Porcelain Child/SessionFive

At the shrine...
* Anona yawns and stretches from lying on the ground all night long. The bedrolls weren't nearly as comfortable as advertised.
<onine> Morning breaks over the lowlands of the east, bathing the misty land in pale light. Sleep was comparatively comfortable, the grassy areas extra soft. This morning only Epheri and Tara are with you inside the shrine, Magpie and Vana likely waking up earlier and off on their own 'business'
<onine> There is a root sticking up out of the ground that you were lying on, the culprit for your discomfort...
* Yengo has been up for about half an hour, rather unneccessarily checking over equipment that probably doesn't need to be checked. He's not sure where Vana and Magpie might be, though.
<onine> To Yengo, who has lived 'on the road' the night was peaceful...
<onine> Tara hands you a small cup of water. "Good morning Yengo."
<Yengo> "Good morning, Tara, thank you." He takes the cup and has a sip, looking around. "Morning to you too, Anona."
<onine> Epheri still dozes, resting her back up against a rock. She has an annoyingly content look on her face.
<Anona> *continues yawning, said in a half-asleep mumble* "I'm still not used to this early-rising stuff... morning Yengo..."
* Yengo grins slightly. "It has its advantages, I suppose. Another early start and day's travel should get us where we're going." He pauses. "Considering what we might find there, I wonder if that's a good thing..."
<Anona> "No sense delaying the inevitable. We agreed to the job, it's ours to do."
<Yengo> "Yeah. Just hope we can do it right. It's been a long time since I had something besides Tara and myself to worry about."
<Anona> "On the other hand, you have me, Epheri, Vana, and me backing you up. It's overkill, really."
<onine> Epheri yawns "Wha--?"
* Yengo nods, slowly. "Yeah... overkill..." He wonders if Anona's ever really had to worry about anything the way he does. Benefits of being a Prince of the Earth, he guesses.
<Anona> "Just letting Yengo know that whatever is causing all this is probably doomed."
<Yengo> "Morning, Epheri."
<onine> "Oh... right..." She mutters and rolls over... "Morninmmm..."
<Anona> "I see Epheri is /also/ getting used to the new routine."
* Yengo chuckles as he rolls up and secures his bedroll.
* Anona busies herself with packing things back up; after a couple of false starts she manages well enough.
<onine> Epheri drags herself to her feet and smoothes down her white dress. Both the dragonblooded sorceresses seem overdressed for travel, even so they still look dignified.
<onine> She stifles a yawn and bundles her equipment together. "So what is our plan today Yengo...hmmm? Where's Vana?"
<Yengo> "We should be able to reach our destination today if we continue on at the same pace... as for Vana... I have no idea where she and Magpie are. I hope she's keeping the girl out of trouble..."
<onine> Epheri sighs. "Those two..." Tara seem to share the same sentiment, shaking her head quietly.
<Anona> "Unwittingly assisting her into getting into trouble, more like."
<Yengo> "Probably. She's conned me into it a few times myself."
<onine> "If you ask me..." Tara begins. "Magpie is likely dragging that innocent girl into mischief again."
<Yengo> "Probably..."

In the woods...
* Magpie spends the night in the woods, hunched sullenly down by a tree, and occasionally taking it into her head to shout for the crow, and make bitter comments about interfering gods who just sat there sneering.
<onine> As if empathising with your fear and concern Magpie, the woods seem much more frightening. The wind rustles the leaves strangely, and the trees groan as their branches flex in the breeze like tortured souls.
<onine> And of course, every call for crow echoes back strangely, but this effect seems to fade as morning approaches, as do the falling petals.
* Vana did sleep badly, woken by a certain shouting Magpie. Still, better than horrible nightmare sleep. "Ugh..."
As daylight arrives, Magpie anxiously scans the horizon for the others. Surely they could do something! They weren't stupid kids who couldn't even look after their only friend.
* Magpie notices Vana wake up- -finally- - and crouches down next to her. "Can we find Crow now, please?" Her tone is ever so slightly cool. Imagine, sleeping, when rogue gods go on kidnapping sprees!
* Vana rubs her eyes. "Sure... sure. Just give me a minute."
* Magpie begins counting slightly to sixty...
* Vana stretches, and washes her face in a nearby pool, before coming back. "Ok..."
* Magpie grabs her hand, and begins to pull determinedly towards the forest. "She's had him the whole night!"
* Vana staggers along. "Where do we start looking?"
<Magpie> "I don't know! Or else I would have rescued him already. I've tried shouting, but it hasn't worked..."

Back at the shrine
<onine> In the mean time at the shrine at the edge of the forest, the remaining band of archons kits up and prepares to head off. The priestess wishes you a safe journey and warns you to stay on the path lest you get lost within the forest.
<onine> She explains that there is a bridge that spans a deep mountain river further up that you will need to cross to reach the lowest of the mountain towns. She continues with her sweeping of the steps and the last you hear of her is the *scrtch scrtch* of her straw broom...
11:21] <Anona> "I'm worried, Yengo. Shouldn't Vana and Magpie have been back by now?"
* Yengo frowns. "Yes. I don't know where they've gone. We can't very well press on without them..."
<onine> There is little evidence of their passing. Magpie usually doesn't drop crumbs behind her, and for that matter, neither does Vana
<onine> Crow would eat them anyway...
* Yengo shrugs. "The woods, maybe? Should we split up? They could be anywhere for all I know."
<Anona> "That might be wise. The woods is the most likely place for Magpie to go, that's for sure... but she could be anywhere in there."
* Yengo cups his hands to his mouth, shouting into the trees. "Magpie! Vana!"

Meanwhile in the woods....
<onine> Magpie is dragging Vana around aimlessly. Magpie for all her confidence, has actually never been in a forest before, her confidence in her ability to navigate them is somewhat disproportionate to her ability in this case. Vana however is well versed in navigating... and Magpie is pulling Vana in a wide circle...
* Vana is still being dragged along. "Do you have any way of contacting him?"
<Magpie> "Normally I just sort of know where he is...but there was this sharp pain and now I don't feel him." She hasn't really tried, though- not since that evil white bird struck him. She stops, and concentrates hard on crow, just like she always did when she wanted to use his eyes...
<onine> Its like he's not even there. Like the time before you found him.
<Magpie> "He's not there!" Magpie wails.
<Vana> "I said we'd find him, okay? Trust me." Vana crouches and looks at her seriously.
* Magpie gulps, screws up her face and nods.
<Magpie> "How are you going to find him?"
<Vana> "Same way I found who he was with. Talk to the plants, I guess." She smiles a bit.
* Magpie nods, and waits expectantly for Vana to produce a miracle.
* Vana looks around for a plant of some kind... not a tree. Something that can speak a little faster, this time.
<Anona> Meanwhile... Anona adds her voice to the choir shouting for the lost.
* Vana was looking for non-tree plants, and the others were shouting, I believe?
<onine> Oh there are many smaller plants in these woods. The trees are mainly pine or redwood varieties, and on the forest floor you have ferns, bushes and scrub - even grass, but they arent the best conversationalists.
* Vana will just ask a fern, then... hopefully, it's smart, and not too bloody slow. Stupid trees.
<onine> The fern respons quickly. "What is it, I have to be on."
* Vana blinks a little. "On? On what?"
<onine> "On my way, you know, figure of speech?"
<Vana> "Oh, yes. But where to?"
<onine> "Its a figure of speech, humans say it all the time to appear busy, and well, I am veeeery busy, tut tut!"
<Vana> "Busy doing what?" She barely avoids saying "but you're a plant."
<onine> "As I said a figure of speech, I am merely being rude to attempt the ruse of being an important plant, not that I am not important *laughter* Hang on... how come you are talking to me?"
<Vana> "Oh, I have this." She lifts her daiklave to display the stone therein. "It allows me to talk to you."
<onine> "Oh... I see, you're not a plant... *pauses as if looking you up and down* "Wrong colour..."
* Magpie guessing, from the Vana's side of the conversation that she's wasting time with chit-chat, crosses her arms over her chest and scowls.
* Vana notices the scowling Magpie, and turns back to the fern. "Oh... sorry for my rudeness, but we have to hurry. Do you know where we can find someone called Windswept Boughs?"
<onine> "Called what?"
<Vana> "Windswept Boughs."
<onine> "I've never heard of it. Him... who?"
<onine> "You humans have that whole gender thing, er... can never quite get the hang of it, I dont see many humans."
<onine> "Of course I assume you're not looking for one of 'us' you humans never do."
<Vana> "Um... I'm sorry. They had a longer name." She thinks for a moment. "It was... she who is of the fallen leaves and the painted sky, of air and wood united, orderer of chaos and resident of the foothill forests. I think."
* Vana hopes she got it right.
<onine> "Oooooh! You mean She who is of the fallen leaves and the painted sky, of air and wood united, orderer of chaos and resident of the foothill forests! *laughter* Sorry, I dont know who that is."
<onine> The fern seems to think he has deflected you flawlessly
* Vana just stares at the plant for a moment, somewhat nonplussed.
<Magpie> "Does he know?" Magpie asks anxiously.
<Vana> "Apparently... not." She frowns. "Fern, this really is important."
<onine> "What is?"
<Vana> "Finding Windswept Boughs."
<onine> "Well... I don't *actually* know where she is mr human. I'm young" it adds quickly "-but still very important!"
<Vana> "If you're so important, why don't you know where she is? I bet all the -really- important plants know..."
<onine> "I know! They should! Its a tree thing, they think they're incredible because they have their fancy height and their bark - and that whole 'been here a while chique'. But my foliage is just as green as theirs!"
<onine> "But uh... " the fern lowers his voice
<onine> "Just between you and me and the grass, talking to She who is of the fallen leaves and the painted sky, of air and wood united, orderer of chaos and resident of the foothill forests is not something that you humans would want to do... best forget about it. I really hope no one heard me say that,..."
* Vana goes somewhat serious. "We have to. Can you help? Please?"
<onine> The fern sighs... and sighs and sighs. "Fine... this is just something I heard. Along the mountain path there is a sign. That is where you want to go.... but please mr human! Don't do it!"
<Vana> "I have to... but thank you. Is there anything I can do for you in return?"
<onine> "Do you have water Mr. Human?"
<onine> "Those trees take it all for themselves!"
<Vana> "I can get some, yes." She turns back to Magpie, and hands her the water flask. "Could you get me some water, please?"
<Magpie> "Will the fern tell you where Crow is?" Her face is pinched with anxiety, and she holds the water flask in both hands.
<Vana> "It will, yes."
* Magpie nods, and runs for water. She thought she remembered a stream over that way...
* Vana turns back to the plant in the meantime. "For the record, it's 'Ms' Human. Or Vana, if you prefer."
<onine> "Hello then Mshumanorvana."
* Vana smiles. "Just Vana."
<onine> "Just Vana. Names... what an odd human thing."
<Vana> "You don't have a name?"
<onine> "Names are a human thing."
<Vana> "Oh. So I just call you Fern?"
<onine> "I suppose yes, but even 'fern' is one name given by humans."
<Vana> "Hmm. Interesting."

Still in the woods...
<onine> Magpie, as you are hunting through the woods you can hear on the wind "Maaaagpieeeee" "Vaaaaaaaaaanaaaa"
<Magpie> "HELLLO!" Magpie bellows, hoping, hoping it was the god finally seeing reason...
<onine> Some god, it sounds a lot like Yengo.
* Yengo thinks he hears a response, so he shouts louder.
<Magpie> "Yengo!" It's Yengo...Magpie dashes towards the sound. "Yengo I'm HERE!"
<onine> "I think that's her!" Epheri says excitedly
* Yengo moves into the trees a little further, still calling out. "What are you two DOING?"
<Magpie> "THEY'VE TAKEN CROW!" Gasping for breath, she at lasts takes sight of the little group. She catapults into Yengo, grabbing onto him. "A stupid god kidnapped crow!"
<onine> "What?!" Tara and Epheri say in unison
* Yengo pats Magpie absently on the back. "Calm down, calm down... a god?"
<Magpie> "A stupid god kidnapped crow, and won't give him back and I've shouted and shouted so Vana's talking to plants!"
<onine> "To... plants?" Epheri murmers
<Yengo> "Why would a god want Crow?" Yengo wonders. "When did he take him?"
* Anona isn't quite sure, but she seems to recall the Immaculate Philosophy frowns on god-mortal interaction, and kidnapping pets certainly qualifies. Bad god + Dragon-Bloods = Fun for Anona!
<onine> "A god kidnapping a pet... what do you think Anona?"
<Magpie> "I don't know! There was just this evil white bird and it went *smack* into the crow" Magpie demonstrates with her hands "and then I couldn't feel him and the tree said Windswept Boughs had him."
<Anona> "Well, I'm no priest, but I'd say that clearly falls outside accepted godly behavior."
<onine> "Yes... Windswept Boughs. Never heard of that one... Anona?"
* Yengo frowns. This was the last thing he expected. "I'd say so too... where's Vana now, Magpie?"
* Magpie points, and shakes her water flask at him. It looks empty. "She said I had to get the fern water."
<Yengo> "I've got a full one in my pack, hold on." He shoulders off his pack and digs through it, producing a canteen of water, which he gives to Magpie.
<onine> To the best of your recollection, there are no gods by that name (no 'public ones at least) living in the area.
<onine> Epheri thinks. "You dont suppose that whatever Windswept Boughs is, it isn't a god? I dont remember any gods living in these foothills."
<Anona> "I've never heard of such a god. Although if that's so, then that god is somewhere where it probably shouldn't be, a far more severe offense."
<Magpie> "So let's go, and you'll make the god give crow back!" Magpie looks considerably more cheerful, and trots off in what she thinks is Vana's direction. She holds tightly onto the canteen.
<onine> You make your way back to Vana, its some distance to the 'left' of the mountain path.
<Anona> "If it's not a god, then what?" Anona shrugs. "It makes no difference, in all probability."
* Yengo moves along after Magpie, musing aloud. "Hope we can get rid of this thing. I've seen what rogue gods can do in the Threshold..."
<Yengo> "The thought of them running rampant on the Isle itself..."
<onine> Epheri counts off on her fingers. "Lets see... unruly human, dragonblood, anathema... undead, fair folk... though the last two probably aren't this far in creation.
<Magpie> "Stealing innocent birds!" Magpie agrees bitterly ahead of him. "We're almost there, I think..."
<Anona> "And in about all of those cases, the correct solution is 'bring them to justice'. In a subset of those cases, 'justice' is semantically equal to 'charbroil'."
<onine> Epheri rolls her eyes

Back at the fern...
* Vana is chatting with the fern still, about names and other things.
onine> Meanwhile in the woods... "...and that was the *second* time I got root-rot"
* Vana is being sympathetic. "Ouch... doesn't sound like much fun."
* Magpie finally sees Vana up ahead. "Vana!" She waves. "Vana, I got the water AND I got Yengo and Anona and Epheri!"
1Magpie> "So now we can rescue Crow!"
<onine> "Oh heavens no, its much like that human ailment where your branches fall of and - oh, more humans!"
* Yengo looks askance at Vana and the fern. "Uh... find anything out?"
* Vana looks behind her. "Oh... thank you, Magpie." She takes the flask and starts watering the plant. "And yes, I did."
<onine> The plant hums happilly
* Vana looks quite happy as she empties the flask. She stands, and bows to the plant. "Thank you for your help."
<onine> "Well yes... if you want to *Really* thank me, don't go looking..."
<Vana> "I know, I know. But I still have to. Goodbye."
<onine> "Goodbye..." the fern is unhappy about it
* Vana isn't happy about it either, but Magpie wants Crow, so...
* Yengo places his hand on the hilt of his sword, glancing about uncertainly. "What did the fern tell you, Vana?" He feels a little silly even saying it.
<onine> Epheri peers at the fern
<Vana> "It said that we can find Windswept Boughs along the mountain path. There's a sign, apparently."
<Anona> "A sign."
<Anona> "Whatever it is, it's not subtle, then."
<Magpie> "So let's go!" Magpie is fired up by enthusiasm.
* Yengo looks at the Dragon-blooded among the group. Even now, though he likes them, part of him still resents being in the position to have to ask this question. "Can you three... handle this thing?"
<Anona> "Well..." *taking stock of the situation* "Depends on what it is. If it's a spirit of any sort, I can find it, even if it's immateral. I don't really have any way to hurt it if it stays that way, though. Epheri? Vana?"
<onine> "I'm afraid not..." Epheri confesses
<Anona> "Still... *it* won't know that, and I'm good at bluffing. And we can always just destroy everything it cares about instead if we have to. It's a lot more labor intensive, though."
* Yengo looks askance at Anona, wondering just how much she's joking. "Well, I guess we'll find out."
* Vana has just gone quiet again, as normal. Lost in thought.
<Magpie> Satisfied that they were well on their way to rescuing crow, Magpie hums and waits for them to stop being stupid and hurry up.
* Anona troops on.
<onine> "Surely you're not going to just run in there right away are you?" Tara asks
<Anona> "You have a better idea?"
<onine> "Well... no..."
<onine> Tara looks at her feet
* Yengo gently pats Tara on the shoulder. "I don't see anything else we can do... listen, maybe you better wait here..
<Anona> "Besides, if we charge right in it'll wonder what we have up our sleeve!"
<onine> "But! Um... okay..."
<Anona> "It's true. Only people who are unsure of their position or chances feel the need to sneak about. Overwhelming force just stomps right in."
* Magpie listens to this, and mulls it over to herself. An idea for the future.
* Yengo looks around at the others, unsure. "We may not need to fight it... though we should be ready."
<onine> "So should I stay here then? Or go back to town?" Tara asks dejectedly
<Anona> "Oh, I'm hoping we don't have to try to fight it. No, really. But we need to look as though we're able and willing to scatter it to the five winds."
<Magpie> "Don't you want to come?" Magpie asks in surprise.
<onine> "Well Yengo said I should wait... and I think if thats the case Magpie should stay too."
<Yengo> "Well, I-" He looks away. "I just want you to be safe..."
* Magpie looks shocked. "I can't stay! They might not even recognize crow!"
* Yengo sighs. "A little god is nothing for a child to be dealing with." Nothing for a mortal, for that matter, but he doesn't say it.
<Magpie> "I'm not some stupid kid!"
<onine> "No, but Yengo is right Magpie, you could get hurt! Let Yengo, Anona, Vana and Epheri take care of things!"
<Yengo> "I didn't say you were stupid... but this could be very dangerous."
<Magpie> "And besides, I'll just follow you guys and catch up." Magpie glances at Tara, and says with some satisfaction "Tara couldn't make sure I didn't by herself. "
<onine> Tara glares, but she knows you're correct
* Yengo grumbles. "I just don't want either of you getting hurt. I don't want ANYONE getting hurt."
<Vana> "I'll look after them, Yengo." Vana seems to have finally rejoined the conversation.
<Magpie> "See? It'll be fine!"
* Yengo looks over. "Vana..." he falls silent. He's not sure if he can trust anyone but himself to do that, but... "All right," he says at last.
<Anona> "I hate to say it, but Magpie has a point, too. Even if we succeed, we could get handed any random crow."
* Yengo nods. "Yeah... I just hope we don't wind up regretting this."
<onine> "Then it's settled?" Epheri asks
<Yengo> "...yes, I guess it is."
* Magpie interrupts. "Yes." She looks the party over critically. "Everyone have all their stuff?" Without waiting for an answer, she continues. "Good! -Now- let's go now!"
<Yengo> "All right."
<onine> You set off (at last)

Along the mountain path...
<onine> You all walk back towards the mountain path and continue on your way. After a while you can see a bridge spanning a wide mountain stream. Around ten or twenty meters before it you can see a wooden sign a short way off the path....
<Anona> "Let's get it over with."
<onine> As you near the sign, you can see that it is *old* it looks like it has been there for quite some time. The writing is faded and the paint is chipped. Along the bottom is a row of nails, about six in all. Too many to reasonably hang a 'dangling' sign, but more as if it were used to hang keys.
<onine> What little writing is there is in a different language, the sorcerers know it to be Old Realm
* Magpie squints as she tries to read the sign. "What's it say, what's it say?"
<Magpie> She tilts her head so she's looking at it sideways, trying to make it make sense.
* Yengo shrugs. "Beats me. Doesn't look like Realm script."
<Anona> "Let me try."
* Anona attempts to puzzle out the ancient script.
<onine> What little of the sign that isn't eradicated says: "...no....pass....glade of light...harm"
<Anona> "It's too faded to really make out. something about "no pass", a "glade of light", and "harm". If I was guessing, it's probably a "no trespassing into the glade of light, violators will be harmed" sort of sign."
<Yengo> "Well, that's comforting." He wraps his hand around the hilt of his sword.
<Vana> "The fern really didn't want us to go here..."
* Magpie ignores this piffling and marches straight past it.
* Yengo hastens after Magpie. Trying to slow her down would be pointless, so he might as well make sure they go together. "Let's... press on."
<Anona> "Hold up there, Magpie!" Anona jogs off after her.
<onine> "What's this?" Epheri mutters, crouching down
* Vana stops near Epheri. "What is it?"
<onine> "Hmmm..." From the leaves below the sign, Epheri picks up a small thing on a chain from the ground. It looks like a little pendulum, horribly rusted.
* Vana peers at it.
<onine> "Damn! Come on!" Epheri leaps to her feet and follows after the others
<Vana> "What is it?"
* Vana blinks, then hurries after.
<onine> "Its some sort of metal charm or something..." Epheri dangles it in front of her as she walks briskly. The rusty little pendulum swings side to side
<Anona> "So, are we looking for anything *other* than this sign?"
* Vana catches up after a bit. "That was all the fern said."
<Magpie> "Crow."
<onine> Tara in the mean time has an arm firmly wrapped around Yengo's bicep
<Yengo> "We'll find it soon enough..." he says, unsure if that's good or bad.
<Magpie> "It's a good sign! I mean, they don't want people here. If no one wants you there, it's just the place to be. Usually," Magpie adds, thinking of the butcher and his interrupted liason with the fishwife.
<Anona> "Hmm. Perhaps we need to look a bit closer." Anona digs a small mirror out of her pocket. (spending 2+1 surcharge for Spirit-Detecting Mirror Technique, looking around through the mirror as we walk along.)
<Magpie> "And anyway, they couldn't have a sign like that and just -ignore- us and not give us crow back. They have a reputation ..what's that for?" Mapgie asks, catching sight of the mirror.
<Anona> "I'm looking for spirits."
<onine> Strangely, this place is devoid of spirits of all but the weakest and least impressive kind.
<Magpie> "Can you see them?"
* Yengo draws his sword as he walks along, an ugly, short, curved blade. It's not pretty, but it's served him well, and it makes him feel a little more secure.
* Vana follows his example, unsheathing her daiklave; 4 feet of perfectly crafted red jade and gold. Shiny!
<onine> Epheri draws no sword, but keeps a finely crafted bow ready
<Anona> "Nothing but the usual least gods."
<onine> The land slopes upwards, and the trees are sparser here. The ground is carpetted in dead leaves, and bleached white rocks poke up like little islands in the brown here and there.
* Magpie drops back to peer into Anona's mirror.
<Magpie> She tilts her head this way and that at the mirror as they walk, trying to see something. She stumbles over a root in her distraction. "I don't see anything."
* Yengo casts his eyes about the undergrowth as well, despite the fact he knows it won't do one damn bit of good.
<Anona> "Well, you're not an Exalted sorceror, are you?"
<onine> You continue on your walk and as if to taunt your preparedness, absolutely nothing happens. No contact is made, no creatures attack. Windswept Boughs either doesn't care, doesn't know, or is holding her hand.
<Magpie> "Oh." Magpie feels a little stupid. She catches up to walk by Yengo again, and begins shouting for crow or for Windswept Boughs, at a volume which - to Vana at least- must be painfully familiar.
<onine> Eventually, you come across what is likely part of the mountain stream further up. It is a lot thinner here, but still too deep to climb and too wide to jump. There is a ricketty rope bridge a little further up. There is also another noticable feature. A person slumped against one of the wooden supports.
* Yengo has just opened his mouth to quiet Magpie when he notices the figure above. "Wha-?"
<onine> The man looks alive, you think. His face is bland, and spittle runs down his chin. His body is at and odd angle and on closer inspection you can tell that he is dead. - recently too.
<onine> His clothing is made for utility, but it is well made for a mountain villager - this man was from the cities.
* Magpie stops shouting. "Is he okay?"
* Yengo moves up to the body, shaking loose from Tara's grip gently.
<Yengo> "Maybe I can tell what happened if I have a look..."
<onine> Tara reluctantly lets go of you. And starts rummaging in her pack for the medical equipment - just in case
* Yengo moves close and begins to examine the body.
<onine> The man is definitely dead. His eyes are glazed and dry - you expect they would have been pecked out by, well, crows by now if there were any. There have been no sightings of any animals - beyond a liberal smattering of hornets and other 'vigorous' insects.
<onine> He wears a blade belt, but the weapon and its sheath are missing. He has no posessions. His money pouch is gone, and the small bags on his waist are empty. One of them looked like it had ink-pens in it.
<Anona> "I wonder... could this be, say, one of the tax-collectors?"
<onine> As far as you can tell, the man died of 'natural causes'. Bang. Dead. There is no trauma beyond a little undernourishment.
<Yengo> "My thought exactly... he has... HAD the supplies for it."
* Yengo lays the corpse on the ground and closes its eyes. "Strange... there doesn't seem to be a mark on him..."
<onine> Epheri edges a little closer "Poison perhaps? Ingested?"
* Magpie peers at the body over his shoulder. "An evil god who stole crow?"
<Anona> "That doesn't have to mean anything. There are many ways to make a death look natural. A good number of them don't even require magic."
<Yengo> "I don't know... and I can hardly give the body a thorough examination out here. No external trauma, though." He gently shoos Magpie back a little as he stands.
<Yengo> "His possessions are gone... but I've never known bandits to be this gentle."
<Anona> "Sticking the body out in the open like this seems a bit unusual, too. Unless it's supposed to be a warning."
* Magpie scoots around him to crouch by the body. "Maybe he died, and was robbed after? I mean, he can't take it with him..."
<onine> "Or... if he escaped and was caught?" Epheri adds morbidly
<Magpie> "Escaped from what? A god?"
<Yengo> "Bandits wouldn't want to warn their prey... if anything, I suspect our Windswept Boughs. The sign did warn everyone not to come near..."
<Anona> "Hm. Well, if that's so, then we can add "death of an imperial official" to the list of charges."
* Vana fidgets a little, standing behind the others.
<onine> "You know, I've got the funny feeling that Windswept Boughs may not have been the one to place that sign, usually when someone of that sort of persuasion wants to protect territory, they merely put barriers up and things like that."
* Yengo shrugs. "I guess there's nothing to do but press on... though I like this less and less."
<Yengo> "At least we may discover the solution to the problem that brought us out here in the process."
<Anona> "Perhaps. Perhaps not. We'll find out, won't we?"
<onine> "Indeed"
<onine> Tara rolls her medical kit up. "Shouldn't we... give this man a dignified burial?"
<Yengo> "We should... but we may not be able to spare the time right now..."
* Magpie tugs on Anona's sleeve. "I think this is your moment," she whispers.
<Anona> "No, but we can at least send him off with an honorable funeral pyre."
<Yengo> "Oh... that's right..." The strangeness and "advantages" of traveling with Exalted...
* Anona begins to cast about for some kindling and rocks to make a basic firepit. "Yengo, could you perhaps move the body off to a clear spot by the side of the path? Over there would be fine."
* Yengo nods, grasping the body underneath the arms and dragging it over to the spot Anona indicated, laying it out as respectfully as he can in his haste.
<onine> To cut a long story short, you build a pyre for the man and his ashes are scattered to the five winds. You continue your trek and eventually you find the mountain path again.
* Magpie is starting to look anxious again. "What if the fern lied?"
<onine> "People lie... so maybe plants do too?" Epheri muses
<Yengo> "If the fern was lying, though, why would it caution us away from here so strongly?" Surely a plant wouldn't think that way...
* Magpie scowls. "Maybe it was a trick. You know, don't go there! don't go there! So of course we go."
<onine> It does occur to you that the fern had a massive need to feel important, maybe it just made the story up to seem 'in the know' to you? It WAS right about the sign however.
<Anona> "I don't know. What would a fern have to gain by lying? For that matter, is a fern even smart enough to lie? I can't say I've ever talked with one."
* Magpie shouts. "Windswept Boughs! Or bandits or WHOEVER! GIVE ME BACK MY CROW!"
<Magpie> She takes in a deep breath. "AND STOP KILLING PEOPLE!"
<onine> *wind blows*
<onine> *rocks fall*
* Magpie fumes, and stomps off determinedly forward, as if it were inevitable something lay at the end of the path. They couldn't ignore her forever. She wouldn't LET them.
<Anona> "If only getting things done was as easy as that," says Anona, to no one in particular.

At the village...
<onine> As you trek on, the path becomes steeper and a little rockier. By about lunch time, you smell firewood on the air, and you come across what must be the first of the foothill villages.
<onine> "I still feel a lot better being out of those woods." Epheri says with a little relief, scratching a hornet sting she suffered
* Yengo fingers the spoon dangling around his neck absently, sheathing his sword as the village draws close. "Maybe we'll be able to get some answers ahead."
<Magpie> "We'd better," Magpie says darkly.
<Anona> "The villagers may have a better idea than we do, that's for certain."
<onine> The village is small, nestled up against the cliffside, indeed one or two buildings are built into the rock-face. As you enter the town, the denizens look at you almost in awe - then realising there are exalts, and eyes immediately turn elsewhere...
* Vana still isn't used to that. It makes her a little uncomfortable.
<onine> A man eventually works up the courage to approach, bowing low. He's middleaged and has the look of a hard worker.
<onine> "I greet and welcome you to our village honoured travellers. I am Jase, the farm master, and I would be honoured if I can assist you in anyway I can... excuse my behaviour," he coughs "We haven't had visitors here in a long time. We were afraid you were more bandits."
<Anona> "We've heard something of the kind. People heading this way have not been returning."
<onine> "I imagine that is so..." he shakes his head sadly. "Tax collecters from the Imperial City?"
<Anona> "Among others."
<onine> "Others?" He looks up
<Magpie> Magpie becomes impatient. "Do you have bandits? Are you sure? There was a dead guy by the bridge. What about gods? Evil ones I mean. Or thieving ones. Have you heard of Windswept Boughs? The tree said it had my crow."
<Anona> "Have you seen another Exalt pass this way lately? He would probably be wearing blue clothing..."
<onine> "I'm sorry, wait, slow down please!" He begs
* Yengo nods at the man, attempting to comfort him. "Thank you for your welcome. We're here to look into these disappearances..."
<onine> He adresses Anona and Yengo. "No, we have not seen anyone new here before you arrived for quite some time... I assumed that the Imperial tax collecters would have come here since we were unable to send our taxes to Noble, but yet none have arrived."
* Magpie sees herself ignored, and stomps on the ground. She retreats to stand by Tara, and eyes the farm master with hostility.
<onine> "Hush" Tara scolds
1<Anona> "And... if I may restate the girl's questions a bit more slowly... where are these bandits? We found a dead man, probably a collector, by the bridge leading here. We have also been informed of a "Windswept Boughs" - a person, mind you - that has made off with something of hers."
<onine> "Well, the bandits have situated themselves further up into the mountains, and have been conducting raids on the villages here. We would fight back... but two of them are uh.. exalted..." He seems concious of saying the 'e' word and looks at his feet.
* Yengo attempts to comfort the man again. "There's nothing to be ashamed about... but why haven't you notified the prefect about these bandits?"
<Magpie> "There are Exalted bandits?" Magpie asks Tara in a whisper. She thought Exalted could do anything they wanted anyway. Why would they be bandits?
<onine> "I dont think the bandits go anywhere lower than our township here. We sent a message to Noble... but we had no response."
<onine> He seems to click. "Wait, did you say a body?!"
* Yengo falls silent. This is precisely the thing that's wrong with the Realm, he thinks. The Dragon-Blooded are supposed to protect the mortals under their charge, but they only prey upon them.
<Anona> "Yes." Anona give a brief description of the dead man. "Do you know him?"
<onine> "I do not. Strange that our woodsmen did not find him, you said he was near the bridge?"
<Anona> "He was leaning against it. Well, his body was. He was not long-dead, though Yengo, here, is the physician here; he would have a more accurate opinion I think."
<Yengo> "It was strange... there wasn't a mark on him. It's as if he simply dropped dead right there. Nothing really seemed wrong with him physically."
<onine> "That is strange. I dont think it was one of my people here."
<Anona> "And the name doesn't seem at all familiar to you, either?"
<onine> "Not really no, sorry."
<Yengo> "Must have been one of the tax collectors, then. The bandits may have picked him clean after he was dead..." Of course, if Exalted are involved, maybe they could have killed him without touching him.
<onine> "Uh.. that is entirely possible." He avoids looking at the exalts present
<Anona> "But these bandits /have/ raided your village? Can you describe them? Or even just the Exalted?"
<onine> "Oh yes, that I *can* do, brothers I think they were, or at least very similar. They set fire to our rooves and stocks, and made off with almost everything of value - hence why we have not paid the taxes we rightly owe. There were around fifteen or twenty others with them, well equipped I would say."
<onine> You can see a lot of work on the thatch rooves going on at present. Only a few of the rooves here are tile.
* Yengo mentally weighs the odds; not that great. "How long have they been in the area?"
<onine> "Recently... they have an encampment in the highlands I think, there are a few old settlements that no one uses any more. They're probably up there."
* Anona doesn't have the greatest strategic mind, but she remembers something about attacking a fortified enemy from lower ground is quite difficult. Glee!
<onine> "Er... this might sound like an odd question, I didn't ask it because you were well, exalted and capable of *things* but...how did you all get here?"
* Yengo looks confused. "We... walked?"
<Anona> "Yep. One leg in front of the other, and we kept doing it until we got here."
<onine> He chuckles politely, "Of course, what I mean is that the bridge has been destroyed for months. It was the first thing the bandits did, destroy the bridge. We've been trying to stockpile enough wood to repair it, but well... we've had to see to our homes and such first, and we have but few able men to work since the raids."
<Anona> "It didn't look very destroyed when we got there."
<Yengo> "No, it was intact."
<onine> "Intact? How?"
<onine> "I've seen it myself, there is little left of it but the supports on the shore."
<Yengo> "The bridge we crossed to get here was fine... at least, the one near where we found the body."
<onine> "Another bridge? Where?"
<Yengo> "Up in the mountains... past a sign that talked about... oh, I don't remember... harm and light or something like that..."
<Anona> "no, pass, glade of light, and harm, in the ancient script."
<onine> "Oh... the woods past the sign, on the north of the river. We do not enter those woods."
<Yengo> "Why not?"
<onine> "It isn't safe. Perhaps you'd best talk to Emmera, our alchemist. I don't know much about it, other than people should stay away from it."
* Magpie rolls her eyes.
* Yengo nods, despite the fact tha they've all come through the situation none the worse for wear.
<Anona> "Perhaps we should."
<onine> "Her home is easy to find." He points to one of the buildings built into the rockface. "I believe she is home, though she may be out collecting herbs." He shrugs.
<Anona> Wasting no time, Anona strides over to the house without so much as a by-your-leave from the man.
<onine> "Er, wait! Are you going to sort out the bandits?!" He calls after you
<Anona> "Of course!" Anona calls back. "But the bandits are further up, and your alchemist is right here."
* Yengo claps Jase apologetically on the shoulder. "We're here to help you out, on behalf of the Realm. If you need anything, let us know." He wonders- too accomodating? Too formal? Bah...
<onine> "Thank you," he says relieved. "Good luck my friend."