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Post by Admin on Oct 17, 2020 0:24:38 GMT
The meal is uneventful but delicious. It looks as if the watchers are content to stay back and observe for now.
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Post by XuLiang on Oct 22, 2020 14:42:22 GMT
Xu Liang turns in early as is his custom. Kai prowls the area around the inn for a time, hunting things seen and unseen. (OOC - Fu Lions hunt malignant spirits, are there any in Amber?) When satisfied, he returns to the top of the roof. He gives the bent gilded mast a look of distaste and takes a seat on the roof ridge at the edge of the roof. An hour before dawn Xu Liang is up and has packed his day bag, adding a notepad, pencil, and Luo Pan. Today he is dressed simply again in his clothes he wore aboard the ship, with the addition of his large fan in its sheath at his side. He then steps out of the inn and sets off at a fast pace for the plaza in front of the castle. After a moment Kai catches up to him and lopes along beside him. Along the way Xu Liang stops at a bakery and picks up a fresh loaf of bread and puts it in the bag. Later he When he reaches the plaza he consults his Luo Pan and notes the direction it points (OOC - what direction? Remember Luo Pan needles point south ) Kai looks up at him, “And what are we doing here again?” “I wish to start here and observe how the Chi flows through the city. Hopefully we can find a place the Shar Chi pools but does not become stagnant. If we can’t find that, perhaps someplace that with some work will become that.”
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Post by Admin on Oct 24, 2020 22:13:59 GMT
[OOC: I will assume that the needle isn't really measuring the direction of Amber's magnetic field but rather is attuned to chi.]
From Xu's chosen seat he has a clear view of the entrance to the castle and the chapel. Representatives from dozens of lands and trade guilds and organizations come and go from the castle entrance but after a time watching he can tell that more groups are entering than leaving indicating that a meeting or conference of some importance is soon to be starting. The chapel is much less busy with few visitors going in, mostly those resembling seafarers coming to pay their respects to Prince Gerard.
The Lo Pan can't find a reliable direction for the flow of chi in this place; the needle spins settles on a direction for a moment then spins again to settle in a different direction. This isn't too much of a surprise as the terrible weather during the journey to Amber and in the city since his arrival hints at an unbalance of forces between heaven and earth. The city itself is not built to maximize its chi with streets, walls, and buildings placed without concern for chi. But, then again, Xu hasn't had the opportunity to check on this city's asterism due to the foul weather.
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Post by XuLiang on Nov 4, 2020 4:55:33 GMT
Xu Liang is intrigued by the possibility of a conference. But unless he were to resort to an outright lie his chances of gaining entrance were rather slim. Judging by the people entering it was likely about how trade deals would be handled under the interim administration. And probably a bit of hand holding and reassuring of skittish allies and trading partners.
He spends the day following his instincts on the flow of Chi. The rain bothers him little other than to make him take care about when to take out his notebook to make notes. After some time he finally finds what he is looking for.
Off of Cymnea Boulevard about halfway down the mountain is a large park. The buildings surrounding it are small palaces of minor nobles. The old houses are built of stones solid and timeless as the mountain rising behind the houses on the back side of the park but they appear to have fallen on hard times. While intact, most could use a thorough cleaning and perhaps an updating.
“Can you feel the potential here?”
“No. All I feel is the rain turning my fur into a damp mess. Can we go back to the inn? At least it was dry and warm.”
Continuing as if he had not heard the complaints Xu Liang continues, “The Chi flows in fits and starts from there,” he points up Cymnea Boulevard towards Oberon Way, “and then pools here. Chi springs from under the mountain and sloshes the pool into these houses behind us. That is intriguing because Chi should flow down the mountain not up from inside it. Perhaps the mountain is volcanic? That might be a problem.”
“Much of the Chi returns to the pool but some continues through the houses or down the street. There is an intersection of two sources of Chi. We should find lodging here.” He looks down at his wet and a bit travel worn clothes. “Perhaps when we are more suitably attired.”
He returns to the Guilded Topmast. He now had several questions for the High Priest at his lunch the next day.
(Sorry for the delay. RL has been a bit hectic and I needed to think a bit about what he would do. Particularly I tried to think of a way he could honestly get into the meeting. Honesty is more important to him than satisfying his curiosity.)
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Post by Admin on Nov 6, 2020 4:15:57 GMT
[OOC: Too bad, I was hoping you'd try to get into the castle!]
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Post by Admin on Nov 12, 2020 7:51:53 GMT
The innkeeper of the Guilded Topmast has a message for Xu. He claims that it was dropped off by the child Xu met the day before. It is written in elegant handwriting in the language of his home shadow, not in Thari. It says The Blue Monticore will strike tonight.
Xu has heard rumours of the cult of the Blue Manticore. Seemingly capable of great magical feats and travelling among the shadows, it is not known to be active in Amber but found in places out beyond the Golden Circle regions.
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Post by XuLiang on Nov 18, 2020 11:03:03 GMT
He thanked the innkeeper and put the paper safely in his notebook. He ordered dinner for himself and Kai and ate downstairs hungrily but elegantly. Kai wolfed down his roasted meat and curled up near the common fire in a large pile of orange fur.
The cult of The Blue Manticore was known to him through rumors and a few tavern tales. He had asked his mother twice about them. Once as a child and had been given the standard answer that it was almost all made up from half truths and nonsense. They were good tales but nothing more.
Later when he had seen some papers claiming to have received their information on Shadow Travel from Blue Manticore cult members he had again asked his mother about them. She had replied, “Their interests and the Tong’s have not intersected often. We have occasionally done a small thing for them in return for a small thing from them. They keep to themselves and we know little of their plans or motivations. From the little we know of them, they are knowledgeable in such things.”
When they retired to their room he shows Kai the note and remarks, “Is it an invitation? A warning?” He considers the paper, turning it over and scrutinizing the back for any clues. “I wish I had a lemon. With the juice I could see if there was a message in the old style invisible ink. But I haven’t seen any and doubt we have time to search for one.” He holds the paper up to the window letting the moonlight fall on the parchment and looking to see if anything appears. He then concentrates his Chi and uses the increased sensitivity to ‘feel’ the paper for traces of Chi, perhaps a magical ink was used?
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Post by Admin on Nov 19, 2020 2:02:06 GMT
Xu can not see any hidden messages in the note. If it was an invitation, then there wasn't any indication of where to meet. If it was a warning, then the attack could come at any time!
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Post by XuLiang on Nov 25, 2020 1:30:31 GMT
“Hmmmm. Nothing.” He sighs, “I was looking forward to a good rest.” He takes off his still damp clothes and changes into a very dark grey outfit with soft soled shoes. Next is a harness to carry two climbing hooks on his back. He then takes out a reversible cloak, one side is dark grey and the interior is black. Into an interior otter skin pocket goes the warning note.
“Will you come with me?”
“Certainly. There isn’t enough hunting here.”
Xu Liang nods and focuses. He then claps and rubs his hands vigorously, walking over to Kai. After a few moments he passes his hands over Kai and the bright orange fur dulls and becomes a burnt umber. His bright green ear tufts become dark forest green. “There. As long as you don’t use too much of your personal Chi that should keep you from standing out like a bonfire.”
“I know how to remain hidden!”
“You know how to strike suddenly from concealment. I do not know how much cover we will have where we are going. Come.”
With that Xu Liang will exit via the window ascending to the roof. When Kai joins him he sets off like a light coloured shadow followed by a darker one towards the castle via rooftop. His and the Fu Lion’s steps making hardly a whisper with their passage.
(OOC - If he determines the way by rooftop is too difficult he will drop to street level and walk the streets keeping to the shadows where possible instead.)
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Post by Admin on Nov 25, 2020 3:52:53 GMT
Some sections of the city have buildings close enough together to allow travel for long distances by rooftop, others make it impossible without descending to the streets.
The journey progresses only a few building roofs from the Guilded Topmast before Xu can sense that he is not alone on the roofs this night and that there are others watching him from hidden locations.
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Post by XuLiang on Dec 1, 2020 6:33:32 GMT
(OOC - Is the moon out? How far away from being full is it? The boy said something about the Lord Protector ascending the stair as if it was in the future so it most likely isn’t this night.)
Xu Liang proceeds as if none the wiser to the observers. He proceeds to the rooftop of the Church of the Unicorn. There is something peaceful and welcoming about the building.
He chooses a place where Kai and himself can easily see anyone approaching. He then pulls up his Chi vision and looks at the Castle and then at the perimeter of the castle to see if anyone is working with sorcery. This seemed an obvious target, if he was lucky The Blue Manticore would be using some form of sorcery to enact his plot.
If he was the target then at least there was room to maneuver and Chi power to draw on.
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Post by Admin on Dec 6, 2020 10:32:37 GMT
A half-moon rides the sky this night, but its shape is difficult to sea due to the thick layer of cloud which obscures it.
The trip back to the church can't be all by rooftop; ascending the mountainside from the lowers city through to wealthy merchant manors then noble mansions, each layer of the city spreads its buildings wider apart.
On the Unicorn, they can see over to the castle where many windows are lit, and people can be seen walking about in social gatherings and parties of various types. There is the occasional flash of a recognized member of the royal family as they cross the window. Strains of music are carried on the breeze. Also can be seen guards standing at their position or patroling about the towers, wall walks, and balustrades
The Church of the Unicorn is dark and silent blow his feet.
There are few signs of magic coming from the castle, sometimes a small device or items flashes brightly when seen through an open window. A greater number of magical sources are seen when looking back and down into the city.
A gentle voice seems to be carried on the wind as speaking only into Xu's ear: Come back, Xu Liang, your fate awaits you in the city, Forget the royals and nobility, the low town was made for you. It is a rather insistent voice, and you feel the tug on your feet from its suggestion.
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Post by XuLiang on Dec 9, 2020 1:17:11 GMT
Xu Liang critically assesses the guards and decides it is possible to enter undetected but it would be far easier to enter by disguise.
“Kai. I am being summoned. I’m going to follow it.”
“Do you think that is wise?”
“Probably not. But I need to start somewhere and this is the best lead I’ve had yet.”
Xu Liang uses his Chi sense to attempt to see the flow of power into the summons. If he can find it, he will pull a silk handkerchief out of an inner pocket and animate it with a bit of his personal Chi and attach the summons to the handkerchief. He will then follow the twitchings of the handkerchief back along the spell.
If this is not possible he will follow the tug on his feet.
(OOC - In case the intent of the character is not clear he wants the lead but if he can do it safely that is preferable.)
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Post by Admin on Dec 11, 2020 8:44:52 GMT
Unfortunately, the handkerchief is unable to be pulled by the summons. Xu can determine that the spell is a form of compulsion and will only affect a mind. He can still see the line of power coming from the city, soaring up the mountainside and attaching to his skull, a clear indication of where the mage is and show that they are afraid to venture too close to the castle.
As he heads back down to the city, the compulsion sounds louder in his mind, and the other sources of light seen by his chi sight disappear leaving only the one controlling the compulsion spell.
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Post by XuLiang on Dec 15, 2020 14:44:31 GMT
After climbing down from the cathedral he remains on the street level. He begins to worry about the strength of the compulsion spell. As the other sources disappear his concern grows. What at first had seemed to be a guide now seemed poised to make him a thrall.
Enough is enough. He brings the power of his Chi up from his core and says, “Jīngshén lìliàng” (Power Word: Burst of Psyche) He uses the burst to slice through the line of power breaking the connection (hopefully!).
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