Legacy-Timeline

The Season of Wood: A season of planting and late-Spring-like weather, with Descending Wood beginning to warm up significantly. Some places that get warm early may have a first harvest by the end of this season.

The Season of Fire: The hottest season, a time of long light and growing, with Summer-like temperatures. Most places feature a first harvest by the end of this season, though some are already into a second harvest.

The Season of Earth: A time of warmth and ripening, without the stifling heat of the Season of Fire. Late Summer-like weather for most of the season, with early-Autumn-like weather and harvests happening at the end of Descending Earth.

The Season of Air: Starting off with colder early-Autumn-style weather featuring trees shedding leaves. Harvests of vines and trees tend to occur in Resplendent Air. Cools significantly by the end of Ascending Air and is very cold and winter-like through Descending Air.

The Season of Water: Very Winter-like in early Ascending Water, but beginning to warm up, with snows melting and an early Spring coming in Resplendent Water. Early planting begins then.

Calibration: The five days "outside of time" in Creation, when the veils between the world of spirits and the world of mortals drops, and the cracks between Creation and the Underworld, Malfeas and the Wyld widen enough to allow things to slip through. An uncanny time, one best spent in the company of others. Many settlements bar their gates and don't allow travelers in during the five days of Calibration. Essence regeneration increases by 50% during Calibration.

Pre-Chronicle

Realm Year 748 to Realm Year 768
- The most important events in recent years, both to the setting as a whole and to our heroes.

Prelude:Training of the Solars

Realm Year 768: Resplendent Earth to Descending Air
- In which our heroes find one another, and learn the wielding of Essence and their own legacy from both the Abbot of the Serpent Monastery, and the forgotten god he serves.

Book One: The Black Phalanx

Realm Year 768

Ascending Water

13th Day of Ascending Water

Nearly a month had passed since the destruction of Mahanaga and a variety of changes had befallen the company of travelers. Not long into the journey, Tobias and Whispering Bear had decided to take their leave for reasons of differing moralities than others in the company as well as personal reasons that beckoned them away. The other four Solars, the god Taruzake and Aapo's snake-charmed mortal ward Ginger continued the long, cold journey on horseback through cold & slushy mud to The Keldin Cliff-Cities, where Alabaster Mountain's family lived. The journey was made considerably more comfortable than it would have been otherwise through the magics of Crimson Slate who had summoned a fire butterfly, which also kept the horses in good health.
As they neared the city of Lionroar, Sapphire Veil convinced them to stop for the night at an outlying farmhouse. The farmers were awestruck that Prince Alabaster Mountain was in their presence and were most hospitable. Sapphire Veil & Alabaster Mountain sent a message with the farmers eldest son to the city ahead of them that he was returning.

14th Day of Ascending Water

Refreshed from their stay with the kind farmers, the companions set forth for Lion Roar and arrived early in the morning. Upon arrival they saw a docked Guild barge with livestock being loaded. Immediately they recognized a very familiar mule possessing a bent ear; Toshi was alive. Sapphire Veil & Crimson Slate approached the ship and spoke with the man present & learned that the mule had been purchased from a Guildsman was was currently preparing the slave auction in the market square that very moment. Sapphire Veil immediately started making her way towards the market. Crimson Slate quickly negotiated using her amazing powers of haggling the purchase of Toshi and came back with a mount for Ginger to ride. Everyone else followed Sapphire Veil, who for a moment had forgotten to walk steps behind Alabaster Mountain, her mind keenly focused on something far more important to her than she would ever admit to.
The companions arrived at the market and easily found the Guild slave auction being constructed and prepared for operation later in the morning. They also saw & immediately recognized the Guildsman who was running the operation: Prosperous Standard. In addition to Grace being amongst the slaves, there were a number of other Mahanaga survivors as well as a plethora of Riverlin slaves. Alabaster Mountain, with use of his noble title, convinced Prosperous Standard to allow him first pick of the slaves.
While Sapphire Veil kept a close eye on Alabaster Mountain and Prosperous Standard, Crimson Slate & Aapo with Ginger & Taruzake began to visit a few inns & taverns in the area, giving out free samples of Taruzake's rice wine as well as the recipe to those who were interested.
Upon having first arrived at Lion Roar, Alabaster Mountain had noted the dubious purple flags of mourning displayed in the upper city, though their full meaning had not been known to him, save that someone important had died. While he was negotiating the purchase of the Mahanaga slaves the noble banner followed by a small procession of nobles & palace guards made their way to him. He was quickly briefed that his brother had been murdered and that he was needed to return to the palace immediately. Alabaster Mountain explained to the Majordomo about the slaves he wished to purchase & his other companions that should be sent up to his apartments when found, then he & Sapphire Veil left with the guards to the palace.
The annoyed, impatient & confused Majordomo approached the Guild auction and found a very helpful young river woman, obviously one of Alabaster Mountain's companions. She was kind enough to point out the slaves that he had wished to purchase...all of the river folk. The Majordomo sighed and summoned a Guildsman and stated he wished to purchase the river folk. The confused Guildsman inquired if they were in addition to those Alabaster Mountain had already selected. Eyebrow twitching in irritation & impatience as he glanced up at the purple flags ahead, he sighed and agreed to purchase all of them. A quick transaction numbers & seals and the Majordomo snatched up Alabaster Mountains rather bewildered companion, who felt it necessary to point out that she could easily find her own way at a later time if only he'd - no, no - she was going with him now. So he stomped off towards the palace with her in tow looking as if she was contemplating whether she'd left the iron on in her previous life.
Crimson Slate & Aapo were quickly informed by the rumor mongering commoners of what had happened and decided to head up to the palace and find their companions. Upon leaving a tavern, the barkeep now the proud owner of a copy of Taruzake's wine recipe, they saw the mass of Mahanaga & river folk slaves being led up towards the palace and followed.
Alabaster Mountain and Sapphire Veil were given their rooms. As Sapphire Veil was entertaining herself with a constant string of delightful findings in her room, Alabaster Mountain was informed that one of his female companions had arrived and was given a room. Assuming it was Crimson Slate & wishing to speak to her, he went to the room and knocked.
Still somewhat stunned by the circumstances, the river girl the Majordomo had delivered into these quarters, hid herself behind the closed doors of the bath room. Alabaster entered the chambers and heard her while she was making frantic bathing noises on the other side of the door. While Alabaster Mountain was calling her name, the realm Crimson Slate and Aapo were just approaching the rooms following a servant & heard him calling her name. They poked their head into the room to ask what Alabaster Mountain was going on about, just as the door to the bath room was opened from within and the river girl stepped out.
...to immediately have Alabaster Mountains grinning metal face at the end of his tetsubo suddenly inches from her nose.
Sapphire Veil joined the throng in the interrogation of the river girl, Lynn (her simple name meeting with much approval from Aapo). It was quickly determined that she knew who and WHAT they were, which immediately gained her a great deal of threats and drawn weapons from those around her. But she quickly amended this knowledge with the fact that she too was a Solar, and proved it by revealing her Twilight caste mark. While the flow of information was largely one way, the companions wishing to share very little of their own pasts, but demanding that she provide them with all the answers to their questions, the meeting went overall well. Weapons were eventually put away, she was not hurled through a wall, nor sentenced to a life imprisonment in a bath room. The guards that the servant who witnessed Alabaster Mountain draw his weapon had summoned were dismissed and the Solars talked. Lynn's agenda had been rather simple, she only wished to see that her people found a good home. This quest having been completed successfully, she had intended to return to her ship. But two things had happened. First she had overheard Prosperous Standard's ominous words to his assistant, identifying them as anathema and that if they caused any trouble he would reveal their nature and second she'd been essentially kidnapped by the Majordomo in a case of mistaken identity. But rather than seek to immediately return to her ship, she was intrigued by these other Solars, and there is strength & safety in numbers. Perhaps it was fate that they had met? So she had remained, though not entirely sure how to go about meeting them that wouldn't be...awkward.
It was decided that for now, she would be one of them.
Ginger, having grown bored with grown up/Solar talk, wanted to visit her friend Thorn, one of the rescued Mahanaga slaves. Aapo sent Kanji with her and the Majordomo to escort them. Alabaster Mountain explained the situation of the Mahanaga refugees to him as well and that they were to be given accommodations and that the river folk slaves would be kept on as palace slaves. Sapphire Veil also requested that Grace be sent to her immediately. Grace was soon reunited with her master, who received her with a loving SLAP and was sent to their room.
That night there was a large informal dinner and matters of state aside, the topic of discussion amongst the nobles at the table with the Solars was the murder investigation. The prince had been murdered in his room, his two guards outside the door poisoned. Following the removal of the bodies, no one had been allowed admittance save for those investigating.
The Solars were quick to volunteer their various skills to the cause, save for Aapo who had dedicated his attention to a large stack of steaks he's gathered onto his plate & sneaking bits of baked fish to Kanji who was hiding under the table in his lap.

15th Day of Ascending Water

Lynn worked with the alchemist to deduce the nature of the poison that had been used while Alabaster Mountain & Sapphire Veil viewed the body. Crimson Slate summoned forth a serpent & egg, an earth elemental and bid it to use its skills of investigation to aid her in checking out the crime scene. While the others investigated the murder, Aapo took more of Taruzake's samples and the recipe with him to the palace head chef and presented them as a gift.
The companions reconvened with the other nobles involved in the investigation and shared what they had learned. The poison used was a rare poison used by the Momus of the Bayou, an individual that was well known for promoting & benefiting from a long ongoing war between the regions of Rana and Bourbon, supplying both sides with mercenaries, weapons and other tools of war. The prince himself had been murdered using Crashing Wave Style martial arts, while his guards were murdered with Ill Lily Style, both signature styles used by the Momus' elite assassins, the Harbingers of the Final Breath.
It was also learned that the use of the earth elemental that Crimson Slate in the manner that she had been using it (having allowed it to swallow & move about with it's egg in it's throat) was considered dire ill fortune for the place where it did so. The snake, smirking if that was possible, spit it's egg back up & coiled around it. Crimson Slate looked rather put out by this tid bit of information.
So things seemed to be pointing in the direction of someone having hired the Momus' assassins to kill the prince. Sapphire Veil was going to slum it into town in order to gather information while the others attended to a variety of plans. Alabaster Mountain unable to sleep went out for a night stroll and Crimson Slate busied herself with her sorcery. Aapo slept like a log.
Sapphire Veil hit the town garbed in Grace's finest peasant clothes. The right question here, the perfect comment dropped there and very soon she found herself face to face with a member of the very criminal element she was trying to find. Sapphire Veil easily saw straight through the drunken charade of the woman Violet almost as soon as she and her nameless companion stumbled into the seedy tea house where she sat. The act quickly put aside they relocated to the docks where they could talk with less ears about them. Violet was a messenger of the Guild of the Ever Shifting Breeze, one of the Five Shades Association that specialized in burglary, conniving and spying (and identify themselves with the shuriken sigil).
While Sapphire Veil and Violet discussed a variety of issues and potential future alliances, Crimson Slate was engaged in yet another sorcerous conjuration. After hours of grueling ritual, she found herself face to face with a rather aloof, confused, annoyed & snooty cloud person, who did not relish her surroundings in the least. Bribing her attention with a lovely blue gemstone donated to Crimson Slate by a rather hesitant Alabaster Mountain, Crimson Slate was able to converse with the elemental. After a rather short battle of her own morality she bound the elemental for a year and a day and socketed her crystal into Mecha-Horse, granting it the power of flight.

16th Day of Ascending Water

The following morning Alabaster Mountain gathered up his companions in order to welcome his family that were just arriving. With all the political intrigue and suspicion going on, Lyn felt that it would be wisest of her to submit to voluntary house arrest. Upon request she would remain in the palace library, watched by Taruzake until matters could be further sorted out.
The Solars are present as Alabaster Mountain and the Lionroar nobles welcome his rather large and confusing family...with their far more confusing names and rather complex emotional states, relations & reactions.
Alabaster Mountain and Sapphire Veil visit his mother, the Queen, sisters and maids in her chamber. Sapphire Veil quickly makes a splendid impression upon them all and it is revealed to Alabaster Mountain that his younger brother had left to find him shortly after he had vanished. They discussed other family matters while Sapphire Veil continued to assess the usefulness of the royal daughters, particularly the eldest.
Meanwhile, while Aapo and Crimson Slate spent some time in the courtyard, Aapo coaching Ginger and Thorn in combat maneuvers and Crimson resting from her long grueling night of conjuration, they were approached by Alabaster Mountain's aunt and bodyguard (cousin?). They wished to know what he had been up to since he had gone missing & how they had met. Crimson Slate spun the tale of them being scavenger lords and that Alabaster Mountain had been called to the lifestyle as many a bored noble has been and informed them of the roles of each of the party. Aapo retained enough sense in his head to keep his mouth shut for the most part and not blabbing out that they were Solars destined to put the world right once again. So...he just smiled stupidly at them. They had also made mention of an anathema (Exalted you stupid humans) in the North who had led an army victoriously against the Tepet Legions. Content with their answers, they departed and allowed the children to resume sparring.
The day passed and later in the evening they were all escorted to the great dining hall where dinner was prepared and served to the nobility and friends, including Alabaster Mountains' companions who were placed "beyond the salt". A great deal of conversation passed, some small talk, some serious talk and then suddenly the family erupted into an argument. The Queen excused herself from the table and the magpie of a Dowager began to accuse the King of how poorly he ran his family. The middle daughter spat out how cruel the magpie was and fled after her mother. Everyone continued on in silence while the King and his mother continued to glare at each other from across the table. Sapphire Veil was then invited to entertain them all with a song. She strung her instrument with the magics of the Exalted Sun and thus pulled as the heart strings of all those around her as if they were the instrument in her hands. By the end of the song, everyone present wept. The Dowager had let down her veil and was still. The King and his family wept freely for their hardships & loss. Aapo cried under the enchantment of the song, glaring at the lute-wielding witch the entire time. Why did Crimson Slate cry? Perhaps she missed a horse she had as a child?
Following dinner, Sapphire Veil and Adamant Truths went for a walk and ran into the magpie Dowager. She rudely warned him from making a spectacle of himself and drove icy lances from her eyes into Sapphire Veil's brain while inquiring if she or Crimson Slate had any intimate relations with Alabaster Mountain. Sapphire Veil denied her own involvement, but hesitated and stated that Crimson Slate did not, "that she knew of". while meeting the magpie's eyes it with a cool, unshaken gaze. Sapphire Veil dismissed the man and his advances and retired to her room.
Following an invitation to join Alabaster Mountain and Loyal Ash in post-dinner fornication, Aapo quickly shuffled Ginger & Thorn into a bewildered Crimson Slate's room, quickly followed by an irritated fennec flung through the doorway after them. Crimson Slate took this as an opportunity to teach the children their letters and encouraged them with a game of educational violence.

17th Day of Ascending Water

The Funeral. The companions were all seized by servants and garbed in white and lavender mourning attire for the funeral and marched off to join the royal family and nobles. Following specific orders on how they should proceed, they followed the family in the procession. While they moved slowly to where the ceremony would be conducted, Aapo noticed a woman at a gate attempting to force her way past the guards. He smoothly loosed himself from the procession...in his mind...while nearly knocking over a column holding flowers, stepped on Crimson Slate's toes, got his foot tangled up in a folding chair, all the while swearing loudly about all this crap strewn in his path - and asked what was happening at the gate. Aapo asked the woman, who he noticed was pregnant, and the guards what was happening. She claimed to be the deceased prince's mistress and simply wished to be part of the ceremony - to see him one last time, to say goodbye.
While trying to calm her down and negotiate an alternative, not his strong points, Aapo took no notice that half the royal family & his companions had stopped the procession and were all gathered up behind him until a terrified guard cleared his throat while gesturing behind him.
All but the King, Queen, Alabaster Mountain, Dowager and girl (and Crimson Slate, Sapphire Veil & Kanji who had all hidden around them) were sent away. To those listening, it was quickly obvious that the King knew the girl and just as quickly noticeable that the Queen saw she was pregnant. It was quickly revealed that the King knew of her and had paid her handsomely to vanish. The Queen, who had no knowledge of this, seeing the woman who now carried her grandchild inside of her, was furious with the deceit of her husband.
The procession and ceremony was called back into order, and the Queen insisted that the late Prince's mistress be included and treated as a member of the royal family.
The funerary ceremony was conducted by a Dragonblood and two members of the Morticians' Guild of Sijan.
Just following the funeral, Alabaster Mountain was seized by a strange sensation that seemed to be calling him to the top tier of the city, to the bridge that arced over the great waterfall. He gathered up his companions and they traveled up to the great height where he found a secret chamber. His caste mark flashed, thankfully with no witnesses about and the hidden portal opened itself to him. The Solars entered and the door closed behind him as the circular chamber floor illuminated and they began a speedy descent deep down into the depths of the mountain to where a massive chamber was revealed to them. In the center of the room was a large statue of the Exalted Sun. They all stood silent, taken over by the awe of this majestic sight...
The Solars investigate the massive statue, finding a strange broken First Age device at the base of the statue. Alabaster Mountain and the others quickly attuned themselves to the manse then he attached the hearth stone, plucked from the font of water where it formed, to his bracer. Suddenly the layout and abilities of the manse complex revealed themselves to him & he knew that he was the previous master of the place.
After determining that the manse was somehow linked to other manses in the region, but the exact relationship eluded them & unable to unravel the mysterious device's purpose at the base of the statue, everyone set out to explore the manse. They found abandoned suites, a dining/great hall & kitchen, all filled with still operating First Age technology and utilities. On the top floor they were able to bypass sealed doors (thought to be related to the other manses that were not currently in conjunction with the central manse they were in) by jumping from balcony to balcony.
Alabaster Mountain found an armory, his armory, which had been stripped bare, save for his previous self's artifact weapon and priestly robe. He immediately began to attune the massive tetsubo to himself while the others were exploring elsewhere.
Crimson Slate, Sapphire Veil & Aapo found themselves in some sort of geomancy workshop and found a map of the region with six small manse models placed on the map representing the linked manses. Crimson Slate was giddy with excitement at this find and they copied down the locations and the types of nodes:
- 1) Earth manse near Delbrannan
- 2) Earth manse in Gorral
- 3) Earth manse on the cliffs between Lionroar & Venrathi (this one they had already learned of)
- 4) Water manse on the edge of the river near White Sentinel
- 5) Air manse above the cliff between Venrathi & White Sentinel
- 6) Wood manse across the river from Lionroar in the forest
They then continued on and found what was probably once a great library, though it had been stripped entirely bare, leaving not a single parchment or book behind. While they explored, Sapphire Veil began to have her suspicions about Alabaster Mountains connection to this place and finally put her finger on it, noting to him that they would discuss this at a later time. The other two noticed the exchange, but otherwise remained oblivious to the truth of the matter.
The Solars, having explored every corner of the manse, finally left and the manse sealed itself behind them, just an unassuming wall and they strolled back down to the castle. Sapphire Veil detached herself from them and went down into town to "buy" some clothes from shop keepers unaware of her discounted (free) purchases.
Crimson Slate & Aapo went together to check on Ginger & Thorn and then proceeded to the wing where the other survivors of Mahanaga were living, wishing to ask them questions about the still enigmatic attack on their home. They learn little more than they had from Ginger & Taruzake, but they do learn that the storm that had brought the strangers had come from the north.

18th Day of Ascending Water

While Crimson Slate & Aapo slept late, Alabaster Mountain and Crimson Veil rose early and joined the royal family to meet the ship from the gloomy Morticians' Guild of Sijan and are introduced to the far more gloomy death speaker, XXX, who immediately makes dark & vague reference about Sapphire Veils' entourage of the dead following her. The Queen requests that he use his power to speak with her dead son in order to determine who his killer was, but he says that he cannot. After they finish attending to the Mortician's Guild, Alabaster Mountain and Sapphire Veil hold counsel with the Queen and she confides in them that the King suspects his brother of the murder.
While Crimson Slate remains secluded in her room, summoning elemental after elemental to bind and usher into her "horse", Alabaster Mountain goes to speak with his cousin, Adamant Truths. He persuades him to seek out Sapphire Veil and ask her on a date that evening. Meanwhile Sapphire Veil was arranging a meeting with Alabaster Mountain's aunt, who responds by inviting her to join her for a bit of tea.
Sapphire Veil has brunch with the death speaker from Sijan and they make arrangements to meet that night so that she may speak with the weeping ghosts following her.
After finishing some more training with Ginger & Thorn, Aapo considers a night on the town, but after hearing the strange sounds coming from Crimson Slate's room on the other side of the wall from his, he decides that maybe a night spent in with the kids, weapon ready, would probably be more prudent.
Crimson Slate continues her magics and more spirits find themselves coexisting inside her horse, the snake & egg who had obeyed her before, a fiery creature, a wood spider; "Get into the horse". And meanwhile, her very special mount becomes more & more intelligent from the growing number of spirits within him.
Unaware of the elemental maelstrom brewing some few doors away, Sapphire Veil meets with Alabaster Mountains aunt and her bodyguard for tea. They make small talk, Sapphire Veil plays some music, and then suddenly she finds herself the target of an intensive yet subtle game of seduction as the other two women wield innuendo and lay siege to Sapphire Veil's will in an attempt to get her into their bed. Sapphire Veil barely wriggles out of the situation and tea is concluded with her skirts still tied about her person.
Sapphire Veil slips from one wing to another and joins Alabaster Mountain and his mother for dinner. Alabaster Mountain then joins his father and Sapphire Veil goes on her evening date with Adamant Truths, ending with her having to once again defend her right to remain clothed, though he proves to be far less skilled (and ill equipped versus Sapphire Veil) than his female relations.
Later that night, after Crimson Veil had collapsed exhausted from a day spent sorcelling elementals into a mechanical horse, Aapo lay snoring with Ginger draped under one arm, Thorn using his stomach as a pillow & Kanji curled up on his chest, Alabaster Mountain curled up with Loyal Ash as if he were a large teddy bear, Lyn still awake in the library, reading book after book as if they were in danger of vanishing with the rise of the sun, Taruzake mindlessly bored to sleep lay in her lap, and Sapphire Veil creeping through the night, a single shadow amongst many in the palace, on a quest to quiet the ghosts that she had always known were there. She met with the death speaker and received some answers to the questions she sought to ask.

19th Day of Ascending Water

Early before the sun had any inclination of rising, Aapo was awake. Today was the day for training. He checked his list of names, those who had expressed interest in his "special training" and before daylight had touched the horizon he was beating on doors, barking orders and soon found himself in the gardens with Ginger, Thorn, Grace, Loyal Ash, Crimson Slate, Alabaster Mountain and the two monks from Mahanaga all standing half asleep before him. And then the training began. The guards on duty watched in nervous awe at the grueling training session, knowing that something not quite natural was occurring before their eyes, but unable to determine what it was.
Lyn, still awake, her newest chosen book before her eyes, mountains of already read books covering the table & floor around her seat in the library was encouraged to get out and get some air by Alabaster Mountain as he had followed Aapo to the mornings training session. Taruzake, frightfully bored over the last few days, highly encouraged this notion and so Lyn, still reading, took a stroll into the gardens, pausing a moment to observe the strange training spectacle before proceeding to a fountain that Taruzake had suggested they visit...still reading the entire time, oblivious to the fox god's attempts to draw her attention elsewhere, anywhere but the texts that must have filled her veins with ink by now. For her own good of course.
Sapphire Veil rose from sleep and contemplated what punishments she would bestow upon Grace that day for making her dress herself, even though it had been Sapphire Veil's wish that Aapo train Grace. Still, she should be able to do both and must be punished for this unspeakable failure in her duties.
Dressed in commoner garb, Sapphire Veil set out into town, seeking out rumors or tales that may clue her into the location of the assassins that she knew must still be in town. She heard of three individuals who were desperately seeking passage out of Lionroar and that they were meeting with one Captain Blue Fountain not long after noon at the dockside Mudlark tea house not long after noon. The time of the meeting soon approaching she issued a complicated origami letter to be delivered to Crimson Slate requesting subtle assistance.
The letter arrived just as Aapo's five hour training session was winding down. As the non-Exalted members of his training crew limped off to collapse, they discuss who should go & who should stay. Aapo grows impatient as Lyn & Crimson Slate begin to talk meaninglessly about sorcery and sets out to the docks. Noticing the walking disaster had went on ahead, Crimson Slate rushes after Aapo.
This leaves Lyn in Alabaster Mountains company. They go to retrieve some of his gear and she makes the mistake to comment on his weapon, thus prompting him to erupt into a long diatribe about its origins, his family, the history of his family, the history of weapon manufacturing and whatever else he was able to manage to come out of his mouth. Lyn, unable to get a word in, much less stop him from talking, panicked and fainted in order to stop him from talking. She could think of no other way to escape.
Sapphire Veil pretended to study a fishmongers wares as she watched the tea house and awaited her backup. Watching for signs that would identify a martial artist she did not have to wait long before she spotted exactly who she sought. Three individuals, two men & a woman, two of whom (man & woman) she marked immediately as the two martial artists bearing the styles that had killed the prince, approached and entered the tea house. Shortly after this Aapo & Crimson Slate arrived and were persuaded to gaze at the collection of fish displayed before them. They made their plan, and after Aapo had been pathetically, easily convinced by the fishmonger to buy some fish, they approached the inn.
There the three of them were, with a man who was obviously a seafarer captain by his dress and standing. Guessing that he was a local, Sapphire Veil devised a plan to incite a furious streak of patriotism in the patrons of the bar. Singing a song about the great city of Lionroar, about the death of their beloved prince, about unity in this time of troubles against the unseen enemy, she quickly brought her plan to a successful fruition. Captain Blue Fountain was moved by the scene and then harshly declined his tree clients and joined in the patriotic revelry of the others in the tea house.
The other three, suspicious that something was not quite right anymore, began towards the exit. The three Solars were already moving to flank them, but they had been spotted and identified as a threat. The three dash across the threshold and one drops a token from his pendant, which creates a great grey cloud of strange gas in the door way. Aapo launches himself through the obscuring smoke, using its cover to summon forth Slaughterous Prelude. Crimson Slate vaults up over the doorway and out onto the window and Sapphire Veil leaps to another window. One of the men, bearing twin machetes, had positioned himself just outside the door and attacks as Aapo flies past him. The other two, the martial artists, hurry to vanish into the crowds, each rushing down a different directly on the docks. Aapo pursues the girl, Crimson Slate pursues the man and Sapphire Veil remains to deal with the machete wielding man at the tea house.
Sapphire Veil wasted no time in wrapping her sleeves about her opponent and used them to choke him into unconsciousness, pulling him through the window and face-first into the floor.
Aapo had a more difficult time with his target. Running into the crowd she nearly vanished, but he channeled his essence into his voice and commanded the people of Lionroar to obey his commands and put them into order, dissolving her hiding places. She turned to fight and Aapo, who commands his "troops" to capture her & quickly realized he was not facing a normal human and that his normal attacks would not work on her, nor his normal defenses, as she managed to poison him without so much as breaking the skin, using essence to deliver her poison into his bloodstream. Growing more & more frustrated and his essence quickly dwindling, he commanded those enthralled by his voice to cease their useless attacks on her and to turn their backs on him & cover their eyes. As they do so Aapo's frustration erupted into Solar light, his nine tailed anima engulfing him, guiding his devastating attack as he cleaved the startled woman in half.
Crimson Slate pursued the man and after a failed attack revealed black jade armor, determined she was facing one of the Dragon-Blooded. She whipped a lasso around him, but a flash from a concealed hearthstone freed him from its grasp. The man was then suddenly upon her, wielding an artifact garrote which he effortlessly slipped around her neck and began to untether her from the world of the living. Sapphire Veil rushed to Crimson Slate's aid, having subdued & bound her opponent, leaving him to be watched by mortals, hoping he would not awaken. Surging essence into her attacks, though the nature of which she kept hidden from the onlookers, she was able to subdue the Dragon-Blood as well.
The fight concluded, Aapo spent the last of his essence to rocket into the sky, vaulting from the docks to the bridge over the city in one leap, a brilliant fox tailed comet, seen by all in the city, soaring over the city that then vanished entirely as he sealed himself within the Solar manse at the top of the waterfall.
Alabaster Mountain and Lyn, who had been walking and talking at great length during the events at the tea house (after Lyn had been revived from her convenient fainting spell and fed by an insistent & worried Alabaster Mountain who felt that she had been neglecting her bodily needs during her stay in the library) saw the light and knew something bad had happened. They met with Crimson Slate & Sapphire Veil, who were delivering their version of events to the guards who had arrived, telling them that they had found the assassins, captured two of them and that one, who they had slain, had turned into an anathema, it's demon bursting forth from it when they killed it, thus the light everyone saw.
Solars, prisoners, guards & corpse were all brought back to the palace where they explained their cover story to the Queen and the others assembled. The relief that the assassins had been captured/killed was overshadowed by the threat of anathema.
Sapphire Veil, knowing that the woman Aapo had faced off against was skilled in the use of powerful poisons, suggested that Crimson Slate and Lyn go check on him in the manse. Her concern was confirmed when a frantic Kanji erupted into the room attempting to explain in his way that Aapo was dying. The two opened the door to the manse and found the entire place lit up from Aapo's aura. They found him pale, trying to relax in a First Age armchair, already nearly dead from the poison, drinking Taruzake's wine to relive some of the burning pain coursing through his blood. The two of them immediately went to aid him, to bolster his immunity against the toxin. Moments later, Aapo grinned at them, bid them goodnight and with a spasm fell into unconsciousness. Lyn & Crimson Slate kept at it, though it looked as if his life was ready to end. Through their skills, they were able to bolster his fading immune system long enough for the poison to run its course. Aapo, so very close to death, would live.
Back in the palace, the Queen demanded to see the prisoners. Alabaster Mountain and Sapphire Veil attempted to dissuade her, but she was determined, she would look upon the faces of those who murdered her son. They escorted her to the prison and opened the door just in time to witness the Dowager just as she slit the throat of the machete wielding man. She turned in terrified surprise at the Queen and those assembled with her as they gazed back at her in horrified shock.
The Dowager with her magpie face dropped her murder weapon and stood tall & still as chaos erupted. The Queen was gibbering, an enraged King barged in, guards crowding in unsure of what to do and then Alabaster Mountain slammed his tetsubo into the ceiling calling for silence. And he received it.
The Dowager was taken away by the guards. The King sought a death sentence, but his brother called him aside to speak with him about the rashness of such a decision. While the brothers discussed the matter, Sapphire Veil & Alabaster Mountain visited the Dowager in her cell and found her rather surprisingly forthcoming with her story once she had ascertained their opinions on what had happened. She freely admitted that she had contracted the assassins to kill her grandson. Because he was a failure, he was unfit to rule, spending his time womanizing, drinking & in pursuit of other wasteful vices. It would be a far greater disaster if he were to ascend to the throne as King. She refused to see the family and her nation shamed and sullied by someone so unworthy to sit on the throne. So she took what actions she felt were necessary to ensure the best for her family and her kingdom since no one else was prepared to take actions, especially her soft son the King.
Meanwhile back in the manse, Crimson Slate began to prepare to summon an elemental that could heal Aapo. She and Lin began to discuss sorcery, losing themselves in the conversation until Kanji eventually interrupted with a crudely scribbled note and an ink covered paw reminding them about the nearly dead Aapo lying between them. Crimson Slate conjured up a relatively amiable, but dumb, wood mantis named Tsi who immediately went to work on fixing Aapo.
Alabaster Mountain and Sapphire Veil sought audience with the King and Queen. While the King still sought an execution, Alabaster Mountain informed him of a block on the writ of execution, an old law the Dowager herself, having done her homework, informed him of. The King could not have her legally executed, only Soaring Father Majesty could make such a call. While father and son argued over legal mandates, Sapphire Veil spoke with the Queen, calming her from her frantic state.
As they were leaving the King & Queen, Alabster Mountain and Sapphire Veil were approached by a very worried looking Majordomo. He informed them that somehow word has gotten out about the Dowager and the part she had played in the Prince's murder. He informed them that a mass of angry citizens were gathering at the palace gates demanding her head. Alabaster Mountain appeared atop the palace gate before his people and attempted to calm them down, though he was somewhat less than successful and the people cried even louder for proper judgment, pushing themselves against the gate. Alabaster Mountain pulled for his beloved tetsubo and vaulted from his place high above the people & crashed to the ground, his weapon cracking the stone before the started crowd calling for silence. Justice would be done. Hearing of the upheaval of the citizens, Sapphire Veil, who had grown to respect the Dowager, especially after hearing why she had done what she did, stood outside the Dowager's cell as guardian.
Alabaster Mountain summoned and sent Taruzake to find Aapo and the others, but he was unable to pierce the defenses of the manse. Frustrated, but no time to spare, Alabaster Mountain and Sapphire Veil attended a meeting with the Guild Factor, who informed them that things were very grim in the Guild section of the city and that the people wanted the Dowager's blood for her crime and her fear that if they did not get what they sought, it could lead to an unwanted upheaval.
Back in the manse, Aapo awoke from a strange dream, that he knew was not a dream, but a memory of his life as Scarlet Morning. He discussed this with Crimson Slate & Lin. Crimson Slate revealed her past life vision as well. They discussed what they had remembered of who they had been and what implications could be involved. Tsi finished its work, having mended the worst of the damage and popped off to wherever wood mantis' dwell. The three Solars departed the manse and made their way back to the palace to find out what all had happened since the chaos they had left behind.
Alabaster Mountain and Sapphire Veil were informed that the procession to visit Soaring Father Majesty would continue as planned and that they would depart in two days time. In addition to determining the the King's heir, the fate of the Dowager would be brought forth before their god. The journey would take two weeks to complete.
Unknown to the others, Lin visited with some of her people who had come to work in the palace as slaves. She discovered that the Dowager's food was being poisoned by someone, a little at a time so that it would kill her slowly and without an obvious trace. Lin did some investigation and procured an antidote which was to be included in each meal along with the poison, negating its effects. Silly would-be assassin. Lin is smarter than you.

20th Day of Ascending Water

Early in the morning Sapphire Veil filled Crimson Slate in on what all had happened. They discussed the journey to visit the kingdom's god and Crimson Slate's fear of the Hunt's attention being drawn from Aapo's Solar anima being seen. They decided it would be best if Crimson Slate took someone with her & made haste to visit the god instead of waiting around for the procession. Alabaster Mountain was consulted and spoke with his parents. While the King sought to go, it was finally decided that Crimson Slate & Sapphire Veil would go instead and they left post haste on the back of Crimson Slate's robo-horse, much to Sapphire Veils' dismay.
Meanwhile Alabaster Mountain spoke with his mother about his wish not to remain as the ruler of Lionroar. She sought to understand and he informed her that they were being hunted and told her about Mahanaga. About the strange dragonblooded clad in black who came from a storm seeking the scavenger lords and destroyed the city. The Queen, looking grave, told him that she had spoken with the refugees housed in the palace from Mahanaga. And she had heard this story...but it was not scavenger lords the storm riders had said they were seeking. It was... "anathema" finished Alabaster Mountain. And so he told his mother the truth. She stated that he was her son and that she loved him regardless and felt that the tales of the anathema were untrue. If he must leave to find himself, then he must do what he must do.
While others attended to heavy matters, Lin decided to take a stroll through the gardens where she came upon Aapo, Ginger & Thorn as he directed them in their daily exercises. Once done, Aapo sent them off with Kanji to play and invited himself to join Lin in the garden for tea. A moment of awkward silence as Lin tried to burn his Guild sash with her eyes until she prompted a conversation with, "So Aapo, how do you manage to live with yourself?". Aapo stared back rather confused at such an odd question.

Lin and Aapo continued their chat after a moment of silence, speaking very openly of slaves, war, change, Lin's prophecy, promised lands & Aapo's destiny of war, getting to know each other better and somehow coming out of it liking each other more. Aapo filled Lin in on some of their past journey and she was most particularly intrigued about Potrimpos, wondering if he could be a part of her prophecy. Eventually Alabaster Mountain who had taken to the gardens to read a book Crimson Slate had lent him on sorcery, drew their attention and they joined him, though Lin's eyes barely ever left the book he was holding. Aapo, who had yet to see her eat food, came to the conclusion that she lived off a diet of tea and written words.
Crimson Slate and Sapphire Veil wooshed through the countryside leaving a trail of dust, perplexed peasants and the smell of ozone mixed with delicate perfume in their wake. In a matter of hours, again much to the disagreement of Sapphire Veil's delicate posterior, they arrived on the mountain top where Soaring Majesty Father resided and found him there. They joined him in his domain and informed him of all that had happened. The god was very pleased to hear that Alabaster Mountain had exalted and told them that he and the Deacon of Stone, who he had been in his previous life, had been best of friends, though he was a young god and that he never did understand why he had been taken away by the Deliberative. After hearing of the terrible matters that called for decisions that only he could rightfully make, he decided that rather than waiting for them to take their time coming to him, he would instead go to them. A strange shimmer and folding of reality and Crimson Slate, Sapphire Veil and Soaring Majesty Father were standing in the garden next to the other three startled Solars. Lin tried to catch the book Alabaster Mountain had been reading, in case he was so startled it fell out of his hand...which it didn't. Even with a little help from her, just a wee tug. Drat.
Soaring Majesty Father was so pleased and honored to be amongst a full & complete circle of Solars. Terrified servants witnessing him bowing low to the others poofed as if they too had the gods powers of travel. Moments later the King, Queen and others in the family were stumbling over themselves to appear before him. He dismissed them, stating that they would be called upon when they were needed. Two very confused looking monarchs and their kin departed and left the god and Solars in the garden. They discussed a few things and Sapphire Veil suggested perhaps the manse would be a better place to meet. Soaring Majesty Father agreed and so they walked openly through the streets amongst the awed citizens who parted before them and followed behind them up until they reached the entrance to the manse. The SECRET entrance to the manse the god was informed. He had found the anathema story so distasteful and when reminded of it he asked of the gathered citizens who had heard of it before and when people had responded he proclaimed that the word anathema would no longer be used, instead they would be addressed as the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun. The people were confused and some frightened. And then they were dismissed and practically fled the bridge, or at least far enough to look like they fled as they watched from afar.
The god and companions entered the manse and further discussed a variety of matters. He identified the mysterious thingie-mabob at the heart of the structure as a device that once converted essence into an oil to be sacrificed to the Unconquered Sun. He answered a variety of questions to the best of his ability, including Aapo and Crimson Slate's curiosity about the Sidereal exalted from Aapo's memory of the First Age, though he knew very little of them. Alabaster Mountains previous life was also laid out before everyone, though he quickly stated he did not wish to further discuss it, but that his past life's memories were also coming through.
While the others discussed current events and past lives, Alabaster Mountain & Soaring Majesty Father stepped off and sealed themselves in a side chamber where they had a private discussion.
...Which resulted in the manse activating and rising above the river for all the world to see. And they did. The other Solars quickly forgot their conversation and started beating on the door, which opened to reveal Alabaster Mountain & Soaring Majesty Father looking quite content with himself. The rise of the manse immediately drew a crowd, including the river god (who quickly retreated once he saw who all was gathered), the dragonblooded priest of Soaring Majesty Father, his acolytes, the city guard and some others. They were allowed to enter, saw who was present, were told all was as it should be & sent away by their god.
Soaring Majesty Father left the manse in order to speak with the King, Queen and Dowager regarding her crimes. Aapo, Sapphire Veil & Lin eventually left the manse and soon found that the palace staff and citizens were terrified of them. Aapo managed to snag one and requested that they ease up & act natural. Which the poor terrified servant took as a divine command much to his dismay. Sapphire Veil visited the Dowager and Lin went to check on her crew. Crimson Slate and Alabaster Mountain remained in the manse for the time.
Dinner with the royal family was a very awkward and largely silent affair, the scrape and ring of silverware on plates and eating seeming to echo in the room. Eventually Alabaster Mountain suggested that Sapphire Veil should play something. Aapo, remembering the last time she ensorcelled his emotions, took his plate and left the room to eat in the hallway. Sapphire Veil declined and suggested that perhaps the palace minstrel should perform instead.
Following dinner, Alabaster Mountain and his parents had a private (albeit Sapphire Veil managed to hide and listen in) meeting with Soaring Majesty Father where they discussed Alabaster Mountains fate, who would be heir and the Dowager's fate. It was decided that the Majordomo would act as Steward over the city in Alabaster Mountains absence and that he would either return with his brother who would be heir or he would fill the role himself in one years time.
Next, the Dowager was brought forth for her judgment. Soaring Majesty Father decreed that her mortal life would end, touched her forehead and she was transformed into a goddess. She would exist now as the Eternal Ivory Dowager and it would be her job to insure that only those who are fit would rule. It had been the job of the Kings & Queens in the past, but he had underestimated familial sentiment in the process of weeding out those who fell short of true nobility. As she had done in life, at great risk to herself, she would not do as a god of his court. The family was...less than pleased at this judgment, but they accepted it.
With Alabaster Mountains' immediate family situation coming to an end it was agreed that they would all be leaving the next morning. Finally. Crimson Slate & Aapo were preparing to leave the palace in celebration at a dockside bar when Ginger sprung before them. She was also excited about leaving and said that she would go and tell the people of Mahanaga to start getting read... Crimson Slate and Aapo were not exactly planning on taking all the survivors with them. If they did, there probably wouldn't be many survivors after a few months. Ginger didn't quite understand. Crimson & Aapo decided that they'd better go talk with the refugees. They explained that they were not slaves and what opportunities and choices they had before them. In the end, only the two monks wished to go with them. Just as they were about to try and dissuade them, one of the monks suggested that they would be able to act as protectors to the children on the journey. Aapo was sold. The monks would go with them. Problem solved. Time to go drink themselves stupid while Kanji babysat Ginger & Thorn.
While Crimson Slate and Aapo headed down to the docks to celebrate, Sapphire Veil and Alabaster Mountain were in the manse. Sapphire Veil urged Alabaster Mountain to leave Loyal Ash behind, using a variety of arguments and then bid him to go tell his servant that he would not be going. Alabaster spoke with Loyal Ash, who insisted that he wished to go. That there was no place for him at the palace without Alabaster. In the end, Alabaster Mountain agreed to let him travel with him. Alabaster Mountain then retired to the manse for the night.
Lin was walking back to the palace from her ship when a very sudden blizzard struck the city. Very sudden. And very powerful. At that moment Alabaster Mountain was awoken when his manse-sense alerted him of many powerful dragonblooded had appeared in the city and were storming the palace. He awoke Sapphire Veil and they left the manse at supernatural speed through the icy and almost blinding blizzard, headed towards the other Solars he could sense, grabbing a confused Lin as he passed her by. Within moments the three of them burst into the bar where Aapo and Crimson Slate were drinking and alerted them. The Storm Riders who destroyed Mahanaga had returned. At the moment they stepped out of the bar, they could see all the lights at the palace suddenly winked out.
Aapo grabbed Lin & Alabaster Mountain and charm-jumped up the his room's balcony. Setting them down, he crashed through the window, grabbed Ginger, Thorn & Kanji and bounded them towards the safety of Lin's ship far away from the palace battling the urge to rush on into the fight.
Crimson Slate and Sapphire Veil were flying courtesy of mecha-horsie towards the palace when they were suddenly attacked by a storm serpent.
Quickly concocting a plan of action to distract the dragonblooded so that Alabaster Mountain could reach his gear in the vault, he and Lin jumped up to the third floor prince's suite balcony and found the massive doors had been blown off their hinges. A black clad fiery weapon-wielding dragonblood and two others greeted their arrival. Lin released her essence into the world and shaped it into a fiery inferno which she hurled at them, but they were absorbed by the dragonblood with a sneer. Alabaster Mountain prepared himself for battle just as a flying Aapo was cresting over the balcony railing to land beside them.
Crimson Slate and Sapphire Veil were hurling attack after attack at the serpent, but it was too quick and continued to dodge or swipe aside their attacks. Sapphire Veil summoned forth her iconic anima and ran up it's length and dove down upon the creature, delivering a powerful blow to it's head. Though it did not seem to suffer much from the attack, it did seem to annoy it. A moment later, the creature had vanished into the storm, leaving Sapphire Veil to plummet through the blizzard to the city below. Fortunately Crimson Slate and mecha-horsie was there to catch her.
Aapo crashed down onto the stone balcony just as Alabaster Mountain hurled one of the massive fallen doors at the storm riders, after taking a moment to reflect upon a very picturesque flash back to his early training days (Aapo & Lyn applauded), but they evaded and regrouped. Three Solars facing three dragon blooded. Lyn summoned forth an essence weapon and joined the fray while Aapo & Alabaster Mountain continued their direct attack, though their foes continued to evade most of their attacks. Alabaster Mountain found himself being slowly strangled by the air aspect using small flying discs that encircled him with bonds of solid air, while Lyn & Aapo focused on the fire-sword wielding dragon blood. Unfortunately this allowed the other fire aspect to slink away to prepare sorceries to use against them. Aapo's opponent found himself unable to penetrate his iron skin on his first attack, took this into consideration and then made another attack that breached Aapo's defenses & wounded him. The dragon aspect then made the fatal mistake of making some smug quip & Aapo summoned forth the Red Dawn to destroy his enemy. One dragon blood down, two to go.

MORE OF THE BATTLE TO COME - NEED TO CHECK SOME INFO

Meanwhile down in the gardens Crimson Slate & Sapphire Veil landed on a rather banged up flying horse. Crimson Slate sent him away to safety and they entered the palace & quickly found themselves facing off against a number of the storm riders.

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Alabaster Mountain, finally freed of the spinning air discs of slow strangulation doom made a run down the hallway in hopes of reaching the armory while his companions held balcony. He didn't make it too far before he was felled. Then suddenly the Eternal Ivory Dowager was standing with Lyn & Aapo with Sapphire Veil at her side and Crimson Slate at her feet. She insisted that they all depart immediately. The fiery storm rider then drew a crystal from his belt and hurled it at her. They had heard of these crystals. Lyn valiantly threw herself into the path of the crystal, which harmlessly bounded off her chest and shattered on the ground, sparing the goddess a terrible fate. But Aapo & Sapphire Veil had both spied another crystal on his belt; this one glowing. Aapo single mindedly began to go for the crystal, not knowing that within seconds of having seen it, Sapphire Veil had effortlessly snatched it from the man. The Eternal Ivory Dowager again commanded them all to flee & that she would see to Alabaster Mountain who had fallen. Aapo refused to leave without the crystal, so Sapphire Veil informed him, firstly that he was a moron & secondly that she had it. Sapphire Veil drew forth the crystal and hurled it at the wall...but it did not break. The power of the god sealed within the crystal made it nearly invulnerable. Time seemed to stop. The shocked storm rider touched his belt & then wasted no time in lunging after his stolen captive. But Sapphire Veil was quicker and retrieved the crystal. Before the dragon blood had further time to react, Aapo grabbed Lyn, Sapphire Veil and the fallen Crimson Slate in his arms and bounded out of sight of the palace headed towards Lyn's ship. On his second landing and hop in the gardens, they saw massive first age machina land next to them & begin to pursue them. The ship would not be able to outrun their pursuers.
Then once again the Eternal Ivory Dowager was before them with Alabaster Mountain. "Give me the crystal", she demanded and Sapphire Veil hesitated only a second before placing it in her hand.

And then the blizzard, the ship, the storm riders and all of Lions Roar was gone.

The goddess had used the power within the gem to transport them safely to Del Brannan. But one of them did not wish to be rescued. Aapo demanded to be sent back immediately and her failing to do so he sought to depart immediately and make his own way back. Back to Kanji and his children. The goddess explained to him that the ship had already left without pursuit and was on its way to Del Brannan that very moment.
Disgruntled Aapo went to sulk in a corner until his room was prepared and he left them. Alabaster Mountain was conscious again and it was revealed that Crimson Slate was still alive. The goddess had watched the fight invisible and when the blow that should have killed Crimson Slate had felled her, the goddess had used her powers to minimalize the damage to her body, just barely keeping her out of deaths hands. Lyn immediately set to work doing what she could to heal her companions. It was soon explained by Alabaster Mountains cousin, the lord of Del Brannan, that the goddess had quickly taken him and the royal family with her to the safety of his home following the capture of Soaring Majesty Father. Who as it turned out, was the deity trapped within the crystal they had rescued. He would be given some time to cool down within the crystal, so that when he was released back in his sanctuary he would be able to be reasoned with and not rush back only to be captured again.

23rd Day of Ascending Water

They each passed the next few days in different ways. Alabaster Mountain touched base with his family and then began to make his way around the palace and city, spreading Taruzake's rice wine and how to make it to the people. Crimson Slate rested and contemplated everything that had just happened to her. Sapphire Veil studied those around her, mapping out the dynamics of this household and the city & spending time with Alabaster Mountian's cousin. Lyn found the library and spent her time quietly reading while she awaited the safe return of her ship and her people. Aapo had his meals delivered to his room and never set foot outside his door. The Eternal Ivory Dowager returned to her lords sanctuary and freed him from his crystal imprisonment. She later carried word back to the Solars that the storm riders had soon left Lions Roar following their escape, though their whereabouts were once again unknown.
Three days had passed when suddenly Aapo, who had not been seen in that time, poked his head into Lyn's bedroom door and informed her that her ship would soon be docking. Since the day Aapo had exalted, he had never been far enough from Kanji to have lost his connection. The past three days had been an endless waking nightmare for him as he tried to endure the massive void he felt in the center of his being added to his worry for Ginger & Thorn. And wondering what exactly his exaltation had made him into...not what he'd originally expected. Then that sense of Kanji suddenly returned. He was distant, but he was there and coming closer. The ship had finally come near Del Brannan.
The Solars all went to the docks and found more upon Lyn's ship than they had expected. As Aapo hurtled himself onto the ship & grabbed up Ginger, Thorn & Kanji and Lyn was reunited with her people, others stepped off the ship. Crimson Slate's mecha-horse, the two monks from Mahanaga who had wished to go with them to protect the children, Loyal Ash who was picked up by Alabaster Mountain and squeezed nearly blue, and Grace. The last stepped off the ship so timidly and presented herself to her master, preparing for the slap that would come. But it never happened. Sapphire Veil coolly examined her servant and accepted her back. Later, back in the privacy of her room, she told Grace that she felt she had been mistreating her in the past, that that would now change as Grace was ready for the next step in her training. Grace, restraining her mixture of terror and elation, humbly thanked her master and then guarded the door to the room from intruders so that her lady could rest. Crimson Slate's mount informed her of what had come to pass after their escape. He had released her horse from the stables and watched as it galloped off back towards its homeland. He then found the monks, Loyal Ash and Grace and delivered them all to Lyn's ship that had already left.
We love mecha-horsie. Even if this poor befuddled narrator cannot remember his name to save his life.
Terrible things had happened. But at least it was a morning full of happy reunions.

25th Day of Ascending Water

The companions and their party with Lin's crew depart Del Brannan on her ship and travel upon the river towards Lookshy. Having completed the Tiger Warrior Training Technique for dexterity, Aapo plans to initiate another training session focusing on martial arts. Lin wishes her crew to partake in the training, though a few minor problems arise. It turns out that Weeping Peony is preggers and River Sword considers himself bound by some sort of honor to decline any instruction from someone other than his own mentor who cannot first best him in combat...so he challenges Aapo to a duel.
Aapo agrees to Lin's terms to not use his powers on River Sword and adopts a wooden sword to fight with. The entire ship assembles to watch the duel. Sword Lin does quite well for himself and gives Aapo a few scrapes & bruises in the fight. Aapo, enjoying himself, finds it difficult to strike Sword Lin - and when he does it is deflected to only inflict minor harm. In his usual, fashion, after two relatively failed blows, Aapo channels essence into an attack, unseen by watchers, and lands a blow on River Sword who yields. Lin, standing nearby holding her soul blade ready to engage at any moment if things got ugly, glared suspiciously at Aapo's innocent grin.
The duel out of the way, the training commenced.
That evening Sapphire Veil invited River Sword to join her for tea and they discussed martial arts.

Resplendent Water

1st Day of Resplendent Water

During another evening of the river journey, Crimson Slate's continued frustration with her secret, yet thus far nearly useless book, finally hit a mile stone. When the light of the full moon struck the pages of the book, silvery writing appeared on the pages. She snatched the book up and began reading the secrets that had been hidden upon the pages.

5th Day of Resplendent Water

Aapo wakes everyone up early and starts the Tiger Warrior Training Technique for strength.

8th Day of Resplendent Water

Lin finds Thorn below deck hiding behind crates crying. She speaks with him of his concerns regarding Ginger and one of Lin's crew that she had taken to following around, as well as Ginger threatening to sick snakes on him. Lin puts Thorn to work on the ship in order to keep his mind off things and then goes to find Aapo to discuss Ginger's serpentine threats. Lin does not quite receive the responsible guardian reaction she had expected...instead Aapo laughed in her face about it, finding it rather hilarious. Lin, seeing that Aapo was not going to impart her wisdom upon Ginger with any real effect, asked Kanji to do so instead. Kanji nodded sagely at her and nodded. He then bounded off after Aapo.

Lin swears that she could soon hear foxy laughter and Aapo chuckling.

Aapo did speak to Ginger about the threats...but seemed more to stress not getting caught more than not making the threats in the first place.
That evening Sapphire Veil, Grace and one of the monks from Mahanaga had tea to discuss a few matters regarding the monks faith and his feelings for Grace. It was revealed that his faith had been faltering just as his feelings for Grace had been growing. After he had been sent away, Sapphire Veil asked Grace what she thought of him. Very coldly she laid it out that she would never have feelings for someone who could not even adhere to a sworn oath. What good would he do if you could not depend on him? Sapphire Veil, looking pleased, asked if she would sleep with him. Grace replied that she would if she needed to, but did not relish the idea. Sapphire Veil continued to sip her tea, a smile hidden on her face.

9th Day of Resplendent Water

Weeping Lin, still preggers, needed a truly warm place to rest and the ship stopped in the village of Reverence. They went into an inn to sit & talk & procure rooms...as well as further spread the glory of Taruzake's wine.
Not long after having sat down to talk, a group of rather tattered Immaculate Monks entered the inn and were bullying people for their coin. Ignoring Lin's pleads for restraint & caution, Crimson Slate picked a fight. Tensions were rising and the "Immaculate Monks", drew their weapons. At that instance, Aapo summoned Slaughterous Prelude from Elsewhere into his hands. The one dragonblood amongst them gaped, cried out "Anathema!" and attacked. The fight was very short & very pathetic. The entire inn was also empty within seconds, the people screaming and fleeing in terror. Storm clouds above her head, Lin stalked back to her ship with everyone following and they made haste to leave Reverence behind them.

10th Day of Resplendent Water

Crimson Slate summons a sobexis named Gold in the Shallows (aka, "Goldie" or "Save Point") and binds him for 101 days to be the ship medic. Goldie hunkers down and goes below deck where he heals River Lin and Old Lin of any ailments.

12th Day of Resplendent Water

Yet again Aapo wakes everyone up early and begins the Tiger Warrior Training Technique for dexterity.

18th Day of Resplendent Water

As the ship begins to near Great Forks it is apparent that the weather is taking a hasty turn for the worse as the sky darkens and the temperature begins to plummet in preparation for the annual final blizzard commonly called Mala's Last Gasp.
Two hours from port, the blizzard strikes. Crimson Slate summons a...dullness spirit...a hollow? The spirit creates a bubble of calm in the storm around the ship and they sail relatively safely into port where they dock, with considerable trouble due to the churning waters. Lin managed to dock the ship and they tied it down. The hollow immediately vanished and the blizzard came down upon them once again in full force.
The companions and crew trekked through the blizzard in search of a place to stay. After two packed inns turned them down, they were approached by two men with serpent tattoos who said that they had been expecting them. They explained that they served the god Scales Beneath the Water who had predicting their coming. They followed the two priests into a small temple. On their way there, Lin, Crimson Slate & Alabaster Mountain took note of a shrine to the Unconquered Sun in an alleyway & made note to check into it later.
Once in the temple <MORE WHEN BACK FROM LUNCH>