The Best Laid Plans of Gods and Men

[Random Word]

"An investigation!" Zhīzhū gives Shi-Vash an enthusiastic salute, "You can count on me, chief. I won't lose him." Zhīzhū steps confidently out of your sleeve onto strands of nothing, waves goodbye to the Efficient Secretary, and disappears around a strand of the web of fate. Everyone around you is entirely too focused on the loudest disagreements to notice any of the quietly impossible comings and goings happening in their midst.

So long as you are not separated by great distances or planes, you can sense Zhīzhū's approximate distance and direction at all times, and can each tug on the thread of fate that binds you together to communicate simple messages.

 

[Random Word]

Rough Hewn Wisdom speaks finally, seemingly having given up on causing the document to spontaneously combust, "I will communicate to the Prince the dangers of encouraging mortals to interact with the works of the Anathema, and that the Order will always stand ready to protect the people of Creation from Anathema corruption." He looks around at the crowd, brow furrowed, "Be at peace, people of Lantana. I will not allow you to come to harm. Return to your duties and families." He turns and leads his small entourage of monks through the dutifully parting crowd.

Peace, however, does not seem to be the order of the day. You are collectively a small island of stability in the eye of a gathering storm as heated words build in volume until they're punctuated by the crack of fist meeting nose, followed by a general melee - cries of pain, distress, triumph, and anger surround you as many flee, some spectate, and a few violently resolve their differences of opinion. All of this chaos swirls around you, seemingly oblivious to your presence. You are here, but decidedly apart.

The stern presence of the Ancients - and their menacing weapons - ensures the crowd gets no ideas about seizing the pile of treasure or storming the ship.

It does not take long for the authorities to step in. A Navy Marine Talonlord in shining helm and black lacquered lamellar cuirass orders the drummers to a brisk beat to signal the advance, intent on clearing the mob and restoring order to the docks. The crowd gives way with curses and cries of fear, scattering before fists and truncheons. Soon you too have been swept from the docks, unless you act to prevent it, but even as you are being swept aside you can hear the Talonlord address Bright Pearl in clipped High Realm, "I will tolerate no disruptions to trade and resupply! Take your preaching elsewhere, or I will see you cited for sabotaging the defence of the Realm. Am I understood?"

Minutes later the wounded have hobbled or been helped away and the regular flow of traffic has resumed. Bright Pearl departs, golden bird still perched on his shoulder and a sour look on his face, flanked by four Ancients, with the rest escorting a wagon carrying the pile of treasure elsewhere.

 

[jaydude]

Shi-Vash permitted herself to be shepherded out of the docks by the movement of the crowd. She didn't feel that getting into a fight here would be particularly conductive to her goals. Once things had calmed down though, she'd seek to regroup with her Fellowship, and ideally find a way of talking with Bright Pearl.

 

[Random Word]

There is a room deep in the archives of the Cerulean Lute, its records stored in pillars of crystal that resonate when struck in the proper place, spilling their secrets in song. Here are kept the records of works of art inspired by passing Sidereals, where an entire pillar is devoted to attempts to capture Garnet's beauty. A thousand works, none alike, and none even remotely resembling her. Mazron, Muse of the Ineffable, keeps some of the finest in its private collection. Some particularly strong willed artists have been driven mad by attempts to capture the form of a striking Sidereal, but today the bohemians of Lantana are safe, for Garnet wears the Resplendent Destiny of a travelling dancer as she steps out of the palanquin that bears her to the staff entrance of the Azure Sky, a teahouse and drinking establishment for merchants, traders, and explorers.

With her arrival several days ago it has seen a surge in cachet, and the venue is packed with a crowd assembled at the door as Shi-Vash, Tien, and Spirited Breath follow Zhīzhū to Bright Pearl. Two armed Ancients stand beside the doormen, the other two having relinquished their weapons to follow Bright Pearl, flashing silver and reputation, inside. Garnet has kindly added your aliases to the guest list, but you'll need to give up any weapons you can't conceal unless you find another way in.

As for Garnet, as you make your way into the dressing room the plump and silk-clad proprietress, Sunlit Mist, with a gesture sends the room into a frenzied rush to prepare you for the stage. She studies you anxiously, wondering which god or spirit is deserves thanks for her inexplicable good fortune in someone so skilled choosing to work for her, dreading the day a merchant prince or even one of the Golden Tide Princes notices you and claims you for their court.

Once you are prepared, you step out into the courtyard garden, surrounded by tables on all four sides, a low stage erected at the northwest corner. Seafoam, the head server, gives you an unexpectedly friendly smile as she carries a heavy tray laden with a variety of Lantana's famous mildly hallucinogenic spirits and wines. Her braided green hair is hung with small brass bells tonight, a new addition, and combined with a new her new kebaya and makeup inspired by your own she's looking especially nice. She pales before you, of course, and on previous nights her jealousy has been almost more palpable and oppressive than the humid heat. Tonight, though, she seems to have let it go, or something has brightened her mood. As you approach the curtain together she gives you a friendly nod, "All ready? They've been clamoring for you all evening. You won't even have to warm them up."

Through the curtain of beads and shells you can see night has fallen, and glancing upwards the soft light of the jellyfish lanterns cannot blind you to the comforting sense that the stars are all exactly where they belong. The square courtyard is filled with a garden and small fountains, the better to draw hot air away and induce a refreshing breeze. The scent of the flowers mixes with the fishy scent of the lanterns, the fragrant spirits, the spices of the kitchen, and the sea. Tables are arranged around all four sides under the eaves of colonnades, and a small stage is erected in the corner closest to you with a band warming up. Bright Pearl is at his usual table, the golden bird unmistakable, with two unarmed but fully armoured Ancients nearby and surrounded by a crowd of hangers-on and sycophants. The rest of the tables are filled with Guild traders, captains, merchants, and even a few Patricians. The stage is yours.

 

[Sherwood]

Looking over first at Sunlit Mist, then to Seafoam, Garnet gives them a smile. "Yes, I am ready. Give the signal to the band to begin, and I will make my entrance."

Garnet closes her eyes and takes a deep breath and slowly releases it, putting herself into a state of calm as she prepares to go out onto the dance floor to perform. Even with all her practice, her years of training and even after her Exaltation, she can still feel the butterflies in the pit of her stomach whenever she is preparing to dance before a crowd.

Listening to the music, she waits for the particular refrain to start that signals her entrance. Gliding out across the floor, the Chosen of Mercury takes center stage and strikes a pose with a wide smile, listening to the cheers and hollers of the audience at her arrival. Moving with the beat, she begins her performance, whirling and twirling to the music, her bare feet kicking and moving her across the stage.

Spoiler

I'll go ahead and spend 2m on my Performance Excellency to lower my target number to 5.
10 successes

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ]
-4 [ ][ ]
I [ ]

Willpower: 5
Essence: 1
Personal: 11 / 9
Peripheral: 31 / 20
Committed: 11

Join Battle: 5 + 3i

Parry: 5
Evasion: 6
Resolve: 2
Guile: 3

Natural Soak: 2
Hearthstone Soak: 2
Armored Soak: 5
Total Soak: 9

Weapons
Meteor
Type: Light (+5 ACC, +10 DMG, +0 DEF, OVW 3)
Tags: Lethal, Melee, Concealable, Flexible
Hearthstone slot(s): 1

 

[jaydude]

With her arrival several days ago it has seen a surge in cachet, and the venue is packed with a crowd assembled at the door as Shi-Vash, Tien, and Spirited Breath follow Zhīzhū to Bright Pearl. Two armed Ancients stand beside the doormen, the other two having relinquished their weapons to follow Bright Pearl, flashing silver and reputation, inside. Garnet has kindly added your aliases to the guest list, but you'll need to give up any weapons you can't conceal unless you find another way in.

Shi-Vash would step through the front entrance. She only carried Conspirator's Glint on her, and the knife that had once been a god was to all appearances nothing more than an innocuous belt charm.

"See you inside." she would say to those who didn't follow her.

She took a seat in one of the teahouse's corners, following her instinct to stay in the shadows. She put in an order, and as she waited for it to be delivered, she looked around the room for Bright Pearl. Once she'd found out where in the teahouse she was, she'd permit herself to lay eyes on Garnet.

Garnet closes her eyes and takes a deep breath and slowly releases it, putting herself into a state of calm as she prepares to go out onto the dance floor to perform. Even with all her practice, her years of training and even after her Exaltation, she can still feel the butterflies in the pit of her stomach whenever she is preparing to dance before a crowd.

Listening to the music, she waits for the particular refrain to start that signals her entrance. Gliding out across the floor, the Chosen of Mercury takes center stage and strikes a pose with a wide smile, listening to the cheers and hollers of the audience at her arrival. Moving with the beat, she begins her performance, whirling and twirling to the music, her bare feet kicking and moving her across the stage.

"Magnificent, isn't she?" Shi-Vash said to the girl who'd just bought over her tea, and was now admiring Garnet's performance with a very visible blush. The Chosen of Secrets could hardly blame the poor kid, given that the appearance of her fellow Sidereal was enough to get her own heart beating.

As Garnet continued to dance, Shi-Vash would look between her and Bright Pearl, wanting to see what effect her colleague's performance was having upon the captain. If Bright Pearl was currently enthralled as mortals tended to be, there might not be much point in trying to question him.

 

[Random Word]

A raucous cheer fills the courtyard as Garnet is announced, falling swiftly to a silence heavy with anticipation as she takes her place on the stage. The entire establishment seems to collectively hold its breath as she begins to move in flawless graceful synchrony with the music. Even the spirits of the evening breeze off the bay stop to watch, overjoyed by the performance and unable to resist playing artfully with Garnet's hair and outfit to accent her movements. Some in the audience are reduced to tears, overwhelmed by the beauty of performance and performer alike. Many more sit transfixed, the whole world collapsing into this single moment in time and space even as the performance unfolds a whole new imaginary world, each graceful motion a masterful brushstroke on the canvas of the mind, each step and laden glance an expert pluck of the heartstrings of even the most jaded merchant or grizzled captain.

When Garnet's first performance of the evening ends the silence lingers for many seconds as the final echoes deposit the audience gently back upon the shores of this material plane, and now unfamiliar hands struggle to find each other until a smattering of applause finally breaks the spell and rises to the crescendo of a standing ovation before, spent, the patrons return to their forgotten drinks and spirited calls for an encore. A veritable mountain of bouquets, small gifts, and fine jewellery are tossed onto the stage by admirers.

Anyone carefully watching the audience during Garnet's performance, or canny enough to remember the contents of the room through the captivating distraction, will note the audience has grown by one since she began. A single figure in an cerulean hooded cloak sits alone at a table. This is remarkable, for the establishment was completely full and mere moments ago this table did not exist, and yet goes unremarked and unnoticed. During the ovation their bejewelled alabaster hands slip from their voluminous sleeves to applaud fiercely, and they toss an ornate silver and coral signet ring onto the stage.

Tien, before the performance you feel a subtle vibration in the threads of fate, the hint of impending violence. During the performance it stills, as if every bit as captivated as the rest of the audience, but as the spell breaks you feel it return, insistent. You are certain that if nothing is done, there will be a violent death here within minutes.

Shi-Vash, the serving girl smiles at you, "She is! She puts everyone in such a good mood, the tips are great!" She blushes again, "Oh, I probably shouldn't say that. Enjoy your evening!" she rushes off to deliver her next drink. Zhīzhū clambers around a corner from nowhere to peek out of your sleeve, gesturing enthusiastically at the crowd while rubbing their mandibles together enthusiastically, "Look, chief! So many excellent conspiracies here tonight. Those men are wearing earrings with a stylized variant of the Dreamer's Sigil. That man has the twisted black serpents of the cult of the Chrysogona Euryclida of Black Veils in his family crest. That woman has holes for the traditional piercings of the Depths' Embrace Lintha family. Oh, and that girl's bells bear the stylized Razor Wind of the Silent Bell of Mourning, a cult of assassins thought to worship an aspect of the Kite Flute." Its many arms point at each in turn, its eight black jade eyes rotating independently to sweep the crowd. "I wonder if someone is going to do a secret handshake! I've never seen one in person before."

 

[jaydude]

"I must be getting sloppy. I only noticed the two spies of the Kraken King on the front table there." Shi-Vash replied with a little smile, pointing out the aforementioned agents of the local Lunar warlord as she took in the others her pattern spider had indicated. "Do you know if any of them are interested in the secrets of Anuradsana?"

Again, she looked around for Bright Pearl. The presence of so many different players' pieces on the gameboard that was Lantana intrigued her, but she still had a main objective that needed to be focused on.

 

[Random Word]

Bright Pearl is precisely where you left him, still surrounded by a small entourage with two unarmed but fully armoured Ancients close at hand. He tossed an amulet laden with gold and rubies onto the stage in the hopes of earning Garnet's favour, and is currently animatedly discussing the performance with those around him.

 

[jaydude]

Shi-Vash stood up and made her way over to where Bright Pearl was sitting, stopping just short of the two Ancients in order to save them the trouble of barring her from their boss. Once there, she'd wait for Bright Pearl to take notice of her before speaking.

 

[Random Word]

The golden bird's piercing stare greets you, lingering as it tries and fails to place you, turning away in frustration. The Ancients watch cautiously, unnerved by your grace and the way you carry yourself, shifting their weight subtly as they mentally calculate their odds of interposing themselves should you strike and find them wanting. The conversation surrounding Bright Pearl quiets, and surreptitious glances from around the room note your approach. Noting the shift in attention amongst his associates he turns to look up at you, blinking away his surprise for a moment before smiling, an expression that comes quickly and easily for him.

A young man on the outer circle of the small cluster of tables and dressed in the well tailored finery of a successful merchant or banker and wearing the signet ring of a Guild trading house greets you with an appraising gaze, clearly attempting to determine whether you're a potential customer from the quality and cut of your clothes, "Welcome! Argenti [Title I just made up for Guild financier] Cowries' Song, I work for Factor Mai. If you're looking to finance an expedition, I'm your man." He offers a small seated bow. "If you want to know where to send it, well, I think we all know why we're here. I don't have a chair to offer you, but feel free to pull up your own."

 

[jaydude]

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Argenti." Shi-Vash replied, giving the man a friendly smile before she looked around for an empty chair. Once she found one, she pulled it over and sat herself down, facing Cowries' Song.

"Would I be correct to assume that Factor Mai financed the expedition of Bright Pearl here?" she asked him.

 

[Random Word]

He looks slightly awkward, "Ah, we do not discuss arrangements with other clients, and I fear you have me at a disadvantage..." He trails off expectantly.

The conversation surrounding Bright Pearl begins to warm up again with a discussion of Garnet's performance, but glances both curious and appreciative are periodically thrown your way by the eclectic collection of personages who have attached themselves to Bright Pearl.

 

[jaydude]

Shi-Vash nodded in acceptance of Song's statement, and turned her attention back onto Bright Pearl. The next time there was a break in the conversation about Garnet, she aimed to ask the captain about his trip to the Anuradsana Forbidden Zone, namely how he'd survived it.

Spoiler: OOC for the Storyteller

In terms of mechanics, what's it going to take to get Bright Pearl to explain how he was able to get in and out of the zone alive?

 

[Sherwood]

When Garnet's first performance of the evening ends the silence lingers for many seconds as the final echoes deposit the audience gently back upon the shores of this material plane, and now unfamiliar hands struggle to find each other until a smattering of applause finally breaks the spell and rises to the crescendo of a standing ovation before, spent, the patrons return to their forgotten drinks and spirited calls for an encore. A veritable mountain of bouquets, small gifts, and fine jewellery are tossed onto the stage by admirers.

Anyone carefully watching the audience during Garnet's performance, or canny enough to remember the contents of the room through the captivating distraction, will note the audience has grown by one since she began. A single figure in an cerulean hooded cloak sits alone at a table. This is remarkable, for the establishment was completely full and mere moments ago this table did not exist, and yet goes unremarked and unnoticed. During the ovation their bejewelled alabaster hands slip from their voluminous sleeves to applaud fiercely, and they toss an ornate silver and coral signet ring onto the stage.

Garnet briefly bows in thanks for the applause and the many gifts tossed up to her on the stage, a wide smile on her face. She kneels down and picks up first one of the flowers and brings it to her nose for a sniff, then next, the beautiful signet ring. Glancing down at the ring for a moment, she then looks out at the audience with a wide smile. "Do not fear, my friends. I will perform again in a bit. I just need to refresh myself with a drink first."

Stepping down off of the stage, Garnet moves slowly through the crowd, letting her new fans approach her and she welcomes them as she looks for a place to take a seat for a bit.

OOC did I see which person tossed the signet ring up on the stage? Was it the hooded figure, or someone else?

 

[Random Word]

Garnet fades from the world as she takes her place at the table, and the world fades in turn, colours and sounds muted. The hood falls and the robe parts to reveal a tall figure with chisseled flesh of marbled white and black stone, its face covered by a pearlescent shell mask of beatific admiration, its hair a crown of vibrant coral, surrounded by a halo of rainbows. At his hip is a cerulean silk bag of masks in a thousand different expressions. He is unmistakably Ionolaki, the Lantanan god of the arts.

His hands move lightning fast, switching his current mask for one of demure deference, "You honour my city with your performance, star of Heaven, but though no venue in our fallen state could do you justice, it pains me to see you performing in this modest house of liquor. You must perform in my theatre-temple, where the city entire might enjoy such splendor and superlative talent as has not been lavished upon it in centuries." Though nothing of the sort was said, Garnet has spent enough time with gods and has a keen enough sense of social niceties and etiquette amongst them to divine out the true meaning behind the obsequious request. Ionolaki wishes to know if Garnet is here to investigate him, for if she is it may be seen as a sign of favouritism or corruption if she accepts his hospitality and performs in his theatre, and she would likely refuse. Further, if she did accept, her performing at his temple would be a potent prayer, draw a very large audience, and be a significant source of prestige for his cult.

 

[jaydude]

As Garnet got down from the stage, Shi-Vash saw an opportunity to address Bright Pearl, when he wasn't talking and had his eyes looking in her direction, and took it.

"I was one of the attendees at your speech in the harbour earlier, and I couldn't help but have my curiosity won over. I'm somewhat a seeker of lost treasures myself, and I've always had an interest in matters of the past." she said. "That said, I'm also more than a little curious about how exactly you managed to obtain your wares. I can't imagine it was easy, so it must be a most daring and excited tale you have to tell."

When in doubt, flatter the mark. That was one of the first lessons Shi-Vash had learned from Yangmei.

 

[Rykon]

Tien keeps to the background, observing the consequences of the sparked riot with no small measure of indifference. If such meager kindling lit a bonfire like this, it had been primed to ignite long before their visit. Stumbling upon Garnet's performance had him curious about how much intent was behind their current state of affairs, but he quickly dismissed them as the atmosphere began to settle.

Now with both Garnet and Bright Pearl being solicited at once, he found his attention split and guard brought to the fore once more. The god in this case seemed far less threatening, motives as blatant as if woven upon his sleeves. So, Tien observed their troublesome mark intently, yet ready to aid either of his fellows should the mood change yet again.