check we're talking about the same people - Black Ice Shadow is pale, pointy ears, spiky black hair, carries two soulsteel short daiklaves that I gather he stole from Typhon, has a violet symbol on his forehead when he uses Essence? We'd met Sidereals before, so that helped."

"... there's a great deal I have to tell you. But are you feeling strong enough? Those burns..."

She glances at Zhou. "And Zhou - for my part, no need to leave, unless you want to. You know most of what I have to tell Firi, so it might be boring, but no worse than that -" She stops for a moment, and takes a long breath. Still not letting go of her sister. "And you were a... witness, to some of the other things I need to talk about."

industrious

2013-03-18, 01:08 PM

Tepet Firada

She blinks at the first statement. And the second statement. And the third statement.

"Well. Clearly you seem to have a handle on things. That would be Black Ice Shadow. And you seem to have taken the idea of 'Sidereals' a lot better than I did when he told me."

She smiles at her younger sister, squeezes Orchid even tighter.

"I'm all ears, Iri. But first..."

She reaches with her hand, touches the scratches on Orchid's brow.

"What did you do to yourself, Iri?"

The_Snark

2013-03-18, 02:50 PM

The knock interrupts before Isa can think of a reply. She lets Stormwrack hustle her out of the room, not unhappy for the reprieve - but not before noting Orchid's reddened eyes and state of not-quite-neatened disarray. Something to think about later.

Once secure in the cargo hold - not yet filled with the smell of burning cigars, thanks be - she pulls her hand free and turns to face him. "All right. We can finish arguing about this once I know the rest of what you've got to say. For now..." She studies him closely. "Whatever other oaths I swear, he won't hear about your adamant girl from me. Fair?"

industrious

2013-03-18, 03:00 PM

Emerald

He doesn't like it. There's a vein throbbing in his head that tells Isa he doesn't like it.

"...Fair," he admits grudgingly.

"...They were meant to be our Companions. Or we theirs. Either way works. Unlike Lunars, our bond goes both ways. And if you have one, you can get a sense of where they are. Tugs at your heartstrings and everything."

He talks quietly and pensively, sharing secrets that he hadn't burdened another with in a long time.

"It's like you're missing something, and you don't know it, so you don't miss it. And then you find it, and, well..."

He sighs.

"Any other questions?"

Ifni

2013-03-18, 03:01 PM

"..."

Orchid reluctantly lets go of Firada, and walks quickly to the door, checking that it's firmly closed. Then she takes a knife out of the light shawl that's currently substituting for her coat, and uses it to wedge the door shut. She doesn't want any interference here, from Lunars or Nocturnals or Sidereals, be they Bronze or Gold.

Then she comes back to the hammock, and reaches out to take Firada's hand, cradling it in both of hers. (Her own hands, her sister will notice, are trembling.) She glances at Zhou, and for a moment there's a flicker of pain and loss and regret - I'm so sorry - in her eyes.

"... it would be cowardly to delay, I guess." And without much point - except being able to hold her sister and be held, being able to see her smile, hear her laugh...

Her voice isn't quite steady, either. "I had a nightmare. That wasn't a nightmare, it was a memory. And when I woke up, it..."

She drags in a long breath.

"It didn't go away."

She stops, there. And then breathes in again, and looks at the Fire Aspect, away from her sister's eyes. (Not that it's much easier. But nothing will make this easy.) "Zhou. Last night you asked me if the Order was right about me. You asked me to explain what made me different, from the deathknights and the akuma."

"I'd... like you to tell Firada what happened, from your perspective. What I did. And whether you... whether you found a satisfactory answer to those questions."

Because I'm not so sure I have one, anymore.

She looks down, focusing on her hands, avoiding the two Dragon-Bloods' eyes.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 03:38 PM

Zhou winces, and closes his eyes. Easier to tell this if he doesn't have to look at them, doesn't have to see Orchid flinch at the different moments in the retelling.

"Dragons... it's hard to believe it all happened in one night. Well. Broad events first... there was a rebellion in Nexus, an attempted one at least. We're still not sure exactly who was behind it all, but there were Exalts and mercenaries on both sides, and from what I saw decent portions of the city burned down in the process."

"But that's mostly tangential to what I think you're asking about. Which happened late in the evening, after several near-misses with a Wyld Hunt, a fight with some kind of maybe-Akuma at the play, and a small war with a mercenary company in the streets."

Deep breath. "Orchid revealed herself as a Solar to the vast majority of Nexus. She went fully totemic during the fighting, and hundreds of people saw. Having done that, she had a meeting with one of the Councilor's, during which she leveraged mind-affecting charms to essentially command the entirety of the government of Nexus to have no peaceful dealings with Thorns, and to oppose them at every turn. The councillor was visibly terrified... and she seemed to enjoy that reaction."

"That was when I asked her the aforementioned question. Things got... heated. Anyway, long story short, Orchid is exiled from Nexus, we fought an Akuma, subdued a Deathknight, and we're now on a boat to Yu-Shan in the company of three Sidereals, a Lunar and another Exalt of unknown stripe."

He opens his eyes at last, and indicates Orchid. "The scratches and the tears... well, whatever nightmare you had, it was enough for you to wake screaming and collapse against the ship railing. My initial assumption was that it was just everything catching up to you all at once. Knowing what I do now about Thorns, I can certainly understand how yesterday would have been incredibly stressful. And people don't always act like themselves when they are placed under incredible amounts of stress."

He sighs. "Honestly, your reaction right now is really enough for me to decide that, if nothing else, you're not as bad as the Deathknights or the Akuma. I doubt any of them would ever experience a moment's regret."

The_Snark

2013-03-18, 03:44 PM

Isa lets out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. She'd guessed right. After last night, she hadn't really believed what she felt about Burning Waters was the work of sorcery, but some part of her had doubted. She couldn't be sure. And as harrowing as yesterday, knowing that she'd risked her life and made a fool of herself over a bit of magic would have been far worse.

"Yes." She checks to make sure the hold is empty, again. Never can tell with a Lunar on board. "Who's the eighth Incarna? What happened to them? And why are their Chosen suddenly appearing now?"

Lix Lorn

2013-03-18, 04:15 PM

Lauren gives a quiet, wistful sigh, somehow having the feeling that she's not getting back into that hammock for some time.

"Restful? oh. Yes. Much more comfortable than I'd expected." smile. "And yours?"

industrious

2013-03-18, 04:18 PM

Firada

"...I see."

She listens to Zhou's story, nodding at the appropriate points, and when it comes to the end, quite soundly slaps Orchid on the back of the head.

"Tepet Ireva. Her voice is that of the White Rose of Thorns, cracking like a whip. "You are not a monster. You are not a demon. You are nothing like the deathknights, and if I hear you compare yourself to them, to those terrible creatures, I will not care that you have the power of Ignis Divine at your command, or that you are far too old to be disciplined like a child. I will rinse your mouth out with soap until you gag. Are we clear, meimei?"

Her eyes soften, and she reaches for Orchid once more, hugging her closely.

"You are my sister, and I love you. You were stressed. You made a mistake. But you also kept Nexus from helping Thorns, and from the sound of it, you saved a lot of people last night. And the fact that you regret some of what you did means that you're a good person."

Emerald

"The Eighth Incarna was named Nox. Incarna of Night."

He reaches into his coat pocket again, frowns as he fails to find a cigar.

"And the records of his existence are classified. Technically, he's classified as a forbidden god. Technically. He's dead."

He grumbles over his lack of tobacco, but begins to rummage through a nearby crate.

"The writings I've consulted refer to 'the First Vengeful Strike Against the Black Boar,' and 'the Great Wailing of Night.' I think that was the opening move of the Primordial War. The destruction of Nox, and somehow, the sealing of the Nocturnal Host."

"Other texts imply other aspects about him. 'For the One and The Five did stand opposed; a Debate between That Which Ought and That What Could,' reads one fragment. Another reads 'Thus did the Blue Lady seduce the Calibration King, in body and in the joining of their Hosts.' Which, I think, is why he is forbidden now. I doubt the Maidens would want to be reminded of their lost love. Or lover."

"As for why the Nocturnals have returned...buggered if I know. But I think it's because the Loom is in such bad shape right now that they crept back in. So tangled and riddled with errors that they had to appear, attracted by the chaos."

His hands emerge from the crate with a fistful of cigarillos, and after a pointed look from Isa, puts them all in his pocket without smoking one.

"What? I like me tobacco. You're Linowan. You know how it is."

Black Ice Shadow

"Well enough. I am unused to travelling by boat, however. It is...an experience."

The Ghost-Blood opens his mouth, closes it, and his brow furrows as he tries to think of what else to say.

"...So, you are travelling with Emerald Stormwrack?"

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 04:32 PM

Despite himself, Zhou laughs briefly. "Well, I gave her a hug, but I suppose that works too." he says, grinning.

Ifni

2013-03-18, 05:00 PM

Untimely Orchid

She didn't speak during Zhou's recounting. Kept her mouth firmly closed, her head bowed, resisting the urge to correct, to clarify. The little time-slips and confusions don't matter, for this. The core of it is there.

Then:

"Ow!" Orchid lets go of her sister's hand for a moment, to rub the back of her head. She doesn't resist the hug, even though part of her feels like she should, like she doesn't deserve this warmth. But... she's always trusted her sister's judgement. Always.

She gives Zhou a Look over Firada's shoulder. It's a mixture of friendly glowering, and warmth, and profound relief.

But they don't know all of it yet.

"There's more, though, Firi. Zhou wasn't there for all of it."

"I guess... Zhou, you saw the aftermath, the mercenaries dead outside the Councilor's estate? I killed them, with Skandi - hundreds of men and women, in minutes." She pauses, trying to think back. Remembering that unholy joy. "But maybe that's not so bad, they were soldiers and they knew what they were getting into - maybe I'm being oversensitive there, maybe battle is always like that?" She looks at Firada, at Zhou; her sister, far more experienced in guerilla warfare than she is, and the trained soldier.

"But I wanted to hurt them, not just kill them. And then... then there was the girl."

And that memory cuts to the bone, echoed and overlaid with the taste of lemon and pepper, and the memory of two terrified tearstained faces, millennia apart...

She closes her eyes.

"I had a letter I needed delivered. I could've just asked someone, given them enough money to make it worth their while. But instead I - she was just a girl, and I hurt her, and terrified her, and it felt like... just the sensible thing to do, to make sure she did what I wanted. At the time I didn't think twice about it, and I don't... know... why." The last words are grating, as if she's pulling them forcibly and painfully from her throat.

"People under stress don't always act like themselves, no - but I was acting like him. In the nightmare. The memory."

The fear in her eyes is an old familiar terror. Firada might remember it, from a bleak morning ten years ago. Some things are hard to forget.

Lix Lorn

2013-03-18, 05:26 PM

"Yes, he... he seems to distrust me." she saus, avoiding several of the problems. As she talks, she makes herself more presentable with another layer or so of clothing.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 05:28 PM

"Battle can be like that." Zhou says quietly. "Emotions run high, self control slips... history is full of soldiers who committed unthinkable atrocities when their blood was fired by battle. If you happen to have a personal stake in it, it's worse... and it was your adopted home they were in the process of burning and looting. I can't condone sadism... but I can understand it."

He listens to the rest of it in silence, allowing her to finish before speaking again. "...him? Memories... ah. That makes sense."

He pauses, collecting his thoughts before offering the theory. "Solars and Lunars reincarnate. That's always been an accepted fact - it's why the Wyld Hunt has been a constant fixture for so many centuries. And we know that the rulers of the First Age were... well, monsters. It's why the Uprising took place. Maybe that's what is going on here - your past self is influencing your decisions, even more so when you find yourself under stress and backed against a wall. He was presumably old and powerful at the time of his death... I can see that leaving an imprint on your exaltation."

He crouches, and looks Orchid in the eye. "If so, then you can fight it. You can prove yourself better than your predecessor. And maybe it will always be there, or maybe it can be defeated... but either way, it can be fought."

industrious

2013-03-18, 05:33 PM

Firada

Firada pinches the bridge of her nose. And makes to slap her sister on the head again, but stops just short of doing so.

"When you're in battle, when you've been in battle for too long...yes. You start to enjoy it. Because that's the only way to cope. It's a sign that you need to step back from open conflict for a while. Nothing more."

Firada pats Orchid on the back, strokes her hair.

"You aren't a monster, meimei. Not unless you want to be."

Black Ice Shadow

He blinks.

"So...why do you travel with him, then?"

Ifni

2013-03-18, 06:31 PM

Ireva

The Dragon-Bloods' reassurances, Firada's hand stroking her hair, finally do their work. The Eclipse cries silently into her sister's shoulder, but they're tears of relief more than pain. They know the truth of her, the worst of what she did - and it's all right.

"... all right, jiejie. I'll stop arguing." Her voice is a little muffled by Firada's shoulder. "I could never win arguments with you, anyway. Should've remembered."

She lifts her head to look at Zhou. "And Zhou... I'll try. With everything I have I'll try. You're right about him, the Admiral -" the Old Realm word is a curse in her mouth, "- in all regards. Old and powerful and a ****ing monster..." She shudders convulsively against Firada. "Dragons, if Stormwrack tries to tell me how it would be wonderful to have Solars in charge again - especially if he's waving one of those damn cigars at me! -"

Part of her still asks, though: is it really some influence of his relic personality, or are you just like him, deep down? Do Exaltations seek a similar bearer, is that why it's so easy to slip into his dreams?

It hadn't felt unnatural, last night. It had all seemed perfectly reasonable and logical.

But - trust my judgement, if you can't trust your own. And she always has. You aren't a monster. Not like him. Not yet -

No. Not ever.

Stubbornness (or more kindly, determination) has always been her greatest strength.

"If I act like... that, around you two, will you stop me? By slaps upside the head or otherwise?"

Lix Lorn

2013-03-18, 06:46 PM

"I only met him today." she shrugs. "Just... it was a very long day. The kind that leaves you following anyone you recognise in the hope that you'll eventually find out what's going on. I think I got most of it, though... but I didn't have anything better to do anyway."

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 06:48 PM

"Of course. And if you do, and I have to intervene, well... I hope that you'll remember this conversation." Zhou says firmly.

"And about Stormwrack... well. I don't know. By all accounts, we're going to Yu-Shan to speak with his superiors or something. And... I have no bloody idea what the protocol is for speaking with gods." he looks at Firada. "Any useful tips? I think I vaguely recall something about Immaculate training involving that sort of thing?"

industrious

2013-03-18, 08:25 PM

Firada

"Well, clearly," Firada arches an eyebrow at her so forcefully that one can't help but giggle.

"And while Immaculates are trained how to handle Celestial gods, we typically are in Creation, and outnumber them. I doubt telling them they'll be beaten down if they refuse to comply will help when we're in Yu-Shan and in the minority."

She shrugs. "I'm guessing we either ask one of these Sidereals - except, it seems, that Emerald Stormwrack, or just try to be polite."

"Now, Iri, I have a present for you. Or not for you, depending."

She lurches out the hammock, grabs the large, cloth-wrapped bundle below, and hands it, albeit with enormous difficulty to her sister. The cloth unravels, revealing an enormous daiklave, a near-perfect replica of Remembrance. Down to the very last detail.

Near-perfect, in that while Remembrance was cold green jade, this was gleaming orichalcum.

"...I asked someone from our House to make it, before I returned to Thorns. They thought using orichalcum was funny, but for the White Rose, they were willing to make an exception."

Her voice is quiet, proud, warm.

"It's yours. If you want it."

Black Ice Shadow

He blinks. Again.

"I see."

Another pause.

"...Do you like poetry?"

Lix Lorn

2013-03-18, 09:08 PM

She blinks back, and thinks about it.
"...I think so. I haven't heard very much." she says slowly, seeming oddly unsure.

Ifni

2013-03-18, 09:45 PM

Ireva

Orchid's mouth opens, and shuts.

Throughout the long night her voice was rarely silent, whispering messages across the wind to her allies. Against the worst nightmares of her childhood, she spoke in furious denunciation. It takes quite a lot to render the Eclipse speechless. But this?

Remembrance.

It's not the priceless gift itself, although she can't begin to calculate the value of that much orichalcum, much less the craftsmanship that went into it. That pales into nothing next to the pride and warmth in her sister's voice, and what it means.

A sword shaped, not just for a Solar, but for a Solar who doesn't need to hide what she is. Remembrance, but not of past horrors, not as the bitter pledge of Thorns, never to forgive and never to forget. Made by the hands and the will of her kin -

Love. Hope. And a promise.

If you accept this, you won't be hiding anymore. But could you go back? You slew an army. You flared your anima totemic above Nexus. If Shadow is right, you'll be the first Solar to walk in Yu-Shan in a thousand years.

And it's her gift. Her sister who loved her enough to sacrifice Thorns for her. Who loves her enough to ask and offer this.

"Of course I do," Tepet Ireva says, in a voice low and choked with emotion. "Elder Sister, Firada-sama -" She goes to one knee beside her sister's hammock. (Thankfully it's hung fairly low, or she never would've gotten Firi into it last night.) She's speaking High Realm now - and using the formal mode for one Exalted family member addressing another, junior to senior.

She's never used it before, always speaking as mortal to Exalted elder sibling, on the rare occasions when formality seemed appropriate. She'd never felt comfortable claiming Exalted status - not when Firada had sworn herself to the Order, not when she had risked and was risking so much just to see her as sister, not Anathema.

But the sword says something more.

"I would be honored," Ireva says, and she's never meant anything so much in her life. "I'll do my utmost to be worthy of it."

White-gold radiance fills the room, and the caste mark on the Solar's brow blazes like the sun's heart, as she channels Essence into the massive blade. It's so easy - the orichalcum is light in her hands, and warm, and bright as her sister's smile.

The daiklave glows even against the light of her anima, coruscant with motes of crawling golden fire. But the roses wreathed about the hilt - they are not golden, but luminously white.

And then Ireva lays down the sword, and slides the great jade daiklave out from under her shawl, swift as wind and moonlight on dark water. In the light all the colors of the dark are vibrant, glowing.

She flips the silver leaf-cap to the side and palms the orichalcum button held there; it comes away easily. She balances the blade across her palms; her arms twitch for a moment at the sudden weight, as she withdraws her Essence.

"Remembrance is yours, Firada-sama, as it has always been. It's been my privilege to carry it for you, and for those who entrusted it to you. But will you take it back, now, and bear it as you once did?"

Her caste mark almost seems to dim, beside the light of happiness in her smile.

Committing out of Peripheral, so yeah, there's probably a very distinctive light coming out from under the door. Grand daiklaves are a pig to attune.

Sorry for completely ignoring Zhou in this post, but all the sensible helpful information she was about to convey about her experiences with gods (which isn't much, based as it is on a sample size of one) went completely out of her head on seeing that sword.

Also, Ireva apparently likes dramatic speeches more than her sister does :smalltongue:

industrious

2013-03-18, 10:11 PM

Black Ice Shadow

"I...ah...collect poetry. For when I don't have much to do, and need to pass the time."

He reaches into his breastplate, pulls out a thin red volume, offers it to her.

"Since you didn't come here with much."

Firada

"I thank you, Ireva-kun, for bearing Remembrance in my stead. I reclaim it once more. Rise."

Firada moves her legs as well, slowly, and stands on unsteady legs. She grasps Remembrance , and the air fills with the scent of roses as her own anima binds to the daiklave.

Firada's the first to break formality. Of course she is; she's had to deal with monks, and the Immaculate Faith. Ireva had an endless parade of social gatherings, of propriety and looks and glances in an endless dance of decorum.

"Iri," she says, her tone faintly teasing. "You still have to name her."

Lix Lorn

2013-03-18, 10:21 PM

Lauren and Shadow

She blinks, and actually blushes slightly as she takes it.
"That's... so very kind. Thank you."

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 10:36 PM

"And once you have, I hereby officially challenge you to a duel." Zhou says with mock-seriousness. "Where we shall see once and for all whether your claims of being a better than me with a sword are actually justified."

He pauses, then picks up the bottle of wine and hands it to Firada. "Chances are drinking the rest of that will heal the rest of those wounds. I have no idea what it is, but I won it from a Sidereal who seems to know his drinks, so it should work." Another pause, slightly lengthier this time. "Also it's apparently horribly illegal for Terrestrials to have, and I have no intention of walking through the gates of Yu-Shan carrying it."

Ifni

2013-03-18, 10:37 PM

Ireva

Ireva rises at Firada's word, and her smile grows even brighter, almost giddy with wonder, as her sister stands as well and the sweet scent of her anima blows through the air.

When Firi breaks the formality of the moment, Ireva swallows hard, and then laughs. "You're right, I do, don't I? If I'm her first bearer." She looks down at the blade, still not quite believing, and makes an experimental pass through the air. Light as a breath, swift as the fall of lightning; the sword feels like an extension of her hand.

She looks back up at Firada. "I think... I'll have to think about that for a bit. Naming such a wonder shouldn't be rushed." She carefully slides the enormous daiklave into her coat, and then steps forward to throw her arms around Firada and hug her tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! She is amazing, Firi." She pauses. "You are also amazing, but should probably lie back down."

The Eclipse belatedly looks at Zhou, then, and gives him a rueful smile, faintly tinged with dismay. "Dragons, Zhou, you must think I'm a complete wreck. Every time we have a serious conversation, first I end up sobbing over traumatic memories, and then the daiklaves come out. I'll try to get better about that. And sure, I'd be happy to spar. Although after last night, I think I know how a proper Charm-assisted fight between us would go." She casts a slightly guilty look in Firada's direction. "I have been practicing. But Zhou's very good."

The corner of her lips lifts in a half-smile. "Probably a good thing, too. For the record, if I'm being awful, you two both have my permission-in-advance to yell at me, and/or knock me out and sit on me until I come to my senses."

She frowns a little when Zhou mentions the wine's illegality for Terrestrials.

"As for the Sidereals -" She takes a breath, and her tone grows more serious. "Firi, how much do you know about them? You found out about them when Shadow had to flare to help you, I guess? And... what were you doing in Thorns, anyway?"

industrious

2013-03-18, 10:37 PM

Black Ice Shadow

"You are welcome."

The Ghost-Blood swings onto his own hammock, pulls out a thin black volume of his own, marked with a strange, twisted circle, and begins to read.

Firada

"Iri, I'm fine. I'm not in the best of health, but I don't need to be bedridden."

She pokes at her shoulder experimentally, winces.

"I know that they serve the Maidens, and that they try to keep Creation safe. Not much more, I'm afraid."

"As for what I was doing...my brotherhood, Black Ice Shadow, and I were going to scout Thorns out. See what had changed. See if the Resistance had rebuilt itself."

She opens her mouth as if to continue, then pauses.

"...Black Ice Shadow hasn't told you yet, has he? What we found?"

She takes the bottle of celestial wine, drains it completely. Her burns vanish, and her skin nearly glows, radiant in Celestial Essence.

"...that was the most amazing drink I have ever tasted."

She pauses again, lost in the sensation. Reluctantly, she shakes herself out of it.

"We found out," she says. "That the Mask of Winters is moving to invade Lookshy."

The_Snark

2013-03-18, 10:51 PM

"What's that supposed to - no, never mind, I don't want to know." Isa shakes her head; now is no time to be diverted by an argument. "Just save them for when you're on deck, please. These rooms are cramped enough as is."

She pauses, forces her mind back to the topic at hand. "So. God of night. That fits. I thought Luna is the god of night, but... Replacement, I suppose. To make sure nobody notices the absence. Would make sense. Anything else you think I ought to know?"

Lix Lorn

2013-03-18, 10:52 PM

She's a little surprised at the sudden end of the conversation, her blush dying down, but attributes it to the stress of the last few days. She sits on her hammock, carefully opening the red book.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-18, 10:57 PM

Zhou freezes. There really is no other word for it. He simply stops moving for a moment, raw shock paralyzing his limbs.

A heartbeat passes. Two.

"Well then." he says, ever-so-carefully. "Do you have a time-frame?"

No sense in asking if she's sure - the information damn near got her killed, by the looks of things. No sense in finding Stormwrack and demanding they turn this boat around, or throwing himself over the rail and then making his way back home from wherever he ends up. No sense getting angry, or panicking, or reflexively destroying something.

But oh, things are going to burn.

industrious

2013-03-18, 10:58 PM

Emerald Stormwrack

He shakes his head. A small clump of dirt is dislodged from his hair, flies into the darkness.

"Just that this has to stay secret. And that I'll want that oath with the Littlest Solar. And don't tell Lauren. If she knows, I don't trust the Old Man not to pull the thoughts out of her head."

Black Ice Shadow

The first page of the book is a haiku.

You only live twice:
Once when you're born
And once when you look death in the face.

That, she quickly finds out, is one of the more cheerful poems in the volume.

Firada

"Two months," she said. "Two months until the Mask re-emerges from the shadowland at Lookshy's doorstep."

Ifni

2013-03-18, 11:03 PM

Ireva's face drains of color, and her gaze snaps around to Zhou. "However I can help, I will," she says immediately.

"Two months? That's... some time, anyway. Do you know what's setting that timetable, Firi, what the limiting factors are?"

No.

No, it's not going to happen.

She will not let Zhou's city be destroyed like Thorns was. No matter what she has to do to stop it.

But Lookshy is a vastly tougher target than Thorns, from everything she's heard. It's the military heart of the Scavenger Lands, it's fought off multiple invasions from the Realm. If Lookshy falls, so will the rest of the Scavenger Lands - but is the Mask really so strong?

He's had twenty-six years since Thorns.

Lix Lorn

2013-03-18, 11:08 PM

It's not a bad poem, she considers, if potentially morbid. But, from all appearences, that seems to be a running theme with him...

industrious

2013-03-18, 11:10 PM

Firada

"If the Mask wanted to send his armies alone, the time would be much shorter."

Firada's voice is quiet, soft. Both of them know what Thorns is like. What the environment is.

"But that isn't the Mask of Winter's style, to merely conquer when he can terrify. Like the Patchwork Regalia. Two months gives him more necrotechnologic engines of destruction, more ghosts to rouse, more walking dead as fodder for Lookshy's arsenal. Two months for Lookshy to prepare its defenses and for him to laugh as he crushes them. The limiting factor is his ego, Iri. He wants a war."

The_Snark

2013-03-18, 11:23 PM

"As you will, Chosen of Secrets." Isa gives a small, moderately sarcastic bow. "But I think you're making a mistake. He wouldn't have listened to you, but he might listen to me when I say we have a better chance of recruiting and regulating one hundred Exalts than hunting them all down, over and over."

"Think on it." She opens the door to leave, moving quietly so as to surprise any eavesdroppers outside the door.

Ifni

2013-03-18, 11:25 PM

Ireva nods curtly. Yes, she knows what Thorns is like. She doesn't shiver at the mention of the Patchwork Regalia, she's long inured to those horrors, but something in her gaze becomes a little colder.

But he's had twenty-six years. Why does two months matter, for most of these things? Unless there's a particular "marvel" of necrotech in the offing, some unique horror. Or else -

"... two months for them to prepare their defenses? Then... does Lookshy know? But he can't have meant you and Shadow to get out, unless Typhon was set up; by all appearances he was trying to kill you -" Although it's true she didn't explicitly read his intentions.

"Actually, while I think of it - Firi, pop out the hearthstones from Remembrance? I should resocket them. And hold the blue one for a bit; if anything's interfering with your mind, you'll have a chance to break it."

The Eclipse taps her fingers on the wooden wall of the cabin, thinking. "Lookshy recently declared their support for the Cleansing," she says, in a distant voice. "I've had a few theories as to what caused that. Do you know, Firi? If they could persuade the Realm to send aid, on one hand - but on the other, it's an effective way to prevent Solars and Lunars from helping. The Sidereals told us they can't act in Lookshy."

Maugan Ra

2013-03-19, 09:40 AM

"Lookshy will never accept help from the Realm. Not unless the cause is truly dire... and we are a stubborn people, so if we ever do admit that, it is likely too late."

Zhou frowns, considering all of this carefully. "It still makes little sense, though. If the Mask arrives through the Shadowland, he'll have to march directly to our walls. There's always at least two whole Field Forces deployed there at any one time, including our siege units in the Third, usually more. And if the Grey Guard are mustered... that's the soldiers who completed the term of duty and then went into non-military professions... then you can add roughly six more to that. Throw in our arsenals, our allies, any reinforcements we summon back from the Redoubts..."

He rubs his jaw. "He has to have some sort of other plan in the works, a way to weaken our defenses. Because if he legitimately believes he's got enough force to take Lookshy in a conventional direct assault, then he's got an army large enough to take most of the East."

Aevylmar

2013-03-19, 04:50 PM

Skandi does not have very good eyesight. He has known this to be the case ever since he first tried to shoot a bow, at perhaps the age of five, and missed by a mile. Nevertheless, a Lunar who cannot see very well is expected to have some... substitutes.

It is therefore the case that when the joyful shouting died down to a quiet whisper, Skandi could tell that something interesting was going on.

- - -

There was a knock on Orchid's cabin.

"Hello?"

industrious

2013-03-19, 07:03 PM

Firada

She de-sockets the hearthstones, holding onto the Gem briefly before handing them over to her sister.

"I don't know why Lookshy would join the Cleansing.."

Her voice trembles, and her hands shake as she continues.

"There is something in the lowest basement of the Shackle Maw Penitentiary. Sometimes I heard it howl across Thorns. You think the screams of the dead and dying are normally agony, and they are, but this...I don't know what this was."

"On the last day before we left Thorns, as quickly as we could, I heard it laugh."

At Skandi's knock, she draws Remembrance on instinct, pointing it towards the door.

"Who goes there?"

Aevylmar

2013-03-19, 07:50 PM

A new voice. She's awake?

"Skandi the Wolf; I helped your sister rout an army last night. Pleased you hear that you're up. It sounds as though you may have switched from joyful reunions to tactics, and I might be able to help with the latter."

industrious

2013-03-19, 07:58 PM

Firada

She looks at her sister for confirmation, then calls out once more.

"Come in. We aren't talking tactics, exactly, but any help would be welcome."

Briefly, she brings Skandi up to date.

Emerald

He stays in the cargo hold as Isa leaves, a strange expression on his face.

When a missive arrives from the Bureau, it comes almost as a welcome relief. Reading it over, he nods once, then burns the scroll. The Sidereal opens a trapdoor, and descends into the cargo hold.

Ifni

2013-03-19, 08:07 PM

Orchid reaches out to touch her sister's arm, offering wordless comfort even as she shivers herself.

If the Mask can smash Lookshy - he won't need armies, to cow and control the rest of the Scavenger Lands. Perhaps the rest of the East.

There could be more to the plan, of course - Lookshy might not be the main target, and this a bluff or feint to cause them to withdraw troops from the Redoubts and their allies - but then why would they pursue Firada and Shadow so desperately? Typhon risked his own life, trying to kill them.

She takes the hearthstones and reaches into Elsewhere to slip them into the sockets of her daiklave; they click into place easily, lambent golden and mirror-silver and ocean-blue, as if they were always meant to be there.

The Eclipse nods confirmation to her sister - "It's all right, Firi" - albeit with a somewhat exasperated glance at the door. What did I say about the term sister, Skandi? But hopefully Isa and Stormwrack are still busy elsewhere.

She walks to the door and retrieves the knife that was wedging it shut, stepping back quickly as Skandi pushes it open. "Firada, Skandi offered his aid in freeing Thorns, last night. He's Full Moon caste. Skandi - Tepet Firada, the White Rose of Thorns, who once led the Resistance there."

She closes the door behind the Lunar and leans against it, waiting quietly as Firada brings Skandi up to speed. Her gaze on her sister, initially a touch concerned, grows less so as she speaks; it seems Firada's grown more comfortable in dealing with Celestials.

"We'll want to tell the others, as well, presumably," she says when her sister pauses. "The Sidereals are barred from interfering in Lookshy, Isa said - and perhaps that's why this Ayesha Ura wants to speak with the rest of us as well, who are not so constrained." A generous interpretation, but possible. "Still, Child called Thorns an abomination, Isa said they defended Creation against outside threats, Shadow fights against Oblivion - I would think they'd wish to help. We're stuck on this boat for five days, but we can still plan and prepare, and they have a lot more information than we do for figuring out what we might be able to accomplish in Yu-Shan."

"But before we get everyone together - Firada, I need to explain about the Sidereals. I know -" She raises a hand as if to forestall a protest. "I know, what you found in Thorns is critical. But we're locked to a five-day schedule anyway, and you need to know this."

"Hidden Exalts, yes, working from Heaven, and they do seem to believe they act to protect Creation. But they can have very different ideas of what that means. There are four of them on board: Shadow who you know, Isa, Emerald Stormwrack, and Child of Steel and Ruby."

Her voice is soft, and precise, and level, as she goes on. "From what Shadow told us, there are two principal factions among the Sidereals, the Bronze and the Gold. The Bronze - assisted the Dragon-Blooded, at least, in the Great Uprising, and the subsequent exile of the Lunars to the world's edge. Maybe you know more, Skandi?"

"They support the Realm, and the Cleansing. Isa is Bronze, and her teacher is... one of those who fought in the Uprising, if my information is correct." There is a slight catch in her voice at that. "Child seems to sympathize with the Bronze but no longer counts himself one of them."

"The Gold -" she grimaces. "Supports the Solars, or so Shadow said, and opposes the Realm. Stormwrack is a member. Ayesha Ura, who holds authority over the East... may be. Shadow said she respects Solars. He himself, as far as I can tell, is of neither faction, more interested in working against Oblivion than internecine politics, and despised for it." Her mouth quirks a little unhappily. "You know how that goes, I'm sure."

Orchid's face grows serious again. "Firada - Isa doesn't yet know about our relationship, assuming nobody's told her since last night, but I doubt we can hide it for five days. If nothing else, now your burns are gone, we look too much alike." She grins. "Not that I'll complain about that!" Her smile fades after a moment. "Isa is perceptive, though. And I'm worried that the Bronze - that there might be consequences if they know how you've helped me. From what I understand, they have plenty of influence in the Realm."

Maybe Firada has this all worked out already. She's always been so confident and so competent, and she doesn't seem concerned about this. Maybe Orchid's just worrying unnecessarily. But how can she help it, when her sister's place in her family and the Order might be at stake?

"I don't have a good solution for this yet. I... want to talk with Isa, about a few things, and maybe we can make a deal. But in the meantime - I wanted to warn you, and to ask if you had any ideas. And it... might be better if you call me Orchid, not Iri. In Yu-Shan, definitely."

Aevylmar

2013-03-19, 10:39 PM

Skandi listens to Firada's description, then stares off into space for one long moment.

"I don't know as much about the Bronze as I'd like to... Orchid, should I call you Orchid or Eris or what?"

He shakes his head to distract himself. "The Bronze/Gold distinction is fairly new to me, because the Bronze are running the show. And, so far as the Silver Pact knows, always have been. The Sidereals - and this is what I was told - use the Realm as a puppet state and support the Realm interpretation of the Immaculate Faith as a tool to explain why Solars and Lunars need to die. The Wyld Hunts keep down the only people who could challenge them, or at least force them into the Wyld, where they'll be too busy staying alive to try and get revenge."

He pauses. "Lookshy's support of the Cleansing looks like an excellent excuse for war. All it takes is one representative of Thorns killed by a Lookshy hunt - or, for that matter, one deathknight beaten up and kidnapped by a Lookshy officer - and he'll have an excuse not just to declare war on Lookshy, but even one that might keep the rest of the Confederacy from intervening. It could even get them to try and summon the Realm to war, which aside from ruining their diplomatic position with everyone else, almost certainly wouldn't help Lookshy actually win."

Another sharp grin. "The question is if Elegance was working with the Mask of Winters, working for the Mask of Winters, or pulling the same Let's You And Him Fight trick that the Wyld Hunt tried by setting the Lunars on the Raksha and I try about once a month."

Ifni

2013-03-19, 10:53 PM

"You really think the rest of the Confederation would sit on the sidelines? They'd have to know they'd be next in line if Lookshy fell - and Ephiselle knew exactly what Thorns was like on the inside - and if Lookshy won, they would've just gravely offended the regional military superpower. It seems like a lose-lose decision - I mean, their help might not matter, Lookshy's always been the heart and core of the Confederation's military strength, but I'd expect at least nominal support. Although I... suppose I shouldn't underestimate people's capability to be stupid when someone's telling them what they want to hear, especially if that someone is like Typhon."

"... your last question is very apposite, though. Nice turn of phrase, too." The little Eclipse gives Skandi a small appreciative smile. "Elegance was using soulsteel; I still have his sword, and his boots, and his, er, tongue. I want to see if Stormwrack, or anyone else on board, can figure anything out from them."

"As for names -" She sighs, and leans back against the door. "I do know a couple of other Lunars, besides you and Chimes. They call me Eris Stormcrow, because I asked a No Moon for a deed name, and she gave me that one. It's not a compliment, she was needling me."

"I prefer Orchid, generally. But if you want to call me Eris, I won't object. I did earn it."

Aevylmar

2013-03-19, 11:10 PM

He shrugs. "If Orchid's the name you choose, Orchid you shall be. Eris Stormcrow is more of an intimidating-people epithet, like Dragonsbane or Kinslayer, instead of a chatting-with-friends name."

"But politically... There's always factions. Where I come from, there's stories about a famous warlady named Athkara. She would always claim, when she invaded, that she was settling some legitimate grievances - tribute unpaid, or some such - and always give a price at which she would leave. That would be enough to slow a weak government; a king dominated by advisers would have some telling him to pay her and let her be; a republic would always have a peace party and a war party, and the peace party would claim to support her grievance. And allies, who don't want to risk their own lives in the best of situations, would never intercede before the war ended. Even if Ephiselle has the sense to intercede, there's long negotiations she needs to sit through with the rest of the council before she can commit to support Lookshy with anything more than her private funds - and by that time, the war may be over."

Ifni

2013-03-19, 11:49 PM

"Oh, I understand the principle. And if the Mask asked a price that wasn't utterly outrageous... yes, that could slow things down. Although if Firada's right about his motivations, he probably won't; he'll want to demonstrate what he can do."

"But self-preservation is a powerful motivating force, and Lookshy's the key to the stability of the Confederation. If he was picking off little city-states, sure - just as with Thorns, the great powers might very well not react until they saw a threat to them. But if Lookshy falls..."

Orchid shakes her head. "Powerful people tend to like stability, because by definition they're doing pretty well out of the status quo. Factions, yes, but where there are points of bipartisan agreement, key foreign alliances tend to be among them." She gives a one-shouldered shrug. "I suppose I don't think the Confederation would sit on the sidelines because Thorns accused Lookshy of attacking one of its deathknights; that would just provide a convenient excuse for something they already wanted to do. And I don't see an obvious reason why they would - although as I said, I acknowledge I may be overestimating the people in question, especially when a persuasive deathknight has had a chance to make his case. While they might not want to spend their own troops' lives, the bulk of their support likely wouldn't be military anyway, certainly not at first - supplies, funds, thaumaturgy? Zhou probably knows the structure of the Confederation mutual-defense treaties considerably better than I do."

"Although - we perhaps need to think about how the situation would've been different, in Nexus, if we hadn't intervened last night. Ephiselle would've been dead, and the new government potentially much less well-informed. And an object of suspicion, at least, for every other state in the Scavenger Lands - including Lookshy - thanks to the attacks on the embassies. Even if the rebellion was crushed, the new Council would've included people who'd risen to power as a direct result of the uprising." And Typhon would have been there to step in, and offer the aid of Thorns...

"Anyway, I think that's a side issue, because as Zhou said, if he can succeed in a frontal assault on Lookshy then the rest of the Confederation hardly matters, and not just because it might all be over before they could do anything. I'll be glad if it turns out to be a primary issue, because it's one that I think will be easier to deal with than the Mask having a new superweapon."

The Eclipse stops, and looks a little sheepishly at her sister and the Fire Aspect. "Sorry, Firada, Zhou. I'm not letting you get a word in edgewise, am I?"

Maugan Ra

2013-03-20, 09:56 AM

Zhou shrugs. "I don't really mind. Though I do have to point out that I didn't actually lay a hand on Typhon until he was incapacitated... not that it will help, if the Mask tries using that as justification."

He grimaces. "Actually, if he does try something like that, I suspect the practical response would be to publicly disavow any knowledge of my actions, strip me of rank and put a warrant out for my arrest. They wouldn't have much choice in the matter, especially since I've been seen consorting with several 'anathaema'."

industrious

2013-03-20, 11:22 AM

Firada

Firada listens intently to her sister's description of the Bureau. Part of her itches for paper and brush to take notes.

When Ireva tells her about their use of the Realm, she pales.

"...I see. Orchid," the Dragon-Blood says, pronouncing the name slowly, clumsily, with hesitation.

Firada arches an eyebrow at Zhou's lamentation.

"I can think of a few worse fates."

She seems to do a remarkable job of pretending Skandi isn't in the room with them.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-20, 11:26 AM

Zhou grins. "Sorry, you're right, that sounded rather self-pitying, didn't it?"

Ifni

2013-03-20, 11:36 AM

"Well, I was going to offer sympathy and a hug, but I suppose that works too."

Orchid smiles, almost precisely matching Zhou's intonation from earlier, when she was on the receiving end of Firada's no-nonsense approach.

"I didn't see any witnesses at the docks, so I'm still hoping we can get away with Typhon disappeared in the fighting. But I suppose you were the only Lookshy officer who survived the night, so if the Mask wants to frame somebody it almost has to be you." She sighs. "You'd think 'consorting with Anathaema' would get a pass when it was to hunt down akuma and stop the overthrow of an allied government - Dragons, even the Cleansing accepted a temporary truce to stop Elegance's allies - but I suppose it depends on a number of factors. How much they want to placate Thorns, and whether Nexus decides to make a point of your heroics in killing Elegance and stopping Waters -"

"- anyway." Not a threat she can do anything about, right now. It hurts to know that Zhou, as well as Firi, could lose what's most precious to him for the crime of not abandoning her. But... they'll cross that bridge if and when they come to it.

She takes a breath, and reaches out to touch her sister's shoulder. "Firi, they know I'm from Thorns already. And you're the White Rose. So leave it at that, to explain how we know each other, and call me Orchid, and I'll call you Firada, and I'll try to talk to Isa as soon as I can? Unless you have a better idea."

The little Eclipse goes to put her shoes on and rapidly run a comb through her hair while she waits for her sister's confirmation, and then reaches for the door-handle. "Shall we go find the others and bring them up to date? I have the artifacts and weapons I took off Elegance and Typhon, I want everyone to have a look at them - and they should know what you told us, Fir- Firada, so we can use this time to plan and prepare. If we're just throwing around hypotheticals, we may as well get everyone's ideas."

"I'll try to roust out anyone who's still in their cabins; we can meet up on deck?"

If there are no objections, she opens the door and goes to check the other cabins. By this time everyone should be awake, at least. She takes the time to focus on her clothing for a moment, adjusting it to a short coat and loose trousers, simple but clean and neat.

industrious

2013-03-21, 12:42 AM

Everyone

Gathering people doesn't take much time; the boat has an impressive cargo hold, but save for Stormwrack, nobody is there, and the eldest Sidereal present emerges shortly after, his caste mark visible and anima banner present ("Hit Typhon to keep him asleep" is the explanation he gives, minus his usual vulgarities). At Black Ice Shadow's request, the meeting is held on the deck, as none of the cabins are large enough to (comfortably) hold everyone.

"Littlest Solar's decided to call everyone together" drawls Stormwrack, already lighting a cigar by scraping a match against Zhou's daiklave sheath. "What's she got to say for herself? I could have been spending quality time with meself, for all she knows. If it's because the other Terrestrial has learnt to walk and talk and get offended again, I don't bleeding care."

Maugan Ra

2013-03-21, 06:23 AM

Ifni

2013-03-21, 06:52 AM

Orchid inclines her head to Zhou as she sits down on one of the rope-storage bins. In the moment of silence following his words, she says quietly, "I wanted to talk over what happened yesterday, as well. I have Elegance's artifacts here -" she pats her coat, "and Typhon's knives, and the spider-akuma's robe and some of her blood - I thought you," and her gaze passes over the group, "might be able to tell more from those than I could."

"But yes. The other issue... takes priority. Firada -" She dips her head to the Dynast. "If you could review? Or you, Shadow, if you'd prefer?"

While she listens, she takes out the periwinkle silk, folds it on the deck, and begins laying out Elegance's artifacts and Typhon's knives. They should discuss Lookshy first, but this way, hopefully, she won't forget to return to the other topic.

industrious

2013-03-21, 12:32 PM

Zhou barely even blinks at the casual disrespect for his ancestral weapon. He does, however, pull the hilt sharply into his side, causing the sheathed blade to smack the match out of Stormwrack's grip with not-inconsiderable force.

"The Mask of Winters intends to attack Lookshy." he says calmly, all emotion locked tightly away beneath the surface discipline. "That's what Firada and Shadow were apparently attacked on their way out of Thorns to keep secret. Figured it was easier to let everyone know at once, rather than have this conversation five times."

Stormwrack

Grumbling, the Sidereal lights another match against the deck.

"None of you lot know about the phrase 'operational security,' or 'classified information,' do you? And by 'none,' I mean the other Terrestrial. Yellow Briar or somesuch. Lucky for you lot Yishie declassified that before I put Typhon to sleep."

Black Ice Shadow nods at the others words, and rises.

"I was assigned to assist a group of Immaculate Monks on a reconnaissance mission to Thorns, to assess the local Resistance movement after its destruction nearly a decade ago. Upon arriving..."

Shadow speaks of vast quantities of necromantic siege engines. Of increased random kidnappings of the living to fuel the needs of and for the dead - hungry ghosts, soulsteel, necrotechnologic material. The implication that the Mask had invented some new horror to unleash upon Lookshy, contents unknown.

At this point, Stormwrack interjects once again.

"Once we get to Yu-Shan, Yishie's called an emergency meeting at me manse, since having you lot at the Bureau proper would be a nightmare. But if anyone has suggestions, proposals, complaints about how unfair life is, prayers to the Incarnae...I don't think we'd be wasting too much time figuring things out before the meeting proper."

Ifni

2013-03-21, 02:34 PM

"A point, Stormwrack - Firada is her name, or the White Rose. Not 'the other Terrestrial'. And since she nearly died, and her sworn brotherhood sacrificed their lives, to bring this information to your 'Yishie', a bit more respect might be in order." The Solar's voice is level; not angry, but uncompromising. She stares at the Chosen of Secrets for a long moment, before continuing.

"That said... Isa told us Sidereals are barred from intervention in Lookshy. How far does that limitation go? I have no idea what kind of help Lookshy might be able to get from the Bureau, or Yu-Shan more generally, and it would be good to know." She glances inquiringly at the four Sidereals.

"I suppose one question is whether there's any chance of getting people in to learn what this new horror is, or to sabotage it. It seems like the largest unknown factor here. I imagine they'll be on high alert now, though. Typhon might be our best chance there, but that'll have to wait until we get to Yu-Shan."

The Eclipse nods to Skandi. "We were discussing the likely reaction of the other Confederation states. They must have wargamed attacks by Thorns, even if those plans are twenty years old; the Midnight Queen in Nexus was reasonably well informed as to conditions inside the city. But if the Mask can smash Lookshy quickly enough, they won't be in much position to help - and my understanding is that their main avenues of support would be funds and supplies, anyway, which matter less if the Mask isn't planning an extended campaign. Skandi thinks the Mask might try divide-and-conquer tactics, trying to sow enough doubt and discord in the other Confederation members that they'll delay their aid - and he could very well be right, but I'm not sure it'll matter, unless this becomes a siege."

She sits back to wait for the others' reactions and input. She has some more ideas, but... better see what they're willing to tell her, first.

Aevylmar

2013-03-21, 04:32 PM

As Orchid finished talking, Skandi speaks up. "If we're planning a campaign, we need to know what our enemies can do. Just what are the capabilities of ghosts? Can they do what other spirits can do, and dematerialize, walk through Lookshy's walls, and materialize? And if so, how do you keep them out? Also, could they be spying on this conversation?"

industrious

2013-03-21, 05:24 PM

Emerald

"Yes, but I expect Lookshy's made some preparations against that. Salt's useful. So're wards. And no. This charm don't carry anyone outside Fate. Which means, that despite some of you being sad excuses for human beings, none of you are abominations against the Loom and nature. You can pat yourself on the back, if it makes you feel any better."

Ifni

2013-03-21, 08:04 PM

Orchid rests her chin on steepled fingers as she listens, and watches.

Stormwrack's doing a fine job of pretending to ignore her. But she can see the little twitches in the muscles surrounding his eyes, as he stops himself from looking in her direction. And there's a subtle note in his drawl - and in one unguarded glance, a curl to the corner of his mouth - that after a little difficulty she parses as hidden concern, and... wanting to help?

Not a kind of help she needs or wants, but trying, nonetheless. It's something of a strange realization; it's not a reaction she's accustomed to.

... well, that's sweet. Frustrating and not especially well-judged, but it could be worse.

She doesn't mind people trying to manipulate her. It's just a little annoying when they assume she won't notice.

Still, if she doesn't make things clear, he might keep this up all week. And if she's reading his intentions correctly, he doesn't really deserve what she'd usually do, taking advantage of his unpleasantness to actively undermine him. Counterproductive, anyway, if they're to be working together. But nor will she reward this approach, especially when he's decided to include Firada in his provocations.

Give him a little more rope, I think. She's curious to see how far he'll push, trying to force her to react, if she gives him only patience. For the moment, his silence will serve as sufficient apology to Firi - and if he decides to double down, well, that will be an opportunity for a hopefully-salutary lesson. If he doesn't, she wanted to talk with him privately anyway.

She glances at the four Celestials who haven't spoken yet, raising an eyebrow slightly. Her faint smile is undemanding, earnestly curious, unhurried. An answer to my question would be nice, but in your own time; I want to hear what you have to say...

Lix Lorn

2013-03-21, 11:21 PM

Lauren looks completely horrified at the thought of an invasion of Lookshy. Such a massive icon being destroyed would surely send ripples through the entire direction, and on that scale, change is rarely good.

The_Snark

2013-03-22, 07:18 AM

"Lookshy," Isa muses. Her expression is sober, reserved; but then, she looked like that when Orchid came across her in the hall, too. The news does not seem to disturb her unduly. "That makes sense. If the Mask declared war on any other state, they would almost certainly move against him anyway. Not so sure the reverse is true. This way, he faces them alone."

"As for your question..." She had said something to that effect, hadn't she, when reassuring Orchid and Zhou that Lookshy isn't dancing to Sidereal strings. Perhaps she'd phrased it a little strongly. "We're not barred from Lookshy completely. We're forbidden to interfere between Lookshy and the Realm, and there are... other strictures... that make it difficult to work there. But I don't think either is relevant here. Nobody will push to interpret the prohibitions broadly if Thorns is involved."

She rests against the ship's railing, glancing at Child for verification. He's spent more time working in this area—and on the relevant Conventions—than she has.

Maugan Ra

2013-03-24, 05:49 PM

"I know we have some preparations in place for countering an undead attack. We've certainly had time enough since Thorns to understand the possibility. I don't know a great deal about the specifics though - way above my pay grade, and outside my area of interest besides." Zhou says, shrugging. "I trust the engineers, though. They're good at their jobs."

He looks at the various Sidereals. "What are the protocols for preparing for this sort of thing in Yu-Shan? I mean, I know Tien Yu will likely take a distinct interest in this if she knows, and that's my first instinct for someone to speak to in rallying any help in heaven against a potential threat, but I'm guessing there are probably rules for speaking about these sorts of things that I should bear in mind when we get there?"

Not that he'd necessarily obey those rules, if they stood between him and the survival of his city, but it was always good to know exactly what crimes or indiscretions one was committing.