IsleOfJade/SessionFifteen

Yukio’s Meltdown

(3) Gao the Lesser: "Its time," says Gao the Lessor as he enters the second level room in the training hall, where the school's three unwilling guests are kept. Yukio's been there all day. Kia Min hasn't returned. Once, five hours ago, Si Pat arrived carrying a tray with a bowl of rice, some dumplings, and a cup of wine. Other than that the day has been uneventful, as least since the morning, and Yukio's been left to his thoughts.

Yukio: "Shall we then?"

Gao the Lesser is not alone. He has brought a tall figure with him. You can't make out the face underneath the heavy travel cloak and hood he is wearing, but something about it seems odd.

Yukio: "Who is this Gao?"

Gao the Lesser glances behind him at the figure. "Oh just another guest I learned Master Li's been's hiding from us. I figured we could use him so I brought him along." Gao the Lesser comes further into the room while the stranger remains near the door. He kneels down beside the monk Sparrow. He takes a moment to examine her, running his fingers in what could be deemed an inappropriate manner along her neck, torso, and legs, and then back up again.

Yukio: "Gao, who is that? I will not be leaving Master Lee's treating me like a child, only to be treated by a child again."

(3) Gao the Lesser: "Then don't act like one!" Gao says angrily before catching himself. He continues more calmly. "His name is Storm Cloud. He is a monk of the Immaculate Order, from the Lotus Monestary."

(3) Thundering Cloud: "It’s Thundering Cloud. Not Storm Cloud."

(3) Gao the Lesser: "Whatever. He's a monk."

Yukio blinks at Gao's snappy response. His muscles tighten.

Gao the Lesser takes a deep breath. "Ok, I think I've got it."

Yukio: "Hmmm?"

(3) Gao the Lesser: He begins pressing his fingers aggressively into various places on Sparrow's body. There seems to be a specific sequence and rhythm to it, and Gao is concentrating quite hard on what he's doing. After a minute he stops and waits. A moment passes. Then another. Nothing happens. "What in all the green hells is this? It should have worked. Hold on..." Gao begins again.

Yukio: "Hmmm?"

(3) Gao the Lesser: This time, after Gao finishes, Sparrow moves. The change is instantaneous, and she goes from an inanimate prisoner to a fully mobile monk. She rises quickly.

(3) Sparrow: "Thank you," she says, bowing. "I am grateful to you both for helping us. I was afraid we'd be like...that...forever."

Gao the Lesser ignores her and moves on to the other monk.

Yukio: "Hmmmm..." Yukio says, this time intrigued.

(3) Gao the Lesser: It takes several minutes more for Gao to free the monk and the bandit leader, but soon enough they are both up and moving like Sparrow.

(3) Gao the Lesser: "Ok then. We're set. Get them out of here and meet me where we found those brats and the Demon Toads, at the edge of the Marshlands of Undying Twilight. You know the way?"

Yukio: "Aye, how do you want to go about this? Fighting, or sneaking?"

Gao the Lesser shrugs. "The students won't be an issue. Think you can take the old man? You've got quite a crew here."

Yukio: "We could, but why bother?"

(3) Gao the Lesser: "Alright. Sneak them out. Give me five minutes to get out of here first, though, just in case."

Yukio: "Sounds good."

Gao the Lesser smirks and departs the way he came.

Yukio: after waiting 5 or so minutes, Yukio steps into the hallway, and uses Observer Awareness Method to feel if he is being watched.

(3) Yeled: (roll Perception + Larceny) Yukio: [7d10.vs(7)] => [4,3,9,1,7,5,9] = (3)

(3) Yeled: Yukio instantly feels he is being watched. Someone is down the hall, and must have ducked around a corner.

Yukio: ((What is the cieling of this building like? Is it like wooden beams that one could walk on, with a higher roof above that still, or is it flat?)) (3) Yeled: ((you got it right, actually...wooden beams)) (3) Yeled: ((there are small ventilating windows on the ceiling as well))

Yukio: Tucking his arms, and his blades, behind his back, Yukio silently jumps up on top of the wooden beams, sneaking his way towards the person.

(3) Yeled: ((roll dex + stealth + applicable specialties)) Yukio: [9d10.vs(7)] => [8,3,9,10,7,7,7,5,3] = (6)

(3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: "Where are you going? I can't follow you there."

Yukio motions for the bandit to stay silent by pressing his index finger to his mouth, signaling them to go back in the room.

Grunau, the Bandit Leader is the only one who followed. He stares at Yukio a moment before figuring out that he's supposed to return to the room. It looks like he will ask another question but Yukio's glare makes him rethink that. He trumps back.

Yukio continues down the beam towards where he thought the person to be. Slowly, he peeks over the edge to see who is hiding around the corner.

(3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: Yukio stalks his way across the beam, moving so silently there's almost no chance that he will be heard...assuming that idiot Grunau didn't give him away. Yukio sees a young girl crouched around the corner, peering out and down the hall to where Yukio was a moment before. Its Minh, the Fourth Student, and she seems completely unaware Yukio is above her. Minh is an exotic creature who fails to emphasize what could be quite remarkable beauty. Instead she wears her dark hair in a plain braid and does not accentuate her face or form with any adornments. She wears her simple student robe and usually goes about her business quietly and unobtrusively. She's a good student, but nothing special. She probably won't get much past fourth student before graduating in a year or so.

Yukio: Using his supurb acrobatics, and superior stealth, Yukio jumps down from the beam, landing silently behind her. (3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: ((yeah, roll again...dex + stealth)) Yukio: [9d10.vs(7)] => [9,5,4,10,6,1,10,5,2] = (3)

Minh continues to peer down the hall, unaware of Yukio.

Yukio slowly draws his blade, applying it gently to her neck, not enough to cut, but enough so that she feels it's cold sharpness. "Looking for something?"

Minh stifles a gasp as she feels the blade touch her throat and her body goes very tense. But other than that she makes no response.

Yukio presses harder, he repeats "Looking for something Minh?", this time with a little more rage behind it.

(3) Minh: "What are you going to do, Yukio? I know you and Gao are up to something." she replies, her voice cold and steady.

Yukio: "Ah, yes, but will you live to spread your knowledge to anyone else?" he mocks, before spitting on her face.

Minh grimaces as Yukio spits on her, "Hey!" she cries out her voice rising almost to a shout.

Yukio: "I present you with two options, either I kill you here, and now, or you do not interfere with my plans tonight" he growls, in a menacing voice that would make even the most courageous solider think twice. However, a choice I will not give you, is to produce another sound like that. If you do, I remove your head. What will it be Minh?"

Minh whispers fiercely, "You may get away with this tonight, but one way or another you are going to pay, Yukio."

Yukio: "Is that a threat Minh?" he asks, pressing the blade a little harder into her throat, so that a small amount of blood trickles down the blade.

(3) Minh: ((roll Wits + Awareness, Yukio)) Yukio: [8d10.vs(7)] => [4,7,7,3,2,2,8,10] = (4)

(3) Minh: Yukio notices that Minh is not acting her characteristically unobtrusive self. This is remarkably bold for her.

Minh hisses through her teeth as you cut her, her body shaking like a leaf. "No... no threat..."

Yukio: "That's what I thought. Now, take your pathetic life, and get out of my sight. If I run into troubles later tonight, I will be hunting you down." Without waiting for her response, Yukio makes his way back towards the prisoners, walking calmly down the hallway. Checking once again with Observer Awareness Method to make sure the coast is clear.

(3) Minh: ((roll Per + larceny)) Yukio: [7d10.vs(7)] => [5,10,9,5,5,2,3] = (2)

(3) Minh: Minh seems to show up, but that is to be expected since she hasn't moved. No one else shows up.

Yukio motions to the others to follow along, whispering, "Sneak as well as you can," and makes his way out the closest exit.

(3) Thundering Cloud: "What happened? Where did you go?" asks the stoic voice of Thundering Cloud.

Yukio: "Never mind that, for now, follow this way."

(3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: "Before we go, could we retrieve Eshkgar, my sword? Where did they put it?"

Yukio: "I do not know. And we haven't time. Come now, swords are easily replaced, freedom is not"

(3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: "But it’s not just a sword. It’s a daiklaive."

Yukio: "Let me get you guys out of here first, then I will come back looking for it."

Grunau, the Bandit Leader seems uneasy with that, but eventually gives in. The others fall in behind you. Thundering Cloud and Sparrow are not bad at moving silently, but Grunau stomps heavily along the wooden floorboards and will alert anyone below that someone is up here...unless they are very distracted.

Yukio: ((About how much does Grunau weigh?)) (3) Yeled: ((he's probably 225 llbs of muscle. but its more that he's not graceful)) (3) Yeled: ((and he's got big, heavy boots))

Yukio: "Grunau, I am going to pick you up, because, frankly, we will never get out of here with you walking."

(3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: "What? No you aren't!"

Yukio: "Grunau, I kid you not, I will not hesitate to leave you here. Either I carry you, or I progress without you."

(3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: "How are you going to carry me and move quietly? It just isn't going to happen!"

Yukio: "I have a better shot than you just walking."

(3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: "Look, asshole, you just keep leading the way and I will follow. If we run into trouble we'll just take it out."

Yukio: "You are fortunate that Gao requested you be freed, otherwise I would have killed you right then."

(3) Sparrow: "Perhaps if, um, Grunau, is it?" interjects Sparrow diplomatically. "Perhaps if Grunau would remove his boots, he would move more quietly."

Yukio: "Aye, take off the boots."

Grunau, the Bandit Leader doesn't take his eyes off Yukio as he removes his boots one at a time. "Don't mess with me, little man."

(3) Sparrow: "There now. All is well."

Thundering Cloud says nothing.

Yukio: "Grunau, I will remind you, that you do not have a sword, your sword is here, and that if you do not feel like taking on a martial arts master, unarmed, to get your sword back, you shut the hell up and do as you are told."

Grunau, the Bandit Leader grumbles but does not say anything intelligible.

Yukio: "Now then, let's continue." Yukio says before beginning to walk to towards the exit.

Sagacious Zu comes walking up behind the others. "I suppose I should follow as well."

(3) Yeled: The lower level of the training hall is empty, save for two younger students -- Mae and Eiji -- who are practicing a kata. Most of the others are probably down near the river bank getting their supper...which reminds Yukio that he's hungry. The room—a large dojo for practicing--is wide open, and getting past them unnoticed will be quite difficult. Its floor is wooden and there are many practice weapons on racks on the outside. There are also banners with pithy and inspirational sayings on them. The stairs will drop Yukio and company at the back of the room and they will need to cross the room to get out.

Yukio: "Wait here." Yukio says. Yukio walks into the room with the two sparing students. "Hello Mae and Eiji," he says walking slowly towards the two of them. Both of you must remain calm, or I will not hesitate to kill you both on the spot." he says, raising his already somewhat bloody Tanfu up to eye level. "If either of you makes a peep, I will slaughter you like a goat."

(3) Tenth Student Mae: "Oh, big brother," starts Mae, stopping her form and using the formal term of respect...until Yukio threatens them. She trails off and looks very, very startled. Eiji doesn't look much better.

Yukio: "Now then, you know of my speed, my lethality. Do not move a muscle."

(3) Tenth Student Mae: "But...um...wa..."

Yukio: Calmly, Yukio walks over towards the bandits, motioning them to make their way across the room.

Sparrow and Zu eye each other as they make their way past, seemingly uncomfortable with or uneasy about Yukio's methods. Thundering Cloud and Grunau just walk across. Yukio and company exit the training hall and find themselves peering out into the main compound area of the school. At the center of a ring of buildings is the practice arena, around which are the instructor quarters and the library, as well as the hall they are exiting.

Yukio motions for them to stay put, scouting ahead to see if the path is clear.

(3) Yeled: The area is not completely empty of people. The instructor Twentieth Leopard is taking his meal outside his quarters on a bench on the raised platform that permits access to the buildings while ringing and defining the practice arena.

Yukio looks for a clear path, free from the view of others

(3) Minh: "So, are you going to threaten all of them with my blood too?" asks Minh, who is leaning on the doorframe just outside the hall when Yukio peeks out. Twentieth Leopard doesn't look up from his rice. He is across the arena from them and too far away to hear quiet conversation.

Yukio: "I warn you, turn away now, or I will kill you."

(3) Minh: "Go ahead, show Twentieth Leopard your true stripes."

Yukio: "This IS your last chance Minh, if I die here today, I can promise you, that I will get at least one kill, and that it will be you."

Minh smirks at Yukio, baring her teeth in a feral grin. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

Yukio engulfs himself in flame, before charging towards Minh. Without a second thought, he uses his entire body to drive both his blades in a vertical sweeping motion through the top of her, down towards the rest of her body.

(3) Minh: ((ok, roll join battle for that one)) Yukio: [11d10.vs(7)] => [4,8,7,7,9,3,9,4,5,2,3] = (5)

(3) Sagacious Zu: "What are you doing?!!!" yells Sagacious Zu as soon he sees Yukio act.

(3) Sagacious Zu: ((take a +1 stunt bonus)) Yukio: [11d10.vs(7)] => [6,6,7,9,8,3,3,3,8,8,6] = (5)

Minh moves with surprising speed and flits back out of reach of Yukio's blade. Her legs carry her backward across the platform in front of the hall and towards the one that leads to Master Li's quarters. Twentieth Leopard drops his rice at the explosion of fire and heat and sound. He looks up angrily. "What the hell?!"

(3) Sagacious Zu: "What are you doing?!!!" yells Sagacious Zu as soon he sees Yukio act.

(3) Grunau, the Bandit Leader: "Now what?" asks Grunau as Yukio disappears.

(3) Sagacious Zu: "The boy is a fool. I suggest we run."

Yukio: Yukio's feet begin to glow orange with flame, as he uses billow's pumping stride to catch up to her. Leaping over her head, he comes down, swinging both his blades sideways into her.

(3) Minh: Before Yukio can even begin to call upon the essence necessary to start his charm, Minh is standing before Master Li's quarters. It’s amazing how quickly she moved. As Yukio starts to pick up speed she leaps up and, grabbing hold of the ledge, flips herself onto the pitched roof of Li's home.

Sagacious Zu , Sparrow, Thundering Cloud, and Grunau burst out of the hall after Yukio vacates the doorway. They look around, having no idea of where to go next. Making a quick decision, Zu heads left, away from Yukio and Minh. Sparrow turns to look at Yukio as she goes. "Yukio! Run, Yukio!"

(3) Twentieth Leopard: "What the hell is going on?!!!"

Yukio is amazed at Minh's speed, breaking him out of his rage. A look of confusion appears on his face for a brief instant before he realizes what is going on.

(3) Yeled: The monks and bandit leader continue to make their way from the compound as Twentieth Leopard advances across the arena.

Yukio is overwhelmed with confusion. Slowly he wobbles back and forth, staggering. His Tonfu fall from his arms, wobbling back and forth on the ground. In a final stagger, he jolts forward and loses consciousness.

Minh disappears behind the crest of the roof.

The Lower Tomb of Jia Bouyu

(3) Yeled: The crack runs the length of the funerary mural, but its certainly not enough to pass through. Its little more than a hairline fracture in the marble. Mou, Ayame, Sook, and Kaimi study it carefully, looking for more than this. Fu didn't follow them out of the treasure chamber, but this is definitely the place he said to dig through.

Sook has no suggestions currently, he jes stands there

Mou-Shendu draws the Sai from his belt, and sticks it into the crack in the mural. He pries at the crack, to determine if it will crumble.

Kaimi: "Hmmm. Anyone bring a shovel? .... and a pick."

Sook frowns,"dont ruin your...you know...knife"

(3) Yeled: It might, with a LOT of effort. Bits of stone flake off.

Sook: ((ok,this mural is in which room?)) (3) Yeled: ((chariot room))

Sook turns and looks at the chariot

Sook: ((which way is it facing?)) (3) Yeled: ((it doesn't face the mural. it faces toward the entrance, through the shaft room))

Ayame peers at the chariot "Can you lift that thing up?"

Sook looks at ayame,then at the chariot,"uhm...i dont think so. i may be able to push it"

Mou-Shendu returns his Sai to his belt. "I'm not sure that our new friend, Fu, would appreciate it if we damage his master’s property"."

Ayame: "Well you're the one prying at the wall." Ayame rolls her eyes

Mou-Shendu gets down on his knees, and holding the lantern up to the crack, he attempts to peer through, trying to determine the wall's thickness.

(3) Yeled: Its hard to tell how thick it is. The crack is pretty narrow.

Kaimi: "Maybe we should say something and it will open up. Like Mou did before? You know, how he called out that we were all for the sun and all that."

Sook walks over to the crack and brushes the dust away from the crack to reveal the structure behind the façade.

(3) Yeled: Its just a marble wall. You can't see the structure behind it.

Kaimi reaches out and runs her hand down its length

Ayame: "Well I know I can get through at least"

Kaimi: "Yah? Have fun then. We can't." Kaimi kneels before the crack and puts her eye to it, trying to see in.

(3) Yeled: The crack is, as I said, little more than a hairline You can't see into anything, or even between the marble. You can't see how deep it is or how thick the wall is.

Sook: "let me see that", he reaches for mou’s sai.

Mou-Shendu: "You can tell us how thick the wall is, then, Ayame. It may be thin enough that Sook could simply smash through it." Mou-Shendu looks at Sook. He draws his Sai again, flips it easily in his hand so that the blunt end extends toward Sook, and hands it to the giant.

Ayame: "I thought you didn't want to wreck this place"

Sook: "fu told us to" Sook chips away at the edges of the crack.

Ayame: "Hmph, fine then"

(3) Yeled: The marble flakes, as I said, but this will likely take hours or days, depending on how thick the wall is

Ayame concentrates for a few moments, and suddenly her clothes and shield slip and fall to the ground along with a splash of water, being the only traces of her

Sook stands back and hands the sai back to mou.

Mou-Shendu inspects the condition of the point with a slight frown, before returning the weapon to his belt.

Kaimi puts her ear to the wall to listen for Ayame on the other side

Mou-Shendu: While he waits, Mou-Shendu follows the crack with his gaze, checking to see if it reaches the floor and the ceiling, and whether it stops at these, or continues on into them.

Kaimi: ((Is this a jagged crack or a straight one? Does it look like it is suppose to be there?)) (3) Yeled: ((its jagged))

(3) Yeled: With a loud crack a bluish hand punches through the wall from behind it, and a large chunk of stone flies out and breaks in a manner very unlike the marble is seems to be into a couple large pieces that scatter along the floor. You hear a roar like thunder coming from within, and you feel both warmth and humidity pour into the chamber. There is now a hole in the wall, about 6 inches in diameter

Ayame peeks out of the hole.

Kaimi: "Wow. Nice start Ayame."

Ayame: "This stuff is like wet paper"

Sook frowns,"move away,ayame"

Ayame pulls her face away from the hole

Mou-Shendu backs up to give Sook space.

Sook steps up to the wall,and places his hands flat against it,then slowly pushes...not too hard at first,he doesnt want to poke holes

(3) Yeled: At first it resists, but after a moment it literally cracks away from the rest of the wall in a single piece, revealing a passage and stair descending behind it. There is now a clear doorway built into the architecture of this passage. The constant roar is echoing up from below.

Ayame is standing there nekkid

Sook: "uhm...ayame..." Sook looks away

Ayame: "What?"

Sook: "yer clothes...."

(3) Yeled: A sudden tingling sensation courses through you Mou, Ayame, and Sook. The energy here is tremendous.

Ayame rolls her eyes and bends over to grab her robe, pulling it on, snatching the shield up as well

Mou-Shendu: ((Is the roar like the rush of air, or something else?)) (3) Yeled: ((no, not like a rush of air, although you felt a rush of warm humid air immediately...its more a constant, unceasing roll of thunder))

Mou-Shendu stares into the darkness. "Fu called this the dark path. Everyone be on guard."

Sook takes a few tentative steps down the stairway, peering down into the dark for signs of anything

(3) Yeled: The walls of this stair are uncharacteristically bare. They are not decorated with any images. They are plain, although still made of yellow marble. They descend for quite a ways, and the thunder sound is loud but far away. You can't see the bottom...although sook thinks he sees some kind of glow or haze far down in the distance.

Sook begins his descent,slowly

Kaimi has been hiding laughter at the boys under her hand and eagerly steps forward to follow Sook

Mou-Shendu: "He also called this the path of water, which may explain the sound up ahead". Mou-Shendu studies Kiami's excitement. He follows just behind her.

Ayame saunters along at the back of the pack

(3) Yeled: The stairs descend for what must be a hundred or even hundreds of feet. They are narrow and allow only single-file travel. After a while, as the sound becomes louder and louder, the glow from below becomes more clear. There is some source of light down there, at the end of these stairs. Sook, Mou, and Ayame also feel the powerful flow of essence through this passage.

(3) Yeled: The stairs open up into a vast room with sights, sounds, and even smells that are far more impressive in scope than anything you’ve yet seen. The room must fill the entirety of the base of the hill into which the Cave of the Anathema is carved, for the walls, complete with still more murals and writings, are easily 100 yards apart from one another. Almost 30 yards above you the ceiling bears an immense sun that glows every bit as brightly as the real one, rendering your lanterns useless and making this room as bright as the riverfront on a warm, sunny day. The sunlight radiates down from the ceiling and alights on, and is reflected by, every surface in the room, making the space sparkle like a brilliant golden diamond.

You stand on a marble platform that extends out toward the center of the room. It is sculpted to look like a large pier, like you might see at a major port city. The pier is meant to keep you from having to wade in several feet of water, which pours thunderously in from openings on the left side of the room and must somehow empty out at the right, for it flows from wall to wall with a potent current that makes it seem every bit the mighty river it is clearly meant to be. The surface of the water shimmers with reflected light borrowed from the golden sun above, making the brilliant room ever more so.

Along the walls on the outside of the room, spaced at even intervals between the murals and resting on pedestals that keep them from the river, are 13 life-sized jade statues of men and women. The murals and statues can be accessed by a narrow ledge along the outside wall of the room. Each of the statues is unique in appearance and exceptionally detailed, so much so that the sculptor must have been working from real people or at least models to represent them. It’s almost possible to get an idea of who each person was, or at least what their personality might have been like, from the way they are portrayed. Although they are all different, they do have things in common. First, each is dressed in ancient military garb of exceptional quality. Second, each is outfitted with symbols and trappings that surely indicate affiliation to one of the five elements, including being made from the proper color of jade. Third, each pedestal on which they sit bears one of the 13 symbols that were written on the Orichalcum door to the Cave. Fourth, each statue is armed with a weapon (mostly swords), which he or she fingers secretly or bears openly. And finally, whether they do so with reverence or contempt, admiration or condescension, boldness or cowardice, compliance or defiance, they all watch the center of the room with their eyes.

Additional statues can be found in the river itself. Unlike those set along the walls, these are half submerged in the lake and face outward, not inward. All but one of them depicts various naked, sprite-like women of exceptional youth and beauty, all with pointed ears and webbed hands and feet. These are also life-sized and in various poses. Some are in the act of swimming. Some peer with their eyes above the lake’s surface while the rest of their bodies remain submerged in the liquid. Still others rise out of the lake, defiantly bearing swords with blades made from water or some other liquid. The last statue is the largest of them all by far. Its great body snakes in and out of the water, encircling the room and even twisting under the pier. The statue is a massive depiction of a dragon, carved from black jade with every scale, tooth, claw and hair precisely detailed. Its majestic head rises 10 yards above the surface and gazes, like those along the wall, into the center of the room.

At the place where the statues gaze, literally floating in the radiant lake, is a magnificent golden barque set with jewels and fine carvings. It fills the room, dwarfing even the mighty dragon in terms of scale, and is easily 50 yards from end to end. Twenty oars on each side extend out of the hull and dip into the lake, as if it’s ready to set sail at any moment. At its prow is a figurehead of orichalcum that is shaped like a leopard. At the stern a huge rudder rises up into the air, and at its highest point you can see that a carved orichalcum falcon sits regally. The barque is directly below the sun in the ceiling, and it supports a great mast—complete with crow’s nest and a square sail bearing images of a leopard and falcon kneeling to the sun—that rises high into the air and stops only feet away from the sun’s center. At that exact spot is a large red gemstone—a sun within the sun—that glows with its own bright light. Around it are written dark words that are impossible to make out from where you stand. It is also impossible from where you stand to see what, if anything, might be set on or beneath the deck of the barque, but something on the deck is glowing with far more luminosity than the lake and at least as much as the sun in the ceiling. Access to that spot is easily gained by a gangplank that rises up its side from the pier.

Kaimi lets out a low whistle of appreciation. "This is Fantastic!!"

Sook: "woah..it is....amazing"

Kaimi: "It totally beats all the old ruins we explored as kids, huh Sook?"

Sook jes nods, slowly.

Mou-Shendu studies the room with a mix of awe and caution, taking in every detail.

(3) Yeled: the pier, I should note, is only a few feet above the water

Kaimi 's are wide with enthusiasm and her mouth is hanging open in a stunned grin "Oh we so need to check this out!"

Ayame hops down into the water

Kaimi: "Hey yah! There might be even more down there! What do you see?"

(3) Yeled: The current is strong, but Ayame is completely comfortable as the warm, sun-drenched water embraces her form.

Mou-Shendu: "Careful. This is the manse. Fu called this a prison".

Ayame is just floating around on her back

(3) Yeled: The "river" is not deep, but its deep enough to swim in without your feet touching the ground.

Kaimi: "How can this be a prison? It is amazing."

Mou-Shendu: "I don't know that yet. It is precisely our lack of knowledge that should urge caution."

Kaimi sighs deeply. "Right. Caution." She stops edging along the beginning of the pier.

Ayame floats calmly, some of the water seems to ripple and flow towards her

Kaimi: "I don't get why anyone would lock this away underground. This kind of thing is meant to be seen!"

Mou-Shendu: "And yet it was ultimately concealed."

Sook: "it is simple....the wild hunt would eat this up, and destroy anything that tried to stop them or claim it"

Kaimi: "The wild hunt?"

Sook nods to kaimi

Mou-Shendu: "That is true, Sook, but this place may have been sealed long before the Monks."

Kaimi: "Well whatever the reason, I'm glad they did. This is the best secret ever!"

Sook smirks,"is it unusual for those with delusions....or even the true trappings....of grandeur, to want to take it with them? when they...you know....die"

Mou-Shendu: "There are still many secrets here to discover"

Kaimi: "No kidding! We should go do that."

Sook: "we must....ultimately...remember our goal here..."

Kaimi once again halts her move onto the pier. "Ah.... Finding a way to save the isle."

Sook: "this has been here....over 1000 years,probably....it will not be leaving any time soon....for now, we focus on our task"

Kaimi: "Ok. We can focus, but I can still have fun doing it. Who says saving the world has to be boring? Seems like a contradiction to me."

Sook: "those who wish to live through it..."

Mou-Shendu nods at Sook as he turns his attention to the murals, skimming over them briefly to get a sense of their content.

(3) Yeled: The murals are as complex as any you've seen, and massive in scope. They, like the funerary mural that hid this area, are divided horizontally into three registers. They seem to tell a single tale, beginning with the Sun Tyrant standing on the golden barque. He moves on to summon the "guide and guardian," who would appear to take the form of a dragon and an entourage of nymphs like you seen among the statuary. They protect the barque on its journey down the river. First ghosts and demons appear, then strange creatures of various forms, then blackness or something you interpret as blackness. All are thrown back. Then, strangely, the thirteen armored figures appear and use magic to hold the dragon and the nymphs at bay while they approach the Sun Tyrant. They do something that removes the red sun from his heart and hold it apart from him. Then they retreat, the dragon and nymphs return to the barque, and the Tyrant continues down the river. Finally the Tyrant disembarks and seems to be changed somehow. This whole thing is accompanied by much ceremonial magic and prayers and songs. Gods appear along the way and people mourn the Sun Tyrant. And the Tyrant relies on the dragon and its nymphs throughout.

Sook: "they....took it....his...spark...his soul"

Mou-Shendu: "Yes", Mou mutters as he turns his gaze to the suns in the center of the room.

Sook: "but why? they always seemed....to be on his side. why...did they become...you know...traitors? he must have done something awful bad"

Kaimi jaw drops open at sook's words, and she looks appalled and thoroughly disconcerted. "That is just not right."

Sook: "well,if he was as bad as he is said to be....maybe it was the right thing....but that doesnt explain....this. Its as if they still worshipped him, even after bringing him down, and exposing him as a false god"

Kaimi: "Maybe they took his soul and it didn't kill him. Maybe that was how he became bad."

Sook: "or saviour....god king...whatever he called himself"

Mou-Shendu: "It is also possible that they are the ones that betrayed Jia Bouyu", Mou says, beckoning to the statues around the room.

Sook looks at kaimi, then back to the scene, nodding slowly, "maybe"

Kaimi: "And I thought this was a place of worship to him. Why would they depict him as bad here?"

Sook looks to the barque,"why dont we...you know...ask?"

Mou-Shendu: "It's time to see what the writing is around the red sun, and what is emitting the light on the deck."

Sook begins slowly walking across the pier to the gangplank

Mou-Shendu walks with him.

Kaimi practically skips as she follows Sook, looking in every direction, including into the water, as she walks with the rest of the group

(3) Yeled: The pier is long and the barque massive. It is every bit as elaborate as anything you've seen, but much of the craft has gone into making the gold land jewels ook like real wood. The water rushes by, and despite the light or maybe because of the shimmer its hard to see beneath the surface. You can make out the dark patches where the statues are submerged underwater. The pier is long and the barque massive. It is every bit as elaborate as anything you've seen, but much of the craft has gone into making the gold and jewels look like real wood.

Kaimi laughs "It's a wonder that boat didn't sink with all those jewels on it!"

Sook: "im not sure which i like less...wood perverted to look like gold and jewels....or the opposite..."

(3) Yeled: You reach the end of their pier, the gangplank rising steeply above you to your right.

Sook strides carefully up the gangplank

Kaimi: "You know Sook, maybe you're right, and they thought they would take this all with them. I am sure glad they were wrong!"

Mou-Shendu follows Sook.

Kaimi follows behind, trying to take everything in at once

(3) Yeled: Standing on the barque changes the impressions the room gives you. All its features remain the same, but your perspective has changed and it effects how you perceive things. Now the sun is immediately overhead. It fills the sky and its intense light beats directly down on you. The statues around the room now peer at you, and their stern gazes are not necessarily friendly. The nymphs and the dragon are focused on you as well, even when they are looking out instead of in. Everything seems to have become about you—the passengers on the barque. You are about to begin a journey. The world has turned its gaze to you, and that gaze makes you feel somewhat uncomfortable.

The deck of the golden ship is what you’d expect from a real seaworthy vessel, if seaworthy vessels were commonly made of gold and set with jewels and intricate carvings. All the cordage and other apparatuses that make up the riggings are present, although these are made of fine silk rather than course rope. All other items necessary for actually sailing the ship are present as well, but like the cordage are made from ornamental rather than practical materials. This ship may be seaworthy, but it is by no means a technological wonder as far as sea craft go. Its naval design is primitive, which belies the tremendous technological knowhow and craftsmanship it must have taken to create it. The craftsman would have had to have knowledge of metal working, gem working, and nautical design, and it is unlikely that anyone could craft it today, even if one had the resources to do so. And yet no one would ever attempt it as it is designed if they wanted to use it, for there are far more advanced ship designs and technologies even in this fallen age.

The single deck is simple and runs the length of the vessel from prow to stern. It is much longer than it is wide. The continuum of the deck is broken only by four things. One of these is the mast and the silk ladder that climbs it. A small cabin, made of the same stuff as the rest of the boat and covered with emblems of the Unconquered Sun and the Sun Tyrant, sits between the mast and the stern. Between the mast and the starboard side of the barque is an opening with stairs to go below deck. And between the mast and the prow is a small pedestal with a round orichalcum dish upon it. This dish echoes the brightness of the sun above.

Sook: "it seems awfully...self indulgent"

Mou-Shendu: "This vessel looks as though it may be an actual craft, not just a replica...". Mou strains to read the writing again, and studies the glowing dish, as well.

Sook: "it doesnt look like a very effective boat.....to me"

(3) Yeled: The writing is still impossible to read. Its like trying to see sunspots on the noon day sun. The dish, however, can be accessed quite easily.

Mou-Shendu: "Not without powerful magic to make it so," Mou agrees, distracted.

Sook: "it must weigh more than a flock of yeddim"

Mou-Shendu: "And yet it floats."

Mou-Shendu approaches the dish.

(3) Yeled: The pedestal is made of solid yellow marble and supports an orichalcum dish at waist level. This amazing dish resembles nothing so much as the Golden Sun Disk which was the key to opening the cave door, but it is concave and shaped like a shallow bowl. Light from above radiates down from the ceiling and seems to literally condense on the surface of the dish into luminous droplets of liquid sunlight. These drip slowly toward the dish’s center and form a pool of fluid light which radiates back out and is the source of the dish’s intense glow. Peering into the pool of light, which has a warmth of its own, you can make something else out at the bottom of the dish. Its small—maybe the size of a large marble or small egg—but the light is too bright to make out any other details.

Mou-Shendu draws his Sai again from his belt, and gently dips it into the liquid light, proding at the small object within.

(3) Yeled: The object is heavy and rolls to the side in the dish.

Kaimi’s eyes look like they are about to fall out of her head. Sook knows that at any other time she would be exploring and handling everything. Even now she looks as if she is barely holding herself back from doing just that. At the moment she is staring up at the crows nest

Kaimi: "Um... lets go up there.” Kaimi points to the crows nest. "We could see everything from up high. It would be neat and maybe even informative!"

Sook ambles over to the hut

(3) Yeled: The hut is ornate and about 7 yards square and 5 high. A single door seals it closed.

Sook tests the door

Kaimi notices that Sook has left her behind in the exploration and abandons the crow's nest idea to catch up with him.

(3) Yeled: The door swings open.

Sook pokes his head in,with his lantern

Kaimi: "Ok this first." She says breathlessly. "The crow's nest next."

(3) Yeled: A massive golden Sarcophagus dominates the small room inside. Its literally half the room and located in the exact center. It seems to depict the Sun Tyrant in a prone position, although its very ornamental and more abstract than many murals you've seen him in. Around the room are a variety of treasures...these are not like those in the chamber Fu guards. These seem more personal:

A suit of orichalcum armor of impossible design that you've seen again and again in the murals. A leopard pelt, somehow preserved through the years, is drapped artfully over a wooden stand. A weapon stand with twin, sheethed broadswords. One scabbard depicts a leopard and the other a falcon. A stand holding a five pointed crown of orichalcum and a ring with a seal. A single bracer with a falcon shaped into its side. And another stand holding an ornate a scroll case