Ebon Dragon, Golden Lotus, White Tiger

===> COH <===> 4/5/2020, 2:27:37 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?

Obvious Exits:
  Office <Of>

	Danny is dressed in his ceremonial maoshan garb - violet bandana mask, black robe, black yoga pants, and violet slippers. Next to him? Master Prem - one of the monks of the Golden Lotus cult, dressed in a golden-saffron robe, red yoga pants, and golden-saffron slippers. The two are speaking quietly.

Li Bong sits Lotus-style, on the floor. He is not meditating, but oh so very calm. He appears to be waiting, with bits of the Time Sphere floating about himself, as he's both looking into his past... and his future.

Lana is making her way back, seems she's been out and about warning people and checking to see about any strange things as she promised she would do last time. As she spots Danny and the Monk she bows deeply. "Maoshan." she places one closed hang into the palm of her other.

	Master Prem looks over when Lana arrives, and he gives the woman a bow and martial salute in return. Then Danny looks to Li Bong and back to Lana, "Master Prem believes that the "excitement" at the festival was a result of our offer of assistance to the Golden Lotus in Qi Lung." Off napping on a cot? Tiger's Beautiful Daughter rests, still recovering from her poisoning at the festival.

Li Bong lets his magick fade and looks up, over to the others. He has been quiet, listening. He was there. He was too late to stop the attack on Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, but he has helped her to be brought to safety.
	"Was she bringing a message... or -was- she the message?"

Down comes Misty as well, offering a slight bow to everyone gathered as she makes her way over, lingering near the edge of the gathering as she watches and listens to what's happening.
Lana glances over at the napping women and then studies Danny and the Monk. "If you'd like, I can see if I can't bring life back into her. I have some spices and herbs that just might do the trick along with some ancient Kung fu rituals. Moashan if that is your desire."

	Master Prem sighs, nodding to Li Bong's inquiry "Both. I had hoped she could track down the raksha and dispose of it before it caused your people any trouble, and then she was to convene a meeting with your people to make you aware of the incursion. But she is ... headstrong, to say the least, and may have overestimated her abilities and underestimated the raksha's."

	Danny looks over to Lana and gives a small nod, "That would be helpful. The poison has proven to be incredibly resilient to purging from her system. Any assistance in curing her would be welcome." Then he looks to Misty and gives the woman a small smile. "Glad you could join the party."

Li Bong's eyebrow arches. "My people, Master? I was not aware others of the Wu Lung were in Prospect." He frowns a bit, unraveling from his lotus position and giving Lana a bow. "Mistress Phoenix, I wish to offer my assistance to restore her life."

"She's the one who had the poisoning?" Misty asks with a little glance, "I could attempt a cleansing, it may or may not prove beneficial though." She offers with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

Lana bows her head towards Danny and then moves over towards the 'sleeping' Tigress daughter. Lana kneels and removes her jacket, her arms coated in dragon tattoos. She places her satchel beside her and procudes a set of small cups, she lights up a small candle over which she places the cups to heat up as she then starts to expose the woman of some of her clothes, in the stomach region making sure that the Tigress daughter is not put to shame. She glances at Li Bong for a moment, her eyes flashes like silver as she then continues with her work.

Li Bong takes that as a no, so stays clear. He gives her a bow, and then returns to being quiet.

	Danny gives Misty a nod, "We should spare NO effort in making her well. She has information we need to track down this raksha interloper in our midst." He indicates that team Chinatown should assist Lana with the ministrations.

	Master Prem gives Li Bong a smile, gesturing with his hands widely, "Not just the Wu Lung - your small but well fortified piece of the middle kingdom." Then he grows quiet as people seek to help Tiger's Beautiful Daughter recover.

<<I would not deny a Wu Lung to aid, if the Wu Lung would aid a Hong Lei.>> Lana states in chinese as she places the heated cups on the exposed stomach of the Tigress daughter. Three cups in a pyramid, as she then claps her hands together and rubs them against one another to generate heat as she murmurs softly in chinese, calling for the power of the great dragon. Anyone with know how of the magic, could see a strange mixture of two various houses.

He bows, then Li Bong will step over. From the sleeve of his loose clothing, he pulls out a small sheath of needles, and moves to kneel beside Tigers Beautiful Daughter. If Lana will allow, he will tap and vibrate them into place. His chi will flow to support hers.

Li Bong's Life magic will support Lana's.

	Master Prem makes his way over to the sleeping girl and the mages that seek to aid her. Then he looks back to Danny and Misty, "Are you familiar, then? With Lanka, the Demon City of Rakshasas. back before our peninsula broke off from the yomi lands, they were kept at bay by the other yama kings. But now that we float free, it would seem they have designs on annexation."

Li Bong's needles and Lana's little ritual wont be able to heal the girl. But, they may be able to make her comfortable. Perhaps... pull her mind to the surface and wake her up.
	"Be calm, Tigers Beautiful Daughter. The Poison is strong. Beyond our humble skills to cleanse from your body, but awake... and speak with us."

Lana shakes her head slightly, a glance towards Li Bong and then over towards Danny:shakes her head slightly, a glance towards Li Bong and then over towards Danny "Moashan, my powers are not strong enough. But I can summon something that is, if allowed in this sacred place." she offers.

Hisato was here all along... He'd come in with Misty but he'd been staying off to the side and keeping quiet for a bit, "I could attempt the Mother's Touch on her? But I'm not really sure if it would do any good it's more for physical injuries than toxins."

"Well, Rakshasha can be a lot of things, I guess." Misty says with a soft hmmn at the question, "I'm more than capable of cleansing the taint of the Yama Kings, and I know some things about them in general, but I don't know much about this specific incident." She offers a little shrug of her shoulders.

	Danny looks to Lana and gives the woman a nod.

	In the meantime, its clearly evident that Tiger's Beautiful Daughter is fighting off the toxins, her forehead beaded with sweat, her complexion pale from the strain. Her eyes flutter open as she slips in and out of consciousness.

Li Bong, the drunken monk, will bow to Lana as they both realize they can't heal the toxins. Poison is behind his humble skills. When Hisato mentions another gift, he will stand and move out of the way.
	"Do whatever is necessary."

	Prem watches the valiant efforts made the various shen, and smiles, looking to Danny and then Misty, "Your community is admirable in its togetherness. Our land was like that, once upon a time, before we were claimed by the yama kings. Maybe one day, we will be again."

"I'll need a branch, Willow or Birch ideally." Misty says before pulling her jacket off, followed by her heels which she'll set down together neatly and walk over towards the poisoned woman, "I'll also need a torch, and a bowl of pure water." She says, opening up her purse and she'll pull out a stick of charcoal, the sort you might buy at an art store, and she'll begin drawing a circle on the ground around the woman, marking glyphs and sigils at various cardinal points of the circle she's drawing.

	The good thing about Danny being a maoshan, who "minored" in Yang/Feng Tan? He always had all manner of components around for both Yin and Yang type spells and rituals. He makes his way to open up a steamer trunk, gathering the materials and taking them to Misty. He'll look over a shoulder to Prem, "Tell us what you know of Lanka, then?"

Hisato nods a bit but he holds off while Misty begins a cleansing ritual so he just holds off on the use of a gift. Instead he goes over to help Danny collect up the components for the ritual bringing whatever Danny hands him from the trunk to take over to Misty.

Staying quietly out of the way, Li Bong watches the assembled Shen do what it is they do. His skills are humble and ineffective, though he will assist in any way he can... that doesn't involve lots of physical labor. Or math.

Once the circle is drawn around the woman, Misty will then take the water and fill the bowl, dipping the branch in it. Next she'll light the torch with her lighter and she'll begin to walk a slow circle, counterclockwise around the woman, letting out a soft eerie chant as she whips the branch downward at the woman, sprinkling the water that the branch was dipped in onto the ailing woman.

Lana draws symbols in the air, as if doing a kata while kneeling. She rubs the dragons along her arms as she breathes slowly and closes her eyes as she chants and calls for the ancestors and the great dragons to assist her.
The candle before her flickers as she moves her hand through the flame and then opens her eyes once more. Eyes almost glows in silver as she calls for the great water dragon to come forth and tend to her needs.
The air shimmers before her and then the world before her comes to a still.
Anyone with spirit sight or anything akin to such can see what just might be a dragon made out of water, very chinese looking.

It's likely that there is nothing actually apparent that happens as Misty concludes her ritual of cleansing, but after making a full circle around the woman on the ground and sprinkling her with water she will step aside, giving a nod of her head towards Danny and the others, "She is cleansed. Perhaps now her injury will be receptive to treatment."

Li Bong stays out of the way, near Hisato who also isn't really doing much while the ladies work. Girl power!

Hisato nods as Li Bong stays over towards him, "Impressive aren't they? Hopefully we can get this young lady healed up."

"Shuilóng" She speaks in chinese and bows before the spirit visible before her and places her hands upon the ground. <<I beseech you, I need the blessing of the Dragon to assist the Tigress daughter. What more fitting then to let you Shuilóng, counter the imbalance found in the Tiger.>> she rises up once more, to be seated on her knees and motions at the sleeping tigress daughter. <<In return, I will have the maoshan assist me in creating a shrine for the Shuilóng. If you help me heal her, I will pledge that I'll honor you for the coming month to share my essence with you>>
The Shuilóng, or water dragon studies Lana for a moment and then flows over towards the sleeping woman and seems to fade into her, becoming one and a shimmer of watery light adding it's powers of healing upon the Tigress Daughter.

	It takes a few moments, the cleansing ritual of Misty having set the stage for the healing magic of the water dragon that Lana summoned and bargained with. But the two things in combination? They do indeed seem to do the trick! The malignant spiritual fever breaks first, the taint leaving TBD's body. Then? The healing power of the water dragon does the rest, allowing TBD's body to mend as the water dragon's Charm "swashes" over TBD's body... It is then?

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter opens her eyes. wide She's awake! Sitting up on the cot with a jolt, she'll let out a gasp! "The minions of Ravana! They're here. More are coming!"

Li Bong smiles, giving a bow to Hisato.
	"The spirits prevail where the flesh fails. It is the nature of balance, Master Hisato." He turns his attention back to Tigers Beauty Baby.

"Often when dealing with minions of the centipede you have to assure that the taint is cleansed or you may never cure what ails them." Misty says with a slight nod of her head.

	"The Centipede is the spirit of corruption?" Li Bong asks Misty.
	"We have so many names for the Gods of the warring kingdoms."

Lana looks over towards Li Bong and offers a soft, even if somewhat exhausted smile, toward him. <The people of the west have strange names for the ways of the east. While the Centipede may not reside in the Jade Empire, it most likely still resides there but under a different name and face.>>

Li Bong bows slightly to Lana. He will respond in the same tongue. <The Wu Lung speak of the Dragon, the Tiger and the Phoenix. The Three Warring Kingdoms. In the West, it is the Wyrm, the Wyld and the Weaver.> He pauses, then in English. "The Hong Lei embrace both teachings, yes?"

Misty will walk over towards Hisato once the rite is completed and she'll nod her head to Li Bong, "It is yes." She says, glancing over towards Hisato a little.

Hisato looks over at Misty as everything finishes up some and sighs, "I really will have to learn that Ritual won't I? I suppose when this is said and done I'll have to come begin learning the Cleansing Rites."

Lana nods her head slowly as she listens to what is said. She switches to english to ensure all may understand. "How very Kuei Jin, Dynamic, entropic and stasis." she mutters softly as she nods her head once more. "The Hong Lei do not view either as evil or bad."

Li Bong chuckles and spreads his hands.
	"In the Middle Kingdom, there is always balance, Mistress Lana."

	Prem rushes over to TBD, giving her a hug. "I thought we'd lost you, girl." Then he steps back and looks to the group. "Tiger's Beautiful Daughter is a refugee from the kingdom of Lanka." A smile as the monk looks to her, then back to the group. "A twilight child."

Misty nods her head softly to Hisato, "Like I said, it's probably the best rite to learn first." She says to the man, "We'll start practicing it today if you'd like."

Lana nods her head towards Li Bong and keeps that soft tired smile on her lips. <<Monk, I'm a Hong Lei witch, perhaps we should not contradict each other, we view the same world in the same eyes more or less.">> she says with a soft chuckle to her tone. She then looks over towards Prem and bows deeply. "It was the Dragon's wish to tend to her, no need to thank us, thank him." she offers and then wipes her forehead.

Li Bong smiles to Lana, but does not respond. Instead, he turns his attention toward Prem and Tiger's Beauty. He says nothing. Quiet listening flower.

Hisato nods a bit, "Lets do that. What should I pick up supplies wise? Seems some water, and stuff?"

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter looks around slowly, catching her breath. So many unfamiliar faces! She leans back against the stone wall. "Ravana," she begins, speaking softly. "He was said to be brave, courageous, smart, and knew how to use every type of weapon with a degree of skill. It was said that only Shiva himself could kill him. Blessed with the ability of flight and invisibility, and he could make it rain water, fire, or thousands of arrows." Her brow furrows. "Despite all of this, in his heart Ravana was a pleasure seeker who sought to use his abilities and gifts for his own personal satisfaction, which in turn caused him to become lustful, proud, quick to anger, and filled with jealousy. Open to corruption, he succumbed and devolved into a ten-headed and twenty-armed demon that is now the king of the rakshasas." She struggles to get to her feet. "As a demon, he is now driven by his compulsion to drink human blood. A highly skilled shape-shifter, he is also strong enough to split a mountain with his bare hands. Ravana can rip a man's soul right from his body!" Standing up too fast, she ends up falling back down onto the cot. She curses in her native tongue, then looks back to the group. "Fortunately for everyone here? We're only dealing with his servants. Rakshas. Shapeshifters and illusionists. We have to find it, before it makes too much trouble, and summons forth another."

	Danny watches and listens impassively to the girl's tale. After she's finished? He offers a nod and a simple "hnnh."
"We can go and pick up the things we need after." Misty says softly to Hisato as she stands beside him and listens to the tale of Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, hmning softly.

Lana remains seated on her knees, taking the time to regain her composure and will after the summoning. Not used to making things in the get goo she takes a moment to simply breath and listen.

In the silence that follows, Li Bong will ask.
	"Do you have ways to find the Rakshas? Is there a trail we can follow, other than one of death and murder?"

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter makes a face, wrinkling her nose. "I usually just get lucky. But it is said some divining magics work. Barring that? Just look for outbursts of chaos and grief where before there was none." A hand comes up, and she brushes white hair out of her face. "I will help you as best I can, but for now?" A sigh as she sinks back down onto the cot. "I need to rest and gather my wits."

	"Chaos and grief? No shortage of that in the West, Tigers Beautiful Daughter." Li Bong muses. He will reach over his shoulder into his worn canvas bag, and pluck a gift. The fruit of the day is Peach, and the one he sets beside Tiger's Beauty is plump and fuzzy and probably very tasty.

	Tiger's Beautiful Daughter gives Li Bong a smile, mouths a quiet 'thank you' and then tucks into the peach with a ferocious appetite as she eats to regain her strength while trying her best to order her thoughts in this strange, strange land she finds herself in.

Lana furrows her eyebrows. "I'm not much of a tracker, perhaps Misty?" she looks over towards Misty and tilts her head. "You can advice in these matters?" she then eyes Li Bong and Hisato making sure they are both included in her question.
Misty shakes her head, "I've got nothing that would be helpful in tracking them currently.... though I may be able to craft a Talen that could help with a shapeshifting Rakshasha." She muses, rubbing her chin lightly, "I'll think on it."

	"We should visit the temple and the place where the Assassin arrived. There will be a trail there. The history of presence will leave... a memory." Says Li Bong. "We will start there."

Hisato hmmms a bit, "I'll see if Sumi can track them. If I can catch a bit of their scent I might be able to help but I'm no bloodhound."

	Danny looks to his companions, and offers a small supportive nod. "Well, it seems we have the makings of a plan. Let's allow our guest to rest, while we make our own preparations and gather our own wits for what may come next."
===> Log ended by user <===> 4/5/2020, 5:07:57 PM <===