A mystery in Chinatown

===> COH <===> 4/16/2020, 8:20:33 PM <===
Underneath Chinatown - Ebon Dragon's Nest(#3634RM)

	This cavernous subterranean space is old. Older than the warehouse 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? A circular pool, about ten feet in diameter, filled with a still and placid black liquid. The pool betrays no clues as to its depth.

	The space is sparsely furnished - A small altar. A pair of cots with pillows and blankets. A large wooden steamer trunk. A stainless steel medical table. And off to the side, a table and two benches carved of the same stone that makes up this cavern.

	**** PLACES ENABLED, WALL RATING: 4 ****

	The light of the Deadlands reveals that the whole space is entirely and thoroughly suffused with roiling Yin energies. Black blood of the earth bubbles up with the chaotic energies of the primordial Ebon Dragon Egg. No Ancestor Spirits dwell here, despite the obvious attraction that such a space might hold. One is inevitably likely left to wonder ... why?

Contents:
Li Bong
Mr. Lao(#17421)
Obvious Exits:
  Office <Of>

	Danny Dragon, maoshan master and dragon head of the Wing Kong triad, was currently in the heart of the triad's power - the ebon dragon's nest underneath chinatown. He was engaged in quiet conversation with Mr. Lao, the Black Tortoise of the North, one of the last of the great dragons of the middle kingdom, and the triad's avatar. Something? Something must have been brewing for these two to be having a meeting of the minds!

	Danny gives Lao a nod. "Troubling indeed. If it /is/ western necromancy, well. That's always been a brutish half-art in comparison to our traditions. But would they be so barbaric as to deploy it in the interests of a gang war?"

	Lao was about to rumble out a reply, the dragon nearly invisible in the darkness of the cavern save for those burning red eyes of his, but then he'd stop. "We have company," cames the dragon's pronouncement.

Li Bong, the earnest and remarkably always pleasant 'monk', has been allowed down as he's bearing gifts. It's whatever random item he was tasked to present in order to gain an audience. Maybe a certain color and vintage of joss paper, or perhaps a rare magazine with an inaccurate photo label on the front from the 1940s', or maybe a special Jade piece of jewelry lost by the wife of some local political player that Danny didn't want to send any of his regular people to find.

Li Bong has found it. That's something he's very good at.

	Danny would pause as Lao indicated an arrival. Down here? In the heart of chinatown darkest of dark places? There was little the Black Tortoise of the North did not notice. Danny looked over a shoulder. "I suppose I should set out some tea, then." Tea. Always purple yin, from Yunnan province. A breath was taken as Danny forced himself to be more human and less - whatever the fuck he was. Cold. Impassive. An avatar of yin. "Just in time for tea," he called out to Li Bong, indicating that the man should join him at a rough hewn stone table and benches.

Li Bong gives a most respectful bow to both of them, and moves to a seat. Over his shoulder is a newer version of the bag he always carries his fruit in, but they would not let him bring his bamboo stick down here. He offers the 'package' that he gathered as a show of faith, and smiles.
	"Honored, Master Dragon." He pauses to smile to Lao. "Western magicians are warring against Chinatown?"

	Danny lights coals afire in a brazier with a wave of a hand, then sets a small teakettle atop it. While the water heats? He looks over to the package. He reaches for it, deft fingers carefully unwrapping the exterior to reveal the contents. Otherworldly silver colored eyes drop down to review the contents. "Hnh." AN approving sound as he wraps it back up and sets it aside. "Thank you," he offers. Then he considers the man's question. "Well, that's the mystery that needs solving, yes?"

	"One would assume the Wing Kong are fully capable of discovering such mysterious. Their prowess is well respected." Li Bong says with a smile, watching Danny light the flames. "And their enemies must either be very brave, or even more foolish."

	Danny shrugs. "Things work differently in the west. Our little piece of the middle kingdom is just that - a little piece of home, so very far away from home. At its heart, within our borders? There is little that cannot be discovered. Tamed. Mastered. But outside?" A pause as he pulls the kettle off the coals, and then pours the heated water over purple tea leaves in small white ceramic cups. Soon, a muddy looking brew is prepared, and left to steep. "Outside our borders? The playing field is much more level. Much." He'll let the tea cool, sliding a cup over to Li Bong.

Li Bong takes the tea, with both hands, but doesnt lift it up yet. He nods.
	"And unlike our Beast Courts, the West is a savage and undisciplined mess. Even the other Chi'n Ta are animals, with their in-fighting and destructive politics."

	"At any rate? It could have been any one of a number of things - necromancy included." Danny looks over a shoulder where the dragon had been earlier, but was now faded from view. "Lao, however, has a nose for foreign contaminants, and he definitely smelled something on the soldati's corpse." A faint smile, "The fact that the mafioso's corpse sprang to unlife afterwards for another bite at the apple was surely no coincidence."
Li Bong says, “Mafioso?" He frowns, "As in... Italian Mafioso?”

	Danny nods. "Some flavor thereof, anyway. We had to put the thing down with extreme prejudice before it had a chance to take out any more of our own soldiers after the first."

Li Bong's fingers knuckled up around the tea cup, threatening to crush it. But, he's a disciplined guy, even if he seems goofy most of the time. The madness of the mage.
	"I am not a fan." He shakes his head. Did you salvage any of it's corpse?"

	Danny shrugs, "Lao dragged it across the Wall, to keep it from doing more damage." His brow furrowed slightly beneath his bandanna mask. "Part of it remained on this side. Lao was unable to take it all in one ... bite." The maoshan indicates the black pool of mystery liquid over in the center of the cavern. "The remains that were left behind are in the pool for safekeeping." A pause. "For now, anyway."

	By now? The tea had grown lukewarm, bordering on cool. Ready to drink! It was purple yin tea, after all. Danny grabbed his cup, and motioned for Li Bong to do the same. "Have you an interest or some skill to bring to bear?"

Li Bong looks at the pool. Grimaces. Maybe at the idea of the body in there... maybe just at the pool itself. He looks down at the cup, raising it a bit.
	"Your servant, Lana Wu Chang, is far more skilled in the spiritual arts than I. She, like me, was also trained by the Wu Lung. I would search the body and see what remains of it's mortal life. Identify it. Follow it's path to it's transformation."

	Danny nods, then knocks back the muddy purple brew with a noisy slurp. "Well, the remains can be pulled from the pool easily enough. Or the other half can be examined on the other side of the Wall in the yin realm." Danny then flips the small cup upside down on the table, and slaps the bottom. Lifting the cup away leaves the wet tea leaves behind on the table. "The man's documentation is in an envelope upstairs. You're welcome to assist with either, or neither at your interest."

Li Bong nods, "While I am certain you have loyal soldiers who can navigate the western bureaucracy," He smiles as he sips the tea more delicately, "I have not always been a poor, homeless monk."

	Danny peers down at the tea leaves on the table in silent consideration for a few moments.

	Danny arches an eyebrow, looking up to stare across the table at Li Bong, then looking back down to the tea leaves, then back up to the monk. "Hnh." A ghost of a smile flutters across the maoshan's lips before he sweeps the tea leaves off the table with his hand in one deft motion. "I would ask your assistance in this matter. I don't need a gang war with the Italians, but neither can I let supernatural aggressions go unchecked. Will you do me the favor, then?" He lifts his strange silver colored eyes back up to the man.

Li Bong finishes his tea, and almost slams it to the tabletop... before suddenly realizing just how disrespectful that might be. He stops... then sets it gently down. If he noticed the reading of the tea leaves, he gave no indication.
	"If they are a threat to our people, by all means. If they bring danger and destruction to Chinatown, then you could not hold me back, Master Dragon."

	Danny nods. "Then I am happy to have you do me the favor. And to repay you in kind,, when all is said and done."
You paged Jin with ‘at the other dragon nest, if you wanted to come over’

Li Bong nods again, sitting up more straight. He taps his fingers on the top of the table.
	"If you will permit me his papers and identification, that would be most helpful. The body..." He shakes his head, 'As long as it matches the photo on the ID, I do not need it."

	Danny nods, "Fair enough. And of course. If Lana can be of assistance, feel free to draw on her. Or if you would like me to accompany you for this or that, I will do my best to make the time."

Li Bong tilts his head, squinting a bit. "How well would you blend in at City Hall or the Department of Motor Vehicles?" He smiles. "No offense, of course."

	Danny laughs, "You'd be surprised at how unremarkable I am in a hat and with a pair of dark sunglasses." A pause and a shrug. "The greater challenge is making the time. But I was more meaning should you track down the source and wish company on the surveillance."

Li Bong asks, "Would you send your soldiers, Master Dragon? I do not think I need the help."

	Danny shakes his head, "I've already lost one soldier to this supernatural threat. I won't lose another. They have roles to play, but ending up kibble for an undead cannibal is not among them."
	"Not that I expect you to end up kibble, mind you," he clarifies.

Li Bong nods, "I am certain I can handle an undead cannibal. Perhaps three or four." He laughs, "Any more than that, and I would run like a screaming schoolgirl." He stands from the table. "Thank you for the hospitality, Master."

	Danny nods. "If I'm not here when you find something to report? You can petition Lao, and share with him. I'm sure he'd enjoy the conversation. He's trying to be more sociable."

Li Bong looks over toward the pool, and then the shadows. "How would I reach him? As mentioned, I know little of the spirit realm."

	"Just come down here and call his name. If you have an offering of yin? That helps," offered the maoshan helpfully.

Li Bong gives another bow. "Thank you for the time and the willingness to allow me to serve, Master."

Danny nods, then rises to show Li Bong out. "I wish you success in your efforts.""

===> Log ended by user <===> 4/16/2020, 9:55:20 PM <===