Sun and Moon Meet

===> COH <===> 12/30/2019, 11:24:37 PM <===
Templo de las Nubes Oscuras - Dragon Gate(#8117RA)

	Underneath Sanqing Hall is the Dragon Gate. This cavernous subterranean space is old. Older than the temple above. More akin to a natural cave than a man made tunnel, it's then perhaps not that unusual that there's an aura of primordial power here. The temperature of this room drops several degrees from the one above, leaving the space perpetually cool and slightly damp. The Yin energies in here - cold, dark, overpowering - they run /strong/. Like a heavy pall draped over a tomb, the Yin touches /everything/ inside the space.

	In the center of the cavern? The Dragon Gate itself. The gate takes the form of a perfectly circular pool, about ten feet in diameter, filled with a still and placid black liquid. The pool betrays no clues as to its depth.

	**** WALL RATING: 3 ****

	(This room needs an Umbra desc. @mail building staff if you want to provide one.)


	(This room needs a Wraith desc. @mail building staff if you want to provide one.)

Contents:
Xiaoling
Mr. Lao(#17421)
Obvious Exits:
  Qiuzu Hall <QH>


	Danny Dragon, the man of a thousand lives. In one such life? He had crossed paths with Xiaoling. Or at least the immortal part of his dragon-soul had. And in that life? The dragon celestial had developed a soft spot for the dhampyr foundling. Said dragon celestial watched over the dhampyr as the foundling grew into a young (by dhampyr standards) woman, offering secret succor as it could, doing its helping the dhampyr navigate the intricate courts of the wan kuei. But then the immortal dragon celestial found a mortal host in the person of Daniel Lung, also known as Danny Dragon. And with a mortal host, came the ability to seek out Xiaoling more overtly, tugging at the strands of fate so that she might end up in Tijuana, Baja California by way of Barrio Chino. All so that she might be guided up the mountain on the outskirts of town, and into the Taoist temple situated high up towards the peak. This? This is where our story begins!

	Danny sat in meditation at the edge of the inky pool. The yarrow stalk divinations presaged Xiaoling's arrival. So all the maoshan master had to do was ... wait. Thus? He waited. Patiently. Immobile. Impassive. SOaking in all the Yin. This is the Way.

She knew it was coming. She simply did not know the exact moment. Thus, when ZHang Xiaoling was summoned to the temple by the man known as the Dragon Master she knew her life was never going to be the same. Clothed in a long flowing white dress, the young woman slowly emerged from the pool, her hair long and flowing first seen, followed by her from. The dress clings tight and wet to her body as she hovers a moment above the water, peering down at the figure who has summoned her. There are no words yet, her hands folded before her and an inclining of her head as a show of respect to the man before her.

	Danny stirs when he notices the otherwise perfectly placid inky waters of the pool begin to stir. A small ripple at first, then more, increasing in intensity and succession as Xiaoling's arrival is imminent. And then? She emerges from the pool. Danny cocks his head as she steps out of the waters, and he rises to greet her. A small, simple bow is offered, and then he takes a step back. "Well, let's get a better look at you then," he says, his unnaturally colored silver eyes regarding her from behind the bandana mask that he wears. Another few moments of silent regard and then he inquires. "Do you have it? Is it safe?"

Slowly the woman is lowered to the edge of the pool, her barefeet setting foot on solid ground and she begins to walk slowly around the Dragon Master, seemingly surveying him. "What no Hello?" She laughs lightly and pause sin her step, folding her hands behind her and taking a small breath before offering a bow of her own. "DO I have it? You question me M'lord? I am deeply hurt." However the sparkle in her eye shows you she is merely jesting. Her finger goes to her lips and she taps them twice in mock thought. "You mean the sword. Oh about that..."

Her hand then extends to the pool open and the water starts to ripple once more. The sword then flies out of the pool and directly into her hand, the young woman not even watching it do so. "You must mean this sword." She winks and extends both her hands to offer it to him from open palms. "Go ahead..."

	Danny watches as Xiaoling summons the legendary Star Shower Blade into her hand from the mysterious black waters of the pool! Despite the impressive display, Danny's face and posture will betray no emotion, not even an ounce of surprise. He reaches out and takes the mystic blade from Xiaoling, running his hands along its length. After he completes his examination of the weapon, he will carefully hand it back to the dhampyr. "Excellent. We are at war with a cell of the Quincunx here in Tijuana. You will have call to put the blade to use soon." Only now does he show a small bit of emotion, offering the woman a soft smile. "And welcome to the templo de las nubes oscuras. We are in sore need of skills such as yours."

The sword is taken back and another bow is given, her head slowly rising, a hand moving to brush her wet hair back behind her shoulder. "I am yours to command M'lord. COnsider my sword to be an extension of your power. Point me in the direction and get out of the way." There is another smile given and she pads her way to the edge of the pool, sitting upon it and peering up at you. "Quincunx. I have heard of them. I shall have no issues with disposing them in your name." She tilts her head to the side and narrows her eyes in the glance given to you. "Your confidence in my abilities is flattering. Don't worry, I shall not let it go to my head."

	Danny reaches up and removes his mask, so that Xiaoling can gaze upon his naked face. Another small smile, and he motions for her to step forward and over to a table and benches. "We'll see how it all shakes out. I've arranged a raid on their beachhead with some allies of mine from the local kin-jin population, as they too are at war with the Quincunx. It will be an opportunity for you to learn, as well as defend our interests." He sets a small fire to burn and then waits for the water in a small iron kettle to heat. "Please, sit. I'll have to introduce you to Lady Lanfear, who runs the Wing Kong triad in my name. You will help administer the operations of the temple here."

The young woman makes her way gracefully to the offered table and lowers herself onto one of the benches, folding her hands upon the table, her eyes not straying from the man before her once. "I look forward to meeting her. I am sure you are assembling a team that will serve your purpose quite well." Her eyes finally drift around to the temple before her, taking it all in. "I can handle that. Oversee the operation of the Temple. Sound easy enough. I am at your service M'lord in anything you ask of me. I trust my obedience will give me the opportunity to shed blood and mark my name with it upon the walls of remembrance.

	Danny raises a hand and makes a soft 'pfft' of a sound. "No need to be so formal, at least not all of the time. Now that we've had introductions, it's just Danny and Xiaoling." A wry smile, "Or Moon and SUn of you wanna have pet names for each other." He pulls out a small tin of purple leaves. "Purple yin, from yunnan province. Good to keep the yin up." He places leaves in two small cups, and then takes the kettle off the fire and pours heated water into the cups to make tea.


"Danny then. Unless you wish to use moon and sun, of which I must ask which you choose to be?" She watches as the tea is being poured and it would appear all formality quickly dissipates at his command. "Yunnan province. I have been there. Cam across the Laotian border. Another time another story." Her finger lightly tap the table in front of her. "So how much trouble are we in Danny? Don't bullshit me." Yes, formality is gone.

	Danny sets the cup of tea before Xiao, and then takes up his own, but waits for it to cool a little. "I thought it would be obvious that you are the sun, and I the moon." A small grin before he blows on his tea to help cool it before taking up a noisy slurp of a sip. "There is a war-wu on Isla de Todos Santos, off of Ensenada Bay. Five wan kuei. Jina at the very least. Powerful enough to threaten the local kin-jin with some success. Clever enough to have infiltrated the temple before I discovered them."

Xiao purses her lips behind a smile. "I am pretty bright and you act in the shadows of the night. It is fitting. Moon." She reaches for the tea and blows across the top before taking a long drawn sip. "Mmmm, this is good. It has been too long since I have had a proper Chinese Tea." She looks about the temple once more. "Well Danny Moon. You have a security system now. Your temple will be safe." She winks and smiles from behind the rim of the teacup. "SO who do we have..I mean aside from myself, you and this Lady Lanfear?"

	A shrug rolls across the breadth of his broad shoulders beneath the black robe he wears. "The kin-jin of the Sabbat are rather impressive in their abilities, for kin-jin. As for other shen, well. The shen are a bit of a disparate group, so it depends on who might take an interest in this little bit of night work."

"We will work with what we have and no less or no more. In the end, we will be victorious. It is as simple as that, it really just depends on who we must share the glory with." She takes another sip of the tea and lowers the cup to the table, moving to pull her hair back into a ponytail with a brown leather strap, speaking as she does so. "It is my experience, that when a group is under disparage...that group comes together. I expect the Shen to do the same. Any petty feelings between them will be buried at least for the meantime. Yet, we must plan as if we only have what we know we have.

	Danny regards the youthful woman in silence for a few long moments, expression inscrutable. Then another noisy slurp of tea will be taken, and the silence broken. "I appreciate your enthusiasm and resolve." He sets his teacup down on the table. "I will consult the stars before we launch the offensive. In the meantime? I suppose that I should convene those of us that we know will participate for a briefing and preparations."

"Do not confuse enthusiasm with duty Danny Moon. I am but a tool, a weapon at your disposal. I exist to kill and in doing so resolving conflict." She sips the tea once more and this time holds the cup before her once again. "A meeting would suit us well. SOmething of this magnitude is doomed to fail without proper planning." She looks about the temple once more and raises a brow, a small smirk. "So should I sleep by the pool?"

	"Just Danny. Or just Moon. One or the other will do." He peers down into the cup and then flips it over on the table. The cup is lifted away, leaving wet tea leaves behind. Silver eyes casually peruse the patterns. Then he looks up, and call out in Mandarin. "Lao! We have a new guest who will be staying with us. I won't presume to have her impose on your space, so she'll quarter up above, but you should show yourself."

	Other than Danny and XIao, there seems to be on one else in the cavern. But then? From the shadowlands, you see an oriental dragon emerge! 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 great best regards Xiao curiously. <<Welcome. Mind the dragon gate pool.>>

	Danny restrains a smirk. Barely. "Xiaoling, this is Mr. Lao. Guardian of the Dragon Gate here, and at the Wing Kong Exchange. He's generally even tempered, unless he hasn't eaten." A pause, "Lao, Xiaoling will guard up above, freeing you to focus solely on the protection and defense of the gate." The dragon will listen, then offer a single nod before fading back across the Wall. <<See you around, Little Dhampyr.>>

Talk about an entrance. Who is this Lao? Her question is quickly answered when the Dragon emerges. Her reaction is interesting to say the least. Call it the unexpected entrance..call it the fact that a dragon has just appeared before her, but Xiao reacts. With the grace of a ballet dance, the young woman finds herself leaping from her chair with a half spin and landing in a one legged crouched position with the sword drawn. She is breathing heavily and simply focusing on the dragon a she listens to your words. "So...I am going to sleep above that?" She blinks twice and exhales slowly. "Okay then ALright. He guards the dragon gate. That makes sense." She is still barefoot upon the table even after the dragon fades. "Can we use that to fight with?" The question seems like a no brainer to her.

	"Mr. Lao is above most petty temporal concerns. He guards the dragon gate here and the dragon nest at the Wing Kong Exchange. If we must bring him with us into the field, things must be dire indeed. In many ways? He is our most valuable resource, and must be treated as such." Danny pauses. "That being said? He has accompanied me into the field once or twice, yes."

She is calm now. SOmething in her must have triggered, and the young woman lowers herself back to the chair with a graceful bound. "Well, let us hope things do not get that dire. As much as I would love to see him in action, I hope it never gets that bad." There is another soft exhale. "So protect the Temple from upstairs. And eliminate the threat to the Shen. SOunds easy enough Moon. I assume I have a place to stay upstairs?"

	Danny nods. "The monks upstairs can show you to quarters, yes. Feel free to personalize them as you like." His eyes take in the sight of the tea leaves on the table one last time before he sweeps them back into the cup with a hand. Something that he saw there didn't sit right with him, not at all. "I need to consult the yarrow stalks again. I'll join you upstairs when I'm finished." He reaches out to take her hand in his, and give a light but affectionate squeeze, "I'm glad you're here." Then he releases her hand and rises from the table. "Our prospects are much brightened with you at our side."

Xiao accepts the hand squeeze and squeezes it back, her smile and glance genuine and almost dutifully affectionate. "I am glad to be here Danny. Truthfully. Of course they are brightened, for I am the sun." She winks and slowly releases his hand. "I do not require much, but a place to lay my head and I am sure it will be far more than sufficient." Slowly she rises and bows once more. "We shall speak soon." She then starts to slowly depart, looking to where the dragon appeared from. "Goodnight Lao. Rest well. Nobody will make it down here...I promise." And with that she navigates her way to the floor above.

===> Log ended by user <===> 1/1/2020, 10:12:32 PM <===