Prelude: Both the Quick and the Dead [Incarnadine Waters]

[Khadavla]

Yume offers a smile with cupid bow lips, "That's right, folks, this is the actual prelude at long last."


This prelude is collaborative fiction. When chapter one hits, we will bring out the dice!


'Til then, I will write a block of text and post it, then give the PCs a few days to contribute. I will endeavor to insert general and specific tags as well.


A brief summary of what we will be writing is this:


The scene opens with the player charecters assembling somewhere at Earth and Sky school for a confrence. Yume and Kodachi have activly worked to bring them here thoguh some may be here by hapenstance or of their own initiaitve. Yume stands up and speaks, saying that she never dreamed she'd suceed in assembling such a powerful group. She asks, as all are assembled, for everyone to introduce themeselves to everyone, and speak briefly about their goals, that they may better understand how they might work together.


Amongst the discussions, Threnody for the Reverent Soul explains that she has been asked by a private group of rich and powerful Ancestors to look into a number of agents of the Neverborn west of Thorns who are troubling both the Quick and the Dead.


Kodachi stands and informs them regretfully that during her one year training trip she will be unable to hide them from the Wyld Hunt at Earth and Sky. She asks that they do a favor/job for the Hebal Alliance which coincides with the desires of the ancestors from Sijan. Please spend some time in the South investigating Copycat Necromancer Kings that the herbal alliance cannot link to Mask of Winters as anything but inspiration. Nonetheless, they want proof of any and all involvement the Mask of Winters has with these copy cats with which to stymie the conquering necromancer's political ambitions and otherwise rally the Scavenger Lands against him. Dealing with the copy cats is also desirable. She also passes the service of her Elemental attache Sakura to her daughter Yume.


They travel to Yume's manse a week into less crowded lands. Sakura's oaths of fealty are always interrupted by attacks on those she swears too, and there is no desire for that fight, and the resulting anima flares, to happen in the middle of Nexus. During the oath and the Ffight, Yume uses the Prayer of Celestial Need to discover Sakura's true nature and the reason for her permanent Abscic Binding. This draws the attention of 10,000 Glorious Sunsets.


10,000 Glorious Sunsets comes to the Manse with council from Heaven, including the location of a first age city in the jungles with intact artifacts needful to them including instructional crystals for Solar Cirlcle Sorcery and how to awaken feral dragon kings.

 

[Khadavla]

Up the mountain from the Earth and Sky School proper but bellow the Goddess of the Healing Springs private temple, amongst the little redwoods, each over a hundred feet high and lightly beflowered with medicinal orchids, Yume, Sakura, and a few others spread picknick blankets and baskets and invited the stewards, lawgivers, princes of creation, and dragon kings and assorted others who had answered their call, retinues included off times, to have a seat and hold council.


When all had a chance to devour a share of meatrolls and rice balls and pork buns, fruit juice and tea, Yume licked a grain of rice from her petal lips, stood, made a polite gesture to her mother, then stepped back uphill 'til she could see them all, scarlet hair and off white loincloth fluttering in the mountain breeze. The spring in her step gave jiggle to her bountiful cleavage, but none could doubt the power of her mightly legs, arms, or midriff, even if she wasn't wearing one of the larger daiklaives many had ever seen.


When she could see them all, take them all in with pine green eyes that met them all one by one, Yume smiled widely and called out in delight, "Yes! Foes of all goodly folk beware, for when in all the history of the second age has such a mighty band as this been gathered?"


She cartwheeled thrice down the hill in joy and landed in the splits, grinning widely with her palms pressed into the grass. "My name is Yume, Daughter of Kodachi and Khadavla, of the lines of Tepet and Inada Navda. I am Chosen by the Uncoqnered Sun to the Zenith Caste. To the Silver Pact, I am a child in their ways, a potential person, which is more than many have ever achieved. I think of myself as a doctor. Some diseases require herbs and time and tender loving care. Others call for a scalpel. The world the Unconquered Sun has given us charge of is no different, it needs healing. Suna, former bearer of my Exaltation prepared this blade for me," she tapped the side of the massive orichalcum sword sheathed at her back, easily weighing as much as the six and a half foot giantess. "I am a doctor, and it is my scalpel.


"Thats a bit about who I am and what i want. Mother and I asked you all to come here so that we could join our forces in ways that would satisfy us all, so please, introduce yourselves to everyone and tell us a bit about yourselves and what you want to acomplish."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

A young man stands up, his skin clearly marks him as coming from the South. His body is very muscular, and he wears loose fitting clothes. He's wearing bracelets, anklets and an amulet of moonsilver, and the amulet houses a hearthstone of reddish color.


"Well, if we are to introduce ourselves, let's get this over with swiftly. My name is Flowing Granite, I'm a Chosen of Luna, and desire to learn Sorcery, but in the mean time, I'm a good enough fighter." With those last words, his form ripples and he grows in size, assuming the form of a large sand swimmer, except he's got wings, and his legs are somewhat longer than usual (for those of you even familiar with the creatures) and his coloring is reddish-black.

 

[Persell]

Once, while still a child, Threnody overhead a man say that life was but a ripple in the pond. Each person was like a single raindrop that left its imprint forever on the tranquil surface of Creation. If such things were true than Threnody strove to be nothing more than a flicker on that pond. Each step she took seemed destined to not even disturb the dust that settled on the ground. An unearthly elegance guided her movements, casting the illusion that she moved without motion. That black dress swayed as if on its own yet not even such dark material showed signs of travel. Were the woman to disappear even now, few would remark on her passing.


Those remarks would more than likely speak of the woman’s pale flesh. Among her own people that porcelain smoothness and complexion was a mark of pride. She did not walk amongst the living so often as to acquire a darkened appearance. Instead her skin remained unmarred and pure from the sun’s potentially harsh touch. Lips of red and hair of black contrasted her flash so starkly that many were forced to consider her a second time. Pins of gold did their best to keep the long strands of black hair in a tight bun. Yet often a strand did fall free to highlight the graceful and delicate nature of her features. Nobility may come to mind, yet there was a strange humbleness to her presentation.


The other defining item on her body would be the intricate bracer on her wrist. While one remained unadorned the other held this masterful piece of jewelry with careless ease. Extending from her wrist to nearly midway up her arm, the construction was beautiful to behold. Lines of silver were etched into the surface to craft a pattern familiar to the citizens of Sijan. Small chains of silver and gold moved with little sound along the surface, one extending to a silver ring about her finger. Those with knowledge of her culture would know immediately that she held the status of a Dead Speaker. Which might explain the vacant way her lips moved at times and the strange looks she often gave at open space.


Such a look was now given to their greeter. Those blue eyes staring past both her companion and greeter, her head lowering in respect. “Threnody to the Reverent Soul, sent from Sijan by request to your service.â€

 

[Havok_Harbinger]

Powder soft skin, cinnamon mocha complexion, jet black, waist-length hair, tinkling of orichalcum bracelets, grace and beauty deserving of the gardens here, and the scent of iris. Rey Pey Yung adjusts the wheat gold toga that graces her this evening, her neck and the crest of her bosom are obscured by a wide series of orichalcum alloyed plates gracefully embellished with the instructions of the wood dragon Sextes Jylis, that make an adornment of beauty and grace. deep set sleeves drape from her elbows leaving bracers of spun orichalcum exposed on her forearms attached to graceful plates that extend back from the elbows to a rigid and sharp point. Tight and decorative braids fall beside her aqualine features, ending in feather and amber trinkets. A single tightly braided lock of crimson hair, matching Yume's, falls along the right side of her face, adorned with an amulet bearing a muddy-brown stone of impossible smooth surface.


Rey Pey Yung allows all attention to be drawn to her through subtle means then says in a silky smooth manner, I am Rey Pey Yung, Binder of Eight Concepts, I have journeyed far, from across the city, to this meeting in the hopes of finding those who can facilitate the joining of Creation. I see all that is graced by the Unconquered Sun unified in a single cause, a single nation, a single people. According to the legends, this has occurred Twice before in the times of Existence. The Primordial Wars, when the Children of the Celestials, and those of Creation bore the weight and threw down the Malfeans andbound them to serve. The Great Conflict, where the Celestials were cast down for, shall we say, various reasons, most lost to the ages. Now we near a new event, where we must come together again, for a threat to Creation is so great that none may turn a blind eye. Creation is threatened by her very guardians, Lunars who have held the borders now turn away in the hopes of joining the Solars and throwing down the Dragons who rule, Solars return thrashing and destroying Dragons by the dozens and even hundreds in their brief spark of existence as the Wyld Hunt bears them down. The very houses of the Realm, turn on each other, tearing the very foundation of stability that the world still has. This must be stopped, the last time the world was weakened in such a way, the Fey tore across us and bore away with a third of Creation, can we accept that chance again?


So, I beg to accompany you. I wish to join and learn from you all. I can offer Sorcery, and a student of the Wood Dragon Form, and can even offer techniques that are not available here at the Earth and Sky school of Medicinal Arts. In addition, if it has not become incredibly obvious, I have a way with words that can smooth many journeys and encounters. With this Rey again floats to a seated position upon the floor.

 

[Thanos1]

Lost amongst the crowd is a man who looks to be of Southern decent. His skin is a dull bronze, almost unnatural in tint. His eyes are the color of granite. Long hair streams down his back to be held in a small white clasp. A mandarin style beard of red and brown adorn his face which looks close to middle aged. Dressed in white and blue robes little else can be seen about him other than perhaps a glint of red metal at his wrists or an edge of green at his side. He has been standing near the back leaning against a tree for most of the social gathering.


Learning forward he bows to those gathered and says in Old Realm,


“I am Brilliant Singing Hammer, Chosen of the Sun, as a Bronze Spider. I specialize in Sorcerer, Occult, and as a Craftman. I can aid in long distance communication and travel. I seek to reestablish the Celestial Hierarchy so that we celestials can bring about another ‘Golden Age’. This goal requires a great many things to happen, be found, and understood. The path will be long and hard, but the rewards are all but unfathomable to us in this age.â€


“My experiences, with a few of you so far, bring me to look forward to working with each and every one of you. Please feel free to speak with me about anything you think I might be able to help you with.â€


He will repeat this in Fire Tongue should it be needed.

 

[Argas]

The woman stands up next. The elegant dress she wears resembles the fashion of the Realm a bit, but someone with knowledge of fashion would say otherwise. The color of her skin also says otherwise, too tan to be from the Realm unless she works in the fields; her elegant posture and perfect hands say otherwise. There is no way this woman could be a peasant, though she is not refined in the way a noble would be. Rather, she is refined in a disciplined manner not unlike that of priests. She is beautiful in a simple manner, only a beauty spot below her left eye marks her otherwise perfect face. Her long raven hair is held up by a headdress and pins, the rest spilling out behind her. Her dress is an authentic An-Teng dress, though the front is cut much shorter than the back, exposing some of her thighs where they aren't covered by stockings. The size of her chest and the curves of her body only enhance her beauty. She wears two sets of bracers on her forearms, one of shimmering gold and one with prayer writings. The handles of her weapons stick out from her sash.


"I am Beneficent River, Priest of the Unconquered Sun and the Golden Lord. I see the future of Creation as one filled with peace and prosperity, but also free of injustice. I seek to be an agent of justice, to rid Creation of crimes such as slavery and torture. I am a practitioner of the Righteous Devil Style, a philosophy that has not been seen in Creation for ages. I hope we may do this together. I expected to be all on my own in my mission, but I hope not. If we can all work together, I am certain that Creation will be a far better place."

 

[Myllinnia]

A young woman stands, her nearly shimmering body length locks of platinum blonde hair falling behind her in near ripples. Her fair complexion didn't mark her as well as her life had lent her but her stance was not, a stance closer to a warriors stance was hers while azure blue eyes look about curiously. Her clothes was strange even from where she was from, but Coals Over Time had not restricted her from the style that she currently wore, a style she saw from a strange passing through her Pack's lands. It consisted of little, a head dress sat on her head carefully not to hide much of her locks, while several skimpy pieces of cloth and other items sat upon her form, a revealing slender and shapely body. While on her back sat the gracefully made moonsilver Dire Lance, something she carried as if it were a part of her.


"I am Teliseria, Indigo Amethyst of Twilight, a Chosen of beautiful Luna and the apprentice to Coals Over Time, my Packs Loremaster and Socerer. I have gained some skill with her." She says her cheeks reddening slightly. "I am here for fate's reason for sure and you may count on me if my skills are required, I am but a young apprentice though and my time away from the pack has not been so long." She slowly sits back down wondering at all what this who thing portended. Assuredly something had its hands in this event or perhaps she was being a bit overly sensitive for being in a new place.

 

[Renaissance Blonde]

"Five-Edged Peony," said the olive-skinned, dark-haired woman dressed in silver-white brigandine over worn, burned forge-leathers, a smith's hammer hung on a belt of orichalcum and blue jade. "Twilight Chosen of Sol Invictus. I know a bit of smithing, sorcery and the Jade Mountain Style."

 

[Axelgear]

Nazir


Standing somewhat away from the group, a young man who hasn't touched any of the food is crouched, feeding a rabbit. The sudden energy of the display causes him to turn his head and stand, the rabbit hopping away as he turns to watch. He hadn't been eating any of the offered food; eating meat didn't agree with his principles. Instead, he brought his own food, wrapped in a large leaf.


At the request of an introduction, he listened to the others and approached the circle. With smooth skin clearly bred from the people of the jungle and a head crowned with brown hair, he was a handsome figure but not overwhelmingly so. A comfortable smile and gentle green eyes showed a serenity to his being as he looked about the gathering. Although not overly muscular, he had an athletic figure reminiscent of gymnasts, each muscle and movement resonating with control and confidence. Were the ground itself to fall away from his feet, it would be difficult to call oneself surprised if he were not only unshaken but balancing on the dust itself. The air shifted his long, flowing, black cloak up behind him, his legs comfortably coated in night-purple pants that stuck tightly to his form, his clothing entirely unremarkable except for the long gauntlets and bracers he wore on his arms, as well as the shining medallion around his neck. There were other items, a chain that was tied around his waist like a belt and a chakram on his hip, but they did not draw the eye the same way these other items did. When it fell silent and came to his turn, he spoke up.


"My name is Nazir. I'm afraid you all have me at something of a disadvantage. I don't really know much about these things; I was raised far out in the jungle. I'm apparently a Night Caste, though I'm not exactly sure what that means. I was raised by Suryavarman, god of the Bronze Monkey Temple, and he explained a little about things like the Unconquered Sun and Luna but I'm certain that what I know is just the surface of the story," he began, finding it almost intimidating to hear such auspicious titles and then be left with a bare name to present for himself, "especially compared to what you all know."


Bucking up after humbling himself, Nazir then goes on to add "I've got some skills you'll certainly find useful, though. I'm the... I... I look after Datoga. I helped found the place a few years ago, and I've discovered my fair share of skills. If you need someone to get you into anywhere, to unlock any door, scale any wall, I'm the one to do it, especially if you don't want someone to know what you're doing."


With that said, the young Solar then turns his head and looks for whomever will be next to talk.

 

[Havok_Harbinger]

Rey offers over to Nazir, Nazir, you are perhaps one of the wisest here of us, you atleast know, what you do not know. With a lifetime of study of histories and tomes, I sometimes realize what I don't know and am humbled as well. A gracious smile crosses the distance as Rey encourages the Night caste, You have skills where I have knowledge, let us both apply them where they are best suited and we will all profit.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Flowing Granite yawns, and stretches the muscles on his war form, the scales glistening in the light.


"Did everyone introduce themselves? I don't know about you, but standing here just talking isn't exactly a very exciting thing. Can we get on to the real issue of why we're all here? I've got stuff I wanna get to do myself, and this doesn't seem very conductive to it."


If he were in his human form, his speech might have been seen as the speech of a bored teenager, but it's a bit different when coming from the mouth of a large creature with wings, 6 limbs, and wicked looking armaments.

 

[Axelgear]

Nazir


The compliment to the young man visibly almost knocks him out of his stance and, with a blush and a smile, he presses a fist to an open palm and bows slightly towards Rey. It was an unexpected compliment, and quite one at that, especially from someone quite obviously more learned than he. "Thank you, Binder Yung. You flatter me." He replied, adding a slight chuckle to the end as he stood upright once more and drew his hands apart.

 

[Myllinnia]

Teliseria despite her unease amongst so many different and diverse people nonetheless gives a frown to Flowing Granite. Assuredly he knew that running about in War Form was considered not only foolish but also an affront to the local Lunars. She sighs though, does this area even have a local Lunar Pack, perhaps its because the room was chock full of Solars? Keeping silent though the young No Moon sits back trying to appear nonconspicious as she silently watches at the poeple. There were a lot of them, and thus far she knew only of the one other Lunar. She had to wonder still what his pack must have been teaching him for him to be this way.


The Next time I talk with Coals Over Time, I'm going to have to ask her about this, she thinks to herself silently and with a frown.

 

[Persell]

Threnody allowed her hand to rise from her side. Fingertips lightly brushed against her companion, hoping to gain his attention with the faint touch. Her touch was always cold but tender. An ethereal place between the now and the has been.


“Often do I council my companion in patience and for this moment I still do. Yet I was given the impression of urgency with the message passed to me. Whilst I enjoy the opportunity to meet others like myself, there are duties in neglect with my presence here. Perhaps pleasantries aside, the matter at hand may be discussed.â€

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Despite his urge to make them get to the real issue at hand, Flowing Granite recognizes that maybe being in his war form is too intimidating and/or distracting to them, so he gathers his essence, and forces his body back into his human form, but his jaw is set, as if defying them to try and tell him what to do.

 

[d1ng0d0g]

(Those who can perceive the immaterial see a tiny green duck fly in, that lands on an empty seat, preens her feathers for a moment and then looks around with curiosity.)


In an empty seat a mass of swirling green feathers and flickering flames appeared, accompanied by a flash of dry heat, reminiscent of the desert, that quickly took the shape of a small, slender, but well curved girl, with eyes as dark as coals. Her hair hanging over the chair's back gently moved out of it's own volition, caressing the wood like a gentle lover, before settling and just hanging down. At the roots it was black, going over in bright whites and blues, then in yellows golds, reds and oranges towards the ends, like living flames.


Her shapely form was covered in a red jade armor, each segment carefully crafted in the form of bright red feathers, covering her from the neck down, all the way up to her feet, fully protected yet completely revealing. The air around her shimmered lightly, before settling.


"My humble apologies for my tardiness." she said softly, her voice warm, passionate and clear, as her beautiful dark eyes looked around, with small flickers of flame within them, "I am Twice-Blessed Kenina."

 

[Paladin]

Raynes looks over the large assembled group with piercing blue eyes and listens to what each has to say. During the whole time he stay quiet until finally he is the last person to speak. His brown hair waves in the wind covering and then uncovering the scar across his face.


“I am Zaiden Raynes. My motivations are my own for now but I will do my best to work with the rest of you in this fight against these necromancers.â€

 

[Thanos1]

Brilliant Singing Hammer is much impressed by many of those gathered. His friends and previous companions Rey Pey Yung and Five-Edged Peony are well known to him. In fact Hammer can not help but run his eyes up and down Rey once again in appreciation of her form and beauty. However, his eye has been especially caught by Teliseria and her fabulous hair.


Amazing, the way she caries herself. Graceful and beautiful yet intelligent and humble. Perhaps, in time, I will have the honor of a few moments of her time. Such a lovely being and yet a Lunar Exalted as well. There is no telling the potential possibilities with this one.

 

[Myllinnia]

Teliseria smiles to herself for no reason of her own as the Lunar shifts his form into the more appealing one. Even as she does this a shiver runs down her spine, not a particularly unpleasant one, but still one that had brought a bit of confusion.. Gently she runs a hand through her platinum blonde hair her eyes looking about. What was the meaning of this feeling? Then her azure blue eyes fell upon the man. What was his name, she thinks to herself, the Solar Socerer? I wonder what he knows? Quickly she averts her eyes finding herself staring for too long. What was that feeling, why did it just now... or was this the why I have come here, had it always been there, leading me?


She sighs to herself and closes her eyes as she calms her thoughts, I bet I just made a fool of myself just then too. Does it matter, this feeling, she reasons to herself. "Brilliant Singing Hammer," she whispers to herself suddenly smiles warmly and thoughtfully. What a nice name she thought to herself as she leaned back.

 

[Peteman]

The regal, blue clad, pale skinned young man, vaguely foppish in his mannerisms eyes the rest of them. A cool look suppressed the distrust he had toward the rest of the assembled group, since as far as he was concerned, many of these were either formerly willing consorts of demons and dangerous eldritch powers, or were the victims of such beings granting them both power and madness. Still, they may have hope. Yume had shown herself able to overcome her infernal-derived abilities (unlike that other Anathema), but he had yet to meet them others, and honestly believed himself in great danger given how many more of them there were than him.


"I am Dancing Winds, Prince of the Air, and representative of House Teresu's and Maheka's interests in this region."


He left the part where if they tried to backstab and ransom him, they would find out that several of his actions in recent times have left his position precarious, so that he was considered, if not expendable, at least an acceptable loss.


He left Cinnamon with Kuros. His personal attendant need not be at this meeting, and besides, if he didn't feel safe among these individuals, why should a Mortal be?

 

[Thanos1]

A dragon blood from Lookshy, here, amongst us. HAH! He must be shaking in his boots and hiding it well, infuriated that his superiors think him expendable, or Lookshy has finally gotten the hint that the Mask of Winters wants them dead...well everybody dead I think. Perhaps this is the start of a high powered alliance? It would certainly be a fantastic opportunity to get inside Lookshy and figure out what first age contraptions they do have. Why Peony and I could spend years there!

 

[Myllinnia]

Teliseria looks with surprise at the dragon-blooded. She had heard stories, Coals Over Time had told her a few, but before her time strange people would visit the village and regale the village with tales from civilized lands about them. The Realm especially was a place she had wanted to see, but even Coals Over Time had told her never to near the Blessed Isle. WIth a bit of surprise she relaxed. She wondered if the stories were true, did they really dislike poeple like her?

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Flowing Granite's gaze turns to daggers towards the Dragon-Blooded, and it's only Threnody's hand resting on his shoulder that keeps him from exploding into action to tear him apart.


He has been dogged by a bunch of them, in their so-called Wyld Hunt, and had barely managed to evade them when they came upon a number of Fair Folk who occupied their attention.

 

[Havok_Harbinger]

Rey Pey Yung bows low leaving ample opportunity to view her cleavage and the curve of her shoulder side and hips, Dancing Winds, it is great to have a member of Lookshy's houses amongst us. Mogref Studios accounts House Yoshoto among it's greatest allies. I hear good things about House Maheka and have sat with a young Teresu over tea one fine morning a year ago. I am blessed with the presence of another fine one from the Fine City. A welcoming smile is offered as the dark skinned beauty offers her acknowledgements.