Largely here for provisions, the party is back on the road quickly afterwards. After two or three hours of backtracking, the carriage is on a road towards the lands of the howlers.

It's, again, quite a distance.

The two hired carriage drivers speak to you little, but are willing to discuss anything you'd like. They are quiet professionals who've made these journeys many times.

Again, it takes a few days before you notice significant difference in the type of ground you are treading, but it's quite a difference by the end of the third as the ground becomes increasingly sandy. It's still soil rather than sand at this point though. The wind picks up as well, and if you were mortal you'd be glad to be on the inside of the carriage.

Atop, the two drivers shiver a bit, but wear buff jackets and heavy scarves for warmth. They were quite professional, and acted as though "The Infnite" was the boss of this expedition (probably because he'd paid). Gaja feels a certain familiarity as the terrain becomes increasingly familiar.

The loose soil is terrible to drive across, but the ancient stone roads, said to have been here when the Patrian empire had first settled upon it, were still in good condition. There were small areas that were damaged, but even these had been replaced with more traditional stonework and repaired, at least on this side of the border.

Eventually, the party reaches a small village at the edge of "civilized" territory. Warning signs begin dotting the road, and the occasional sign of battle can be seen by the edge of the road. There is a military and trade outpost, just a bit too small to be a town, where the carriage stops. Unlike the previous walled towns the city has visited, the guards here look on edge, and the only areas outside of the fortified walls are a few large slaves camps, mostly unpopulated.

The carriage came to a halt, the ever present clacking of the wheels on stone finally becoming silent as the driver pulled off the road to a rest station. One of the drivers began making arrangements to have the horses cared for while the other addressed the pantheon.

"Welcome to the Edge of Nowhere, gentlemen and ladies. This is as far as the carriage can go, given how bad the roads and how lawless the areas beyond here are.

We'll wait for you here for 12 days. That is far more time than you should need to get to where you need to go." He hands Vissio a small map, and gives a brief bow to Plaga. "This is a map of the local area. If I were you, lords and ladies, I wouldn't head out there without an armed escort. Most of the mercs inside are Falchetto or Schivone affiliates: they won't just kill you and take your stuff. You can also get horses or other mounts.. not that all of you will need them."

Giant scorpions, of course, had no difficulty crossing this terrain, so that would be one problem easily addressed.

[OOC - Anyone want to hire anyone, look for rumors, or whatnot, just let me know. The village/outpost is officially called Edge, and it essentially exists as a staging ground for people to trade/raid the howlers, or launch expeditions. Very few citizens actually live here, but there's a wide range of scholars, mercenaries and slavers. Otherwise, I'll post the journey to the cave next.]

Vasati took the map gratefully, looking over it twice before handing it to Increase Scholar.

"How many people live within this village?"

He asked, pulling out his tobacco pouch and beginning the ritual of rolling several cigarillos.

"And why have they not called for regional support against the Falchetto or Schivones?  Are they perhaps all also under the thumb of these two houses?  Loyal servants and terrorized informants?  If that is so, we should be about our way quickly, taking only what mounts and supplies we need."

He turned to the others, tapping his temple.

"My whispers have told me exactly where to find what we seek, but once we have our prize, I am not so sure I can find the way back to this little shit hole."

He turned their escorts and flashed them an extremely apologetic smile, offering them two of his rolled cigarillos in recompense.

"I could find our way all the way back to our dear city, but that is quite the journey.  Signora Gaja, are you at all familiar with this area?  Surely you have the desertcraft to see us safely through.  If not, we should hire a guide, and figure out a reason we should trust them."

---

Along the journey, Vasati had been full of questions for the others, and had sought many of them out individually.

"Signora Plaga, I have good news to share with you, if you will hear it!  I have been quite successful in my efforts to secure favor with the guild. I wouldn't go so far to say that they trust me, but they certainly respect me.  How goes your own efforts to secure your operations, and when will you be requiring my largesse?  I certainly have the funds ready, if you have need of them."

---

Claire Durand too, had met with his attention.

"Ah, Signora Durand, I must admit to far too much ignorance as to your name and accomplishments.  I am familiar with the circumstances around that rather miraculous iceburg, and very little else.  If you do not mind, I am a collector of legends and tales, I would very much like to hear of you what you are comfortable sharing?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:48, Sat 02 Feb 2019.

When inquired about her intentions, Plaga nodded respectfully to Vasati, approving of his good work.

"I have been presented with the opportunity of investigating a matter of a personal concern, so I'm afraid I'm not fully aware of how my operation has been evolving during my absence. Once I return to town, I'm sure it won't take long until we are ready to proceed with the project. I'll keep you updated."

Once they had reached Edge, Plaga smirked behind her mask when the drivers implied their group would need an escort. But was then surprised to hear Vasati show concern about the two houses. She hadn't heard about them before, but if Vasati was concerned about them, they surely where people to be mindful of. Of course, the possibility of Vasati pretending wouldn't be a surprise.

OOC: Plaga won't do any investigations per se, but would walk the streets using her Death word to "know the details of what, where, and how anything dies or is dying within 100 feet of them" to get an idea of how bad things are within Edge.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:30, Sat 02 Feb 2019.

Claire nodded to Vasati. "There's not much to tell, really," she said, pulling back her hat briefly to show her mechanical ears before covering them again. "I am XI-3-Claire, musical and combat automaton, created in the Bright Republic. I was an idol singer for the Bright Records Company, before I was sold off. I don't know why." She smiled just a bit. "I also don't know why they gave me military-grade etheric weapons, flight capability, or the ability to trap a leviathan in ice, but they have proven useful in aiding my friends. I do intend to ask someone in the future. What about yourself? I'm afraid I know nothing of you - you weren't with us on the Isle."

"If we are going openly, I won't need a horse. I can run or fly at roughly equal speed with no need to stop for food or rest."

The guards outside watching the slaves give you odd looks: probably understandable, given that not many private carriages come all the way out to edge. The high walls and towers give you a glance, but are more focused on looking for trouble.

Vasati's eyebrows rose a solid inch each when Claire pulled aside her cap.

"That is..."

He scratched a hand through his hair.

"That is quite a lot of names and words I am not exactly as familiar with as I would like to be, I am afraid.  I don't have much experience with the Bright Republic, it was never a land I passed through in my considerable travels.  A military au-to-ma-ton you say?"

He sounded out each syllable of the word, clearly unfamiliar with it.

"It certainly sounds impressive, even if you remain somewhat unclear of your initial purpose.  Ah, but you have found a new one yes?  I am hoping that I am included among your friends.  I like having friends."

He patted her on the back enthusiastically, clearly unconcerned with her non-mortal nature.

"As for me?  I am a keeper of things long lost and forgotten, a chronicler of tales and legends.  Recently out of retirement, in fact."

He leaned in close to whisper conspiratorially.

"I'm also a rather talented thief, recently successful too, which is why I'm here with you all and not back home in my lovely city."

He leaned back out and flashed Gaja a smile.

"What is with you all and your insistence on flying everywhere?  I'll admit there are few sensations like it, but it's not exactly subtle.  We are here to be sneaky though, no? If I misunderstood, please correct me of my ignorance."

He turned and looked at Increase Scholar.

"And you, Signor Saggio, do you also wish to take flight?  Or is your tale more humble than these brave companions?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:27, Sat 02 Feb 2019.

  Their local guide, as it were, had ridden outrider for most of the trip, too far in advance of the carriage to communicate except by hand signals.  By the time the others had reached Edge, she had Szkarik tethered in a proper paddock for a creature his size.  She's all smiles, walking up, and greets Vasati's question with a boisterous laugh.

  "Oh!  I haven't told you, mister thief?  We are in My lands, now.  I walk here as you do in your city.  We will come to no harm.  But..."  She gives Claire an appraising once-over.  "If she does not make a big scene, how will we announce ourselves to every raider in half a day's ride?"

  "Wait for me!" she cries out before anyone has time to determine exactly whom she's teasing or about what, turning toward a low, broad building near the road.  The dull knocking sounds of practice dummies being lain into were just loud enough to be heard from behind it—the mercenary soldiers staying in practice, most likely.  "I am going to bring a messenger with us!  Sarnai, bring the paper from the Falchetto woman that makes them obey."

---

Gaja would like someone from that family to be able to confirm the parts of what comes next that she lets them know about.  And Roberta did offer aid, so I figure Gaja probably has a minor writ or something.  She doesn't know what it says.
This is not me saying I'm leaving the scorpion behind.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:05, Sat 02 Feb 2019.

Claire simply nodded as Vasati spoke of friends, then turned to Gaja. "I'm sorry, I couldn't tell if that was sarcasm. Does this mission require us to announce ourselves to the raiders?"

Sarnai made her way up with some papers, trying not to laugh. If you were going to lie, you might as well do it brazenly. "Thats not.. never mind." She wisely shut up, trying to conceal a smile.


[OOC - So, shall we carry on to the cave then?]

"Horses then, or is Signora Gaja going to get her wish, and I will give us all the sky?  It won't be subtle, but it will make quite the tale."

Vasati said, and it was impossible to tell if he was joking.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:02, Sun 03 Feb 2019.

  "I think you should suit yourselves," Gaja replies with a cryptic smile.  "I know how to speak to my people.  And you will do me no harm by bringing their attention to us.  But maybe save your theater for out in the wilds, so we don't get these soldiers too curious, hm?"  She waves toward the barracks and the nearby public house.

  "Get your horses.  Heaven knows Sarnai has been too long without.  Szkarik and I will wait for you on the edge of the Edge."

Vasati gave a gracious bow.

"Signora Sarnai, perhaps you could assist me with securing some mounts for us?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:17, Sun 03 Feb 2019.

Sarnai doesn't quite jump up and down with at the prospect of getting back on a horse, but you can certainly see it in her eyes as she nods solemnly and smiles at Vastai's request.

Between Vasati's cash and Sarnai's eye for horseflesh, you are quickly agree to buy mounts.
Sarnai ends up going for four clean limbed, athletic horses, after eliminating a few immediately as being bait for suckers.

The tavern turns out to be a bit of a bore: it's the only one in town, and those inside are tired and primarily there for a drink. The mercs seem to eye you more up as a potential customer.. or a threat, then as a guest, and you don't get the idea that any scholars in town want to talk to you.

After you gear up, you and make your way in the general direction of the cave in Vasati's vision. Scholar finds reading the questionable charts reasonably easy (an advantage to knowing nearly anything) and of course Claire's GPS system and ability to fly and Gaja's ability to simply... know the desert certainly makes travel trival. Though she has to maintain a slight distance from the horses (who are perhaps justifiably skitish around a giant scorpion).

The desert is quite cold - further inward it would be substantially warmer, but here, it's actually quite chill. Sarnai seems fairly comfortable inspite of this, and of course, the rest of you don't really qualify as human any more, and the horses are quite used to the chill of the desert wind.

Eventually, Vasati find an outcropping that looks very familiar to the one in his vision. This should be the place.

[OOC - I'm just trying to keep things moving. However, if anyone wants to do something substantial in town, I'll happily backtrack/retcon till it works.]

Increase accepts the map and familiarizes himself with the details. It takes a few moments but he drags out the exercise in an attempt to appear more natural to any unseen onlookers.

"There are approximately 250 permanent residents and as for why they do not call for regional support I imagine it is a multifaceted issue. The Falchetto are employed to defend this area with their mercenaries, giving them a degree of control into...events that might occur."

---

When asked to share his story Increase spoke plainly.

"I was born in Lom and as my name dictated I became a scholar. I was groomed to serve the antipriests of True Reason as a scribe. It wasn't until I discovered the truth of their ways that I left my homeland. I dedicated myself to the pursuit of knowledge and inevitably sold myself into slavery so that I could learn the secrets of immortality. That is where I meet my current allies."

---

I have no desires within the compound.

Increase breathes the cold desert air and is reminded of Lom and its bitter weather; how nostalgic.

"So, let me go over this a last time, to make sure I'm not missing out on any details. Once we reach the cave, what's the plan?"

Vasati lived up to his boast, telling a seemingly never ending series of tales of adventure as they gathered their supplies and mounts.  As Sarnai was purchasing the horses, he wove alternating tales of some of the great races of Vissio, interspersed with a mirthful story about a Howler horsewoman of unrivaled skill.  He was generous with his coin, seemingly unconcerned with running out of funds, or the kinds of attention such obvious wealth would draw.

Within the tavern, he switched to myths and legends that all seemed to involve Raktine bandits and sell-swords biting off more than they could chew, the seemingly helpless victims of their exploits always revealing themselves to be wandering demons, trickster fey, or curse ridden monsters.  He smiled mischievously at the mercenaries in the tavern, taking time to eye them each time he elaborated at length on a particularly gruesome detail of the highwaymen's demise.  Along the journey, his stories switched over to tales of Kasirutan treasure seekers, but he became quite when Plaga asked what was next in their journey.

"Once we find the cave, we withdraw a ways and make camp for the night."

He said plainly.

"I will need to get eyes on it first, and then fresh eyes on it in the morning.  Once we've settled in round a nice fire, I will have a better idea of what to do next.  Besides, we need to wait up a bit to see if any stragglers catch up to us.  We don't want them finding us when we are on our way out.  Better to catch them now, and have a little chat, no?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:12, Tue 05 Feb 2019.

Claire had no idea how to sit a horse, so instead she jogged along next to the steeds. On the other hand, she could in fact match the horses' pace without any apparent difficulty. She didn't speak much on the way, but she smiled a couple of times at Vasati's jokes and more comical tales.

"If some of you need to sleep, then I will take watch," said Claire in response when Vasati mentioned the camp, not even pausing to breathe as she kept pace next to the cantering horses.

"I can assist Miss Claire on that. Besides, standing watch alone would get lonely far too quickly, I'm sure. We haven't really have a chance to know each other, this may be as good of an opportunity as any".

  "I can do without,"  Gaja offered as she approached.  She'd released her scorpion to stalk a herd of what had looked like featherless ostriches, and was only just getting back from something about "scent-marking their camp" for it to return to.  "But I should probably lie down all the same."  It sounds vaguely suggestive when she says it, and it's never clear whether she knows her voice does that thing.

  "We haven't met anything that could contest us since that barter god, and they know they have been seen, so I think they will be expecting trouble.  If they are foolish enough to bring magic into the wastes, they will be foolish enough to use it here, so we should all be as lively as we can."

  "And besides," she says, shooting Sarnai a conspiratorial smile.  As she turns to continue, Vasati catches her eye, and the last wisps of her smile are perhaps a different kind of conspiratorial.  "It has been too long since I've stirred a fire that wasn't boxed in.  It has been a long journey.  Let us take one night to say goodbye to the sky before we descend into the earth."

[OOC - It'll take a day for you to get there, so camping out and having a night to talk before you really get there is perfectly reasonable.

Also, I was absurdly busy today.]

That night, as you rest and learn a bit more about each other, things go relatively quietly during the evening.

Once the sun goes down, and the cold descends on the desert with shocking speed. The horses huddle together for warmth, and those not immune to cold feel a chill to the bone. The desert is quite cold at night at this time of year.

The wind is an occasional annoyance, but your camping position at a rock outcropping gives you some shielding, particularly with your tents and jackets recommended by the Sarnai and the guides. At least the air is dry, making the cold temperatures at least somewhat tolerable. High above you, the stars shine brightly since you are away from the city. It also makes it possible to start a fire, though there isn't much vegetation out here.

Sarnai seems happy to be away from civilization. She's gotten a bit more confident over the past few weeks around the rest of the pantheon, and was far less broken than most of the other slaves that joined up with them. Though it's clear Plaga still scares her. "It's good to be out in the wild again."

[Anyone want to do anything during the night, let me know, otherwise I'll start posting the cave tomorrow. Also, feel free to start a soft RP segment in another thread or through PM's if you want to have any conversations with a particular NPC/PC.

I believe Sarnai is the only NPC with you, though you can say you brought pretty much anyone NPC you want]

Increase considers the possibilities and relents.

"I must rest."

With that Increases sets to establishing the camp for the night. He doesn't require much and is honestly impressed with how comfortable the tents and ground are. All the same when the sound of the winds began to irritate he casually exerted his zenith will and erected a barrier of stone to obscure the path of the wind blowing through their camp.

  "Yes," Gaja concurs gently.  "You must.  But only because you never dance with me."

  With a stomp, she breaks a crack in the rock she'd perched on, and water begins to pour out.  In seconds, a pool forms.  In minutes, plants begin to grow that should take months.  By the time Increase finishes breaking camp, he's doing it in an established oasis, with ferns and reeds and a twenty-foot mangrove for shade.  Gaja takes it all in with a look of vague disapproval, but says nothing.

  The fire doesn't take much, after all: when Gaja goes off to retrieve Szkarik, they return with him clutching some scraggly evergreen or another in his claws.  It burns well, like incense.  "Claire, can I ask a nagging question?" she asks later that night, once the sun has set and the fire has had a chance to become the focal point of the evening.  "Why are you trying to put those people someplace new?  Why not just let them live alla Sabbia?  There are so many people there, who would notice a few more?"

---

Miracles: I have 4 effort free, and we're in a desert.  Who's even counting?

"I hadn't really thought about why," began Claire as she turned to answer Gaja. "But I think I have a little responsibility for the people I've freed, even with Radiance gone. What good is freeing them if I would just dump them into poverty? Perhaps to face slavery again, if the choice is between that and starving. I'm not going to force them to stay together, but I feel that I should at least give them a chance to build a community, and to hear the word of the Unitary Church to protect their souls."

She smiled at Gaja. "It probably sounds foolish, but if I had the strength, no one in Arcem would starve, or be a slave, or have to fear bandits reaving their village. But I think I have enough strength to give these people a new start, with a little help." She laughed a bit. "Or maybe I just want to be better than...those people who created me." She touched the Bright Records logo on her forehead.

Claire looked around, admiring the oasis Gaja had made. "Nice."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:59, Fri 08 Feb 2019.

Increase lays down and rests his eyes but addresses Claire.

"Giving the freed slaves a chance to improve themselves is well and good but the Unitary Church cannot save their souls. It can only stay the maw of Hell."

Increases words were dire and laden with a sense of knowing. As he neared the end of his sentence his mind was assaulted by flashing images and pain.

  "It's naive," Gaja agrees.  "But it's charming.  And like you said back at the inn at the docks, you have ways to feed them, and they are already less like slaves than they were.  I have some ideas about the bandits, but I will need to take the measure of the nearby tribes first.  It's a sweet dream you're chasing."

  A gusty breeze sends sand grains skittering over the rocks and blows the fire away from where Gaja sits.  She pulls her knees up into a hug, but not in a huddling way that might suggest she notices the cold.  She rocks herself idly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.  "And how about you, Mister Scholar?  What dream are you chasing?  What makes you care what you do with all your new wisdoms?"

Increase remained laying down and was silent for a long moment. When he did speak his voice was devoid of inflection and filled with a restrained bitterness, a cold hatred.

"I will reclaim the lost technologies and powers of the Former Empires and bring them to bare against the church of True Reason. I will kill all of the antipriest and destroy the Pyre. Then I will rebuild the celestial engines of Arcem by pillaging Hell itself."

"Ah, a man with achievable goals and a realistic set of expectations, this I can appreciate!"

Vasati said, clapping his hands together excitedly.  It was impossible to tell if he was joking or not by the tone of his resonate voice, and while his eyes were filled with mirth, that was typically the case.

"Unlikely allies at first, and yet I am sensing a theme.  Each of you wishes to tear down what is, and start anew.  Well, perhaps not Signora Plaga here."

He chuckled, scratching at his beard.

"But how do these mysterious Bits play into all of that for each of you, I wonder?"

As they settled in, Vasati's face became serious.

"Well then, let me tell you all a tale for the ages, the story of the Cave of Cannān.  It's a simple enough tale, with no satisfying ending, but perhaps there is a moral that we can apply to our own endeavors, no?"

It was a nonsense name, and not one that any of them had ever heard before.  It sounded like something that he had made up on the spot.  He began to weave a fantastical tale of of merchant prince of thieves attempting to plunder the secrets of a long forgotten cave.  At first the tale sounded like many that he had told on the journey over, but it rapidly became clear that it was different in many strange and noticeable ways.  The most obvious with these was the rather focused detail in which he explained the defenses of the cave that the thief had needed to overcome in order to triumph.  What was noticeable was his complete lack of theatrics or embellishment as he spoke, and it sounded more like he was laying out the details of a heist than telling an ancient myth.  This feeling was only made stronger when Vasati completely skipped over how the thief had overcome each challenge, speaking only of its existence, and possible solutions the hero might have attempted.

Quickly, the pantheon learned that a moderate sized group of mercenaries bearing weapons and equipment of the Bright Republic sat astride a variety of mounts outside the mouth.  Mercenaries whose primary purpose was to detect any and all who might approach the cave unseen.  The prince of thieves would have had to sneak by them, or incapacitate them all instantly, in order to avoid triggering the alarm.

They learned that the front entrance of the "Cave of Cannān" was similarly protected by a large amount of Bright Republic technology, as well as an enchantment of alarm.  The thief hadn't been particularly worried by the strange technology, but the alarm spell had caused him considerable consternation.  He could have overcome it, but he would have had to expend all of his power to do so.

Once inside, stealth would have been next to impossible.  The tight quarters of the cave, combined with the large numbers of thaumaturgical instruments, experiments, and slaves, would make any stealthy approach doomed to failure.  In addition, there were a large number of low magic practitioners, and even higher level theurges within the cave.  There were also several automatons, a word Vasati assured everyone he'd just learned, as well as an extremely powerful eldritch mage who personally bore the nameless treasure of the Cave of Cannān.  ALl of it, of course, protected by an anti-scrying work of theurgy of considerable power.

How the prince of theives had pierced this theurgic ward, Vasati had not said.

"Of course, what the Prince had not known was that there was a back door.  Sure, it would have taken two days of flying to get there, and another two days crawl through a sandy river bottom, but it could have been done.  Had he been willing to invest the time and his clothes, he could have skipped the guards in front entirely.  Oh well, live and learn, no?  Not like it would have helped him with any of the mages or automotons inside though, eh?  Let alone the slaves and experiments that could have been unleashed."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:10, Sun 10 Feb 2019.

[OOC - Ok.... so then, you are camping within sight of the cave then, since that is the only way this conversation makes sense? Vasati, that is a really cool post, but if you missed what I said in the other thread, you can take that back, or just go with it if you prefer.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:09, Sun 10 Feb 2019.

Claire smiled slightly at Gaja's words, then turned to Increase. "Well, saving souls from Hell is worthy in itself," she said. "I'm leaving the long term to the Creator for now, if and when He returns."

Claire turned her head to Vasati. "Tell me more of these automata, please. Did they look like Vissian theotech, Nezhdovan autocossacks, or something else?"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:13, Mon 11 Feb 2019.

"I may be the opposite of you, in the sense that I wish to tear what is new and reinstore the old order. I was wronged, murdered and humilliated. And I wish to recover that which was lost... with interests".

Plaga listens carefully to Vasati's story.

"The thief might be tired after dealing with the defenses, but I'm sure that his allies were more than capable that covering his back, no?"

Increase listened to the story but never moved to look at Vasati or turn to face the ground. In his mind he was intent on falling asleep at any moment but the more he listened the more his interest was piqued. This "Cave of Cannān" was a near treasure trove of secrets and power; two of Increase's favorite things.

It was odd tho, as if the story was more than simple fable. All the same the cave sounded impenetrable and the "back entrance" seemed all too convenient.

"The back entrance is a trap. No one invests that much effort and resources into protecting a place to leave such a gross oversight. If nothing else it was likely enchanted to alert the guardians of the Cave."

Vasati shrugged at Increase Scholar.

"If the back entrance had been trapped or guarded, the story would tell you so.  It doesn't, so it isn't.  What's the point of having a back way if it's just as well defended as the front?  That makes for a boring and predictable tale."

To Claire, he showed his empty hands apologetically.

"The legends say that the automaton were used for heavy lifting, but that they could likely be re-purposed to do some damage pretty easily.  It did not say where they were from. It also spoke of some stranger personal experiments that could be similarly redeployed.  These sorts of stories are often lacking in details in some regards, and extremely precise on others.  It is the nature of the story to be thus."

He nodded at Plaga, touching his nose knowingly.

"A thief would not be of much use after he deactivated the alarm, but he would likely have been happy to let his friends shoulder the burdens from then on.  He would already be tired from all this planning.  That is of course assuming that the guards the story claims stand outside the cave are defeated discreetly, before they are able to activate all their little toys of detection and destruction."

Increase countered almost immediately.

"Is this tale or prophecy Vasati?"

His words were neutral lacking accusation but he was curious as to how this tale aligned with their own objectives. Details too exacting to be exclusively myth but too unusual to be completely factual.

"Oh, it's a tale alright. I think I heard of it. One of the thief allies was a commander. When she gave the word, an army composed of all those that failed to find the riches of the cave awoke, and followed her commands. Rumor says her forces alone were enough to dispatch the entirety of the guards at the front entrance, if the thief and his friends took that path."

Not as versed in the world of lies as Vasati, Plaga's mocking tone couldn't be completely hidden.

  "The finery is a fable.  A metaphor.  The prince sacrifices his honor for greed."  Apparently Gaja decided to get in on the riddle game.  "Or maybe for the glory of the raid, but that's not what I expect from a merchant."

  She smirks at Vasati, then sits up a little straighter.  "We are far enough from the Vissians now, I think.  I can stop speaking in riddles.  My own prince of thieves has some treasure or another, and I have his gratitude for telling the right kind of lies.  And while I was lying, I learned that these Bits have been found and then lost again; it has one of alla Sabbia's chief houses in a panic, and at least one other worried that the fear may be justified.  With the relic itself, I decide how frightened they should be.  Plus, as you see all around you, these are mandala lands, and only a fool brings foreign magic here.  If it's as dangerous as the Vissians seem to think, it will be in hands I trust."  Her eyes catch the firelight particularly well when she leans in for emphasis.  "As soon as they brought it here, it became tribute.  And now they hide underground, in the dwelling place of the ukthee-rasa, who come at my call."

  Gaja leers, then abruptly shifts to lying on her back with a spin that puts her head near the fire.  Near enough she could probably reach up and touch it, and the shadows make her face look like a theater mask at this angle.  "We can be subtle.  I can help with subtle.  But if they challenge my authority, I will give them back to the land."

Vasati smiled at the Scholar and tapped his heart.

"A parable.  One whose lessons we can learn much from."

He tapped his head.

"Or maybe the Signora Gaja just brings the whole story down on everyone's heads, and Signora Plaga's failures pick through the wreckage to see if any of it was true."

He sounded grim at that.

"But you say you trust the one who holds it?  If we draw from the legend, they are a powerful theurge.  Not to be taken lightly."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:21, Mon 11 Feb 2019.

  "No."  The word rolls out slowly, and she savors its feel.  "But it will soon be in mine."

"Ah, there we are."

He clapped his hands together.

"So it appears you all choose the story in which the prince and his allies fight then?  Storm the mercenaries and hope to take them unaware, and defeat them before they can sound the alarm?"

He shrugged.

"A risky tale, but it might reach the end."

  Gaja looks up, from her perspective.  In this case, it means through the fire at Vasati.  "Rajachura, you ride with a chief!"  She laughs breezily.  "And at dawn, we meet thieves and trespassers, and maybe give them one chance to become also traitors.  What do we think of this?  I told you what I think."

  She rolls back over, pulls her legs up under her, and rises to her knees.  She's getting restless.  She was like that on the boat, too—never entirely stopped moving for long.  "I will have their toy and the story of how they got it.  If they want to help me write it into a poem and leave empty-handed, I don't see why I'd stop them.  Unless...  Does one of you have Vendetta?"

"I do, but until I receive word from Lasier, I will not know exactly whom I am targeting," said Claire. "Aside from that, and the questions I want to ask my creators, no."

"I doubt any of these men have a connection to me. However, I've been surprised enough times by now to not rule anything out. If they are indeed unrelated to my past, I couldn't care less of what we do with them."

Vasati leaned back, reaching for his ever present bag of tobacco.

"Likely as not going to be a red dawn then, or perhaps an hour before?"

He yawned, lighting up even as he settled down.

"Looking forward to it."