And never was I so happy for the sheer number of "girls" in this story as I am right now. Is Rain the one person Swift overheard the enemies talking about? Or is it one of the others? Or perhaps Alyne, or one of the countless female NPC you've met (and those you've yet to met)? Wonder, my little ones, wonder! :)

Taolor seemed pretty uncomfortable at Rain Feather words and, after leaving the basket of bread on the table, moved away, nodding to Sun Snake on his way out - clearly not wanting to intrude in the Kai's private affairs - and stopping by the garden's doors, as if to prevent anybody from entering it without the Kai knowing.

So you now can discuss things freely - Taolor is on the side of the other side of the glass doors from you, so he would not hear anything.

This message was last edited by the GM at 02:09, Sun 04 Mar 2012.

Swift looked up from the table, the blade of the Jade Spike pausing in its occasional movements across the scarred wooden surface.
Some of the markings were just disconnected lines, perhaps subconsciously mirroring the scars in Swift's own mind.  But some of them had flowed together to spell out a couple of barely recognisable words that might even be readable if examined closely enough...

Swift's attention was now focused entirely on Rain Feather, her impassive expression showing a hint of curiosity at what she had said.
The dagger was lifted from the groove it had carved in the wood, the blade still appearing as sharp and polished as ever, as though it had suffered no wear and tear from being used in such a rough manner or from the battles it had seen on the way.
Swift tucked the weapon back into her belt and watched Rain Feather steadily, clearly interested in what she had to say, and perhaps also grateful for the distraction from her concern at Dusk's absence...


OOC: Well that got her attention :)  hehe.

Rain would look for something to drink and take a large swallow from the bottle.  It was easy to note that her hands were shaking.

"There are many things that people have assumed about me. That I eat puppies for breakfast, that I have a torrid affair going on with another Kai that I'm always seen with, or that I'm really a Helghast in disguise- thanks for that last one, Snake.  I want you all to know that no matter what I say or what I reveal to you, I'm still the same Rain Feather you all know and care about.  I am a Kai, I will always be a Kai, and nothing is ever going to change that.  You may learn some things that cause you to question what I am, and I will answer to the best of my ability.  There are some matters that I will deem private, and if I catch any of you trying to pry, I will not take it lightly- as in, 'the first person who tries to pry will end up feeling the full power of my mental faculties'.  I'm not telling you this because I want to- but because it may be related to our missions.  Kai knows I would rather have died in obscurity, but I guess that just isn't going to happen."

She unlaced the Kai cloak from her shoulders and let it drop over the chair behind her.  She would stand there, leaning over the table, palms flat on the tabletop.  Her bright blue eyes would glance over the Kai gathered at the table- studious Sun Snake, silent Swift Fox, gallant Sabre Fox, rising star Sun Feather, and the reliable Laughing Shark.

"I only pray that you still accept me for my actions, not for where I have come from."

She took another drink, and then began.  There was a small drip of red upon the wine bottle after she put it down.

"The Kirlundin chain has always been a wild part of Sommerlund.  I have it on good account that the islands are still mostly wild- and that the King's law only applies to the places the king's men happen to be at that time.  There is still danger aplenty to be found there- and some generations ago, it was quite worse.  My story begins upon the northernmost island in the Kirlundin chain... where a woman's discovered powers lead her to crave more.  Being from a poor family of fisherfolk, there was no way she could afford the money needed to get to Toran, for training at the Brotherhood."

Her hands would clench into fists, and if one listened quietly, the soft dripping of liquid onto a floor could barely be heard through the silence.

"In those old days, the Darklords were more active than we ever gave then credit for- considering that most of thier agents came into Sommerlund through an iron ship that used to dock at a hidden alcove on the northernmost island.  The woman witnessed the men in skull-masks and the deformed creatures in robes with thier strange magic.  She did the unthinkable and approached them- when the Drakkarim tried to take her, she used her power to put them into a trance, and threatened to take them to the nearest patrol of the king's men.  The Nadziranim, impressed with her courage, offered her a deal.  If she could prove her dedication to thier cause, they would augment her magical powers.  They would be back the next month, and expected to see her again.  Watching the great ironclad steam away, the woman simply smiled.  In the thirty days leading up to the return of the steamship, twenty-eight days were spent practicing.  On the twenty-ninth day, she struck.  Overnight, the small village of Cod's Bane became a ghost town.  The woman's magic enslaved the minds of every man, woman, and child in the village, and upon the thirtieth day, she met the ironclad with forty-eight people to exchange for magic."

As her fists clenched tighter, the dripping became more pronounced.  If one were to look, her fists had clenched so tightly that her palms had been carved open by her nails, and that her own blood was spattering into a small stain on the floor.

"I know not where they took her- Argazad, Torgar, Kaag, maybe even Helgedad.  But she went along on the ironclad, trading forty-eight souls for her increased power.  She disappeared for a month, and when she returned, she promised to meet the ironclad again in a month.  She then went to the village of Salty Rock, and did the same thing.  Again she disappeared, taking fifty-three more souls to pay her new masters for more power.  Then it was Sun's Reef, the largest city upon the island.  One hundred twenty-four souls traded away into slavery, torture and death for her powers.  But this time, the power changed her.  Many had said she was a beauty among her people- waist-length brown hair, a tan complexion, and soft brown eyes.  Her last treatment changed even that-"

She was shaking so badly she leaned over the table again, bracing herself upon it. Blood oozed between her fingers, forming small trails as it slowly flowed upon the tabletop.  Her eyes were open- if someone tried to look at her, she would refuse to meet them in the eyes.

"-the first villager who confirmed it was her stood aghast at her new, terrible beauty.  Her skin had gone pale.  Her waist-length hair became black as midnight, some would think reflecting the darkness of her soul. Her eyes, however, were what everyone remembered."

Rain would look out over the table, fixing each of the five Kai there in turn with a gaze.

"Her eyes became the iciest, coldest shade of blue that could exist.  And as her powers came to bear upon the frightened villagers, she would laugh, a laugh that tormented the Kirlundin from top to bottom for the better part of two years.  The name of Aieta Nematah has been forgotten through the years, but every child in the Kirlundin knows her by heart- 'You'd better behave, or the Wytch of the Islands will take you away.'"

Here it was.  Rain finished the bottle and slammed it down, listening as it shattered into shards of glass the skipped over the table.

"The Kai and the Brotherhood eventually put a stop to Aieta.  They brought her here, to Toran, and put her on trial.  Then they sent her through the Shadow Gate for her crimes.  But the Kai reported finding swaddling in her caves- evidence that she had passed at least some of her powers on to the next generation- to her daughter.  Her daughter hid for years in the isles- moving in the middle of the night, staying ahead of percieved threats and assumptions that the Kai and the Brotherhood would swoop down and carry her away to join her mother.  But life endures, and at the age of twenty, she had a child of her own, fully knowing that the Nematah surname put a bounty upon the child's head.  It was a daughter again- same black hair, same creamy skin and icy blue eyes, but without a trace of her grandmother's power.  Some would theorize that Kai had a grand sense of irony- to grant Aieta's granddaughter, Masari Nematah... a talent for mental combat that the Kai had not seen for a generation.  Eventually, she was taken to the monastery after the death of her mother... and when the monks saw the condition of the girl's hair- soaked from the recent storm, but self-decorated with as many different bird feathers as she could find, they dubbed the young woman..."

A staggered sigh came from her lips.

"...they gave her the Kai name of 'Rain Feather'."

With that, she promptly collapsed, missing the chair and ending up on the floor, flat on her back.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:11, Sun 04 Mar 2012.

And Rain Feather gets 1 FP for the pathos of the narration. Very touching, if you ask me.

I'm going to give you all one post for reactions, then I will add Alyne - I had half an idea of make her dart to Rain Feather to help her get up, but you're the players after all, so I'll give you precedence. Let it be clear, though, that if nobody helps Rain Feather, before she can get up on her own, Alyne will be there to help.

Sun Snake's had started to move to intercept Rain Feather to the door, but he had stood down when Lauhging Shark moved. His quick anger had faded and he had centred himself again with an internal sigh. Certainly, he showed nothing but concern as Rain Feather began to speak, and even looked hurt at Rain Feather adminishing him for a remark he did not recall. Though as a player I assume it was when Rain Feather picked up the black spear? :)

However, as her tale continued Sun Snake's eyes darkened, his face twitching at the tale of a woman prepred to sell the souls of her village to a terrible fate in the Darklands for power. His face became impassive as the tale continued.

Sun Snake again strode forwards when he saw that Rain Feather was about to miss the chair, and he knelt down to offer his hand to lift her up. He spoke oddly quietly and gently to his fellow Kai. "Kai does act with irony. Your powers were a sign - to your mother, to those who would be prejudgiced against her - that the sins of her mother were not her sins. I am sorry if fear in her and fear in others did not let them appreciate this gift, gave you hardships instead of respite. And I apologise for any judgement I levelled on your mother when I did not understand."

Sun Snake again offered Rain Featehr a hand to get up, and reached for her Kai cloak to give it back to her. "Your words before you even told us of your origins are all anyone needs to know. We all have evil and good in us, and we have only to make a choice to do good - and to act on that choice. You chose to share something personal, and I hope make us stronger as a group, rather than leave us now and splinter us at a time when something will look to pick us off one by one if it can. That is my only role as your leader - to remind you of the power of your choice alone, and to ensure that no one will stop you from achieving the great thigns you are capable of by their uninformed fear."

Sun Snake looked around the room to make sure his fellow Kai all agreed.


Because Sun Snake doesn't realise he's the most judgemenal one. And as a player, I wonder if our GM or player has slipped anything in to a backstory where they might be prejudiced?

Anyway, you can now start taking bets on how long it will be before Sun Snake uses Rain's origin story against her as a rebuke after some recklessness, and then how quickly after that he is forced to apologise :)


And nice backstory well told, Rain!

As Rain Feather began her story, Laughing Shark's face grew steadily somber. IT was obvious the woman was listening to her fellow Kai's story, but her eyes shifted between each of the other's trying to gauge their reactions. But there was something else, at one point, Shark arched her back and looked around the table, beyond the table - as though she were looking for something. Her jaw tensesed as Rain mentioned the disappearances on the islands, and the dark Kai took a step towards Rain Feather as though to offer a hand, but something stopped her, and she maintained a watch.

As Rain began to speak of Nematah's downfall, Shark's gaze fell on Alyne. Her look curious as she watched the new comer's expressions. But when she heard Rain Feather collapse, Shark moved quickly, ending down to help Rain Feather to her feet.

"Ye all right there, mate?" Shark asked looking down into Rain Feather's eyes, holding one hand out for Rain to take while the other rested reassuringly on her shoulder.

For a moment, Sabre Fox was listening to Feather's story with fascination. He loved hearing a good story but this story was taking rather a morbid turn. Fox felt something rise in his psychic senses as if he was going to be sick for a moment, but he quickly shook it off.

Getting up quickly, he said nothing but was by her side with Shark in an instant to help her up

Swift remained somewhat impassive as Rain told her story, her eyes still reflecting no hint of what she was thinking behind them.

Her only reaction was when Rain fell and she stood up from the seat as if to move to help her up.
She paused however, one hand dropping slightly towards the hilt of the Jade Spike as though she had sensed something unusual for just a second, then she shook her head a little as though discounting it, like ignoring the buzzing of a fly around her.

She remained standing, looking towards Rain, her expression remaining unreadable.
Several long seconds passed before she spoke up.
"So you believe that you are the girl those two were talking about?"


OOC: Not much outward reaction from Swift there, but who knows what's going on inside her mind? ;)
As a player though, that was quite the cool story.  Impressive stuff there :)
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 13:30, Sun 04 Mar 2012.

"...I must be shouldering Aieta's legacy- where I go, it seems that the darkness follows.  It's like my destiny is to have the blood of friends and foes constantly soaking my hands- to be responsible for thier deaths.  All over power that everyone thinks I have."

She would hold her hands out and look at them- bloody messes, the both of them, palms cut open, her own blood dripping from them slowly as her body tried to stop the bleeding.  Her eyes would look to her companions.  They all seemed like they were behind her- most of them were, she figured.  It had been a large secret to lay on them.

To Swift:

"No, Swift.  I know I'm the one they're looking for.  It must be the reason I'm going to the Maakengorge- if they knew I was here, I'd be dodging thier people all hours of the day."

To Snake:

"I know.  I just hope I live up to your expectations- and those of our superiors."

To Shark:

"About as well as I'll ever be, I suppose.  It's not every day that you learn one of your fellow Kai descends from one of the country's most infamous killers, huh?  Maybe I should get a new outfit to reflect it, huh?"

To Alyne:

"I'm sorry that you had to find out this way.  Don't be scared of me, please- use it as an example of why you must never take things at first glance.  Just because someone walked in darkness for most of thier lives does not mean they have no light in thier hearts.  Look to thier actions, to the way they treat others.  That will be your proof."

To Sabre:

"...Sabre, I know this is a big shock to you.  But I still owe you for saving my life.  I only hope you don't think this changes anything between us."

Swift nodded slowly.  Her expression still looked mostly neutral, although there was something in her eyes that hinted at a deeply-buried emotional conflict within her.
She looked down at the markings she had carved on the table.  Some were clearly just random scars, the frustration of their maker evident in every scratched-out line.
A group of them formed a picture that looked like something sketched out by a child, two tall stick figures with a smaller one between them.  One of the taller figures had been rather violently scratched out of the picture however.
The word "Sanna" had been scratched below that, almost lost in the twisting lines.

"I suppose I can't fully understand how you feel" she said, her words suddenly quieter than normal.
"But I have some idea...  Sins of the parents and all that.  I understand that."
For a second her expression showed a hint of a humourless smirk as her gaze briefly moved to the tip of the Crystal Spyre, visible above the garden's wall.

"Anyway..."
She looked back at Rain Feather as she spoke, her voice rising back to normal again.
"I only know that I trust you more than I trust our current superiors" she said, with a momentary glance towards Sun Snake.
"As long as we're still together, if you need my help just ask.  I might not be good with magic, but a well-placed dagger in the back usually deals with most people who don't take 'no' for an answer!"
She smiled again.  Although this time the emotion was real, as opposed to simply a shadow of something it seemed Swift had forgotten how to do properly a long time ago...


OOC: Looks like Swift finally found some common ground with someone in the group :)

By the way, I keep getting that 1000-post limit warning message.  Might need a Chapter break soon...
This message was last edited by the player at 22:12, Sun 04 Mar 2012.

"Ye did at ta yerself, mate" Shark replied to Rain Feather as the woman looked at her hands. "Now git back on yer feet, ain't no reason ta 'ave this chat on yer back," as she spoke Shark pressed against Rain's back, encouraging her to stand up. "s'like me da used ta say - if ye look deep enough in any ones past an ye'll find somethin' dark. Yer lucky," Shark said with a smile, "ye'ave ta go all'a way back to yer grandmum. Someone do'nough searchin an they'll find a whole load'ov black spots ta me name - an they's a lot more recent'in two generations!" Finish, Shark barked out a laugh, patting Rain Feather on the back.

Shark also turned her smile on Swift Fox, suggesting perhaps Swift consider the words as well. "remind me ta keep ye in front'ov me at all times there mate," She teased Swift Fox and her not so subtle offer to murder folks.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:36, Sun 04 Mar 2012.

Alyne seemed deeply moved by Rain Feather's words to her; she ignored Swift Fox's and Laughing Shark's comment, then took a step forward and said, her tone very solemn:

"You may think me arrogant, Master Rain, but I understand what you say. And I thank you for your words; I am not scared of you, and I deeply respect your effort. You're stronger than... you're strong, and I want you to know, I'll take your words to heart. And if you would like to help Master Sun Snake train me, I'll be honoured to be a disciple of as great a person as you are."

And after that, she bowed to the black-haired, younger woman, showing for the first time to a member of the group the same respect she'd so far offered only to Sun Snake.

On other news, we've still 40 or so posts we can make in this thread. I think we should be able to end the thread with you all entering the Spyre, but if not, I'll end the thread when Dusk Rat comes back.

This message was last edited by the player at 22:44, Sun 04 Mar 2012.

Sun Snake seemed to ahve taken a step back, as if happy to allow the rest to show their support. He especially seemed to note Alyne's own eagerness to show support, given an almost imperceptible nod.

His frown returned quickly enough at Swift Fox's words though. "I would not even joke about drawing a blade on those we should be allies with," he said in a tone that was clearly put out. Although if it was caused just by Swift fox's causal comment on violence, or was related t her reference to superiors, it was not clear from his uncomfortable words.


Sun Snake seemed distracted, and looked to Swift Fox's dagger, and aroudn the room to the gathered Kai as if trying to recall something.

"Of course it doesnt change anything" Fox said in reply to Feather. "Why should it? I mean, your not your grandmother after all. But its funny you say that Kai was ironic in making you a Kai. Why dont you look at it as a gift? He was trying to pry you away from your family's past and into the arms of light rather than darkness"

In the end she relented, and found herself lifted up to her feet by her friends.

"Because my last name's always going to haunt me.  No matter where I go or what I do, if someone figures out my last name, I'd have to go.  It's especially not safe for me here- if that mage outside is listening, well- I could make his career if he caught on.  Even if my grandmother and mother are long gone, what they did will always be hanging over my head as a Nematah.  There may be people who see me and decide I'm as bad as they were, simply because I look like her.  I may be worth hundreds or thousands of crowns to the right people."

For a moment, Sabre Fox felt the sense of bile rising in his throat again which he quickly subdued

"I felt something uneasy lingering on my Sixth Sense when you spoke......." He said rather ominiously. "Dont mean to sound all negative, but perhaps the mage did hear?"

At Sabre Fox's comment, Alyne seemed scared and turned sharply to look at the glass doors, but the mage on the other side of them did not seemed to have any reaction to Sabre Fox's words, and was simply dallying there on the other side of the door, no reaction apparent on him.

Just offering you a visual image of what Taolor is doing.

EDIT: Should I also add that the distance is considerable - as in, about two dozen meters? He's not close by any means.

This message was last edited by the player at 09:59, Mon 05 Mar 2012.

What little color Rain's face had drained away.  Immediately she dove for her pack and practically broke Breakwater free from its strap, going into a defensive position with it as she scanned the area.  She'd focus on Taolar, first off- but would conduct a sweep of the area until she found what she was looking for.

Even with the help of her spear, she'd bring her mind to focus, pressing it, searching for any tell-tale clues.

Her eyes were wild, her movements quick and edgy, and at the moment, she didn't trust anyone at all.  Did someone hear?
This message was last edited by the player at 10:01, Mon 05 Mar 2012.

As Rain Feather suddenly drew her weapon, Alyne took a step forward, alarmed, and then asked, her voice worried:

"Master Rain! Is there something wrong?"

Sun Snake cursed as the scene broke down, mostly at his own distractions not keeping his own paranoid checking up. "Sabre, the mage didn't hear anything," hissed Sun Snake, though he looked to Rain Feather as he said it and moved cautiously towards her. "What exactly did you feel? I sense nothing. No one else is here and no one is reacting. Yet." Sun Snake then quickly looked to Swift Fox. "Though you may wish to check on your friend," he added. "Be discrete. Can we all remaing calm?" Sun Snake seemed to be addressing the whole group, but was looking again to Rain Feather.

Sun Snake then approached Rain Feather keeping his tone even and low. "Rain Feather, the Kai will not let those without honour take or harm you. Your secret has been safe in the order until you told us, and it will remain safe between us." Sun Snake raised his hands in calm. "Do not let your fears and emotions make your choices for you, as your mother and grandmother did. You have too formidable a mind to be brought down by such a petty thing. Remember your choices are what is important. If the Brotherhood do discover anything, then you may save many lives temporarily submitting to them without this display of aggression. We have the means to ensure the protection of the order can be quickly brought to bear here. However, until that time, we will not let that happen if there is a way to avoid it, and certainly we will not let anyone with no busines nor reason interfer with one of us over their own sense of entitlement. We will support you, no matter what else may be in your past." Sun Snake said the last even more quietly and meaningfully to Rain Feather.

"Hey" Fox said with a sad face. "I did say 'perhaps'. No need to go all mean when I was trying to look out for Rain"

Swift Fox peered curiously at Sun Snake as he spoke.
"I said I didn't trust them" she replied, "that doesn't mean I want to kill them.  Not unless they give me a reason to, of course.  You're getting a bit paranoid there, one would almost think you'd be hanging around me too long..."

She turned back to Rain Feather.
"Like I said.  If anyone in this city is out to get you, then I'll do what I can to deal with them."
Her gaze shifted to meet Sun Snake's.
"And that means anyone, no matter who they are", she added.
She looked back to Rain Feather.
"Besides, I have a hunch that the people I saw are the same ones who took Silver Raven and the others, and I owe them some trouble for that anyway."

She turned to move back to the seat she was sitting in before, but then noticed that Rain seemed to have been alerted by something.
In a movement so quick that it was barely noticeable, she had tugged the Jade Spike from her belt and slipped it neatly up the sleeve of her tunic into concealment.
At the same time she backed away towards the nearest clump of trees, fading into the shadows behind them, only to relax when it was revealed to be a false alarm, allowing the dagger to drop back into her hand and returning it to her belt.
"Thanks for that" she muttered wryly to Snake.  "I take back what I said about you being paranoid, seems like everyone is!"
Nodding to the suggestion she go check on the other mage, she headed back towards the inn, giving Rain a friendly smile on the way.
The expression seemed oddly out of place on her, since it had rarely been seen before, but it made her appear suddenly less intimidating than normal.
Perhaps there had been a time when she had smiled more often...

Heading back into the inn, she glanced towards Taolor.
"Everything ok?" she asked him, trying to sound friendly while watching him carefully for any sign that he had overheard their conversation...

Assuming Taolor doesn't seem any different...
Nodding at the mage's reply, she looked around to see if Rhellys was still there...


OOC: Thought we were in for a fight there, hehe.  Edited post :)
This message was last edited by the player at 13:02, Mon 05 Mar 2012.

Swift Fox had to open the door to speak with the mage, since he was inside the inn, and when she did, he looked at her in confusion.

"Uh? Nothing's wrong, mylady. I'm just standing here, making sure nobody disturbs you while you're discussing your Order's business."

He seemed completely puzzled as to why Swift Fox had felt the need to inquire about him, and her Sixth Sense clearly told her that his confusion wasn't feigned, but totally honest - he really believed that the six Kai were discussing matters inherenting their own missions.

She could see Rhellys sitting quietly at her table further away, apparently drinking something as she waited; the female magician however was clearly thinking over something, and had not noticed Swift Fox's appearance.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:20, Mon 05 Mar 2012.

Approaching the table, Swift dropped back into the seat she had vacated earlier.
"Still no sign of her yet?" she asked, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder to indicate the city beyond the door, clearly referring to the still-absent Dusk Rat.
At the same time she watched Rhellys for any unusual reaction to her sudden appearance...

When Saber Fox brought to light the strange feeling he felt, Shark backed him up, "Aye, mate I felt it too. Something odds'a happenin-" She broke off when she saw the panicked look on Alyne's face, her eyes narrowing as she watched the woman's reaction. Was that panic for Rain's sake or her own? "s'was jus someones emotions s'all. Unease. s'untraceable by me means-" Shark turned her eyes onto Snake for a moment, a curious look across her face.

When Sun Snake began his reassuring spech to Rain Feather, Shark turned her attention back to Alyne, only when Snake finished did Shark's attention return to the group at hand. "Sounds like a similar bit'ov advise'ere, Rain." Shark offered to Rain Feather, "'ventually ye'll'ave ta stop runnin from this past at ain't even yers." She patted the woman reassuringly on the back.