Porcelain Child/SessionTen

The council hall in the village
<onine> Morning breaks as it does on every other day. Unremarkable. Cold. With the majority of the opposition down, the group must take stock of what they still have to do, after all, the tax situation, the fae in the woods, the bandits and more are still unclear. For most, it is a satisfying morning, tea is brewing, Tara is setting about making breakfast, and Magpie wakes to considerably poor health, and the taste of tar in her mouth. Yengo is still a little congested, but none worse for wear. Anona rises, a tipped-over and empty jar of sake next to her, and the smell of it on her clothes.
<Anona>*sniff**sniff* "Ewww."
* Magpie is groaning. "Taraaa, my head hurrts..."
<onine> Epheri still sleeps like, well, a rock, completely out of it recovering from Yengo's flying sword the other day. Ujiro has managed to remain perched on his stool snoring, but is slumped to the point where a good push would have him on the floor.
<onine> "Oh my, Magpie.." Tara coos. "You had a big scary night - and how did you get in that basket?"
* Yengo coughs a little, still shaking off a bit of fatigue. "Well. I guess everyone has a few questions to answer this morning."
<Magpie> "I tripped."
<onine> Tara leans over you with a small damp towel and wrinkles her nose when she smells you. "Magpie what...sake?! Yengo, does she smell like sake?"
<Anona> "I have an entirely clear conscience, thank you, Yengo."
<Magpie> "Ujiro gave lots and lots. It's good!"
<onine> "You got drunk?!" she exclaims
* Yengo steps over and doesn't even have to lean close. "Yes, even I can t- oh. Ujiro, huh?"
<Magpie> "No, no! That only happens to old and stupid people," Magpie assures her.
<onine> "You shouldn't be drinking alcohol, you know that, its for grown ups!"
* Yengo walks over to the stool on which Ujiro is sitting almost casually. Reaches out a hand, shoves him off. "Tara's right, you know."
<Magpie> "It is?" Magpie looks doubtful. "But it's really good! And Mr Gibs always said that if you were old enough to like something, you were old enough to have it.""
<onine> Ujiro rolls, screaming out a startled warcry and coming to his feet wonkily grabbing at thin air where his sword would usually be... then grabs his head and moans, trudging back to the stool..
<onine> "I could definitely argue THAT logic." Tara retorts
* Yengo looks down at the rolling, screaming form. "So, Ujiro... is it? Care to tell me what you're doing here, besides getting children drunk?"
<onine> "Oooaaahh." He coughs around some phlegm and snorts. "People should be allowed to choose their own path! Besides...I was helping the warrior... hmmm, where is she I wonder..." He moans and rubs his head.
<onine> Yengo, you notice something that probably wouldn't have occurred to Vana. His armor bears a Tepet Legion insignia.
<onine> Vana's bedroll is neatly rolled up and secured, the owner missing for now.
<Anona> "More importantly, he kept me from getting any proper sleep last night. I'm almost positive that's a hanging offense.... somewhere, anyway."
<onine> He bows as best he can in his state. "Forgiveness please noble exalt, Ujiro was merely making the watch more enjoyable for those involved." He gestures to himself and Magpie
<Magpie> "It was real fun!" Magpie adds, sticking up for him.
<onine> He laughs and toasts with an empty hand
<Anona> "So... Ujiro... where's the rest of your unit?"
<onine> Yengo would know it to be one of the legions that didn't get
% wiped out by Bull of the North, it was one that came back and was 'disbanded'. Disbanded officially, but more likely absorbed by other units or taken in as private forces by Tepet dynasts.
<onine> "Unit? Why, right here!" He opens his arms wide to indicate you in the room.
* Yengo notes the crest with real reserve, staying silent.
<Anona> "Perhaps I should be more precise. You're wearing the armor of a House Tepet legionary. I happen to be a... representative... of the Tepet. What happened to your /former/ unit?"
<onine> "Well ah... Ujiro liberated this equipment, took it into custody as it were, confiscated it..."
<Anona> "Stole it, in other words."
<onine> "Oh nonononono! Steal would mean it was of those who deserved it in the first place! This was taken in the north mountains. Where the red warrior was last night dispensing justice..."
* Yengo coughs. "Dispensing justice? Do you mean that Vana-"
<onine> "Mm!"
<onine> He nods a gruff affirmative and produces a bottle which he uncorks and proceeds to take a generous sip from.
<Anona> "Wait. You mean you took it from someone else... one of the bandits? Was there more than one wearing this sort of armor?"
* Yengo swears softly, half impressed that she would do such a thing, half annoyed that she would try it herself without telling them.
<onine> "Oooaaah..." He looks up at the ceiling in thought. "Maybe."
* Anona grumbles a bit, under her breath. "If there were Tepet among those bandits... damn it all, I wish Vana would have mentioned something to the rest of us. I'd have some pointed questions for them...."
<onine> Vana has explained very little of the events in the north, she crashed as soon as she got back, leaving a small pile of jade artifacts arrayed in the corner.
<Yengo> "Let's hope it was just a straggler or two. I don't like the idea of large numbers of disbanded Legion troops taking up banditry."
<onine> A black jade Smashfist, a set of white jade armour and a Daiklave, and a black jade breastplate.
<Anona> "I'm not actually surprised at the idea, but... Epheri and myself are the closest Tepet dynasts here. Punishing them would have been*our* responsibility, properly."
<Anona> "... well... there's Tany, too, come to think of it... if he's still around here..."
<onine> Ujiro looks at you confused
* Magpie clambers to her feet, and her head swims. She scowls. "And Vana's gone again, too? Someone should tie her to a post," Magpie grumbles.
* Yengo wonders if anyone ever thought of punishing his old officers, but lets it go. "I'm not too happy Vana ran off without telling us. It says a lot for her skills, but... things could've gone very differently, for her or us."
<onine> "Ah-tah-tah-tah, one cannot rob a warrior of freedom like that." Ujiro says
<onine> Epheri moans and rolls over, mumbling something in her light sleep.
<Magpie> "Can with a lot of rope!"
<Anona> "Or other things."
<Magpie> "Like chains? I think chains would be a bit mean, instead of just very firm."
<onine> Ujiro wails "How could you do that?!"
<Anona> "Chains would work too. Quite inventive, actually."
* Magpie looks surprised at Uruji. "We like Vana a lot! But she shouldn't go away so much. I mean, no one even knows where she is right now, do they?"
* Anona responds to Ujiro. "Very simple. First, you get a length of rope, and then you wrap around the party's limbs, attach it to a sturdy immobile object, and knot firmly."
<onine> "Ujiro speaks of the moral implications of the binding!"
<onine> "Well." Tara says with finality. "I'M going to get more water, these two-" she gestures at Magpie and Ujiro "-I think are going to need some."
<Magpie> "Why? I drank lots of tea. That yucky taste is finally gone."
<onine> "And for the record the three of you need to learn some maturity and responsibility."
<Magpie> "Me?"
* Yengo leans back against the wall. "At the least, I guess our problems here are solved. We're down one Fae and one group of bandits, however... uh... creatively we got rid of them."
<onine> Tara leaves and heads out into the village - and seconds later there is a quiet knock on the door.
* Anona strides toward the door to open it.
<onine> It's Emerra, the town's wise-woman. She seems bright and happy, and carries a bundle of books and sheets of parchment in her arms. She bows low. "My good morning noble exalt, I hope this day finds you well"
<Anona> "Not as well as I'd like, but hardly your fault. What brings you to us today?"
* Yengo nods in greeting.
<onine> "Well," she holds up the bundle. "I've finished collecting that lore on the woods east of the village to help you sort out this whole mess."
<Anona> "That will be interesting... although I think we've already took care of that."
* Magpie peers around Anona. "Stabbed her with a spoon."
<onine> "Oh... really? That was efficient."
<onine> "A...spoon you say?"
<Magpie> "Yes. But..."
* Magpie hesitates. She should tell them. Maybe they didn't know. Even if it was hard... "She ate Luc."
* Magpie firmly quells her desire to vanish back into the depths of the great room.
<onine> "Oh..oh dear... so that's where he is..was." She fumbles weakly and sits down on one of the benches surrounding the room.
<Yengo> "There was one of the Fair Folk living in your woods... it had apparently been there for some time." He steps up, puts a comforting hand on Magpie's shoulder.
<onine> "A fair folk, well," she looks at her lore collection. "That makes sense, but this close to the center of creation?"
<Anona> "That was my thought, too. But there she was, and that spoon's iron. Magpie has a talent for throwing things, and hit true, and... well... the rest happened as you might suspect."
<onine> "So it had a form you say?"
<Yengo> "I'm not sure how a pocket of the Wyld managed to exist here this long... maybe those records will hold some clue."
<Anona> "Yes. It looked... kind of like a young child. With twigs for hair. At least, at first."
<onine> "How extraordinary..." she starts to array the lore out. "I did some research and found very very little, beyond tales of terror and whatnot... occasional deaths. As I said, these happenings were exceedingly rare, scarcely two in the last fifty years. So I checked further back-"
<onine> "-My family has been the apothecaries of this town since...well, ever as far as we know, but anyway... I checked back and there have been reports of these happenings in this area for nearly eight hundred years!"
<onine> "There have been roughly thirty cases recorded, but hints of there being more. See, over that many years, these events are few and far between - not enough to really warrant a serious investigation."
<Magpie> Magpie concentrates, calculating. "That's - that's even before the Contagion, right?"
<onine> "Yes, I would say that this has been in existence since the time of the contagion at least - possibly before. A lot was destroyed in those times."
<Yengo> "Maybe Windswept Boughs was stranded here when the armies of the Fair Folk fled."
<onine> "Well, It probably wasn't here during the first age, that sort of thing was strictly controlled."
<Anona> "Possibly... even a tiny pocket of Wyld here is unusual. I could see one of them living in an uncontrolled demesne, but that's even less heard-of on the Isle."
<onine> "A small demesne is possible, not large enough to warrant a construction but enough to sustain a small creature..." she thumbs through her books. "Ah, here it is. There have been no descriptions of a creature such as the one you saw, but the occasional - and subsequently worst cases... have jabbered about lights. Sometimes the woods had the name glade of lights or grotto or some-such." she reads a little. "Something about a cluster of colored lights. Green and... light blue it says, being dominant."
<onine> "Those were the ones that were found near death."
* Magpie shifts uneasily, thinking of the gem she had found. It was green and blue....but it was just a gem, right?
<onine> Sure looks like a gem, in its most uncut, natural form.
<Yengo> "Colored lights... Tara, are you thinking what I'm thinking? The lights, before we met Cenotaph and his caravan..."
<onine> "Mmmm?" Tara says, emptying the water she collected into a storage jar. "They didn't attack us. In fact, they helped."
<Yengo> "But that description does sound like the ones we saw... and they wouldn't come near me, remember? Maybe because I had that spoon..."
<Magpie> "How many colors were there?"
<onine> "Er... lots?" Tara thinks
<Magpie> "Huh."
<Yengo> "Yeah. But most of them were green."
<onine> "Green, deep purple, light blue... red-orange. A few white ones."
<Anona> "Does it really matter? We took care of the one HERE, at least."
* Yengo shrugs. "I guess so. Something to keep in mind, though."
<onine> "Oh it gets better." Emerra says. "There are a few mentions - a few with terribly scarce detail - of light sightings*elsewhere* not just elsewhere in creation as the First suggests, but here on the Isle as well."
<Magpie> "More monsters?"
<onine> "Well, I think they'd probably be thought of as materialized least-gods or nature spirits."
<Yengo> "I guess it's impossible to tell what the connection may be right now... of course, I wonder if I want to find out."
<onine> "Uh..." Ujiro coughs. "I remember something similar."
<Anona> "I hope it was something real, as opposed to a sake-induced hallucination."
* Yengo had almost forgotten he was there - to his pleasure.
<Yengo> "Oh?"
<onine> "Mm." he nods.
<Anona> "And...?"
<onine> "Uhh..." he shifts on his stool and scratches himself. "Ujiro does not recall where."
<Yengo> "Thanks."
<Anona> "So, what you're trying to say is it's not the least bit helpful. At least you've got a perfect score so far."
<onine> "Ujiro has seen it! That proves that they exists...he just does not rightly recall where..."
<Magpie> "He gave me sake!" Magpie indignantly defends him.
<onine> "And he won't give you any more." Tara adds
<Magpie> "He won't?"
<onine> "He wont."
<Magpie> "Why?"
<onine> "Well ah..." Emerra coughs to try and break the tension
* Yengo grins a little despite himself. "Well. Uh... I guess at least we have another... witness..." He turns to Emmera. "Thank you for the information, Emerra. I'm only sorry we couldn't do something for Luc..."
<onine> "As am I. That is all I have unfortunately, this is a very obscure case to say the least." She gathers her lore together. "Not that it matters especially, after all the creature is gone now, it can't be studied."
<Anona> "You don't study the Fair Folk, you hunt them down. Be that as it may, it seems the two major problems here have been solved."
<onine> She makes her way to the door, stopping as a thought occurs. "Perhaps you may get to again - since this one has taken form. Do you suppose the others may as well?"
* Yengo grimaces. Not something he cares to repeat. "It's possible."
<onine> "I hope that is not the case. If I find anything else before you leave I will let you know."
<Yengo> "Thank you."
<onine> "My pleasure." She bows. "I hope that it has helped."
<Magpie> "Have you seen Vana? She's missing. Again! She's the red one," Magpie adds helpfully.
<onine> "Oh... yes I'm certain I've seen her around this morning."
* Magpie glances at Tara's sinister preparations with the water jugs..."I guess I'll go out and find her."
<onine> Emerra heads off
* Vana , coincidentally enough, wanders through the door as the wise-woman exits, daiklave in hand. She looks cold and tired, but bows formally to Emmera nonetheless.
<onine> "No you wont, haven't you learned anything about wandering looking for people in the past few days?"
<onine> Emerra bows very respectfully as you pass.
<Anona> "Gee, speak of it, and it appears. Or she, in this case."
<onine> Ujiro looks considerably sour, but*immediately* prostrates himself on the floor before Vana as she enters.
<Magpie> "Vana! Where have you been?" Magpie asks scoldingly.
<Vana> "Hm? I was out practicing." She lifts her blade to demonstrate.
<Magpie> "Oh."
<Magpie> She turns to Yengo. "So what are we going to do now?"
<onine> "Oooaaa! Mastering the art of battle!"
* Vana smiles wanly at Ujiro.
* Yengo raises an eyebrow. "Was what you ran into the hills to do 'practicing' as well?" He cocks a thumb at Ujiro. "And what's the story with this guy?"
<onine> "I already told you." he whines
<Yengo> "As for what we do now... well, when everyone is ready, I believe we can make our way back to Diamandus."
* Vana just goes to re-sheath her sword and gather her gear, hoping the conversation moves on.
<onine> Epheri yawns and sits up then stops. "Who's that?" she looks at Ujiro
<onine> Ujiro sighs again and takes a deep breath. "I am Ujiro! Mighty warrior, friend and aid! My prowess is legendary, my skill unfathomable!"
<Anona> "If it's legendary, how come we've never heard of you?"
<onine> "Uh..." Epheri shrugs and looks at Anona
<onine> "Uhhhhh..." He says then smiles warmly. "I am mighty, you will see!"
<onine> He punches at the air for good measure
<Anona> "Uh-huh." Anona doesn't sound convinced in the least.
<Magpie> "So, we'll go back over the bridge?"
<onine> "Well..." Epheri says confused. "What about the bandits? And the taxes?"
* Yengo shakes his head, bustling around his possessions and packing them up. He tries not to think too hard about Ujiro coming along. "Well... apparently Vana took care of them, though she hasn't said much on the matter."
<Anona> "Vana took out the bandits. The taxes will take care of themselves. It's not our job to do what the tax collectors ought to."
<Magpie> "Yeah, they're all bandits."
<onine> "Oh yes! The flaming warrior was mighty!"
<Yengo> "The sub-prefect should be happy, at the least."
* Anona grumbles under her breath. "... bahmightyi'mjustasgoodifnotbetterstupidmortalgrumblegrumble..."
* Vana looks unhappily at the jade hoard she's gathered, but starts hoisting it up onto her shoulders nonetheless.
* Anona continues in a more conversational tone. "So... should we head out immediately, or stay the night to make sure there aren't any stragglers?"
<Yengo> "If there are any stragglers, I'm sure they've gone to ground for a long while. I think it's best to let everyone know what we've done and take our leave. The sub-prefect will want word of this as soon as possible. That is, unless any of the rest of you have a reason for staying."
<onine> "None." Epheri confirms
<onine> "Onward!" Ujiro responds
<onine> Tara merely shrugs.
<Anona> "Then let's be off."

In the village
<onine> You make your way through the town, people avoid you left right and center. You are however intercepted by the master who bows low. "Good morning archons. You are leaving us so soon?" He looks concerned
* Yengo can't avoid grinning slightly. "Yes. I believe your problems have been solved."
<onine> "They are?" He questions.
* Magpie holds up one finger, and waves it around to get the man's attention. "Vana killed the bandits." She held up another finger. "And we killed the evil monster in the woods." She sounds really proud of that 'we.'
<Yengo> "Yes, we've taken care of your bandit problem, and of the creature that was in your woods... one of the Fair Folk."
<onine> "A fair folk?! Here?"
<onine> Everyone seems to be asking that question these days.
<Yengo> "Not any more."
<onine> "Oh praise you! Praise you!" He sinks to his knees and bows very*very* low.
* Yengo takes an uncomfortable step back. "Er... please... there's no need..."
<onine> "Alas we cannot repay your generous aid archons!"
<onine> A few more of the nearby villagers who have heard have done likewise.
* Magpie looks shocked. "They archons! They're supposed to help! It's their job."
<Yengo> "Yes, no need for payment."
<onine> Despite what you have said, the villagers are now running around in a frenzy, bringing jars of sake and rice, and local crafts, offering them as gifts to you. Tara looks shocked, and Epheri is a little unsettled by the whole affair. Ujiro on the other hand looks bitter and annoyed by it.
* Vana kinda tries to stick to the middle of the group and remain inconspicuous; pretty hard when you're carrying a king's ransom in jade goodies.
<Anona> "That's all very nice, really, but we can't even CARRY that much."
<onine> "You foolish villagers! There is no need to give away your livelihood like this!" He roars angrily. "We are mighty warriors, this is what we do!"
* Yengo shakes his head, puts his hands out in front of them. "No... if you want to thank us, keep your gifts." Yengo slides a sideways glance towards Ujiro, agreeing with the sentiment, at least.
<onine> You manage to edge your way free with a minimal smattering of gifts, mostly small foodstuffs, spices and whatnot.
<onine> Epheri has scored a poncho, and a hat has gotten itself perched on Epheri's head. Someone managed to drop a really cool set of beads around your neck Magpie.
* Anona is impressed that Ujiro isn't even trying to scam some sake.
<onine> You now jangle like a solar with too many swords.
<onine> Indeed, he is showing remarkable reluctance to take what the farmers are offering, calling them fools and whatnot for throwing valuable goods at you all.
* Magpie is looking extremely pleased with her beads. She has to speak sternly to Crow when he mistakes them for corn.
<onine> Children follow for some time afterwards, but disperse when you come across an old couple. The old man holds his hat to his chest and limps up to you.
* Yengo steps quickly. Their gratitude warms him, but something about this display makes him a little sick. What state is the Realm in, when people lavish unbelieving gifts upon those who are bound to protect them?
<onine> "Archons..." he coughs. "My wife and I would like to thank you for what you have done. At least with that creature dead what happened to our grandson is not a fate that will befall another child. Maybe his soul can rest with your noble deeds..."
* Magpie cringes, and stops fingering her beads.
<onine> He puts an arm around his old wife who looks to be on the verge of weeping. Her eyes are red, so it would be crying 'again'. Both of them look worn out emotionally.
<Magpie> "He was...he was real brave..."
* Yengo shakes his head. "I am sorry that we could not save him. Act more quickly..."
<onine> "Alas it is was not your fault. Thank you again..." he says. "We must go, there is a burial to plan. I wish you luck in your travels."
<Magpie> No, it was Magpie's fault. But she decided not to tell that to the sad old man.
<onine> The two hobble away, leaving you the open road down the mountains ahead of you.
<onine> "That poor boy..." Tara murmurs to herself.
* Yengo sighs heavily. "Let's... let's go."
<Anona> "It was unfortunate, but there wasn't anything we could do about it."
<onine> "Onward!" Ujiro agrees, marching out ahead.
<onine> "Perhaps, perhaps not. In hindsight its easy to judge such things." Epheri says.
* Magpie keeps her head lowered and trudges on down the road. Crow ceases his aerial maneuvers to land on her shoulder.
<onine> "Vana, do you need some help with those?" Epheri inquires helpfully about the artifacts.
* Yengo drops back slightly to walk next to Vana.
* Vana looks up a little, from under her heavy load. "If it's not too much trouble..."

Down the mountain to the shrine
<onine> With a little help you make it slowly down the mountain side to the more populated areas of the Isle, namely the shrine that you stayed at in the village. The priestess is outside as usual sweeping leaves off the steps humming to herself.
<onine> "Oh! Greetings again Archons, I did not expect to see you back.. this soon."
<Anona> "We work fast."
* Yengo raises a hand in greetings.
<Magpie> "See blue-sash man again?" Magpie asks her cheerfully. She had recovered from her fit of the glooms, apparently.
<onine> "Hmmm, no not since before you arrived here going*up* the hills the other day."
<Magpie> "Oh....I wonder what he's doing...."
<onine> She shrugs. "Likely on a special task for the order."
<Magpie> They done everything in the hills that could be done, it seemed to Magpie. "He's an Immaculate?"
* Yengo scratches his beard. "Must not have involved anything we dealt with. Unless he failed..."
<onine> She blinks. "Of course he is... though he has hair..." She presses a finger to her lips in thought.
<Magpie> "I saw an abbot once, and he had hair."
<Anona> "I think it's more tradition than something that's actually*required."
<onine> The shaved head is of course the religious penance of the Order, when aspiring monks join the cloisters the first thing that happens is the shaving of their heads. Some monks who have left the order to master their art in solitude occasionally regrow their hair, as do failures, drops outs and those booted from the Order.
<onine> "An Abbot with hair, that is strange. Are you certain he was an Abbot?"
<Magpie> "Well, he was in charge, I think."
<onine> "Well young one, you*must* have been mistaken. All members of the order itself have clean-shaven heads."
* Magpie looks at her doubtfully.
<onine> She looks at Magpie passively, knowing that she is right.
<Anona> "You know, I don't think I've ever asked Tany what, exactly, his current relationship with the Order is."
<onine> "He said nothing to me." The priestess shrugs.
<Magpie> "He told me he wasn't an Immaculate. Just that they were taught him, but were stupid. Anyway, are we stopping here?"
<onine> Getting towards evening. The priestess looks up. "Hmm... the sunsets have disappeared. What a shame, they were so nice to look at weren't they?"
<Yengo> "Yes..." Yengo says absently. "We might as well stop here again, it was nice the first time."
<Anona> "Sounds good to me."
<onine> "You are more than welcome to stay here again, Archons." The priestess offers.
* Yengo smiles, fatigue catching up to him again. "We'll take you up on that offer."
<onine> Once again you are relegated to the nice courtyard of the small shrine. Ujiro sets his stool up outside and is gone for some time, but eventually returning, and taking some of the herbs that the farmers managed to palm off onto you.
<onine> "Well..." Epheri says sitting down. "This has been a very interesting trip. I think we did well though."
<Yengo> "Yes, considering it was our first real job..." he scratches the back of his head.
* Magpie has returned to her tree. She has been poking Crow in a stomach to watch him strut and glare at her. She looks down at Vana. "You know this Tany stuff reminded. Should we tell them now?"
<onine> "Tell us what?" Epheri asks.
<Anona> "Tell WHAT, exactly?"
* Magpie grins mischievously. "It's about someone you know!"
<Magpie> "Vana?"
<onine> "What is going on?" Epheri asks. "You cant just leave people hanging like that Magpie."
<Magpie> "Vana? Is it okay if I tell them now?"
<Vana> "Sure. Try not to make me sound too bad... my sneaking was pretty terrible." She offers a tired smile.
<Magpie> "Well. After everyone else went to go to bed, me and Vana decided to burglarize the auction house."
<Magpie> "Vana didn't do too badly. Except that Tany basically caught her."
<Magpie> "Anyway, I eavesdropped on Tany and these two other people talking in an office."
* Yengo listens quietly, more than a little shocked.
<onine> "You little mischief makers..." Tara says.
<Magpie> "Tany was mad, because the auction had been screwed up. It was supposed to just be a vehicle for getting the sword hilt to someone. But of course, the mysterious buyer bought it. And Tany said, I think that the buyer had tipped his hand."
<Magpie> "Guess who the buyer was?!"
<Magpie> "Guess!" Magpie looks enormously pleased with herself.
* Magpie waits, looking at everyone.
* Yengo shrugs. "No clue."
<Anona> "Some dead guy."
<Magpie> "Epheri?"
<onine> "Um. Give up?" She offers meekly.
<Magpie> "It was your father! Isn't that strange? I mean, isn't Tepet Krennell your dad?"
<Magpie> "I guess that's why the agent was going to Anona's house to meet his boss."
<onine> "My father? But why? He doesn't care about old antiques like that. An why would he go to Anona's old home to meet the middle man?"
<Yengo> "For that matter, who was the middle man?"
<Anona> "That's interesting. Given that the Anathema seemed to also know about it, and killed the middle man..."
<Magpie> " I think the sword hilt is more important than just an old thing. Everyone wants it!"
<onine> Epheri seems to be in confused shock about the whole affair
<onine> "My...My father would NEVER associate with Anathema!"
<Magpie> "Oh, and I should tell you the rest, too. Then Tany came out, and he saw Vana on the stairs. He didn't see me, though. And then he left, and then listened some more, and then we left."
<Anona> "I never said he did, Epheri. More the opposite - wouldn't the most natural thing in the world for an Anathema to interfere with such a plan?"
<onine> "Everyone wants this hilt! You, the Anathema, Juno, my father! What is going on?!"
* Magpie yawns. She leans back in her tree. "Maybe it's part of a powerful magic sword, that, when reassembled, will , er, save or destroy the universe. You know , like in Anona's book." Magpie had snuck it out of Anona's pack and read it already.
<Anona> "Well, it did seem like it might have been a good daiklaive hilt, I'll give it that."
* Yengo coughs and tries to wrap his mind around the idea.
<onine> "That's JUST a fairy tale! Like the 'Little boy who cried Anathema'. It was written as immaculate..." she looks around to make sure the priestess isn't within earshot. "...as immaculate propaganda."
<Magpie> "You mean it's all lies?!"
<onine> "Just like the tooth-fae."
<Anona> "Even legends can have a grain of truth in them. Although they should usually be taken with a larger grain of salt."
<Magpie> "Well, the sword hilt has to be important*somehow.*"
<Yengo> "You never know. Even if we don't believe the story, maybe whoever wants the sword does. They've gone to significant trouble..."
<onine> "Legend or no, we have an Anathema running about with it, a mad relative chasing her and all manner of nonsense with the intrigue back home."
<Anona> "Welcome to the rest of your life, Epheri."
<onine> Epheri groans.
<Magpie> "Just think of all we'll have to tell Diamandus when we get back! I wonder if he's been having adventures."
<onine> "Probably." Epheri mutters.
<Yengo> "Well... seems like we have the Tepets popping up all over. First the crest in the mountains, then this news."
<Anona> "Well, we'll find out when we arrive, won't we?"
<onine> "Well, he's going to be wondering about all this, we've been gone for... uh..." Epheri counts on her fingers
<onine> "A week. Give or take."
<Anona> "I'm sure someone bothered to let him know."
<onine> "You let the innkeep know didn't you Yengo?"
<Yengo> "Yes."
* Magpie yawns again. "Wake me when we're going to move on...."
<onine> "Agreed." Epheri says. "I could use some sleep."

Later that night...
* Vana decides to go and practice in the glade that Magpie found her in last time.
<onine> As you head out Vana, Ujiro greets you at the bottom of the steps. He is cooking over an open fire with a hand-crafted spit. Judging from the condition of the rabbit, it looks like he killed it with a sword.
<onine> "Ah! Would you like some?"
* Vana would much rather move on to practice... but some food couldn't hurt. "Just a little bit, please."
<onine> The food looks awful... but it has to be one of the best 'camp-cooked' meals you have ever tasted. Ujiro slurps and eats noisily, downing sake, offering you some. "Good hmmm?"
* Yengo waits until the others have gone off to do their own things and then goes to find Vana.
* Vana takes a bit to wash the rabbit down. "Very much so. Thank you."
<onine> "Good food is essential to a warrior, yes? Why eat with a penance when one's duty is so dangerous?"
* Yengo emerges from the doorway and sees Vana talking to the strange newcomer. He holds back slightly, waiting.
<Vana> "Good point." She smiles a little, then stands and starts to walk off towards a small copse of trees.
<onine> Ujiro peers into the darkness and leaps to his feet. "Who goes there and would interrupt warriors and their dinner!?"
* Yengo steps out. "Not trying to interrupt. We should talk, Vana."
* Vana stops at the sound of his voice. "Oh... ok."
<onine> "Ooooh." He chuckles. "Apologies..."
<onine> He sits back down and gestures at the food. "Something to eat?"
<onine> "Before talk?"
* Yengo shakes his head. "Maybe after." He tries to sound stern, but he also comes off as well, a little nervous. He's never dressed down a Dragon-Blooded before, after all.
* Vana looks a little worried at the tone of his voice, turning back properly to face him.
<onine> "A shame, Ujiro cooks well, there may not be any when you return, for he also eats well!" He finds this quite funny.
* Yengo sighs. "Come on, Vana. I'd prefer to talk about this alone." He turns to Ujiro. "We shouldn't be long."
<onine> "Mm!" He nods.
* Vana nods slightly as well, and follows Yengo to wherever he leads.
* Yengo only walks a little way away, just out of earshot of the temple, before turning back to Vana. He takes a deep breath, as if steeling himself.
<Yengo> "Vana... tell me. Why did you do that? Why did you decide to take them all on by yourself?"
* Vana looks even more worried. "I... I thought I could help by doing so."
* Yengo sighs. "Well. I can't deny that it did help us. There was a problem, you solved it. But... why did you feel like you needed to do it alone?"
<Vana> "I don't know... it kept you all out of danger, didn't it?" She sounds like she needs validation; not in the least bit angry with him.
<Yengo> "What about you? I know what it's like to want to keep someone safe. If that's what you meant to do, then I can't fault that impulse. But what about yourself? You came through it more or less fine this time, but what about the next, or the next?"
* Yengo pauses for a moment. "I know... I know I'm only a mortal. That hurts to say, but it's true. But you're my responsibility. You're my friend. Don't you think I want to keep you out of danger?"
* Vana 's expression has changed to one of guilt. "I know that... but it's better that I get hurt than you or one of the others. And I've got a better chance of surviving a dangerous combat."
<Yengo> "I understand. But think about this. While you were keeping us safe from the bandits, we blundered into the Fae. We had to fight for our lives... and you weren't there. Did that keep us safe?"
<Vana> "No..." Small voice now.
* Yengo sighs. "I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, Vana. But... I don't know about all this. I don't know how many friends we have in the Realm. All we have is our group. We have to stick together. If we want to be safe, it's the only way."
* Vana looks at her feet. "I'm sorry..."
* Yengo pats her on the shoulder. "If you're determined to do this again, Vana, I can't stop you. But I hope you won't. And not just because of our safety, but because of your own. I'm trying to keep everyone as safe as I can... as best I can."
* Vana looks up after a moment of hesitation... she doesn't seem much like a Prince of the Earth now. "I-I won't, I promise."
* Yengo smiles a little. "I'm not mad, and I don't expect an apology. I just want us all to come through this." Whatever "this" is. This business with Tepet Krennell and the sword and Tany and Anathema... which reminds him.
<Yengo> "Vana... the bandits. Were they wearing Tepet Insignias- like the one on that breastplate Ujiro has?"
<Vana> "Oh... I'm not sure, but I think so. I brought the armor along with me." She seems greatly relieved to change the subject.
<Yengo> "All of them? That's... troubling news. Definitely something we should bring up with the others."
<Yengo> "Maybe when we meet with the magistrate. No sense in upsetting Epheri more till then."
* Vana nods a little.
<Yengo> "Well... should we head back?"
<Vana> "Okay." She makes a move towards leaving, then pauses, trying for another small smile. "I guess... this would be a bad time to mention that I did get a bit beat up?"
* Yengo chuckles a little. "You did? They must've been a lot tougher than I thought." He pauses, growing serious. "Good thing you made it out in one piece."
<Vana> "I really am sorry. I just wanted to help... Hesiesh knows I haven't done much else lately."
<Yengo> "I know you meant well. And of course you have. Along with all sorts of other things I haven't even noticed." The last remark refers to your burgling exploits, but his tone is light.
* Vana goes faintly red. "That was Magpie's idea... I just wanted to stop her getting into trouble."
<Yengo> "Good luck there. Listen... let's not bring any of this up again. Believe it or not, I enjoyed this conversation about as much as you did."
* Vana nods. "I won't do anything stupid again."
<Yengo> "Not stupid, Vana. Just... misguided, let's say." You're one to talk, he thinks.
<Vana> "I won't do anything misguided, either." She smiles properly. "Especially when doing things like that gets me kicked through a wall."
* Yengo grimaces sympathetically. "Good idea. And good night, Vana." He wanders away, wondering if he has any right to lecture Vana for this when he'd do the same thing, if he felt he had to.
<onine> Ujiro has dozed off on watch, there is a little rabbit left though.
<Vana> "Good night." She heads off to practice, unaware of Yengo's worrying.
* Yengo stops by him for a moment. "I don't know you. Where you're from or what you want or why you're here. But for what it's worth... in the village, about the gifts... you were right." He moves back into the shrine, giving Ujiro one last nod.

The road to Noble
<onine> To the rest of you, the morning travel across the lowlands is mild and pleasant, and for now at least, demon free. Noble sits down in the harbor like a glorious jewel.
* Magpie heaves a great sigh. "I'm glad we're getting away from all that emptiness..."
<onine> "Donut like the country Magpie?" Tara asks.
* Magpie shakes her head. "There's hardly anyone there! Just ...space and space...and then more space! With an occasional demon fairy thing thrown in."
<onine> You reach the city limits, and now you must consider your plan of attack. Go to the inn first, or to the administration district to speak to the sub-prefect.
<Anona> "I think we should go to the inn, first. We can clean up and maybe see what Diamondus' reaction is..."

The inn
<onine> You enter the inn, and the innkeeper greets you warmly, bowing. "Why Archons, you have been gone for some time!"
<Magpie> "Yes, and we've done a lot of things, too!" Magpie interjects. "Is the Magistrate here?"
<onine> "Oh yes, he came back a few days after you left, he should be out in the courtyard. It certainly is an honor having him here young miss!"
* Yengo wonders how Diamandus has fared in the meantime.
* Magpie waits expectantly for others to go to the courtyard, so she can follow them in. She's still a little in awe of the Magistrate.
* Anona checks out the courtyard."
<onine> The innkeeper bows again as you pass and move out the inn's courtyard. The Magistrate is there, sitting cross-legged with his back to you on the stones, wearing little but a simple pair of trousers. His body is muscular, with a rocky statuesque shape to it. He has*many* scars all over him.
<Anona> "Magistrate Diamandus?"
<onine> "Aah, so you have returned from your foray."
* Yengo hangs back slightly, letting Anona do the talking.
* Magpie sees this, and pokes him sternly. This was his*job*.
<Anona> "Yes, sir. The sub-prefect had specially asked for you, and with you not being available... we took it up."
* Yengo gives Magpie a look, as if to say "See, she's doing fine."
<onine> He doesn't stand or turn at first, but slowly stands eventually, moving to slip a tunic of such proportions that Magpie could use it as a blanket.
<onine> "And?"
<Magpie> "We stabbed a fairy with a spoon!" Magpie blurts out, impatient to get to the good bit.
* Yengo smiles a little. "Among other things."
<onine> The Magistrate looks at you all curiously. "It would seem that we all have tales to tell."
<onine> "Have you spoken to the Sub-prefect yet?"
<Anona> "Not yet. We thought it best to find you, first."
<onine> "Never leave a task incomplete Tepet Anona. We will talk afterwards."
<Anona> "Then" (to the others) "I guess the sub-prefect is our next destination."
* Magpie nods.
<onine> "Initiative is good, but use all of it."
* Anona bows a farewell and makes her way out.

The administrative building
<onine> The administration district is one of the areas in Noble that *isn't* suffering tremendous dilapidation. Its buildings are well maintained, the gardens curated and well watered. The main building is quite large, with Tepet soldiers standing guard more for appearances than to stop an attack.
<onine> The main foyer is a myriad of styles, but mainly oriental. The columns and walls are well decorated and quite colorful, almost gaudy.
<Magpie> Oh, how the other three percent live...
<onine> There is what looks to be an aid sitting behind a high desk, one that puts him far above whoever is asking for assistance. A nice little dynastic trick to remind civilians who is in charge.
<onine> When you approach he looks down his nose at you. He's a mortal patrician, but he seems to be able to hold his head high around the exalted. "How can I...help...you?"
<Magpie> "I don't like him," Magpie whispers audibly to Yengo.
* Anona stares the aide right back in the eye... well, as best as she can. "We're here to see the sub-prefect."
<onine> Epheri whispers to Magpie. "Watch Anona..."
<onine> He looks around incredulously as if it is the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard. "Not just ANYONE gets to see the sub-prefect you know. He is a*very* important man. If you have complaints you can address them to your local administrative representative."
<Magpie> "They're Archons! You're just a stupid little man. Let them through!"
* Magpie, making friends and influencing people.
* Yengo whispers back "I bet most people don't."
<Anona> "We're the archons of Magistrate Diamandus, and the sub-prefect asked us to help him. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I am Tepet Anona, and you're really annoying me."
* Yengo arches an eyebrow at "more importantly", but lets it go. "We're here on official business. Believe me, he wants to see us."
<onine> "Oh yes...archons" he says as if he is tasting something*particularly* sour. He looks disdainfully, but not in a challenging way when he hears your name. "Third floor. End of the hall. And*you*-" looks sternly at Magpie- "would do best to watch your language and respect your higher ups."
* Magpie rolls her eyes.

<Magpie> The noble archons make their way to the third floor, and the end of the hall...

<Anona> "Glad you could "help" us." Anona stalks over to the staircase.

The sub-prefect's office
<onine> You reach the Sub-Prefects office at the end of the hall. It is a little larger than 10x10, and there is a man who was NOT the sub-prefect sitting at the desk inking something with his brush. "I said I did not want to be distu...Oh. Can I help you?" He asks.
* Yengo looks at the man strangely. "We're here to see the... sub-prefect..."
<onine> "I'm the sub-prefect."
<Anona> "You don't look like the sub-prefect we met a week ago."
<onine> "Just what is going on here?"
<Anona> "Look, a week ago someone who identified themselves as the sub-prefect of Noble sent us to investigate a total lack of communication in the mountain villages nearby. We did."
<onine> "Well, I'm afraid I don't know anything about that."
<onine> "I would*think* that I'd remember."
<Anona> "Yengo... you talked with him the most, could you maybe describe the man for him?"
* Yengo is growing irritated. "This is ridiculous."
<Magpie> "Conspiracy! Betrayal! False sub-prefects!"
* Magpie stifles a giggle.
* Yengo shrugs. "He was an older man, gray hair... he was about average in height and build... called himself Kain Starflower, I think."
<onine> "Kain Starflower... there's no one here by that name. Not since I've worked here."
<onine> "Now, apart from strange stories of mystery staff, is there a reason why you're here?"
* Yengo grumbles. "You mean to tell me you haven't been losing tax collectors in the area? Haven't had any problem?"
<onine> "No. None. The taxes are all in order. Why are you wasting my time?"
<Magpie> "You don't even care someone impersonated you?" Magpie is amazed.
* Yengo mumbles under his breath. "Wasting your time...grrr"
<Anona> "Oh, so the bandits we took out were illusionary as well? Not to mention the Fair Folk we killed?"
<onine> "To what end? To send you up on a wild goose chase after bandits? I've heard no reports of bandits and what was it? Fair Folk? On the ISLE? For goodness sake, get out of my office."
<Magpie> "Lets go. He's mean." Magpie marches out.
* Yengo stomps out. "Have a nice day."
<onine> "Yes yes, good day to you..." As you leave he hunts through his drawers and finds the item he seeks was in a box on his desk the whole time.
<Anona> "I'll make sure Magistrate Diamandus hears about your total lack of concern about the impersonation of governmental officials."
* Anona leaves as well.
<onine> "What the hell was all that?" Epheri asks annoyed.
<Magpie> "The intrigue deepens," Magpie intones. "Someone knew about the bandits or the Fae, and wanted us to too."
* Yengo mutters "The bloody Realm" in the blackest, dullest tone of voice he can.
<Anona> "Damn if I know."
<onine> You walk outside to the well manicured gardens. You're fairly sure you see the aid smirking at you out of the corner of your eye. You could also be paranoid...
<Yengo> "But who? We need to talk this over with the Magistrate."
<onine> You are summarily escorted of the administration premises by a pair of guards, left wholly confused by the whole affair. SOMEONE was an impersonator. But who?
<Anona> "I just don't get it."
<Yengo> "Me either. Someone was obviously manipulating us, but why?"
<onine> It's a question of just *who* sent you into the foothills and why? Would the shadowy hand behind all these conspiracies want to have you so close to its plans? If the bandits and Fae were parts of the plan at all. Or was it mere coincidence.
<onine> According to the Sub-prefect, Kain Starflower has not worked in that building.
<Yengo> "Forgive me, but the Realm is hardly the place where plotters trick their victims into... good deeds..."
<Anona> "Wonder if we can track down the idiot who sent us in the first place. What's-his-name, Starflower?"
<Yengo> "Kain Starflower... I have no idea where we should start looking, though."
<onine> "What if he really *was* the Sub-prefect?" Epheri suggests
<Anona> "Even if it was a 'good deed', it was definitely trickery.... what do you mean, Epheri?"
<onine> "Hear me out... The man inside said that no tax-collectors had been sent into the foothills right? But we found one."
<Yengo> "Well... yes... but if that's so, how in the hell did the 'impostor' receive the support of the prefecture bureaucracy?"
<Anona> "That's a good question..."
<onine> "I suppose... you'd have to replace the entire department."
<onine> "Or lots of payoffs"
<Yengo> "Hmm. Well, if they'll take one payoff... we may have to track down a junior member and see what they have to say." He coughs. "After we speak to the magistrate, of course."
<Anona> "And whom would benefit from this? That's a pretty massive conspiracy just to send us on a petty task. Unless they were distracting us, but again, why draw attention to it?"
<Yengo> "As far as I can see, the only people who benefited from this were the people of that town, and they hardly needed to trick us into coming." He shrugs. "Maybe Diamandus has news of his own."
<Anona> "maybe." Anona continues on back to the inn.
<onine> "That's still odd... maybe we weren't *meant* to go up there in the first place?"

The inn
<onine> You arrive back at the inn more than a little confused. You managed to catch the Magistrate as he walks up the central staircase. Through the door you can see a very somber looking Vana sitting in the common room.
<Anona> "What, you mean whomever is in charge in the building back there DIDN'T want us up there, so this Kain guy tipped us off? Well, those bandits were awfully strange, wearing Tepet armor..."
<onine> It's getting on in the afternoon by now, it's pleasantly warm despite the season.
<onine> "And now with everyone denying what's going on... oh there he is." Epheri gestures at the large Dragonblood as he makes his way up the stairs.
* Yengo calls to the magistrate as he steps into the inn. "Magistrate Diamandus, we've returned."
<onine> "Ah," he says, turning on the steps. "You competed your job, good. Finish what you start in future eh?"
<Anona> "Actually, that's the tricky bit..."
<Yengo> "The man who gave us the job and the sub-prefect in the office are not the same person. One has to be a fake."
<onine> "What?" He turns and comes down the stairs. "What do you mean 'a fake?'"
<Anona> "The man we met at first is named..." Anona corrects herself - "GAVE US the name 'Kain Starflower'. The man in the office is not Kain Starflower and denies that such a person works there."
<onine> "Kain Starflower is the man I met with." the Magistrate says, dark confusion on his face. "He informed me that you were taking care of the difficulties in the foothills province, that's how I knew."
<Anona> "Yet the man occupying the office of the sub-prefect of Noble is not that man. Which means either a lone stranger has fooled us, or someone's co-opted the local government. I know which I would bet on."
* Yengo nods. "What we can't figure out is why someone would trick us into doing this... it doesn't seem to be beneficial to anyone but the people in the mountains."
<Anona> "And no real harm done to anyone, either. Except the bandits. And the thing in the woods."
<onine> "Indeed, your presence has benefited those in the foothills, and is a logical thing to happen when all is well. Sending a Magistrate and Archons to deal with the situation something that would be avoided if you had something to gain there by the bandits unmolested."
<onine> "Sorting the taxation and saving his job is the only thing Kain would logically have to gain by sending you there, unless he is in a position to benefit from foiling whatever machinations are coiling around us as we speak."
* Yengo sighs. Machinations. Sometimes he wishes he'd never come back here. "That's another thing, though. The man in the office claims there were no problems with the tax collecting, but we DID find a tax collector there, dead."
<Anona> "Or simply enjoys sowing confusion."
<onine> "Also valid possibilities." He sits down at the table. "Perhaps you had best explain these bandits to me, and the Fae as well."
* Yengo takes a seat near Vana, wondering why she seems so somber. "The bandits... well... maybe Vana would be the best choice to do that."
* Vana looks up a little, roused out of her thoughts by mention of her name. "Hmm?"
<onine> "And who is that strange mortal outside?"
<Anona> "Oh. That would be Ujiro." Anona's voice takes on an icy tone suggesting she'd rather that he wasn't outside, or indeed within eyesight.
<onine> "I see..." the Magistrate rumbles, clearly not 'seeing'.
<Vana> "Ujiro, yeah..." She rubs her eyes a little. "He said he's following the "great warrior," which I guess is me."
<onine> Epheri stifles a laugh.
<onine> The Magistrate sighs. "Another Archon I suppose, unless you would prefer him to leave?"
* Yengo shrugs. "Vana found him. He seems to mean well, and to be harmless..." He trails off, realizing he's making the man sound like a dog.
<Vana> "He is harmless. As long as you ignore the smell." She smiles a little.
<onine> "Maybe you and Tara can bathe him like you did Magpie!" Epheri blurts out suddenly then falls silent, blushing.
<Yengo> "I have no objections to him remaining with us, as long as he behaves. Though... we may wish to keep Ujiro off the more... uhm... discreet assignments."
<Anona> "It wouldn't be a bad idea to keep him away from any large stockpiles of sake, too."
<onine> "Very well." Diamandus concedes. "Now, you had best explain the bandits to me, with all these apparent coincidences, we must leave no stone unturned."
<Yengo> "As for those bandits... they were wearing Tepet Legion gear... deserters, apparently." He says the last part in a quieter voice.
<onine> "Everywhere we look, the House of Tepet keeps showing up."
<Vana> "They were burning everything they took. I have the armor and weapons of the leaders, if you want to look at them."
<onine> "I would."
* Vana nods, and goes to retrieve them from her pile of gear.
<onine> "On that note of the Tepets, my findings on the coast appear to lead to them as well."
<Yengo> "What have you found?"
<onine> "Not much I am afraid, the sun and fire children are fickle, I learned little beyond that the Anathema is linked to the Tepets - which we already suspected. I don’t however believe that it is working with or for them."
* Vana comes back with the undamaged breastplate, taking her seat silently.
<Anona> "Considering her reaction to me, I'll SAY she'd probably not working for us!"
<onine> It's a fairly nondescript piece, simple design, the Realmers would know it to be Elemental style of armor, common as of late.
<Vana> "The other is a little damaged, I'm afraid... there's a Daiklave and some razor claws, too."
* Yengo looks at the breastplate carefully, though it doesn't tell him much at first glance.
<onine> "The most famed maker of this type is a Dragonblood named Windrunner, based in Tuchara if I remember correctly." Diamandus says.
<onine> "Although..." he adds. "Many armourers make this sort of plate however, Windrunner is the most famous."
<Yengo> "Hmm... if he did make it, he might be able to tell us something about who he made it for... but that's no guarantee. They were bandits, they could've taken it from anywhere."
<Anona> "_if_ they were bandits."
<Vana> "Well, like I said, they weren't keeping their spoils. They had thrown it all on a bonfire."
<onine> "Unfortunately it is a tenuous thread at best. The Tepet legion armor could also have been looted or supplies from whoever may or may not have funded them."
<onine> "Bandits that destroy their loot... odd. If only you had kept some alive for questioning. No matter..."
<Anona> "Ujiro's not much help there, either. But I expect he's half-addled to begin with. Took one too many blows to the head or something."
<Vana> "I tried to keep them alive, but, um... something stopped me." She's kinda quiet as she says this, trailing off towards the end.
<Anona> "something?"
<Yengo> "Eh?"
<Vana> "Yeah... something. I'd managed to knock out about half the bandits, when... something killed them. All I saw was a lot of blue tentacles coming down off of a rooftop and tearing them apart."
* Yengo remains silent, wondering not for the first time what he's gotten himself into.
<Anona> "Blue tentacles. Like, what, an octopus or squid? Or something else?"
<Vana> "Sort of like that... but a lot sharper. It just cut through their armor like it was nothing."
<Yengo> "Whatever that thing is... I hope it's not still there... the village..."
<onine> "What does it matter?" Epheri asks. "Isn’t everyone dead?"
<Anona> "The *villagers* aren't dead, and I'd hope you'd prefer it that way."
<onine> The Magistrate rubs his beard deep in thought.
<Yengo> "Looks like we're left chasing shadows again. We never seem to get the entire picture..." He sighs.
<Anona> "I'm not one for elaborate mysteries either."
<onine> "Well, we need to look at what leads we have. The armor. The sub-prefect. The legions."
<onine> "Has anything come of that buyer regarding the hilt?"
<Anona> "Well, we did learn who was the intended buyer. Tepet Krenell."
<onine> "Excellent. You can ask him about that while we are still here, most fortunate." He says with a smile. "In the mean time, Yengo, I want to go and see this so-called sub-prefect you speak of."
* Yengo nods. "Very well."
<onine> "Epheri and Anona, you two would be best to go an see Krennell I think, best not to crowd him and put him under scrutiny if he was willing to go to such lengths to keep his identity a secret. Yengo, you and Vana will come with me to the Administration sector. And we'll bring...who was it? Ujiro? We'll bring him along too."
<onine> You and the Magistrate wander out back to the courtyard where Ujiro sits slumped in his little chair, snoring loudly.
* Vana follows, a little ways behind them.
<onine> "You there! Wake up, Ujiro." The Magistrate says loudly. Ujiro leaps up in attack mode, but cringes when he finds himself looking face to face with the Magistrate's broad chest. He quickly bows low.
<onine> "Forgiveness, I sensed attack!"
* Yengo watches with a bemused grin.
<onine> "Vana?" The Magistrate gestures to you to take the queue.
* Vana steps up. "Ujiro? Will you come with us?"
<onine> "Of course!" He stands straight, then slumps a little. "Um. Where?"
<Vana> "We have to go see the sub-prefect. I need you to be polite and quiet, ok?"
<onine> "Yes!" He responds with a gruff nod.
<onine> "Good good." The Magistrate says. "Ujiro, I am Magistrate Mnemon Diamandus, it has been decided that you may stay with us as an Archon if you so wish. Do you accept?"
<onine> Ujiro's eyes light up and he prostrates himself on the ground. "Ujiro humbly accepts!" You're sure he's crying with joy.
<onine> Diamandus clears his throat. "Now now, up you get, let us be off."
* Vana pats the strange man on the shoulder as he stands. "Come on, Ujiro."
<onine> "Mm!" He nods gleefully.
* Yengo looks away at Ujiro's display, but at least he seems glad to be aboard. "I'm ready if everyone else is."
<onine> "Let's go." The magistrate orders. Ujiro is in high spirits the whole trip, walking ahead, behind, to the side, everywhere confidently. "He's an interesting one Vana." Diamandus remarks on the way. "Where did you find him again?"
<Vana> "He was..." She looks at the man in question. "He was, um, recycling the bandits' gear. Into his pockets, as it were."
<onine> He sighs. "It never ceases to amaze me the people I pick up in my travels."
* Vana offers a helpless smile.

The Administration district…
<onine> As you grow closer to the Administration district, you all smell a familiar scent. The scent of fire. There seems to be a general aura of surprise and panic in the late afternoon air as you travel.
* Yengo starts to say something, then reflects that he's one of those people, too...
<Yengo> "Wha-?"
<onine> "Fire. And close." The Magistrate observes.
<Yengo> "Not again... we should check it out."
<onine> "Anona was going in the opposite direction..." He says breaking out into a jog.
* Yengo follows at as brisk a pace as he can manage.
<onine> The source of the fire soon becomes apparent. The stately administration building you were at this morning is now violently ablaze, with guards and citizens alike trying to heap water on it, but are now losing the battle fast.
<onine> with a thunderous crack, the third floor collapses, sending flaming beams down nearly crushing those fighting the blaze.
<onine> "It's on fire." Ujiro says plainly.
<Yengo> "Yes..." Yengo rushes after the Magistrate, eyes travelling over the burning structure. "Yes it is..."
<onine> The Magistrate curses angrily, looking thoroughly furious for the first time since you met him. "A step behind!"
<onine> The firefighters are starting to abandon the battle, resigning themselves to watching at a fairly safe distance.
* Yengo looks over those around the building to see if he can spot the "sub-prefect", even as he steps up next to Diamandus.
<onine> You can see a few of the civilians wear the uniforms of the Noble's bureaucracy, workers that were able go get out of the building in time.
<onine> "You three, spread out. Talk to people. Keep your eyes open. See what you can find. Go."
* Vana looks a little nervous, before going off to do as ordered.
* Yengo moves off into the crowd, asking what happened to no one in particular as he jostles through the press of bodies.
<onine> As well as the workers, you can see various guards and other citizens.
<onine> Through your questioning, it is said that the fire started in one of the rooms behind the main foyer, destroying the stairs, preventing the escape of anyone located on the second and third floors. Because of the amount of records kept inside, the place went up like a tinderbox.
<onine> As you are now more astutely aware, there are precious few members remaining of the staff. You don’t see the 'sub-prefect' anywhere.
* Yengo shakes his head. The upper floors must have been a bloodbath.
<onine> Nor do you see the snooty receptionist, he should have been the first out.
<onine> On questioning the folk regarding the two, the receptionist was only a recent addition to the staff of the building - within days even - and liked to throw his weight around.
<onine> Stranger is that most say that the sub-prefect was not in the building at the time.
<Yengo> "Hmm... very interesting..." He moves through the crowd, continuing to ask questions as he looks for Vana and Diamandus.
<onine> In fact, he'd been away from Noble for a couple of days, the snooty reception clerk said some trip to see the prefect or something of that nature.
<onine> "What have you found Yengo?" he asks.
* Vana wanders back, looking even more unhappy than usual.
<Yengo> "The fire started near the stairs... everyone on the upper floors was trapped and didn't get out. They say the sub-prefect wasn't in the building, though... and that he's been gone for a few days..."
<onine> "If that's so what was he doing here?"
<onine> "You spoke to him this morning didn't you?"
<Yengo> "Good question..." he scratches his beard. "That must have been the fake... Kain Starflower may be the real sub-prefect after all..." All this conspiracy hurts his head.
<onine> "And whatever he was doing here, the evidence is long gone. Damn." The Magistrate curses. "Who was it you found this information from?"
<onine> You got most of the information from a comparatively unscathed courier.
<Yengo> "A courier... he seemed mostly unhurt. The man who directed us to the sub-prefect is also missing, and was reportedly new. He must be in on this deception as well..."
<onine> "We must speak to this courier a little further I think... Take me to him."
* Yengo leads the way through the crowd, looking for the man he spotted earlier.
<onine> You head up to him, and the young man - scarcely out of his teens. He bows and trembles when you and Diamandus approach.
<onine> "Oh m-my, can I assist you lord?"
<onine> "Indeed, we need to question you in regards to the sub-prefect. Firstly his name, and when you last saw him."
<onine> "I..I last saw him about four days ago, flower-something? I'm new, to replace the usual courier, for one reason or another. I was to bring word to Sion that a Magistrate was dealing with some trouble in the mountains."
<onine> "What did he look like...?" Diamandus asks.
<onine> The courier describes the old sub-prefect almost to a T.
<onine> "Yengo? Was that the man that recruited you?"
<Yengo> "Yes, and certainly not the one we met this morning."
<onine> "Did you meet with him this morning?" Diamandus asks the courier.
<onine> "No...the aid wouldn't let me pass despite the seal I carried, and seemed very angry at me regarding it." he shrugs.
<Yengo> "That aide again..." he frowns. "But why all the deception? This seems like a lot of trouble for our sake..."
<onine> The boy adds, "Four days ago, when I was sent out, the Sub-prefect seemed rather nervous about something. Something regarding the normal courier, and instructed me to not speak to anyone regarding the message I was carrying...er..." He just realizes what he's done.
<onine> "Relax, son..." the Magistrate says.
<Yengo> "Yes, you happened to find the Magistrate and Archons dealing with that problem."
<onine> "Oh..." the boy says nervously.
<onine> "I somehow do not think that the deception was meant *for
* us. Why place a double that doesn't even LOOK like the sub-prefect you met? Chances are, the aid was probably there to alleviate any suspicion regarding the -sub-prefect's absence while his partner concluded whatever he was doing up there."
<Yengo> "And then, the fire to cover their tracks..." He pauses. "Well, whatever they were after, we won't be able to tell NOW."
<onine> "Indeed. Or... we could be wrong." He sighs, turning to the courier. "That'll be all son... unless you can think of anything Yengo?"
<Yengo> "I can't think of anything... or any leads, aside from Starflower himself. And Krenell, of course..."
<onine> The boy heads off and the last of the building comes crashing down, only the stone pillars remain upright. After the noise fades Diamandus speaks again. "Yes... Let us hope that Anona is having more success than us."

Krennell's manse...
* Anona makes way to Krennell's residence, demanding to know if he's home from the first servant she sees.
<onine> You and Epheri make your way across the bridge and into Krennell's large manse. The guards nod slightly as you pass into the massive hall. There is a fair amount of commotion, but you are able to catch a servant, who bows profusely.
<onine> "Y-yes lady, how may I serve you?"
<onine> "The Lord is in his office."
<Anona> "Good. I need to speak to him soonest."
<onine> "O-of course, I believe Lord Krennell is busy entertaining another guest at present."
<Anona> "I'm sure he won't mind if I pay him a visit, then. He's *always
* entertaining somebody." Without waiting or expecting an answer, Anona heads to Krennell's office.
<onine> The servant looks around nervously and then flees, determined not to be blamed for this.
<onine> "Smooth, Anona..." Epheri says. "Maybe I could have just flaunted the fact that I'm his daughter instead?"
<Anona> "They aren't scared senseless at *you*, Epheri."
<Anona> "No offense."
<onine> "Oh...well...okay."
<onine> You head through the opulent manse. There are a pair of mortal guards standing outside Krennell's study, and the large green doors are closed.
<onine> The guards stop you as you try to enter.
<onine> "Apologies Lady, but the master is busy right now. You cannot enter."
<onine> He doesn't look too confident about saying it, but fear of Krennell is greater than fear of Anona.
<Anona> "I fail to see how the two facts are at all related."
<onine> "I ah, well I. Yes, that is true, but, he is busy, therefore you are not *allowed* to enter."
* Anona sighs. "Perhaps that would be true if this was a mere social call. This is very important business. Now, either I can go in, or Magistrate Diamandus can come around to have this little chat instead."
<onine> "Uh..." he looks at his partner.
<onine> "Please, allow us to see my father, we'll be quick, and it is important." Epheri pipes up.
* Anona taps her foot, awaiting the guard's response.
<onine> Whether through your threat, or Epheri's request (you prefer to think the former), the guardsman's resolve cracks. "Very well, I'll see if he will see you, alright Lady?"
<Anona> "I'll be here."
<onine> He knocks loudly with the door's knocker and enters, you hear him expressing his thousand pardons as the door shuts and muffles the sound. You and Epheri are left with the remaining guardsman who looks straight ahead and clicks his teeth nervously.
<onine> After a while, the guard exits, a little pale face, but none worse for wear. "You may enter as long as it is brief." He steps aside and holds the door for you.
* Anona sniffs snobbishly and enters.
<onine> Krennell is sitting behind the enormous polished wooden desk as usual. "Ah. Epheri, Anona, what is it that you want. Please be brief, I am quite busy."
<onine> The room is empty save your uncle.
<onine> "Have a seat, please. How is your time with the Magistrate progressing, well I hope?" He smiles amused.
<Anona> "Well, uncle, how brief this is, is entirely up to you." Anona takes her seat. "And this concerns the Magistrate's business, actually. I'll try to keep this short, though; I know you are a busy man."
<onine> "Of course"
<onine> The cushion of the seat feels warm. The whole room is heated, but this is 'body' warmth. As if someone WAS sitting in this seat not long ago.
<Anona> "Alright. First off, are you familiar with Kain Starflower?"
<onine> "I am."
<Anona> "To your knowledge, who is he?"
<onine> "Why, he's the sub-prefect that holds office here, he controls the foothills province - a rather lackluster and pointless assignment to have, really. The territory is known only for its comparative uselessness."
<Anona> "I see. And he looks like..." Anona describes the man who sent them on this wild-goose chase to begin with.
<onine> "I believe that is him. I do not concern myself with such 'low' government."
<Anona> "Good, good. Just needed to ask that..." Anona's voice trails off, as if she is lost in thought for a moment.
<onine> "Is there a point to this Anona?" he seems duly irritated.
<Anona> "Oh, just curious. One more thing... any particular reason you had the Ledaal hold that sham auction for the sword-hilt identified as 'Irezua' so you could buy it through a third party?"
<onine> "Ah-" he hesitates. "What?!"
* Anona drops the respectful and polite - well, polite for Anona - tone she has used up until far, and speaks slowly and clearly in a singsong, as if to a dimwit. "Why did you have the Ledaal pretend to AUCT-ion the SWORD when you had already arranged to buy it through another?"
<onine> Krennell regains his grace and poise. "I do not much like your tone Tepet Anona. That auction was no sham, I merely arranged it so that certain members of the Tepet family could access items, and so that Ledaal could profit from it. That is all."
<onine> His words make sense, but you can tell that he is lying through his teeth.
<Anona> "Uncle, you've been like a father to me. You know, beneath it all, I respect you. But that won't stay the Magistrate if he finds out about this. And really, lying is beneath you, when speaking to me. Did you think all that money for the Heptagram was wasted on me?"
<onine> He sighs and looks at you both sadly. "No Anona, I do not...but... things are complicated. And I fear they have only gotten more complicated now."
<Anona> "That's why it's best if we straighten it all out now. I'm just pointing out all this secrecy... it makes you look suspicious."
<onine> "I can say no more, I'm sorry." he says sadly. "Things on the Isle are changing very fast, and I am sorry that you have been in the wrong place at the wrong time..." He stands and looks out the window.
<onine> Krennell is very, very defeated, his proud stance is gone, his face is weary.
<Anona> "We'll see how 'wrong' it is in time."
<onine> Krennell turns to the side and you see his mouth move a little, an instant later, you hear as if whispered in your ear: "We are not alone this is not the time."
<onine> Krennell speaks on as if nothing has happened. "Tepet Juno has taken control of this region, rather, the Foothills Province. He has graciously offered to repay the taxes lost in recent months. The civilian authorities of course know nothing of this."
* Anona nods, as if to herself, absent-mindedly.
<onine> He turns to you again. "I suggest that you do not interfere with the games of state Anona. If you try to interfere with them, you will be crushed easily in the gears." he adds solemnly "Trust me, I know."
<Anona> "Of course, I'm sure he's asking for hefty favors in return. That's how it usually goes when these things happen, right?"
<onine> "I cannot confirm or deny that. And as for the sword, without any evidence beyond your word, you have no way to prove that I am the buyer. You must be mistaken."
* Anona wonders if Krennell's telling this for the unseen party's benefit; surely he knows telling her NOT to do something is the best way to get her to do anything.
<Anona> "Not that it matters either way. Whomever the buyer was, that thing is currently in the hands of the Anathema."
<onine> "I wouldn't know about that I am afraid."
<Anona> "Of course."
* Anona resumes her initial polite tone. "I'm sorry for taking up your time, uncle, but I'm merely trying to perform the task you assigned me."
<onine> "Take care in performing it in the future. It would be best for you - both of you to stay away." he looks very concerned for you when he says this.
<Anona> "I wouldn't worry overly much. So far I've faced down Anathema, bandits, and one of the Fair Folk whom had taken up residence in the foothills. Actual people would be a welcome change of opposition."
<onine> "I see. Will that be all?"
<Anona> "I think that's it. Unless Epheri...?" Anona look inquiringly at her cousin.
<onine> "No.. nothing thank you." Epheri seems to have taken on a similar defeated weariness in sympathy with her father.
<Anona> "Then we shall return. It's just as well, I'm feeling a little light-headed, and I'm awfully prone to sudden lapses of memory then." Anona is transparently lying, of course.
<onine> "You are more than welcome to see the physician on the way out."
<Anona> "Oh, I wouldn't want to be a bother. A moment to lie down will do me just fine." She rises to leave.
<onine> Epheri follows suit, and Krennell doesn't respond. He leans back in his chair and screws his eyes shut massaging the bridge of his nose.
<onine> You return to the inn to find the others conferring in the common room...