A Tale of Okeanos [IC]

[Ifni]

The South-East Coast of Petraya

It is a bright clear morning on the western edge of the Neck. The air is warm and soft, full of the scent of flowers and salt and rotting seaweed. Clouds gather low on the western horizon, promising afternoon rain, and a lessening of the season's muggy heat - but only those out at sea are likely to notice them. The eastern side of Petraya is sheltered by the island's mountains from rain and storms out of the boundless ocean of the West, and there the sun shines almost ceaselessly down on beaches of white coral sand.

Ye Thuza

The merchant-ship on which she'd booked passage is made fast to the docks, and Ye Thuza gets her first look at the town of Saril's Landing, principal trade-port of the isle of Petraya, conveniently located on the eastern coast.

The scenery is impressive; the town itself, rather less so. The azure bay is deep and well-sheltered by its curving sides, but there is only a thin strip of flat sandy soil along the coast before the land rears up into steep ridges, blanketed with lush jungle. Small wooden houses, their roofs thatched with straw, scatter the coastal strip and the lower slopes of the shaded ridges.

A few larger buildings stand out, mostly placed on the broad bases of the ridges. There is one two-story building, similar in design to the other houses, but sprawling where they are meager, and set in a broad swath of bright green lawn. There is a structure consisting only of a wide roof supported by carved wooden pillars, but crowded with stalls, likely a marketplace of some kind. Another roof-and-pillars structure, both newer-looking and more haphazard, sits beside a small square stone building that gleams brightly in the sun with fresh whitewash.

There are not really streets as such, more sandy paths between the houses and small garden plots. A few people are strolling about, and more can be seen sitting under the shade of roofs or awnings, or working in the gardens. The ship Ye Thuza arrived on is easily the largest currently in port, although fishing boats are plentiful.

Valos

The waters around Petraya are warm and shallow and airy, especially compared to the chill depths of Zhuzhiao's lair. It's pleasant for the human side of her; the giant squid is a little out of its depth. The shape of the seafloor is strange, not smooth but hummocked and broken - the relics, presumably, of the downfall of the continent that once rose above these seas.

But she has arrived at last, and it's time to begin her mission. Swimming in from the west, she has skirted to the southern side of the island. Akeakamai likely had worshippers among the mortal populace, living so close to land: she could begin by asking there. Alternatively, she could search for a local spirit court. But oddly enough, she has seen few sea-creatures since her arrival in these waters, even down to the schools of fish that she would expect to throng the coral reefs - perhaps they are scared off by her presence, but it is unusual in her experience.

Blue Yarrow

The brine cur has led her swiftly to her destination; now, on the seas off Petraya's southeastern coast, her canine companion is clearly relishing familiar territory, pausing to sniff at landmarks and occasionally going into paroxysms of barking delight. Between the two of them, they seem to have effectively scared off every fish in a ten-mile radius.

The sea-dog eventually guides her to a ring-shaped atoll, only a few miles out from Petraya's looming coastline. Plunging down beneath the surface, it swims toward an underwater gap in the reef - and then pauses, swinging its great head back toward Yarrow as if in uncertainty, or perhaps invitation.

Captain Riarde

He'd sailed past Saril's Landing, but given the town a wide berth; of all places in Petraya, that's by far the most likely location to find Immaculates or agents of the Realm. He's seen no sign of the Realm patrol boat that dogged their steps earlier, but better to be safe when his crew is so undermanned. Besides, that odd intuition is calling him further southward.

Once he's past the Landing, heading south-west along the coast, it's easy enough to find a secluded bay with water deep enough for his ship. Not many travelers or traders visit Petraya, and those who do go almost entirely to the Landing.

A brisk and somewhat treacherous walk along the coast later - there are places where the jungle comes all the way down to the water, and progress becomes a matter of picking one's way over and under great tree-roots and boulders slippery with seaweed - he rounds a small cape, and enters a horseshoe-shaped cove.

Tepet Dian

Dian's efforts to get dry before encountering civilization are only partly successful; the air is warm, but also rather moist, and while he has no trouble at all running deftly along rocks slick with seaweed and sharp-edged with barnacles, he's not immune to getting splashed by sea-spray.

But perhaps it doesn't matter, for his first sight of "civilization" is hardly worthy of the term - just one building, set on the beach of a horseshoe-shaped cove.

Keeper

The local "priestess" proves less than useful as a source of information; Reed Cormorant is only an acolyte, chosen more for her common sense and medical skills than any particular affinity with the spiritual, and she is clearly rather overwhelmed by - and defensive over - recent events.

However, she does suggest that he might speak with the senior-most local priestess of Akeakamai, Azure Wisdom. She lives near Saril's Landing, where the cult has a small shrine, but of late - and Reed whispers this quietly, as if sharing a confidence - she has been spending much time in meditation at the sea-temple, a couple of hours walk south of the town. The village in which they stand is even further south, so Reed has been one of the acolytes bringing food to Azure Wisdom during her vigil; it's only a few hours walk north along the coast, she tells him, and shorter by boat.

Laughing Gull had offered, unprompted, to give Keeper transport along the coast if needed; better than fishing empty waters, he'd said rather sourly.

Riarde, Dian, Keeper

In dreams or waking, there was a call; not a pull, not a tug, only a plea that came with a sense of where. But here, wherever here is, that awareness has faded; if they are to continue, from this point on the path is up to them.

The water here is bright, and deep, and very clear; every strand of seaweed growing on the bottom of the bay is visible. The symmetry of the cove is almost perfect, and no imperfections mar the white crescent of the coral-sand beach. At the end of the cove there is a building, half into the water, as if the sea had risen up to submerge it - or perhaps retreated to reveal it. It is hard to tell if it is built of wood or stone from a distance; the walls are thickly crusted with gleaming shells that catch the light and scatter it into rainbows.

Extending out into the water is an open platform, and on the platform a woman sits cross-legged, with her hands on her knees and her eyes closed as if in meditation. She is surrounded by handfuls of glowing white pearls, laid out in a sunburst pattern. Her hair is a brilliant blue; she wears a patterned cloth wrap and a headdress that glitters in the sun. It's difficult to make out details of either pattern or headdress from a distance.

Spoiler

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Order of arrival is going to be determined mostly by order of posting, and partly by who - if anyone - decides to be paranoid and hang back and see who else turns up

Riarde, the Keeper and Dian are all going to end up in more or less the same place around the same time, with Riarde arriving from the north, Dian arriving from the south/inland, and the Keeper arriving from the sea or the south along the coast, depending on whether he chooses to walk. Of course, if any of them would like to go visit Saril's Landing instead (or somewhere else), just let me know and I'll rewrite your section above.

Ye Thuza is in Saril's Landing for the moment and able to explore a bit. The two Lunars are currently out at sea; Yarrow with her dog-guide and Valos with a broad set of options - for Valos, just let me know where she'd go or what she'd do first.

Also let me know if you want clarification of the geography.

[Aevylmar]

Captain Riarde

"Hmm." Captain Riarde scrapes seaweed off his boot against a rock, straightens out the tassels of his coat. It's an excellent, captainly coat, one he'd find trouble replacing, not to mention that there's several pounds of firedust in it that he'd really rather avoid getting damp. Still, no harm done. This walk was just what he needed, to get his spirits high.

Having checked, he then dusts his hands off and strolls into the inlet. It's quite excellent, isn't it? The kind of beauty that really reminds you how lucky you are to be able to travel; the blue waves, the white sands, the golden sun gleaming off it all. "For your gifts, great Sun, I give thanks." It's quiet, casual, under his breath, but no less heartfelt for that.

Then he smiles a cheerful smile and raises a hand in greetings to the meditating woman. Out of a desire not to break her concentration, though, he says nothing that might disturb her.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm assuming he's arriving first from the fact that nobody else had posted when I started writing this. In the event that someone else would rather arrive first, they should feel free to do so.

[Yatogami Odin]

Valos of the Deep Trenches

---

Valos, in the form of a great siaka clad in a glistening chain shirt, works her jaw as she ponders her next course of action. 'What strange terrain, and stranger still is the absence of the fish. Perhaps a local spirit course will have some insight to share regarding these oddities.'

After a moment she decides that she would be best received if she was in her human form, and so takes a moment to change shapes before seeking out her next destination.

Spoiler: OOC

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Here's a (Perception 4 + Occult 2) roll to see if she can find any trace of a spirit court nearby: (6d10)[9][10][4][4][5][8](40)

EDIT: 3 successes.

Valos' Essence is currently at 11/12 Personal and 3/22 Peripheral; the 1m Personal was spent to shift to her human true form, and the 19m Peripheral are committed to her artifacts and West Mastery. Woohoo for tiny pools~

[OracleofSilence]

Tepet Dian

Dian sat, uncharacteristically still, at the edge of the cove. He was leaning, lounging more accurately, against a pleasantly smooth rock and the rough trunk of a fallen alba tree. The cove was beautiful, and the call, though less directed, was still present, but it was, for now, ignored.

The cove was beautiful, and if no one was in a hurry to meet him, then there was no harm in taking a moment to enjoy that beauty. Besides another man, a captain of some variety, had already entered the cove when Dian arrived. Maybe it would be for the best to spend some time just... watching. After all, this was a new land and...

Boring. SO BORING. Was this really what restraint felt like? What a waste. Dian leapt to his feet, shaking sand from his clothes as he does so, and strides rapidly out onto the beach, inclining his head towards the captain and maintaining his focus on the seated woman. No real need to talk, while Dian did find it desperately hard to remain still, silence was no issue.

[Aevylmar]

Captain Riarde

Hm. So he isn't the only one who's been summoned. Riarde tips his hat to Dian, taking advantage of the opportunity to get in a good look at the stranger.

[Ifni]

Riarde and Dian

At the sound of footsteps, the woman opens her eyes. Seeing Riarde first, she stands up rapidly, adjusting her headdress. Her gaze is very intent; her expression is... complex, some mingling of eagerness and nervousness and surprise half-masked beneath composure. Her eyes are strange, now that he's close enough to see her more closely; smooth blackness fills them almost from edge to edge. Her headdress is wrought from pale coral, and depicts leaping dolphins.

Before she can speak, Dian strides out onto the beach, and she blinks, her head swinging back and forth between the two men. But after a moment she clears her throat and says, with a passable semblance of calm, "Greetings; you are most welcome. What brings you here? I am Azure Wisdom, servant of Akeakamai - are you seeking healing, or spiritual counsel?"

Something in her tone suggests that she's seeking a different answer.

Valos

Valos knows something of the nodes and currents of power that underlie the world. Breathing in the local Essence and studying the patterns of growth on the ocean floor, she senses what feels like a faint warmth to the east, with her Essence senses rather than her physical ones - and consistently, there is more growth of seaweed and coral in that direction as well. It's not much, but it's a place to start.

After some time swimming toward the source, she sees motion ahead, a flurry of bubbles in the water. Approaching closer, the source of the bubbles is a pair of dog-like creatures - either playing or fighting, it's not quite clear. Their fur is green and weedy, their claws like daggers, and they are far larger than any land-bound dog; nonetheless, they are unmistakably canine.

They do not seem to have noticed her yet.

[Aevylmar]

Captain Riarde

"I suppose you could say that I'm seeking enlightenment," Riarde says. "You -" he glances at Dian - "someone here sent for me, and I always hate to disappoint."

[OracleofSilence]

Tepet Dian

"I heard a call. So I followed it." No need for complex explanations at the moment, and at least right now, things didn't seem un-amicable, so no real reason to lie.

[Yatogami Odin]

Valos of the Deep Trenches

---

Valos carefully approaches the canine creatures to get a closer look; even if they were fighting, it was not her place to interfere. Instead, she simply moves within their field of view in a non-threatening manner as she tries to gauge whether they were merely unusual sea life or spirits with whom she could communicate.

[Ifni]

Riarde and Dian

The woman exhales. Her expression is still strange; she can't seem to decide between relief, worry and incredulity. Her fingers twine around each other, although her face stays calm. Both Dian and Riarde notice that since she stood up, the pearls laid out around her have crumbled into fine white dust.

"Well then." She looks again from one to the other. "Neither of you look like Immaculates in disguise, at least..." She places her hands together and bows deeply. "Welcome twice over, my lords. It's my honor to meet you." She rises, and offers them both a crooked - and somewhat uncertain - smile. "I've never made such a petition before, and I wasn't expecting any of the Sun's champions to respond so quickly." Or at all, she might as well have added; she has the look of someone who still doesn't quite believe what is happening. "But I am the one who called for aid. Will you come inside? It is more comfortable there, and you can eat and drink if you wish, while I explain."

Spoiler

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I know the Keeper's working on an IC post, but they're just going to sit in the shade, this shouldn't interfere with him showing up.

Valos

The dog-creatures break off their play - and it does seem to have been play - as they notice her, and stalk toward her, growling guardedly. This close, she can see that their tongues are strange, with many independent-seeming lobes, and their mouths are packed with double rows of teeth. They are not shaped like animals naturally adapted to the water, not smooth and streamlined, and yet they move through the ocean with ease. Combined with her sense of a fount of Essence somewhere in the area, she suspects they are either spirits, or at the least some strange Wyld-changed beasts, not natural creatures.

Spoiler

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Valos, give me an Int+Occult roll to identify them.

[Yatogami Odin]

Valos of the Deep Trenches

---

Valos stops short and raises her hands to show she means no harm. "I am Valos, emissary of the High Princep of the Deep Trenches," she solemnly declares. "He has bidden me seek out the godling Akeakamai, with whom he had an arrangement. I ask for your assistance in locating him."

Spoiler: OOC

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Silly me, I meant to do that with my previous post. Here you go: (3d10)[2][4][7](13)

EDIT: Hey hey, one success. That's one more than I was expecting. ;-P

[Aevylmar]

Captain Riarde

"Of course!" Riarde smiles. "I'd be honored to accept your hospitality." His expression - his whole stance - is one of pure confidence; by the way he stands, no matter what the trouble is, he can handle it.

"I'm Riarde, by the way. Captain Riarde, of the Innocent Wager. Chosen of the Sun, certainly not an Immaculate of any stripe. So, what did you need help with?"

[Failed Phantasm]

Had there been room to lie down and sprawl out, Keeper would have let one arm dangle over the side of Laughing Gull's little boat and watched the ripples race away behind the churn kicked up by the bow. He had always wondered what that might feel like, leisurely drifting along, but the River of Queens was carrying miles' and miles' worth of who-knows-what where it emptied into the Great Western Ocean; sticking your hand into that was ill- advised, to say the least. It was certainly a far cry from the ocean surrounding the Neck. Here the sea was pristine and shallow enough that one could look down and see the sand sinuously snaking its way across the seafloor — and clear enough to take note of the utter absence of fish or other marine life. But Keeper had to make that observation as he leaned against the mast, taking what cover he could from the sun beneath the mainsail. Behind the mask, his jaw was clenched tight, but he said nothing that might interrupt or dispirit his host while the man sang a little sea shanty in Seatongue.

Reed Cormorant had been right: it was a far quicker journey by sea than land, and Keeper soon saw the cove coming into view. He might even have considered it beautifully striking had he seen it earlier that morning or at dusk, but at the moment it was too damnably bright to look at directly. But he adjusted his mask and hood and straightened his robes as they drew closer to shore — the mild discomfort was no excuse at all to be anything less than perfectly composed. 'Shame that I don't have a more thoughtful offering,' he thought; 'It might have made this "Azure Wisdom" more amenable to my being here.' Were this a temple of the Golden Lord, he would have left arrangements of lotus flowers and carefully-calligraphed prayer strips. He'd had the forethought to buy a few of the latter from a native-born priest in Solid Shell, but he was down to his last after his latest tour of the islands. He pressed a hand against his chest, where the slip of paper was safely stashed. 'This will have to do, alas.'

"Thank you, Laughing Gull," he said as he disembarked. "I shall strive not to keep you waiting long, if you wish to wait for my return." He inclined his head politely to the fisherman and then made the short trek from the beach to the pier upon which the priestess was seated. Already he could see two other persons with the priestess — 'Unexpected but not surprising, really.' — and he slowed his pace to a more deliberate cadence as he stepped onto the platform. "My greetings to you, Azure Wisdom, honored priestess of Akeakamai." Keeper clasped his hands before him and bowed at the waist. "I do hope I am not interrupting?" He turned his head ever so slightly towards the priestess'… guests? servants? consorts?… before looking back at her.

---

Spoiler: OOC

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CONDITION
Essence 42 / 53, Health Uninjured (-0), Willpower 10 / 10

➜ Personal 16 / 16
➜ Peripheral 26 + (11) / 37

[Kaworu]

Ye Thuza

The young Sidereal stepped into the soft sand at the beach. The place looked nice, even though the city was rather small. Keeping her head high, she marched in the direction of the biggest building, looking for some kind of mayor or what the locals had there. Her mission demanded that.

Currently (with the help of her fellow Exalted) she looked like a male Wood-aspected Dragon Blooded. She even had green hair! Petals created a few destinies for herself, but she thought that pretending to be an enligthened person from Realm will do her the best.

But now, using her disquise, she had to find the most knowledgeable and powerful person there. As an agent of Fate, she had to act - even if subtly.

[OracleofSilence]

Tepet Dian

"Lead away, my Lady. No need for the honorifics though. I am no lord." The honorifics still came smoothly, even if it made his head ache to utter them, but regardless of his long practiced court niceties, Dian is clearly discomforted. Given the circumstances it was obviously impossible to offer even the slightest hint at his actual identity, but that still raised the question of why he was here. For now though, best to play along. He had stumbled into an opportunity, even if there were risks, and it would be a waste to simply let that slip by.

Aaaaand now someone else arrived. The risk was increasing. Dian clamped down ruthlessly on the urge to get out. Acting suspicious now would just make things worse.

[Ifni]

The Cove (Dian, Riarde, the Keeper)

About to lead Dian and Riarde inside, Azure Wisdom pauses as she sees Laughing Gull's boat entering the inlet, with an apologetic glance at her two visitors. She waits until the fisherman and his passenger disembark, and nods politely in acknowledgement of the Keeper's bow and words. Her body language has shifted; more regal, her previous uncertainty well-concealed.

"You are welcome to my temple, sir. What brings you here?" She turns her hand toward the other two men. "I have two guests at present - if you have a simple question or other such brief request, I can speak with you now, or if your business does not require privacy, we can speak while my guests refresh themselves. But else I must ask you to wait, or return at a later time."

Valos

At the name Akeakamai, the dog-creatures' ears prick up. One begins swimming eastward; the other circles closer to Valos as if to herd her in the same direction, making small yipping noises.

The name the Lunar has been trying to remember finally comes to mind: brine curs. Water elementals, they often serve in the courts of ocean-spirits of various ranks; they are intensely loyal to and protective of their masters, much like the true dogs they resemble. They understand Old Realm to a limited degree, but cannot speak - their minds are closer to those of very-intelligent dogs than to humans. They prefer the upper waters, and so do not regularly serve in Zhuzhiao's domain, but she has seen them from a distance in the company of visiting spirits.

Ye Thuza

Shi Mi makes his way down the gangplank and into the town, heading toward the large house. When he comes closer, he can see that its construction is of wooden logs, with many large open windows to admit the breeze. A stylized lobster is painted in bright blue above the wide-framed doorway. The garden surrounding the house is bright with flowers in carefully arranged beds.

A young man, little more than a boy, is leaning against the wall beside the doorway. He is wearing a black-stained buff jacket decorated with coral beads, has a spear held loosely in one hand, and looks both very bored and very overheated.

At Shi Mi's approach, he straightens up, clears his throat, and declares, "Elder Gliding Manta holds audiences in the afternoon on Venusday." This self-assured speech is somewhat diminished by his nervous swallow as he takes in the visitor's garb and appearance.

[Failed Phantasm]

As Keeper straightened from his bow, there was something different in his bearing as well: a certain self-assured dignity, a gracefully acrobatic poise. If his voice had a pleasant lilt before, now it was fairly melodic. Would that he had the inclination to show his face, but perhaps it was all the more impressive that he could be so appealing while still having every square inch of himself completely concealed. 'Two can play this game, priestess.' Smiling to himself, he said, "Might I venture a guess that my lady knows exactly why I am here?" Without turning his head, he cast a sideways glance towards Laughing Gull down on the beach. "And that you likewise know that my business is anything but private?"

He withdrew the prayer strip from within the folds of his robes with so deft and seamless a motion it was as if he had done nothing more than remove a loose thread. As he did so, he continued: "For what other purpose would one come to a temple but to make an offering, priestess? Indeed, I have two of them for you." Placing one hand behind his back he made another, shallower bow and extended the strip to her in his outstretched hand. "The first, from villagers who have shown me such selfless hospitality during my stay here." He again looked towards Laughing Gull, but this time made a slight nod in his direction. "A prayer for the safety and well-being of Akeakamai," — surely, she was too on edge to miss the subtle emphasis he put on those words — "and that Petraya and its people continue to prosper under his protection."

He paused a moment to study her reaction, but only just. If he had managed to strike true, it was important not to let her regain her composure. "As for the second," he said, "I would offer you my personal assistance with, if I may dare another guess," — he glanced briefly at both Riarde and Dian — "the matter that you were about to discuss with these gentlemen." He paused for a moment, playing with the words on the tip of his tongue. 'Ugh, repeating myself. How delightfully droll.' But he nevertheless said, "It is, after all, in Skullstone's best interests to protect Petraya's best interests. What else are close neighbors for?"

---

Spoiler: OOC

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ACTIONS TAKEN

Keeper spends one mote of Personal Essence to activate Exquisite Etiquette Style.

---

CONDITION
Essence 41 / 53, Health Uninjured (-0), Willpower 10 / 10

➜ Personal 15 + (1) / 16
➜ Peripheral 26 + (11) / 37

ACTIVE EFFECTS

• Exquisite Etiquette Style – (Until next action)

[Kaworu]

Ye Thuza

The Sidereal smiled ath the young man who was speaking to her.

Good day to you. My name is Shi Mi, I came here a long way from Realm specially to see Petraya. I am a monk of Immaculate Order. I am here due to some rumors about recent, un-Immaculate gods activity. As you surely know well, we have a calandar of ceremonies and if the rumors are true, some gods are receiving more prayers than they should, thus becoming dangerous for mortal population. My order is very saddened by this fact. I would like to speak, on the behalf of my holy organization, with the mayor of this city about this and other possibly worsening conditions. I am sure that this gentle man will make an exception for me.

[Yatogami Odin]

Valos of the Deep Trenches

---

'Hmph. It would seem these brine curs do not speak Seatongue. I suppose I shall have to choose my words carefully... or else hope that I can speak more freely with their master.' Valos diligently follows the dog-like spirit eastward.

Spoiler: OOC

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I suppose I might as well make a (Perception + Awareness) sight-seeing roll: (7d10)[1][1][9][9][2][8][7](37)

EDIT: Woohoo, four successes. Not looking for anything in particular, just whatever stands out to the eye. Also, sorry that the post is so short. I couldn't think of anything else to put.

[The_Snark]

The bulk of the journey has taken place in the sunlit upper reaches of the ocean, in part for warmth's sake but mostly because for all Blue Yarrow's ease in the water, she cannot breathe it. This isn't the first time in the past few hours that her guide has gone diving into deeper waters, to sniff at some outcropping on the sea floor or gambol through colorful reefs. If Blue were an impatient woman, she might have grown frustrated, but she is not and so is perfectly content to watch the brine cur at play. Its enthusiasm is contagious; a sea dragon cannot smile and is unsuited to frolicking, but she's been tempted. (After all, who's watching?)

This time, though, there's a sense of purpose in its movements. Blue answers its look with a dip of her head, rises to the surface to take in air one more time, and dives. Halfway down her body changes, tattoos shimmering silver as her body first slims itself and then shrinks. When she arrives she is half-woman and perhaps a quarter the size, her upper body tinted blue and lightly scaled but otherwise perfectly human.

She slows as she nears the hound, waiting for it to lead her in.

[Ifni]

The Cove

Azure Wisdom is very still, but she inclines her head to the Keeper and accepts his offering, winding the strip around her hands. She glances past him at Laughing Gull, before turning back to the visitor from Skullstone. "I thank you for your offering. So do we all pray."

To Keeper's well-honed gaze, the priestess is clearly concealing both worry and hope. At the name of Akeakamai her eyes turned downward, just briefly, as if in grief, and at his mention of Petraya's best interests her lips twisted a little wryly. If this is deception, she is a master actor; what he can read of her intentions is simply to find help.

"Mind you, I've had to judge neighborhood disputes before," she adds mildly and more casually, and the wry smile becomes more apparent. "So I am well aware that proximity does not always lead to harmony. But since your arrival is so timely - at this point, I won't refuse assistance." The glance she gives the Keeper, as she leads the three into the shrine, holds more than a hint of... curiosity? Bemusement?

The room adjacent to the platform has wide louvered doors that open onto the platform; at present they are spread open to admit light and air. The inside walls are painted plain white, with a floor of polished wood. Mats are piled in one corner of the room. Lengths of tan-colored cloth printed with dark patterns hang from the walls; the patterns seem to show stylized sea-creatures.

Azure Wisdom sets out mats and a low wooden table for the food, and gestures to them to sit. From an adjacent room she brings small plates and bowls, and cups for tea. It seems there are no servants here at present. The food she lays out is simple: breadfruit, coconut meat and milk, bananas wrapped in leaves, and bowls of a thick taro porridge. She brings in a large pitcher of chilled tea, and pours for each of them in turn.

When everyone is served, she takes a seat herself, but does not take any of the food, although she sips at a cup of tea.

"Forgive me, first, for speaking of serious matters during a meal," she begins. "But I suspect you are all busy men, and time may be of the essence here. First, I am grateful to you all for coming here, for whatever reasons." Her gaze flicks to Keeper, still with a hint of puzzlement in it. "Some of what I say may be known to you, but still, I will begin at the beginning..."

She takes a long breath. "For as long as any here can remember, the Dolphin-Lord Akeakamai has held this land and its people under his protection. He has ensured good fishing for our people, warned our ships of storms, and kept us safe from malevolent sea-spirits. We pray and sacrifice to the great gods of the sea as well, of course -" she assures them hastily. "To the Ocean Father and Rudhira Storm-Rider, and the Wise Crab who favors fishermen. But Akeakamai has always been our especial patron." She runs a hand across her sea-blue hair. "From time to time he even mingles his own divine blood with our families. He is my father as well as my patron, and I have served him gladly since I was old enough to understand the vows."

She breathes in, breathes out. "And now he is... missing." I hope, her tone says as clearly as any words. "For almost a month now, he has not answered my prayers. The fish have left our fishing grounds, and storms have come and gone without warning. He left me no word; I was as surprised as anyone else when he fell silent. And that is... not something he would do, not by choice or by carelessness."

She folds her hands together. "This is what I would ask of you, my lords - or not-lords," she adds to Dian, with a smile. "To go where I cannot, to learn what has happened to my father, and - if it can be done - to restore him to us so that he may set things right." She grimaces, and adds candidly, "Before the Immaculates finish persuading my people that they have been abandoned and betrayed, and that this is the natural and inevitable consequence of worshipping the gods. An outcome which I do not think any of us would favor."

The Ocean

Blue dives into a world of coral in a hundred vibrant colors, brilliant orange and lurid blue, blossoming pink and verdant green. Here, for the first time, she sees small fish darting between the coral, and clams and starfish on the seafloor.

She swims forward, following the hound - and feels an indefinable change in the water, as she passes through the the gap in the ring wall. The water was warm and pleasant before, but now it seems to stroke her skin; the fish are more abundant, and while the colors of the corals are not as bright as they were outside, if anything their shapes are even more fantastic.

The hound rises up to the surface, and Blue follows it, to find herself in a wide cerulean lagoon.

It is, she notes, much wider than the atoll looked from outside. Several small islands rise up from the water; the largest holds a pavilion seemingly constructed entirely of ivory-colored coral. These, as well, were not visible from without.

That is as much as she has time to notice before several other brine curs rush toward her through the water, barking furiously.

~

Valos swims through the waves for some time, following the hounds. Even in this less-threatening form, she still sees very little in the way of fish and other sea-life, although the seaweed and coral seem to be flourishing, and there are clams and other shellfish clinging to the rocks.

When she finally sees something that isn't rolling sea-floor, there are two things that catch her eye. A swell washes over her from the direction of the hounds' travel, and peering forward, she can see a reef of rocks and coral up ahead - and beneath the water she sees a glint of silver light off a long tail, as it vanishes into a gap in the coral.

At the same time, well off to her left toward the island of Petraya, she catches sight of a small dark humanoid form swimming down toward the seafloor, darting through rocks and stands of seaweed.

The hounds do not seem to have noticed the latter occurrence, and are still swimming steadily toward the atoll.

The Town

The young man flinches, and clutches his spear more tightly. When he speaks, his voice wobbles a little. "He's the Elder, not the mayor. He wears the sacred blue claw. How do I know you're an Immaculate monk? Anyone could claim that." He peers at Shi Mi. "Did Honored Sarathi send you?"

Spoiler

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You can roll a social attack, using [Manipulation or Charisma]+[Performance or Presence], to persuade him to let you in.

[Kaworu]

Ye Thuza

I am very sorry. Elder, not mayor. I will try to remember. Please, forgive my ignorance, it is my first time in a foreign country - said "Shi Mi" with real tone of apology in his voice.

As to me being an Inmaculate Monk... - he continued, smiling slightly - There is a special martial arts technique passed from generations to generations. If I will perform it in front of you, you could not take your eyes off me, no matter how hard you would try. Please, look - he stated, standing in a battle-ready position.

Soon, he started to move. His movements were like those of a snake, continuos, smooth, never-ending. He performed feats of martial arts, and wherever he went, the sight of young boy followed him.

Do you believe me now? - asked monk, still moving, beautiful as an anaconda from the far East.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Unbreakable Fascination Kata [-4m from Personal Pool]

Roll: Martial Arts (5) + Essence (3) + Charisma (4) = 12 dices

(12d10)[4][3][2][7][8][10][7][1][6][9][8][7](72)

Should I add dices for my Specialty? She is unarmed, after all...

[The_Snark]

This isn't the first time Blue has treated with spirits; she's no monk or priestess, but she knows a bit from her days as a sailor and the Sage has taught her more. It is, however, the first time she's seen a spirit court proper. And it must be that, despite the lack of, well, courtiers. Even if Akeakamai's hound hadn't led her here, it feels like the sort of home she'd imagine a dolphin-god making for himself.

Also, it's bigger on the inside than the outside, that's a bit of a clue.

Bit empty, though. Shouldn't there be... reef-tenders, windsingers, wave-nymphs, tidecombers, other little gods of sea and sand and sky? She's not sure but it feels like there ought to be someone other than the dogs to greet her.

Oh, yes: dogs. At least the baiju's guard dogs are here. Blue ceases swimming and drifts to a halt as they approach, resting near the surface. For most spirits she'd bow. These ones are dogs; wouldn't give the right impression. All right, if her guide's presence isn't enough to get her welcomed, let's see... "Hello?" she tries; her brine cur seemed to understand some Old Tongue but she isn't sure how much. "I'm here with a message for Akeakamai."

[Aevylmar]

"Of course I'll help!" Riarde declares impulsively. "If the patron of Petraya has gone missing, something is clearly wrong that needs to be fixed, and I'll be glad to help."

He hesitates for a moment, though. "I know very little about gods, and the nature of their life or death. How is it that an undying, immortal god could be trapped, or injured, or even killed?"

[Ifni]

The Cove

Azure Wisdom smiles back at Riarde, looking genuinely relieved for a moment. "Thank you, my lord. That is... very good to hear."

"As for how a god might be trapped or injured or slain -" She grimaces. "Gods can die, or be wounded, by violence. But only terrible magics can slay one permanently." She pauses, but after a moment goes on reluctantly, "If that's what's happened... I would guess an Immaculate Master for the responsible party. They have the motivation, and it seems like the kind of technique they would develop. I haven't heard of any such adepts in the area - our new Immaculate missionary is mortal, by all reports - but there have been more Realm ships around of late."

"But usually, when a god dies, they restore themselves in their sanctum, and fairly quickly - within a few weeks, if what I've been taught is accurate. My father's sanctum is intact - it caps an Essence-node offshore. If it had been destroyed, we would know."

"As for trapping one -" She opens her hands. "Gods can become immaterial, so any trap could not be purely mundane. And my father is clever; dolphins are all tricksters." She sounds a little as if she's trying to convince herself. "If it was a simple, passive trap, he would surely have won his way free. So if he is held prisoner, either it is a complex passive trap, or he has supernatural guards."

The Atoll

The dogs draw back slightly; they are still growling, but with a tone of warning rather than immediate aggression. Blue's escort yips at them, and then begins swimming toward the coral pavilion. The other dogs hang back; they do not seem interested in keeping her away. Their ears are drooping; if they were mortal dogs, she would say they seem disappointed.

The Town

The young man stares, transfixed. "Yes," he murmurs, as if in a trance.

Only when the Charm is released does he move to open the door. "Stay here, sir. I'll... I'll tell him you're here."

A few moments later, the door swings open, and a man in late middle age walks out. He is heavily built, with a sun-weathered face and turquoise hair streaked with white. A brilliant blue lobster claw hangs on a chain around his neck. He wears a patterned wrap of the local pounded-bark cloth, and is scowling. The young guard follows behind him, a little shame-faced.

"What is this, then? The boy says you are an Immaculate Master, come to put a stop to our heathen practices."

[Kaworu]

Ye Thuza

Welcome, Elder. It is a pleasure to meet you - Shi Mi did not forget his manners - You could say that I have come here to put a stop on your practices, but in fact, I do not know what they are. For now, I want to talk and assess what has been done there and for how long. After that I will decide what is best both for my order and for Petraya. Please, do not treat me as an intruder, I have the very best intention of helping you to find spiritual balance. - he said, still smiling. Ye Thuza as a Chosen of Serenity could not be harsh, plus she believed that being nice would be more profitable than being rude or demanding.

[Yatogami Odin]

Valos of the Deep Trenches

---

Valos presses her lips into a hard line. 'If I spoke their tongue, I could ask them to hold while I investigate that other figure, but as it is I cannot lightly abandon these spirits when they have seen fit to guide me somewhere else... I suppose that figure may have nothing to do with my mission, so I will let this pass.'

She forces herself to look forward, searching instead for any clues as to the owner of that silvery tail. 'Whatever that might have been, the spirits are unalarmed or at least unaware. My attention is best focused on the path ahead.' Thus resolved, she swims on a little faster to better keep up with her guides.

[Ifni]

The Elder's House

Gliding Manta's frown fades away, as he studies Ye Thuza more closely. "I see. Indeed. Well, the Immaculates of the Realm are always very welcome here, of course."

He gestures past Ye Thuza, toward one of the ridges that rises up from the town. "You know, of course, that there are members of your order already present here - Honored Kiro, who has dwelled here for many years, and Honored Sarathi, who has only recently graced us with her presence, but has already won many friends. Perhaps you might begin by consulting with them?"

The Ring Atoll

As Valos draws closer to the coral cliff, she sees a gap in the reef beneath the surface; the brine curs seem to be steering directly for it. She goes through in a tumble of dogs and sea-foam, the curs pressing close against her; she feels a momentary disorientation, and then she is somewhere... different.

The lagoon is broad, far larger than it appeared from outside, and the water is shallow and warm - almost too warm, after the cold and pressure of the Deep Trenches. There are fish here, darting around the coral, and other small sea-creatures - clams and urchins and starfish, anemones and sea-cucumbers. The sand on the bottom of the lagoon is brilliantly white. Several small islands rise up from the surface; the largest holds a bone-white pavilion, built from dead coral.

More of the brine curs are paddling in the lagoon; they are mostly clustered just ahead of her, but seem to be moving apart, as if whatever had caught their interest is no longer quite so compelling. At Valos' entrance, kelp-green ears perk up and several of them begin swimming in her direction, exchanging yips and barks with her canine companions.

Beyond the mass of waving tails and kelp-fur and claws, however, Valos can see that flash of silver again - and then the silvered being turns, and Valos sees her human torso and long scaled dragon-tail, and the gleaming tattoos that mark her body, and she knows what she is looking at. If not who, at least at first glance.

Spoiler

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Assuming that you want to go in here; if you don't, just let me know in the OOC and I'll rewrite.

If you do go in, Valos and Blue can now talk to each other.

[Yatogami Odin]

Valos of the Deep Trenches

---

Valos observes her new surroundings with equal parts wonder and distaste; her new powers had given her the means to enjoy vast vistas the likes of which could not easily be rivaled on land, and certainly the sights were more pleasing to the eye than the endless, largely static view of the ocean's surface that dominated a shipboard perspective, but she had come to admire the cold austerity of her master's domain.

Her musings on that front are quickly curtailed when she recognizes a kindred spirit floating before her - a fellow Steward unmistakably distinguished by her argent tattoos. Valos is almost certain that she had seen this particular Steward before, but she cannot remember exactly where they had met, or what her name might be. 'I spoke with few others during my time with the Silver Pact, so it is unsurprising that I recall so few faces and even fewer names... More importantly, it seems that this Steward has adopted her war form. Why? Is there imminent danger here?'

Over the next few moments, Valos' form swells, redoubling her already imposing stature as her skin and hair take on the hue of the midnight sea. Her legs split into an octet of swaying tentacles, each parting the water with greater ease and power than her human limbs ever could. Her moonsilver armor shifts in tandem with the rest of her body, girding almost every inch with brilliant metal. This was the form in which Valos felt most at home.

"Hail and well met, comrade," she says when her transformation is complete. "I am Valos, Emissary of the Deep Trenches. What brings you to this atoll?" Simple and direct, as suits her temperament.

Spoiler: OOC

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There's another 5m spent, bringing her totals to 9/12 Personal and 0/22 Peripheral; she split the expenditure into 2m and 3m, which reveals her caste marks and Tell. The Armiger is presently in its true form, i.e. superheavy plate, which covers everything but her head. I sure would love to see a squid in plate armor. :-3

[Kaworu]

Ye Thuza

Yes Elder, I know there are other Immaculates, but as you are the leader of this community, I decided it would be better to come first to you rather than to my brothers in faith - said Shi Mi. I will talk about it undoubtelly with my companions, but please, tell me like friend to friend - are there some things that make you angry? Sad? Surprised? Something changed latety? Anything I could be of help? - he asked, looking the Elder straight in his eyes.