JustAddWater/Session4

Session 4 - Grand Theft Deathknight

<ADamiani> The Niad in question will be named the Maiden of Merciful Foam, and she'll be willing to work for you on this -- unauthorixed, highly unorthodox, extremely dangerous-- mission, in turn for certain favors to be negotiated at a later time.

<ADamiani> I sure hope Kaiu shows, otherwise you guys are in a bit of trouble.
<Haeccity> You could adjust their stats downward?
<ADamiani> May be more effort than it's worth, but I'll bear it in mind.
<ADamiani> No, it's just that I balanced a tough fight for four. :)

<ADamiani> What IS of immediate concern is this: It is AW 14 or so, and you have about a day to plan an ambush to kidnap an abyssal.
<dakkareth> previous planning was late in the evening on the 14th IIRC
<ADamiani> Yes. And they will arrive late on AW15, at the present rate of travel, barring any stops
<ADamiani> OK. So... Jiang's out hitting up a nymph. How do the rest of you plan to prepare?
<ADamiani> Right, Jiang used Efficient Secretary Technique, which turns out to be surprisingly abusable. :)


<ADamiani> OK. So... Jiang's out hitting up a nymph. How do the rest of you plan to prepare?
Silent_Sunset will prepare a sleeping poison
<Haeccity> (I will purchase many barrels of Fire Powder)
<Silent_Sunset> ok, aiming for one to give ´Ms. Icky on presumed success to keep her down
<Haeccity> (If all else fails, we'll all go to Hell on one hell of a funeral pyre)
<ADamiani> We're planning on kidnapping an abyssal, who Jiang has lured to a first age Twilight's tomb/library
<Hidden_Crystal> (I'll also prepare a sleeping poison.)
Haeccity does the Money Dance. It involves a G-String and wads of paper.
Silent_Sunset looks over his small kit of powders and pastes. "The arts of death allow for certain alleviations ... creating a substance to bring about Death's little brother is a worthy goal." Half an hour later a small vial of sleeping poison shimmers in subtle colors.
<ADamiani> OK. So, you both have reasonably good sleeping poisons. They'll take a mortal out without difficulty. An exalt? Too soon to say.
<Jiang> And, I expect I'll register two uses of the Calibration gate for us.
Silent_Sunset is hoping it'll keep an incapacitated Exalt right there
<ADamiani> Hm. Yeah, get her down to Incap, you can probably keep her drugged.

<Silent_Sunset> Other than that ... Silent will write a short message to his Sifu concerning the mission - to be delivered unless he returns within a few days.
<Silent_Sunset> It's not morbid, it's cheerfully reasonable!
<Silent_Sunset> He even illustrates the letter while drinking his morning tea
<ADamiani> Hah. Appropriate to your demeanor. Are you leaving your familiar behind to execute said delivery?
<Silent_Sunset> No.

<Silent_Sunset> Hali Ba will be coming with me, though immaterial of course
<ADamiani> Yes. I'm sure being immaterial will spare him the wrath of the ghosts...
<ADamiani> OK, so everyone is as prepared as they're going to get?
<Silent_Sunset> The illustrations are beautiful! :)


Silent_Sunset wraps up his small kit of poisons and other medical instruments, and wraps himself in the 17 layers of the Shroud of the Starless Sky
<Silent_Sunset> *shlick*shlick
<Silent_Sunset> Daggers appear and disappear. Everything seems in order :)
<ADamiani> You are a walking avatar of destruction, yes. I suggest you meet the others at the calibration gate?
<Silent_Sunset> Yes, having so stunted his departure, Silent will meet the others there
Jiang is waiting at the gate impatiently, several small kegs at his feet. Standing next to him is Generic Niad #117, who should be grateful of her chance to participate in the antics of the Exalted
Hidden_Crystal arrives at the gate quietly, probably several minutes before Silent
Silent_Sunset appears from behind Jiang's kegs
<Silent_Sunset> a bright smile on his face - the Shroud seems in perfect working oder :9
<ADamiani> Vzooomsh. The chosen of endings decloaks.
<Silent_Sunset> "Ahh, a beautiful morning, isn't it?"
Jiang snorts "I've seen better. Ready to go?"
<Silent_Sunset> "Nice to see you too, brother Jiang" :)
<Silent_Sunset> "Oh yes, indeed. And what are those for?"
Silent_Sunset points at the kegs
<Silent_Sunset> "Unless of course that's a secret."
<Jiang> Jiang says simply "Fire Dust."
<Silent_Sunset> "And brother Crystal! Nice to see you too!"
Silent_Sunset drops his voice. "Though of course Endings won't be final today ... not yet ;)."
<Silent_Sunset> "Fire Dust ... that ... ah, well. Distraction is always a good plan."
<Jiang> "Distraction?"
<Silent_Sunset> "Like those neat little flash-bombs you use, when you have to disappear and don't have enough Essence at hand!"
Jiang considers this "Well. I suppose that is ONE possible use." He jerks his thumb at GN117 "I've also hired the Maiden of the Merciful Foam here. If you lose a limb, she can stick it back on."
Hidden_Crystal simply raises an eyebrow. "Firedust does not seem the sort of material used for a simple...distraction."
<ADamiani> GN117 curtsies and burbles.
Silent_Sunset bows slightly to the Maiden. "Nice to meet you. Attaching appendages really isn't my forte, so it's nice to have someone whose it is."
<Silent_Sunset> "Well, you wouldn't use whole kegs of firedust ... but roll a pinch of Dust into a little pill and throw it somewhere ..."
<Jiang> "I like kegs."
Hidden_Crystal inclines his head in greeting to the Maiden

• • Platinum_Sky_Lover (~noneedtok@MagicStar-BA9B5F46.nwrk.east.verizon.net) has joined channel #Sidereal
    

<Silent_Sunset> "Well, we're all here, aren't we?"

ilent_Sunset
Jiang grabs his kegs "Right. Ready to go? The Gate will drop us on the isle."
<Silent_Sunset> "Anything we need to know about our destination? It was a trapped tomb for a First Age Twilight, yes?"
<Jiang> "Traps, ghosts, maybe some demons. It'll be fun."
<Jiang> "Regular exercise is the key to a long and healthy life."
Jiang grumbles "No matter how hard I try to convince the Spiders otherwise."
Silent_Sunset 's grin stutters for a moment before resuming. "Fun."
Jiang tucks the kegs into a waterproof sack.
<Jiang> "Indeed. It'll be bracing. Put some hair on your chest."
Platinum_Sky_Lover is wearing a sky blue Chamsong, embroidered with a white crane, white gloves and stockings, and her hair tied up with sticks. "So, my nice clothes are going to be ruined in the service of Fate? And I hope we came up with an alternative than the amatuer necromancy that was suggested the last time."
Silent_Sunset thinks to himself that using the Calibration Gate might be the only way to get there in time, but the circle should make sure to have some way of obscuring their trail ...
Jiang shrugs "Not much we can do. I we had the money, we could bring an army. But we don't, so we won't."

Jiang pulls out some crude sketches "The basic layout is here. Take a look. Gate'll be opening in 10 minutes."
HiddenCrystal looks closely at the sketches
<Silent_Sunset> "Indeed. I won't stand for such defilement. It is antithesis to the natural passage of a soul and the destined End of a life."
<Jiang> "Allright. Then you can wait outside."
Silent_Sunset is unusually serious in saying that
Jiang shrugs "It's just a Hungry Ghost. Less of a soul, more of an afterthought."
Platinum_Sky_Lover steps aside, since she doesn't want to get in between two other sidereals arguing over metaphysics. "There is another way to call a hungry ghost, you know."
Jiang raises an eyebrow "Yes?"
<Silent_Sunset> "Just a Hungry Ghost. I suppose you've never read of the things those can do, have you?"
<HiddenCrystal> "Let the ghosts lie."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Sacrificed made in it's name will draw it's attention as surely as definiling a corpse will. All spirits respond favoriably to worship."
<Silent_Sunset> "The Hungry Ghost of a mad Lawgiver is fearsome even to such as ourselves!"
<Jiang> "I know full well what they can do, which is why I'm interested in raising it up."
<Jiang> "We're fighting two Death Knights and a small army of ghosts. I say we need all the help we can get."
Platinum_Sky_Lover thinks to herself that maybe she should have gotten some Solar muscle from the Cult.
<HiddenCrystal> "And what is to say that it will not turn upon us or be turned upon us?"
<Silent_Sunset> "And why would they head our commands over that of a Champion of Death? SHE can offer it far more and has the foul powers of Necromancy on her side as well."
<Silent_Sunset> "Two Deathknights it is now?"
<Jiang> "The Hungry Dead are more interested in protecting their tombs. With proper preparation and perhaps some smooth talking, we'll be able to reduce any risk to nothing."
<Jiang> "Yes. Two."
<Silent_Sunset> "Oh ..."
<Silent_Sunset> "Who is the other then?"
<Silent_Sunset> "Besides the Shadowed Twilight you met?"
Jiang spits out a glob of essence, which turns into a Spider. He asks the small creature "The names and basic information regarding our two death knight opponents, please."
<ADamiani> That's actually several questions. The names are two:
<ADamiani> Sour Ice Phoenix and Weeping Glass
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Hm. I have to learn that Charm."
<Silent_Sunset> "Indeed, it seems highly useful."
<ADamiani> Well, Silent, you're pretty certain that no matter what their power, hungry ghosts ARE completely warded by salt lines-- as long as they remain intact
<ADamiani> Jiang: Weeping Glass is a Daybreak caste abyssal sorceress, formerly a scribe in Whitehall before her exaltation
<ADamiani> Sour Ice Phoenix is a former Cathak Patrician from the blessed isle.
<ADamiani> Day caste.
<Silent_Sunset> "Well, salt would see us safe ... but such wards are easily disrupted. Do these ... 'Sour Glass Phoenix' and 'Weeping Glass' have forces with them?"
<ADamiani> Jiang: you recall from last time that they do.
Jiang nods "Indeed. Many ghosts."
Silent_Sunset turns to Hali sitting on his shoulder like a colibri-sized raven "Be careful then, old friend."
<Silent_Sunset> "Mmhh. Two Deathknights are a little much ... to carry back to Heaven."
<HiddenCrystal> "Then we kill one."
Silent_Sunset smiles
<Silent_Sunset> "To match one's skill with one of the Corrupted Night ... "
Silent_Sunset claps
<Silent_Sunset> "Sounds like a good challenge, doesn't it? Sportive spirit and all that."

<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "If we are to destroy either of them, it must be from surprise."
<Silent_Sunset> "We'll see, what options for surprise there are once we're down there :)."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Also, do we have a plan for getting out in case things go badly?"
Jiang says cheerfully "We're pretty much screwed, that way."
<HiddenCrystal> "If need be, I could open a door into a spirit's sanctum." Crystal says quietly. "Other then that..." he shrugs.
Platinum_Sky_Lover rolls her eyes.
Silent_Sunset smiles brightly
<Silent_Sunset> "Remember those Destinies we created last evening ...?"
Platinum_Sky_Lover says in Low Realm, "We're fucked. We are so fucked."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "yes, sunset?"
<Silent_Sunset> "It takes only a few seconds to call the Calibration Gate ... if it is currently available. The Destiny of the Key is useful in that regard."
Jiang nods "Good show." He steps through the gate as it appears, Nymph and casks in tow.
Silent_Sunset follows wuickly
HiddenCrystal follows quickly and silently

<ADamiani> The tomb is on a very small island abouta mile offshore from Abalone
<ADamiani> Most of the island is overgrown jungle, you don't see any obvious signs of a first age tomb...
<ADamiani> But you're pretty sure it's here
Silent_Sunset covers his eyes from the sun and looks around. "Charming place."
<Silent_Sunset> "Nice change after all those perfectly tended gardens in front of perfectly tended houses in Yu-Shan."
<Jiang> "Try not to leave any sign of our passing."
Jiang goes looking for the tomb?
Silent_Sunset looks slightly insulted for a moment
<Silent_Sunset> ... before he remembers that moss and soft earth are different from stone and dusty wood. Different approaches are needed!
<Silent_Sunset> "Hali? Could you take a look around? See, if there's something immaterial here on the island ... and if you find something looking like a tomb, tell us, yes?"
<Silent_Sunset> Hali flies off - not that anyone sees him, dematerialized as he is
<ADamiani> Hali chirps and takes flight

<ADamiani> Hali comes back, and seems to communicate that this IS the tomb site
<ADamiani> On the shore.
<Silent_Sunset> "Right here?"
<ADamiani> Hali shakes his beak, no
<Silent_Sunset> "Mmhh, on the shore ..."
<ADamiani> Hali shakes his beak, no
Silent_Sunset looks confused for a moment. "Which direction then?"
<Jiang> "Under water?"
<ADamiani> Hali takes flight
<ADamiani> Along the coast
<Silent_Sunset> "Brother Jiang, it is you, who led us here. Surely you know how to reach the tomb?"
Silent_Sunset follows, trying not disturb too much
<ADamiani> After about half an hour, you've made a neat circuit around the island and come back to where you descende
<Silent_Sunset> "Ahh, landscapes probably change a lot in those millenia since it was built. Not even the Forbidding Manse can keep up with every change, yes?"
Platinum_Sky_Lover likewise follows Sunset, being careful and on the alert.
<ADamiani> Silent_Sunset (5), 3, 7, 8, 9, 9, Successes : 4
<ADamiani> Zilent Zunzet! You kick a rock along the beach in your frustration.
<ADamiani> Ow.
<ADamiani> You stub your toe.
<ADamiani> My... that's an awfully large, square rock.
Silent_Sunset has heavenly shoes! In this case they are soft mocassins for sneaking, though ...
Silent_Sunset changes his dance of pain into impromptu acrobatics
Jiang looks down at the rock "You found it."
<Silent_Sunset> "I,uh, yeah. Indeed!"
Platinum_Sky_Lover holds Sunset's shoulders from behind. "Good job, agent of destiny."
<Silent_Sunset> "Thank you!"
<ADamiani> Fate has smiled upon you.
Silent_Sunset sends a short prayer to the Western God of Unexpectedly Good Fortune
Jiang does a survey of the area, looking for an entrance.
<Silent_Sunset> "Mmhh. So, how does it open?"
<ADamiani> Well, the island is shaped like a gentle mound.
Silent_Sunset discreetly checks on the status of his toes

<ADamiani> At the top of the mound, overgrown by grasses and other vegitation is a large jade seal.
Jiang looks for booby traps.
Silent_Sunset doesn't see anything right now. Still making sure that he won't misstep later, when moving silently is important.
<ADamiani> Oh, yes, anything touching the seal when it is opened will be quite incinerated.
<Silent_Sunset> "Oh! You found the entrance!"
Jiang nods "And it's trapped. Right. You lot, turn around and face the other way."
Silent_Sunset looks confused, then turns around. "Right. Anything else?"
<Jiang> "Try not to disturb the air. That'll make it take longer."
HiddenCrystal turns around
Silent_Sunset lets one of his blades appear and watches Jiang in the reflection of its Starmetal inlays
Jiang strips down, neatly folds his clothes and puts them out of harm's way, and cracks open the seal.
Silent_Sunset 's eyes narrow. Is he trying to do what I think he is ...?
<ADamiani> ... and you're... touching the seal while you're opening it?
Silent_Sunset casually says "Your opinion, fellow Chosen?"
<ADamiani> Jiang, soak 11 agg?
Jiang collapses into a small pile of ash, with his glowing hearthstone on top.
Silent_Sunset waits for Jiang to reappear
Jiang 's ashes stir and collasce around the stone, slowly spreading out.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "My. This will look stunning on our reports. But, I think Jiang has a trick up his sleeve."
Silent_Sunset 's eyes slowly widen
Platinum_Sky_Lover activates a charm of her own - one of the secrets of the Deathlords, a martial arts secret now appropriated for use by the 5 score fellowship - the Essence Discerning Glance.
HiddenCrystal raises one eyebrow, very, very, very slowly
<Silent_Sunset> "If he'd used the Auspicious Dereference of Malign Fates, it should have taken effect by now!"
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Patience, patience."
Silent_Sunset slowly walks closer
Platinum_Sky_Lover hms. "Well, it seems like Brother Jiang was a little too smart for his own good. But I still suspect that he may surprise us yet. However, he appears to be dead to my senses." She approaches the entrance, and gingerly moves to pick up his Heartstone.
<Silent_Sunset> "He wouldn't End this incarnation just like that ..."
<Silent_Sunset> ((You know, Smooth Transition would really ruin Jiang's day ... :p))
<Damiani> Yes, it's pretty well a Gem of Incomprable Wellness. Who wants to attune it?
<Silent_Sunset> "That was ... a major gamble."
Jiang 's ashes are slowly moving, spreading out. Theres a definite skullshape in the pile.
Silent_Sunset shakes himself
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "yes, that was."
HiddenCrystal raises an eyebrow: it's practically nesting in his hair
Silent_Sunset sighs
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> (so, how long willl this take?)
<Jiang> And lo, in those seven minutes, the pile progresses to ash, to bones, to a pile of meat, to Jiang.
Jiang sits up, grumbling and gets dressed again.
<Silent_Sunset> "This will look brilliant on the report indeed. First casualty - never mind that it wasn't permanent - 10 hours prior to engagement."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "It will be a short while, say, about 10 minutes. I must say, that seems to be a great party trick."
Silent_Sunset stands besides Jiang, shaking his head the whole time
Jiang rolls his head, neck popping. "Stung a bit."
Silent_Sunset still shakes his head at Jiang
Platinum_Sky_Lover smirks. "I'm sure."
<HiddenCrystal> "Perhaps next time you will not be so lucky as to cheat Endings."
<Silent_Sunset> "You realize how much work this means for the Division of Endings? You probably just ruined the day for a friend of mine ..."
Jiang shrug "You should check my file in the House of Endings. Thicker than your torso."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "You could have told us, you know. Brother sunset, Brother Jiang didn't cheat anything. It simply wasn't his time. Do you think he could have cheated the Mistress of Endings if it was time for his thread to be cut?"
<Jiang> "I once used it to beat a small god to death."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Anyway! Shall we continue?"
Jiang bows and waves to the seal "After you to my dear."
Platinum_Sky_Lover makes her way inside.
<Silent_Sunset> "Sister Joybringer, he couldn't even have cheated ME. It's the transcendance of fated Death through the the power of Essence, that creates the problems. Believe me, I would know."
Jiang follows.
Silent_Sunset shrugs one last time. "But I admit, it solved that problem."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Well, brother Sunset, that's what makes us special. If everything worked smoothly, then we wouldn't have jobs. Our ability to work inside and outside of Fate, for Fate's purposes, are what makes us necessary."
<Jiang> "My opinion is that the entire thing was shoddily designed from the ground up, and needs Keepers."
<Silent_Sunset> "Indeed. That's what my job is."

<Damiani> OK, well, jiang is grotesque at this sort of thing, and I think PSL got a great roll, too. So you disarm a long series of pressure and presence sensitive traps... essence arcs, poison darts, a glyph based combination lock on a forcefield.
Silent_Sunset follows along, very impressed with what he sees
<Damiani> This, as you descend in a rough spiral downwards until you reach the massive central chamber
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> (It helps that PSL has an Essence-detection Charm up.)"There. There. There,there, there."
Jiang adjusts his 'eye' in it's socket. "They don't build them like this anymore. Thank the Gods. I remember the old days, when you needed to be a master of engineering just to get to the bathroom. Having to find the damn Blue Key every time was horrible. Especially you had the trots."
<Silent_Sunset> "Do these reset after us?"
Jiang nods "Should."
<Silent_Sunset> "Oh. That's kind of a dead give-away."
Silent_Sunset snickers. "Dead give-away. Indeed. Very dead, if only for a few minutes."
<Jiang> "Right. So we go down here, to the main chamber. Having reset all the traps, the Abyssals will likely have spent a good portion of their energies and servants overcoming the traps. Then we ambush them."
<Silent_Sunset> "A closed space. Both advantage and hindrance."
<Silent_Sunset> "More advantage for us, though. They'll have to leave their army of servants outside."
<Jiang> "Shall we summon forth the Ghost now, or wait a bit?"
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Um, you do understand that this place would be a moderate challenge for one of the Night Caste, right? Did we identify their castes?"
<Silent_Sunset> "One of them was of the Corrupted Night, as Brother Jiang said.
Jiang nods "Yes. They'll overcome this tomb. But it will cost them."
Platinum_Sky_Lover frowns. "We won't have much time, then. And the other is a corrupted Twilight, yes?"
<Hidden_Crystal> "Yes."
<Silent_Sunset> "We will not 'summon' any ghost."
Silent_Sunset crosses his arms
<Jiang> "Allright. We'll invite the hungry ghost. Better?"
<Damiani> The central chamber: A vast library, 300 feet across (give or take), with a spiralling helical path leading around it-- in a pit perhaps a mile deep.
<Hidden_Crystal> "Let the ghost lie."
<Damiani> There are a few platforms that jut out from the spiral at varous places, with statues, tableus, reading rooms, artifacts, first age machiner, whatever
Platinum_Sky_Lover walks on tip toes as she examines the chamber. "A shame to see all this lore go to waste. You know that we'll be tearing the place apart as we fight, yes?"
Jiang nods "Would you like to loot it first?"
<Damiani> In the center, there is a platform that reaches to the middle of the chamber
<Damiani> Upon which is a sarcophagus, surrounded by three inhuman statues.
Platinum_Sky_Lover jumps from level to level, not touching anything, but reading some of the titles on the books.
<Silent_Sunset> "Actually ..."
<Silent_Sunset> "... it would be a shame, if something broke down here. And not just for the lost lore."
<Damiani> The sarcophagus is on a platform in the middle of the pit, about 300 feet from the top of the shaft.
<Silent_Sunset> "You never know how irritable and unreasonable some of these po souls are."
<Damiani> OK, you hear, in the background, the whirr of engines starting up. You see the slight flicker of motion deep in the shaft.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "There's another reason we don't a ghost here. I hear that Abyssal Exalted are master necromancers. I can see one of them commanding a mighty shade, even one initially hostile."
<Silent_Sunset> "What was that?"
Silent_Sunset nods at Lover. "Obviously."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "A trap, I suspect."
<Damiani> Presence detected.
<Damiani> Filing processes re-initializing.
<Silent_Sunset> "Uh ... Jiang?"
<Damiani> To reach the sarcophagus one could jump, or head down the helix, and then walk out onto the platform where it juts out from the path
<Jiang> "Yes, Silent Sunset?"
Platinum_Sky_Lover pulls herself up into a defensive position, left knee on right foot, preparing to activate a Charm.
<Silent_Sunset> "I admit, my knowledge of these ancient tombs isn't exactly vast ... what mechanism was triggered there?"
Silent_Sunset seems quite relaxed still
Jiang says cheerfully "I assume we'll find out shortly."
Silent_Sunset nods
Silent_Sunset examines the place where the way down meets the spiral way down for places to hide and drop from.
Platinum_Sky_Lover is in a crane stance, one foot touching the other knee, her arms crossed. "I see there is room for joy in your life, Brother Jiang! You simply take joy in your ill fortune. Lady Venus dances in strange ways."
Jiang stands, relaxed, thumbs hooked in his belt "Misfortune? No. I just expect the worst, and I love being proved right."
<Damiani> There are floating first age light globes that flickered on shortly after you enterred.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Yes, Love. I can hear the thrill when you speak that word, Brother! We all have those things in our lives which make us happy!"
Silent_Sunset runs a few steps and jumps up against the wall, scrambling upwards with startling speed. Mmmhh, maybe there're some handholds up here?
Platinum_Sky_Lover is atop one of the book shelves.
Jiang knocks the side of his head with his hand and pops out his, carefully putting it in a pouch. Can't have that rolling about willy nilly. He bends down over the pit and shouts down "Yes, yes. All this waiting and cryptic speaking is very intimidating. But you might as well come out."
<Jiang> "Though I think LURKING is the proper term here."
Hidden_Crystal is on top of a different bookshelf
<Damiani> I suppose the hall angles in to a conical point, the surfaces of the slope decorated with a regular geometric pattern.
<Damiani> It slopes inward, so you're kind of upside down. It has regular patterns, so you can definitely hold on with a high dif athletics roll
<Silent_Sunset> Almost running along the wall Silent touches down on the other side of the entrance only a few seconds later.
<Silent_Sunset> "MMhh, difficult to make a hiding place out of that."
Silent_Sunset joins the others
<Silent_Sunset> "So ... our battlefield."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "It's too bad all these books will be destroyed."
<Silent_Sunset> "Oh, don't be so sure of that. There's always restraint ..."
<Damiani> Yeah, Platinum? You see another book moving across the chasm, a little faster than the last one.
Silent_Sunset grins at those words
<Silent_Sunset> "We should use the moment of surprise for greatest possible impact."
<Damiani> It's a bit further away, hard to say. Something about "Manual of Exalted Power: "
Jiang nods and assumes a position in a shadowy spot, hunkering down to lurk.
Platinum_Sky_Lover snatches that book!
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "If there's any one book from here to save, it should be this one."
<Silent_Sunset> "The two Deathknights should be primary targets ..."
<Silent_Sunset> "I suppose we'll deal with other opponents on the fly, yes?"
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "I'm going to disable the Sorcerer first." She says this as she leaps up, lands lightly in Hidden Crystal's head, leaps down to use Silent Sunrise's head as a pillar, and rebounds off of cases of books, light as a feather, to intercept the floating book.
Silent_Sunset will make a slow round of the library, noting possible hiding places. And looking for Martial Arts manuals.
<Damiani> OK. You manage to intercept the book. You are now holding onto a floating book half a mile above the ground in the middle of a chasm
Hidden_Crystal slowly walks around, also looking for potential hiding places
Jiang examines the sarcophagus, to see what traps will be activated if it's disturbed.
<Jiang> ((I also prepare a few salt circles. Just in case.)
<Damiani> The sarcophagus doesn't seem to be trapped per see. Do you TOUCH the sarcophagus?
Platinum_Sky_Lover is back where she started at, as she leaves a scented trail of perfume in her wake. She huts, hyups, and is now standing on the floating book! She lets it take it's course.
<Jiang> ((A few around the library, one on the platform. And no. I don't touch it.))
<Damiani> The sarcophagus describes the cruelties of a Twilight named Wisdom Viper, and the titanic sorcerous battle that was needed to bring her down.
<Damiani> Platinum, you're floated across to the other side, down about 50 feet
<Damiani> The whole place is full of sorcery texts, but A) there's no dewy decimal system, and b) the damned things are dynamically rearranging themselves
<Silent_Sunset> "May I propose this platform as rallying point in the case that a retreat is necessary?"
<Jiang> "Indeed."
<Damiani> The central one, the top, one of the others?
<Silent_Sunset> ((I'm figuring one of the others. One with a bit of free space, that is easily reachable))
Platinum_Sky_Lover takes a seat on the edge of the shelf where the book inserts itself. This looks like as a good a place as any. She marks the platform Sunset speaks of. "Very well."
Jiang hides himself and waits patiently, meditating.
<Silent_Sunset> "So ... Sister Lover will meet Weeping Glass. How about you?"
<Silent_Sunset> "Some coordination there would be good."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Weeping glass will be crying and broken once I get done with her. I have a new combo I want to try out."
Silent_Sunset nods approvingly
<Silent_Sunset> "Brother Crystal, what about you?"
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Also, I hope one of you has at least Emerald Countermagic. Also, be prepared - a large scale battle will no doubt trigger this place's defenses." She says this as she pulls out the Manual of Exalted Power from it's resting place, idly thumbing through it's pages.
<Hidden_Crystal> "I have Emerald Countermagic."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Excellent, Brother Crystal! Please to prevent Weeping Glass from turning my Sidereal bones to Kelly or shredding me with Obsidian Butterflies."
<Hidden_Crystal> "Understood."
<Jiang> ((I activate Walking Outside of Fate))
<Silent_Sunset> "Who will take on the Day?"
<Jiang> "I will deal with him."
Platinum_Sky_Lover stands up. "Now, it is time to begin." Her Caste Mark glows, as she starts to activate defensive charms.
<Damiani> You hear some scorching noises coming from up the path.
<Damiani> Fzot!
Silent_Sunset goes through the platforms until he finds one where alchemical instruments are set up. Rifling the apparati for small bits of metal - a small ring here, some tweezer there - he gathers a number of substitute hooks. A running leap takes him far up the wall above the first platform, where he slithers sideways along the wall like a spider until he finds a convenient intersection of patterns. Tying the metal bits to the innummerable ribbons and bands of his outfit he hooks them into the narrow groves to hold himself in place. They won't see THIS ONE coming!
Silent_Sunset smiles at his friend Hali and weaves the threads of Serenity between the two of them into a potent defense
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> The air starts to stir, as Platinum Sky Lover starts to draw on her internal power. Her Caste Mark glows with the sign of venus. "Praise to you, Master of Water, Dragon of Water. Let me take your form and grace as I defend Creation. Praise to you, Lady of Joy, you who are the embodiement of a life worth living. I dedicate this battle, to you." One foot is up against the other knee, her hands in mudras, as she shapes essence.
<Silent_Sunset> Shadows gather around unnaturally around the CHosen of Endings until not even the sharpest of Essence Sights can perceive him
Jiang draws his blade and runs his tongue across it, coating it in poison.
<Damiani> Silent_Sunset (17), 9, 8, 5, 5, 2, 3, 1, 9, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 3, 10, 6.
<Silent_Sunset> 14 successes on Stealth! Hah!
Hidden_Crystal draws his blade and steps back into shadows
Platinum_Sky_Lover is not hiding - as if she could. She's here to draw the attention of the enemy so her brethen can do their work.
Silent_Sunset has the Blessings of Saturn in hands, hanging suspended over the entrance, invisible to to mortal and Exalted eyes alike
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> (on top of the left most bookcase. Sitting, actually. I want to engage in some witty banter before I send these two Deathmooks back to Oblivion.)
<Hidden_Crystal> (Trying to hide near the left most bookcase, near PSL but further back)


<Damiani> Ghost: "There seems to be something up ahead!"
<Damiani> Ghost: enters the chamber
<Damiani> Ghost: Spots PSL
<Damiani> Ghost: Oh, hell...
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> (in Old Realm) - "If you don't wish to be immediately sent into Lethe, have your masters come forth, Shade."
<Damiani> "Uh... there's someone in here... and she's talking gibberish...."
Silent_Sunset cringes behind a thousand layers of concealing shadows
<Damiani> A small vanguard of 12 ghosts enters the room (one having fallen to traps)
<Damiani> The abyssals are behind them.
Platinum_Sky_Lover yawns politely. "Well, well. You too look all sporty, in your shiny soulsteel and legions of minions." She bats her eyes at the Abyssals from behind her fan, as her essence discerning sight evaluates them.
<Damiani> On the left, Sour Ice Phoenix, wearing loose black pants and a clingy black shirt. Her hands are covered in gold and black gloves, and she has knives in sheaths on her belt. On the right, Weeping glass, clad in glorious soulsteel articulated plate, white as bone, delicate as lace, and hard as the end of all things.
<Damiani> SIF: "Oh, good, I was beginning to worry this would be too easy...." She grins madly
Platinum_Sky_Lover still speaks in Old Realm. If neither of them are well educated enough to understand her - well, that's their problem. When she trains Solars, it's the very first thing they learn.
<Damiani> SIF: "Ready!" Ghosts: assume defensive stance WG: cocks her head and regards you cooly.
Platinum_Sky_Lover understands Wave Tongue - she is a Water Dragon stylist, after all! In Perfect wavespeak - "And I see that your masters haven't bothered to even teach you the rudiments of proper speech. I'll give you the opportunity to surrender now, and I'll see to it that you are fairly treated." She stands, en point, her face concealed behind her fan. She's stalling, waiting for Jiang and the others to get position.

Silent_Sunset cuts the ties holding him to the wall in a single smooth arc. He falls upon Sour Ice Phoenix like a piece of the Night torn loose. No sound. No sight but fluttering shadows as he dives headfirst at the Abyssal. Nothing to announce his arrival but the sting of Starmetal blades in the Abyssal's back. One, two, three, four times! Even with his presence known, he still defies all vision. Shadows spiralling around shadows and nothing within.
<Damiani> Silent, you tumble from the ceiling, and pounce upon your unsuspecting victim! Your knife plunges deep into her shoulder, and you pull it out slick with blood.
<Damiani> Only INSTANTS later, your second blade slashes forward, straight for her unarmored juggular...
<Damiani> Only to swoosh! into thin air!
<Damiani> The ghosts freak.
<Damiani> Without moving, she is now somehow behind you.
<Damiani> She hurls two soulsteel daggers at you
<Silent_Sunset> Even though Silent is just absorbing the momentum of the fall, there's nothing to be targetted but a swirling mass of shadows. Not one of the thrown blades comes close
Jiang rises from the shadows, scarcely more than a shadow himself. Soundless and unseen, he slides past the ghosts, drawing shivers and nervous glances as his chill presence brushes past them. He merges with the Sour Ice's shadow, flowing with as she assaults his Brother. As she draws her blades and hurls them at Silent Sunset, he flicks his poisoned blade and viciously rakes it twice across her back.
<Damiani> Stabbed and poisoned, the abyssal tumbles backwards, collapsing into the, um, abyss.
<Damiani> She hurtles head over heels in a chaotic spiral, venomous curses passing her dying lips, even as the venom takes her life, as she falls onto the central platform.
<Damiani> Her blood flows freely from her copious wounds.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Well, so much for the supposed invincibility of Oblivion."
Jiang looks down, thinking *Well, now I know that can't be good. Jiang old buddy, we've been together for years, haven't we? Yes, Jiang, for years beyond counting. And, my dearest friend, is there anything in our experience that would indicate there being a good result to what just happened? Well, Friend Jiang, I have to say... No."
<Silent_Sunset> Unseen Silent Sunset nods to himself, pleased at having driven the Abyssal right into his brothers blades.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Now, madam, if you do not wish to join your sister there, I'd advise immediate surrender. Or else, you will have to deal with *me*."
<Damiani> "I see."
<Damiani> In response to PSL's statemen, WG lowers her lantern and begins to chant quietly, confidently, melodiously, in the language of fallen kings of An-Teng.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Oh, no you DON'T, bitch!"
Platinum_Sky_Lover immediately drops down, running horizontally along the book spine covers. Her hands, now clawed, now glow with a strange mixture of watery and necrotic essence, as she prepares one of her signature moves. When she gets near to where WG is being protected by the ghosts, she launches herself off and up, landing both feet onto the head of one ghost, to get extra momentum.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> She then flips in mid air, coming down onto Abyssal Sorceress, her palms and arms extended. "SERENITY IS MY WEAPON, UNDERTOW DRAGON CLAW STRIKE!"
Platinum_Sky_Lover lashes out, striking the abyssal Sorcerers with a flurry of palm strikes! She rends the air as the blue of her hands crackles and streams Essence. Blows that would shatter steel ping and bang off of her Soul Steel armor. Some of Sky's blows even ring too, as the lovely face of the Deathknight is marred and bruised. In her attacks, Platinum Sky Lover is a blur of motion!
<Damiani> A perfect contrast to the unmoving ivory statue that she pummels!
Hidden_Crystal steps out of shadows, sword flicking out once, then twice, then thrice, trying to cut a way through the ghosts protecting the Deathknight.
<Damiani> HC slaughters two more ghosts and bashes a third!
<Damiani> Danger. Intruders detected. Activating defensive subsystems.
Silent_Sunset 's eyes narrow as he heards the voice. Hope it doesn't go against US ...
<Damiani> Meanwhile, Sour Ice Phoenix's blood flows along a shallow depression into the center of her platform. The library shakes violently with the force of a roar from below!
<Damiani> Error. Error. Damage to filing subsystems
<Damiani> The filing of the flying books begins to accelerate.
<Silent_Sunset> Uh oh ...
Jiang thinks *Jiang, you are brilliant as always. I bow to your superior insight and wisdom. Why, thank you Jiang! How kind of you to say so!"
<Damiani> The statues guarding the sarcophagus come to life, even as a spectral shape rises from the tomb

Silent_Sunset dances in circles around the three war ghosts attacking him, not even needing to parry
Silent_Sunset thinks to himself: Fuck.
Silent_Sunset murmurs. "Oww, that isn't good. That isn't good at all!"
<Damiani> One of them flutters insectlike wings.
<Jiang> "Time is not on our side. Silent, be ready to open a doorway if we need it. Lets finish off the witch and get out with our prize."
<Damiani> One extrudes additional arms as it begins to climb
<Damiani> And the third crouches to jump
<Damiani> Three ghosts interpose themselves between the abyssal and you, crossing their poleaxes


<Silent_Sunset> Breaking out of his low stance Silent surges forward, side-stepping two of the ghosts that had tried to attack him. His twin blades flashing with the violet of Endings he falls upon the ghosts forming the wall around the Abyssal. The natural passage of their souls will begin tonight!
<Silent_Sunset> In passing Silent's blade lashes out at the ghosts he passes, unerringly finding the gaps in their ethereal armor.
<Silent_Sunset> Five ghosts disperse into showers of moaning ectoplasm!
<Silent_Sunset> "Come on, get her! We may have situation down there!"
<Hidden_Crystal> Daiklave glowing violet, Crystal runs towards the Abyssal, blade flicking out to dispatch the rest of her ghostly retinue (or at least try), to send them on to the end where they should have been.
Adamiani> Three more ghosts dissolve.
Silent_Sunset flicks worried looks at the ghost ascending from below
Jiang looks down at the materializing ghost and steps forward to the edge of the pit. He flicks his sword up into the air, the blade flipping end over end. He ducks a hand into his coat and pulls free a steel wand, pressing the tip of his flaming cigarette to the fuse. A fierce needle of flame explodes outwards, silencing the sound of combat with a fierce, gutteral roar, outlining Jiang's shadowy form in red flames.
Jiang watches the platform explode in a malestrom of fire, tucking away his glowing fireward. Taking a deep drag on his cigarrette, he says "Take that, you bitch." and releases a thick plume of smoke, snatching his sword from midair as it tumbles past
Jiang points down "Your body is going to fall into that pit."
<Damiani> Her initial form was glorious, lithe with dark skin and hair, covered in shining (yet rather scanty) bands of shining magic gold.
<Damiani> While the body falls in its indestructible casing, the angry ghost leaps with impossible strength, from book to book, floating across the chasm--
<Damiani> no longer does it enjoy the gloss of its former life, appearing instead as a withered, howling husk, a burning fire within her hollow eyes!
<Damiani> She leaps at PSL, because PSL would be the only one I can forsee actually soaking this....
Silent_Sunset cries out as the platform, the sarcophagus and a whole lot of firedust starts to fall. "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
<Damiani> The gleaming coffin tumbles end over end!
<Damiani> OK, um, you seriously injure one of the demons, and wound the others
Silent_Sunset hides his face behind his hands
Platinum_Sky_Lover is setting up to pile drive the Abyssal witch. As she is attacked by the crazed ghost, she merely moves a bit to the left, to the right, and a bit forward, flowing like water, dancing like venus. "Annoying bastard! If I had time, I'd finish you off!"
Platinum_Sky_Lover is annoyed. However, she is also professional. She hunches down into a crouch, not unlike a hunting cat, and launches herself into the air, attempting to get clear past the ghosts and the Abyssal Witch whom she wants to hug so very much.
Platinum_Sky_Lover lands clearly behind the witch. Swiftly, she attempts to slip an arm up under hers, and a leg between hers, in order to attempt a clinch! She uses her silken robes as grappling aids, using the long sleeves to entangle the Abyssal's limbs, and cover her mouth to stop her spell casting!
Damiani : The flame from her torch shoots forth to stop you, forming itself into a whirling sword of fire!
<Damiani> The sword arcs for you, spinning and twisting even as you arc overhead-- it does not so much move as extrude one end and disinstance the other
Silent_Sunset once more dances among the fumbling ghosts with supreme ease. A bright laugh punctuates the clash of weapons and the moaning of ghosts and demons
<Damiani> HC: A beam of light strikes out from the center of the ceiling.
Hidden_Crystal> Serenity in Blood ... fails.
<Damiani> HC is struck and immobilized by the first age defensive systems-- his frozen body is engulfed in a nimbus of white light!
Hidden_Crystal swears rather creatively mentally


Silent_Sunset takes a look around. Ghosts - dismissed. Demons - dismissed. One terrible Hungry Ghost - his comrades could take care of that. Now, his task as Chosen of Saturn is clear! Drawing upon his reserves of strength he takes off running towards the edge of the pit. And leaps!
Jiang charges at wounded demon, seizing the paralyzed Hidden Crystal by the ankles as he passes. Spinning the Sidereal overhead, he lashes out at the creature with a massive, overhead blow.
<Damiani> HC! You are heaven's weapon of vengeance! Without so much as moving you have sliced neatly through a rampaging demon, dispersing its infernal essence! Truly, you are a master!
Jiang laughs as HC slices through the demon with terrible ease "Hah! Show you to defile Creation!" He taps Hidden Crystal against the floor, shaking ichor off of him.
<Damiani> Everyone! The building is shaking slightly!
Platinum_Sky_Lover struggles with the Deathknight, as she attempts to break her spellcasting. Then, her head turns, as she sees the clawed hand of the massive ghost coming down, on HER.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> For a split second, PSL's Caste Mark shines blindingly, as for a split second, she *becomeswater. There is the sound of seagulls and crashing waves as her body turns translucent, for a miniscule moment.
<Damiani> For a second, as the claw slices through the water at inhuman speed and force, she experiences life as water vapor.
Platinum_Sky_Lover does the only thing she can thing of to stop the malovelent chanting of the abyssal sorceress - locked in their embrace, she kisses the woman full on the lips, driving her tongue into her enemy's mouth.
Platinum_Sky_Lover finds the woman surprisingly pleasant to kiss. She presses her body against the Deathknights, working to make her melt.
<Damiani> The thing about this is she ignores you. You coil around her like water, wrap your limbs about her impenetrable armor like an anacondia, squeeze and twist like a whirlwhind, and she does NOTHING. With every erg of her essence, she simply.... tips forward....
Platinum_Sky_Lover finds herself pitching with this woman into the deep pit. However, as Blessed Sky Crane always said, Life Will Find A Way. She holds on tight to the Deathknight, while her free hand undoes her obi sash. She flicks it, snaps it, and attempts to snag the end onto one of the nearby jagged edges of one of the book cases. She shouts, "JIANG! get us the transport, now!"
<Jiang> "Sunset! We kind of need your assistance!"
<Damiani> You can't actually grab something with your sash until your next action, but it's there if Jiang wants to grab it.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> This manuever will leave Platinum Sky Lover completely naked.
Jiang spins Hidden Crystal in a dazzling and dizzying display of martial finesse, striving to block the demon's strikes
<Damiani> The ghosts have SO fled.
Jiang turns, sensing Fate ripple as the Tomescu's blow streaks towards him. Time seems to slow and he toss Hidden Crystal up into the air. He vaults backwards, grabbing a passing book and letting it pull him free.
<Damiani> The other demon eats the remainign ghosts
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> whiz whiz whiz BWING! Sky's enchanted sash wraps around a luckily nearby outcropping. She is trying to manuever so that she and her cargo can land on the collapsing platform.


<Silent_Sunset> Flying in a wide arc Silent Sunset plummets, the wind whistling and playing with his innummerable ribbons and bands and he falls hundreds of yards every moment, avoiding flying scrolls left and right, guided by threads of Serenity. A few seconds later he arrives over the tumbling structure, 600 yards deeper down, and close, so close to his goal! Thinking quickly Silent turns his headlong dive into a graceful pirouette of unmatched speed, his arms and legs scything out to all sides like two pairs of propellers, scattering books left and right. There are priceless tomes of lore forgotten since the First Age, works of poetry so beautiful as to make the stars weep - they all disintegrate into profane confetti as steel-hard hands and feet hit them.
<Silent_Sunset> With utter concentration Silent uses the collisions to adjust his speed - a little slower now, then a little faster again, until he exactly matches the speed of the falling platform. Diving along with it, it looks to him, as if he is floating above the coffin, his feet high in the air. Looking down at the sarcophagus his focus is absolute. There exists nothing besides him and it, no walls rushing by, no screams far above and certainly no stone floor approaching with terrifying speed. In this moment he is Saturn's will and nothing else. There exists no power that can divert him from his purpose.
Jiang lowers his head and charges at the paralyzed ghost, roaring "Hidden Crystal! Deal with the demons while I rescue our Sister!" He pushes the ghost over the side and then lunges towards the edge, sliding across the smooth rock and skidding short just shy of the cliff edge. He desperately reaches down and grabs at Sky's sash, pulling on it.
Platinum_Sky_Lover shouts out as she is in mid swing, "Where is that fucking GATE?" in Low Realm. "We have what we came for!"
Jiang grunts as the demon tags him, the wound sealing shut swiftly
Platinum_Sky_Lover hisses as she and her cargo are singed by a Virtuous Guardian of Flame. "Now I know why I hate Sorcery!"


<Silent_Sunset> Silent Sunrise reaches into the sarcophagus with one hand, lightly touching the desiccated corpse's forehead.
<Silent_Sunset> Piercing SILENCE comes over the tomb for a timeless moment.
<Silent_Sunset> The sound of mighty wings beating.

<Silent_Sunset> Peace comes over the Solar's restless soul.

Jiang lies on the ground, one arm hanging over the edge, fist wrapped around Lover's sash. The muscles in his arm bulge as he strains against their weight. He curls his legs under himself and rises to his feet. Slowly, he begins to draw them, the stone under his feet cracking slightly under the force of his now blazing anima and the sheer weight of the trio.
<Damiani> The rattling of the tomb seems to calm slightyly
Platinum_Sky_Lover smiles with a feral glee, as she pulls herself and her abyssal package up her sash. *Thiskind of excitement is why she loves being one of the 5 fold fellowship, and why she'd probably fall Jiang to Malfeas and back.
<Damiani> Jiang. Someone is clearing their throuat LOUDLY behind you!
Jiang looks over his shoulder and shouts "WHAT?"
<Jiang> "I'm rather busy at the moment!"
<Damiani> A clear, authoritative woman's voice speaks:
<Damiani> "I've come to reclaim this tomb, in the name and authority of the chosen of the unconquered sun.
<Jiang> "Yeah, whatever. Wait your damn turn. When we're done, you can have it."
Jiang steadily pulls on the sash, hauling up the two women.
<Silent_Sunset> There's a beatific smile on Silent Sunset's face. He is still falling, but peace has come to this place and he was allowed to be its hand.
<Jiang> "Or, if you want to be helpful, you deal with that demon."
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Jiang! Let me deal with her. Trust me, I know her ilk."
<Damiani> Glorious Sunset: ".... acceptable."
<Damiani> "But I will brook no interference."
<Jiang> "We're just here to kidnap Abyssals, ma'am."
<Damiani> "....!"
Platinum_Sky_Lover speaks to Glorious Sunrise. "madam, being the puissant sorceress that you are... can you please get this off of me? You know the Countermagic of the Emerald Circle, yes?"
<Damiani> She snorts derisively, and makes a gesture of dismissal.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "I can not advise you in preparation for you to rule the world if I burn to death. Thank you, Golden Mistress."
<Damiani> The spell shatters into a thousand stinging wasps.
Platinum_Sky_Lover shakes her hair loose, now gloriously naked, if someowhat burnt and abused. "Now, if I may ask, Golden Mistress. Have you met someone by the name of Lush Green Clover?"
Platinum_Sky_Lover looks at her fellow sidereals with sidelong glances, as if to indicate, *let me handle this.*
Jiang snorts and nods. "You deal with this. I need a smoke." He sits down on the Abyssal and rolls up a new smoke.
Hidden_Crystal sheathes his sword, and takes a step away, though still watching and listening intently.
Platinum_Sky_Lover nods. In high realm - "I can make it back on my own. Get this package home, right away."
<Damiani> GS blinks. "I... can't say the name sounds familiar."
<Damiani> GS: "You will leave this place to me now, per our agreement."
<Damiani> (Silent still has one more stunt to make, it will be added retroactively)
Jiang nods "Sure thing, ma'am." He looks over the edge "Sunset, you done playing around with that dead girl?"
Platinum_Sky_Lover leaps over, near where GS stands, but not *tooclose. "Very well. However, I would submit that there are things that we know about this place, that *youdo not. You are a Solar Exalted, a champion of the Unconquered Sun, who is the Master of Heaven. You seek knowledge of the Adamant Circle of Sorcery. You've seen evidence today of some of it's *lessereffects." She pauses, letting that sink in.
<Damiani> GS puts on a front of brave arrogance, largely because you're damned intimidating at the moment,
<Damiani> "I AM, as you say, the chosen of the Sun, and I will claim this place as my rightful due!"
Platinum_Sky_Lover continues. "I would submit, Golden Mistress, that perhaps it may be a wiser course of action to allow me to... *assistyou. My kind hold many secrets of the First Age. You certainly don't want to destroy yourself while attempting to reach the ... -zenith- of your power. Such would be a grand waste, and would be of little service to the King of the Gods.
<Damiani> "I will not allow you to poison my ear and divert me from my purpose."
Platinum_Sky_Lover plays to both the Solar's fear, and her ego. She speaks smoothly, flatteringly, but she is also utterly without fear of her. - something which Golden Sunrise has never encountered before, from mortal or exalt.
Platinum_Sky_Lover slips behind her. "To do such a thing would be to deny the will of the Chieftain of the Mighty Incarna herself, Sol Invictus. That's a fool's road I will not walk." She licks her lips, strategically pausing again.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "So. I recommend this. We will leave you to inspect your newfound tomb, and reclaim your property. I would *adviseyou to not experiment with any of the books on higher sorceries, yet. I am sure that you have many questions - the strange memories you have of another life, why the Immaculates pursue you, what your role is. It is *myrole to assist the rightful rulers of the world.
<Damiani> "Leave this place through your gate, strange one. I will claim this place and its secrets as my own to do with as I please. If you have knowledge of value to me, you may offer it to me then."
<Silent_Sunset> Closing the coffin with one hand Silent acts quickly. Rolling in midair he settles his feet against the sarcophagus. The ground approaches. Insanely fast. Silent ignores it, closes his eyes. There is no fear. There is no panic. There is only calm. Confidence. The absolute knowledge, that he has bent his whole being, all his will against his task. Like a bird taking off to fly he JUMPS. Upwards and upwards, faster than the sound of his feet hitting the orichalcum mask of the coffin. And yet is only barely approached the speed with which he is falling. But he is not alone! With him is Hali Ba, who may be small, but who is still a god! A god of birds, of flying things! His blessing hits Silent Sunset like a feather made of steel, propelling him towards the wall, where he clings with all his might.
<Damiani> Yes! The tiny god clutches your shoulder, drawing blood with his tiny claws as he hangs on tightly and propells you upward with all of her might.
<Silent_Sunset> Employing the techniques of the Ebon Shadow Style the CHosen of Endings slides up the wall of the pit like a rising star
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "So. I offer that, at a later time, that we meet and talk in a safe, nuetral location. I am sure that you have many questions that need answering. And, trust me, my kind served yours in the 1st age. Some of us wish to do so again."
Platinum_Sky_Lover tosses her the last peice of her rainment - a flower she was wearing in her hair. "Look for Spring Dawn, in the Aphrodisia house on Abalone. I'll be by, from time to time." She then gathers with the others, for the arrival of the incoming gate.
Platinum_Sky_Lover moves to help Silent, when she sees him trying to get purchase and get onto the platform.
Jiang coughs. It sounds suspiciously like a laugh. "Well. That was. G'day ma'am. I hope you find more joy in this tomb than it's former owner did." He rises and grabs Weeping Glass by the hair, dragging her behind him as he heads to the edge of the pit. "All fun'd out for today, are we? Ready to go home?"
Platinum_Sky_Lover smiles, and gives Sunset a big kiss on the cheek. "You were GREAT."
Silent_Sunset stumbles along the streets of Yu-Shan, smiling weakly
Jiang snorts "Almost a great big wet spot, you mean." He marches along, dragging the Abyssal along by her hair.
<Platinum_Sky_Lover> "Please. Wet spots should only be on beds. Come on, give him some praise."
<Silent_Sunset> He points to the small bird sitting on his shoulder. "Hali. Hali got me out of that one."
<Silent_Sunset> Hali seems very pleased with himself
<Damiani> Jiang: the abyssal is STILL CONSCIOUS.
<Damiani> You'll have to kinda manhandle her.
Silent_Sunset gives her some of his sleeping stuff
Platinum_Sky_Lover looks down at the Abyssal.
<Silent_Sunset> "There, have some rest."
<Damiani> And the sidereal sign flashes, the gate leaves, and we start with a pulled out shot of the wreckage, zooming in on the narrowing features of Glorious Sunrise surveying the scene