Shyft

[16:04] <@Clarence_ST> It is the morning after the group visited Altair, God of the hidden. In stead of careful deliberation about what to do the day they visited Altair, they decided to sleep on it. After all, it took damn near the entire day to even get Altair's attention. It is a mostly uneventful morning, breakfast is had at home base, disgruntled morning quips are thrown around, but Shi & Violet are nowhere to be fo
[16:04] <@Clarence_ST> und.
[16:06] <@Clarence_ST> But then, suddenly, an explosion is heard. And it sounds. . . Wet?
[16:06] <@Clarence_ST> It came from outside.
01[16:06] <Kris> "Guys, come on."
06[16:06] * Kris pushes the door open to see what the commotion was.
[16:07] <Soul> "Did someone just...explode?"
06[16:07] * Kris , who is outside, observes the bloody carnage. "Yes Soul, someone did explode."
06[16:07] * Kris spies one of the other onlookers. "Hey! Did you see what happened?"
06[16:07] * Soul strolls outside to view the post-mortem. "Goodness."
[16:08] <Gandr> "Did someone say explode ? I heard someone say explode !"
[16:08] <@Clarence_ST> It's absolute chaos. Children are covered in blood, and fleeing. Horses are covered in blood, and fleeing. Shi is covered in blood, and frozen in shock. All of these elements orbiting around a splatter on the ground surrounded by giblets... ... Were those Violet's clothes?
[16:08] <Gandr> "Wow."
06[16:08] * Gandr has seen a lot of things in his days, but not exploding Violets.
[16:09] <Soul> "...is this who I think it is?"
01[16:09] <Kris> "It's Violet."
[16:09] <Gandr> "Why's it Violet ?"
[16:09] <Gandr> "I mean, uh ..."
[16:09] <Soul> "But she-hmm..."
06[16:09] * Soul rubs his chin...
[16:09] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "...FUCK."
[16:09] <Gandr> "What happen ?"
06[16:09] * Kris nudges at some of the stuff. "I think her clothing is salvageable. I'd probably fill it out a lot better than she ever did."
06[16:10] * Gandr doesn't want to admit that, but it's true.
[16:10] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "She was trying out some martial art technique that I thought she could use to get a better grip on herself, and..."
[16:10] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "...She Solared herself."
[16:10] <Soul> "...Solared herself?"
[16:11] <Gandr> "We can solar ourselves ?"
[16:11] <Soul> "Thought she said she WAS a Solar..."
[16:11] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "I don't KNOW! She just done the technique and EXPLODED."
06[16:11] * Gandr is slightly alarmed, his own Essence expenditure is pretty steep."
[16:11] <Soul> "...hmm..."
06[16:11] * Kris rubs her eyes. "Even as Solars, you can't just expect us to pick up Celestial Martial Arts like that."
[16:11] <Soul> "...if only Thrashing Rose Servant were here. I think she might know about this...I think she's mentioned it before..."
06[16:11] * Soul nods a little
[16:11] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "What are you trying to say, Kris?"
[16:12] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "That I done this? On purpose? And I know Celestial Martial Arts?"
[16:12] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "I DONT NEED THIS."
06[16:12] * Kris shrugs "If i'm understanding this correctly, you tried to teach her something far beyond her level, she couldn't draw enough power to handle it."
[16:13] <@Clarence_ST> Shi presents himself to you in his mortal not-glory.
06[16:13] * Kris lashes out with an open hand, puncutating each word with a slap. "Pull. Yourself. Together. Man!"
[16:13] <Gandr> "But if she couldn't draw enough, how'd she blow herself up ?"
[16:13] <@Clarence_ST> Shi is slapped around like a red-headed stepchild.
[16:13] <Soul> "Well, again, Rose would explain better. It has to do with the body's own natural toxins that some Martial Art methods produce..."
01[16:13] <Kris> "'Draw enough' was the wrong word. More like... Capacity. I guess. She had the power, but her body couldn't handle it all at once."
06[16:14] * Gandr is more alarmed.
[16:14] <Soul> "Something like that, yeah. She was studying it, and how it and our business intertwined. Interesting stuff really."
[16:14] <Gandr> "Is this something that could happen to any of us ?"
06[16:14] * Kris shrugs. "If you're stupid enough to try something you're not ready for, I'd say so."
[16:14] <@Clarence_ST> Violet's smashfists are lying on the ground inconspicuously.
[16:15] <Soul> "She DID seem the kind of person stupid enough to try something capable of blowing herself up."
06[16:15] * Kris pokes at the weapons. "Too bad I can't use them with my style."
[16:15] <Soul> "Or the kind of person who would be trained in Martial Arts but not realize that could happen."
[16:15] <Gandr> "Hm, smashfists."
[16:16] <Soul> "...where's her slave, anyway?"
01[16:16] <Kris> "At the risk of sounding callous and sociopathic, This is tragic but we can't linger, we have work to do."
[16:16] <Gandr> "I think I'll take those. Should make for an interesting change of pace."
[16:16] <@Clarence_ST> Her slave is crying near a feeding trough.
[16:16] <Soul> "Uhh, actually, Kris, at the risk of NOT sounding callous and sociopathic..."
[16:17] <Soul> "...remember that whole business with Altair? Y'know, the JOBS we have to do? Hers might still be in effect."
06[16:17] * Gandr sits down at the smashfists, picks them while trying not to get too much gore on them.
01[16:17] <Kris> "Meh."
06[16:17] * Gandr looks sideways at Soul.
[16:17] <Soul> "Another reason to attempt to get a refund I guess." *shrug*
[16:17] <Gandr> "He said they were personal jobs.
[16:17] <Soul> "He said if ANY of them fail, we suffer."
[16:17] <Gandr> "As in, 'YOUR job is such-and-so, and YOUR job is such-and-so-on'."
01[16:17] <Kris> "We won't know until we ask him."
06[16:18] * Soul looks around for her feather
[16:18] <Gandr> "Pheh. I still think he's just pulling our collective leg."
06[16:18] * Kris shrugs.
[16:18] <Soul> "I hope you're right..."
01[16:18] <Kris> "Soul knows more about how gods think than I do."
[16:18] <Gandr> "I know I'm right. There's a sunburst on my forehead for that sort of thing."
01[16:19] <Kris> "Anyway, let's get this stuff sorted out and back to work."
[16:19] <Soul> "Eh, I know that Gods THINK. And that they can be dicks. THat's more or less it. Honestly, we were sort of outclassed there."
[16:20] <Soul> "Err...what're we gonna do with..."
06[16:20] * Soul jerks his thumb ever so tactfully in Lilly's direction
06[16:20] * Kris starts picking through the gore and such, picking up useful bits of whatever Violet left behind, and some of her clothes.
06[16:20] * Kris shrugs while searching. "Well, technically, she'll be free in like, two days, Chayan custom and all that."
[16:21] <Soul> "Then I guess she's not our problem."
[16:21] <Gandr> "She seemed pretty hung up on Violet. I don't think she'll like being free."
[16:21] <Soul> "Like I said, not our problem."
[16:21] <Gandr> "Hm. We should send a letter to what's his name ... her father."
[16:21] <Gandr> "Violet's father."
[16:21] <Soul> "Ehh, we should wait until we know if we're still supposed to kill him or not.
01[16:21] <Kris> "Probably not, Gandr. I'll have a word with the various important people here, they'll make sure she's taken care of."
[16:22] <Gandr> "you mean like dumped-in-a-bag-into-the-river taken care of ?"
01[16:22] <Kris> "No, i mean gainfully employed and not turned into a prostitute."
[16:23] <Gandr> "So you mean she'll be employed as a prostitute."
06[16:23] * Gandr deadpans it.
01[16:23] <Kris> "No, I mean she'll be employed as a clerk or secretary or something. unless she wants to be a prostitute, or something."
06[16:24] * Soul facepans. "Let's go, all three of you."
[16:24] <Gandr> "So you mean she'll be employed as a prositute."
06[16:24] * Gandr rolls his eyes and smiles.
06[16:24] * Kris contemplates flashing Gandr, but decides against it, 'we need him alive, after all.'
[16:25] <Gandr> "Fiiiine, but I don't want to hear anyone complaining if she turns into some sort undead Solar-pick-up game-thing and comes back to haunt us."
[16:25] <Gandr> "Because, y'know, we sold her into prostitution."
[16:25] <Soul> "Gandr, we'll sell YOU into Prostitution."
[16:25] <Gandr> "SELL me ?"
01[16:25] <Kris> "He's probably worth four, five talents of jade."
[16:25] <Gandr> "There's not enough jink in this place for even half an hour of my time."
01[16:25] <Kris> "Dawn caste stamina, and all that."
06[16:25] * Soul facepalms
[16:26] <Soul> "Let's...just...go..."
01[16:26] <Kris> "Yes, let's."
[16:26] <@Clarence_ST> AND SO THEY GO, back to the bell tower where Altair resides.
[16:26] <Soul> (And with Violet's feather in our possession)
06[16:27] * Kris rings the bell, figuring that'd be a shortcut. "Altair, get your ass down here!"
[16:27] <@Clarence_ST> Entering the beautifully stuctured bell tower, it seems that Altair is materialised and looking over the city.
[16:27] <Soul> "Uhh, Kris..."
01[16:27] <Kris> "Oh, sorry, didn't see you there. Sneaky/
06[16:27] * Gandr ho-hums.
[16:28] <@Clarence_ST> "I assume you havn't already done all I asked already. Why are you here?"
06[16:29] * Kris waves at Soul. "You're up, medicine man."
06[16:29] * Soul is assum-yeah.
[16:29] <Soul> "Ehh...well...quite frankly..."
06[16:29] * Soul clears his throat a little nervously
[16:30] <Soul> "...The terms of your deal were...untenable. We wish to be released from this 'contract'." He says the word 'contract' dubiously, as if it's not really one.
[16:31] <@Clarence_ST> "So you're saying you want to render everything null & void, and render all my efforts for naught?"
[16:31] <@Clarence_ST> "What brought this on?"
06[16:31] * Kris raises her hand. "Could you explain what you mean by 'your efforts'?
[16:32] <Gandr> "I think what my friends want to say is, the so-called 'deal' you presented felt like krayshit."
06[16:32] * Kris winces.
06[16:32] * Soul cringes at Gandr's negogtiationbotch
[16:33] <@Clarence_ST> "...Finally, some brutal honesty."
06[16:34] * Gandr shrugs in a not-quite indifferent way - he appreciates that the god of hiding appreciates honesty.
[16:34] <Soul> "...Wait, wait, wait. You're supposed to be the god of things hidden and you're praising him for brutal HONESTY? Am I missing something here?"
06[16:34] * Soul looks indignant
01[16:34] <Kris> "Soul, calm down, I'd give you a shoulder rub, but you'd probably try to cut my hands off."
06[16:35] * Soul gives Kris a very disturbed look
[16:35] <Soul> (a "wtf woman you crazy?" kinda look)
01[16:35] <Kris> "What? I don't have a good track record with touching you."
[16:36] <Gandr> "I don't think Soul has a good track record with being touched by anyone."
[16:36] <@Clarence_ST> "Hearing untruths and bureaucratic bullcrap all day is the reason I hide away from Yu-Shan most of the time. Of course I appreciate good old honesty."
06[16:36] * Soul glares over at Gandr. "I think I fared pretty well against you..."
[16:37] <@Clarence_ST> "Now, why is my deal so..."
[16:37] <Gandr> "That was dancing and you know it."
[16:37] <@Clarence_ST> "...Ingenuine?"
06[16:37] * Gandr bristles a little at his compentency being called into question.
[16:37] <Soul> "Wait...so you're saying that you're so sick of lying and red ribbon that THAT'S what causes you to hide?"
[16:37] <Gandr> "Makes good sense to me."
06[16:37] * Gandr shrugs.
[16:37] <@Clarence_ST> "Hiding is my nature."
[16:37] <@Clarence_ST> "You breath, I hide."
06[16:37] * Kris nods at Altair. "Understood Sir, if honesty is what you want, you'll get it: We think the task you gave us are... Oh, what's a good phrase.... Ah. "Fucking Impossible."
[16:37] <Soul> "And that you gave us an obfuscated stupid deal as some sort of passive-aggressive...artistic statement on that?"
06[16:38] * Gandr is now breathing manually.
[16:38] <Soul> "...See, Kris, this is what I meant. Dicks. Total DICKS."
06[16:38] * Soul is now being brutally honest
06[16:38] * Kris shrugs.
[16:38] <@Clarence_ST> Altair raises his eyebrows.
[16:38] <@Clarence_ST> "Impossible?"
01[16:38] <Kris> "Eh, I met someone who was more of a dick."
[16:38] <@Clarence_ST> "IM Possible?"
01[16:38] <Kris> "They SOUND impossible."
[16:38] <@Clarence_ST> "Oh, you children."
[16:38] <Gandr> "Violet sounded impossible, too, until I met her."
[16:38] <@Clarence_ST> "I knew you were just pulling my leg."
06[16:39] * Kris shrugs
[16:39] <@Clarence_ST> "Scurry off now, Children of the Sun."
[16:39] <Soul> "No, no, no, NO. Kris, shut up. Gandr, shut up. Shi, shut up. ALTAIR, shut up."
[16:39] <@Clarence_ST> "Hilarious bit of humour, there. Really."
[16:39] <Soul> "Everyone just SHUT UP A SECOND AND LET ME THINK!"
[16:39] <Gandr> "Okay boss."
06[16:39] * Kris folds her arms under her chest. "Fuck and no. Sir." She turns to Soul and nods. "Shutting up now."
[16:39] <@Clarence_ST> "This is my sanctum, I'll talk as much as I damn well please."
[16:39] <@Clarence_ST> Altair proceeds to not talk.
06[16:40] * Gandr sits down on a smooth section of rock and oils his chain."
06[16:40] * Soul grits his teeth. "Your 'deal'...first off, you just dumped it in our lap and ran, more or less. That's just poor form. I get that's your GIG, but when people still have questions, BIG questions, the kind of questions that could make or break whether or not they can complete the deal, you LISTEN to them."
[16:42] <@Clarence_ST> Altair continues watching Soul.
[16:43] <Soul> "Secondly, a contract isn't supposed to be binding unless the two parties AGREE. Again, you just gave us the feathers and RAN. Didn't give us a chance to deliberate, which is what we're here about, didn't give us a chance to counter-offer, no signature, nothing. This isn't a contract. This is a SHAM."
[16:45] <Soul> "Thirdly, contracts can't be vaguely worded, or else they're unenforcable by NATURE. Doesn't matter who you are, if the contract can be interpreted too liberally, it's not effective, is it? Which is part of the issue I have with MY 'task'."
06[16:46] * Soul is still going
06[16:47] * Gandr has gotten out a set of small tools and is working over his chained sets. They hiss softly in response.
[16:47] <Soul> "You said to 'Bring you back the blood of every death cultist that dared to step foot on my territory.' Does that mean that if new cultists were recruited from the local population they'd count too? Does that only mean people BEFORE the deal?"
[16:48] <Soul> "And fourthly...how the HELL did you expect us to find every single one of these people? If even ONE escaped my grasp, we suffer. You didn't give us a number, you didn't give us a tool to find them...nothing. That's not contractual, it's just stupid."
06[16:48] * Soul sits down. "Oh, and uhh Fifthly..."
06[16:49] * Kris says nothing, but exudes an aura of charisma and presence that supports Soul in a silent, non-distracting manner
06[16:49] * Soul points to Kris and makes a motion forward. "Violet blew up. I at least demand her deal be taken off the table on account of that. Take her feather back and what not."
[16:50] <@Clarence_ST> "I don't follow."
[16:50] <Gandr> "What he said."
06[16:50] * Gandr nods at Soul.
[16:50] <Gandr> "She literally ripped herself to shreds."
[16:50] <@Clarence_ST> "Why should Violet's deal me taken off?"
06[16:50] * Soul doesn't answer the not following
[16:50] <@Clarence_ST> "And..."
[16:50] <@Clarence_ST> "This prevents her from doing it how?"
[16:51] <Gandr> "She's dead."
[16:51] <Soul> "Look, maybe you gods can get over a little thing like EXPLODING, but she's DEAD."
[16:51] <@Clarence_ST> "Her solar essence is finding a new host, I see nothing problematic about that."
[16:52] <Soul> "Solar ho-oh, no no no no. Not through a thousand miles in Malfeas no."
06[16:52] * Kris stares. "You want us to find the person who's getting her shard."
[16:52] <Soul> "We are NOT finding her new exaltation."
01[16:52] <Kris> "And then have THEM kill what-is-name."
[16:52] <@Clarence_ST> "It's not a NEW exaltation."
06[16:52] * Gandr shuts up now. All this solar shard essence is way beyond Gandr.
[16:52] <Soul> "her new HOST, fine."
[16:52] <@Clarence_ST> "It's an old exaltation that's coming back."
[16:52] <@Clarence_ST> "In pog form."
[16:52] <@Clarence_ST> Altair flips a small disc.
[16:53] <Gandr> "Pog form ?"
[16:53] <Soul> "Look, just let us give you your stupid feathers back. You don't have to lift a finger for us, we don't have to go on wild Stryx hunts for you. Everyone just walks away. That's all I'm asking."
[16:54] <@Clarence_ST> Altair: "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Soul."
[16:55] <@Clarence_ST> Altair: "I can clarify your tasks for you, however..."
[16:55] <Soul> "You didn't even give us a CHOICE!!!"
[16:55] <@Clarence_ST> Altair: "Tough cookies."
01[16:55] <Kris> "Soul, calm down, please."
01[16:55] <Kris> "Altair, please clarify."
[16:55] <@Clarence_ST> "Which task?"
01[16:55] <Kris> "Soul's, and this 'old exaltation' buisness."
[16:57] <@Clarence_ST> "I'm making sure that when you go after the Cultists, every single one of them will be within your grasp."
[16:57] <Soul> "Define 'within our grasp.'"
[16:57] <@Clarence_ST> "They are like fish in a drained pond."
06[16:57] * Kris shrugs a bit. My task and Gandr's are fairly simple, find person/thing, kill person/thing, return within five years. Soul's has a logisitical component that's quite frankly daunting, hence why we're here to ask for, at the very least, clarification and assistance. You DID say you'd be helping us, so please explain that too."
[16:57] <@Clarence_ST> "You drink, I hide."
[16:57] <Soul> "Again, if one of them happened to have LEFT the region..."
[16:57] <@Clarence_ST> "And I took away my kind of water."
[16:57] <Gandr> "I drink, you hide. Deal."
[16:58] <Soul> "They could be in the East for all we know. And how WOULD we know?"
06[16:58] * Gandr takes out his potion bottle.
06[16:58] * Gandr It's ... empty.
[16:58] <@Clarence_ST> "I'll be honest with you, Soul."
[16:58] <Soul> (wait we're in the East)
[16:58] <@Clarence_ST> Altair puts his hand on Soul's shoulder.
[16:58] <Soul> (I meant West)
[16:58] <Soul> (the Islands)
06[16:59] * Soul bristles at the shoulder
[16:59] <@Clarence_ST> "Your sense of mystique could use some work."
[16:59] <Soul> "Sense of mystique?"
[16:59] <@Clarence_ST> "Legends arn't written in geometry."
[16:59] <Soul> "Which is why they're just legends."
06[16:59] * Soul is still pretty indignant
[17:00] <@Clarence_ST> "Back in my day, Solars WERE living legends."
[17:00] <Soul> "And that apparently worked out as well as this is."
[17:00] <Gandr> "We're alive. One out of two ain't bad."
06[17:00] * Kris stifles a giggle.
[17:01] <Soul> "Yeah and my sense of economics says to stick with the one out of two. I'm not here to make a legend, I'm here to complete the job I'm being paid to do."
[17:01] <Gandr> "We can work on the legends ..."
06[17:01] * Gandr mystifies himself a little.
[17:01] <Gandr> "Actually, what DID happen to ye olde Solars ?"
[17:01] <@Clarence_ST> "How... Boring."
[17:01] <Soul> "Boring? We're still going to fight the Mask of Winters, in all likelihood."
[17:01] <Soul> "It's not CERTAIN but seeing as how this is HIS disease..."
[17:02] <@Clarence_ST> "If you arn't going to be fighting the Mask of Winters yelling about Valor & Justice, I don't see the point in asking Chosen of the Sun and a Chosen of Saturn to do it."
06[17:02] * Kris blinks. "Chosen of Saturn?"
06[17:03] * Gandr also blinks.
06[17:03] * Soul blinks. "Why would we be yelling about valor and justice while charging blindly into battle?"
06[17:03] * Soul apparently doesn't notice the Saturn comment. As if it's relevant.
[17:03] <@Clarence_ST> "I do admit, it's not my thing either. But I have ambrosia riding on this."
[17:04] <@Clarence_ST> "It's all about the pogs."
[17:04] <Soul> "Ambrosia riding on-you're not exactly the paragon of responsibility in Yu-Shan, are you?"
[17:04] <@Clarence_ST> "Not particularly, no."
[17:04] <Gandr> "He's the god of hiding."
[17:04] <Soul> "I think I'm getting to see why you dislike the bureacracy of Heaven. They must HATE you up there if you're like this."
[17:04] <@Clarence_ST> Altair opens his arms. "And here I am, Hiding."
[17:04] <Gandr> "And what is Yu-Shan, anyway ?"
[17:06] <Soul> "It's Heaven. The Celestial Bureacracy. They make everything run, essentially. Supposed to be a paragon of order and regulation."
06[17:06] * Kris cuts smoothly into the conversation. "If you want us to build legends from these tasks, I think I understand... But even the great legends need a place to start. I know you said the cultists are 'like fish in a drained pond', and I think I understand what that means... But this is frustrating! You're being all obliuqe and metaphorical."
[17:07] <@Clarence_ST> "Life's too dull to be straight to the point all the time."
[17:07] <@Clarence_ST> "If you think I'm being oblique and metaphorical, then you will absolutely hate it in Yu-Shan."
01[17:07] <Kris> "In moderation, I'd agree."
06[17:07] * Soul 's face doesn't look like he believes that
01[17:08] <Kris> "I don't think we'll be going to Yu-Shan any time soon, so that's moot...."
01[17:09] <Kris> "Could you tell us how you were planning on helping with Soul's task, at least?"
[17:09] <@Clarence_ST> Altairs expression seems like it hurts him physically to tell this stuff.
[17:10] <Gandr> "Am I right in assuming it's going to be one of those 'oh that was OBVIOUS in retrospect' things ?"
06[17:10] * Kris laughs lightly. "Probably Gandr, Probably."
06[17:11] * Gandr smiles a little.
[17:11] <@Clarence_ST> "I was conspiring so that every little sign & clue you'd see, every little thing wrong with the scenery would lead you to the cultists."
[17:11] <@Clarence_ST> "But now that I've told you, THAT method is now useless."
[17:11] <@Clarence_ST> "Now I have to come up with an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT METHOD of HELPING."
06[17:12] * Kris puts a hand up to stop Soul from exploding.
[17:12] <Soul> "OR, you could just cancel the deal like we asked before we cause you even more pain and suffering."
[17:12] <@Clarence_ST> "Oh no."
01[17:12] <Kris> "Soul, drop that, the deal isn't getting canceled, so... suck it up."
[17:12] <@Clarence_ST> "With all the bullshit YOU'RE putting me through, you're making me consider dropping ANOTHER five marks for you to kill."
01[17:12] <Kris> "Ok, so we know you ARE going to help us, I fee a LOT better about this now." She really does look relieved.
[17:13] <@Clarence_ST> "Well, what else would I do?"
[17:13] <@Clarence_ST> "I SAID I was going to help."
01[17:13] <Kris> "Is there a particular reason why you wanted those marks dead? I'll accept 'yes' for an answer."
[17:13] <Soul> "You said a LOT of things."
01[17:13] <Kris> "Soul must've missed that part."
[17:13] <Soul> "Not all of them very convincing."
[17:13] <@Clarence_ST> "...I'd rather keep this information hidden."
01[17:13] <Kris> "He gets caught up in the grouchy doctor/merchant thing sometimes, misses stuff."
[17:13] <@Clarence_ST> "So, Yes."
[17:13] <@Clarence_ST> "There are particular reasons."
[17:13] <Soul> "Guilty as charged, I guess."
[17:14] <Gandr> "Very."
[17:14] <Soul> "I DO remember he said he'd help us, in vague terms. I just didn't take much stock in it."
01[17:14] <Kris> "Anyway, I understand, Your reasons can stay yours, I don't need to know, I just hope they're being done for a better reason than 'just because'"
[17:14] <Gandr> "Y'know ... with all we've seen from Altair ..."
01[17:14] <Kris> "And I'm glad you are willing to help us."
06[17:14] * Gandr adresses his circlemates.
01[17:14] <Kris> "Erm, that you actually will, I was kind of skeptical."
01[17:14] <Kris> "Yeah, Gandr?"
[17:15] <Gandr> "Hiding and subterfuge and so on is his portfolio, right ? But outright, straight-down dishonesty doesn't seem like it's a part of the package.
[17:15] <Gandr> "It's like my old teacher always said, 'the blade seeks the truth'."
[17:15] <Soul> "I wouldn't be so sure. That might just be another thing he's hiding from us."
01[17:15] <Kris> "That's a good point, Gandr."
[17:15] <Gandr> "Well sure - he's HIDING a lot of things."
01[17:15] <Kris> "And a good point as well Soul."
[17:15] <Gandr> "Leaving many things unsaid and unexplained - but he hasn't outright LIED about anything."
[17:16] <Gandr> "Uh ... sorry about speaking about you like this, Altair. You understand."
[17:16] <@Clarence_ST> "Completely."
01[17:17] <Kris> "Soul, I believe Altair, I know you're not happy about this situation, but I think we can do this now."
06[17:19] * Soul sighs heavily. "I still have a VERY bad feeling about this..."
06[17:19] * Kris gives him a reassuring smile. "It'll work out. We ARE solars, after all."
06[17:19] * Gandr claps Soul heavily and heavily cheerily on the shoulder.
[17:19] <@Clarence_ST> "That's the spirit, Kris."
[17:19] <Gandr> "You wouldn't be the doctor in the house if you didn't.
01[17:20] <Kris> "Forgive me, Altair, if i share Soul's overall apathy towards 'justice and valor', but I agree that building a legend sounds pretty awesome."
06[17:20] * Soul muttermuttermutter
[17:20] <Soul> "Can you at least give us an exact number of how many of these cultists we're supposed to kill? So I won't be quivering in fear five years from now wondering if I MISSED one?"
[17:21] <Gandr> "You got it in reverse order, Kris."
[17:21] <Gandr> "It's not building a legend that's the goal - it's a sideeffect."
[17:21] <@Clarence_ST> Altair leers at Soul.
[17:21] <@Clarence_ST> "You just don't get it, do you?"
[17:21] <Soul> "IT'S A VALID COMPLAINT, DON'T GIVE ME THAT."
[17:22] <Gandr> "Mais non."
[17:22] <Soul> "Wait, no, no."
[17:22] <Gandr> "Altair, can I ?"
[17:22] <Soul> "Lemme rephrase, her way."
06[17:22] * Soul clears his throat.
[17:22] <Soul> "Will I KNOW when my task is complete?"
06[17:22] * Soul says it more graciously, almost imitating Kris as he does so
06[17:22] * Gandr stops talking, and beams proudly.
[17:23] <@Clarence_ST> "Yes."
[17:23] <Soul> "All right. Fair enough."
06[17:23] * Soul seems relieved...and a little humbled
[17:24] <Soul> "As for Violet...do we HAVE to get her new incarnation in order to proceed, or can we go on without it?"
[17:25] <Gandr> "Can't we just ... I dunno, scrape some of her into a bucket, and bring that with us ?"
[17:25] <Gandr> "I mean there's enough to go around."
[17:25] <@Clarence_ST> "Uh..."
06[17:25] * Soul D:/
[17:25] <@Clarence_ST> "No."
[17:26] <Gandr> "I meant instead of having to chase down her ... ..."
06[17:26] * Gandr confus
[17:26] <@Clarence_ST> "No."
[17:26] <Gandr> "Her solar ... something ?"
06[17:26] * Kris rubs the bridge of her nose. "How much do you want to bet Lilly exalted with Violet's shard?"
[17:26] <Soul> "I think he means her task was tied to her solar exaltation, not her body."
[17:26] <Gandr> "... nothing ?"
[17:26] <Soul> "Her...remains...are useless to us now. Except as a warning, I guess."
[17:26] <Gandr> "I mean why .... actually."
[17:27] <@Clarence_ST> "Soul, I am slowly liking you better now."
[17:27] <Gandr> "I stil don�'t understand this shard business."
[17:27] <Soul> "And Kris, no offense, but that's WAAAAY too convenient to come true. So...how much you want to bet?"
01[17:27] <Kris> "Gandr, when we're exalted chosen by the Unconquered Sun, the Solar Shard hooks up to our souls. When we die, the shard leaves and finds a new, worthy bearer."
[17:27] <@Clarence_ST> Altair looks to Kris. "4000 Silver Pieces and the tooth of a king that she doesn't get the Exaltation."
06[17:27] * Kris thinks.
01[17:27] <Kris> "I'll owe you a favor."
[17:28] <@Clarence_ST> "That's good too."
[17:28] <Soul> "Hey now, I like the 4000 piece idea. The tooth of a king, not so much..."
06[17:28] * Kris rummages around in her dress. "I have this tooth, punched it out of a feudal lord's mouth after I exalted. Kept it as a memento."
[17:28] <Gandr> "Does the king have to be alive when we remove it ?"
[17:28] <Soul> "OK, fine, you'll owe us both a favour or vice versa."
[17:28] <Gandr> "..."
[17:28] <@Clarence_ST> "...Daaaaamn."
[17:28] <@Clarence_ST> "Nice work, Kris."
06[17:29] * Gandr 0:I
06[17:29] * Gandr doesn't know why he keeps getting pulled into these things.
06[17:29] * Soul rubs his mouth, have to remember that for future reference
01[17:29] <Kris> "You're a god, anyway, what does a god need Silver for?"
06[17:29] * Soul meant 'us both' as him and Altair, not Gandr, btw
[17:29] <Soul> "Probably has hidden bank accounts."
01[17:29] <Kris> "heh, probably."
[17:30] <@Clarence_ST> "No comment."
01[17:30] <Kris> "Anyway, Unless we have any more questions, I think we should get going. I want to start turning Mo Ha city into my own personal kingdom."
[17:30] <Soul> "I have ONE more question, actually...although we still need this one answered."
[17:30] <Soul> "We still need to find her new incarnation, then?"
[17:30] <@Clarence_ST> "Yes."
[17:30] <Soul> "We can't simply proceed without it?"
[17:30] <@Clarence_ST> "No."
[17:31] <Soul> "Very well, I guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it."
[17:31] <Gandr> "Could we kill her and then find her ?"
06[17:31] * Gandr brainfarts
[17:31] <Gandr> "Could we kill her target and then find her ?"
[17:31] <Soul> "That's a good question, which kinda gets to mine..."
[17:31] <@Clarence_ST> "I don't know what to think of you, Gandr."
[17:31] <Gandr> "That I'm a murdering sumbitch ?"
[17:31] <@Clarence_ST> "On one hand, you know exactly what's going on sometimes."
[17:31] <@Clarence_ST> "On the other hand, what the hell is wrong with you?"
01[17:32] <Kris> "So we find the next incarnation along the way, bring her/him up to speed, and as long as that incarnation does the job you set out, we're good?"
[17:32] <Soul> "...These marks...what happens if they die some other way before we get there? Because I assume you know Crimson Spoglini has a...reputation...and not the one as a hitman, either."
[17:32] <@Clarence_ST> "Quite so, Kris."
06[17:32] * Soul makes a motion to indicate a fat man
[17:32] <Gandr> "what IS wrong with me ? I'm still waiting for Soul to cough up some sort of diagnosis."
01[17:32] <Kris> "Awesome. And Gandr, nothing's wrong with you, you just have your smart moments and your dumb moments."
[17:33] <@Clarence_ST> Directed to Soul: "Then I'm going to cry myself to sleep."
[17:33] <Gandr> "Aw, don't worry man."
[17:33] <Gandr> "We'll kill him before he dies."
[17:33] <Soul> "That...doesn't really tell me anything...If he dies of a heart attack before we get to him, and that causes us to be unable to conclude our mission, I am going to curse both you and his private chefs with my every breath."
[17:34] <Gandr> "We could ... go to the ... the underworlf ?"
[17:34] <Soul> "And then I'll kill his chefs, just in case THAT counts."
06[17:34] * Kris stiffles a giggle at that. "Well, I don't think anyone here needs me. I'm going to go start my solar dominion, let me know if there's any policies or whatever you'd want included. Don't worry Gandr, I was fully intending to include Worship of the Unconquered Sun. Discreetly of course. Freedom of religion and all that.
[17:34] <Gandr> "Make it like a science."
[17:34] <Gandr> "and Kris please don't go."
[17:35] <Gandr> "You keep the life as a Solar bearable."
06[17:35] * Kris stops at the door and turns. "Why, you'll miss me? That's so sweet."
[17:35] <@Clarence_ST> "Lunars keep it bearable."
[17:35] <Gandr> "My teammates are the most important thing I have."
[17:35] <Soul> "We don't have Lunars."
[17:35] <Gandr> "They give the bad guys something else to shoot at."
[17:35] <Gandr> "What's a Lunar ?"
[17:35] <@Clarence_ST> "I'll bear that in mind."
[17:36] <Soul> "Well, I guess I'll just have to hope that our specific marks stay alive until we get to them. Which is a stupid thing to wish."
[17:36] <Soul> "That's...all the business I have, really."
[17:36] <@Clarence_ST> "A Lunar exalt is a Chosen of Luna."
[17:36] <Gandr> "That doesn't tell me a lot. What do they do ?"
[17:36] <@Clarence_ST> "They are what the Immaculate Order most encounter as anathema."
[17:36] <@Clarence_ST> "They turn into bears and rip open everthing."
[17:36] <Soul> "They hide in the forest. You must love them."
[17:37] <Gandr> "What, me or Altair ?"
01[17:37] <Kris> "You."
[17:37] <@Clarence_ST> "Oh I do love them."
[17:37] <@Clarence_ST> "But just bearly."
06[17:37] * Soul coughs up a little spittle
[17:37] <Gandr> "Are they allowed to bear arms ?"
01[17:37] <Kris> "Altair, I can kill a man with my thumb. Don't test me."
[17:37] <Soul> "TIME TO GO."
[17:38] <Gandr> "You can kill a man with your naked body."
[17:38] <@Clarence_ST> " I'm afriad our talents in combat won't be brought to bear today."
[17:38] <Gandr> "and I'm not JUST talking about choking to death."
[17:38] <Soul> "VERY MUCH TIME TO GO."
[17:38] <Gandr> "Well, combat isn't actually a load-bearing activity in our group."
[17:38] <@Clarence_ST> "Not against eachother, at least. That would be bearesy."
01[17:38] <Kris> "Yes, let's go, Gandr! C'mere boy! that's a good dawncaste, good dawncaste, do you want a treat? I'll get you a treat later after we do all the back-room politiking!"
[17:38] <Gandr> "woof !"
[17:38] <Gandr> "I mean yes."
[17:39] <Gandr> "Bear in mind, though, i eat a lot."
06[17:39] * Soul grits his teeth and glares away from the group to hide his son I am disappointment
01[17:39] <Kris> "Soul, HEEL."
[17:39] <Soul> "I think we're DONE here."
[17:40] <@Clarence_ST> "But the party is only just bearginning."
[17:40] <Gandr> "Yeah, I guess we're getting a little overbearing on Altair's hospitality."
[17:40] <Gandr> "I could really go for some bear right about now. I'm all out."
06[17:41] * Kris walks out the door, leaving Altair to his puns.
06[17:41] * Soul follows
06[17:41] * Gandr eyes Altair.
06[17:41] * Gandr notices they're alone.
06[17:41] * Gandr Hm.
06[17:41] * Gandr raises his arm for a high-five, eyeing Altair.
[17:41] <@Clarence_ST> Altair returns the high-five.
06[17:42] * Gandr skips out of the belltower.
[17:42] <Soul> "Well, that was just about the stupidest moment in my career..."
06[17:42] * Soul mutters something about at least accomplishing something
[17:42] <Gandr> "Don't worry, we'll write that out of the legends.
[17:43] <Soul> "By the way, did anyone catch that thing about Saturn?"
01[17:43] <Kris> "I did."
[17:43] <Gandr> "Yeah about that ..."
[17:43] <Gandr> "What the hell is that all about ?"
[17:44] <Gandr> "I mean it seems like there's a kind of Exaltation for nearly every gods-damned thing."
[17:44] <Gandr> "Oh hey I have this broom, BROOMAR EXALTED."
[17:44] <Soul> "I think he's one of the Primordials that lost in the whole war."
[17:44] <Gandr> "Oh hey, a rock, ROCKLAR EXALTED."
06[17:44] * Soul said HE.
06[17:44] * Soul said he LOST.
[17:44] <Gandr> "Can I have like ... a list ?"
[17:44] <Gandr> "What ?"
[17:44] <Gandr> "Listen, uh ..."
[17:44] <@Clarence_ST> The group are back at the house.
06[17:44] * Gandr isn't on comfortable ground.
[17:44] <Soul> "Could he have been referring to Lemy? Maybe 'Saturn' is another name for the Mask of Winters?"
[17:44] <@Clarence_ST> Shi is squeaky clean.
[17:44] <Gandr> "I don't ... I don't know any of that stuff.
[17:44] <Gandr> "Y'know ?"
[17:45] <Soul> "It's all right, I'm picking this stuff up from people in the Guild who helped me out after I exalted."
01[17:45] <Kris> "No, Why would Saturn have anything to do with deathknights?"
[17:45] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "What? Saturn? What did that LYING TRICKSTER of a God tell you. No, Saturn isn't a Primordial. No, Saturn isn't another name of the Mask of Winters."
[17:45] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "Soul, you're losing your mind."
[17:45] <Gandr> "It's very confusing. I mean, for Sun's sake, I spent the first six months of being like ... like this, thinking I was completely alone."
[17:45] <Soul> "I don't know. Because he's a bad person? I-"
[17:45] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "YOUR MIND."
[17:45] <Soul> "Well, I don't know who he IS..."
[17:45] <Gandr> "IT'S BEEN HIDDEN."
[17:46] <Gandr> "But seriously, can we take a time-out and get me a book and a tee-vee, please ?"
[17:46] <Gandr> "Because unless you're willing to shut up and start getting into fights, I'm going to need some background."
[17:46] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "Saturn is a celestial body, you... You..."
[17:46] <Soul> "Anyway, he mentioned something about a Chosen of Saturn, so I assumed he was talking about Lemy. The only other person would be, well, you..."
[17:46] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: ". . ."
[17:47] <Soul> "And no offense, but you don't seem 'chosen' by anybody, yet anyway."
[17:47] <Soul> "Don't get me wrong. If I can do it, I'm sure you can, too..."
01[17:47] <Kris> "He's not human, I know that much. Shi, i mean."
06[17:48] * Gandr is lost. What the hell is a Saturn ?"
06[17:48] * Soul looks a little confused at Kris
06[17:48] * Soul also assumes you meant 'mortal'
06[17:49] * Kris shrugs. "Not mortal, that works. Beyond that? Dunno."
[17:49] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "Gee, thanks Kris."
01[17:49] <Kris> "Sorry, I'm kind of distracted planning my eventual social takeover of this town. I think I can do it in about... three days? Well, the first steps."
[17:49] <Soul> "But he told us that he wasn't..."
[17:49] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "Not Human."
[17:50] <Soul> "Shi, you're mortal, right? I mean, you SAID you were, you ween't lying to us, were you?"
06[17:50] * Kris is very distracted, her terminology is all over the place."
[17:50] <Gandr> "Could you ... Kris, please. Could you not be a foreign invasion force for a moment ?"
06[17:50] * Kris nods. "Yes, my planning is finished for the moment."
01[17:52] <Kris> "So, What do you need, gentlemen?"
[17:52] <@Clarence_ST> ". . . Oh, talking to me? I'm mortal. Completely mortal. Completely mundanely mortal."
[17:52] <Gandr> "We could always go violence on him."
[17:53] <Gandr> "The amount of beating he can take before dying in a bloody mess should give a good indication of his abilities."
[17:53] <Soul> "Nobody's going to violence ANYBODY."
[17:53] <Soul> "Sweet Sun, Gandr."
06[17:53] * Gandr rolls eyes and smiles. "I'm kidding. Suns, I'm KIDDING."
06[17:53] * Soul said that in the manner of someone saying "Good LORD, asshole."
06[17:53] * Kris fixes Shi with a look. "The fact that you're so defensive suggests otherwise. I don't think you're BAD. Just... Not being particularly honest. Besides, we trust you, so why don't you trust us?" Kris fixes Soul with a look. 'don't say a damn word.'
[17:53] <Soul> "Why do you look at me when you say about not trusting us?"
06[17:54] * Soul looks almost hurt
06[17:54] * Kris whispers at Soul. "Your cynical attitude would botch my attempt to get him to trust us."
06[17:54] * Soul whispers back "but we're PARTNERS. Sort of. He kinda trusts me. Besides, I think he's telling the truth...I think."
06[17:55] * Soul shrugs. "Maybe."
06[17:55] * Kris whispers again. "Who's the social juggernaught, and who's the doctor?"
[17:55] <@Clarence_ST> Shi: "I'm right here, you know."
01[17:55] <Kris> "We're whispering dammit, you can't hear us."
[17:55] <Soul> "Technically, he CAN hear us, just not understand us..."
06[17:55] * Kris sighs.
06[17:56] * Gandr feels left out of the loop. "At least I still have you, eye-seeing snake-chain weapon."
[18:00] <@Clarence_ST> Shi crosses his arms and :|s at Kris & Soul.
01[18:01] <Kris> "Well, I should get some rest, I have a lot of back-room politiking to do for the news few days... Oh, I should tell you guys my plan first."
[18:02] <Soul> "If it involves contacting any other gods, I have a sword I should tell you about first."
01[18:02] <Kris> "No, no gods, not that I know of anyway. I'm going to work my way into a sort of 'back room advisor' position to the guild factors and other leaders of this town. I'll be able to influence policy then."
[18:03] <Gandr> "And then what happens ?"
[18:03] <Soul> "So you advise policy from the back while I do so from the front. Fair enough."
01[18:03] <Kris> "Well, I can tell the city to close it's borders to keep the cultists inside, for one."
[18:03] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy stumbles by holding a bunch of potted plants.
[18:03] <Soul> "That won't be hard, they're xenophobic enough as it is it seems."
01[18:04] <Kris> "I'll hold off on changing that until we've dealt with the cultists, I had planned on setting up some new policies regarding religion. Freedom of worship and all that. The government would still be secular, but the citizens could worship whateverthey want. That might encourage the cultists to come out as well."
[18:05] <Gandr> "What about trade ?"
01[18:05] <Kris> "It's not like the gates can't open for traders, as long as they're checked. I'll leave those arrangements in guild hands."
[18:05] <Gandr> "You'd have to engineer a damn good excuse to make the GUILD shut down trade in a place like Mo Ha."
[18:05] <Soul> "Trade's already been leveraged somewhat in our favour thanks to my dealings with the guild..."
[18:05] <Gandr> "But we're not talking about leverage - we're talking about shutting it down."
[18:05] <Soul> "and since THEY'RE the ones worried about all this they'll be DOUBLE checking any incoming and outgoing shipments."
[18:06] <Gandr> "And what makes you think that traders won't be cooperating one way or another with the cultists ?"
01[18:06] <Kris> "And my previous efforts at making our pressence here tolerated. I'm basically moving us from 'tolerated' to 'welcomed'
01[18:06] <Kris> "Because they're guild traders, and the guild hates death cultists, right?"
[18:06] <Gandr> "I don't have a problem with this, and don't take my voice as being such - but I can see holes in the plan."
[18:06] <Gandr> "Traders."
[18:06] <Gandr> "For money."
[18:06] <Gandr> "The cultists have proven themselves to be able to pay off bribes already."
01[18:07] <Kris> "I can handle that Gandr."
[18:07] <Gandr> "I trust you in that."
[18:07] <Soul> "I'm starting to think that if one of them HAS fled, we'd somehow know about it. Guild help me, I'm starting to TRUST that hooded bastard."
01[18:07] <Kris> "Pretty soon I'll be able to use the infrastructure of this city to find any cultists we missed. Eventually I could probably take over the guild, unless Soul beats me to it."
[18:08] <Soul> "We're not trying to take over the Guild, we're WORKING for them. They're on OUR side. Not to say we can't climb up their ladder, mind you..."
06[18:08] * Gandr turns to Shi and mouths, "see, THIS IS THE REASON why I'm always behaving like a border-line psychotic".
06[18:08] * Kris rests her chin on her fist and leans forward in her chair. "I think i'll make it a... Secret directive, that any cultists the citizens find will be bound, gagged, and delivered somewhere to be dealt with."
[18:09] <Gandr> "Why shouldn't we take over the guild ?"
[18:09] <Gandr> "Use it for solving their problems ?"
[18:09] <Gandr> "...
[18:09] <Soul> "Well, for starters, it's really, really big, and second, I'M A MEMBER ALREADY DAMNIT."
01[18:09] <Kris> "Take-over, climb ladders, same difference as far as I'm concerned."
[18:10] <Gandr> "I can't think of any real reason to take over the guild, frankly."
[18:10] <Soul> "I sort of have loyalty to them, Gandr. You're suggesting treason."
[18:10] <Gandr> "I mean, on second thought."
[18:10] <@Clarence_ST> Shi is amazed that Gandr can make himself so understood with just mouthing.
[18:10] <Gandr> "Treason ?"
06[18:10] * Gandr is really good at his oral.
01[18:10] <Kris> "Anyway, I'd like to get some rest so I can get to work on this, It'll take me a few days. And I'll probably have to dance again, and probably have to drink half the wine in the East."
06[18:11] * Gandr GODAMNIT GIRL@Kris. Why you take my drink, woman ?
[18:11] <Soul> "Fair enough. I think while you're doing that I'll mirror your actions and meet again with the Guild through more official channels. See if they have any leads."
[18:11] <Soul> "And then...we go hunting."
01[18:11] <Kris> "Sounds good. Let's hope I don't fail miserably."
[18:11] <Soul> "Oh, and Gandr?"
[18:12] <Soul> "You'll probably be able to happily guess what my new policy regarding the Faeries is."
06[18:12] * Gandr turns and smiles at Soul.
[18:12] <Gandr> "Some sort of ... rehabilitation ?"
[18:12] <Gandr> "Integrating them into society to be productive members of the common good ?"
[18:12] <Soul> "If the Guild wants to negogtiate with them that's one thing, but Altair was ENOUGH for me. If the Fae are anything like that, then fuck 'em."
06[18:13] * Gandr is reading off of a "welcome back to society"-brochure.
[18:13] <Soul> "Which also means your Faerie Prince hunt is still on."
[18:13] <Gandr> "They're worse, actually."
[18:13] <Gandr> "Altair is defined by what he is, and that's not going to change."
[18:13] <Gandr> "But faeries are chaos defined only ever so slightly."
[18:14] <Soul> "Indeed."
[18:14] <Soul> "
[18:15] <Soul> "Well, I'm off to comfort Shi after Kris broke his heart. You two do what you need to do."
01[18:17] <Kris> The following day, Kris works her social charm on the various powerful people of Mo Ha City. Her negotations are artful. Her talks with a money lender net her the coin to grease the palms of a few guild factors, who in turn put in a good word with the merchants and concubines of the various city leaders.
01[18:17] <Kris> From there, the gossip, deadly in the right hands, finds it's way into the right ears for /just/ the right amount of leverage. "I know things that you don't want other people to know..." That leverage let her slowly, but surely work her way into the higher tiers of power. And far faster than a normal woman could.
01[18:17] <Kris> Slowly, but surely, Kris worked her way into, up and through the sociopolotical scene of Mo Ha City. As she worked, she gradually ammended laws, teased apart motivations, reshuffled hierarchies. Soon, Mo Ha City was an island of discreet, religious freedom, supported by a Secular government. A government that, for the moment, paid more than a little attention to a dancer from the Hundred Kingdoms.
06[18:18] * Soul meanwhile was comforting Shi that HE still believes him. And that, whoever this Saturn guy is, he's probably not relevant. And probably also an asshole.
[18:18] <@Clarence_ST> OR SO SHE THOUGHT.
06[18:18] * Gandr drank.
[18:25] <@Clarence_ST> What she didn't count on was that Chaya was absolutely founded on Religious Principle. The Radiolari Protocols are the founding texts of Chaya, to instruct the Chayans to only procreate with other Chayans, to never leave far from Chaya, to uphold Community before all else, to not spill the blood of another, and to hold no other gods before the Radiolari.  To let a non-Chayan decide anything for Mo-Ha is the definition of unac
[18:29] <@Clarence_ST> To let a non-Chayan decide anything for Mo-Ha is the definition of unacceptable. While Kris did manage to slither her way inside the pockets of a few weak-willed Chayans with an unhealthy taste for the posibility of foreign meat. Even then, their treacheries were found out by Radiolari Monks, and word somehow got round to Kris. The Monks are looking to have a firm chat with her.
06[18:33] * Soul , in the meantime, thought it prudent to meet with the Guild leaders, again, and discuss recent developments. Having informed them of the group's plans, and attempting to inquire as to any new developments in the issue of the cultists. Specifically, he inquires if any cultist activity had unexpectedly...SURFACED.
[18:37] <@Clarence_ST> Cultist Activity has been surprisingly... active and obvious. They're trying to preach their stuff on the streets again, but whatever was different last time doesn't apply. They're unsuccessful and dipping into the shadows whenever the radiolari monks come knocking, and great spectacles are made out of chasing down cultists.
[18:38] <@Clarence_ST> Kris's words did not go unheeded, though, and all cultists that were found were bound, gagged, and delivered straight to the Group's doorstep.
[18:38] <@Clarence_ST> There are approximately 32 of them in a neat pile.
06[18:38] * Soul inquires if any source of cultist activity has been found
[18:45] <@Clarence_ST> All signs point to Temple District.
[18:45] <@Clarence_ST> Is where it's originating from
06[18:46] * Soul finishes cavorting with his brethren, unless they have something else to ask/inform of him
[18:47] <@Clarence_ST> They inform him that they have called in Chayan deals with Lookshy, and are bringing in Mercenaries.
06[18:47] * Soul approves, and makes some offhand comments about how he hopes this deal might convince Lookshy to be more open to the Guild in the future
03[18:48] * Garlic (Garlic@6AD5BACE.DEED67FE.CC988D23.IP) has joined #clarencexaltedic
03[18:48] * Gandr was kicked by Clarence_ST (Kick!)
03[18:49] * Garlic is now known as Gandr
06[18:52] * Soul heads back home and goes to find Gandr
[18:54] <@Clarence_ST> Soul returns home to find 32 bound & gagged cultists on his doorstep.
06[18:54] * Gandr is doing one-armed handstands on top of a pole that rests a log of timber, lying in the water.
[18:54] <@Clarence_ST> One has to wonder what Kris has been up to.
06[18:54] * Soul presumes this must be what his friends told him about. Kris works fast it seems. He's gonna need Gandr's help to deal with this mess.
[18:55] <Gandr> "87 ..."
[18:55] <Gandr> "88 ..."
[18:55] <Gandr> "89 ..."
[18:55] <Gandr> "Time for a drink."
[18:55] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy: "Are you counting down the seconds between each drink?"
06[18:55] * Soul attempts to call Gandr down from his ridiculous perch
[18:56] <Gandr> "I'm counting my number of handstands, you decompoop."
[18:56] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy: "Well, PARDON ME!"
06[18:56] * Gandr drinks a drank.
[18:56] <Gandr> "You're pardoned."
[18:56] <Gandr> "Go forth and rejoin society."
[18:57] <Gandr> "90."
[18:57] <Soul> "Gandr, I've got a cultist situation for you to help me resolve."
[18:57] <Gandr> "I'm nearly 91 ..."
[18:57] <Gandr> "Done."
[18:57] <Gandr> "Can you explain while I 92 wrap this up ?"
[18:58] <Soul> "There's a big pile of cultists on our doorstep. I need someone to help us interrogate them before we kill them."
[18:58] <Gandr> "92right."
[18:58] <Gandr> "Be right 93 with you."
06[18:58] * Gandr considers his options a little. Be cool and take time ... or practice invulnerability and waste no time.
06[18:59] * Gandr topples himself off of the pole and falls onto the ground. It ain't glorious but it's the quickest way down.
06[18:59] * Gandr stands up and brushes himself off.
[19:00] <Gandr> "Let's go."
06[19:00] * Gandr behind him, the pole is still vertically balancing on the timber log in the pond.
06[19:03] * Soul leads Gandr and Lemy back home, and to the cultpile
[19:03] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy: "They're all so... Small."
[19:04] <Soul> "All right...I was thinking we should interrogate them before doing away with them. See if we can get any additional information about just what their aim here is, if they had a specific plan, etc..."
[19:05] <Gandr> "What sort of state are they in ?"
[19:05] <Gandr> "Mental, physical."
[19:05] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy: "As long as I get to kill them at the end. I'm almost running on empty."
[19:05] <Soul> "We HAVE to kill them, so yeah."
[19:06] <Soul> "As for state...take a look for yourself..."
06[19:06] * Gandr takes a look.
[19:08] <@Clarence_ST> They are all bound and gagged and some are whimpering
[19:09] <@Clarence_ST> The cultists are currently AT YOUR RESPECTIVE MERCIES
06[19:10] * Gandr doesn't feel good about people being tied up.
06[19:10] * Gandr but hey, tough chains.
[19:10] <Soul> "All right, let's see if any of them want to talk."
06[19:11] * Soul starts ungagging the cultists one by one and giving them a once-over with questions. Involvement with the Cult for starters.
06[19:11] * Gandr stands back and looks menacing. Soul's got this - he can point to Gandr over his shoulder if anyone starts getting smart.
06[19:12] * Soul makes sure that Gandr stays plainly visible as an..intimidation tactic.
[19:12] <@Clarence_ST> Unfortunately, most of the cultists seem to be low-ranking acolytes. One of them, however, is a priest with rather avid belief in his faith.
06[19:13] * Soul separates off any of them that claim NOT to be cultists, and then brings the Priest inside, motioning for Lemy to follow him. Gandr can guard the rest.
[19:14] <@Clarence_ST> At least half of them claim not to be cultists. Lemy follows Soul.
06[19:14] * Gandr guards.
06[19:15] * Soul whispers to Lemy, "you think you can handle this?"
06[19:15] * Gandr feels useful.
[19:16] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy: "Definitely. Just, uh..."
[19:16] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy: "Go outside for a while."
06[19:16] * Soul blinks a little. "uhh...I was going to do the interrogating but uhh...OK...just...make sure to GET something out of him, all right?"
[19:17] <@Clarence_ST> "Oh, well."
[19:17] <@Clarence_ST> "Interrogation."
[19:17] <@Clarence_ST> "Right."
06[19:17] * Soul >:|
[19:18] <@Clarence_ST> "...Sorry."
[19:18] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy skulks around a bit
[19:19] <Soul> "You BETTER have something to report to me when you're done."
06[19:19] * Soul exits the room, slowly, >:|ingly
06[19:19] * Soul goes back to Gandr and attempts to interrogate the cultists that did admit their guilt
06[19:20] * Gandr is >(
[19:20] <Gandr> "MAGETS."
[19:20] <@Clarence_ST> It's mostly quiet, for the first few minutes, then an unearthly scream cries from the house.
06[19:21] * Soul puts his hand up to calm Gandr in case he freaks out
06[19:22] * Gandr freaks a little.
06[19:22] * Gandr a tiny bit.
06[19:22] * Soul mouths, 'Lemy".
[19:22] <@Clarence_ST> Whimpering, screaming, all kinds of horrifying sounds come from inside.
[19:23] <@Clarence_ST> And after many minutes, the sound of a fleshy rrrrrrrrrip.
[19:24] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy's voice comes from inside "Say, do we have any way to dispose of the bodies?"
[19:24] <Gandr> "I .... like his style."
[19:24] <Gandr> "He reminds me of a younger me."
[19:24] <Soul> "Was kinda hoping you'd figure that out...I guess cremation?"
[19:24] <Gandr> "Not much younger, mind you.
[19:25] <@Clarence_ST> "...Nah, too wasteful."
06[19:25] * Soul gives the cultists a look as if to suggest their fate is going to be most unpleasant
[19:25] <@Clarence_ST> Eatin' sounds come from inside.
06[19:25] * Soul goes back to putting pressure on the admitted cultists to talk
06[19:26] * Soul attempts to impress upon them the virtues of dying quickly and painlessly >:3
06[19:26] * Gandr knows that this sort of thing works best with one guy being up in their face.
06[19:26] * Gandr stands around, being HUEG:
[19:33] <@Clarence_ST> The acolytes reveal that they were told try and convert Chaya, despite the impossibility of the task. However, this can't be the only motive they had, that would be stupid.
[19:33] <@Clarence_ST> They hide in ancient catacombs underneath the entire nation of Chaya
[19:34] <@Clarence_ST> They are very large catacombs.
[19:34] <Gandr> "Hold on - told by who ?"
[19:34] <@Clarence_ST> "OUR GLORIOUS MASTERS."
[19:34] <Soul> "More than one?"
[19:35] <@Clarence_ST> "Our Deathknight Masters, eight watch over us."
[19:36] <Gandr> "Tell us what your masters look like, or you will never see them again."
[19:36] <@Clarence_ST> "They..."
[19:37] <@Clarence_ST> "The Overseer of Glory Unsurpassed... He is a martial artist without peer."
[19:38] <@Clarence_ST> "The Set Sun of Glory Unsurpassed... She is clad in great Soulsteel Armour, and her daiklave shrieks with the souls of despair."
[19:40] <@Clarence_ST> "Sadistic Silent Mask... A faceless shadow of the night with a single claw that drips the blood of his next victim..."
[19:41] <@Clarence_ST> "Mountain Mad with Iridiscent Viscosity... His words bless us, and curse all who oppose."
[19:44] <@Clarence_ST> "The End of All... Clad in cloaks that forsake fate itself, and spread only the void!"
[19:47] <@Clarence_ST> "Violin Speaks Not, his fanged visage is the last thing those who hunt him see."
[19:49] <@Clarence_ST> "Uncle Torment, his works of flesh bear grace unknown to creation."
[19:49] <@Clarence_ST> "And last, but not least..."
[19:51] <@Clarence_ST> "Kingdom of Nothing, Path of the Void. None can stand up to his glory."
[19:52] <@Clarence_ST> "And all will fall before the eight."
06[19:52] * Soul is confused. "No Mask of Winters?"
[19:52] <@Clarence_ST> "...We speak not of the Master of Masters."
[19:52] <@Clarence_ST> "We are not worthy."
[19:52] <Gandr> "Pyramid scheme."
[19:52] <Gandr> "He's outsourcing the hurt."
[19:53] <Soul> "Whatever, this tells us nothing. Except that there are more of those things to deal with."
[19:53] <Gandr> "What ?"
06[19:53] * Gandr looks at Soul with YO CRAZY CH�CHA ?!
[19:53] <Gandr> "This is major helpful. We have names now, a defined enemy."
[19:54] <Gandr> "Although as always, this could be a plant."
[19:54] <Soul> "I don't know how muvh the names will help us, but right now I'm concerned with the WHY, not the WHO.
[19:54] <Gandr> "True that."
[19:54] <Gandr> "Hm."
06[19:54] * Soul attempts to go back to the question of WHY attempt to convert Chaya, since there HAS to be something more to this
[19:54] <Gandr> "They said that they were ordered to preach in Chaya, despite knowing that it was nearly impossible, right ?"
[19:55] <Gandr> "All things considered - it's pretty likely we'd end up here eventually, for a stretch of time."
[19:55] <Gandr> "Due to the plague, the locale, Shi's workshop ... what have you."
[19:55] <Gandr> "So isn't it probable that these deathknights counted on us busting their little operation here ?"
[19:56] <Gandr> "Question is, then, why would they pull that gambit ?"
[19:56] <Soul> "...you mean all this was...a distraction?"
[19:56] <Gandr> "Could be."
[19:56] <Gandr> "Remember all that hub-bub about the Guild wanting to fortify Mo Ha ?"
[19:56] <Gandr> "Remember what I said ? We'd be sitting ducks."
[19:56] <Gandr> "I'm thinking the knights wanted us to wall ourselves in - give them the time they need."
06[19:57] * Soul loses all the colour in his face
[19:57] <Soul> "So they're not going to bother to attack Mo Ha at all..."
[19:58] <Gandr> "They might. It's Central Station around here. But now ? Tomorrow ? In a week ? Probably not."
[19:58] <Gandr> "Better to let the plague do that for them."
[19:58] <Gandr> "And if we sat on our fat asses in here, they'd have the time they needed to cook up something else."
[19:58] <Gandr> "And, of course ... there's Lemy."
[19:59] <Gandr> "... what did the Overseer call him, again ?"
[19:59] <Soul> "I forget. Right now that's not relevant. If this is true then we've screwed up, big time. We need to know if we're right on this or not."
06[20:02] * Soul has nothing else to say
06[20:02] * Gandr waits for his intuition to kick in.
[20:02] <@Clarence_ST> Lemy walks out of the house almost drenched in blood & gore, whiping his mouth.
06[20:03] * Gandr makes to look his way, but the sight instinctively causes him to want to wretch, and he turns his face away with a grimace.
[20:03] <Soul> "Please tell me you learned something other than how he tasted."
[20:04] <@Clarence_ST> "I know exactly where the cultists are hiding in the catacombs underneath Chaya."
[20:04] <Gandr> "You're now the mapquest."
06[20:04] * Gandr turns and points at Lemy.
[20:04] <Gandr> "Who do you think you are !"
[20:06] <@Clarence_ST> "Someone in need of redemption." Lemy says depressingly, dragging off an acolyte back inside.
[20:06] <@Clarence_ST> Screams, crunches.
06[20:07] * Soul turns back to Gandr
06[20:07] * Gandr turns back to Gandr.
[20:08] <Soul> "This is serious. If this is true, then we can't waste time here. Bunkering in Mo Ha was the worst mistake we ever made. We need to leave, once the cultist situation is dealt with. But if we're WRONG..."
[20:08] <Soul> "...if we're WRONG and we leave, then we've screwed up then, too. We need to know what the truth is."
[20:09] <Gandr> "Actually."
06[20:09] * Gandr smiles wickedly.
[20:10] <Gandr> "If we leave and we're wrong, Mo Ha is screwed. But we aren't UNDER CONTRACT to deal with Mo Ha. We're under contract to deal with the plague. And we are.
[20:10] <Gandr> "
06[20:10] * Gandr deadpans it.
06[20:10] * Gandr guffaws.
[20:11] <Soul> "Technically we're under contract to provide help to the Guild wherever we go, if they assist it."
06[20:11] * Soul reminds Gandr of the contract's wording
06[20:11] * Gandr )-/
06[20:14] * Kris sighs at the featureless grey stone cell the monks threw her in. Boring lot. Well... Time to liven this place up. She takes a deep breath, folds one leg over the other and lays her hands on her knees. It's a testament to her skill that she can do what she's about to do in that position. Normally you stand up when you...
01[20:14] <Kris> :...This is the song that never ends, it goes on and on my friends, Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was,
01[20:14] <Kris> And they�ll continue singing it forever just because, This is the song that never ends, it goes on and on my friends, Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was, And they�ll continue singing it forever just because, This is the song that never ends, it goes-"
01[20:14] <Kris> A sound at the one door in the cell halts her song.
[20:23] <@Clarence_ST> It is a Chayan Monk, accompanied by five others. They walk in, and stand at the opposite end of the room.
[20:23] <@Clarence_ST> The head monk, wearing red & gold, speaks up. "How was your nap?"
06[20:23] * Kris tosses them a sunny smile. "Wonderful, thank you for asking."
[20:24] <@Clarence_ST> "Do you know why you are here, Foreigner?"
06[20:25] * Kris 's smiled a bit wider. "I tried to take over your city and drastically alter its policies."
[20:26] <@Clarence_ST> The monk's expression is increasingly stoic. "Do you think this is some kind of Joke?"
06[20:27] * Kris shrugs. "Life's too short not to take a chance. I mean...." She stands up, ambling around her chair. She tilts her head at the lead monk and smirks. "Why so serious?"
[20:31] <@Clarence_ST> "The Radiolari Gods do not find your antics humorous, and in fact blasphemous. We would directly ask for your removal. . . But you are part of that group who are curing That Disease. Instead, we ask you to not speak to anyone of Chaya, and not attempt to sully our pure country with your filthy ways."
06[20:43] * Kris gives a mischevious smile. "Filthy ways? My good monk, you wound me so." She strides towards them, stepping to an unheard beat. "My ways are what will save this city, and perhaps save the world. Chaya may've survived for hundreds of years, but not anymore."
01[20:43] <Kris> She drew her fans from her sash, they hadn't bothered to remove them, thinking them mere props. For the moment they were.
01[20:43] <Kris> Charged by Essence, they started flitting around her like butterflies. "Times are changing, good monk, the Deathlords are marching everywhere, this Plauge is their doing."
01[20:44] <Kris> In a near-tangible rush of power, Kris's anima bursts into full power. She's no longer a mere woman, but a sculpture carved from sunlight. She rocks her hips to a beat that the monks don't quite hear, but feel deep in their souls.
01[20:44] <Kris> "We're Solars, Chosen of the Unconquered Sun, and it is by his divine mandate that We stand in the face of darkness, we are the great conquerers and diplomats, the artists and protectors."
01[20:44] <Kris> Her dance continued around the monks, the stone walls bleach white, but the monks themselves remain curiously unharmed, save for feeling the warmth of the sun itself on their faces.
01[20:44] <Kris> "You are going to help me, help us. Chaya is the first, it needs to change, slowly to be sure, but if we want to stand to face the coming darkness, we cannot do it by sticking our heads in the ground and clinging to the old ways."
01[20:44] <Kris> The unheard music rose to a cresendo and Kris lashed out with one foot, her shoe hit the stone floor so hard, it left a spiderweb of cracks, punctuating the end of her performance. She let out a long, slow breath.
01[20:44] <Kris> "So you're going to help us, and we're going to win."
[20:48] <@Clarence_ST> The monks are rendered speechless
01[20:49] <Kris> "Well gentlemen? Are you with me?"
[20:54] <@Clarence_ST> All doubt of Kris's dream wither before their eyes as they go to express willingness for her cause... However, a sharp pain stops all of them, and they seem to burn from the inside out, leaving nothing but dust, ash, & clothing infront of Kris. A divine image steps infront of Kris, a resplendant figure of floral aesthetic, red & gold colour. "Child of the Unconquered Sun. Your arrogance displeases me as does the weakness of m
[20:54] <@Clarence_ST> "Child of the Unconquered Sun. Your arrogance displeases me as does the weakness of my devotees. Leave from my lands immediatly."
[20:55] <@Clarence_ST> "I don't think you understood me."
[20:59] <@Clarence_ST> A divine lash of essence smashes Kris through the cold hard stone wall of her cell, the full brunt of blunt impact upon blunt impact upon blunt impact not being light on Kris. "LEAVE."
[21:00] <@Clarence_ST> Kris finds herself outside, in the temple district of Mo Ha.
06[21:03] * Kris coughs into the dirt of the street. She grabs a fist full and growls. "No way bitch. This is my town now. You just don't know it."