Patron Saints/Session 10

From Greenthings

<Greenling> Last time on Patron Saints...
<Greenling> Zhubin's exuberant performance has had disastrous consequences. Crow's conviction has been shaken at her Exaltation. Peyt has learned startling things about his ancestry, and strange things are afoot with their friends. Will they survive these new problems? Will Rudy meet his evil twin face-to-face? Will Rei shiv them all in the night? Tune in to find out.
<Greenling> (:V)
<Greenling> (Episode 10: The Road To Heaven)
<Peyt_Yenthu> The Answer: Rei tried. She couldn't cut through Peyt's smell.
<Greenling> So. What's everyone doing?

• Rei is sharpening her knife for next time? No, wait.
  

<Greenling> The Gate and the little dig with the strange glowylights are both northeastish of here (IIRC).
<Peyt_Yenthu> Peyt is riding on the back of Lil' Tyrant, heading for that gate that the map told him to head for.
<Greenling> The Gate norther.
<Greenling> More northerly.
<Greenling> Thing.

• Rudeth is following along with the people that seem to know where we're supposed to go, keeping Rei on his horse with him.
  
• Cho is signing with Rei, contemplating Zhubin's sermon.
  

<WhiteCrow> If the Gate is in the same direction as the Manse, that way I guess
<Greenling> It is, roughly.
<Peyt_Yenthu> Peyt looks over at Zhubin. "Oi, Zhub. About that shite ye were talkin' about earlier...?"
<Zhubin> "You mean the true glories of the Sun?"

• WhiteCrow has become pretty sullen the last while on the trip. She spends time reading and such, but also seems to be spending a lot of time in target rpactice, especially when waiting waking up to bad dreams
  
• WhiteCrow is also finding it a bit covenient at least that she can find some food and has found some good rock outcropping sin teh desert along the trip
  

<Peyt_Yenthu> "Yeah."
<Peyt_Yenthu> "...ever figure you can't look right at the Sun because he's takin' a shit?"
<Peyt_Yenthu> "I mean, ya can look at the moon just fine. Ain't no worries there."

• Rei blinks at Peyt, one ear folding down as she blinks.
  

<Zhubin> Zhubin blinks a few times. "That has to be the stupidest thing to come out of your mouth yet Peyt."

• Rei may have been shocked speechless. ......wait
  

<Peyt_Yenthu> "Yer sayin' he never has to take a shite?"
<Greenling> "...Why would he be taking a... something... all day, every day?" Inkah asks.
<Cho> "Why would a light poop?"
<Zhubin> "Well, as the gods only take on a human shape...no, I'd say he doesn't."

• WhiteCrow pipes in a bit, "The light ain't him you know."
  
• WhiteCrow has found one ofher outcroppings for a bit and is busy looking over some of her books nad pondering learning how to summon a water elemental.

<Rudeth> "...what does that have to do with Zhubin talking about him, though? I really don't see the connection."
<Peyt_Yenthu> "Then why the fuck do you keep worshippin' the damn thing?"
<Peyt_Yenthu> "That thing you keep talkin' about ain't him, then why the hell did you blow up Gem talkin' about it?"
<WhiteCrow> "I don't worship gods. That one does. And the thing up there is a planet. The Unconquered SUn si the god fo that planet."
<Zhubin> "What's in the sky is a reflection of the majesty of the being, a concrete image for people to see and understand."
<WhiteCrow> "Its something about spirits you learn early on."
<Peyt_Yenthu> "...so it's him, but it ain't him."
<Zhubin> "In the same way a picture is the person, but isn't."
<Rudeth> "What does it matter if the sun is really him or if it's a reflection or a symbol or whatever?"
<Peyt_Yenthu> "...so someone took a picture o' him and shoved it in the sky?"

• Zhubin twitches slightly.
  

<WhiteCrow> "It matters because it negates Peyt's...statement."

• Rei glances between the others some.
  

<WhiteCrow> "Balls of light don't defecate."
<Zhubin> "That thing I said earlier about the stupidest comment? I was wrong."
<Peyt_Yenthu> "I mean, would it get upset if I flicked it off?"
<Rudeth> >_> <_< "Hey, Rei! Why don't you play a song?" :D

• Rudeth starts singing something happy, trying to sing over the people arguing about the sun to keep Peyt, Crow and Zhubin from killing each other.
  
• WhiteCrow shrugs, "I dunno. I have been cursing it for a bit. Especially since the Anathema thing is sitll irking me."
  
• Rei blinks, blushing softly and nodding, unslinging the leather case her guqin was stored in; She adjusted her position, trying to find a good way to sit and support the instrument - eventually sitting sidesaddle, letting Rudeth hold her steady, as she began to pluck and play a jaunty tune for his song.
  
• WhiteCrow idly riffles through her bag and pulls out a couple paper cartridges and puts them into her PTR. Three bullets in about a month, not bad.
  

<Peyt_Yenthu> "Bah. So yer a demon now. Big deal. I just found out I had a pa. Now THAT'S fuckin' scary."
<Cho> "But he's nothing like the Provider... I don't think."
<Cho> "Finding out about your inheritance should be interesting."
<Rei> The notes begin to fill the warm air, buoyed by the soft, relieving breeze, tenderly smothering the sounds of argument beneath them before being carried away into the expanse of desert like so much sand scattered by the wind.
<Greenling> Yeah, the Provider is much cuter than Zhubin. Or at least, the Provider would say so.
<Zhubin> "We're not demons. At least according to...you know what, it's not worth arguing the point."
<Rei> [Performance message: Don't be fighting damnit it's too hot >.<]
<Peyt_Yenthu> "Ya blew up Gem. Normally it's volcanoes, or demons, or that one fuckin' awesome bachelor party."
<WhiteCrow> "Peyt, for once, has a point. To be hoenst, I'm not too thrilled being Forsaken personally."
<Greenling> "..." Scorpion looks up. "Man, I am sorry I missed that one."
<Greenling> "Why not, anyway? You don't sound like you're pious or anything." :V
<Zhubin> "You know, I'd say having the Sun himself talk to me rather casts some aspersion on that whole 'Forsaken' thing."
<Cho> "Zhubin's demeanor compared to the Provider lends credence to his claim, too."
<WhiteCrow> "WHy do I need to be pious? I wasn't Immaculate. I grew up in Paragon. We dont' worship gods, let alone the sun and we know that Anathema are not to be trusted."
<Greenling> ...Performance message gets through. Wow.
<Cho> "I'm not suggesting piety, just the opposite, in fact. Doubt."
<Peyt_Yenthu> "Damn fuckin' right ya are. Shoulda seen the second girl on stage. Tits out ta fuckin' Harborhead."
<Greenling> "I didn't mean you were, just, y'know, most people I know who don't like, uh, Anathema as you're calling it, are pious. But I guess that makes sense."
<Greenling> "Hehehe. Sounds fun." :D

• WhiteCrow sighs an dgives into Rei's arguement and leans in the shade, "But I'm done for now. I'm going to study. And maybe learn how to summon a damned weater elemental." She pulls her collar up and snuggles into her coat, enjoying the coolness of it
  

<Cho> "It's too hot for this nonsense, though. Please, let's listen to the music."

• Rei smiles brightly, continuing to play happily.
  
• WhiteCrow looks over to Scorpion, "Though, its again, not piety. I made a point ot read on some history. Read-up on Jochim sometime."
  
• WhiteCrow is now reading her book, her goggles on her forehead and eyes skimming pretty quickly
  

<Greenling> "Whaat, I heard you. What's a Jochim?"

• Cho stops his horse, taking a hint from White Crow. "Go on, I'll catch up in a bit, I'm just going to dig out a book!"
  
• Cho stops and digs around in his saddle back for that classic sea-faring adventure.
  
• Zhubin shrugs and urges Cute to do a circle around the wagons and others with the group, to check on everyone.
  

<Cho> (*saddlebag)
<Greenling> Cute will do this, tromping happily around, feathers fluffing in the slight breeze created.
<Greenling> Cho finds it.
<Greenling> Cho also finds an octopus stuck to his arm.
<Cho> "What in the Inferno?"

• Cho shakes his arm.
  

<Cho> "Let go."

• Rei glances back at Cho, one ear perking. She blinks, shrugging and continuing to softly play, enjoying Rudeth's song.
  

<Greenling> *octopus noises*

• Zhubin rides up to White Crow.
  
• Cho whaps the octopus on the ground, then steps on its brain. "Let go!"
  

<Zhubin> "Ah...something that our new Patron said to me is slightly worrisome."
<Greenling> "Skree!" says the octopus before it dies.
<Greenling> Your arm is red and stings.
<Zhubin> "About at least me, and possibly you, being 'out of fate'."

• Cho frowns. "Sorry, but you wouldn't be able to make it anyway."
  
• Cho looks at the octopus, then his arm. Some gastropods are poisonous... Cho checks the suction cups on the octopus, then his arm for any punctures.
  

<Greenling> Li'l Tyrant noms the octopus remains.
<Peyt_Yenthu> "Now I don't have to feed it."
<Greenling> No punctures, and there are no obvious poison glands.

• Cho rubs his arm and covers it up. "That was nuts!"
  
• Cho looks at his book in wonder.
  

<Cho> "Where did I get this from again...?

• WhiteCrow shrugs, looking over to Scorpion, "Jochim was a Forsaken Anathema in the North. He was killed by teh Relam a couple hundred years ago."
  

<WhiteCrow> "He formed an army and pretty much ran amuck during the tiem. Pretty bad fromw aht i read on it."

• Rei glances back at Cho again, and checks her guqin case and satchel for any unwanted surprises.
  

<Greenling> "Oh. Huh."

• Cho remounts the horse, suspecting that someone has played a trick on him!
  

<Greenling> "Yeah, that's true, some of us are kinda dicks."
<Greenling> Cho: something about... a... temple... huh.
<Zhubin> Zhubin tilts his head. "By run amock you mean that he....opposed the Realm?"
<Cho> "Oh, yeah, the temple with the priest."
<Zhubin> "After all, viewpoint can be very important in a history text."
<Cho> "Indeed."
<WhiteCrow> "True, but you hav eto wonder how much of it is just propoganda. I know the Immacualte Order is pretty trashy in letting Exalted run the show, but it does point out you shouldn't let spirits amuck and Anathema have historically been a threat to stability."
<WhiteCrow> "So yeah, take wha tyouw ill I guess."
<Rudeth> "Well, there are good and bad people, so doesn't it make sense that there would be both good and bath Anathema, as well?"
<Rudeth> *bad
<Zhubin> "But stability is the Realm, and only the Realm, who are also the largest proponents of the Immaculate Order, so doesn't that just serve to make the argument circular?"

• Rei perks an ear, nodding in agreement with Rudeth.
  
• WhiteCrow stands up and brushes off a bit as she sees the sun start going away from noon, "Paragon is stable and isn't Immaculate. Don't trust Anathema there." SHe shrugs, "By the way, dont' worry about the mark." S he ntoes her ungloved hand a bit, "Apparently that damend glowign earlier burned it off."
  

<Zhubin> "Paragon is also a rather unusual case, if you'll consider it. Instead of the more usual constraints of law you have....forced obedience, with no possible dissention."

• WhiteCrow shrugs, "You can desent actually. You just can't hide form punishment."
  
• Zhubin nods.
  

<Zhubin> "Ah yes. 'You can do it, but you'll die in agony.' is usually such a wonderful tool to spark discussion. In fact...it sounds rather similar to the Wyld Hunt!"
<WhiteCrow> "Besides, its not like we can't voice our opinion. I like one of the more criitcal government newespapers myself and I worte my diseration on the need for alchemical weapon use."
<Zhubin> "But if the Perfect said 'don't speak of these again', you wouldn't be able to, would you?"
<WhiteCrow> "And I don't know what stories you hear. Only captial punishment is murder, treason,e ct. You didn't die for lying for the gods sake."
<WhiteCrow> "I made an oath on the laws of Paragon. But I'm a noble, I get to skirt tha ton eI think. It would hardly be captial I think."
<WhiteCrow> "Unless it were state secrets or something."

• Zhubin shakes his head.
  

<Zhubin> "I was a merchant, the love of wild crowds, exotic tales, and chatter is too deep a part of me to accept the Perfect's view of a city, I'm afraid."
<WhiteCrow> "He's not really too petty abou tit. I mean there's the annual joke competition about him."
<Zhubin> "Thats...interesting, in a way."
<WhiteCrow> "Yeah. Every Calibration, guy with the funniest one gets a cash reward. I'm not any good at it, but some rally good one shav ehappened over the years."

• Rei listens to the two quietly, curious.
  

<Zhubin> "But I've heard tales of those forced to swear or have their throats cut...and such tactics are beyond what I could consider."

• Rei glances over to Peyt as well.
  

<Peyt_Yenthu> "...what?"
<Greenling> It's getting on towards nightfall now.

• Rei gives him a smile, glancing back to the others.
  

<Peyt_Yenthu> "...think she tried to stab me last night. Can't remember."

• Rei has changed her song as they go, now playing more of a pleasant rustic theme she might have picked up in Gem.
  
• WhiteCrow shrugs, "I don't know much about that. I lived in the city proper, none of tha thappened where i was."
  
• Rei blinks in confusion.
  

<Greenling> Your journey winds on...
<Zhubin> While looking for a camp, Zhubin comments. "While Gem may not be there anymore, this road seems the same." He hops down off Cute, and looks for a particularly slashed blaze on a tree. "I believe this is about where we found a clean well that had been buried."

• Rei stands as best as she can on Rudeth's legs for support, seeing what she can see around from a slight vantage - maybe spot some water or greenery in the fading light...
  
• WhiteCrow spends some time looking for food and such, and doesn't tak elong to return with some desert catcus fruit, a lizer dshe caught wtih a stone trap and some edible plants.
  

<Greenling> Your Essence feels strange and different, for reasons you can probably guess. n.n

• WhiteCrow sets out to look for the various dessert platns animals that she can deal subsist on calmly. SHe seems to ignore the twilight sun and heat and the blistering sands, even when her goggles are arised occassionally, and seems actually to not let it take out her stride as she sifts for her own food.
  
• Rudeth prowls out in the desert, using his hunting knife and sword, keeping low to the ground and keeping his eyes out for any edible looking, non-poisonous animals. To help him cope with the heat and the sun, Rudeth tries to go out early in the morning and later in the evenings, and uses spare clothing to shield most of his head and face from the sun.
  

<Greenling> Crow and Zhu both find decent amounts of food and water.
<Greenling> Rudy... finds a small herd of antelope over the next hill.
<Greenling> Antelope which have themselves found some human-edible scrub-bushes.
<Greenling> After a few days, you come within sight of both where the Gate is roughly supposed to be and someplace that seems to be glittering multicolored that's where the strange thing was supposed to be.

• WhiteCrow hmmms, looking over the area, "THis is odd."
  
• Rei hops off the horse, curiously making her way over to the glittering multicolored something, ears perked in interest.
  

<Greenling> it seems to be kind of a pit with dunes around it.
<Greenling> If Rei is going closer, you see what might be a... hole? Cave? Thing?

• Rudeth hops down off the horse as well, staying close behind Rei.
  
• Rei leans forward a bit as she gets closer, doing her best to see down into it without losing her balance, tail swishing about behind her.
  

<Zhubin> "Be careful!"

• Rudeth holds onto Rei's arm to make sure she doesn't fall.
  

<Greenling> You'd have to walk down the dunes to get to it. It's a ways in.

• Rei does her best to make her way down without falling, then.. Shiny thing was neat.
  
• WhiteCrow calls otu ot Rei, "Don't get closer to that. We should get a rope before trying to poke at it!"
  
• Rei blinks, mrfing and starting to make her way back up as best as she can.
  

<Greenling> It seems like the sparklylights are coming from inside, light floating out as if it were steam.

• Cho puts the book away!
  

<Greenling> It also seems like the way down that you can see is steep, but not so steep that it's more vertical than horizontal.
<Greenling> What do you do?

• Cho peers to see the source of the light!
  

<WhiteCrow> "ANyone have rpe?"
<Cho> "Are they gems, or perhaps fungus? But in this dry climate..."
<WhiteCrow> "It also might be Wyld"
<Cho> "No, that's ridiculous."
<WhiteCrow> "How so?"
<Zhubin> "It is rather strange, which suggests Wyld, to me."
<Cho> "There would surely be other signs present, such as fire-breathing rabbits or a pool of running water."
<WhiteCrow> "It also might be a demense, whcih is also dangerous."
<Cho> "Wouldn't you be able to tell if it was?"
<Greenling> The source, whatever it is, is further inside the cave.
<Greenling> Crow: there's something very strange about this hole. The dunes around it seem kinda angled, and... is that glass shards?
<Greenling> Rei: you can imagine this quite easily.
<Greenling> It looks like something from waaay up high went zooom *crash* down into the hole.
<Greenling> Er, and *made* the hole.
<Greenling> ...A very big something, whatever it was.

• Rei blinks some and glances up, tilting her head. BUt all that's up there is the sun, moon, and stars.
  

<Greenling> Big enough that the hole is wide enough for two or three people, or one and a half Peyts.

• Cho frowns curiously at the hole.
  
• Rei frowns some, signing to Cho and Rudeth: Do stars land when they fall?
  
• Cho signs back, "I dip not chink so."
  
• Rudeth looks at her curiously, then turns to Crow.
  
• Rei blinks, peering down curiously. Stars are too tiny to make a hole like this anyway.
  

<Rudeth> "Crow, Rei seems to think this might have been made be a falling star or something."

• Zhubin just waits, feeding Cute and Fluffy their daily apple ration.
  

<Cho> "That is also ridiculous."
<Cho> "They're shooting stars, anyway. Falling is just a euphamism."
<Cho> "Anyway, do you think it's dangerous to go inside?"
<Cho> "Might be something wonderful down there."
<Zhubin> "Or it could be full of death."
<Cho> "But wouldn't *you* be able to tell? Really, it looks quite beautiful..."

• Cho edges up to the entrance for a better look.
  

<Zhubin> "How would I be able to tell?"

• Rudeth slides over toward the entrance, kneeling near the edge.
  
• Rei follows after Cho and Rudeth, quite curious.
  

<Cho> "Because... I thought, you know, you were illuminated or something now."
<Greenling> ("damnit, Cho, I'm a Zenith, not a manuscript")
<Rudeth> "Well, it doesn't look dangerous to *me* and I wanna see what's down there."
<Cho> (cackle, cackle)
<Zhubin> "Well, sure, but that happened...less than a day ago! I don't know what I can and can't do, really. I mean, I still feel like me, just...a bit strong and healthier?"
<Cho> "Alright, let's head in."
<Zhubin> "Ok, ok, let's be smart about this, at least?"

• WhiteCrow stares in and shrugs, "Okay, but we're being careful about htis." She draws her weapon and goes into her bag to grab a grenade with her other hand, just in cas e<<_<<
  

<Cho> "What, do you suggest the back door? C'mon, Rudy, no guts no glory, right?"
<Zhubin> "I mean, don't just run down there!"
<Zhubin> "You did have a good point in that I should be...more equipped to deal with the dangers."
<Cho> "Of course not, that would be dangerous. We're strolling."

• Rei glances to the various people following, wondering if any of the ex-slavers happen to have rope
  
• Zhubin takes his walking stick, pulling a small section loose to reveal its a short bow.
  

<Zhubin> "Red Staff, bring me the rope from the wagon, left side, in box 16, please."

• Rei has her short spear, taken off Rudeth's horse
  
• Rudeth makes sure he has his sword.
  

<Greenling> Slavers do, Red does.

• Cho goes back and grabs his medical ruck from the horse, just in case!
  

<Zhubin> "Alrgiht. We'll use the wagons as a belay point, and keep a good grip on the rope as you travel down!"

• Cho looks a bit confused at what he considers over-caution.
  

<Cho> "Okay..."
<Greenling> Tromp-tromp.
<Rudeth> "I'm ready whenever you guys are!"

• Rei sticks close to Rudeth, smiling to the various followers before following him down carefully.
  

<Cho> "Let's go! Peyt, you staying up here with your unmentionable parchment?"
<Greenling> The hole is deep and twisty. Thankfully, it's pretty well-lit by itself.
<Zhubin> "Cute, Fluffy, please help Red Staff and Feathered Wind keep everyone safe while we explore."
<Greenling> "Gotcha, boss." "Right."

• Zhubin follows along, still shaking his head at his talking camels.
  

<Greenling> "Nothing's getting past me."

• Cho follows Rudy!
  
• Rudeth heads down first, keeping Rei close behind him.
  
• Zhubin takes the third position.
  

<Greenling> The tunnel winds on. It's quiet. The lights make things look very strange; after a few hundred feet, they start getting more prevalent. It's also very humid in here: it acts like steam, and the water that collects and drips off you occasionally is also rainbow.
<Greenling> Eventually, just when it seems like there can't be anything down here, it abruptly opens up into a large room...
<Greenling> The walls and ceiling seem to have been melted into place. There's some kind of spherical whatsit also seemingly made out of stone in the center, maybe ten feet high and six in radius.
<Greenling> It's half-buried in the floor. At the far end is what looks vaguely like a metal door.
<Greenling> (*end of the room)
<Cho> "This is definitely odd!"
<Cho> "But see, no stars."
<Zhubin> "No...just a large metal door, and a massive stone ball."

• Cho walks over to the stone to touch it.
  

<Greenling> It's slightly warm and wet. It seems to be the source of the clouds.
<Cho> "How can this be?"

• Cho studies the rock, wondering at its warmth and moisture. Ice will create condensation and such when it warms, but it's still freezing to the touch. Cho looks back up along the tunnel from the stone, up to the outside and at the structure and material of the walls, floor, and ceiling.
  
• Zhubin just looks around.
  

<Zhubin> With a wry grin, "Try not to blow it up, I don't want to get blamed, again."
<Cho> "You know, I haven't witnessed any explosions since I met you."
<Cho> "I don't know what everyone's going on about."

• Rei pokes around curiously, nodding in agreement with Cho. Less explosion, more random disappearance...
  
• Zhubin laughs.
  

<Zhubin> "Fine, fine, but I'm not touching anything for now. I'm still not getting blamed for something else disappearing, going up in smoke, pulling itself out of Creation, or what have you."
<Cho> "Fair enough. Let your converted take all the risks, I see how you are."

• Cho chuckles in a friendly manner.
  

<Zhubin> "Oh, lets go run down into the thing we have no clue what it could be, over Zhubin's objections! Then we'll mock him for not meddling with things he doesn't understand!"

• WhiteCrow walks up an dpokes the large thing with her bayonet, examining it closely with her goggles pulled aorund her neck to let her eyes see things.
  

<Cho> "I'm not mocking you for your restraint against meddling, just your seeming lack of curiosity for a wonder of the world."

• Rei makes her way over to the door curiously.
  

<Zhubin> "I'm curious, but I'd have preferred to let White Crow see if this is a demense. Those are rather dangerous if not properly tamed."

• WhiteCrow nods a bit to that
  
• Cho runs his hand over the stone. "Last time she recognized it straight away. Take your time, though."
  
• WhiteCrow pulls out her normal jade needle and begins to focus again. She holds the compass out on its cord, focussing and watching it. But as she spends th emotes, she finds she has....more....to work with, and the godlen sunburst emitting a red morning light begins to form on her foerhead
  

<Greenling> The dragon lines here are somewhat powerful, but this isn't a demesne; there also doesn't seem to be anything Wyld here.
<Greenling> The first thing you feel, way down below, is a large amount of something that hits you as an affinity.
<Greenling> There's a lot of fire...
<Greenling> Orichalcum, maybe?

• Rei has been quietly poking at the door, seeing if she can figure out a way to open it, while Crow works..
  

<Greenling> This rock seems like it's some sort of alchemical contraption.
<Greenling> A very elaborate light-source, really, and possibly an Essence sink for something?

• Zhubin rests against the stone, lightly.
  

<Greenling> Rei: the door seems more stuck than locked.

• Rei hrms and sees about prying it open with her knife some...
  
• WhiteCrow hmmms, thinking on the stone for a bit, then thinking on the location and focussing her Essence, seeing i fshe can attune to the place.
  

<Greenling> Ping... ping... hmmm.
<Greenling> It pings back to you as "taken".

• WhiteCrow clicks her teetha bit adn steps way form the thing, then looks at the glow and sighs, "No wonder this pwoer is tempting." She looks over ot Rudy, "Someone owns htis palces I think."
  

<Zhubin> "That's a decent reason for us to leave it alone then, yes?"
<Cho> "This is all so strange, but exciting. I feel like things are coming to a great climax. You know, Rudy," Cho remarks, "Perhaps you're right. "
<Cho> "Perhaps we all have some role to play, and Zhubin and White Crow are the harbingers. Perhaps it goes back even before that, to Rei, or to Inkah."

• Rei blinks, glancing up
  
• Cho nods to Rei.
  

<Cho> "Like how we just found you on the side of the road. I mean, how does that happen? A woman with feline features? Who's mute? And I know I feel a kinship to you, the same way I do with Rudeth and the others."

• Rei blushes softly, shaking her head. She blinks again, blushing a bit brither and glancing aside.
  

<Cho> "And that octopus that leapt out of my pack? Us running into the Provider? I refuse to believe that all of this is his doing."
<Cho> "But perhaps things haven't gone quite right. I'm positive that Gem wasn't supposed to disappear. Maybe we're on the wrong track to the wrong ending. If so... We'll have to change something."

• WhiteCrow looks ove rto Cho confusdedly as she holsters her weapon and shrugs, "Odder things happen I think. Righ tnow, I don't wan to over-think too many things really."
  

<Cho> "You, Rei, need to discover who you are, even if you can't speak yet."
<Cho> "White Crow, things can never be over-thought. That's what debate, introspection, and investigation are for."
<Cho> "Thinking through a problem to its likely conclusions give one foresight that gives the protagonist a decided advantage."
<Cho> "Even if we don't have the right answer, thinking one's way down one particular path gives us an advantage, should it come to pass."

• Rei pauses, nodding softly and pondering, leaning against the wall and sinking to sit down.
  
• Cho signs to Rei, "Even if some peepl dont see the utility yet, everything happens for a reason."
  

<Cho> "But there have been errors, like Mary said. Errors... in reality itself."
<Cho> "Perhaps that's the first thing to fix... But maybe it's just a symptom, rather than the disease."
<Cho> "The strands!"

• Rei nods some, one ear twitching.
  
• WhiteCrow sighs a bit, "Its pretty obnoxious, but yeah. We'll get to that I guess."
  

<Cho> "Maybe it was when I pulled the cables that everything went wrong."
<Zhubin> "What cables?"
<WhiteCrow> "Since if it is what yosuay, we will. I don't feel like over-thinking on it. Make smy head hurt."
<Cho> "I went elsewhere, and I tugged on some cables. An arthropod said that I sent everything awry with my meddling."
<Cho> "So, all these problems are probably my fault, Zhubin, not yours. I'm sorry that you're the one getting blamed."
<Zhubin> Zhubin just stares at Cho and slowly "As if...we're no longer a part of fate?"
<Cho> "A talking spider, mind you."
<Zhubin> "I have two talking camels with feathers. A talking spider is believable, at this point."
<Cho> "No, all of you are part of fate, the last time I was told about the situation."
<Cho> "Sunny and I, though, we're the anomalies."

• Zhubin coughs.
  

<Cho> "Maybe we're the ones messing up White Crow's divinations, your sermons..."

• Rei blinks softly.
  

<Zhubin> "Ah...The Sun himself mentioned that I was out of Fate, actually."
<Cho> "Truly?!"
<Cho> "How amazing!"
<Cho> "I'm sure it's true. I was wrong about Celestials..."
<Zhubin> "Wrong about what?"
<Cho> "Celestial gods. They exist, and I think your sun is probably one of them."
<Cho> "But if he's placed you outside of fate, or made you separate from it, perhaps it's so that you can do good."
<Zhubin> "Ah. Well...he mentioned it as a sort of problem, something I should 'get fixed', actually."
<Cho> "How curious."
<Zhubin> "And before she ran off, Mary did shout that Gem was a 'Third-Circle Fate Error', emphasis hers."
<Cho> "If only we could get back to the cables, I'm sure everything would be fixed."

• Cho stares off into space to think.
  

<Zhubin> "Also, perhaps I wasn't too aware, but...where were these cables?"
<Cho> "I have no idea. Beyond somewhere. I went there in my sleep."
<Cho> "But it felt so true to life."

• Zhubin slowly blinks.
  

<Cho> "I never have dreams like that. I always dream about the sea, or the desert, the meeting between the two."
<Cho> "My parents, Red Diamond, other relationships. People dying, people I saved, but never anything fantastic like that."
<Greenling> Namhwa gets a strangely clear image in his mind.
<Cho> "It's good to have a companion outside fate, though. I'm sure Sunny wasn't lonely, but she doesn't say much."
<Cho> ..
<Greenling> "Woof."
<Cho> "One moment, Sunnygirl."

• Cho focuses on the image?
  
• Rei smiles softly, standing and making her way over to try and pet Sunny softly again.
  

<Greenling> An Eastern man with dark hair and grayish skin, with the ears of the Fair Folk, in basic dark-purple robes. He reminds you vaguely of a pillar for some reason.
<Greenling> He feels familiar on a subconscious level, and on a conscious level, you also seem to recognize him from your dreams.

• Cho wonders if this fellow has a taste for scotch.
  

<Greenling> Other guy. :3

• Cho snaps his fingers.
  

<Cho> "You, you poor man. I wonder if you ever got your true love back."

• Rei strokes Sunny's ears if not snapped at and made to back off
  

<Cho> *"You. I wonder if you ever helped him get his true love back."
<Greenling> Sunny simply glares at Rei, accepting the petting for now.

• Rei smiles brightly, kneeling down and petting the glaring dog happily. Progress!
  
• Cho lets his eyes drop and takes reality back in.
  

<Cho> "Oh, hey, girl, that's nice of you."
<Greenling> Sunny sighs and lays her head on Namhwa.

• Cho cups Sunny's head and strokes her fur.
  
• Cho blinks his eyes.
  

<Cho> "Wait a second..."

• Rei blinks, glancing up to Cho.
  

<Cho> "Was that me that helped him find a way to get his wife back?"

• Cho asks himself!
  
• Cho thanks everyone for bearing with him!
  

<Cho> "If only I could remember how!"
<Zhubin> "I'm debating between a blank stare, or simply saying 'what?' again."

• Cho sits against the stone and thinks.
  

<Greenling> Cho: the face does seem kinda familiar in the way your own face does, though not quite-ish, it being clearly not the face you currently possess.

• Cho feels his face, pretending that the nose, eyesockets, jawline, and eventually ears conform to the greyishman's face until he imagines it as his own.
  
• Cho delves his mind back into his conscious, his memories, and then tries to push his way into the other man's head.
  

<Greenling> ...That is a really goddamn surreal feeling.

• Cho pushes all the way back until he feels like he sits in the back of his mind.
  

<Cho> "Rei, could you play a classical song?" Cho asks with distraction.

• Rei glances over as Cho sits, blinking some. She smiles, sitting back and stretching her fingers out, drawing out her guqin and beginning to softly play a tune, barely audible in the small chamber, the instrument almost seeming to sing of a tranquil pond, surface disturbed only by leaves softly falling around the songwriter...
  

<Greenling> ...Rei also aids in Crow's meditation, and puts others to sleep. Including Sunny.
<Greenling> Namhwa succeeds. Dear living gods does he succeed.
<Greenling> What is he looking for?

• Rei smiles softly, pleased everyone seemed to enjoy her music, letting it resonate through the chamber softly.
  
• Cho is looking for the secret to these dreams, what's true in the world and what's wrong, and how to bring everything back to the way it should be.

<Greenling> And right before you'd think things would be snuffing themselves out, Namhwa finds himself sitting on the floor in that cave again.

• Rei continues to play her music, eyes closed.
  

<Greenling> There's a strange woman leaning over you.

• Cho looks up.
  

<Greenling> Dark hair, bright violet eyes, clothing seemingly made of starlight...
<Greenling> She sticks a finger into her mouth and it comes out covered in blood. She reaches over to draw a little symbol on your forehead.
<Greenling> Something goes "*ping!*" inside of you. You feel like something's been woven into you- not completely, but as a start. You're filled with power...

• Rei flicks an ear, glancing up from her music, eyes widening in surprise.... not stopping, though, continuing to softly play.
  
• Cho leaves his mouth open in surprise.
  

<Greenling> "Welcome home, Cho Namhwa." She smiles at you, and you can see and taste her words as much as you can hear them.
<Greenling> Then just as suddenly as that, she's not there.
<Greenling> Annnd you're glowing purpley.

• Rei blinks softly, sitting back some, looking around at the violet glow illuminating the cave.
  
• Cho crosses his eyes in an attempt to look at his forhead.
  

<Greenling> You do not succeed. There is a mirror in your pack, though, conveniently enough.

• Cho reaches into his ruck to extract that handy mirror for when he can't quite see past all the guts to look at the blood on his forehead.
  

<Greenling> There's no blood, but there is a glowing symbol.
<Greenling> Also, your eyes now have little sparkly bits in 'em.
<Greenling> Looks like stars.

• Cho traces the symbol onto the mirror.