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Chu normally loved how expressive mammalian humanoids faces were, the slightest eyebrow raise, a twitch of their lips spoke volumes to the him. Unlike his kind who could not smile, they did not laugh, nor cry, they were stoned faced and uncaring as they drove a dagger into your side and twisted it for good measure. At least with the people of Lanzhu he knew when he was unwelcome...
He inclined his head enough to be respectful to Kyras and the rest of the company. He intermixed his the tongue of his kind as he named them. "I shall leave you too it then. Honour be with you in your endeavors Kyras-Ysa zytza ysa satstssa and Azami-Sasazststssay." He turned away then, striding to the far side of the chamber to investigate the strange plum blossom display. Or at least what survived the attack...
All the plum blossom-shaped arrangements of stones now lie scattered about on the floor in complete disarray. Whatever magic they might have had or been helping, is now completely gone.
@Azami: The captain bows and takes the chains from you. "I'll see these get in the right hands. I've no idea what difference it'll make that they don't have their stones still attached, but it's at least a start. If this was the attack of the...the...whatever-it-was to which the noble advisor-sama referred, we'll at least be able to divine that."
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Seeing that the displays were scattered and useless Chu turned back and approached the Captain before he could leave the room. "Captain you spoke of the Emperor wishing to speak with us all, was this to be soon or later in the morning? I would like to push on to the Temple and see what I can find out while the Shugenja divine what they can."
Captain Takagami bows to and addresses Chu, but speaks loudly and clearly enough that all can hear him. "It is the Emperor's intent to send for those he needs. I will take these chains below. You are all, as I understand it, free to go."
"Captain - would it be best if we went with you? Or at least remained here for results? If the magic will produce information right away, they we can immediately act. But if it will take some time for the magic to provide results, we can return here in the morning." There is no intent to deceive in her tone; Azami earnestly does not know anything of the magic that is to be used or how it works.
In a lighter tone to break the tension with the hint of a sorrowful smile, "And that statue is mine. But I am carrying enough on my shoulders currently. Can I trust you to keep it safe for me, Kyras?..Truth be told, I almost expected it to DO something at your touch, but if you continue to hold it, perhaps something will awaken."
Captain Takagami pauses for a moment, his eyes blanking strangely out as he does so.
"Ah. I see. Watashi no omo hai. Ichi-do ni." He says all this quickly, under his breath. He then walks over a few steps away from all of you, closer to the main entrance. Two bizarre-looking...creatures...step into sight from around the corner. Time and magic alike seem to elide and warp around them. One is about 11 feet tall and extremely thin, with bark-like brown skin and flexible, flowing movements. Two beady green eyes seem to float in front of where its head would be. It gives the appearance of consisting of several pieces of bamboo lashed together and animated. It carries a giant staff with True Dragons carved along its length.
The other creature looks like a pine tree come to life; tall (about 9'), grand, stout of limb and broad of torso, wearing a pointed green helmet and bearing a tremendous glaive with carvings of aspects of Shelyn on its massive blade.
Both creatures are silent and take up positions flanking the captain. He looks at neither one, and makes no mention of them to you.
"The Palace Guard proper will deal with the threat of the remaining heads of the Demon. I have been told you all have other business in the city this evening. You are dismissed. The son of the heavens will have you brought to him when he wishes it." He gives a pointed look at Kyras, then Azami, then turns and walks briskly off down the hall, the two giant spirit-beasts following him.
Azami steps back, watching him go. "We have our dismissal. She turns to Imuri, and then looks at Daisuke. "Both of you have tasks we need to attend to. Should we go to the Temple, and explain what we know?"
Daisuke thanks the adviser for his magic. One who hides in plain site generally does not cover himself with bloody remains and seek to cause a panic.
"Yes," he replies to Azami, "I'm eager to leave. I've had more pleasant visits to the palace, and after battling the Five Headed Death, the safety of the temple will be a welcome change."
[ooc]Which needs a name. How about the Gossamer Palace? The shining web, the elaborate lair of the Shoto within the Emperor's city. I like that. Outside, in Shoto province, our captal buildings will be the family's proper estates at Shiro Shoto, and (stolen directly from l5r, but too cool not to use) Black Silk Castle, home of the Broken Promise Dojo.
"My temple will be a welcome refuge for all who wish to come....and I would welcome the security as I cross the city. I was attacked last night...and yesterday morning...." To her mind comes the memory of fighting side by side with her friend, San Pen. "....and if San Pen turns up, he will know to find me at the Temple."
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Chu bows to the Captain and thanks him for his information, he quirks an eyebrow at the strange company the Captain leaves with though. He then rechecks his weapons and bows to the others before they depart. "We shall meet again, Honour be with you in your endeavors. I must continue to follow the Emperor's will." He bows to the the Curator then "It would please me greatly to see your Temple and perhaps I could serve you tea."
A familiar feeling at the edge of her psyche emerges, followed by Chu's quiet voice. {I will let you know if I find anything out about San Pen, if you need my counsel please send word at anytim. Day or night, I am at your service, Saysa zytza tssazzsassasztsa tsaysa ysasatssatzasa.} The connection remains, weakly, but its there.
Chu stands fully and strides out of the chamber and towards the main doors of the Palace on his to continue his investigation as to where San Pen is. He would first head to where Curator Nagano had spoke of, where the fighting had started and where she had met the strange Chan.
The Princess is also at the Temple, although we do not know where Rhon Tai is.
Seeing the pair of gaijin on the appraoch, Imuri adopts a placid expression and folds his arms back into his kimono sleeves. He does not change his angle towards the exit, for that would imply a disinterest in speaking with the couple.
However, he does not stop walking, either. It pleases me to see that our core group of activists remains intact, even if the Empire absorbed further losses tonight. May I walk with you until we are forced to part ways?
Azami walks with him only to the door. "It might be wise to pause at the Temple with us before you continue on towards your estate. There is much to discuss, including your current hostage, Bethany Erodal. It seems your ruse was successful."
"Speaking on the street only invites unwanted ears." She gives him a slight incline of her utterly disheveled head.
She has just remembered that all of her things -what little that she does not already wear- remain in the palace, and she would retrieve them before they go to the Temple. The journey has begun.
As always, Imuri offers a measured response. His expression does not change while Azami speaks. His reply is quiet.
It seems clear you have not spoken with Kyras-san since you were lied to by the Fox spirit today. Perhaps in the morning you can rephrase your assumption and we can work together constructively.
Following the others on the way out, Daisuke silently observes the interaction between Azami and Imuri.
It was unwise of her to call Imuri out, especially if he really did have the girl, but Daisuke betrays no hint of frustration in his expression. Stepping into a spider's web was dangerous enough without alerting him beforehand. Still, the girl would be found, wherever she was-- no web can trap a shadow.
Azami tenses, her tone going from casual to acerbic. "Mmm. I see where your interests in working together continue to lie."
She turns away, leaving Imuri to continue on towards whatever shadowy dealings he has that evening. To the others, "I need to retrieve some items. I will follow." If anyone wishes to go with her for any reason, she won't stop them, but will suggest that staying with Kyras is better.
Heading to her room, Azami stuffs her rucksack with her meager belongings: clothing, bedroll, the trinkets of her shrine. Finally, she wraps her hand around the staff of her banner, pausing to look at it before she heads back out towards the Temple.
Kyras follows Azami, smirking to himself as she speaks to Imuri. He doesn't say anything, but certainly enjoys her voicing their common mistrust of the man. He departs with her, uncharacteristically silent as he walks. The day has taken quite a bit out of him, moving him to a point far beyond exhaustion. With the Dragon completely quelled, he wishes that it can last forever, but knows that he must rest soon. The rest will likely allow the Dragon a new foothold, but things look like tomorrow will stretch just like this day did.
As Azami arrives at her room, Kyras strides in regardless of her wishes. Looking around at the spartan room, he cracks a joke. "Looks like all your money went into the dice!" When he sees her lukewarm reception and steely glare, he moves on to business. "We have a problem. I didn't want to say anything earlier, but the dragon statuette is missing. The one that I showed the Emperor, not the one Tokine gave me. I think someone stole it during the dinner with all that was going on. Probably the Spider or our new mystery friend. At least the Emperor told us that it was useless for the most part. Still..." He is quiet for a moment, reflecting on the situation. "There's a magical bag that would make it quite difficult to steal from me again. We're going to have to head to the bad part of town, to meet some people I met once who owe me a few favors. I know that you don't want me out of your sight, but the feeling's mutual."
With Azami in tow, he heads to a seedy part of town. She looks very out of place and uncomfortable amid the black market sellers. Kyras reflects to himself that she is probably memorizing their faces to put a case against them later. He meets with a shady fellow in the back of an even shadier building. He explains to Azami on the way that he did a favor for this man in exchange for information about his sister when he first arrived in the City, but the man had lied about knowing anything. Kyras had made it quite clear at the time that he would come back to collect what was owed to him. It did not take much convincing to persuade the merchant to allow Kyras favorable terms while bartering, giving him full value on the magical items he no longer had use for and normal price for the items he wanted from the man. With the debt settled, Kyras and Azami head back out to the Temple together.
Tokine crosses town with her guards and breathes a sigh of relief at seeing guards still stationed at the Temple entrance.
She gives each guard a polite thank you for their service and continues inside. Word must have spread of her approach for their was a bustle of activity from her staff.
Izumi comes up to report. Tokine gives her the plan that additional guests will be spending the night so rooms will need to be made up. But for now the meeting room, some saki, and a light snack would be in order.
The first order catch Imuri off guard, but at the other request, she rolls back a wall panel to reveal the room is already being assembled. Tokine gives her a smile.
When her companions arrive "Come. We can talk in here." She gives a smile and a wave of her hand to indicate the way. Back in her familiar element, one would never guess to strain of the past few hours.
Azami suffers Kyras' errands and explanations, occasionally offering plain facts or a rare addition of dry wit. While she is scanning the crowd rather pointedly, it with the purposes of appearing alert (despite bone-tiredness threading its way through her muscles) and recognizing any attacks or spies before something goes awry. Everyone here is engaged in something illegal - including both of them. It does not register in her mind to care as long as it does not affect her.
At one point she slips her hand into the pouch where she has placed the gem and the ring, feeling them. They don't feel special in anyway to her - just a gem, just a ring. Imuri has a similar ring that she placed into his hand.
But both items are something to discuss with the Curator and the others. Will Kyras reveal his mark that makes him a gate? They haven't discussed hardly any of what happened this day since the beginning. Will Erudima even still be at the Temple? And what of the dig that Daisuke wishes them to visit yet this evening? Azami feels her legs rebel at the thought of traipsing out anywhere else this evening.
She watches Kyras' deal with his contact, listening to the way he laces a barebones charm with intimidation to remind the merchant of his earlier failing. Better than she could do, for certain. This was to be her partner for the unforseeable future: a prospect that is significantly less upsetting now than it would have been this morning. Her mouth quirks upward with a hint of amusement at the headstrong Warbanian; the expression falls away as soon as Kyras turns around, finished with his barter.
"Finally. If your midnight shopping trip costs me a comfortable bed, I will not be happy," she quips, gesturing for him to follow her in an alternate route to the Temple.
Azami inclines her head towards Tokine, hesitant about entering the meeting room. "I would remove my armor before entering, Madame Curator."
Carefully, and with a surprising amount of reverence, Azami unbuckles the pieces of her traditional armor, laying them with most of her weapons - her katana she returns to her side - outside of the room. It is a show of trust from Azami, even if the Curator does not recognize it. Later this evening, she will clean off all of the foul blood from the plates.
Beneath all of that, Azami is clothed in simple grey kamishimo with no insignia or design, her tabi nearly worn through on the bottom. She steps into the meeting room quietly, the long braid of red hair that swings to her waist clashing with the wild, hacked lengths around her face.
As Daisuke, Dare Mo promises to meet Azami and Kyras at the temple.
Stepping into the street, he ducks through the crowd, taking several quick turns, occasionally finding a nook to hide momentarily to confuse any pursuers.
Bluff
Stealth
Bluff
Stealth
Bluff
Stealth
Bluff
Stealth
Bluff
Stealth
Bluff
Stealth
After assuring himself that he had evaded any potential pursuit and making his way to another neighborhood, he moves into an alley, climbing the side of a tea shop and slipping through a small window which had been shuttered, but unlocked.
Inside was a small nook, just wide enough to stand inside. To his left was a wall of drawers and shelves, and to his right was a small table with a half-burned candle on top and mirror on the wall behind.
He removed and inspected his kimono, pleased to see the adviser's magic had removed the makeup from the inside, then put it back on. From a drawer he removed a thin, nondescript suit of leather armor and strapped it on, then he removed a traveling pack from under the table, collected his swords, and sneaked back out the window.
This time, he made straight for the temple.
Black tarp, blanket, 50' silk rope, 2 days dry rations, 2 pouches of caltops, leather harness with 4 sheathed daggers, fire starting tools, lock picks, 2 pieces of chalk, pouch of small stones
When Daisuke returns to the temple, he carries a traveling pack and is adorned in plain leather armor.
He drops his pack outside the meeting room and removes his armor and sandals.
He bows to the temple before entering, then quickly to the others. Removing his swords and placing them to his left, he sits down. "Azami-san, Kyras, Madame Curator. Have I missed anything?"
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Chu headed to the destroyed police station that the Curator had spoke of, he took side streets and tight alleys so he could move unseen. When he was completely alone he changed his features, altering them enough so that he was more nondescript.
He assumed the form of a Guardsmen, young with a short mop of braided hair and the tanned skin of the citizens of Lanzhu. It was a simple form, one he had used many times, and it allowed him to move unmolested by prying eyes as he continued his investigation.
When he found the ruins he would continue his investigation by canvasing the area, talking to the locals and searching for any clues that could have been missed earlier. He tried to come off as an energetic young soldier out on his first assignment, he was respectful to each citizen he met and asked questions.
What they saw?
Was there 'Strange Activity' before the fighting broke out?
Did anyone see what happened?
Did anyone find anything in the area after the incident?
Has there been any strange activity since?
And (If no one speaks of San-Pen) Did anyone see where the Adviser San-Pen had last been walking?
Swift has vanished.
@Imuri: Your journey back to the Gossamer Palace is uneventful, even peaceful at times, especially as you cross the brooks that separate the palace district from the City House district, and walking down the twin rows of shops on the market street that buffers the district proper from the less-desirable Center City district.
Upon arrival you find that your prisoner, Wong Tsai the erstwhile gardner, is still safely under lock and key, and by all reports has done nothing untoward.
@Chu: You find the precinct house to be in surprisingly good repair. It looks as if every single officer of this precinct pitched in to get the jails and main reception/induction area rebuilt so they could continue working. Only one desk -- the desk of the inspector slain the night before -- sits unused for now, in his memory.
The consensus amongst the officers with whom you speak is nothing seemed untoward in the minutes and hours leading up to the attack, and nothing aside from rubble was found. Some of the Black Dragonflight spirits and warriors and devils helped them rebuild, but have since gone away.
The last anyone saw San-Pen, he vanished down into the earth, as if swallowed up by it. One of the policemen suggests you speak with the famous Madame Daiyu, whose tea shop is renowned across the empire. She was a good friend of the advisor's and may know something. Barring that, Professor Yeo, at the University here in the city, might also have seen him.
@Tokine, @Kyras, @Azami, @Daisuke: At the temple, you find that the Princess has indeed stayed put. She assists the staff in preparing a late tea service and proves to be a quite adept musician, playing the shakuhachi, koto, and shamisen each with surprising and welcome elegance and grace, helping to ease everyone's nerves. She says she spoke with Rohn earlier, and that the elven scholar is close to having uncovered a terrible secret he dared not breathe until he was sure it was true. He and Ghar were carefully watching their backs and moving lightly from shadow to shadow, their stealth aided by Rhon's not-inconsiderable magic.
At last all four of you are gathered, music is softly playing, and a delicately perfect tea service is before you.
Shelyn surely smiles upon you this moment.
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Chu was glad for the information received from the officers, he than thanked them for their time and quickly made his way out of the precinct, so he did not distract them further from their duties. He wandered around the various sites that were attacked and continued his search for not just San Pen, but for the mysterious Chan as well. Although this time he continued to keep his guise of a young officer and enhanced his ability to protect himself by summoning waves of force to act as his armor.
He ignored any pointed looks he received as he moved about the streets inspecting what little destruction yet remained. While waves of force displaced the air about him making his movements appear more undulated as he sought clues in the night air.
He searched with the half light that his darkvision graced him with, looking down the many alleys or hideaways that border areas that were attacked.
Chu finally gives up for the night, it had been a long day and he would need some rest. He would visit Madame Daiyu and Professor Yeo in the morning and see what he could come up with further. He hoped he would find San Pen soon, perhaps he had wandered into a shop full of gems and was admiring them. Chu prayed though that if he was in dire need, that he would reach him in time to help.
The thought though does not bring sadness to Chu, instead his blood boils at the thought of his fellow adviser being wounded or worse. {May the gods show mercy to those who bring harm to San Pen, because I won't...}
He uses his various techniques to check for magic in the area and pockets any clues he can for further study.
@Chu: You find nothing else that you deem to be relevant to your search at this moment. San Pen had no possessions that you knew of, so would not have dropped any. As for those who wear the mark of the Uniter, the first emperor Chan, you are barely sure what they would leave behind, or where to start looking. There are places where you could buy information, this is true, but such places are never safe, and less so at night.
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Chu considered for a long while about buying information from the dealers, but in the end he decided against it. His strength had been taxed too much in the fight with the demons earlier and he need rest and meditation before going to see the Professor and Madame in the morning. He could not afford a fight with information dealers and their ilk and visiting the temple would have to wait until tomorrow as well, he had overstepped his authority far too much tonight. The mistake of a child but it could not be helped now...
He headed the most direct way he knew to the Emperor's palace so that he could retire for the night.
The Spider scion summons the best torturers and not a few men at arms to Wong Tsai's chamber. They arrive together before Imuri briefs them.
Not two hours ago, men under the same guise ass this one became monstrous demons who attacked and murdered several guests of the Emperor. We believe they all carried one of these. Here Imuri shows the ring Azami gave him. There may also be a necklace containing this curse. Be careful, and let no harm come to the Spider tonight.
Imuri narrows his eyes and looks at the interrogators, perhaps the least honorable men even from his own family. And if he proves to be only a man, may his ancestors forgive him for betraying whomever his master was this morning.
DRA
Azami relaxes visibly upon seeing the Princess, and seems satisfied to hear that Rhon Tai also made contact.
Once in the meeting room, Azami takes a seat at the table - sliding her katana from her belt and laying it across her lap.
She pulls out the stone given to her by the Sera scion and the ring - laying them onto the table. "This stone was slipped to me by Clan Sera before they left. Additionally, this ring was from the blood demon - just like the one I took from the first Wong Tsai and gave to Imuri. I offered it to Captain Takagami - but he blocked me from revealing it fully in front of everyone, telling me that I should put it away and speak to him later, elsewhere. I will do that tomorrow."
"I know nothing of either of them."
Azami blinks a few times against tiredness, sinking back into silence; more than anything else, so much social interaction this day has added its own draining weight to everything else. The steaming tea before her is a more than welcome companion.
Tokine sips a bit of her beverage. Feeling the weight in her sleeve, she pulls out the scroll tube holding the paintings and sets in on the table in front of her.
At Azami's words she asks, "Please pass them here. I can at least see if they hold magical essence."
with the items before her, Tokine rings a single bell. Her vision shifts to watch the ripples from the bell's sound wash over the two items. She knows if magic is in them, they will resonate in response to her bell's call and hopefully reveal their secrets.
@Imuri: In the cell you find only the aged form of a simple gardner, lying on his side on a thin mat, snoring loudly. However, now that you know what to look for, you quickly spot a ring on his left big toe, similar to that which the ronin palace guard, Azami, handed you earlier, only much smaller.
Shoto sorcerers have been sent for.
@Tokine: The ring is powerful, but locked. Strong abjuration and illusion magic are locked within it, but you lack the power to set it free, or to use it. It is your esteemed opinion that there are few who would possess sufficient power.
The stone is powerful beyond your reckoning. Just examining its form sends a thrill of arcane and divine strength through you. Your hair begins to stand on end, the stone lights faintly from the inside. You have a vision of a skull the size of a planet with horrid glowing dots deep in its eye sockets. Tendrils of stormcloud gather at its base and reach for you. Giant lightning bolts, each the size of a moon in diameter hammer through a formless, ceaseless storm.
The skull laughs, and you are chilled.
You snap back to your senses, Kyras's hand on your shoulder and looks of concern on everyone's faces. Your hair is in a massive, static-y disarray. A name echoes through your mind.
Khoda.
"AH-HEH-HEH-HEHHH-HEHHHHHH"
A laugh echoes through the halls of your mind, deep and low, a sub-bass dirge of pure and perfect destruction. You realize, then, that the laugh is everywhere, and it is real, not just imagined. The stone ceases to glow, your hair slowly settles.
Tokine is shaking.
She can taste bile in her mouth.
She reaches out for her tea but her shaking hand knocks over the cup. All she can do is close her eyes and will the shaking...the image...to stop.
With enough of her senses restored, she utters in a dry voice. "That stone is an abomination. It is Chaos..It is death. A greedy death. It's master is..." her throat constricts and her mouth goes completely dry. She stands and dips a shaking finger in the spilled tea and spells out K-H-O-D-A for all to see, and then wipes her hand through the pooled tea to scatter the pattern she just created.
She visibly jumps a moment later as the partition door opens and Izumi peers in. "Mistress, we heard..."
Tokine gives her head a shake and a quick attempt at a smooth down of her hair, she replies, "It is passed. There is no need for concern. Please calm the others." At the dismissal, Imuri obediently closes the door but her face still carried a look of worry and concern.
Slumping visibly back to her pillow at the table, she now pours herself a new cup of of tea. After a sip she continues, "The ring is powerful abjuration...wards and illusion magic beyond my power to activate. Beyond almost anyone's power to activate....But that stone...where did the Sera's get it from? It should not stay here, but I fear others somehow using it. I would destroy it if I could, but it would require Shelyn herself I would imagine. But for safeties sake I would not touch it again Azami without protection."
Tokine takes her cup again. After another sip, she continues to hold it and just stare into the liquid depths of the cup watching the tea leaves swirl.
Imuri considers the risk of waking Wong Tsai before the shugenja and torturers arrive. He also considers the risk to such valuable Shoto family assets should the strange demon manifest after they arrive. Willling to give his life for his duty, he grimaces and reaches for the ring.
The laugh freezes the ninja-courtier for a split second. In that time, it seems to Imuri that the laugh is an omen - the ring itself threatening to unleash Hell if Imuri dares to disturb the ancient demon's plans.
But just as quickly, he recognizes that the very real rumbling of such cosmic evil might wake his prisoner if there is no prior relation. Faced with little choice, he grips the man's wrist and yanks the ring free roughly. Imuri wraps it in black silk and drops it on the floor.
The old man's eyes will betray whether "Wong Tsai" attaches value or purpose to the ring. The Shoto scion, ever patient, studies him.
Daisuke reaches for his sword as the laughter echoes through the temple, relaxing as it subsides.
"What must happen to the stone, Madame Curator?"
More evil magic. This mission was supposed to be about retrieving a missing girl, and Kyras was being led on a leash by an intractable gaijin guardswoman who had them examining magic rocks. Perhaps he should leave Azami to lead Kyras in circles and find the girl on his own... or was there a connection here?
"Do either of you trust the Sera clan? Do you know why the sisters gave you this stone?"
This stone is one of the fabled Tears of the Lightning God, said to contain a fragment of Khoda's power. If unlocked, it can bring about his return, or his demise, depending on how it is used, but the knowledge of how to use the stones was lost in The War of the Land, when the Telestari came and fought the Uniter, driving him back to Lanzhu...
@Imuri: The change is immediate and horrifying. The gardner, barely aware of what is even going on, curls up on himself and begins braying and snarling and spitting like a thing being burned alive. His flesh begins to peel off his body in long, three-inch-wide strips, spraying blood everywhere. His hands and feet start to turn into claws and the air fills with the metallic tang of the smell of blood.
It takes no time for Imuri to come to a decision. If the thing is curling up to die, he would help them along. If the thing was becoming another blood reaver, Imuri would need a head start on killing it.