Oh great, now you tell us it would have been ok to burn all our enemies and people who disagreed with us :( So much wasted time and restrained pyromania!

OOC: Reminds me of Ameena's description of the Warhammer 40K universe.  Lots of purging with fire and stuff :)
So in this universe, hell really does freeze over?
I think The Plane of Darkness was described best in "The Curse of Naar".  Had various different environments in that.

Muahaha yes, much burning and purging - the 40k universe is a good place for anyone to unleash their inner pyromaniac :D.

At Peacock's comments on someone "stepping foward", Dusk Rat rises to her feet and does just that, taking a single step toward the group, though she says nothing. She holds her new staff on one hand a little awkwardly, unused to having such an item on her person. Meanwhile, she looks down at Brook.

Shining Peacock's eyes narrowed as he looked at Sabre Fox.

"If I remember that tale correctly, Lone Wolf used the sword Helshezag to kill Kraagenskul. In fact, if he had not, then his whole mission in the Darklands would have failed."

Dusk Rat reaches out a hand to stroke the back of Brook's neck while she waits for the conversation to finish.

Water Hornet was taken unawares by Peacock's reply. "Yes, I agree it would be better," he said thoughtfully and then looked at Dusk Rat who moved. Any further words from Hornet were stopped by Sabre Fox's following question.

Water Hornet snorted under his breath when Peacock spoke of the Grandmaster. 'And this time it will be the Deatshtaff used to stop the great evil,' he thought to himself, but remained silent outwardly, waiting for Magnakai Mentora's answer.

"You don't highlight the reason as clear, because had he used the Sommerswerd he would have alerted the Darklamds, which is the reason why he did it. But that issue was not the point"

He folded his arms at this point

"My point was that it is dangerous to the individual to wield such items despite how strong they are. There was no criticism there, I was merely concerned for your well being was all. I shall refrain then if it is not well received for worrying about a fellow Kai"

Shining Peacock seemed genuinely puzzled at that.

"You are worried for me, Sabre Fox? Why, if I may ask? And what, precisely, are you worried about?"

Sun Snake emerged from the passageway Swift Fox had departed from, orienting himself to what was happening. It raised his eyebrow to note everyone's body language, yet the fact Peacock did have the Deathstaff.

"Is everything good, now?" he asked speculatively.

Edit: Oops, double posted. You can assume Sun Snake leaves his question until after Sabre's spoken next!

Fox gave a puzzled look of his own in response

"I would think that is obvious. Your channelling control over a weapon that contains a piece of Naar's soul. Despite your abilities a moments slip could be devastating to you . That is why I am concerned"

OOC: Anyone checking to see if Sun Snake had any new stab wounds on him when he came back?  Any pieces of fancy cutlery left stuck in his back? ;)

Shining Peacock smiled in the most exquisitely arrogant of manners as he answered to Sabre Fox:

"I never make any slip ups, Sabre Fox. You might learn the truth of that, in time."

Then the man turned toward Sun Snake, his hairs falling to frame his face in an almost carefree manner, and added, smirking:

"And no, Sun Snake, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Everything is going just as it should. Unless you want to challenge the new status quo?"

And, as he said this, he tapped with his gloved hand over the Deathstaff slung over his shoulders, so as to have it - and the lack of corruption coming from it - catch Sun Snake's attention.

"If there's uncertainty I'll challenge it, then things can't be as they should be for you, surely?" said Sun Snake blandly, looking around and finding Dawn Sword.

He waked over to her, while looking back once to say to Shining Peacock, "I'd ask what the status quo is, but....words..." he waved his hand dismissively.

Sun Snake then focused on his student, speaking very quietly. "Dawn Sword, you've been paying attention far more than I have to what has occurred. And I would also like your thoughts on the matter, though I would understand if you would not wish to speak the unguarded truth of them right now. If you would consent, I would like to read it directly from your mind?"

Next part is just to speed up things if so, if she's uncertain I can replace it with something else :)

Sun Snake considered something. "I've also been lax with your studies the last few days. I've spoken over the disciplines. You have mastered Mindshield, your gift allowing you to guard your mind with your mind. And you are used to pushing your mind out to your blade, allowing your mind to guide and be guided by it, even if you do not do this consciously yet as Weaponskill. Your practise in Sixth Sense has been flavouring to what we instead call Mindblast. Where you push your mind out with emotion to make an enemy falter. However your Sixth Sense is there. You will have been guided by it before. It is your mind pushing your mind, out in to the world. However, it can also be turned inwards. Just as your Mindshield has allowed your mind to identify the parts of itself to protect and protect them, your Sixth Sense can be used to bring an area further to the front. You know how I managed to open my mind, you found me at the shore when that time when you and Sun Fox found us with the Drakkar. The power is within you, and this is perhaps a way for your to practise just as much as reaching out blindly to the world with no focus."

Edit: Just to clarify what I'm trying ot do, it's basically just have Sun Snake know what's been said in all the posts as a shot cut :D
This message was last edited by the player at 11:07, Tue 10 June 2014.

OOC: (sneaky stuff going on in the background...) :)

Dawn Sword nodded at Sun Snake's words, clearly taking his words to heart and thinking them over, but before she could answer, Peacock did, saying, his voice sounding neutral:

"My plan accounts both for you trying to stop me, Sun Snake, and for you avoiding to block my way. I was merely curious to see which of the two situation I am going to face."

No fair! It's sneaky stuff I can't see anymore! I made a horrible-about-to-be-stabbed-in-the-back mistake! :(

Sun Snake briefly turned to Shining Peacock, but merely to raise an eyebrow, before turning his full attention to Dawn Sword. He smiled and nodded his head in thanks, then closed his eyes. His face was a mask of concentration that then flitted with emotions. There seemed to be concern, bemusement, curiosity, relief then concern once more gone before they could fully be formed.

"Good," he said finally at something he saw at the end. He opened his eyes and again nodded to Dawn Sword. "Thank you," he said with a small bow. "I agree with your thinking. There is a balance to life, after all."

Sun Snake reached for his sword, drawing it and holding it out to his student. "I once offered you this blade when, in a way, it was not mine to give, and you refused it for many reasons. However, I have learned something from Swift Fox about it. I already know the sword is mine. Yet like the Deathstaff it seems, this is a blade that needs to be gifted for the future. It is awaiting it. You are my student. I have placed my future in your hands already. You have a sword, for battle, that is a link to your past. I wish you to accept this blade as a symbol of your future. And because this blade is no mere weapon. It is attuned to my powers, and it can help you with yours. More importantly, it is a reminder that no matter what we may forge something to be, it can and will always be more than that. More than its initial purpose, more than its form would suggest. Take it now, for tonight to practise, and perhaps in the future to bear more permanently to aid you in whatever you decide to do."

Lol, Dawn Sword needs to level up too, after all :D May as well try to give her all the help we can, right?

Sun Snake turned to Shining Peacock, finally giving the man his full attention. "Interesting, you only give us two options when you yourself find a third way to deal with things. You don't intrude inside my mind, but because you fear to rather than due to a demonstrable lack of intent. You will not cross a fellow Kai for the Deathstaff, but to protect from rather than a display of ethos. So perhaps I should learn from you."

Sun Snake looked to the rest of the group. "I would volunteer to accompany Shining Peacock. I would prefer to help deal with Vyctar, but my skillset is similar to Peacock's. I can even take over control of the soldiers from Peacock for a spell if he needs to hide his powers yet not lose the link to them. There is perhaps things I can learn form him during the journey if he thinks I am not pushing my skills. And my powers should be able to detect if his mission succeeds or fails."

Sun Snake addressed Shining Peacock directly again. "After all, if you succeed who better to confirm what you have done, and if something goes wrong who better placed to try and aid you as required?"

Obviously this seems to be a good time for FF's character to exit. And we probably all need to be together to deal with all the horrible craziness still due to us. Still, it would be weird for Sun Snake not to at least offer to go off with Peacock, despite the strong pull of the other mission. After all, he did make a compelling case of how important it was, yet is not convincing about whether he can pull it off or not! Let's see if Peacock squirms or is smug regarding it.

Sun Snake shrugged. "Anyway, that is my offer. Meanwhile, you yourself made an interesting offer I think we need to take you up on. You said we could ask you anything. That is good. For you see, I am getting to see patterns, co-incidences everywhere. I daresay Kai is speaking to us, if we listen. I have many questions regarding Valador, and perhaps you are best placed to answer them. Certainly there are similarities between you, even if your final goals are different. You even keep yourself spotless with your skills, as he does. An odd little quirk."

Sun Snake shrugged. "So, can I ask - who were you set against by Black Beaver?"

Shining Peacock looked perplexed at the question, but he answered anyway.

"The other one was Night Crow, which was my opposite in many ways other than just his name. I could list them all if you want, but I think the one which will matter more to you, Sun Snake, is that he was just not as good as we are in the psychic discipline, but he was much more determined, managing to learn them by the sheer stubborness he chased them with, rather then them coming naturally to him as they have to me and you."

He paused, his eyes looking for a moment lost in remembrance, as he added:

"I was not as determined as I am now, back then at the beginning, but having to face his strong will day in and day out brought out my own competitive streak, which I now know was for the best. He also had no taste for the methods Black Beaver employed on us, nor the flexibility I developed to adapt to them, and eventually, once he had done his duty and helped me to truly realize my potential, Black Beaver cast him aside, despite all the effort he had put into improving and how much he wanted to be the one picked to study under one of the Starting Five. I do not think he ever forgave me my triumph over him."

Shining Peacock chuckeld at the memory, then waved his hand airly.

"As for what he is doing now, I do not really know, other then the fact he joined the small cabal who surrounds Summer Wasp. Which makes him the only psychic among their number, by the way. Interesting, considering how much Wasp abhors psychics of all kinds."

He shrugged, then looked back to Sun Snake again.

"And that is all I think there is to say about Night Crow. Why were you interested in him?"

Additional, not mentioned tidbit of information that will be of sure interest for you all player: Night Crow is also Laughing Shark's best friend in the Order, closer to her than ever Summer Wasp.

Just so you can add it to the tally of coincidenses that, really, are not. ^_^

Point of confusion - Summer Wasp hates psychics...but erm...aren't we all psychic? All the Kai, I mean? I thought that's what Kai power is, as opposed to the elemental power of the mages...okay, Kai can control the elements to some extent as well, but even that seems to basically be a variant of TK...
This message was lightly edited by the player at 00:44, Wed 11 June 2014.

Sun Snake nodded and shrugged at hearing the story. "I am not directly. I am interested in Valador. And when the man appeared in the temple, he exhibited Nexus." Sun Snake looked to Sabre for re-confirmation. "Not a Nexus like skill, a facimile like these hybrids have been given, but apparently Nexus."

Sun Snake raised his eyebrow. "Even if Valador possessed the gift naturally, a Nexus level would mean knowledgeable study with a master. As I said, co-incidences seem to be a sign. You both share a trait, so I wondered if there was a common source. Someone you both knew who might connect you both, and be willing to train Valador. However, your rival stayed in the monastery. So if not a mundane connection, it's a sign then, an odd co-incidence telling us you somehow have knowledge. So, perhap a better question is - what do you know of Valador and his history? How could he have learned Magnakai levels of skill from nowhere?"

Edit: Dusk Rat, Kai skills are mental and physical. So many have practical applications. I guess the pure mental ones were abhorred, but ones like Curing or Weaponmastery get fudged as not having a mental component :)

OOC: Some are more psychic than others.  Although all of the Kai learn the same basic set of disciplines, they are still individuals with different talents.  For example, Sabre Fox is better at the fighting disciplines, while Sun Snake is a better psychic.  Probably she distrusts the ones who specialise in the psychic disciplines.  :)
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 23:57, Tue 10 June 2014.

"That's funny" Fox then chuckled as he turned back to the group. "Shark and Crow were the best of friends, and despite all the drunken times we talked together, Shark never said he had said anything against you Peacock" fox said. " so either he just didn't want to talk about it, or perhaps he had let it go?"

Snakes statement then caused him to continue

"Yes it was definitely Nexus without doubt. Something that surprised me greatly at the time"

He would the look to Peacock and Snake directly

"You cannot go Snake" Fox said. "I do not have the means to track Vyctar psychically as you do, and we will need that during the battle. Ferret can go with you Peacock. His illusion skills are pretty cool. Got us out of a jam on the way to the temple"

The bit about Shark is purely my own Addition, as it stands to reason Crow would have come up during a drink at the tavern! But I didn't go so far as to not intrude on what could be wrong

To answer your question, Dusk Rat: people always are elitist over anything, and reason has very little to do with it. Yes, ALL of your Kai powers are psychic in nature, but some - like Huntmastery or Curing - are much less psychic in manifestation than something like Divination (reading people's mind) or Psy-Surge (inflicting pain into people's mind).

Thus, when a Kai refers to "psychic discipline" in an exclusive manner, they're likely referring to the more overtly psychic ones, who make up the Lorecircle of Spirit (Divination, Psy-Screen, Psy-Surge and Nexus), and those are the ones Summer Wasp dislikes. And the ones where Peacock and Sun Snake excell, as well.

Sun Fox gasped at the woreds coming from Sun Snake and Sabre Fox.

"He's learned Nexus? But... if eh's that far along... that mean he might really be able to..."

She then shut her mouth, suddenly looking quite conflicted before shooking her head and loking away, her expression turning somewhat empy.
Peacock, too, looked clearly surprised, but after a moment he schooled his features and commented, his tone even:

"I have met the man no more than thrice in my life, and always in official occasions, so all that I know about him is what Dusk Rat reported to me of the events which transpired during her mission. I think I can guess, using those as clues, how he managed to get his hands on such a skill, but even so, I would like it better if you were to give me all the details, Sun Snake."

He paused, then added, smirking:

"Also, about the reason he uses magic to keep himself clean, I cannot claim to know, but I would guess it is the same I use. I am a political man, and striking the most impressive figure possible is useful in this field of work. I am flattered you thought it an idea I cam up with, but I assure you, it is not, it is merely the mark of people who care enough for their appearance to take good care of it."

Shining Peacock smiled in smug superiority before asking, bemused:

"Did you really thought he could have been my fellow student, Sun Snake? You know as well as I do that leaving the Order without authorization means getting a death warrant, and no leader of the Kai has ever given that authorization that I know of. And teaching our skills to a potential who refuses to join is just as much forbidden. I guess I can see how you could have thought we might have been students under Beaver in things others than the disciplines of Kai, but really, to assume two people are old friends because they wear the same hat, so to speak, is a bit silly."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:10, Wed 11 June 2014.

Fox took the time while Peacock was talking to move slowly to Sun a Fox and speak to her out of earshot

"What's on your mind?" He asked gently. "I can feel that your greatly troubled by what I said, but we need to know if we are to move against him"

Sun Fox seemed startled by Sabre Fox's words, but then quickly shook her head and said, sounding guilty:

"No, I... I just... Sun Snake knows, anyway, he can... can help if..."

She trailed off and then shook her head again before saying, a bit more forcefully but still clearly worried:

"Let it go, Sabre Fox, it's better that way."

"Fine" he said with a smile "But you know where I am if you need to talk about it yourself. Agreed?" He offered

He then looked towards the others

"I have no taste for these sort of politics talks. They rile up my blood" he smirked