This is a thread for in-character happenings that are going on away from the PC's.

I'll primarily be using this for cut-scene/story context purposes, though others can post here, too.

1 Solar EXP per post.

Yu-Shan, city of the Gods.

Unnoticed by almost everyone, the cloaked woman easily weaved her way through the crowds near the Jade Pleasure Dome, assisted in the fact that, unlike all of the deities present, she was leaving.  Underneath her cloak of woven shadows, she carried a spark of the Unconquered Sun's divine fire.

Moments later, and thousands of miles away, Lilith Shadowweaver reached the Fortress of Hidden Fates.  The Manse's guards, golems of living shadow, ignored their mistress, and stood aside as she made her way down to her workshop.  Servants, mostly unemployed gods, were finishing the preparations for the ritual about to be done.  A single ghost, appearing as an elderly man in heavy starmetal armor, led the rites.

Lilith placed the flame at the center of a sorcerous circle written in an ink made of shadows and blood.  As it hovered there, the chanting increased in intensity.  The gathering forces caused the room's braziers to light with blood red flames.
___

At the central chambers of the Temple of the Shrouded Sun, a similar ritual was being enacted by the monks.  The chant echoed the one being done in Yu-Shan.  A spell circle drawn with the same shadowy ink covered most of the room, and the torches were alight with the same blood red flames.  A young woman with light bluish-purple hair and silvery eyes entered the room and shed her robes.  With the assistance of two of the monks, she used the same shadowy ink to inscribe the final part of the ritual circle on her entire body, leaving one place clear, a blank circle right over her heart.  As she she stood in the center of the circle, she started concentrating, shaping the ritual through sheer willpower.
___

At Yu-Shan, the ritual neared completion.  A shadowy form, looking vaguely reminiscent of a dragon, which was somehow outside of the proceedings began circling the room.  It then stopped, facing the Shadowweaver across from the spark of the Exigence.  A clawed hand extended.

From the Shadowweaver's heart, the dragon's hand was brought into reality, and then drove into the divine fire.  Fate and shadows combined, and then the divine fire winked out, riding on the back of something that was not even there.
___

At the Temple of the Shrouded Sun, the dragon suddenly appeared, though only the woman at the center of the ritual noticed it.  Even so, she paid it no heed as it took all of her concentration to maintain the ritual.  It circled, and then dived at the woman, delivering the divine fire empowered by a Darkness from beyond the edge of the infinite Wyld.

Suddenly, every flame in both chambers winked out, leaving nothing but darkness.  The ritual complete, her daughter empowered with the Exigence imprinted with both her power and that of her patron, Lilith smiled.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:36, Fri 01 Jan 2016.

Kurogasa left the arena, an evil grin on his face.  He found a relatively peaceful spot, and leaned against the wall, pulling a cigarette out.  As he lit it and began smoking, he spoke softly to the night.

Harbinger.  This is Kurogasa.  When you have the opportunity, I need to speak with you.

Time passed, and the assassin finished his cigarette.  He then left, heading deeper into the seedier parts of Root.  After Kurogasa entered a warehouse, he paused, then moved to the center of the building.

When he stepped into a small clearing amount the warehouse's boxes and crates, space rippled in front of him, and a cloaked figure stepped into the room.  The figure wore a black body suit, and had a breastplate, gauntlets and greaves of crystallized Essence, as well as a face mask of the same material.  The mask was emblazoned with a black swirl covering most of its surface.  He regarded Kurogasa silently a long moment, his mirrored eyes unreadable.  Then the figure spoke, his voice distorted and synthetic.

Lord Jin'ei.  What has come up that requires my attention, and thus the God-Emperor's?

Kurogasa took a deep breath, still somewhat surprised by the residual fear of his... employer.

I ran into someone wielding two of the blades of the artifact called the Sword of Creation.  As of now, I intend to kill that individual once he has actually learned to fight properly, and when he can actually use the blades.  Also, I do believe that the same individual is involved in a potential problem for the local rulers here.

Harbinger shrugged, and then replied.

I am aware that Thousandfold Demon Slayer has been reincarnated.  I witnessed him and his Circle in the ruins of Anaxar not that long ago.  I also know that all six of them are Solar Exalted, and thus worthy of even your respect.

Kurogasa made no reply, but bowed his head slightly to indicate his agreement as Harbinger continued.

If they have turned their attention here, I suspect that our current agreements with Lord Nukoze will be worthless quite soon.  I will talk to Jeng soon, so expect new orders in the next few days... oh - since I am here, what are your opinions of the locals?  Are there any worth recruiting should the worst happen?

Kurogasa move to lean against some boxes as he pulled out another cigarette.

Possibly.  Dog of the Dawn is both a ferocious combatant and his hobby could be turned to more useful ends quite easily.  Nukoze is too distracted by his grandiose and ill-advised plans of destroying Mnemon Azana and her House... though he does have an admirable blood-thirst.  Jansei, the swordsman... he wields his blade well enough, I suppose, but spends too much time with his art and taking advantage of the peasant girls.  Izholi might be useful, though she tends to be a little shy of killing.

Kurogasa shakes his head at that, then continued.

Some of the gladiators might be useful.  I figure the current champion could easily be swayed with the right approach.  The monk, Avalanche, is devastating enough, though I suspect you'd have some religious issues to get past.  Something about Anathema?  Most of the others are either too soft, or not skilled enough to bother.

Harbinger took a moment before he replied.

I will keep those in mind, though I suspect the Sand-Serpent will take a bit more effort than you think.  Also, if you get pressed, feel free to turn on Nukoze and his family.  It's not like they'd stand up against the combined might of what is arrayed against them, anyways.  We shall try to salvage what we can.

With that, Harbinger stepped back into a warping of space, and then he was gone.  Kurogasa shrugged, finished his cigarette, and then he left the warehouse.

Outside the walls of Root, about midday.

Cynis V'Lin stood resplendent in his Green Jade armor, his short powerbow Wilting Rose hooked on his back, and scowled as he surveyed the unusual scene.  One of the guard walked up to him and bowed.

My Lord.  It appears the bear caught them and mauled them while they were fighting.

V'Lin scowled at the guard.

No, they did not.  They were highly injured up on the wall, and then fell.  The bear's bites were exploratory, not carnivorous.

The guard gulped and took a step back.  V'Lin glared at him and continued.

And the poisonings?  The fire and escaped slaves?  No, there is something more at work here.

V'Lin turned, and then waved down some other guards.

You men!  Take my cousin and that guard to the guard house and notify Nukoze.  Before the end of the day, I need people watching all newcomers in town, including both the performing artists, merchants and traveling nobles.

The guards saluted and then moved off.  V'Lin turned back to the grisly scene.

And whoever did this was frightfully strong.  I cannot wait to find and kill that individual...

Cynis V'Lin glowered at the officers on duty as he stormed into his office before dawn.  The situation with the outlandish murders was not doing him any favors at court.  Moments after entering his office, he turned and stormed back out, a hand-written note crumpled up is his hand.

What is this?  Who entered my office?  Speak!

None of the officers replied, shocked as they were that someone would tempt the Captain's wrath.  One spoke up, meekly.

N.. No one, sir.

V'Lin leveled vicious glare at the officer.

Then what is this?

He snapped the note onto the desk, and the officers moved in to read it.

The note was written in a very provincial dialect of Riverspeak, but the letter was written in the style of a noble.

Cynis V'Lin:

I regret to inform you... wait, no, I really don't regret it at all - that you have Grass Spiders on you.  From what I understand, this is a terminal condition, and it is likely that you will die very horribly in the near future.  Perhaps even in a manner involving a bear.

I highly recommend you end your own life.  Perhaps you could slit your belly with a rusty spoon at the Arena as an opening act.  Or see if you can eat one of your own poisoned arrows when it is fired at full strength.  Maybe you should go and drown yourself in honey or hang yourself.

I am looking forward to hearing of your painful demise.

The letter was not signed, but only had a stylized green spider symbol stamped where the signature should be.
____________________________________________

Down the street at one of the Root's open air cafes, Emerald Strider barely smothered a grin as she sipped her tea, especially since, even at this distance, it was just possible to hear V'Lin's angered tirade.

She nearly jumped out of her chair when a quavering old man spoke up behind her.

Are you freelancing again, little Emira?  Doesn't the High Weaver usually frown on that sort of thing?

Composing herself, Strider turned in her seat to look at the rather spry old man at the table behind her.  He moved, and sat down across from her, and listened intently a moment to V'Lin's continuing tirade before smiling genially at Emerald Strider.

Mei Ren, you old coot... how many times do I have to tell you that sneaking up on me is not conducive to long life?

Mei Ren grinned as he replied without hesitation.

At least once more... at least once more.

Strider sighed, and took a long swig of tea.  So, what can I do for you, old man?  Don't tell me that you want me to spare that piece of offal running the guard here?

Mei Ren shook his head.

Of course not, Emira.  I merely bring a message from the Weaver.  Once you are done in Root, you are to make your way to Nexus, and await there until contact is made concerning your next assignment.

He paused as his tea arrived, and he took a long drink himself.  Strider looked perturbed as she was mentally tallying the lost business this order might cause her.  This annoyance only got worse as Mei Ren continued.

Oh... that's right.  You are also to leave Mnemon Azana alone.  Her fate is not your decision.  He grinned slightly.  In fact, her fate is actually up to my protege and his little troupe, which the Weaver seems to think you will meet again, too.

Strider stared into her drink a long moment, then sighed.  As she looked up to reply, the old man was gone, and a deep voiced scream could be heard a few blocks away.

Nukoze sipped his tea, hiding his boredom with long practice.  His brother was detailing some sort of absurdly unlikely conspiracy against his person and the House's holdings.

...bears.  At least three, probably more.  Not to mention the various drug overdoses.  I can guarantee you that those deaths were the work of a poisoner.  And if I had to guess...

Nodding at appropriate moments, Nukoze let his mind wander, and barely payed attention to his brother.
___________________________

Cynis Catako kept working on all the paperwork needed to keep the Satrap functioning.
___________________________

The arena.

Shen stepped out of the young lady's holding cell.  He turned to face Dog of the Dawn.

My lord.  I have done what I could, but she still will need more time before the damage is completely healed.  Raina could fight if needed, but if she pushes herself like she did before... the damage could be extensive.

Dog of the Dawn remained silent, his arms crossed.  As he was about to reply, Raina grabbed the cell bars, obviously in pain, but up and moving.  The vehemence in her voice caught Dog of the Dawn by surprise.

Give me a day or so and I'll be ready.  Get me in the arena, and you'll get the blood you desire.

A slow smile spread across Dog of the Dawn's face.  Perhaps this new anger could solve another problem he was dealing with.

Very well.  I even have the perfect opponent for you in mind.
___________________________

Cynis Catako kept working on all the paperwork needed to keep the Satrap functioning.
___________________________

In the Immaculate Temple of Illuminating Light, Avalanche, Castigation of Flame and Cynis Kesra held council in the temple's innermost sanctum.  Avalanche, a large bald man in white monk robes of the finest material, spoke first.  By his side lay a white jade Grand Goremaul of unusual construction.  It appeared as if someone sheared off the end of a rough-hewn block of white jade and then drove an artifact staff into it to make a hammer.

So, are we agreed?  The time we have all dreaded yet trained for has finally arrived?

Castigation of Flame, a small, lithe man with short brown hair and a set of red robes, nodded.  He had no artifact weapons, but his twin short swords were of the highest craftsmanship, and were both ornate and functional.

It appears so.  The rumors against us and the Realm, the uncanny skill of the newer gladiators... one apparently even killed Kurogasa, though I am tempted to thank him for doing so.  It all points to the same thing.

He turned to the last of the group, Cynis Kesra, a regal woman with blue-black hair and dark blue robes.  At her side lay Twin-Souled Vortex, a pair of blue jade Infinite Chakram.  She smiled.

Anathema.

Her smile grew wider.

Brothers... tomorrow, we hunt.
___________________________

Cynis Catako kept working on all the paperwork needed to keep the Satrap functioning.

Emerald Strider waited until the rest of the palace servants were asleep.  Though she expected some to still be up, they would be easy enough to avoid.  She slipped into a black martial arts uniform with mask and hood that she had smuggled in a day previously, and then slipped into the palace grounds.

She carefully made her way to the nobles' quarters, and then found a window on the eastern wall.  Undoing the lock, she scaled the outer wall.  Finally, three floors up, she found her target.

Cynis V'Lin was settling in for the night.  Clad in a white robe, his sword was on a stand near the wall by his powerbow.  The window was already open, in part due to V'Lin's arrogance... and despite the call against his life, he still seemed quite secure on the palace grounds.  Strider remained perfectly still, waiting until V'Lin finished his reading for the night and began getting his bed ready.

Quiet as a ghost, she slipped into the room.  V'Lin turned, sensing trouble, right as Strider grabbed his shoulder.  V'Lin turned into the attack, and though he tried to guard himself, Strider chopped his throat with a knife-hand strike before could shout out.  As he staggered back, choking, Strider kept pressing the offense, striking V'Lin repeatedly both in the chest and neck and on his arms as he tried to hit his opponent.

Suddenly, V'Lin's back foot hit his bed, and in a panic, he surged forward.  One hand managed to grab Strider, and Strider went with his push for just long enough for V'Lin to commit to the attack.  He didn't even realize his mistake until she drove her knee up into his sternum hard.  Even as Strider was rewarded with the satisfying sound of cracking bones, she switched her grip on V'Lin, and then tossed him against the wall.  Essence surging, she struck again and again as he was pinned, each strike hammering a vital point.

V'Lin managed to shove Strider away, and then lunged for his sword.  He managed to shout hoarsely, and then slashed out at his assailant.  Strider stepped in, blocking the sword with her forearm, and then punched V'Lin right in the face.  As staggered back, she struck again, hitting a rapid series of pressure points, ending with one on V'Lin's neck right under his ear.  He collapsed, dropping his sword.

Strider moved quickly, and was out the window and halfway back to the servants' quarters by the time any of the guards reached V'Lin.
___________

Finding V'Lin alive, the guards tried to get him to describe his attacker.  To everyone's dismay, including V'Lin himself, he could not explain what happened, nor give a good description of his attacker.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:46, Sat 13 Aug 2016.

One week after the caravan left, things were somber in the city of Stem.  The emissaries from Thorns were escorted under heavy guard to Satrap Azana.  She waited in the audience chamber of her manse, wary, and with Firestorm within arms' reach.

Wu Fan entered the room, and introduced the emissaries.

My lady, I give you the Emperor of Ash and Bone...

A lanky, pale man with slicked-back silver hair and a well-tailored black suit bowed.  His hand rested lightly on the handle of his cane, a soulsteel and red jade short staff with stylized dragons on it.

... the Dark Gear that Times Creation...

At this, a tall figure in soulsteel lamellar armor inclined his head.  Twin soulsteel hand cannons adorned the man's hips, and the helmet completely covered his face.  The armor appeared industrial and practical, unlike that of the third member of the group, whose armor was adorned with spike and skulls.

and the Maiden of the Mirthless Smile.

The third member was an athletic woman with black-streaked white hair.  She wore spiky light armor that complemented her figure, and carried an odd soulsteel daiklaive.  The blade appeared curved and segmented, and the hilt had a series of complicated gears in it.  She just grinned as Wu Fan moved to Azana's side.

Azana then spoke, barely hiding her disdain.

What can the Satrapy of Greenhaven do for Thorns today?

The Emperor of Ash and Bone smiled, a predatory, evil grin.

The time for games is over, young dragon.  Submit to the Mask of Winters, or be destroyed.  This is your final chance.

Azana shook her head, and held the deathknight's gaze for a long moment before she spoke.  When she did, it was with an unexpected finality.

No.

As soon as the word left her mouth, she drew her daiklaive and charged.  The Emperor gracefully stepped backwards as the Maiden intercepted the strike.  The Emperor laughed.

So, you give us this region and your life.  That is acceptable.

Azana leapt back as the Maiden tried to bisect her, and she managed to parry a shot from the Dark Gear.  The Dark Gear kept one gun aimed at Azana, and pointed the other at Wu Fan, who dived behind the throne.  A shot rang out, and then another.  The first shot broke off a section of the throne, and Azana twisted to avoid the second.  Focusing her Essence, Azana's sword blazed with fire.

A flurry of cuts from the Maiden drove Azana back, nearly to the throne, and left her bleeding.  Dark Gear aimed a shot at Azana yet again, and, as she parried it, she tripped over some of the kindling.  As the Maiden dived forward to try to end the fight, Wu Fan leapt out from his cover.  He tackled the Maiden, and managed to knock her off her feet.  He glanced back, and shouted to Azana as she used her momentum to roll to her feet.

Run!  You cannot win!  Survive, and avenge us!

Conflicted, Azana nearly charged, but Dark Gear shattered another section of the throne, and, at the same time, shot Wu Fan in the side.  As Azana turned and ran to a hidden exit, the Emperor pointed his cane at her, and a bolt of gray flame lanced out.  Azana screamed in pain and dropped her daiklaive as she was propelled through the door.

The last thing Azana saw before she exited the palace and made her way out of Greenhaven was the sight of both the Dark Gear and the Maiden of the Mirthless Smile standing over Perfect Wu Fan.

The train with supplies pulled into the city as night fell.  The various mercenaries who had saved it from being overrun by undead tyrant lizards where hailed as heroes.

A few blocks away, a cloaked figure on top of a building watched the proceedings.  Underneath her cloak, the woman with purple-flecked green eyes glared in the direction of the cheers.  A voice to the side caused her to snap around, reflexively entering a fighting stance.

It's been a while since we were in training, Crystal Shadow.  Are you enjoying the view?

The woman who spoke was tall and muscular, and wore a simple white martial artists' outfit with a sleeveless vest.  Her brown hair was tied back, and her red eyes where also flecked with red starlight if one looked closely.  Bands of Starmetal wrapped around her palms, forearms, shins and insteps.  On her right hand, she wore a red ring of an unknown metal with an odd, angular black symbol on it.

Crystal Shadow, Chosen of the Maiden of Endings, bit out a short laugh.  As she dropped into a more relaxed stance, she moved slightly, positioning herself for a first strike if necessary.

Why are you here, Licorne?  Those Anathema are mine, and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

The woman smiled in response.

No small talk?  Very well.  I am bringing you a request to leave the Solars alone.  Specifically this Circle, but it request covers all of them.

Crystal Shadow did not even bother to hide her contempt for the request as she replied.

That's not going to happen.  I've been appointed by the Head of the Bureau of Destiny himself to keep the Solar Exalted of the Threshold and River Province under control.  And we both know the best way to do that is to make sure they never live long enough to amass any real power.

She paused, just long enough to grin evilly.

I am, however, glad that it was you who came to deliver that 'message.'  You see... I've done some research.  There has never been a Natalia Felicity Licorne in the rolls of the Maiden's Chosen, nor has there been any record of your fate prior to your training in Yu-Shan.  Nor are the records for that silly moniker of yours... what was it?  Steals-the-Sun?  Once I am done here, I will make sure the full force of Heaven is brought down upon you, charlatan.

Natalia listened, then smiled in response, appearing as if she did not care about the magnitude of the threat, and she answered calmly.

Ok... first off - that moniker is not silly.  It was earned fair and square.  It's not my fault Helios was easy to charm, and that he left his chariot unguarded afterwards.

Crystal Shadow moved slightly, getting ready to summon her twin Starmetal daggers so as to quickly end the building confrontation.  Natalia continued her counter-rant.

Besides, I returned it by nightfall.  Second - it's not my fault if the Five Score Fellowship doesn't have good enough records to identify when there's more than one hundred Sidereals.

Natalia paused a moment, then was about to speak again, when Crystal Shadow's dagger flashed out, barely missing her heart.  Crystal Shadow wrenched the blade free, then wiped it off on her cloak.  Even as Natalia collapsed, the blade was once again hidden under Crystal Shadow's sleeve.

I doubt you even know what you're implying.  Not that it matters.  Kurogasa will kill your precious Solars - including youre beloved friends Tatiana and Sasha - and I will let Kejak know that not only has the Solar threat been reduced, but that I have killed a traitor, too.

As she started to walk away, Natalia grabbed her cloak, and then yanked, hard.  Crystal Shadow was thrown off her feet and into the side of the building's chimney.  Realizing this wasn't over even as she choked a bit, she undid the clasp on her cloak, and pulled herself to her feet.

Natalia was standing up as well, appearing slightly larger, and perhaps more feral.  The wound in her chest was visibly knitting itself shut.  Natalia sighed, then grimaced in pain, as she turned her attention to her assailant.

Was that really necessary?  We're on the same side, even if you don't realize it... and if it makes you feel any better, the Shadowweaver would have been happy if the Dragon Blooded alone could do what needs to be done...

Crystal Shadow wore a black midriff-baring top with baggy sleeves cut similar to a martial arts gi with purple trim, a medium length slit skirt - again black with purple trim and black leather sandals.  Her short pink hair had a single black ribbon tied into it, trailing to the middle of her back, and underneath her sleeves, Starmetal bracers were sometimes visible.  Daggers flashed from underneath the bracers into her hands as she tried to figure out how Natalia had survived a perfectly executed Life-Severing Blow that had been enhanced by both Essence Soul Strike and the Anima Flux Driver.

Natalia smiled, not unkindly, as she noticed her opponent's scrutiny.  As she started to pull herself to her feet, Crystal Shadow attacked, twin daggers darting in, each strike aiming for a kill.  Natalia hopped backwards, then let Fate flow through her and guide her movements.  Even as the assassin's blades cut in, she was moving out of the way, often before the attack had fully begun.

Natalia twisted to avoid one strike, and deflected the next off of her own bracer, then leaned back to avoid a spinning kick aimed at her throat.  Before Crystal Shadow could finish the kick, Natalia hooked a finger in her sandal, and then, with a step back to line herself up properly, she pulled.  Crystal Shadow was effortlessly lifted off of the ground, and then slung around, only to be let go when she was aimed in the right direction.  Throwing herself into a spin, Crystal Shadow managed to get a hand on the ground to break her momentum, so as to turn a potentially painful impact into just a simple back handspring.

Even as she landed, Natalia was in her face, and within her guard.  A series of chops and strikes hurt her arms and prevented another fatal stab.  Crystal Shadow, getting desperate, surged forward, aiming one dagger at Natalia's throat, and the other for a disemboweling cut.  Natalia caught both, and even with the Starmetal bands on her hands, the daggers drew blood.

Crystal Shadow tried to move the daggers forward, but she could not budge them.  Natalia smiled, then grew, gaining nearly half again her height and, in all apparent muscle mass, nearly twice her weight.  Of course, the disconcerting thing was the fur, the wolf-like face - complete with fangs - and claws on her hands and feet.  Natalia's clothes and Artifacts easily adapted to the change.

While Crystal Shadow's jaw dropped, Natalia snapped out a vicious kick, easily sending Crystal Shadow out across the alley.  She slammed into the far wall, and then tumbled to the ground below.  As she regain her footing, she looked up, where Natalia was floating down, now human once again, but covered in roiling red energy.  The energy seemed to emanate from the red ring she wore.

This time, when Natalia spoke, there was a little more power behind it.

When my Lady, the Shadowweaver, gave me this blessing, I lost access to most of the Gifts of my heritage.  However, I still retain the Rage.  I do not want to kill you, but I will if I have to.

Crystal Shadow, hurt, and now confused, barely stuttered out: Who... what are you?

Natalia smiled gently as she landed, and the energy died away.

I am someone fighting a war against a larger force than you are aware, against someone that would consider you, as skilled and enlightened as you are, perhaps a half-step up from his collection of mortal concubines and slaves.  Of course, I'm about a quarter-step up from that, and I lose a lot by not bowing to the Tyrant.

Shaking her head, Crystal Shadow tried to make sense of that, even as Natalia continued.

Ask Kejak about the Black Ships.  He is old enough to possibly remember their visits, at least twice.  My Lady and I are fighting against a Tyrant that wove his very rule into the foundation of Creation, and sees its inhabitants as little more than toys to be used, abused and thrown away when they break.  Keep that in mind when you return to Yu-Shan.

As she started to walk away, Natalia turned back around once more.

I do hope when we meet again, it will be on better terms.

After that, Crystal Shadow was left to her thoughts.

The misty morning's silence was broken by the sounds of a whirling spear and the occasional kiai.  Smoke lazily drifted up from the nearby hut's chimney, and up on a hill in the distance, a number of standing stones enclosed in the landscape where a number of geomantic leylines crossed.  A lone figure stood watch on the hill, surrounded by a pack of wolves.

The woman training had long red hair, and carried herself with an elegance at odds with her rather drab monk's robes.  She did not stop her kata as another woman, wearing a cloak of shadow, stepped out from behind the hut that she now considered home.  Lilith paused a respectable distance away, and bowed respectfully.

It has been a while, has it not?  How have you been doing, Crimson Lotus Maiden?

Crimson Lotus Maiden stopped her kata suddenly, bringing the spear to rest against her shoulder.  Having learned a few years ago that her 'guest' could read her actions and words like a book, she did not bother to hide her annoyance.

How do you think, Lilith?  I've been stuck in this dump, remote even by Threshold standards, for five years already.  I can only find out about what goes on in my Realm by rumors from the very occasional trader and yourself.  My patience is wearing thin.

Lilith nodded, not surprised.

We both know I have good reasons for setting this up.  You agreed with me when we put this plan into motion.  You still need to stay hidden and work on the Ebon Dragon for me, at least for now.

Crimson Lotus Maiden sighed, then walked back to her hut.  Lilith followed.  They both sat down nearly simultaneously at a bench near the front door.

I understand the necessity... but have you ever tried seducing a Yozi?  That is challenge enough... but do have to do so out here... it's draining.  Besides, having my only company be consist of traders, you, that Lunar you have watching over me and any demons I summon?  I long for the throne so I can begin the slog of putting the Realm back together.

Lilith laughed.

I doubt you'd believe me... but yes, I know what it's like.  Patience, my Empress.  The coming Civil War in your Realm will serve to distract the Tyrant until it becomes too late.  When the time is right, you will be able to reclaim your throne... should you choose to do so.

Crimson Lotus Maiden shook her head.

Can you blame me for wanting to do so?  The situation in Creation is getting almost as bad as it was prior to when I assumed the throne in the first place.  Since, as far as I know, I am the only one who could do so, why would I not?

Lilith grinned in response, causing her companion to frown.

You do not have much faith in your children... besides, even if none of the heads of the Houses are able to do so... did you not free your own son, Twin Dragons' Wrath, from the dungeons beneath the Imperial Manse?  With the might of the Sun, and a legitimate blood tie, he could easily claim your throne nearly at will.

Lilith's grin became sly as she continued.

Honestly, it's all I can do to keep him from storming each of the Great Houses and demanding loyalty and fealty from his siblings.  If that happens too early, the War will not distract the Tyrant.

Crimson Lotus Maiden smiled back, glad that this coming exchange would be going in her favor.

Oh, yes.  Like you suggested, I freed all of the Anathema from the dungeons... including my son.  Why do you keep bringing him up?  If you're so enamored of him, you should really do something about it.  I promise I won't stand in your way.

Her smile grew wider at Lilith's silence, and hard as it was to read, the very slight embarrassment.  Lilith did respond, but very quietly.

He just reminds me of someone I used to know a long time ago.  It will not interfere with the plan.  Now... I assume that you still have the Fire Dragon's Fang?

Crimson Lotus Maiden nodded, and let all her disdain for such a stupid question slip into her voice.

Of course.  Considering our eventual target, do you think I'd trade off one of the best weapons for fighting the Solar Exalted?  And, also, before you ask, no one has passed through the standing stones.  The path to the Caul remains quiet.

With a nod, Lilith then turned the conversation to more mundane topics.  They talked the rest of the day, then Lilith took her leave.  Crimson Lotus Maiden headed down to her sorcerous workshop, hidden well beneath the hut, and began the rites to contact the demons of Malfeas.  There was work to be done.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:16, Sat 23 July 2016.

Five years ago, in the dungeons of the Imperial Manse.
___

The Scarlet Empress walked into a deep, multi-level chamber of mostly unworked stone, carrying a tray with food.  The Legion of Silence, each one a eunuch with his tongue removed, stood watch over the prisoner, silent as always, each armed with a war axe or recurve bow.  The stone walkways crisscrossed the chamber's central pit, leading to guarded stairways to the next level.  She glanced down the pit, to where the prisoner, held down under stone weights that would always be too heavy for him to fully lift and with chains attached to weights that dangled off of the stone platform attached to each of his limbs.  The platform itself was suspended by four thick chains over a pit so deep, no light from the lava at the bottom could be seen most of the time.  She smiled when she saw that the prisoner was in the midst of practicing martial arts still, even after all these years and despite the weights, and continued downward.

At the lowest level, a single wooden platform lowered the Empress to the prisoner, who, hearing the platform being lowered, stopped his kata and returned to a resting position.  She sat down in front of him so that he could see her underneath the stone 'helmet' he wore strapped to his head.  The prisoner laughed, not bothering to hide his disdain or to gloss over the issues of their past.

Hello, mother.

The Empress nodded, not expecting anything different.

Hello, my son.

They lapsed into an awkward silence as the Empress fed the prisoner.  As the meal finished, the Empress slid a pair of chopsticks into her son's hands.  Underneath the helmet, his eyes widened as he palmed them, though the Empress quietly spoke before he could do so.

Your time as prisoner has come to an end.  I only ask that you wait until they bring you your evening meal, and that you free the remaining Anathema trapped down here.

Realizing that she spoke quietly enough that even the closet Legionnaires could not hear, he did not reply, by voice or by motion.  As the Empress reached the elevator back up, the turned and grinned, and again spoke for her son's ears only.

Even the Heart Eater.

She smiled even as Twin Dragons' Wrath sighed, and left the chamber.
___

A short time later, the Empress walked into a series of hallways guarded by the Legion of Silence.  Despite being in the dungeons, they were almost lavish, with painted red columns and support beams, and the stone walls covered and often painted over.  She reached the center of the area, where a lone man sat trapped in what appeared to be a glass box.  A few air holes were on top, and a spigot was attached to the side so that the prisoner could be fed.  The door to the box was locked tight, and the lock was covered with runes.  Across from the box was an alcove, upon sat an Orichalcum Wrackstaff and a high quality courtier's outfit, the Moonsilver and Orichcalcum threads which strengthened it unnoticeable under the poor light.

The man inside the box was short, with unruly brown hair that almost, but not quite, gave him a beard.  He grinned as the Empress approached, baring his slightly enlarged canine teeth.  The man also had a monkey's tail that was now swishing around.

Before he could speak, the Empress leveled a glare at the Monkey King which, in the past, had caused whole armies to crumble.  Sun Wukong just smiled wider, though, thankfully, he remained quiet.  Sun grew thoughtful when he saw the Empress glance around to make sure none of the Legion of Silence were within earshot.

Sun, Sun, Sun... Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to All Heaven... you are a lucky man today.

Sun laughed, though at a much lower volume than he would use under normal circumstances.

Why?  Have you come to gloat some more... to give me something better than gruel and water to eat?  Oh... I know.  You're finally going to end this, and see what kind of trouble my next incarnation will get up to, right?

The Empress' smile grew during the tirade, and Sun, seeing that something odd was definitely going on, grew quiet yet again.

You're half right, my King.  This does end today.  And when the time comes, I would like you to do a number of things for me.

Sun, a slight frown on his face as he worked through the implications, settled down.  He sat in a meditative pose, his legs crossed, while being held up in the air by his tail.

I'll admit, I'm curious.  I mean, I know you owe me for my efforts at, um... repairing House relations... a number of years ago, not to mention all the combat training I put your troops through for years...

He trailed off, frown turning into a smile both for reliving some fun memories and for watching the Empress scowl.  She responded angrily, and had to visibly control herself as she did so.

Repairing House relations?  Just because you got V'Neef and Mnemon into bed with you before they realized what you were...

The Empress took a deep breath, then, continued more calmly.

Considering that they nearly killed themselves, and you, I'd not consider that in any way 'repairing House relations.'  You nearly started a civil war.

Sun grinned back, and the Empress sighed.

Back to the point at hand... when your evening meal comes, I suspect you'll be able to break free.  When you do so, please free the rest of the Anathema underneath the Imperial Manse.

At Sun's expression, she paused.  Almost dejectedly, he spoke up.

Even the Heart Eater?

The Empress nodded, and Sun, not really thinking, lowered himself until he was actually sitting on the ground.  His tail began twitching nervously.

Once you are free, you are to seek out an acquaintance of yours - Sublime Danger.  She shall point you in a direction that should help explain why this is all necessary.

Sun perked up.

Oh, I was planning on finding her anyways.

The Empress nodded and smiled, then snapped a precisely aimed kick at Sun.  Her foot cracked both the lock and the glass door ever so slightly, and shot a jet of fire into the box.  Sun instinctively hopped up above the flame.  He splayed out and braced himself in the upper back corner of the box and glared at the Empress, then, a moment later, flicked his tail - the tip now on fire - up to where he could get to it to put out the flame.  His roar of disapproval was heard throughout all of the dungeons of the Imperial Manse.

The Empress just smiled and began walking away.  As she reached the edge of the hallway, Sun noticed a black haired woman wearing a literal cloak of shadows meet the Empress and join her as they walked off.
___

Hours later, Twin Dragons' Wrath watched as a single Legionnaire was lowered with his evening meal.  He remained quiet during the meal, and as the Legionnaire began to leave, made his move.  Dragon jammed the chopsticks into the lock of the chain weighing down his left arm, hard.  The Legionnaire turned at the noise, but with one hand free, the tables had turned.  Dragon leaned forward even as the Legionnaire drew and slashed with his axe.  The axe bounced off of the stone weight on Dragon's back as he reached back and broke the lock on his left foot.  A second weight dropped into the fires below.

The Legionnaire reeled back even as the gongs of the alarms began ringing.  He then slashed downward.  Dragon surged forward, catching the Legionnaire's hand, then slammed his stone helmet into the Legionnaire's face.  With a single shove, he tossed the Legionnaire off the platform and reached down to break the remaining locks.

The wooden platform, already being raised due to the alarm, was nearly twenty feet above as the last lock was broken.  Dragon ran and leaped, catching the ropes at the bottom of the platform even as a hail of arrows was launched downwards.  He hung there, patiently, and ignored the creaking of the wood and ropes as the platform struggled with both his and the stone weights, and an increasing number of arrows being shot into it.

The platform reached the top, even as a Legionnaire got the bright idea to cut the ropes and let it drop.  Dragon swung himself off to the side, and, unfortunately, away from the walkway, as the platform dropped. Then, with a burst of Essence, launched himself upwards towards the walkway and a very surprised Legionnaire.  As that Legionnaire was launched off of the walkway, Dragon turned to the man's compatriots.  Essence flared as Dragon settled into Tiger Form, and the battle began in earnest.
___

At the same time as Dragon was getting his evening meal, Sun received his own.  The Legionnaire poured water down the spigot, which Sun lapped up (quite literally, as he'd found the being a canine somewhat helped with not wasting any water).  Sun shifted back to human form as the Legionnaire turned to grab the gruel, and then he plucked out a single hair.  Moving quickly to the crack in the glass that the Legionnaire had not noticed, he blew on the hair, sending it through the glass.  The Legionnaire did not notice the soft golden glow, though when he turned around, he did notice that, somehow, Sun was standing right there, outside the box.  The Legionnaire reached for his axe, but Sun's punch sent him flying.

Knowing there wouldn't be much time, Sun grabbed the Heaven-Spanning Staff, and with a flourish, struck the lock and glass box in the exact same place the Empress had done so earlier.  He turned as gongs started clanging, and grinned as a number of Legionnaires entered both sides of the hallway.

Inside the glass box, Sun - the real Sun - grabbed the end of the Heaven-Spanning Staff.  It instantly elongated, one end slamming into the far wall and the other into the ground in the box.  Sun hopped on the staff, and crouched low as the Staff then expanded in diameter, easily breaking both the box and the lock.  In a single fluid motion, the Staff returned to its normal size and Sun dove into the hallway.

Off to the side, a Legionnaire got a lucky strike in, and the clone was cut in half.  Two pieces of hair fell to the ground.  Sun growled, then pulled out two handfuls of hair.  Essence surged as he released the hair, and, each glowing golden for a moment, each became a copy of Sun himself.  The two groups of Suns charged the Legion of Silence.

Sun whistled to himself as he put on his Silken Armor.  A single Legionnaire broke through the swarms of Monkey Kings as Sun reached for his hat.  He ducked an axe swing, then flipped in the air, hooking the strap of his hat around the Legionnaire's chin.  Even as the rest of the Legionnaires began clearing the clones, the Monkey King landed, and then bent over, pulling the Legionnaire onto his back.

The two squads of Legionnaires came to a stop as they realized they couldn't attack the Monkey King through their own man (at least, not easily), which gave Sun an opening.  Bent over, one hand held his hat (and the choking Legionnaire along with it) and the other the Heaven-Spanning Staff.  Grinning, he pointed the staff at the knee of one of the standing Legionnaires.  Once again, the Staff extended, and the Legionnaire's leg broke.

The Legionnaires began attacking.  In one hand, he used the Heaven-Spanning Staff to attack the first group, primarily aiming at their legs, and, with a combination of balance and sheer strength, used his captive Legionnaire to keep the squad at his rear at bay.  Sun laughed when he managed to make his now nearly-dead captive kick one of his comrades in the face, and jabbed one of the Legionnaires to the front in the man's stomach, easily sending the man flying.

Sensing that the Legionnaires were going to just try to weigh him down with sheer numbers, Sun leaped.  His captive took the brunt of it as he slammed into the ceiling.  Sun hooked a foot back and braced himself on the ceiling for just long enough to send his captive hurtling into the first group of Legionnaires.

He then leaped forward, hat in one hand, Heaven-Spanning Staff in the other.  Another group of Legionnaires entered the far end of the hallway, and one barely managed to parry the Heaven-Spanning Staff - from fifty feet away - being jabbed at his face.  The Staff slammed into the wall, and, when it returned to normal size, Sun was carried with it.  The Legionnaire had been turning to attack Sun, only to have Sun slam both feet into the man's face.  The force of the strike momentarily scattered the rest of the squad, which gave Sun enough time to flip onto the Staff, and finally put his hat on.

Balancing on the Heaven-Spanning Staff, Sun roared, again, at the soldiers, even as they reformed their ranks, and a Caste mark appeared on his forehead.  A full silver circle glowed fiercely, and, for the first time in many years, the Legion of Silence knew fear.
___

Back at the pit, Dragon tore into the army facing him.  He seemed to flow around each attack, sometimes just tossing the unfortunate Legionnaire out of the way or off the platform, sometimes brutally countering with claw strikes, powerful kicks, or even just blasts of golden Essence.

Dragon advanced towards the first stairwell, keeping low and taking advantage of the stone weights on his back and head.  He used the weights to block strikes and, occasionally, to break his opponents.  As he reached the first stairwell, a number of Legionnaires blocked the doorway with large shields.  Dragon retreated as they extended spears through the few openings.  Even as he did so, two Legionnaires attacked from behind, and managed to hook their axes on either side of the stone helmet.

Dragon grinned as the Legionnaires tried to drag him down.  He flipped backwards over their heads, using their own axes to cut the leather straps hold the sorcerous stone on.  The helmet fell off, revealing unkempt brown hair and piercing gold eyes.  He landed behind the Legionnaires, one hand on each of their axes, and then twisted, killing both men with their own weapons.

Realizing he couldn't afford to be slowed down, Dragon ripped at the leather straps holding the weight on his back.  It dropped, and Dragon moved, now even faster.  Since the stairwell was blocked, he scooped up the stone helmet and threw it with all his might towards the next level's walkway.

The walkway broke under the hit, and great stone blocks fell, along with nearly twenty of the Legion of Silence.  Dragon ran, and leapt from block to block, as well as the occasional Legionnaire, until he reached the next level.  Dodging another hail of arrows, he ducked into the next stairwell.
___

The Legionnaires charged Sun, only to be driven back as he braced his feet on the wall between two pillars and wrenched the Staff free from the stone.  He easily kept the Legionnaires at bay for a few moments, until he noticed that the doors to the Manse itself were being closed.  With a surge of motion, he moved towards the doorway.

Using the Staff, and often his enemies, he ricocheted towards the closing door, parrying axes and hitting Legionnaires, each strike propelling him that much closer.  Finally, never having hit the ground until just then, Sun dived through the heavy rune-encrusted stone door even as it closed.  The two Legionnaires on either side turned, and Sun, without breaking momentum from the roll, struck one in his knee, reversed the strike to break the other Legionnaire's rib cage, and then, with a quick flick of his wrist, he flipped the end of the Staff into the first Legionnaire's face.

Glancing around, realizing there was no one around to see him, Sun stood up, straightened his clothing, and wrapped his tail around his waist.  He shrunk the Heaven-Spanning Staff to the size of a quill, and then hid it in the folds of his outfit.  With a jaunty stride, Sun started heading towards the exit.
___

Dragon spun past an axe strike, anima flaring golden, and the Legionnaire making the strike, and caught the Legionnaire on the back of his neck with a clawed strike.  Holding onto the man, Dragon twisted and drove the Legionnaire through the stone wall of the stairway.  Dragon then hopped over a slashing attack from a Legionnaire below, only to break the Legionnaire's arm with a stomp as he landed.

From above, another Legionnaire stepped down, and Dragon caught the man's leg, gouging at pressure points above the man's knee (and through his armor) with his fingers.  Even as the Legionnaire buckled, Dragon slammed a punch into the man's abdomen, caving in the man's armor, then tossed the Legionnaire onto his friends below, clearing the way for Dragon to advance.

He stepped up, and even as two Legionnaires tried to block his way with shields, struck again.  Dragon slammed a kick into the first shield-bearer's shin, breaking it and causing the makeshift shield wall to falter.  Using the opening, Dragon ran up the wall, and kicked the falling Legionnaire in the head with enough force that he ended up headbutting the other shield-bearer.

Dragon then reached the final walkway, and saw the remaining contingent glaring his way.  Behind their shields, a line of axe wielding Legionnaires in front of archers, Dragon smiled.

A surge of Essence brought forth two dragons above his head, each spinning around the other, forming a draconic yin-yang symbol.  The Legionnaires held ranks, barely, but, frozen in fear, did not attack.  This would prove to be a terrible mistake, as Dragon collected all of that released Essence into his hands, and then directed the resulting blast at the arrayed soldiers.  The explosion cleared the way, and tossed a large number of Legionnaires off to the side.  Most, but not all, were able to grab onto something, and only a few fell all the way down the pit.

Dragon then ran out the now cleared pathway (and broken door) into the Manse proper.
___

Sun turned a corner, and then as the person he stumbled into tried to claw his eyes out, hopped back and extended the Heaven-Spanning Staff at the chest of his attacker.

Dragon, having bumped into a person also moving at high speed, managed to catch the end of the Staff before it caved in his rib cage.  Sun, realizing he wasn't being attacked, hid the Staff once again, and stared, disbelieving, at his 'assailant.'

Well, I'll be damned.  Glad to see you got off on a work-release program, too, Dragon.

Twin Dragons' Wrath grinned back.

You could say that.  Apparently, if you'd be willing to help me, my mother wants us to free everyone down here.

Sun nodded.

She told me something similar.  Odd games these Dynasts play, though this time I ain't gonna argue... though that also specifically included the Heart Eater.

Dragon shook his head ruefully.

She told me that, too... and for the sake of causing trouble, I can't argue... though that's the only person down here I'd actually be loath to free.

A hopeful tone crept into his voice as Sun responded.

Well, we could kill it, I suppose.  Then, once Luna finds someone she likes, the Heart Eater will technically be free.

Dragon laughed at that.

There's only one problem with that.

Sun shook his head.

Yeah.  We'd actually have to kill it.  Never mind.

With that, the two Exalted quickly made their plans and got to work breaking out the remaining Solars and Lunars trapped under the Imperial Manse.  A short time later, Sun climbed the tallest spire of the Manse, and looked out over the city.  Just barely, well outside the city walls, he made out nine people escaping to the countryside.

Sun whistled loudly, and waited, enjoying the view, even with the overcast, cloudy sky.  He smiled as one cloud, only large enough for him to set comfortably on, dropped out of cover above, and swooped down.  Sun lightly leaped onto it as it passed, and headed East, ready once again to get into trouble and have lots of fun at both the Realm's and Yu-Shan's expense.

Far above Mount Meru, the Pole of Earth and the geographic center of both the Blessed Isle and Creation, a vortex of roiling space-time stretching across many miles opened.  Out of the vortex of gold light floated a giant flying citadel, an ornate palace easily three miles in diameter, built of White Jade and edged in Orichalcum.  Weapons bristled over surface of the palace, and it was held aloft by giant thrusters made of Starmetal and Blue Jade.

As the vortex closed, the palace descended.  Far below, ancient machinery stirred within the city of Meru, Creation's capital during the First Age and the meeting place of the Solar Deliberative.  Buildings moved and large pillars rose, some containing stairs, elevators and other, more esoteric ways of transporting people and resources from the city to the Palace of the Sun, and others merely set to hold the Palace itself.  A similar transformation occured beneath the Palace of the Sun, and, within minutes, it docked atop the ruins of Meru.
___

In the great throne room of the Palace, the God-Emperor sat, meditating and attuning himself to his Creation once again.  Beneath the Starmetal plates covering his spine, Starmetal and Soulsteel machinery and circuits whirred, and tiny pattern spiders linked waiting threads from the Loom of Fate.  With a thought, the far wall of the throne room opened, and the central tower rose and began a slow rotation, allowing the God-Emperor to get a good look at his work.

The God-Emperor, a tall, athletic man with short, dark hair, and many visible but subtle Soulsteel and Orichalcum implants, stood and walked to the opening balcony, the woven Incarnium and Orichalcum threads of his uniform glittering in sun.  As he walked, his honor guard, each an eight foot tall posthuman in gleaming Orichalcum Celestial Battle Armor and equipped with a deadly array of weapons, remained motionless.  A bald man, his skin bone-white, wearing a black, Shadowsilk military uniform with a Soulsteel beamklaive hooked to this belt, walked into the throne room, and stopped a respectful distance away.  The God-Emperor spoke without even looking.

Speak, Deathshadow.

The pale man bowed slightly.

As you are no doubt aware, my liege, Aethyros reports that the dimensional shift was successful, and we have landed without any issues.  There appear to be no immediate threats to the Palace or your person.

The God-Emperor smiled at the last comment, and then replied as he continued to stare out across Creation.

Deathshadow... do you know what I like so much about Creation?

The Deathshadow shook his head.  The near limitless resources?  The fact that some of its people can even give you a challenge?

The God-Emperor grinned as he turned to face his commander.

In part.  But no... what I like is that this world is a reminder that even the most powerful may be brought low.  True, in this case it was by design, but the point stands.  Look at the Neverborn.  Look at Malfeas and his kin.  Brought low by people who, by all rights, should have been annihilated nearly instantaneously.  Knowing that there might be people of that caliber out there now is... bracing.  Perhaps this tithing might provide some entertainment.

The Deathshadow bowed, inwardly smiling at the contradiction in his speech that the God-Emperor undoubtedly did not notice.

As you say, my lord.

The God-Emperor returned to his throne.

Have Ra's Al'Ghul summon the both the Council of Blades and Harbinger.  The Black Blades need to remember that they serve me, and we really must find out the state of Creation.  When the Black Ships arrive in five years, I wish Creation to be properly ready to receive them.  Oh - and find out about those extraneous stars in the night sky.  I will not stand outsiders disrupting the functioning of my Empire.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:40, Thu 27 Oct 2016.

Out in the jungles of the East, only a few hundred miles west of the edges of Ma-Ha-Suchi's territory, the Lunar warlord One Dozen Arms held council with his war-leaders at the base of an ancient pyramid.  Vegetation and overgrowth, plus time, had long since worn down the magnificence of the structure, though it was still venerated to this day by the local tribes as a place of worship and sacrifice.

Kitara Five-Fables and Ganesha Firecloud openly displayed their Moonsilver tattoos and Caste Marks as they approached the council One Dozen Arms was holding.  Recognizing their divine heritage, the tribal warriors let the two Lunars through.  As they approached the main table as the base of the pyramid, One Dozen Arms stood, his upper pair of arms crossed, and his lower pair resting on his hips.  Four Moonsilver blades were strapped to his back.  With a grin and a jovial yell, he invited the pair over.

Even as chairs were brought forth for the warlord's honored guests, a great vortex of golden light opened in the sky high above the ruins.  A column of brilliant blue-purple light lanced downward from the vortex into the heart of the pyramid.  Tribesmen and women scattered, though the three Lunars stood their ground.  Traces of Essence rippled through the structure, and it began restoring itself, consuming nearby plant life and other materials as needed.

Within minutes, the pyramid was restored to its First Age grandeur, and the forest was cleared out for hundreds of yards around.  The light gradually died down, and the vortex then closed.  The three Lunars exchanged wary glances, began defensive preparations.  One Dozen Arms drew all four daiklaives, while Ganesha moved farther back and began drawing forth the Essence of Fire, and Kitara found an advantageous spot to observe and strike when needed.  As One Dozen Arms stepped onto the steps of the pyramid, a large figure emerged from the temple doors at the very top of the structure.  The man was large, nearly 10 feet tall, bald, with unnatural grey skin, and thick Orichalcum armor with Soulsteel hoses that connected the torso to the man's gauntlets.  Orichcalcum implants on the man's head held a single blood red hearthstone.

The tall figure looked down, his glassy eyes glinting in the sunlight, and then rumbled out a greeting.

I am Apocalypse, and I bring word of the return of your God.  Submit, or be crushed beneath my heel.

One Dozen Arms looked up and grinned.

No can do.  I wouldn't kneel for the Realm, and I damn sure won't do so for you.

Apocalypse stared at the Lunar impassively, then smiled coldly.

Very well.

He motioned, and a lone man walked out of the temple.  He was tall and lanky, with spiky red-orange hair and a tattered black overcoat that seemed to absorb all light that touched it.  He wore black pants and boots of a similar material underneath.  The right sleeve of the coat was torn off, and his whole arm was bandaged.  A similar material to the man's clothes was used to tie the bandages in place.  On the man's left shoulder was a stylized bone mask, white, with red markings over the eyes.  Apocalypse turned around and walked inside the temple as the man made his way down the steps.

Halfway down, he stopped, and pointed with his left hand at the two visible Lunars.  From the tips of his two fingers, black-red energy roiled, then lanced out.  One Dozen Arms leapt forward and to the side, and, all four blades flashing, deflected the exploding blast of necrotic Essence while keeping any from harming Ganesha.  Ganesha leapt up into the air, landing deftly on a small cloud, and then retreated.

As the smoke from the blast cleared, both Lunars stared in surprise.  Somehow, the black-garbed man was standing right in front of One Dozen Arms.  His right arm was extended, holding a Soulsteel reaper daiklaive, its only ornamentation an Orichalcum and Soulsteel hilt that appeared to be two dragons circling and attacking one another... and the blade of the daiklaive was extended through One Dozen Arms' chest.  Reacting in a fury and ignoring the blade transfixing his body, One Dozen Arms brought all four of his blades to bear, trying to cut the upstart to ribbons.  His opponent flickered backwards, partway up the steps in a single movement, now unarmed.  He coldly gazed at the Lunar warlord, and smiled.

Ganesha took this time to circle, and waited.  While the Essence he had shaped was properly formed, he took the time to look for the right opportunity to strike.  One Dozen Arms stalked forward, twirling his four blades menacingly.

Why do you smile?  It will take more than this to slow me down... much less kill me.

The black-garbed man finally spoke.

It does not matter.  The black dragon has tasted your blood.  You are already dead.

As he spoke, he grabbed at the tie on his right arm, and with a flick, undid the bandages.  As they fell, they revealed a Soulsteel tattoo of a writhing, hateful dragon that covered nearly the man's whole arm.  As he smiled and began raising his arm, Ganesha loosed the Brilliant Raptor.

Fire blasted from his extended hand, which blossomed out to a shape reminiscent of a bird of prey, with a wingspan nearly ten feet across.  It hit the steps of the pyramid right where the man stood.  One Dozen Arms turned to give a quick salute for the well-timed blast, then stared.  Standing behind Ganesha was the black-garbed man, his right arm now extended through Ganesha's chest.  The tattoo was partially faded, and a writhing dragon of black and red Essence tore into and through the Lunar sorcerer.  The black-garbed man withdrew his hand, and Ganesha dropped, his body burning with black flame centered on the hole in his chest where his heart used to be.

He remained standing on the air even as the cloud underneath dissolved, and One Dozen Arms growled as the man began walking towards the ground.  One Dozen Arms started to charge, then faltered as a soul-deep pain ripped through his body.  When the black-garbed man charged, he still managed to charge forward, launching an brutal series of attacks meant to keep the stranger off balance, all while lining him up for the kill.  Essence surged, and two more arms sprouted from One Dozen Arms' torso.  Each was accompanied by another Moonsilver blade.

It did not take long for One Dozen Arms to begin to get frustrated.  Either his opponent would somehow flicker back or to the side a dozen feet before each successful strike, or another burst of pain would cause his attack to falter.  As the fight progressed, the black-garbed man kept the same air of cold indifference held over a simmering rage.

From her hiding place off to the side near the pyramid's steps, Kitara shouted to One Dozen Arms.

I won't be able to stop him!  And neither will you if you don't get that sword out!

The black-garbed man glared at Kitara for a second, and One Dozen Arms launched another furious assault.  This time, only five blades were involved, as he used his sixth arm to grab the Soulsteel daiklaive embedded in his chest.  As he did so, the black-garbed man slipped past a near-fatal strike, then lunged forward, driving the black blade deeper into the Lunar with a palm strike.  He only stopped when the Orichalcum hilt met the Lunar's Moonsilver tattoos.  A wave of black Essence surged, and the black dragon dove from the man's arm through the Soulsteel blade and into the Lunar.

The black-garbed man leapt back once again as the Lunar tried to cut him down, and then held up a hand.  No tattoo remained on his right arm.  He smiled as One Dozen Arms charged forward, and the smile grew wider when the Lunar warlord faltered.  One Dozen Arms collapsed, and coughed up blood.  Ghostly black smoke began to pour out of his mouth and nose.  Moments later, he tried to attack again.  This time, his opponent merely sidestepped the attack, and pushed him away.  Within less than a minute, the Lunar dropped, unable to move as his very Essence was melting away, and taking his flesh with it.

Kitara watched in horror as One Dozen Arms' anima began to flare and burn away his skin and bone.  The black-garbed man waited indifferently until the Lunar warlord as nothing but ash and bone.  The Moonsilver tattoos, now charred, lay on the ground, as did the six daiklaives the Lunar had wielded.  He reached down into the ashes, and pulled forth a small talisman of Soulsteel, bearing the likeness of a centipede with bladed arms, which he then hooked to a chain on his belt.

The black-garbed man then turned to face Kitara.

Do you intend to die here, too, little panther?

That snapped her attention back to the moment, and away from the horror, and she stepped out of her hiding spot.  She kept her arms wide, away from her own blades, and barely kept her composure as she spoke.

Of course not.  Before I leave, may I at least ask who you are, so I may tell others of the folly of opposing you?

The black-garbed man smiled.

I am Death.  Like my master, I serve his majesty, the God-Emperor.  Make sure all you encounter know the folly of opposing Him.  Now... leave.

Kitara took the opportunity to escape, turning into a falcon and taking wing... though the message she intended to spread would not be one of obedience.

Across Creation, the giant metal towers fell.  Each was a mile or more in height, and the flames of their passage lit up Creation's night sky.  Surrounding each tower, and also tracing a fiery path through the air, was a swarm of much smaller objects, metallic pods the size of houses.

One by one, each tower drove itself into the surface of Creation, some even doing so in the vast oceans of the West.  Each landed in a either a naturally defensible position, or one that could offer strategic control of the nearby area.  The smaller objects peppered the terrain for hundreds of miles around each tower, coming to a violent stop wherever might be convenient.  Soon after, even before the inevitable fires stopped, each pod disgorged its occupants.
___

In his throne room, the God-Emperor gazed out over Creation, a slow grin spreading across his face.  He turned back to the Council of Blades.

It seems the reports of Voidborne were correct.  I do not, however, consider this to be a problem.  If they wish to be a part of my Creation, they too can pay the tithe when the Black Ships come to collect.

The Violet Bier of Sorrows, Yu-Shan

Fallen Star meditated in his personal dojo, searching fate and destiny for a suitable replacement ruler for the Realm in light of Peleps Deled's untimely demise.  He frowned in consternation as fate itself seemed tangled.

Sensing a shift in Essence, he spun around, drew his starmetal daiklaive, Endless Calamity, and searched patiently for the intruder he knew was there.  As the seconds ticked by, he subtly adjusted his stance, ready to begin the dance of death known as Violet Bier of Sorrows style.

Directly in front of him, space warped and tore, and a cloaked figure with a silvery crystal mask appeared, floating off of the floor.  Underneath his mask, Harbinger smiled.

You should search a bit longer.  I have saved Peleps Deled, and returned him to the Five Dragon Monastery at the Imperial City.  It will take him time to recover fully, though.

Though he remained on guard, Fallen Star nodded.

And to who do I owe for this boon?

Harbinger laughed.

The God-Emperor yet has plans for you and your attack dog.  Thank Him, and pray for His guidance and infinite mercy.

With that, Harbinger shifted dimensions once again.
___

The Palace of the Sun, Meru

Harbinger appeared in the central hall of the God-Emperor's Palace of the Sun, among many of those favored by Him, and walked, slowly and respectfully, towards the audience chamber.  His highly attuned senses could feel the vast Essence engines of the Palace rumbling, and also something more.  He changed his path slightly, and stopped near another of the God-Emperor's favored.

Lord Stark.  I sense something different about the Palace.  Did you finally get the Meta-Sorcerous Shaping Engine working?

Lord Antonio Stark, the Iron Tyrant, turned to face Harbinger, a smarmy grin on his face.

Indeed.  About a decade ago.  I've also introduced a more portable version in my Mark MCCLVI Iron Tyrant Armor.  Even better, Ultron now has a few to play with when using the Iron Legion, too.

Harbinger shook his head.

Lord Stark... are you sure that is wise?  Do you really want your pet A.I. rewriting reality?

Stark laughed.

Ultron knows not to overstep his bounds.  He serves God, as do we all.  Speaking of which... He is expecting you.  Apparently word has gotten out about his old friend living once more.

Harbinger nodded his thanks, then headed once more to see his God.  As he reached the door to the audience chamber, it opened, and five individuals walked out, along with the Demon's Head, Ra's al'Ghul.  He nodded to each of the Council of Blades in turn:  Most Foul Jeng, the Deceitful Bodhisattva; Parnah, Whose Name Is The Laying Of Stones; Golden Shadow Treasure, Coiner of the Hidden Vaults; Yan Jingyi, the Unmet Wanderer in Dark Places; and The Behemoth Who Rises From Darkness Beyond the Night.  Each, in turn, called upon the forces to which they were attuned, and hence returned to their respective homes.

Once the door was clear, Harbinger steeled himself, then went in to discuss current events with his God.

Silhouetted against the setting sun, the God-Emperor gazed out over Creation.  Slaves attended to him, and, standing at each column of the room was a member of the Thousand Suns, sunlight glinting off of the their Orichalcum Celestial Battle Armor and each with his own panoply of weapons.  Without turning to face Harbinger, the God-Emperor spoke.

What have you to report, Harbinger?

Harbinger kneeled, his head bowed.

My Lord.  I regret to inform you that I have not been able to locate either the flames of the Exigence stolen by Lilith Shadowweaver, nor any potential results of their use.  I have also been keeping tabs on the reincarnation of Thousandfold Demon Slayer, and I suspect he will prove to be... problematic.

The God-Emperor turned, and for a moment, Harbinger steeled himself against fear as he met his Lord's gaze.  Then, the God-Emperor smiled.

As to the first, I do not hold it against you.  Lilith has had many aeon's experience in deception and manipulation.  As to the second, we shall discuss that soon enough.  Do you remember the slave I had been grooming to receive the Exigence should you have retrieved it?  Harbinger nodded, and the God-Emperor continued.  Good.  Bring her here.

Harbinger stood, then warped space and time to bring forth a slave from elsewhere in the God-Emperor's domain.  The woman, athletically built with dark hair, and wearing the finest in semi-transparent silks and jewelry, quickly bowed to her God.  The God-Emperor then spoke.

Arise, Raven.  Unfortunately, the gift of power I sought to bestow upon you has failed to materialize.  I will, however, offer you a chance to become of of my Chosen.  Are you willing?

The woman rose, and replied without hesitation.  I will do anything to serve God.

The God-Emperor continued smiling, then reached out and gently put his fingers upon her forehead.  Power began surging, at first, subtly, then with increasing strength and force.  Raven was at first ecstatic as she felt the soul of God, then began to panic as she realized both what was happening, and what would happen.  Finally, in a moment of pure agony, she died, her body blasted apart by a final surge of the God-Emperor's power.

The God-Emperor turned to Harbinger and sighed.  A pity.  I rather liked that one.  Oh well.  There are always more.  Now, dispose of this offal, and then tell me of the reincarnation of Thousandfold Demon Slayer.

Harbinger bowed, and space warped, cleaning up the bloody mess in the audience chamber, then began to tell the God-Emperor what he knew about His old friend.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:36, Sat 31 Dec 2016.

The Marukani Lands, about ten miles from the newly built Orc fortress of Vor Grazen.
_________

Tatiana Malovalyn yelled, and as she swung her Orichalcum and Shadowsteel goremaul - Sun Crusher - forward, the archers let fly their arrows, her own mercenary company charged, as did the accompanying force of Marukani horse cavalry.  The orcs, a large force out of the nearby fortress, charged in return.

Among the thousands of arrows being launched, some of them were being placed with greater care, and hitting with enough force to knock orcs off of their feet, as Sasha Xanatos danced from shadow to shadow, doing her best to disrupt the rampaging mass of orcs.  Up high, a woman wreathed in angry red energy sent down lancing rays of energy, and occasionally formed solid constructs that she used to try to break the advancing ranks.  As a shadow passed overhead, and one of the orc's war drakes dive bombed her, Natalia Licorne shifted to her war from, a nearly nine foot tall wolf-human hybrid, and, still wreathed in the red energy, used her now razor sharp claws to hitch a ride on the drake and start climbing towards its rider.

Well behind the ranks, a young blond woman in a black shadowsilk uniform kept all the commanders of the various marukani and mercenary forces in contact with each other, and monitored the advance of the orcs with a large number of small aerial drones.

As the lines collided, Tatiana leaped ahead of her soldiers, using her sheer strength and skill to start pushing the orcs back.  Orcs flew aside as she hit them as hard as she could, with either her shield, the Golden Aegis, or Sun Crusher.  A few of the Marukani's dragonblooded war leaders used their powers to create earthen ramparts to funnel the orcs, or incited their own soldiers to greater skill and fury.
_________

The day wore on, and after a few hours, many of the orcs had scattered or were mostly dead.  Tatiana, now singled out be one of the orc war chiefs, played defensively, expertly using her shield and hammer to deflect the wild, heavy blows of her opponent's twin war clubs.  Her opponent, large by Orc standards, shouted obscenities at her as he continued his relentless attack.  Despite each hit being powerful enough to pulp a large horse or simhata, Tatiana had no trouble keeping herself safe, though she nearly got clipped when she noticed a dark figure standing in some nearby shadows, underneath one of the few trees in the area.

Letting the orc think it had won, Tatiana faked a stumble, and, as the orc struck, she moved, hooking one of it's hands with her hammer, and planting her shield firmly in its stomach.  She then let the orc's own strength drive them backwards, and rolled, only planting her feet when the orc was on his back.  She twisted, freeing Sun Crusher, then flipped the hammer in her hand, and drove it heavily into the orc's chest.

In the same motion, she released the hammer and moved out of the orc's range, and turned to the shadowy figure.  She smiled as the orc's anger grew once he realized he couldn't move Sun Crusher, and that he was stuck.

You're obviously not here to fight, otherwise you would have attacked while I was dealing with the Annihilator back there...  so, what can I do for one of the great Voidborne?

The drow stepped out of the shadows, her whole body made of a jet black, faintly reflective shadowsteel, with Incarnium hair.  Her eyes glinted a rainbow of colors in the sunlight.  She smiled, at once both friendly and exceedingly threatening, as she spoke to Tatiana.

Since you know what I am, you have answered one of my questions.  And since you are not from this reality, perhaps there are things we can discuss that the lesser races here would not understand.

Tatiana grinned back as she noticed Sasha moving into a sniping position.

Maybe so.  I personally have no quarrel with you or your kin, aside from the contract I have with the Marukaini and wanting to prevent your pets from conquering on general principles.  This is mainly training for myself and my forces.  I'm actually after bigger game.

The drow nodded, as her suspicions were confirmed.

There are things happening in this world that might prove to be a mutual threat.  Despite the games of our orcs, I suspect there may come a time when our interests might align.

Tatiana laughed, then turned slightly.  As she extended her hand, Sun Crusher flew to her grasp.  Immediately the orc warlord rose to his feet, only to be blasted down as Tatiana turned the momentum of her hammer into a downward smashing motion, and a column of golden light crashed down, flattening - and killing - the orc.

As this happened, the drow simply raised an eyebrow, and Tatiana turned back to her.

And when that happens, I do hope you'll accept my offer and terms for alliance.

The drow grinned in amusement at both the violence and Tatiana's confidence, and then ever so slightly bowed her head in a gesture of respect before stepping back into the shadows and vanishing.  As she did so, Sasha leaped from her hiding place and landed by Tatiana.

I'm glad she didn't attack.  If she's the drow I think she was, that would have been a problem, and even you would have had a difficult time keeping our people in one piece.

Tatiana nodded.

True.  Thankfully the Voidborne rarely get involved unless something either attracts their attention or their own holdings are under direct threat.  Besides, I think I made a friend.

This message was deleted by the player at 01:20, Sun 16 Aug 2020.

First Impressions

Masahiko strode confidently forth, following Ken's lead through shadows and between patrols, where the earlier foray had left a window of opportunity. When the mists enveloped them all, Avery flinched and cursed his own name for overlooking the obvious; she was aware of her guards' howls. But Masahiko maintained his cordial smile, for he was on a diplomatic mission, and his counterpart had only moved up their meeting. She gave her terms, and his tongue worked wonders for him, countering glibly and negotiating her down to a much more reasonable request of the council. She was impressed with how he'd turned the point back on her; the point of a blade he couldn't even see. In time, the impact of this moment would resonate more clearly; in the moment, the two merely shared a knowing glance as they went their separate ways. They were birds of a feather, with a similar approach to tactics and spellcraft. Neither raised their hand to signal the attack; neither broke the serenity of Garianghis.

= = = =

Diplomacy

Masahiko strode confidently forth, following his own lead into negotiations. He was dressed the part this time, shod not in guerilla camouflage, but a symbolic lotus of white with two pink petals. Negotiations were terse and unlikely, with the entire Dragon-Blooded host gnashing at the bit to carry on their ages-old feud. Yet neither raised their hand to signal the attack; neither broke the serenity of their meeting. The wind blew long and clear, carrying leaves on the current. At the first whistle of dissent, Avery found himself leaping before his ward. Masahiko's inquiries of the night before led him to dots that didn't connect, orders that seemed not to add up, and one eventuality was of course a disruption of negotiations. He was all too ready to counter such an affront to his show of good faith, and within moments he had entered Flame Warden Stance and began barking orders to secure a perimeter. Not two full minutes later, the Lunar sorceress had been encircled and escorted with haste from the premises, under the auspices of a surrender, to placate all hands in the matter. This too was a strategic move, one which would speak volumes of her intent. For they were still measuring each other; determining their goals. Unfortunate, then, that third parties had forced their hands in forfeiting the queen piece of Garianghis. Yet they would get their chance to explore that artistry before long.

= = = =

Games Within Games

Third Daughter set the board for Gateway. This was a most unusual experience for Masahiko, for even if his counterpart was familiar with the game, he was often the host of the match. Yet theirs would be a dramatic recounting of the events of Garianghis had they failed to compromise, and Third Daughter was to be the host of that battle. Masahiko had limited knowledge of the Realm's battle plan; only so much could be conveyed on short notice, especially with the sudden change of his diplomatic proposal. But the game itself was of limited consequence; she was nearly guaranteed to win, one of Masahiko's first strategic defeats.

Yet perhaps the more interesting game was the one being played between moves. For the true game was not the siege of Garianghis; it was an inquest into one another's defenses. This afternoon's game would prove more sordid than even some of the galas of Faxai. And it was Masahiko's move. His eyes slid across the table, looking for any sort of clue. Strange eyes stared back.

Gift didn't know precisely what happened when Third Daughter changed, hours earlier in the clearing. But he was almost certain she also didn't know, and he had a definite feeling she was no longer the Lunar he thought he could read. He knew she had always been aware of the circumstances of the players, on some level. And he knew some elementals should have responded immediately to the present danger. Gift sought information, so he made a move that would by all accounts be foolish - if the elementals were in play. Now it was Third Daughter's game to lose.

Third Daughter, for her part, was lost and confused. She had no idea what was going on; why she couldn't feel her powers, why she couldn't sense her Packmates, why Garianghis fell like so much parchment paper. She knew the Realm broke ranks with itself at the last minute, she knew the leadership had no hand in it, and she knew the safest course was to capitalize on the confusion by acquiescing. She still held enough cards to break for the hills if need be; there were too many players to turn and fight, too much Realm momentum that Sha'a Oka seemed to be turning a blind eye to, or playing a longer con for. And who was this tactician, intent on learning more about her? She could perhaps use him to her advantage; he seemed to take an almost child-like attention to her. Which made enough sense, considering most of the Realm's leadership was barely out of secondary school. Some of them were in primary. Bizarre as even that was to process to her, she would need to play this game one step at a time. He pushed into a position downright suicidal to the might of her elemental army. But to make that play, with the reputation that preceded him, meant he was signaling for her to play as though that piece wasn't available. Which meant... he might know something about her loss of powers. This both tempted and frightened her; either way, she needed information, and he seemed like an easy mark. She left her elementals overextended; they were only relevant to blocking certain movements (like the one he'd made), and this scenario always gave her extra wildcards to enact. All at once, mists enveloped the battlefield, rendering lesser forces unconscious and isolating the key players.

Somehow, this trick kept surprising Gift. He would begin expecting it going forward, but the loss of all minor forces in the battle was a surprise in the moment. Clearly she wanted to get to the point, and was calling his intentions out into the open. But she also neglected to play that flank, signaling that she was indeed not in control of her elementals. Not knowing what kind of being she was originally, and seeing a flash of uncertainty in her eyes, he too began to worry for what might be happening at random to entities in the game. She was still alive and seemed autonomous - he opened his character sheet and she quickly looked away, muttering "Stop doing that." But she also snuck a glance. He quirked his nose, zooming in on the Abilities to hide the Intimacies. She went to roll her eyes at the notion of him flashing his Attributes, but when they disappeared her eyes focused and took a quick measure. War 5; Strategy Games; a specialty in Shields; Bob, Giant Spiky Armored Man? Hachiko? She shook her head and waited for his next move. He watched this little show with mirth, before closing the screen and contemplating the boardstate. With the masses debilitated, their victory would require precision and haste. A strike force of leadership would have to push through the turtlewolves and all of her traps to take the seat of power; was this what she wanted to see? He was thinking too many turns ahead for this sloppy of an encounter. Maybe she was just going through the motions. He grouped four elite strike teams, enfilading them with his Claws, and pressed through the path cleared the previous night. It would be reinforced, but they'd already had personal eyes on its defenses.

The game continued for many rounds, trailing back and forth through traps and guards. Without a larger force, the odds seemed slim, and Gift prepared for defeat. At this point, Gateway had gone from a large-scale strategic game to a small unit tactical game; a rare eventuality, and one Avery was very prepared for. Two strike forces remained; one made it past her doorstep. At this point, it was abundantly clear Third Daughter wouldn't have had control of her forces, explaining her surrender; two thousand vassals awaited an assault outside.

By Masahiko's hand, Karma "opened negotiations" - a distraction to be certain. Her roaring refusal faltered everyone's concentration, but pieces were already in motion. Pearl leapt from the shadows to eviscerate a guard, for which Gift apologized. Pearl took a grievous wound to the arm; it disappeared as soon as it appeared as Meadowlark stepped around from behind her with kamas drawn. Mists began to billow from the throne - she hadn't lost that power, but she wouldn't let on if she knew anything more at the moment. Kamas and tiger claws clattered to the ground, both wielders dropping to a knee symbolically. Then, from nowhere, the opposite wall pealed out in a thunderous howl, a wildcard hitting the table. The wave dispersed the forming mists, imposing deafened and stunned conditions on the queen piece, just as an arrow sailed over Gift's ear and past Third Daughter's, carrying an earring with it. "Check."

He was tipping his hand for future encounters; they shared a knowing look. But this certainly put her in a spot; without half of her forces in play, the Realm would certainly have seized Garianghis. He had what he needed - she would be an intriguing ally with many shared talents, and she had the sense of his motives she needed. She took a deep breath before surrendering again, making her intentions clear, privately to this player-sorcerer and Crusade official. Her tone was low and sharp, but hasty; they both knew his next move, and knew he didn't want to take it.

"I'll cooperate to the extent I must, but I don't know what's going on. In a very big way right now. I'd rather that remain between you and me; I'll keep you appraised. Keep me appraised, and we'll see what we can do for each other. I assume you want some pointers around the defenses of Garianghis?"

Avery's eyes brightened, and just as soon, Masahiko paused a long moment over a cup of tea, considering where they went from here. He had a meeting he was about to attend, and had to think about how to present their intentions without a conspiratorial tone. More than anything, they both wanted to understand what had changed about her, and how they could cooperate going forward. Handling negotiations with the Lunars would be a work in progress; handling negotiations with one another was even more dynamic. Thoughts kept running through Masahiko's mind, and all Avery could see was the enigma sharing tea with him.

Collectively, Gift agreed to her terms. He would argue amenable terms for her cooperation with the players, and she would wear his leash. She balked at the phrasing; he smirked in response. They agreed to meet in two hours to prepare Garianghis for its new stewards. And she began working out how she'd explain herself to Sha'a Oka.

= = = =

Growing Mystery

The Cheaters' immediate interest in Third Daughter took both of them by surprise. They both knew something had changed in her; Gift swore to himself he could almost... almost feel something had changed about... her Soul. But just as quickly he felt changes in her Spirit and the War within. As the squad roamed Garianghis identifying defenses and command words, a whole new world of potential was unveiled to them. She was an Immortal now; and while Gift didn't comment, he felt something stirring within himself as well. To Gift's fascination, the Cheaters - Paladins, they were called in their Order - began identifying the Path she walked, and the Powers she would be able to manifest once she had time to practice. She would also need to meditate, they determined, which Gift promised to assist with however he could. Third Daughter wore a bemused expression but didn't protest; his curiosity was useful, and she had all the time in the world while it lasted. It was his leash, after all.

Within the week, Garianghis was firmly controlled by the Realm. Partisans were beaten back to the hills, and the unlikely alliance boarded a Stormwind Rider bound for Faxai. Third Daughter was curious about the starmetal batons they called up but hushed the use of; every Pack needed their secrets, and she didn't pry. She could get used to this slice of life... the pair only wondered how long they could spend in the eye of the storm before the empires that be came crashing down on the overreaching Montagues. Third Daughter pondered how long until she bored of this mortal's games. And she smirked, knowing at least three ways she could have won that final encounter of his.
This message was last updated by the player at 07:41, Sat 23 Jan 2021.