GoldenCat/Fids03

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The Mystery of Rainfall

Rainfall holds true to its name - surrounded by mountains, save on the norhern portion, allowing for the cold currents of the south to travel to it, and for the clouds to be barred by the mountains, so, if it's raining *somewhere* on the Blessed Isle thanks to cold currents from the noth - it is raining there.

Rainfall itself is... plain. Long and plain. The main village is long, going upward on a valley - it branches in several smaller places alongside the valley, and many houses seem to isolated one would wonder how can people even *get* there. There are none of the First Age buildings common in most cities on the Isle - the whole place is wood and rock, usually poorly-carved, except for the Prefect's Manse, a couple Manses bearing the symbols of the great houses, and the suntuous Immaculate Temple.

Calistas can still see the signs of unrest on the burnt manse of house Mnemon, and some broken and burnt houses. But all in all, the villagers simply go about their villages in the dead-boring town, under a gray sky and muddy roads.

Calistas: "A perfect place for a holiday, eh, Senator Martin?" Calistas thinks wryly while riding towards the village, one hand holding the reins of his horse and the other holding a silk-and-bamboo umbrella. "Far away from everything? That does not _always_ make a place optimal for relaxing, Senator..."

Fortunately, all the important luggage he took with him are packed in weather-proof packets and the sorcerer has been kind enough to provide even his servants with water-proof cloaks. Therefore, the rain is hardly a problem, yet it _is_ an annoyance. Much like his beloved wife, Calistas, too, does prefer comfort to the always-so-equitable weather of the wilderness.

Well, better not let the Prefect wait, the sorcerer decides and leads his little caravan directly towards the Prefect's Manse for the social necessities. While riding through the town, Calistas keeps his eyes and ears open, taking a note of all the remarkable buildings and their locations.

• As Calistas rides towards the great, if battered, wood and rock manse of the prefecture, he can see that the air seems spiced with tension, as every one of the few villagers about take pains to stay clear of his way. While on the Imperial City Dragon-Blooded are a rare sight, here they are met with... fear. No one dares to look straight at Calistas, but there is no reverence in this fear - just an awkward suspicion.
  
  Also, on the corner of his eye, Calis notices something... odd, as he passes through the Immaculate temple, of course located in a easy-to-access location on the main road - all Holy symbols seem... bent and darkened. That also spreads to the rest of the village where he can see holy symbols. It is to be expected after the anti-immaculate outbreak... only,... Calis has no idea how they get like that - they seem different than as if they were burnt or normally desecrated.
  
  Calis has heard of that effect.... it has seen in Shadowlands, rarely, but Savants disagree about the case of it, and speak of dark powers animical of the Elemental Dragons that can't bear the sight of their symbols, and thus, desercrate them.

Calistas: It seems Martin was right in his suspicions about the Dark Ones having influence here. Calistas makes a mental note to examine the temple more carefully afterwards. Right now, however, he has a Prefect to visit.

• Calis is coming close to it - it's still being fixed from the uprise awhile back, with workers tending to parts, but all in all, it is a regular poor admistrative building, if the _Realm's_ standard of poor, which means it is the proud Manse of many lesser Threshold nobles.

Calistas: The artistic ruggedness of the countryside. Or how those people called it in the capital region...

The sorcerer leads his little party directly to the front gates. No sense in loitering around.

• A functionaire of the Prefecture, clad in the scarlet robes of the office of the realm walks towards Calis, trying to be dignified, even as his steps bring in loud 'sploshes' from the mud, drirtying his scarlet in brown, and regards Calistas politely, "Greetings oh prince of the earth. What brings your honor to our distant village?"

Calistas: Even as the functionary approaches Calistas, the sorcerer uses the moment to his advantage by concentrating on the Gemstone of Surface Thoughts, making a quick attempt to scan what is currently moving in his mind. He should have time enough for this...

• Calis feels that... well, that someone doesn't want him there. The man wishes to get rid of Calis as soon as possible, and is cursing his luck that Calis is around, his thoughts drifting to 'something' to happen at night.

Calistas: Interesting... However, Calistas does not allow this to affect his demeanor, and returns the functionary's bow with a nod of his head. "And greetings to you", he responds, not entirely unkindly by Dragon Blooded standards. "I am Ledaal Calistas, recently of the Imperial City, and I would wish to inquire if the master of this fine Manse could provide me with a moment of hospitality while I tour the lovely sights of these lands."

'Be polite', the mentors of his bureaucratic years always said. 'First impression always counts.'

• "Oh, but of course! The gates of our poor backwater are always open to the princes of the earth." You can give him credit for one thing - he does manage not to let none of his problems with Calis to show on his voice. A officer of the thousand scales, indeed, keeping a good poker face. "Though, I am sorry to inform the prefect is not around, your honor - but he will surely be on the evening."

Calistas: "Ahh, that is most unfortunate", Calistas says even as slight suspicions immediately rise to his mind. "Can you tell me what manner of duties currently occupy him?"

• "He is... busy to check on one of the most remote cloisters, for some repairs needed to be done on the floodgates there. The prefect likes to be familiar with the terrain of his charge." He says, with a perfectly bland voice, "You are, of course, free to walk around the village. But our prefectural office, as you see, is under repairs, so I would advise against going inside - you wouldn't want to trouble the workers of dirty yourself with paint, I am sure.", he'd bow, "But consider my word that of the prefect when I tell you you are welcome here, if I think you will find our accomodations quite... lacking."

Calistas: Without a doubt, Calistas thinks and then speaks aloud: "That is most commendable of him". Handing the umbrella to one of his servants for a moment, the sorcerer dismounts his horse and gives the animal a thankful pat to the neck - horses and Calistas have never really gotten along, but there is an image to be maintained. "In the meanwhile, we should get the Prefect's gift and my own items out of this miserable rain."

Even as he speaks, the sorcerer slides Gentleman's Dearest Friend from a fastener in his saddle. However, well aware of the mud currently staining his riding boots, he does not touch the valuable item to the ground.

• "Oh, of course..." the man'd clap, calling in some of the workers, "Please, could you help his honor's servants in carrying his luggage? You can take him to the guest house." As he points, the 'guest house seem to be a smaller house, in wood and marble, quite humble for Dragon-Blooded standards.

Calistas: Beloved Winter Rose would no doubt be somewhat vexed at this point, Calistas thinks warmly even as he nods his apprecications at the guest house.

After giving his servants a few commands about how his luggage should be treated (Which basically entails "You know what to do"), Calistas leaves the matter to their capable hands and begins his tour of the village... starting by the prefectural office, of course.

The sensation of the Charm is familiar to Calistas, yet always dizzifying, a sudden rush of information rising to meet his momentarily supernaturally acute senses.

• The interior of the office building is all.... broken, and empty - it hasn't been a long time ever since the villagers came in, broke and looted it, so all they could do was remove the ripped tapestries and broken mirrors. Some rooms have workers repairing broken windows or repainting where the fire has scorched... and of course, plenty of scribes working. None of them take well to Calis being there, and make a point to bump in him on the corridors, every time.

Calistas: While Calistas raises an eyebrow at this chill welcome, he makes no comment of it - people who come uninvited to stick their noses into other people's matters rarely get treated very well, after all, so Calis had long since picked up a philosophical approach to the matter: "If they do not like you, it means they have something to hide."

Oh well. Nothing interesting here, it seems, so Calis leaves the scribes to their work and chooses to head for his next destination, which is the Immaculate Temple he saw on his way here. One will need to pay respects to the faith, of course.

Opening his umbrella to cover his passage back to the temple, Calis cannot help but to instinctively strain his ears - the patter of rain, the splosh of mud and the sounds of daily life are all suddenly so dim and vague to him... an unfortunate after-effect of his Charm, for when compared to the Essence-enhanced senses, relying on his natural abilities is like pressing your palms against your ears and walking from bright and sunny day into a room lit only by a single candle.

• Activating his essence-enahnced senses as soon as he even notices something amiss, Calistas sees a.... commotion... further down the valley. He can hear the noises of jumps and yelps; See chickens jumping and dogs barking; And notice, jumping between the small farmhouses for a moment, a shaggy man, running from some quite nondscript pursuers.

Calistas: Calistas makes his decision immediately, choosing to take the risk of mistaking this man for someone else. He employs Winds-Carried Words Technique, lifting his palm over his mouth as if rubbing his chin, and mumbles a message to the running man: "Wolf, run towards Prefect's Manse, I work for Martin, can help."

• As he rides down, the man runs up the hill, going to the muddy length of the main road, jumping through a barbed wire fence and tripping, falling down on the mud, getting it even more on his clothes, face and beard, and trying to get to his feet to run towards Calis. Two men, of the same regular peasant-y stock, run after him, circling around the house instead.
  
  "Stop him!" They yell as he runs towards the investigator, "He's a thief, someone stop him!"
  
  The man also has the iron bands, and the awful scar barely-hidden on his hand, that Martin had talked about. He is, most probably, Wolf.

Calistas: Making a show of raising a disgusted eyebrow at the scene, Calistas takes a commanding mien to his face and raises one hand. "In the name of Mela, HALT!"

• They all stop dead on their tracks. The two pursuers stop and look at Calistas warily, with dfear and hostility, while the man who might be Wolf falls to his knees, looking up at the detective.

Calistas: Even as Calistas speaks these words, his complexion suddenly changes color, lightening into a tint of sky-blue. A deeper, glimmering and ever-shifting aura of blue glow outlines his being.

His anima alight and reminding everyone within sight of his nature, Calistas glares down at the mortals, both Wolf and his pursuers alike, giving them a moment to stew in his presence. Then, his voice low and filled with annoyance, he speaks: "Of all the possible times... WHAT is the meaning of this?"

• The two men curse inwardly, gritting their teeth, but muster their courage to step foward and say, "He's a heretical thief! He was trying to steal from the Immaculate temple!" one says, then, after a short silence, the other adds in a more shaky voice, "I-if you really speak in the name of the dragons, you should punish this heretic!" the man on his knees before you can only shake his head in a plead....

Calistas: Angry and ominous, his anima glimmering around him in a dark blue aura, Calistas glowers down at all three of them atop his horse. He is irritated, that much is obvious, and whatever his moving within his mind, it would definitely promise only ill things for those who would dare to further cross his will. "And what did he try to steal?" he asks, his voice like a deceptively gentle breeze before a rising storm.

• The two ragged peasant men exchange odd looks, puzzled by the question, then shrug and answer, "Well, we... don't know. We just saw him sneaking about the temple. He was up to no good, though, I tell you!"
  
  The man who might be Wolf gets up from the mood weakly, panting, then goes to the side of your horse, "Don't listen to them! It's true that I was in the temple, but I was only there to pray!" he says, in a rude voice, "Hmph. Such a treatment outsiders get asround here...."

Calistas: "Keep your mouth in my presence, peasant", Calistas responds coldly to Wolf, hoping silently that the man will have enough wits to play along. Then, turning back to the two others, he favors them with a dry sneer. "You don't know? Then perhaps you should go and check whether or not there is something missing?"

Then, not giving the two enough time to answer, Calistas lauches a sudden question at them: "What are your names?"

• The man who might be wolf shuts his mouth at once, and the other two look embarassed, "Well, uh.... we would first take him back, then, like... check it..." they wonder why a Prince of the Earrth would even bother with their names, but still reply, "Oak, m'lord,", "Rock, m'lord."

Calistas: "And you?" Calistas asks, glaring down at the man who might be Wolf next.

• "Wolf, m'lord. Please have mercy, m'lord. I swear I was only there to pray, m'lord."

Calistas: The sorcerer seems to pay no heed to Wolf's words but, nonetheless, he is invardly relieved to get at least some sort of proof that he had indeed contacted the right man. "Oak, Rock and Wolf", he repeats with a sharp tone of voice. "Good, I will remember those names." His eyes widening slighly, his voice rising into a razor edge, he continues: "I will remember them as the names of three muddy peasants who quite thoroughly managed to ruin my long-expected vacation in these lands!"

• Wolf goes to his knees on the mud again, and the other two take a step back, ready to run at any minute, cringing at Calis' words....

Calistas: "Now", he continues, his voice suddenly turning into a velvet purr, "Rock and Oak, have no worries: since this cur here -- " he gestures at Wolf with a slight wave of his hand, "is the one who began it all, I will take care of this 'thief' of yours personally... As for you two, perhaps you would like to do me a favor and take your mud-caked faces from my sight...?"

• They exchange a fearful look, then do the only sensible thing to do in front of an enraged Dragon-Blooded - run. Run very, very fast.

Calistas: Calistas watches them go for a moment, keeping his face carefully grim and irritated all the time. Then he turns at Wolf and snaps, coldly: "You. To your feet."

With a slight nod at the Prefect's Manse and the guest-apartments, Calistas gestures Wolf to walk ahead of him. "We shall have a little _chat_, you and I."

• Wolf rises to his feet, shaking some, somewhat fearful of you, "W-what I heard before...?"
  
  He did, of course, walk on.

Calistas: "All in time, Wolf", the sorcerer responds quietly, nudging his horse to walk on, "We shall have some privacy first."

• As the two get into the guest apartments, under the somewhat skeptical look of those working to reform the prefect's manse, Wolf sighs in relief, then turn to Calis in something close to despair, "You said he sent you?!? Did he tell you what is going on here??"

Calistas: "He did tell me some things", the sorcerer nods in reply. "I was wishing you would tell me more." Calistas' anima quiets down as he enters his apartments, his aura drifting away from him, softly and silently like the evening breeze in dying light of dusk. With three sharp claps of his hands he summons his servants.

• Looking warily as Calistas’ servants come into the room, he looks at Calis with piercing eyes, "Can I speak freely in front of them?"

Calistas: "They are in my own employment", Calistas reassures him, but then holds up his hand to bar further questions. "But if you'll give me a moment."

Turning to his servants, he begins giving them orders, in his calm, dignified and polite manner, so unlike from how he behaved when rescuing Wolf from his pursuers. One servant he assigns to keep an eye on the door - make certain no-one gets to enter without a warning. Another he sends out to work by the window, to keep an eye for possible activity outsite. And the third one he sends out to get something refreshing to drink for Wolf.

After a moment of thought, he adds: "And please fetch him some clothes as well - all that mud is hardly healthy."

• "Why, thank ou very much, Lord....?" Wolf asks, still eyeing the Investigator with some suspicion.

Calistas: "You may call me Calistas", the sorcerer responds, walking up to his personal luggage and beginning to rummage through them. "We are both in the employment of the same person, yes? He is aware that there is something suspicious going on in this region."

Finding what he was looking for, Calistas straightens himself up and turns back to Wolf, with a pouch of his personal drug and a thin, long pipe in his hands. "I am here to help you to find out what it is."

• "Guess I have no choice but to trust you then... Calistas." Suddenly, Wolf's manner changes completely - his fearful way vanishes, his fearful eyes become keen watchers, his gait professional. "I guess you know of Geateau and Maroon, then? They were suspicious of the people here... mostlly vanished, going to strange places at night.... they tried to find out where these people went, and vanished. I have seen some people going to the Immaculate temple at night, and, well.... I know Marron's brother. I at least wanted him to know if his brother is alive or dead."

Calistas: "Mmm-hm." Calistas nods absently, seemingly absorbed in the task of lighting his pipe. "And you believe that temple is somehow connected to their disappearance."

Wolf: "Exactly..." Wolf looks around, aprehensive, "Gateu had gone to the temple, Marron tried to tail a villager... and both vanished. I got here a day before they actually carried it out."

Calistas: "I see." Calistas finally manages to light his pipe, tongues of purple smoke wafting up from the bowl, a sweet aroma slowly spreading out to the room. The sorcerer puffs once, twice, the smoke coiling around him in a manner fitting for a dragon. "I am inclined to agree with you. There are many suspicious things concerning that temple."

He gestures at Wolf with the stem of his pipe, the motion leaving a curling trail of smoke behind it. "For one, did you notice something odd about the temple symbols?"

Wolf: "All blackened and broken? Yes, I did..." wof strokes his muddy, shaggy shin, "Not normal, that isn't..."

Calistas: "Precisely", Calistas nods and takes another puff from his pipe. He begins to slowly paces across the length of the room, pipe in one hand and the other behind his back. "Such things happen when something malevolent, something very dark and evil comes to the near vicinity of the temple... Do you know if the Immaculate has raised any questions about whether or not they could be repaired?"

Wolf: "Nope. Both the monk, the prefect, and all of the village seem to just... ignore it."

Calistas: Calistas is not very surprised at that. As a matter of fact, it gave an additional confirmation for what the sorcerer had already been suspecting about. It would be truly interesting to know the true reason for why the Prefect could not see him before nightfall. So many things were connected to "night" in this matter... The investigator finds himself wondering idly if Winter Rose and her associates would be interested in knowing about this matter... or are they already aware of it?

That is an interesting thought.

Perhaps they had already taken action to clear this mess up, by arranging for Senator Martin to send the poor investigator act as their unwitting pawn?

After entertaining himself for a moment with the concept, Calistas throws such thoughts from his mind and concentrates on the business again. "We shall be taking a more careful look at that temple soon, then. Have you noticed anything else that might be relevant to this matter?"

Wolf: "Well, I have seen less of both the Monk and the Prefect than I would expect - that is to say, not at all. Even the Monk has not even commented on the symbols on the temple.... and, before I got here, I saw the same broken symbols on the prefecture, but these have already been removed..."

Calistas: "Indeed?" Calistas takes another breath from his pipe. "Other than people entering the temple at night, have you noticed any other unusual activity after the sun has set? Around the Prefecture, perhaps?"

Wolf: "I haven't gone out at night... I don't wish to vanish as well."

Calistas: "A wise decision", he says in approval. "Although I'm certain it would have gained us some additional information on this matter."

Finishing the daily dose of his nerve-soothing drug, Calistas carefully taps the ashes from his pipe and stores the thing away. "Wolf, are you a brave man?"

Wolf: "That depends on the sort of bravery you mean. I am brave as long as I can survive said bravery. That is to say... not too much."

Calistas: The sorcerer chuckles at his response. "That is a wise sort of bravery indeed. If wish it was more common these days." Then, growing serious, he keeps a pause and then speaks again: "I asked this question because I will be honest with you: I suspect that our opposition in this case is something that is either unable or reluctant to go out and face the bright shine of sunlight, something that can - or serves directly something that can - twist and blacken the holy symbols of our religion with its mere presence."

"While I would not mind an additional pair of strong hands to guard my back when I go to investigate this temple more carefully, I will not ask you to do so - whether or not you wish to accompany me will be your own decision."

Wolf: "Aah, what the hell... just tell me what you plan on doing!" Wolf hits his palm on the table, cursing under his breath, but unable to just look back....

Calistas: "I will tell about your courage to our employer", Calistas replies, pleased, even surprised at Wolf's reaction. "Do you know how to fight?"

Wolf: "I can handle myself in a bar brawl, yes. Especially if you give me a knife." Wolf gets up as one of Calistas’ servants bring some bluish clothes, colored in Ledaal colors, and says he has some hot water ready... "Well, I will be back in a minute!"

Calistas: "I will make prepares for our little task while you are gone", Calistas nods his permission for his dismissal.

Placing his hands behind his back, the sorcerer gives his servant new orders. A knife for Wolf and - since it is probably not very wise for the man to wander around the village just after that incident he got into with those peasants - a big rain-cloak to help hide his features. Let him be the servant of a noble and pious Dragon Blooded as the Prince of Earth goes to pay his homage to the Immaculate temple.

After that, since night and darkness is closely connected to this case, Calistas finds it likely that they will be finding some very lightless place from that temple. Therefore, a source of light might be useful, so he also asks for a lantern.

Wolf: After some time, wolf comes in, cleaned, though his features are still unkempt and shaggy. He dons the rain cloak, and deftly handles the knife. "So, the sun just set. When are we going?"

Calistas: Other than that, he takes with him his usual items - the Hearthstones, the artifacts, his trusty walking cane and the Coin of Distant Vision.

And, after a moment of thought, he also places a small, hand-held mirror into his pocket.

Calistas throws a glance out of the window... and curses silently. He had been meaning to investigate that temple while the sun still shone in the heavens. Now that it had set and darkness was spreading across the land... every moment they wasted would double the danger they were in. "Now", he replies quietly. "We will go there now."

Wolf: "All set?"

Calistas: Before they leave, however, Calis explains Wolf that he is meant to pose as the investigator's servant. He is the one carrying their light, and he would also keep an eye on Calistas' back. Let Calis himself handle whatever comes from the front.

"And now... let us go." After one last check that everything is in order, Calistas strides out from his apartment, calmly and confidently like a Prince of Earth on his way to pray in a temple.

• Rainfall seems unusually quiet as Calistas stride by, silent... no sound coming from the poorly-lit houses; Most aren't even poorly-lit enough. As he gets to the temple, it is also poorly-lit, and few are there; Some leave just as he gets in.

Calistas: "Wolf", Calistas says quietly, extending his hand to his companion but keeping his eyes at the temple, "give me your hand."

Wolf: Finding it somewhat weird, he complies

Calistas: Thus saying he invokes All-Encompassing Earth Sense, protecting both of them from any attackers that would wish to catch them unawares.

"Now, should anyone attempt to catch you with a surprise attack, earth itself will warn you. Trust that warning - it might mean your life." Without any other word, he moves further into the temple, taking in his surroundings with the professional air of an investigator.

• The temple is unusually darkened and empty - a few souls praying, although their prayers cease to be said aloud the moment he steps into the room. All the symbols are broken and burned, and all the vines on the walls, blackened and dead. The monk is nowhere to be seen.

Calistas: What a wonderful place, Calis thinks idly as he kneels for his own prayers. He gives the term "lip service" an entirely new meaning here, keeping all of his senses scanning carefully at his surroundings at all times.

• While he waits, the people go out, one at a time, going until there is no one around. During all that time, he sees no sign of the Monk.

Calistas: Well then, in that case, it would be prudent to go and find him, yes? Getting to his feet, Calis makes his way towards the monk's quarters, intending to see if there would be anything to be found there.

• When he goes to the back, he sees... nothing. A back yard, empty quarters with a copy of the immaculate texts and broken holy symbols.

Calistas: After making a check through the monk's apartments, the sorcerer returns to the actual temple and takes a careful, thorough examination at the main hall. While his eyes scan at the walls and the roof, his cane taps at the floor, searching systematically through each part of the hall, to try and see if there would happen to be any trapdoors hidden anywhere.

Nothing? Now this is almost embarrassing, Calistas decides as he returns back to the center of the hall. Perhaps a little more arcane approach would be in order.

"Stand back", he tells Wolf. Slowly falling to one knee, Calistas presses gently one palm against the surface of the floor and closes his eyes, releasing his Essence and attuning his senses with the element of Earth once more. If there is any way to determine whether or not there are anything hidden within this temple, it would be through magic.

• As his senses expand, he sees all that surrounds the temple, the smaller houses, feeling all of the broken symbols and parts. He *does* become aware of a certain.... area.... behind the altar. That, and, true to the name of his charm, he feels... bones... on the yard. Quite a bit of them.

Calistas: "Bones", Calistas says aloud as he tastes and prods at the sensation. Opening his eyes and slowly getting to his feets, he glances at Wolf. "There are a number of bones on the yard." Then, walking up to the altar, he takes a more closer look at it. "And there is something here as well..."

Wolf: "Something in there? You mean, besides a broken altar?" Wolf scratches his chin, thinking of Calis' first line, "So, we are going to desecrate holy ground? Very well, let me go get a shovel!"

One can clearly see he is not a very pious man

Calistas: "No, not yet", Calis responds, holding up a hand without look at the man himself. "Best if we won't split up. If I am not entirely mistaken, those bones would very likely be all those people who have vanished from here so far. They are not likely to go anywhere - let us take a look at this altar first, and then for shall examine those bones."

"Here, kindly give me a hand with this altar", the investigator says, crouching down to try and see if he could make it budge.

• Wolf helps Calis, and with some effort, both of the not-so-strong men move the altar.... seeing... what is behind it. An unholy altar of darkened runes, burned incense and offerings for the dead. Iconic, on the images of the dead and the void, dark, heretical. An ancestor cult right into an immaculate temple.

Calistas: "That should be a proof enough that everything is not as it should be in Rainfall, don't you agree?" Calistas states with slight smile. He bends down to give a small examination for this second altar as well, just to see if there would be something more to be found from it.

Wolf: "C-certainly.... have seen some heresies like this, but never so... bold." As wolf crouches to examine it, he suddenly moves towards Calis, pushing both to the ground, "WATCH OUT!" he shouts, as darts fly from the altar, and a green mist begins to come out from it....

Calistas: A very undignified "OOF!" escapes from Calistas' lips as he falls to the ground, but he quickly looks up at the mist, his brow furrowing at the sight of it. "Keep back!" he exclaims to Wolf, taking some distance to the altar and the mist himself as well.

Wolf: Almost clumsily, desperately, Wolf runs away( before even getting to his feet), until getting to the mouth of the temple. the mist keeps pouring out....

"Was this that Gateau found out?!?" Wolf asks, not believing it, then looking around, uneasy... "You... hear that?"

And Calis would, really, hear it, fainly, on the corner of his hearing.... a hollow, dead wailing, coming closer...

Calistas: "I hear it", Calistas snaps, quickly retreating back to the mouth of the temple, never leaving his eyes from the approaching mist. "A ghost, most likely, bound to guard this place." Then, adding with an edged voice and a touch of twisted sense of humor, "Or perhaps the ancestor worshipped by this place? In any case, brace yourself, for here it comes."

"The moment I shout 'Run!', you run, understand?"

Wolf: "*Brace myself*? You.... *can* fight it, can't you?!?"

"You DON'T need to say that twice!"

Calistas: "Frankly speaking, I wish my wife was here. She is much more capable in these matters than I am, but I will not abandon this case without at least seeing if I could do anything."

• As Wolf shakes like a bamboo in a storm next to Calistas, they come. Coming from behind, from the poorly-buried bones, they come... Hungry Ghosts - a person's lower, animal soul, fighting against those that desecreate their bodies. They are material, but deadly. In their deformed features, he can clearly see a Monk, probably the one who used to be caring for the shrine... and four others. The green mist, still pouring, takes the form of a person hazily for a moment, a ghost of mist who points at the two of them, directing the Hungry Ghosts....

Calistas: "OUT! Out of the temple!" Calis gives Wolf a quick push to get him moving. "Keep an eye on that mist, if it tries anything. I will what I can do about these ghosts..." And hope that there won't be any more of them, he adds silently in his mind.

Wolf: Wolf runs out of the temple, almost jumping out - Calis certainly never had an order so quickly and promptly answered.

Calistas: Turning to face the approaching ghosts, Calistas spreads his arms, his walking cane in one hand, his anima banner flaring into a new life around him, a blue light of hope shining against the sickly green glow of the mist... Tongues of lightning running up and down his arms, he gestures at the center of the ghosts in a sweeping motion, lauching his Charm...

• As Lighting explodes around them, the Hungry ghosts are unmade, their corpus ripped to shreds and destroyed by the Snake’s lighting - nothing but flocks of corpus remain, falling like underworld snow around the temple, what doesn't even slow the other ghosts - they continue their inexorable, mindless march.
  
  One of the Hungry Ghosts, the one of the dead monk makes a move like a serpent jumping on its prey, deft and quick, its bony claws going for Calistas' throat while it wails, the lonely, tormented wail of the dead....

Calistas: Calistas' cane whips up to meet the ghost's attack. Taking a smooth step to the side, he bats the creature's claws away with two sharp flicks of his wrist. Ducking past the first ghost, his cane slamming to the ground for support, he launches himself towards a second enemy, his feet leading him into a spinning maneuver that gives additional momentum for his weapon as it blurs to meet undead flesh...

Gentleman's Dearest Friend slamming against the ground for support for a second time, Calistas then uses the leverage to push himself away from his first opponent towards the second one, his cane whirling up for a bachanded slash just when the ghost enters his range of reach...

Wolf: Martin's agent holds his knife close to him at the entrance of the temple, but makes no move towards the prince of the earth - dealing with creatures from beyond is not for the likes of him, and with Calis around, he is not jumping in the middle of hungry ghosts if he can help it.

Calistas: The clinging bits of the second ghost falling off to the ground like a handful of ash cast to the wind behind him, Calistas continues his motion for one spinning step, two, before halting the maneuver by sticking his cane to the ground once more and leaning heavily against it, the two first fingers of his free hand extended in the classic sword-dancer's stance.

• The Hungry Ghost that was once a Immaculate Monk turns back to Calis, its decaying corpus floating above the ground unnaturally, its claws glistening the pale light of underworld as it wails screams of anguish and agony....
  
  It 'leaps' into the air, no motion of gravity having any pull on it anymore, but still, it hovers through the air at dazzling speed, its simple, instinctual mind wanting Callis' blood and life...

Calistas: Calis' trusty cane dances and spins, once again striking the ghost's reaching claws from their intended paths. Then he suddenly dashes forward, Dearest Friend whirling once over his head before cutting down into a slash at the ghost's side just as the sorcerer passes the dead creature...

• As the cane goes through its swollen po, the creature that was once an Immaculate Monk takes the cane on its arms, hollow orbits eyeing Calis as if asking, why? Still holding Gentleman's Dearest Friend, its corpus begins to unmake in underworld snow, its clawed bony fingers going away last, along with its hollow, pained eyes....

Wolf: "Yes! You got them!" Wolf seems radiant, even with the green, poisoned mist filling the temple....

• Calis knows, of course, that all he can do is banish the spectres for the moment - their souls shall rise again in the next nightfall( or when the trap is next triggered, as it seems to be the case) - Hungry ghosts hunger for life and blood in vengeance for their defiled or not properly-sent bodies, and shall remain as long as the body doesn't receive the proper rites and remains desecrated....

Calistas: Panting lightly after even such a few moments of sudden action, yet vaguely pleased at the knowledge that his old skills with the cane had not diminished even despite the lack of practice, Calistas takes a second to asses the situation anew and gestures Wolf to join him a safe distance away from the temple. "Do not celebrate yet", he says darkly, his eyes glowering at the coiling mist. "We are rid of the ghosts only temporarily - we'll need proper exorcists to finish the task here!"

Wolf: "Errr... ok" Wolf looks around, disturbed, "So, what do we do now?"

Calistas: Taking a deep breath and exhaling it very slowly, Calistas stares thoughtfully at the mist for a moment, stroking absently his chin as he thinks for his next action. "First", he responds, "we should inform our employer about this matter. What we saw here tonight should be enough proof to make him arrange for a second sweep in this area."

"Second", he continues and throws a glance at Wolf, "We should take ourselves elsewhere from this place."

Wolf: "Well, what are we waiting for, them? Let's RUN for it! Do we even go back for your servants or are they smart enough to just run?"

Calistas: "Just a moment", Calistas responds and pulls out his Coin of Distant Vision. Quickly scanning the surroundings, he looks for a little crack in a fence or another good hiding place that would allow him a good view at the temple's front doors.

"Cults such as this usually have leading figures, and I would be willing to wager that the Prefect - and very likely most of the prefecture - are involved in this as well. I would be interested in having some additional knowledge for the matter..." Tucking the coin into a little crack, thus leaving a scrying device to the scene of crime - just in case - he next turns to leave. "Let us go and warn my servants next - then, we shall leave this place."

Wolf: "Hmmm, can Martin see through that as well? Or can you show... other people?" His lips curl in a crafty smile.

Calistas: "Unfortunately, I fear our employer --" Calis gives him a small smile, yet makes a point in not mentioning Martin's name aloud "-- will have to trust my word on the matter. Fortunately, I have his confidence on many matters, so it should not be a problem."

"But now, we should hurry -- the longer we linger here, the greater the danger." Quickly tapping Wolf to the shoulder, Calis begins to hurry towards the Prefecture and the servants waiting there.

• As he treads upwards, Calis hears something coming from the prefecture( which stands atop the valley-village, remember.)... a chant, something like a religious chant coming from the Prefecture, completely alight in the darkness of the night....

Calistas: Calistas' eyes widen slightly at the sound. Hastening his steps, he changes their course slightly, moving into the cover of houses and alleys, keeping them out from open ground while, at the same time, keeping the prefecture at their sights all the time.

Even as he climbs, Calistas is silently glad for the fact that he had taken a dose of his nerve-soothing drug just before undertaking this assignment. While rarely the one to succumb to the cold fingers of fear in the middle of action, there were times when memories were worse than the actual reality. Climbing towards the prefecture gives time for his mind to -- involuntary -- rehearse his quick battle with the ghosts, from the otherworldly wails to the glistening claws reaching out towards him. Battling with the dead is never a pleasant event to remember.

Shaking his head with what could be interpreted as an angry move, Calistas forces such thoughts from his mind and attempts to concentrate at the prefecture and the events taking place in the building. He had an uncomfortable feeling that the battle with the ghosts was only a prelude in any case, and that the worst is still waiting for them on the top of this hill...

• As Calistas gets closer to the prefecture, the chant doesn't get louder, but yet, there is a feel of something... unnatural, about. Shivers run through Wolf, as he feels like they were treading in the wake of ghosts, going through hundreds of unmaterialized presences, hearing their malevolent whispers on the back of their mind. Even if something unnatural keeps the chant locked into the building, outside the reach of most mortal hearing.... even so, the feeling that something is wrong there permeates the air, and the thick clouds above as they shed few tears, never really a rain, just a constant, weak weeping....
  
  Calis’ servants seem to feel it as well - to begin with, Calis and Wolf see none of them outside your room, only a dim light coming from inside the smaller building....

Calistas: "Wolf, go warn my servants", Calistas hisses to his companion. "They are to get my things and leave this village as soon as possible. We will meet up with them further down the road."

Assuming, of course, that he still _has_ servants waiting for him in that building. This is something Calistas doesn't speak aloud, however.

Wolf: "Well, trust me to tell that and get out of here!" Wolf says, shivering, his breath coming visibly from his mouth... it had gotten... cold. Wolf runs through the shadows to the guest house, with more stealth and speed than Calistas could imagine he had - a trained agent indeed. Calistas can see, a little father away, as he opens the door to the guest house.... and screams.

Calistas: Calistas' heart lurches at the sound. "I knew it", he mutters under his breath and follows Wolf, covering the distance between them as quickly as he can.

• As Calis gets to the room, Wolf with his hands over his mouth to keep from throwing up, he sees.... blood. Lots of blood. His three servants are on the floor, blood trickling from them over a recent, recent death - not longer than ten minutes ago. Knifes are in their hands.

Calistas: Calistas' mien darkens as he stares briefly at the ghastly sight. His jaw clenches as his teeth grit together. This would be another memory to come haunting him in the nights to come.

"It... it would be good if you fled from this place now, Wolf", he then says, throwing a quick glance at the main building. "It will be too dangerous to stay here any longer."

• The position and condition of the cuts on their bodies indicate one disturbing things - all the cuts were made from their own knifes. They killed themselves, almost ritually, their expressions seeming a mixture of terror and surprise.
  
  Also... as Calis throws a glance at the Main Building... he sees a group of dark figures outside of it, in front of the passageway out, heading towards where he is....

Calistas: "Come", Calis taps his hand at Wolf's arm and pulls him out from the light. "Now."

Wolf: Wolf isn't surprised, looking at the men approaching with sharp eyes, "That's the Prefect."

Calistas: "I did arrange for meeting him after nightfall", Calis points out as he takes Wolf a little further away from the door. "It seems he is a man who keeps his appointments." Despite his words, there is not a hint of humor in his voice, his eyes narrowing as he waits for the men to step into the light...

• As they step into the light, Calis can see the Prefect, Dawn Ivy( noticeably since he is wearing the clothes of his office) the functionaire who greeted him earlier, and another one, and two men... that he recognizes from earlier, as Rock and Oak.
  
  They walk purposefully towards the guest house, their eyes seeming dark like a linching mob, their steps heavy on the mud.
  
  The prefect, and the rest of the procession, stop not far from the house, and then the Prefect turns exactly for where they are. and says, "Are you there, lord Calistas? I am told you wish to speak to me... and I will be quite happy to welcome a Prince of the Earth to my humble prefecture..." Despite his eyes fixed on the Snake, he says it loud, as if trying to get to someone inside the house....

Calistas: "Keep an eye on our surroundings", Calis mutters to Wolf in low tones. "There might be someone trying to ambush us."

Wolf: "I am, I am..." he'd whisper, trying not to make even the slightest noise breathing, "What happened with the plan of running? It was a *good* plan!"

Calistas: "Indeed!" Calistas then responds to the Prefect with a more loud, dignified voice, both of his hands resting calmly on the knob of his walking cane. "I came here to see if I could enjoy the wonderful sights of your lands, good Prefects. Perhaps you would be so kind as to explain the details this charming little folk-festival that seems to be taking place here...?"

"I did want to learn the identity of the cult's leader, no?" the sorcerer mutters to Wolf dryly.

Even as he speaks, the sorcerer tenses slightly, his Essence waiting for him at his fingertips, prepared to launch a new Burst in an eyeblink.

Dawn Ivy: 'Festival? Oh, the monk is simply... sanctifying the prefecture to prevent any further uprisings, in the name of the Hesiesh." The Prefect says, nodding.

"Nothing too exciting, really.... in fact, nothing in this little is very exciting, I would think, especially for one such as you."

Calistas: "The monk, I see!" Lifting his eyebrows, the sorcerer nods politely at his new piece of knowledge. "I just had the privilege of meeting him down in the valley."

Dawn Ivy: "I... am afraid that can't be true, Lord Calistas. He is in the rrefecture, praying for the dragons as we speak."

Calistas: "That is curious", Calistas responds, thoughtfully. Even as he speaks, he activates the Stone of Surface Thoughts, making a quick scan at the Prefect's mind. "I might have mistaken, then."

Dawn Ivy: He knows. This annoying little Dragon-Blood knows, of course.... I am not deceiving him. I could give him a chance... what? To a Dynast? To a little elitist so like these who tormented my 'other half'? No... he knows too much. He will die.

Calistas: What did that old philosopher on warfare write again? It is better to strike first upon the suspected enemy than to let the suspected enemy be the one taking care of the striking part? His anima flaring up around him, Calistas' hands whip forward, his Essence forming into a burst of lightning in the middle of the group...

Dawn Ivy: "Maybe. Well, thing is, I heard that you have been sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, down on the temple... you see, you could have just enjoyed your stay here, kept to yourself, and gone away without a problem. But, since you couldn't do it... I am sorry, but I will have to kill you. Nothing personal, Dynast. But I have a mission... I have to cleanse this corrupt cesspool, to bring it honesty, peace, order. And that is something the dead can help me with." As he says that, his features begin to unmake in black fire....

As it explodes below them, the black-clad creature tries to dodge, but in vain - the lighting hits him and all of his assossiates with a loud thunderclap, sending them all to the ground, the scent of burnt flesh permeating the air as their bodies fall to the ground, inert.... the black-clad man, on the other hand... begins to get up.

Wolf: On the corner of hisr vision, Calis can see Wolf riding the horse he had bought, clearly more comfortable with it than Calistas himself, riding towards the Dragon-Blood...

Calistas: Shifting his cane to his left hand, Calistas extends his right out for Wolf.

Wolf: Wolf takes the Dragon-Blooded’s hand, holding to it and trying to push him up the Horse( he is not very strong, though...) trying to ride away from the rising dark Exalt....

Calistas: With a grunt and an almost desperate effort from the frail sorcerer's part, Calistas pulls himself onto the horse. "Excellent thinking, my friend!" he exclaims over the sound of hooves beating the ground.

Dawn Ivy: "You are NOT getting away!" The man charges himself with essence, and Calis can feel tendrils of darkness... seeping into him... pushing him back, making his bones... colder... heavier.... and, as the man throws his blade, it knows exactly where to go... and Calistas can barely see it.

Calis feels as it pushes through his skin, getting his cloth sticky with blood on the inside... but it misses his heart, hitting the right part of his chest instead... more damage than Calis has taken in a long time, but not enough to make him feel very much hurt.... and no more projectiles come after them as Calistas and Wolf vanish into the night, riding the horse to death....

After Calistas gets back to Martin, he was, of course, redirected to tell the Immaculates about such heresy, as just a normal Dynast who was passing there and 'accidentally stumbled' accross it. Knowing how deep it went into the Temple and the people there, the Immaculates came with legions, and, although trying to advocate some serenity on their part, they did raze rainfall to the ground, and rebuilt it under stern supervision, quenching any other hope death might have of infiltrating there again. The corpses of the Monk and the Prefect were found, but they never found the man Calistas described as being the impersonator of the Prefect....

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