The Blood of Heroes (IC)

[golentan]

The Palace Sublime is truly one of the jewels of the Realm. The monastery is elegantly simplistic in design, a double towered keep set near the base of an idyllic mountain, overlooking the town of Sion. There are no military fortifications on the walls of the main manse. Unlike the strongholds of the Great Houses, there is fear of attack here. No enemy would dare the wrath of the immaculate order by sullying this holy place, even if it were not the greatest concentration of elder Exalted in the world outside of the Imperial City. Monks of all coils wander the grounds with both relaxation and purpose. Some tend the gardens or wash the floors, others engage in theological debates, while yet more meditate or practice katas in the main courtyard of the temple. High atop the central keep is the office of the Mouth of Peace, who has requested you attend her at your convenience.

OOC here. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?386687-The-Blood-of-Heroes-(OOC))

[Jack of Olives]

Mnemon Menok was deep in thought as he exited the meditation gardens. Menok' tall, stocky figure moved, as if by itself, through the grounds on his was to the baths.

In body, Menok looked like a stereotypical Earth Dragon Stylist, so it surprised many when they discover that he was instead learning Fire Dragon Style. Begging the Dragon, it was called; An unusual and difficult path to follow. He was stubborn, though; Although Dragon blooded had affinities, they were heirs to all of the Elements, and Fire and Earth were the ones he was pursuing.

Today, his meditations had born no fruit. Although he had come to the Palace Sublime to resume his training, his worries betrayed him. The Scarlett Empress was still missing, the Solar Anathema had returned in droves (he personally believed she had left on a quest to somehow stop such a thing), and many of the Wyld Hunts, which should be working to hold back the vile forces that was appearing, were returning to the Blessed Isle to play politics.

Including his.

Easing himself into the baths, he continued his contemplation. As the years went on with no word from the Empress, his allies had broken off from the hunt one-by one and taken their resources and troops with them. He understood the need to help family and restore stability, but he just wished they would understand that if the Anathema aren't kept in check, the realm would be chipped away by their unholy armies.

Finishing his bath, he began making his way to the central keep. The Mouth of Peace wished to see him. Perhaps he could finally do some more good for the Realm.

[Dazhbug]

The slim figure leaned against the archway which issued onto the main courtyard of the Palace Sublime, wrapped in unadorned robes that, while proclaiming her not a monk of the Order, served to hide most other details. Confident she was but some traveler come on pilgrimage, passerby barely noticed her silent observing of the courtyard, and the newly forged monks practicing group katas in the main courtyard. And yet her green eyes, absorbed in the confident motions of the trainees, still flickered into corners and over rooftops.

After a few silent minutes, she melted into the movement of the Palace, just another pilgrim or weary courier bearing news to the watchful monks of the Immaculate Order. She chose a meandering route, skirting through courtyards and gardens, enjoying the shining sun and fragrance of blossoms in spring even as she made a game out of her movements. It was one she was well-practiced at, and reveled in as a child might gleefully hop across only the dark stones of a tiled floor. It had been years, and yet the Palace still evoked the sounds and scents of her childhood; the metallic tang of sand on fresh-scrubbed floors, the quiet murmur of a tea ceremony, fresh rice steaming on the breeze. Memories began to rise, unbidden, and the sharp shake of her head brought her up short against the doorway to a small courtyard where a quiet waterfall mumbled gently against the ever-present susurrus of Temple birdsong.

Whimsy taking her, she allowed herself to be drawn forward towards the chattering brook. Her feet shifting slightly into her opening katas, she barely caught herself once again as she recognized that she was not alone; his back to her, an elderly monk stood in an effortlessly perfect kata, his only motion the gentle swaying of his mustache in the late morning breeze. She watched as he flowed into the next form, her long nights of study recognizing the stance of the Water Dragon. Her grin a thing of quicksilver mirth, she flowed forward as silently as she was able, attempting to perfectly mimic the older man's posture while remaining quietly behind him, unnoticed.

If the Mouth of Peace was content to allow her to choose their time of meeting, well, surely a few minutes would do no harm.

[The_Snark]

Ledaal Kazue had fully expected to receive missives from various uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins, and other assorted relatives of varying age, chiding her and offering sympathy and asking after her plans for the immediate future. In this she was neither surprised nor disappointed.

She was surprised - one might fairly describe her as stunned - to receive a missive from the Mouth of Peace, spokesperson for the Order and foremost among the Isle's luminaries. She’d never taken vows at the Cloister of Wisdom, or thought about doing so. She didn’t even think of herself as devout; the opposite, really. But she wasn’t so spectacularly dissolute to earn a personal rebuke from the spiritual guide of the Realm, was she? Certainly there were others she'd name first... In the end it didn't matter why. Of course she'd answer the summons; refusal was unthinkable, and besides she wanted to know why.

The message stated at your convenience, but Kazue took that to mean if you, a young ex-student and layabout, keep the Mouth of Peace waiting, you had better have a very good reason. She arrived on the steps reasonably promptly, dressed in the formal-but-not-too-ostentatious finery she normally reserved for dining with extended family.

She'd never been here before, and it wasn't immediately clear where to go. She glanced about, looking for... guards? Novitiates? Whoever greeted visitors and kept them from wandering about as they pleased.

[golentan]

In the gardens outside, the monk completes his ritual, then approaches a shrine and adopts a meditative pose.

Menok and Kazue are greeted at the entrance to the keep by the most nondescript... entity they have ever met. The man... woman? The person introduces themselves as Ch-something, the personal aide to the Mouth of Peace, and says that she is currently indisposed due to an unforeseen illness, or perhaps that she is sleeping. Truth be told, the aide's words seem to slide from your minds like water from a duck. One thing clear is they indicate that you are waiting for a third representative for the meeting.

When Xianho arrives, the aide rises to their feet and motions all three of you to follow, escorting you up several flights of stairs to a surprisingly modest bedroom guarded by at least a dozen heavily armed dragonblooded. Within it, a frail elderly figure lies in a cot.

"Chi-Chi, is that you?" she asks in a strained voice, looking towards the door. You realize her eyes are filmed over and she likely cannot see, yet you gain the feeling that she's examining your very soul with her other senses. "You bring me these... youths in my time of need? I have a dozen grandmasters who would gladly do this for me." The aide shrugs and says something about having consulted... something for the greatest chance of success, and that they have placed one of their top agents in charge of this pursuit.

"Very well, Chi-chi. If I cannot trust you, I may as well embrace death now." The aide chuckles at that, and advises her not to trust anyone, bowing as they let themselves out. "Children, come closer. I have a task for you. In the southwest, there is an ancient library constructed by the Anathema at the height of their power. In it, there is a book of medical knowledge which holds the key to saving my life. I have been targeted by an assassin, but they are not content with taking my life, they wish me to suffer... The assassin has been killed, but so have I unless I can be treated before this disease runs its course, and it is beyond the knowledge of my doctors. The library was found a few years ago by a local princeling, who sells its knowledge to the highest bidder. If I die now, so does any chance of peaceful resolution to what is happening now in the realm. My grandmother will place a pawn in my place who will declare her Heir to the Throne, and the other houses will move against her. My beloved order will be caught in the flames of war, and torn apart by jackals..." at this she seems to run out of breath, pausing to gasp for air in thick, choking gulps punctuated by coughs.

[Dazhbug]

Xianho glanced sidelong at her new companions, gauging them quietly. The male appeared strong, and his movements and stance betrayed at least some level of formal training in the martial arts. Meanwhile, the girl seemed nothing more than the typical high-blooded dilettante, dressed in formal meeting-wear. Xian quite nearly dismissed her outright, but the strangeness of the meeting and the quiet words of her training kept her from trusting too much in initial impressions. As the silence stretched, her natural curiosity slowly won out over her desire to stay quiet and overlooked.

"Of course, Most Enlightened Master. Are there further considerations, or preparations, we should be aware of in our dealings with this 'Prince' ...?" Her eyes flickered briefly to the aide, who seemed to already have organizational matters well in hand.

[The_Snark]

It would be... impolitic to ask the ailing Mouth of Peace if she's serious. Even moreso to ask if she's mad, all things considered. (Could she be mad with sickness? She seemed lucid enough.) Of all the people she could send for this, she picked Ledaal Kazue and... whoever these other two were? Kazue didn't recognize them, not that that meant a great deal. One had the look of a monk, probably Earth-aspected: big, well-built, shaven head, clad in white jade armor. The other is harder to place. Not a monk, not a soldier, but not a courtier or social butterfly either.

And Kazue herself, of course. Here to accompany the warriors as a scholar? Or picked for her... less reputable ones? Either way, there were better candidates - she could think of half a dozen of each off the top of her head. This didn't make sense.

This was suspicious. Common wisdom held that the Mouth of Peace was above the schemes and petty politicking which was so ubiquitous elsewhere in the Realm, but this smelled like somebody's scheme. The question was, who? Suspecting the Mouth herself felt vaguely sacrilegious, and while Kazue had never considered herself pious, there was a difference between scoffing at the Immaculate scripture in a drinking-house with other students and thinking heretical thoughts while standing before the Mouth of Peace...

No, better to take this seriously. Even if it was a scheme, that didn't mean the Mouth wasn't sick. And it wasn't as though she had anything better to do, was it?

"Where in the southwest?" she inquired. "Do you have maps? And what of transportation? Most Enlightened Master," she added belatedly, the honorific clearly unfamiliar on her tongue.

[golentan]

The Mouth of Peace laughs chokingly. "My Seneschal has negotiated a price of ten talents of jade with the city, but I have reason to suspect betrayal or sabotage. The book is titled "The Plagues of Metagaos," and its veracity should be confirmed before returning, I have not the time left for a second voyage to retrieve it. The city is on the south violet coast, and is named Wilsesa, its prince is known as Silver Blossom." Her Aide, who again escaped notice until in motion*, passes her a piece of paper, which she reads. "The jade has been loaded onto the ship Sazanami as of a few minutes ago, apparently. Xianho, is it? I expect you can make your own way. Lady Ledaal, I am told you should have the ability to identify the validity of the text. You should all be cautious though. The region is rife with piracy and haven to demons and anathema, you must watch out for each other..."

Zhuge Wolong enters the room partway through the conversation and takes a place at the foot of the Mouth of Peace's bed, acknowledging Xianho with a nod as she does. She holds an empty dossier folder stamped with the mark of the Eye and the text "Wilsesa," which she taps meaningfully when the Mouth speaks of the Jade being placed on the Sazanami. It's a gesture which the young Iselsi is able to interpret as "Eyes only information has been provided when you return to your quarters."

[Jack of Olives]

"Of course, Most Enlightened Master." Menok finally speaks up, a determined look on his face. "Troubled though the Realm may be, will not let these assassins and anathema have their way. Dragons' help anyone who dare to stand in our way, for their demon-spawned magics will fall to our righteous might." having said that, he turns to address the others. "If there is nothing else, we should make haste. Every minute we dally is a minute the Realm is without the Mouth of Peace."

[Dazhbug]

The young Water-aspect nods towards the bed, seemingly in agreement with the last statement of the Mouth of Peace. About to reply, she startles slightly as the male monk rumbles his way into the conversation with the unabashed forthrightness of a landslide.

"As you say, xiaosheng," she agrees when his statement winds down. "If both of my newfound... compatriots are willing, my ship rides at anchor with the rest of the Fire Fleet. With your leave, Most Enlightened, I shall send word ahead to begin reading her for departure; we should find all in readiness when we arrive in Noble. Look for me by the main way in Sion, I shall find you there after I complete my missives."

With leave, Xian turns a deep, formal bow to the Mouth of Peace into a flourish of departure, including her new companions in the gesture. She can't help her grin from spreading as she eyes the young Air aspect, and tosses the woman a wink before taking her leave and heading swiftly down the tower. Stopping briefly at the Palace courier station, she pens a brief missive to be sent by bird to Noble. As the ink dries, she idly toys with a second sheet, a frown creasing her face. Shaking her head in a familiar gesture, she grimaces and pulls the pen towards her again.

Once she is finished, she carefully rolls the first note into a scroll. The second note she carefully seals, before rolling it into a second scroll. This she also seals, before stalking towards the Palace attendant. "This is to be dispatched with all speed to Noble, if you will. For the second, see that it is delivered to the given address in Sion."

Her errand complete, she hurries to rejoin her new traveling companions.

[The_Snark]

You've got the wrong Ledaal.

She'd never say that aloud, of course. (Not where anyone else could hear, at least.) Anyone else who voiced such thoughts in her hearing would earn themselves a permanent spot on her **** list. But part of her - a small, treacherous part - couldn't help thinking it. Of all the scholars and incurable wanderers her family had produced, the Mouth of Peace had sent for her?

You've got the wrong Ledaal.

She nodded to the other woman - a ship captain, apparently, that would explain the clothing - and turned to the monk. "Shall we, master monk? I don't believe I have any significant preparations to make." Dragons, I hope not. What do you bring on a trip like this? I suppose I should pen a note to my family at the very least. Racing off to the Threshold in search of a book, they'll be thrilled...

[golentan]

Correspondence complete, the young terrestrials make their way into the town of Sion. Compared to the quiet contemplation of the monastery, Sion is bustling, though it is quiet for those used to the capital. The spinning of wheels and the whirr-thump of loom shuttles fills the air, and many middle class citizens have established shopfronts catering to a variety of needs.

Mnemon maintains a small manse in the town, and passing by it Menok is hailed by a familiar face. "Great-Grand-Nephew! How are you?! I heard you were having an audience with my cousin today, how is she? I trust you honored the family and the order..."

[Dazhbug]

Xian had found a quiet bench in the middle of the main square of Sion, and was quietly enjoying the hustle and bustle of the milling throng when she spotted her companions coming down the road. Smiling, she rose and let herself be taken by the crowd, moving with it as best she knew to remain unnoticed. Soon she had managed to circle around her unwary cohorts, and was just about to make her presence known when a sudden shout caught her attention. Seeing the older man approaching her Mnemon companion, she slackened her pace and submerged once more into the crowd, remaining close enough to hear without announcing her presence.