Porcelain Child/SessionFourtyTwo

[10:20] <onine> To refresh... the gang has gone to rescue an apparently drunken Anona! [10:20] <onine> [13:54] * Magpie takes her hand. "Is...are you under a spell?" [10:20] <onine> [13:55] <onine> "I just... need some air." Tara turns and walks quickly in the direction she came. [10:20] <onine> [13:55] * Magpie stares after her, forlorn. [10:20] <onine> [13:56] * Yengo looks after her, scratching the back of his head. Something about this feels very wrong, but he can't begin to say what. "Magpie... stop... stop pestering Tara." His voice is wooden. "I'm sure everything's... fine." [10:20] <onine> [13:56] <Magpie> "I'm not pestering," Magpie says quietly, wrapping her arms around herself. Something bad was coming... [10:23] <Yengo> "Yeah... sure..." Yengo doesn't sound sarcastic, just troubled. [10:23] * Magpie looks up at Yengo suddenly, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "She's not going to �leave�, is she?" Magpie's voice is a bit shaky. [10:23] <onine> "Is something the matter?" Mistral asks with undue curiosity. [10:24] <Yengo> "Of course she's not!" He turns to snap at Mistral. "Of course it's not! I'll be back!" He sets off after the departing figure. [10:25] <onine> Following Yengo we shall, yes.... [10:26] * Magpie looks briefly at Mistral, and trots after him. [10:26] <Magpie> Quietly. [10:27] <Magpie> For some reason, Magpie learned more when she evesdropped. [10:27] <onine> You break off into a brsk walk after her, though she is well ahead. Her feet pad so silently on the polished marble, where as your boots slam almost criminally loud against the stone. She moves quickly around one of the many corners in the house. [10:28] <Yengo> "Tara!" His voice is as clumsy as his gait. "Come on, what are you doing?" [10:28] <onine> You round a few corners and find that once you are out of sight of Tara you become hopelessly lost. Sound travels, but the only sounds you can hear are your own. You continue down one of the side passages and up turn up where you think she went. [10:29] <onine> It looks to be a main corridor, with a high arched ceiling nearly twenty feet above you and extending an amazing distance. Dynasts didnt think small. [10:30] * Yengo looks around helplessly. Well, someone would find the two of them eventually... in his ever more agitated state, he barely notices the architecture. "Tara? You're scaring Magpie..." [10:30] <onine> High windows allow shafts of yellow sunlight to stream down in the corridor, lighting the flowering plants that line the walls from hanging gardens. Some distance down you see a figure. [10:31] <onine> The light tends to obscure the figure in the glare, the same way that a shadow lengthens and grows darker when the sun shines brighter... the contrast makes your eyes hurt when you strain to see. [10:32] <onine> The figure appears to be looking down one of the side corridors, with its back to you. [10:32] * Yengo moves closer, not calling out this time, squinting uncertainly. [10:33] * Magpie wriggles out from behind her tapestry, and scampers to hide behind a giant ornamented jade vase nearer the pair of them. [10:34] <onine> You walk the distance slowly, trying to will your boots not to squeek. He hasn't heard you yet, you are some distance away, close to twenty five yards. [10:35] *** Disconnected [10:36] *** Attempting to rejoin... [10:36] *** Rejoined channel #oninegame [10:42] <onine> The figure stiffens with realisation, then turns slowly, almost as if the motion is an impossible gesture. The light breeze seems to brush the foliage slower as the figure moves to face you, a cloud moves across the late morning sun, dimming the corridor from its resplendant marigold to a sickly grey [10:45] <onine> Maroon robes brush against the marble floors and the figure raises a hand with long scarlet nails to you, the slender fingers clawing at the air. The space around the hand grows dimmer, details become blurred and dark, fleeting shadows dart through the area like bats as the dimness around the figure's hand grows and begins to encompass your vision. [10:45] *** Kraken|NotHere has joined #oninegame [10:45] *** Kraken|NotHere is now known as Kraken [10:46] * Yengo takes a step back, mouth falling open in shock. "Wha-?" [10:47] <onine> Your ears begin to ring as the steady woosh of the air flow in the hall begins to be replaced by the muffled sound of cotton wool in your senses. The common scents of your own clothing and the flowers around you become non-existant. [10:47] * Magpie , panicking, begins fumbling through her pouches for the spoon. She regrets the mercenary instincts that head lead her to accumilate such minor treasures as a silver spoon, a gold ring, and a long blue scarf. They're getting in the way. And the thing might have eaten Tara already. [10:49] * Yengo staggers back another step, groping for his sword, shouting wordlessly. [10:49] <onine> As the young girl rattles around in her pouch the figure turns slightly to face the new intruder, hand extended in the familiar claw, however the figure falters, the slender hand grows unsteady. The figrue takes a step back unsure, then quickly darts away through a corridor, the dark shapes of shadows flashing against the walls. [10:51] <Magpie> "After him!" Magpie shouts. With a triumphant shout, she pulls out...a silver knife. She curses, empties the pouch entirely, and grabs the spoon from the pile. "Come on!" she calls, as she gallops past Yengo, waving the spoon before her. [10:51] <onine> Any sound that the figure would have made retreating is eaten up by the obscuring cotton in your ears. [10:51] <onine> You zip around the corner and find.... a corridor... [10:52] <Yengo> "Magpie... what the..." Yengo moves after, still shaking his head. [10:52] <Magpie> Obviously the Fae was just around the corner at the corridor's end. She charges onward. She doesn't hear Yengo behind her, but she wouldn't, what with the cotton. [10:53] <onine> Suddenly you stop. [10:53] <onine> What were you doing? [10:54] * Magpie realizes that hurrying onward at this stage would be over-impetuous. Much better to... [10:55] * Magpie struggles to come up with an alternative to her ordinary course of action. She turns to Yengo, who is catching up. Her ears still feel a bit fuzzy, and she sticks a finger in it to clear it out. [10:55] <onine> You stand for quite some time it feels, still dazed and confused, your skin numb, your ears muffled and your eyes blurred before the entire encounter finally comes rushing back with the remainder of your senses. It's like falling, having sense and sensation surging back upon you like waves crashing against the shore. [10:56] <onine> The fae intruder! In maroon! He was just here! [10:56] <Yengo> "What just... happened?" He blinks uncertainly, sword drawn. "What was that thing? Where's Tara... what are YOU doing here?" [10:56] <Magpie> "Dammit! Tricky maroon-face!" Magpie glares about her frantically. Corridors, more corridors. Corridors were clearly the work of the Enemy. Sensible architecture involved maps. And rooms. "We have to get him! Come on!" [10:57] * Magpie pelts off down the corridor again, figuring maroon-face might still be around, and at any rate, running heedlessly through corridors was better than non-action in all circumstances. [10:58] <Yengo> "Stop!" Yengo nevertheless races after her as fast as he is able. [10:58] <Magpie> "I'm going to fiiiinnnd youuuuuuu," she calls. She bet maroon-faced was scared. Psychological warfare at its most sophisticated! [10:59] * Magpie ignores the non-capitalized order with the ease of long indifference. [10:59] <onine> Another corner looms, and Magpie takes it at speed, her bare feet gripping superbly agains the marble flooring. He was bound to be just around this CRASH! [10:59] <Magpie> "Got you?" Magpie says, rather hopefully. [10:59] <onine> With a wail and a crash a servant carrying a tray of food becomes part of a Magpie induced fall as the girl skids almost into him. [11:00] <onine> "Aaah!" The tray of strange appetizers scatter across the floor along with a tray of some reddish flruit sauce. [11:01] <onine> She is swiftly followed by a big man with a sword. This is NOT that particular servant's lucky day. [11:01] * Magpie glares at him. "Can't fool me!" She presses the iron spoon to to the servant's face. "See! Burn! Oh...er.." [11:01] * Yengo pulls up short, taking in the scene. "What..." [11:02] <Magpie> She lowers the spoon. "Um. Sorry. But there was a Fae. It's purple-red." [11:02] <onine> "Help! Leave me alone you little malefactor!" [11:03] <onine> Another young female servant races up with a bundle of silk sheets in her arms. "What's going on-" She slows considerably in unease when she sees the sword-armed Yengo. [11:03] <Yengo> "Sorry about all this," Yengo says. He sheathes the sword and extends his hands, palms outward. "We're just-" What, running wildly through the Manse after a monster? [11:03] <Magpie> "There was a �Fae�! And it's getting away!" Magpie looks wildly about her. She looks suspiciously at the second servant, but prudently decides not to test her luck. The first one was getting a certain 'chase urchin from palatial estate' look on her face. [11:05] <Yengo> "I don't know WHAT that thing was..." [11:06] <Magpie> "It was a Fae!" If there was anything Magpie had learned as an Archon (or Archon hanger-on), it was that Fae were the cause of everything. Except when it was gods, but she didn't see lizards around anywhere. [11:06] <Yengo> "But what's it doing here? In the Imperial City..." [11:07] <Magpie> "It had long fingers like this," Magpie waggles her fingers, and it looked �really evil�, and it filled my ears with cotton, but I have a spoon and it ran away. Magpie chortles. "It's in purple. And I guess it's eating people. But probably not making zombies, at least." [11:07] <Magpie> (pretend that was punctuated) [11:08] <Yengo> "Tara..." Where had she gone? "I hope she's safe. This thing could sneak up on anyone in here-" [11:08] <onine> The two servants look at you blankly. [11:08] <onine> "There's... no fae here." The young woman says, shifting the load of silk in her arms. [11:09] <Magpie> "There was! We saw it! It had fingers like I showed you, and it wore �purple�. Maybe it got lost. There's too many corridors." [11:09] <onine> "No!" The young man curses trying to wipe cherry sauce off his white tunic.. "The only trouble here is you!" [11:09] <Yengo> "There sure as hells was SOMETHING," The excitement of the moment over, he's worried all over again. "Whatever it was, it's bad news." [11:10] * Magpie prudently steps closer to Yengo. A sudden fear strikes her. "You...you don't think it ate Tara, do you?" [11:11] <onine> The servants shake their heads and walk away, glad to be rid of you. [11:12] <Yengo> "Don't say that," Yengo snaps, glaring down at her. His look softens. "It couldn't have... I was right behind, she has to be all right." He gives the servants a dismissive glance as they go. [11:12] <Yengo> "But now... I don't know where she is. I don't even know where WE are." [11:12] <Magpie> "Sorry about the tunic," Magpie calls after the man. [11:12] <Magpie> "She said she was going outside, didn't she? Maybe we should find outside." Magpie looks about her. This might be beyond their powers. [11:12] <onine> "!@#$%" [11:14] <onine> With strangely considerable difficulty you manage to find your way back to the main hall in which you first saw the face of the man that would be your enemy, Tepet Juno! Now, a pair of servants move through, dusting and flusffing up the cushions. They're about half done. [11:15] <Magpie> "The outside!" Magpie cackles, as sunshine falls on her face through an overhead skylight. She runs through the front door. "TAAARA!" [11:16] * Yengo moves after her, a little winded after all the searching. She had to be out there, she just had to- [11:19] <onine> Tara stands leaning on the railing overlooking the imperial city, her blond hair flowing in the open air. [11:20] <Magpie> "Tara!" Magpie cries gladly. "The Fae didn't eat you!" The girl runs to give her a celebratory hug. [11:20] <onine> The clouds of the previous night's rains are now well past, floating over towards the Imperial Mountain to batter the imperishable monument to the Realm's stability with relentless showers. [11:20] <Yengo> "Tara, there you are. I thought..." He exhales heavily. [11:21] <onine> "I'm fine... really." She doesn't SOUND fine, but she sounds better. She pats Magpie on the shoulder. [11:22] * Yengo looks at her over Magpie's head. "Tara, please. What's wrong? Is it- is it because we're working for Juno? You know I don't trust him, you know I don't trust ANY of them..." [11:23] <onine> "It's nothing..." She turns her sad eyes towards the city. "Really." [11:23] <onine> Meanwhile! [11:23] <onine> Yengo and Magpie dart of down the corridor, pursuing Tara, leaving the Dragonbloods and Mistral in the corridor. [11:24] *** Kraken is now known as Epheri [11:24] <onine> "Interesting, how they stay together like flocks, never allowing eachother the strength to face struggles alone?" Aria chuckles, and looks at Mistral with a halfway apologetic expression. [11:28] <onine> "Being stronger together is something that while empires come and go, humans remain, enduring." Mistral then turns and smiles almost sweetly to the Dragonblooded mistress. "The Dragonblooded once embraced such a philosophy of unity and strength." [11:28] <onine> Aria's eyebrow twitches. [11:34] * Anona is still totally out of it. [11:35] <Magpie> Crow, which has evidently forgone the pleasure of trailing after Magpie in order to keep a sharp eye on the assembled Dragonblooded, lets out a rattling cry. He hops to different perch, and fixes his black eyes on Aria. [11:36] <Magpie> It is just barely possible he changed positions so that he could more directly threaten the cleanliness of Aria's gossamer robes. [11:36] <onine> "Detestable little vermin..." Aria raises a finger which sparks with electricity..." [11:36] <onine> (-") [11:38] <Magpie> This seems like higher-order thinking for an urban but he has been causing mischief in the Imperial City for at least as long as he's known Magpie. And he's smart enough to get the point. He hops back, and struts back and forth along the top of an elegantly carved rosewod cabinet. [11:38] <onine> Mistral raises a hand and places it just in front of the essence forming on Aria's fingertip. "Diplomacy please my Lady. The bird is a pet of your husband's new troubleshooters, it would be... unwise to eliminate it so." [11:39] <Magpie> (for an urban pest...) [11:40] <Magpie> Crow bobs his beak in what might be agreement. He cocks his head as he spots a small monkey peeking out from Mistral's robes. [11:42] * Anona snaps out of her momentary stupor. "Yes... we'd NEVER hear the end of it." [11:43] <onine> Aria smiles sweetly at Mistral and takes a menacing step forward. "Of course, Savant, I will take your recomendation into consideration." [11:45] <onine> Her eyes lock onto Mistrals and he meets her stare with bravery. 'I only allow you to defy me because my husband is so fond of your wisdom.' she seems to say. Mistral's eyes seem to shoot back 'Remember that he is.' [11:45] <onine> With a rush of air from her robes Aria walks briskly away toward her sanctuary tower, leaving the three of you alone. [11:47] <Anona> "Pft." [11:49] <onine> "Ah, the superior attitude of sorcerers." Mistral smiles, fully knowing what you both are. [11:49] * Anona looks around for the mortal-type people who aren't Mistral. [11:51] <onine> They're not here - but someone or something else is! A small rodent floats in. It is about the size of a mouse, and it wears a strange little pack on its back. It has a large 'puff' of fur at the end of its tail. [11:51] <onine> The small thing floats around the three of you and stops at Epheri. [11:51] * Epheri looks at it with suprise, then delight. [11:53] <onine> "Tepet Epheri." It states in a suprisingly deep voice. [11:53] * Epheri nods [11:54] <onine> "I carry a message for you from Sesus Edell." it states. [11:55] <onine> "...will you hear it?" [11:55] * Epheri looks apologetically at the pair of them and walks off a short way "Yes, please." [11:56] <onine> The mouse grips its tail in both hands, holding the puff of fur like a microphone in front of its mouth. [11:57] <onine> "Ahem." it begins in a small female voice. "Hello Tepet Epheri, it has been some time since I have heard from you, though I admit that I did not expect to hear from you at all." [11:58] <onine> "I apologise for not responding sooner, this letter has been sitting on my table for some time, but situations have caused me to put it aside numerous times." [12:00] <onine> "I took a look at the sample of the writing you have sent me, and I think I have made something of a breakthrough when I was able to identify a symbol - or I should say, a strange bastardisation of it. The writing is a strange dialect of Old Realm I think. A lof of the characters are similar in structure..." [12:00] <onine> "...but the language itself is completely different." [12:00] * Epheri blinks [12:01] <onine> "Anyway. The glyph in particular - one with the spiral in it. It had me confused for some time, it looked like a modification of the Eternal Circle..." [12:02] <onine> You know the symbol, it is one of the principals of power in sorcery and in essence in general, which explains that essence is a continuous cycle. From the world, into beings, into their actions which even in mortals is magic, then into the world again, never diminishing, always returning. [12:03] *** Disconnected [12:05] *** Attempting to rejoin... [12:05] *** Rejoined channel #oninegame [12:05] *** onine has quit IRC (Connection reset by peer�) [12:05] <oni-chan> "At first that is what I thought, and it messed up the entire translation - it was gibberish." the mouse recounts. "Untill I tried another dialect, one found in Rathess by savants which changed the entire sentence. That symbol is actually pertaining to the Descending Circle theory..." [12:08] * Epheri frowns. Descending Circle doesn't sound good. [12:09] <oni-chan> The Descending Circle is a much maligned theory, that states when essence is spent on action, it is forever used up, and creation grows smaller, its essence weakens by an infinitely small amount each time a living being takes a breath or an exalt manifests his powers. [12:09] <oni-chan> It is an unpopular theory, and it is abandoned because it is 'depressing' :) [12:10] <oni-chan> "I dont know what you've found that pertains to the Descending Circle, but it is making the remainder of the translation a little easier now. I have little else now, and I'll try to get back to it when possible." [12:12] <oni-chan> "I'll do my best, it is an invigorating excersise and a welcome distraction at times. Good fortune to you, and I hope to meet up with you and we can discuss...er... things! Bye-bye." [12:13] <oni-chan> The mouse releases its tail, nods once then disappears in a puff of air. [12:13] * Epheri smiles a little "...Bye mouse." [12:15] * Epheri walks back to Anona and Mistral "My apologies." [12:15] <Anona> "What was THAT all about?" [12:16] <Epheri> "Mouse." she says with a soft smile. [12:20] *** Attempting to rejoin... [12:20] *** Rejoined channel #oninegame [12:21] *** chancey has joined #oninegame [12:21] *** chancey has left #oninegame [12:21] <Anona> "'her'...." Anona squints at Epheri. "Just what ARE you playing at, cousin?" [12:23] * Epheri looks a touch uncomfortably at Mistral. [12:24] <onine> Mistral: Raises brow but says nothing. [12:28] <Magpie> The pause grows increasingly awkward. Crow shuffles his feet, and swoops down to land companionably on Epheri's shoulder, as the shoulder least likely to result in Crow a la flame. [12:28] <Magpie> He pecks at a bead embroidered into Epheri's tunic. [12:29] * Epheri gives him a warning look. [12:30] <Magpie> The crow quorks inquiringly. [12:30] <Anona> "So... what now? What *was* that child on about?" [12:31] * Epheri shrugs a little, ignoring the protest of the crow. [12:35] <Anona> "Do you think we should investigate?" [12:36] * Epheri nods "It's probably for the best." [12:38] <onine> "Ahem..." Mistral coughs. "If it suits my ladies, would you prefer me to direct you to a private room?" [12:38] <Anona> "Yes... that would be good." [12:38] * Epheri nods [12:39] <onine> "Very well, if you will follow me...?" Mistral gestures and takes off down the corridors. [12:40] * Epheri follows after Mistral [12:41] * Anona does likewise. [12:42] <Magpie> The Crow yanks his head back, and the threads fastening bead to tunic give way. He flaps off triumphantly, bead in his mouth, to parts unknown. [12:43] * Epheri scowls a little after his retreating wings [12:43] <onine> He shows you to a lavish gues suite, with two seperate areas for each of you. Screens split the spacious room in two and allow you each small privacy and the convenience of a shared dining and study room. Silk and other fabrics hang artfully and with abundance, their whispy gossamar edges carressing the thick carpet at the behest of the breeze. [12:44] <onine> "Will this be sufficient?" Mistral shows you in, taking the time to admire a brilliant orchid on an interior garden space. "There is a balcony just outside, and your companions will be in the room across the hall. I expect the Snapdragon will be ready to fly within a week." [12:47] <Epheri> ... This would be more than sufficient "Yes, thank you." [12:47] <Anona> "it looks sufficent." [12:51] <onine> "Splendid." Mistral beams. "I will leave you in private then. Do not hesitate to ask should you need something." [12:51] <onine> And thus for the next eight days you live in criminal luxury, as all [12:52] <onine> dragonbloods should... and our mortals shouldnt! [12:57] * Magpie picks a favorite armsman, whom she nicknames Kreites. Yengo put his foot down when it came to demanding a small army. The man's days are hells of playing 'hunting Fae' and attempting to keep up with a inexaustible eleven-year old. She ambushes him when he can't, giggling madly. He curses ever joining Juno's guard. Crow surveys these proceedings with disfavor. [12:59] * Anona starts researching what demonological texts are handy, planning to FINALLY put her big talent to use... with such nice equipment, too! [12:59] <Magpie> In quite moments (when 'Kreites' has escaped), she hides in small corners, and works carefully with surgical instruments stolen from Yengo. She presents them somewhat tenatively half a week later to Tara, explaining with shuffling feet, that they wouldn't ever need cleaning. [13:00] * Yengo tinkers away in one of Juno's alchemical labs, brushing up on his thaumaturgy and creating a few basic compounds. Occasionally he asks Magpie to help, but even he doesn't trust her much around the firedust. He considers asking for some nice trinket for Tara, but that feels wrong somehow. Better to stick to useful things! [13:01] <onine> As the days go by, the archons find tasks to keep their endless energies at bay, playing, studying, casting, mixing. [13:02] <onine> (okay gang, you get a short break while I tackle an important scene for Beri [13:03] * Magpie disappears into the city a couple days. ('Kreites' having remembered several days of leave he had stored up to visit his sweetheart) When she returns, she is unusually solemn, and sports a black eyes and a limp. She doesn't discuss the trip. [13:07] * Yengo carefully packs the frail pottery firedust grenades away in padded cases. He thinks it most wise not to mention to anyone, especially Magpie, that he actually has them. [13:09] * Yengo spends the rest of his days scolding the girl, avoiding Juno's flunkies, and failing to get much of a response out of Tara at all. He throws himself into the work. [13:09] <Epheri> [And you know, hope Anona doesnt get too excited to close to you ...] [13:10] <Magpie> As soon as Magpie realizes Anona is studying demonic texts (Epheri, possibly not so wise as Yengo, had let slip a stray mention), she sticks like glue to the Dragonbooded in the evenings, demanding to watch the summoning. [13:29] <Anona> Meanwhile, at some point they're reasonably alone, Anona interrogates Epheri. [13:29] <Anona> "Epheri. The mouse-thing. SPILL IT." [13:31] <Epheri> "... What? Oh, Mouse." she smiles softly again. "... I wrote her a letter, with some of the symbols from the drawings in your house. She's very good with languages, you know." [13:36] <Epheri> "Well, it turns out that it's written in new tongue, though with old realm symbols, and erm, this symbol." she points to the circle on her copy of the symbols "It pertains to the Descending Circle. Which is really exciting, since that theory was discredited long ago." [13:39] <Anona> "Hm." [13:39] * Anona racks her mind for the Descending Circle theory. "That's the one that holds the total Essence of Creation is continually decreasing, yes?" [13:40] * Epheri nods! [13:41] <Anona> "And does that mean you have any idea what those drawings MEAN?" [13:43] <Epheri> "Not yet. I didn't send her all of the text and she hasn't finished her translation. Yet. I'm sure she will soon." [13:44] <Anona> "Still... hm..." [13:47] *** Disconnected [13:49] *** Attempting to rejoin... [13:49] *** Rejoined channel #oninegame [13:49] *** onine has quit IRC (Ping timeout�) [13:52] <Anona> "Well, keep me informed, okay? This could be stupidity... or it could be important!" [13:53] <Epheri> "Of course. Now if you'll let me get back to studying?" She raises the Black Treatise. [13:53] <Anona> "Yes, fine." [13:54] * Epheri smiles to herself and goes back to studying the spell. Soon ... Session Close: Sun Jun 12 14:02:24 2005