JustAddWater/Session13

LRM sashays up to Red, in something slinky, revealing and leather. Choking down a sudden surge of nausea, she plops down in his lap. "Well, there you are. I've been looking for you."
<ADamiani> "Most excellent." He wraps his arms around you with surprisingly warm affection.
LRM , with iron self control, manages to not only not scratch his eyes out, but snuggle up to him. Pouting, she says "I've just had a message."
<ADamiani> "Hm? I wasn't informed we'd received an emissary..."
LRM sighs "It was a secret message. Our Lord desires my services for a very secret mission." She grimaces "I'm not even supposed to tell you, but I couldn't just leave without saying anything." She gives him a tender kiss.
<ADamiani> "How soon must you leave?"
<LRM> "In just a few hours. I'm being sent out to track down Weeping Glass and the Sidereals who took off with her shard." She sighs and reaches down to capture his full attention, as it is. "I'll only be gone for a few days.. Think you can survive without me?"
<ADamiani> "Took off with?"
<ADamiani> Er.
<ADamiani> And then hands are moved and there's very little he wishes to continue with regards to further interrogation of your story.
<ADamiani> I think we can fade from there-- your goal, establishing your departure, has been accomplished.

Jiang bamphs back to Heaven as the charm ends. The very first thing he does it take a very long shower.
Jiang sighs "Well. Thats one more thing that'll haunt me for the next few millenia." He vanishes under the auspices of Walking Outside of Fate and heads out to look up the originator of certain astrological effects.
<ADamiani> Yeah, something's been bothering you...
<ADamiani> You remember that knife that you saw Sorrowful North get stabbed with?
<ADamiani> It's familiar to you, but you don't remember where you saw it.
Jiang checks the knife he's holding
<ADamiani> Except... that doesn't seem to fit with the rest of your perfect memory, does it?
Jiang scratches his chin. "Hmm.. Which means either a memory was extracted, or a memory was implanted." Jiang sits down and considers how best to check
Jiang heads out to finish confirming Red's heavenly identity.
Jiang goes for the records!
<ADamiani> Jiang: tell me more about your researches?
<Jiang> AD: Well. I know what effects he created, so I'm looking up those effects and checking for their author
<ADamiani> You've got the goods, and these are records you clearly have access to you in your official capacity, looks like Blessed Sky Crane filed them, sure enough.
Jiang nods in satisfaction and begins writing invitations to the rest of the circle, requesting that they join him at his manor that evening
Jiang finishes his initial preparations, then mosies on down to the post office to check his mailbox
<ADamiani> You've got mail!
<ADamiani> Bills. Bills. Spam.
<ADamiani> Paperwork.
<ADamiani> Nothing good.

Silent_Sunset is intrigued. If the Fair Folk impose their will on the Wyld by means of 'Shaping', and the Loom of Fate is what helps spin fluid reality into solid Creation, doesn't that mean, that the Loom of Fate is a really big instrument of Shaping?
<Silent_Sunset> Of course, the question is, how applicable it is to this situation ... after all, Fair Folk are crystallized when subjected to the full power of Shape
<Silent_Sunset> And while that would handily dispose of Nehemeth, the results would be much more indiscriminate than those intended.

<Hidden_Crystal> Well, once I finish learning this spell (which should be about thirty seconds ago), I'm going to do what I was going to do a week ago. Namely, check the Loom *again*.
<ADamiani> Yeah? What are you checking the loom for?
<Hidden_Crystal> I'm trying to see if I can find anything more on what little I saw the last time I checked. Something's definitely odd there, and I didn't get enough information at all to figure out really anything.
<ADamiani> Hidden Crystal: you got kind of a random vision last time. It might have been nothing.
<ADamiani> It's not a lot to focus on...
<Hidden_Crystal> ...alright. Hm...*considers* I'll check for the current location of Darktide (since he's sailing, he's most likely *moved*) and the location of the other Solar working for the Silver Prince.
<Silent_Sunset> Undulating Triumph
Silent_Sunset is standing inside the Loom of Fate building, staring at the giant tapestry and wondering how to borrow this whole thing for an evening, put it into his pocket and bring it to the Wyld
<Silent_Sunset> "Oh, hey Crystal!"
Hidden_Crystal nods in quiet greeting to him. "Hello, Silent."
Silent_Sunset looks around, whether he has an audience or not
Hidden_Crystal SOOO brought along the extra headache remedy he made last time.
<Silent_Sunset> "Also trying to figure out a way to steal the Loom?" :)
Hidden_Crystal blinks at him, and raises one elegant eyebrow. "What?"
<Silent_Sunset> "Not, uh, that I'd actually be considering something like that, brother in Endings."
Silent_Sunset grins slyly
<Silent_Sunset> "So what _are_ you up to on this fine morning?"
<Hidden_Crystal> "...I thought that I would check the Loom for the locations of the two Solars serving under the Silver Prince." Crystal says quietly.
Silent_Sunset smiles brightly. "Ah, right! Good idea!"
<Silent_Sunset> "I had been thinking of approaching Undulating Triumph before, but I was a bit ... preoccupied over the last few days."
Hidden_Crystal considers briefly. Double the headache for potentially more gain?
Silent_Sunset throws a doubtful look at the glittering threads. "Are you good at reading the Loom? I admit, the last time I tried I nearly exploded my head."
Silent_Sunset whips out a notepad and pen
<Silent_Sunset> "One Solar each? Less work for both of us. Which one would you like?"
<Hidden_Crystal> "Not terribly. Though I didn't explode my head the last time I read the Loom."
Silent_Sunset cocks his head. "Well, it looks unexploded to me at least." ;)
<Hidden_Crystal> "Triumph. Darktide seems to be your pet project." Very dryly. "Though I think I'll check the Loom twice...there's something else I want to check first."
Hidden_Crystal makes a wry face. "Without pain, you gain nothing."
<Silent_Sunset> "Mmhh. Let's see, if there's another window of opportunity with Moray ... though I suspect, that Triumph is far more approachable, not being a willing servant and all ..."
Silent_Sunset takes a few steps towards the next passing by of the tapestry and stars looking for the shadowed golden thread that must be Moray Darktide
Hidden_Crystal instead focuses on something else...a clearer picture of whatever that vision he saw so briefly was...the diagrams, the living machines...
<ADamiani> Silent Sunset: He's sailing south of the Neck with his fleet, scattering pirates and raiders in his wake
<Silent_Sunset> Any forces in the region, that can match his fleet?
<Silent_Sunset> Any problems he'll run in, provided he doesn't pull mad solar willpowers stunts?
<ADamiani> Wavecrest would still be a threat. Coral-- is still undergoing chaos from what went on down there.
<ADamiani> The Dragonbloods Moment is stirring up won't match them, but they can cause a huge pain in the butt rear action thingy
<ADamiani> Hidden Crystal! Your head explodes.
<ADamiani> No, seriously HC, unconscious.
<ADamiani> nosebleed.
<Hidden_Crystal> Well, I'm unconscious on the floor, so not much I can do.
<ADamiani> You can hallucinate!
<Jiang> (Well, what plans? I don't aim to be kidnapped by zombie monkies)
Silent_Sunset rushes over, looks how his brother is doing
Silent_Sunset takes a small vial from a bag hidden behind of the many stripes and sashes making up his usual clothing
<Silent_Sunset> When he opens it an incredibly foul smell starts to emanate from it, burning in eyes, burning in eares, burning ... yes, there as well! and driving hot irons into the minds of all unfortunate to stand or lie near
<Silent_Sunset> Pinching his nose with one hand, his eyes closed to slits, Silent waves the vial over HC. "Come on, no need to get all sleepy here!"
<Hidden_Crystal> Eventually, Crystal starts to come around, coughing and choking, still horribly disoriented from the horror of what he saw. Whatever he was breathing didn't help matters any.
Silent_Sunset stoppers the vial again and grins sheepishly. "Well, back in Sijan we always said ... I mean, we never actually tried it, but we used to say, this stuff would wake even the dead."
<Silent_Sunset> "Anyway, what happened to you? Managed to go all explodey this time?"
Silent_Sunset looks concerned
<Hidden_Crystal> "T-tried to follow up on what I s-saw last time I looked." Crystal pushes himself up shakingly with one slender hand, pale face even paler then normal if at all possible.
<Silent_Sunset> "Hey, hey, no rushing. Don't try to get up too fast, or you'll stay down all the longer."
<Silent_Sunset> "What was it you saw? Some vision? A message from the maidens?"
Silent_Sunset is obviously twitching back an forth between concern and curiosity
<Hidden_Crystal> "A vision." Crystal whispers, obviously nervous and shaken.
Silent_Sunset settles down, ceasing the face-twitching and taking on an expression of solemn consolation. "A bad one, I take it?"
Hidden_Crystal nods, his eyes flicking about nervously, trying to see if there is anyone else nearby who could possibly overhear. "Y-yes...but let's...not talk about it."
<ADamiani> Two more lines then we fast forward to the party meeting.
<Silent_Sunset> "It's ok. It's all ok. We don't have to talk about it."
Hidden_Crystal quietly finds the bottle of remaining headache remedy he brought with him, hidden in his robes, and silently offers it to Silent first. Despite the fact that his head hurts horribly.
Silent_Sunset takes it, opens it and takes a sniff. "Something for the pain, yes? Probably for the best, just don't overdo it ;)."
Silent_Sunset gives the opened bottle back to Crystal
Hidden_Crystal takes the bottle, closes it, and finally gets back up, nodding a quiet goodbye and making his way back home to lie down. And write up notes on what he just saw to put with the rest of his notes.
Silent_Sunset helps Crystal to the door, making sure he can walk before leaving him

<Moment> Once again, Moment Between Dreaming and Waking steps off of the silver line, followed by her two porters carying her chest, and lifting her intricatly brocade formal robes to avoid brushing against the ground.
<Moment> This manages to reveal that her feet, neither dainty nor clad in silk slippers, are in fact bedecked in combat boots beneath the robe.

<ADamiani> Once gain, we've fastforwarded to Jiang's place here
Silent_Sunset arrives at Jiang's place uncharacteristically quiet
Jiang escorts those who showed up to an ancient pagoda, in his overgrown garden. He pours Silent and Moment tea from a battered kettle. "Well. At least somebody showed up."
<Moment> For a moment, Moment looked around with dreamy disapointment, then dismissed the passing longing in her eyes. Dark eyes sharpened to buisnesslike awareness.
<ADamiani> If you check records, Jiang Chou has great real-estate, but it's all on Earth.
<Silent_Sunset> "Brother Crystal is not well. A vision hit him, while he was at the Loom of Fate."
<Moment> "As always, your hospitality is lovely, Jiang, she sipped the tea gently.
<Moment> "Oh, dear, I pray he'll get well soon. That man has haunted eyes.
Silent_Sunset nods, sipping tea as well
Jiang nods tersely, seating himself. "In this decadent time, I'm afraid my hospitality is a bit sparse. But thank you, Moment." He sips his tea "How are you both progressing?"
<Silent_Sunset> "The vision must have been pretty hard on him as well. He wouldn't talk about it."
Silent_Sunset sips his tea in silence, pondering what he has seen.
<Moment> The brunette sighed sorftly, "When will he let us close enough to see his scars." She shook her head, "Well, given the direness of our straights, things do seem to be turning around. I've persuaded my Bronze faction friend Summer Sky to point a few elder dragon blooded and their retainers at the Silver Prince, and we've retained the alliance of a solar sorceress who loathes slavery.
Silent_Sunset looks up at that
<Silent_Sunset> "By chance it is the one, who took over Viper's tomb-library? What was the name again?"
Jiang nods "Excellent progress, Moment."
Silent_Sunset nods
<Silent_Sunset> "Leave it to the servants of Mars to procure an army for us :)."
<Silent_Sunset> "Equipped with the right advice, they might get far."
<Moment> Moment smiled and bowed to Jiang.
Silent_Sunset smiles. "And advising such forces is what we do, is it not?"
<Moment> The burnette frowned softly. "What advise do we have for them at this juncture?"
<Silent_Sunset> "That we will have to think about, yes? Where to point the weapon we've been given."
Jiang considers, rubbing the stubble covering his cheeks. Young though he is, currently, it's allready graying. "We may have use for them, quite soon."
<Silent_Sunset> "And the guide it, provide intelligence like only Heaven can give."
Jiang sips his tea "I have a plan, allready under way. I have allready secured Hidden Crystal's compliance, but this plan will require additional wealth."
Silent_Sunset grimaces
<Moment> "You have my undivided attention."
<Silent_Sunset> "My resources are already going into the red."
Jiang nods "I think, between Moment, Crystal and myself, we can manage." He considers his next words carefully "Unfortunately, I will not be able to divulge the true details of this plan for a few days. There is a traitor in our midst."
Silent_Sunset 's eyes narrow. "Indeed?"
Jiang nods "Indeed."
<Silent_Sunset> "Surely you don't mean to say, within this very circle?"
<Moment> Moment blinked, then blinked again.
Jiang sips his tea quietly "There is much I cannot reveal at this moment, without potentially betraying our plans. In three days time, I will call another meeting for the entire Circle, where I will lay out the plan. Afterwards, I will call certain among you to a private meeting, to discuss certain matters. You will, of course, mention none of this to anybody who is not here today."
Jiang looks meaningfully at both Silent and Moment.
<Jiang> "I can say that, due to certain arrangements, another Abyssal will come into our care."
<Silent_Sunset> "I ... I don't like this. How could one of us be a traitor? How many betrayals can there be?"
Silent_Sunset looks unhappy
<Silent_Sunset> Knowing that Jiang will reveal nothing more, he then moves on.
<Silent_Sunset> "An Abyssal? That is auspicous."
Jiang looks Silent over "As you grow older, you will see that our society is comprised of wheels with wheels, schemes upon schemes, masks over masks over masks, until you begin to wonder if there is nothing but lies and deceptions going on forever."
<Moment> Moment groaned, then sighed and waited, listening carefuly.
<Silent_Sunset> "For the plan I have been thinking over would have great use of a genuine Abyssal."
Jiang nods "And what plan would that be?"
Silent_Sunset looks at Jiang
<Silent_Sunset> "One that can be spoken of without endangering it thereby? I do not know ..."
Jiang raises an eyebrow.
<Silent_Sunset> "I mean, now that you have raised the question of trustworthyness among us, you have divided us already."
<Moment> Moment nodded, "We can't let ourselves be torn apart by suspiciouns.
Jiang nods "Indeed. This is something you must decide for yourself, young Sidereal. Is your Circle trustworthy? I have spoken to you and Moment candidly today. You may, of course, decide what you think that means."
Silent_Sunset looks at Moment and Jiang unhappily. "See? How can we work together, when such accusations are made by you?"
<Jiang> "Our betrayer shall be revealed shortly. However, I know neither you nor Moment are the one responsible. And again, I rely upon you to not mention what is said here to anyone who is not, now, here."
<Silent_Sunset> "For all I know you could be the one. How would I know for certain? Your powers of subterfuge admittedly exceed mine by far ..."
Silent_Sunset burries his head in his arms
<Silent_Sunset> "I mean to make no accusations."
<Silent_Sunset> "It's just ... it's just ..."
<Silent_Sunset> "We're supposed to work together! We are the Five-Score Fellowship! Only one hundred of us to ensure the safety of creation! Only Five of us to manage the West!"
<Silent_Sunset> "Our greatest strength lies in working together, in joining our talents and powers, mobilising the joined might of Heaven. But ..."
Jiang nods "It wasn't always like this.. But in these days, a Sidereal's greatest foe is his brother." He sighs. "Ultimately, you must decide whether to trust me or not."
Silent_Sunset looks helplessly at the others
Jiang shrugs "I can carry off this plan without you, but I would appreciate your assistance. Just as we worked together to deal with Weeping Glass."
<Moment> Moment surged to her feet angrily, "Both of you hush. We can't afford suspicion. If treachery is proven, we will act on it when it is proven. 'Til then i will continue to act towards the betterment of Creation with the aid of all in Heaven.
Silent_Sunset looks Jiang in the eyes, then Moment
Jiang nods, satisfied. "You speak wisely, Moment, and make the best choice."
<Silent_Sunset> "Swear. Swear, that you have the best of Heaven in mind, that you are not one like those you spoke of. Swear and I will believe you."
Silent_Sunset looks at Jiang very seriously, at Moment, at Jiang again.
Jiang says, voice suddenly hard "Silent Sunset. I am Jiang Chou. I have served Heaven for millenia beyond counting. I was among the first who took up this burden. I have endured things you cannot imagine. I have served since before your birth and I will serve long after your body has fallen to dust and your name has been forgotten. No oath I could swear to you could be as binding as the oaths I have allready sworn." He pauses, then cont
<Jiang> inues calmly "But if you require reassurances, then I swear that I have the best for Heaven in mind."
<Moment> Moment shook her head in disgust at the whole proceeding, but fear tightened her throat. When Silent Sunset turned to her, she hissed, "I swear by the Maidens I love, my honor, and my art that I have the best intrests of Creation and Heaven at heart."
Silent_Sunset looks into Jiang's eyes and simply nods, slowly.
Silent_Sunset looks into Moment's eyes and also nods.
Silent_Sunset sighs
<Silent_Sunset> "Thank you."
<Jiang> "There. Now that thats settled, we can continue onwards." He seems more amused than anything, evaulating Silent over the rim of his cup.
<Moment> Relaxing slightly, Moment settles back into her chair and lifts her teacup to her lips. "So, what now my friends?'
Silent_Sunset drinks deeply of his tea
<Silent_Sunset> "Alright. The plan that has been forming within my mind is rather simple, actually. The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy, but she also is the enemy of my enemy. Logical, yes?"
Jiang nods "Indeed."
<Silent_Sunset> "Or, less obtusely put, our dark opponent has his own enemies. Some of them within Creation ... and some from without."
<Silent_Sunset> "It's the latter I have been working on so far."
<Jiang> "I assume this relates to Dilari?"
Silent_Sunset nods. "Indeed."
<Silent_Sunset> "Dilari of the Sea Foam ... she will be the instrument we can use to leverage an avalanche down on our royal personage."
<Jiang> "It sounds like it could work. How do you intend to manage this?"
<Silent_Sunset> "It has taken certain promises, but she has sworn, to assist me in this."
<Silent_Sunset> "She will use the arts of her kind to manipulate the Pearl Court's ruler, the Raksha Nehemeth. This is normally far beyond her powers, so it falls to us to set up a situation."
Silent_Sunset grins. "To stack the deck in her ... in our favor."
Jiang smiles "Devious. I like it."
<Silent_Sunset> "In other words, we will play at masks and deception. Set venomous rumours upon Nehemeth's strength and cast aspersions on her will. Discreetly, naturally."
<Jiang> "I assume you've given though to the proper preparations for integrating us into the local power structure and protecting us from the deleterious effects of the Wyld?"
<Silent_Sunset> "We must not be found out as trying to influence, naturally ... which will be difficult among such people as the Fair Folk, who smell emotions as we smell substances."
<Silent_Sunset> "I have had an audience already. I mean to return under the pretext of another audience, along with fellows emissaries of heaven."
<Silent_Sunset> "As guests it would not be fitting for us to be subjected to such effects ... otherwise I believe, I might learn a charm to protect us, though it would be very bad taste to use it in the Court's presence."
<Silent_Sunset> "They key lies in the following: Nehemeth must not be forced. She will move against any pressure just to show that she can."
<Silent_Sunset> "Therefore we will apply pressure against the very thing we seek to reach."
Jiang nods "An old, but useful technique."
<Silent_Sunset> "Double misdirection ... another arrow in the arsenal of deception. All for the good of all." Silent sighs.
<Silent_Sunset> "A deathknight ... which means either you, brother Jiang, in one of your cunning disguises, or a true deathknight, if we can indeed get one, would arrive before our delegation does."
<Jiang> "I believe I could manage an appropriate disguise."
<Silent_Sunset> "Pretending to represent our opponent, he or she will try to threaten Nehemeth. Threaten her with annihilation, unless she becomes an ally."
<Silent_Sunset> "If the rest of us does our work well - whisper into the right ears, sow doubt among the weak - Nehemeth will *need* to deny him, to maintain her position."
Jiang nods "It could be dangerous. You will, of course, need to see if the Prince has any ambassadors currently stationed as the court."
<Silent_Sunset> "For if she doesn't, she accepts another's will as above hers. Admits weakness. Admits, that she is not fit to rule the Pearl Court."
<Jiang> "And what have you promised Dilari, for her assistance?"
Silent_Sunset frowns. "Good that you mention this possibility. It is indeed something that will have to be ascertained and possible resolved."
<Silent_Sunset> "I am currently speaking of the general outline of my plan."
Jiang smirks "I see. Anyways.. Continue with your preparations. I will proceede with my own, and should be ready within a few days."
<Silent_Sunset> "That is the moment, where Dilari comes in. Her efforts will shape Nehemeth's response, drive her to the conclusion, that she must declare war on Skullstone in order to show strength."
Silent_Sunset nods ... "More preparation will indeed be needed. And Platinum Sky Lover will be of great help in sowing seeds of unrest."
<Jiang> "We will need to properly time this, so all the factors come together properly."
<Silent_Sunset> "Yes. We should meet again, to work out the details. Distribute roles. Talk tactics."
Jiang nods and rises "Then allow me to escort you to the door. Time is precious."
Silent_Sunset nods. "Thank you for the tea, brother Jiang."
<Jiang> "You're welcome, Brother Sunset. And do remember what I said about keeping quiet."
<Jiang> "Nobody who wasn't here. Not even Hidden Crystal and Platinum Sky Lover."
<Silent_Sunset> "Remember what?" ;)
Silent_Sunset winks
Jiang smiles grimly. "Indeed."