Dawn of the Third Age/IC Logs/Session 17

~Anshu: Their conversation concluded, the thaumaturge walks away from his meeting with the mysterious man in the shadows, but the figure makes no move to follow.

Bright_Snow: Perched as a Raven nearby her tattoo's concealed and the shadows concealing her presence, Snow watches the figure in the shadows.

~Anshu: The figure shrinks deeper into the darkness, wrapping the shadows around himself like a cloak of invisibility..

Bright_Snow: As the figure sheaths themselves in shadows, the light of day catches the bird's eye. Just a glimmer but enough to aid in scouring the shadows and enlighten the Lunar watching the figure.

~Anshu: The darkness is too deep for her raven's eyes to penetrate. Deeper than normal shadow, deeper than normal night.

Bright_Snow: The bird takes off at a start, heading for the Thaumaturge heading the other direction

Brazen_Sand: Brazen flew through the sky, looking over his city from up above, searching for any sign of what could be causing this havoc

Brazen_Sand: His three eyes looked beyond the base matter, into the Essence that made up all reality, visually tasting the different colours and textures and flavours that made it up

Nomoe_Hideaki: Around midday Nomoe returns to the city in his palanquin ahead of a trail of wagons carrying medical ingredients. With the ease that comes of two masterful organisators being in charge the components are efficiently introduced into the new and improved circulation of the city.

~Anshu: The thaumaturge is moving purposefully through the streets of Gem, the vial clutched in his hand.

Blood_Soaked_Rain: Her first intention to find out exactly what it is.

Blood_Soaked_Rain: And, not so long after Nomoe's return another Solar makes her way into the stricken city. Though there had been some slight altercations with the city guards being able to grow a sign of the sun upon her forehead with some words to go with it had soon allowed her entry. For a while though she pauses before making her way almost directly towards the largest concentration of victims.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Once satisfied that everything is proceeding according to his and Justicar Harmony's plan he makes his way back to the palace where he hopes to find his fellow Exalted. He does not take the most direct path, though. Rather he takes a winding and complicated route that will maximize his exposure to the public.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Brazen Sand may command their worship and the Justicar may have assumed interim rulership, but none of them can match his sheer presence. Every seemingly compassionate glance, every regal gesture and every quiet word spoken lets ripples spread throughout Gem.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Though the times may seem dark the Lawgivers are here and hope with them. Do not despair, people of Gem, your betters are fighting the plague on your behalf.

~Anshu: From Brazen's perspective on high, the city is subdued. There is little in the way of chaos to be found, thankfully, though to Essence Sight there are crisscrossing trails and traces of disease and death essence, both of the Sidereal and Abyssal varieties. There is a particularly strong trace moving through the lower levels, pursued by a Lunar - Snow.

Brazen_Sand: "Abyssals!!" Brazen snarled

Brazen_Sand: He tucked his wings in to lower himself along the strong trace that was followed by a Lunar that he immediately recognized as Snow.

Brazen_Sand: "SNOW! THERE ARE ABYSSALS ABOUT! AGENTS OF THE LION, NO DOUBT!"

~Anshu: The mere presence of Abyssal essences is not itself new - they have been sniffing around Gem for a long time - but this is a stronger trace than most. Not Exalt strength, but someone who was in close proximity to one very recently.

Bright_Snow: Snow studies her target, watching for the reflief the target shows when they believe they are in sight of their destination, there she will pounce. As she nears to pounce she is interrupted by... Brazen.

Bright_Snow: */ The bond is filled for just a moment with absolute fury /*

Bright_Snow: Then Snow pounces anyway rapidly transforming into herself and striking the man with her Direlance through the top of his robe, pinning him to a nearby building.

~Anshu: The man Snow has been shadowing looks wildly over his shoulder and up at his king, and is dumbfounded as Snow pounces and pins him. The vial flies from his hand...

Brazen_Sand: Brazen slammed down into the middle of the street, scattering mortals in every direction.

Brazen_Sand: With a look of infinite fury, bonfire flames bursting from every pore in his body, Brazen summoned a lance of pure burning flame.

Brazen_Sand: "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, YOU STUPID WORTHLESS INSECT!!" He screamed

Nomoe_Hideaki: Nomoe briefly pauses concerned as the emotion hits him through the bond. */What is it?/*

Bright_Snow: Without looking Snow grabs the vial turning on Brazen, furious her eyes narrowing, her delicate features surprisingly bestial. "NEVER interrupt me during a hunt!" She does not yell but enunciates increadibly clearly.

Brazen_Sand: Brazen's face is literally flickering and shifting like an out of control forest fire

Brazen_Sand: He simply roars in her face, too blind with anger to consider her words.

~Anshu: Snow's fingers close on the vial as it tumbles through the air inches from smashing on the pavement.

Bright_Snow: */ The response is little more than a gutteral snarl, which as she returns to human form and composes herself. / Brazen... / Her fury goes from a fiery hot temper to a cold icy rage /*

Blood_Soaked_Rain: decision for her and then she's moving. Flickering across the city in a series of mote silhouetted after images.

Blood_Soaked_Rain: For her part Rain takes note of the diving king of Gem as he plumets from the sky. Frowning as she looks up from the corpse she had been examining. "Damnit" she mummers quietly, torn between trying to discover what exactly is happening or helping with whatever has caused the infernal to move so fast. The screaming that soon joins it though as he fairly roars his anger makes her

Bright_Snow: "Moreso Brazen, don't yell." She says this calmly but there is an implied threat to her words. "Control yourself in front of your people or you are liable to set the street alight."

~Anshu: The thaumaturge is cowering at their feet.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Hearing Brazen Sand's trademark undignified shouting and hearing Bright Snow's thoughts in his mind Nomoe wastes not a second. In the blink of an eye he disappears and touches down near the scene of the altercation. *Annoyance and anger, an impression of gritted teeth*

Brazen_Sand: Brazen swung the lance in the thaumaturge's direction, the tip was so close to his face that the heat caused him to sweat.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Brazen Sand, you are not helping," he enunciates calmly and clearly. "Please control yourself or you will be of little help to your people," he explains rationally.

Blood_Soaked_Rain: arrives, around about the same time as Hideaki if from the opposite direction. Her face hardly looking pleased as she asks "Is there any reason your shouting loud enough to raise the freshly burried dead?"

Brazen_Sand: Brazen breathed for a few seconds until he was relatively calm enough to think coherently

Nomoe_Hideaki: gives Blood Soaked Rain a brief measuring look before deciding that no, she wasn't being literal. Probably.

Brazen_Sand: "Do you. Have any idea. What you have done?" He said haltingly, with great effort.

Brazen_Sand: The fact that Brazen wasn't yelling just made him seem more frightening

Bright_Snow: Very little. I seek not to disturb the systems into which I visit

Nomoe_Hideaki: looks upon the mortal with eyes that see in every spectrum. */Do you want him to yourself? I may be able to distract the Infernal./*

Bright_Snow: She glances away from Brazen obviously unimpressed, /* No I was going to provide him to the infernal anyway. This just simplifies matters. */

Nomoe_Hideaki: He stands with his hands hidden in his sleeves, his long black hair and clothes wavering slightly as if moved by a non-existing wind.

Nomoe_Hideaki: nods at the unvoiced answer, content to merely watch for the moment ... and not just the scene but also the surroundings, looking for anyone watching them with more than due interest.

Blood_Soaked_Rain: at this point.

Blood_Soaked_Rain: Probably, but having their ear drums burst isn't going to make the suffering living any better off either. "I doubt he can even manage a coherent word at the moment, let alone answer your questions" Rain finally interjects moving forward “What exactly has he done though? Green eyes looking over the cowering mortal, fairly sure of what it is but anything to distract the infernal

Nomoe_Hideaki: */What has the mortal done? What made you step out of the observer role?/ Curiosity of more than one kind*

Brazen_Sand: "He was carrying something infected with Abyssal taint!" Brazen snarled

Blood_Soaked_Rain: holds out her hand "could i have it then? I'd like to find out how it's working so, hopefully i can find a way to cure this quickly"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Abyssals?" Nomoe seems unsurprised. "My physician did say the disease was strangely fast in its outbreak. Meddling parties are an obvious conclusion."

Blood_Soaked_Rain: nods "It's not natural, plague takes far longer than this to both gestate and spread. It has to have been done on purpose and while i can cure the symptoms i need to find what's causing it or it's a losing prospect for the moment"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "I will notify the Justicar. A classification as 'enemy action' may help expedite the relief effort."

Bright_Snow: hands the vial over to Rain

Blood_Soaked_Rain: "I expect she's doing all she can" she smiles slightly a little private joke to herself whiel she takes the vial with a quick thankyou to snow.

~Anshu: Examined with essence sight, the thaumaturge is arrayed with charms and touched with many essences from his work; there is a strong Abyssal essence clinging to him, from recent contact with a powerful source.

Nomoe_Hideaki: On Nomoe's brow the mark of the Eclipse begins to glitter.

~Anshu: The vial is a roiling mix of disease and Abyssal essences, a liquid distillation of virulence, decay, and reanimation.

Brazen_Sand: Brazen stared into it along with everyone else, the green fire from his third eye touching and examining both the thaumaturge and the putrid vial..

Blood_Soaked_Rain: blinks at the vial, growling under her breath as medicinal detachment gives way to something else. The look she sends the cowering mortal enough to kill if she had the right magic "You..." Then she pauses, sighing and muttering something about courts and time under her breath "You have been burning the bodies, yes?"

Brazen_Sand: Brazen snarled in fury and grabbed the thaumaturge by the chest and lifted him up, he was easily strong enough to snap the mortal like kindling.

Brazen_Sand: "YOU.STUPID.IDIOOOOOT!"

Nomoe_Hideaki: Outwardly nothing changes but Bright Snow can feel Hideaki's detached concern. */It was good that you caught that vial before it hit the ground ... and found it in the first place, too./ high esteem, confirmed /I'm no expert but its essences look exceedingly nasty./*

Blood_Soaked_Rain: grabs Brazens arm without even thinking about it "Let him down. Save your fury for the ones who gave him this, this isn't something i think he could make himself"

Brazen_Sand: "HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Burning the bodies is a secondary priority, implementation has begun already," Nomoe confirms.

Blood_Soaked_Rain: "As should you! Put. Him. Down. Act like an exalt rather than an angry child and learn priorities"

Brazen_Sand: brazen snarled once again and dropped his roughly to the ground.

Brazen_Sand: "DO NOT THINK YOU CAN CONTINUE TO CHIDE ME IN MY OWN DOMAIN, SOLAR!"

Brazen_Sand: "I'M AN ALLY, NOT A PET."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Brazen Sand," Nomoe speaks the name in a long suffering tone, "do you remember what I said? This doesn't help the mortals." Bright_Snow: */ Irritation and detachment/ I lost track of the Abyssal. The vial was unimportant, after all the mortal had already made his choice /*

Blood_Soaked_Rain: "Then act like one, and not like an angry pet. Your people have no time for you to indulge your anger"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "And didn't you resign only a few hours ago?" He can't resist adding.

Brazen_Sand: "I said I was *leaving*. I didn't say when!"

Brazen_Sand: "But you made your point. We have to find out where he got this!"

Nomoe_Hideaki: */Did you see his face?/*

Blood_Soaked_Rain: "Well..." And she considers the mortal then looks to Hideaki with a querying look "I think, possibly, there's been enough stick at this point. Would you deign to ask him a few questions?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: gives Bright Snow a questioning look. It's her captive, she has the first right to an interrogation if she wants to.

Bright_Snow: She shakes her head, it barel moving. To an observer it would look like no more than an effort to rid her neck of tension. /* No he walks the shadows in much the same way I would have done in that situation. */

~Anshu: The mortal in question is still cowering, doing his best to appear small and harmless.

Nomoe_Hideaki: */Beyond my capability to perceive, then, and that of everyone else here. That makes it difficult./* Taking a step toward the mortal Nomoe withdraws one hand from his sleeves and makes a small, almost hypnotic gesture. "Rise, mortal. You have the opportunity to aid in the defense of this city to a greater degree than you may have thought."

~Anshu: Hesitantly, he raises his head to look up at Nomoe, then gets shakily to his feet. "H-how?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: The world seems to warp and twist in the mortal's eyes, until he can see only Nomoe, hear only Nomoe, obey only Nomoe. "All you need to do is answer my questions." It's more a statement of what will be than an offer or even a question. "This vial, where did it come from? What were you going to do with it?"

Brazen_Sand: Brazen pointedly turned away from the thaumaturge

Bright_Snow: retrieves her Dire Lance with a small cloud of dust from the mortar, unpinning the mortal from the brick work. The impressive hole has a interesting pattern of cracks, that she studies as she whips the weapon down, as it shrinks back into the bracelet on her wrist.

~Anshu: "I was given it by my contact. He said it would help me create better medicinal draughts."

Bright_Snow: With a strech of her arms, Snow turns from the scene and begins to wander away into the city. /* Her mind is occupied with a variety of thoughts, most of them converging on hert annoyance at loosing the Abyssal.*/

Brazen_Sand: "Come back here, Snow!" brazen called.

Nomoe_Hideaki: waits, silently, for the mortal to answer his second question as well.

~Anshu: "I was going to use it to help fight the plague."

~Anshu: "After testing it on myself."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Your contact, who is he? How long have you known him? Do you know how or where to find or contact him?" He speaks quietly, even a few meters away mortal ears will have difficulty hearing his voice. Not the thaumaturge, though.

Bright_Snow: She just keeps wandering away.

Brazen_Sand: Brazen bared his teeth in frustration

Brazen_Sand: How the hell were they supposed to find each other if one of them found the Abyssal that caused this?!

Nomoe_Hideaki: *Hideaki is focused, but not to the exclusion of everything else /If anyone among us can find him again it's you./ he assumes she is leaving to search for the Abyssal and has faith in her capability*

Nomoe_Hideaki: "And have you tested it already?" he continues after a beat, for completeness' sake.

~Anshu: "I've known him for... at least a year. He smuggles me supplies when I can't get what I need through normal channels... this is only the second time he's offered me anything without me asking for it, but everything I've gotten from him before has worked perfectly... so yes, I can contact him.. And no, I hadn't tested it yet."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "What did he offer the last time? How do you contact him?" The questions follow immediately after the mortal's answers.

~Anshu: "The first time I met him, he gave me some sample goods and a sand owl. He said it was trained to carry messages to him, and if I ever wanted him to get me more supplies, to use it to contact him."

Nomoe_Hideaki: nods once, curtly. "Here is what you need to know. You will make contact. Due to the large amount of medical supplies that have just arrived you need more of this substance. You will meet with him, get more of it, and thereby help the city. Do you understand?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: */I may be able to induce the mortal to get in touch with the Abyssal, arrange a meeting. Give you another chance to catch him./

~Anshu: He looks from face to face. "... I'm not in trouble? But then why was I attacked from behind? And why is His Emerald Majesty so angry?"

Brazen_Sand: Brazen continues to turn away, hoping to keep his anger in check

Nomoe_Hideaki: "As long as you do as you're told everything will be fine," Nomoe lies with perfect conviction. "There are complexities among your betters you need not be aware of - all you need to know is that my hand shields you."

Nomoe_Hideaki: ... 'for now', he thinks to himself. 'Until your usefulness has ended.' But of course none of that the mortal can know.

~Anshu: The mortal hesitates, then nods. "Very well."

~Anshu: "How soon do you want me to do it?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "As soon as possible."

Blood_Soaked_Rain: is, mostly, simply leaning against the wall. One ear on the conversation the rest of her concentration though being focused on the vial she's twisting around her fingers and ways to cure an entire city of plague.

~Anshu: "Very well. I will go to my laboratory now, unless Your Excellencies have any more questions."

Nomoe_Hideaki: makes a curt, dismissive gesture

Blood_Soaked_Rain: that makes Rain look up, glancing over at the mortal "how well stocked is your laboratory?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: */The mortal will send a message to the Abyssal - he has a trained bird - asking to meet him. Once he shows himself we can catch him - what do you think?/*

~Anshu: "Well stocked in some ways, not so well in others. There has been a lot of dmeand for medicines, so my supplies in that regard are low."

Nomoe_Hideaki: *a hint of a smile /Of course this plan would work best with you at the tip of the spear .../*

Blood_Soaked_Rain: waves a dismissive hand "supplies i'm sure i can be provided. I do need somewhere to work though"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Let's not delay the good man from the task he has been given. I'm sure the Justicar, who currently controls the city's resources, will make equipment available to you, Deliberator."

Blood_Soaked_Rain: blinks "Ah...true." A shake of her head "And i expect she would likely not take too much convincing on that"

Bright_Snow: Wandering the city, Snow makes another search, this time more deliberate, this time for Deathknights

~Anshu: "Very well." The mortal bows low, then turns and continues on his way, not quite running away, but walking quite quickly.

Bright_Snow: */ I can follow the bird, or be the bird. Whichever works better. Summon me when I am required to play my part, till then I will see what I can dig up */

Nomoe_Hideaki: */He will send the message immediately. I figured that would draw him in and we could take him. But if following the bird would be more likely to yield results .../ Hideaki will submit to Bright Snow's experience*

Bright_Snow: */ Then I shall return /*

Nomoe_Hideaki: Once the mortal is gone Nomoe waves Brazen Sand and Blood Soaked Rain closer and explains: "As will have become obvious the mortal will contact the Abyssal and we'll use that to catch him."

Blood_Soaked_Rain: "Or kill him, depending on how it reacts. I've little time for plague spreaders"

Brazen_Sand: "Right. Then we tear him to pieces for what he's done to my town!"

Nomoe_Hideaki: gestures dismissively. "Certainly, once we know whether he is acting alone."

Brazen_Sand: "Abyssals taste awful."

Nomoe_Hideaki: raises an eyebrow. "You've tried? I guess I shouldn't have expected any better ..."

Brazen_Sand: "They come back if you leave the bodies alone, sometimes."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Your attacks leave bodies behind?" Nomoe's tone implies mock disappointment in Brazen Sand's capabilities.

Brazen_Sand: Brazen chuckled and slapped Nomoe on the back. "So you actually made a joke, adn all it took was a terrible plague."

Blood_Soaked_Rain: simply goes silent a moment, obviously struggling past the mental image "As..educational as that was... People are still dying, i'm going to need a place to work to see if i can't come up with something to save them. What the death knight promised the thaumatage shouldn't be impossible, even if what it gave was rather less than helpful"

Nomoe_Hideaki: */If I tried I'd likely fail .../ recognition of his own weakness in this particular set of skills*

Brazen_Sand: Launjilla appeared at Brazen's side

Brazen_Sand: Summoned by a mental command.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Nomoe steps aside, avoiding the uncalled for intimateness.

Brazen_Sand: Brazen pointed at the agatae. "It'll know where to take you."

Brazen_Sand: "Launjilla knows Gem better then anything else. It can find you a lab."

Brazen_Sand: Launjilla bowed to the lawgiver. "This one would be honored to assist you in putting this epidemic to rest."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Lord Brazen Sand, I would take it as a very basic curtesy if you did avoid such gestures in the future," he states cooly.

Brazen_Sand: "why?" brazen asked, not understanding.

Nomoe_Hideaki: He bows before Rain departs. "If you turn out to require otherwise unavailable ingredients, or large quantities, you may take into account my capability to shape such from the Wyld itself, Deliberator."

Blood_Soaked_Rain: nods towards Hideaki "My thanks, and if i have need of you in this i'll be sure to take up your offer"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "To touch another, and one who is not family or as close as family in particular, without permission gives grave offense in Sanken. I recognize that this is not so in your culture and thus due to ignorance will not take offense myself ... this once."

Brazen_Sand: Brazen shrugged. "You guys are weird, but alright, whatever you say, if it keeps you from getting all uptight about it."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "In any case, my mate has agreed to help with this plan. For which I am happy since it would be considerably more difficult without her."

Brazen_Sand: "I'm no good at sneaking

Brazen_Sand: "Not that I NEED to, of course!"

Nomoe_Hideaki: inclines his head slightly. "Nor I."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "There have been situations where it would have been helpful, certainly. But it seems a very undignified skill to me." He shrugs. "On the rare occasion that it was unavoidable I have made do with simply ensuring the absence of any witnesses."

Brazen_Sand: "I just don't like making the effort. I'm too big to sneak around anyway."

Brazen_Sand: "It's...not in my nature, you know?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Indeed," Nomoe says dryly.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Nor mine, really. The wisdom of the Most High is apparent then, here."

Brazen_Sand: "uhhh...sure, why not."

Nomoe_Hideaki: doesn't elaborate

Brazen_Sand: "Did anyone else notice that it looked like one of those sidereals was around here, on that thaumaturge?"

Brazen_Sand: "Like that akuma of Adorjan."

Bright_Snow: Having wandered into a darkened and empty tent, Snow resumes the form of a bird and returns to watch the others work. */ I have returned as you have asked. /* Cawww!

Nomoe_Hideaki: bows to the bird. */In your opinion, would it be better to follow the messenger bird to locate the Abyssal or to wait until he comes to meet the mortal and then take him?/*

Bright_Snow: */ Locate him without his knowledge if preferable. Surprise him where he is holed up. /* *CCCCAAAAWWWWWW* /* Unless it is his den, in which case we take him at the meeting. Better we know where he is retreating to though */

Brazen_Sand: "You going to let me in on what's happening?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: bows again. */We'll do it that way, then. The thaumaturge is currently returning to his laboratory to send his bird with the message./*

Nomoe_Hideaki: "She proposes we locate the Abyssal and catch him by surprise. I agree."

Bright_Snow: takes to the air after the Thaumaturge

Brazen_Sand: Brazen slammed a fist into an open hand. "Damn right!"

Nomoe_Hideaki: There is the hint of a vicious grin in Nomoe's expression. "So we shall."

Brazen_Sand: "So...do we just wait until she talks in your mind or something?"

Brazen_Sand: "Hopefully Deliberator Rain can figure out a cure in time before everyone here dies. I don't know what I'd do if that happened."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Statistically speaking not everyone would die ... if it was a natural disease. Of course with Abyssals it's hard to say."

Brazen_Sand: Brazen snorted in irritation. "You know that's not the point!"

Brazen_Sand: "These people all trusted me!"

Brazen_Sand: "now look. They're dying and I cna't do shit to help them."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "I suppose it would be hard to take solace in considering the number of survivors, relative or absolute," Nomoe concedes.

Brazen_Sand: "Nomoe-san, for someone so good at talking to people and getting them to do what you want, you kind of suck at sympathy, you know that?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Noted. Does that mean you'd rather I manipulate you into feeling better?"

Brazen_Sand: "You just proved my point."

Brazen_Sand: "Again."

Brazen_Sand: Brazen sat down against a house to wait

Nomoe_Hideaki: shrugs slightly. "I was considering it a gesture of a certain ... respect, one might perhaps say ... not to do that."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "In any case, you should think again about your decision to relinquish rulership of Gem. Giving it under the auspices of the Deliberative may well turn out to be favorable - there are considerable resources it can bring to bear on the city's behalf. If that was your intention, then it is to be lauded."

Nomoe_Hideaki: He does not say that this wasn't the impression he got from Brazen Sand's 'abdication speech'.

Brazen_Sand: Brazen nodded and looked thoughtful. "Thanks...yeah, I guess this just shows that the Deliberative can do a better job then I can. I'm...no good at solving problems I can't just kill or throw or anything."

~Anshu: Snow follows the Thaumaturge to his workshop, where he quickly clears a space and begins writing a note.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "The Deliberative can ... if properly motivated. You should consider how to implement your abdication. You'll want to make sure to have Gem either declared a Deliberative direct dominion like the Realm, or choose a Deliberator you deem a worthy protector."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "As interim administrator the Justicar doubtlessly is a good choice, but in the long term you'll want someone else I dare say."

Brazen_Sand: Brazen looked down at Nomoe and smirked a bit. "I'm sure you have someone in mind, Nomoe-San?"

~Anshu: Once it's finished, he fetches the sand owl and binds the note to one leg, then gently tosses it out of the window, where it takes wing and begins flying up and out of the city.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Nomoe doesn't react to Brazen Sand's non-verbal implication. "If you're asking my opinion, yes, I could probably think of a few candidates you might speak to."

Brazen_Sand: "I'll definitely give them some consideration."

Bright_Snow: Hanging far enough back that she is sure the bird has not noticed her following it, Snow takes off after is. The shadows and the clouds rippling round the small crow as she flys in pursuit, the moonlight glowing in her eyes.

~Anshu: The owl wings its silent way through the Southern night sky, leading Snow east descending after a few miles to a small oasis hidden in the desert sands. At the water's edge, five figures shit around a fire.

~Anshu: sit*

Bright_Snow: Silently circling a few miles distant, thorugh powerful charms Snow studies the group in minute detail, noting not only the glint of steel in the faint firelight but the crying faces twisting in agony, each vying to be closest to the flames.

~Anshu: The Abyssal Circle numbers 3 men and 2 women; the owl lands on the shoulder of one of the men, the one with a black dagger beard, and he reaches up to stroke the bird's feather's before reaching down to fetch the message. He reads it, frowns, and turns to one of the other men and says something.

~Anshu: The other man frowns too, then shakes his head.

~Anshu: Goatee nods, as if expecting the answer, and begins to scrawl a response. When he's done, he ties it to the owl's leg and sends it on its way after offering a tidbit of something to its beak.

Bright_Snow: Having seen enough, Snow wheels and returns towards the city, five will be tricky.

Bright_Snow: */ There are five / She send impressions of each appearance, each image flickering like lit by candlelight / Her mood is grim/*