With a tentative plan to escape Ossylia formulated Zelpuz takes his leave of the group, having stashed the unconscious Lasrane in his ever-so-handy dimensional pocket. Quickly working his way back to the roof of the building the Mespah begins the journey across the city rooftops, phasing from one to the next, towards a clinic Yuu mentioned lays near the sector wall. After a short search he locates the hospital, a sturdy 5 story structure with only a few lights on within. The front entrance seems as good place as any, and the street at such an early hour is conveniently devoid of interlopers, Zelpuz comes up to the entryway and pauses. Removing a small scrap of paper and a pen from one of his pockets he scribbles a concise note for Lasrane, albeit a cryptic one for anyone aside from an Order member, and stuffs it into one of his pockets. Zelpuz then props his cargo up on against the railing near the doorway, an easy place for someone to find.

Off towards the Order embassy Zelpuz continued, a bit further up and away from the harbour area. A combination of running and phasing, occasionally stopping to avoid a guard patrol, and half an hour later brought him to the steps of the Order in Ossylia, and his partner Myria. The building was dark from the outside, but Zelpuz suspected there may be a little activity starting to stir for the morning and thus he chose stealth and caution as he entered, made all the easier since he had a key.

Within only a few, dim lights provided any illumination for the halls leading away from the front lobby. Not wasting him Zelpuz ascended to the second floor and carefully crept to the room where he had last left Myria. Of course he found the door was locked. Not wanting to waste time and possible detection he set out for the nearest window, and looking at the neighbouring roof phased over. Counting the windows and subsequently the rooms along this side he found Myria's, with the curtains mostly shut, but that small sliver was enough for him to get a bead on his teleport target, and the next instant he was in and standing beside's Myria's bed. His sudden appearance stirred her from sleep and she sat up, gazing quizzically at her partner.

******

Meanwhile Yuu urged his sister to grab some sleep while Vanyra left with the blindfolded Captain Westing. After a number of turns along various side streets and alleys she found a suitable major thoroughfare which would lead him back to the docks, and his likely commandeered vessel. Not waiting to be seen leaving she leapt back into the shadows and then climbed quietly to a rooftop where she saw the captain undo his bonds and blindfold, take measure of his surroundings, mutter a string of choice curses and then set off towards the harbour district. Feeling satisfied she returned to her apartment.

With the return of Vanyra, Yuu felt he had an opportunity to get their passage out of the city squared away. Entrusting Qwe to Vanyra he left for the passenger docks. Prior to getting some rest herself, Vanyra set up her usual array of simple alarms and trip wires to thwart any would-be intruders.

******

Yuu picked his way down to the docks using a maze of interlocking side streets, trying to avoid the main roads as much as possible. He did spy guard patrols on three separate occasions, which got his mind to wondering how the events in the noble district has spilled over? Were these guards as a result of that or were they in on it? In any case Yuu felt it best to avoid all parties.

It took just under an hour to get to the north docks with their array of passenger liners and accompanying travel agencies and seaside hotels. The dawn's light had not yet reached over the Western hills, but he could make out the faint glow of its coming. Gazing down the centre lane Yuu did not see any agencies open for business yet, but he could see a few shipmates here and there preparing for morning. Deciding to take a bit of a breather he found a dark corner to rest in.

After nodding in and out of consciousness a dozen times the cry of a gull provided him the impetuous to move. There still were few agencies open, but a few lights were on, and after composing himself Yuu went to press his luck. A small army of shipmates had appeared across the dozens of vessels, and a few port hands were busy loading various cargoes. Walking down the street a few agencies had signs out front detailing where their voyages for the week were destined, along with costs, but none suited his needs and so he elected to stop at the first open shop and seek some advice.

Within the agency a young female clerk was setting up the registry desk and seemed a bit surprised at Yuu's early entry, but her shock was quickly replaced by a welcoming smile after she had taken in her customer's attire and demeanour. After an exchange of pleasantries Yuu inquired after a ship heading north along the coast towards the city of Zanmin, preferably stopping near the island of Hasheli. She regretfully informed him that they did not have any routes in that direction this week, nor did they typically, but she did provide the names of a couple companies that would better suite his needs.

Thanking the clerk with a bright morning smile that completely masked the utter exhaustion he felt, and armed with his promising information Yuu went back out and down the road. The first option he encountered still wasn't open and he proceeded on and ran into the clerk opening the second one, much to his relief. A quick discussion of his desired route with the clerk proved positive, as this company had two ships leaving in that general direction; one mid-morning (about 4 hours) and one later during early aftereve (19 hours from then). Both had space available, but the one departing earlier would only take him as far as the port of Gunysail which was a fair bit south of his island destination. Either ship would be sufficient to get them out town, but which one would be better?

Yuu thanks the clerk, and admits apologetically that neither is precisely ideal, so he'll check with other agencies before making a decision.

The young mage returns to the first option to check if it was open yet.

After waiting for another 30 minutes the other shop does open. As expected the clerk is surprised at such an early customer, but listens to Yuu's request for passage north. He provides a tentative affirmative response but proceeds to check the log book to insure the route will take them to the proper ports. Their one ship leaving today does make a stop at Zanmin, from which passage could be arranged to the island of Hasheli. The boat is scheduled to leave in approximately 7 hours, but only two first class cabins are available at this time.
This message was last updated by the GM at 20:13, Sun 22 Nov 2015.

**** Meanwhile earlier in the morning at the Order Consulate...

To expedite the process Zelpuz uses his innate telepathic abilities to fully disclose the last two days of activities, from the meeting at Yuu's house, the chlornetherium trail, Captain Westing and his connection with Lasrane, the underground meeting, the run-in with the Shen Zue on the streets and finally at the Corsair's Gambit.

Zelpuz's partner is quiet for a time, her eyes closed as she sorts through the new memories. "Well none of this is good, how the hell did we get wrapped up in this?" Myria eventually asks rhetorically. "We need to notify the Order leadership, and quickly. Given the state of affairs I suppose we should get out of town while can, that's still a possibility correct?"

Zelpuz admits he's not sure of the general state of the city and the turmoil it is in, but that they do have plans to get out as soon as possible. "Are you able to travel? The streets are fairly quiet now, and we could slip out with relative ease." Zelpuz questions.

"Yes, just don't expect me to go dancing any time soon. Just let me get dressed and grab my things." Zelpuz goes to check on the hallway while his partner dons her travel garb and gathers her equipment. As expected it is dark and quiet. After 10 minutes Myria taps Zelpuz on the shoulder, apparently ready to move out, but she pauses and motions down the hall.

"We should check the Chapter Master's office. He won't be there and something there may shed some more light on this story." she echoes in Zelpuz's mind.

***** Back the docks...

Yuu splits a grin and gesticulates widely, "Oh, that's perfect! We'll take both cabins. Can we get a discount if we get both? A group of us heading off for some holidays... we thought there wouldn't be anything last minute, but woo! How big are the rooms? How many beds are there in each room? Can I have an extra cot brought into each one? There'll be like, six or so of us. We just finished term exams... we are in serious need of escape, let me tell you. And I'm wired on coffee. What's the cost of a return ticket? And is it true that on Hasheli... the women... go topless on the beaches? And do you do student discounts?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:56, Mon 23 Nov 2015.

**** Meanwhile earlier in the morning at the Order Consulate...

Zelpuz nods, "Risky, but it might be worth it. If we get cornered, it might be a good idea for you to hide in my pocket and hope I can phase out."

The pair of Order Seekers skulk down to the office of the Chapter Master only to find it locked. Without the key or a pair of picks the two weight their options for a few moments when the soft shuffle of footsteps on stairs can be heard at the far end of the hall. Not risking an encounter the two move towards the nearby window. Zelpuz nods to Myria with a mental, "Time to go!", and with her accepting nod she vanishes from sight and into the dimensional pocket of Zelpuz. The next moment Zelpuz himself vanishes from sight only to reappear on the street outside. He moves quickly down the street several blocks before stopping to release Myria back into the world.

"It's a shame we couldn't get in, perhaps another time. Where to now?" remarks Myria.

"Yes, we'll have to find out more the hard way. I gave Lasrane instructions on how to meet me, so hopefully we'll follow up on this soon. For now, let's head out and meet my friends." They continue their way down to the harbor district to Vanyra's room.

As Zelpuz and Myria make there way through the awakening city for the most part things appear as they always have, or as they would expect given their limited experience with Ossylia. At first they simply noticed a small squad of soldiers marching a few blocks down on one of the larger roads cutting across the city, then some distance later they spotted a city guard check post set-up in an intersection where it hadn't been the day before. The check point forced the pair to alter their route and Zelpuz became increasingly aware of a heightened presence of guards and soldiers about compared to the last couple of days, and while they were not engaged in any combat or martial activities it was certainly unnerving. With the streets largely quiet and deserted the pair were able to get back to Vanyra's place after snaking through a number of alleys to avoid the increased police presence.

In the meantime Yuu set about securing two additional pairs of tickets, for Qwe and himself, to some more exotic locales; one to the free city of Arghos and another to kingdom of Vessivius. By the time he's done with his spending spree the docks are humming with activity, and even the first few travelers are arriving to check in for their early departures. It is at this time that the young mage first notices the line of uniformed guardsmen near the entrance to travel agency row, and they seem to be questioning all who are entering.

Vanyra looks up when Zelpuz and Myria enter the room.  She gets up and hugs Myria before stating hurriedly "I'm glad you're back, and I'm so glad you found Myria. Traveling by boat isn't safe, the harbor is trapped. We need to get Yuu from the docks as fast as possible and get out of town _now_. Over the wall, and into the forest should be the safest. I think we should just go together and find Yuu. I can scout from the rooftops and the shadows while the rest of you take a safe route. Is there any way we could get a message to Yuu? Can we maintain contact when we aren't close to each other?"

"What a passionate welcome back." Zelpuz smiles while the two hug. "Walking through the city as a group may not be as easy and fast as you think. We had to change our path several times to avoid an increasing amount of patrols and road blocks. If we can get on a boat, it might be the fastest way out after all. But yes, it may be a good idea to move quickly. Let's go and find Yuu, he might be running into the same troubles getting around. But how can we make sure we won't pass Yuu on the way to the harbor?"

"I believe that ships trying to leave the harbor will be completely destroyed. If we want to leave safely, we have no choice but to leave another way. The border to the west is closest and it will take a few hours to get out of town."
"I think we have two options. Either we all stay together and get Yuu then leave or the faster one of us goes to get Yuu separately and we meet up near the wall or outside of town. We really don't have choices anymore."

Yuu positions himself down from the entrance, out of general sight. He watches, casually, looking for patterns in the guard behaviour.

"Did you have another vision about ships leaving being destroyed? What changed that you want to change our plans?"

"I already said. The harbor is trapped and ships trying to leave will be completely destroyed.  We don't have time to talk about this. They are locking down the whole city, and if we don't leave we'll be trapped."
Vanyra readies her gear, "I'm going to go look for Yuu to get out. You can come or not but we have no more time to waste."

"Your vision had nothing about ships, when did you say the harbor was trapped and ships will be destroyed? If you knew about it, why did you let Yuu go to the harbor? And if you didn't know, what changed?" Zelpuz irritatedly looking at Vanyra for signs that would explain her  behavior, wondering if Lasrane messed with her mind while he was here.

Vanyra pauses and her entire body turns dark red while black stripes begin to appear and disappear across her skin.  She clenches her fists, takes a breath, and says, "This is new, and I'm not wasting any more time talking about it and risking Yuu's life. We can talk later when we're safe. You need to trust me that it's time to go."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:34, Sun 06 Dec 2015.

Zelpuz did not expect such a dramatic display. But Vanyra certainly earned to be trusted. He nods. "OK, let's get going. It might be easier for me to get him out if he is held up somewhere though. How about we go all together? "

Vanyra nods in agreement and heads out.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:50, Mon 07 Dec 2015.

Zelpuz calls after Vanyra "Can you wait one second?"
He turns to Qwe, "Qwe, we believe that Yuu is in trouble and we want to go rescue him. I hope you trust us enough, we will head out to get now, can you hide in my secret room?"

Qwe is completely against hiding in any "secret room" of somebody she's just met. She will remain in the apartment until Yuu returns, just as he bade her to do.

"All right. We need to stay together to get out. Vanyra, why don't you go see if you can find Yuu. We'll wait here. If he shows up before you are back, we'll head towards the closest gate of the city. We'll try to travel by the main roads, you'll find us. Or do you prefer if I join you looking for Yuu?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:07, Wed 16 Dec 2015.

"I'll scout around the immediate area and check in every 15 minutes or so," Vanyra states before blending into the the background and climbing out the window.

Zelpuz sits down to rest a bit and pulls out some dried fruits and beef jerky.
"Would you like some food?" He offers Qwe and Myria.
After taking a few bites, he turns to Myria: "So how was it at the Order? Did you notice anything strange? And what do you think of Lasrane's story?"

Myria relays a basic summary of her time at the Order consulate in intensive care; absolutely nothing other than what you would expect. Lasrane's tale is taken with a grain of salt, given the supposed instability in Ossylia it would be difficult to ascertain who is acting in the right. Depending on one's point of view, if Lasrane's accusations are true they may still be interpreted as Mespah influence over others and incite another pogrom; hence why unilateral action is discouraged in the Order. With that said a Chapter Master influencing local politics would certainly have grave consequences if discovered. In any case without firm evidence all of this is little more than hearsay, and it would seem more pressing issues face the capital at this time.

***** Meanwhile, back at the docks;

Yuu surmises that avoiding the blockade of city guards to be the best choice, he reaches into his satchel and spends a few moments tinkering. A short while later he produces a simple-looking belt clip type item, channels some energy into it and fastens it to his belt. Somewhat nonchalantly he strides forward and moves in between the guard pairs alerting the arriving people that there are to be no ships departing in the next 48 hours due to a national security measure. They apologize for the inconvenience, and suggest speaking with their respective travel agents to reschedule their voyage.

Upon hearing the guards relay the military decree Yuu was tempted to pause and reassess his situation, but his mind worked quickly and he continued onwards. That was a fair bit of money lost, but it may also have bought him an exceptional amount of disinformation... if he could devise a plan around it. Once a fair distance from the piers and clear of all onlookers Yuu deactivated the device and strode along the harbor district streets back to Vanyra's apartment.

Zelpuz scratches his head. "Yes, thank you for your calming voice. You are right, we would need firm evidence, and with the situation as it is, that seems rather unlikely. And since we've been relieved of our task, we should probably sit back and observe for now. Let's hope Yuu and Vanyra are coming back soon. How do you feel?"

Myria responds that she's about 75%, still a few bruises here and there, but the worst is over. About 30 minutes later both Vanyra and Yuu enter the apartment. The Freyan bounty hunter spotted Yuu about a block away from her building. After a short round of introductions the group is faced with a few new facts about the city's state of affairs.

As Yuu was meandering his way back he managed to over hear a few conversations near the piers and questioned a few merchants there; aside from a lot of frustration and anger over the closure of the harbour few solid facts emerged. While the official line seemed to be it was a national security concern, others had heard more specific rumours that they military is hunting down some rogue faction, and another suggesting martial law had been declared due to an attempted coup. One more elaborate rumour from a spice merchant suggested a cold war between select guilds and merchant collectives had finally ratcheted up, and the whole exercise was an attempt by one faction to starve out some of the others that depended on the open sea trade. One thing seemed apparent, the people are starting to get nervous and the suspected puppet masters are the guilds, merchant collectives and the government factions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:10, Sat 02 Jan 2016.

"I got us a few tickets for some various destinations, maybe throw people off our track. But... we'll need to be leaving on foot, it seems." Yuu concludes flatly.

Zelpuz stands up, looks around and says  "OK, let's go."

Yuu takes hold of his sisters hand, and steps through the doorway, following the stairs back down.

He stops just before the door, waiting for the others to pile in beside him.

"I'm thinking we should head west, quickest route out of the city. If we can get through, then we're out, and safer. If we can't, then at least we tried, and can explore the longer routes past the merchant and harbour districts."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:42, Thu 07 Jan 2016.

The ensemble of characters exits the apartment with whatever gear they had and set off on the streets, burgeoning with the activity of a typical morning. Zelpuz notes that the patrols of soldiers he and Myria spotted a few hours earlier have subsided and they make good progress up the gradual hillside towards the western interior wall of the city, the first potential obstacle.

A small crowd has formed at the gatehouse the group approaches first. Asking another member of the throng nets a vague answer about some sort of security check, but they don't really know what for, but it certainly is putting a cramp in her day.

Vanyra seizes the moment and moves up adjacent to the line, and through the crowd of persons trying to get around the it, to get within easy viewing distance of the guard post at the gate. After listening for a couple minutes it sounds like a relatively routine guard check; they're asking everyone their business between the inner and outer city, what goods (if any) they're carrying, and any reasonable follow-up questions. She does note that they are informing each person or group that the gates will shut and the city on lock-down effective at the end of aftereve (about 22 hours from now). If any of the goods seem large or expensive the guards take a closer look.

In the few minutes she spends observing she does not see anyone turned away or apprehended.

After a bit of powwow with his fellow adventurers, Yuu and Qwe peel from the line to sort out costumes, some additional props and comprehensive cover story that weaves together everyone's involvement. For his own part, things are no longer safe, and Yuu has been charged to take himself and his sister to his uncles farm several miles outside the city walls. It's close enough to the truth to blend well.

With a few meagre life possessions, and a few folds of food to take them the journey, the two siblings slide back into the line alongside their companions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:29, Mon 18 Jan 2016.

The motley crew of individuals makes to the front of the line after an agonizingly slow 20 minutes. While the guards have appeared somewhat bored with the monotonous task of interrogating all patrons of the gate their attention and mood visibly change as the group six hobbles forward, somewhat slowed by Myria's newly acquired crutch. For the astute observer it is clear that the guards really don't know what to make of this, while eyes linger on Vanyra's form for a bit they suddenly move from one to the other as if attempting some mental arithmetic to confirm the scene before them.

After a short, but noticeable silence, the corporal speaks up, "Let me guess, you're fresh off the boat? Well I have some unfortunate news for you all then, city's about to go into lock down and we're not to let anyone pass without proper business in the outer city. So you may need to find a hotel while you can."

Before the corporal can finish summoning forth the next person in line, Zelpuz interjects and informs the man the he and his companion are members of the Order of Ashes, and on official business. Myria then takes over and explains in an authoritative manner that they are tracking down a rogue Mespah that's been hiding in Ossylia and working with the slaver gang, the Blood Runners. This deviant apparently convinces people to become slaves using his mental abilities.

So well spoken is this account that one of the other guards attests to hearing of this criminal, Harkanz, before. Zelpuz and Myria were able to track him down while in the process of 'acquiring' some people but did not count of the muscle the Blood Runners had mustered and only barely escaped with the two youths, gesturing to Yuu and Qwe, and some injuries. At this point Yuu adds some of his own local flavour and details.

Subsequently the Order approved the hiring of their own muscle and they got in contact with Vanyra, a professional bounty hunter. Vanyra attests as much and flashes the writ by the city guard council testifying that she's a registered bounty hunter. Currently they are bringing the children to some relatives and acquiring some more information from them on the case.

After shutting down the initial probing questions with succinct answers, the tone of the conversation shifts and the guard corporal wishes everyone good luck in catching the bastard. He also informs you that you may have a hard time leaving the city if this criminal has fled beyond the outer walls as the gates are to be shut this evening, but for what it's worth he writes a commendation recommending letting the group pass to pursue this criminal. And with that team moves on.

After a few minutes the group arrives at a train terminal, the green line loops around to the outer wall, or close enough. The ride takes the 45 minutes, but is uneventful. Upon disembarking the top of the wall can be seen through the gaps between buildings, and it should be a short walk to the nearest gate.

Though it would be difficult to qualify due to your general lack of familiarity with this part of Ossylia, the atmosphere here seems a bit more relaxed. Of course it could be a subconscious compensation knowing you're that much further from the inner city and the machinations there. After a short stroll along the streets, being sure to stay on the sidewalks due to the increase in vehicle travel here, the group finds themselves nearing the Selhaal Gate, named after a merchant prince who originally helped build the outer wall which transformed the old city of Ossylia which was just the current inner city to the metropolis it is now.

Unlike the inner city gate you find no crowd of people waiting transit out here, but there are very clear signs posted about declaring that the gates will be shut immediately following aftereve and re-entry will not be allowed without special permits. A few persons stop and ask some questions to the guards manning the gate, but they are not being searched. A few people upon reading the signs and questioning the guards obviously decided to change their plans and turn away.

When you stop and take it in you realize that despite the lack of crowds this gate is at least twice as busy as the inner city one, only this one is so much larger it can accommodate the extra flow. While exiting seems simple enough you can see quite the line has formed outside of the gate, and most of the guards have their attention focused there. You suspect that the no re-entry policy may extend to no entry at all. Time to make the final call, a few steps and you're out...

"I'd like to know why they're locking the city down. Is it possible to question the guards a bit?" Yuu asks of Zelpuz. "You've got that writ, after all, and our story was pretty darn good."

The group moves up to the gate and waits as the guards wave through a vehicle following a short exchange. As they walk up a pair of guards look them over, and then one speaks up, "You leaving Ossylia?"

Zelpuz responds in the affirmative, which prompts a short exchange in which they are informed that the city gates will be closed at aftereve and no word has been received as to when they shall be re-opened, thus any one journey outside should be adequately prepared. The Mespah explain their mission and the role of their companions, and therefore their intent to journey onwards. Upon inquiring as to the reason of the gate closing they are informed it is a security matter that may not be further discussed, and then wish them luck with their hunt for the miscreant.

A few short steps later and everyone is out of the capital. There are a number of roads, buildings, houses and the like that have been built in the shadow of the outer wall to form a sort of greater-Ossylia area, but they are outside of the city proper now. With the pathways open ahead of them the group must decide where to go; south to the coast, west to the mountains or north into the more civilized countryside of the kingdon?

Yuu blinks out the afternoon sun, rubbing his tired eyes. He looks at the others.

"I don't know what you plan, but I'd like to head north. Maybe catch a craft sailing The Krev... take us far up as it can go. Once the river breaks west, we'll get off and make our way eastward towards the coast. And my cousins. There should be some good roads. I've never taken this route to Hasheli, but I've a pretty good memory for maps."

Vanyra deeply breathes in the air, enjoying the taste of freedom it seems to contain.

"That's fine with me," she replies.

Zelpuz nods, "I don't mind where we go, when the waves settle, I'd like to go back to see what happened with the Order. What do you think Myria, do you have any trusted contacts out here?"

"No, I'm not linked to any particular area, thus no close contacts; part and parcel of the purpose of having wandering Order members. I'll make my way to the coast with you, and from there I'll book passage back to Order headquarters. Not much we can do about Ossylia now, but I fear Lasrane's or the Chapter Master's involvement in some plot is the least of the city's worries at this time," Myria responds.

The group then carries on along a small road meandering through the hamlets that dot the outskirts of the city proper, making their way north to the Krev. It's nearing the end of aftereve when they arrive at a river town by the name of Yuusam, which is primarily a river shipping port addressing the needs outside the city. Unexpectedly it has a seedier atmosphere than you were expecting for a countryside town, but Vanyra and Myria are quick to point out that there would be far fewer prying eyes at a place like this versus the river ports in the city itself. Thus they may need to be on their toes, but this same level of discretion could bode well for making a quiet escape.

Given the number of vessels moored up to the docks it shouldn't be too difficult to find one heading in the right direction, for the right price. Deciding to maximize their efforts the group splits up, with Myria and Qwe going to look for an inn for the night and the rest going to find a ship.

"Never been here before. I'd guess look for a boat that looks in tidy order with a crew that's getting on with it." Yuu offers in the deer-in-headlights kind of way. "A captain with pride."

Yuu, Vanyra and Zelpuz set about surveying the docks of the town. Things appear largely as one would expect, with different sections set up for differing types of goods. To the trained eye these sections are temporary, in a constant state of flux given the never ending variety of goods that appear, and offer a stark contrast to the well settled and organized harbor district of the nearby capital.

After a short stint of meandering around heaping crates of vegetables, meats, linens and random widgets the trio enters the local tavern and inn district, and it is here that the obvious passenger liners have docked. The craft range from large, wide tour craft with private cabins all the way to small, narrow river runners. Given the distance to be traveled some level of comfort would be welcome, which leads them to a larger mid-sized vessel by the name of the Lark's Song.

The boat measures about 25m in length and 6m wide, with a covered roof over most of the it that provides passengers with shade. The cabin is divided into three main sections; the passenger seating area, a refreshments/bar area and the crew section. There are no masts or ports for oars, suggesting a nether-drive system of sorts, which should insure a smooth and quick ride. After approaching the vessel and a short discussion with a crewman the trio learns that any passengers must book through the travel agency, and provides directions to it.

Not wishing to put all their eggs in one basket, they thank the crewman, and continue along the docks for a way to inspect other possible ships. The travel agency is right where they had expected it to be and appears to be fairly busy, even at this later hour of the day. After some waiting in line the group reaches an agent and makes travel arrangements to Hasheli. The price for travel on the Lark's Song was a bit more than Yuu had expected, but they were able to recover some cost by booking travel via overnight train to the coast in economy class.

With the tickets booked, with the boat leaving tomorrow evening, Yuu, Zelpuz and Vanyra set off to rejoin Myria and Qwe at the beginning of the docks area. Qwe and Myria are waiting for them there, with news that accommodations have been acquired at an inn a few blocks away and off from the riverfront, and they are in turn informed about the travel plans over the next few days. With that the group sets off to their inn, some food and much needed rest.

The following day arrives like many others, without fanfare or event. The group is feeling much better following a night's sleep on comfortable beds and spends the rest of the morning gathering minor odds and ends that they may need for the journey ahead. The Lark's Song is ready to depart on schedule and all board without issue. Following cast-off a quick survey of the passenger cabin suggest the ship is 75~80% full; most of the clientele seem to be business travelers though there are a few more casual types as well. One thing for certain is that Myria, Zelpuz and Vanyra appear to be the most well armed and combat-ready passengers.

The next couple of days are spent watching the countryside leisurely slide by and the twin proper nether-powered motor propels the ship against the flow of the river. There's a fair amount of traffic on the Krev, as was to be expected of the premier waterway of Ossylia. A bit of small talk with other passengers helps to pass the time. Upon arriving in GungHan, a bustling mid-sized industrial port town in the interior, the group is certain anxious to stretch their legs. They've a number of hours before they have to catch the train to the coast, and thus spend it grabbing some food, additional provisions and trying to catch any news from the capital.

During their relatively isolated river journey it would seem there are rumors coming from the capital of a coup, though a number of stories are contradictory. Some say it was a military coup, but then one will say it was X-faction while another claims it was Y-faction. Whoever it was, if this coup did occur and was successful, they seemed to have pulled it off with little bloodshed or fanfare as word is scarce. No one seems to really have a grasp of what really happened, and more of than not people inquire to each of them of what they know since they just came from the capital. Wisely the group plays their cards close to their chest and feign ignorance when questioned.

Considering the vast number of industries, processing centers and shipping outlets in GungHan the team has no problem restocking their supplies for the final leg of the trip. The train station is large but not overly grand, and they find their particular train is a mix of passengers and cargo. Their economy seats are comfortable enough, but the train also offers quite a bit more room to move about than the boat.

The next couple of days are broken up with irregular stops at various towns along the way, sometimes dropping of people and cargo and sometimes picking up. The rumors of the coup continue to add up along the way, though concrete information is still not to be found. In light of the hazy political situation Myria suggests that Zelpuz drop any further investigation there; it's not worth the personal risk given the fact that people in Ossylia seem to barely know anything happened at the highest level of government. In the meantime she will return to the Order headquarters and report to the high council so further action plans can be developed. Indeed the consensus seems to be that the further from the capital you are the better off you are at this time.

Eventually the train arrives at the Hasheli coast; a gorgeous intermittent string of beaches, lagoons and rocky cliffs. Getting off at a large resort town the group should have little trouble getting over to the island of Hashelf, visible from the beach.

Yuu steps off the train, and moves to the side. Stretching himself long and letting the mid-morning air refreshen his mood. He's felt in a bit of a slump these past few days, unusual for the young mage. But word of the coup has meant friends and family could have been hurt, or worse.

Qwe has travelled rather more quietly than usual as well, sleeping most of the journey, or staring through the windows of lands moving by. She steps down beside him, and gives her leg a scratch. "Do you think they'll know more?"

Her brother smiles, and gives her hair a warm tussle. "We can hope." he answers simply, and honestly.

The town of Myulin is a charming, though thriving beach settlement. Tourism, fishing and shipping offer the town a constant flow of travelers and kept the local coffers well stocked. To the north and south one spies gold and white beaches occasionally interrupted by a pier or stretch of jungle. The air here is quite humid and hot, but with the sea breeze is much more comfortable than you'd expect. In the distance to the south they can see Hasheli peninsula and offshore from that the island of Hasheli, slightly shrouded in in a haze of humidity.

After a bit of wandering around the sea-side town the group finds a bus that will take them into the Hasheli peninsula, from which they can find a boat to take them to the island. The journey takes the better part of two hours, but gives everyone the chance to relax and take in the sights of the beaches and ultramarine waters, and bask in some sun. A smattering of beachgoers dot the coastal sands just as a mixture of fishing and pleasure craft are scattered in the near-shore waters.

The city of Hasheli is split between the island and the peninsula, with the majority of people and industry on the mainland, while resorts and government offices adorn the island. It is not a large city, perhaps numbering only 100,000, but like Myulin up the coast the city has a positive energy about it, with hawkers selling all manner of fruits, fish and trinkets to casual passersby. The atmosphere couldn't be more different than what you left in Ossylia, or even when passing through GungHan. A public ferry takes the group to the island and from there they make their way through white cobbled streets to the government district, after asking for directions once or twice.

As luck would have it the governor's residence was not in the government district but located in a suburb outside the city proper, to the east. Winding their way through the streets the travelers have little trouble spotting their destination, as it rests atop the highest nearby hill. Thankfully they picked up a few snacks in the city as it was a few kilometers walk until the reached the gates which, as expected, are protected by a number of guards who look intently at your approach.

After a somewhat tedious and circular debate with the guard sergeant as to their identity Yuu is able to convince them to summon a member of the household to verify their identity. After 20 minutes of basking in the sun accompanied by the cacophony of seabird cries the gate opens. An additional pair of armed guards exits followed by a young women dressed in a colorful, light flowing garment. She appears to be around Yuu's age, and certainly has his air of confidence and station. Her hair appears incandescent as the sunlight hits it despite is dark purple hue. She looks each of you up and down with a discerning eye, before finally stopping at Yuu.

She bows to both Yuu and Qwe and offers a formal greeting, introducing herself as Zhu'Li, youngest daughter to Governor Jin. To Myria, Vanyra and Zelpuz what follows is a semi-awkward discussion of family business and health, awkward in the sense that appears to be two people who aren't related. To the casual observer it would be nothing more than the formal conversations one normally sees with the nobility, but the empathic senses of the trio could pick up a notable sense of uneasy and suspicion from the guards present. Keeping their calm the Mespah and the Freyan subtly prepared for the worst.

To Yuu the conversation is a polite and subtle assault on his credibility, a logical tactic if he assumed word of the events of the capital had reached Hasheli. Following that logic there could be no doubt his and Qwe's appearance at here would draw suspicion. The last time he saw Zhu'Li was 6 years prior, and both of them have grown up considerably, thus he could not truly be sure it was her. Thus he indulged the probes with counters of his own. As the conversation progressed talk moved of times further back and eventually to his and Qwe's last visit here. Every false memory is corrected with the appropriate response, with Qwe looking on in confusion, until Zhu'Li asks a seemingly random question about seeing the moon in a pool one afternoon that stops Yuu's mind in mid-stride. After pausing to figure out why the moon would be out mid afternoon and reflected in a pool, his mind begins racing through possible code word meanings, before he suddenly remembers the waterfall pool. Yuu replies with a slight blush and grin that indeed he remembers the sight, and thought he saw a single star as well.

Zhu'Li's expression changes ever so slightly at the response and states that her mother and father would surely like to hear how they've been over the years and how their parents are. Subsequently they're invited in, and the posture of the guards relaxes notably. Little is said as the party is lead through the gates and along a immaculately manicured garden path to the main house.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 01:54, Mon 14 Mar 2016.

Yuu takes note of the curious looks from his companions. "Er... don't ask." the flushed youth whispers as he heads off after the Governor's daughter.

As the group snake their way through the estate, Yuu maintains customary courtesy with light conversation towards his distant cousin. About the season, weather, flowers... that's a nice statue, and when did the third swimming pool get built. It's kept purposefully light, knowing the heavy topics overshadowing the visit will be addressed in due time, place and company.

As the party moves past the garden path and into the house, Zhu'Li's conversation with Yuu becomes more direct, "I'm sorry for the interrogation back there, but we cannot be too careful at times like these... at least based on the rumors we've heard. I thought it was you, but with two Mespah present I couldn't be certain... I mean maybe someone had extracted the basics from your mind in a ploy to fool and infiltrate us... that's when I pulled the waterfall story. I couldn't imagine someone pulling that memory, and even less so your response, that's when I knew it was you."

She turns her attention to Qwe then, "My apologies Qwe, but you were little more than a knee-high girl with pigtails back then. I'm truly relieved to see you, and surely mother and father will be ecstatic. I would normally offer you a chance to bath and get refreshed, but father was quite adamant about bringing you directly to see him... if it was indeed really you."

With a glance back to Myria, Vanyra and Zelpuz, "Pardon me for asking, but are your travelling companions members of your house guard? I haven't been to Ossylia since I was younger than Qwe, but I don't seem to remember any Mespah, nor especially a Freyan. Quite an unorthodox group, though the appear quite capable."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 01:55, Mon 14 Mar 2016.

Yuu follows through the corridors and hallways, memories of a time long past flooding back. The colours, and decor... many changes, but many things exactly as they had been. It all seems a bit smaller than he remembers, though, not quite claustrophobic, but.... like a shirt that's shrunk after a round in the dryer. Peppering this reminisce was the special fondness for the pranks he'd get up to, in cahoots with and at the expense of, the now grown Zhu Li.

Returning to visit had been something he'd wanted, but under better circumstances.

Qwe beams, and unconsciously fingers her now free ranging hair.

"It's ok... there's been a lot going on." The young mage looks back at his companions. "I guess it's a bit odd, but no," he replies, smiling lightly, "they are not guards, but friends. It's... a bit complicated. What, um... what are some latest rumours you've been hearing?"

Zhu'Li's tone hushes a bit, "Well quite a number of things really, some more credible than others, but almost all concern the capital. We've heard martial law has been declared, that there's been some sort of witch hunt for various politicians and society members depending on their affiliations, that special military units have been dispatched to secure areas outside the capital... in short, quite a bit of conspiracy." After a brief pause to collate her thoughts precises she continues, "But at the end of all these rumors lies the reality that no one has any concrete word from Ossylia, at least that I know; my father may know more though. Whatever is happening is being done in a very quiet manner. We're hoping you could give us some actual facts."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 01:56, Mon 14 Mar 2016.

"So... nothing about mom and dad?" Yuu asks, the ember of hope still struggling to remain alight.

"Well nothing about anyone really, which is at once worrying and reassuring... I mean we're all in the dark, but we suspect if something drastic had happened then we would have heard. Unless they wish to instigate a civil war I should hope no one would attack our family so brazenly; your mother alone has many dangerous allies," Zhu'Li tries to assure Qwe and Yuu, despite the dearth of information. "Mayhaps we could discern something from hearing your version of the events that transpired, or at the very least come up with a way to learn more."

Zhu'Li leads the group down a few exterior corridors lined with ornate wooden columns that seem to channel a refreshing breeze along themselves. The summer heat and humidity here is just as oppressive as Ossylia, but the sea air of Hasheli makes it much more bearable. Eventually they arrive at a set of double doors and their guide does not pause a moment before confidently pushing them open, after which she takes two steps forward and bows to someone you initially cannot see in the far front of the room. Upon stepping threw the doors you spy a man and female seated on cushioned chairs enjoying some sort of beverage; Yuu and Qwe recognize them as their aunt and uncle. Another older fellow sits to the left, in front with a book and pen in hand.

Their hostess guides the group forward and provides a formal introduction to governor Rezzam Jin, his wife and vice-minister of interior affairs, Kali Shahir Jin, and the minister of external affairs, Hal Nulhaam. In turn Zhu'Li then introduces each of the party in turn, starting with Yuu and Qwe. Once the pleasantries are completed Zhu'Li offers each of the party members a seat and some refreshments, a chilled jasmine and ginger tea and some lightly sweetened rice biscuits. Having seen various guards and some house staff moving about while walking to the room, it is noticeable that no such persons are in this room now. For Yuu this is very poignant; it would seem that discretion is of the utmost concern.

Governor Mei Jin Shahir then entreats Yuu and Qwe to provide details of what had occurred in Ossylia, after which we follows through asking for any additional information Vanyra, Zelpuz and Myria can provide on what's happening there.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:57, Mon 14 Mar 2016.

Until reaching the double doors, Yuu was calm and sure, having travelled with great reason that this was his best course of action. But still, once Zhu Li passed through the doors and directed him inside... a shadow of trepidation rose like a bubble from a place deep inside. His mind began racing through memories and information, second guessing his choice, searching for anything earlier missed that would have him turn and bolt. But he could find nothing... no clue that this could be a trap. The moment of panic flickered away as quickly as it emerged, and... taking a deep breath, Yuu stepped through. In moments he found himself sitting with Qwe across from his aunt and uncle, sipping tea and eating biscuits.

He decided to start the story with facts, and leave conjecture for afterwards.... about the assault on his home, and being ordered to depart to safety with his sister. He spoke of running into Vanyra and Zelpuz, two specialised head hunters he'd assisted in the past. Together they secured themselves away in Vanyra's flat, before departing the city together. He leaves the details of his companion's story for them to answer.

"We arrived this morning and came straight here." the nephew finishes. He answers the questions to his best ability, keeping to facts for now, hearsay and theory were for later.

Vanyra, Zelpuz and Myria fill in some additional minor details concerning how they met and their motivations to leave the city before the impending lockdown. They provide some outsider perspective on what the saw transpire in Ossylia over the last couple of days they were present, including an increased sense of tension and visibility of armed guards and soldiers about. Particulars concerning Lasrane and the Bloodrunners are left out of the narrative.

Governor Jin and his ministers provide some insight on the broader situation based on what they've heard through a variety of channels; much of it reinforcing their previously assumptions and summations of the situation. There seems to be a quiet revolt within the existing government of Ossylia, in the upper house, between the power brokers of the major factions. While there has always been tension it seems something acted as a trigger event for the more extreme members to take action. From the description of those who raided Yuu's family compound it would be reasonable to assume that they're indeed members of the special forces, which puts a unique spin on the situation.

By not using Ossylian regulars in any overt action it is possible that these actions have the support of only a small number of leaders of the Reforgers. Many officers and soldiers in the regular forces bear quite a bit of loyalty to Yuu's mother. To this end their goal may be to simply suppress communications and hold various power players in a state of paralysis until their particular goals are met. What those goals are, are up for debate, but this could be more of a violent adjust of the government rather than an actual coup. It's all just guesses now though.

With that the governor thanks the group for their patience and the information they have brought. He bids them relax and enjoy themselves for the remainder of the day, and states that Zhu'Li will see them to the guest quarters. With a bow the group is lead out through the same doors they came, with the warm sun and the songs of birds presenting a sharp contrast to the grim news they just shared. Zhu'Li leads them along the north side of the main courtyard while making small talk with Qwe in an attempt to make up for lost time. In the deep blue of the ocean is easily visible through the well-spaced trees and the low crashing of waves provides a comforting white noise.

The guest rooms are situated along the same northern half of the estate; comfortable accommodations of 50~70 square meters in size across a double-story, standalone structure. Each room has a small balcony out the back the overlooks the sea below. As Zhu'Li guides each of you to your room she provides a simple explanation of the amenities and states that dinner shall be served at the 12th hour of aftereve (about 8 hours from now), though should they want any refreshments aside from the assortment of fruit in their rooms they need only ask one of the house staff. She has duties to attend to for the time being, but if they wish to find her a bit later she'll be at the practice hall in the main courtyard.

With that the group is left to their own devices for the next several hours.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 01:53, Mon 14 Mar 2016.

"Beach?" the young mage asks, looking around at his companions.

Zelpuz looks at the mage for a few seconds trying to figure out if he is joking. It seems to be a genuine question, and thinking about it, it's been a while since they all had time to just relax.
"I'm in!"

The young mage cracks a wide, boyish grin, "Meet here in 15!" And with that he shoots off to his room.
Five minutes later, he's standing back in the hallway, in trunks with bag full of goodies, bouncing from foot to foot, excited to give the warm beaches a splash.

Zelpuz arrives at the previously defined spot 12 minutes later to find Qwe and Yuu waiting. Myria has decided to get some sleep in a comfortable bed. The trio make there way out of the nearest gate of the walled compound and down a wide footpath lined with fine white stones. Exposed to the sun the heat is quite oppressive, but as they reach the bottom the gentle sea breeze lightens the load. The short sprint across the almost blistering hot sand takes them to the water's edge, and cool relief for the soles of their feet. Protected by a sufficient layer of sand-mud they walk inland a bit to set up their beach camp.

After taking a nice long swim, Zelpuz lays down on one of the towels and rummages around for a while somehow producing a bottle of mead and a few glasses, pours himself one, makes a hand gesture that seems to mean help yourselves and gets ready to relax on the beach.
After a while of sorting through his thoughts, he asks:
"So, what's your plan now? Are you just going to wait here to hear from your parents?"

Yuu and Qwe, having zipped across the hot beach sands, cursing and laughing all the way, splashed and dashed their own hearts out, enjoying the warm, clear waters of this near paradise. They chased fish, poked at urchins, and tossed beach balls back and forth.

Eventually Yuu walks himself back to the beach camp, happy for some shade. Qwe has decided to explore the length of beach towards some interesting rocky formations just to the north. Yuu remembers exploring them himself, so long ago, and happily leaves his sister to it.

He takes a cup of mead from Zelpuz offer, and lays back. He'd predicted the Mespah's question, but hadn't known what he would say. He still doesn't.

"I don't know. I don't think so. Now that I've got Qwe here... I want to help, and I feel desperate to do something. I'll give it a few days, clear my head, and decide what to do. What about you?"

"Same. I don't know. I would like to go back to see what of the things we heard is true, but as Myrria said, it's not really our problem anymore. Others will come to deal with it." He looks around the beach and out on the sea. "This is a very relaxing place after all what happened. If we are welcome, I'd be happy to stay for a few days. Maybe we'll see things clearer after getting some distance..." He takes another sip of his mead. "But if you want to go back and need some help, we seem to make a good team and I have no commitments."

The young mage turns, giving the Mespah a long look. He's not often speechless, but the offer of help was a grateful surprise.

"I... would appreciate that. It's not your fight, and I wouldn't ask you.""

He toes through some sand.

"But, I think I will need the help."

"All right, so unless Vanyra's vision came true, I might still find out if Lasrane was right some day. "
He stares out onto the sea.

Yuu follows Zelpuz' gaze across the sea, hoping Vanyra's vision was mere metaphor.

After a quiet, thoughtful moment, Zelpuz shrugs, points to a rock poking out of the water maybe 200 meters away and says "Race you around the rock and back", jumps up and starts running towards the water.

With the challenge accepted both men race into the water and begin a front crawl through the relatively calm waters of the bay area. While neither are very accomplished swimmers the competition is tight, and only in the last 30m does Yuu manage to pull ahead and reach the rock first. Thoroughly winded both of them spend several minutes catching their breath before making their way leisurely to back to the beach and an awaiting Qwe. Satisfied with the beach excursion, and with hunger beginning to grow, the trio make their way back up to the governor's compound.

After washing away the sand, sweat and sun screen from their bodies each of them has time to relax in the cool shade of their rooms. An hour later the time for dinner arrives, and none to soon according to the occasional stomach rumble. One by one, with Qwe in tow with Yuu, the group finds their way to the dinning hall. ZhuLi is already seated, along with Myyria, when Vanyra first arrives, followed by Zelpuz and then Yuu and Qwe in short order. Each is greeted in turn by ZhuLi as they arrive and are informed that her Mother and Father will be regrettably delayed somewhat due to a meeting that is running late. She understands how hungry they must be and thus bids everyone to begin the meal.

The meal is seafood based naturally, with a variety of sashimi of fish varieties your characters may or may not be familiar with, some oysters, dishes of cool buckwheat noodles with a variety of dipping sauces, and a variety of local vegetables both sauteed and pickled. All in all a delicious and seasonally appropriate feast. Some white wine, both sparkling and regular, mead, water and a blended fruit juice, as each fancies, compliments the dinner.

ZhuLi engages in small talk as the meal progresses, artfully asking questions about each of the party while avoiding anything that may be perceived as too personal or direct. She inquires to Yuu and Qwe how they've been over the years and how things in the capital, prior to recent events, have been. Likewise she is more than willing to answer inquiries from any of the group.

Yuu digs into the meal like a starved khusha shark, trying this, dipping into that, and appreciating the continued distractions of food and chatter. His skin feels rather tender after an afternoon in the sun, and there's a touch of heat exhaustion, but the food and drink seem to be the right cure.

He raises a few questions of his own, mainly how life's been growing up around the island, and asking after family members. He inquires into the local ships and shipping lanes, curious about the vast networks further up the Ossylian coast and the popular trade they bring to the district... reflecting on the great harbour and ocean traffic he saw from the beach. Oh, and did she know that Qwe received a classroom award for Having The Coolest Brother. True story.

ZhuLi attends to each inquiry in turn, providing a basic though encompassing picture of the life and economic conditions of the Hasheli province at this time. As a mid-point shipping and travel destination they've been doing fairly well. Though with the recent events in the capital there is concern about how it will create a blowback effect, since a closed-off capital precludes the need for trade and travel. To that end she's also interested in unraveling details as to what exactly is happening there. But for now Hasheli continues to offer a perfect summer retreat, as well as a trade channel to other coastal areas and inland areas via the rail service.

Externally things have been relatively quiet, with reports of only occasional excursions from the Baronies to the north, and the pirates that dwell in the freezone in between Ossylia and the Southern Baronies. From traders she's heard many rumors and stories over the deteriorating situation in Luzan, painting a picture of an increasingly fragmenting nation. The shear size and scale of Luzan, despite its distance, make it a concern for everyone in the region.

Tacking hard right from the gloomy situation of international politics the group's conversation moves into the lighter affairs of daily life. ZhuLi is quite interested to hear Yuu's stories of the famous Royal Academy and his Nether-studies there, and peppers him with questions that also invariably lead to Zelpuz's unique rifle. Before the conversation becomes too bogged down in wizardly jargon and theories Yuu deflects to Qwe's recent study-abroad in Daedelum for science and engineering. Though Qwe objects vehemently about receiving any such award, as described by Yuu. ZhuLi can somewhat relate with Qwe's experience as she is also without nether-bending ability, unlike her elder brother and sister. For her it was to be the usual education for bureaucratic and political service, which she did indeed pursue, but she also displayed a talent for dance which lead to her eventual discovery and training with the Water Dancers. Thus she currently splits her time between water dancing and politics.

Finally, the governor, Rezzam Jin, and his wife, Kali Shahir, arrive. They bid you to continue eating and eventually inquire as to how your stay has been thus far and what your plans are from here.

Yuu is all too happy to elucidate his cousin on life in the Royal Academy. Between assignments, training, girls, and gear tinkering... he'd been pretty busy. Qwe, of course, was always getting into his hair, and interrupting his very important experiments, so was often employed into their development as test agent. Yuu seemed especially animated during his first trials of his stink bomb, which Qwe soured her face saying just the thought of them made her nauseous.

As his uncle arrives however, his attention returns to the pressing matters he'd allowed himself to forget. And their question gives him pause.

Good old Qwe piped in.

"We went to the beach. I think my toes got burned, the sand was like fire. The water here is so much clearer than back home, so I saw millions of fish from the rocks. Even a shark!"

The table talk remains light as Qwe relates their leisurely afternoon activities to her uncle and aunt, and the elaborate on some of the unique sea life in the area and where the best places to go diving are. This eventually segues into the question of what everyone's immediate plans are. Myria remarks that she hopes to secure passage to Arghos within the next few days, where she can report on the recent events in Ossylia to the Order. Rezzam inform her that it should be fairly easy to book either sea or air passage to Arghos as there are several lucrative trade routes between the east coast Dalloni Baronies and Ossylia, and Arghos.

Yuu responds that he's happy to be safe for the moment with Qwe, and that getting here had been his foremost priority. He weaves his words just enough to leave the more sophisticated with the impression that this is a conversation he'd rather his sister not over hear him discuss.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:35, Tue 10 May 2016.

After a refreshing desert and some additional pleasantries the dinner discussion is dismissed. The governor and his wife allude to further conversations before turning in over some port in a couple hours; acquiescing to Yuu's innuendo for a more private conversation. With the the group is free to do as please for the next little while until meeting for a nightcap. ZhuLi is able to offer any guidance to those looking for something in particular.

While walking out, Zelpuz takes Myria to the side. "It's a good idea to report to the Order, but I would like to help my friend and find out what happened in the city. I am intrigued to find out if Lasrane actually told the truth or if I was that easily fooled. Do you feel well enough to travel by yourself now? Or do you have any other objections to me staying behind?"

"I understand, I should be fine. I can likely find passage direct to Arghos from here. It's not a bad idea to follow-up on what's happening in Ossylia, but be careful. At this point I don't think there is any party we can trust there. Once I report in I'll try to organize some assistance, if possible. I'm not sure how you'd do it with the lockdown in the city, but if you could send us any intelligence that'd be great." Myria responds at length.

In the meantime, Vanyra approaches ZhuLi and asks for a more thorough tour of the house and surrounding area.  She wants to be more familiar with the new surroundings.

"Thanks, I'll make sure to keep the Order updated", with that, Zelpuz and Myria iron out a plan how Zelpuz can convey information to the Order and potentially receive information/instructions back.

As Myria and Zelpuz tend to their business, ZhuLi agrees to show Vanyra around the estate. Starting the Reception Hall, this was the first building their entered and is comprised of offices of state, meeting rooms and libraries, where most of the official duties take place. Next the Southern Wing is the staff, storage and preparation wing, where one finds most of the kitchens, store rooms, and quarters for most of the in-house staff.

Next she leads the Freyan into the large courtyard that dominates the center of the estate. It is essentially a large garden broken up into four different styles; presently the four primary elements of air, water, fire and earth, but sometimes they are themed after the seasons, the oceans, historical epochs, or the other worlds. Within the expanse of the garden are fountains, a few gazebos, a formal outdoor dinning room and then the practice hall, which acts as a gym/dojo and is where ZhuLi typically practices her Water Dancing. It is a 15m square ceramic and wood structure, with hard wooden floors that ZhuLi notes can be transformed into a matted floor if required for combatives training.

Following through the courtyard you arrive at the North Hall, or the Entertainment and Guest Hall, where the party is presently staying. In addition to the dozen guest suites the Hall has salons, a ballroom, sitting rooms and formal dinning rooms to entertain visitors. Lastly, she leads Vanyra to the eastern most building which is the family's formal residence, which naturally houses the domiciles of the governing family. The tour of this last building is somewhat brief, to which ZhuLi explains she must respect the privacy of her family.

Yuu remains in the dining hall, thumbing through his thoughts. He pokes at a bowl of grapes, popping one into his mouth every often or so, like exclamation marks to his rolling ideas. It's nice to be surrounded by safety. His entire life has been buffered and entrenched in stability and the confidence of his House and Name. The greatest danger he'd faced growing up was Professor Itras' chemistry experiments. His flesh still felt tender from those classes! The pressure to succeed as a Jin had at least provided a future path.

Now... now, it was gone. His Name and House were no longer a defence, no longer a pillar to which the city would recognise him. Shit, he didn't even know the fate of his own family.

His heart tightened, and he struggled to hold back the tears. Despair was not an option, but it was hard not to be drawn into it's bloated mass, like a dust particle skimming an event horizon. It took a moment, but his heart slowed, and his thoughts cleared once more. He ate another grape.

Now, he would have to decide to stay, or return. Or if another option existed. His relatives would question what he planned, and question further. He would have to be ready for some hard answers. As ZhuLi returned with Vanyra, he stood, popped another grape into his mouth, and walked over to the pair.

"Cousin, I have a favour to ask."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:24, Sun 29 May 2016.

ZhuLi leads Vanyra back to the dinning room, maintaining small talk along the way without probing into her past or how she met up with Yuu. Upon entering ZhuLi is a little surprised to see Yuu still there as he approaches, and smiles in reply, "Of course, what is it?"

"Could you find an appropriate distraction for Qwe, please?" he replies softly. "I don't want her to overhear my plans with your parents. Not yet."

"Certainly, shouldn't be too difficult. I'll take her to the practice hall for some dance lesson and then we'll retire to the baths; should keep her well occupied," ZhuLi nods in agreement to the suggestion. Then excusing herself she moves to wisk Qwe away to the courtyard.

A short while after ZhuLi escorts Qwe into the courtyard garden a staff member comes to guide Yuu and Vanyra to a salon on the second floor with a open patio. A number of comfortable chairs and chaise loungers have been arranged, interspersed with small tables. A refreshments bar sits at a back corner, adorned with a a dozen crystal decanters of varying shapes and liquid contents. Rezzam and Kali are already seated with drinks in hand, and beckon for you to for their visitors to join them.

Once seated with refreshment, Rezzam turns and inquires, "So what will we do now? Were your parents able to provide any instruction prior to your flight?"

Yuu pours himself a water, and sits himself on one of the chairs. He leans forward, elbows on his knees, looking into his glass.

"They instructed me to take Qwe and find shelter. They felt our capture would give the enemy leverage over our House, and told me to trust my instincts and training. It was cowardly to run, but... finding safety for Qwe became a priority."

Vanyra spends some extra time looking through the decanters of liquid, smelling each one carefully before picking something sweet to drink.

She picks a plush chair and settles relaxedly on it with her back against one arm and her bare legs draped over the other.

"Not so foolish an idea to flee the city as soon as possible; the situation there was too chaotic and opaque to make any plans otherwise. You did the right thing," Kali assures Yuu.

"Indeed. And your parents were almost certainly correct in their assumption of the leverage you and your sister would present to the attackers. I can't see them making much progress with direct threats to either your mother or father, but threats to you would certainly open doors." extrapolates uncle Razzam. "With the lock down of the city no doubt your parents have either no or mis-information about your well being. Neither of which is good in the long term, as it gives their captures time to turn the screws evermore to achieve their ends."

"The closure of Ossylia was a bold move, but perhaps too aggressive as would befit the Reforgers. They cannot expect to maintain a firm grip over the city for long, cracks will form quickly that can be exploited." offered Kali.

"Thank you, Aunt and Uncle." the young mage responds humbly. He sips some water. "With... Qwe safe, I am thinking of returning to the city."

"Truly?" Yuu's Aunt responds. "What's your plan?"

"I don't know." Yuu responds quietly. "I'm terrified, I'm certainly not my Mother... but I can't hide away while my friends and family fight for a future I'm meant to benefit from."

A silence hangs in the air for several moments before Razzam pierces it with a slow, thoughtful interjection, "Hmmm, and no doubt you are not the only person thinking as such. Between displaced citizens, impatient merchants and possible insurgents or spies the powers that be in Ossylia will have their hands full."

"While they cannot check everyone they will most certainly try," he continued. "You're going to need a plan, a solid one, that insures you remain incognito. You're exactly the type of person they'd expect to come back."

Kali continues the thought after a moment, "Yes, when you go you'll have to sneak in or walk in the front doors as someone else. Both paths present their own risks and challenges, and that's to say nothing about how you intend to get back there. The method of travel must be chosen wisely."

Yuu nods in agreement, becoming more animated as the plan gets rolled around. He wasn't sure what to anticipate from their reaction, but this lends hope. Their experience could add vastly to not only his approach, but what to do once inside.

"I thought so as well. I was thinking via the water. Although general ships are being barred, they have to get food supplies in, at the least..." There's the inflection of a question in this assumption. "We could look for a way onto one. Or sneak through in a low runner during the darkest nights."

He continues. "I was also thinking we should take a ship down south as our best bet, as it's quickest, and fewer chances for being spotted by the wrong eyes."

Razzam and Kali both nod in agreement with Yuu's line of thinking, and Razzam continues, "Yes, either a regular ship or an air ship would be the best method. Both would avoid any possible delays that could be encountered over land, but the air ship may be a little too fast."

"Yes, though the air ship terminal would certainly be aware of status of permissions to dock in Ossylia as their business depends on it. It wouldn't hurt to inquire there for some information," Yuu's Aunt adds.

"Furthermore, finding a watercraft that is scheduled to make a couple stops along the way would provide opportunities to acquire additional intelligence. And if you cannot make it directly to Ossylia then there are a number of nearby coastal towns that should suffice. Just a matter of finding the right ship," Razzam suggests.

"Are they letting ships through now?" Vanyra inquires.

"You're guess is as good as ours. We've heard no news either way, but it is a certainty that they cannot keep the harbor closed for long or the city will collapse," Kali replies.

"Yes, if it is still closed it won't be for long. Though that doesn't mean they'll be letting anyone in, and likely they'll have increased inspections depending on who is now in control," Razzam continues.

"If we were to board a ship, either ocean or air... what kind of cargo inspections could we expect?" Yuu inquires.

"That would largely depend on the type of vessel, and what they are carrying... at least that would be the case under normal circumstances. Now it is hard to say with gaining some further intelligence on what is happening in the capital," Razzam explains. "There's certain to a large backlog of vessels to come in, so they could perform thorough checks of each one, but as to their selection methods it's anyone's guess at this stage"

Kali nods in agreement, "There are too many unknowns at this stage. I believe your best bet is to take the slower journey via boat along the coast, with a stop along the way. This may buy some time to hear something new and the main harbor district of Ossylia is large and can accommodate many more vessels than the air ship port, stretching thin any search parties."

"That definitely makes the most sense. And should something go wrong, we're less exposed than in an air ship. Are there any ship captains you're familiar enough with to take on board a deck hand? I could travel a little further north, and board a ship from a less conspicuous location as this island... at least as far as family ties go." Yuu considers. "During inspection, I could develop an illusion spell to hide us in the cargo bay. Maybe Vanyra and Zelpuz could board as guns for hire? Mercs looking to take advantage of the internal chaos." His words are flooding as his mind ramp into fifth gear.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:07, Sun 26 June 2016.

Both Razzam and Kali shrug their shoulders in negative response. "I don't really know any ship captains around here, but I'm sure something could be found."

"I think we can always find a way in, the question is, what do we do when we get there? It's hard to plan not knowing what the situation is, we can probably find out more closer to the city. Do you have an objective other than finding your parents?"

Yuu considers Zelpuz' words for a time, "My objective... is broader than just finding my family. If my city is in danger, then I want to do what I can to stop that danger. My friends in the palace, and from the Academy... if powers shift, we could have a complete breakdown. Civil war... is bad news, and always leads to high death toll. Ossylia could weaken, and leave her vulnerable to border intrusions."

Zelpuz looks over to Yuu. He thinks for a while then replies: "You are my friend, I am happy to help you as much as I can, but if war broke out, our options may be very limited. Ossylia is your city. You will be better able to judge the best course of action. If nothing else, we'll try to get out safe again." He pauses. "Maybe we can have another day to enjoy this lovely place before we start looking for a way back?" He continues looking at Yuu and their hosts.

"I don't mind either," Vanyra chimes in from her sprawl in the chair, "but its going to be hard to know what to do when we still don't know who's playing the game."

Yuu nods at his companions with growing enthusiasm, "Then we should make that our first objective... figure out who's playing. My stink bombs are incredibly potent... I'm sure it'll persuade a few lips to blather." That his audience aren't all privy to his arsenal of magically enhanced equipment is momentarily lost on him, leaving that last sentence to establish very different images in people's minds than intended.

"Sounds like in the absence of a plan we at least have a course of action. So let's try to find passage on a ship in a day or so. Then we see from there." He looks at Vanyra, "Are you OK to go back now or do you think we should wait longer?"

Vanyra stretches, "I do like it here, but I don't have a reason to wait.  I want to make sure I have a couple things first."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:20, Mon 18 July 2016.

"How long do you need? The day after tomorrow? I'll prepare by spending the day at the beach tomorrow."

"That should be fine for me."

Yuu nods his approval to the idea.

"Settled. I'll take tomorrow to find a ship. Also... please don't mention anything in front of my sister. I'll let her know of course, but... not yet."

Yuu's Aunt and Uncle nod and volunteer ZhuLi as a local guide for his search for a suitable vessel in the morning. With that they bid you all a good night and retire for the evening.

With the meeting adjourned Zelpuz, Vanyra and Yuu head off in their own directions, promising to meet at breakfast the following morning and figure out more then. The next day begins in a leisurely fashion with the communal breakfast, after which everyone breaks off on their own daily adventure. Zelpuz and Vanyra partake in enjoying the various seaside activities that present themselves. Myria heads into town to secure passage to Arghos, accompanied by ZhuLi and Yuu who are looking for their own ship. Upon entering the city proper Myria heads off towards the airship port, while the Jin's head to the sea port.

Much later that day, upon Myria's return she informs everyone that an airship is leaving in 3 days time toward the island state, and she's got a ticket. Furthermore, she picked up a few rumors among the docks that Ossylia's gates are set to re-open soon. Unfortunately the rumors run in different directions after that, with some saying only government vessels will be allowed in, others saying a pre-entry search of each ship will be performed, others state that only vessels carrying essential goods will be permitted, while one even stated that the gates are being opened to everyone just like nothing ever happened. Needless to say there's more than one captain looking to sail to the capital, once they can secure the 'right' cargo. For the time being it seems as though air ships are still avoiding the capital, but their travel times are far less and thus can bide their time more cautiously.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:23, Thu 11 Aug 2016.

Yuu spent a night struggling to sleep, his mind wandering. As his mind wandered, so, too, did he. Around the halls and along the walls. Eventually finding himself back in his chambers for a dreamless couple hours until morning break.

Even with little rest, he felt alert, and scoffed down breakfast, eager to be down at the docks, and seeking passage for himself and his friends. He and ZhuLi walked together with Myria, talking idly, before she split off towards the air ship terminals. Yuu and his cousin continued down to the dock areas, and began scouting out vessels.

As ZhuLi walks with Yuu towards the sea port she begins to inquire as to what he has planned, "What is your story going to be when we find a ship? I mean, your story could very likely guide us to a particular type of vessel, and judging by the view from here it looks like more than the usual selection presents itself." She gestures with a lightly robed arm at a multitude of masts and hulls dotting the harbor area and moored offshore. To the casual eye it appears to be quite a chaotic mess of ships, but after a minute of observing Yuu begins to see the pattern in it all.

In the meantime, Zelpuz went back to the beach to enjoy one more day of sun, sand and water. After a long swim and a shorter while lying on the beach, he climbs up on a cliff, takes out his gun and tries to stun some fish for some targeting practice and, with a bit of luck, produce his lunch.

Yuu walks alongside his cousin in silence for a time. In truth, he hadn't decided. He'd hoped for a knock of inspiration along the way, and he could just start seeing some of the harbour through the street when a particular building on the corner struck him with an idea. It was a school.

He stopped against the side wall, and looked at his cousin. "Why not just skirt the truth. I'm a student of the Academy, who had left the city near the end of the term to visit home. Here. And I couldn't return because of the lock down. I'd recently heard the city was being opened, and was trying to get back, so I could return to my studies."

"That seems reasonable enough. But you'll need a solid local story, and your accent isn't quite right. Both of those we can rectify today," Zhuli responds.

Yuu nods in agreement, "What have you in mind? Any friends in town with a life I could borrow?"

"A few... depends on what kind of life you're looking for. I mean there's certainly not going to be a graduate of the Royal Academy poking around here and looking for work, but there could be other avenues to explore."

"Tell me about some of your friends, and I'll pick one."

This message was deleted by the player at 19:50, Mon 12 Sept 2016.

ZhuLi thinks for several moments in silence as they wander down the harbor promenade. "Well of those that may have business in Ossylia I can think of 3 likely candidates... that are midian males of course. First is Kahl, he works for a local shipping company in their supply chain management division, so the disruption of traffic to and from the capital may give his company reason to send him there to investigate the effects on their operations. Next is Harmaan, he's a musician that tours quite a bit around all of Ossylia and beyond sometimes; not sure if you know anything about music though. Last is Sarcen, he's a marine biologist who got his doctorate in Ossylia and sometimes attends conferences there. Not sure if any of those strike your fancy, but that's probably the best I got... assuming you don't want to assume the identity of a Water Dancer."

Yuu walks along, easily avoiding the foot traffic. Although busier than back up the streets they'd walked, it's nothing like the hustle of Ossylia. A much more relaxed town, people seem more to saunter along as opposed to racing from one engagement to another. Even the Academy walkways seemed more stressed.

With the mention of Water Dancer though, his foot catches the edge of a curb and nearly knock himself into a basket of bricks strapped to the back of an ancient looking Gnarm. He catches himself on an awning pole, popping out the locks and barely pinches an edge of the tarp before it could drop on the baskets of cheap seaside souvenirs artlessly displayed. "Uh..." is all he manages, holding a pole in one hand and the edge of a tarp in the other.

A bit of juggling, the two sort out the awning and escape before notice, ending the notion of any profession involving dance. Or finesse, for that matter.

"Well, I don't know much about the boating routes around here. I'm ok with the violin and the piano. Not bad with a guitar, and the drums were really fun. I picked up the cello for a bit, and poked around with a clari.... well, anyways, probably nothing I could pull off professionally. Maybe the marine biologist friend... he sounds interesting. Could we meet him? Maybe visit his house? I don't actually need to be him, but if I could adapt as much of his life into my own story, it could help any credibility I needed."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:50, Mon 19 Sept 2016.

"I don't see why not. I could try to arrange a dinner or lunch in a casual setting. Even with the story how are you going to be managing your documents? While here they may no be checking very thoroughly, in the capital I suspect things will be quite different," ZhuLi answers as spins about to collect the scattered bric-a-brac and return it to its rightful place.

"I guess I'm going to try to forge them. I should have some time while we travel to figure out a way. I really just need like... a student card, maybe a letter of acceptance from the Academy. Be cool to grab a school Calendar from somewhere along the way, really add to the story. Where does he live?"

ZhuLi states some neighbourhood Yuu's never heard of and provides a brief description of how to get there. "It would be easiest just meet someplace central, like Market Square or Highliner Street. There are plenty of places to meet and eat there."

"Can we walk there?" Yuu suggests instead.

"If you're so inclined. It will take some time, about an hour, but we could." ZhuLi answers, her gaze drifting up in thought as she does the mental assessment of distance. "Alternatively we could grab a taxi or the bus and it would only take maybe 10~20mins."
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:27, Tue 27 Sept 2016.

"Let's grab a bus?" Yuu suggests.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:20, Wed 28 Sept 2016.

"To where? We can't just show up and expect him to be home. As I mentioned I'll have to arrange a meeting. Perhaps you could find a vessel willing to transport you in the meantime," Zhuli explains, somewhat exasperated. She looks around the area and continues, "There should be a phone booth somewhere around here. I could call his apartment and see if he's there or leave a message even."

"Well, let's give him a call and see if he's around." agrees Yuu, scanning the street sides for a booth.

Zhuli and Yuu find a phone booth in short order, and she calls her friend, Sarcen. As luck would have it he was not home, but she left a message for him stating that she was going to be at a particular restaurant in Market Square around the 9th hour of After-eve, and invite him to join her. She explained to Yuu that she wasn't aware of any out-of-town travel plans he had, so she' hoping he just stepped out for a bit.

The two then proceed to look for a potential ship to ferry the group to Ossylia. Oddly enough there was quite a contrast of availability, with all merchant vessels fully booked or asking exorbitant prices, but passenger vessels were somewhat available. Both Jins suspect that the news of a closed, martial-law capital had forced many a casual traveler to cancel their plans, and thus open up some spots. The more established tour ships were booked-up, with only expensive first-class berths available, on account of stranded Ossylians trying to get back. More independent ships presented an agreeable price and schedule.

After picking out 4 solid possibilities the cousins set off for Market Square, with ZhuLi insisting that they should probably sport some local styles during their journey to reinforce their story. A short bus ride into the city proper and they arrive at a grand bazaar of goods and foods. At first the scene strikes Yuu as a chaotic smorgasbord of merchant activity, but soon he finds the familiar patterns, not so dissimilar from Ossylia's main market areas. After visiting a number of stores and stalls Yuu gets a sense of the local styles, and with ZhuLi's help picks up a few outfits. ZhuLi also picks up a couple outfits for Zelpuz and Vanyra, as she displays a discerning eye for people's body physiques and size. Yuu is able to provide some assistance to that end, explaining what little he knows of the Freyan's natural camouflage ability and their penchant for minimal clothing, and his knowledge of the Order of Ashes.

After a few hours, including a break for a mango-like smoothie drink, the time arrives to head to the restaurant to meet Sarcen. After some waiting, with Yuu's anxiety  over the missed opportunity growing with each minute, Sarcen does arrive and greetings and introductions are performed.

While the meal is light and consists of a mixed fruit and vegetable salad, some scallops and a crusted white fish with a mango-like jam, the conversation fluctuates been serious discussion about the happenings in Ossylia and probes into life as a marine biologist far from the turmoils of the capital. Yuu's familiarity with the Royal Academy, even though he was in Nether Studies, provides many insights and commonalities with which to find common ground for discussion and the base for a sufficient cover story.

Yuu is sipping on a chocolate milk, the day's shopping at his feet, chatting idly with his cousin when her expression changes. He follows her gaze towards an approaching young man. He stands, and as introductions are made, he returns to his seat and lets the two friends make the usual greetings before joining into the conversation.

Once the usual pleasantries are made, the young mage takes little time to dive into his guests schooling, and studies, teachers and courses. Yuu shows apt curiousity and is probably a quicker study than Sarcen would be used to. He asks about local wildlife, migration patterns, and how fisheries respond throughout the seasons. He's asks about the biologist's specialisations, and explores the wide range of knowledge the young man has brought to the table.

As the food comes, the chatter roles onward, bouncing from topics and insights into respective expertise and postulations. It really is a tasty meal, and he keeps to local dishes, with a delicacy for dessert. They converse well beyond, keeping drinks topped up and cooled against the warm breeze.

After the meal and some more drinks ZhuLi and Yuu bid Sarcen goodnight and return to the governor's compound. Yuu was able to acquire more than enough information to fool a layperson that he was a biologist, at least in his opinion. Having earlier identified a few possible transports they could be off to Ossylia as soon as the day after tomorrow.

Upon arriving back at the compound the local clothes picked up in the market square are divvied out and a brief rundown of the day's results provided. Myria confirms her departure for Arghos two days hence as well.

The following day is spent making all the necessary preparations for the return journey to Ossylia. Tickets aboard the passenger vessel are secured for three, some miscellaneous goods are purchased for the trip, and some plans and contingencies are drawn up on how to communicate their progress back to Hashali. For Yuu the biggest task was informing his sister that she'd be remaining behind, though he was assisted by ZhuLi who assured her that she'd personally escort Qwe back home as soon as it was safe. After a hectic day each of them turned in at a reasonable hour for a good sleep for the morning's departure.

The next morning was bright and calm, a good omen for the journey remarked Yuu's Uncle as the family saw off the group after a hardy breakfast. After some abridged farewells, at least relative to formal Ossylian customs, the trio left the governor's residence and walked down the sea-side hill path to their ship. Though it seemed as if a new chapter was beginning the docks held the same bustling and boisterous atmosphere they had the other day, and in fact every day.

With little effort the group found their ship, the Sunset's Reach, a long and low trimaran vessel designed for speed and comfort in near-shore waters. While it didn't have very spacious or luxurious quarters, the top decks provided plenty of lounging space. At the foot of the gangplank they were met by two Exodi, the first mate and a crewman, who confirmed their booking. The crewman then escorted them to their cabin and explained some of the basic schedules and features of the ship for the journey ahead, which was expected to take 3 days, with one stop at the seaside town of Mercli for the 1st night. After that they are left to their own devices.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:06, Mon 21 Nov 2016.

Yuu entered his cabin, and dropped his possessions onto a side bunk. He sat on the bed, tucked his legs under himself, and leaned his head back against the wall. He was a mix of emotions, from awful to excited, nervous to anxious. Leaving his sister behind hurt, and already he felt her missing presence. His reasons were sound, and this had been the plan from the start, but it still sucked.

After a time gathering himself, the young mage straightened his head. He rummaged through his main pack, pulling out various instruments, documents, and machinations. Although he had a few days to burn away, he wanted to get started on his documentation. He'd never forged before, and wanted to dive into the study for the seriousness of the affair, and the distraction it would offer. He grabbed his student ID, a magnifying glass, and got to work.

Having never attempted to forge a document and not having any of the tools he believed one would need to do it properly proved to be somewhat of an insurmountable hurdle. After many, many painstaking hours Yuu's efforts come up short in his opinion; while they will probably fool anyone not very familiar with Academy documents they will not stand up to expert scrutiny, or even a direct comparison. Seems like a bit of luck will be involved here.

During their short stay at Mercli, Zelpuz and Vanyra make the most of their time by grabbing some local food and chatting up the locals about any news and rumors they may have heard. The one consistent story is that a makeshift naval blockade of the Ossylian harbor is underway; these vessels are tasked with searching all ships wanting to enter Ossylia. Beyond that the stories go every which way; that the authorities are looking for rebels or drug runners, that some ships have been destroyed on sight, people are being denied entry if they're not from the capital or they're letting everyone in without hassle. By the end of their shore leave the pair conclude that some sort of search and/or questioning by the Ossylian authorities is probable, but after that it's anyone's guess. They have one day to decide how to approach this problem.

Yuu stares down at his documents, rather disappointed with his work. It's a gamble, and one he should be pretty frank with Zelpuz and Vanyra about. He stands, and stretches, his bones cracking noisily, and shuffles his amateur work into a satchel. Flipping off the light, the young mage departs the room, in search of his friends.

Yuu finds his friends at one of the harbor pubs talking to a group of merchants. When he approaches, Zelpuz and Vanyra welcome him, using the opportunity to leave the group discussion. They find an empty table in a corner and update Yuu about the vastly diverging stories and the most likely common grounds.
"Seems like it's anywhere from open gates to no chance for at least Vanyra and me to get in through an official route" Zelpuz sais in a huddled voice. "I suggest we get off just before the city and try one of the land gates. Depending on which rumors you believe, I'd rather be turned away at a gate than on a sinking ship."

Yuu sips on a chocolate milk shake, as Zelpuz fills him in on the latest rumours. None are really surprising, but all are equally depressing.

"I'm not against that idea. I've tried nailing my ID documents, but it's a pretty piss job, I'm embarrassed to say. I think I messed up the re-heating process, and the school card didn't come out right." He frowns. "Give me a kaskar gem and strip of wire, and I can build a thermal detonator with voice activating functionality and seismic sensitivity. But hand me a pair of scissors and glue stick? and my work looks like a blindfolded kindergarten kid with two left hands."

He adds, "Do you think the captain would divert a drop off as we near the city?"

"Sounds like a lot of trouble, and might just raise more suspicions. But what should our story be? Do we stick with you being a student and us traveling with you or should we adjust our stories? I could have been sent to my chapter weeks ago, which may work or result in an immediate rejection, depending on what has happened in the city. I could also claim that I am returning to my local chapter after a mission elsewhere, but my accent and lack of local knowledge may be easy to spot."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:52, Tue 29 Nov 2016.

"I would go with us not knowing each other. I'm going back to return to school and studies, and your story... being from the Order, wouldn't they basically just let you in?"

"I assume that depends on who is in power and what they are afraid of. But it's the best story I can easily sell. And if it doesn't work, at least chances are, they just drop me off outside the gates, then I'll meet you later that night on the roof of Vanyra's old apartment." Zelpuz looks at Vanyra, "What about you?"