Jade and Cattle log, 10/08
Oct. 8th, 2005 08:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
leticiaStoryteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: What do you plan on doing once you lose Liu?
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: How detailed are your plans of mingling and fencing amongst the underworld of the market-town?
Diamond Borealis says "Not terrifically detailed."
Diamond Borealis says "Look for vendors who have the usual signs of having contacts."
Phoenix Maiden [to Storyteller]: Was heading back to the clothsellers' stands where we were when she saw the man.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Do you have the Contacts background?
Storyteller [to Phoenix; Maiden Kanfi;]: I'm going to rule that you two find each other before Kanfi moves to much further on to selling the 'aboveground' goods. That cool?
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: But... but...
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: There goes the flirtation. XD
Diamond Borealis has contacts, yes.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Okay, give me a quick contacts role, +1 for having valuables you can spread around if necessary.
Storyteller laughs. "I can have her show up -after- you're done fleecing. What are your Fleecing plans and tactics?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: That comes next. This is determining something I've got percolating in my head-- several degrees of plot-hookingness.
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: Oh, you know, the usual. Flirting with her and generally making her think I'm harmless, and then bargaining to a little above market price (all the while laying on the flattery, of course).
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Last time I believe you told me you were going to use Charms?
Diamond Borealis says "SO I roll my Contacts number?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: +1, yes.
<ROLL> Diamond Borealis rolls 2 dice: <4 7> for 1 success.
Storyteller nods.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You easily find friends of friends, guys who know guys, and third cousins and so on. Are you looking for any information in particular, just info in general, or for merely a place to fence your less-than-above-ground-marketable goods?
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: Yep. Insightful Buyer Technique, and Consumer-Evaluating Glance. She won't be noticing this, of course...
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: actually, throw in Frugal Merchant Method too, to see what quality HER stuff is.
Diamond Borealis says "Fencing first, info that might relate to our little quest."
Storyteller chuckles. "Okay. You have a good idea of her finances and so on. She's got relatively good trade; it's not the fine quality you saw in Nexus, of course, but worth her asking price-- and certainly worth the amount you could probably push her to buy it on. *chuckles* How badly are you going to try to fleece her.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Okay. There's no need, I think, to get into too much detail on the fencing; you know yourself in the underworld, even if it is a bit more... tribal... here. Give me a raw Manipulation + Larceny roll, +2.
<ROLL> Diamond Borealis rolls 7 dice: <1 3 6 7 7 7 9> for 4 successes.
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: Oh, not too badly. Just a handspan above market price, probably. Enough to net me a good amount of money, and still leave her with good will towards me.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Nice. These people -respect- a good bargainer and a good bulls***er, which you provide handily. Your natural toughness is also well appreciated among these warlike people, and you come off with some substantially good deals. Afterwards, between the thrill of the bargain and the general spreading of alcoholic beverages, people are in a talkative mood. What sort of answers, specifically, are you looking for?
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Gotcha. Give me a Charisma + Bureaucracy +1 roll?
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 8 dice: <1 3 3 4 4 6 6 9> for 1 success.
Kanfi grumps.
Storyteller pets.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Dice hate me."
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Roll again, this time with a +2. The first was your 'sale' roll; let's see how well you do on buying.
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 9 dice: <1 4 6 7 8 8 8 10 10> for 8 successes.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Dice /love/ you."
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You're trying to find Swan Dragon, the rightful bearer of the blade Shurtimu Ji, and quite possibly technically the proper Southern Censor of the Celestial Bureaucracy. (As opposed to the current one, whose promotion might be thrown into question if the actual holder, a popular Contagion War Hero, were to be found still living...)
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Okay. You squeak by just barely-- while you don't make a whole lot of silver and jade on the sale end of the bargain, you -more- than make up for it in the deals you get on the fine-woven cloth and glass-silk she's brought up from deep southern regions. Indeed, at this point, she's blushing prettily at all the compliments and not noticing you making a few deft changes to the weights and measures-- not tipping the scale, but convincing her of different equivalencies.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Oh hell, the current Censor sucks anyway."
Storyteller [to Liu]: As of this moment, you're still with Mr. Goth UberNinja.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: At about this time, you return from huffing and puffing after Liu.
Phoenix Maiden looks for a shady spot within eyeshot of the stall Liu started from to sit, and perhaps tell a story as she waits.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Mostly just seeing if A) there's anything going on that'd relate to Swan Dragon or give us clues. or B) anything related to zombies, undead, Deathlords, etc."
Kanfi flirts with the merchant, and comes up with outrageous compliments for her.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: The problem with tracing Swan Dragon is that he disappeared several centuries ago, and was a major fire spirit in a fire-aspected region. You do get three bits of rumors on the 'unexplained phenomenon' level. First, the volcano caldera around Gem has been experiencing odd temperature changes, and the local fire powder has been very unstable as a result. Second, as recently as a few weeks before you left the East, there were occasional, simultaneous, unexplained -massive- spontaneous combustions. Horrifyingly enough, many of them were of children or the virtuously generous. Finally, many of the 'fire currents' in the Nearer Wyld zones have become more violent and changeable of late, as though a fear runs through the tribes of madness.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Storytellers are -most- welcome here. :) What story do you intend to tell? Give me details as a performance stunt.
Storyteller chuckles. "She is overwhelmed by your Eclipsiness; utterly flattered and flustered.
Storyteller says "If you'd like, Kanfi, you can give me a Cha + Pre or Cha + Soc roll for seduction, to see how well you do, or we can just assume she has a crush. :)"
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 8 dice: <2 2 2 5 6 7 10 10> for 5 successes.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Anything about walking dead?"
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: ... She's utterly smitten.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Be AWED by my Eclipseness."
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Getting there. :) It's not so much a rumor, as a message-- sent down the line by your Eastern colleagues. They say, roughly, that you are being hunted by much the same things as come out of the haunts of thorns, but not from that dread Necropolis specifically. A young-seeming woman with the stench of death about her was seen asking questions about you-- and factors from Thorns' more... civilized... dead have been asking about HER.
Phoenix Maiden eyes the passing Realm soldiers and picks a relatively inoffensive tale of a shrewd trader who outwitted the Fae, and left them chasing someone else instead. Her voice rises and falls with the pace of the story, hands occasionally drumming on knees or legs or ground to the cadence of her voice, or swooping through the air in dramatic gestures, coming together in a loud clap at a suspenseful moment, then dropping her voice to make everyone lean in to listen. As she gathers an audience, her eyes meet theirs each in turn, drawing them into the performance as if she was telling the story to /them/ alone.
Storyteller chuckles. "VERY nice. Cha + Perf +3."
Diamond Borealis finishes up his drink, not wanting to depart too soon after learning such things. He decides to order one more, sipping the strong brew thoughtfully and scratching his stubbly cheek. He finishes up and pays, and then sets out to try to find his companions.
<ROLL> Phoenix Maiden rolls 11 dice: <1 1 1 3 3 4 4 7 8 9 10> for 5 successes.
Storyteller [to Kanfi; Liu; Diamond Borealis;]: The three of you come together at roughly the same time, about midway through Phoenix Maiden's performance. It is phenomenal; what should have been a quiet little childhood tale, of little interest to those save the young seems to bring the spark of childhood creativity and the wit of a master to life. Traffic in the area has virtually -stopped-, and even the Realm's hardbitten legionnaires have stopped to listen.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "That's my sister!"
Diamond Borealis leans against a post, arms folded at his chest. He pulls his hat a little lower, and listens to the story. He glances over at Liu and Kanfi, and then back to Phoenix Maiden. He can't help but smile.
Liu doesn't smile back at Diamond; she looks deeply disturbed and shaken. But she's not attempting to draw them away from Phoenix Maiden to tell them what's going on, or to disrupt Phoenix Maiden's story. The Stage is everything.
Phoenix Maiden winds up her tale with flair, sweeping a bow from her seated position to her audience. She gathers whatever coins they part with into her purse.
Storyteller chuckles. "You made a month's worth of wages for an ordinary storyteller. They pay those legionnaires well.
Kanfi grins, eyes half-closed, listening to his sister weave the familiar story into cloth that wrapped everyone in the marketplace. When she finishes, he claps quietly, slipping through the crowd to lay a hand on her shoulder. "You've gotten so much better since I last heard you tell tales."
Storyteller hrmphs. No way to make a private roll. Blast!
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Roll real dice. We'll trust you."
<<OOC>> Storyteller chuckles, and keeps quiet.
Phoenix Maiden grins at Kanfi and nods briefly. "Practice." She turns her attention to Liu curiously. "Did you catch up?"
Liu wants so badly to crawl into Phoenix Maiden's lap and be held, but she is Chosen of the Unconquered Sun; She crosses her arms, squares her feet, and nods. "I caught up with him. He showed me something that I need to show all of you."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "also, auwwwwww."
Phoenix Maiden glances about the marketplace. "Yes?"
Diamond Borealis snorts softly. "Be careful." His voice is kept low and soft. "Your voice is suntouched, as much as your brow. The fool legionnaires don't know it, but an Immaculate might." He lifts a brow at Liu's words, glancing at the others. "What happened?" He's not concerned. No, not Diamond.
Kanfi offers Liu a comforting smile, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "Time for another adventure?" he teases, winking.
Liu bites her bottom lip, and points in a vague westerly ((west?)) direction. "The man I had told you about before, who sent me East to begin with. He showed me a fire. He said it was, " she pitches her voice low, just for their ears. "He said the Home of the Sun was burning. We have to go. We have to fix it."
Liu feels much safer with her Circle around her than she felt alone at the bottom of the hill, staring up at someone who would not explain himself.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Compassion 3 means I get to be sappy, right?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller laughs. Yes.
Phoenix Maiden bites her lip, a tightness at the corners of her eyes fighting to spread across her face. She asks "Which direction?"
Kanfi nods, sighing. Well, time for another hare-brained adventure. "Alright, But first, I want to see if this shirt fits the Old Man!" He holds up a red and turquoise silk shirt.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Oh, duh. I forgot to tell you. Those spontaneous explosions? Generally happened near to the Lap. Gem, Lap, near Wyld. Right.
Liu starts, and suddenly cackles gleefully at the shirt Kanfi is holding up. The Old Man, in that?
Diamond Borealis steps forward and puts hand on Liu's upper arm. He stares at the...the...shirt. "No way in hell am I wearing that unless I'm bleeding." He just shakes his head. "Look, I've heard some rumors. Wyld fueled explosions near Lap and Gem. I think this is all related."
Liu looks back at the stall with the fine clothing -- where she'd hoped to pick out new raiment and shoes for the Peerless Phoenix Maiden. Another time.
<<OOC>> Storyteller laughs and laughs and laughs. +1 xp everyone for Amusing The Brian
Liu looks up at the Old Man, and nods, a determined set to her jaw. She nods in the direction that she'd run off in before. "It's this way, unless we want to gather our caravan first. I can find us a way in the back alleys of the bazaar, or we can go around the edges."
Kanfi drapes the shirt over his forearm, grinning at Diamond's reticence. Nothing he hadn't expected, but it looks as though they'll be traveling together. more than enough time to... adjust the old man's wardrobe. He fishes two silk scarves from his purchases and offers them to Liu. The peacock always comes home with colorful things. "We should probably get the caravan. We left stuff there."
Storyteller says "It's not too far out of town. You can, now that Liu's pointed out the direction, see the smoke from here. There is a sense of anger in the town about it-- quiet anger. They don't dare speak up with so many soldiers about."
<<OOC>> Liu says, "A sense of quiet anger, hunh. So like.. we could rouse the locals. If we wanted to. /Ms. Zenith Caste./ But... might attract way to much attention in the long run."
Phoenix Maiden eyes the smoke and growls quietly. "I'm not sure there's anything we'll be able to do; if we want to kill them, we can start /here/, but this is not the time. But we should go see... see what we can do. Or just see. To remember."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Do we have any idea how many troops are in town? roughly?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Hmm. I'd say about 125, plus officers. Possibly one or two dragon-blooded."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "We can so wipe them out. >_>"
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Without collateral damage?"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Well. Probably not. ^^; But the question is, what's the collateral damage of /waiting/?"
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Wipe out the d-bs then Zenith-Fu the rest."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden pets her Charms. >_>
Liu takes a few steps towards the direction of the caravan, since that's what was suggested last. Her beautiful blades are there, still nameless.
Phoenix Maiden touches Liu on the shoulder. "I think it would be better to just go look, for now. If was want to start massacring the Realm here and now, pulling out our own weapons would be the way to start."
Diamond Borealis glances at the troops, then moves next to Phoenix Maiden. "Look, sweetheart. The Legionnaire's are thin on the ground here. The natives are restless and resentful. We take care of the Dragons in charge, and we could run this town. With that performance you put on with that story and pretty pants over here..." Gesturing to her brother. He lets his words trail off.
Phoenix Maiden bites her lip.
Liu perks up at the idea, not exactly thrilled about it but interested in Phoenix Maiden's thoughts. She fixes her gold eyes on the Priestess's face.
Kanfi archers an eyebrow at the nickname. "I prefer Party-pants, myself," he mutters but shakes his head. "We don't want to run the place."
Phoenix Maiden says, after a long moment of thought, "This is not all the Realm; we can, perhaps, free this town of them for now, but more will come; if we leave, they will punish the townsfolk. If we stay, they will kill the townsfolk in their way to get to us. I think we need to weaken their hold on this country first, so that they have less to throw at us."
Diamond Borealis gives a single tip of his hat. "Smart. We take care of that..." He points toward the fire toward which they are headed. "We'll do a lot to win them over to our side. For when our time comes. But it's good to see you're thinking."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "PM is plenty smart."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden has a good thinker!
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "*I*'m surprised she can tell which way the bread is buttered here, though, considering. ^^"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden isn't sure she can! Is all kinds of conflicted!
Liu plucks at the Old Man's sleeve and cocks her head in the direction of the fire. "We best be going then, right? Before it burns completely down?"
Phoenix Maiden nods to Liu.
Diamond Borealis smiles at Liu. "Bet your ass." He agrees.
Liu is off, then, scampering in the direction of the fire. She is a stone in a sling; pick a direction and let her fly.
Kanfi nods in agreement. "Might as well."
Storyteller says "Alright, so you're all heading in the direction of the smoke and flames?"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Dyah."
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Shyeah!"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Now watch us get into a brawl with DBs, and us with no fancy toys."
<<OOC>> Liu says, "We'll just take theirs from them, I guess."
<<OOC>> Kanfi will talk them to death!
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden doubts they'll have Orichalcum.
Storyteller says "The four of you make record time moving through the city, following the scampering and skipping Liu. As you head out, you notice the obvious tracks of legionnaires, but none of them present. However, what is also absent is a bucket chain; no one is trying to get water from the permanent (if seasonally deep) lake nearby to put -out- the fire, which, as you can see as you get closer, is burning at a merry pace."
Storyteller says "There are a number of people-- leopard skin-wearing priests, scorched worshippers and the like, sitting out in shock in front of the burning building. Periodically, a fit, athletic woman wearing the traditional scant battle dress of the Brides of Ahlat rushes into or out of the temple, carrying people and sacred objects out."
Storyteller says "Many of the sacred objects are broken as well as scorched, and several of the priests are staring at leather thongs that do -not- contain the traditional sun-and-spear golden disc; at least, not any more."
Phoenix Maiden's primary intent at the moment is to try to rescue anyone still caught inside.
Kanfi frowns. "If we just barge in to put the fire out, there will be trouble," he points out. "Otherwise THEY'D be doing just that."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Stunt it!
Liu peers around, looking for the Realm's Officers and Soldiers who are overseeing all of this.
Storyteller says "There are none, Liu. None here, anyway. The burning seems to have been started, and then left."
Storyteller says "From the looks of it, and the people still being brought out, the burning was done with many people still stuck inside."
Diamond Borealis glances at the lake. Then at the clouds overhead as they head toward the burning temple. His jaw setting. "Then there needs to be trouble." He says grimly. "I'm going to invoke the water spirits, get them to putting out this fire. If those jumped up frauds want to make it an issue...well, I was kicking Dragon ass before I got the shiny spot." He walks toward those gathered around, watching it burn. "I need your help to put this out."
Several of the refugees are in total shock, and currently unresponsive. A few of the stronger-willed priests and layfolk, as well as a resting Bride, look up with hope. "How?" bitterly asks one priests. "We are forbidden from the lake for a day, on pain of death."
Phoenix Maiden watches the Bride running in and out of the temple as they approach, and picks up her pace. She mutters, "The bastards. They set it with people /inside/." Within moments, she breaks into a steady run, picking up speed and pulling away from her companions. Squinting her eyes against the glare and smoke, she plunges into the temple past the stunned victims, using her childhood knowledge of similar temples to seek out people still trapped.
Kanfi groans and rubs his forehead. Why hadn't he just stayed in Nexus where things were sane and there weren't Realm officers ready to pounce at the least opportunity. He'd forgotten how paranoid being in Harborhead could make him. He follows Diamond, though, and puts on his most comforting grin. They'd help fix this, he was sure of it.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Dex + Ath me. :) Plus 2.
<ROLL> Phoenix Maiden rolls 6 dice: <4 4 7 8 8 9> for 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden scritchies the dice.
Liu turns her eyes from Diamond and Kanfi after seeing that they're taking care of putting out the fire, then sprints away, following Phoenix Maiden in. Maybe there are tiny places to get into. Maybe Phoenix Maiden needs someone to watch her back. Certainly people need help getting out.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: You are a breath of wind within the inferno of the dying temple. You can take two people out safely at the moment, or three out and risk scorching yourself and them.
Storyteller [to Liu]: Ditto Dex + Ath me, +1.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden jealous of Liu's Ath!
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden knew she should have bought ath up.
<ROLL> Liu rolls 12 dice: <1 1 1 1 4 5 7 7 8 9 9 10> for 7 successes.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Hrm. What kind of risk are we talking? >_>"
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Liu's Dex is what's insane."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Jealous of BOTH!"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "You can tell which of us suffer from excessive compassion. >_>"
<<OOC>> Storyteller chuckles. "Not, now. Liu has your back and scarpers over, around, and through; you can get three people out and Liu one as well without much risk. Liu can't get much out herself-- too damn small-- but she can sure help you.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "All right! I'm definitely lugging three people out and then unless it's collapsed, probably going back for more. >_>"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden .oO(I also knew I should buy Endurance up.)
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Or resistance."
Storyteller pauses the Dramatic Fire Rescue scene to wait on Kanfi and Diamond.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "I'll limp/carry the one that I can rescue, as well, of course."
Kanfi watches Diamond, not quite sure what he's planning, but touching the shoulder of a nearby priest with a hopeful smile. Don't worry, we're here to help.
"But the lake isn't forbidden from you." Diamond slaps one on the shoulder. He starts moving those who are willing into position, forming the Old Realm character for 'Water' with the positions of where they stand. He places himself and Kanfi at opposite ends, the lower end directed toward the lake. "Mimic my movements." He orders and then begins to move through the motions of a water-inspired martial art practiced in the West. As he does, he begins to speak. "Spirit of the lake, you have witnessed the growth of this town. The warmth of the Sun has long kept alive that in your waters which nourishes you. Now we have need of your aid." As he speaks, he begins to tap essence, feeding the impromptu ritual with it.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Nice one. Cha or Int + Occ that one, +2.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden cackles.
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Roll Cha + Perf if you want to lead the various priests and such in following him. More dice with a stunt of course.
Storyteller notes that this is COMPLETELY illegal, by the rules of the Immaculate Philosophy, but these folks don't -care- much about that right now, especially if no one can prove it
<ROLL> Diamond Borealis rolls 11 dice: <1 3 4 5 5 6 8 8 9 9 9> for 5 successes.
Kanfi nods seriously, listening to Diamond's explanation of what he's doing. He reaches out to touch the priest again, a broad smile touching his lip-- just a /hint/ of mischievousness sparkling in his eyes, enticing the worshippers to join with them. "Never let it be said that those who raise themselves in prayer to the Unfettered Sun give up without a fight. The burning light to resist against those who would hurt you is as much a part of worship as speaking the words and performing the rituals." He spreads his hands, copying Diamond's movements.
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: 2 point stunt. Roll it! :)
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 7 dice: <1 1 5 5 6 8 9> for 2 successes.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: At three net successes, you can either get a very minor water elemental or a medium-strength local rainstorm.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Hmmms. Which would be better for putting the fire out?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Rainstorm will be more effective, but almost certainly draw attention. The minor water elemental, though, could probably 'short' the bucket chain-- IE, provide the same amount of water as would be coming from the lake from a single line anyway.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "let's go with the elemental."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "How many people about are still inside? Did I see many other than those Liu and I are carrying?"
Following Kanfi's lead, the heartfelt prayers of the worshippers, priests, and Bride (those who can be induced to join in, anyway), is sufficient, modulated by Diamond's occult expertise, to coax a pretty looking Naiad from the lake. Not the spirit of the lake itself, an important individual in this area, but one of his servants, who is more than willing to send a 'breath of the stream' upon the temple, hating fire as she does.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: No more people, but plenty of religious artifacts, both smashed and unsmashed. The other Bride is going back in as fast as she can to try and save some; clearly under orders from Ahlat to preserve his boss's boss's boss's -- um, you get the point, to save the Unconquered Sun's holy items.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Hrm."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden is likely to aid, but with less urgency - more concerned with making sure the Bride does not succumb to the fire than with rescuing mere objects, holy as they might be.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden .oO(When the Unconquered Sun has had a personal chat with you, holy relics just don't seem as big a deal.)
Storyteller [to Liu]: And you?
Liu follows Phoenix Maiden to aid and protect the Bride of Ahlat.
Storyteller [to Liu]: As you head back in, your danger sense goes off like a bomb. Do you activate Surprise Anticipation Method, or your defensive SAM combo?
<<OOC>> Liu says, "It depends on if something is coming /at/ me. But probably the dodge combo."
<ROLL> Storyteller rolls 20 dice: <1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 10> for 5 successes.
Storyteller looks askance at the dice. Nevertheless, -good choice-.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "7 motes and 1 wp for Dodge Anything Technique"
<<OOC>> Storyteller will be posing the 'attack'.
As Liu dashes in to follow Phoenix Maiden and the bride, a terrible, terrible wail comes up from the pouch at her side-- the one where she carries the living, warm, loving pillow. Well-- it was loving, and living is now debatable, but 'warm' is not. The wail turns into a scream of outrage and terror as the pillow-- and the pouch-- set off an IMMENSE gout of flame, bursting with the force of a dying Emberstar Elemental, the fury and power of rage given form as flame erupting out from the pillow as it consumes itself.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You were getting the fire under control, with Miss Living Firehose helping. It's sort of flared up again, though.
Storyteller says "Just a bit."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Yikes."
<<OOC>> Liu says, "I knew it. Frickin' knew it."
<ROLL> Storyteller rolls 10 dice: <1 3 3 4 5 8 8 8 8 10> for 6 successes.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden fears the dice.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: The Bride manages to hurl herself the heck out of the way of the flame. It can be dodged, but not parried without Heavenly Guardian Defense. Pose -your- response. You're in the footprint of the blast.
Liu rips the pouch off, nearly dislocating a shoulder as she tosses the pouch into the air. She pushes off the ground with one foot and somersaults backwards away from the pouch with pillow.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "My dodge still sucks. ^^ I /might/ get eight dice with an incredibly stunt."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Well, you certainly have other options. :)
Storyteller says "The rest of you, btw, do not precisely see the pose that Liu just described."
Storyteller says "That's what -happened-, but what you can *see* is a blur. In a split second -before- it goes off, Liu performs all of the above actions and blurs away from the exploding pillow in a flash."
Diamond Borealis curses softly under his breath as the fire explodes back into life. He shields his eyes as the flames erupt. "What in the name of Luna?" His teeth grind slightly.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Too bad I didn't have time to try and push Phoenix Maiden out of the way. I doubt SAM allows you that kind of planning."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden will be just fine; she's going to use HGD.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Personal. 3 motes, one wp. Heavenly Guardian Defense."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Pose it!
Phoenix Maiden's spear, though mere steel and not the awesome weapon she prefers to wield, flashes in her hands as she spins it, guided by no less skillful a hand for being a mortal weapon. Becoming a flashing silver disk in her hands, the spear reflects the blast of fire and heat away from her and into the ground, drops of liquid steel scattered where the incredible blast has melted the metal. She drops the ruined spear.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: The Bride witnessed that little miracle, by the by. ;)
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden is not particularly concerned. >)
Storyteller [to Diamond; Borealis Kanfi;]: The sudden burst of flame isn't unusual-- at least not to the onlookers, who didn't see -how- it went off. But the Naiad is semi demoralized, frightened of the unusual burst of spiritual energy. The water flow is beginning to trickle off and she's shying away from the burning temple.
Kanfi steps forward, bowing a little. "Please, miss," he widens his eyes, worried, "don't stop now. We truly need your assistance." He holds out bead of blue jade, expression all earnestness.
The naiad takes heart-- and power-- from the blue jade, redoubling her efforts.
Storyteller [to Liu; Phoenix Maiden;]: Are you two going back in? The bride is scrambling out for all she's worth.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Hrm. I'm sure people are out?"
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Ahahaha. A winner is me. And dammit, don't take stuff from Swan Dragon, Liu!"
Liu is on the ground running away from the explosion of her long-time cuddle companion.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: You don't know. You could, mind, ask.
Phoenix Maiden reaches for the Bride's arm, trying to get her attention. "Is everyone out?" she yells, to be heard over the flames.
Kanfi bows again, murmuring his gratitude to the water spirit, and turns to watch the fire, hoping there are no more flare-ups. And that his sister is alright.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Your sister has a few more HGDs in her if necessary. ;)"
The Bride stares at Phoenix Maiden for a moment. "You... and..." She shakes her head rapidly. "No, no one is left." She looks at Liu, then the spot of the explosion. "No one alive, anyway."
Diamond Borealis moves over to Kanfi. "We could summon an air elemental as well. It could help." He's watching the Naiad work, the worshippers, and glancing back toward the town. "But I think we need to put a stop to this."
Phoenix Maiden's face twists in anger at the mention of casualties, but she coughs smoke out of her lungs and follows the Bride back out of the burning temple; there is little she could do for the dead but burn their bodies, and that seems to be taken care of.
Kanfi bites his lip, frowning. How did he get into this? "What do you suggest?" he murmurs back, glancing at the town.
Liu is running out, almost on all floors, and comes to a stop near Diamond, almost hiding behind him.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: The more summons you make, the more the local Court of Seasons is going to take notice.
Diamond Borealis has a hard look on his face. "We're going to kill the Dragons. And we're going to plant their bones and use them to grow the trees that will rebuild this temple. There'll be no rest for their spirits. And the Legionnaires who participated, they'll be burned alive in a sacrifice. One at a time, watching each one go before them. The ones who didn't directly participate we'll kill quickly." He looks at the sky again. "And I'm tempted to keep summoning until the local Court notices and comes to inquire. So we can illustrate the importance to them that allowing this is unacceptable."
Liu shakes her head violently at Diamond. "We agreed that was a bad idea."
Liu tugs gently at Diamond's sleeve. "We said we'd come to help, to observe... but we're not ready to win this place yet."
Kanfi suppresses a groan, and rubs his forehead. "We're NOT going to murder the Realm soldiers stationed here. We can't hold the town, and too many people will get killed if we try." He pins Diamond with a frustrated look. "I dislike what just happened as much as you do, but we can't take it out of their hides when we don't have the firepower to take on all the Realm soldiers in Harborhead. You have no idea how strongly they squash rebellions around here." Kanfi shudders, feeling chilled from just the memory of stories. "The people of Harborhead are too hard-headed for anything but the most ruthless tactics."
Phoenix Maiden coughs on smoke lingering in her throat and shakes her head. "And then the Censor of the South; leave well enough. We saved what people we could... and reminded them that there are those who oppose their enemies. The Realm burns..."
Phoenix Maiden's lips twist into an angry smile. "And we save."
Several of the priests -hear- you; and the two Brides are watching, very carefully. None of the priests are in good enough shape to start coherent questions, but they are whispering to each other.
Phoenix Maiden smiles at the priests, and softly, suggests to her Circle, "I recommend we leave now, and leave a bit of mystery for them. The story will grow bigger for the questions that go unanswered."
Phoenix Maiden knows stories.
Kanfi glances at them, too upset to manage his usual goodnatured smile. Instead he just bows his head, fingers toying with the length of fabric wrapped carelessly around his torso. "The story will grow just as big if we leave mysteriously. Although that might not be a bad thing."
Diamond Borealis clenches his jaw, working it slowly as the brother and sister speak to him. Liu's tug on his sleeve though, that draws his attention. His look softens. "Retribution has to be given for this. It can't be tolerated, allowed to pass. The Realm needs to learn a lesson." He takes another slow breath, putting aside his anger. "But it's a lesson that can wait. We have many years. I want the names of the Dragons in command though, and of the Legionnaires. We won't do this when it will only bring them more grief." He smiles at the rest then, ready to take Maiden's suggestion and follow.
Liu sighs sadly over her pouch -- it had her best weighted juggling scarves -- and then turns wide eyes to Diamond. "My pillow exploded. It shrieked, and then it burst into fire."
Phoenix Maiden nods to Diamond emphatically, and starts back to town, resolutely not looking back to the burning building.
Kanfi looks up from under a curtain of braids. "The Realm has been pushing this country for too long," he murmured and then exhaled explosively. "Why did I come back here?" The question is more to himself than his companions.
Storyteller says "None of the priests have the wherewithal to stop you. One of the Brides almost makes as though to, but thinks better of it, abruptly. The Sun sets, the sky a terrible, angry red over the smoking ruins of his former Temple. But all of you feel lighter of step and of purpose; you have saved lives, and the Sun blesses you."
Storyteller says "Everyone gain back 1 willpower if you spent it, and if not, y'just feel real pretty. :)"
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Hooray. I miss Nexus."
Diamond Borealis puts a hand on Liu's shoulder, gently massaging. "Your pillow? That's...strange. Was it an artifact?" He can't imagine a normal pillow exploding for no reason.
Liu shakes her head fretfully. "The Holy Man gave it to me the last week I was with the Circus. It was alive, and snuggled back. I think he gave them to anyone he liked. It shouldn't have just... exploded."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Have I ever heard of anything like that?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Never in your -life-.
Storyteller [to Liu]: Oh, by the by, I did say at some point that your fellow circusers had made you clothes out of the 'sheddings' of the pillow, right? I'm sure I said that.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Yes, you definitely did. One of her costumes is made out of that."
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Oh. Dear."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "...Oh dear. >_<"
Storyteller [to Liu]: Are you wearing it right now?
Diamond Borealis has nothing to say to that. He can only knit his brow. "It shouldn't have been alive. I think I need to meet this Holy Man of yours." He says, tussling her hair. Without realizing he's doing it, he starts to think of ways a spirit, perhaps an elemental, could be bound into a pillow.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "No, I'm wearing street clothes right now."
Storyteller says "H'okay. It's in the wagon then. Mmhmm."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, ">_<"
Liu shrugs. "He was in a village near the Lap when I saw him. I can take you /there/. But it isn't the direction we're going right now."
Phoenix Maiden shakes her head. "It will have to wait, I think."
Storyteller [to Liu]: Um, to be perfectly clear...
Storyteller [to Liu]: The lap -is- in the direction you're pointed. Or, the way you were when you came here.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Oh. My bad."
Storyteller [to Liu]: It's just FAR, far, far away in the direction you were going when you got here.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Thought we were heading more southerly."
Storyteller [to Liu]: You are, but you were coming out of the Southeast. At this point, it's virtually all the same.
Diamond Borealis nods with the Maiden. "Swan Dragon first..." He's still chewing over how to make a pillow that cuddles back. And planning ways to use the bones of the Dragons to help rebuild the temple.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: What's your int + lore total?
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "8"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: No need to roll, then. The pillow could have been possessed, or, alternately, since you never spotted a possessing entity about Liu with your spirit sight, the thing could have been a god made manifest, or an elemental made quiescent.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: The sheer power of the explosion is troubling; that was nastier than many siege weapons.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis rubs his hands together...
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Oh great, we just blew up Swan Dragon."
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "No, he blew himself up."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis couldn't be too hard to make a new one with an elemental, that could be used defensively.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Don't worry about it. He does it all the time."
Storyteller chuckles quietly and looks serene.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: No. Not really.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "No it's not too hard? Or no it wouldn't be easy?"
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "It wouldn't be easy, I'm betting."
<<OOC>> Kanfi has read Games of Divinity.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: The explosion was -definitely- not a minor effect. You might be able to make a grenade version, but it would almost certainly be suicide for the little god in question. There was a power and a hate in that explosion that is hard to reproduce.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Admittedly, it's not hard to make things that -explode-. Just not soft, cuddly, semi-sentient ones.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis Didn't say go explodey. That's sub-optimal.
Phoenix Maiden continues towards the caravan, silent and thoughtful. "If there's any other shopping that needs to be done, I suggest we do it another day."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Now, tentacles that produce euphoria in the target..."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "What about soft cuddly semi-sentient things that don't explode?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Hit me up with an IM on planning what you want here, then; it may be easier than I'm thinking.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Er, tomorrow or sunday; it's getting late today.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Gotcha."
Storyteller says "The four of you arrive at your caravan to find a shocking scene of normality. Your caravan is unmolested; Seven has utterly failed to be exploded about the nearby scenery. Oh, the Yedim appear to have eaten a few trees, but other than that, it's a scene of mobile domestic tranquility."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Yay!"
Kanfi forces the anger and frustration back, and smiles broadly. "Well, I have a couple of presents for people! Liu, I think green would look marvelous with you complexion." He starts rummaging through the bags of stuff he'd bought.
<<OOC>> Kanfi has presents!
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis withholds Cuddling Pillow of Protection ideas off for now.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Let you guys play santa for the moment. :) Plan for tomorrow, then we'll wrap up at 11."
Diamond Borealis gives Kanfi a faintly dubious look. "Presents?" His eyes narrow just a touch. "You got a trained courtesan or some fine whiskey stuffed in a bag somewhere?"
Liu does a couple of impressive flips, to show Kanfi she's excited about presents.
Kanfi laughs and pulls out a few more shirts instead-- there's that brightly colored one, but the rest of pale yellow, and actually useful. "The whiskey's for later," he joked and rummaged more, pulling out a length of emerald green fabric the color of leaves in the Eastern forests. "This for Liu."
Liu claps her hands, "Oh, that's beautiful! I can make a new costume and add streamers to the new blades!" She certainly isn't planning on doing that /herself/, mind. We'll have to get to a tailor.
Diamond Borealis nods approvingly of the pale colors. He rubs it with his fingers, between thumb and index. "Useful. Solid." He gives a seam a test and nods his approval once more. "Thanks." The appreciation is laconic, but genuine.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You can tell, as an inveterate "transporter of goods" that Kanfi has gotten a lot of bang for the buck.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You're starting to get the feeling that he'd make an excellent, if fairly flamboyant, fence. If, y'know, he wasn't such an... no, I can't call him an innocent with a straight face.
Storyteller says "He's such a kanfi."
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Hey! I've got Larceny! And stuff!"
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "That's where the Pillows come in."
Kanfi finally finds a pair of prettily carved hair-sticks, and a necklace of blue and gold stones for his sister, expression suddenly wry. "I missed you. A lot."
Diamond Borealis smiles to himself. "Kid, you've got some potential. You've got a good eye for value, and you turned a nice profit." He gives Liu a friendly shoulder-squeeze. "Maybe I can see about doing something to replace that pillow for you."
Phoenix Maiden nods sincerely to Kanfi and clasps his hand when he reaches out with the gifts. "I missed you, brother."
Kanfi leans up to kiss her cheek before turning to glance at Diamond, rolling his eyes a bit. "I'm glad to know you think I have potential, old man." That might have something to do with the fact that Kanfi WAS a fence, after all...
Phoenix Maiden hugs her brother, and settles back on the grass, looking up at the evening sky, her fingers toying with the necklace. "I wonder how many we weren't in time to save."
Liu smiles, pleased by the idea that Diamond might replace that pillow. It's just... hm. He said something about lots of explosions like that, happening all over the place. Didn't he?
Liu walks over to Midnight-With-Stars, nickering softly at him as she gets out his favorite brush and starts tending to his nightly care.
Diamond Borealis has ideas chasing themselves in his head. "It's still odd how it exploded. It's like the fire spirits here are very riled up." He rubs his chin. "We might need to summon one tomorrow. Somewhere safe, secured. And find out exactly what's going on around here, what has them so almighty pissed off."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "...I'm probably not likely to know much about the ...Fire spirit thing. That Swan Dragon's daughter's part of. Court of Orderly Flame?"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Something like that."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "You know about the Court, Phoenix, yes, vaguely."
Kanfi reaches out and bats the loop of one of Phoenix Maiden's braids. "Don't think like that, Virtuous Willow. You did the best you could. We didn't know about the fire any sooner, after all."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "It plays a decent role in the doings of Ahlat."
Storyteller says "Everyone make a Perception + Awareness or Perception + occult lore, diff 3."
<ROLL> Diamond Borealis rolls 9 dice: <1 3 3 3 4 4 7 9 10> for 4 successes.
<ROLL> Liu rolls 7 dice: <1 2 2 3 3 4 10> for 2 successes.
<ROLL> Phoenix Maiden rolls 4 dice: <1 3 5 6> for a botch!
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 3 dice: <2 2 6> for 0 successes.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis winces. It's a miracle you can even use Essence.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "...Bah. I think I've rolled like 80% of the botches in this game."
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You hear the wind whisper, "Willow, willow, willow."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: You, on the other hand... You hear the wind whisper Willow, willow, willow, and it is like a gale in your ears. The sound drives you to your knees, but the earth is chanting, in the same cadence as the drums of the slave rebellion you lead, "Vir-tu-ous-will-ow. Vir-tu-ous-will-ow." Again, and again, the steady, heartbeat quickening THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP of the drums calling the bondaged to war. You strain against air and land, and you can feel the sound of your true name rippling through the lakes and water tables and water holes and underground rivers of the land. The sun-- the fury of fire- crackles your name through every bonfire and sacrificial altar within the limits of your perception.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: And the plants know. For once, it is not the willows that bow, it is the plants that bow to the willow, for just a moment, a ripple over Harborhead.
Storyteller says "Welcome home, Phoenix Maiden of the Unfettered Sky. Welcome home, Virtuous Willow."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: As you fall to the floor, insensate, you hear one last phrase. "Saturn rises."
Storyteller says "Aaaand that does it for a cliffhanger."
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: How detailed are your plans of mingling and fencing amongst the underworld of the market-town?
Diamond Borealis says "Not terrifically detailed."
Diamond Borealis says "Look for vendors who have the usual signs of having contacts."
Phoenix Maiden [to Storyteller]: Was heading back to the clothsellers' stands where we were when she saw the man.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Do you have the Contacts background?
Storyteller [to Phoenix; Maiden Kanfi;]: I'm going to rule that you two find each other before Kanfi moves to much further on to selling the 'aboveground' goods. That cool?
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: But... but...
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: There goes the flirtation. XD
Diamond Borealis has contacts, yes.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Okay, give me a quick contacts role, +1 for having valuables you can spread around if necessary.
Storyteller
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: That comes next. This is determining something I've got percolating in my head-- several degrees of plot-hookingness.
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: Oh, you know, the usual. Flirting with her and generally making her think I'm harmless, and then bargaining to a little above market price (all the while laying on the flattery, of course).
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Last time I believe you told me you were going to use Charms?
Diamond Borealis says "SO I roll my Contacts number?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: +1, yes.
<ROLL> Diamond Borealis rolls 2 dice: <4 7> for 1 success.
Storyteller nods.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You easily find friends of friends, guys who know guys, and third cousins and so on. Are you looking for any information in particular, just info in general, or for merely a place to fence your less-than-above-ground-marketable goods?
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: Yep. Insightful Buyer Technique, and Consumer-Evaluating Glance. She won't be noticing this, of course...
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: actually, throw in Frugal Merchant Method too, to see what quality HER stuff is.
Diamond Borealis says "Fencing first, info that might relate to our little quest."
Storyteller
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Okay. There's no need, I think, to get into too much detail on the fencing; you know yourself in the underworld, even if it is a bit more... tribal... here. Give me a raw Manipulation + Larceny roll, +2.
<ROLL> Diamond Borealis rolls 7 dice: <1 3 6 7 7 7 9> for 4 successes.
Kanfi [to Storyteller]: Oh, not too badly. Just a handspan above market price, probably. Enough to net me a good amount of money, and still leave her with good will towards me.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Nice. These people -respect- a good bargainer and a good bulls***er, which you provide handily. Your natural toughness is also well appreciated among these warlike people, and you come off with some substantially good deals. Afterwards, between the thrill of the bargain and the general spreading of alcoholic beverages, people are in a talkative mood. What sort of answers, specifically, are you looking for?
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Gotcha. Give me a Charisma + Bureaucracy +1 roll?
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 8 dice: <1 3 3 4 4 6 6 9> for 1 success.
Kanfi grumps.
Storyteller
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Dice hate me."
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Roll again, this time with a +2. The first was your 'sale' roll; let's see how well you do on buying.
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 9 dice: <1 4 6 7 8 8 8 10 10> for 8 successes.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Dice /love/ you."
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You're trying to find Swan Dragon, the rightful bearer of the blade Shurtimu Ji, and quite possibly technically the proper Southern Censor of the Celestial Bureaucracy. (As opposed to the current one, whose promotion might be thrown into question if the actual holder, a popular Contagion War Hero, were to be found still living...)
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Okay. You squeak by just barely-- while you don't make a whole lot of silver and jade on the sale end of the bargain, you -more- than make up for it in the deals you get on the fine-woven cloth and glass-silk she's brought up from deep southern regions. Indeed, at this point, she's blushing prettily at all the compliments and not noticing you making a few deft changes to the weights and measures-- not tipping the scale, but convincing her of different equivalencies.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Oh hell, the current Censor sucks anyway."
Storyteller [to Liu]: As of this moment, you're still with Mr. Goth UberNinja.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: At about this time, you return from huffing and puffing after Liu.
Phoenix Maiden looks for a shady spot within eyeshot of the stall Liu started from to sit, and perhaps tell a story as she waits.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Mostly just seeing if A) there's anything going on that'd relate to Swan Dragon or give us clues. or B) anything related to zombies, undead, Deathlords, etc."
Kanfi flirts with the merchant, and comes up with outrageous compliments for her.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: The problem with tracing Swan Dragon is that he disappeared several centuries ago, and was a major fire spirit in a fire-aspected region. You do get three bits of rumors on the 'unexplained phenomenon' level. First, the volcano caldera around Gem has been experiencing odd temperature changes, and the local fire powder has been very unstable as a result. Second, as recently as a few weeks before you left the East, there were occasional, simultaneous, unexplained -massive- spontaneous combustions. Horrifyingly enough, many of them were of children or the virtuously generous. Finally, many of the 'fire currents' in the Nearer Wyld zones have become more violent and changeable of late, as though a fear runs through the tribes of madness.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Storytellers are -most- welcome here. :) What story do you intend to tell? Give me details as a performance stunt.
Storyteller
Storyteller says "If you'd like, Kanfi, you can give me a Cha + Pre or Cha + Soc roll for seduction, to see how well you do, or we can just assume she has a crush. :)"
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 8 dice: <2 2 2 5 6 7 10 10> for 5 successes.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Anything about walking dead?"
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: ... She's utterly smitten.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Be AWED by my Eclipseness."
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Getting there. :) It's not so much a rumor, as a message-- sent down the line by your Eastern colleagues. They say, roughly, that you are being hunted by much the same things as come out of the haunts of thorns, but not from that dread Necropolis specifically. A young-seeming woman with the stench of death about her was seen asking questions about you-- and factors from Thorns' more... civilized... dead have been asking about HER.
Phoenix Maiden eyes the passing Realm soldiers and picks a relatively inoffensive tale of a shrewd trader who outwitted the Fae, and left them chasing someone else instead. Her voice rises and falls with the pace of the story, hands occasionally drumming on knees or legs or ground to the cadence of her voice, or swooping through the air in dramatic gestures, coming together in a loud clap at a suspenseful moment, then dropping her voice to make everyone lean in to listen. As she gathers an audience, her eyes meet theirs each in turn, drawing them into the performance as if she was telling the story to /them/ alone.
Storyteller
Diamond Borealis finishes up his drink, not wanting to depart too soon after learning such things. He decides to order one more, sipping the strong brew thoughtfully and scratching his stubbly cheek. He finishes up and pays, and then sets out to try to find his companions.
<ROLL> Phoenix Maiden rolls 11 dice: <1 1 1 3 3 4 4 7 8 9 10> for 5 successes.
Storyteller [to Kanfi; Liu; Diamond Borealis;]: The three of you come together at roughly the same time, about midway through Phoenix Maiden's performance. It is phenomenal; what should have been a quiet little childhood tale, of little interest to those save the young seems to bring the spark of childhood creativity and the wit of a master to life. Traffic in the area has virtually -stopped-, and even the Realm's hardbitten legionnaires have stopped to listen.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "That's my sister!"
Diamond Borealis leans against a post, arms folded at his chest. He pulls his hat a little lower, and listens to the story. He glances over at Liu and Kanfi, and then back to Phoenix Maiden. He can't help but smile.
Liu doesn't smile back at Diamond; she looks deeply disturbed and shaken. But she's not attempting to draw them away from Phoenix Maiden to tell them what's going on, or to disrupt Phoenix Maiden's story. The Stage is everything.
Phoenix Maiden winds up her tale with flair, sweeping a bow from her seated position to her audience. She gathers whatever coins they part with into her purse.
Storyteller
Kanfi grins, eyes half-closed, listening to his sister weave the familiar story into cloth that wrapped everyone in the marketplace. When she finishes, he claps quietly, slipping through the crowd to lay a hand on her shoulder. "You've gotten so much better since I last heard you tell tales."
Storyteller hrmphs. No way to make a private roll. Blast!
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Roll real dice. We'll trust you."
<<OOC>> Storyteller chuckles, and keeps quiet.
Phoenix Maiden grins at Kanfi and nods briefly. "Practice." She turns her attention to Liu curiously. "Did you catch up?"
Liu wants so badly to crawl into Phoenix Maiden's lap and be held, but she is Chosen of the Unconquered Sun; She crosses her arms, squares her feet, and nods. "I caught up with him. He showed me something that I need to show all of you."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "also, auwwwwww."
Phoenix Maiden glances about the marketplace. "Yes?"
Diamond Borealis snorts softly. "Be careful." His voice is kept low and soft. "Your voice is suntouched, as much as your brow. The fool legionnaires don't know it, but an Immaculate might." He lifts a brow at Liu's words, glancing at the others. "What happened?" He's not concerned. No, not Diamond.
Kanfi offers Liu a comforting smile, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "Time for another adventure?" he teases, winking.
Liu bites her bottom lip, and points in a vague westerly ((west?)) direction. "The man I had told you about before, who sent me East to begin with. He showed me a fire. He said it was, " she pitches her voice low, just for their ears. "He said the Home of the Sun was burning. We have to go. We have to fix it."
Liu feels much safer with her Circle around her than she felt alone at the bottom of the hill, staring up at someone who would not explain himself.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Compassion 3 means I get to be sappy, right?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller laughs. Yes.
Phoenix Maiden bites her lip, a tightness at the corners of her eyes fighting to spread across her face. She asks "Which direction?"
Kanfi nods, sighing. Well, time for another hare-brained adventure. "Alright, But first, I want to see if this shirt fits the Old Man!" He holds up a red and turquoise silk shirt.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Oh, duh. I forgot to tell you. Those spontaneous explosions? Generally happened near to the Lap. Gem, Lap, near Wyld. Right.
Liu starts, and suddenly cackles gleefully at the shirt Kanfi is holding up. The Old Man, in that?
Diamond Borealis steps forward and puts hand on Liu's upper arm. He stares at the...the...shirt. "No way in hell am I wearing that unless I'm bleeding." He just shakes his head. "Look, I've heard some rumors. Wyld fueled explosions near Lap and Gem. I think this is all related."
Liu looks back at the stall with the fine clothing -- where she'd hoped to pick out new raiment and shoes for the Peerless Phoenix Maiden. Another time.
<<OOC>> Storyteller laughs and laughs and laughs. +1 xp everyone for Amusing The Brian
Liu looks up at the Old Man, and nods, a determined set to her jaw. She nods in the direction that she'd run off in before. "It's this way, unless we want to gather our caravan first. I can find us a way in the back alleys of the bazaar, or we can go around the edges."
Kanfi drapes the shirt over his forearm, grinning at Diamond's reticence. Nothing he hadn't expected, but it looks as though they'll be traveling together. more than enough time to... adjust the old man's wardrobe. He fishes two silk scarves from his purchases and offers them to Liu. The peacock always comes home with colorful things. "We should probably get the caravan. We left stuff there."
Storyteller says "It's not too far out of town. You can, now that Liu's pointed out the direction, see the smoke from here. There is a sense of anger in the town about it-- quiet anger. They don't dare speak up with so many soldiers about."
<<OOC>> Liu says, "A sense of quiet anger, hunh. So like.. we could rouse the locals. If we wanted to. /Ms. Zenith Caste./ But... might attract way to much attention in the long run."
Phoenix Maiden eyes the smoke and growls quietly. "I'm not sure there's anything we'll be able to do; if we want to kill them, we can start /here/, but this is not the time. But we should go see... see what we can do. Or just see. To remember."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Do we have any idea how many troops are in town? roughly?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Hmm. I'd say about 125, plus officers. Possibly one or two dragon-blooded."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "We can so wipe them out. >_>"
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Without collateral damage?"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Well. Probably not. ^^; But the question is, what's the collateral damage of /waiting/?"
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Wipe out the d-bs then Zenith-Fu the rest."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden pets her Charms. >_>
Liu takes a few steps towards the direction of the caravan, since that's what was suggested last. Her beautiful blades are there, still nameless.
Phoenix Maiden touches Liu on the shoulder. "I think it would be better to just go look, for now. If was want to start massacring the Realm here and now, pulling out our own weapons would be the way to start."
Diamond Borealis glances at the troops, then moves next to Phoenix Maiden. "Look, sweetheart. The Legionnaire's are thin on the ground here. The natives are restless and resentful. We take care of the Dragons in charge, and we could run this town. With that performance you put on with that story and pretty pants over here..." Gesturing to her brother. He lets his words trail off.
Phoenix Maiden bites her lip.
Liu perks up at the idea, not exactly thrilled about it but interested in Phoenix Maiden's thoughts. She fixes her gold eyes on the Priestess's face.
Kanfi archers an eyebrow at the nickname. "I prefer Party-pants, myself," he mutters but shakes his head. "We don't want to run the place."
Phoenix Maiden says, after a long moment of thought, "This is not all the Realm; we can, perhaps, free this town of them for now, but more will come; if we leave, they will punish the townsfolk. If we stay, they will kill the townsfolk in their way to get to us. I think we need to weaken their hold on this country first, so that they have less to throw at us."
Diamond Borealis gives a single tip of his hat. "Smart. We take care of that..." He points toward the fire toward which they are headed. "We'll do a lot to win them over to our side. For when our time comes. But it's good to see you're thinking."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "PM is plenty smart."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden has a good thinker!
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "*I*'m surprised she can tell which way the bread is buttered here, though, considering. ^^"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden isn't sure she can! Is all kinds of conflicted!
Liu plucks at the Old Man's sleeve and cocks her head in the direction of the fire. "We best be going then, right? Before it burns completely down?"
Phoenix Maiden nods to Liu.
Diamond Borealis smiles at Liu. "Bet your ass." He agrees.
Liu is off, then, scampering in the direction of the fire. She is a stone in a sling; pick a direction and let her fly.
Kanfi nods in agreement. "Might as well."
Storyteller says "Alright, so you're all heading in the direction of the smoke and flames?"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Dyah."
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Shyeah!"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Now watch us get into a brawl with DBs, and us with no fancy toys."
<<OOC>> Liu says, "We'll just take theirs from them, I guess."
<<OOC>> Kanfi will talk them to death!
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden doubts they'll have Orichalcum.
Storyteller says "The four of you make record time moving through the city, following the scampering and skipping Liu. As you head out, you notice the obvious tracks of legionnaires, but none of them present. However, what is also absent is a bucket chain; no one is trying to get water from the permanent (if seasonally deep) lake nearby to put -out- the fire, which, as you can see as you get closer, is burning at a merry pace."
Storyteller says "There are a number of people-- leopard skin-wearing priests, scorched worshippers and the like, sitting out in shock in front of the burning building. Periodically, a fit, athletic woman wearing the traditional scant battle dress of the Brides of Ahlat rushes into or out of the temple, carrying people and sacred objects out."
Storyteller says "Many of the sacred objects are broken as well as scorched, and several of the priests are staring at leather thongs that do -not- contain the traditional sun-and-spear golden disc; at least, not any more."
Phoenix Maiden's primary intent at the moment is to try to rescue anyone still caught inside.
Kanfi frowns. "If we just barge in to put the fire out, there will be trouble," he points out. "Otherwise THEY'D be doing just that."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Stunt it!
Liu peers around, looking for the Realm's Officers and Soldiers who are overseeing all of this.
Storyteller says "There are none, Liu. None here, anyway. The burning seems to have been started, and then left."
Storyteller says "From the looks of it, and the people still being brought out, the burning was done with many people still stuck inside."
Diamond Borealis glances at the lake. Then at the clouds overhead as they head toward the burning temple. His jaw setting. "Then there needs to be trouble." He says grimly. "I'm going to invoke the water spirits, get them to putting out this fire. If those jumped up frauds want to make it an issue...well, I was kicking Dragon ass before I got the shiny spot." He walks toward those gathered around, watching it burn. "I need your help to put this out."
Several of the refugees are in total shock, and currently unresponsive. A few of the stronger-willed priests and layfolk, as well as a resting Bride, look up with hope. "How?" bitterly asks one priests. "We are forbidden from the lake for a day, on pain of death."
Phoenix Maiden watches the Bride running in and out of the temple as they approach, and picks up her pace. She mutters, "The bastards. They set it with people /inside/." Within moments, she breaks into a steady run, picking up speed and pulling away from her companions. Squinting her eyes against the glare and smoke, she plunges into the temple past the stunned victims, using her childhood knowledge of similar temples to seek out people still trapped.
Kanfi groans and rubs his forehead. Why hadn't he just stayed in Nexus where things were sane and there weren't Realm officers ready to pounce at the least opportunity. He'd forgotten how paranoid being in Harborhead could make him. He follows Diamond, though, and puts on his most comforting grin. They'd help fix this, he was sure of it.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Dex + Ath me. :) Plus 2.
<ROLL> Phoenix Maiden rolls 6 dice: <4 4 7 8 8 9> for 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden scritchies the dice.
Liu turns her eyes from Diamond and Kanfi after seeing that they're taking care of putting out the fire, then sprints away, following Phoenix Maiden in. Maybe there are tiny places to get into. Maybe Phoenix Maiden needs someone to watch her back. Certainly people need help getting out.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: You are a breath of wind within the inferno of the dying temple. You can take two people out safely at the moment, or three out and risk scorching yourself and them.
Storyteller [to Liu]: Ditto Dex + Ath me, +1.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden jealous of Liu's Ath!
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden knew she should have bought ath up.
<ROLL> Liu rolls 12 dice: <1 1 1 1 4 5 7 7 8 9 9 10> for 7 successes.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Hrm. What kind of risk are we talking? >_>"
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Liu's Dex is what's insane."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Jealous of BOTH!"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "You can tell which of us suffer from excessive compassion. >_>"
<<OOC>> Storyteller chuckles. "Not, now. Liu has your back and scarpers over, around, and through; you can get three people out and Liu one as well without much risk. Liu can't get much out herself-- too damn small-- but she can sure help you.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "All right! I'm definitely lugging three people out and then unless it's collapsed, probably going back for more. >_>"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden .oO(I also knew I should buy Endurance up.)
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Or resistance."
Storyteller pauses the Dramatic Fire Rescue scene to wait on Kanfi and Diamond.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "I'll limp/carry the one that I can rescue, as well, of course."
Kanfi watches Diamond, not quite sure what he's planning, but touching the shoulder of a nearby priest with a hopeful smile. Don't worry, we're here to help.
"But the lake isn't forbidden from you." Diamond slaps one on the shoulder. He starts moving those who are willing into position, forming the Old Realm character for 'Water' with the positions of where they stand. He places himself and Kanfi at opposite ends, the lower end directed toward the lake. "Mimic my movements." He orders and then begins to move through the motions of a water-inspired martial art practiced in the West. As he does, he begins to speak. "Spirit of the lake, you have witnessed the growth of this town. The warmth of the Sun has long kept alive that in your waters which nourishes you. Now we have need of your aid." As he speaks, he begins to tap essence, feeding the impromptu ritual with it.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Nice one. Cha or Int + Occ that one, +2.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden cackles.
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: Roll Cha + Perf if you want to lead the various priests and such in following him. More dice with a stunt of course.
Storyteller notes that this is COMPLETELY illegal, by the rules of the Immaculate Philosophy, but these folks don't -care- much about that right now, especially if no one can prove it
<ROLL> Diamond Borealis rolls 11 dice: <1 3 4 5 5 6 8 8 9 9 9> for 5 successes.
Kanfi nods seriously, listening to Diamond's explanation of what he's doing. He reaches out to touch the priest again, a broad smile touching his lip-- just a /hint/ of mischievousness sparkling in his eyes, enticing the worshippers to join with them. "Never let it be said that those who raise themselves in prayer to the Unfettered Sun give up without a fight. The burning light to resist against those who would hurt you is as much a part of worship as speaking the words and performing the rituals." He spreads his hands, copying Diamond's movements.
Storyteller [to Kanfi]: 2 point stunt. Roll it! :)
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 7 dice: <1 1 5 5 6 8 9> for 2 successes.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: At three net successes, you can either get a very minor water elemental or a medium-strength local rainstorm.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Hmmms. Which would be better for putting the fire out?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Rainstorm will be more effective, but almost certainly draw attention. The minor water elemental, though, could probably 'short' the bucket chain-- IE, provide the same amount of water as would be coming from the lake from a single line anyway.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "let's go with the elemental."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "How many people about are still inside? Did I see many other than those Liu and I are carrying?"
Following Kanfi's lead, the heartfelt prayers of the worshippers, priests, and Bride (those who can be induced to join in, anyway), is sufficient, modulated by Diamond's occult expertise, to coax a pretty looking Naiad from the lake. Not the spirit of the lake itself, an important individual in this area, but one of his servants, who is more than willing to send a 'breath of the stream' upon the temple, hating fire as she does.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: No more people, but plenty of religious artifacts, both smashed and unsmashed. The other Bride is going back in as fast as she can to try and save some; clearly under orders from Ahlat to preserve his boss's boss's boss's -- um, you get the point, to save the Unconquered Sun's holy items.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Hrm."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden is likely to aid, but with less urgency - more concerned with making sure the Bride does not succumb to the fire than with rescuing mere objects, holy as they might be.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden .oO(When the Unconquered Sun has had a personal chat with you, holy relics just don't seem as big a deal.)
Storyteller [to Liu]: And you?
Liu follows Phoenix Maiden to aid and protect the Bride of Ahlat.
Storyteller [to Liu]: As you head back in, your danger sense goes off like a bomb. Do you activate Surprise Anticipation Method, or your defensive SAM combo?
<<OOC>> Liu says, "It depends on if something is coming /at/ me. But probably the dodge combo."
<ROLL> Storyteller rolls 20 dice: <1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 10> for 5 successes.
Storyteller looks askance at the dice. Nevertheless, -good choice-.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "7 motes and 1 wp for Dodge Anything Technique"
<<OOC>> Storyteller will be posing the 'attack'.
As Liu dashes in to follow Phoenix Maiden and the bride, a terrible, terrible wail comes up from the pouch at her side-- the one where she carries the living, warm, loving pillow. Well-- it was loving, and living is now debatable, but 'warm' is not. The wail turns into a scream of outrage and terror as the pillow-- and the pouch-- set off an IMMENSE gout of flame, bursting with the force of a dying Emberstar Elemental, the fury and power of rage given form as flame erupting out from the pillow as it consumes itself.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You were getting the fire under control, with Miss Living Firehose helping. It's sort of flared up again, though.
Storyteller says "Just a bit."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Yikes."
<<OOC>> Liu says, "I knew it. Frickin' knew it."
<ROLL> Storyteller rolls 10 dice: <1 3 3 4 5 8 8 8 8 10> for 6 successes.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden fears the dice.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: The Bride manages to hurl herself the heck out of the way of the flame. It can be dodged, but not parried without Heavenly Guardian Defense. Pose -your- response. You're in the footprint of the blast.
Liu rips the pouch off, nearly dislocating a shoulder as she tosses the pouch into the air. She pushes off the ground with one foot and somersaults backwards away from the pouch with pillow.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "My dodge still sucks. ^^ I /might/ get eight dice with an incredibly stunt."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Well, you certainly have other options. :)
Storyteller says "The rest of you, btw, do not precisely see the pose that Liu just described."
Storyteller says "That's what -happened-, but what you can *see* is a blur. In a split second -before- it goes off, Liu performs all of the above actions and blurs away from the exploding pillow in a flash."
Diamond Borealis curses softly under his breath as the fire explodes back into life. He shields his eyes as the flames erupt. "What in the name of Luna?" His teeth grind slightly.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Too bad I didn't have time to try and push Phoenix Maiden out of the way. I doubt SAM allows you that kind of planning."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden will be just fine; she's going to use HGD.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Personal. 3 motes, one wp. Heavenly Guardian Defense."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: Pose it!
Phoenix Maiden's spear, though mere steel and not the awesome weapon she prefers to wield, flashes in her hands as she spins it, guided by no less skillful a hand for being a mortal weapon. Becoming a flashing silver disk in her hands, the spear reflects the blast of fire and heat away from her and into the ground, drops of liquid steel scattered where the incredible blast has melted the metal. She drops the ruined spear.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: The Bride witnessed that little miracle, by the by. ;)
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden is not particularly concerned. >)
Storyteller [to Diamond; Borealis Kanfi;]: The sudden burst of flame isn't unusual-- at least not to the onlookers, who didn't see -how- it went off. But the Naiad is semi demoralized, frightened of the unusual burst of spiritual energy. The water flow is beginning to trickle off and she's shying away from the burning temple.
Kanfi steps forward, bowing a little. "Please, miss," he widens his eyes, worried, "don't stop now. We truly need your assistance." He holds out bead of blue jade, expression all earnestness.
The naiad takes heart-- and power-- from the blue jade, redoubling her efforts.
Storyteller [to Liu; Phoenix Maiden;]: Are you two going back in? The bride is scrambling out for all she's worth.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Hrm. I'm sure people are out?"
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Ahahaha. A winner is me. And dammit, don't take stuff from Swan Dragon, Liu!"
Liu is on the ground running away from the explosion of her long-time cuddle companion.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: You don't know. You could, mind, ask.
Phoenix Maiden reaches for the Bride's arm, trying to get her attention. "Is everyone out?" she yells, to be heard over the flames.
Kanfi bows again, murmuring his gratitude to the water spirit, and turns to watch the fire, hoping there are no more flare-ups. And that his sister is alright.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Your sister has a few more HGDs in her if necessary. ;)"
The Bride stares at Phoenix Maiden for a moment. "You... and..." She shakes her head rapidly. "No, no one is left." She looks at Liu, then the spot of the explosion. "No one alive, anyway."
Diamond Borealis moves over to Kanfi. "We could summon an air elemental as well. It could help." He's watching the Naiad work, the worshippers, and glancing back toward the town. "But I think we need to put a stop to this."
Phoenix Maiden's face twists in anger at the mention of casualties, but she coughs smoke out of her lungs and follows the Bride back out of the burning temple; there is little she could do for the dead but burn their bodies, and that seems to be taken care of.
Kanfi bites his lip, frowning. How did he get into this? "What do you suggest?" he murmurs back, glancing at the town.
Liu is running out, almost on all floors, and comes to a stop near Diamond, almost hiding behind him.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: The more summons you make, the more the local Court of Seasons is going to take notice.
Diamond Borealis has a hard look on his face. "We're going to kill the Dragons. And we're going to plant their bones and use them to grow the trees that will rebuild this temple. There'll be no rest for their spirits. And the Legionnaires who participated, they'll be burned alive in a sacrifice. One at a time, watching each one go before them. The ones who didn't directly participate we'll kill quickly." He looks at the sky again. "And I'm tempted to keep summoning until the local Court notices and comes to inquire. So we can illustrate the importance to them that allowing this is unacceptable."
Liu shakes her head violently at Diamond. "We agreed that was a bad idea."
Liu tugs gently at Diamond's sleeve. "We said we'd come to help, to observe... but we're not ready to win this place yet."
Kanfi suppresses a groan, and rubs his forehead. "We're NOT going to murder the Realm soldiers stationed here. We can't hold the town, and too many people will get killed if we try." He pins Diamond with a frustrated look. "I dislike what just happened as much as you do, but we can't take it out of their hides when we don't have the firepower to take on all the Realm soldiers in Harborhead. You have no idea how strongly they squash rebellions around here." Kanfi shudders, feeling chilled from just the memory of stories. "The people of Harborhead are too hard-headed for anything but the most ruthless tactics."
Phoenix Maiden coughs on smoke lingering in her throat and shakes her head. "And then the Censor of the South; leave well enough. We saved what people we could... and reminded them that there are those who oppose their enemies. The Realm burns..."
Phoenix Maiden's lips twist into an angry smile. "And we save."
Several of the priests -hear- you; and the two Brides are watching, very carefully. None of the priests are in good enough shape to start coherent questions, but they are whispering to each other.
Phoenix Maiden smiles at the priests, and softly, suggests to her Circle, "I recommend we leave now, and leave a bit of mystery for them. The story will grow bigger for the questions that go unanswered."
Phoenix Maiden knows stories.
Kanfi glances at them, too upset to manage his usual goodnatured smile. Instead he just bows his head, fingers toying with the length of fabric wrapped carelessly around his torso. "The story will grow just as big if we leave mysteriously. Although that might not be a bad thing."
Diamond Borealis clenches his jaw, working it slowly as the brother and sister speak to him. Liu's tug on his sleeve though, that draws his attention. His look softens. "Retribution has to be given for this. It can't be tolerated, allowed to pass. The Realm needs to learn a lesson." He takes another slow breath, putting aside his anger. "But it's a lesson that can wait. We have many years. I want the names of the Dragons in command though, and of the Legionnaires. We won't do this when it will only bring them more grief." He smiles at the rest then, ready to take Maiden's suggestion and follow.
Liu sighs sadly over her pouch -- it had her best weighted juggling scarves -- and then turns wide eyes to Diamond. "My pillow exploded. It shrieked, and then it burst into fire."
Phoenix Maiden nods to Diamond emphatically, and starts back to town, resolutely not looking back to the burning building.
Kanfi looks up from under a curtain of braids. "The Realm has been pushing this country for too long," he murmured and then exhaled explosively. "Why did I come back here?" The question is more to himself than his companions.
Storyteller says "None of the priests have the wherewithal to stop you. One of the Brides almost makes as though to, but thinks better of it, abruptly. The Sun sets, the sky a terrible, angry red over the smoking ruins of his former Temple. But all of you feel lighter of step and of purpose; you have saved lives, and the Sun blesses you."
Storyteller says "Everyone gain back 1 willpower if you spent it, and if not, y'just feel real pretty. :)"
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Hooray. I miss Nexus."
Diamond Borealis puts a hand on Liu's shoulder, gently massaging. "Your pillow? That's...strange. Was it an artifact?" He can't imagine a normal pillow exploding for no reason.
Liu shakes her head fretfully. "The Holy Man gave it to me the last week I was with the Circus. It was alive, and snuggled back. I think he gave them to anyone he liked. It shouldn't have just... exploded."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Have I ever heard of anything like that?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Never in your -life-.
Storyteller [to Liu]: Oh, by the by, I did say at some point that your fellow circusers had made you clothes out of the 'sheddings' of the pillow, right? I'm sure I said that.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Yes, you definitely did. One of her costumes is made out of that."
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Oh. Dear."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "...Oh dear. >_<"
Storyteller [to Liu]: Are you wearing it right now?
Diamond Borealis has nothing to say to that. He can only knit his brow. "It shouldn't have been alive. I think I need to meet this Holy Man of yours." He says, tussling her hair. Without realizing he's doing it, he starts to think of ways a spirit, perhaps an elemental, could be bound into a pillow.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "No, I'm wearing street clothes right now."
Storyteller says "H'okay. It's in the wagon then. Mmhmm."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, ">_<"
Liu shrugs. "He was in a village near the Lap when I saw him. I can take you /there/. But it isn't the direction we're going right now."
Phoenix Maiden shakes her head. "It will have to wait, I think."
Storyteller [to Liu]: Um, to be perfectly clear...
Storyteller [to Liu]: The lap -is- in the direction you're pointed. Or, the way you were when you came here.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Oh. My bad."
Storyteller [to Liu]: It's just FAR, far, far away in the direction you were going when you got here.
<<OOC>> Liu says, "Thought we were heading more southerly."
Storyteller [to Liu]: You are, but you were coming out of the Southeast. At this point, it's virtually all the same.
Diamond Borealis nods with the Maiden. "Swan Dragon first..." He's still chewing over how to make a pillow that cuddles back. And planning ways to use the bones of the Dragons to help rebuild the temple.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: What's your int + lore total?
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "8"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: No need to roll, then. The pillow could have been possessed, or, alternately, since you never spotted a possessing entity about Liu with your spirit sight, the thing could have been a god made manifest, or an elemental made quiescent.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: The sheer power of the explosion is troubling; that was nastier than many siege weapons.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis rubs his hands together...
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Oh great, we just blew up Swan Dragon."
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "No, he blew himself up."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis couldn't be too hard to make a new one with an elemental, that could be used defensively.
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Don't worry about it. He does it all the time."
Storyteller chuckles quietly and looks serene.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: No. Not really.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "No it's not too hard? Or no it wouldn't be easy?"
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "It wouldn't be easy, I'm betting."
<<OOC>> Kanfi has read Games of Divinity.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: The explosion was -definitely- not a minor effect. You might be able to make a grenade version, but it would almost certainly be suicide for the little god in question. There was a power and a hate in that explosion that is hard to reproduce.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Admittedly, it's not hard to make things that -explode-. Just not soft, cuddly, semi-sentient ones.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis Didn't say go explodey. That's sub-optimal.
Phoenix Maiden continues towards the caravan, silent and thoughtful. "If there's any other shopping that needs to be done, I suggest we do it another day."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Now, tentacles that produce euphoria in the target..."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "What about soft cuddly semi-sentient things that don't explode?"
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Hit me up with an IM on planning what you want here, then; it may be easier than I'm thinking.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: Er, tomorrow or sunday; it's getting late today.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Gotcha."
Storyteller says "The four of you arrive at your caravan to find a shocking scene of normality. Your caravan is unmolested; Seven has utterly failed to be exploded about the nearby scenery. Oh, the Yedim appear to have eaten a few trees, but other than that, it's a scene of mobile domestic tranquility."
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "Yay!"
Kanfi forces the anger and frustration back, and smiles broadly. "Well, I have a couple of presents for people! Liu, I think green would look marvelous with you complexion." He starts rummaging through the bags of stuff he'd bought.
<<OOC>> Kanfi has presents!
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis withholds Cuddling Pillow of Protection ideas off for now.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Let you guys play santa for the moment. :) Plan for tomorrow, then we'll wrap up at 11."
Diamond Borealis gives Kanfi a faintly dubious look. "Presents?" His eyes narrow just a touch. "You got a trained courtesan or some fine whiskey stuffed in a bag somewhere?"
Liu does a couple of impressive flips, to show Kanfi she's excited about presents.
Kanfi laughs and pulls out a few more shirts instead-- there's that brightly colored one, but the rest of pale yellow, and actually useful. "The whiskey's for later," he joked and rummaged more, pulling out a length of emerald green fabric the color of leaves in the Eastern forests. "This for Liu."
Liu claps her hands, "Oh, that's beautiful! I can make a new costume and add streamers to the new blades!" She certainly isn't planning on doing that /herself/, mind. We'll have to get to a tailor.
Diamond Borealis nods approvingly of the pale colors. He rubs it with his fingers, between thumb and index. "Useful. Solid." He gives a seam a test and nods his approval once more. "Thanks." The appreciation is laconic, but genuine.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You can tell, as an inveterate "transporter of goods" that Kanfi has gotten a lot of bang for the buck.
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You're starting to get the feeling that he'd make an excellent, if fairly flamboyant, fence. If, y'know, he wasn't such an... no, I can't call him an innocent with a straight face.
Storyteller says "He's such a kanfi."
<<OOC>> Kanfi says, "Hey! I've got Larceny! And stuff!"
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis says, "That's where the Pillows come in."
Kanfi finally finds a pair of prettily carved hair-sticks, and a necklace of blue and gold stones for his sister, expression suddenly wry. "I missed you. A lot."
Diamond Borealis smiles to himself. "Kid, you've got some potential. You've got a good eye for value, and you turned a nice profit." He gives Liu a friendly shoulder-squeeze. "Maybe I can see about doing something to replace that pillow for you."
Phoenix Maiden nods sincerely to Kanfi and clasps his hand when he reaches out with the gifts. "I missed you, brother."
Kanfi leans up to kiss her cheek before turning to glance at Diamond, rolling his eyes a bit. "I'm glad to know you think I have potential, old man." That might have something to do with the fact that Kanfi WAS a fence, after all...
Phoenix Maiden hugs her brother, and settles back on the grass, looking up at the evening sky, her fingers toying with the necklace. "I wonder how many we weren't in time to save."
Liu smiles, pleased by the idea that Diamond might replace that pillow. It's just... hm. He said something about lots of explosions like that, happening all over the place. Didn't he?
Liu walks over to Midnight-With-Stars, nickering softly at him as she gets out his favorite brush and starts tending to his nightly care.
Diamond Borealis has ideas chasing themselves in his head. "It's still odd how it exploded. It's like the fire spirits here are very riled up." He rubs his chin. "We might need to summon one tomorrow. Somewhere safe, secured. And find out exactly what's going on around here, what has them so almighty pissed off."
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "...I'm probably not likely to know much about the ...Fire spirit thing. That Swan Dragon's daughter's part of. Court of Orderly Flame?"
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "Something like that."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "You know about the Court, Phoenix, yes, vaguely."
Kanfi reaches out and bats the loop of one of Phoenix Maiden's braids. "Don't think like that, Virtuous Willow. You did the best you could. We didn't know about the fire any sooner, after all."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "It plays a decent role in the doings of Ahlat."
Storyteller says "Everyone make a Perception + Awareness or Perception + occult lore, diff 3."
<ROLL> Diamond Borealis rolls 9 dice: <1 3 3 3 4 4 7 9 10> for 4 successes.
<ROLL> Liu rolls 7 dice: <1 2 2 3 3 4 10> for 2 successes.
<ROLL> Phoenix Maiden rolls 4 dice: <1 3 5 6> for a botch!
<ROLL> Kanfi rolls 3 dice: <2 2 6> for 0 successes.
<<OOC>> Diamond Borealis winces. It's a miracle you can even use Essence.
<<OOC>> Phoenix Maiden says, "...Bah. I think I've rolled like 80% of the botches in this game."
Storyteller [to Diamond Borealis]: You hear the wind whisper, "Willow, willow, willow."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: You, on the other hand... You hear the wind whisper Willow, willow, willow, and it is like a gale in your ears. The sound drives you to your knees, but the earth is chanting, in the same cadence as the drums of the slave rebellion you lead, "Vir-tu-ous-will-ow. Vir-tu-ous-will-ow." Again, and again, the steady, heartbeat quickening THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP of the drums calling the bondaged to war. You strain against air and land, and you can feel the sound of your true name rippling through the lakes and water tables and water holes and underground rivers of the land. The sun-- the fury of fire- crackles your name through every bonfire and sacrificial altar within the limits of your perception.
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: And the plants know. For once, it is not the willows that bow, it is the plants that bow to the willow, for just a moment, a ripple over Harborhead.
Storyteller says "Welcome home, Phoenix Maiden of the Unfettered Sky. Welcome home, Virtuous Willow."
Storyteller [to Phoenix Maiden]: As you fall to the floor, insensate, you hear one last phrase. "Saturn rises."
Storyteller says "Aaaand that does it for a cliffhanger."
