String of Unfortunate Events: Struck, Stolen & Strange

by **Trickster** on August 3rd, 2014, 9:10 am

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String of Unfortunate Events

Location: The Starry Chalice
15th of Summer, 9th Bell

The morning air was just heating up as the sun rose over the streets of Lhavit, bathing stone and skyglass alike in warm rays of light. Already, there were people out and about, shopkeepers setting up their wares for the day, while many were just about finished breaking their fast. It seemed to promise a calm day for the Azure Market, where there were many a blue washed building- but all was not as it seemed.

"Petch it all!" came a distinct cry, one filled with a load of venom. It was the sort of voice that could be heard for blocks around, much to the distress of the neighbours with young ones to look after. "Petching ball of shyke. Who the petch would do this?! Curse the dimwitted numbskull who dared to mess with me and my shop! Petch that son of a-" Another slew of foul language ensued.
Tian J'net, was clearly not in the best of moods.
The philterer stood imposingly with her imperious frame in the front doorway to her shop, which had the appearance of being squashed between a clothier's stall, as well as a food vendor. Her brown eyes were hard as she surveyed the front room.
The door before her revealed a nightmare of broken glass jars, damaged goods, and the odd overturned lamp. From the vantage point of the doorway, one could see that though the door itself had been untouched, the window next to it had not been so lucky. Needless to say, it looked as if the Starry Chalice had been ransacked, or at least, part of it. With much luck, it seemed that the more dangerous items in her shop had been left untouched, whether the cracknob who had caused this mess had realized this or not.
On the other hand, the shop's best selling sweets and goods had been strewn everywhere, as if someone had gone about knocking everything over, but had seemingly not bothered with the upper shelves- and strangely enough, it did not seem as if anything had been taken, though Tian would not know for sure until she had taken inventory.

Cautiously, a couple of apprentices crept to peek out from behind their enraged master; one whom gasped in horror, while the other sucked in a breath and whistled. "Better call them Shinya," said the first, glancing sidelong at the other, who muttered in reply, "I'm pretty sure that someone would have heard by now or at least a gotten a complaint..."
"Hush now, or she'll-"
"Shut yer gobs," came a quite voice from in front of them. The pair immediately stood to attention, as they attempted to seem as meek as possible. One would be wise to not act pert around Tian J'net- at such a moment in particular. It was common enough to hear the Philterer's more boisterous voice, scolding an apprentice for being inattentive to the substance before them, which as largely in their best interest, but one rarely, if ever, heard the voice in which she spoke at that moment; quiet, boiling, fury.
Slowly, she turned, her expression a calm contrast to her tone, as she bit out, "where are those turtle-speed guards of the city?"
"I-I'll go grab them!" exclaimed the second of the apprentices and took flight, as if running from a Zith, while the other stumbled to catch up.
Turning back and stepping inside to survey her shop, Tian's expression darkened.
"Pox-rot that petching bastard."

16th of Summer, 10th Bell and 30th Chime

He did not want to be there, oh how he did not.
Aphil grumbled as he waited by the Starry Chalice, charged with the task of stopping anyone from going in, until those who would volunteer their services arrived. If he had had a choice, he would have taken off in the blink of an eye, in order to get in some more training with either Projection or his Kwan Dao, which he fiddled with, but alas, as a newly appointed Acolyte, it was not to be. 'Who would be the poor suckers who got tasked with job of solving this case?' he wondered, glancing over his shoulder at the mess of a window behind him. The woman who ran the shop, Tian J'net, a respectable sort of woman, had at least had the smarts to not disturb the scene of the crime, though Aphil had seen the yearning in her eyes to have everything just so. Meanwhile, it had seemed as if one of the apprentices had been absent the previous day, marking him as a suspicious person.
A quick glance to the clear skies told him that it would be sunny and hot for the rest of the day.

What a headache.

OOC :

NPCs

Tian J'net: :

Philtering 71
Cookery 55
Herbalism 32

Having just touched thirty, Tian J'net defies the philterer's stereotype, that of a crabbed man bent under the weight of years, with fingertips stained by unknown chemicals and eyes rheumy from the fumes. A full-figured lady, Tian combines in one body an expert philterer and keen chef both, with masses of lustrous black hair and a booming laugh fit for three people at once. To some, she can come across as rather intimidating; Tian's large frame, loud voice and imperious posture all combine to make her rather larger-than-life. She has, however, been serving the good citizens of Lhavit with their philtering requirements for years, and as such is a well-respected member of the city.

She keeps several apprentices, to ensure demand doesn't outstrip supply, and is known to be a patient yet exacting teacher. Nothing less than perfection will do for any goods put on her shelves or bearing the lily-seal of the Starry Chalice, and she strives to impart a sense of pride in their work to her apprentices. Safety is a common theme; customers will frequently hear the shop ring to Tian's impressive full-bore bellow if a vital piece of safety equipment – gloves, aprons, steel-capped boots and so forth – is neglected by her philterers.

Biography

Born in the hammer of winter in 482 A.V., Tian came from a family of artists, their work highly regarded in Lhavit, and was initially expected to follow in her parents' footsteps, either painting in a studio or working on the sculptures their family was known for. However, in the event, she quickly found the preparation of the pigments and cleaning fluids, the linseed oil preservatives and other such chemical accoutrements to be much more interesting than the actual artworks themselves. As per Lhavitian custom, her interest was encouraged and nurtured with a succession of apprenticeships and, in the fullness of time, when she was judged sufficiently skilled, her parents purchased a stall for her in the Azure Market.

Naturally, her own personal honour, and the values instilled by both her parents and the culture of Lhavit itself, saw that she worked hard to prove her skill and make her business a success, enabling her to pay off her debt to her parents in short order. Despite the expansion in custom over the years as her skill and reputation grew, she has steadfastly refused to move to an establishment in the Surya Plaza, or any other prominent location, preferring the bustle and local flavour of the Market and purchasing unused back space from the shops on either side for the purposes of expansion.

Aphil Ancha :

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by **Kaik Leyr** on August 3rd, 2014, 9:02 pm

OOCI'll be going first then! To glory! (and possibly death)

16th of Summer, 514 AV

It was early morning, Kaik had slept in his bed with Arya sitting on the ground with her back to the bed. His dreams were almost always the same, there was never a night where he could just forget about Ellen. Just like it has always been his dream ended with Ellen smiling.

He opened his eyes only then realizing it was all but a dream. The light from the window was an unpleasant welcome, but to see Arya jump to attention helped make Kaik's morning slightly better. "Morning Arya," he said before glancing the room, "...where's Lina?" Immediately the small doll appeared on top of Arya's head. "Ah there your are, good morning Lina." he didn't bother to question how she seemingly appeared from nowhere, blaming such ignorance on how early it was. To remedy his dislike of morning he decided to go out for coffee. Arya and Kaik quickly get dressed in their normal attire, with Kaik bringing his backpack in case he felt like carving something, and head out the door. Lina was left to take care of the house, though Kaik had doubt of her ability to do so.

On the walk for a cup of coffee it was difficult for Kaik not to notice the abundance of notices posted wherever he went. Eventually curiosty defeated the need for coffee as he made his way toward one of the notices. The notice seemed hastily written as the whole point of the notice seemed vague. It appeared to be asking for help and mentioned a reward, if Kaik ignored his thirst for coffee he would be able to make it to the location specified. He dwelled on the thought, his mind conflicted as to which choice would prove better. He chose coffee, figuring he had no skills that would serve to help whatever was going on. He took one step toward the coffee shop before being reminded of Ellen. Ellen loved adventure saying it helped her art, which meant she was always dragging Kaik into trouble. "Jeez...even with you gone you're still dragging me along on your whims." With a quick pace Kaik headed for the Starry Chalice.

He arrived a short distance away from the shop, it seemed he was the only one to volunteer as he walked closer to the store, since people were only passing the shop. The shop itself looked simple, almost like it shared the same designer of the Animation Studio. Based on appearance alone it seemed there had been a robbery, though Kaik would not know for sure until he got a better look.

Pulling down his hood Kaik approached the young man that seemed to be in charge of the situation. He did a short bow before he said, "H-hello, I'm uh...a volunteer...oh right, my name is Kaik...er...am I the only volunteer here?"

Box Code by Scarlet Rose

by **Brandon Blackwing** on August 4th, 2014, 7:21 pm

The 16th of Summer 514AV – 10th bell 50th chime

Surya plaza was crowded, bustling with people going about their business. Some entering or exiting the Shooting Star Inn either planning to or just having enjoyed a cheap but delicious breakfast. Others came to visit the temple or just because they had to cross the plaza to get to their destination. It did not really bother Brandon, his mood was excellent and a grin plastered on his face was testimony of that fact. Crowded places were great for picking pockets and especially so if people were in a hurry to get somewhere. A merchant seemed to be in a rush, striding with dashing pace, bumping into and skirting past a lot of folks unintentionally.

Of course, most of those persons found it rather annoying when the guy rammed into their bodies, and did not even care to listen to his mumbled, though sincere apologies. Some who were observant enough to see him coming tried to dodge, but there was at least one who did the exact opposite. Instead of getting out of the way, the bat decided he’d become a Kelvic barricade, seemingly taking no notice of his environment and was hit by the trader’s flesh when both creatures collided.

The awaited moment was then, Brandon’s hand slipped into the man’s doublet upon impact –which should divert the man’s attention- and returned with a coin pouch that was rather well-filled. Pretending to lose balance immediately after the crash, the thief fell to the stones, using the instant to tuck the pouch into one of the pockets of his pants before catching his falling body with a well-timed placing of both his hands on the floor. From there it took no time at all to scramble back to his feet, the vendor already taking off upon seeing that his ‘victim’ was alright, a whispered expression of his regret of this ‘unfortunate’ happening uttered in passing.

Brandon too left the crime scene, zigzagging through the masses of people and heading to the Zintia Peak, though not really having a true destination. Producing the stolen coin pouch with what seemed to be but a flourish of his hand, his onyx orbs darted across the wallet briefly. Oh, it has a pattern stitched onto it… he thought a little surprised, and mildly discontent. That meant it was recognizable, and thus he had to get rid of it. Not of the coins of course, that would be a waste. The pouch was opened immediately and its contents were placed in the palm of his hand, while the bat dropped the flashy leather wallet and then slid the several newly acquired Kina into his own.

Now, there was something he had to do… When did he have to be there again? A quick search of his pockets revealed a piece of paper, folded quite a few times, which he then unfolded and scanned swiftly, eyes darting across the document.

Important Notice

This is a call-up for those with the ability and interest in lending the Shinya a hand regarding the break-in into the Starry Chalice.
Anyone willing to assist the Shinya in solving the case of the broken-into Starry Chalice should assemble in front of the Chalice on the 16th, 11th bell. Those that lend their aid will be rewarded.

Glory to the city of Stars,

The Shinya

Hm, the eleventh bell… that was almost upon them, if his biological clock fulfilled its duty well. Not a lot of time left actually… if he’d use the conventional routes that is. However, Brandon knew of shortcuts that were located above the streets, a route composed of rooftops, domes and balconies. Besides, the sea of people below wouldn’t hinder him that way, and it wasn’t like he’d have to cross one of those fancy skyglass bridges either, he already found himself at the Zintia Peak and the Azure, and thus the Chalice as well, were located on that particular peak.

Once it had been decided, the bat dashed into an alleyway, and jumped towards a wall, one leg and foot outstretched which impacted first and were used to bounce him back to the other side of the alley and upwards even more. That process repeated itself multiple times, a process in which the thief scaled the wall with a bit of effort, but quickly. As soon as his feet touched the substance the roof was made of, the bat could not help but to grin in joy as he saw the decrease in height of the next canopy, which gave him a perfect opportunity to do some daredevilish stuff. Rushing to the edge of the rooftop, the thief slowed down a bit before he reached it, enough to judge the distance keenly. Then, he propelled himself into the air high, tumbled forwards slowly and by the time reached the end of his flight, the thief landed on his feet again, though barely and stumbled forwards, bending to lead his body into a roll, after which he did continue his run without problems, tumbling and jumping all the while.

T

Before very long the thief had finally made it to the place to be, or rather, almost made it. He found himself standing on the roof at the opposite side of the Starry Chalice, and from here he had an excellent view on things. There was a window shattered, and through it the bat could catch a glimpse of the ravage within the building. A Shinya guard stood firmly –no, he stood fidgeting with his weapons in front of the façade of the shop, while a figure loosened itself from the crowd that passed through the streets, some even forming a half-circle around the Chalice, but with enough room for anyone to step up and volunteer. These guys were just there to watch, curious and desperate to take a peek inside.

Brandon swiftly descended from his high viewpoint, using windowsills and frames as a makeshift ladder of sorts to quickly place his boots on the stones that the streets were paved with and squeezed himself through the mass of bodies and into the open space that was occupied by only the guard and the two other persons, during his descent, Brandon hadn’t been able to see that the figure he’d seen earlier was accompanied by a child. While the bat threaded lightly and silent, the man –cloaked and hooded as he was, was only determined male by the sound of his voice- spoke up, timidly.

“ In your dreams,” the bat sneered, “I suspect more will come, lured here by the promise of a reward.” That was also one of the reasons why he was here after all, it wasn’t like he’d help the Shinya otherwise. “And adventure,” he added after a pause. Or curiosity, which was the first and foremost reason for him to be here, after all, the bat wanted to know what kind of thief would execute a break-in so flashily, and use such unsubtle methods to get in.

Right now the Kelvic thief had passed the lad and the child, having stopped in front of the Shinya and held the document that the guards had been spreading in front of the guardsman’s face. “I volunteer as well.” After that the thief turned one hundred and eighty degrees and strode back to the position he had taken earlier, close to the crowd and behind the guy named Kaik and his … Doll?! By Yshul’s silken mask, what on Mizahar is that thing? Screamed Brandon internally, but keeping his calm externally, obviously helped by the fact that he pulled the hood of his cape over his head, the shadow obscuring most of his face.

I thought it was a child, but that face, it’s wood! Most of it was hidden by the hood it wears, but not all… Huh! It moves, it can move?! Wait, wait, wait, wait! There must be an explanation for this! I am imagining things or… Magic… Hmpf… Now they are also tampering with life itself! Mages, god-playing scum! ….. I’d better be careful around that thing until I find out what exactly it is and what it can do… could it be a threat? Is… is that a dagger? …. Petch!!!!! If it has a dagger it could mean two things: either it’s just for show, to frighten people… or either it can and will wield it if necessary… It’s a doll, so it probably can’t be knocked out, I’ll have to destroy it if things would go south… if it becomes too dangerous will destroy it without hesitation… Oh gods, I hope the rest of our little group will be more pleasant to deal with… We already have a Shinya, a mage who has defiled life and his Doll, it can’t get that much worse now can it?

Credit goes to Cylos Marn

by **Sal Mander** on August 6th, 2014, 2:51 am

Day 15, Summer of 514 A.V.

A tired and worn Sal entered the Cosmos Center, clutching a stack of papers under one arm while pushing through the door with the other. It felt good to have a day's work at his back, with the promise of an evening to relax ahead. The last few days he had been regaining his stamina after that wretched stomach bug, not to mention an unexpected journey into the wilds. But today was his first full shift back out in the city. Being back on his feet all day had tested him physically. But it was that good feeling of tiredness, that left a man with the impression he had done some good, in some way.

The stack of papers plopped onto a vacant desk and he set to placing them in smaller piles. The Center itself was a hub of information and answers concerning matters of the city, serving the public in all manner of needs. Such information did not just miraculously appear on the shelves and on desks though. It had to be gathered, acquired and inventoried, as if the Center itself was some giant beast that fed on papers and parchments, a hunger that required daily attention lest it tear forth into the city in a frenzy. The collectors of such data were of course the Cosmos Center Investigators, a position that Sal had held for several years now. Their work could range from the utterly tedious, such as census updates and other admin tasks, to the completely bizarre, as one particular encounter with a dancing ghost had once proved.

But today he had been back on the streets, collecting information, notes, updates and other such manner of things, to feed the Cosmos shelves and desks with their much sought facts and figures about the city of Lhavit. Having finished with his stack of papers, Sal filed them in their appropriate places, before gathering his things for the short trek home. Making his way to the heavy set doors, a voice called out from across the hall. "Hey Sal! You should come take a look at this. Right up your street." Boris was young, but had the somewhat admirable trait of remaining positive all day. As an office clerk, he was an employer's favorite when it came to offering customer service. But for Sal, he came off just a little too cheerful, as though it was more an act than truth, hiding some dark and twisted secret that would one dare explode forth. Sal mused about when it came time for questions to be asked, with people inevitably stating how Boris was such a nice lad, or how he had always been kind and respectful to his friends and neighbors. Yes. If Sal had to take a guess on Lhavit's next mass murderer, Boris was it.

Shaking the cruel thought from his head, Sal made his way over to Boris who, murder conspiracies aside, really was the friendly and respectful fellow that everyone claimed him to be. A mop of hair hung disobediently across his forehead, requiring frequent adjustments that were more habit than an annoyance. His eyes were big and round like a puppy dog, holding in them all the wonder and excitement of a youthful child on the verge of been gifted some candy. His smile as Sal drew near was as friendly as open arms, welcoming the older man as though they were old compatriots. Okay, Sal had to admit he liked the kid, though at the same time wondered if he would remain innocent and hopeful as he grew older.

"See here? They got a reward going for some robbery at the Starry Chalice," he spurted out excitedly, stabbing a piece of parchment with a boney finger. Taking the parchment, Sal scanned over it with genuine interest. That was some robbery to warrant a reward, not to mention having made the matter public. "What do you think Sal? You going to take a look at it? Might be a pretty penny in it for you?" Sal could not decide if the lad was being funny or genuine, but dismissed the notion of getting involved as he handed back the parchment.
_____"Shinya will deal with it," he replied matter-of-factly, gathering his things once more as he started to make for the exit. Boris remained seated, clutching the parchment and staring through it with those hopeful eyes.
_____"Just thought you might be interested is all, what with you getting back into things, you know?"
_____"I'm fine Boris," he said a little too abruptly. Whether it was the kid's eyes or just his own personal critic, Sal immediately regretted his tone and took a step back towards Boris. "I'm sorry. I know you're just trying to help. But really, I'm fine kid."

Boris seemed content with the apology, bidding Sal a good evening as the older man left, off through the doors of the Cosmos Center and into the evening that waited for him. His home was not far from the Center, just a short distance that constituted a stroll. Of course, just past the Surya Plaza was the Azure Market, which itself played home to the Starry Chalice. Not far at all. He could see Boris now, excited and thrilled when Sal came in the next morning, to tell of some adventure wherein he had located and apprehended the thieves and won the reward.

Day 16, Summer of 514 A.V.

It was drawing close to the appointed time. Sal had found himself leaning against a wall, his arms crossed while he waited and watched. He decided that he would kill Boris tomorrow when he returned to work. A simple strangling would suffice, watching those puppy dog eyes bulge as he squeezed the breath out of that nice kid. He smirked to himself at the prospect, though at the same time was just a little irked that the kid had planted this seed. He would at least give him a little scorn for that. Not quite a strangling, but it would do.

For now he watched as an awkward looking fellow stood guard outside the Chalice, clearly wanting to be anywhere than here. The first volunteer stepped up, a young yet tired looking lad with pale skin. Beside him came a hooded child, and for a moment Sal wondered if the two were simply asking directions perhaps. He could not hear the exchange, across the street and a little ways down as he was. But while he might have been out of earshot, there was no mistaking the identity of the third arrival. "Well I'll be damned," Sal muttered. It had been sixty or seventy days since he had last seen Brandon Blackwing. The young thief and Sal had history here in Lhavit. He watched with heightened interest as the lad also addressed the guard, and wondered if the offer of a reward had been too much for the thief to resist.

'It can’t get that much worse now can it?' Brandon had thought to himself. Of course, Sal knew all too well, it could always get worse. But for now he remained at a safe distance, waiting and watching once more before deciding on his next move. There may have yet been more volunteers to present themselves.

by **Alses** on August 8th, 2014, 9:28 pm

Bottles clinked, cloth rustled, papers dryly whispered against one another, ink glimmered in slender vials and several quills tickled Alses’ skin – bringing a smile to her face – as she prepared herself in the sanctuary of Elysium Hall.

She was methodical, precise, unhurried, checking and re-checking each step, ensuring everything was in its place and going according to plan. There were phials of Sweet Oblivion, inks in a rainbow of colours, a few wax-wrapped packages of Tian J’net’s famously ferocious accelerant paste – the recipe being one Alses was only just about capable of – and a few other sundries Alses thought might come in handy, along with, of course, the ubiquitous papers and pens that were as much the tools of the Glypher’s trade as they were the Councillor Radiant’s.

Slender fingers danced through fine silks and velvets, along brocade and damask, jingled little silver and gold bells and felt the coldness of precious-metal thread as they ran along her clothes, searching, searching.

Alses was enough of a veteran – when it came to dealing with the problems of the starry city, anyway – to have a reasonable idea of what she’d find useful, of what worked and what didn’t whenever she answered one of the city’s summons for help. Not answering – well, that simply wasn’t in her blood, wasn’t something she’d even considered when the Shinya messenger had arrived at the Radiant Tower with the request.

It was a nice little courtesy from the Ascendant that Alses had rather appreciated; in her experience, sometimes the government of Lhavit rather acted as if the left hand had no idea that the right even existed, let alone what it was doing. She’d made a mental note to send a thank-you note back, and perhaps get the man something nice on his birthday, always providing she managed to find out when, exactly, that was.

Mercadier – and the Department – hadn’t exactly been happy about their laurelled mistress casting off the trappings of her station to help the Shinya, but that was their concern. Alses was keen to take a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to government, and, as she’d pointed out rather acerbically in the meeting that had been hastily convened to try and talk her out of it, she’d always answered the city’s call for help before, so why not now?

‘Besides which,’ she’d thought, in the singing privacy of her own head, ‘It might give us valuable stock with the Shinya and the other branches of the government. Leverage we might need for our Amendment.’

Alses didn’t necessarily like thinking like this, but found it almost a prerequisite of being who and what she now was. Worse, it was becoming easier.

At length, her questing fingers found what she’d been searching for: a relatively simple – and short – red dress. It was practical – and she’d long ago found that ‘practical’ was worth far more with this sort of thing than ‘impressive’. The city’s woes had always proven hard on her garb; robes had ended up little more than grimy tatters smeared with unknown fluids before, for example, and flowing gowns had had an irritating propensity to snag on anything and everything, leaving them fit only for rags.

The practical red dress, therefore, was Alses’ answer, going back to her roots. It was short and had been fitted to her form, so snagging and catching wouldn’t be a problem in anything but the very tightest of spaces, and nor was it particularly valuable or irreplaceable. It covered the bits that were necessary, had quite a lot of pockets for the various things Alses either felt were necessary or simply liked to have along, and made her just a little less recognizable; people were getting used to seeing her glimmering in the cream-and-gold of the Radiant Council, with the crest of that august body shimmering at her throat.

She still had the heavy golden emblem, tucked away in an inner pocket, just in case it became necessary, but there was little point in shouting who she was from the rooftops. Alses scrabbled at the back of her wardrobe once more, and her triumphant shout of discovery was muffled by the silks and furs even as she drew out a shimmering length of indomitable skyglass, etched by divine will with suns and moons.

Alses was no great shakes with weapons, it had to be said, but she did at least know the basics of fighting – the whole purpose of it was to stop the other fellow from hitting you, preferably in as expedient a manner as possible. In this endeavour, she felt, Ethaefal strength and divine skyglass together made for a powerful combination. Yes, taking the Morningstaff would be a good idea.

With her hand wrapped around its familiar length, the slightly nervous butterflies that danced and swooped in her stomach quieted somewhat, as did the guilty little voice that sounded rather like Mercadier, reminding her of the piles of paperwork that were doubtless waiting in her office – and would go on waiting.

Patting her pockets – yes, everything was in place, including the mysterious magic-absorbing mirror that she now carried as something of a talisman – she turned and, with the skyglass butt of the Morningstaff chiming brightly against the floors, strode out of Elysium Hall and into the teeming bustle of the city.

A

It was oddly liberating to be out in Lhavit without the presence of guards behind her, trying to be inconspicuous and failing miserably in the face of her auristics. Alses hadn’t realised what subtle pressure they put on her, but now she was free of it she felt free as a bird herself, a smile dancing on her face as she padded away from Elysium Hall, having exited via the wall rather than the gate where her Shinya shadows waited in vain.

Let them worry; they needed something to spice up their lives.

Her footsteps were swift and sure, carrying her through the labyrinth of curving avenues and sudden, leafy courtyards that so characterised Lhavit, unerringly depositing her at the half-hidden entrance to the Azure Market.

Unease drifted like incense on the air – everyone was doubtless still riled up by the break-in and the ongoing investigation, even if on the surface everything looked normal, the traders chattering with one another and their customers, exchanging teas and tips and snippets of life, the rich tapestry backdrop that only came from places so full of people and rife with life in all its glorious mundanity.

Something was pulling the long quicksilver strands of elusive unease into a whirlpool, a curling spiral of insolently circling strands around a focal point. Alses quickened her pace a little, rounding the final sudden corner and coming face-to-face with the forlorn façade of the Starry Chalice, espying the Shinya whose job it was to marshal the recruits as a brighter blaze of silver amid the churning currents.

A blink, the arcane equivalent of a shiver, a shucking of the habitual mantle of power and another blink saw the worst excesses of her ever-present Sight banished, letting in the shallow physical details even as she walked closer, moving with the unconscious fluid grace of all of her kind through the crowds.

There were a couple of others, unimportant for the moment, clustered around the Shinyaman – Alses recognized in an instant, after so much exposure, the characteristic mental signature of one of the city’s guards and protectors, although its hard glimmer and the odd roughness of the edges of the aura told her it was a new development. A junior member of the illustrious order, then.

Alses suppressed a flash of irritation on behalf of her friend Tian – had it been her business that had been raided, she’d have screamed bloody murder and demanded the Ascendant himself investigate post-haste. But then, most Lhavitians were a little more trusting, a little more deferential, in such matters – perhaps a junior officer was all that could be spared.

“Good day,” she murmured when within easy earshot, voice pitched to carry to the Shinya. “Are we in the right place to help with the investigation?” Whilst waiting for a reply, she looked around discreetly but in vain for Tian J’net, hoping to commiserate and offer a few words of consolation and resolve.

by **Una Tanta** on August 10th, 2014, 7:52 pm

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The parchment beneath Unas fingers was as thick and luscious as living coral making her smile as she ran her quill over its absorbent surface. What one may have thought an excessive display of wealth Una understood to be as important as the words scrawled upon it. Every detail of a Thank you letter was important lest it instead be interpreted as an insult in the extremely politic city that was Lhavit. Several times a day she had witnessed Alses wasting her precious time scrawling time consuming thank you letters to various political figures and had taken it upon herself to recruit an artist and the necessary paper quality to make pre-formulated letters that simply needed to be filled in with the details of the occasion before the Councillor Radiant checked and signed the documents. The lush ivory paper had been cut into thick rectangles before being sent off to the artist for detailing.

Una had kept the entire process a secret from the Councillor, hoping to surprise the Ethaefal with the beauty, and perhaps make a positive impression as her first few days as her personal assistant had left her with the notion she may have oversold her talents in the interview. In Avanthal and Wind Reach her talents had been far superior to all but the most wealthy and educated but in Lhavit where most if not all its citizens could write and read her skills were notably wanting.

Una grinned and rose, gently meeting the artists bow as she stepped into the ornate room. Eyes feasted on the grandeur that outshone even the Skyglass and architecture that predominated the city skyline.

"I have finished the first 10 designs Mrs. Tanta," She explained as she handed the thick bound envelope to the Charoda. Tentacles curling in an ornate display of excitement Una sat and carefully unbound the lace. "I created a stencil of each, so they can be created in larger quantities per your request. You simply need tell me which and the quantity in any future orders." She finished.

Laying the paper to the side Una ran her fingers over the soft rounded edges of the rectangles. Each was decorated with a two-toned image on the front and opened at the bottom to reveal a plain center in which the thank you notes could be inserted. Thus, if a note was ruined and need be rewritten the more expensive encasing need not be thrown away. Meanwhile, the back hosted the emblem of the Councillor Radiant in the same glistening gold Una had instructed the artist to use.

"They are very beautiful," Una began as she inspected the artistry on the front of each card. On several there were silhouettes of the beautiful city from different vantages, each overlooking and possessing one of the towers that ruled over the city. They will be perfect thank you letters for each tower... Una thought, thinking back to Sousa Dawn, the matriarch that had found her this position. The many towers were less than helpful or polite to each other and Una hoped the extra effort and deference shown in the images would help her boss smooth the road of friendship she so clearly longed for.

One of the other cards held a picture of the Councillor Radiant herself, curling horns disappearing around the corners of the letter holding it closed as the tips slid into openings in the back of the card. The artist has done well Una decided, having followed her strict instructions without so much as a single artistic fit. Her blonde bronze hair tumbled over her collarbone and chest as chaotically as if it had not been brushed in many days and Una wondered how long and how much effort this woman must have put into one of the most important commissions of her young life thus far.

"Thank you," Una rose nodding to dismiss the artist, "you will be paid once the Councillor has approved the designs and chosen the quantity of each she would like delivered." Grinning the woman nodded gratefully and skittered through the glamorous halls.

The mounds of paperwork on Unas deck had gotten larger with each passing day making Una wince inwardly as she moved away to seek out Alses. Since landing in Lhavit Una had thought little of the discovery that had brought her here and had forced herself to dwell little on her mothers betrayal and instead busied herself with her work or the world of the library.

Her deep green dress brushed the smooth golden marble floor as she paced through the halls searching for her commander. The thick green shawl hung over her left shoulder abbreviating its movements. She had never worn something so lush and colourful and once she had seen the vast range of textiles and poured the last of her savings into a closet of lushly decorative clothes. Her favorite dress tiny bronze stars were embroidered across its length and the edges housed tiny lions and jackals in honour of her goddess Dira and the cities goddess Zintila. Though she knew her mistress honoured the goddess Syna and she had her own deep respect for the shining woman in the sky she hoped her more markedly neutral attire would assay some of the political angst she had already witnessed as the Councillors assistant.

Not having yet spotted the Councillor Una traced her way to the gates where two young Shinya guards stood at attention waiting to escort the Councillor wherever she may go. Frowning when she spotted the two Una hesitated, if they were still at the gates it meant Alses hadn't left her home. As she turned to search the baths, the last place she wished to intrude on the Ethaefal she saw the characteristic golden horns of the Councillor disappearing over the low wall that embraced her home. Frowning deeper, Una glanced at the guards before deciding to follow the woman herself.

If she has disappeared over the wall, I imagine she wont thank me for fetching the guards after her... Una decided, but she certainly shouldn't be disappearing alone like so. Scrambling over the wall, far behind the Aurist Una scoured the swelling streets until she spotted the tight red dress swaying through the crowd in the distance.

Though Una did not yet know her way around the Chaotic worn paths of the city she recognized the Azure market that loomed in the distance and smiled hopefully to herself. Perhaps her Radiance is simply gathering more supplies? Why would she dress so...oddly to do business and slip past the guards? Una wondered to herself, her small smile turning upside down. It isn't proper to do business in attire like that.

The familiar blue lacquer of the buildings grazed the pink eyes of the Charoda as she pulled the long shawl over her head, protecting her fragile white skin from the torturous sun that drew life from her moist flesh. From between the similar buildings the Starry Chalice emerged and before it the Councillor. Its red lacquered shelves were broken in several places and its belongings strewn across the well-kept floor.

“Good day,” Una overheard the silky voice of her Political Commander, “Are we in the right place to help with the investigation?” Investigation? Una scowled, This was the job of the Shinya, not the Councillor. Besides, if this was a cry to endear herself with the people she could at least be appropriately dressed, Una scolded mentally.

Beside the Councillor Una recognized Kaik, the odd boy who had welcomed and helped her when she had first arrived in Lhavit. Perhaps I should have sent him a Thank you letter? Una wondered, indoctrinated and obsessed with the idea that had taken so many hours from her day.

Moving up beside the Councillor Alses she banished the frown from her face, it would not do to lecture her own employer on her appearance. At least not overtly, "Councillor Radiant, you left us all rather spooked over your disappearance," She glanced up and down the woman meaningfully, "It is truly magnanimous to offer your help so quickly to those in need but perhaps an escort and less...or rather more clothing would be appropriate," She stumbled over the words awkwardly in her attempt not to be rude, all whispered in the privacy near the shell of her ear lest the others overhear.

x
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by **Kaik Leyr** on August 15th, 2014, 4:51 pm

OOCI have received Trickster's permission to post, but worry not he will have something prepared next round.

A stranger’s voice answered his question to the man in charge, though his answer was blatantly mocking Kaik the man made good points as to why there would still be more volunteers coming. One point in particular stuck out to him, indeed “adventure” was the sole reason he even bothered to come. The man walked past him and proclaimed his own involvement in the investigation, Kaik was stunned by how confident the stranger was unlike himself. Upon simply glancing upon the man he found it odd how his hair was a dark grey despite his age. The grey haired man returned to his original position and pulled a hood over his head.

Kaik felt it was only proper he introduced himself to the grey haired man, he would be working with him after all, Arya quickly hid behind her masters legs as he turned to face him. He bowed before he said, “H-hello...my name is Kaik,” Arya peaked at the man safely behind Kaik’s legs, “Oh! Almost forgot! Arya...that’s er...the name...her name! Can I please get your name?”

Another unfamiliar voiced reached him, this time it was a female voice. Kaik was sure she was another volunteer based on her question, there was another thing he was able to catch based on her question, who was ‘we’? From what Kaik could see there was nobody except her. The confusion he once held was completely replaced with utter disbelief as he turned to look at the newcomer. Lhavit’s beauty was lost on him but even he could see how stunning the Ethaefal looked. Being at a loss of words he took only a moment to calm himself then he spoke at voice loud enough for the women to hear, “Yes you are...you said ‘we’ so are there more volunteers co-...oh!” he was caught off guard by Una’s appearance in the scene. He was grateful to see a familiar face among the strangers he would be working with. At least he had hoped she would be volunteering as well because she had not voiced her participation.

He approached the two in hope of introducing himself and getting to meet with Una once again. The hooded man approached voicing his concern about guards coming over, which confused Kaik because he was sure the man was standing quite a distance away to not be able to hear whatever Una was whispering to the Eth. He admired the man's confidence as he told them plainly what his opinion was about the guards and he even tried to bring Una into the investigation albeit harshly.

Through Djas he was able to get valuable information about what was going on. It worried him that the Eth was the Councillor Radiant not because of the political power she wielded but because he had not a clue what a Councillor Radiant was. The title sounded important and seemed like it would be used in politics, having never enjoyed politics thinking it was a boring subject Kaik had kept a blind eye to it.

Kaik had a strong sense of respect when it was required so he had to be honest with his thoughts, he gave a deep bow before he said, “He-hello Councillor Radiant, I um...not sure what your title means but...er...it sounds important so forgive my rudeness if I some-somehow mess things up, my name is Kaik Leyr...I’ll uh been in your care during this investigation.” Kaik was concerned if he had somehow done something rude but he tried to not to show it as he turned to face Una, “I’m very happy to meet you again Una...so um...are you doing well? You got a job right? Will you be joining the investigation? And also...um...why are you here?" Unlike their previous encounter Kaik decided to be the one asking questions.

Box Code by Scarlet Rose

by **Brandon Blackwing** on August 16th, 2014, 2:43 pm

Unexpectedly, the young man with the doll approached the thief, stopping in front of him and started introducing himself timidly. While his fingers fidgeted with his clothes nervously, the lad stumbled over his words, notifying Brandon of his name. Of course the bat had heard it before, when Kaik had introduced himself to the Shinya guard. The doll that accompanied Kaik hid behind his legs, shyly taking a peek, its wooden face extending past the barrier of legs. Shyly? No, it was imitating it! There was no way that thing could be shy! Not even when it was named Arya and its companion called it ‘her’.

Brandon’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly upon seeing the living wood, but did not say anything about it. It was better to keep up the act and pretend, so he could gather a bit more information about the abomination. “The name’s Djas,” he replied calmly, perhaps a little cold but on the inside he burned with anger, a firestorm raged there. How dare they to imitate and defile Kihala’s gift?! What insolence! I have always known that mages tamper with powers of the gods, but to think they even do so with life itself… Bloody mages! One day you’ll be punished for that arrogance! he bellowed internally before pushing that thought back into the vast darkness of his mind.

Annoyingly, for unknown reasons, the thief felt watched, observed. Of course, the half circle of people were all but staring at the volunteers, maybe it was their gazes he felt burning in his back? Perhaps… but he’d better pay attention to his surroundings a bit more. One never knew if there really was someone a bit too interested in him.

A chiming sound approached, footsteps too and a horned woman detached herself from the crowd, graceful in both body and step. Ethaefal… Always physically perfect and divinely graceful… Golden strands of long hair and a crown of white with peach horns. Strangely, while she seemed to carry herself exactly like it was expected from her folk, her clothes were rather simple, it conflicted a bit though Brandon shrugged internally. Not all Eths were such arrogant creatures after all, if she was one of the more humble ones or not, time alone would tell. A long polearm was held in her hand, which gleamed like skyglass, for it seemed to be the material it was crafted with. Hm… the question was whether she could wield it or if it was just for show, but gauging from the grip of her fingers, the bat guessed it was the latter. Still, he could be mistaken.

Much to Brandon’s interest, another female figure appeared, an even stranger sight than the magnificent Eth. A Charoda in a green dress emerged from the sea of people as well, a rather displeased look on her face as she strode directly towards the Ethaefal. Brandon raised an eyebrow as he watched and listened with interest, the events unfolding before him. While that Kaik-guy had approached the Eth in his timid manner, and questioned the strange use of the pronoun ‘we’ she used, the white-skinned fish-girl whispered in the graceful Eth’s ear.

The bat grinned. Something only destined for the almost-divine being’s ears huh? Well, that would be too bad. Kelvics usually had better senses than humans or other such races, most of them retained a weaker version of their animal senses while in human form, and yet those were still many times better than those of any other human. So were Brandon’s smell and hearing. Often he had wondered when he was just a child why Gallan thought he couldn’t hear him when he talked softly to Lethia. The bat had always thought that the man had the same senses as the bat and his mother had, but later he had found out that was not the case. Even after Gallan had realized the lad’s extraordinary hearing abilities, he had still not really gotten used to the fact that Brandon could hear his whispers clearly.

As such, whispering was pretty useless with him around, even if they stayed out of the human range of hearing. The bustle of the Azure market was distracting, yes, but focus took him over that hurdle. Curiosity drove him, it wasn’t like the bat had made a hobby out of eavesdropping, but every so often his sensitive ears picked up some interesting things and then he started following such conversation. That was how he received a lot of his knowledge of the events that were going on around the city.

What was that? Councilor Radiant? Oh, so she was the one huh? The bat stored that piece of information inside the vault of his mind and continued overhearing. From the tone of voice the Charoda used, Bran guessed that she was an underling of the Councilor, a bit shy to try and command –disguised as suggestions of course- her boss. An escort? As in Shinya escort? Why? Not just because of the political status of the Councilor, probably so the ‘commoners’ of Lhavit as well as the scum like himself wouldn’t try anything stupid. Or were not to be trusted. He frowned and decided to go undermine that fish-girl, more Shinya was not something he would like, not at all. Being watched by one was already bad enough.

Scowling under his hood, the bat crossed the distance between the conversing females and himself all the way towards the place where the guard stood firmly. “Excuse my intrusion,” the thief voiced with plenty of sarcasm, “but I’d like to know the reason why another bunch of guards should come over.” While he addressed the Charoda directly, his eyes momentarily glanced towards the Councilor. According to the whispered conversation, the Councilor had sneaked out of her mansion or workplace without notifying the guards, for whatever reason. That meant that she too would not like more to come. While their motives were probably different, their goal was the same. Hopefully she’d back him up a bit. Not that he couldn’t handle things himself, but the word of the Charoda’s commander would be better to convince her. Probably.

“Is it because we commoners, the multitude of the population of Lhavit, are too much beneath you to allow your Councilor Radiant to mingle with us? You do realize that with guards around people won’t really feel very comforted by her presence. It shows distrust, and the response will be the same. Distrust.” He gave the Charoda a harsh stare from under his hood. “If you are so worried about her, then why don’t you tag long and see to it that the Councilor comes back unharmed? Well, if you believe you can actually pull that off, that is!”

Then, as the bat turned away from the fish-girl, Kaik started talking to her. Apparently they had met before and her name was Una. Brandon shifted his gaze from the two to the Councilor and stared briefly, pondering for a while. Should he display some respect like Kaik had? Nah, everyone was treated the same upon a first meeting, initially anyway. Kaik had blown his chance unknowingly, and so had Una. The Councilor… well, whether he would like her or not was to be determined, but for now she’d be treated like everyone else. While the short study had taken less than a tick or five, it seemed to have been longer. Then, all of a sudden he turned his back on her and walked away, back to his earlier position without introducing himself. He had attracted enough attention already, it was time to lay low for a bit. That shouldn’t be a problem, Brandon was good enough at escaping sight through smart tricks. While the others stood away from the crowd, Brandon took his place among them, close enough to follow the events, but far enough to escape attention. He grinned, this could become quite interesting…

Credit goes to Cylos Marn

by **Sal Mander** on August 17th, 2014, 10:16 pm

Sal's assumption of further recruits proved correct, though still out of earshot as he was, he had no way to tell which of the group were volunteering and which were merely snooping about. Anything out of the ordinary brought the attention of passersby in Lhavit, and a robbery was no exception. Most people were content to peer over shoulders through the windows of the Starry Chalice, trying to get a glimpse of the foul play that had occurred within. But the Shinya guard in training was enough to deter most people from poking further. No doubt, by the time they headed home to loved ones, or to the taverns with friends, their version of events would have sprouted additional flare and fiction to spice it up. By the evening, if it had not already, there would have been a dozen versions floating around the city, each more dramatic than the last.

The only way of really knowing what transpired was to be involved. That was ultimately what had drawn Sal to the event. A puzzle. An investigation. A hidden truth. It really was up his street as Boris had suggested. Sal really did enjoy getting to the bottom of things, and a robbery contained just the right mix of ingredients to sate his hunger. He was about ready to push off from the wall he occupied, before spotting a couple of more arrivals to the volunteer group. The first was a surprise, an Eth dressed in what would have been a simple red dress on anyone else but an Eth. The woman carried herself with purpose and intent, as they tended to do, Sal thought. But so too was there a look about her that spoke more of frustration than anything. It was hard to put a finger on it, but he got the impression the woman was trying too hard to fit in. Or something along those lines.

To further his theory, a second woman arrived shortly after, standing too close to the Eth for their conversation to be anything else than private. The woman was a charoda, beautifully unique in her slender appearance. Sal had never met a charoda before, though his more uncouth friends at the tavern had spun wild tales of the charoda's flexibility and tenaciousness. He suspected they had never met one either, instead just trying to outdo one another with their tall tales.

Brandon meanwhile had slipped back into the crowd where Sal could not see him. The lad was good at that, he recalled, wondering if the thief even knew that Sal was still alive. Their last meeting had been interesting to say the least, though they had parted in the most extraordinary circumstances. For a moment, he even wondered how their meeting again after so long would go. He even wrestled with the idea of just leaving right now, in order to avoid any possible confrontation. But the draw of the investigation was still too strong, like a current pulling at his ankles towards the ocean of puzzles that awaited. Again, as before, he held back for a few more moments, before he would venture over and join this mismatched group of would be adventurers.

by **Alses** on August 19th, 2014, 11:01 pm

Alses' eyebrows arched in surprise as Brandon's aura snarled and snapped, swiftly followed by vitriol pouring from his mouth. Obviously someone with a chip on their shoulder about the Shinya and their role in the city – but why?

Had he run afoul of them in the past? Earned himself a night in the cells beneath the Pavilion and an appearance before the Seiza judiciary? If so, Alses could sort of understand his dislike; the Seiza weren't exactly soft and fluffy, and being hauled around the place by a Shinya's Projection – their preferred method of apprehending wrongdoers – would probably leave someone feeling less than charitable to them.

Then again...what might he have done to get on the wrong side of the law? If, indeed, it was a run-in with the law that had caused the dislike – Alses shook her head; it was pointless to debate and consider such things without more information; she'd only end up tying her brain in logical knots trying to arrive at an answer.

Even so, she fought down a surge of irritation towards the judgmental – her brain carefully inserted 'man' instead of a ruder word – and instead gave both him and Una her very best gracious smile. Politics – and Chiona Dusk – had taught her that, at least.

“The Shinya are excellent protectors, and we're grateful for them since there have been attempts on my life in the past.” That was directed at Brandon, the shift in her tone marking her defense of Una.

“Even so, our forthright friend over there does have a point,” she admitted, a crooked grin inviting Una into conspiratorial commiseration against the Shinya. “They're not awfully good at discretion, it has to be said. Never have been, in my experience – no offence,” she added quickly, to the Shinya guardsman and coordinator standing nearby.

“As for my clothes, Una – they're practical. We've helped the city out a few times now, and I've lost more fine clothes than we care to remember because of it. Covered in blood, ripped and torn, set on fire – on purpose and by accident - used for bandages...the list is endless! I've learned my lesson; help out the city, wear clothes that don't catch on things and that you don't mind losing, if push comes to shove.” She looked down at herself, assessing the situation.

“All the important bits are covered anyway,” Alses remarked cheerfully, the matter settled in her own mind. “Plan on joining us on this little jaunt? For the good of the city, of course – we'll sign it off as a workday, even, if you like? Mercadier can scream all he wants, but it is in the job description.” Her smile was positively wicked, eyes glittering with impish glee as Alses shed without a care the stately distance of a Councillor Radiant. She'd always worn it lightly anyway – or so she told herself, at any rate.

She turned her attention to the tremulous piping of a boy still in his teens who seemed to be a part of the gathering group. Alses wasn't over-bothered by youth; she knew well enough that age was no indicator of skill or maturity, and in any case, the minutiae of the passage of mortal years wasn't something she'd ever been partiularly au courant with.

He was a buzzing vibration at the back of her teeth, his aura shaking almost as much as his nervous voice as he essayed a jerky bow, his body seeming to be made of knees and elastic. Alses worked to hide a smile – and then a frown – as he stuttered his way through a greeting, perspiring freely even though it wasn't all that warm. Nerves, again, it had to be. It seemed catching; his companion was the same, clutching at his legs.

“It means that we have responsibility over magic in Lhavit,” she replied calmly, hoping that the liquid cadences of her voice would soothe him slightly. “In all its terror and majesty. Our name is Alses; it's my pleasure to meet you.” A pause, and then a small and mischievous smile tugged once more at the corners of her mouth. “I'll be in your care, too.”

She turned her attention to his companions, then – not wishing to be rude, she didn't bend to peer rudely under the hood, instead letting her auristics off the leash, a soft wave of djed that poured over them, curling silkily all around, sluicing through even the tiniest gaps and mantling them in her magic, drinking in the emanations from the soul and rendering all secrets up for her viewing and leisurely perusal.

“We see you're an Animator,” she remarked, with no small surprise, delicate tendrils of auristic power checking and rechecking, feeling the bite of wood on her skin and the hard fire of artificial life coiled like springs inside it. “Always good to find another practitioner. Have you met Maeki yet?”