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Chapter 01 : Brewing Storm, Chance Encounters

Prologue

The Archons made their landing in the Realm in the city of Noble. The mortals Magpie, Tara and Yengo were coupled with dragonbloods Vana a Lookshy swordsman and the Magistrate Mnemon Diamandus a famed magistrate that had worked as the Empress' hand for hundreds of years. Within a short time, the Magistrate is summoned to the enourmous manse of Tepet Krennell, a powerful dragonblood that Diamandus has had dealings with in the past. Leaving Magpie in the care of Tara and Vana, he and Yengo go to meet with the Tepet lord. What Krennell has to propose is certainly unexpected - the service of his niece and daughter (Anona and Epheri respectivelly) to serve as Archons. Archons are usually mortals, as dragonbloods are at loathe to serve under another - this is a punishment that Krennell has devised for his niece and daughter and one that Anona takes in stride. The service of two exalted as Archons turns to be something that Diamandus can not refuse, but he makes little distance before attempting to knock the firebrand Anona down a peg by placing her UNDER Yengo in rank.

Magpie and Vana had spent their time exploring the ruins of the old Tepet manor in Noble which was burned down the previous evening. Tany, Juno's chief agent was also searching, and was growing impatient with them by the time the Magistrate arrived. After a few discoveries of a large crib even by Dynastic standards, the Magistrate and Archons retired to discussion when they realised that they were already empbroiled in some dark plot.

Upon discussion the Archons determine that 'someone' was after the the auctioned sword-hilt that held some strange signifigance to Anona's past. Whoever bought it however was quickly finished in the Tepet Manor off by an unknown Anathema of the Wretched caste type. They also determined that the Tepet-Ledaal auction was merely a front for the Tepets to get their hands on certain artifacts indirectly, as taking them from the Ledaals was not an option. Later Vana and Magpie stealthily made their way into the old military hall of Noble where the Auction was held. What they overheard between the Ledaals (and Tany) was that whoever bought the hilt did so with Tepet Krennell's money - a fact that was confusing to Tany. Unfortunately, Tany caught Magpie - though he made no action to stop her.

After this discovery Diamandus proposed the plan that he would speak on behalf of the group to the local fire and sun spirits that were so common in Noble's coastline - the Archons would wait and lay low. This option did not present itself as shortly after Diamandus' departure the sub-prefect of Noble, one Kane Starflower arrived to beg the aid of the Archons. Taxes had been missing from the Foothills province west for some time. Since the seasons taxes for the area were due in a matter of weeks it would be on his head to make the reparations to the Realm. The legions could not help, and most Realm magistrates had gone into hiding since the Empress' death. Making a snap decision Anona and the rest of the Archons took off to trek into the foothill village province east to discover what had happened to their season's taxes and the three collectors that had not returned.

After a short stop off in a shrine just before the woods, the unthinkable happened. In what could be described as 'routine scouting' through the eyes of crow, Magpie witnessed a small white bird, then swiftly all connection she had with crow was severed. Trying to help Vana used her hearthstone to speak to the plants in the area. They were vague, but the general consensus was to avoid the woods at all costs.

Along the way to the foothills, the Archons discover a strange sign along the path just before the bridge, one that once hung strange metal talismans. The general feel of the sign aluding to 'staying out' a 'glade of light' and much 'harm' associated - one that the archons had to ignore when they discovered that the nearby bridge had been collapsed by force. The archons find another, smaller rope bridge along the way and are soon at the largest of the Foothill villages. Another discovery of the woods - one of the Imperial tax collecters.

The Archons arrived and took stock of the situation and discovered that a bandit group had been raiding with unerring frequency. The Archons also took the time to speak to the local medicine woman, Emerra regarding the woods. The name that was gleaned from the local plantlife - Windswept Boughs meant little to Emerra, though the concept of the haunting in the woods taking on a name she considered something of a concern. That evening Magpie dared three of the local boys to accompany her into the haunted woods though only Luc one of the boys showed up to the challenge. In the woods the children were the victims of terrible games and torments that the strange spirit played upon them. In the end, Windswept Boughs caught Luc and devoured his mind while Magpie own with the knowledge that their foe was Fae, not a God. In the driving rain Anona, Yengo and Epheri made an attempt to locate Magpie but failed to find her in the storm.

Magpie woke up the following morning just outside the village and wasted no time in returning to the other archons. Apparently, Vana had left the previous evening when everyone slept to eliminate the bandits that had made their basecamp in the mountains north. Yengo, Anona and Epheri decided that it was high time to eliminate this fae once and for all, and so, the four trek into the woods. The Archons reached something of a strange boundary, where they appeared to be locked in place as time sped toward a bloody sunset. In the Fae's domain the archons were taunted with strange visions before they finally faced the strange creature. After a harrowing combat the archons were able to defeat her, and the woods slowly returned to normal, the only evidence of Windswept Boughs passing was a strange white and green stone that Magpie swiftly pocketted.

During the battle in the woods, Vana trekked north into the mountains to fight off the bandit hoard. Along the way, she spoke to a strange nameless man in a house off a lake. He imparted strange and cryptic wisdom to her, but she was able to discover the way to the bandit camp in an old village. The bandits themselves were well equipped, with Tepet legion equipment and with two dragonbloods commanding. Their discipline was solid, far above mere bandits. The battle was hard fought but Vana prevailed with aid from an unknown benefactor. Upon investigation, Vana found that the bodies of the villagers and the loot the bandits had been burned rather than hoarded, another strange factor in the mystery. The bandits cared less about loot and more about birthing hungry ghosts and even rending the borders between creation and the underworld.

Upon returning, Vana is given a few words from Yengo, but her information along with the idea of a fae presence on the Blessed Isle is something hotly discussed. If the bandits were not really bandits, what reason could they have had for attacking and completely blocking off the villages in the foothills? Who could be holding their reins? How could both a fae and an Anathema be hidden on the Blessed Isle for so long? The Archons take their leave of the foothills, perhaps once bitten and perhaps twice shy.

They return to Noble and discover all manner of plots afoot. They attempt to locate the Sub-prefect, but the man has mysteriously disappeared, another man in his place. Soon afterwards the prefectural office in Noble is razed to the ground, with all staff lost - after which Tepet Juno is given control of the Foothill region, but why?. The information from the Magistrate's explorations with the spirits yielded only one thing, that their answers will lie with house Tepet.

Following their only material lead, the Magistrate and the Archons trek across the mountains to Tuchara, to locate the maker of the dragonblood bandits' jade weapons and armour.

Chapter 02 - Valley of Fire, The Wind's Messenger

Prologue

To be finished, heh. :3

Chapter 03 - Ghosts, Mirrors of Steel and Jade

Prologue

Likewise

Chapter 04 - Flights of Doves, A Closing Saga

Prologue

Yep, as with the others...