Qi Lung - Aftermath - Prologue

===> COH <===> 3/28/2020, 7:47:44 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?

	Danny had called upon his allies, old and new, among Prospect's middle kingdom for a meeting to discuss developments impacting a familiar if far-away place. As people arrived, they would be escorted by the triad soldiers that staffed the warehouse upstairs to a hidden door that opened up into a secret passageway, and a set of stone stairs descending into the depths of Chinatown's undercity.

Just off to the side of Danny, stands Lana with her hands clasped in front of her and a silvery shine in her eyes. It seems the dragon brought an aide this time. Each person that enters is rewarded with a slight nod from Lana as she stands there silent.

One of the new faces among that list is Misty as she is lead to the space, the sound of her heels echoing along the stone stairs well ahead of her actual emergence. She gives a curious look to those gathered, returning nods or other greetings with a nod and a smile of her own.

	Danny was in his ceremonial maoshan vestments, as he oft was down here in the sacred place of yin. Standing over by the pool with Lana. The two were discussing something quietly, though the maoshan's everpresent impassive mien gave nothing away one way or the other regarding how he felt about whatever they were discussing.

	Ying Yue would show up, as she's been helping with this situation from the near start, if not the actual start. SHe's not wearing anything fancy tonight, and the injuries that she'd left with last time are long healed. A nod is given to each in turn, but she focuses on Danny, "More issues?"

	Danny smiles when Misty arrives, though her choice of footwear will get a /look/. A nod to Ying Yue, "Something like that, yes." A pause. "I suppose introductions are in order, as we have faces both old and new here, before I dive into things." The maoshan's voice is sepulchral - a half octave or so lower than his usual "Danny voice". "Welcome to chinatown's ebon dragon's nest, and the seat of my influence in the middle kingdom and realms beyond. I am Daniel Lung, maoshan and ranking immortal dragon of the Wu T'ian protectorate in this corner of the middle kingdom."

Lana quietly awaits Danny to give his introduction, she then bows slightly towards the newly arrived. "Lana Wu, the Deputy Dragon Master of the Wing Kong." she curls her lips into a soft smile. "Hong Lei representative." she straightens up once again and places one closed fist into her open palm before her in greeting towards the others.

Li Bong stumbles over something near the entrance. Maybe it's a rock. Maybe it's a root. Maybe it's a spitoon. But whatever it was, it makes a loud noise and the Chinese guy in the floppy clothing crashes to the ground. The paperbag that was in his arms tears open, dropping a bunch of oranges, a bottle of kombucha, and a crumpled cheap tourist fan.
	"That will leave a mark," He mutters in Cantonese, from his knees, as he watches one of the oranges roll away and over toward where Danny and Lana are standing.

"Hello all." Misty says as she offers a formal bow to the gathering, "I am Misty Masuko, newly hired as Mr. Dragon's personal assistant. It is an honor and pleasure to meet you all."

	Danny's head snaps in the direction of commotion, and then he'll stop a single slowly rolling orange with his slippered foot. He'll deftly kick the orange up into his hand, and look to Li Bong. "Welcome," he intones. "To the ebon dragon's nest. I am the caretaker of this nest." he motions for Li Bong to join the others.

Curling into a lotus seat pretty close to where the others are, Li Bong settles. It's almost a serene pose, but one of his eyes is tracking the still wobbling orange. He grimaces. Wrinkles his nose. But tries to focus on the assembled personage.
	"Ji Li Xiuyuan. And I am but a simple man." He sniffs. Then lets out a tiny toot of a fart. "And I am in your service."

	"Jiang Ying Yue." The slender, white-haired woman introduces herself to the rest. She has no official titles or and such thing in this collection of people. What she is will likely be revealed later. She seems to be a woman of few words, at least right now.

Lana doesn't say much, she stands idly by awaiting to hear what the Dragon has to say this evening and making sure that no one does anything against the being in question. Now and then she shifts her weight from one foot to another, a minor shift but noticeable to anyone paying good attention.

	Danny tosses the orange back towards Li Bong, confident on the man's ability to catch it. Life comes at you fast! Then he turns back to the group, stepping up to share the reason for calling the meeting.

"Qi Lung. Some of you," Danny looks to Ying Yue, "Are familiar with the name." Then he looks to the rest and brings them up to speed. "Formerly a wartorn frontier between the kingdoms of two Yama Kings, the tiny realm is now independent and free to craft its own destiny after having literally broken off from the mainland following the detonation of an Artifact of immense destructive power by we shen from Prospect's Middle Kingdom!"

"Not since the fearsome Daimyo Of The Dark, Emma-O, claimed the small Yomi region known as Soko No Kuni (the Deep Land), and cultivated the darkness and the icy cold of the insignificant realm to transform it into the dreaded realm of Kakuri, has there been such a seismic opportunity to affect the balance of power in the Yomi Wan."

"If the dread Daimyo of the Dark - well known among the lords of Yomi as one of the greatest powers and closest pretenders to the Demon Seat - was able to achieve such a feat, surely others who share such ambition and drive might do the same?"

"And now, the opportunity presents itself. Various delegations from competing Yomi Lords are making ready to test the waters - dreams of annexation and visions of conquest dancing in their eyes. But will the we shen of Prospect's Middle Kingdom give up so easily on a prize so hard won?!"

Looking from Danny to the woman, one at a time, the odd homeless guy Li Bong tilts his head, then swivels back to regard the boss man. The orange, he caught, tucks into his lap. And he raises his hand. "No?" He says with quite a bit of upward tone to be more of a question.

	"I have bled more than anyone to ensure that realm's people are safe. Though, short of setting up a ruler of our own there, we will have to keep coming back every time someone decides they want to invade. What do you propose we do?" Ying Yue asks.

Misty listens quietly to the speech of Danny's, hands clasped lightly infront of her as she stands there with the others, remaining quiet as questions and comments come following his words.

	Danny's brow furrows, the expression evident even beneath the violet colored bandana mask that he wears. "Subjugating the realm to our own interests would be no better than the realm falling prey to one of the yama lords." A shake of his head, "No, I propose we open up a diplomatic channel. Perhaps with the monks of the poison lotus. We reach out to the people of the drowned villages. Maybe the mercenaries if any of them still remain." His jaw sets. "We need to engage in nation-building. No easy task, given the inherent corrosive nature of the yomi wan, but. This is our responsibility, no?" Once again he looks out onto all assembled with those supernatural silver colored eyes of his.

Li Bong again looks around at the women, and then back to Danny.
	"Yes?" Again the questioned tone, but he nods. "It is the responsibility of -someone-. Do your diplomatic channels usually work?"

The fact that someone questions the dragon earns a hard stare from Lana as she looks at Li Bong. "Everything is a fight between a tiger and a dragon, one needs to find the balance and let neither side gain the upper hand." she glances at Danny.
"The ancestral spirits and the servants of the Jade Empire will assist us in this endeavour."

	Danny looks from face to face. "this is not a decision that should be undertaken lightly. I would appreciate hearing from everyone present." He nods his head to Ying Yue and Li Bong, "Thank you for weighing in," he says before looking to the others in turn and inviting an opinion.

	"We - I - have the resources and the ability to do this. But I am but a humble servant of the August Personage in Jade, NOT as infallible as the Jade Throne Itself."

	"And even if they do build a nation, with the same people that were there before, what is to stop an invasion? Better to find a way to disconnect or hide that small realm from the rest and let them continue." Ying Yue says, let them balance themselves after that.

"I don't have the depth of allies or knowledge of the situation to really offer suggestions on how to accomplish your goals, Mr. Dragon." Misty says, "However I am more than happy to offer my aid in accomplishing whatever goal we set before us."

Li Bong looks at the orange in his lap, and lifts it up. Staring at it. He turns it around in his hand, and then with a dirty thumb nail, gouges it rather deftly near it's navel, and begins to unravel it.
	"The onion would be the better metaphor, but..." He gestures with the fruit. "What is it you wish us to do, Master Dragon? What -can- we do, we who are far more humble of a servant than yourself."

	"We approach the denizens of Qi Lung as a group, in the spirit of friendship. Together. Tomorrow at sunset. I will open up the dragon gate, and takes any who are interested in going. We can start by visiting the ashram of the remaining monks of the poison lotus." Danny clasps his hands behind his back, then waits to see who will volunteer to go with him on a extradimensional journey to build a nation in the middle of the most corrupt and dangerous place in the cosmos.

Li Bong finishes peeling his orange and then tears the sections delicately into little slivers. The first one, he reaches to put into his mouth, taking a bite. However, it squirts suddenly, going right into his eye. The tangy, sharp sting threatens to break his lotus composure, but ... he grimaces. Swallows, and as his winking eye waters, he will give a seated bow.

	Danny gives Li Bong a subtle smile, and a nod of appreciation. "Thank you for your solidarity."

Lana doesn't offer her help, after all she is in such a position that her aid is not asked for, not given its simply there for the taking. Her silvery eyes sweeps over the others in the room, everyone save Danny whom she stands beside, just off to the side and half a step behind.

	"Have I not played my part so far?" Ying Yue says simply, hand moving up subconsciously to rub at her shoulder.

	Danny gives Ying Yue an appreciative nod. "Indeed you have, but I would not presume anyone's disposition on such an important decision." Danny offers the woman a respectful bow, then looks to the rest. "We leave tomorrow night. Meet me here if you wish to go." A smile as he reaches up to remove his maoshan mask, the doffing of his ceremonial vestments signaling that the "formal" part of the gathering is over. "Please," he says, his voice rising a half octave, "Enjoy my hospitality either down here, or up above. Food and drink for everyone."

Li Bong blinks at that. Free food and drink? He perks up, then gives another respectful bow and then unwinds from his lotus position. There are a couple of his loose oranges here, scattered among the cave's 'corners'. As he moves to pick one one, he glances into the pool. Stares. Leans forward, catching himself before falling inside and to oblivion.

	Danny smiles as triad soldiers that also serve as members of his yin cult make their way down with refreshments for the maoshan's guests. A gesture towards the hospitality, and then the maoshan calls Misty over, so that she and Lana can get to know one another. "Misty - come meet Lana. Lana, meet Misty, the newest member of our team."

===> Log ended by user <===> 3/28/2020, 9:52:21 PM <===