From her vantage point, Azami can see the loose brick that looks to be the trigger for the door. Without hesitation, she runs down the steps to press in the brick (slamming into it if she has to), moving her full speed without her armor to encumber her.
Kyras follows Azami down the steps into the tunnel, magically lighting the way as he weaves just a bit of arcane energy into a light spell on his sword. He peers down the stairs with his keen vision, sharpened by his elven heritage. If she gets trapped down there, at least she'll have him there as well. "Come on! Let's get out of here!" He stands right in between Azami and whatever is coming, in a Warbanian fighting stance designed for an explosive, overwhelming assault.
Tokine's divine healing energy spreads out through the room, quickly healing the two Gorumites' most grievous wounds. Gwen gasps and works her jaw. "Blunt blades but that hurt. My thanks to you, Curator, I am in your debt. Do you have someplace we can set Rhon?" Disturbingly, the Grace of Shelyn seems not to have helped the rogue scholar's injuries at all. He is still unconscious, and near death.
Meanwhile, as Azami rams the brick back into place, Kyras's light reveals something curious; a wasp. A single wasp lands on the handguard of his blade. Looking at it, the Warbanian realizes that this creature is made entirely of adamantium. Suddenly the buzzing makes a horrible kind of sense. At the edge of his light spell, a swarm of these adamantium wasps is flooding in. As the giant stone slab grinds inexorably shut, Izumi and the other staff beckon frantically from the other side of the opening. "Hurry up! By Our Lady's Grace, RUN!" Azami is already vaulting up the stairs two at a time, executing a diving leap through the door. Some kind of multi-legged skeletal horror is visible for a split second at the edge of Kyras's light before he, too, leaps head first through the narrowing opening. With a resounding *BOOOOOOOOOM* the sliding slab shuts. There is a *tinktinktinktinktinktinktink* sound on the other side as the wasps throw themselves at the stone, but the sound soon fades.
Naradil, still bloody and sliced up even after Tokine's initial channel of holy energy, looks down at Azami and Kyras. He gives a wry smile and says "Nice jump."
@Imuri:
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Chu tried his best not to marvel at the strange illusions that the Madam had contrived, he found it hard to believe that it was a pocket dimension of sorts but he had to admit it was not unheard of to create such places. He didn't, however, want to underestimate the woman. He had the sneaking suspicion he had lowered his guard too much, especially when she had suggested bringing Azami Ito low. When she offered a cup of tea he was most gracious to accept, it would be beyond rude to enter her renowned tea shop and refuse to partake.
He bowed respectfully as he responded politely to her. "I would be most delighted too, Madam. You honor me with your hospitality."
When he concluded his remaining business at Madam Daiyu's Tea Shop, he continued on to the university to visit the Professor and remained undeterred by the storm booming overhead. In fact this time he summoned up his invisible armor and chuckled as the rain splattered harmlessly against the unseen force protecting him. It seemed a waste of magic but with how strange things had been in the empire, there was no telling where the next attack could come from...
Once she's certain Kyras has escaped, she favors him with a curt shake of her head, tension threading into her jaw at the fact that he'd leapt down there with her.
Azami doesn't know these two bloodied people with Rhon Tai; she offers Naradil a simple nod in return to his compliment, cutting off the quip on her tongue. This morning has her guard down too much, and as her eyes take in the extent of their wounds, she rebuilds the mental defenses.
"What happened?"
Dare Mo scribbles a note on the paper, rolls it up and stuffs it into a pocket in his robe. Then he collects the box, now wrapped in canvas, thanking Bao for his time. To the manservant, he merely nods.
An interesting encounter.
Dare Mo was unsure of the meaning of the strange behavior of both Xun Rui Bao and his servant, and wouldn't waste any time dwelling on it now. He would carry out his orders.
Returning to the alley, he removes his false facial hair and changes from the Hoshi robes into the clean commoner's clothes in his sack. After carefully untying the string holding the canvas together, he places the jawbone necklace inside, on top of the box, and ties the package once again, securing the note to the outside.
Xun Rui Bao Cartage Company, Warehouse
Lanzhu
He finds the back door to the warehouse and sets the box down against the wall, where it would not immediately observed by whomever opens the door, and knocks.
In The Temple: Naradil and Gwen give Azami a flinty-eyed look. They exchange glances, then, and seem to reach some kind of agreement; here is a warrior, and a westerner no less.
"Rhon was on one of his "secret" quests." intones Gwen in her cold, flat voice. "It's not an uncommon thing for him to go off on his own without telling us what he's doing. Doesn't want to give us 'false expectations' is his usual line. This time he said Eru was missing and he thought he had a lead under the university. Led us down a ton of stairs, and when we got to the bottom there was hell waiting; near a dozen delvers were tearing the place apart, and there were other weird aberrations besides. They were all fighting each other, and we just got stuck in the middle of it. Rhon immediately changed tacks, said we had to rescue some professor. He took off into the thick of it. Of course we followed."
Naradil picks up in his booming basso. "He went to a cavern that looked like it had been inhabited. It had a back exit out that went down even further. We took it. Things set upon us in the dark. If it wasn't for Earanthil, we wouldn't have gotten out of that one. Sure of it. Eventually we reached a dungeon of some sort. Really old place. Dust everywhere, but footprints, too. You could hear a spellcaster chanting, and suddenly Rhon and Earanthil get all excited and breathless, start pushing forward real fast. Too fast. Ghar tried to warn 'em but he's too late; they sprung a trap. Earanthil and Gilly get swooped up in nets, rest of us make it out a side tunnel as a hundred guards rush in."
Gwen finishes the tale; "We looped around, or we tried anyway, but the tunnels didn't make any damn sense the way they were layed out; it was like the walls were moving or something. Anyway we can still hear this crazy spellcaster chanting away. Finally Rhon figures it out; there's a ventilation system, that's how we can hear 'im. Sure enough up by the ceiling is a square hole, and guess what elf is just the right size to fit down there? So in he goes. We eventually triangulate and find the room, but it's a fight. In it, though, is some kind of ritual going on. There's purple stuff all over. Flowers everywhere. G!* d&*n flowers. You can't see anything. And there's this giant spider. Rhon is on the floor and there's a lich standing over him with a little vial. I throw one of my swords and it stabs right through the son of a b**!#. While he's dealing with a blessed weapon through his gullet Nara lights the place up. We grab Rhon, we get out. Along the way we lose Fezza. Ghar disappears. Eventually we find the trip for this door, and here we are."
There's a pause. Naradil speaks again. "I got no idea how we ended up here. But I've never fought so many foul and vicious bastards as I have down there. People. Constructs. Living stone. Trees. Flowers. It's crazy down there." The bitter and brutal Gorumite turns and gives Tokine an almost accusatory look. "I mean, what the hell do you people keep under your city?"
@Imuri: A missive arrives from the palace bearing the seal of the emperor himself. He didn't write it, of course, but it would at least have been dictated by his blessed mouth.
Kano Toshiro will tonight deliver a poetry recital on the theme of mono no aware.
This will occur before and after tonight's state dinner.
It will please us for each House to bring a haiku on this theme for Toshiro-san to declaim.
You yourself have seen Toshiro-san perform and know him to be a fine actor. Mercurial, perhaps, and definitely reclusive, but a master of his craft. His appearances are rare and always cause a tremendous stir in the city.
Outside, hail pounds the bonsai.
@Chu: At the university is utter chaos. One of the buildings has nearly caved in and people are running everywhere. A large detachment from the army is present, though, and has the ruined building cordoned off. A man you recognize -- Major Niro -- is in charge.
@Dare Mo: The door opens almost immediately. It is Lu. He gives a shallow bow of acknowledgment and hands you three things; an envelope, a key, and an amulet. He looks neither left nor right, only into your eyes. He says nothing.
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Chu looked on at the ruined building with a empty gaze, yet another pitfall in the road to discovering what San Pen has gotten himself in. Professor Yeo was his extra piece in this game of Go. If he couldn't find the Professor he would have to face Madam Daiyu and she was well versed in this game of lies and subtleties. He pooled his Ki and used it to make himself appear taller before he strode up to Major Niro with an air of arcane superiority. "Honor be with you always Major Niro, Where do you need me?" He looks about the scene and puts a hand on Kotei no kiba as he prepared himself for the fight ahead.
He would find Professor Yeo if he could, but he would not sacrifice citizens of the Empire during his search for San Pen. No, he would help to crush what was happening here and continue on. As he focused his Ki his scales glowed with the surge of arcane might he had at his disposal. The sooner he helped to crush this madness the sooner he could continue his investigation.
Besides he had a schedule to keep...
Azami cannot help but also look to Madame Curator with Naradil and Gwen, thinking that underneath the city was but one of many layers to the Empire.
But then she turns to peer at Rhon, how deathly he looks. He was far beyond anything she could do.
She reaches into her kimono to the pouch hanging low around her neck, pulling out the ring with the plum blossom stone. "Did the flowers look like this? she asks the bloodied warriors, still gazing at the elf.
@Azami: Gwen and Naradil both grimace and nod. "Damned things were everywhere." says the big half-elf.
@Chu: The major salutes you smartly. "Sir!" he barks, "There are currently no combat operations underway. We are now engaged in search-and-rescue. If you wish to aid, I will welcome it, but my men have things well in hand." Past him, you can see the stairs leading down to the Professor's area are mostly intact and easily traversible. Soldiers are indeed pulling rubble aside, pulling out hurt students and faculty.
Why? Why did she know so little about the Plum Blossom Syndicate? She knew of them, of course; as a palace guard, it was hard to not be aware of the city's dark underbelly at least in name. But why hadn't she thought to consider looking more deeply into the crime ring? She should have found some clue, some hint, yes? Instead she had waited for the answers to come to her, thinking her patron household too small to be important to anyone such as the Plum Blossom Syndicate. Why had it taken the revelation of the emperor to tell her where she should have been looking all these years?
The answer was staring her in the face. Politics. She didn't have the skills to maneuver the damned slippery paths necessary to learn who had been responsible for the slaughter, to dance among courtiers and tease secrets from their silk tongues. She'd eschewed such manipulations and techniques as purposeless to her goals.
Now, everywhere she looked, there were Plum Blossoms staring her in the face, a galling reminder of her narrow-sighted bumbling. And on the ground, proof of the Syndicate's methods lay dying, just as others had bled out years ago.
"Plum Blossom Syndicate." Her fingers curl over the ring as though she would crush it to dust if she were able, the blunt edges of her nails pressing into her palm as her fist falls to her side.
Azami glances between Naradil, Gwen and Tokine, asking through gritted teeth, "Can we do anything for him? What's happened to him?" Just as soon as they determined whether this elf's future was a bed or a grave, she would inquire more about the Plum Blossom Syndicate.
Without question or protest, Dare Mo trades the package for the objects Lu offers. He bows and departs.
This work done, he would return to the sanctum to deposit his disguises and see to some much needed healing and a couple hours' rest.
The apprentice would not return with his possessions until after nightfall, but he would not need them. Tonight, he would be invisible.
Taking the gem from Azami would be all too easy. This Kylara... he recalled no elf among the guests save the vile queen, certainly none who could have taken the statue. So she was the mysterious figure in the garden.
An interesting figure. Impulsive, brash, overconfident to reveal herself as she did. She didn't steal for profit, she stole for thrills.
Neither motive swayed Dare Mo, but that didn't matter. He could understand them well enough to turn them against his enemy. She would jump at the chance to play his game, but she would not have that chance.
Kylara was not the opponent. She was the game.
@Azami: Naradil's brow furrows and he looks over at you. "Yeah, those guys. 'Plum Blossom'. 'Bout the only thing Rhon said that I could make heads or tails of was that he had a lead that they were linked with the Emperor. Or maybe he said 'Empire'. I don't remember. Emperor or Empire, one of the two."
At this response from Naradil, Azami's brows rise significantly. "What?"
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Chu salutes Major Niro and nods towards where the men are working over by the stairs. "I will do my best to aid you and your men, I specialize in battle magic but I do have a pair of hands so I can pitch in. If you see Professor Yeo let him know I wish to speak with him. Thank you, Major Niro."
After giving the Major another quick salute, he moved towards the stairwell and proceeded to head down and assist any injured people get to the surface. With each trip he would work his way lower down the stairs. He made sure to maintain his wards and protections as he prepared himself to find the Professor.
@Azami: Ever eloquent, Naradil shrugs. He turns to Tokine, who is nearest Rhon. "So hey, is he dead or what?"
Kyras follows up Azami's incredulous exclamation with one of his own. "What, you don't think that's the sort of important detail you might want to remember? It's not like we can ask Rhon, since his soul is trapped outside his body with magic. Can you undo the weaving that is reality? Because that's what it's going to take to get him out of this! You would have been better off just leaving him there. This is just an empty shell at this point, and probably would have been better off stuck closer to his soul." He is angry at this point, but the Dragon does not leap out. "Tell me about the spellcaster that did this. Every little detail you can remember."
Imuri sends a reply to the Palace that the Shoto delegation will be attending the post-dinner recital as a statement that individual agendae should be put aside in the presence of the Emperor. This will also serve the purpose that Shoto spies will be less suspicious during the first performance, so that the Spider's response will be stronger than believed should someone use our absence as the reason to stage an attack at the first recital.
Imuri also send the missive to his parents, in the event one of them wants to write the haiku. It should be a perfect haiku, characteriaed by maintaining toughtful focus on a single poignant moment. As an added benefit, it should be difficult for the master to fully perform the first time - a complicated mixture of emotions. That way in the second recital he will give it great attention.
Kyras' diagnosis does nothing to relieve either her surprise or growing sense of wariness about everything she thought she knew - such a far cry from the certainty she felt before her banner this morning.
Azami returns the ring to the pouch under her kimono; as much as it is unfortunate, Rhon Tai is not her problem. But Kyras is, and when he asks for more information with that tone that suggests he may consider reentering those catacombs, she turns to watch this exchange carefully.
"Kyras appears to have the right of it. He appears beyond my healing."
"But as to what is below the city, until you popped out into my temple, I was not aware that there were such tunnels down there, or that they provide access into our midst."
Following the story, Tokine asks, "Was the wizard wearing a rich azure blue? Or anyone there in such robes. There is a group that claims to oppose the Plum Blossums on behalf of the Defunct Chan Dynasty. Rhon and I had been investigating them. They believe they represent a rightful older Empire. Could it have been them?" She does not want to consider the alternative
@Dare Mo: The three items Lu gave you make for an interesting puzzle; the envelope, when opened, contains a recipe for a tea, including a reference to a plant you've never heard of. The key has the number 13 on the handle. The amulet looks like a clock on which the hands have been melted off.
@Chu: The lower levels were the first ones evacuated, so it does not take a long time for you to find yourself at the bottom level of this building, looking at a broad wooden door that has been blasted off its hinges and is now hanging at a crazy angle. By your guess, no explosion was involved, the door was simple smashed open. The rock all around looks shaped the way an artist would shape wet clay. It is as if some power melted the rock and then shaped it to their desired form. Beyond this ruined archway is a 50' tunnel that leads, it appears, to a very large cavern. There are torches and braziers everywhere, and even though many are guttering or extinguished, light is not a problem. You hear flowing water and the *tink-tink* sound of mining tools coming from within.
In The Temple: Azami leaves, suddenly, without saying anything.
Naradil and Gwen both turn to look at Kyras. The big half-elf strides over to the Warbanian. "Maybe I'm not a wizard, okay, and maybe I dunno anything of whatever the hell it is you're talking about. Maybe I just knew that a man was down and where I'm from you don't leave men behind to die at the hands of g@~@*!n lich bastards if it can at all be helped! You're Warbanian, ain'tcha? Yer runty for a Warbo but I can see the traits. You of all people oughta understand that you don't leave men behind!" Naradil is out of ammo, but he does still have his bow, his magicked greatsword, and a couple handaxes. He is getting right up in Kyras's face and talking in a menacing, low cadence.
Gwen, who is still over by Tokine and Rhon, speaks up. "You're the dragon-guy, right? Rhon seemed to think you were pretty important. But that was Rhon. Not us. Don't press your luck, pretty boy." She scowls at Kyras. She then looks down at Rhon's still body and speaks to no one in particular, or everyone. "The lich wasn't wearing blue. No one was, far as I recall. Lots of pinks and purples. Those damned flowers! There were doors everywhere. Dozens of doors. There was a shelf with other glass baubles. Looked like what wizards keep crap in. I saw human remains in a corner, or similar. Might have not been human, I dunno. All the doors were numbered, most of them were open. There were other...people, too. They just were doing, you know, stuff. Moving things around. They were kinda scurrying but ignoring the fight. It was really weird. They were like coolies or busboys or laborers or something."
Gwen reaches down and picks Rhon back up. "Anyway, we left four people back down there. We have to suit up and go after them."
Naradil, still staring flintily up into Kyras's eyes, says "Five."
"Ghar can take care of himself."
The half-elf grunts.
Azami suddenly returns with Princess del Solarian in tow. The young elf gasps when she sees Rhon and her hands fly to her mouth like startled birds.
"Rhon! No! Oh by the...wh-what happened?!"
Gwen rolls her eyes. "DAMmit! I do NOT have time for this! Eru, if you wanna know, come with us. We're heading back to the inn and can explain on the way."
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Chu didn't like the look of any of this and marveled at how the rock was reformed. Either a power pellcaster or a creature was at work here. What surprised him the most was that none of the guard were down here investigating. He quickly gathered his Ki and summoned up another small amount of force, creating an invisible shield of force that hovered in front of him. He was no where near invulnerable but, between his invisible armor and shield, it was a good start.
He couldn't rely on the guard, not yet at leat, he couldn't have them come make noise and foul up what was going on down here. No, he would investigate the sound of mining and try and locate Professor Yeo. He hoped that she was alright, because if she wasn't it would be hard if not impossible to get her out on his own.
As he slithered his way forward he stuck to the shadows and kept his hands free incase he needed to cast quickly. His eyes easily pierced the surrounding shadows and his tongue continually tasted the air as he made his way deeper.
If it had been her, she would have wanted to know;royal titles and ages aside, they are Mambani and share a vision of a new world.
Azami fixes Erudima with a steady gaze, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her tone is careful, almost sympathetic. Is there anything Rhon said to you before he left about what he was going to do, anything he said about the Plum Blossom Syndicate, the Emperor...
Tokine's voice is soft and passionate as she seeks to ease the tension, "Please be at peace Gwen and Naradil. We understand from your tale what you must have gone through and what still awaits you down there."
But her voice takes on a different tone, a harder tone, as she continues, "You came unbidden to the defense of this temple, and Rhon has been invaluable in the short time I have known him. Please, let this temple now help you. The Plum Blossoms are not only your enemies, and we here are not your only potential allies. Allow me to gather what information I can. The fact that you have been in the Plum Blosom's sanctum is invaluable. I would like nothing more than to take the fight to them as they have struck at me and my circle of friends as well, with one friend is dead and another missing due to their plots."
"I can't speak for the others, but I would like to help you go back. Let me speak with others that feel as I do, to perhaps lend their aid as well. If you would but wait for word from me at your inn?"
@Azami: Eru shakes her head gently. "I...I know nothing of his intent. He left on this mission when I was held captive, when you and Kyras came to...to rescue me."
@Tokine: Gwen gives you a polite nod. "At least someone appreciates what we do around here." she growls. "We'll head back to our inn. If we have no word by nightfall, we go in alone. C'mon Naradil."
Naradil narrows his eyes at Kyras, then walks over and helps Gwen carry Rhon's still form out of the temple.
@Chu: As you are walking down the battered and weirdly-shaped corridor, you can very clearly taste other serpent creatures, but not more serpentfolk like yourself; it is the scent of the Professor, who you know is an ancient Naga. Apparently she hears you, too, because you hear a voice old as mountains speak from within: "Llloyall Sssssshadow. Why am I not sssssssurprissssssed to ssssssee you."
@Chu: Walking the scant distance down the hall, you are greeted by a stunning vista, made all the moreso by how surprising it is to have found it down here. The short hallway you walk down terminates at a landing that overlooks a giant cave, rife with minerals, gems, ores, all manner of shining things. A small creek runs through the center of the floor. The landing you are on is at least 50' in the air and the ceiling is another 100' above that. The far wall must be 300 feet away. Stairs lead to the floor on the right and left. Above are other little ledges and landings and more stairs. Everywhere are other tunnel entrances. There are no torches, but ghostly little lights flit about here and there, their purple or blue or green or orange lights caught and reflected by the fortune's worth of ores laying un-mined in the walls here. Some of the rock is shattered or re-formed in the same strange way as the hall and door, but otherwise this looks like an almost entirely natural formation.
There is a heavy sliding sound, and a giant serpent raises its head to your level. A cobra-like hood fans out to reveal a sinisterly beautiful and impossibly ancient human female face. The face is scarred and worn but still noble. The eyes are wise and kind and despite the presence of a forked tongue flashing between lethal-looking fangs, the mouth smiles genuinely. Strange, arcane markings cover the behemoth's scales. Its head is perhaps five feet tall, maybe more, and its coils stretch and wind and disappear amongst the boulders and stalagmites on the floor.
It is professor Yeo, who is also an Ancient Guardian Naga. Though still smiling, she eyes you somewhat warily.
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Despite the tension in the Professors coils, Chu gives her a respectful bow. Deeper then he would give many, because he wasn't just respecting her rank but also her age and great wisdom. Keeping things quiet he created a telepathic connection with Professor Yeo to avoid being overheard. {I had come to seek your guidance on a small matter when I saw the commotion outside. I hope you are unharmed? Are you in need of any assistance Professor Yeo?}
Chu remained relaxed and adjusted to strangeness of the place, as he tried not to betray the fact he was ready to move if he needed to. He kept a small part of his attention on his surroundings and focused mainly on the Professor as he continued to taste the air. His hands remained free of his weapons but he didn't dismiss his armor or shield, he was sure that whatever had happened here wasn't over yet.
Tokine's strong response earns an affirming nod from her to the warriors, although she had not known about their involvement in protecting the Temple earlier. She favors the Curator with an appreciative glance, even if she is unlikely to catch it; her bravery is noted in Azami's eyes. There is no love in her heart for the Syndicate, and if she could strike a blow to their secret catacombs, she would be that much closer to her goals. Perhaps she had found the path, after all.
Azami recalls their discussion the previous night, when Erudima indicated she had spoken with Rhon, and that he had possibly uncovered a terrible secret. She had hoped that there had been more, perhaps, but it is obvious the girl knows nothing else. Naradil's hazy suggestion of a connection between the Plum Blossom Syndicate and the Emperor was all she was going to get.
The mere hint of such an affiliation was enough to set her teeth on edge.
She quietly notes the tense exchange between the two wounded fighters and Kyras-- obviously further words had been exchanged while she was retrieving the princess. Given Kyras' arrogant assault on their actions, she is certain he well deserves their ire. The tone had even made her bristle, as she would not have known better than they in such a situation.
Azami watches the two beaten up warriors leave with the body of the scholar, aware that the two of them could easily slaughter everyone in the temple even in their current weakened condition. She is thinking of the ring in her pouch, and of speaking to the Captain to find out what he would say of it privately. Azami speaks low to one of the interns, learning where she might find the bathhouse, before turning to Tokine.
She gives the lovely woman a small, reverent bow, creating something of a comical scene as her hair is still utterly disheveled around her face, her braid having unwound itself halfway up. "Madame Curator. My arm is with yours against the Syndicate and in the rescue of Rhon Tai. We should consider what we already have in hand. Will you bring this discovery to Shoto at tea this morning?"
Tokine looks up upon hearing her name. With the warriors leaving, she had been staring at where the secret opening had been just moments ago.
"The young Shoto ..." He plays at the game of houses too much to trust in all things, but his defense and love of the city is genuine. ...yes. His associates are perhaps the closest to knowing this Syndicate. And he has the resources of his house. Instead of the play war we were involved in yesterday, it seems the real war has been under the city for quite some time. A passage right into my temple...I can only imagine similar passages to the palace and other important buildings. The Enryines seemed to want to test our defenses, but the Plum Blossoms can likely strike at any moment into the heart of the city and leave us defenseless....so yes. We tell the Shotos and all the other allies we can garner."
Azami nods and turns away, heading back to the room to obtain her soap and comb before she heads to a much needed bath. Noting the tea tray she knocked over previously, she gathers the teapot and cups onto the tray, sopping up a thread of liquid with her sleeve; she will return the service to one of the interns on her way to the bathhouse.
Tokine goes and meets with her staff to set assignments for the day. She has some initial ideas for the mono no aware. She doesn't like them but hopes pulling the pieces from the collection and assembling them will inspire her to find the proper pieces.
Actually she feels she can create the exact piece she needs if she only had time....well she has time for this....
Only moments later she smiles at her creation. It will do in a pinch. Clearly Shelyn even had a hand in its creation. She then hurries to clean up.
She makes some final adjustments to her attire and appearance and is ready to travel to the Shoto tea service. She goes to the lobby to see if her companions are also ready.
@Chu: The professor hisses softly. "I have thingssss under control. Thisssss incursssion wassss ssssurprisssing in itssss intenssssity, but blesssssedly sssshort. May I asssssume your 'sssssmall matter' is official palaccccccce bussssinesssss?"
You notice a group of tiny humanoids, no bigger than halflings and possessed of grey skin and huge eyes, all wearing mining gear with lights on their helmets, working in and amongst the rocks.
@Imuri: A pair of servants arrive with messages for you; the first states that your mother has granted your request for an audience. It will occur as part of the midday meal. The second message is to inform you that the delegation from the Imperial Temple of Cultural Affairs has arrived for morning tea.
@Azami, @Tokine, @Kyras: The weather is horrible. A driving rain seems to be flinging big, cold drops of water down on you with a vengeance, as if it means you ill. The water strikes the cobbles and shingles with such force that bits of gunk and old masonry and dirt clods and rat corpses all end up whooshing down the gutters and towards the sewers. Mixed in with the rain, hailstones occasionally *ping* and *tok* off your armor and wide hats. Even the mists are uncharacteristically listless today, clinging to the stones of the city as if for dear life, giving things a startling clarity even as the rain obliterates the near horizon and anything beyond fifty feet.
Pedestrians are few on this day, for good reason. Shadows, however, abound. Twice the three of you catch glimpses of things moving by alley entrances, both times you are able to spot nothing there when you turn.
Thunder booms as you cross market street, the wide boulevard of shops, taverns, eateries, and artisans' apartments that separate the City House district from the near neighborhoods. From there the distance to the Gossamer Palace is short, and there is blessedly a wide overhang under which to dry yourself with what magics you may possess prior to being shown inside.
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Chu regards the little humanoids with his usual blank expression but he was amused to see them around the professor, like an odd symbiotic relationship. Still maintaining his telepathic connection to her he nods in acknowledgment when she says 'Palace Business'. {I had come to ask you if you had any information about San Pen. But I can return another time if you wish.}