BogMod/RisingSun6

<ST_Mod> Its still early, the morning that misty grey you find in forests as the sun reaches the tops of the trees but does not penetrated down into the lower depths. Moving quick and silent, the only sounds the sounds of your steps and breathing as you move towards the manse. Meanwhile at Dream's house Orchid and Dream have met as Dream's mother lies in her bed, sleeping in the early hour.

• Orchid is dressed and oddly shaped a bit like a common village girl or young wife, but still fully recongizable as Hidden Orchid to anyone who knows what to look for. Her eyes twinkle with amusement as Hopeful Dream enters, and she waves at the other girl, then returns to peeling the apple in her hands.

• Hekaton makes his way alone towards the Manse, moving cautiosly and expecting a horde of anathema-hunting villagers behind every tree.

• Hopeful_Dream pulls Orchid into the other room, looking *extremely* angry. She whispers, "What are you doing? You should have waited. You can stay for a moment, but then leave."

<Hopeful_Dream> "Why did you come here now?"

<Orchid> "Sure. Do you know what you are doing?"

• Haraka quietly sifts through the forests, hands on his knives and eyes darting about, the young Solar constantly zooming and unzooming his lense to see what's ahead and about when he can't see well enough ahead, constantly fearful of possible linch mobs around every corner.

<Orchid> "To check on your mother, of course. Even brought her fresh fruit."

• Orchid holds up the basket of fresh apples.

• Orchid smiles innocently.

<Hopeful_Dream> "Tell the truth, or we have a problem."

<Orchid> "Oh, to see you you had become insane or possessed by a demon. That's all."

<Orchid> "So... are you possessed or insane?"

• Orchid takes a bite out of an apple, chewing slowly and relaxed.

<Dream> "Neither, just the only person thinking with the head on their shoulders."

<Orchid> "Good to hear we have one of those. It is so bothersome to do, never cared myself. So, happy with your mother under guard?"

<Hopeful_Dream> "She's somewhat protected, and you should leave now."

<Orchid> "You coming back to us?"

• Hopeful_Dream is starting to look more than a bit angry. "My mother is tired. You should leave for now."

• Orchid shrugs.

<Orchid> "If you say so. I had hoped you thought you could trust us a little, though."

• Orchid opens the door to leave. "Just give your dear mother two of my apples every day and she will be much better in no time, dear."

• Hopeful_Dream opens the door after putting on a smile, "Thank you, it's very much appreciated that you'd watch over her."

<Orchid> "You are welcome. What are friends and neighbours for?"

• Orchid leaves, flirting a bit with the guards first - just because - and then getting away.

<ST_Mod> The group arrives at the manse, the marble stepping stones catching a bit of the early morning light as the sun starts to rise above the mountain peaks. Grace, Orchid, Flower, and the two Hs arrive at more or less the same time at the Manse.

<Grace> "Well, this was fortuitous."

<Amber`Flower> "Fortuitious?"

<Haraka> "Lucky."

• Hekaton stands watch at the entrance, but hidden from the outside.

<Grace> "That we all arrived at the same time. Because that means no standing around with the door open."

<Hekaton> "Lucky that we got away, maybe."

• Haraka nods, and hopses over to the stepping stones, whistling and calling out "Hey dog!" in Old Realm.

• Hekaton eyes the surroundings before the entrance closes, making sure there's noone there.

<ST_Mod> The door slowly swings open and the golden dog is sitting there in the main hall.

• Orchid leans on Flower's shoulder, fingertips running over the muscletoned lines of her body. "Yes. Just wish Drem would trust us with an explanation. Not like this protects any of us any better."

• Amber`Flower raises both her eyebrows in suprise as the door opens and she sees the dog.

<Orchid> "Did she talk with any of you?"

<ST_Mod> "Hello." Says the dog in Old realm.

• Haraka walks over to the golden canine and thinks for a second, "Hey, so I don't just call you by your type of thing, what's your name anyhow?"

<ST_Mod> "My name is Shining Point."

<Amber`Flower> "..what is that?" siad as an aside to Orchid

• Haraka nods, "Alrighty, I'll keep that in mind Shining Point." He turns to the others righ quick, "We expecting anyone else to come about?"

<Orchid> "Huh? Oh, just the guardian of this place from what I have been told. Pretty doggie."

• Amber`Flower nods

<Orchid> "Hello, Shining Point. I'm Hidden Orchid. Nice to meet you." *holds hand out for SP to smell*

<ST_Mod> He lifts a paw up and shakes your hand instead.

• Hekaton nods to Shining Point, having seen him before.

• Orchid chuckles. "I like him."

• Amber`Flower understands not all this ld realm speak. She smiles "I can't understand him.."

<Hekaton> "Spirits speak High Realm too... At least so I've read."

<Orchid> "Oh, they do. Very well in fact."

• Haraka nods, "They do indeed. However, this one is a bit....older."

<Haraka> "Hey, how long have you been here SHining Point?"

<ST_Mod> "I am not sure, I sleep a lot of the time if there is no one around."

<Orchid> "Must have been lonely."

• Orchid scratches SP behind the ears, then sits down to pet him.

• Haraka hmmms, and nods, "No kidding. What was the previous owner of this place doing before he left?"

<ST_Mod> "Rallying gods to him to take back the Realm."

<ST_Mod> He wags his tail at your petting and scritching.

• Grace paces restlessly.

• Orchid chuckles and keeps it up, finding his best spots.

• Haraka hmmms, and thinks a bit to himself, "Well, what do you folks think we should do now? Home is not the safest place at the moment. But abandoning Dream and the town isn't the msot noble of things to do."

<Orchid> "Well, I want to see what Dream has planned at least. Wish she would have let us help."

<Hekaton> "She'll be fine as long as noone finds out her secret."

<Grace> "Dream knows what she's doing. Admittedly, we can't be a lot of help to her at the moment, but sometimes you just have to trust your friends." She fidgets. "That doesn't mean we have to like it, though."

<Hekaton> "The question is if we want to abandon the town itself."

<Amber`Flower> "I do not imagine us trying to see her would help in that..."

• Haraka hmms, just realzing something and turning ot Shining Point, "Hey, I got a quesiton for you."

<ST_Mod> "Yes?"

<Haraka> "Do you remember the old owners of this place ever putting a bell a little ways away from here?"

• Hopeful_Dream appears at the side of the entrance, letting the manse break up the shape of her form. "Finally, someone who understands a bit of what it means to think ahead. I am trusted to a degree. I warned about the attack, but running or fighting by your side would leave my mother alone, and give nothing. This way, at least we still have some information."

<ST_Mod> "I remember it being talked about once but that is really all."

<ST_Mod> "Is everything all right? You all seem rather tense?"

<ST_Mod> The dog pauses to scratch an ear and then goes back to waiting for an answer.

• Haraka looks over to Dream as she appears, "I hope you know what you are doing. This doesn't seem like the safest of things to be oging about and doing." He looks over to the dog, "Ummmm, we have a bit of a problem with our friends in the local village."

<Orchid> "Sure we are. Well, I am. Say, could you show me any musical instruments or garments left in here? I really wanna test out the designs."

<Hekaton> "Friends... Right."

• Grace glances over at Dream. "Are you sure it's safe for you to come here?"

<ST_Mod> The dog nods and leads Orchid to one room, but the instruments are too old to be used and the place suffers a severe lack of extra clothing and furniture. Very spartan.

• Orchid comes back mumblingabout interesting designs.

<Hopeful_Dream> "As safe as is possible after I have people *looks to Orchid and some others* call me demon possessed or insane. I also scouted around the area, but shouldn't stay too long.

• Haraka nods, "Well, try to keep us informed. I think we should try to figure out wha tot do, but yeah, its not good looking right now." He rubs his chin a bit, and sighs softly.

<Hekaton> "Dream, if they still trust you, maybe you could find out if anyone tipped off the soliders about us. If so, I'd like to find that person."

<Orchid> "Remember, that person who climbed in Grace's window and set demons on us is still likely in town."

• Hopeful_Dream sighs. "The people who did that are in this very room."

• Grace raises a green eyebrow at Dream.

<Haraka> "According to the public opinion, but what do they know?"

<Haraka> "Evidence will show up. And we can use that as a way to get out of this."

<Hopeful_Dream> "Look, you have all been acting suspicious, and that gauntlet stunt made it worse. Then there were the murders, things about you disappearing as they happened."

<Hekaton> "Get out? We can just walk away."

<Haraka> "And leave our families to keep getting murdered, or the gods of the area to run this place over?"

• Orchid looks over at Haraka for a moment, expression unreadable, then goes back to playing with SP my making him jump after morsels she has cut from their food.

• Hekaton looks away... "No, I didn't mean it like that. It's just not my home, and I don't much like being branded a demon because of small town gossip."

<Grace> "'Home' is a very relative thing." Pause. "No pun intended, of course."

<ST_Mod> The spirit dog plays with Orchid, happy to ease her mind with some simple playing.

<Hekaton> "I don't mind staying and hunting down the black-clad stranger."

<Hekaton> "Maybe even show the people here who the real demon is."

<Orchid> "He might chase us if we go away. Leaving the valley in peace. Except..."

• Haraka nods, "That's about the least I want to do. We can also possibly attempt to make a deal with the local spirit courts I think. I mean, c'mon. We glow, we got powrs, we move motes. Gods listen to Dragon-Bloods, they should listen to us."

<Orchid> "Jump boy. Good doggie."

<Grace> "..Except if he doesn't."

<Haraka> "Witht he bell gone, that might be something useful to have about."

<Orchid> "Except, if his motive for wanting us dead was to get something in this valley without our interference..."

<Hopeful_Dream> "No, this person has a goal here, and leaving just let's him do what he wants."

<Hopeful_Dream> "He doesn't care if we're here or not, as long as we're not interfering."

<Amber`Flower> "I cannot speak, but can you rule out that his goal is your death or capture?"

<Orchid> "Ah, good. That settles that part then."

<Haraka> "Well, since the demons attacked us *before* we started glowing, I get a feeling we might be independant of whatever hsi goals are."

<Amber`Flower> "At Grace's house?"

<Haraka> "No, when the festival had started."

<Hekaton> "I didn't do too badly with the spirit I talked to before... Maybe I could try talking to some other spirits."

• Orchid chuckles at nothing appearent.

<Hekaton> "I didn't think I'd use the spirit lore they taught me in school like this though..."

• Haraka hmms, thinking a bit.

<Haraka> "Maybe I can take a salesman's approach to this."

<Hopeful_Dream> "I'm going to go back, and check into what's happened, if there's nothing else."

<Orchid> "And we're just to stay here? Sounds boring. Oh weel, must make the best of it."

<Hekaton> "Chances are the stranger in black isn't staying in town either, with everyone so suspicious and watchful."

• Haraka nods, "Be careful Dream."

<Orchid> "No spritit has felt him leaving."

<Orchid> "But they sure noticed him coming."

<Grace> "Orchid, I'm sure you'll be able to find ways to entertain yourself."

<Orchid> "Aww... always so mean to me."

• Orchid grins friendlily at Grace.

<Orchid> "And here i had every intention of entertaining others too."

• Hekaton raises an eyebrow at Orchid. "Well, in that case... I'm also going into town, disguised."

• Haraka hmmms, "I wonder where the local Forest Walker is. Maybe I should go ask him for help>"

<Hekaton> "A nice corpse of an anathema is a good first step to winning over the people."

• Hopeful_Dream walks off after checking carefully for any watchers, then takes a roundabout way out, and continues to gather herbs

• Amber`Flower starts to doff her armour, climbin out of the thick plate

<Grace> "Sounds like fun. I'm in."

• Orchid eagerly helps with the armor. "Oh, I know where the lord is."

<Hekaton> "We need a good disguise. I can manage with my Charm."

• Haraka blinks to Orchid, "you do?"

<Orchid> "Sure."

• Amber`Flower stretches once she is out of the armour

<Haraka> "Well, since sitting around here doesn't do much good for any of us, maybe we should probalby take some time to look into things with him, see what he has to say on the situation."

• Orchid 's eyes twinkle yellow and gold. "How will you pay me for guiding you?"

<Hekaton> "Haraka, I think Orchid's admirers are found among both mortals and immortals."

• Orchid looks at him from over Flower's shoulders as she gives the warrior a relaxing massage.

• Amber`Flower sighs softly

• Haraka ohs, and nods, then glances over ot Orchid, "I dunno. I have a lot to offer. Wards, exorcisms. I cna even maybe make a nice trinket fer ya."

<Orchid> "Mmm.. like trinkets."

• Orchid finishes the massage and gets up to leave.

• Haraka stands up, as well, straightening his shirt a bit, and pushing his glasses up on his nose, "Well then m'lady, lead the way."

• Orchid hums to herself as she walks causally out, stopping to admire plants and animals on the way, never even noticing her own swaying curves, completely natural to her as they are.

• Haraka every now in again on the walk takes a moment to take a gander at Orchid in her path....making sure he has an eye on the lead, yeah.

<ST_Mod> As half the party goes to town, the other half goes to see a familiar face for some...

<Hekaton> "What do we go as? Mercenaries?"

<Grace> "Townsfolk works. Or we could go as disguised Anathema."

• Grace grins slightly.

<Hekaton> "With a good story I can weave an impenetrable background for me. No one will be able to tell we're faking it just by asking a simple question."

<Grace> "Excellent."

<ST_Mod> You walk into town and see that once again there is a gathering at the main square. Seems the mayor is doing a little bit of rabble rousing, telling people of the monsters in their midst and of what the beast who called himself Hekaton did. Of how he had sucked a woman dry of her blood, no doubt for some horrible magics.

<Hekaton> "It's a good idea to be locals though, but from another town. I'll be a young mercenary here to help against the current trouble."

• Grace looks properly shocked and frightened, and clings a bit closer to the disguised beast who calls himself Hekaton.

• Hopeful_Dream stands there nodding, then moves on seaching through the town for anything that seems out of place.

• Hekaton just looks grim and shuts up.

• Hekaton approaches Grace inconspiciously if he sees her.

<Grace> "What now?" she quietly whispers to Hekaton.

<ST_Mod> The mayor isn't a bad public speaker, if you guys were still in town there would be a proper mob with pitchforks and torches after you.

<Hekaton> "Just here to mete out some justice in the name of the Sun, win over the people and be cheered as heroes. You?"

• Hekaton scans the crowds and town for someone suspicious.

• Hopeful_Dream moves through the area, looking at the houses slowly. Thinking over what she knows of the occupants, and which houses might hide a single person...

<Grace> "Good a plan as any, I suppose." She searches the faces of the crowd as well.

<ST_Mod> Its a town of 1000 people normally, so you don't know absolutely everyone, but no one sticks out strangely to your eyes.

• Hekaton wanders about, checking the places left empty by the crowds as well.

• Hekaton slides back to Grace and Dream, and whispers> "Don't look but, there's someone on that roof, hiding in the shadow of the chimney. What do you say we surround him and get him?"

<Hekaton> "Dream, you could stay back in case of trouble."

<Grace> "Works for me."

• Hopeful_Dream starts walking off a ways, looking around slowly, her eyes the only part to slowly look up for the person

• Hekaton walks close to the place like he was going somewhere, and when he's out of sight from the roof, he sneaks closer, looking for a way up."

<Grace> Meanwhile, Grace sneaks closer on the opposite end of the building.

• Hekaton readies his firewand under his coat.

<Hekaton> And also his splitklaive.

• Hopeful_Dream presses on her staff after she is out of sight of other people and can only barely see the man from a distance away, staying within at least a fair distance. She presses down on her staff, shortening it. Then quickly looks again to make sure none are watching and puffs twice launching two darts into the person's neck from the blue end of her blowgun.

<ST_Mod> As you get closer Hekaton you seem him shift slightly, and start to scoot away in a direction neither of you have covered.

• Hekaton tries to keep up, not bothering to hide from him any onger, but trying not to act too suspicious for any townsfolk he passes.

<ST_Mod> The silver hammer flies out and punches through the chest of the man, ripping his ribcage out and lobbing that into the crowd before stopping and hovering in midair, dripping viscera. The crowd stops murmering as the broken ribcage and part of back lands at the mayors feet.

• Hekaton runs to get the rest of the guy.

<ST_Mod> You haven't seen him before, and he has no giant hammer on his person, and its one of the most disturbing sights you have seen.

• Grace instructs the hammer to hide/rest in a nearby tree.

<ST_Mod> A scream erupts from parts of the crowd and there are shouts and gaurds bustling and trying to figure out what has just happened.

• Hopeful_Dream stretches her staff out and runs to try and help control the crowd and look around.

• Hekaton stops just long enough to see if he can clearly identify the guy as the stranger or not.

<ST_Mod> You don't know him and he does't look local.

• Hekaton looks for *anything* of interest on him.

• Hopeful_Dream starts to move towards the roof. "It must have started up there?" She nudges a guard to get his attention and get him to get other guards looking that way.

<ST_Mod> Well he is dressed in all black, and he looks dressed like the guy who attacked you before minus mask and hammer.

<ST_Mod> The gaurds start to swarm towards the house that the guy is on.

• Hopeful_Dream moves with them, trying to make sure that the people she knows are not going to get caught if possible.

• Hekaton just joins the panic, keeping his watch up for anything suspicious.

• Hekaton tries to find Grace and/or Dream.

• Grace is easy to find.

<ST_Mod> The gaurds stare in revulsion at this guy and one has to go away to vomit. They push the rest of the people back, but clearly the rumors are allready spreading. In fact they blame it on the beast Hekaton anyways since he was first in their minds.

• Hekaton slides up to Grace and nudges her off a bit, away from the people. "That was our mysterious stranger. I'm sure, even without his mask and hammer."

• Hopeful_Dream examines the body carefully, looking at everything I can about him... "I doubt this was caused by the beast Hekaton."

• Grace nods. "I'm sorry there wasn't much left to question. I'm still getting the hang of using this thing."

<Hekaton> "Well, it was an impressive throw, but maybe you should try to aim for the legs next time?"

<Hekaton> "You're not getting the credit for it, though..."

<ST_Mod> The mayor bustles to the front of the line and blanches at the sight. "Thats...inhuman...truely he must be a demon..."

<Hopeful_Dream> "Look at the wound. We have all seen the blades that Hekaton carries. This couldn't have been caused by them, unless Hekaton is changing how he attacks. There may be another."

<ST_Mod> Mayor "Yes...we all know that Hekaton had his friends, the ones who ran today."

<ST_Mod> He turns to the crowds. "My friends, my people we must be strong in this hard time. We will stop the monsters that did these things. Allready I have sent my fastest messengers to Lookshy and the Realm to tell them our plight, that Anathama and their demon allies are attacking our poor village."

<ST_Mod> The people seem somewhat reassured by their mayor and disperse to let the gaurds handle thigns.

• Hopeful_Dream stands up looking sad. She turns to the people. "I swear that I will hunt these monsters to the end of the earth. I would rather die fighting for our valley than stay "safe"."

<ST_Mod> One guard looks shocked. "You musn't! Look at the strength they wield!"

<Hopeful_Dream> "I can't stay while their threat looms over this valley. Even should they run, I'll follow. *she puts her hand on his shoulder* You need to stay and protect the village. I could not sleep knowing that my mother was in danger. This is why I must follow, even at risk to my own life."

<ST_Mod> He nods, eyes full of admiration for you even though he can't really remember who you are...

<Hopeful_Dream> "All I ask is this... stay with my mother and the priest. Stay faithful to what we believe in, and hope for me even though it seems hopeless."

• Hekaton listens to Dream and the townspeople with growing bitterness, staying a bit away from the crowd.

<ST_Mod> Great is the vitriol and slander they make up about you and your friends.

• Hopeful_Dream doesn't add to it, but walks off towards her home with tears in her eyes.

<ST_Mod> 2 gaurds are still there and give you a friendly smile when you arriver.

• Hekaton looks after Dream with a sad look, and then to Grace. "Maybe we should leave as well and tell the others."

<Hopeful_Dream> "Hello, I... have to say good bye to my mother, will you give me your word to watch over her?"

<Grace> "I think you're right. Let's go."

<ST_Mod> "You have our words, you have allways been a friend to the Gaurd."

<Hopeful_Dream> "I... am going to hunt those who would harm our valley. I will not return to stay until I am satisfied that it is safe."

<ST_Mod> They nod solemly.

• Hopeful_Dream goes inside with her mother.

• Hopeful_Dream sits down by her mother's bed and sees if she is still awake.

• Hekaton goes back to the Manse with Grace, still a little paranoid about being followed. When they arrive, he sits quietly playing with his Splitklaives until the others arrive.