RttToFC/Session26
Beyond the Tomb of Five Corners - Session 26
Silk: "I thought that was perfectly reasonable," Silk continues, replying to Falcon. "You are obviously a dangerous man and with no material proof that you work for the Council ..." He shrugs. "Caution seemed warranted. Surely you understand?"
Silk: "But if I offended you, I apologize." His tone implies a bit of disappointment in the Council's agent.
Kuros: THe man who identified himself as Falcon leads you through the streets of Nexus for close to an hour.
Kuros: Falcon looks back at you. "Noted."
Alyssa follows Falcon quietly, considering what to say to the Council. Her face suggests she is mildly bored however.
Kuros: You approach Sentinel's Hill, on which stands the Council Tower, a building of stone and metal construction that rises over 100 feet into the air. A constant strea mof people flow in and out of its base on all sides.
Silk covertly takes note of guard placements and likely escape routes. Business as usual.
SonoftheMetalFlame appears to be lost in his own thoughts as he follows.
Kuros: Falcon leads you to one of the large, open doors on the side of the tower. Inside is extremely opulent, with marble floors, expensive statues and artwork, and well-armed guardsmen stationed all around the hexagon-shaped room. Stairwells lead up to the next level.
Kuros: Falcon leads you up several flights of steps, towards a large set of metal-bound wooden doors guarded by two men. They open the doors as they see Falcon approach, inclining their heads toward him.
Kuros: The doors open into a large, circular room. ARound the perimeter of the room are stationed raised platforms where, and in the center of the room is a large, raised dias of stone. At each platform sits one individual, and there are 9 platforms, though only 8 are occupied
Nyara_Sunswept is naturally following the Solars but is keeping herself as discreetly unnoticed as possible.
Alyssa covertly checks her reflection in a piece of glass.
Nyara_Sunswept: (Activating Underling Invisibility Practice.)
Kuros: The doors swing shut behind you with a dull thud
Kuros: Falcon steps onto the dias, and says, "As requested."
Kuros: One of the figures, an older, fat man with balding brown hair speaks. "Thank you, Falcon." He then turns to look at the rest of you. "You are accused of falsely claiming the Council's name."
Kuros: "Do you have a response?"
Alyssa: "So Falcon was kind enough to advise us," Alyssa replies pleasently. "It would appear we are subject to a regretable mistunderstanding."
Silk: 'Kriid' has assumed a confident pose, standing straight with her hands behind her back. Alyssa can speak for the Circle for now.
Alyssa: "We have never made that claim."
Kuros: "So you did not claim you were acting underorders from the Emissary?"
SonoftheMetalFlame seems uninterested in what is going on. Instead, his attention seems to be on the room they are in, studying the architecture and the furniture.
Alyssa: "We did not. However, I did advise someone that I was acting on his behalf, which is the truth."
Kuros: THe man glances over at Falcon, who gives a slight nod.
Kuros: Another person, this one a thin woman dressed in purple, with a somewhat vacant stare, speaks.
Kuros: "Enlighten us, then, as to how you came to meet the Emissary?"
Alyssa: "Of course. There is no secret to the matter. The Emissary approached me and offered a business proposition. This would be the day before yesterday."
Kuros: "Business proposition?"
Alyssa: "Indeed. You are, I presume, aware that there was an incident in the Firewander District regarding some spectres and several essence users?"
Kuros: THe councilors all look at each other briefly, and then the woman nods at you.
Silk wonders where Alyssa is going with that line of explanation, but keeps quiet.
Alyssa: "One of those involved, a deathknight - or so she styled herself at any rate - attacked me. The Emissary had extended protection to me and was able to drive them off, in return for me carrying out a service for him."
SonoftheMetalFlame: ((Activating Spirit-Detecting Glance))
Alyssa: "Well, I should say her. Odd, I'd always thought the Emissary to be male, but it seems I was in error.£"
Alyssa: (Alysas has Sagacious Reading of Intent & Judge's Ear Technique active)
SonoftheMetalFlame smiles genuinely at a ledge beneath one of the windows and waves. "Do you think you could help us out here? We could use some credibility."
Kuros: The councilors all look towards the window, and a teenage girl appears on the ledge, swinging her feet. She's dressed in brightly colored clothes and has a nice smile.
Silk mutters a nonsense word under his breath
Alyssa raises an eyebrow.
Kuros: The councilors look at her without surprise. "Chisa, how nice of you to join us," the female councilor says.
Kuros: She waves brightly.
Kuros: "I did see the whole thing with the Emissary. What did you want to know?"
Kuros: The councilor looks back at the rest of you. "Why don't you start from the beginning, and tell us exactly what happened?"
Kuros: The girl hops down from the ledge beneath the window, and lands on the floor (a fall of over 10 feet, but she lands easily), and walks over to the dias.
Silk: 'Kriid' sighs. He/she was under the impression that Alyssa had been doing exactly that.
Kuros: "Apparently, the Emissary was really Pluto, the dead Maiden.
Kuros: "When they restored her, she told them to find a replacement for her as Emissary.
Kuros: The male councilor looks at Alyssa again, and says, "So why were you at the mercenary camp?"
Nyara_Sunswept facepalms.
Silk idly consider whether it would be faster to go clockwise or counter-clockwise in "changing the political situation of Nexus".
Alyssa spreads her hand. "They have something of a reputation for patriotism. In selecting a successor, I was advised to consider character more than ability."
Kuros: The councilors look at each other.
Nyara_Sunswept facepalms again.
Silk: "So, can we go now?"
Kuros: "How were you to choose this new Emissary," the female councilor asks.
Kuros: "And no, you may not."
Silk shrugs.
Alyssa: "I am unclear on your meaning. Do you enquire as to our criteria?"
Kuros: "No, the method you will use to invest this new Emissary with their power."
Alyssa: "I haven't the least notion of how it works. I was asked to select them, I make no claim to be a savant."
Kuros: "I think it would be best for us to select this new Emissary. After all, who knows Nexus better than we?"
Kuros: The other councilors nod and murmur in agreement.
Silk: "Naturally," Silk mutters dryly.
Alyssa: "I would presume that if the Emissary felt that you were the best choices to make that decision, she would not have required it of us. Of course, if you have recommendations then I would take them very seriously, but I don't personally plan to question the judgement of an Incarnae."
Alyssa: "It could be perfectly safe to do so, but then again, I really don't know what her reaction would be. I'd never heard of Pluto until yesterday."
Kuros: Chisa pipes up, "All of Heaven is in a state of shock over her return. Now might not be the best time to upset things further by going against her wishes."
Alyssa looks around. "If you do think anyone would be well suited, please, I would be grateful for an introduction to them. Please be aware however, that Pluto indicated that the position would come with substantial drawbacks. I would not venture to guess at them, but to have confined her for several thousand years, I imagine that they are significant."
Kuros: The councilors glance at each other again, and then the male says, "We must discuss this. We will send for you later."
Silk bites back a sarcastic remark. That wouldn't be diplomatic.
Kuros: One of the councilors gestures towards the doors, and they swing open.
Alyssa nods. "I hope that the accusations against us have been put to rest?"
Silk: "I assume that means we can go now?"
Kuros: THe female councilor nods. "We accept your explanation, as surprising as it is."
Silk: The persona Silk has assumed is somewhat blunt, as commonly expected of Northern people.
Alyssa: "Thank you."
Alyssa turns and leaves the room.
SonoftheMetalFlame: bows slightly, and once upright again, waves to Chisa. He turns and heads out the door.
Silk nods and follows Alyssa
Kuros: Chisa skips out of the room with all of you, following along.
Kuros: "You all have caused such disruption!"
Alyssa: "I take it that you are also concerned about who we might select?" Alyssa asks.
Kuros: She smiles sweetly. "Well, I DO have a certain interest in the welfare of Nexus."
Silk: "So do we."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Any suggestions?" Nyara asks, smiling politely at Chisa.
SonoftheMetalFlame: "It isn't as if we intended for any of this to happen anyway."
Silk shoots Son a look. No need to mention THAT bit, is there?
Kuros: "Several possibilities occur to me."
Silk: "We'd be happy to hear about them. Somewhere a little more private perhaps."
Kuros: "Do you all intend to wait on the Council? They'll try to influence your decision, you know."
Alyssa: "Of course they will. If we find a suitable candidate then I don't plan to seek their consent."
Silk: After making sure there's no one else listening Silk shrugs. "We'll hear their suggestions anyway."
Kuros: She giggles. "They really won't like that."
Kuros: She follows you out of the building and into the streets
Alyssa: "Isn't that a terrible shame," Alyssa says with apparent sincerity.
Kuros: "In a city this size, there are people of all types."
Silk: "It's not a bad time for a cup of tea. Will you join us?"
Silk: He/she looks to Nyara to see if she might know a place in the vicinity since she seems to have been in Nexus a few times.
Kuros: She nods happily
Nyara_Sunswept: "In fact, I do know a very lovely teahouse just down the street. The Smiling Angels, it's called, they have a very good selection."
Alyssa: "That sounds pleasent."
Nyara_Sunswept: "And, what's also nice, privacy screens. Though you won't be able to enjoy the view..." she wrinkles her nose at the sights and smells of Nexus, "...as much."
SonoftheMetalFlame: "Then the Smiling Angels it is."
Silk: (cut to us drinking tea?)
Kuros: (Sure.)
Silk: "So. Chisa it is? What would be the possibilities you mentioned and why?"
Kuros: Chisa sips at her tea. "There are people of all types in Nexus. Describe a person, and you can find someone who meets those criteria, eventually."
SonoftheMetalFlame: sips idly at his green tea.
Kuros: "There is a man named Jerrick, who owns the Blue River Trading consortium. He invests a great deal of money into assisting the poorer people in Nexus."
Alyssa: "His own money or the consortium's?"
Kuros: She shrugs. "I wouldn't know, exactly."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Why would you recommend him?"
Kuros: "There are any number of mercenary captains who have honor, of a sort."
Silk: "Someone with the strength of will to do what is necessary for Nexus to prosper, the self-control to remain unbiased and just and the compassion to care for the people of Nexus as well," Silk suggests. "Would this Jerrick fit those criteria?"
Kuros: "I would think so. He built his company and the consortium up from nothing, and now directly competes against the Guild, and has managed to survive."
Silk: (IE Conviction ~3, Temperance ~3, Compassion ~3, Valor 2-3 - someone balanced in his virtues)
Kuros: "There are millions of people here." She smiles. "We could write up a questionaire and hold auditions?"
Alyssa: "That would be possible, if time consuming."
Silk: "And finally it would need to be someone who is willing to sacrifice much of his own for the greater good, for the transition will mean restrictions and sacrifices."
Kuros: "You COULD turn the matter over to me..."
Alyssa: "Perhaps we could meet with Jerrrick, and also one or two of the mercenary captains that you mentioned? To see what we think of them in person."
Kuros: "I'm sure you could make an appointment."
Silk: "We are listening to your suggestions, are we not?"
Alyssa: "Of course. I'm sure you understand that we cannot turn the matter over to you, for the same reasons that we could not leave it to the Council."
Silk: "We will speak to those you have or might still suggest. If there are none we deem suitable among them we might return to the questionaires."
Alyssa: "What would be the names of the mercenaries that you recommend?"
Nyara_Sunswept: "So, Chisa, it sounds like the best way for you to help us is to identify the best candidates and help us arrange time to meet with them. Is that something you're willing to help with?"
Kuros: "THere is the Iron brotherhood..."
Kuros: "And the Nightarrows."
Kuros: (OK, so who wants to actually go about interviewing candidates and such?)
Kuros: (OK, we'll say you select Jerrick, who raised himself up from the poor of Nexus, cares a lot about the city, and invests a lot of money and effort in trying to improve the lot of the poorer citizens.)
Kuros: You are at his home, in a walled garden. He is a solidly built man in his late 40's, with short brown hair streaked with grey, dressed in expensive silk clothing. He.
Kuros: "So how do we do this?"
Silk has assumed a different appearance for this meeting: A man of wiry build with the tanned skin and dark eyes of the south. Short black hair and a finely trimmed beard frame the agelessly youthful face of an Exalt. In his clothes he prefers silk and fine leathers in tones of gray, cut so as to allow the maximum range of movement and conceal a multitude of weapons.
Silk: Thin leather gloves, moccasins and a cloak of rough, gray cloth complete his appearance. He speaks softly and his demeanor is mild, that of a man who has nothing to prove.
Silk: (Alyssa and Son know this to be his true appearance)
Silk, his Charms of Awareness all set against interference, produces the Mask of the Emissary from its hidden place and holds it in his gloved hands.
Kuros: Jerrick reaches for it, his hand shaking slightly
Silk: "On behalf of the previous Emissary and with the confidence that this is in the best interest of Nexus and the world we give this power and responsibility to you. Let us hope for good relations and cooperation in working toward the greater good in the future." Silk holds up the mask in both hands and gives it to Jerrick.
Kuros: He takes it, running his hands over the cool metal.
Alyssa says nothing, watching impassively.
Kuros: He places it over his face, where it adheres to his face. There is a faint humming in the air, and the mask begins to glow with a faint silver light
Kuros: With a ripple, his clothes transform into the customary white robes and gloves of the Emissary.
Silk bows respectfully. "Emissary of Nexus."
Kuros: He looks around at all of you, the silver mask expressionless.
Silk: "Or do you wish to be called by a different title or name?"
Kuros: The new voice is the same as the old one as it speaks. "The Emissary."
Kuros: He pauses for a moment, then says, "Your assistance is appreciated, but I must go now. I have tasks to which I must attend."
SonoftheMetalFlame bows.
SonoftheMetalFlame: "Best of luck."
Alyssa curtsies
Silk bows again. "Until we meet again."
Kuros: With that, the Emissary turns and glides out into Nexus
SonoftheMetalFlame: "Huh. That wasn't as spectacular as I'd hoped."
Nyara_Sunswept: "I'm more interested in how well he does his job." Nyara shrugs. "Well, that business is done at least. Good work, all of you." The Chosen of Serenity smiles warmly.
Alyssa shrugs. "Yes. On to the next challenge and so forth."
Silk nods. "We have done our best. Now it is up to him."
Silk: "And on the contrary, Son. Though I have not seen it with my own eyes, it was most spectacular."
Nyara_Sunswept: "All of you have really handled this with an amazing amount of diplomacy and talent. You've really impressed me." Nyara looks at each of the Solars and says, "Thanks for validating my faith in you fine folks. So, what's next?"
Silk: "He went from a mortal man to a being of comparable strength of Essence to one of the Incarna."
Silk: "Next ..." Silk mentally crosses off one item from his list. "Next is a small trip to Yu-Shan, I believe."
Alyssa: "Next... well, we have a few choices. All of them hazardous."
SonoftheMetalFlame nods at Silk's words.
Silk: "The confusion hinted at by Chisa may well be to our advantage."
Alyssa: "That seems reasonable. I don't suppose you could help with that, Nyara?"
Nyara_Sunswept: The Sidereal nods sagely. "Yes...I *can* help with that. Just keep in mind that Heaven isn't anything like what you might have imagined."
Nyara_Sunswept: "There are powers in play up there, politics, and the Exalted aren't always treated the way you'd think."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Alraune or whoever you are," she says, winking at the Night Caste, "he makes a good point. Heaven could be in a lot of chaos right now. There's probably not a better time to visit Yu-Shan than right now."
Silk thinks for a long moment, then takes a calculated risk. "In this appearance you may call me Silk."
SonoftheMetalFlame laughs and grins. "Congratulations, Nyara, he couldn't have given a bigger sign of trust."
Silk grins thinly. "I could, but you are not ..." His grin falters as his words become a painful reminder to him. "Nevermind."
Silk: "We do not know at this point where in Yu-Shan we have to go and what will be required of us to gain access to the item. It might take some time, which is not a bad thing considering that our opponents will have an even harder time than we following us there."
Alyssa: "In any case, is there anything that we would be likely to need in Yu Shan? Any particular hazards that we should beware of?"
Nyara_Sunswept smirks and says, "It's very nice to meet you, Silk."
Silk bows
Silk: "First we will need an exit strategy in case problems become unmanageable. I understand Yu-Shan's metaphysical location might make that difficult ..."
Nyara_Sunswept: "As for the rest of that, welllllll..." Nyara looks thoughtful. "Heaven isn't really the kind of place you would want to wander around aimlessly. The longer you're up there, the more trouble you can get into and the more likely it is that the Gods will use you for one thing or another."
Silk: "If it is required to achieve our objective I can live with being used. As with the old Emissary."
Nyara_Sunswept: "No, not...like that." Nyara looks a bit uncomfortable. "It's...complicated. I'm not even sure if I can explain all of the possible plots you can get caught up in."
Nyara_Sunswept: "You know what's happened here in Nexus, with the council and the Emissary and all of that?"
Alyssa: "Gods are different I take it?"
Nyara_Sunswept: "Heaven can be, oh, about 9,728 times more complicated, more devious, more involved."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Imagine a city the size of the Blessed Isle, only it's all made up of people like the councilors we just spoke with."
SonoftheMetalFlame raises an eyebrow at the awfully specific number.
Silk frowns. "We will much rely on Alyssa's abilities then, just as we did just now."
Alyssa: "So ideally anyone knowing we're there would be something to avoid. How do we enter and leave Yu Shan?"
Silk: "But regarding the exit strategy, does any possibility occur to you?" He looks first to Nyara then to Son.
Silk: "We do have a standing offer from a friendly god to open the gate for us on the way up ..."
SonoftheMetalFlame: (( Oh! Oh oh - How much time passed while we tried to find the new Emissary? ))
Kuros: (About a week.)
Nyara_Sunswept: "Well, having an already made invitation to Heaven's very handy. We can get through the Gate. I can probably do it on my own recognizance anyway and we can probably leave in the same way."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Keep in mind there's less than 100 gates to and from Heaven in all of existence."
Nyara_Sunswept: "And yes, the fewer people who know we're in Heaven, the better."
Alyssa: "Not to borrow trouble, but if things go horribly wrong and we get seperated, are there any means to leave without your presence?"
Nyara_Sunswept: >.>
Nyara_Sunswept: <.<
Nyara_Sunswept: "...not...really?"
Nyara_Sunswept: "Not easily."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Not without strings."
Silk: "That is inconvenient."
Silk: "Is there any way to bypass the need for a gate on the way back?"
Nyara_Sunswept: "How would you bypass a gate?" Nyara says, as if Silk just said something in another language.
Silk: "Sorcery, artifacts, the right form signed and stamped in triplicate? I don't know, I'm asking you."
Nyara_Sunswept: "No, no and...not really no."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Only way in or out of Heaven is a Gate."
Nyara_Sunswept: "One Gate or another."
Nyara_Sunswept sketches out a quick map of Creation and puts dots on the map to roughly show the location of Yu-Shan Gates.
Nyara_Sunswept then pulls out another sheet of paper and draws a quick sketch of Heaven with its corresponding gate locations.
Nyara_Sunswept: (For those of you with the books and know where the gate maps are, your characters are seeing sketches of them.)
Alyssa: "This is going to be interesting."
Silk's eyes narrow. "I assume more complete and accurate maps exist?" He memorizes and copies down as much as he can either way.
Nyara_Sunswept: "Take a good look because I have to burn these when you're done looking."
Alyssa: "So there's a gate right here in Nexus?"
Nyara_Sunswept: "...I'd really rather you didn't make a paper record, Silk."
Nyara_Sunswept: "For your sake and mine."
Alyssa: "So the plan is to go into Yu Shan and then... seek out whoever has the next key?"
Silk nods and throws the piece of paper he was working on into the fireplace.
Silk: He still memorizes the names and locations of the cities and other places with gates though and when Nyara isn't looking becomes Easily Overlooked and begins to make more notes in his book.
Alyssa: "It must take a while to get around somewhere as large as this."
Nyara_Sunswept: "There's quicksilver canals."
Nyara_Sunswept: "And clouds."
Alyssa looks puzzled. "I'm sure it will make sense once I see them," she concedes.
Nyara_Sunswept: "But again, Solars aren't really supposed to be in Yu-Shan. And Sidereals like me aren't really supposed to be bringing your kind in there. I've got some immunity but it could be dangerous for you guys...and me, if I get audited because of anything you do."
Nyara_Sunswept: Nyara takes a deep breath and says, "You've all trusted me and put faith in me. I just want you to know I'm doing the same with you. I could end up turned into a statue for a century if you guys do something audit-worthy."
Alyssa: "What sort of things would be, uh, audit-worthy?"
Alyssa: "I would truly not wish to get you into trouble over an avoidable mistake."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Anyway, I'll be a good guide and steer you clear as well as I can."
Nyara_Sunswept: "The most important thing is to downplay how much I've told you about anything. And to know what you're looking for and preferably where it is."
Nyara_Sunswept: "The more time we spend wandering about, the more attention we draw."
Silk: "We will learn more once we are closer to our goal."
Alyssa: "Hopefully, we will be able to determine more in Yu Shan, but we might need to be reasonably close first."
Nyara_Sunswept: "...okay, so what are you looking for?"
Nyara_Sunswept: "And why do you think it's in Yu-Shan?"
Alyssa gestures for her to lean closer.
Nyara_Sunswept leans closer.
Alyssa: "We're looking for the keys to Shebeth," she whispers into Nyara's ear.
Alyssa: "We had visions of their general locations."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Right, I already knew about the first part. The vision part's what I didn't know about."
Nyara_Sunswept: "How do you know one is in Heaven?"
Alyssa: "One of the visions was of Yu Shan."
Alyssa: "Unless it's been moved since, it should still be there."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Describe the vision for me?"
Alyssa does so
Alyssa: Kuros: You see a huge city that seems to stretch on forever, with rivers of gold and liquir material running through them.
Alyssa: Kuros: You see strange, inhuman beings walking down the streets, chatting amiable, and stone dogs prowling about.
Nyara_Sunswept: "Oy, that's not very specific."
Nyara_Sunswept: "I'll have to see what I can do to work my connections in the Forbidding Manse of Ivy."
Nyara_Sunswept: "If anywhere knows where the key is, it'd be the Division of Secrets."
Nyara_Sunswept winks.
Silk: "In the past the vision became more specific as we got closer."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Oh, well that's no trouble then."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Heaven is huge but it's very easy to navigate."
SonoftheMetalFlame: "Heaven: Where the streets are easy to navigate and the politics are a maze."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Exactly!"
Nyara_Sunswept: "Have you been there before?"
Alyssa: "So, travel arrangements? When do we go and what should we take with us?"
Nyara_Sunswept: "Well, we could go any time, I suppose. There's not really a best time to visit or a worst time."
SonoftheMetalFlame shakes his head. "I have not been, but I have read quite a bit."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Other than with Pluto coming back but what time of day we go won't matter. Days and nights work very differently in Yu-Shan.
Nyara_Sunswept shrugs.
Nyara_Sunswept: "As for what you'll need, it's Heaven."
Silk: "What sort of money will we need in Yu-Shan?"
Nyara_Sunswept: "Anything from Creation's not going to be worth much."
Nyara_Sunswept: "And anything you need you're better off buying there."
Alyssa: "Well, if we might need to travel across Yu Shan, best we start when we are rested."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Jade's really really devalued in Yu-Shan and it sneers at anything else, like silver."
Nyara_Sunswept: "I draw a salary from the Bureau of Fate, I'll cover our expenses as best as I can."
Alyssa: "We'll try not to break your budget."
Silk grins. "If possible."
Silk: "First thing tomorrow morning then?"
Alyssa: "Tomorrow is fine with me."
Nyara_Sunswept: "Then we should look for a place to sleep, unless you all already have lodgings."
Silk: Another thing occurs to Silk. "We might need a few pointers about Heavenly etiquette, too. Or at least I do."
Nyara_Sunswept: "I'm more than happy to brief you all. In fact, I would really love to and I hope you all keep what I have to say in mind since it'll help you avoid a whole mess of trouble otherwise."
Silk: Silk will make sure to exchange his silver currency for jade and otherwise make sure his equipment is in good shape.
Silk: (anything more we want to do in this scene or before we leave for Yu-Shan?)
SonoftheMetalFlame: (( Not me. ))
Alyssa: (can't think of anything)
Nyara_Sunswept: (Nothing that can't be covered by just reading the Yu-Shan book. ;) )
Alyssa: (start next game going through the gate then?)
Silk: (let's :) )
Kuros: (6 xp)
