A Tangled Web We Weave (IC)

[Ifni]

Prelude, RY 100

It's been a busy night at the office. The tents of the Crimson Panoply glow like paper lanterns with the light of lamps and firegems and Essence, beneath a starry twilight; the city of the gods never grows truly dark. In the arch of the heavens above, a baleful crimson spark burns bloodily triumphant. Mars leads, for the present, in the Games.

In the first moment you've had to yourself in several hours, a familiar yet unexpected voice calls your name.

The man turning the corner from one of the battle-fields looks rather out of place in this setting. His flyaway hair is a faded azure, sticking out at all angles; his weathered bronze skin speaks of long journeys beneath the Southern sun. He is dressed in a flowing robe suitable for the desert, woven of undyed cotton; even here, amid war-gods more concerned for lethality than aesthetics, his attire appears almost garishly plain. His clear blue eyes have an absent quality to them, like his mild pleasant expression.

All in all, he looks like a mouse among wolves. (Which goes to show that appearances mislead. Or alternatively, that mice are not to be underestimated.) But you have known Aumin of the True Heart for much of your life, and seen his blue eyes focus and sharpen, felt the weight of his silences. He's been absent from Yu-Shan more often recently: business, generally unspecified, in the South.

But he is present now, and hardly silent, as he waves to you cheerfully, and strides over. "Lotus. I'm glad I caught you here. How's work going?"

Feel free to make up what you were working on, if you wish to talk about it. This is about to be an Invitation, but feel free to chat first.

[Maugan Ra]

"Pretty well, actually." Lotus says easily, pushing the sheathe of papers he'd been studying away from him on the desk. A quick glance at the topmost piece reveals a meticulously edged graph and several lines of neat text. "We think there's a Terrestrial bloodline running through the Sarcin tribe, a migratory bunch currently headed for the southern coast. They've had a spate of unexpected Exaltations recently anyway, and they've promptly gone raiding against their nearest neighbors. Which, of course, means that I have to double-check all the adjusted forecasts for the regional conflicts."

The young Shieldbearer wears a comfortable cotton outfit reminiscent of a cattle drovers, over which is an open buff jacket of quality leather. On his feet are chunky walking boots, which stand revealed as he props both feet up on the desk and grins at his Sifu. "I'd offer you a drink, but I'm afraid my salary doesn't stretch to any particular extravagance just yet. So, what is it that makes you glad to have caught me here right now, anyway? I don't think we have anything scheduled."

[Ifni]

Aumin steps into the office, pushing the door half-closed behind him. "Sarcin tribe? Where are they at the moment?" He walks over to look down at the forecasts, taking in the graph with a single brief glance. "Not related, but I picked up a few interesting things, this last trip - some poetry, some musical scores. Remind me to show them to you sometime..."

He shakes his head, and turns his gaze back to his student.

"But that's not why I was looking for you. It's nothing official - but I just got back into town, and Chejop wants to chat."

The Joybringer's smile is faintly impish as he delivers that - perfectly deadpan - line. After a moment he adds, "You're invited to sit in, if it wasn't clear from context."

Aumin calls Chejop by his first name, at least in private and informal settings. Pretty much nobody born after the Uprising does so.

[Maugan Ra]

"Huh." Lotus says idly, tilting his head back to peer at the ceiling of his office for a brief moment. "That one actually came close."

He is, of course, referring to the long-standing game of sorts that Sifu and student like to play. There are few rules, and no standing record of who has the most points, but the general objective has always remained the same - cause your opponent to lose his composure. Bonus points for exceptionally entertaining reactions on the other person's part, and for doing so while remaining properly deadpan.

(Lotus appreciates, in a half-realised way, that his Sifu likely has ulterior motives for participating in such an immature competition. The leading theory is that it better prepares him for life among the gilded barbs of heavenly society.)

A properly detached response thus formulated and delivered, Lotus calmly tilts his chair back further, almost crashing to the floor before managing to roll over in such an instinctively coordinated way as to place him on his feet and the chair back under the desk, without disturbing so much as a single sheathe of paperwork. He makes it look easy.

"Well, lead on then. Assuming you don't want to keep him waiting in order to score some obscure political or philosophical point."

I like to imagine that when one is a Chosen of Battles, and thus has a kind of fate-mandated gift for athletics, that such stunts become fairly common-place. Also, Lotus is a playful sort.

We will be able to tell that the campaign has reached it's penultimate stages when he finally drops the act and starts taking everything seriously. :smalltongue:

[Ifni]

"You may want to lose the hiking boots beforehand," Aumin advises, rather dryly. Of course, this is coming from a man who's just tracked three different colors of sand all over the polished red stone floor of the young Shieldbearer's office. If he approves his student's composure, it barely shows; just the faintest crease of a smile. "Anys and Chejop both prefer a little more formality than I do."

"Go make what preparations you think necessary. We're meeting at the Pavilion of Lingering Fragrance, in -" His eyes go distant for a moment, "- forty-seven minutes, now. I'll see you outside the teahouse."

With that, Aumin turns back to the door, humming a soft and rather haunting tune.

If there's anything you want to do in-between, let me know. If you want etiquette information beyond common knowledge, roll me an Int+Socialize check and tell me what you want to know. You are aware that this is probably acting as an entrance exam for your sifu's faction.

On anything but a botch:
This meeting is probably at the "professional reception" level of dress code. The conventional choice would be to dress fairly smartly. Nothing is stopping you from showing up in casual attire, but you may need a certain degree of personal poise and self-assurance to pull it off, and it's possible you might get some raised eyebrows from the Elders by doing so. Or you might not! You've heard a lot of stories about Chejop and Anys, and you've met them both, but you don't know them well.

The Pavilion of Lingering Fragrance is a famous and ancient teahouse and garden. It favors elegant simplicity and natural beauty; its grounds are quite extensive. Given its location, and the competition for real estate in Yu-Shan, that spaciousness is a stronger sign of its owners' wealth and influence than any garish jewel-studded decor. Your sifu has taken you there occasionally on special occasions, to enjoy the music and conversation in the main room, and stroll through the gardens. The teahouse also has a number of private gardens and tea rooms, but you have probably not been inside any of them. (They are extremely expensive, even by the standards of Yu-Shan, and some are reserved on a permanent basis.)

[Maugan Ra]

I have made a discovery! When you have a job, finding the free time to write lengthly PbP posts is hard.

Lotus gives a pointed look at his Sifu's own distinctly less than formal attire, before shaking his head and sauntering out of the room.

"I'll be there."

-8-

And, precisely forty-five minutes later, so he is. The relatively short time frame does not especially allow for elaborate preparations - no visits to heavenly tailors for uniquely stunning outfits, no quick checks with various fellow agents of Fate and friendly gods to determine appropriate etiquette or pick up interesting rumors... barely enough time to change clothes and quickly inspect his appearance in a mirror.

On the other hand, though, no time to work oneself into a small knot of terrified nerves either. Lotus makes an art out of appearing supremely unconcerned with anything the world might throw his way, but even he has to admit to some apprehension about the coming event.

In the end, he settled on what the Realm generally referred to as the 'Patrician' look. A sensible outfit of pale green silk edged with silver thread, designed with the sole aim of appearing rich and successful without conveying the arrogant bluster that might irritate a more powerful neighbor. Understated elegance, all the way - definitely his preferred style.

Of course, there are many possible messages one could interpret from such a choice of appearance, and Lotus has no doubt that at least a few of them will occur to those he is about to meet with. It might be interesting to see how they react.

Oh, who is he kidding, of course it will be interesting. This little chat is quite likely going to determine the course of his life for the next several centuries at the least. It is almost impossible, in light of that, to dismiss any of it as unimportant...

[Ifni]

Aumin is waiting at the flower-wreathed stone arch that marks the entrance to the teahouse's grounds. It is set partway up the slope of a hill - in Creation, it might be called a mountain. Either way it affords an excellent view of the brilliant many-colored skyline of the city, stretching out in all directions. The neighborhood is residential, wide streets paved in green and white jade winding between the luxurious manses of prominent gods.

The Elder Chosen of Serenity looks Lotus over, and smiles faintly. He seems to have gotten rid of most of the sand, and he's replaced the robe with a loosely belted light brown gi over shirt and trousers. The fabric is still plain, but finely-woven, and holds soft subtly varying shades of color. That said, his hair is still a mess.

"Good," Aumin says softly, as he steps through the curtain of trailing flower-strands; they release a delicate perfume, honey and vanilla and the scent of earth after rain. "Now, your role here is to prepare and serve the tea. You're not expected to speak, unless you're asked a direct question." A slight twitch of his lips. "Pay attention to what's said. There will be a test."

Everything is a test. Aumin used to say that often, early in Lotus' training.

The front part of the garden is a series of terraces leading up to the main teahouse, small streams trickling down them in a glittering cascade. It is remarkably quiet here, despite the city below; the soft silvery echoes of wind-chimes can be heard, and the lilting song of a nightingale.

Aumin takes a winding pebbled path, one that he has not previously pointed out. Ordinary pebbles, such as one might find in any village in Creation, not the chips of polished jade common in Yu-Shan's parks and streets. It curves around the flank of the hill, and upward.

A minute or two of brisk walking through a cypress grove brings the pair of Sidereals to an open glade and a small lake, its unruffled clarity reflecting the stars. The grass here is a pale golden color, as if bleached by winter, whispering dryly in the wind. Beds of reeds are planted around the lake, and small trees, skeins of delicate white flowers hanging from their stretching branches. A small tea room with a thatched roof is built a little way out over the water.

http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/images/Isuitei%20tea%20house.jpg

The older Sidereal gives Lotus a last faint encouraging smile, and leads the way inside.

The room is as simple inside as out. Five large windows admit the glow of the city and the stars, supplemented by lamps at the corners of the room - mundane, not Essence-fueled. Smooth mats of woven rushes cover the floor, except for the tea-hearth built into the center. An alcove near the door holds a scroll, the Old Realm calligraphy slightly faded.

Tea bowls, several small urns of tea leaves, and the implements of the tea ceremony are arranged next to the hearth. However, of more immediate importance are the two people seated on the mats.

The oldest Exalt in the world (well, perhaps barring some half-chimera Lunar ravening at the edges of the Wyld) looks up at the newcomers. "Ah, Aumin. Welcome."

Chejop Kejak's voice is a warm and flawless tenor, despite his wrinkled face and gray-and-white hair, tied back in its usual tail. He is dressed even more simply than Aumin: in swathing robes of green and white, without adornment.

"We're still waiting on Holok," Anys Syn adds, a faint note of impatience in her voice. The Elder Shieldbearer is wearing a long elegant mantle, ivory silk patterned with a spray of flame and flowers coalescing into a dragon of fire. Her dark hair is bound up with intricately carved combs the color of bone. Lotus will note the iron calluses on her hands, the way her fingers move slightly even in idleness, reminiscent of nothing so much as the twitching of a feline predator's tail.

"You should know better by now, Anys, than to expect punctuality from Shajah. I expect he will be late to his own funeral. But no matter; it will give Aumin's student time to make the tea." The oldest Exalt in the world smiles - encouragingly? - at Lotus. His piercing green eyes sweep over the young Chosen of Battles; the briefest of glances, but still, not much escapes that gaze. "Unfolding Lotus of Gentle Summer, if my memory serves?"

If you had more to say or do during the walk over, let me know and we can go back a little - or if it doesn't require a response from Aumin, just describe it in your post.

[Maugan Ra]

"It does, sir." Lotus says politely. Not that there was much chance of the elder Sidereal being wrong, of course - Chejop Kejak's memory and attention to detail is infamous among those who know of him. "Though typically, 'Lotus' suffices."

The tea ceremony is one of Creation's oldest and most respected institutions, and there is no way Lotus could have possibly passed his training without knowing how to conduct it. There are many hundreds of variations, of course, depending on possible circumstances, but it is perhaps for the best if he sticks to the simpler versions for this. So he settles down and begins making the tea, mindful of his Sifu's warning.

[Ifni]

"Lotus it will be, then."

Aumin closes the reed door and walks over to sit down cross-legged next to Anys Syn. The three Elders turn their attention to each other, although Lotus is uncomfortably aware that any deviation from the proper ceremony will be instantly assessed and catalogued by three pairs of appraising star-speckled eyes.

"So?" Anys asks after a moment.

"Need we wait?" Chejop's voice is quiet.

Aumin sighs. "No, unfortunately."

Anys' hands grow still. She folds them together. "I'm sorry. I know you were close."

Aumin just shakes his head slightly. For a moment there is silence, except for the faint hissing of the heating water.

"Will you...?"

"I spoke with Lusa, who saw him depart - since then, nothing. Not even from the Lunars, or at least none who are willing to talk." The Chosen of Serenity shakes his head more firmly. "His daughter is a gifted child, but impetuous. She won't serve, if you were considering it."

"How do you judge his current replacement?" Only mild curiosity touches Chejop Kejak's tone.

"Likely much as you do, Chejop. Ambitious. Moderately competent, but not capable of accurate self-assessment; this position is beyond him."

"So. Resentment. Both ways?" The Shieldbearer's voice is clinical.

"Yes. Best that way, I think. Lusa has a dream, one worth pursuing against the odds..."

"Odds that Wong will ensure it faces?" A small rueful smile touches Anys' lips.

"Stability. Lusa will channel discontent." Aumin shrugs, half apologetically. His hand traces a small coiling symbol on the mat. "After the God Wars..."

"Necessity," Chejop corrects gently. After a moment, both Anys and Aumin incline their heads to the Chosen of Secrets.

There is silence for a little while. All three of them turn to watch the tea being prepared. Lotus' hands move deftly, with no wasted motion - and despite his choice of a simple ceremony, with more than a little artistry. Elegance in simplicity, as with his choice of clothing.

The delicate aroma of the uncrinkling leaves is wafting warmly through the tea room as the reed door swings abruptly open, letting in the breeze off the lake and a dark-haired, violet-eyed man clad in mail and fur and leathers, and smelling like he hasn't bathed in at least a month.

He groans at the scene. "Maidens, I'm too late."

"You are certainly late," Anys returns. "And you look and smell like you stepped out of an Icewalker camp - or perhaps a costume party at the Cerulean Lute. Was Yaogin in the mood for exotica?"

"Hah. Very funny. And in my absence you're having the boy brew that -" The newcomer steps forward and snatches up the urn of tea leaves, reading the elegant characters written on the side. "Chejop, for the love of Venus, why?"

"I enjoy Silver Needle. So does Anys. So does Aumin." Chejop Kejak is not smiling. There is no hint of a reaction in his expression at all, in fact.

"Tastes like grass in boiled water," the Chosen of Endings grumbles. Despite this condemnation, he pulls off his sword-belt and drops it in the corner of the tea room, then walks forward to seat himself between Chejop and Aumin.

"Here, boy, once you've finished with the grass tea, brew us some of this." He fishes in the noisome pockets of his greatcoat and comes out with a handful of long, tightly twisted greenish-black leaves, which he presses into Lotus' hands.

"Shajah, you realize that taste of bitter nails is not intended as an encomium, yes?" Aumin's voice is amused.

"It's good for you. Clears the head."

"You would know," Anys mutters.

Shajah waves a hand at the Chosen of Battles, and focuses on Aumin. "How long have you been back from the South?"

"About an hour and a half," Aumin answers evenly.

"... ah. Sorry." The Reckoner glances away. "If it was good news, I suppose...?"

"Yes. So, no."

Shajah reaches out to clasp Aumin's shoulder for a moment. "You tried."

"It does not help to know my best was insufficient." For a moment Lotus' sifu looks very weary. "But it'll function, still. Just... not as well."

"Many things aren't as they once were," Shajah agrees quietly, and seems to miss the brief flash of something not easy to describe in Chejop's emerald eyes.

"So tell us better news, Shajah. How fares the Realm?"

"I'm sure Anys and Chejop can answer that better. Maybe even the kid here." Shajah grins over at Lotus. "But get your cups of grass tea, and I'll tell you what's been happening in one household, anyway..."

"Was Py right?" Anys' question is sharp.

"Short answer - yes. Long answer - yes, but not the whole story. And yes, I banished the damn thing."

"Tea would be welcome," Chejop interjects. "Lotus, if you would pour?"

Anys settles back, although her fingers are twitching again.

Parsing conversations between people who've known each other for millennia, have a huge amount of shared context, and are extremely good at reading each others' body language seems like it might be a frustrating experience :smallwink: You may roll Int + Lore, Int + Occult and Int + War to figure out exactly what they're talking about, and Perception+Socialize/Investigation for general reading of emotional states.

I'm going to pause for a moment here in case you want to write a reaction post. If you would rather I just continue, let me know.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus doesn't say a word as he listens to the conversation, though one eyebrow does arch slightly at the alternate brew the Reckoner evidently prefers. At Chejop's request ('order' implies a much more formal setting and chain of command, and great stock is placed in appearances in Yu-Shan), he moves smoothly to pour the tea for each in turn, starting with Anys Syn and working his way around.

He doesn't hurry, though. Hurrying invites mistakes, and there is no need to take the risk.

I'm good with just parsing that myself, actually. As I understand it... they're talking about Swan Dragon, the lost Censor of the South. 'Wong' would be Wong Bongerok, his ambitious replacement, and Lusa would be the founder of the Court of the Orderly Flame. It's fairly clear, though I will grant I did have to read it pretty carefully.

Feel free to continue. Rather fun to read, actually.

[Ifni]

Once everyone has their tea - Chejop breathes in the scent with a small smile of simple pleasure, in contrast to Shajah, who rolls his eyes and takes a polite sip with a look of strained tolerance - the Reckoner continues.

"It was Sondok, Anys, as you guessed."

"Fools," the Shieldbearer mutters. "The Kalisi girl?"

"Her mother, actually."

"I'd thought Ascera had better sense."

"Their lands were ruined by the Sword. Ascera may have only been fifteen when the Contagion struck but that's old enough to remember what her family once was -" He looks around at the others; if there's sympathy in their eyes, Lotus cannot see it. Shajah sighs. "Look, I'm not defending her, but - ah, never mind."

"Did they have access to -"

"No." Shajah cuts Aumin off hastily, with a momentary glance at Lotus. "No. Fortunately. They recovered one of those damn tracts, with the ritual."

Anys puts a hand to her forehead and rubs at her eyes. "Tell me they were not that foolish."

"... sorry, Anys."

"What did they hope to gain?"

"Ah! More interesting. They were out of favor with Taras Chamin. They seemed to think they might use her power to gain leverage over him."

"Taras is no infernalist," Chejop says softly. "Unless you have something new...?"

"No, but he's ambitious." Shajah looks at Aumin, explains, "He didn't commit much of his strength in the last attempt against Lookshy, watched while the Empress' Guard was butchered. Fancies himself a daimyo, as his father was."

"Not a problem if it's isolated, we said last time," Anys says crisply. "So I presume it's not?"

"Vondy made a lot of friends during the Contagion. I suspected, before - but the Kalisi had gotten further, managed to acquire some documentary evidence. I took them back off Sondok before I sent her home." He pats his coat pocket, which rustles.

"All right, I'll put Py on it."

Shajah nods, but adds, "We'll need agents on the ground as well, as soon as Py finishes his analysis - or earlier. Nobody wants the Sword used again -"

"She would not -"

"Not a useful speculation," Chejop says, mildly. "We will ensure it does not reach that point."

There is, again, a silence as everyone sips at their tea, lost in their own thoughts.

"How are your new Charms coming, Anys?"

"Well," the Chosen of Battles says, shaking her head as she comes back out of her reverie. "The post-Contagion cohorts are starting to reach the point where they can help in research and development, although we still need more people. It would help if we didn't need to keep sending our best off to spread the good word. I'm leaning toward just stabilizing on cosmetic changes to the old Charms, to make the in-group distinction clear - they worked well enough for the Shogunate. Although so many of the recruits are so young... the Essence edge is hurting more than it helps, so I'm inclined to keep working on the variants that remove it."

"Hmm. Have you tried -"

Aumin leans over toward Anys, and the conversation becomes very technical for a while, with Chejop also interjecting here and there.

Shajah passes his cup to Lotus. "While those three chat about monasteries, how about you brew us some kuding? You might find you like it."

The tea-leaves, steeped in hot water, don't smell like... anything, really. The taste, though... bitter is right. Shajah drinks it with every evidence of enjoyment, and asks for more, and Anys takes a single cup, but Chejop and Aumin decline.

The conversation descends from the esoteric heights of Essence theory not long after that - although Anys does stand up to demonstrate one kata to Aumin. The kata doesn't look difficult, and she performs it as casually as a child clapping her hands, but turning it over in his mind afterward, Lotus cannot perceive the slightest imperfection or even potential weakness in the Elder's flowing motions.

The discussion subsides into the minor news and gossip of Yu-Shan, Anys and Chejop filling in Aumin and Shajah. One of the Celestial Lions has been accused of laxness in the pursuit of his duties, and there is a rumor that Golden Reverie might have an interest in the misdemeanor in question. Shining Pale Spire, the famed landscaper, has finally managed to get permission to remodel the Avenue of Dreaming Hyacinths, after a 140-year-long approvals process. New restaurants and theater companies with good reviews, and old favorites that have closed. The easy conversation of old friends, who can forget for an hour that the weight of the world rests on their shoulders.

Eventually Shajah stands up. "Well, we're out of kuding and my bed is calling."

"I recommend also listening to your bath's calling," Anys says dryly.

"I'll get to it! Anyway, I had a bath yesterday, the Caracal is in flood this time of year." He bows slightly to the others. "Aumin, Chejop, it was good to have this time to speak." He smiles briefly at Lotus. "Let me know if you develop a taste for kuding, lad." He retrieves his sword-belt, and saunters away into the night.

"I'm heading back to the office," Anys said, unfolding herself and standing with the same effortless grace she showed in her katas. "Aumin, will you accompany me? That idea about the excision might just work..."

"Of course, Anys. Gladly." Aumin scrambles to his feet. "Chejop, same time next week?"

"Until then." Chejop Kejak's smile is brief but warm.

And then Anys and Aumin are gone, and it is only Lotus and Chejop in the small room. The Oracle shows no sign of standing up.

"Will you stay a while, Lotus, and converse with an old man? Have a cup of tea - good tea, not that travesty Shajah drinks. I swear he does it simply to try to annoy me."

[Maugan Ra]

"I can see why he likes it." Lotus admits, his first full sentence in over an hour. He does, however, pour some of the Silver Needle for himself and settles himself down into a comfortable position. "Not, perhaps, my favourite blend... but a bit of variety is important."

So, here we go. Let's see if I manage to avoid screwing this up massively. Not taking the opportunity to potentially jab at the man who just left should be a safe enough investment.

Also, that stuff does have a certain appeal. Might look into getting some more of it.

[Ifni]

The Silver Needle tea is light and fragrant, with a slightly spicy aftertaste. Chejop Kejak looks briefly toward the window as he drinks, giving the younger Sidereal time to relax. (Or to tense up even further. One or the other.)

"Your sifu gives good reports of you," the Oracle says mildly, after a moment. "It is quite an honor to be instructed by him, you know. Aumin does not take many students."

"Has he told you much of the Age when the Solars ruled?"

[Maugan Ra]

"And I hope one day that it is considered a mark of prestige for him to be known as my Sifu." Lotus responds evenly, without a hint of shame. He is ambitious, of this there is no doubt. The only question is whether his ability can support that ambition, or will be outstripped by it.

"As for the First Age, yes, he has. And, of course, there are the standard texts we need to consult for training purposes." Lotus pauses for a few moments in contemplation. "It sounds like it was a glorious time. It also sounds like it was not worth the price."

[Ifni]

"A worthy goal. All teachers should hope that one day their students will bring honor to their name, and then surpass them." The old Sidereal's voice is soft. His green eyes are... not. Piercing, it's said, and indeed it's easy to feel skewered by them.

"Not worth the price. What specific examples do you feel demonstrate that? Conversely, if it was glorious - what glories might have tempted you to call that price well paid?"

[Maugan Ra]

One edge of Lotus' mouth curls up into a slight smile as he meets Chejop's gaze. The Chosen of Battles have often been renowned for a confrontational attitude, and he actually feels strangely better at the sudden spike of challenging interest.

"My Sifu did mention there would be a test." he says quietly, holding the small cup of tea firmly in his hand but not drinking from it. "What would you have me say here, sir? I am no armchair general. I will not give an answer on such questions lightly, especially when I have only the benefit of hindsight and speak to one who lived through it."

A sip of the tea, measured and controlled. "It is enough for me to know that the decision was a difficult one, properly considered and then agreed to by an overwhelming majority of the Fellowship. It is enough that the plan worked. If you would speak philosophy over tea, I would ask that you chose a more recent and directly relevant topic."

But I wonder if you will...

[Ifni]

Chejop Kejak raises an expressive white eyebrow, but smiles faintly. "It is said," the Oracle muses, after another sip of tea, "that those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it."

Another sip. His voice is relaxed, untroubled. "Do you think the plan worked, past tense? That it's over and done? The gods who work beside you would disagree, and they would be right. The Vision of Bronze is a journey, not a destination reached, and on that journey - the principles that guided us then are not obsolete, nor irrelevant. They shape the decisions we make every day - and we in turn are shaped by what we choose to value, and the purpose we choose to serve."

He reaches out to briefly knock his cup against Lotus', as if in a toast. "You are defined, Shieldbearer, by what you choose to defend."

"If you want a more contemporary example... hmm. Why should we lend our strength to the Empress, and the Realm she is building?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Hmm. An interesting point." Lotus concedes, his expression thoughtful. "I suppose looking at the world as a mere series of discrete steps is less than wise. I shall bear that in mind for the future."

"As for the Realm... it is a tool. Perhaps the best one possible." he says after a moment. "Creation needs a unifying force to drive it, a strong foundation to rebuild itself upon. The Realm provides that force."

He smiles thinly. "And, of course, even if we didn't support the Realm, there is a strong chance that it would come to rule the world anyway. Supporting the winning side is simply... efficient."

[Ifni]

"The center of Creation needs to be strong, yes," the Chosen of Secrets assents. "In more than one sense. At the most basic level, the Pole of Earth is what holds the world against the Wyld. But as for a unifying force... why do you consider that important? What would be wrong with a world where each nation was left to go its own way, where the Blessed Isle and the Threshold alike were the patchwork domains of various warlords? Some would say it worked well enough for the Shogunate. I presume you have studied the Lookshy campaigns, and how they ended, and thought about the implications for perceptions of the Realm."

"As for your second point... some things cannot be changed, and some are not worth changing. The first are rarer than often thought. Would you agree it's important to distinguish the two?"

These are leading questions, of course. Chejop isn't arguing for what he believes.

And yes, this is going to segue into a discussion of what Shajah and Aumin and Anys reported.

[Maugan Ra]

"Because Creation cannot afford such an irregular arrangement. Not right now, at least." Lotus says after a bit of thought. "The Shogunate had the population, the infrastructure and the resources to sustain a patchwork existence without collapsing under the weight of the weaknesses such a system brings with it."

He takes another sip of the tea as he marshals his thoughts once more. "One day, when the population has returned to it's prior heights and all that was lost has been rebuilt, allowing Creation to split apart into so many separate states may be feasible, or even inevitable. But for now, we need as many resources as we can muster to work in the same direction, rather than against one another. The Realm provides, to my knowledge, the best means available to organise that rebuilding effort."

He smiles at the second point. "'Give me the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, the will to challenge that which must be, and the wisdom to distinguish between the two'. As guiding principles go, I have heard worse. Just because we can do something, does not mean that we should."

[Ifni]

"True. But nor can we hesitate to do what must be done. Both errors can be fatal, and not simply for those responsible."

Chejop pours himself some more tea, and offers the bowl to Lotus. "What is the Realm, in your view? The Blessed Isle? The followers of the Scarlet Empress? The home of the Sword of Creation? Something else? You speak of unity and organization, but most of humanity does not live within the Realm's borders, by any definition... how is that unity to be accomplished, and maintained?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Right now? The Realm is simply an empire, expansionist and powerful. It holds advantages few others can boast, true, but at it's heart it is still little more than that."

He takes the proffered bowl, and once again takes a measured drink before continuing. "In time, though, I would like to see it become a Dynasty. An ideal, held up across the generations, something around which all of Creation revolves. As for how that should be achieved... peacefully, if possible."

A slightly self-depreciating smirk. "Not a common viewpoint among the Shieldbearers, but then, I don't actually like war very much. I would much rather see smaller nations willingly joining the Realm for the prosperity and protection that it can offer, than see them crushed under the heels of the Legions. Common interest binds a people together with far greater surety than any amount of force, and there is a lot the Realm could offer it's members."

[Ifni]

"Right now - the Realm is the Empress." The Elder's voice sounds almost... pensive. "Her strength is its strength, and its weaknesses..." He takes another sip of tea.

"We have been accused, sometimes, of diminishing Creation in order to save it. Of accepting less, when we should have striven for more. And it's true, to a degree. The Vision of Bronze was not, ever, without its acknowledged costs."

"But the glories of the... First Age, you called it?" He chuckles softly. "So be it. They were false, in the end, as their makers. Hollow as blown eggshells, and as fragile, in the absence of the Solars; glittering gaudy gifts to decorate a dead end, to tempt the world into overlooking their lethal cost until it was too late." He looks away, toward the window, and the colored glow of the city lights. "I suppose it must be difficult, now, to realize how hard it was to see."

"We must not seek to equal them, Lotus, we must seek to do better. If it is the test of a teacher that his students surpass him, then it is surely the test of a craftsman that his creations endure, and even grow greater, when he is no longer there to attend them."

"In crafting the ideal you imagine, the peace that you foresee... there are many reasons we are spending so much effort on the Immaculate Order. To train those who will keep the Terrestrial spirit courts from running amok, and hunt down the foes that would try to murder your vision in the womb, yes - but not only for that. In time, the Immaculate teachings may become the heart of a shared culture, and shared beliefs." He takes another sip and adds more quietly, "And shared memory, that the past not repeat itself."

[Maugan Ra]

"I had wondered why the texts placed such an emphasis on reincarnation." the young Sidereal murmurs. "But a religion that encourages thoughts of legacy and continuity, of duty and systematic reward... yes, I can see the value in that, when it comes to building a new age.".

A unified world, where mortal and Exalted and spirit all work together, guided by a shared philosophy... a fine dream to work towards, and one which needs methodical planning rather than hopeful risk-taking. "

[Ifni]

"Legacy, continuity, yes - and they are also meant to encourage adherents to make the world better in small incremental ways, within their own communities. To build the future where they are, with the tools they have available, rather than dreaming of largesse from uncaring gods or distant heroes."

"More tea?"

After Chejop has refilled his cup, he continues, "So. All this said... tell me what you took from the conversation earlier."

Lotus suspects that the vagueness of the question is deliberate.

[Maugan Ra]

"Several things." Lotus says, ordering and double-checking his earlier conclusions in his mind. "My Sifu has been absent on undisclosed missions in the South for some time. From the comments made, I would infer that he was searching for an old friend, speaking to those who last saw him and trying to track down where he may have gone. He... had no luck."

A sip of the tea. "You mentioned that his replacement was 'Wong', which I suspect means 'Wong Bangerok, Celestial Censor of the South'... and the less popular replacement for Swan Dragon, who was well regarded by his many friends. It appears that my Sifu was among them."

A pause, to see how close his current understanding comes to fact.

[Ifni]

The Elder nods slightly, approvingly. "Good. You are correct, so far. Wong was initially appointed as a temporary replacement, after the Contagion, but his position seems likely to become permanent, unless another candidate wins sufficient support. Or, of course, unless his predecessor makes a reappearance. Swan Dragon was an exemplary Censor, with wide support in both the Terrestrial and Celestial courts. Your sifu has invested considerable effort in trying to quell the so-called 'God Wars' in the South, amongst the displaced courts; the task would have been much easier if Swan Dragon had survived the Fair Folk invasion."

"But please, continue."

[Maugan Ra]

"There was a mention of someone by the name of 'Lusa', which I believe is an Ifrit of some renown." Lotus continues, nodding, though he seems less sure of himself. "I understand that he has some sort of plan, quite likely an extraordinarily ambitious and long-term one, but it brings him into conflict with Wong Bangerok. I confess that the exact specifics escape me, though."

[Ifni]

"Hmm." The Elder nods slightly. "For now, thanks to your sifu's work, the situation is stable. Not ideal, but stable. Still, when you observe the South, remember what you have heard."

Chejop sets down his teacup. "One small secret that you may find useful, though. Lusa Seragon is indeed an ifrit, old and powerful and wealthy and skilled. He is also your senpai, senior student of the same teacher. He studied the Art of Meditative Discussion with Aumin for many years; I believe both found their conversations fruitful. However, neither have let this be widely known."

"Now, moving back to more immediate matters, as you requested earlier -" A faint smile. "Shajah's report. Tell me your inferences."

[Maugan Ra]

"The subordinate families of the Realm are jockeying for power and influence, and some of them haven't been as discerning in their choice of allies as we might like." Lotus summaries briefly, though he does look momentarily embarrassed at the reminder of his previous words. "I am not too surprised. The Empress rules, that much is clear - she has the Sword, and the will to use it - but as yet she doesn't have much in the way of a truly extensive family to fill the other ranks in the power structure. So everyone is trying to grab the nicest spots for themselves, or ingratiate themselves with those who are most likely to."

He shrugs, just slightly. "I recognised a few of the names, though I can't say I'm especially familiar with any of them. Vondy, I know defected to Lookshy during the last clash between them and the Realm. It sounds like this Taras had some links with him, and that the Kalisi were intent on using evidence they'd acquired for leverage over him. Which... would actually have been an intelligent and workable plan, if they hadn't brought Sondok into it."

Anoher pause, and a faint frown. "I can't say I think well of the intelligence of anyone who summons an unbound Second Circle demon like that. I assume it was unbound, unless one of those experimental programs to break the Dragon-Blooded into the Sapphire circle worked without anyone noticing."

[Ifni]

"Unfortunately, Creation has no shortage of fools. As you'll learn - people are quick to think that they will be different, that they'll get the best of the devil's bargain." There is a faintly irate note in the Elder's voice. "But so. Imagine that you are on Creation on an unrelated mission, and have just discovered such a situation. Beginning with the unbound Second Circle soul. How would you proceed?"

[Maugan Ra]

"The instinctive reaction is 'run away'." Lotus says dryly. "Or, to be more specific... obtain as much information as I can about the demon, it's location and current or future activities. Then retreat and inform the nearest outpost of military forces capable of defeating it. Which is likely either a Realm garrison, with several Dragon-Blooded, or a heavenly detachment."

He shrugs. "Not the most glorious option, but I'm realistic about my capabilities. I cannot take a Second Circle demon in a straight fight, not as I am. In the future, that may change, but we're dealing with the here-and-now. The most good I could do would be to gather information and return with reinforcements, giving those forces what extra help I could."

[Ifni]

"Let us suppose for the moment that returning to Heaven for backup is not an acceptable option. So. You have a Realm garrison to rally against an unbound demon. Given that the vast majority of Realm citizens, even the Dragon-Blooded, do not remember what we are, if they ever knew - what approach do you take?"

Chejop refills his cup, takes another sip of tea, and raises an eyebrow at Lotus. "We will presume, for the sake of argument, that your primary cover identity is not Dragon-Blooded."

[Maugan Ra]

"I pose as a mortal Immaculate monk." Lotus says, almost immediately. "It serves to explain my presence in just about any quarter of Creation, and provides a strong cover story for why I would possess such knowledge about supernatural and demonic matters. If I have a suitable Resplendent Destiny available, then all to the good, but it wouldn't arouse too much suspicion if the garrison found themselves unable to later remember any sort of exact details about me - especially since I'd have justification for departing shortly thereafter."

He ruminates for a moment. "I am certainly skilled enough at mundane combat to pass for one of the Order, and provided I don't need to draw on too much essence, I should be able to draw on a charm here and there to tip the scales."

[Ifni]

"Hmm." Lotus' words elicit little reaction - a slight nod, a faint crinkling of the eyes - but there is a sense that the Elder is pleased. "But your infernalists, in this case, are locally respected and well-connected, even if impoverished and weak by the standards of the great families. Suppose, say, that the commander of the local garrison regularly dines with Kalisi Ascera, and there are rumors that he is courting her niece. Then?"

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus finds his smile widening as the hypothetical situation grows ever-more-complex. "Then I focus my reports upon the demon, rather than it's summoners, perhaps relegating them to an 'unknown', so that the captain can do his duty without qualms." he responds promptly. "Depending on the situation, it may be possible to frame the scenario as a rescue mission, wherein he can save his beloved and her family from the terrifying monster. A bit of extra motivation is always nice."

He thinks for a moment. "Afterwards, I look into the niece's background. If she appears unassociated with the demonic summoning, then arranging a true match between her and the captain in the wake of the disgrace and likely demise of the senior members of her family might be a good way to return stability to the region."

[Ifni]

"Good. Yes, if someone's about to be faced with a difficult decision, a choice between friendship and duty - it's generally better to let them see for themselves, convince themselves. Although you can put a thumb on the scales. And when they must choose duty - it can be useful for them to believe that the ones they care about were innocent victims of a demon's wiles, so their rage is properly directed at the demon and not at themselves or people they trusted. It's a comforting illusion, and largely a harmless one."

The Elder clearly isn't just talking about the example to hand, anymore.

"Moving on to an issue of... somewhat broader scope." Chejop studies the younger Sidereal. "You have not visited Creation very often since you came to Yu-Shan, I believe. Yes, the Empress rules; yes, she controls the Sword. But you have presumably reviewed the Lookshy campaigns, which stand as evidence that she will not use the Sword indiscriminately against her foes."

"Which is not a criticism. That is only to say she is sane. Use of the Sword on the Threshold would devastate the Blessed Isle, and with it her legitimacy. But as you observed, she is young, with little family yet. The Sword is her greatest strength but in some ways its sheer power renders it difficult to apply. She has allies but they invested much in the Eastern campaigns and are weakened as a result. Her less... enthusiastic... supporters, who stood on the sidelines and conserved their own resources, observe Lookshy and especially Vondy Beulen, and see both a preservation of the traditions of the Shogunate and an example that defiance of the Empress need not be fatal."

The Elder pauses for a moment, letting that sink in.

"Consider a hypothetical situation in which discontent among certain Dragon-Blooded families has reached the level of active conspiracy - muted on the Blessed Isle, more open in their Threshold holdings. You argued earlier for the value of a unified Realm. What steps would you recommend?"

As a note on timelines: many of the major institutions of the Realm have been formed, but some are not in their present form - the first ministries and magistrates were set up about 60 years ago, but on the canon timeline, the Thousand Scales won't reach a stable equilibrium for about another century. The Legions and the All-Seeing Eye exist, though.

Also, at the moment there is no Realm Deliberative, even the rubber-stamp institution of the Empress' late reign; the Empress is an absolute ruler with a council of advisors and deputies.

[Maugan Ra]

"Work out what, precisely, the conspirators desire. It it personal hatred of the Empress that drives them? Or is it simply a desire for power and self-governance?" Lotus says slowly, mulling it over. "Everything else... all the possible options... depend on their motivations."

He says nothing about the Elder's initial remark, on the importance of comforting illusions. He might not be the most socially adept among the Fellowship, but even he can see the signs in that slight tangent, and can guess at the consequences for pressing on them.

[Ifni]

"Individual motivations may be assumed to vary," Chejop replies, after a moment. "Even without detailed intelligence - in some cases it will likely be a personal grudge. People for whom the Empress' strike against the Fair Folk came just a little too late to save what they loved, or whose lands were ruined by the use of the Sword while old rivals' homes were left untouched, or whose friends or kin have been labeled enemies of the Realm. In most cases, though, pride and self-interest are likely more important motivations. As well as genuinely held loyalties that happen to be more local and familial than national."

He leans back slightly, and opens the hand that isn't holding his teacup. "So assuming wide variation, but that those who simply hate the Empress and would only be content with her death are a small subset of the conspiracy... continue."

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus shrugs. "Set them against each other." he says simply. "Or rather, have the Empress set them against one another. Give them power in competing areas of influence, and opportunities for advancement that require them to discard their current allies in the conspiracy. Identify those who truly do hate her and will not be swayed, and remove them with precision and subtlety."

He smiles thinly. "There is a saying I quite like. 'Put a man in chains, and he shall fight to be free. Put him in power, and he shall fight to stay there'. I don't know enough about the precise personalities involved, or the developing power structure of the Realm, to offer specific case-by-case advice... but if those who lost much to the Sword are given new lands and domains to administer and rule, perhaps with a few comments about how the Empress regrets the harsh necessity of her previous actions, then they may very well find themselves indebted to her and invested in keeping their benefactor around. Purely as a hypothetical example, of course."

[Ifni]

The Elder nods. "There is much to be said for salvaging talent where one can. Creation can little afford waste. Any other suggestions, or refinements on what you've said previously?" There is - hard to see, but present - a flicker of faint ironic amusement in his green eyes.

[Maugan Ra]

"Nothing comes to mind right now." Lotus returns, taking a sip of his tea. He raises an eyebrow. "Is something I said amusing?"

"...please don't tell me I've been saying exactly the same things as my Sifu. He'll never let me hear the end of it."

[Ifni]

"Heh." The old Sidereal chuckles. "You'll figure it out." He sets down his empty teacup. "Your general strategy is sensible, although there are other resources to be considered. Just as one example, there are plenty of ties between the various families - marriage, kinship, shared education and training, joint military service. That makes these conspiracies easier to spread, but it can also be a tool for unwinding them, provided the rot is not universal. But you have the idea, and you're not here for a lecture."

After a moment of silence, Chejop Kejak stands up, stepping over to look out the window, a dark shrouded silhouette against the city lights. His movements do not quite have the flowing grace of Anys Syn - just a quiet, almost unnoticeable efficiency in motion.

"I've enjoyed our discussion, Lotus. When you've finished your tea, just leave the cup, no need to clean up. Do take the Silver Needle urn with you, though; I know Aumin enjoys it."

Feel free to write parting remarks or thoughts as Lotus leaves, but unless you want to say something substantial, I think that's the end of the conversation.

[Maugan Ra]

A wry smile on his face, Lotus rises to his feet, picking up the small urn of Silver Needle as he does so.

"A pleasure, sir. Though I do get the oddest feeling that we had about three more conversations there than I was entirely aware of." he says dryly, before making a short bow and turning to leave.

Yup, I think we're good there. So hey, first scene, concluded!

[Ifni]

Only silence with the hint of a smile in it answers Lotus' bow. As the young Shieldbearer walks down the pebbled path, the lamp-light shining through the windows behind him goes out. Still, the crimson radiance of Mars and a thousand thousand lesser stars illuminate the way through the gardens well enough.

It is a few days later when a messenger god drops off a finely calligraphed card to Lotus' office, inviting him to a new play at the Plum Rain Theater. On arrival at the theater he is greeted warmly by Ascending Cloud, a Chosen of Journeys nearing her first millennium, and the apparent instigator of the outing. Most of the other Sidereals seated in the private box are between their second and fifth centuries, and all - at least to Lotus' knowledge - are in good standing with the Bronze. After the play there is a group dinner at a restaurant significantly more expensive than Lotus would frequent on his own, and wine flowing freely, and discussions both serious and light-hearted.

After that, every few days seems to bring another invitation - to teas, to music and poetry recitals, to stargazing parties. All of it serving to confirm what Lotus already knew: a new Sidereal's sifu and superiors may judge when their initial training is complete, but acceptance as a member of the faction that guides Creation rests on Chejop Kejak's word alone.

It is also in these few halcyon weeks that Lotus receives his initial convention assignments, to the Convention on War, the Sub-Convention on the Wyld, and the Central Convention. An idle comment by one of his seniors in the Convention of War suggests that Lotus' selection was probably motivated by his ability to get on with members of the different divisions - a talent amply tested in the first convention-sponsored war games after his arrival. Chosen of Serenity, it turns out, can be very acerbic when forced to leave their luxurious offices in the Cerulean Lute to spend three days on the practice fields of the Crimson Panoply.

Central Convention meetings tend to move quickly - disconcertingly so, for one new to the Convention. A great deal of background knowledge is assumed; for Lotus, there is much to learn. And yet it is fascinating to see the methods by which a mighty nation is shaped.

Lotus may gain:
+Backing 1 (Central Convention)
+Backing 1 (Convention on War)
+1 dot of Socialize

If you want to change anything on your sheet that you haven't already used, feel free. If there are new things you would like to particularly focus on during this period, let me know - you effectively have 3BP to play with.

While several weeks are passing, you do not have that much training time, because you have a job to do. Raising stuff that's Instantaneous training-time-wise is fine, as is anything for which your job would count as training time (Bureaucracy and Socialize being the main ones here). Anything else, ask. If you want to raise an Attribute or something else that takes a while, and think you can justify it, then you can likely leverage Backgrounds (Backing, Connections, Mentor) for Gift of Knowledge, but how frequently you can do it will be limited by your rating in the relevant Backgrounds.

Once you've figured out what if anything you want to work on during downtime, I'll write out the post for your first mission assignment :smallwink: (I initially wrote mission briefing, but nah, actually giving people information before throwing them in the deep end seems uncharacteristic...)

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus always has possessed the ability to get on with just about anyone who crosses his path, it is true. And yet, in those long days of social engagements and impromptu meetings, he finds his innate talents being given a considerably greater workout than he had ever expected. He learns to fit into dozens of different scenes in rapid succession, playing an endless parade of roles with confidence and skill, and if at first he stays quiet and watchful, by the end he is almost fully adapted, engaging in spirited conversation with his fellow faction members as though he has known them for centuries.

Of course, such on-the-job training carries other benefits as well. It's amazing, just how much of an insight into the workings and personages of Yu-Shan one can get from attending the opening of a new play, for example.

Sheet has been updated. I decided to spend those effective points on dots of Socialise, Bureaucracy and Occult. All of which reached 3, and thus gained me specialities in 'Social Chameleon', 'Celestial Bureacracy', and 'Gods', respectively.

Things like Connection ratings and Salary will have to wait for a more-easily justified moment, I think.

[Ifni]

Episode 1: Against The Odds
10 Descending Earth, RY 100

The box sitting on Lotus' desk is small, and precisely square, polished dark wood with a paler inlay in a simple abstract pattern decorating the lid. It wasn't there when he left the office five minutes earlier, to drop off some paperwork.

Inside is a tightly wrapped scroll of fine paper, tied with a red ribbon. It unfurls at his touch. The calligraphy inside is elegant, angular Old Realm, written in dark red ink.

To: Unfolding Lotus of Gentle Summer.
From: Office of Hu Dai Liang, Division of Battles, Sub-Directorate of Unlikely Triumphs.

You are ordered to proceed to Creation to resolve the projected causal nexus disruption identified by Case Number 7587-W-3336-t47.

Mission Profile:
1 Ascending Wood, Sunrise Gap, Arjuf Province, the Blessed Isle.
On this day, ensure that the peasant Falling Light wins the annual spring horse-race sponsored by Leranis Feiyan.
Be advised that a substantial number of Dragon-Blooded will be in attendance.
Estimated probability of intervention by local spirits: 84.3%.
Estimated probability of intervention by other Celestial Exalts: 1.4%.
Estimated probability of intervention by raksha: 0.3%.
Estimated probability of intervention by demonic forces: 4.6%.

Turning over the scroll in his hands, Lotus will notice a small piece of parchment held to it with a paper-clip. The message on it is written in tiny, flowing High Realm, the new language of the Empress' court.

Secondary desirable objectives:

Arrange for Rawar of Arjuf to acquire at least a bar of jade.
Arrange the financial embarrassment of Taras Saiko.
Determine the degree to which Taras Saiko is aware of Taras Chamin's current activities.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus stares at the piece of paper for a long moment, and then sighs. "A horse race." he says to himself, quietly. "I know... absolutely bloody nothing about horses. And now they give me just over two weeks to somehow fix a horse race in favour of the mortal against a team of Dragon-Blooded."

One hand instinctively comes up to massage his brow. Well, I guess no one ever said that keeping Creation running was going to be easy. So, let's see. I need full information and profiles on Falling Light, Lernais Feiyan, Rawar of Arjuf, and both Taras Saiko and Chamin. Then I suppose I need anything I can find about this horse race... just in case it happens to be a recurring event... and the identities of all the local spirits who might take an interest.

Paperwork. Joy.

Wishing vaguely that he hadn't drunk the last of the tea already, Lotus settles himself behind his desk and begins filling out the appropriate forms, each stamped with the small 'priority' mark indicating their relevance to an ongoing Bureau assignment. The glittering green essence of the small secretary-spider appears on the desk as well.

Efficient Secretary Technique might just be my favourite charm. Of all time.

So, yeah. I do know that requisitioning formal reports on all these individuals is well within the authority of a Sidereal, though most of it is literally just getting a lower-ranked god to grab the filed paperwork from somewhere in the archives. Provided they haven't been sealed, anyway.

Assume the use of that and the google-spider over the next few hours (or days, depending) to basically get as much preliminary data as I possibly can on the situation and the participants. [/I]

[Ifni]

Given the location of his office, it doesn't take Lotus long to find several detailed maps of Arjuf Province. The goddess who accepts his requisition forms, on the other hand, gives him a rather mournful look, glances at her overflowing in-tray, and murmurs behind her hand that he might do better checking the library himself. Lotus' pointed hints regarding urgent missions ordered by the office of Hu Dai Liang elicit the suggestion that perhaps he could ask Jennet-of-the-Ravens, who used to have a sanctum in that part of Creation, once upon a time.

After ploughing through several hours of bureaucratic obstruction, Lotus eventually returns to his office with an armful of maps, a travelogue on the Jaen-Ha plains recommended by Jennet, a report with the ink still damp (written by a history-minded intern who kept checking her notes and glancing nervously at the Sidereal) on the fall and rise of the family Leranis, the cover sheet of the (apparently checked-out) official file on Taras Chamin, and a journal written by a Shieldbearer (who must be deceased, since Lotus doesn't recognize his name) describing the campaign against the Seven Tigers.

In the meantime, his spider-secretary has been busy, the little Essence-construct chittering responses into Lotus' ear.

Falling Light is the sixteen-year-old daughter of the peasants White Petal (deceased) and Eight Mountains.
Her maternal grandparents were named Spring Morning and Swift Fire, both deceased.
Her paternal grandparents were named Abundant Pearl and Fortunate Ash, both deceased.
She resides in the Sign of Three Lemons inn, owned by Gracious Rain, sister of White Petal, and her husband Red Hawk.
Her profession is apprentice innkeeper. Subcategories: clerk, bartender, janitor.
Subject and all known relatives are mortal, but Falling Light's thread has been tagged in the Loom in furtherance of Category 7587-W-3336.

The Terrestrial gods Blossoming Pale Foam, Verdant Arrow, and Ansha Silver-Maned maintain sanctums within ten miles of Sunrise Gap. There are no organized elemental courts within that radius.

After a brief confusion wherein Lotus receives a recitation of the equine entrants and their pedigrees (the professions are rather monotonous), the spider provides a rather short list of names of human competitors. None, from this list, appear to be Dragon-Blooded. There is one God-Blood currently in contention, named White Willow Blaze; his mother is listed as Blossoming Pale Foam, a local river spirit.

Taras Chamin is a Water Aspect, son of Taras Kailen and Daimyo Taras Tianwei... The spider continues with the Dragon-Blood's lineage - his parents and grandparents were also Water-Aspected - finishing with: Profession: local governor. Place of residence: the Pagoda of Cascading Pearls, Juche.

Taras Saiko is a Water Aspect, son of Lihen Minoko and Taras Chamin... The spider repeats his lineage, adding Lihen Sakoro and Vondy Maheri as maternal grandparents, and adds, Current profession: traveling magistrate.

While Lotus waits for his Essence to replenish itself between questions, he studies his haul of documents.

Sunrise Gap is a town on the banks of the Caracal River where it flows down from the mountains onto the Jaen-Ha plains, in the northeast corner of Arjuf. It's a little less than two hundred miles west of the Eighth Gate, through the mountains. Due to its geographic location it was always a trading post; that led to its devastation in the Contagion. Leranis Feiyan is a Wood Aspect of only middling bloodline, but a keen eye for opportunity (at least, according to the intern's rather glowing account): after the Contagion and the devastation wrought by the Sword, she took the lead in rebuilding the ruined and plague-cursed town of Sunrise Gap.

The Jaen-Ha plains raise most of the horses of the Isle; Sunrise Gap is the waypoint for many herders sending their animals through the mountains to Juche or down the river to the rest of Arjuf. The regular horse races sponsored by Lady Leranis are held in conjunction with large horse fairs; they are (according to the travelogue) generally considered the highlights of the year in Sunrise Gap, and draw buyers, sellers and gamblers from quite some distance around.

The spring race is the first such event of the calendar year. Success in the spring race may afford free entry into later, more lucrative races, for the horse or the rider. The Dragon-Blooded do not compete at this stage, except sometimes children who have just Exalted; it's thought to be beneath their dignity. Instead, Dragon-Blooded guests are usually present to make business deals, to gamble, to support entrants representing their families, and to keep an eye out for horses worth buying or riders worth recruiting. Lady Leranis is a shrewd saleswoman, and aware of people's need for entertainment even while rebuilding a shattered world - and the prize money in the later races can be tempting to Dragon-Bloods who are impoverished by their own standards, even if wealthy compared to the vast majority of the Isle.

Let's start with that for the moment :smallwink:

That part of the objective isn't "have the mortal win against DBs", it's "persuade a kid who's never ridden a horse to enter the race, and have her win against a bunch of experienced mortal riders". It is intentional that anything involving horses is a little out of Lotus' comfort zone :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

"Oh, great. A family spat between the governor and his magistrate son. Desirable secondary objectives my foot." Lotus murmurs to himself as he studies the sheathe of notes he's been making about the upcoming mission. "Well, at least the lack of Exalted competitors makes life a bit easier. OK, well, best to get a move on. I'll need some supplies..."

OK, so, time to get properly prepared. Now I know that having the Backing of the Central Convention should allow me to requisition some minor supplies for a mission in the region - all I actually want is a jade hearthstone amulet, to slot my Jewel of the Celestial Mandarin into. Beyond that, grab some decent quality clothes that won't look too out of place in the region, convert a portion of my Salary to the local currency, and head for the Eighth Gate. I'll detail the actual physical gear in a bit, assuming I'm interpreting things right.

Perhaps more important is the creation of my Resplendent Destinies. Would it be acceptable to skip over the complicated rolls here, since I only want them for a month or so (a single success) and have no intention of making serious use of the astrology powers just yet?

[Ifni]

Emerging from his office, Lotus nearly bumps into his sifu, the Elder's hand raised to knock on the door.

"Hello Lotus. I wanted to check in on... hmm." He takes in the piles of paper on Lotus' desk and the sheaf of notes in his hands. "New project?"

Yep, you can absolutely use Backing to requisition temporary artifacts - this is in the ambit of the Central Convention, and it's actually a Crimson Panoply of Victory mission (judging by the office it was sent from) relevant to the Convention on War (if you check the meaning of the case number), so you can draw on both of those.

It's not officially a Bronze mission, but there was that extra note clipped to the official briefing, and you've heard the name Taras Chamin before...

The rule for Backing is that you can use it to get virtual Backgrounds up to your dot rating in the Background. So you can get up to three dots worth of one-dot artifacts if you draw on your three Backing ratings, or you can use those dots for Connections 1 /Manse 1 /Ally 1 etc. (And yeah, jade hearthstone amulet is no problem at all.)

As for astrology, let's play it out a little - I want to see how it works out in practice (if the effect roll is completely impossible, we need to know that so we can houserule), and these are Lotus' first RDs. If you're worried about the rolls, well, there are some advantages to having an Elder Chosen of Serenity as your mentor :smallwink: And the astrological powers can be quite neat, I'd like you to have them available as an option.

EDIT: Of course if you really don't want to play it out, we can skip ahead.

[Maugan Ra]

Fair enough, we'll play out the Resplendent Destiny making. After this conversation with Aumin.

"Yup. Arjuf province, and I need to arrange an unlikely triumph in a horse race. I know nothing about horses." Lotus says, though he is still smiling. It's even genuine, as the seeds of an idea begin germinating in the back of his mind. "Still, I don't have to set off right this second. What was it you wanted?"

[Ifni]

"Nothing of great significance - I wanted to see if you'd wrapped up that check on the Sarcin offshoot, and since I was stopping by anyway, Cloud asked me to invite you to a moon-watching party tomorrow, assuming Luna's still ahead in the Games by then. But so. Your first independent mission."

Aumin chuckles softly. "Horses aren't so bad. At least they're herbivorous. If you were in one of the Threshold conventions..." His tone grows more serious. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Lotus." He eyes the office. "Catching up on background reading, first? Always wise. What's your timescale?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Hmm? Ah, the Sarcin. Yeah, turns out the tribe intermingled with a fleeing refuge column during the Crusade, though Wyld taint means establishing precisely which city or region the column originally came from is damn near impossible. Point being at least a couple of the Dragon-Blooded leading it took the opportunity to strike up a short term exotic romance. Nothing too unexpected, and I think it's all worked out now for the conflict forecasts."

He shrugs. "Convey my regrets about missing the party, but duty calls. The competition is held on the first of Ascending Wood, so just over two weeks as a timescale. I was going to finish up my covers and head off this evening - the real difficulty is going to be convincing the desired winner to actually enter, so I want to leave as much time as possible for that."

He snaps his fingers, and the small green spider crawls out of one sleeve to perch upon his shoulder. "Ah, that reminds me. Please confirm the domains of the gods Verdant Arrow and Ansha Silver-Maned." he says to it, and the construct gives a small cheep of acknowledgement and then vanishes. "Don't want to make my plan around an unverified assumption. That's just asking for trouble."

[Ifni]

"Ah. What covers do you have in mind?" Aumin stands back from the door. "If you were heading out, I'll walk with you; I can defer my afternoon's work for this."

He frowns briefly at Lotus. "What equipment are you taking?"

Verdant Arrow is a god of the forest and the hunt; his purview is localized to the wooded foothills watered by the Caracal River.

Ansha Silver-Maned is a goddess of mares and newborn foals, honored by the people of the northeastern Jaen-Ha plains.

[Maugan Ra]

"I was thinking something under the Quiver, a young Terrestrial prodigy on break from his education." Lotus says amiably, closing his office door behind him and walking off in the general direction of the Central Convention offices, his Sifu at his side. "Gives me a degree of access to those Exalted who are taking an interest in the event, and justifies a youthful curiousity."

He frowns slightly as the information on Ansha Silver-Maned comes back - he'd been hoping for a more general horse-deity, but that was probably irrational. Still, she would probably be able to help strengthen or weaken the steeds as required, and a concise domain was a pretty good source of potential influence. "Likely a professor for the second. The desired victor is a mortal, and I'm thinking that offering a full education on a scholarship if she performs well in the competition would be a decent motivating factor. Might even be able to make it a genuine incentive as well, who knows."

Actually, the House of Bells is in the Arjuf province. Has that been opened yet?

"As for gear... that, I'd not quite decided just yet. It's a reasonably civilized area, and built around a trading hub besides, so it's only really specialist stuff that I'd need to consider in advance. Any recommendations?"

[Ifni]

"Under the Treasure Trove, I presume? Reasonable. Those constellations have some useful powers, as well. Although when you get back, training in the Rising Smoke might not be a bad idea: it facilitates communication."

Aumin taps his fingers together as he walks.

"You should take a weapon. Maybe requisition some easily concealed armor. Where you're going may be civilized enough, but even on the Isle, the less settled areas have trouble with wild animals and bandits - and sometimes more supernatural dangers. They may pose no threat to you, but it will still look peculiar if you're traveling unarmed. If you need some tips on how to use common weapons with the techniques you've been taught, we can go over that in the dojo before you leave..."

The pair turns onto the smooth white jade path leading up to the headquarters of the Central Convention.

"You did well enough in wilderness training... hrrm. In terms of what you'll be unlikely to find for sale, I'd suggest taking some medicines and talismans; they're still rare in Creation. So many trained healers were the first to die in the Contagion. Although... hmm. How are you planning to get to your target? Is it close to a Gate?"

The older Sidereal is fishing around in the pockets of his jacket; he eventually comes up with what appears to be a round starmetal coin, engraved with a fine tracery of orichalcum. "In any event, take this. It's a communication module, I'll teach you the prayer to activate it. I have others. If you need help or information, you can leave a message with Taru-Kul through it, and she'll pass it on to the intended recipient. You can use the same prayer to check for messages left for you."

"That said." Aumin raises a finger in warning. "Such messages are recorded in her archives." He smiles impishly. "Not that I think you'll come running for help at every little setback. But should you need it..." He presses the disc into Lotus' hand.

I was considering offering silken armor, but requisitioning a 1-dot starmetal chain shirt to hide under your clothes is probably better on a temporary basis if you want protection, since you don't have any styles or abilities that forbid armor.

So have a Prayer Transceiver Module instead. Aumin's trying to avoid interfering too much with your plans - this is meant to be a chance to prove yourself, and if he helps too much it'll weaken the impact of whatever you achieve - but he does want to make sure that you don't get into more trouble than you can handle. And PTMs are generally useful, provided that people you want to talk to have them as well.

[Maugan Ra]

"Ah, much obliged." Lotus says cheerfully, flicking the small and gleaming coin-shaped device into the air and letting it drop neatly into a spare pocket. "Though thanks for reminding me about travel on the other side of the gate. It looks to be about a week's travel, assuming I can borrow passage on a river boat or a cart or something. I don't have anything pre-arranged, if that's what you mean."

He nods thoughtfully at the advice. "I'll be sure to requisition some appropriate supplies before I go. And some extra training in the Dojo is always welcome... while we're there, actually, might I borrow your anima for getting those covers set up? I can probably handle it myself, but a bit of extra reinforcement is always handy."

[Ifni]

"You can probably arrange a horse -" Aumin smiles a little at the look on Lotus' face. "Which gate are you going through? Most have some kind of shrine or house built around them, you can seek aid from the custodians. Roads in Arjuf are typically pretty good, except when they've been broken by an earthquake or something and not repaired. Rivers... if you're going along the Caracal or the coast, a boat will be a good option, but across the northern plains most folk use horses. Or at least, that's how it was last time I was in the area."

"And yes, of course I'll help you with the astrology. Making one's first Resplendencies can be a little tricky."

He looks up at the wide double doors. "Now, what are we picking up here?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Just a few things. Doesn't hurt to be prepared."

OK, I'd like to get:
- A Jade hearthstone amulet. There's no particular magical material benefit that makes it worth spending the extra motes needed to harmonize with Jade, but it's much easier to fit it into a Dragon-Blooded cover identity.
- A Starmetal chain shirt, because yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
- A short sword and a short bow, with some arrows of various types.
- General travelling supplies and supplemental disguise options that will, quite frankly, be better suited to being worked into later stunts than being defined in advance.
- And yeah, medicines and the odd talisman, though I'm not sure how many of those would be viable for my currently limited background to borrow.


His supplies collected and signed for, Lotus rejoins his Sifu outside the Depot. "So, the dojo, then? And on the way, what have you been up to lately? I've lost track lately, though whatever it is doesn't appear to done you much harm."

[Ifni]

It's easy enough to find a familiar face from Convention meetings and the various parties Lotus has been attending in the last few weeks, and from there things proceed smoothly. A green jade amulet worked in the shape of a tangled vine, a finely wrought starmetal chain shirt that feels as light and smooth as water in Lotus' hands, an elegant shortsword and shortbow, a quiver of arrows fletched with gray feathers, a sturdy pack, clothes suitable for a Dragon-Blooded youth and a mortal professor...

The older Sidereal glances at him, smiles, and adds a small steel-bound buckler and a horn-hilted belt knife to the pile, ending with a small black cloth bag containing silk pouches of herbs and a few rolled bandages, a sheaf of paper prayers for healing, an oddly shaped and polished piece of petrified wood, the tip of a twisted horn - perhaps from one of the rhinos of the south? - and a horseshoe with an odd coppery patina. ("Good luck charm," the quartermaster assures the young Shieldbearer.)

Outside, Aumin falls back into step with Lotus. "If that's where you want to work out your destinies, certainly. I would suggest doing that first; sometimes astrology takes longer than you think it will."

"I've been in Yu-Shan, actually - just buried under a mountain of paperwork. Believe me, Lotus, you have no idea yet how much paperwork accumulates when you're on sabbatical."

The interior of the dojo is as familiar as Lotus' own manse - far more familiar, by now, than the homes of his half-remembered childhood. A pair of gods are practicing in the far corner: they bow to Aumin and quietly leave.

If you're only asking for two dots worth of artifact, we can use the "get three talismans for one artifact dot" rule. Of course, if you decide to give away or sell any of these, you'll need to reimburse the Bureau. Anti-disease talismans, prized in Creation, are still pretty cheap though - in Yu-Shan, you can pay for them out of your salary without trouble. This is just for convenience.

You can consider yourself to have an exceptional medicine kit with a +2 First Aid specialty, unless you would prefer a different specialty.

[Maugan Ra]

"Can't say I fear it just yet, sir." Lotus says with a grin. "Of course, that might come under another of those 'young and foolish' things."

He places the equipment carefully to one side, pausing only to draw the small, multi-faceted gem from one pocket and slot it carefully into the small knot-work pattern in the centre of the vine-shaped amulet. "So, the destiny. Might as well start with the Quiver. Hmm... let's go with the name Saram Zen, bright of eye and quick of mind, every bit the wandering journeyman and apprentice. Aspect markings of... air, I think, flighty and idealistic, too young yet to have been overly tempered by the world..."

He writes as he speaks, a strip of creamy high-quality parchment almost materializing in his hand alongside an elegant pen. One of the first lessons impressed upon you in training was that the Pattern Spiders much preferred it when you left them a written copy of the instructions. And anything that made them happy, made you happy... or at least kept you a bit safer from the terrifying wrath of an angry architect of fate.

So yes, let's start with the prayer roll here, which I need before I can check the Effect roll for how many points I get. Hopefully Aumin will chip in with that anima power of his.

(I can certainly write better stunts for a destiny, but it's gone 2am here)

Anyway, buying two successes with an excellency, and then rolling: [roll0]

[Ifni]

As Lotus begins to work, Aumin sketches the Lesser Sign of Venus silently on the air. Cerulean light sweeps through the room, carrying with it the dream and the distant music of a world unscarred by war or grief. Peace, and perfection in peace, guiding Lotus' hand and mind with a song that echoes softly down the turning centuries of the world, enduring still in this age of sorrows.

Heh. It's only 9.30pm here, so I'll keep writing responses as long as you keep writing posts :smallwink: But I won't be offended if you choose to go to sleep.

Aumin's invocation of the Lesser Sign adds eight successes to your roll. One-die stunt.

Feel free to roll, or just use my roll here:
[roll0].

(In general, roll stunt dice with your post, and remind me if I fail to state stunt awards.)

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus nods appreciatively to his Sifu as he feels the essence work around his own, presently much simpler invocation. He can almost feel the glittering eyes of the Pattern Spiders turning towards him, and swiftly, he begins to outline the request. Saram Zen takes form in his mind and words - a whole person, in the eyes of fate, summoned for his convenience and service. Sometimes, the weight of responsibility that comes with being a Sidereal is rather more noticeable.

So, Effect roll. I need at least two successes to allocate towards Scope, or this just doesn't work. So... spend willpower for an auto-success.

[roll0] (Essence 2 + Quiver 1 + 2 extra dice from successful prayer roll)

[roll1] possible stunt

[Ifni]

In Lotus' mind he hears the clicking of soulsteel mandibles. The spiders watch, judging, considering. And then...

There is a sound without sound, like the rustling of silk, like the thrumming of a sanxian's strings. Lotus can perceive, dimly, the threads of destiny being rewoven, a new fate and identity coalescing in the busy shuttling of the Loom. A pale-haired boy with an excited grin, a map case tucked under his arm, his other hand raised to sketch out an idea -

Its completion, warp and weft, takes an aeon and an instant; cut free from its moorings by its creators, the Destiny settles on Lotus like a cloak, and for a moment he is Saram Zen.

Ambitious parents. The anticipation of Exaltation, the fear of its lack. Once achieved, a new fear: that despite all the gifts of his birth and blood he will make nothing of himself. An opportunity here, out on his own for the first time - to travel, to explore, to learn, to put his quick wit and his superb education to use.

It is a strange feeling, to smile a smile not your own. And yet, are they so different? Wandering journeyman... too young yet to have been overly tempered by the world... The same, in many ways, could be said of the Chosen of Battles.

The Destiny slips free easily; the knowledge of how to wrap it and fold it away, in some metaphysical fourth dimension, comes by instinct.

"Well done," Aumin says, from where he is sitting cross-legged on the mats. "The first one is usually the trickiest, but that seemed fairly smooth. At least, you haven't started babbling about spiders coming out of the walls yet."

[Maugan Ra]

"If they do start coming out of the walls, then we have a real problem. I'd rather not desensitize everyone to my warnings ahead of time." Lotus says, very dryly. "Still, might as well finish up. So, the Treasure Trove..."

And his hand begins darting away once more, beautiful calligraphy covering a second piece of parchment as the other identity takes places in his mind, described with careful politeness to the Pattern Spiders.

Valas Morde, a professional tutor for young Exalted and the children of wealth patricians alike. Mortal, and growing old, streaks of grey in his hair and crows feet at the corner of his eyes. A sly half-smile on his lips, and an approving twinkle in his eye, the very image of a proud educator beholding his charge's success. An almost paternal air, draped around him like a cloak, and tempered with an old man's appreciation for life.

Yeah, OK, starting with the Prayer roll, which I buy two successes on. With Aumin's help, that becomes enough to guarantee a pass anyway, but I'll roll to see if I get any bonus points for the Effect roll.

[roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

And calligraphy test: [roll2]

[Maugan Ra]

OK, so the calligraphy drops the difficulty of the prayer roll to 5, and I (with Aumin's help) have eleven successes there, twelve thanks to doing it in Yu-Shan. So that means a +2 dice bonus on the effect roll. Let's see what I have to work with...

[roll0]

*sigh* Nada. OK, so the Treasure Drove destiny is just a disguise that will work for a month. The Quiver destiny, with it's five points in total, will gain two points in Duration, which means it lasts a year, and then have three points left to put into endurance.

[Ifni]

This one is harder.

Old. Paternal. A wise and skilled teacher. Keeper of a treasure-trove of knowledge. Perhaps Lotus aspires to be such, some day, but he is not yet. It is harder, it seems, to write the story of someone you have never been.

The Destiny settles around him, but it feels more fragile than the other, an ephemeral mask.

"We may have to work on that one," Aumin says a little wryly, coming to his feet. "More cataloguing in the Forbidding Manse, when you get back, perhaps."

"Did you want to carry a destiny with you, as well? Astrology is harder from Creation, and you won't be working under the Sign of Venus there."

To be clear, what Aumin's suggesting is that if you have an idea of a Destiny you might want to lay, then you could set it up here, while you have the benefit of his anima. If it's useless, no big deal, you can discard it and make a new one from Creation.

[Maugan Ra]

"No, I think that will do." Lotus says thoughtfully, shucking this destiny in turn and keeping it tucked away for safe storage. "Too many variables, and having one around would tempt me into passing other options by rather than dropping it."

He cracks his neck. "So, you mentioned something about 'using common weapons with the techniques I've been taught'?"

[Ifni]

"Mm." Aumin walks forward, stopping about a yard from Lotus. "Have you decided yet which styles you would prefer to focus on? I notice you selected a short sword. I ask because it's generally quite a bit easier to learn the weapons adapted to the first supernatural style you attempt - for later styles, you not only have to learn new weapons, you have to force yourself not to use all the tricks you've previously internalized." The Elder shrugs. "Short swords are good unobtrusive weapons, and the basic katas of the foundational Violet Bier style would give you practice in using one with martial arts techniques, but if you're planning to focus on say a hammer style, I'd recommend starting as you mean to go on."

[Maugan Ra]

"I quite like the look of those new Immaculate styles, if I'm honest." Lotus admits. "Fire Dragon in particular. Controlled aggression appeals to me. Though I'm not especially looking forwards to some of the training, if the authentic Immaculate experience is supposed to be followed..."

[Ifni]

"Hmm. I did think you might be interested in those styles, and Anys is always looking for new people who might be able to teach them. Careful though: get too good and you'll find yourself doing nothing but tutoring Dragon-Bloods for the next century. I do believe they are waiving the 'elemental immersion' experience for Sidereal aspirants, though. You have been through Bureau training already, after all. For us, it is somewhat simpler... wait here."

Aumin walks toward the entrance of the dojo, pushes the door open, and disappears through it. A few minutes later he returns, with a short light-haired woman wearing an ivory silk dress and a put-upon expression. Her eyes are violet, and full of stars.

"Aumin, really -"

"Ceonnis-Ba, this is my student Lotus. Lotus, Ceonnis-Ba; she's been figuring out a lot of the Essence theory for the new enlightenment methods."

The Chosen of Endings offers Lotus a small, grudging nod. "Aumin, I have a meeting in half an -"

"This should be quick enough. I believe you know the initial Charms for Fire Dragon Style?"

"Yes, but I don't -"

"I wanted to introduce you two. Lotus has just been given his first mission in the Realm, and is interested in working with the Immaculate Order."

"... hmm." She stops at that, and actually looks at the younger Sidereal. "Central Convention? Right, yes, I saw you at the last meeting."

A meeting to which she was quite noticeably late, Lotus remembers, now that it's mentioned.

"If you could demonstrate... hmm. One of the two initial Charms is a strike, if I remember correctly?"

Ceonnis-Ba throws up her hands. "I can, but Elder, there's not much point. If you want me to teach him I'd need an hour at least, and I have a -"

"A meeting, yes, I know. Demonstrate the Charm, Ceonnis. I'll take it from there." Aumin walks over to the side of the dojo and picks up a wooden practice sword, tossing it to the Chosen of Endings. "This is Lotus' introduction to the supernatural martial arts; he needs to learn a sword style."

The Chosen of Endings pauses, and seems to get a better grip on herself. She takes the sword, nods shortly, and then bows formally to Lotus. Her violet eyes are very... focused, all of a sudden.

"There are two paths, at the beginning of Fire Dragon Style, converging at the Form. One focuses on speed and grace, the other on power and force. At your sifu's instruction, I will begin with the latter. Initial questions?"

Is there a fix for Fire Dragon you'd want to use, or do you like the version in MoEP?

[Maugan Ra]

I quite like this re-write (http://forums.white-wolf.com/cs/forums/p/37931/797064.aspx) of Fire Dragon style, actually. It doesn't change a great deal of the style, just tweaking and editing the charms for a bit of variety and revising some of the less useful ones. Though I am ignoring the pre-requisites part of the charms here in favour of the canon ones, because they appear to have been somewhat mistyped and I'm trying to fit the training montage into what you've given me so far.


"None immediately come to mind. And I apologise on the old man's behalf for dragging you away on short notice." Lotus returns, shooting an amused and mildly scolding look at his Sifu. Aumin, as is basically typical, appears completely unrepentant.

He watches carefully as Ceonnis-Ba demonstrates the opening moves of the Fire Dragon Style, all levity disappearing from his manner as he focuses on the moves being performed in front of him. They are vicious and unrestrained, almost surprisingly so... but then, that is the philosophy of the Fire Dragon Style, he supposes. A dangerous and elemental force, just barely held in check by the practitioner.

He bows politely to the Chosen of Endings as she concludes the demonstration and then departs for her meeting. He even pretends not to hear the remarks she makes about his honorable Sifu on the way out.

(Any claims that his lips quirked into a treacherous smile at the sound are, naturally, complete fabrications)

The charm, even with his Sifu's enlightened instructions, is not an easy one to grasp. Indeed, the first time he moves through the kata and summons the raging fire essence into his hand, it very nearly cooks his skin off with the unexpected surge of power. Still, he doesn't let that faze him for long - a quick flick of the hand to dismiss the errant sparks, a short inspection, and he tries again.

And again, and again, until at last he manages to strike the perfect balance between searing force and iron-willed self control. A few more tries to insure that it is skill and not luck driving the understanding, and he is satisfied, breaking off the practice and wiping one hand across his understandably sweaty brow.

"Phew. OK, I think I have it. Definitely an interesting style." he grins. "Of course, now I need to pay a visit to the baths before I head into Creation. Worth it though."

[Ifni]

"Enjoy the baths while you can," the Elder advises cordially, "such amenities are a bit rarer in Creation."

Aumin pauses, and then reaches into his pocket, drawing out a small book, rather the worse for wear and weather. "Lotus. One more thing. It's easy, living in Yu-Shan, to forget what the world below is like. Easy to see ourselves as apart from it and above it, moving distant puppets on strings stretching through time. It's not only because of the importance of regular Fate repairs that Sidereals should spend time in Creation."

"Watch people, while you're down there. Listen to them. The best way to learn is to teach - and the best way to teach is to learn." He hands the book to Lotus. "Some background reading for the road."

"Now, off you go. I expect to hear all about it when you get back. Keep practicing your katas."

[Maugan Ra]

"Noted. And... thanks." Lotus responds, his expression sober. Then he begins gathering up his equipment, and heads on out.

This should be interesting. I wonder... maybe I'll work out what all those Chosen of Journeys were on about. It might help me properly adjust to some of their lessons, if I see for myself...

OK, well, unless something special is going to happen before Lotus gets to Creation, we can probably move on to that bit fairly safely.

[Ifni]

A cloud carries Lotus swiftly across the Heavenly City, toward the Eighth Gate. Luna is ahead in the Games, and the jeweled splendor below and around him is bathed in the pale glow of the Silver Chair.

A brief inspection of the book reveals no title or author name on the binding. The flyleaf has a handwritten title:

The Verses of Shajan Rawar of Arjuf

A second hand has crossed out 'Shajan' in a bold slash of black ink, and written 'Of Arjuf' after the name 'Rawar'.

The first page holds four simple lines.

When you paint a dragon, you paint his scales not his bones.
When you see a man you see his face not his heart.
No matter how you paint your face -
There will be no tigers around this Mountain.

The subsequent pages hold poetry, mostly haiku but a few longer pieces.

Presenting his authorization to the Lions at the Eighth Gate, Lotus passes quickly through the security checks. Walking down the hallway between the inner and outer gates, his footsteps ring loudly on the orichalcum-and-marble floor. The Lions at the far end check his credentials one more time -

And then there is the last moment in Yu-Shan, and the great orichalcum lion-god nodding a maned head and waving him through, and the sudden gust of a mountain breeze on his skin as he steps back into Creation for the first time in many years.

The room is triangular, with windows on the two sides not containing the gate. They look out over a wide green valley; beneath the windows, cliffs fall away steeply on both sides. The floor is polished stone.

Crouched before the gate, watching Lotus very intently, is a lion dog - much like the guardians he just passed on the far side, in shape, albeit smaller and not gleaming orichalcum. The god looks a little scruffy, actually.

"Identify yourself and your business please, Honored Emissary of Heaven," it growls in a low tone.

Reading the poems counts as training time for the Charm Hearing The Unspoken Word, from the Art of Victorious Concession (would also count as Linguistics training time). And together with the campaign journal may give you a bit more insight into Rawar.

(The Charm is a surprise negator that makes you better at understanding people.)

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus bows politely to the Lion Dog, and with a moment's concentration, causes the crimson symbol of his caste to burn into life on his forehead - a much surer sign of identification than any elaborate paperwork. Also, easier to carry around.

"Gentle Lotus, Chosen of Mars." he says calmly, due respect clearly visible in his tone. "On assignment for the Crimson Panoply, in the Arjuf Province."

Just to note, the Jewel of the Celestial Mandarin makes the bearer appear unusually dignified and well spoken to any observing gods. The mechanical effects are moderate, but I like the general Roleplaying aspect of it, so it can pretty much always be assumed that Lotus sounds polite and respectful (legitimately, not condescendingly) whenever he speaks to a god.

Which probably helps a lot in Yu-Shan...

[Ifni]

"... ah. Exalt!" The lion dog nods vigorously, and pads over to the side of the gate. Its jade nose twitches a little. "Arjuf Province. Hrrmph. High passes are still closed by snow. Maps we possess and can provide, if you require them. Bound south or west?"

The lion dog appears to be trying to smooth his jade coat down without being obvious about it. He's not doing a very good job. He notices Lotus looking, and tucks his twitching paws under his body. "This one is called Vigilant Octave, Heavenly Guardian of the Wind Flutes of the Eighth Sacred Portal."

[Maugan Ra]

"Maps would be appreciated - I am bound westward, I believe." Lotus says, before frowning slightly. "It would be somewhat unfortunate if the route were impassable. There is something of a deadline... how long would it take to make the journey, do you think?"

A pause. "Ah, my manners. A pleasure to meet you, Vigilant Octave. Are you the only guardian on this side of the gate?"

[Ifni]

"I am entrusted with the sacred guardianship of the gate! My trust, my duty, Exalt." Vigilant Octave hunkers down, somewhat defensively. After a moment he adds, still in a low rumbling tone although now without any teeth in it, "But there are monks who take care of the gardens. I should remain here to greet anyone else who passes through, but if you go through the door and down the stairs, there is a kitchen garden just outside, there should be someone who can tell you where the abbot is."

"There are lower passes. The main caravan road goes through one, will get you to the plains. Higher passes can be quicker when open, more direct - more dangerous though. How are you traveling? Walking?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Just 'Lotus' will do, thank you, though I appreciate the courtesy." the Sidereal says easily. The burning rune on his forehead fades from sight. "And I am currently restricted to walking, yes, though catching a ride on a caravan or something seems like it might be a sensible option."

"These monks, do they help keep the watch? It seems like it might get lonely up here, and good conversation is always a valuable commodity." Another pause. "I'm doing it again. Sorry for all the personal questions - I'm just a curious soul."

[Ifni]

"High passes not officially open yet. But the river is high, lots of snowmelt; shouldn't be much longer. Lone walker or rider might already make it through. Abbot will have caravan schedule, and could also give you a horse, Exalt. If time is an issue... caravan better for safety, but not the fastest. Horse on low road may be the best, if no Charms to help with the high passes."

The lion dog relaxes a little. "We talk sometimes, yes. Play Gateway, and riddle-games. But the gate must be kept safe."

Lotus is getting the impression that the lion dog is actually a little afraid of him.

[Maugan Ra]

"Well, I'm not in a fantastic hurry. So I think I'll check those caravan schedules."

He tilts his head curiously. "I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I? I don't mean to, and I'm reasonably sure you don't have anything to fear from me anyway."

The 'unless you do' goes unsaid, but probably not unnoticed. Lotus doesn't particularly like that aspect of his reputation, but when all is said and done, there are consequences to being a Sidereal. This is just one of them.

(The fact that, sans Destiny, the poor guardian likely has problems picking out any sort of distinguishing features about him probably isn't helping)

[Ifni]

"It is good to have guests," the lion dog rumbles after a moment. "Not often I meet a new Exalt, though."

The great jade face manages to look... embarrassed? And yet his paws knead the ground, a little nervously. "I have guarded this gate for a long time. Many years. Since before the - um. More than... thirty centuries, cub and lion. Always faithfully. I wish only to continue in that charge, Sidereal."

He pauses, and then blurts out, "The monks say there is a new faith in the lowlands. That says the gods should not be worshipped."

[Maugan Ra]

"...ah." Lotus says, beginning to understand. "There is a new faith, yes, the Immaculate Philosophy. It's tenet is not that gods should not be worshipped, but that gods who do not do their job should not be worshipped."

He shrugs. "It seems fair to me. The river god who chokes the flow of his stream, aiming to extort extra sacrifices from the people who depend on it, would make an enemy of the philosophy... and those who support it." he continues, and the implication behind that last part is suitably clear. "But the guardian who maintains his watch for thirty centuries, discharging his duties with skill and honour, well... he would still be admired and worshipped, perhaps more so than in the past."

He nods amiably, and begins to walk past into the monastery beyond. "Like I said, nothing to fear. My thanks for your assistance. "

[Ifni]

The lion dog lowers his maned head to his forepaws, watching as Lotus leaves. As the young Sidereal reaches the door, a muffled rumble emerges: "... you are welcome, Exalt."

It is late evening, here in the Mhaltin Mountains. The sky is shading slowly to a deep indigo, over the steep green bowl of the valleys. Stars are beginning to come out, specks of brilliant white. Mars hangs low on the horizon, a steady red light in the Constellation of the Banner.

There are lamps lit inside the monastery, when Lotus makes his way down the stairs. A woman in a light gray robe and trousers is coming in from the gardens, carrying a hand-lamp; she pauses on seeing him, her glance flicking to the open door behind him, and the spiraling stairway.

"Ah. Greetings, traveler," she says, in Low Realm. "Have you just arrived?"

Yeah, Sidereals are not incredibly popular among the gods of the Isle right now. You ostentatiously-starmetal-wearing thugs who train Dragon-Bloods to beat up poor defenseless spirits if they accept any worship outside the Immaculate Calendar :smalltongue:

That said, the Gem of the Celestial Mandarin is helping.

Lion dogs in particular are very very attached to the places they protect, and the thought of being uprooted from them is pretty horrifying - and it's happened to a lot of lion dogs, in the Usurpation and then again in the chaos after the Contagion and Crusade. Vigilant's a bit spooked by the stories he's been hearing.

[Maugan Ra]

Yeah, I'm not surprised. For the record, I've been assuming the slightly-less-reprehensible explanation for Starmetal - namely, it falls from the sky whenever the thread of a powerful or important being is removed from the Loom. Rather than being, basically, soulsteel made from gods.

That said, the death of a god always produces a sample of starmetal (they are pretty important), so getting a god executed on trumped-up charges is a vicious but effective way of getting around material shortages.

And even without the Starmetal, playing a Sidereal inherently involves certain assumptions about how people in-the-know will react to you. After all, Immaculate training aside, the Sidereals are still basically an unholy cross of Internal Affairs and the Inquisition. With terrifying super-powers. Who have demonstrated their complete willingness to utterly upset the natural order and get away with it if they feel they have sufficient reason.

So yeah, some fear and resentment is expected.

"I have, yes." Lotus says, smoothly switching to the same tongue a moment later. "I apologise for the late arrival... I should have checked that before I left. Would it be possible to see the Abbot here, to arrange lodgings and then travel onwards?"

Also just realised that I never specified which languages Lotus speaks. He has Linguistics 3, so I was assuming that Flame-Tongue would be his native language, and he'd have been taught to speak Old Realm, Low Realm and High Realm.

Unless you're using a variant rule for languages? Folding the 'Realm' tongues into one, or letting me learn extras as specialities or something?

[Ifni]

The woman bows. "Of course, traveler, although at this hour he is most likely at dinner. Will you eat with us, or would you prefer me to show you to a room, and speak with the Abbot after the meal? Let me just put these away..."

She sets the lamp on a shelf in the antechamber and extinguishes it, then strips off her gardening gloves and puts them into the cloth bag she carries, setting it on a lower shelf.

Hmm. Old Realm and Low Realm have diverged a fair way by this point. You may buy High Realm as a specialty. If/when you get to Linguistics 5, you may buy subsequent languages at a cost of two languages per BP.

Flametongue native, huh? Where in the South did Lotus come from, originally?

[Maugan Ra]

"Hmm... I ate before I departed, so a room would do nicely, thank you." Lotus says, inclining his head in gratitude. "I would not wish to impose too much."

Lotus' family were displaced refugees, actually, though he barely remembers them. They had fled the further reaches of the South during the Crusade, and were trying to make a new home on the shores of the sea, before he was found and brought to Yu-Shan.

Granted, his family had been settled in their new home for a full generation or so by the time Lotus was born, but they still felt like refugees. The Crusade had a pretty massive impact on social perceptions...

[Ifni]

The monastery is almost shockingly austere, to one accustomed to the splendors of Yu-Shan, all cut stone and plainly varnished wood and roughly whitewashed walls. There are no braziers drifting perfumed smoke through the rooms, no Essence-lamps providing clear light, no tapestries or ornaments on the walls; the air is chilly, and it's growing hard to see, although your guide navigates the darkening corridors with the ease of one who's been doing it for years.

The room Lotus is shown to is small, plain and windowless. The woman ignites a taper with flint and steel, and uses it to light a lamp in the corner. The bed is narrow, only wide enough for one person, and piled high with furs. There is a wooden shelf above the bed; apart from that, and a chamberpot under the bed, the room is unfurnished.

"Will this serve, sir? The washroom is down the end of this corridor - there's a trough there, fed from the cistern, where you can wash your hands and face." The woman moves to the door. "If that is all... I'll return after the meal is done, and take you to the Abbot?"

[Maugan Ra]

"That would be perfectly acceptable, thank you." Lotus says warmly, waiting for the woman to depart before taking a proper look around the room. The look of dismay on his face is, he suspects, quite comical.

Well, fine, it's not the finest room you have ever occupied. Actually, it might very well be one of the worst... that's not the point. The point is, sometimes sacrifices must be made in the line of duty, and if this is the greatest hardship I need to withstand on this mission I shall call it an excellent trade.

His mind back in the proper set once more, the Sidereal sits down on the bed and draws the battered old book his Sifu lent him, reflecting on the poetry within. Some of the verses are really quite beautiful, and after a moment, he tries reciting some of them out loud in the various different languages he knows.

Strange. They sound just as appealing in each tongue... one would have thought the author's native language would be best suited for the concepts many of these convey, but apparently some of them are universal. I wonder if such a principle might apply to language as a whole - each word for something merely another way to look at it, all derived from a common base of experience.

I never did understand some of those lessons of the Pillar, or the Scripture of the Bride. But... 'they travelled through strange places, and among strange people'. Perhaps this is what that means - a way to see past those linguistic differences, or to learn how to look at it from another angle. Aumin did say to pay attention to what I saw around me...

Lost in contemplation, the time passes quickly.

So, starting training for the Linguistics charm 'Blue Vervain Binding', which is essentially a translation and training charm. I don't know how closely we want to hue to the training times, but I don't necessarily expect to get it right now - it's just a particularly useful effect that I figured would be a decent investment.

And, being a Sidereal charm, I can use it to potentially learn how to speak High House-Cat. Which amuses me more than it should.

[Ifni]

The woman returns about an hour later, a lighted taper in her hand. By now, it is fully dark.

She leads you to an office a few turns of the corridor away. This room does have a window, albeit one with heavy wooden shutters, and the icy bite of the breeze blowing through it makes it clear why the sleeping rooms are deeper inside the building.

Again, the room is small and plain by Lotus' usual standards. But there is a woven rug on the floor, dyed in surprisingly bright shades of red and violet, and several chairs arranged around a wooden desk. The lamp behind the desk shines with the clear white light that only comes from Essence.

The man sitting behind the desk is old. His hair is solid white, and his face more heavily wrinkled than Chejop Kejak's, and as he rises to greet the Sidereal, he moves with a slow awkwardness that speaks of painful joints. His knuckles are swollen, beneath the woolen half-gloves he wears, leaving his fingers free to write.

"Welcome, traveler," he says, with a slight bow. His voice is surprisingly strong, albeit cracking a little. "Safar, you may leave us." The woman bows, and retreats from the room.

"Welcome to the Wind Flute Monastery, my lord. Home of the Eighth Gate, although even most of our initiates do not know what that means. I am called Haven, and serve as abbot here. How may I assist you?"

Heh. Lotus is in for a shock when he visits some of the nastier parts of Creation. Yes, by Yu-Shan standards this is the kind of hovel that setting fire to it would be considered home improvement - but by Creation standards this is a well-constructed and solid place. A clean private room with a narrow but warm bed is good accommodation, especially when it's free.

Noted that you've started training for Blue Vervain Binding. Training time is (Min Ability) + (Min Essence) days, given that it's non-favored, so that would be four days devoted to training. If you work on it for a few hours each evening, you'll likely have it figured out by the time you get to Sunrise Gap.

[Maugan Ra]

"I am bound Westward, into the Sunrise Gap in Arjuf province, Abbot." Lotus says with a respectful bow. "I would seek lodgings for the night, and ideally a map of the available routes in that direction. Perhaps a horse, as well, if one can be found... though that, I would of course pay for. Beyond that, I would not wish to impose."

True, I could probably just catch the caravan headed that way as well... but that will only leave me with a day or so to set everything up. And I don't know if that would be enough time.

[Ifni]

"Anything we can provide is yours, lord. It is all our duty to serve the will of Heaven." The old man's voice is calm. He moves to the shelves beside the desk, pulls out a pair of maps, lays them on the desk before Lotus. He takes a quill, dips it in bright purple ink, and begins to annotate them. "This is the main road to Sunrise Gap. There are courier stations along it, and inns; they sell lodging for a reasonable price. There should be a caravan heading toward Sunrise Gap right now; they'll likely be passing through Greenspring, down in the valley, some time tomorrow. At caravan speeds the trip is about sixteen days. If you take a horse - perhaps ten or eleven days? We have some horses in the stables here, and there are likely one or two more for sale down in Greenspring. Serviceable beasts, although not more than that. If you needed a fast horse..." He pauses. "I will not presume to guess at your abilities, lord. There are ironhoof mustangs in these hills. Sometimes our guests find mounts there."

The quill moves to the second map, picking out a path through the contours. "These are the trails straight through the mountains. That cuts some distance, but the roads aren't as good. If you can get a horse through, it'd likely be eight or nine days... we still sometimes have late-season blizzards, though. There's likely more danger from wild animals, but less from bandits, relative to the main road. Probably thirteen or fourteen days afoot, for a mortal; ten or eleven if you can keep up a forced march for that long."

The old monk slides the annotated maps across the desk to the Sidereal.

[Maugan Ra]

"We all serve in our own way." Lotus says agreeably, leaning forwards to study the map. He nods to himself thoughtfully, tracing a few of the potential routes with a light finger, careful not to smudge the fresh ink. "I'll head to Greenspring in the morning, then, and borrow one of your horses for the trip. If all goes well, I will return it when I pass back this way after my business is concluded."

There's a strong chance you won't remember me then, admittedly, but it's the principle of the matter.

That decided, he tucks the map carefully away inside a pocket, and nods to the old monk. "Well then, unless there's anything else that would be useful for me to know, I'll return to my room."

[Ifni]

"I don't know what information you have already, lord. Do you have specific questions? There are fang-cats in the mountains, but they would rarely attack the main road. You can tell when a storm is coming by the mares' tails in the sky. If you mean to take the high paths, our thaumaturges can request good weather for your journey, but we must be subtle - weather control is meant to be the domain of licensed thaumaturges acting with Exalted supervision. There are points along the main road where the surface is broken due to the earthquakes from a century ago - I've marked them on the map - but unless there were more rockslides over the winter, that shouldn't pose a problem. We've had no reports of such, so far."

"And, if I may presume to offer advice..." The old man's eyes are surprisingly sharp, as he regards the young Sidereal. "Remember to don a Resplendency before leaving, Chosen, unless you have a good reason not to. There are few who will understand the significance of your eyes, and fewer still who will remember it, but it's best to plan for low-probability but high-impact events."

After a pause, he adds in quiet explanation, "I've been privileged to deal with the Sidereal Exalted for close to a century, my lord. I suppose no one not of your fellowship can really say they understand you, but I've seen a few things."

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus blinks in surprise, then nods. "Sound advice. Thank you." he says, with absolute sincerity. "I am still somewhat new to my job, and some things evidently slip my mind."

He grins. "I do hope I haven't dented the Fellowship's reputation with the knowledge that even we have inexperienced rookies." he says, voice laced with self-depreciating humour.

[Ifni]

The Abbot smiles. "Not at all. We were all young and inexperienced once. In my case, if one of your colleagues hadn't intervened, I never would have made it past that point. Not a debt I can repay, but if I can return the favor in some small way, it's my honor to do so."

He pauses, and then adds, "We have martial arts practice at dawn each morning. It would be a great favor if you would join us, Shieldbearer. But I will understand if you must be on the road by then."

[Maugan Ra]

"I see no harm in participating." Lotus says after a moment's thought. "It will be good to focus myself before the day's journey begins... and diligent practice is always a good habit to maintain, even on assignment. I will be there at dawn."

A pause. "Or rather, Saram Zen will. A young Air-Aspected student on an extended field trip. Start as you mean to go on, after all."

[Ifni]

"I will be honored to meet Lord Saram," the Abbot says with a straight face. "The most common style we practice here, among the initiated, is actually aspected to the element of Air."

"I will let you take your rest then, my lord. Until tomorrow."

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus nods, and then turns to depart. Just before he leaves the room, he makes a tugging gesture across the centre of his chest, as though pulling on a cloak. Fate realigns, light bends, and then it is Saram Zen walking out of the old monk's office.

The young student pauses for a moment to get his bearings, then sets off for his assigned quarters at a swift pace. The mind needs rest to remain keen, as his teachers always said, and he has every intention of caring for the greatest gift he has received from the Dragons.

Well, barring any interesting developments during the night or early morning, moving on to the martial arts practice seems like a solid choice.

And yes, I think it was at least as much my mistake there with the Resplendency as it was Lotus'. There's a lot of little tricks in playing a Sidereal, and I need to get into the habit of using them.

[Ifni]

The night passes uneventfully. Lotus - no, Saram Zen - rises in the frosty chill of a mountain dawn.

The washroom is full of men and women in loose-fitting trousers and jackets, washing their hands and faces in the water running down the stone trough; their ablutions are hasty and not particularly thorough, perhaps because there's a skin of ice around the edge of the trough. Several of them glance at Zen, but quickly look away from the young Air Aspect, lowering their eyes in respect.

The practice takes place outside, it seems, amid terraced gardens; from a quick glance, as Lotus walks by, they appear to be mostly food crops and medicinal herbs. Targets have been set up in a flagstone courtyard.

The participants - ranging in age from the Abbot, who despite his advanced age was there at dawn, down to children of nine or ten - form into lines, apparently for initial stretches and exercises; an older woman in white shirt and trousers leads the practice. When Saram Zen arrives, she walks over to him for a moment, to bow and deferentially explain the usual sequence - warmups, practice in small groups, tests for anyone seeking recognition.

The initial exercises are simple, universal, to warm the muscles and get the blood flowing; Lotus finds them familiar, but surprisingly strenuous at first. The air here is thin, as well as cold.

They move on then to more distinctive katas - wholly mundane, still, but less generic, more focused toward a particular end. To Lotus' well-trained eye, the formal movements speak of the fighting style they are designed to build toward. Not a forceful art, this one, nor one focused on speed and aggression - but the leader's movements have a flowing, shifting, unpredictable grace, reminiscent of a leaf on the wind. Not everyone manages to attain the same smooth fluidity, but even the clumsy enthusiasm of the youngest children shares a little of it. When one child wobbles, and nearly falls, in the midst of a slow kata, one of the adults steps closer to her, murmurs a correction, reaches out to adjust her stance.

In the midst of all this flowing serenity, Saram Zen's presence is like a stone in a river. People are watching, studying what the young Exalt does, some of them trying to copy his movements.

This is mostly just getting a sense for the Eighth Gate monastery and maybe learning some TMA, we can skip forward if you like, but I thought Lotus might like a chance to show off his Violet-Bier-trained martial arts skills :smallwink: I can write more, moving forward to the bit in the practice where the Essence-wielders show off their nifty tricks, but thought I would stop here for a moment to give you a chance to post...

And ah, speaking of tricks for playing a Sidereal... going through his bag, Lotus will find that someone has slipped a small case in there. Opening it, it has cosmetics, hair dye, and other tools of disguise. Exceptional tool, +2 to Int+Larceny rolls to disguise oneself. (I forgot about this. Aumin wouldn't have. Resplendencies are great, but it's best if you have a decent mundane roll backing it up.)

Also, I would like an (Intelligence or Perception)+War and an (Intelligence or Perception)+Occult roll for Lotus.

[Maugan Ra]

Saram Zen moves like a breeze. A casual, flowing grace imbues his every movement, pale skin rippling slightly as he moves through the elegant katas being displayed all around him, his pale eyes following the movements of the Abbot with careful diligence. He is a learner here, that much is immediately obvious - extraordinary talented, but unfamiliar with the exact patterns being displayed.

A slight smile tugs at the edge of his lips as he notices the small audience he appears to have attracted. It is only natural, perhaps, but he finds it somewhat amusing none the less.

One of the best ways to learn, is to teach, eh Sifu?

With those words in mind, the Exalt slows down his kata slightly, adopting a smooth and steady motion that makes his exact moves considerably easier to follow. One pale eyebrow quirks inquiringly at the nearest of the watchers, inviting feedback and questions alike.


Lotus is avoiding his Violet Bier methods for the moment, though that's mostly because he's here to participate in someone else's training sessions. That said, he could always start demonstrating his own techniques if invited to do so by an ambitious student or something.

And let's see those rolls:
Int+War: [roll0]
Int+Occult: [roll1]

[Ifni]

The man beside Zen in the line slows his movements to match the Exalt's. His eyebrows go up for a moment, before he offers the Air Aspect a quirked smile.

"This hand gesture, my lord, your line of force isn't quite right," he mutters under his breath. "More outward-directed - for throwing, see? Imagine holding a chakram..."

He glances at the others watching. "Watch our Exalted guest, Ciris. If you can keep your transitions half as smooth as his you'll improve more today than you have in a month. Lealan, you as well, your stance is too constricted, if you mean to seek the sky rather than the stone."

He looks back at Zen, and inclines his head. "Do you mind keeping that pace, sir? I've been trying to improve my balance when leaping -"

Once the first phase of the practice is over, they break up into smaller groups. Mats are brought out for the children; led by an adult instructor, they begin practicing stepping and falling, simple holds and throws. Another group seems to be playing some kind of throwing game as they move through the exercises, tossing small cloth balls back and forward. Older children work with the targets, tossing darts and knives.

Some of the adults move through much the same exercises, albeit with more precision and skill. The Abbot leads one group in a slow, formal kata; the old man's hands tremble a little, but it does not impair the flowing grace of the motions.

The man who'd addressed Saram Zen before wipes a few drops of sweat from his forehead, and turns back to the Air Aspect. He looks relatively young, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties. Two others, a woman and a man, walk over to join him.

"The Abbot said you might wish to observe, sir, or to teach. If you wanted to instruct, I'm sure any here would be glad for your guidance - you're obviously skilled -" The words despite your age are not spoken, but perhaps implied. The woman elbows him.

"It's an honor to practice beside one of the Dragons' own, my lord," she says briskly. "Branch and Hoof and I are all initiates here, and hoping to test for the next dan soon. The Abbot suggested you might be interested in seeing a demonstration, and offering your critique, if you wished. And of course -" She grins, teeth gleaming whitely, "- if you wished to demonstrate your own arts, we would be very interested."

"We're all initiates to the path of the sky; we're taught the style we practice draws on the understanding of Air," the other man adds. He coughs, and then adds rather hurriedly, "Although of course it is inferior to the Glorious Dragon Styles."

Rolls noted, I'll tell you the results when it comes up.

[Maugan Ra]

"I'm only passing through, but a chance to observe seemed too good to pass up." Zen responds, an enthusiastic gleam in his eye. "I'd be happy to demonstrate a few different methods I've picked up in exchange. Perhaps we can trade critique."

A confident grin. "So... if you practice air, something contrasting would probably be useful. Hmm... Earth, Fire or Water? I'm not much for Wood, I'm afraid."

[Ifni]

The first man - Branch - nods, watching Zen curiously. "The other path taught here is of the stone. So for something entirely new... a demonstration of Fire or Water would be fascinating." He smiles, a little tentatively. "Do you need us to set up anything?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Fire, then."

Zen takes a few steps back, and with a few sight hand-gestures, gets his observers to clear space for him to work. He takes a breath, holds it for a moment, then lets it out slowly. "I do not, as yet, have true mastery of the Fire Dragon Style. It is difficult for a child of the air to internalize such techniques, and would require a period of intensive, unbroken training to learn the essence that underlies it's techniques. That said, I am something of a scholar, and I do understand the mundane components of the style."

"The first principle - fire is fast, but not in the same way as air. It is not a thing of controlled grace or delicate balance. It is ferocious, and destructive, and strikes without warning."

With that, the child of Mela explodes into motion, his immobile balance shattering in an instant as he launches a devastating series of attacks. There is no pause or rest visible in the harsh series of katas he performs, no easy way to distinguish where one ends and the next begins - just a rolling series of vicious strikes that ends as abruptly as it began, the martial artist now at the other end of the impromptu practice space. Zen takes another breath, before turning back around to face his temporary students.

"Second - Fire is offensive. There are no purely defensive moves in the Fire Dragon Style, nor in the vast majority of those derivative or related styles that I am aware of - only adapted attacks. The best defense, in the philosophy of fire, is a good offense - slay your opponent before he can slay you."

He launches into another series of attacks, but these ones are visibly different to the ones before - filled with low, lunging blows aimed at maximizing reach and force even at the expense of defensive. The acolytes can almost certainly spot a dozen or more moments where Zen leaves himself dangerously over-extended... and they can just as easily see that the ferocious attacks would have left the majority of opponents too stunned and pinned back to properly exploit the openings granted.

"It is brutal." A sharp jab at a fantasy enemy, one that pulverizes the guts and leaves the ghost choking on blood. "And merciless." An arcing, downward kick that actually cracks a stone tile on the floor, and could only have been designed to eliminate downed opponents.

"To face a Fire stylist is to face an enemy utterly committed to your complete destruction. Every move he makes is either an attack, or designed to enhance an incoming blow." Zen finishes, slowly dropping out of the stance and catching his breath once again. "There are, of course, exceptions... but they are still variations on a central theme of pure offense. Masters of the style tend to demand complete self-control and a strong will from their students, lest they lose their protégés to the dangers of their own technique."

A grin, as he rocks back on his heels. "A fascinating subject, all in all. Any questions?"

[Ifni]

"Ranged attacks. Does the style possess them? How would a Fire stylist handle enemy archers?" The woman's eyes are shining, with fascination and something more ambiguous - envy?

Branch nods, and steps forward to study the cracked tile on the floor. "You mentioned striking without warning. We use shadows to do that, and unpredictable shifts of the wind. Are the Fire techniques at all similar?"

The other man, Hoof, doesn't speak at first, but begins moving through an experimental series of strikes, slow and testing. He coughs after a moment and then offers, "Those fast strikes... there's an advanced technique of our style, one I've been trying to master, that hurls a handful of weapons at once. Doesn't take as much concentration as hurling them all separately, or leave you as open. I know you said the style focused on offense, but do you have similar techniques, that mitigate the downsides?"

Lotus notices something about the cracked tile, at this point. There is a pattern carved into it, almost imperceptible when it's laid flat to the ground, but now caught by the dawn light. A familiar pattern.

And now that he looks, the other tiles bear the same swirling, subtle carved designs. Not mere decoration, oh no. He's seen them in textbooks of thaumaturgy, on how to recognize - and thwart, if necessary - the arts of Warding.

[Maugan Ra]

"Fighting at long range, with a bow, is certainly one of the better options against a Fire Dragon." Zen answers promptly, nodding in approval at the insight. "There is one ranged technique, where the stylist concentrates the fire essence in their lungs, and then breathes it out in a river of flame towards their foe. Obviously, it's not an easy one to demonstrate when you can't perform it yourself... but it is quite devastating, if somewhat indiscriminate."

His attention switches rapidly to Branch, with an almost audible snap. "Fire is difficult to hide, by it's very nature, so there isn't much use for shadows. It's more... surprise, really, taking advantage of being able to shift rapidly from passivity to ferocious offense. A Fire Dragon won't be making many sneak attacks once battle has started - it's more of an all-or-nothing element to the very start of the conflict."

Hoof's question inspires a moment of quiet reflection, before a useful answer is forthcoming. "There are... some vague similarities. Lessons, and charms, on how to control the offense so that it does not leave you totally exposed. I'm not sure how that compares to your own techniques, but I'd be interested in..."

Then the growing sunlight catches at the swirling designs along the stone, and Zen practically collapses into a crouch, fingers brushing feather-light along the intricate patterns. "Ooh, wards! A very comprehensive layout as well. Hmm... I wonder what they are keyed against..."

Saram Zen has the whole 'hyperactive scholar' thing going on, along with the jittering train of thought and rapid switches of focus. Very much an Air Aspect...

[Ifni]

A quick glance, difficult to read, passes amongst the three.

"Ghosts and demons, mostly, is my understanding," Branch says after a moment, in a low voice. "The wards against the raksha were added a century ago, in the Time of Chaos."

"We have to enlighten our Essence anyway to progress through the dan ranks, Chosen," the woman adds, equally softly. "So many of us learn the techniques to maintain the wards; it's only sensible to be prepared."

The wards, to Saram Zen's probing eye, are quite high-quality, and obviously well maintained.

[Maugan Ra]

"That makes sense." Zen says, his voice sobering as he rises back to his feet. Even his slightly manic enthusiasm wanes somewhat in the face of such a reminder - that even here, in an ascetic retreat at the top of the world, measures must be taken to defend from the most unholy foes.

"Tell me, what form does your training take, anyway? Is there a... well, a journeyman aspect seems the simplest way to put it. A period of traveling. Warding skills and martial arts are valuable trades, so you could certainly support yourself, and I've always found that a bit of exploration helps one centre themselves wonderfully."

[Ifni]

"No," the woman says, with a somewhat wistful sigh. "The records say there used to be, before the Time of Chaos, but during the Contagion traveling wasn't a good idea, and afterward... it was decided that initiates should remain here, in readiness. None of the masters wanted to spend all that time and effort training people who'd just go out and get themselves killed. Of course, people go down to Greenspring all the time, and the surrounding valleys - and sometimes one of the masters goes on a longer trip - but for us, living at the monastery is part of the discipline."

Branch shakes his head at her. "You sound like you regret it."

"Of course I don't! I'd probably be a grandmother by now if my family hadn't given me to the monastery. But, well, I wouldn't mind seeing more of the world. The monastery hasn't been attacked in decades."

"Maybe we should offer our guest a demonstration, Harp?" Hoof asks mildly. He smiles at her, a little slyly. "Show him what we've learned, in our time immured here. It's rather discourteous of us, to only ask questions and complain, and never offer learning in return."

"... mmph. Fine. You two willing to test me?"

"At what?" Branch asks a little warily.

"Sixth dan leap, of course."

Hoof massages his forehead. "You broke your ankle last time."

"Only because I forgot that cornice had broken off last midwinter."

"You were lucky not to break your neck."

"I'll stick to the courtyard this time." She glares. "Gods above, Hoof, do you not want me to attain sixth dan?"

"Fine. Sixth dan leap. And I'll show Lord Saram the Hailstorm. Branch?"

"I think I'll stick to the fundamentals." Branch smiles at Zen. "Show you the basics of our style - although you were picking up the idea very quickly, in the early katas. Harp, go grab the throwing sticks? Unless you want to use the rice balls?"

Harp scoffs at him, but walks off. Hoof turns to Saram and says quietly, "I hope you weren't offended by the informality, sir. We all grew up together."

Lotus would know, incidentally, that the Yu-Shan Gates were closed for nearly thirty years following the Great Contagion. The Celestial gods were very very paranoid about their own safety. A lot of Terrestrial gods who were actually severely affected by the Contagion/Crusade resent this.

Also, Harp looks about the same age as Branch, not an age you'd associate with 'grandmother'.

[Maugan Ra]

I remember that bit, yeah. And Lotus likely takes the side of the Terrestrial gods in that one - expecting obedience to the grand celestial hierarchy, and then slamming shut the gates and leaving your subordinates out to die of plague, is not an easily-supportable position.

He's being fairly quiet about it for now, though.

Zen shrugs. "Why would I be offended? This isn't the Imperial court or anything. There's a time and a place for formality, but I don't think this is either."

Then he settles back to watch, an intrigued expression on his face.

[Ifni]

Harp returns with her hands full of small throwing sticks, which she passes off to Hoof and Branch. She walks to stand a few yards away, and bows to the two, her round face growing serious.

Hoof bows back and then stands still, idly tossing the five sticks between his hands in a rather intricate pattern. Lotus has seen more spectacular juggling - it helps to have extra arms - but he's very good, for a mortal.

"We work on hand exercises a great deal, starting with the youngest children," Branch begins, after bowing to the others. He tosses three throwing sticks at Hoof in quick succession; for a moment they join the dance of wood flashing around the other man, before they are fired back out at Branch, who snatches them out of the air. "What we call the path of sky can employ any small thrown weapons, anything light enough to be carried and turned by the wind. The air and darkness are our truest weapons."

He moves into an impossibly slow, graceful kata, hands empty for the moment. No Essence is being used, as far as Lotus can judge - only mundane skill here, in the slow controlled turning of the monk's steps.

The cadence quickens, almost imperceptibly at first. There are still no strikes here, just smooth movement - but faster, and faster, until Branch seems to sway and turn and block in synchrony with every fluttering gusting breeze that crosses the courtyard. His feet seem to barely touch the ground.

From the warded stones, from the shadows of the targets, a darkness seems to seep. It winds around the monk like smoke and cloud, shadowing his face like a hood. Flickering shadows spread out to cloak the whole group from the pale dawn light, dancing with Branch in counterpoint to his movements.

Something makes Lotus glance downward. Branch's bare feet are leaving no prints in the light coating of windblown earth over the stones, as if they did not touch the ground at all.

"This is the heart of the path of sky," Hoof murmurs to Saram, from where he stands, still juggling. "To tread lightly as a feather - we practice by walking over eggshells - and to pass unseen."

There is, suddenly, a pair of throwing sticks in each of Branch's hands. One flies out toward Harp, sudden as a bolt of lightning.

She has been waiting, standing in a relaxed stance, but her reaction is almost too quick to see. A fierce grin, a graceful twist to the side - and then she is flying, somersaulting through the air. She lands behind the low stone wall of one of the gardens, a good thirty feet away, and darts behind a tree.

"The air is an ally," Hoof continues. "The style emphasizes mobility - to move safely, and swiftly. Albeit also its counters -"

Branch smirks; the next throwing stick is already in the air. Its trajectory curves, impossibly, neatly circling the tree. Harp emerges from hiding with another distance-defying leap, as if the air itself buoyed her up, leaving a shower of leaves and twigs behind her. This time she lands on the monastery roof.

"Huh. Two. That's good. She's been having trouble getting the transitions right -"

Branch vanishes. One moment he was there, albeit wreathed in shadow - the next moment there is only air, and flickering darkness to fool the eye, and was that a sound?

There is a yelp from the monastery roof, quickly stifled. Branch is visible again, with a small smile of satisfaction on his face. The fourth throwing stick flies out at Harp, now running light-footed along the narrow ridge of the roof, with an easy flick of the hands that reminds Zen of the earlier exercises.

The wind shifts. Zen feels the gust against his skin, blowing hard across the courtyard. It lifts Harp from her feet, flings her toward the spinning stick -

- and she curls into a ball, rolls under the trajectory of the blow, and flies from the roof. There's a good fifteen feet to fall, and yet she is laughing, smiling in triumph; she spreads her arms wide as she touches down lightly on the flagstones a few yards away.

"My turn," Hoof says mildly.

And then the air is full of throwing sticks, all five that were in his hands, a hail of polished wood. His hands do not blur, do not move impossibly fast - but every small motion is judged with exquisite precision. The rest of his body barely moves; he looks almost bored.

Harp reacts instantly, swaying down under the barrage in a single smooth motion. Her leg muscles bunch and then fling her away, like a swimmer kicking off from a wall. The wind that gusts around her slows the throwing sticks; they clatter to the ground.

She lands awkwardly but immediately recovers herself, then runs back toward the others, beaming. "I did it! Four in a row!"

Her glance at Saram Zen is a little abashed. "... uh. Sorry. But that's a technique I've been trying to master for quite some time." She smiles. "I tried using your footwork, from the exercises earlier. I noticed you were turning your heel a bit more than I've been, and I thought, since you're of the Air, it might help with leaping."

Hoof hugs her, briefly, and then goes to gather up the throwing sticks. Branch touches Harp's hand for a moment and then looks at the young Air Aspect. It's hard to make out his expression, as shadows still swirl around him. "Mobility, a light tread, subtlety. Those are the hallmarks of our path, as controlled aggression is that of Fire." The pride in his voice is audible. "Any questions, Lord Saram?"

[Maugan Ra]

"No questions - your demonstration was very informative. Well done." Saram Zen says with a genuine smile, a respectful half-bow in the direction of the acolytes clearly conveying his sincere respect. "And I am certainly glad to have been of help, even if mostly indirectly. You have given me quite a bit to think upon as well."

He straightens up, and cracks his neck. "Still, I can't stick around for too long, I'm afraid. I need to be in the valley and on my way shortly." A slightly challenging look enters his eyes as he regards them, though the easy smile on his face keeps it in the realm of almost-playfulness. "Still, there's a good chance I'll pass back this way before too long - late in Ascending Wood, most likely. Perhaps by then you'll have even more improvements to show me, hmm?"

[Ifni]

"Mastering new katas usually takes us a bit longer than a month - Exalt," Branch replies gently. "But yes, we'll look forward to seeing you again. I have some thoughts..." He moves one hand vaguely, shadows flowing around it. "Hmm... anyway, thank you very much for the demonstration."

Harp nods. "Yes, thanks. I... you are not what I was expecting a dragonlord to be."

Hoof smiles, and adds, "When you try those flurries of strikes, lord, perhaps focus on moving only the parts of your body that need to move. Wasteful motion, not directed into force or evasion, can only weaken your strikes, and your defenses."

The practice continues, but as Saram Zen turns back toward the monastery, the Abbot leaves the group he was instructing and walks over to join him.

"So what do you think of our monastery, Chosen?" he inquires mildly.

Lotus may learn a single Charm chosen from Sifu's Useful Fingers, Auspicious Recruitment Drive, or Training Mandate of Auspicious Battle.

[Maugan Ra]

I went for Auspicious Recruitment Drive, though both of the others were rather tempting. Still, the auto-rally effect is too useful to pass up, and lends itself rather well to dramatic battlefield interventions...

"It seems remarkably like a fortress." Saram Zen responds in an even tone. "Whether one is needed is not for me to say, but I do question the decision to have it work both ways. Air does not like to be caged, and I cannot imagine most of the acolytes like it very much either."

[Ifni]

The Abbot blinks. He is silent for a moment, then says, sounding a little hurt, "No one is forced to remain here against their will, Saram Zen. Well, I suppose you could say the children are - when they run off to avoid doing chores, if they don't come back within a few hours we'll go looking for them, but I'd expect as much of any parent. Any adult is free to leave whenever they wish. Quite a few do, who cannot find within themselves the strength required for the training. Perhaps you misunderstood...?"

[Maugan Ra]

Saram Zen raises one hand and inclines his head in an apologetic motion. "I may have misspoken. Certainly, I do not accuse you of keeping your students here against their will. I merely meant to question the decision to remove the journeyman aspect of the training - as one on such a journey myself, you can see how I would place some importance on it."

"The Blessed Isle is no longer threatened by plague or Raksha, and I cannot help but feel that it would benefit your acolytes to see some of it for themselves without needing to give up their training. And certainly, knowledge of thaumaturgy is very valuable just about anywhere in the world, even if you wished to keep the secrets of your martial techniques."

He shakes his head and smiles ruefully. "Clearly I need to consider my words better in future. It was not my intent to cause offense, but in retrospect I can see how I did."

[Ifni]

"Ah." The Abbot relaxes. "I see." He is silent for another long moment, considering his words, as the pair walk toward the buildings. "It was long before my tenure that the monastery had such a custom. When I first arrived here, an ignorant youth with no command over my own Essence and no knowledge of any mystical arts, the gates were already closed tight against all but a very few."

"You are... forgive me, Chosen, but I think you are very young. This place is a fortress because even within my living memory, far shorter than that of the gods, it needed to be; if that need arises again, we may not have much warning." He taps one warded stone with his foot. "This place was designed to be a refuge for the people of the surrounding lands, in times of need, and a beachhead in Creation for the forces of Heaven." He chuckles, a little wearily. "And even if it didn't function entirely as intended -" That is a polite way, Lotus senses, of saying Even if Heaven left us to stand alone, "- the community here, and its skills, helped the people of these mountains survive through the horrors, and was the heart and center of the rebuilding afterward."

"And now... yes, knowledge of thaumaturgy is valuable, but that doesn't mean it's always welcome. Maybe you don't know, but the Shogunate outlawed the practice of the Arts, except for those working directly for the Exalted. Those laws made it into the Empress' code, along with most other Shogunate jurisprudence - they're rarely enforced these days, but we'd still prefer not to draw too much attention from the Dragon-Blooded." The old monk gives Saram Zen a pointed look. "I trust your discretion."

Just to be clear, he's not stonewalling; you should feel free to keep arguing the point, it may have an effect.

[Maugan Ra]

"You are right, Abbot, I am young, at least by the standards of my kind." Zen says quietly, pausing as they reach the threshold of the nearest building. "But the world belongs to the young, and to the children of tomorrow. The old and the influential may shape the course of the future, but it is the young who will have to live in it."

He looks contemplative for a moment, as though deciding on a course of action, then nods. "The wall is stronger than any one stone. This place is a fortress, yes, and a mighty one at that, but without friends and allies, it will not be able to withstand concentrated assault. And even if it could, what good is a fortress that stands alone while the world beyond it's walls burns?" A small smile. "Bonds between neighbors are rare and precious things, and I think you can agree with me that you are more likely to build them by venturing beyond the walls than by remaining within."

There is no polite way to say 'Heaven has proven itself unreliable in times of need, so look for allies elsewhere.

[Ifni]

"When the world burns - sometimes running into the conflagration just means you die as well. Sometimes all you can do is save what you can." The Abbot's eyes are distant for a moment, focused on something far away and long ago. He shakes his head, and his gaze comes back to Saram Zen. "A sanctuary may not quench the flames, but it can preserve skills and knowledge and resources and lives, and serve as a rallying point, and I do not call that useless."

He stops, and breathes deliberately slowly for a moment. "Still. Abstract arguments aside... hmm." He gives Saram Zen a sideways look. "You are unusually direct, by the standards of your kind." A faint smile. "Try not to lose that, as you grow older."

"It's true that at present, we could afford to spare some people. Provided only a few went at a time, our ability to deal with emergencies here in the mountains would not be badly diminished. There is still the danger that they'd draw too much attention here, while they're inexperienced in the wider world - but you may be right that the potential benefits outweigh the risks, and once a few had gone traveling, they could advise others..."

Haven taps his fingers together. "How sensitive is your mission, Saram Zen? Would it be compromised by the addition of a traveling companion or two?" He raises an eyebrow at the young Air Aspect.

[Maugan Ra]

Saram Zen looks around, then steps across to position himself carefully out of the line of sight of anyone who might be watching, if only by putting the Abbott between him and them. Then he makes a small gesture with one hand, and the identity of Saram Zen peels away, as flesh grows warmer and pale eyes return to their original scarlet hue.

"Hard to talk about such things while under a destiny, at least clearly." Lotus says by way of explanation, his voice low. "And my mission is not an especially sensitive one. I'd welcome traveling companions, though life would be much easier if they knew what I was, at least in vague terms - an agent of heaven in disguise works well enough. Too much potential for awkward discoveries and poorly-timed explanations otherwise. Do you have anyone specific in mind?"

A pause, and then he grins. "Would you believe my Sifu and I used to play games over who could be the most indirect and mysterious?"

[Ifni]

"I don't have anyone specific in mind, but I suspect you might. You could have just asked if you wanted backup, you know." The monk's voice is faintly amused. "I doubt Hoof will come with you, since his wife has a baby on the way, but Harp or Branch might agree, if it's suggested. I recommended they speak with you because they're at a difficult stage in their training. The last few katas of the style are not fundamentally harder than learning the form, but they can be more... esoteric, I suppose, is the word." He shrugs. "If you're looking for someone with particular skills, we can go through the lists. But I would avoid much more junior initiates - mastery of the form requires a high degree of self-control and personal mastery of Essence, which I think is a good prerequisite for traveling far outside the community. And the older monks tend to have substantial responsibilities here."

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus raises an eyebrow. "If you're suggesting that I argued that entire point just so I could secure myself some backup... well, I'm somewhat flattered you think I'm capable of that degree of misdirection. Still, I'll ask and see if they'd be open to the idea."

A smooth hand gesture, and the persona of Saram Zen settles into place once more, like a cloak pulled on to hide and protect the fine clothes beneath. The Air Aspect cricks his neck, bows politely to the abbott, and then heads back across the square to the acolytes who'd been demonstrating their techniques to him.

[Ifni]

"If either of them say yes, they'll need a little time to prepare - ask them to stop by my office before you leave, and I'll explain a few basics to them."

He smiles slightly at Lotus' comment, and then pushes the door open, stepping over the threshold as Saram Zen walks back down toward the practice groups.

The three initiates are standing in a circle, moving through a slow precise kata while juggling throwing sticks between the three of them in an intricate interlacing pattern. Hoof and Harp are snatching handfuls of sticks out of the air at once before tossing them out again in different directions; Branch is doing the same, but only with three sticks at a time, not five. Occasionally one stick strikes another in mid-air and there is a scowl or groan from one of the participants, but it never interrupts the pattern as a whole.

It takes a few minutes for them to finish the exercise. Branch is the first to tuck away the throwing sticks, turn to Saram Zen, and raise an inquiring eyebrow.

You're a Sidereal. Of course you're capable of persuading someone to change the entire structure of their monastery's educational process just so you can more easily acquire TMA-trained minions :smalltongue:

(That said, Haven's not averse to the prospect of some of the monks he's training for leadership to get experience at working directly with a Sidereal. He knows he's not going to be around much longer.)

[Maugan Ra]

"So, I raised the point about 'learning through travel' with the Abbott." Saram Zen says with an easy smile, crossing his arms and studying the trio of acolytes. "He was actually pretty open to the idea. So... I'm headed for the Sunrise Gap, in Arjuf Province, where there's going to be a large trade show and horse racing competition. I'd like to extend an invitation for you lot to come along... if you think you can spare the time."

Ah. I'll just think of it as getting in some practice for later events then, shall I? :smalltongue:

[Ifni]

Hoof blinks, then smiles, but turns his hand down in a gesture of negation. "Not for me, but thanks for asking."

"Really?!" Harp's eyes light up, but then she bites her lip; she gives the young Dragon-Blood a rather doubtful look. "How long are we talking about, here?"

Branch folds his arms and watches Harp, his face difficult to read.

[Maugan Ra]

"Well, the competition takes place on the first of Ascending Wood. I probably won't stick around for a week or so beyond that before heading back this way. So, not that long, all things considered." he nods to Hoof. "Though the Abbott did say that you would probably turn it down, on account of your wife and child. Congratulations, by the way."

[Ifni]

"Thank you," Hoof replies, with a small nod and smile. "We're not due for a few months, but still, I think Cloud would kill me if I left at this point."

Harp turns away for a moment, looks out across the courtyard. "Branch, what do you think?"

Branch shrugs. "You've wanted this for a while. If the Abbot thinks it's all right..." His glance at Saram Zen is faintly quizzical.

"Only a few weeks..." She takes a deep breath. "All right. I'll come. Thank you. Is there anything in particular we'll need in the way of supplies?"

"I'll come as well, then," Branch says promptly, breaking into a grin. "Someone has to keep an eye on you."

[Maugan Ra]

"The Abbott said I should send you to see him if you agreed, so he might have some things in mind. But generally speaking, I have enough basic traveling supplies to take care of most needs, and enough funds to purchase the things that I don't have. So just bring some changes of clothes and basic traveling gear, and you'll do fine."

He turns away. "I'm going to grab my things from the quarters, then head for the stables. Meeting me there is probably the easiest way to handle it."

[Ifni]

The stables are small but well-kept. The horses are... more ponies, really, with thick shaggy coats that look almost more like wool than hair. The teenage boy who seems to be in charge of them looks at the young Dragon-Blood with not-inconsiderable curiosity and a hint of awe, and hands over mystifying quantities of riding tack with an enthusiastic stream of instructions.

Harp and Branch come in as the boy is describing the proper use of a hoof pick. Both are carrying rucksacks and saddlebags, and have swapped their gis from the sparring practice for quilted jackets and fur hats. With their dark hair cut in the same severe style, they look very much alike. If they have weapons, they are well hidden, except for the slender weighted chains coiled at their belts.

Branch swings an extra saddlebag off his shoulder and passes it to Zen. "This one's yours; it has food for the road, and waterskins." His gaze lingers on the Air Aspect for a little longer than that comment seemed to justify. Harp has stepped forward into the warmth of the stable and is inspecting the ponies; she seems to be trying not to look at Saram Zen.

[Maugan Ra]

Zen focuses on the instructions the stable boy has been giving him, calling upon the old memory-enhancing techniques to properly retain what he is being taught. He might not be a very good rider yet, but it seems this is as fine a time to learn as any.

When his two companions enter, he takes the saddlebag wordlessly, and smiles at them... though there is a touch of resignation in his eyes that was not there before. "So, he told you, then. I was wondering if he would." he says softly. "You came anyway, so whatever it is you think of me it's clearly not that bad, but I must admit I'm curious."

[Ifni]

"Huh?" Harp looks around, sounding puzzled. "No, I -"

"Let's talk on the road, shall we?" Branch cuts in, with a glance at the boy. "I know Lord Saram said he didn't want to delay too long."

"Uh. Right. Yes."

Branch saddles his own pony with quick competence, and after an assessing look at Harp's attempts, goes over to help his fellow monk. Five minutes later, saddlebags distributed amongst the mounts, the trio are making their way down the mountainside.

It becomes clear, in the full light of day, that the monastery is built on a great outcropping of stone, rearing up from the mountainside. The path up to it is narrow and winding, the slope below the path nearly sheer. More wards are carved into the path and the walls of stone, some small and subtle, some large enough to incorporate natural ledges and crannies in the cliff face. Twisting fluted spires of stone dot the barren slope, gnarled and hollowed like ancient petrified trees; the sigh of the wind through them gives rise to an eerie, constantly changing melody.

"So," Harp says quietly, when they're beyond the monastery walls. The ponies seem sure-footed, and there's only one path to follow; provided one can keep their balance on the high sheepskin-padded saddles, it's easy enough to converse, even if there's some shouting involved to be heard over the wind. "The Abbot didn't tell us much. Just that you're not actually Dragon-Blooded, that you work for Heaven, and not to be alarmed if you exhibit strange powers or turn into someone else with no warning. Oh, and to keep all that secret."

"Not that reassuring, really," Branch mutters. "Haven has a funny idea of comforting sometimes."

"It sounded a little like the stories about the Anathema of the Moon, from the history scrolls, honestly. The shapeshifters." Harp's dark eyes search Saram's face for a moment, before she shakes her head. "But the Abbot trusts you, so. I didn't mean to be rude, in the stable, I was just - well, you don't look like - and staring would have been rude." A faint flush colors her sun-weathered skin.

Lotus can gain a dot of Ride.

[Maugan Ra]

"Heh. Yes, I can see how you would think that." Lotus says to Harp... and it is Lotus, the ruddy skinned and scarlet eyed young man, not Saram Zen the Exalted wanderer and scholar, though anyone watching would find it nearly impossible to pin down when exactly the two had switched places. "I don't shape-shift, though. Think of it as a very good mask."

He looks away, watching the path ahead. "The full explanation is... complicated. The Abbott is essentially correct though - I do work for Heaven - the Maidens of Fate, specifically - and I'm not a Dragon-Blooded. Saram Zen never really existed."

[Ifni]

"What would you prefer we call you? Will you be traveling as Saram Zen?" Branch asks quietly. He seems considerably more relaxed on his pony than Harp, the reins held loosely in one gloved hand. "As for complexity... well, it's up to you how much you want to share, of course. But I think we'll have some time to chat, on this trip. And Harp and I both know a bit about the gods." He tilts his head, regarding Lotus closely. "If it's not a personal question, are your eyes always that color?"

Harp sits stiff in her saddle, her hands gripping the reins tightly, although it's not clear how much is from nervousness at Lotus' face-shifting and how much from simple inexperience with riding. "So what are you looking for in Sunrise Gap?"

[Maugan Ra]

"My eyes have been this colour for as long as I can remember. It's one of the marks of my... office, I suppose you could say." Lotus says thoughtfully. "Those who work for Mars have scarlet eyes, while Jupiter's servants have Green, and so on."

He shifts slightly in the saddle, still unaccustomed to riding, as they make their way down the mountain path. "I'm on a mission for the Division of Battles now, actually, which is what brings me to Sunrise Gap. Mars holds dominion over contests of skill as much as outright warfare, so it's the race that I'm interested in."

He smiles. "Still, 'Saram Zen' isn't a bad name, so I think I'll use that most of the time."

[Ifni]

"All right - Zen." The other man smiles faintly. "For the record, my full name is Snow-Laden Branch. But 'Branch' works fine."

"Melody of the Harp, here," Harp mutters. "I prefer Harp."

Branch considers for a moment. "Are you a... god, then, or some other form of spirit? Or with the blood of the gods? If you're posing as an Exalt you must be able to use Essence..."

Harp pauses for a moment, and then asks rather tentatively, "How do you want to explain our presence... Zen? The truth sounds a little odd - 'oh, this Exalt stopped by our home and we decided to travel with him'. The Abbot was pretty clear that we're not meant to show off our skills, or talk about the monastery to just anyone. Although I guess most people won't question an Exalt, but if we encounter real Dragon-Bloods..."

[Maugan Ra]

"What I am is another complicated question." 'Zen' says with a small smile. Actually, the basic answer is fairly simple - I am Exalted - but he really doesn't feel the need to go into all the assorted secondary qualifications that statement carries just now. "Fundamentally, I'm human, but I was chosen for my current role at birth, and brought to Heaven at a young age for training. Part of that training involved teaching me how to use essence and invoke certain powers bestowed by my patrons - I can actually use Fire Dragon Style, at least the first few katas of it."

He sighs. "Of course, nothing like that sort of power comes without a price. In my case, I'm bound to this job until I die, and in the mean time, just about all evidence of my existence fades from Creation. I don't know if my original, mortal parents are still alive, but even if they are, by this point I doubt they even remember having a son."

A shrug. "You'd be surprised how much leeway the Dragon-Blooded get in assembling their personal retinues. If anyone asks, just say that 'Lord Saram has bound us to secrecy', and direct them to me. I'll be able to handle it from there."

[Ifni]

"That... sounds rather unpleasant, actually," Branch says, after a moment of silence. "I guess I can see why you'd want to make sure we had a chance to leave the monastery. But we at least got a choice in the matter, when we reached adulthood."

"Although it's a pretty easy choice, all in all, if you can cope with the training regimen," Harp adds wryly. "Who wouldn't want magic, knowledge, mystical martial arts and supernatural longevity? I'm honestly surprised we don't get more people making the trek up from the valleys."

"That's probably part of the reason we're not supposed to show off. Haven hates turning people away." Branch shrugs one shoulder. "But for people who aren't raised in the Wind Flutes, they have ties to the outside world; I can imagine those would be hard to cut."

Harp nods to Lotus, seeming to welcome the change of topic. "All right. So long as you don't mind looking secretive, that works. And we should call you Lord Saram, in public?"

Branch, leading the group, reins in. Here the path joins a wider pebbled track, the intersection marked by a small stone cairn. The hillside here is no longer so barren; small bright wildflowers dot the turf, and dark green bracken creeps across the ground in places.

"We should also figure out which route we're taking. The Abbot said he'd shown you a few possibilities. I know the local area - I sometimes get called out for medical emergencies - but not much beyond a half-day's ride."

[Maugan Ra]

"I was aiming to just take the main caravan route, albeit without a caravan to slow me down. I could go through the high mountain passes, but that seems unnecessarily risky for a couple of days of extra speed." Lotus says easily, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the mountainous terrain around them. It isn't the halls of Yu-Shan, but there is something charming about it anyway.

Of course, I'll likely feel different if I come through here while it's pouring with rain.

[Ifni]

Branch nods. "All right. We may want to take one of the paths that intersect with the road past Greenspring then, to get out in front of the caravan. Sharing a road with one of those is not fun. Unless there was something you wanted to buy in the town?"

The scenery is really quite spectacular - not like Yu-Shan, with its jeweled streets and towering palaces, but lovely in a wholly different way. More like Luna's hunting preserve, with its cloud-capped mountains - although those mountains are heavily forested, and for as far as Lotus can see, the upper slopes here are covered only by golden-green grass, the bright spots of wildflowers, and great gray granite boulders and rock formations. The peaks are capped with white, glittering in the bright spring sunlight. Lower down, a fuzz of dull gray-green darkens the mountainside. Lower still, the light catches a silver snake of a stream coiling through the valley bottom, and the faint smudge of smoke in the air.

[Maugan Ra]

"Nothing comes to mind." Lotus says after a moment's thought. "So yes, out in front of the caravan seems best. We should be able to make good time, I hope."

[Ifni]

Branch nods, and leads the way along one of the rough paths meandering over the mountains.

It is a few hours later, but still morning, when the group comes to the main road. They have seen no signs of human habitation except the smudges of smoke in the valleys - and the burnt-out ruins of old cottages and barns, dotting the slopes, overgrown with greenery. Sometimes it's hard to see even the shape of the buildings that were once there; only the unusual preponderance of regularly-shaped stones attest to the former presence of a once-thriving village.

Wildlife, too, is rare. A few marmots regard them from the crannies of the rocks, and one lizard, sunning itself on the stone. The shadows of birds circle overhead.

The road itself is wide enough for two wagons to drive abreast, although the verge is muddy and trampled. The center of the road is smooth and gray and nearly flawless, any gaps between the paving-stones so small as to be nearly invisible. At a guess, it predates the Shogunate.

Riding proves more challenging than navigation. The short-legged mountain ponies do not have an especially smooth gait, and seem to resent being asked to canter. (Trotting is an experience. Likely not an experience Lotus wishes to indulge in on a frequent basis.) Still, the group makes good time for the rest of the day; the weather remains clear and sunny, the sky a deep cerulean blue dotted with occasional tufts of cloud. Whoever packed the bags, in addition to non-perishable foods (which do not look especially appetizing), included containers holding rice cakes and vegetable-filled buns. This first day, at least, lunch is free and tasty.

As the sun begins to sink behind the mountains in the mid-late afternoon, casting the valley into shadow, Harp reins in her pony. She winces a little as she shifts in her saddle, and extracts a map from her saddlebags. "We should think about where we want to stop for the night. We could camp, but if we push on another five miles or so, it looks like there's a village, called Whitetree... I think. The labels are small." She looks inquiringly at Saram Zen.

[Maugan Ra]

Listen here, you insufferable nag, I am a Prince of the Earth. It is your duty, your purpose in life, to serve me with skill and good grace, and in return I and those like me shall make sure you live a life of health and relative comfort. If you do not, I shall call up the ferocious power at my command and blast you into a fine red mist across this mountainside. Do you understand?

And then Harp pulls out her map, and Saram Zen stops silently cursing his stubborn pony long enough to pay attention.

"I'd favour camping. The absolute last thing we need is for one of our mounts to trip over a pothole in the dark and break a leg." he says, slowly flexing his aching joints and wincing slightly.

[Ifni]

Harp winces, and rubs her lower back. "We could get off and lead the ponies. It won't be full dark for a while yet." She looks at the road with some disfavor. "If it's like Greenspring, Whitetree will have an inn. With beds. And a good hearthfire. And hot food."

"I can do either," Branch says easily. He looks almost indecently comfortable in the saddle; he's practically lounging, compared to the careful stiffness of the other two. "The temperature will start to drop pretty quickly once the valley gets dark, though. If we want to camp, I'd suggest going uphill a bit; the area right next to the road tends to be fouled by all the caravan beasts, although I guess it's early enough in the season that it's not too bad."

He smiles faintly. "I did bring a basic medical kit, so can treat your saddle sores, either way. Your muscles are going to be sore, though, not much I can do about that."

Heh. I liked Lotus' internal monologue at his pony. Have one BP to spend or bank as you desire.

[Maugan Ra]

"I... am entirely willing to press on for a few more miles in exchange for hot food and a bed." Zen admits after a moment or two's thought. "Any fool can be uncomfortable. All right, let's keep going for as far as we can without risking the horses, then we can try walking."

He pauses for a moment. "And Branch? Please try not to look so effortlessly comfortable, lest I give in to the temptation to kick you over the nearest mountain."

Yay, BP! Spending it on a dot of Larceny, justified because of the disguise work Lotus has been doing with the Resplendent Destinies so far.

Also because Sidereal Larceny is, like many of their charm trees, hilarious. The capstone is basically committing advance fraud and/or identity theft against the universe.

[Ifni]

"Heh. I suppose I can moan and contort myself into strange twisted shapes if it makes you feel better, Lord Saram..."

The sun sinks behind the mountains, for a short time filling the valley with red-gold and violet light, gilding the snow-capped peaks. After that the group continues for a while in the steadily darkening twilight, before Branch says "We should probably dismount at this point."

When Saram Zen slides down from the saddle, his legs feel like jelly. Walking is an exercise in teeth-gritting. At first it is pleasant to reduce the strain on muscles much-abused by the long ride, but then they begin to stiffen up.

The air grows swiftly colder, as above the valley the stars come out, glittering frostily in the clear blue-black sky. The ponies' breath, and their riders', forms clouds of white steam in the air.

Branch calls a halt at one point, to rub the ponies' legs; he takes pity on Harp and Zen, and suggests a brief martial arts practice while he works on the animals. The familiar stretches do help, somewhat.

The five miles to Whitetree feel longer, but eventually the group walks - or hobbles - into the village, built on both sides of the road. It looks like a prosperous little town, at first glance; the houses look in good repair, and there are signs out for various businesses. The buildings have sharply sloped roofs, and are set close together, sprawling out from the road without much evidence for town planning. Groves of silver aspens surround the town, likely explaining its name.

There are not many people out on the streets; the exceptions are dressed in warm-looking coats and hats, mostly of dyed wool. Several of them glance curiously at the travelers - some look away hurriedly on seeing Saram Zen, while others stare for a moment longer before respectfully lowering their eyes.

The inn is close to the road; a wooden board out the front is carved with small symbols - a plate, a mug, a bed - likely aimed at the illiterate. It is a square stone building, with the characteristic sloped roof; the courtyard is planted with beds of flowers, and holds a stone water-trough. Lamplight shines from within.

"Give me the reins and I'll take the ponies to get a drink," Branch offers. "If you two want to go arrange rooms?"

[Maugan Ra]

Grimacing slightly, Zen hands the reins over to his traveling companion, pausing to quickly flex his sore limbs one last time - it would not be particularly fitting to arrive in the inn and immediately fall over from joint-lock.

"Yeah, we'll take care of that. I swear, by the end of this trip I'll either match your resilience or turn into an arthritic grandmother..."

With that dire prophecy suitably delivered, he fishes the pouch of coins out from inside his robes and heads for the inn's main entrance.

Hmm. Might have to put training that Linguistics charm on hold. I'd ask whether this counts as training resistance, but that would take a week or more, apparently...

I'm pretty sure we'll want to tweak that, as having Lotus be able to master an entire Martial art style in the same time-frame it takes him to increase an ability from 4 to 5 seems somewhat... well, bizarre. Maybe make out-of-caste abilities take a number of days of training instead?

[Ifni]

Branch touches Zen's shoulder for a moment. "It's just practice. I could barely walk the day after my first long ride. Even if right now it feels like your legs are going to be permanently deformed, your muscles will adapt pretty quickly, you'll be surprised. You just have to get through that first day or two."

Harp limps over, having removed several bags from the ponies. "All right. I'll follow your lead - Lord Saram." She smiles, a little ironically, and bows to the Dragon-Blood, wincing as she straightens up. "After you, Prince of the Earth." She falls into step just behind him and to the right, as they head toward the doors.

Inside, the common room of the inn is lit by several oil lamps. The floors and walls are whitewashed stone; the furnishings are mostly wooden, and look to have been made from many small irregular pieces, rather than long straight planks. Several of the tables bear scars and gashes. More surprisingly, perhaps, one of the stone walls has a long furrow in it. There are eight men and women seated at the tables, eating and drinking and talking; the room could probably hold two or three times that number.

Besides the door where Zen and Harp entered the room, there is a door behind the bar to their left. On the far side of the room a fire burns brightly in a wide stone hearth, and next to it a curving stairway leads upward.

Also behind the bar is a shelf of bottles, and a middle-aged woman dressed in practical plain gray wool.

As Zen and Harp step inside, conversation stops. After a moment, they are no longer the focus of all eyes, as people look away, but the chatter does not resume.

The innkeeper hurries out from behind the bar and curtseys, deeply but not very gracefully, to Zen. "Welcome to the Wayfarer, Prince of the Earth. How may our humble inn provide for you this evening?" Her voice is controlled, but her face is pale.

[Maugan Ra]

"Hot food, a round of drinks, and... three individual rooms for the night." Zen places his order, evidently perfectly used to the nervous looks. He holds up the coin purse for a moment, in a long-practiced motion indicating 'yes, I do intend to actually pay. "My other companion is tying up our horses outside, so the use of any suitable facilities there would also be appreciated. Even if it's just a post and a water trough."

His free hand comes down to rest lightly on the nearest table, fingers running over the scars and gashes they find there. He shoots a glance at the furrow in the stone wall, and raises one pale eyebrow. "And perhaps, the story behind that. For curiousity's sake."

[Ifni]

The woman nods hurriedly. "My daughter can show your companion where to take your horses; we have a stable. For dinner we have dumplings, a barley broth with noodles, and goat fried with greens already on hand, if that would suffice? If you require something else, we can cook it for you. I have rice wine from the lowlands, as well as butter tea. I will have my son prepare our best rooms for you and your -" She glances at Harp, hesitates over the word, "- companions." Her gaze goes to the coin pouch; she lowers her eyes. "There is no need, my lord. We are honored to serve the Dragons."

At Zen's last request, she shakes her head and says lowly, "Forgive me, my lord, but I cannot. It's... not my right to speak of it."

"What she means... is that she's scared," a raucous voice comes from the back of the taproom. The man seated there is quite obviously drunk, his words faintly slurred, irregular pauses in his speech. The people sitting to either side of him hastily shuffle away. "But then, not surprising, izzit? When her husband nearly died, and won't walk again. Good man, he was."

"He will walk! The healer said he has a good chance to keep the leg!" the innkeeper flares, and then puts her hand to her mouth. "Apologies, my lord." She looks to two of the seated people, a man and a woman, both tall and well-muscled. "Jan, Cirefi, if you could escort Kahal out I'd take it as a personal favor."

[Maugan Ra]

"If it is your duty to serve the Dragons," Zen says quietly, studying the gathered characters with eyes the colour of storm clouds, "Then it is the duty of the Dragons to defend you from threats. Unfortunately, I am no healer, so I cannot tend to your husband's injuries. I may, however, be able to stop whatever happened to him from happening to anyone else."

The Dragon-Blooded crosses his arms. He does not raise his voice, or make any particular actions, but even so the force of his presence seems to fill the room. "So. Kahal. What, precisely, are you talking about?"

[Ifni]

Kahal laughs. It's cut off by the man next to him clamping a hand across his mouth. "Get him out, Cirefi, before -" The woman on Kahal's other side nods, cutting him off with, "Right, Jan. Little brother, let's get you home..." She pulls Kahal to his feet and begins steering him toward the door, with an apologetic nod at Zen and Harp.

"I'll tell you what happened, lord," the man says hastily. "I'm sorry about my brother-in-law. He drinks too much."

He takes a slow breath, looks at the innkeeper. "Sorry, Marte. But I didn't make any promises to that - to him." The innkeeper just shakes her head, lips pressed tightly together.

Jan turns back to Saram Zen. He doesn't quite stand to attention, but there's definitely something military in his demeanor. "Short version, my lord - four days ago an Exalted lord came through here with his retinue. Best as I can tell, the wine was flowing pretty freely, since it looks like they cleaned out most of Marte's supplies -" The innkeeper nods, thin-lipped, "- and then something angered the dragonlord. None of the eyewitnesses are talking -"

"I told you, we can't," Marte mutters, a note of shame and anger in her otherwise well-controlled voice. Jan nods to her, and goes on, "- but anyway, the end result was that gash in the wall, and Marte's husband Terim had to be taken to the healer on a stretcher. Which I got called to help carry, since I live two houses down." He glances over at the furrow in the stone. "That was frozen, dripping with melting ice, when I first saw it."

"He did pay the healer's fee," Marte says quietly. "He didn't have to do that."

Jan grimaces. "Yeah, but - well." He looks back at Zen. "That's the best answer I can give you, my lord, and I suspect the best that any can. He had a chat with Marte afterwards, and since then she won't say a word about it, and nor will her kids."

"What's done is done," Marte says, looking up to meet Zen's eyes. "No point in dwelling on it, my lord. Accidents happen. I understand that." Her voice is again controlled, quiet, deferential. "I'm grateful that you'd try to help, but there's no need."

She gestures to one of the tables. "Will you have a seat, my lord? I'll go arrange stabling and rooms..."

Not everyone in the Realm is scared of / distrustful toward Dragon-Bloods, by the way, it just happens that the people you've met so far are all either (1) enlightened mortal unlicensed thaumaturges who've heard about this new religion that says only Exalts should have contact with spirits, or (2) people who had a pretty bad experience with a Dragon-Blood quite recently. Attitudes will change as you travel. Most peasants have very little interaction with the Dragon-Blooded, and hold them in awe. (Ex-Legionnaires who retired to their villages after they finished their tours of duty are probably the most common exceptions.)

Just wanted to clarify that, since so far attitudes toward Saram Zen have been more negative than Lotus might have reasonably expected.

[Maugan Ra]

"...ah." Saram Zen says softly, slowly sitting down, his face adopting a thoughtful expression. He gestures for Harp to do likewise. "I see. Or at least, I think I do."

A quick glance around the room, armed with the knowledge that a Dragon-Blooded was likely involved, is enough to support the blossoming suspicion in his mind. The damage is certainly well within the limits of an Anima flux, and if an angered Terrestrial is responsible for this, well... that answers a few questions.

"Would it be reasonable to assume that Mister Kahal would have phrased that somewhat less... neutrally?" he asks with a mild expression. "And that you were, perhaps, afraid of accidentally angering a second Dragon-Blooded in this room?"

He shakes his head. "Don't feel a need to answer that. I suspect I have a decent understanding of why you can't talk about what happened. But, since I have certain reasons of my own not to believe in simple coincidence, I might as well ask... did you happen to catch his name, this Exalted Lord who passed through here? Was it, perhaps, Taras?"

Ah, water-Aspected Dragon-Blood families. Which naturally have an inclination towards Bureaucracy... and Drowning-in-Negotiation Style, which would be a fine way to ensure the cover-up of any unfortunate indiscretions...

[Ifni]

Harp takes a seat beside Zen. The monk's face is still, guarded; there is more than a hint of unease in her eyes. But she remains silent, letting Zen do the talking.

At the name 'Taras', Marte stops in the doorway behind the bar for a moment, and then hurries out. Jan looks after her for a moment, and then nods shortly to Zen. "Indeed, my lord. Lord Taras Saiko, magistrate of the Realm, or so his guards told me when banging on my door at midnight."

He pauses, and then adds cautiously, "Are you, er... acquainted?"

Indeed. Drowning-In-Negotiation Style is actually nastier than an Eclipse oath in some ways; it's "if you break the contract, you die" when applied to extras.

And yeah, the over-the-top deference here is being driven by fear; Marte and her friends/family have recently learned that at least some Dragon-Bloods can and will wreck a mortal's life for fairly minor transgressions. So they are trying to err on the safe side. Except the one who was drunk.

[Maugan Ra]

"Distantly. We've never met in person, but I know of him." Zen says calmly, a slight edge to his tone. "This would not be the first time he has made enemies. Some of those enemies are... surprisingly influential, and so I find myself bound for the Sunrise Gap, much as I suspect he is."

There is a distant, calculating look in the Exalt's eye now. "Thank you. I would recommend that you not get further involved in this right now. But perhaps when I travel back this way, I will come bearing some better news."

It's lethal for non-extras as well, really, considering that mortals have to worry about blood loss and generally taking weeks or months to heal serious amounts of lethal damage. All in all, very nasty.

[Ifni]

Jan's eyebrows go up. After a moment he bows to Saram. "I understand, my lord. Thank you." He pauses, and then adds a little awkwardly, "Good luck."

He returns to his seat and focuses all his attention on his drink, assiduously ignoring the Air Aspect. The others in the group follow his lead, and slowly the murmur of conversation starts up again.

Branch comes in a few minutes later, and takes a seat beside Harp. "Nice little stable here, nearly as clean as at the monastery. Looks like there aren't many guests tonight, there were only two other horses."

He looks at Harp. "Something wrong? Or is it just the hard bench after a day in the saddle?"

Harp smiles faintly, and shakes her head. "Later," she murmurs, glancing at the group of locals.

A few minutes later, Marte emerges from the kitchen with a tray holding a plate of steaming dumplings, a jug of a clear golden liquid, and three mugs. She sets the tray down on the table, and lays out three sets of chopsticks and spoons.

"Did you want both the soup and the goat, honored guests?" she asks diffidently.

"Just the soup for me and Branch," Harp says quickly. "Barley broth with noodles, you said? Does it have other vegetables?"

"I can add some, if you wish, lady. Potatoes, todok, mushrooms, greens...?"

"That sounds good. No meat, though."

As this discussion is ongoing, a small face peers around the kitchen door; the child looks perhaps eleven or twelve, her eyes bright with curiosity as they study the group. She vanishes back into the kitchen a moment later.

"And your order, my lord?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Just the soup for me as well, I think." Zen says after a moment's consideration. He smiles with genuine warmth at the sight of the child's curious inspection.

Now that, that is one thing Yu-Shan is missing. Children. No young and curious infants in a city of ageless gods, or at least not many. I wonder what she's thinking...

[Ifni]

Branch smiles at the little girl as well, and waits until after Marte has left to remark, "Cute kid. She helped me unsaddle the ponies; she seems to take her job in the stables very seriously. I guess her parents run the place."

The dumplings are good, hot and juicy. The soup, when it arrives, is filling and warming, rich with flavor. The golden liquid proves to be rice wine, strong and faintly sweet.

After the meal, Marte lights a lamp and leads the group upstairs. Zen's room is nearly as large as the common room downstairs, with its own fireplace, and the stone floors are softened by woven rugs. Heavy wooden shutters, painted white, cover the windows. It's nothing like Yu-Shan, but a distinct step up from the cell at the monastery. Harp and Branch's rooms, on the same level, are considerably smaller and lack fireplaces, but still with thick coverlets on the beds and rugs on the floor.

"This is a nice place," Branch comments, as he leans against the wall next to Zen's door. "A lot better than most places I've stayed. Guess they make a lot of money off the road."

"Yeah," Harp says shortly. "But the road brings other things as well, evidently. Branch, I know you brought your medical kit, you should go see the innkeeper's husband."

Branch raises an eyebrow and tilts his head at Harp and Zen, asking wordlessly for an explanation.

[Maugan Ra]

"A few nights back, another Dragon-Blooded passed through. Name of Taras Siako." Zen says quietly, sitting down on the bed. "Apparently, there was an argument, one that resulted in the husband being seriously injured and all those gashes in the furniture upstairs. Then Taras spoke with the innkeeper, and left, having assured himself of her silence."

His gaze is unfocused, as though staring at something in the middle distance. "There is a charm, a certain power known to Dragon-Blooded Aspected to water - like Taras is. It is used to enforce oaths and contracts, with the simple consequence of immediate death - or at least, severe injury - of any who break the terms. So you can understand I am reluctant to press the inn-keeper or her family... including her little daughter... when they tell me they cannot give me any more details on what happened that night."

[Ifni]

"Ah." Branch winces. "I... see. I didn't know." He's silent for a moment, then adds, "I'll go see what I can do for the husband."

Harp hesitates, then blurts out, "Zen, did you mean what you said about Taras Saiko having enemies, and that being the reason for your travel to Sunrise Gap? Or were you just saying that to comfort those people? You told us your mission involved a horse race." Her gaze on the Air Aspect is doubtful.

[Maugan Ra]

"It does. And I was telling those people the truth." Zen says with a thin smile. "A mission can have multiple objectives. Granted, Taras Siako is only a secondary one, but he did appear on my briefing."

Stay away from the specifics. You can't break the destiny with paradox if you keep things vague. Also, it's actually kind of fun. I wonder if a love of this sort of thing is inherent in the Exaltation...

[Ifni]

"Hmm." Branch studies Zen for a moment, then shrugs. He walks over, reaches into one of the saddlebags, and pulls out a sealed jar and a roll of bandages. "Here's the ointment for saddle sores." Another jar. "And here's a cream for sore muscles. It should be pretty obvious how that works, even to the untrained." He grins slightly at Harp. "I'll leave you to it, and go see what I can do for our host."

Harp takes the ointment without a quip, for once. Zen's bruises and stiffness from the day's travel faded and then vanished over dinner, but his companion is still noticeably limping.

Once the door has closed behind Branch, Harp looks at Zen and says quietly, "You know how I said you weren't what I expected from a dragonlord, back at the Wind Flutes? What we heard about tonight is more what I was imagining." She shakes her head. "If your mission really does involve this Taras Saiko... be careful. I read the histories, and I'd rather not tangle directly with the Exalted, okay? That gets people killed. Or crippled so they can't walk, or fight."

She pauses, and then adds, "I guess I'll go to my room - do you need a share of the ointments? I thought you were a first-time rider, but you went up those stairs as quickly as Branch."

[Maugan Ra]

"A side effect of being... well, what I am. I heal faster than just about any mortal you could name." Zen says simply. "And I have no intention of fighting a Dragonlord directly. Trust me, though... coming at problems obliquely is what we do."

He makes no comment about the character of the Exalted host as a whole. That is a thorny question at best, and he'd rather not lie to preserve his secrets.

[Ifni]

Harp pauses, and then nods. "All right." A slight wry smile. "I guess we'll see in Sunrise Gap. Goodnight, Zen."

She pushes the door open; there is a muffled yelp from outside. "Ah! Sorry..."

Jan leans past the door, rubbing his nose. "Don't worry about it, my lady. My lord... Zen, she called you? I was wondering if you could spare a moment." He looks nervous, but determined.

[Maugan Ra]

"Of course. What do you need?" Zen says calmly, though he does wonder how closely the man was listening to the conversation. Still, no need to do anything about it just yet.

[Ifni]

Harp, after an assessing glance at the man, looks at Zen and says, "I'll leave you two to talk - with your permission, Lord Saram." Her glance down at the bandages and jars in her hands has a hint of longing to it.

Jan steps inside, and closes the door behind him. He studies Zen for a long moment, then seems to come to a decision, and speaks. "My lord, I grew up on a farm outside Whitetree. I've known Terim and Marte since we were all knee high. They're good people, nice kids, and with all due respect to the Dragons, they didn't deserve this."

"I left, when I was old enough, to serve my stint in the Legions. Fought in the last war with Lookshy, when I was just a wet-behind-the-ears recruit. Came home two years ago, got married..." His eyes soften for a moment, before hardening. "And I've heard the name Taras Saiko before."

"I've never heard the name Saram before, but if you're going after the most honorable magistrate, well -" His dark eyes are flinty. "Any help I can offer, my lord, you're welcome to it. My guess is that you're already well informed about Lord Taras, but on the chance you want it, I thought I'd offer what I know."

This actually wasn't an artificial ploy to get you your mission briefing, btw :smallwink: I haven't planned out all the possible events because they're dependent on what Lotus does, but I do know where all the major players in this are at the moment - e.g. Taras Saiko is arriving in Sunrise Gap from Juche, and traveling considerably more slowly than Lotus, so given that he's taking the main road and so are you, you were going to hear about him. And I certainly hadn't planned this particular conversation in advance, but when you imply to a room of people that you're going to do nasty things to the Dragon-Blood who just hurt their friend, then - there may be unfortunate consequences later on, but for the moment, you get good-guy points :smallwink:

(If you'd gone over the mountains, you would have missed out on information about Taras - and the opportunity to encounter Taras - but gotten other stuff instead.)

[Maugan Ra]

Zen studies the ex-soldier for a very long moment, his face expressionless. Then he nods slowly. "There's no reason you would have heard the name 'Saram'. Indeed, I'd be quite surprised if you had." he says, and lets the man take what he wills from that fact. "But I would certainly welcome any information you might have. Let's start with that."

He smiles thinly. "One thing you should know, however, is that I have no intention of killing Taras, or even publicly exposing him. The Realm needs health and stability more than it needs individual, personal justice. The Magistrates as a whole do good and necessary work, and I don't want to compromise their ability to do that by utterly crucifying one of their members."

A pause.

"The best result, from my point of view, is that he stays a Magistrate. Indeed, that he goes on to become a fine and upstanding citizen of the Realm, one who serves as an inspirational example to all those who might follow him. An ideal child of the dragons."

The northern winds are not quite as cold as the look in Saram Zen's eyes right now. "Of course, it may take quite a bit of effort to set the good magistrate on this path. It might be that I have to take away everything he has, and everything he ever hoped for, so that he isn't quite so prone to distraction. It may be necessary to motivate him with pain, and fear, and perhaps a little blackmail. And if, in the course of these lessons, he feels compelled to offer restitution to his previous victims, well... I hardly see that as a problem."

He looks Jan in the eye, his voice perfectly calm and level. "Are you willing to pursue that option? Or is it simple revenge that drives you?"

Yeah, Lotus believes in dreaming big, and fighting dirty to get there. The Ends justify the Means, and all that (though some means require a pretty good end to even remotely justify).

No idea exactly how he's going to pull this off, but hey, finding out is half of the fun of these sorts of things :smalltongue:

[Ifni]

Jan grins, humorlessly, and shrugs. "My lord, my ability to take revenge on a Dragon-Blooded magistrate is somewhere between slim and none. I'll take what I can get. And I can't say the picture you paint is unappealing."

He crosses his arms, and leans back against the wall. "When I took ship to the East, twelve years ago, it was with the muster from Juche. I'm guessing from your age that you haven't served in the Legions, but soldiers talk amongst themselves. About their officers, in particular."

He smiles a little sourly, reminiscent. "There were a lot of names, but you learn to listen, when that kind of information is being passed around. My sergeant taught me that. Always good to know about the people who'll be making life-and-death decisions. So... Taras Saiko."

"It was his first campaign. A lot of the soldiers liked him. Personable, charming. Not a harsh disciplinarian, like some of the dragonlords. Willing to order extra sake rations for everyone, to celebrate a victory. And his father had a reputation as a great strategist, so the veterans said, and he'd chosen to send his son in his place, to command their House troops - that had to be a sign of confidence, or so we thought then." He laughs shortly. "Yeah. Well. It wasn't all the House Taras troops, of course. Not by half, maybe not by nine-tenths. We saw the rest when we came marching back across Juche, the few of us that survived."

"I don't know if he was sent out there as a punishment, or a test of some kind. I don't know if his father intended what happened. But he... didn't do well on the field, Lord Taras. After a few battles, people were saying he was a paper-pusher at heart, not a soldier." He coughs, a little uncomfortably. The Dragon-Blooded are soldiers and always have been; there is no more deadly insult, in the Shogunate or the new Realm, than to imply that one of the Dragons' children is unfitted for war. "There were a few times, when I was on guard duty... I overheard arguments, between the commanders. Shouting, late into the night. Especially after Vondy."

"And then there was one battle..." He shakes his head. "Part of the Legion had gotten split off from the rest, trapped. Lord General Rawar wanted to lead a sortie down to try to get through to them, and then break out together. Taras' Juche troops were meant to hit them from the side, just hold their attention for long enough for the Arjuf troops to get in and out, and then disengage." His eyes are haunted, distant. "I talked to a friend who was in his command. He said they waited for Taras to give the order. And waited. And waited." A brief shake of his head. "You can guess what happened. General Rawar survived. Not a lot of others did."

"We didn't hear much of Lord Taras after that. But I guess he made it home all right, in the end." He shrugs. "I saw him for a moment, the other night. Young, well-favored, even though he must be past forty by now. Fine clothes. Seems he still likes his sake."

The soldier shakes his head, slowly. "Anyway. Maybe you knew all that already, but - well. Figured sharing it couldn't hurt. So you know who you're dealing with."

Hee. This is interesting. I will look forward to seeing how you pull off the Redemption of Taras Saiko, as well :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

"Now that is interesting." Zen says quietly, a contemplative expression on his face. In the back of his mind, various facts begin slotting into place, names included in his assignment making more sense than they previously had. "At the very least, I didn't know about the connection with Lord General Rawar, or at least the potential one. So, thank you for that one, at least."

He looks up at the ex-soldier once again. "You said you got married, when you returned from campaign. I could use a good man like you on this assignment, nothing long term - a month or so, most likely - someone who knows how to handle themselves, who has a military background, who maybe has a stake in seeing Taras Siako have a rather uncomfortable time. But I will understand if you would rather not get further involved."

He shrugs, and spreads his hands. "The offer is there. The choice is yours."

[Ifni]

"You saw my wife downstairs - Cirefi, Kahal's sister. Their folks run the smithy; there are always people with broken wheels or horses that need shoeing, on this road."

Jan frowns slightly, considering. "I can ask her. My job in town is to keep order, mostly - like a constable, although Whitetree's not really big enough for one. But the wagoners start fights. Still, they could probably do without me for a month. Cirefi has a good arm, and so does Kahal when he's not wine-soaked, and the Andris boys will listen to Ci." He scowls. "Dragons know we were all pretty damn useless when Taras came through."

He pauses, then nods to himself. "I'll think about it, my lord, and see what Cirefi thinks. When are you leaving?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Most likely? Tomorrow. We're trying to make good speed to the Sunrise Gap." Zen says. "Maybe the day after, if my companions and the horses really need to rest."

He nods. "Still, take your time, and let me know one way or the other. For now though, I need a good night's sleep."

[Ifni]

Jan nods and leaves, closing the door quietly behind him.

The room is warm, so long as he doesn't open the window. The bed is comfortable, even if it's a little lumpy. It's easy to fall asleep, on Lotus' second night back in Creation.

Zen is woken the next morning by a tentative knock on the door. The room is still dark, although there is some light filtering in through the shutters.

[Maugan Ra]

Shirtless, his hair in disarray, Zen rolls out of the bed and clambers to his feet.

"Yes? I'm awake..." he calls out, though a degree of grogginess is still evident in his voice.

[Ifni]

There is the sound of a key turning in the door, and two children peer in - the little girl Lotus saw last night, and a boy about the same age. They're obviously siblings, from their features. Both are dressed warmly; the boy is holding a candle in one hand.

The girl puts a hand to her mouth at seeing Zen's state of disarray. "Sorry, sir! We didn't mean to wake you up. We're just here to lay a fresh fire."

"Mother wanted to know if you'd like breakfast up here, or in the common room," the boy adds helpfully. He gives his sister a quelling look.

Both of them seem to be trying not to stare at Zen, with indifferent success. Of course, he only looks a few years older than they are.

[Maugan Ra]

"Might as well take it in the common room." Zen decides after a moment's thought. He moves over to his pack and pulls out a fresh shirt, shrugging it on before running slim fingers through his hair in an improvised comb. Then, having made himself at least vaguely presentable, he glances back at the children.

"Don't let me keep you." he says with an easy smile. "Would breakfast be available now if I went down, or is your mother likely to still be busy doing other work?"

[Ifni]

The boy nods. "It should be ready, sir. I know mother was making sweet buns." He elbows his sister, and whispers something to her.

On a successful Perception+Awareness roll (difficulty 1):
"Well, go on if you're going to, you were the one who wanted to come."

The girl hesitates, then steps forward, reaches into her coat, and deposits a small steel key on the dresser, before skittering back.

"We're not supposed to talk about what happened four nights ago," she says distantly, looking out the window. "But I think I can say that at an inn, guests accidentally leave small items behind all the time."

"There was a merchant a few weeks ago who left his false teeth behind. He sent someone back for them, though," her brother adds in confirmation.

"No one's come back for this, yet. I suppose if it's a spare they might not even have realized it's missing." The girl smiles at Zen, with the look of someone who thinks she's being very clever.

"And so we thought that it would only be kind to send it on with someone who's going to meet the owner," her brother adds blandly.

"And I heard you say last night that you knew him, and were traveling to meet him," the girl continues with an innocent smile.

"If you're willing to deliver it, of course, sir." The boy's grin matches his sister's.

[Maugan Ra]

Saram Zen does not smile. Indeed, his expression is serious, and he nods gravely to the two children. "That seems reasonable." he says, with a twinkle in his eye. "I would be happy to deliver this item for you. And may I congratulate you on being so attentive and responsible."

[Ifni]

"Mother says it's our duty to serve the Dragons," the girl says, with a small curtsey to Zen. "The priest says so, as well." Her tone is a model of sweet sincerity. In her bright curious eyes, there is a not-sufficiently-hidden spark of defiance.

"Thank you, sir," her brother says, with a slight emphasis on the words. His eyes are intent on Zen; his grin subsides to a smile. "I hope you enjoy breakfast. The red-bean buns are really good."

The common room is empty, except for Jan, who is sitting at one of the tables munching on a bun. He looks up and gives a lazy wave as Zen comes down the stairs.

If you wanted to talk to the kids more, I can cut off the last paragraph.

[Maugan Ra]

Zen slides the small key into his pocket as he leaves the room, still just barely suppressing a smile. When he gets down stairs, he nods to Jan, and takes a seat at the man's table.

"So. Any decision?"

[Ifni]

"Well, I laid it out for Cirefi," Jan drawls. He takes another bite of the bun. "And she told me that if I didn't go, then she would. And since the town probably needs its smith more than it needs a retired legionnaire, that would seem downright selfish of me. Not to mention somewhat negating the point of 'staying at home with my family'."

He grins at Zen, as he finishes the bun. "You should get one of these. They're good."

On cue, Marte peers in from the kitchen. "Good morning, my lord. What can I get you for breakfast?" She waves a hand in the direction of the courtyard. "Your companions were up at dawn, said they needed to practice. I believe they're still out there."

[Maugan Ra]

"Well, the buns apparently come highly recommended, so one of those, if you don't mind." Zen says to the inn-keeper, before glancing out at the courtyard. "And yes, I'm not surprised. I suppose if you get into a habit, it's easier to rise early like that than try sleeping in."

He looks back at Jan. "Still, good to have you along. My old mentor always stressed the value of having multiple perspectives on just about anything. Otherwise, well, you stop caring about the opinions of others altogether, and that leads to rather unfortunate places."

[Ifni]

Jan raises his mug in a somewhat ironic toast. "You don't say. But yes, I'll be glad to travel with you, Lord Saram." He sets the mug down, and laces his fingers together. "Although... one thing. You're riding, right? I don't own a horse. I'd say a Legionnaire could keep up with those little ponies of yours on foot, but..." He looks slightly embarrassed. "It has been two years since I retired. I might be a tad out of condition."

Marte returns with a cloth-covered basket of soft, steaming buns, sprinkled with sesame seeds. She offers Zen a somewhat reserved smile as she sets down the basket on the table. The filling, when he bites into a bun, is a pink-red jelly-like substance, sweet and fruity.

[Maugan Ra]

Zen makes a small noise of appreciation as he eats the bun. "These are very good. Thank you."

Well, for mortal food, anyway. But it's best to judge something on it's own merits.

"And soldier, are you telling me you haven't kept up with the daily training regimen since retiring?" he asks Jan, a comical look of shock on his face. It lasts for all of a second or two before vanishing behind another easy smile. "Don't worry about it. We'll trade, occasionally. I need the endurance training anyway."

[Ifni]

"Not sure I like the sound of occasionally," Jan mutters, but he's smiling. He reaches over to take another bun.

Branch and Harp come in as Jan and Zen are finishing off their breakfast. Both are lightly dressed, breathing hard, and sweating noticeably. Harp raises an eyebrow at Zen, ensconced on the bench and with a sweet bun in his hand, but doesn't comment. She's still walking a little stiffly, but seems much improved from last night.

"Are there any more of those? They look good." Branch takes a seat at the table, followed after a moment by Harp. He tilts an enquiring eyebrow at Jan. "I don't think we've met...?"

"Jan Grayfield, veteran of the Second Legion," Jan introduces himself, reaching over the table to shake hands with the two monks. "Your lord suggested I might wish to accompany him to Sunrise Gap."

"Snow-Laden Branch. I'm a healer, mostly." Branch shrugs, self-effacing. "I've been in a few fights, but I'm not a soldier. It'll be good to have you along."

"Melody of the Harp. I'm a... historian, I suppose you'd say. A memorialist." She smiles ruefully. "Not much of a rider, it turns out."

"Glad to meet both of you," Jan says politely, but his tone is slightly puzzled. He casts a querying glance at Zen. The message is fairly plain, Why is a Dragon-Blood dragging along a mortal scholar and healer on a mission to deal with a rogue magistrate? (There may also be a hint of, And why are said scholar and healer getting up at dawn for 'practice' that leaves them sweating?)

More buns are brought to the table, and for a little while there's only munching from Branch and Harp. Eventually Harp swallows and asks, "So what's the plan for today, Z- Lord Saram? Just heading on along the road?"

Harp and Branch are highly experienced, spiritually enlightened martial artists and scholars of the occult. However, life in a remote monastery does not give you a lot of experience at social interaction with strangers, much less at being actively deceptive (although Branch is noticeably better at it than Harp). This is a learning experience for them at least as much as for Lotus :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

"Pretty much. I haven't seen anything particularly worth changing course over so far." Zen says simply. The smile on his face when he catches Jan's questioning look is both enigmatic and slightly mischievous.

You'll find out.

"Though I should probably make a habit of practicing early as well, come to think of it. What, were you two afraid I'd be grumpy if someone woke me up?"

[Ifni]

"We weren't sure if yesterday was a one-off, and thought it'd be more polite to ask when you were awake rather than banging on your door before dawn," Harp replies breezily.

Branch gives her a faintly annoyed glance, and looks to Zen. "You'd be welcome to join us in the future, Lord Saram."

After breakfast, the group prepares to depart. Harp regards the ponies with loathing, and volunteers to take the first stint walking. Jan has brought a well-worn buff jacket, a bronze-banded shield, and a short sword, as well as a solid-looking pack. Marte offers the group loaves of barley bread and a round white cheese for the road. As Zen rides away from the Wayfarer, a glance back shows the two children hanging out the door, staring after the travelers.

OK! Walking has a base speed of 15 miles/day. Your multiplier is 7/8 (3/4 for terrain +1/4 highway -1/4 long distance +1/8 accurate maps) before doing anything fancy. Making Haste is +1/4 so 9/8, but counts as strenuous activity - since you're sharing horses, I'll allow that to mitigate the fatigue, just need to wait until I have a chance to check the rules on that. That would get you to just under 17 miles per day which is not much slower than the 18-19 miles per day you'd be doing with horses (and not pushing) - expected travel time to Sunrise Gap would be 11-12 days by my count.

Next major event is in three days. Let me know how you're proceeding and what you'd like to do in the meantime. Feel free to write a travel montage - I will describe scenery etc, but you're basically traveling through the Himalayas.

If you would like an evening conversation or two, that can also be arranged.

[Maugan Ra]

The odd group makes good time through the rugged and imposing mountain wilderness, swapping positions between riding and walking as it suits them. They chat occasionally on the road, trading stories of humorous events or impressive feats of bravery and daring-do in a relaxed and companionable fashion, but just as often they are content to proceed in silence.

For Saram Zen, the journey is an education. Each day, he rises as the faint light of the sun begins to illuminate the majestic mountain valleys, and runs through the practice katas and general exercise routines alongside Harp and Branch. He can mimic the smooth, flowing grace of their movements well enough, flitting back and forth across the small clearings they use for practice, but it isn't until the second day of the march that he actually begins to understand the principles underlying the style as a whole.

They are following the road down the slopes of one of the massive granite peaks when it happens - a strong wind picks up, and a small collection of low-lying clouds are broken against the rock. The thin whisps seem to flow through the air like a river, twisting and turning around the up thrust spires of rock, and the young traveller finds himself staring at them in sudden comprehension.

When the next morning's practice begins, he finds that his efforts to duplicate the first few techniques of the style have born fruit.

So, that will do for now, I think. I believe the style that Branch and Harp practice is Night Breeze Style, though I'm curious as to whether you're using a modified version of it. Anyway, as it stands, that's my stunt for trying to learn Crosswind Offensive.

It normally takes (Min ability) days to learn a favoured charm, but per your houserules, Sidereals halve that for Martial Arts. So it should take a day and a half or so. I'm hoping to get Swallowing the Lotus Root at some point (well, Perfected Lotus Mastery is the Sidereal version), for an even greater reduction in training times, but I think it would be much easier to describe the sort of transcendent enlightenment that charm reflects upon actually mastering my first Terrestrial style.

Of course, that does raise the question of why the errata removed that prerequisite for it... ah, whatever. This works too. Though I wouldn't say no to being given it anyway :smalltongue:

[Ifni]

The road winds along the river valleys, rising with the land to cut through passes between the towering peaks. This high cold region is far less densely peopled than the lowlands of the Isle, but still, human settlements are not uncommon; each day brings at least one or two sights of a wisp of pale woodsmoke, the glint of sun off the tiled roofs of a village, or the terraced fields of a farmstead set partway up the rolling slopes. Most such hamlets are tiny: the land here is not fertile enough to support many inhabitants, and the adage "plague loves a crowd" still comes easily to people's lips. Still, they are large enough to sell grain for the ponies (albeit at a price that causes Jan, experienced in lowland campaigns, to raise his eyebrows and whistle) and provisions for their riders. Zen's Aspect markings garner mostly taciturn respect, or perhaps wariness, but the mountain folk are glad enough to accept his money.

The sunsets and sunrises are spectacular, burning gold and rose and vermilion and violet along the jagged silver-white edges of the high peaks. The air is crystalline clear: the nights are cold enough to freeze the lungs, cold enough that exposed flesh feels as if it's burning, but the stars look close enough to reach out and touch.

On the morning of the third day Zen finds the wind catching at his clothes, tugging at his hair. Remembering the mist eddying between the stones, in a moment of insight he draws on his Essence and feels the breeze catch in his fingers, as if the air for a moment became solid. As he moves smoothly through the introductory kata that Branch and Harp use to begin each session, the wind about him shifts, but no longer randomly: now, it has purpose, echoing the slow movements of Zen's hands and feet.

Branch blinks as he watches, waiting until Zen completes the kata. He glances over at Jan's bedroll - the ex-legionnaire has been doing sword drills in the evenings, but prefers to sleep in when possible - and lowers his voice. "That's... unusual. Do you always pick things up so fast? It usually takes months, if not years, to learn to call the wind."

"Took me two months," Harp adds, joining them. "And I was the quickest of anyone in my group. Took you, what, seven months?"

"Eight, actually. Although I had a lot of other things to learn."

Harp smiles cheerily at Zen. "Well, it should help with pretending to be an Air Aspect, anyway."

There is a muffled curse from the direction of Jan's bedroll, and the soldier sits up, hair tousled and a rather wild look in his eyes. He stares at the three for a long, long moment.

"... right. Fine. I give in. Anyone care to tell me what's actually going on here?"

Nice stunt :smallsmile: Raise Thrown to 2 and add Crosswind Offensive to your sheet. Note that this one specifies it works by creating a breeze, so you may use it in that context out-of-combat and for stunt fodder.

And the next event was going to be late on the third day, but heh, this conversation almost had to happen sometime.

[Maugan Ra]

Zen sighs, and looks at Harp. "For the record, when someone is in disguise, talking about it like that in the presence of others rather defeats the point." he says flatly, though there is still an edge of humour to his tone. Then he turns to Jan.

"I told you that Taras Saiko had made enemies, or at the very least brought himself to the attention of powerful people, and that was at least part of why I was here. I didn't tell you who those people were."

He reaches out one hand, a with a careful motion, peels the visage of Saram Zen away like a cloak. The man who stands beneath that outer disguise, though still young and cheerful, is considerably less... well, soft. He holds himself like a veteran soldier, practically radiating discipline and martial prowess, and his eyes are the colour of blood.

"My name is Gentle Lotus." he says, by way of explanation. "Priest of Mars, and sanctioned Agent of the Division of Battles, dispatched from heaven to attend to a number of important events in the Sunrise Gap."

"...I apologise for the deception. It was necessary."

[Ifni]

Harp goes red, and mutters, "I really thought he was asleep..."

Jan's eyes go wide, and he stares at the Sidereal for a long moment. "Bloody hell. What does that even mean? I've never heard of a Division of Battles, and I've been in enough of them."

"... thought you couldn't be a dragonlord, though. Or if you were, you were humbler than any dragonlord I'd ever met, even the good ones."

He looks to Branch and Harp. "And you two? Scholar and healer, my foot."

"We are," Branch says, strained tolerance in his voice. "I'm a herbalist and healer. Harp is a student of history. We just also train in the martial arts as a means to greater spiritual enlightenment."

"And you're traveling with a priest disguised as an Exalt because...?"

"We, uh, thought it would help us gain valuable experience," Harp interjects.

"It is certainly providing that," Branch mutters under his breath.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus stifles his laughter, though his smile does grow wider for a brief moment. Then he drops into a crouch, so that he and the soldier are on the same level.

"It means, to put it simply, that I've met Mars." he says calmly. "She's the head of the Division of Battles, which is essentially the divine organisation which manages anything and everything related to conflict. Basically, think of every war god or militant spirit that you or any other soldier has ever prayed to, and you have the average staff of the Division. It's our job to watch over any event where two forces come into conflict, making sure it all works out smoothly as Fate intends."

"People like me, well... OK, I'm officially a priest of Mars, but that's really more of an honourary title. My real job is closer to 'troubleshooter'. Because sometimes things go wrong, either as a result of random chance or the unexpected intervention of some god or demon. And when it does, I get sent out to fix it."

[Ifni]

"Uhuh," Jan says, sounding rather skeptical. "So... dare I ask what's going wrong in Sunrise Gap? If this is dealing with what went wrong in the East, involving Taras Saiko, you're about twelve years late."

He pauses, and pales. "Please don't tell me you think he's going to do something like that again. Or be in a position to do something like that again, for that matter."

"What's this story?" Branch asks curiously.

With a glance at Lotus, if no objections are forthcoming, Jan recounts the tale of the Lookshy campaign.

"... this magistrate sounds like a real prize," Harp murmurs. She has a large chakram in her hands, not one Lotus has seen her practicing with. Its outer edge looks wickedly sharp, with a faint bluish sheen. She's spinning it idly, apparently careless of the imminent danger to her fingers.

[Maugan Ra]

"OK, first up, you need to understand that when I say that something 'went wrong', I'm not talking about an incompetent getting a bunch of his own soldiers killed in an avoidable battle." Lotus says, and for once, his expression is completely serious. "I'm talking about reality itself breaking down. It starts with rivers flowing backwards, and it ends with the Balorian Crusade."

He smiles thinly. "Taras Siako is, by all accounts, an utter fool with his head so far up his own arse it's a wonder his spine hasn't snapped. I intend to fix that... ideally, by talking to him and making him see sense, but if absolutely necessary I will throw him through a stone wall to get the point across. Mars watches over soldiers, and I doubt She would object to corrective therapy in this case. But even so, that is a secondary objective."

"In a hilarious piece of irony that would likely make the good magistrate choke on his own pride, the actual reason that Heaven sent me here is because a mortal innkeeper's daughter is meant to win the upcoming race, but for some reason hasn't even entered. Most likely, she's meant to go on and do great things that will shape the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. The race is meant to be the starting point of that journey."

[Ifni]

At the mention of the Balorian Crusade, both Harp and Branch's expressions turn hard. Jan doesn't react quite so obviously. He raises an eyebrow when Lotus mentions throwing Taras through a wall, but by the end of the Shieldbearer's explanation he's nodding thoughtfully, with a wolfish grin. "So do you do this sort of thing often?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Me, personally? No. I'm still relatively young by the standards of my kind." Lotus says simply. "But 'we', as a whole? Yes, we do this sort of thing quite often. There are members of my fellowship alive today that fought in the Great Uprising, against the Anathaema."

He looks at Jan with an expression on his face that is almost... wistful. "You joined the Legions, fought in the war, and then retired. In doing so, you managed to achieve what none of us ever will. Retire, that is. Those peers of mine have spent millennia fighting and planning and working to save the world, over and over again. Except when they tutor the people that will one day be their replacements, like me."

He straightens up, and grins. "Still, it's not all bad. I get to go to interesting place, meet interesting people, and punch them in the face for the good of Creation. On balance, it's a pretty fun life."

[Ifni]

Lotus' explanation garners wide-eyed looks from all three mortals.

"... sounds like it," Harp says after a moment, still sounding a little stunned. "Millennia? I thought only the gods lived so long."

There is an awkward pause for a moment, broken by Jan yawning ostentatiously and climbing out of his bedroll. "Well, I guess there's no hope of getting back to sleep now. What's for breakfast?"

The day passes much as the previous two. Today the road is mostly rising, the increased altitude clear in the chill of the wind and the thinness of the air. The weather remains fine, until a rain squall blows in during the afternoon; the oilskins provided by the monastery serve to keep the travelers relatively dry, and Jan has a heavy coat he extracts from his pack, but it still makes travel considerably less enjoyable. Watching the silvery droplets eddy on the winds, before splashing against the gray stone of the road and the ponies' dark backs, is nearly hypnotic: Lotus finds himself sinking into something like a trance, watching the dance of the rain.

It only breaks when Branch reins in his pony, peering ahead through the rain. "... huh. What's this...?"

Riding up beside him, it's clear why he was confused: you have reached a crossroads of sorts, marked by a stone wedge with the name Natha engraved on it. The First Age road continues up the slope, smooth and broad - and from the trees growing nearly up to its edges, abandoned.

A broad trampled earthen path - currently slick with mud and uneven with the ruts of heavy wagon use - leads off to the right, meandering around the curve of the mountain.

[Maugan Ra]

"If I had to guess, I'd say this road originally lead to some kind of city or facility in these mountains, and just got repurposed later on." Lotus says, squinting up the road through the curtain of falling rain. He has left the Destiny furled up in the back of his soul, after the dramatic revelations of the morning. "I can't say it's familiar, though... 'Natha'."

Under the cover of his heavy, oiled cloak, a tiny spider of glittering green skitters out of a pocket and then vanishes, heading off to discover whatever it can about the mysterious name or the eventual destination of this road.

Efficient Secretary Technique, obviously. Let's see if this plot hook has any more information easily associated with it :smalltongue:

[Ifni]

The spider returns a few moments later and disgorges a stream of mental information.

Natha is a city on the Juche/Arjuf border. It dates back to the early Shogunate era, having grown up around a border fortress in the same location. Primary exports: granite, jade, iron ore. Primary industries: mining, stonecutting, trade. The spider emits an apologetic click and then adds, File is noted to be out of date as of Realm Year 5.

Harp, who was taking her turn walking, comes up behind the group and stops at the sight of the stone. "... ah."

[Maugan Ra]

The Shieldbearer snaps his fingers, as though struck by sudden recollection. "Ah, that was it. An old mining and garrison town on the border. Abandoned, but there's probably enough of it left to serve as decent shelter." He tilts his head back, squinting up at the rain clouds which show no signs of dispersing any time soon. "Which, right now, sounds very welcome indeed. Certainly more so than slogging through that muddy quagmire of a replacement track."

With that, he spurs the horse forwards again, up the mostly abandoned road towards the town. In the back of his mind, a quick debate plays out.

Why does the path diverge here, anyway? Even if all the ore veins were tapped out or something, you wouldn't expect the entire area to be completely abandoned.

Well, there's probably some sort of hideous monster or other disaster in the area that makes travel through it impractical. Why am I going this way again?

Oh, right, because I can handle myself better than some wandering peasant, and because keeping the Blessed Isle safe is sort of an important thing.

...

And because I hate this bloody rain.

[Ifni]

"... ah. Okay," Harp says from the back of the group, as the other ponies start after Lotus' mount. "I guess that makes sense; there can't be any disease left there, after so long." At first she sounds like she's trying to convince herself, but her voice strengthens as she finishes.

"... disease?"

"Well, it was a city. On a trade route. Of course it got hit hard by the Contagion." Harp pauses for breath. "From what I've read, anyway. But Zen is right. Shelter would be good, and the other track looks awful."

[Maugan Ra]

Oh, right, the Contagion. Yeah, I forgot about that.

...how?

OK, no more mental debates. They're probably a sign of instability anyway.

"We're a full century or more past the last reported case." Lotus says confidently. "Even the Contagion has limits on how long it can remain virulent absent hosts. Still probably not a good idea to poke around ancient ruins, but that's more because of the horrible traps and bound demons than lingering disease."

A pause, filled only with the sound of the rain.

"Not that there should be any of those around here. That's really more of a Threshold thing."

[Ifni]

"... experience. Right," Branch mutters, but there's a note of amusement beneath the grumbling.

"I will happily take your word for it," Harp smiles, seeming oddly more cheerful for Lotus' quasi-reassurance.

"Well, we'll let you deal with any bound demons and horrible traps we come across," Jan grins a little. "You can show us how it's done."

On that note, the group presses on. The rain grows heavier, and trails of wet fog wind around the travelers, slicking their hair and skin. As the mist closes in, it grows hard to see more than ten yards or so ahead. The world takes on an oddly quiet, hushed quality, aside from the constant quiet splash of water on stone. At least the road is good, the ancient surface smooth and well-graded beneath the ponies' feet.

It is almost unnoticeable at first, but it grows stronger as the group rides on: an oddly dank smell in the air. Like stagnant water, and rotting flowers.

Jan pauses, at one point, to frown at a patch of white in a crevice beside the road. "Funny. There shouldn't be snow at this time of year, not this low down."

Branch shrugs. "If it got trapped in the shade like that...?"

Jan shakes his head, and slides off his pony to reach out and touch the patch. His expression grows - not alarmed, but puzzled. "It's not snow. It's salt."

"It looks like it's been there for a while..." Harp observes. She takes out a knife, and begins scraping the salt crystals into a pouch. She eyes Branch a little defensively. "What? Salt is useful. You'll thank me if we need an emergency ward line."

"I didn't say anything," Branch replies mildly.

After that brief stop, the group moves onward. The smell grows stronger, along with a new scent, a dusty nose-tickling odor.

It is a relief when the road levels out beneath the ponies' hooves. The rain has been subsiding for several minutes now, and then a sharp gust of wind blows across the road, shredding the fading fog. It's icy, and carries more of the strange smell, but after hours the sun is finally out again.

Or... not.

It had been growing darker in the fog, but that was easily ascribed to the lateness of the day. But here...

The sun still rides just above the mountains, but it is pale, faded. The scraggly trees here are wizened and dwarfed, even by the undemanding standards of the mountain vegetation. The flowers that grow beneath their boughs are not the colorful wildflowers that have brightened the sunlit slopes; some are pale, others dark, and a few a rich violet. The last is the only color in the immediate scene; even the sky is a pale gray, drained of life. Even the Essence here feels choked, dying.

The group stands at the top of a rise, looking down into a valley, a sea of low cloud behind them. Before them, the road cuts a straight line across a smooth bowl in the mountains. Once, this was probably a lovely view.

The shapes of buildings, square and unnatural, still fill most of the valley, but few stand tall. There is no new green growth down there, to soften the old scars. Fire has clearly burned in places, leaving blackened gouges through the once-city. A stone watchtower stands at the far end of the valley: from this distance, it looks intact.

Another gust of wind blows toward the group from the valley, carrying the same heavy scent of dust and stagnation.

The three mortals are silent. All of them, as one, look at Lotus.

You are right at the edge of the shadowland, so you can leave easily (stepping back to Creation), if you wish. It would be a pretty long cold rainy trek back down to the crossroads in the dark, though. You could camp here, or try to go around the valley, or head in and try to find shelter in the buildings. Or you could surprise me :smallwink: I'm curious to see what Lotus does.

[Maugan Ra]

"Huh. A Shadowland." Lotus says thoughtfully, reigning in his horse and looking out over the mist-shrouded valley. He turns and squints back down the path they followed up to this point, and nods thoughtfully. "Harp, don't touch any more salt we might happen to see. It looks like the locals are slowly closing this place up with repeated care."

He scratches the back of his head thoughtfully. "Well, my point about still needing somewhere to stay out of the rain for the night still stands. And I admit to some curiousity about the place... It's not on my current mission, but I should probably get a good look at it anyway, if only to update the reports. Still, there are certainly reasons to turn right the hell around again..."

He looks at the other three. "What do you think?"

[Ifni]

"... a shadowland?" Jan swallows. For the first time, the veteran looks seriously unsettled. "We saw some of those in the East. There's one outside Lookshy now, you know?"

"... if you think it's all right, I'll go in with you, Lotus. But don't those things have... ghosts, monsters? I've never gone into one, only seen them from a distance."

"I can ward," Harp offers, quietly. "If the people here died in the Contagion, I'd guess there shouldn't be many ghosts still lingering. And even if there were, most ghosts won't cross a salt line. I have supplies." Still, she shifts uneasily. "I don't like the way the air feels here, though. That sounds silly but I don't know a better way to put it."

Branch looks a little embarrassed. "This is going to sound really self-interested but... there are certain plants that grow only in shadowlands, which can be used to make powerful drugs. Medicines, and teas and smokes that let one interact with the immaterial. I'm an alchemist as well as a healer - I wouldn't mind having a look around, see if any of them grow here." He pauses. "I agree with Harp about the air, though."

"If we're in there at night... we can't leave, right? Or can only leave into the Underworld?" Harp's question is hesitant.

Branch and Harp have high Occult, but no reason to know how Essence feels in shadowlands. Jan has Occult 0 :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

"The essence here is Aspected towards the Underworld. That's why it doesn't feel right. That said, it should be relatively safe, so long as no one does anything foolish and wanders off following pretty lights or something." Lotus says after a while. "If Branch wants to have a look for useful plants, though, and we still need shelter of some kind... I think it's worth it. Just be cautious."

With that, he begins walking his steed carefully down into the valley.

[Ifni]

The pony snorts and tosses its head, wild-eyed, but Lotus manages to keep it moving down the road. The others follow, Branch sliding off his mount and passing the reins to Jan, and then moving to the edge of the road to study the local flora.

As the group moves deeper into the shadowland, even the soil takes on an odd rusty, gray-red tinge, and the smell of stagnation grows stronger. Harp and Jan stick close behind Lotus, staring around with a mixture of fascination and dread. Only Branch seems unbothered, ranging away from the path to inspect patches of growth - a tangled thorn-thicket bearing almost luminous white flowers amidst the curved vicious barbs, a cascade of grayish mushrooms with deep violet patterns on their caps growing from a dead tree, a dark pool surrounded by reeds that seem to move against the breeze. Some of them he collects, tucking them away into cloth pouches; with some he first pauses to put on thick leather gloves, and then collects them, very gingerly.

The ruins begin not far down the road. The valley itself is not large, only a few miles across.

The houses are much the same as Lotus has seen in the villages he's passed through - or they were, once. Some of the sloped roofs are still intact, although the stone and slate are heavily weathered, and once-thatched roofs have rotted away entirely. The buildings do not seem to have been actively destroyed, simply fallen into neglect. And yet without the plant growth that would normally crack stones apart and reclaim these ruins for the soil, the buildings show little of the signs one might normally expect from a century of abandonment.

There are patches of dark dust on the cobblestones, building up in windblown drifts in corners and crevices. Here and there, the remains of a wooden door or sign hangs by a rusted hinge. In the interiors of the houses, past the dark mouths of the doors, a gleam of white can sometimes be seen.

The valley is silent, without the sounds of birds or insects. Only the wind, and sometimes a soft creaking, and a softer rustling. The sound of moving leaves, perhaps, or of some small animal surviving in this dismal place.

Following the road in toward the center of town, the buildings grow more tightly packed together. They seem in worse repair, as well; walls half-collapsed, door-posts fallen, chunks of masonry dotting the streets.

About a third of the way through the valley, the surroundings change quite suddenly. The buildings here are blackened, charred ruins, as is the earth - except for the road, continuing untouched and immaculate through the desolation. No plants grow here, not even the creeping pale lichens of the shadowland.

But there are charred bones, here and there, lying scattered on the streets like the aftermath of some horrific feast.

The breeze is cold, and in the pallid sky above, the faded sun has dipped to touch the snow-silvered peaks of the range.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus is silent as he rides, watching the surrounding terrain with something between fascination and solemn dread.

Remember this. This is the cost of neglecting your duties, the cost of abandoning the world to the whims of the dead and banished. A living city, now little more than a dusty graveyard.

He frowns at the sight of the charred ground and the sundered bones. The plague did not do this, though. The Sword, perhaps? I would expect more obvious signs of it's use, though...

Staying on the road as best he can, Lotus heads for the watchtower they'd seen from the edge of the valley, the most intact looking structure he'd been able to identify thus far.

[Ifni]

The watchtower is perhaps a mile ahead when the last sliver of the sun vanishes beneath the peaks. The moon has already risen, a muted silver gleam over the eastern mountains.

And then the world is... different.

The change should not be so sudden, and yet it is. The valley is suddenly a place of darkness, untouched by any lingering rays of sunlight. The moon - the moon? - casts a bloody glow over the landscape. And the stars, newly visible in the night sky, are not the familiar constellations that Lotus knows so well.

The land around them is still blackened, but not so barren as it was; small white flowers wreathe the charred soil, and here and there a building stands intact. The scent of stagnation and dust is gone, replaced with a faint but oddly compelling sweetness.

"Ah! Duskflowers!" Branch exclaims in satisfaction, and darts off the road toward a patch of deep purple-blue blooms.

Lotus sees it as it happens. There was a small pile of bones on the corner of the street, darkened by ash and time. Now something pulls itself upward out of those bones, unfolding like a puzzle.

It is perhaps the height of a ten-year-old child, and humanoid in form. It is skeletal, only scraps of rotted flesh and cloth and currents of dark and chilly Essence holding the assemblage together. There are no flames, and yet the bones seem to be charring to ash, as if something unseen was eating away at them, revealing new bone beneath. The skull's eye sockets hold twin lurid sparks of pale light: the sense of implacable hatred that wells from them is almost palpable.

The creature launches itself at Branch, moving with a surprising fluid speed, sharply pointed teeth gleaming palely in its open jaw.

Time for your first Join Battle :smallwink:

[roll0]

Harp: [roll1]
EDIT: 2 sux.
Branch: [roll2]
EDIT: 1 sux.
Jan: [roll3]
EDIT: 3 sux.

[Maugan Ra]

Cursing, Lotus dismounts from his already-unsteady steed, steel sliding free of scabbard with a dull hiss as he draws his blade.

"Branch! 'Ware, to the right!"

Join Battle: [roll0]

[Ifni]

The creature moves with a fluid grace, but Lotus is faster. Red-hued moonlight shines down on the battlefield, and the young Shieldbearer finds his blood racing as he faces his first true foe, outside the sparring circle.

[Maugan Ra]

He might be beyond the sparring circle, but even here, Lotus knows the value of proper technique. Nothing too fancy or flashy, no unnecessary flourishes that might degrade the standard core of his technique. He moves in, sword gleaming in the scarlet moonlight, and places a perfectly precise thrust through the creature's torso.

Ok, it probably doesn't actually have organs any more, but that should push it back at least.

So, I checked and discovered that although I can use the short sword with my Martial Arts ability, until I learn the Fire Dragon Form I'm still capped by my rating in the Melee ability. So, might as well go for a standard Melee attack. I will spend 2m to buy a success with the Second Excellency, though, since I'm still reliant upon stunting to recover most of my motes.

Attack: [roll0]
'Precision' speciality: [roll1]
Potential Stunt: [roll2]
+1 excellency success

Base damage is 5L, assuming a standard quality short sword.

[Ifni]

The blade slips through the ribcage without resistance. The creature laughs, a horrific sound of grating bone and crackling flames, and wraps its skeletal hands around Lotus' sword, pulling itself forward along it.

Jan, face pale and eyes wide, comes dashing up to Lotus' right, interposing himself between the creature and Branch. About fifteen minutes ago, the increasingly uneasy veteran had strapped his shield to his forearm; now, he smashes at the creature's toothed jaw with the edge of the heavy bronze-banded wood. In a single smooth motion, his other hand draws free his sword and slices low across where the creature's gut would be.

But the blow goes wide, as the creature swings itself around the pivot of Lotus' sword, still laughing that terrible laugh. It snaps at Jan as it regains its balance, blackened fangs stretching out for the ex-legionnaire's arm where it holds his shield, but Jan blocks hurriedly, sending the creature staggering back.

Lotus misses, unfortunately.

Jan flurries drawing his sword and making a single attack.

[roll0]
EDIT: ... wow. He is lucky that was not a botch.

"Hungry gho- argh!" Harp shouts. The second word is interrupted by the monk falling off her pony, but she's on her feet a moment later, rubbing her shoulder but apparently otherwise unhurt. "Lotus, buy me time, salting the body while it's active will destroy it permanently..."

She's already running toward the small pile of bones, still lying on the street corner. Instead of reaching for a weapon, her hands are fumbling with the drawstring of her belt pouch.

In the meantime, her pony is bolting straight up the road. Lotus and Jan's abandoned ponies follow their herd-mate's lead. Branch gives an exasperated look after them, and reaches into his sleeve, pulling out a chakram. "Ghost! Over here!"

The chakram spins out with a faint keening sound, a breeze deftly guiding it through the confusion of the melee. It strikes the creature squarely in the jaw, knocking out several long teeth - and then circles back to Branch's hand, held out to catch it.

[Maugan Ra]

"Hungry ghost, huh? Well, good thing it's material here." Lotus says calmly, tugging his sword free as the undead staggers back in the face of Jan's block. "Mental note. Before I walk into a Shadowland, learn the appropriate scripture. Maiden and the Road, that was it."

He takes two steps forwards, hefting the sword in his hand, not giving the undead creature the time to rally itself. "Hoi, ugly. Look at the pretty steel, so shiny and distracting..."

A moment later, and a solid foot of cold metal is protruding from the ghost's forehead.

Yeah, single stab again. 5 Dex +5 Martial Arts +2 'grasp of the fundamentals' (doesn't get more basic than 'stab them in the face'), +2 stabbing bonus, +1 accuracy. Also buying a single success on top of this.

[roll0]
Possible stunt: [roll1]

Base damage is 5L

Jan, for his part, is considerably less chatty than his Exalted companion. He does, however, possess the experience and skill to both see the opportunity being granted, and to take advantage of it, stepping up beside Lotus and lashing out in a textbook legionary move.

And a single stab from Jan as well.

[roll2]
Potential stunt, if heroic: [roll3]

And his base damage is actually 7L, after the errata.

[Ifni]

The pale fires of the ghost's eyes, for a moment, seem to glow brighter. Only a moment. Then Lotus' blade smashes through its skull, and the creature dissipates in a flare of deathly Essence and the roar of flame. Jan's strike a moment later finds only falling dust.

Branch runs over to Harp and falls to his knees beside the once-corpse, helping her spread the salt to touch every bone. "Did we get it?" he asks, worriedly. "Or did it make it back to its body first?"

"Can't tell," Harp mutters. "I'd need five minutes for the ghostsight ritual. I can try..."

There is a sound, at this point, besides the retreating clatter of the ponies' hooves on the smooth road. A soft sea of clicking and rustling, arising from the streets around the group. Most of it seems to originate from the most badly burned areas, behind you.

"Uh..." Jan turns, and the shaking of his hand would be almost imperceptible if it wasn't holding a sword.

[Maugan Ra]

"Well. That's fantastic." Lotus says dryly, unslinging the buckler from it's resting place on his back and hefting it in the other arm. "The watchtower. That's the most defensible position. We stick together, cover one another, and make steady progress. Move."

And the next time I decide this sort of thing is a good idea, perhaps I shall learn from experience.

Yeah, aiming for a steady, fighting retreat here. If not to the watchtower, then to somewhere fairly defensible. Better than the open ground, anyway.

[Ifni]

"I could lay down a salt circle, they won't be able to cross it -"

"Yeah, and then they'll eat the ponies and we'll be walking to Sunrise Gap! Let's go!"

Harp nods, her face growing still and focused as she rises to her feet. Both monks free the coiled fighting chains they carry, drawing chakrams with their other hands, as they move to flank Lotus and Jan.

They come in a rush, hobbling or hopping or flowing with a grace that owes nothing to muscles. Most are merely burnt bones, like the one you fought already, held together by puppet-strings of dark Essence and undying rage. A very few are more intact, but still hideously decayed. They are silent, except for the clicking of bone against bone and the rustling of the dust in the sweep of their march, but with them comes a wave of... something. An almost palpable sense of grief, and rage, and beneath it all the crackling of a fire.

And now for the real fight... roll Join War.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus watches the oncoming horde speed towards them, and feels a mirthless smile cross his features. A quick glance up at the heavens, and their foreign stars, does not provide much comfort.

I don't know if you're watching, my lady, but I could certainly use some assistance.

Then he returns his attention to the coming fight, and with a roar, moves to engage. Their little group is an eclectic mix of fighting styles and capabilities, far from the uniform makeup most tactical simulations take for granted, but in this much at least fortune favours them. It is with such mixed units, such unusual blends of strategy, that Lotus is most renowned for among the halls of the Crimson Panoply, and he sets himself to the task of proving that reputation with a will.

Join War, taking 'Combined arms' speciality: [roll0]

[Ifni]

You do not need to see the stars, my Chosen, to know that they watch over you.

... really?

No, it was probably just his imagination.

Beneath strange stars and a bloodied moon, in a land where even the Essence tastes cold and tainted, outnumbered many times over - many a soldier might quail, and break.

But Lotus is Chosen of the Maiden of Battles, inheritor of a legacy of war that predates ghosts, and shadowlands, and the Underworld itself. There has never been a time when he was not destined for this path, for battle against Creation's enemies with his students and allies at his side.

The ghosts have little order to their assault; in their eyes Lotus sees no cunning, only ravening hunger and rage. So, then.

Lotus gains Essence 3; write me a nice stunt for your first attack and you may learn the charm Meditation on War (or another thematic Charm, if you want it and give me a good reason) :smallwink:

Join War for enemy unit: [roll0]

The three NPCs will use your Join War roll.

[Maugan Ra]

Essence surges in the Chosen's veins, and as he moves to meet his foes, everything just seems to... settle into place. This is where he is meant to be, what he is meant to do, what all his life and his training have lead him towards.

To the eyes of the three mortals, fighting at his side, in those brief and chaotic moments at the start of the battle, it is as if Lotus is absolutely everywhere. Here, ducking low to slice through exposed ligaments long since turned dark and leathery; there thrusting blade into guts and chests and glaring skulls. They could easily be forgiven for thinking that half a dozen men fought at their side as they witness him cut his way through the seemingly endless horde, clouds of dust from destroyed undead filling the air around them.

Activating Harmony of Blows for a five attack flurry. It has a cost of 5m, though I'm unsure how the 1wp surcharge for attacking a single target works in Mass Combat. I'd like to avoid it, on the grounds that I'm not trying to single out a special character or something. Anyway, those attacks, currently without specialities involved.

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

Base damage of 5L for each of those. Onslaught penalties should, hopefully, prove to be my friend here...

It takes a few moments, then, to realise that not all of the dust in the air comes from victims of that flashing blade. Some of it is vivid scarlet, falling from the heavens like gentle snow, covering the battlefield. Where it touches, the arms of the four living soldiers are made stronger, falling into unified purpose in the face of the unholy threat.

Mars smiles upon them, and even the least martial feels their spirits soar under that proud regard.

And that is my attempted stunt to learn the War charm Red Haze. Which is technically only visible to characters with supernatural senses, but I think it works for the purposes of stunting a new charm being learned.

[Ifni]

A red haze fills the air, beneath the bloody moon, and Lotus moves like lightning and death through the spectral streets of the forsaken city. The light of absent stars shines on his blade as it slices through undead flesh and sinew, almost holy in its unforgiving perfection. The young Sidereal strikes like an avatar of Mars herself, from a hundred corners and alleyways at once.

It takes the Shieldbearer less than a minute to destroy more than a hundred ghosts.

Drops to a badly damaged Magnitude 2 unit.

[Maugan Ra]

In the streets of the haunted city, surrounded by ghosts and ninjas and bizarre face-changing priests, Jan sticks to what he knows best. Sword in one hand, shield in the other, he follows Lotus through the press of bodies, lashing out whenever he spots an opening with skills long honed by training and experience.

The fact that there seem to be a couple of hundred other copies of the man he follows fighting in the streets around them is irrelevant.

OK, so Jan is just going to go for a straight 'stab them until they stop moving' strategy. Single attack, much as before.

[roll0]
Potential Stunt: [roll1]

Hopefully the magnitude damage that Lotus has inflicted will reduce their DVs by enough for him to have a decent shot at doing some damage.

In their wake, Harp and Branch move together with all the well-trained drill of a practice session. The air is filled with the faint hissing of unleashed chakrams, flying through air and ghostly flesh alike as they strike down the few that have survived the Shieldbearer's onslaught.

Conserving essence here, so Harp and Branch will go for a pair of Chakram attacks each, without any charms.

Harp 1: [roll2]
Harp 2: [roll3]

Branch 1: [roll4]
Branch2: [roll5]

Stunt, if applicable: [roll6]

[Ifni]

Lotus makes it look easy, but it is clear that without him, the three mortals would be overwhelmed by the numbers of the enemy. Branch and Harp's chakrams fly true, keening through the air to slice through ghostly flesh, each of them slaying several ghosts. Jan dispatches his opponent, jaw set grimly. All watch Lotus in no little awe.

I think Harp and Branch come up again on Tick 4...

[Maugan Ra]

The sheer carnage on display begins to force the adepts from the mountain fortress to slow their offensive, each shot carefully selected and then unleashed for maximum effect.

I believe they do, yes. Switching to single shots now, though.

Harp 1: [roll0]
Branch 1: [roll1]

[Ifni]

Again the chakrams fly, and again strike home. A few more ghosts fall. Both thaumaturges seem distracted, peering up and down the streets.

Lotus, perhaps expecting a surge forward by the ghosts, might be surprised by their failure to take advantage. They are not fleeing, or retreating, as would a mortal army that had lost the bulk of their troops in mere minutes. But nor are they moving to hem in the travelers in any systematic way. Most of the remaining ghosts were further back in the original horde, and as they close with the Sidereal and his allies, they claw and bite at each other in their hunger for blood.

Still, they are slowly pressing in on the group, and in just a few minutes Lotus will likely have to take more thought for the defenses of his 'troops'. But for the moment, he clearly still has the advantage.

It is rather pleasant, to fight an enemy with no grasp of tactics. Such are in short supply at the Crimson Panoply.

[Maugan Ra]

As the undead continue their mindless surge, Lotus presses his advantage. In truth, his efforts are almost mechanical now, every motion falling into a steady rhythm that dispatches ghosts with ferocious speed. Each barely has the time to react before being transfixed from several different directions.

Know the touch of Saturn, and find peace in Lethe's embrace.

Another magical flurry, I think. Same as the last time.

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

Potential stunt: [roll5]
As before, base damage is 5L.

Meanwhile, Jan continues his careful offensive, selecting his targets and hacking through pale flesh and charred bone with short, sharp movements. One rarely gets the chance to fight with such unparalleled advantage, so he makes the best use of if that he can.

And a single attack from Jan.

[roll6]
Potential stunt: [roll7]

[Ifni]

When the combatants pause for breath, only a handful of hungry ghosts remain. A tall, swaying form, little more than a few scraps of bone about a whirlwind of ash and Essence. An almost intact skeleton, except that its hands are burned away to stumps; spectral claws extend from the charred edges of bone. Another small one, like the one the group first fought...

And then they are on Lotus, slavering fangs searching for the Shieldbearer's throat, claws scrabbling for his flesh.

Down to a Magnitude 1 unit, which makes this considerably less dangerous. They're going to channel Valor and flurry two bites.

[roll0] + 4 sux
[roll1] + 4 sux

EDIT: 8/7 sux. What's Lotus' current DV?

[Maugan Ra]

The angry dead close on the Shieldbearer, seeking to drag him down before he can add to the toll of their destroyed kin. And for a brief moment, it looks as though they will be successful - charred hands grasp at his limbs, fangs scrap along the otherworldly metal of his concealed armour...

And then he is elsewhere, somehow spinning out from between the grasping attacks and all but flying free from their desperate attempts to hold him, defeat turned to victorious evasion in the blink of an eye.

My base Dodge DV is 5, and if I activate the Third Dodge Excellency (3m per activation) against each attack, I increase it to eight. Throw in whatever that earns me as a stunt, and I should avoid the attacks.

[Maugan Ra]

For a brief moment, the remaining hostile forces are all grouped tightly together in the middle of the street, disorientated and distracted as their intended victim slips away from them. And in that moment, the twin chakrams come hurtling out of the middle distance with lethal speed, aiming to slice through bones and dead flesh alike.

Come on, Harp and Branch... single Chakram attack for each of them. Man, I forget how important Excellencies can sometimes end up being...

Harp: [roll0]
Branch: [roll1]
Stunt: [roll2]

[Ifni]

Three more ghosts fall, as the chakrams blur silver through the red-hazed air. Only two remain, flinging themselves at Lotus and Jan with no care for their own safety, the thirst for blood and vengeance in their burning eyes overwhelming all else.

Channeling Conviction this time, and it occurred to me that given they just want to hurt the living, I should probably be splitting out attacks. First attack vs Lotus, second vs Jan.

First bite attack vs Lotus: [roll0] + 4 sux.
Second bite attack vs Jan: [roll1] + 4 sux.

I don't expect they'll survive this round but they do get one last shot in as they die. Lotus and Jan's attacks are, of course, based on their status at the beginning of the tick.

[Maugan Ra]

Calculating Lotus' Parry DV with the buckler: 5 Dex +3 Melee +3 defense =11/2 = 6. OK, I can do this.

The oncoming monster is filled with nothing more than a burning need to see Lotus join it in death, and that lends it's attack a powerful momentum. To stand against it directly would be no easy thing... but mankind has long since learned that lesson. There are many foes that possess greater strength and superior bulk, that hit harder and even faster than the greatest human soldier. The trick, then, is to turn that power to one's own end.

As the undead reaches him, Lotus ducks low, lashing out with the buckler strapped to his arm and catching the creature just below the waist. Suddenly, all momentum is directed over the prey's head and into the empty space beyond, a problem exacerbated as Lotus pushes in and up with the shield, sending the ragged pile of bones and essence over him in an inelegant somersault.

It crashes to the ground in a limp pile, skeletal limbs thrashing wildly in an attempt to regain footing and continue the assault. Lotus denies it the opportunity, the cold precision of Mars settling over his mind as he spins the sword in his hand and stabs it down into exposed eye-socket with a dull crunch.

Aiming for a two-dice stunt there on the defense. Guarding for a tick so as not to compromise my own DV, then making a single Melee attack against the 'horde'. Buying a success with the second excellency as well.

[roll0]


Jan, unfortunately, has less luck with his foe. A trained soldier, yes, but sadly not one prepared to face such a ferocious assault. He does his best, positioning the shield as best he can between himself and the oncoming foe, but it is not quite good enough.

By which I mean I can't see any easy way to boost Jan's DV to the required level to avoid the attack. So he's going to take a hit, unfortunately. Here's hoping that armour is worth something...

[Ifni]

For a moment it indeed appears that the veteran's luck has run out. It is only at the last minute that he steps to the side in a quick well-practiced motion and angles the sharpened edge of his shield down into the ghost's hip-bone. The monster easily evades the attack, but the motion takes it a critical step sideways - just in time for Lotus' target to careen into it.

The soldier follows Lotus' lead, grinning at the Sidereal for a moment before he brings his shortsword down in a swift lethal arc, stomping on a leg-bone to keep the second ghost in place.

Let's see how well Jan can do at this...

[roll0] + [roll1] stunt vs DV 2.

The blade scythes through both ghosts, and they dissipate in trailing streams of dark and fiery Essence.

Silence falls.

[Maugan Ra]

"Well." Lotus says, clambering back to his feet. "That was interesting. So... how we doing? Any injuries?"

[Ifni]

"I'm unhurt," Jan says. He sounds a little shaken, but he gets the words out quickly and levelly enough. "You, sir? And -" He glances over at the monks.

Harp is running towards you. Branch is rapidly disappearing in the opposite direction, toward the watchtower.

"Are you all right?" the monk calls, as she approaches. "Branch is going to see if he can find where the ponies went - he says we should follow. If one breaks a leg in the dark then the rest of the trip is going to be a lot less fun."

She's tucked her chakram away, but still has her fighting chain in hand. She ducks her head to the Sidereal, dark eyes wide with awe and maybe fear, as she comes to a halt.

It is very silent. The clicking and rustling that heralded the ghosts' assault is entirely gone. Lotus can hear the quick breathing of both mortals.

[Maugan Ra]

"We're fine. Not a scratch." Lotus reassures the monk, before squinting off in the direction of the tower. "Though yes, we should probably find the horses. I did promise to return them, if possible. Hopefully they weren't panicked beyond all reason."

He starts walking in that direction, before stopping and glancing back at the other two. "I apologise for leading you into danger like that. I... may have underestimated the potential risks."

[Ifni]

"I did not feel very endangered for most of that fight," Harp says, rather dryly.

"Speak for yourself," Jan mutters. "But..." He turns to Lotus, and nods, a little stiffly. "I accept your apology, my l- Lotus. It was an honor to fight beside you."

When the group catches up to Branch a few moments later, he has two of the ponies in hand, munching contentedly on apples and seemingly unaffected by their scare.

"If you can take these two in hand, I'll go look for the third - Jan, Lotus, were either of you hurt?"

[Maugan Ra]

"No, we made it through unscathed." Lotus says, taking the reins of the nearest pony. "Be careful, though. I expect that was most of them, but we don't want to take too many chances here."

He shrugs. "Still, a good day's work. If nothing else, it should make it considerably easier for the locals who've been treating this place to finish their project."

[Ifni]

"Hungry ghosts dematerialize when they're killed, it doesn't send them onward. If you salt the corpses while they're wandering, that destroys them permanently..." Harp grimaces. "There's a ritual I can do, to let me see spirits. We could go out and try to find the bodies, once we have the ponies secured safely. But I don't think I have enough salt for so many. There must have been hundreds of them."

Branch nods to Lotus, and heads up the road. He comes back a few minutes later, shaking his head. "Over this rise you can see all the way along the road to the watchtower and she's not there. Must have run off the road. Let's get the others to the watchtower and secure it - if I'm going to have to look for tracks it'll take a bit longer. There are more trees here than there were on the other side, at least once you get past -" He waves wordlessly at the desolation behind them.

The walk to the watchtower takes perhaps fifteen minutes, in eerie calm. Soon enough, a square stone edifice rises before the group, squat and blocky. Its windows are high and narrow. The road leads through a high gated arch in the curtain wall.

The gates are open. As the group approaches, a man steps out of the shadows of the arch. He is dressed in a well-kept uniform, and wearing leather gauntlets. One hand holds the reins of the missing pony; the animal is uncharacteristically still, only trembling faintly. His other hand is extended, palm upwards and empty, towards the group. He wears a hooded cape and his face is covered by a gray veil, leaving only his dark eyes visible.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Lady," he nods to Harp. "Be welcome to Natha."

Lotus can roll Int+War to recognize the uniform.

Difficulty 1:
It's from the very late Shogunate, probably about a century old. No rank insignia are visible.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus pauses, momentarily taken aback by the strange figure's appearance.

Late shogunate... a ghost, perhaps? Well, saner than the others, at least.

"Ah... thank you." he says after a short pause. "My apologies if we are intruding. We sought only shelter for the night, and... things got somewhat out of hand."

[Ifni]

"You are welcome to shelter here, although I fear you will find the amenities somewhat lacking. It's been a long time since any of the living has come this way."

It's hard to tell, but while his voice is sepulchral, it also sounds... relieved? He holds out the reins.

"Can you take this animal? I caught it when it came bolting along the road, but it doesn't seem to like me. I don't have any food here that your mounts would find palatable, but I can show you to the old stables, if you like; they weren't damaged, and there's water."

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus moves forwards, and takes the horse by the reins, muttering softly to it to make sure it doesn't panic or anything similarly inconvenient.

"My thanks, that would be most welcome. Although, if I may ask..." he pauses for a moment, unsure quite how to phrase it. "You speak of 'the living' as though you were not among them, and your uniform is... somewhat out of date. It seems obvious you are a ghost, and yet I cannot help but notice you are... well, more sane than those we have encountered so far. Why linger here, among these ruins?"

[Ifni]

The ghost falls silent for a long moment, as he passes the reins to Lotus. When he speaks again it is only to say, "The stables are this way."

Past the gate, the courtyard is echoingly empty. The stables are large, and similarly forsaken, but they will at least provide shelter from the rain.

"... I'm here because of a question unanswered," the ghost says quietly, as the group leaves the stables again. "I would have gone on, but it holds me. I cannot rest unknowing." His voice grows faintly embarrassed. "I... had intended to ask you a favor on that point, actually."

[Maugan Ra]

"Ask, then. What favour do you seek?." Lotus says, looking around at the reasonably intact stables with approval.

[Ifni]

The ghost pauses, seems about to say something, reconsiders - and then blurts out, "I was a soldier here when the city fell to the plague."

He waves in the direction of the town. "We knew what was happening; the commander had received messages on the wind. My wife, she decided to take our son - he was just four - to visit her family. She was a local girl, lived in a village a few valleys over, further from the road. We hoped it would be safer there. Or if the whole world was dying, at least it might delay the end. I was going to go join her, if I got the chance..."

The ghost is trying to keep his voice controlled and calm, but there's a choked longing in it, an old yearning.

"... she left a day before the first sick refugees arrived."

He swallows, hard, and looks at Lotus. "I know what you are, my lord. I guess I don't have any right to ask you anything. But... I can't leave the shadowland, not for more than a night's journey. I've tried. I could feel myself - my memories, my will - shredding away in the sunlight. I've walked there through the Underworld, but there's no shadowland there, and the Underworld is empty - which is a good sign, I guess."

"I need to know what happened to them. I know it's been a hundred years. I know my Amari's dead by now, and so's little Calim, and even the new baby. But... I need to know what happened. Whether they lived. Whether Calim grew up. Whether something survived."

"... when I saw your lights in the town I hoped even as I mourned for you. Nobody living comes here, anymore. They know about the hungry ghosts in the town. But you survived them, and so..."

He bows his head, briefly. "Since you asked. That's why I'm here. And if you wanted to help... that's what I need. An answer, to what happened to my family."

[Maugan Ra]

"Ah."

For a moment, Lotus considers this. He could say 'no'. The trip is considerably out of his way, and neither he nor the ghost will gain anything from it save the latter's peace of mind, but...

I can make the time. If I turn away from doing good simply because it offers little in the way of personal reward, well, I might as well give up on life and happiness right now.

"I can look into that for you. No, I will see what I can find out about them for you. It's... well, bringing peace and serenity is it's own reward." he says softly, then clicks his fingers.

"I have other business to attend to before I make the trip, but let us start with the simplest avenue of investigation available." he says, as a glittering green spider crawls up into the palm of his hand and waves it's miniature feelers at the rest of the strange group. "They lived in Creation, and thus there is record of them. Let's see what I have."

Yeah, efficient secretary technique. While the ghost hasn't specified a lot of it IC, I can ask enough questions to work out the names, dates and places of birth of the family he's interested in, before branching out to include the relatives that they were going to stay with.

EST explicitly works even while the Sidereal is outside of Fate, per the errata, including even in the Wyld or Hell, so I can still use it here. There should be a record in the Loom of what happened to them, or at least how they died, since the Wyld never reached the Isle itself to the best of my knowledge.

[Ifni]

The ghost gladly provides information about his wife and son's places of birth and birthdays, and what he knows about his mother- and father-in-law. However, when Lotus asks questions about their deaths...

The spider twitches its feelers at him apologetically. Error, sir. Information not found.

Branch, Harp and Jan, after some initial unease with the ghost, are watching in absolute fascination.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus catches their fascinated stares, and grins. "Useful little fellow, this guy." he says by way of explanation, indicating the skittering emerald spider. "Roughly on the level of a least god, I suppose... very good at checking information held on file in Heaven, not fantastic at much else."

Then the spider produces it's reply, eliciting a frown from the Sidereal. "Not found? Are they still alive? Or, if you can't find that... what is the most recent piece of information available on any of them, chronologically?"

[Ifni]

The spider spins in circles on Lotus' palm, chittering softly; it seems confused by the request.

"She left here on -" the ghost provides a date, leaning over Lotus' shoulder. "Maybe ask about a year after that...?"

"That information is currently unavailable," the spider clicks in monotone, once the request is relayed.

Some brief experimentation determines (after a number of "That information is currently unavailable" messages) that the last information on Amari or any of her relatives is from five days after her departure from Natha, at which point she and her son were alive, healthy and located in the village of Icefall.

[Maugan Ra]

"Well, you know she made it that far, at least." Lotus addresses the ghost, as the small essence-construct vanishes up his sleeve again. "As I mentioned, I have pressing business elsewhere to take care of first, but after that is achieved I will make sure to investigate Icefall... or wherever Icefall was, depending... on the way back."

He glances at the others, and realises that some form of explanation may be necessary as to why he is willing to put in such effort. "I... would consider it service to Saturn. One way or another, this lingering existence of yours must End." he says, and there is an almost subconscious stress placed upon the verb. "If I can make that end easier... make it pass with Serenity, if you will... It is my duty to do so."

Of course, if I absolutely did not have the time to set you to peace before you lost what remained of your hold on sanity, the End my duty would demand is somewhat more... violent. Best not to mention that.