Exalted: Saving Pinehull

[Ravyn]

"Understood. I look forward to meeting with him, then. " She bows again to the firebird, then turns around to Beigis.

"First problem--solution in process. Lot easier than I thought it would be. Now, for our nex--er....." And then she realizes that almost everyone in the plaza is looking at her.

"....ummm...." She shrinks back ever so slightly from all the people looking at her, then recovers almost as quickly and steps up with the cheerful smile of a performer fresh from her first concert. "Thank you, everyone, I'm here for the foreseeable future, I do take song requests, my accompanist accepts any sort of seed, and yes, I can do lessons."

[Terraoblivion]

As the conversation between the firebird and Taraneh wore on Miyuki listened with interest. When it seemed to be about to end, she half-turned to see what kind of spirit was talking and who the one talking to it was. She took a long enough look at Taraneh to recognize the girl later on. There was more to this woman than was immediately visible, talking to her looked like it would be vital in dealing with the situation in the town.

"My sister is right, we will prepare to face this beast tonight. We promise to end this menace against the village once and for all." She looked up at the elder, her expression serious as she talked. "And now if you will excuse us i need to discuss this with my sister so that we can prepare for tonight." With that she turned to follow her sister in the direction of their retainers. "Before we prepare can we go somewhere private to talk. I have heard a few things that can influence our plans."

[Brickwall]

Stone Spring

As the apparent conversation between the girl and the spirit ends, Stone takes his cue to enter.

"You, young shaman girl, and you, man," he says, indicating Taraneh and Beigis, "We need to talk. There are enough empty cabins for us to find privacy." He doesn't sound like he's asking.

[Ravyn]

Nitza, you know who to keep an eye on, watch out for the cat, don't draw attention.... yes, I know that sounds funny coming from me, now get going.

As the bird takes off to go watch the other people, Taraneh smiles up at the newcomer. "I was wondering when you'd ask. Now's good. Pick a cabin." The words are slightly faster than her normal, and she maintains a tight grip on the shoulder-strap of her dulcimer case even after she jauntily slings it back onto her back.

[Kantolin]

Beigis smiled, at Taraneh's hesitant statement. "Heh, it seems to be solved indeed." He said, after her statement on lessons. "I may take you up on those lessons - but later. Perhaps we should - "

He blinked, as another man jumped into the conversation. This was not done, however, with friendly comfort - it was more of a demand set, which put Beigis on edge.

"Jus - " He began, as Taraneh responded to him. Beigis, for a fraction of an instant, raised an eyebrow - she seemed awfully accepting of his tone, or didn't seem to notice. Perhaps she knew him? Regardless, he flowed with it, at least for now.

"I noted an empty cabin just over there - should be private enough." He stated, pointing to where he'd noted.

[Brickwall]

Stone Spring

Stone turns toward the cabin Beigis suggests. He motions the other two to follow.

He holds the door open for them, and closes it when they're both inside. He hangs his large fur cloak up, but it looks like something fairly large is under it. It's obvious now that he has silvery tattoos all over his body, including a particularly ornate symmetrical design on his chest and back. Despite the fact that his upper body is bare, he does not seem to mind the temperature at all. He sits on the floor. He motions for them to do the same.

"In the interest of politeness, you may ask your questions first. I have many, and I am not interested in a heated back-and-forth."

[Ravyn]

"No, it's all right. You go ahead." Taraneh sits down calmly. "I'm not entirely sure where I'd start."

[Kantolin]

It takes Beigis a moment, but he too plunks down. "Yeah, go ahead. I'm mostly curious as to what you're going to ask."

There was a nagging something in the back of his head - one of those irritating feelings, like he was forgetting or overlooking something important. Still, he paid it no mind.

[Brickwall]

Stone Spring

"Very well. What are your names, and on whose authority do you invoke the gods of this land, as you are both foreigners?" Straight and to the point, as one might have expected.

[Ravyn]

"My name is Taraneh Larkchaser, and I am here by my right as an enforcer of the heavenly order and training as a spirit-negotiator." She chuckles. "Word of Fire-in-Ice's dereliction of duty spread beyond his borders, and between that and the other difficulties this town was having.... well, someone had to come here, and I was what was available, so here I am."

[Brickwall]

Stone Spring

"So what's wrong, and how are you going to fix it?" Either he didn't notice the evasiveness of Taraneh's response, or he just didn't care.

[Kantolin]

Enforcer of the heavenly order?

"I'm Beigis Melrode." Finding his current pose to be a bit uncomfortable, he shifted his weight. "I'm not here on any authority - when I came, I saw the devastation and opted to do whatever I could to help."

He smiled. "Taraneh is then clearly more skilled at speaking to spirits, so my goals have shifted to 'help her how I can', as that seems to be a better method of solving this particular problem."

He also had the question 'And you are?', but he figured he'd wait on that one. "Ah, and no, I'm not from around here."

[Ravyn]

"Divine negligence, the rampaging whateveritis, heavy signs of destruction, one person dabbling in things unknown, and that's only the parts people bothered to tell me about." Taraneh sighs. "So I've been doing triage, for starters. Figured that doing something about the Fire in Ice issue might at least help against the beastie, since it seems to have arrived around when he stopped tu--stopped allowing flame here, and that's slightly more suited to my skills, so I arranged an invitation to negotiate. I imagine there will be visitors standing in line to smack the rampaging beastie tonight, but I'll try to show up once I've finished with my negotiations.... and I've another lead involving a resident that I'm probably going to try to follow up on. After that.... well, I caught signs there might be a demon here, and there are a few other features of the surrounding area I'd like to look into more closely, and knowing my kind of luck everything I solve will reveal to me two other things that need to be done...."

[Brickwall]

Stone Spring

Stone seems to pause to absorb all that.

"It sounds like you have a lot you want to do. I hate to press more on you, but have you ever heard of a place called "Jaerg"? It's old, and I never really studied much history."

[Ravyn]

"No, unfortunately. That sounds like pretty obscure history, even for... this sort of thing."

Taraneh looks at him more closely. "Do you have context? And while we're at it, might you be willing to provide us with your name?"

[demihappycow]

Seras

Wandering about the village a bit to get a lay of the land, as well as attempting to locate her retainers, Seras speaks in low tones (and High Realm) to her sister. "What is it that you've heard? Something to do with that commotion while we were speaking with the elder, I assume," she says somewhat distractedly, obviously deep in her own thoughts. There is an odd feel to this whole situation, like I'm missing important still...

[Terraoblivion]

Miyuki fell into step next to her sister, nodding slightly. "It is. The girl who managed to call the spirit by praying to Fire in Ice is likely more than she seems. The spirit seemed to hint at that and her skill was profound, she is not a priestess of Fire in Ice, she sacrificed nothing and Fire in Ice has talked to anybody. She was able to just walk in and get an audience with him. At the very least she is a truly remarkable mortal who can be of aid in making Fire in Ice return life to this village, but she might be more. A godblooded or one of the dragon's children perhaps. This also means that we need to talk to her soon and beware of her, a conflict with her could be dangerous for the people here, while an alliance with her could be of great help. I have Kagami spying on her for now, but i hope to make contact soon. Possibly even today."

As she spoke she looked over the town and the villagers daily life. The pattern of life in this wretched place might give hints of why it had reached the condition it had. And learning more about Fire in Ice and his cult could be of great help in negotiations with him.

[GryffonDurime]

The Town of Pinehull

Life, if one is generous enough to call it that, seems somewhat normal in Pinehull today: most huddle inside the remaining cabins, telling stories over red ashes. One particularly healthy-looking woman--a cause for no small amount of wonder given her surroundings--has a huge, old pot cooking over coals fed by her husband's bellows. A small que is forming in front of her cabin as the soft scent of thickening soup fills the cold air of the plaza.

Besides the cook, activity is limited: the merchant in yellow silk and expensive furs is back, smoking a pipe. He seems to need his nerves calmed--he's shaking a little, but it is also quite cold in all fairness.

Cricket, the village elder, has joined his priestess at brazier, and both are examining the hot, glassy shards left from the appearance of the garda bird, prayers always on their lips.

[demihappycow]

Seras

Nodding and thinking seriously for a moment before replying. "You know where she is now? No sense in waiting then," she says and gestures for Miyuki to lead the way.

[Terraoblivion]

Miyuki shook her head, as she started to half turn. "Unfortunately no. I cannot talk to Kagami without her being there and she did not follow the girl, but if she is not outdoors she is probably indoors somewhere. And most likely didn't go far from the brazier. We should look in that area" She headed in the direction of the brazier and approached Cricket and the priestess. "Excuse me. Did either of you see where the young singer who managed to contact Fire in Ice went. I believe she can help me and my sister in our efforts to help you."

[GryffonDurime]

Cricket

"Hm? Uhm...well," the old man begins, stammering slightly. "I'm sorry, I didn't. Can't have gone too far though, can she? Not with a standing invitation like that from Tears of Glowing Ember. She's probably just getting warm in one of the cabins," Cricket says, never taking his eyes off the brazier.

[demihappycow]

Seras

"No matter, she'll be out and about soon enough I'm sure," says Seras with a good natured grin, and takes her leave of the old man again. Another decent essence wielder could be of great help if this beast turns out to be a Moon Mad. She must be around here somewhere...

Strolling briefly around the nearby cabins, Seras looks closely at each before realizing she has no actual idea what she is looking for. Chuckling she says to Miyuki in high realm, "Oh this is senseless, I'll just tell the others to keep an eye out. We should be getting under shelter ourselves, and perhaps a little sleep before dark..." She takes a long look up at the sky before finishing, "It may turn out to be a long night."

[Terraoblivion]

After properly thanking the old man, Miyuki headed off to follow her sister. "We could always try knocking on doors and hope she opens. Other than that about the only thing we can do is have Kagami watch the area, that way i can see should she leave her cabin. Or we could just wait until tomorrow to talk to her, but we should find her. But let us gather the others and prepare ourselves for tonight."

[Brickwall]

Stone Spring

Stone exhales audibly.

"I did ask you to get your questions out of the way first. However, it is fairly important that you know the answer to this one, I suppose."

There's a slight pause. A telltale sheen on Stone's forehead accompanies the sudden pronouncement of the antlers on his head. Though there is no true sound, it is like a clarion bell in its forceful appearance.

"I am Stone Spring, Chosen of Luna. I believe you've already guessed my business here."

[demihappycow]

Seras

After a quick look around Pinehull, Seras locates her retainers. "Blossom, can you make sure to wake me before dark? I may be up all night waiting for the local beastie to make an appearance so I want to get some rest now," she says, stretching and flexing a bit while casting a thoughtful glance down at her armor. How long has it been since I've taken off my armor? No, something could come up before nightfall, to risky to sleep unarmored. Not like I smell that bad, not compared to the locals anway...

"And River, could you make sure there is something warm for me to eat when I awaken? Thank you. Oh everyone, there is a woman around here that we'd like speak with, possibly a god-blood or something like that, Miyuki can describe her, but do rouse me if you she turns up before dark," she says, before settling down to attempt sleeping for awhile. Still feels like there is something else important I should be doing right now... Probably just nerves. This may turn out to be my first big fight on my own after all.

[Terraoblivion]

Miyuki nodded slightly at her sister's direction to the retainer. "I will try my best to describe her. I did not get a clear view as i was talking to the elder at the time and i did not want to scare her by paying too close attention, me and Seras aren't exactly inconspicuous." She frowned a bit as said that last bit. "But in any case i did not get a clear view. She is young, not much older than me i think, and from her clothes it should be obvious that she is not from here. She carries some kind of musical instrument and tends to speak in a strange indirect manner. I think that is all i can say. If you find her, come talk to me and Seras."

Having said the last bit to the retainer she sat down next to Seras, looking at the dragonblooded with a slightly worried expression. Something was preying on Seras' mind, it was clear. It was probably nothing important, but still. The last year had not been easy on either of them and worries over it might be what was eating her sister. Betraying everything you had ever learned out of sheer trust would be hard on anybody. She shrugged off her worries, she needed sleep if she was to face a beast that might quite well be a lunar exalted that night. She lay down on the cabin floor and tried making herself as comfortable as possible on the cold, hard floor.

[Ravyn]

So I did see and hear correctly.... why couldn't Solada have told me the proper protocols for this? Taraneh sucks in her breath sharply, then grins. "Eeeeexcellent, someone who's better suited to fighting off rampaging beasties than I am. It is an honor to meet you, moon-warrior, and I look forward to our work together. You will, I hope, pardon me for not going shiny in kind; I'd like to do a little more looking around town, and being conspicuous--all right, more conspicuous than I've already managed to be--tends to be counterproductive to my work."

[Brickwall]

Stone

Stone raises an eyebrow at Taraneh.

"I think I missed the part where you said you were Exalted, unless there's some other kind of person that can make themself glow at will. Are you a mutant?"

[Ravyn]

"No, no, I'm normal.... as normal as any of us get, anyway, not that that's saying much." She chuckles. "So yeah, I just skipped an explanation is all. There anything else you need?"

[Brickwall]

Stone Spring

"You skipped the explanation again. But I really don't feel like interrogating anyone, and I'm not particularly good at it, so you, Taraneh, may go. Beigis, we need to discuss other matters."