Qi Lung: Interlude Hand of the Dragon

+event/create Qi Lung: Interlude - Hand of the Dragon=2019-03-29 6:30 pm/Shen/The Story So Far:%R%ROur protagonists returned from the realm of Qi Lung having procured an artifact with which to purge tainted Chi from Hana, as well as to make ready to pay the price for said artifact: a rescue mission into one of Qi Lung's most forboding environs - the Mines of the Elephant. Now? Now is the calm before the storm.%R%RHaving had to face down half a thousand Varangian mercenaries and their Garuda-lich before successfully parleying for the artifact has caught the attention of the Celestial Bureaucracy of the Jade Throne. The stakes regarding the reclamation of Qi Lung from collateral damage inflicted by the War of the Yama Kings have risen! What was once viewed as a noble notion at best and a fool's errand at worst by the Eight Most Perfect Immortals has now taken on very real significance. In light of all the progress that has been made, a delegation of two Most Perfect Immortals will pay a visit to the Ebon Dragon's Nest, where it is said, they will oversee a ceremony to bind a guardian to the resident Divine Emissary of the Wu T'ian, the Immortal Dragon known as Daniel Wu Lung. In addition? It is rumored that the two Most Perfect Immortals have convinced the Venerable Ancestor of the Wing Kong Benevolent Association to step up and rise to the challenge from the Outland realms currently facing the local middle kingdom. What does this mean for Danny Dragon, agent of the Wing Kong? All will be revealed at the ceremony!%R%ROOC: This will primarily be a Social encounter for those participating in the Qi Lung campaign (though all Shen are welcome to attend!) as well as an IC introduction of a couple of new OOC developments germane to the campaign.%R%REstimated Run time: +/- 3 hours

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The gauntlet/shroud in the ancient chinatown cavern that houses the ebon dragon's nest has always been perilously /thin/. The ambient Yin chi from the Shadowlands is usually felt down here, exacerbated by the inky pool that serves as a nexus to the outland realms. But tonight? Tonight is /different/. Not only Yin chi, but Yang chi floods the space, setting everyone's Awareness a-buzz! (OOC: feel free to +gain pools of mystic energy) The sound of a gong will suddenly ring out, signaling the commencement of tonight's main event.

There will be a flash of bright flame, followed by an implosion of said flame into a dark void before the two opposing forces finally achieve a corruscating and uneasy equilibrium, the one coming into view before blinking out of existence for the other. From the flame, steps forward a red robed feminine figure wearing a mask of red jade. From the darkness steps forward a black robed masculine figure wearing a mask of black jade. The two Most Perfect Immortals have arrived - Phoenix in red, and Dragon in Black.

Phoenix says, "Daniel Wu Lung, divine emissary of the Xian Lung, mao shan to the local middle kingdom, servant of the Jade Throne. Step forward and present yourself to your superiors."

Dragon says nothing, merely watching the proceeding with unblinking eyes behind the mask of black jade. He does clutch something in his hands, roughly the size of a hand mirror, wrapped in black silk.

Phoenix continues. "The fate of Qi Lung stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all." A pause as the Phoenix looks out at the rest of those who have gathered in the deepest depths of the cavern for the ceremony. A long pause ans then, "The Jade Throne smiles upon the efforts of the local shen to preserve the outland realm of Qi Lung from the depredations of the Yama Kings." The Phoenix looks around again before fixing her gaze upon Danny. "The Yama Kings have also taken note." Another pause, and then a pronouncement. "As such, the Jade Throne, in its most perfect benificence, has come to a decision regarding the efforts taking place here."

Dragon steps forward. "We bring a guardian to this part of the middle kingdom," he intones. "The guardian demands sacrifice before binding himself to this place and to your struggles." A pause. "Daniel Wu Lung - do you accept the challenge?"

Danny, dressed in his ceremonial mao shan vestments, offers a nod and steps forward. And this? This is where things get interesting! The gauntlet/shroud/barrier-between-worlds suddenly drops and vanishes! Like, 0! Nothing-nada-zilch-zip standing between the space in the cavern, and the Yang and Yin realms. Why does this matter? Because through the absence of a barrier-between-worlds, comes a dragon-spirit! Serpentine in nature, it looks to measure roughly 18 feet from snout to tail. Oily black scales, a maw of pale jade fangs, eyes of red fire, and claws of pale jade on its fore and hind legs are some of the more salient features. The dragon-spirit uncoils and rears up to its full length, towering ominously above Danny. Then? The gong sounds out, deafening in the cavern, and two beings, man and dragon-spirit, charge at each other like a scene out of some crazy bootlegged anime or ripped straight from the pages of a manga!

Its over as soon as it starts, really. The mao shan was never a match for the dragon-spirit. The great beast crashes down upon Danny like thunder and lightning and torrential rain from heaven, swallowing the mao shan whole in its gaping maw. Having consumed the mao shan, the dragon-spirit coils and uncoils, savoring the delectable victory! Phoenix and Dragon Immortals look at the dragin-spirit, then at each other before looking out at the crowd. The dragon-spirit opens it mighty maw to let out a roar, but then he vanishes! In his place stands Danny, his skin glowing with the fire of a thousand suns. The mao shan's form flares brightly as he collapses to his knees, and then stepping forth from his body is the dragon-spirit, the two now tied as one, spiritually speaking. "I," says the dragon-spirit to all present. "Am Mr. Lao. Your goals, are my goals, your fight, is my fight. (OOC: Companion 5)" Awwww, the kaiju has adopted the local fauna!

As if a dragon-spirit walking through the broken barrier-between-worlds wasnt enough? Something else wicked this way comes! From a nihil in the shadowlands? The Venerable Ancestor of the Wing Kong! The ancient wraith moves forward, slippered feet not even touching the ground. "The Most Perfect Immortals have brought it to my attention," he intones. "That our champions were sorely outnumbered by the mercenearies in Qi Lung." A pause as the wraith's dead whiteless eye look out onto the crowd. "100 mercenaries? 500? And a Garuda-lich?" The Venerable Ancestor pfts, and spectral energies suddenly surge from him, casting his majestic cloak open to reveal a portal of howling black winds and swirling inky shadows. "The Wing Kong offer up our best to join the dragon-spirit. When the five fingers of a hand come together for a single, unified purpose, the hand becomes an object of unwavering power. The warriors of the Wing Kong are no more," he intones in a sepulchral death-rattle. "Long live the Hand of the Dragon. And you, Daniel Wu Lung, shall lead them and bring me glory eternal so that the deeds from this day will rattle the very pillars of heaven!" And with that, a host of warriors garbed in shadow come rushing out from the Ancestor's cloak. Hundreds of them, in a seemingly endless rush of bodies. The shadow warriors move silently, with strength of pupose and clarity of intent. The best of the Wing Kong are now the Cult of the Dragon (OOC: Neteru 5)!

The gong is struck again, echoing in the chamber and sigifying the end of the ceremony. Never again will the champions of Prospect's middle kingdom be so unfavored by the odds. The other side has 500 mercenaries and a garuda-lich? Well, the locals now have a dragon-spirit and a fanatical cult of shadow warrior zealots numbering in the hundreds. Perhaps even a /thousand/ strong. Prospect's chinatown is well on its way to earning a place as a proxy for one of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven!