[IC] Exalted: Silver Seas - Everyone dies. It's over!

Rainfall

Exalted: Silver Seas


In the far West of Creation, troublesome weather is becoming more common. The Wavecrest Archipelago trembles beneath the cataclysm that befell its primary island of Abalone, and soon all the West will suffer from the loss of its breadbasket. The Coral Archipelago stirs restlessly, churning like foam with developed might and political intrigue as they prepare for action, though most know not what they intend to act on or for anymore. The island tribes of the Neck squabble and build and live; when troubles come, they will either feel the brunt of it for their weakness or be ignored in favor of more formidable opponents. The demon-blooded Lintha pirates ravage the waters from their moving Sister-Mother island of Lintha Ng Oroo. And amidst all this the nation of Skullstone sits calm and unruffled as its immortal god-priest, the Silver Prince, bides his time, waiting for the right moment.

At dawn, the morning rays of the Unconquered Sun wash over the turbulent waters, casting a bright shine over the sea. This beauty distracts from the fear and desperation and ominous portents that smother the land to those that know of them. But perhaps there is hope. The Sun-Kings of old walk the world again, the Chosen of Luna finally creep forth to act, and the Sidereal Viziers hold their breath and turn their eyes towards Creation. Fates will be made, fortune will be tested, and lands will either be conquered or broken on these Silver Seas.

The Roll of Exalted Potence

Smilie AKA Grins 'n Giggles, the Priest, and Harold

Always smiling, ever-effervescent, and seemingly absent of any personal goals of his own, the Zenith Caste priest nicknamed Smilie has rapidly assumed the role of guide to the other members of his Circle. A plotter and planner thinking well ahead, his expectations for the future have largely been nebulous, owing to his own uncertainty about just what his companions are willing to do and his own lack of personal conviction. He seems to be utterly dedicated to the advancement and recognition of his peers, caring little for himself in the process. Despite this, his secretive nature and origins lay the possibility for doubt: could he really be this altruistic, or does he have a hidden motive?

The Priest hails from Skullstone, where he enjoyed a position of religious importance. Despite being one of the Chosen of the Sun, this past affiliation has left him with an affinity and fixation on the dead and the Underworld which occasionally crosses over into unsettling. His incessantly cheery mannerisms frequently switch between oblivious and eerie depending on the situation, and often cause people to (mistakenly) assume him a fool or a madman. A Necromancer and a spiritual leader, his very philosophy is a possible danger to both the status quo and the lives of those who hear it. Still, in the aftermath of the Abalone Disaster, what else can be done to help people cope?

"Truthfully, by my plots and plans I only dream of one thing: long-awaited absolution. That will be my gift to Creation."

Captain Gemini of the Constellation

Generally congenial, the Twilight Caste Gemini is prone to misunderstandings and committing social faux pas, being new to the West and unfamiliar with its customs. However, what he lacks in social grace he makes up with a strong moral compass, and is quick to jump into actions to correct any wrongs. Although the owner of his own ship, sailing is not something he was born into, and he prefers to leave the technical details of keeping the boat afloat and pointed in the right direction to the experienced crew - all too happy to oblige, because not only does it seem like the wind's always in their favor, but their cargo's exactly what's in high demand at their destination. Of course, will the recent deaths among a few of the crew change their minds, or will the quest for greater profit retain their loyalty?

Born in the realm, he grew up a boarding student at an astrological institute, paid for by a combination of favors and a modest inheritance left in the school's stead, before being drafted into the army. Of course, it had seemed like strange forces have had been keeping an eye on him, even in the years before the Unconquered Sun's gaze fell upon him as well. For what reason, Gemini cannot know, but they even seem to track him down across both an ocean and the illusion of death - He had assumed the realm thought him vanished with the rest of his unit in the frigid north, torn apart by the destructive wrath of the opposed lunar and solar gods. Despite his stoic face, he is burdened by the thought of the destruction that has occurred in his past and at his hands, and has focused his efforts on eliminating the corruption and willful disregard for life that now plagues creation - and perhaps some other, less pure motives may drive him.

"The blessing of the Unconquered Sun is a powerful tool, and just like any sort of power, using it to fight for righteous causes too often causes unintended suffering. But that doesn't mean we can stop fighting."

Lieutenant Dezrik Serano of the Coral Navy

Once a calm man and slow to anger, Dezrik’s trials have shaped him into something else entirely. Now one who is seemingly always tense, a stone's throw from Luna’s Fury, he is obviously less than pleased with circumstances. The destruction of Abalone and the prophesied devastation of Coral weigh heavily on his mind at all times. Redemption and prevention are his only motivations and both goals will be achieved by any means necessary. The West requires order, but Solar rule? Now that is another matter…

Coral born and bred, the combat skills he attained through service as a pirate have been magnified considerably by his Exaltation and have served him well indeed. Those skills, when applied to the moonsilver blade Argent Calamity, have defended the Circle from numerous threats, bringing low even the Lord of Earthen Fire himself (his head specifically) with relative ease. While not one who prefers to draw steel to deal with a situation, the Steward of Creation finds himself called time and again to end lives.

“Hardship and perseverance are the way of the West. It is not a kind way, but it is all that makes a man more than he once was. There shall come a time when all of Creation knows this to be the truth.”

Rainfall

Episode 1: The cast(some of them) are introduced(sort of) and get into a fight(not really) but then later do(but that's for next episode)

TheStoryteller: The sun shines down on the city of Seahaven, capital of the Wavecrest Archipelago. The terracotta roofs glow in the tropical sun, and calls of merchants and fishermen echo across the harbor. In the city, four Celestial Exalted move, stirring the strands of Fate.
***Gemini steps from the deck of his ship to the docks
Kiarn: "That dream. That damned dream." Kiarn came out into the salty air, frowning thoughtfully upwards at the sun. "That dream..."
***TheStoryteller The merchant who had hired Gemini to ship goods across the archipelago to Windgate rushes up to him. "Hey! You come back so soon? Good winds? Where's my money!" She glares at him, holding her hand out.
Gemini: "Pirates were guarding the archipelago, we had to flee"
***Dezrik keeps to himself as he makes his way towards the Docks with his hood drawn low to avoid drawing attention to his striking features. He cuts not quite the daunting figure he once did, as weeks of hard living add up.
TheStoryteller: The merchant glares at you. "Pirates? There's pirates everywhere, you dog! That's why I hired you to ship my goods! Get my gems back now!"
Gemini: "Now, Now, they're still aboard, and I'll gladly return the goods and your initial pay. I had more pressing business come up."
***Gemini whistles and signals his crew to unload the cargo
TheStoryteller: The merchant sneers and spits at your feet. "Get it done by sundown or I'll call the Feathered One's justice on you!'
***Gemini pulls out the sack of coins the merchant had paid with, and tossed it back to her.
***TheStoryteller as Dezrik walks towards the docks, he's hailed by dozens of merchants hawking their wares, all female. Several fishermen are haggling with them for their cargos, but everyone is shouting and yelling.
***Dezrik offers the brush off routine which is second nature at this point, not letting them truly distract him from his goal. He focuses on the boats docked and their crews, examining them, seeking perhaps the qualities of his old crew. Every so often though he casts a furtive gaze over his shoulder, whether out of simple paranoia or looking for someone specific, it's hard to say.
TheStoryteller: Kiarn is in a more peaceful part of town, with a few small shops and a local merchant's estate house nearby, and the sounds of gulls and faint cries from the markets and the docks echo around him. Strangely enough, nobody is on thre streets.
***Gemini returns to his boat and helps his crew unload crate after crate from belowdecks, stacking them on the docks
***Kiarn found being alone rather curious... especially after the cities of the east. The peace was... almost disturbing. He took stock of his memory, and turned towards the docks. Best to head in that direction... he wanted to see that ocean again, this time from ground that wasn't moving under him.
***Smilie finds himself standing just past the shoulder of the irate merchant. This might be peculiar to anyone who had observed the scene carefully, as he likely was not there a moment ago.
TheStoryteller: The merchant stalks off as soon as she's satisfied that Gemini is unloading her cargo, holding her money close to her chest and shouting for another captain to come claim her goods
***TheStoryteller she shouts at Smilie as she bumps into him. 'Watch where you're going!'
***Gemini , convinced that he's not being watched anymore by the merchant, strolls away from where the cargo is being unloaded, and takes a good look around. Someone wanted him here.
***Smilie bows politely. "My apologies. I should pay more attention to my surroundings, miss...?"
TheStoryteller: She sneers at him. 'Gull Wing Waves.' She glances at him speculatively. 'Tell me, do you own a ship? I need a VERY valuable cargo moved.'
***Gemini chuckles to himself as he spies his former client bump into someone and get angry.
***Smilie taps a finger on his lips. "I might, should I think hard enough. I couldn't help but notice your... discussion with the other fellow. Dangerously valuable, perhaps?"
***Dezrik is accosted and subsequently distracted by a haggling fisherwife of exceptional vigor, taking some time to extract himself from her vice-like presence.
TheStoryteller: Gull Wing Waves shakes her head. 'It's a collection of trinkets from some tribe, I have a very interested customer in Windgate who's paying me a lot of money for them' She smiles. 'Valuable to me and him, not to many other people.'
***TheStoryteller a faint grumble from one of the local volcanos stirrs the ground, and everyone glances up for a moment before turning back to their business.
***Dezrik having finally broken free of her sales pitch, he reorients himself and returns to searching for a likely vessel for employment.
***Gemini reorients himself as the ground calms, and quickly checks a scroll before repocketing it.
Smilie: "I see." Smilie sighs. "Mementos. Would that I had the foresight." He shakes his head. "Pardon me. Still, even transporting such things of selective significance these days... risky business. What payment are you offering?"
***Kiarn frowns at the ground... apparently, the ground WOULD move under him here too. Figures.
***Gemini calls to his crew. "After you get these goods unloaded, you have the night to yourself. I have some business to attend to.
TheStoryteller: Wave holds up the somewhat hefty bag of jade that she had just re-aquired from Gemini. 'The payment that that fool boy kept to himself. Two Koku.'
TheStoryteller: She smiles. 'For taking the job, that is. There's another five koku for when he returns with my payment'
Smilie: Smilie taps his staff once. "Not a bad payment. I assume the previous captain was compensated for safeguarding your valuables?"
TheStoryteller: She snorts. 'That fool boy? I know the archipelago, and I know he ran the wrong way. If he could make it back here from a pack of pirates, he could make it to Windgate.'
***Gemini walks into the marketplace and towards the city center, looking for a tavern
Smilie: "Oh?" Smilie scratches his head. "That could be. Truthfully, with all the dangers out there today, natural and unnatural, I have difficulty telling what ways are safe to travel." He sighs and shakes his head again. "It seems they change so often. Don't you think so?"
***Dezrik finding naught of interest to him at this present moment, he sets off towards the tavern, his stomach growling.
Kiarn left the room (quit: Quit: ).
TheStoryteller: Wave Wing Gull smiles back at Smilie. 'You know, you're not as bad a guy as that fool child, but you're right. He deserves something for his trouble.' She reaches into her pocked and waves one of Gemini's crewmen over. 'Here, give this to your captain when he returns.' She hands him a handful of Scrip and turns back towards Smilie.
***Smilie places a hand over his chest and dips his head. "A generous employer. Discretion saves cargo as well as lives."
TheStoryteller: Wave smiles broadly. 'You're a wise man... but I never caught your name!' She blushes and stammers for a moment.
***TheStoryteller The ground trembles again, and the volcano belches black smoke. Everyone pauses for a full moment, holding their breath as they look upwards.
***Gemini stops in his tracks and looks upwards
Smilie: "Call me what you'd like. I most often answer to the nickname 'Smilie'." He glances up towards the volcano, and raises his brows. Under his breath he remarks on how active it's been.
***Dezrik frowns for a moment before relaxing, "These isles...a roll of the dice away from total destruction at any moment."
***Gemini mutters under his breath: "I really should have taken a reading on the way here"
TheStoryteller: Wave laughs. 'Smilie, hmm? Well, I was just headed to the tavern for a drink, perhaps you'd like to join me and talk about future... employment?
TheStoryteller: As Dezrik and Gemini head up towards the tavern, a group of white-robed priestesses pass them, headed down towards the docks.
Smilie: Smilie points a finger at himself in a 'who, me' fashion. "It'd be foolish not to. It's my life's purpose to assist others."
TheStoryteller: Wave raises one eyebrow and nods. 'I'm... glad to hear that. Shall we?'
***Dezrik casts a brief glance priestess-wards, but is far too distracted by his stomach to stray from his course to the Feathered Cock.
***Gemini turns his head to check out the group of priestesses
Smilie: Smilie gestures for her to lead. "Where you go, I will follow."
TheStoryteller: Wave starts walking, glancing behind her to make sure Smilie follows, moving up the same street everyone else is.
***Gemini turns and walks to one of the priestesses. "Is everything alright?"
TheStoryteller: The priestesses all look at him simultaneously. 'Everything is well. A sacrifice shall be made.'
***Gemini is rather creeped out - "ok then..."
***Gemini turns and mutters something about "Fucking Coralite Wierdos"
TheStoryteller: The priestesses continue down the street, ignoring Gemini, zeroing in on Wave. One of them places their hands on her shoulders and speaks again. 'It is time. You have been chosen.'
***Gemini continues on towards the tavern
TheStoryteller: Wave flips out. 'WHAT? Don't we sacrifice the criminals and the scum? You can't do this to me! I have a business!'
***Dezrik stops in his tracks, turning towards the disturbance and Smilie in particular...for a moment.
***Gemini notices the man in front of him about face, and looks to see what's going on.
***Smilie places a hand on Wave's shoulder, brows furrowed in confusion. He keeps silent for the moment.
TheStoryteller: The priestesses cluster around Wave. 'You have been chosen, and we must take you. You know the price if we don't aquiesce.'
***Dezrik approaches the gaggle of priestesses with a frown, clearing his throat to gain their attention, pushing back his hood as well.
***Gemini stands back as the man he had seen in front of him brushes by him to approach the group of priestesses
TheStoryteller: One of the priestesses turns towards Dezrik. 'This woman has been chosen, we must take her to appease Fires of Molten Rock.
***Dezrik cocks his head, levelling a disapproving frown at them, "I know of this custom. I wasn't aware you took foreigners on business here"
Dezrik: "Am I to understand that all here visiting on business are at risk?"
***Smilie 's smile turns a touch devious as he regards Dezrik.
TheStoryteller: Wave opens her mouth to object, even as one of the priestesses speaks. 'This woman is a... foreigner? Our divinations would not... should not..." She takes a breath.
TheStoryteller: 'If we do not sacrifice this woman... our entire city may be destroyed. You understand this, do you not?'
Dezrik: "I do. And yet, you hesitate. Something is wrong. A foreigner is not normal subject to sacrifice is it?"
Dezrik: "Just how intricate is the ritual for these divinations?"
***Dezrik wears his best stern look, the sort he'd use to slowly squeeze the truth of a misconduct out of his subordinates.
TheStoryteller: The priestess looks Dezrik in the eye. 'No matter what happened, the divinations have never been wrong before. The sacrifice must be done soon. Will you prevent us from saving this city?'
Dezrik: "On the contrary madame, I am ensuring that you do save the city. Now tell me, just how intricate is the ritual? I would imagine it is not something easy to perform"
***Gemini steps closer - "Pardon me, but I overhood your conversation. Would you mind letting me examine your divinations? Some would say that I have some experience with the art."
TheStoryteller: The ground rumbles again, and the priestess shakes her head. 'We have no time for this! Get out of our way, lest we perish in the Fire!'
***Dezrik smile slightly at Gemini's words, "Ah, this is opportune. Now, ladies, let me be frank. My concern is this: in sacrificing foreigners, you run the risk of severely alienating your trade partners, dooming your people to a different sort of death."
***Dezrik "If you're going to do that, you might want to make sure your divinations are correct."
TheStoryteller: The priestess nods to her fellow priestesses, and they all cluster around Wave and flow into graceful Martial Arts stances. 'If you will not get out of our way, we will MAKE you get out of our way. There is NO TIME!'
Dezrik: "You don't want to do this lass."
***Gemini steps away from what looks to be a tense struggle
***Dezrik looks to Wave, "What are your finances like, enough to give me a damn big meal?"
TheStoryteller: Wave looks at him, fear in her eyes. 'I've got more money than you can imagine! help me!'
***Smilie sighs. "I don't suppose it would be possible to take another, would it?"
Dezrik: "Enough to get fine Coralite calamari? I do love calamari..."
TheStoryteller: The priestesses shake their heads, one of them grabbing Wave as the rest move forwards. 'We have no time for this.'
***Dezrik gives Smilie a sympathetic look, "I already tried that approach lad."
***Smilie raises a finger. "One word to the sacrifice, please."
***Gemini steps out of the nearby doorway he had slipped into
TheStoryteller: The priestesses glance over their shoulders. 'You can say it on the move. We have already spent far too much time here.'
***Dezrik draws forth his gleaming Wavecleaver as they accost Wave.
***Smilie 's smile becomes melancholy. "As you wish, priestesses." He regards Dezrik. "You'll likely kill many more just by saving this one. Would it be worth it?"
Dezrik: "Justice denied anywhere is justice denied everywhere. I am not in the practice of yielding."
Dezrik: "And she'll feed me, the priestesses not so much."
***Gemini speaks up, "Nobody may need to die here. Let me see the oracles."
TheStoryteller: The priestesses look at Dezrik, the one holding Wave continues to move forwards, four others stay behind. 'Then you will face justice at our hands.'
TheStoryteller: One of the priestesses with Wave looks at Gemini. 'You may come with us, if you wish to see the Oracles.'
***Smilie takes a deep breath, and leans down towards Wave, whispering something to her.
***Dezrik with but a thought, causes his wavecleaver to ignite, the stone in the pommel gleaming.
Dezrik: "One last chance lass. Let her go. Please."
TheStoryteller: Wave looks at Dezrik, and shakes her head sadly. 'No. One death to save many. That is how it always ends.'
***Dezrik turns his gaze on Smilie, "And your thoughts? Would you rather yield to them than not?"
***Gemini starts running up the hill past the group
***Smilie gives Wave one last squeeze on her shoulder, trying to be as comforting as possible. "Their customs are not mine to dictate. If one would willingly go to save dozens... that one is a nobler type than I could ever hope to be."
TheStoryteller: As the smoke cloud above the volcano darkens, a gull swoops over the city, directly overtop of Dezrik and Smilie.
***Dezrik cocks his head, considering it for a moment, "Very well. If she would willing yield, they can bow to such madness if they like."
***Dezrik sheathes the blade in one fluid movement returns the blade to it's place, the flames dying. "I will not save one who doesn't wish to be saved."
***Gemini looks around frantically
***Gemini doesn't see what he's looking for, and keeps running up the path
***Dezrik steps off to the side, permitting the priestesses to pass.
TheStoryteller: The city is silent, everyone either looking up towards the volcano or preparing for an eruption. The only ones on the streets are Dezrik, Gemini, Smilie, and the priestesses.
TheStoryteller: The priestesses move towards the top of the volcano, Gull Wing Wave walking between them with her eyes closed, muttering a prayer.
***Smilie whispers one last thing to Gull, then approaches Dezrik. "I'd like to have a word with you, sir."
***Gemini continues rushing up the mountainside, looking for the priestesses temple
***Dezrik grunts irritably, though his ire doesn't seem targetted at Smilie, "Well I'm not exactly on a full schedule here, go ahead."
***Smilie glances about conspiratorially. "I suspect you find this occurrence distasteful. Perhaps you'd like to rectify this?"
***Dezrik nods at that, "Rectify is certainly one word for what I'd like to do to this situation."
Smilie: Smilies 'tsk's. "Sad, though, that I assure you it is necessary. With whatever deity is up there demanding it... if only he were to be... pacified." He lets the word 'pacify' hang, obvious he's implying something. "But it's unfortunate no one's capable of it. Regardless, I couldn't help but notice what a unique sword you have there."
Dezrik: "The key trouble is ensuring that one doesn't have to pacify everyone else in the area as well."
Smilie: Smilie nods. "Yes. A shame no one's willing to do it. Still, I wonder how much of a fight those women would have been able to put up."
Dezrik: "Not enough. Regardless, lets cut to the quick as there's only so much time here. Can you or can you not aid in such a pacification?
Dezrik: And more importantly would you?"
***Smilie grins widely, and taps his finger against his lips. "I would like to see that temple of theirs." And with that, he starts off down (or up, as the case may be) the path.
***Dezrik merely grunts, following after Smilie temple-wards.
TheStoryteller: Gemini reaches the end of the path, a little exerted after the climb, but still capable of breathing normally. Before him stands an entrance carved into the volcano, leading deep inside, a dark red glow covering the stone. The sky is dark now, covered in a volcanic cloud of ash and poisonous gasses. Around the entrance are carvings of various people in various states of melting and burning to death.
***Gemini activates easily overlooked presence method and heads inside
Gemini: ...Stealthily
TheStoryteller: The inside is hot. An uncomfortable, dry heat. The type that makes you want to close your eyes and wait for it to pass. Several priestesses walk through the halls, ignoring Gemini as he sneaks through, heading deep into the heart of the volcano.
***Gemini checks rooms, looking for perhaps an alter or divination equipment
***Gemini heads towards the final room down the long hallway, closest to the heart of the volcano
TheStoryteller: He hears a slight commotion behind him as the priestesses enter the temple, walking down the main hallway. Better move fast, Gem.
***Gemini speeds up his movement, before the priestesses catch sight of him
TheStoryteller: Gemini enters the Oracles room, and immediately feels a blast of heat from an open wall, looking over the lava flows. The oracle is leaning over the edge, watching the lava intently before she turns her head to look at Gemini.
TheStoryteller: 'Welcome, Exalted of the Sun. You trespass on forbidden ground to men, you know. The sea is for men, the land for women. So it was spoken many years ago, by your own allies.'
***Gemini is slightly startled by the oracle's knowledge. "Your divinations, let me see them."
TheStoryteller: The oracle gestures towards the lava flows. 'There, in the molten rock, eddies in the strands of fate. Your touch on the land appeared the instant you laid foot on shore. We expected you to arrive here.'
TheStoryteller: She smiles, the burns on her face weeping clear liquid that turns into steam from the raw heat. 'The Lord of Earthen Fire expects you, too.'
Gemini: "Well, I would hate to show up unexpected"
***Gemini concentrates on the lava
Gemini: "I see two more exalted, and a third."
***Gemini turns towards the oracle. "What is the nature of the deity of this volcano?"
TheStoryteller: A deep, booming voice comes from the doorway. "I think you'll find... you can ask ME about that, young Solar."
***Gemini turns towards the doorway
TheStoryteller: The heat doubles in the room as you face The Lord of Earthen Fire. He stands an easy seven and a half feet tall, and his body ripples with molten flame. His voice raises to a shout as he looks at the Solar. 'AGREEMENTS WERE MADE! PROMISES WERE KEPT! YOU ENTERED THIS TEMPLE! THE PUNISHMENT SHALL BE LEVIED AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF THIS LAND!'
Gemini: "What agreements were these?"
TheStoryteller: The god sneers at you as he takes a step forwards. 'You should know, little Solar. I would be praised, sacrifices would be made, and my wrath would be stayed... and most importantly, no... MALE would enter my sanctum. And you Solars would LEAVE my realm.'
Gemini: "What are the nature of these sacrifices?"
TheStoryteller: The Lord of Earthen Fire takes another step, standing directly in front of you. 'One woman. The most fitting my priestesses can find for me.'
***Gemini glances down at the lava again
Gemini: "well, it seems your sacrifice is coming"
TheStoryteller: The god laughs. And laughs.
TheStoryteller: 'I'm afraid you don't understand, little Solar. You entered my temple! You're a male. The agreement is BROKEN!' The Lord of Earthen Flame reaches forward to grasp Gemini.
***Gemini grins, as a quick spurt of wind blows from behind the god, and Gemeni simply... flots off the edge of the ridge, flipping once before attempting to land neatly on the other side
***Gemini sticks the landing
TheStoryteller: Gemini lands on the edge of the platform, looking down at the god beneath him. He hears a gasp from behind him, as the priestesses escorting Wave reach the entrance to the massive chamber.
Smilie: There's the sound of something tapping on the floor in the doorway. "Forgive us for intruding, grand one." Smilie is leaning against the entrance, one arm folded over his chest. The other grips tightly to his staff, the spiderweb gem topping it glowing a dim red.
***Dezrik strides into the chamber, his cloak removed and revealed a glimmering lamellar of moonsilver, laced with Old Realm describing the deeds of Lunars long gone.
***Dezrik hurls a priestess who attempted, quite futiley, to halt his advance, his wavecleaver in hand.
Smilie: "I'm afraid we take objection to the way you manage your demesne."
TheStoryteller: The Lord of Earthen Fire lets out a bellowing roar and leaps from the Oracle's chamber up onto the stone disc that stands above the lava in the center of the volcano.
TheStoryteller: PATHETIC SOLARS! YOU BREAK YOUR DEALINGS AND COME TO SLAY ME? I'LL KILL EVERY LAST ONE!
Dezrik: "I am Luna's chosen, thank you very much. And as Steward, I'm afraid I cannot permit you to do any such thing"
***Gemini hops out of the way and jumps down behind the two exalted who had recently entered, his landing softened by a cushion of air
Smilie frowns for the first time since he encountered the others at the docks, and raises his staff. "How unfortunate." The gem's glow brightens. "Then by our rights as the rulers of this world," he gives the thing a spin, and slams the red end down in front of Dezrik, his speech punctuated by another red flash, "our gradeur as Chosen," he slams the staff before Gemini, "and our concerns as living beings," he sets the thing casual
Smilie: before him now, "you must be dealt with in kind." He smiles cheerily again. "I wish you luck."

Rainfall

Episode 2: Where the cast kills the most powerful god in the West and then shit happens.

StorytellingPerson: The volcano rumbles treacherously beneath your feet as you stand at the entrance to the sanctum of the Lord of Earthen Fire, the shocked priestesses standing behind you. The god lets loose an angry bellow of sheer rage, completely beyond speaking, and the battle begins!
Dezrik charges forth, bellowing forth his allegiance to the Silver Lady even as his form becomes protean mid-movement, his form contorting into that of a great humanoid serpent, its hide thick and rugged like a mountain side.
Dezrik: "Luna! Your Steward must act as a shield this day!"
Gemini wipes the smirk from his face, and quickly whips around and unleashes a vortex of the hot volcanic air directly into the nearest priestess, blowing her off the platform and into the lava.
Gemini: "If you can't handle the heat..."
StorytellingPerson: The Lord of Earthen Fire shouts in return to Dezrik's challenge, clenching his fists as his body erupts into flame and dripping lava, taking steps to meet the snake-warrior in combat.
Smilie smiles to himself (a rare thing), and nods in encouragement to Gemini. He leaps from the edge of the platform, and suddenly he's moving in mid-air, ascending slightly above the stone disc as he watches Dezrik and their mutual foe prepare to clash.
StorytellingPerson: The priestesses move quickly, two of them breezing past Gemini and turning around to surround him, the surviving two rolling forwards, reaching towards him with perfectly coordinated jabs.
StorytellingPerson: Gemini dodges easily, gusts of air supporting his movements as the priestesses blows fly wild, completely failing to strike him, as one of the priestesses loses her balance and falls down, clinging to the edge of the bridge, hanging on for dear life.
Gemini whips around on the currents as he plants a water-worn military boot into face of the priestess hanging on the ledge, and twirls off with a gust
Dezrik lets loose a roar that echoes through the chamber, swinging with all his Exalted might at the god, his blade crashing like a wave against his opponents' defenses, the moonsilver hungrily seeking out to tear at divine flesh.
StorytellingPerson: The Lord of Earthen Fire shouts with pain as he feels the moonsilver slicing through his molten flesh, moving away from the deadly blade as molten rock drips from the wound to the floor.
Dezrik: "You are in the way. Continue at your peril"
StorytellingPerson: A roar of fury erupts from the mouth of the Lord of Earthen Fire as he charges at Dezrik, reaching to grab him in his burning hands.
Dezrik sways, weaving under his grasp and around his foe, gathering himself for the next contest of might.
StorytellingPerson: Dezrik's constantly-moving moonsilver blade blocks the god from his attempt, and he lets loose another bellow of frustration. "DAMNED EXALTED! YOU'LL ALL BURN!"
Smilie flings out a hand, open palm directed towards the volcano god. The molten light seems to dim as something bright grows around the man. He closes his eyes, and as he opens them his eyes burn a sudden violet as his anima explodes into being, blazing a bright gold. Behind him looms an ominous figure in golden robes and a theater mask, and superimposed even over that is another robed figure with a stern face. They both mimic the priest's motions. The priest, for his part, continues to smile down on the enraged deity, smirking confidently. His brow blazes a bright, solid gold, but the edges of his brilliance are tinged an odd, darker color.
StorytellingPerson: The three remaining priestesses strike out at Gemini, determined to remove the obstacles to their god's anger. Their robes billow in the superheated air as they lash out at the Exalted, their motions quick and sure.
Dezrik gathers his coils and hurls himself into the lord of the volcano, argent energy gathering around him in the shape of the head of a colossal leviathan and hurling itself in unison with the blow.
Gemini becomes backlit from the huge burst of essense coming from the airborne priest, as he swiftly spins in a roundhouse kick as he lands from his previous leap, impacting the nearest directly in the brow
StorytellingPerson: The priestesses once again fail to harm Gemini, his graceful motions sending them tumbling around him, one falling downwards into the lava, the force of his kick sending another falling off the small bridge. The last priestess falls to the ground, gasping for mercy.
Gemini does a double-take after seeing the priestess plummet into the lava. The pattern was different somehow
Gemini: "A fourth gold line"
Kiarn found the scene in front of him a battleground. Death surrounded him, and a molten god battled with shining warriors on the bridge. He did not take time to overthink the situation, but rather moved himself into the fray, "Scholar's Sting" loose in his hands as he came. Unfortunately, everything was a bit too far away to be actually affected from this distance without hitting everyone in the cavern.
StorytellingPerson: Standing up from looking over the lava, the Oracle takes a deep breath. 'YOU SHALL NOT HARM MY FATHER!' Leaping upwards, her motions aided by the hot wind from the lava beneath, she pivots for a kick at the priest, hoping to stop the magical energies that crackle about him.
Smilie: The priest is too engrossed in his casting and the fight going on before him to notice the Oracle until seconds before she is at him. His body turns, his arm still held out towards the god, as the Oracle's heel digs into his forehead. His head jerks back, and his position in the air jostles and quickly goes still. As her foot comes off, blood pours from around his caste mark. His eyes flash brightly violet for a moment, and the golden aura around him abruptly blooms outward, practically quivering with what is undoubtedly fury. "I'll harm whoever needs to be!" He declares, almost uncharacteristic of himself, and those nearby can plainly feel the concussive force of presence put behind those words.
StorytellingPerson: The Oracle falls back to the floor of her chamber, crying out as the spell is released, gathering her strength to make another attack upon the priest.
Smilie turns away from the falling Oracle, and back to the Lord of Earthen Fire. "By our grace," he begins, hand twitching, "kneel, and die." He closes his hand, and the stern-faced figure around him shatters. The room itself almost shrieks as otherworldly forces breach across ancient boundaries, centering on and pooling in the deity.
StorytellingPerson: The Lord of Earthen Fire roars in agony as he feels the dark necromantic energies assaulting his very Essence, and lets his anger out on the Exalted standing in front of him. His fist moves forwards with the speed of an erupting bolt of lava, whistling towards Dezrik with almost inescapable speed.
Dezrik moves in the throes of Luna's fury, his movements become supernaturally quick to the point of being mercurial, moving so fast that it seems almost as if parts of his body take a moment to "catch up to him".
StorytellingPerson: The Lord of Earthen Fire misses completely, his fist flying past the child of Luna. He lets loose a massive roar of rage, and the heat in the room seems to grow.
Smilie lets his hand fall back to his side, and drops back down to the Oracle's chamber. He lands before the Oracle who had managed to strike him earlier, and taps his staff on the floor. "Now then, we have some business to conclude!" He declares cheerily, as if out-of-touch with the heat and violence around him. He dusts off one of his sleeves, and regards the Oracle. "I'm fairly positive that you know what I'm capable of now," he raises his staff defensively, "and to be honest I have no need or want to repeat it on you."
Kiarn takes Scholar's Sting in both hands, and his body slides into a very distinct stylistic form, legs bent, hands and staff high, keeping in a slow rolling motion as Essence begins to flare around him.
Gemini looks back from the rolling lava and towards this new challenger, and nods.
Dezrik coils around the Lord of Earthen Fire, ablaze with silver energy at this point, his essence counterpart rising with him. Twice he strikes in rapid succession, the blows mirroring the fangs of the leviathan of essence as it's jaws close around his foe.
Gemini breaks eye contact with the martial artist, and grabs both Wave Wing Gull and the helpless priestess, dragging them toward the hallway, before taking up a position to the side of the bridge
StorytellingPerson: The Lord of Earthen Fire screams in pain and anger and rage, the lava beginning to boil and surge, rising up from the depths as the moonsilver blade once again cuts deep into his flesh, spilling his molten blood across the floor.
StorytellingPerson: 'FATHER! NO!" The Oracle leaps up across the gap, moving easily across the heated air, dashing towards the Lunar warrior who assaulted her godly father. Swinging her legs, she vaults up, swinging her foot towards his face.
Smilie watches as the Oracle leaps past him, and shrugs. "Your loss." He turns his attention to Gemini and Kiarn, giving them both pointed looks. "Would one of you be kind enough to assist our serpentine friend?"
StorytellingPerson: The Oracle misses, and falls to the ground, her tears hissing as they hit the floor, which seems to be heating up very rapidly.
Kiarn glanced right, then left, taking in the situation, and then shouted to Smilie as he began to move. "Stand fast!" Essence began to glow around him in a wide corona of power as his caste mark, a shining circle of gold, shone on his forehead. He leapt, essence trailing behind his feet, and he seemed to barely touch the ground as he moved, his left foot using Smilie's right shoulder as a springboard as he flew, his other foot seeming to almost feather-light touch Dezrik as he flipped up and over the Lord of Earthen Fire, allowing him to come at the beast from behind, his staff snaking out for the back of the god's head.
StorytellingPerson: The Lord of Earthen Fire screams with righteous fury, shouting out at everyone in the chamber. 'YOU ALL WILL DIE! SUBMIT TO ME OR BURN FOREVER IN THE FLAMES OF MY WRATH!' The volcano seems to heat up intensely, and flames curl across the top of the rapidly-rising lava.
StorytellingPerson: The heat from the flames is so intense that Kiarn flinches backwards, his attack failing at the last second, as the Lord of Earthen Fire laughs maniacally.
Smilie wipes his forehead with a sleeve, and shoots a glance at Gemini. "I suggest we make ourselves scarce." He nods his head towards the unconscious priestess and Gull. "Do you need help escorting them out?"
Gemini focuses intently. "You get them out, I have some unfinished business here."
Smilie bows with a flourish. "Consider it done." He quickly strides over to the two women, and a second later they're out through the doors, leaving the fight.
Gemini begins to glow as multicolored currents helix around him and rise rapidly into the sky visible at the top of the volcano. His eyes darken to match the black of the night sky, as he starts shaping a spell.
Dezrik roars in incoherent rage as scales begin bubble here and there at the sheer heat, the stone in the pommel of his blade glowing brightly in it's efforts to shield him.
Dezrik hurls himself into the god, a blur of silver essence, putting his all into it in an effort to end it once and for all.
Gemini: Above the volcano, the currents of the tradewinds begin to shift, funneling together to form a dense swirling hurricane of essence and cold pressure
StorytellingPerson: The Lord of Earthen Fire expends his all to deflect Dezrik's attacks, his fists moving quickly to block the strikes of Luna's Exalted, but even his furious rage cannot hope to block the anger of Luna's Children. The Argent Calamity cuts through his arms like a hot knife through butter, and then neatly decapitates the god, who slowly sinks down to the earth.
StorytellingPerson: The Oracle screams out as her father crumbles, her voice rising as her eyes burn with flame. She steps out over the hole in the center of the disc, walking on thin air, and raises her hands to the heavens.
StorytellingPerson: Flames from the lava curl around her, as an ominous rumbling sound rises to match with her screaming, the heat in the chamber growing to completely unbearable levels.
Kiarn watches as the god begins to fall, and with grace and speed, makes his way as quickly as he can towards the entrance where the others stand.
Dezrik looks to Gemini, the situation, and takes no time in deciding to slither off the platform as fast as exaltedly possible.
Gemini slowly turns his eyes towards the heavens, the constellations reflecting off of his eyes, as the pressure above the volcano grows to mammoth proportions. Just at the pinnacle, when he can hold it no longer, he releases the burst of frigid essence-infused air, and a colossal shockwave rushes downwards
StorytellingPerson: The blast of cold air smashes into the stone disc, disintegrating the Oracle and turning her into a fine red mist, the stone itself cracking, slowly breaking up over the incredible heat from below and the cold from above, shattering under the sheer force of Sorcery that the Exalted wielded against it.
StorytellingPerson: Bursts of lava erupt from the volcano, and the rumbling roar reaches a crescendo as it erupts, even the sorcery of the exalted not enough to remove the natural pressures from the molten rock that surges upwards, blasting through the caldera with enormous force.
Gemini breaks loose from his trance, and follows the sword-wielding Exalted out from the chamber
Dezrik slithers over all obstacles seamlessly and without halting, the adrenaline blazing through his blessed veins. This was no place for a Steward to perish.
Kiarn shines with golden power, the essence within him mounting and nearly exploding from him as he leaps and bounds his way out of the god's sanctum, from rock to rock, moving as quickly as his Essence-laden body can leap from point to point.
Gemini pushes himself forwards on near-burning currents of air, keeping up his momentum as he escapes
StorytellingPerson: The three Exalted barely make it out of the temple before the lava erupts out from behind them, as they dodge to the side, watching the plants burn in the intense heat. Beneath them, waves of molten rock move towards the city of Seahaven, which is in a panic, boats setting off and people running for the hills.
Dezrik turns between the other two quickly, "Where is the smiling one!? Surely one of you magi can do something to impede the flow!"
Dezrik snarls with impotent frustration, "Bah! A boat. Quickly, I will not suffer my defense of your golden hides being for naught!"
Gemini flares his anima as in near prescience he blows away flying lava-rocks to protect the group. "I have a ship at the docks, let's go!"
Kiarn shouts as he runs for shore. "Argue when we get to a boat! This entire island is going to be on fire in a few minutes, you can kill one another THEN! RUN, DAMN YOU!"
Kiarn: "Lead, then, if you have a boat! Go! GO!"
Dezrik says nothing, slithering down the slope towards the docks at a speed regulated so as not to completely outpace the others.
Gemini runs down the main street of Seahaven towards the docks, the city already abandoned, his arms shooting up seemingly at random to force incoming boulders on slightly different trajectories, into nearby buildings instead of the group
Kiarn does his best to keep pace with Gemini, despite the rather unpleasant burns covering his exposed skin. Once the ship is sighted, he does not go for the gangplank, instead checking the others, moving to help Smilie should he, you know, actually be running towards us with the woman he saved.
Gemini: "There's my boat, hopefully all my crew made it. Get aboard!"
Dezrik rockets up the gangplank and onto the deck, whereupon he collapses, shifting out of his war form and back into the shape of an utterly exhausted bald Coralite.
Smilie can be seen making his way casually towards the docks, a mournful smile on his face as he trudges his way from the sky and back onto the boat.
Gemini runs up the dock and shouts orders to his half-drunk, though seemingly all alive crew, to cut the lines and get ready to set sail
Kiarn would assist Gull, as the other man apparently cared little for his safety, on getting onto the boat, and follow her up, and set to assisting the other sailors where possible.
StorytellingPerson: As you sail away, Seahaven burns. The lava covers the entire shore, the entire city is bathed in molten lava, as is the rest of the island that you can see. The volcano belches out black smoke that blocks out the sun completely, and a few survivors scream as they swim in the superheated boiling water. The once tropical paradise is now a perfect image of hell.
Kiarn spoke quietly above the sound of the burning waves.
Kiarn: "Perhaps we'd better find a new island."

Fiaryn

So maybe we obliterated an entire island. We sure kicked HIS ass! Ha-HA!

Guiltguiltguiltguiltguiltguilt.

Honestly though, props to Rainy for being a consistent IRC GM. Epic fare indeed.

Rainfall

Oh yeah, I did say I'd post the stats of the Lord of Earthen Fire.

For the record, I'm pissed that he absolutely failed to hit ANYONE.

Lord of Earthen Fire

Attributes

Strength 6
Dexterity 3
Stamina 6

Appearance 4
Charisma 5
Manipulation 1

Perception 3
Intelligence 2
Wits 2


Abilities

Martial Arts 5
Resistance 5
Integrity 3
Survival 4
Awareness 3
Presence 4


Virtues:

Conviction: 5
Compassion: 1
Valor: 5
Temperance: 1

Essence: 4
Motes: 43/100
Willpower: 10

Charms:
First Martial Arts Excellency

Second Martial Arts Excellency

Second Resistance Excellency

Essence Plethora

Materialize

Hurry Home

Volcano Form: 10m Adds 5L dice to all unarmed attacks, deals 2L per tick in a grapple, doubles Bashing soak and turns it to Lethal, scenelong

Inferno's Presence: Roll Presence+Charisma to force everyone to roll (stamina+resistance) in a contested action
or move back (3xessence yards) as you radiate intense heat for the next (essence) actions

Ox-Body Technique x5: Adds two -1 health levels

Summon Volcano's Fury: At the end of 6 ticks, the volcano erupts as long as the blood of the Lord of Earthen Fire still flows in his Sanctum.Two turns after the eruption begins, the lava erupts and fucks over everyone.

Principle of Motion


Health levels

-0: x
-1: xxxxxxxxxxxx
-2: xx
-4: x
I : x

Plutonium

Damn Load-Bearing bosses

Fiaryn

So guys, relaying this on to the rest of you as per Rainy's request. From March 13th to the 24th, four sessions worth of gamin', I'm not going to have any chance whatsoever at all of being able to make the games. I will be leaving the States for Spain and between time zones and the nature of the trip, it's increeedibly improbable that I'd be able to make it.

So, yeah. Sucks, but c'est la vie.

Edit: Not 13th to the 14th, 13th to the 24th. @_@

KrataLightblade

we'll miss you!

(and your snakeform)

Rainfall

Episode 3: Names and Aftershocks.

Talespinner: Abalone burns behind you. Smoke spills from the volcano, formerly home to the Lord of Earthen Fire, now nothing more than a font of lava, ash, and superheated gas. The once-grand city of Wavecrest is now a city of fire and death, and the survivors are all happy to leave it behind. The Constellation is the last boat to make it out of the harbor, mere minutes before the docks are overrun by the molten rock. One of the Exalted looks back from the deck, and softly speaks. 'We're going to need a bigger island'
***Kiarn took a long, deep breath and looked at the others. "Well. That was... interesting."
***Dezrik lies spread-eagled on the deck, significantly less impressive in his humanoid form he is quite lean in fact. "Yes. Interesting is a great word for mass carnage."
***Gemini comes back from checking that the sails are secure and the half-drunk crew are still in condition to keep the boat afloat.
Gemini: "So... Welcome aboard."
***Smilie has been strangely absent since he wandered below deck, somehow managing to avoid confrontation with the rest of the crew
Talespinner: Wave Wing Gull stares wide-eyed at the destruction behind them. Literally too shocked to speak, she crumples to the ground and starts sobbing.
***Kiarn gave Gemini an odd sort of half-bow. "I do not believe we were introduced before you called down the fury of the heavens on a volcano. I am Kiarn."
***Dezrik gives Kiarn a pointed look before responding, "Dezrik Serano."
***Kiarn chuckled and glanced at Dezrik. "Pleased to meet you too, Godslayer."
Talespinner: One of the crew sticks his head in the hatch to below decks and bellows: 'CAP'N GEMINI! WHAT COURSE DO WE SET?'
***Gemini returns the greetings with a full bow. "Gemini, and this is my ship, the constellation"
***Gemini turns "Let's see if we can catch up with those ships in the distance, the others who got away."
***Dezrik pulls himself to his feet, "What for in particular do we want to do that again?"
Talespinner: Wave starts at the noise, and then starts swearing vociferously. She's not happy at all. The crewman nods, and starts bellowing orders to the rest of the crew. Apparently he decided to be first mate today.
Gemini: "I came here to see if I can meet somebody, and I plan to do it."
Gemini: "Though perhaps that somebody might have been one of you, seeing as how fate seems to have brought us together."
Dezrik: "Fate huh. Fate's a right bastard if this is it's idea of friendly introductions"
***Gemini whispers "Do any of you happen to be representatives of the guild of wavecrest?"
***Kiarn took a few moments to collect himself, and moved closer to the others. "I am afraid not."
Dezrik: "Nothing of the sort."
Kiarn: "Perhaps this was fate's way of telling you it had other plans."
Gemini: "And that eloquent fellow who just came up from below decks, did any of you manage to catch his name?"
Talespinner: Wave stands from the deck and looks at Gemini, her jaw set. 'Captain Gemini, although I use the word Captain loosely, did your crew finish unloading my cargo before the... unpleasantness happened?'
Gemini: "I'm not quite sure, what with the panic. Why don't you check to see if any of the crates are still aboard?"
***Kiarn mouthed the word "unpleasantness" with a slightly shocked expression, but didn't speak.
***Dezrik turns his head to Wave as she begins to speak, looking out and out impressed that she's anything but wracked with grief.
Talespinner: Wave sneers, and heads towards the deck hatch, calling over her shoulder."'If you still have my cargo, you're still bound by law to carry it to Windgate. I suggest you set course, 'Captain.'"
***Kiarn blinked at the woman, and glanced at Gemini.
Kiarn: "Which law, exactly, if you don't mind my asking? Hopefully not the laws of the burning rock we just left."
Gemini: "Damn..."
Talespinner: Wave pointedly ignores Kiarn as she heads into the cargo hold.
Dezrik: "Look are we seriously debating with a woman who's home was just incinerated and still has the strength to talk about business?"
Gemini: "Well, we can't throw her overboard."
Kiarn: "I was simply curious what business our captain was on, that's all."
Kiarn: "If he'd rather not say..."
Gemini: "Not at all, I was just, well, looking for an old friend."
Gemini: "I was told I might find answers within the guild at Wavecrest, but now I know it was a fool's errand."
Dezrik: "And that cargo? Do you know what you're carrying?"
Dezrik: "I think you might want to ask, as I suspect it has a lot to do with why she's able to so quickly shrug off the death of her people."
Gemini: "Truth be told, I didn't bother to check it, she wanted some trinkets or somesuch shipped to Windgate, and I turned back on a tip."
Kiarn: "She likely won't tell you. You'll probably have to crack them open yourself. The laws she mentioned might be, shall we say, unpleasantly opposed to that idea. On the other hand, it might be worthwhile to make sure what you're trafficking in."
Dezrik: "Ha, trinkets. Not bloody likely. If you want to pry or not, that's up to you. I've said my piece. Now where's the food I am halfway down the delightful road to starvation."
Gemini: "Galley's below deck, um, Dezrik, you said you name was."
Gemini: "I'm going to go see if I can find our mutual friend with the silver tongue, I think he took a nasty kick to the head that might need looking at."
***Dezrik nods, "Looks like that's where I'm going then" and with that he sets course for food.
***Gemini heads below deck looking for the priestly fellow
***Kiarn took it upon himself to follow Gemini for the moment. He seemed to be the boss around here.
Kiarn: "Gemini you said your name was, and the ship the Constellation. An interesting pair of names there."
Gemini: "And yours, Kiarn it was. I didn't notice you beforehand in our little confrontation."
Kiarn: "I was... well, shall we say, I noticed that the mountain seemed a bit angry. I felt it deserved investigation. Discussing things with a good and reasonable god solves more than one might think. ..Imagine my surprise when children of the Unconquered Sun and Luna are locked in deadly combat."
Gemini: "I never thought I would meet others."
***Kiarn smiled. "Life has an interesting way of drawing us together, it seems. Or so my studies indicate."
***Gemini looks away from Kiarn's smiling face. "All I know of destiny is that you can never really anticipate anything."
***Dezrik approaches the pair rapidly still in the process of grinding foodstuffs into a swallowable mass. He makes a noise, perhaps even something that was meant to be language at them through his mouthful of foodstuffs.
Kiarn: "Untrue. You can anticipate everything. You simply cannot assume your anticipations are correct... unless you want to be wrong. In any case. Perhaps once we find our other new friend, we'd best discuss what we're going to do next."
Talespinner: The sound of the shouting crew echo from above the deck, but the galley itself is rather silent, aside from the conversation of the Exalted.
***Kiarn glanced over his shoulder as Dezrik approached, and then up at the deck above them, then shook his head, but didn't speak.
***Dezrik swallows his meal and enunciates something considerably more intelligible to the two, "Where the hell is the other? Grins 'n giggles?"
Kiarn: "He seems not to be interested in joining us. Seasick, perhaps?"
Gemini: "Sometimes I begin to question if there is a destiny for us all, or if all our lives are just like leaves in a breeze"
***Dezrik shrugs, "Do we even get seasick? I'm a bit new to this"
Kiarn: "Fatalism doesn't accomplish much. Perhaps we should focus on doing what we can and not worry so about whether it's already been decided?"
Gemini: "Well, we had better check out what that merchantress has in her crates that she's so willing to overlook thousands of deaths for. The cargo hold is this way."
Dezrik: "Glad we agree that's priority worthy."
***Dezrik trails behind the Solars, marching cargo-wards.
Talespinner: As the Exalted enter the cargo hold, they see a series of boxes, all carefully stacked and stowed. Lying on the floor next to them is Wave Wing Gull, her face pale and still.
***Kiarn moves immediately to her side to examine the woman.
Dezrik: "Well that can't be good."
***Gemini kneels at the woman's side and takes her pulse.
Kiarn: "Gone." Hm.
***Gemini looks up at the others. "She's dead."
Dezrik: "Shit, and here I was beginning to like her."
Kiarn: "No wounds."
***Dezrik shrugs, "Suicide via a poison perhaps? Who knows. Lets get those crates open regardless."
***Kiarn dropped his sack of personal effects to the floor... the sack he'd left Scholar's STing in. Just in case. "Yes, let's."
Gemini: "Seems like she's been dead a while, she's cold. This doesn't seem completely natural."
***Kiarn let his right hand close around the serpent-sting-staff's folded lengths and stood up, withdrawing it from the bag. "Indeed. Be cautious, yes?"
***Gemini steps over to the corner of the hold and grabs two crowbars, tossing one to Dezrik.
Talespinner: Dezrik and Gemini pry open one of the boxes, and all he sees is... trinkets. A few amulets, some charms, a painting, a few dishes... basically what you'd see if you boxed up a thrift store.
***Dezrik shakes his head, "This can't be all there is to it." he begins to dig around in the crate, searching.
Talespinner: There's nothing else in the boxes. Just... trash.
***Kiarn begins to stalk the hold, searching it for anyone who might not want to be seen.
***Dezrik looks absolutely puzzled, "This makes no damn sense. There's something we're missing. Search her."
***Gemini starts looking through the dead woman's pockets.
Gemini: "Something's sewn into the linings of her pockets"
Dezrik: "Any of you a linguist?"
***Gemini pulls out of pocketknive and starts cutting through the fabric
***Dezrik pulls her head up, indicating red script tattoo'd on the back of her neck.
Kiarn: "I speak and read several languages, yes.”
Talespinner: (it's written in High Realm, which of you guys know the language?)
***Gemini stops sawing at the thick coat and turns the body over to examine the tattoo
***Gemini clears his throat. "Bound to the Darkness that goes up... ascends maybe, in a great wave to the heavens. Those who aid this servant, no, slave, shall perish.
Kiarn: "...Sounds like Gull was into black cults."
***Smilie leans in from behind the assembled Exalted. "Well, that's ominous."
Dezrik: "Figured you'd pop in when things got interesting."
***Smilie grins brightly. "I'd hate to disappoint!
***Kiarn glanced back at Smilie and narrowed his eyes a bit, but smoothed his face and kept checking behind boxes for any stowaways.
***Smilie looks down at Gull's body. "Poor Ms. Gull." He holds up a plain bottle. "And I was going to give her a gift."
Dezrik: "Still no indication of precisely what killed her."
Talespinner: As Kiarn searches the room, he doesn't find anything. The room is empty aside from the body, the boxes, and the Exalted.
Kiarn: "There's no one else here. She can't have been dead for long, and nobody else came up before we came down here, did they?"
Gemini: "Speaking of which, where have you been gone to... I never did catch your name."
***Smilie continues his line of thought, as if oblivious to the search going on. "I suppose with Aballone gone it'll be worth something eventually..."
***Smilie bows politely to Gemini. "Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier, Captain. Wandering priest, contemplator of life and death, and brother in your endeavors, at your service. Call me whatever you wish."
Dezrik: "Whatever we wish? Why not just tell us your name?"
Kiarn: "A holy man who wants to pawn a gift for a dead woman. Hm."
Smilie: The priest taps his staff against the floor. "Because I don't like demanding how people address me."
***Gemini looks at the priest a little cockeyed, as the newcomer was bowing formally over the dead body.
Dezrik: "Fine. Grins 'N Giggles it is."
Dezrik: "So this is wonderful. She's dead, we still have identified no particular use to this cargo, she's apparently part of a black cult, and we don't know what killed her."
***Dezrik frowns, grumbles, and resumes searching the crates out of lostness if naught else.
***Gemini reaches down and finishes cutting out the object lined in the dead body's pocket.
***Gemini takes another, longer look at Wave's corpse.
***Kiarn frowned and cocked his head at Gemini. "Might I be of assistance somehow?"
Kiarn: "I know a small bit about Eastern medicine and anatomy."
Kiarn: "We suffer from a number of poisons there. I might be able to identify one given a bit of time."
Gemini: "Take a look, though from what I've read, it looks like trauma or shock."
Gemini: "Now what's this?"
***Smilie taps his staff again. "It's obvious what happened here."
Dezrik: "Take your time. It's not like we have any other pressing matters than abrupt deaths on your ship eh?"
Kiarn: "Obvious?"
***Gemini pulls a small black token out from the lining of her coat pocket
***Smilie nods. "Taking a look at the situation, the sequence of events, and the evidence right in front of us," he leans in dramatically, and raises a finger, "there is only one thing that can be confidently deduced regarding what happened."
***Gemini looks up at the priest
Kiarn: "...There are any number of things that can be deduced, not the least of which are sorcery or poison or mere shock."
***Smilie gestures to Wave Wing Gull's body. "She died," he says.
***Gemini rolls his eyes as he began to examine the coin
Dezrik: "Priest, if you hadn't proved yourself of some use in a fight, I would be sorely tempted to kill you for that comment."
***Kiarn raised an eyebrow at Smilie, but chose not to say the only thing that came to his mind.
***Kiarn instead knelt to begin a bit more thorough examination of the body.
Gemini: "Now this is strange, it seems to be some sort of identification coin.
Gemini: "I've seen this symbol before."
Smilie: "Oh?" The priest leans forward and cranes his neck to see the coin Gemini is holding.
Gemini: "I.. I think it's a guild Identification coin."
Kiarn: "...Guild? Well, that'd explain why she was so insistent to move her trinkets."
***Smilie claps his hands together. "How about that! It seems like we haven't lost our ways entirely!"
Dezrik: "You'd still expect the cargo to be something note worthy, for all her drive."
Dezrik: "I can't find anything unusual at all in those bloody crates."
Kiarn: "Were any crates left behind?"
Kiarn: "Any at all?"
Smilie: "Now now," the priest waves a finger, "with investments like this it's not the cargo itself, but the value of the cargo to other people."
Gemini: "Wait, what exactly is this guild? I've heard whispers and seen symbols in books, but I know nothing about it."
Dezrik: "The guild exists to buy everything. Your soul too if they could."
Kiarn: "They can."
Kiarn: "And do."
***Smilie twirls his staff. "Things have certainly gotten more interesting. Perhaps we should investigate."
Dezrik: "Well, looks like taking these crates to their destination is all that'll get us anywhere."
Kiarn: "Gemini. Is there somewhere I can examine her body in private? I don't think telling your crew that people are dying and we don't know why is a good idea."
Dezrik: "Assuming a more thorough investigation of her corpse doesn't turn up anything informative."
Gemini: "Go ahead, though give me one second."
***Gemini rifles through the dead body's pockets, pulling out her sack of money. "We'll need this more than her."
***Smilie scrunches his brow. "Prudent, but I don't believe she'd appreciate that."
Dezrik: "Well if money is what you're looking for..."
Kiarn: "Try not to steal too much from the dead. I would rather not deal with angry ghosts."
Dezrik: "I'd recommend taking her hair ornaments. They're worth a fair bit."
***Smilie shakes his head. "I would advise against it."
Gemini: "Go for it yourselves, We're near out of supplies and need cash to restock and pay the crew."
Kiarn: "Perhaps you should confiscate her cargo and leave her personal effects be."
***Dezrik shrugs, "I'm not gonna take 'em myself, if I wanted them they'd have been nicked when none of you knew they were worth anything."
Dezrik: "But if the Captain needs funds, he does what he have to. Up to him."
Gemini: "I can respect the dead, but if the crew doesn't get paid, they won't sail the ship."
***Smilie clears his throat. "She has no need of her money, and assuming we are on our way to deliber her items it is rightfull our Captain's."
Kiarn: "The crew likely won't sail if your ship is haunted. Sailors, in my experience, are notoriously superstitious. Are yours different?"
***Dezrik turns to depart the room, "Right, well, I don't see any particular use for my talents down here. I'm heading top side to lend a hand to the crew where I can."
Kiarn: "All I am saying is that we should leave her body and personal effects as unmolested as possible and give her to the sea, or whatever your Western customs are when we know what killed her."
Gemini: "They've already seen more than any normal seaman after tonight, and I need them staying aboard until we get to our destination."
Smilie: "The money is yours, Captain, assuming you continue with your job. The rest of you, leave her personal effects. They were hers in life, and should go with her to her grave."
***Kiarn cocked his head at Smilie. "Isn't that essentially what I just said?"
Gemini: "Once they sober up, they'll begin to ask questions - and I need them well paid."
***Smilie winks. "You didn't mention the money."
Kiarn: "In any case, Smilie. You claimed to be a holy man. perhaps you'd be willing to perform whatever service her people require?"
Gemini: "In the meantime, I would rather have these trinkets off the ship - and if she said she had a buyer in Windhaven, that's where we'll need to be heading.
Talespinner: *windgate
***Smilie nods. "It would be my pleasure. These things are my specialty." He gestures to her body. "Once one of you has inspected her for the cause of death, I'll make the necessary preparations."
***Gemini heads abovedecks. "Pilot, set course for Windgate."
Kiarn: "Thank you. I'm sure she will appreciate it, if she has not passed to some hell for whatever she might have agreed to. In any case, I need some time, alone. Pray meet me on deck in about three halves of an hour."
Smilie: "First things first..." The priest reaches into a pocket and withdraws a small knife, barely a scalpel, and with one swift movement cuts away a piece of Gull's hair. He returns the knife and the lock to his pocket. With a whisk of his cloak, he turns and heads off elsewhere into the ship.
Talespinner: Silence returns to the room as the rest of the Exalted leave, Kiarn standing alone with the corpse as he begins his investigation.
***Gemini steps over to the ship's provisioner. “How many days worth of food and fresh water do we have?”
Talespinner: The man shrugs. 'Prob'ly enough to get us to Windgate, if rations are lean. 'F course, we can always fish, and there's lots of rum.'
***Gemini nods. "Make sure the crew gets extra rum for the next few nights, and we'll make haste."
Talespinner: ''F course, Sur.'
***Gemini walks off after checking the rigging, and heads down to his quarters.
***Gemini sits down at his desk, and unlocks his desk drawer, pulling out a wire tiara and throwing in the sack of jade scrip.
Gemini: a short blue burst of light can be seen through the cracks into the captain's chambers, if anybody is looking, and the ship slams forwards for a moment, bufore stabilizing.
***Kiarn concludes his investigation and re-packs his bag, then heads topside to assist the sailors until the others are done with whatever they're doing.
***Gemini breaks his concentration, allocating a small part of his essence to keeping the sails full, before starting a major divination on the events of the coming day.
Gemini: It had been a long, long time since he had last divined, but Gemini felt that now it was finally time to start.
***Gemini smiles. It had been a long time.
Talespinner: The ship cut through the water like a knife through butter, propelled by sorcerous winds. The crew shouted and cheered. Wind was always behind them with Cap'n Gemini.

For those not paying attention, we have two open slots if anyone is interested in joining up. Thursdays/Fridays, 6 PM MST.

Powerslave

oh screw you guys

see if this necromancer bothers to save you all from the legions of hungry ghosts you probably created :P

Rainfall

Episode 4: Surprise Attacks(x2)

TellerofStories: As the sun sets behind the seas, darkness spreads over the ruined island of Abalone. The thousands of deaths from the erupting volcano, leaving the island a lifeless husk of it's former beauty, rip open the veil between Creation and the Underworld, and a Shadowland forms, an unholy union between the two. Nonetheless, the Constellation is far enough away from shore to avoid the swarms of hungry, angry ghosts that now populate the shores of the island. The night passes peacefully, and the new day dawns bright and clear, with a murky blackness behind the ship.
TellerofStories: The crew is rather silent this morning. The night watch was plagued by the screaming echoes from across the waters, and the resting day shift silent at the scale of destruction they saw the previous day.
TellerofStories: The only sound is the crash of the waves and the snap of the sails in the sharp wind that blows the Constellation towards Windgate.
***Kiarn rises early, having slept badly, and comes to stand at the aft of the ship, staring at the sea behind them.
***Gemini climbs abovedecks, his head aching with a slight hangover
***Smilie looks away from a conversation he is having with a sailor, and with a pleasant remark and a handshake the priest dismisses the man as the other Exalted rise to greet the day.
***Dezrik makes his way abovedeck, rubbing his eyes and glancing about tiredly.
***Dezrik squints his eyes at the darkness that now envelops Abalone in the distance, "Is that...?"
Kiarn: "A Shadowland formed overnight. Somehow, I hadn't thought about the possibility until I saw it."
Smilie: The priest rests his staff in the crook of his arm, and clasps his hands together. "I was getting anxious! I hope you all slept well."
***Kiarn glanced at Smilie. "I would have, but for the screaming of the murdered, priest. Is there anything that can be done here, do you think?"
Gemini: "A Shadowland... I have never seen one before."
Smilie: "Well..." the priest taps a finger against his lower lip, "I suppose we could..." he trails off, deep in thought.
Kiarn: "I passed near Thorns on my way West. I wished I hadn't ever since. It is... not a pleasant sight."
***Smilie snaps his fingers. "I know!"
Dezrik: "This oughta be good."
Smilie: "The one thing we can do here--and it's really ingeniously simple--," he taps his staff pointedly, "is sail as far away from it as possible."
Gemini: "That is something I can agree upon. The place weighs deeply upon me."
Dezrik: "Priest is right. Unless one of you learned how to heal entire islands of blight overnight, we don't want to go near that thing."
***Kiarn raised an eyebrow at Smilie, and shook his head. "I'd hoped for something a bit more ingenious than overdramatically telling us to do what I thought we were already doing anyway."
***Smilie shakes his head. "Oh, there's no healing it. No conventional way of it." He scratches the back of his head, and takes a seat on the ship's rail, crossing his legs.
Kiarn: "I feel somewhat responsible. Despite not being the vector of the god's death." He glanced sidways at Dezrik, but didn't expound. "I understand that we go to Windgate now. Do we have any sort of plan after that?"
Dezrik: "Delivering the lass' cargo might lead us to some clues."
Gemini: "I think that we should follow the trail of the merchant. Speaking of which, what have you determined about the cause of her death?"
Kiarn: "She's rotting faster than I'm comfortable with. She had a tattoo ont he back of her neck that disappeared while I was checking the body, and she's being essentially eaten from the inside out."
Dezrik: "By what precisely?"
Kiarn: "Necrotic Essence, is my guess. Which would likely put her as a member of a death cult. The tattoo might have been a suicide tool, or perhaps she upset her masters somehow."
***Smilie pipes up. "Well I didn't do it."
***Kiarn glanced at Smilie. "Why would we think you had?"
Dezrik: "Sure you didn't. The tattoo did seem to imply the latter of the options you presented, so I'd go with that."
***Smilie coughs. "Regardless, it might be good for the mind to assess the mess."
Kiarn: "In any case. Her body seems to be rotting away, which means either she's older than she looked and was kept alive with sorcery, or the tattoo was meant to kill her BY rotting her to death. Either way, I'd much prefer that you dealt with her body quickly, priest."
Gemini: "How do you suggest that we dispose of it?"
Kiarn: "The priest said he could take care of it. I asked him before I examined her."
***Smilie raises a hand. "Leave it to me. There's not threat." He pauses. "Yet. Presuming there's the possibility for one."
Dezrik: "Well that's just dandy. I'll leave those fun and games to you lot then. If hordes of angry dead people show up, I'll let you know."
Gemini: I've knowledge of much of the occult, but I must say that the affairs of necromancers still elude me."
***Dezrik picks at his teeth idly, his gaze focused on the shadowland in the distance.
Kiarn: "Be happy for that, Gemini. I wouldn't want to see into the sick mind that has to play with the dead."
Smilie: The priests taps his staff, and leans forward in his seat. "Our affairs aren't that complicated." He waves a hand dismissively. "Now, to take stock of the situation..." he switches subjects abruptly.
Gemini: "Yes, back on that subject, I hope none of you had pressing affairs on Abalone. What was your business there?"
Dezrik: "I was looking for a new ship to crew with."
Kiarn: "I was... drawn there. But I believe I was drawn... to you lot, actually, more than Abalone itself."
Smilie: "Taking a walk," the priest plainly explains.
TellerofStories: A chill breeze passes over the boat from the direction of Abalone, carrying the screams of the ghosts, bound forever to the Shadowland.
***Dezrik mutters, "Well isn't that scenic."
***Kiarn twitched slightly at the sounds of the dead screaming over the waves.
Gemini: "I've learned much about the tradewinds, but that is not something I wish to investigate."
Gemini: "Let us make haste to our destination - Have any of you been to Windgate before?"
***Smilie raises a hand, holding out several fingers. "To give an estimate of what follows our... venture," he begins, "there's likely to be a number of consequences for our actions."
Dezrik: "I've stopped in there once or twice."
Kiarn: "I've only just arrived in the West." He glanced at Smilie. "As for consequences... somehow, priest, I'd think you might want to make comments that are actually helpful now and again, yes?"
Dezrik: "Situational awareness can be helpful."
***Gemini turns to smilie, eyebrows raised in questioning.
***Smilie grins cheerily at Kiarn, and continues. "To be blunt, we've upset the power structure."
Smilie: He throws his hands in the air. "Now, it's not in my nature to presume what we will and won't find on the rest of the islands here, but... I suspect some of them will be very distressed. And more than one opportunistic."
Kiarn: "I cannot imagine anyone sane wanting to profit from a new Shadowland. But then, I cannot imagine that the deathknights are sane."
Dezrik: "To expect opportunism on this situation to be restricted to just Skullstone is...optimistic at best."
Dezrik: "The guild."
***Smilie clucks his tongue. "I'm not referring to that. The heart of Wavecrest is quite definitely gone. Which island do you believe is going to step up and claim dominance?"
Gemini: "Yes, the Guild does seem to be cought up in our current affairs."
Dezrik: "It's not just about the shadowland. It's about the removal of Abalone"
Dezrik: "Windgate strikes me as the most likely successor as heart of power in Wavecrest, for the moment at least."
Dezrik: "Wavecrest's fleets make their home there."
Smilie: Drumming his finger on the railing. "Pearl is the largest, and the heart of the fleet. But I'd imagine some of the other islands might like to think of themselves as seperate. We could be looking at a civil scenario."
Kiarn: "Somehow I wonder whether the Guild would have the resources to plunder a newly-formed expanding Shadowland with thousands of angry dead screaming for blood."
Kiarn: "I'd think they'd wait until someone else did and move in then."
Dezrik: "Lad...I'll say it again. It's not about the shadowland. It's about the removal of the bloody capital of the Wavecrest trade alliance, about massive swathes of food generating land."
***Smilie continues. "And then there's to consider the nature of the Skullstone islands... that speaks for itself. Compounded with this naturally is the Guild, who has a unique opportunity in an effectively crippled nation."
Dezrik: "Do you see NOW how the Guild stands to profit?"
Gemini: "I don't doubt that there's something odd going on with the Guild, and the existence of a mysterious cult among its members defenitely adds to the mystery."
Kiarn: "I'd be more worried of the Realm in that case than the Guild, truly. But then, I don't know how large the Guild's trade fleets are. If we were in the East, it'd be diufferent than here."
Dezrik: "The Realm operates very little at all out here. And the Guild? They've got more than a little bit of a presence."
***Smilie nods towards Gemini. "That we've witnessed a kind of amateurish bit of necromancing in Ms. Gull... I can't help but consider jumping to frightening conclusions." All the while the smile never falters from his face, giving an insincere or at best eerie quality to his words.
Kiarn: "I feel that perhaps, being somewhat responsible, it might be best if we did something to assure that this doesn't break the entire region."
Kiarn: "I also feel that it would be best if we didn't spread our names around too much until we get a handle on things."
***Smilie hops down off the railing. "I couldn't have said it better myself. This is an opportunity, not a calamity."
Gemini: "This cargo might lead us to something once we reach Windgate - perhaps it is not as innocent as it seems, what for the effort that our former guest went to protect it."
Kiarn: "I agree that it might be important, but I suggest we not get so concerned with it that we refuse to accept that it may well be just whgat it appears. Just putting that out there."
Smilie: "Whatever the three of you decide to do, I know my course here." He looks between the three Exalted.
TellerofStories: A couple of the crew brush past the group of Exalted as they head for the galley below, yawning from lack of sleep.
Dezrik: ""Just what it appears" is best case scenario more than a little bit sinister."
Dezrik: "I don't think speculation has gotten too out of hand given the nature of it, so far."
Kiarn: "I understand. I simply suggest we not assume either way."
***Smilie chuckles. "No sense dwelling on our cargo. We can ask questions of its rightful owner when we meet her."
Kiarn: "In any case, we will get little resolved before Windgate. If you've use for me, I'll work with your crew until then."
Gemini: "Fine by me, everyone should familiarize themselves with the workings of the ship."
***Dezrik nods, "Of course, Captain". With that, the Lunar sets about doing just that, roaming the ship and lending a hand to the crew where necessary.
TellerofStories: Gemini's ears are filled with the cries of the dead as another breeze crosses the deck of the ship. Everyone else hears a muffled cry and a thud from downstairs, and then silence as the breeze passes.
Smilie: "We should consider just what we want to learn from our destination before we get there."
***Dezrik stops, "Did you lot hear that?"
Kiarn: "...Yes. Yes I did."
Gemini: "All too well."
***Kiarn heads immediately for belowdecks, taking only enough time to grab his sack.
***Dezrik bounds for the hatch, making his way below decks.
***Gemini looks around at the others, wondering what's going on, before following them.
***Smilie watches the others head down, then is suddenly gone himself.
TellerofStories: As you entire the galley, the room is entirely black. The torches that had been set on the walls are gone, and the portholes to the open air are sealed. The only light that comes in filters through faintly from the hatch to belowdecks.
***Dezrik steps forward slowly with sword drawn, glancing this way and that as he attempts to adjust to the utter darkness. "This doesn't exactly bode well."
Kiarn: "...Caution is advisable." Kiarn dropped the sack, withdrawing from it Scholar's Sting as he stepped downstairs, careful to stay in the light for the moment.
***Dezrik feels around on the wall, attempting to find a torch.
***Gemini glows his anima, illuminating the area a few feet around him
TellerofStories: The room lights up as Gemini expends Essence, to reveal two dark shadow... things swirling around the feet of Gemini and Kiarn. The two crew who had entered the ship are lying on the ground, seemingly unharmed, but their open, staring eyes are completely inky black.
TellerofStories: The shadows swirl up around the feet of their victims, crawling across their skin. Your skin chills beneath them, and you feel dark energies coursing inside the shadows as they crawl upwards towards your mouth.
TellerofStories: The shadows grip Gemini's lips, forcing them open as the blackness pours into his mouth.
TellerofStories: Kiarn struggles, his instincts keeping him moving, preventing the shadows from crawling much further up his body.
***Smilie appears out of the darkness, looking genuinely distressed. "Dezrik! Your sword! Fire!"
Dezrik: "We're inside a ship! Wooden!"
***Smilie jabs a finger towards Gemini and Kiarn. "Scare it off with fire!"
***Gemini struggles and tries to mumble
***Dezrik curses and tightens his grip on his weapon. With a glimmer of the jewel embedded in the pommel the weapon is lit ablaze and he begins to wave it near the shadows, attempting to frighten them off as Smilie asks.
TellerofStories: The shadow surrounding Kiarn flows off of him, moving to a corner to avoid the blazing sword. Gemini still struggles under the weight of the moving shadow, as the magical darkness flows into his throat.
***Smilie's free hand flies out and snatches one of the darkened torches out, and with a swing of his arm he presses the end of the piece of wood against Dezrik's blazing sword. "Excuse me while I borrow some of yours," he says, and waves the flames in the direction of Gemini, trying to frighten the other shadow away.
TellerofStories: The shadow presses closer to Gemini's body, evading the fire as it flows into his body, crushing his flesh.
TellerofStories: The shadow in the corner surges at Kiarn once again, but he quickly drives it away with several blows of his staff, keeping it from touching his body.
***Gemini closes his eyes and concentrated, his anima glowing further as he suddenly... is free of the grasp of the shadowy creature, easily passing through its grasp. He opens his eyes and looks down at his arm, eerily transparent for a moment before resubstantiating.
***Gemini collapses to his knees, his ribs feel to be cracked on his left side.
***Kiarn slid forward, his Caste Mark glowing visible in front of him as he moved, spinning in a circle and letting Scholar's Sting snake out from his right hand, to crush at the opponent, essence trailing down his arm to empower the blow.
TellerofStories: The strike hits squarely in the center of the shadow, and the golden Essence sparks cover it briefly before it soundlessly shrivels into nothingness.
***Dezrik glances to the destruction of the other shadow, and nonetheless opts to herd the other shadow into a corner rather than actually attack it.
Dezrik: "Priest, should I attack it or not yet?"
***Smilie nods briskly. "Go right ahead. Fire works wonders on them."
***Gemini clutches his ribs and takes a few painful steps towards the ladder upward. He was sure he had heard something pop during the surpise attack.
***Smilie grins maliciously at the remaining shadow. "And for you, my little friend," He moves to brush the quivering mass with the flame, "I do not take kindly to this."
***Dezrik brings the blade back and makes one simple slash at the creature with his blazing blade.
TellerofStories: The instant the flame touches the shadow, it lets loose a keening wail before shrivelling up, a brief burst of flame covering its... body. All that is left is a black residue of shadow in one corner of the galley.
***Kiarn gathered back up his weapon, and glanced over just as the other shadow was destroyed, speaking to Dezrik. "Gull, below!"
***Smilie nods with satisfaction as the inky blot burns to nothing, and immediately sets off to where Gull's body was being held.
***Dezrik merely nods, taking a moment to quite calmly relight the torches with the tip of his weapon before moving off.
***Kiarn accompanied the others to find Gull's body.
***Dezrik proceeds to quench the flames of his weapon for safety's sake thereafter, letting flared animas do the work of lighting the area.
TellerofStories: The cargo hold that held Gull's body now holds nothing more than the nondescript boxes and the stench of rot. Or... no. A piece of folded paper lies among Gull's rotted clothes on the floor.
Smilie: Without a moment's hesitation, the priest strides in and scoops up the note. He peers sharply at the paper, brows furrowed.
***Gemini slowly and painfully makes his way over to the Rum Barrel in the corner, uncasks the top and dips in the tin cup on a thin chain to the barrel, and drains the contents.
Gemini: "Godsdammit
***Smilie crumples the paper in one hand, and gestures with his torch back to the galley. "One of you take care of the bodies. Those things sometimes hide inside people, and there could be more." He looks over his shoulder, grinning sharply. "We have our meeting point. The Inn of the Seven Sails."
***Dezrik merely nods at Smilie's words and marches back to the corpses to check them over.
***Kiarn moves off to search for any other bodies down here, just in case.
***Smilie taps his staff hard against the floor, clearly agitated. As he wanders back through the ship he calls to the others. "Be alert. We may have a necromancer on board."
TellerofStories: Only the two bodies lie on the floor, the rest of the crew is unharmed and either sleeping or above-decks.
Smilie: He looks thoughtful for a moment, and then amends his statement. "Besides me."
***Kiarn muttered under his breath. "Great. More stating the bloody obvious."
***Kiarn helped Dezrik gather the pair of bodies together and then moved to check on Gemini. "Are you going to be all right?"
***Dezrik sets down one of the corpses where they were previously keeping Gull.
***Gemini squints in pain. "I think I've got a few broken ribs."
Smilie: The priest deposits the note in the captain's quarters, still holding tight to his torch, and then proceeds to comb the ship for anything particularly unusual, including--but not limited to--a walking corpse, creeping shadows, or oddly-dressed men with a desire to kill him and his friends.
***Dezrik (with his blade STILL kept out) shadows Smilie, aiding him in the search and simultaneously ensuring nothing befalls him.
TellerofStories: The ship is empty. The three sleeping night watch, the cargo in the hold, the supplies in the galley... there's nothing to be found that you haven't already.
Kiarn: "Your men are very dead. May I suggest that you arrange for none of them to come down here without one of us?"
Gemini: "Ugh.. What's wrong with their eyes?"
Kiarn: "I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure it's got something to do with being nearly eaten to death by shadows."
Gemini: "Well, can you make sure all corpses are disposed of quickly from now on?"
***Smilie regroups with Gemini and Kiarn. "Those things crawled inside and killed them, and could still be inside of them." He says, wasting no time.
Dezrik: "Lets throw them the hell overboard then" he says sourly, entering behind the priest.
***Smilie shakes his head. "While I'm loathe to treat the deceased as such, we need them off as quickly as possible."
***Gemini slowly hobbles up, stabilizing himself by holding the edge of the rum barrel. "Get rid of them then."
***Dezrik kneels and hefts a corpse, putting it over his shoulder. "I'd be delighted to, in the interests of not having a face hugging shadow infestation."
Smilie: "Would you like for me to say a few words at the tossing, Captain? I can only imagine how the past two days look to your crew..."
Kiarn: "You need to talk to your men, Captain." Kiarn moved to the other body and, with a heave, hefted it as Dezrik had.
***Gemini slowly pulls himself fully upright and feels his way over to his quarters, where he painfully takes a knee and starts pulling out bandages
Gemini: "Dispose of them now, we'll inform the crew later."
Kiarn: "They'll be plenty informed when we carry two bodies past them. But it's your call." And he nodded to Dezrik. "Shall we?"
***Dezrik makes his way above deck with corpse in tow, "Best hurry up figuring out what you're going to say priest, because I'm only going to be willing to wait so long before chucking this guy."
***Smilie wordlessly strides after Dezrik.
TellerofStories: As the Exalted enter the light again, this time bearing the bodies of two of the crew... the remainder of the crew set up a howl of protest.
TellerofStories: 'I TOLD YOU WOMEN WERE BAD LUCK! I TOLD YOU SO! GODDAMN CAPTAIN'S GONNA GET US ALL KILLED!'
Dezrik: "Guess they were more awake than they let on eh priest." the warrior remarks dryly.
***Smilie takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, looking as composed and calm as ever. "I believe they were."
***Dezrik turns his head slowly, taking in the sight of the angry crew, listening to their individual shouted complaints.
TellerofStories: The crew hop down from the rigging, looking menacingly at the three Exalts. The apparent leader steps forwards, and glares straight at the priest. 'I don't know where the cap'n is, or what tricks you're trying to pull on us, but we think you oughta leave. Crest and Slash were good friend of ours, and they wouldn'ta been dead if you hadn't brought that woman aboard.'
Smilie: "Continues with your task, Dezrik. Don't mind the crew." He opens his eyes and meets the gazes of as many of them as he can. There's clearly something charged in the air, a tingling feeling that something is about to happen, and happen amazingly.
***Dezrik nods at that, walking to the edge of the boat he leaves the issue of the crew to Smilie.
***Kiarn glanced once at Smilie, but chose to let him deal with the others as he chose. He followed Dezrik, and laid the corpse against the edge of the ship, ready to the thrown overboard when the time came.
Smilie: "Your captain knows what he's doing," he says to the evident leader, levying a blank stare at him. As jovial as his face may imply, his eyes are as dead as they can be.
***Dezrik sets the corpse down at the edge and stands, turning to face the unfolding scene.
TellerofStories: The man sneers and takes a step towards Smilie, his fists clenched. 'Yeah, but where's the Cap'n, huh? I want you and yer men OFF THIS BOAT!'
***Kiarn quietly disdains to explain with fists that he is not the priest's man.
Smilie: "Enough." The words are spoken quietly, without a raised or lowered tone. Despite this, they carry clearly to every ear present, even over the surf and over the wails from the newly-formed shadowland. The priest's anima flares into existence, and over him looms that same robed figure, that samed masked man from the volcano. Even though its masked, it gives the distinct impressed that it's peering down at everyone, scrutinizing them
Smilie: The priest keeps his smile, even as golden currents whip his cape and clothing. He's the picture of serenity in the brilliant maelstrom of light and grief and fear. "You WILL trust you captain's judgement," he demands authoritatively, "this is his ship, you are HIS crew, and WE are under his command."
TellerofStories: The crew all look on in shock as the Exalt displays his power, taking several steps backwards from the massive masked figure. The leader gulps and nods. 'Yessir. The Cap'n is our boss. His command.'
TellerofStories: As everyone pays attention to the Exalted's speech, a disturbance in the water begins off the starboard bow.
Smilie: The priest spreads out his arms, gesturing to Dezrik and Kiarn. "What has happened these past few days is much for any being, even one as grand as OUR Captain, to handle, but we must understand the burdens he is forced to bear." He looks pointedly between several of the crew. "Would you presume to judge him, to judge US, after all of this?"
TellerofStories: The crew all look down and shuffle their feet. 'N-no... of course not!'
***Dezrik smiles faintly in appreciation at the priests work, the Solar Exalted's reputation for grandeur was well deserved by his measure.
Smilie: Smilie's brilliance ebbs the slightest bit, and he casts a sympathetic look to all assembled. "From me to you, I beg your forgiveness for our failures to protect and secure you." He gets to one knee, and bows to all assembled. "All I can offer is our resolute determination to guard more closely against it in the future." He spares the tiniest of glances up. "And you must help us in this endeavor."
TellerofStories: The crew nods sagely(or at least pretending to look like they're nodding sagely. They aren't too good at it.) 'Yeah! We'll do anything we can.'
TellerofStories: A slithering sound comes from behind Dezrik, although everyone's attention is focused on the speaking man.
Smilie: The priest stands and walks among the sailors, and gestures to the side where two of their own were just tossed. "What victimized them may still be here. We need your vigilance. We need your trust." He places a hand on the shoulder of one of them, looking at the deck. "And we must plead with you to keep the occurrences of these past two days to yourselves. You risk not us, not this ship, not your livelihood, and not even just your lives by speaking of these events. We have more to lose than any of you could begin to imagine now." He sighs heavily, seeming burdened by all this. "And I fear what may happen to you, all of you, if you decide to tell others."
TellerofStories: And then, as the Exalt ceases his speech... the water erupts into a mass of tentacles, not giving anyone a chance to react as they curl around Dezrik with whiplike speed, snatching him off of the deck.
***Dezrik bellows in alarm, desperately trying to reach his blade at his side to defend himself.
***Kiarn spins and stares in shock as the Lunar is carried over the side. Unofrtunately, there's not much else he can do. He can't, after all, breathe in water.
TellerofStories: With the same speed that they struck, the giant prehensile limbs slip back under the water, leaving nothing more than waves and bubbles.
***Smilie gapes for a moment, clearly not having anticipated this. Without a moment's hesitation he leaps off the side of the ship, vanishing into the surf after Dezrik.
Dezrik: "Sail! I'll be f-" the Lunars last words are cut off as he is drawn into the depths. Though a great warrior, one cannot help but note a look of desperation was on his face in those final moments.
TellerofStories: A murky cloud of blackness erupts around Smilie as he enters the water. Pursuit, it seems... was anticipated. When the water clears, there's nothing to be seen in the empty ocean.
Smilie: A moment later, the priest somehow emerges from belowdecks, wringing water from his cape. A general lock of melancholy surrounds him, and he casts a look of deep sadness at everyone. "And now you see... this is why we need you."
TellerofStories: The crew nods, and the leader kneels in front of Smilie. 'We work for the Captain, and for you.'
TellerofStories: 'Do we maintain course?'
***Smilie nods solemnly. "To Windgate."
TellerofStories: 'WE SAIL TO WINDGATE! LET'S MOVE, ME BUCKOS!'

For those of you curious, Dezrik isn't dead. He's just away for the next two/four sessions, so he got fiat kidnapped. You'll find out more when he returns.

Guys, I once again reiterate, if any of you have any objections/complaints/comments/compliments about my storytelling, please tell me. I need feedbacks!

Super Namicchi

pretty cool so far! ... i wish you would use regular quotes though, everytime i see something encased in apostrophes i think that's the character's thoughts

good stuff though

Plutonium

I was hit for 5/5 successes on that attack, and was an inch from incapacitation. I also needed to get on the road at that time.

I'm sure that Gemini will be woken up twelve hours later by some crew member wondering why he's sprawled on the floor, stinking of booze and wrapped in way too much gauze for the minor bruising he has, what with bashing damage healing at 1 per 3 hours.

Teaches me to activate my detection charms before going into the bad place.

Fiaryn

Tentacles! My only weakness!

Brody

I'm interested in joining, but atm know absolutely nothing of Exalted.

KrataLightblade

Brody wrote: »

I'm interested in joining, but atm know absolutely nothing of Exalted.

Do you like being awesome?

Powerslave

Brody wrote: »

I'm interested in joining, but atm know absolutely nothing of Exalted.

If you have any questions about the system, setting, or style, feel free to contact me on AIM or through PM.

Edit: and just for more content, and to give a VERY general idea about Exalted: the entire world is seconds away from being gangbanged to death by every single fantasy cliche dreamed up over the past five decades, and it's up to you to save it (or help obliterate it entirely). Fortunately, you're one of the most badass people ever, AND you've been chosen by fate to become an incarnation of supremely awesome power and authority. If your former vassals, monsters of pure chaos from the fringes of reality, and colossally evil creatures of absolute death who might have once been you don't get to you first.

Fiaryn

Exalted is like starting a D&D campaign at epic levels. It is the definition of epic fantasy. Everything you do is mythic in quality, whether heroic or villainous.

Plutonium

Powerslave wrote: »

Brody wrote: »

I'm interested in joining, but atm know absolutely nothing of Exalted.

If you have any questions about the system, setting, or style, feel free to contact me on AIM or through PM.

Edit: and just for more content, and to give a VERY general idea about Exalted: the entire world is seconds away from being gangbanged to death by every single fantasy cliche dreamed up over the past five decades, and it's up to you to save it (or help obliterate it entirely). Fortunately, you're one of the most badass people ever, AND you've been chosen by fate to become an incarnation of supremely awesome power and authority. If your former vassals, monsters of pure chaos from the fringes of reality, and colossally evil creatures of absolute death who might have once been you don't get to you first.

I nuked a Volcano, creating an interdimentional rift between the land of the living and the land of the dead, powered by the souls of those who died in the event.

In the second session.

Graycoin

Hi there. I'm almost interested in joining, though I've never played a White Wolf game OR used IRC before. It'd be nice to know when you guys play, and a general idea of how long these sessions take? And maybe even an idea of what the group might need in another player, that'd probably be handy for brainstorming character ideas. Much thanks.

[And apologies if this should be in the OOC thread!]

Rainfall

Sessions start at 6:00 pm MST, thursdays and fridays(one, the other, or both, depending on scheduling)

An average session will take about three hours, judging from what we've done so far.

Also, don't worry about your knowledge of the system/IRC. Plutonium has never touched a WW rpg before, and he's doing just great.

Fiaryn

Plutonium wrote: »

Well, here's a quick rundown of what we have:

Dezrik - Pirate Snake Lunar with a badass flame sword
Smilie - Shifty Necromancer with a Silver Tongue, who's mostly missing when the evil necromancy happens. (NECROMANCER!!!)
Kiarn - Staff-wielding kung-fu sun warrior.
Gemini - Glass Cannon astrologer/sorcerer (not really that fragile, just unlucky)

And every once in a while, the dice hate mostly me

Rainfall

Rainfall wrote: »

Guys, can we continue this conversation in the OOC thread so that this doesn't get too clogged up? Thanks.

Seriously. Let's keep this thread for the logs and comments on the sessions themselves, please. It's not that scary of a thread.

Plutonium

Episode 5: The episode in which Rainfall falls asleep about five minutes before the end of the session and doesn't save the log, so I write down what I remember happening.

Two weeks later:

The ship pulls into Windhaven late at night, and Gemini and Smilie are talking abovedecks, while Kiarn is sleeping belowdecks in his quarters. Gemini drops the spell keeping the sails full, as the two talk about the fate of Dezrik.

The gankplank comes down, and the sailors hit their bunks. Gemini talks to the sentry at the docks, who asks for his ship's papers and about their business in the city. Gemini gives him his their shipping license and manifest, and notices the sentry visibly shudder when he reads the name of the client, Wave Wing Gull.

Gemini and Smilie head into the city, to the Inn of the Seven Sails, the drop-off point for the cargo, according to a note found with Wave Wing Gull's belongings. Gemini heads in, being careful to be especially aware of his surroundings this time, while Smilie vanishes with a *pop* outside, and Gemini shrugs it off, accustomed to his ally's peculiarities.

Inside the inn, Gemini asks the waitress about delivering the cargo, and she brings out a very tall and muscular man named Blackstorm Windrage, who starts talking in exchange for a round of grog, as well as Gemini's half-full mug. He mentioned working with Wave Wing Gull many years ago, though they had parted ways long ago, and that she was handy with a knife.

He goes on to mention a heavily disfigured and burnt man, apparently a local, who had come in expecting cargo from Wave Wing Gull two weeks ago, and had started a ruckus when he had found out that it had not arrived.

As Windrage gets up to leave, Gemini notices the bottom edges of a strange tattoo on his back, visible when his shirt was lifted slightly as he walked away, similar in design to the Tattoo worn by Wave Wing Gull.

After confirming the captain's story with the waitress, who also remembers the burnt man, but doesn't know his name or whereabouts, Smilie returns, apparently having had listened in the conversation all along. The two head back to the ship and discuss what they have learned, Smilie putting on an elaborate and convincing act of drunkenness while walking.

Rainfall

I do actually have the logs. Autologgers are awesome. I'll post the whole thing in conjunction with Thursday's log, but that is a pretty accurate summary.

And the guy's name was Blackstorm Windrage. Threshold names are SO much fun.

Rainfall

Episode 5: Where Smilie and Gemini engage a burly man.

(6:33:29 PM) WillST4food: Windgate. The most well-defended city in the Wavecrest Archipelago, home to the Wavecrest fleet and the Guild of Mapmakers, surrounded by dense forests. Only a few refugees from Abalone have made it here, most choosing to reach the more convenient port of Starfall.
(6:34:11 PM) WillST4food: Nonetheless, it was dark necromancy that drove the Constellation to seek this port, and as the ship sails in under the cover of darkness, the only sound to be heard is the occasional cry of a sentry in the shipyards and the crack of the sails.
(6:39:13 PM) ***Gemini lets the strain of maintaining the essence for the sails fall off his shoulders, feeling like he had just put down a light burden he had been carrying for weeks.
(6:40:20 PM) ***Smilie , for once, is easily found. He sits on top of the cabin with his legs folded and his staff resting on his lap.
(6:40:46 PM) Smilie: "What an exciting trip we had, didn't we?"
(6:41:03 PM) Gemini: It was certainly miraculous how fast Gemini had recovered from the injuries he had taken. The crew were certainly puzzled by the large amount of bandages he wore, for the slight bruising he woke up with.
(6:41:42 PM) Gemini: "Remind me what happened to Dezrik - I still can't get a strait answer out of the crew."
(6:42:37 PM) Smilie: The priest hops down onto the deck and smoothes out his clothes. "Oh, he got pulled under the water by a giant tentacle," he replies, grinning as much as ever. "A very inopportune time for it, too."
(6:44:56 PM) Gemini: "So those rumors were true... I thought it was the imagination of the sailors."
(6:45:13 PM) WillST4food: Rythmic chanting issues from beneath the decks as the night crew pull out the oars, rowing the Constellation close to dock.
(6:46:12 PM) ***Smilie waves a hand dismissively. "As if they'd lie to you, their captain of captains?"
(6:48:16 PM) Smilie: The necromancer taps his staff, looking towards Windgate. "Now, where's our other reluctant king of all he surveys?"
(6:48:30 PM) Gemini: "He was a very capable warrior - the strongest I've seen. He went toe to toe with a god."
(6:50:23 PM) ***Smilie bows his head for a moment of remembrance. "A loss that reflects poorly on us." He perks up quickly, looking cheery. "Of course, I wouldn't count him out yet. After all, what's some tentacle against a man who fought a god headlong?"
(6:51:47 PM) Gemini: "I don't know, but if it Dezrik with it to the deeps, it could have taken any of us.
(6:53:17 PM) Smilie: The priest raises a finger and winks. "Perceptive." He immediately turns and walks to the edge of the deck, waiting for them to reach the dock.
(6:53:59 PM) WillST4food: With a final 'Heave-HO!' from the lower decks, the sailors shelve their oars and head up to lay anchor. It's been a long night, and they want to head to their bunks as soon as possible.
(6:54:58 PM) ***Gemini peers over the side of the ship, gazing at the black, still waters of the harbor.
(6:55:38 PM) WillST4food: The anchor chain clanks as it lowers the piece of metal deep into the ocean. A dull thud, and it hits bottom. The crew cheers, and then goes to fall asleep in the nearest comfortable space.
(6:57:50 PM) ***Gemini follows the chain with his eyes, unspooling as the anchor heads deeper and deeper. "Are you ready to go ashore?"
(6:58:40 PM) ***Smilie darts a glance back at the cabin, looking thoughtful. "I suppose so. And... we should let Kiarn sleep. He needs it." The priest shrugs. "And just in case some of those oozes decide to come back."
(7:00:35 PM) ***Gemini unfolds and dons the hooded cloak he had taken in preparation of going ashore. It was looking to be a colder night than most.
(7:02:38 PM) ***Smilie scurries to set up the gangplank in a rare show of work. "Wouldn't do to have the crew see their glorious captain doing simple work.
(7:04:33 PM) ***Gemini reaches down to help Smilie lift the heavy piece of oak. "Truly, all of them are finer sailors than me."
(7:04:56 PM) WillST4food: As the gangplank thuds against the docks, a voice calls out from the darkness. "Who goes?"
(7:07:04 PM) ***Gemini stands up. "Captain Gemini of the Constellation, carrying cargo out of Seahaven."
(7:07:41 PM) WillST4food: "You've got papers?"
(7:09:21 PM) ***Gemini steps down the gankplank and pulls out his shipping manifest
(7:09:47 PM) Gemini: "Let's see, I transporting cargo for a ... Wave Wing Gull."
(7:10:35 PM) WillST4food: The sentry steps forwards, taking a quick look at the various papers. "Well, they appear to be in good condition... you'll have to file for docking at the harbormaster's office in the morning, until then your crew will be restricted to ship."
(7:13:06 PM) Gemini: "Thank you officer, we'll just be heading into the city to meet with our clients."
(7:13:33 PM) WillST4food: The sentry nods. "Stay safe. Since what happened to Abalone, things are a mite tense 'round here.
(7:14:40 PM) ***Gemini nods as he throws his hood over his head, pockets his papers, and heads towards the city center.
(7:16:00 PM) ***Smilie trails just a bit behind Gemini, giving the sentry a goodbye wave as he follows.
(7:18:03 PM) ***Gemini slows down for a moment as they pass out of earshot of the sentry, letting Smilie catch up to him. "I don't know if you noticed, but that sentry seemed to know that name - Wave Wing Gull, and it scared him."
(7:18:42 PM) ***Smilie 's ever-present smile turns sly. "Did he?"
(7:19:03 PM) Gemini: "There was an ever so slight... twitch."
(7:20:50 PM) Smilie: "The Darkness that rises...." The priest taps his chin. "And our unfortunate employer. Curiouser!"
(7:22:37 PM) WillST4food: The streets are almost silent as you walk up towards the business district. The news of Abalone's destruction has quieted things down a lot. It does make for a private journey, though./
(7:23:39 PM) ***Gemini looks for his destination, the Inn of the Seven Sails.
(7:24:38 PM) WillST4food: The inn is one of the very few buildings with lights. The faint sound of a sanxian issues forth from the doors, but it appears to be almost empty at this time of night.
(7:25:56 PM) ***Smilie stops outside the inn, and gestures to Gemini to enter. "You go on ahead in. I'll be with you in a moment."
(7:26:47 PM) ***Gemini nods, at this point unfazed by some of Smilie's eccentricities, and heads inside.
(7:29:24 PM) ***Gemini takes off his hood, and gazes around the room. for a second, he pauses, using a small portion of essence to assess his surroundings.
(7:30:23 PM) ***Gemini had learned the painful lesson about going into situations unprepared.
(7:30:44 PM) WillST4food: A few heavy drinkers look up from their ale at the newcomer, the rest of the people in the common room passed out on various tables. A single waitress walks through the few customers, enduring their lewd comments with a tired smile.
(7:31:42 PM) WillST4food: The waitress brightens up slightly as she sees Gemini enter, and moves towards hm while issuing a friendly greeting. 'Welcome to the Inn of the Seven Sails! I haven't seen you around before... new to town?'
(7:33:24 PM) ***Gemini turns his head towards the waitress. "Just here on business."
(7:35:14 PM) WillST4food: "And what sort of business would drag a man like you out at a late hour such as this?" The waitress stops to pour a drink for one of the grumbling drunkards, watching Gemini out of the corner of her eyes the entire time.
(7:35:58 PM) ***Gemini pulls out a page of the shipping manifest. "A moment please. I'm here to deliver some cargo to a client here, I'm told they're a regular."
(7:36:48 PM) WillST4food: The waitress's smile increases several notches more. 'Oh, I know all the regulars. Who're you looking for? Blackstorm Windrage, I bet!'
(7:38:53 PM) WillST4food: The waitress stares off into space for a moment, apparently pondering the possibility of someone looking for Blackstorm Windrage. Only another drunken yell snaps her out of her reverie.
(7:39:09 PM) Gemini: "Could you please notify him of my presence, as well as getting me a mug of whatever you've got that would be nice on a cold night, flipping her a coin."
(7:40:56 PM) WillST4food: The waitress nods. 'Of course!' She pours a pewter tankard full of whatever alcohol her pewter jug contains, and then rushes off into one of the back rooms.
(7:43:48 PM) WillST4food: Time passes, and most of the people left in the common room either wander off or pass out.
(7:46:40 PM) ***Gemini nurses his mug of grog, wondering where Smilie is.
(7:47:13 PM) WillST4food: Finally, the largest man you've EVER seen comes out of the back room the waitress disappeared into about an hour ago. Huge. Seven feet tall, and biceps bigger than some tree trunks.
(7:47:34 PM) WillST4food: He smiles amiably and nods at Gemini as he walks over, taking a seat and grabbing Gem's mug before downing it.
(7:48:58 PM) WillST4food: "So!" His voice booms. He's very, very imposing, and his breath reeks. What does this guy eat? "You've got a cargo you need delivered?"
(7:50:46 PM) ***Gemini blinks a few times before answering. "Yes, I have some crates that were to be delivered here, from a merchant by the name of Wave Wing Gull."
(7:52:20 PM) WillST4food: "Wave?" He laughs, and even the people passed out look up for a moment. "You're delivering goods for Wave? Gods! Never seen such a stone-cold bitch in my life. Still... her cargo always paid well. Maybe too well, some said. Buy me a drink, an' we'll talk."
(7:54:20 PM) ***Gemini breaks his stonefaced look, and in a grin, orders up two more mugs. "You're damned right about that one!"
(7:57:09 PM) WillST4food: The drinks arrive quickly, and Blackstorm takes a big swig, wiping his mouth with the back of his arm before he settles back. "Well, Wave comes from here in the first place. Me, her, the rest of the crew of the Silent Seagull. Now, I know's you're thinking that's blasphemy, havin' a woman on a ship, but her hair was red back then. Good protection from the Storm Mothers, and her knives were a good protection against any damn pirates that tried to raid us."
(7:59:02 PM) WillST4food: "But after the Seagull went down, we all split. Most of us have our own ships now, bein' as we were the best in the Wavecrest Trade Alliance, and that's sayin' a lot. Best of the best of the best. Wave... she went inta shipping. Goods from the whole damn surface of Creation... and any time she made a big score, she'd bring it here. A man, a bit scary. His face all burnt off."
(8:00:02 PM) WillST4food: "Showed up here 'bout two weeks ago, and... damn. He was angry. He wanted Wave, and she wasn't here. Never seen a man so pissed, not even me when I'm drunk!" He roars with laughter, swallowing the rest of his drink.
(8:00:10 PM) WillST4food: "So if you've got a cargo from Wave, he's the one."
(8:00:38 PM) Gemini: "Do you know where I might find him?"
(8:02:26 PM) WillST4food: "Naw, no clue. Hasn't showed up since that time." Blackstorm heaves a mighty yawn, and lifts himself up off of the wooden bench. "But it's late, and I've got an early start tomorrow."
(8:02:40 PM) WillST4food: "Thanks for the drinks, Captain...?"
(8:04:01 PM) Gemini: "Gemini's the name, and I thank you for the information."
(8:05:18 PM) WillST4food: Blackstorm nods. "No problem, friend!"
(8:05:39 PM) WillST4food: As he turns, his tunic rides up a bit, and you can see a hint of blood-red inscriptions on his skin underneath it.
(8:08:03 PM) ***Gemini stays seated at the table, and after a moment motions the waitress over.
(8:08:56 PM) WillST4food: The waitress rushes up, smiling. "So? What did you think of him? He's a-MAZING, isn't he?"
(8:10:25 PM) ***Gemini returns the waitresses smile. "A quick question, did you notice a man in here about two weeks ago, horribly burnt?"
(8:11:25 PM) Gemini: "I think he might have been a regular, but I hear he caused a commotion."
(8:11:28 PM) WillST4food: The waitress shivers. "Everyone noticed him. It was hard not to."
(8:12:33 PM) WillST4food: "He came in here making a huge ruckus, looking for Wave Wing Gull... she doesn't show up that often anymore. When he couldn't find her... he almost got into a fight with Captain Windrage!"
(8:14:02 PM) Gemini: "Captain Windrage informed me that he's the one I should be looking to deliver my cargo to. Do you know where I can find him?"
(8:14:49 PM) WillST4food: The waitress shivers again. "Oh, I don't know where you'd find him! He must live in the city, since he never ships out, but I've never found where he lives."
(8:15:17 PM) Gemini: "Well, did he ever mention his name?"
(8:16:03 PM) WillST4food: That gives her pause. She bites her lip for a few minutes, before stating: "I've never heard him use his name. Isn't that odd?"
(8:16:56 PM) ***Gemini nods a few times. "It sure is."
(8:19:36 PM) WillST4food: The waitress shrugs, and rushes off to serve the last man still conscious aside from Gemini.
(8:20:47 PM) ***Gemini stands up and leaves his third-full mug at the table. "So, what do you think..."
(8:21:11 PM) ***Smilie approaches from behind Gemini, his staff making wooden thunking noises against the floor.
(8:21:54 PM) Smilie: "That you do a good job chatting up people, Captain."
(8:24:07 PM) ***Gemini I hope I wasn't the only one who noticed the similarities in tattoos - did you see it too?
(8:25:27 PM) Smilie: The priest gives Gemini a mischievous look. "How could I have?" He coughs into a fist. "But things are starting to make some sense."
(8:27:35 PM) Gemini: "I'm not sure what to make of this all yet."
(8:28:45 PM) Smilie: "Neither am I. And it's better to not presume on these matters; it'll earn you more trouble than it's worth, believe me." Smilie looks over his shoulder towards the door. "At least we know who to search for."
(8:30:40 PM) Gemini: "I'm not sure what to make of this all yet."
(8:31:11 PM) Gemini: "How do you propose finding our friend with the burns?"
(8:32:58 PM) ***Smilie turns and begins to make his way towards the door, neck turned slightly to keep partial eye contact with Gemini. "He has a prominent physical feature and seems to be a memorable fellow. And then there's..." he trails off, and jerks his head to the door. "Well, you know."
(8:35:00 PM) Gemini: "Very well, though I suggest that we head back to the ship for now, and start our search during the day."
(8:36:11 PM) ***Smilie gestures to inn's exit. "As you recommend, Captain. Though there is something to bring up on the way back."
(8:37:36 PM) ***Gemini tosses up the hood on his cloak and heads out the door, glancing in either direction before heading into the dark street
(8:39:05 PM) ***Smilie claps a hand on Gemini's shoulder, putting on a slight show of wobbling unstably, as if they'd just got done with a night of drinking. He keeps his voice low as he speaks to Gemini. "Remember what the tattoo read?"
(8:42:36 PM) Gemini: "How could I forget? - Bound to the darkness that ascends in a great wave to the heavens, those who aid this slave shall perish."
(8:45:01 PM) Smilie: The swaying priest give Gemini an odd look, as if to ask what he's talking about. The words that come out of his mouth in reply dispel that notion. "Hard to be the bound slave to an abstract concept, isn't it?" And with that he breaks away, tilting on one foot for a moment before he leans against his staff for balance. He's putting on quite the misdirective display.
(8:48:10 PM) Gemini: "It seems to me that we might be dealing with two different groups here, or are being played as the fool."
(8:49:35 PM) Gemini: "Regardless, it will be hard for someone like our man with the burnt face to hide, and we'll soon have our answers."
(8:49:47 PM) ***Smilie continues to the boat, remaining silent. He shakes and moves unsteadily all the way there, keeping up pretenses.

I, uh... fell asleep at the end there because I was really tired. This is sort of a non-episode since all this stuff would have been discovered the next day anyways.

Rainfall

Episode 6: Gemini walks the Gankplank

JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: Morning comes to Windgate along with one of the ferocious storms that the city is known for. Ash-clouds from the smoking volcano that once used to be the island of Abalone drifted over the city in the night, and now the dawnlight is a murky red through falling clouds of grey ash, and howling winds that carry an echo of the ever-screaming dead.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The Constellation sits at anchor, having arrived late the previous night, and most of the crew slumbers with much-needed rest. They've grown used to the screaming that has followed them from that desolate island, and while they may grumble about it, they can certainly sleep through it.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: Most of the citizenry have locked themselves indoors to weather the storm, but the crews at the shipyards are working harder than ever, their cries mingling with the howling winds and echoing across the harbour.
***Gemini marches out of the harbor offices, having paid the ship's docking fees and registration at the port.
Gemini: Drawing on his hood and pulling his cloak around most of his face to protect himself from the ashes, he returns to the ship. He only got a few hours of sleep the night before, kept awake by the screams of the dead.
***Kiarn does his best to ignore the falling ash and high winds, and meets Gemini at the gangplank, calling out. "A terrible day to be about."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The only crewman still awake, watching the gangplank, nods a weary greeting to his Cap'n as he boards the ship.
***Gemini climbs the gangplank up to the deck, the white ash leaving footprints as it were snow. "It's surely a blizzard of some sort."
Kiarn: "It's death falling from the sky." Having spent his philosophical moment of the day, Kiarn spits into the water, and turns to follow Gemini. "So have you arranged for your cargo to be taken care of?"
***Gemini looks around at the ash, and sweeps a large portion off the deck of the ship with a gesture. "Not quite yet, you've missed a few events while you were asleep last night.
Kiarn: "Then why don't we head belowdecks and you can explain, yes?" Kiarn motions at the door to the underdeck. "Shall we?"
Gemini: "Lead the way, We need to get out of this weather anyways."
***Kiarn leads Gemini belowdecks, leaving the lone sailor on deck, muttering. "Gods, I miss the East already. At least there it was poison and beasts."
***Gemini follows Kiarn down the ladder, and peeks towards Smilie's bunk to see if he was awake. They were both there, after all.
***Smilie 's absent once again
***Gemini follows Kiarn to the mess, where they get some breakfast and discuss the previous night's events.
***Smilie apparently isn't as absent as his bunk would indicate, already sitting on a table in the mess and eating an odd-looking fruit.
Kiarn: "Ah, there you are. Hello."
Gemini: "Two interesting things happened - first of all, we met an old associate of Wave Wing Gull's, by the name of Blackstorm Windrage."
Gemini: "Hey, didn't... see you there."
Smilie: The priest waves to his companions with his fruit-hand, and with his other hand holds tightly to that staff he never seems to put down. "Good morning to the both of you!"
Kiarn: "Blackstorm Windrage. You people have such descriptive names."
***Gemini motions for Smilie to join them, while continuing on. "He told us that about two weeks ago, a man with a horribly burnt face who usually picks up her cargo made a scene when the cargo we have aboard ship didn't arrive."
***Smilie takes a finishing bite from his fruit, and stuffs the core away into his cloak. He makes his way towards the other two, keeping silent so as to allow Gemini to recount the story."
Gemini: "Additionally, we noticed that Windrage was tattooed with the same type of markings that Wave Wing Gull had, though according to him, they didn't seem to like eachother very much"
Kiarn: "Hm. Then we should likely not trust him too far, yes?"
***Smilie squints at a corner of the room, looking a little distracted.
Kiarn: "Something the matter, priest?"
Gemini: "Well, he wasn't making up the fact about the burnt... Are you ok?
***Smilie smiles and gives a clearing shake of his head. "Pardon me, I'm fine. The enormity of the situation got to me for a moment."
Kiarn: "Mm. Still, do you have any insight to share?"
***Smilie raises a finger. "Excuse me for a moment?" Without waiting for a reply, he makes his way out of the mess.
***Kiarn raises an eyebrow. "I guess not."
Gemini: "He seemed a pretty genial guy, though it may seem otherwise. Additionally, He wasn't lying about the burnt man."
Kiarn: "WEll in any case, it would be best if we found out more about both of them, don't you think?
Gemini: "It doesn't look like we'll be doing anything in this weather, so I'm going to spend the next few hours trying to find some information."
Smilie: The priest takes this moment to reenter, huffing slightly. He wipes his mouth with a sleeve. "I suppose I should know better than to eat odd plants I find, shouldn't I?" He asks no one in particular.
***Gemini heads out of the mess and into his quarters, where he closes the door and unlocks a cabinet in his desk.
Kiarn: "Mm. I think I will make myself useful on deck. If you need anything..." Kiarn glances at the priest and blinks. "I won't ask where you found it."
***Smilie clears his throat. "We were discussing that Windrage fellow and the cargo's intended recipient, weren't we?"
Kiarn: "Yes. What impression did you get from Windrage?"
Gemini: Taking out a star chart and a gem wrapped in thin gold and platinum wire in the shape of a circlet, Gemini starts a divination.
***Smilie scratches his head. "Oh? Gemini was the one that spoke with him. I evidently wasn't present." He winks. "However... I do think I know where a good place to start looking is."
Kiarn: "Yes? That's good to hear, then. Perhaps you and I might do a bit of scouting about, yes?"
Smilie: "Now," the priest begins, resting his staff in the crook of his arm so that he can rub his hands together, "if I were a less-altruistic Necromancer--as we can presume Gull was involved with--where would I be most likely to rest my feet?" He raises a three fingers. "I'll give you three guesses!"
Kiarn: "The nearest Shadowland? Although I think we can count that one out for now..."
Kiarn: "Hmm, the local graveyard, then?"
***Smilie claps his hands together. "Only two tries! I had a good feeling about you."
***Kiarn cocked his eyebrow at Smilie, but didn't take offense. "The weather's bad enough that most people are inside. A perfect time for someone who wants to deal with the dead, no?"
Smilie: "Exactly!" The priest quirks a brow and stares off at nothing in particular. "Of course, there's no guarantee that a Necromancer was involved with this particular cargo, or even that the errand involved one in some way. But I can't, in good conscience, not look into one."
Kiarn: "Well, it's a lead, so it's worth investigating."
Smilie: "We should probably wait for our captain before doing any poking around. Just in case." He turns abruptly, and makes his way out of the mess. "Now I don't think I'm quite over that fruit yet. Pardon me."
Kiarn: "Of course." Once Smilie was gone, Kiarn muttered under his breath. "Why not? No need to worry. Our Lunar friend was eaten by the bloody ocean, we blew up an island, and the priest is sick from bad fruit. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: About three hours later, the winds finally die down around Windgate, although ash continues to fall, covering everything in that fine, gray-white grit.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The watch changes on the ship, and a few cries of horror echo from the top deck.
***Gemini emerges from his quarters, slightly blurry-eyed, though grinning inexplicably.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: "What 'appened to 'is face!" "'Is 'e dead?"
***Kiarn rushes for the deck.
***Gemini calls essence to him as he sees Kiarn rush by him towards the ladder, and follows
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: A small cluster of crewmen are crowded around the gangplank, looking at a corpse on the deck.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: It looks like it might have been the guy that was keeping watch that morning, but... his face is completely melted off, leaving him with a mask of twisted flesh rather than a face.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: He's clearly TOTALLY dead.
***Kiarn steels himself as he sees the corpse, and looks at Gemini, speaking very, VERY quietly... too low to be heard by the crew.
Kiarn: "Your ship seems cursed, friend."
***Smilie approaches from the docks, stopping at the gangplank. He regards the body blankly. "Not again."
Gemini: "That it does," Gemini whispered back, taking a look at the body himself.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: There's not even a spark of warmth in the body. His skin is cold enough to the touch that it feels like he died five days ago.
***Gemini looks at the crew members. "Did anyone see what happened?!"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: They all shake their heads. "No sir, we didn't see anything. We was just coming up for a change of the watch and found him like this. Stone cold dead."
***Smilie sighs. "It wouldn't be wise to delay any longer. Unless we determine the source of this..."
***Kiarn moved back closer to Gemini, and shook his head. Alone or in pairs, they died anyway.
***Gemini turned to the two. "Could this have been the work of some sort of venom?"
Kiarn: "Acid, maybe, but venom? His face was eaten. I'd look for a predator."
***Smilie taps a finger to his lips. "We're set to pursue a man with a disfigured face, and suddenly one of our own shows up dead with a disfigured face. While it could be coincidence..."
Kiarn: "Please gods tell me this isn't the work of some demented killer who needs prettier faces."
Kiarn: "I heard stories like that out of Nexus, but you hear all sorts of things from Nexus, so..."
***Smilie gestures off towards the city. "We only stand the chance of finding a lead in one place, right now."
***Gemini I'm not so sure that we're dealing with a man here, I have a hunch that we're soon going to come face to face with something called.. Venomous Ivy."
Kiarn: "Venomous..." Kiarn blinks. "That's somewhat specific. Do you know that name?"
Gemini: "Venomous Ivy, I don't think it's a name, more like a thing."
Kiarn: "I wouldn't think... huh. A thing, hm? Well, then I guess we should keep our eyes open... do you have any other cryptic revelations to share?"
***Kiarn didn't sound annoyed, so much as just a bit off-put. Was anyone ever going to speak straight ever again? He really was beginning to miss the snake.
Gemini: "Dezrik is definitely alive."
Gemini: "And our paths will cross again soon."
***Kiarn felt that that, at least, was good news.
***Smilie snaps his fingers. "I told you a little thing like a sea creature wouldn't get rid of the man who stopped a god."
***Gemini turns to adress the crew. "I want everyone armed on and off duty."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The sailors nod, grim and silent. They want revenge on whoever's been killing off their crewmates.
***Kiarn stepped close to Gemini. "Is it wise to bring them along?"
***Smilie taps his staff, and chimes in afterwards. "Prepare the body for cremation, or--failing that--get it off the ship. Whatever you do, don't take your eyes off of it until it's done."
***Gemini Gemini turns back to the two exalted. "Whatever this Venomous Ivy is, it's clear that we're going to encounter it ourselves today. I think our best course of action is to meet it head-on, and take it by suprise, instead of the other way around."
Smilie: "Unfortunately, it looks like it knows where we are, and we don't know where it is." The priest again gestures towards the city. "Towards the graveyard, friends?"
***Kiarn nodded and got up, reaching into his sack and withdrawing from it Scholar's Sting. "I am prepared."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: A gust of wind swirls the ash upwards and around the Exalts as they stand by the gangplank of the boat. The shore awaits them.
***Gemini turns back again to the crew. "Whatever this is that's attacking us, it can find us anywhere, so running is no use. We're going to take it by surprise. Stay and guard the ship, and hopefully we'll return."
***Kiarn called out to them, as well, with "helpful" suggestions. "Go nowhere alone. Stay in groups of at least three. Call out to one another at the first sign of trouble."
***Gemini throws up his hood and ties a bandana around his nose and mouth, and steps down the gankplank onto the docks.
***Kiarn follows Gemini.
***Smilie follows the two of them for a time, but at some point takes a separate turn from the both of them and vanishes.
***Gemini heads through the city, taking twists and turns through the city to reach the destination outlined in his vision.
Kiarn: "I hope you know where we're going, Gemini. We've lost our compatriot again."
***Gemini 's twists through the city have taken him to a destination familiar to him, though not immediately recognizable in the pseudo-twilight of the ashen hail. "We need to stop here first."
Kiarn: "As you like..."
***Gemini heads into through the backdoor of the Inn of the Seven Sails, only a hand-lettered sign above the door clueing them in to their destination."
***Kiarn has determined, now, that with all this ash, a full shave of the head is in order at the next available opportunity.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: As they step inside, they're greeted by warm light, a rush of heat, and a cheer as Blackstorm Windrage notices their arrival. He's surrounded by about five women, one of them being the waitress from the previous night, as well as a crowd of drinking buddies. He has a mug of ale in each hand, and quaffs both of them as he roars out a greeting to Gemini.
Kiarn: "Your new friend, I gather?"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: "CAP'N GEMINI! COME TO JOIN US FER SOME DRINKS?"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: *hic*
Gemini: "Of course we have, Blackstorm!," Gemini responds with an enthusiasm far removed from his tone only seconds before.
Gemini: "Order a round for everyone, on me. We'll just go to the head to get cleaned up from all this ash!"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The beefy man grins. "Great! Next round's on you then, Cap'n!" He heaves himself up from his chair and moves forward to slap his hands on Gemini's shoulders. "Did you find that sunovabitch that you were lookin' for?"
***Kiarn glances about the room, then turns his attention to watching the large man closely.
Gemini: "Not just yet," Gemini responds, as he twirls away from the embrace and drags Kiarn along to the back, ducking around the corner and out of sight, where he glows momentarily.
***Kiarn doesn't object, but when they're out of sight, speaks in a low tone. "What, exactly, are we doing?"
***Gemini waits for a moment for the glow of essence to disperse. "I need to be sure about my new friends."
Kiarn: "As you like."
***Gemini puts on his smile again, and heads back into the tavern to have those drinks.
***Kiarn trails behind him, cocking his head as he follows. "Not bad, considering..."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: Blackstorm raises his glass to Gemini as he walks back into the room, eliciting another cheer and roar of approval.
***Gemini enters the tavern, and suddenly gains an intense dizziness and nausea, barely resisting the urge to vomit, all the while keeping the enthusiastic grin on his face.
Gemini: "Let's have those drinks, They'll help me regain my land-legs after having been at sea for so long!"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The drinkers all crowd around him, pressing ale and cheering loudly.
***Kiarn stays quietly a few feet away from the crowd, letting them focus on Gemini.
***Gemini keeps his eyes on his glass, taking a few moments before chugging it, and then turning to the drinker next to him.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: Blackstorm leans up close to Gemini and whispers in his ear: 'Why'd you come by today, my friend? Not a good day to leave the ship, 'f ya ask me."
***Gemini leans back away from Blackstorm, before regaining his composure. "Aye, but when you've been at sea for a few weeks, any day to get ashore is welcome."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: Blackstorm laughs raucously. "Hah! True enough! Another round of drinks for Cap'n Gemini!"
Gemini: "Let me go get my friend and introduce him to you," Gemini says, standing up and walking over to Kiarn.
***Kiarn exchanged a glance with Gemini, then looked at Blackstorm, but agreeably followed Gemini.
***Gemini motions with a small tilt of his head for Smiley to come over to the two of them as well. Clapping a hand on Kiarn's shoulder and leaning in, he whispers "They'll all cultists like Wave Wing Gull... covered in Necrotic essence."
***Kiarn controlled himself fairly well, despite a slight widening of his eyes. "All of them?"
Smilie: As Gemini's perceptions deepen to view the underlying essence of the world, Smilie slowly fades into his sight. The priest is standing near the entrance, a finger pressed to his lips in the universal sign for "quiet" as he regards the Twilight Captain and the others assembled in the room.
***Gemini nods slowly. "All of them."
***Kiarn narrows his eyes, and whispers one word. "Judgment?"
Gemini: "We don't know if it's just them, or if the entire city's under the cult's control, but something tells me that deep necromancy's at the heart of this, and we should be moving on."
Kiarn: "Then let's go. Now. While I still agree."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The waitress from the previous night rests her hand lightly on Gemini's shoulder, and she smiles brightly. "Um... you still owe two rounds of drinks to the room... that'll be a quian."
***Gemini turns, slightly startled, and reaches into his pocket and tosses
Gemini: slaps a worn bill into the waitresses hands.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: She smiles. "Thank you!"
Gemini: "My mate reminded me that we have some business to attend to, so would you mind telling Blackstorm that he had to leave?"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: "Of course not! I'd be happy to tell Blackstorm!"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: And then her face melts off, flesh flowing across her eyes and mouth as a rasping voice echoes around the room; "You have the wings yet not the bird. Leave them at the site of the resting dead." After speaking, she falls onto Gemini, her body chill and dead.
***Kiarn swears, loudly.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The rest of the patrons of the bar ignore the woman, and continue drinking and carousing loudly.
***Gemini recoils back, letting her fall to the ground instead of attempting to catch her.
***Smilie makes a motion to the door, and mouths the word "graveyard" before disappearing (again) outside.
Gemini: "We need to move, now."
***Kiarn wastes no time taking that advice and heading for the door.
***Gemini moves quickly outside, breaking into a run while throwing his hood up, not bothering to cover his nose and mouth.
Gemini: "I can't account for anything more that may happen, we need to be on our guard now - whatever's after us knows we're here."
***Kiarn nods as he keeps pace with Gemini. "This place sickens me. It makes me want to find another volcano."
Gemini: "The graveyard's this way, through the forest"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The sky is darkening, massive ash clouds blowing in from the south obscuring the sun even more. The omnipresent grey dust casts everything in a ghostly, dim light as they move towards the forest.
***Gemini cuts left and right through the stands of trees, focused on the way to the graveyard.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: As the Exalts rush through the forest, following Gemini along the path to the graveyard, the screams of the dead begin to haunt them once again, massive gusts of wind and ash swirling around their ears, assaulting all their senses, sticking in their mouths, noses, and ears.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: A figure in forest-green armor steps out in front of the group, holding a large bow. She holds up her hand in a stopping gesture, her eyes darting to the sides of the path.
***Kiarn skids to a stop when he catches sight of an armed road occupant.
***Gemini seems to have predicted the arrival of an opponent a second or two before it happened, and ducked behind a nearby oak just before she came into view.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The armored woman looks down at Kiarn, her lip curling slightly. "What are you doing in these woods, pray tell?"
***Kiarn watched her for a moment, his right hand gripping the lengths of Scholar’s Sting tightly as he called out to her. "Not accosting strangers. I do not have the time to waste, so kindly state what in the bloody hell you're pointing a bow at me for, yes?"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: Her fingers clench around her bow, and her eyes flash angrily. "Answer me one question, then. Are you with The Darkness?"
***Kiarn considered, for just a mere instant, flashing his anima at the what appeared to be Dragon-blooded woman, but decided against it. He spat out a glob of ash and goo. "I have any bloody idea who you're talking about. Is that good enough?"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: She shrugs. "I don't have time for a mad wanderer in the woods." Turning to the side of the road again, she pauses for a moment. "Did you hear that?"
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: A blur of ivory bone strikes out from the other side of the road, arching over it and smashing into her back, driving her to the ground.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: A centipede of bone and ragged bits of flesh sits atop of her, rearing up for another strike.
***Kiarn had been at heightened awareness ever since the woman stepped from the trees, and it took only a moment for him to recognize the awful thing atop the woman. A Spine Chain! He paused only a mere moment to center himself, and his body locked into position as he slid into Mantis Form.
Gemini: Upon seeing Kiarn spring into action, Gemini focuses himself and peeks around the tree to assess the situation.
***Kiarn only seconds later, he seemed to blur into action, Scholar's Sting snapping forwards as he spun, the pieces of orichalcum whirling forward so fast they left whorls of ash in the air with its passing, a bit of Essence channeling through to make Kiarn's arm strike true.
***Gemini Gemini dashes from tree to tree, trying to get an angle on the spike chain - if he did it right, he could attack it's rear half without hitting anything in front of it.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The desiccated torso erupts in a shower of flesh and bone, spraying the area around Kiarn and the woman with bits of undead. The spine chain shivers slightly, and turns to face this new threat.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: Grabbing her bow and arrows, the woman glares at the undead thing with hatred. A wordless cry of fury leaves her lips as arrows fly from her bow, thorns sprouting from them as they fly from the string.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: Her arrows fly true, guided by her power and the strength of Sextes Jylis. Each arrow strikes a different link of the chain, and the power behind them is such that they completely shatter, falling useless to the ground.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The air around her turns a dark green, whirling thorns circling around her as she smiles confidently.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The last remaining piece of the chain turns tail and runs into the forest.
Smilie: As the chain hits the treeline, there's a sudden flash of white and purple as the ever-appearing Smilie drops from the branches. With precise aim he lands dead-on the back of the mutilated zombie, and spears it quickly and neatly through the head with the end of his staff.
Smilie: "Can't have that."
***Gemini steps out of the forest, back into the clearing, and unhoods himself and steps over to the scene of the fighting.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The woman smiles, stretching her arms out over her head. "Well, it appears you can handle yourself against the servants of the Darkness well enough. What brings you here?"
***Kiarn spits on the ground again and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, we've no time to waste answering, unless you'd like to come along. Apparently, we were right. We've a necromancer to hunt."
***Smilie looks over his shoulder at the woman. "Why, The Darkness that Ascends in a Great Wave to the Heavens." His grin is downright sly.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: She takes a step forwards, apparently ready to ignore them, until Smilie speaks. "You know the full name of that abomination? Speak! Where did you learn this?"
***Gemini they've taken cultists across the town, and perhaps even the entire island, though I see you don't stand with them.
***Smilie winks at the woman. "From you, just now."
Kiarn: "Bloody hell." Damn that priest and his need to show off his knowledge. "We don't have time for this. If they've got a spine chain out here, that means they've got a lot of bodies and we need to move."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The woman takes a few quick steps towards the priest, holding her fist up in front of his face, the thorns of her anima swirling around herself, almost touching the front of Smilie's robe. "Do not trifle with me, priest. Even I did not know the full name of that... thing" she spits on the ground, "until you said it."
***Gemini waves a hand in a motion to Smilie to stop showing off. "We do need to move quickly, though I think we should introduce ourselves, if indeed we fight against the same enemy. Captain Gemini, at your service."
***Gemini performs a quick bow in the Realm style.
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: The woman nods. "Cynis Ivy, and your service is accepted. I go to hunt the abomination in it's lair. Come."
JustAnOrdinaryStoryteller: She turns, and heads up the path, not even looking behind to see if they follow.
***Kiarn does not qquestion the term ":service" Now is not the time to put the Dragon-blood in her place.
***Smilie shrugs as the others continue on, vanishing as they all turn their backs. "Time to talk later then."
***Gemini quickly follows. This was part of the vision he had seen.

This was a really good session. Mostly diceless, and it turned out really well. I can't wait until we get more people and Fiaryn returns!

Anyways, plots are stirring. This is way more complicated than it looks, folks.

Rainfall

Episode 7: Where we all get hella bored.

(6:42:04 PM) StoryTolder: The massive ash clouds from Abalone coat the forest in a dust of grey, the trees of Pearl choking on the dust that falls from the sky. A true Western storm is brewing, and the wind blows the volcanic grit in swirls and twisters that scoot along the ground for moments before collapsing.
(6:42:58 PM) StoryTolder: Every moment of travel brings you deeper into the darkness and blowing, screaming winds that seem to surround your destination. Weird shapes flit amongst the trees around you, gibbering in nonsensical Wyldtongues as they dash for shelter.
(6:44:12 PM) StoryTolder: Finally, the path widens into a clearing, and you can see the entrance to the cemetary. Wards with the symbols of the Elemental Dragons inscribed on them seal the gate, while mausoleums, tombs, and graves seem to go on forever.
(6:45:04 PM) StoryTolder: The stones of the dead's resting places are cracked and blackened in places, and forest growth covers everything. It seems that despite being a cemetary for a very large city, it's not used often.
(6:46:47 PM) ***Gemini surveys the area with a slight expense of essence, taking stock of their surroundings.
(6:47:48 PM) ***Kiarn takes a moment to center himself, his skin seeming to tighten on his body just a bit as his muscles move, and he takes a deep breath, slipping into the mindset requisite for the Mantis Style of martial arts, an eagle-eye on the graveyard as he followed Gemini.
(6:50:41 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy sniffs the air as she swings her bow off of her back, and steps forwards to the gate, pushing it open.
(6:53:01 PM) ***Gemini follows Ivy through the gate, scanning the myriad tombs for signs of danger.
(6:55:01 PM) StoryTolder: The cemetery is as quiet as the grave. Not a single bird, small animal, or rustle of the trees. Even the Wyld-beasts that had plagued your trip earlier avoid the area. The only movement is the swirling of the ash along the ground, as the sky continues to darken.
(6:56:58 PM) ***Kiarn spoke up quietly, his eyes scanning the area. "Nothing moving... I don't like this."
(6:57:43 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy shakes her head, slowly turning around as she moves forwards, covering all her angles. "Not nothing moving... nothing /living./"
(6:58:45 PM) Kiarn: "That's less than comforting." Kiarn kept a tight grip on Scholar's Sting and followed the pair inwards.
(7:00:14 PM) Gemini: "I am afraid that we have been dragged into all of this rather quickly. Do you have any ideas behind the source of this dark essence?"
(7:01:02 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy shrugs, carefully stepping through the piles of ash upon the ground. "The Darkness. Some sort of malevolent spirit or Anathema, from what I have seen."
(7:08:25 PM) ***Kiarn pauses momentarily at the mention of Anathema, tilts his head, but doesn't respond. Let Gemini do the convincing. He wasn't about to trust the woman....
(7:11:53 PM) ***Gemini steps between headstones, staying light on his toes so as to spring into action. "Much of the town itself seems to be infested by the darkness."
(7:12:58 PM) StoryTolder: "Indeed. I traveled through the forest from Starfall, and I've been plagued by the undead in my entire journey. I fear that this is more serious than I first thought.
(7:13:58 PM) Smilie: "I don't know about infested," the priest pipes up from his place atop one of the tombstones, having apparently slipped in a moment ago, "but certainly influenced."
(7:14:27 PM) ***Kiarn did not join the conversation, but was less than pleased. Had he wanted to deal with the dead and the Shadowlands, he could have stayed near to Thorns. His eyes snapped to Smilie, and he called out. "Have you found anything, priest?"
(7:16:09 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy glances at the priest, narrowing her eyes. "And would you know anything about the nature of this infestation, priest? I would not like to walk into a trap that appears to have been set with particular care"
(7:16:42 PM) Smilie: "Several things!" The friendly necromancer takes a moment to straighten his cloak. "The spirits have emptied out of Windgate, and..."
(7:18:06 PM) ***Smilie looks thoughtful, rapping his staff against the headstone. "There's a lot of them nearby. Probably a Shadowland."
(7:19:07 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy frowns, thinking for a moment. "If he's gathering spirits here... what for?"
(7:19:08 PM) ***Smilie turns his attention to Ivy. "You certainly live up to your name! I think it's nature is obvious. There's necromancy about!"
(7:19:11 PM) Kiarn: "Them? As in, I suppose you mean, the walking about sort of corpses, rather than the kindly sleeping?"
(7:19:50 PM) Smilie: The priest makes a waving motion with his hand. "Bit of both."
(7:22:23 PM) ***Kiarn spat out ash again, though carefully not on one of the graves. "I disapprove of this sort of thing. If there's a trap, we're not going to accomplish much by avoiding it, I think. Perhaps we're better off springing it and hoping the trap is only for you, Ivy."
(7:23:17 PM) Kiarn: "In which case, we might be able to turn the trap around on whoever springs it..."
(7:23:33 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy grins viciously. "The Dragons have blessed me with the tools to strike down the undead, and I intend to use them to the fullest. Let us proceed. If they're waiting for us... we'll meet their expectations."
(7:25:59 PM) Gemini: "If there is a trap of any magical nature, we should be at the ready"
(7:27:06 PM) Smilie: "Wonderful!" The priest exclaims. He raises a finger, and points. "Near the center of the cemetery." He hops off the tombstone and approaches the group, and slaps a hand on Kiarn's shoulder. "Our friend here is quite fond of rushing in, and quite capable of pulling it off. We should follow his example. Specifically, we should follow him."
(7:27:32 PM) Smilie: "Ivy, which do you prefer, arrows or some other weapon?"
(7:28:03 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy flexes her gauntleted hand, and knocks an arrow to the string. "My bow serves me well."
(7:28:33 PM) ***Gemini focuses; closing his eyes and mentally preparing himself against whatever he may see among the essence flows.
(7:29:29 PM) ***Kiarn raised an eyebrow at Smilie, but nodded, gripping Scholar's Sting more tightly and twisting his hands around it, glancing to Gemini. "Are we agreed then?"
(7:29:36 PM) ***Smilie nods. "Then you should stay back with our Captain," he gestures to Gemini, "so that... well, you know. Tactics and all that." He shuffles over, and places a hand conspiratorially to the side of his mouth. "Between you and me, he could use someone to watch his back."
(7:30:36 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy smiles, and nods. "If you wish to put yourself in harm's way, then I shall take advantage of it."
(7:31:34 PM) ***Kiarn glanced at Ivy once, a faint smile quirking his lips, but did not challenge her. Let her find out when she was too busy to get offended.
(7:32:17 PM) ***Smilie snaps his fingers. "Clever girl. As for me," he steps a bit further into the graveyard, and stops next to Kiarn, "I consider this issue a personal one."
(7:33:30 PM) ***Kiarn nodded at Smilie. "Then by all means, let us waste no more time. I would see the sun's light again before day's end."
(7:33:46 PM) ***Gemini opens his eyes, which are glowing a dark blue. "There's a large concentration of ghosts around the center of the graveyard, huddled around a large mass of necrotic rot. The ghosts seem to be those dead in this very cemetery."
(7:34:42 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy raises an eyebrow, but says nothing as she peers into the murk ahead.
(7:35:18 PM) StoryTolder: A giant crack of lightning splits the sky as the rain begins to fall with more force, the wind picking up. Windgate is going to be... windy.
(7:35:27 PM) ***Kiarn nods firmly, a grim smile touching his lips as he led the others towards it. "Then we know where the source of the trouble is congregating. And where we will end this."
(7:35:57 PM) ***Smilie looks puzzled. "Didn't I already say that?"
(7:37:02 PM) ***Kiarn was already moving, every movement sharp, muscles taut, ready, expecting. He was looking forward to ending a problem, rather than making one worse.
(7:38:38 PM) StoryTolder: An almost palpable curtain of darkness surrounds the centre of the graveyard as you move into it, leaving you with a feeling like you've just stepped on your own tomb. The swirling ash seems to mutter and speak with incomprehensible tongues, and ghosts begin to solidify around you as you move forwards, unspeaking, unmoving.
(7:41:44 PM) StoryTolder: The only path not filled with ghosts lies directly ahead, to a mausoleum carved directly into the earth, with only an ancient, crude stone arch as the entrance.
(7:44:13 PM) ***Smilie nods politely to the ghosts as the group passes by them, and knocks his staff on the arch like it was a door.
(7:45:33 PM) StoryTolder: The front row of ghosts ripples like water, and as their faces melt, they speak unanimously, in a rasping, echoing voice that seems to go on, and on, and on.: "The bird is not here, nor the wings. Where is the offering of Darkness?"
(7:46:51 PM) Smilie: The priest rubs his chin. "Let's say..." he reaches back into his cloak, and pulls out a number of small charms. Holding them up like cards, he continues, "half now, half later?"
(7:47:38 PM) StoryTolder: The ghosts give a dismissive snort. "You seek to bargain with The Darkness? Your audacity amuses. What do you desire?"
(7:48:52 PM) ***Smilie bows humbly, looking at-ease and entirely comfortable with discussing details with a horde of same-voiced ghosts. "The pleasure of a brief conversation."
(7:49:19 PM) ***Gemini cocks his head towards the Priest. "This is your realm."
(7:49:26 PM) StoryTolder: "Very well. Speak."
(7:49:33 PM) ***Kiarn was approximately two seconds from lashing out, but chose instead to let the priest talk. He would restrain himself... for the moment.
(7:51:29 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy tensed, eyes constantly flicking between the ghosts and Smilie. This was NOT her area of expertise.
(7:51:36 PM) Smilie: "Thank you." The takes a deep breath, and twirls his staff. "The Darkness and I share a common interest, and common arts. I'd like to see if it wouldn't be possible to reach an agreement, in hopes that he might impart what he knows to a humble student." He gestures back to the other three. "In addition, we have come bearing an offering meant for him. I would have brought it in its entirety, but I'm afraid we weren't entirely
(7:51:42 PM) Smilie: sure where to find you."
(7:53:58 PM) StoryTolder: "The Void consumes all, and the Darkness is the mouth of the Void. You claim to share interest with me, when you travel with those who would resist the Call?"
(7:55:23 PM) Smilie: "We all resist at one time or another. Would you deny them the opportunity to know its enlightenment?" He glances back at the others, his smile a recognizable one by now: one of mischief. "Call them pilgrims, if you'd like."
(7:58:56 PM) StoryTolder: "Pilgrims?" The ghosts laugh in unison, shivering even more violently. "I think not. These ones have hunted my servants, slain my slaves, and you yourself have denied me that which is mine by rite of offering. I know you for what you are, and unless the wings are given to me, you all will know the embrace of the Void."
(8:00:42 PM) StoryTolder: "The terms of your offering have been completed, Smiling Lord. Leave, or suffer."
(8:01:05 PM) StoryTolder: The speaking ghosts melt into nothingness along with their faces, as lightning crashes across the sky.
(8:01:11 PM) Kiarn: "Priest, you have thirty more seconds."
(8:02:46 PM) ***Smilie responds evenly. "Seeing as how his mouthpieces are gone, conversation's worthless. Your turn Kia-" the priest jerks suddenly, and the gem on his staff glows dimly red, and the tiny black lines almost squirm on its surface.
(8:03:35 PM) ***Gemini holds up a hand. "The wings.. He couldn't be talking about our merchant friend, Could he? I seem to remember a lock of hair in your possession."
(8:04:03 PM) Kiarn: "Priest!" Kiarn reached out a hand, but stopped just short of actually touching him.
(8:05:42 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy tensed, pointing an arrow at the priest, her eyes fixed on his staff. "What sorcery is this?"
(8:05:52 PM) Smilie: The priest pants for several seconds, but manages to get ahold of himself. His brow glistens lightly with sweat, and the stone's light dies. He casts an apologetic look at his associates. "I'm sorry about that." He takes a second to compose himself, and look towards the arch. "If he wants a bit of her, we'll need to deliver it personally. I think he's more interested in her cargo, though."
(8:06:27 PM) Kiarn: "Then it's good we didn't bring it, priest. Can you FIND him? I want to deal with him personally, not his bloody servants."
(8:06:53 PM) ***Smilie gives Ivy a strained grin. "A long story. I promise I'll answer any of your questions once we've dealt with the problems at hand."
(8:07:16 PM) StoryTolder: As the rain pours down, the ash begins to turn into a slick mud, and whispers echo amidst the tombstones. "Leaaave... or... sufferrrr..."
(8:07:32 PM) ***Smilie gestures to the arch. "Presumably he'd be in the mausoleum. He seems like the sort who'd like that dash of drama. Either that or it's an elaborate trap."
(8:08:57 PM) Kiarn: "I'm bloody tired of the games. Trap or no, it's time we ended this." Kiarn chose to waste no more time at the archway, stepping through it and into the mausoleum.
(8:09:57 PM) StoryTolder: Crackles of black necrotic essence flash out from the entrance of the mausoleum, burying themselves into the graves around the Exalts. The ground underneath them begins to shake, and slowly rotted flesh and bone begin to poke through the earth as the dead rise.
(8:13:23 PM) ***Smilie glances at the zombies, then back into the mausoleum. "We'd be better off taking them in a narrower space. Coming?" He asks Gemini and Ivy.
(8:19:42 PM) ***Gemini quickly looks in both directions. "Eight of them, as well as something strange going on in those two crypts", pointing them out with both arms outstretched.
(8:20:42 PM) ***Kiarn shouts out as the dead begin to rise. "The priest is right! In, everyone in!" Kiarn was already on the threshold and slipped inside, channeling his Essence through his will to strengthen his skin for the confrontation, his already-toughened muscles seeming almost like armor now.
(8:21:25 PM) StoryTolder: Dozens of lightning flashes crack the sky as the dead rip themselves from the ground, low moans of freedom issuing from their rotted flesh. Thunder rolls, almost deafening as the downpour increases.
(8:22:39 PM) ***Gemini quickly hops backwards through the archway, his heels a few inches off the ground the entire time.
(8:23:18 PM) ***Smilie starts for the mausoleum, but stops in the archway, waiting for the Dragon-Blooded.
(8:29:32 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy runs backwards, letting several arrows fly at the zombies as she does so, her keen eye spotting them even through the pouring rain.
(8:31:57 PM) ***Gemini peers through the pouring rain at the nearby Crypt as he takes a few cautious steps back, slowly unraveling the complex layers of necrotic essence.
(8:33:05 PM) StoryTolder: Her arrows fly true, two of them burying their hafts into the skulls of the zombies, bringing them down, another striking cleanly through the eye, impairing it severely.
(8:34:42 PM) StoryTolder: The zombies moan in unison, slowly shambling forwards across the ash-mud towards the Exalts.
(8:41:18 PM) ***Smilie calls out to Ivy, holding his position at the entrance to the mausoleum. "Don't waste your arrows! The Darkness will only create mo-" he pauses, and his smile blossoms into a full-on grin. "Actually..."
(8:46:06 PM) ***Gemini focuses himself on the twisting labyrinth of glowing necrotic essence covering the two nearby crypts, tearing through their layers of mystery, and suddenly, the puzzle unlocks.
(8:47:45 PM) Gemini: "A massive beast is being summoned in each crypt. They are throwing themselves against the stone doors, and will soon escape. Be on guard."
(8:55:24 PM) ***Kiarn stepped into the mausoleum's archway, to shield the others, counting on the power of the Unconquered Sun that was flowing through him like the sweetest wine known to man, and allowed Gemini past. he wouldf allow none of the dead to pass him, however, and stepped forward to block them. He made a simple motion for Smilie to slip past him. "In, priest. I will not let them pass."
(8:56:15 PM) StoryTolder: The undead continue to close in on the crypt, moving slowly as muddy water runs around their ankles. The stones of the two mausoleums Gemini pointed out shudder; and then shatter as two massive... things erupt from them. Human corpses, stitched together. Three to form the body, with leering heads bleeding from their mouths, each arm of the beasts being a torso with massive hooks instead of heads, and the legs formed out of the lower bodies of the poor unfortunates used to make the abominations.
(8:57:11 PM) StoryTolder: The golems roar, and rush for the door, their bodies rippling with horrible synchronicity.
(8:57:58 PM) ***Smilie looks behind him. "I think 'in' is a bad place to go."
(8:59:11 PM) Kiarn: "If you want to fight them with me, Priest, be my guest."
(9:09:41 PM) ***Smilie snaps his fingers. "I'm not a fighter, but there's many other things I am." Stepping casually, like he's climbing a flight of stairs, the priest begins to ascend into the air, heading up and over the heads of the zombies.
(9:11:19 PM) StoryTolder: Two of the zombies look upwards at the floating priest, and turn to follow him, as the rest continue to shamble towards the entrance of the mausoleum, raising their arms to attack Kiarn.
(9:15:47 PM) ***Kiarn esaily held off their feeble assaults, Scholar's Sting seeming to blur as it blocked them, as the metal graced by the Unconquered Sun's power easily turned them aside. He did not smile, did not laugh, merely fell into utter concentration, and lashed out at the first of them, then let the recoiling bounce of that blow give him the momentum to spina nd swing the other end at the second,
(9:16:37 PM) Kiarn: allowing it to strike first, then twirling it and letting it wrap around the zombie's head, twisting it hard as he used the last three links to lash out at the first zombie again, all in one smooth, graceful motion.
(9:28:58 PM) StoryTolder: The staff-strikes quickly snap the necks and pulp the brains of the zombies, leaving them crumpled on the ground as the Exalt stands in front of the mausoleum. Ivy smirks. "Not bad, warrior."
(9:32:09 PM) StoryTolder: And then the golems rush forwards, barreling through the zombies and rushing at Kiarn, their tongueless mouths hissing. The massive hooks on their hands slash at him, forcing him to defend himself.
(9:35:18 PM) StoryTolder: However, the agile warrior simply swung his staff around in a simple motion, driving the hooks of the beasts into the ground, holding them still for a single instant.
(9:40:58 PM) StoryTolder: And as Kiarn dodges their attacks, Ivy takes the opportunity to snap off a trio of shots into the heads of one of the golems, each one flying with perfect aim into it's skulls. The beast drops dead in its tracks, each head on the loathsome body whispering 'Thaank... youuu..' as the necrotic essence leaves its body.
(9:44:39 PM) ***Gemini watches as one of the golems falls, and heads deeper into the mausoleum to scan for danger from their rear.
(9:46:17 PM) Smilie: With a light laugh, the priest drops down onto one of the hulking zombie golems. He leans over to look as best as he can into one of its many eyes, and bonks the tip of his staff harmlessly against what serves as its head. "You know, you're poorly stitched."
(9:49:12 PM) StoryTolder: One of the zombies moans as it stumbles forwards to attack Kiarn, the other one trying to climb atop the golem to get at Smilie.
(9:50:58 PM) ***Smilie sidestops the zombie and waves a finger chidingly at it. He hops off of the golem, and begins to simply stride away from the creatures, putting on a great show of being unafraid and unconcerned.
(9:52:10 PM) StoryTolder: The golem turns and heads after Smilie, moaning incoherently.
(10:03:24 PM) ***Kiarn seemed to be moving almost in slow-motion compared to just a mere moment ago, his staff seeming to vibrate in his hands as he spun at the new threats, the next three shambling corpses, slinging one end of Scholar's Sting into the face of the first of them, trusting to its weight and the accuracy of the strike to crush its rotten skull, then slid forward as he pulled the weapon back,
(10:04:45 PM) Kiarn: spinning full-circle to send it in a wide, sweeping arc for the next of the zombies, slamming into it's chest with bone-shattering force even as he yanked it back again and sent one end of it straight out at the third zombie within range, in a spear-like pinpoint strike at its neck.
(10:10:09 PM) StoryTolder: The ferocity of Kiarn's attack decimates the zombies, smashing two of them into the ground, but one still stands with a crushed skull, barely flinching as its head explodes in bony pieces. Mouth gone, it emits a hoarse gurgle from its pulsing throat.
(10:12:39 PM) StoryTolder: The golem rushes after the floating priest, hopelessly swinging its giant hooked hands at it, but completely unable to reach the man.
(10:13:02 PM) StoryTolder: The zombie manages finally to crawl onto the back of the golem, but also has little success as the priest deftly steps away from their reach.
(10:16:09 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy steps forwards to the mouth of the crypt, disdainfully ignoring the zombie to the side of her, and fires her powerbow yet again, her shots flying through the rain and ash towards the Golem.
(10:20:55 PM) ***Gemini heads deeper into the dark, necrotic essence-infused Tomb. The sounds of the battle behind him slowly diminish, absorbed by the thick stone walls.
(10:20:57 PM) StoryTolder: One of her shots flies wide, a breeze pushing it aside as her other two shots fly true, one burying itself into the back of the golem's neck, and the other shattering the skull of the zombie atop it. She cries out through the rain: "Finish it, Priest!"
(10:23:00 PM) ***Smilie laughs again, dropping to the ground with a 'squish' of the ash-mud, and whirls about to face the golem. "But however can I face such a horrid creature?" he asks with blatant melodrama, and sets off running towards the nearest mausoleum.
(10:24:26 PM) StoryTolder: The golem roars angrily, and rushes after Smilie, mindlessly chasing after him.
(10:26:12 PM) Smilie: The priest rushes his way to the side of one of the many mausoleums that dot the cemetary, and finds himself momentarily corned against the stone walls. He takes a brief glance over his shoulder, waits until the creature is about to reach him, and abruptly disappears from sight.
(10:28:19 PM) StoryTolder: The golem rushes forwards, and smashes it's heads into the stone wall, hissing with pain at the unexpected impact, completely bewildered as to where the Priest went to.
(10:34:08 PM) ***Kiarn wasted no further time, seeming to almost leap forwards into motion, after the golem beast. Let Ivy deal with the near-dead zombie, it wasn't a threat anyway. Scholar's Sting began to spin and curl around his body like a snake even before he broke into his run, sending whorls of ash in every direction except in front of him, the staff seeming to spin even faster around his body,
(10:35:01 PM) Kiarn: aided by his hands as he leapt for the beast at the final moment, spinning in a circle as his legs left the ground and sending Scholar's Sting forward for the center of the thing's mass to shatter it from inside out.
(10:39:26 PM) StoryTolder: And shatter it does, exploding in a mass of flesh and blood and bone, spraying over Kiarn and Smilie as his staff strike hits the perfect centre. The only remaining undead stands next to Ivy.
(10:41:25 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy idly cuffs the zombie to the side, glancing behind her before stepping out towards Kiarn and Smilie. "Did any of you see where Gemini went? He was in front of me as we entered the archway."
(10:42:52 PM) ***Smilie raises his cape, managing to spare his face and shirt, but not his pants or arms, from the bloody chunklets of golem. Now sitting on top of the mausoleum he led the golem to, points to the stone archway from earlier. "I think he's still down there."
(10:42:58 PM) ***Kiarn scrapes as much of the good off of Scholar's Sting as he can, and flings it to the side, spitting again. "He went past me, into the mausoleum. Perhaps he's still there."
(10:45:07 PM) ***Kiarn takes an idle moment to send the zombie's ghost back to the beyond with a well-placed kick, and motioned for the mausoleum. "Let's go get him."
(10:45:58 PM) StoryTolder: Ivy nods. "And may we find the Darkness as well."
(10:46:52 PM) ***Smilie cranes his neck and peers down into the arch from his perch. "It looks fairly dark in there. We shouldn't have a problem with that!"

I've had to replan the next couple of sessions based on how this one turned out. They should be more interesting now, and hopefully Gemini and Smilie will have more to do. Also, Fiaryn returns in a mad dash to save you guys!

Rainfall

Okay, I'll get the latest session logs posted shortly. I just want to say one thing, guys.

If any of you, EVER again, are stupid enough to do something like HIT A DETONATING SOULBREAKER ORB I will simply kill you right there, no questions asked.

There are some things in Exalted that you don't try and fight. There are some things that you don't hit.

I was tired last night, and I apologize for leaving abruptly. However, in future, please curb your blatantly suicidal tendencies.

You get one free life. This was it, guys.

Seriously that was like hugging a nuclear bomb, Gemini. And then having someone shoot it as the timer ticked down to nothing.

Excusable since you failed your checks to recognize it, but inexcusable because you ignored every single ST hint that it was REALLY GOING TO FUCK THINGS UP

Please. When I say 'hahahaha you're all going to die in a matter of seconds' running away may be your best bet. Running away REALLY QUICKLY would be better. Hitting the glowing orb of superessence that is obviously a WMD mcguffin? Not such a solid bet.

D'you get it?

Rainfall

Episode 8: Where they try their absolute hardest to die.

YeOldeST: The storm rages ferociously, the ground turning into a disgusting mix of slime and corpse-bits from the fallen undead as the Exalts head underground, out of the storm. As a particularly vicious barrage of lightning hits, a cloud of fog and steam obscures everyone and everything. When it clears, a familiar, bald-headed pirate is standing amidst the group.
Dezrik pulls his cloak more fully around himself, obscuring the weaponry hidden beneath and glancing about for a moment with disorientation.
Dezrik: "I seem to recall there being more of you when I left."
Kiarn pauses, and turns slowly, very slowly, to face the Lunar, and then blinks once, twice, and a moment later speaks, very quietly. "You aren't dead after all."
Smilie waves casually to Dezrik. "It certainly took you a while!" He remarks cheerily.
Dezrik: "Well I wasn't exactly sniffing daisies while I was gone. We'll get into that later though. Where's the sorcerer?"
YeOldeST: Cynis Ivy looks perplexed, but keeps her bow lowered as Kiarn and Smilie greet the pirate cheerfully. "In the crypt, as far as I can tell. Shall we get out of this accursed storm?"
Smilie tilts his staff back in the direction of the mausoleum. "Down there. Care to join us?"
Dezrik: "He's doing that "run way ahead thing" again huh? Joy. And aye, I would."
Gemini steps slowly and cautiously towards the red glow
Kiarn: "Indeed." Kiarn turns back to lead the way again. He was, after all, apparently elected to do so.
Dezrik marches in afterwards, thumbing at Ivy, "Who's she?"
YeOldeST: As Gemini moves closer to the glow, he can see that it's the entrance to a room, lit by a pulsing red light.
Smilie fellows, gesturing from Ivy to Dezrik. "Ivy, Dezrik. Dezrik, Ivy."
Dezrik: "Charmed. Nice bow."
YeOldeST: Ivy smiles. "Thank you."
Smilie claps his hands. "Wonderful. Now that we're acquainted, I feel it's my obligation to issue a warning."
Kiarn pauses as Smilie speaks, looking over his shoulder.
Smilie raises a finger. "I'll put this simply. Dying here will be your entrance to an as-yet unknown existence of bondage, slavery, and possible complete and utter nothingness following agonizing dissolution. So try not to."
Kiarn: "...Because we absolutely intended to die before. Thank you, Priest."
Kiarn turns back and continues on, thinking that he absolutely must stop listening to the priest's commentary.
Smilie shrugs, looking jovial. "I thought you might appreciate the incentive!"
Dezrik: "It just can't be regular death these days can it? It's got to be "super death"."
Kiarn: "You may have seen the super-dead things outside. I assume that's what he referred to."
Gemini enters into the illuminated room, each pulse covering the room in crimson
Kiarn has a faintly amused tone in his voice, despite the surroundings.
(Dezrik keeps his focus on their surroundings despite the banter, watchful for surprise attacks of any sort.
YeOldeST: The pulsing red light comes from what looks like a tear in thin air. Inside, Gemini can see a... temple of some sort, in a massive cavern. Pulsing red crystals provide the hypnotic glow, filling the crypt he has stepped into with light.
YeOldeST: As the other Exalted move through the crypt, all they see is shadows and stone walls, endless passages of crypts and unentombed dead, remnants of some long-forgotten battle.
Gemini 's eyes slowly adjust to the brightness, as he takes in his surroundings.
Kiarn considers for a moment calling out for Gemini, but decides not to, not yet. He just continued moving through the crypts in search of the good Cap'n.
Dezrik: "So did he at least have a reason for moving on way ahead into this friendly place?"
Kiarn: "I do not know. We were all a bit busy dealing with the walking dead, and he simply... went on. I do not know why."
Smilie: The priest's staff clicks lightly on the floor as they make their way past the graves. "Curiosity?"
Kiarn: "You know, I'd wondered if he had cat's blood."
YeOldeST: Ivy snorts. "Well, if he's impractical as he sounds, we'd better find him before he gets himself killed. The Darkness is down here... somewhere."
(Dezrik nods and quickens the pace, "Works for me."
Kiarn: "Perhaps the Dragons have graced you with some sort of way to find without the search..." Kiarn's tone was mild. He did a good job hiding the sarcasm.
YeOldeST: After a few more moments of walking, a red glow up ahead pulses briefly, then disappears.
Gemini steps towards the temple, examining his strange surroundings.
Kiarn: "There. Did you see that?"
Dezrik: "I'm going to go out on a limb and say ominous red pulses mean we're heading the right way, aye."
Kiarn points at it, and then takes off in a job towards it.
Dezrik quickens his pace, taking off at a jog.
YeOldeST: The rip in the air hangs heavy directly in front of him, the temple built inside some sort of massive cave.
Gemini stops at the strange rip, discerning it's nature.
Smilie follows along at a modest pace. "Always hurrying, these ones..."
Gemini: "A... transportation spell?" Gemini mutters to himself.
YeOldeST: The rush forwards brings the group into the same chamber as Gemini. The rip in the air commands all attention, the rest of the room seemingly barren.
Dezrik: "Looks like he's not dead after all. But what the hell is that?" the Lunar queries, furrowing his brow in confusion.
Kiarn: "By the..." Kiarn's voice trails off as he stares into the rift, and then calls out. "Captain!"
YeOldeST: A faint whisper travels through the air, twisting like a worm into the ears of the Exalts. "Enter my domain, children. Feel the embrace of death surrounding youu..."
Smilie: As the priest enters, his eyes suddenly go wide at the sight of the hole in space. "Oh!" He immediately composes himself, a smirk slipping back onto his face. "Oh."
YeOldeST: At that same instant as Smilie steps into the room, the heavy stone door slams shut behind them.
Kiarn bites back a swear, and moves to approach Gemini and the rift. Bloody damned things... and he stops when the door slams shut, this time unable to hold back the oath.
Dezrik places a hand on the hilt of Argent Calamity, turning his gaze this way and that in an attempt to identify the location of the speaker.
YeOldeST: Ivy mutters a curse, and looks through the rift. "Well... I sense that my hunt is nearing the end. Wherever that hell-place is... is where The Darkness lies.”
Gemini remains unaware of his allies emergence behind him, enthralled with the rip in creation, as he looks downwards for a moment, and then starts to step through the rift, stopping with his foot in midair as the strange whisper, Kiarn's faded shout, and the sound of the stone door slamming gives him pause.
Smilie strides forward towards the portal, tilting his head left and right. He wanders around it, examining the thing from multiple angles. "Clever. He wants us to fight him on his terms."
Kiarn does not comment that Ivy and the priest could take turns stating the obvious, moving forwards again as Gemini tries to step through the rift.
Smilie holds up a hand. "Now, let's be careful. We don't want to jump into this--literally or figuratively."
Dezrik: "I'm inclined to agree with the priest on this. This seems all too perfectly set up to favor "The Darkness"."
Dezrik: "Haste would be our worst enemy."
Kiarn lets the others debate their course, moving himself to reach to try to pull Gemini back before he steps through... possible to be isolated.
Smilie: "Of course, we WILL have to go through at some point. No ending it otherwise." He strokes his chin. "Ivy, would you be opposed to entering last?"
YeOldeST: Ivy raises an eyebrow. "Why for, Priest?"
Gemini turns to the priest, who is busy circling and gaping at the portal. "He might be trying to escape, and every extra moment we waste could give him the opportunity."
Smilie shakes his head at Gemini. "He wouldn't leave us an invitation is he wanted to escape. And as for why you should be last, Ivy..." he pauses for effect, eyes darting between her and the portal.
Dezrik patrols the chamber in a circular pattern, keeping watch for the moment, he seems content to wait for them to work out the issue.
Smilie: "You shoot arrows," he says.
YeOldeST: Ivy nods, contemplating. "No matter what we do, at this point he will know that we're coming for him. He was prepared as I hunted him in the woods, as we assaulted this crypt... there's no reason for him to not be prepared in this... place."
YeOldeST: "By the grace of the Dragons, we will prevail."
Dezrik: "Do we know anything of his capabilities beyond "necromancy"?"
Kiarn glanced over his shoulder at Ivy, but chose not to comment, then spoke to Dezrik. "No, save that he seems to want to scare us. I say unless one of you has preparations to make, we wait no longer."
Gemini scans over the collected exalts, meeting all the eyes, before performing a quick nod and deftly jumps through the portal in a dive, attempting to land in a roll.
Smilie: "Now than, whether by Dragons, fate, or preference..." He leans near the portal, "Kiarn, you should go first, followed immediately by our own slayer," he glances over his shoulder at Dezrik. "Then our Captain and I will head it up, ready to do what we do best should it be needed. And then, of course, the wonderful Ivy." He gestures to her. "I hope their grace extends to where we're going."
Dezrik just rolls his eyes and follows after, "Too late."
Kiarn waits no longer, leaping through after Gemini, just in case the portal tries to shut on them. Kiarn will not let him go alone.
YeOldeST: Ivy sighs, watching the others jump in, and making an apologetic gesture to Smilie, follows after the rest.
Smilie sighs. "All the best plans." He glances apprehensively at the portal, and then at his oddly-throbbing hearthstone. He steps through.
YeOldeST: The air on the other side of the portal is dry and cold. A breeze whips around you, as you stand in front of the dark temple, its walls carved with imagery of dark gods, and darker scripts of death and Oblivion.
Smilie approaches one of the walls, and runs his hand across it. "I thought, but I'd hoped..." He turns his head, and shouts in that same happy voice as always. "I believe I know where we are!"
YeOldeST: There's a sense of... wrongness to the place, though. The breeze is a ltitle different, and the sky is... not a sky at all. It just reaches up forever, and yet seems oppressively low.
Kiarn swears under his breath again, and wrinkles his nose as he breaths the air, staring at the temple. Bloody hell. "I guess we know where to go." He glances at the priest. "Do I even have to guess?"
Smilie: "We are in a bad place."
Dezrik: "Lets just get this over with." the Lunar remarks dourly, trudging temple-wards.
Kiarn nods and moves in step with the Lunar, squeezing Scholar’s Sting tightly in one hand.
Gemini takes a slow breath as he takes in their new environment, and quickly overtakes the group, staying two or three steps ahead, before reaching the temple entrance
Smilie glances left and right as they begin to make their way. "Do not trust your surroundings."
YeOldeST: The whispers are carried on the breeze. "Destroyers of nations, breakers of lives, enter the Temple of Nothing... face the Darkness within... and see the veil rent"
Kiarn: "I barely trust my surroundings in the West at all, priest. What makes you think I'd trust them here, of all places?
Smilie lives up his nickname as he passes to the temple. "I've seen that already, but thanks for the invitation!" He calls out to the winds.
Dezrik: "We're all very gruff and manly. Or at least blunt and manly."
Dezrik looks to Smilie
Dezrik: "Blunt."
Dezrik: "We get it."
Smilie taps his chin. "Wait... if you're not from around here, Kiarn, where are you from?"
YeOldeST: The doors of the temple stand open, and inside, the glowing red light fills everything. Other than that, only one figure stands in the temple. It is as empty as a Temple of Nothing should be.
Kiarn: "The East, priest. Where there's ground under your feet, like there should be. Where there's growth, life, and trees. Instead of water, water, and more water, plus some water, and then water after that."
Dezrik: "The Darkness, I presume?"
Kiarn shifts Scholar's Sting to holding it in both hands, one hand on each end, letting it stretch out in front of him as he takes a moment to pause and slip into Mantis Form once more.
YeOldeST: The Darkness laughs, as it turns to face the Exalts. "Children. You fail to bring me my sacrifice, and then enter my domain? Your foolishness truly knows no bounds.
Dezrik draws forth wavecleaver and shield from their places beneath his cloak, rolling it back.
Smilie clutches his staff. "If you were anticipating Gull, I'm afraid she's no longer with us. If you were anticipating those crates, forgive me for not having the back to haul them down here."
YeOldeST: "Gull's soul has already served its purpose. I see it left marks on your... 'Captain.'" The Darkness chuckles, as he raises his arm above his head. "The true cargo you carried shall be released in due time, however."
Gemini shrugs off the hood of his cloak, and starts to glow ever so slightly, as the breeze begins to take a turn for the violent, snapping garments against flesh.
Dezrik: "Crypticism is no fun for anyone chief."
Smilie: "I don't suppose you intend to tell us what that might be?"
YeOldeST: The Darkness smiles. "The true cargo was the souls of your crew, 'Captain Gemini.'"
Gemini calls out, mysteriously amplified. "Reveal yourself!"
YeOldeST: The ground shudders as The Darkness laughs. "Very well." His hand drops, and his form disintegrates, as a twisted cloud of shadow spreads out, overtaking half of the dark temple, and a whisper echoes through the stones. "I am The Darkness. The Emptiness in the Heart. The Blackness of Nothing."
Dezrik unclasps his cloak and lets it fall to the ground, revealing the fullness of his moonsilver armaments in all their glimmering glory.
Kiarn draws himself up and smiles, speaking in a low tone as he begins to approach near to GEmini's position. "You are right about one thing. You are, indeed, nothing."
Smilie shivers at Kiarn's declaration. "Oooh. Good one."
Gemini bursts into a deep blue glow, as his caste mark burns. "You can't hide from me!"
YeOldeST: The darkness laughs maniacally, as ghosts begin stepping out of the shadow that is The Darkness. One of the ghosts, seemingly dressed in red jade armor, carries some sort of orb, wrapped in bands of Starmetal. He looks at Gemini as he steps forwards, seemingly ignoring the other Exalts. His voice is a harsh whisper. "I'm sorry."
Kiarn takes a long, slow breath, and once again calls upon his Essence. Though the effect is utterly invisible to anyone not looking at Essence flows, Kiarn's skin hardens like unto purest steel.
YeOldeST: The darkness speaks. "For centuries, I have waited for the time to come. Now, the Orb of Destruction shall cast the souls of Windgate into the bliss of Oblivion. And all of you are powerless to stop me!”
YeOldeST: Ivy glares out at the darkness, and nocks an arrow. Then she pauses. "Are you so cowardly that you must hide yourself from our vengeance? Fight us!"
Smilie holds his staff close to him, glancing through the blackness.
YeOldeST: The ghosts continue to shuffle forwards, silent and completely synchronous.
Dezrik contorts and expands outwards, flesh turning to rough unnaturally tough reptilian scales as the Lunar assumes his warshape.
Gemini turns to the orb-wielding ghost, and readies himself, mentally tuned to the essence flows all around him.
Gemini: "Who are you that sends servants to do his bidding?!!
Gemini: "You hide behind whispers of temptation and threat, you truly are nothing!"
YeOldeST: The darkness laughs as it rushes forwards, engulfing the entire massive chamber in shadow. Primordial whispers creep from the shadows, burrowing into your ears, telling the truth of the Darkness. It is nothing. Nothing except for the figure that stands alone in the blackness in front of you, holding his hand outstretched in the direction of the ghost's movement.
YeOldeST: And then the shadows fade, falling back into the body of a man with a melted face, standing before the Exalts, wielding a long, curved blade. "I am here. Kill me if you can, the Void shall feast this day, regardless of my fate."
Kiarn slid forward, with grace suddenly born of Essence-bound motion as the Essence flowed through him, his Caste mark beginning to glitter with the power, a solid circle with a sunburst surrounding it, Scholar's Sting snapping forward as he crossed the space to move towards the ghost with the orb, attempting to force it to deal with him as he swept the serpent-sting staff for it.
Gemini suddenly gazes upwards, his caste mark erupting, the glow almost eclipsing the brightness of the orb carried by the starmetal-wielding ghost, as the essence takes shape around him, swirling in strange forms.
YeOldeST: The ghost barely flinches as Serpent's Sting smashes against it, it's ghostly armor protecting it from the worst of the blow. It keeps walking, heading for the portal at the top of the hill.
YeOldeST: Ivy's eyes widen as she sees Gemini's Caste Mark flaring, but she stands by him, her bow at the ready. Anathema he might be, but sorcery might be her only chance at survival.
Dezrik lets out a primal roar and brandishes his blade with bloodlust in his slitted serpents eyes, swinging Argent Calamity at the ghost bearing the orb.
YeOldeST: The Moonsilver blade cuts through the ghost's armor almost as though it wasn't there, dealing a blow that would cripple any living being. The ghost stumbles, and looks at Dezrik with long-dead eyes. "I'm sorry."
Gemini finilizes the intricate essence flows all around him, as the corescent streams of energy coalesces into a massive form above him - the image of a wolf of the frigid north, taking its shape and form from the massive gust of wind bursting through every possible entrance in the temple, before suddenly exploding in massive shockwave with the sound of a howl, above Gemini's head and towards his foe.
YeOldeST: The Darkness rushes towards Ivy, his long black blade swinging in the air, moving faster than is humanly possible. At the same moment, Ivy fires her bow, trails of Wood Essence flickering around her as her Anima flares. The two strike at the exact same moment, even as the howl of the Thunder Wolf rips shreds of skin off of the melted face of The Darkness.
YeOldeST: Ivy's shot strikes The Darkness in the face, ripping through where his eye had been even as The Darkness's blade sliced through her armor like it was paper, sending her falling to the ground, bleeding onto the hungry stone of the Temple.
Smilie lowers his staff indecisively, glancing between the ghosts, the orb, the Darkness, and Ivy. He grits his jaws, looking as apprehensive as his smile will allow, and sets for Darkness. "I believe I have the most issue with you."
YeOldeST: The ghosts continue to move forwards, outside of the temple. They stand about halfway to the portal, and continue to move without stopping.
Smilie gives his staff a twirl, and swings it almost haphazardly at the pretentiously-titled creature of darkness.
Kiarn moves, and in moving, is speed incarnate, and leaps. His feet, for a mere instant, touch Smilie's staff as it twirls, his weight never putting pressure on it even though he uses it as a springboard as the Essence buoys him up and carries him forward, Scholar's Sting leaping forth from his fingers, seeming to whirl in midair so that it strikes once, then again with the other end, Kiarn's hand reading out to catch it even as it flew and spun it to strike again even as he moved.
YeOldeST: The ghost buckles under the weight of its burden, but continues walking, resolute in its cause.
Dezrik: Another chamber shattering roar as the Lunar is suddenly upon the Darkness in an instant, his tail sweeping the creatures legs out from under it, making it all too easy prey for the rain of sword blows that follow.
YeOldeST: The Darkness laughs at Dezrik as his plate mail absorbs the force of his blows, and his mocking laughter rings across the combat. "Pathetic mortals. Only seconds to live, and you waste your time trying to kill Nothing! AHAHAHAAAA!"
Gemini moves with dexterity and flows on the currents, and grabs the wounded Ivy by the armor, keeping low to the ground while moving faster than a normal human should be able to, a trail of dust and shattered masonry from the sorcerous blast in his wake.
Gemini he skids to a halt a few meters away, Ivy sliding a bit further.
YeOldeST: Ivy wrenches herself free of Gemini's grasp. "I can run on my own. The strength of the Dragons flows in me." Saying that, she spins on her heel and snaps off a quick shot at The Darkness while running backwards.
YeOldeST: Her shot strikes The Darkness in the chest plate, knocking him back a step, and he responds by swinging his blade at the Lunar who so recently assaulted him.
YeOldeST: Dezrik easily dodges the blow, with a lazy twist of his serpentine body, The Darkness snarls in rage.
YeOldeST: The Ghosts continue to march forwards, and are within a few mere steps of the portal into Creation.
Smilie: The priest pulls back his staff to prepare for another futile strike at the undead lord, but immediately whirls around, taking in the ghastly march towards the rift. With a laugh he turns away and dashes for the procession. Moving as fast as he can, he plants his staff against the floor and vaults himself upwards. His feet find purchase on nothing, and he leaps again, crossing the distance to the orb-carrying soul. He twirls his staff once more before he lands, crouches, and in a single motion angles his staff underneath the ghost's hands. There's a sense of purpose to his movements, and a grim determination in his otherwise-cheerful features as he yanks the wood upwards, hissing through his teeth.

Kiarn seems to ripple with pure Essence as the staff blurs, golden trails seeming to leap from it, guiding its strikes as he moves, so fast he can barely be seen for a few seconds. A leaping image of a giant preying mantis made of flowing golden power leaps upwards around him, surrounding him, massive claws sweeping outwards with each strike in perfect mimicry. Once the staff flew, straight as a spear. Twice the staff flew, in a wide circular arc. Thrice the staff flew, twisting in Kiarn's hands as Essence guided it for the center of the beast's back. And four times the staff flew, screaming in a wide circle that Essence would not allow to miss.
YeOldeST: The ghost finally falls to its knees, the orb flying high into the air above it. A whispered 'Thank you' echoes from the corpse as it fades into nothingness.
YeOldeST: As Smilie reaches out to grab the falling orb, Gemini rushes forwards to grab it as well, knocking over Smilie in his haste to keep the precious artifact from hitting the ground. He gasps at its weight, but barely manages to hang onto it.
Smilie looks up from the ground. "Nice shove!" He compliments, genuinely.
Gemini is deaf to Smilie's sarcasm, as the strength of the sun fills him, his anima burning with the roaring intensity of the unconquered sun, as his reaches upwards, leaving vicious scorch marks on the temple roof.

Smilie 's eyes widen with alarm, and he quickly hops to his feet. He calls out to all present. "All of you!," he gestures to ghosts and Exalts alike, "if you want happiness, leave!" He points towards the rift. "If you seek absolution...!" He gestures around.
YeOldeST: Ivy scrambles back for the portal, leaving the conflict between The Darkness and Fiaryn to fate.
YeOldeST: The Darkness raises his arm for one final strike at the Exalt in front of him, hissing hatred with his every breath.
Dezrik withdraws after twisting around the blow once more, quickly putting distance between himself and the Darkness as he sees the familiar shaping of a familiar spell.
YeOldeST: The remaining ghosts gather around Gemini as he reaches upwards, focusing his essence for the sorcery. They reach upwards to grasp the orb, in a parody of his spell casting.
Kiarn moves towards Gemini, knowing well what is coming, and preparing himself to strike just after the explosion of air and sound...
(Smilie looks around, appearing especially frantic. "I dislike speaking so, but..." he cups his hands over his mouth, and yells as loud and as hard as he can, "DROP THE DAMN ORB AND HEAD FOR THE PORTAL!"
Gemini again wraps the tendrils of essence around the form of a spectral frost-wolf, which leaps through the air almost playfully as it gains strength, snapping its corporeal jaws around the throats of nearby ghosts as it grows in stature and density, and focuses on its target, Darkness, and lets out a furious growl. Just as Dezrik runs by, it snaps its fangs, and charges towards it's armored and weakened foe, decompressing in
Dezrik: "Throw actually! Throw would probably guarantee it doesn't follow!"
YeOldeST: The Darkness is hurled up into the sky by the force of the blast, falling back upon the ground as he cackles in laughter. The orb in Gemini's hands begins to glow, the Starmetal bands around it spinning, speeding up rapidly. "OBLIVION WILL TAKE YOU ALLL!"
Dezrik: "TOSS IT TOSS IT TOSS IT!" he yells as he slithers on by into the portal
Kiarn gives Gemini a single look, and shouts "GO!", then spins in a circle, Scholar's Sting slinging forward to slam straight into the center of the Orb, to knock it out of the way of the grasping, ghostly hands before Kiarn spun and LEAPT through the portal, Essence trailing from his entire form as the enormous mantis flickers back into existence around him again.
Gemini cuts through the air, letting the orb fall from midair as he dives through the portal, cutting through the distance like a cruiser cuts through the waves.
YeOldeST: The orb flickers as Kiarn strikes it, a high-pitched whine emitting from it as it moves backwards, time seeming to almost move in slow motion as the essence restrained within prepares to release itself.
Smilie reappears nearby Kiarn, having disappeared in the midst of Gemini's casting. He watches as the orb goes flying, he regards the ghosts clustered, and he takes a long, hard-look at the brilliant form of the Dawn Caste, glimmering and shining amongst the dank darkness of the Labyrinth. He shakes his head. "You know, Kiarn, I have something to say to you."
YeOldeST: And the essence releases.
Smilie: "I-" and his words were drowned out.
YeOldeST: A flash of green energy rips through the Underworld as the orb detonates, the portal to the Underworld shrinking rapidly with the death of The Darkness. The deadly energy tears through the remaining ghosts, leaving nothing behind. Mere moments before the energy strikes the portal, it shuts with a hideous sucking sound.

Aside from craziness(I honestly thought Kiarn was going to sacrifice himself in order to save Gemini, I touched up the fact that you actually did not say where you were going, dude) this session was pretty fun. I hope you guys thought so too. Later today: Five Exalts in a stone room.

Also, everyone gets 5+5 XP, and Kiarn gets 1 extra for a three-die stunt. Congratulations on not creating another Shadowland.

Rainfall

Episode 9: This is a democracy!

TPK_STedition: The crypt is small, tiny, and confined. Empty except for five heroes of the West. One huddles in a corner, her hands pressed against a wound on her side. Two glow with the power of the Unconquered Sun, one with a giant totemic Praying Mantis, the other with twin helixes swirling in an invisible wind around him. A fourth doesn’t stand, but rests on his lower, snake-like body, another, larger snake formed out of silvery Essence curled around him. The fifth stands silent, holding his staff with an awkward smile on his face.. The door is sealed shut, although the Champions of the Sun probably don't find that a problem.
Smilie: "-and that's all I have to say about that," the priest concludes. He opens his eyes, and stares blankly at the other assembled Exalts. "Oh. You're all still alive." He nibbles on his thumb. "Ignore everything I just said."
Kiarn turns then to stare at the place the rift used to be, and then looks at Smilie, blinking, twice. "You almost sound disappointed, priest."
Dezrik slithers over to Ivy, ablaze with Luna's glory to make an important query, "You gonna live lass?"
TPK_STedition: Ivy nods, her face pale from loss of blood. "It was a strong blow, but I'll live. Provided you /anathema/ don't kill me."
Kiarn turns, slowly, to stare at Ivy. "Out of politeness I request you find better terms. Ones that do not refer to us as monsters, considering that one of us just saved your life."
Dezrik: "Don't plan to unless you give us a good reason. I'm not fond of you Dynasts, but I don't make it my practice to kill where I don't need to either."
Smilie places two fingers over his mouth, doing his best to look somewhat mortified. "Oh dear. Our secret is out."
Dezrik: "So really, it's up to you lady."
Smilie shoots a glare at Dezrik. "Dezrik! Don't threaten our friend!"
Dezrik shrugs and makes his way to the exit to this portion of the mausoleum, looking to see if the stone door is still shut from when Darkness locked them in, "It ain't a threat unless she already intends to try and kill us."
Gemini slowly comes to his senses and chcecks out his surroundings, as his anima flare slowly dies down to managable levels.
Dezrik: "In which case I hardly see how it matters."
TPK_STedition: Ivy raises an eyebrow. "How should I refer to you, then? Do you perhaps have grand, noble titles that you go by?"
Smilie coughs into his hand. "Well, there was that time in Skullstone..."
Kiarn introduces himself shortly after Dezrik. "Titles? Bloody Dynasts. I am Kiarn."
Dezrik: "Grand? Not really. Noble? I'm told it is. Dezrik Serano, Chosen of Luna."
Smilie shrugs. "Call me whatever you like, though I don't think 'grand or noble' suits any of us right now."
Kiarn jerked a thumb at Smilie. "He's just Priest. He won't give us any other name. Dezrik prefers Giggles n' Grinz for him, but that's a tad crass. No offense." That last bit to Dezrik.
Dezrik: "None taken, never said it wasn't crass."
Smilie crouches beside Ivy, tossing a reply over his shoulder. "I thought it was nice."
Gemini blinks a few times, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. "Gemini,.. Just Gemini."
TPK_STedition: Ivy sighs. "I suppose I do owe you a debt of honor for helping me strike down The Darkness. I never really liked the Immaculates."
Kiarn muttered under his breath, "you wouldn't, would you?" and turned to stare at the massive door.
Smilie: "Forgive me for the abruptness of this conversation after what you've gone through, Ivy, but it won't help to put it off." He looks to the others. "Would you care for... well, one of us to take a look at that? I think someone here has some experience with wounds... not sure which."
Dezrik: "They do have good taste in hair style, or lack thereof." the Lunar shamelessly promotes the bald agenda before going on. "Bad news though, we're going to need some mining equipment."
Dezrik: "Unless one of you can will doors open with your mind."
Kiarn turned back to Smilie, waiting a few beats for anyone else to volunteer.
TPK_STedition: Ivy shakes her head. "I am a follower of Sextes Jylis. I can bind my own wounds, provided one of you can spare some cloth. My medicinal pouch was lost during my hunt."
Gemini stops over to the door, his still-burning caste mark shining upon it.
Smilie undoes his cloak pin, and removes his cape. "It's not as if this thing's good for anything but show." He pockets the pin and hands the piece of clothing over.
Smilie: "Now, there's so much to cover here I'm not quite sure where to begin. Do you have any specific questions you'd like answered on what just happened, who we are...? Or would you prefer I just start off wherever I feel like?"
TPK_STedition: Ivy quirks an eyebrow as she drags her knife across the cloak, cutting it into bandages. "I don't recall asking for your life story, priest. However, we might as well hear it while we wait to rot in this Dragons-forsaken tomb."
Dezrik: "Hey, you say that like rotting is boring. This is pretty thrilling fare and I think you should appreciate that."
Dezrik lets loose the power of dry sarcasm as he examines the door rather futiley, looking for some sort of opening mechanism
Smilie waves a finger chidingly. "No need to be upset, Ivy. Fate will provide an exit, I'm sure."
Gray: To those with the ears to hear it, a split instant's warning in the form of a low roar vibrates its way through the heavy door.
Dezrik: "Well gentlemen, it looks like we are well and truly scr-eh?"
Smilie stands and begins to pace around the room, his staff clacking against the floor. He places a hand against his ear. "And what is that I hear?"
TPK_STedition: Ivy places her hands on her bow, watching the door intently.
Gemini sidesteps, hopping out of the front of the door.
Kiarn: "Oh dear."
Gray: The next half of the moment results in the door effectively disintegrating in a flash of molten rock, with a few globs of its remains spattering over the interior...a duplicate of the sun's glory itself standing in the entrance of the doorway for the minutest portion of a second as the poor, misguided slab is reunited with its portal-holding ancestors.
Kiarn steps well back and to the side, away form the door.
Gray: With the explosion shattering the air, a voice accompanies it in turn - sheer indignation and rage in its tone.
Dezrik stands with wavecleaver drawn, eyes narrowed and the silver essence form of his totem curled around him. He is ready for a fight.
Gray: "WHERE'S MY WRENCH, YOU BASTARD!?"
Kiarn leaps away when the door seems to fly apart and shouts in surprise. "What in the bloody hells...!"
TPK_STedition: Ivy sighs. "Your types really seem to come out of nowheres, don't you?"
Smilie glances over his shoulder, looking as smug as he can. "It stops being surprising after a while."
Dezrik: "Who the hell are you, what the hell are you going on about, and what was that?"
Kiarn stared incredulously as the now-very-gone door, then peeks around it to see where that voice was coming from.
TPK_STedition: Ivy stands up, wincing for a moment, and holds her bow ready. "I think you're right, priest. Fate provided us an exit."
Gemini still stares at this new solar exalt. "He's right about that, fate surely has strange plans."
Gray: As the remains of the entranceway glow a fetching orange-gold, its jambs dripping the occasional plop of ex-door, a stolid, if somewhat now more hesitant figure stands in the gloom beyond. "...You don't sound like a Darkness."
Dezrik: "Darkness is dead! Probably."
Gemini: "As much as something like that could even die."
Kiarn quietly wonders what she thought a Darkness actually sounded like.
Gray: "You have no legs."
Gray: Evidently the figure is easily distractible.
Dezrik: "...Yes. That is indeed the case. Now who are you and why are you after Darkness?"
Gray: "...Gray. Darkness took my wrench. All my tools, actually. Don't suppose you've seen any?" A vague hint of hope now visits his tone at the inquiry, as Dezrik helpfully directs him back on topic.
Kiarn: "...Tools."
Dezrik: "Why w-...nevermind. No. If he had them, he probably had them in that temple of his in the Underworld, which was just now probably vaporized."
TPK_STedition: Ivy leans back against the wall, wrapping the last of her makeshift bandages around her side, shaking her head. "I saw nothing in that unholy place."
Gemini: Takes a few steps towards Gray, before taking a peek behind him to look for an exit. "Haven't seen them."
Kiarn eyes the newcomer with a frown, then shakes his head. "And I'm afraid you won't be able to go after them.
Kiarn: "Well... not if you would like to stay amongst the living."
Gray: "Oh."
Dezrik: "Darkness, and the tools, are likely now ash."
Dezrik: "...Thanks for opening the door though, we were rather stuck."
Dezrik looks around, wearing as much of an awkward expression as his reptile face can manifest at this mix up.
Gray: The rock now having cooled and thus not shedding quite so much light to kill one's dark vision, it is easy to discern the personage upslope, from which the sounds of a brief shuffling of accoutrements emits. Not especially tall at an unimpressive 5'10", shielded with a bandana and set of dark, slanted goggles.
Kiarn: "...You came all this way for tools?"
Gray: "You're welcome. ...I did."
Kiarn: "They must have been some tools."
Smilie scratches his cheek. "Well, what else did he make that device using?"
Dezrik: "Fascinating and perplexing as this all is, I suggest we talk it all out outside of this crypt."
Dezrik: "Dead people aren't exactly my decor of choice.
Dezrik begins slithering his way out at that, sheathing his blade and shouldering his shield.
Gray: "Haven't seen the bread-crisper I was working on he took either, have you? Small, roundish..." He trails off as Dezrik interjects.
Dezrik: "Don't even know what that is."
Kiarn raised an eyebrow at Gray, then moved to follow Dezrik, calling over his shoulder. "He's right. This entire place is disgusting."
TPK_STedition: Ivy follows Dezrik, happy to leave the dead tomb.
Smilie stares as Dezrik moves, following him out. "There's something disturbing but hypnotic about that."
Gray: Instead opting to press himself against the wall as the huge snake-man moves by.
Gemini steps around Gray, and starts trudging up the slope and out of the cave, his essence lighting the way for him, slowly dying down so that it no longer charred the ground beneath his feet. Ahh, they were in the crypt, though it looked different without the omnipresence of necrotic essence flows.
Gray: Giving the back of the group an eye of suspicion, especially with the flaring anima, he sidles along the wall a few steps behind.
TPK_STedition: As the group approaches the surface, talking quietly in the presence of the dead, they see daylight breaking through the ash clouds. The storm apparently blew over while they were in the crypt, leaving a muddy field of ash lying over the ground.
Smilie inhales as deeply as he can, spreading his arms out to greet the sun. "So nice to be back here!"
Kiarn carefully attempts to protect Scholar's Sting from the remaining ash, resolving to make sure it is cleaned and taken care of as soon as possible...
Dezrik holds up a hand to shield his eyes, hissing in displeasure at the sudden return of bright light.
Smilie speeds up his walking, apparently very anxious to get out of the graveyard's miniature shadowland.
Dezrik: "Well I don't suppose there's any further use in me staying like this."
Gray remains in the shelter of the crypt entrance, loathe to depart from its cover due to it having been a destination to halt at for barely five minutes.
TPK_STedition: "Not if we're heading back to town, that's for sure." Ivy taps her chin for a moment, and then looks over her shoulder. "Perhaps I should return to Starfall. I'm sure my companions are waiting for me."
Dezrik begins to warp in form again, tough supernatural hide and scale returning to flesh, his overall mass becomes significantly lessened as he returns to normal.
Gemini silently trudges through the the graveyard, worn down from the action over the last few hours. As if swept by an invisible broom, the ash and occasional zombie bone for a few feet in front of him slides to the side on every third or fourth step.
Smilie whirls around suddenly and points a finger at Ivy. "Not so quickly, friend! I said there were things to discuss, and I haven't even gotten the chance to begin."
Dezrik: The man that stands where the snake once did is a bit different than you all would remember him, covered in moonsilver tattoos from bald head to toe.
Kiarn let's Smilie deal with Ivy, instead pausing to let the others past and turning to face Gray.
Kiarn: "Gray. You said your name was Gray."
Dezrik: He swiftly redons his cloak and hood, hiding his nature. "Leaving us so soon huh Ivy? Heart breaking, and just when we were appreciating your company."
Dezrik: He chuckles a bit.
Dezrik turns his attention back to Gray, "The name's Dezrik Serano, for the record...don't mind the shapeshifting."
Gray: "That's what I said..." The goggles regard the man with exquisite care, his attention shifting briefly to Dezrik at the mention, giving a bland response. "...Right." Flitting a glance between the two, he makes to speak again before instead opting to watch Smilie's...'activities'.
Gemini doesn't even turn around, continuing to walk forward towards the forest that they came through. "Let her go if she wants, I don't think she's one to start a Wyld hunt."
TPK_STedition: Ivy shrugs, swinging her bow onto her back, supressing another wince. "I have duties, priest. Perhaps you're not aware, but a Dynast has responsibilities. If I shirk them, well... I'm less than I should be."
Smilie gets that crafty look of his. "Oh, good! We've already gotten past the first conversation. I shan't take much of your time, I promise." He grins. "Of course, I could just simply follow you all the way back to where you're headed, giving you every last minute detail of just what it is that we need to go over rather than the abridged version I had prepared..."
Kiarn watches Gray a moment, then nods and speaks again. "Do you know what you were chasing, Gray?"
TPK_STedition: Ivy sighs, sitting back on a gravestone. "Very well, priest. Speak your piece."
Gray: Responding to the recapturing of his attention by Kiarn, he counters with a query of his own. "Do you?"
Gemini takes a hop a few dozen meters away, balancing on the top of a fencepost.
Kiarn: "I do." Kiarn indicated himself, and the others, all of whom's glows were fading, but still visible for the most part. "You see what you are dealing with. And you did not seem... upset."
Smilie: "Excellent. I don't particularly like drawing these things out, so I'll be blunt..." He gestures back to the odd-looking Gray, the silvery-tattooed Dezrik, and the formerly-glowing Gemini and Kiarn, "we are meant to be, and we will one day be, your sovereigns, commanders, protectors, and associates."
Gray: "Maybe I'm in shock. I could break down and squeal like a girl at any moment."
Dezrik: "That'd be pretty unexpected."
Dezrik: "Somehow though I doubt it. You only hesitated slightly when you saw what I was."
Kiarn: "I somehow doubt you will, Gray. You blasted your way into a tomb looking to confront a servant of pure death. Because he stole... tools."
Kiarn nods at Dezrik as well. "That, too."
Gray: "I was very attached to them."
Kiarn: "Apparently. And yet, I do not think you are half so simple as you appear."
TPK_STedition: Ivy raises an eyebrow. "Associates, perhaps. The Dragon-Blooded shall rule these waves, you know."
Gray: His gaze is draw to Dezrik's legs once more, with an extra dose of suspicion just in case they vanish again.
Smilie rubs his chin, pacing back and forth. "How do you anticipate that they'd achieve that?" He gestures in a direction. "The Guild is already better-entrenched, and you have a centuries-old religious society to convert before you do that--one, I might add, that resonates quite strongly with that horror we just faced down there," he waves his staff at the crypt. "In addition to the undoubted destabilization Abalone's loss entail
Smilie: He raises a brow at her. "And then, of course, the state of your Realm."
Gemini jumps down from the fencepost, and shouts as he continues to walk out of the graveyard. "You can't trust the dynasts, so we should just stay out of their way."
Kiarn glances after Gemini, and slowly steps back to let Dezrik speak to Gray... he was more interested in the Lunar's legs anyway... and moves after Gemini.
Dezrik: "You're uncertain, perhaps a bit afraid Gray. There is no reason to be. Have you not seen our true nature rather flagrantly exposed, enough that you could call down all manner of hell from any number of authorities?"
Dezrik: "And yet we do not threaten or make hostile moves."
Dezrik: "You have nothing to fear from us, we merely wish to know more of our savior."
TPK_STedition: Ivy shrugs dismissively, glancing at the woods behind her. "The Realm may be failing at it's heart, but that's not where we are, is it? A new realm could be forged out of these shattered islands, and the people are willing. The time is right, even. Maybe you should be following me."
Gray: Arms folding somewhat stubbornly over his chest, though with a hint of leeway in his demeanor, he glances once again at the now-quieting Kiarn while Dezrik addresses him, also taking note of the conversation occurring between the other two. "...You first, I think."
Dezrik: "Very well. As I told you, my name is Dezrik. I am from Coral, once a pirate of that fine nation."
Dezrik: "My...change in nature however changed the opinions of my crew mates towards me. They were not comfortable with a Chosen of Luna being amongst them."
Smilie approaches Ivy, circling the stone she's sitting on. "I had a good feeling about you! We do think alike on these matters. Mine are a bit more unorthodox, but spirit as much as intent." He peers past her shoulder, with little care for her personal space. "But why would you think you're suited to forge it? Consider what would have happened down there without us, and who, in the end, is better suited to stand as judge and guard against it."
Gray: "And can you speak for them?" A fingertip peeks from the arm-fold, indicating the others - including Ivy, who he has evidently grouped with the rest.
Gemini reaches the edge of the graveyard, far out of earshot of the group, where he aims a kick at a headstone as the last traces of the corescent anima aura fades, before continuing onwards.
Kiarn: "Captain."
Dezrik: "I trust them all, aye, and Ivy is a Dynast who is willing to not freak the hell out and attack we bunch of Anathema, as we are so called."
Dezrik: "You would be hard pressed to find a more...understanding group."
TPK_STedition: Ivy laughs derisively. "You really think I couldn't have stopped The Darkness on my own? The blood of the Dragons flows through my veins, and my power is more than adequate to defeat a beast like him. I merely wanted to test your capabilities, priest. Perhaps you're worth allying with... but I bow my knee to no one."
Gemini doesn't even break step or turn around to face Kiarn. "I'm not a Captain."
Dezrik pauses briefly to give the beaten to crap Ivy a "what" look at that.
Kiarn: "It's your ship, isn't it?" Kiarn speeds his step to catch up with him, walking astride. "It's your ship, and your crew. That makes you the captain, doesn't it? Or am I misunderstanding your Western customs again?"
Gray: Swapping focus for a moment, the finger aims toward Ivy, still addressing Dezrik in conversation. "She's stubborn."
Dezrik: "Some folks like that quality in a woman. 'Course, doesn't count for much when it apparently just gets you mauled."
Dezrik: "You are an artificer no?"
Smilie gives Ivy a funny look. An odd look. A look so strange that it'd be enough to make most normal people laugh at it. "You were testing us?" He asks, and his grin nearly splits to both his ears. Trudges back around in front of the tombstone, shaking his head. He keeps his back to her. "You were testing us."
Gray: A glance to Dezrik at the blunt query is followed by a careful watch on Smilie's shenanigans, as he responds once more. "I suppose the tools gave that away."
Smilie: The priest suddenly jerks his head around. His forehead shines lightly, and around him small bits of essence drift lazily, dimly illuminating his surroundings. "Your arrogance is unbelievable." He approaches with his shoulders squared. "Who was the first to retreat from that otherworldly hell?" He asks. "Who among us dared to confront the thing directly, despite the threat of nonexistence?" He asks, gesturing towards the others in t
Dezrik: "What did you use to do that to the door, out of curiosity?"
Gray: "Mining equipment."
Gemini trudges forward silently, not even bothering to avoid the ash on the ground.
Dezrik raises an eyebrow and just gives Gray a "really" look.
Smilie: the group. "Who among us dared to hold that wretched sphere IN THEIR HANDS at the moments of climax?" He leans in, looking like some macabre smiling doll, its grin impossibly huge and painted-on. "And who here, when it's all over with, still keeps such monumental delusions of grandeur?"
Kiarn lets Gemini continue in silence, just following after him, keeping him in silent company.
TPK_STedition: Ivy hangs her head. "You're right. You are the ones who cast down The Darkness, despite my bow. I apologize for my arrogance, priest. I don't see how one such as I could help in any way by accompanying you. I should return to my companions, and meditate on my failure."
Smilie shakes his head, and pats Ivy on the shoulder. "It wasn't failure. There are simply things we are more suited to confront than any lone child of the Dragons." He lifts and clenches his fist. "I tell you this because we will be putting these islands back together. If necessary, I will do it myself." He turns. "And you are best doing what you've been doing. But know, and keep in your heart what you've seen and learned today.
Smilie: And prepare for our coming as best you can." He raises his staff, towards the sun. "I'll be in touch."
Gemini peeks over his shoulder before turning around and cupping his hounds in an angry shout. "Hurry up, if your coming! Before her allies arive and kill us!"
Dezrik turns a disapproving look on Gemini.
Kiarn quietly punches Gemini in the shoulder, hard enough to get his attention. "Captain. Keep walking, please."
Dezrik: "Pipe down lad!"
TPK_STedition: Ivy nods, turning and heading off into the wild. "I'll await your coming."
Smilie calls out as she leaves, back to his friendly self. "It'll be nice to see you again!"
Gray: Peering off into the distance, a brow of his own arcs in response to the calling. "Killing allies?"
Dezrik: "He's upset over something. Don't mind him"
Gemini spits on the ground and throws up his hood and moves ahead, muttering to himself. "Fucking houses."
Kiarn raises an eyebrow, unseen by Gemini due to Gemini's lack of attention, but doesn't respond beyond staying nearby, keeping in step with him.
Gray: "Should I even ask?"
Dezrik: "I've seen some amazing things on forgotten islets around here, Gray...technology of the First Age of no small grandeur. It's why I asked about how you opened the door."
Dezrik: "Such things interest me."
Dezrik: "And I thought you might have some such tool...but ah well."
Smilie rejoins to the group, turning his cloak pin over in his hands. "Nice woman. I would like to see her again." He looks to Gray. "Nice to meet you!"
Gray: He gives the manic clown-smiler a look of dread, as though not having anticipated that his attention would focus upon him in the near future.
Gray: "Nice to meet you...too."
Smilie holds out his hand. "Priest, public speaker, necromancer. Nice to meet you."
Gray: His gaze, albeit still obscured by the opaque slanted goggles, locks on Smilie's...well, Smile. Taking the hand, he gives it a tentative shake before looking toward Dezrik, almost in a silent plea for aid.
Dezrik: "Gray here is an artificer...specializing in explosives it looks like."
Smilie shakes Gray's hand firmly. "I'm sorry about the circumstances of this meeting."
Dezrik: "Lucky for us, no?"
Smilie claps his hands together. "Yes it is! Especially with what we need to discuss."
Dezrik: "I wasn't aware there were urgent topics of discussion. More things I missed while I was gone?
Dezrik: Let’s walk and talk, regardless."
Dezrik beckons them on the path leading town-wards.
Gray: He sets off with mild caution, though not quite so much as beforehand of course, wandering along with the Solar/Lunar duo.
Smilie opts to not disappear for once, and walks with the group. "I've been giving our situation lengthy amounts of thought, and... have any of you begun to notice a theme to our predicaments and actions?"
Kiarn: "Dead people."
Dezrik: "The fact that situations seem to culminate towards the potential obliteration of a large chunk of land?"
Smilie: "Both, actually. Good choices."
Gray: "I haven't." He injects the rather useless input anyway, keeping a step or two behind the rest.
Smilie laughs. "You will!"
Dezrik murmurs something to Gray.
Kiarn: "I'd advise you not to scare the man off, but truthfully, he doesn't seem to understand fear that much."
Kiarn: "He did, after all, walk past a bunch of shredded corpses, the bodies of two large flesh beasts, and nearly into the lair of a Deathknight, alone."
Gray: "They were dead at the time."
Dezrik: "You didn't know that."
Smilie: "So I've put my mind to it... events conspire towards the destruction of Abalone, and the creation of a mass shadowland unseen since Skullstone itself. Then once we immediately land on Pearl, amidst oddly and clearly necromantic happenings, we're confronted with a Nephwrack conveniently poised to wipe out the second most powerful--I suppose first now--in Wavecrest."
Dezrik: "Did you?"
Gray: "The ones I walked past were."
Kiarn: "...They were dead when we killed them, too."
Dezrik: "Thought you were referring to Darkness, never mind."
Gray: "...They were more dead at the time."
Gray: "Double dead."
Smilie sighs. "Would you please focus? I'm trying to share an epiphany."
Kiarn: "So you think, priest, that there's some major push, I assume, from the Underworld, that we've conveniently, fallen into?"
Smilie nods. "There's few things in this world that are genuinely coincidence. There is always something else behind things like these."
Kiarn: "
Kiarn: "Something much more powerful than the Darkness we just obliterated the temple of, I assume. I suppose I don't have to ask who you mean."
Gray: "I need new tools."
Kiarn: "But I will anyway. Share your insight, priest."
Dezrik speaks up, stating bluntly, "It's Skullstone."
Gray: Focusing on epiphanies is obviously not his 'strong point'.
Smilie pats Gray on the shoulder. "There, there, we'll get you new ones."
Dezrik: "It's the reason I've been following you Solars in the first place."
Smilie shakes his head. "It's not Skullstone. It's those running it."
Dezrik: "Semantics, priest."
Dezrik: "Ever since my Exaltation, I've been receiving visions. What was attempted here is going to be repeated on a much larger scale."
Smilie: "These are not semantics!" The declaration itself carries more emotion than usual.
Dezrik: "At Coral, notably."
Kiarn: "...Hm." Kiarn mulls these over, and looks at Gemini. "Gemini. Are you still with us?"
Gray: "...What was attempted here?"
Smilie: "A country is not its seedy elements. I can't say much more beyond this-" he gives his strange-looking hearthstone a flick, "-but believe me that there is something worth investigating there."
Dezrik: "Darkness was attempting to bring some sort of bomb through a portal, it would have apparently obliterated the island."
Kiarn: "Here, in specific, or here in the sense of the problem at hand, priest?"
Kiarn: "You are entirely too literal sometimes for me to not have to clarify."
Gray: "...Oh."
Gemini casts a cursory look back at the group of exalts still following him, and then continues onward in the direction of the town.
Smilie: "I said there." The priest looks puzzled.
Kiarn: "Then I misspoke. But the question is no less valid. Are you suggesting we physically travel to Skullstone, or that we merely investigate other possibilities?"
Dezrik: "I feel I should point out that it only gets worse in my visions. What's going to be unleashed on Coral is a fleet, not just some bomb. Ships of magical metals, bearing weapons that fire pure essence."
Gray: A brow perks.
Smilie: "Skullstone is likely where the root of our problems li-" he stops in mid-sentence and stares at Dezrik.
Kiarn: "...You... are serious, Dezrik? By the..."
Smilie continues a second later. "Where the root of our problems is, but if it's not it is unquestionably the most likely place we'll find information about it."
Kiarn: "It is also undoubtedly where, if we are not cautious, priest, we will face a small army of our greatest enemies."
Smilie waves a hand dismissively. "Have you ever been to Skullstone?"
Dezrik: "Not really no."
Smilie: "It's a society first and foremost, not some religious army waiting to devour the first thing that enters its boarders." He rolls his eyes. "Honestly. They've been trading with Coral for years."
Dezrik: "As creepy as they are, what he says is true."
Dezrik: "But there is SOMEBODY over there who has ill intent. Those ships were manned by the undead, hundreds upon hundreds fold."
Dezrik: "Aye, regardless of whether Skullstone itself means ill, something does."
Gray: "...Shame, all that in the hands of corpses."
Dezrik: "I'll reserve judgment on the nation itself for now, Priest."
Dezrik: "But you'll understand if I'm a bit tense when my homeland seems fated for a fiery death at present."
Smilie: "Honestly, Dezrik, would I lie to you?" His face is downright angelic in its innocence.
Dezrik: "It's not lying I'm concerned about, it's the fact that just because you're a priest from there doesn't mean you know what's going on inside the head of the man in charge."
Dezrik: "No more than I sip tea with the Sea Lord and discuss his plans for the day."
Dezrik does a "pinkies out" gesture when he gets to the word tea.
Smilie rubs his chin. "It's a highly religious society whose ultimate head is the man in charge. I'm more likely to know what's going on inside his head than anyone--which isn't much, truthfully." He shakes his head. "Oh well. I'll see what I can't figure out once we get back to Windgate."
Kiarn: "Assuming we still have a ship and a captain when we get there."
Dezrik nods at that, content to let the topic lie for now. "All we can do."
Smilie winks at the rest of them. "You leave the research to me. If anyone can find out anything about the machinations and natures of the death-obsessed, it's your loyal priest."
Smilie hops into the air, bows politely to the lot of them, and vanishes.
Kiarn: "I hate it when he does that."
Dezrik: "I can't even bring myself to care anymore."
Gray: "...Where'd he go?"
Dezrik: "He disappears. It's what he does."
Kiarn: "He does that. Just disappears. Don't worry about it. He'll be back when he can annoy us most, I'm sure."
Gray: "...Oh." He appears to have much cause for 'Oh'-ing today, contemplating this and other matters

Rainfall

Episode 9 Part 2: Yes, still a democracy.

while trudging along the road.
TPK_STedition: The Exalts break free of the forest as the sun sets in the west, turning the harbour of Windgate into a sparkling gold reflection of the setting blaze of glory. A cloud of smoke rises above the centre of the city, as though a building was on fire, but it seems peaceful nonetheless.
Gemini takes off the hood of his cloak, and his eyes glow a deep blue. "At least he's not talking anymore."
Kiarn: "Smoke..."
Dezrik: "You seem a bit bitchy today Captain. Why so when all things considered we succeeded down there?"
Gray: "I thought I'd turned the stove off, too."
Kiarn glanced at Gray with a frown. "Suddenly I feel the need to ask whether you tested your Destroyer of Doors out on your way to the graveyard,"
Gray: "Tends not to make smoke." He responds to the query quite simply.
Dezrik quickens his pace a bit, curious to discover the source of the fire.
Kiarn: "I'll... keep that in mind." Kiarn moves off with Dezrik.
Gray does the power-walk to keep up with the others.
Gemini leads the way towards the smoking building
Gray arcs a puzzled brow at a point on the way, murmuring something to the somewhat-nearby Dezrik.
Dezrik shrugs and gives Gray a helpless shake of the head.
TPK_STedition: The Exalts find a crowd of people around the now-mostly-incinerated Inn of Seven Sails, with bucket chains and shouting people. The red sunlight combined with the glowing embers and the smoke serve to cast everything in a desperate red light, and the scent of burning flesh fills the air.
Kiarn muttered quietly to himself, "...I was afraid of that. not that I mind much."
Dezrik quirks an eyebrow, "So....someone wanna update me on this one?"
Gray: "Wasn't me."
Kiarn spoke quietly enough so that the bucket-chainers might not hear. "
Gray glances toward Kiarn with the declaration of innocence.
Kiarn: "Death cultists were all over that inn before, when Gemini and I were on our way to the graveyard."
Kiarn: "He said they were covered in necrotic Essence... and one of them... it wasn't pleasant."
Gray: "And now they're dead. Congratulations for them are in order."
Gray: "You'd think they'd choose a more elegant way of offing themselves than burning their place down, though."
Dezrik: "Death cultists. No telling with them I guess."
Gemini walks towards the inn, mostly ashes, and carefully steps around the cinders, looking for any traces of anything.
TPK_STedition: The bucket chains finish putting out the last of the fires, and join the crowd, everyone wondering about what had happened. "Did anyone get out?" "I didn't see anyone leaving"
TPK_STedition: Several corpses, horribly charred flesh, litter the ground underneath fallen beams and shattered tables.
Dezrik keeps back from the crowd, pulling his hood down a bit further to keep anyone from seeing his tattoos.
Gray more or less mingles aimlessly in said crowd, as some of the more adept who know who the crispy cultists are take their turn.
Dezrik: The Lunar departs down the streets, wandering here and there listening to the people, attempting to gather what is known of what happened.
Gemini nudges over a less-crisp corpse with the toe of his boot. Yep, it was the inn regulars alright.
Gray sidles toward one of the more grounded-seeming types, striking up conversation.
Gray: "How long's this whole place been burning, anyway?"
Gemini shoves his hands in his pockets and, with his head down, walks away from the burnt building and towards the docks.
TPK_STedition: "Oh, 'bout tree, mebbe 'fo hours"
TPK_STedition: "Biggest fire Ah've evah seen 'round here, and strange that it din't spread to any of the nearby buldin's.
Gemini stops and looks up toward a still-standing charred beam of what used to be the Seven Sails Inn, holding up a small portion of the roof, before again continuing on his way.
Gray: "Funny that, with the buildings all close. Anyone you know?" Giving a vague indication toward the ex-patrons, he also looks up at the scorched building in passing.
TPK_STedition: "Nah, not a one. This place had a bad rep. A hideout for CORSAIRS, woodja b'leev it!"
Gray: "Probably burnt the place up from too much rum in one belly." A small, wry smile crosses his lips. "Wonder if that means there's any nice empty and ownerless ships down at the docks, now..."
Dezrik stops at a fruit stand, weighing the produce offered, "A fine product...not much to appreciate it with all this hullabaloo though eh?"
Gray: "Nice opportunity."
TPK_STedition: The vendor sighs. "At least I got a good view. A fire certainly doesn't do much for business here, and with my shipments from Abalone stopped now... well, let's just say that a fire is GOOD news compared to what I've been having. At least it finally died down, though."
Dezrik: "Who burns down an Inn anyhow? That sounds like a recipe for sailors with nowhere to stay."
Dezrik: "And that's never much fun for anybody eh?"
TPK_STedition: The vendor shrugs. "I heard some yellin' and some fightin' inside the inn before the fire broke out... normal behavior for that place. Not often a fire happens, though." He laughs bitterly.
Dezrik: "Think anybody got out? And how much are these anyhow..."
TPK_STedition: "I didn't see anyone leave at all/" The vendor smiles. "One bit each."
Dezrik: "That's a damn shame...I'll take one. Not too long and I'll be packed on a ship again and it's all dried and salted food for me."
TPK_STedition: The vendor makes a face. "Get 'em while you still can. Food's going to be scarce reaal quick 'round these islands."
Dezrik: "Good point...I'll take three or four." he grimaces.
Smilie: A figure can be seen silhouetted against the burned rooftop of the Seven Sails, apparently have some difficulty climbing over the burnt and unstable shingles.
Gray: Giving a light shrug, Gray meanders off toward the stall, pausing mid-step at the sight of a clambering Smilie.
TPK_STedition: The vendor nods. "A wise purchase, friend." His head turns to look at the inn. "What sort of a damnfool is climbing on the roof?"
Dezrik turns to give a perplexed look roof-wards.
Smilie: With an audible grunt the priest hauls himself to the front of the roof, staring down at the crowd. Since his departure he's managed to recover a new cape--which somehow is an exact replica of his old one--and it blows in the wind past him. He watches them, waiting for his presence to be noticed.
Kiarn frowns as he looks upward at Smilie, then blinks and wonders...
Gemini chuckles to himself as he hears the commotion in the distance behind him, obviously from Smilie's sudden reappearance on a burning roof. He was too tired to do anything but laugh.
Smilie points to a woman in the crowd. "Mari Rezik, your husband misses you," he points to a man, "your brother, Gull's Fate, wishes you'd notice him," and so on and so forth, he names members of the crowd, telling them the names of relations and friends past, occasionally splicing in life details.
Smilie raises his arms and staff, the setting sun framing his form prophetically. "Tragedy strikes. Not only here, not just this den of thieves and cultists, but the whole of Wavecrest!" He begins, segueing into the horrors they're bound to encounter: the dead risen, the torment of the enduring, the things waiting in the cracks of life and death prepared to scurry out and consume all of the island in seas of horror.
TPK_STedition: The crowd mutters nervously, whispering to each other of fear and horrors. Still, they watch the priest, enthralled by his words.
Smilie continues, placing too much emphasis on the inevitability and inherent tragedy of the situation than he probably should have. Still, he continues to try.
Gemini reaches the Constellation, and relieves the two armed sentries. It would only be a few minutes before the next two were going to take their turn at the watch. As the sun slowly set below the horizon, Gemini takes a quick look over his shoulder, and sits at the rail, facing the ocean and the setting sun, his feet dangling over the water.
Smilie: Despite nearly stumbling his message in the middle of his speech, the priest manages to recover. "Love them, respect them, and pace the way for them, because their fate may be yours!" He continues, citing this inevitability as not a horror, but something that could be turned to positive benefits. Honor your family, ancestors, the like, and protect against the fanatics and madman who would abuse you and them. A hopeful spin
Smilie: on what would normally be a dark and tragic situation.
TPK_STedition: The crowd nods, thoughtful and contemplative of the priest's insights. Perhaps they should pay more attention to their ancestors and dead relatives, after all.
Smilie: "People of Windgate, whether you believe me or not, you will see I say nothing but the truth! I pray for you! I hope for you! And I implore you, when you pass on, to remember those that will come after!"
Dezrik grunts, perhaps a bit impressed, "An echo of the First Age. This is what the Children of the Sun are about are they?"
Smilie: With that, the priest turns. His cape twirls and blankets him, he crouches, and with a sudden flash of light he vanishes in the same melodramatic fashion as the ghosts from children's stories.
Kiarn smiles as he listens to Smilie's speech, and murmurs a soft "Well done, priest. Well.. done..." He nods at Dezrik. "He is what he is. And he makes them love him for it. Shall we?" He motions towards the docks, and heads in that direction./
Dezrik nods, "I don't see anything else that needs doing, aye."
Dezrik turns and begins to head off towards the ship.
TPK_STedition: As Gemini sits on the rail of the Constellation, one of the crew comes up to him. "Everything all right, Cap'n?"
Gray follows, having nothing better to do.
Gemini concentrates on the vibrant essence flows of the elements around him, and begins drawing the final drops of strength from the unconquered sun, half-set already. The tradewinds over the water combine in the distance to form their once-again familiar shape, that of the thunder wolf, which bounds across the harbor, skipping lightly across the water. Holding perfectly still, his caste mark twinkles as he watches, enthralled,
Gemini 's concentration is broken, just as the sun sets and the sailors interrupt him, taking their position as guards for the night. The wolf vanishes, and in the distance, a long streak of water flies through the air, droplets forming a fine mist rising high in the twilight. "Just Fine, Sailor.

5 XP for everyone!

Rainfall

Episode 10: UNCUT SOLAR ACTION!

(6:19:33 PM) SleepytimeST: Night falls over the West as the crew of the Constellation engage in various pasttimes, dicing, wenching, and drinking across the city in one of their rare moments of shore leave. The Circle of Exalts, however, were deeply slumbering in their bunks aboard the ship, exhausted from their toils against The Darkness.
(6:22:58 PM) SleepytimeST: Night claims the sky, the stars glittering in the heavens as peace overtakes the city. For a while, all is calm. Then, before the sun rises, shouts and cries are heard above deck, calling the one word sailors fear most. "FIRE!!!"
(6:26:05 PM) Gray: Attempting to 'snap' awake, but failing somewhat due to overt grogginess, Gray sits up from the opportunistically claimed bunk. Half stepping, half -rolling- from its warmth, he stumbles toward the deck, snagging his unworn equipment and slinging it into place on the way.
(6:26:53 PM) Gray: While still in a semi-sleeping status, he makes sure to call out... "It wasn't me!"
(6:26:58 PM) ***Gemini bolts upright, and rushes out of his quarters, shirtless with his pants barely buttoned. This wasn't good.
(6:27:36 PM) ***Smilie is waiting at the deck, seemingly prepared for Gray's appearance. "That's my line."
(6:29:06 PM) ***Gemini scrambles up the ladder to the deck, looking for the source of the flames.
(6:29:11 PM) SleepytimeST: Smoke billows from the rear of the ship, and the snap and crackle of flames can be heard clearly as the noble crew of the Constellation try their dutiful best to save their source of income, throwing buckets of sand and water on the blazing wood of the boat.
(6:29:33 PM) Gray: Affixing what needs to be in order to secure his considerable amount of bits-and-bobs, he squints at the figure.
(6:30:37 PM) SleepytimeST: One of the sailors shouts as he sees Gemini emerge from belowdecks. "CAP'N! GET SOME HELP! WE CAN'T HOLD IT BACK FOR MUCH LONGER!"
(6:34:21 PM) Gray: Blinking away from the captivating smile, he squints instead at the flames, harshly devouring the ship's surface. Making a quick glance at the others to ascertain their own courses of action, he hesitates just a moment before moving toward the inflammation.
(6:39:20 PM) Gray: Glad once again for the shielding of his eyes at least from the excessive heat of the flaring, he darts to the vessel's centre, bending to one knee. In the squat, he splays his fingertips over the deck's surface, a brief golden trail remaining for a moment afterward.
(6:39:22 PM) SleepytimeST: The sailors shout loudly, swearing and cursing at each other as they try to stem the flames.
(6:41:15 PM) ***Gemini ruses after the new solar, Gray his name was. Making a vast sweeping motion with his hands, he calls out for the crew to get back.
(6:42:12 PM) ***Gray gets the hell outta Abalone, as the phrase goes.
(6:43:47 PM) SleepytimeST: The crew rush backwards, wary of their captains movements, already imagining the horror he is going to unleash upon the flames.
(6:43:54 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head, realizing where this will go. "You'd better do as your Captain gestures, boys," he says to the few crew members standing near him. He sighs, tucks a stick with a piece of roasted meat back into wherever he keeps getting these things, and backs away from the fire.
(6:44:15 PM) ***Gray makes sure to stand behind Smilie.
(6:44:50 PM) ***Gemini rushes into the billowing smoke, ahead of the forward mast, pushing himself as close to the flames as he can bear.
(6:48:11 PM) SleepytimeST: The fires snap and hiss, huge clouds of smoke billowing upwards as the crew abandon their efforts to stop the flames, Gemini standing alone against nature's wrath.
(6:49:43 PM) ***Gemini calls upon his strength, and prepares to unleash sorcery against the fast-growing inferno, essence flowing from him into the night skies, twisting the still air into a crude form gradually growing more and more lifelike.
(6:53:44 PM) SleepytimeST: "The fire's spreading fast, Captain! Do it faster!" shouts one of the crew, as they run for the docks.
(6:54:29 PM) ***Gemini finilized the spell, as the form of a dark thunder-wolf of condensed winds forms, rolling across the deck of the ship as if it were a puppy rolling in snow, smothering the flames around its master, as the spell finishes, and the wolf explodes in a mighty gust of wind, fiery wood splinters exploding off the end of the ship into the dark ocean.
(6:57:25 PM) SleepytimeST: The massive impact of wind crushes into the stern of the Constellation, shattering every piece of glass in the ship as the shock crushes out the flames and breaks the deck beneath the incredible occult force of the Solar's sorcery.
(6:58:15 PM) SleepytimeST: The ship lurches alarmingly to the rear, and the men still on board the ship stagger wildly, trying to keep their footing.
(6:59:12 PM) SleepytimeST: But the fire is gone, although the scorched planks of the broken stern indicate that it did some damage.
(7:00:06 PM) ***Gemini , still glowing from the expense of essence, surveys the damage to the smoking deck.
(7:00:12 PM) ***Smilie claps. "Ingenuitive, Captain! I never would have thought to put out the fire by crushing part of the ship!" He nods pointedly.
(7:01:39 PM) ***Gemini rolls his eyes at the sarcastic necromancer. "Didn't see you talking it out of burning us all up."
(7:02:23 PM) ***Gray grimaces at the sight of the deck being horribly blown into an extinguished, but still heavily damaged state.
(7:03:56 PM) ***Smilie looks surprised. "Captain's ship, captain's job, captain!" He flashes another one of his face-splitting grins.
(7:04:54 PM) SleepytimeST: The glow around Gemini is bright enough to read by, and in the dark of the night and the sudden stillness aboard the Constellation, a cry carries over the water. "There he is!"
(7:06:26 PM) ***Gray keeps well away from the target-making glow, peering through the gloom at the sound of the calling-out.
(7:07:20 PM) ***Gemini turns towards the cry, eyes still slightly watering from the smoke, in an attempt to spy the crier.
(7:11:51 PM) ***Smilie takes a tentative nibble of the meat he had been cooking, peering out of the corner of his eyes at the goings-on.
(7:13:06 PM) SleepytimeST: A man stands on the docks, dressed in luxuriant silk robes. His face is cast in shadow, but he shouts out in a friendly manner "Ahoy, the Constellation!"
(7:15:08 PM) Gray: With more than the slightest hint of puzzlement, he calls out in response - despite it not being his ship, and having only been on it for a few hours. "...Good evening?"
(7:15:09 PM) Gemini: "Ahoy..." Gemini tentatively waves, slightly singed, faintly glowing, and in a disarrayed state of dress.
(7:15:51 PM) SleepytimeST: "May I come aboard? It's terribly... undignified to shout like this." The man tucks his hands inside his long sleeves, and moves slightly forwards, awaiting the answer before making any more moves.
(7:16:00 PM) Gray: He also eyes Smilie's kebab hungrily, noting to himself the lack of an evening meal.
(7:19:02 PM) ***Gemini glances towards the torn up deck of the stern, before puzzlingly replying. "Sure... welcome aboard, what business have you?"
(7:19:57 PM) SleepytimeST: The man strides forwards impatiently, crossing the gankplank and standing on the deck before bowing deeply to Gemini. "I fear I may not have met you at the most... opportune of moments, but nonetheless this event allows us to meet, which is quite auspicious indeed!"
(7:20:14 PM) ***Gray steps back to allow the man passage as he stands by the end of the gangplank, giving the finely-dressed gentleman a once-over.
(7:20:31 PM) SleepytimeST: "I am Hideous Bower of the Waves, and I come with an invitation."
(7:23:45 PM) Gemini: "An invitation?" Gemini questions, reaching for a cloak hung over the nearby rail to cover himself up in the cold night. "Come aboard, please"
(7:24:17 PM) Gray: Leaning into Smilie, he remarks while watching the exchange. "What a coincidence this one shows up straight after the ship's burning down. Taking bets he did it."
(7:25:09 PM) ***Smilie keeps silent for the moment, doing nothing but tilting his head slightly to let Gray know that he heard.
(7:25:51 PM) SleepytimeST: The man laughs quietly, moving forward to shake Gemini's hand eagerly. "There's been certain rumours amongst certain... parties in this city that you may have been responsible for certain... activities today. Me and my... partners are quite pleased by your actions this day, believe you me."
(7:26:36 PM) SleepytimeST: "So, we wish to invite you. To a party! A grand event, thrown in your honour, as the unheralded saviour of... Windgate. And quite possibly more!"
(7:27:08 PM) ***Gray shrugs, wandering back onto the ship itself.
(7:28:08 PM) ***Smilie looks as confused as possible, glancing between himself and Gemini. "Whatever would make you think that we had anything to do with these certain... activities?" He asks.
(7:28:37 PM) ***Gemini accepts the overeager handshake somewhat limply, a bit confused at this strange man's too-timely appearance, and turns to smilie, who seems to be doing most of the talking.
(7:29:50 PM) Gray: Piping up at last, he queries somewhat in general, though mostly to the party-throwing man. "...What activities?"
(7:29:54 PM) SleepytimeST: Hideous Bower smiles at the new speaker, and bows just as deeply as he did to Gemini. "Me and my... partners keep an eye on this city, new friend! Why, we were in consternation as the cult of the Darkness swept over half of this place, but then we rejoiced as your arrival cut them out!"
(7:30:49 PM) SleepytimeST: "Perhaps the details are unknown, but when men as noble as yourself depart under the worst storm Windgate has had in recent memory, and return aftter the entire cult has been rooted out by another force, one can only imagine the mighty feats you performed!"
(7:32:17 PM) ***Smilie gestures to the Bower. "You're as perceptive as you are polite, sir! I've never believed in coincidences either."
(7:33:18 PM) Gray: Not knowing a great deal about said activities, he tunes out for the time being and wanders toward the charred remains of the stern, rubbing the back of his neck while considering its state.
(7:33:58 PM) SleepytimeST: The man bows yet again, straightening upright. "You must understand, of course, that I work in secrecy at this time. There are many in the city who would wish to strike at me and my... partners, which is why I have arrived after such an inauspicious event."
(7:34:24 PM) SleepytimeST: "After all," sighs Hideous Bower, "society rejects even the simplest of actions that go against what they consider... normal."
(7:36:10 PM) Smilie: The priest nods in agreement. "Yes, unorthodoxy does make for quite a bit of discomfort," he casts a look at the crushed stern, "but I'm confident a man such as yourself wouldn't have trouble making do."
(7:37:13 PM) Gray: Running a finger over the edge of the charring, he leans over and looks down into the 'pit', surveying just how deep its penetration reaches.
(7:37:55 PM) Gray: ...Before hopping down into the hole, to have a better look of course.
(7:38:13 PM) ***Gemini humbly waits at the side of the conversation, nodding while listening to with Smilie and their well-dressed guest's conversation, as the crew slowly crawl out from belowdecks and, for those who jumped in the water, to swim over to the docks and back aboardship.
(7:38:54 PM) SleepytimeST: He chuckles pleasantly, bowing to Smilie. "Indeed, new friend! Me and my... partners work to the fullness of our power to aloow those who wish for things... not acceptable... to reach them. Ah, but I've said too much! Tomorrow at dusktime, the doors of the House of Windmakers shall be open to you, and our celebration shall be held!"
(7:40:19 PM) Gray: A voice emits from the stern's wound. "Your ship's fucked!"
(7:40:48 PM) ***Smilie bows in kind. "Wonderful!" He exclaims. "I only have to fear dealing with the mighty anticipation until then!"
(7:41:08 PM) SleepytimeST: Hideous Bower nods, and then turns to Gemini. "With your leave, Captain Gemini, may I depart?"
(7:42:21 PM) ***Gemini snaps back to attention, having been peering at the wound in the deckboards and grimacing. "Yes, you are free to go at your leisure."
(7:42:50 PM) SleepytimeST: Hideos Bower bows deeply, and turns, vanishing swiftly into the darkness.
(7:46:16 PM) Gray: The voice emanates once more. "Please tell me you have tools for repairing this thing aboard."
(7:46:21 PM) ***Smilie stares at the crushes stern, and at the soggy, shaken crew, and then back towards dark and ash-covered Windgate. "Excuse me, I believe I need to find a dish to bring to the celebration."
(7:47:47 PM) ***Gemini blinks a few times, shrugging to Gray, before heading back towards the ladder. "This is too wierd. I'm going back to sleep, wake me when it's morning."
(7:47:54 PM) Smilie: The priest bows to his friends. "Good luck with your ship, sirs. I'll be back as soon as I may." He heads off down the plank, and out into town.
(7:49:28 PM) ***Gemini climbs down the ladder, his eyelids still drooping from the sleep he is still missing, noticing Dezrik just beginning to stir in his bunk and look up puzzlingly at the captain. "Don't even ask."
(7:51:06 PM) ***Dezrik rubs his eyes tiredly as he makes his way above deck, "Did I miss something?"
(7:51:49 PM) Gray: The stern sports an effective charred crater, in which the unmistakeable voice of Gray floats from. "Nope."
(7:53:32 PM) ***Dezrik surveys the scene with puzzlement, "Good. Would hate to think it was something important."
(7:54:55 PM) Gray: A crunching sound comes forth, followed by a sizzling plank flying out from the hole and bouncing on its end off the deck. "We were invited to a party."
(7:55:02 PM) Gray: "Or you were."
(7:55:12 PM) Dezrik: say Elaboration?
(7:57:17 PM) Gray: The click of a few steps. "Unfortunately named silk-swathed man showed up, invited your heroic selves to a party as thanks for deeds done, then buggered off."
(7:57:45 PM) Dezrik: "Delightful. Where at?"
(7:57:59 PM) Gray: "Ah, then the smiling one buggered off too. Where do you keep the saw?"
(7:58:50 PM) Dezrik: "Should be where the rest of the supplies on ship are, I've only been on this ship for a very brief time due to tentacles and such like disasters."
(7:58:55 PM) Dezrik: "So I wouldn't know specifics."
(8:00:29 PM) Gray: "House of Windmakers. Tomorrow, dusk. No idea where that's supposed to be. Presuming the smiling one'll find out." Hopping out of the hole, he dusts off his hands and wanders down below decks in search of the necessary materials.
(8:01:09 PM) Dezrik: "...Why are you on the boat again by the way?"
(8:02:15 PM) ***Gray shrugs. "Nobody's told me to leave yet."
(8:03:05 PM) Dezrik: "So you often board random boats and stick around as long as no one raises an eyebrow?"
(8:03:35 PM) Dezrik: "You're a strange man Gray. As long as you retain your door melting utilities though I'll not shed any tears over it."
(8:04:18 PM) Gray: "It wasn't random. I just followed you." He speaks as if this is the most ordinary thing in the world, emerging from below with an armful of various...bits and pieces, wandering toward and hopping back into the hole.
(8:08:05 PM) ***Dezrik throws up his hands and lets out a "Bah" at the situation. He trudges off below decks to rustle up a Gemini.
(8:19:52 PM) SleepytimeST: The night trudges on without incident, and the sun dawns bright and only slightly obscured by the giant cloud of smoke and ash that issues forth from the heart of Abalone.
(8:20:20 PM) SleepytimeST: The sounds of citizens resuming daily business strike up, and in a few hours Windgate is a busy, bustling metropolis.
(8:21:19 PM) ***Gemini wakes up to the sun in the porthole window, having shrugged off Dezrik's knock on his cabin door a few hours ago with a moan.
(8:21:23 PM) Gray: The charred, cindered planks are no more, having been stacked on the dock for disposal. Meanwhile, a framework is in place and in the midst of reconstruction where the hole once was, with repairs heavily underway.
(8:22:51 PM) Gray: Several small wooden items have vanished from various locations on the ship, also.
(8:23:16 PM) Gemini: To the steady, light knock of a hammer on the other end of the ship, Gemini heads abovedeck to examine the damage in the light of day, suprised to find the new exalt working hard at repairs with tools scrounged up various locations across the ship. "Well, aren't you useful."
(8:23:54 PM) ***Dezrik scratches his bald head, looking a bit surprised at the amount of progress made.
(8:24:13 PM) Dezrik: "One can hardly complain."
(8:25:24 PM) Gray: The remains of a nick-nack bounce up onto the deck from below, only the metal pieces remaining, like the skeleton of a piranha-frenzied carcass, all wood having been stripped from it.
(8:26:02 PM) Gray: "I don't have anything to wear to this party."
(8:26:24 PM) SleepytimeST: One of the crewmembers glances at the object that just bounced onto the deck. "Hey! That was my anniversary gift!"
(8:26:48 PM) Dezrik: "Given the nature of our host, I doubt he'll care."
(8:26:54 PM) Gemini: "I'm sorry if we have been rather curt recently with you, but events have been rather engrossing," Gemini says as he takes a close look at the wooden frame patching the hole. "Gemini's my name, and welcome aboard the Constellation."
(8:27:21 PM) Gray: "I claim ownership of all repaired sections."
(8:28:31 PM) Gray: A small, hastily-constructed flag is planted in the midst of the framework.
(8:28:52 PM) ***Dezrik quirks an eyebrow and turns to give Gemini a "what the eff" look before shrugging.
(8:29:26 PM) Gemini: "Very... well then," Gemini shrugs. "Wouldn't you rather prefer a salery like the rest of the crew?"
(8:29:53 PM) Gray: "No."
(8:30:17 PM) Gray: To punctuate the statement, the sound of sawing stops as though in a pause for thought, before resuming once mroe.
(8:30:56 PM) Dezrik: "Fair enough. We've got a number of hours ahead of us before this party, we have anything in mind to occupy the time?"
(8:31:25 PM) ***Gemini peers down at the workmanship. "Fine by me," as he slowly turns away to leave the slightly-addled repair-exalt to his business.
(8:32:46 PM) ***Dezrik looks to Gemini, still awaiting an answer.
(8:33:06 PM) Gray: Graytopia continues to expand, piece by piece.
(8:34:38 PM) Gemini: "Well, it does seem as if we're missing part of the ship, and we're under full provision, so we had better head into the city to see if we can restock."
(8:34:52 PM) Gray: All work ceases for a moment, before a shower of contents from one of the ex-storage-crates is ejected from the pit.
(8:35:02 PM) Gray: ...Then resumes.
(8:35:50 PM) Dezrik: "Fair enough. Gray, let us know if any inexplicable disasters hit while we're away."
(8:35:59 PM) Dezrik: "Just point that "mining equipment" straight up and fire or something."
(8:36:03 PM) ***Gemini picks up one of the mysterious trinkets, of which Gray had cannibalized the box for, and pockets it."
(8:36:14 PM) Gray: "Will do. Bring me back some breakfast."
(8:37:01 PM) Gemini: "Say, did anybody see Smilie yet, or is he still asleep?"
(8:37:18 PM) ***Dezrik tightens the belt cinching the drab, unremarkable brown robe, around his waist. The artifacts beneath remain safely concealed.
(8:37:57 PM) Gray: "He's off ashore doing something or other."
(8:38:19 PM) Dezrik: "He'll appear when he appears. Best not wait up."
(8:38:30 PM) ***Dezrik makes his way to the gang plank to depart town-wards.
(8:39:18 PM) Gemini: "Well, chances are we'll run into him sooner or later," Gemini pointss out, and follows Dezrik on the docks and towards the city center.
(8:39:45 PM) SleepytimeST: The citizens of Windgate walk the streets with a slightly reserved attitude, many of them wearing some form of black. The smell of incense is surprisingly common, but the shopkeepers are nonetheless doing good business.
(8:40:03 PM) Gray: A head slowly rises from the edge of the hole, scanning the objects thrown out with only eyes above its edge. The claw end of the hammer then strikes out like a cobra, scooping in any wood-bearing objects.
(8:40:26 PM) Gray: Once collected, he sinks below once more, continuing the work.
(8:41:40 PM) ***Dezrik mingles amongst the people, inspecting goods and slipping in the occasional reference to the House of the Windmakers where he can in an attempt to gauge reactions and find out more.
(8:43:18 PM) SleepytimeST: Most people nod in casual acceptance as Dezrik mentions it. It's apparently one of the buildings attached to the Mapmaker's Guild. A sort of sorcerous school.
(8:44:47 PM) ***Gemini tags along with Dezrik, purchasing the various foodstuff and alchohols required for sea voyages.
(8:46:21 PM) SleepytimeST: Luckily Gemini's pocketbook is full enough to purchase the supplies needed to stock the Constellation. However, if he doesn't pick up a job or two soon, he might not have the pay for his crew.
(8:46:28 PM) ***Dezrik moves on to other topics, gathering news and rumors both regional and local as opportunity strikes.
(8:48:37 PM) SleepytimeST: The biggest topic of conversation is the burning of the Seven Sails Inn, of course.
(8:50:52 PM) ***Gemini notices the slowly-emptying state of his coin-purse, as he breaks his last Silver Dirnham on a barrel of salted fish, geting only a few cowrie shells back in change.
(8:51:14 PM) Dezrik: "Aye a terrible affair that...what news from outside the city? Any noteworthy news aside from the food shortages?"
(8:52:27 PM) SleepytimeST: One of the storekeepers scoffs. "You may have heard that the volcanos on Abalone finally blew up. Makes me nervous. What if our own gods decide that they've had enough and wipe us out too?"
(8:54:46 PM) Dezrik: "Troubling times, and as usual the Gods do naught to make them any better."
(8:57:29 PM) SleepytimeST: The storekeeper nods. "Yeah, they share nothing that they've seen with us. My ancestors knew days where the gods were helpful and guided us, but now they've left us." He snorts. "My grandpappy still hangs around, though."
(9:00:55 PM) ***Gray continues assimilating the Constellation.
(9:01:13 PM) Dezrik: "Just have to rely on ourselves and do the best that we can. Let the Gods help when they will, but don't wait up aye?"
(9:01:56 PM) ***Gemini nods along with the storekeeper, as he finishes his transactions and arranged for transportation to the ship, then heads over to the nearest street-vender to pick up some breakfast for Dezrik and himself, remembering at the last moment to grab a plate for Gray. The fried crab would be good this time of year.
(9:03:27 PM) Smilie: Gemini finds Smilie already at the vendor, popping the final morsel of his own meal into his mouth. The Priest waves at the sorcerer. "What a surprise to see you here!"
(9:04:51 PM) ***Gemini tosses his last few cowrie shells to the vender to order his food. "Were you out all night?"
(9:06:34 PM) ***Smilie shrugs, grinning widely. "I'm afraid I couldn't say. However, I know for a fact that I was not 'in', if that helps answer your question."
(9:06:50 PM) Dezrik: "Grins and giggles. I imagine there's extra giggles in that formula now that we're going to a party huh?"
(9:07:13 PM) Dezrik: "Decided what dress to wear?"
(9:08:10 PM) Gemini: "Speaking of that, I've got some formal wear left to me by the former captain, in some storage closet. I'm sure we'll find something to fit us."
(9:08:59 PM) Smilie: The priest smoothes down his simple garments. "Oh, extravagance looks terrible on me. I'm fine as I am.:
(9:09:50 PM) Dezrik: "Eh. I'm not going to be terribly comfortable without my armor."
(9:10:52 PM) Smilie: "Former captain, Captain? It sounds like there's a story there!"
(9:11:12 PM) Gemini: "Not really, someone had to own the ship before me."
(9:11:27 PM) ***Gray finds a storage closet with a great deal of formal wear within. Disregarding the garments themselves, his attention locks on the wooden clothes hangers.
(9:12:33 PM) ***Smilie waves his hand. "I won't keep you fellows. I'm sure there's a lot for the two of you to do." He turns, ready to head around a corner. "Oh, and I looked into our friend. Funny thing, that one. Not a trace of him. Anywhere."
(9:12:34 PM) Gemini: "It seems we're running low on funds. Have any of you sighted any opportunities for work yet?"
(9:12:50 PM) Dezrik: "Not yet."
(9:14:00 PM) Smilie: The priest spins and raises his staff into the air. "I trust in my makers, and in fate to provide. I need nothing but that." And with that he turns the corner.
(9:14:07 PM) Gemini: "Well, we'll see what happens tonight," accepting a paper wrapping from the vender, and reaching inside and handing a smaller wrapping to Dezrik.
(9:15:31 PM) Gemini: "I think I'd better oversee some of those provision shipments to make sure they get to the right place, but just remember to keep your ears open."
(9:16:44 PM) ***Gemini heads back to the docks with his and Gray's breakfast, and organize the loading of the ship's storerooms.
(9:16:48 PM) Dezrik: "Aye. I'll be returning to the ship, best make sure a spontaneous Wyld storm hasn't struck and eaten Gray alive or something."
(9:16:53 PM) ***Dezrik follows after.
(9:20:55 PM) ***Gemini heads aboard the ship with Gray's breakfast, a small procession of carts containing various barrels and crates following. "I've got some food," Gemini says as he sits at the edge of the hole in the deck, though Gray seems to be more interested in the crates being delivered than the still-hot food.
(9:23:39 PM) Gray: A head pops up, eyeing the plate and crates/barrels with equal hunger.
(9:24:03 PM) Gray: Whisking away the meal first, he vanishes below once again.
(9:25:01 PM) Gemini: "Well, good luck with these repairs, I'm going to go prepare for tonight's party. Are you coming along?"
(9:25:39 PM) Dezrik: "Bah, parties...think I can bring my sword at least?"
(9:25:51 PM) Gray: A query drifts up between sounds of nom-nom-nom-ing. "Was I invited?"
(9:26:25 PM) Gemini: "I'm sure you can come along, and hopefully they won't mind a slight excess of weapontry."
(9:26:49 PM) Dezrik: "Without Calamity, all I'd have is my transformation."
(9:27:57 PM) Gray: "I'll tag along, then. Especially if it's a free bar."
(9:28:15 PM) Dezrik: "Bah...lets see this formal wear."
(9:28:25 PM) Gray: The now-empty plate returns, sliding away from the pit's edge.
(9:28:27 PM) ***Dezrik grumbles irritably, waiting to be led to the atrocities he will be forced to wear.
(9:28:39 PM) Gemini: "Well, I'm off to prepare," Gemini states, heading belowdecks towards his cabin, where he lays out the clothes to try and find something that will fit him, wondering for a moment why most of them are slightly ruffled and missing their hangers.
(9:29:05 PM) ***Dezrik sorts through the clothing available, looking for something suitable for a proper Coral pirate.
(9:31:14 PM) ***Dezrik eventually settles on something worthy of a man of his stature and magnitude bonus, nodding in approval to himself.
(9:31:59 PM) ***Gemini finally finds some formal wear that won't look too shabby with his silver necklace, and lays it out for later that day, before clearing off the logs from the desk in his cabin and pulling out a starchart, consulting the events surrounding himself for the next day.
(9:32:17 PM) ***Dezrik wears Argent Calamity in its scabbard at his hip, too stubborn to be denied his precious.
(9:33:00 PM) ***Gray staunchly refuses any attempts to have him don formal wear, tossing various gubbins at those who attempt to do so while coming too close.
(9:33:59 PM) Smilie: And somewhere out there, the smiling priest smooths a wrinkle out of his sleeve.
(9:36:53 PM) SleepytimeST: And so, as dusk falls across Windgate, the Exalts of the Constellation sally forth, to meet the mysterious host of the party in their honour.

And yeah that's another five XP to the group. I am now convinced that Gemini will take every possible opportunity to cast Thunder Wolf's Howl.

On everything.

Plutonium

Bump for Rainfall's Sanity.

Powerslave

Episode 11: In which the Circle attends a party, a suspicious agreement is struck, and everyone schmoozes

Rainfall: The sun sets over Windgate, long shadows stretching across the ocean as the Exalts leave the Constellation, headed for the House of Windmakers, by invitation of Hideous Bower of the Waves.
Rainfall: The cries of gulls and merchants mingle above the waves of the harbour, and the city is peaceful.
***Gemini leaves the docks, the sun behind him, as he heads towards the city.
***Dezrik approaches the House of the Windmakers at a steady gait. His posture is one of a tense man, perhaps feeling threatened as he is deprived of shield and armor.
***Gemini spies Dezrik and the House of the Windmakers in the distance, passing the Inn of the Seven Sails, now a still collection of ash, bone, and a few still-standing walls.
Rainfall: The streets closest to the House of the Windmakers are peculiarly empty, the only people travelling through them being the Exalts invited to the party.
***Dezrik furrows his brows in suspicion as he continues his course, muttering with characteristic paranoia to Gemini, "I thought this was a party. Parties, as I understand it, typically have more than just three or four people."
Rainfall: The building itself is large and magnificent, massive sails attached to the top, snapping and billowing in the wind. A small man stands by the doors as they approach, holding them open.
***Gemini reaches the building, and takes a moment to kick the ash off of his boots, before stepping over to the entrance, next to Dezrik and the small man. "We'll just have to go inside and see what's up, perhaps they have started without us."
Rainfall: The man looks at Gemini and Dezrik, and quietly whispers. "They wait within."
Dezrik: "We are exp-...ah, thank you gatekeeper," the Steward offers a polite inclination of the head to the main before moving within.
***Gemini steps inside the vast doorway, and down the large foyer.
Rainfall: The foyer is huge, the walls covered by ornate, shimmering silk tapestries, with several doors leading out. It's tall enough that it appears to reach all the way to the top of the building. A large pair of doors stand open, directly opposite from the main doors, and sounds of laughter and conversation can be heard.
Dezrik: "I guess it's not just us after all. Equal parts reassuring and cause for concern, that," he comments with a smirk and a glance this way and that before continuing on towards the main party chamber.
Rainfall: As they enter the room, a hush falls across the gathering. A mass of people, clad in ornate silk and delicate fabrics, turn towards the newcomers. Sitting at a table near the front of the room is Hideous Bower of the Waves, who stands and spreads his arms expansively.
***Gemini walks slowly down the hall, turning left and right to admire the grand tapestries emblazoned with scenes of unknown conflicts. "We'll see. Perhaps Smiley is already there."
Rainfall: "Welcome, Saviours of Windgate! Welcome to a celebration of your honor!
***Gemini enters the ballroom, mouth half agape as Hideous Bower makes his introduction.
Rainfall: The man steps forwards, clasping Gemini's hands in his own and shaking vigorously. "Welcome, welcome! I'm so glad you came! Is there anything you would like? Food, drink, women?"
***Dezrik shuffles a bit to the left as Bower makes a beeline for Gemini, he takes advantage of the momentary reprieve from being the center of attention to survey the crowd.
Rainfall: The crowd is full of people clad in the most opulent fashions, loaded with jewelry and ornamentation. Several servants rush through, filling empty glasses wherever they see them with some vaguely pink liquid. Hideous Bower is the only one that is paying any attention to Gemini, everyone else is watching Hideous Bower.
***Gemini reluctantly accepts the handshake, and after a moment of silence responds. "Well, some food and drink would be appreciated." Gemini's gaze shifts from his host to the rest of the ostentiously-ornamented crowd.
Rainfall: Hideous Bower snaps his fingers, and a servant immediately rushes to his side. "Slave, fetch the new arrivals food and drink!"
Rainfall: He smiles. "So, is your ship alright? I understand that fire did some damage to it, last night."
***Gemini looks around slightly nervously at the crowd all around them. "Some minor damage, but nothing that couldn't be repaired quickly."
***Dezrik offers a practiced bow to Bower, betraying a bit of his well-to-do heritage. "I for one am awed and humbled by this display in our honor. You have my thanks for the kindness you have shown us, lord."
Rainfall: Hideous Bower waves his hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it! It is the least we could do for the saviours of our city." The slave arrives, bearing a bottle of the pink liquid and several goblets, which he adeptly fills and hands out to Bower, Dezrik, and Gemini.
***Gemini accepts his goblet, and eyes the liquid as the slave fills it with the pink drink.
***Dezrik casts a curious glance at the liquid, "What might this choice drink of the evening be, if you will indulge my ignorance of such things?"
Rainfall: Bower smiles. "It's a wine brewed from my own vineyards, in my estate near the center of the isle. The grapes have a unique coloring, and a decidedly... perfect taste."
***Gemini raises his glass in salute to his host and his fellow guests, and takes a cautious sip.
Rainfall: The wine is absolutely delicious. A medley of flavours overwhelm your tongue, forcing your mind into a momentary state of blissful shock until the liquid wanders down your throat.
***Dezrik nods at this explanation, taking a full but not greedy drink of the stuff. Perhaps this wasn't a trap after all.
Rainfall: The delicious wine overwhelms his senses as it did Gemini's, leaving him momentarily breathless and speechless after he swallows the wine.
Rainfall: One of the nearby guests smiles at Gemini, her tufted ears twitching in the candlelight. "It's good, isn't it?"
***Gemini turns to the dimly-illuminated woman. "Exquisite."
Rainfall: Bower smiles, licking his lips as he takes a long, slow sip of the drink. "So, Captain Gemini... I understand that you came here to Wavecrest... looking for someone?"
***Dezrik squints at the woman with the strange looking ears discreetly, attempting to discern any other unusual features he might identify her nature by.
Gemini: "Not at all - A client of mine passed away mysteriously, and my associates and I followed our suspicions, which led us here."
Rainfall: "And it was that which led you to the Inn of Seven Sails? I see..." Bower strokes his chin contemplatively, his face flickering in the unsteady lights of the room, before taking another sip of the wine.
Gemini: "Yes, actually. It seems that before she died, we found that our client wore a suspicous tattoo linking her to some cult, the same of which was borne by most of the patrons of the inn."
Rainfall: "The tattoos! Then it was her." Bower blinks twice, his pupils seeming to constrict slightly. "I apologize. The woman was an... employee of mine."
Gemini: "An employee... you say?" Gemini tilted his head slightly, questioningly. "In what capacity... was this?"
Rainfall: As Dezrik peers at the woman intently, she smiles at him, licking her lips seductively before taking another sip of her wine. It's hard to look at her face, though. It seems oddly... blurry?
Rainfall: Bower pats his lips with a cloth delicately, coughing very gently. "She... collected things for me on Abalone. I had been hoping she survived the destruction of the island, but it appears I am disappointed."
***Dezrik smiles politely and turns his attention back to Bower, opting to look again at a later time...after laying off the booze.
Gemini: "Indeed, she had escaped the destruction of Abalone, though she did not survive. She was consumed by the darkness of the cult not long afterwords, onboard my very ship."
Dezrik: "But not before it took along a few of the crew as well." he grunts, none pleased by the thought of members of a crew he was now a part of perishing.
Rainfall: Bower nods. "Perhaps you know what became of hte last cargo she was trying to ship, then?"
***Gemini pulls an object out of his vest pocket, the same he had picked up earlier in the day. "You mean these trinkets?" he asks, revealing the strange object in his hand.
Smilie: A familiar voice resounds from empty space nearby. "We know of one thing, beneath these questions and these drinks. Beneath the cheer and beneath the crowd. Things need to be a bit more... loud." And with that there was a large poof of smoke nearby Gemini and the Bower, in plain and obvious view to just about everyone.
Rainfall: Bower stops breathing for a moment, and then fans his hand in front of his face. "You have them? By the Wyld... I never expected to see anything of the cargo!" Then he turns, hearing the strange voice. "What in the name of...?"
***Dezrik tenses a bit before relaxing, recognizing the flamboyancy as the ship priest.
***Gemini remains unfazed by Smilie's sudden entrance, focusing on the reaction of his host.
Smilie: From the smoke leaps several "people", whispy-colored and with a bizarre grace, smoke trailing behind them. They land outwards at parts of the party, assuming numerous methods of entertainment. One begins to dance, another plays a ghostly instrument, and others strike up witty conversation. In the midst of it stands the smiling priest and Gray, the priest looking at happy as ever.
Rainfall: Bower regains his composure, laughing nervously. "Ah, the priest! I assumed he was staying behind for religious observances. I see I was mistaken!"
Gray: For his part, he rubs his nose while appearing distracted at something in the distance, taking stock of the new surroundings with the slightest measure of confusion before coming to terms with it...after approximately half a second. "Hey, snacks!"
Gray: He descends immediately on the party snack spread.
***Dezrik looks between the trinket Gemini presents, Bower, and the guests of the party, waiting for any sort of reaction.
***Smilie bows in greeting. "Heavens, what sort of person would I be to refuse such a gracious invitation? I only wished to repay your generosity with some of my own," he says as he gestures to the otherworldly performers he brought along. He points a finger at Gray. "Also to get him."
Rainfall: Bower chuckles, wiping his brow. "Well, your generosity is appreciated. Do you drink? I have some excellent wine." He smiles graciously, snapping his fingers for another slave, as the one attending Dezrik and Gemini refills their glasses.
***Smilie waves the offer off. "I'm afraid not now. I hold it terribly, and the last thing you want is an inebriated priest stumbling and ruining such majesty!" He shakes his head. "You decorate too well for me to accept. Though I WOULD appreciate a bottle for later, if you don't mind."
***Dezrik takes only a token sip of the refilled glass, glancing once more at the inexplicably tufted woman.
Rainfall: Bower nods. "But of course! Slave, prepare a bottle for travel."
Smilie: "Now then," the priest drapes an arm over Bower's shoulders, "what wonderful conversation did I happen to miss? I simply must apologize and catch up on all the latest talk."
***Gray raids the snacks table, loading up on various delicacies...most of which he cannot even identify.
Rainfall: The woman smiles at Dezrik again, her teeth oddly pointed and sharp seeming, before turning back into the crowd.
Gemini: "It seems as so Wave Wing Gull was an employee of our host in some capacity, and I have suspicions of my own about that."
Rainfall: Bower winces ever-so-slightly at the priest's familiarity, but smiles politely. "Well, I was just inquiring as to the fate of one of my employees, who appears to have found her way to you. Wave Wing Gull? The cargo she has... well, it belongs to me, since my client never paid for it."
Smilie: "How do you like that!" The priest exclaims. "This client of yours... perhaps I could do you a favor and talk some sense into him?"
Gemini: "We were concerned about the cargo ourselves. The cargo - naturally, we had to examine it after the mysterious death of the merchant - seemed very trivial to create such a fuss."
Rainfall: Bower laughs, and doesn't stop laughing for quite some time. "I'm afraid you've already done that, my friend. My client was the aptly named Darkness."
Gemini: "Could you enlighten us as to its importance?"
***Gray wanders along, piled high with various morsels. He also pilfers Dezrik's drink on the way by.
***Dezrik blinks, the thievery failing to register due to the sheer absurdity of the action. "...Thirsty I take it, Gray?"
Rainfall: "It's importance? No idea. He wanted trinkets from dead families and gravestones, and we provided them. It is our... business, after all."
***Gemini suddenly becomes alert, shrugging off the slight intoxication of the wine. "I trust you weren't in.. league with him?"
Rainfall: "Mercy, no! Purely a business relationship. His coin was very good."
***Gray lifts the glass as much as he can while meandering through, squinting at it. "It's pretty."
***Smilie 's ever-present grin widens to enormous proportions. "So I am to understand you have an understanding of... earthy matters?" He looks to be biting back a laugh at his suggestion.
***Gemini reaches back into his breast pocket and pulls out a small metal coin. "It seems to fit together," as he twirled the coin back and forth across his knuckles.
Rainfall: "Earthy matters?" Bower raises an eyebrow. "I deal in all matters here in the Wavecrest Archipelago, my dear priest."
***Smilie shrugs. "I thought so! Well then, in that case my Captain and his crew suffer something of a dilemma of their own."
Rainfall: "A dilemma? Of what sort?"
***Gemini 's eyes follow the coin he had found on the body of Wave Wing Gull, and his eyes glow the slightest blue before returning to their normal shade.
Smilie: "You," Smilie taps Bower lightly on the chest with his staff, "weren't paid for obtaining these items, correct?"
Rainfall: Bower nods. "Correct."
***Gray claims a small round table, beaming at the current/previous owner.
***Smilie taps his chin. "You see, he," he gestures towards Gemini with his staff, "wasn't properly imbursed for transporting them. We understand how you might feel."
Rainfall: Bower smiles widely, his black teeth flashing in the light. "Indeed. I have a proposition for you, but here is not the place to discuss it. Perhaps we should retreat to my office?" He gestures towards one of the walls, smiling amiably.
***Gemini takes one quick glance at the nearby guests, before agreeing. "I would be honored to hear your proposition, please lead the way."
***Smilie slips away from Bower with a bow. "Perhaps me and my Captain should." He looks over towards Dezrik and Gray. "Will the two of you join us?"
***Dezrik nods at this proposition. He trails after the Solars and keeps a bit of a distance between them. He looks every bit the part of a body guard.
***Gray chews and gives Smilie a blank look for a long moment, before shrugging and following on, abandoning the majority of his spoils except for a small plate - which he brings along.
Rainfall: Bower leads the way to a discreet door next to one of the many silk tapestries, pushing it open and beckoning the Exalts to enter.
***Gemini brushes aside the tapestry, and enters the doorway.
***Smilie follows after, twirling to the tune of one of the ghostly performers he's leaving behind.
Rainfall: Inside is a small, opulent office. The thick carpet swallows Gemini's feet, and the elegant silk tapestries on the wall muffle the sounds of the party outside. Several comfortable chairs are arranged around the walls, and Bower takes a seat next to a rich desk made out of some wood.
***Gray trails crumbs through the deep pile carpeting.
Rainfall: Bower coughs. "Please, be seated."
***Gemini stands next to the door, as the Exalts file in the room, closing the door behind the last one, completely muffling all the sounds of the party, and seats himself in a nearby chair.
***Dezrik leans against a wall comfortably, folding his arms. "I'll stand, thanks. Please, continue though. The proposition?"
***Gray takes possession of two chairs, maneuvering them for his own purposes. One for sitting, the other used as a footstool.
Rainfall: "Well, apparently none of us are going to get paid for the cargo that you currently possess. To me, that is unacceptable. We went to great expense to acquire some of the items."
Smilie: Since Gray took his seat, the priest takes a seat on the floor. He rests his staff in the crook of his shoulder and sets with his legs and arms folded monk-like.
Rainfall: "Obviously, this needs to be turned into a profit, and I believe I know how."
Rainfall: "The items that you posess all used to belong to someone who is now dead. They posess a certain... taint to them. A taint of death. However, the people of this city are used to, and even attracted to, this taint."
***Smilie keeps a small smile to himself.
Rainfall: Bower licks his lips slowly, grinning broadly. "And if they want it, we should provide it to them. It may take some time, but I can easily disseminate the items across the city, and turn a considerable profit on it."
Rainfall: "But you need money soon or now, yes?"
Dezrik: "That would be ideal, aye."
***Smilie looks at the others, giving them each a pointed look. "Not... necessarily," he answers, hesitantly.
***Gemini , about to open his mouth to agree with Dezrik, looks cautiously at Smilie.
Rainfall: Bower chuckles softly, his hands clacking against the arms of his chair. "The local volcano god, a powerful deity that goes by the name of Hamoji, has ceased communication with any of the cities of the island since the destruction of Abalone."
Rainfall: "Unlike the rather mercurial Lord of Earthen Fire, this is very unusual for Hamoji. I've discussed matters politic with him several times."
Rainfall: Bower nods, and looks at Gemini. "I believe you know what I'm asking."
***Gemini gazes at Bower. "We... regret the demise of the many innocents on Abalone."
Dezrik: "Maybe the Captain does, but I don't. Perhaps you could clarify for my sake at least?"
Rainfall: Bower smiles at Dezrik. "Of course! I wish for you to go to the sanctum of Hamoji and inquire as to his health. It would be... unpleasant for the isle if he was to die."
Rainfall: "I have already sent one of my own men there, but he is rather difficult to manage at some times, and he has yet to return."
***Smilie decides to stand at this moment, with a twirl of his staff. "I see."
Dezrik: "Sounds doable. I'm a bit puzzled as to how we segue from profiting off of death trinkets to this though."
Rainfall: "Well, it's simple enough. I pay you to look into my own interests, which provides you with immediate cash while we both make a profit off of a profitless cargo."
Gemini: "Tell me, what would happen to the island were Hamoji to die?"
Rainfall: "Well, either the volcano would explode, and we would become a second Abalone, or the favours he grants us would be annulled, and, well..." Bower smiled. "It's not something I would look forward to."
***Smilie nods his head with something close to solemnity. "I'd hate to see what happened to Abalone happen here. Tough enough times are ahead."
Gemini: "So, it seems that the local volcano god of Abalone must have suffered that fate."
Gemini: "Very well, we will consult your diety for you."
***Smilie glances at Gemini out of the corner of his eye. "Or perhaps he finally went and did what he'd always been threatening to do: bury the entire island for some childish or imagined slight."
Rainfall: Bower nods. "I suspect there were outside influences involved in the death of the Lord of Earthen Fire, too many stand to profit from his demise. However, it is possible that his temper merely got the best of him, as happens."
Dezrik: "Speculation is all fun and games, but I'm for getting on the road. Volcano god health reports don't write themselves and all."
Gemini: "Then it is done."
Rainfall: Bower smiles. "I'll arrange for delivery of the cargo of your ship, but for the rest of the night, please, enjoy yourselves here. Anything you wish for, and it is at your disposal."
Smilie: "Indeed they don't," the priest agrees, heading for the door. "We'll discuss a form of payment after we return. Don't make any presumptions, no! We can be an odd bunch!" He says with a lilt in his tone.
Dezrik: "Fair enough...oh, and one question though. Who's the cat woman?"
***Dezrik points a thumb back at the party room.
Rainfall: Bower raises a single eyebrow. "Cat woman? I have no idea what you mean."
Dezrik: "There's a woma-...ya know what, nevermind. Maybe I drank a bit too much."
Gemini: "One more question," Gemini asks, raising his wineglass to a nearby candle, illuminating the pink liquid. "It seems to move on its own."
Rainfall: Bower grins. "One of the benefits I gain from my close association with Hamoji. The ground in my vineyards is simply... magical. Nothing sinister, I assure you."
***Gemini chuckles. "Very well, shall we return to the party?" he asks, gesturing towards the door and standing up. "Tell me, what is the function of the House of the Windmakers?"
Rainfall: Bower shrugs. "To make wind, I imagine. I've never asked."
***Smilie looks over his shoulder on the way out. "Oh, if you've liked my performers, we also do birthday parties. Something to keep in mind!"
Dezrik: "Well if business is concluded, I suppose it's time to return to the party eh?"
Gemini: "I had assumed that you were a member of this establishment. Very well, let us return to the party."
Rainfall: Bower waves. "Enjoy yourselves! If you wish for anything, just ask one of the slaves."
Rainfall: "I need to make arrangements."
***Gray remains in his dual-chair seating, not quite departing with the rest, fiddling with his tray of snacks.
***Dezrik nods and promptly turns to depart out the way they came in.
Gemini: "Very well, I trust we shall see you soon," Gemini stated, and then with a wink turned to the armored exalt next to him. "So Dezrik, let's see if we can find that cat-woman for you."
Dezrik: "I know exactly where she was sitting. Did you see the ears too? I can't be THAT sloshed already..." he continues muttering to himself as he enters the party room, scanning for signs of cat woman.
Rainfall: The woman in question bumps into Dezrik, and then gasps. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't see you leaving the Bower's office!" She brushes him off, apologizing profusely.
Rainfall: Back in the Bower's office, Hideous raises an eyebrow as he looks at Gray. "Do you require something?:"
***Gemini signals a nearby slave. "Tell me, where might I find someone representing the House of the Windmakers?"
Dezrik: "Not a problem miss, that's the least of the hits I've taken in recent memory." he offers her a grin, getting a good look at her now that they are in such close range.
***Smilie wanders into the crowd, chatting up individuals briefly before moving on to others, seemingly at random.
***Gray remains behind in the Bower's office, not really having noticed the others leaving. Looking up at the address, he makes shifty eyes in search of others before shrugging and wandering out. "More of these." He holds up a particularly unidentifiable piece.
Rainfall: The slave looks up at Gemini. "None here, sir. The Windmakers all occupy the upper floors of the building."
***Gemini places down his drink on a nearby table. "Would it be possible to speak with them tonight?"
Rainfall: "Quite possible! Just inquire on the upper floors!"
Rainfall: The woman smiles at Dezrik, biting her lip nervously. "So, what's your name, handsome?"
Dezrik: "Dezrik, Dezrik Serano of Coral. And you?"
***Gemini responds thankfully, and begins looking for a staircase.
Rainfall: "Asha-On-The-Surf, from Harshata."
***Gray places the no-longer-interesting-to-him plate down on a slave's tray of drinks on the way out, meandering toward the group. He then hovers behind and to the right of Dezrik, observing the exchange much as one may watch a fishtank.
Dezrik: "From the Neck eh? And now not only in Windgate but one of Hideous Bower's partygoers. What brings you to such a destination?"
Rainfall: A slave offers another goblet of the pink wine to Gray, bowing his head respectfull.
***Dezrik casts the occasional glance at Gray, as though to ask "What?"
Gray: Taking the glass, he holds it absently in one hand.
Rainfall: "Oh, just seeing the sights. Hideous Bower asked for me to come here tonight, although I've been staying at the Windgate Inn for the past few days."
Rainfall: As Gemini walks up the stairs, the noises of the party fade away behind him, leaving him alone in the House of the Windmakers.
***Dezrik takes a drink off a wandering slave's tray, sipping at it as he continues to talk, "He just asked you over like that eh? He does seem to be a friendly sort."
Rainfall: "Very friendly!" Asha smiles, taking a sip from her own goblet, closing her eyes every time she does so.
***Gemini strides through the upstairs hallway, the fanfare of the celebration below him a light, droning whisper.
***Gray remains the most oblivious third wheel in existence, dipping a finger into the wine-goop.
Rainfall: Electric crackling and some shouts come from behind one of the doors on the second floor. "Quick, lock it down!"
Dezrik: "Hope you don't mind my asking, but I tend to be blunt by nature. What's the story behind those?" the Lunar points directly at the tufted ears, his tone unaccusatory but rather merely curious.
***Gray peers around for sign of the Smilie.
Rainfall: Asha blushes a deep red, and stammers for a moment. "Wh-what do you mean?"
***Gemini curiously opens the door behind which the strange sounds originate, and slides inside to see what the shouts are all about.
***Smilie is still "busy", drifting between conversations.
***Dezrik lowers his voice for her sake as it becomes apparent she'd prefer it not to be too public, "The ears lass. I can see 'em, Gray can too probably though I can rarely tell with him." he jerks a thumb towards Gray at that.
Rainfall: Several burly men are wrestling with a giant artifice of jade and orichalcum, which is throwing off sparks of lightning and essence. "QUICK! SHUT THE DIVIDER GATES!" roars one of them.
Rainfall: "Ears? What ears?" Asha reaches up to pat the sides of her head, apparently uncomprehending.
Rainfall: A tall man walks up to Smilie, smiling genially. "Why hello, priest! I saw you at the Inn of Seven Sails the other day. An amazing speech, truly."
***Smilie points to himself, making a point to look surprised. "'My' speech, sir? I simply gave voice to what everyone wished to know, desired to hear, and would have eventually said themselves."
***Dezrik takes a pull of wine, giving her a level considering look as he attempts to assess whether she's playing dumb or genuinely oblivious.
***Gemini glows with a light shade of dark blue, though almost unnoticable in the strange sparks and colors of the formidable artifact in from of him, on which all the attention of the room is focused. Gemini too peers inquisitively at it, in an attempt to ascertain it's purpose.
Gray: His attention is brought back to the two from Smilie as his name is mentioned, whereupon he motions vaguely to the girl. "Ears."
Rainfall: Asha shrugs. "It's like you're all seeing things! I certainly don't have anything wrong with my ears. Although... come to think of it... several people have said something of the sort tonight."
Dezrik: "I'm not sure what to make of it myself, all I can say is that I see plain as day some tufted ears on you. I'm beginning to wonder if something isn't up with this wine."
Rainfall: Asha laughs delightedly. "It is delicious, is it not?"
Dezrik: "Aye, unlike any wine I've ever tasted."
Rainfall: "Hideous Bower says he grows it specially. I'd love to see the vineyards this came from."
***Gemini watches the actions of those maintaining the massive artifact, letting them focus their undivided attention on fixing whatever went wrong.
Dezrik: "He suggested that the vineyards were blessed by Hamoji. That'd certainly explain it."
Rainfall: The man nods. "So it would seem. The populace did indeed listen to your words. You are a gifted orator."
Rainfall: Finally finishing their struggles, one of the men pulls on a giant lever, and the crackling essence stops. The group turns around, and seeing Gemini say in unison "Who are YOU?"
Smilie: "Nonsense!" Smilie denies the compliment good-naturedly. "They listened because of the truth of my words, not any talents of mine. Though I thank you for your flattery."
Dezrik: "Out of curiosity, how does Bower know you? Is your family known to him or some such?" he cocks his head as he inquires.
Rainfall: "With a tongue like that, you may want to watch yourself. Bower's got a reputation for cleaning up the wordy types." The man shrugs apologetically. "Just a warning. Watch your back."
Rainfall: Asha smiles blissfully, taking a long drink of the wine. "I've never seen him before in my life. I was eating dinner at the inn, and he came in and invited me to the party tonight."
Rainfall: She giggles. "He's a fantastic host, though!"
***Gemini blinks a few times, before responding to the demands of the Windmakers. "Merely an interested observer."
Smilie: "Really, now...." The priest darts a look back at the room he came from. "In that case, thank you for the warning. I'm certain such tactics would be beneath our gracious and generos host, though."
Rainfall: The man smiles. "That's right. He's a friendly man."
***Smilie nods, as friendly and yet as sinister as ever. "Yes. That he is."
Dezrik: "Very unusual, that. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth though, as they say eh?"
Rainfall: Asha laughs. "Indeed!"
***Gray begins to lose interest, his attention flowing over the various members of the crowds.
Rainfall: One of the Windmakers nods contemplatively. "So, what brings you here?"
Dezrik: "Who else asked about the ears, by the way? If there's a hallucinating club I guess I should join." he chuckles.
***Smilie makes his away over to the wine table, and picks up one of the glasses. He examines it for a brief moment before putting it down, and then quickly makes his way over to Dezrik.
***Gemini peers at the delicate machinery of Jade and Orichalcum. "Curiosity, mostly, and a desire to learn from the masters." With a sharp breeze, the vestements of those in the room tug against flesh. "You see, I'm a Windmaker as well."
***Gray begins meandering off toward the stairwell Gemini had wandered up, passing the glass of undrunk-though-finger-dipped wine to Asha on the way.
Rainfall: Asha smiles. "Well, the tall man over there, speaking to the priest... he was one. And the woman over there, in the green silk? She asked as well." She thanks Gray as he passes, and takes a sip from the wine, shuddering slightly as she does so. "Gods, but that's good."
***Smilie quickly approaches Dezrik and all-but-seizes his wrist. "Dezrik, I believe you've had enough," he says seriously, though the cheer never leaves his face.
Dezrik: "Eh? Fair enough priest. Is everything alright?"
Gray: Cresting the top of the staircase, he ambles through the corridor, noting the open door ahead.
***Smilie glances back towards Bower's office. "I believe so. I think you might want to find our Captain and our new friend. They're probably feeling isolated." He glances to Asha. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, miss."
Rainfall: The man raises an eyebrow. "Well, the masters have all gone to bed, this time of night. We just keep the engines running."
Dezrik: "Sorry Asha, I've got to find my wayward crew mates. Perhaps we can talk again another time eh?"
Rainfall: Asha takes a long, slow sip of her wine, running her tongue around the edge of the glass before answering. "Perhaps we can, Dezrik. I look forwards to meeting you again."
Dezrik: "I as well. You comin' with me priest? I think they went upstairs." he begins heading that way regardless, glancing over his shoulder in askance at Smilie
Gemini: "Very well, though unfortunately, it seems you will have to answer a few more questions," Gemini, responded, seeing a glimmer of essence flow out of the corner of his eye behind the opened door.
Gray: Folding both arms over each other, he steps into the doorway itself, taking stock of its...inhabitants.
Smilie: "You might have had enough too," the priest tells Asha, before focusing his attention back on Dezrik. "No, no. I have something I need to ask our ever-pleasant host."
Dezrik: "Fair enough." with that he moves off at a trot, Gray/Gemini-wards.
Rainfall: Asha shrugs and turns, fading into the crowd and muttering under her breath as she takes another sip of the wine.
Rainfall: The engine-workers look at the new arrival, and start muttering. "More of you, now? Why don't you come back during the day?"
***Gemini neatly sidesteps and heads out of the room, leaving Gray to his meddling, and muttereed to himself. "Time to see if anyone is still awake."
Gray: He perks up upon spotting the great device, ignoring the men's queries and striding toward the machine. "Ooooh..."
***Smilie glances between the performing ghosts, giving them each small, conspiratorial nods, before he heads back towards Bower's office.
***Dezrik stops as he encounters Gemini on the way up, "Hey. Something's up, the priest seems to take issue with the wine. Where's Gemini?"
***Gemini pauses and turns upon hearing Dezrik's voice. "He's busy fawning over some first-age artifact, and the wine seems fine to me."
Dezrik: "Right well, I don't know about you but this whole thing is unsettling. I'd rather err on the side of caution. Maybe he found something. 'Til I round up Gray, stick around down here somewhere easy to spot. Best we not get too much more split up."
***Gemini shrugs at the Lunar. "He's over there, inside the room with the open door. Who found something, the priest?"
Dezrik: "Aye."
***Gray 'fawns' over said device...or rather, investigates it - all but oblivious to the other men.
***Dezrik begins to head up the stairs, "I'll fetch Gray."
***Gemini continues walking up and down the hallway, peering behind the occasional unlocked door.

5 experience for everyone for the party.

Posting and editing this for Rainfall.

Powerslave

Episode 12, Part 1: In which Gemini catches up on his reading, the Circle meets with the volcano god Hamoji, and the smiling priest loses his cape (again)

(6:21:24 PM) Stawryteyler: Gemini continues down the hall, peering into various rooms, each one containing one of the massive wind-engines. As he decides to step in for a closer look at one of the operational ones, he feels a firm hand on his shoulder, and a deep, friendly voice says "I wouldn't go close unless you know what you're doing."
(6:23:00 PM) Stawryteyler: Having warned the Twilight, Dezrik headed back down to the main room. That wine had been really good... maybe he should claim some of it for further investigation, after the priest's warning.
(6:25:50 PM) ***Gemini turns, catching of glimpse of Dezrik running down the staircase, before facing the man who caught him intruding.
(6:26:35 PM) Stawryteyler: The man is dressed in a gray robe, and has a wide, friendly smile. "Welcome to the House of the Windmakers, son. Are you interested in becoming one of the aides to the Windmakers?"
(6:26:47 PM) ***Dezrik slows as he reaches the bottom, examining the crowd of party goers. He searches for anyone displaying odd behavior or similarly bizarre physical characteristics like the cat eared woman. What exactly did this wine -do-?
(6:29:08 PM) ***Smilie stops just short of the entrance to the Bower's office, and gives another conspiratorial look towards the spectral performers. They dance, stride, and twirl their way to a single point in the room, and begin an elaborate piece of song and acting, in order to try and draw the attention of most of the others. This done, Smilie waves for Dezrik, hoping the snake-man can see him.
(6:30:18 PM) Stawryteyler: The crowd blurs together as Dezrik watches them. Rather than seeming to be a mass of separate people, they all seem to move as one group. As he watches them closely, he catches another glimpse of Asha-On-The-Surf, mingling with the crowd who begins to pay attention to Smilie's performers.
(6:31:58 PM) Stawryteyler: The door in front of Smilie slides open just barely, almost inviting him to enter into Hideous Bower's office.
(6:33:31 PM) ***Dezrik slips into the crowd, mingling and socializing where he can to appraise the state of mind of the wine soaked crowd while careful to evade the stuff himself.
(6:34:32 PM) Stawryteyler: A slave almost immediately presses a wineglass into Dezrik's hands as he enters the crowd, but doesn't wait to see if he drinks from it, simply turning to fill another empty glass. The wine certainly doesn't appear to be in short supply.
(6:34:57 PM) ***Smilie grins when he realizes Dezrik doesn't notice him, though it comes across more as an irritated baring of his teeth. He enters the Bower's office alone.
(6:36:44 PM) Stawryteyler: Hideous Bower turns from his desk to face Smilie as he enters, raising one of his eyebrows while keeping a pleasant smile on his face. "Yes, priest? Is there anything I can help you with?"
(6:38:43 PM) ***Dezrik maintains his smile as he talks to party goers here and there, always making a point to never actually take a drink from the glass in his hand. It was becoming harder than he'd thought it would.
(6:38:53 PM) Smilie: "Yes there is, Bower! Thank you for asking!" There's that look in his eye that his circlemates may have come to recognize by now, something between mischief and anger. "I have a question on the assignment you so generously tossed us."
(6:39:36 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower sits back in his sumptuous chair, steepling his fingers. "Oh, and that would be?"
(6:42:59 PM) Smilie: The priest circles a finger around the jewel that crowns his staff. "Oh, I simply wish to know what you're getting out of all this."
(6:45:35 PM) Stawryteyler: "What I'm getting-" Bower chuckles. "Why, I'm simply hoping that my generosity in this matter will not be forgotten by characters of such... power."
(6:47:13 PM) Stawryteyler: Dezrik feels a light bump on his shoulder, and then a startled gasp. "Oh, I'm sor- Dezrik! I bumped into you again, I'm so sorry!" Asha-On-The-Surf blushes a deep red, taking a quick step back.
(6:47:42 PM) Smilie: "I'm certain!" The priest looks to the ceiling. "A good alliance is something to work towards. However," the priest fixes a hard look at the Bower, "I'd appreciate knowing who those characters--or character--might be."
(6:48:30 PM) ***Dezrik looks to Asha as sudden collision occurs once more, "No trouble at all...heck I didn't even spill anything, fortunately for my clothes."
(6:50:04 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower lifts both his eyebrows and affects an expression of surprise. "Why, you and your companions, of course! Who else had the strength to stand up to The Darkness? No one!"
(6:52:57 PM) Smilie: The cheeriness lifts from the smiling priest's voice, though it retains its unthreatening tone. "Please stop flattering us. That was as nothing, and whatever we might face will be the same. Now, I don't wish to point fingers, but it seems there's a few details you might have omitted--out of forgetfulness, I'm sure." The priest approaches the desk, circling around it. "Please, tell me them. Or is there something I could do to jog your memory?"
(6:55:58 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower looks taken aback by the insinuation. "I assure you, my only selfish reasons for asking you to investigate into the matter of Hamoji is the fact that two of my favorite associates have gone missing since they last went to talk to him."
(6:58:47 PM) Smilie: "Now, Hideous," the priest uses a less-friendly nickname, "don't be that way. You're a clever man, and we're a group of capable fellows. Did you believe that you could throw a party with otherworldly wine, offer us both an unfair and yet suspiciously easy deal, and then not have us be a little unsure of your motives?"
(7:01:04 PM) Stawryteyler: Hideous Bower flicks a lock of hair back behind his ear, smiling ingenuously as he shifts into a more comfortable position. "Otherworldly wine? The god Hamoji infused my wine with his powerful magic. I have never seen it cause anything that could be described as otherworldly, regardless of its potence."
(7:03:22 PM) ***Smilie chuckles, soft and low. "I don't take well to lies, my friend, even if they're spoken in ignorance. Now, please tell me just why you want to send us up to see the god. Something this simple would be best left to another subordinate. That is, if you and Hamoji are still on good terms."
(7:06:33 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower coughs. "Well, the recent... uproar on Abalone has perhaps left Hamoji a mite upset. The fact that my previous two emissaries disappeared attests to that. However, he can't possibly be a threat to the likes of you... especially your Exalted friend."
(7:09:12 PM) ***Gemini returns the smile of the grey-robed man. "I would be honored to learn at the feet of the reknowned Windmakers, though you may find me quite the novice," Gemini says, punctuating his last few words with faint whistles in the still air at the dark corners of the hall.
(7:09:17 PM) ***Smilie nods. "He is being comically obvious about that. But don't you think sending beings of such power and prowess as ourselves up to meet him could be viewed as a threat or attack?" He leans against the Bower's desk. "Changing topics, I want to know more about that wine of yours."
(7:11:13 PM) Stawryteyler: The robed man smiles at Gemini. "It's always good to find someone willing to be a pupil. Most are scared away by the reputation, or simply go and party with the lunatic on the lower levels. Knowledge is a far more valuable pursuit than the pleasure he offers, though."
(7:13:24 PM) ***Gemini takes a quick glance at the stairway leading below. "Lunatic, you say? My compatriots are down their right now - they're not in any sort of danger?"
(7:15:19 PM) Stawryteyler: The man smiles. "Danger? No, the Bower is merely obsessed with mundane matters, in a perhaps unwholesome fashion at times. His parties are quite innocent, however. He's throwing quite a bash tonight!"
(7:16:24 PM) Smilie: "There are bits and pieces missing from all of this, Hideous. I'd appreciate you either filling me in, or convincing me that you don't know what they are." The priest gives his favorite smile, a thin, sharp-toothed grin. "Me and my compatriots will be unhappy if we discover what they are ourselves."
(7:18:22 PM) ***Gemini nods, remembering the strange effects of the wine and the peculiarities of the guests. "Would you tell me the function of the house of the Windmakers - I take it that you do not merely hire your estate out for social events."
(7:20:09 PM) Stawryteyler: The Windmaker smiles at Gemini. "The engines here keep the patterns of the winds of Wavecrest in wyld-repelling patterns, keeping us from being completely overwhelmed by the chaos outside. Unfortunately, the activities of the natural spirits of the world interfere with their efficacy, but they are for the large part successful in their task."
(7:20:42 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower smiles blithely. "I assure you, I am hiding nothing. However, perhaps to reassure you about this, maybe you would like to visit my personal estates after we sell off your goods?"
(7:23:02 PM) Smilie: The smile drops from the priest's face, giving him a momentary look of disarmament. It quickly returns. "That will not be necessary. But I and my companions do not like being handed a tainted substance without being informed. I wish to know exactly how your wine is 'blessed'."
(7:23:03 PM) ***Gemini takes a look at the open door, inside of which was the malfunctioning wind engine. Faint shouts from Gray of "Oooh what does this do" and slightly louder shouts of "Don't touch that" echo out. "I suppose we should introduce ourselves. I am Gemini, of the ship Constellation."
(7:26:01 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower shrugs. "I know it has something to do with him increasing the fertility of the soil in my vineyards, but I honestly never asked him as to the nature of the blessing. Best to let the gods perform their miracles without doubt in the way, hrmm?" Hideous Bower smiles to reinforce his barb.
(7:28:10 PM) Smilie: The look on the priest's face becomes empty and detached. His smile becomes hollow, like a madman pleased by nothing at all. "You tried to feed me tainted foods without yourself knowing what they did." Now there is menace to the priest's tone, a type of mute fury. "How dare you."
(7:32:17 PM) Stawryteyler: Hideous Bower only seems to become more indifferent. "You think I would feed my friends poison? Hamoji is one of my friends, if one can truly call a god a friend. While it may be powerful it certainly does no lasting harm."
(7:34:51 PM) ***Gray utterly ignores the bewildered men arrayed around the machine as he investigates it, having discarded his wayward party-mates for the time being while eking his way into the mechanism's gubbins. The term 'kid in a candy shop' does not even come close.
(7:36:30 PM) Smilie: "I do not like being uninformed, Hideous. I suspect the same of you." The staff's gem pulses a dim red, seeming to reflect the priest's restraint. "Now, I shall lay this down simply. You may tell me what you know, should you know anything at all. I can assure you, should there be anything, any small, seemingly-inconsequential detail that has been left out, we shall find it. And if we do, there will be consequences, both for you and everything you represent. Everyone, too." He pats the Bower on the shoulder. "Fair enough?"
(7:39:06 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower nods. "Well, there is one thing. One very, small thing."
(7:39:21 PM) Smilie: "Now is there?"
(7:40:05 PM) Stawryteyler: "You see, Hamoji is a volcano god. When they get upset, they get very, very angry. Since we aren't all melting underneath his wrath, I suspect that there may be more than just spirit-court politics at play."
(7:40:22 PM) Stawryteyler: "The disappearance of my two associates lends itself to that. There may be more than just Hamoji."
(7:42:21 PM) Stawryteyler: The Windmaker smiles at Gemini. "I am the Windmaker. The only one in residence... most of the others are out trying to save us from the destruction caused in Abalone."
(7:42:23 PM) Smilie: The priest's mood lifts instantly. The smiles are back in place, the mirth returns to his tone, and his mannerisms become once again plain. "Thank you for letting me know. If you haven't left anything out, I vow I will repay you for help." He winks. "Not bad, is it? Paying for one deed and getting three done?"
(7:42:47 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower smiles broadly. "A good deal, as they say."
(7:43:58 PM) ***Smilie heads for the exit. "Of course, if you have left anything out..." The priest spares a glance over his shoulder, adopting that terrifying look for a brief moment before heading through the door. "Thank you for having me, friend."
(7:44:52 PM) ***Gemini nods, his shoulders drooping slightly at the mention of the destruction of Abalone. "What would you have me do?"
(7:48:52 PM) Stawryteyler: The Windmaker smiles. "Well, I'm always looking for new students to teach about the Wind Engines, but I sense that you're looking for more than that."
(7:51:39 PM) Gemini: "Indeed, though I suspect that you might have found a student for that as well." The myriad sounds of Gray's squeaks of excitement still flow into the room. "No, I am looking for deeper knowledge, which I suspect may be found here."
(7:54:11 PM) Stawryteyler: Bower waves casually at Smilie. "Enjoy the party!"
(7:56:22 PM) ***Gray is near silent beyond the initial 'Oooh' of fascination, fiddling with the contraption.
(7:58:19 PM) ***Dezrik departs the party for lack of interest, heading back to the boat to await the rest of the Circle
(8:01:20 PM) Stawryteyler: The Windmaker nods at Gemini. "Well, naturally my work requires a certain understanding of the elements and how they interact with each other... and certain magic is required as well. Tell me... have you been graced by the Dragons?"
(8:01:51 PM) ***Gray finally tears away from the machine, noting the lack of others still resident. Blinking and wandering quickly out, he tosses a random small magitech bolt at Gemini on the way out.
(8:03:28 PM) ***Gemini opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted by the piece of metal tossed through the air. Holding up his hand, he stops the small bolt in midair, buffeted by the currents.
(8:06:01 PM) Stawryteyler: The Windmaker nods. "I see. There are things I can teach you, then. Come to my office, please." He gestures towards a door on the side of the hall, walking quickly towards it.
(8:06:39 PM) ***Gemini follows behind, pocketing the bolt of strange metal without a second glance at it.
(8:06:39 PM) ***Gray apparently cares as little as a salmon does about the moon's dust, ambling after the other two having departed.
(8:11:50 PM) Stawryteyler: The Windmaker settles down in his chair in his office and reaches into the bookshelf behind it, taking out a small book. "The secrets of the Windmakers are contained inside this book, Gemini. Prove to me you can use the knowledge within. I've mastered it, and there's more than one copy here. I feel that we should spread knowledge rather than hoard it, and this is a chance for me to assert my own values over those of my brethren."
(8:14:42 PM) ***Gemini looks with slight wonder at the small volume, mouth agape at the wonder of the secrets that lay within.
(8:16:21 PM) ***Gemini looks down in a slight bow. "Thank you for the opportunity Windmaker." He accepts the book very gratefully. "You shall not be disappointed."
(8:17:42 PM) Stawryteyler: The Windmaker nods. "Just remember... the winds of Wavecrest protect us from everything. The more they are disrupted... the more hold madness and insanity have on these islands."
(8:20:53 PM) ***Gemini gratefully bows deeply once again, the leather-bound volume clutched to his chest, a treasure. "My greatest thanks," Gemini intoned, before dismissing himself, catching a glance out of the window at Gray, running outside calling out something to the others.
(8:21:56 PM) ***Gemini walks down to the end of the hallway, down the staircase to the party, now slowly breaking up.
(8:27:44 PM) ***Gemini peers around at the now-diminished guests. Ahh yes, there she was - Asha-of-the-Waves, still sporting those strange ears. With a quck motion, Gemini goes up to her, and in a quick goodbye-hug, manages to pass his hand up through her hair - Just as he had thought.
(8:29:17 PM) ***Gemini blows a quick kiss to the female members of the party, a bow to Hideous Bower in thanks, and departs, his cloak flapping in the breeze.
(8:29:55 PM) Gemini: "I don't know what Dezrik was talking about, but that wine was great."
(8:30:03 PM) Stawryteyler: Asha smiles. "It was!"
(8:35:24 PM) ***Gemini returns to the ship, ready to turn in for the night, and empties his pockets. He takes a second glance at the bolt that had been tossed to him by Gray, before dropping it on his desk.
(8:38:36 PM) Stawryteyler: The ship is calm and quiet, most of the crew being ashore, the rest keeping a quiet watch for more fires. However, the night is peaceful and undisturbed, and the next day dawns cloudy but calm.

(8:40:40 PM) Gray: Before the break of dawn, the calm silence is broken without ceremony by the sounds of a working Gray, continuing reparations on the not-quite-yet-repaired ship till the rest awaken.
(8:41:57 PM) ***Gemini rises along with the sun, and heads to the foredeck, deeply engrossed in the small book while he waits for the others to join him abovedeck. Every once in a while, a small, cloudy half-formed apparition will form a few meters in front of the ship, unnoticed to anyone in the mist, before dissipating once again.
(8:42:03 PM) ***Smilie is up early, greeting the day on the deck, and staring off towards Windgate. His staff lays in the crook of his arm, and in his hand is a sheet of paper. He looks perplexed, and is busy patting himself down.
(8:42:11 PM) Smilie: "Quill... where did I put that quill...?"
(8:42:19 PM) ***Dezrik emerges up onto the deck, clad once again in armor with a cloak to conceal his artifact garb.
(8:42:53 PM) Dezrik: "Well now that we've wasted an evening pandering to Bower's parties, shall we get on the road? I'm eager to get to more meaningful business."
(8:43:53 PM) ***Smilie pulls a number of mundane things out of and then quickly replaces them into his cloak or on his person. "Yes, we do need to have a talk with someone, regardless of Hideous's business." He finally pulls a small pin out of his hair. What it was doing there is anyone's guess.
(8:44:18 PM) ***Gemini peers up from the leather-bound tome, quickly pocketing it in the folds of his cloak and nodding in agreement. "The crew won't get paid themselves - and I suspect that Smilie's already out scouting out our mission from our patron."
(8:44:32 PM) Smilie: "I suppose this will have to do," he remarks, and pricks his finger. He begins scrawling over the piece of paper with his finger, apparently resorting to writing it in blood instead of ink.
(8:44:38 PM) Dezrik: "...I would suspect that to if he wasn't right in front of us."
(8:45:01 PM) ***Smilie waves with his bloody fingertip, and resumes his letter.
(8:45:13 PM) Gray: The flagpole claiming Gray's 'territory', if looked at in the right angle...could be construed as the remains of a quill.
(8:45:31 PM) Gray: Though perhaps it is but a trick of the eyes.
(8:46:00 PM) Dezrik: "Gray are you going to need to stay behind with the ship or are you coming with us to find Hamoji?"
(8:46:03 PM) Smilie: "Now, we have to set your affairs in order with Hamoji," the priest says, not looking up from his writing.
(8:46:44 PM) Gray: A voice emanates in response from the woodworks. "I'm not staying here. It smells funny."
(8:46:57 PM) ***Gemini peers over the side of the ship, noticing Smilie still standing on the docks waving his finger like he had just been stung by a bee. "Oh, so he is."
(8:48:42 PM) ***Smilie makes a few flourishes with his improvised writing implement. "Have any of you thought about how to address Lord Hamoji?"
(8:49:03 PM) Dezrik: "I imagine how we should address him depends largely on the situation we find him in."
(8:49:24 PM) ***Gemini shrugs, still wondering why Smilie was writing in his own blood.
(8:50:47 PM) ***Smilie waves his bleeding finger again. "Keep your weapons sheathed, first and foremost. Do not try to sneak in, ahead, or past anyplace. And above all else do not make or take any actions that could be construed as threats." He licks his finger clean and folds the letter into thirds, pinning it closed with the pin. "We don't want to make another mess here."
(8:51:52 PM) ***Gemini peers up at the cloudy sky, still slightly rust-tinged. "Lead the way."
(8:51:57 PM) Dezrik: "What's the letter-in-blood about if you don't mind the tangent." the Lunar inquires with a cocked eyebrow.
(8:52:39 PM) Smilie: "Oh, just a letter of condolence for someone," the necromancer explains innocently.
(8:53:13 PM) Dezrik: "In blood." he states, incredulousness overpowering any other expression.
(8:53:30 PM) ***Smilie tucks the letter back wherever he keeps his many items, and turns to face his peers. "I couldn't find my quill."
(8:53:58 PM) ***Dezrik shakes his head, apparently deciding it's not that important. "Right, well, I suppose you need to drop it off with whomever on the way out of town eh?"
(8:54:24 PM) ***Dezrik begins heading for the gangplank onto the dock, ready to make for the road and the path out of town towards Hamoji's mountain home.
(8:54:40 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head. "He's on the way. Have either of you told Gray about Abalone?"
(8:55:10 PM) Dezrik: "What's there to tell? Island go boom."
(8:56:37 PM) Smilie: The priest almost giggles, very unpriestlike. "You know what I mean, Dezrik. We should prepare for its revelation, just in case, and we don't wish to surprise him."
(8:56:53 PM) ***Gray meanders behind the others, kicking stones here and there.
(8:57:12 PM) Smilie: "Have either of you told him our role- and where did Kiarn get to?" The priest looks around. "I haven't seen our eastern friend for some time."
(8:57:23 PM) Dezrik: "We'll talk about it when we're on the road and out of town. Too many ears till then."
(8:57:33 PM) Gray: Looking up with a quirked brow at the talk of himself and revelations, he inquires proper. "...Eh?"
(8:58:19 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head, picking up his staff. "Too much to begin here, friend. I'll tell you all on the way out. And for all of us, I have a future to outline."
(8:58:21 PM) ***Gemini shrugs, still sneaking occasional peeks at the small tome, which disappeared again in the folds of his cloak.
(8:58:50 PM) ***Dezrik marches down the dock, focused on the trek he offers not another word on the subject for some time.
(9:01:17 PM) ***Gemini follows behind closely
(9:01:41 PM) Gemini: "Now what does he mean about a future to outline," Gemini wonders to himself.
(9:02:07 PM) ***Dezrik glances over his shoulder at Gray as they enter into less civilized and populated regions.
(9:02:43 PM) Smilie: Later, outside Windgate, the priest finishes elaborating on the events at Abalone. "-he naturally had it coming, though we acted with a bit more haste than was intelligent."
(9:02:58 PM) Dezrik: "You give us too much credit Priest."
(9:02:26 PM) Dezrik: "Alright, I'm not going to pretty this up. Nice and succinct. Because of our incompetence Abalone was destroyed, Gray."
(9:03:14 PM) Dezrik: "We failed, plain and simple."
(9:03:58 PM) ***Gemini stays silent, hands at his sides and head down.
(9:04:27 PM) Smilie: "I'm not quite certain what we failed at. Things were running smoothly enough until we chose to march into his sanctum and meet his violence with violence." The priest gives his staff a small shake. "However, this is still opportunity, and we have amends to make. Our defense of Pearl is certainly part of them, but it is only the beginning!"
(9:05:13 PM) Dezrik: "What did we fail at? Not causing senseless devastation on a mass scale."
(9:05:45 PM) Dezrik: "The only comfort is that Wavecrest's fleets remain intact and able to help stop what occurs in my dreams."
(9:06:53 PM) Smilie: "Wavecrest will have its own problems. If you truly believe the Prince that militaristic, he's now capable of striking from within Wavecrest itself. All the more reason we need to unite them and Hamoji behind us." The priest says it so casually, as if it was a normal, easy thing.
(9:08:12 PM) Dezrik: "I said nothing of your Prince, Priest. I have no idea what his relation is to what I have foreseen, only that fleets of pitch black steel will come from that home of yours to engulf Coral and the West."
(9:09:06 PM) ***Smilie shrugs. "That seems fairly straightforward. We need to find a diplomatic solution to all of this, and Hamoji is the first step. We need his allegiance."
(9:09:16 PM) Dezrik: "On that I agree."
(9:09:55 PM) Smilie: "I've already been guiding Windgate to accept what is to come. The spirits will come, and the more they coexist with them, the stronger a foundation we'll have to retake Abalone."
(9:10:19 PM) ***Smilie winks. "And truthfully a lot easier for me to manage, given my talents."
(9:11:01 PM) Gray: "...You pricks are why I was stuck under a mountain for a day." He speaks the words with sour acid lacing his tone.
(9:11:04 PM) ***Gemini looks from Smilie to Dezrik. He had been largely unaware of the political situation in the west, and many of the words they spoke were alien to him.
(9:11:25 PM) Smilie: "You all have a part to play, and each of you has a part in uniting this Directio- pardon?" He looks at Gray. "You were there?"
(9:11:28 PM) Dezrik: "Stuck under a mountain?"
(9:12:54 PM) Gray: Rubbing the side of his nose, he eyes the others askance. "...Not Abalone. Close. Enough to have had the place shook up by your volcanic shenanigans."
(9:14:43 PM) ***Smilie sighs. "I have nothing but apologies, Gray, since there are no justifications. However, we need each other, and we must forgive each other for our deficiencies if we're going to establish ourselves as movers and mountains of these islands."
(9:15:29 PM) Dezrik: "Especially if we're going to do it without killing thousands and thousands of people again." he remarks dryly.
(9:16:32 PM) ***Gemini pipes up. "Mountains and Movers of what?"
(9:16:43 PM) Dezrik: "The West."
(9:16:52 PM) Smilie: "The world, Captain," the priest corrects.
(9:16:56 PM) Gray: Releasing a 'hmph', he trails behind, continuing to kick stones and eye the others.
(9:18:00 PM) Gemini: "Let's just get the job done."
(9:18:34 PM) Smilie: "Now, I have a plan for Hamoji, assuming we can come to a peaceful accord with him." He eyes the others sharply. "Please do not do anything to endanger any interactions, especially since I believe he already has plans for us. This is more than a job from some grinning fool," the hypocrisy seems to escape him, "this is our destiny."
(9:18:41 PM) Dezrik: "I'd love for it to be that simple, but according to the visions I've been receiving "getting the job done" means preventing the conquering of the West by a fleet of undead."
(9:18:49 PM) Dezrik: "Not exactly something you do without preparation."
(9:20:09 PM) Smilie: "We will either have his support, or we will cast him down and demand it from those closest to him. It is the only choice we have." He looks up towards the volcano, a predatory grin on his face. "We need his fleet, his island, and his followers."
(9:20:27 PM) Dezrik: "You don't need to worry about my behavior with Hamoji, priest. Argent Calamity stays sheathed unless I've got a damn good reason."
(9:21:20 PM) ***Smilie looks to Gemini. "And I trust you'll manage to avoid rushing in headlong, like you've made a habit of doing?"
(9:22:37 PM) ***Gemini looks back at the Priest. "I'll leave that to you today."
(9:23:30 PM) Smilie: "Sharp wit, my friend!" The priest turns his attention to Gray. "And you... well, you will be compensated by our deeds, mark my words. You will have a workshop."
(9:23:47 PM) Gray: "Oh, goodie." He remarks dryly.
(9:24:43 PM) ***Smilie sighs. "Please try to have some enthusiasm. I am trying to place you as regents of an entire direction. This said... let's hope Hamoji receives us well."
(9:25:18 PM) ***Gemini continues following others the path towards the volcano, pulling the strange bolt out of his pocket and getting a good look at it in the daylight, stepping next to Gray.
(9:25:20 PM) Dezrik: "I think you'll find that it's not as easy as that priest. None of us are prepared for this or particularly thrilled at such responsibilities being required of us."
(9:25:22 PM) Dezrik: "Give it time."
(9:26:30 PM) Smilie: "Duty is duty. We've been charged, willing or not, with stewardship of Creation. We cannot afford to shirk." He strides ahead of the rest, looking eager to reach their destination. "The future awaits us. And what a bright and shining one it is."
(9:27:14 PM) Stawryteyler: At the priest's words, a low rumble pulses through the ground. Perhaps an after-echo of a disturbance on Abalone?
(9:27:26 PM) Gray: "Do volcano gods have biscuits?" He inquires suspiciously. "I like biscuits."
(9:27:28 PM) ***Dezrik just grunts at that. Looking surly as he is wont to do, he pulls his hood up to shade his face.
(9:28:08 PM) ***Gemini tosses the bolt back to Gray, taking a good look upward at the peak of the volcano.
(9:28:10 PM) Gray: As the ground grumbles: "Pardon me."
(9:30:16 PM) Stawryteyler: The group heads upwards along the path, climbing towards the volcano. The path is well-travelled, and even paved with stones in places. Hamoji is a well-attended god.
(9:32:47 PM) ***Dezrik continues to trudge up the path, silent.
(9:33:24 PM) Stawryteyler: After several hours of walking, they come upon a small shrine on the side of the road, loaded with offerings to Hamoji, and a small effigy of the god.
(9:33:37 PM) ***Gray admires the paving work, though noting internally each and every flaw in the masonry.
(9:33:44 PM) ***Smilie holds out an arm, signaling for the others to stop.
(9:34:02 PM) ***Gemini comes to a halt at the necromancer's request.
(9:34:10 PM) Dezrik: "Halting to pay proper respects before we continue?" he guesses at the priest's intents.
(9:34:53 PM) Gray: "I need to pee," he declares to the world in general.
(9:35:10 PM) ***Dezrik points to a bush off to the other side of the road without a word.
(9:35:12 PM) ***Smilie nods. "It's the only courteous thing to do. Regardless of our feelings or intents, he is the god of this land and this volcano, and he has done a job of keeping it these centuries. We owe him our thanks."
(9:36:31 PM) ***Dezrik merely nods, surveying the area around them with characteristic paranoia while he leaves the Priest to do his thing.
(9:37:17 PM) ***Smilie kneels before the shrine, and holds out a hand. "Give me an item of value."
(9:37:42 PM) Dezrik: "I'm utterly broke."
(9:38:56 PM) ***Gray helpfully drops the bolt into the proferred hand.
(9:45:32 PM) ***Gemini reaches down to the shrine, and places the trinket that he had shown to Bower the earlier day.
(9:46:02 PM) Dezrik: "Wait."
(9:46:17 PM) ***Dezrik hands Smilie some of the wine the servants had packed them for the trip.
(9:46:25 PM) ***Smilie looks at the bolt. "Thank you." The priest reaches back into his cloak, and withdraws a bottle of wine from Abalone. "I suspect this has increased in value with all that's happened." He removes his cape and pockets his cloak pin, and wraps the bolt in it.
(9:46:26 PM) Dezrik: "All I've got."
(9:47:50 PM) Smilie: "Thank you, Dezrik." The Necromancer regards the trinket, and shakes the bolt out of his rolled-up cape, and retrieves Gemini's trinket from the shrine. "This should suffice."
(9:48:38 PM) Smilie: He douses the cape in both sets of wine, sets the cloth apart from all the other sacrifices, and after struggling with two stones manages to light it on fire.
(9:49:37 PM) ***Smilie dips his head submissively, and begins to recite numerous praises to the volcano, warnings to the locals (who probably can't appreciate them at the moment), and admiration for Hamoji himself.
(9:50:28 PM) ***Gemini watches the offering burn, pink-ish flames rising from the essence-tinged wine.
(9:57:57 PM) Dezrik: "Ready to get going again Priest?"
(9:58:14 PM) ***Gray fights the sudden urge to piss on the flames, since he still needs to pee.
(9:58:43 PM) Smilie: After a good few minutes of this, interspersed with other gestures of worship, the priest rises, dusting himself off. "I apologize for the delay, but with any luck Lord Hamoji may be generous enough to grant us an audience now."
(10:00:01 PM) Dezrik: "Let's hope."
(10:00:08 PM) ***Dezrik turns and begins heading down the road once more at that.
(10:01:00 PM) ***Smilie hands the trinket back to Gemini. "Hold onto this for now, friend." This done, he jogs after Dezrik, trying to take the lead. "Let's not have you go first. You're a little intimidating, Dezrik."
(10:01:48 PM) ***Gemini remains at the shrine a moment longer after the others had departed, the flames from their offering dying down, the glass from the wine bottle now glazed upon the ground.
(10:02:30 PM) Dezrik: "Intimidating? Pshaw, but if it makes you feel better go ahead."
(10:03:18 PM) ***Gemini jogs for a moment to catch up, dropping the trinket back into a pocket inside his cloak.

Powerslave

Episode 12, Part 2: Continued

(10:04:47 PM) Stawryteyler: The path continues to wind up the side of the volcano, and the group passes the occasional shattered remains of ancient first-age statuary. Finally, they arrive upon the entrance to Hamoji's sanctum, an obsidian gate carved into the side of the mountain, reflecting the scant sunlight and turning it into glittering beauty.
(10:05:40 PM) Dezrik: "So...do we knock?"
(10:06:47 PM) Stawryteyler: A lithe woman, nude save for an obsidian necklace around her neck, steps through the archway and gestures inside. "Lord Hamoji awaits you, noble guests."
(10:08:05 PM) ***Smilie bows to the woman. "Thank you. His mercy is met with indescribable gratitude, priestess."
(10:08:26 PM) ***Gemini mimics Smilie's bow, following his lead.
(10:08:45 PM) ***Gray looks the woman up and down through the goggles briefly before remarking on the way by. "Nice necklace. And chest ornaments."
(10:10:05 PM) Stawryteyler: The woman smiles. "This way, please." She turns and heads back into the edifice.
(10:10:17 PM) ***Dezrik gives her a look that almost says "This is a priestess?" before giving a grudging bow and following.
(10:10:34 PM) Smilie: The priest smooths down his garments (which look considerably less grand without his nice cape). "Remember what I said. Be respectful." He follows her in.
(10:11:27 PM) ***Gemini follows the Lunar and Necromancer, who in turn are lead by the nude priestess.
(10:12:32 PM) Stawryteyler: The hallways are lit with torches and shafts leading outside, and the walls are covered with reflective obsidian. It's a pleasant atmosphere, and as you head deeper into the labyrinthine structure other priestesses occasionally cross your path, along with the odd priest.
(10:13:51 PM) ***Gray runs a finger along the wall as they walk near one, 'hum'ing to himself.
(10:14:37 PM) ***Smilie continues to bow and smile politely at those they pass, occasionally saying a few words of praise or compliment.
(10:14:55 PM) Stawryteyler: As the group is led deeper into the temple, the natural light and torches are replaced with a sullen red glow, familiar to most as the heart of a volcano.
(10:17:43 PM) ***Gemini recognizes the glow immediately, and in a slight burst of concentration, Gemini prepares to meet whatever may come.
(10:21:36 PM) Stawryteyler: The priestess leads them around one more corner and bows deeply before scurrying off, leaving the Exalts standing in front of a massive door made of the same obsidian as the rest of the palace.
(10:22:20 PM) ***Smilie gestures to the door. "Who desires the honor of opening the door to Lord Hamoji's sanctum?"
(10:22:58 PM) ***Dezrik strides forward without hesitation to the door, putting a hand on it and testing it.
(10:23:40 PM) ***Gemini peers at Smilie. Was he testing him?
(10:25:05 PM) ***Smilie rocks on his heels, his eyes stuck on the door. He looks as serene as ever, as if he wasn't about to meet a representative of ultimate fire and destruction.
(10:26:07 PM) Stawryteyler: The door opens at Dezrik's touch, revealing a sumptuous chamber, lit with the red glow of the volcano, with luxurious couches and tables and an ornate silk carpet spread across the floor. At the far end of the chamber sits Hamoji, sipping from a glass filled with pale pink wine.
(10:27:15 PM) ***Smilie enters with the other Exalted. Just before reaching the nice silk carpet, he stops and bows on all fours, touching his head to the floor.
(10:28:02 PM) ***Dezrik glances down to the priest as he makes the humble gesture, mimicking the display of respect after a moment of hesitation.
(10:28:10 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji waves his arm magnimoniously. "No need to bow, Mandate-bearers. It's nice to see some people with REAL authority for a change."
(10:28:23 PM) ***Dezrik then promptly rises at Hamoji's insistence.
(10:28:34 PM) Smilie: "Lord Hamoji, we are grateful for your mercy and your decision to receive us," the priest replies, rising slowly.
(10:28:43 PM) ***Gemini goes to follow Smilie's lead, until he is interrupted by Hamoji.
(10:30:00 PM) Smilie: The priest dusts off his forehead. "I like your decorations."
(10:30:20 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji smiles. "Nice, isn't it? I redecorated about seventy years ago."
(10:31:08 PM) ***Dezrik pulls his hood back and wipes a bit of sweat off his moonsilver tattoo-inscribed brow from the heat.
(10:31:12 PM) ***Smilie spends a moment examining one of the pieces of furniture. "So contemporary, even! I don't suppose you set the standard?"
(10:31:54 PM) Stawryteyler: "No, I bought most of my art from a vendor on this island, in exchange for a few little favours to his property."
(10:32:22 PM) Smilie: "The vineyards?" The priest asks.
(10:33:23 PM) Stawryteyler: "Is that what he's using them for? They make damn fine wine, I can say. Care for some?"
(10:34:25 PM) ***Smilie raises a hand. "I couldn't dream of it, Lord Hamoji. Given our offering it wouldn't be fair to you."
(10:35:01 PM) ***Gray does not bow with the others, furrowing his brow at them puzzled as though they have just stripped off and done cartwheels, before his gaze wanders around the room as it is wont to do.
(10:35:37 PM) ***Gemini watches the conversation between the priest and the god with great interest.
(10:35:45 PM) Stawryteyler: "Ahh, ever so polite! Well, in that case, at least have a seat. I wouldn't want anyone who holds the Mandate of Heaven standing in MY presence."
(10:36:57 PM) Smilie: "You are gracious, Lord Hamoji." The priest gives the god another bow, and takes a seat at what looks to be the smallest seat available.
(10:37:09 PM) Dezrik: "Of course, thank you." the Lunar offers a smile and a bow before taking a seat.
(10:37:11 PM) ***Gemini sits down on the nearest couch, sinking into the plush furniture.
(10:37:57 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji takes another sip from his wineglass and exhales smoke before straightening slightly and looking at the Exalts. "So, from your prayer, I understand that you're responsible?"
(10:38:43 PM) ***Smilie nods "I am the priest, as you are already aware, and these are my friends, associates, and brothers." He points to each in turn, introducing them. "Dezrik, chosen of Luna. Gray, prodigious builder. Gemini, my captain and sorcerer. We are honored to meet you."
(10:39:20 PM) ***Dezrik maintains a neutral expression at Hamoji's guess, letting the priest field that one.
(10:40:09 PM) ***Gemini remains tense, awaiting Hamoji's response.
(10:40:14 PM) Smilie: "It's hard to dole out judgment from any perspective, Lord Hamoji. What do you ask specifically?"
(10:40:53 PM) ***Gray glances back to Smilie as his name is mentioned, like a canine ear-perking at its moniker, before realizing he is not needed and instead focuses on the volcanic pimp-deity.
(10:41:24 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji smirks, leaning back and blowing another cloud of smoke from between his lips. "Well, to be honest, priest, you're being far, far too cautious with me compared to the Solars I used to know."
(10:41:39 PM) Stawryteyler: "There's only one reason to be wary of a volcano god."
(10:43:35 PM) ***Smilie grins. "Lord Hamoji, I am a man who understands proper respect. I can think of many reasons to fear a volcano god, not the least of which is their volcano."
(10:44:33 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji laughs. "Good answer! So, why are you here?"
(10:44:50 PM) ***Gray stares unblinkingly at Hamoji like a precocious child, the effect heightened by the slanted, shaded goggles.
(10:45:36 PM) Smilie: "Two reasons, Hamoji. I suspect you can already guess at the first one, and its importance. The second is entirely secondary and only a favor, and pertains to the Hideous Bower."
(10:45:52 PM) ***Gemini watches the essence swirl around Hamoji, hypnotic in its movements.
(10:47:59 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji nods. "The death of the Lord of Earthen Fire has had many repercussions... and I don't think a single one of them has been positive. The Fire Courts have been pressuring me to take his role as leader, but that seems so... dull."
(10:48:44 PM) ***Smilie clears his throat. "Getting small business out of the way first, two of the Hideous Bower's associates have gone missing. I had hoped you might know what occurred to them."
(10:49:17 PM) ***Dezrik pipes in, clarifying. "They had been sent to speak with you after the Abalone disaster."
(10:51:04 PM) Stawryteyler: "Associates? Hideous Bower sent them to me as willing offerings, to assure that any of my displeasure would avoid his precious estate."
(10:51:58 PM) Smilie: "Curious that he told us something else... entirely irrelevant, too. Strange that he knew of what we did to preserve Pearl, though," he remarks offhandedly.
(10:52:28 PM) Dezrik: "He never did explain how he was aware of our combat with the Darkness did he?"
(10:52:37 PM) ***Dezrik frowns, stroking his chin at that.
(10:52:42 PM) Gray: His gaze slides down Hamoji's form to his lapels, squinting.
(10:53:39 PM) Gray: Moving then glacially to the glass of rebellious wine.
(10:54:32 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji takes a sip of the wine before setting it aside and straightening up. "Bower does have a tendency to not speak the whole truth at one time. Still, the sacrifices were appreciated, if entirely unnecessary."
(10:55:03 PM) Dezrik: "We expected lies or half-truths form him, but this one seems...pointless."
(10:55:24 PM) Dezrik: "I'm not certain what his intentions were in telling us that particular falsehood."
(10:55:48 PM) ***Dezrik shrugs.
(10:56:01 PM) ***Smilie claps his hands together and rests his staff across his lap. "Whatever the case is, let's move on to issues of actual consequence."
(10:56:22 PM) Gray: The omni-gaze jumps to Smilie.
(10:56:34 PM) ***Dezrik nods his concurrence with this, "Aye."
(10:57:18 PM) Smilie: "It would be hard for anyone to assume the Lord of Earthen Fire's role, Lord Hamoji, because there's no role left to assume."
(10:58:11 PM) Stawryteyler: "Role as leader of the local spirit court, my dear fellow. The others seem to think I'm a natural for the spot, now that his bluster is gone."
(10:59:39 PM) Smilie: "He was... mercurial," the necromancer says after a moment of thought. "But yes, with the impending food shortage and shadowland issues, it would likely be a complicated and possibly short-lived position. Though I admit to knowing little of the courts."
(10:59:48 PM) Gray: "Leader of spirits. Wine. Ha ha." He speaks with a flat lack of mirth while making the distracted comment, watching one of the priestesses walk by - the act relieving Smilie of the everwatch.
(11:01:51 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji nodded. "So I believe the question on your mind is... why did Bower send you here, yes?"
(11:02:10 PM) Dezrik: "That is certainly an issue of some puzzlement."
(11:03:22 PM) Smilie: "Not until you mentioned it, actually. I had hoped to discuss the safety and future of these islands, but if you know something we don't we would appreciate you telling us," he bows his head again, eyes narrowing just the slightest bit, "Lord Hamoji."
(11:04:49 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji sighs. "There's not much to say. Ever since he aided me in my redecoration he has been a maddeningly obscure figure perched in Windgate and his estate. Still, he seems to keep the balance, so I let him stay. Strange that he'd send you here, though."
(11:06:44 PM) ***Smilie chuckles. "He's in excellent shape for a man in his nineties."
(11:06:59 PM) ***Gemini looks up, the wheels clicking into place. "What is Hideous Bower?"
(11:08:15 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji grins. "That's a question I would very much like to know the answer to. It's rude to pry when he is so... unfailingly polite, though."
(11:09:51 PM) Gray: "I could go and ask him if you like." His attention swivels back to the god.
(11:10:54 PM) ***Dezrik glances back to the ever socially oblivious Gray, taken off guard by said characteristics once more.
(11:10:56 PM) Stawryteyler: "Oh, would you? I'd just love to hear what he has to say about it."
(11:11:01 PM) ***Smilie smiles widely at Gray. "Intelligently direct, Gray! Perhaps some overly-inquisitive saviors of Pearl might investigate for their own sake," the priest winks, "and maybe as an afterthought inform Lord Hamoji."
(11:12:45 PM) ***Smilie stands abruptly, planting his staff on the floor. "Dropping pleasant conversation and formalities, Hamoji--as much as I love them--we desperately need to speak of many things."
(11:13:33 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji nods. "Of course we do, Sun-child. What would you speak of?"
(11:15:09 PM) Smilie: The priest's eyes harden, even as his face remains unchanged. "Of Pearl's safety. Of the risen dead. Of what will become of Abalone. Of Wavecrest's fleet. Of our places. Of what help we would be glad to have from you. These and possibly more."

Five experience to everyone, one extra experience to me for not managing to shut up the entire session.

Extra-special bonus ending:

(11:15:53 PM) Stawryteyler: Hamoji nods. "We do need to speak of this things, and many others... IN THE NEXT EPISODE!"

Powerslave

Episode 13: A god, a plot, and a crazy faerie

(6:37:30 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji leans back comfortably in his seat, blowing a cloud of smoke from his mouth. "So, Lawgivers. What is it that is so important that you walked all the way up here? Not that I mind the company, but I feel that you have other reasons aside from Bower's ridiculous errand."
(6:39:55 PM) Smilie: "The most important thing in this part of the West right now, Lord Hamoji." The priest fixes a dead serious look at the god. "Abalone."
(6:40:41 PM) ***Gray mirrors Smilie's dead-serious eyeballing of the god.
(6:40:45 PM) Storysinger: "Abalone, Abalone... why does that seem familiar?" Hamoji chuckles. "Oh, right. From everyone and everything in the past three weeks."
(6:41:14 PM) ***Gemini shuffles uncomfortably on the fluffy red velour couch.
(6:41:24 PM) Gray: Albeit his own eyeing is likely not for the same reason, simply for typical unfathomable reasoning.
(6:42:55 PM) ***Smilie adopts the closest thing to a disapproving look as he can (which truthfully isn't much) and continues. "By now you've probably come to the same conclusions we have. The loss of Abalone means both losses of support, the eventual starvation of many, and a large way for any number of creatures to enter the islands from the Underworld."
(6:43:16 PM) Storysinger: "And you expect me to do... what?"
(6:44:21 PM) Smilie: "I expect you to help, Lord Hamoji. Failure to do so will likely mean an end to worship, comfort, and possibly your very long life." The statement is left open, either interpretable as a warning or a threat.
(6:45:40 PM) Storysinger: "I do not appreciate being threatened in my own home, Priest." Hamoji's eyes narrow. "What do you wish my help with? Or perhaps I should be more specific? Perhaps you can only comprehend statements that have only one possible outcome? Stop wasting time, Priest. If you think it's that valuable."
(6:47:57 PM) ***Smilie gestures to himself, putting on a show of innocence. "Me, threaten? Lord Hamoji, I'm simply letting you know that this disaster will beget more tragedy, horror, and death, and your participation might help to curb that. Surely you've noticed the people of Windgate putting more favor on their own relatives than you." He narrows his eyes in turn, adopting a sly demeanor. "Their late relatives."
(6:49:16 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji bursts out laughing. His voice echoes around the chamber, and it is a few moments before he collects himself, wiping tears from his eyes that steam and hiss before they hit the floor. "Do you know what the volcanic destruction of Abalone DID, Priest? I've gotten more offerings in the past month than I have in the past five years!"
(6:49:17 PM) ***Gray is distracted from his god-watching to observe another passing priest/priestess pair, tilting his head.
(6:50:50 PM) Smilie: The veiny cracks on the priest's gem pulse once. "Yes. And how many offerings do you think you'll receive when they're dead of starvation and turned fully to other avenues of worship?"
(6:55:43 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji yawns. "They won't starve. I can take care of my own worshipers. Volcano, remember?"
(6:56:28 PM) ***Gemini twitches nervously, wondering what game Smilie's playing at.
(6:57:20 PM) Storysinger: The low thrum of music echoes through the room, coming from some unseen window in the walls. Hamoji smiles wryly as he sits, secure in his position.
(6:58:24 PM) Smilie: "Keeping them alive won't necessarily be what keeps them happy," the priest counters, "especially now with certain social trends. However, I have come up with a system which will not only keep things balanced in the wake of oncoming tragedy--for now, at least--but will likely net you more sacrifice all the while. Would you care to hear more?"
(6:59:20 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji takes a long, slow sip of his wine, swilling it about in his mouth while he ponders Smilie's words.
(6:59:54 PM) Gray: Gray's head snaps back to Hamoji, beaming spontaneously for He-knows-what-reason. "So! Missing people. What was that?" He pouts and furrows his brow at something after having spoken the first two phrases, peering around suspiciously.
(7:00:31 PM) ***Smilie takes the silence as a sign to continue. Or he simply doesn't wait for Hamoji to speak again. "Naturally, ancestor-worship is likely to increase. Of course it will. We've seen it happening," he gestures to Gray and Gemini, "haven't we?"
(7:00:33 PM) Gray: He then begins squinting at Hamoji...then attempting to peer under his seating position.
(7:01:01 PM) ***Gemini nods halfheartedly, agreeing with Smilie.
(7:01:21 PM) ***Gray looks back up to Smilie, still bent over trying to look between his own knees. "...We have?"
(7:02:05 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji lifts an eyebrow at Gray's antics.
(7:03:05 PM) Smilie: The priest sighs and ignores Gray. "In fact, aspects of it were already deeply entrenched and frighteningly advanced in their aims for the destruction of Windgate. No less than two days ago we had to go to the effort of ensuring that the people of Windgate and possibly more weren't shredded underneath the power of some horrific Underworld artifact."
(7:03:48 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji nods. "There's always some sort of scheme going on. I understand Bower already threw you a party, so I'm not sure what more you want."
(7:04:57 PM) Smilie: "Recognition. But that ties into later. Now, however," the priests raises a finger, "by appealing to certain trends, the faith and nature of belief can be steered towards more beneficial, more useful, more profitable ends."
(7:05:20 PM) ***Gemini turns his head rather violently towards Hamoji, eyes meeting as Smilie talks.
(7:05:55 PM) ***Gray rises suddenly, declaring to the world at large. "I'm going to the washroom." Taking several swift, purposeful steps into the room proper, he halts and searches the area with his gaze. "...Where is it? Do gods even use the 'facilities'?" The latter half of the second statement is quieter, and largely to himself.
(7:06:01 PM) Storysinger: "What's wrong with your companions, Priest? They seem unnerved." Hamoji raises a single, flawless, perplexed eyebrow.
(7:06:29 PM) Storysinger: "Ask one of the priestesses, Lawgiver. They know the way."
(7:06:48 PM) ***Smilie breaks one of his too-wide grins. "Tell me, Hamoji, how do you think your sacrifices will be affected when people are more willing, almost anxious, to embrace their own deaths?"
(7:07:12 PM) ***Smilie waves a hand dismissively. "They likely aren't used to dealing with one of both your magnificence and magnanimousness, Lord Hamoji."
(7:07:12 PM) Gray: Reeling off, he follows one of the priestesses at random, like a fish caught to a line.
(7:07:41 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji chuckles again, his voice a deep rumble echoed by the churning of the magma in the rock beneath them. "Well, if they want me to provide their deaths I am certainly happy to oblige. There's no sacrifice more than someone's own life, you know."
(7:08:08 PM) Storysinger: The priestess turns and looks at Gray. "Yes?"
(7:09:15 PM) Gray: "Washroompleasethankyou." He speaks quickly, yet in typical Gray flatness.
(7:09:30 PM) Storysinger: She smiles. "Follow me."
(7:10:45 PM) Smilie: "Exactly, Lord Hamoji." The priest gives his staff a large twirl, and straightens his back in a gesture of pride. "We intend to exercise our right as Kings of this world. We intend to reshape aspects of Wavecrest society to better deal with the hardships to come, and, with your backing, to encourage a state which will more than likely benefit you almost if not as much."
(7:11:07 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji nods. "This seems reasonable, Priest. So once again, I ask. What do you need me to do?"
(7:11:37 PM) Gray: Doing as he's told, he follows hastily after the guiding lady.
(7:12:27 PM) Storysinger: The priestess smiles in a friendly fashion at Gray, stepping through the maze-like corridors as though she was born to it. "So, what do you think of Lord Hamoji? A fitting God for our island? He seems to treat you with respect."
(7:13:12 PM) ***Gemini stands up, hand out to interrupt Smilie's rapid-fire words. "I assure you, Lord, that although my friend has the silver tongue of a snake, his motives are pure, and deceit is not his intention."
(7:13:20 PM) ***Smilie raises a finger. "The first thing is for you to not denounce or attempt to halt or demonize ancestor-worship. Sorrows will be common, and people will need to cling to what comforts they can have. Present yourself as you have been, but encouraging their aspirations beyond life will make them less hesitant to jump into your volcano. You may even carve out a new niche as an arbiter in their minds."
(7:14:09 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji shrugs. "Simple enough."
(7:14:36 PM) Gray: "He does appear to. You know this Bower too?" With rather unusual presence in the moment than his usual sky-high-in-the-clouds drifting through situations, he speaks while looking suspiciously over his shoulder, though at what, who knows.
(7:16:22 PM) ***Gemini looks around strangely. "Anathe-"
(7:16:25 PM) Storysinger: "Lord Hamoji speaks of him from time to time, but I have never met the man. He seems a cipher in the simple world of these islands." The priestess quickly turns another corner, gesturing towards a small chamber. "In there."
(7:16:58 PM) ***Smilie shoots Gemini a small look, and continues. "Second, if you don't mind, we would like to be presented and revered as both the Saviors of Windgate and Kings of the West that we are destined to become. After all, it is an inevitability, and we could both benefit from each other's endorsement and aid, couldn't we?"
(7:18:54 PM) Gray: He step-step-steps into the proferred amenities, without a word more. Once within, he scans the interior to assure he is alone for a time.
(7:19:54 PM) Storysinger: The room is small, surrounded in the shimmering rock that sheathes the rest of the sanctum/temple/palace. There's a bench with a hole in the middle, from which a faint red glow emanates. It's rather uncomfortably hot.
(7:20:11 PM) Storysinger: A basin of water rests on a shelf nearby.
(7:20:32 PM) ***Gemini stops, every muscle in his body frozen still, before making a quick about-face. "Who's out there?!," he yells, seemingly to nobody in particular. "Show yourself!"
(7:21:12 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji looks at Gemini, and then at Smilie. "Priest, have your companions had any of the Bower's wine?"
(7:24:12 PM) Storysinger: A woman clad in white knocks on the archway leading into Hamoji's chamber. "Excuse me, am I interrupting anything important?"
(7:24:18 PM) ***Smilie looks over his shoulders, glancing around the chamber. "Only the snakeman. Captain, what was that?"
(7:24:34 PM) Gray: Glancing around as though checking something is gone, he rubs the bridge of his nose and taps a temple before shaking his head.
(7:24:50 PM) ***Gemini shakes his head. "I... don't know."
(7:26:39 PM) ***Smilie looks to Hamoji, waiting for his approval or refusal of the woman in white.
(7:27:19 PM) Gemini: "I thought I heard something, but perhaps it was just my imagination."
(7:28:32 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji sighs. "You might as well come in and meet the new guests. This is the Priest, who dislikes giving names, and Captain Gemini."
(7:28:51 PM) Storysinger: "Gemini, Priest, my wayward daughter."
(7:29:22 PM) ***Smilie half-turns and waves to the woman in white. "Pleasure to meet you!"
(7:30:05 PM) Storysinger: "Father, you could at least say my NAME." She sighs exasperatedly. "Nice to meet you, Priest."
(7:31:27 PM) ***Gemini looks suspiciously at the god-blooded woman. Could she be the source of the strange whispers he had been hearing?
(7:32:33 PM) Storysinger: The woman looks right back at Gemini suspiciously. "Why are you looking at me like that? Father, why are they here?"
(7:35:00 PM) Smilie: "Now why would you say that...?" The Priest asks, almost underneath his breath, as he looks from the woman in white to Hamoji. Who he's addressing, if anyone at all, is uncertain.
(7:35:28 PM) Gray: Leaning over and peering down into the latrine's waste disposal in the form of a lava flow, he shrugs and utilizes it while he is at least here, a satisfying 'hiss' as it takes care of the resulting stream. Returning to the doorway in thought afterward, he pauses and lays a hand on the stone by the doorway on the way out, examining its surface curiously.
(7:37:57 PM) ***Gemini continues gazing at the white-clothed woman, wracking his memory. Gemini knew he had seen her before, somewhere.
(7:38:09 PM) Storysinger: The Priestess stands by the entrance, waiting patiently. "Do you wish to return to Lord Hamoji's chambers?"
(7:38:38 PM) ***Smilie turns his attention back to the woman in white, that mischievous look of his back. "Don't mind us. We were having an important conversation with your 'father', but we don't mind pausing it until you finish your business with him."
(7:39:55 PM) ***Gemini opens his mouth to finally speak, breaking the staring contest between him and the still-unnamed woman. "Wait Priest, I've seen this woman before somewhere."
(7:40:09 PM) Storysinger: She nods, and steps forward, waving a finger in Hamoji's face. "Father, the shrine at Starfall has been defaced yet AGAIN. That damned Immaculate refuses to accept that YOU are at the top of the pinnacle in the worship of this island, and he keeps shattering the shrine."
(7:41:23 PM) ***Smilie nods patronizingly to Gemini. "Of course you have, Captain. Someone of importance and beauty would be hard to forget." He makes for the arch. "Let's not impose, now. We'll wait just outside."
(7:41:28 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji shrugs, winking at Smilie. "Daughter, please! You know as well as I do that the Immaculates have all but taken over Starfall. There's nothing I can do about it, right now. And Captain Gemini, have you been making eyes at my daughter?" He glares ominously.
(7:41:41 PM) ***Gray jumps as the priestess appears to still be in the entrance, not having noticed her presence. "...Yes please."
(7:42:06 PM) Storysinger: She nods, leading him back. "I trust the facilities were satisfactory? It would be horrible to have the Lord's guests unhappy."
(7:44:38 PM) ***Gemini waves off Hamoji's remarks, making sure to inject just a slight bit of contempt into his voice as Smilie walks off with Dezrik. "We've met before, haven't we, years ago."
(7:45:44 PM) Storysinger: "It's possible. I meet a lot of people when I go travelling on my father's business."
(7:46:22 PM) ***Gray follows the nekkid priestess, responding absently. "It was refreshing." Making little comment, evidently.
(7:47:33 PM) Gemini: "Regardless, you mentioned something about an Immaculate, Lady... I'm sorry, I don't believe I got you name."
(7:47:47 PM) ***Smilie stops at the arch, looking back over his shoulder at both the woman in white and Gemini. He gives Hamoji an amused look, that almost seems to say 'we were expected to believe this?'
(7:48:15 PM) Storysinger: She sighs. "Once again, my father fails at basic courtesies and I must step in for him. Is it any wonder that the Immaculates took over Starfall so easily, Father? You really need to improve your behaviours. Spending all your time in here with that damn wine and those priestesses!"
(7:50:31 PM) Smilie: The priest covers his mouth, to muffle his snickers.
(7:51:07 PM) Gemini: "I apologize for my continued presence and badgering, but a name to put to your face would surely jog my memory - I am sure that we have met before."
(7:51:49 PM) Storysinger: The woman looks at Gemini with nothing less than absolute scorn. "ExCUSE me? I'm trying to talk to my father, here. Who are you, anyway? 'Captain' Gemini? You don't look like you deserve a title."
(7:52:10 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji flushes a bright red(der) "How dare you speak to my guests like that! Leave! Now!"
(7:53:05 PM) Storysinger: Just as Hamoji makes his proclamation, the priestess leading Gray reaches the entrance to the room, and stops dead at the sound of Hamoji shouting.
(7:53:46 PM) ***Gray walks straight into the back of the suddenly-halting priestess.
(7:54:12 PM) Storysinger: The suddenly-halting priestess makes a meep sound as he bumps into her.
(7:54:27 PM) ***Gemini turns towards Lord Hamoji. "My apologies, I intruded into your conversation."
(7:55:42 PM) ***Gray sidesteps afterward, appearing about as embarrassed by the incident as a rock.
(7:56:20 PM) Storysinger: The woman leaves angrily, shouting all the way as Hamoji sighs. "Kids."
(7:57:03 PM) Smilie: "Yes, well," he says a bit louder as the woman departs, "she couldn't have known she was going to walk into the nefarious plotting of a group of Anathema."
(7:57:51 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji grins. "Indeed. So!"
(7:58:07 PM) Storysinger: "Immaculates in Starfall, Bower in Windgate, and a new religion to start rolling."
(7:58:25 PM) ***Gray points at the departing white-garbed woman, inquiring of the priestess herself since she's nearest and so helpful. "Who's that?"
(7:58:32 PM) Storysinger: "Far more exciting than the Spirit Courts, I tell you."
(7:58:58 PM) ***Gemini looks at Smilie in slight awe. This won't work... will it?
(7:59:12 PM) Storysinger: "She is my unfortunate, regrettable daughter. Emrais."
(7:59:41 PM) Storysinger: The priestess glances around nervously and whispers into Gray's ear.
(8:01:01 PM) ***Gemini bows in thanks to Hamoji. "Our gratitude to be in your presence, Lord."
(8:02:10 PM) ***Gray cants his head as the priestess murmurs to him.
(8:03:29 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji nods and bows. "My pleasure, Lawgiver."
(8:04:21 PM) ***Smilie jerks his head back in the direction the woman in white went, and mouths a simple 'is she?'
(8:04:43 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji winks and shakes his head.
(8:05:10 PM) ***Gemini , already turned to leave, wonders what the untold conversation between Smilie and Hamoji is about.
(8:05:51 PM) ***Smilie reaches behind his back, and pulls out the letter he was writing back at the docks. "So, Lord Hamoji, the two ideas I put forth... do they meet with your approval and assistance?"
(8:06:18 PM) ***Gray fixes his gaze on Hamoji from across the room, exerting his extreme lack of tact once more. "Why are you lying to us?"
(8:06:24 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji nods. "I see nothing wrong with them, Priest."
(8:06:41 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji glares at Gray and presses his finger to his lips.
(8:07:26 PM) ***Gray folds both arms over his chest and sulks.
(8:08:04 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head patronizingly at Gray. "Now, Gray, I know you can get confused easily, but don't forget what we're here to do. We are Anathema intent on forcing Lord Hamoji into recognizing us as figures of worship and power, and to hell with all who would stop us!" He says it all theatrically, crossing the room to hold out the letter to the god.
(8:08:34 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji shrugs. "So, Priest, what are your plans for the immediate future? Now that I willingly submit to you, shall I offer you safe passage to Starfall so that you may convert the populace there?"
(8:09:49 PM) Smilie: "Yes, they must fall beneath our iron-fisted might! We must batter their wills into submission and subjugate the puny Immaculates!" Right now, Smilie is certainly living up to his nickname.
(8:10:58 PM) ***Gemini watches Smilie fall into the throes of power. "Ok..."
(8:11:02 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji nods. "So be it, noble master!"
(8:11:15 PM) Storysinger: The priestess looks utterly confused and whispers to Gray.
(8:11:32 PM) Storysinger: "What is going on? Did he just say he was Anathema? And controlling Lord Hamoji? We must stop him!"
(8:11:38 PM) Gray: "If he's subjugating himself, why's he telling porkies?" He appears less than amused by the general word-smithing and conversational dancing.
(8:12:38 PM) ***Smilie presents the letter with both hands. "Our plan for the future!" He mouths 'the third thing'. "Our method of control!" He mouths 'Abalone'.
(8:13:37 PM) Gray: Turning to the bemused priestess, he watches her for a long moment. "...Those necklaces really are nice."
(8:13:38 PM) Storysinger: Hamoji stamps his foot on the ground suddenly, and for an instant his hands blaze with fire. Under Gemini's sorcerous gaze, he appears to be utterly consumed in Essence as the volcano rumbles loudly. He speaks quietly. "Speak quickly. She hears EVERYTHING."
(8:14:27 PM) Storysinger: He takes the letter, tucking it inside his loose pants.
(8:16:09 PM) Smilie: The priest waves his staff towards the god, backing towards the arch. "Remember our agreement, god! Or there shall be a reckoning!" He seems to be having the time of his life acting this out.
(8:16:38 PM) Gemini: "Lord Hamoji, What did you say was her name again?"
(8:17:16 PM) Storysinger: "Ash Upon the Breeze, although she normally goes by Breeze." He waves his hand in a shooing motion. "Leave quickly!"
(8:17:18 PM) Gray: "It's Breeze." He states flatly from his position, still cocking his head at the priestess's neck ornament.
(8:17:44 PM) ***Smilie swishes his cloak as he exits, nodding to Gray and winking at the priestess as he leaves, mouthing 'just kidding' to the woman as he passes.
(8:17:46 PM) Gray: Pointing at the object around her neck, he simply asks. "Can I have that?"
(8:18:08 PM) Storysinger: She smiles and blushes, unclasping it from her neck and handing it to Gray, muttering something completely imperceptible.
(8:21:38 PM) ***Gemini turns to face Smilie. "I remember her, she's from the Realm, and definitely an Immaculate."
(8:22:34 PM) Gemini: "She was whispering to me, putting words in my head."
(8:22:44 PM) ***Gray pockets the object and wheels to follow after the priest.
(8:23:35 PM) Storysinger: One of the ubiquitous priestesses shows up to lead Smilie out of the labyrinthine tunnels, keeping quiet.
(8:24:12 PM) ***Gemini stops speaking as soon as the priestesses come in earshot, as he follows Smilie out.
(8:29:52 PM) Storysinger: The walk back outside of the temple is uneventful. The only sounds are those of the rumbling volcano. As soon as they reach clear air, the priestess turns around ahd heads back into the edifice.
(8:30:40 PM) Storysinger: Several hours later, after a rather dull trek through the woods, they once again find themselves entering Windgate, well after the sun has set beneath the waves. The moon hangs high, casting the land in a silvery light.
(8:31:46 PM) ***Gemini puts away the leather-bound spellbook and lets the slight glimmer from his caste mark disappear.
(8:31:55 PM) ***Smilie takes a deep breath of the crisp night air, and spreads his arms out to catch the moonlight. "I haven't had that much fun since my encore performance of 'My Favorite Zombie' at the necrodramas!"
(8:32:42 PM) Gemini: "How were the reviews"
(8:32:58 PM) ***Gray meanders.
(8:34:09 PM) Smilie: "They threw me enough wire to make my own. Quite nice of them," the priest remarks, offhandedly. "Now, friends... what would you say to having a small conversation with our good friend Hideous Bower? He owes us something, after all."
(8:34:42 PM) Gemini: "I would be eager to see him again, and perhaps get a few answers along with what he owes us."
(8:38:05 PM) ***Gemini points towards the center of the city. I suppose we will find him at the House of the Windmakers.
(8:39:41 PM) Smilie: "Perceptive, Captain! Lead the way!" The priest bows before the shipmaster.
(8:40:03 PM) ***Gemini yawns slightly. "It is late, I suppose we might have to wake him up."
(8:40:38 PM) ***Gemini starts trudging towards the House of the Windmakers, the spire at the top guiding his way.
(8:40:53 PM) ***Gray veers off in the direction the others take, albeit a few moments later as he notices them not being in front of him any more.
(8:41:04 PM) Smilie: There's a spring in the priest's step as he follows.
(8:42:39 PM) Storysinger: The House of the Windmakers looms high above you as the moon reaches it's zenith, a cloud obscuring it momentarily as the group reaches the door.
(8:43:38 PM) Gray: "It doesn't seem so cheerful without the party."
(8:44:21 PM) ***Smilie sidles up to the door and raps on it with his staff.
(8:45:59 PM) Storysinger: The door creaks open, apparently unfastened. The massive main foyer is empty, as far as you can see.
(8:46:45 PM) ***Gray peers over Smilie's shoulder at the interior. "I want another look at that machine."
(8:47:29 PM) ***Gemini steps inside the dark hallways, much less inviting without the sounds and torches of a party.
(8:48:30 PM) Smilie: "Let's stick with one goal at a time, Gray. First, we talk with our employer. Or learn where he is. I suspect maybe his vineyards if not here."
(8:49:41 PM) ***Smilie begins to approach the Hideous Bower's office, remembering its location at the party.
(8:50:03 PM) ***Gemini follows behind, trying to make out the hidden crease of the door.
(8:52:20 PM) ***Gemini pulls back a tapestry emblazoned with some glorious battle scene, revealing the secret entrance to the office.
(8:53:19 PM) Smilie: "Thank you, Captain." As a cautionary measure, the priest shoves the end of his staff into the room before entering.
(8:53:23 PM) Storysinger: "Tsk, tsk, tsk."
(8:53:50 PM) Storysinger: The torches in the room flare into life, and Bower sits at the end of the hall, behind the crowd of people from the party. Still there, standing immoble.
(8:53:54 PM) Storysinger: "That's my office."
(8:53:54 PM) ***Gray eyes the staircase leading upstairs, from just behind the probing Smilie.
(8:55:44 PM) Storysinger: A warrior dressed in glass robes steps down from the stairs behind you, his face inhumanly beautiful, clutching a flimsy-looking longsword.
(8:56:01 PM) ***Smilie ignores the statement. "Employer! How wonderful to encounter you!"
(8:56:22 PM) Storysinger: "Hmm? I suppose it is. What happened to my men, Priest?"
(8:57:12 PM) Smilie: "Funny thing, that. According to the Volcano, they were sent as sacrifices." He tilts his head. "Is there truth to that, Bower?"
(8:57:26 PM) Storysinger: "Sacrifices? To whom?"
(8:57:58 PM) ***Smilie scratches his head, looking puzzled. "Isn't that implied?"
(8:58:27 PM) Storysinger: Bower mimics Smilie's motions, scratching his head and looking confused. "What's implied?"
(9:06:03 PM) Smilie: The priest snaps his fingers. "It's a word that indicates that something is indicated or suggested by something else, often wording or situation."
(9:07:57 PM) Storysinger: Bower snaps his fingers. "Ah! I see now. Yes, I did kill them."
(9:09:24 PM) ***Gemini suddenly snaps to full attention, any drowsiness vanishing in a flash, as he fingers the spellbook under his cloak.
(9:11:05 PM) Gray: "You're a douche."
(9:11:37 PM) Smilie: The priest raises a finger. "I suspected as much!" He strokes his chin. "But why send us up there? Unless it was to allow someone an opportunity to observe us..."
(9:11:58 PM) Smilie: As an afterthought, the priest twirls his staff once, looking a bit smug.
(9:12:50 PM) Storysinger: Bower raises a finger. "Well, that's the tricky part, you see. We needed you out of the city for a short period of time. Hamoji always keeps people busy." Bower smirks, looking smug.
(9:13:35 PM) Gray: "There's something on the corner of your lips, too."
(9:14:15 PM) Storysinger: Bower looks at Gray, annoyed, and beckons at the man in glass. "Restrain him, would you?"
(9:14:22 PM) Smilie: "My second guess, then!" The smiling priest begins to walk affably towards the Hideous Bower. "I'd very much like to know why!"
(9:14:47 PM) ***Gemini glows a bright blue, readying himself for a possibly fight.
(9:16:35 PM) Storysinger: Hideous Bower walks towards Smilie, smiling affably. "Because death is coming!"
(9:17:47 PM) Smilie: "To Windgate, or us?" The priest asks, not stopping or slowing in his stride. "Are you connected to the Darkness, or someone else?"
(9:17:52 PM) Gray: Turning slowly on his heel, he fixes a staaare on the glass-man.
(9:19:53 PM) Storysinger: "To everything, Priest." Bower stops in front of Smilie, his hand resting lightly on his hip. "And all of you herald it with every step it echoes and the chaos crawls back from the death!"
(9:20:36 PM) ***Gemini pulls out the leather-bound spellbook from under his cloak, the pages flipping back and forth as if in a gale. "Strange, the crowd all seems to be the same entity."
(9:21:53 PM) Smilie: "The same tired refrain, Bower? I thought you would at least be intelligent about this." He shakes his head. "We needn't do this."
(9:22:34 PM) Storysinger: Bower smiles at Smilie, his eyes shining with a fanatic light. "It was promised to me that the death-priest would die so that death could die!"
(9:23:30 PM) ***Smilie fixes Bower with as dull a look as his smile will allow. "Wouldn't that stop things from dying?"
(9:23:54 PM) Storysinger: Bower blinked. "DIE!"
(9:25:43 PM) Storysinger: The glass-man lets loose a piercing shriek, twirling towards Gray in a beautiful dance, his form twisting into something horrible and bird-beaked, wings of screaming voices unfolding impossibly from his eyes and ears.
(9:26:49 PM) Gemini: "Chaos..."
(9:32:21 PM) ***Gray cants his head, watching the whirling, approaching man-thing with absent curiousity.
(9:33:11 PM) ***Gemini focuses himself and attunes to the surrounding essence flows. It was a good thing he was in the House of the Windmakers, he wasn't sure he would be able to accomplish this anywhere else. With a quick ruffle, the Spellbook's pages spin and land on a specific page. Concentrating on the essence flows, Gemini follows the instructions outlined to the dot, and begins the sorcery.
(9:36:58 PM) Storysinger: The crowd swirls, screaming in panic but somehow moving like a slow glue around Smilie and Bower as they stare at each other, Smilie's gaze dead serious, Bower's eyes flaring with the light of madness.
(9:37:08 PM) Storysinger: Gray picking his nose while watching the screaming warrior.
(9:38:09 PM) Smilie: "Tell me, friend," the priest holds up his staff, almost like an invitation to cross their weapons in a civil manner, "have you heard any good parables?"
(9:40:06 PM) Storysinger: "Yes! Once there was a pretty bird who ate a child's eye and then said 'death is coming.'" Bower pulled out a knife and jabbed at Smilie, ineffectually stabbing his staff instead.
(9:43:08 PM) ***Smilie slides off to the side, almost seeming graceful for once when contrasted against Bower's incompetence. "I have one," the priest begins, taking his staff in both hands, pressing it down further against the Bower's knife. He attempts to twist the weapon out of the socialite's hands as he continues talking. "A farmer, bent on doubling the profits from his land..."
(9:45:19 PM) Storysinger: Bower whimpers as his knife skitters across the floor, desperately rushing after it.
(9:45:53 PM) ***Smilie places his hand consolingly on the Bower's shoulder. "Proceeded to set his soil a two-harvest demand..."
(9:48:18 PM) Storysinger: The warrior rushed towards Gray, his wings of screamings laughing hysterically as they wrapped around him, his sword flashing in a brilliant assault, moving faster than the eye, reflecting light that wasn't there.
(9:48:20 PM) ***Gray continues staring down the opposing 'combatant' in a detached manner.
(9:54:39 PM) Gray: The split instant the blow comes to strike, a massive flare of coruscating solar essence bursts forth, and Gray is gone. The eye recaptures him sailing through the air over the shoulders of the crowd, his 'mining equipment' being drawn over his shoulder on the way as his flip takes him horizontal, beginning to sight down its length toward the fae. The garments of the milling crowd are tugged by the wake of his passing.
(9:55:09 PM) ***Gemini forces his will towards completing the spell - Summoning the Hound of the Five Winds has two components, the first to create the automaton out of the elemental winds - the same exact process used in a Thunder Wolf's Howl. However, the second process is the one new to him - locking the essence in place. Reaching the final step of the spell, he forms his actions carefully - failing would be disasterous. With a final effort, he completes the sorcery, and raises his eyes up from the page to the result - A massive snarling wolf, any hints of opaqueness gone.
(9:56:46 PM) Storysinger: The screaming warrior giggled as the sorcery came into effect, watching awestruck as Gray leapt effortlessly over the crowd. Charging forwards, its blade spun against the newly-summoned creature of magic.
(10:00:42 PM) Storysinger: Bower grabs the knife, turning around to slash at Smilie once again, pushing himself off of the floor with sheer willpower and sending his knife at the Priest's eyes.
(10:02:33 PM) Smilie: The Priest leans back away from the knife, continuing his parable. "Too intent thus on profit, harm himself he must needs..." The smiling priest gives his staff an abrupt twirl, striking again at the Hideous Bower's knife.
(10:03:43 PM) Storysinger: Once again, the knife is wrenched out of Bower's grasp, this time sticking in the solid dead wood of the weapon. He screeches, tears of rage falling from his eyes.
(10:08:20 PM) Gray: Gliding to the ground in a graceful arc, the muzzle of Nova roars and flares...Gray's anima swirling within for a brief moment as he slides backward on the ballroom floor, before flaring with searing Solar fury. The bolt of vengeance leaves such a coruscating wake that to a mortal eye its travel may be construed as near a beam, as it bears down on the hapless Wyld-tainted.

So the usual 5 experience for everyone. 1 extra to me for talking a lot and setting plots in motion, and 1 extra to Gray for using the toilet and saving the game in slot 1 (Press A to continue, B to return to title screen).

Stinger:

(9:22:34 PM) Storysinger: Bower smiles at Smilie, his eyes shining with a fanatic light. "It was promised to me that the death-priest would die so that death could die!"
(9:23:30 PM) ***Smilie fixes Bower with as dull a look as his smile will allow. "Wouldn't that stop things from dying?"
(9:23:54 PM) Storysinger: Bower blinked. "DIE!"

Powerslave

Episode 13.5: Making the Bower kneel

(6:25:02 PM) Rainfall: The Cataphractoi screams in agony as the blast of flaring solar energy strikes it, forcing it backwards. A high-pitched scream of agony echoes through the room, shattering a mirror on the wall before the thing assaults the Hound again, swinging its frail glass sword ineffectually.
(7:06:47 PM) Rainfall: The Cataphractoi screams in a high-pitched hissing sound, his wings of screams turning into howls of agony as his gossamer-glass sword flicker once, slashing through the magical Hound that Gemini recently summoned. A blast of wind and magic erupt from the slain automaton, and the thing once again howls in pain.
(7:09:46 PM) ***Smilie tugs the knife out of his staff, holding it loosely in his other hand. "... instead of corn, he now reaps corn cockle and weeds." He finishes the parable with a flick of his wrist, depositing the stolen knife behind his back into whatever place he keeps these things. He looks down at the Bower, a sagelike look about him. "Do you see how this applies, Hideous?"
(7:11:22 PM) Rainfall: Bower whimpers, beating futilely at Smilie's feet, his fists hammering the floor as tears streak down his face. "It wasn't supposed to be like thiiiis!"
(7:15:36 PM) Rainfall: The Cataphractoi ripples as it moves towards Gemini, twisting underneath the glowing light of his anima, his sword moving in incredibly fast slow motion, wrapping AROUND the Exalt before vanishing and reappearing on the other side, leaving the Sorcerer unharmed.
(7:18:42 PM) ***Gemini locks his eyes on the Cataphractoi, the Sorcery finally fully formed in the shape of a razor sharp four-inch spike of magically dense Ice, a Totemic aura blazing all around him. Calling upon the strength of the wind, Gemini accelerates the icicle with massive force, directly at the forehead of the Cataphractoi, not three feet in front of him.
(7:20:51 PM) Rainfall: The glass of the Cataphractoi's armor shatters underneath the sorcerous assault, each spike of ice penetrating the thing's flawless skin, releasing blood of screaming infants and weeping mothers, as it writhes in agony before falling to the floor, its brains dashed out across the floor, thoughts and images flickering across them before vanishing into the fluid.
(7:22:55 PM) Rainfall: The crowd continues to scream and flail about madly, completely ineffectually.
(7:22:59 PM) ***Dezrik wanders in and looks around. Seeing nothing particularly worth doing, he instead aims a kick at Bower's ribs. He probably deserved it.
(7:24:03 PM) Smilie: The priest watches over his shoulder as his companions vanquish the fae, before turning his attentions back to the Bower. "Nice one, Dezrik, but perhaps a little premature."
(7:25:02 PM) Dezrik: "It seemed worthwhile to make it difficult to keep up the gibbering for a little while at least."
(7:25:51 PM) ***Gemini lets the brightly burning aura burn down for a moment, examining the results of the new sorcery as the blood-coated icicles embedded in the far wall start to melt. "So, what do we do with him?," he asked, walking over to Smilie and Dezrik.
(7:26:50 PM) Dezrik: "Sit down for tea. Ask questions. Dismember him if he's uncooperative."
(7:27:06 PM) Smilie: "First, we get him to quiet the rabble. Then we have a talk." The priest kneels before the upset man. "Isn't that right, friend?"
(7:28:08 PM) Rainfall: Bower whimpers, muttering about 'death' and how it's 'not supposed to be like this.' His eyes roll back in his head and he clutches at Smilie's feet.
(7:28:41 PM) ***Smilie pins one of the Bower's hands underneath his staff. "Make them quiet, Bower, or I will make you quiet."
(7:30:13 PM) Rainfall: "I can't!"
(7:30:39 PM) Smilie: "And why can't you?" the priest asks.
(7:31:40 PM) Rainfall: "They're not miii-hi-hi-hiiine."
(7:31:50 PM) ***Dezrik draws forth his blade Argent Calamity, willing it to burst into flames. He does nothing with the burning weapon however. It serves merely as a reminder of what could happen to Bower.
(7:32:52 PM) ***Gemini takes another look at the crowd.
(7:32:59 PM) Smilie: The Bower's statement puts the Priest off-guard. He immediately stands up, trying to gaze around and through the crowd unless there's a third person they'd somehow missed. "Whose are they, then?"
(7:33:43 PM) Rainfall: Bower sniffles and moans.
(7:38:40 PM) ***Gemini turns to the clearly-defeated man. "Now, these guys are going to try and torture you. I'll do what I can to stop them, but I can't guarantee anything."
(7:38:52 PM) Gemini: "So you had best tell them what they want to know."
(7:42:41 PM) Rainfall: Bower whimpers, holding his stomach as he looks up at Smilie. "The Maw! The Maw owns them!"
(7:42:55 PM) Rainfall: "...or it. Or whatever it is."
(7:43:17 PM) ***Dezrik looks to Smilie with a quirked eyebrow, looking to see if he shows any recognition at the name.
(7:43:27 PM) ***Gemini flashes Smilie the same glance.
(7:45:59 PM) ***Smilie slowly surveys the panicking crowd. "Does it...? Dezrik, would you mind taking Hideous Bower of the Waves to his office?" He looks down at sobbing man. "Before I left I made a deal with him."
(7:46:00 PM) Dezrik: "And who might the Maw be?"
(7:46:33 PM) ***Dezrik merely nods, reaching down to grasp the man by the scruff of his neck and drag him to the office. He is not gentle.
(7:47:43 PM) ***Smilie quickly checks the obvious door into the area, and closes it up as tightly as possible. This done, he heads to the Bower's office, stopping only to experimentally try and halt a few of the crowd.
(7:47:59 PM) Rainfall: Bower squirms underneath the Lunar's grip. "The Maw is the waves is the mouth is the face is the house holds the wines holds me holds them holds YOU!"
(7:48:14 PM) ***Gemini follows Dezik, looking to be sure that he didn't do anything too drastic to their disarmed opponent.
(7:51:52 PM) ***Dezrik tosses Bower into a seat upon arriving. "Sit. Don't move. Speak when spoken to."
(7:52:22 PM) ***Dezrik paces around the room like an angry animal, the flames on his weapon gone out for the moment entirely for the sake of not accidentally lighting the place ablaze.
(7:52:45 PM) Rainfall: Bower whimpers, tears running down his face.
(7:53:09 PM) ***Gemini leans against a corner of the room, his anima flare nearly extinguished, though still illuminating most of the area.
(7:54:48 PM) ***Smilie turns around at the entrance to the Bower's office, and stops to rub his ears. "Be quiet!" He shouts loudly, before turning and entering the office.
(7:56:32 PM) Rainfall: The crowd shuts up instantly, which is a merciful release.
(7:56:35 PM) ***Gemini comes to attention again at the loud shout of Smilie's voice, his anima flaring back up, coating the room in an intense light.
(7:58:15 PM) Smilie: The Priest replaces the tapestry as he enters the office, not missing a beat as he crosses the room to the Hideous Bower himself. "Now then, Hideous, since our arrival here a few days ago me and my companions have been subject to threats on our lives, the murder of our crew, the fanciful and fabricated whims of yourself, and the hindrance of the Dragon-Bloods." He takes a deep, exasperated breath. "I think you can appreciate our frustration." He reaches behind his back with his free hand. "Do you remember what I promised you before I left the party, Hideous?"
(8:00:36 PM) Rainfall: "C-consequences?"
(8:01:16 PM) ***Gemini takes a few steps forward, wondering also what Smilie meant by that.
(8:01:34 PM) ***Smilie nods. "Exactly. Either two favors in exchange for your one, or consequences. However," the Priest withdraws Hideous's own knife from behind his back, "I'm more than willing to allow you to atone for your deceptions. Would you like to do that, Hideous?"
(8:03:06 PM) Rainfall: Hideous Bower's eyes widen at the sight of the knife, and he bites his fingernails nervously. "Wh-what do you waaant?"
(8:03:19 PM) ***Gemini looks carefully at the knife, wondering what the Priest was getting at.
(8:03:29 PM) ***Smilie raises one of his fingers from the knife. "Question one: what is the Maw?"
(8:04:58 PM) Rainfall: Bower gulps, twitching slightly. "The Maw is the eater and consumer and the owner and the slayer."
(8:05:37 PM) Smilie: The Priest's finger coils right back around the dagger, tightening his grip on it. "Please be more specific."
(8:07:26 PM) Rainfall: Bower screams like a little girl. "I don't know!"
(8:08:18 PM) Smilie: Two fingers uncurl from around the knife. "Question two: what did you need us out of Windgate for? And be specific. Very specific. Or I may ask you which of your hands is your dominant instead."
(8:08:18 PM) Gemini: "He obviously is scared out of his wits and doesn't know anything about the Maw, just go on to the next question."
(8:10:12 PM) Rainfall: Bower gulps, twitching nervously. "Because the Maw told me to! Because He wants you all to seeeee!"
(8:11:15 PM) ***Smilie closes his eyes and takes another deep breath. He grips the knife tightly. "Which is your dominant hand, Bower? Or would you rather tell us what you needed us gone for?"
(8:12:03 PM) ***Gemini waits for Bower's response, asking himself if Smilie was just bluffing or not.
(8:12:09 PM) Rainfall: Bower lets out a shrill scream. "BECAUSE OF THE ENGINES!"
(8:13:38 PM) Dezrik: "What are the engines Bower? What are you talking about?"
(8:13:49 PM) Dezrik: "Partial answers are getting really damn tiring really fast."
(8:14:24 PM) Rainfall: "The wind-engines in the House! The Maw asked me to destroy them but you came and you would stop me so you had to leave so we could and we did we did we did destroy them so the Maw would let us live foreverrr"
(8:15:25 PM) Dezrik: "What do the engines do Bower?"
(8:16:07 PM) Gemini: "I can answer that. They hold back the Wyld and protect the West."
(8:16:36 PM) Dezrik: "And th-...damn it I don't see why I shouldn't turn this man's innards into decorations!"
(8:17:04 PM) Dezrik: The Lunar's lips peel back in a snarl, utter fury shining through what was before a mask of simple anger.
(8:17:23 PM) Smilie: "Good, Bower!" Three fingers remove themselves from the knife. "Restrain yourself please, Dezrik. He has a few more questions to answer. Question three: what is in your wine, and what have you done to it?"
(8:19:13 PM) ***Dezrik lets out a long hissing exhale, relaxing his grip on Argent Calamity just slightly.
(8:19:59 PM) Rainfall: "From the hearts of the people in the vineyards who hang on the vines and bleed and the grapes in their heads and they make the wine..." Bower gnaws at the ends of his fingers, not noticing the bleeding beginning to start.
(8:22:43 PM) Smilie: "I thought so!" The smiling priest turns to look at Dezrik. "That's why I didn't want you drinking it." He returns his attention to Bower again, this time raising four fingers. "Question four: how would we pursue the Maw, where is it located, and what is your connection, if any, to the Darkness, the Guild, and-" the priest pauses for a moment, having gotten lost in his questioning, "-and just what happened to our trinkets?"
(8:24:29 PM) Rainfall: Bower blinks, confused by the rapid-fire questions. He slowly bites around his hand, and then quietly mutters. "In the vineyard, and we fought them, fought them to the end and I was the only one left out of everyone and the Maw kept them alive here for me."
(8:25:58 PM) Smilie: "And 'them' are?" the priest presses.
(8:26:55 PM) Rainfall: "The Darkness and the guild and the bastards who tried to stop us but the Maw gave us help and his wings and teeth and victory finally with you."
(8:28:41 PM) Smilie: "The last question," the priest uncurls his thumb from the knife, letting it clatter harmlessly to the floor, "what made you think you could best us in any capacity, Ugly Stooper of the Foam?"
(8:29:21 PM) Rainfall: Bower starts laughing. "I DID!"
(8:29:34 PM) Rainfall: He doesn't stop laughing, growing more and more shrill.
(8:30:20 PM) ***Gemini readies himself for anything that may happen, slightly nervous at the clearly insane man's antics.
(8:30:22 PM) Dezrik: "Let me kill him."
(8:30:24 PM) ***Smilie rubs his forehead. "Bower, if you would do me the favor of calming down, I have a new deal for you."
(8:30:43 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head. "Dezrik, please. Not that I could stop you, but there's better uses for him."
(8:31:04 PM) Dezrik: "If you're sure, priest. I'll defer to your judgment...for now."
(8:31:17 PM) Gray: A portion of the office's roof in the corner melts and drips down, with a dull roar. A mere moment later, a Gray drops down from the newly-created 'shortcut', stating the greatly obvious fact of the century. "The engines aren't working, you know."
(8:32:10 PM) ***Smilie regards the new hole in the roof. "I hope they don't ask us to pay for that."
(8:32:45 PM) Dezrik: "Then get back up there and try to fix them if you can."
(8:33:10 PM) Dezrik: "...Without melting anymore walls, floors, or any other such things."
(8:33:19 PM) Gemini: "I would try and help, but I want to hear the details of this deal you're proposing."
(8:34:28 PM) Gray: The air shimmers with heat beyond Nova's muzzle, 'smoking' near invisibly upward. He eyes the Bower, hefting his 'mining equipment' back over his back. Without much ado, he leaps back from whence he came. No point making a shortcut if one can't use it, after all.
(8:34:48 PM) ***Smilie points back up through the hole. "We've already had our shot at saving this island, Gray. It's your turn." He gives the brightest smile he can muster. "If you need us, you know where we are. I have complete confidence!"
(8:36:28 PM) Smilie: "Now, Bower, you have a chance to recover your losses here. I won't be foolish enough to offer you eternal life, but I can offer your something like it. But first I want to know how you're still alive after so long. The Maw?"
(8:36:32 PM) ***Gray makes his way back to the machine room via his mouseholes, with all due haste.
(8:38:58 PM) Rainfall: Bower gulps, still giggling nervously. "He grants life!"
(8:39:34 PM) Smilie: The priest's smile turns eerie. "And I grant death. But that's not necessarily an end. Do you understand?"
(8:39:45 PM) Rainfall: Bower shakes his head, completely confused.
(8:41:11 PM) Smilie: "I invited the dead to your party. I have spoken on their behalf to their children. We have saved lives so that they can be full and happy and peaceful when their inevitable end comes." He holds his staff up. "And truthfully, as someone who is going to live for a damn long time, it isn't as great a thing as it sounds."
(8:41:57 PM) Smilie: "Or, put simply, the end of your life needn't be the end of you, Bower. Do you understand now?"
(8:42:55 PM) Rainfall: "No, the end is the Maw and the Maw takes forever!"
(8:43:45 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head.
(8:44:00 PM) ***Gemini returns the spellbook still in his hand and pockets it. "He's obviously consumed by the madness of the Maw. We can't bargain with him."
(8:44:20 PM) Smilie: "Hopeless. In this case, Bower, just how frightened of the Maw are you?"
(8:45:18 PM) Rainfall: Bower whimpers. "The Maw IS fear!"
(8:45:58 PM) Dezrik: "Fear is weakness," the Lunar spits.
(8:46:05 PM) Smilie: The priest reaches down and slowly picks up the dagger he dropped earlier in the conversation. "Do you wish to escape it, Bower?"
(8:47:37 PM) ***Gemini slams his hand on the table. "You can't kill him, he doesn't know what he's doing."
(8:48:19 PM) ***Smilie glares at Gemini, past his smile. "I am not a murderer, Captain. I'm hurt that you'd assume me such."
(8:48:49 PM) ***Gemini ignores Smilie's words "Listen to me. We can protect you from the Maw. You're safe with us."
(8:49:05 PM) Gray: A jogging approaches the hole's edge, with a voice drifting down as it slows to a halt. "This may take a little while."
(8:49:11 PM) Rainfall: Bower shakes his head. "There's no safety and no protection and no hope from the Maw he leaves his mark and eats the soul!"
(8:49:27 PM) Dezrik: "Hear that Bower? Our friend can reverse what you did to the engines."
(8:49:41 PM) Gray: "I will need only sandwiches to do so."
(8:49:58 PM) Gemini: "Yes Bower, and just like our friend can reverse whatever happened to the engines, I'm sure we can reverse whatever the Maw did to you."
(8:52:52 PM) ***Dezrik glances up, "...We'll work on the sandwich situation. Do what you can for now Gray."
(8:53:33 PM) Gray: "They are necessary." He persists, before padding away again.
(8:54:14 PM) Rainfall: Hideous Bower shakes his head, muttering to himself, biting his hands. "No hope no hope no hope."
(8:55:06 PM) Smilie: "There may be one. Would you care to know it?"
(8:56:01 PM) ***Gemini turns his head, definitely interested in what Smilie has to say.
(8:56:19 PM) Rainfall: Bower looks up at Smilie, tears running down his face.
(8:57:56 PM) Smilie: The Priest all but giggles. "First, name us as owners of your vineyards, and whatever possessions you feel may be tainted by your encounters with the Maw. Let it become our problem, and our worry."
(8:59:37 PM) Gemini: "You see, there's a way out."
(9:00:27 PM) Rainfall: Bower blinks and sits up, wiping the tears away from his face. "I... don't understand how that would help." A convulsive tremor runs through his body.
(9:02:47 PM) Smilie: "You cannot be tormented where you aren't. Pass the burden of coping with it to others who can handle it, and save you all the same." The priest places a comforting hand on the man's shoulder. "But there is more beyond that. We have more than just the Maw to deal with, and we cannot be your personal protectors. There is more you will need to do to save yourself."
(9:05:19 PM) Rainfall: Bower's hands tremble as he looks Smilie in the face, and spits. "He's not in my house he's in my head in everyone's head!"
(9:09:20 PM) ***Smilie wipes at the saliva on his face with a sleeve, and childishly spits back at the Bower. "I did say there was more. If you insist on ignoring me, I'll let Dezrik," he gestures to the irate Lunar with the flaming sword, "do as he pleases with you."
(9:09:48 PM) Gemini: "Listen to him, he knows what he's talking about. He can help you."

This wasn't an episode proper, due to us having to cut it off early because of complications. It's more of a halfisode, finishing up the combat section of the previous episode and starting off the questioning/negotiation that was concluded in the following session.

As usual, 5 experience to all.

Powerslave snaps:

fucking comma why did i volunteer for this hate hate comma its a runon sentence why are there no periods comma comma comma FUCKING COMMA GOFDAMN FUCKING COMMA

Powerslave

Episode 14: Into the Maw of Madness
In which horses are ridden, memories are probed, and another threat to Wavecrest is brought low

(6:34:25 PM) STeee: Hideous Bower of the Waves crumbles underneath the threat of death. Mutely picking up a pen from his desk, he grabs a piece of paper and begins writing.
(6:36:14 PM) ***Smilie begins to go through the Bower's desk. "As an aside, where do you keep your paper here?"
(6:36:30 PM) ***Gemini glances over at Dezrik. They weren't really getting anywhere via negotiation, but was the threat of murder really necessary?
(6:37:22 PM) ***Dezrik paces back and forth in the chamber like an angry animal. For now, he was restrained. It was clear though that it was only at the insistence of the Children of the Sun he wasn't drinking the man's Heart's Blood already.
(6:37:45 PM) STeee: Bower points towards the rather large pile of paper on his desk as he signs the document he just finished writing up. Rolling it into a scroll, he seals it neatly with his signet ring and hands it to the priest. "Here. It's all yours."
(6:41:18 PM) Smilie: The Priest takes the scroll, tucking it behind his back into the Realm of Never Seen Until Needed. "Thank you, Hideous. Now, the mercy I intended...." The Priest picks up a sheet of paper off the desk, takes a seat, and pricks his finger with Bower's dagger. Like his earlier letter to Hamoji, he begins to compose it in blood. "Before I lend my own, I'd like to see if my companions have better suggestions. Dezrik, Captain, what do you two think we should do regarding our former host?"
(6:41:34 PM) ***Gemini glances down at the wrecked heap of a man that sat sobbing at the desk. He wished that they could do something for him, but it seemed there was no escaping his fate.
(6:42:26 PM) Dezrik: "I think you know what my feelings are regarding him."
(6:43:03 PM) Gemini: "I wish we could help him, but it seems that he's adamant that it's impossible. I think that it would be for the best if we part amicably for now."
(6:45:19 PM) Smilie: The Priest finishes his letter, and uses the Bower's hand and ring to close it. As an afterthought, he draws a little smiling caricature of himself on the unassuming cover. "Yes, well... I consider leaving an unstable lunatic--no offense, Dezrik--who attempted to see this entire island chain consumed by chaos to simply run free a gross miscarriage of justice."
(6:46:08 PM) ***Smilie holds the knife in one hand, and the letter in the other as he stands and leans over the Hideous Bower. "Hideous, look at me."
(6:46:55 PM) STeee: Hideous looks up at Smilie, gulping for air as tears stream down his cheeks.
(6:48:45 PM) Smilie: "We are going to let you go, provided you run a simple task for us. As you can expect, this is not as generous an offer as it sounds." The Priest holds out a letter to the Hideous Bower. "You will take this letter to Hamoji, unopened. Inside is a small, unimportant message, and a request to throw you to the volcano if the seal is broken."
(6:51:53 PM) STeee: Bower gulps, and nods, holding the letter close to his chest. "I-I-I'll do i-i-i-t.
(6:53:09 PM) Smilie: "Furthermore, it also contains an endorsement. Naturally, I can't control how Lord Hamoji will deal with you, if he deals with you at all, but I have encouraged him to allow you a period of atonement, followed by the honor of a special task in our names should we feel you are worth it." The Priest nods once. "You can refuse to do this, of course," the Priest presses the Bower's own knife into his other hand, "but you may as well take the coward's way out if you don't."
(6:54:52 PM) ***Gemini nods at the assembled group, and takes an extra glance at the knife in Bower's trembling hands, before turning to leave.
(6:56:56 PM) Dezrik: The Lunar relaxes a bit, apparently satisfied with this arrangement.
(6:58:20 PM) ***Gemini steps into the ballroom outside the office, again eyeing the carnage wreaked by the sorcery not an hour ago.
(6:58:44 PM) ***Smilie pats the Bower on the shoulder. "I wish a pleasant trip, Hideous. I hope we can put this all behind us!" he declares cheerily.
(7:00:11 PM) ***Dezrik gives Bower one last sour look before stalking out of the room behind the priest.
(7:00:51 PM) STeee: Bower curls up in his chair, and the only sound the Exalts hear as they leave his room is muffled sobbing.
(7:00:55 PM) Dezrik: "Perhaps we should get around to inspecting that vineyard?"
(7:02:00 PM) Gemini: "I agree, let's have a look at our new property."
(7:02:29 PM) Smilie: "A look over the premises would definitely be handy in deciding what to do. Has Grey finished repairing those machines, yet?" The Priest walks with a small spring in his step, satisfied with his 'negotiating'.
(7:02:41 PM) Dezrik: "He said it'd take a good while."
(7:03:22 PM) Gemini: "I don't think we could tear him away from them anyways, let him do his work."
(7:05:15 PM) ***Dezrik makes to depart in the direction of the vineyard, having nothing else to say on their situation.
(7:05:45 PM) Smilie: "Right. We should keep here overnight, though. I doubt Bower could have broken the machines himself, and we want to keep a watch on them for the moment."
(7:06:39 PM) Gemini: "From what I saw earlier, he should be able to fend for himself. I think we should examine the property first."
(7:06:58 PM) Gemini: "We can sleep once we get there."
(7:07:38 PM) ***Dezrik pauses in his steps, "Make a decision. Do you need to rest or not? I can keep going."
(7:07:47 PM) Dezrik: "But I'm not leaving you two on your own."
(7:08:32 PM) Gemini: "I think we should see what we've got ourselves into, though the priest has the papers. His call."
(7:08:35 PM) Smilie: "We'd be worthless if there was danger there, in our conditions." The Priest rubs his forehead. "I need to sort things out and try to come up with a way this works to our advantage."
(7:10:03 PM) Dezrik: "Rest it is then. I'll keep watch, make sure Bower doesn't burn the place down, and so forth."
(7:10:08 PM) Gemini: "Fine, we can stay in the city overnight, and then view the vineyards in the morning."
(7:11:07 PM) Dezrik: "Or we could just stay here. Seeing as we own the place."
(7:12:57 PM) ***Gemini heads upstairs to the bedrooms - the Windmakers were all out dealing with the fallout from Abalone, so there should be plenty of room. With all the excitement, he had realized that he really was exhausted.
(7:14:20 PM) Smilie: The Priest heads out the front door of the House of the Windmakers. "I'll check up on the crew, among other things. I'll see you both in the morning."
(7:14:55 PM) ***Dezrik spends his evening obsessively watching the premises and napping in corners here and there.
(7:16:48 PM) ***Gemini closes a bedroom door, and pulls out a star-chart from the nearby bookcase. Now was time to find out what had happened in Hamoji's palace.
(7:28:05 PM) ***Gemini recoils back at the results - These were... completely unexpected. Folding up and returning the star-chart to the shelf, he succumbed to his fatigue.
(7:30:49 PM) STeee: The night passes mostly peacefully, with a few shouts and crashes from upstairs as Gray meddles with the wind-engines. As the morning dawns, bright light shines into the House of the Windmakers, illuminating the foyer with a brilliant light, illuminating the ornate tapestries on the walls.
(7:33:14 PM) ***Gemini wakes up to a particularly loud whoosh followed by a bang. It sounded like Grey was still tinkering with the artifacts.
(7:37:23 PM) ***Gemini heads downstairs with his belongings - Where were the others at?
(7:40:23 PM) ***Dezrik rises to his feet, dusting himself off at his position near the door.
(7:40:26 PM) Dezrik: "Where's the priest?"
(7:40:40 PM) ***Smilie is already there, sitting in a chair with his feet propped up on another. He alternates between watching the "hallucinations" in the foyer and reading in a nondescript black book.
(7:41:18 PM) ***Smilie waves from over the heads of all the "guests", easily hidden by them.
(7:41:46 PM) Dezrik: "Let's go." he says simply, not bothering to wait up.
(7:42:04 PM) ***Gemini steps over to the door to join Dezrik and Smilie, and heads outside.
(7:42:11 PM) ***Smilie swiftly closes his book, hops out of his seat, and follows afterwards
(7:46:38 PM) ***Gemini heads around to the side of the building, returning with harnessed stallions. "I believe these belong to us now."
(7:49:55 PM) ***Gemini climbs up on the side of the tame beast, and gives it a nudge forward. This wasn't so hard.
(7:50:21 PM) STeee: The ride out of the city is a long one. The sun climbs higher in the sky as you follow the road that leads deeper into the heart of the island, towards the estate of Hideous Bower. The forest is lively, a large difference from when the servants of the Darkness prowled the land.
(7:51:09 PM) Smilie: For the first time ever, the Priest looks out of his element, struggling to keep on the horse's back and his hands on the reins.
(7:51:44 PM) Dezrik: The Steward fares little better, the complete lack of rudder, rigging, or sails baffling his sensibilities.
(7:52:17 PM) STeee: Occasionally, you pass a shattered obelisk forged from jade, and elaborate, carved statues, all defaced by time and the harsh elements of the West, but the journey remains peaceful, until you finally reach the lip of the valley in which the Bower's estate is situated.
(7:53:13 PM) ***Smilie calls for the others to halt the horses there.
(7:53:33 PM) ***Gemini reaches the crest of the valley, taking a look at the group's new property.
(7:53:55 PM) STeee: The land is lush, with vibrant, green plants growing as far as the eye can see. A massive building stands in the middle of the valley, several stories tall, with faint black lines delineating fences. The forest around you seethes with life, and you feel almost like you're in the East.
(7:54:10 PM) ***Smilie then promptly falls face-first off of his mount, looking horribly undignified.
(7:56:04 PM) ***Gemini looks down at the the dismounted and slightly-muddy priest. "You were saying something?"
(7:56:55 PM) ***Dezrik eagerly dismounts his horse as they reach their destination, though it's more of a pathetic slide off of the side of the beast than an actual dismount.
(7:56:58 PM) Dezrik: "I hate these things."
(7:57:53 PM) ***Smilie scrambles back to his feet and smooths out his clothing. "A horse is a horse. A terrible method of travel." He clears his throat. "We have reason to suspect danger or some other disturbing act going on within our new property."
(7:58:44 PM) ***Gemini dismounts rather clumsily. "You're right, we should be ready for anything."
(7:58:47 PM) ***Dezrik gives the creatures an unsettling look, one can only guess what precisely is going on in the Lunar's mind.
(7:59:30 PM) Smilie: "Exactly, Captain," the Priest continues, "which is why I should probably scout the area before we enter. An idea of what we are facing could be helpful."
(8:00:07 PM) ***Gemini throws a glance over at Dezrik, wondering why his stomach seemed to be rumbling, before concentrating and attuning himself with the essence flows.
(8:00:24 PM) Dezrik: "Fair enough. Be quick about it, lest I think something went wrong."
(8:01:12 PM) ***Gemini starts making the trek down to the main building. "Best have those papers handy priest."
(8:01:16 PM) Smilie: "Right away, noble serpent!" The Priest begins to head down the valley towards the vineyard, vanishing into thin air somewhere along the way.
(8:03:04 PM) Dezrik: "Captain."
(8:03:07 PM) ***Gemini finds a convenient stump in the vineyard to sit on, waiting for Smilie to return with news. He reaches over and pops a few grapes into his mouth.
(8:03:16 PM) Gemini: "Yes?"
(8:03:21 PM) ***Dezrik nods as he stops. "Nevermind."
(8:05:49 PM) STeee: A few birds fly overhead, tweeting merrily as the Exalts wait for their companion to return.
(8:05:59 PM) ***Dezrik gives the birds bitter looks.
(8:07:26 PM) ***Smilie reappears behind Captain Gemini. "Captain, if the wine was a danger to drink, why are you eating from the source?"
(8:08:18 PM) ***Gemini turns around, slightly startled that their companion returned so quickly. "The wine was fine, and it's our source now."
(8:08:59 PM) ***Smilie stares blankly at Gemini. "It's Wyld-tainted and likely warped by the thoughts and dreams and souls of living people."
(8:09:05 PM) Gemini: "What have you learned?"
(8:09:10 PM) Dezrik: "That's a broad ass definition of fine."
(8:09:59 PM) ***Smilie gestures with his staff off towards the central building. "The guards resemble the creature we met at our return to the party. The trees bear the faces of the partygoers."
(8:10:38 PM) Smilie: "I had hoped to coax the Dragon-Bloods from Starfall into arriving here, but given these horrors I don't believe we can afford to leave this unresolved for any amount of time."
(8:11:03 PM) ***Gemini peers in the distance at the main building. "That's not good. Do you think that they'll be hostile, or would they respect our agreement with Bower?"
(8:11:15 PM) Dezrik: "They're bloody Fae."
(8:11:36 PM) Dezrik: "The Fae don't respect ANYTHING."
(8:11:59 PM) Gemini: "That's not good. How many did you count?"
(8:12:02 PM) Smilie: "They tried to do worse than destroy Wavecrest, in addition." He leans down to stare even more emptily at the Captain. "They use living people for their wine."
(8:12:36 PM) ***Dezrik unsheathes Argent Calamity with an irate expression, his body already beginning to shift into that of his serpent form.
(8:12:39 PM) ***Gemini spits out the grapes he had been chewing on, half choking.
(8:13:21 PM) Smilie: "A few people." The Priest holds up a hand haltingly at Dezrik. "Let's not go in swords swinging. We can at least try to drag some information out of those present."
(8:13:35 PM) Gemini: "How many of them did you count?"
(8:13:56 PM) Dezrik: "They're Fae, priest. I'm not going to attack on the spot, but I'm damn sure going to be ready for them."
(8:14:45 PM) Gemini: "Fae, so that's what they are. Well, anyone have any bright ideas?
(8:14:49 PM) Smilie: "Thank you, Dezrik. Your might will likely be the only thing to see us through this predicament. And Captain, a count would be worthless as more could be inside." The Priest gives his staff a nervous twirl.
(8:15:23 PM) Smilie: "We walk in, speak with them, and depending on how that goes we either kill them all or something else," the Priest states.
(8:15:40 PM) Dezrik: "Probably the former."
(8:15:44 PM) Dezrik: "But lets be optimistic eh?"
(8:16:37 PM) Smilie: "Am I anything but?" the Priest asks jokingly. He makes his way down towards the vineyard and the building, eyes darting left and right.
(8:16:43 PM) ***Gemini stands up from his stump. "Very well, let's not waste any time."
(8:17:07 PM) ***Dezrik slithers along behind the Priest, weapon held in a neutral position at his side.
(8:17:58 PM) ***Gemini walks at Dezrik's side, hand reaching into his cloak to retrieve the leather volume.
(8:18:06 PM) STeee: The trees whisper and sigh as you walk among them, moaning longingly, seeming to bend ever-so-slightly towards you as you walk between them. The manor house looms large ahead of you, sunlight glinting off of glass surfaces.
(8:22:34 PM) STeee: As you approach the building, two of the Fae approach you, holding their swords up defensively.
(8:22:57 PM) ***Gemini hangs behind the other two, mentioning on the walk: "I'll hang back, I need to prepare, and if it gets bloody, I'll provide covering fire."
(8:23:12 PM) ***Smilie reaches behind his back and pulls out the papers signed by the Bower. "Hello, gentlemen. How are you today?"
(8:23:20 PM) STeee: "Why do you seek passage into the Court of Memory?"
(8:24:14 PM) Smilie: "Curiosity, fellows! This place is everything like I didn't expect, and we desire to know what delirious fascinations may lie within!" He tucks the papers away and bows.
(8:25:18 PM) STeee: The Fae grin, and reply in perfect chorus. "Well-said! The Maw of Heart and Thought always looks for new experiences. Perhaps you would play a game with us before you enter, however?"
(8:25:57 PM) ***Smilie clasps his hands together, looking delighted. "Whose game? Yours, or mine?"
(8:26:17 PM) ***Dezrik says nothing, watching the Fae and the area around them with an expression of seething hatred.
(8:26:38 PM) STeee: The Fae smiles. "Ours, of course. It is our Court."
(8:27:15 PM) ***Smilie gestures to the Fae. "The ball is yours, then."
(8:28:34 PM) STeee: The Fae bows, and looks upwards. "The game is simple, and old as ages. A game of memory, as suits these green fields."
(8:28:45 PM) Gemini: Eventually curiosity gets the best of Gemini, as he notices that the Fae weren't attacking on sight, so he walks up to the parlaying groups.
(8:29:19 PM) Smilie: "Memories real, or memories believed, hm?" The Priest asks slyly.
(8:30:01 PM) STeee: The Fae grins, his mouth stretching considerably further than his face for a moment. "Memories real. As the challenged, you may request a memory of mine first."
(8:30:58 PM) ***Gemini finishes traveling the short distance to the group. Requesting memories, what sort of a game was this?
(8:31:01 PM) Smilie: "Discovery, then," the Priest replies, meeting the creature's macabre smile with one of his own.
(8:32:17 PM) STeee: The Fae laughs, a high-pitched giggle. "The day I first drank of memory, drawing a child to the tree, consuming her memory of joy and her mothers arms... I discovered the ecstasy of hearing other people's stories in one's own mind."
(8:33:19 PM) STeee: "Now, my memory of you... tell me of a second breath." The Fae cackles.
(8:35:45 PM) Smilie: "I'm afraid I was too young to recall my first second breath, but my second second...." The Priest chuckles. "The day I breathed my last. Water filled my lungs, fear filled my mind. Animal, desperately. I scratched my nails off on jutting rocks. And then... I was again. Filled, powerful, and so gloriously empty and peaceful."
(8:36:40 PM) STeee: The Fae bows, smiling. "Enter the Court, Lord. The Maw awaits."
(8:37:46 PM) ***Dezrik slithers forward cautiously. "And the rest of us? Must we play your games as well to enter?"
(8:37:51 PM) Smilie: "Thank you, gamesman. I had not anticipated being let in." The Priest bows in kind, and gestures for the others to enter. "I am never unsurprised."
(8:38:33 PM) ***Gemini follows the Priest's gesture, stepping to the entrance.
(8:39:35 PM) ***Dezrik nods and follows the Priest in.
(8:40:35 PM) STeee: The world twists and shudders as you cross the doorstep, and you stand in a luxurious bedroom, with children's toys scattered across the ground. The faint sound of a conversation between mother and son can be heard, and the door stands open to an ornate hallway, jade mosaics inlaid on the walls.
(8:42:09 PM) ***Gemini stands silent in open-mouthed shock.
(8:42:22 PM) Gemini: "Wha... how?"
(8:42:31 PM) ***Smilie glances around. "Dezrik, I think this is more your specialty."
(8:42:45 PM) ***Dezrik narrows his eyes, moonsilver tattoos glimmering in this Wyld-blighted place.
(8:43:01 PM) Dezrik: "All of you be careful, keep close together, lest you come out of this place not the same person you entered."
(8:46:04 PM) ***Dezrik slithers forth, investigating this place cautiously. He is completely on edge, expecting the place to manifest horrors at random at any time.
(8:46:41 PM) Smilie: The Priest's eyes glimmer for a second, taking on a keener quality as he draws more mental fortitude from the power within. He keeps close to Dezrik, never looking in one direction for more than a few seconds.
(8:47:12 PM) Smilie: "They did a poor job decorating," he remarks.
(8:48:00 PM) ***Gemini walks less cautiously, remarking "This way" and "turn right here" at the corners.
(8:49:49 PM) STeee: As they turn one corner, the view shifts again, this time reflecting a pitch-black corridor, screams echoing along the halls. A single torch is mounted on a sconce on the wall, and the hallway seems to stretch onwards indefinitely.
(8:50:08 PM) ***Gemini motions the other two to follow him, his nonchalant behavior at odds with their battle preparation, as he turns the corner.
(8:51:26 PM) ***Gemini grabs the torch off the wall, holding it in front of him to try and illuminate the darkness. "This is wrong, it doesn't belong here."
(8:52:07 PM) ***Dezrik keeps going in various permutations.
(8:53:33 PM) Gemini: "This is an evil place," Gemini remarks. "But the evil didn't just begin around this corner."
(8:53:33 PM) STeee: As they keep moving, finally they stumble into another place, a sandy beach, the smell of smoke faint in the air. A tall (unnaturally tall) man (or thing) stands there, his back facing you.
(8:54:25 PM) ***Gemini tosses the now-useless torch to the ground. Or was it even in his hand in the first place? He can't remember.
(8:54:25 PM) ***Smilie opens his mouth, but thinks better and closes it. He casts a look at Dezrik, nodding for his decision.
(8:54:26 PM) ***Dezrik lets out a primal noise...not a snarl, but a noise of surprise almost. He stops utterly in his place.
(8:55:57 PM) Dezrik: The Lunar shakes his head and narrows his serpent's eyes on the figure across the beach, resuming his slither onwards. "What is the meaning of this?"
(8:56:07 PM) STeee: The Fae sniffs, and a low primal growl comes from deep within his throat. "You have the weight of many years, many strong memories, many passions... and you have travelled to the Court of Memory. What did you expect?"
(8:56:55 PM) Smilie: "I suspect you wouldn't be happy if we had," the Priest remarks.
(8:57:52 PM) STeee: The Fae chuckles. "But of course. If you had I would have done so."
(9:01:31 PM) Dezrik: "I take it you're the one who bid Hideous Bower destroy the wind-engines?"
(9:01:39 PM) ***Gemini speaks up. "Do you not have enough grief, that you must take to preying upon the emotions of others? What makes you so hollow?"
(9:03:31 PM) STeee: "There are so many memories on these lands that we do not possess. The bitter ale of despair, the blissful wine of pleasure, those are but mere shadows of the tastes we could sample if we were to spread our influence beyond this isle."
(9:05:49 PM) STeee: The Fae sighs, turning and taking a sip from the goblet held in his hand. "The ambrosia of war and battle... try some?"
(9:06:16 PM) Dezrik: "I'm already well acquainted with that draught."
(9:06:45 PM) ***Smilie holds up a hand and also refuses the drink. "No thank you. I suspect we'll have had our fills of it once all is said and done."
(9:07:46 PM) STeee: "As you wish. So, why DID you seek out the Court?"
(9:09:24 PM) Smilie: "Concerns regarding the future of Wavecrest, worry about the safety of its wind-engines, and to check up on our new property."
(9:10:00 PM) Smilie: "I think that covers all three of our replies. Or did I miss some?" he asks the other two Exalts.
(9:10:56 PM) STeee: The Fae snorts. "The wind-engines were a futile attempt at holding back Chaos. Their end was inevitable against the weight of Memory."
(9:11:15 PM) STeee: "And why is the future any of my concern? Time is of no concern to the Pure Chaos."
(9:12:10 PM) Dezrik: "It's your concern because it's now become our concern." the Steward states simply.
(9:13:12 PM) Gemini: "We're already doing a fine job destabilizing the west, we don't need memory thieves competing with us."
(9:13:13 PM) Dezrik: "We prevented the devastation of this isle once already and the consumption of it under a tide of Chaos would rather undo everything we've achieved."
(9:14:22 PM) STeee: "Everything you've achieved? The memories of your companion betray you." The beach blurs for a moment, and a tunnel carved into a volcano forms around you, an ominous rumbling filling the chamber. A red glow appears at the far end.
(9:14:33 PM) STeee: "You have achieved so much death. Destruction."
(9:14:59 PM) Dezrik: "And that is our shame. What we seek to atone for."
(9:15:26 PM) Dezrik: "The destruction of the Darkness was a step towards that, and the consumption of this isle, no matter how much I may disdain Wavecrest, would spit in the face of said atonement."
(9:15:56 PM) Gemini: "We will avenge the dead of Abalone by protecting the West, and it seems we must contend with you."
(9:16:00 PM) STeee: "Why not embrace it? Revel in destruction! Embrace the chaos of madness!"
(9:16:25 PM) Dezrik: "Because I am Steward of Creation, Fae, and you would do well to remember that that means all of Creation is under my protection!" the Naga bellows.
(9:16:31 PM) ***Smilie sighs. "I'm afraid I'd prefer the peace of the grave to that, Maw."
(9:17:35 PM) Dezrik: "We can part here under amicable terms if you will allow it."
(9:18:34 PM) STeee: The thing sighs. "You threaten my servants, threaten me, and expect to leave?" The Maw waves an arm, and molten lava boils through the volcanic tunnel, engulfing both Dezrik and Gemini.
(9:21:09 PM) STeee: "The memories of those who died in the eruption, their last agonies carried to me by a loyal servant... and you."
(9:21:33 PM) ***Gemini clenches his teeth as the wave of lava pours over him, closing his eyes in terror before letting the illusion pass over him.
(9:21:49 PM) STeee: The lava surges past the Exalts, leaving them standing unharmed. The Maw blanches slightly, but says nothing.
(9:22:08 PM) Dezrik: "Let me rephrase."
(9:22:32 PM) Dezrik: "We can part here under amicable terms and you can bow beneath my demands OR I CAN RIP WHAT STANDS FOR A HEART OUT OF YOUR CHEST AND CONSUME IT!"
(9:24:57 PM) STeee: "Embrace your memories of war, then!" The Maw laughs, as his appearance changes to that of the Lord of Earthen Fire, booming with the echoes of the volcano.
(9:25:28 PM) ***Dezrik rushes the Fae, Argent Calamity in hand, ready to rend the thing apart.
(9:27:03 PM) ***Gemini flips open the Windmaker's treatise, readying himself to fight.
(9:28:12 PM) ***Smilie laughs hysterically. "You really don't know a thing about repeating history, do you?"
(9:29:58 PM) STeee: The Maw roars, its mouth opening impossibly wide as it swings a fist towards Dezrik.
(9:32:23 PM) ***Dezrik snarls with incoherent, murderous rage, the fist flying by his head harmlessly. He keeps going though, ramming the hardened scaly crest of his head into that of the Fae and following up with a burning blade across the chest.
(9:34:57 PM) STeee: The Maw staggers back, the form of the Lord of Earthen Fire dropping from his body. A choking cloud of ash spills from a cut across his chest, his gossamer garment rent by Argent Calamity.
(9:38:37 PM) ***Smilie rubs his hands together, managing to get his laughter under control. "Fine then, Maw, if you're so interested in memory," the Priest flings out his arm, black motes of essence drifting into being around him as his totemic cloaked and masked figure flares to golden life around him, overshadowed by another, dour figure of dim violet, "then let me share with you how he felt in his last moments."
(9:40:13 PM) ***Gemini takes the opportunity, while Smilie is being grandiloquent, to flip open his spellbook and turn to a marked page. This has worked before on the Fae, and it should work again. Gemini calls upon the mark of Frost, and begins the sorcerous ritual.
(9:46:04 PM) ***Gemini immediately stops the ritual, just as he realized that instead of the sorcerous book, he's actually holding a children's book from the room three, and the essence fizzles away harmlessly.
(9:47:54 PM) STeee: The Maw glares at Dezrik, clenching his fist as he draws a long, slender blade, forged from some deep red material. Images of death flicker across it as it splits the air, rending the illusion of the volcano to reveal a cage around Dezrik, trapping him in place while the blade whistles towards his throat.
(9:53:27 PM) ***Dezrik brings the blade to an abrupt halt against the crossguard of his wave cleaver, thrusting the Fae back. With a great intake of air he rears back, silvery essence gathering around him until it erupts in a corona of energy, ripping the illusory cage away in time with his strike against the Fae.
(9:57:07 PM) STeee: Once again, the Fae steps back from the Chosen of Luna, the silvery glow repelling him even as Argent Calamity seeks out what passes for its blood. Gesturing with fury, two glass-clad warriors emerge from the walls beside him, wings of screams opening from their eyes.
(10:00:37 PM) Smilie: "You want memories, hypocrite?" The Priest asks. The illusion begins to implode on him, the walls and heat of the volcano sinking into a sudden nothingness with the smiling priest at its center. "I'll give you just that," he says normally, and suddenly the place is filled with some of the most nightmarish images from the chthonic depths of the Labyrinth. The walls seem to be made of bleeding black stone, elongated faces distending from the rock and rushing down upon the Maw. Smilie closes his hand and an obscured figure is seen standing just behind him as everything shatters, with a piercing shriek, into a pulsing, veiny red.
(10:02:49 PM) STeee: The Maw staggers, looking up at Smilie with a frightening intensity in his eyes. "YES! Memories of pain and darkness and suffering, of battle and fear and anger..."
(10:04:40 PM) ***Smilie gives his staff a twirl and stands back, the golden image surrounding him wearing a mask resembling the melting face of a happy monk. "No anger. Just glee."
(10:04:51 PM) ***Gemini flips through the pages of the book uselessly, closing it and returning it to the folds of his cloak, and waits to see how Dezrik plans on dealing with these new combatants.
(10:06:14 PM) STeee: With a mighty swing, Maw's blade swings from the floor, scratching along the air before moving to bisect Dezrik's neck, the thing apparently having found new resolve in pain.
(10:08:21 PM) STeee: The blade nicks Dezrik's neck, the tough hide of his War-form almost stopping the blow. A trickle of blood runs from the cut, entering the sword.
(10:13:18 PM) ***Smilie turns towards one of the newly-arrived Fae, and bows in greeting and challenge. This done, he charges the creature of chaos, staff spinning as he tries to bring it down with added momentum.
(10:21:23 PM) ***Gemini tries to recall more sorcery from memory, but the thoughts elude him, stolen away by the power of the Maw, as more essence dissipates.
(10:25:54 PM) ***Gemini finally grasps his memories, the sorcerer's sight snatching back the lost essence, and the ritual continues.
(10:28:57 PM) ***Dezrik shakes his head, blinking, but the animal rage consuming him allows him to dignify the nick at his throat with no further recognition. With a howl from his throat and that of the colossal totemic serpent coiled around him he hurls himself on his foe, stabbing wildly.
(10:34:06 PM) Dezrik: The Lunar impales his foe, bearing him to the ground and only continuing to stab, hack, and rip. In a shower of gore, flesh, and whatever else might comprise a Fair Folk he continues to savage his foe untill what remains is unrecognizable.
(10:34:07 PM) Dezrik: Even for a Fae.
(10:36:22 PM) ***Smilie grins as he and his opponent lock weapons, and jerks his head over his shoulder at where Dezrik just finished off the Maw. "How's that for a memory?"

Since it wasn't elaborated on in the actual log, the interior of the vineyard estate changed to reflect places of importance to the Exalted. The child's playroom was likely a moment in Gemini's life, the black hallway was a remembrance of Smilie's former master's home, and the sandy beach was a place where there was a life-changing occurrence for Dezrik. If I've gotten any of these wrong, or you guys want me to elaborate on them, PM me the relevant info and I'll edit it in.

Five experience to everyone, one extra experience to Dezrik for being an awesome Lunar.

I'm so sorry for my terrible punnage:

(8:25:57 PM) ***Smilie clasps his hands together, looking delighted. "Whose game? Yours, or mine?"
(8:26:38 PM) STeee: The Fae smiles. "Ours, of course. It is our Court."
(8:27:15 PM) ***Smilie gestures to the Fae. "The ball is yours, then."

Powerslave

Episode 15: Ending and Beginning
In which the vineyards are exorcised, future aspirations are planned, and Dezrik eats a horse

(6:13:46 PM) DrunkenST: As the moonsilver blade of Dezrik Serano mauls the flesh of the Maw, the glamours and illusions that comprised the house the Exalts are in start to change, reflecting memories of death and agonies. Burning flesh, the smell of the corpses of the Great Contagion, running blood as pirates slaughtered a village.
(6:14:23 PM) DrunkenST: Finally, with one powerful stroke, the Lunar manages to sever whatever connection the Fae Lord has with the building, and it lapses into merciful silence, a few faint memories flickering away into nothingness.
(6:15:52 PM) DrunkenST: As Creation reasserts itself over the madness of the Wyld, the two Fae that had been standing next to the Maw clutch their heads in agony, fusing into elaborate statues of glass, forever trapped in their horror.
(6:16:09 PM) DrunkenST: And for the moment, everything is peaceful.
(6:17:49 PM) ***Dezrik stands over the corpse of the Maw, smeared with gore. Sanity slow returns to his eyes as his task is completed.
(6:18:31 PM) ***Gemini lets the sorcerous ritual slowly complete, unhurried, as the Hound of the Five winds slowly forms and solidifies in a light breeze through the hallway behind them. The magical hound curiously sniffs at one of the glass statues.
(6:19:36 PM) ***Smilie suddenly finds his staff locked in place by the sword of a now-statue. "Oh... bother!" He tugs at the weapon a few times, before finally blinking it and himself a few feet away by phasing out of the material world for a moment.
(6:20:48 PM) ***Dezrik lets out a long, slow exhalation. Returning to a state of utter calm he wipes his blade clean on a piece of cloth before returning it to its place. "Well I guess that takes care of new property pest control."
(6:21:13 PM) Smilie: The Priest adjusts his cape. "We've been doing a lot of that lately."
(6:21:49 PM) ***Gemini takes a look around at his surroundings, hopefully this time grounded in reality instead of their collective warped memories.
(6:22:49 PM) DrunkenST: The room is spartan, two doors leading out, and a simple window overlooking the vineyards. The sun shines through gently, and the sound of the whispering trees outside echoes through the room.
(6:23:27 PM) Dezrik: "I think we'd best see what became of those people in the vineyard." And with that he ventures out.
(6:24:07 PM) ***Gemini follows right at Dezrik's heels, and with a quick snap of his fingers, the Hound follows obediently.
(6:25:09 PM) ***Smilie takes a moment to stare out the window at the trees, with an unreadable expression on his face. He hops from the sil, and makes towards the trees.
(6:25:56 PM) DrunkenST: The two Fae that had been guarding the doorstep are also transmuted into statues, reflecting the sunlight into brilliant prisms as they guard your door with drawn blades. The trees, however, have remained as they are. The whispers and sighs of bliss and ecstasy murmur through the groves, the grapes hanging thick and ripe.
(6:26:57 PM) ***Smilie plucks one of the grapes from the vines, and examines it. Eyes fixed on the small fruit, he reaches behind himself, into his cloak, and pulls a small, black tome from wherever he had it stored.
(6:27:15 PM) Smilie: "We have an important decision to make," he states.
(6:27:17 PM) Dezrik: "Hrmmm. That's right, Hamoji was the one responsible for these as I recall it, not the Fae."
(6:28:24 PM) ***Gemini notices Smilie's book, and pulls out his own leather-bound spellbook, checking to see if it had returned to normal. "Important decision, you say?"
(6:28:27 PM) Smilie: "Some of this, decades ago. I doubt the memory-trees were his doing."
(6:29:48 PM) ***Smilie drops the grape into his pocket and raises the book before him. He casually turns the pages as he continues. "We can keep this vineyard, sell the wine for ourselves, and make a decent profit. If even gods enjoy it, I can only imagine how well-liked it is elsewhere on the island."
(6:31:00 PM) Dezrik: "Or we can put these people out of their mise-... ecstasy."
(6:31:23 PM) Gemini: "I would imagine that Bower might still be out there, and he just might be cured of his delusions. I hope he doesn't have any sorts of vengeful thoughts on his mind."
(6:31:30 PM) ***Smilie nods. "Or sell the property off and let it become someone else's problem. But that hardly seems a decision."
(6:31:50 PM) Smilie: The Priest sticks his finger in the book. "Ah, here it is."
(6:33:04 PM) Smilie: "It's my first inclination to obliterate this place entirely, but we are a fellowship. This is not solely my decision to make. What you come to, I will abide by."
(6:34:03 PM) Gemini: "Well, I'm all for getting paid, but if there are trapped souls, it would be better to free them."
(6:34:24 PM) Dezrik: "And yet, they have their uses."
(6:34:55 PM) Dezrik: "What's a few more years or decades trapped in infinite ecstasy?"
(6:35:13 PM) Gemini: "Would it be possible to find a middle way, perhaps freeing the souls without damaging the land beyond use?"
(6:35:47 PM) ***Smilie gestures towards the trees. "Be my guest, Captain."
(6:37:14 PM) Gemini: "Well, I was hoping that you would have an idea, what with you being the expert on souls."
(6:38:27 PM) Smilie: "I specialize in the departed, Captain. Not the warped. But if you think so, let's see if we can't figure something out." The Priest approaches one of the trees, and examines it.
(6:39:07 PM) Dezrik: "I think my academic experience in the art of killing things has limited applications here so I'll just...yeah"
(6:39:31 PM) ***Dezrik does the nearest thing to sitting down he can, resting on his coiled tail.
(6:40:09 PM) ***Gemini examines the warped arbors from a distance. What sort of magic was this at work?
(6:42:24 PM) ***Smilie places his hand on one of the trees, and droops his head for a moment. He breathes quietly, feeling across the surface, before suddenly vanishing.
(6:42:56 PM) Gemini: "It seems that the trees have had their gods removed, replaced with mortal souls."
(6:43:35 PM) ***Smilie reappears with the others, head down. "How profane," he mutters.
(6:46:48 PM) Dezrik: "So, profane. Yes. Can either of you do anything about it?"
(6:47:20 PM) ***Gemini looks away from the nearest tree, speaking: "It seems to be your area of study, the binding of the mortal soul. What do you suggest?"
(6:47:25 PM) Smilie: "No more than I was about to. They're already dead."
(6:48:04 PM) Gemini: "Already dead, or is it impossible to free them without killing them?"
(6:48:38 PM) ***Smilie almost glares at Gemini. "So you have a few dozen spare bodies and a couple half-souls available, Captain?"
(6:49:26 PM) ***Smilie throws his arm out towards the trees. "They're already dead. They've just been caught in prisons of pleasure. They're barred in a tormented existence of ecstasy."
(6:50:54 PM) Gemini: "How horrible!," Gemini mutters mockingly. "I guess the only question is whether to leave them like this or not. What would you prefer, in their situation?"
(6:51:27 PM) Smilie: "Captain, in their position I wouldn't be in the right mind to make any sort of decision."
(6:51:00 PM) Smilie: The Priest holds tight to his staff, his knuckles almost white. "Whatever your decisions are, I will abide. But we will be profiting at the expense of others."
(6:52:24 PM) Dezrik: "Well...I'm going to cast my vote for destroying them," the Lunar, perhaps unexpectedly, decides.
(6:53:14 PM) Gemini: "To be locked up in the most glorious of palaces is still to be imprisoned. I agree, we should let them go free."
(6:53:37 PM) Dezrik: "Regardless of what I'd like to do, I get the feeling our Priest is less than pleased, shall we say, by their state. I don't know much about the ethicality of it, but I do know I don't deliberately piss off someone who's helped me so much."
(6:53:50 PM) ***Smilie regards the two. "Are you both sure? We will be throwing away a valuable commodity, and possibly a sizable chunk of influence."
(6:55:00 PM) ***Gemini shrugs. "The land is more than just what grows upon it, and I'm sure we may find enough of the wine already stockpiled and in our possession to net us a sizable return."
(6:55:23 PM) Dezrik: "I've given my reasons and made my decision."
(6:56:07 PM) ***Dezrik unsheathes his blade, flames igniting around it. "Just give me the word, the both of you, and I'll do my part."
(6:56:48 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head. "I'll do it," the Priest looks away, "I'm the only one who wishes to do it for their sake."
(6:56:52 PM) ***Gemini walks over to the nearest grape vine, and pulls off a single globe, rubbing it between his fingers. "Burn it."
(6:57:09 PM) ***Dezrik nods and sheathes his weapon, the flames going out.
(6:57:26 PM) Dezrik: "The stage is yours then, Priest."
(6:57:56 PM) Smilie: "You two... please go. I'll meet with you at the horses." The Priest doesn't look away from the trees, even as he addresses his companions further.
(6:58:17 PM) Dezrik: "Very well."
(6:58:36 PM) ***Dezrik slithers away towards the horses.
(6:59:56 PM) ***Smilie spends a good deal of time staring at the trees, before lifting his black book.
(7:00:37 PM) ***Gemini rolled the juicy fruit between his fingers, finally crushing it in his palm as he turns away from the trees and motions the hound over. With a gesture, the hound bends down and takes a sniff of the crushed grapes. "Let's see if we can find where they stocked up the rest of that wine."
(7:01:16 PM) Dezrik: Somewhere down the road, the cry of a horse is cut short.
(7:01:27 PM) Smilie: "Captain, please leave. It is not safe for you to remain here," the Priest warns, not looking up from his book. "I'll meet you at the horses."
(7:02:32 PM) ***Gemini leaps up on top of the Hound, clinging to the furry mane as the hound trots away from the sorcery brewing.
(7:04:36 PM) DrunkenST: The hound follows the scent of the grapes inside the manor house, leading Gemini into a wide room with a large pit in it, the scent of fermented grapes hanging heavy in the air, steps leading downwards into a cellar.
(7:06:13 PM) ***Smilie tucks the book away, and takes a deep breath. He kneels, muttering severeal small prayers for a good minute. He then stands. As he raises a fist, the soft winds go silent, and the ecstatic moans of the trees quiet down to only the smallest of whispers. The Priest seems illuminated, almost glowing, as the intensity around him begins to dull and die, leaving him the sole focus of the surroundings.
(7:09:19 PM) Smilie: Outlines appear across his flesh, shining past his clothing, and gradually brighten into a bizarre replica of his skeleton. This renders the priest translucent-like. The wind starts back up again, curling around his body and rustling his clothing, as he whispers one small phrase to the wind.
(7:09:25 PM) Smilie: "I'm sorry."
(7:09:41 PM) ***Gemini gazes around the wine cellar, the light from his glowing caste mark still providing enough illumination to see by, the winds going still outside - the Necromancy must be in progress.
(7:09:45 PM) Smilie: He plunges his skeletal fists into the ground. He weeps. And then it happens.
(7:12:01 PM) DrunkenST: The bones of the dead rip free from the ground, ivory shards of long-dead human bodies tearing through the trees that their long-gone souls now inhabit. A few murmurs of pain and pleasure can be heard as the plants disintegrate in the unholy assault, and after a few minutes, only the ragged stumps of a few vines remain, the rest of the vineyard filled with sharp, deadly bones peeking from the ground.
(7:15:24 PM) ***Smilie slowly withdraws his hands from the earth, and wipes his eyes with the back of a muddy sleeve. He stands and walks through the bone fields, the massive golden image surrounding him looking out-of-place and inappropriate--both for the setting, and for him.
(7:16:32 PM) DrunkenST: The wine sloshes softly in the casks arrayed around the cellar, the walls and racks stretching off into darkness beyond the dim illumination from Gemini's caste mark.
(7:16:50 PM) DrunkenST: It is all arranged by date, the newest ones closest to the staircase.
(7:18:39 PM) ***Gemini walks to the end of the racks, towards the oldest wines. Grabbing as many bottles as he can carry, he walks back up the staircase to take a look at the results of the necromancy - the boneyard haunting.
(7:19:44 PM) ***Smilie stands outside the door to the manor, and leans against the doorway. "Captain? Have you found anything worth mentioning?"
(7:20:27 PM) Gemini: "There must be a talent of jade worth of the wine down there!," he called out. "This won't be an unprofitable venture after all."
(7:21:28 PM) Smilie: "Wonderful," the Priest replies, flatly. "We'll need to send someone back for it. And see just what else we've inherited from the Hideous Bower."
(7:24:37 PM) Gemini: "Well, we'll have the manor and its contents appraised and put up for... sale," Gemini stuttered, wondering just what Dezrik was doing to that horse in the distance.
(7:25:27 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head. "It's too early to decide what to do. I also doubt anyone would want to buy this after what I've done to it and its history. Let's return to Windgate and decide what to do next."
(7:25:53 PM) ***Smilie places a hand to his forehead, looking drained for once. "I need time to think."
(7:26:56 PM) Smilie: The Priest turns and heads up the hill to Dezrik and the horses.
(7:27:31 PM) Dezrik: When his companions do finally arrive, they find the Lunar even more gore-slathered than they left him, particularly around his mouth. His horse lies in a pool of its own blood, having been slashed open along the chest.
(7:28:52 PM) ***Gemini nods, "Very well, we'll use these ones for collateral, and we'll head back," Gemini said, walking over to Dezrik while fashioning his cloak into a pouch for the wine bottles, the hound trotting along behind him with a particularly stout cask in his mouth.
(7:29:26 PM) ***Dezrik is in the middle of the delicate procedure of freeing bits of heart from his teeth.
(7:29:30 PM) ***Smilie laughs at the sight, apparently taking heart in the oddness of the situation. "Hungry, Dezrik?"
(7:29:35 PM) Gemini: "Holy hell, what did you do to your horse?"
(7:30:10 PM) Dezrik: "Hungry, and struck with a realization. If I can't ride worth a damn well..."
(7:30:21 PM) ***Dezrik shrugs and begins to warp into the shape of the departed creature.
(7:31:25 PM) Dezrik: Moments later, a significantly less cut open duplicate of the horse on the ground stands where Dezrik did, the only difference being the moonsilver tattoos on its hide.
(7:32:31 PM) ***Gemini sighs as he looks as the departed mauled horse, before unhooking the saddle still strapped to the steaming equine and strapping it to his Hound, sticking the wine bottles in the saddlebags and throwing his cloak back around his shoulders.
(7:33:51 PM) ***Smilie jumps up onto his horse, and sets off back towards Windgate.
(7:35:13 PM) ***Dezrik trots off after the group, occasionally swatting at a fly with his tail.
(7:36:12 PM) ***Gemini deftly mounts the hound, and quickly overtakes Smilie, riding with the wind at his back.
(7:36:40 PM) DrunkenST: The group hits the road once again, following the well-travelled path back to Windgate. The sun is setting by the time they reach the gates of the city, and business is slowly dying down for the day.
(7:38:02 PM) ***Smilie rides to the House of the Windmakers, and leaves his horse in the stable.
(7:40:09 PM) ***Dezrik reverts to a human state rather than stabling himself. "So let's hope that's the rest of the threats facing this island."
(7:40:42 PM) ***Gemini unhooks the saddlebags and hefts them, leaving the Hound to watch over the horses in the stable. "I'm going to have to come up with a name for you," he says, giving the automaton a quick scratch behind the ear before sending it off.
(7:41:17 PM) Smilie: "Possibly what's left of the immediate ones, but more are certainly on their way from within and without." The Priest approaches the front of the home of the Windmakers. "And there's still Starfall and our new-found assets."
(7:41:49 PM) DrunkenST: The House of the Windmakers stands empty and tall, the foyer as grand as always.
(7:43:03 PM) ***Smilie heads straight for Hideous Bower's former office, and plops himself down at his new desk.
(7:43:40 PM) Gemini: "Do you think the Bower's still around here?" he asks, lugging the heavy leather bags before handing them off to Dezrik.
(7:43:56 PM) ***Dezrik grunts, heading off to put the bags down somewhere.
(7:44:56 PM) DrunkenST: A few clangs and bangs come from the upper chambers, indicating that work is still ongoing on the Wind Engines.
(7:45:05 PM) ***Gemini heads in the open office door where he saw Smilie disappear into. What was he up to now?
(7:45:16 PM) Dezrik: "Probably not."
(7:45:35 PM) Smilie: "I gave him his errand. We have his worth. Whether he is or not doesn't matter." The Priest calls out as Gemini enters, and pulls the papers Bower gave them from his person, and lays them out on the desk. "What we need to decide is how we're going to manage these assets while we're running about the island."
(7:45:52 PM) ***Dezrik calls to the rest as he wanders off. "I'm going to find some place to clean up. It probably wouldn't do for me to wander around town looking like a crazed killer."
(7:46:14 PM) DrunkenST: Luckily, the House of the Windmakers is equipped with en-suite full baths.
(7:46:58 PM) Gemini: "I believe that the Windmakers would make fine stewards for our assets, if it came to it."
(7:47:13 PM) ***Smilie waves his hand. "We'll wait for Dezrik."
(7:48:22 PM) Gemini: "Speaking of assets, What else did we end up with?
(7:48:38 PM) ***Dezrik returns soon enough, having deigned that apparently pants are the only piece of clothing essential to important business decision meetings.
(7:49:21 PM) Smilie: Dezrik enters on an odd conversation. "-which is why some people prefer zombies as courtesa- oh, Dezrik!" The Priest halts his conversation as the Lunar enters.
(7:49:48 PM) ***Gemini comes to attention as Dezrik returns, bored with Smilie's descriptions of property law.
(7:50:35 PM) Dezrik: "I'd ask what I missed but I was, unfortunately, able to surmise from just that last bit."
(7:51:03 PM) ***Smilie leans his elbows on the desk, and steeples his fingers together. "Yes, well, uh... we can get started now."
(7:53:16 PM) Dezrik: "Perhaps you should start us off. This isn't exactly my area of expertise."
(7:53:34 PM) ***Gemini grabs an ornate chair and takes a seat at the front of the desk. "Yes, go ahead."
(7:54:21 PM) Smilie: "We have to determine how to deal with our property acquisitions, the troubles with the rest of Wavecrest, our plans for this island, the Immaculate presence, and--at the moment--how we deal with our new finances."
(7:54:54 PM) ***Smilie snaps his fingers, and pounds one down on the Bower's papers. "My idea is to leave them in the hands of your crew, Gemini. We can't have them sitting around at the docks forever."
(7:55:36 PM) Dezrik: "Are we sure they're responsible enough to handle that?"
(7:55:54 PM) Gemini: "What? Those idiots would spend it on booze in two weeks."
(7:56:00 PM) ***Smilie raises an eyebrow towards Gemini. "That depends. Captain, who kept track of your ledgers?"
(7:57:03 PM) Gemini: "The quartermaster, who's also the cook. But we're talking about talents worth of assets here."
(7:57:41 PM) Dezrik: "Well...you lot are the Children of the Sun. Don't you have powers to handle the issue of trustworthiness?"
(7:57:48 PM) ***Dezrik picks his teeth idly.
(7:58:33 PM) Smilie: "Exactly my thinking, Dezrik." He look to Gemini. "And we need someone with a sense of business and bureaucracy to stand in for us. We can't very well trust strangers."
(8:02:36 PM) ***Smilie leans over the Bower's papers, and invites the others to do so also
(8:03:20 PM) ***Dezrik peers over somebody's shoulder.
(8:04:31 PM) Smilie: "We'll need to get these submitted and copied. I'll take care of that when we're done here. Now, we can leave the crew here to pass information, keep an eye on things, the like. Given our work to preserve the wind-engines, the Windmakers may be willing to help them in that regard."
(8:04:37 PM) ***Gemini looks over the papers, especially noticing the contents of the vault on the current property. "That's surely a lot of digits."
(8:05:49 PM) Gemini: "I suggest that we leave the property assets in the care of the Windmakers, and we pay the crew a large danger bonus."
(8:06:54 PM) ***Smilie shakes his head. "I have to protest that idea, Captain. They risk their lives and safety working with us, and are liable to remain landlocked for a decent amount of time yet. They deserve more reward and purpose than sitting in your ship."
(8:08:11 PM) Dezrik: "Hiring them on as, at the very least, guards for the assets here would be what I'd suggest."
(8:08:20 PM) Dezrik: "Depending on how the Windmakers feel about playing Caretaker."
(8:08:42 PM) Gemini: "Sitting in the ship? They can be watching over the properties themselves while living in relative luxury!"
(8:08:45 PM) Smilie: "And more importantly, we don't know the Windmakers." He licks his lips. "Yes, they might also not like being forced to look after all of our business."
(8:10:59 PM) Gemini: "I've built a good relationship with their representative, and I'm sure they won't mind not having to pay rent on their building."
(8:12:38 PM) Gemini: "But if you insist, we can entrust it to the ship's quartermaster."
(8:13:21 PM) Dezrik: "Better the beast we know. The Windmakers seem content enough being left to their own devices, let's keep it that way."
(8:13:23 PM) ***Smilie rolls up the papers. "I'll have a talk with the Windmakers once they're up and about, tomorrow."
(8:13:59 PM) Smilie: "See if we can't come to some arrangement with those wind-machines. I'm not too comfortable with there only being one set..."
(8:14:41 PM) ***Gemini nods, and heads over to the uncovered vault, grabbing a large sack of Obols. "I'm off to pay the crew and inform them of our new situation, Let's meet up in the morning."
(8:14:43 PM) ***Smilie tucks the papers away. "That said, there's a conversation we've been putting off having that we absolutely need to."
(8:15:04 PM) ***Gemini stops, large sac of money in his hands. "Oh?"
(8:15:17 PM) ***Dezrik remains where he is, cocking an eyebrow and waiting to hear Smilie out.
(8:16:09 PM) ***Smilie points to a chair. "Take a seat, Captain. I've laid out my plans for this island, it's time you both laid down yours. Or, at least, what you're hoping to accomplish."
(8:17:12 PM) ***Gemini tosses the bag to the desk and leans back in the chair. "Very well then."
(8:22:08 PM) Dezrik: "I stated my interests a long time ago."
(8:22:18 PM) Dezrik: "I'm here because of my visions relating to the destruction of Coral."
(8:22:32 PM) ***Smilie shrugs. "And have you thought about how you're going to prevent or prepare for that?"
(8:23:27 PM) Dezrik: "Up untill now? I've been a bit too busy sticking a sword in a volcano god, Fae, or island destroyer that I'm not sure what you'd call it."
(8:23:40 PM) Dezrik: "The only clue I've had is that you two can help me avert what is to come."
(8:26:43 PM) Dezrik: "So it strikes me that the Wavecrest fleets stationed here at Pearl and the Immaculates we've mentioned more than once would be invaluable to averting the destruction of Coral."
(8:27:04 PM) Dezrik: "Supposing we could unite them under us, though I frankly have no idea how one would go about that."
(8:27:19 PM) ***Smilie nods slowly to Dezrik. "Now you're getting it. And that's simple enough to do, Dezrik."
(8:27:38 PM) Gemini: "Who do you think controls the fleets?"
(8:27:44 PM) ***Smilie holds up his staff. "We enter, demand their service, show our noble intents, and give them no choice but to follow us!"
(8:27:57 PM) ***Dezrik snorts. "Solars."
(8:28:16 PM) Gemini: "Damn right, the Solars control the fleets!"
(8:28:34 PM) ***Dezrik gives Gemini a "What the hell are you going on about" look.
(8:28:53 PM) ***Smilie covers his face with his free hand. "Buruku controls the fleet currently. He's not officially in charge, but he controls it."
(8:30:08 PM) Dezrik: "Captain, I'm not sure if you're joking or actually think that."
(8:30:08 PM) Smilie: "The Feathered One is at the top of it all, but... well, he may be dead after Abalone. He was supposed to toss himself in if something like what happened, happened."
(8:30:15 PM) Dezrik: "This is the case with many of your statements."
(8:31:46 PM) Gemini: "You think I'm joking? The Unconquered Sun has given us dominion over Creation, the fleets should by right belong to us."
(8:32:33 PM) ***Smilie grins widely at Gemini. "Now you're getting it. So, a matter of business is getting dominion over Wavecrest handed to us, then, so that we might fortify it against whatever menaces both it and Coral. Are we agreed?"
(8:33:17 PM) ***Dezrik wears a dead serious face. "It seems the only viable path."
(8:33:24 PM) ***Smilie pounds a fist into his hand. "And then penetrating by some means into Skullstone, to determine what might be going on there!"
(8:33:27 PM) Gemini: "Exactly, but I don't think we can do this alone, I think we need to gather allies."
(8:33:47 PM) Dezrik: "...What would you call gaining dominion over the Wavecrest fleets and the Immaculates?"
(8:33:53 PM) Dezrik: "I tend to think of that as gathering allies."
(8:34:58 PM) Smilie: "Getting command and favor of the fleets would be easier than conquering Wavecrest, of course," the priest continues over Dezrik and Gemini, "but as long as the Immaculates are on their toes with Hamoji in general the odds of us managing to are unlikely."
(8:35:00 PM) Gemini: "I meant establishing our dominion over the Immaculates, though you were very insightful."
(8:36:42 PM) ***Smilie leans back in his chair, still going. "And dominion over the Immaculates would help us kill several birds with one stone. Eliminating them as an obstacle, gaining some fairly powerful allies, and providing more teachers for my planned forces of martial artists."
(8:36:42 PM) Dezrik: "What was the name of that archer?"
(8:36:52 PM) Gemini: "I suggest we venture to Starfall first, to see what we're up against."
(8:37:09 PM) ***Smilie nods. "My thoughts exactly. And her name was Venomous Ivy."
(8:37:52 PM) Smilie: "Now then, Gemini," the priest turns the focus of the conversation to the Solar captain, "what do you want to accomplish, and why?"
(8:24:12 PM) ***Gemini waits for Dezrik to finish before starting. "These last few weeks have made me realize something. The Unconquered Sun gives his gifts for a reason, and I think I know what he has planned for me. The Immaculates, the entire structure of Creation has been toying with me for so long, bumbling and fumbling around with my life, and they still continue. I mean to put a stop to it, to find out what they mean by it, and, most importantly, to do it better than them. I can be more just, fair, and merciful than they ever could be."
(8:39:38 PM) Gemini: "Ahh, you mean in the short term. Well, first I mean to confront that woman in white we met at Hamoji's sanctum. Strange omens swirl around her indeed."
(8:40:24 PM) ***Smilie covers his face with his hand again. "No, Captain."
(8:40:54 PM) ***Dezrik grunts and leans back against the wall. "You gave a pretty speech but you didn't actually say what you wanted to do in any meaningful sense, Captain."
(8:41:01 PM) Dezrik: "That's what the Priest is getting at."
(8:42:28 PM) Gemini: "You obviously misunderstood, because I mean what I say. We shall deal with this invasion first, and in the process earn the hearts of the West, and they shall be ours."
(8:43:16 PM) Dezrik: "And then what?"
(8:43:41 PM) Smilie: "So," the priest folds out a hand, "what you're saying is that you want to conquer this entire Direction?"
(8:44:33 PM) Gemini: "It shall be a testament the glory of the Unconquered Sun."
(8:45:47 PM) ***Smilie snorts derisively, but keeps a pleasant smile on his face. "If you say so, Captain."
(8:45:43 PM) Dezrik: "Might I point out what happened last time we started putting Creation under our thumb?"
(8:45:57 PM) Dezrik: "We being Exalts."
(8:46:26 PM) ***Smilie glances slyly at Dezrik. "So we have a good memory, do we?"
(8:46:37 PM) Gemini: "Last time? Last time it was a glorious age of prosperity for millenia upon millenia, only ending when we failed ourselves."
(8:47:09 PM) Dezrik: "Build it up too big, it just falls apart that much faster."
(8:47:11 PM) ***Smilie widens his eyes, apparently surprised at the great recollection both of his companions have.
(8:47:40 PM) ***Smilie clears his throat. "Well, regardless of what happened last time, can you look at how things are now and say they're better?"
(8:48:07 PM) Dezrik: "Define better."
(8:48:23 PM) ***Smilie begins ticking things off on his fingers.
(8:50:10 PM) Smilie: "Mercurial gods with no one to put them in their places that prey on the people, armies of undead riding forth and ravaging cities, a corrupt and failing empire on the brink of civil war, the Fair Folk bolder than ever, the casualties of a war long-forgotten growing bolder by the year, heavy evidence of corruption in the highest levels of the workings of the world, and apparently the world has been left to burn by every power that could have helped it."
(8:50:38 PM) ***Smilie looks down at his two hands. "There's probably three more things, but that sums it all up."
(8:49:02 PM) Gemini: "The Wyld threatens the edge of Creation, you slaughtered one of their greatest warriors today yourself."
(8:49:44 PM) Dezrik: "I just have my doubts about sweeping in and solving everyone's problems. Some things people aren't equipped to deal with without incurring ridiculous prices."
(8:50:38 PM) Gemini: "Perhaps you may have doubts, but can you deny that the rebirth of the Children of the Sun has not happened for a reason?"
(8:51:36 PM) Dezrik: "Lad, neither you or I have any idea why you lot are back. We have our best guess."
(8:53:02 PM) Dezrik: "I'm with you both for now, for preventing the devastation of the West. But after that? We may have to go our separate ways."
(8:53:08 PM) Smilie: "Regardless of why we are back, we have responsibilities," the Priest punctuates this with another stab of his finger against the wooden desk, "and it's our duty to see them done. We have a right and a duty to order these islands."
(8:53:18 PM) Dezrik: "I'm not sure I want any part of taking control of people's fates for them."
(8:53:21 PM) Gemini: "Look at the state of Creation - you've seen it, the Priest just wrote a free verse poem about it. Our goals are aligned."
(8:55:22 PM) Dezrik: "They are, for now. And that's all the commitment you'll get out of me."
(8:56:29 PM) Gemini: "You are right, there's no need to cling to the past - We will restore the glory of the First Age, we won't repeat its mistakes."
(8:56:34 PM) ***Smilie slams his palms down on the table and stands up, looking very pleased. "So we're agreed. Our next destination is to Starfall, to deal with the presence of the Immaculate Order."
(8:57:02 PM) ***Gemini dusts himself off and comes to his feet. "Agreed."
(8:57:07 PM) Dezrik: "By the way."
(8:57:25 PM) Dezrik: "I should probably point out that what I would guess is an Immaculate revealed him or herself to be stalking me or us while I was eating that horse."
(8:58:14 PM) Dezrik: "He or she, not sure which it was, referred to me as Anathema and apparently wants to kill me."
(8:58:59 PM) Smilie: "Lovely." The Priest scratches the back of his neck. "Did he or she say anything worthwhile, or have anything identifiable?"
(8:59:01 PM) Gemini: "My guess is that it's the white-gowned woman, I received the same threats in Hamoji's lair."
(8:59:50 PM) Dezrik: "Not really. Just made a comment about me being all covered in blood, ho hum, your death will come soon..."
(9:00:15 PM) ***Smilie blinks. "That's comically overt and pointless of them."
(9:00:57 PM) Dezrik: "Not to mention rude. I was eating."
(9:01:41 PM) Dezrik: "So...yeah. Keep an eye out." he shrugs.
(9:02:09 PM) ***Gemini grabs the sack of Obols off the desk. "Now that we're finished up here, I'm going to go inform the crew of their bonus. I suggest that we all take a few days or a week to rest up here and give the crew some time to themselves with their pay."
(9:02:32 PM) ***Smilie stretches. "I shall. I'll be heading out to get our documents finalized and the like. Then we can take a breather. I'm getting tired of these constant crises."
(9:02:49 PM) Gemini: "Shall I inform the quartermaster of his new duties and his subsequent pay hike?"
(9:03:18 PM) Smilie: "No, let's get things sorted out with everything and everyone else, first. Namely the Windmakers and the offices that matter."
(9:04:22 PM) Dezrik: "I'm going to mingle with the crew over the next few days, keep an eye out for any quiet dissenters and the like."
(9:04:38 PM) Gemini: "Very well, I'm off then," Gemini says, sweeping out of the room and whistling for his mount.
(9:05:25 PM) ***Smilie bows to Dezrik. "Good evening, noble snakehorse." And then he vanishes.
(9:05:34 PM) ***Dezrik grunts.
(9:07:47 PM) ***Gemini steps out the large wooden door, greeted by the Hound, eager to see his master, tail wagging. Gemini hops on, sack of jade over his shoulder, and starts galloping to the docks.

I apologize for the cliché episode title, but it fits. A new OOC thread should be up soon, complete with setting information and events up until this point of the story. I modified some of the post order in the logs for flow's sake. I left the timestamps intact, in case anyone wants to see the original order these few things were in.

The Exalted have (for now) broken free of crisis and calamity, and are preparing to go forth and forge their own destinies. They are aligned for now, but alliances can be fragile...

Five experience to all.

ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF SILVER SEAS:

IMMACULATE MONKS EVERYWHERE!