QINGMING FESTIVAL plot!

===> COH <===> 3/31/2020, 8:00:58 PM <===
	WELCOME TO THE QINGMING FESTIVAL!

The Qingming or Ching Ming festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day in English (sometimes also called Chinese Memorial Day or Ancestors' Day), is a traditional Chinese festival, observed by the Chinese for over 2500 years. El Templo de Las Nubes Oscuras, Baja California's largest Taoist temple, is hosting the festival in Tijuana this year!

During Qingming, Chinese families visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean the gravesites, pray to their ancestors, and make ritual offerings. Offerings typically include traditional food dishes, and the burning of joss sticks and joss paper. The holiday recognizes the traditional reverence of one's ancestors in Chinese culture. The holiday is associated with the consumption of qingtuan, green dumplings made of glutinous rice and Chinese mugwort or barley grass.

Various stations have been set throughout the space with trays of qingtuan and beverages, wine and non-alcoholic libations, for guests to enjoy. At the entrances to each bay and tower, stations with joss sticks and joss paper have been carefully arrayed, along with candles and matches for guests to burn in offering to their departed loved ones. Other symbols of ritual purity, such as pomegranate and willow branches, decorate the space. Makeshift altars have been set up for guests to place mementos of the departed, and receive the sacrifices.

The Taoist monks that call this temple home, known as the Longmen, mingle with the crowd of guests to offer greetings and guidance, and ensure a harmonious event. For the children in attendance, the monks will give away kites in the shapes of animals or characters from Chinese opera for them to fly. For the adults, the monks will coordinate large-scale tug of war games as part of the festivities, using ropes of up to 167 metres (548 ft) with shorter ropes attached, and more than 500 people on each end of the rope to symbolize the tug-of-war between life and death, yang and yin. Each side will have its own team of drummers to encourage the participants.

(OOC: Approx 250 monks call this place home - 25 at a time will mingle with the crowd in any given of the gridrooms)

Li Bong has showered this time, and his outfit seems almost laundered. He's got his bamboo pole with his worn canvas bag (featuring fresh stitching around a few tears) slung over his shoulder like a hobo stick. He smiles as he moves thru the crowd, a handful of joss paper clutched in one hand to offer at some point. He is alone, and nobody really seems to pay him much attention - though an occasional child will smile back at one of his friendly waves.

	Danny takes up a post near the entrance to Yuhuang Hall, so that he can extend tidings of welcome to anyone that he personally knows. As well as keep an eye on any unfamiliar faces.

	"Gods, Joel," says Kaede as the tiny, mousy, woman walks onto the Temple grounds with the man "You drive like a madman." She's actually laughing as she admonishes him, probably half expecting to get a wall of profanity in return, "Next time I should torment you by having my assistant drive us, so that you have to deal with NORMAL speeds." She lightly pokes the man in the arm as they walk, "Have you ever been to an event like this before, by the way? It feels kind of different from the Matsuri I am used to in Japan."

	The Longmen monks that call this place home are friendly enough. Dressed in robes of a rich violet color, they mingle with the growing crowd, handing out the "party favors" such as they were - joss sticks, joss paper, etc. They also do their best to traffic cop folks to the various makeshift altars so that everyone gets a chance to put up mementos and make offerings before joining the general festivities.

"Hey, we made it in one piece, didn't we?" The car that parks outside the temple is a riot of neon paint covering an otherwise nondescript Prius. Along with Kaede, an average-looking white guy emerges from the driver's seat, shoving his Magic 8-Ball keychain into his pocket. "I only went six miles above the speed limit. Maybe seven. If /that's/ driving like a madman, you'd die if you ever drove on any thruways out here. Freeways, whateer they call 'em." Joel grins towards Kaede at the poke in his arm. "Nah. I mean, I've been to, like, multicultural festivals at MIT, but nothing that's really -- you know -- legit." The pair nears the entrance, and Joel looks towards Kaede, to follow her lead. "I'm supposed to take my shoes off or something, right?"

	The Longmen are barefoot, but guests are allowed to retain or doff their shoes as they please. There's a spot by the entrance for those that want to go barefoot, but it doesn't seem mandatory at all.

	After families make their way to leave offerings and pay respect, children gather in the center of the expansive courtyard, working on helping their small animal shaped kites take flight!

Li Bong does not go barefoot. Probably nobody wants to see his toenails anyway.
	"Ah... foo dog!" He gets excited at one of the statues, showing some random kid how to rub it's head for luck. This gets a first glance and odd reaction from what's assumed to be that kid's parents, but they soon realize Li Bong is harmless, and then all join in the rub down.

	"Ah, well, I'm not Taoist... " Says Kaede, "It doesn't look like it though. It isn't as though we seem to have crossed a boundary where they want to keep outside pollutants from intruding." She looks around a little, "And I see others wearing shoes. You're fine." She smiles, "I'm glad you're the type who is so thoughtful, actually. It says a lot about you."

	Danny greets Li Bong warmly, "Welcome, friend, please enjoy the wine and libations at your pleasure." Then he looks over at some of the new faces, and makes his way over to greet Joel and Kaede. "Welcome to the temple, we are honored to share our festival with you. I'm Danny."

"Shh. Don't tell anyone. I'm supposed to be the biggest jerkass in the ci -- " And it clicks to Joel that he's just cursed in front of a bunch of kids. He clears his throat, offering Kaede an apologetic smile cast towards the crowd. "The biggest dummy in the city. Which, apparently, I've put paid to." He shoves his hands into his trenchcoat while he strolls up to Danny, and extends a hand for a shake. "Joel. Don't tell anyone, but I think I jst cursed around some kids. You the ringmaster?"

	Danny will offer a wushu baoquan li or "kung fu fist salute" to Joel, then also take the man's hand in a firm shake. "After a fashion, yes. The secular side of things, at any rate. Making sure the bills get paid, and all that razzmatazz." A pause as he looks to Kaede, then back to Joel. "Make yourself at home, explore at your leisure, and if you have any dear ones to remember, one of my longmen will show you to an altar."

	A gaggle of children run by with their kites soaring in the air behind them, and dumplings in their free hand.

	Ying Yue shows up, a little later than most, but by no means too late. Getting to Tijuana is not the easiest for the young woman. SHe is dressed in her cheongsam, which is about as formal as she gets. Her steps are slow and deliberate, not because she can't move any faster, but because she is taking her time and enjoying being in the Temple.

Li Bong gives his bow of respect to Danny, and then continues on interacting with children, and parents, and occasionally with the monks. He seems to get along with them all, and is familiar enough. WHat he doesnt do, really, is ever spend too much time with one person, or one tent, or one game. He's making sure to see everything he can.

	"At least you are self-conscious about it, Joel, that's more than some people would be," responds Kaede to the man with a smile that might even be considered maternal in a way. She waits, just a little back from Joel and to the side, as Danny greets him. She then bows to Danny from the waist in simple Japanese fashion as by way of her own greeting to the aforementioned Secular Master of Ceremonies. Her hair drifts over one eye, giving her pause to sweep it back into place with her fingers before rearranging her laptop case on her shoulder.

Finally Misty arrives at the temple, her gaze drifting across the rather curious location as she looks across the crowds for familiar faces.

Joel's shake is equally firm, even if Danny has a couple of inches of height on him. He squints at Danny's silver eyes for a moment. "Cool," he responds evenly, pulling his hand away to turn back towards Kaede and raise his brows at the bow she gives. "Oh, right." He clasps his hands together, affecting a halfassed bow in return, and then follows it up with the same salute Danny gave, before adding, "We heading in?" to Kaede. His gaze drits towards the other arrivals, but he seems content to stick near the woman he arrived with at present, offering the strangers a quick, easy grin.

	Danny gives Joel a nod, "Make sure you help yourselves to the food and drink. The dumplings are an acquired taste, but si are many things in life worth experiencing." Then he spies Misty! "Excuse me, honored guests." And he makes his way in Misty's direction.

	Some of the longmen monks are already organizing tug of war games between the adults, presaged by the beating of drums!
You say, “Misty! Over here!”

	"Oh, yes," says Kaede as she smiles up to Joel quite warmly "Lets go on in. If you have any departed loved ones, this is a festival in their honor... we can get some joss sticks to burn. At the very least I'm looking forward to some dumplings. Confections are usually really good with these events, whether Japanese or Chinese... " She heads onwards to the tables with the joss, but is slow to move despite wearing normal clothing. She seems a little timid of the crowd.
Misty flashes a bright smile Danny's way and she starts over towards him, bowing her head slightly, "Mr. Dragon. The event looks fantastic so far." She says once near enough to speak conversationally, "I admit, I'm a bit new to these chinese festivals, but it looks like it's quite the presentation!"

	In the Shadowlands, a few Ancestor trickle in to join those that were already present, here to enjoy the remembrance by family, and drink of the pathos generated by the social ritual!

	The sound of the laughter of children can be heard as they "duel" their kites in the air in the center of the mountainside courtyard - dragon vs phoenix, tiger vs dragon, phoenix vs tiger.
"What if I don't know if they're alive or dead?" Joel wonders. "This do any good for people who've gone MIA?" He follows her lead towards the joss sticks, although at the short woman's slowness, he at east sees confident enough to take the lead, even if he is in a crowd and in unfamiliar surroundings. "Incense. We only need some pot to get rid of the scent of before my folks come home," he quips lightly towards Kaede, although he adds something more quietly to her, a question of sorts that ends with a little bit of encouragement.

	Danny nods to Misty, "I'm glad that you could make it." He leans in a little closer to the Japanese woman. "One of the Hotsuins might be reaching out to you on some business I'm expected to attend. You should make plans to attend with me and RSVP us when they do."

	Ying Yue stays mostly around the outside the main events, moving around, seemingly talking to herself at certain intervals, pausing to look out over the crowd. She's not adverse to people coming to talk to her, but she's not going out of her way to interrupt anyone either.

	It's an interesting crowd, full of faces from across the border in Prospect's chinatown, as well as many faces from Tijuana's Barrio Chino, down the mountain. Even a few faces from folks who have come from as far as San Francisco, Seattle, and Monterrey.

<WRAITH> Ying Yue is mostly going around, talking quietly with the spirits whose family cannot or just have not come. Willing to talk with them for some time, let them know that there is at least one who will remember.

	A few of the children pull down some of the willow branches that decorate the temple grounds, and use them as make-believe swords, playing out the wuxia stories their grandparents have told them.

	Giving Joel 'The Look', you know the one that Moms know instinctively, Kaede pokes him lightly in the ribs before doubling her pace to be sure she keeps up with him. "If they are MIA it still serves as well wishes. I'm not sure how much you believe in this kind of thing, but the ancestors are always watching. Should your loved ones be alive, I fully feel as though it would still be a way to send your well wishes." She steps close to murmur something to Joel in return.

Li Bongs joins the fake-sword fighting with the kids, using his bamboo stick to thwach their branches. He's having a blast.

"Ah, that sounds wonderful." Misty says with a quick smile flashed at Danny as she glances across the room before looking back to Danny, "I'll ask a few more questions later I'm sure, but I'll make a note of that should anyone approach me."

Joel gives Kaede a flat, unimpressed look at whatever she whispered to him, adding something quietly back to her, his tone a bit cool. But he sets the joss stick aflame, adding, "Not my relatives, but family. Kinda. Also a cat I miss." He seems uncertain what to do with the thin wooden stick now, eyeing her uncertainly, before his gaze drifts towards the crowd for any more help, more than a little unfamiliar with this part of the ritual, at least.

	For those with Awareness:
0 succs - Lookit all the joss sticks!
1 succ - is that magic I feel, or my tummy disagreeing with dumpling?
2-3 succs - Something's nudging against the Wall!
4+ succs - The nudging is on the Yin (shadowlands) side of things!

Li Bong stops his sword-play playing with the kids, and earns himself a nasty, loud THUNK as one of the little girls gives him a heavy, solid wack against the shin. He doesnt even seem to notice however, as he squints up at... well... nothing. But something definitely distracted him.

	Grinning faintly, Kaede points to the small tray that the joss would be placed in, hopefully before Joel burns his fingers. She also lights one and then claps twice before holding a position of prayer for a moment. "Confucian legalists, yes," she says more audibly "Not the most progressive line of thought on gender politics but I can't speak to that either as a Buddhist, considering the Buddha considered us women to be nothing more than temptation that led away from Nirvana." She quirks her lips, "It's just me, likely. Don't worry too much about... " Then she blinks once and tugs at her hair, looking to Joel pointedly but falling silent

	A breeze blows through the expanse of the ground, warmer than the weather might have presaged. Then again, it IS spring.
You paged Joel with ‘the perimeter of the space, but originating in the westerly direction’

Hisato has made his to the temple deciding to at least make an appearance in support of the local traditions of the Shen in the area. The tall man is walking with his hands clasped behind his back looking at the various stations and people watching. He blinks a bit as he looks around some the proverbial hairs on the back of his neck standing on edge as his gaze starts to dart around a little bit more.

"Piss on that," Joel says quietly, if pretty rudely, about gender inequality in a legalist society. He rids himself of the joss stick at her direction, not bothering to clap or pray, before he looks back at Kaede, his eyes widening in response at her look. His teeth set a little, and one hand goes to his trenchcoat pocket as if to draw /something/ nearby him, as he slips away from her for the western side of the temple. "Come on," he tells her, apparently not bothering to wait for her as he strides that way, sucking in a breath between his teeth.

	There's a gathering of people in each of the cardinal directions, the gatherings playing the huge game of tug of war that's being coordinated by the longmen. They all seem to be having a grand old time with the game!

Li Bong, now disentangled from the gaggle of kids with stick-swords, finds himself near Joel and Kaede as they -also- react to the heebie geebies. His canvas bag hangs over one shoulder with it's frayed strap, and his bamboo pole moves across Joel. In front of him.
It's not in a threatening gesture! More like when you put someone's hand in front of them at a crosswalk, before a speeding car tears by... or if you have to brake suddenly in your tuktuk and reflexively put your hand up to protect your passenger (even tho they have their seat belt on.)
	"Too many people, Sir." He whispers. "No guns."

	Ying Yue looks up from what is either one of her conversations with herself, or perhaps prayer, as something catches her attention. She looks about trying to find the source of what is bothering her.

	Hand to her chest, fingers splayed, Kaede follows after Joel as quick as her tiny legs will carry her. She has to take three steps for his every two, making it not unlike watching a Pomeranian try to follow a German Shepherd. She pauses as Li Bong moves to block Joel's path, and looks up at him with incredulity "Pretty certain it isn't. We're geeks not terrorists, thank you."

	Danny was in mid-sentence with Misty, speaking quietly before his attention is otherwise gathered, over towards the western part of the courtyard. Or maybe? He was just checking in on the children frolicking in the center and dueling their kites!

	SUDDENLY? There will be a commotion over by the tug-of-war being played in the western cardinal direction. Like dominos, one side of the tug-of-war will begin letting go of the rope, one by one, sending the other side cashing backwards into each other. The longmen monks blink as bodies go falling, and they do their best to help folks up from the unexpected scrum. Some voices, they take on an angry tone, despite the monks working to get everyone up off the ground.

Falling into step with Kaede and Joel, Li Bong, the usually drunken homeless laborer, quickly whispers. "The Middle Kingdom has many ghosts. Not all are danger." He does not otherwise inhibit them at all, but the... commotion, draws his attention. And then a frown.
	"At least not usually."

Joel blinks at Li Bong's words, and then shoots Kaede an uncomfortable look at her claim. The other man actually guessed right about what he was going for, it seems. Joel wheels back from that bamboo pole, drawing short. "All right. But /something's/ up," he points out none too eloquently, drawing his hand from his pocket and folding his arms. "Your move," he tells Li Bong, passing the buck, and craning his neck to search through the crowd and see who else might have reacted. So he's startled when the tug of war starts to disintegrate, turning back with a perfectly audible, "Shit."

	Murmuring VERY quietly to Li Bong and Joel, Kaede points out "I'm not an uninitiated outsider to the Middle Kingdom. But I've never felt anything this... overt before during a festival," she looks around and then looks to the tug-o-war. "I've got nothing to deal with this though... " she continues, "Hmm." Pulling her tablet from laptop bag she swipes left through a few things on her screen, "No, no, no... You think they are trying to bend things for their amusement or for something more... sustaining?"

	The angry voices seem to jump around in the scrum, the monks quickly working to try and re-establish a sense of calm. Then someone in a white robe, and wearing a tiger mask darts out from the scrum. The figure's physique is vaguely feminine, though the robe is a little oversized. Darting out from the crowd, the masked reveler darts towards the entrance to the Sanqing Hall. Behind her? The monks continue to work to keep an actual melee from breaking out. THIS? This was NOT proper!

	"The best weapons you always have with you, Miss." Li Bong taps the side of his head. Then his heart.
	"Let us follow the Tiger Bride." And he makes his way after the woman in the white robe.


	Ying Yue is moving towards the commotion, not in a panicked rush, but rather calmly.That's not to say that she doesn't make good time, even if she is in the dress. <If anyone has an Idea of what this is about, speak up.> The woman says in mandarin, even if there are few people around.

<WRAITH> Ying Yue's words are likely meant for those gathered who might actually know something from this side.

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, in the white cowled robe, with slippers of white to match, darts deftly across the courtyard, avoiding running into any of the children. The children, however, seem to think this is all some sort of a game! And they begin to likewise give chase, interposing themselves between Li Bong, Joel, and Kaede, and the woman in white.

Joel moves quickly through the crowd, elbows at the ready and trenchcoat flared, to clear a path for his petite companion nearby as much as he can. Being a loud, obvious presence in the crowd might well be useful in this case, as he ignores Kaede's questions, pushing ahead. "My car's outside if it helps," he adds, the Prius' headlights flashing in indication as he thumbs his car keys. "Hey! Danny! Shut the doors!" he calls over to the tall fellow, trying to get the woman they're after to be blocked in.

Hisato starts to head towards the commotion as well his hands no longer clasped behind him. He's not running but his gait has elongated to a 'range walk' moving with a great deal of speed.

	In the shadowlands, the Ancestors here look shocked. They speak amongst themselves in disbelief that anyone would make such mischief at their event!

"I take it that's not a normal thing?" Misty asks Danny, glancing over towards the commotion that has drawn much attention from the gathered, nose scrunching a little.

Feeling like he's now in a Spielberg movie, with a ridiculous number of extras running in and out of the scene, Li Bong laughs. But, it's an expression flavored with frustration. He doesn't want anyone to get hurt... so he keeps his eyes on Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, and gets in pace with the child-mob.

As Li Bong moves, he slips his glasses on from inside the pockets of his baggy clothes - round rimmed little metal things. All the rage in China, maybe (like in the 80's).

	Danny hears Joel's warning, and then he flashes a nod in the man's direction, carefully moving past Misty to shut the doors. For everyone's safety, of course. The longmen take their cure from the maoshan, and those skilled in things martial might sense a shift in their bearing as they make ready or trouble. Danny looks back to Misty, "Never in all my time here, no," the maoshan offers with a hint of concern. "It's rather rude and inauspicious..." His brow furrows, and he motions for Misty to join him (and the others!) now in "pursuit" of Tiger's Beautiful Daughter.

	Indeed, Kaede is at a full run though. Probably more exercise than she has gotten all at once in a long time considering her cheeks have little spots of pink amidst her saffron complexion. She is squarely BEHIND Joel, letting him carve their path as he desires, simply trying to keep up to be there and be useful if she is needed.

	The Pied Piper of Hamelin? He has NOTHING on Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, for as she darts about, more and more of the guests suddenly feel compelled to join the chase, (in)advertently (NOT!) giving her some cover between her and the PCs! Children, guests, but not the longmen nor the PCs seem to be affected. Nor the Ancestors, of course.

	Danny's strange silver eyes seek out Ying Yue, "Help me find Ying Yue," he asks Misty. "Too many guests..."

Li Bong, with his glasses on, and his bag bouncing across his shoulder is (to be honest) having a blast while running with the bulls. But, he's got the foresight to look ahead. Where -is- Tigers Beautiful Daughter headed?
Is there a door?
Is there a portal?
Stairs?
A Gate?
	"Computer man. Let us flank her!" He calls out toward Joel, then makes a beeline, either left or right, so he's not directly following the kids, but trying to cut-em-off-at-the-pass.

	The benefit of the commotion is a singular woman, such as Ying Yue, can just pass behind an object and well...vanish.

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter is headed not for the exit, she veers sharply! No now she's headed for the gate that leads to the next set of buildings deeper into the temple!

<UMBRA> On the other side of the mirror though, Ying Yue appears, leaping in to the air, taking on her beautiful and majesting feathered dragon form. There are no crows to impede her progress here, not when she can just fly towards the apparent destination, or at least in that direction to try and get ahead of the daughter of the Tiger.

"Right, I'll try and find her." Misty says with a nod to Danny before she starts searching the crowds for where Ying Yue's gotten off to in the festival crowd!

	Currently inside the temple grounds? There's a commotion. People are yelling and having a grand old time? Maybe. A gaggle of children and adults have massed in a serpentine line of a crowd, chasing after a slight woman in a white robe and a tiger mask running across the courtyard towards the gate that leads further into the temple.

Li Bong follows indeed. His glasses on help him see better, so he doesnt bump into any of those kids and knock 'em down. The old bag over his bounces as he runs along, threatening to spill it's contents - apples today!

	Simply skidding to a halt, holding her tablet as she does so, Kaede is breathing HARD. She really can't keep up, she's both too tiny and not an athlete. She glares at the figure of the tiger bride in white trying to escape deeper into the temple and begins to type something out on her tablet's screen rapidly, swiping every so often between executing commands of some sort. Maybe she's blogging the event? Who knows. But she's red-faced and sweating now and she doesn't look happy.

Hisato starts to move a bit faster although he spots some familiar faces and diverts from the wild chase of sorts towards Danny and Misty speeding up to almost a light jog, offering a wave as he's closer, "Do either of you two know what's going on?"

	Danny looks to Hisato, "We seem to have a surprise guest, that's making a commotion. Help me keep the guests safe, and the children safer. We have friends looking after the Tiger."

Li Bong follows indeed. His glasses on help him see better, so he doesnt bump into any of those kids and knock 'em down. The old bag over his bounces as he runs along, threatening to spill it's contents - apples today!

Joel mutters something quiet to Kaede, as he draws out his Magic 8-Ball keychain again. He moves to flank her though, nodding at Li Bong's request, digging through his pockets to withdraw his plastic-cased cellphone and clutch them in the same hand. As luck would have it -- cough, cough -- the flagstones before the woman, and before the crowd, that lead towards those gates are surprisingly uneven, hopefully providing enough of a disruption to the flow to try to trip up the woman, if not the crowd itself. Joel himself seems to take them at a stride that suggests he expected to encounter such an obstacle, and if anyone does manage to become Aware of his magick, it'll flare like a sudden burst of electricity. If and only if, as the computer guys say.

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter will suddenly stumble, even as her delicate hands come out to reach out in front of her, as if she's having trouble believing what's in front of her. Or maybe she's just trying to keep her balance as she stumbles? The conga line of children and guest behind her will also likewise slow down as to avoid tripping and falling. Some of the children, their kites get tangled as a result and come crashing down and they begin to cry as a result.

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, however? She is apparently a trained martial artist, apparently, because what comes next? Well, this WAS the Middle Kingdom, even this far away from the land of Qin, yes? She lets out a cry of exasperation, shutting her eyes behind the tiger mask she wears and proceeds blindly, because her senses deceive her. One of the kites flies loose from a child's hand, making its way over the wall and into the next courtyard over. Tiger's Beautiful Daughter? She runs UP the kite string, blind, managing to leap over the wall and into the next room as a result!

	And who should arrive at the festival than someone who looks like she is probably lost. Dressed like a gothic take on a pop punk idol, hair pulled into a pair of long pigtails, and not looking more than seventeen is the diminutive form Ren. Yet at the same time there is something off about this young woman, maybe it is the traditional Japanese kiseru pipe she is smoking, maybe it is the sheer confidence she projects, it is hard to pin down but she is anything but a wallflower.

"I don't see her anywhere." Misty says after scanning across the temple, "Do you have a phone number for her maybe? I can reach out to her that way possibly." She offers, then turns to Hisato as he approaches, "I'm not entirely sure, something strange though.."

Li Bong stops dead, watching the Wu Shu At Work. He smiles, watching Tigers Beautifu Daughter's stunt, and he claps!
	"As the English would say, Bravo." He shakes his head. Smiling still. That was impressive. If Joel continues, Li Bong will follow.

Templo de las Nubes Oscuras - Sanqing Hall(#8024R)

	Sanqing Hall is a two-story, five bay structure with a gabled roof that contains statues of the Three Pure Ones on the top floor and the Four Celestial Aides on the bottom floor.

	The statues of the Three Pure Ones (https://tinyurl.com/ThreePureOnes) on the top floor are as follows:

	1) The Celestial Venerable of the Primordial Beginning, a representation of the principle of all being. From him all things arose. He is eternal, limitless, and without form.

	2) The Universally Honoured One of Divinities and Treasures, associated with yin and yang and responsible as the custodian of the sacred book. He also calculates time and divides it into different epochs.

	3) The Universally Honoured Virtuous One, the treasurer of spirits, known also as the Lord of Man.

	The bottom floor, anchored by the statues of the Four Celestial Aides, is where the monastic community holds a twice-daily office, and it is where ordination certificates are issued.

	**** WALL RATING: 4 ****


	On this side of the wall? SO. MANY. ROOFS. AND. GABLES. AND. BALCONIES.

Joel raises dark brows at Li Bong, after a long look at the woman's acrobatic performance. "You saw that, right? Wasn't just me?" A beat. "Coming?" He moves to yank open the gate, unhesitating as he heads into the inner courtyard. He stops short, gaze drifting up a bit distractedly towards those statues. These so aren't his usual digs, and the trenchcoated man appears a little at a loss in the innards of the temple, grimacing. "Needle in a fucking haystack."

	Still panting, Kaede nods rapidly to Joel, managing to mutter "Umu... " between breaths. She watches, though, as Tiger's Beautiful Daughter RUNS UP A KITE STRING. "A KITE STRING?" spits Kaede in exasperation, "REALLY? What kind of... " She straightens and tries to keep up, but she is REALLY not in shape. No, she's not fat. Or at least don't call her fat! At this point, though, she might as well be walking as she holds her side. "I am not a Kung Fu actress!!!"

	While NOT the most graceful example of wuxia acrobatics (Tiger's Beautiful Daughter wobbles on her way up the kite string, running blind), and she wasn't too graceful on the leap over the wall (her form was off, too much twist!), it was still impressive by western standards, at least? The woman in white lands like a feather on one of the balconies, and takes a moment to try and clear her mind of offending magics and center her wits.

Hisato watches as Tiger's Beautiful Daughter runs up a kite string and grins some, "That's actually amazing." Then he looks back towards Danny and Misty nodding some, "Shall we proceed closer to the children then? I'd rather be in the proper area to react to something if possible."

	Ren's expression seems amused, her pace leisurely, as she follows in the wake of the crowd smoking her kiseru and blowing rings of smoke into the air. She doesn't seem particularly phased by anything that is happening. She will however spare a little wave and a bow of her head to Danny, "Lovely festival you have going here, sorry I am fashionably late."

	"Be careful, computer man. She is... how do you call it... Leet Skillz." Li Bong says to Joel with a smile. This is fun for him. As far out of his league as Tigers Beautiful Daughter is gonna be.
	"Let us run the wind with her!" And he heads after her, though he can't dance on a kite. He can, however, take the stairs.

	From the rooftop above the balcony, the white haired Ying Yue looks down with a smile, "What are you running from, I may be able to help." She says, offering a hand down to help the Tiger's Beautiful daughter up to the roof. "If will take them some time to get up here. Rest."

Joel smiles back at the supposed eliteness of their target. "I like a challenge." He looks back towards Kaede, grimacing, adding, "You... you're already out of breath. It's okay. Chill out." And then he moves to go after Li Bong, taking the steps two at a time in a whoosh of trenchcoat and energy. Up, up, and away! Even if disappointingly practically. "Anyone else, move your ass!" he calls to the small crowd that's gathered. Well, that's /one/ way to encourage people, even if perhaps not the most motivational way.

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter is winded, clearly, from the mojo she had to push through earlier. She reaches her hand up towards Ying Yue, removing her tiger mask, and revealing a youthful Chinese face, indeed beautiful, pale with long flowing white hair that comes loose as her cowl falls back. "No! Be careful, there's a Rak-" She won't finish her sentence, however, as suddenly ...

	"Rakshasa...." Li Bong whispers, as he loses pace with Joel. Two steps at a time is more than the goofy drunk monk can handle, but he doesnt lose -much- ground. He's not carrying around a laptop or anything like that!

	PEOPLE WITH THE EYE OF AGAMOTTO (AKA AWARENESS):
0 succ - Nothing to see here!
1 succ - More magic is happening!
2-3 The Wall's being breached!
4+ - Big Time Space and Spirit magics were just deployed!

	Dropping to her knees when Joel tells her to chill, Kaede responds "Yes, yes, I'm a disappointment to The Genji and all my Minamoto ancestors, this is nothing new." She looks around as she feels the presence of Ch'i shaping, sucking her lower lip before calling out "Joel! Be careful!" and then pulling up a pair of custom apps on her tablet, ready to run them at a button press.

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter doesn't quite manage to catch hold of Ying Yue's hand before she's hit in the neck with ... a dart? A small, tiny dart?! Her eyes flutter, the white tiger mask drops away from her hand towards the ground, followed by her body. SHe'll land at Joel and Li Bong's and whomever else's feet. "I was trying to draw the raksha away from the families..." she mutters before she ... dies? Sleeps? Passes out?

	"Assassin!" He calls out, but it's not a shout. More like a hissed whisper, only intended for Joel. And he points across the large courtyard, opposite direction Up on the roof. VERY Far away. How the heck did he see that?
Ying Yue could have heard him, of course.(tho i'm not OOcly sure what she's actually doing). He stops to reach out and see if he needs to catch Tiger's Beautiful Daughter.

	"Yare yare," comes Ren's voice from the back, hands on her hips, "Ravanna's errant children up to mischief again." the kiseru is brought to her lips again, "The wall is being breached and trouble is coming. Someone should take those children to safety." she doesn't seem worried, so much as annoyed at the creature that would dare to interrupt her enjoyment of the festival.

Joel shoots Li Bong a clueless look. But he's fast enough. Apparently he's used to chases, but he does brace himself for incoming. And then there's a body. He jumps back, surprised, but recovers quickly, wheeling to a stop. "Someone call 911!" he demands towards the crowd down below, before he hits the deck at Li Bong's whisper, not thinking twice as he moves for cover.

	Off in the distance? On the rooftop horizon? There'll be the /slightest/ of spatial distorios noticeable by the extremely perceptive, or otherwise mystically enhanced. Like if space just opened up, then puckered shut afterwards.

	"Rakasha? Just great... " says Kaede as she moves BACK towards where the children are, if they are indeed in the same area where the young woman was killed. "Hey hey, come on, back to the festival! There are plenty of sweets to be had, right?" Simultaneously, despite her hair being disheveled with strands clinging to her perspiring visage she whips out her phone, dialing 911 exactly as Joel said to...

	The children that tried to follow into this more ornate prettier part of the temple head back the other way as Kaede herds the gaggle back and away.

Li Bong will hang with the downed Tigers Beautiful Daughter, checking her vitals. If she has 'em.

	Danny finally arrives to join Joel and Li Bing, with Misty and Histao in tow. "Give her some air, air!" He motions for Hisato to help Li Bong lift the girl in the white robe up off the ground. "Come, to the medical bay." He then looks to Misty, "Will you help tend to the guests and restore a bit of calm and order? The longmen will follow your lead."

	Ying Yue jumps down to the balcony below, looking to Joel and Li Bong, "Is she still alive?" The young woman asks as she leans down to take the tiger mask. "And get her in to cover. Perhaps I can draw out the attackers."

Misty casts a quick little glance over toward Danny then Hisato, giving a nod of her head to Danny, "Of course." She says after a moment before clearing her throat a little and starting to make her way to try and gather up the guests and keep things nice and orderly!

Hisato blinks some as he looks around a bit more, "What now?" He looks over at Danny and then back towards the children before he moves to help Li Bong with the girl in white, "Does she have vitals and have we seen where she was hurt at?" He's careful to help pick her up and not jostle her too much his eyes searching for any blatant injuries first from the fall second to have caused the fall.

Li Bong will let big tall Hisato take the girl. The drunken monk aint much when it comes to the muscle world. He will step out of the way and let other people power in there and save her!
	"Be careful. I do not know if it was for sleep or death. She will require special treatment."

Joel, having expected a follow up attack that didn't come, eases his way out from the instinctive cover he'd taken from a firefight that didn't happen, staring at that point in space on the rooftop. "Right. Fuck that." But just then, something else catches his attention. He moves to slip an arm out of his jacket, using the thick leather material to pick up the tiny dart that seems to have fallen down at his feet. "Anybody a toxicologist?" he wonders a little dryly.

	Danny looks to Joel, then to Hisato. "We have components in the medical bay. Come, time is of the essence."

	"Give me her robe and try to treat her. I will still distract them and lead them away if they are still here. Keep her out of sight." Ying Yue says, donning the mask and waiting for the robe. White hair, chinese, about the same height and build, she could make for a decent decoy.

	With Misty working on ensuring that the ethic of discretion held by the denizens of the Middle Kingdom is maintained, and giving direction to the longmen to help restore calm and order, the rest of the group is free to split up duties. Danny does as Ying Yue asks, handing her the white robe. In truth? There was remarkable similarity between the two!

Li Bong shakes his head to Joel, "It looks like orange juice. Florida Orange Juice, to be specific. With no pulp!" He looks over at Hisato with the girl, then to Ying Yue.
	"The assassin has fled. Who would hunt this woman?"

	"The kids are all back in the main area where your people can keep them safe," says Kaede to Danny, "I called 911, the paramedics and police are going to be en route." She looks to Joel, "Sorry I wasn't more of a help... " She finger-brushes her black hair out of her face. She sighs softly, "I hope she's okay. I was sure she was causing trouble. But... damn... " She grits her teeth.

	"A Rakshasa, apparently, and some manner of manipulator of the mystic arts." an annoyed Ren taps out the spent contents of her kiseru, "The question to meditate upon is why. The former servants of Ravanna are known for both their cunning and their cruelty." she scowls and turns towards Danny, "It would seem we have even more to talk about."

	Danny lets his guests tend to TBD, turning to give Ren a nod. "Too many inauspicious omens. The incursion must not go unaccounted for." There is no anger in his voice, just matter-of-factness.

Li Bong stays out of the way of the medical skills and the demon experts. He did what he could, and he fades back toward the crowds. Along the way, his eyes move to a lone, forgotten kite, stuck on one of the ropes for the tower. It's dangling there, caught, unable to fly the skies.

Joel is still gazing up at the roof, after he has handed over the dart to whomever -- presumably Hisato -- though he's very careful to avoid making it touch the fellow's fingers. At Ren's words, his gaze drifts downward again. He looks between Danny and Ren, evaluating, but says nothing, instead shooting Kaede a pointed look and raising his brows. Apparently Danny and Ren aren't the only two who will have things to talk about later!

Hisato nods towards Li Bong as he picks the woman up to carry her to the medical bay. Once he's there he sets the girl down on one of the tables as he starts to rummage through the various collection of supplies that's there grabbing a pinch of this and a dash of that to add to a mortar taking the pedestal to crush them together. He points towards somebody in the bay with him, "Boil water in a kettle for me." He's grabbing a few more herbs then puts them all into the water letting it seep for just a little while before he pours it into a cup and carefully pours it into the girl's mouth, "And now we wait. That should be enough to keep her from getting worse."

	"Rakashas were both evil AND good in the Mahabarata though... you know what? Nevermind. I'm just a bystander, ahahaha hah ahaha... And a nanny apparently. Have fun with your stories about myths and legends and such, I really hope the girl recovers quickly." She waves, saying "Byeee... " as she meets Joel's eyes and makes her way BACK out into the main area. And likely after that, heading for the car.

Li Bong has vanished into the crowd. Arcane in play!

===> Log ended by user <===> 3/31/2020, 11:03:25 PM <===