Nikink/PoA768DescWood21
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21st Descending Wood
So, Savvy, Phinae and Jade Wisdom start to wander back to the warehouse with Pirule. Savvy runs off, leaving Phinnae and Jade to stop a short distance away from the Tavern to discuss the situation some more.
Phinnae suggests they should remain close to the Tavern with Pirule so he can identify the wealthy fop. Jade Wisdom is sceptical of this idea due to an inability to reasonably hide Pirule and prevent him from calling out or otherwise attracting unwanted attention. This leads to a small impasse...
Then Pirule helpfully suggests staying inside the Tavern to keep a watch out for the fop, and Phinnae agrees to this idea. So Jade and Pirule head back to the warehouse while Phinnae enters the Tavern to keep watch from a position of stealth and inconspicuousness.
While inside the Tavern, Phinnae call for a bit of fun, gambling on an arm-wrestling contest between herself (a poor frail woman-folk-type) and the big manly men of the bar, to help pass the time. A big burly man takes up the challenge. One scream of pain and a broken arm later, the rest of the Tavern patrons look nervous and edge away from the 'poor frail woman-folk-type' lady who just broke a man's arm without breaking a sweat or showing any signs of remorse... that's right, inconspicuous.
Phinnae then tries to bribe the Barkeep, but with no concept of money, the Barkeep is not impressed...
Jade Wisdom and Pirule make it back to the warehouse safely. The Jadeborn offers the man his bed roll, some food and a cup of tea, all of which are accepted with gratitude.
Dawn comes all too quickly...
Phinnae is phrustrated by Bar-Wenches who cannot understand her High- or Low-Realm Phrases.
Savvy, Jade Wisdom and Pirule Kugimo remain patiently at the warehouse waiting for Phinnae and Taros (and maybe Scarred). Soon, Ragara Tanro arrives with a message for Savvy, that Taros has invited her to the 7000-Pleasures Teahouse. Upon hearing this, the super-intelligent Jadeborn takes Pirule away out of earshot, as y'know, spy and all that... Once Tanro has left, Jade Wisdom leads Pirule back inside and Savvy confides the news to him in a language Pirule cannot comprehend. Jade Wisdom recommends that Savvy go to Taros as soon as possible, while he remains at the warehouse to watch the captive and await Phinnae (and Scarred...).
(Common consensus has it that Scarred has taken all the money and gotten lost inside many Nexus Pubs, Taverns, Whorehouses, Opium Dens and Gambling houses on the way back to the warehouse.)
Savvy finds an discreet corner and becomes a bird to fly to Taros.
Midday. Sunny and warm...
Phinnae is bored (and hungry? and thirsty?) but notices the Dynastic looking man with good clothes, darks hair and noble bearing enter the bar. The man talks quietly and briefly to the man behind the bar, then leaves. Phinnae phollows! Phop has disappeared!! Phrustrated Phinnae phlies high, phails to phind, still phrustrated, phuck!!! She phlies back to the warehouse.
Savvy arrives at the Teahouse to meet Taros. He informs her of some details about Peleps Dakura. Savvy is grateful, and idle chitchat ensues, and soon thereafter Savvy departs.
Jade Wisdom engages in conversation with Pirule, getting a little closer to establishing a bond of intimacy with the man. Then Phinnae arrives.
The Lunar girl manages to draw a very rough picture of the wealthy man, and conveys her frustration at losing him so quickly. Jade Wisdom informs the young exalt that apart from her being very unlucky (which is unlikely, because Exalts make their own luck), many other types of being can use Charms to hide themselves from view, or travel very quickly, or confuse the mind. Also many magical artifacts can do the same.
Savvy then returns. Jade Wisdom makes her a cup of tea as she relates her information. Phinnae is curious and excited about Dakura's interest in 'Exotic' slaves. And also a little concerned that he may have some of her relatives...
After some discussion, the yacht seems to be the best place to attack the Dragon-Blood without running afoul of Nexus laws. Jade Wisdom suggests it may be very easy for the Lunars to assault the yacht, but getting himself and Scarred aboard to help, if their help is desired, may be somewhat more difficult as they cannot change shape, fly, swim (not that far anyway), walk on water, or sail. Of course, Lord Scarred may have an awesome idea, but he isn't present, and may have run into trouble, or just passed out in a gutter somewhere, or fled the city...
Everyone wonders what has happened to Scarred... (except Pirule, who's probably thankful).
It is mid afternoon.
...---^---...
Phinnae decides to fly around the city to look for Scarred. Soaring high in the sky to avoid attracting attention but using her "eagle" eyes to scour the filthy streets of Nexus. After many hours of searching, Phinnae frustrated, lands on the roof of a two storey building. While resting on the roof she hears shouts and loud sobbing. Curious she flaps down to the window sill at the back of the building. She sees a scantily clad young woman being beaten by a hulk of a man. Phinnae's rage is piqued. She changes shape on the sill and charges through the window. The Man is surprised and is unable to fend off Phinnae's flying, reverse, roundhouse, scissor, hook kick. She executes the move perfectly and the assailant is left in a heap at her feet.
- Is this the right or wrong way to do this? Does it make sense? And it is not finished if its ok! Phinnae
Jade Wisdom decides to take Pirule and wander through Nexus to try and find Scarred. Everyone present thinks that Scarred has spent all the money in a tavern, opium den, whore-house or gambling den... or all four. Savvy chooses to remain in the warehouse to ponder the information about Dakura.
Scarred awakes in a poor looking tavern, "Salt of Creation". He has a splitting headache, and very patchy memories of the previous 12 hours or so. He orders another ale, and talks to the barkeep to discover where he is. The answer, Sentinel Hills, is not much help. Ordering an extra strong coffee to help recall events, he asks for directions to the Drunken Carp. Soon after, he stumbles back out onto the street and pushes his way slowly towards his original destination. Being very hungry, the local 'rat-on-a-stick' is very appealing, and helps pass the time...
Jade Wisdom talks some more to Pirule Kugimo. Discussing life in Nexus with life in Urvar and generally being nice and building a certain intimacy between the two. (Yay! A new Contact! Social Combat testing moderately successful!!!)
Night falls
Scarred enters the Drunken Carp and makes a bee-line for the barwench. He orders an ale. Perplexed at where the rest of the group are, he bribes the barwench for information. She tells him a little about their arrival and departure, which leaves the drunkard more perplexed.
He sits quietly drinking for a while to ponder what to do next...
The Jadeborn and the mortal man move from pub to tavern to brothel to casino in a futile effort to search all of Nexus for the missing (to them) Solar. Eventually, somewhat weary, they arrive back at the Drunken Carp. Scarred immediately abuses them for being late, and then swiftly buys them a meal and drink. Then he raises his voice and buys the whole tavern a drink. He then sniggers as he realises his magic gourd is unlimited, and could supply endless amounts of alcohol to everyone, but he'd rather spend the money.
The three leave after their meal. Once outside, Jade Wisdom notices Scarred has left the bag of silver inside on the table. He swiftly bursts inside and intimidates the girl taking the money from the table into handing it over. Once outside again, he gives Pirule a few coins and tells him to never talk to anyone about the group, or spy on them again. Pirule is relieved and grateful to be let free, to return to his pregnant wife and his mother who has a bad hip.
The Solar and Jadeborn start the long walk back to the warehouse.
Midnight
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