"There are things I am going to tell you which you will find difficult or impossible to believe or understand.  I know you'll have questions, but I ask that you wait until I've said my peace before asking them as there is a lot to go through and we don't have a lot of time." she said.  The ruddy little umbrean looked up at her captors.  Waiting only a moment for some sign of agreement then, taking a deep breath, she went ahead.

  During the last days of the dragons a queen had decided to begin studying the umbreans depth.  The dragons had known for ages that the umbreans had some peculiar properties foremost of which was their ability to absorb memories and experiences from others to construct their own identities around.  Furthermore it was clear that umbrean colonies could somehow store and exchange those same memories and experiences.
  So some dragons went to the task of cataloguing, collecting and even dissecting umbreans to discover the extent of their nature.
  When a discover was made, that the greater the collection of umbreans in a colony became not only did their general intelligence, experience, and wisdom increase so did their capacity for memory and something else.
  The collected umbreans began assembling memories of their collective pasts.

  While the growing complexity of the large umbrean pool was an ongoing concern for the dragons the revelations of the umbreans reassembled memories was an incredible boon.  Undiscovered histories, technological, magical, and psionic knowledge that far exceed anything the Dragon's had ever known.  Though some gaps in the umbreans memories remained.  Most of those gaps were simply the failure of memory, though one great gap existed for which no elucidation was forth coming.
  That great mystery was the exact origins and history of the umbreans themselves.  The umbreans simply appeared, fully formed and developed, almost exactly as they are now, on Ancerenth around 100 million years ago.  While the dragons and umbreans were investigating the origins of the umbreans, the dragons themselves were struck down.

  The impenetrable darkness which had driven the dragons from their own world, by devouring it, had after all these ages found a way to reach out beyond the stars and sought to not only consume the dragons themselves but any and all worlds they had fled too.
  The Far Gods sent a host of angels to stop this violation, though they could not save the dragons themselves from being devoured.  Many of the recently deceased dragons found themselves reborn as umbreans.  Others who had either been sleeping, or meditating, or had their minds intertwined in the Dreaming magic of the citadel here on the moon found themselves disposed of body and spirit.  Trapped within the complex spellwork which served the citadel.

  Reduced to a status not too dissimilar from those of daemons most of the dragon minds caught in the Dreaming chose to stay within and fashion themselves an existence within the endless, malleable realms of dreams.  Those that did not, along with some umbreans who refused to remain such did exactly what the living umbreans are trying to do now.  Fashion themselves mechanical vessels within which to transfer their selves into.

  "I am one such dragon, from the Dreaming realms. My name is Kylin Zal'Fa." she said before going on with her tale.

  Over the millenia the Dreaming dragons and umbreans in the waking world grew apart, and distant until both largely no longer troubled themselves with the affairs of the other.  This changed some centuries ago.  When the great lich Phazion arrived on Ancerenth.

  During the war against the lich the umbreans of the citadel made a discovery near the eye of the great storm at the heart of the Crystal Isles.  A great stone, like a mountain in miniature made of a dark ore, dimly lit by a ruddy glow.
  The stone twisted the minds of all who came in contact with it.  Turning anyone without the strength of will to resist it into a thrall of the stone's will.  But something was also happening to the stone.  The colour of the light within changed as its collection of enslaved minds grew.  Turning first orange then finally yellow.

  "At first the Stone was trying to find other stones like itself, it believes there are more like itself scattered around the world.  But as it's light began to change it's agenda did too.  We think that it might not be as masterful a manipulator as it believes.  The more thralls it gathers the more the thoughts and wishes of the thralls taints and distorts its own will."

  In the past the umbreans have had the rare member with so coherent a mind as to try and pick up the life they had lost.  These were incredibly rare individuals.  Most umbreans are formed from the collected experience of many beings and so are distinct from those entities who's experiences gave facets to an umbrean's mind.  If the umbrean could not be dissuaded the umbreans of the citadel would use their machines to make an effigy, a mechanical version of a living thing so close to being a natural, living being as to be almost indistinguishable to all but the most sophisticated healers scrutiny.  With the use of a device called the Bridge of Starlight the umbreans could transfer the mind and soul of the umbrean into the machine.  Thereafter they would alter the memory of the effigy so as to remove any knowledge of the citadel or the umbreans existence and would plant the machine-man back into the world with false memories of some miraculous god's blessed resurrection.

  But there were far too many twisted umbreans who believed they deserved to have their lives back.  The Stone believed it could make the world right for itself and its thralls.  Mistaking the threat for mere upstarts the umbreans who called the others the Restorationists fled to Ancerenth and set their temporal prison believing that the could find some way to reason with the others and bring them back into the fold.

  "As long as the Stone is in control their is no hope of peace.  And the dreams tell us the Stone plans something terrible.  Using the umbreans of the pool and their focused, collective mental strength the Stone wants to try and extend its mental control over some if not most of the planet." Kylin finished.

Kylin's story made Willa's mind whirl.  She had so many thoughts and questions that all tumbled out of her, in typical disorganised Willa fashion.

"Uh, uh ,uh, Willa think seen stone!  Was when collapsed before Narayans' camp!  Iron Jubei, Mr Phelan, sir, Drex, remember?  Willa vision-seeing zig-grr-rat.  Orb also.  Told 'yawa yats'.  Made to make head spin.  So strange.  Why Willa see?  And then, why?  Also, stone moved? Or still at found-place?  Up-here umbreans having stone?  Being thralls? So Willa thrall being also?  Or can made to be?  Willa thoughts being borrowing now?  How know?  Is like naughty-brain-hugger-borrower-demon?

Kylin is dreaming dragon of past?  Was trapped in spellworkings?  How after trapping coming to umbrean being?  Or Kylin not ever spellworkings trapped?  Also, Kylin refusing dragon, or accepting dragon was?  Also, also, Kylin crystals gone.  Where from crystals?

Hmm, so always being rare powerful-mind umbreans?  Got turned umbrean-machine-men, down there.  When dragons dying, was more powerful minds.  Bigger dragon-wills than umbreans.  Dragons learning of umbrean-machine-men making.  Dragons then thinking not want to join umbrean group.  Want stay dragon-selfs.  So steal knowledge of umbrean-machine-men makings and make to use for self?  But down-there umbreans time-trapped up here umbreans first.  Is right?

But Willa still not understanding.  Why stopping zig-grr-rat, stop up-here-dragon-want-to-being-machine-men umbreans wanting to be machine-men?  Or Kylin say, up-here-dragon-want-to-be-machine-men still want being machine-men, but no longer dangerous being?

Willa also wonder if first umbrean-machine-men down there still?  Immortal maybe?  Willa meet?  Or met?  Or all dead now?

Willa also also wonder if stone and water friends being accepting dragons of once?  Chose to being stone and water instead of staying dragons.

Also, also, also wonder, original umbreans happy for dragon experiments?  Or original umbreans and dragons not friends being?"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:40, Tue 27 July 2021.

    The umbrean in the jar, Kylin.  Was a little overwhelmed by the torrents of Willa's words.  Stammering to try and reply.  Moonchild, his eye laughing was doing his best to not break down and chuckle out loud.  So he stood back and hit himself in the face, hard, so as not to embarrass the others.

Gyr smiled and scratched his cheek.  "Stellar summary, Willa, I couldn't've put it better myself," he said, "Fret not, Kylin, I'm sure those of us who've known her longest still stumble on the stream of consciousness that is Willa's expounding mind.  It sounds like this is, indeed, a chunk of the Old Moon that has infected the rest of your people," the Ulh continued, "but as is the case with Umbreans -- it soon learned -- you shouldn't link up with a neural network that you didn't make.  This sort of issue happens with tree and fungal systems all the time.  Anyway," he assured, "I wouldn't wonder that this vast array of interconnected Umbreans isn't what's kept the Old Moon from expanding too far into the wider world all these years.  Effectively, it's like a net caught on coral and can't go anywhere with any real significance.  Luckily for us, our newest friend might allow us to revisit an earlier idea of mine to access the heart of this whole Lunar Citadel operation.

"With your help, Kylin, this once beautiful city could return to its former glory and life, and just maybe give your people a place of their own to live.  How about it?" he offered and then gestured to Jubei, "We've already got the authority, now we just need someone to get us to where we can apply his majestic charms."

    "Yes." Kylin answered, "It is why I have come all this way, though what is this piece of the Old Moon you're referring to?" she asked.  "I have no idea what that is refering to." she added for elaboration.

The Ulh glanced about at his fellow adventures with only the barest tilt of his head as he then looked directly to the Umbrean, but addressed the party at large.  "In my travels, I heard about great chunks of stone that could influence the minds of those around it; the legend goes that these are fallen pieces of what was once called the 'Old Moon', something like a dead god.  Tell me, Kylin, is this stone that you speak of a dark, almost blood red?" he then asked, a paw indicating a height against Jubei as tall as him, "Very large?"

    Kylin shrunk back with her draconic brow drawn up, "Ye-yes!" she said. "Do you know of a way to defeat it?" she asked.

Gyr cinched his brow and half-frowned, shoulders slumping as he shook his head.  "I have no power to destroy it; nothing short of a miracle would do," he said, pursing his lips in the resulting lull before assuring, "By which I mean... divine intervention, an act of great faith.  By my understanding, the stone is still an 'old god' and... should be subject to any divine rules of engagement.  We'll need a powerful divine champion of their god to confront the 'Old Moon's 'champion' and best them.  Luckily," Gyr then continued, smiling to Jubei and Drex, "we have some excellent potential in that category."

At those words, something seemed to click in the Kaetyma's mind as his expression turned into a sudden frown of grim determination. With a startlingly fast movement he had drawn his blade and swished it about in a flourish.

"Yes we do! With the support of my ancestors, I will stand ready to confront them. Which now reminds me...", He spoke and turned to Phelan.
"Phelan, may I inquire as to what you know about Deep Magic? During the spiritual encounter with Moonchild, we were visited by a great white dragon. I am not sure if it is the same dragon spirit who manifested itself here earlier, as that one was decidedly more... elusive. Amare and Kendall suggested it might have ties to Deep Magic."

He spoke and put away his blade again after the brief demonstration.

Willa had been looking at both Drex and especially Jubei with pride and awe following Gyr's words.  Though Jubei's sudden action had startled her out of it and she now looked at him with confusion.

"Uh, Iron Jubei meaning great white dragon deep-magic maybe is, or later elusive dragon being?"

Phelan frowned thoughtfully. "Deep Magic is... Well. We all practice it to an extent. It's the foundation of magic, really. Nowadays it's mostly referenced through superstitions like knocking on wood or the danger of breaking mirrors. But it comes out in other ways. Songcasters, what you might call bards or minstrels with arcane training, utilise it rather heavily and then modify it with arcane magic. Music itself is a form of deep magic."

He shrugged. "There were courses on it at the Academy. I'm not aware if more modern institutions still teach it - though I believe the Isleborn have taken up studying it." The Narayah shook his head. "Regardless. The other thing to keep in mind is that Gods can wield fairly powerful deep magic as well. So that dragon may be a form of divinity, or simply a bard."

"The great white dragon," Jubei nodded to Willa, before he listened to Phelan's explanation, which saw him nod at the end.

"I will chose to believe that it was the former. Or perhaps it is a divine bard, present to record the occasion. Be as it may, it does not change my resolve. We shall find and confront it, and free those affected by it. The question is but where it is. Is it with the pool?" the last part was amed at Kylin.

    Kylin, caught momentarily off guard stammered "No-not yet, it's being moved as we speak to the main pool chamber beneath the center of the city."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:01, Thu 26 Aug 2021.

"Then we will need a plan of action," the Ulh resolved, "either to intercept the Old Moon en route or set a trap for it when it arrives.  We've not been as covert as we would've liked," Gyr pointed out but looked especially guilty when he mentioned, "so it'll have some kind of escort, I wouldn't wonder.  It might be the most vulnerable when it's dropped off but before it's... 'installed' in the pool, I suppose...  Kylin, do you know where we can get a map of the facility?"

Jubei let out a low rumble and stroked his chin.
"I may be drawing the wrong conclusions here, but isn't the fact that an attempt of an ambush was made on us a very save indication that the crystal is aware that we are coming? It will no doubt have a significant escort with it. Furthermore, the pool is a place of significant importance and will no doubt lie deeper inside the moon. We know that the inner chambers are protected by this labyrinth of unrealized reality, and inside this labyrinth is also the vault holding the dragon king. I'm certain he will help us overcome whatever escort the crystal may have if we free him, and then we can directly confront it, but for that we must act fast."

After answering the question Phelan had been visibly lost in thought over what they heard. Slowly his fur began to bristle and the thoughtful chin stroking began increasingly shaky. "Ah. If I'm right, I can provide more context. I think the situation may be more dire than Gyr has previously explained." His voice was hesitant.

"'Old Moon' could be an accurate description I guess. It's kind of not... But it's absolutely and utterly ancient. Fragments of this have been found in the past by the League. We tried to stay away because even the smallest fragment could take control of an individual's mind. You would need divine power to even reveal what was happening. Worse though... There are two divine entities who sought out these fragments, and would go to war over them." He very carefully avoided naming names.

"Something this large though... You'd almost need a full Intervention here, which is absolutely something that will get unwanted attention. We want to be very careful with how we handle this. Otherwise the lot of us won't even merit a footnote in the historical documents that may or may not be written about the events."

    Moonchild wondered "Surely if it has been here so long, several centuries from what I've been lead to understand then the gods on the world below must have realized its here.  They are gods after all.  And we have two agents of other gods here who could be consulted."

Phelan was shaking his head. "They have incredible senses which is why I'm not saying their names as that is a surefire way to draw attention. But they're not all-seeing all at once. They had no reason to believe a fragment would have ended up here." He explained to Moonchild. "We have two representatives, but calling upon their patrons would draw attention as well. Divine interference is not exactly subtle." His smile turned wry.

"His patrons are very powerful." He pointed to Drex. "But they're not necessarily swift to act and by the time they did the Citadel would no longer exist. If they did act fast, I'm pretty sure everyone would notice." He pointed to Jubei. "And his patron is equally powerful and equally lacking in subtlety. No. If we're getting Outside assistance, we need to be quiet about it. And no names." His last sentence was very firm.

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "On our own I don't think we have the power to get this done quickly and the longer it takes, the more trouble we could end up being in. But here's more than one way to get a Patron."

"Narayah Pactcasters in the past have had many different patrons. Including some from beyond the stars. Pactcaster patrons don't necessarily have the same power, but they are notably more subtle and don't automatically radiate divinity like a beacon." His attention slowly turned to Willa. "Willa. If my hypothesis is correct, your patron may be the best approach here."

Willa panicked at the implication.  Gyr has asked for a divine champion and Phelan wanted to involve her patron?  That would mean that she would have to be the...there was no way she was or could ever be a divine champion.

In a fluster she held her hands up defensively, backed away and blurted out the first thing she could think of, something that had apparently been weighing on her mind since it was first mentioned:

"Wh...what about trapped up here d...dragon king?

Then suddenly looking shocked at her own suggestion, quickly blurted out another name:

"Amare!  Amare?  Yeah!  If...if helping Amare up here, Amare be helping us!  Maybe...
This message was last edited by the player at 00:33, Thu 02 Sept 2021.

    Moonchild shook his head. "The Scion-" he stumbled for a second then corrected himself "Amare's powers were severely limited even before he invoked the rites of void.  His fragment was intended to play a guiding role in events not to truly act on his behalf.  Not only that but these New Gods are unknown to him, myself as well.  They are not old enough have interacted with the Colossi much less the Progenitors, wherever they may be now."
  He continued with a sigh, "Due to his lack of any power he can actually use safely, the-" Moonchild appeared to do another mental double take, clearly becoming exasperated "Amare has been relying on recognition of his authority by other powers to accomplish his goals."

  In the silence Kylin asked "What Dragon King?"