# The Celestial Empire (Romance of the Three Kingdoms-ish, Updated 12/09/05)



## Emperor Valerian

Hello everyone.

This fall I started campaigning with a mostly new set of people at my graduate school.  Some of you might have read the previous story hours of mine... _Into the Icy Darkness_.  Only one of those players (Siabrey's player) has returned.

This is a new campaign, based in a different part of my homebrew world than _Into the Icy Darkness._  This campaign takes place in the realm of Ak Konylu, based upon China during the era of ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms.’  Both the players are keen into ‘Dynasty Warriors’ and other games of the ilk, so I’ve tried to include some of that in this campaign as well.  Material for this comes from both the Oriental Adventures book, standard core, and some brainstorming threads in the RPG forum here.

Currently a number of crises face the Empire.  Most notably, the strife between the old followers of Master Kong-shi, devoted scholars dedicated to searching for and embodying the ancient teacher’s idea of ‘virtue,’ and the followers of the teachings of Asoka Shenyang, an obscure monk from the south who preached on can only seek true peace and fufillment by looking into oneself.  (Yes, a rip-off of the Daoists versus the Buddhists  )  Additionally, many of the local Imperial prefects are not respected by their subjects, and laws are strict beyond the comprehension of many (ancient Qin, for anyone with knowledge of Chinese history).

The players are starting the small village of Red Lotus, to the far north of the Celestial Empire of Ak Konylu.  The region marks the border between the civilized lands of Ak Konylu to the south, and the Great Shu Desert and the Slave Coasts to the north.  This region, The Western Marches, is not even a proper province... it is instead of military district, under the strict and iron control of General Li Zicheng, in the name of his most Divine Majesty Emperor Yuandi.

As for the players (and the main NPC):

_Felonca_ – hengeyokai (panther) Rog2  aged 35 CG  (player)

Felonca is the scion of a minor professional military family.  Originally, she herself was to be trained in the ways of war, and she took up use of the warfan to deadly effect.  However, the life of a low ranking officer had little appeal to her, and recently she has escaped from training to find her own way in the world.  Quick and skilled in the art of distraction, she has found temporary employ as a thief, making her way from village to village.

In human form, Felonca is 5’5”, rather dark complexion.  Her hair is jet black, but unusually, her eyes are not only blue, but vertically slitted, a nod to her cat-like ancestry.  She normally is clad in long, dark robes that disguise her warfans, black in color with silver cats etched upon them.

*DM’s Note:  I know that technically hengeyokai can be only smaller animals than a panther, but the player really wanted to be a panther, and also the party is going to be small, so some... excessiveness is appropriate to keep things a little closer to normal.

_Nayu_ – human Sorc3  aged 17  CG  (player)

Nayu is the scion of a minor trading family from the village of Red Lotus, situated on one of the major north-south trading routes through the Western Marches of the Celestial Empire, just south of the great Shu Desert.

Nayu stands about 5’10” tall, slightly tanned, and usually is clad in simple, clean clothing.  He has a small walking stick, and has just started growing longer facial hair to look more distinguished.  One of his prized possessions is a bag that seems it can hold far more than possible (_Bag of Holding_)

Nayu is skilled in the art of glib, as one would expect of a young merchant.  However, Nayu also has skills in a realm almost completely dominated by followers and teachers of Master Kong-shi... the arts of arcane magic.  He has taken an interest in collecting minor magic items, and makes a daily pilgrimage to examine the markets of his town each morning for minor items of interest.

_Liu Ganxi_ – human Clr2/Mnk1  aged 26 LG (NPC)

Liu Ganxi is a monk at one of the Shao monasteries dedicated to the spread of the word of Asoka Shenyang.  Norminally dedicated to the ways of peace, the followers of Shenyang have also recognized that sometimes one must defend oneself from those of lesser thought.  Liu is one of the practicioners of said arts of defense.

Liu is usually bare from the waist up, and fights unarmed.    His head is bald, save for a single long queue, braided neatly to hang down the left side.  His hair is black and his eyes an intense brown.


I cannot promise how timely updates will be, though I will try to keep things updated frequently.  Perhaps by tomorrow, Monday, or Tuesday I can have the first proper story post up under this.  

Read, and I hope you enjoy! 

Oh, and here are two relevant maps:
Map of the Celestial Empire of Ak Konylu 
Map of the Party's Exploits (Contains Spoilers, Session Order is:  1)Orange, 2)Light Blue, 3)Pink, 4)Dark Blue, 5)Dark Green, 6)Yellow, and 7)Red/Brown


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## Emperor Valerian

First installment.  Hope people enjoy!



_Spring... in the fifth year of the reign of the Divine Emperor Yuandi..._

Lotus blossoms have always symbolized many things across the Celestial Kingdom.  Some see them as a sign of luck, others see their white blossoms as signs of life, love and innocence.  In the kingdom of Taisho, these white blossoms are sometimes viewed as symbols of death.  

But there is one region whose lotuses are beyond compare... for they are not pure white in color, but blood red.  Some say the lotuses of this region have become that color due to the blood shed by the raiders constantly coming into the Celestial Empire from the Great Desert of Shu, others that the color is the blood shed by the soldiers of the Son of Heaven.

Regardless, these lotuses have become a local commodity trade, enough that a small town sprang in the midst of these fields, along the great Fur Road that sends silks northward and furs south.  The town was simply named Red Lotus.


Nayu, by no means, was old enough to remember the founding of his village.  His great-grandfather might have, but that was beside the point.  Such thoughts were not crossing the young man’s mind as he conducted his daily morning ritual.

The scholars sent by the Son of Heaven to administer this region always blathered on about finding ‘virtue’ and ‘inner peace.’  Nayu didn’t know much about their own methods, but he found searching through the markets of Red Lotus in the dawn of a new day to be relaxing.  Trinkets were easy to find, and he already had an extensive collection.  However, it was rare to find anything of immense or unusual value.  For that, one had to go either north to Mialung, Henan, or south to Xianlung.  And in the eyes of the Divine Emperor, even those cities were considered paltry.

_Hmm... what have we here?_ the young man’s brown eyes caught the shimmer of something unusual.  His lanky 5’10” frame strode over to one of the better known salesman in the community, one Deng Yan.

“Master Deng,” Nayu gave a polite bow, which the older man returned, “may I have a look at this hat?”

Nayu picked the object up with glee upon seeing it.  In respects to shape and size, it looked the same as a normal peasant’s wide brim.  But its surface oscillated with color, shifting softly between red and a light brown.  

“How much for this?”

“Three copper taels,” Deng responded, nearly spitting out distaste.  “That thing is near useless.  I almost feel like I’m overcharging you... you sure you want that, and not some of these nicer potions and elixirs I have?”

Nayu hid his initial response to scoff.  Deng’s ‘potions’ were frequently little more than water with alcohol added.  One might feel cured for a few hours, but then a headache usually accompanied whatever ailment was bothering the unfortunate scam victim.

“Three copper?  I’ll take it, if only for the sheer novelty!” Nayu said somewhat excitedly.  Soon, he was strolling through the market, the colorful hat upon his head as he self consciously adjusted its small, nascent mustache to a merchant’s perfection.



_Three days!_ Felonca’s mind groaned as her stomach did the same.  Her entire body was dusty... she had long since stopped caring about that.  Underneath her black coat hung locks of midnight black hair, and bright blue eyes possessing a cat-like quickness, as well as feline vertical slits.

Felonca was one of the _hengeyokai_, a race of shapeshifters that had long before settled alongside the humans and other creatures of Ak Konylu.  Most of the ancient hengeyokai hierarchy had collapsed... hengeyokai like herself, technically part of the ancient ‘Clan of Panthers,’ were now common.  Others were extremely rare... the Qiling, the ancient rulers of the hengeyokai when the swept down on Ak Konylu, still sat on the Jade Thrones that dotted the provinces, and held firm on their grasp of the Throne of the Son of Heaven.

Her unnatural quickness and agility had been looked on by her family as a route to their longtime profession; soldiering.  Felonca had gone so far as to have gone to a minor academy in Hsiu-lan, along the still rising Desert Wall, but she found Master Hsiu to be too strict to her more open mind.  Upon entering, leaving the Academy was punishable by beatings that often left the criminal dead.

Nonetheless, Felonca had dashed away, and for some weeks now, had been living by her wits and what she could swipe away from people.  

_Perhaps here I might be lucky yet again,_ she thought, as the sweet smell of meatbuns and baked goods wafted into her extra-sensitive nose.  Her eyes darted about, till she found the butcher and baker’s shop.  A nice tray of tasty treats had been set out to cool.  Carefully, she edged towards the shop, her eyes constantly watching as crowds of people milled around, none paying her much attention.  Just as her arm slashed out to grab today’s dinner, she heard a shout.

“You there! Stop!” came a great rumbling voice.  She didn’t have to look to know that roar could only be coming from the hulking blacksmith, whose smithy she had noted nearby.

_Dammit!_ she cursed, as she tucked the bun into her cloak and ran.  She heard thundering steps behind her, and felt a massive set of hands catch her shoulders.  She tried to twist away, but the fierce grip grew only tighter.

There’s shouting and yelling all around her, till she hears a simple voice tell the man, “Let her go.  I’ll go pay Master Wu for the meat she took.”  Felonca felt the grip loosen, and she was able to turn and see the face of her savior... a tall, lanky kid that was only just growing his whiskers.  On his head was an unusual hat that shifted colors constantly.

“Next time, if you want something, pay for it,” the young man admonished her before disappearing in the direction of the butcher’s.

_Who was that?  Why did he help me?_ Felonca thought.  For a moment, she stood still, nibbling on the food that was now legally hers, before she heard the hulking blacksmith behind her give a disappointed growl.

_I’m going to follow him,_ she decided quickly, and quickly began trailing the colorful hat through the market crowds.



_Well, that’s another two coppers... so I’m down by what... five coppers this morning?_ Nayu chuckled to himself.  Last week’s sale of two rare peafowl had brought in a large sum of money, and Nayu was still thankful his father had acknowledged his help in the matter by giving him half of the massive haul... nearly two hundred _gold_ taels.  _If those two coppers can put some food in that girl’s belly this morning, they’re well spent._

Nayu then moved about the market more, before finally recognizing another familiar figure.  The old crone, wise beyond her station and years, always took a stall across from Jiang the blacksmith, and usually had very interesting trinkets.  One in particular had caught Nayu’s attention.

“Hello, Madame Cixi,” he smiled.  The old woman gave cracked smile, before coughing slightly.

“Hello, young man!” she croaked.  “You were eyeing this rose here, yes?  It’s magical,” she added, slowly bending to grasp the thorny stem with shaky hands.  “Always smells nice, and will cover up any bad odor... a hit with the ladies, I should think!  Five hundred gold, young Nayu!” she gave a slight croaking laugh.

“Five _hundred_?” Nayu replied.  _Madame Cixi is not one to gouge prices... what going on?_  “Madame Cixi, I have been to Xianlung, and they sell roses like this for only five _silver_ taels.  Why do you charge so much for this rose?”

“Because,” she slowly and shakily set the rose back down again, “I have a hole in my roof, and the prefect sent away my son to work on The Wall.”  The elderly eyes looked away wistfully for a moment.

Nayu remembered that day, where soldiers from the military governor had come, and demanded all young men between twenty and thirty to go work on His Divine Majesty’s great project... the Desert Wall.  Some said it towered a hundred feet above the desert sands, and that once finished, it would stretch for a thousand leagues into the mountains.  Many a young man had already lost his life building the great monstrosity.

“Madame Cixi,” Nayu said gently, “you would do much better if you offered a fairer price.  After all, no one in the village can afford the rose if it is that expensive, save the prefect.”  The latter’s name was delivered as if one was spitting on a dog.

“I do not plan on selling it to that ass,” the crone croaked quietly, motioning towards the crowd.  Nayu turned, and quickly caught a glimpse of the man he utterly detested, the crowd’s parting for his leisurely amble.  

While all around him were clad in rags or simple woolens, the prefect strutted about in blue and gold silks, an elegant velvet cap perched upon his imperious head like a crown.  His head was held high, his arms crossed, as he dared any of the lowly commoners that surrounded him to even look at him.



Felonca saw this garish display as well... and she also took note of the hidden looks of disgust and anger on the faces of all the villages around her.  Even the blacksmith, after the prefect passed, had spat into his forge.  

_That man must be outright loathed_ she thought happily, _as well as rich!  A truly easy mark!_

Her cat-like agility went to work again, as she dashed about the crowd, coming ever closer and closer to him, all the while looking as if she were just another shopper.  Finally, she drew close enough behind him to smell the incense and perfumes wafting from his body, as well as hear the slight tinkle of pockets full of coin.  Her hand started to stretch forth...

“Madame,” her target suddenly swung around to face her.  His face was immaculately cleaned, his long mustache hanging low, his eyes regarding her with suspicion and superiority.  “May I ask why you follow me so?”

The crowd’s noise had died down around her suddenly, and Felonca didn’t need to look to know that soldiers were about.

“Um... Illustrious Sir,” she added, hoping her ad-lib was close enough to the man’s proper title, “I beg to report that there is someone stirring trouble in the market!”  _Damn good save, Felonca!_

“Someone stirring trouble?  What is their description?” the prefect raised an eyebrow.  She could sense there was distrust in his voice.

“Yes... um...” her voice stuttered as her mind raced, “there... is a... um... man.  In the market, with a colorful hat,” she jumped quickly, before kicking herself.  _He helped me!  I cannot hurt him!_ 

“Um... he knows what the troublemakers look like!” she stumbled awkwardly onward.

“He does?”  the prefect said, eyebrow still cocked.  “Very well.  Captain, go see about it!”  Felonca felt the crowd part as a few soldiers slipped past, before the prefect gave a slight, mocking bow.  “I thank you for the information, Madame.  You may go.”  He flashed around, and arrogantly began to swish away from her.

_Now I know why all the townspeople hate him!_  She hesitated a moment, before bolding deciding to try her luck at robbery again.  This time she dashed up behind the prefect, who seemed to not hear her at all.  In a flash, her hand had dipped into one of his pockets, and neatly retrieved a few items.

Slipping away from her quarry, Felonca then examined her haul.  Fourteen gold taels gleamed in her hands.  Also, she had extracted three long pieces of wood, upon which were scribed characters.  She could tell it was in Common, but she did not recognize or understand many of the words.

_Scholarly crap,_ she growled, before noticing that the edges of each carefully made character was etched in gold.  A dark smile crossed her lips.  _If its etched in gold, its probably worth something... but to who?_

Her mind rambled, looking for the name of someone she could ask about this.  Invariably, her mind went back to the young man that had helped her.  She had seen him go talk to an old woman on the other side of the market... perhaps they could direct her to someone that would like to be an unwitting fence.

She dashed off, tucking the three sticks into her pocket, not knowing that they pulsed with magic energy...


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## Emperor Valerian

“I’m just saying, Madame,” Nayu kept his respectful tone.  The elderly woman could be stubborn sometimes... a trait that occasionally is good in an expert trader.  “That a lower price would let you sell this much sooner.  Think... fixing your roof might cost... what?  Three gold?”  Cixi gave a slight cough, before her intended huff.  She always huffed just before she gave in.

_I almost have her,_ Nayu thought, before his planned persuasion was interrupted.

“Ma’am?” a light and airy voice called, causing Madame Cixi to look behind him.  Nayu thought he recognized the voice... and groaned.



“Madame, sir!” Felonca gave both the young man and the old crone a proper bow.  A quick glance told her that the young man wasn’t too happy at her interruption.  “I couldn’t help but see that...” 

Felonca’s eyes hurriedly danced across the lady’s wares. _Something to talk about so I can shift the conversation to these darn sticks!_

“...you have a rose here!” Felonca scooped up the red flower.  Her nose picked up the sensitive wavering in the flower’s aroma.  _Excellent lead in!_  “How much is it?”

“Ah!” the old woman gave a buck-toothed smile, her hands shakily removing the rose from Felonca’s hands.   “You must have the heart of some young man, if you are looking at this rose!  It only costs one hundred gold pieces,” she said slightly lower, her aged eyes flashing momentarily to the young man in front of her.  Felonca caught a slight grin on his face, directed at the old crone.

“Hmm... well, I am afraid I have very little cash on me,” Felonca said half-truthfully.  _One must only count the coins one has on one’s person... not the sack of silver on my horse outside of town!_  “Do you take in-kind items, though?”

“What?” the old woman’s face became a sea of wrinkles as she frowned in confusion.

“She wants to know if you will barter, Madame Cixi,” the young man said.  The old crone’s eyes then lit up in recognition, and she nodded her head slowly.

“Well... I have these,” Felonca gave a cursory glance to the crowd, and saw no unusual partings that would indicate soldiers, or an angry prefect.  Quickly, the three sticks covered in writing were on the table.



“What... are these?” Nayu said, slightly in wonder.  _These are books used by scholars!  They... they’re worth a fortune to a student of Master Kong-shi!_  “Where did you get them?”  The young woman’s blue eyes flashed momentarily with a bit of mischief, but before she could respond to his question, Madame Cixi interrupted.

“These are tomes of knowledge.  I cannot read them... but chances are the prefect would love to have them, and he would have the money to give you a fair payment,” the old woman said slowly, slightly in wonder.  “Why do you not go to him, and sell them?  I can hold the rose for...”

“No!” the girl said a little too quickly.  It was then that Nayu noticed her eyes... bright blue eyes with black hair was uncommon, but what caught his attention were her pupils... instead of being round, like a human’s, they were vertical slits.

_She’s a hengeyokai..._ he thought as she stammered on quickly.

“Um... no.  He wouldn’t appreciate _these tomes,_” she hissed to Madame Cixi.  Nayu’s eyes went a little wide, as he realized what she was implying.

_First you try to robbing Master Wu and fail... so you go and rob the PREFECT?_  His first estimation of the erstwhile thief as a mere amateur was starting to vanish... things were not settling right for him.

“Ah...” Cixi said slowly.  “Perhaps young Nayu here can help you find a safer scholar who would like these!”  She gave the same bucktoothed grin, her eyes delivering the elbow to Nayu’s side.

"I... um," Nayu stammered, surprised.

"May I ask... why is this rose so expensive?" the woman continued.  As he stood confused, Nayu couldn't detect any reproach in her voice... it was little more than a simple question.

"Because my roof has a hole," Madame Cixi coughed in reply.  To Nayu's complete surprise, he saw the woman's deep blue eyes fall from heights of impishness to pity... perhaps even sorrow.  She reached inside her cloak, and pulled out some fourteen golden taels.

"Miss, I cannot," Cixi rasped in protest as the woman placed the coins in her hands.  The woman's reply was to merely close the old woman's hands around the coins.

"For your roof," she said simply, all impishness gone from her dark face.  

_So... a thief with a heart?_ Nayu wondered as he saw the old woman give a deep bow of thanks, before he heard his name mentioned again.

"...he knows many of his father's contacts in Xianlung, he should be able to take you there," Cixi's voice bubbled with aged rasps.  

"But Madame Cixi..." he began to protest, only to meet Cixi's eyes again.  Their fierce grey gaze made him wilt.

"Thank you for helping me... and I hope you can use that money to fix your roof, wise one," the girl bowed again, before turning to him.  "So," she put an arm around Nayu's shoulder and began to move him away from the stall, "When do we go to another city to sell these?"

“Um... Madame...”

“Felonca,” the girl bowed her head slightly.  The movement gave Nayu another moment to look her over.  Her robes parted for a bit, and for the first time he noticed what she was wearing underneath... a dark kimono, something definitely not worn by a local.  

_A matter of fact, the only people that wear clothes of that cut are warriors..._  More questions arose in his head, even as he caught a momentary glimpse of two fans hanging from her belt.

_A hengeyokai dressed in warrior’s garb who is bold enough to steal from the prefect himself?_

“Nayu, pleased to make your acquaintance,” he said slowly, uneasily as he started moving away from Cixi.  “I... yes... can take you to some of the other cities nearby, but first...”

The girl suddenly vanished into the crowd, as if she was nothing more than a shadow.  For a second, Nayu wondered what had happened, till the crowd seemed to part about him, and he found himself facing three tall burly men clad in the armor of the prefect’s soldiers.

“May I...um... be of...service?” Nayu said slowly as he gulped.  _They’re looking for her already... and they saw me next to her!  They think I’m involved!  Think!  Think!_

“Young man, we received word that you might know of a disturbance in the markets earlier today,” one of the guardsmen spoke.  To Nayu’s relief, none of them had their hands anywhere near their swords.

“A...um... no?” Nayu spoke slowly, his mind feverishly constructing a story.  “There was a slight tussle in front of Master Wu’s butchery, but that has long since been settled, good sirs.”  _Now go away!_

The lead soldier looked him over closely, before giving a grunt.  Tweaking the young man’s hat, the soldiers marched off into the crowd.  No sooner had they vanished than the young woman reappeared by Nayu’s side.

“Damn, that was a close one,” Felonca growled, pulling her cloak’s hood further over her face.  

_What the hell am I doing?_ Nayu’s mind fumed, his heart still pounding.  He spun towards Felonca.

“Who are you?  What are you doing here?  The prefect’s soldiers aren’t particularly kind,” he spat quietly, “The penalty for stealing is death, as is the penalty for harboring a fugitive, and I’m not about to risk life and limb over a complete stranger who for all I know could me a wanted outlaw or little more than a crazy psycho running amok for kicks!”

To his surprise, the young woman gave a slightly impish grin, and fished one of the two sticks from her pocket.  The gold etches in the lettering shone softly in the sunlight as she waved it in front of him.  

“Do you have any ideas how much these are worth?  I sure don’t.  We could split it someway.”

_Three tomes... Prefect Sun-Ji in Xianlung would pay out of his nose for more tomes for his collection..._ ran through Nayu’s mind, before he suddenly spun back around.  “Do you have a horse?” he asked as the two marched through the markets.

“Quite a turnaround,” Felonca laughed.  “I thought you said you wouldn’t risk your life for a stranger whose a thief!”

“I will risk it for trade!” Nayu rejoined.  “Let’s hurry... I have a feeling prefect soldiers are now looking for you again, and filing a false report gets you five days in the stocks here!”



It was a few hours later when the two rode out of Red Lotus together.  Felonca needed the time to fetch her horse, and Nayu needed to inform his parents he would be gone for two weeks... after all, it would do them no good to be ridden down by prefect soldiers sent to find them because a worried father had complained about a missing son.

At first their conversation drifted to Nayu’s background.  He was the son of a merchant, with connections in all the surrounding cities, from Mukden to Xianlung.  Felonca had to laugh slightly as he described with pride how his father trusted him to now undertake trading missions by himself.

However, as the sun was beginning to set on the first day of their travel south, the conversation shifted to something Felonca was not comfortable talking about.

“So... you know much about me.  Who are _you_, Felonca?  Why were you in Red Lotus, and what made you take up thievery?”

“Um,” she stammered slightly.  _I’ve known him for a day...  he might go to Master Hsiu, and I will be caught!_  “There are things in my past I feel... uncomfortable... about discussing with anyone.  No offense.”

“Well, I certainly feel _uncomfortable_ riding south with my only companion being a thief I met only today,” he rejoined, causing Felonca’s face to heat slightly in fury.  

_I wouldn’t steal or hurt you!  You helped me so much this day!  I steal only to survive, and from asses like the prefect!  Not decent people like you!_ she wanted to snap.  Instead, she gave a sigh.

“I... well... I come from a military family... hence my kimono and warfans,” she began slowly.  She saw his eyes widen a bit when she mentioned her fans were not for decoration... that had caught him by surprise.

“I originally was training to be an officer in Hsiu-lan, to the north near the Desert Wall... but...” she started to speak, before a mental wall blocked her mind, as she remembered her time there... the sheer terror of it.  “I... um... I couldn’t stay there, so I ran.  And the penalty for running away from the Academy is virtually death, so stealing doesn’t bother me... ‘cause if I’m caught...”

“Oh,” Nayu said softly.  “I... um...”

Silence covered the rest of the ride.



Another full day of riding passed by, with the two encountering little save fellow travelers going both north and south along this small trek.   The wide fields of red lotus gave way to patchy and then thick woods, as the two rode out of the military district, and into the province of Langsha proper.

Some three days before Xianlung, however, a strange sight greeted their eyes on the road ahead.  What appeared to be a little, simply but elegantly made of bamboo and oak, was lying on the side of the road, with three bodies clustered around it.  To the front stood four ill clad, gaunt peasants, two women and two men, ill armed at best.  In front of them stood one lone man, nude from the waist up, his body in a fighting stance...

-- EDIT...  added a missing scene


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## drag n fly

You seem to have forgotten one little part, EV, where Felonca asks the old woman why the rose is so much, and gives her the gold from the for the roof....


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## Emperor Valerian

Fixed


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## Emperor Valerian

*Of Monks, Farmers, and Something Dark...*

“Bandits!” Nayu heard Felonca’s voice hiss quietly.

Nayu himself had never fought bandits before.  They were the bane of travelers, but normally the road to Xianlung was safe... one only ran into bandits close to the Desert Wall.  While travelling with his father, he had seen a bandit once, but the man had hidden away after his father had pointed a crossbow at him.

“Felonca?” Nayu asked uncertainly.  The air seemed strangely silent, as the scene before him seemed to unfold as slowly as sands falling through an hourglass.  He turned around, only to see the last swish of a dark cape entering the woods.  While he couldn’t see her, he could _sense_ Felonca was only just off to the left, coming forward slowly.

Quickly, Nayu reached down past his saddlebag, for an item he had not used in combat... ever.  His family was one of traders and minor magicians, not warriors.  As the wooden butt of the weapon was cradled in his arms, the lessons his father had told him replayed in his mind.

_Whatever you do, Nayu, aim true,_ he heard the older man’s voice say, _It will take a while to reload this... but you can kill a man from two hundred paces if you aim well._ 

Nayu waited, sighting along the quarrel nesting in the crossbow, carefully feeling his breathing. _In... out... in... out... in..._

During the brief pause between breaths, Nayu slipped his finger along the trigger.  Part of his mind absently thought of how small and minute such an action was, just before the _thwack_ of the quarrel being launched assaulted his ears.  The bolt zipped away, and even as Nayu was starting to move from his stance, he saw one of the four bandit’s head snap back, the long back shaft of the bolt buried in his temple as he crumpled to the ground.

Four heads swiveled around, eight eyes staring at the seventeen year old lad.  Hurriedly Nayu began reloading, just as all hell broke loose...



_Nice shot!_ Felonca gazed on in silent admiration as Nayu’s shot went so true that Master Hsiu himself would have been proud.  Her pride at the young man’s work was only momentary, before her low form slinked closer to the three bandits up ahead. 

It was here, in the undergrowth, that Felonca’s, ancestry came to head.  She slipped low along the ground, swiftly, silently, her dark form almost mimicking the quiet, sure movements of the animal she could change into.  In the midst of the sudden burst of noise, she was truly invisible.

All the while, her feline eyes roamed the field, their slits narrowing in surprise at the ease with which the supposedly defenseless traveler was able to dodge the assaults from the two bandits to his front.  The slits also widened in alarm, as one of the bandits charged towards a desperately reloading Nayu.  Feline instincts made split second calculations that realized there was no way her comrade would be able to reload his weapon before the woman was upon him.

_Those eyes,_ Felonca thought, looking at the woman.  She was terribly thin, her torn clothing streaming behind her like a perverse banner.  Her eyes, however, were truly horrible... shrunken, yellow with bloodshot, they were the eyes of pure hunger.  Of starvation.

_She’ll kill him for food,_ Felonca realized, even as her body was already reacting.  The cat-woman had another surprise hidden within her cloak... one that Nayu would hopefully be thankful for.

Felonca was fairly experienced with the bow... it was the only subject of Master Hsiu’s other than exotic weaponry (where she encountered warfans for the first time) that she took a liking to.  Even now, she still carried the bow she had earned in contest.

Years of training flashed through an instants time, and the bow was notched, drawn, and the arrow loosed with the smoothness of running water.  The arrow flies true, slashing through the woman’s skull, putting her piteous form out of her misery.



Nayu was in shock.  One second, the feral eyed woman had been charging towards him, her bloody hands outstretched as if to choke him.  The next, she was on the ground, an arrow coming from her left temple.  He heard the rustling in the woods, and made a silent note to thank Felonca when the last of the bandits was gone.

Up ahead, he could see that one of the bandits in front of the traveler was down as well.  The final bandit was armed with a large and rusty scythe, which she slashed through the air at the unfortunate man with a feral abandon.  It was apparent the traveler was on the defensive.

_Time to lose something else father taught me,_ Nayu closed his eyes quietly.  His family had always been able to do loose, minor magic... nothing as impressive or powerful as the scholars that taught the lessons of Kong-shi, but things that could prevent one from being stuck in a bind, or entertain customers.

Or kill a bandit.

Nayu held forth his hand, feeling a pool of energy seem to grow from his stomach.  The pool ran up his chest and down the outstretched arm.  In his mind, the young man saw what he wanted the reservoir of magic to do... a pulse of burning light.  No sooner had the image formed in his mind than the same pulse lanced from his outstretched fingers, slamming into the feral bandit not a second later.  Her body convulsed as the twin magic missiles overwhelmed her systems, and she fell to the ground in a cluttered heap.

Nayu was immediately running forward towards the traveler, the rustling and breaking branches in the trees telling him that Felonca was doing the same.  Even from this distance, it was apparent that blood was soaking the man’s shoulder, but to their surprise, the man seemed more concerned with the bandit Nayu had shot less than a minute earlier.

“He still lives,” the man said, his voice a quiet, calm tenor.  His fingers, coated with blood, then moved from the forehead of the injured bandit to his own shoulder, the blood decorated by a deep puncture wound.  A few whispered words floated in the air, and suddenly the wound dried up, until only moments later only fresh, unblemished skin was in its place.

“You... you are no scholar,” Nayu said quietly, voice in awe.

“Indeed.  And I have you two to thank.”  The man rose to an impressive height of nearly six foot, and gave a weary half-smile.  “I am Liu Ganxi, a follower of the teachings of Master Asoka Shenyang, a man unfortunately misunderstood by the arcane scholars.  I owe you much for your assistance... I only wish you had arrived a few moments earlier,” his eyes drifted to the bodies in the road.

Three were clad exactly as Liu, shirtless, with loose cloth about their loins.  The fourth was clad much the same, save his cloth was a brilliant orange instead of plain white.

“They were your friends?” Felonca said slowly.

“No... more than that.  My brothers of faith,” Liu said quietly, his voice a surprisingly even keel despite what he said.  “May their spirits find a new, better home than these weak bodies and minds we have.”

“Is it true, Master Liu, that your...um...order,” Nayu searched for the proper words, “are gifted in the arts of healing?  It might be wise to heal this man, so that we may find out why you were attacked.”



It was some hours later when Liu was finished praying over the bodies of his comrades, and had returned to camp.  As he returned, both Nayu and Felonca were surprised the man gave their erstwhile companion hardly a stare.

For his part, Bohai the farmer was still upset.  One close look at him once the monk he healed him revealed one likely cause for the attack;  the poor man was famished, his frame speaking that it had not had food in the past three or four days.  Nayu didn’t believe this was the only cause, and was still pressing him.

“Why did you attack a group of _monks?_  Likely if you would have asked for food, they would have gladly given you some!” Nayu pressed, growing more annoyed with the farmer.

“Because, we were hungry!  And we thought they might have some holy water!” 

“Holy water?  What’s that?  Is it a tome like any of these?” Felonca asked from her bedroll, where she had spread out the six sticks of power they had recovered from the fallen monks.  She especially liked the greenish tracings on the one Nayu said would shoot acid.  On looks alone, it would fetch a pretty penny.

“No... holy water is the result when one focuses the positive energy inherent in one’s body upon a physical cup of water.  The water then has the powers of positive energy bound within its liquid form,” Liu explained calmly.  Confused, Felonca merely shakes her head.

“Does it do anything like these?” she pulled from her saddlebag the three tomes she’d stolen from the prefect in Red Lotus and handed them to the monk.  “And why would you need holy water, Bohai?  Do you need something consecrated, or holied?”

“We needed them to stop the burning man!” Bohai snapped back, shaking at his bonds.

“The who?” Nayu asked, as Liu gave a slightly alarmed grunt at the first tome.

“The burning man,” the farmer continued.  “Our prefect was working on forbidden tomes, and the gods did not like his acts.  So they punished all of us!  They turned him into a burning skeleton, and he burned down my village!”

“Please... you’ve got to be kidding me!” Nayu gave a guffaw.  “That’s nonsense!  Everyone knows the scholars of Kong-shi do not dither with magic to make skeletons walk!  And why would he turn himself into a skeleton?”

“Maybe he did something magical and didn’t understand it, so it messed up?” Felonca asked, furrowing her own brow in the increasing gloom.  Another worried grunt came from Liu as he finished the second tome.

“That’s not likely.  The scholars may be arrogant, but they know their magic... far more magic than I’ll ever know,” Nayu replied.  “Remember, I couldn’t even read those tomes we’re going to sell!”

“You meant to _sell these?_” the monk spoke, his calm voice filled with a slight bit of alarm.

“Is... there a problem with them, Master Liu?” Nayu replied guardedly.

“I... must ask that these be destroyed, as I do not know why any prefect would have such vile magic,” the monk said softly, dropping the tomes hurriedly onto a piece of cloak.  His eyes were wide in revulsion and fear.  “They will do nothing but terrible ill!”

“Um...” Felonca and Nayu stared at each other momentarily, before the hengeyokai spoke.

“Master Liu, we have traveled several days to take those tomes to Xianlung to sell... thus you would surely understand why we would want to know why they need to be destroyed before you would relieve them from us?”

“They are spells to raise skeletons from the dead... the spells to make an army of the dead,” the monk replied in a quiet, fearful voice.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Note:  There is now the _start_ of a Rogue's Gallery Thread for this story.  I give my players XP for turning in backgrounds (bonding with characters, adding depth to the game, as well as giving me, the DM, some ammunition   ), so I'm posting the ones that players want up.  The link to the thread is here.  I'm going to try to update it as players level up, etc. as well

*Skeletal Worries, and Why Thinking Too Much on Watch Can be Bad*

“What?!” Nayu stood, eyes awash in concern and a touch of fear.

“These tomes raise the dead, a most evil act,” Liu repeated slowly, his voice still filled with dread.  “If these came off of your town prefect, the entire village could be in danger!”

_Mother... Father..._ Images of his parents, his friends, all the people he had known while growing up flashed through Nayu’s mind.  One by one, he saw each turn into a bleached skeleton in his mind’s eye, their skulls shrunken, their gait the scraping and clattering of bones.

“I’ve got to go back!  I’ve got to warn them!” Nayu was immediately by his mount, hands hurriedly setting saddlebags in place.  As the images replayed in his mind, he moved faster and faster.  His movements had built to such a frenzy only a few moments later that he did not notice the twin pairs of hands that touched his shoulders.

“You can’t go now!” he heard Felonca’s voice say, its soft soprano filled with deep concern.  “Night has fallen already, and there’s no telling how many more of those people,” her dark hand motioned towards the still trussed up Bohai, “are out there!  You’ll only wear yourself out, and collapse to sleep the entire day!”

Nayu’s shoulder shrugged hard to get the arms away, and he spun to lash his tongue out at Felonca, until he caught sight of her eyes.  Their blue depths were wide with worry, and spoke that her concerns came not from a lecture someone had given her, but experience from somewhere.

“Master Nayu,” the monk’s voice carried over the quiet crackle of the campfire, “I shall go with you as well.  Fate as deemed my previous errand at an end... perhaps three lives were reincarnated to preserve those of many others.  However, I cannot fully help unless I properly rest.  Master Asoka teaches us that rest can keep our minds quiet, and pure, so that we may...”

Nayu didn’t hear the rest of Liu’s explanation of Master Asoka’s views on rest.  His eyes looked at Felonca’s and he gave a soft nod.  His gaze then switches to the young farmer, and unlike before, the trader’s brown eyes don’t harden.

“You will come with us, Bohai,” Nayu said simply, before turning to his horse and slowly unloading the hurriedly stacked supplies.  

_You know more about these ‘Burning Men,’ than we do... and that could save my parents lives..._



Felonca wasn’t surprised that Nayu was awake by just after sunrise, urging everyone to mount.  She knew how it felt to lose parents... hers, as far as she knew, were still alive, but chances were high that she might never see them again.  The Wu-Fang family had a tradition of being warriors, proud warriors.

_A tradition I broke, so many weeks ago,_ she thought rather glumly as she mounted up and goaded her gelding to a swift canter.  Nayu started to rush past, his horse at a gallop, until she grabbed his reins.

“A fast canter will get you further faster... a horse can canter much longer than it can gallop, and you lose much endurance for only a little more speed,” she said, repeating the lesson she learned the hard way only two weeks before.  The noise of Hsiu’s hounds still bayed in her mind, giving her chills at night.

For two days, the four rode, Bohai being strapped to the back of Nayu’s steed, Liu riding on Felonca’s.  Boahi made a loud and grumpy fuss most of the way about his trusses being tight... enough that Nayu finally unbound him.

It was the night of the second day, only three days from Red Lotus, that things began to go to hell.



_Nayu!  Go fetch your mother some fruits from the market!_  Nayu heard his father’s call.  The young boy gave a laughing nod, and spun, leaping out the door.  The market was a fun place to be, with travelers from far and wide!  It was always exciting there, and today was going to be no different!

The young boy, barely six, careened around corners and ducked between legs trying to reach Madame Cixi’s stall.  The old woman sold almost everything in her tiny wooden area... and she always gave Nayu a spoonful of honey.  As a matter of fact, Nayu was so eagerly thinking about the sweet taste, he didn’t see the runaway horses until they were only a few feet from him.

Snorting, neighing and the thunder of hooves filled the air, as two black mounts, massive and terrible to the small child’s eyes, towered over him, looming, threatening to put him into ever-shadow.  Instinctively Nayu raised his hands as a scream came to his lips, and suddenly the shadow had vanished.  A bright light burst in front of the horses’ and they reared up long enough their master was able to catch their reins...

Nayu threw another stick into the fire, the image fading.  _That was... eleven years ago now?  Eleven years with magic,_ the young man thought quietly, his concern for his village still ever present, still gnawing.  He heard in his mind his father’s voice, telling him to be careful with his gift... and his mind’s eye then watched his father’s face shrivel to a bare bone skeleton.

Behind him, a gaunt figure, white as the pale moonlight that shone from above, slinked closer.  Eyes yellow with malice and hate gazed at the unknowing young man, juding distance and speeds with uncanny accuracy.  Shriveled feet brought iron talons closer and closer to him, a silent as a slight breeze...



_”The bow is a wonderful weapon, Master Quan-Shi. Thank you for the extra tutoring, Master Quan-Shi. May I share your bedroll tonight, Master Quan-Shi…”_

Felonca growled, her body shifting to its hybrid form in her anger as the much smaller squirrel hengeyokai, Nurhaci, continued his singsong mockery of her.

_”I did no such thing!”_ she heard herself snarl furiously.

_”Master Quan-Shi, I think I’ve failed!”_ the little creature mocked further, his voice seeming to echo.  _ “I’m a proud panther, Master Quan-Shi!  But I cannot fight like a warrior, and Master Hsiu will surely make me a mere servant in this school!  Perhaps I can clean sheets, or warm beds, or hang like the failure I am!”_  Nurhaci laughed, dancing around Felonca.

_”A member of the Wu-Fang family would never suffer such dishonor!”_ she heard her father’s voice shout.  _”You failed us!  You failed your family, running away from the school!  It would only save family honor if you were captured!”_ she imagined him saying, as a deep, musty smell flooded her mind.

_What?_ some part of her unconscious mind clicked, even as her dream continued to replay itself... her father’s anger and disappointment that she never heard, and the disowning she hadn’t seen.  As the dream finished its course, the smell’s increasing potency made her mind slowly begin to rouse itself. 

_Something’s... not...right..._ her unconscious mind realized, as her eyes slowly opened.



“Damn bugs!” Nayu hissed as he felt the light, prickly sensation of a small bug trying to crawl into his shoe.  His eyes looked down in annoyance, the fire’s light revealing a small black beetle as the cause of the disturbance.

“You’re the fifth one tonight!” he moaned, reaching down to flick the bug away.

Later on, he would thank his stars that bug was there.  Just as he bent over, he felt a great rush of air fly over his head, and her the loud _thud_ of a creature landing on the ground, just in front of him.  

Staring back at him was the tall, emaciated figure of what was once a man.  His hair was long, stringy and white, his skin bleached as milk white as the moon above.  From sunken sockets feral yellow eyes gleaned with malice and hunger, while long, black talons of iron came from his fingers and toes.  The creature opened its mouth with a hiss, revealing row upon row of long, black teeth.

Before he can react, the beast launches itself at Nayu again, its deadly claws slashing through the air.  Some part of Nayu’s unconscious mind makes him duck hard to the left and then the right causing both of the intended blows to only slash through air.  Stumbling over the log he was resting on, Nayu tried to scramble away as all the chaos began.



Within moments of the crash, Felonca’s feline-honed mind was fully awake.  She saw Nayu stumbling backwards from a thin, white creature with long claws... and if its looks were not frightening enough, Felonca did recognize the smell that came off of it.

Death.

The smell of death, so thick and hazy that all other scents and aromas were pushed from her mind.  It was so powerful it was almost nauseating.

Despite this, Felonca’s mind immediately realized her friend was in trouble.  Without thinking, she closes her eyes, and feels a familiar sense washing over her... as if parts of her were being stretched and others compacted.  Instinctively she fell onto all fours as a tail sprouted from her rear, her hands shifted and fused to form paws with razor sharp claws, her face changing from its elegant human shape to the smooth, deadly lines of a black panther.

She heard the monk shout, and her eyes caught a blur as he flashed into the attack.  She also heard whimpering noises coming from behind her... _Bohai_ she thought.  But her mind, right now, did not have time for any of those.

Her eyes focused on the blur that was Liu dancing in front of the beast, his punches and kicks obviously having an effect.  Feline calculations too quick and natural for a human to match immediately gave her an instinctual nudge, and with a thundering roar, she was in their air.

Whenever she’d pounced on someone in her natural form, be it in jest or in anger, the moment right before impact seemed almost peaceful... something Felonca felt was ironic, considering her mouth was usually agape baring fangs and her claws were extended.  She felt alive, at home even.

Then there was the crash, the blurring movement as she felt something cold and clammy in her paws, then in her mouth as she bit and rent.  She felt falling, and knew she’d knocked the creature aside at least, as a taste so foul, so putrid filled her mouth that she wanted to retch.  Only moments later, she saw two bright flashes explode near the creature’s mouth, and saw it collapse to the ground, minus a head, and most of a shoulder, which she quickly spat onto the ground.

For a few seconds there was nothing but silence, save for Bohai’s whimpering, and her kitty-coughs as she tried to get all of the creature’s flesh out of her mouth.  Her heart still pounding, she felt her instinctive mind slowly recede, and her human mind slowly returning.  She shifted back.

“I... uh... thought you weren’t a good fighter,” she heard Nayu wheeze from beside her, the glow of magic slowly receding from his fingertips.  A tired grin was on his face.

“I’m... not... water!” she called, coughing up a storm.  Quickly Nayu had a canteen in her hands, and she eagerly gulped a large quantity to swish in her mouth before spitting out.  The horrible taste was remedied... somewhat.  The horrible smell in the air, however, not only remained, but got worse.  On top of death, the smell of a privy rose.  Felonca’s noise didn’t have to sniff far to realize that it was Bohai who had soiled himself.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

So... I've been a bad EV, considering I forgot to throw in my DM Notes.

The bandits the party fought were nothing hard... four level two commoners.  ON was armed with a scythe, and another two were armed with daggers... Bohai being one of those.

The second fight the party fought a very simple wight.  Poor Bohai failed his morale check, and thus contributed only a stink in the air to the fighting.  Nayu's player had abyssmal listen checks and spot checks (considering the wight rolled a five and seven and beat him consistently), it was only blind luck (and the wight getting a one on his attack roll) that saved the wizard from losing a level, if not worse.  For a second, I thought a TPK might go down (all others were asleep), until the wight missed and Felonca turned panther and went bite-crazy. 

Now, their later combats get interesting... especially considering I just purchased a new monster book (Monster's of Faerun.. hey, I can juxtapose some of the cool stuff into my homebrew!  )


----------



## Arrgh! Mark!

Keep it coming. 

Looks interesting.


----------



## Arrgh! Mark!

Double post. Apologies.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*To Red Lotus We Will Go... To Red Lotus We Will Go... Hi Ho the Dareeio... Holy Crap Its a Dead Thing!*

_Felonca... shredded apart that undead creature... I knew she was hengeyokai... but I never expected THAT..._

Nayu’s impressed look was somewhat disturbed by the wrinkle that came to his nose at the smell hanging in the air.  A quick glance revealed Bohai cowering next to a tree, whimpering.

_Poor guy,_ Nayu thought, taking in the other man’s frightened brown eyes, _He only went after Liu’s caravan because he thought he could find some holy water... and now he has to see this?_  Taking a deep breath, Nayu made his way through the foul smell towards the cowering farmer.

“Bohai?  It... smells like you need a new set of trousers,” Nayu said, some sympathy seeping into his voice.  _He was tied up this entire time... I’d be frightened too!_  Nayu started to undo the man’s bonds as Felonca continued to cough.  After a few moments, the ropes fell away.

“There,” Nayu said quietly.  “And I have a extra set of clean trousers you can borrow until we reach Red Lotus.”



“That was very kind of you yesterday,” Felonca said the next morning as the group continued their rapid pace towards Red Lotus, their two horses kicking up a great cloud of dust behind them.  Behind Nayu was seated a much happier looking Bohai, his former dusty brown trousers now replaced by Nayu’s green extras.

“The poor guy was so frightened,” Nayu replied, “I couldn’t help but untie him.  Besides, he doesn’t like these undead things also... and another blade... even if it’s a scared farmer with a dagger, can’t hurt, now can it?”

“Unless he decides to use the blade while we sleep?” Felonca raised a dark eyebrow.  Nayu’s eyes narrowed at the comment.

“I wouldn’t...” Bohai’s voice rose in protest, before Liu interrupted.

“I will take watch with him, and I have a distinct feeling he’ll behave,” the monk said dryly.  Neither Nayu or Felonca saw the look the monk gave the farmer... otherwise they would have seen all the threats in the world conveyed through simple, calm eyes.

“Now that I’m fed, I will beh... hey!  What’s that?”

Felonca and Nayu followed the unbound farmer’s pointing finger, towards a thin whiff of brown hanging over the road far ahead.  Even in the moments that they watched, it seemed to billow and grow.

“That’s either a very large caravan... or something I’m going to guess will be unpleasant,” Nayu said sourly.  Already his hands had grabbed his horse’s bridle, goading it towards a small copse trees off the road.

“Maybe its some soldiers sent to kill these things?” Felonca offered hopefully, before she too gave a grunt and followed him.  “You’re right, our luck, it’d be an army of undead soldiers!”

“Undead soldiers?” Bohai asked uncertainly from behind Nayu.  

“No one has seen anything like that yet,” Nayu replied slightly testily as he guided his horse into the brush, a hand running along his mounts neck to calm the steed.  _If you think you’re going to be outnumbered by bandits... its better to hide than try to fight against hard odds,_ Nayu heard his father repeating.  The young man quickly alighted off his horse, and tied the animal up deep in the wood copse.  

“I can see them now... there’s at least eight skeletons,” Felonca’s strained whisper ruslted through the air.  Liu, tying up her horse, gave a grunt of displeasure.  At her announcement, Bohai’s whimpers increased in volume and quantity.

“Quiet down, Bohai,” Nayu said, the testiness in his voice increasing as he peered out of the woods, and counted twelve skeletons himself, armed with various implements... and two with crossbows.  In response, Nayu heard the whimpers increase even more.

“Bohai, _shut up_,” Felonca hissed in an acidic tone.  Nayu’s eyes saw the man’s brown eyes flash with the same fear he had seen the night before, but this time, the young sorcerer’s compassion faded in the face of the adrenaline pumping through his system.  

_He’ll give us away if he keeps going!_ Nayu’s mind flashed, as Bohai let loose a small wail of fear as the steady step of the skeletons grew audible.  Finally, Nayu stalked over to the whimpering farmer with a piece of cloth.  Quickly, he had the man’s mouth bound shut before Bohai could react.

“We can’t have you being loud!  You’ll give us away!” Nayu growled, pulling the man to his feet.  “If you choose to fight, you can.  If you choose to run, you can.  But dammit, you won’t give the rest of us away by whining!” 

“Too late!” Felonca’s hiss echoed through the trees.



Felonca’s eyes narrowed as she watched the small column of skeletons, marching two by two, changed direction and starting marching up the road they were hiding beside.  Their skulls shifted side to side, making creaking and cracking noises as their undead eyes searched for the prey that had mewed.

_A sickle, several daggers, and one with a crossbow,_ she noted with alarm.  Nayu’s expert use of the weapon only a few days ago was enough to convince her that this one was the most dangerous.

She heard the slightest of rustles to her left, and knew without looking that Liu and Nayu had shifted into a position close by.  Carefully, Felonca drew her bow, silently tensing up her bowstring as she sighted her shot for the left eye socket of the crossbow-bearing skeleton.

A muffled cry tore through the silent air, and Felonca jumped.  Her bow, so carefully sighted, jerked to the left, and her arrow sailed only a few inches to the left of her target’s head.  Immediately, the skeletons clattered their skulls in unison towards this new threat.  A _whumph_ then thundered through the air, as a blast of light slammed into the same skeleton, the _magic missiles_ forcing the creature to stumble backwards.

The skeletons broke into a clattering run as one, their weapons raised above their heads.  All started to run towards the woods, one making a charge directly towards Liu.  

Felonca called out a warning, only to see the sage monk close his eyes and fold his hands together.  As the skittering undead grew nearer and nearer, Liu barely moved, not even twitching an eyebrow as Felonca leapt into the creature’s path and cut it down with her warfan.

“Liu!  What the hell is wrong with you!” Felonca shouted before three skeletons swarmed her.  _Dammit!  Don’t pray!  Fight!_ her mind snapped as her combat training took over, her form becoming a whirling dervish of razor sharp fans and blocking moves.

Her world visually became nothing more than a sea of colors as she spun ‘round and ‘round in a defensive bid to keep her attackers at bay.  All around her, dull white skulls clicked their jaws in silent screams of rage as their daggers desperately tried to close in on her.  Finally, Felonca saw a blur of brown and green, and suddenly the off-white blurs of skeletons shrunk.  She stopped her spin in time to see Bohai breathing heavily as he shattered the skull of one of the skeletons with the hilt of his dagger.



Nayu gave a silent curse as he saw the three skeletons mob Felonca, and gave a sigh of relief when Bohai leapt into their midst and surprisingly destroyed one. The chaos around him had caused Nayu’s concentration to fade momentarily, and he felt the magic in his body surging, writhing just below the surface.

A blast of focused magical energy lashed out at the crossbow skeleton again, this time shattering the creature’s skull.  As it clattered to the ground, Nayu saw with alarm that four skeletons were rushing towards a still calm and unmoving Liu.  

“Master Liu, look out!” Nayu called out.  _He didn’t hear me!_ the young man panicked as the monk continued to stand tall, his eyes closed and arms crossed.  Suddenly, the man’s eyes flew open, a bright, white fire burned from their depths.  The four skeletons skidded to a halt, as Nayu heard a faint whistling in the air.

The whistle rose as the leaves began to flutter slightly.  Within moments, the whistle had risen to a roar, and the four skeletons seemed to break apart, as if a great typhoon was twisting and wrenching them to pieces.  As their bones broke into dust and flew away, the noise subsided, and not even the weakest of leaves on the trees seemed out of place.  (Turn Undead)

Nayu stood, mouth agape for several moments, even as another skeleton ran towards the monk.  Liu’s eyes had returned to normal, but still he did not move as the monstrosity clattered ever closer.  Suddenly, like a coiled snake, the monk’s arm lashed out in a vicious punch that shattered the skeleton’s skull.  Liu’s calm eyes then looked towards Nayu, and part of a grin formed on his face.

“Nayu, tend to your front,” the monk called as he slipped back into a full fighting stance.



Felonca looked at the monk, and then at the skeletons now backing away, her eyes wide with surprise.   _Well... he is a monk, Felonca... he would have connections with something powerful, by logic,_ her mind would chastise her as she drew her bow and dispatched another skeleton.  The final two remaining ones were backing away, even their emotionless eye sockets betraying nervousness.  Two bright flashes of light from Nayu’s hand ended their existence only moments later.

“Everyone alright?” she called, walking over to where Nayu was already examining the daggers the skeletons were carrying.

“I need another set of trousers,” Bohai said quietly, his face beet red as a familiar smell began to assault the party’s nostrils.  Felonca watched Nayu’s eyes flash momentarily with anger before the young man reined in his voice.  

“I have no more trousers to spare,” he said quietly and curtly, before turning to the monk.  “And Master Liu... how _did_ you do that... thing?  With the wind?  Was that magic like the scholars use?”

The monk’s calm smile returned.  “Master Asoka teaches us that if we can find our inner peace, it can be used to calm any storm in this world,” the monk said simply, before the thin smile was replaced by a look of concern.  “Though my peace of mind is disturbed... these skeletons came from the road to Red Lotus, did they not?”

Felonca wasn’t surprised when Nayu’s eyes went a little wide, and he immediately began hurrying everyone to rush towards the town.  It actually was not far... after a hard ride they arrived at the outskirts of the village within a few hours... and to Nayu’s apparent relief, things seemed normal.

Felonca noticed many of the same people she’d seen the week earlier when she first arrived in the town.  Jiang the blacksmith even glared at her as the group made their way towards the town market.  

“I think we hurried for nothing,” she said rather hopefully, “it looks like everything is normal here!”

“Not... quite...” Nayu said slowly, making his way toward the market square.  “I don’t see Mistress Cixi’s stall open.  That’s not right.”

“Well, she did sound a little under the weather when we were last here.  Maybe she took the day off?  Or maybe she’s using that gold I gave her to get her roof fixed?” Felonca replied.  _I wonder if this mess made that young man so paranoid, or if he is normally like this?_

“Perhaps we should move aside from the middle of the street,” Liu said, pointed towards the market crowds.  “There’s a black litter coming this way... a procession of some kind.  Master Nayu, is today a holy day in your village?”

Felonca could see by the confused look on Nayu’s face that the answer was no.  His eyes narrowed as he stared ahead, and then, she saw him relax slightly.

“Prefect?” she asked.

“No... it’s a funeral litter.  If it was the prefect, I’d be trying to get you to hide,” he gave a slight wry grin at her.  His face became somber again as he muttered, “I wonder who peri...”

His musings were interrupted as screams of confusion and fear came from the crowds ahead.  Like a sea breaking before the bow of a ship, the crowds suddenly parted as the shrouded litter fell to the ground, its carriers fleeing as well.  From within its black shrouds a emaciated, wrinkled hand clawed out, followed by a long, aged arm, and then a body.

As Nayu stood rooted in fear and confusion, he found himself staring into familiar eyes.  Instead of aged grey, they now burned a deep, dark red.  Instead of a buck-toothed smile, there was a mouth filled with razor-sharp, blackened teeth.  And instead of her usual rags, the bone-thin form of what was once Madame Cixi was clad in the garb of a body being taken for burial...

(DM Notes:  The skeletons the part fought were simple ones, based on first level warriors. As for what Madame Cixi has become... well, the next update will explain that...  

This is almost the end of the first session!)


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Red Lotus Runs Red*

”Dammit!” Nayu swore, the oath bearing as much pain and sorrow as anger.  _She was so kind to all of us!_ his mind raged as the gaunt form lumbered closer.  As a hissing noise came from the dead woman’s lips, Nayu raised his hand towards, and closed his eyes, his hand pulsing from the magical energy he could feel welling inside of him.  _I’m sorry, Madame Cixi._

A familiar double jolt of power leapt from Nayu’s hands, as twin orbs of magic flashed towards the tattered chest of the human remains.  Cixi’s ragged form shuddered with both hits, and crumpled to the ground, a hissing, screeching gasp coming from its lips.

Nayu sighed, his sorrow flowing up from the very depths of his soul as he looked at the crumpled form in the midst of the street.  Memories came back to his head.. of visiting Cixi when he was young, and the candies she’d give him.  Of her twinkling eyes, and aged wisdom.

“Nayu?” Felonca’s voice came to him seemingly from a distance.  “I’m sorry,” the voice continued, and he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Nayu didn’t say anything, his eyes still locked on the tattered pile of flesh and bone, the remains of her funeral kimono fluttering in the breeze...

Except there was no breeze.

Within moments, the shattered pieces of bone and flesh, broken by Nayu’s _magic missiles_, began to pull together again.  Bones fell into sockets with sickening snaps.  Flesh slurped and slid into place, as the tattered apparition reformed itself, its hissing once again growing in the air.

The hand on Nayu’s shoulder clenched tight, as Felonca’s scream of surprise and horror joined Bohai’s.  Nayu himself felt bile rising in his stomach as the thing formed again, the noises and sight urging him to keel over and empty his breakfast on the street below.  Somehow, someway, he fought back, his mind still focused.

_That is no longer Madame Cixi!_ he told himself, _That is merely a creature, taking her form!_  His eyes changed from their fearful look to a gaze of anger at the thought, and once again his hand stretched out, power welling within him yet again.  With a snarl, two more bursts of magical power slammed into the beast, this time blasting through its stomach, breaking it in two.  Once again, the broken form collapsed to the ground, and laid still.

Fury still in his veins, Nayu drew his father’s crossbow.  _You won’t rise again!  You won’t misuse her like that!_ his mind fumed, as he loaded a quarrel and shot the body once, twice, then three times.  This time, the shattered remains laid still, a calm amidst the sea of running and screaming villagers all around.


_Its okay, Felonca... she’s dead now for sure,_ the hengeyokai breathed quickly, her chest heaving from fright.  _She’s dead... she’s dead._  Her hand still rested on Nayu’s shoulder, and it was then she saw him wince slightly.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, realizing that her grip probably hurt only a few seconds before.

“You were frightened,” Nayu replied, his voice quiet and devoid of emotion.  “I do not think that her rest will be disturbed again.”  His brown eyes were quiet, a sea of silence and full of memory.

“Um... should we be worried about them?” Felonca unwittingly disturbed his reverie, gesturing towards the three figures now gingerly approaching Cixi’s broken body.  The slight red of their lamellar armor fortold they were soldiers from the local prefect.  

Just as she spoke, one of them turned to the group.

“You there!” he called, pointing.  “What happened?  What evil trickery is this?”  He strode over uneasily, as his two compatriots unsheathed their blades and began to poke Cixi’s body nervously.

“Someone is using dark magic to raise the dead... we ran into several skeletons outside of town,” Felonca said quickly, before wincing.  _Bravo!  You just drew attention to yourself!  Way to go, knucklehead!_

“_Skeletons?_  Walking around, you mean?” the soldier repeated, his eyes becoming more and more suspicious.  “I have never heard of such a thing... and the only one using magic around here is your friend,” he gave a stare towards Nayu.

“There’s some other magic users that have been going insane... they’ve turned themselves into burning skeletons by misusing their magic,” Felonca continued hurriedly.  _Shouldn’t tell them that the madmen were prefects... he’s already not really believing my story._  “We were hoping our village was safe... and it seems that it is for...”

A new bevy of screams drew their attention... as did the smell of smoke.

Felonca spun around, terror in her eyes.  When she looked down the main street of the village, she expected to see a towering inferno of skeleton, blazing higher than the tallest building.  Instead, her eyes could only see a thick pall of smoke, beyond which nothing was visible, save people emerging from its dark banks, screaming.

“Um... Nayu?” Felonca said, her voice wavering.

“Burning Man!” Bohai shouted unnecessarily.

“Felonca,” she felt a hand grab her and spin her around.  Nayu’s brown eyes were suddenly in her view, staring into her own.  “Take Bohai and the soldiers, and hold him off.  I’m going with Liu to get something to help us!”

“But wait!” she shouted, as Nayu spun around, grabbing the monk and dragging him behind.  Within seconds they had disappeared behind a corner as the acrid smell of smoke and flame assaulted her nose.

_Felonca... these people need you,_ she told herself, trying to steel her own heart.  _You were training to be a warrior... but you failed there.  You cannot fail here!_  She started moving towards the smoke, the soldiers falling in alongside with, to her surprise, Bohai.

“I ran from him last time, but I’m not going to run this time!” the farmer said, his dagger shaking in his shuddering hands.



“Nayu, shouldn’t we...” 

The young man didn’t even turn to face Liu, as he dragged him around another corner before skidding to a halt, eyes agleam.

Before them stood a simple water well, its bucket in good shape and ready for use.  A dark grin formed on Nayu’s face, as he let go of the monk and pointed for him to head towards the village well.

“You can purify water, can’t you?” Nayu asked as they drew up alongside the well.  The young man grabbed the hoist for the bucket and quickly lowered it down into the dark waters below.

“Yes... I can... but normally, Master Asoka taught us...” Liu began.

“Well... forget what Master Asoka taught you about patience,” Nayu said, heaving quickly and efficiently to draw the now full bucket back up.  Once it was within reach, he reached under it with one hand, and with the other, unlatched it from the rope that held it suspended.  Carefully, he balanced it on one hand until his other hand could help.

“Turn this into holy water,” he said simply, setting the bucket at Liu’s feet.  “If Bohai and his friends thought any little vial of holy water you or your compatriots might have on you could fight this thing, I’m guessing a bucket will do annoy it even more.”



“Oh gods,”  Felonca breathed in deeply as a dull orange began to form in the dark smoke billowing from a house... a house the soldiers told her used to be the prefect’s manse.  Instinctively, the hengeyokai felt her muscles tighten, shifting seamlessly into a position of readiness.  Beside her, the noise of steel drawn from sheaths sounded like music.

“We only have to hold him, until my friend and the monk return,” Felonca said slowly, more to Bohai than the soldiers.  “I don’t know what they ran off for, but Nayu is from here, he probably knows of somethin... sweet Heaven!”

From the swirling mists of smoke came a tall creature, as tall as large man.  No clothes hung about its crimson, bony form, though bright, white lights came from the two eye sockets of its scarlet skull.  From each of its joints issued yellow flames, leaping, dancing, crackling with heat. A circlet of the same floated just above the beasts head, rising several feet above the horrific skeleton.

Its bony arm outstretched as he emerges, flames leapt from its fingers onto peasants running by, setting their piteous forms ablaze.  From above the noise of screaming and flames, Felonca for a second thought she could hear cackling laughter.

She couldn’t move.  She found herself rooted in her stance, horror melding her feet into the dusty earth underfoot.  Another peasant went down, screaming, before she fought off her fear, and began drawing her bow.  

_Those eyes,_ she thought, anger now filling her blood at seeing the dead innocents about.  She notched her arrow, and let fly, the bolt slashing through one of the eye sockets, putting out its blazing white light.  

The creature turned, and suddenly the smoke coming from the burning house swept down before it, covering the five in a dense, smoky fog.  Eerily, the prefect was still visible in the foggy soup as a vast opaque blob of orange.  (_obscuring mist_)

_Dammit!  He was a prefect!  He knew magic in life, he still knows it now!_ Felonca swore, backing behind the ragged line formed by the frightened soldiers and Bohai.  _I need time to reload my bow!  If that thing touches me, I could be aflame too!_  As she slipped past Bohai, she heard him whimper... a noise that gave her pause.  _Stay, good Bohai!_ she willed towards him as she stopped and turned beside him.  _Maybe your simple dagger can save this day!_

Suddenly, a bright flash lances from the burning mass ahead of her, straight at Bohai.  The farmer has nary a chance to scream, before flames consume his body, leaving it in burnt mound of flesh on the smoky road, the smell of roasted meat roiling Felonca’s stomach.  The soldiers backed away, and once again Felonca found herself to the front, now alone.

_Oh gods... oh gods,_ part of her mind panicked, realizing what had just happened to her erstwhile compatriot.  Her confusion and fear were momentary, before other, more logical parts of her mind took over.

_The soldiers are wearing armor!  Get behind them, and reload your bow!_



“Done yet?!” Nayu asked nervously, pacing in front of the knelt Liu.  The older man’s eyes remained closed, soft words coming from his humming lips as he focused his mind.  Nayu gave a loud curse at Liu’s nonresponse, and resumed his pacing, as screams grew louder.  _Holy water... Bohai said these things don’t like holy water!  Dammit!  If we can get there with this bucketful..._

Suddenly Liu was standing, the bucket in one hand.  Nayu didn’t even see him rise and pick it up, he moved so quickly.  Nayu gave a sigh of relief, and started running back towards the market square, praying he was in time.



_Load, load, load!_ Felonca shouted at herself, her hands sometimes almost fumbling the arrow as she notched.  Her mind momentarily flashed back to archery practice at the Academy, before the urgencies of the present made her refocus again.  Her arrow notched, she drew back, and launched between the shoulders of two of the soldiers.  In the orange and red murk, she couldn’t see if the shot went true or not.

“Dammit,” she muttered again, fumbling with her quiver, before it happened.

The bright orange glow in the smoky mists to her front suddenly grew bright white, brighter and brighter, until it looked like she was staring at the sun.  Just as quickly, there was a bright flash, a roar, and suddenly the flames weren’t deep in the murky mists, but only five feet from her, swirling and blazing white hot.  The three soldiers to her front screamed for only an instant before they too collapsed to the ground, the heat of the firestorm so hot that their armor melted.  The blazing blast blew away the most immediate smoke, allowing Felonca to take in the scene.

She was now alone, facing the burning skeleton of man, while around her, all the buildings within thirty feet of his burning form were now ablaze, their own thick smoke threatening to obscure him naturally.  Burnt bodies laid about, and peasants ran past screaming in stark terror, as the beast’s one blazing eye bore down directing on Felonca.

Terror streaked through her mind, terror as real as the peasants screaming by her, dragging their children to safety.  One little boy, badly burned, dropped his wooden toy as he and his mother ran past.  His mother dragged him, kicking and screaming onward, as the flames consumed the small rocking horse.

_You have to fight, Felonca,_ she heard somewhere in her mind.  _You are of the Wu-Fang clan, a family of warriors whose history goes back twenty generations!  You might not have passed the Academy, you might never ride on a steed into battle, but you are STILL A WARRIOR!  Make your clan proud!_ 

The second before she charged the blazing menace, warfans whirling through the air, she recognized her father’s voice in her mind.



_Dammit!  I can’t see in this mess!_ Nayu cursed in his mind, coughing as the thick soup of smoke gutted his lungs.  The crackle of flames, and the screams of people all mingled into a chaotic chorus his ears could not sort.  _Dammit... where are they!_

The young man turned his head about, to and fro, ears trying to find where the screams were loudest, his mind aware all the while that with each passing second, Felonca, Bohai, and his village were in graver and graver danger.  Finally, he made a snap decision.

“They’re this way, towards the innhouse!” Nayu shouted to Liu through the smoke.  _The prefect must have chased them quite a ways up the street for them to be that far ahead..._

They had gone no more than a few steps before Liu suddenly stopped, and spun around.
“No, Master Nayu!  They’re this way, towards the markets!”



Felonca’s whirling, spinning assault slowed, the pain too intense for her to stay close for more than a few seconds.  She backflipped away, the pain in her arms intense.  The heat from the burning man was so powerful that even though her arms never touched him, being merely close enough to _hit_ him caused her to burn.  Despite landing several solid blows, the towering inferno looked none the worse for wear.

_Ok, Felonca... what do you do now?_  Charging into him didn’t seem to hurt him, and changing to panther form and pouncing on the beast was out of the question... yet she couldn’t run.  Many would die if she ran.  Grimly, she set her jaw.  _I must try again._  She tensed her legs and was almost ready to spring forward when she heard two familiar voices screaming her name.

“Felonca!” Liu suddenly burst from the smoke, a bucket of water in hand, and immediately, Felonca realized what needed to be done.  Dropping her warfans, she seized the bucket from the worn priest, and dashed into the smoky doom.

The burning prefect’s bony jaw seemed to open in a cackle as she ran forward, as if his undead mind was laughing at this foolish woman who kept charging towards him to no avail.  Only a few feet from it, just as the flames start to lick her again, Felonca heaves the bucket and its contents at the beast.

An unholy, hissing scream filled the air, as steam billowed from the crimson bones.  The prefect writhed in horrible contortions, most of the flames on his body flying into steam as well.

Felonca stood, rooted in her place as the beast wreathed, hoping against hope that it would crash to the ground in a broken heap.  Instead, its form snapped upright, and with the one burning hand it still possessed, it swung towards the hengeyokai.

Felonca felt a sudden immense burning and pain in her cheek, as bones slipped into places they shouldn’t.  She had only a moment to see two bright flashes ignite the creature’s chest before all turned black as she tumbled to the ground.



Nayu breathed heavily, as he watched Liu tend to his friend.  The chaos about them had calmed somewhat in the five minutes since the prefect had finally gone down, and still Nayu knelt worriedly beside Liu and Felonca... until a hand tapped his shoulder.  Nayu turned slowly, and found himself facing a man dressed in the red armor of a prefect soldier.  A long, grey mustache flowed from his face.

“Young man... I am Captain Li, of the prefect guard.  We were on patrol outside of the city and saw smoke.  What exactly happened here?”

With no care for whether the man would believe him or not, Nayu launched into a full explanation; of the undead skeletons, of how other prefects had gone mad, and how the ‘burning man’ had caused so much destruction.  When his long explanation was finished, the older man gave a slight nod of partial comprehension.

“Mmm.  This all sounds very unusual... unusual indeed.  I’m afraid that I’m going to have to ask you and your friends to accompany me to the provincial capital at Mukden.  The Military Governor will likely want to know what happened here.”

“And will he send in soldiers to get rid of these ‘burning men?’” Nayu asked hopefully.  The old captain gave a gentle smile.

“I have no doubt of it.  Tend to your friend... we shall leave on the morrow.”


“Are you alright?” a voice, as if coming through a tunnel, spoke to her.  Felonca opened her eyes, and the sudden brightness of the late afternoon sun assaulted her pupils.

“Meh,” she gave a slight whine, soreness covering her arms, face and upper body.

“She will be fine, Nayu,” she heard Liu’s voice say, “she’ll be sore for about an hour, but she’ll be fine.”

“Is... is it gone?” Felonca asked, her voice gravelly from inhaling smoke and yelling above the noise.

“Yes... I took it down with my magic,” Nayu said as his face came into view.  A gentle smile formed on his lips.  “And you say you aren’t a warrior.”

She was about to give a protest when his face darkened slightly, his eyes turning sad.  “I also found something... that’s yours.  From Madame Cixi.”   Felonca felt cold in her hands, and as her fingers moved about, she realized what it was.

Fourteen gold coins, cold as a snowfall.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 


That’s the end of our first session!    Madame Cixi was a creature called a Coffer Corpse, found in the Creature Catalog.  Basic undead, save that whenever it takes 6 points or more of damage in a round, it falls down as if dead... only to rise in such a frightening manner that a Will save is required (one that Felonca and Bohai failed)!  

The ‘Burning Man’ that was the prefect was a creature called the Blazing Bones, also found in the Creature Catalog.  Its a CR 5, and was intended as a challenging encounter for my party (3rd level, save Bohai, 1st level commoner).  It can hurl fire at a target to inflict 2d4 fire damage at a range of 20 feet, or once per minute, it can creature a firestorm that incinerates everything within 30 feet of it to the tune of 6d6 points of damage.  Additionally, it takes only half damage from piercing and slashing weapons, but it has a vulernability to water... especially holy water.

And so... we shall soon move to the second adventure of this party, where the party rides off to Mukden, the provincial capital, to report what they have seen to the Military Governor Li Zicheng...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

This is the start of session two... where the party heads north, and has some strange encounters...

===========================================

* Captain Li, and the Ride to the North*

Around Nayu and Felonca, the noise of chaos died down, replaced by the moans of the injured and the shocked commentary of survivors.  Nayu could hear Captain Li’s voice bellowing orders, as townspeople lined up to form bucket brigades to put out the fires.

“Her house?” Felonca asked softly, seeing the gold sparkling in her dark hands.  Even now, a few minutes after Nayu had placed it in her hands, the metal felt ice cold.

“Still has a rather large hole,” Nayu replied softly, his eyes downcast.  “They said she passed only three days ago.  She’d scheduled some carpenters to fix the roof tomorrow,” he sighed.  “Well... at least now she doesn’t have to worry about leaky roofs.”

All was quiet, the silence hanging mournfully in the air for a few minutes until Felonca finally spoke up.

“You said she had a son?”

“Yes,” Nayu nodded, the sadness in his voice growing even deeper.  “He was sent to help build the wall some time ago.  No one knows if he is alive.”

“Well,” Felonca said, some determination back into her voice, “we need to make sure someone fixes that roof.  Her son shouldn’t come home to an empty house and a leaky one.  Losing his mother is bad enough.  Now,” she slowly rose, dusting herself off.  Her pain was ebbing away, and now a dull ache filled her body, instead of the sharp pains.  “These people need help.  That bucket line is short of people.  Let’s go.”



Many hours were spent in the heat and smoke, as Nayu, Liu and Felonca worked side by side with the townspeople to douse the flames licking six of the houses.  The home of the prefect was a complete loss, save a chest preserved from the flames by magic.  After some careful looks to make sure no one was looking, and some careful prying, Felonca fished from inside its depths three gems (a gold flecked piece of obsidian worth 50 gp, a blue agate with violet tinges worth 10 gp, and a large piece of tourmaline worth 105 gp), four bottles of elixir, and two curious items.  The latter six items pulsed with something... she wasn’t sure what, so she took them back to Nayu.

“What’s this?” the young sorcerer asked, wiping away sweat from the last of the dying blazes as she dumped the clothful of items on his lap.

“Stuff from the prefect,” she said simply with a laugh.  “We went through a lot of crap, so I figured we need to get paid _somehow_, and I doubt anyone will mind us stealing from the burnt out home of a dead evil scholar!”

“Um... I’m going to take these to Liu... since the prefect wasn’t especially a nice man, I’m guessing some of these aren’t nice items... what the heck are a hat and necklace doing in here?” Nayu held aloft a well made felt cap, with simple decorations on its outside, as well as a necklace of different sized white gems.  They weren’t diamonds, quartz, or pearls... as a matter of fact Nayu couldn’t recognize these gems at all... though he felt magic seeping into his hand from their cold shapes.

“They felt... funny, you know?” Felonca shrugged.  “I thought you or Liu would know why, since you guys can feel magic and whatnot.”  _I, on the other hand, am an imbecile when it comes to magical items._

The two took the items to Liu, who with Nayu proceeded to spend several hours looking them over.  Nayu easily after an hour figured out the purpose of the cap... it made one’s face indistinct, almost blurry, obviously making it easier to take on a disguise (_hat od disguise!_).  Immediately Felonca snatched it up.

The second item proved harder to decipher.  Nayu had seen his father handing something like this necklace before... save the gems on it seemed to be rubies, or amber.  When a gem was removed, it could be thrown to make an explosion of fire around its landing point.  Further deduction showed this functioned on the same principle, save, Nayu theorized, the blast would be of cold, not fire (_Necklace of Coldballs, Type II_).  Felonca also seized this item as well (at Nayu’s insistence).

Liu busied himself with studying the properties of the four elixirs that Felonca relieved from the prefect’s home, and quickly discovered two of them definitely had uses only for raising and controlling undead.  (_ghoul touch, false life_).  The two others, however, were relatively benign.  One, he later described, could shrink one down to a smaller size (_reduce_), and another could alter one’s size and/or appearance (_potion of alter self_).  These two were put in general bags for anyone to use.

Thereafter, Nayu and Felonca went to see if his parent’s house was unharmed...



“They should be alright... the burn didn’t reach here,” Nayu heard Felonca say hopefully in the growing gloom of night.  “You said they live here, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” Nayu’s eyes flashed by houses familiar to him, the names of the occupants easily coming to mind.  _Master Wu’s... Chin... Andong..._  Finally, he rounded a corner, and smiled in front of a rather modest home... one of substance, but not ornate.  

The home of Nayu’s merchant family.

Outside stood a rather tall man, stout, as if the years of time had changed what was once muscle to light fat.   He wore a long, impressive mustache that reached down to his chest, his beard falling only just short of the same mark.  Clad in well made, if simple clothes, a large smile broke through the black sea of hair around his lips as he greeted his son.

The night was filled with congratulations for Nayu and him retelling his exploits to a thumping reception from his father and more food from his mother.  Food and wine flowed easily through the night, but even as Nayu celebrated, Felonca brooded.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t thankful for the welcome... indeed, she was very thankful for their hospitality.  It was something far deeper... the simple knowledge that she would likely never see home again.  Sadness, loneliness, and even a slight tinge of unwanted jealousy seeped into her, and bothered her through the night.

This slight melancholy carried over into the morning, when she found herself sitting on a burnt piece of timber, the sun’s morning rays blazing in the sky.  Going outside to sit and think had cleared her mind somewhat, but she still was pondering deep things.

_This likely isn’t good enough for Papa... or my Uncles..._ Felonca’s mind moaned even now.  _You helped save a village, and you’re getting to meet the MILITARY GOVERNOR, but its not going to be good enough for Papa... he’s to exacting..._

Her musings were interrupted by a long shadow falling over her face.

“Ah... another flighty hengeyokai, I see,” the rather bemused voice of a young man spoke.  “Why the long face... and will it soon be accompanied by a long tail?”  

Snickers filled the air, and Felonca’s eyes rose to look into the brown ones of a young man she didn’t recognize.    He looked only a little older than Nayu... maybe 20, and his face spoke volumes of mischief even as his armor and sword spoke of the art of war.  Around him were five other soldiers, most bearing the bright scars and gruff looks of veterans of combat.

“Good sir, I didn’t cross words with you.  Please do not do the same to me,” Felonca replied.  _Calm?  I’m calm?_ her mind thought in wonder as the words left her lips.

“Pay no attention to him, miss.  That’s no more than Sergeant Li Chou.  He styles himself a bard and funny man,” one of the gruffer men chuckled.  “He means no harm, except to your sense of dignity!”

“My sense of dignity has been harmed enough, it doesn’t need more help in that regard,” Felonca replied softly, her head downcast.  Her eyes however, quickly flecked to the right, mischief rising in her own mind.

Li Chou gave a grumble about people who couldn’t take a good joke, and started to turn away.  He’d gone no more than a few steps before Felonca’s arm lashed out with blinding speed.  Her hand flipped into his belt pouch and grasped items within mere moments, before fleeing back to her person, faster than the blink of an eye.

_Soldiers?_ her mind thought slightly too late.  Her eyes flicked upwards, towards the other five soldiers.  To her relief, they stood around, grins on their faces, their hands far from their blades.  Emboldened, she looked to see what she’d snagged;  several gold pieces, a portion of yellow scarf, and a small wooden totem in the shape of a man... likely an ancestor of his.  Quickly, she slipped them into her cloak... just before his hand reached for the suddenly light belt pouch.

“What the...” he mumbled, before spinning around, confusion reigning on his face.  “What happened to my money!  My token!”

Felonca kept her face calm, as the other five soldiers shrugged in a perfect show of acting.  Li’s sharp gaze then finally fell on her, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“I haven’t taken anything of yours,” Felonca said, her voice dripping with innocence. She made sure her eyes were wide, and even looked away slightly, to emphasize shyness.  Her charade worked, as Li grumbled about leaving his items back at the barracks and began to stalk off.

Quickly, carefully, Felonca took the yellow scarf and wrapped the few gold coins within.  She then tied the scarf over the shoulder of the ancestral token, and then carefully set the wooden ‘traveller’ down behind Li as he walked off.  Quickly dancing back to her former place as the other soldiers began to snicker, she called after Li,  “I think I found the person who stole your coins!”

The sergeant turned, and spotted the holy thief sitting in the midst of the road.  For a few seconds, confusion was on his face.  Then, a small smile played across his lips.

“You’re good, miss...”

“Felonca.  And I had nothing to do with it.  He stole it on his own!” she protested falsely with a grin.



It was only a few hours later when Felonca rode towards the northern gate of the small town, and saw Nayu and Liu surrounded by six soldiers.  A gray haired man with a gilt sword was in the lead.  As she reined up, he gave her a nod.

“Captain Li, Prefectual Guards, m’am,” he said simply.

“Felonca, sir,” she replied, looking at the other soldiers.  _This is the first time I’ve ever had an escort anywhere!_  She recognized some of the gruff veterans she’d seen earlier, till her face fell upon the bright eyes and huge grin of a prankster she’d seen earlier.

“Well... we meet again, flighty one,” Chou laughed, causing the other soldiers to snicker.  “I sincerely hope you are in a better mood now.  Dour people are no fun to tease!”

“I am, now that I’ve pranked you,” she rejoined, causing a few muffled, “ooos” to come from the other nearby soldiers... before a glare from the Captain made them all quiet down.

“Listen... listen carefully.  Mukden is a two week ride,” Li began, his voice loud and used to command, “and we have no idea how far and wide this ‘burning man’ phenomenon has become.  We ride swiftly... no dawdling.  The road itself is winding... there are times where we may cross country to cut down travel time.  Stay close together on the ride, and we should make it fine!  Questions?”

At the lack of response, he turned, and spurred the cavalcade out of the town.



“And then the lay user fell out of the bunk, running away!  He left his pants there, and streaked nude through the streets of Xianlung, I kid you not!” Chou guffawed sometime later with several other soldiers.  Nayu, (who, being able to use magic, but not being a scholar would be considered a ‘lay-user’) meanwhile, steamed on his horse while Felonca looked on in half pity.

“It’s your turn now,” she said to her companion, “his target will eventually change.  I’m glad he’s off hengeyokai now.”  Nayu gave an unhappy grunt.

“Soldiers, hengeyokai, and now sorcerers.  Who is he going to mock next?  Liu?” the young man groaned.

“He did that one already.  About a half hour ago he did a monk joke,” Felonca said.  “The only mark left is Captain Li.  I’m surprised he hasn’t said anything about him.  Commanding officer and all?”

Nayu shrugged.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Sorry for the long delay... grad school paper writing blues keeping me down...

*Skeletons and More Skeletons*


For another week and a half, the party rode north uneventfully, save Chou’s bad puns and crass humor...  which strangely the normally stern Captain Li seemed to tolerate with a mere groan and roll of the eyes.  The fields of grain and red flowers hovered around the column as it pressed further north, and closer and closer towards the provincial capital.

The nights proved restive as well.  The air was cool, and so long as they were surrounded by fields, the view was clear and stretched for a great distance.  For a while, Felonca and Nayu thought the trip might be devoid of skeletons, attacks, and death.

Alas, they were to prove mistaken...



Felonca was fast asleep, her mind drifting in and out of a pleasant dream... a memory of herself and her cousin stalking a rabbit through the woods outside of her home.  Neither had any intention of hurting the creature... merely playing ‘pounce’ in their natural forms and then playing ‘hunt’ to find it again.  She remembered the bunny... it was a pet, sort of.  In seemed to play these games grudgingly... in return for the carrots, pieces of bread, and other treats she left outside for it.

She was just about to leap on the creature again when she felt a jolt.  Her eyes flashed awake, as she instinctively grasped her side for her warfans.

“Huh? Wuh?” Her sleepy face looked about quickly, until her mind registered the feeling on her shoulder was a hand.

“We’ve got company,” she heard Liu’s voice whisper above the quiet rustle of trees blowing in the wind.  For a moment, Felonca’s mind was confused, until she remembered entering the group had entered a small forest that day.

_Here’s the end of the fields belonging to Red Lotus Prefecture,_ she remembered Nayu saying earlier.  _Now, we’re only maybe three weeks away from the capital!_

“What kind of company?” she slurred, her eyes now taking in the soldiers uncertainly buckling on swords, and Nayu staring behind her... and _up_.  She turned to follow his gaze, and saw one of the strangest sights in her life.

Three long, white shapes seemed to be floating in the air, perhaps five feet off the ground.  They did not flutter in the wind, but seemed to be moving forward of their own accord.

“Magic, Nayu?” she asked, her own mind racing.  _Maybe its some other soldiers, and those white things are their weapons in the moonlight?_

She heard her friend give a grunt of uncertainty, and some arcane words flow from his lips.  Suddenly, his eyes flashed wide, and a mixture of shock and fear danced within their depths.

“Um... not good,” he said slowly.  She could see his skin flicker and ripple, magic rumbling just beneath its surface.  His eyes remained focused on the shapes.

“What?”  She drew her bow and turned back to the shapes.  They passed through a shaft of moonlight, and her question was answered.

Floating in the air were three bony arms, with no other bones attached.  Each held in its hand a large axe, easily a battleaxe or larger.  Just as she caught sight of them, she saw a bright flash from the corner of her eye, and a long stream of orange and yellow flames lashed out from Nayu’s outstretched hands towards the creatures.  With agility that surprised her, they cartwheeled out of the way, and Nayu’s blast only set a tree afire (_Scorching Ray_).



“Dammit!” Nayu swore as the blaze in the forest rose crackling from his miss.  _Father only taught me that one a few weeks ago!  I still need practice!_  He saw a blur in the orange of the flames, as Felonca’s arrow flashed true, only to glance off one of the bony creatures with little harm.  Her curses filled the air as she dropped her bow, and she, along with the soldiers, surged forward at the three beasts.

_Focus, Nayu!_ he commanded, feeling the magic pooling again in his belly and legs, slowly pooling and rising higher and higher.  His eyes watched as Li and Felonca became embroiled in a duel with one of the creatures, as Liu, Chou and the other soldiers went after a second.  The third hovered just outside of the fight.

_Him,_ Nayu thought, personifying the bony apparition alone by itself.  Carefully, Nayu raised his hand again, and with a shout, let the raw magic in his body lash forth again.  A flash and boom later, and another tree was ablaze... but the bony arm fluttered, unscathed.  Nayu cursed more vehemently at his miss, even as Felonca and Li managed to pummel their target into oblivion...

_Okay... simpler magic,_ Nayu thought as he watched Liu and Chou being hard pressed by the second arm.  Focusing himself again, Nayu launched two bolts of small magical power, all of which hit without fail.  He was rewarded with a _crack_ as the creature broke apart.

Something whistled in the air, and Nayu turned to Felonca and Li to see if they were making the noise.  His movement adjusted his body just enough that the axe thrown by the third bony arm missed him by inches, thudding into the ground.  Spinning around, Nayu saw the third arm, glowing in the ember light of the fires, rising higher and higher off of the ground, its form retreating away.

“Stop it!” he heard Li shout.

_Focus... quick strike... hard strike..._ Nayu thought, pooling his magic yet again, before feeling a blur flash by him, as a large panther dashed past at a full sprint.  That alone distracted him, as he watched Felonca leap upward and grip the trunk of one particularly large tree, rapidly ascending towards its canopy...



_Climb, climb, climb..._ Felonca’s mind purred, her claws gripping the tree with ease as she scrambled higher and higher.  It was not long before she found herself nearly sixty feet up... about the same height as the floating arm whisping towards her.

_Come closer..._ her feline mind rumbled as she stealthily slipped along a branch, nearing where it appeared the arm would pass.  _Just a little closer... close enough you can feel some bone crushing jaws and a few bone snapping paws..._

The creature seemed to drift towards her, ever closer by the second.  Below, she could hear Nayu cursing that he couldn’t hit it because of her.  Yet the creature still drifted, not understanding.  Ever closer it neared, until only a few seconds before it was to pass in front of her, it changed direction.

_Dammit!_ Felonca’s mind snapped, as the creature changed direction to drift  about ten feet from her paws reach.  Her feline mind watched it for a second, making quick mental calculations, before she came to a suddenly decision.  Quickly, she backed down the length of the branch, until her dark tail bumped into the trunk of the tree.  With an unnatural growl, she then charged down the branch, and leapt at her target.

She _felt_ the impact rather easily.  Her jaws hit right on the forearm of the aberration, and she instinctively snapped her jaws shut at that precise moment.  Bones snapped, as she and the creature tumbled through the air.  Her jaws opened as her paws stretched out, claws fully extended, digging into whatever was nearby... fortunately the bark of a nearby tree.  Her descent quickly slowed to a halt, while from some forty feet below, she her the _thumps_ of dead, broken bones landing on the ground below.

She clambered back down with unnatural ease, and padded over to the other soldiers, all of whom, even Chou, stared at her in opened-mouth amazement.  It was hard in her natural form to give a mischievous grin, but she bared her teeth in the closest approximation she could, before tending to cleaning her paws of bark.

“Um... yeah.  She does that.  Nothing out of the ordinary,” she heard Nayu say simply a few moments later.  _I’d best change back,_ she thought, and within a moment, her legs enlongated, her paws becoming hands, and soon she was sitting before them, human-looking as ever.

“So, hengeyokai are flighty, huh?” she said, not even bothering to look at Chou, assuming he was still gaping at her.  She heard a slight chuckle instead, and looked up to see the soldier smiling down at her.

“Yes, that was the best damn flight I’ve ever seen, be it from arrow or flying cats,” he patted her on the head.



The rest of the night passed uneventfully, and the party rode on for several more days, the land around them changing from the farmlands and lotus fields around Red Lotus to a land that seemed drier and far dustier.  It was while they were emerging from a dust cloud of their own making that everyone spotted a shape by the side of the dusty trail.  He was bedraggled, his homespun peasant’s outfit torn and tattered.  Dried blood caked one side of his face, and bloodstains covered his shoulder and left arm.  As they drew closer, he hobbled to the middle of the trail, and started waving.

“Ho,” Li called, raising a hand to halt the small column.

“Good sirs!” the man stumbled forward, “I pray you, help me!”

“What happened to you?” Nayu asked with concern.  _Are there more of these prefects going mad now?_

Nayu’s inner question was answered as the man explained he was a farmer from the village of White Sands, only a few miles away.  The village prefect had gone insane, and turned himself into a fiery skeletons, burning the village and scattering the people.  Those he killed the prefect raised again as skeletons.

Li’s eyes were dark and serious as the man rambled on with the horror of his story.  Finally, Li asked the inevitable question.

“Which way were they headed?”

“To the north and west, towards Mukden, good sir!” the man replied, his voice strained.

_Mukden?  The Military Governor..._ Nayu’s mind snapped quickly, before he spun around to face the battered man on the road.  “Do you need assistance in getting to a safer place?”  When the man shook his head, Nayu then turned to Captain Li.  “I think the prefect intends to harm the Military Governor!”

Li gave a grunt, before promising the injured man that the skeletons would be stopped.  With another wave of his hand, the column started out again... this time much slower and full of caution...

Caution was well deserved, for the road ahead dipped low into a large gully, its sides high on either side...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

(DM’s Note:  The bony arms that attacked them were creatures called ‘Dreads.’  I tossed them in as a random encounter pretty much at random.  The next encounter, though, was heavily planned... heh heh heh  )


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*What Was That Bolt from the Blue?*

“I don’t like this one bit,” Felonca heard Nayu complain several hours after the road entered the small gully.  With each step forward, the gully seemed to get deeper, its sides tower higher and higher over them.  It was some miles back when Felonca couldn’t see over the rim to the lands beyond.

“I don’t either,” Felonca mumbled as she put her horse into a slightly faster canter.  _If we can just get through this place.._  She gave a slight shiver, as she felt the very rocks seem to close in around her, and the military part of her training crept to the front of her mind once again...

_This is the best place for an ambush I’ve seen..._

Suddenly, something powerful struck her from behind, almost knocking her from the saddle.  Immediately, pain washed from the middle of her back, over her shoulder blades and through her limbs.

She reeled forward in her saddle, as the scream of panicked horses erupted around her, along with the curses of their riders as they desperately tried to regain control of their mounts.  Instinctively, her hand painfully crept towards her back as she felt Nayu and Liu’s hands grabbing her, propping her up.  To her surprise, her hands found no arrow or bolt quivering from her back... instead they felt a burn mark in her cloak.

“You okay?” she heard Nayu’s worried voice.  When she opened her eyes, she saw him alternately looking at her in worry, and up towards the hills in fear.

“I’m tolerable,” she grunted back, sitting up again in the saddle.  The pain was still there, insistent, but she was still able to move around.  Her eyes joined the search, only to see a few skittering pebbles tumbling down the side of the gully behind her.

“Ride!” Li’s sharp, urgent command hit all of their ears, and Felonca put her spurs into her steed as the column broke into a gallop, only seconds before a bright flash burst from the side of the gully ahead.  A blue bolt of power, looking much like the bolts that Nayu cast before, slammed into Li’s chest.  The old warrior reeled back slightly in the saddle, as Felonca caught a barest glimpse of what had done the damage.

A skeleton, scrambling behind a rock ahead, the glint of steel in one of his hands.

“We’re surrounded!” she heard Nayu shout, as her twin warfans came out instinctively.


“Split up!  Miyan, Lu, Felonca, follow me!  Chou, Nayu, Liu, and the rest of you, head towards those things up ahead and drive them out!  We’ll hold the ones coming from behind!” Li bellowed, the aged warriors longsword already glinting in the afternoon sunlight.

Nayu gave an uncertain glance to the rider beside him, only to see that Chou had an unnerving grin on his face.

“Now we’ll get to see how well you wield that morningstar of yours?” the young soldier grinned fiercely, before drawing his own blade and dashing forward.

Nayu watched only momentarily, before focusing his mind in a now familiar mantra.  AS he felt the magic building within him, his eyes followed Liu dashing up the hill with uncanny speed.  The monk seemed to leap and bound over the rocks as if they were mere pebbles.  A split second after he reached the lip of the hill, Nayu heard him yell to his ancestors in surprise.



Felonca heard the yell as well, and suppressed the momentary urge to look back.  Instinctively, she partially cringed, expecting another blast at any moment as her eyes searched about near the spot where she’d seen pebbles falling.  As if the fates were listening to her expectations, she saw another brust of light, and felt another blast slam her full in the chest.  She reeled backwards, only slightly because of her stance, and had enough time to see her assailant dashing behind a rock... another skeleton, a shortsword in its bony hand.

“There!  He’s there!” she yelled for Li and the other soldiers, before charging up the defile towards her retreating opponent.  After leaping and dodging rocks, she clambered above the lip of the gully with a fierce grin...

Only to stop in surprise and shock when four skeletons bared their dull yellow teeth at her, their rusty longswords a feral red in the sunlight.  On the opposite side of the gully, she can see three more, clambering into position to start attacking Li and the two soldiers with him...



“Hold on, Liu!” Nayu called seeing the tops of the four skeletons facing the monk.  The young man ran quickly to the right, stretching forth him arm.  He lets the magic within his being release, and a long burst of fire lights the air between him and two of the skeletons.  They reel from the blast, as Chou and his two companions clamber up the defile.

He heard Felonca give a surprised scream, but forces himself to not turn around, focusing on the opponents to his own front...


Felonca backed away a few steps involuntarily as the four skeletons leveled their bony arms, before those yellow fingers pointed towards Li and the soldiers in the small valley below.  Four blasts of bluish magic lanced from their fingers, peppering Li and the soldiers.  Then, in unison, their heads turn towards Felonca with a clatter, and their longswords flash upward in the air as they charge.

The next few seconds turn into a blur for Felonca.  Her fans begin their deadly dance, as she spun and flipped, the _snick_ and _whoosh_ of blades missing her by bare inches smothering her hearing.  She managed to land a good blow on one skeleton before two searing bursts of pain pierce her belly and her side nearly simultaneously as she was in mid-flip.

Felonca cursed as she managed to catch herself and land only somewhat awkwardly.  Her sight hazy from the pain, she managed to see two of the skeletons now hefting over their heads blood-stained swords... swords stained with _her_ blood.  

_Dammit!_ she cursed, forcing herself to ignore the pain and twisting and flipping backwards down the hill.  In the blur of her move, she sees three gray blobs passing her, and takes heart that the three soldiers with them would be holding those skeletons at bay for a bit at least...



Nayu felt another release as yet one more _scorching ray_ leapt from his fingers, blasting the skeleton just in front of Liu to pieces.  The monk and the soldiers with him had managed to carve  a hole in the midst of hte skeletons, which Liu especially was using to his advantage.   

It was then Nayu heard a grunt behind him, and spun around, only to see a blood covered Felonca, tottering about, fumbling in her pouch.  Her eyes flicked upwards, and she gave him a rather tense, unnerved smile.

“I’m fine,” she said as her fingers clutched shakily around a small bottle that Nayu recognized as healing elixir.  A ease slightly, Nayu turned back at her urging, and once again, flames magically flashed through the air towards the skeletons ahead...



_And he says he’s not good at fighting,_ Felonca thought quietly as she felt the pain in her belly and side subside somewhat.  A quick hand-check showed the wounds had gone from enormous slashes to merely rather large cuts, though blood still oozed out.  For a second, she thought about imbibing another elixir, until she looked back where she came from.

The three soldiers were holding off the four skeletons fairly well, but on the other side, Captain Li was fighting alone versus three skeletons, and seemed to be in bad way.    Leaping into action, Felonca charged forward, catching one of the skeletons attacking Li off guard.  

The fight seemed to go slowly, a near ballet, despite the fact the ‘engagement’ only had her swinging one warfan, the creature blocking, and her other warfan catching the side of its bony skull at exactly the right angle, shattering the abomination.  When she spun around, Li’s blade crushed a second skeleton.  The third skeleton then started backing away, uncertainly at first, before sudenly turning to run.

“Stop him!”  Felonca heard Li shout, and without thinking, she’d leapt forward, knocking the creature to the ground.  A few well placed swings later and it, too, lay crushed on the ground.  

The battle adrenaline dying, Felonca could hear around her the shouts and catcalls of a victorious side, as the soldiers made very apparent their opinions of their fallen foes.  Gingerly, she got up, and clambered down into the defile.



“How are you feeling?” Nayu asked Felonca as she limped up.  She wasn’t bleeding as much anymore, but the lower part of her tunic was soaked with blood.  He watched her eyes go between him and a just-arrived Liu, before heading towards the monk.

“Ow,” she requested, and immediately the monk began attending to her wounds.  

“What were those things?” Chou asked no one in particular.

“I have no idea,” Nayu confessed, wracking his brain for any idea of how skeletons capable of launching _magic missiles_ were possible.  “I have never seen anything like that before.”  _Damn effective, though...  if we hadn’t spotted them, they could have continued sniping at us until we were worn down... and then..._

Nayu shuddered.

“Well, if you don’t know where they came from, at least you knew enough to take down three of those things with that fire stuff you did.  Any way you can teach that to someone?” Chou asked, rather impressed by his tone of voice.

Nayu looked at the impish soldier, and only had to think for a few moments before replying.

“No.  None whatsoever.”


----------



## Emperor Valerian

DM's Note:

The skeletons in this section were baneguards, from the Monsters of Faerun.  I took one look at them, and decided that they looked neat enough (and potentially evil enough) to be imported into my homebrew.  I cannot express the looks of confusion on my players faces when skeletons started popping _magic missiles_ at them!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Sorry for the long delay.  In thanks for your patience, here is the next update!

*Northward Trek*

It took another day of travel for the party to finally leave the long ravine the road had wound through.  Despite watchful eyes and careful ears, no trace of the burning prefect came to the party’s attention... until three days after they had left the ravine...

It was near nightfall when Nayu saw Li suddenly rein up his horse, and quickly dismount.  The small group of riders also halted, curiosity in their eyes as Li suddenly knelt towards the ground, examining the dirt closely.  To his surprise, Nayu saw the other soldiers save Chou looking away, one even pulling out his blade to examine its sharpness in the evening light.

_Why aren’t they watching the Captain?_ Nayu wondered, just before Li rose, and was suddenly remounted on his horse.

“Tracks... made by a bony foot, and slight burn marks,” Li pronounced as he wheeled his horse around.  “They head north, and we shall follow.  Neither this prefect nor his minions can be allowed to reach Mukden!”  The Captain put his spurs into the steed beneath him, and soon was going at a quick canter to the north.

“Cap’n’s a hunting hound,” one of the soldiers quipped towards Chou as Nayu rode by.  The young soldier gave Nayu a rather fierce grin, and spurred his horse after the elderly soldier.  Nayu spurred his horse ahead as well, and within a few seconds he heard the snorts of Felonca’s mare alongside.  He was about to speak when he saw the look of frustration that covered her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“I wanted to practice my tracking,” Felonca groaned.  “It was one of the few things at the Academy that I liked.  I smelled that something dead was there, long ago, but Li’s horse unfortunately trampled over the spot where he was looking, so the tracks were destroyed!  And I really need practice, because I can’t see any of the tracks Li is following!”

“I’m sure they’ll become more apparent as time goes on,” Nayu said reassuringly, his own eyes looking towards the churned earth underneath, and coming to a realization. “And if you want to see those tracks, I’d suggest moving up to the front by Li.  The soldier’s mounts are trampling them up even now.  Master Liu, did you see any tracks?”

The monk slowed up behind Felonca, and shook his head.  “None whatsoever, which greatly perturbs me.  Why does Li continue to ride when following tracks?  If they are that apparent, then the steeds going over them should not destroy them so we cannot see them.”

“Well, there’s desert north of here, and some finished portions of the Great Desert Wall,” Felonca thought aloud.

_Maybe only Li can see the tracks?  But why would that be so?_ Nayu’s mind wondered quickly. _Or maybe...

No.  Why would he do anything like that?_



Two days fast ride later, and Felonca was growing more and more concerned.  The open grassy plains were starting to give way to scrub brush.  Not too much further ahead would be the steppe.  Beyond that, the dusty expanse of the Shu Desert, its only marker being the titanic wall of stone and bones cutting across its vastness.

“Something’s wrong,” she heard Nayu hiss from next to her.  She nodded slowly, her eyes still watching all the soldiers and Li.  None were doing anything out of the ordinary.  Two of the regular troops were all scowling at an unapologetic Chou, who continued to snicker at the horrid joke he’d just finished.  The other three soldiers formed the rear of the column, and were snickering and talking to themselves.  Li himself was still at the head of the column, looking ahead, as if he was a piece of granite mounted on horseback.

“This merriment is not something a normal army would do when they are searching for an enemy,” Liu whispered ominously.  “And though I am not a long aquiantance of Captain Li, I cannot see him letting indiscipline grow like that.”

“I know,” Felonca replied quietly.  _Something is most DEFINITELY wrong.  I don’t trust these soldiers... they’re too at ease.  Especially Chou.  

They’re plotting something._

“Um... should we ride at the rear of the column?” Felonca whispered to the others quietly.  _It would be safer than being sandwiched between two groups of soldiers._

“Let’s,” Nayu grunted, pulling up his horse.  Felonca and Liu followed suit, allowing the rear three soldiers to pass.  The soldiers gave Nayu a glare as they went by.



It was three days later when the Nayu caught sight of the first sign of the desert ahead.  While off his horse for a mid-day break, he had to flick away a tiny scorpion from his water canteen.  By that evening, the steppe had turned dry, and the ground cracked open underfoot from lack of rain.

That days ride was especially long, as Li had continued to insist that the tracks were getting fresher.  Neither Nayu, Felonca or Liu had seen any tracks as of yet, something that distrubed Nayu as he laid back against his bedroll that night.

_Tonight would be very peaceful, if it wasn’t for this feeling of doom in my chest,_ he thought, his eyes looking amongst the pinpoint stars above.  He felt a light scurry along his side and then up his stomach, and looked down to see his lizard, Kenzi, hunch down right over his belly button.

“Are you... no, you’re not hungry!” Nayu chuckled, as he saw the last part of a cricket’s leg get pulled into Kenzi’s throat.  “You just wanted some warmth!”

“I can’t believe you’re talking to a lizard,” Nayu heard Chou’s voice say with unsurpressed mirth.  Nayu heard the man sit beside the warm campfire, whose glow also illuminated the faces of a sleeping Felonca and Liu.

Nayu’s father had brought the lizard home after a long merchant trip, one that lasted six months and even involved sailing across the sea.  The lizard was not found in Ak Konylu, period, and also could change its colors to fit in with its surroundings.  Nayu had immediately taken a liking to the beast.

And the creature had taken a liking to him, so Nayu thought.  Kenzi was intelligent enough to respond to his name, and keen enough to understand some speech.  He and Nayu had a powerful bond between pet and master, it seemed.

“Where are you off to?” Nayu asked with a smile.  _I badly need this distraction_, his mind thought as Kenzi dashed off of his stomach and past Nayu’s resting head.  The young man flipped to his belly and looked over his bedroll, hoping to see his little friend.  

Instead, he saw Li and five of the soldiers standing in a circle, far from the campfire.  By their expressions, faintly shone in the bright moonlight and the somewhat dim glow of the fire, an animated discussion was occurring.

Suddenly, Nayu felt a sensation of scampering, grass running across his belly and bumping into his sides.  The only noise in his ear was the sound of grass moving aside.  Quickly, the young man snapped his head around, and began looking about.

“Hey, easy there!  Do you have a tickle in your bones?  Get it?  We’ve been fighting skeletons, so your bones got tickled?”  Chou snickered at his joke.

The noise continued in Nayu’s ears.  Slithering, moving.  And then, another noise.  Murmurs, groans.  One of the voices he could easily place as Captain Li’s.  The other was that of one of the soldiers.  Nayu had never gotten close to the retainers of their party, so he couldn’t place the man’s name, despite knowing his face.

_Must be the wind carrying their voices,_ Nayu thought, watching as their mouths moved in time with the murmurs.  That is when it happened.

Nayu heard only three words out of the hissed conversation, but they were enough to make ears perk up.

Skeletons.

Governor.

Jade Throne.

_What do the skeletons have to do with the Governor and the Imperial Throne?_ Nayu thought, confused.  His eyes narrowed, as he focused himself on listening with his ears.  Despite this, he quickly realized Chou was looking at him strangely.

“Chou?” he asked.  _I need to distract him!  He’s not over there, but he may know what they are about to do!_  “I think the fire is getting low.  Can you look at it?”

“Yes, sir.  Right away sir.  Thought you at least wouldn’t order me around, sir,” Chou snapped sardonically.  His eyes betrayed that Nayu had hit a deep, well hidden nerve, but at this point, Nayu didn’t care.  He was realized to see Chou go back to the fire and hear several grunts from him about having to take orders from everyone.

Nayu thought of something else he needed to do, and quickly whispered a few arcane words to himself.  After making sure Chou was not looking, he pointed quickly but decisive towards the sleeping Felonca and Liu.

_”Wake up!”_ Nayu hissed into their ears through magical means.  He saw the other two sit up groggily, looking around.  Once again, fortune was on his side, as when Nayu checked for Chou, he saw the young man was fiddling with his backpack instead of watching them.

_”It is Nayu!  I am talking by magical means!  Do not look at me!  Act as if you just woke up of your own accord!”_

The murmurs Nayu heard changed from the hisses of hurried discussion to the sharp snapping noises of a barely disguised argument.  The two voices were once again those of Li and the other soldier.  It was then that Nayu caught two more phrases.

From the other soldier:  “...they know too much!”

From Li:  “They shouldn’t have to die!”

Mentally, Nayu cursed, and in his mind, he heard both Felonca and Liu demanding to know what happened, and what was going on.    Quickly, nervously, Nayu explained his fear of what was about to take place.

_”They mean to kill us!”_ he finished urgently, amazed that somehow his face and eyes were not displaying enough fear that Chou was alerted.  The guard even smiled in Nayu’s direction and started a bad joke.  Somehow, Nayu made himself roll his eyes, instead of running away in terror.

_”How can we get away?”_ Liu’s mind rang out.  _”Chou is right here.  He’ll surely either cut us down, or alert Li and the others!”_

_”We’ll have to kill him,”_ Felonca’s mind added somberly.

Nayu looked at the young soldier, now idly toying with a stick in the fire.  Chou’s eyes still showed mirth at the just finished joke, and his face looked as that of someone expecting, hoping for a laugh.

_”No, he’s not involved,”_ Nayu suddenly replied firmly.  _”We cannot kill him.”_

_”He is one of their soldiers, isn’t he?”_ Nayu heard Felonca ask.

_”Yes, but if he was a part of the planning, you’d think he’d be talking with them.  Also, the other soldiers don’t like him... even beyond the bad jokes he tells.  Some of the looks they gave him were downright vicious.”_

_”We need to distract him... all of them, while we escape,”_ Liu added mentally, even as the monk continued to merely sit on his bed and rub his eyes.  He even had enough nerve to talk to Chou as he mentally conversed with the other two.

_”I... I have a plan.”_ Felonca suddenly interjected.  _”Nayu, do you still have that potion you took out of the ruins of the prefect’s house?  The one that changes how you look?”_

_”Yes.  Why?”_

_”You and Liu get Chou away from here.  Make up a lie about something.  I’ll make sure those soldiers get distracted from you two.  Ditch Chou somewhere if he’s bad, but get south and start warning people!”_

_”Felonca!  You can’t fight Li and six soldiers by yourself!  They’ll cut you down!  You don’t have a chance!”_ Nayu protested.

_”Go.  Get out of here, and let me do the rest.”_


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*A Crazy Plan*

_Distract Chou... distract Chou... how?_ ran through Nayu’s head as he slid beside the soldier, who was now warming his hands by the fire he had been ordered to so carefully tend.  The young sorcerer gave one look back at his pack, the top of the potion Felonca needed sticking ever so slightly out of it.

“Um... hey!  Chou!” Nayu put on his best voice of excitement.  _Need to get him away!  What excuse... what excuse..._

“That’s quite a change in attitude, from someone that ordered me around, to now wanting to be chummy chummy,” the man remarked with a sour tone, before a smile broke through to Nayu’s relief.  Chou began to chuckle... evidently Nayu’s face had been funny to him.

“Well, um... I need your help...” Nayu’s eyes flashed about looking for ideas.  Near Captain Li’s pack he saw a small hunting horn, worn and aged.  “I...need you to help me hunt.”  Nayu tried not to let uncertainty filter into his voice, and evidently did a good enough job that Chou leaned in closer.

“Hunting what?  With those skinny arms of yours, I don’t think you’d been able to wrestle down a baby deer, let alone a boar!” Chou’s teeth gleamed in the firelight as he laughed.

“Um.. no... rumor has it there’s a... um...” Nayu’s eyes flashed about, spotting a small elephant token by one of the other soldier’s packs.  “Elephant.  A...um...”  _What makes it special?_  His eyes suddenly alighted on a bolt of pink cloth his father had sent with him to trade.  A split second later, Nayu winced as his mouth spoke before his mind could react.

“A pink elephant?” Chou was suddenly up, eyes dancing with excitement and glee. 

_What?  He BOUGHT it?  Sheesh... he must be dumber than I thought,_ Nayu thought with relief, as his trader’s tongue jumped into action, relating how much such a beast’s hide would sell for in Mukden, and how rich they would all be even after splitting the proceeds.  Within a minute, Chou was hurriedly picking up items, as Felonca promised to stay behind, and guard the fire...

It was a few minutes later, while trying to look as if he was really searching for a “pink elephant,” Nayu saw Felonca slip into his back, pull out the potion, and disappear behind a rock.

“Nayu... aren’t we getting kind of far from the camp?” Chou asked only moments later.

“No... and remember, stay quiet.  I swear, I saw it over here.  If we’re too loud, we’ll spook it,” Nayu cautioned with a hiss.  _Not to mention we’ll alert Li’s cronies we’re gone.._  As it was, the noises of argument between Li and the other soldiers had grown to all out shouts.  Chou momentarily looked off towards where Nayu was gesturing, but then looked back towards the small gaggle of soldiers, worry in his eyes.

“Chou!  Hurry!  I saw it!” Nayu hissed, a quick shove on the young man’s shoulders getting his attention.  “Li can solve his own problems!”  Chou started to nod eagerly when another noise came from the small gaggle of soldiers... a noise that made Nayu shudder.

The singing screech of steel blades being drawn, and the clang of swords in the night.  This time, even Nayu turned around, just in time to see one of the soldiers stab Captain Li in the belly, giving a horrible wrench with the blade to make sure he died a long, painful death.  

Barely had this event had time to register in Nayu’s mind than something else caught his eye.  Something tall... something gaunt... 

...and burning bright as it lurched through the night, straight towards the soldiers with an unholy scream born from bony, ember filled lungs.  The creature then suddenly stopped, spun around and dashed away.

The soldiers were plainly stunned, their blades half-drawn, eyes fixed on the burning apparition instead of the plainly empty camp.

“Run!” Nayu shouted, grabbing Chou roughly by the arm and hauling him forward as the burning beast thundered towards them, the scream continuing to grate their ears.  More shouts arose from the soldiers, now seeing the camp completely empty.  The five soldiers suddenly split, some chasing the burning skeleton, the other two rummaging through the camp, cursing.

“Down here!” Nayu yanked Chou down behind a rather large boulder on the rocky plain, and only a few seconds later, Liu had jumped down beside them.  Nayu poked his head above the rock, desperately searching.

_Where’s Felonca?_ he thought worriedly as the burning skeleton ran amok, now charging towards the three soldiers bearing down on it.  Their faces turned ashen, and they ran back towards the camp, fright imbedded on all of their faces.  _By the gods on high, its doing all of Felonca’s...

...that clever woman!_ 

Nayu slinked back behind the rock, a grin mischeviously all over his face.  “That clever, sneaky...”

“Who?” Chou asked, fear and something darker – horror maybe? – deep in his voice.

Nayu peeked over the boulder again, only now to see the soldiers gathering around Li’s prone form.  Two of their number looked about into the darkness, nervous.  The other three were evidently enough at ease that they were picking over Li’s unmoving form... and shouts were already emerging over rewards and the Captain’s belongings.

_Bastards..._ Nayu wanted to snarl.  _It sounded like Li was trying to keep us alive... so they KILLED him!_  The young sorcerer felt magic welling in his heart, growing, roiling as his anger built to great levels.  His eyes were full of anger when he slipped behind the rock, only to feel the swish of a tail slip along his leg.  A long, black tail.

“What do you know of the plot to kill us!” Nayu hissed to Chou, venom deep in the young man’s voice.  Only then did Nayu noticed the tail belonged to a hybrid Felonca, whose warfans were within a hair’s breath of Chou’s throat.

“Wha...what...p...p...plot?” the soldier whimpered.  Somewhere in his eyes, Nayu could see something more than fear... what, exactly, he wasn’t sure.

“They killed Captain Li because he wanted us alive!  Now, tell us why they want us dead.   You were a comrade of theirs, after all,” Felonca added, her voice not nearly as acidic as Nayu’s but carrying its own power and strength.

“I don’t know why they’d kill you... or kill my father!” Chou rasped hoarsely, before the tears began to flow.



Felonca found herself dumbfounded.  _Li was Chou’s father?_  Suddenly, things began to make sense.  Why Chou didn’t joke with the Captain, and why the Captain never corrected the young man’s indiscipline.  _Oh gods..._  Desperately, Felonca tried to think of words to say, words of comfort, of encouragement, of... _something_, but her mind was frozen... blank.

“Those bastards!” she heard Nayu hiss, as the young sorcerer peered over the boulder again, rage dancing in his eyes.  Suddenly, those same eyes, burning bright with fury, looked down at the broken young man.  “Chou... I will be more than happy to help you avenge your father!”

Those words seemed to have an effect on the young man.  His soft crying turned to muted sniffles, then vanished altogether as he rose beside the young sorcerer.  His hands grasped the longsword by his side so tightly that his knuckles shone white in the moonlight.  No words came from the young man’s mouth.  None were needed.

The four carefully, quietly made their way from around the boulder, knowing what they had to do.

_If any of these soldiers get back and report that we’ve escaped... we’re dead,_ Felonca reasoned, as she slinked close to the ground, her ears attentive.  She could just barely heard her compatriots creeping through the grass... far louder was the raised shouts of the soldiers, all five now fighting over Li’s longsword.

Ever closer, and even closer they crept, until Felonca was sure she could hear the breathing of the soldiers between their blasts of profanity and insults towards each other.  _They’re too busy looting... none are even watching for someone... they must think my skeleton ruse killed the rest of us off..._  Still closer they drew, until her nostrils were overwhelmed by the soldier’s stench, as well as the fetid smell of blood from Li’s body.

She glanced towards where Nayu lay, and saw the sorcerer’s eyes looking straight at her.  They burned, seethed with a fire she’d never seen before in his young eyes.  She caught the almost imperceptible, rhythmic nodding of his head... a countdown.

_Three... two..._

She leapt upward, her hybrid form giving her leap and huge increase in power, her human hands flashing out her warfans.  For an instant, she hung in the air, fans outstretched, like some graceful black bird.  Within moments, the bird turned into a powerful black falcon, whose warfan claws slashed through the throats of the two closest soldiers with uncanny ease.

Simultaneously, a powerful blast of light erupted from her left, as a third soldier was suddenly enveloped in a powerful tongue of flame.  His screams pierced the air, the flames now lending the smell of burnt flesh in the air.  

Felonca’s body instantly contorts, flipping her around to land in a guard stance.  Her eyes flash about, to see Chou’s sword almost break the fourth soldier in half, while several sharp blows from the monk sent the fifth and final soldier reeling into collapse.  Within literally two seconds, the fight was over.

Almost immediately, Chou and Nayu were by the man that Liu knocked unconscious, Chou with his still bloody blade raised high.  To her surprise, Felonca saw Nayu’s hand raise up to block the devastating swing.

“No!  Don’t kill him!  I want to find out what we can from this...”

Felonca gave a wince.  She’d heard Nayu use mild cursing before, but what poured from his mouth about this man, his lavatory habits, and his mother was enough to make her, the veteran of military school, blanche.

The words more importantly had an effect on Chou, who, after a few moments, lowered his blade uneasily.  Nayu flashed the soldier a savage smile, and quickly bound the unconscious man.

“Felonca!” The hengeyokai spun on hearing her name.  She found Liu kneeling over the injured captain.  The monk beckoned her to come over, before calling to Chou as well.

“He’s alive!  Barely, but I can help him!”



Nayu heard the call as well, and for the moment was distracted from his quarry.  _They know something about this undead!  The ones that tried to burn my town!_ Nayu’s mind raced furiously.  It could be the only reason why they wanted him, Felonca and Liu dead.  After making sure the soldier was fully bound, Nayu arrived at Li’s side in time for Liu to finish his healing magic, and the old captain to open his eyes.

“Captain?  What happened here?” Nayu blurted out before anyone could speak.  For all the emotions running through his head, Nayu thought he did an incredible job refraining from showing anger.  _They wanted to kill us... let’s see what you wanted to do to us, Captain!_

The old man sat up partially, Chou giving him support.  Over the past few weeks, Nayu had seen those eyes flash many feelings; resolve, command, even fear.  But never the depressing sadness that dimly shone in those gray eyes.

“I... I must be honest,” the Captain sighed.  “I was charged with leading you three to your deaths, but... you were all brave and noble.  I felt it would be such a waste... I couldn’t do it.  I merely wanted to leave you in the desert...”

“That’s still a damn death sentence!” Nayu snarled, his suspicions confirmed.  _They’re all in on it!  All of them!_

“Why us?  Why did we deserve... this!” Felonca asked, her own voice betraying anger.

“You knew too much... about the undead,” Li rasped back.  “Governor General Zicheng wanted to raise a loyal army of undead, to overthrow the ten year old Emperor and raise himself to the same rank.  But...”

“...things went awry!”  Nayu spat, causing the Captain to nod sadly.

“The prefects attempting to help the governor went insane, and Heaven’s ire turned them to burning men.  Seeing Heaven’s will, the governor ordered an end to the attempts, and the remaining troops to destroy the undead wherever found.”  Suddenly, the old man paused, his eyes flashing a look of horror and shame as a memory evidently flooded his mind.  “As well as anyone who saw any of the undead.”

_As well as anyone who saw any of the undead... well that’s us..._ Nayu thought with a harrumph.  _That covers us alright... and... oh no... oh gods no!_  Nayu took one look deep into the Captain’s eyes, and read clearly the answer to his horrified question.

No words could come to his mouth, as hot, fat tears formed in his eyes.  _No!  Why them!  Why?_  His fists clenched and unclenched, and he lashed out with his feet, planting several harsh kicks into the Captain’s side, an enraged cry on his lips.  “Why, you... Heaven curse you!  Heaven curse you with disease!  May you rot in all Nine Hells before your ancestors rise in anger at your soiling their name!  May your spirit not rest until you have suffered ten thousand deaths!  You...”  

As Nayu’s string of curses and profanities rose, he felt arms grabbing him, pulling him away from the Captain.  He heard worried voices trying to soothe him, but he did not want any soothing right now.  He wanted vengeance.  His eyes cast about, to now see the bound soldier is now awake.  The morningstar was out again, as he stalked over, murder in his eyes.

“You!  Who the hell gave the orders!” the young sorcerer snarled at the bound man.

“What orders?” the soldier whimpered, seeing clearly in the young man’s eyes death incarnate.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“The orders to burn my village!  The orders to destroy Red Lotus!  WHO GAVE THEM!” Nayu roared, bellowing now inches from the soldiers face.

“I d...don’t k...know!  I...I... was riding...w...w...with y...you when they w...were c...carried out!” the man whimpered.

Nayu’s fury rose even more, and he could feeling the magic bellowing in his veins, screaming to be used.  Instead, Nayu’s rage focused on his arm, as he brought his morningstar crashing down on the man’s kneecap, prompting a scream likely heard for several miles around.

“Now!  WHO GAVE THE ORDERS! Captain Li?!  The Governor!?  WHO?!”

“I DON’T KNOW!  I’M JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS!”  Another swing of the morningstar crushed his other knee, as Nayu started to cry in his rage.

“WHY WAS MY VILLAGE BURNED!” Nayu screamed, swinging again and again in blind fury, anger, fear, pain and sadness all flying out through his arm.  “WHY ARE MY PARENTS DEAD!” he cried again, his cries mingling with the soldier’s screams, until finally a silence pervaded the night, broken only by his tears.

“Why?” Nayu whispered between tears.  Through blurry eyes, he could see Felonca, Liu and Chou all staring at him, horror on their faces.  Then, his eyes laid on Captain Li, and Nayu was back on his feet, lurching towards the prone old man, his bloody morningstar still in hand.

He heard voices, the same soothing ones that had pulled him from Li, urging calm.  Nayu didn’t give a damn for calm.  _My parents felt pain!  My parents felt terror!  This man is an officer!  He probably gave the orders!_  Nayu’s eyes flashed down towards Li, expecting a cackling laugh or cries for mercy.  

Instead, he saw the same deep sadness in the man’s eyes.  Deep sadness... and remorse.  Another voice floated into Nayu’s ears, between the calls for calm and his own demons calling for vengeance.

“I am sorry, young Nayu.  I cannot repay this by mortal means... so if needbe... take my life...”

Nayu paused, another, far more recent memory floating in his head.  The same voice that just spoke came into his mind again, with different words, over the shouts of the now dead soldiers laying about them.

_”They don’t deserve to die!”_

In an instant, the holt, blazing fire of Nayu’s rage began to melt, as the tears still rolled down his face.  He saw his parents, smiling brightly as he remembered them when leaving Red Lotus only a few weeks before.  Master Wu the butcher, Jiang the blacksmith, always scowling.  All their faces floated in their minds eye.

Nayu was brought to the present by the thud of his morningstar dropping to the ground, tears from his face now falling on its bloodied surface.  His eyes then flashed towards Chou, whose face looked nervously between Nayu and his father.

“He lives.  He argued for our lives,” Nayu said quietly, bitterly, betraying his inner wish that Li could, should die as well.  For the second time that night, Nayu saw Chou crying, this time in gratitude, rocking slowly as he held his father.

Nayu’s face felt hot, and he spun away from the group, staring off into the darkness, hoping maybe the lack of light would make the face of his family and friends go away.  Instead, they burned brighter, even as he felt a small hand touch his shoulder.

“We should leave him in the desert,” he heard Felonca’s voice say softly.  “You wanted to do more than that, but it is only fair.  He’ll only slow us down when we try to get away.”  The hand squeezed a little tighter, and he felt as if hope was attempting to flow from her into him.  Instead of receiving it, he broke loose of her grip and spun around.

“A life for a life.  He fought to save ours... now we save his!” Nayu growled.  _He and his kind took my father away from me!  I won’t take him away from his son!_  He could hear words start to form in Felonca’s throat only to die away as he spun around and started towards the main campfire.

“Nayu!” he heard her worried voice call after him.

“I’m riding to Red Lotus as of this night!” Nayu called back.  _To bury family, friends, and my old life..._


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Burying a Past*

“Nayu,” Felonca said worriedly for the thousandth time in about a week, knowing full well that either her companion could not hear her, or refused to hear her.  

Instead, he rode onward, eyes fixed towards the south, the depths of his pupils holding deep, violent emotions.  His back was stiff and straight as he rode, as he cast nary a glance behind him towards the bound Captain Li, bouncing on one of the dead soldier’s warhorses.

_Hope, Nayu... please keep hope..._ Felonca wished quietly as the party rounded a familiar bend at a gallop. 

Nayu had been in this deadly focus since their betrayal, and Felonca was deeply worried.  Part of her understood the murderous outburst only a week before, but much of Felonca’s mind was scared... scared of what Nayu would find, and how it would affect him.  She knew he’d never hurt her, Liu, or Chou, but nonetheless, she was afraid her companion might snap under the stress.

Her sensitive nose felt a strange smell in the air, distant but clear.  She reined up her horse, and sniffed again, her mind pushing aside the smell of unwashed bodies and mounts, pressing to that smell that seemed terribly familiar.  She blinked, and then looked down, as she heard Nayu’s mare trotting alongside.

“Charcoal... and burnt flesh,” Felonca said quietly, her head still down in despair as she heard Nayu spin his horse around and charge up the hill.



Nayu kicked the charcoal filled dirt underfoot in frustration, his eyes darting angrily and sorrowfully about to the spires of blackened wood that reached towards the sky; tombstones for the mangled forms laying about what had become a cemetery.

_There was the smithy,_ his eyes watered up as he looked towards the burnt shell of a building, _and there was the bakery Mistress Cixi had her stall in front of every market day._  He walked slowly, mournfully along the familiar street, past the collapsing shell of the former prefect’s home, the slow trod of his friend’s footsteps the only noise in the air save a soft, biting wind.

“Master Nayu?” a gentle voice said, and the sorcerer felt the monk gently touch his shoulder.  “I think I shall go about blessing the bodies, praying that in their next life, karma will grant them lives not cut short in such a manner.”  The last few words were said slowly, Liu obviously finding it difficult to speak due to his own tears of despair at such a horrific event.

“Please do so.”  It took all of Nayu’s inner will to keep the response quiet, and keep his mind focused on his task at hand.  

_I must find my parents!_

It was a strange urge... his mind already knew that logically, they were dead.  But his heart, however...

“Nayu?  Are you sure you want to go there?” Felonca’s worried voice asked yet again.   For a second, there was a small upwelling of anger, which Nayu forced back down.  _She’s worried about you._  His eyes then alighted in hate on the hoofprints beaten deep into the soil and ash.

“Yes... I... I need to know,” he replied, as he turned down another side alley and street.  For a few moments, the blackened timbers became parts of buildings, and in his heart, he could still hear the children playing as he traced his way back...

A pair of twisted, burned timbers and a pile of stones was all that remained of the home he’d known for all his seventeen years of life.  Within the mass he could pick out the blackened oak table of the kitchen, and a few collapsed, burnt out timbers from the walls and upper floor.  He walked slowly into where the doorway would have been, and stopped.

Memories flooded back.  His mother busy cooking, the smells of a rich soup flooding his nostrils.  A loud rumble of laughter from the room that served as his father’s office of trade.  The voice of one of his neighbor’s children asking for a turnip for her mother’s stew, offering some onions in return.

It was then that he wanted to sink to the ground, grief overwhelming him.  The memories proved too much, too powerful, his world turning into a blur.  He felt Felonca’s hands touch his shoulder, and something forced him to walk forward, despite the tears.

“I need to find them... to bury them...” he muttered between his tears, his hands groping through the remains of his childhood and adolescence.  Past mother’s favorite pot and his father’s clay pipe, now broken.  Through broken bits of his mother’s smallest jewelry.  Yet as hard as he looked, he found no bodies, no remains.

No closure... a fact that gnawed him to the depths of his soul.



“Nayu?  If they aren’t here, they could be alive!” Felonca offered softly.  _He needs some kind of hope!  Something to keep him going!_  She wanted him to have something to keep going... but at the same time, she didn’t want to falsely excite him.  She knew chances were against them surviving the carnage around them, the hundreds of bodies scattered about.  

_But there is always hope!_

As he slowly turned, she grabbed him and gave him a fierce hug.  Hope flowed from her, as she whispered in his ear. 

“Don’t worry, it’ll be okay.  I’m sorry... it’ll be okay,” she said, not sure what to add as she felt him slump against her, genuine sobs coming from his throat...



It took a grisly two days to bury the dead... 231 by Liu’s final count.  They came from all walks of life... men, women, children.  At Felonca’s suggestion, Nayu did not participate in the work... instead Captain Li was forced to bury the dead in his place... a punishment that seemed to break the old man harder than any whip or threat of death might have.

The work done, the party remounted, unsure of where to go.   It was Felonca that suggested the party head towards the south... towards the province of Langya.

“Why should we go there?  We should instead go to Mukden, and get vengeance on the governor who ordered this!” Nayu hissed.  Part of Felonca was relieved to see the anger return.

“Master Nayu... the governor has armies... we have but four,” Liu replied calmly.  “I do not know what is in Langya... Mistress Felonca... what _is_ in Langya?  Why should we not go to the coasts, or head north towards the oasis cities?”

“Langya, as Nayu, you would know,” she gestured to him, hoping to draw him into the idea, “is governed by the Hu family, kinsmen to the Imperial line.  Prince Hu Lun is renowned for his honor and bravery...”

“He is old!” Nayu shot back.  “The merchants in Xianlung say that he is well past sixty winters in age!”

“He has _armies,_” Liu replied simply, “and should he be as just as people say, he no doubt will move them north, to help rid the people of these undead pests, and their cause.”

“Do you see an alternative?” Felonca asked gently, not wanting to box Nayu in.

“No,” he replied, eyes burning with anger at a man far to the north.  “To Langya then!”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

This is the end of the second session.  The trap I had planned all along for the PCs, and they reacted creatively and with a great deal of in-depth roleplaying... which gave me more ideas for other upcoming sessions!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Dire Need*

“The bonds are quite tight... would it be possible to persuade you that they should be loosened?”

Nayu growled his disapproving reply towards Captain Li, the noise and the young man’s eyes conveying hatred deeper than the Western Sea.  Even though they were three days from the desolation that was the remains of Red Lotus, Nayu could still smell on his clothes the twin stenches of burnt wood and rotting flesh.  For two days the ex-Captain had been requesting the bonds holding his arms tightly behind his back be loosened, and for two days Nayu had glowered his fury.  Today, the young man had enough, and reached into his pack.

“Nayu, what are you doing?” he heard Felonca’s worried voice as he pulled out a small bolt of cloth.  Quickly, the same found itself wrapped around the Captain’s mouth.  When muffled protests came, Nayu merely tightened it.

“Was that necessary?” Felonca asked, looking with pity towards the Captain _and_ Nayu.  A look then flashed towards Chou, riding just ahead of his father.  The tall sergeant did not even look back, his eyes still holding the blank look of loss that had covered his mirth for the past week and a half.

“Very much so,” Nayu grumbled in reply as the troupe rounded a turn in the main highway.  The road was narrow but relatively level, with a wide field of view all around, something that set them all at ease.  The last thing any of them wanted was to be caught spending the night in a dark wood with undead running about.

Nayu’s eyes then gave a glare back to the Captain, the only symbol present of those he hated... the Military Governor, his soldiers that had burned Nayu’s home, and all the prefects who had tried to raise undead.  _It’s all their fault!  If it wasn’t for them, I’d be at home right now!_

His mind was so focused on the dark thought that he didn’t notice that his comrades had reined up until he realized he was quickly drawing away from the Captain.  He spun around, heart in his throat and magic crawling on his lips, only to see up ahead a large cart, slightly to the side.  A man was beside it, foul curses thundering from his mouth, many of the same curses that were threatening to come from Nayu’s mouth as well.

“Hello!” Felonca called.

“Move that thing!” Nayu called momentarily, galloping forward.

“I would, if my wheel wasn’t broke!” the peasant shouted back as Nayu cantered to a halt, quickly dismounting from his horse.  The peasant momentarily gestured towards left front of his cart, where the wheel, indeed, had snapped after running over a rather large stone.

“Hmm,” Nayu groaned.  _He CAN’T move out of the way... maybe..._  “Liu?  Chou?  Can you run to the woods off thataway,” Nayu gestured vaguely to the copse of trees about a hundred yards off, “and fetch me some large sections of timber.”  The trader/sorcerer then knelt down beside the wheel itself, his mind searching through memory.

_Father said one of the most important things for a trader to know is how to fix a broken wheel... the axle is fine... good.  Its just the rim and the lower spokes that are broken, and we have blades that can carve those... at least to the point this guy can get out of our way and get to a nearby town..._



Felonca crouched beside Nayu, watching her friend as he stared intently at the broken wheel, wondering what was going on in his mind.  

_Poor thing... he’s been through so much..._ She breathed in deeply to give off a sigh, but suddenly her nose wrinkled, as a smell she wasn’t used to wafted into her sensitive nasal passages.  The wrinkle quickly changed, as he eyes widened in alarm.

_Blood!  Fresh blood!_ her mind realized.  As Nayu and the peasant both looked intently at the wheel, Nayu now explaining how it could be fixed, Felonca edged towards the back of the cart, and her eyes widened further.

The large cart’s cargo was covered by a cloth tarp, with fresh, brown stains speckled across its surface.  She couldn’t tell what was under the tarp... beasts, or something far more sinister, as the smell of fresh blood flooded through her nose, overwhelming her mind.  Gingerly, with a touch of revulsion, she reached for the cloth and began to slowly lift it...

Only to have it tugged out of her hands.  Confused, she spun around to see the peasant behind her, setting his wide brim hat on the edge of the cart.

“Interested in these little things?” he asked, flipping the cloth up.  Inside was a brace of the largest, strangest rabbits she had ever seen.  They were easily the size of small dogs, and each had a large horn rising from its forehead.

“These things were tearing through my garden, and the other day they attacked my daughter when she threw a stone at one of them.  So I culled them, and I’m taking them to market to see if they’re worth anything.  Now, you want one or not?”

“Um... no... thank you,” Felonca managed to sputter out, embarrassed at her suspicion.



Four days later, when the party spotted another traveler on this desolate stretch of road, Felonca initially was hesitant to be suspicious again.

They’d spotted him at a great distance, due to the dust his steed was raising.  She, like the others, assumed it was merely a courier of some kind as they dipped into a shallow gully, obscuring him from view.  However, when the horse and rider suddenly appeared at the top of the shallow ridge ahead and reined to a hard stop, Felonca’s heart stopped as well.

The small creature was barely large enough to manage the big mare he sat astride.  As soon as his small, dark eyes laid their gaze on her, his small squirrel ears gave a twitched, and he suddenly yanked hard on the reins, wheeling his horse around.

Memories flooded back into Felonca’s mind... of one day not long before, when she’d seen those same eyes flashing at her in anger.  The eyes that made her doubt whether she belonged in a Military Academy, and prompted her to decide to run away.

_What is Nixu doing here?  He’s barely into his second year at the Academy... they wouldn’t let him leave the Academy grounds, let alone be this far south, nearly one hundred MILES from the Academy!

Did he run away too?  Did... did Master Hsiu hurt him because I ran?_  The Academy’s master was known to be strict, but Nixu’s yelling at her incompetence was something far different than him helping her plan to escape.  He had no way of knowing his tirade (one she admitted she rightfully deserved) would have anything to do with her escape, along with her warfans, Master Hsiu’s kimono, and his prized silver dagger.

“Nixu!” she called, even as the horse and rider disappeared behind the ridge, the thundering of hoofbeats already receding.  With a growl, Felonca put her own spurs deep into the flanks of her mare, and thundered after him.  As she topped the ridge and caught sight of him again, she heard the shouts of confusion from her friends receding as she pulled away.

_I need to talk to him!  I need to find out if Master Hsiu and the Academy know anything about these undead!  I need to know why he is here!  Will he report me to Master Hsiu?!_

True, the last time she’d seen him, he was furious with her.  The Floating Stone test was one of the hardest for newer students to finish, and she had completely ruined his carefully constructed creation, the Court Common character for “patience.”  It had taken him hours upon hours of work, all ruined because of a prank. 

_Damn me,_ Felonca’s mind flew into instant regret, remembering his face, so upset he was nearly crying.  _I need to talk to him.  To apologize!_

“Nixu!  Wait!  Please!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, her mare straining onward under her as the figure of the squirrel hengeyokai and his mount grew smaller and smaller in the distance.  For one last instance, he turned around, and she swore she could see a look of fear in his eyes before he turned around and his horse pulled away for good.

_Why was he here?_ her confused mind asked as she finally reined up, hoofbeats rumbling closer signifying her comrades were finally catching up.  She didn’t know it, but her face was full of confusion when she turned around, to see a worried Nayu canter up behind her.

“What was that all about?” he asked, looking between her and the distant figure that momentarily vanished.

“That... that was a friend,” she managed to say, her own eyes turning back to watchi Nixu disappear below the horizon.  “I need to talk to him.  I think... I think he’s in danger.”



The next night, Felonca was still wrapping her mind around that new development.

_Why was he here?  Is Master Hsiu nearby?_  She felt herself shudder slightly at the thought.  If Master Hsiu indeed had come this far south to find her, she knew that the chances of her seeing a hangman’s noose were increasing by the day.

“Dammit,” she cursed softly, realizing her shudder had ruined her attempt at whittling to pass the time.  She took second watch for the peace and quiet, but sometimes it grew too quiet, the only noise being the sounds of crickets and the light snores of her companions.  Tonight she was especially bored, and had hoped some attempts at whittling would help.  They hadn’t.

“Well, Felonca, you need a new stick,” she muttered to herself, and carefully she looked about the camp, hoping to find a stick outside of the pile reserved for the fire.  Growling in dissatisfaction when she didn’t find any, she looked up over the blaze towards Nayu’s bag, hoping one would be there.

Instead, she froze.

Momentarily, in the gloom, she saw something.  Something tall, human-shaped.  She squinted, but the light of the fire blocked her view.

_Nixu?_ she thought, eyes frowning as she reached for her warfans and clambered around the fire.  Without its orange fingers blinding her view, she could now make it out clearly.  Not one, but two figures, human-looking, were edging their way closer to the camp, carefully, from the side.

_Not Nixu... then who?_

“Who goes there?” she called, her challenge meant to wake her companions as well.  She heard a few growls and grumbles from immediately beside her, but no noise came from the two strangers, save one turned and looked right at her.

_More undead?_ she thought, warily edging closer, her nose sniffing the air for any scent.  Indeed, she found one, but it was not the dank, rotten smell of death, or the bodily smell of a humanoid.  Instead, she smelled something like wild mushrooms, powerful and pungent.

“Thirty feet out ahead of me, human shaped” Felonca whispered, “and I’m getting the smell of... mushrooms,” she added warily.  She heard Nayu give a grunt of surprise at her statement, above the soft clings and clangs of Chou donning his armor.

“Mushrooms?  Are you sure you didn’t eat too many mushrooms?” she heard Chou grumble.

“I’ve heard of dangerous molds before,” Nayu said, standing beside her half-dressed, “but none in the shape of a human before.  Strange.”

“Well,” Felonca replied, suddenly reaching into her quiver for an arrow, “I’d like to make sure they’re human.  I’m thinking its an undead trick.  Fetch me a bit of cloth, we’re going to check them out.”

Nayu did as requested, and momentarily a small dart of flame landed directly at the feet of the closest.  In the dim light the burning cloth provided, seemingly normal, bare human feet were visible, causing Nayu and Felonca more confusion.  As they watched, both creatures continued to shuffle forward, and quickly were within thirty feet.

That’s when Felonca saw their eyes.  Bright, piercing blue, a sickly, unreal blue, glowing in the night.  Moments later, she had to resist the urge to sneeze violently, as her nose was assaulted by a new smell... not just mushrooms, but the overpowering, debilitating stench of mold.  Just within the orange glow of the firelight, she could see the two gaunt figures of men, their skin pasty and emaciated.  Most alarming were the numerous tears, rips, and holes that besot their skin.  From these numerous sores fluffed large clumps of a yellowish colored substance that looked like mold.

She heard words forming on Nayu’s mouth, but she couldn’t see any magical flashes or lights play from his hands onto the beasts.  Instead, she heard another grunt of confusion.

“They’re not undead, at least,” Nayu grunted, and she heard more magic coming to his lips.  

“Don’t come any closer!” she called, deciding to be more direct, her bow once again drawn, an arrow notched.  As soon as one of the creatures stepped forward again, an arrow flew.

An all hell broke loose.

One of the two creatures charged, a strange, incoherent roar within its lips.  Felonca coolly tossed her bow back, and snatched out her warfans, the lessons from the Academy flowing through her muscles with ease.  A series of loud clanks revealed Chou right beside her, as she didn’t need to turn to know Liu was on her opposite side.

“You take the close one!” she heard Nayu call, just before a long, powerful tongue of flame leapt from his hand, scorching the furthest of the two beasts (_scorching ray_).

As for the other creature, it found a greeting that likely it would have preferred to forego, as Chou’s blade, Felonca’s warfans, and Liu’s fists slashed, cut, and pummeled it, cutting off one hand, breaking its shoulder, and slashing apart its face.  

None, however, realized that this is merely what the creature wanted.

The noise was simple.  Nothing fancy, nothing showy.  It was a mere _puff_, far quieter than the roar of the burning prefect.  The results, however, were no less deadly, for with this noise, the stomach of the creature broke open, and suddenly Chou, Felonca, and Liu found yellowish mold flying into their faces, their eyes, their noses, down their throats.

Somehow, Liu managed to hold his breath, his fists still swinging, pummeling the creature.  But both Chou and Felonca gasped in surprise... the worst thing possible, as thousands and thousands of the tiny spores were sucked deep into their lungs.

Felonca felt an immediate burning in her lungs, and doubled over, vicious, hacking coughs wracking her body.  Beside her, Chou clutched the ground, spitting up globs of yellow spittle as his larger form was also wracked by the painful coughs.

_What’s happened to me?_ Felonca thought, before her mind, despite the pain, realized that as long as she and Chou were down coughing, Liu and Nayu were facing two of the creatures alone.  

_Dammit, Felonca!_ she mentally snarled, forcing herself up after a few seconds.  Her lungs felt as if they were scorched, and coughs still rumbled through her form, deep and hoarse.  Nonetheless, she threw herself forward, slashing once again at the nearest beast.



_What the hell was that?_ Nayu growled, his fingers now outstretched to the beast that had knocked down Felonca and Chou.  With a word of power and a sharp crackle, flames once again leapt from his hand to the beast’s chest.  The smell of burning vegetables filled the air, as smoke blotted out the creature’s chest.  However, when it momentarily lifted, Nayu could see more mold oozing out of the burn holes covering the creature’s chest.

“Felonca! What are you...” he started to shout before Felonca, still hacking and coughing furiously, was back into combat, leaping and twisting, her warfans once again in the midst of a deadly dance.  Only seconds behind her, Chou jumped in as well, the coughs that had wracked his body decreasing as he swung his blade in great, powerful arcs.

_That girl... I could have accidentally burned her!_ Nayu fumed for a second, as his fingers flashed back to the creature still standing aloof, burning it yet again.  A second later, he hears a _squish_, sounding much like when he’d squished his mother’s rotten tomatoes as a child.  A quick look to the first fight revealed the creature tumbling to the ground, its head crushed by Chou’s blade.

Nayu felt the magic already draining from him.  _This new spell is taxing me,_ he thought, trying to focus his mind.  He felt magic upwelling in his hand, until into his view flashed a furiously coughing Felonca and a normal appearing Chou.  Nayu moved his hand back, and the blast of fiery power flew awry.

“Felonca,” he growled, reminding himself to let her know about, ‘magical friendly fire,’ if he got the chance.  He closed his eyes, and decided next to launch a smaller, simple brace of _magic missiles_, to avoid the friendly fire issue altogether.

As he was yet concentrating for his next blast, long unmoving, suddenly leapt forward grabbing Felonca and thrust her towards the ground.  Another _puff_ echoed just barely above the din of battle, quickly followed by Felonca’s coughing increasing in volume and power.  

_FELONCA!_ Nayu panicked, his brace of missiles flying earlier than he planned but slamming the creature square in the back.  As the creature and Felonca wrestled on the ground, Chou swung his blade down... and suddenly Felonca’s coughs were coupled with a sharp scream as his sword cut open her shoulder, blood now coating the grass.

Undeterred, Chou swung again, and once again there was a _squish_ as his blade crushed in the creature’s head.  Within seconds, he was tossing the beast off of her, as Nayu dashed forward.



It was an hour later, and still Nayu heard the deep, throaty cough coming from Felonca, as well as the hushed, worried murmurings coming from Master Liu.  Angrily, the young man kicked a pebble into the smoldering fire, and resumed his pacing.

_What WERE those things?  Other than Chou’s accidental cut, Felonca wasn’t hurt... except for this coughing.  What was that yellow mold stuff?  Liu should’ve been able to get it out of her system..._

Nervous, Nayu glanced towards Chou, only to be greeted by the warrior’s nervous eyes.  

_Chou is fine... and he inhaled the same stuff!  Why isn’t she fine!_  Worries filled Nayu’s head, building into a crescendo that he couldn’t ignore.  Finally, he spun around and marched over to beside the monk.

“Listen... listen to me, Felonca,” the monk was saying quietly, his voice full of concern.  One of his hands held her head, pointing her mouth downwards.  “What does your chest feel like again?”

“B...*hack*  b... *cough* burning!” she sputtered out, pain etched onto her face.  Nayu watched in alarm as one of her hands clutched at her chest, the other balled into a fist at her side.  Worried, he took her balled hand into his own.

_Of the people here, I’ve known you the longest... what... four weeks?  You helped save my village!  I’m... I’m lost and scared... please be okay!_ Nayu prayed to himself, as her coughing fit continued to rise in volume, until she finally went into a long spasm.  When the paroxysm was finished, her breathing slowed.  Every now and then, a hacking cough emerged.

_Good... maybe she coughed up whatever it was,_ Nayu thought hopefully, looking at her, only to have his heart break again.  Tears were streaming down her face, the hand that was on her chest now covering her mouth as she softly coughed again.  

Then Nayu heard Liu give a grunt.

“What is it?” Nayu asked softly as the monk bent down and picked up something from the ground in front of Felonca.  Liu held the item up, and slowly brought it closer to the firelight, his grunts changing from surprise to concern.

“Yellow mold,” the monk finally said grimly.

“Mold?  Well, she coughed it up, didn’t she?” Nayu asked hopefully, his mind ignoring the soft croaks of Felonca behind him.  “And beside, my parents had mold in their house.  Ugly, but not that bad.  Right?”

The monk stared in the flames in response.

“Right?” Nayu repeated, worry back in his voice.  Liu gave a cough of his own, and when he turned to face the young man, Nayu could see a deep worry, and bottomless sorrow in his eyes.

“Felonca, please... come here.  I must tell you something,” the monk said grimly.  His dark, hopeless tone knocked the last bit of wishful thinking from Nayu’s mind.

_Something horrible happened to her... oh no..._

Gingerly, Felonca stumbled to where they sat, and almost collapsed, her body worn tired from the paroxysms.  Her eyes, however, were still bright and alert, and filled with worry and fright.

“Felonca... you’ve inhaled a large amount of yellow mold... a mold that is extremely virulent, and extremely deadly.  I’m... I’m...” the monk stopped speaking, his voice breaking apart for a second.

Nayu looked quickly between the monk and his friend, fear rising in his own heart.  With the finality of a funeral bell, Liu turned back to Felonca, clearing his throat.

“It is... fatal, and I’m afraid there is nothing I can do.”  The monk’s soft voice faded into nothing.  
 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Ok, the rabbit bit was thrown into the game by me to deal with my overly paranoid players.  I like tossing in occassional, random spot and listen checks as well, to keep them on their toes. 

The creatures the players met in this section are called dusanu, found in the Creature Catalogues here on EN World.  Part of me was a rat bastard, as I know the way my players play and I knew one of them would charge the creatures and get hit by this surprise...   

Don't worry, as soon as I get time, I'll post more of the adventure later on.

And yes, I’m a rat bastard.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*A New, Urgent Mission*

“_Nothing?_  You can do _nothing?_” Nayu asked in a hushed horror.  _My town, my parents, and now Felonca..._

“It’s beyond my capabilities, Master Nayu,” Liu affirmed with a sigh.  The monk put a comforting arm around Felonca, whose eyes glowed orange as she stared into the dying campfire, soft, short coughs coming from her lungs.  Nayu’s eyes flecked downward, his vision obscured by nascent tears in his eyes.

_Poor Felonca... escaped hell only to die a few weeks later... poor poor..._  He felt his heart ready to break, the deep, harsh pang of anger and sorrow striking deep within him.  _What... what can I do?

C’mon, Nayu!_ a small part of his brain responded, growing larger by the second as he took in her terror filled eyes.  _She needs your help!  Somehow you need to help her.  Think!_

“We... we can’t be more than two or three days from Xianlung!”  Nayu offered quickly, desperately searching for hope.  “Would that be enough time?”  _Please, please say that would be enough time!_

For a second the monk’s eyes frowned in thought, before suddenly growing wide in hope.

“If the disease runs a normal course, she would have four, maybe five days to find her some treatment.  If Xianlung is a good-sized city...”

“Its larger than Mukden,” Nayu said hopefully.  _Forty thousand people maybe, a very large city.  If she cannot find healing there..._

Felonca then suddenly broke free of Liu’s hold, and covering her repeated coughs, she darted towards the horses.

“Let’s go, Liu!  I think she has the right idea,” Nayu yelled, running towards his own mount.



Felonca hunched further over, her teeth clattering together.  Down her neck, shoulders and back she could feel the rivulents of rain run, despite her now completely drenched cloak and travelling clothes.  The burning feeling in her lungs suddenly flared again, and she hunched over, coughing harshly again.

The coughing fits came and went.  There were some points where she felt almost normal, save a slight tightness in her chest.  Then there were moments like these, where she would launch into a spate of deep, hard coughs that could last half an hour or more at a time.

She'd had plenty of time the last few days to think over her life, only to come to the simple, unerring conclusion that she didn't want to die.  She was young for a hengeyokai, barely 25, and she'd yet to see and experience many things the world had to offer.

Many times her mind had gone back to home... in her dreams she saw her father, accepting and proud of her, her mother, kind and smiling as always.  Her fellow clansmen, showering her with respect.

_None of which will happen if you let yourself die, Felonca!_ her mind snapped as her will to live fought against the disease wracking her body.  _Fight it!  Work through it to find that shaman or healer!_

“How are you doing?” she heard Nayu’s voice say quietly, amidst the harsh rocking on her horse as it struggled through the mire that had only two days before been a packed dirt highway.

“The weather spirits should be cursed,” Felonca rasped back.  _The burning HURTS!_  “How long to Xianlung, or have any of your requests been answered?”  

“No one knows anything that can help your poison... yet,” Nayu added quickly, with a deep decisiveness.

_If he could, he would merely will someone to know how to fix me,_ Felonca’s soft thoughts managed to conquer another series of sharp coughs, though the stabbing pain caused her to want to gasp, which only made the pain worse.

She felt herself sliding off of her mount, only to feel a pair of hands catch her shoulder and haul her back into place.  Weakly, she turned and saw Nayu’s eyes, red with three days of worry and lack of sleep, staring at her through the shafts of rain.

“You’ll be fine, okay?” his voice carried a powerful force within it, but somewhere in its commanding depths she felt a small ripple of despair.  “You’ll be fine.  The next village will have a healer or a shaman.  Just watch!”

“I...trust...you...Na...yu...” Felonca managed to rasp back.  The smile she tried to force evidently looked hideous on her already emaciated face.  “You...won’t...let...me...die,” she added.  She felt his hand clasp around hers, and suddenly and fiercely grip it.

“I won’t!  I won’t!” he replied, and between the raindrops, she thought she saw a tear run down his cheek.

“I...st...ill...have...two...days...” she added.  _Two days to find a cure...somewhere!_  Another vicious cough ripped through her system, and she found herself gagging.  In a move that had almost become instinctive over the previous three days, she turned her head to the side, and spat out a small patch of the mold that was ever growing in her body.

_”Apart from the weakness and coughing, you should be able to function like normal, until the last day,”_ she remembered Liu telling her a few days before.  _”Then, the collapse begins quickly and in earnest.  Should... should I go on?”_ she remembered the uncertainty in his voice as they rode through the night.

_”Yes,”_ she had responded, _”I need to know as much as I can.  I want to find a cure!”_

From somewhere ahead of the party, she heard the splashing and splattering of a horse attempting to move through mud, and slowly she turned her head to look towards the front.  Outlined against a featureless, gray sky was the figure of Chou, clad in his armor and calling to them.

“A village!  Just ahead!” the warrior shouted, pointing eagerly over a rise.  “And they say they know a powerful shaman of the wood!”

_ “The disease is caused by the yellow mold growing inside of your body, especially your lungs.  On the fifth day or so, the fatigue will get you first.  There will be too much mold for you body to function normally.  Within a few hours, you’ll lose consciousness... and death results not to much beyond that.”_  She remembered Liu had shuddered, before he had added, _ “And after three days, your body will rise again as a corpse controlled by the mold... a most horrible end.”_

_That ending can still be rewritten!_



“Many thanks for your kindness in telling us of this shaman, sirs,” Felonca said softly above the patter of the rain.  Below her and her comrades, four peasants tipped their broad brimmed hats, before one, a greasy looking man with short hair spoke.

“It would be our pleasure, madam,” he said in a gruff voice.  “The ‘Old Man of the Woods’ can heal anything, or so they tell me.”  The man reached up under his hat and scratched his head.  “He doesn’t usually want to have anything to do with many people, though.”  

“They say,” one of the other peasants whispered, leaning close to the party, “that he drinks blood, and that he’s as old as many of the great trees in these here woods.”

“I don’t know about that... but I know he is quite wise, and powerful,” the greasy one cut in his friend’s descriptions.  “Though... none of us here have ever seen him.”

“Wait... _none_ of you have seen him?” Felonca heard Nayu grumble.  She could tell by the furrow in his brow that fury was building behind his otherwise calm exterior.  _Fifty gold to find out they’ve never seen him?_

“No... Zhen has that wrong,” the younger one stole the floor back.  “I saw him... from a distance though.  At his mound.”

“His what?”

“His mound.  He goes to this little hill in the woods, and he, um... you know, does stuff there.  They say that’s where the sacrifices take place, and where he does his magic.  Its got skulls all along its bottom, and some kind of shrine or altar at the top!”

“Ren, these people are looking for –” the greasy one interrupted, only to be cut off himself.

“Where do we find this mound?  Which way?” Felonca asked, her voice even softer.  She felt the familiar tightness in her chest returning; another spate of coughing was soon to arrive.

“You go north of the village, and at a great oak, you turn towards the east...”


----------



## TDRandall

>>> They say that’s where the sacrifices take place 

>>> Its got skulls all along its bottom, and some kind of shrine or altar at the top!

>>>> “Ren, these people are looking for –”

OK, as much as I want Felonca to be healed, it doesn't sound like THIS is going to be the right place for it.  Rather, the villagers are sending them up as this season's/year's offering....

Unless I'm reading this wrong or there is a twist, something tells me if she does get better it's going to be in spite of this person's effort.  Maybe something in the treasure when it's over?

And they're walking right into it.  Don't you just love when urgency overrules wisdom?  

Can't wait to read what happens next!


----------



## drag n fly

"Don't you just love when urgency overrules wisdom?"

At this point, Felonca has only a day or two before death, and they're still several days out from the main city, due to the rain slowing the group down. It's all or nothing at this point. And Felonca figures that if this healer-person can't help her, she can get the others to kill her or commit suicide so as not to come back as a zombie and possibly hurt her friends. Better to do that out in the woods than in a town or major city. 

Poor, poor Felonca  Such a brave stubborn hengeyokai.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The ‘Old Man of the Forest’*


The party immediately set off, following the peasants directions.  For several hours they trudged through the woods, as the insistent rain finally began to let up, in time for the sky to turn a brilliant orange, gracing the woods with the glorious light of evening.

For Felonca, the light did not look very glorious at all, and the panorama her eyes saw in the orange glow looked more forbidding than glorious.  All day little voices had been pouring over the words the peasant’s mentioned.

_Sacrifices...

Hill surrounded by skulls..._

She could tell by the eyes of Nayu and the others, such worry was running in their minds as well.  Worry that had to be pushed aside, as each hour ticked by...

True to the word of the peasant, there was a large clearing in the midst of the trees, and at its center, a steep mound, rising some fifteen feet into the air.  Brambles, grass, and leaves deeply covered its flanks, the slight evening breeze causing them to shift and rattle lightly.  The crest of the hill was a flat plateau, perhaps ten feet in diameter.

“Um,” Felonca heard Nayu gulp, and watched the young man point nervously towards the base of the hill, “those... those are _skulls_.”

Felonca’s eyes followed where he pointed, and just underneath the leaves and thorns, she could see a bit of yellowish white, and the dark, empty eye sockets of what was once an enormous bear.  Her eyes then searched along the base of the mound, a knot of worry growing in her stomach as she recognized other skulls... great deer, lions, a bevy of sharp toothed animals, great horned animals, and in general vicious looking animals.  Finally her eyes settled on one skull whose eye sockets seemed to stare at her, and her heart stopped.

_It can’t be... but... who would have the power to..._

“Um... Nayu?” Felonca asked, her own arm nervously pointing.  “Do you see that skull there?  Is it what I...”

“A dragon skull?” Nayu’s voice replied in a nearly silent, frightened whisper at the monstrosity twice the size of the other skulls, large, powerful horns emerging from its rock hard bone.  The beast’s mouth was agape, as if about to lunge, the maw large enough that Nayu could have easily been bitten in two by it.

“Who possesses the power to kill such a great thing?” Liu asked quietly, his own voice filled with fear, as he gingerly stepped forward to peer closer at the enormous skull. “Who would want to kill such a great beast?”

Felonca’s eyes searched about, fearfully, as the sun’s golden fingers still warmed her face.  All around the sounds of birds chirping, squirrels chittering, and even the occasional animal noise made the eerie scene complete, as if nature did not care for what abominations might occur in this spot.

“I’m thinking we should wait in the woods,” Chou said quietly.  “If our friend does not appear too... um... ‘friendly’ we can jump him, and make him heal you for his life.”

“Quiet,” Felonca rasped back.  The coughing pain was returning again.  “If he... or she... has great enough power to have slain a dragon, she might be able to hear what we’re saying from afar!”  The first of what would be a series of coughs forced her to pause, before she managed to rasp onward.

“We...stay...here...show...we...mean...well...”



The sun’s golden disk had long ago disappeared below the horizon when Nayu gave his growl of frustration.  He stomped over to the side of the mound, and barely resisted the urge to kick one of the skulls.

_My friend is DYING, and whatever old foggie works in this place has taken the night off!  For the love of all that is sacred, why do the fates always crap on us?!_

His pacing then took him back towards where Felonca, Liu, Chou, and the old Captain, still bound but now ungagged, sat beside the horses.  Liu and Chou’s eyes betrayed worry, Li’s betrayed relief (at Felonca’s insistence, Nayu had finally ungagged the old man)... while Felonca’s reddening eyes betrayed worry.

“Nayu...” she rasped out, an already thin hand reaching up to him, “calm...I’m...still...” The sentiment was interrupted by another bout of coughing.

“How can I _stay_ calm, if you’re dying, and the one thing within a hundred miles that can save you decided to take the damn night off!” he snarled, spinning back towards the mound.  In the growing moonlight, it rose from the ground like some huge abberation, as mists started to close in from the surrounding trees, clinging close to the ground.

Suddenly, the leaves that covered the mound began to rustle, whistle and crackle.  First in ones and twos, and then in great clumps, the leaves blew off the mound, their whistling rising to almost a roar.  In the moonlight, Nayu thought he saw a pair of stag antlers on the top of the hill, then he shook his head assuming his eyes deceived him.

But they had not.  Beside them rose something long and thin, glittering in the night, just as the antlers rose higher and higher, the largest set of deer horns Nayu had ever seen.  As the crest reached its apex, a head that belonged to no deer rose from the ground, followed by a shape, heavily covered in robes of furs.  

The great beast, it appeared, stood well taller than even Nayu, perhaps seven feet.  As the moon was at its back, Nayu could not see whether its face was human or beastial as it slowly strode down the mountain, unseen bones jingling as it walked.

“Who are _you_ to have set upon _my_ sacred clearing?” a voice, aged beyond ancient rumbled.  A long bony finger swept across the entire group.  “Who are _you_ to have interrupted my meditations!”

“Oh damn,” Nayu heard Chou curse.

“Wise one,” Nayu began uncertainly, fearfully, “we come in peace, seeking your wisdom in healing!”  _We need your help, not your fury!_

“And why should I heal mere interlopers as yourselves?  For all I know, you could be bone collectors, sent to deface my sacred clearing!” the voice rumbled with anger as the apparition advanced.

“We...” Felonca started to rise, before doubling over as a powerful coughing fit shook her entire body.

Nayu’s eyes narrowed as he saw his friend in such a state, and a bravery came into his heart.

The bravery of desperation.

“Sir, _that_,” he pointed to his friend, who had by now collapsed to the ground, “is why we are here!  My friend is terribly sick, she has been poisoned and will die within the _day_ unless she receives help!  And the villagers have told us that you, wise one, can heal almost anything!”  _Believe me!  There is no time for fighting!_

The apparition moved slightly to the side, its head flitting towards the doubled up Felonca.  As it moved, moonlight now entered its cowl from Nayu’s perspective, and reflected the craggy visage of a terribly old man, a man so old that what would have been a great white beard only had strands and wisps of mane left.

_He’s not convinced,_ Nayu thought, desperation powering his brain.  _Not convinced at all!_

On complete impulse, Nayu suddenly dropped onto both knees.  “We are your humble servants, wise one!  We beg you, I beg you, please, save our friends life!”  He then immediately prostrated himself in a full _kowtow_, wet grass and dirt touching his forehead.

After a moment, he felt something else touch his shoulder, as the long, bony fingers of the man tapped and pulled lightly for him to rise.

“Young one, I am neither a god, nor an emperor, you need not prostrate yourself,” the same ancient voice said as he helped Nayu to his feet.  The man’s eyes looked at Nayu, but they seemed to also look far past him, to places miles and miles away.

“So, you are going to help her?” Chou asked, his voice filled with eagerness.

The antler headed man turned slowly, ignoring the question, till he faced the moon.  As Chou started to ask his question again, Nayu held up his hand to prompt him to wait.  The old man’s eyes had closed, and even Nayu felt some kind of power billowing around him.  After a few moments, the man’s eyes reopened, and he turned to the group.

“I believe your story, but the spirits of the moon and stars are not so sure.  They demand proof, a show of loyalty, that you are seeking what you are truly seeking, and not some agents of darkness set to damage this sacred ground.”

“Proof of loyalty?” Chou asked, indignance rising in his voice.  “Give me a bow, and I shall bring back a bird, an oxen, whatever animal they require in sacri...”

“No!” the woods echoed with the wise man’s shout.  “These spirits look after life, and seek life, not death!”  His eyes blazed under his hood with a simmering rage at the suggestion.

“What do they seek, wise one?” Nayu said hurriedly, hoping to defuse the situation.  The old man turned to him, and Nayu could see the fires of anger losing their power.

“These sacred woods are being attacked on all sides by undead, by beasts of fire,” the old man said after a few moments.  “From the north, skeletons of fire burn my woods, while here in the south, undead beasts roam, destroying sacred life.  I am but one keeper of the forest, and I cannot be in all places at all times.”

“We...can...assist...you...if...your...spirits...require...such...” Felonca rasped, the coughing fit over for now.  

Nayu flashed her a worried look, knowing full well she wasn’t in a position to assist anyone really... perhaps not even herself.

“Yes... that would show the spirits your worthiness.”  The man lowered his head in momentary thought, before it suddenly snapped up.  “There is a great beast to the south of here, powerful and beyond death’s call.  The spirits of nature call for it to return to the ground whence it came, but it refuses their beckon.  If you can return it to the realm of the dead, where it belongs, I am convinced that the spirits will guide and allow me to heal your friend.”

“Where is this beast?  Give me one swing of my sword, and I’ll put the ‘dead’ back in ‘un-dead!” Chou snapped.

“Chou...not...funny...” Felonca replied.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Sorry for the long delay.  Posting is going to be rather spotty for the next two weeks... its finals, and I've got about 60 pages worth of papers to type up.

Oh... and that said... yeah, I sorta planned on the party rushing pell-mell about with no regard to safety... those parties are fun to play with *evil grin*.

===================================

*A Hunting We Will Go... *hack* A Hunting We Will Go... *cough**

Felonca stifled another cough as the party slinked through the woods, the darkness of the impending night growing ever closer.  She turned to the side and spat, and her throat had a momentary period of clearance before the next piece of mold began growing and tickling its delicate flesh.

“Bloody hell!  We aren’t going to be able to see _anything_ soon!” Nayu groaned quietly.  Felonca felt a small chuckle rise to her lips, one that was which combined with a cough to make an unusual croak.  

Nayu turned to look at her, and his eyes went wide.

Felonca could only imagine how emaciated she looked, or her face’s resemblance to a leering skeleton now that the mold was stripping away her inner flesh, coursing through her blood.  

“I...can...still...see...” she reassured and teased him at the same time.  Her cat-like eyes flashed with a touch of mirth, which seemed, for a moment, to push away the sea of sadness that had dwelled there.  “I’ll...take...point...”

“No!” Nayu said a little too loudly, “I’m fine!  I can see fine!”  Worry was still in his eyes.

_Let me help!_ Felonca’s mind wanted to snap back.

“It...will...be...okay...big...brother...  ”  The final two words Felonca delivered with the biggest rolling of her eyes that her face could manage, which was more than enough to convey her sentiment.  “I...am...a...big...girl...”  

_And we NEED to find this monster!  I am the only one in the group that can see decently at night without firelight!  It does no good for the blind to lead me!”_

Despite her weakened state, she easily slipped outside of Nayu’s reach and to the front of the little column.  He started to come after to put her back into the safety of the middle of the group, when her cat-like eyes stared at him.

He backed up.



Some hours later, Felonca resisted the urge to scratch her neck with a paw as she slinked along the forest trail, her panther-form close to the ground.  It felt easier to move in this form, and she knew she would be quieter... panthers were built for silence, and even her coughs were whispers in the forest.

Her eyes flicked about, constantly searching, her nose constantly sniffing, despite the dull pain it caused to her lungs.  The day creatures of the forest were just readying for sleep, while the creatures of the night were stirring, and the late dusk cacophany covered the noises the rest of her less quiet companions made.

Suddenly, she caught a whiff of something.  It lasted only an instant, but it smelled dark and dank, like the earth, coupled with the stench of maggots.  Her head immediately turned, and within seconds she had leapt off the trail and into the woods.

She heard her companions hissing at her to slow down, but to her pleasure, she could only _barely_ hear their crashing through the trees, desperately trying to keep up.

_I need to find this thing, and kill it!  Then I’ll be healed!_ her mind focused, as she padded to a halt on the edge of a large clearing.

Carefully, she slinked forward, belly pressed to the ground, ears flatted on her head, until her eyes could make out what was causing the nauseous stench that assaulted her nose.

It was a large beast, some three times the side of a horse.  Its lizard-like tail was short and stubby, and from its flanks issued great ulcers and sores, yellowy bones showing the wounds in the last rays of the already set sun.

A crash of leaves broke above the noise of roosting birds and stretching owls and night-walkers, and the beast suddenly spun around...  _facing her._

Its head looked to be like those of dragons she’d seen on Master Hsiu’s prints, save its maw was longer, the skin drawn tight over its skull.  From its mouth, great yellow teeth bared bloody, for behind its massive form lay the shredded form of a deer.  The beast gave a great huff as it sniffed the air, before turning back to its meal.

_I’m down-wind... thank the ancestor’s grace!_ Felonca thought as she barely heard four people draw up alongside her.

“You are really lucky... do you know that?” she whispered.

“Why?  I only took a little tumble back there,” Chou whispered in reply.



“How are we supposed to take out that beast?” Nayu heard Chou whisper only a few seconds later.

“Its the size of a couple horses,” Li whispered, causing Nayu to frown in fury.  It had been Chou’s idea to bring the still bound Captain along.  Chou did not want to leave his bound father alone in the forest, and Nayu didn’t trust the man around the horses.  The plan was perfect, until Nayu had time to think about it later.

_It is neither living nor dead... but past experience shows that undead can still die..._

“A powerful attack, that’s how we take it out,” Nayu whispered a moment later.  “It doesn’t know we’re here, we have the drop on it.  Felonca, you use your bow, and Chou, your crossbow.  I’ll launch some magic.”

“And then I can run forward and fillet it with my sword... then we run off with its hoard,” Chou whispered.  “Get it?  Sword?  Hoard?”

“Chou, sometimes...” Nayu started, before Li interrupted again.

“I can help.  Lend me my blade, I can help you.”

“No,” Nayu hissed.  _You are from the group that murdered my parents!  I would no sooner trust you with a blade than I would call out to that beast!_  “You... stay here, and keep quiet... bastard.”

“Nayu...maybe...we...should...” Felonca whispered, and gestured towards Li.  Nayu shook his head vigorously, and instead motioned towards the beast.

“Everyone... take your positions... ready yourselves...”

The early evening chatter of nature was not disturbed by the quiet creaks of a bowstring and a crossbow being pulled, or two silent whispers or prayer and one of curse.  The splatter of the beast feeding continued, right until Nayu’s shout.

A blazing line of fire leapt from Nayu’s hand, burning the back of the beast with magical flame.  Twin _twangs_ echoed in the forest as Felonca and Chou let loose, while Liu let forth a great shout that seemed to make the trees shiver (_shout_, obviously).  The screeching of roosting birds was suddenly replaced by the thunder of their flight, and the terrified screams of forest animals darting away from the unknown light and thunder.

Save the great beast before them.  It spun, its red eyes furious and deep.  Already, a _shing_ echoed in the air, as Chou leapt forward, armor jingling and blade high above his head.  As Nayu’s chants slowly rose again, he noticed another shape dashing forward... one that was smaller and dark.

_FELONCA!_

Already the hengeyokai was racing ahead of Chou, her hybrid form clutching her warfans as her emaciated form leapt into the air, a silent scream coming from her lips as the blades flashed down, and she cartwheeled past the beast’s flank.  

Chou then slashed into the creature’s flank, opening another fissure in its dead side.  Moments later, another blast of scorching fire from Nayu’s hand crackled into the creature’s face.

And the beast when mad.

An enormous bellow, so loud and powerful it seemed to shake the roots of the very trees themselves, deafened the party’s ears.  Its massive head suddenly swung hard to the right, catching Felonca as she sprung up for another attack.    The side of its head crashed into her with the force of a cartload of bricks and Nayu watched in horror as her thin black form sailed through the air, crashing into the underbrush some thirty feet away.

Its head then snapped the other direction, and Chou, his metal armor silvery in the growing moonlight, cartwheeled in the air the opposite direction, landing with an ignominous _thud_ in the dirt to the left.

Nayu did not need to look to know the crash of leaves to his right was Liu, charging off to heal the already battered Felonca.  To Nayu’s horror, the beast’s enormous snout swung in that direction as well, its eyes narrowing on a new target dashing across the glen.

Another sharp burst of crackling fire slammed into the beast’s neck, as Nayu dashed out from amidst the dense undergrowth, and shouted.

“Hey!  Idiot!  Pauper’s excuse for a chamberpot dragon!  You!  Over here, you outhouse smelling git!”  The enormous maw swung back, and the beady eyes bore down on Nayu’s now exposed form.

_Gods... had to be brave, didn’t you!_ a small, insistent voice shouted in Nayu’s mind as he felt the ground begin to shudder as the great beast charged.  

_Well, someone needed to make sure Liu got over there to check on them!_ another part of his mind fired back.    The young sorcerer’s hand flicked towards his morningstar, and he gave a sharp tug...

...only to find it stuck in his belt.

“Daaaaammmmmiiit!” was all he could yell as he felt an enormous blow to his chest, and he saw the sky and ground cartwheeling around him...



“Felonca... are you alright?”

“Meh.”  A new pain filled Felonca’s chest and stomach, this one far more intense and insistent than the feeling caused by ragged mold in her lungs.  _That hurt like hell..._

Then she heard the beast’s thundering move, and her tired muscles felt new strength flowing in them... the wonderous powers of adrenaline made her body flip painfully to her feet, just in time to see Nayu and the bound Captain Li both cartwheeling through the air...

Her lungs hurt, her body was sore, but she heard her warfans click as she flashed them open.  Vaguely, she heard Liu shouting for her to stop, to wait, but the shouts receded as she felt her legs pushing her, faster and faster.  Her bruised ribs ached, her lungs screamed as pain and mold combined to form pain she’d never felt before.  But she rushed onwards, her arms instinctively putting her fans in a ‘low-guard’ as the beast started to turn, its maw opening to bellow and bite...

For a second, her mind flashed back to the Academy, to the acrobatic moves they were forced to practice.  Then, she’d regarded it all as showy... foolishness.  Now, as she tumbled down under the great creature’s maw, she didn’t have the mind or time to be thankful.

Instinct guiding her arms, her hands, her body as it twisted and contorted out of the beasts way.  She smelled a blast of foul air, fouler than any beast’s mouth, and suddenly she found herself in a perfect ‘striking adder’ crouch, her fans in the precise location to strike yet again.

The beast seemed to stand there, almost as if it were made of granite, its red eyes staring at her with... was it shock?  Slowly, their beady forms rolled back, and with a great, rumbling crash, the mighty undead creature fell to the side, a last heave of the nauseous fume of the grave erupting from its form.

Felonca hissed, and fell back, the pain in her chest now unbearable, and the adrenaline and fear that had pushed her body suddenly leaving it.  Her breathing came in sharp wheezes, as her ribs and lungs fought to breath through the mold and pain.  She heard running feet, and in the moonlight, she made out Nayu hovering above her, the side of his face already turning black and blue from his hard landing.

“You shouldn’t have done that!” he hissed at her, a weak smile of thanks on his lips.  “You... you’re weak.  You could’ve gotten yourself killed!”

“Nah...I...strong...like...bull...” she hissed back over the next minute, forcing herself to speak through the pain.  She could almost feel the heaviness in her chest now, as if parts of her lungs were slowing turning into stone.  

"I don't care!  You still shouldn't have done that... and... I'm pretty grateful you did," the young man grimaced.  He was starting to feel the pain in his face.

“Any...loot?”

“Once a thief, always a thief?” Nayu replied, just as Chou’s loud complaints from the far side of the clearing could be heard.

“Ow!  Who the hell made this patch of dirt so hard to...  oh... I don’t think I landed on dirt...”

_8,200 silver pieces and a ball of gold into a bag of holding later..._

“There...last...of...it...” Felonca wheezed.

“Felonca?  I still don’t think it was wise to sit around and gather up this silver!  We’ve wasted an hour!” Nayu continued to fuss and worry.

“I...said...I...strong...like...bull...” Felonca repeated, not necessarily slowly to emphasize her point, but to breathe.  “It...only...take...a...few...hours...to...get...back...”


==============================================

The creature in this was a stahnk, which is found in the Creature Catalogue on this site.  Very nasty, with the ability to basically knock people through the air up to thirty feet (witness Felonca, Chou, Nayu, Li).  Felonca had some pretty big penalties assigned to her because of the illness to her Hide and Move Silently checks, but still managed to do stellar.  SHe also had some penalties to her attack and damage, but managed to crit in a spectacular manner attempting to save Nayu (who was trying to distract the thing to save her).  All in all, quite a heroic session.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Updates are likely going to be really slow over the next two weeks.  I have a final and three essays due during that time   .  Afterwards, though, I have a month off... look for more updates (and far more frequent updates) after the 15th of December.

As a teaser, I'd like to post a couple quotes from the most recent session.

Felonca:  "I realized it, you know.  I'm not dumb!"
Nayu:  "Whoops, I forgot about that!"


Nayu's player:  "I want to punt the gnome between the two trees.  Can I do that?"


----------



## Mahtave

Take your time Emp!  This is yet another excellent SH penned by you, we can wait until after the 15th....

Is this game still only two PCs, or has then been some more players joining up?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Yeah, there's still only the two PCs, haven't had anyone interested in joining yet.  It makes it kinda challenging to round out the party and make sure they have the ability to tackle some stuff.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Done with papers!  I'll get started on the next update ASAP!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The End of the Line*

Nayu winced again as he heard the ever deeping hack of Felonca’s coughing.  He turned, and through the early morning mist, he saw her, bent over at the base of the druidic mound, coughing fiercely.  His eyes then flashed up, staring into the thickening mist as a growl came to his lips.

_Where are you?_

It had taken several hours for the party to hike back to the mound, and now they sat, and waited as somewhere within the soup, the sun began to make itself known.

“Hello?  Good sir?” Chou’s voice echoed for the tenth time in the past few minutes.  “Good sir, where are you?”

_Screwing around likely, not even going to pay us back!_ Nayu frowned deeply, and gave a pebble on the ground a sharp hard kick.  The snap of it striking a tree echoed in the misty morning.  He looked back at his friend, watching in anger, despair and fear as Liu came to her side, and gently patted her back as she struggled to breathe.

“I... am... okay...” she struggled to say over the course of a minute, before shakily rising to her feet.  Her skin was drawn taut, her eyes sunken deep into her dark skin.  Slowly, with great effort, her bony, thin arm pointed off into the mists, a look of question on her face even before she could struggle to utter the words.

Nayu’s eyes flashed to where she was pointing.  _About damn time!_ He breathed in deeply, planning to unleash a barrage of questions on the druid once his antlered head emerged from the mists.  _Why weren’t you here sooner?  My friend is DYING!_  His mouth, however, merely hung open as he stopped before the words left his lips.

Instead of a hooded man, antlers rising from his cloaked head, Nayu saw a patch of pink within the mist... flowing into thin gossamer threads and then folding into itself, almost as if it were a bit of reddish steam.  As he watched, amazed by what he saw, the pinkish mists drew even closer... ever closer, its tendrils seeming to reach out towards him, to touch him...

Suddenly, he felt as if thousands of pins were pricking his body on every section of exposed flesh.  His eyes flashed down in horror, as blood began to seep from every pore along the first arm the mist touched, and then more of his body as the pink slowly enveloped him, its tendrils suddenly flushing a dark, blood red.

“Get off of me!” Nayu snarled, his hands clutching his morningstar, as he slashed through the depths of the mist, its red tendrils whirling and curling around the curves of his wicked weapon.  He heard shouting, and felt his blood slowly pulsing out of him, as he struggled against the mist, and felt a force holding him there, as if the mists had grabed him and were holding him tight.

From somewhere, he felt a hand touch his shoulder, and the pinpricks suddenly abated somewhat.  He spun, ready to attack, his frightened eyes catching the calm, brown eyes of Liu, blood starting to pool on the monks arm (Liu cast shield other).  For a moment, Nayu felt strangely at peace, looking into the monk’s eyes, even as he heard Felonca’s raspy breaths close by, or the _whoosh_ of Chou’s sword slashing through the air.  For a moment, the young man sees his home, intact, his mother fixing dinner, his father in the bedroom, looking strangely at the plain wooden box that rested beside his parents bed...

Felonca’s wheezing, loud and anxious, snapped Nayu’s mind back to the present, as the reddish tendrils of mist seemed to cartwheel away, their thin strands breaking more and more, until nothing remained save the plain whiteness of the early morning fog.

“What the hell was... Felonca!”



_BREATHE!_ Felonca’s mind screamed, as her hand clutched her chest.  _BREATHE!  BREATHE DAMN YOU!_  Her heart still pounded, furiously trying to give oxygen to the arms that had just finished swinging her warfans yet again in anger, the legs that had somehow carried her up the hill to Nayu.  They all burst with pain as if on fire, and it seemed an inferno was eating and blazing its way through her lungs.

It was then she could feel it.  A cold, hard presence, something she could not see, but something icily persistent.  It was always just beyond her reach, just outside her line of sight, just outside her focus of mind, but she knew it was closing... closer and closer.

The corners of her vision began to darken, as she slumped forward, her lungs trying in vain to cough, but only managing a weak wheeze.  _I’m going to die..._  The thought made her want to scream, which only made the pain in her chest explode more, as her vision grew even darker.

The world about her seemed to recede.  She could feel her fingers desperately clutching the grass under her, pulling as if uprooting them would breath new life in her lungs.  The voices of her friends, only moments before seeming so close and urgent, were now fading into a confused mumble, the distant drumbeat of her panicking heart growing louder and louder.  Their shouts seemed so distant, so faint...

Blackness enveloped Felonca.



_”Master always demands silence!” she heard a distant voice, high with the sparkle of a child not yet pubescent, call.  

“I know!” Felonca growled at Nixu, an even younger version of her growled back in annoyance.  The world seemed to spin and whirl, as Nixu repeated his call.

Now Felonca saw her Master’s room... the room of Master Yen-Chuan Hsiu, the legendary warrior, proud tiger hengeyokai, destroyer of legions.  Along the walls of the small antechamber hung trophies from his days as a General in the Imperial armies; A wickedly curved scimitar from one of the cities of the Slave Coast, an exquisite bow made from deerhorn and birchwood, taken from a chief of the Kara Kitai tribes.

Felonca thought she felt her warfans slipping, and quickly adjusted her grip, even as panic flooded her mind.  To be found in Hsiu’s chambers like this would earn certain death.  To be found red-handed stealing from Master Hsiu’s chambers would lead to a fate somehow worse than death.

“Bastard,” her mind whispered, thinking of the constant abuse he’d heaped on her during her longer than acceptable stay at the Academy.  Her eyes flashed to the window, where just on the horizon the first rays of dawn were rapid stretching from their slumber.  She gave an imperceptible hiss, and looked again at Hsiu’s trunk.

“He deserves it,” her mind snapped, and she reached down and gingerly, silently pulled out a dagger.  Its hilt was exquisite with a large ruby on the end, its blade silver etched with characters she could not recognize.  After a split second of thought, it was in her boot, as she swiftly made her exit..._



_Death is very loud,_ Felonca thought, as the rumbling, thundering noise assaulted her, flowed about her, seemingly through her.  _They always said that to rest with the ancestors would be a peaceful repose...wait..._  The thundering rose slowly separated itself, the continuous rumble now dividing into individual thumps.  After another moment, Felonca realized it was her heart.

“GAH!” she gasped, eyes flashing open to a blinding light.  For a few seconds she was disoriented, a world of light and sound assaulting her senses, before her mind was able to organize them into sights and sounds.

Nayu was mere inches away, relieved panic plainly on his face.  She felt his hand fiercely gripping hers, as a brother would protecting his sister.

“You were just within my help, young one.  You are very fortunate,” came the whispery, mysterious voice the party had heard only the day earlier.  She turned, and found herself looking into the dark hood of the antlered druid.  

It was then that she realized she was breathing.  There was no pain, there was no screaming fires within her chest.  Giddily, she looked down, and watched her chest rise and fall a few times.  No pain.

“YES!” she suddenly was up, and without thinking did a backflip of joy.  After she landed, she started to run in circles around the party, laughing and cheering.



“Woah!” Chou cried, barely dodging the hyper and ecstatic Felonca.  “Watch out, I think her kick might’ve caused some pain if she’d hit!”

“Crazy as ever,” Nayu grinned, his eyes flooding with happiness.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Xianlung*

Nayu gave a wince, but tried not to show his grimace.  He looked back, and saw Chou was even less diplomatic... the soldier had both of his covering his ears.  Liu, to Nayu’s chagrin, was riding blithely along, as if there was nothing wrong.  Silently, Nayu wished for that kind of patience and concentration as his eyes looked to his right, at the source of their discomfort.

Unperturbed, Felonca continued to sing beyond her vocal range, a radiant smile beaming from her face as they cantered along the main road to Xianlung.  Nayu held back another wince as her improvisation song and rhyme continued.

_ “I’m happy I’m alive,
Its such a great vibe,
Better than the ride
That hurts my backside,
But it hurts ‘cause I’m alive!”_

“Make it stop,” Chou groaned. 

“She’s happy.  Let her be,” Nayu replied.  _I’d be giddy and singing if I’d cheated death like that too!_

“But she’s been like this for _two entire days!_” Chou moaned, as another refrain began to assault the air.  Felonca was still singing happily, oblivious to the comment.

“She’ll stop once we reach Xianlung,” Nayu assured, wincing as she hit a very high, very flat C.  _If not, someone alongside the street will comment loud enough she will hear, and then we’ll have a mess..._  “If you don’t want to hear it anymore, you can scout the road out ahead, give us some heads up on anything.”

“Gladly,” Chou grumbled, spurring his horse ahead.

Singing grew old by the time Chou galloped into view a few hours later as the sun was starting to set.  Silently, Nayu thanked his ancestors as the singing changed to humming, and the gave a growl as he saw Chou’s frightened looking face.  

“The bridge is out ahead!  The prefect has people fixing it right now, but for the time being, we’re going to have to cross two days further south!”

_Two days... that’s not that bad.  I wonder why...

Oh._

Nayu remembered Chou had been one pushing for the group to just plunge ahead to Xianlung when Felonca was hurt, even after they’d figured out pushing that quickly would be cutting close.  If they’d pushed on ahead, only to find the bridge washed out...

Nayu shook his head, and smiled when Felonca gave a happy sigh and launched into another refrain.

_ “The setting sun is red,
Soon it will be time for bed,
I’m happy, it can be said,
After all, I’m not dead!”_



Some three days later, the party spied over a hillock the walls and pagoda towers of Xianlung.  Smoke from hundreds of chimneys rose lazily into the air, as the noises of the bustle of a large city echoed faintly in their ears.

“So... um... Xianlung is quite _big_,” Felonca said breathlessly.  _That’s the biggest city I’ve ever seen!_  She looked over at Nayu, who had a smile of memories on his face.

“There’s maybe 40,000 people in the city,” he said, before his eyes clouded a bit and his smile died suddenly.  “That’s what my father always said.”  

The look lasted only a few seconds, before Nayu suddenly shook his head.

“When we get inside, I’m going to the local scholar academy... they’ll likely be interested in many of the items we’ve... procured.  Like the claws from that undead creature we killed.”

“What use would those be, other than stinking up the place?” Chou grumbled.  They were packed on his horse, something the warrior had also complained frequently about.

“I have no doubt Nayu can get them to buy them.  After all, he’ll be trying to prove to us all how excellent a trader he is!”  Felonca chuckled.  _Scholars are always after weird things, which should make things easier for him... and maybe that’ll get his mind off of his parents..._

The city proved as impressive in Felonca’s mind as it initially looked.  Its streets were broad and smooth, and on all sides markets bustled and merchants hawked their wares.  Felonca’s wide eyes caught sight of strange colorful birds, monkeys, rare spices, gems, even a real tiger.  Just as they passed a fountain, its four dragons spitting water to the four winds, she heard a laugh from beside her.

“If you think this place is big... Mingzhong, the provincial capital is bigger,” Nayu grinned, reining up his horse.  “We’re here.”

Felonca’s eyes then looked to where Nayu gestured, and saw a massive, long building, easily taller than all those around it.  Its entrance was set thirty steps above the street, surrounded by gardens and trees.  From atop the structure hung several pennants:  one displayed the character for “knowledge.”  Another, “wisdom.”  The third displayed a character she recognized as a sound, but not a word.  “Hu.”

“Is Hu the surname of the governors of Langya?” Felonca asked, dismounting in awe.

“Yes,” Liu replied.  “Governor Hu Yuan, Prince of Langya.  He has been governor here for many years... he was governor when my father was born even.  A wise and virtuous man.”

“Well,” Nayu smiled, eyes gleaming from the potential to make a deal, “let’s hope his scholars are little less wise!”



“This... is most interesting, young man,” a silk clad elderly man said a little while later.  One hand carefully held a claw from the undead beast, while the other carefully stroked his long, snow white beard.  As he bowed his head to inspect the sharpness of the claw’s edge, his tall, thin head-dress flopped forward slightly.  After a few seconds, his head snapped up in decision.  “I think we might offer eight hundred taels of gold for this... artifact.”

Nayu’s frown became palpable.

“Eight hundred?  Most wise sage, there are mere _street hawkers_ outside who offered me fifteen hundred!” Nayu lied.  It wasn’t something he did often, but when he had to, he did it with panache.  

“No street vendor would _have_ the same resources as our,” the scholar waved his arm towards the roof of the chamber they were in, “esteemed, and most virtuous students of Master Kong-Shi.”  The boast was followed by a polite bow, but the scholar’s eyes watched Nayu the entire time.

And Nayu gave a sigh.

“Well, I would like to sincerely apologize for wasting your time,” Nayu gathered up the claws and other items.  “And mine as well.  I can see that for all your wisdom, you do not appreciate what these items are, or how much they would be worth.  I think that T’sao Yun the trader would understand their value more...”

“Wait.”  The words were forced, and when Nayu turned around, suppressing a grin, it was clearly evident that that scholar did not want to pay the price.  He was backed into a corner, however, and Nayu grinned as he watched a surrender.



“You’re _really_ good!” Felonca laughed twenty minutes later, as she and Nayu left the Scholar’s Academy, several thousand gold taels richer.  “Remind me never to buy anything from you!”

“Ah... your a friend, you’d get a discount,” Nayu waved off her statement, before grinning again.  “Now, let’s sell the rest of this.  I don’t think the scholar’s would have let us leave if they knew we had _twelve_ of these claws instead of nine!”

“You really expect that there’ll be some traders here that will buy them?”

“Maybe,” Nayu mounted his horse, and after a moment, the two were heading towards another market in the city.  “T’sao Yun might be interested... My hopes aren’t high, but I think he still has an item that might help me some...well, two actually.”

“Like what?”

“Well, one, the last time my father took me here, he had a small choker, very beautiful, inlaid with diamonds and gold.  More than looking pretty, however, it also has a little magic in it to help me be more persuasive.”

“You?  _More_ persuasive?  Why do you need to be more persuasive?  The way you verbally manhandled that scholar, the paragon of knowledge and wisdom these days, I’m guessing you could talk the Emperor himself into running through the streets naked!”  Felonca laughed.  

“I’d rather that than accidentally run into my verbal match with no backup plans,” Nayu grunted, as Felonca laughed even more.

“A verbal match?  Ha!  I don’t think such a person exists!” She laughed more, before calming down enough to ask what the other thing T’sao Yun had that interested Nayu.

“Well... he also knows people that can put magic into weapons, for far cheaper than asking the prefect or one of the schol...”

“HE DOES?!?” Felonca asked, mouth agape.  Her eyes flashed down, and suddenly her two warfans were in her hands, and she waved them about excitedly.  “He can put some magic in these?”

It was Nayu’s turn to laugh.  “Yes... almost whatever you want, so long as you have the taels.  Whether you want your faces to be coated in ice to keep you cold on a hot summers day, or to give off a fresh smell ever time they’re waved...”

“Great!  Let’s go!” Felonca spurred her horse to a gallop in the crowded street, scaring pedestrians.  Nayu gave a low grunt of, “Oh no... here we go,” before spurring himself after her.



“Now, let me do the talking,” Nayu cautioned a few minutes later, as the two stood outside a rather large tent in the midst of the main bazaar.  “Master T’sao can be an old curmudgeon, but he’s fair.”

Felonca gave a sigh.  _I really want to help out!  I want to get some magic in my warfans!_  Impatiently, she stood outside the tent, listening to murmurs, grunts, and muffled complaints by Nayu and another deep voice.

“...I cannot pay more than nine hundred for each of these...”

_Hmmm... what’s in these other tents?_ Felonca thought, looking at the other tents around the bazaar.  Gingerly, she wandered over to the one next to T’saos, and poked her head inside.  Before her eyes was a tent full of claws and bones, an old man on the far side hawking the benefits of ground tiger teeth as an aphrodisiac, and powdered beaver skull as an elixir to cure headaches.

_There’s at least another person who’d like some bones, I bet!  Let’s see if there are any more..._

Quickly she went from tent to nearby tent, looking in, and saw a great many of them had bones of various kinds... and an idea started to grow in her head.

“...the scholars paid fifteen hundred!  If you want, I can just go back to them...” she heard Nayu complain, his voice now loud and possibly angry.

“...just go on.  They won’t have a choker like mine, and they’ll overcharge on the weapons...” another voice replied matter-of-factly, but also with an edge of anger.



“No they won’t!” Nayu growled, anger now flashing in his eyes.  Anger at T’sao for being an unmovable, stubborn man, and anger at himself for not being able to move the old man from his position.  “They’re good, honest folk, that’ll pay fair price!”

“Young whelp,” the old man smiled, with the same damningly calm, toothy smile he’d kept for the past half hour, “they’re in the same business as me.  Get their stuff as cheaply as possible, and I perfectly well think you’re lying.   They didn’t pay you no fifteen hundred gold for each claw.  You know it, and I...”

The monologue stopped suddenly, as both T’sao and Nayu heard a voice outside, high pitched, hawking.

“Undead beast claws!  Right here!  Rare, from the woods north of here, from a beast thrice the size of a horse!  Right here!  Asking price, two thousand gold per claw!  Who knows what wonders they might contain, what ailments they might cure!  Stankh claws, right here!”

_Oh gods and ancestors, please tell me she’s not..._ Nayu started to complain, until he and T’sao peered outside the tent.

Felonca sat on her horse, Nayu’s steed at her side.  Around them was clustered a large mass of people, many of them traders from the surrounding tents, yelling, shouting offering gold and in a few cases, platinum taels.  Felonca momentarily caught Nayu’s gaze, and gingerly she moved the horses closer to Nayu.

“Hey Felonca!” Nayu called cheerily, his own mind realizing what she’d done.  “How goes it, what’s the asking price now?”

“Well, there’s a plump old woman here named Urihu that wants to give twelve hundred gold per claw!” Felonca pointed. 

“I’ll pay eighteen!” T’sao suddenly jumped in, his eyes glaring at the woman Felonca pointed out.  Immediately, the woman spat back she’d pay nineteen hundred, just to make sure that T’sao didn’t get his hands on them.

“Two thousand!” T’sao shouted at Urihu, “and I’ll give you two the choker for free!”



“Well, now that that chaos is over, where to now?” Felonca asked a few hours later, running her hands over her warfans.  The air around the two weapons seemed different, almost as if it were pulsing.  “Oh, and the choker looks very nice on you... be careful, someone engaged in my field will try to liberate it from you I bet!”

“Eh, if they try, they’ll get a morningstar filled with my spells to urge them to leave!” Nayu laughed, before his face became serious again.  “As for our course... we should press to Mingzhong.  The governor is there, and at the least, he must know of what is going on to the north.  And...”

“...he might know where your family is,” Felonca finished.  “I’ll go fetch Chou and Liu.”


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

Time for questions from fans.   
What happened to Chou's father? Did I miss a key scene or did he just cease to be mentioned after a point?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Oh, I like audience questions.  

Well, Captain Li is still being carted around, bound and gagged, so he hasn’t figured into much anything yet... so I sorta forgot him in my notes even up till this point.

On that note, tomorrow I’m leaving for winter break, so there won’t be any updates until after the first.  Happy Holidays, everyone!

And now, the start of the third session.

==========================================

*A Message*

“Can’t leave yet.”

“What? Why?” Nayu asked quietly as he finished a cup of steamed wine. “Is that why you’re so late getting back?”  Outside, the lack of shadows spoke that it was already noon, nearly two hours after Felonca was supposed to return. 

The panther hengeyokai looked about, and flagged down a waiter as well to get herself a cup.

“Well, Liu is still with his brothers in faith... they’re talking in low voices about something or other, they seemed kinda upset when I barged in,” Felonca rolled her eyes slightly.  “That, and Chou right now is drunk out of his mind, laying up in the Inn of Bountiful Harvests, by the northern gate.  His father was there as well, we talked for a bit, that’s why I’m late.  Oh, and I bought something too!”

“You _ungagged_ him?”  Nayu’s voice was suddenly dark, and she could see fury playing just within the edges of his eyes... none of which disturbed Felonca whatsoever.

“Yeah, yeah, I did,” she waved off his anger.  “Man’s been bound save for eating some time now.  And he has been behaving well.  Anyways, look at my hair!”  She motioned towards the mop of black on her head, now held in a bun by three rather well made sticks.  “Aren’t they lovely?  Cost me 50 gold to get them!”

Her impish reply deflated Nayu’s anger, and she silently thanked her ancestors the little idea had worked. 

“That’s... rather expensive for what looks to be a triplet of ornate chopsticks.  Any particular reason?” he groaned, going along with her excitement unwillingly.

“Some.  They might come in handy,” Felonca gave a broad grin of _”I know a secret!”_ before looking outside at the chaos of the city traffic.  “I say we head to the Bountiful Harvest, and get some rooms.”  She watched Nayu stiffen a bit, before gently adding, “One more day, that’s all... whatever Liu was busy with seemed important, and when Chou I imagine is _very_ grumpy when hungover... its best to just let him sleep it off.”

Nayu gave a grunt of defeat, and the two left for the inn.




_Ah... feather mattresses and goosedown pillows are the best inventions of all time!_ Felonca snuggled into their softness, relaxing and stretching for sleep for only the second time in some weeks.  Her eyes opened briefly, as she took in the moonlight coming through the windows of the Bountiful Harvest.

_Nayu’s probably fidgety... I bet he’ll wake everyone up early tomorrow... I hope the runner got the message to Liu, otherwise we’ll have to find him tomorrow and Nayu will be even more cross..._

Sleep gently took her away, to world that existed only three months before.  In its deep mists, Felonca saw faces, swishing flashing in front of her eyes.  Her father, tall, stern and commanding, the front hairs of his muzzle starting to turn gray.  His deep voice, proud and powerful, wishing her the blessings of her ancestors as she left for the Academy.

As his hand gestured to the outside of her house, the mists of her dreamworld parted, revealing the Academy, its squat sandstone and brick structure blazing red in the sun, only steps away.

“Wa-Feng Felonca!” a sharp, thundering voice barked.  A shadow, and fear raced through Felonca’s mind.  A hulking, powerful shape blotting out the sun, casting her into the darkness.  The same green eyes that for ten years had followed and cursed her throughout the Academy, their cat-like pupils narrowing into slits.  Master Hsiu’ massive, nine foot tall frame bristled, the orange and blacked stripes on his hengeyokai fur standing on end.

Just as quickly, the apparition seemed to vanish, and she found herself at archery practice...  A white wolf hengeyokai stood beside her, his eyes dangerous, his form towering, hulking, massive.

“My clan will end yours, Wa-Feng,” he sneered, Felonca’s family name coming out as if it was a curse.  “Bai-Long shall crush your piting ‘Black Fangs,’ to pieces, you stupid little girl!”

Felonca’s mind remembered the anger she felt at that statement.  _The White Wolf Clan will never end us!  They are thieves, robbers, and scoundrels!  No more!_  She remembered hot and angry words coming to her mouth, her blood rushing in her veins as she prepared to wipe the sneer off of Bai-Long Mao’s white haired face.

“Your clan is nothing!  The White Wolf Clan is nothing more than a bunch of cowardly thieves, who use night and bribery where _real_ warriors would rely on their steel, brains and courage!” she snapped back.  “You are nothing but a bunch of murdering cowards!”

The wolf turned completely to face her, his eyes furious.

“If we are such ‘cowardly murderers,’ why are our clans services in use by most of the courtiers and nobles within the Empire?  And why, oh miss bravery, miss ignorance, miss wooden fool, is your clan’s services so... lacking in need?”

“My clan was a clan of warriors!  A clan of leaders in battle!  My grandfather led 10,000 of the Imperial troops at the Great Battle of the Sands!  My father fought off a thousand Kara Kitai tribesmen with only a company of 50 men!” she protested, hot anger causing tears to start to form in her eyes.  “The Black Fang have always been a proud clan of warriors!”

“Yet you, boastful one, despite being the most senior cadet here by many years, have yet to lead morning drill practice!  You are weak, you stupid cat!  Your clan is weak too!  No one needs soldiers!  They only need us... and we make soldiers die in their sleep!”

“Bai-Long!  Wa-Feng!  You are excused from archery.” a high, nasally voice droned from seemingly inside her head.  Her dream spun around, and she found herself confronting a familiar, comforting face.

Master Quan-Shi was a rare weasel hengeyokai... and even rarer still, he was an expert in the ways of war.  A bowman extraordinaire, according to legend it was Quan-Shi’s quick bow some twenty years before that had saved the Emperor’s uncle in a battle with the desert tribes of the north.  Now, he taught others the skills of archery, and had risen to a high place amongst the instructors of the Academy.  The only reason he wasn’t second to Master Hsiu himself was due to some unknown but virulent disagreements between the two.

“You’re lucky, Wa-Feng,” Mao’s icy blue eyes bore deep into Felonca’s mind as he hissed.  “If Master Quan-Shi hadn’t come, I’d ripped you right to shreds... just like how oneday I and my clan will shred apart your mother, your father...”

Felonca felt once again her claws extend, and felt the anger coursing through her body, writhing, growing more and more as the wolf hengeyokai continued his rant.  Echoes of her parents voices ran rampant, but just as she was about to swing at him, she knew Master Quan-Shi was behind her.

“YOU ARE DISMISSED, BAI-LONG MAO!” his voice gave a rare bark, with enough vehemence and command that even the powerful wolf jumped back slightly.  The eyes looked at Quan-Shi fearfully, before giving a final sneer at Felonca.

Felonca, hot tears streaming down her face, turned to leave as well, before the high, nasally voice, still sharp with command, called out.

“You wait a moment, Wa-Feng!”

Slowly she turned, dropping to one knee, the standard sign of respect for one of the Masters.  

“Master Quan-Shi.  I apologize for my...”

“Wa-Feng Felonca,” the voice said, much softer and quieter.  “You are a brave girl, but a foolish one as well.  Mao could have torn you to pieces in a fight, and... to be honest, you do not have the skills yet without weapons to have resisted him.  You must learn to walk away from such a contest, avoid such a fight, until you have the resources to gain victory.”  The weasel’s dark eyes belied concern for his student, even as he folded his arms.  “You are proud and headstrong, Felonca... you must learn to harness those energies to make yourself stronger, faster and better.  You are a gifted student, you merely need focus.”

The voice was silent momentarily, before it returned, sharpness back within its depths.

“Wa-Feng Felonca!  You, as well as Bai-Long Mao, will report to Master Hsiu for disciplining.  On the battlefield, you will have to act as one, regardless of personal likes and dislikes.  Dissention within the ranks cannot be permitted!”  Even as he barked the orders, Felonca could see concern, and perhaps even regret in his eyes.  

_Quan-Shi cared, at least... cared enough to treat me like a person... unlike Master Hsiu, Bai-Long, or most of the other students..._

Dread filled the young hengeyokai’s heart.  In her previous ten years, it had become apparent that Master Hsiu himself had taken a personal disliking to her... and disliking that resulted in lashings every time trouble occurred.  Her mind wrapped around the idea of the whip cutting open her back.

And with a gasp, she awoke.

The same soft moonlight petered through the windows of the inn, and the noise of singing and carousing from downstairs had died away, only to be replaced by...

_What’s that?_  Her sensitive hearing caused her to snap upright, as faint scratches and patter lessened into nothing.  With a leap, she landed silently beside her warfans, and clasped them within her grasp.  A second later, she was by the door, carefully waiting and ready.  Slowly, cautiously, she opened the door a crack, just wide enough an eye could see out.  Another hand reached up, and pulled one of the “chopsticks” down.  Her blood was rushing so hard that the hand clasping the weapon trembled.

Nothing.

She sniffed the air, and smelled something familiar... something strange.  Squirrel.

_Nixu!_ her mind jumped, remembering the young hengeyokai that had run away from her before her injury.  _Why was Nixu here?  He could be in..._

Her start into the hallway was interrupted when she her silk rustle beneath her feet.  She looked down, and saw what looked be a silk bag, holding something.  Carefully, she reached down, and opened up the bag, revealing a necklace with several large, blue stones... not gems, but nonetheless beautiful in a haunting and strange way.

That, however, was not what drew Felonca’s attention the most.

The bag, itself, was a letter, written on fine silk parchment.  As she read the contents, Felonca’s eyes grew wider and wider...


_Felonca,

You were always one of my brightest pupils, but sadly also among the most rash.  Why did you leave the school?  You were clearly bright and apt at the arts of war.  Hsiu was so furious at you he took most of his good warriors to run you down.

I expose myself to great risk by sending this message to you:  Beware.  Hsiu has gone so far as to hire White Wolf Clan members to hunt you down.  I do not need to tell you of their skills.  You are very bright, young Felonca... do not let your skills go for nought._

At the bottom, was the stamp of the only one of the school Master’s that cared about her...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

I’m back... and now, for more updates!

*The Prince of Langya*


Nayu giggled.

Madame Cixi also laughed as the small red and green lizard crawled over Nayu’s squirming hands, its colors then suddenly oscillating to the color of his flesh.  It then stopped, its tongue flickering, searching the air as its legs tickled his skin.

“Its from far to the south, young Nayu, from the lands of Chosun,” Cixi continued, her voice old but still smooth.  She leaned over and petted the astounded young boy’s head.  “A trader brought it unwittingly in his goods... he wanted it gotten rid of, and I guessed that you’d love to see it!”

“It’s beautiful, Madame Cixi,” Nayu smiled, the small creature climbing up his arm again.  “I’m going to name him Kenzi!” he announced loudly and proudly, his five year old arms whirling the lizard around, “and he’ll be my pet forever and ever!”

As he whirled about the market square with his new pet, the sounds of the bazaar filled the air around him.  Someone arguing with Zhiang the butcher about a pound of meat.  Lu Gi the stablemaster attempting to corral his horses.

And a weird, strange thumping noise.  It started quietly, but rose in volume and frequency suddenly.  Nayu looked about, his five year old ears recognizing the sound of someone at a door, knocking.  But there was no one around him knocking on any doors.

_That’s really odd...  and there’s something by my head...hmm...what?  Wait... huh?_

Nayu’s tired and bleary eyes opened, and to his momentary confusion, he was greeted not with the light and sounds of a bazaar, but the darkness of a room in a quiet inn, save for the incessant pounding on a door.

The door to his room.

“Who in the...” Nayu grumbled, feeling Kenzi skitter away towards his pack.  _I swear, if this isn’t an emergency, I don’t care who this is, I will beat them silly!  I swear..._  Carefully, the young sorcerer stumbled onto the floor, and somehow crept over Liu and Chou’s still sleeping forms.

“It is your friend,” Captain Li’s voice whispered quietly in the darkness.  “She has been calling for you for the past few minutes.  I did not reply, as I did not know if you wanted to be awoken or not.”

_How the heck do I respond to that?  ‘Thanks, you rotten bastard?’_  Too much thought was required to think on an appropriate verbal reply, so Nayu settled on a grunt of acknowledgement to the man in the darkness, whose hands were still bound.  A part of Nayu’s mind actually thought of releasing his bonds for a few moments in the morning... a merciful thought that was cut brutally short by Nayu’s memory, and the images of his parents.

“Nayu!” Felonca’s muffled and frightened voice came through the door.  “Hurry! Please!”

_Felonca’s frightened?  Of what?  This is the same girl that charged that undead creature when she had yellow mold disease... I think this might qualify as something of an emergency then...  dammit._

“Hold on,” Nayu grunted sleepily, making his way to the door and then cracking it open.  Before she could begin talking, he had already hissed out a shush.  “The others are sleeping.  What is it?”

At that moment, Felonca launched into a rapid, expressive, albeit quiet, explanation of the nights events, so quick that Nayu had trouble following.  “...andtheniopenedthedoorand Isawanotebutitwasfrommyoldmaster...”

“Felonca, slow down,” Nayu gripped her shoulders, while trying to rouse his sleepy brain.  “I can’t understand talking that fast at this hour, or any hour.  Take a deep breath, calm down, and please...tell...me...slowly.”

Felonca closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath.  Using all her willpower, she then explained rather calmly about the letter, and who it was from... as well as its portents of doom.

“The White Wolf Clan is after me, Nayu!  They’re the best assassins in the entire region!  We need to _go_, and get out of here!  Now!” she tugged at his nightshirt, pulling him into the hallway.

Nayu’s brain registered the warning, but his body still screamed for rest.  For a longing second, he looked back to his bed, before forcing himself to look at Felonca again.

“Do they know you are here?” Nayu asked, his voice slow with concentration.

“No, but if Master Quan-Shi was able to find me, they could too!” Felonca moaned.  

“Well... if he knows your here, he’s not likely to tell them, now is he?”  Nayu muttered in half-sleep logic.  “It would be riskier to go now and risk ambush on the road,” he muttered on, his brain congratulating itself for that little coup of possible real logic, “so I say we stay here... and I think the sleeping people would agree with me.”

“The young man has a point,” Li’s voice came through the darkness.  Nayu was not too tired to scowl.

“Well... can... can I sleep here then?” Felonca gave a mix of a sigh and a whimper.

“I suppose, but I’m not going on any kind of watch.  We’re fine here,” Nayu replied with a yawn.  “Bring your pallet over here... there’s room for you behind Chou.”

Within a few minutes, Nayu was sleeping peacefully, while Felonca sat huddled in a corner, her eyes fearfully looking at the doors and windows.



“I told you things would be fine,” Nayu grinned some hours later as Xianlung faded into the distance behind the party.

“Meh,” Felonca grunted, her mind caught halfway between the world of sleep, and the hyperactive world of alertness.  _Must look for danger!  Must look for danger!_ one part of her mind screamed, just as the other half of her mind screamed that it needed sleep immediately.  The result of the two combined was Felonca reeling in her saddle at times as she tried to look around.  A passerby could have easily taken her for being drunk.

“No White Wolves in Xianlung, and I highly doubt there’ll be any in Mingzhong,” Nayu continued matter of factly.  “Besides, once we tell the Governor of Langya what is going on, I bet you won’t have to worry about any assassins anymore!”

“And if they try to attack you, they’ll have to come through my sword, Liu’s fists, and...” Chou started heroically from just behind Felonca, only to end feebly, “...perhaps my...”

“No.”  The statement from Nayu was sharp, definitive and commanding.

“Nayu.  Please, for the old man’s sake, let him be untied for a bit,” Liu spoke.  “He’s be tied up for well close to several weeks, save the few breaks during the night when I let him loose.”

“_You what?!_”

As the furious ‘discussion’ rose in volume and temper, Felonca’s mind began to wander.

_Nayu is still angry at Chou’s father... but Li could be helpful... another blade is never a bad thing, especially against assassins like the White Wolf..._

...but now he probably hates Nayu, and if those two were ever left alone...

No.  Nayu’s right.  It’s for the best if Captain Li is kept tied up.  The Governor of Langya will know what to do with him.  Maybe, the Governor will release him to us, and we can use his sword...[/i]

Felonca’s worn eyes then swiveled up the road, and suddenly she wasn’t tired anymore.  

“GUYS!” she yelled yanking her horse immediately off the road into a small copse of trees.  As she reined up, she heard hoofbeats halting behind her, and confused questions beginning.

“What was it, Felonca?” Nayu asked, worry in his voice as he, too, beheld the large column of dust up the road, radiant brown and orange in the noonday sun. 

“I don’t know,” Chou replied, his eyes locked on the dust cloud as well.  A dull _shing_ echoed as he drew his blade, “but I don’t like it.  And I think from the size of that thing that an extra blade would be good.”  Now the warrior’s eyes looked directly at Nayu, whose frame suddenly stiffened as he stared directly back at the fighter.

“I can fight!” Li said, wiggling at his bonds.  “Let me free, let me repay you in what way I can.  Let me regain what honor I have lost!”

“Honor?!  What honor, you lazy-eyed scoundrel!?” Nayu shot back.

“Hey now!” Chou suddenly jumped between Nayu and his father, his eyes blazing towards the sorcerer.

The argument once again receded in Felonca’s ears as she shifted into hybrid form and crept away, towards the cloud.  _Silent, swift, and deadly,_ her mind thought as she slinked closer, trying to find out what it was exactly that was headed in their direction.  _I’d rather be that than loud, angry, and thick-headed._



“Honor?  You want to talk about _honor?_” Nayu hissed, not paying the least attention to the large armored man between him and Captain Li.  “What honor was there in leading us to our doom?  What honor is there in ordering the massacre of a village?  What honor is there...”

“HE DIDN’T BURN DOWN RED LOTUS!” Liu’s voice suddenly leapt above all, its sharp rebuke snapping through Nayu like a whip.  Instantly, Nayu stopped in midsentence, his eyes wide as he looked at the monk that had so often been so calm.  No more. 

“Captain Li was taking orders, from the Governor in Mukden!  _He_ is your enemy!  _He_ is the one that ordered our deaths, and ordered the destruction of Red Lotus and the other villages!  Captain Li was merely following orders, orders that he disobeyed because he _didn’t want to kill us!_”

“So, leading us off into the desert to die is better than just cutting our heads off himself!?” Nayu shot back, not caring the monk was upset.  “So he’s not only a murdering scoundrel, but a coward too!”

“Nayu,” Liu shook his head, placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder, “we have many enemies in this world.  We need as many blades as we can get.  If Felonca is right, and the White Wolf Clan are after _her_, that likely means they are after _us_ as well.  Not to mention the Governor in Mukden, and his undead armies.”  Liu then paused, and stared into Nayu’s eyes, judging, weighing.  The calm had returned.

“Captain Li is skilled with a blade,” the monk continued after a moment, “and he has expressed as great a remorse as possible for what happened.  Let him fight beside us.  I shall take blame if he steps aside.”

“As will I!” Chou immediately volunteered.  “If my father tries to run off or hurt you, I’ll kill him myself!” the young man blustered, and Nayu winced.

_I doubt you would be able to do that,_ Nayu thought quietly.  _Few men can kill their own flesh and blood without thinking of it.  Yet you offer..._

“Fine,” Nayu sighed in defeat.  “Get his blade.”  As Chou yelped with joy and Liu went to the horses to fetch the arms, Nayu’s eyes turned to the old man.

_I will be watching you.  Like a hawk.  And if you step even slightly out of line...

...I will kill you._



Nayu was still angrily miffed when a scurry told him that Felonca had crept back to their little makeshift camp.

“A column... a parade of some kind,” she said before he could even ask.  “Lots of soldiers, with a litter and eight bearers in the middle.  The soldiers all had red cloaks with a white circle on the back.  Does that mean anyone in particular?”

_Could it be him?  No... why would he be headed AWAY from Mingzhong!_

“Those... those are the symbols of the Hu family, the governors of Langya,” Nayu said slowly, his mind working.  “I don’t know why he’d be headed away from the capital at Mingzhong though.”  _Something’s not right here!_

“Shouldn’t we step out onto the road to meet him?” Nayu heard Li ask, the old man jingling slightly as he walked about in his armor for the first time in weeks.

“No... something’s not right here, I don’t know what.”  Nayu furrowed his brow, trying to think why the governor would be leaving his post as the noise of hoofbeats and feet trodding up the dusty road started to rumble louder and louder.

“Fine... everyone down!” Felonca hissed, and jingles of armor died away just as the first part of the column rounded the bend into view.

At the lead were two soldiers, armed with halberds and covered in gilt scale armor.  Their eyes roamed about, looking, searching for danger.  Instinctively Nayu shrunk closer to the ground, hoping their eyes would miss him, when he heard it.

The cough was quiet, weak, and Chou had tried hard to cover it up.  Immediately, however, the two soldiers suddenly scowled in the group’s direction, and reined up their horses.  One snatched out a large bow and notched an arrow, while the other trotted closer and closer.

“Come out!  We know you are there!” he bellowed, his halberd waving in the air menacingly.  “Get out here you scum before we run you through!”  Nayu crouched even lower, the smell of horse and rider overwhelming his nose, before he felt a sudden rough push from behind.  His mind had only a moment to realize he was lucky that the soldier hadn’t struck him with the sharpened edge of the blade, before he tumbled into the road, landing with a crunch.  He wanted to yell, but there was no breath in his lungs.

“Aha!  You rotten rascal!” the soldier bellowed, the halberd’s sharp blade merely inches from Nayu’s neck.  “Planning an ambush, weren’t you?  Well, no one will be attacking us today!  Call your friends out, or I’ll cut your throat!”

“Nayu!”  The young sorcerer heard running, and the sudden absence of the halberd’s cold touch told him that Felonca must have dashed out from cover.  Her rapid footsteps suddenly stopped, as the noise of more horses thundering close, along with running feet washed by.  Carefully, Nayu rolled himself over, in time to see eight pairs of sandaled feet, a waft of perfume coming from them.  

“What is the trouble?” a voice from somewhere above asked.  The voice was young, but deep.  _That’s not the Governor of Langya!  He is an old man!_

“Bandits!” he heard the soldier’s voice spit.  “They were likely planning to ambush Your Excellency, loot your treasures, and hold you for ransom!  I can gut them all right now, if you wish!”

“Yes, Your Excellency, execution is what the law calls for!”  This voice was different.  High and tinny, its nasal twang spoke of someone from the far south... like the capital of Ak Konylu.

“Excellency,” Nayu whispered.  Only now was the pain from the soldier’s blow starting to register.  “I am a trader, from the north...”

His explanation was cut short, as another pair of feet seemed to step straight out of the sky into his view.  Belatedly his mind realized the litter had stopped right in front of him, and he looked up.

And saw his own face looking back at him.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Trading Places*

“Who are you?”

Two voices asked the same question, each with the same inflection, their faces with the same look of puzzlement.  One looked up from a road of dust, his cloak now a light brown from the dirt, while the other looked down, clad in bright blue silken robes, giltwork on their large, flowing sleeves.

_What the?_ Felonca asked, her face in astonishment.  _It’s almost as if Nayu had a lost twin brother._

“We are not assassins!  We’ve come to warn of great danger to the north!” Felonca suddenly blurted out.  _He’s in expensive robes, and Nayu said those flags are the symbol of the Hu family.  He’s probably someone important!  And by the looks on the guards faces, if we don’t give an explanation soon, there could be trouble!_  She immediately dropped onto her knees and performed a kow-tow.  “The Military Governor of the Borderlands is amassing an army!  He means to destroy these lands!”  

She felt two hands suddenly touch her arms, and pull her up.  The tall young man looked down at her, and gave a reassuring smile.

“That’s not neccessary.  Please,” a hand motioned for her to move beside Nayu, who was slowly rising from the ground as well.  “If I can be of service, I will help as much as possible.  My name is Hu Shikai, I am the son of the Governor and Prince of Langya.”



It took the party some time to spill their story to the stranger.  Unfortunately, it took him a mere second to dash their hopes for immediate help.

“Hai,” he sighed, looking down, dark concern filling his face.  “I... wish I could help right away, but sadly, there is pressing business I must attend to.”

“_Pressing business?_” Nayu asked sharply, forgetting his place.  Remembering he was talking to a prince, Nayu suddenly flushed, and gave a hurried bow.  “Excuse my anger, Excellency, but what, may I ask, can be more important than an army of unholy creatures threatening your northern borders?”  _And what could be more important that helping me locate my parents!?_

The young man’s face turned, twisted with a pained expression.

“The funeral of my father, sir,” Prince Shikai said softly.  “The Governor passed last night in his sleep, and the funeral is tomorrow.  Until I have been blessed and consecrated as the new governor of Langya, I can do nothing other than offer you the assurance that once I _do_ become governor, that this matter will be dealt with immediate and forceful action.”

Nayu suddenly frowned, a wrinkle in his brain telling him something wasn’t right.  For a second, he held his tongue, fearful that more questions might make the prince think him impudent.  The restraints lasted only a few moments.  Just before Nayu opened his mouth, his diplomatic side forced him to bow his head, in an attempt to soften the next probing question.

“I am aggrieved to hear of that, Your Excellency.  However, this young servant’s mind is perplexed. Your Excellency, if your illustrious father has passed, why, may I ask, are you riding away from Mingzhong?  Surely the funeral for the governor would be held within the walls of the capital city...”

To Nayu’s surprise, the young man’s face changed as suddenly as the wind, a slight smile on his lips.

“You are a very observant man.”  The Prince’s flowing robes fluttered in the wind as he approached very close to Nayu, gripping both of the sorcerer’s shoulders.  “I may have some use for you, if you would care to hear it.”

_Some use for me?  That sounds ominous...  and the way his face changed so suddenly.  No man who is really grieving for his father would smile so quickly after his father’s demise._  “What might this humble servant do for Your Excellency?”

“I...have business to attend to in Xianlung, which means I will not be able to attend my father’s funeral.  I need someone to go in my stead, as it would be disrespectful to my father’s memory if his youngest son was to not attend his memorial.”  

Nayu’s eyes went wide, his suspicions growing larger.  _Is he offering for me to take his place for a day?  Why?  Something is most definitely wrong here._  Nayu knew better than to ask what would keep him from his father’s funeral, but Felonca wasn’t.  Nayu immediately scowled at her after her impertinent question.  The young man, however, merely gave her a smile.

“Business, as I said.  If you,” he turned back to Nayu, “would be willing to take my place at my father’s funeral, I would be willing to compensate you and your friends handsomely.”

_How handsomely?  How handsomely to take your place in what will likely be a dangerous place?  What is this business...

...someone is probably trying to kill him._ Nayu realized.  His eyes and raised eyebrow asked the question for him.  The Prince cleared his throat.

“I would make it worth your while by paying you four thousand gold taels.”  Nayu’s eyes remained locked with those of the prince, and the sorcerer crossed his arms even as Felonca let out a slight whistle.

“And,” the prince added with a smile, “I will do my utmost to find where your parents are at, and to ensure they are safe and sound.”  This time, it was Nayu’s mouth that opened slightly.

“What all would be involved in this... charade, Excellency?” Nayu asked guardedly.  _I can’t let him use them to box me into something!_ he shook his mind.

“Nothing out of somewhat tedious ceremony,” the prince replied.  “Knowing when to offer blessings to the winds, blessings to the sky, to the sea, to Heaven and to Earth.  Knowing when to bow and when to kow-tow.  Oh, and also knowing how to act around certain people.”

“Such as?”  _He’s got you Nayu.  Admit it._ Nayu’s mind realized.

“Considering I just returned from exile with my mother, it would be wise to act unfriendly to my older brother, Hu Mang, as he was the one who tricked my father into exiling me in the first place.”  For a second, the Prince’s eyes looked off into the distance, a sharp, angry glare at the center of their gaze.  The icy tension in the air ease, as the Prince turned back to Nayu, and gave another smile.  “Should you wish, I could send along a one of my court scholar’s to train you in the ways of proper decorum, and how to act around certain people.”

“Agreed,” Nayu said solemnly.  _I’m not doing this for the money, but for Mom and Dad!_

“Excellent!” the Prince beamed.



“What exactly have you gotten yourself into?” Felonca asked worriedly as the column receded into the distance.  Before Nayu could reply, a high, nasally voice interceded.

“What has _he_ gotten himself into?  You mean what have _I_ gotten _myself_ into, young peasant!  I am a scholar, a clerk of the court, yet my master has seen fit to assign me to educate you... ruffians!”  A pair of beady black eyes looked down a long thin nose at Nayu, Felonca, and the others.  “Bah!  I do not know what sin I committed in the eyes of my princely master to be placed in this lot!”

The fretting ended with a deep breath, and the scholar, his long, thin fingers continually running over his equally luxurious, elegantly trimmed beard, began his work.

“For you to pass as a member of the court, let alone a prince of the court of Langya, you must give off an air of grace, an air of elegance, an air of civility.”  He backed away from Nayu, before shaking his head in disdain.  “I see you clearly lack these three things, just from one look.  We will have to rectify this.”

_Oh no... we have to deal with him too?_  Felonca rolled her eyes at the elaborately clad scholar, his tall thin headdress blowing slightly in the breeze.  “If it helps any, you’re more attuned to civilization than I am, Nayu.”  The reassurance caused Nayu to stifle a giggle, and a huff to come from somewhere behind Felonca.

“No!  He needs to pay attention!” she felt thin fingers and weak hands grab her shoulder and insistently push her to the side.  She stepped aside, her eyes wide with disbelief and fury.  She flicked her hybrid tail in annoyance as the blustery man walked up to Nayu, and began tsking.

“Deplorable.  Horrible,” he kept saying, walking around the young sorcerer, inspecting his clothes, his slight slouch.  “Stand up straight!” he barked.  When Nayu patently ignored him, he pulled out a riding crop and slapped him on the back with it.

“Stand up straight!”

With a growl, Felonca watched Nayu comply, her own anger and fury reflected in his own eyes.  She started to stalk over to the still fussing scholar, until she saw Nayu’s hand flash imperceptibly upwards.  She stopped, their eyes having a conversation that the tuttering fool wouldn’t let them have.

_If you need him thrashed, tell me,_ Felonca’s blazed.

“Naturally, you common peasants don’t understand the need for proper attire, attire that pleases the eye, the harmony of nature, and the _dao_,” the scholar added with a growl.  “Such dirty leathers, smelly wool, that does not of this!  Now... young man.  Walk forward.”

Nayu gave a look of distaste, and complied, a move that sparked even more tsking and huffing.

“You walk like a peasant.  Your arms must _flow_!  You must be as water, flowing through the air effortlessly as a stream passes a rock!” the scholar scolded.

“It’s going to be a long three days,” Nayu sighed.


----------



## TDRandall

Ah, what an excellent "welcome back" from vacation.  TWO updates of this wonderful story.  

Valerian, you're writing has quite a panache, to draw me in so completely each time.  

Looking forward to more!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*A Scholar Learns His Place, and the Metropolis of Mingzhong*


Felonca gave a sigh of relief as she heard Nayu start to snore.  It was a soft, warbling kind of snore.  The first time she’d heard it, she’d giggled.  Now, she felt happy about it for a different reason.

_He’s finally asleep... and can rest from that man..._

Her brow furrowed, as her gaze then switched to the man sleeping nearby.  His silk pajamas, likely worth more than all of Felonca’s wordly possessions, reflected a soft pink in the firelight.  The mumbled in his dream, and then turned over on the soft down pillow that his head rested upon, and reshuffled haphazardly his deep, warm woolen covers.

_Poor Chou... the guy has to lug the scholar’s stuff on his back._

There had been several moments that night she’d wanted to smack the man.  Several times, after Nayu had been slow to react to his instruction, the scholar had smacked him.  His tone was harsh and overly intellectual... he constantly and smugly made references to things he knew none of the others would understand, and then smirk from his ivory tower of knowledge.

“_Wang_ Zhou Yi once said, ‘a man without restful sleep is a man vulnerable to his enemies.’ Oh!  None of you know who _Wang_ Zhou Yi was!  Oh, what a pity!” she remembered his nasally voice blaring only hours before.

_Two more days, that’s all..._ she thought, wishing that the walls of Mingzhong would move themselves closer.  She looked away from the fire, and off to the west, where somewhere in the distance, their destination sat.  She blinked.

And blinked again.

She’d only seen it for a moment, an outline of something.  Something human-like, two arms two legs, but also indistinct.  She remembered stories of how two hundred years before, when there was no Desert Wall far to the north, the barbarians of Kara Kitai had swept down on Langya and the northern parts of the Empire.  

_We might be in the midst of that great battlefield..._  She remembered her grandfather’s stories of his grandfather, Wu Feng Yu, a mere captain in the Emperor’s army, who saved the life of the great Emperor Li so long ago.  

_The spirits of the soldiers may still walk,_ she realized, the hair on the back of her neck prickling, standing on end.  She looked where she saw the shape, and unfocused her eyes.  An old trick she’d learned at the Academy.  In the dark, human eyes, and especially hengeyokai eyes, were adept at seeing movement, even better than shapes.  Her unfocused eyes immediately told her _something_ was there... and that it was moving.

“We’ve got a friend coming!” she called out, reaching for her warfans as the shape moved closer.  She then started making out it features... ancient armor rent in twain covered its chest, a peasant’s wide brimmed hat shading its eyes.  It shimmered and shook, its translucence glowing in the moonlight.  She heard muffled complaints from the party, and hushed movements of people donning armor, and Nayu’s voice starting a familiar whisper.

“What is the meaning of this!  Do you not know it is ruffianism to wake a gentleman who is comfortably aslee-”  The scholar’s protested died as a cold, gentle breeze stirred through the air.

Carefully, cautiously, Felonca moved towards the creature, her warfans wide and spread open.  The creature seemed to loom larger and larger as she approached, her guard up.  _Go away... go rest,_ she silently prayed.  _You should rest with your ancestors, there is no need to patrol here anymore._

The shimmering ghost seemed to stop, facing towards Felonca.  She heard Nayu’s voice suddenly rise, and a sharp word of power thunder through the air.  The night was suddenly lit by twin tongues of flame leaping from the young man’s fingers, licking and wreathing around the base of the ghost.  

A second later, she heard loud prayers coming from Liu, his voice directed at the creature  (_shout_).  With a flip and a slash, she was upon it, her warfans slicing through the air.  To her chagrin, the creature seemed to melt out of the way of her attacks.  For a second, it seemed to recede into the distance, as if running away.  However, she felt an immense cold to her front, and she suddenly realized the creature instead was charging her, deceiving her eyes through trickery.  A second later, it was upon her.

She felt no pain, nor anything trying to control her mind, steal her soul, or fill her with mutant fungus.  But she felt _cold_, as if the god of winter himself had reached from the heavens and grabbed her heart in his eternally icy grip.  She felt to the ground, her teeth chattering and her body shaking, trying to ward off the freezing feeling.  A second flash of flames from Nayu, passing only inches above her, did nothing for a few moments.

Slowly, she felt warmth return to her limbs.  Still shivering, she tried to turn to see what had become of the creature when she felt Nayu’s arms around her, and his shout at feeling how cold she was.

“Blankets!  Get her some blankets!” she heard Chou call as Nayu helped her sit up.  She suddenly felt something thick and warm about her, and looked down to see the scholar’s thick, woolen blanket wrapped around her by Chou’s big, clumsy fingers.

“Are you alright?” Nayu asked her, worry in his voice.

“But... but... that’s _my_ blanket!”  The scholar’s voice had returned with a vengeance.  “She cannot have my blanket!  That blanket was expensive!  Now it will have to be cleaned out!  I expect you shall cover this, and I’ll instruct my lord that he should deduct this from...”

“Deduct this!” Nayu snarled back, giving the man a rude gesture with his fingers.  The scholar gasped in horror at the crude comment Nayu’s hands had made, a noise that made Felonca give a shaky laugh.

“Brrr.... I wanted to do that all day,” she grinned, the chatter of her teeth dying down.



Sadly, the scholar’s disdain for Nayu and Felonca continued.  For the next two days, Felonca gritted her teeth and tried to pull a Liu, and completely ignore him.  Those 48 hours passed slowly, but finally, the gleaming red walls and towering pagodas and palaces of Mingzhong came into view.

“A bit silent, aren’t we?” Nayu asked a few hours later.  He was riding stiffly erect in the saddle, the scholar brooding beside him, watching his form.

“It’s... huge...” Felonca whispered.  _I could get lost in here and not find my way out for weeks!  It’s so big... maybe...

Nah.  This city wouldn’t have one!_

“Yup... I’ve only been here once, with my dad a long time ago.  They say that other than Xianyang, capital of the whole Empire, you can find almost anything here.  Or anyone.  There’s traders from the Slave Coasts, from Kara Kitai, from Nors to the far north, White Harbor, even foreigners from the Empire Across the Mountains.”  Felonca was too busy gawking to notice Nayu’s eyes doing the same at some of the wares laid out by merchants.

_Maybe there is one here.  Why not?  I’m sure many thieves operate in this city!  Why would they not organize themselves?_

Her reverie was broken by a sharp bark from the scholar.  Nayu had evidently slouched a bit while looking at some of the goods.

“Sit up straight in the saddle!  You’ve made surprising progress for a peasant ruffian, but we still have a huge amount of work to do!  We must get you tailored, and I must train you in the last bits of court ettiquette!”

“There’s more?” Nayu moaned, and the scholar nodded emphatically.

“I’m afraid your friends are a bit of a distraction.  We must finish your training in a hurry, young man!  You four!” his delicately manicured hands pointed to Felonca, Liu, Li and Chou, “go find something to do!  Your friend will be busy the rest of the day.  Tommorrow, early, I shall stop by with your garments and your directions for the ceremony!”

“Damn annoying cad,” Chou pronounced a few minutes later after Nayu and the scholar left.  “After we’re paid, and this is all over, I hope I run into him on the road, so I can leave a boot...” Chou stopped his grumbling at a sharp look from his father.

“So, young Felonca, where shall you be headed?” the elderly captain asked.  His eyes were not filled with sorrow or regret for once.  Rather, they had quite a bit of thanks in them.

“I dunno,” she fake shrugged. _Sorry Captain, but you can’t come with me where I’m headed._  “How about you three?”

“I shall go and see if there is a temple in this city dedicated to the teachings of Master Shenyang,” Liu said serenely, before a slight smirk formed on his lips.  “I fear if there is more time to be spent with scholars of Kongshi, I must meditate and gain more patience.”

“I’d say a good inn with a nice bed will do good for my meditation!” Chou laughed.  “I haven’t slept on feather down pillows much, and I fear I have been spoiled now!”

“Very well,” Felonca turned her horse around.  “I think I’m going to go look for some stuff.  Do you have a specific inn in mind where I could meet you?”



_Where is it?_ Felonca’s mind hissed a few hours later.  The day was growing long and the sun’s red rays were already signaling late afternoon.

Her questions early on had been innocent enough.  Starting conversations with people and asking about life in the city, what it was like... to mentioning she’d heard there was extensive crime.  While she’d met some interesting people (and picked up one amorous admirer she had to now avoid), she’d come no closer to her goal.

She’d almost thought about blunting asking, “Where is the Thieve’s Guild?” when an older man had mentioned many thieves tended to congregate outside a certain tanner’s shop.  Taking the advice, she now searched with her eyes, and her nose.

_Aha!_  Her nose picked up the smell of boiling leather and pelts, and she followed her nostrils to a rather well kept building, smoke coming from a hole in its roof.  When she stepped inside, a bevy of faces turned to look for a moment before returning to whatever business they had been engaged in.

The business looked normal.  Two rather burly men were examining one large set of leather barding.  A couple others were scattered here and about, while three sat around a man whose dyed hands indicated he was the tanner himself.  The proprietor seemed busy weaving a long yarn of a tale... something to do with a brothel in Xianlung... so Felonca thought the next step would be easy.

_The stories always say that the Thieve’s Guilds have a secret entrance.  It’s plainly obvious that must be the case here.  Now, that wall goes to the outside, and these two are shared with the shops next door, so it must be somewhere along this wall..._

The wall in question had several large sections of leather of various grades hanging on display.  One was marked for potential coats, one for armor, and another for a section of barding.  She started by the one marked for a coat.

She gingerly grabbed the leather, and ran her hand along it, mumbling and making “hmm” noises, trying to look at nonchalant as possible.  When she thought no one was looking, she lifted the leather off of the wall and ran her hand along the stucco...

And suddenly screeched, as a jolt of electricity shot through her arm.  

She pulled her hand back, holding her arm in pain.  On her index and middle fingers were two tiny burn marks, the center of a pain that radiated out to her elbow.  As she hissed, she cursed herself as every eye in the store turned to her.

_Quick!  Think of something!  Hurry!_

“Ah...um...wow... this... this... leather is quite... um... shocking!”  _Dammit!_  “Ah... um... the price, that is!  My... I’ve never seen leather go for...”  She leaned close and finally saw the little piece of paper marking its price... 3 gold taels.  _Is that cheap, or is that expensive?  Ok... think!  Think!  Um... ok.  I’ll go with expensive!  I have a 50-50 chance!_   “3 gold taels!  My... um... that’s... quite expensive! Heh!”

Eight pairs of eyes bored in on her... the tanner’s eyes flaming the most in fury.

“Tha’ ain’ expensiv’ neither!   ‘Is one ‘ere is fo’ fifteen gold taels!” he snarled in broken Common, his accent speaking of someone from the deserts.  “You makin’ fun ‘o my goods?”  A big finger, dyed brown, pointed at her accusingly.

“No!  No no no no!” Felonca apologized quickly.  _Quick!  Think!  Deep trouble!  Think!_  “It...was meant in jest!  Yes!  It’s quite a good price actually!  One of the best I’ve seen!” she rambled quickly.  The two large men were already moving, their eyes locked on her.

_Oh boy,_ Felonca thought, starting to tense.  _I could take on one of them, but those two plus six others?  What have you gotten yourself into now, Felonca?_  The other patrons started to move, and quickly, she found herself surrounded, the angry tanner now in her face.

“You come in ‘ere, you spit on my wares, and no you try to lie ‘bout it?”  The finger still pointed at her, like a sword aimed at her throat.  The eyes locked with hers, and she noticed uneasily all the scars on the man’s face and neck.  Slashes, cuts, poorly healed.  He was a brawler.  Suddenly, his face turned to the side, and he gave a fearsome smile that included only seven teeth.  “I ‘on’t think you was ‘ere for no ‘ides!”

_What do I do?!  Lie!  How?! With what?!  Why am I here!?  I just want to get out!_

“She ain’t here for no hides!” one of the tall burly men snarled as well.  “I’ve got my suspicions about you!”

“It’s... it’s been a misunderstanding!  Really!” Felonca held her hands up, hoping the gesture would relieve some of the tension.  The men instead crowded around her closer, till she could hardly move.

“Hsian, I say if she doesn’t tell us why she’s here, we get to take care of her!” a very small man in front growled.  “Can’t have people just wandering in here!”  He then turned back towards her, and she could have swore he had coals in his eyes instead of pupils.  “Tell us why you’re here!”

“I’m looking for the Thieve’s Guild!” she blurted out in a panic.  (DM’s Note: Nayu’s player was going crazy at this point.  “No! Don’t tell them that!  Why did you tell them that!” :-D )

_Nice, Felonca!  If this is the wrong place, they now know you’re a thief!  Great!_  Silently she cursed her tongue and her luck, as the eight men all looked at each other in surprise.  Finally, the tanner looked back at her and crossed his arms.

“An’ why should we tell you anythin’ ‘bout that?”

“Be...because...” Felonca stammered out, “I’m... I’m a great thief!  Renowned throughout the Northern Border!  Why... I even stole from Master Hsiu of the Military Academy at Hsiulan, and from numerous prefects and scholars!” she exaggerated. 

_That got a response!_ she smiled as she saw their stunned looks.  The eight all looked at each other, before the tanner once again looked at her, looking her up and down.  He motioned for the others to follow him, and for a second Felonca thought she might be let go... until she noticed that the two biggest men remained blocking her path out of the store.

A series of curses entered her mind as she saw the other six men gather in a circle, hushed by vehement words passing between them.  The smallest man, the one that demanded to know why she was here, was making sharp chopping motions with his hand.  Felonca gulped.  

Finally, the impromptu council broke apart, and all six came back over, clustering around her again.

“’e’ve come t’ a decision!” the tanner crossed his arms.  “You’re going wit’ us to see the guildmaster!  ‘E’ll know what to do wit’ you!  If ‘e like you, you live.  ‘E no like you, we kill you.”


----------



## Bryin

Ohhhh, dirty (I mean nice).


----------



## Emperor Valerian

_Everything_ involving the Thieve's Guild in this session was run off the cuff.  I hadn't expected Felonca's player to want to go to the Guild, and there wasn't any real reason why Mingzhong, being a huge city, wouldn't have one.  So I winged it.

Oh, and needless to say, Felonca had some major issues bluffing and being diplomatic all day


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*You Want Me to do WHAT?*

Only a few moments later, Felonca found herself blindfolded, and spinning in circles as the eight thieves attempted to mess up her sense of direction.  Unfortunately for them, they didn’t count on her hengeyokai nose.  Despite the nausea, she knew, roughly, where she was.

At first after the spinning stopped, she smelled the hides and elixirs of the tanner’s, strong and pungent.  After moving a bit, she suddenly felt the air cool, and the strong smell of tanner’s oils was replaced by something dank, and wet.  

_I’m underground,_ she realized, hands pushing her further and further along this track.  Mentally she attempted to keep track of time, and maybe five or six minutes after she got underground, the smell entering her nose changed again.  Lacquer, wood, and polish were the smells now in her nostrils.

_I’m here... I think..._

Suddenly there was light, bright and blinding as her eyes tried to readjust to the removal of the blindfold.  She blinked several times, and quickly her view came into focus.

She was now in a rather small, but elegantly apportioned room, with lacquered wood covering the walls.  Several chests lay in one corner, while in the middle of the room sat a small, rather ornately carved table.  On either side were silk seating pads.  One of thieves urged her to sit in the one closest with a sharp shove.

“Gentle, Ling,” the voice belonging to the occupant of the other pad said.  The voice was smooth and melodic, and Felonca blinked twice as she realized what it belonged to.

Sitting cross-legged in front of her was a creature that could be described as a distant cousin, in the hengeyokai realm.  Leopard hengeyokai were even more rare than their panther cousins, yet possessed many of the same gifts, namely speed and the know-how of when to use it.

“Sir,” Felonca hurriedly bowed.  _Must be the Guildmaster.  Respect!  Respect!_ she thought shakily, remembering the threat of the thieves.  She could still smell them behind her.

“”is one ‘ere calls ‘erself Felonca,” the tanner’s voice grumbled.  “Caught ‘er snoopin’ about my shop!”

“We thinks she’s a spy!” she heard the halfling hiss.  To her relief, however, she saw the guildmaster merely wave a spotted hand, and the ruffians behind her fell silent.

“Madame,” he gave her a brilliant smile with his mouth, even as his eyes showed icy distrust, “what brings you to the Thieve’s Guild of Mingzhong?  I suppose that since your eyes have had the honor of seeing my face, you need to make a contribution?  Something expensive, I hop?”

“Ah... um... good sir!” Felonca immediately did a kow-tow.  _I worked on the Prince!_  “I am but a poor and humble creature from the north!  I have been forced to thievery by hunger and strife!”  His eyebrow raised slightly, but the look in his eyes did not change.  She panicked... and as with everytime she panicked, her mouth opened.

“I was a trainee at the Hsiu-lan Military Academy, but I ran away, and I stole some things from there, and now I’m on the run, and I’ve been a thief ever since, and I came here to get information and join the Mingzhong Guild!” she rocketed through the Common tongue, the words tumbling over each other so fast her own mind had trouble separating them.  

“I am a really good thief, I’ve stolen many things from hard places!  It’s true!” she rattled onward nervously.

_Good one, Felonca!  You blurted out your life story so fast that even if these people cared, they wouldn’t be able to understand!_

When the outburst ended, and silence once again hung in the room, she looked at his eyes again.  For a second those eyes looked deep into her own, as if he was trying to gauge her very soul.  Then he blinked, and his eyes and face had a different tone to them.  Curiosity, now.

“So you are a runaway, then?” the man said simply, stroking his whiskers as she replied.  He cocked his furry head to the side, and scanned her, up and down.  “Is that where that dagger came from?” he pointed towards her boot.

“Um... yes,” Felonca stumbled, her own eyes looking at the ornate silver dagger she stole from Master Hsiu’s quarters.  _He probably wants it,_ she thought.  _It is rather pretty, even though it feels funny whenever I hold it.  If that’s the price for me to stay alive though..._

“It once belonged to the Headmaster of the Academy, Master Hsiu,” she pulled it out.  “The day I fled from the Academy, I stole it from his very quarters.”  _That’s it!  Good, Felonca!  Let them know you have skills!_ 

“Hmmm.”  She had heard that tone before... it wasn’t a grunt of stalling, but one of appraisal.  For a second, the guildmaster looked her up and down again, before a smile came to his lips.

“Aha!  Splendid!”  He started to rise, which Felonca took her cue to mean she should stand up as well.  “So you are a very good thief then!  I think the guild should need another excellent pickpocket and burglar!” he pronounced, patting her shoulder.  “Especially considering you have seen my face, and seen our headquarters, you _must_ join... or we’ll have to silence you permanently.”

_That’s.... it?  I’m in?_ she wondered momentarily.

“Um... yes!  I would be delighted to join!” she sputtered happily.  _Another threat of death avoided!_

“Excellent!” the guildmaster laughed.  “Then, you shall need to be initiated!  And I have just the thing for a thief of your skills!  Ling, would you be so kind as to bring some steamed wine in, if you please?  Ah, yes,” his attention returned to her.  “As you may know, the old Prince Hu, Governor of Langya, passed away a few days ago, and his state funeral is tomorrow.  Unfortunately, he had an item in his possession we want.”

_Ok... this shouldn’t be too bad.  Nayu is going to be dressed up as the son of the dead man, and acting as the son of the dead man... surely he can just request that piece of property as the son, and then hand it to me?_  As Felonca’s mind came to an affirmative conclusion, she gave a grin.

“Ah, so you think such a thing is within your power!  Good!” the guildmaster patted her again.  “You see... Prince Hu Lun had a ceremonial sword... of solid gold.”

_What?_  “Come again?”

“The sword is solid gold.  Useless in combat, for sure... all the gems in the hilt would make it nigh impossible to wield for any length of time... but it is real and belonged to him.  We want you to steal that.”

Felonca gave a nod.  _Surely Nayu can get that for me?_

The guildmaster then laughed.  “My, aren’t we an overconfident little kitty!” He gave a loud guffaw as Felonca’s eyes narrowed at his remark.  “Oh, you have not heard yet where this sword is!  It is with the body... and the only time it will be displayed in public is during the funeral service!”

Felonca’s frown turned to a gape.

_WHAT?!_

“Um... so... I have to steal this sword.  And the only time and place you all can tell me where it will be is on the dead man’s chest during _the middle of his funeral?_”

“Um... yes.”  The guildmaster’s cycle of faces changed again, now becoming a frown.  “For someone who stole from the famous warrior Hsiu who has lived this long, this should be a trifle!  Especially,” he leaned close to her, the leer in his eyes now plain, “when that person wishes to join the guild!”



_Join or die!  Join or die!_

The phrase kept ringing in Felonca’s ears long after the blindfolds had been pulled from her eyes and she found herself in the middle of the Mingzhong streets.  Imprinted in her mind were the directions the guildmaster had given her... after she stole the sword, meet him at dusk tomorrow outside a butcher’s place, on the eastern edge of town.

_How the hell am I supposed to pull this off?_ her mind whined.  _I’m IN the damn funeral!  How am I supposed to steal it, while sitting on my mat in view of hundreds of people!_

_I can’t,_ she realized.  For a second, she wondered if Nayu could do anything.

And then she thought of a better plan.

She ran the rest of the way to the inn.



“Much better!” the scholar smiled at Nayu.  The previously rare occurrence had happened rather frequently today, as Nayu was finally putting together all the various bows, kow tows, and words of respect and courtesy that had been shoved into his mind.

“Nayu, you look the spitting image of a scholar!” Chou goaded with a grin.  “Prim and proper... I think if I poked you I could make you cry!”

Both Nayu and the scholar shot a dirty look at the young soldier, who merely laughed.  Before any rejoiners could be launched, the door to their room was almost knocked off its hinges as Felonca burst in.

“Hey Nayu, nice outfit,” she said breathlessly, before turning directly towards the scholar.  For a second Nayu expected the long held in outburst to come.  He was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t have to rescue the scholar from her, however.

“Hi, sir.  I was wondering... how does the ceremony go for the rest of us?  How does it work in general?”

The scholar’s face held a look of surprise as well, before breaking into a smile of utter delight.  “At last, another seeks civilization as well!” the man practically beamed.  “Well, the funeral ceremony will go as thus...”

Nayu had known the scholar only four days... he didn’t even know the man’s proper name... but somehow he suspected that Felonca’s questions had marked one of the happy moments in his life.  While she peppered him with questions and inquiries, Nayu continued to practice his voice, his demeanor, a little giddiness and worry in his mind as well.

_The EMPRESS DOWAGER is going to be there!  The mother of the Son of Heaven himself!  I must act proper!  Ahem... ok... kow tow, head fully to the ground.  What was the speech?  ‘Mother of the Jade Throne, Follower of Eternal Heaven, this servant welcomes you in his hour of grief!’_

“So... what if someone dies with something valuable on them?  What happens to their stuff?”

Nayu’s practice immediately stopped, as alarms went off in his head.  The tone of the words coming from Felonca’s mouth was completely naive and innocent, but he knew her far better than that.

_Felonca... please... for the love of all that is right in this world... please don’t tell me..._

“Oh!  His belongings?  Well, it depends on the item.  Some things go to his heirs, some things will be burned, and some will be buried with him, to assist him as he joins the ranks of Heaven’s legions!”

“So, would his son get his ceremonial sword, for example?” she asked again, and Nayu’s eyes narrowed even more.

_No... Felonca. No!_

“Well, no.  See, that weapon, at least in Hu Lun’s case, has religious significance.  He cannot serve in the legions of Heaven if he is not armed, now can he?” the scholar babbled away, oblivious to the undertones now raging in Nayu’s head.

“In proper form, are the belongings going with him placed on his person just before the funeral ceremony, or way way before, such as during embalming?”  Her head was cocked slightly to the side, and Nayu suspected that if he didn’t know her, he’d only think she was a curious student as opposed to a wily thief.

“Well, you’re right, its placed on his person just after embalming!”

_Here comes the kicker question..._ Nayu thought with an inward groan.

“Now... where do they keep the body beforehand?  I mean, to keep it pure from contaminants within the palace and the like?”

It was Nayu’s turn to gape slightly as the scholar shrugged.  _The man doesn’t know something!_

“I don’t know.  Every palace has a different layout, so I can tell you only loosely that it is somewhere in the palace.  Do not worry, you do not have to contend with this like the embalmers!” the scholar smiled reassuringly.  Thankfully, only Nayu saw the disappointed look in Felonca’s eyes.



“Nayu?” Felonca asked a few minutes after the scholar left, nearly an hour after she arrived.

“I _don’t_ want to know!” her friend snapped back, his hand upraised.

“Nayu, please!  I...I have a major problem!”

“A problem for you is automatically a problem for me!  No, I don’t want to know!  I want no part of this whatsoever!”  

Felonca’s mouth opened a bit, before she suddenly clamped it shut.  _He won’t help me?_  She could feel her eyes growing a little wet as Nayu started to pace nervously about the room, looking odd in his flowing temporary robes.  Suddenly, he spun back around.

“Why?  Why Felonca?  _Why do you want to steal the dead man’s sword?_”

“I...I have to...otherwise the Thieves’ Guild will kill me,” she sputtered. 

It took only a few minutes of explanation.  By its end, Chou was threatening to march out and burn down the tanners, with Liu and Captain Li holding him back.  Nayu merely stared out the window, towards the darkening sky of evening.

“So... you have to steal this sword during the middle of the funeral?”

“How the hell are we going to do that, Nayu?” Felonca asked, worry and panic in her words.  “You heard him!  There’s going to be three _hundred_ people there, including all sorts of nobility and their guards!  I’m quiet, I’m hard to see sometimes, but dammit, Nayu, I can’t hide in the open in broad daylight!”  She started to pace herself.  “How can we do this...”

Nayu closed his eyes, his mind cycling slowly through the powers flowing in his blood.  Finally, he felt the one he wanted, and let the magic flow from the depths of his soul, down his arm, and out through an outstretched hand.  Gently, the tall scholar’s hat that Nayu had been practicing his carriage with rose off of his head.  As Felonca gaped, it fluttered through the air, before setting down gently on her head.

“I think that might be the start of something,” Chou said after a moment of gaping as well.  “Can you make other things float, Nayu?”

“Yes... and I’m pretty sure I can make a dead body float too,” the sorcerer smiled.  Felonca’s eyes lit up, as she immediately understood the idea.  Li, however, furrowed his brow in confusion.

“Why would making the corpse float help?  Other than attracting attention to it and scaring the willy-nillies into everyone...”

“Bingo,” Nayu replied.  “The nobles and scholars will probably run away screaming when the corpse starts floating.  Their guards will run with them to protect them from whatever is causing it.”  He then looked at Felonca.  “That’ll give you a couple minutes to get that sword and run off, before we have to join the fleeing mass.”

“Nayu!  That’s crazy enough it might just work!” Felonca jumped happily.


====================================

Yes, that's right, ladies and gentlemen, they're planning on _levitating_ a corpse during the middle of a funeral so they can loot the body when everyone is busy running away.  

I gave them extra XP for creativity on that one.


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## TDRandall

Oh, I can't WAIT to see how this idea turns out!  *extreme grin*


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## ThoughtfulOwl

I hope they realize that given the China-influenced setting, it might not be so simple. A levitating body may be scary, but a defunct high-ranking noble who comes back from the afterlife to partecipate to his own funeral will elicit a different response; who is going to tell the public which interpretation to pick?


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## Emperor Valerian

ThoughtfulOwl said:
			
		

> I hope they realize that given the China-influenced setting, it might not be so simple. A levitating body may be scary, but a defunct high-ranking noble who comes back from the afterlife to partecipate to his own funeral will elicit a different response; who is going to tell the public which interpretation to pick?




Well, they had some slightly more pressing issues before they got to that... which leads me to the next section...

*Unwanted Guests*

“Alright... here goes.”

Nayu’s whisper seemed slightly different to Felonca, but she gave a slight nod of understanding nonetheless.  To their front, the brighly colored funeral bier began to lift, the lid to the coffin spinning slightly as it uncovered.  Nayu’s face remained calm, assured, but Felonca could sense him straining to control the magic so precisely.

Then Felonca frowned.  There were no screams or shouts of terror; the wails and moans of the funeral audience still persisted.  Then, as she watched, the deathly shadow of a man, clad in bright yellow silk trimmed with precious stones, rose out of the bier, and looked directly at her.

The eyes burned red, flames deep within their depths.  The horror’s mouth opened, and two writhing... _things_, slender, dark and quick like snakes, lashed out.  Felonca felt them wrap around her throat, and as she heard a far off, deep cackle that sounded like the guildmaster, she felt one of the snakes force itself down her throat.

As the cackling grew louder, she saw her arms starting to turn yellow and puffy.  Then, her legs.  Her lungs screamed for air as she tried to fight.  Desperately, she spun around to face Nayu, but found only a tall, gaunt skeleton, bright orange flames crackling from its bones.  The overwhelming smell of wolf strangled her nostrils, even as she felt the last of air being strangled from her lungs.

She bolted upright, sweat drenching her body.  Her hands were instantly in a defensive posture, before her eyes realized they saw nothing to her front, save the same wooden wall that had graced her inn room before she went to sleep.

Hurriedly, her eyes flashed about and saw everything was as she remembered before laying her head down to sleep.  Her warfans even were sitting beside her bed, their shapened blades glinting with the moonlight petering through the window.  Then, her brow furrowed.  There was no burning skeleton in the room, no towering darkness of an undead prince, and no unseeing mass of mourners. 

However, the room smelled, even stank, of wolf.

_Wolf?  Here?_  Her tired mind tried to remember if there were _any_ wolf hengeyokai this far north, but she couldn’t.  She closed her eyes, and felt her body shift as she went into hybrid.  Sleeping in human form was fine, but now, she needed the extra sense of smell, and of hearing.

The pungent smell of wolf grew even stronger, and now her ears picked up the very, very slight creak of movement in the hallway outside.  Lightly, silently, she flipped out of bed.  She grabbed two things; her warfans, and the ‘chopsticks’ that Chou and Nayu had disdainfully chuckled at weeks before.

Swiftly, silently, she crept to her door.  As she touched the wood, she closed her eyes, remembering how the door had creaked several hours earlier when she’d entered the room.  Remembering the noise came from the top and left, she surmised that the hinge was loose.  Carefully lifting as she pulled, she opened the door just a crack... enough to see what was in the hallway.

And her blood froze.

The men’s sleeping quarters were diagonal from hers, closer to the stairwell.  Standing in front of their door were two towering wolf hengeyokai, their fangs bared as their ears wiggled in signal to each other, their fur a pale, deathly white.  One was massive... easily seven feet tall and double Felonca’s body weight.  His massive frame was covered in a lamellar armor whose scales seemed to shine with a silvery glow in the moonlight.  One of his massive paws was curled around an equally massive scimitar.  The other was pressed against the door of her friends’ room, measuring its strength.

The other was smaller... maybe only six feet tall, not fully grown.  His fur was not the pure snow white of the other White Wolf, but still had slight gray streaks.  His eyes continually darted about.  At one point, his eyes seemed to lay directly on Felonca, their blue glowing in the moonlit hall.  Just as quickly, they moved on, and Felonca fought to control a hiss.

_Bai-Long Mao!_

The name conjured the image of a tormentor from the Academy, the White Wolf that mocked her and her family.  The White Wolf that had threatened her family, the White Wolf that had helped Hsiu drive her away.  

_They’re after me!_ she thought for a moment, in shock.  _They should be knocking on my door!_  She heard scurrying noises, a hurried whisper from beyond her friends’ door.  _The boys are up... they know something is wrong._ 

That prompted her mind to return to the present, and go into action.  With an otherworldly grace and silent speed, she pulled the ‘chopsticks’ out.  _Charging out there with my warfans would be a nice way to have a heroic death... but I doubt it’d stop that big brute._  She flipped each small, hollow cylinder of bamboo until she was looking directly down its hole, and with satisfaction she saw that in all six her small surprise was still inside, even glinting a bit with wetness in the dim light.

“Come on!  They’re up!” the massive wolf growled as the noises from the boy’s room grew loud and hurried.  The massive creature lowered his equally massive shoulder, and slammed it into the door.



“Vermillion hells!” Nayu cursed as their door shivered under the force of the hit.  Liu and Chou had both been bracing themselves against the door, and the poor monk was sent sprawling.  The fighter was still leaning against it with all his might, but from his eyes, Nayu could tell the blow had jarred him as well.

“Back off from it!” Nayu yelled, “I’ve got something ready for them!”  Quietly, the sorcerer began to close his eyes, and he felt magical fire once again flowing through his veins.



Felonca was somewhat surprised when the door broke open on the wolf’s next try.  It had been easily apparent the boys had been bracing the door, and it looked as if the wolf had been stymied.  But the brute just backed up, and lowered his shoulder into the door again.  This time, splinters flew into the hallway.  The panther, however, did not let this distraction take her away from her aim.  She’d brought one of the hairpins up to her mouth, and took a deep breath.... the blew.

She had guessed this little blowguns would come in handy... especially after she noticed they were covered with poison... one intended to paralyze, not kill.  A part of her mind was surprised the dart made a slight whistling noise as it went through the air, and above the ruckus of the big White Wolf’s roar, she heard the a dull _thwack_.  Bai-Long Mao grabbed at his neck, just as he too shoved into the room, blade drawn.  Quickly a second pin was in her hand, and another _thwack_ signaled a dart had struck the big wolf in the behind.  

Even as she watched, the big wolf barreled on into the room, shouting and yelling.  Bai-Long Mao, however, stumbled forward, still clutching his neck, strange warbling noises coming from his throat...



Nayu gave a slight shudder as all the pent up magic flashed from his hands, twin tongues of flame blazing towards the first, enormous white wolf to thunder into the room.  It felt like one of the largest releases Nayu had ever experienced, but the wolf did not even whimper.  Li, Liu and Chou all launch towards the creature, their blades slashing hard and deep, but it merely barreled past them, shoving them aside as it headed straight towards Nayu.

_This is not good,_ the sorcerer thought the second before the massive scimitar came whistling towards him.  Rather unexpectedly, Nayu managed to contort his body enough that the massive blow intended to cleanly cut his head from his body instead merely laid him open from his chest to his shoulder. For Nayu, the world went white as he screamed.

Another scream echoed in his ears, and he had only a moment to see a dark apparition suddenly flash into the room, leaping and boiling towards the back of the white wolf.  The sorcerer’s eyes flashed with new anger, and he reached for his own morningstar...


“DAMMIT!” Felonca cursed as she landed on the ground to the wolf’s left.  She’d saw the beast thunder in, straight for Nayu, even as his compatriot collapsed on the floor, paralyzed.  With a scream, she launched herself forward, attempting her own decapitation strike from behind.  The beast somehow managed to avoid the blow entirely, and now had turned to confront this new prey.

She then let off another curse, as her brain belatedly realized that she was in no position to jump or block the massive scimitar blow she knew was about to come.

_I’m out of time..._ she numbly thought, as she futilely started to bring her warfan blade up to try to block the strike already beginning to whistle in the air.  

Then there was an explosion of light.

The scimitar sailed over her head, imbedding itself in the far wall.  Flames gouged out of the white wolf’s eyes and ears.  As his body tumbled forward, Felonca realized the back of his skull was crushed inwards, smoke curling from the ruin.  As the body landed on the floor with a crash, she looked up, to see a bloody Nayu grinning from ear to ear, smoke coming in slight wisps from his morningstar.

(DM’s Note:  Nayu, for his special effect on his weapon, chose to make his morningstar _spell storing_.  Since he liked _scorching ray_, he placed that as the spell within his weapon.)

“I owe you one,” Felonca breathed heavily, looking at the husk of a wolf now smoldering on the floor.  Then she gave a slight grin.  “I thought you said you couldn’t fight?”

“I couldn’t,” Nayu replied with a grin of his own, “until I started hanging around crazy panther thieves like you.”

“Who the hell are you?” Chou interrupted their verbal backslapping, as the fighter gave the very alive but very immobile Bai-Long Mao a kick.  “So scared now you can’t move, can you!  Literally scared stiff!”

Felonca looked towards the young wolf, and let the natural look of disaste, even hate come over her face.  _You’ve hurt me so much,_ her mind snarled as she walked over to him, and leaned over his prone form.

“Bai-Long Mao,” she spoke tersely.

“Felonca,” his reply was a hiss.  “I see you could be a good assassin.  Darts I’m assuming?”

“I’m just as good an assassin as you are a quiet thief.  It seems my ears and nose are good for something, much better than yours, or your friends.  Who was he?”

“Don’t you worry... when my uncle Enlai wakes up, he’ll break you all in half with his _bare hands!_” the White Wolf snarled.  “And you had better believe that when my _father_ finds out, every one in the clan who hasn’t been assigned to you yet _will be!_”

“How do you know you’ll get back to him?” Felonca shot back.  _Let him roast a bit._  “I could kill you, just like how your uncle died right here... unless you tell me _why_ Master Hsiu has sent you and the other White Wolves after me!”

“Uncle Enlai isn’t dead!  Neither you nor your weak friends could ever kill him!”

Roughly, Felonca grabbed the young wolf’s head, and turned it so he could view the still smoldering corpse.  _I hope this will do the trick... and get him to talk!  All of our lives depend on it!_

A slight gasp came from the young wolf, then a panicked whisper.  “No!”

“Your Uncle Enlai attacked us, so we killed him,” Felonca replied, mustering her harshest voice.  It wasn’t hard.  “You attacked us too... why shouldn’t we do the same to you?”  Inside, Felonca felt queasy at even the thought of killing the now harmless young wolf, but she managed to keep the thought hidden.

“I...I’ll tell you everything!” the young creature cracked.  “Everything!”

_That was easy!_  “Why did Master Hsiu send you after us?”  The question wasn’t as harsh now... she knew he would reply.

“You...you stole something very very important to him!”  Mao replied, terror in his voice.  “His silver dagger!”

_That?_  Felonca was perturbed.  _I stole his best kimono, every single gold piece in his chambers, and he wants this knife back?_  “Why does he want this knife back?  Does it do something special?  Is it from his ancestors?”  _If I send it back to him, will he leave me alone?_  The last question went unasked, for now.

“I... I don’t know!” the young wolf whimpered.

Felonca’s eyes narrowed.  _Ah ah... I need information from you.  It’s too early to start with I don’t knows!_  “Chou, go fetch the silver knife out of my boot in my room, please.  And Liu, if you can keep curious people out of here?”   

A few minutes later, she heard Liu’s calm voice reassuring other guests that things were under control, as Chou returned with the silver blade, its ruby hilt glinting bright.

“This knife here?”

The young wolf nodded hurriedly.

“What does it do?” Felonca asked again, carefully waving the knife above his face.  “If I think you’re lying, I’ll cut you with it.”  In truth, she wasn’t going to cut him much...  she hoped only a small nick might get him to talk...otherwise he’d call her bluff.

“I’ll do more than cut you,” she heard Nayu hiss.  _Good... he can be the angry one._

“I _don’t know!_” the young wolf panicked.  She could tell by his face that if he could have moved the rest of his body, he would’ve been flailing in terror.

Felonca closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.  _Dammit, this is for the good of others too!_ Felonca yelled at herself, and then she pricked him lightly on the neck.  Momentarily, the dagger felt warm, and she thought she saw a pale glow come from it.  Uncertainly, she looked back towards the young wolf.

And then recoiled in horror.  

Flames immediately seemed to erupt from the young wolf’s eyes, ears and throat.  Within moments, blazing tongues of flame, long and deep red, erupted from every pore within his body.  Felonca could not get out of the way in time, but felt nothing as the flames rose by her.  The young man screamed, the tortured, agonized scream of someone being burnt alive.  Something held his life in place for tortuous seconds longer than any mortal should have been subject to, as screams continued to arise even as his skull shuddered, and then collapsed to ashes.

At the same time, Felonca felt... strange.  Despite having just finished a rigorous combat, her body felt refreshed, renewed, as if it had new energy, more than just pure adrenaline.  Her fur coat seemed shinier, and her claws seemed slightly longer as the young man burned up.  

It wasn’t until after the end of the macbre scene that her shocked mind registered what happened, and she gave a scream of her own as the smoldering bones gave off their last wisps of smoke.  The dagger clattered to the floor.

“Ohmygodohmygodohmygod,” Felonca repeated, shaking in terror at what had just happened.  She looked around.  Li was staring at the burnt ashes on the floor in terror as well, while Nayu was blinking hard, wiping his eyes repeatedly, as if he had stared into the sun.

“Too...much...magic...” he mumbled as she started to whimper.  Outside, Chou could be heard, speaking in an amazingly calm voice.

“Nothing to see here!  Yes... my master’s wife just miscarried!  She’s distraught, that’s where the scream came from!  Yes, I broke the door trying to get in and help... I apologize for the inconvenience.  Yes, there’s a healer looking at her now!”

“My god...” Felonca sat on the ground, her eyes looking back and forth between the dagger and the pile of ashes.  “What did I do?  My god...”

“Nothing that the rat bastard didn’t have coming his way,” Nayu finally grunted.  “He and his ‘uncle’ tried to kill us, remember?  Swinging big swords?  Likely would have killed you in a far more grisly way than that?”

“It... doesn’t matter!  No one should have had to go through that!” Felonca whispered, guilt washing over her.  _I didn’t mean for that to happen!  I didn’t want that to happen!_ 

“What _is_ that dagger?” Li’s aged voice croaked.  Gingerly, elderly fingers reached for the silver blade, until Nayu’s hands intercepted.

“Hold off... at least until I can tell what this thing does,” Nayu grunted.  Felonca saw him look back at her, worry on his face.  “I’ll find out what it does, Felonca!” He turned back to the weapon.  “Then we’ll know what to do with it.”

Felonca then finally remembered Liu, who had been just walking in when she’d pricked the young wolf.  She looked about and found him peering over the far side of the bed.  For the first time, she saw pure, unadulterated fear in his eyes.

“Evil... so... much... evil...” the monk moaned.


----------



## Bryin

I want a dagger like that!


----------



## drag n fly

Believe me, you don't.


----------



## Bryin

Yes I do.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

This dagger cause them a bunch of problems later... so drag n fly's right IMHO 

*Another Evil Surprise; A Funeral*

It took the best of Chou and then Nayu’s cajoling to get the other worried lodgers within the inn to disperse without seeing the chaos for themselves, while it took all of Felonca’s nerves to regain her composure, and along with Liu and Li, start to clean up the macabre scene.

By morning the dreadful task was done, ad both Nayu and Liu slept in far past when the sun rose.  Thankfully it was not until perhaps noon when the scholar from the Hu court arrived, and began rousing everyone from their slumber with shouts and yells.  Apparently sleeping in was neither ‘dignified’ nor ‘virtuous.’

Quickly, they dress themselves in the fine clothing provided; Felonca receives on loan a fine silken cloak with shawl, under which she sneaks her warfans, Chou and Li both fine sets of armor that a bodyguard might wear (though not magical in the least), Liu a fine shirt and silken skirt.  Nayu, of course, receives raiment worthy of a prince, with a long, fine silken robe with etchings and gold weave across its surface, a tall black hat upon his head, strings of pearls dangling from its front and back over his face.

Thus dressed, the band of unruly commoners marched towards the halls of power...



“Now, _my prince_,” the scholar accented Nayu’s temporary role, “you will be the first to be allowed up to the funeral bier of your father, since you are the prodigal son, recently returned from banishment.”

Nayu nodded emptily, his eyes awash with the flood of sights and sounds of palace life about him.  The soft rustle of their sandals echoed about the massive chambers they went through, banners, characters and silk hanging from all corners.  Every servant they passed, immediately kow towed to the supposed prince, dropping whatever they were doing and immediately falling on their knees, placing their heads to the floor.

_I could get used to this..._  Nayu thought, but managed to keep the grin that would’ve appeared off his face.

They rounded another corner and crossed a large garden, before they stopped in front of a large set of double doors, massive dragon heads rearing out of their immense brass forms.  A team of eight servants scuttled in front of them, and pulled the immense doors open.

And they all blinked.

The smell of incense and perfume was overpowering, as a mass of elegantly and expensively decorate persons twittered quietly on each side of a simple red carpet that ran the length of the audience chamber.  Where the governor’s throne would have been, now rested a simple slab, upon which the bier would be placed.

“Remember, walk with elegance,” the scholar whispered from behind Nayu as they ventured into the chambers.  The first people they passed, furthest from the front, began performing kow tow to Nayu and company.  The scholar gave them a look of disdian, before looking towards the front.

“My prince, that young man there,” he whispered from just behind Nayu’s ear, “is your brother, Hu Man.”  Nayu looked towards the man in question, clad in similar robes and a similar headdress.  He too was tall, but not nearly as thin, and unlike Nayu’s fledgling mustache and beard, his face was shrouded in a perfumed, elegant black beard.  The man’s eyes flicked towards Nayu momentarily, and even the young sorcerer could see the barely muted anger and distaste in them.

“Why did my brother exile me, teacher?” Nayu asked softly as the walked further up the aisle.

“You were gathering allies to usurp him from his rightful position of heir... so he says,” came the quiet dry reply.  Nayu’s eyes then looked about more, and sitting beside Hu Man, he spotted a very beautiful, demure looking woman, whose dress appeared to be woven gold and silver, her skin with subtle arrays of orange coloring.  A member of the Qing.

“That is the Empress Dowager,” the scholar answered Nayu’s question before he even aired it.  “She and her family, who govern our neighbors, Shu Province, were close friends of your father.  As the young Emperor is only ten, she is on the Council that advises him.  So is the man sitting next to her... her brother, the Prince of Shu.”

Nayu saw a large, fierce man sitting next to her, clad in black armor with gold trimmings.  His face also held the trace coloring of orange that bespoke of tiger hengeyokai ancestry.  As he was seated, Nayu could only see the hilt of his weapon, but that alone bespoke of an enormous sword.  As Nayu watched, he clasped his hands while talking to another man next to him, and even from that distance Nayu could see the claws he possessed.

_Great... so I’m impersonating a Prince at a funeral that might result in an assassination attempt... all in front of princes, governors, and the Empress HERSELF?_ 

Carefully, the group of five found their spot, a set of five pads set aside in the front row.  Nayu took the first, followed by Felonca, Liu, Chou, then Li.  They knelt in their spots, and waited.

To their relief, there was only a small wait, not enough for anyone to have started a chat with the nervous party members, before a massive gong sounded deep within the palace.  From outside, the cry from the official wailing mourners drifted in, as ten servants brought in the elegant funeral bier, seemingly made of marble, etchings and drawings of parts of Prince Hu’s life on each side.

_I don’t cry yet,_ Nayu remembered, as those behind him burst into wails.  He glanced to his side to the other side of the aisle, and noted that neither Hu Man nor the Dowager Empress were wailing.  A good sign.

Carefully the servants set the bier upon its pedastal, and then backed away, after each step performing a kow tow.  It was the first sign that the ceremony was likely to be a very long one.

Nayu couldn’t say he liked the service.  It seemed that the various eulogies delivered were all with a motive.  One of the chief scholars of Kongshi asked to speak on the life of the late prince hardly mentioned his supposed dead friend, instead almost lambasting the monks of Shenyang for following the teachings of a foreign devil who did not acknowledge the _dao._  A representative of Liu’s faith was next, and proceeded to diplomatically call all the scholars ‘narrow-minded.’

The Empress’ brother, the Prince of Shu, rose and proceeded to tell only a few anecdotes of his father serving alongside the late man while fighting the northern barbarians, before he issued some poignant ‘quotes’ from the late man all but slamming the provincial governors of Han, another great family to the south.  Their representative, in turn, did the same thing to Shu.  

And so it went... squabblings and snappings back and forth between the great families and intellectuals of the Empire, and Nayu realized why his instructions on what to do when he reached the bier were so precise, and so over the top.  _Scream.  Cry.  Beat the side of the bier and wail with the utmost anguish,_ the scholar had said.  

_In the midst of this squabbling, that would make Prince Shikai look truthful in his grief... something these scholar people describe as virtuous, I gather,_ Nayu thought, before a dark thought crossed his own mind.

_Too bad even those plans are getting interrupted._

As the time drew near, Nayu silently went through the rituals he would have to go through, as well as the improvised plans he’d have to rush through...



“And so, the elements have returned to their state.  The fire that gave Prince Hu Lun his strength on the field of battle, the water that gave him a fluid mind, the envy of scholars, the air that carried Heaven’s blessings to him, and the earth which made his people prosper, all have returned to their native states,” the last man to speak, a wizened crone of a man that was evidently the most senior scholar in the palace, intoned.

_That’s his cue,_ Felonca thought.  She even as Nayu somehow concocted fake tears on his face, she heard the barest of whispers coming to his lips, words that were decided not mumblings of grief.  Instinctively, she tensed, her muscles coiling, ready to spring, leap forward once the chaos began.

She had little idea how chaotic things would truly become.

Nayu slowly went forward, sniffling even as the whispers of his _levitation_ spell disappeared from her ears.  _Wow... he is impressive,_ she thought, as he drew up next to the bier.  Slowly, the lid of the bier began to shift, and she heard hisses and quiet gasps going through the crowd.  With a slight smirk, she looked over towards the Empress, and Hu Man.  The Empress had an unconcerned frown on her face, while Hu Man had a huge smile.

Alarms went off in her head, as a strange shriek and roar thundered out of the funeral bier.  The marble lid flew off, and ten dark streaks flashed upward into the air.  Felonca’s muscles uncoiled, launching her forward as she saw what finally had flown out... horrors, abberations of life.

The ten _things_ now hovered in the air around Nayu.  They were heads, the skin black and shrunken, drawn tight over the muscles and skull.  In the place of hair, long, thick strands, almost tentacles, hung off their scalps.  As they opened their mouths to let loose another scream, she saw each floating head held long, sharp teeth, dripping with foul ichor.

It was then that the chaos began, as the crowd surged towards the rear as the party surged forward to defend their friend.  In the chaos of leaping forward, Felonca found her eyes looking back towards the fleeing mass.  While most were pushing and shoving to leave, the Dowager Empress, her brother, and the young Hu Man, were calmly walking away, a barely disguised chuckle on Hu Man’s lips...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Nayu’s Worries Confirmed... and the Death of a Friend... sorta...*

Before the explosion of movement and shrieks, Nayu had one split second to see the ten shriveled heads, all mashed into the coffin alongside the embalmed body. 

_Oh great.  Vargouilles.  As if anything worse could happen._

Nayu’s reflexes were fortunately as quick as his mind, as he twisted out of the way of the ten creatures bursting for the air.  The words on his lips changed from chants to calls for magical fire, and a long tongue of flame lashed out towards the nearest of the beasties.  A high pitched, desperate scream echoed in the air, as the creature, its now burning hair streaming behind it like a falling star, careened about the room before slamming into a wall and falling to the ground.

A shriek, a blur, and the sound of flesh being torn apart told him that Felonca was next to him, and by the gargling screams, another one of the creatures had met her wrath.  As Nayu spun away from one of the creatures attempting to dive on him, he saw Chou, Liu, and even Captain Li all running towards him, weapons at the ready.  Two vargouilles dive towards the three warriors, only to be quickly dispatched by Chou’s sword and Liu’s fists.

The six remaining vargouilles had so far remained far and above the fray, watching, observing.  Even before their errant fire-trailing comrade had fallen from the air, the six split up, all giving the same high pitched screech... a signal to their master.  Two then dove towards the intended target, both managing to grab and bite Nayu several times.  Somehow, the young sorcerer managed to resist the poison dripping from their foul lips.  Two then dove towards Felonca, deeming her a threat to their mission of assassination, while two others dove loosely towards Captain Li, their paths errant enough that they could strike out at Chou and Liu as well.  

Nayu heard Felonca give a loud yell of pain, before she spun herself around, her warfans cutting one of her tormentors in half.  Nayu himself wasn’t paying much attention to that, or even the two vargouilles that were still swirling about his head.  Instead, he looked towards a lone figure, at the far end of the hall, a large, confident smile on the man’s lips.

“Shikai,” Hu Mang called, walking towards them slowly.  The calm tread of his steps echoing along the walls made an uncomfortable contrast to the noise of combat.  “My brother... close your eyes and admit its over!”

_Ah... this is why..._ Nayu thought, just as he saw a bright flash of light seem to lance from Hu Mang’s hands, directly towards him.  Nayu felt a sudden change in his feet, as if momentarily they were rooted into the hard marble floor.  His arms slowed, even as the vargouilles he was dodging slashed about him faster and faster.  A foreign presence, a magical presence, was inching its way into his body.  With every ounce of his mind’s strength, he tried to push the magical invasion away, but found his movements growing slower and slower.  No more than mere moments later, Nayu was frozen in place, unable to move as the vargouilles swooped down for yet another attack (Hu Mang cast _hold person_ on Nayu, to make it easier for the vargouilles to feed.).

_Just lovely,_ his mind gave an acidic rant.  _I’m going to have a front-row seat to a banquet where the main course is me.  Dammit!_ 

Despite his paralysis, his tactile senses still functioned, and Nayu felt a scurrying on his back.  Kenzi had come with him, hidden within the folds of his cloak.  Slight feelings of worry seemed to be on the edge of Nayu’s mind, and the lizard’s rapid scurries spoke of confusion.  _I wish Kenzi could just leap on that bastard and eat his eye,_ Nayu thought as the screaming vargouilles drew closer.

Suddenly, the hurried scurries stopped, and Nayu, for just a moment, saw his pet skitter across the floor, headed directly for the prince.

Who suddenly vanishes without a trace.



_If these things didn’t have big teeth, this’d almost be like practice!_  Despite the combat, Felonca had trouble controlling a slight giggle.  With ease she swatted the vargouilles around her out of the sky.  Her cat-like eyes then flashed about, and saw two flashing down towards a curiously still Nayu.  _Why isn’t he swinging?_ she thought as she brought herself up to a run and did a spinning backflip _over_ the motionless sorcerer, her warfans extended, slashing apart both vargouilles with ease.  

“Find him!  He turned invisible!” she heard the Captain yell, the older man gesturing out into the wide expanse of the vast hall before them.  With nary a sound, she landed on the ground behind Nayu, her nose sniffing, smelling the air as Li, Liu and Chou finished the creatures by them.

Hu Mang had worn a very distinctive – and powerful – perfume this day... from across the hall she had been able to smell it.  Her nose sifted through the scents and odors, trying to find it again.  But the rush of the rich, wealthy and mighty had stirred up all of their perfumes, and the vargouilles themselves as well as the now opened coffin added even more stench to the area.  For a few feet, she thought she could track him, before she lost the trail.

Just in time for an explosion.

A blast of fire nearly forty feet wide exploded in the midst of Liu, Chou and Li, sending all three flying.  At that moment, barely thirty feet from Felonca, Hu Mang’s shimmering form returned to normal, a cackle on his lips.  He was still cackling when she leapt at him, and for a moment, Felonca thought she had him cold, as his eyes grew big with terror just the second before she struck.

Unfortunately, his reflexes were almost as quick as hers, and he suddenly dropped low, causing both her and her blades to fly above his head.  As she landed, she heard a familiar crackle of fire.

_Nayu!  Good!  Fry the...AAAUUUGGGH!_

Pain shot through her back, radiating out to her arms and her legs.  Pain that she’d never felt before, as a new smell overpowered her... the smell of burnt fur and flesh.  _I’ve been burned,_ her mind recorded numbly as she desperately dropped to the ground herself.  Her eyes found Hu, his hand still outstretched, the last energies of the _scorching ray_ still on his fingertips, a mocking grin on his face.

“I am faster than you think, kitty-” he started to gloat, before his own words were swallowed by a cry of pain as a blast of flames blackened his calf and robes.  Felonca didn’t need to look to know the blast came from Nayu.  

Slowly, she pulled herself up.  She could feel the cold air burning her back where Hu Mang’s blast had scalded her skin.  The pain was now dull, aching, forced to the back from the needs of combat.  Her giddy grin was gone, replaced by a look that could only be described as deadly.

“The game is up, Your Highness,” she started advancing towards him, warfans at the ready.  She heard the hurried steps of sandals headed towards Nayu.  _Good... Liu will heal him.  Its you versus me, Chou and Li.  You can’t win..._  To her surprise, the young man gave her a sideways look of doubt, before he raised his hands upwards...

For a second, Felonca thought the blow to her back might have hit her head as well.  It seemed as if the floor was tilting.  A few seconds later, she realized with horror it wasn’t a hallucination, as several floor tiles rose suddenly and precipitously.  With an explosion of marble dust, dirt, and stone, a creature from her nightmares roared forth.

It was some thirty feet long, with at worm-like body.  At least a hundred legs ran along its sides as it clattered across the floor.  From there, however, any comparison to a natural centipede ended.  From its head came sharp, vicious horns, its misshapen mandibles dripping poisonous goo.  Spikes and stingers seemed to arise from random points along its body, as its entire quivering form gave a gigantic hiss.

Just as quickly, the mass red beast charged directly towards Felonca.  She tried to jump aside, but her battered back betrayed her.  She felt the horrible jaws clamp around her leg, as the beast began to shake, ripping and shredding her limb.



_FELONCA!_ Nayu panicked.  Hurriedly, with little thought and even less control, Nayu marshaled the magical forces within his body.  With a crackle of fire and energy, another long tongue of flame lashed out, this time against the unholy centipede that threatened his friend.  The beast reared, dropping the hengeyokai as if she were a rag doll before spinning around, now charging towards its new tormentor.

“Get him!  Get him!” Nayu shouted, pointing towards Hu Mang.  _Kill him before he can call another one!  I can deal with this!_ a part of Nayu’s brain shouted, before his senses returned and yelled that it was all bravado.  The sorcerer nervously pulled out his morningstar, as Liu adopted a combat position in preparation for the inevitable.

Twin battlecries rose from the other end of the hall, as father and son tore towards the spellcasting prince.  The young man quickly saw that the distance between himself and Li and Chou was too small, and he turned to run.  The old captain skidded to a halt, and with a mighty heave, threw his blade at the retreating spellcaster, hitting him in the middle of his back.  With a yell, Hu Mang fell to the ground.  Chou then finished his father’s work, cleaning removing the prince’s head.

_So the old man has uses,_ Nayu thought grimly, the centipede’s charge now slowing to a skitter.  Felonca’s worn and shattered form was already up, stumbling towards the creature, as both Li and Chou now charged this last foe.

_It’ll be over soon,_ Nayu thought.  His mind had yet to realize that even after the fight, there would have to be delicate explanations of many rather unexplainable events.  Li and Chou meanwhile started slashing into the beast.  And the beast turned.

By the look on Li’s face, it had clearly happened too quickly to register in the old man’s mind.  One moment he was slashing the beast’s side, the next, its jaws clamped on his midsection, and with a mighty rend, tore him in half in a spray of blood and bone.  Only a split second later, as the beast continued its spin, did it encounter the wrong side of Felonca’s warfans.  The head of the foul creature sailed through the air, as its segmented body fell to the side, twitching in death throes.

“Gods,” Nayu heard Felonca whisper, the new silence in the hall carrying even the slightest noise.  The sorcerer then looked towards Chou.  The fighter stood, like a mighty oak, his face of stone, swaying lightly in some unseen breeze.  His eyes, however, were riveted on his father.

The clattering ring of steel on stone echoed through the hall as the son dropped his blade, even has his cold, dead father’s hands still clenched his.


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

Dude, (a minute of silence) that sucks. =(


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Yeah, Captain Li went down fighting.  It was rather interesting... he was only an NPC, but the reactions between the two players to his demise were different.  Felonca's was rather sad... Nayu's player had never liked him and only felt a little bad about doubting him.  The vargouilles took a great deal of Li's strength, and I imagined he’d probably just keep right on fighting (considering for several sessions he’d been wanting to prove his loyalty to Nayu, especially).  The centipede critted and rolled near max damage on the bite... hence Li’s demise.

The intent of that final fight was for Hu Man to paralyze Nayu (Hu Man had failed to spot that it wasn’t really his brother), and let the vargouilles go to work.  Felonca went to town, so that while Nayu was paralyzed, she killed all the vargouilles around him. 

===========================================
*The Prince Returns, and a Sword is Stolen*

For a minute or so, Felonca couldn’t feel anything save the blazing pain now rushing through her back, and the feeling of bile rushing up her throat.  She looked between Li’s broken body and Chou.  The young man kept staring, his mouth opening to form words, but no sound coming out.

Then, she remembered her own life.

_The sword!_ 

Slowly, respectfully she went towards the front once Liu and Nayu had gone to comfort the warrior.  She clambered up the bier, and peered inside, wincing almost as if more vargouilles would leap out.  None did.

Instead, there was only the body of the late prince, his face peaceful almost, clad in the finest silk.  On his chest lay a longsword, its blade gleaming gold in the torchlight, its hilt sparkling with studded amulets and gems.  With a twisted face, Felonca reached inside, and gently pried the man’s cold fingers from the blade.  Within a few seconds, it was loose, and she pulled it out.

_What now?_ she thought.  For the first time, she had to consider how she was going to get the blade _out_ of the chambers.  She couldn’t just strap it to her hip or the like... everyone knew this was the old prince’s sword.  Somehow, she needed to get it out, and she had a few ideas.

_The blade is fairly narrow... I think it’ll fit,_ she thought, as she entered a few minutes of finangling and cursing before she was satisfied.



“Master Nayu,” Liu’s voice was decidedly tired and worn, “I think I can comfort Li Chou.  You must play your role, to protect all of us.”

_Play my role..._  Nayu gave a nod, and tried to slip into the shoes of Prince Hu Shikai.  The emotions in the air made thinking difficult.  _What would the prince do here?  Dance over his brother’s body?

No... even if its known he hated the man, Shikai would weep over his brother as a dutiful and virtuous man would.

But what kind of weeping?  Hysterical?  No... Shikai sounded too calm for that.  Bitter weeping though..._

“Liu will take care of you,” Nayu tried his best to reassure the fighter.  _Dammit!_  He forced any thoughts of Captain Li, or his own father, from his mind as he attempted to focus.  “Now... all of you,” he said, turning towards Felonca, before he had to stop.

The back of the hengeyokai’s dress was burnt and cut open, but the front was still intact... save that she seemed to be walking strange, as if something was strapped to her, keeping her from moving.  She held her left arm limply by her side, and she seemed to have a slight limp favoring that side as well.  For a second, Nayu was confused, before he remembered her other task... and gave her a slight nod of recognition.

“All of you!  Go!” he hissed, waving them out.  “I can pull off the grieving brother, but the rest of you should play the part of sane people and act like you’re fleeing!”  Nayu’s eyes then found Chou’s, and for a second, there was a look of mad defiance on top of the other emotions present.  Nayu heard Liu whispering quiet words to the fighter, and gently start moving him towards an exit.  Close behind, Felonca rather stiffly brought up the rear.

As they left, Nayu focused on clearing his mind.  Images of his own father kept appearing in his mind, and several times tears started to well.  Instead of pushing that image away, Nayu allowed it to stay, as tears rolled down his cheeks.  When he looked at the dead Hu Man, Nayu instead saw his own father, and began to wail, screaming for servants.



It was nearly an hour later when the stiffly but rapidly walking Felonca reached the tanner’s shop she’d ‘visited’ the day before.  Outside, the people passing by were the same as before... merchants shuffling between the city markets, children playing, women carrying their laundry.  Then she noticed one difference.  

Leaning on the wall of the shop, his arms crossed and his eyes downcast as if in deep thought, was a man.  A wide peasant’s hat was drawn down over his eyes, but she could just tell by his movements that the leopard hengeyokai had spotted her.  Slowly, carefully she walked towards him.

Just as slowly, nonchalantly even, she saw him start to reach inside his tunic.  For a split second, she was confused as to why he’d reach for a weapon, but then she realized _He doesn’t know if I have the sword!  He thinks I might have set him up!_

Felonca wasn’t naive, but neither was she fully experienced in the darker sides of city life.  To a true prostitute, her ‘provocative’ slight lifting of her skirt might have bordered closer to comedy theater than suggestive, even moreso because her street clothes were still on underneath the nice dress.  To the average passerby, however, it looked normal enough, and aroused no attention.   

The guildmaster’s face, however, snapped up to look at her, disbelief in his eyes.  She dropped her skirt to normal, as he shook his head.  Not able to restrain herself, she gave  a slight giggle as the master thief attempted to regain nonchalance, and hide his shock.  He looked about with only a partial amount of calm, before motioning her to follow him.

The two entered the tanners, and quickly went down the secret passage to the guild’s hideout.  Once inside those wood paneled chambers, the facade of calm broke.

“How in the name of the Nine Hells did you do that?!” the leopard cried, hsi eyes openly wide in shock.  

“As I told you before, I am an _excellent_ thief!” she replied smugly, before laying on the ground.  With some effort, Felonca managed to shift, tug, and push on the blade wedged on her left side underneath the skirt until she had it free.  Before she could even stand up again, the guildmaster had the blade in his grasp, and was staring at it in awe.  She stood back up, and crossed her arms in pride.  _No need to tell them I had some help... I bet they’ll find out soon enough._

Slowly, others started filing into the room, all with eyes wide in shock, some whistling slightly, some murmuring “Impossible!” or hissing slightly.  She even recognized the small halfling thief that had called for her blood only the day before among the admirers.
For a few moments, she admired her handiwork, before the guildmaster turned to her, clearing his throat.

“You... well... passed with flying colors!  Um... naturally, the profits from fencing this will go to the guild... but...um... is there anything else we can do for you?”

“Two things,” she said, before her smug smile changed into a scowl.  “There were White Wolf assassins in this city, intent on killing me!  You surely knew they were here, why didn’t you inform me!” she snarled.  The guildmaster opened his mouth once again in confusion.  This time, she read the emotion as genuine.

“We... we weren’t aware!  If we were, we surely would have told you!”

“Fair enough,” her scowl remained, “then tell me about this Prince Hu Shikai.  What is he like?”  _I have the feeling we’re going to be dealing with him now... is he a schemer?  A two timer?  An honest man?_

The next ten minutes were filled with descriptions of the Prince’s life, as much as the Thieves’ Guild knew of it.  Which was quite a great deal.  He’d been born to a lesser wife of the Governor Hu Lan, and had been in continual strife with his older brother for the past three years, even to the point Hu Man had arranged a scandal to get Shikai and his mother exiled.  Shikai had only returned on his dying father’s pardon.

The young man was also, at least according to the guild, was very fearful of assassination, to the point he was considering hiring White Wolf assassins to counter potential assassins.  However, when she asked if the Guild knew why the Prince had ridden to Xianlung instead of the funeral, the guildmaster was perplexed.

“Where did you hear this?” the leopard asked, “We have no sources saying the same!  Lixi here says that there was an attack on the prince within the palace this morning even!”

_Well... might as well inform them,_ Felonca thought, and proceeded to do the impossible, impressing the guild even more with her tale of how the sword was taken...



“Majesty!  Majesty!” a servant came running towards Nayu, wringing his hands in worry.  True to his role, Nayu looked up, and snarled at the man.

“Why do you disturb me!  Someone has tried to kill me, and has killed my brother!” he bellowed, more tears streaming down his face.  Tears for Chou's sorrow, and tears for his own father.  

“Majesty!  An army has come to the city!  They have been let in the gates, and now ride to the palace!” the servant panicked, gesturing wildly.  “They shall arrive any moment!”

_An army?  Whose army?  Why would someone-

OH!_

Everything suddenly came together.  Why a betrayed son would be riding away and skip his father’s funeral.  Why he would need a double to make it seem like he was there.  _It all makes sense!_ 

His role now abandoned, Nayu dashed out towards the palace front.



_Some hours later..._

“I wish to thank you all for your assistance,” Prince Hu Shikai, now Governor of Langya Province, spoke.  He shifted slightly on the throne, his armor creaking and clanking as he motioned for his servants.  Two came into the room, carrying a table between them, upon which were neatly stacked piles of gold taels.  With a nod, the servants were then dismissed, before the prince returned his gaze to the party.  “Without your assistance, I am afraid this situation might have become... difficult.”

A princely armored hand waved to the table.  “Four thousand golden taels, as we agreed.”

Felonca and Liu both looked at Nayu, and the young man felt heat flushing to his cheeks.  He glanced sideways at the still stoic Chou, whose eyes were looking at the ground, but focused on a soul somewhere far away.  Nayu then glanced back towards Felonca, wh nodded slightly.  Gingerly, he cleared his throat, and stepped forward.

“Your Excellency,” he began, “we have lost a dear comrade in the process of this mission on your behalf.  As such, we wish an extra thousand golden taels...” Nayu paused, and then looked directly at Chou, “...for his surviving family members.”  Hastily, Nayu added a proper bow, but his eyes had switched back to the prince.

Hu Shikai looked at the young man, at the look in his eyes almost defying the prince to say no.  

“I was unaware you had suffered such a loss.  My deepest condolences,” the prince said, nodding to both Nayu and Chou.  An armored hand was waved, and another smaller table was brought in, its golden taels set alongside the much larger table already present.  The prince then rose, turned towards Chou, and gave him a bow.

“A wise leader cares for his subjects,” the prince spoke, quoting directly from a text of Kongxi, “and you, young man, do certainly care for your friends.  Your actions here show a great deal of wisdom... wisdom many of my father’s scholars and advisors lacked.  They also tell me that you used fire from your hands to subdue the beasts... something unusual for someone that has never seen the inside of a _dao_ academy or studied the great masters.  The state could use someone of your-”

“I most respectfully cannot accept,” Nayu replied, giving another bow.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Felonca and Liu both looking at him, mouths agape.  He ignored their shock and continued, “I merely ask Your Excellency to find it in your heart to assist me in finding my parents.”  As per procedure, Nayu went to his knees, and started to kowtow before the prince’s own hands grabbed his arm, preventing him.

“There is no need for that, brave one,” the prince said simply, pulling Nayu back to his feet before giving a sigh.  “I am afraid that is one thing I cannot help you with at this moment.”  The prince then turned, and started back towards the throne.  “From all sides, the armies of the Empress Dowager and her brother, the Prince of Shu, threaten me.  Because of this, I cannot send forces yet to the north to destroy the Military Governor, or find your parents.”

Nayu started to open his mouth to protest, before the prince raised a hand for silence.

“Young man, I know your parents must mean a great deal to you.  Unfortunately, I have hundreds of thousands of parents and children under my rule that must also be cared for.  I hope you understand.”

“In the meantime however, I wish to offer you and your brave companions my hospitality.  I am granting you lodging in the Governor’s Palace for the next week.”  A servant appeared, and the prince took several stamped pieces of paper from him.  He then handed the papers to the party.  “During that time, I can hopefully find information that may be of use to you.  I will meet with you in one week’s time, and hopefully then, can we set you on the way to a happy reunion.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

This is the end of the fourth session.  From here, things get even more exciting, as in the next session we had a guest player (Isida Kep’Tukari stopped by, and joined the party for a day), as well as further exhibitions of what Felonca’s dagger is capable of...


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Hail to the Emperor!

I found this story a few days ago and have been reading avidly every chance I've had at work to catch up. Now I have caught up, I am of course thoroughly hacked off 'cause now I've got to wait for the next update   !

Kudos to all involved, especially Emperor V. Keep up the good work   !


----------



## TDRandall

Again, great updates.  I'm definitely in the "kudos" club here.  One thing jarred me, though:

...."Oh great. Vargouilles. As if anything worse could happen.".....

Was it a moment of authorial writing lapse, Valerian, or have the characters (players?) really lost that sense of wonder/abject terror at the presence of undead?  It wasn't but a couple sessions ago that they were completely freaked out (yet also resigned, honorable and brave as heros should be) at facing off against a couple of flaming skeletons.

Of course, the gargantuan fiendish carrion crawler (at least that's how I saw it in MY head) completely made up for it.    

Wondering now if we'll get a chance at a breather and even more incredible character development, or whether we're headed head-first into yet another amazing action scene.  Can't wait to find out, because I'm sure it's going to be great either way!


----------



## drag n fly

"Wondering now if we'll get a chance at a breather and even more incredible character development, or whether we're headed head-first into yet another amazing action scene."


Oh, it's going to be both. BELIEVE me


----------



## Emperor Valerian

TDRandall said:
			
		

> Again, great updates.  I'm definitely in the "kudos" club here.  One thing jarred me, though:
> 
> ...."Oh great. Vargouilles. As if anything worse could happen.".....
> 
> Was it a moment of authorial writing lapse, Valerian, or have the characters (players?) really lost that sense of wonder/abject terror at the presence of undead?  It wasn't but a couple sessions ago that they were completely freaked out (yet also resigned, honorable and brave as heros should be) at facing off against a couple of flaming skeletons.




Well, it was a little of both.  By this point, the characters in game have been together for several months.  It was an attempt by myself to show Nayu's personality changing a bit, hinting at a budding cynicism growing on top of the fear.  It wasn't done the best it could have been, I'll admit.   Something to be saved for a later rewrite. 

EDIT - Oh, and if they have lost their fear of the undead... I now have _Libris Mortis_.  I think they'll regain any lost fear. 




			
				TDRandall said:
			
		

> Wondering now if we'll get a chance at a breather and even more incredible character development, or whether we're headed head-first into yet another amazing action scene.  Can't wait to find out, because I'm sure it's going to be great either way!




Heh... wait and find out  

EDIT - Yeah, that thing was a huge fiendish centipede, I believe.  And it was fun


----------



## TDRandall

" I now have Libris Mortis. I think they'll regain any lost fear. "

I wonder if we can somehow link in sound files what with the new server and all.  That sentence definitely needs some sort of accompanying "mad scientist cackle/BBEG bwa ha ha ha" type thing.  Can't wait.

"Heh... wait and find out "

*anguished sob*  You mean you aren't right now chained to your computer, pounding away at the keyboard on the next three installments?  I know I know, all things considered you are one of the quicker installment writers for any of the story hours I closely follow.

Alright, I can wait.  I must wait.  I accept....  *slow, deep breath* ... that all beauty and artistry takes time to fully blossom.

(Does that make me an "official" fanboy?   )


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

Whats that dagger do, I'd like to know so I can play with it abit


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Next update will be typed up tomorrow night.  

In the meantime, we had our seventh session yesterday, and _Libris Mortis_ was broken out for its trial run.  A wildly successful trial run, I might add.      I think that book is going to get used far more often.  

As for the dagger, I can't really say the exact mechanics of it here, as Felonca's player regularly reads the thread, and I wanna keep it a secret from the players.   I'll just say that it does far more than burn people alive.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Oh... this would be a nice point to put a summary of where the characters are:

*Wakabayashi Nayu* (Finally found out his surname  )  At this point, was a 6th level sorcerer.  He also has a chameleon familiar, named Kenzi, as well as a _spell-storing_ morningstar he particularly likes. 

*Wa-Feng Felonca* At this point, she is a 5th level rogue, who loves her cat emblazoned warfans.

*Liu Ganxi* At this point, Liu was a 3rd level Cleric and a 3rd level monk.

For this session, Isida Kep’Tukari, my former DM (who got me rehooked to D&D last fall) and a player from the previous game last spring came to visit, and brought a character with her... Togashi Cho, Monk5/Tattooed Monk1, to play the bodyguard role at this point.  Since that was Chou’s role for the party, and considering the poor man’s father had just died, I thought it would be time to him to exit stage left for the time being, to lighten my load of NPC running for a session.

But enough of that.  Herein begins Celestial Empire - Session of the Fifth, Wherein Nayu Searcheth For His Parents, Felonca Discoverth Greater Details of Her Dagger, A Village is Saved and then Destroyed, and the Secret History of Nayu is Revealed...

*Leaving Mingzhong*

Togashi Cho leaned in towards the miniature bonsai tree, moving his knife carefully, trimming the edges of its tiny leaves with practiced precision.  Some might say it was foolish to spend a half hour trimming the small decorative tree, but for Cho, it was not just practice in patience... it was a part of his personality.

_Ah... mother and father would be pleased,_ she smiled as he leaned back from his work, the crown of the tiny tree once again perfectly round.  Chou then set aside the tiny pruning knife, and gingerly picked up the tree’s pot, to transport it back to his cell.  Along the way, he nodded as various members of his brotherhood passed by, smiling and greeting each.  As he neared the outer areas of the temple, he passed by a well dressed young woman and her young son, praying to a shrine for longsuffering.  The young woman maintained her prayers, but the curious young boy slipped from his mother’s side, and rather cutely blocked the monk’s path.

“Are you the hairless one?  If I rub your head, do I get good luck?” the boy asked, and Cho had to suppress a laugh. 

“Patience and longsuffering will grant you more than luck, young fellow,” Cho smiled, the noonday sunlight reflecting off of his hairless crown and upper body.  Despite the slight lesson, Cho leaned down, and the young boy gingerly ran a hand over the crown of his head, before giggling excitedly, “I shall surely win at skipping today!” and rushing off to interrupt his mother’s prayers.

Cho watched for a moment, remembering himself twenty years before, being raised in the temple, his mother and father teaching him the ways of Master Shenyang, and he smiled.  _I think I should take a detour... and go so mother and father this tree of patience!_

“Brother Togashi!”

Cho immediately turned around, his reverie interrupted by the loud call of the Temple Master.  The man approaching was slightly older than Cho’s father, nearing sixty, but his dress... nude from the waist up, an orange cloth and sandals below, revealed the physique of someone half his age.  Master Yu always kept in excellent shape, and was likely to lead this Temple for twenty more years.

However, Cho didn’t notice these things... they were ordinary to him.  Instead, he noticed the young monk following Yu.  Unlike Cho, this man had a single braid of hair hanging from the back of his head, and his eyes and face smiled at Cho’s recognition.

“Liu Ganxi!” Cho rushed over and started to move to give his friend a hug before he remembered the bonsai tree in his hands.  He settled for a bow, which Liu echoed.

“Your hands appear busy, but I hope your ears are free, friend.  I have a favor to ask of you,” Liu said, rising from his bow...



“Have you found Chou?”

Nayu immediately could tell by Felonca’s eyes what the answer was.  Nearly a week had passed since the ‘Battle of the Funeral Hall,’ and the party had not seen their friend Chou for three days... since he’d left to bury his father outside the city.

“Yes,” she sighed, shuffling into Nayu’s expensively outfitted room, and collapsing on a silk divan.  The extreme comforts had lost their appeal after the first day, she hardly noticed it now.  “He was drowning his sorrows in a tavern in the Foreign District.  He had fifteen empty cups in front of him when I arrived, and while I was there he downed another four of spiced wine.”

Nayu winced, not just at the amount of alcohol their companion had downed.  _I bet he’s still upset at me for how I treated his father..._  Nayu’s mind drifted back to home, before this mess, even as Felonca continued talking.

“...so I think its best if we leave him here.  The innkeep promised to watch him, and Chou’s a skilled warrior, he’ll find work... and even if he doesn’t, I’m guessing that it’ll take him a long while to go through all that gold,” Felonca finally said.  “He needs time to work through his grief, you know?”  She sighed, and shook her head.  “He told me he’d served in his father’s unit for ten years.  Can you imagine that?  Not only being raised by the man, but working side by side for him for that long on top of it?”

“I can,” Nayu said quietly, shaking the thoughts from his own head, before deciding the topic of conversation needed to be quickly changed, before he got more depressed.  “Any news on Liu, either?”

“You need to cheer up,” Felonca casually observed, before heading to the topic of conversation.  “He’s still at his temple or whatnot,” Felonca waved her hand dismissively.

“Still no caring for the inner works of the spirit, for the political workings of religion and belief?” Nayu asked, a small smile starting to form on his face.  He’d always chuckled at how cavalier Felonca’s attitude to scholars and monks was... considering the monks of Shenyang regarded the _dao_ scholars as narrow-minded fools who disavowed inner peace, and the scholars regarded the monks as fools whose minds were so entwined in spiritual clouds that they forgot practicality and magic.  

_I don’t give a damn what philosophy the man has... will he help me and not be a backstabber?_  Nayu remembered a quote from her some weeks before on the road.  Liu had immediately started sputtering on the differences between his faith and the scholar’s science, while Chou had just laughed at the monk’s look of shock and horror.

_Good times in the midst of hardship._

“Nope... don’t know, don’t care to know,” Felonca said matter of factly.  “They do their thing, and as long as Liu doesn’t go into one of his longwinded explanations, or I don’t get insulted by one of the scholars, I don’t care.  Anyways,” she waved away Nayu’s chuckle with a grin of her own, “he agreed with me that Chou might need some time alone, so he’s looking for someone to join us... extra body, if you will.  I told him to not get another preacher... Liu wasn’t happy.”

Nayu fell off his chair laughing, and Felonca added her own snickers.  

“He said he’s looking for an old friend of his, a warrior of some kind,” she said after regaining control.  “A monk named Togashi Chou, or Cho, or something.”

“Hmm... ‘Togashi’ means dragon,” Nayu mused, “at least in the scholar’s tongue.  Very strange surname,” he shrugged.  “What time is it, anyway?”

“The sun was at noon a short time ago,” Felonca spoke, looking out the window.  “When were you supposed to meet the prince?”

“Two bells after noon... I guess I might as well go now.  All that can happen is we’ll have to sit and wait for a bit.”



_Three hours later..._

“I am so bored I’m almost tempted to ask that scholar if he’ll let me play against him at _go,_” Felonca moaned.  “He’ll beat me silly and gloat about it, but I almost don’t care.”

“The world’s best swordsman fears the world’s worst,” Nayu said absently, twiddling his thumbs as he looked over the endless marble of the hallway outside the Audience Chambers of the Governor’s Palace.  He then looked sideways at Felonca and smirked.

“Are you implying I don’t know how to play _go_?” Felonca asked, crossing her arms.  “It’s not hard!  You just move pieces around, jump people, and flip the game table over if you lose!” she grinned back.  Nayu was about to launch a biting remark in reply, when the immense doors of the chamber opened slightly, and a servant poked his head out.

“His Highness the governor will receive you now.”

Quickly Felonca and Nayu reordered their clothing, the fine silks they had used during the ‘Battle of the Funeral Ceremony’ having been fixed and remade.  Felonca checked the placement of her hairpins, while Nayu made sure his light mustache was curled just right, before the massive doors opened.

The room before them was crowded with armored men, their helms a sea of white, yellow and red plumes denoting high ranking officers.  As the two stepped into the room, the Prince of Hu, clad in the same gilded armor as before, came out of the milling crowd and greeted them with a warm smile.

“Highness,” Nayu and Felonca gave a proper bow.

“Nayu, Felonca,” the prince clasped his hands in respect.  “I do hope you have enjoyed your accommodations within this walls.  Was it to your liking?”

“Of course, Highness!”

“Excellent.  Enough with formalities... young man, I know you are eager to know what I have found out,” the Prince started, before looking slightly away.  “Unfortunately, it isn’t much.”  He paused, as if trying to place something within his mind, before speaking again.  “During my conferences on the disposition of forces, it has come to my attention that most of the refugees from the Military Distict that fled south have been settled in or around the town of Mafeng by the local prefect.  If your parents survived... that is where they would be.  I’m sorry it is not anything more specific,” he sighed.

“Highness, that is far more information that I had previously,” Nayu bowed deeply, “and I thank you deeply for your efforts to help me, in this busy time for yourself.”

The Prince started to say something, but instead closed his mouth and gave Nayu and Felonca smile of acknowledgement, before a blustery general in a white and red plumed helmet got the Prince’s attention.

“Well... I take it we’re going to Mafeng as soon as possible, like tomorrow?” Felonca asked as she and Nayu slipped out of the crowded Audience Chambers.  Nayu nodded in reply, and it was Felonca’s turn to look out the window.  “Before we go, there’s something I need to do.”



Felonca could tell by the surprised look on the leopard hengeyokai’s face that he hadn’t expected her to grace the guild’s headquarters with her presence once again.  She also saw it made him uneasy... something that made her smile.

“Sir,” she nodded, as the leopard overcame his surprise and motioned for her to come towards the table he was currently sitting behind.

“Wa-Feng Felonca... what may I do for you today?  Any trinkets to turn in?” he asked, his eyes slightly hopeful.

“None... I think the Guild can give me some waivers for a while,” she replied with a smirk.  _I busted my behind to get that sword... don't expect any more ‘dues’ for a while!_  “I just have a few things I need to ask you.”

“But of course!  We always seek to assist our most skilled members!” the man said with a smile that spoke of unease.  

“Have your members been following a young man, about six feet tall...” she said, going on to describe Chou down to the slight mole on the left side of his chin.  The guildmaster thought for a second, before replying no.  

“Good.  Don’t.  He’s newly rich because his father died, and he is still grieving.  He’s a friend of mine.  Leave him alone if you would please,” Felonca said, the smile on her face becoming hard and icy.  

“But of course,” the leopard replied, leaning back in his chair, attempting to look at ease. His eyes still betrayed him.  “I shall instruct all members to give him a wide berth.  Is there anything else we can do for you, Ms. Wa-Feng?”

“Yes, there is another thing.  Have any of the other city guilds said anything about large armies on the move?  War is afoot, I think.”

“War?  Between who?”

Felonca proceeded to explain that the Empress Dowager, the Military Governor and the Prince of Shu all were planning to invade Langya.  Of course she never mentioned that she knew this from being inside the Governor’s Palace for the past week, so yet again the guildmaster was stunned, and slightly frightened by the depth of her knowledge, and how much _more_ she appeared to know than the Guild or all its operatives...

When she returned to the Palace later that night, she found that Liu had returned, with a stranger as well.  The young man was perhaps a few years younger than Liu, and clad much the same.  However, there appeared to be no hair on his body at all, and a large tattoo of the sun was emblazoned on his chest, several shuriken and a set of nunchakus thrust into his belt.

“Ah... Felonca!” Liu rose quickly, leading Felonca over to the stranger.  “I would like to introduce you to Togashi Cho, a friend of mine and a formidable fighter!  He has agreed to accompany us to...”

“Mafeng,” Nayu replied, before saying sourly, “I still don’t understand how he’s as good as Chou with only a pair of short sticks and no armor.”



The trip to Mafeng would take three weeks.  As the crow flies, Mafeng was not far from Mingzhong, only a short distance to the east.  However, the road to the town followed the winding Kangxi River, so a trip that a crow could make in a week instead would take three.

Cho proved to be no Liu when it came to attempting conversions.  The first night, he merely inquired whether anyone else followed the teachings of Shenyang, and after the party had replied they did not, he left the issue alone.  Liu continued his ‘small teachings’ whenever he could... by the 18th day, Felonca and Nayu both were once again adept at tuning him out.

It was on that day when the party saw something strange, something some of them had never seen before...



“Um... Nayu?  What is that?  Up ahead on the road!  I think the man on it is injured!” Felonca pointed.  Over the past two and a half weeks, the party had passed a few travelers along the road, mostly merchants headed to or from Mingzhong with wares.  All had been riding or dragging horses, donkeys or carts behind them.  Up ahead was something far stranger.

Ahead was what looked to be the strangest horse Felonca had ever seen, heading right towards them.  Its snout was thin, and its lower lip seemed to droop.  Its color looked to be light brown, but it seemed far furrier than a horse should be.  Its hooves were strangely shaped, almost like shoes, and its tail was far too small.  Most glaringly, it had two strange humps or tumors on its back, to which someone had strapped their supplies. Between the humps rode a man clad in strange, rather tattered clothes, his head wrapped in what looked to be a bandage.

“What?” Nayu asked.  

“There!  That man’s hurt!” Felonca said urgently, spurring her mare ahead.  “Sir!  Good sir, do you need help!  Who has hurt-“  Felonca stopped in mid-call, as Nayu’s giggling laughter rose above the birds of a pretty summer’s day.  “What!  He’s hurt!  Stop laughing and lets go get him off that beast before it hurts him!” she snapped in annoyance.

“Felonca,” Nayu sputtered between giggles, “that...that man is a trader!”  The laughter roared back anew, and he needed a few moments to compose himself.  “He’s riding a _camel_!  He’s...he’s not hurt!  He’s wearing a _turban!_”

“A what?” Felonca looked back at Nayu increduously.  _Why would anyone wear bandages on their head, or ride such a misshapen horse!_

“A turban!  Cloth wrapped around his head,” Nayu was fighting to control himself, but his red face showed another outburst could start any moment, “it’s... its used by the traders that go into the desert north of the Desert Wall.  You can pull it down over your mouth to protect your face during dust storms.  And the camel’s humps carry extra water, so it doesn’t need as much... which means more water for you when you cross the desert!”

Felonca looked back at the man, who’d now stopped and was looking at the party strangely, before looking back at Nayu.  Quickly, her dark face became a shade darker as she flushed with embarrassment.

“Good sir, don’t be alarmed,” Nayu called out.  “I am a trader myself... my friend here has never seen a turban or camel before!  What news?”

“Ah,” the trader trotted his camel closer, his smile surrounded by a thick black beard.  “I was confused for a second as to your friends call.”  His accent was thick and richly melodic, speaking of an origin far to the north, perhaps as far as the great cities of the Slave Coast.  The man motioned to his torn cloak.  “Would you happen to have any cloaks, fellow trader?  Mine was torn by rascals further up the road.”

“Hmm... I’ve got this one here,” Nayu pulled his old cloak from its saddlepack.  “Nothing much, but it’ll keep you warmer than that mess there.”  The merchant tossed Nayu 5 silver, and Nayu handed him the greenish cloak.  “You said there were rascals up the road that did this?  We’re headed that way, towards Mafeng...”

“You’re going to _Mafeng!?_” the merchant asked disbelieving.  “Why in the name of Almashah are you headed there!  That place is full of vengeful fools and crazy loons!”

_Uh oh._  “Why do you say that?” Nayu asked, suddenly serious and concerned.  _Vengeful Fools?  Crazy loons?  My parents might be in the midst of that mess!_

“Well, firstly, there’s a loony bin of an Imperial Commissioner outside of the town, a real _karkizidah_,” the man spoke a word Nayu didn’t understand, but its meaning was fairly clear.  

_An idiot, or crazy man,_ Nayu deduced.

“He’s been there for about a month, and has been demanding the first-born child of a different villager every couple days... as hostages.  He wants the prefect to not send any forces to help the Governor in Mingzhong, and the kids are the collateral.  Its... its _alisha karkizidah! Alish karkizidah_ I tell you!”

“Great,” Felonca muttered.  “A commissioner for the Dowager Empress... who has seen you,” she turned to Nayu, “or might think you’re a certain person...”

“So the Commissioner tore you coat for some reason?” Nayu pressed. _I need to know more!  Is he hurting travelers?  What about the refugees that are supposedly nearby?_

“No... that relates to the _other_ crazy... _shelmichaya_ going on there!”  Once again, Nayu didn’t understand the exact word, but he guessed it was some reference to what’s left behind in lavatories.  “There’s also some kind of ‘white beast’ in the forests outside of the town, that’s been hunting villagers!”

“A white beast?!  How many has it killed?” Nayu asked, a little too suddenly. The merchant didn’t notice, and plowed on with his tale.

“I was part of a much larger caravan.  We were carrying short swords from Puyuan to Mingzhong... but we came into Mafeng, and learned of their trouble.  So we talked up our swords, looking to sell a few.  In all fairness, they were good swords,” the merchant added heatedly, as if he needed justification for something.  “Well maintained, not magical or anything, but sharp and capable in good hands.  I know, on the way south, we killed two sandhogs outside the Desert Wall with them!  So we talked them up, showed the blades, and they wanted the whole lot to arm some of the villagers to send out a party to kill this beast.”

_A white beast, by my parents!_  Nayu fought to keep from panicking.

“So we charged them a goodly sum, and started loading up on the red peaches that grow in their orchards... figured we could make two sales for the price of one.  That took two days, and by that point the hunting party returned, minus five of its members, and six others were in various states of injury.  Two more died that night.  Incompetent _karkiziashi!_”  he spat.  “They surrounded the thing and tried to rush it!  Idiots!”

The merchants tone turned angry.  “But did they take responsibility that they’d basically sent a bunch of yahoos into the woods who didn’t know how to hunt? No... oh no!  They said the swords wouldn’t even cut the beast, and said we’d conned them!  Honest Shareef and his caravan, con men!  _Alzabar zin Dagli!_ So they took Shareef, and Mazir, and his twin brother Nazir, and hung the lot of them!  When they hadn’t done anything!  _Malachi nob Calif!_  A lot of bloody murderers and _karkizidashi_, I say!  I’m full well going to report this to the Governor in Mingzhong!”

“You said the creature had been harassing townspeople.  There’s also refugees there too, correct?” Felonca asked, realizing what Nayu wanted to know but was unable to sputter out.

“Oh yes... the poor creatures.  That _shemichaya_ is crazy as well!  They say there are ‘burning skeletons’ and other things up north.  I’m not sure I wish to head back to Aldukir, or even Yabriz!  Too many strange things... too many strange things!  They were lucky though... most were inside the city in the commons and open places when the beast arrived, so none of them were hurt!  Thank Alshabah... it sounded like they had already gone through hell!”

Nayu gave a noticeable sigh of relief.  “So... does this beast haunt the road to Mafeng?”  _Good!  No refugees hurt means my parents weren’t hurt!_

“I don’t know... I didn’t exactly take a close look after what those fools did to Shareef and the brothers!  I just rode my camel as fast as I could to get away!”  As if acknowledging its mention, the camel gave a bellow, making Felonca's mare whinny.

“A wise response,” Nayu replied in turn, before anxiously looking up the road.  “Good sir, I think we should be on our way.  We are searching for friends from the north, and we wish a quick reunion.”  Nayu nervously twitched on his horse, resisting the urge to set off galloping towards Mafeng.

“Thank you, young man, for this cloak.  I sincerely hope you find your friend, and that the people there treat you better than they treated my friends.  May Alshabah look after you for your kindness!”  The merchant clasped his hands and did a slight bow on the back of his camel in a very polite goodbye from his native lands, far to the north of the Desert Wall.

“I sincerely hope he will,” Nayu replied politely, all the while wishing he could spur his horse off the Mafeng as quickly as possible...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Considering I completed today's post at an obscene hour (thanks to procrastinating writing a paper), I had a couple hours free tonight... so I created a map of this campaign world.  Its not of high quality, but it'll give everyone an idea of the geography, and the layout of the provinces of the Celestial Empire.

Map of the Celestial Empire of Ak Konylu 

I haven't had time yet to make a legend for the map, so here's the bare bones one below:
Dots: Places of note to the campaign (towns, homes, etc.)
One pagoda: City of less than 50,000 (Xianlung, etc.)
Two pagodas: City between 50-100,000
Three pagodas: City over 100,000 (Mingzhong)

The names in LARGE CAPS are those of the various provinces within the Empire.  Those in smaller red letters are the provincial capitals, and others are city or place names.


----------



## drag n fly

Perhaps an interesting thing to do would be to lay out a trail of where the characters have been, and relate it to each session/major events?

Hehe, that sounds like too much work. Although, it'd be a great teaser since only, what, five sessions are typed up, and we just played our seventh?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Done.  (Things like that are very easy to do when I'm avoiding schoolwork   )

Its rather crude and large, so I'll just link to it.  It goes up to where the party is after the most recent session (this weekend), and I'll warn you, it CONTAINS SPOILERS, though I've deliberately kept some of the incidents 'vague.' 

It too doesn't have a legend so here it is.

1)All notes and lines in ORANGE denote the FIRST SESSION of gaming (perhaps two weeks game time)
2) All notes and lines in LIGHT BLUE denote the SECOND SESSION of gaming (perhaps four weeks game time)
3) All notes and lines in PINK denote the THIRD SESSION of gaming (perhaps three weeks game time)
4) All notes and lines in DARK BLUE denote the FOURTH SESSION of gaming (perhaps two weeks game time)
5) All notes and lines in DARK GREEN denote the FIFTH SESSION of gaming (three weeks game time)
6) All notes and lines in YELLOW denote the SIXTH SESSION of gaming (another three weeks)
7) All notes and lines in RED/BROWN denote the SEVENTH SESSION of gaming (about five weeks game time)

Here's the map link:
Link to the Map


----------



## drag n fly

Wow, that is AMAZING. Much better than I even thought possible. Thanks alot  I think that'll be real fun for people to read along with the stories and as a 'teaser'.

Question: What program did you use to make all that? Cause I'm royally impressed


----------



## Emperor Valerian

I just used PhotoShop... to do a good job, I'd really need something like PrintShop though.  PhotoShop has stuff to make good maps... but not GOOD maps.

All I did really was draw the base map, then split things into layers... one layer for the mountains and rivers, one for borders, one for cities, and one for the name.  To change the first map, I just zoomed in and added another layer for campaign information.  By shifting which layers are "on top" you can make it so the borders overrun the lettering, or vice versa.  Took me about a half hour to figure out... maybe an hour and a half to fiddle to make the first map, and 45 minutes to do the second (the longest part was looking up the events in previous sessions to remember what happened where).

I'm not really in the mood to write an update tonight, so instead I'm writing up a province list for the game players.  Once we reach the appropriate point, I'll get the information up here as well.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Next update... the first part didn’t truly happen “in game,” but I felt it needed to be added to give some of the dimensions of Cho’s character, such as his motivation for joining the group, and what makes him tick.  He’s harder to characterize than the other PCs ‘cause he’s so far appeared in only one session...

==============================

*A Town on the Edge*

_A day later_

A twig snapped.  Felonca immediately rocketed from her sleeping roll, her hands furtively snatching her warfans, her eyes looking about, wide and fearful.  Another snap. Felonca followed the direction the noise came from, until she saw its cause.

Sheepishly, Cho looked down, putting the small twigs away.  The monk’s hands quickly hid the small whittling knife as well.

“I apologize for waking you,” he said, pausing before he added, “Why are you so skittish, Wa-Feng Felonca, may I ask?” he asked, his voice a rolling tenor.  “Have none of your traveling partners ever whittled as a means to pass their time on watch?”

“Nayu used to,” Felonca admitted, thinking back to their first night traveling, on their way to Xianlung to sell a few tomes of magic.  “But that was months ago.  It’s just that since... well...”  She sat up, trying to find a way to explain herself, and what was going on in her mind.  “I... we... me and Nayu and Liu... have been through a lot.”  She paused again, trying to figure out what to say, before blurting  “I... guess I never really thought I’d be helping someone search for their parents, or have undead chasing me.  I was supposed to be a warrior, not a thief stumbling about the countryside...”  Her voice drifted towards silence.  

“But Nayu is my friend... that’s why I’m here.  Even if I can’t be a soldier like my ancestors, at least I can do _something_ here that’s right!” Felonca sighed.  _Despite that, Father is probably so ashamed of me right now,_ Felonca looked down, the smallest pebbles on the ground drawing her eyes.  Cho had seemed just as patient as Liu, and just as kind, without the attempts at conversion.  _Why did you just blurt that out to him?  He doesn’t care!_

“Ah... I too wonder why I am doing this sometimes,” Cho said, and Felonca immediately gaped at him.  

_A monk?  Not knowing why they are here, or what they are doing?  Liu would never say something like that!  That’s... that’s like Liu saying a scholar is right!_  As confusion ran through her mind, Cho gave a slight smile and leaned forward.

“But then I remember that for all the bad in the world, there is much good, and I try to protect it.  That is why I am here, why I have my speed, my fists.”  The reply was simple, sure, and filled with as much confidence and gravity as a lecture from a scholar or a prayer from Liu.  “I need to keep myself honed, to fight for what is good... and most certainly trying to assure the reunion of a family is a good thing, is it not?”

“Of course,” Felonca gave a slight smile.  _Nayu finding his family is better than neither of us ever seeing our families again._ 

“And since I joined, I have more reasons to go.  If this village is being harassed by a monster, it is my duty to help to try and free the people from such a danger.  If a corrupt Imperial official threatens innocents, it is my job to help stop him.”  Felonca could tell that even while all of Cho’s words were delivered with the same frank, blunt speech, the monks eyes were looking past her, to something different.

“So you’ve dedicated your entire life to helping others?  No time or thoughts to yourself?”  Felonca asked, disbelief on the edge of her tone of voice.

“Yes.”  The same sure smile.  “I am one part of many.  You’ve likely heard Master Liu talk on and on about that, correct?”  Now, a slight smirk.

“Yes!  He rambles on and on about how according to Master Shenyang, we are all linked together; noble and common, warrior and farmer, even the foreign devils are linked to us in spirit, albeit dimly.  It seems rather... broad, if I should say so.”  Felonca stopped again, before speaking, trying to focus her thoughts.  “Naive... especially considering what I’ve seen.”

“Well, taking into account that I happen to follow Master Shenyang’s teachings, and that I am one part of the many, if I can make the many better, I better myself, no?” Cho asked, picking up his twig again.  “If I defend the many from those that would misuse, abuse, or destroy them, I defend myself, right?”

Felonca tried to follow his train of thought, and found it far easier than Liu’s convoluted theological blasts.  She still doubted him, but it was very late, and she knew even when fully awake, philosophical arguments with religious personalities were not her forte. 

“Why’d you choose this life... of dedicating yourself to helping others, as opposed to... well... doing your own thing?” she asked instead.  _You are extremely fast and strong... Master Hsiu likely would have loved to had you at the Academy instead of me..._

“My parents were devotees of Master Shenyang, and _The Way_,” Cho replied, his eyes snapping back to the present.  “I suppose some of it rubbed off.  As for any other reasons why I do this... I suppose in my heart of hearts, helping others in need is the _right_ thing to do.”  The monk then shrugged, before chuckling lightly.  “My mother was full of old cliches!  One of them sticks with me even now!”

“What was it?” Felonca asked, sincerely curious.

Cho cleared his throat, and his voice changed to an impersonation of a creaking, aged crone, as he wagged his finger through the air.  “My son, if you are pressed to make a choice, remember thus!  Always do the right thing!  Then, you will never look back with regrets!”  

_Always do the right thing... it sounds so simple... but it’s so hard..._ Felonca thought silently.

“I wish the world was that simple, Master Togashi,” Felonca sighed.  “But as for now, I’m going to lay down again.”

She found she couldn’t sleep for a while, however, as her mind reflected over the simple phrase over and over again.



Gently, Nayu ran his hand through the thicker, longer strands of hair coming from his mustache, his fingers combing them until they looked perfectly in balance with the nascent beard slowly enveloping his face.  As soon as his hand moved away, a small gust of wind caught the hairs alight, and soon blew them awry again.

_So close..._ Nayu thought as he rocked back and forth on his horse.  The young sorcerer stared into the mirror, and for a second, the youthful reflection changed; the smooth skin looked cragged and wrinkled with age, the brown eyes turned a sky blue, hard with age, while his black beard became streaked with gray.

_So close to my father, yet so far..._

“Aren’t we feeling vain today?” Felonca laughed, bringing her horse next to Nayu’s.  Hurriedly, Nayu’s mirror disappeared into his saddlepack, his eyes averted from her, even as she pressed more.  “You’ve been toying with that mirror quite often, young man!  Once we reach Mafeng, should I ask your mother for some paint to properly make you a beauty?  Or would that make your father...”

She suddenly stopped, recognition on her face.

“Yes... I grew it to look like him,” Nayu sighed, answering her unspoken question.  “His is longer... his hair is long enough he needs to wear a queue, but in a few months, I’ll be close to his.”  There was a tone of hopefulness in Nayu’s voice.  _I will see him again!_ he reminded himself.

“Good... I don’t know how to put queue’s into boy’s hair,” Felonca grinned again, happy that her friend wasn’t too morose, “so either your mom or dad’ll have to do it!”

Only a few hours later, Felonca began to smell the distinctive odors of many people living together... whiffs of baking, the smell of unwashed bodies, the wetness of straw.  Only a few minutes later, the party rounded a bend in the road, and before them lay the small town of Mafeng.

It looked to be moderate sized... Nayu guessed that normally perhaps 1,500 people called the village home.  However, it was plainly apparent that things were not as they should be in what should have been an idyllic little place.  Most obviously, a hastily thrown up wooden palisade surrounded the entire village.  Outside of the improvised walls were the remains of an abandoned camp... many tents still pitched, their cloth flapping in the breeze.

As they rode closer, it was also apparent that there were guards mounted on the palisade walls, and the closer they got, the more guards seemed to arrive.  They did not look like professionals in any sense... most were armed with a mishmash of old weapons and haphazard bits of old armor.  Finally, just as the wooden walls seemed to loom above them, one of the guards called down.

“Who goes there!  Who are you!  More trader scum bent on conning us?!”  The man looked better armored than the rest... he had a boiled leather vest, a couple pieces of scale mail attached, along with an ancient great helm.

“I am Wakabayashi Nayu, these are my companions Wa-Feng Felonca, Liu Ganxi, and Togashi Cho,” Nayu called back.  “We come here searching for my family!  They were refugees from the village of Red Lotus!  Prince Hu has stated the refugees have been sent here!”

The “well dressed” guard disappeared from the wall for a moment, and the party heard loud mumblings of a discussion.  Finally, with a creak, the wooden doors opened, and the party cantered into the village.  Even more quickly, the wooden doors were shut.

“Have you met the prince?” a different guardsmen said, wide-eyed as he held Nayu’s horse.  “Is he sending hunters here to get rid of the beast and the councillor?”  The sergeant immediately gave the young man a scowl.

“Don’t be bothering them just yet, Mao.  Just got here and he’s already asking questions,” the man muttered.  “I’m going to have to ask you to go talk to the prefect before you do anything else.  _He_ is the one that needs information about what happened in Mingzhong a few weeks ago, _not_ corporal Li Mao.”

“Sir... I understand you’ve been having issues with a great beast of some kind.  What exactly _is_ this beast?” Felonca asked, before adding, “If you don’t mind explaining, of course.”

“It is a great creature, eyes as wide as a house, with fangs large enough to be made into a sword!” the one they called Li Mao exclaimed, before another soldier gave him a cuff.

“You’re talking drivel, you’ve never seen it!”

“But my brother’s cousin’s wife saw it!  She told him everything!”

“Your cousin isn’t even married!”

”Yes he is!”

“Aha, that’s how that drivel began,” the sergeant replied.  “Why do you ask?  Did you see the beast yourself on the way here?  They say the Puyin Road is the beast’s stalking grounds...”

“No... we saw nothing on the way here, save several travelers that told us to be careful,” Nayu replied.  “Nonetheless, we’d like to know what it looks like, so we can be aware on our return trip.”

“Hmm...” the sergeant grunted.  The man then looked sharply around the gathered gaggle of soldiers, before his eyes came to rest on one man.  “Bai Ren, you explain!  You saw it yourself, just a few weeks ago!”

There were a few sputterings from Li Mao about how Ren didn’t know what he was talking about before the sergeant cuffed him again with one hand and shoved another forward with his other.  The one called Bai Ren looked to be middle aged, his hair going gray.  He didn’t even have any armor, and his darkened hands spoke of someone who normally was a dyer, not a soldier.

“Well...um...you see, myself, my neighbor Li Su, and his son Li Sin went outside the city two weeks ago to get some wood, for the last parts of this wall,” he said, his voice starting to tremble.  “We were making good progress, and had several pieces of lumber, when were heard some twigs snap, nothing big.  Li Sin said he thought it might be a deer, since he’s part hengeyokai and whatnot and could smell it.  So he said he’d go take a look, and we went back to cutting wood.  I then looked up, to check on him, and that’s when I saw it.”  The warrior stopped for a moment, his wide eyes a window into memories of terror.

“What did this thing look like?”

“I...it was like...a lion... save it was enormous!  It’s haunches were as tall as a h...horse!  And it was longer than a h...horse!”

“Dear gods,” Felonca whispered.

“It was eating _two_ deer!  It then raised its face and looked at us... its muzzle was covered in blood and gore, and it roared! It roared like the heavens themselves were crashing down upon us!  So we ran, as fast as we could, me and Li Su!”  Tears were coming to the dyers eyes as an the wound reopened in his mind.

“They never found the boy,” the sergeant interjected quietly.  “His bones are probably out in those woods somewhere.  Probably out by that damned councillor’s abode.”

“Excuse me?” Nayu’s interest increased immensely at the remark.  _The beast lives by the Imperial Councillor?  Most odd..._  Suspicions began to arise.

“That... thing has been spotted often close to where the new Imperial Councillor has taken up residence!  The beast started stalking only days after he arrived!  He has brought great evil on us, and brought Heaven’s displeasure!” Li Mao spat.

“And the beastly man demands hostages to keep our prefect’s loyalty!  He’s even gone so far as to demand refugees from the north as hostages as well!” Bai Ren jumped in, his horrible memories now being replaced by anger as well.

“He’s demanded _refugees_ as hostages!? _Which refugees!?_”  Nayu was immediately in the midst of the soldiers, only inches from their faces.  His voice bordered on panic, his eyes danced between them in desperation.

“Only one couple.   The woman was short and slightly stalky, with an iron gray set of hair and this small necklace of blue stones around her neck.... the man was tall and thin... as a matter of fact he looked a great deal like you...”



Felonca could immediately tell by the look of horror on Nayu’s face.

_Those are his parents!_

There was only a second’s worth of shock, before Nayu stalked back to his horse, and mounted.  There was no more shock, just a grim look of determination and anger.  Before the soldiers could grab his reins, he was already starting to canter towards the gate.

“Nayu, wait!” Felonca called, running over to her own horse.  _He’s going to get himself killed!_  A flurry of footsteps told her that Cho and Liu were running jsut behind her.  In the chaos, one of the soldiers managed to grab Nayu’s reins finally, holding his horse in place.

“Sir, its too dangerous!  The beast will surely kill you!” the soldier yelled, as Nayu tugged at the reins, trying to pull them loose.

“Nayu!”  Felonca reined up in front of him, blocking his path.  “If you go out there alone, you’ll be killed!  This beast was bad enough that the town militia couldn’t hurt it, what makes you think you can take it on by yourself!”  _Please think before you leap out and get yourself ruined!  You’re the only friend I’ve had in years!_

“Let go of the horse.  Move, Felonca.”  The voice was even, deadpan, but Nayu’s eyes were wild with a deep, powerful fury that threatened to explode forth any second.

“Sir, I am afraid I cannot do that.  You will go out and get yourself hurt,” the soldier said simply, even as he flinched away from the seething anger that was Nayu on horseback.  A hand touched the soldier’s shoulder, and gently urged him aside.

“At the very least, if you’re going to run amok, young man,” Cho gently took the reins, “you can let us go with you!”

“Yeah... and you know I’m good at that fighting thing!” Felonca smirked, before turning towards the soldiers.  She remembered many things from the military academy, but at that moment, none were as useful as remembering morning parade drill, and the words of Master Hsiu himself.

“Move you lazy rabbits!  Open the damn gate NOW!  We’ve got some villagers to free,” she barked, before looking at Nayu.

_And two parents to save!_


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Yay!

There's nothing quite so nice as getting back to the PC after a few days without access and finding TWO updates of one of my favourite story hours   .

Excellent stuff, as always, Emperor V.

Now, if you could just get another couple of updates done by .... Ooh how does Monday sound?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The Party Goes Hunting, Only to Become the Hunted*

“Bah!  Damn brambles!”  

Felonca frowned as Nayu complained again, leaves shaking as he pulled himself out of a bush.  _Quiet... we need QUIET_, she groaned, thankful that the noise lasted only a few moments.

_Now, back to the task at hand_.  Her long, low panther form slinked along the forest floor, perfectly at home, her senses finely attuned to tracking... _To hunting!_ she gleefully reminded herself.  Carefully, she silently padded deeper into the wood, her eyes keenly looking for disturbed ground, her nostrils flaring, seeking any hint of an unnatural animal.

“Anything yet, Felonca?” Liu whispered as the monk noiselessly slipped behind her.  Felonca looked up, and shook her head.  For all its advantages in speed, stealth, and even occasionally weaponry, her true form wouldn’t allow her the luxury of speech.  She then flicked her tail, and went back to her search.  A few minutes later, her keen eyes spotted something.

_Hmm... that’s right odd.  The leaves look out of place over there._  Quickly but silently she bounded over towards the disturbed ground, a bevy of smells filling her nose as she neared.  _Humans were here... as well as..._

She couldn’t quite place the smell.  In many ways, it smelled just like a big cat... the dank smell of fur, the slight stench of a marking somewhere nearby.  However, she smelled two other things in the air.  Firstly, she smelled something like burnt brimstone... which was odd, there were no burn marks anywhere nearby.  Secondly, she smelled blood.

_What is this?_  She gently pushed aside some of the leaves with her muzzle, revealing a footprint.  A few more leaves removed revealed more footprints, covering a wide area.  They all appeared old... more than a few days, perhaps even a week or two.  One of the footprint sets was deep, and went into the woods.

_One man ran into the woods... away from something._

Another two sets of human footprints, also deeply set into the ground, trailed off towards Mafeng.  But it was the final set of footprints that ended the puzzle for her, and chilled her blood.

Deeply imbedded in the dirt were enormous paw prints, each print easily over two feet long.

_A really REALLY massive cat was here..._ she shuddered.  _That’s all I need to know._  She then closed her eyes, and shifted towards her hybrid form, allowing her to speak.

“Big cat... when I say big, I mean enormous,” she spoke, looking at the others.  “Looks like the monster chased someone into the woods.”  A clawed hand then scratched her head as she stood up.  “I think if we follow these tracks, we might find its lair... or even it.  I don’t know for sure.”

“Mistress Tracker, lead the way,” Cho motioned, and Felonca resumed her hunt.

Felonca and the party ventured deeper and deeper into the woods, as Felonca alternately lost and regained the trail of the panicked person and the huge beast stalking him.  All of her senses were focused, her mind concentrated, shutting out other parts of the world as she concentrated on sight and smell, the constant singing and chirping of the forest birds covering her sense of hearing.

Suddenly, she heard a twig snap.  Instinctively, she sensed no twigs were under her paws, and a quick, sharp glance behind her showed that none of her companions had committed the faux pax.  She listened intently, but heard nothing as the three men began to whisper among themselves.

“I didn’t do that!” Nayu hissed, with Liu and Cho adding their own quiet protestations of innocence.  

Felonca was about to growl an angry reply to their argument when a collective shriek thundered through the air.  Felonca’s hybrid hands jumped to her warfans, while she saw Nayu and Liu both give perceptive jumps.  The screaming, shrieking din continued, as Felonca finally detected which direction it was coming from.  Above.

The sky, already blotted out intermittently by the trees towering above, was a sea of movement.  Hundreds of shapes flew overhead, as the fowl of the forest took to flight, screaming in warning as they did so.

“Gods...” Nayu muttered as the squawking and squealing finally began to diminish.  

Felonca watched the birds leave as well, before looking back at the party.  One cat knew the tactics of another, and out there, in the forest, she could _sense_ its presence... slinking, softly padding, listening, watching.   

“We’re being stalked,” she whispered.  “Keep your eyes open, and your ears listening.  The beast’s tracking us.”



_Why don’t you reveal yourself?_ Cho thought grumpily several hours later.  It was nearing late afternoon, and within three or four hours, night would fall.  Cho sickened in realization that that was the reason the beast had been content to manifest itself so far as only the occasional cracking of twigs, or Felonca’s persistent smelling of “big cat,” and “blood.”

_A night attack..._  Cho shuddered slightly at the thought.  _I and Felonca can stay awake the night, but neither Master Liu nor Nayu can do the same!  And if we do stay up all night, and it attacks just before dawn when we are worn and tired..._

“I see something!” Felonca hissed suddenly, her arm up, calling for the party to halt.  Silence hung thick in the air as everyone searched around with their eyes.  After a few seconds, Felonca padded forward, forcing everyone else to fall behind.

“What is it?” Cho heard Nayu ask yet again.  The young sorcerer was always insistent to know what was going on, at all times.  _A good characteristic_ the monk granted.  For the time being, however, it seemed to only annoy Felonca.

Felonca gestured again as she slinked forward, and for the first time Cho could see it as well.  

_Shenyang on high..._

At first, it looked to be the arm of someone that was hiding beneath of pile of leaves... until one noticed that said arm was caked in dried blood.  Quickly, Felonca dug at the leaves, as her face twisted in horror the more she uncovered.

“Dear ancestors protect us,” she muttered, her blue eyes wide.

It was the decayed body of a young man, his mouth still opened in a scream beyond the grave.  His form was discolored, his eyes and soft tissue long gone, but his desecrated skin was still caked with the dark brown of dried blood.  Just as she was halfway done uncovering his form, Felonca stopped moving leaves.

“What killed him?  Nothing here explains the blood...” Cho asked, until Felonca crawled away from the corpse, coughing, nearly retching.  The monk walked forward and looked at what she uncovered, and felt his own bile rising.

Just bellow the belly-button, the boy’s body ended in a sudden bevy of torn flesh and shattered entrails.

“He was bitten in half,” Cho whispered, before uttering a few prayers for the deceased.



“You okay?” Nayu asked gently.

“Fine enough,” Felonca choked out, keeping her eyes averted from the maggot filled horror.  _This thing doesn’t hunt to eat... it hunts for sport!_ she realized, her stomach sinking.  Any wild cat would have consumed the body of Li Sin – that is who it clearly was, from the soldier’s description of the missing boy – within even a day of the kill.  The fact that half his body still laid here had many more implications than simply malicious play.

_A marker maybe?  That this thing doesn’t want its territory infringed on?  Well... too late for that..._

The air was still thick with the smell of old blood, and as Liu performed consecration rites over the mutilated body, Felonca’s nose began to follow the scent.  Leaning close to the ground, she saw small splotches of dark brown on twigs, leading away from the body.

Her huntress mind came back, grateful that there was a puzzle to solve to push the image of the dead boy from her mind.  Carefully, she slipped forward, slowly following the trail as she heard the slight rustle of the others following in behind.

Another _snap_ echoed through the quiet forest, and the party knew better than to start questions each other as to who made the noise.  They knew they were being stalked.



“This... is creepy as hell,” Nayu said quietly, as he looked about.  

The trail of old blood Felonca followed ended here... in a small clearing, little more than a parting amidst the leaves of the great trees.  It was not the rustle of this cloud of leaves that had caused Nayu’s comment... it was what was far closer to ground level.

A huge patch of grass in the midst of the small clearing was not thick and green, as it should be in mid summer... rather it was squashed flat, brown and very dead.  Obviously, something immense had rested on the grass for a long time or repeatedly, killing it.  As if that didn’t confirm the party’s suspicions that this was the lair of the great cat beast, the piles of dried bones and skulls laying about did.

“I saw something!” Liu suddenly shouted, grabbing Nayu’s shoulder and roughly spinning him around.  As the monk’s finger wildly gesticulated at a bush, Nayu squinted, but only saw green leaves lazily dancing in a slight breeze. 

“Whatever it was, it knows we’re here _now_, for sure” Felonca hissed sourly, giving the monk a look of death.

“I swear!  I saw something!  Something large and white!”

“Which merely means it’s getting closer,” Nayu said, his mind already flashing through relevant spells at his disposal.  _Protection, protection, then firepower_ he sighed mentally.  “I think it means to ambush us.”

“That would never do.”  Cho’s voice seemed perfectly calm and even... a state that Nayu was envious of.  “We need to be the _ambushers_, not the _ambushees_, if we want to have a chance with this creature.  It’s far larger than us, and clearly more powerful.”

“It also has either maliciousness or intelligence higher than a normal animal,” Felonca added.  “The only half-eaten body showed that.”

“We need some bait... someone that looks helpless,” Nayu thought aloud.  “Liu, we need your ability to heal, so you are out, and Felonca, it will probably recognize you as unusual, and perhaps dangerous... so,” Nayu swallowed, hard, “I think I should be the bait.”  _Mage Armor, Shield... and a few well placed fireballs, hopefully... I should be fine..._

“But you are a master spellcaster, are you not?” Cho offered.  “That is at least what Master Liu says.  If that is so, you should be in hiding also.  I shall be the bait.”



_Are you nuts!?_ part of Cho’s brain screamed at him.  _That... THING is easily larger than a horse, capable of biting a man in half, yet you VOLUNTEER to be the bait to lure it out!?_

Cho could see the same look of confusion on Nayu’s face... the look asking why.  Cho sighed, and steeled his heart.

“I must.  You are here to find your parents.  If we fail, I can hold the beast off so you can flee, and find them.”  _If I die so the many are better, I am making myself better,_ one of his master’s mantras entered his head.  One look at his face told the others he’d grimly set his course, and nothing would change it.



Felonca felt the bark of the tree rasp slightly under her claws as she clambered higher and higher, her midnight black panther body pressed close against the tallest tree next to the clearing.  

The plan was rather simple.  Nayu and Liu hid in some bushes at the near edge of the clearing from where Liu had seen the white shape... Felonca had reasoned that the beast would circle around, in an effort to attack them from behind.  Cho meanwhile ran about the middle of the clearing, making an excellent attempt at sounding hysterical.

Carefully, Felonca clambered out onto one of the larger boughs than hung over the clearing belong, slinking closer till she felt she was in a good pouncing position.  

_Ah... a fellow tree climber!  You will make interesting prey!_  a voice purred.  Felonca looked around, perplexed, before she realized it came from _within_ her head.  

_It can speak?!_ she panicked, clambering down from the tree in a hurry.  _This thing is even smarter than I thought!_



It was only a few seconds later when Cho saw his bane.  The ground shook lightly as the immense beast, easily as long as two horses, padded towards him.  It did bear a passing resemblance to a lion, save all its fur was a snow white in color, and its eyes burned with a fiery red glaze of hunger, and hate.  Even though Cho was not hengeyokai, the smell of burning brimstone assaulted his nose.

“W...Why do you hunt?” Cho asked, steeling himself.  Unconsciously, the warriors body slipped into a defensive pose.  “Why are you killing innocents?”  _If it is as intelligent as they say, it might reveal how it came to be here..._

The beast slowed its approach, and slowly started to circle the monk, its eyes boring in directly on his own.  A tongue shot from between the snow white lips, blood red and forked, licking its chops.

_I like to play with human things,_ it chuckled, before it pounced.



One second, the creature seemed slow, even languid in its movements, as it lazily circled around Cho, sizing him up.  From the way Cho’s face suddenly looked confused, Felonca realized it was speaking in his mind too.  

The next second, it was all speed, a blur, as if an immense coiled spring had shot forth, lashing out.  A roar that seemed to shake the trees to their roots thundered through the woods as the creature pounced on Cho with its immense weight, its claws tearing at the young man, his blood curdling screams grating Felonca’s ears.

_CHO!_  She felt herself shifting, back towards hybrid.  Even as her paws slid into nascent fingers, she clawed at her belt, and pulled forth the old gift from Master Quan-Shi, left outside her inn door so long ago.

_I hope you will find this necklace useful_ she remembered, feeling the icy pearls run under her hands.  With a tear, she bit off the largest of the snowy blue-white baubles, and hefted at the rear of the beast as its claws continued to tear at her comrade.  A bright flash blinded her eyes for a moment, and the beast left forth a roar that was clearly of pain.  Its posterior now covered in icicles, the beast spinning to find its attacker.



Nayu stood there, fear running through his veins as easily as blood.  

_What the hell happened?_ the sorcerer thought, fearfully.  He’d concentrated, focused, bringing forth seemingly all the magical power within his body, and focusing it within one small, tiny white bead... a bead that should have given birth to a fireball, ranged perfectly to strike Cho’s attacker but leave the monk alone.

Instead, the bead, as it passed within inches of the great beast’s body, seeemd to sparkle, then fizzle.

_My magic is useless?_ Nayu thought, confused, only now realizing that he was standing in the open, and had been since he’d released his ill fated spell.  He stood there, dumbfounded, as Liu charged out of the bushes with a yell, swinging left and right to drive the beast from his fellow templar.

When the beast turned and an immense paw caught Liu in the chest, Nayu suddenly was yanked back into the present.  Quickly, shakily the words for another spell ran through his mind.  _Qing, a dju-go..._  Cho leapt up, bloody and torn, only to charge the beast headlong.  _Mai-op chen..._

“SUNG!” Nayu snarled, extending his hand in a familiar manner.  The same crackling, billowing tongue of flame that had helped him so many times before lashed forth, speeding away towards its target...

...the trees just above the beast’s head, which burst into a riot of flame.

“DAMMIT!” Nayu swore, digging down and calling forth more magic...



Felonca’s world was a mere blur, as she spun about, her warfans extended in a graceful dance of death.  She stopped her spin, intent on going momentarily on the defensive to gauge her situation, and the blur came into focus, just as a massive paw caught her just above her belly button, and sent her sprawling.  Roaring, thunderous roaring melded with screams and shouts in her ears as she flipped back to her feet, feeling the blood running down her stomach.

The beast’s immense eyes were boring in directly on her, as it slowly padded forward, its eyes belying malicious glee at the toughness of its new toys.  In the fiery reflection of those orbs, she could see Cho and Liu bracketing her, their forms also torn and bloodied.  Behind the beast, still standing, was Nayu, noiselessly mouthing more words of power.

“Bastard!” Felonca snarled at the seeming glee coming from the creature, despite the icy frost covering its tail and behind, the bruises undoubtedly growing under its snowy fur, and the slices around its sides and haunches where blood had seeped through the thick pelt to drip on the ground below.  Defiantly, Felonca snapped into her oldest defensive posture, the Flying Dragon, both of her warfans extended towards the beast.

Her eyes momentarily found Nayu’s, and for a split second, a silent conversation took place.  The next moment, she let loose a blood-curdling yell, charging forward as fast as she could go.  On each side, she heard Cho and Liu issue death cries as well, all lurching forward towards the beast, just as it happened.

Later, Nayu would tell them he wasn’t initially sure if his spell would work, considering what’d happened the two previous times.  But this moment, the long, spitting tongues of flame that erupted from his fingers blasted deep into the massive creature’s rear, turning its snow white fur black, and sending the smell of burnt flesh high into the heavens.  The beast suddenly turned to face this new threat, as the three other party members slammed into its flank, hacking, punching and clawing.

Blood now flowed quite freely over the snowy fur, as the beast suddenly snapped around.  For a second, Felonca was sure that its maw would find her and bite her in half, but the immense turn continued as she saw for just a moment those haughty eyes now looking fearful.  The beast instead began to charge into the woods, fleeing from a fight it now knew it could not win.

“Get him!” Felonca snarled, shifting her momentum to charge after the creature.  _The bastard will otherwise just heal and then come back!  Kill him now!_ 

She heard footsteps, and Liu shouting, but then a blur passed by her, as Cho dashed after the beast.



_The ancestors are with me!  I am one of the blessed! I have in my mind the power to control my surroundings!  I will catch you!_ Cho ran through the mantras, his body screaming and complaining as his legs pistoned him after the great beast.  After the immense blasts of energy had scalded its back legs, it was far slower... while Cho’s faith was keeping him as fast as normal.

The moment when Cho took the air, the world felt... peaceful, even as he drew his fist back.  Even as the white furs on the massive beast’s back came into individual view as he fell.  Even as his fist went forward, and he felt and heard a sickening crack as the beast’s neck was shattered, and its fleeing form tumbled to the ground...

With an uncharacteristic flip to the side, Cho landed on the ground.  Despite his torn stomach, his aching side, the pain throughout his body, he felt alive... and he realized the mantra was true.

_When you save others, you save yourself._

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

The creature featured in this update was a bezekira, or “hellcat” as seen in the Monster Manual.  Isida was kind enough to bring her ambient music CDs, of which I played the creepiest songs during the “hunt” for this beast.  That, coupled with the fact the players never saw the creature for a good half hour before the fight, really... _really_ creeped them out.  I think it was probably one of the most fun encounters we’ve played so far.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Excellent update, as always. Keep them coming.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Well, the next update took a little longer than expected, but that just means that there'll be two posts tonight instead of one. 

*The Imperial Councillor... and Parents Found*

“Is it safe to have you in the lead?” Nayu gently teased, “I mean... there could be a skeleton only ten feet in front of you, and you might walk into it!”  Felonca frowned, the midday sun highlighting her furrowed brow.  She gave a snort, as the party set out along the small trail she found only moments earlier.  

_Of course he’d have to bring that up,_ she growled.  After the party had felled the great white lion, they’d spent a bit of time skinning it.  Realizing it was too late to advance on the Councillor’s home that night, they’d decided to make camp in the great beast’s home, hoping other animals would assume the massive monster was still alive and not disturb them.  

_Boy, were we wrong on that account,_ Felonca grumbled, her eyes checking their surroundings, attempting to give her brain something to do to help ignore their teasing.

“What happened last night was a fluke... we felines under most normal situations have _excellent_ sight, smell and hearing!” she replied haughtily.  “Besides, if I remember correctly, _who_ was the one able to consistently harm the creature after it made its presence known?”  _That’s right... all of you floppily-doppilies who couldn’t hit a sandstone wall if it was two inches in front of you owe me!_

“The boneclaw,” Cho corrected her, a grin on his own face.  “It was a boneclaw. A _lone_ boneclaw.”

“Yeah, it definitely made its presence known!  You were quite busy whittling away at a stick when it sliced you up... _then_ you realized there was something wrong and woke us up.  Standard procedure would have those actions reversed, my pretty kitty,” Nayu smirked, and Felonca’s face grew more sour.

“How was I supposed to know that thing’s claws reached thirty feet like that, Mister I-Like-To-Set-Fire-To-Trees-Instead-Of-Monsters?” she replied.  _So I was busy trying to make a little wooden statue of Nixu... it was supposed to be Nayu, but I messed up the face, then it was supposed to be Liu, but I got the arms wrong!_

“Cho, I believe one of your mother’s cliches fits in at this moment,” the normally dour Liu grinned.

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?” his companion monk offered.

“Nope... the other one,” Liu replied.

“Expect the unexpected?”

“No, not that one, the other one.”

“Always be prepared?”

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“Just shuddup about it already!” Felonca moaned.  _So I was distracted one night, and my superior senses failed me!_  She then made the decision she was going to ignore whatever they said for the next hour, as she knew the snickering would continue.  _I made up for it, I killed it singlehandedly almost!_

“I think we’d better drop the topic, otherwise our blind and deaf friend here might slice our heads off,” Nayu chuckled.  Felonca turned to snap at him, till she realized the veiled compliment...  as well as the fearful nervousness dancing in the sorcerer’s eyes.  

_That’s why his comments are so biting,_ she realized.  _He’s nervous about his family... and trying to find a way to laugh it off._  Her retort died on her tongue as she gave a sigh.  _We’re all scared... and laughing is a good way to get over fear..._

“Rawr, I’ll do it too!” she shot back, grinning herself.  _Relax... there’s enough fighting ahead._  “Yeah, yeah, get your laughs in, its not everyday the hengeyokai doesn’t do well acting as the eyes, ears and nose for the rest of you!”

“You had better believe I will,” Nayu happily whispered, “its not everyday my blind eyes spot trouble while waking up before you do when you’re awake!”



The quiet teasing lasted only a few more minutes, before the party found itself too caught up in watching the surrounding forest, looking for signs of more boneclaws, or even the Imperial Councillor himself.  The soldiers had described someone that was human, but the party was not willing to take any chances... especially if the Councillor _was_ affiliated with that gigantic lion.

Around midday, the party found that the trail led to a small clearing.  On the far side sat a small, recently constructed home, the flowers and other plants outside it well maintained, as if it had residents.  Cutting between the party and home, however, was a babbling brook, perhaps five feet wide.  A single wooden bridge crossed the brook on a small pathway that led to the home.

After some misgivings from Nayu about crossing the bridge (which Felonca now teased him for), the party crossed, and drew close to the house...



“Well, that’s an imperial seal of some kind,” Cho grunted, motioning to the writing in Court Tongue on the large wooden door.  “I think we’ve found the home of the Councillor.”  The monk carefully examined along the door, before he felt hands shoving him aside.  With a little shock, he turned to see Nayu feverishly attempting to try the door, pushing and shoving.  

“I think if we let our thief friend here,” Liu started to calmly advise, before Nayu lowered his shoulder, and rammed into the door.

Which flew wide open.

Immediately what seemed to be a cloud of dust flew out from the inside.  Felonca’s nostrils filled with the smell of dankness, as well as the faint smell of the earth and death.  _No surprise,_ she thought, _considering what else we’ve seen inhabiting this wood.  I’m sure the Councillor keeps all sorts of lovely company..._

“Does anyone have some kind of light?” Nayu asked, as he peered into the pitch black darkness of the house.  It was apparent that something inside was covering all of the windows, blocking any light from coming in.  Cho quickly fetched a torch from his pack, and lit it.

And the sight caused most everyone to recoil in horror.

All throughout the single room home were webs... hundreds of thousands of webs, thickly covering and hanging from the ceiling, the walls, even the fireplace.  Hanging from the rafters were two massive blobs of netted webbing, and as the open door brought a gentle draft into the building, the blobs turned, revealing skeletal arms coming from their midst.

_Giant cocoons?!  Massive webs?!_ Nayu’s mind thought, in a panic.  _Webs come from spiders, and spiders put their prey in cocoons to eat..._  Immediately the sorcerer’s eyes were fearfully looking along the walls, and to the ceiling above, feverishly checking for any sign of movement.

_Kenzi... climb up the wall and check above the rafters.  If there are any spiders, get back down as fast as you can so I can flush them out!_ Nayu whispered mentally.  He felt two pairs of legs clamber from his pack, up his back, onto his shoulder before a slight shove revealed the lizard leaping onto the wall, clambering up the side.

“Um... Nayu!  Your pet is climbing up into the spider’s nest!” Felonca called worriedly, running over to try to grab the lizard before he could climb too high.  Her jumps came up short, as Kenzi clambered beyond sight.

Nayu closed his eyes, and suddenly found a different sight flooding in where there was once darkness.  He saw darkness still, but saw no movement, no shapes.... only dust gently wafting in the small draft now circulating the house.

_Thank you, Kenzi_ Nayu mentally thanked his friend, and with a scramble the lizard clambered back down and hopped onto Nayu’s shoulder.  With a look of horror in his eyes at his surroundings, Nayu then proceeded to examine the skeletons hanging from their webbed cocoon.  Once cut open, it was obvious they were not the remains of adults, but children.  The sorcerer gave a grunt... partly of relief, partly in fear of what other entombed souls this house of horrors might contain.

“Um... that lizard has some guts,” Cho said quietly, watching in awe as the chameleon clambered down into Nayu’s pack.  _If that little thing went up there and disturbed the webs, and came back down free, there’s likely nothing up there..._

The monk’s thoughts were interrupted by a moan, and for a second, Cho second-guessed his own logic.  He looked about the room of horror, searching for where the noise was coming from.  Finally, in a darkened yet unchecked corner, Cho found two cocoons laying on the ground.  One emitted a soft, muffled moaning sound, while the other was still and silent.

“Nayu!  Quickly!” Cho called, and within seconds the sorcerer was by his side.



“A dagger!  Now!  I need a dagger!” Nayu shouted in a panic.  With one hand he insistently waved for something sharp, with the other, he tried desperately to tear at the cocoon making the noise.  _One of my parents!_ was all that ran through his desperate mind.

A split second later, he felt the coldness of a hilt in his hand, and feverishly he cut the sticky sinews holding whatever was making the noise imprisoned.  As the webbing snapped away, the cocoon shook as its contents thrashed about wildly, and Nayu’s hands shook as the moans and noises became more distinct... a voice he’d heard most of his seventeen years in the world.

_MOM!_

After what seemed an eternity, another sinew was sliced open, and the cocoon shuddered and unraveled, releasing a blast of foul air as it broke open.  Inside, covered in jelly-like goo, was an older woman, her midnight black hair infested with streaks of gray, her eyes closed tight as she cried out in sheer terror, her hands clasped around some small object.

“NO!  IT IS FOR MY SON! YOU CANNOT HAVE IT!  NO!”

“Mom!” Nayu grabbed the woman, and pulled her from her horrible prison.  Quickly he slid her to the side.  _Dad’s in the other one!_  Without pause, the terrified young man leapt to work on the next cocoon, working with the fury of someone both terrified and determined.



“You cannot have it!  No!” Nayu’s mother whimpered again, her eyes squeezed shut, her arms wrapped viciously around _something_ as Felonca rushed forward and put her arms around the woman.

“Madame Wakabayashi, things are okay.  Your son is here, we are friends!” Felonca called into the woman’s ear, trying to calm her down.  _My god... what did he do to them?_ Felonca’s own mind asked, unable to wrap fully around the horrors that must have happened.

“No...” the woman called, shuddering, her cries falling to whispers.

“Shhh...” Felonca kept rocking, the movement simultaneously keeping her mind from the terrible place they were in, or the horrific prospect of the Councillor’s return.  “It’s okay, Madame Wakabayashi.  You’re safe.”

Liu was quickly by Felonca’s side, and gently placed a hand on the woman’s forehead.  He closed his eyes, and a few whispered words of concentration later, he looked at Felonca.

“She is healthy... though greatly afraid.  Madame,” he turned back to Nayu’s mother, “I am Liu Ganxi, a follower of the great monk Ashoka Shenyang.  You are safe, by the blood of myself and my brethern...”

It was then that Felonca heard the shriek, and turned to see Nayu’s terror struck form peering into the second cocoon.



_NO!_

Before Nayu’s horrified eyes lay the body of a man.  His form was tall, and exceedingly thin, his skin drawn taut over his bones, as if the muscle he’d carried in life had been sucked out of him.  Thick, sticky goo that smelled caustic covered his body, and seemed to bubble from two enormous holes in the midst of his chest.  Stuck tight to his deathly pale form was a long, iron gray beard, trailing from the remains of a face that once bore an exactly resemblance to his sons...

“NO!  PAPA!” Nayu cried, reaching in to grab the figure, even as the slime burned his hands.  With a great heave, the body tumbled out of its webbed tomb, and onto the floor.  “Papa!”  The seventeen year old that had grown immensely, that had become a man during his search ceased to exist.  In his place, a frightened son leaned over his dead father, tears streaming down his face.

Nayu shook the body futilely, ignoring the pain in his hands as he did so.  _If I shake him, he’ll wake!  He’ll wake!_ the child in him cried, even as two pairs of hands grabbed his shoulders, pulling him back from the body.

Nayu didn’t hear Liu say the body was covered in some kind of acid, or see the monk head towards the body.  Instead he fell to the side, his vision blurred from the tears.  He barely heard Felonca’s voice calling to him, and hardly felt her encircling embrace, as a numb feeling of horror covered his entire body, his voice softly calling for a soul long lost.  

It seemed like hours went by, before he was able to muster the ability to speak, and even then, only one word came from his lips.

“Why?”

Nayu looked down, to see two people holding him tight.  One looked up at him with blue eyes, filled with dismay and sympathy.  The other peered up at his height from under a crop of black hair streaked with gray, her eyes filled with both resignation, and determination.

“I’m... I’m sorry Nayu,” Felonca said quietly, before releasing her comforting hug.  Her eyes then flickered for a moment to his mother, before she bowed slightly, and backed away.

“Mama,” Nayu whispered, leaning down to kissing the forehead underneath those black and gray locks.  “I’m sorry mama... I came as fast as I could!  I did... if I’d known sooner, mama, I could have...”

“Ssshh...” the woman’s voice cracked slightly with her age.  For the first time, Nayu noticed the cracks and wrinkles in her face had grown deeper, as if in the space of two months she’d aged ten years.  “My son... I am just so glad to know you’re safe!”  For several moments, mother and son were merely content with each other’s company, years of conversation being exchanged through simple tears and hugs.

Once safely in her son’s arms, Nayu’s mother broke down yet again, muttering through her tears about the burning of Red Lotus, the creature killing his father, and repeated, about a box...



Felonca watched the scene numbly, feeling a sense of loss despite having met Nayu’s family for only a few hours after the burning prefect was defeated.  Images came to her mind of Nayu, the entire way to Mafeng, trimming his beard perfect, checking it each day, so one day he’d look like the man he admired most.

The man now laying on the floor, the now neutralized poison surrounding him as Liu uttered a few prayers over the body.

Felonca felt a tear coming to her cheek, and let herself sniffle.  Even as the tear fell, though, her brow wrinkled in confusion, as the sniffle brought in a whiff of something strange.  A smell of incense and earth, of perfume and dust and personhood.  She frowned, smelling deeply this time, to be rewarded with the scent yet again.  

For a second, she was confused, until she looked about the house... alongside the thick dusty webs were perfumes that a scholar would wear to show off his status, and her mind quickly put things together.

“Quickly!” she was immediately rushing Nayu and his mother outside, “He’s coming!”

“Who?” Nayu asked weakly, his eyes red from the past half hour’s tears.

“The Councillor!  He’s coming back!  I can smell him, he’s upwind!” she gesticulated wildly. 

“Why go outside?  Wouldn’t it be safer to wait...” Liu started to say, before the monk looked and Nayu and stopped in mid-sentence.

The young man’s red eyes seemed to radiate an unearthly fury, as his jaws clenched so tight that Felonca thought she heard his teeth grating.  With a final squeeze to his stills sniffling mother, Nayu turned, and strode towards the door, terrible purpose in his walk...



_Come here, you bastard!_ Nayu fumed as he stepped into the sunlight.  The Councillor had torn a large part of his heart away... and for a tearful half hour, there had been nothing to replace the missing piece of his family.  

Now there was.

“Get my mother and father out here, and get them to a safe place!” Nayu barked, his eyes looking up the road ahead.  Nothing yet.  “Felonca, can you smell him?” he asked as Liu and Cho moved the dead man’s body as well as his mother to behind the house, and admonished the elderly woman that should things go wrong, to flee.

Nayu watched his friend’s nostrils flare, and then give a decisive nod yes.

“Good,” the young sorcerer replied grimly.  Already, he could feel the magic in his veins boiling, his rage, sorrow, and fear multiplying its powers.  Within his chest there was no longer a placid sea of magic, lying passively to be tapped, but a raging tempest, frothing, rising to the surface of his body.

He glanced to his left, where Liu and Cho were both coming around the house, calling for him to take an ambush position.

“Watch my mother!” Nayu replied grimly, waving them off.  _Help her!_

“But Nayu, if this man is truly this powerful, or this evil, I should...” Cho started, before Nayu glared at him, a hot, fiery heat burning behind his eyes.

“Go, Cho.”  Some part of Nayu’s conscious heard his voice, and how different it was from normal.  This voice was as unbending as steel, and sharp as a sword.  It had its desired effect, as the monk backed away, and disappeared behind the house.

The straining creak of a bowstring drew Nayu’s attention to his other side, where Felonca was already drawing, taking careful note of the wind, and her bow’s aim.

“Felonca, go join them,” Nayu demanded, feeling the magic now thundering just beneath the surface of his skin, the feeling coming from his fingers that small wisps of it seemed to be escaping.  _This is my fight, my friend!  I want to kill this Councillor with my own hands for what he’s done!_

For just a second, those blue cat-like eyes stared back at him with intensity, before a soft, sarcastic laugh came from her lips.

“Screw you, Nayu!” she snarled, before looking up the road as the object of her anger came into view.  Casually, and foully, she told exactly where she was going to place her first arrow.  Instead of angering him, her defiance caused Nayu to give a harsh smile, more baring his teeth than grinning.  The magical reservoir within his body was now seething with power...

When the Councillor did appear on the hill before his home, his silken robes drapping his tall frame over 200 feet away, it was Felonca who loosed the first destruction at him.  Just as she’d calmly spoke, her arrow slashed through the air, slamming into him in an area all men fear being struck in.  

Even before his howl of pain could rise from his lips, Nayu released the dam holding back his magical energy.  All of his anger, his pain, his fear, his hatred, sprung from his hand in the form of a tiny bead of pure white, which rocketed through the air almost as quickly as Felonca’s arrow. 

The ground shook as a massive explosion enveloped the Councillor and the surrounding forest, setting trees afire and animals to flight.  Nayu gave a bleak smile at the ghostly white shockwave that rumbled towards them, bringing the _cruuump_ of the blast with it as it washed past the two friends.

Somehow, someway, the Councillor still stood in the midst of the blacked destruction, his form teetering about in the smoky shroud of the surrounding flames.  Nayu heard Felonca give a grunt of displeasure, and within a moment, her bow was loaded again.  Another snap let loose another arrow, this one also flying true.

Before any word came from the Councillor’s mouth, the arrow struck between his eyes, snapping his head back as his dead body crumpled to the ground, its human disguise falling away...


=======================================
The Imperial Councillor was an aranea, who had a few levels of sorcerer and ventured about most of the time in human form.  He was intended as the BBEG of the session, but Felonca sniffed him out (she said she was going to smell, I made her roll a D20 to see how well she sniffed the air, and she got a 20... so she smelled him.), and then Nayu and Felonca did obscenely well on their spot checks to see him in the distance.  Nayu rolled near max damage on his fireball, while Felonca then proceeded to crit on her second arrow hit... the Councillor had taken well over 50 points damage in the first round, so on principle, I had him do a fort save against being stunned (I know I would be after having 90% of my HP taken away in the space of 6 seconds), and he failed, miserably.  Oh well.   Just meant the session got to go through additional ground that would otherwise appeared in the following session.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Ancestry Revealed*

“An aranea...” Felonca said quietly as the party looked at the burnt, spidery body that now covered the road.  “How could one have come into Imperial service, or masqueraded as if it was in Imperial service?”

“I don’t give a damn,” Nayu spat, kicking the dead body one last time.  Its form was almost unrecognizable due to the damage Nayu had inflicted with his morningstar post-mortem.  Nayu then let loose a string of profanities directed at the Dowager Empress, the young Emperor, and her brother the Prince of Shu.

“I... I think I need to talk to you, my son,” Nayu’s mother Su said quietly.  It had taken her another hour to finally calm down to a point of numb observation.  “Your... father... had something he...he  wanted me to tell you... before that... _beast_...” she stammered, before Nayu was at her side.

“Yes, mama?” he said quietly.

“May... may we speak in private?” she asked, her voice loud enough that it carried to Nayu’s comrades.  

Felonca, Cho and Liu immediately understood, with Felonca immediately drafting the other two into helping her loot the Councillor’s home of, “anything nonevil we can get some cash from!”

When they were gone, Su pulled from her sleeve a small wooden box, its top and sides carved with simple beauty.

_That box sat on the shelf by father’s side of the bed!_ Nayu remembered, the sight of the object immediately bringing back memories of happier times in the warmth of a home.  His home.

“Your f...father,” she started to break down, but managed to control herself, “he...he wanted you to have this.”  She held out the box, and Nayu reverently took it from her hands.  He gave her a slight bow, which provoked a slight, sad smile on her face.

“Your father did that, whenever I gave him a gift,” she said sadly.  At Nayu’s responding look of depression, she gently urged him on.  “Open it... look inside.”

Nayu carefully opened the box that’d never been opened in his sight before, and too his surprise, found the inside lined with red velvet.  Sitting in the middle, atop the velvet, was a large ivory seal, its top an intricate miniature of a palace, four ivory pagodas rising in each corner an inch above its base.  In the center, as the roof of the largest, round pagoda, was a beautiful rounded ruby, ground perfectly smooth.

_What is this?!  How did father get something this...  this..._

Nayu flipped the seal over, and on its underside, found writing in the Court Tongue, the language of the Imperial Court within the Jade Palace.  He’d only seen such writing twice before in his life, both times when a scholar for the Imperial family stopped briefly in Red Lotus on their way north.

“This... this has Court writing on it!” Nayu hissed.  _Did father steal it?  Did a noble sell it to father for something?  What?_  “How... Where?”

“My son... I have to take the place of your father.  On your eighteenth birthday, he meant to tell you the following... the secret of the Wakabayashi family.”  She gave a sigh.  “I must caution you, that you keep this secret closely guarded, especially in these dark times.  Your father and I were taken in because this secret became known to that Councillor.”

Nayu nodded numbly, alternately staring at his mother and the priceless seal in his hands.

“Many years ago, when the Emperor Xuandi ruled from the Jade City, his eldest son, Prince Huang, fell in love with a follower of Shenyang, a commoner named Diao Xi.  When he married her despite his father’s disapproval, his brothers engineered his birthright to be stripped from him, and the Prince to be banished to the north... Heaven was displeased, the nation almost fell into civil war until Huang’s brothers had him killed...”

“What does that have to do with father?” Nayu asked numbly. 

“They did not kill him before Diao Xi became pregnant with his son.  Diao Xi hid away, becoming a widow and farmer in the town of Red Lotus,” Su began, as Nayu’s face dawned in slow recognition.  “Her son lived long, and sired only one son... who also lived long, siring one son... you,” Su replied simply, before looking at the ground.  “By all rights, Prince Huang should have become Emperor after his father, and the eldest of his sons after him.  Your grandfather was Huang’s only son, and your father was your grandfather’s only son.”

_And I am an only son..._ Nayu thought, his brain trying to wrap around the new information, before it hit him like a tidal wave.

“That’s... that’s why the Imperial Councillor killed father.”  Nayu looked down at the seal, the sunlight reflecting brilliantly off of the ruby on its top.

“This seal is the seal of Prince Huang, whom many regarded as Huangdi, Emperor of Ak Konylu.  And by Heaven’s will and intents...”

Nayu nodded grimly in understanding.  Su sighed again, before looking to her son. 

“Your father, like his father before him, chose not to assert any claim, instead living peacefully and quietly, content to provide for his family.  The family claim,” she gently clasped her son’s hands around the seal, “is now yours, Nayu.  Yours to guard, and to pass on to your children, until Heaven’s Will manifests itself, and the time is right for the claim to be made public.”  



“Nayu, you look worn out,” Cho observed as the sorcerer almost stumbled into the small house.  “Are you all right?” The monk set down the vase he’d been instructed to examine, until Nayu waved him off.

“I’m fine, really.”

“What’d your mother have to say, and did she give you that box she was clutching so tight?” Felonca asked, dumping a vase out, causing a clatter as hundreds of silver taels rattled across the ground.

“Yes, she gave me my father’s last gift,” Nayu replied numbly.

“Well, what is it?” Felonca hopped up, the looting of coins having put her in a far better mood.  When Nayu didn’t respond immediately, she crossed her arms.  “C’mon!  There are quite a few curious people here!”

“It was something very personal, Felonca,” Nayu replied, sounding immensely tired.

“Oh,” her face went down, detecting the slight admonishment.  “Well, its good you have whatever it was then.”  She started pushing the silver taels into Nayu’s magical bag, before she suddenly stopped.  

“If you really don’t want me to know, I won’t snoop,” she added softly, prompting Nayu to give a real smile for the first time since they’d arrived in the house of horrors.

“I know... I trust you, my friend.”  He then leaned down, and scooped up some of the coins.  “It looks like you could use some help there... I can be some additional hands if you like.”

“Hmm, I think I’m rubbing off,” she smirked, giving him a pat on the shoulder before pointing him towards a corner where a few walking sticks were stacked.  They looked beautiful and elegant, intricately carved.  “I need to know if those are magical, and if they are, tell Liu so he can check if their evil.  Then, I need you to take a look at...”


----------



## drag n fly

The above session was one of my personal favorites. Not only was stalking (and being stalked) by the creepy white kitty great fun, the whole Councillor bit was hilarious! After finding Nayu's father dead (tear), the guy who did it strolls up the road whistling, thinking what joy hes going to have drinking Nayu's mother dry, when WHAP BOOOM WHAP! Two arrows and a fireball later he's smoked spider-meat without even knowing what hit him. That whole battle lasted maybe 10 seconds (as long as it took us to roll). Best defeat of baddie ever!


----------



## TDRandall

Hooray!  Great continuing story.

Only thing more I could have wished for is that Mr. Aranea had met Mr. Dagger.  

I was hoping to find out what else it could do ... on him!

Still, that must have been an incredibly satisfying outcome to the PCs - but I can see how it might have been anticlimactic to Valerian.  So much effort and love to craft such a devilishly grand threat and *poof* up in smoke (literally, I guess!)


----------



## Emperor Valerian

TDRandall said:
			
		

> Only thing more I could have wished for is that Mr. Aranea had met Mr. Dagger.
> 
> I was hoping to find out what else it could do ... on him!




Next update... the dagger was used.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

More great updates. Thanks, Emperor Valerian.

The secret of Nayu's heritage is certainly .... interesting.

As for the quick demise of the Areana, it's that so often the way. Give the players a carefully crafted BBEG and they take him out in the blink of an eye. Give them a couple of kobolds with a pointed stick and suddenly they can't hit the side of a house!

Mind you, given the pre-emptive strike, they're lucky it really was the Areana-Councillor, not some other high-born perfumed fop coming to visit him   .


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The Heroes of Mafeng... and the Bebilith Incident*

“Whaa... How?”

Felonca beamed with pride as she the squeal of the guardsman up along the palisades of Mafeng filtered down to her ears.  Instinctively, she ran her hand behind her, where normally her saddlebags would rest.  Instead, she felt soft piles of fur, and she grinned.  Impishly, she reached back with both hands, and pulled the lion’s head up so it rested on her own.

“May we enter the city?” she asked again, laughter now in her voice.  _We did good, we did real good!_ she wanted to giggle, until she looked to her left.  Nayu’s poor mare had two people slung on its back, and both were silent, scarcely any mirth on their faces.  His glumness took some of the humor from the day.

“THE MONSTER’S DEAD!” voices screamed from the palisade wall as the doors were slowly opened, and before any in the party could make any headway into the city, first a gaggle, then a swarm, then a flood of people streamed out, citizens and refugees alike.  Adults cheered or cried, while children pushed forward to touch the immense pelt.

Felonca flipped the pelt back off of her head and leapt to the ground, as people swarmed around, trying to shake her hand, clasp her in a hug, or merely touch one of the ‘monster-slayers.’  The din of humanity rose, until Felonca saw even Nayu smiling ever so slightly.

“We have no need of the huntress!  The hunters were already here!” some started shouting, before other calls went forth calling for the prefect.  

“Our coppers can come back!  We don’t need the huntress!”

_Huntress?  So they found someone to help them finally..._ Felonca smiled.  _Only yesterday we hunted the Councillor... so in two days, they found a huntress?_

“Who is this huntress?” Felonca called out.  “I’d like to congratulate her on arriving _late, after_ she was needed!” the hengeyokai shouted exuberantly.  _If only my father could see me now!  I am doing good in this world!  If only..._

“Gao Yun, the huntress!” a rather well dressed man called.  “She’s part of the White Wolf... I lost 50 silver helping to pay her fees!”  

Felonca immediately froze, not because of the outrageous price the man shouted, but for the immediate rush of fearful memories flooding her mind.  Bai-Long Mao’s sinister promise, so many years before.

_The White Wolf Clan will hunt you down, Wa-Feng Felonca!_  Plaintively, her eyes flashed about the crowd, as her brain processed the smells coming through her nose.  Normal, nothing non-human.

_White Wolf?  Here... in Mafeng!?_ Felonca’s mind slipped into panicked mode.  Finally, her motor controls came back, as she decided on a quick course of action.  _Safe!  I gotta stay safe!_



Cho happened to be riding next to Felonca as the man called out his angry yell against his lost money.  Suddenly, he felt a _whumph_ slam into his body, darkness suddenly obscuring the upper part of his view.  It took him a second to realize that the massive skin had been shoved onto him, and he spun to ask Felonca why she’d shoved the honor onto him.  When he saw her horse, however, there was no one there.

“Felonca!” he called, looking frantically around the horse.  _What happened?  Where’d she go?_  Suddenly he heard another voice calling above the throng, loud and clear.

“Master Togashi Cho, the slayer of the White Beast!  Ladies and Gentlemen, congratulate your hero!”

Cho spun around, to find Nayu calling out his praises to the crowd.  _Why is he doing this?  We all killed this thing!  I dare not take praise above what all the rest of them did!  That... that would be improper!  That would not give them their rightful share of..._

Nayu’s rode slowly to a spot just beside the stunned monk, then dismounted, leaving his mother to occupy the entire mount.  Casually and calmly, the sorcerer shifted his bags back into position, before grabbing the reins and pulling his horse further into the mass.  As the crowds pressed closer, Cho slipped closer, until he was beside the sorcerer.

“Felonca’s gone!” the monk shouted, worry in his voice.

“I know!” Nayu shouted back, flashing a smile towards the crowd and waving.  Cho had been around the young man enough to immediately know the grin was forced.

“Why are you not concerned!?  Why do you put all the honor on me?!” the monk shouted back, confusion covering his face and voice.

“These people need a hero!  You’re that hero!  You struck the killing blow, did you not?!” Nayu cried, before leaning as close as he could to the monk.  “And Felonca has had... issues... with the White Wolf in the past!  It is best she disappear for a bit, so they don’t know she’s here!”  His voice was still at a shout, but by this time, the crowd’s chants ensured his words could not be heard beyond a few feet away.

Cho nodded numbly, his monastic training rebelling at the sudden foisted of all the honor onto himself.  Desperately, he tried to assuage the crowd, telling them that everyone contributed, yet within minutes, the crowds had hefted him airborne, and were carrying him through the streets, chanting his name. 

“Cho! Cho! Cho!”



It was some ten minutes later when the throngs forced the party to the town center, where a haphazard platform had already been erected using an empty grain wagon.  As hundreds chanted Cho’s name, the modest and now thoroughly embarrassed monk found himself pushed towards the front, as a young man, clad in simple silks clambered onto the back of the wagon.  

_That must be the prefect,_ Felonca thought, as the man shouted for quiet, a call that went unheeded for another five minutes.  As the throngs continued to celebrate, Felonca pulled the cowl of her black hood further over her face, her eyes watching the other party members near the center of the crowd.  

_Let them soak up the celebrations... I’m not too keen on meeting this Gao Yun, whoever or whatever she might be._ 

As the name of the huntress came to Felonca’s mind, her eyes spotted someone standing at the back of the wagon, looking perplexed at the two monks and sorcerer now before her.  The confused eyes belonged to a tall, well built wolf hengeyokai, a sword on one hip, a kukri on the other.  As her eyes looked back and forth between the party members, her claws scratched the snow white fur behind her ear.

_There she is,_ Felonca shuddered slightly.  _That woman probably could break me in half!_  The throngs pushed closer, squeezing Felonca towards the hengeyokai for a second, before the rogue wiggled free, keeping her distance.

_’Bout a hundred feet or so... just enough you can’t smell me over the mass of people,_ she growled to the other hengeyokai.  Finally, the crowd feel silent long enough that Felonca could hear the woman’s voice.  For one that stood over six feet tall, the young was a surprisingly high soprano.

“Young man,” she was looking at Cho, “the crowd says you killed this beast with your bare hands.  If that is true, I bow before you in awe of your unarmed skills,” she clasped her hands in a formal bow, before turning to the group at-large.  “Indeed, I must confess that I am very impressed with all of you, and your skills.  Heaven blessed this village to have heroes as yourselves arrive!”  Another bow followed, this one much deeper.

_So our huntress is civilized at least?_ Felonca asked herself, as the crowd broke into more cheering, before the prefect once again called for silence, so that the fire-wielder from the hunters could speak.

_Fire-Wielder?  That’s their nickname for Nayu?_ Felonca repressed the urge to giggle.  _I need to file that away, so that later, when he’s in a happier mood, I can tase him a bit..._

“Mistress Gao Yun,” Felonca listened, realizing something she hadn’t noticed before.  Nayu’s voice seemed _different_... deeper, more respectful and more commanding simultaneously.  “As the beast has been slain, I would respectfully request that you return to these good villagers the fee you requested for your services,” he continued, before gesturing to the crowd at large.  “They say your fee was 2,000 golden taels... a hefty sum for a village this small.”

“But of course, Master Wakabayashi, though I humbly request that the village allow me to retain the costs of housing and travel I have already incurred.” the huntress replied, bowing respectfully towards the prefect, and causing Felonca to blink in surprise.  

_What?  She’s returning her fee?_ 

“My villagers, Heaven has blessed us this day!  Not only has the gracious Gao Yun agreed to return most of her fee, but our ancestors have been pleased enough to send us mighty warriors to rid us of the Imperial Councillor and the Great White Beast!”  The prefect’s voice was immediately drowned out by cheers, and the young man raised his hands, calling for silence once again.  “In my capacity as chief of Mafeng Prefecture, I hereby declare the next three days to be days of celebration, where we give thanks to Heaven and the brave and generous warriors before you!”

The roar from the crowd was deafening, and within seconds Felonca found herself shoved forward as the crowd surged.  In a panic, she desperately tried to wiggle back, as the crowd shoved towards the hunters in the front.

“C’mon!  Let me through!” she struggled, pushing and shoving, all the while coming closer and closer to the White Wolf shaking hands with her friends.  _Must get through!  Must get through!_ she pushed with all the desperation she could, while her eyes fearfully watched the group towards the front.  As Felonca was shoved to around fifty feet from the front, the white wolf’s head shot up, and began looking around, her face confused.

_Dammit!_ Felonca swore, heaving forward with all the power she could muster.  Finally, a gap opened, and she forced her way to the side of the crowd, dodging men, women, and children alike.  Once she was free of the mass, she turned around fearfully, half expecting the wolf to be surging through the crowd.

Instead, Gao Yun was still far to the front, looking about in a confused manner.  Just barely, Felonca saw Nayu tap the white wolf’s shoulder, and the say something, motioning towards the prefect.  

_Thanks again, Nayu,_ Felonca breathed a sigh of relief.



_Poor Cho,_ Felonca smiled sadly as the crowd shoved the monk towards yet another tavern.  It had been nearly three hours since the party had arrived in the town, the sun had long since set, but the rambunctious crowd was still intent on celebrating that two several month long menaces had been eliminated.  Her thief’s mind fully at work, Felonca had guessed she would be safest from discovery in the midst of the crowd, her eyes always peeled for the distinctive and very visible white wolf huntress.

The poor monk had repeatedly told the crowd he did not consume alcoholic beverages, only to be forced to drink to sate their shouts for wine.  So far, he’d been able to persuade them to let him have only a sip at each establishment, before they promptly hefted him skyward and carried him to the next, until the cycle was restarted at the first tavern.

“Drink! Drink! Drink!” the mostly young and male crowd chanted as Cho disappeared into one tavern for the third time.  The crowd started to clear, and Felonca caught herself slipping closer to the bar.

_No... I can’t go in... if she’s in there, there’ll be no place to run,_ her tactical mind thought.  Instead, the hengeyokai walked to right next to the bar, and with one eye watched the crowd.  With her other, she looked up towards the hills outside the village, searching for a bonfire.

She’d seen Nayu’s face when the crowd had tried to drag him along, and the young man’s reserve had finally started to crack.  At sunset, he bid the crowd farewell, as he and his mother rode to the hills outside of town, there to bury his father, and maintain a vigil on a bonfire in the man’s memory, as tradition required.   For a moment, Felonca thought she saw a dim, flickering light on the darkened hills, until a rough chuckle broke her concentration on the search.

“Hey... Ming...” a slurred voice chuckled seemingly next to her ear.  “Check out wha I’ve found!”

“Hey pretty...” another drunken voice laughed, as Felonca began to move away.

_Men..._ the hengeyokai growled.  Carefully, she treaded through the light crowds, until she was confident that no white wolf was nearby.  Then, she slipped into an alleyway, and broke open a few of the ‘tools’ she’d obtained from the Mingzhong Thieves Guild... including a rather unique hat.  Moments after she donned the headwear an old man, his face cragged and ancient, emerged from the alley.

_No drunken people are going to be bothering me tonight!  I’ve got enough crap to worry about!_ Felonca growled, adjusting the rather plain hat on her head.  (_Hat of Disguise_)  _As long as I can stay far enough away from Gao Yun so she cannot smell me..._  Quickly, she slipped back into the crowd, using its numbers and scents to cover her presence.

At that moment, Cho came hurtling out of the tavern, the crowds chasing him, yelling for him to drink.  The monk issued a plaintive cry, saying he’d already had fifteen sips over the past hour and a half, which was far more than he wanted.  The crowd once again didn’t listen, and he was half-jostled, half carried to the tavern next door.

As the crowd surged, Felonca found herself shoved towards the doorway of the tavern, as people clamored to get close to the “monster killer” as they had taken to calling Cho.  She twisted and turned, letting the crowd move her while keeping an eye out.  By the time she saw the danger, however, it was too late.

She’d long since shifted to her hybrid form, using the hat of disguise to cover her claws and other features that would’ve identified her by sight.  And her sensitive nose caught a sharp, close smell that caused her hair to stand on end.

Fur.

She spun, trying to see where the smell was coming from, and only had an instant to twist aside and avoid slamming into Gao Yun as the wolf stood, looking around in confusion.  She ducked her head low, and twisted through the crowd.  _I can get away, I can get away!_ she thought, praying that the wolf would quickly lose the hengeyokai scent in the mass of people.  After ducking and weaving for a few moments, Felonca found enough courage to look back.  Behind her, the white wolf was pushing through the crowd as well, using her physical size and strength to force a gap.  She was rapidly gaining on the rogue.

Felonca let loose a few vicious curses, then suddenly cut to the left, ducking into the tavern where the hero of the night was now trying his hardest to avoid downing the full glass of wine the crowd insistently kept pressing on him.  Felonca quickly ducked through the front door, and slipped to the far corner, hiding behind an extremely large and rough looking man who smelled of iron and heat.  She then peered around the hulking man, only to see Gao Yun at the door of the tavern, wandering in, her nose raised high as she followed Felonca’s exact path.

_She’s got my scent!_  Felonca loosed several more even fouler curses before ducking behind a row of young drunks giving Cho and standing ovation, then crossing to the other side of the bar.  Warily, she circled the throng opposite of her pursuer, the larger creature still sniffing the air intently, a hand dangerously close to her kukri.

_Get to the door... get outside..._ Felonca’s mind raced, as she ducked and slipped onwards, until she was beside the door.  The crowd surged yet again, thrusting Cho out of the door, and Felonca joined the mob, shouting and cheering as if she was as drunk as the rest.  _If they follow their pattern, the next tavern is far, and last time they sprinted to it..._  Gingerly, Felonca started a jog, panting to maintain her visage of an elderly man as the crowd thundered forward.  After a few minutes of running, she fell to the side of the crowd, enough that she could glance back.

Gao Yun was just emerging from the tavern, looking perplexed.  For an agonizing second, the huntress looked towards where the crowd was now congregating, shoving Cho into another establishment, before her face snapped in another direction, her ears twitching.  With a sigh of relief, Felonca watched her dash off straight ahead... and away from her worried quarry.

_Whew,_ Felonca resisted the urge to wipe sweat from her brow.  While she was really sweating, she realized, as any good thief does, that her disguise didn’t show her sweating.  She slid back into the depths of the crowd for another twenty minutes or so, as she shifted between taverns several times.

Suddenly, just as the now tipsy Cho was shoved into another tavern, Felonca heard a high voice shout, “Stop!”

Felonca let out a very quiet curse regarding the spirits of luck, and slowly turned about, playing the image of an old man to the hilt.  _Persuade her that she’s mistaken... that I’m not hengeyokai... ancestors... if you love me, if you watch over me, help me now!_  Felonca’s heart sank as the other hengeyokai headed directly towards her, her nostrils flaring in confirmation.

_The game is up, Felonca,_ she realized, her brain desperately attempting to figure out what to do.  In a panic, she made a hurried decision.  _If she asks for the dagger, I’ll jsut give it to her, in return for my life!  

But how will I know she’ll honor that?

I need to stay in public, where there are many people around!  Then, flee town as quickly as possible..._  Her course decided, she then did something most other thieves would have regarded as unthinkable.  She took off her hat.

“Do you recognize my face?” the rogue asked, her dark features and panther lines returning to her hybrid form.  _Please say you don’t, and I can concoct..._  Felonca’s train of thought crashed to a halt as the wolf nodded uneasily, the huntress’ own eyes looking about, checking the crowds.

_Quickly!  To a public place!_ Felonca looked about, fearfully realizing the crowd had moved on.  _I don’t want this stupid dagger!_

“Then, if you know me, we should go somewhere, in public, to discuss this like civilized people,” Felonca said guardedly, before she forced a rather dark smile onto her face.  “After all, I’m sure the prefect would prefer that no violence happen on a night that was supposed to be celebratory.”

For a second, Felonca feared the ploy wouldn’t work, as the wolf eyed her closely, circling her for a moment.  Finally, Gao Yun gave a huff.

“Fine.  I suggest this tavern nearby that the monk’s entourage just left.  It will be... quiet.”  The grating tone of the normally high soprano told Felonca that the wolf really did not want to agree to the panther’s demands, but also realized the danger if she cut down someone on the open streets.  While a huge crowd was not present, there would be plenty of witnesses to a murder.

“Fine,” Felonca replied.

The two settled into a corner booth of the establishment, far from prying ears, yet open enough that Felonca felt confident that _someone_ would see if Gao Yun tried anything vicious.  As Gao Yun sat down, Felonca gave a sigh.

“You want the dagger, don’t you?” she asked.  _If this dagger is so precious to Master Hsiu, and he’s willing to go to all this trouble... he can HAVE this thing!_  Felonca looked down, towards not just the ground, but her boot, where the dagger laid hidden.  _This dagger isn’t worth my life!_  She looked back up.  “All I ask is that in return to returning this thing, that my friends and I are left alone by all of you!”

For a second, Gao Yun said nothing, before she burst into laughter... a harsh, barking laugh that caused Felonca’s eyes to narrow.  After a few moments, the wolf regained control of herself, and looked hard at Felonca.

“You don’t even know what that dagger does, if you’re so willing to give it up!” she wolf crossed her arms, a mocking smile on her lips.

_Why should I care!  It does evil things! I want no part of it!_ Felonca’s mind shouted.  At her mum reply, Gao Yun leaned forward, a glint appearing in her eyes.

“Very well, I suppose I should tell you.”

“I don’t really want to know,” Felonca confessed.  “It burned a man alive... I don’t want to know what else it...”

“For thousands of years,” Gao Yun talked over Felonca’s objection, “the Emperors of Ak Konylu have been protected from assassination by the magical power of their elite scholars.  No weapon can kill an Emperor universally acclaimed to have Heaven’s Will, _save one..._”

_What?  This... dagger?_ Felonca forced herself to not stare at her boots yet again.  Slowly, as if a curtain was being drawn back, the realization of why Hsiu was so eager to reclaim the weapon dawned upon her.  _The weapon can do great evil... and I know Master Hsiu is not a paragon of virtue.._ 

“Many, my dear Wa-Feng Felonca,” the huntressed leaned slightly over the table, “would do _anything_ to gain possession of that dagger.  Too bad it disappeared from the Academy that was supposed to guard it, and that all the Academy members are now dead... except yourself...” The look in Gao Yun’s eyes became apparent, and _predatory_.  Felonca gulped.

_Nixu is alive!  They didn’t kill everyone at the Academy, but she means to kill me!_  Felonca’s mind came to a single, grim conclusion, and slowly, she slipped a hand underneath the table.

“Ah... my dear, sweet kitty,” the wolf smiled sarcastically, her kukri flashing towards Felonca’s throat, “First, you’ll kindly place your warfans on the table.  Then, you’ll lead me to where you’ve stored that dagger.”

For a second, Felonca froze.  _So she doesn’t..._  The thought was interrupted by the sharp press of steel on her neck, the kukri pressing harder and harder.

“Fine,” Felonca sighed, reaching down and pulling out her warfans, placing them both in her left hand.  As it carefully guided her warfans to the surface the table, her right hand slid to her boot...

“Ah... you are most cooperative,” Gao Yun smiled, as a few shouts arose in the tavern as others noticed the drawn blade. “Now, I must say, it will be a pity to kill a thief as skilled as yourself.”  A wicked smile came across the wolf’s lips, as she growled, “If you’d been born a white furred wolf instead of a black furred cur, you might have been useful to-“

The insult was cut short by a sharp yelp, as Felonca slammed the dagger into the wolf’s knee.  Felonca twisted, and then yanked the dagger out.

_It didn’t work!_ her heart collapsed, as the wolf looked to her leg in shock and horror.  No flames erupted from her eyes, no smoke bellowed from her skin.  

“What...have...you... done?” Gao Yun cried, crawling back from the table, a look of abject horror in her eyes.

_Again!  Slice her again!_ Felonca panicked, slamming the dagger into the knee yet again as the wolf’s fur started to shift, rising in several places.  Within seconds, the fur gave way to massive boils that seemed to explode all over her body.  The wolf screamed, falling back from the table, her wounded leg flailing uselessly.

It was then that Felonca first felt the ground shake.  Patrons looked about in horror, as the rumbling grew louder, into a thunderous roar with each shake, each distinct, as if some massive creature was thundering towards their location...



Nayu looked up from his prayers to the eastern winds, as even he felt the ground shudder.  Cautiously, he turned towards the distant village, and the sight shook him to his bones.

Rising from the darkness as the hulking form of a massive creature, its body some fifteen feet in the air.  From its central darkness hung eight spindly legs, lending it an ungainly and horrifying speed.  Immediately Nayu realized it was no true spider, as its head was long and massive, and even from this distance its eight eyes, four down each side, shown brightly in the moonlight.  From its front hung two enormous claws, clittering and clacking together as it charged forward.

Without regard for people or property, it thundered into the midst of the village.  As Nayu rose to his feet, magic coming to his lips, it stopped over one small building...



“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?” Gao Yun screamed, her boils now growing filled with blood and pus as she wreathed in pain.  Felonca stood in shock, her eyes flickering back and forth between the diseased huntress and the bloody dagger in her hands.  

Then the crash happened.  The world shuddered, exploded, and shook, as the two massive mandibles slammed through the tavern roof.  Felonca’s instincts took over, and she flipped away from the danger, before her eyes looked upwards in horror.  Two immense claws, reddish black in the terrible torchlight, flashed down, and grabbed the still writhing form of Gao Yun.  Her screams echoed into the night as the claws flashed upwards, and out of sight...



“Nayu, what is that?” 

“I don’t know, Mama,” Nayu replied, worried as well.  The plaintive screams of the city echoed through the night to even his hilltop spot.  Magic continued to run through his mind, as he started judging distances.

_Extreme, extreme range... but maybe, just maybe..._

Carefully Nayu selected his desired spell, and just as carefully, he started judging the distance towards the now running creature.  _Wha...what is that?_ he thought, his eyes spotting something dangling from the creature’s claws.  

_Is that... a person?_

No sooner had he asked, than a brilliant light flashed through the night sky, and the horrid creature, along with its hapless prey, vanished without a trace...


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> “For thousands of years,” Gao Yun talked over Felonca’s objection, “the Emperors of Ak Konylu have been protected from assassination by the magical power of their elite scholars.  No weapon can kill an Emperor universally acclaimed to have Heaven’s Will, _save one..._”




  Just a trifle, huh?

Not to mention that the dagger is now accessible to the one man who could rightfully yoink the title of Emperor for himself; things are getting interesting indeed.   

BTW, did you just wing Gao Yun's demise or did you use specific rules?


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Nice update.

And that's some dagger ... pus-filled boils and giant spiders  :\  ... and that's when you don't just burst into flames   !


----------



## drag n fly

From what I understand (Valarian hasn't told us everything yet) it's a Chaos Dagger. Does random things. The first stab was the boils, and the second summoned a Bebilith to carry the victim back to Hell.

Yeah, the whole dagger/Emperor thing is very interesting....too bad the dagger is EVIL! Who knows what it'll eventually do to the one wielding it.

Valerian forgot one small part. The party did attempt to attack the Bebilith as it was running away, to no avail of course (insane spell resistance and AC). And I can't quite remember if the wolf died from our attacks or from the Bebilith as it was carrying her away, or if she lived....

Maybe Valerian can enlighten me


----------



## Emperor Valerian

She was very much alive when the bebilith teleported back to the Abyss... poor Gao Yun... j/k.    

drag n fly pretty much summed up what the part knows about the dagger so far... and I'm _not_ going to be dropping hints as to how it works... yet. 

That was the end of the fifth session... I'm still three sessions behind, as tomorrow we're likely going to be playing the eighth session.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

The previous was the effective end of the fifth session, and this begins session #6... where Felonca meets a part of her family, and Nayu finds some unwanted attention...

*Proclamations...*

“I want to go.”

Nayu looked down at Felonca, the shock and terror still apparent on her face.  It had been several hours since the monstrous visitor to Mafeng had so suddenly appeared and left, but his friend was still shuddering in horror.

“I know... I want to go also,” Nayu replied, giving her a hug.  _The longer I stay here, the more likely someone’s going to come to talk to that Councillor... and the more likely someone will know who I am... and who my family is..._  The young sorcerer then pulled back, and looked towards the damages parts of the village, where Cho was already on the fore-front of repair work, despite the depth of the night.

“I think we were lucky... no one was killed,” Nayu added, refusing to admit Gao Yun’s fate aloud.  He knew it would unnerve his friend even more if he brought up the horrific image of the pox-ridden woman being dragged by a dark spider into the Abyss.  He frowned.  _The only person hurt was that damn wolf that wanted to hurt you!_ 

“Tomorrow morning we’ll head out, and go back to Mingzhong.  So long as Hu Shikai is ruling there, we’ll be safe.  He seems decent,” Nayu offered, even as in his own heart he had doubts over where to go and who to trust, and silently he thanked his ancestors that his mother had not seen the beast, and that she, at least, was now peaceably sleeping.



So many months before, Nayu would have awoken just as the sun rose to greet a new day, and head to the market looking for trinkets.  Instead, he rose this early in the morning simply because he couldn’t sleep, as images of his father, his mother, and the disasters over the previous months tortured his mind.

As the red fingers of a new day stretched higher into the sky, Nayu walked along the now silent streets... even the furious late night efforts to fix the damage in the bebilith’s path had given way to sleep.  

_The family claim is now yours, Nayu..._

The words continued to echo in his mind, rattling around as a small ball inside a large barrel.  A brisk wind rose, and the long, thin strands of Nayu’s nascent beard flapped in the breeze.

_Yours to guard... until Heaven’s Will manifests itself..._

“How will I know when Heaven’s Will manifests itself?” he asked aloud to the wind.  A soft rustling was its reply, as its invisible hand shook the leaves of trees, and flapped papers in the wind.  _Invisible, just like the Will of Heaven..._ Nayu sighed, looking down at the hard-packed dirt underfoot.

_Well, I shall do as my father,_ the young man grunted, as the insistent noise of paper flapping in the breeze drew his attention.  Looking up, Nayu saw the tall, thin pillar marking the town center, the traditional place where edicts were posted.  Nailed to the wooden column was a sheet of parchment, large and arrogantly flapping in the breeze.

_Ah... probably from the Councillor..._ A smile of grim satisfaction graced the young man’s lips in the blazing morning glory.  Nayu started walking over.  _It wouldn’t hurt to know his name, or check the seal on the message.  Now that there’s a body showing he was an aranea, if this has his seal, Prince Hu might find it invaluable..._

The wind picked up again, and the parchment snapped and flapped in the breeze.  Nayu snatched its bottom from the winds grasp, holding it flat so he could read it.  As his eyes scanned its words, he quickly realized it was not from the Councillor, or related to that late monster at all.  Indeed, it bore not his seal, but a seal Nayu had seen gracing only the most potent edicts... the Jade Seal, seal of the Emperor’s of Ak Konylu...

_Proclamation from the Court of His Most Divine Majesty, Emperor Yuandi​

	Children of Heaven,

	Words of dissention, anger and malice now rock the land.  It is hereby proclaimed that anyone caught spreading the vile slander regarding the Emperor’s most esteemed mother, or his most illustrious uncle, shall suffer the full penalty of slander!

	Many lords, seeking to pad their own names, are now spreading such filthy lies!  They seek to upset Heaven’s balance, even murder our beloved Emperor to claim Heaven’s Crown as their own, and sit their decadence and debauchery upon the Jade Throne itself!

	Heaven will surely not honor men as base and cowardly as these!  Should the people not rise as one, and crush this rebellion, surely Heaven’s anger will thunder down upon all our heads!  Rise up, o people of Langya!  Rise up, people of Han, of Bei, and those living along the Great Black River!  Rise up, Lords of the Borders, and peoples of Chosun!  Ensure Heaven’s Will is obeyed, and further calamities do not befall our people!_

Nayu’s heart sank, as all the word Felonca had received weeks before, all the darkness that had seemed to be clinging to the air just beyond their sight, now exploded into sight, roiling, boiling, spreading like a plague across the land.  _It is civil war, then,_ Nayu thought, the fullness of what he’d known was inevitable now sinking in.  He looked at the places mentioned.

_They would not be calling for the common people to rebel, unless the lords of those lands had... gods..._ Nayu counted.  _Langya, Han, Bei, Chosun, Border Lords?  That can only mean Taisho..._  He grimly counted five... the heads of the three richest provinces in the Empire, as well as the heads of Ak Konylu’s two largest client kingdoms, Taisho and Chosun.  It would not be just the north of the Empire that would be engulfed in war, or just the south, but the entire nation, stretching from the Southern Sea towards the Desert Wall... all the millions of people...

“Excuse me, young man,” a voice interrupted Nayu’s dark vision, and the young sorcerer jumped.  He spun around, only to see it was only the young Prefect behind him.  The man’s face was taut, his eyes fearful as another parchment flapped in one of his hands, a nail in the other, and hammer hanging from his belt.

“Another message, prefect?” Nayu asked, stepping away, and the prefect grunted.

“Yes... from our lord, the new governor of Langya,” the prefect said quietly.  He stepped up and started to nail it to the column, until he turned to Nayu.  “You seemed awfully interested in the first message, Master Wakabayashi.  Would you like to read this one as well?  It is our Prince’s reply to the Emperor.”

“Certainly,” Nayu took the offered parchment, and as the sun itself peeked over the horizon, its words also made his blood run cold.

_Proclamation from His Highness

Prince Hu of Langya​

	Today the Empire of Ak Konylu faces a bottomless pit of disaster.

	This state was caused by the evil Dowager Empress, her unscrupulous brother the Prince of Shu, and General Li Zexu, Military Governor of the Northern Frontier.  Together, they have diabolically plotted against Heaven’s Will, and even now lay their filthy hands upon the young Emperor Yuandi, spreading rebellion and violence!  Even now, those loyal to Heaven’s Will and the Emperor have fled the court, and into the arms of Lord Hu and his righteous warriors!

	Prince Hu, may heaven bless his life, has vowed to set right these wrongs, and remove the family of the vile Empress from the Court, and punish the Military Governor and the Prince of Shu for their transgressions against the Will of Heaven, and their evil deeds crossing life and death.  

	These foes even now gather against all those who wish for order and peace, for right and justice!  The Prince calls all those who wish to save their people from the terrible fate which will soon eclipse us all if these transgressions are not stopped, to rise up, and take up arms against these usurpers!

	Rise up, o people!  To arms, to save your Emperor!_

“The governor claims he is protecting the Emperor, while the Emperor orders all to surrender to the Prince of Shu,” the prefect said sourly.  “All the while, the Emperor is no more than a ten year old boy, likely being ordered by his mother to say these things.”  The prefect shook his head sadly.  “What a sorry state our people are in.”

“Indeed,” Nayu grunted, handing the parchment back.  As the prefect began to nail the proclamation to the column, Nayu found the courage within himself to ask a rather simple question.

“Who do you side with, prefect?”

The prefect stopped his work, and turned to the young man.  His eyes danced about, avoiding looking into Nayu’s own, before settling on just looking at the ground.  “I... I do not know, Master Wakabayashi.  I know not whom to believe in this.”

“Neither do I, Master Prefect, neither do I...”


----------



## Emperor Valerian

I'd like to apologize for this week's updates being not as 'meaty' (ie. as long) as normal.  Real life has sadly intervened (I hate presentations) to some extent, but on a happier note, so has the game.  The end of last session (whose outline notes span 10 pages), the players decided they wanted to "take it to the man, and beat the crap out of him," in a major way, which is requiring a great deal of time on my part planning... 

EDIT - Oh yeah, did I mention this meant likely a full scale battle? With masses of armed people and such? :-D


*A Surprise Visitor for Felonca*

“Lovely,” Felonca sighed, looking at the two posted messages a few hours later. She looked at Nayu, and the grimness on his youthful face. _It just seems like things are getting worse and worse._  “So,” she forced herself to climb out of the malaise, “you are a traveler by trade.  Where is the safest place?”

“Mingzhong,” Nayu said quickly, looking warily as the town prefect approached.  “Prince Hu at least _owes_ us.  That’ll give us at least a few chess pieces to play with, as opposed to none.  That, and maybe we can sell this beastly skin, and its claws, for some cold hard cash...”  _Which’ll be good to have if we have to go into hiding...._

“I still say that I do not fully trust that young man,” Liu replied testily, behind Nayu.  When his fiery eyes met Nayu’s, the younger man shrugged.

“Any better ideas, Master?”  The monk stood in silence for a few moments, before admitting defeat and shaking his head.

“Mingzhong it is.  Give me a few minutes-“ Felonca started, before the prefect hurriedly huffed into the presence.  His own young eyes read their dark minds, and he gave a deep bow.

“I hope I’m not troubling you, Master Wakabayashi, Mistress Wa-Feng, but I could not help but see the sadness and foreboding on your faces.  Master Kongxi always said we should not forget the present, when looking with such depth towards the future,” the man offered unobtrusively.

“Thank you for your kind words, sir, but I am afraid we’re going to have to leave Mafeng this morning,” Nayu spoke, looking back towards their inn.  _Mom will be safe with Cho... here, out of the way.  If something should happen to me... she’ll be fine..._

“What!?  No!  No no no!” the prefect broke protocol and launched a vigorous protest. “The citizens council agreed with me late last night that some of the money recovered from Gao Yun should be spent on the celebrations in your honor!  I’ve hired the best known bard in the region to come sing!  It would be worthless if you and your friends are not-“

The prefect’s voice suddenly died, as his gaze riveted on Felonca. For a few seconds, he stared, his eyes showing a mind keenly at work, trying to place features and face.

“What is it, Eminence?” Felonca asked guardedly.  _Why are you staring at me?_ Imperceptibly, her hands slipped towards her warfans. _You don’t want this wretched dagger as well, do you?!_

“It is nothing short of odd,” the prefect replied, shaking himself from his reverie, “that the bard is _also_ a panther hengeyokai!”  The prefect gave a laugh.  “Perhaps you two are relatives or something!”

Felonca stood, rooted in position, her soul starting to quake.  A thundering, commanding voice came into her mind, and she shuddered at hearing her father’s stern words yet again.  

_You are Wa-Feng, Felonca!  Do not dishonor this house, this clan!  Dishonor can only be cleansed by death!

They mean to kill me, after what I did!  I dishonored my family by running away, and now they want the family honor cleansed!_  Felonca shuddered as the conclusion came to her mind.  With all the focus she could muster, she managed to keep the fear from affecting her too much, and managed to sputter out, “Ah...um... what is this bard’s name, Eminence?”

“Well, I am sure the surname is a coincidence, Mistress Wa-Feng.  His name is Wa-Feng Meiji.”

_Meiji?_  Felonca immediately recognized the name.  _The blacksheep, figuratively speaking..._ 

Meiji had been the son of her uncle Dian, a boy handsomely built and quick of mind.  However, even from an early age, he’d shown an affinity not for war, but music.  When it came time for him to choose between the family profession of soldiering or some other life, Meiji, to his father’s chagrin, chose to go abroad, singing.  Unlike Felonca, however, he had not signed onto an honorable profession only to run away from it, soiling the family honor by stealing in the process.  He’d chosen his life, and dropped from knowledge or conversation since... his crime had warranted exile, not death.

That had been five years before... when Felonca was in her fifth year at the Academy.  _What if he wants to talk to his father, or return to the clan?  What better way than to hunt down the errant kitten that has done deeds worthy of destruction!?_

“It seems you have gone to an immense trouble to entertain us and the village, Eminence, of course we shall stay,” Nayu gave a polite bow, which the prefect answered in thanks.  As soon as the man was gone, Nayu spun to face his friend, her face locked in an expression of barely concealed fear.

“What is it?  You know this Wa-Feng Meiji?  Is he a relative?”

“Yes... but I think he might be out to kill me!” Felonca finally broke free from the paralysis, her voice so riddled with fear that it came as a high pitched squeak.

“Like that would be anything unusual for us,” Nayu rolled his eyes, trying to humor her into calming down.  It didn’t work.

“Perhaps you could just go talk to him, explain what has happened.  Master Shenyang always said that talking with your enemy can solve most of the problems between you,” the monk confidently offered.

_Talk with him?!  What if he really means to kill me!?  Or... what if he means to capture me, to take me back to my family!  So they can kill me!_  She shook at the mental image of her father, glowering over her, rage and sadness in his eyes as he hefted his katana high over his head...

“Nayu can talk to him!” Felonca offered quickly, shoving the sorcerer towards Liu.  “Can’t you, Nayu?  Tell him something like you want to know about his family relations, or something?”



_Right... this is the inn,_ Nayu grunted unhappily a half hour after his conscription as messenger, his long strides taking him through the foyer and towards the innkeep.  It hadn’t been that hard to find out where he was... panther hengeyokai were rare in this region, so he was easily distinguishable.  _Now... to just figure out a way to get to his room..._

“Good sir!”  Nayu began confidently, even as his mind raced to think of a way to discover the bard’s room number.  “Please, could you tell me which room Master Wa-Feng Meiji is residing in?  The famous bard?”

“Why d’ya wanna know?” the innkeep replied, tossing his long queue behind his head and crossing his arms.

_Crap... alright... think Nayu..._

“I’m his cousin!” Nayu blurted out, wincing after the words had passed his lips.  

“A hengeyokai with a human cousin?” the barkeep’s arms came uncrossed, and his face had changed from doubt to confusion.

“Yes!” Nayu stumbled onward, down what he felt for sure was a slippery path.  “I am his cousin, Nayu, come to visit him!  I have a message from his father, Hu!” he kept piling lie on lie, until the innkeep’s eyes were awash in confusion.

“Ah... he’s in... um... room...6” the innkeep replied slowly.  Before the man could rethink his statement, Nayu quickly thanked him, and dashed off to the said room.

A few minutes later, Nayu found Room #6, and noted with a snort that it had a brass knocker attached to the otherwise plain wooden door.  _Someone is staying in a fancy place._  For a second, Nayu’s mind tries to find a reason for being here.  _Great!  You are excellent at glib, perfect at talking and negotiating, but now your mind goes blank!  THINK Nayu!_  His mind was still searching when he grabbed the knocker.

“Just a minute!” came a voice from inside the room as the ring of brass echoed down the hall.  Nayu heard scuffling noises and movement for a minute, before the door finally opened.

Before him stood a rather tall, thin hengeyokai in human form, his skin coal black, his hair and light whiskers perfectly ringed and curled, the smell of several perfumes wafting from his body.

“Wa-Feng Meiji, I presume?” Nayu gave a bow.  The hengeyokai merely nodded in reply.

“I...um...presume you are...um...enjoying your stay?” Nayu offered, praying the inn was upscale enough that it had attendants.

“Oh, yes indeed!” Meiji replied, delving immediately into his views on the service of the inn, and where improvements could be made.  Dumbly, Nayu nodded at each comment, offering appropriate grunts and noises of agreement.  Finally, the bard stopped his assessment, and gave a smile.

“Now, son... let me know the real reason why you’re here!  I’m guessing it wasn’t to just ask how the staff could be improved!”

_Dammit!_  Nayu stammered to a halt, his brain frozen.  _What to do?  What to do?_  For an awkward minute or two, Nayu looked like a fish, flopping down the dusty street, his mouth agape in confusion.  Finally, he settled on a course... a course he kicked himself for not taking earlier.

“You have a visitor, sir,” Nayu said slowly, gaining the necessary confidence as moments ticked by.  “I believe you had a cousin who was attending the Hsiu-lan Military Academy, Master Wa-Feng?”  _The moment of truth..._

Immediately, the hengeyokai’s face lit up in recognition, though its happiness dimmed when the past tense of Nayu’s statement registered.  “Yes...” the bard replied slowly, cautiously, before blurting out a long string of worries.  “How is she?  Is she alright?  Has anything happened to her?  What has happened?”

Inwardly, Nayu gave a sigh of relief, seeing the worry written all over Meiji’s face.  _He cares for her... she had no reason to fear him._  Realizing that the man was now staring at him in anxious worry, Nayu spoke.  “She is fine, Master Wa-Feng... though she is no longer at the Academy.  She ran away some four months ago.”

The hengeyokai gave a long whistle of awe.  “Wow... her pops must be ticked off his rocker!” the bard laughed, easily delving into colloquial Common.  “So, when can I see her?  I’d like to catch up!”

_Dammit,_ Nayu shouted at himself.  _Felonca never said she WANTED to meet him!_  Desperately, the young man looked about as the bard gushed about wanting to give his cousin a hug, ask her what happened, and all sorts of other forms of catching up.  The sorcerer looked about and saw no weapons, nor hidden weapons.  Seeing no devices for murder present, he made up his mind.

“Um... sir!  I’ll go check about the chocolates on your pillow right away sir!” Nayu blurted out, quickly slipping out of the room, and closing the door behind him before the panther could sputter a reply.  Inwardly, Nayu growled at his own dullness of mind.  Outwardly, he winced, knowing full well the explosion that would likely come.

After heading downstairs and a few blocks away, he told Felonca what he did...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

As something to look at while I work on the next update... here is the province list I'm going to be providing to the players, considering their rather 'aggressive' attitude of late.  This is best paired with the maps linked right here.

*PROVINCES OF THE CELESTIAL EMPIRE OF AK KONYLU*

*Military Districts*
Ruled by the Military Governor of the Western Military District, General Lin Zexu, who styles himself Emperor Liundi.  The Military Districts are normally barren wastelands, whose major population consists of or depends on the massive military presence there related to the construction of the Desert Wall.  These regions for the most part are parched steppes at best, and desert at worst.

General Lin has so far been able to procure a surprising amount of food for his living soldiers by making treaties with the cities of the Slave Coast.  However, his military power continues to grow as he creates and enlists more, darker forces that do not require food and water to function...

*Langya*
Ruled by the Hu family, known as the Princes of Langya.  Langya is a province filled mostly with fertile farmland, timber rich forests, and a burgeoning population.  Mingzhong, her capital city, boasts over 250,000 inhabitants, making her the 5th largest city in all of the populous Empire.  The provinces strategic location at the mouth of the mighty Huang Ze river also makes it a home for an immense amount of trade, both east west and north south.  Her grain fields can provide the food to support tens of thousands of civilians, as well as massive armies, making her a rich prize for any willing to take her.

Langya’s new Prince, Hu Shikai, has so far proven both ruthless and brilliant. An army under his command smashed a lead invasion force of vaunted Shu cavalry, and with his White Wolf allies, he has systematically executed all potential threats within his borders... save two now beyond his reach... for now.

*Shu*
Ruled by the Hao family, known as the Princes of Shu.  Named after the infamous desert to its north, Shu for many years was a military outpost, until the completion of the so called “Fur Road” linking Ak Konylu with the Slave Cities to the north, and the Forest Kingdoms even further into the icy beyond.  Her capital, Changsha, sits along the Huang Ze river, providing traders with an outlet downstream to the sea.  Rich deposits of copper lie here, making coining money easy, as well as providing a key component for bronze.  Additionally iron is easy to come by.

Shu province itself is rather inhospitable to large armies; the province north of the Huang Ze is mostly steppe.  This disadvantage has been turned by succeeding princes into an advantage, as excellent grounds for horsebreeding.  The Princes of Shu thus possess some of the most formidable cavalry in the Empire, and have aggressively been raiding into Langya to disrupt the Hu family claim.  His initial raids have been rather lackluster.

*Liao*
Ruled by the Yu family, known as the Marquises of Liao.  Liao is a comparatively small, comparatively rural province to the west of Shu.  Her main sources of income come from trade heading down the Huang Ze river from Taisho and locales further east.  There are many fields here that lie undeveloped.  The famed Pao monastery also lies within this province.

The Yu family so far has stayed mum in the current crisis within the Empire, content to wait and see who will emerge victorious.  With their northern borders close to the lands of the Kara Kitai, the Yu family usually uses many of these nomads as mercenaries.  Liao horse archers are especially dangerous.

*Xiang*
Ruled by the Jade Emperor, Yuandi.  Xiang is the capital province of the Celestial Empire, which has its seat in the Jade City, in the heart of the massive capital of Liaoxiang.  The massive bureaucracies needed to run the Empire move this city, which relies on seaborne trade to provide not only its luxuries, but also its necessities.  Liaoxiang is home to the central School of Virtuous Thought, the main training center for scholars across the Empire.

Xiang is the home province of the Dowager Empress, and thus closely aligned to the claims of the Princes of Shu.  It is here that Shu’s main recruiting base lies, and where the seat of their power resides.  While Xiang will not provide the excellent cavalry Shu enjoys in their home province, the sheer population here would supply an endless amount of foot soldiers.

*Dai*
Ruled by the Ho family, known as the Princes of Dai.  Dai, like Langya, is a very large province that has been blessed with rich fields and abundant timber.  Additionally, large quantities of iron, copper, and even gold have been found along the Shinmao Range, a group of low hills near Lo-yang.  The gold from these mines can easily fund armies, the iron can equip them, while the fields feed them.  Its capital at Xianfung is slightly larger than Mingzhong, with some 260,000 inhabitants.

The Ho family, especially the current governor, seem aloof about Imperial politics, more prone to indulgence and ruining their own budget than bringing their realm to heel and turning it into the power it can be.  Dai in the past was renowned for its armorsmiths and heavy cavalry.

*Huiji*

Huiji is ruled by the Ma family, known as the Marquis of Huiji.  Officially, the Ma have stayed neutral in the current conflict over the Imperial Throne, but unofficially, they have extremely close ties to the Imperial family, especially the Dowager Empress.  Like Xiang, this region is full of rich farmland, and prime area for recruiting large numbers of soldiers.

*Nan*

Nan has fallen into chaos, as the ruling family, the Zhou family, perished in an outbreak of plague in the capital of Weiyang.  At present, the late governor’s advisor, Master Yu-ling Chao, is temporarily in charge until an edict replacing the governor’s family comes from the Jade Throne.  Given the current chaotic circumstances, such an edict is unlikely for quite some time.

Nan is almost a mirror of Huiji and Xiang, filled with rich farmland.  Weiyang also is one of the largest ports within Ak Konylu, having connections with the Frozen Wastes, the Slave Coasts, and the distant island realms of Kubalia and Casalad.

*Taiyuan*

Stranded on the farthest eastern edge of Ak Konylu, Taiyuan shares more in common with her quasi-independent neighbor, the Kingdom of Taisho, than with the Imperial government in Liaoxiang.  In fact, rumors about that the impoverished Quan family, leaders of Taiyuan, are willing to sell their provincial loyalties to the highest bidder...

Taiyuan is a wild and wooly place, full of deep forests, many of which remained unexplored.  Archery is almost required for hunting in these regions, and as a consequence, some of the best archers in the Empire come from here.

*Beidi*

Beidi, until barely ten years ago, was a military outpost district like those along the Empire’s northern border.  The Ha family has only recently taken their charge in this region, and thus they are very cautious with regards to backing a claimant to the throne.  Marquis Ha Ii remembers clearly life as an itinerant general, and wishes for his family to avoid this fate.

Small and poor, there is little Beidi can offer other than yet another route to the important trade routes that lead to and through the capital of Taisho, Yakuza.

*Han*
Ruled by the Royukgan family, known as the Princes of Han.  This province, the largest within Ak Konylu and also the richest, is surrounded on three sides by naturally defensible mountains.  These mountains also contain some of the richest mines of all kinds in the entire Empire, and it is said the diamonds Qianlong can move even the greediest of Kara Kitai horselords.

The Royukgan family are distant cousins of the current ruling Emperor, and have asserted their claim to the Imperial throne.  They have since peaceably seized nearby Nanhai, and are quietly biding their forces, content to hold back their massive armies to keep both Bei and Taisho in check.  Their forces seek balance, with equally strong cavalry, infantry, and archer units.

*Xue*
Ruled by the Shi family, but now under the military control of the Huo family.  The Shi have fled north into Taiyuan for refuge, and even now seek others to drive their enemies from their ancestral lands.

Xue is a rich province whose income comes mostly from rich farmland and trade.

*Liaoxi*
Ruled by the Wu family, known as the Marquis of Liaoxi.  This land has plentiful farmland and timber, but unfortunately lies directly between the two menaces of Han and Bei.  The current Marquis, Wu Shih, is desperately searching for allies to help him counterbalance these two behemoths on either side of him.

Liaoxi weaponsmiths have been known to make some of the farthest reaching and most powerful crossbows in the world.

*Nanhai*

Nanhai has been annexed by the Royukgan family of Han, and has been integrated into their domain.

*Bei*
Ruled by the Huo family, known as the Princes of Bei.  Bei is a small, heavily populated province in the south of the Empire, dependent on mining and trade coming down from the great Balarac Mountains.  Its central location between the Yang Gi and the Me-Ho rivers makes it a vital crossing point for trade.

The Huo family have so far proven among the most aggressive of the princes now claiming the Imperial throne, seizing Yuyang and Xue.  The seizure of  Xue especially threatens to boil into an all out war, as the Huo are now in a position to completely cut off their rivals, the Royukgans of Han, from trading down the Yang-Gi river.

*Chen*

Chen province, centered on the city of the same name, is ruled by the Wei family, who have closer ties to the ruling family of the Kingdom of Chosun to their west than the Jade Emperor.  As chaos erupted, the Wei took in their options, and decided rather than choosing between being cut off from the rest of Ak Konylu or joining their rivals, the Huo, they cemented a close alliance with the King of Chosun, formally joining his kingdom, and seceding from Ak Konylu entirely.

*Yuyang*

Yuyang is a border province, covering much of the southern border of Ak Konylu.  Sparsely populated, it is rumored that deep in the mountainous spurs here reside huge deposits of gems and gold.  The Huo, eager to seize this source of income, have seized this area from its weak provincial government, annexing it to the banner of Bei.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Cousins Meet, and the Party Sets out for Mingzhong*

Felonca apprehensively looked at the door, its brass knocker reflective her own frightened face.

_What if Nayu was wrong?_ part of her mind insisted, _What if Meiji duped him?_  Slowly, her hand hovered in front of the instrument, indecision wracking her mind.  

_Nayu, duped?_ another part of her mind laughed.  _Felonca, the man was the son of a merchant, arguably a merchant himself.  He can catch someone’s bluff and likely spin it back towards them!_  For a few more seconds, indecision stayed her hand, then with a sigh, she finally knocked.

“Just a minute!” a familiar voice she hadn’t heard in years called.  The request was followed by a few final clearings of a throat, and a voice singing an tone-perfect scale.    With a creak, the door opened just as the voice reached high C.

For Meiji, there was no pause as he saw his cousin for the first time in eight years.  Felonca stood in slight shock as the bigger man literally leapt forward, putting her in a huge bearhug.  The almost crushing nature of the hug dispelled the last of Felonca’s doubt, and she soon was clasping Meiji as close as ever before.

“Felonca!  How are you doing?” he sweetly said after the embrace ended.  “I was told you were in town!  How are things? Why aren’t you at the Academy?”

The barrage of questions ended a moment later, when she looked down.

“I’m not doing too good, Meiji,” she confessed, before giving an ironic, sharp laugh.  “Though considering people are out to kill me for what happened at the Academy, and that the White Wolves are after me, I guess I’m not doing too bad at all!”

“What in the name of nine lives did you do to get the White Wolf Clan after you?” Meiji asked, his voice slightly hushed in semi-awe.  With a quick, gentle push, he urged her to head towards a chair in the room, shutting the door behind them.

“I...um... did a bad thing at the Academy,” Felonca said slowly, her mind wrestling if she should let Meiji know what happened... if he could be trusted, but more importantly, if telling him would put him in danger too.

“One of the instructors?  I heard you and some Quan-Shi were close...”

“NO!” Felonca snapped after a minute of staring at him in shock, mouth agape.  _Nothing of the sort happened!_  “All that happened was I stole some... stuff... from Master Hsiu when I ran away!”

“Ah... the infamous big general is ticked at you?” Meiji replied rather calmly with a smirk.  “I’d personally be more worried about him than the White Wolf.  He and those ruffians haven’t been on good terms for a long time... I’m kind of surprised he’d send _them_ after you, instead of hauling after your behind himself...”  The grin told her that he hadn’t changed much since the last time they’d met.  _Still cheeky, immature..._

“Um...” she paused, weighing again before blurting out the truth.  “I stole something that concerns the Imperial Court also... in additional to Master Hsiu...”  

Meiji’s smirk suddenly disappeared, and his eyes widened, thoughts running together, his mind piecing things together.  

“So... are _you_ the cause for all of those signs outside?” the bard asked slowly, now having realized how grave the situation was.

“Um... yes... in a way,” Felonca looked down awkwardly.  _I helped get Prince Shikai into Langya, and with this dagger now free from the Academy..._  When she found the nerve to look back up at her cousin, she saw his eyes blazed with a certain fire... the determination she’d seen in so many of her family in the past.  

“I’ll escort you back to the family home!  They’ll make sure you are safe!” he growled, even his thin, effeminate features taking on the bristling form of his warrior ancestry.  _Always Wa-Feng!_

“They probably wouldn’t want me around!  I fled from the Academy, I brought shame on their names!” Felonca moaned, looking immediately back to the floor.  _I’m not worth protecting..._

She felt an arm grab her shoulder, the grip comforting and fierce at the same time.  “Sure, my father and your dad will be angry to no end, but you are Wa-Feng!  Do you really think your family would abandon you when you are in such danger?”

Felonca looked up at him, and read the look in his eyes.  Her mind rushed back to the family sayings, the admonishments and warnings from her mother, father, uncles, aunts and cousins on the family honor, that honor was above all... a creed that she’d broken the day she fled the Academy...

“I... I couldn’t bring all of that danger down on them, Meiji,” she said finally, arriving at an excuse.  “I...I can’t go back, at least while this... mess... is going on.”

“Then let me help!” Meiji replied, his voice gentle, encouraging.  “Where are you headed, after you leave Mafeng?”

_Should I tell him?  I’d put him in danger!_  For a minute, her mind pondered the thoughts, wrestling with each one...  if she said no, she realized he might just come anyway, and another person along her side couldn’t help, especially with Cho staying behind to help the village...

“We’re going to Mingzhong.  It will be safer there,” she said finally, and she saw Meiji start to grin.

“Why, I’m going there too, after this gig!” he positively laughed.  

_You probably made that itinerary in the last minute,_ Felonca thought, wryly acknowledging the other universal Wa-Feng trait, it seemed: stubbornness. 



“So... this is the person that will be accompanying us?” Liu said with a tone of judgment some hours later.  Spiced wine flowed as the townspeople celebrated their liberation from fear, and around the party’s island of somberness, there was a sea of revelry.  Meiji had sung beautifully and now was taking full advantage of the town’s hospitality.  He staggered and stumbled until he was in front of them, a bumper of wine precariously held in each hand.

“He seems most... ineffective,” Liu added, a sour look on the monk’s face.  Felonca looked at Nayu, and saw the sorcerer was merely holding his head.

“Um... how are you, Meiji?” Felonca asked, knowing the question was rather redundant considering the circumstances.  _He is still the same... hard party-goer..._

“Exshellent!”  Wine sloshed out of one of the bumpers as he motioned extravagantly towards Nayu and Liu.  “Your friendsh!  They needa drink!”  The other bumper sloshed as Meiji thrust it forward.  Suddenly, the hengeyokai spun around, looking into the crowd.

“I gots ta go... It looksh like a horse... uh...woman,” he laughed uproariously at his own joke, “has decided to shower me wit attenshun!”

“Go have fun... but remember we are leaving at _dawn_!” Felonca called as her cousin already started shoving through the crowd, towards some prey yet unseen.  As he vanished from sight, she turned back to her friends.  Nayu had his head buried in his hands even more, while Liu had the same stern look, only now the monk had crossed his arms.

“Is your whole family like that?” Nayu asked from behind his palms.

“No,” Felonca said quietly.  

“He will not be awake at dawn tomorrow,” Liu said simply.



“Dammit,” Felonca growled the next morning as Liu’s prediction came true.  “Meiji!” she shouted, shoving the covered form of the young man.  “Wake up!  We need to go, NOW!”  She then reached over towards the window, and pulled wide the blinds, showering the room with morning light.

“But it’s light... and light hurts,” a weak voice complained from under the covers.  Slowly, sluggishly, the amorphous object underneath shifted and shuffled away from her grasp.  

“Meiji!  Move now, or I’ll smack you worse than any of your mother’s cuffings!” Felonca snarled, giving him a shove before looking about the room.  _Idiot!  He knew we had to leave, and he still got drunk!_  Her furious gaze looked around the room,,, and saw his clothes laying scattered about.  She grabbed one rather fine silk shift, and tossed it towards his traveling pack.

“Hey!” a tired Meiji complained, his head finally poking free of the covers.  “That shift was – “ he paused, as he flailed an arm about to block the light streaming into his eyes, “-given to me by Lady Wen for a good night!  It’s –‘pensive!”

“If you don’t want Lady Wen to be upset, then hurry up!” Felonca huffed, storming towards the door.  “You’ve got _five minutes_ to be downstairs!  Five... not six, but five!”

Huffing, Felonca stormed out of the inn and into the street, her eyes avoiding the smirks she knew Nayu and Liu were sporting.

“Was he awake with someone, or was he too hung over?” Nayu smirked.

A few minutes later, a rather haggard looking Meiji stumbled out of the inn, his pack and other belongings hung from his back, a scimitar hanging from his hip.  As he came into the light of the still rising sun, his entire face became one gigantic squint.

“I... need... to... fetch... my... friend...” he said slowly, the light obvious destroying what little thinking ability his hangover rattled brain possessed.

“What?”  Felonca glanced over to Nayu... the sorcerer had returned to a standard pose... head in hands.  “Who?  Why?”

“I... promised... her...” Meiji said slowly, shuffling away from the inn and up the street.  

“Who?” Felonca groaned. _Another hanger on... probably a flunkie of some kind... stupid bards and their stupid following hangers-on..._

“I...don’t...remember...her...name...” Meiji groaned in return, his free hand clawing towards the sun as if to remove the offending orb from the sky.  “She’s a handmaiden,” he said, his voice returning to a strained normal as his blocking efforts were finally partly successful, “she worked in the Imperial Household.  In return for her, um... assistance... last night...”

“Gah!” Felonca spat.  _I knew it!_  She crossed her arms and huffed for a minute, before giving a reluctant sigh.  _If it’ll get him moving faster..._

“Fine... make it quick,” Felonca snapped, hoping she wouldn’t have to groan much more the rest of that day.  

About thirty minutes later, she was disappointed yet again.

Meiji had lead the party to one of the less well kept regions of the town, to a rather run-down inn... the first sign in Felonca’s mind that there was a major problem.  He then went to a door that was part-way off of its hinges, a second sign in her mind.  However, when he knocked, and a soft voice called for “Mei Mei,” she couldn’t help herself, and a loud groan came from her lips as she rolled her eyes.

“Mei Mei... by all the ancestors,” she hissed, hand to her head as the door opened.

A young woman peeked her head out, her raven black hair a disheveled mop on her head.  Her similarly dark eyes went wide when she saw Felonca behind Meiji, and she wrenched the door shut just as Meiji put his foot in the way.  The hengeyokai yelped, but the door stayed open just long enough for Meiji to tell her who Felonca was.  The rogue merely crossed her arms in annoyance.

“Who are you?  Meiji can’t seem to remember,” Felonca turned to her cousin and scowled.

“I... I’m not sure it would be safe to tell you,” the woman replied in a quiet voice.  “I’m... in big trouble.  I don’t want to bring it on anyone else!”  

It was then that the door creaked just wide enough that Felonca could see into the room.  It was spartan, with only a tiny traveling pack and a rather ornate cane standing out as the only objects obviously belonging to the woman.  Felonca also for the first time saw the woman’s dress... the remains of what was once an elegantly decorate silk gown, the brown of cranes embroidered into it mixing with the brown of dust and travel.

_I can see why Meiji went for her... if she had a bath and her hair was done better, she’d be quite stunning..._ Felonca thought, before noticing something else.  From underneath the silk, she noticed the girl’s arms.  Rather than being waif thin as one would expect from a delicate handmaiden, they seemed small, but rock hard, wiry with power.

_She’s not as she seems..._

“Dear...um...” Meiji stalled, looking down in embarrassment, before blurting out, “dearest flower!  This is my cousin, Felonca!  She’s in trouble also!”

“You don’t have to tell everyone!” Felonca snapped, an elbow finding its way into Meiji’s rib.  She then turned back to the girl, only to see the young woman almost shaking with fear.

_Poor thing... she’s frightened to death..._  The anger in her heart melted away in concern.  _I remember being this scared one, several months ago..._

“He speaks the truth,” Felonca sighed quietly.  “I am in trouble as well, and by that point, we are in a similar situation.  If you will tell me your name and your story, I shall tell you my tale.”

“My... my name is Yari Ai,” the girl said, stammering.  “I...I don’t feel... safe... telling you more,” she said, her voice dropping to the merest whisper.

Felonca gave her a quiet smile.  “Maybe, on the road to Mingzhong, we can learn to trust each other, then.”  The girl looked, and returned the barest, shiest of smiles.

“Perhaps.”


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Good stuff, as always, Emperor.




> She’s not as she seems...




And that's not like other NPCs in this campaign ...


----------



## drag n fly

Maybe it's my slight fever and stuffed-up head, but I'd COMPLETELY forgotten that Meiji and Yari Ai....you know..."hooked up"

BTW, in our last session, the PC's leveled up TWICE, and I am now looking for a good Prestige Class for Felonca. Since more people seem to read this story post than the Messageboards (wink wink), anyone have any ideas?


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

drag n fly said:
			
		

> Maybe it's my slight fever and stuffed-up head, but I'd COMPLETELY forgotten that Meiji and Yari Ai....you know..."hooked up"
> 
> BTW, in our last session, the PC's leveled up TWICE, and I am now looking for a good Prestige Class for Felonca. Since more people seem to read this story post than the Messageboards (wink wink), anyone have any ideas?




What direction do you want to take the character? I assume Felonca is a rogue, right?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Yeah, most of the NPCs are unique... that’s my goal.  And yes, Meiji and Yari Ai started out that way, but as things go on, well, they get kinda... grouchy...  (ie. she has to slap him every five minutes... drag n fly laughs quite a bit at this.  )

And yes, Felonca is a rogue, specializing in the use of warfans (according to the vanilla rules, they aren't rogue weaponry, but as the party is small, I gave her the okay anyways).  The last time I talked to Felonca's playuer, she was looking for a class that was roguish, but helped her either a) use poisons (they came in handy in a couple adventures), or b) focused on bladed weapons that could be modified to take her warfans into account.  I've trolled around here and the WotC boards, and offered a few suggestions, but can't really find anything yet.

Either way, on with the story...

*The Tale of Yari Ai, and Felonca Suspects Something from Nayu*

To Felonca’s surprise, it only took Yari Ai less than a minute to gather her things, and be ready to go.  Within fifteen minutes, the party, along with four other traders from Mafeng, were on the road towards Mingzhong.

At first, Felonca found Yari Ai to be quiet, distant even.  As they all rode through the late summer weather, she merely stared off towards the south, as if she was gazing at something long lost, long destroyed.

Felonca made a specific effort to stay on watch with the young woman, and ever so slowly, the barrier between them melted, to the point Felonca herself felt confident enough to speak about her own troubles, some four days into the journey.  Of course she left out exactly what the dagger did, and above the snores of the other travelers, trust was gained.

“So... that is why that the huntress was running about Mafeng a few nights ago, as if she was looking for someone,” the young woman said.  Felonca was thankful the darkness hid her look of embarrassment at inflating her own abilities.

“Yes... and she never found me... not before that monster came,” Felonca finished the tale.  _No reason to tell her I unintentionally brought that beast into Mafeng!_

“Your predicament sounds close to mine, then,” the other young woman sighed.  Despite her youthful features, for the first time, Felonca noticed the age, the weariness in her eyes.

_She has seen much..._

“Would you mind sharing what you have gone through?  We can share comfort in our troubles,” Felonca pressed gently yet again.  _Someone is being chased like me!  I’ve been chased alone long enough!_  The woman looked off into the distance for a few moments, before she looked down at the ground.

“Hai,” she sighed, “it is time someone knew what I know.  I am terribly afraid of what harm what I’ve seen will do... but _someone must know!_”  A despairing, sharp conviction was in the woman’s voice, as she hissed her demand.  Felonca nodded slowly.

“Tell me.”

“I was one a handmaiden, in the Imperial Court,” Yari Ai began slowly, haltingly.  “I was trained as a Maiden of the Four Winds, the last line of defense for the members of the Imperial Family in case of assassination.”

“But... I thought the Emperor couldn’t be assassinated, so long as he has Heaven’s Will on his side...” Felonca’s voice petered away as she realized what she’d just blurted out.  _He’s immune except for my damn dagger!_

Yari Ai stopped, a look of mistrust growing on her face again.  For a second, there was a wrestling of thoughts in her mind, before she shook her head.  “Yes... that is true,” the maiden replied, “though his family members still can be injured.”  Her voice suddenly grew wistful, and she looked down, rubbing her hands together nervously.  “It was my job to stop that.”

_And she failed?  But I haven’t heard of any members of the Imperial family dying..._  Felonca’s puzzled look finally urged Yari Ai to continue.

“I was originally to guard Lady Hao Jin, the second cousin of the Dowager Empress.  I did this for three years, with no problems.  I then was assigned to guard the Dowager Empress herself.  That is how I received this,” she motioned towards her elaborate cane.  

“No one has attacked the Dowager Empress?”

“No, not while I was there,” Yari Ai replied.  “But... but... I...” she stopped, a tear starting to form, “I saw things!”

“What?  What did you see?”  Felonca whispered, reaching to reassuringly touch the young woman’s shoulder.  The rogue recognized the look of remembered fear in the woman’s eyes.  _They tortured her... abused her!  Like I was abused at the Academy!_

“I...” she started, before stopping to compose herself.  With a sigh, she continued, “I saw him!”

“Who?”

“Hao Yu, the Prince of Shu!  The Empress’ brother!  Going into her chambers that night!”  Tears began to come from her eyes... guilt, pain and shame boiling from her.

Instinctively, Felonca had encircled the girl in an embrace.  “Please... tell me what happened.  I want to know!”  _What did they do to you!  Why do they hunt you like they are hunting me!_

“I...I heard noises!” the girl sobbed.

“What... what kind of noises?” Felonca asked guardedly, her mind having an inkling of something, but her heart and her logic rebelling against the conclusion.  _No... not in the halls of the Jade City..._

“I... I was curious,” Yari Ai continued, “and then... I...I saw them!”  

Felonca’s heart plummeted.  She was no scholarly sage, no purveyor of arcane knowledge, no trader in secret tomes, but she understood the depth of what this young maid was implying.  

_Depravity like that in the Jade City... Heaven’s Anger falling on the people..._

As long as the rulers of Ak Konylu were virtuous and true, it was well known that Heaven’s blessings flowed onto the people.  Crops flourished, the rivers stayed within their banks, and blessed rain fell from the skies.  But when the rulers became dark and depraved, focused on immoral acts and debauchery instead of their duties, Heaven vented its anger.  Crops died, the clouds dried up, and the great rivers overflowed, destroying noble and commoner alike.

Yari Ai continued the shudder, and a dark shadow seemed to fall on Felonca as she realized there was more.  “I saw the Emperor Yuandi the next day, visiting his mother’s chambers... and I noticed the young boy looks exactly like his uncle!” the maid shook as a leaf.

_The Emperor did not come from his father, Beiyan-di?  Then... then the Imperial line died...

...there is no Emperor!_

“How did they find out you knew this?” Felonca asked gently, her mind shuddering at this new implication.  _There is no Emperor... and surely this girl was not the only witness!  Once the nobility, once all the princes and their followers find out..._  Images of blood rising from the land as a terrible tide flooded her mind.

The girl’s hug on Felonca grew fiercer, and anger seeped into her voice.  “I told someone I thought I could trust!  But he revealed my secret, and I had to flee north to stay alive!  I... I went through so much!”

“I’m sure you did, Yari Ai... I’m sure you did,” Felonca whispered quietly.  _When I ran away, leaving everything behind, I was alone!  You won’t be alone... not at all!_



Nayu hunched over his pack, as the bonfire in the center of their camp continued to crackle and sizzle.  The young maid had gone to sleep long before... when he’d awoke to take his watch, Felonca had still been consoling her.  As soon as she was asleep, his friend had quietly told him what the young girl’s demons were.

_So the Emperor is a bastard child..._ Nayu thought.  _All the more reason to go to Langya.  Prince Hu has a legitimate claim now, and he’ll be inclined to remember us fondly for helping him..._

Absently the young sorcerer poked the fire with a stick, other thoughts also rumbling through his head.  

_No.  Why, Nayu?_

_Because... it is YOUR birthright too!_ a part of his brain snapped.  _The Military Governor is undoubtedly evil!  The Dowager Empress and her brother engaged in debauchery inside the very halls of the Heavenly Palace!

Would you do any better?_  He sighed, doubts coming back.

_Of course you would!  You would rise just as General Qiling so long ago, just as Xua, who went from a basket weaver to Emperor Xuande!  A commoner rising to the throne, bringing peace!

But you know nothing of rule!  You couldn’t even head your father’s merchant business!_

Arguments raged within his mind as the minutes of silent darkness ticked by.  Finally, quietly, he reached down into his pack, his fingers silently twisting around spell components, rations, and even a few trinkets, until he felt the same coldness of ivory he’d felt a week early.

_Father, what would you have done?_  Nayu looked up towards the stars, twinkling in the midnight sky above.  Gently, he pulled the seal from the bag, and cradled it in the light.  _Father... tell me what Heaven wishes me to do!_ he closed his eyes tightly, memories flooding back.  A tear rolled down his cheek.

_Ancestors, give me guidance!  I don’t know!_ 



Felonca looked at Nayu, and though she could only see his back, she could tell by his shuddering that he was crying.  She gave a quiet sigh.

_I’d cry for all of us too, if Yari Ai speaks the...  What is that?_

He’d turned, and slipped something back into his travel bag, even as he wiped the tears of confusion from his eyes.  She’d caught only a glimpse of it, but even her inexperienced thief eyes recognized the sheen of polished ivory, and the flash of a large ruby.

_His father’s thing..._ Felonca thought, consciously not stirring.  _He doesn’t want me to know what it is... I’ll respect that.

But if it tears him up like that, you should help!_ another part of Felonca chimed in.  _He’s crying!  He needs your help!  You just need to have the courage to go over there!_

Felonca rolled over, but couldn’t sleep, instead cursing her cowardice.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

I was wondering how long it would be before you started dangling real temptation in front of Nayu. I look forward to seeing him succumb   .


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> And yes, Felonca is a rogue, specializing in the use of warfans (according to the vanilla rules, they aren't rogue weaponry, but as the party is small, I gave her the okay anyways).  The last time I talked to Felonca's playuer, she was looking for a class that was roguish, but helped her either a) use poisons (they came in handy in a couple adventures), or b) focused on bladed weapons that could be modified to take her warfans into account.  I've trolled around here and the WotC boards, and offered a few suggestions, but can't really find anything yet.




From Oriental Adventures:
_Blade dancer_ (p. 38): probably too high end, as it requires 9th level, at least some ability to cast spells and bab +7, but it allows wire-fu ass-kicking. Just swap 'swords' with 'warfans'.
_Ninja Spy_ (p. 43): poison and lots of odd abilities, plus she probably already qualifies. However, the acrobatics ability may be out of scale in 3.5E.

From Complete Warrior:
_Dervish_ (p. 26): a departure from the roguish path and may require a level of fighter to secure the prerequisite feats, but all the puns about the "dance of the Flensing Fans of Doom" would be well worth it.
_Exotic Weapon Master_ (p. 30): a slight detour that would provide a couple tricks up her sleeve, without making her skills suffer too much.

From Complete Adventurer:
_Tempest_ (p. 81): in case she already went down the spring attack/two weapon fighting route; at least take the _dual strike_ feat into consideration.   

From Serpent Kingdoms (Forgotten Realms):
_Fang of Sseth_ (p. 162): just remove the evil prerequisite, rework the background and voilà, a poisoner and serpent-fetishist; is Felonca into snakes?

Well that's all I got.   

Oh, and the _Frenzied Berserker_. Just because. After all, everything in D&D can be solved by applying enough brute force; remember: if all else fails, sunder the plot!


----------



## drag n fly

Thanks for the various ideas Owl, I'll look into them and post again if I find anything cool. 

I spent a little bit of time last night browsing Prestige Classes and this is what I found.

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=349445 *Counter-Assassin*. I may take just the first two levels to get the poision stuff and one of the trap skills.

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=169552 *Ultimate Rouge*. This also looks cool, because I can sculpt a bit more to get the poision use without going totally assassin or counter-assassin. 

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=316340 *Kensei.* This could also be cool because of the Ki damager. However, it doesn't help me as much in other areas, so I probably won't pick it.


Of course, I have to ok everything with Valarian first


----------



## Carnage4

HalfOrc HalfBiscuit said:
			
		

> I was wondering how long it would be before you started dangling real temptation in front of Nayu. I look forward to seeing him succumb  .




Hi,

I'm the real Nayu (just ask Emp). I haven't had a chance to read through all this, but I'm not sure what this "temptation" is that you speak of. If by temptation you mean "obtain the dagger through not entirely wholesome means that would require a possible alignment change in order to weild absolute power"....... then yes, that would be temptation 

Not that Emp has to TEMPT me do do this per se, other people involved with the campaign just don't like me playing evil characters - I'm supposedly far too well suited for the role, and I'm trying to continue playing a somewhat good-aligned character


----------



## Emperor Valerian

I think he was simply referring to the temptation to yoink the throne for yourself... though the other is quite a temptation too, I suppose


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Attack of the Hill People, better know as:

THE INFAMOUS GNOME INCIDENT*

The next day, Nayu, Liu, Felonca, Meiji and Yari Ai all agreed that they needed to move quicker towards Mingzhong than their commoner friends could accomplish.  Wishing their former companions farewell and good journey, they began to gallop ahead.  Just before they were out of earshot, one of their former companions shouted a warning to them.

“Beware of the hill people!  They’re getting riled up now that war is about!”



_ “Wakabayashi Nayu... you have a great responsibility...”

“I know, Father,” Nayu replied, bowing his head.  To his front, the shimmering apparition smiled.  “What shall I do with it?  Should I retake the throne?  Should I try to make a living quietly?  What do I do, father?”

“Carry this burden with care, my son,” the ghost seemed to bow, before suddenly the ghost shot upright.  Its translucent face snapped to one side, looking off in the distance.

“They come for me.  Hurry, Nayu!  They’ll chase you too!” his father’s voice called, and the ghost seemed to start waft away, each strand of thin white shaking into tinier strands until it vanished.

“But Father!  What should I do!” Nayu called, terror in his voice.  “Who hunts us?”

“Nayu!” a terrible scream came from the ghostly figure, as _something_ long, spindly and white seized the rapidly vanishing form.  A cackle rose in Nayu’s ears, as he struggled to reach for the disappearing figure. Eight dark eyes flashed before Nayu’s eyes, their laughter burning deep into his mind as he stretched out, trying to save his father..._

“Nayu!”

The young sorcerer shot awake, sweat and perspiration dampening his face and shirt.  To one side was the group’s campfire, low and crackling.  To the other, was a hunched over Felonca, her face away from him, scanning deep into the woods.

“Are you awake now?” she asked gently, and Nayu felt her reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Yes.”  _It was only a dream... even though I saw him so clearly, it was only a dream..._

“Good.  We’ve got company,” she whispered quietly.  “Act nonchalant, as if you’re waking up to stretch.  Don’t look out into the woods, but we’re surrounded,” she whispered matter of factly.

“How many?” Nayu shook his head slightly, driving away the last vestiges of sleep that clung to his mind.

“Twenty at least.  I can’t tell what they are.”  He saw her other hand was shifting uneasily between her warfans and the longbow on her back.  “They’re small buggers.  Maybe its the ‘hill people’ our friends warned us about.”  Suddenly, the hand on his shoulder vanished, and she shot into a firing position.

As her longbow sang out, Nayu flipped himself to his feet, facing the same direction as her.  A quick glance showed the other three were already awake and armed, but neither Meiji nor Yari Ai had armor on.

_Great,_ Nayu groaned inwardly.  He closed his eyes, and a slow incantation came to his lips.  A few seconds later, the world around him seemed to shimmer slightly, as a magical wall of protection rose around him.  (_mage armor_)

A screech arose from the forest, as the dull _thwack!_ of an arrow striking flesh echoed through the night.  A long, low cry arose from around the party, and the woods seemed to come alive with crashes and cracks as dozens of feet rushed forward towards the party.

“Wolves!” Felonca shouted, her hands flashing towards her quiver.  Nayu eyes flashed about, yet he saw no White Wolves, or regular wolves.  Instead, he saw on all sides the same image...  little people, almost miniaturized humans, running forward.  Unlike people, their eyes were shining yellow, and their skin was a dull gray in the firelight.  They each held tiny shields on one arm, and a dagger in the other, their mouths wide as they charged forward.

Nayu closed his eyes, and held out his hand towards one group still a good distance away from the party.  Concentrating on speed instead of power, he felt his magic siphoning off into a single shining bead in his hand.  It flashed out, and a thunderclap shook the forest as a fireball engulfed six of the charging gnomes, their decimated and burnt forms cart-wheeling through the air as the trees took alight.



_Good ancestors... its basically three of us versus this mob!_ Felonca thought desperately, as she notched and loose another arrow.  Another screech echoed in the woods as a second gnome fell, and arrow in its stomach.  _Meiji’s a fop!  He can’t fight!  And all Yari Ai has is that cane!_

She backed up, and felt herself bump into something.  By the fact that her head felt like it was on someone’s back, she guessed it was Nayu.

“Nayu, cover this front!  I’ll protect Yari Ai and Meiji!” she called, spinning around him as she called.  When she spun clear, she suddenly stopped in shock.

The first sight that greeted her eyes was accompanied by sound... namely the voice of Meiji _singing_.  His scimitar was out, yet he was merely dancing about, almost laughing.

“The dregs run out,
And I’ve been played
O, as they say,
The orc got laid...”

One by one, three of the gnomes charging him slowed, then stopped, before collapsing in fits of laughter.  Even as the battle rumbled on around them, they rolled on the ground, gasping for air as they split their sides with loud guffaws.

The other sight was of the handmaiden that only the night before, had been so frightened and scared.  As four of the gnomes charged towards her, Felonca recognized the woman’s frighteningly calm movements.

_That’s a combat position, for fighting with a long blade of some kind... but she has no blade..._

For several agonizing seconds, the gnomes got closer and closer, while Yari Ai merely stood, partly facing away from them, holding the end of her cane out so it hovered just above the ground.  As the first gnome drew close and raised his dagger to strike, the young woman became a mere blur, her strike so fast it seemed a sheet of steel had struck from her, splitting two of her attackers in half.  For a split second she paused, just long enough for Felonca to see a long, curved blade coming from the end of the maiden’s cane...



Nayu was to focused to have heard the sudden _shing_ of Yari Ai’s blade striking, or even Meiji’s tune.  Instead, his eyes focused on the gap his fireball had created, and the shapes moving beyond... large shapes, far larger than the gnomes or even a human.

_White Wolves..._ he thought simply, and he reacted in a simple manner as well... another white bead formed in his hands.  As he made out six of the wolves, close together, rushing forward at breakneck pace, the bead lashed forth, landing in their midst.

Another thunderclap, and the wolves broke their run, dashing to the side.  As two thundered towards Yari Ai and Liu, he could see they were badly burned.  Alarmingly, another two still hung back in the forest...



_Yari Ai is ok, Meiji!_ Felonca swung back to where her cousin was still singing.  Two more gnomes charged towards him, and did not fall under the spell of his song.  Meiji began to back up, trying to open the distance, until Felonca flipped over him, slashing apart one of the gnomes while in midair, before landing in front of him, blocking the last gnome from its intended quarry.  A quick slash ended that threat as well.

“Your sword!  Use your damn sword!” she snapped at her cousin, before she spun around, to see Nayu surrounded by three gnomes viciously swinging and stabbing at him, and two White Wolves, blades drawn, heading towards Liu and Yari Ai...



“GAH!” Nayu twisted and turned as the gnomes swooped in around him.  For a few moments, he danced and wiggled, trying to avoid their blades, until he noticed something.

About six inches from his body, even if he did not try to dodge, their blades stopped.  (DM’s Notes: The gnomes had major major issues with Nayu’s post-_mage armor_ AC)

_Well, I’ll be d-_

His thought was interrupted as two blasts of pain seared through his side.  He looked down, half expecting to see a gnome dagger stuck between his ribs.  Instead, drips of green, gooey liquid hung from his robes, still burning them.

_Acid..._ his mind snarled, and he realized why the other two White Wolves were still in forest, just within sight.  As the gnomes continued to slash and poke ineffectually, her turned towards the forest, a sharp and decidedly predatory grin on his lips.  He felt his magic building yet again, and yet another bead of shining power formed into his hands.  In the ensuing explosion he saw both White Wolf spellcasters burst into flame, their screams confirming their agonizing demise.

Then, he turned towards the White Wolves trying to attack Liu and Yari Ai.  

“You don’t learn, do you?” he snarled, baring his teeth.



Another slash, another gnome squealed in pain as Felonca felt pain in her leg.  _Damn daggers!_ she complained, making her way over towards Yari Ai and Liu, both of whom were now fighting toe to toe with two White Wolf warriors clad in full armor.

_Ambush, ambush!_ Felonca flashed about the battle, trying to make sure the wolves did not see her until it was too late.  As the thunderclap of Nayu’s third fireball echoed in the night, she felt a _crackle_ of power above her head, and suddenly smelled ozone.

She spun around just in time to see another gnome fall to the ground, sparks coming from its body.  In front of it stood Meiji, looking rather sheepish, sparks coming from his scimitar.

“Sorry, cuz... didn’t mean to almost hit you there!”  He then spun towards the losing battle between Liu and the large White Wolf, and began to sing his song yet again.  Felonca was about to shout at him to charge in with his fancy sword, when she saw the wolf, too, collapse in fits of laughter.

She didn’t have long to look, before more shouts from small voices warned her more gnomes were coming.  As Yari Ai backflipped away from her larger wolf pursuer, slashing a gnome in the process, Felonca echoed the move, cutting down another two attackers...



_There!_  Yari Ai had backflipped out of the way, and Nayu let loose a blast of crackling flames straight towards the last of the wolves standing.  The wolf collapsed in fiery pain, and Nayu turned his attention back to the three little people still trying to stab him.  As their blows came up short, Nayu leaned over, a fierce grin on his face.

“You don’t learn, do you?” he said, his voice deadly even.  The three gnomes looked at each other, before two suddenly dropped their shields and daggers, before running into the forest.  The third gave a brave cry and swung at Nayu again and again, coming up short.

“Oh well,” the sorcerer sighed, and raised his hands towards two trees close to the fleeing gnomes.  They had already been battered by one of his fireballs, so when his _scorching ray_ lashed into their burning forms at the appropriate moment, a huge, flaming bough fell right on the two fleeing hill people.

Nayu then turned, and as the third gnome was in mid-swing, grabbed his dagger arm.  The grip was fierce enough the small creature dropped its dagger as Nayu grabbed its opposite arm.  It squirmed viciously, as he held it up, till it was at eye level.

“What shall I do with you?” he asked, the noise of battle already dying around them.  The gnome spat back something in its native tongue, and spat in Nayu’s face.

“Fine,” he replied sourly, walking with the creature close to the two flaming trees.  Carefully, he held the gnome out and arms length, and with a mighty kick, punted the screeching creature into the darkness.  His goal was to send the creature sailing between the burning trees.  Sadly, he shanked the kick, and the creature slammed head-first into the tree on the right, falling to the ground quite dead.



Felonca looked at the carnage about her, and gave a sigh.  _Why would the hill people side with White Wolves?_  The last of the laughing growls from the White Wolf came to an end, as a sharp smack and a snap signalled Yari Ai’s blade finishing off the creature.  When the girl looked back up at Felonca, at first the rogue could see the calm deadliness in her eyes, and why she’d been picked to be a bodyguard.  The look suddenly changed, when the younger woman saw the blood coming from Felonca’s leg.

“You’re hurt!” she walked over, blood streaming from a rake in her shoulder and dagger thrusts to her stomach and thighs.  

“Psssha... this is nothing!” Felonca gave a fierce grin.  “I’ve been hurt worse!”  _Nigh dead one time!_  “No where near as bad as you... you should go see Liu about those cuts...”

“He’s busy healing himself,” Yari Ai said quietly, before reaching out and touching Felonca’s shoulder.  The girl’s eyes closed, and a few whispered words came from her mouth.  Felonca felt the familiar queasy feeling as wounds filled up across her body.  The feeling didn’t compare to the shock in her voice.

“You... you’re a healer?” she asked, as Yari Ai touched her own chest and repeated the same words.

“Yes... the Maidens have long held methods of healing and even greater skills in high regard,” the girl replied, an impish grin of pride on her face.  “That way, if a charge is hurt, they can be healed immediately, or if an assassin is captured wounded, he can be healed for interrogation.”

Felonca gave a low whistle.  “Remind me never to storm the Jade City unannounced.”

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Yep... Yari Ai is a cleric, with domains of Earth and Healing.  I thought it’d be a departure from normal to have a cleric with low strength, but high dexerity and little armor.  She depends on speed to survive battle, as the  heaviest armor she has is leather.

Notes on this battle... the party was attacked by some 20-25 sviberneblin gnomes, along with 2 5th level White Wolf warriors, and 2 5th level White Wolf Sorcerers.  I’d intended it to be a hard challenge for them, with the swarming of the gnomes posing a problem, but the gnomes had a really, really bad day, with many attack rolls of 3 or 5 going around.  To complicate matters, once Nayu’s magical protect got going, the gnomes basically could not hit except on a 19 or 20, which they got only a few times... and when they did hit, they managed to roll minimum damage every time except once (I believe Felonca was poked for 3 points damage once).

The White Wolves did far more damage, though since Felonca rotated to help Meiji with the gnomes, their ire mostly went against Liu and Yari Ai, both of whom were badly mauled by the end of the fight.

It was a tale of two combats... one end, Meiji, Felonca and Nayu all spent more time shaking gnomes off their limbs and complaining about gnomes blocking them from moving, while on the other, the two other party members were in a life or death struggle.  Go figure.

The burning bough crashing on the gnomes was 100% flavor, after the battle became a rout.  The ‘gnome punting’ was the same... with no opponents left alive, I ruled Nayu could take 20 on holding the gnome, and give me a ranged attack on where he punted it.  He biffed his die roll, so I ruled it sailed into a tree instead of between them.

All in all, this was one of my favorite combats to run.  Sure, it failed on the devious side, but on the entertainment side... how can you beat punting gnomes?


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> I think he was simply referring to the temptation to yoink the throne for yourself... though the other is quite a temptation too, I suppose




I was indeed. What with learning that the current "Emperor" is in fact illegitimate, why it's practically a duty ....   

Of course if you do get the throne, then getting your hands on that dagger seems like a very good idea. Not that I'm suggesting you wouldn't be able to trust Felonca, you understand   



> on the entertainment side... how can you beat punting gnomes?




Not easily. Though I did once run a gane in which the PCs got involved in a game of "hobbit-ball". That's six-a-side football with a halfling instead of a ball   .


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Nayu’s Breath is Taken Away, and the Mysterious Man Along the Road*

For the next week or so, the party found themselves traveling briskly, and thankfully, alone.  Occasionally at night they could hear wolves baying in the distance, but none of the animals ever ventured close.

However, a week later, their pleasant ride would change...



Nayu wasn’t sure what was happening.

One moment, he’d been talking normally to Felonca, who was being her normal, silly self, the next, he couldn’t breathe, as if something was filling his throat and mouth... except he hadn’t eaten anything.

“Nayu?” he heard Felonca ask, as he desperately tried to cough, slamming his fist into his chest to try to loosen whatever was causing the blockage, except nothing worked.  For a second, the confused panic continues in Nayu’s mind, until the road ahead of him seems to shimmer, a slightly transluscent mist fluttering just inches in front of his face.

_Something’s trying to choke me!_  Instead of thumping his own chest, Nayu thrashed his head from side to side, and just as suddenly, whatever had been blocking his throat was wrenched free.  The misty, shimmering figure suddenly grew, what looked to be a head and two arms gently flowing from its amorphous mass.

“Kill it!” Nayu gasped, reaching for his morningstar.  When it flashed through the air towards the thing, it passed through it, as if it was made of air itself...

No sooner had his morningstars flashed through the air than he saw Felonca’s warfans do the same, and this time, an eerie, otherworldly screech filled the air as the mists tumbled upwards, away from Nayu’s face.

The rest of the party was already swinging at it, and Meiji’s voice sang the silly song that had knocked flat gnome and wolf alike only a week earlier.  Instead of tumbling back in cackling laughter, the mists flashed down again, twin tendrils stretched forth towards Nayu’s mouth yet again.

_Now you shall die..._ a raspy, faint whisper scratched through Nayu’s mind.  The same feeling of something blocking his throat came over the sorcerer, who started shaking his head viciously.  Yet again Nayu broke away from the creature’s grasp.

“Too bad we all have to die.  You’re just gonna die sooner,” he snapped at the thing as his morningstar slices through it yet again.  Nayu was about to swing again when a whoosh thundered over his head, as Liu’s fist missed its target widely.  

“Watch where you’re... AGH!”

Blood spurted from Nayu’s shoulder, as Meiji’s sword swing, intended to cut the mist to shreds, instead hit Nayu’s shoulder.  Cursing, Nayu tried to swing again, as the creature rushed his face yet another time, its hanging tendrils and wisps seeming to grow thicker...

...until Felonca’s warfans broke them to pieces, as the panther hengeyokai lost her temper.  The moves were neither acrobatic nor regulation, but her rapid cuts and attacks did their work, and the tendrils drifted apart, the creature tumbling into ether.

_Prince Hao will kill you, vile imposter..._ a weak, disintegrating voice mocked in Nayu’s mind...



“Are you sure you don’t know anything about _why_ it would make that threat, considering its rather obvious it was sent by Prince Hao?” Liu pressed the young sorcerer a few hours later.  “As far as I have witnessed, you have done nothing to draw the ire of the Dowager Empress’ brother...”

“Save that he impersonated the Dowager Empress’ enemy to her disadvantage, and now travels with one who knows the Emperor’s real ancestry,” Yari Ai offered.

Felonca frowned slightly as Nayu quickly added he thought that might be the reason.  _He agreed too quickly... something isn’t right here... surely Nayu taking Prince Hu Shikai’s place wouldn’t warrant them to send an assassin like that after him..._  Felonca looked at her friend, and easily noted his uneasy seat in the saddle.

_Either he did something... or he knows something...

...but what would he know, Felonca?_ the rogue wondered.  _When it comes to the deeds of princes and kings, he knows nothing more than you... 

...at least he says he knows no more than that,_ her suspicions replied.  However, as she wracked her brain, she could not figure out anything that could’ve brought the Prince of Shu’s wrath on her friend.

_Except...

Nah!  Couldn’t be?_  Felonca chuckled to herself for thinking of something that silly. _What could his mother give him that the Prince of Shu would be desperate for?  Ha!  That man probably has more coins and harem girls than...

...What DID Nayu’s mother give him, that was a gift from his father?_ Felonca asked herself quietly.  _What was that thing, that had ivory and a ruby?  Was it a seal?

Nah... only nobility have seals with ivory and gems, and Nayu’s not a noble!  I saw his house, and ate with his parents!

Maybe he’s...

Nah!_



Doubts and suspicions continued to fill Felonca’s mind over the next few days, until the party ran into a gaggle of ill-dressed and worn out peasants running towards Mingzhong.  When the party stopped to offer them water and food, the peasants thanked them, and in return, shared a frightening bit of information that pressed any concern about Nayu or the nature of his father’s last gift to the back of Felonca’s mind.

The Prince of Shu had invaded Langya, and even now his armies were galloping towards Mingzhong...



“So... is there any way we can move a little quicker?” 

Felonca looked up towards her sorcerer friend and shook her head.  _He’s been really nervous since those villagers yesterday... though I’d be too if one of the major families was hunting me for some reason.  Still haven’t figured out why..._  If she hadn’t been in her panther form, she would’ve scratched her head in thought.  Instead, she nodded her head towards the back, where Yari Ai was still feverishly whipping her mule along, letting loose curses that made even Meiji blanche slightly.

Nayu sighed.  “Too bad we didn’t get her a regular horse... that damn mule is so...”

Her friend’s words drifted away as Felonca’s sensitive nose picked up something... the smell of a human.

_Probably more peasants,_ she thought, giving a slight growl to alert Nayu, before bounding ahead along the side of the road.  It wasn’t a few seconds later when she saw a man alongside the side of the road, his horse’s bridle in hand.  His small, well dressed form was bent over, looking in the grass feverishly.

_What’s he looking for?_ She heard the canter of horses behind her stop, and Nayu hail the man, asking if he needed help.

“Oh no no!  I just lost a spell component...” he said quickly, his voice abruptly dropping away to nothing.  Felonca’s gaze caught him making slight glances into the woods, as the smell of multiple humans wafted through her nostrils.

_Something’s not right here..._ she thought, before sourly adding, _Nothing is ever right, is it?_  She looked back towards Nayu, and flicked her tail twice, her signal that there were more people than they could see.  She could tell by the tone of Nayu’s voice when he asked the young man what component he was missing that he had caught on to her suspicions.

“A diamond... a... oh!” the young man suddenly looked into his bag, the attempt to look genuine failing immediately.  “I do believe it was in here all along! I...um...” he was already backing towards his horse, “I should be going, need to get to Mingzhong in three days, you know!”

“Sir... soldiers are about, and bandits roam these roads.  We are headed towards Mingzhong also... perhaps you’d rather ride with us than alone?”  Nayu kindly offered, his eyes betraying his thoughts. 

_Wait..._ Felonca thought, looking again at the man’s horse.  From a holder strapped to the side of the animal rose one of the most ornate longbows she had ever seen, etchings of flame carved into its wooden sides.

_No scholar I know of fights with longbows..._

“How do I know you are not thieves!” he shouted, pointing at them.  Before they could respond, the young man leapt onto his horse with surprising speed, and was suddenly thundering away from the party.

_Wait!_ Felonca started to bound after the man, when she picked up the whinny of horses to both her right and left.  Six riders, clad in full military armor, thundered onto the road, blocking the party’s path.  As they drew their blades and charged towards the party, the young man suddenly spun his horse around, the immense bow drawn, a smile upon his lips.  Within a second, an arrow whistled through the air, slamming with a thud into Nayu’s shoulder...



“AUGH!” Nayu cried for the second time in a week, as the smell of burnt flesh filled his nostrils, and pain filled his shoulder.  _A fire arrow,_ his brain noted, as he put all of his willpower into pushing aside the sensation, pushing aside the pain and the noise of his companions rushing into combat, instead concentrating on the magical rage already building within his being.

_Even after Felonca let me know something was up, I was going to help you!_ he mentally growled, the magic rising like a powerful, unstoppable tide.  _You will never trick another person again, you bastard!_

The sorcerer’s hand stretched forth, and yet another small bead flashed forward, landing halfway between the fighters attacking his compatriots and the distant rider, engulfing all his opponents in a massive explosion of flame.  

A feline roar told him Felonca had leapt into combat, and as he turned momentarily to see who needed help, he saw Yari Ai’s backflips and twisting, snake-like like assaults were holding off two of the attackers, while Liu, Meiji and Felonca dealt with one each.  Seeing his friends were as well as possible, Nayu snapped back to his more distant quarry.

The young man, despite the fact his horse had reared in fright from Nayu’s fireball, let loose another arrow, which slammed into Nayu’s opposite shoulder.  Once again, Nayu’s fury pushed aside the pain and smell, and another blast of fire thundered through the forest, downing the warriors assaulting Liu and Felonca.

Nayu remained focused, grim satisfaction filling him as he felt his magical powers doing the same.  He was dimly aware of Liu charging one of the two men attacking Yari Ai, but he was momentarily caught off guard when a black shape darted straight towards his mounted opponent, who was still trying to regain control of his terrified steed.  Felonca’s blindingly fast form leapt into the air with a screech, and slammed into horse and rider with such force than the wounded horse tumbled to the side, as Felonca’s jaws wrapped around the neck of the hapless rider.  With a feral roar, she snapped her head to side, and Nayu had no doubt that their would be ambusher was dead.

Instead of him, a blasting ray of fire slashed out to the hapless soldier still mounted, still trying to fight Meiji.  The man’s horse reared, tossing him back, and the soldier landed on his head with a sickening crunch.  If there was any question whether he was alive, a timely slash from Meiji put that problem to an end.

The final two soldiers were already trying to run, and Nayu gave a ferocious smile as Liu ran past his quarry before delivering a punch that snapped the man’s neck, and Yari Ai threw her cane-spear into the back of her fleeing opponent.  With all seven enemies on the ground in less than a minute, Nayu collapsed forward on his steed, adrenaline falling away and pain overwhelming his mind.  Distantly, he felt Liu’s healing hands touch him, even as he slipped into in and out of a blissful unconsciousness...



Felonca growled, padding around the prone figure of the young ambusher.  With dark satisfaction she eyed her handiwork, before starting the process of cleaning herself.  _An advantage of taking the shape of a panther,_ she noted dryly, _I can make my own baths._  As she was about to truly get to work on one of her paws, her eyes caught sight of something laying on the ground next to the young man... something that was fluttering in the breeze, but held to the ground by the young man’s bag, its contents now strewn about the road.

_What is this?_ she padded over, using one of her paws to hold the paper flat.  At first, she could not believe the words written on the page, but as she reread, her mind began connecting things, putting them together...

_My dear son,

You are hereby *ordered* and *commanded* by the Son of Heaven, in accordance with Heaven’s Will and the guidance of our lady Dowager Empress, and your lord father, Prince Hao Lu of the province of Shu, to seek out and execute all those who falsely claim the Jade Throne.  Heaven demands you use whatever means you can to do this.  These include peoples not members of the Imperial Court, who nonetheless pose grave danger to the health of the Emperor.

Those that threaten the Will of Heaven, but are not already know to you, include:
Prince Hu Shikai, ‘Governor’ of Langya
Prince Jiangdong Royukgan, Governor of Han
Prince Huo Ling, Governor of Bei
King Kim-Jo San, of Chosun
The “Emperor” of Taisho
One Jiang Duo Wei, blacksmith, City of X’ian
One Wakabayashi Nayu, trader, Red Lotus Prefecture
One Bo Fang, innkeeper, Mukden Prefecture
One T’sao Li, baker, City of Xianlung
One Bo Si, trader, City of Mukden

These, and all relations to them within the 5th degree are to be sought out, and executed for treason against the Son of Heaven.

May Heaven’s blessings guide you in your quest.  Should you succeed, the name of Hao Tong will soon be regarded with fear where-ever imposters may dwell!_


Felonca’s mind went into overdrive.  _Falsely claim the Jade Throne?  Why would Nayu false claim the Jade Throne... unless..._

Suddenly, it all made sense.  Why Nayu was so secretive about last gift his father gave.  Why she saw him looking at what appeared to be an ornate and expensive seal.  Why he had been so quiet and pensive since they’d left Mafeng.  She snapped her gaze back to him, as Liu and Yari Ai helped him off his horse.

_Nayu could be the Emperor?_  All ideas of cleaning disappeared, despite her cat-like instincts, and she quickly shifted back into hybrid form.  Tearing a piece of cloth from the expensive tunic of the dead young man, she carefully wrapped the paper within.

_If this is true... and if he doesn’t want others to know, I need to give this to him in private..._



“Prince Hao Tong himself,” Felonca said in slight awe many hours later, as the two sat side by side on watch that night.  Her fingers still ran along the beautifully decorated longbow she’d liberated from the dead young man. “Congratulations, we just killed who again?”

“The son of the Prince of Shu himself... the Dowager Empress’ nephew, the Emperor’s first cousin,” Nayu said quietly, before shaking his head.  “As if we need more attention.”

“Well,” Felonca said quietly, “I think you’ve got quite a bit of attention now.”

Nayu looked back down at the piece of paper, and she could see his eyes wide as if each word was leaping forth from the page.  Until ten minutes before, Nayu had been quietly bearing his burden alone, when the news came as a thunderclap that she knew as well.

“So you had this figured out, basically?” Nayu asked her, setting the paper aside.  Felonca smiled, trying to cheer him up.

“I won’t tell a soul, my friend,” she said gently, before adding with an impish giggle, “Yeah, I realized it, you know!  I’m not dumb!”  She was rewarded when his serious face broke into a smile of its own.

“Damn, I forgot about that,” he rejoined, and her mouth dropped open in mock pain.  Before she should fire back, he added, “I’m not sure what I’d do without the clever kitty by my side.”

Felonca for a second acted like she wouldn’t forget the remark.  But at heart, she still shared many feline tendencies... so when he gave her a grateful scratch behind her ear, she grinned, the slight forgotten.

“So... what do we tell Prince Hu, when we get to Mingzhong?  Do you want the throne?” she asked, turning her head to the side, trying to get him to scratch a little higher.  The scratching suddenly stopped, and she turned in slight annoyance, only to see Nayu looking off in the distance, as if some distant memory was playing in front of him.  For a minute or so, he was silent, before he slowly spoke.

“I think we should show him the letter.  He has the right to know, and it will show our loyalty,” the sorcerer said.  “And we need to tell him about what Yari Ai knows, for the same reasons.  We need to show him we are loyal and true to him... hopefully he’ll be the same to us.”

“Hopefully,” Felonca sighed, outwardly calm.  _He's placing an awful lot of trust in this Prince, whose already shown himself to be very capable of deception..._ a part of her mind warned.  Inwardly, another part noted with surprise that Nayu had not answered her second question at all...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

This was the end of the sixth session, so Felonca knows of Nayu’s ancestry, and the party hopes that by being honest and up-front with the most powerful man they know, they can find some protection.

The assassin creature was a Breathdrinker, which I tried to ambush the party with.  Fortunately for Nayu, he rolled rather well on his grapple checks and fort saves, avoiding being held by the creature or having his breath sucked away.  

Hao Tong was intended originally to be a recurring villian, an antithesis of the two PCs.  However, Nayu luckily passed both Concentration checks after being hit successively by the Prince’s _flaming arrows_, and managed to roll a great deal of damage with his two fireballs.  I had intended for Tong to run away in the third or fourth round, after it became apparent his cronies were being blown through, save he missed his Handle Animal check to regain control of his horse, but passed his Ride check to stay mounted.  So, he sat in place, trying to get his horse turned around while his doom approached.  Felonca then finished the poor man off with a pounce and rake, with her bite doing critical damage.    Ah well.  I came up with some stop to top that decimated storyline


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

> ... the party hopes that by being honest and up-front with the most powerful man they know, they can find some protection.




Yeah, I'm sure that'll happen ...


----------



## TDRandall

Doggone it, Valerian!  That's two extremely useful villains that should be repeatedly plagueing the players with impromptu appearances, yet the "pesky kids and their little dog" ... er, "cat, too!" spoils the fun.

Whew, I applaud your honesty in letting the chips fall where they might and then coming up with a new backup.  I myself might be tempted to fudge a bit to allow the bad guy to get away.

Nevertheless, great writing again.  Good consistent quality and frequency, qualities where some of your compatriot SH authors frequently lack consistency in one or both.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Well, they’ve paid for these easy ones in spades, so far...   And I think the new course of things has gone better than the previous course that would’ve happened if Hao Tong had stayed alive.

And yeah, I call things as they are.  The players (well, Nayu's player) made a good case that if fireballs are being chucked at the man, his horse would panic.  Reasonable, which would require a handle animal to get the horse to do _anything_.  So I did that... and he failed. 

So, this is the start of the seventh session, with the party having just returned to Mingzhong, intent on delivering their news to Prince Hu...

*In Mingzhong Yet Again... and Felonca Meets Yet Another Old Acquaintance...*

“Master Wakabayashi, Felonca did not lie when she said you were a master trader,” Yari Ai grinned, the healing staff still clutched close to her chest in the morning light of Mingzhong.  “I saw senior sisters in my order with these, but I was never able to get one.  And now...” she playfully touched its tip to the sorcerer’s shoulder, “You have been healed!” she declared in a mock commanding tone.

Nayu gave a smug smile, and then casually blew on his fingertips.  “It’s not that hard, if you know the scholars, and know their breaking points!”  He looked down to his own morningstar, now shimmering with magical power.  “Such as... one; scholars will pay through the nose for things random and rare, like the skin of that white furred, overgrown horse of a lion we killed,” he chuckled.  “And since you’ve decided to stay with us, I guessed you needed some equipment!”

“After talking with Felonca, that wasn’t a hard decision,” Yari Ai smiled, looking over towards the rogue briefly.  “Considering our troubles mirror each other, I see no reason why we can’t fight alongside each other, at the least.  The hard part was getting Meiji to say yes as well.”

“As if we need that fruit-head,” Liu observed sourly.  The monk’s low opinion of the bard had not changed.  “He’s good for a giggle and a farce, but that is all.  A jester.”

“Don’t be upset that I’m prettier than you, baldy!” Meiji replied coarsely, tossing some curled locks over his shoulder, before looking around at the party.  “What?”

“If you practiced with your blade as much as you toss your hair, you might be useful in a fight,” Yari Ai added her own disdain for his fighting abilities.  “Then again, all I saw you do was make two gnomes giggle and accidentally cut Nayu here!”

“I took down a white wolf also!”

As the disagreement turned into a debate, Nayu then turned to look at Felonca.  _She’s so happy with her new toys..._

The rogue had laid before herself, on the steps of the local Scholar’s Academy, her two warfans, the glint of a child with new toys in her eyes.  She gently ran her hands just inches above both fans yet again, and gave a cackling, gleeful laugh.

“I can just _feel_ the magic!” she laughed, picking up the two weapons and tossing them into their sheaths on her belt.  Secured from mistakenly injuring others, she then bounded over to Nayu, and buried the sorcerer in his third crushing hug of the day.

“Uf!”  Nayu gasped for a second, before Felonca released him from her grip, and he gave a sigh of relief that this one had been far shorter than her previous two since he’d talked the scholars into adding more magic to her warfans.  Before she could launch another assault of thankfulness, Nayu tried a diversion.  “We’d all better get going if we’re going to get to the audience hall of the palace in time!  I’m not about to let a week of waiting for an audience to be wasted by cartwheels and dawdling!” he grinned.

“I haven’t cartwheeled yet,” Felonca said haughtily, before breaking out a grin and doing a few backflips towards the palace...



“Hai,” Felonca sighed a few hours later, “Why is it that royalty are always late?  If I had been this late when Hsiu called morning drill...” She let her voice drift off into a slow whistle, before shaking her head.

“You heard the attendant, the prince is meeting with his generals right now, to try to stop the repeated Shu incursions into Langya,” Nayu nodded towards the servant standing patiently between the two ornate door guards, the plumes in their helmets now yellow and red, instead of the plain white the party had seen when they’d visited this place six weeks before.

_That alone speaks volumes..._ Nayu thought to himself.  _Yellow and red plumes are only supposed to come from the helms of members of the Imperial Guard... so Prince Hu thinks of himself as something more than just a defender of the Emperor... just like the rumors said..._

“Surely it doesn’t take hours to discuss how to stop a few cavalry raids,” Meiji said quietly.  “Doesn’t this guy have a huge and powerful army?”

“Master Shenyang says that we must plan and consider our decisions carefully, to ensure they are for the good of all.  Dangerous paths lie when one trods down the road of haste,” Liu replied quietly.  Before any arguments could break out anew between them, the attendant suddenly stood straight, and after a bow towards the closed door of the audience chamber, walked stiffly towards the party.

“His Excellency will see you now,” the messenger bowed to the party, before leading them towards the massive bronzed doors, motifs of White Dragons and sea gracing its huge frame.  With a creak and a groan, the doors swung open, and once again, the party stepped into the audience hall of Prince Hu Shikai, the self styled ‘Defender of the Imperial Throne.’

The hall was as immense as they remembered it, save now its formerly empty marble columns were now covered with white banners, the words “Virtue,” “Courage,” and “Knowledge” on each in massive black characters.  Down the middle of the hall ran a red carpet, and to the party’s right side sat twenty scholars, all clad in the bright yellow of Disciples of Virtue, the highest and most studious rank within the Imperial Bureaucracy. On the other side sat twenty men clad in military armor, each holding at his side the yellow plumed helmet of a full general.  To the front, on a raised dais, sat the young Prince himself, clad in gilded armor, gems within his helmet flashing in the sunlight.

“Please... Master Wakabayashi, Mistress Felonca, Master Liu, step forward, and introduce your friends,” the prince invited smoothly as he waved the party forward.  Slowly, reverently, the five compatriots went forward, passing by scholar and general alike.



As Felonca walked forward, careful to observe protocol and keep her face looking towards the prince, her eyes carefully watched the generals as she passed them.  Part of her hoped to see a tall man in light silver armor, his panther hybrid face as dark as coal.  Another part dreaded the look she knew her father, General Wa-Feng Liaoxi, lately of the Imperial Guard, would have given her.

To her relief, she saw no panther hengeyokai within Hu’s ranks, however, as her eyes drew closer towards the prince, she thought she saw something else.  For a moment, another general leaning forward obscured her view... but even then, she saw a familiar paw touch the leaning man’s shoulder... its palm covered in white fur, its back covered in brown.  As the other man apologized, she saw a pair of black eyes staring back at her, a look of shock and confusion within their aged forms.

“Felonca!” Nayu hissed as he touched her arm.  “C’mon...” his hand gently guided her into moving forward.  He fell into step alongside her, purposefully drawing close to whisper, “Who is that man?  Do you recognize him?”

“That is General Shih Quan-Shi,” Felonca replied, her voice trembling slightly.  _He got away from the Academy?  But Gao Yun said everyone at the Academy was slaughtered... then again Nixi got away... why would Gao Yun lie about something like that?_ Her face still held a look of controlled shock when her nostrils picked up a familiar smell, and she suddenly stiffened.

“What now?” Nayu whispered, his mouth barely moving.

“I smell White Wolf,” she whispered back, her eyes following her nostrils as they continued their slow, protocol pace towards the throne.  Lying on the dark marble dais just beside Prince Hu’s throne was a single long strand of white fur.  _A trap!  Its a trap!  The Prince means to kill us!_ her mind panicked.  Instinctively, her eyes flecked to the carpet underfoot, searching for niches, holes and wires.  A second after she started looking, she felt Nayu’s grip on her arm tighten.

“Look forward, nonchalant,” he whispered in reply.  “If its a trap, we mustn’t let him know that _we know_.”

The frighteningly long trip towards the throne... which took perhaps thirty seconds... finally ended with the party ten paces from the prince, where they all went to their knees and bowed, placing their heads on the carpet in respectful kow-tow.

“Thank you for inviting us, Your Excellency,” Nayu spoke, before they all rose from their show of respect.  “We hope that you might find the information we wish to tell you helpful in your quest to restore peace and order to our Jade Empire.”

“I am sure it will, Wakabayashi Nayu.  Because of such, I have invited all my chief advisors and commanders to hear what you wish to say.  But before that,” the smiling prince turned towards Felonca, and raised an eyebrow, “Miss Wa-Feng, please kindly tell me of this... item... that you carry.”

“What... item...” Felonca stalled, her mind panicking.  _He knows!  He knows!_ Pros and cons fought in her mind, part of her remembering Nayu’s assurance that they’re best chance was if they were honest with the Prince, another shouting back her own mitrust, brought to life by the long strand of white hair, a piece of fur, that came from the carpet as some wispy, obscene spire.

“Oh!  You mean the bow of Prince Hao Tong!” she blurted out.  “Yes!  He was a very tough combatant, very keen of tactical mind,” she bulled her way forward.  _Sell it, Felonca!  You’ve gotta sell it!_  She forced her nervous fear into acting out excitement, as she started describing the fight with Hao Tong, before the Prince raised a hand.

“Wa-Feng Felonca, I am well aware of your combat with the son of the Prince of Shu,” Prince Hu said gently.  “An amazing feat, knocking him dead from his horse as you did.  But what concerns me, and the others gathered here, is another item you carry.  A certain... dagger...” the prince leaned close, his eyes boring in on hers.

“What... dagger...” Felonca said slowly, feigning ignorance.  “You mean this dagger?” she pulled out a mundane dirk taken from one of Hao Tong’s soldiers.  “There’s nothing special about it, really.  Its actually a little rusted, not nearly as useful as the bow we took...”

For a split second, a look of frustration and anger crossed the Prince’s face.  Just as quickly as the blast of his inner emotions roared forth, his will quenched the flames, and his face went back to the same calm, gentle smile.  His hand waved dismissively, prompting Felonca to stop.

“Never matter.  This matter can be better discussed in private.  I have more important issues... namely that I intend to declare myself Protector of the Empire, and I am in need of skilled persons.  Will you five join my banner?”

Felonca looked at Nayu, and both immediately understood that the other had also witnessed the brief fury on the Prince’s face.  Nayu’s eyes asked a question, and Felonca gave a slight nod in reply.  The sorcerer cleared his throat, and gave a respectful bow.

“We are thankful Your Excellency considers us worthy of such praise.  We hope you will forgive us if we wish to stay out of the political realm for now, and seek to return to our former, simple lives.”

To Felonca and Nayu’s surprise, the Prince merely nodded, and gave yet another charming smile.  “I can respect wishes such as those.  However, as I said, I have need of skillful people.  If you are not willing to take my banner, perhaps you will assist me for payment.”  He leaned back, waving his hand as if to dismiss their doubts.  “It will be one task, a task that will go far in securing peace within our realm.”

“Um... with all due respect, Excellency, we have news which might affect your plans,” Felonca deftly stepped in during the pause.  “It concerns the Emperor himself, as well as a threat against your person.”  Slowly, she reached into a side pouch, and pulled forth the letter taken from Hao Tong’s body.  For just a second, she paused, unsure whether she should proceed, until a light tap on her shoulder from Nayu told her to go on.

“This letter was taken from the body of  Hao Tong, son of Hao Yu, Prince of Shu,” Nayu spoke as Felonca reluctantly turned the letter over to the Prince.  Royal eyes scanned the letter quickly, though to Felonca’s chagrin, they stopped halfway down the page.  For just a brief second, royal eyes flashed towards Nayu, before just as quickly returning to the page.  A few seconds later, and the note was thrust back to Felonca, chuckles coming from the Prince’s lips.

“This is to be expected!” he laughed, somewhat too forcefully.  “First Prince Hao Yu launches raids into my territory, burning crops and stealing peasants!  Now,” the prince stood, speaking loud enough for all to hear, “he has the nerve to call me a traitor, and treat me like a bandit, when _he_ is the one raping and murdering!”

A rumbling twitter arose the generals and scholars behind the party, all in various forms of agreement.  As the murmurs continued, the Prince sat back down.

“You spoke of more than one piece of information.  What was the second?”

Felonca sighed, forcing herself to put aside the images of the terror to come.  _If you do not tell him, someone else will.  If we tell him, we’ll be the ones under his protection, and in the coming months, a friend this high will be useful... maybe even life-saving..._  She cleared her throat, and began to speak in a voice loud enough that it echoed through the audience hall.

“Prince Hu, honored others present,” she winced, realizing the slight insult she’d unintentionally committed against the scholars and generals, “it has come to my attention, through sources within the Jade City itself, that Emperor Beiyan-di in fact, did not sire a son!”

Felonca heard the collective gasp of the audience behind her, and resisted the urge to turn and comfort Yari Ai.  The handmaiden had agreed that her tale should be told, but didn’t want herself to be connected to its origin.  Felonca could imagine how much rehearing the news was tearing apart her new comrade, but if the rogue turned to comfort her, it would be all too apparent to everyone who the source was.

“How do you explain our beloved Emperor then?” one of the scholars scoffed loudly.

“Hao Yuan,” she used the boy’s true name... Hao for his father’s surname, Yuan for his name before coronation, “is no more than an incestuous blasphemy in the face of Heaven’s virtue, sired from an unholy union between the Dowager Empress and her brother, the Prince of Shu!”

The room immediately exploded into an uproar.  Shouts from some of the scholars that the tale could not be true, sounds from the generals loudly discussing the coming wars if the tale was true.  As Felonca returned her gaze back to Prince Hu, she saw his face was still covered with the same, plastic smile.  Slowly, he rose, and raised his hands for silence.

“My lords!  If this tale is true, if Beiyan-di had no son, then it is my solemn duty, no, my _virtuous requirement_, as a loyal child of Heaven, to hereby claim the Jade Throne, to ensure that Heaven’s wrath does not fall upon us for allowing so evil a union, the result of such lascivious debauchery, to rule from the holy Jade Throne!”

The room once again exploded into bedlam, and everyone in the party could easily see that for Prince Hu, the idea of becoming Emperor was not a solemn one at all...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

And thank you all for the kind things said about my storyhour... I try my best... and my best usually comes when I’m avoiding typing papers!   Which means that over the next week, I should have a few updates ready, when I'm not avoiding papers by planning my players doom...


----------



## drag n fly

DOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!

Sorry, last year D&D moment 

Love the type-ups, as always Emperor. And hey, easy on the DOOM, what did we ever do to deserve it 

On a cool note, for a presentation in my Instructional Design class next week, I'm doing a 15 minute presentation on "Role-Plays". Do you think this would be a good starter? http://www.cybermoonstudios.com/8bitDandD.html


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> Prince Jiangdong Royukgan, Governor of Han




Out of curiosity, how much did you tie this setting with your other story hour, if at all?


----------



## drag n fly

I was wondering when someone was going to notice that 

BTW Emperor, I found that I'd brought the character sheets from our quick summer session here to school, if you were thinking of throwing any people in from that.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

ThoughtfulOwl said:
			
		

> Out of curiosity, how much did you tie this setting with your other story hour, if at all?




First of all, now that I notice it, that's a typo... its suppsoed to be Royukgan Jiangdong, Royukgan being the family name.

As of right now, the only shared thing between this campaign and the other is that they share the same world, but are in vastly different nations.  My previous campaign encountered peoples from this land as the "mongrels" the party dealt with during a session.  Other than that, the issue hasn't been decided, nor has it come up.  There's been no reason for Nayu or Felonca to go across the vast mountains separating them from the "other Empire" that Siabrey et al were in, so none of the time, etc. issues have come up.  So I guess my answer at this point is a tenative "I don't know."


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

drag n fly said:
			
		

> I was wondering when someone was going to notice that




Well, it's pretty plain for anybody who read _Into the icy darkness_ with any amount of attention; in fact I have been wondering about it since this story hour started.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

An update should be up tomorrow sometime.  Before that I need to get the outline of the most recent session typed up.  I finally managed to blind-side the party, so its a doozy. (It will be session ten... I'm working on typing up session seven right now for comparison.(


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Reacquaintance, and a New Mission*

The Prince’s announcement was greeted with cheers and applause from the gathered generals and scholars, with one exception Felonca alone noticed.

When he rose, Quan-Shi clapped as the others, but Felonca knew him well enough to see there was no pleasure or joy in his eyes.  Indeed, there was an emotion she had never seen in those steely black depths before.

Fear.

For several minutes Prince Hu acknowledged the offering of praise granted to him, before graciously waving his hand, calling for quiet.  When the noise had died down, he turned back to Felonca.

“Now, my brave Wa-Feng,” he said, letting the suppressed smile come through, “Where perchance did you come across this information?  I would be most interested in meeting this person, to discover all the possible details of this development.”

“Um...” Felonca stuttered momentarily, before quickly saying, “I cannot comment on who my source is, as they are afraid for their life should their name get out.”  She sighed slightly in relief when she realized she hadn’t used any revealing pronouns.

Once again, for just a second, a look of frustration came over the Prince’s face, before his self-control smoothly covered the emotion with a bland smile, and a nod.

“Very well,” he said, his voice reflecting a cool disposition towards the rogue.  He turned towards the gathered audience.  “There is nothing more to be discussed today.  You are all dismissed, save you Quan-Shi, and you, my friends,” he gestured to the party, his eyes not reflecting the warmth of the endearing term.

With some trepidation, Felonca watched all the other scholars and generals file out, and her old teacher march forward, his silver helm held underneath his arm.  

_What do I say to him?_ she thought, confused.  _Hello?  I’m sorry I ran away?  I don’t know... so much has changed since he taught me archery!_  She’d never planned for this, to see the one person that had treated her like a person at the Academy, not some piece of meat to be molded into a military shape.

“Greetings, Master,” she said nervously, giving a slight, trembling bow.  She expected a steely eyed look, or a reply of sharp disdain.  _Dishonor is what I have brought, to myself, my family, and the Academy..._ she thought quietly, until she mustered the courage to end her bow, and look to her former Master.

His dark eyes reflected curiosity instead of anger, even a slight bit of fear.  Very quietly, his same nasally voice whispered to her.

“Is it true?” he said, voice filled with concern, and even a slight amount of awe.

Instantly Felonca knew what he referred to, and forced herself to not look down to her boot, where the dagger still lay hidden.  _The dagger... how do they know?  Unless...

The White Wolves!_ she realized, as Prince Hu produced a map from the sleeve of his armor.

“General, my friends,” the prince spoke, causing Felonca to shudder.  _There is nothing friendly about his intentions!  I tried to tell Nayu!_

“I have set before you a mission I wish you to accomplish.  The province of Dai lies to our southeast, and is rich in both people, gold, and land.”  The prince gave a sigh, and Felonca’s now-trained eye saw clearly through the facade.  “Sadly, the governor of Dai is a corrupt man, inclined to his harem and pet bodyguards instead of caring for his people.  He is widely hated by the populace, and they suffer Heaven’s wrath due to his inattention and neglect.”  The prince straightened his shoulders, as if puffing himself up.  

“It is time for us to act, and save these people!”

_You mean bring them into your fold, Hu Shikai,_ Felonca’s mind rumbled, but she managed to keep her thoughts hidden.  _One last mission... and then we can head south, away from the Military Governor, away from Prince Hu, away from the Dowager Empress..._

“General Quan-Shi, We are giving you one of Our field armies... 40,000 troops, evenly divided between horse and foot.  You are charged with invading the province of Dai, and ridding them of their corrupt ruler and bringing them into Our enlightened fold.”  His eyes started to turn towards the party.  “Such a move will not only save these people from destruction, but also make Our claims to the throne stronger.  Do not fail Us in this endeavor.”

Felonca watched, expecting a prompt salute from her Master at his orders.  Instead, she saw the salute was slightly delayed, even reluctant.  She looked into his eyes, and read something she didn’t expect.

Mistrust.

“As for you, my friends,” he immediately dropped the use of the formal ‘we,’ “I wish to ask if you would be willing to do this one last thing for me, for suitable recompense, I assure you.  I have heard many things of your powers, Wakabayashi Nayu, and of your skill in combat, Wa-Feng Felonca.  I can assure you that your skills would go far in assisting General Quan-Shi, and would not go unappreciated.”

For a second, she looked at Nayu, and saw many of the same questions running in his soul.  _Do we trust him?_ Soon after, she saw his eyes harden, as they always did when the sorcerer made a decision.  

“We will assist you in any way we can, Excellency,” Nayu spoke, even as Felonca could see his eyes were judging, weighing his opposite carefully.

“Excellent!” the prince clapped his hands together, the mirth in his eyes covering something darker that Felonca could only just see.  “I am sure Quan-Shi would find you useful as scouts, keeping the army abreast of developments!”



“Meiji and Yari Ai are about as useful as scouts as my foot is in scratching my back,” Nayu whispered a few moments later, and Felonca nodded at the sentence directly only to her.  As the group of five, now with Quan-Shi in tow, left the throne room, she caught Nayu glancing back, as if judging distance.  Quickly, a hushed question came to his lips.

“Can Quan-Shi be trusted?”

“Yes,” Felonca replied, without hesitation.  She remembered the weasel hengeyokai that had taught her how to use a bow, that had taught her self defense, that had both shielded her from some of the more abusive students, while letting her get bloodied enough that she learned to fight back.  In short... the man that was almost her father for the ten years she was at the Academy... her father even when she felt her own father hated her.  _No doubt, he can be trusted!_

Nayu gave a grunt, glanced out of the corner of his eye back towards the weasel, and gave a terse nod.  He trusted her, and her trust in this other man.

No sooner had the party left the audience hall and the grand doors closed behind them, than Quan-Shi pushed to the front of the group, grabbing Felonca by the shoulder and spinning her around.  The rogue’s heart sank, as she expected a sudden, vicious lecture now that the prince was no longer present.  Instead, she saw the same look in his eyes... concern, fear, confusion.

“Is it true?” he asked simply.  “I must know.  I know you could not say so in front of the prince, but _I_ must know!”  

_Should I tell him?_  The questions that ran through Felonca’s mind were not whether Quan-Shi could be trusted, but whether he’d be put into danger if she told him the truth.  If something happened to him because of the secret she held...

“It is, Master,” she said quietly, looking towards the ground, praying she hadn’t damned the man who’d cared for her the previous ten years.  When she had the courage to look briefly back up at him, she saw sadness, and concern, and felt arms wrapping around her protectively.

“Then keep it safe, Felonca.  Do that for me!” he whispered.  The hug was brief, but its comfort was endless, and the rogue found herself pushing back the urge to break down.  With a sigh, she composed herself, as Quan-Shi straightened himself, now looking every inch the general that his plumed helm said he was.

“Well... it seems you are under my command for now,” his eyes swept the party, before returning to Felonca.  “I assume since these people travel with you, that they are competent in combat, Miss Wa-Feng?  That any deficiencies they may have had you have already corrected?”

“Yes, Master,” Felonca straightened herself, the call of the old parade ground returning.  _Back straight, eyes level with the general!_  “Master Wakabayashi is gifted in magic, Mistress Ai is gifted with both healing and the blade, while Master Wa-Feng is my cousin... also gifted with the blade,” she added, lying about Meiji’s ability.  _No reason to make Master excessively worried... and Meiji is useful for some things I doubt an old warrior would understand..._

“Very well.  Your orders are as follows.  You will form a special scouting group, reporting to me and no other.  But I wish you to be more ‘trouble-shooters’ than scouts.  Ride ahead of the army, and any small issues you can deal with... errant villagers, angry prefects, take care of them.  Anything bigger, ride back and report to me.  Understood?”

Old instincts returned, and Felonca immediately snapped a crisp salute in return, far more in line with military protocol than the lackadaisical salutes Nayu and Yari Ai gave, or Meiji’s almost criminal ignorance of the soldier.

“Yes sir!”

“There is another task for you as well,” Quan-Shi’s eyes still surveyed the group, then stopped on Meiji.  The dark stare caused even the bard to snap straight with a little fear.  “Prince Hu has a letter he wishes delivered to a certain Master Ling Wei, who lives in a village south of the capital of Dai, Xiangfung.  It is of the utmost importance.  Ling is a former adviser to the governor, and a truly gifted and virtuous scholar.  The Prince feels his counsel would be extremely useful in the coming days.  If he agrees, bring him back to the army, and we’ll arrange his safe travel to Mingzhong.  Understood?”

“Yes sir!”  Another crisp salute, as Felonca could almost hear the morning drums calling everyone to drill.  For a few more seconds, the general’s eyes returned the same precise, military sharp look, before they changed back to those of a Master judging his student.

“Good then.  I am glad to see you haven’t lost all that I’ve trained you in, Felonca,” the general smiled slightly.

“I have not, Ma... I mean, sir!” she quickly corrected herself for the new relationship between her and Quan-Shi.

“Very well.  Please accompany me, I shall escort you all to the palace gates.  You shall have two days in Mingzhong to prepare, before I want you to leave.  That’ll give you time to stay ahead of the army, and properly do your-  yes?”

His string of orders stopped on seeing Felonca’s face.  Inside, the rogue was still troubled, confused as to how someone so honorable, so virtuous as Quan-Shi would be serving someone that increasingly appeared to be as two-faced and... well... slimely as Prince Hu.  Finally, she couldn’t help herself, and blurted out her question in a tone quiet enough that only Quan-Shi and the party could hear.

“Master... I mean Sir... do you...um... do you _trust_ Prince Hu?”

The general’s easy gait suddenly stopped, and the same look of concern came into his eyes.  Their beady dark forms darted about for a second, before he pulled Felonca close, his voice a whispery hiss.

“No.  I am not sure that I can,” the general whispered, his eyes continually watching for someone trying to eavesdrop, to peek in.  

_Why is he so afraid?_ Felonca wondered.  _This is the Quan-Shi that slew twenty Kara Kitai raiders while camping alone north of the Desert Wall!  The Quan-Shi that supposedly beat even Master Hsiu himself in hand to hand combat!  What would he be afraid of..._

“Six days ago, as you may know, a raiding force from the Prince of Shu came close to Mingzhong.  Hao Tong was the scout for that army... two thousand heavy cavalry, under the command of General Aso... a formidable man.”  The general’s voice grew even more quiet, and to Felonca’s alarm, even took on a slight tremble.  “I rode out with the Prince, at the head of 500 cavalry.  We fully expected to be slaughtered, to die attempting to defend the city...”

“...but we didn’t.  The Prince rode to the top of a hill, and instructed us to wait behind him.  As Aso rode back and forth, mocking the Prince and his small force, I saw His Excellency raise his hands to the skies, and the clouds darkened.  Then...” his voice failed him for a minute, before it regained its strength, “then _it_ happened!”

“What?”  _What has made Master Quan-Shi so afraid of this prince?  This boy that’s at most twenty years old!_

“The clouds... they began to rain _fire_, Felonca!  _Fire from Heaven!_ Fires that smothered the army of Shu in flames!”

“Fire from heaven?” Nayu asked, his own eyebrow arched.  Felonca could see his mind working, desperately trying to figure out what power was invoked.  “What shape was the fire in?  Was it balls of fire, like a fireball?  Flaming rocks from heaven?”

The general was almost shaking now, his recollection tumbling out as he ignored the sorcerer’s questions.  “Then, he called forth a great wind, fanning the flames so that Shu’s army was surrounded on all sides by great sheets of fire!  Then lightning bolts arced down, amongst the trapped soldiers!  Then, it began to hail, a great shaft of hail, covering the burning ground till it was white, crushing those who had not burned to death!”  He stopped for a moment, trying to compose himself.

“Such power is not of this world,” he said softly a few moments later.  “No scholar I have heard of could do such things!  Destroy _an entire army of two thousand in the space of a minute!_  All he did to do this was stretch forth his hand!”  Felonca could see the soldier in Quan-Shi imagining the horrible, terrifying pain his enemies went through that day, and that he felt, in some ways, the terror they felt during their last moments of life, surrounded by flame, pelted by hail and fleeing titanic bolts of lightning.

Felonca gave a visible shudder, terrible images coming to her mind.  The dagger falling into Prince Hu Shikai’s hands, blood rising from the land in a crimson tide, lightning arcing through the air, fire falling from Heaven...

_Keep it safe, Felonca!  Keep it safe!_


----------



## drag n fly

Do you think maybe it's time for an updated travel map that shows where we've been?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Hmmm... I’ll have to think about that.  The problem currently is that beyond the seventh session, the previous map showing the party’s travels is far too small, so I’ll have to redo it, likely along with several other Photoshop projects I intend to stuff into this thread (The ‘incidents’ inside Xianlung, and “The Battle,” or how as I’m going to title it, the Battle of Ii-suken, as well as the little camp heist from last weekend...).  But enough of that.  For now, onward to Dai!  Hehe... that sounds ironic... 

*We’re Off to Dai!*  (Yes, the players kept repeating this phrase constantly and ecstatically in an entirely too happy manner, so I did my best to oblige...  )

A month is a long time.

_Especially when you have as many doubts as those flashing through my head,_ Nayu thought quietly, as the party’s horses cantered along the road.  The wide, rich farm fields of southern Langya had given way to small copses of trees, a sure sign that somewhere behind them, they had crossed the provincial border.  Overhead, the sky was a brilliant, clear shade of blue, with nary a cloud in sight.  As Felonca made a comment to Yari Ai about the beauty of their surroundings, Nayu continued his inner struggle... the struggle to maintain the heading he had chosen, instead of making a snap decision like his instincts kept screaming for him to do.

_Patience,_ he told himself, remembering the last conversation he had with the monk Liu Ganxi, a month earlier.  The monk had said that he, too, did not trust Prince Hu, and he felt it’d be needed that _someone_ stay behind, to keep an eye on the Prince, and if needbe, sneak out of the city to the party to warn them of trouble.  As the followers of Shenyang had several temples within the city’s limits, it would be easy for him to manufacture a reason to remain behind.

_I miss him,_ Nayu thought, _even if he did get preachy sometimes with his Shenyang teachings._  The sorcerer closed his eyes, the words of their parting conversation flowing through his mind.

_”Master Liu... I... I have a question for you.”

“What is it my son?”_  Nayu gave a slight smile at the memory of how Liu’s voice had perked.  He had been hoping one of the people near him was ready to ask about learning The Way, and becoming a disciple of the Shenyang.  

_”You... you are undoubtedly a very wise man, Master Liu, and very knowledgeable.  Um... let’s say you have a problem... a... um... problem you do not know the solution to, and you are uncertain what is right, and what is wrong.  How...um... would you solve that?  What do the teachings of Shenyang tell you about such... problems...”_

The monk’s slight laugh echoed in Nayu’s mind, as the sorcerer remembered his own fear at speaking to the monk... fear that he might give away his secret, or that Liu would press out of concern to know what the exact problem was.  Instead, the monk showed himself truly wise, and only offered a reply.

_”Patience is the key then.  If this problem does not need to be addressed immediately, the Will of Fate and Heaven will show itself to you in due time.  Haste leads to mistakes, patience is a virtue.”

So easy to say,_ Nayu thought silently, before looking up towards the clear blue sky above.

_I shall be patient.  Heaven will guide me._

“Um... Nayu?”  The previously cheery Felonca interrupted his thoughts with a voice of concern.  As Nayu looked back down towards the path ahead, it was obvious what had aroused the statement.  Ahead was a small grove of trees, a sight in and of itself not too unusual.  The ice covering the ground beneath them, their trunks, their bark, and even their leaves, was very unusual... especially for the middle of summer...

_What in the..._  Nayu rode slowly towards the front, looking intently at the trees themselves.  Carefully, he rode close to one of the icy branches, and reached towards a leaf.  It shattered at his slight touch.  _This isn’t the remnant of magical ice... the leaves would not have been so brittle... this ice comes from the depths of something far more cold..._  He then looked at the branches themselves, and then towards the nearest trunk.  The ice seemed to cover only one half of the trunk...

_There is something causing this ice... something that way..._ Nayu thought, looking into the midst of the small forest, his eyes searching for a demonic tree or malignant form.  Instead, they found a green, if crystalline, view...



Felonca went a step further than Nayu’s investigation... she ran over to a tree and proceeded to peel off a section of the bark.  To her surprise, it was not only cold, cut broke away with the clink of solid ice.  Carefully, her hybrid nostrils searched the piece of bark, and the hole it placed in the tree.  The smell of icy sap filled her nostrils, and she frowned again.

_What could be doing this?  If it was magic, Nayu would have said something..._  Her eyes also darted deeper into the copse of trees, but unlike Nayu’s insensitive human eyes, her hengeyokai gaze spotted something underneath the largest tree in the copse, near the center of the small wood...

_Skeletons?_  Her eyes made out two skeletal forms, their bones seemingly picked clean, rags of clothes covering the bleached bone under a layer of frost and ice.  _I should take a closer look._  She called out what she saw to Nayu and the others, before carefully edging closer to the two dead forms.  _I can at least see who they were... that might tell us who, or what did this here..._

As she got within thirty feet of their dead forms, the sound of ice shifting, cracking and tearing rent the quiet noontime air, as both of the icy forms slowly stretched, then rose.  She heard a sharp, loud shout rend the air, as Nayu unleashed a spell at the creatures.  The ice within the trees shook, a tinkled to the ground, but the two beasts merely stood, before beginning to shamble towards the party.

As they drew closer, the already chilly air wafting around Felonca became bitterly cold, colder than the worst blizzard in the heights of the Great Mountains.  Felonca started to shiver uncontrollably, and if she’d been in her human form, she might have noticed her skin deepening in color, as blood desperately rushed to the surface to stave the assault of frostbite.

_Ah... so here is the cause for all this cold,_ her mind clicked, taking in the situation despite the freezing temperature.  With a toss of her cape, she revealed her newest toy, a gift from the late Hao Tong.  As she notched an arrow, and her teeth began to chatter slightly, she still managed a smirk.

_Too bad my arrows are made of flame!_

Her aim was as careful as ever, and as the creatures were easily within close range, she knew she couldn’t miss.  With a _twang_ her bow sang out, and her arrow, its fiery light reflected in the ice hanging from the surrounding trees, flew true, slamming into the skull of one of the skeletons.

Instead of being rewarded with the sight of ice melting from their forms, or the creature collapsing in a hiss of steam, Felonca saw something that chilled her bones with fear.  The flames on her arrow winked out in a flash, as soon as they struck the icy abberation shambling towards her.  And she could have sworn she saw the flames from her arrow leap from its shaft _into_ the creature’s eye socket, as if it had pulled the fire within itself.

_What?!_



Nayu gave a curse as he saw Felonca’s arrow seem to do nothing, a curse just as sharp as the one he gave when his _shatter_ spell did not seem to affect the beasts.  As Yari Ai’s voice whispered in subdued tones a prayer to the ancestors to guide their blades, Nayu instead focused on something he was _sure_ would make these ice skeletons disappear, as the rising torrent of a powerful brace of magical missiles rose within his body.  He stretched out his hand, and both missiles struck the beast that had shambled to just in front of Felonca.  It wasn’t the spell he _wanted_ to use, but unfortunately, Felonca was right next to one of the beasts, and Nayu couldn’t see Meiji anywhere.

“Get away from it!” Nayu shouted, concentrating his energy again, this time building a blast of fiery power within his magical reserves.  As Felonca backflipped away from the danger, he felt the energy frothing higher and higher, he gave one last look about, to make sure Meiji was not in the way.  Not seeing Felonca’s cousin, he let loose a tiny bead, which streaked to a spot between the two beasts.  For a second, the forest seemed uneasily quiet, before a powerful thunderclap shook the ice from the trees, and covered both creatures in a massive gout of flame.

_They couldn’t have survived that,_ Nayu thought simply as smoke roiled from the spot where the beasts were.  _It is the way of things... of the yin and the yang.  Flame destroys cold...  WHAT?!_

It was his turn to stare, as the two skeletons emerged from the smoky gloom, taller, stronger, and covered with seemingly _more_ ice than before...



“Magic cannot touch them!” Felonca shouted, her breath now heavy and forming massive clouds in front of her.  As she moved, she could hear cracks and tinkles as the ice continually reforming on her leather and cloak broke as she moved.  Reaching to her belt, she drew her warfans and leapt forward, Yari Ai charging by her side.  _If spells won’t hurt them, perhaps steel WILL!_

Just as her charge was about to slam into the first of the two ice demons, she heard a very faint voice, singing in a tongue she couldn’t understand.  Her instincts called for her to jump, and as she backflipped over the skeleton, she saw her cousin seemingly materialize out of nowhere on the creature’s other side, his scimitar drawn, electricity leaping from its blade onto the skeleton.  To her surprise, the creature recoiled from the blow.

_So!  It doesn’t like steel!_ her mind surmised, as she leapt into the fray...



_WAIT!  The creature pulled back from Meiji’s blow, from the electricity in his blade!_ Nayu’s mind realized an instant later, just as he too was about to draw his morningstar and jump into battle.  Seeing the second skeleton slash Yari Ai with its claws, and the way it ripped her shoulder to ribbons, had given him the pause to think.

And then, he had an idea.

_Okay... move!  Move!_ he thought, not wishing to yell and distract his compatriots.  Carefully, he focused his magical forces yet again, this time on a spell he only felt distantly.  He’d never touched this deep into his reservoir before, and he didn’t know how this would work.  _Fire seems to heal these ice creatures..._ he thought as he felt the magic surge down his arm, towards his waiting fingertips.

_Let’s see if they like lightning bolts too!_

The lance of light was momentarily blinding, and this thunderclap also shattered ice throughout the terrible forest.  The creature between Felonca and Meiji stumbled backwards under the force of the blast, bones from its left arm cartwheeling through the air, their icy forms glinting in the scattered sunlight.  No sooner had the bones landed, however, than he saw them _slide across the ground_ back towards their parent beast, flipping through the air until they were neatly back into place.

_WHAT?!_ his mouth fell agape.  _Its resistant to electricity too!?

No... wait... calm, Nayu,_ the sorcerer focused himself, even as the noise of battle continued.  _Think!  No... it wasn’t resistant to electricity... you literally blew off one of its arms.  It just regenerated quickly...  but how is it regenerating so quickly?  Not much magic comes off of this creature!  And ice creatures shouldn’t be immune to fire... it is not the way of things...  

Ice creatures shouldn’t spread ice across an entire copse of trees either...

And even if they did, these trees shouldn’t be frozen solid as they are...

Unless..._ his mind strained for a moment, a conclusion just within reach.  _Unless they were made of ice because of a LACK of fire... and thus they absorbed fire...

And heat... 

Heat of any kind... even body heat..._

“GET AWAY FROM THEM!  GET AWAY FROM THEM!” Nayu screamed, waving desperately.  “They’re healing from your body’s warmth!  Get away!  Get away!”

It was clearly apparent as Yari Ai and Felonca stumbled away from the slow moving creatures that they had definitely been worsted in the fight... Yari Ai’s shoulder seemed to be hanging by ribbons, while his rogue friend was clutching her stomach, the dark brown of frozen blood standing out from the icy brown of her frozen leather.  For his part, Meiji seemed to alright... likely because he was backstabbing whoever was facing away from him at the time.

“Come by me!  Over here!” Nayu called, the warmth of a summer’s day still on his face.  _If they can get far enough away, I can pick those creature’s off with lightning, and this time they won’t have a chance to heal themselves!_  As his two companions stumbled beside him and started to work on mending each other, Nayu closed his eyes, feeling his magical power surge once again.  _I know your game now..._  A few seconds later, his eyes opened, and he gave a fierce grin towards the two beasts as the slowly shambled forward after their escaping prey.

“Welcome to summer,” he smiled, the first blast of lightning arcing into two cubes, one around each beast (Nayu has _spell sculpt_ as one of his feats)...



“They dead yet?” Felonca asked a half minute later.  Her stomach was still incredibly sore from the slashes and cuts the creatures had given her, but she was also curious as to what, exactly, these icy skeletons might be carrying.  _Tomes?  Jewels?_

“I think so,” Nayu said quietly, and the sorcerer gestured towards the twin piles of icy bones now laying in the midst of the trees.

“Good.  I’m going to see what they’ve got on them,” Felonca announced, scampering forward.  No sooner had she drawn within 30 feet of the twin piles, she stopped.

The icy bones were clinking, tinkling, molding themselves together as she felt a sharp drop in the temperature.  Remembering Nayu’s words, she backed away, and soon felt the air around her return to normal as the bones stopped moving.

“It appears they aren’t dead yet,” Meiji observed dryly.  “Considering the last time we tried to beat them by force we were giving a chilly reception, and the spark of our spellcaster’s power won’t last all day, shall I get some wood and make a sign?  Do not touch these bones?”

“No... idiot,” Nayu grumbled, frustrated that the beasts were still not dead, and annoyed by Meiji’s horrible puns.  _First Chou’s horrible humor, now him..._  For several minutes, the sorcerer wracked his brain, attempting to remember any spells that could destroy these creatures once and for all.  He even delved deep, as deep as he dared, into his magical thought, concentrating, sorting his powers as best he could, only to find nothing.

_Patience, young Nayu... Shenyang teaches that is the way to wisdom,_ Nayu heard Liu’s voice in his mind.

_That’s it!  Shenyang!_  The sorcerer spun towards Yari Ai, the only follower of Shenyang among the four.  “You can pray to the ancestors, to Heaven?  Can you pray that these demon spirits or whoever is occupying this bones be banished, be cast out?”

“I... I can try,” the young woman replied.  “I am going to need much time however, and uninterrupted concentration.”  



“An ancestral idol, a small woodcutter’s axe, five copper pieces and the coldest, hardest piece of bread I’ve ever seen,” Felonca said quietly, an hour later.  “That’s it.”  She rose, still looking down at the pile of now bleached bones sinking into the muddy forest floor.  “They’re carrying the items one would expect from a common peasant, not some icy demon.”

“Maybe they were once peasants,” Yari Ai said quietly.  “Those that are on the path of undeath were always alive at some point.  Perhaps they ran afoul of a true demon, or they sacrificed themselves in some foul worship?”  She too looked quietly at the bones for a minute, before adding, “Regardless, they are now at rest.”

“I’m just glad they’re dead, so no one else will run into the nasty surprise we did,” Nayu added as he remounted his horse.  Felonca was about to agree with him when she heard rustling in the bushes ahead.  Eager to avoid an ambush so soon after their previous incident, she hissed to everyone else to hide amongst the trees.  For herself, she shifted into her panther form, and slinked ahead through the now warm, muddy undergrowth, attempting to see what was coming towards them.

_People,_ her mind recognized the smell that now came through her nostrils.  _They were upwind until now, but they crash through the woods... they are not planning an ambush... they aren’t even hunting!_

“Yangcheng!”  The voice calling sounded old and cragged, as if it came from someone who had seen many many winters.  “Yangcheng!”  The second call added to this a plaintive cry, one Felonca almost instinctively recognized as the call of a mother for her child.

Carefully, Felonca peeked her head out of the bushes that served as her current hiding place.  Stumbling through the crush were three people, all obviously searching for someone.  The one calling appeared to be an elderly woman, who was accompanied by an old man and a young girl, all clad in simple farming attire.  While the woman called, the others strayed to and fro, looking hard on the ground, searching for items, tracks, or something else...

Quietly, Felonca shifted back to her full human form.  _They are likely looking for someone lost.  If they aren’t as they seem... Nayu, Meiji, and Yari Ai are well hidden, and can ambush them..._  After a minutes thought Felonca called out herself.  The three stopped suddenly in shock, and Felonca stood, putting forward her gentlest face.

“Good people!  I am a traveller, and I can’t help but notice you are looking for someone most dear to you,” she stepped out of the bushes.  “Is there any way that I can be of service?”

For a minute or so, the three people stared at her in confusion, before suddenly the old woman broke into a run, clambering through the underbrush to Felonca, crying the whole time.  Her husband started after her for a moment, before quitting his wife’s headlong plunge towards the absolute stranger.

“My son! Yangcheng!  He went into these woods to cut some wood for our fire a week ago, with his neighbor Yangliu!  Neither came back!  Have you seen him!  Have you seen my son!”

“Madam, what does he look like?” Felonca replied as the old woman barreled in front of her.  _We have seen many peasants on the road in the last month headed away from Dai... I hope he was among those..._

“He was about your height!” the woman explained tearfully, “He dressed with a brown tunic, with woolen trousers!  He carried with him an ancestral idol of his grandfather!  He would’ve had a few copper pieces, his wood cutting axe, as well as the bread his sister fixed for him that day!  Have you seen him!  Please tell me you have seen him!”

The woman’s pleading fell to silence as she beheld Felonca’s horrified face.  

Every item she listed Felonca had found on the ice skeleton the party had left behind them.



“So, he is at rest then?” the father asked quietly as he gathered up each of the skeletal piles.  Nayu knelt down beside the man, even as Felonca held the crying mother and sister further away.  The sorcerer could see nascent tears in the old man’s eyes, but his aged resolve wouldn’t let any of them pass.

“Yes, he is now at rest,” Nayu replied.  For a second there was an awkward silence in the darkening light, before Nayu added, “I’m sorry about this loss.”

The old man stopped his gathering to sit on the muddy grass, and looked at Nayu.  One tear finally battered its way through, and tumbled down his cheek.  “Hai... I... I thank you for the sentiment, young man,” the father said, his fists clenching and unclenching as another tear worked its way through.  Two more tears managed to course down his cheeks, before the old man pounded his fists into the ground, a cry of anguish and rage on his lips.

“Damn you black headed devils!  You demonic giants!  May Heaven curse you and your offspring, till your bloodlines shrivel to nothing!” he screamed, shaking and shuddering.

“Someone _did_ this to your son?” Nayu asked softly.

“They did it!  I know they did!  Those damn giants!” the old man’s tearful fury turned into a rant, a diatribe against the guilty souls.  “Ever since they built their village, they have harassed us!  At first, it was only grain they demanded from us!  Then they started demanding hostages!  And now, they steal our _children_ for their horrific sacrifices!  They stole _my son! MY SON!_” the aggreived father shouted, before collapsing in despair.
“Those damn big people!  Damn Wang Liang!” the old man burbled between sniffles and tears of rage.

“Wang Liang?” Nayu asked quietly.  _Giants of legend, I thought... ten feet tall, with enormous eyes and maws, and red pupiled eyes..._

“Yes... that entire village of the damn giants!  _They do this!_” the father’s fists were balled up yet again.  

Just watching the old man made Nayu’s heart sink, and he fought off the urge to cry at seeing another person reduced to such a state, broken down by the evil of another.  The sorcerer found fury rising in his heart, anger that someone would wantonly cause such destruction, would wantonly take advantage of someone else.

_If these people had a governor who cared, this would not have been a problem!_ Nayu fumed.  He heard Felonca’s soft stepts drawing nearby, and her comforting hand touching the father’s shoulder as he cried.  _This man and his family, his village, they are forgotten!_

“How many Wang Liang are in that village?” Nayu heard himself ask.  _What are you going to do, Nayu?_ part of his mind mocked him.  _Take on a village by yourself?_

“Fifty... sixty...” the man’s daughter said quietly as she came up behind her father and hugged him tightly.  “They... they take humans and use them in sacrifices to their ancestors, turning the people into these... these... abominations!  Ice walkers, we call them!” It was her turn to exhibit fury.  “We cannot enter parts of the forest because of them!”

“What about the governor?  Has anyone tried to ask the governor of the province for help?” Felonca asked.

“That fat bastard!?” the father snarled.  “He doesn’t care at all about us!  Our village prefect has been to Xianfung six times in the past ten years, and each time the governor refused to even _meet_ with him!  He said it was... was... a matter of little importance!” the father spat tearfully.

“It’s getting late,” Yari Ai said sadly.  “We should probably get headed towards some shelter, or prepare to camp for the night.  If these Wang Liang are about in the forests, I certainly wouldn’t want to be here,” she added.

“Please,” the deceased mother finally spoke again, her voice soft and shaky, “you have found our son, and put his spirit to rest, so he can join his ancestors!  Our village is not far from here.  You may stay with us for the night... it is the least we owe you for your kindness towards us this day!”

“Madam, we thank you.  We only wish we could accept your hospitality under happier circumstances,” Felonca replied quietly, giving the old woman a bow of thanks.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
First things first... I have to say I _love_ Libris Mortis, from an evil DM aspect.  The two creatures featured here were bleakborn, from this lovely tome.   Bleakborn are actually _fire_-based creatures... they live through absorbing the living heat of creatures around them.  (ie. everyone within 30 feet takes cold damage, while they regain HP)  Thus, their attacks are cold based, but fire-based attacks actually strengthen them... which really threw the party for a loop!  I cackled much that day... and I think everyone had fun with that combat.

Oh... did I mention that when they go below 0 HP, they fall to the ground, but if a living creature comes within 30 feet, they begin leeching off of its body heat, and begin to reassume shape... another nasty surprise for the party! 

So, as of this point, the party has found a village in distress... we shall soon see what happens...


----------



## drag n fly

"The Battle,” or how as I’m going to title it, the Battle of Ii-suken"

Hehe he. I get it.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Thanks for another fine update, Emperor.

The Bleakborn certainly sound like they were fun. I havenit picke dup LM yet, but maybe I ought to check it out ....


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## Emperor Valerian

Two things:

1) Apparently there's some memory problem with this thread, and when it loads, it comes up white at times.  Adding &perpage=20 after the URL fixes this supposedly.  Don't know why this started, but it did.

2) There probably won't be any updates to the story for a week or so.  I have friends visiting, a presentation, and a midterm on top of things, so it'll be blech.  The good news is in one week, I go on spring break .  Look for a slew of updates to appear then .

3) Since there'll be this little hiatus from me, I have a request to people reading this thread, players in this game and non-players alike.  I think it'd be fun to have some illustrations to go with this thread.  So if you'd want, please feel free to try to illustrate your favorite moments in the SH.


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## ThoughtfulOwl

It happens to me too from time to time, on random threads; I've got the impression that it happens only during peak hours, when the server is very busy. Usually I get it back right by refreshing the page after a minute or so.

And remember the slew of updates. You promised, mmh?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

A new update!

*A Village in Need*

“Where do you travelers hail from?” the father of the deceased young man asked quietly, as the party drew near the welcoming lights and sounds of a small village preparing for the night.

“We are from the north,” Nayu replied, somewhat guardedly.  _No reason to tell him my ancestry, or what we carry..._  As the small group passed beside the first of the village huts, Nayu looked around at the loose grouping of no more than ten or fifteen houses.  _Such a small place..._   “We have survived many dangers on our route south.”

“Dangers such as?” the young girl asked, looking directly at Nayu.  Grief had, at least momentarily, been replaced by curiosity in her eyes.

“Burning skeletons, a hellish lion, violent hill people, and an undead beast,” Felonca said matter of factly, before looking up in thought and tapping her chin.  “There was some other stuff in there too... oh yes!  A giant centipede as well!”  

Nayu immediately shot his companion a death stare.  _Why did you just blurt that out to them?  Why!?_  The sorcerer half expected the girl, along with her parents, to laugh at what Felonca said, taking it as a jest.  Instead, all three stopped, staring wide eyed at the party.  A moment later, she suddenly darted from the group, directly towards a hut slightly larger than the others near what could be described as the village center.

“You... you fought these things and were victorious?” the older man asked quietly, his mouth partly agape.

“We stand before you, do we not?” Meiji rejoined, before adding, “Well, I didn’t fight the centipede, the skeletons, or the lion.  I only jumped in against the violent hill people, as well as that high ranking – ”  An elbow from Felonca silenced him before he could blurt out the fact the party had killed the son of the Prince of Shu.

“Indeed, good sir.  We were fortunate, and heaven smiled upon us in each of those endeavors,” Nayu said quickly.  _Dammit, Meiji!  Damn panthers all thinking alike, towards braggery!_  “My companions make the combats seem more than they actually were...”

Several worried calls interrupted Nayu’s explanation, as the young girl came out of the large hut, towing a man that was slightly better dressed than the villagers they had seen so far.  His loud protests at having his meditations and readings interrupted drew other eyes from the surrounding huts, and soon heads peered out, as others slipped closer to the small gaggle of people, their ears straining.

“They fought many beasts, Master Prefect!” the girl announced, towing the confused young man to a spot just in front of Nayu and Felonca.  “Go ahead!  Ask them with your truthful knowledge!”

“This girl says you have slain many powerful beasts,” the young Prefect growled in semi-annoyance.  “Does she speak the truth?  Be aware, I am adept at telling truth from a lie, or even a stretching of the facts,” he added with a glower.

“Ah...um...” Nayu started, before Felonca cut him off.

“Yes sir, it’s all true.”

As she spoke, the Prefect extended his hand towards her, closing his eyes.  Nayu couldn’t _see_ anything, but he could feel the small puff of magic coming from the Prefect’s hand and washing over his compatriot.  A second later, the young man’s eyes flashed open wide.  Very wide.

“Heaven must have sent you!” he sputtered breathlessly, utterly in shock.  “That... that is the only explanation!  Our ancestors have sent you to save us!”

“They have answered our prayers!  Finally, we have warriors who can stand the Wang Liang!” a man shouted, emerging from just inside his nearby hut.  “Warriors that can stop the rapine and destruction of these giants!”

“I can fight!” a voice called, and to the party’s astonishment, the old father held up a stick almost menacingly in the air.  What shakiness and weakness his body showed was balanced by the fire and anger reflected in his eyes.  “I can fight alongside you!”

“As can I!” 

More voices chimed in from the village men, some running back to their huts only to emerge with ancient bows only good for hunting rabbits, others finding walking sticks and ploughs.  Only two people emerged with what could be considered proper weapons; two longbows, and two woodcutter’s axes.

_What have we gotten ourselves into?_ Nayu thought, as the motley group assembled around them, ready as any army to take orders from their nominated commanders.  _These villagers are no army!  There are only 20 here with any kind of implement... if the village of giants has sixty or seventy..._

“For many years,” the Prefect rushed close to Nayu and Felonca, grabbing their hands, “I have petitioned the Governor of Dai to send soldiers to drive these giants away, but he will not listen!  We do not have the strength to fight them off alone!”  His grip on their hands tightened, his eyes desperate.  “For years we have prayed dutifully to the ancestors, to Heaven and the Four Winds, that our plight would end, that our children would no longer be carried off, that our grain would no longer be stolen!”  

As the Prefect continued his tale of the village’s struggle with the nearby giants, of how children would be taken from the woods and corrupted by vile magic, of how their grain every fall was taken from them, leaving them with barely enough to survive the winter, of the continual indifference of Xianfung and the Governor, Nayu found his blood beginning to boil.

_These people are forgotten!  They are misruled!  Their leaders care not for them!  How can they live when they are in constant fear, under constant harassment, under constant threat!_  He found himself bristling as the Prefect described the sacrifice to the Wang Liang god of light which had consumed so many of the village young over the past twenty years, of how their bodies were left twisted, corrupted skeletons of ice, sucking heat from everything around.  

The faces of the gathering villagers were replaced by the dead faces of Red Lotus.  The old man standing beside Nayu, shaking his stick angrily took on the look of Jiang the Butcher.  His wife, Madame Cixi.  And anger coursed through Nayu’s veins.

Anger at the Governor of Dai.  Anger at the Empress Dowager.  Anger at the Imperial Councillor that had murdered his father.  Anger at the Military Governor that had burned his home.  Anger, blazing, thundering, rising to precipitous heights, as his hands unconsciously began to clench and unclench fists..  

_Enough is enough!_ his mind snapped.  _No more!_

“Prefect!” he said, pulling his hand from the young man’s grip before clasping his hand together, and bowing.  “We would consider it our honor, and our duty, to assist your village!”  _If your own leaders will not help you, perhaps we can!_  As cheers arose from the gathered peasants, Nayu then turned to Felonca.  “I only ask that one, you do not risk yourselves in accompanying us, and that two, I be allowed this night to prepare!  Please, listen to my friend Felonca here, and her cousin the bard tell you of our previous adventures, to give you heart!”  He gave a huge, confident smile, even as he saw Felonca’s face look puzzled.

“Nayu... what is going on?” she whispered as the villagers cheered again.

For a second, the sorcerer thought about explaining his full plan to her.  _Patience is the key, young Nayu..._ he heard Liu’s voice echo quietly in his mind.  No, telling Felonca could wait, at least a time when there’d be more time to explain.

“I ask that you trust me in this.”  He looked about at the villagers, whom Meiji had already begun to gather near the prefect’s home, starting the tale of how the party had survived the gnome ambush, and sighed.  “Master Liu told me once that patience was a virtue, and that is the virtue I’m going to exercise.  I’m going to give the Wang Liang one last chance to leave in peace.”

The rogue crossed her arms.  “And if they don’t?”

“Then we’ll have to force them to go,” the sorcerer replied, his voice devoid of any emotion whatsoever.  _The Will of Fate and Heaven will show itself to you in due time..._ Liu’s voice whispered quietly, and the sorcerer truly understood as he took in the villagers, cheering his statement or listening raptly as Meiji began to describe the party’s adventures.

_The Will of Heaven...

...my fate.

...my destiny.

...my choice._



A few hours later, Nayu had secured from the only tradesman within the village a scroll of parchment, as well as the borrowed from the prefect the village seal.  On the parchment was written a simple demand;  Leave the village alone, or face the wrath of the sorcerer standing before them.  The message was them rolled and sealed, and Nayu tucked the parchment within his robes.

When he returned from his small work, Nayu saw Felonca and Meiji jointly describing to the villagers the chaotic battle with the skeletons in the northern steppe, despite Meiji having never been there.  As Meiji took the story over and wove the yarn into another tale beautifully, Felonca quietly slipped over to Nayu.

“Why did you not ask the villagers to come?”

Nayu looked to make sure that the peasants were not close.  _Now is a good time._

“They would merely get in the way, and possibly get hurt,” the sorcerer said quietly.  “I don’t know if the Wang Liang will decide to leave under my threat... I somehow doubt they will.  Perhaps it can be the starting point to reducing the number of bodies force will leave behind, though.”

“You’re probably right that the villagers would just get in the way,” Felonca nodded.  “Well, if we take out their war leaders, and their warriors, I doubt their women and children would pose problems...  We’d just tell them to move on, maybe closer to Xianfung so the Governor will have to handle them.”  There was a long pause, before she added, “Right Nayu?”

The sorcerer didn’t reply, instead walking over to a small group of the village children.  As Felonca looked on, perplexed to his lack of a reply, his own eyes created a mask of mirth to cover the darker thoughts within his soul as he closed his eyes, and began to entertain them with small magic tricks, eliciting squeals and screams of delight.

_The Will of Heaven...

...their fate.

...their destiny.

...their choice._



“Their village is some half day’s ride to the north and east of here,” the Prefect said quietly the next morning.  “Their frequent travails close to here have left a path through the forests to its location.”  He then leaned close, face betraying warning.  “Beware, however.  They have cut the trees for a good distance around their homes, to stop ambush.  Sneaking inside would be most difficult.”  

For a second, there was silence again, before the Prefect looked up towards the mounted Nayu specifically.  “Are you sure you do not wish me to come with?  I have armor, a sword.”

“No, Master Prefect,” Nayu replied, “you must stay with your village, and give them strength during the hours of unknown and doubt.”  The sorcerer then turned his steed around to face towards the north and east.  “We’ll return just after dusk.”

The young man nodded, before giving a deep bow towards the party.  “The village of Uijima owes you four much.  It is my hope that Heaven and the ancestors repay you greatly for your deeds this day!”



Felonca looked over towards Nayu yet again, and even three hours into their ride, she was amazed at the apparent change in her friend.  His demeanor had seemed to change, to grow more commanding, more confident, more sharp.  He rode with his back straighter, seeming older than his sparse years.

Yet part of her still wondered at his actions the night before.  _Why did he say nothing when I spoke of the women and children?  Perhaps he is secretly afraid that some of them might be accidentally hurt in combat._  Her mind tossed the idea around, before settling on it as the likely solution.  She never considered any other options...

“So... what is our plan to get into this village again?” Meiji asked from behind her.

“We ride directly into the village, to try to gain their trust,” Felonca replied verbatim what Nayu had described the last time Meiji had asked.  “Hopefully, that will start negotiations on a better tack, and perhaps no blood will have to be shed.”

“Ah... I see the bluntness plan is still the only plan on the board,” the bard grumbled.  When Nayu and Felonca ignored him, he cantered up beside the two.  “I sincerely think a more discreet route would be best, considering our company has been clumsily following us for at least an hour.”

“They’ll hang back,” Felonca replied.  _There’s only a couple of the villagers, and I sincerely doubt they’ll follow us into the giant camp.  They’re probably curious and want to see what is going to happen._

“I want to have to keep from killing,” Nayu added curtly.  Felonca could tell by the twist in his face that there was more to the thought than he said, and she thought back to the women and children.  _He doesn’t want any of them to be accidentally hurt in the crossfire..._

As Nayu finished his sentence, Felonca’s sharp ears caught the distant snapping and cracking of something larger than twigs... entire boughs.  Both she and Meiji snapped their eyes towards the left, and soon both could make out an immense form crashing through the woods, parallel to the party.  Quickly, she pointed the shape out to Nayu, who to her alarm, called out to the creature.  

It stopped, and stared.  Even from this great distance, Felonca could see the beast was humanoid, but there its comparison to humanity ceased.  Its form was close to nine or ten feet tall, squat, wide, and powerful, with an immense head as wide as its shoulders rising from a short, squat neck.  Its eyes were enormous, red pupils blazing forth.  Within its hands it clutched an immense lantang, the huge blades projecting from each end of the massive staff glinting in the noonday sunlight.

“We mean you no harm!” Nayu added, “We merely wish to speak to your leader!  Your shaman!”

“Nayu, what are you doing?” she hissed at him.  _We are no where near the village!  What if that’s a decoy for an ambush?  What if?_

“Trust me, Felonca,” the sorcerer replied, as the immense giant thundered through the woods towards the party, confusion playing within its huge eyes.  Finally, it stopped twenty feet from the party, its lantang half ready, half down.

“Who...you?” its deep, thunderous bass rumbled in confusion, struggling to form words in Common.  “Why... speak... shaman?”

“We want to speak to your shaman,” Nayu replied, oozing confidence that Felonca could only envy.  Little did she know it took every ounce of his willpower to do so.  “We bear a message from the human village nearby.”

“Little...people... message?” the warrior asked uncertainly, to which the party nodded emphatically.  This further confused the warrior.

“Here is the message,” Nayu offered the parchment to the warrior as proof.  “We must deliver it in person to your shaman.  It bears greetings, and an offer from the village of ‘little people’ your shaman would wish to see.”

The warrior took the note, flipped it about for a second in confusion, clearly deciding between attacking the trespassers here and now, or whether the shaman would truly want to see the note.  Finally, his eyes lit up, as his dim brain rattled out an idea.

“I... take...you... shaman,” the warrior grunted and rumbled.  “He...know.  He...like...you... all...good.  He...no...like...you...dead...in...sacrifice...Life.”



Peaceably the party followed the warrior as he led them towards the village.  Around an hour later the party emerged from the woods into a very large clearing, nearly a quarter mile wide.  In its middle sat eleven massive huts, easily twice as tall and wide as the huts of the human village the party had left behind.  In the center of the village sat an immense wood and straw structure, thrice as long and twice as tall as the other structures.  From a hole in its roof came bluish smoke, and the alien smell of beings in close proximity assaulted their noses.  

As they rode into the midst of the village, all manners of Wang Liang, males, females, and children as tall as Nayu, all curiously gathered at this group of humans and hengeyokai that freely, almost confidently, entered their village.  Just from the looks given by the village warriors, Felonca could tell that if they had their way, some twelve lantangs would have already skewered her.

After the party dismounted, the Wang Liang goaded them forward into the large, central building.  After a few moments of adjusting to its darkness, the party was able to make out four warriors, armed like their escort, arrayed along the walls.  On the opposite side from the party sat three huge Wang Liang males.  

The figures on each side had braids in their long manes of hair, rough and crude tattoos covering their bodies.  The central figure had a similarly braided mane, save his greyish hair held numerous ringlets of silver, and from his belt hung many disturbingly human sized skulls.  To the rear of them rose a white statute of a female of the species, her arms crossed... a statue the party surmised to be the “Goddess of Life.”

The party’s escort walked forward, and in a series of gutteral, growling noises, motioned between the party and the central figure, before producing the comparatively tiny note.  The shaman gave a growl, and the warrior gingerly, if clumsily, opened the note and set it within the shaman’s grasp.

“Nayu...” Felonca whispered, trying her best to not quake at being surrounded by so many beings that were almost double her height and likely four times her weight, “...so... if he reads the note, and doesn’t like it, we fight out of this how?”

The sorcerer turned to her, and for the first time, she read his eyes.  They were empty, devoid of fear, of hate, of any emotion whatsoever.  A blank slate, a depth of nothingness that she found almost frightening.

“BUWAHAHAHAHAHA!” the shaman’s roar of laughter interrupted her questions, as Nayu’s fearful gave turned back towards the towering three beings to the party’s front.

“Little people give me threat! HA!” the shaman tossed the note rudely towards Nayu, then motioned towards his belt of human skulls.  “I no scared little people!  We no scared little people! Foolish!  Now, I send foolish little people to doom!”

To Felonca’s utter surprise, Nayu calmly stepped forward, clearing his throat as if some ruffian peasant had just made a rude remark, not that the leader of a clan of giants had just decreed the party was to be sacrificed to their ‘Goddess of Life.’

“Perhaps... you misunderstood the request?” Nayu asked, his voice revealing no hint of mockery, pleading, or any emotion.  The shaman’s laughter stopped, and Felonca saw the confusion in the leader’s eyes... confusion that a human, after being condemned, walked forward so calmly, so coolly, as if the threat was a mere fly to be brushed away.

“What you say?” the shaman snapped, understanding the calm in the sorcerer’s voice as a direct challenge.

Nayu gave a small, fierce smile at the shaman’s statement, and stepped further forward.  The other shamans, and even the warriors present, all leaned forward, as if getting closer to the small, obstinate being might help them understand why he was challenging their leader, their shaman.

_What is he DOING?_ Felonca panicked, as she, along with the rest of the party, craned forward as well.

“I said perhaps you misunderstood the request from the human village,” Nayu replied, his voice still calm and collected.

“I see empty threat.  What you say message?” the shaman crossed his immense arms, as Felonca realized the battle Nayu was already waging... a battle on the shaman’s credibility.

“I do not understand why one as yourself cannot understand my simple message,” Nayu replied, his voice suddenly turning acidic delivering the barb.  “Why cannot the leader of a tribe, obviously the most intelligent member of the tribe, understand a simple message?  Or is someone else the true leader here?” Nayu said questioningly.  The tactic worked, as the shaman rose out of his sitting position, fury in his eyes.

“I TRUE LEADER!” the shaman roared.

“Then you must understand my message,” Nayu replied.  To Felonca, his voice once again had assumed that unnatural, unnerving calm.  “It is rather simple,” he continued, “either you leave the human village alone now and forever, or you will face the consequences.”

“What threat can small people make!” the shaman’s fury found itself channeled into false laughter, even as the eyes of the other warriors bored into their leader.  The Wang Liang’s eyes still burned with hate towards the upstart human.  “They make no threat that hurt us!”

“If you do not leave the human village alone,” Nayu replied, in the same damningly calm tone, “I will be forced to destroy this entire village.  Everyone... man... woman... and child.”  Even as Felonca looked at Nayu in amazement at his statement, she saw the same blankness, the same depth of emptiness in his eyes that she noticed earlier.  And she shuddered... 

...there was no doubt that he meant every word he uttered in that frighteningly calm, deadly voice.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The End of the Wang Liang*

For a split second, there was shocked silence within the hut, the warriors looking skeptically at Nayu, even as the shaman stuttered in disbelief at the bold words of the young “little person.”

“You do not understand still, I see,” Nayu said calmly.  _Patience... let ice run through your veins.  That will move them just as much as your words.  The time for mere words has past...  It will be their choice.  They can choose peace... or force..._ 

“There are forty thousand armed ‘little people,’” Nayu raised his arms and quoted the last two words, “on their way here, and they’ll have no qualms about destroying all of you.”  He then gave an icy smile, “Or, as I should say, those of you left alive after I am done.”

“Ha!” the shaman forced a laugh, and pointed at Nayu.  “You annoy me!  You little bug!  You words no scare us!”  

“Why do you kill the villagers?” Nayu heard Felonca ask hurriedly.  Her eyes flashed between him and the shaman, and he could read a mix of confusion, even fear in their depths.  Gently, he touched her shoulder.  _Trust me, Felonca...  they’ll cave if we talk mean.  And if they don’t cave... well... 

...I don’t make idle threats._

“Little woman has questions!  Me like, like more than angry little man,” the shaman laughed.  “As you no live long, I speak.  Little people,” the shaman began, his voice growing more and more in grandeur and expression, “before my grandfather’s grandfather’s time, drove us from mountain home.  We run,” he stood, theatrical fire in his eyes, his passion now spreading to the surrounding warriors, “We hide!  We flee little people!  No more!  This our home!  We get vengeance!”

_Ah... he feels he needs to restore his position,_ Nayu thought coldly, reading through the thunderous shouts that ended the shaman’s cry.   _He feels threatened already...

...good.  He leans towards force... perhaps it can be changed to force only against him..._

“If you agree to leave the little people alone, we can make sure you get to go back to your ancestral homes,” Nayu spoke.  _It can be arranged, after Quan-Shi deposes the governor of Dai..._  “You have a simple choice, shaman.  Your people can leave the village of humans alone, and have a chance to return to your ancestral homes, or death.”  _Keep strong..._

“I ask again, why we listen you?” the shaman snapped, growing plainly annoyed.  “Life Goddess hungry.  You sacrifices, even if you weaklings!”

“If little people are such weaklings, how did they drive such ‘mighty’ creatures from their homes, great shaman?” Nayu snorted, crossing his arms.  _Come on..._

“WANG LIANG HAVE LEARNED!” the shaman was on his feet again, roaring as his warriors echoed the cry of fury.  “WE SHALL CRUSH THE LITTLE PEOPLE!” The shaman’s voice dropped to a furious whisper as he lumbered forward, till his face was inches from Nayu’s.  “Long we watch, long we wait, and now we start getting revenge!  More little people feed Life Goddess, more power she give!”  He stopped, then poked an enormous finger lightly into Nayu’s skull.  “You weaklings help us grow strong.  We sacrifice you now.”  The great giant warriors began to lumber forward, hands outstretched as the shaman confidently turned back towards his dais.

And Nayu smiled.  _I’ve got you now!_

“Wait, great shaman!” he called.  “Surely, if we little people are such a miniscule threat, a great Wang Liang like yourself would be willing to fight me, to decide the fate of your village!  Or,” the sorcerer added another snort, “are you too chicken, too afraid a little person would _beat you_?”

The shaman slowly turned back around, his face filled with fury at the little human who would not cease antagonizing him.  For several seconds, the shaman sputtered as Nayu smiled. 

_If he orders me to die, he’ll lose face... he’ll imply that he was afraid of me.  

And I can beat him, in a contest of power...

You want to decide this by force, shaman.  Then it will be force against you._

“I fight you!” the shaman finally snapped.  “But your friends get near Goddesss now!  Won’t walk so far after you die!”

“No, no no,” Nayu grinned, waving a finger.  “They wait beside your warriors, as we fight one on one, no interference.  I win, you and your village will leave the little people alone, until we can arrange for you to return home.  You win, my friends die, and you may continue as you wish.”

“What keep me from having warriors dispatch you like dog?” the shaman tried his own poor attempt at goading.  Nayu smiled, knowing his verbal superiority.

“Because if you try to backstab me, I will kill this entire village,” the sorcerer replied simply.  Even while the shaman laughed at the bravery of the ‘little person,’ Nayu saw a few of the warriors winced at the sorcerer’s deadly monotone.



_Nayu must be crazy!_ Felonca thought to herself as the sorcerer and the shaman silently prepared themselves a few minutes later.  She’d said as much to him after he issued his open challenge to the creature easily twice his height and four times his weight.  She’d even pointed out that as a shaman, he’d likely be able to use magic almost as well as Nayu.  He grinned.

“I know,” he had said, “and I don’t care.  I have him.  You three,” she remembered him pointing to herself, Meiji and Yari Ai, “watch the other warriors.  If they attempt to betray this bit of trust... take them out.”

“I don’t trust them, Nayu,” she remembered herself saying.  “I think they might...”

“If they do,” Meiji had said, “then we’ll do as Nayu said, and take out this entire damn village!”

_Tough talk,_ she thought.  _Scare them into not doing something they probably would want to do if the battle turned bad.  Nayu wouldn’t do such a thing..._

So now the three stood in a small clump, only a part of the great ring of Wang Liang men, women, and children in the center of their village, surrounding the two combatants, forming a great circle over seventy feet wide.  In the middle, some sixty feet apart, stood Nayu and the shaman.

The priest held in his massive grasp a huge lantang, its great blades curved, shining in the sun.  Rough hides covered his massive frame, and the silver trinkets and beads in his hair jingled as he shifted, his face twisted in a smile of mockery.  Despite his religious duty, the shaman refused to even pray to his Goddess of Life... little people were no such threat to require her intervention.

On the opposite end, the far end from Felonca, Nayu merely stood.  The tall sorcerer’s robes flapped lightly in the small breeze, as his morningstar remained strapped to his hip.  His face bore no look of mockery... just a simple, unnerving look of calm on his face.

“Look at little person!  He so scared, his knees no shake!” the shaman catcalled.  At Nayu’s lack of response, the shaman continued, shaking his meaty fist at his smaller opponent.  “I no need sweat in this fight!  I make him fly with pinkie finger!”

She saw Nayu calmly reached into his pouch in reply, and began checking the two healing potions Felonca had given him.  The shaman saw the insult clearly, and with a growl, almost a giggle, the beast surged towards the smaller sorcerer.

For a second Felonca’s heart stopped, as Nayu calmly, almost slowly, placed the last of the potions back into its place on his belt, and raised his hands.  From their fingers a crackling bluish-black energy seemed to form, before sweeping forward, enveloping the cleric.  The rogue’s mind expected the sharp clap of thunder to follow the bolt, but instead she saw the shaman seem to slump slightly in his walk, his skin slightly more wrinkled, as if energy had been sucked out of him.  (_Enervation... shaman lost four levels_)

The shaman continued to thunder forward, raising his lantang momentarily above his head.  Felonca then suddenly felt the ground literally shake as six other Wang Liang... the two lesser shamans and four of the warriors, charge into the ring, directly for Nayu.

“Flaming Ancestral Heads!” Felonca cursed, a snap echoing in her ears as she flicked her warfans open and launched herself towards the nearest of the intervening beasts... one of the warriors, his lantang raised high, his eyes focused on the sorcerer to his front, not the flying blur of black to his rear...

The warfan strike to the spinal cord was one that Felonca had only practiced infrequently at the Academy... rarely was it expected one’s opponent would leave himself so vulnerable.  The rogue, however, knew an opportunity when she saw one, and with a sickening mix of cracking bones and slurps of destroyed flesh, the giant Wang Liang tumbled to the ground paralyzed.  When she spun her second warfan around, she cleanly ripped apart his throat...

Just in time to hear the massive explosion she’d been expecting, as four miniature columns of fire erupted in the midst of the battlefield.  One exploded underneath the charging shaman, two each between a lesser shaman and a warrior, and the third underneath the final warrior.

She spun around, just in time to see the shaman’s thundering charge finally reach the sorcerer.  The huge lantang whistled in the air through its arc, catching the sorcerer in the leg and sending him reeling.

_NAYU!_  Without a conscious thought, entirely governed by training, Felonca’s hands found her longbow, and drew the weapon with deadly precision.  Her notched arrow was poised for the back of the shaman’s head, when she heard Nayu’s voice yelling.

“Kill the warriors!”

For a second she hesitated, until she saw the stumbling sorcerer regain his footing and dance away from the slower shaman, out of the reach of his massive weapon.  Quickly, she spun around, and loosed her shot on another of the charging warriors.  The arrow caught him just underneath his jaw, and he too, tumbled to the ground in death.

Another flash of light erupted in the field, bluish white in power and followed by a monstrous thunderclap.  When Felonca’s sight recovered, she saw all the warriors and shaman’s were down on the ground.  Meiji and Yari Ai, bloody from battle, stood over one each, while all the others not touched by Felonca laid prone, smoke and burns covering their bodies.

Then Felonca noticed one of the warriors was moving... more shuddering.  His meaty paws covered his head, as his hides smoldered from the fire and electricity that had coursed through his body.  

“No hurt!  No hurt!” he whimpered in Common, as the other Wang Liang around began to scream and wail in terror at what they had just witnessed.  Their village’s four strongest warriors, as well as all their village shamans, cut down by a single, little man, and his three allies.

“We won’t hurt you!” Felonca called to the crowd, desperately trying to calm them.  _If they panic, they might try to mob us... or run away, only to take vengeance on the human village later!  We need to calm them down!  Explain to them that we’ll get them to their..._

Felonca’s thoughts were interrupted by a horrible, sickening cry close by.  She spun around to see Nayu, one hand stretched out towards the Wang Liang already fleeing towards their homes.  The other hand clutched his now bloody morningstar, as he loomed over the crushed skull of the whimpering warrior.

“Nayu! What are you-“ she screamed, before a telltale bead of power flashed from his hand, and into the farthest of the huts.  An explosion blew three of the small Wang Liang out of the building, their bodies mutilated by the blast.  Felonca stared in shock and horror at the burning house, then at Nayu.

_He... he..._

Another explosion, another hut gone, its occupants crawling on the ground, screaming.

“Nayu!  Stop it!” Felonca grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around.  “They are innocents!  Those are the women and children!  They did nothing on the raids!  They didn’t hurt anyone!  You can’t kill them!”

“So you want those little Wang Liang to grow up, filled with anger, only to come back here and start harassing the human village again!  _They cannot be trusted, Felonca!_  They will betray our trust again!” the sorcerer snarled, shaking his shoulder from her grasp.  “They will never hurt anyone ever again!”

“But Nayu!  Meiji!  Meiji, talk some sense into...”

Felonca turned to see her cousin raising his bow upwards, a flaming arrow already notched.  As she looked on in horror, he let loose, and the flames left an arc of red before hitting the roof of yet another hut, quickly setting it ablaze as the Wang Liang inside cried out in pain and terror.

Felonca looked on numbly, even as Yari Ai tried desperately to get Nayu and Meiji to stop the destruction.  _How... why?  How could he do this... do something so...dark...so..._  For a moment, she started over to where Yari Ai and Nayu were yelling at each other, just after the sorcerer had torched the sixth hut.

Then she heard the other noises... more shouts more yells.  She turned slowly, and her heart sank as she saw ten of the villagers from the human village running towards the fleeing Wang Liang, vengeance in their eyes, plows in their hands.  

_Why..._ the rogue thought numbly, her stomach roiling as the human villagers beat some of the littler Wang Liangs to a pulp as they tried to flee, while others were chased back into the firestorm that was once the giant village.  Some of the humans ran up to Nayu, yelling their thanks, before chasing down more Wang Liang.  Felonca leaned over, and found herself starting to retch.  

_Why?  Why kill the innocents?_  A few moments later, the rogue felt a hand touch her shoulder.

“Felonca.”

The rogue turned slowly, and saw Yari Ai’s sad face looking into her eyes.  _She feels the same, at least.  They were innocents.  They didn’t have to die!_

“Come... even if they...” the young woman started, before stopping, and staring at the flames.  Out of fiery explosions, Nayu was now blasting the Wang Liant running around in terror with whitish bolts of magic, Meiji by his side, shooting down whichever ones he could with arrows.  More people from the village had arrived, and were now running into the burnt houses, rampaging, running amok.

“We can go cleanse the evil of their sacrificial area,” Yari Ai finally finished the thought.  “It... it will get us both away from this, and help clean this place.”

One rather grim hour later, as Yari Ai was finishing the last of her prayers to cover the evil ice that marked where the Wang Liang performed their sacrifices, Felonca heard footsteps behind.  Turning slowly, she saw Nayu’s brown eyes looking back at her.  Unlike the human villagers, there was no cheer.  No joy.  Neither was their sadness, nor regret.

“This place is now clean.  The villagers won’t have to worry about giants kidnapping their children anymore,” he said quietly.  “These beasts will never hurt the villagers again."

_At what cost?_ Felonca wanted to reply, frightened in her heart at what her friends had done that day...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Yes... Nayu torched an _entire_ village of giants, after they betrayed him.  And yes, his alignment did change after this, from CG to CN with possible evil tendencies... considering that out of a population of maybe 70 folks, only 8 or 9 were the warriors causing the raids and the sacrifices.  Though in a way, this works somewhat for the better.  CN is closer to how the player wants to play Nayu, and as I told him, “Nayu is your character.”  Felonca’s player was less than pleased, however.

The giant shaman was a Wang Liang from the Oriental Adventures book with 5 levels of cleric, mostly concentrated on buffing spells.  When Nayu launched enervation, his buffing abilities mostly went kaput, as he found four of his class levels suddenly ripped away.  After that, it was a matter of party attacks from the rear, and Nayu spellscupting a few attacks before the six transgressors and their shaman leader were done for.

One thing remains left for the party... to find Master Ling, before reporting back to the army...


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

Nice! I'm begining to like Nayu even more!

PS: what level were they after this little incedent?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

After this session, if I remember correctly, they became 10th level.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Nayu’s Decision... and Master Ling*


“That’s a horse!” a small, bright voice shouted gleefully later that night, and Nayu gave a smile.  

The village children were clustered around him yet again, just like the previous night, as their elders drank, sang, and toasted Nayu, his friends, and the end of the Wang Liang threat, or gossip about the powers and magical might they had witnessed that day.  Many, including the prefect, had pressed Nayu on how he made fire and lightning fly from his hands to drive the giants away... but the sorcerer was disinclined to give them the true answer.

Instead, he was content to keep the youngest, the most vulnerable, happy and content this night.  They had not witnessed the destruction of the village, yet they were the ones that would benefit the most.  _The littlest ones are even safe,_ Nayu thought to himself.  It helped clear his own mind of what happened.  While he felt confident his choice, wiping the Wang Liang clean, was the right one, a small part of his mind continued to wonder... to question...

“Yes, it is a horse, Shu Wen,” the sorcerer smiled, as the ghostly image of a rearing white stallion between his hands vanished.  “My my, you are a very smart little boy.  Perhaps one day you can be a scholar and learn magic too.”  

The young child beamed with delight.

Nayu reached over to give the little boy a pat on the head, when he noticed a shape leaning against one of the nearby huts, just far enough in the darkness that normally it wouldn’t have been seen.  As he focused on the shape, he caught the form of crossed arms, and a nervously flicking black tail.  The sorcerer gave a sigh.

“I’m afraid my tricks will end for tonight, little ones,” Nayu smiled.  The faces of the children fell, and a few moans started to rise in the air.  Quickly, Nayu gave a grin, and pointed towards a slightly tipsy Meiji, off trying to work some mojo on a few of the young women of the village.  “Go talk to my friend Meiji... I’m sure he’ll have plenty of stories to tell.”  _And no doubt, those women will be thankful that a horde of children arrived to save them from bad come on lines..._

As the horde of screaming, squealing children dashed off, Nayu then turned and walked into the corner, and joined Felonca in leaning on a hut.

“You look cross,” he started, before giving another sigh.  “It’s about this afternoon, isn’t it?”  His suspicion was confirmed when he heard his friend give a sharp intake of breath.  For a few seconds, he expected her to launch into a rant, berating him for what she took as wholesale slaughter.  Instead, he was surprised when he heard nothing.

“I...I did what had to be done,” the sorcerer said slowly.  “I...” He stopped when he heard Felonca’s sharp breath again.  Once again, silence reigned, and finally he started to grow cross.

“Fine.  Be upset.  But do you want to hear why I did what I did?” Nayu finally snapped... realizing afterwards it might have been more sharp than he intended.  Once again, he heard the sharp intake of breath, and finally, this time, there was a response.

“Yes.”  It was very quiet, almost whispered, as if said by someone who was angry, saddened, and very tired.

“Do you remember,” Nayu began at a whisper, glancing around to make sure no one was eves dropping, “when I had to switch places with Prince Hu?  And we had to put up with that awful scholar?”  

There was silence as a reply, but in the dim light, Nayu saw Felonca nod.

“Well...I remembered something important he said.  One of the few important things he said, really,” Nayu’s voice became slightly nervous, hoping the quip might lighten the mood a bit.  Felonca didn’t reply, but he could tell by the way her body slumped slightly that she’d relaxed more.  “Well... I remember him speaking about a ‘princely demeanor,’ and that a good prince,” Nayu continued, still nervous, “will be slow to judge, but swift and stern with justice.”

“So are you the prince of this village now?” Felonca replied, the statement not carrying the acidic tone Nayu expected.

“I...um... don’t know...” Nayu said.  _I don’t have a sign yet... but I’m tired to seeing people beaten down!  First Red Lotus, then Mafeng, now these villagers!  Someone needs to put a stop to it!

And that’s what I did._ 

“But... these people were left alone!” Nayu explained.  “No one stood up for them, the job of a prince!  So we stood in for the princes of today, and defended these people!  We stood up for them!  And we were slow to judge but swift and stern when the ways of the Wang Liang became clear...”

There was a sigh in the dim light next to him, and Felonca looked directly at Nayu.  “I see your point, but I still do not think killing women and children was a necessary part of justice.  Look,” she raised her hand before Nayu could sputter an angry reply, “I don’t want to argue about it.  I understand your point... you did what you thought was necessary.  I can only ask that you understand mine... even if you disagree.”

“I do,” Nayu admitted.  _I only did what I thought was right... what I thought would help defend these people..._  “I wanted to help these people... and that is the way I saw.  By removing the problem permanently.”

“Okay,” Felonca said quietly, putting a hand reassuringly on his shoulder.  He could tell that the move reassured her as well.  “I...I believe you.  Besides, we shouldn’t argue more about this.  We should be talking to the prefect, and asking about the Master Ling we have to deliver this letter to.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Nayu said rather quietly, covering the workings of his mind.  _I do not trust Prince Hu... and I doubt this Master Ling will just as he looks.  We need to find out what man he is...

...he could be useful, should things take a certain course..._



“Thank you for seeing us so late this night, Master Prefect,” Nayu bowed politely.  In the glowing orange of candlelight, the Prefect responded eagerly, falling into full kow tow to Nayu and Felonca.

“I am most willing to help those who freed our village from the threat of the Wang Liang!  We are your most humble servants, Master Wakabayashi and Mistress Wa-Feng!”

“That’s not necessary,” Felonca stretched out and pulled the man up.  When his confused face looked at her, she gave a gentle smile.  “We aren’t in the process of receiving ceremonies more fit for royalty than two regular people.”  

_Despite the fact one of us technically is royalty,_ Nayu inwardly chuckled.  He kept the mirth from coming to his face, preserving his impeccable mask of concern.  “My friend speaks the truth, Prefect.  Please, you may aid us by answering some of our questions about a man that lives near your village.”

“Ah... yes yes!  I would be much obliged to help!” the Prefect said eagerly, before rising and hurriedly bowing yet again.  “Would you like some spiced wine, or tea?”  When Nayu nodded, the Prefect scampered to the back of his house.  As he disappeared from the room, Felonca leaned over to Nayu.

“Do you think the Prefect would give us correct information on Master Ling?” she whispered.

“Yes,” Nayu replied.  _After what happened, these villagers regard us as heroes... many were just like him, and tried to kow tow to us.  I saw no deceit in his actions towards us... his enthusiasm is real..._  “He regards us as defenders of his village, and his offer to help us was genuine.”

Felonca nodded in reply just as the Prefect returned, two cups of tea in hand.  After Felonca and Nayu had taken their drinks, the Prefect joined them in sitting, and asked, “How may I be of service?”

“We are seeking a certain man... Master Ling Li.  We were told he lives near here... we were originally traveling in this area to meet him,” Felonca began.  

“We merely would like to know his background... what he’s like, to make our conversations with him easier and more enlightened,” Nayu lied.  _No reason to tell the prefect we are carrying a letter from another province for him..._

“Ah... Ling Li!  Yes!” the Prefect clapped his hands.  “A most wise and virtuous man... the wisest man I have ever met!  He is so wise that he used to be the advisor to the governor of Dai, back in the days of my father and his father,” the Prefect smiled.

“He... _advised_ the governors?” Nayu asked, somewhat surprised.  _But Dai Province is badly run, mismanaged!  We saw that plainly here over the last few days... the governor cares not for the toils of his people!_

“Yes... back in the good days, when the province was peaceful and prosperous.  As a matter of fact,” the Prefect’s enthusiasm slowly died, “things starting being bad after the governor dismissed Ling, in favor of the current advisor, Yi.  They say that the governor felt Ling ‘nagged’ him too much regarding provincial matters, so he had him removed.”

“What does Ling do now?” Nayu asked.  _So, he is skilled in running a province.  If things collapsed after he was forced into retirement, his need is plain.  Now... what kind of man is he?  A brilliant psychopath?  A quiet dullard?  Or is he as the Prefect claims?_

“He’s retired to quiet farming.  He owns a small farm three days from here, and usually keeps to himself, save occasionally coming to town for seed or equipment.”  The Prefect stopped, and looked into the distance with a sigh.  “If I could ever learn as many of the teachings of Kongxi and apply them as much as he does... I will be a great man.”



“Well... that is supposedly the house,” Felonca said quietly, getting off of her horse three days later.  Despite being in human form, she scratched behind her ear in confusion at the home... well-built, but small, likely no larger than a single room.  A well manicured path lead to the front door.

“I just hope he hasn’t wandered off,” Nayu replied as the two walked towards the small home, and knocked on the front door... then knocked again a minute later after there was no reply.  Annoyed, they walked around to the back, and found a man hunched over several lotus buds, working the earth as an expert gardener could.  A peasant’s wide brimmed hat covered his face from view.

“Master Ling?” Felonca called.  _That has to be him... there is no way that house could hold more than one person!_  She felt a slight warmth come over her, but shrugged off the feeling.

“Are you Wa-Feng Felonca?” an old, wizened voice replied.  

_WHAT?!_  Felonca stood rooted in place, confusion reigning in her mind.  _How...why..._

The bent form slowly stood, and the man turned around, and lifted his hat, revealing a cragged, even ancient face.  The man’s eyes shone kindly with knowledge far beyond even his ancient age, and with a liveliness that one would not expect from someone so old.  He gave a smile, revealing straight teeth... another aberration for his age.

“He is a scholar, Felonca... he is probably using simple mind reading magic on you,” Nayu whispered guardedly.

“Wakabayashi Nayu is correct,” the man smiled.  “It is a habit I developed when I was advisor to the governor.  I apologize for any confusion it may have caused,” the old man bowed slightly, before adding, “The villagers have spoken of what you did a few days ago.  You have my gratitude and respect, brave warriors,” Ling gave a bow of respect.

“Master Ling, we bear a letter from Langya,” Felonca said, “It is from Prince Hu Shikai, seeking your counsel.”  For some reason, Nayu shot her a dirty look, but Felonca ignored his stare, despite understanding its sentiments.  _I know you want to ask him some questions, Nayu, but I want to know what this letter is!_

“Prince Hu?  The new prince?  So he seeks my advise?”  The old man gave a smile.  “Long have I wanted to return to advising a worthy prince...  perhaps my wait is over.  I shall read it, if you please, and ready a reply shortly.  As an old man, I understand how precious time is, and I do not wish to waste any of yours.”  

The old man gingerly took the note from Felonca’s hand, opened the seal, and began to read.  As his eyes traced the script on the silk, they grew wider and wider, before they began to nervously twitch between the party, and the written words.

_Something’s not right._  That much was obvious to Felonca from the look in the man’s eyes.  Something in reference to the party, by his eyes.  _Prince Hu said something about us!  Something bad!_

Nayu finally broke the tense silence.  “Master Ling, if the letter refers to us, I wish to see it.”  Felonca half expected the old man to refuse; demanding to see a private letter was a rather rude request... even the comparatively uncouth Felonca knew this.  To her surprise, however, Ling handed the note to Nayu with a sigh of sadness and regret.

And it was the turn of Nayu’s eyes to widen at the words of Prince Hu Shikai...


_Proclamation from His Highness
Prince Hu of Langya

Servant of the Most High,

Our father spoke highly of your wisdom Ling-Li, and a wise and virtuous man is one any lord could use in their service.  Recently it has been said that you bemoan your current state, and seek a lord worthy of your counsel. However, in these times of troubles, we cannot know fully if we can take others into our confidence.  Thus, as the great Emperor Yu spoke many years ago, “A test is required.”  

If you truly mean to follow my banner, I have such a test.  Despite the fact they have done nothing to your honor or family, you need to kill the two messengers sent bearing this letter.  One of them also could attempt to claim the Jade Throne, and that would only complicate matters further, prolonging Heaven’s misery.

Send their heads back with your reply should you be a loyal man.  Else, you shall be hunted down as well.​_
“Bastard!” Nayu snapped, throwing the letter to the ground.  _Him!  Him too!  He is no better than the others!  He is just like the Military Governor!  Just like the Prince of Shu and his incestuous sister, the Dowager Empress!  Just like the governor here!  He cares nothing for anyone save himself!  He is a snake!  They are all snakes!  Snakes in the grass, wanting to eat the people to slake their hunger for power!_

When Nayu’s furious eyes turned back to Master Ling, the sorcerer expected the scholar’s hands to be raised, spellcraft on the old man’s lips.  Instead, he found the old man’s head lowered, tears of shame running down his cragged cheeks.

“Woe to the people, when their leaders are snakes!” Ling cursed softly.  “When the leaders call for the heads of virtuous heroes, then Heaven, and all true men, must cry!  Please,” the old man sank to his knees, and bowed again, “forgive me for even a moment thinking Prince Hu could be a worthy master!  Such a snake deserves to be beaten, not served!  I cannot harm those who helped as many as you!”

As Felonca scrambled to the note and read the damning words herself, Nayu found himself lifting the old man to his feet.  “Now now, Ling Li.  You are not Prince Hu,” the sorcerer said softly, “you need apologize for nothing.”  As the old man looked into his eyes, Nayu’s mind finally reached a realization.

_They are all snakes!  All of the governors!  All of the people claiming to be virtuous enough to rule!  The people will be the ones to suffer!  

People like the villagers we just saved... like the villagers of Mafeng... like my friends in Red Lotus...

...like my mother and father..._

“To accept the apology of an old man, you add to your strengths and virtues!” Ling said quietly, tears of regret still running down his face.  “Instead of heroes like you and your friends, we are cursed with snakes!”

_But need the people be cursed like this?_ Nayu’s mind thought.  _I am no snake!_  His mind remembered his prayers from the weeks before, calling to his father, to the ancestors, to Heaven itself to send a sign, guidance as to what to do with his ancestry.  

_This is the sign!_

For a few moments as he looked at the old man before him, confusion reigned in Nayu’s the mind.  _What to do?  Where to begin?_  The chaos seemed so vast, so large, so out of control that it seemed impossible one person could stop it.  The words that had spurred him three days before came back into his mind.  

_A good prince will be slow to judge, but swift and stern with justice...

Swift and stern... where does swift and stern begin?_  Nayu’s mind worked, then came to a conclusion as Felonca’s curse at finishing the letter rose in the air.

_But who can do it?_  Nayu looked around, at his friends.  _No... none of them understand how to govern.  I do not understand how to govern._  Then the young sorcerer’s eyes turned to Master Ling, still standing before him, and Nayu smiled, the last part of a plan complete in his mind.

“Master Ling, the people speak well of you.  They all agreed that you are a kind and gifted man, who ruled wisely when you were adviser to the governor.  I had doubted some of their claims,” Nayu admitted, “but seeing your honesty, and refusal to harm us, I can see the stories of your virtue are true.”

“What... what do you speak towards, young man?” Ling asked cautiously.

“Master Ling... would you like to be the new governor of Dai?” Nayu smiled, putting an arm around the now very confused old man...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

That’s right... Nayu decided he’s going after the throne, _and_ he’s going to replace the governor of the province with a man he met just minutes before.  By this point in the session, we were running very short on time, so it played out as the stereotypical “You seem trustworthy!” routine, but I had laid extensive groundwork from other NPCs that Ling _could_ be trusted.  By this point, both players were sick and tired of being backstabbed, and finally decided it should be their turn to do some backstabbing.

This also was the end of the seventh session... session eight, where the party attempts a madcap plan at supplanting the governor _in his capital_, with _no army_, will be typed up shortly... probably tomorrow.

Oh... and are these enough to qualify as a slew of updates?


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> Oh... and are these enough to qualify as a slew of updates?




Of course not; slew of updates means _how many there are, plus one_. Always plus one.   

Oh, and madcap plans always succeed: because they are mad and because the bad guys always forget the true power of the protagonist factor.


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## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

I'm all caught up again   .

I thoroughly enjoyed the destruction of the Wang Liang village - both Nayu's turn to the Dark Side and Felonca's reaction. It's good to see this sort of thing dealt with properly.

And as for them being betrayed by Prince Hu, well, who'd've thought it   .

Slew or not, keep those updates coming ....


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Well, there's going to be a slight pause in the updates.  Next updates should be either Thursday night, or Friday.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Plans*

“What... what do you mean?” the very confused Ling asked, mirroring the look on Felonca’s own face.

_Why is Nayu asking him to be the governor?!  No one can do that unless..._

She suddenly realized her friend’s intent, and immediately tried to cover the surprise on her face.  Her focus was so strong that at first she didn’t notice the warm feeling across her body, or the gentle presence of another person within her mind, until Ling’s surprised voice echoed within her head.

_”My God... you have it!”_

“What?!” Felonca visibly recoiled, pulling back and covering her head.  _First he looks into my mind, then he speaks?!_ 

“You...you have the dagger?” the now frightened old man looked at _her_ wide eyed.  “Please... keep...keep it safe!  The Dagger of On Wei is not a toy to be trifled with!”

Felonca was still too surprised to speak, so finally it was Nayu who started asking the old man probing questions; what the dagger did, who made it, how it could be unmade.  The old man constantly replied that he didn’t know, he wasn’t sure, and that the only thing he saw within her mind was the dagger.  At that revelation, Nayu seemed to relax a great deal.

“No more peeking into my mind without my permission!” Felonca warned.  _Looks like Nayu was worried that Ling had discovered his ancestry...  I should keep that information to myself..._

“I’m sorry, Madame Wa-Feng!” Ling apologized, bowing profusely.  “I... I could feel anxiety coming from you, and I wished to see what it was!  With your friend’s odd request, I did not know what was occurring, so I panicked and looked...”

“My request doesn’t have anything to do with her thoughts,” Nayu said, before giving a slight grin.  “Now... how would you like to be the new governor of Dai Province?  It’s a rather simple question... it needs only a yes or no...”

“Yes or no?” Ling sputtered, looking incredulously at Nayu.  “Simple question?  No!  No no no... it is not a simple question!  Governors can only be appointed by the Emperor himself, or the auspices of Heaven’s Will, not just because a young man with albeit extraordinary powers says so!”  The old scholar began to wring his hands in fret, and he began to pace back in front of the still smiling sorcerer.  

“And who would my superior be?  Governors are never superior alone, they always are subservient to the will of either a Prince or the Emperor!  It is simply not done that a governor acts alone, without directions from the Jade City!”

“You’ll take your orders from Heaven,” Nayu smirked.  “Simple as that.”

“But Kongxi teaches us that the Will of Heaven is manifested through the actions of men, specifically the leading figures within the Bureaucracy and within the Empire!  How can I follow the Will of Heaven if I am not following either of the above?”  The scholar stopped and plaintively looked towards Nayu.  “I must have someone above me!  It is the way Kongxi teaches us that bureaucracies are efficient and pleasing to Heaven!”

“Isn’t Heaven’s Will, however, superior to the will of mere men?” Nayu frowned at Ling’s reluctance.

“Of course,” the scholar replied.

“Then, if you rule by Heaven’s Will, you are ruling from an authority greater than that of mere men,” Nayu replied, with the same _Aha!_ look that Felonca had seen before.  “There you go, simple as that.”

“Your logic... it...it puzzles me, Master Wakabayashi, but I follow its tenets,” Ling looked down uncertainly.  “If it is by Heaven’s Will, I must obey.”



_Good,_ Nayu thought, _There’s one long philosophical argument avoided._  He then looked over towards Felonca uncertainly, until he saw her eyes.  _Excellent... she knows, but she kept it hidden from Ling here._  Nayu flashed her a wink to ask her to trust him yet again, before moving to the next subject.

“Now... if we have the successor to the current governor picked,” Nayu nodded towards the still nervous Ling, “then we need to create a way to get rid of the current governor.  First... Ling, can you tell me and Mistress Wa-Feng the layout of the city of Xianfung?”

Ling went on to describe a metropolis, the third largest city in the whole of the Empire, larger than Mingzhong even.  The city was purposefully constructed on the wide farmland of Dai hundreds of years before, in the shape of a perfect square, its streets and walls lining perfectly with the cardinal directions.  Within the center of this enormous city was the governor’s palace, itself a miniature of the city at large... and seat of the highly unpopular governor

“Who else distrusts this governor?” Felonca finally asked.

“Well... I am sure that the regular army commanders within the province hate Governor Ho, as his extravagances have cut back their pay, as well as the pay of the soldiers.  Neither did the city watch commander...  at least, the last time I sneaked into Xianfung that was the state of things,” Ling added.  

“Well, that should be easy then,” Felonca laughed.  “No army, no city watch... that means no protection!”

“I am afraid it is not as simple as that.  When I was fired twenty years ago, Yi advised Governor Ho that the city watch and the army could not be trusted, and they started recruiting a special unit of bodyguards from north of the Desert Wall,” Ling shook his head in dismay.  “If that trend has continued, Governor Ho might have thousands of troops from north of the wall loyal to him.”

“Bah...” Nayu groaned.  “And I’m assuming this Yi is the infamous adviser we’ve heard about?”

“Yes,” Ling said, bristling slightly at the mention of Yi’s name.  The old man then sighed.  “Yi was my replacement... he was a young man then, arrogant with youth.  He is a foolish man... he dabbles in eating green metal of some kind.  Sadly, he hasn’t poisoned himself yet.”

“Um... why would he eat green metal?” Felonca asked.  “Wouldn’t that cut his throat?”

_Who would eat green metal?_ Nayu asked himself, thinking back to his father’s stories of traveling far and wide.  Finally, he remembered the fragment of an ancient tale.

“There’s supposedly a cult of people to the south that eat green metal,” Nayu said slowly, reaching into the depths of his brain to recover the information.  “They think it makes them stronger... in some way,” the sorcerer finally shrugged.  “I remember my father spoke of seeing some of them once, but for the life of me, I can’t understand how eating metal would do that.”

For a few moments, an awkward silence filled the air as the three looked amongst each other.  Finally, Felonca broke the silence with a question.

“Ling... if you were the governor’s advisor 20 years ago... how old are you, exactly?”

“I am 68, young woman,” Ling replied, an aged smile coming to his lips.  “I have seen more winters that your parents likely, young one.”

_He’s 68?_ Nayu frowned.  _I need him to stay here for a while... if something happens to him...

Does he have any family?_

A few more questions, and Ling revealed that while he had no sons, he had three daughters, one of which was married to the captain of the Xianfung city watch... a daughter he hadn’t seen in eight years...

_...an inroads into the City Watch..._ Nayu smiled as Ling talked, and the sorcerer’s mind weaved this knowledge into an ever larger, ever more complex pattern of plots and counterplots...


=================================================

Shorter update today, as I'm going to try to Photoshop some maps that I used during this session.  The maps will appear in later, more relevant posts.


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> A few more questions, and Ling revealed that while he had no sons, he had three daughters, one of which was married to the daughter of the captain of the Xianfung city watch... a daughter he hadn’t seen in eight years...










 Either formal omosexual relationships are legal in the Empire or there is a little typo.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Yeah... that was a big typo... its since been fixed 

*Xianfung... and Felonca the Hero?*

“Well... I’m sure those villagers might have enjoyed that,” Yari Ai gave a satisfied smile as the rustling in the trees died away.  She then turned to Nayu and Felonca, and the smile became a huge grin.  “First you two drive off the giants, then the bandits along the road towards Xianfung... what next?  Oh... I know...” she smirked.

“It was two bandits, and they ran off before I even lifted a finger,” Nayu replied, spurring his horse to a trot.  “Besides, I think Felonca’s growl did more than any batch of peasants could’ve done.”  

“Hah!” the rogue laughed.  The bandits had jumped from the trees along the road some five days from the village, fully expecting easy prey.  Instead, they ran into a still grumpy panther hengeyokai, who had a feral look in her eyes that morning.  One sharp growl later, and two bandits had run off into the woods, leaving behind their bows and two dull daggers.  “Though I still think some of the people from the village might have been even more helpful!”

“You know why I didn’t want them coming along,” Nayu said, suddenly sounding slightly cross.

“Yeah yeah...” Felonca waved off his anger at the memory of what she did three days earlier.  Scaring off two bandits had put her in a very good mood.  “Blurting that we were off to kill the governor might not have been discreet, but I think those villagers could’ve been helpful.”

“Pitchforks aren’t helpful against trained soldiers,” Meiji jumped in.  As Felonca was about to open her mouth in protest, the bard turned back to their fifth member.  “So, Master Ling... how do we get into this capital that will shortly be yours?”

“I...well, I am too well known within the city, and I might attract undue attention to you,” Ling said slowly, bringing his horse up alongside the others.  “I will need a disguise of some sort... but sadly, my age does not mean I am versed in such things.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Felonca raised her eyebrow in appraisal, before letting out a giggle, “I think I can get some makeup on you just fine!”  The giggle turned to loud guffaws when she saw Ling shrink away slightly at the comment.

“Um... thank you, Mistress Wa-Feng,” Ling replied guardedly, as Felonca calmed back down.  “I’m...um... sure that your... expertise... might be... useful?”

“That will secure you, Master Ling,” Felonca managed to keep any further giggles suppressed, “Now... what about the rest of us?  Do you have any... um...” she searched for a discrete word to use for the organization she had in mind, “...’friends’ in Xianfung we could talk to?”

“Friends?” The old man looked confused by the secretiveness in Felonca’s voice.  “Of course... I know my son-in-law, whose a captain on the City Watch, and...”

“No...I mean... _friends_,” this time Felonca made “quotes” with her hands, and Ling let out a grunt of understanding.

“Yes, I know people in the Thieves Guild,” the scholar replied matter-of-factly.  He ignored Felonca’s groan at the Guild’s name being mentioned aloud, and the looks of confusion coming from Yari Ai and Meiji.   “When I was advisor, we had an agreement with the guild; they would restrain from outright banditry, while we would give them a short leash to operate on... or even direct them towards targeting other, less savory people who were not affiliated with them.”

“You are more cunning than you look, Master Ling,” Nayu smiled.  Felonca saw something else in Nayu’s eyes beyond approval... perhaps appraisal?

“Being an advisor for twenty years leads one to make arrangements of mutual convenience, in many cases,” the old man said.  Felonca watched as Nayu nodded intently, his ears seeming to soak up anything that the older man described about ruling and governing the province...



“There,” Felonca set the hat on Ling’s head, and then walked around, looking him over from every angle, before giving a nod of approval.  The shadows from the walls of Xianfung obscured Ling’s face partially... but that again was the reason they sat here, just outside the gate.  _No good in letting someone see the transformation right off the bat..._

“I... look as if forty years were pealed from my face,” Ling commented in amazement as Felonca shifted her _hat of disguise_ one again, till it was set on the now apparently young man’s head perfectly.  Ling’s aged eyes now looked at her with a new clarity, as he gave her a smile of thanks.

“Now you should be able to visit your daughter,” the rogue smiled.  “You remember how to activate and deactivate the hat?”  When Ling nodded, Nayu spoke up.

“Good.  Now, remember, we need you to persuade your son-in-law to help us out.  If we are going to make this province a better place, we are going to need the City Watch... and funds.  If you can handle the former, I can handle the latter by selling some of these.”  The sorcerer opened his saddlebags slightly, just enough that the party could see the carved ivory idols of the Life Goddess that had been pilfered from the destroyed Wang Liang village.  

“And Yari Ai and Meiji shall accompany you, to make sure you remain safe,” Felonca added.  “As for me, I’m going to see if some friends might be able to help us out in someway...”

An hour later, Felonca walked through the streets of Xianfung alone.  On all sides throngs of people pressed to their destinations, as street vendors hawked their wares, neighborhood shamans called out prayers, and children skirted in and amongst the traffic.  Carefully, the rogue followed the directions Ling had left for her, her eyes searching for a carpenter’s shop that had the characters for “vice,” and “finesse” scrawled on their inner doorway.

“There,” she whispered to herself, as she slipped next to the doorway of a rather dingy-looking carpenter’s shop.  The requisite words were scratched in tiny letters on the doorpost.  Inside, she saw to rather shabbily dressed men looking at her with almost predatory grins.  _I’ve been through this before... I might as well ask if they know of what happened in Mingzhong..._

“Good day, ma’am,” one of the greasy men gave a slight, almost mocking bow.  “What can we do for you?”  His eyes weren’t looking at her face at all.

“I come from the Mingzhong Thieves’ Guild, and I need escort to the headquarters of your Guild, sirs,” she replied rather coldly.  Her tone and words put to rest any darker intentions the young man might have had for her, as his eyes widened a bit.

“You... you are a hengeyokai?  A panther hengeyokai?  From.... Mingzhong,” the man said quietly, before looking at his neighbor, who mirrored his look of disbelief.  

_There’s only one panther hengeyokai in the Mingzhong Thieves’ Guild,_ Felonca smiled smugly. _Apparently, my name has spread among these circles..._

“Are you deaf and dumb, or did you two here my request?” the rogue boldly snapped, jarring the two thieves from their looks of shock and awe.

“Um... yes ma’am... right away Miss Wa-Feng!” the two of them said hurriedly, and rather quickly Felonca found herself traveling down a secret passage from the rear of the store.  Like the Mingzhong headquarters, the passage went down, deep underground, twisting and turning.  All along the way, she heard muttered, hushed whispers from her two stunned guides.

_I wonder what they’re saying about me?_ she smirked, before listening carefully.  As soon as she even partially attuned her hearing, she heard mutterings carefully recounting a tale of her deeds in Mingzhong, and how that now that she was in Xianfung, “...we’ll all be rich if she steals even _one_ gilt sword!”

_If I’m going to be worshipped... I need to milk this situation for all its worth..._

“Ahem,” she politely cleared her throat, and her two erstwhile guides stopped their forward trek, and looked towards her, eyes wide that such a renowned thief would speak to them.  By their looks, she could tell they were eagerly awaiting a pearl of wisdom, a piece of advice from someone who, in their eyes, had pulled off one of the greatest heists in recent memory.

“I know you have heard stories of what happened in Mingzhong,” she said, managing to keep her voice even and diplomatic, despite the rising urge to giggle uncontrollably, “and I appreciate the esteem you hold me in, but it will not do for you to continually gossip about my deeds.  Such are how exaggerations and rumors begin.”

“Yes ma’am... sorry ma’am.”  Felonca was glad that it was too dark for her to see the undoubtedly reddened faces of the two men.  If she had, she knew she would’ve broken into fits of laughter.

Only a few minutes later, her suspicion that the events in Mingzhong were at least known of amongst the thieves in Xianfung proved true.  As her escorts took her to the bottom of the earthen stairway, and into a wood-paneled room lit by candlelight, she could see many faces looking at her, staring.  Others dashed off, coming back with yet more people.

_This is even funnier than I thought,_ she smirked, realizing her celebrity status.

“Who here is the guildmaster?  I urgently need to speak to the guildmaster,” she said, inflecting command into her voice when she really wanted to laugh even more.  Finally, a rather short man stepped forward, his face bedecked in the whiskers of a rat hengeyokai.  Nervousness and awe danced in his eyes, as he gave a deep bow.

“Mistress Wa-Feng, I am Shi Shuen, chief of the thieves of Xianfung.  I do not know what words can express my honor at greeting such a skilled and resourceful person as yourself!  Tales of your splendid deed in Mingzhong have preceded you!”

_Now I’m really intrigued... let’s see who knows what about me... And some more fun wouldn’t hurt..._  Felonca allowed herself a smirk.  “What sorts of tales, Master Shuen?  What do they say about the incidents in Mingzhong?”

“They say,” the man clasped his hands and bowed politely yet again, “that you managed to steal five golden swords from the body of Prince Hu Lun during the midst of his funeral, as two hundred unsuspecting guests watched!  Such skills are unrivalled, and we all humbly bow in the presence of an expert in our field.”

As the other thieves enacted varying forms of bows at the guildmaster’s statement, Felonca gave a grin.  _Five swords, is it?  And they know nothing of Nayu, Liu, Li or Chou...  Hmm... why not spin them a yarn...  impress them, so that they’ll take my orders for a bit...

...Nayu would find that helpful, wouldn’t he?  I’m sure all the thieves of the city could prove most useful in causing some unrest to get rid of the governor!_ 

“That’s completely inaccurate!” Felonca waved her hand dismissively. 

“It was?”

“Was it ten swords?”

“Was it from the Prince as he was still alive?”

_This is so easy..._ she smirked, and began her long yarn of a tale...



“...and after the harem girls carefully removed the blades from their skimpy bodices, I presented them to the chief of the Mingzhong Thieves Guild,” she grinned.  Before her, all of the upper members of the Xianfung Guild, it seemed, were sitting, intently listening, their hearts hanging on every word of her manufactured story, their breaths held tight for the end of her tale.

_Nayu probably wishes that nine harem girls were involved, and I’m sure the Mingzhong Guildmaster wouldn’t have minded if I’d returned with ten swords... and besides, it makes a good story!_  She looked at the group, still staring intently at her, and gave a smirk.  _I think the harem girls got the men, at least._ 

“What?  All I did after that was free the harem girls by stealing a palace guard uniform, tying my breasts together so I looked like a man, dressing as a guard, and then stealing the keys from the room where the Empress Dowager slept!  Nothing much!” she gave a mocking shrug.

“Amazing...” one of the thieves, an older human, finally breathed out.

“Unbelievable!  They... you... I mean...” the guildmaster stammered, “how did you hide the swords in dancer’s bodices that showed... um... that much?  H...how?”

“Very carefully,” Felonca gave the guildmaster a wink, and a few “ahs” went around the room, as heads nodded rather dumbly in agreement.  Inside, the rogue was now even more giddy.  No matter how outlandish her tale had become, it looked as if the men of the guild were still hanging onto her every word as if a thundering voice from Heaven was issuing instruction.

“Why... why do you come here, great one,” a younger thief said with reverence from the back, “when you could easily be in the Jade City, pilfering the Emperor’s jewels?”

“Ah,” Felonca held up a finger, and smiled.  _Why not administer a lesson too?_  “But you see, young man, there is more to life than just stealing!  You must know _who_ to steal from, and _when_!  It does no one any good if thieves rob all the poor, or hurt the poor, now does it?”

A rumble of agreement went around the room, with many of the older thieves grumbling that stealing from the poor didn’t gain much, and only caused resentment.  Lately, it seemed, the pressure from the governor had grown so great that the guild had to release its members to the poorer quarters of the city to search for targets, despite the meager earnings and great harm such moves created.

“True words,” the guildmaster replied, attempting to look wise next to his percieved superior.  “The guildmaster that preceded me spoke of when we did not have to rob the poor, of when the city and the thieves had an arrangement, long ago...  It is too bad that Master Yi, the governor’s advisor, ended those arrangements.”  A few of the oldest thieves sighed.  

“That is why I’m here!” Felonca jumped in quickly, and excitedly.  _That opening was big enough for me to put a tower in!_  “I take it you do not like the governor, or his advisor?”  A loud muttering went through the room, as she gave another smirk.  “What thief in their right mind would?”

“When Advisor Ling was here, long ago, his agreements allowed the guild to prey on rich, illegal smugglers!  Our purses grew fat, and the city watch was freed to deal with other issues!” one of the oldest thieves, a wizened crone, called from the back.  “We need someone like him back!  He realized we were useful, instead of persecuting us and driving us to rob from those who have nothing, just so we can eat!”

Felonca raised her hand as a murmur of assent came from the assembled crowd.

“As I said, this situation is why I am here.  I am in need of help on a major endeavor... the overthrow of Governor Hu and his advisor, Master Yi, and I am in need of your...um,” she stammered slightly as the thieves began to cheer in approval, some shouting that if the “most gifted thief in twenty years,” was helping, that they couldn’t possibly fail.

“My friends!” the guildmaster raised his own hands, and after a few moments, the group quieted down.  “What Mistress Wa-Feng speaks of is highly dangerous,” the hengeyokai said quietly, somberly, before grinning like a myrrcat.  “It is also highly profitable!  I say we begin to contact other dissidents, and start to plan!”

“My sentiments exactly,” Felonca smiled as the thieves laughed and cheered in assent.  “I already have a friend speaking to representatives of the City Watch.  With them on our side, things shouldn’t be too difficult... even if the governor has a pet army from the north!”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Yeah, if you can’t tell, the fricking _Thieves Guild_ rolled horrible on their Sense Motives when Felonca started to spin her little tale.  Felonca’s player had fun spinning up that little explanation of how ten golden swords were seized and smuggled out of the palace.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Two maps I finished relating to this section of the story hour.  The first is a loose map of the city of Xianfung, where the party is currently plotting their assassination of the governor of Dai...

Map of Xianfung 

The city is over 800 years old, purposefully constructed in ancient times to serve as the northern capital of the Empire of Ak Konylu.  As such, it was built with a purposefully rectangular shape, with all roads leading to the seat of power and harmony, the palace.  Once of the home of Emperors, the palace of Xianfung now houses the governor of Dai since the Imperial family has long since left Xianfung in favor of the current capital, Liaoxiang.  With over 230,000 inhabitants, Xianfung remains the crown jewel of the north, sitting astride the important roads that connect the current capital with the far northwestern provinces.



The second is a map of the Governor's Palace Complex:

Map of the Governor's Palace Complex 


I'm working on the next update... sadly it won't be posted until next week at the earliest (papers, presentations, Illini basketball, next gaming session).  As a teaser though, I will relay the title of the section:

*Of Harems and Ambushes*


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

> Yeah, if you can’t tell, the fricking Thieves Guild rolled horrible on their Sense Motives when Felonca started to spin her little tale. Felonca’s player had fun spinning up that little explanation of how ten golden swords were seized and smuggled out of the palace.




And being such a nice DM, I'm sure you won't make this come back to bite her ...


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## Emperor Valerian

HalfOrc HalfBiscuit said:
			
		

> And being such a nice DM, I'm sure you won't make this come back to bite her ...




Oh... calling things as they are isn't always nice for the players... as they can attest to from the recent...um... party "debilitations..."


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Presentation et al done!  Next update will be posted tomorrow night.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Ambushes and Harem Girls*

“You told them _what?_” Even as Nayu’s face was aghast, Felonca smirked.  Around them the street traffic of Xianfung flowed about, still thick with people despite the early afternoon heat.  “And they believed that pile of-“  He stopped, and looked down at his own hand.  The new ring on his finger gleamed, and the sorcerer winced.  “Even if I had this ring that supposedly helps me persuade people, I don’t think I could-“

“Yes... they believed _every word!_” Felonca laughed, before holding out her hand.  “Now, can I have my warfans back?  I told you what happened with me, and now its your turn to show what lovely things you’ve managed to get people to improve my weapons with!”

Nayu gave her a look of mock distrust, before reaching into his pack and pulling out her two warfans, their steel points polished and shining in the light.  Felonca’s eyes went wide with delight on seeing the patterns between the blades renwed, and the pulse of magic coming in waves from their forms.

“Now... the scholar who fixed these things up said they should be able to cut better,” Nayu instructed, even though Felonca appeared to not be listening at all, “and that the steel should last longer now.”  When his friend didn’t respond, instead staring wide-eyed at their new forms, Nayu sighed.

“I hope you paid more attention when your ‘friends’ tried to talk of their role?”

“Yeah,” Felonca said absently, giving one of the fans a slight wave, feeling its new balance.  “They will let us know when they’re ready.  Until then, we should just find Ling and watch over him.”  A quick look around to make sure no one was in the way, and she gave a few quick slashes with the left fan before breaking into a huge smile.  Perfect balance.

“Fine,” he huffed slightly at her disinterest.  “Let’s just get Ling, and get ourselves ready for this little incident that’s about to take place.”



“Well, this should be it,” Nayu said aloud an hour later.  Before him and Felonca stood a rather large home, two stories tall and surrounded by a low brick wall.  From one corner arose a three story pagoda tower, prayer beads hanging from its rafters and incense wafting from its airy halls... 

_These people clearly follow the old spirits... the spirits of ancestral worship,_ Nayu thought, as Felonca rapped upon the wooden gate that led inside the home.  With a creak, the wooden gate opened, and the gray streaked head of a woman poked out.  Her eyes glared suspiciously between the two.

“Who are you?” she asked sharply, her eyes plainly wavering between holding the door open slightly or slamming it completely shut.

“I am Wa-Feng Felonca, and this is my friend Wakabayashi Nayu.  We are friends of Master Ling.  I presume he is in?” Felonca said as politely as possible, only to the have other woman’s face scrunch with more suspicion.  Her eyes narrowed and suddenly, the door slammed shut.

“Well, that was rather rude,” Felonca huffed.  Nayu put a hand on her shoulder.

“She is likely suspicious,” he said quietly.  “I know I would be if I was visiting someone like our friend,” he added, purposefully not mentioning Ling’s name out on the street.  Just as he finished speaking, the two could hear over the walls the woman’s voice calling.

“Do any of you know a Felonca?  Black hengeyokai?  Travels with a tall, young man named Nayu?” they could just hear over the noise of the streets.  A few minutes later, the gate opened, and the woman’s hands quickly urged them inside the walls.

“I am sorry,” the woman apologized after they were hustled inside and the gate closed, “I am Zhou Diao, daughter of Master Ling.  I did not know who you were, or what you wanted with my father... please forgive my caution.”

“No... I think it would be better to say thanks to you for being so cautious... only caution like that will keep our friend, your father, safe while in the city,” Felonca replied, giving the woman a bow of respect.  A few minutes later, and the two were ushered into a backroom of the house, where Ling, Yari Ai, and Meiji all sat about, calmly sipping tea... almost calmly, that is.

_Ouch,_ Felonca thought as she heard the slap that echoed across the room.  Whatever Meiji had said just before they arrived, it was obviously completely out of line.  Ling’s red face, Yari Ai’s furious face, and the red welt of a slap across the side of Meiji’s face all testified to that.

“Ah... Nayu, Felonca!” Ling looked up at the two with an obviously relieved look on his face.  “Please, come and sit down!  My daughter will fix you some tea, if you like!”

“That really won’t be-“ Felonca started, before Zhou Diao cut her off.

“Oh, it is the least I can do!  Considering I have not had the chance to see my father in eight years!” the woman patted Felonca’s shoulder, before heading off into the kitchen.  Left alone with the rest of the group, Nayu and Felonca set about explaining the days events... notably how Felonca had secured the help of the Thieves Guild not only as a participant, but also as the organizing body behind the upcoming revolt... and that soon they would all have to travel to the Guild headquarters to plan.

No sooner than this subtlety been explained than they heard another person knocking at the front gate.  Both Felonca and Nayu suppressed a smile when they heard Ling’s daughter questioningly ask if anyone was expecting a young man at the gate.  When Felonca followed her out to take a look, she saw the young man start to quake slightly at seeing her.

“He’s legit,” the hengeyokai pronounced.  It was easy to spot when a person was quaking in the presence of someone they regarded as a living legend.



The trip towards the Thieves Guild was another hour of meandering through the crowded streets, along a path that took them near to the direct center of the metropolis... the governor’s palace itself.

Felonca’s eyes went wide as the group passed the wide, clear plaza that surrounded the compound.  Before their eyes, stretching for hundreds of yards in either direction, was a fifteen foot tall wall of mudbrick, a massive gatehouse, the pennants and bnaners of the Ho family flapping from its turrets, guarding the entrance.  Briefly through the gate they saw a drawbridge over an interior moat, and over the squat, ugly outer walls they could see a set of inner walls, intricately made and colored dark red from the sandstone of the north.  Above this loomed the pagodas, towers and hulking edifices of the governor’s palace itself, banners streaming in the wind.

More alarming to the rogue’s eye than this impressive structure were the hundreds of guards she saw along the walls, on the towers, even arrayed in the square in front of the palace.  While standard guards were clad in simple metal armor and helms that still revealed their faces, these men were clad from head to toe in white robes, their heads covered by the same bandages that weeks before Nayu had identified as turbans.  All that was visible from their bodies was their eyes, dark, foreboding, and challenging anyone who glanced their way.  All also possessed curved shortbows made from horn, as well as long, curved scimitars.

_How in the world are we going to get in there?_ Felonca asked herself as they slowly made their way around the structure.  By her guess, the inner walls had to be at least twenty-five feet high, and she had no idea how wide or deep the inner moat might have been.  _Then there’s the matter of finding the governor in that maze of palace buildings, and getting out agai-_

A tap on her shoulder broke her concentration.  Now rather cross, Felonca turned to see Meiji looking at her, also wide eyed.

“Stop gawking, Meiji,” she growled crossly, before he said something entirely unexpected.

“We’re being watched!” he hissed, a very subtle twitch of his head motioning back towards the entrance of the great plaza.  Instantly wary, Felonca’s gaze flipped back towards the spot.

“What did he look like?” she asked, moving her gaze about in an effort to not look as if she was looking for anyone.  _No one seems to be acting suspicious... traders, mothers, children, guards..._

“Tall... lanky human, with graying hair.  Part of his nose was gone... like it’d been cut off with a sword.  And he had an eyepatch on his left eye,” Meiji said hurriedly, and Felonca frowned.

_There was no one that looked like that... at ALL... and besides, if one was being discreet about shadowing us, why wouldn’t they go to some of the monks of Shenyang to get their nose fixed, or buy a replacement eye, so they would not be so obvious looking anyway?_

Carefully, Felonca and Meiji both kept watch along the rest of the trip to the Thieves Guild.  For most of the way, they saw nothing of the ordinary.  However, when they drew within sight of the carpenter’s Felonca had visited that morning, she spotted a strange, cloaked figure slip from behind the front for the guild, to a building just across the street.  The tall, thin man turned, and leaned against the building, crossing his arms smugly.  Beneath his eyepatch and half of a nose, he gave Felonca the lewdest, nastiest smile possible with only seven teeth.

She and Meiji quickly ushered the others into the safety of the carpenter’s shop, then down the dark passageway that led towards the guild headquarters.  As the smell of wood and dirt mixed in Felonca’s nose, the hengeyokai was able to pick out other smells.. the smell of the guildmaster, the smell of oiled steel, like armor... and something else...

As she opened the door leading into the den of thieves, she realized what the smell was...



Nayu at first thought his eyes were tricking him; perhaps they were still adjusting from the dark, dank passage downward to the comparatively bright light of the candlelit room.  After the sorcerer blinked, and his eyes still saw the apparition before him, spells came to his mind as his hand quickly shot forward, intent on launching a blast of fire on the laughing man in front of them.

“Come come,” the man laughed, his voice surprisingly smooth despite the horrible visage his lack of teeth, eyepatch and missing nose created.  His smile seemed to draw the skin so tight across his face that his bones seemed to protrude between the vast wrinkles.  Their shadow raised his open hands, in a gesture meant to convey no threat as his half-heartedly made turban hung partially unwrapped from his head.  “Is that any way to treat your shadow?”

“Who are you?  Why are you following us?” Nayu heard Felonca ask.  He didn’t need to look at her to know her hands were near her warfans, or that Yari Ai’s fingers were dangerously close to unleashing her blade.

“Why,” the man chuckled, “you should know that Selim the Magnificent never lets his charges fall astray,” the big, wrinkled hands went from being open to steepling in front of his chest.  His voice dropped as he added, “Especially when they propose to take down the governor that’s hurt my business.”

_Selim the Magnificent?  Are we dealing with an ego maniac here?  Or a double agent?_  Nayu did not lower his hand, instead slowly channeling his power to where it rested softly just inside the tips of his fingers, ready to blast forth if the man twitched the wrong way.

“How can we trust you?  How do we know you don’t mean us harm, or even work _for_ the governor?” Nayu asked guardedly.

Once again, the apparition in front of them gave a laugh, this one almost braying as he leaned his head back and cackled.  Finally, Selim’s head came back down, and seemingly stared each and every one of them in the eye simultaneously.  “You may have a right to not trust me... after all, I am the best thief within the Thieves Guild.  Or,” he chuckled, “I should say I _was_ the best the guild had, considering I now freelance.”

Before anyone could question what he’d said, the same craggy hand rose, as the thief continued, his voice dropping now to a deadly whisper.  “Some fifteen years ago, my sister was stolen from me, after I refused a deal from the governor.  She was made into his harem slave, and killed within those walls, and unceremoniously dumped with the rest of the refuse into the moat inside that palace!”  The hissed fury subsided, as the man leaned back, adding laconically, “Since then, I’ve been looking for a way to string that bastard high.”

“Ah!” another voice came from the darkened opposite side of the chambers, and shortly a rat hengeyokai came forward, followed by others clad mostly in dirty rags or worn versions of more finer clothing.  Nayu noticed Felonca relax substantially, and surmised these must be the other thieves.

“I see you have met Selim!” the rat hengeyokai said hurriedly, extremely deferential towards Felonca.  “He is the finest thief we have, Mistress Wa-Feng!”  It was only then that the guildmaster seemed to recognize that others were present, and he quickly turned towards Nayu and bowed, as well as Master Ling.

“It is a honor to have you in our den for such a noble enterprise... honor in a den of thieves!” he laughed slightly too hard at his own joke.

“Have the others arrived?” Ling’s aged voice asked quietly.  In seeming response, clanking came from the shadows, and soon three men clad in armor emerged.  One was clad in silver armor, golden plumes coming from his helm, and when his eyes met those of Ling, they seemed to light up as a son seeing his father after a long absence.  The two others were clad in bronzed armor, one with the white plumes of a captain, the other with the blood red plumes of a general.

“Greetings, City Captain Xian,” Ling said softly, bowing before the other man could catch him.

“Please, father of my bride, do not stoop yourself so,” the Captain of the City Watch said softly.  

“And you two are?” Nayu asked.  _The Captain of the City Watch I can understand.  Since he controls the people that would be looking normally for trouble, it is understandable that we might need his help, however ironic it would be that a City Watch is working with its opposite...

But these two other people?_

“I am General Qianlong, Commander of the Provincial Armies of Dai,” the red plumed officer bowed, before gesturing to the white plumed officer.  “This is my assistant, Captain Wu.”

“And your captain needs to be here because?” Nayu replied rather testily.  _After this mess with Selim following us, I don’t want ANYONE here that is not necessary to the planning!  And I don’t like the idea of a minor captain knowing everything about these high level plots!_

“Captain Wu is the chief of logistics for my forces, sir,” the general explained rather coldly.  “If our course of action should require moving large numbers of troops, we should need his guidance.”  Rater haughtily, the general then turned his back to Nayu and faced Ling.

“Master Ling, I am sad to report that the armies cannot be called to assist in this operation.  It appears an army from Langya has invaded the province, and it must be driven away lest your stay on the provincial throne remain shorter than we all wish!”

“I know that army!” Felonca announced loudly, and Nayu felt the urge to grab his head.  _You’ve built up this trust, and now you blurt out that you know their enemy!  In a place where you are trapped!  If they don’t capture us for being enemies..._

“You... do?” the general asked guardedly, and Nayu groaned again as Felonca nodded eagerly.

“Yes!  It’s commanded by my old master, General Quan-Shi!  He hates Prince Hu of Langya as much as anyone, including us, so it shouldn’t be hard to convince him to abandon the prince in favor of Ling!”  She fairly bounced when she spoke, and Nayu realized her little coup when he looked about the room, and everyone’s eye was upon her, wide in surprise, and in some ways... awe...

“Um...” Nayu prompted after a few moments, and quickly the officers, governor-to-be, and thieves caught themselves.

“Ah, um... yes.  That is comforting.  Onwards, I say!” the guildmaster said, once again laughing too hard at an unfunny joke.  “A..um... yes.  So, the proposal before all of us was given by the illustrious, munificent Mistress Wa-Feng,” he motioned towards Felonca, “namely, to overthrow the governor of Dai, and replace him with our good friend, Master Ling.  Speaking for the thieves of Xianfung, I can say that we would be most pleased if your wise leadership came back, Master Ling,” the guildmaster said.

“On behalf of the army,” the general cleared his throat, “I can say that we are tired of the governor supplanting our forces with his mercenaries from the north, who threaten our soldiers, and soon will overrun the city itself!  It is a danger that we must excise, for the safety of the people!”

“And I can add,” the young captain added, “that the scholars would likely have no problem if the governor was...um... removed,” the young man smiled at his use of words, “as the governor’s advisor has evidently rubbed many of the scholars I have talked too the wrong way... what with all his quirks and his angry and vengeful disposition.”

“Angry and vengeful disposition?”  Nayu asked.  _If he’s riled up the scholars, that’s not anything unusual... but a man with scholarly ties being angry and vengeful?_

“Yi Mang?” the staff officer asked, before his brow furrowed.  The name itself plainly made him angry.  “The man is an utter brute, who knows nothing of subtlety or tact!  He is likely the deadliest swordsman in the entire province, and one of the most powerful spellcasters as well!”

“Wait... wait wait...” Nayu raised his hand.  _What?  A scholar that is skilled in swordplay?  What is he?

Wait... they said he dabbled in green metals or something..._

“He is a spellcaster, and a gifted swordsman?” Nayu gulped slightly.  

“Oh yes!” the general interrupted his staff captain.  “I personally think its because of all the green metal he supposedly eats... considering his skin is tough and green now.  It wasn’t always that way...”

“They say he never sleeps,” the Captain of the Watch added quickly.  “Instead, he always patrols during the night, harassing my watchmen, him and his band of turbaned mercenaries threatening them, cajoling them!  My men are scared of him...  some even say he’s not human...”

“Considering the City Watch is full of pansies, I doubt you could get such a group of wilted flowers to move until Yi Mang is gone,” Selim spat, glaring directly at the watch captain.  For a second, the watch captain looked defiant, before suddenly he looked towards the ground.

“My men would balk.  I know this.  Yi Mang must be dealt with before they could move.”

_Great... so we have to take down ‘happy man’ or whatever is wrong with this Yi Mang, before we storm the governor’s palace.  Killing Mang would undoubtedly warn the governor, and it would be a bloodbath to storm the palace then..._  Nayu pondered the problem for a moment, before speaking up.

“Does Yi Mang keep a schedule during his night inspections?” _If we can find him at a specific location, and get someone inside the palace, maybe we could coordinate our strikes... since it sounds as if Yi is a significant part of the power structure here..._

“Usually, he arrives at my post, the South Gate, around midnight,” the Captain of the Watch said finally. 

“There!” Nayu said excitedly, a plan forming in his mind, “then all we need to do, is launch two prongs.  One force will take out Yi Mang at the South Gate.  Another will have gotten into the palace previously, and can take out the governor simultaneously!  Then, the mercenaries would be leaderless, and it would be far easier to use the City Watch or the army to root them out!”



Felonca looked at her friend and nodded along with the others in enthusiasm.  The plan made perfect sense... a dual strike to cut off both heads of the snake.  But as eager agreements went around the table, her mind found a problem, a question it needed an answer to.

_How do we get someone into the palace?_

Carefully her mind sifted over what she knew of the palace, and what she’d seen while walking by.  Its walls were clearly too high to scale quietly on the outside without notice... and she needed to know what size the moat was if she was going to sneak in.  Then, she remembered the one consistent thing that people lambasted the governor for doting over, instead of running the province...

_His harem..._

“What kinds of girls end up in the governor’s harem?” Felonca asked, and the rogue instantly felt all eyes fall upon her.

“They’re mostly slaves... given over the years by minor figures, other governors as gifts to Governor Ho,” Selim said, before looking towards the ground rather shamefully.  “I know... I used to sell slaves to him, until my sister was taken.”

“So... I think that’s his weak point,” Felonca said firmly.  “If we can get someone inside the harem either the day before or early the day we strike...”  Her voice drifted to silence as she realized everyone’s eyes were staring at her.  She looked towards Selim, and saw the old thief had crossed his arms, a toothless grin on his lips.

“The guildmaster says you are a vaunted thief.  I’m guessing you have the best ability of _any_ of us to slip inside as a harem girl, and strike down the governor at his most vulnerable!”

_Dammit!_ Felonca mentally swore, as she looked around and saw everyone nodding in agreement, even Nayu.  _I’ve built up this reputation with the thieves, and they ask me to do THIS?

Dammit.

Can’t say no... I’ll lose face, and this heroic image I’ve built up!

Dammit.

Well_, she gave a slight sigh, _Considering they think I dressed as a harem girl, and slipped into the Langya palace, this shouldn’t be hard...

...should it?_

“Of course,” she made herself smirk.  _Play as if the task is almost beneath you._  “I’ll just need the assistance of two people to come with.  They must be quiet and skillful, to provide backup or distractions.”

“Your friend there, with some work, could be a passable woman,” Selim pointed towards Meiji.  The bard was too distraught and in shock to speak, as Selim continued, “and I believe the guild has a few females that are gifted in unarmed combat that could help... Yes... that could work...”

Even as Felonca mentally rolled her eyes at the now stuttering and protesting Meiji, the thought of playing a harem girl for a night, she forced herself to give a confident grin.

“Excellent!” she laughed, even as she wanted to scowl.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

So... Felonca’s bragging’s come back to bite her... 

Heh heh heh..


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

> So... Felonca’s bragging’s come back to bite her...
> 
> Heh heh heh..




I knew you wouldn't let us down    ... although it came round rather more quickly than I expected.


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

*Update*

UPDATE NOW!!!


PS: Nice one!


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## Bryon_Soulweaver

Sorry for double post, but I like the way you make things appear, their backstories unknown to them makes it one of my favorite stories. Even if its a short one and an internet one.

PS: Dont think of it as bad please...:\


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Into the Lion’s Den... or Harem...*

_I cannot believe it is physically possible to wear this._

Felonca looked down at the clothes that now only occassionally covered her body, and grimaced.  She had expected having to wear something skimpy, but she hadn’t expected something that was utterly ridiculous.  

_Frills... for the love of my Aunt Lu... Frills!_  She twisted herself awkwardly from side to side in the dim light of the thieves guild headquarters, and the frills flew about.  Red silk she could stand, but frills... Golden, sparkly, and annoying.  She frowned again and gave a sigh of resignation, before gathering up her warfans, their deadly forms now giving off scents of roses and cinnamon.  Another grimace.

_I suppose those smells will lure them into letting me carrying my fans with me,_ she thought, practicing an innocent blinking of her eyes, before the scowl returned again.

_At least I’m not Meiji._  Her mind immediately went even more sour, thinking about the plans from the meeting the night before.  It had been agreed that as the most powerful spellcaster present, Nayu would go lead the ambush against Yi Mang.  Yari Ai had balked at going into a harem (as Felonca wished she could), so she went with Nayu.  Selim, after ‘selling’ Felonca, Meiji and the third rogue to the palace, would then go join the ambush.  The arrangement made so much sense... but that didn’t mean that Felonca was pleased with it.

Sure, Meiji seemed rather useless in formal combat.   But Meiji’s being sent into a harem posed other... issues.

_He’s a skirt-chaser!  And now we’re putting him in a place where there ARE NO SKIRTS EVEN!?_  She hissed to herself at the thought.  Meiji himself could want to behave –she would make sure of that, and threats of skinning would make him think twice before jumping a harem girl- she just wasn’t sure his _body_ would... and anything “turning up” would be a deadly giveaway...

Once again, she wondered how exactly Selim was going to pull off this “transformation.”  As if her ancestors had heard her problem, she heard two pairs of feet entering the room.  One had a confident, striding gait.  The other sounded as if someone was stumbling about on their tiptoes.  

_Great... so here he is..._  She turned slowly, expecting something horrible.

And then she burst out laughing.

“Stop it!” Meiji half hissed, his voice higher than normal.  His dress was obviously not as revealing, but somehow the snickering Selim next to him had jury rigged breasts the size of watermelons on the poor panther.  The makeup placed on the young man’s face was almost clownish, and his enormous fake bosom was creating balance issues.  In short, he looked like the ugliest excuse for a female Felonca had ever seen.  As Meiji tried to walk forward, he half stumbled... it seemed as if his legs were constrained.

“It hurts,” he complained.

“That’s to keep you from ‘raising the alarm,’” Selim continued to snicker.  The rogue then told Felonca, “I took some rather tight wraps that some of our female rogues use for pretending to be men, and wrapped up his hips.”  Another smirk towards the hapless Meiji.  “It makes him look more dainty!”

“W..who would want to buy _that_?” Felonca  pointed, trying hard not to laugh.  It was a losing battle.

“I’m gonna tell them you all are a batched triplet,” Selim then jutted a thumb towards Meiji.  “I need to get him, I mean her, I mean it, off of my hands,” Selim grinned as Meiji tried to walk towards him, and was forced by the constraints into a tiptoe.

“I resent that!” his voice half hissed.

“So, what is Meiji armed with in your arrangement, besides a pair of enormous...”

“Well,” Selim cut her off, “they won’t fool anyone that actually tries to touch them or anything, but at a glance they look real.”  He then pointed to the canyon between the unholy appendages.  “And the cleavage was big enough that we could hide a dagger there.”

As Felonca burst out laughing again, and Meiji scowled even more, Selim motioned for them to follow him.

“Mai Lin is already outside.  We should move.”



It was some time later that Felonca watched the markets fall away as Selim’s cart entered the central plaza of the city.  Beside her sat the still uncomfortable Meiji, who was hosting only a partial grimace.  On the far side of the cart sat a young, rather ordinary looking woman, clad much as Felonca was.  Her exposed body was thin, but wiry, as a coiled spring.  For now, Mai Lin’s eyes were blank, as she too stared off into the markets.

_She’s hardly spoken, even after Selim said who I was,_ Felonca thought as a shadow fell over the cart.  They were nearing the outer wall.  _I wonder what’s on her mind?_ 

The rogue turned and looked up, and she managed to not grimace too badly when she noted the outside wall was easily 15 feet high, and the same thick at its base.  The canter of horses echoed off the gatehouse cobblestones until Selim reined up the horses pulling the cart.

_Here goes..._ Felonca thought, purposefully looking down in the cart, her brash personality put aside, hidden, in favor of meekness.  Despite her looks, her ears carefully tracked the conversation going on in front of them...

“Selim!  It is good to see you back in business again!” a voice asked, likely belonging to one of the guards.  “In the five years since you last came, the quality of girls has dropped off!  I am sure the governor will be pleased to hear you’re returning to work.”

“He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” she heard Selim reply quietly.

“Either way, let’s see what we’ve got.”  Footsteps coming around the cart.  “You!  Look up!”

Instinctively Felonca knew the call was directed at her, and slowly she looked up.  _Meek!  Meek!_ she shouted to herself, praying her eyes didn’t betray her anger at being called so rudely.  The guard was hard to see... he wore white robes, and a white turban and scarf that covered everything save his eyes.  They beamed at her, eyeing her as more a piece of meat than as a person.  After a second, he turned, and she heard the clank of armor under the robes.

“What in blazes!?” his eyes went wide as he looked at Meiji.  He spun back towards Selim, beyond Felonca’s sight.  “Selim!  Your quality is going down!  The two girls in silks are quite catching, but this...” he waved an arm disgustedly, “is... like a bloated crocodile with makeup!”

Before Meiji could complain, Felonca shot him a quick, deadly stare.  He said nothing.

“Its hard restarting again from scratch,” she heard Selim say, “and I need to unload this’n.  These three come as a package... take ‘em or leave ‘em.  I’m sure the fat broad can be used as a stablegirl or something.”

The guard captain snorted.  “If she doesn’t eat the horses first!  Bah!” Now, a smile.  “The governor’s been growing weary of the current harem girls... he had a few of them executed for entertainment only two months ago.  I’m sure he’d appreciate two new toys...”  Now a glare at Meiji.  “Even if they are accompanied by a beached whale.”

“Payment in the usual place?”

“Yes.  Good to see you again, Selim.”

The cart once again was on its way, clattering over the cobblestones under the gate, and then over a wide stone bridge.  Free from being close to the guards, Felonca looked about, and noticed two alarming facts.

Firstly, the inner wall looked to be at least 25 feet high, with a steep slope.  Its red stone walls were unfortunately in excellent repair... which meant there would be perilously few handholds.  Secondly, she looked out at the inner moat she’d expected to find.

Lily pads covered its surface, even as the stink of standing water filled the air.  However, she noticed that underneath the lilies and algae, a dark shape moved... quickly, almost imperceptibly.  For all she knew, it was just a large koi... or, it could be something more menacing.

“Selim?  Do you know if the governor has anything...um... predatory in the moat?” she whispered as they neared the middle of the bridge.

“My father told me when I was a child that there were crocodiles here.”  The old rogue then barked a short laugh.  “But that was when I was a little thing, and he told me they threw misbehaving boys in here!”

Felonca didn’t share his humor.  _I know I saw a shape!_  She had no intentions of finding out whether Selim’s father had told an old fairy-tale, or if she’d be on a menu the minute she was in this water.  She then looked to the opposite side of the cart.

Off in the distance, in the southeast corner of the complex, were a series of small islands in the midst of the moat.  Even from a great distance, she could see the beautiful trees, plants, and fowl that dotted the three tiny parcels of land.  More importantly, she saw a series of small, brightly painted bridges leading from the inner wall to the outermost of the islands, which looked to be only ten feet from the shore that held the outer wall...

_I think I found our escape route..._



When they had crossed the bridge, guards lifted Felonca, Meiji and Yari Ai off of the cart, and tossed Selim a bag of gold for his trouble.  When his cart rattled back across the bridge, Felonca realized just how deep into this she was... and she shuddered.

The guards led them through an annex of the audience hall, and into the inner courtyard of the palace complex.  Directly in the center was a lake, and in its midst, a two story building, elegantly designed and constructed, from which the smells of incense, myrrh, and spices wafted through the air.

Felonca gulped as she saw there was only one bridge into the building.

_Dammit!  Alright... where is the governor in relation to the harem building?  Think, think..._

Her mined winced, and she decided there was only one way to get the information.  Putting on her best act, she let out a shy giggle, and blinked at one of the accompanying guards.

“Hee hee hee,” she twittered lightly, “I wonder where my new lord and master resides?” she half whispered, her head down by her eyes coyly looking directly at one of the guards.

To her relief, the guard’s face turned a slight tinge of red, and he motioned quickly to the large, low building behind the harem as the governor’s palace.  

_Ah... so just across the bridge then... hmm..._  Even as her mind planned, Felonca made herself giggle again.

"Hee hee hee... I hope to spend a great deal of my stay there!" she giggled, and both the escorting guards started to laugh.

"My... Selim brought in a feisty one!  I might sneak in and try to get some!" the blushing guard whispered to his companion.

Felonca resisted the urge to reach up and check her hairpins, and the darts held within covered with scorpion venom.

_Oh... you don't have a clue how feisty I am!_


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

And did I just see a Mel Brooks' _history of the world_ reference in there?


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Certainly looks like Felonca's going to have fun   .

Excuse my ignorance here, but is Felonca recognisable as hengeyokai when in human form? I seem to recall a reference to vertically slitted eyes, but are there any other clues?


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Yes, I guess there was a Mel Brooks reference, even if it wasn't intentional! 

Well, according to the Oriental Adventures, hengeyokai keep some traits of their particular breed (for lack of a better term) while in human form.  Fine whiskers, a certain skin coloring, etc.  Since regular cat hengeyokai had whiskers taken, I just assumed Felonca's would be her eyes and naturally dark skin... so yes, they'd know she was a hengeyokai, but considering hengeyokai are not all that uncommon, it wouldn't be viewed as anything suspicious.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

* Felonca Gets Used to Life on Pillows, and Nayu Faces a Green Man*

Felonca and her companions found themselves taken into the beautiful pavilion in the midst of the lake, and rising up several sets of elegantly carved stairs.  Within the cold halls of the harem, she found marble floors, silk draperies, and jade statues of various animals.  After the first set of guards took them to a rather small room that held four bunks (their new “quarters”), a pair of red turbaned guards arrived, escorting them to the common room of the harem...

“Why does every harem have a room with a ridiculous amount of pillows?” Meiji whispered quietly after the guards led them to the threshold, before commanding them to stay put.  It was apparent he was trying his hardest to _not_ pay attention to the hordes of females about, all in various states of dress, or more often, undress.

For a second Felonca didn’t hear his comment, she was so busy looking about herself.  The room was large, perhaps a hundred feet long by thirty or forty across.  Twenty foot colonnades, their bases and caps covered in gold, their shafts bright red, held aloft the frescoed ceiling.  On the floor itself were numerous mosaics of... people in interesting positions.  

Finally, when Meiji’s comment sank in, Felonca raised an eyebrow at him.  “Meiji?  How in the world would you know this?”  _Please... do not tell me someone here will recognize you from an ‘escapade’..._

“Well... a few years ago, I did _not_ get into the Governor of Liao’s palace, and I did _not_ get two of his concubines...”  Mercifully, Meiji’s story suddenly stopped as the two guards returned, followed by a woman.  She looked quite a bit older than the other women present... fine crow’s feet around her eyes spoke of one who was at least thirty-five, perhaps forty years old.  Her figure still looked desirable... Felonca could tell by Meiji’s semi-vacant stare.

“Madame Yu, these are the three additions.  They are now in your care,” one of the guardsmen said, gesturing to the party.  The woman gave an almost regal nod, and to Felonca’s surprise, the guards bowed, then returned to their posts... on either side of the exits to the common room.

The woman eyed the three figures before her with an air of inspection.  First, she looked at Mai Lin, closing intently, looking about the girl’s face for blemishes, and wrinkling her nose when she found a mole.  Next, her face contorted in disgust at seeing Meiji.  Finally, her gaze fell on Felonca, and after a few seconds inspection, she gave a slight smile, and whispered under her breath, “the governor will certainly have fun with a hengeyokai.”

Felonca immediately tensed up.  _That does NOT sound pleasant..._  Focusing all of her energy, the rogue made herself blink several times, and give a pleasant, if slightly eager looking smile.  _Keep the role going..._

“As you are aware,” the older woman spoke aloud, her tone and form pleasant and soothing, but with an undoubted undercurrent of command, “I am Madame Yu, the chief concubine to Governor Ho.”  Her long silk gown swished as she turned around, looking towards Mai Lin.  “I understand that arriving here, far from your homes, is sometimes a shocking, even frightening event...  but the life in this harem is not that bad...”  Swish towards Meiji, then a frown.  “...even if one looks... less desirable than hoped.”

“It is possible to live here quite a long time, and even gain a measure of influence over the governor,” she smiled slightly, before her face suddenly went to stone, and her gaze switched finally to Felonca, “_if_ you know your place!”  The implied threat vanished from her face, as a smile of mystery too its place.  “As well as keep the governor pleased in all his... admittedly strange ways.”

Felonca gulped, before her roguish instincts forced her assumed persona back to the fore.  In a slightly too happy tone, she managed to blurt out, “Oh, I don’t think the governor would be _that_ strange!”  Madame Yu’s eyes narrowed at her perky comment.

“Things here are not what _you_ are expecting,” Yu said rather icily.  “The governor is an elderly man.  He cannot... perform... as he did when I was younger.  Instead, he is more interested in you – in all of us - as a symbol of his power, a token of his authority.”  The smile returned, this one the smile of superiority, as if she was a scholar revealing to a slow child some small tidbit of how the world worked.  “After all, only the powerful can afford to have themselves waited on and constantly surrounded by beautiful woman, no?  And the more powerful he is, the more women he can surround himself with?”

“So... we are to be... _servants_ then?” Mai Lin asked... the first words Felonca had heard the young woman say, period.

“Think of it as ‘show servants.’  For you, occasionally he will ask you to entertain his guests.”  Another sharp stare at Felonca.  “I alone entertain him, so you can drop your ‘cute’ act, kitty.”

Felonca found herself giving a sigh of relief, despite the Madame having seen through her acting job.  It wasn’t until Yu had left that the full implications of what she said went through the rogue’s head, and she hissed a mild curse.

“What troubles you?” Mai Lin asked as the group found an unoccupied pile of piles and sat, Meiji somewhat uncomfortably.

“If we’re ‘show servants’ who will spend most of the time lounging around the governor during audiences, but not with him in private... how in the world are we supposed to...” she let her voice drift off.

“Well, she said His Eminence likes to use his harem as fancy schmancy servants,” Meiji replied, his voice half-cracking has he spoke.  He was obviously _very_ constrained.  “Maybe we’ll have to draw him a bath, or take him his slippers before bed.”

“He speaks the truth,” Mai Lin whispered quietly.  “As for now, I think we should try to sit by ourselves, and avoid needless conversation, between ourselves or with the others.  We do not want to give ourselves away, when we are this close.”



The tactic of aloofness and silence only worked for ten minutes or so, before one of the other harem girls sauntered over to their location under the guise of bringing a plate of grapes.  When the young girl began blabbering away, at first the only thing Felonca took note of was that she was blonde... undoubtedly a foreigner.

“Would you like some grapes?  Chen brought them in this morning, fresh from the markets!” she eagerly offered.  Her voice was high pitched, and rather annoying.  To her chagrin, Felonca saw Meiji was having a hard time not staring... the woman was clad in much the same manner as Felonca and Mai Lin, and her lighter than normal skin made her very exotic looking.

“Not really,” Felonca spoke for the others, before delivering a look that would have told most people to move on and mind their own business.  Apparently, this girl lacked the intelligence to understand.

“Oh... cheer up!  You’re new here, and that old witch told you that you’ll be playing servant for the rest of your days!”  The blonde plopped herself down next to Felonca, and the rogue saw Mai Lin take over ‘death look’ duties towards Meiji as Felonca was reluctantly forced into conversation.

“Why should I be cheery?” the rogue asked.

“Well,” the girl’s voice dropped into a conspiratory tone, “for starters, two of the guards here _aren’t_ eunuchs!”  She let off a slight giggle, and added, “it looks as if you’ve caught Chen’s attention!”  She flashed a look towards the door, and one of the two guards that escorted Felonca in smiled back.

“And why should I celebrate that?  Won’t a guard sleeping with people in the harem cause a death sentence of some kind?”  _It’s rather logical that the governor would not like his toys played with..._

“Oh... he has access to some alchemals, so there’s no pregnancy,” the girl laughed, “and he’s in a good position to buy trinkets and stuff from the outside and smuggle notes out, considering that his other duty is as a one of the chief personal guards to the governor!”

Felonca was suddenly all ears.  _Chief personal guard... hmm...

I think we have our inroads now..._

“Oh... he is?” she let her tone flip towards the happy, excited tone she’d tried with Madame Yu, and as she expected, the blonde girl didn’t question the switch... indeed, she laughed.

“Good!  I thought that might cheer you up!  Last week, he smuggled a letter from home for me!” The girl winked towards the guard in question, a move that got another smile from him.  “Besides, he’s much better than the governor in bed anyways!”

“Really?”  Felonca was actually interested, just in a different thing that guard could do.  “Do you think I could go...um...talk to him?”  _Play nervous... pull her into the web a little more..._

She stifled a giggle.  “Of course!  Everyone assumes he’s a eunuch!  He’s rather nice to us, like the other guards...” her tone quieted for a bit, “except when the governor orders them to do mean things.  But that happens only rarely!” Her tone perked back up, “And he regrets having to do such to us.  Besides, if your parents are like mine, they’d probably want to know where you ended up!”

_You have no idea about my parents!_  Their mere mentioning made Felonca tense up, as part of her mind imagined what her father would say if he knew where she was at the moment.  _He’d probably call me a harlot... and curse me even more..._  The moroseness lasted only a second, before the girl’s blinking eyes and vacant stare prompted Felonca to respond.

“Yes... they’d probably wonder.  Besides, I have a special request for him.”  Despite the sourness in her mind at such a comment, Felonca made herself wink, and the girl giggled.

“Like what?  You want a special posting on your first day in the harem?” 

“Um... yes...”  _Special posting?  What does she mean... god, if this is another euphemism..._

The girl gave a teehee giggle.  “Then you want to talk to Chen too... when the governor calls for just any of the girls to come do something, Chen picks who goes.  So if you want to get yourself on the governor’s good side right away...”



“Bah,” Nayu looked out of the small murderhole in the South Gate and resumed his pacing.  _Battle is fine... it is the waiting that is killing me!_  Annoyed, the wizard looked to his left inside the first floor of the pagoda atop the immense gate, and Yari Ai gave him a slight grin.

“You’re annoyed too?” she said softly, her own hands nervously sharpening the blade of her shikomi-zue.  From her neck hung a small totem she’d found in the city, a piece of jade shaped like a human face.  Despite the fact he couldn’t tell what it did, Nayu could feel magic eminating off of it.

“No, I just pace for the fun of it,” he gave a wry grin.  _Selim isn’t back yet... did they run into trouble?  Or worse..._  “I’m just worried about Felonca, Selim... and ancestors deny it, Meiji...”

She reached over and patted his hand.  “They’re alright... I’m sure of it.  Otherwise, we’d be seeing an army of guards approaching the gate...”

When the Captain of the City Watch called out his warning, Nayu almost jumped out of his skull, until the guardsman ran into the room, and called that Selim was even then climbing the stairs towards the parapets.



“So... Jerika says that you want to ask for something special...”  Despite the red cloth covering all of his face except his eyes, Felonca could tell the man called Chen was leering, his mouth probably spread in a predatory grin.  His lascivious voice told it all, and Felonca thanked her stars that the two were in a obscured part of the chamber.  Otherwise, she was sure Meiji would see this, and she’d never live it down.

Instead of smacking him, like her instinct told her, Felonca instead looked at the ground shyly, and shifted her feet.  “Yes...” she said quietly.  “I need you to do something for me... and I’d...be willing to do something for you...”  She then looked up at him coyly.

“Well, my assistance comes with a price,” he whispered, “and I have to say I have a thing for hengeyokai...”  He gave a dark chuckle, and Felonca sighed.  

_The evils I endure..._ she mentally complained, before launching into her request.

“I...um...” she kept up her act by twisting her hair awkwardly, “want to meet the governor... but it’s only my first day...”

“Oho!  This is something new!” Chen laughed softly.  “I remember Jerika asked the same thing, and so did Li, and Akino, and...”  He stopped, and leered again.  “What will you do for me to give you this...”

“...and when I go see him,” Felonca plunged onwards, maintaining her coy look, “I don’t want guards listening.  I...have some rather unique skills.  And I tend to be rather loud.  I have no doubt His Eminence will be as well.”  She shot him a look that mixed coyness and defiance.  She could see the guard’s reaction by his eyes, bright and glinting as ideas of future events ran in his head.  

She memorized those eyes that were already doing things to her, even as she was still clothed.  _If I see you again, I’ll fix the governor’s mishap of not castrating you!_

“Hmm... well, I believe I will agree, _on the condition_ that I can also experience your ‘unusual skills’ as well.  Not tonight... I have guard duty at the gates, but tomorrow night, I am posted here again...”

Felonca forced herself to nod, not spit.

“Tonight then, you will attend the governor at his baths...” he looked up momentarily, then leaned so he could look into the rest of the room, before turning back, “...along with the plain one and the whale.  In comparison to them, your beauty should be accented, and I have no doubt, the governor will call for you again by name...”  The lascivious smile returned, and he leaned close to her.

“Then tomorrow night...”

Felonca nodded, keeping her left hand hidden behind her back.  If she hadn’t hid it from him, he would’ve seen her warfan shaking within its grasp, she was so eager to slash his smile from his face.



It was some six hours later, and Nayu still chafed, nervously running through spells and tactics, examining and reexamining the battle in his mind, long before it happened.

_This man has green skin... a feared spellcaster and swordsman... I can’t allow him to get into a position to use his magic... We’ve GOT to lay him low as quickly as possible!_ 

As the sorcerer found a likely spell in his repetoire, he heard Selim’s raspy voice calling from his hidden spot on the ramparts.  Yari Ai and Nayu dashed from within the gatehouse onto the ramparts as well, and Nayu’s heart fell.

On the street below, headed towards the gatehouse was an immense parade of power.  A mass of turbaned warriors, at least thirty of them, marched first, scimitars in hand.  Behind them came another twenty turbaned warriors with composite bows, and finally, in the far rear, a brilliantly gilded chariot, a scholar, and a driver underneath its bright parasol.  Between them stood a tall, lean man, clad in the red robes of an advisor.  His dark eyes flashed about keenly, as his emerald green hand rested on the hilt of an immense longsword.

Yi Man had arrived at the South Gate, six hours ahead of schedule...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Monster long update today... took three hours to type.  Enjoy!

*The Battle of Xianfung, Part One*

“Dammit... dammit dammit dammit!” Nayu cursed as a runner streaked ahead of Yi Mang’s chariot, doubtlessly to demand that the gates be opened for his eminence, the advisor to Governor Ho.  The streets were starting to clear, as the massive column drew closer and closer.

“The one day he’s not on time,” Nayu heard Selim hiss.  The sorcerer then turned, and saw Yari Ai’s eyes looking fearfully between the advancing mass of men, and the palace.

_Our plans are shot!  I doubt Felonca’s in position to get to the governor yet... damn damn damn!_  It would only be a matter of minutes until Yi was almost under the gate, close enough to likely notice the preparations Nayu, Selim, and the Gate Captain had put together; bales of hay to be dropped into the path of Yi’s oncoming column, the boiling tar and rocks ready to be dumped on the then blocked column.

_What now?_ Nayu asked himself.  _If Yi gets too close, our cover is blown.  If we stike now, the governor will likely have time to prepare the palace for a siege..._  For several moments Nayu stared into the street as the runner drew closer, thinking of his friend, the people of the entire province, even his parents.  

“What should we do, Master Wakabayashi?” Nayu heard the Captain of the City Watch, his voice trembling slightly as the dull _whump_ of many feet marching in unison became audible, as did the clatter of horses and the rumble of chariot wheels.  

_Well, what course do we have?_ Nayu thought silently, his mind already rifling through his magical options.  _We need an immediate, devastating attack that can take out as many of them as we can, and incapacitate HIM,_ the sorcerer realized.  After a few seconds, he settled on a spell he thought would do the job, then turned to the Captain of the City Watch and nodded.

“The luck of our ancestors be with us,” the Captain muttered, before silently scampering away to relay the orders.  Battle it would be.

_Watch over me, father,_ Nayu thought as he felt his magic building, rising to the surface.  _We have one chance at this... and if we succeed, we’ll then need to storm the palace._   As the frothing power finally reached the surface of his fingertips, he took a position just behind one of the parapets, and gave one last thought to his friend.

_Hold tight, Felonca...  we’ll get you out of there!_ he thought as a tiny ball of white flashed from his hands, straight towards the powerful chariot the imperious Yi stood in.

The next second, hell came to earth in the streets of Xianfung.

Nayu himself was surprised at the power of the explosion his magic unleashed (_maximized fireball_), set directly in the midst of Yi and his large retinue.  The blinding flash and roar shook the very walls of the city seeming to their foundations, as bodies of soldiers cartwheeled through the air, leaving trails of black smoke that the evening breeze caught and lazily swept away from the scene of destruction.  What few common people that were still on the street screamed, and dashed back towards whatever shelter they could find.

“Loose!”  Nayu had been concentrating too hard to hear the creak of the bowstrings, but he felt the air around him stir slightly as a barrage of arrows from the watchmen atop the gatehouse lanced downward into the scene of ruin at any figures still moving within the smoke and murk.  Several dull _thwacks_ and added moans spoke of men now transfixed by arrows.

While the soldiers then began to stare in slightly shocked awe on the destruction belong, Nayu’s surprise at his own power waned, in favor of a unease.  _That was too easy...  the explosion of flame was powerful, yes,_ he thought, the smoke blowing away enough that the edge of a crater was just coming into view, _but I have a bad feeling about..._

His mind stopped in utter confusion, as the smoke moved further away.  While the remains of the horses that once pulled it were hard to identify in the mess of bodies below, to Nayu’s utter shock, the chariot itself was still unharmed, sitting in the midst of the large crater, as if nothing had happened.  Inside it, Yi Mang’s green skinned form stood confused but unharmed, as did a frightened driver and a scholar.  

Now, the sounds of yelling arose from the streets, as the soldiers behind Yi finally realized they were under attack from the wall.  Swords drawn, they surged towards the stairs up the parapet, as Nayu spotted another man clad in the robes of a scholar running up to alongside the chariot, before he began reaching for a bundled book held in his sleeve.

_How in the..._  Nayu sat in confused shock for another moment, as Yi Mang touched his chest and Nayu saw the vestiges of a protective armor spell arise around the man.  When the tall, powerful figure began to reach for the enormous sword at his hip, Nayu finally realized his intention.

_He’s going to lead the charge against us... and probably carve us up into little bits!_  To make matters worse, it seemed as if fire didn’t work against him, or he had some kind of protection against magic.  _But if he’s protected from magic, how did his driver and the chariot survive unscathed... unless his protection magic covered an area around him..._

Two and two became four in Nayu’s mind.

_Dammit!_ he snarled as he recognized the protective magic, and realized that unless he drew close to Yi, his lightning bolts and fireballs would be useless (Nayu just realized YI has a _Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser_ going).  In one second, his powerful spells that had levelled a village had been rendered useless.  _I need something more powerful..._

As Yari Ai’s voice rose in quiet prayer, calling for the aid of the ancestral spirits in guiding the arrows and blades of her allies this day, Nayu focused his magic yet again, before unleashing a bright, flashing burst of light towards Yi Mang, and the scholar beside the chariot.  Just before it lanced through them, the light burst into purple violence, lancing through both men (_Prismatic Ray, Insanity_).

Yi merely blinked, before looking up towards the parapet directly at Nayu and snarling, his blade now drawn, dark, sinister flames now licking up and down its steel length.

The scholar behind Yi reacted far differently.  His face changed from a look of concentration to one of mirth, his eyes went wide with the joy only the mad understand, and his maniacal cackles echoed above the noise of battle (we now have a mad spellcaster on the loose).  

Nayu had little time to think of this, however.  A second before it struck, Nayu heard the slight woosh of an arrow in flight, and then felt something smack into his shoulder.  His mind, focused on channeling his magic and the battle at hand, dully noted the strike, almost as if he was an observer to the fight, rather than a participant.

_Focus..._ he grunted, as several archers from below continued to pepper the walls with arrow fire, Yi angrily yelling and pointing towards Nayu’s position as the soldiers below drew closer.  The screaming spellcaster then made a few arcane movements, before both he and the third unaffected scholar both disappear.

_What?_ Nayu thought, his mind confused now by the pain in his shoulder and the sudden disappearance of his foes.  Another arrow flashed close, ripping his robes, and Nayu quickly ducked behind the parapet as the pain became intense.  _I need to get this arrow out,_ his conscious mind said rather clinically, even as his more primal sides were starting to scream with pain.

“Captain!” he hissed, “Take out those archers and the guardsmen!  Then we can all focus on Yi!”  No sooner had he issued the order, than he reached over, and grasped the arrow still stuck in his body.  With a grunt, he pulled, and the pain became almost unimaginable.

“Here,” he heard a voice yell as another volley of arrows lashed out from the gatehouse, and he felt saw another pair of hands grab the arrow shaft.  He looked up, to find Yari Ai looking directly at him.  “Now, this is going to hurt alot over the next few seconds, but once this is out, I can heal you.”  Nayu hissed and nodded, before her more adept hands gave a sharp tug, and he yelled.  No sooner had the arrow been removed than he felt her hands cover the wound, and just as quickly, the pain ebbed away.  Her hands then found his forehead, and he felt magic of some kind flowing from her into him.  It only took a few seconds, then he looked up at her, confused.

“Yi has gone invisible, and has already killed several guardsmen with magic while I healed you,” Yari Ai said quietly.  “I have the guidance of my ancestor’s sight, but I have no means to harm him.”  She ducked low as another, far thinner, swarm of arrows clattered against the parapets.  “You, however...”

“I can see an invisible person now?” Nayu asked, unsure of the magic she spoke of.  _I have heard of no such spell..._  (She cast _true seeing_ upon Nayu)

“Look for yourself,” she replied, then added, “before you make Yi and his two accomplices fall out of the sky.”

“What are you...” Nayu started as he clambered back up, until he looked over the parapets.  There, now plain as the setting sun, hovered Yi and the healthy scholar, some fifteen feet above the chariot, magic missiles flashing from their hands and picking off watchmen along the parapet walls.  Slightly further away hovered the cackling madcap of a scholar, gibberish flowing from his mouth.

“Right.”  Nayu went back into his focused mood, his mind now channeling and focusing the magical fire within his body, twisting its shape, molding it specifically for the need at hand... two blasts, one centered on Yi and the scholar next to him, the other on the aerial gibbering mouth that no one could understand.

Once again, the walls and streets of Xianfung seemed to shake, as another, even more powerful blast of fire exploded above the city (Nayu spellsculpted a _Burning Ray_ spell).  To the eyes of the soldiers, the blast seemed to happen in mid-air, the suddenly two people tumbled down from the sky, one aflame and screaming, the other merely smoldering yet cackling with madman’s delight.  Alone on the wall, save for Yari Ai, Nayu saw Yi twist his way clear of most of the blast, and somehow avoiding the fate of the others.

Meanwhile, the assault upon the gatehouse by Yi’s bodyguards was collapsing.  Yet another volley of arrows from the Captain’s soldiers sliced through the air, cutting down the few soldiers still charging in the open through the wide street.  The madman spellcaster, meanwhile, arose somehow from his fall, and cackling with glee, proceeded to blast two archers from his side with magical energy.  The others, seeing the battle going against them, began to flee.

_You can’t escape, Yi!_ Nayu yelled mentally, as he waited and guided the magic rising within his blood yet again.  If Yi fled, and returned to the palace... it was a course that Nayu dreaded to fathom, with his closest friend stuck inside those terrible walls. Then, as Nayu was trying to find a spell to unleash on Yi, the spellcaster disappeared, despite even Yari Ai’s special sight.

Nayu would later count himself extremely lucky.  Something within his instincts told him to duck, and just as he did, he felt immense heat and heard an enormous _whoosh_ rumble just inches over his head.  He spun around, only to see Yi Mang’s immense, green, almost rocky form, nearly six and a half feet tall, towering over him, his flaming sword rising for yet another strike...

Later Nayu would say it was a combination of sheer instinct and cold calculation that let him realize in that split second that now he was within Yi’s sphere of protection.  Whatever the motivation, Nayu raised his hands, and a powerful arc of electricity blasted the five feet between Nayu’s fingers and Yi’s chest, its thunderclap coming instantaneously as all along the wall just began to shout and react to Yi’s sudden _teleportation_.

The unexpected blast stunned the powerful Yi, who seemed to hang momentarily in the air as an immense tree clings to the sky just before its demise and fall.  The delay was all that was needed, as in the next second no less than six arrows transfixed the advisor to Governor Ho, and Yi Mang the Green tumbled from the parapets, his body landing ignominiously in a pile of manure in the city below.

It was then that the trumpets of the City Watch began to sing out, and an avalanche of people intent on the demise of Governor Ho, began rumbling towards the palace...



“Is it normal for us to randomly hear trumpets and horns blaring this much?” Meiji asked quietly only a few minutes later.  Felonca herself shrugged, as she nibbled on a grape from a plate left by the overly chatty blonde harem girl.  The girl had talked incessantly for a few hours, before she had been called off for some duty or other... Felonca seriously wondered if someone found her entertaining enough to put with the doubtlessly endless chatter, questions and comments that she would continually pour forth.  She was about ask Mai Lin what she thought of the trumpet noise, before she spotted a smirking Chen approaching.  Quickly, she put on the most flirtatious look she could muster.

“Madames,” Chen grinned lasciviously at Felonca, before giving mere bows of acknowledgement towards Mai Lin and Meiji, “Governor Ho wishes to see his newest acquisitions.  He demands your immediate presence!”  As the three stood and began to follow him out, Chen slowed just enough so he was by Felonca’s ear.

“I held up my end of the bargain... tomorrow night will a hengeyokai do the same?” he whispered.

“We shall see,” Felonca purred in response.  _As in we shall see whether my warfans merely cut your throat or someplace further down first!_

The three were led through immaculate chambers, elaborate stairways, and past intricately carved mosaics, until finally, they emerged into the waning daylight of the setting sun.  Chen led them across the bridge crossing the small inner lake, and towards the governor’s apartments, the elegant pagodas and columns bathed in a deep red hue from the coming dusk.

_Almost like blood..._ Felonca thought quietly as the group ascended equally exquisite stairs and traversed beautiful halls until they reached a door made of chestnut with gold inlays and carvings.  From the crack beneath it, steam filtered into the hall in small wisps.

“Here we are,” Chen said quietly.  “Governor Ho is inside, enjoying a bath, and he expects for you three to diligently wait on him, and attend to all his needs for the next few hours.”  He then motioned for the three to open the door.

Felonca noted with approval that there were no soldiers outside the door, nor were any in the entire hallway save for Chen.  _Just make sure,_ she told herself, before flashing him another flirtatious smile.

“If I have need of you,” she purred, purposefully referencing herself, “where will you be?”

“Just down the hall.  Should you need anything, I will be able to hear you call.”  His face remained normal, but Felonca read the dirty look his eyes gave at the last part, and she resisted the urge to growl.

_So we’ll have to make this quiet then,_ she thought as the door to the sauna was opened.  Instantly billows of steam greeted her with almost suffocating heat.  Gingerly she stepped inside the room, whose marble walls and billowing steam reflected the blood red of the sunlight streaming through the windows, giving everything a reddish hue.  In the center of the room sat an immense porcelain tub, from which only the back governor’s immense, fat head was visible, only thin wisps of white hair coming from his scalp.

“Your Excellency, I have brought your new harem servants, as you have asked,” Chen bowed towards the immense form.  From the tub a flabby, jiggly arm emerged, and five short, stubby fingers waved him away.  Chen bowed once again, and backed out of the room.  A few seconds later, Felonca and her companions found themselves alone with their target.

_Alright... we need a few minutes to make sure Chen gets far enough away..._

The same immense hand waved again, an obvious signal.  Gingerly, shyly, as a harem girl should, the three approached the immense tub, before bowing next to it.  As she approached, Felonca grew thankful that whatever herbs and spices that had been placed into the tub had created an immense froth of bubbles, denying her any more grotesque a view of His Excellency than the quadruple rolls of skin underneath his chin.  His eyes were still closed, and he wheezed every time he breathed.

“We are your humble servants, Excellency.  What does Your Excellency require of his servants?” Felonca asked, making sure her voice sounded timid, afraid.  Slowly, his dark eyes opened, and a slight smile came upon his lips at seeing Felonca and Mai Lin.  When his eyes reached Meiji, they suddenly narrowed.

“You look like a cow with running makeup,” the governor’s wheezy voice hissed at Meiji, before the imperious hand slowly half-gestured towards a corner where towels were hanging.  “Fetch me a towel, I don’t want to see your ugly face.”

In horror, Felonca saw that the governor was right on one account; the makeup Selim had caked that morning on Meiji’s face was starting to break and run with the immense humidity in the room.  It would not be long... maybe as short of time as an hour, before Meiji went from a badly made up woman into what appeared to be a man sporting breasts and smears all across his face.

_Dammit!_ she hissed, as Meiji quickly made himself scarce.  The governor’s gaze then returned to Felonca, and the lazy half smile started again.

“You look far more beautiful than that goat.  You will feed me grapes,” he wheezily commanded.  As Felonca turned to reach for the platter of grapes, the immense hand suddenly flashed out with surprising speed, grabbing her wrist.  The smile was now big, a grin even more demeaning than Chen’s, as the governor pulled her close.

“And you will let down your hair, and stay here after the others are dismissed,” he rasped.  He then let go of her arm, and motioned towards her head.

“I... thank you for your attention, Excellency,” Felonca said quietly, relieved he had released her.  _Now is the time..._ she thought, as she gingerly reached up towards the pins holding her hair in place, an ad hoc plan coming to her mind.  A truely skilled person at seduction might have called her attempts to look alluring while undoing the pins of her hair amateurish, but there was nothing amateur at all about how her right hand palmed the dangerously poisonous pins, shielding them from view even as she shook her hair loose, and it fell about her shoulders.  She gave him another shy smile.  “May this servant be permitted to kiss your Excellency?”

“You will kiss me, immediately,” he wheezed as the request was transformed into a demand.  

Gingerly Felonca closed with the governor’s face, his fat, bulbous lips, performing an acting job that perhaps Meiji could never have matched, half smiling and closing her eyes as if she was about to enjoy the upcoming travesty.  As she smelled his horrific breath washing over her face, she carefully opened one eye, and noted that both his eyes were closed, await her to lock with his lips.

Her left hand quickly lashed out, smothering his lips.  His eyes flashed wide open, a muffled cry escaping her grasp.  Simultaneous she expertly flicked forward the pins in her right hand, moving them from a position of hiding into a position of attack.  As one of the governor’s flabby hands grabbed for her left hand, she slammed three pins, the tips of each slathered in the venom of a massive scorpion, into the governor’s neck, forcing them deep.

“You expect me to want to kiss a monster like you?” Felonca hissed as another scream from the governor was muffled by her hand.  His eyes were wide in terror as his hands clawed at her, he no doubt could feel the poison coursing through his veins, a look that made Felonca snarl more. “You expect me to want you, after what they say you did to the other girls?  Use them for fun?  Kill them for fun?”  His eyes began to roll into the back of his head, as bathwater sloshed out onto the floor from the seizures wracking his body.

“You are a scum of the earth,” she hissed, knowing full well he could still hear her even as his body broke down and died, “you are a lowlife!  You are no governor!”  His rapid shaking stopped, and she could feel his chest giving a series of immense heaves, desperately trying to bring in air for lungs that were already decimated, a heart that was already eaten away.  His eyes, for one last instant, looked at her, wide with terror.

“You’re just a dirty old man, worth his weight in manure!” she spat as his eyes rolled back for the last time.  _I hope you heard those as your last words, you bastard!_ her mind snarled.  After she was sure he was dead, she turned to Mai Lin and Meiji.

“Mai Lin, I want you to dump some of those grapes in the bathwater, and dump some on the floor.  Make it look like the grapes were spilled.”  She then turned to her cousin.  “Meiji, I remember you used to be able to impersonate Uncle Feng’s voice really well.  Can you still do that?”

“Why would I want to impersonate Uncle Feng?” Meiji hissed in reply.  “He’s got nothing to do with the governor, and we need to figure out a way to get out of here!”

“Uncle Feng’s voice was raspy!” Felonca snapped in quiet reply, as she pulled the pins from the governor’s throat and started washing them in the tub water.  “He wheezed because of that throat wound!  If you yell like him, you could sound like the governor!”

“Oh...” Meiji finally understood.

Quickly, Felonca closed the governor’s wide open eyes, and closed the mouth that was wide in terror.  Then, she pushed hard on his body, until the marks left by the pins disappeared below the bubbly surface of the water.  Then, she turned back towards Meiji.  “I want you to yell that I was incompetent, spilled grapes into the tumb, you want us removed, and that you want Madame Yu to take our place to soothe your anger after this mess!”

_Chen and Yu seem to be the ones in charge of the harem... if we can get them both busy simultaneously, we can have a better chance of slipping away..._

A few raspy, angry yells later, and Chen opened the door.  Quickly, he hustled the three into the hallway, tsking Felonca for “ruining her golden chance” to ingratiate herself with the governor.

“You will still owe me, regardless,” the guard hissed as he closed the door.  “Heaven knows, if he is really angry with you, I may have to do some serious persuading to keep you alive long enough for me to collect,” he snapped.  “What a mess... first we get strange reports from the city, and have to dispatch a palace regiment to quell some kind of chaos, and now you anger the governor!  Bah!”

_Chaos in the streets?  Does that mean..._  Felonca’s heart jumped slightly, as Chen led them onward, still ranting.  They passed through all of the corridors and halls in reverse, finally crossing the bridge back into the harem.  As they walked about, Felonca noticed almost all of the guards were gone...

_Nayu must’ve done something in the city... maybe Yi has already been struck down..._  she hoped.  Finally, the group met Madame Yu on the ground floor of the harem, and Felonca endured another short lecture on not angering the governor, before Chen escorted Yu out of the building and towards the governor’s apartments.

“So... he expects us to go back up to the harem floors by ourselves?” Meiji commented once Chen and Yu were far enough away.  “What an idiot.”

“He’s preoccupied,” Felonca replied.  “The governor is angry, and many of his men in the palace have been pulled out.  He thinks we’re cowed and we’ll do as we’re told, hoping to live.  Speaking of which,” she started towards the door of the harem, “I think we should think about escape... now.”

_We might not have guards inside the harem to contend with, but if Nayu’s done what I think happened, we’ll have guards on top of the walls we must scale already... and even more once Yu figures out the governor is more than ‘just sleeping...’_

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

And thus ended the lives of Governor Ho and his advisor Yi Mang.  Now all that remains of this session are the dual lines of Felonca’s escape from the palace, and Nayu’s attempts to storm the same...

Yi Mang was a Green Star Adept, a PrC found in the Complete Arcane, if I remember correctly.  Eating large amounts of the residue of a green meteor (the green metal people referred to) gave him bonuses to his constitution, immunities to poison and paralysis, and a natural armor bonus.  On top of this, he had exotic weapon profiency with a bastard sword.  His tactics would be to usually buff himself magically, then wade into battle with his +2 flaming bastard sword... a plan that a meddling sorcerer and members of the City Watch managed to foil...


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

LOL!

Witness the Conveniently Placed Pile of Manure (TM), the standard ending point of all upstart would-be villains since Biff from _back to the future_; real villains can afford better CGI for a more spectacular demise: being thrust into the reactor shaft shortly before the space station explodes, destroying their own army of darkness with an earthquake, things like that.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

> Monster long update today... took three hours to type.




And well worth every minute   .



> Enjoy!




I certainly did. It's always nice to see bad guys come to sticky end ... and particularly nice to see Felonca sending the Governor on his way to Hell with a few choice words   .

I can't help wondering, however, how much unwelcome attention Nayu and Felonca will have attracted with this though ...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

ThoughtfulOwl said:
			
		

> LOL!
> 
> Witness the Conveniently Placed Pile of Manure (TM), the standard ending point of all upstart would-be villains since Biff from _back to the future_; real villains can afford better CGI for a more spectacular demise: being thrust into the reactor shaft shortly before the space station explodes, destroying their own army of darkness with an earthquake, things like that.




I don't know... I thought it was rather fitting myself .




			
				HalfOrc HalfBiscuit said:
			
		

> I can't help wondering, however, how much unwelcome attention Nayu and Felonca will have attracted with this though ...




Turns out quite a bit... and Felonca has a few more acts this session that Nayu might have described as "nuts."


----------



## Emperor Valerian

That was a mistake in my last post... it should've read _Nayu_ did a few things _Felonca_ called "crazy."  With that note, here's the next section...


=========================================
*The Battle of Xianfun Part 2*

“Why can’t they make dresses for climbing?” Meiji hissed a few minutes later, as alarm drums rolled from somewhere outside the palace.  As the hengeyokai’s claws gripped into cracks within the tall, smooth inner wall, there was yet another rip, as even more of his haphazard dress tore.  On the ground below lay two enormous leather wineskins, the remains of Meiji’s false bosom.

“A question I have asked many times,” Mai Lin replied, before clambering the last few inches towards the top of the wall.  Like the rogue, Felonca was having no problems clambering up the wall... other than being rather eye-catching, the silk outfit was too skimpy to get in the way. For the first time, Felonca was thankful for the clothing, frills or none.

“Mai Lin, can you see anything?” Felonca hissed as her head bumped the rogue’s foot.  Her own eyes scanned the courtyard below... the waters in the lake around the were still placid, and there were no soldiers in view.  True, it’d only been around two minutes since they’d snuck out of the harem house, but she knew that at any moment, the alarm was likely going to arise from the Governor’s Apartments.

As if on cue, the noise of a scream came from one of the upper-most windows.

_Ah... that must be where the sauna is,_ Felonca thought sourly, before calling up to Mai Lin again.  “Hey, we’re on a limited time budget here!  What do you see?”

“There’s literally hundreds of soldiers on the western side of this wall,” Mai Lin called back.  “But...”

“Well?”

“They’re all looking that way!  As if something’s got their attent-“

Felonca didn’t need to hear the rest of the call, as a familiar thunderclap rumbled over the palace walls.

“Then let’s get over this wall while they’re busy!”



“Good gods!”

Nayu gave a fierce grin at the awestruck look of the guildmaster of the thieves in Xianfung as the smoke from his latest magical endeavor rose from the midst of the palace plaza.  Around the dark column lay the bodies of tens of red turbaned guards, their spears shattered and broken as the survivors ran back towards the outer walls of the palace itself.  The sorcerer then ducked behind the same barrel where the guildmaster was hiding as the shouts and roars of the City Watch surrounding the palace overwhelmed the evening air.

“Can your expert bowmen keep the City Watch covered?”  Nayu asked, as the first barrage of arrows from the palace defends clattered onto the plaza below. _Felonca is a very good shot with a bow, I should think these thieves would be decent at least._

“Do I look like a soldier?  Did the other thieves look like soldiers!” the guildmaster shot back, dull thwacks of arrows slamming into their shelter.  “We are not heroes with bows!  We sneak about, and your series of booms and crashes at the South Gate ruined any chance of that!”

“Fine, whatever.  Can you cover _me_?” Nayu snapped.  The guildmaster held up his shortbow in frustration.

“Does it look like I have a repeating crossbow?”  More arrows clattering onto the plaza.  “No, I don’t!  Besides, just place another one of those... fire thingies you do right on the gatehouse!  That’ll shut them up!”

“Right,” Nayu said, before suddenly another figure shoved its way between them, knocking Nayu over.  With one hand Yari Ai helped him back up, while with the other she pulled herself up to peek over the barrel.

“How’s the City Watch doing?” Nayu asked, hoping to hear they had secured a breakthrough somewhere else.  When Yari Ai turned and gave a little wince, Nayu groaned.

“Those archers on the wall are very very good... just look at my tunic,” she gestured, and Nayu noticed three new holes in her left sleeve.  “The ones in the gatehouse have the Watch pinned down, and more are going up onto the west wall!”

“Dammit.”  _How the hell are we going to get into the palace and get to Felonca?_  More arrows clattered into the plaza, but the noise seemed further away, as if the palace guards had shifted their aim elsewhere, towards more imminent threats than three people hiding behind a barrel.

It was a mistake they soon regretted.



Felonca looked up towards the wall above, easily spotting the shadows of soldiers running towards the west, the gate, and Felonca’s picked exit from the chaos of the palace.  The shouts and screams after the second great explosion were dying down, as the three dashed along the outside of the inner wall.  In the distance, the sounds of steel clanging was audible.

“Is some monster attacking the palace gates?” Mai Lin asked fearfully as she desperately tried to keep up with the two panther hengeyokai, who dashed amongst the lengthening shadows with speed and grace their rogue companion could only dream of matching.

“No, that’s my friend Nayu.  He occasionally blows things up,” Felonca called back, laughing, confident they couldn’t be heard over the drums calling the alarm, and the shouts of soldiers and commanders alike.  _Good thing he’s there... that’s keeping these people dis...

Holy hell?_

Felonca et al skidded to a halt as they reached the southwest corner of the inner wall, mere feet from the place they planned to cross the moat from.  The small garden islands were still intact, as were the airy bridges connecting them.  What caught Felonca’s attention was what was going on towards the north.

Namely the flames gutting the gatehouse.

And the hordes of burnt guard’s bodies lying about.

“Merciful Heaven!” Mai Lin cried, as Felonca shoved everyone back into the wall as the smoke pall from the ruined gatehouse billowed into the night sky.  “What in the Nine Hells caused...”

“Nayu,” Felonca replied, a grin growing on her face.  _Nice placement, my friend!_  “Those guards will surely be busy trying to hold that gate!”  After a quick glance upward to confirm all eyes were on the massive fire and not the three small forms belond, the now exuberant panther dragged her cousin and companion towards the garden islands, and after a short leap across the moat, towards freedom.

True to her expectations, the chaos at the gate drew the attention of the remaining guards away from the southwest corner, and with little fuss, the three clambered up the much shorter outer wall, and onto its parapets.  As they hustled, and hurried to start clambering down the other side, Felonca stopped at what she saw.

“What the hell are you doing?!” she snapped, before giving a quick look about.  The guards were still busy attempting to put out the flames, and hold of the City Watch, which had made an impromptu battering ram out of a large wagon filled with bricks.  Quickly, she reached a hand down.

“I’ve asked him the same question five times!” Yari Ai shouted from below as Felonca hauled the huffing and puffing Nayu onto the parapet.

“Are you nuts!  What are you doing on the battlements!  Why aren’t you behind some cover!  Didn’t you think the guards would shoot you!  What is the matter with...”  The barrage of questions tumbled from Felonca’s mouth for several seconds, as her military training screamed at all the basics of battle he had broken.  _Breaking cover during a barrage of arrows, running about with no armor, climbing up a wall alone, with no training, no ladder!?!_

For his part, the sorcerer caught his breath, and as Felonca’s tirade continued, he rather casually slipped past her, closer to the guards further down the wall.  Once his aim was unobstructed, he let loose a thunderous lightning bolt directly down the length of the wall, decimating the last of the defenders before the City Watch.  He turned back to his friend and smirked.

“That’s what I was doing, rescuing you.”  He then looked her up and down, and the smirk became larger.  “Nice dress.”

“I was almost out!  We didn’t need rescuing!” Felonca replied in a slight huff, not realizing how humorous she looked when angry and clad in a silk dancer’s outfit.  “You, on the other hand, climbed up a battlement, with no one to protect you...”

“I tried to stop him!” Yari Ai called from below.  “He was bull-headed!”

“...and you aren’t even good at climbing!  What if you fell?”  _You could’ve seriously hurt yourself, Nayu!  Or even been killed!  Climbing up that wall made you a sitting duck!  It’s amazing no one picked you off with a few spare arrows!_

Nayu shrugged.  “I would’ve gotten up?” The smirk changed to a slight scowl.  “Seriously, I was trying to get the City Watch in here in case you hadn’t gotten to the governor.  Which you apparently did in stunning style, I guess?” 

Before Felonca could administer another soldierly growl, a loud cheer from the directions of the flames drew everyone’s attention, as the doors to the palace broke under the pressure, and the City Watch streamed inside, their armor glinting in the growing moonlight...



“Welcome, Master... or should I now say... Governor Ling.”

Nayu smiled and gave a bow to the old man.  While there was genuine greeting in the gesture, the smile also contained relief.  Felonca’s lecture of where spellcasters should be during a field engagement, straight from the lessons she learned from Quan-Shi long ago, was still ringing in his ear.

He expected Ling to be pleased at seeing the work they’d done, but when he finished his bow and looked up, he saw the old man was staring into the palace, his eyes wide in shock as a night breeze billowed his cloak behind him.

“It’s... its on fire!” he stammered.  “How?”

_Oh no...  I didn’t even think about the fact Ling’s going to have to live here after we were finished.

Dammit... can’t lie.  He can read minds... crap._

“Um... oops?” Nayu offered with a shrug, his own robes shining slightly orange in the hue of the fires now raging atop the western gatehouse and the kitchens of the governor’s palace.  _I’m not sure what we could’ve done... since the roofs of this palace are wood...._

For a second he expected the older man to explode into a tirade about the safe use of spells.  Instead, the older man gave a far more damning sigh.  “It will take some time to fix the damage... and I hope that the multitude of documents inside, as well as the treasury, are unharmed...”

“Um...” Nayu stammered for a second, before adding, “I’ll start getting a bucket brigade organized...”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Short update this time.  Felonca’s player repeatedly called Nayu crazy for trying to climb up the wall during the midst of a battle with a paltry Climb Skill of +1.  Of her group, the rogue Mai Lin (6th level rogue) had to smallest Climb skill at +6.  So the cautionary lectures were probably warranted, though Nayu’s lightning blast directly down the line of the wall did have a rather devastating effect on the defenders. .  And yes, Nayu near the end was very proud of himself. 

That’s basically the effective end of the eighth session.  What remains makes more sense when melded with the start of the next session anyway, which should be posted sometime this weekend...  

And as a teaser, next section involves the following:
- Another part of Felonca's past coming back to haunt her, as well as help her.
- Felonca taking the party's life into her hands... quite literally.
- Nayu blowing up many many more things (It's become his favorite thing to do, it seems).
- Oh... and a full scale (ie. army sized) battle!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Well, today is special.  Tonight, you'll get two updates for the price of one!

*Another Army Appears... and Felonca the Heroine Strikes Again*

“Governor Ling!  Governor Ling!”

Ling’s aged body slowly looked up from the papers he was examining, but Felonca saw the old man’s eyes burned fiercely with annoyance.  In the succeeding three days since the coup, Felonca had discovered that Ling had a mind for financial matters, and cataloguing and balancing the provincial budget had been his focus in his first few days as governor.  He’d asked for the help of Felonca and Nayu when it came to exploring the palace and cataloguing its contents... and they found out really quickly that he _hated_ being interrupted when he was examining figures.

“What?”  It seemed as if the new governor could not shout, but the question was delivered in a surprisingly cold voice.

“Governor sir!”  The messenger was fairly shaking with excitement and fear.  “The Captain of the City Guard reports that there is an army massing outside of the city gates!  They fly the flag of Langya!”

“What?!”  Ling now shouted.  Suddenly, the focused financier changed, as he moved around the table with surprising speed.  “How many of them?  Who leads them?”

_A Langya army?  Here already?_ 

Felonca started to giggle.  _I think its time to add another chapter to ‘Felonca the Amazing’ within the city of Xianfung!_  After a few seconds, she realized that Nayu, Ling, and the messenger were all staring at her...

...so she struck a pose.

“Do not fear!” she grinned, “I shall go out to meet them myself!”  She laughed, then added, “It’s not as if its my Uncle Dian outside!  He’d be something to truly fear, with the reasoning ability of a bull!  I can persuade Quan-Shi to not attack this city!”

While Ling protested and try his best to dissuade her, Nayu merely echoed her grin and said nothing as she left.  She had not even left the palace before she saw members of the Thieves Guild peering at her in awe, rumors spreading rapidly that the dark thief that had assassinated the governor, performed miracles in Mingzhong, was now riding out of the city alone to confront an army.

Finally, she reached the damaged South Gate, and as she climbed the steps towards the parapet, she could hear the clangs of swords against shields, and the shouts of an army issuing challenge.   Finally she climbed into the gatehouse, where the former Captain of the City Watch, now a newly minted general, looked at her in fear.

“He’s out here... Quan-Shi himself leads the army against us!”  the new General said fearfully, leading Felonca to a section of wall that to the outside.  Below stretched a sea of banners, steel and voices, waves upon waves of soldiers drawn up in perfect battle ranks, the banners of Langya fluttering above their heads.  To their front was a man clad in fearsome armor, astride the largest charger Felonca had ever seen.  

“Come out and fight, Ho Jian!” he shouted out the name of the dead governor,  waving his blade about.  “Come and fight Quan-Shi Shih!  Only cowards hide behind walls, Ho Jian!”

“He thinks the old governor still rules here!” Felonca’s companion whispered fearfully.  “Quan-Shi the Great will surely destroy all of us!”  He looked terrified at her when she laughed at the comment.

“I doubt that!” she chuckled.  “Is there a place where I can get out onto the parapets themselves, so he can see me?”

“Wh...why would you want that!?” the commander shuddered.  “They say Quan-Shi can shoot a man in the eye at 100 yards with his bow!  Surely he will-“

“Come peaceably into the city after I’m done?” she smirked.

_Ah... the same speechless look!  I could get used to people looking at me this way!_ Felonca laughed, and soon she found herself ushered onto the open parapet itself, crouching low behind the battlements.

“Now... when you launch your surprise... for I assume you mean to try to ambush Quan-Shi with a lucky bowshot...” the commander started, before his jaw fell open as Felonca merely stood, backlit by the sun above the battlements.

“Quan-Shi!  Hello!” she called, and laughed more when another person was stunned and confused.  “Your eyes do not deceive you, it is Wa-Feng Felonca!” she waved again.  Finally, the general below managed to call out her name in confusion.

“Felonca!  What are you doing there!  Don’t worry!  We’ll get you out and free the other hostages...”  His call of reassurance stopped at her peals of laughter.

“I am no hostage, General!” she shouted back once she had control of herself.  “Governor Ho has perished!  The province is under new administration... administration that wishes to speak with you, General!”

Far below, the general reined up his charger in confusion, as Felonca called upon him to come into the city for negotiations...



“That... that _snake!_” Quan-Shi snapped a few hours later, and Nayu smiled.  Felonca had ushered Quan-Shi into a meeting with the new governor, and Ling had explained the situation far more persuasively and artfully than either Felonca or Nayu could imagine... then again, he had the weight of a governor’s mantle on his word as well.  As did the obvious signs within the palace, even this soon, that the provincial government was reorganizing along better-led, more virtuous lines.

“It is all true, Master Quan-Shi.  Every word of it,” the sorcerer added.  “Prince Hu wished to kill both me and Felonca, for reasons that none of us understand,” Nayu lied.  _Felonca knows Quan-Shi... but I don’t want anything about my background coming out to ANYONE... yet..._ 

“This province is in need of an experienced military leader, General,” Felonca added, and Nayu smiled even more as it became increasingly obvious the general was being willingly reeled into their plan.  “You have a reputation all across the Empire, and Dai needs someone to keep its borders protected until a far better person arises to take the throne.”  For a second, Nayu thought he saw Felonca flash a look at him, but to his relief, it appeared no one else caught the glance.

“But if I accept your proposal,” Quan-Shi began cautiously, “whose banner would I be accepting?  The bastard Emperor’s in Liangxiang?  The banners of Han, or Bei, or Shu?  I can’t just _give_ an army to a mere provincial governor!  Its not done, and its not proper!”

“Oh, but you would be accepting a banner,” Ling countered. The governor then turned, looking directly at Nayu.  The sorcerer felt something come over him, as if warm water was running down his forehead.  Nayu felt sweat running down his head, as he realized the governor was directing something magical at him.

“You would be accepting the banner of Heaven, good general,” Ling finished his thought several agonizing seconds later.  Nayu started to sigh in relief that his secret hadn’t been pried from his mind, until he heard a gentle voice coming from the farthest recesses of his mind.

_”You are the heir of Prince Huang... the rightful claimant to the mantle of the Son of Heaven... yet you do not speak?  Why is that?”_

Nayu jumped, bumping the table they were all gathered around and sloshing the wine back and forth.  _What the...

Oh gods... he knows!  He knows!  Who else knows!?_

The voice, soft and smooth, continued to quietly speak.  _”Do not be startled, My Lord.  I am merely curious.  Your friend’s mind relinquished the information when we first met... and as an old politician, I am adept at keeping secrets until it is advantageous to reveal what I know.”_

Nayu’s mind went into a panic.  _Pretend you can’t hear him.  Pretend you don’t know what is going on.  Then, maybe he’ll assume the information is wrong!  Or go away!  Dammit!  Get out of my head!_

The small voice sighed, mirroring Ling’s audible sigh as the verbal conversation turned to the forces of Prince Hu, and the undoubted wrath that would pour on Dai province once it became known that Quan-Shi’s army had deserted.

_”My Lord Nayu... if you really do not wish to speak of this, I shall keep this secret locked away, and leave it unspoken till you wish it to be so.  For your sake, and the sake of the Empire, a pray that either you take the mantle, or another suitable claimant is found...”_

_”Thank you,”_ Nayu finally mentally replied.  _”Things are not opportune.  Patience is the key.”_

_”Very well, My Lord Nayu.”_

“General Quan-Shi, have you happened to hear anything of our friend, Liu Ganxi?  The monk?” Nayu finally spoke, attempting to change the audible and mental conversation.  As soon as he spoke, he felt the feeling of magic withdraw from his mind, as Ling turned to look at the general as well.

“Oh... your monkish friend?  Yes!  Some of our scouts found him alongside the road the day before we got here.  He was in very bad way, and he is still under our healers’ care.  It looked almost as if he’d been tortured....”



“Welcome back to the world of the living,” Nayu said the next day, as both he and Felonca hovered above the bed where the broken monk had been laid.  His feet were a sea of scabbed blisters, and burns covered his back.  For his part, Liu blinked, and turned his head so he could see his friends.

“The Prince thought he could kill me... he didn’t realize how hard it is to kill a follower of Shenyang,” Liu hissed, his attempt at humor setting Nayu and Felonca at little bit at ease.  

“You’re going to get taken good care of here,” Felonca said softly.  The tears from seeing her friend’s horrible appearance had long since dried.  Now her eyes shared the same hollow look as Nayu’s... sorrow at his piteous state, and rage at thinking the Prince of Langya had done this as well.

“Give me a day to refocus my mind, and I shall begin healing myself,” Liu said slowly, his aching voice filled with surprising confidence.  “If I can run for two weeks on burned feet, I can fix myself given proper care!”

“That’s good to hear,” Nayu said quietly, even as he winced at the pain Liu had to have endured trying to reach them.  _He must have a will made of iron._  For a while, silence fell across the room, until Nayu’s anger and curiosity joined strength.

“What is the Prince doing now, Liu?  Is he preparing to march?”  _Is he coming here, to attack Dai?_

“Its funny,” Liu said, twisting his mouth into a wry grin, “torturers don’t expect their victims to notice things... but thanks to the patience of Shenyang, I noticed much...”


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The Prince Moves... and Felonca’s Past Comes Back...*

A few days later, as Liu’s hand left the spot it was pointing to on the large map of the Empire in the palace, a collective gasp rose through the room.  Ling’s head lowered, while a vein stood prominently from Quan-Shi’s forehead, so great was his rage.  The Chief of the Xianfung Scholars wrung his hands together in worry, as did Quan-Shi’s second in command, a certain General Yuli.

“He marches to Liangxiang, towards the Jade City itself,” Liu said, limping back towards his seat in the Council of War.  “He pays no attention to the Military Governor, or you, for that matter!”

“How does he know this?” the chief of the Xianlung scholars asked furiously, attempting to recover from his look of abject horror.  “He is but a mere follower of Shenyang, one that due to his injuries was likely delirious most of his admittedly impressive run by foot to this city!”

“Unlike you delicate scholars, Shenyang’s teaching gives me the strength to keep my eyes open!  To notice things such as supplies moving south, the flags of army troops I see from my hiding places, to even have the sense to find hiding places!” Liu spat back.

“Hey now!” Nayu called, and Felonca jumped up with him to stop the brewing verbal brawl.  

_This isn’t the time to weaken and show fractures!_ she thought, the military blood in her veins rising to the fore.  _We have one common thing... we have the same enemy!  And he is moving!_

“What of the Prince of Shu?” she loudly asked, drawing the conversation back towards the important topic at hand.  “He is the brother to the Dowager Empress, and if rumors are true, father to the Emperor.  Surely he presents a threat to our enemy, and could come down upon him from the rear?” 

“The Prince of Shu is like a small puppy yapping at the sides of a great dragon,” Quan-Shi said sourly.  “I saw a detachment of Shu’s army in battle, and Prince Hu single-handedly destroyed this detachment of two thousand cavalry.  They are no army, and after Hai-cheng, there is no army between Prince Hu and the Jade City!”

“What happened at Hai-cheng?” Felonca asked.  She’d heard of the small town, near the southern border of the province of Langya.  There was not much there, save a very minor academy that trained prefectural scholars.  _I have a feeling this is not good news..._

“The Dowager Empress dispatched a powerful army towards Langya soon after we departed Mingzhong,” Quan-Shi said.  “I know this because I received dispatches advising me that we might have to turn around.  After Hai-cheng, those orders were recinded, so the march continued.”

“The Empress’ army was massive... she culled all the levies she could from the capital province and Liangxiang itself, and brought in the backbone of her brother’s cavalry.  They say the force totalled some hundred and fifty thousand under arms... I doubt those people are correct, but even if she held half the number, it would be the largest army gathered for many many decades.”

“Prince Hu had only one third that number, and charged down to meet her attack.  At Hai-cheng, the two armies met, and the Empress’ army was almost completely destroyed.  They said you could walk over a mile, and your feet would not touch the ground from the bodies of the peasant levies...”

“Ancestors preserve us...” Ling whispered quietly.

“That almost sounds like the work of Uncle Dian,” Felonca said softly, speaking of her uncle, the ‘Black Warrior,’ known as one of the most ferocious fighters the Empire had ever seen.  He was hot-tempered, unfortunately, and never possessed the strategic brilliance that Quan-Shi spoke of...  if that ferocity and brilliance were married in one mind...

“If there’s no one between him and the Jade City... the scholars, all the knowledge, all the magical power...” the chief scholar said, his voice hushed in horror.  “If he is already this powerful, and he gains control there...”

_That cannot happen!_ Felonca’s mind snapped.  _Not after all the work, the sweat we’ve put into trying to set at least THIS area right!_  The Prince of Langya could not be allowed to gain the strength sweep it all away!

_But how do we fight someone with that amount of strength, that gifted in war?_

Felonca’s mind drifted back years, to a classroom whose ceilings were the open sky, whose walls were the boundaries of the horizon as far as the eye could see.  She didn’t remember the instructor who gave the lecture... the deep basso growl that echoed in her mind made her think it might have been Master Hsiu himself, but the words nonetheless came back.

_”You must know your enemy, before you fight your enemy!  Know who is in charge, know when they eat, when they sleep, how many of them there are, where they are from, where they are going!   And even if you find yourself outnumbered or outmatched in wits, remember that all armies, all masses of men share the same weakness!”_

“Ling, how many troops can you put together in the next week?” Felonca asked, plans and plots coalescing in her mind.  “I’ll need you, General, to find out as much as you can about our enemy during that time!”

“Um... Felonca?  What are you doing?” Nayu asked softly, as the others looked on in confusion for a moment, before Ling finally spoke.

“I do not know... if General Quan-Shi would elect, we would have his army... but our provincial armies will be busy for the next few months restoring order to the rest of Dai province!”

“I have 20,000 spears and 15,000 horse, Wa-Feng,” Quan-Shi replied, his eyes narrowing as he looked at his former student.  “Exactly, what are you thinking, Felonca?”

“Who are the officers leading this invasion towards the Jade City?” Felonca bulled onwards.  “How good are they at command?  What do they command?”

“Felonca... surely you aren’t thinking...” Nayu started to speak, before Quan-Shi cut him off.

“Well, from the short service I had with the Prince, I can guess he is likely marching south with some seventy or eighty thousand troops.”  The General’s eyes widened a bit, as if he had pieced together her thoughts, and then they quickly narrowed as he gave a fierce grin.  “The Prince himself leads them, they say.  If I were in the Prince’s place, I would take with me General Akatsuki from Taisho, General Shunyi, Princess Hu Lian...”

“Wait wait wait... _Princess_?” Nayu asked.

“Yes... Prince Hu’s younger sister, Lian.  She commanded a wing of his army at Hai-cheng, and sprung the trap that destroyed the Empress’ armies,” Quan-Shi replied matter of factly.

“But if she’s his _younger_ sister... that would make her... what?  Nineteen?  Eighteen?”

“Seventeen, Master Nayu,” Quan-Shi answered.  “Despite her youth, I would not argue with the dead of Hai-cheng on her ability to command.”  

“What does she look like?” Nayu asked, intent on discovering if she looked like him or not.

“NAYU!” Felonca snapped.  _My gods!   No, you cannot go sleeping with her!_

Nayu fell silent, as did the entire Council.

_Wait...  why did I care so much?_ Felonca asked in her mind a moment later. She realized she wasn’t angry that Hu Lian was the sister of their enemy, though in every right, that was what she _should_ have snapped at him about.  In fact, she couldn’t pinpoint exactly _why_ she’d snapped at him...

Clearing his throat, Quan-Shi resumed his listing of officers, all formidable and gifted, known to Felonca by name, and Felonca refocused herself away from the snapping at Nayu.  Finally, near the end, he said, “and then there’s...”  He stopped, and paused, looking at Felonca.

“What?  Go on, please,” Felonca urged, and Quan-Shi sighed.

“Master Hsiu Lan, former chief of the Hsiu-lan Military Academy,” the general said quietly.  

Felonca’s dark face blanched slightly at the mentioning of the name, memories of terror coming back to her heart.  The shape of the immense tiger hengeyokai looming over her after combat drills, always picking her out to fight him one on one, then tossing her around like a ragdoll.  His proverbial growl, his hiss whenever she entered the room.  The very simple threat, made so long ago that shook her to her core...

“You will not leave here alive, Wa-Feng!” he had hissed, simply, viciously.  “You are weak, I smell the fear, the weakness running through your veins!  You are rank with weakness, you little cur!  You stink up my Academy, you bring your weakness on other proud warriors that are here! For that, I shall make sure you never leave this Academy as a soldier!  You will leave it in dishonor, or in death!”

“Isn’t that...” Nayu leaned over and asked her quietly, before noticing that she was rigidly stiff, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.

“Quan-Shi, take the next week, and find out as much as you can about Prince Hu’s army.  I need to know where Prince Hu’s supply depot is,” she said firmly, forcing herself to speak confidently, despite the fear running through her blood.  _Hsiu was not right!  I am not full of fear!  I am a warrior, just as the others in my family!_  “You tell me where that depot is, and give me enough people, and I will leave it in flames!”  She watched as Quan-Shi’s smile grew fierce, pride swelling slightly in the old weasel hengeyokai’s chest as he watched his former student take charge.

“What good would that do?  I mean...” Liu asked, before Felonca turned to him, forcing her eyes to take on the same look of steel she’d seen in her father’s when she was a child, the same look of decision and power that made her want to follow the family honor, and take up the warrior’s life as well.

“An army only goes so far as food can reach it!” Felonca explained, her plan unveiling itself.  “It can shoot arrows so long as it has more arrows to reload!  If we find and destroy his supplies, we can force his army to retreat to Langya, without risking a battle!”

“That would most certainly be a plan, but an exceedingly dangerous one,” Ling said quietly.  “It would require avoiding Hu’s powerful army, sneaking into a camp, and lighting it afire, while in the midst of the territory of the Empress Dowager, whom Nayu tells me is no friend of yours either...  if it is possible, it would be a major coup, however...”

“I see no other way,” Felonca replied.  “Hu is too powerful to attack head on, and he _must_ be stopped before he can take the Jade City!” 

As nods went around the Council room, and Quan-Shi asked for two weeks instead of one, Felonca began to find something strong, powerful, beating within her heart.  

_I am Wa-Feng!  I am a warrior!

I am not afraid!_

It was then she realized that if her father had seen her, his smile of approval likely would have made even the sun dim in comparison.



Two weeks later, Quan-Shi cleared his throat, and Ling called for the reconvened Council of War to silence.  Soon after, the aged weasel hengeyokai walked to the front, now in his full regalia as a senior general, and looked over the gathered audience.

“Firstly... I would like to thank Mistress Wa-Feng and Master Wakabayashi for their earlier efforts in Dai Province.  It appears,” Quan-Shi smiled, “that many south of Xianfung know you by name, and that you saved a village.  Your name has carried us far... we have gained some 8,000 recruits from this area after your names were spoken!”

“We are glad we could help, sir,” Nayu bowed, before looking at Felonca and giving a huge grin that she echoed.

“They are raw troops, and we’ll have to train them on the march, but they will still be useful to us,” the general continued, before moving on.  “To the next subject, the subject of this Council meeting.  We have found from numerous sources, among them certain individuals that Mistress Wa-Feng had surprising connections to...”

Felonca nodded and smiled at the reference to her partners in the Thieves Guild, whose eyes and ears reached far beyond the city walls.

“...that the Prince of Langya is building an enormous supply depot near the village of Segoruken, south of the plains of Ii-suken.”  Quan-Shi pointed to several figures on the map before them.  “The purpose of this meeting is to decide our course of action with this knowledge.  Governor, as general of this army under your command,” Felonca saw Ling suppress a smile in her direction at the comment, “should we march to Segoruken, and destroy Prince Hu’s supplies?”

“General Quan-Shi, I am a civilian administrator,” Ling admitted, “while it appears that you and Mistress Wa-Feng possess the gifts of a military mind.  Does this appear, in your eyes, the most effective way to keep Prince Hu from taking the Jade City, and thus keeping him from the scholars, knowledge, and power that lies there?”

Both Quan-Shi and Felonca nodded.

“Very well.  I leave the nuts and bolts planning to you professionals,” he smiled slightly, before adding, “I shall take care of getting Dai back onto its feet, and raising and provisioning a large provincial army to protect us while you are away.”

As the Council broke up, Felonca fairly hurried over towards Quan-Shi, excitement bubbling within her heart, mixed with a great deal of trepidation.  

“Ah... yes... Felonca,” Quan-Shi said quietly as he rolled up the planning map.  “I do have something to speak to you and Nayu about, regarding a commission...”

“Yes?” Felonca asked, and Nayu walked over after hearing his name mentioned.

“Well... I am assembling a section of the army to go and conduct this raid while the rest acts as cover, keeping itself between you and Hu’s main force...”

_What?!_ Felonca thought, rather confused.  _He can’t be asking me to command the operation!_ Despite her bold words two weeks earlier, she hadn’t expected anything remotely like a full command.  _I have no idea how to order around a wing of the army!  I can’t run thousands of troops!_

“I...um...” Quan-Shi started to say, before stopping again.

“What is it, general?” Nayu asked, his face growing concerned, as did Felonca’s.  Quan-Shi wasn’t usually tongue-tied unless there was a major complication.

“Well, you will not be in command of the operation, and I am leaving its commander a free hand, for the most part,” Quan-Shi replied slowly, cautiously, as if he was picking every word from a bee’s nest.  “The only precise orders I will issue to him is that both of you are to receive commissions at the rank of captain, with commands to equal your ranks.”

“Me?!  A captain?!”  Felonca squealed, before forcing a military demeanor back on herself, and giving a sharp, precise salute to Quan-Shi.  “Of course sir!  We will not fail you, sir!”

“No offense... general,” Nayu hastily added the latter title, “but... what would I do as a captain?  I don’t know how to swing a sword, or...”

“There is a small group of warrior scholars traveling with your special expedition wing.  You would command them.  While it would be a small command,” Quan-Shi demurred, “only 10 people as opposed to Felonca’s likely future company of 100, it would have a far greater amount of firepower and responsibility.”

Nayu’s face lit up, in a way Felonca hadn’t seen in a long while.  _The prospect of having that many_ fireballs _at his beck and call will probably make him giddy for DAYS...._  Felonca then noticed that while Quan-Shi smiled towards Nayu, he didn’t smile towards her... instead, the trepidation returned anew.

“Is something wrong with my commission, General?” she asked.

“Um... well... you might have to speak to your new commanding officer about that,” the old general replied hestitantly.

“I’m...well, I’m sure that any trouble that...um... arises... can be handled professionally by the both of us, sir,” she offered, her own reply hesitant and filled with worry.  _What’s wrong with my superior officer?  I don’t know many of Quan-Shi’s subordinates, but if they are like him, they are fair commanders that judge by performance!_

“I... I sincerely hope so,” Quan-Shi replied.  “He is likely outside now.  Shall I send him in?”

“Yes, by all means, sir,” Felonca replied, her mind confused as she tried to sound confident.  _Who would have a problem with me taking a position as a mere Captain?  It’s not like I would be commanding the entire..._

She stopped when she noticed that as Quan-Shi opened, the door, he left the room.

_Why did he do that?  Who’d have a serious enough problem with me that we would be left by our commanding officer in private to sort things out?_

For a moment, there was no one in the doorway.  Then, she heard a distinctly familiar _clank_ of scaled armor boots coming up the marble hallway.  Soon, the door was obscured by an immense figure, nearly seven feet tall.  His scaled armor was pitch black, blacker than the darkest of nights.  From his hip hung an enormous black sword, the carved panther on its pommel frighteningly familiar to her.

The massive figure wore a huge helm, the face of a roaring panther as its crest.  Clawed hands reached up, and removed the helm, and Felonca found herself looking into the deep, piercing, and ferocious eyes of Wa-Feng Dian, the audible growl from his voice telling her of a furious, unquenched anger at her person...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

You knew Felonca’s family was going to appear at some point!  And that they wouldn’t be pleased _at all_ by the choices she had made... though the true extent of her uncle’s disapproval shall be revealed during the next update.  I think I’ll call it, “The War of the Wa-Fengs.” 

Enjoy!


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Great updates, as always, Emperor V.

Looking forward to seeing how this all plays out.


----------



## Falkus

Just finished reading all the posts so far. It's great! I can't wait for the next update.


----------



## TDRandall

What an excellent ending!

Great buildup to what appears to be a clear shift in mood and direction, and a surprise that leaves us slavering for more while we're roasting on this interminable spit of waiting for the next installment.

Bravo, Mr. word-smith!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Thank you all for the kind applause... I'm not sure if I'm worthy of that much praise   .

Here's the next section.  I decided to try to start using some more of the real terms in the story, so here goes.   I've put the definitions (there's only three) at the end. 


*The Battle of the Wa-Fengs*

Felonca froze in place, as her uncle’s great paws rose and pulled the immense helm from his head, the growl in his voice now audible and seething.

_Take the high ground!_ she told herself, as his towering form walked to within inches of her.

“Hello, Uncle Dian,” she said quietly.  She knew it wouldn’t do a bit of good, but at least she’d be able to tell herself that _he_ had started the conversation civilly.  If things went downhill from there...

“I hear you found a new way to dishonor your father’s name!”  It wasn’t the shout that she had expected to come from her loud and expressive uncle.  It was a hiss, long, low and boiling with anger.  When her Uncle Dian shouted, things would be okay... when he, of all people, grew quiet, a thunderstorm was about to break...

“I have dishonored no one,” Felonca replied, her back stiffening as she tried to keep herself under control.  _I did what I had to do to stay alive!  Hsiu would have killed me at the Academy, and stealing was the only way I could eat!_

“What do you call cavorting about in a house of harlots?!” Dian snapped, his face only inches from her.  The blast felt like a typhoon crashing over her face.  

“I did _not_ ‘cavort’ in a harem!  I used it as a means to-“

“Or taking _ten years_ to decide to flee the Academy, and then _stealing_ your way about the north of the country!” he barreled onwards, his voice thundering over her own cool logic, and she felt her own rage rising, the infamous Wa-Feng temper coming to the fore.

“_I did what I had to do to survive!_  It was no different than when you had to eat your steed by the north-“ she shot back, her own voice rising.

“I did that as the commander of an _honorable_ military campaign to drive back the barbarians! _Not_ as an excuse to run away from training, or pickpocket the poor to make myself rich!” Dian snarled.  “Do not compare my campaigns to your little daytrips!”

“_Daytrips?!_  You call what I’ve gone through DAYTRIPS?!” Felonca shouted, all vestiges of her former intentions long gone.  The gloves were off, the war was on.  “You call being chased by undead, nearly dying from disease, being attacked by White Wolves, giant spiders and giants a _DAYTRIP!?_  It was more like a nightmare, though I doubt the great Wa-Feng Dian would _ever_ admit to having those!”

“Stop with your internmible witticisms!  Your quick tongue can’t defend what you’ve done, Felonca!”  His hair was now standing on end, and she saw his face and hands change as he involuntarily shifted to hybrid, he was so angry.  Felonca didn’t realize that she’d already done the same in her own fury.  “You know that no person of honor would ever claim being a THIEF or being an ASSASSIN as HONORABLE!  The only honorable profession for a Wa-Feng is that of a soldier!” he exploded.  “You wouldn’t know anything of that, it appears!”

“Your son Meiji is no soldier, yet he’s helped hundreds, even thousands!” she fired back.  Part of her mind instantly regretted the snide remark... when Meiji had left long before she’d gone to the Academy, it had devastated her proud uncle.  She still wasn’t sure if father and son had spoken since.

The hairs seemingly all over Dian’s body raised at once, and she saw his hands opening and clasping, attempting to find _something_ to crush in their grasp in his rage.  She expected a final explosion, perhaps even a slap on her cheek.  Instead, she felt hard, angry breaths wash over her face as he calmed his rage to the point he could speak again.

“I wish to know, Miss Harlot, why it took you _ten years_ to decide to flee the Academy, when I finished in four years and your own father finished in three?”

_I AM WORTHY OF MY FATHER’S NAME!_ Felonca wanted to scream at him.  The sniping comment was easily apparent, until she recognized the inlaid trap.  Her uncle was the louder one of the two brothers, impatient and impetuous.  Her father was patient, intelligent, decisive the hallmarks of a good general.  So she sent her own snide comment back by holding her tongue.  

For several minutes it seemed, the two stared at each other, their eyes only inches apart, each furious with the other.  Finally, the glacial silence was broken.

“My superior officer has stipulated you will be a part of this mission,” Dian said finally, his anger now hiding under the guise of a general issuing a command.  “However, this mission is vital, and frankly, I don’t want you to screw it up!”  As Felonca’s jaw dropped, her uncle plowed on.  “You may have a commission as a _Zhong Wei_*, but I will _not_ give you a field commission!  You are hereby assigned to supply guard detail!”

To her own surprise, Felonca let out a sharp curse that perfectly described her feelings on the subject.  “I AM CAPABLE OF COMBAT, UNCLE!” she snapped, “I have fought while diseased, I have fought while unarmed, and I have certainly fought unarmored!  If you down my prowess, just as the FRICKING GOVERNOR OF THIS FRICKING PROVINCE!”

“I DO NOT CARE, FELONCA!” Dian shouted back.  His finger shot up like a knife cutting the space between them.  “I WILL NOT HAVE YOU DESTROYING ANY CHANCE WE HOLD OF RESCUING THE PRISONERS!”

Felonca was about to fire a choice phrase before the words registered in her mind.  

“What prisoners!?  Quan-Shi said nothing about prisoners!” she yelled.  _Why didn’t he tell me that part of the mission!?  Does he not trust me as well!? _

“YOUR FATHER!!” Dian shouted, before taking in a deep breath.  

Felonca stopped in mid shout at her uncle’s words, as he desperately tried to breathe out.  When he spoke again a moment later, his voice was amazingly calm.

“Your father is being held in a prison section of the supply depot we are to attack,” Dian finally said, his voice not quite under control.  “You’ve screwed up enough, Felonca, I can’t allow you to screw this up!”  Now Felonca understood the furious anger, the overtly loud and angry assault against her.  Behind Dian’s facade of anger, there was worry and fear.

_Father?_

The dark, glowering face that had been haunting her for weeks now twisted in her mind, from a look of disapproval to a look of pain.  She saw his powerful form broken, bleeding...

“What?  How?” she managed to gasp.  _Father is one of the greatest warriors alive!  He was Shang Jiang** of the Army of the North ten years ago for a reason!  He has not sided with anyone in the conflict... they surely would have trumpeted his allegiance!  Why would Prince Hu seize him?_

“Hu seized many prisoners after Quan-Shi’s army left... relatives of chief commanders, like your father, to keep our loyalty, as well as gifted commanders in the area that had not sworn allegiance to him.”  Dian’s anger was ebbing away, and she could now see the fear in his eyes, naked, open.  “I swore allegiance to Hu... your father would not.  Now, he sits as a prisoner of war...  Quan-Shi wants them rescued, in addition to the depot burned.  There are a good many officers and men, who would greatly strengthen any army, and hold all of us in debt...”

_No....no..._  Felonca ignored the statecraft reasons Dian listed, her mind focusing on one person shackled somewhere in the camp.  Tears started to well in Felonca’s eyes, memories of seeing Nayu’s father lying on the ground dead, now replaced with images of her own father, fallen beneath some blade, crushed under the beastly burden of a slave...

The image jarred her.  _Father would die before he submitted to something like that!_  A shudder ran through her body.  _He would die like a Wa-Feng rather than surrender!_  She felt something rush through her veins, a jolt, a force, and she lifted her eyes, until they bore directly into the heart of her uncle’s.

“I am going as a commanding officer,” she said quietly, her eyes blazing with an otherworldly power.  She saw her uncle’s hair begin to bristle again at yet another outright challenge to his orders.  She didn’t care.  

“No, Felonca,” Dian said, keeping his barely calm.  “You have no experience in battlefield command, even if your skills in individual combat are as great as you claim.  You’ll only get in the way, and I can’t.... I can’t allow Felonxi to die because of an accident...”

“Uncle, I wish for a command!” she repeated, her teeth starting to grate against each other.  “He is my father, as well as your brother!”  _You will grant me this, Uncle!_

“No Felonca!” he shouted back.  “I am your commanding officer!  I forbid this!”

“I demand a command, Uncle!” Felonca fired back, furious.  _You WILL grant me this uncle!  My father is being held prisoner!  I WILL go and help free him!_

The argument waxed anew, growing in fury and tempo.  Felonca accused her uncle of holding past grudges against her, he accused her of being weak and not being a true ‘Wa-Feng soldier.’  The verbal duel continued for some time, until Dian finally lost his temper completely.

“Fine!” he waved his hand up.  She could tell by his eyes that his rage was barely under control... they were blazing with an almost unearthly green light.  “Fine!  You want a command, you can have a command, but only if you take it under _Military Law_!***”

_Military Law?_ Felonca stopped, the term making her pause.  _If I accept the command under those rules, and I DO fail for some reason...  I am liable to be executed without question.  Uncle will be FORCED to execute me if I sign on to such!

He’s bluffing you, Felonca!_ another part of her mind chimed in.  _He’s only threatening you with this to keep you from taking a command! 

He’s my father!_

“Give me the papers to sign!” she snarled back.



“So _that_ is what military law means?” Nayu asked only a few minutes later, after they’d left the fuming Dian in the palace behind them.  He’d spent the entire shouting match between her and her uncle confused and out of place, and he now bristled at hearing the requirements and threats the order imposed.  “You can’t be serious about going through with this, Felonca!  If you fail any order he gives you in the operation, you’re liable to be _executed_!  And from the way he talked, he didn’t sound if he’d mind!”

“Uncle Dian probably wouldn’t mind,” Felonca sighed as they worked their way outside of the South Gate, towards the marshalling grounds for the raw recruits of the army.  “Even before I left for the Academy, he viewed me as too weak to hold the Wa-Feng name!”

“You?  Weak?” Nayu asked with a huff.  “I’d never want to be on the receiving end of those fans of yours!  If you are weak, then a dragon has to be weak too!”

“Thanks Nayu,” Felonca smiled slightly, the first time she hadn’t scowled or been lost in concern since the meeting.  It was only fleeting, before she sighed again.  “I was so much smaller than them... Uncle Dian is only a few inches shy of seven feet tall... and my father _is_ seven feet tall.  I’m only halfway to six feet... tiny in comparison,” she groaned.

“Its not the size of the kitty, its how deadly the kitty is,” Nayu said, trying to be comforting.

“Yes... its too bad Uncle Dian won’t realize that,” Felonca sighed.  “He’d always predicted I would fail at the Academy, that I wouldn’t amount to anything... and year after year when I didn’t graduate, he kept saying more and more that I was a dishonor to the family, a blemish on the clan name...”

“So?  I think Meiji is a bigger blemish than you in some ways.  At least you aren’t a lecher,” Nayu replied.

“I have no doubt that if he wouldn’t mind Meiji’s stain being removed like mine by the old ways,” Felonca said.  _Dian follows the old ways, the ancient ways..._

“Which is?”

“Kill the blemish, restore the honor,” Felonca replied.

“That’s a hell of a way for him to show his love to his niece!  Bastard!” Nayu spat.  Sometimes he reminded her of her father when he grew protectively angry.  Once again, it allowed for a small, thin smile to work its way through.

“Well, it got me a command... a chance to rescue my father, and prove Uncle Dian wrong,” Felonca said, forcing the thin smile into a bravado grin.  “All I need to do is remember the things I learned from the Academy to fulfill the first part of my commission...”

“Which is?”

“Well, I’ve been assigned to command a new company of cavalry, raised from some of the brand new recruits.  They’re giving me a week to train them before we march out, and according to my Uncle, they need to be in ‘excellent shape.’”

“Raw recruits in a week?  That seems awfully short,” Nayu scoffed.  “Seems to me your Uncle is setting you up for failure!”

“Oh, really!” Felonca forced herself to laugh at the comment, despite sharing many of the same fears.  “It shouldn’t be that hard!  Come on!  I’ve spent a third of my life at a military academy!  I know drill inside and out, it can’t be that hard to teach...”

The two crested a ridge outside of the city, and then Felonca saw the standards... the new gold standards of Dai province flapped highest on the staffs, below them a blue banner with the character for an eagle.  Underneath the standard of her unit was a motley array of peasants, clad in dirty, old uniforms.

On one side of the small camp, a young man was riding his horse backwards, screaming that his animal wasn’t going the right way.  On the other side, ten of the soldiers were sprawled out, several overturned barrels of spiced wine lying nearby.  In the center, a big, burly peasant dressed in the clothes of a private was in the process of decking and kicking a small, thin man with the single plume of a sergeant, while a small crowd of other privates watched and laughed.

“Dammit,” Felonca swore, before spurring her horse towards her new camp.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

*Zhong Wei = Captain
**Shang Jiang = Chief General/Full General
***Military Law = Arrangement in medieval and ancient China wherein officers were executed for failing to execute their orders, regardless of reason.  This was usually stipulated before the mission was sent ahead.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Captain Felonca Takes Command... * 

_I have to deal with THIS?_

Felonca reined up her horse just outside the small camp of the Eagle Cavalry unit, whose obvious state of sloppiness, ignorance, and lack of discipline looked closer to the nickname ‘Hog Cavalry Unit.’  She leapt off, and for a second stared about in disbelief and disgust.

_This is my unit?  They can’t ride, they can’t control themselves..._  Her eyes flashed back to the sergeant, now curled into a ball on the ground as the burly peasants laughed at him.  _They won’t respect their officers..._  She heard another horse canter up behind her, and turned to see a very worried looking Nayu looking at her camp.

“Um... this is _not_ good...” the sorcerer said slowly.  “I’m guessing that soldiers shouldn’t be sleeping drunk on the ground, or...”

“No, they shouldn’t!” Felonca snapped back.  _Time to straighten out this mess!_  Conveniently, the first of the sights that caught her eye cantered by.  THe young man on the horse looked absolutely petrified, his eyes watching its flicking tail as he desperately tried to stay on despite his saddle and gear being backwards.  His uniform was regulation colors, but faded, ratty, and filled with holes.  The steed itself didn’t seem to mind... free from direction, it ambled along, munching quietly on grass.

“Gah!” he yelled, turning towards Felonca and Nayu.  “I can’t control it!  Help!  It won’t listen and it keeps going backwards!”

“Um... excuse me?” Felonca asked, as Nayu gave a snort.

“My horse!  Its going backwards!  I can’t stop it!” the young man screeched, at first flailing his arms in panic before he finally lost his balance, and tumbled to the ground.  He landed with a sharp thump, and rolled onto his side with a groan.  The valiant steed, meanwhile, found a particularly choice area of grass and stopped its ambling.

“Good gods and ancestors,” Felonca swore under her breath, before helping the young man to his feet.  _Some of them don’t even know what the FRONT of a horse is, let alone knowing how to ride one!!_

“Thank you, ma’am,” the young man shook the dust off his faded uniform and sighed.  “I don’t know what went wrong.  I got on the horse like everyone said, and all they did was laugh at me as it went backwards.  Then, they got bored, and started beating Sergeant Ping, and left me!”

“What’s your-“ Nayu started to ask, before Felonca raised a hand.

_This is my unit... they need to know I am in command._

“What is your name, soldier?” she asked.

“My name is Sung Ojin, ma’am.  What’s your name?  You’ve been very kind to me, too bad you’re not in our unit, seeings you don’t have our leftover uniforms.  Your travel leathers look comfortable, I wish they’d given us some,” he continued to ramble until Felonca raised her hand again.

_Alright... commanding voice, yet comrade voice.  This young man doesn’t know, he needs teaching..._

“I am Zhong Wei Wa-Feng, commander of this unit,” she said, her voice crisp, calm, and commanding without sounding harsh and angry.  Immediately the young man’s face blanched as he realized he’d addressed his captain so casually.  Before he could sputter an apology, Felonca cut him off.  “Don’t apologize... I was assigned to the unit today, and you didn’t know.  I trust you’ll remember from now on?”

The young man nodded, and Felonca smiled.

“Good.  Now, Ojin, we must teach you how to properly ride a horse... but before that, there’s another lesson I want you, as well as the rest of the troops to see.  Follow me.”

Felonca then strode to the chaos on the near side of the camp, soldiers busily emptying barrels of spiced wine and sprawled onto the ground.  As she approached, one of the drunkards raised his head, and lewdly commented on the girl coming towards him in leather.

“Do you want me to take control of their minds for a bit?  I can make them behave,” Nayu offered quietly, until Felonca once again shook her head no.  Instead, she smiled at the drunk man and his mates, walked over to the barrel, and drew some wine into a clay jug.  

She then turned towards the soldier, whose smile had grown big at the sight of a beautiful woman offering him _more_ alcohol.  She held it just above his reach, and spoke quietly, calmly.

“Rise to your feet, soldier.”

The man and his three mates looked at her, and began to chuckle, then laugh uproariously at her...until she brought the claw jug crashing down on his head, breaking it onto a thousand pieces.

“Up off your feet scum!” she barked, her voice cracking like a whip over the camp, her memories of the parade ground, the morning barking of orders from the Academy now flooding back to her.  When the confused man and his three mates didn’t comply, she administered several helpful kicks until they got the message.  Quickly, the four scrambled to their feet, stumbling about as they did so.

“I am Zhong Wei Wa-Feng, your new commanding officer!” she snapped.  “What do I see in front of me?” she snarled, her form now bristling in hybrid as she paced in front of the four slobs.  When she reached the end of the line, she stopped, and stared directly into the eyes of the last man... the soldier that had made the lascivious comments.  “I see no soldiers!  I see louts, drunkards, people that are worth no more than a beating!  You have two choices in this unit, scum!  You can either learn to be soldiers, or...”

She then turned, and with a sharp kick, shattered one of the large wine barrels, its contents spilling across the ground as the four men stared in shock.  She then spun back around, and stared the four in the eye.

“...I can beat you to a pulp!”  She then leaned close towards the four, now stumbling and trembling.  “Choose wisely,” she whispered.

“Oho!  What do we have here?!” a loud voice called, and Felonca turned to see the huge hulking peasant now behind her, the hapless sergeant now held by the scruff of his shirt in one immense hand, the other meaty paw clutched in a fist.  Behind him stood the same array of soldiers that had been laughing as the sergeant was beaten on the ground... nearly fifty people, or half of her company...

_That’s... half my unit there!_ she thought, momentarily resisting the urge to gulp.  _They were all beating up a sergeant and laughing... they have no respect for order, and if they all rush me..._

Her mind flashed back to the recent meeting with her uncle, and the charges that both he and Hsiu long ago had laid against her, and she felt steel coming into her spine, ice coming into her veins.

_I am not afraid of these men... these are soldiers under my command!  I cannot show any fear!_

“Boys, I think this pretty lass thinks she’s our commanding officer!” the big peasant bellowed, and soon his laughter rumbled around the camp as the others joined in.  “And it looks as if she bought a pheasant in man’s clothing with her!”

“She’s shorter than a dwarf!” another peasant laughed and pointed.  “She’s not a panther, she’s a kitten!”

“Oh, what I’d like to do to that pretty kitten!” another one roared, leading to more laughter.

Felonca didn’t need to turn around to know that Nayu was bristling at the comments, both directed at her, and those directed at himself.  She turned towards him momentarily, giving him the stare that told the story, and his half open mouth went shut.  Satisfied that he would not unnecessarily interfere, she coldly turned towards the instigator.

“Soldier,” Felonca said as she calmly walked towards the burly man, “release the sergeant.”

“Oh... look!  She’s so big, she’s going to give us commands!” the big on guffawed.  “I think she’ll go the same way as the previous Zhong Wei!”  He dropped the sergeant to the ground, before administering a sharp kick to the man’s ribs.  The big one then leaned towards her, his eyes glistening with malevolence.  “Are you going to pee your pants like Zhong Wei Ii did two days ago?”

“Soldier, you have three seconds to stop attacking your sergeant, or I will kick your face so hard your teeth will come out of your ears,” Felonca hissed, her threat low and deadly.

“Bah!” the big one laughed, kicking the sergeant again.

“One...”

“You couldn’t hurt a fly, you tiny pipsqueak!  I suppose you’re going to claim you are a Wa-Feng too!  I don’t care, even if you are a Wa-Feng!  You’re a little...”

“Two...”

“...piece of snot!  No one orders Yu Wasang around!  No one!  Not the generals, not the commanders, and certainly no Zhong Wei so small that I bet my...”

His insult was cut short by the palm of Felonca’s hand slamming into the bottom of his jaw.  His head snapped back, his eyes rolling around in his head from the blow.  Mere millseconds later, as he started to stumble forward from the stunning blow, Felonca dropped low, and a sharp leg-sweep snapped his feet from under him and sent his immense frame tumbling to the ground.  He landed with a thunderous crunch, blood already welling from his mouth, as his eyes lolled back, his mind falling into unconsciousness.

The crowd gathered about let out a collective gasp, and began to back away... slowly, as if they were too frightened to stay, but also too frightened to outright run.  Felonca looked up from her work, her pupils narrowed.

_They now see... they are malleable.  They are ready to learn..._

“Soldiers,” she said calmly, coolly, as if her blinding fast assault on someone easily thrice her size had not happened moments earlier.  A small group of men all pointed towards themselves, eyes wide, afraid they would not be called out for their part in harassing the sergeant.  

“Soldiers,” she pointed towards two in particular, and motioned for them to come forward.  She then pointed to the unconscious brute on the ground.  “Pick up your fellow soldier.”

Eyes wide, the two men in question did exactly as she asked, between them managing to heft the beast of a man between them, and at her direction, drag him towards a nearby healer’s tent.  For a second Felonca let herself watch the big man be dragged away, before turning back to the assembled soldiers.

“An army is built on trust!” she barked, doing her best imitation of Hsiu’s voice of unquestioning command as he had shouted these same words to incoming students to his Academy some ten years before.  “Because of this, you should always help your comrades in arms!”  

“Soldiers,” she pointed to two others, “help up your sergeant.”    The same routine happened, and as he was taken to the healer’s tent she called to her soldiers, “An army relies on the soldiers trusting, and following its officers!  Without trust in your fellow soldiers, and trust in your officers, we will fail as a force, and you will likely die!”

Several faces blanched at her words, and more than a few hastily, fearfully nodded along with her words.  

Her confidence now set, she began to pace in front of the line, continuing her first lesson to these raw recruits.  “Finally, an army relies on discipline, discipline that leads to this trust!  I intend to put this discipline into each and every one of you!”  Her pacing suddenly stopped, and turned to the assemblage of men.

“EVERY SOLDIER WILL DROP AND GIVE ME FIFTY PUSH-UPS _IMMEDIATELY_,” she snarled in her best parade ground voice, a tone so sharp, harsh and commanding that even Nayu winced, “OR I WILL USE MY CLAWS AND SKIN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!”

She hid a proud smile behind her furious face at the collective _whumph_ of fifty-five bodies landing on the ground, and the sea of grunts as they began their physical training...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Felonca’s player especially loved this set of events, so I had to type it up in detail for her.   Next update will include Nayu’s experiences explaining his lack of books to scholars, as well as this whole menagerie getting on the march.

AS for Felonca pummelling the crap out of the guy, it was a nonlethal sneak attack... which I believe she also critted on.  Needless to say, the man was only a mere 2rd level warrior, so 35 or so points of damage was more than sufficient to knock him out several times over.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Ahh, is there anything more enjoyable than beating up weak NPCs? (Well, only those that deserve it, obviously   ).

Very cool couple of updates. Keep up the good work.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Felonca's player has repeatedly asked for a new map of the party's adventures, 
here it is. (LINK IS BROKEN, WILL FIX)

The lines in RED are session #8 (already posted)
The lines in YELLOW denote session #9 (in the process of being posted)
The lines in BLUE denote session #10 (not yet posted)
The lines in PURPLE denote sessions #11 and #12 (not yet posted)

This is the original map of the first seven sessions.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

We’ve followed Felonca around for a bit... so its time for Nayu’s point of view on several things...

*Nayu and the Scholars, and the Army Heads Out*

As Felonca continued to bark orders at her stunned and not pliant command, Nayu slipped away towards the main army camp, and gave a sigh of relief.

_Regular soldiers will always be rowdy and out of control... even though my people might be arrogant, I doubt I’ll have to face down a drunk and rowdy scholar twice my size!_  As he walked, Nayu chuckled at the mental image.

When he finally cantered into the central camp of the army, it wasn’t long before he spotted an immense silken tent next to the tent that housed General Wa-Feng.  After reaching its flowered and pink exterior, Nayu dismounted, and entered into seemingly another world.

The floor of the tent was covered with wooden planks, above which were laid numerous thick and luxurious rugs and furs.  To his surprise, Nayu found that the tent was _divided_ on the inside... he had merely entered what appeared to be a foyer, and he could now hear voices muttering in hushed tones.  Following the noise, he found another tent flap, and after pushing through, he entered a large room, amply large that twenty could sit in a circle.

Instead only ten men occupied the placemats set on the floor, each clad in various colors of silk or other trappings of the academic profession.  From their heads hung immense hats, beads, pearls and other trinkets dangling from the ends, each possessing an immense, flowing, and carefully manicured beard that they proceeded to stroke at every opportune moment.  All their eyes turned to him, each eye weighing, judging, examining him.

“Ah, the new Zhong Wei!” one of the scholars smiled and bowed a few moments later, a move that the others echoed.  Quickly, the elderly man rose, and gestured towards an open mat opposite from the tent flap where Nayu entered.  “Please, Zhong Wei!  Make yourself comfortable!  We have tea and spice wine ready for you!”

“Thank you,” Nayu bowed politely, grateful that his charges were far more controlled than Felonca’s.  Within a minute, Nayu found a warm cup of tea set before him, and the elder scholar bowed as he backed away towards his own place.

“Master Zhong Wei,” another scholar, this one far younger but possessing a mane of a beard that easily stretched to his knees, and silks that made even the others seem to be paupers in comparison, “we were busy discussing Master Kongxi’s fifth element of virtue, and I am curious to see your opinion on this subject!”

“Zhen Ren, our Zhong Wei likely doesn’t support your view that one can be wealthy _and_ virtuous!  Look at Zhong Wei’s clothing!” the older man that had served the tea gestured towards Nayu’s far simpler (and practical) clothing, which while neat, was no silken palatial robe like the outfit worn by the one called Zhen Ren.  “Simplicity is virtue, Zhen Ren!”

“Do you then claim that Emperor Hodi was not virtuous, despite the splendor of his palace?” Zhen Ren asked, before turning back to Nayu.  “Please, Zhong Wei, we wish to know your opinion!”

_Oh no..._ Nayu was thankful that he was sipping his tea as all their eyes turned to him.  _Quick... think!  Think!  What do I know of Kongxi?

Born and died long ago...

...basis for scholar’s arrogance..._

He mentally cursed for not knowing more, and his sippings of tea began to drag out longer and longer.

_If I say what I really think of Kongxi and what these scholars call ‘virtue,’ namely that many of them are arrogant snobs... well... I can’t do that... um... quick way out..._

“I am afraid I entered during the midst of the conversation,” he said calmly, somehow, someway, “and I feel uncomfortable as such placing my exposition into an already existing interplay between your illustrious persons.”  

_Nayu... what the HELL did you just say in Common?_ he asked himself as he followed the statement with a revert bow.  When he looked up, he was surprised to see faces nodding in understanding, and both Zhen Ren and the elderly scholar smiling back in return.

“A most wise statement!” the elderly man smiled.

“Zhong Wei is truely gifted with Kongxi’s wisdom!  It is a please to be under your command!” Zhen Ren smiled, lifting his spice wine in a toast.

Nayu breathed a sigh of relief, as the scholarly conversation swept on for several more moments.  Nayu used the time to observe the ten others in his unit.  Zhen Ren seemed even more arrogant and stubborn than the average scholar.  The elderly man, who Nayu learned was named Yu Enlai, seemed stubborn but not arrogant, and the others seemed to share a combination of these characteristics.  Finally, it was readily apparent that Zhen Ren and Yu Enlai, while they could tolerate each other, were always bound by philosophical disagreements, which frequently boiled over into personal attacks.

“Weichan Academy is far superior to Yuling Academy!” Zhen Ren snapped some minutes later, directly to Yu Enlai.  “At my former academy, we learned the _truth_ about virtue, that virtue _leads_ to wealth, and can coexist with wealth!”

“You failed to fully understand Kongxi’s fifth element of virtue, as he wrote in his discussions of statecraft!” Yu snapped in reply.

“Gentlemen,” another one of the scholars interceded, “Zhong Wei has been silent this entire time.  No doubt he has more wisdom he wishes to lend to our ears.”  A smile towards Nayu, before a scolding look to the other two scholars.  “You two have been talking incessantly, and likely have rudely cut him off before his tongue even left his mouth!  Zhong Wei, please... settle this debate once and for all.  What did _your_ Academy teach about Kongxi’s fifth element of virtue?”

_Dammit!_ Nayu wanted to snap.  He’d been quietly listening, learning, but not enough time had passed for him to fully determine what Kongxi’s fifth element of virtue _was_, let alone be able to bluff his way through the academic blabber that was swirling about him.

Finally, as he stared in confusion for several moments at the scholar’s sudden question, it was Felonca’s words earlier that day that motivated him to act.

_An army is built on trust!_

“I attended no Academy,” Nayu admitted.

Looks of shock and confusion went around the room, whispers, mutterings of confusion as to how this young, thinly bearded boy with no Academy experience was now in command.

“My magic descends through my family line,” Nayu continued, “it is natural and innate.  I use no books or philosophy when my magic is released... it is done purely through my own command and will.”

“How is this possible?” Zhen Ren asked quietly, while Yu Enlai stared in almost abject horror.

“Magic without the controlling teachings of Kongxi?  That... that is... Not possible!” the elderly man hissed.

_Great.  Now they think I’m some kind of freak,_ Nayu groaned, looking around the room.  He quickly noticed a few of the eyes were narrowing with something other than fear, however...

_Lovely... they’re jealous too!_ he grumbled.  _Time to smooth over some egos..._

“However, I do wish I would have had the opportunity to attend an Academy.  I have some of Kongxi’s wise teachings through my life by other means, which is how I control my magic so well,” he lied, “but nonetheless, I was denied the experience of reading Kongxi’s works in person, or meticulous study with such eminent and wise persons as yourselves!”  

For added effect, Nayu executed an almost full kow-tow, which promptly Zhen Ren  helped him up from.

“There there... there’s no need to show us that much respect, Zhong Wei,” Zhen Ren said quickly, looking towards Yu Enlai the entire time.  “I have no doubt that Governor Ling and Shang* Quan-Shi have placed you here for a reason!”

“I do not doubt that, but excuse me if my mind needs time to fully consider and understand these developments,” Yu Enlai said quickly, before bowing in return.  “Zhong Wei, your development as a magic-user sounds intriguing, if unusual.  Please, enlighten us!”

_You mean tell you that your lives of reading books for years and academic conversation haven’t been in vain because a young teen can lob a spell as well as you can..._ Nayu realized what the question really meant.

“You see, I am originally from the north of the Empire...” Nayu’s story began.  He left out juicier details, such as exactly who his parents were, which exact town he was born in.  It would do no good to let them know his ancestry... they would probably go apopletic... so instead he informed them of a few of the choicer events in the past several months of his life... fighting the great white lion, decimating the village of Wang Liang, and the dethroning of the old governor.  By the time his tale was done, and a few washes of _Detect Lies_ fluttered over his mind, the scholars stood wide-eyed before him.

“Such is... amazing!  Astounding!” Zhen Ren acclaimed at the end of Nayu’s description.  “You fought Yi Mang, and lived!?”

“You slew a village of giants?” Yu Enlai asked in awe.

“Yes... and I look forward to see your own abilities on the battlefield,” Nayu replied confidently, before his brow furrowed slightly.  “What exactly can you do on the battlefield, good sirs?”

“Well, I specialize in destructive fire,” Zhen Ren offered.  “I can create an explosion of flame some eighty feet wide... very useful for destroying formations of enemy soldiers.”

“And I can send forth waves of magical bolts to slay the enemy... eighty at a time, each headed towards a different enemy soldier.  Such are the things taught even now at the Imperial War Academy in the Jade City,” Yu Enlai said.

Nayu’s eyes went wide.

_Eighty foot wide fireballs?  Swarms of magic missiles?

I need to study at this Academy!_



A week later, the army was finally on the move... 48,000 under arms, a little over half the strength of their expected foe.

Felonca gazed back at her command, now cantering out in perfect order, their polearms at the ready, their light armor jingling, making her heart swell with pride.

_My command!_ she wanted to chuckle, reining her horse around to join the column.  It had taken back breaking work, on both her part and theirs, to get this far.  She’d submitted them to the most grueling exercises she knew from her Academy days to break them in, before molding them, training them, making them fight as a unit.  In return, she’d cajoled Governor Ling and Quan-Shi into issuing them new, comfortable uniforms, as well as regulation spears and swords.

Beside her rode Sung Ojin, facing properly on his horse.  The young man had a quick mind, much quicker than she thought possible.  He’d already become an average rider, and she had no doubt that with further training on the march, he’d only improve.  His popularity seemed to have improved as well... and she noticed a small cadre of her command seemed to look up to him for his rapid ascent in ability.

“Ojin?” she asked, later on that first day. 

“Yes, Zhong Wei?” he slowed his horse up beside her.

“I have had an idea in my head for a while, something we can do with this little command.  Would you like to hear it?”

“Of course, Zhong Wei.”

“Well,” Felonca started, “You probably know by now that I do not have a completely typical officer’s background.”

“No, Zhong Wei,” Ojin said, and by his slight smirk, she could tell he wanted to break into peals of laughter.  Only two days after she’d smashed in the jaw of the burly troublemaker, the first rumors from within Xianfung had penetrated the army camp... of how the Wa-Feng daughter had killed the previous governor and his guards, of how she was silently but deadly.  She’d noticed a sudden increase in participation and attentiveness at her drills.

“Ojin... I noticed that this wing of the army has no special tactical units,” she continued.

“What do you mean, Zhong Wei?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“I mean,” she continued, verbalizing the idea that had been in the back of her mind for several days, “we need a unit that specializes in making traps on the battlefield.  A group of strong men that can quickly clear forests, cut wood, dug pits to make traps, defenses, and other necessities.  All on short notice.”

“Yes, Zhong Wei.  That would be useful,” he said from beside her.  “For example, constructing pits and hiding them before the army so that the enemy will be demoralized?”

“Exactly!” Felonca said, excited someone else understood her sentiments.  She hadn’t dared go to her uncle with her idea, and Quan-Shi was already overwhelmed.  She still had her own unit, however...

“Ojin, you’ve learned extremely quickly so far... and I am very impressed.”

“Thank you, Zhong Wei.”

“Therefore, I’m giving you a temporary field promotion to Guan**.  I want you to find ten men you trust from this command, and organize them under your command.  After each post-march training every day, you will assemble them on the edge of our camp, and we’ll do some special training!”

“Me?” Ojin sat stunned for a few moments, before he finally snapped an excited, eager salute.  “Yes Zhong Wei!  Of course Zhong Wei!”

As he galloped off, Felonca turned back, and hid a smile.

_As Her Majesty beateth, she awardeth as well..._



Guan Ojin and his special command found themselves trained in surprising things.  Instead of further training in horseback riding or fighting, they found themselves trained in endurance running, climbing trees, digging and covering holes, and all other manners of ‘dishonorable combat.’  Their training continued, even when three weeks into the march Dian Wa-Feng’s column split from the rest of the army, beginning its rapid forced march towards the south.

Nayu’s command gained new respect for him as well.  The young man proved himself to them as being very adept, very keen, and able to learn quickly.  He made it a goal to soak up as much knowledge of Kongxi from the scholars as possible, an effort they appreciated.  His rather humble dress and plain talk also endeared him to the foot regiments that marched in column closest to his scholars.

It was during one of his impromptu conversations with them that he spotted the first sign of trouble...



“Master Wakabayashi!” one of the soldiers along the road bellowed, “When are you going to get off your horse and walk on the ground like the rest of us!”  Snickers and laughs went around the unit of spearmen, their pikes wiggling in the sky as they marched.

“The same time you learn that horses aren’t women, Sunyi,” Nayu replied in the most deadpan tone he could muster, an effort that was rewarded with howls of laughter from the regiment marching by as he rode.  The soldier named Sunyi loved verbally sparring with the only scholar that would speak to the common soldiers, and today was no different as Nayu displayed his wit.  He gave a mock growl towards Nayu, who merely laughed.

“Why do you speak to those people?” Zhen Ren cantered up behind Nayu, his fine silk raiments hanging from his body, dripping wealth.  “They are curs, they are not on the same thinking level as us!”

“Because those curs are our comrades, and one of them might very well save my life in a fight,” Nayu rejoined, before turning to face the richer man.  As he did, though, he caught sight of something behind them... something that made his heart race.

_That is an enormous cloud of dust..._ Nayu thought.  As Zhen Ren started to complain about Nayu’s actions again, the sorcerer raised his hand, his mind focuses on calculating the last time they’d seen Quan-Shi’s columns.

_Three weeks since we left Quan-Shi’s columns...  no... that’s not Quan-Shi..._  He squinted, shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked at the cloud on the plains below and behind them.  _And the cloud is equally large on either side, and the front looks to be facing us...

...someone... or someone’s army... is following us!_

“What is it?” Zhen Ren asked, as Nayu turned to him.

“Ren, ride quickly to the front,” Nayu reined up his horse, “Tell General Wa-Feng that there’s a massive column of dust behind us!  I think we’re being followed!”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

*Shang = General.
** Guan = Sergeant.

The magical effects the scholars described are ‘War Scale Spells’ as described in _Dragon_ magazine (I don’t know which edition for sure... Nayu’s player has the magazine right now, for obvious reasons).  The spells are indeed, larger and more powerful, in return for extended caster times (I believe the two above have casting times of one minute each).


----------



## Krafus

SHs set in oriental settings aren't normally my cup of tea, the writing quality for this one caught me and wouldn't let go... Great writing, Emperor Valerian. I look forward to more (especially of Nayu blasting every foe in sight).


----------



## Emperor Valerian

I'm glad you enjoy it... and while in this post there isn't much blasting by Nayu... the next few will be _filled_ with fireballs, magic storms, and other fine use of the arcane arts.

With that, I'll add that this session came about from Nayu's player making a direct demand at the end of the previous session, "Since we're chasing down this bad guy, we need a big battle!"

"Lots of opponents, or a battle battle?" I asked.

"Battle battle!"

"You sure?"

"Yes!"

"Okay..."

I'm currently in graduate school working towards a Ph.D. in Military History, so the battle part wasn't too hard.  Putting it into a D&D setting and keeping the focus on the character's was.  I think I did... okay.  So here we go, the start of my first attempt at running an open field engagement in an RPG setting... 

For reference, I'm going to try to have a map with each of the upcoming posts showing where on the battlefield our heroes are, so everyone can keep straight.  And I'm going to write up things from their perspective, so when I describe something as "right," it'll be to the "left" on the map.  It'll make more sense if you look at the map. 

*The Army is Duped...*

“48...49...50!”

Felonca’s left arm ached from the strain of the one-armed pushups, but she found the pain, and the accompanying silence from the soldiers gathered around, strangely invigorating.  She clambered to her feet and flashed a smile to her troops gathered around, most of whom had their mouths agape.  Her arm stung viciously, but she didn’t care.

“It’s not that hard!” she grinned.  “If I can do fifty one handed after a long day’s march, surely soldiers like yourselves should have no problem with using _two_ hands for your pushups!”  

_Not to mention it’ll keep their minds off of wondering about that force that’s been following us for the past three days,_ part of her mind darkly added, as the soldiers broke ranks and began preparing for the night.  She was rather proud that it was a patrol from her unit, her boys, that had scouted close enough to the trailing force to determine who it was.

_Hu Lian..._ Felonca thought, remembering who Quan-Shi had described the young woman in fearsome terms.  _And now she’s chasing us with a larger force..._

“Guan Ojin!” she turned and called, and soon he was by her side, ready to accept a new set of orders.  

“Yes, Zhong Wei?”

“Guan, take your ten troops and practice the skills I showed you three days ago for the next hour or so.  Physical training took longer than expected tonight because of Yu Ce’s challenge,” she smirked, thinking of the young private’s shocked face at seeing her do all fifty pushups one handed, “so tonight keep things short.   Since we’re camped in a small wood, have them practice some forest traps; climbing, stringing rope between trees, etc.”

“I am to lead them in practice?” Ojin asked uncertainly.  Normally Felonca herself taught the ten bright, eager students the arts of ambuscade in person.  Tonight was different, however...

“Yes.  I’m off to talk to Shang Wa-Feng to find our postings for tomorrow.  Hopefully we’ll take the head of the column!”  _My troops are easily the best trained of the new units, they deserve the honor of taking lead position in the army!_  She bid farewell to Ojin, and after a few minutes walk, found herself before her uncle’s tent.  Her mind was fixed on the troubles with the elder Wa-Feng... she had tried to avoid him since their falling out in Xianfung, so much to the point that she had never visited his command tent before.  All her orders arrived by message, so there was no need.

_I must talk to him...  this kind of acrimony is not good within an army, even he must know this!_

She stalked into the central area of the army camp, and quickly found the large, if simple tent in the middle.  She steeled her heart and flipped open the tent flap, only to find it empty.  When a hand touched her shoulder at that moment, she jumped and spun around.

“Chou!?”

“In the flesh... like you almost jumped out of!” the tall fighter laughed, his armor jingling.  Immediately Felonca saw the armor was far different than before... it was lamellar, covering most of his body from head to toe in fine steel scales.  Whereas before he had only a steep cap as a helm, now he had a full helmet, complete with the tall plumes of a Zhong Wei.  “How are you, Felonca?”

“_You’re a Zhong Wei too?!_” Felonca almost screeched, grabbing him in a hug.  “We were concerned!  After what happened, we needed to leave, and you weren’t in any condition to...” she blathered momentarily.

“I was fine Felonca, until you crushed my ribs,” he squeaked, and she released him from her deathgrip hug.  He took a second to get his air back, before adding, “I was fine.  I needed the time to think... about many things.”

“How did you join up with this army?” Felonca pressed her earlier question.  “And why are you here in the midst of the command section of the camp?  Do you have a command also?”

“Well,” Chou started with a grin, “I’d spent a couple weeks in Mingzhong... running around, doing odd jobs to keep myself up in the inn, when I hear an army is forming to drive out the enemies of the people of the Empire.  So I signed up, said who my father was, and lo and behold, Shang Wa-Feng needed a Zhong Wei on his staff for army lists.”  Chou suddenly stopped, and looked at her funny.  

“Wait... your family name is Wa-Feng as well... are you related?”

“Long story...” she groaned, and began to walk with him.



“Inside politicking, tsk tsk tsk,” Nayu muttered the next morning, before he turned to Felonca and chuckled.  Behind them rode her company of cavalry, drawn up in good rank, their polearms smartly held, their uniforms relatively clean over their leather armor. “Your Uncle didn’t know until things were already underway?”  

“It pays to know the staff officer in charge of making the army lists,” Felonca replied smartly, ducking out of the way as she passed under a low branch.  The previous two hours had found them traversing through a small wood, and above their conversation could be heard the noises of forest animals screeching at the intrusion of thousands of armed humans into their realm.

“I just hope your little stunt didn’t get Chou into too much trouble.  Your uncle’s probably furious at him for changing the order list.”  _I know I would be,_ Nayu thought.

“I made my case... and Chou agreed that from reports, my cavalry was of _at least_ the same quality as the regular professionals already,” Felonca said loudly, drawing a cheer from her soldiers behind her, before giving Nayu a smug grin.  “It wasn’t hard to persuade him that as the other cavalry units had lead the army by rotation at least once, it was time my unit got its turn.  Fair turn is fair play.  Besides, why have you ridden up here to join me this morning?  I thought you were enjoying your _fine_ allotments as the commander of the spellcasters?”

“Spellcasters know nothing of a real march!” Guan Ojin laughed on the other side of Nayu.  “I bet if you weren’t riding, this little uphill slog we’ve been doing the last hour would leave you breathless!”

“You both like walking, don’t you?  I can change that with a snap of my finger...” Nayu replied with a grin.  “Its the usual story... its rather boring.  My unit doesn’t need discpline... they certainly don’t need physical training, and they’re very well behaved... their scholars for crying out loud.  So most of my time back there is either listening to boring conversations, or trying to make sure we aren’t _too_ alienated from the regular soldi...”

“Zhong Wei! Look!” Ojin’s sharp cry cut Nayu off, as the young Guan pointed ahead.  Nayu and Felonca both spun around, and Nayu gave a quiet curse at what he saw.  

Ahead of them, the small forested hill gave way, the trees dwindled as the ground dropped into a shallow, wide valley before them in a breathtaking view.  To the right-center of the valley ran a rather large creek, to the immediate left of which was another small, open forest.  Another very wide stretch of open ground stretched leftward for almost quarter of  a mile, before there was another patch of woods and then open farmland as far as the eye could see.  These natural beauties did not catch their eyesight.

Instead, beyond the twin forests, lay an immense cloud of dust, rising lazily in the morning air, easily a half-mile wide.

_Hu Lian..._ Nayu thought, cursing again.

“How did they get in front of us?” Nayu whispered, reining up his horse as Felonca did the same.  “When I saw them four days ago, they were all behind us... chasing us!  How did they...”

“Dammit!” Felonca swore, “She pulled a night march on us!  Otherwise our cavalry would’ve seen her move by us during the day!  Guan Ojin!” she spun herself around to look at the still stunned sergeant, “Ride back and find Shang Wa-Feng!  Tell him that Hu Lian’s columns are in front of us... call it five miles ahead in the valley below, and ask him to come to the front!”  The panther hengeyokai then spun back around, squinted into the distance before swearing again.

“This is not good... not good at all...”

“Well, we can set the army on this hill, can’t we?  Wait for them to come into the woods?” Nayu offered.

“Uncle and Quan-Shi both speak of her in glowing terms... no.  She’s smarter than that,” Felonca hissed.  “She’ll spend the day waiting on the ground below for us to come down, and if we don’t, she’ll attack us at night.  By the size of the clouds down there, she outnumbers us by quite a bit.”

“How much do you guess to be quite a bit?” Nayu asked.  _All I can see is that the dust cloud is huge..._

“The clouds are a quarter-mile wide... Quan-Shi back at the Academy always said that you could easily fit several thousand infantry into a front several miles wide, side by side.  And its safe to guess there’s more than a single long row of troops out there...” She turned and looked back at the army.  Nayu followed her gaze just in time to see Shang Wa-Feng Dian, astride an immense black charger in full, midnight black armor, thunder up to their position, cursing and swearing.  Behind him came a long string of officers, including Chou.

“By the ancestor’s spit!” he snapped, “She tricked me!  Gods be damned, she tricked me!”  He then spun the charger around, his gaze immediately finding Chou.  “Damn lucky we were on this hill and saw her!  Chou, send orders to the company commanders!  I want the infantry between those forests, spearmen to the front.  Spellcaster’s will stay to the rear! The ground on the left looks good for cavalry, so we’ll place the backbone of our cavalry there, and flank her as she comes up!”

“I still don’t see why we can’t just sit on this hill and force her to come up to us,” Nayu said.  When the general turned, sour that his orders had been interrupted, Nayu met his stare head on.  _Her uncle’s anger be damned... I think it’d be smart to stay up here, and hit her in the woods after her troops have worn themselves out by marching up this hill!_ 

“Do you know how many people are in our little army here?” Dian asked, his voice seeming to be rather calm.

“Several thousand.  I don’t know the exact number,” Nayu replied calmly.  _Maybe he’s going to be civil today?_

“Try four thousand!” the general snapped at him.  “There’s not enough _room_ on this hill for all our troops to deploy!  There’s a reason why a Shang commands a Zhong Wei, and why soldiers command in battle, not spellcasters!”  Before Nayu could even speak, the general turned and began barking orders for the army to deploy in the valley below, between the two forests.

Nayu opened his mouth to snap a reply, but wisely, the diplomatic part of his mind reined in his tongue.  _That reply would’ve only got you in more trouble...

...though I wonder who’d be in command if I just waltzed into his mind right now and took it over?_ he thought sourly.  _It wouldn’t be that hard... Felonca’s uncle seems to be dominated by fear and anger at this point... isolate those two emotions in his mind and away we go with General Wa-Feng the Mad..._  The thought mollified his anger slightly.

“Shang Wa-Feng!” Felonca snapped a salute, “I’ll immediately send my troops to the left!  Do you wish us inside the wood, or beyond the wood further to the left?”  By her face, Nayu could tell that anger, resentment, and mistrust had been replaced by the work of ten year’s hard training.

In response, the long barrage of orders to various commanders stopped, as Wa-Feng Dian turned and glared at his niece.  “Since I can’t give you the orders I _wish_ I could, namely to guard the baggage trains,” he snarled, directly in front of her soldiers, “I’ll have to give you a command on the _far right._  The trees and the creek there will make sure the enemy will pose no threat there.”  His eyes narrowed as he burrowed the intended insult deeper.  “Not even the most gifted commander could use cavalry in that confined place!”

“Uncle!” Felonca snapped, breaking military protocol.

“Oh... and I forgot,” Dian gave her a rather dark smile, “seeings that Zhong Wei Xili is far too sick to command his spearmen, I’m giving you his company too.  You must stay with both units, on the far right, between the woods and the creek!”

“But uncle!  The cavalry ground is further to the left!  My troops will be able to do nothing!” she yelled, “And if we’re forced to baby-sit some spearmen, we can’t move too far off, we lose _all_ our flexibility!”  Nayu could see a flaming rage building in his friend’s eyes.  Her uncle merely looked at her.

“That is the point, Felonca,” he replied, before spurring his horse towards the back of the army, shouting order as he went.



It was just past noon when Felonca cantered sadly up to her posting, her leather armor feeling heavier than it should.  It’d taken all her willpower to not descend into a further verbal argument with her uncle in front of the troops, as well as to maintain her composure as her troops moved to their posting; her exile.

 Behind her were strung two columns of soldiers.  On horseback came her own cavalry, their faces sullen at the insult directed at their unit.  Beside them marched a company of one hundred spearmen, sullen that their own commander was too ill with dysentery to lead them in person.

“Zhong Wei?” Ojin asked quietly.  “What are your orders?”

She sighed, looking at the ground around them.  The space between the woods and the creek was narrow... perhaps only 70 or 80 yards wide.  Definitely not wide enough to launch a large cavalry attack through.  Any cavalry attack would have to be only two companies at a time... not much at all...

The woods themselves looked thick enough that if cavalry entered them, their ranks would be disordered... any combat in there would turn to one on one... armor might even be meaningless in such a dark mess.  Her uncle had posted a group of swordmen inside, to stop any enemy archers that might try to sneak around the army.  No cavalry could sneak through there.

She then looked at the creek.... it was at the bottom of a rather steep embankment... eight or nine feet, perhaps.  Beyond the creek lay more woods, even thicker than the woods on her side.

“Uncle was right... no one is going to come this way,” Felonca sighed as shouts, horns, and drums echoed beyond the small woods to her flank, the noises of an army arraying itself for battle.  She listened for a moment, remembering long before, when filled with stories of battle and honor, she’d gone to the Academy.  And now that battle had found her, there would be no honor...

_Come on, Felonca!_ her mind snapped at her.  _Snap out of it!  You may be on the farthest wing of the army!  You may not win honor in a brave charge today, but you now have two units under your command!  You are a Wa-Feng!

Act like a Wa-Feng!_

“Nonetheless,” she turned, “We need some preparations.  Guan, I want you to scout the creek there... see if there are any places behind and ahead of us where cavalry could go down into the creekbed.  Also check the depth of the water... if its shallow, it could prove a useful attack or escape route.”

“Guan Yongli!” she called the highest ranking officer of the spearmen, “put your troops here, and array them in standard formation,” she pointed towards the desired location.  “We’ll array the cavalry behind you.”



Nayu forced himself to close his mouth at the sight below.  The heavy, thundering rumble of drums joined the thundering drumbeat of thousands of feet as he watched the Wa-Feng army march into position, its front ranks lowering their spears as distant horns and voices called out orders.  To the far left, he could still see Felonca’s uncle himself, directing seemingly all the cavalry into a hiding position behind the leftmost woods.  Somewhere to the right, out of sight because of the woods to the right, lay his friend and her small unit.

Further away, the massive dust cloud had revealed itself to indeed be a massive army.  Nayu could clearly see dense, powerful ranks of spearman in the front, with more spears rising menacingly from the cloud, as if from a dream.  From his position at the base of the hill from which his army had emerged, he couldn’t see any cavalry on the enemy side whatsoever.

_That’s really strange..._ he thought, his mind still pondering the problem.  He turned to Yu Enlai, who was still seated upon the ground, legs crossed, his eyes closed in firm concentration.

“Tell Shang Wa-Feng I see nothing either, no horsemen at all,” Nayu said.  The sorcerer was still in awe of the capabilities that some of the ‘soldiers’ in his unit possessed.  Yu Enlai, as well as four of the other scholars, could through concentration, communicate mentally with the commanders of the various units.  Yu spoke with and for Shang Wa-Feng himself, and the other four each had a single higher ranking commander they communicated with (_Rary’s Telepathic Bond_).

Yu Enlai mumbled something in reply, and Nayu merely gave a grunt.  As for him, Zhen Ren, and the other four scholars, they would be artillery... or as what Wa-Feng Dian had called them, “human catapults of fiery pitch.”  A few seconds later, a dust cloud stirred up behind the ranks of friendly spears, as Shang Wa-Feng pushed his cavalrymen around the forest, and into attack position.

“Zhong Wei, there is something odd over there,” Zhen Ren said quietly.  Nayu followed his gaze, and squinted off to the left, towards the leading ranks of the enemy army.  Like the other locations, he could see the front ranks of a massive hedge of spearmen... but in front of that, there was something very very odd...

Ten men, clad in robes, walking alone...

“Who are those?  Why are they marching like that alone?” Zhen Ren asked cautiously.  “Is it a trap?  Should we inform Shang Wa-Feng?”

Nayu thought for a second.  _Who would be foolish enough, arrogant enough to walk brazenly in front of their own troops with no armor, no weapons...

...scholars..._

“They’re spellcasters,” Nayu said finally, before letting himself grin.  _Normally it would be bad if I killed a pompous scholar... but there are always exceptions..._  “Zhen Ren, you said you can cause enormous explosions of flame.” Nayu gestured towards the army advancing on them.  “I’ll let you do the honors.”

Nayu’s eyes could only catch the tiny white bead that flew from Zhen Ren’s hand for only a few seconds, but the entire valley likely heard the massive explosion that erupted in the midst of the ten men walking alone.  It was obvious the troops behind them saw... the spearmen’s ranks shuffled as they walked over the burnt corpses, left from the first salvo of the Battle of Ii-suken...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Allright... both me and Felonca's player (drag 'n fly) have been playing with photoshop, and invariably there have been attempts to create images of events that have occurred in the SH.  When a new one is finished, I'll try to get it posted here.

For starters, we have the image finished by me just a few minutes ago. Nayu likes fire... and in this case, the Wang Liang found this out the hard way.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

> So here we go, the start of my first attempt at running an open field engagement in an RPG setting...




Well, it looks good so far. OK, I know that battle proper hasn't started, but anyway ...   

I'd be interested in how you handled this "behind the screen". Had you predetermined the outcome of certain events (like what happens on the left wing - away from the PCs), or did the success (or otherwise) of the PC's actions determine the outcome of events not just on their part of the field, but elsewhere also?


----------



## drag n fly

I'll let EV handle the details of this question  Suffice to say that things didn't work out _quite_ as planned. It was fun, but a disaster in terms of running. We had a good time though, and alot of laughs.

EV, maybe you could post a summary of the rules you created for this engagement? Other people might be interested in using them/modifying them


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## ThoughtfulOwl

drag n fly said:
			
		

> I'll let EV handle the details of this question  Suffice to say that things didn't work out _quite_ as planned. It was fun, but a disaster in terms of running. We had a good time though, and alot of laughs.




Nothing wrong with that; in my games, some of the best moments were when everything took an unexpected direction or when strings of unlikely die rolls and in-game choices led to very bizarre rationalizations of what was happening.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

I'll get the rules I used, as well as the next post, up ASAP.  Right now, I'm working on some photoshop work (this _might_ become a partially illustrated story hour soon...  ) as well as end of the year school projects, and the finale for this campaign (to be played tomorrow).


----------



## Krafus

All right! A big battle coming, and it looks like destructive spells will be flying.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Quite.  To sort through the fallout from the final campaign is going to take a bit... as well as typing up its outline.  So the next post to the story should come Monday night.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The Battle of Ii-suken, Part One*

The thundering crash of war drums wafted over the forest and to Felonca’s ears, causing the panther to hold her breath.  Just on the other side of the wood, battle was being joined, yet she was posted here, only a few hundred yards from the fighting, yet effectively in another province.

“Maybe uncle will call on us to help with the pursuit,” she thought aloud, avoiding the urge to kick a rock, or otherwise physically manifest her boredom.  She’d gone with Ojin to survey the creekbed, and they’d found it soft, but fordable for her cavalry... they were mounted on small horses, unburdened by hundreds of pounds of armor and heavy weapons.  If they’d been equipped as one of her uncle’s heavy cavalry units, the horses likely would have sank in the muck within the creek bottom.

_I need something to focus my mind..._ she realized.  She clambered back onto her horse, and turned it towards the creekbed.  Within a few minutes, she was cantering down the shallow creek, her head just over the rim of the bank, the forest and her men visible only through the tangle of intervening reeds.

She took the time to look at the banks alongside the creek...they were tall, but shallow enough that with coaxing, a horse could climb them.  _Perfect for hiding, and climbing back out,_ she thought.  However, her examining mind suddenly found itself interrupted.

The only noise she’d noticed most of the trip had been the splashings of her own horse in the shallow water, and the noise of birds far enough from the tumult on the other side of the forest that they still sang.  All the while, echoing off the trees, came the rumbling, thundering noise of troops marching into battle rattled into her ears... 

...until she heard another noise.

It first sounded like a slight jingle, and at first she looked down to check that the steel ribs of her warfans were not bumping into each other.  When she realized her warfans were on separate sides of her body, she then reined up her horse, preparing to check her other gear.  As soon as her steed stopped, she heard it.

Jingling, clanging, as if heavy steel armor was bouncing and rubbing against itself, along with the distinctive rumble of hooves... hundreds of hooves.

_What the... my cavalry isn’t supposed to be this far ahead..._ she thought, craning her head to peer through the reeds along the creekbed.  At first she could only see the hooves of hundreds of horses, slowly moving towards the north... the opposite of the way her troops were supposed to be facing.  A bundle of reeds moved later, and her heart stopped.

Lined throughout the narrow gap between the forest and the creekbed were rank upon rank of cavalry, the riders and horses all covered in the menacing steel of heavy cavalry, their halberds and lances at rest as they cantered forward under the black banners of the Prince of Langya.  At their head was a woman clad in the brilliant armor of a Shang, gilded points and artwork gracing the front and back of the lamellar steel, a massive, menacing green spear in her hand.

_Hu Lian... here?_ Felonca quaked.  _That... that must be her!  They spoke of no other woman as a general in this army... that must be her!  But why are they coming around the wood on this side?  Its far too narrow for alot of troops to cross quickly... especially cavalry!  Even my uncle said no cavalry would..._

Felonca’s mind stopped, as another banner leading a large contingent swept by.

_Uncle doesn’t expect her to come this way... Uncle doesn’t know!_  Ten years of military training kicked in, as Felonca brought to her mind a view of the battlefield... where her uncle was, where all the reserves, and his cavalry were...

...on the far side of the battlefield...

_Then she..._  Felonca’s mind stopped at the conclusion, her eyes peering through the reeds now as she went from a shocked young girl to an officer.

_There’s at least five banners... that’s... that’s five hundred heavy cavalry!  Here!  And if they manage to swing around these woods, there’s..._

She ran through the list of commands she had heard her uncle rattle off that morning, and her heart sank.

_No one...  no one between her and rolling up the entire army, crushing it in from the side..._

The jingling and rumbling was a thunderous roar now, as hundreds of horses and riders formed up in dense, thick ranks in the narrow gap.  The massive noise fortunately hid from the ears of Hu Lian the sound of a horse furiously splashing up the creek on their flank...  A few seconds later, an immense, rippling roar covered even their noise.



Nayu blinked hard, the brightness of the light from below nearly blinding him.  He squinted hard, and the light revealed itself to be a series of rippling points of searing flame, the faint, ghostly white echoed of a concussion wave racing outward from the center of each of the massive fireballs placed in the midst of the spearmen to the sorcerer’s front.  As the flames dimmed from bright white to orange, then red, the pillars of smoke, Nayu’s adjusted eyes could finally make out the many friendly spearmen ending their smoking, flaming arcs in the air, crashing amongst their comrades.

“Good gods,” the sorcerer breathed, now realizing that only a few seconds before, several hundred lives had been utterly crushed in a massive series of over twenty fireballs that had rippled down the front line of the Wa-Feng army.  To punctuate the point, only now was the rippling _cruump_ of the successive blasts heard... as if dead souls were crying out in anger at their fate.

Before the sorcerer could grip what happened, arcs of lightning also lashed out across the battlefield, each of the six bolts targeting mounted officers in the midst of the Wa-Feng line.  It was only as the bright blue from these flashes faded, that Nayu realized what had to be done.

“Zhen Ren!” Nayu yelled at the other wizard, whose hands were already in motion, arcane magic already crackling around his form.  The rest of Nayu’s orders died in his throat.

_These men have seen battle... they know what to do,_ he realized as five points of light slashed out from the scholars not busy with communicating, disappearing towards the spots where the great bolts of lightning came from.  A second later, more rippling, blinding flashes lit up the battlefield below, focused on two locations; one right behind the front rank of the Langya infantry, and one much further towards the rear.

“Bastards,” Zhen Ren growled, before looking towards the young sorcerer, his eyes questioning.

Nayu looked back down towards the middle of the battlefield again.  The Wa-Feng spearmen, shattered by the fireball blasts, were already reeling, collapsing backwards, as the soldiers abandoned their positions in fear.  

“Yu Enlai, inform Shang Wa-Feng that the front ranks are breaking!” Nayu yelled to the still concentrating man, even as indecision weighed in the young sorcerer’s mind.

_If the middle of the army gives way... there’s no one between us and the enemy army...

...those lightning bolts took out the officers in the middle of the army...

...the army’s middle is breaking..._

“Zhen Ren, get my horse!” Nayu called back, the Zhong Wei in his title returning to his actions.  “The rest of you, I want _some serious explosions_ put on the center of the Langya line coming towards us!  Now!”  Nervously, the spellcaster’s hand went to his mace.

“Zhong Wei, with all due respect,” Zhen Ren bowed politely to Nayu, “a spellcaster is ill armed and ill equipped to be on the frontline.  You are a very courteous man, Zhong Wei, and you liked the soldiers, and they liked you!  Nonetheless I beg you to reconsider what you are thinking!”

_What the hell are you thinking?_ part of Nayu’s mind snapped at him.  _You have no armor... you can’t swing a sword, and your clumsy even with this mace!  You don’t think you can...

What am I supposed to do?_ another part of Nayu’s brain snapped.  _If those soldiers run, we’re doomed!  Our army’s split in two, and there will be no one between Hu Lian and us!  None!_

“Zhen Ren, that’s an order,” Nayu countered, as another series of fireball blasts lit up the front ranks of the Langya army...



“Zhong Wei!  We thought you were gone!” Ojin cried as Felonca galloped out of the creek, well behind the spearmen to the front.  “The enemy is forming cavalry to our front, we feared you were captured!”  Felonca took in his eyes... fear.  She looked at the other soldiers around her, and all cast fearful glances past her, towards the rumbling, advancing cavalry that was trotting closer and closer...

“It takes more than someone with a pointy stick and a big horse to catch a Wa-Feng,” Felonca replied with a tense grin.  Away from the look of bravado, her mind was busy wheeling, thinking, trying to find out what needed to be done... what _could_ be done.  “Fetch the other Guans.  When they arrive, I’ll have battle orders.”  

She fought to keep herself from sighing with relief at least seeing Ojin’s face take on a slight look of determination and trust... something other than fear.

_They can’t charge us with their entire cavalry force... the area is too narrow, and the woods would disorder their ranks, leaving them vulnerable.  Still... we are outnumbered at least 5 to 2, and if Hu Lian is swinging all her cavalry this way..._  Her eyes then looked to the spearmen under her care.  _They’re lightly armored... they might hold off a charge, maybe two if we’re lucky, but then they’ll give way...

Like my troops would do any better against heavy cavalry head on!_ she snorted to herself as Ojin ran off to gather the various Guans from her two commands.  _They have leather armor... versus troops armored in steel?  I could have had ten years training them, and still Hu Lian’s force would cut through them like a scythe harvests wheat!

There’s no way we can lure them into the woods if Hu Lian is as clever as they make her out to be... and we can’t run our cavalry straight out to outflank them, the creek is their flank..._

Her mind stopped.

_The creek..._

A few minutes later, the various Guans in charge of the units within her cavalry, as well as the units of spearmen under her care, arrived.  Felonca took careful care to remain mounted, her eyes purposefully _not_ looking at the enemy, instead looking at her own troops.

“I’ve assembled the other Guans as you requested, Zhong Wei!” Ojin called, before giving a smart salute.  Around him stood fifteen men, all in various states of being tired, bedraggled, and fearful.  The eight guans from the spearmen were openly ignoring her, their eyes focused on their advancing doom.

“Guan Yongli!” Felonca snapped, putting all the pent up nervousness and fear into the angry crack of her voice, “kindly make your subordinates pay attention when a superior officer is about to issue orders!”

At her sharp words, the eight sergeants all turned, somewhat reluctantly, from staring at the advancing enemy.  Felonca noticed that fear was still in their eyes... though part of it now looked to be fear _of her.

Dammit... well... if that gets them to pay attention and stay in line..._

“Gentlemen, you all know what is coming this way, so lets not worry about counting more adversaries.”  She gave an ironic smirk, yet her voice was still quiet.  “Whether we face five hundred or a thousand, we are still outnumbered either way.”  She looked back at the soldiers, feeling two hundred pairs of eyes boring in on her, as the distant clank and rumbling of armored horsemen slowly grew louder.  She cleared her throat.  _Time for the performance of your life, Felonca..._

“In front of us comes Princess Hu Lian herself, and likely a thousand of her best cavalry!” Felonca called, pointing towards the slowly oncoming horde with her warfans.  “She is confident that she can break through us easily, and then ride around this forest!”

“Gentlemen, behind us,” she pointed towards the quiet edge of the woods far to the rear, “lies empty space!  There is _no one_.  If we give way, she will ride around these woods, and destroy our entire army!  If we give way, there will be _no one_ to stop her from riding us down and trampling us like dogs!  All of us... you soldiers, your guans, and me!”

“Today, you’re going to have to be tougher than she expects!  You’ll have to be tougher than you want to be!  You’re going to have to stay her longer than you want, facing odds that would make lesser men weep in anguish!  But you are not lesser men, are you?!”  Her eyes looked at theirs.  They still saw fear, but now there was determination as well, and a few of the more eager men from her own cavalry yelled a cheer.

_Still too few.  Keep on!_

“I will not lie!  We face long odds, and many of us will not survive!” she called, her voice filling with the same power and rhetoric she’d heard for so many years of her life.  “But if you are valiant, and you fight as a man should, you will be greeted by the ancestors, and lend honor to your family name!  If we die, we die with honor!”  The cheers were more numerous, growing, thundering.  She could feel the emotion boiling in the hearts of her soldiers, giving her hope, and a push for a crowning ending.

“I am a mere Zhong Wei,” she started her horse forward, trotting behind the line of spearmen, “But beyond this, I am a Wa-Feng!  My grandfather fought off the barbarians north of the wall, as has my father!  And now we fight our own barbarians, and even though they cover themselves in steel as a crab covers itself in a shell, they will die just as easily!” Her hand reached to the spot on her hip where throughout her Academy days, a sword would have rested.  Instead, she found the grip of a warfan, and snatched it out, holding it aloft.  “There is a saying around the Armies of the Celestial Empire:”

“Always Wa-Feng!  Always Victory!”

_“Wa-Feng!”_ Ojin shouted hard and loud, his blade slashing up into the air.  Immediately behind him the voices of two hundred soldiers joined in, a chant rising into the air.

“Wa-Feng!  Wa-Feng! Wa-Feng!”

“Ojin!  Take your special unit, and go into these woods, a little ahead of the spearline!  I want you to take as much rope as you can from the cavalry camp, and start making those forest traps I’ve taught you!  Nothing complex, simple horse trips are all the time we have for!”  

“Yes, Zhong Wei Wa-Feng!” Ojin saluted, calling together his ten men.

She then spun her horse around, as the chanting continued.

“Guan Yongli!  Form your spearmen to cover this gap as best you can!  I realize you’ll be drawn out to only two ranks deep, but you _must hold!_” she snarled.  “Take at least one charge, two if you can!  Your men are going to be the anvil, my cavalry will be the hammer!  We’ll disappear for a bit, but you can count on a Wa-Feng to return on time!  Is that clear!”

“Yes, Zhong Wei!”

“The rest of you!  Eagle Company!” she bellowed, and was greeted with a roar from the other ninety men of her unit.  She reined her horse back around towards the creek, spurring her horse on to a gallop, “Follow me!  Stay low on your mount, and hold your spears low!  We’ve got some crabs to kill!”

She felt the wind in her hair, her blood pulsing with excitement, nerves, and dread as she rode down the line of spearmen, their chants filling her ears.

“Wa-Feng!  Wa-Feng!  Wa-Feng!”

She felt her ancestors whispering in her ear... tales of past glory, tales of present prowess.  For the first time, she felt their arms wrapping around her, and she realized her father would have been proud...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

As for running the battle, I've played quite a few wargames in the past, so I was able to build a little ruleset on the fly that worked fairly well... save it didn't take into account fully the destructive power of spellcasters.  So needless to say, things went rather awry, and the players and I agreed that certain events would be redone for the sake of story after the debacle.

The original plan (since they wanted a BIG battle) was to basically run part of things as almost a wargame, but whenever their characters got close enough to something important/plot related, basically "zoom down" if you will, and go into standard D&D combat. This included when bad guys showed up for their required monologues, or when the players did something really reckless (see both Felonca and Nayu on this one during the session!) On paper, it looked perfect, but like I said, it was really really broken. 

It was a valiant attempt gone wrong... but we had so much fun laughing during the attempt


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Interesting approach. I've contemplated big battles in D&D games before (even as a way of pringing PCs together in the first place), but so far have always shied away from it in the end. If I do ever try, I don't think I'd go the wargame route, though it might depend on the group involved.

Anyway so long as you had fun, who cares   ?

Oh and nice update ... I look forward to Felcona's version of the charge of the Light Brigade.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Well, needless to say, the future 'battles' ended up being standard D&D combat... I just told the players that all around them as they moved various peons were tussling for flavor.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates... this is finals week at my school, and I've been busy working on my last paper for the semester... and sadly, a break from writing in my work-addled mind doesn't usually involve more writing.  So instead, I've been continuing to teach myself photoshop, and as a consolation prize of sorts, I've made (with the help and direction of the players themselves as to _exactly_ how their characters looked  ) some pics of both Felonca (in human form) and Nayu.

Nayu 

Felonca

The original pic for Felonca was of Mila Jovovich (the player suggested this shot specifically), while Nayu's is from _House of Flying Daggers_.


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## Emperor Valerian

And finally... another update!

I apologize for its lateness... last week was chaos, and it wasn't until today that I got the first chance to type.  It's shorter than normal (I still have one last paper due tomorrow), but after this, school is OUT (for a month, at least), so I'm going to aim for three updates a week.

Enjoy!

==========================================
*Battle of Ii-suken, Part Two*

Nayu’s horse shied and whinned as the smell of sulfur and ozone filled the air, complementing in a sick way with the overriding odors of blood and sweat.  The dull rumbling _thump_ of thousands of people marching forward assaulted his ears, as in front of him the frontline of Hu Lian’s army seemed to stretch from horizon to horizon, their spears lowered in an immense tide of steel as the Wa-Feng army fled before them.

For a few seconds, the sorcerer stood in awe at the wave of humanity slowly coming towards him... since his ride down from the hill, he’d known there would be thousands of Hu Lian’s soldiers coming towards him... but it was only now that he appreciated how terrible such a host looked.  After a moment, his mind snapped him back to the present, as he noticed something he considered ominous...

_Where is the magical blasts I wanted put here to stop these people?!_  He turned around, looking back towards the hill... he was too far away now to see the spellcasters themselves, but he saw no columns of smoke or flames... they weren’t struck by a fiery magical blast at least.  As he turned about, however, he saw off to his left towers of flame rising high into the air, the explosions dulled by the far closer thunder of an approaching army.

_What is General Wa-Feng thinking?!_  Nayu immediately realized why the fire had shifted, but he still couldn’t understand why Felonca’s uncle would demand all their magical abilities be placed on the far side of the army... not in the center, where his army was reeling.  _That means I’m the only spellcaster here..._

His eyes went wide at the thought, and he turned back towards his own troops.  They were steel backing away, long before they’d even gotten close to the enemy.  No mounted commanders were in sight... some of the troops were still in formation, many looked to be on the edge of outright running away, the enemy host seemed so many, so powerful...

Nayu spun his horse around, intent on fulfilling the goal his spellcasters only a short time before had described as “crazy.”  

Stop the army from running, and drive back Hu Lian’s spearmen.

“Stop!  Hold your ranks!” he called, galloping around a group of spearmen he recognized.  The remnants of the regiment were clustered fearfully around their banner, their spears lowered only shakily as they backpedaled away from the advancing horde.

“Ah!  Spellcaster man!” Nayu heard Sunyi’s voice call.  A quick look revealed him to be the man holding up the banner in the midst of his comrades.  “You’d best get away from here... you have no armor to stop spearpoints!”

“Where’s your commander?” Nayu reined up his horse.  “Where are your unit’s drums?”

“Zhong Wei Ce was killed by a lightning bolt that came from the blue!” one of the soldiers yelled fearfully, “and our drummers were killed in the blast of fire!  The gods themselves are angry with us!”

_They don’t even know spellcasters hit them..._ Nayu realized, before turning his horse around to face the oncoming army as the soldiers backed further and further away.  Part of his mind still shouted that he was crazy... though that voice was growing quieter every second as more and more of his consciousness realized that _something_ had to be done... 

_They need an example of how truely angry the ‘gods’ get!_

“Nonsense!” Nayu shouted back, closing his eyes and focusing his magical powers.  “The gods aren’t angry at you!  You have nothing to fear from the gods!”  He felt the magical finally frothing at the tips of his fingers, and he spun his horse around, flashing a brave grin.

“But those soldiers coming this way have _everything_ to fear from _me!_”  

While still facing his Sunyi’s comrades, Nayu raised his hand high above his head, and pointed behind him.  Aiming didn’t matter, the enemy line was so wide and deep.  None of Sunyi’s men saw the tiny white bead that flashed over Nayu’s shoulder and into the enemy masses.

They all cringed when a thunderclap rent the air and seemingly the earth itself, and recoiled in awe as the unarmored sorcerer in front of them seemed to turn no more than a black, dark silhouette against the brilliant momentary sun that was now the midst of the closest enemy regiment, bodies of Hu Lian’s spearmen arcing upwards, crashing to the ground in burning hulks.

_And now for the clincher..._ 

Nayu very slowly, very deliberately turned around.  He was surprised by the rank devastation the _fireball_ had caused... one entire banner of enemy spearmen had literally ceased to exist, and all those around it had halted their advance, thousands of eyes now staring fearfully at the lone man between the two armies...

“Whoops,” he shouted loud enough for the enemy to hear, and shrugged his shoulders before spinning his horse back around to face the enemy army.  Already, there were shouts from the more veteran guans and zhong weis of the enemy units to resume the advance, or screams of where their own magical support had gone.  Nayu watched bemused as a man on horseback, clad in the armor and under the golden plume of a full shang, charged towards him, rending the air with calls for Nayu to defend himself.

_So the local general wants to show his troops courage... very well.

I’ll just teach them what courage will earn them..._

As the oncoming warrior lowered his spear and began a charge, Nayu merely closed his eyes, feeling the magic welling within his soul.  His mind ignored the thunder of hooves growing louder and louder by the second, in favor of the seeming roar of arcane power into his arm.  Slowly, he opened his eyes, and ever so casually pointed his finger at his assailant.

A massive thunderclap rocked the surrounding area, as the brilliant flash of arcane lightning slammed into the oncoming rider.  The man pitched back off of his mount, tumbling to the ground.  As his now panicked horse thundered by, his caught stirrup dragged the doomed shang away.

Nayu then turned back towards the enemy army, forcing a bit of slight magic towards his eyes.  He could feel a slight burning behind them, and rather bemusedly knew that nothing would come from this slight prestidigitation, but none of the common enemy soldiers would know that the now glowing eyes on the spellcaster before them was merely a slight illusion, and not a portent for the apocalypse.

“Form behind Master Wakabayashi!” Nayu heard a familiar feminine voice shout.  He looked out of the corner of his eye, and saw a bedraggled Yari Ai screeching at another group of soldiers, the white of her healer’s outfit long since bespeckled with the red of blood and brown of dirt.  More impressively, he saw that more of the soldiers were following the order.

He turned back to the enemy, their eyes now wide... many of the lesser guans and zhong weis had fallen silent as their commander’s horse whinned from afar off, still dragging its master’s body behind.  

_They are stunned... frightened..._

“Sunyi!” Nayu called over his shoulder, “Find a horse, and ride to Shang Wa-Feng!   Tell him that the enemy is pulling back, and that he should advance immediately to crush in their flank!”

“But sir,” he heard Sunyi shout, “they aren’t retreating,...”

“Yet!” Nayu shouted in reply, another prestidigitation making his teeth seem to glow towards the enemy soldiers...



Felonca winced when she heard the thundering crash of the first charge.  For a few moments, she resisted the urge to peek through the reeds, but finally her concern and her curiosity got the best of her.  Yongli’s spearmen were relatively raw and spread thin.  If they’d broken under the first charge, her little plan wouldn’t matter.  For a few seconds she held her breath until the dust cleared enough for her to see the spearmen still standing, though even at this distance, she could see their eyes wide with fear and terror even as Hu Lian’s cavalry pulled away, regrouping, reforming, their horses screaming as the riders whipped them about, forcing them back into formation above the thunder of hooves...

That noise made Felonca smile just a bit as she left loose of the reeds, and swung her own mount back towards the center of the creek, and in the midst of her own troops as they sloshed through the water, further towards the south.  With the noise of the charges, there was no way anyone on the bank itself would hear her troops as they went by, laying low on their mounts, their spears held low, no banner in sight.  Instead, the banner of Eagle Company flew behind Yongli’s spearmen... 

_No reason for us to carry something that so easily identifies us as parts of the Wa-Feng army..._ she’d thought to herself. _If they spot us when we come out of the creek, any moments we gain by their confusion as to who we are is precious time gained..._

“Zhong Wei,” one of the other cavalrymen whispered as he cantered by, “Are we almost there?”

“Yes, Wu.”  She pointed up about a hundred yards ahead, where the right riverbank went momentarily from a steep nine foot drop to a more shallow rise about ten yards wide... 

_Wide enough that we can slip our entire troop up onto the banks in a few seconds.  Then it’ll be about approach... and attack._

She spurred her horse on a bit more, making sure that her partial gallop was in the muck at the sides of the creek, the dull slops of mud far quieter than the great splashes that her steed’s rapid pace would have sloshed out of the water.  When she reached the rise herself, she peeked over the edge.  Seeing Hu Lian and her cavalry focused on reforming to charge again, and not looking to their rear, she pulled out her warfan, and raised it skyward.

_Advance,_ she shouted the command in her mind, spurring her horse onto the rise and then onto the embankment above. Behind her, she heard the dull rumble as ninety other horses followed as she still held the warfan aloft.  A quick glance behind her to make sure everyone was on the small plain, and then she snapped her warfan straight out towards the left.

The dull, quiet rumble of horses walking to their positions was almost drowned out by the neighs and yells of the heavy cavalry some two hundred yards ahead as they cajoled their weighed down animals into place.  In contrast to the slow moving heavy cavalry ahead, Felonca’s lighter riders snapped into position within the minute... three ranks of thirty.

All the while, the hengeyokai’s eyes watched with a warrior’s eye the cavalry ahead as they hustled and bustled to line themselves up, facing away from the new threat behind them.  

_They’re going to charge in a couple minutes._ Felonca realized as the last of her soldiers took their places.  The black warfan went upwards yet again, before dropping, leveling with their foe far to the front.  She gave her horse a slight spur, and it broke into a quick trot, the ground beginning to shake as the other horses behind hers fell into suit.  She looked back one last time, and saw her soldiers still had their polearms upright... proper procedure.

As the enemy grew larger and larger as they closed, Felonca’s mind, freed from the helter-skelter of planning and worrying, was now free to release all its fearful butterflies. 

_You have 90 troops, are wearing leather, and have only warfans... yet you’re going to take on 500 armored cavalrymen with spears, swords and shields?  Are you nuts?!_

She put her spurs into her horse’s flanks yet again, and a hundred yards from the rear of the enemy ranks, she broke into a canter.  Armored helms were beginning to turn, she could see plumes spinning as ears finally caught another thunder in the air...

_Now they see you!_ her fear shouted.  _They’re going to wheel around, and when they do..._

She spurred her horse hard this time, and it gave a scream as it launched into a full gallop, far faster than a charge was supposed to be launched normally.  Then again, normally no charge like this would ever be done.

From behind her came a roar, thundering and loud.  She felt the collective whoosh as the spears, halberds and other long polearms of her small unit leveled towards the enemy, their shouts and calls thundering reverberating through the air.  Finally, she raised the warfan one last time, as a few of the heavy horsemen desperately tried to swing their heavy mounts around, their armored steeds moving far too slowly to face this new, terrible threat...

“Wa-Feng!” came the cry from Felonca’s lips.

“Wa-Feng!” came the shout from the soldiers behind her.

“Wa-Feng!” came the shout from Yongli’s spearmen, who lunged forward from the front.

The instant before the chaotic crash of arms came together, Felonca had just a moment to realize that her first opponent was wide eyed with confusion at her... because he saw she had fans, not a sword.

His mistake.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Love the pictures of Nayu and Felonca ... must admit I hadn't pictured Nayu wearing a lampshade on his head   .

Excellent update too. 

By the way, you might want to update the thread title to reflect the last couple of updates.


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## Krafus

Hmm... Felonca's cavalry might have the advantage for a few rounds, but then the enemy riders will manage to turn around, and then equipment and weight of numbers will start to tell... If I were Felonca, I'd mix it up a few rounds, then, once it's obvious that the enemy riders are reorganizing, flee. At least she'll be distracting the cavalry, which her side's commanders might be able to exploit.

Oh, and I echo HalfOrc HalfBiscuit - you should change the thread's title to let people know about this update. I only found it because I was curious.


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## TDRandall

Three updates a week!  Are you a madman?  You'll get us so spoiled that when school rolls around again we will think we are watching paint dry while we wait for "only" one episode a week or so.  Sheer lunacy!

Other than that - your story telling technique is strong enough to have me sitting on the edge of my chair to see how this battle will pan out for our erstwhile heroes!  Wa-Feng!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Oh, and just as another note, the players in battle were playing some of the NPCs around them as well... in each case, the player in battle had an accomplice they got to toy with, and it was a way to speed things up, and I think they enjoyed the chance to do things in battle their regular characters couldn’t do...

Especially Nayu’s player.

Now, I spent all night typing this.  I hope you guys enjoy it. 

*Battle of Ii-suken, Part Three*

Nayu didn’t blink this time as a series of explosions tore through the front rank of the enemy spearmen, and he didn’t wince as the thunderclap of successive fireballs rumbled through the valley.  Instead, he continued to merely sit, the frightening smile on his face directed at the enemy soldiers.  It was now _their_ turn to begin to back away slowly, despite the shouts and cajoling of their own officers.

_This is... rather entertaining..._ Nayu thought to himself, as he raised his right hand in a motion to advance.  The magic he’d been building in his hand crackled as he did so, tiny arcs of electricity rippling between his fingers as he heard the surviving officers of the units behind him bark orders, Yari Ai’s shouted encouragement, and the thundering drumbeat of thousands of feet falling into march.

_Ah... another would be hero?_ Nayu asked as he saw a rider plunge through the reeling front ranks of the enemy, once again with a lance tipped towards Nayu’s throat.  The next lightning bolt from Nayu’s fingers literally made the man’s head boil away from his body, as both he and his electrocuted horse tumbled to the ground in a heap.

“Surrender!” Nayu shouted at the top of his lungs... he didn’t know any magic that would have changed his voice, however he was fairly sure the recent displays of power did far more to cause fright than the deepest baritone.  “Your spellcasters are dead!  If you do not surrender, you are _all doomed!_”  To add to his point, he unleashed another blast of magic, causing yet another fireball to rip a massive hole in the midst of another enemy regiment.

“Master Wakabayashi!”  Nayu heard the rapid gallop of a horse stop next to him, and turned to see Sunyi, the young man’s face red with excitement, his horse panting from a long fast gallop.  “Shang Wa-Feng is coming!  He’s bringing cavalry with him!”

“Good, Sunyi.  Now, go to your people and keep them in line.”

“Ah.. so the spellcaster has become a commander?” Sunyi gave a grin as he turned his horse around, “I would tremble if...”

The quip died in his throat, as an arrow robbed him of his breath and life.  For a second, Nayu watched, stunned, as Sunyi slumped off his mount, blood gushing in a small fountain from his punctured neck.  It was only when he heard a loud _zip_ and felt the sleeves on his robes rustle that he realized he was under attack too, and spun around.

Coming through the mass of frightened enemy spearmen were four riders, their horses clad in armor of polished, fine steel, their forms clad in armor bossed in silver.  From the helms of each came the great red and gold plumes of the highest of generals.  The last of them was just putting away his great bow, before presenting his massive spear forward, preparing to charge.

“You robed fool!” one of them shouted at Nayu, “Let us see how you fight without your magical tricks!  Only a coward resorts to magic on the field of...”

An enormous thunderclap broke over the battlefield, as a powerful arc of lightning sent the speaker sprawling on the ground.  His comrades only gave their fallen friend a glance, before setting their spears and charging towards Nayu.

_Ok... they’re a little braver than the others..._ Nayu thought, drawing on his magic as they charged.  He could feel the pulses of energy running up his arm, but then he frowned.  No lightning crackled between his fingers, no tiny bead of white, nascent to the _fireball_ spell formed within his hand.  Instead, the magic ebbed quietly, no longer a tempestuous storm but a placid sea...

_Oh no..._ Nayu looked at his hands in utter shock for a few moments, before he let loose a series of sharp curses and wheeled his horse around.  Nayu the Powerful had suddenly become Nayu the Toothless, his reservoir of magic depleted.

“Come back here you coward!” the three pursuers shouted, as Nayu noticed his own spear ranks beginning to stop and recoil at seeing their powerful _de facto_ leader running away from three enemy commanders.  He could hear the curses and shouts of Yari Ai and the other remaining officers for the men to keep in line.  Yet Nayu was no fool.

_One pass by any of those men and I’ll be left in pieces!!_ he thought as he whipped his horse to the left as the three riders closed.  Now he could hear the sharp snorts of their horses, when he turned their spears were only a few feet behind.  _Where’s Dian?!_

Nayu whipped his horse back to the right, cutting in front of the rows of friendly spears, hoping one of the other commanders was a few seconds too slow in turning his steed and instead impaling himself on the outstretched blades.  

No such luck.

He heard a thundering shout, a rumbling roar coming from the enemy spearmen, and above the thunder of his own horse’s hooves, he could hear the steady, powerful rumble of an army marching forward...

_Dammit!!_ he snarled, spurring his horse faster, putting a few extra feet between himself and the riders, his eyes constantly looking behind him, as the three deadly spearpoints drew closer and retreated, their wielders shouting for him to stand and fight.

_If only I could find a place to ride behind our spearmen...

...but if there’s a hole wide enough for me, its wide enough for them too!

I could turn and fight... but three men in armor versus me with a mere mace?

Dammit!

Maybe if I ride enough, I can wear out their horses... mine has no armor, theirs are weighed down by hundreds of pounds of armor...

...but their horses are bigger and stronger than mine...

I’ve got to do something... the enemy soldiers are getting encouraged by these three fools!_

In desperation, he stretched out his hand and launched four tiny pulses of light directly at the three horses.  The magic was pitifully weak compared to the power one of his lightning bolts or fiery explosions produced, but the sorcerer’s choices were drawing thin (yes, he shot _magic missiles_ at the horses).  It was a desperate ploy to buy time, till he could find something better...

The missiles, as expected, did not kill the horses... they were far too weak.  However, the horses did panic at the sudden flash of light and sharp pain, and skidded to a halt, rearing and neighing their anger and fright.  As the three riders desperately yanked on their reins, muscling their steeds back down, Nayu galloped further away, and for the first time in a while, he allowed himself to look forward.

And reined his horse to a stop.

Even atop his mount, Nayu could feel the ground tremble, shaking, rumbling, thundering.  His own horse reared at the sight, and as Nayu fought to keep control, what he saw remained etched into his memory for many years...

Stretching almost as far as the eye could see were horses and riders, their blades reflecting a wall of light in the afternoon light, their warcries ripping the air, the clouds of dust in their wake blocking all view.  In front of the horde snapped the banners of Shang Wa-Feng, and below them came Dian himself, his black charger foaming, his spear above his head in a frightening pell-mell charge.

Nayu’s horse, frightened by the sight as much as any foot soldier, spun itself around, allowing the sorcerer a collective, panoramic view of the fearful, wide-eyed reactions of the enemy army.  Not more than a few seconds later, Wa-Feng Dian swept by at a full gallop, his hybrid form bristling in anger, his spear pointed at the three stunned generals between the two armies.  

For a second, the three started to lower their spears to receive Dian’s reckless charge, until their eyes caught sight of the spellcaster they had been chasing.  The young man’s hand was aloft, and between his fingers seemed to arc violent blue lightning...

One of the generals’ eyes went wider than the others, and as Dian bore down, began to clutch and claw at his breastplate.  The man’s eyes went wider and wider, till he began to spit up blood.  His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his lifeless form tumbled to the ground.

The remaining two commanders stared wide eyed at Dian’s oncoming form, then at Nayu’s hand, and before the elder Wa-Feng could close, they dropped their spears and raised their hands in surrender.

As the Wa-Feng battleline gave a collective roar and surged forward, Nayu grinned and lowered his hand.

_Three generals?  Bah!  Nothing that an angry Dian and a little prestidigitation can’t fix!_



The crash of steel on steel screeched in Felonca’s ears, as she stretched out both of her warfans, and brought each crashing down on the unprotected slot between the breasplate and helm of an armored rider.  The roar seemed to echo in her ears, as the rest of her unit crashed headlong into the back of the heavy cavalry.  However, the noise and the blades itself didn’t do the greatest damage.  It was merely a bloody nose, a punch to get Hu Lian’s attention.

Felonca’s warfans went up again almost as soon as she’d dispatched the two initial riders.  “Into the woods!  Into the woods!” she shouted at the top of her lungs, waving her fan towards the woods.  Her men wore little armor, so in a long fight, they were at a disadvantage... but their horses were quicker because of it, and quickly disengaged and thundered into following her orders.

Her horse galloped along quickly, and she heard the thunder of other animals following behind.  On the edge of the forest, she wheeled her horse around, and the animal reared.  Surging by went her own cavalry.  Behind them, she saw the mass of the enemy cavalry was coming as well... the woman in battle armor in the midst, her sword pointed at the wood.

_Good... something’s gone right today,_ Felonca snarled as she spun her horse into the darkness.  _Bloodied Lian’s nose... and she’s following the bait..._

Instantly, the once quiet forest became a sea of chaos.  As she galloped into its depths, she saw out of the corner of her eye two men from Ojin’s unit behind two trees, one of five such traps spread about the entrance to the woods..  She never saw the rope strung between them, but she heard the panicked scream of a horse (as well as their own shouts a they were flung about) as they drew it tight and tripped the steed of one of Hu Lian’s men.  That thundering collapse was quickly followed by another, as the horsemen behind the fallen horse and rider tried to dodge the obstacle in the confines of the forest.  Some did, and some didn’t, their own horses tripping, starting a chain reaction.

“Now!  Into them!” Felonca screamed, spinning her horse around and charging towards the chaos.  In the darkness of the forest, she heard a thundering rumbling cry of of her family name, and soon the chaos became earnest, as Yongli’s spearmen dropped their spears, drew swords, and charged into the wood behind Hu Lian’s cavalry.

Felonca didn’t have time to think this time as her horse plunged her into the midst of the chaotic scene.  Her mind saw only blurs.  If the blue was light colored, it was one of her men in the light leather that made their uniform.  If the color was dark, it was the darker steel of Hu Lian’s troops, and her warfans lashed out towards the target.

Within minutes, the leather armor she was wearing became a rusty red, covered with blood as she slashed her way into the midst of the enemy, before she felt a sudden, violent jarring and her horse reared.  The animal began to careen towards the side, and Felonca was forced to leap clear, landing on her feet as her trusted steed collapse to the ground, a spear embedded deep in its chest.

She spun around, and caught sight of her horse’s slayer, who was spurring his own horse forward while drawing his blade.  She tensed herself, her warfans out, as the rider thundered towards her, his sword held high, shouting a warcry.  Just as his blade started to come down, she leaped upwards, her body contorting away from the blade as her right warfan slashed in a vicious arc.  His warcry changed to a scream as his swordarm tumbled to the ground, he himself falling off his horse in shock.

Felonca had no time to think about the deed, instead ducking down at the sound of a horse behind her.  Then it happened.

Something big and heavy hit her in the back, and sent her sprawling forward, knocking the wind out of her.  For a second, she saw blackness... she knew she was alive though, as she could hear the hooves of the horse that had been carrying her attack pass by only inches from her head.  She then felt hands grabbing her shoulders.  Quickly, she twisted aside, whatever ache that would’ve been in her back long faded due to the adrenaline pumping in her blood.

“Calm, Felonca!” she heard a familiar voice call, and she spun herself around, only barely managing to stop her warfan, inches before it would have sliced Liu Ganxi’s head from his neck.

“Calm,” he repeated, even as the ironic screams of men and horses echoed in the woods.  Slowly, she lowered her warfans, confusion across her face.

“Wha...why?”

“My healing tent was set in these woods... the woods were away from teh fighting,” he said quietly, before adding, “then the fighting came to us, I suppose...  And you aren’t paying attention again... just like you never paid attention when I tried to explai...”

He stopped his lecture when Felonca threw one of her warfans just past his ear.  Liu stared at her wide-eyed, until he heard the thump of the dead cavalryman behind him.  He turned, looked at her, looked at the body, and wordlessly worked his mouth as she pulled her warfan from the neck of the body.

“Liu... you can lecture me later!” she said, gesturing around, as another horse and rider crashes to the ground nearby, this time clad in the leather armor of one of her own.  _I shouldn’t have to say there’s a battle... its quite obvious!_

“I... was...” Liu looked at the sword still clasped tightly in the dead man’s hand as Felonca charged towards the loudest noise of yells.  She didn’t need to turn around to see that he was eventually going to follow...

...a few seconds later she wished he’d followed immediately.

From the midst of the chaos around the original rope traps, she saw a singularly frightening figure.  Her armor glistened with gold in the broken sunlight that filtered into the forest’s depths.  Her helm was crowned by the embossed image of a great hawk, its eyes made from rubies, seemingly staring straight into Felonca’s heart.  Blood red barding covered her horse’s snout, as her eyes settled on Felonca.  The noise of the battle around Felonca seemed to quiet, as she heard the _shing_ of Hu Lian’ drawing her blade.

“Wa-Feng scoundrel!  Betrayer of my brother!” Lian snarled, her horse pawing the forest floor.  She put her spurs into the horse’s flanks, and it quickly broke into a canter.  “Face me like the shriveled husk of a man that you are, scum!”

_She thinks I’m Uncle Dian..._ part of Felonca’s mind realized whimsically, the same part of her mind that wanted to laugh maniacally because it now saw death and didn’t know what to do about it.

Fortunately, Felonca’s military training also kicked in.  _Rider coming towards me, full charge.  

Jump.  Warfan Slash to arm,_ the mind decided cryptically, as the rogue tensed her body, coiling up her muscles to strike.

Hu Lian gave a shout, and soon the horse and rider were charging down Felonca at a full gallop, Lian’s sword raised high over her head, the giltwork on the blade flashing in the intermittent sunlight.  Felonca crouched, and as Lian thundered close, the rouge leapt into the air...

...and Felonca cursed.

She realized at the last moment her upward leap had been a split second too late, as the silver sword slashed downwards, and she felt sharp blow on her right shoulder.  _I’m hurt..._ the hengeyokai realized rather belatedly as her flight turned an uncontrolled fall.  She landed on the wounded shoulder, and she _heard_, not just felt, a sickening crunch.  Blazing, burning pain shot through her arm, up her shoulder and down her right side.

_Dammit!_ she swore, as she heard the hoof beats halt, and the whinnies of a horse being spun around.  She heard Liu’s voice give a shout.  _He must be attacking her...

Must get up...

...Come on, Felonca!_ she shouted at herself, _You survived burning mold in your lungs!  You can survive this!  GET UP!_  On sheer willpower and adrenaline, she put all the strength she could into her left arm, and slowly stumbled to her feet.  A quick glance to her right revealed her shoulder split open by a massive sword cut, and her arm hanging at an odd angle.

_Its broken..._ she thought, her heart pumping, her mind pushing the pain aside, trying to focus on her left side, trying to keep it active.  She turned, facing the rider again, just as Liu missed a flying kick and fell ignominously to the ground.  Her attacker indisposed, Hu Lian spun her charger around, and once again thundered towards Felonca.

_Time it better this time, Wa-Feng!_ she heard Master Hsiu’s voice in her head. 

_Focus... that is what you need..._ she heard Quan-Shi’s voice moments later. 

 Lian thundered in, sword raised for yet another strike.  Felonca leapt upwards, this time blocking the sword strike with her left warfan.  As the hengeyokai landed neatly on the ground, Lian reined up her horse, and began to swing wildly.

Immediately Felonca knew she was in trouble.  AS she blocked with her left warfan, she realized a moment too late that her training mind was trying to get her right arm to participate in the movements... an arm that for all intensive purposes, was now useless to her.  It was a moment later when the first sword slash ripped across Felonca’s chest, and the hengeyokai stumbled backwards.  A second later, the silver blade slammed into Felonca’s stomach, and the rogue felt herself double over as Lian ripped the blade out.

Felonca felt the world starting to turn black again, the sounds around her growing distant, as if coming to her through an immense tunnel.  This time, she realized no friendly druid was nearby to heal her, or bring her back from the brink.

_Fight Felonca!_ she shouted to herself, as she distantly heard Liu scream again, shortly followed by dull thumps of fists and feet slamming into armor, and the whoosh of a sword lashing the air.  _Fight it, Felonca!  Stay up!  Stay up!_  She felt wetness on her lips... blood trickling from her mouth.

_She’s distracted, Felonca!  Now!  Get her now!_

Her bleary eyes looked up, and saw Hu Lian had spun her horse around, putting her back to the beaten rogue.  Now her slashes and attacks were focused on Liu, who thankfully was artfully dodging the blows.

Felonca felt her left leg shuffle forward, and grunted.  The pain that laced her body was dull, distant, all of her being focused on one thing... moving forward to attack Hu Lian.  She took another step... then another.  Grudgingly, her legs moved faster, pushing her from a trudge to a jog... then a run.

Something in Hu Lian’s warrior sense tingled... Felonca saw the woman turn, her eyes wide that her adversary that should have been dead was instead running at her.  She yanked hard on her reins, tugging, pulling at her horse to turn.

But it was too late.

Felonca’s weary form was too tired and broken to leap upwards and properly attack the Princess, but she wasn’t too tired to focus her attention on something well within her reach.  Her left warfan whistled in the air as she made her tired body spin, throwing all of the power she could muster in her short frame into slicing into Hu Lian’s leg, tightly clamped to the side of her steed.

The warfan was well maintained... Felonca had constantly watched its sharpness, making sure its edge was good and keen.  Because of this, the fan sliced through Hu Lian’s thigh as a knife cuts through butter, slashing tendons, ripping muscle, and cracking bone.  The blow was so strong that once it had severed the Princess’ leg, the warfan continued onward, slashing a deep cut into the side of her horse.

The Princess let out a scream of agony, and her horse reared in panic.  Without her right leg to clamp tightly to the horse, Princess Hu Lian was thrown backwards, and landed on her head with a deadly thump, her metal armor clattering as it hit the ground.  

Felonca’s worn frame stood, waving ever so slightly in dizziness from loss of blood as Hu Lian’s horse galloped off. 

_Finish her off..._ her military mind told her worn frame, and her body grudgingly responded, pain beginning to shoot through all her limbs.  The rogue started to stumble forward towards Hu Lian’s still form, before the adrenaline finally wore off.  

_Must keep going..._ she grunted, as the corners of her vision grew dark.  She felt her legs start to give, and she crumpled forward.  The ground rushed to meet her, as darkness beckoned.  She landed with a dull thud, and now the pain spread to her face...  the darkness seemed to grow in her mind... dark, quiet, peaceful...

Even as her conscious mind screamed to avoid it, she felt her broken body reaching out towards the peacefulness... 

She felt a hand touching her shoulder, and then the darkness took her...

=============================================================
In both these cases, combat was basically reduced down to just the PC, the NPC present, and the baddie(ies).  The other peons were, for the sake of time, etc., assumed to be fighting other peons.

Nayu's player was really clever.  I'd informed him that after he'd called for Felonca's Uncle to come in, taht he could see him far off.  The player took it upon himself to run around and play distraction until Dian showed up... then the _intimidate_ happened. 

In Felonca's case, she faced one baddy, but had a string of bad luck as Liu couldn't fight worth crap (missed every attack).  Felonca got battered quick and often, as Hu Lian had failed a spot check to recognize this wasn't General Dian, but some other panther hengeyokai... yet the rogue still managed a vicious sneak attack at almost max damage, despite suffer -2 hp per round from massive bleeding, etc... Hu Lian failed her ride check, and then took enough damage when she fell to the ground that she was knocked unconscious.  As for Felonca's fate... we shall see   

Uncle Dian's charge also became the subject of a photoshop, which can be seen here.  Nayu's player had a ton of fun using Dian's _intimidate_ to scare the living bejesus out of the three generals that Nayu himself couldn't polish off due to lack of spells.   And if any of you have read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, you'll figure out rather quickly which character Dian is based off of.

As for Felonca's dramatic charge into teh woods, two photoshops came about.  The first picture also happens to be my first attempt at photoshoping anything... its supposed to be a hybrid Felonca on horseback.  Oh well. I was learning.

The second picture was made by Felonca's player, who logs in here as dra n fly.  It shows Hu Lian's arrival, just before she spots Felonca and the deadly duel begins.  I do have to say, its quite a bit better than my rendition. 

Next update will hopefully come Thursday... I'm headed home this weekend, so if its not up by Thursday, it'll be up Sunday night or Monday...


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> Now, I spent all night typing this.  I hope you guys enjoy it.




Every word, Emperor V, every word.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Rushed off, just before I need to sleep for the drive tomorrow...

*After the Battle...*

The stench of death was overpowering.

Nayu wiped his brow, tugged the sword out of its scabbard.  The dead general’s body shifted slightly as the sorcerer pulled the weapon free, its dull, rather unpolished look seemingly drab compared to the gilt and pomp of the dead man’s armor.  Rather clumsily, Nayu gave the blade a few swings, before sitting on the ground and closing his eyes, feeling the magic in the blade wash over him.

_Magical... yes._  He opened his eyes and smiled.  _Shang Wa-Feng said nothing about looting the bodies, and to most others in this army, this sword would be worthless...

If I can find someone who wants a magical weapon... and who doesn’t... this could fetch an excellent price..._ Nayu’s trader mind jumped in.  He was just about to slip the weapon into his _bag of holding_ when he heard a horse gallop up behind him.  Before he could move the voice, he heard Shang Wa-Feng’s voice, excited and giddy.

“Keep that sword!  You deserve it!  By Kongxi, they’re all running!” the general boomed as Nayu turned around.  The huge panther hengeyokai was beaming, though his horse looked worn and tired.  With the grace and ease of a person more than pleased by the events of the past few hours, he leap off his horse, and within a few seconds caught Nayu in a massive bearhug.

“You held them in place, boy!  Held them by the nose long enough that I could kick them in the ass!” he beamed.  “You’re not fit to be just a Zhong Wei!  You need a promotion!”

“That... that’s not necessary, sir,” Nayu said quickly.

“Nonsense!  From now on, you are Xiao* Wakabayashi, and I’m thinking of giving you four of those spear regiments you held in place today with your displays!”

“Sir, with all due respect,” Nayu quickly jumped in.  _I know nothing of regular soldiering... and I’m not particularly keen to learn!_  “I am not trained, or worthy, of such a command.  I would humbly request your excellency to let me retain my current command.”  Nayu added a careful bow, which caused the great general to give a loud guffaw, and slapped the sorcerer on the back.  The blow almost sent Nayu sprawling.

“Very well then, Xiao!  You can keep your old command!  But let me warn you,” Dian smiled, “If you pull any more heroics of that sort, you’ll find yourself a Shao*, and then you’ll jump from one small command to having twenty!”

“I shall keep myself humbly in reserve, sir,” Nayu replied with a wry smile, trying to cover up the pain of his suddenly sore back.

“I’m very surprised at your abilities, Wakabayashi,” Dian continued, “to be honest, since you were a friend of my niece, I had assumed you belonged in the lackadaisical and lazy lot with her.  I see today that I’m greatly mistaken!”

“With all due respect, Shang Wa-Feng,” Nayu said quietly, carefully picking his words, “I think you greatly underestimate your niece.”

“Nonsense!” the general rumbled in reply.  “Just because you are her friend, doesn’t mean you can’t be blind to the incompetence that happened today!  Where were her light cavalry during the pursuit!  My heavy cavalry in all their armor were forced to ride hard another three hours chasing down Hu Lian’s people!”  Dian’s massive brows bent in a front, and his eyes began to blaze.  “I have no doubt that because her light cavalry was missing, that Hu Lian and most of her horsemen got away!”

“I cannot say for sure, Shang Wa-Feng,” Nayu felt a slight tinge of annoyance in his own voice, “but I believe that cowardice is not a part of your niece’s character.  If she didn’t participate in the pursuit, I am guessing there was a good reason.”

“Bah!”  Dian roared, waving his hand dismissively.  “I am just about to go over to those woods, and give her a good dressing down!”  He gave a snort as he clambered back onto his horse, and the steed almost seemed to roll its eyes as the weight returned to its back.  “Its too bad my orders only said to stay by the woods!  She’ll use that tongue of hers to weasel her way out of duty she should’ve performed!  Felonxi was always too weak on her, and now she’s become a blemish!  A blemish on the family honor, I tell you!”

Nayu’s jaw clenched, as he clambered onto his own steed as well.  _Must not yell at Shang Wa-Feng... must not cast a spell over Shang Wa-Feng..._  The sorcerer’s hands gripped hard on the reins, as he tried to focus, and not unleash a tirade or a arcane storm on the older general as the two spurred their mounts towards the woods on the far right...



Felonca felt something tickle her face...

...and then the pain came back.  Burning, tearing, screaming pain seemingly boring into even her soul.  In her mind, she let out a scream of agony, but her ears only heard a very dull moan.

“I guess it is rather hard to kill a Wa-Feng,” she heard a voice mumble from a distance, and felt hands on her painful shoulders, lifting her off the ground.  Slowly, painfully, she opened her eyes.  At first, only shapes and colors flashed in front of her, till she managed to make herself focus, and the very concerned face of Liu Ganxi came into view.

“Zhong Wei!  Are you alright?” more voices asked, and soon she saw the battered and bloody faces of men from her unit, their faces full of concern and fear.

“Wha...” she managed to mutter, before her lungs reminded her that a swordstroke had narrowly missed them.  She tried to gasp from the pain, but her lungs defeated her yet again.

“Shhh...” Liu gently placed his hand over her mouth.  “At least let me use what healing I have left to get you in a position to talk... and maybe use your left arm.”  

With great effort, Felonca nodded her head ever so slowly.

She felt Liu’s hands gently touch her, one on her forehead, another on her shoulder.  Quiet words of power came from his mouth, and for a second, instead of pain, she felt warmth, warmth that spread from her shoulder down her arm.  She winced as she felt crunches and pops as her bones slid back into place.  Next, the second hand moved to her stomach.  After a burst of warmth there as well, she found that while breathing was painful, it did not require a clenched mouth and the willpower to avoid screaming to do so.

Liu lifted his hands from her body and gave a sigh.  “I’m afraid that’s all I can do with the powers of Shenyang.  Beyond this... some bandages might be in order.”  He gave a quiet smile.  “At least you should be able to walk about and act like a commander, Zhong Wei.”

“Thank you, Liu.”  Hands helped her as she slowly clambered to her feet.  Despite Liu’s words, Felonca had no idea how she looked; her chin was covered by drying blood, her leather armor was stripped from her left shoulder, a massive sword slash laid bare and deep, as was her stomach.  A small trickle of blood even came from her forehead, cut open when she’d tumbled to the ground in a faint from blood loss.  Slowly, her memory came back to her, telling her what happened.... and her eyes went wide.

“Where’s Hu Lian!” Felonca asked quickly, before collective fingers all pointed behind her.  Still laying on the ground, perfectly unconscious, lay the Princess.  Two soldiers were binding the woman’s arms, while two more bandaged the stump that was left of her leg.

“She’s right there, Zhong Wei,” Liu used her rank purposefully.  “Guan Yongli has done an excellent job arranging things while we made sure you didn’t die.”

“Didn’t die?  I thought I was only unconscious...” Felonca said slowly.

“No... you were moments from seeing your ancestors!” Liu said.  “I... I don’t know how you continued to fight as you did!  By all rights, the sword thrust to your stomach should have killed you!”  He shook his head slowly.  “I’ve never seen anyone survive a blow like that.”

“I... almost died... again?” Felonca asked again quietly, as more memories came back, and her eyes went wide again.  “Where are Hu Lian’s cavalry?!”  Instinctively she reached for her waist, where her warfans normally were.

“Yongli is supervising the spearmen who are guarding the prisoners!” one of the soldiers said excitedly.  “We won, Zhong Wei!  They became confused in the forest, and after you took down Hu Lian, they started surrendering by the ton!”

“How many are left?”  Felonca winced as soon as she asked the question, dreading the answer.  _Not many, I guess..._

“Yongli said that half his spearmen are dead, many of the rest are wounded... the same with the cavalry,” Liu began, “but it seems Hu Lian’s people took as many casualties, if not more.”

Felonca went silent for a minute.  _Half my men... half the men in both units dead?_  Quietly, she uttered a brief prayer to the ancestors for them.  Despite the fact that she was still not at ease, she pressed on with her questions.

“So... its over? And the rest of the army?”

“Ojin went to the edge of the forest to see... but from the shouts and drums for advance, I think we won,” Liu grinned.  “I doubt that would’ve been the case if five hundred enemy cavalry had shown up behind our lines.”

“Zhong Wei!” Felonca looked up, to see Ojin suddenly rushing towards her from deeper in the wood.  Like all the others, his nice new uniform was rent, covered with blood and dirt.  “Zhong Wei!  You’re awake!”

“It would appear I’m partially alive, too,” she said wryly, conscious of the fact that despite her battered state, she was still a commander.  _Keep that strong image... _

“Shang Wa-Feng and several riders are coming here!” Ojin said breathlessly.  “They’re currently by the healer’s tent on the other side of the wood!”

“Well,” Felonca fought to not grit her teeth as she took a step forward, “We should go meet with them.  Liu, I want you to stay behind, and help Yongli with anything he needs.  I...I need to go meet my uncle.”



“Dear gods!” Nayu gasped a half hour later, as Felonca shuffled into view.  She could see worry running free in Nayu’s eyes, as she held a hand over her stomach.  Liu’s healing had closed the wound enough that a scab was forming over the cut, but huge amounts of dried blood still colored her leather armor rusty crimson.

“What in the Nine Hells happened to you!  How in Heaven’s name did you get so cut up and dirty babysitting a hundred spearmen on the edge of the battlefield?!” Dian snapped, before adding, “And why were your troops _nowhere_ to be found during the pursuit of Hu Lian’s retreating army!  We could’ve, no, we should’ve caught both her and her cavalry, but without your lighter troops to catch up with them...”

_What?  ‘Where were your troops?!?’_  Felonca, despite the soreness and pain, stiffened up.  With effort, she kept her temper in check.

“I know where they are...” she said slowly, trying to keep her voice calm.  Her uncle blustered in response.

“Well, then bloody well tell me!  We need to run her down if we can!  If she gets away back to her brother, there’ll be hell to pay!  Come now, spit out the loca...”

“About two hundred yards from here, in the woods,” Felonca pointed.  _Uncle, just listen..._

“What the?  No, they can’t be there!  Why would heavy cavalry run into the forest, Felonca?!” Dian growled back.  “Stop spinning tales, and tell me what you really...”

“THEY’RE BACK IN THE FRICKING FOREST, DEAD!  ALONG WITH MOST OF MY MEN!” Felonca finally snapped, the sudden excitement making her stomach burn with pain, and she doubled over, coughing.  Immediately, she felt the hands of Nayu and the few of her men that had come with grab her, and hold her up.

_Stand up!  Stand up to your fricking uncle!_ she snarled to herself, an emotion reflected in the dark look her face took when she looked back up, directly into the eyes of the elder Wa-Feng.

“Uncle Dian...” she started again, her voice weaker, but possessing a far more icy tone, “I have worked under your command, attempted to follow your orders, and sacrificed _my men_, and you _still_ treat me...”

“Zhong Wei Wa-Feng!” Dian roared, before Felonca’s voice thundered over his own.

“NO!  Shut up and let me finish!” she snapped again, catching herself when her stomach screamed at her.  _I don’t care if you are my fricking superior officer!_  “...you _still_ treat me as if I am no more than a blemish to be removed, not like a competent officer, not like a subordinate, and _not like your own flesh and blood!_”  Her eyes narrowed.  

“Hu Lian came around the right, with _all_ her heavy cavalry!  I had to fight against three to one odds by the damn numbers, worse if you count that my cavalry didn’t have any heavy armor!  Hu Lian is captured, her cavalry destroyed, all laid out in the forest!” Felonca growled, “and I _will NOT_ have the blood my men left on that forest floor be taken _in vain_ simply because _you_ are upset I left the Academy!!”

Wa-Feng Dian’s eyes went wide at her words.  Felonca didn’t notice this, bowling onward, thundering out her anger and frustration.

“I lost half my men!  _Half!_  How many people did you lose, uncle!?” she roared.  “Not half!  You don’t have nine out of ten men in your unit either dead or wounded!  You don’t even have a fricking scratch!”

“Felonca...” Dian said, his voice much quieter this time.

“We fricking took on Hu Lian herself, with no fricking help!  Alone!  And if you still doubt me, dammit, follow!” she snarled.

“Felonca, you really need to see Yari Ai at the healers,” Nayu said slowly.  “Your stomach and shoulder still look like...”

“Follow me, Shang Wa-Feng!” she growled, ignoring Nayu’s advice.  Before either him or her uncle could reply, she turned and started to shamble back into the woods...



“Ancestors preserve us...” Nayu said quietly when they caught sight of the field of carnage.  Amongst the logs and brambles of the forest underbrush laid bodies, strewn so thick in places that the ground was no longer visible.  Many of them wore the dark steel armor of Hu Lian’s cavalry... many wore the lighter leathers of Felonca’s...

“Felonca...” Dian started quietly, only to fall silent at his niece’s icy stare.  The elder Wa-Feng’s head fell to the ground, as the trio ventured deeper into the woods, drawing closer to a clump of soldiers, gathered around a prone figure.  As they approached, all the soldiers, along with Liu, rose and saluted, the eyes of the worn cavalry looking at Felonca, not her uncle.

“You said you wanted to know where Hu Lian was!?” Felonca growled, before pointing at the still unconscious figure of the Princess, bound and laying on the ground.  “There is Hu Lian!”

“Zhong Wei cut down Princess Lian herself!” Ojin offered quickly, “I saw it myself!”

“As did I!”

“And I!”

“And I,” Liu spoke finally.  “The Princess had cut and slashed Felonca to pieces, yet she kept coming back from every blow, kept fighting on and on, until she cut the princess down from her horse.”  Liu then shook his head again.  “I am a warrior monk, trained to protect those of my faith.  Yet in twelve years since I finished my training, I have never seen someone win such an unequal fight.”

“You... fought Hu Lian?  Alone?” Dian said slowly, quietly.  Felonca’s ears raised... there was a distinct tone of respect and awe in Dian’s voice... along with something else...

“Not quite Uncle...” Felonca replied, “Liu Ganxi also...”

“Felonca saved my life from Hu Lian’s attacks,” Liu interrupted his mischevious eyes looking directly at Felonca, “isn’t that right?”

“I’ll say... the monk was rather pitiful fighting her,” Ojin added quickly.  “Couldn’t land a blow for the life of him.  If Zhong Wei hadn’t come over, I think he’d have been in several pieces...”

“You... captured... Hu Lian?” Dian spoke very slowly... before suddenly the tall hengeyokai went to his knees, then bowed, placing his head on the ground. 

“Uncle?” Felonca asked, the anger gone from her voice.  _He is performing kow-tow?_

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Xiao* = Rank roughly equivalent to colonel.
Shao* = lesser rank of general... equivalent to brigadier.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Excellent stuff!!

It's very satisfying, even for the reader, to see Felonca prove a point to Uncle Dian ... her player must have loved it !!!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Apologies... and Plots Revealed...*

“I... I am sorry, Felonca,” Dian said, his normally thundering, boisterous voice now quieter than a kitten’s mew.  “I...I...”

“Uncle?” Felonca replied, confusion rooting her in place.  Wa-Feng Dian was a proud man, a proud warrior... she could recall that he’d only bent his knee to two people _ever_... her grandfather, when he was alive, and her own father, his older brother...

“I should have _never_ doubted you, Felonca,” Dian’s soft voice whispered into the grass.  “I...I have brought a grave dis... dishonor on myself, and on my family!  I should have never doubted you, never posted you away, never questioned your right to be a Wa-Feng!  By all rights...” she started to say, his hand reaching for the dagger at his waist.

“No!” Felonca’s hand lashed out, stopping Dian’s hand before it could reach his weapon. Dian’s face looked up to her, and Felonca saw tear streaks were running down his dark fur, his eyes blinking rapidly as his eyes watered.  

“No,” she whispered again, her hands grasping his and pulling.  Dian’s eyes went wide as he stood up at her direction. 

“No, Uncle... there is dishonor, but there is also forgiveness,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him.  _There needs to be no blood to satisfy dishonor..._  “Uncle... you thought you were working in the best interests of rescuing father by dissuading me, and for the sentiment for your brother, I am grateful.  I am glad that you now understand I am a warrior, just like you, my father, and my grandfather before me.”

“But... what shall I do... to make up for the disservice I have done?” Dian said quietly, carefully concealing a sniffle at his shame.

“Promote her?” Nayu finally spoke quietly.

“Yes,” Dian pulled back from the hug, his face showing a returned determination.  “Yes!  With two hundred troops, you beat five battalions of Hu Lian’s best cavalry, and Hu Lian herself!  You deserve a promotion to at least Shao, if not Shang!”

“Um... Uncle, I... I cannot accept such an honor!” Felonca backed away.  _I did well commanding two battalions... I know nothing of commanding twenty battalions, or a whole army!  I’ll be lost... I’ll mess up!_ 

“You will take a post at least as a Shao!  I will not listen to any disagreement!” Dian’s eyes narrowed. “Allow me to compensate for my grave errors in judgment, and clean this blemish from my conscience!”

“Uncle, but...”  Numerous protests arose in Felonca’s mind, but she decided they wouldn’t matter... her Uncle’s jaw was set, he felt it was the only way to make up for his mistake, and his stubbornness was legendary, even for a Wa-Feng.

“Very well, Uncle.  I ask that you refrain from posting me to a full command, at least for now.”  _I’d much rather keep my small unit of troops..._

“Nonsense!” Dian laughed.  “I am in need of a second in command...”

“Uncle!”

“...someone,” he brushed aside her protest, “to help me with planning and lead special units and movements!  Mind you,” he looked at the ground, “this is a battlefield appointment... Shang Quan-Shi will have to verify it for the rank to become permanent, but Shao Wa-Feng Felonca has a ring to it, I believe.”  He looked back up, pride now mixing with the remorse in his eyes.  “It is only appropriate for the Conqueror of Hu Lian.”

“Fine... I accept,” Felonca crossed her arms, the family stubbornness reluctantly giving way in her person, “so long as I do not recieve extra battalions to command or the like.”

“Oh, I don’t have any such thing planned.  Instead, your first mission, Shao Wa-Feng, will be to help me interrogate your prisoner,” he pointed towards Hu Lian’s bound form.  “She likely knows her brother’s full strength, the names and reputation of his commanders, as well as where your father and the other prisoners are being held within the camp to the south...”



“Hu Lian?”

_She’s little more than a girl!_ Felonca thought as the princess’ eyes slowly flickered open.  Now that the blood and grime had been cleaned from her face, she looked strangely strong, yet beautiful, her face seemingly carved from porcelain, her eyes a deep, piercing brown.  For a second, those same eyes looked at Felonca’s with surprise, before they suddenly narrowed.

_How do I go about this...  I’ve never done an interrogation before!_

“You are my prisoner, Princess Hu,” Felonca said, trying to fill her voice with command and authority, despite her wariness at not knowing what she was doing.  “And now I’m going to ask you some questions... and I expect answers.  Truthful answers... otherwise, I am afraid your leg won’t be the only part of your body that you’ll miss...”

“Ha!” the girl snapped back, her voice soft and high like those of girls that had only just passed puberty.  “You wouldn’t hurt a fly!  You are weak, Wa-Feng!  I see it in your eyes, you stupid cat!”

Felonca looked at those defiant eyes, and sighed.  _I hoped it wouldn’t come to this...  I tried to be nice._  She then turned, and nodded, wincing slightly at her uncle’s growl as Dian stepped fully into the room, bristling in hybrid, his huge blade drawn and now level with the Princess’ neck.

“You killed alot of my men, you little bastard,” his voice rumbled, “and I’ve got no qualms about slicing and dicing you so bad _your mother won’t know if she’s holding part of your nose or part of your arm, you little whore!_”  

Felonca winced again... though she also noticed Princess recoil slightly.

“I hear you don’t like being a human,” Nayu’s voice came from behind Felonca, in the doorway.  “Princess, have you considered all the benefits of becoming an aardvark?  Eat as many ants as you want, you get a really long tongue, and you get armor plating so that no wolves can eat you.”  She felt the sorcerer step up behind her, and lean past her so he was inches from Hu Lian’s face.  His hand went up, inches from her nose, and sparks crackled between his fingers.

“I can arrange you to sample this lovely form of life, if you want.”  Felonca could almost _feel_ the sneer that she knew was filling Nayu’s face.  “I’m sure the panthers here wouldn’t mind a plaything to toy with for a few minutes before your shell is ripped open and they dine on your eyeballs.”

The Princess leaned back, away from her two tormentors, her eyes wide in horror.  “No...” she whispered fearfully, “I won’t betray my brother!  No!”

“Hmm... how about a mouse then?  Squeak squeak!  Squeak squeak!” Nayu laughed darkly, the sparks turning into shadows, “That might be a more sporting fit... great cats beating a mouse between their paws before swallowing her in one gulp...”

“Do you like having a neck?” Dian asked more pointedly, the tip of his sword pressing the part of her body in question.

“Lian, please,” Felonca said plaintively, happy to fill the role of the good guy in the affair, “just answer my questions, and no harm will come to you.  Now, why is your brother marching on Liaoxiang?”

“I... I... will not tell!” Lian cried, cringing back despite the fact her head was firmly against he wall and she was unable to put any more distance between herself and her captors.  “No!  Nothing!”

“A finger for each time she says no, then?” Dian said menacingly.

“Squeak?” Nayu added.

The princess closed her eyes, and opened her mouth.



“Round one of the talks done,” Felonca sighed a few hours later in her uncle’s command tent, before looking at her friend and her uncle.  “I wasn’t going to get her to crack... thank you for your help.”

“That was far easier than I expected,” Dian said, as he turned towards Nayu with a worried look.  “And Xiao Wakabayashi, if you can do some of the things you claim...”

“Why would I lie about something like that?” Nayu asked in reply, a smirk on his face.  “Besides, it only took a couple of illusions to convince her I had access to shadow magic and was willing to convert her into a half-shadow mouse that glowed in the dark so panthers could play pouncy!”  He let out a loud laugh... and Felonca’s eyes narrowed.

“You seemed quite eager to do your threats, Nayu,” she observed, “and sometimes I am afraid of your magic!”  She gave a slight chuckle, even as she winced inside.  _He seemed all to eager to forcibly change her body... and the way his eyes looked when he talked about shadow magic.. when he threatened to wither her arm when she paused talking... he... he looked like he WOULD do the necromancy!_

“Be afraid! Be very afraid!” Nayu waved his hands spookily and chuckled, before Dian cleared his throat, drawing the two friends back to the task at hand.

“Ahem.  So... to review what we now know.  Firstly, that Prince Hu means to take Liaoxiang for its spellcasters, for its arcane knowledge, but more importantly, to kidnap the Emperor for the Military Governor.  The question is... why does the Military Governor want the Emperor?  And what is Prince Hu getting in return?”

“Still can’t believe those two bastards are working together!” Nayu’s countenance changed to a snarl.  “I’m guessing its so the Military Governor can either turn the Emperor undead, or take control of him... simple as that!  He’s probably planning on double-crossing the prince!”

“Hu, from the few times we met him, seems to be quite an intelligent man... I doubt he’d let himself be so obviously trapped,” Felonca said.  “The Military Governor must be providing something so arduous in return that he has no time to contemplate...  wait...”  Her feline eyes narrowed, and she felt her hybrid tail twitch in thought.  “All those burning men and skeletons were created by the Military Governor and his prefects...”

“Ancestral piss!” Dian swore.  “So Quan-Shi is facing an army of living... and an army the dead?”

“Great,” Nayu tossed his hands up, “an army of burning men.  Lovely... just lovely.  Perhaps they will be complemented by a lovely array of skeletons, or more hulking white lions and yellow mold creatures!”

“Appears so...” Felonca sighed, before trying to turn her mind to a bright spot fromt he interrogation.  “At least we have information on the prisoner camp.  Though this description of the commander seems right odd... white tiger’s head, striped fur?  That part sounds like a weird kind of tiger hengeyokai.  But his hands...”

“Twisted so they face backwards?” Nayu finished the sentence.  “He’s a rakshasa... he’s gotta be a rakshasa.  But I don’t know of _any_ white furred rakshasas... the only two my father ever saw in his travels were orange and black, like normal tigers.  And since she said he doesn’t use a book, I’m going to assume he’s like me... a sorcerer, not a scholar.  The second in command of the camp confuses me as well.  Clad in plate armor with blades whirling about him?  How can he control the blades through magic if he’s wearing plate?”

“Is he even a spellcaster?” Dian asked quietly.  “If he is, I want him in my ranks... a spellcaster that can lob magic _and_ fight?”  Dian then breathed in sharply.  “Add to that he never sleeps, and is always about the camp enforcing discipline?  I model officer... and something that isn’t human!”

“Well, she says she hasn’t seen anyone try to fight the brute, and with all the threats you two were tossing, I’m inclined to believe her,” Felonca said quietly.  “At least she was able to give us a good description of the camp... good enough I was able to make a sketch...”

A sketch you can view here! 
(Supplies are the brown things, encampments are the tents... unfortunately, the prisoner sections weren't clearly marked when I made this... they are to the lower right...)

=========================================================


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> “Princess, have you considered all the benefits of becoming an aardvark? Eat as many ants as you want, you get a really long tongue, and you get armor plating so that no wolves can eat you.”




I'm guessing Nayu has more ranks in Knowledge (arcana) than Knowledge (nature) ... 'cause that's a pangolin, not an aardvark.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Short update tonight... revealing Felonca's plans, and a little about Nayu's future motivations...

Hehe... he most definitely has no ranks in knowledge nature... the final session proved that .  And yeah, Felonca’s player _loved_ blasting her uncle for his narrow-mindedness.  She was surprisingly quick to forgive him... leading by example, I think. 

*Felonca’s Plan...*

The next night, Nayu sat in his own tent, his eyes closed as his body tried to sleep, but his mind endlessly wandered through the events of the past two days.  The sounds of crickets chirping in the depths of the night didn’t help; his overactive mind really needed silence to calm into sleep.  As long as the crickets and other noises continued, his mind had excuses to stay awake, and rattle through the events of the previous few days.

_First a battle, then a promotion... and we’re only a few days from Liaoxiang, where I can get access to those war spells that Yu and Ren spoke of..._  He gave a tired smile at the thought, his mind darkly imagining how different the battle would have been if _he_ had been able to create fiery explosions eighty feet across... if he had been truly capable of withering people’s limbs, or truly capable of seizing control of their minds.  The last thought made him chuckle.

_Things would’ve been so much easier... I could have just told those three generals to drop off their horses and bow to me!_  He felt a slight twitch in the magic of his body at the thought, a twitch that made him smile.

_If we go to Liaoxiang... that is what I will do.  I will learn mind control..._ Nayu thought.  _I don’t care if its shadow magic, if its necromancy...  it is something that would be very useful...

...imagine the deals I could get from merchants...

...but what about my ancestry?_ another part of his mind interrupted his commercial thoughts.  _The Son of Heaven shouldn’t rely on mere magic  to persuade others to follow his will...

...though it would be quite handy..._  A humorous image of Prince Hu crowing before him clad only in peacock feathers made him laugh out loud, so loud that he didn’t hear the hurried run of feet outside his tent, or some rip his tent flap open.

“NAYU!” Felonca shouted, breaking his reverie and making him jump several inches into the air.  He spun around, and saw that her blue feline eyes were wide with barely contained excitement.

“What?  You scared the spirits from me!” the sorcerer complained.

“I need you to follow!  I have a plan!” she replied, almost bouncy with excitement.

“Well,” he slowly clambered up from his sleeping roll, “I should hope you have a plan, considering you are now second in command of this entire gaggle of men armed with sharp steel objects,” he said wryly.  He started to grab his slightly better peasant clothes, before Felonca grabbed his arm and dragged him outside.

“Hurry!  Its big enough to wake up Uncle Dian!”

“I’m sure he’ll be in a good mood,” Nayu said sourly.  _I know I’m not!_



“I know you are now Shao Wa-Feng, but dammit, this had better be important,” a tired and worn Wa-Feng Dian grumbled, rubbing his eyes.  No terrifying black armor covered his large frame, only a large white shift.  

“It is, Uncle!” Felonca replied excitedly.  “I’ve been thinking about the information that Hu Lian gave to us yesterday, and especially about the emplacements of the cattle and the horses within the prisoner camp!”

Dian’s response was to cross his arms, his bare feet tapping the tent ground impatiently.  Felonca ignored the warning sign, and blustered onward, pulling out her sketch of the camp and the surrounding area.

“We’ll split the army into five groups, and launch a night attack,” Felonca said eagerly, as her uncle sleepily nodded.  “Group One will consist of several spellcasters and some guards.  They’ll sit here, across the river from the camp, and lob some spells into the camp to cause chaos.  A few minutes later,” her hand slid further along the creek, “a second group... the rest of the spellcasters, will fire some explosive spells behind the camp oxen, here.”

Despite the late hour and his sour mood, Nayu chuckled.  _The Langya soldiers will have cattle running amok while they sleep..._

“Simultaneously, I’ll have Zhong Wei Ojin,” Felonca smiled slightly at her protegee’s new rank, “sneak in with a few of his people to the horse stables, freeing the mounts so the enemy can’t flee.  Right after them, the main force, led by you, will attack behind the oxen chaos, driving deep into the camp...”

“...using the oxen as cover?” Dian’s voice changed.  He wasn’t nearly as tired, his eyes were now focused on the sketch, his brow furrowed in thought.  “That is quite brilliant, my dear, but that would require a great deal of timing between the forces, especially the spellcasters firing into the oxen pens and the main force charging _into_ the oxen pens.  Also,” his hand slid towards the right, towards another labelled section of camp, “it doesn’t deal with freeing the prisoners...”

“I’m sure the resident strategist has that handled,” Nayu smiled, the plan coming together in his mind.  _If I ever do sit on the Jade Throne... I need Felonca nearby... she’s sharp, and I could pick her brain for ideas.  Besides... I wouldn’t want her commanding things against me..._

“I do,” she jumped in, still to excited to really notice his statement.  “First, Nayu said that the spellcasters can communicate through their minds, which will be how we would coordinate things.  Second, you’ve forgotten the fifth force, uncle!” Her hand flashed over towards the right of the camp, beyond the sections noted for holding the prisoners.  “A final force, made up of myself, Nayu, Yari Ai, Meiji, Liu, a spellcaster of Nayu’s choosing, and with your permission, Zhong Wei Li Chou, will close with this wall after your assault has begun.  Not only will the oxen sow confusion within the Langya camp, they’ll also draw attention away from us.  In the chaos, we sneak into the prison area, and free the prisoners, giving them what arms we can find and get them back the direction we came from!”

The younger Wa-Feng looked up at her uncle, eyes expectant and filled with pride at her work.  For his own part, Nayu looked at the sketch, and gave a grunt of admiration.  

_I really really need to find a way to keep her by my side when I ascend to the Jade Throne!_

Wa-Feng Dian, however, continued to stare at the map, columns and movements evidently dancing in his mind as his military mind worked over the details of the plan.  After a few moments, he looked up at Felonca, and gave a slight smile.

“Your father would be proud... may I say that I am glad you are on my side!”  The slight smile became a full grin.  “This plan is rather complicated, but I do think it would work.  My only concerns would be the coordination, and also making sure you have enough people for your end of the work.  Are you sure what... seven people would be enough to...”

“Seven would be more than enough, uncle.  This is where my training during my days of dishonor, as you called them, come in.”  She gave a slightly smug smile at the reference.  “This portion is supposed to be secret, up till the point that either we have the prisoners armed, or that we’ve snuck all of them out of the camp.  Bringing more people with us will only draw attention to our movements... it would not be a good tradeoff.”

Dian sighed.

"Very well.  I..." he stopped suddenly.  For a few seconds, there was silence, before his voice softly cut through the air.  "I trust you, Felonca.  And I trust you with my brother's life..." Another sigh, and Dian ran a hand through his hair, "Though you know this!  I...um... well..." his voice trailed off into silence, as he looked at the sketch.

“I think I’ll bring in Zhen Ren as my backup,” Nayu thought aloud.  _Yu Enlai will be needed with the communications aspect of things... and Zhen Ren, despite his pretensions, seems to be the best at simply blowing things up.  Though,_ Nayu gave a slight laugh, _I’ll have to inform him there will be no fine robes and gilt scarves on this mission..._  He then frowned, a question coming to his mind.

“Um... Felonca... other than this is a quite...um... brilliant plan, why all the excitement?”

“Because if this works,” she said softly, the smile on her lips growing softer and fainter, “I’ll see my papa in a few days.”

At those words, Nayu gave a sad smile in reply.  _At least one of us will see a father in the future, ancestors willing!_  He closed his eyes in thought, and in the darkness of his mind, a familiar face came back, and smiled.  The reverie lasted only a few moments, and when Nayu opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Dian still looking pensive, staring past his niece, as if he was looking for a way to be proud of his own child...


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

It seems that Nayu's ambitions are finally taking shape: from _If I ever do sit on the Jade Throne_ to _when I ascend to the Jade Throne_ within he same post.   
The real question is how much will power consume him; he seems torn between a desire for justice and the lure of prepotence.

Good work, EV!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Wa-Feng versus Wa-Feng part Deux, and Visitors Along the Road*

“The other Wa-Feng should not go with you.”

Felonca’s mind was still thinking of her father... partly eager to help him, free him, and partly worried at his reaction to the daughter that had broken the military code, that had lived as a thief.  It took several moments for her mind to process what her uncle had said.

“Hm?” she looked up.  _I must have misheard him._  She watched as her uncle’s shoulders heaved in a sigh, and his own eyes looked back up at hers. 

“I said I do not believe that Wa-Feng Meiji should accompany you on this part of the mission,” Dian repeated quietly, before the older hengeyokai cleared his throat.  “I believe him to be a potential liability.  He should remain with the baggage train, where he has been these past few weeks.  Instead, I would suggest...”

“Why do you believe your own son to be a liability?” Felonca asked, her voice dropping from warm excitement to icy formality.  _He’s still mad at Meiji for refusing to even attend the Academy, for running off to become a singer!_  “He has helped us much in the past,” she tried to justify, to use logic, “He is good at disguises, and his music actually has magical properties...”  _Uncle... this will only turn into another argument..._

“Felonca, my dear, I do not believe that a song that made two little gnomes fall over in laughter would help against the _hundreds_ of soldiers within the camp, or their commanders,” Dian protested.  “Besides, Meiji is...”

“...a disappointment to you?” Felonca fired back, her tone now fully razor sharp.  _I trust him!  Why can’t you!?_  “Because he went and did what he wanted to, what he was good at, instead of following a strict family code?”

“Felonca, I did not mean it sound like...”

“Uncle, you are a bad liar,” Felonca snorted.  “You _did_ mean it that way!  You still think of him as the flippant, arrogant and flighty boy he was when he ran off twelve years ago!  He’s not!”  _He’s still those things... just... not nearly as bad as before..._ she justified to herself.  She crossed her arm and scowled.  “If you speak to him, you might discover this yourself!”

“I... I cannot,” Dian looked at the ground, his own voice slowly filling with iron.

“Why?  Why can’t a father speak to his own son?” she growled.  Her eyes were so focused on her uncle that she didn’t notice Nayu back away, and quickly slip out the door.  If she had seen him, it would have been obvious he wanted no part of the debate.

“Because,” Dian looked up, his tone snappish, before he closed his eyes and gave a forcible sigh.  “I closed that door long ago.  I’ve seen him with the army, once or twice... but I made a vow twelve years ago...”

“A vow to never speak to him again?  Uncle, that’s... that is utter idiocy!” Felonca complained.  “Never speak to your son because he wasn’t a warrior!  You speak to me, enough to castigate and chastise!”

“You _tried_ to be a warrior Felonca... hell, you didn’t just try, you _are_ a warrior!  You proved it two days ago... regardless of whether you passed the Academy exams or not!  He is not!  He did not even try!” Dian rumbled darkly.  “He had enough nerve to send a request through Zhong Wei Li to be given a commission and a position with you or Nayu!”  His voice rose once again.  “He is a cur, a craven man who’d rather cavort with women than defend himself with a blade!  He is no son of mine!”

Felonca’s mouth stopped, held open at her uncle’s statement.  After a minute’s worth of shock, she snapped back, “Uncle Dian!  That... that is the most narrow minded, idiotic thing...”

“I will not accept him as a part of my contingent, or let his blemish join any army I am a part of!” Dian’s arms crossed.

“Uncle, I gladly accept him!  He can fight just as well as me!”  Felonca ignored the little thoughts running in her mind questioning the last time Meiji contributed something useful other than being a distraction, so hot was her anger.  Her tail swished angrily, and she glared.  “Uncle, he is in my contingent!  I have selected him, and it is _my plan,_ so he is coming with!”  Her eyes blazed, daring him to contradict.  _He might be my elder, he might be my superior officer, but I am right!_

The elder Wa-Feng started to snap back, but just as his mouth opened he seemed to pause.  His fiery words instead found an outlet through his glaring eyes as he bowed.

“Fine.  He’ll be a part of your contingent,” the general reluctantly growled, “but do not expect me to welcome such a move, or to greet my former son with open arms...”



“So he let Meiji come with?” Nayu asked the next morning.  Felonca nodded her head, as her cousin cantered by, his face sour.  Unusually, Meiji was clad completely in black leathers, the ringlets in his hair dyed as dark as a moonless night.  Where normally gold jewelry would have hung brilliantly from his ears and neck, only naked, dark skin showed.  He looked momentarily at his cousin, before cantering his horse up ahead, passing Yari Ai and Liu without hardly a word.

“He’s not in a good mood,” Felonca stated the obvious.  She’s tried to talk to him early that morning, hoping the news that he could come along would brighten his spirits.  Instead, he’d asked about his father’s reaction... and things had gone downhill from there.

“He didn’t even try to make a pass a me,” Yari reined up her horse till Nayu and Felonca were alongside.  “That’s unusual...”

“I think he knows the answer by now, that’s why he didn’t bother” Nayu grinned slightly,  hoping for a joke.  He frowned when his humor fell on deaf ears, as the two women stared ahead at Meiji, who’d finally reined up his horse far ahead alongside the marching soldiers, and merely stared out ahead.  _Oh well... I tried to cheer them up,_ he thought.

“I should go talk to him,” Felonca said quietly, putting her spurs into her horse and galloping ahead.  

“Yari Ai, maybe you should go with her...” Nayu gestured up ahead.  To his surprise, the cleric shook her head no.

“He might think I’m indicating something I’m not,” she sighed, “and he’s hurt enough as it is, without me intentionally or unintentionally adding to the pain.”  For a second, the wind caught her raven hair, and mesmerized Nayu’s eyes.  His gaze was broken when she looked directly at him.

“You should go up there... help talk him down.  You’ve been around Shang Wa-Feng, but not under as...um... stressful of situations as Felonca.  You’re probably the closest thing to an impartial voice.”

“You’re probably right,” Nayu thought aloud, turning his horse and cantering up towards where the pair of panther hengeyokai’s were already in discussion.

“...this is a chance for you to show him wrong!” Nayu heard Felonca say in exasperation.  As the sorcerer reined up alongside, Meiji turned and nearly spat fire at his cousin and now commander.

“Why do I need to _prove_ myself to him!?” the bard snapped.  “I’m even more his flesh and blood than you are!  He had no right to treat you that way, and he has no right treating his own _son_ like this!  Just because I’m not a warrior, and just because I don’t _want_ to be a warrior, doesn’t mean I’m any less of  a man than he is!”

“I know that Meiji!” Felonca growled back, her own hackles rising at being yelled at.  Nayu closed his eyes, gave a small sigh, and slowly put his hand between the two.

“Wa-Fengs... may I speak?” he said quietly.  _Calm and quiet... contrast to their noise and anger.  Cool down their tongues..._  “Felonca, I believe your cousin is merely venting... he is upset, and has every right to be.”  Nayu looked to her, and she nodded.  He then turned to Meiji.

“Your cousin is merely pointing out that while your father is a bastard for treating you like some piece of scum,” Nayu said softly, “that this is your chance to prove him wrong!  Not only that, but that also if he is _shown_ he is wrong, that he apologizes, and rights his mistake!  She is proof of that!”  To his surprise, Meiji looked at him, and his eyes merely narrowed.

“Nothing can make up for the twelve years of silence that have come from him!” Meiji spat back in a fury.  He sighed.  “I don’t think its possible for him to forgive...  I don’t think its possible...”

Nayu had opened his mouth to give a response, before Felonca cut him off.

“There’s someone in the trees!” she hissed, her eyes narrowed, searching, her hybrid nostrils lifted into the air, smelling.  “Don’t make a sudden movement... I’m going to bring him back!”  Before Nayu could reply, she was off her horse, and dashing into the woods, in full panther array.

“What?” Meiji whispered, following his cousin from the corner of his eyes, as Nayu desperately tried to do the same.  His human eyes caught only the dark foliage of the forest, leaves shifting slightly in the slow breeze.

Suddenly, the leaves parted, and twigs began to crash and thrash about.  Immediately drawn to the movement, Nayu had only a moment to catch the black shape of the tail of a panther sail through the air before disappearing into the foliage.  A few seconds later, he heard a frustrated growl, as the thrashes continued.  

Then he caught sight of the man... the figure was dashing between the tress, dodging the low, black shape dashing behind it.  Part of him wanted to chuckle.  _So the panther can’t catch the running man?  Hmm..._  He smiled, thinking of what _could_ slow the man down.  He closed his eyes momentarily, coaxing arcane power to the fore, before his eyes flashed open, wide as his mind lashed out, probing, pushing towards the creature, then through its skull...

_What?_  Nayu blinked hard.  He should have encountered thoughts, memories, emotions... all the normal mental processes within a creature’s mind.  Instead, he felt nothing.

Nothing.

_That... how?  Everything has a mind... except...

Undead..._

As Nayu realized what they faced, he saw the low black shape leap airborne, the roar of a panther in mid-pounce filling the air.  The figure spun around as the panther latched to its arm, and Nayu watched as Felonca lost her grip and tumbled back to the ground.

_An undead!? Here?!  A scout!  It has to be a scout!_ Nayu thought, coaxing his arcane energy back as the low _twang_ of Meiji’s bow echoed in his ear, followed shortly by the clattering of an arrow bouncing amongst the trees... and a low dull moan as the creature twisted oddly, Meiji’s arrow sticking from its back.

_I’ve never done this before..._ Nayu thought, as his mind twisted, molding the magic burning within his body.  A split second before the sea of magic flooded from his form, Nayu’s mind fixed upon the undead creature in the distance, and he gave sneering smile...

Even from this distance, Nayu heard the creature’s shriek, as mentally the sorcerer twisted the magical powers tighter, funneling arcane energy towards the beast.  Its hands began to claw at its face, as it started to shrink, its shrieks and howls growing higher pitched and quieter, until finally, it disappeared from view altogether.

“What did you do?” Meiji asked, and Nayu turned to the bard and just gave a smirk.

“You’ll see,” he replied.  _Felonca should have some fun before she gets back..._

A few seconds later, Felonca emerged from the forest in hybrid form.  In her hands was a tiny grey squirrel, its paws swinging about as it desperately fought the much larger Felonca, trying to get free.  Despite its ferocious movements, its eyes still shone a dull yellow, the same as those of the dead.

“What the hell did you do?!” Felonca yelled in frustration at Nayu as she moved her thumb to avoid the tiny creature’s snapping jaws.  “I wanted to interrogate him, to find out who he was and why he’s here!”

“Umm...” Nayu paused.  _I didn’t think about that..._  “I was focused on trying to keep it from getting away... um... here!” he reached down and pulled out an empty pouch, handing it to her.  “Put it in there, until I can...um... figure something out!”

“Just change him back!” Felonca replied, moving more fingers to keep the creature from biting her. 

“Put him in the bag!  If he bites you now, you can still get whatever disease or terrible thing he has!” Nayu shot back.  “I only changed his form, I didn’t change who he, or it, was!”

“Fine!” Felonca said, stuffing the squirrel into the pouch and quickly closing the top.  The bag flipped and swayed in her hands as the creature continued to struggle.  

_What to do with that thing?  What creature can speak, but is still harmless enough that it can’t hurt any of us, and slow enough it can’t run away?  If it can talk, it can still try to bite... hmm..._

“What’s going on up here?” The sound of hooves drawing to a halt, as well as Yari Ai’s call, brought Nayu from his thoughts.

“I caught a man spying on the army!” Felonca announced, before turning towards Nayu with an upset scowl.  “Unfortunately, our resident sorcerer turned him into a squirrel, so I can’t interrogate him!”

“It wasn’t a man, it was undead!” Nayu shot back.  

“How would you know?” Felonca crossed her arms, her eyebrow raised.  “Last I checked it took years as a scholar, or learning Shenyang’s teachings, for someone to know right away if a walking man was living or not!”

“I tried...” Nayu started to fire back, until Yari Ai dismounted, and walked over to the bag.  As he, Felonca, and Meiji watched, she placed a hand on the outside of the bag... and then snatched her hand away with a slight yelp.

“Its undead,” she said, rubbing her palm.  “Very much undead.  Its an abberration of the order of things... it should be put out of its misery.”

“I agree,” Nayu added.  “If the voice of Shenyang speaks so, something must be wrong with leaving it alive.”  He saw Yari Ai flash a nod of agreement to his speech... and Felonca frown.

“But... if Nayu just changed him, we could...”

“Changing _it_ would be dangerous,” Yari Ai spoke again.  “If Nayu changed it to something that was able to speak, it would also undoubtedly be a form able to attack, and not be nearly as harmless as this little squirrel.  We know where it likely came from...”

“The Military Governor,” Nayu guessed, “probably assigned to watch the routes approaching the supply camp.”

 “...and likely if its this far from the camp, it probably _is not_ in the position to give us any information we don’t already have from the Princess,” Yari Ai added, speaking calmly.   “Transforming it into something that speaks would pose an unnecessary risk, considering how much information you yourself say you have gained from the Princess.”

Felonca’s brow furrowed more, and finally she sighed.  Her hands wrapped around the upper part of the pouch, then twisted.  Above the din of the army marching by, the party heard a slight series of cracks... then the bag exploded.  The panther hengeyokai jumped back, as a body landed to the ground with a thump.

Before them lay a naked man, his skin seemingly melted away, his muscles bleached brown.  His eyes were askew, one bulging from its socket, one recessed.  His mouth lay open, exposing rows of sharpen, blackened teeth.  As they watched, the undead creature twitched several times, before lapsing into true death.

“A slaughter wight,” Yari Ai said quietly.  

Unbeknownst to the party, only fifty feet away, two more pairs of undead eyes watched the column as it moved, and dispassionately followed the demise of their compatriot.  Swiftly, silently, the two forms slipped back into the forest, and quickly slipped back to their waiting masters...

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The Meiji thing wasn't something that happened in-game... but as I looked over the story outlines left behind, I realized this would undoubtedly have come up... considering the background of the two NPCs... so I worked it in, substituting what Nayu and Felonca's likely reactions would have been.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Next update should be up either today (Sunday) or tomorrow... depending on when I get some time to work.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Storming the Parapets, and the Loss of a Friend, Part One*

Three days later, Felonca closed her eyes, and whispered a silent prayer of thanks to the beings that controlled the weather.  Around her drifted slight wisps of fog, their tendrils lit by the bare light of a tiny crescent moon.  The air seemed chilled as well... as if the gods were conserving the heat, preparing its energy for something more important...

Around her shuffled soldiers, hundreds of soldiers.  On her instructions, all the sows and pigs that could be found along the march had been gathered and culled, their fat used to grease the links within the soldier’s armor.  While the metal pieces still clinked, the noise was reduced, to something she hoped wouldn’t be heard above the noise of her diversions.

She watched as most of the warriors in the army slowly waded across the small creek that now lay between the army and their final destination.  The light but growing fog obscured the palisades of the camp itself from view, even as she craned, looking towards the direction where the camp should have been, her eyes searching for it to seemingly loom in the distance.  It was a blessing; their enemies couldn’t see them.  She recognized, that the reverse was true as well, a fact that could just as easily prove a curse.

“Ancestors have blessed us,” Dian said quietly next to his niece.  The huge hengeyokai held his war helm under his arm, and once again was clad in his fearsome black armor.  His eyes flashed with unnatural light, the glint of eagerness that was always in his eyes before swords began their deadly song.  “This fog will cover our movement in, hopefully.  Everything will just depend on your plans coming to fruition, it appears.”

“It would appear so,” Felonca said quietly, opening her eyes.  She shifted slightly, feeling the hard packed earth underneath, as the slight noise of running water sloshing came to her ears.  She’d prayed minutes before for the noise to be silent enough, quiet enough...

“Shao, you had best move out,” Dian said, his face aflame with the pre-battle grin.  Felonca knew his smile would not end until either death took him, or the last enemy lay subdued beneath his heel.  Felonca gave a quiet salute, and turned to find her small command.

Some minutes later, she herself slogged across the small creek, feeling the muddy bottom suck at her boots.  She and Meiji both slipped through the water relatively quietly.  Nayu and Yari Ai tripped about and splashed, provoking a withering stare from Felonca.

“Could you be any louder?” she hissed, her eyes seeming to glow blue as they caught the dim moonlight.  She heard a muffled reply from Nayu... and in the gathering mists, she thought she saw Yari Ai’s head merely bow.  The noises quieted down, and soon the small band had crossed the river.

Only a few moments later, the foggy air seemed to reverberate, as a rolling series of thick heavy noises, almost like distant thunder, caught Felonca’s ears.

“It’s already starting,” she heard Chou whisper.  Felonca herself looked up towards the camp, its palisade walls looming in the fog, like some gigantic apparition.  She expected to hear the roaring shout of frightened men, drums calling for battle order, officers shouting orders.  Aside from the dull whumps of spells landing within the camp, she heard silence.

Nothing.

Her eyes squinted, scanning in the murk along the palisades.  She could make out no sentries, no torches.

Nothing.

A rippling chill ran up Felonca’s spine as her eyes spotted only the empty palisade parapet.  She knew that any armed camp would have sentries along its walls, and torches at night to illuminate anyone that was approaching the walls.  Yet there was nothing here...

“Either they need no light to see us,” Nayu whispered behind her, “or they know something is up.”  When she turned and caught sight of him, the murk barely hid the scowl on her friend’s face.  “By the silence of the camp at your diversion, I think they suspect something.  They might have already prepared,” he added darkly.

“Meiji,” she whispered, tapping her cousin’s shoulder.  “You said that you had magic that could be helpful in concealing us.  Now I think would be a good time to put it to use.”  Part of her mind wanted to add that it was his chance to prove his usefulness... but she relented.  They were before the enemy, and that comment would’ve only provoked a discussion she did not want to rehash.

“Fine.  Beforehand, I want you all to put a hand on my shoulders,” he said quietly, till his eyes reached those of Felonca and Yari Ai.  “Ladies may place their hands lower if they wish... though as my cousin, Felonca, you can’t collect on...”

“Just hurry it up!” Felonca hissed, her heart racing at the prospect of going ‘over the wall.’  She was in no mood for raucous humor.

Her cousin gave a huff of discontent, before his voice rose in a quiet, almost sleep inducing tone, and Felonca felt _something_ about her form change, as the music almost compelled her to close her eyes, her heart to calm, her mind to focus.  A few seconds later, his haunting tones ended, and she opened her eyes.

Only murk greeted her gaze.

“Did the fog suddenly become thicker?” she heard Yari Ai whisper, before a hushed chuckle came from somewhere.  Before she could spin around, she heard Nayu’s voice.

“Meiji... you are sly, and slick,” Nayu’s disembodied voice chuckled.  “I never knew you could make people invisible!”

“It is an old trick of mine,” Meiji’s voice whispered back.  “It’s very useful, especially when leaving behind adoring ladies and escaping their jealous husbands!”

“How did I know you misused this magic?” Yari Ai’s voice hissed in annoyance.  “Connections with planes of magic are gifts from the ancestors, and the gods, not some idle...”

She was cut off by another series of distant peals of thunder... a noise shortly followed by a distant, continuous rumble.  For a second, Felonca was confused, till in the distance she could make out very faint, but very panicked moos.  Shortly thereafter, the dense fog finally let loose the distant clangs of weapons, and the far off shouts of men in battle.

“Strike two,” she whispered quietly, motioning for the small group to push ahead.  Eagerly she shifted into hybrid, and felt her claws dig into the wood pillars that made up the wall.  Climbing while invisible was something new to her, and it took a few false starts before she was comfortable clambering upwards.

“Slow down!” she heard Nayu hiss behind her.  She didn’t bother turning around, there was no way she could see him.

“You all hang back,” she whispered back, “I’m going to peek my head over the wall and see what’s there.  Nayu, can you using that mind-talking magic of yours so I won’t have to hiss down to you what’s going on?”

“Right.”  Soon she felt _different_, as if something was askew in her brain.  Moments later, she heard Nayu’s voice within her mind. _”You can hear me fine?”_ it asked.  At first, she just nodded her head, until she remembered no one could see her head.

_”Yes.”_ she replied in her mind.

_”Be careful up there.  I’m tingling from all the magic that’s somewhere in the camp,”_ Nayu replied.

_“Right,”_ she replied, using Nayu’s seemingly favorite phrase, and slowly, her eyes rose above the wooden walls.

The swirling mists hid the vast majority of the camp from her view, but what she could see sent chills down her bones.  Tens, if not hundreds, of spearmen, clad in the clothing of mere peasants, were desperately trying to array themselves in a line, facing away from her and towards the noise of fighting.  This she expected.

She did not expect to see their commanders... tall, inhumanly thing shards of what were once men, their skin sallow, clinging tight to their macabre bones.  When they glanced about, she saw their eyes shone faintly yellow, and the stench of undeath filled her nostrils.  

Neither did she expect _him_.

She’d heard Hu Lian speak of the second in command of the camp, a tall creature clad entirely in steel.  She hadn’t believed fully what the Princess had said, until her eyes saw the tall horror, his seven foot frame glinting in the diffuse moonlight.  His gaunted claws clutched a massive chain, spikes jutting from its links, and around his form whirled six large longswords, circling, arcing about him in a deadly dance.

_”Hu Lian didn’t lie!  There is a guy that is encased in steel, and covered with whirling blades!”_ she cried mentally.

_ “Just lovely.  Does he happen to have a pet white lion?  That’s all we need,”_ Nayu mentally grumbled back.  _”Do you see anything else?”_

_”Not really.  Give me a second...”_ she replied, her eyes scanning into the darkness as the noise of battle grew louder and louder.  Uncle Dian was pressing, and pressing hard.  Despite her best efforts, she saw nothing, and was about to tell the others to follow her up onto the wall, when she felt the same feeling of being out of place, her mind not quite right. 

Something tugged inside her, pulling her to look towards the tall, metal apparition still lining up the spearmen below, and then look beyond him, off into the mists.  Her eyes saw nothing...  except a pair of bright spots of blue, glowing brighter than any torch.

_”Felonca?  What’s going on?”_ she heard Nayu ask, but his voice seemed distant, faint, weak.  The feeling of someone, or something probing her mind and her body washed over her, and she felt her fear rising.  Desperately her mind screamed to her body to turn away, to avoid the lights, but her body didn’t listen, her eyes focused on the twin beams.

The foggy mess lightened for just a moment, and her eyes made out a pallid, thin face of a white tiger wracked with starvation.  His form was tall and exceedingly thin, as if he graced death’s door.  With horror she saw his backward-wristed hands rising, his maw forming words she couldn’t understand.  She felt her claws digging ever so deep into the palisade, as the magic washing over her changed from a trickle into a thunderous sea.  Her eyes went wide, unfocused by the waves of magic ripping through her.

_ “Ah... Wa-Feng Felonca.  I have heard much of you,”_ a thin, reedy voice hissed in her mind. The creature's blue eyes seemed to glow even brighter.

“No!” she shouted aloud, the darkness in her mind growing faster and faster.  “You cannot take me!”  Even as she struggled, she could feel her mind begin to shut down, her willpower breaking apart.  Her voice dropped to a mere whisper.  “No...you...won’t... take...”

As a torch stranded in a mighty gale, the last free part of Felonca’s mind winked out.



“What the?” Nayu looked up at his friend.  That in and of itself was a problem... she should have been invisible, hidden by Meiji’s magic.  Nayu knew he was still invisible, a were the others.  On top of this, she didn’t respond to his calls using his magic... instead she stared over the wall, rooted in place as if she were a statue. 

“What’s that enthralling?” he whispered in half annoyance, half alarm, scrambling towards the top himself.  No sooner had he drawn alongside, than he saw her eyes... wide, vacant, as if her body was there but the mind, the will, the soul behind it was somehow driven away.  Her body trembled slightly, as if there was a mass of energy that was only barely being bottled, needing immediate, powerful release...

“Domination,” he hissed to no one in particular.  The idea of the spell, described to him by Yu Enlai and Zhen Ren long before the battle at Ii-suken, had enthralled him.  The ability to grab someone’s mind, and force them to do your bidding... now Nayu saw its hallmarks, and recognized its magical stench.

“Nayu!  Look out!” he heard Yari Ai’s voice call, and the sorcerer’s eyes flashed towards the inside of the camp below.  Vaguely receding into the mist he could see a line of spearmen marching away... but rushing towards the parapet were five tall, thin creatures that looked to once be men, followed by a monstrosity clad in steel, blades whirling about its form.

Behind them, just deep enough into the fogbank, Nayu saw those same blue eyes, staring at him, into him, past him, peering deep into his mind.  He felt a presence, probing, pushing, trying to force its way in.  He closed his eyes, marshalling the magic within his blood, pushing back, shoving hard, until he felt the presence retreat.  As the magic continued to swell, Nayu opened his eyes, his fingers lashing towards the distant spellcaster he now knew held his friend in mental slavery.  As the magical force lapped to his fingers, the blue eyes suddenly vanished... as did the magical presence Nayu had felt.

More alarmingly, Nayu looked at his arm, its outstretched form slowly revealing itself, his arcane energy overwhelming the delicate spell Meiji had put into place.

“Dammit!” he growled, as the thin ghouls clambered onto the parapet, charging towards the small group.  Just behind them, the massive metallic beast thundered onto the parapet as well, and charged directly towards Nayu.  

Desperately, the sorcerer raised his hands, the budding magical energy now finding release as the air between him and the massive walking steel figure began to shimmer, a wall of magic.  For a second Nayu thought the beast would be held at bay, until it simply thundered _through_ the barrier, its massive chains whipping through the air.  

Its right hand raised as it charged, and Nayu felt an oppressive, frightening amount of heat, as a searing wall, seemingly made entire of fire, leapt into being in the midst of the group, cutting off Meiji, Zhen Ren, the stunned Felonca, and Nayu from Chou, Liu and Yari Ai.  From the other side of the crackling came the noises of battle, as Meiji and Zhen Ren dropped their invisibility, prepared for battle.

Nayu looked first to the wall of fire, then towards the oncoming steel juggernaught, and cursed.

“Ancestral Piss!  This is not good,” he snapped.  “Meiji, Zhen Ren!  Let’s...”

His voice was cut off as a high-pitched scream shattered the air.  In a flash the statuesque, immobile form that was Felonca was a blur of movement, a black slash that tore through the air faster than the eye could see.  A split second later, Zhen Ren screamed, blood and gore flying from his already falling form.  Nayu followed his spellcaster’s tumble to the ground fifteen feet below.  The richly clad man landed with a dull thump, and it seemed than immediately a pool of blood formed around his limp body, gurgling from his shattered throat, stomach and face.

Nayu’s panicked eyes then looked back up, to who else was on the parapet with him.  Flames crackled high into the sky from the steel creature’s magic, as Felonca straighted her crouched form, the flames making her black skin look crimson.  Her warfans rose into what Nayu recognized as one of her attack postures, blood dripping from their steel forms.

“Stand still like a good little magician,” her voice said, the same sarcastic smirk on her face that he’d seen so many times before.  Her eyes looked fierce, their sky blue seeming to glow in the darkness.  “Struggling will only make your death more painful, Nayu!”

========================================================


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> “Stand still like a good little magician,” her voice said, the same sarcastic smirk on her face that he’d seen so many times before. Her eyes looked fierce, their sky blue seeming to glow in the darkness. “Struggling will only make your death more painful, Nayu!”



 

That is not good!  :\ 

... but this storyhour is!


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## drag n fly

Great stuff EV  In the midst of this cliff-hanger moment, how about adding a little humor by posting the "pounce" Felonca and squirrel picture


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## Emperor Valerian

A little shorter update this time.  And I'll get the photoshops up later today maybe.

*The Loss of a Friend, Part Two*

Nayu froze.  His mind screamed at him to move, to do something, but he found himself rooted in place, his friend’s sharp voice coming from in front of him, the stomps of the advancing hulk of steel coming from behind.

Felonca’s eyes shone a dull red in the firelight, as her muscled tensed, coiling, preparing to launch her forward.  Just as Nayu closed his eyes, thinking he might see his father far sooner than he hoped, he heard a slight noise, above the din of the fight...

“No...” a very weak voice spoke.

His eyes flashed open. 

 Felonca stood only inches from him, her warfans raised.  Her face had changed, however.  Instead of a smirk that spoke of a fury to come, her brow was furrowed, her lips twisted in a grunt of effort.  As he watched confused, her hands that were poised to strike him down instead grasped her head, and her eyes closed with furious effort.  She sank to the ground, her voice hissing.

“No...”

For a moment, Nayu’s focus remained on his friend, on death nearly averted, before the thundering rumble of the charging behemoth behind him forced him to spin around.  The steel giant now towered over him, seven feet of steel plate, six blades whirling about its form, a massive steel chain whirling about its head.

At first, Nayu’s feet pushed him away from the monstrous thing; he was no warrior, and while he could touch and manipulate the planes of magic, he could not wield even a sword for his life.  Yet something was amiss.  Instead of fear, he felt anger.

Fury.  Rage, even.

Even as his conscious mind screamed he was crazy, his hands flitted down towards his morningstar, his teeth bared in a snarl that would have frightened even Felonca’s uncle.  Part of him screamed that this was sheer idiocy, that there was no way that his thin, comparatively frail frame could stand toe to toe with the beast that towered over him.

Yet he still didn’t care.

He watched carefully, and just as the beast’s whirling titanic chain was about to strike, the sorcerer ducked with surprising agility, rushing forward in a blur that would have done Felonca proud.  A split second later his morningstar slammed into the steel chest of the creature, and a purple flash lit the entire parapet, and part of the camp.

Nayu, ever prepared, had long ago made sure that his morningstar was special; special enough that he could place one of his spells inside its diminutive form.  The magical beast he unleashed into the towering creature before him was none other than a spell he had learned from Yu Enlai, a spell of utter randomness.  At times, it caused fire to leap from its target’s eyes.  At other times, acid ate their lungs.  The purple flash meant it had unleashed Nayu’s favorite effect; insanity.

The creature stopped its assault in mid-swing, pausing, looming over the sorcerer.  Nayu’s mind broke free from the insane urge to attack, and he looked up at the creature... aside from a dent in its chest plating, it glared down at him, glowing green eyes blazing from a slit in the plating covering its head.  Then there was a _whoosh_, a whirl, the flash of three steel blades and the _whoom_ of a massive chain, and Nayu felt pain.

Nothing but pain.

He felt himself flying backwards, his morningstar tumbling off of the parapet into the camp below.  As he tumbled, his eyes flashed skyward for a moment, long enough to see the massive whirling chain about the beast spin above its head, small red pieces of gore flying from its ends.

Dumbfounded, his mind wondered for a moment how badly he was hurt, till he felt the wooden palisade meet his back with a harsh crunch.  Unable to hold it in any longer, he let out a scream, yet his ears only heard a dull groan above the pulsing of his own blood, and the strange sound of Meiji singing.

He glanced down, to where his stomach should have been... instead he saw a mass of flayed robes, flesh, and blood.  Dully, his mind told him he should cover the grievous wound with a hand, while his eyes drifted upwards, towards the sight of two of the undead ghouls now fighting each other as Meiji’s voice continued.

The beast’s green eyes turned towards the bard, as Nayu’s rolled back.  He could feel his strength waning, part of him wanting to just give up, the pain being far too great.  As his head leaned back, he made out a fuzzy figure rushing towards him, a tinny voice shouting at him.  Something told him to focus his eyes, and he realized who it was just as Yari Ai’s eyes flashed upwards towards the creature.

Her bloodcurdling yell seemed very distant to his sinking mind...



Felonca blinked.  

The din of battle had before seemed distant, far away.  She couldn’t remember what had just happened, only that she’d looked into a pair of shining blue eyes, then...  nothing.  Dumbly, she looked about, before her mind suddenly realized where she was, placing the huge plate armored behemoth that was on the ground before now just feet from her _on the parapet_.

A blur flashed by her sight, a streak of white and orange as Liu dashed by, tossing his now burning robe aside after he leapt through the burning wall.  A split second later, he was airborne, delivering a powerful kick to the enormous iron titan.

“What the...” she started to speak, before her ears were assaulted with a frightening, blood-chilling scream.  She spun to see Yari Ai, her face twisted in a terrible visage, her hair seeming to float in a frightening wind, her eyes blazing white and staring directly towards the iron titan looming over Nayu’s broken form.  Immediately, Felonca tumbled backwards, as the ground itself seemed to shake and shudder.  Below in the camp she could hear the shrieks and screams of men as the ground ripped open, swallowing them whole.

The walls, parapet, and Felonca all shook violently for several moments, before the rogue was able to scramble to her feet.  Her eyes caught sight of Liu, still swinging and kicking at the steel monster, Meiji, still singing, and Yari Ai, whose eyes still blazed with divine power.  Yet she saw no Nayu.

“Nayu?”  She cast her eyes over the parapet, towards the inside of the camp.  Fifteen feet below, the sorcerer lay, groaning, pulling himself away with a hand.  She thought about leaping down to defend him, before another scream, this one full of terror and pain, caused her to snap back about.  

She saw Meiji caught in mid spin, his body twisting in the air just before landing on the wooden parapet with a dull thud, his blood still fresh on the whirling spikes of the great iron beast.  He didn’t move, yet she could see his flayed chest rising and falling ever so slowly...

“MEIJI!” she screamed, her warfans out an instant later.  

Her muscles coiled and released in an instant, her form flying through the air with a desperate speed born of fear.  The beast’s great chain was still in mid-swing, its arc coming down, straight towards Meiji’s prone form.  

She leapt out, her form stretched as far as it could, her warfans extended, desperately hoping to block the doom she saw for her kin.  She ignored Liu’s shout of pain as the whirling chain struck him, stretching out, stretching out...

She felt a rush of air flash by her arm, and had only a moment to realize her failure.

The squelch of Meiji being torn to shreds confirmed it.

She unconsciously tumbled out of her leap, emerging upright, fans at the ready.  Eyes wide, she didn’t need to look behind her as her heart dropped.  She knew.  

She _knew_.  

In that instant, memories flashed before her.  Meiji and her when they were younger.  The pranks he loved to pull on anyone, even his father.  The pain and anger of the day he stormed off, and his father disowned him.  Her eyes started to well for a moment... and then she felt it.

Heat burning through her chest, down into her heart, into her soul.  Grief was overwhelmed by anger, shock overcome by rage.  The reddish tint of the flames grew deeper, as she felt her muscles twitch, instinctively readying themselves.  She started towards the creature, her warfans out, ready to flash forth, spreading her own version of death...

“YOU BASTARD!” she snarled, her form flashing through the air again, not towards her friends but towards a single beast she wanted to kill, gut, and flay.  She didn’t care that he towered two feet over her, or that six blades whirled and danced around him.  She didn’t care that his spiked chain was still singing through the air.  Her fans aimed at one target... the thin gap in plate where his two green eyes showed brilliantly.

With surprising speed, the creature ducked his head aside, and Felonca felt her warfans slam into plate mail.  She felt sharp blades slash her arm and shoulder, as the whirling, floating blades around his form focused on her.  Her own focus was complete, however, and she merely flipped over the creature’s shoulder, landing behind it, eyes still aflame with vengeance.

In front of the beast, Yari Ai let loose another scream of pain and anger, her hands stretching towards the sky, reaching towards Shenyang, calling, crying for vengeance.  Momentarily, the sky answered, as the deep, heavy rumble of thunder crackled across the heavens, before a massive pillar of flame, ten feet across, crashed onto the plated beast, engulfing him in flames.  For several seconds the flames raged, licking, burning along the parapet, setting the wood itself aflame.  Yet from the column of fire and smoke, the beast emerged, its plate glowing red with heat, the smell of burnt flesh coming from within its armor.

“DIE!” Felonca screamed, leaping towards the creature’s back, not caring as one of the floating blades bit her again...



“Ow,” Nayu moaned into the blackness.  He heard shouting, much closer, much louder than before, as the rhythmic thumping of his own heart seemed to subside.  With a little effort, he managed to open his eyes, and then he tried to gasp.

He was looking _up_ at the parapets, from the _inside_ of the camp.  Above him, he watched Felonca leap into the air, her fans slashing at the gaps in the beasts armor.  To his surprise, he saw blood flash from the gaps, even as the whirling blades slashed at her, leaving her own form bloody as she landed.

He blinked, his mind processing.  It was obvious the beast was off-balance by her flurry of assaults... and it was equally obvious, even to his broken form, that she wouldn’t survive long if the creature focused its attacks.  He closed his eyes, desperately hoping, feeling for the arcane power that lay within his soul...

And he gave a blood-filled smile when he felt the power, resting, nestled within the recesses of his soul.  

Slowly, carefully, he tried to coax it forth, as the noises of the fight above echoed in his ears.  At first, when he reached with his mind, the pain proved too distracted.  But as his mind clawed and stretched again and again, he drew closer and closer, until finally he felt the magic starting to surge in his body.

“Felonca... I won’t let you die...” he mumbled to no one in particular, letting his inhibitions go, letting his emotions carry him and his magic farther than ever before.    He felt his breath grow rapid and shallow as the arcane storm built within his body, and slowly, painfully, he raised a hand, stretching out towards the great steel colossus as it finally started to raise its spiked chain yet again...

Even on the other side of the camp, nearly a half mile away, the double _CRACCKKOOOM_ was thunderous, deafening.  To Nayu, the massive pair of lightning bolts that lanced from his hand, less than a second apart, were not heard... rather felt... as if instantly all the magic in his body had lashed out, raced from his fingertips.  The sudden, powerful discharge made him gasp, a move that made pain tear anew through his stomach.  He closed his eyes and groaned again.

He didn’t see the creature lurch in mid swing as the two bolts of lightning arced through its form.  He didn’t see it stumble, dropping the massive spiked chain.  He finally didn’t see Felonca’s death charge, her warfans lashing out, finding the gap in the armor from whence its eyes peered.

He did heard the thunderous crash as several hundred pounds of steel-encased creature tumbled off of the parapet, crumpling to the ground below...

===========================================================

The creature the party just killed was a ‘ragewalker,’ (MM3) an angry fey spirit left behind from an immense battlefield.  The creature is _absolutely_ vicious.  Firstly, it has six blades that constantly whirl about its body, slashing apart anyone that comes too close to it.  Secondly, it is armed with a massive, magical spiked chain... good for decimating anyone within 15 feet of it.   Its clad head to toe in steel plating, making it dangerously hard to harm.  And finally, it has the ability to induce a blood frenzy on those within 30 feet, causing them to charge into melee with abandon (This is why Nayu conducted his suicide charge).

Felonca was under the effect of a _domination_ spell put on her by the camp commandant, a special rakshasa (full details to be revealed later  ).  He left her with the simple instructions to kill her friends... for the most part, she resisted, except for one round where she lashed out at Zhen Ren.  It wasn’t until just before Meiji was hit that she broke free of the spell... just in time to see her cousin get slashed to death.   Of course she went over the edge at that point, and charged this thing that on most days would’ve killed her easy.

Yari Ai... seeing Nayu go down, the Meiji, both to this one creature, went a little nuts.  The first major spell she performed was an _earthquake_, while the second was, of course, _flamestrike._  She stopped being a nice little cleric at that point, and started going out for blood.

Nayu, due to his little pinch of insanity, found himself knocked from full strength to 4 hp in one round.  He was lucky he ended up off of the parapet... otherwise he could’ve suffered Meiji’s fate (the ragewalker was taking no prisoners).  He basically laid there on the ground (Yari Ai’s _earthquake_ had taken care of anyone that had been on the ground nearby) for a round, and then launched into action with his newest feat... quicken spell.  A quickened and regular lightning bolt later, and the ragewalker was tottering, allowing Felonca to do her coup de grace...

I call things as they are, true... in previous sessions, things went the player's way.  In this session, that started working against the PCs a bit... 

I've also been trying to write things differently, as an experiment to see if its better for me to write including the player thoughts, or write without.  Let me know what you think.


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## Zodar

Wow.

[fanboy on]I love this story hour.[fanboy off]

Just one thing: Nayu is a sorcerer, so quicken spell does nothing for him, as metamagicked spells take a sorcerer a full round to cast. Did you houserule this in your campaign?


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## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> I've also been trying to write things differently, as an experiment to see if its better for me to write including the player thoughts, or write without. Let me know what you think.




I think it's good thing to include at least some insight into what is going through PCs' minds during a fight, especially the longer and more involved ones. Otherwise the narrative tends to get reduced to "A did this ... B did that ... C cast that spell ..." repeated several times, which doesn't make for great reading. Not that I recall you resorting to that sort of thing anyway. Telling the reader what the PCs think of how the battle is going is also often more revealing than a simple narration of events.

The only thing I would say as a caution, is that writing from a PC's viewpoint - which is emphasised by including their thoughts - means that you have to be extra careful about throwing in descriptions that work from an "objective observer" viewpoint, but might clash with the PC's viewpoint. As an example (with emphasis added):



			
				Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> “What the...” she started to speak, before her ears were assaulted with a frightening, blood-chilling scream. She spun to see Yari Ai, her face twisted in a terrible visage, her hair seeming to float in a frightening wind, her eyes blazing white and staring directly towards the iron titan *looming over Nayu’s broken form*. Immediately, Felonca tumbled backwards, as the ground itself seemed to shake and shudder. Below in the camp she could hear the shrieks and screams of men as the ground ripped open, swallowing them whole.
> 
> The walls, parapet, and Felonca all shook violently for several moments, before the rogue was able to scramble to her feet. Her eyes caught sight of Liu, still swinging and kicking at the steel monster, Meiji, still singing, and Yari Ai, whose eyes still blazed with divine power. *Yet she saw no Nayu*.




The inclusion of both highlighted phrases grated a bit for me, I'm afraid. But this is a very minor criticism - intended, and I hope taken, constructively.

Anyway ... Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to Felonca aquiring a Rakshasa-skin rug ... and to Nayu becoming Emperor!


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## Emperor Valerian

Yeah, I think I'm going to go back to typing the character's thoughts... it was much _harder_ for me at least, to write _without_ blatantly revealing the character's thoughts.  Each of those updates took quite a bit longer, as I forced myself to rewrite.  I did it more as an excercise for myself... the whole "don't tell, show," mentality.`  Sees how hard it was to write (and its more grating style) I'm going back to the older way .

EDIT - And I also appreciate the criticism, seriously.   If I don't know something about my writing doesn't work, how can I fix it?  Please, keep the comments coming!

Also, yes, I also house-ruled the quicken feat for him.  I saw no real reason he couldn't quicken a spell while a wizard could.  *shrug*

As for the photoshops, I'll get them posted as soon as I can find a place that can hold the images.  I've used imagehosting.us in the past, but lately its been screwy, and refusing to upload images.  If anyone knows of another location, let me know, and I'll get the pics up.


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## Emperor Valerian

*Liberation*

As the dust rose from the crumpled metallic form below, Felonca’s rage continued to burn bright and hot.  She let loose a few low, sharp curses, her shoulder and leg complaining in fierce pain from her wounds.  Her leveling gaze lasted only a moment, before her memory flashed back with a vengeance.

_Nayu!?_

“Nayu?!” she echoed her mind’s worried call, her eyes looking about.  Meiji was gone, lost, there wasn’t anything she could do.  But Nayu had rolled off of the parapet, he hadn’t fallen, he hadn’t been thrown.  Combat had been so blindingly focused for her that she hadn’t seen the blast of lightning or heard the massive thunderclap.  Finally, her eyes caught sight of the bloody, stumbling sorcerer on the ground below.

“Nayu!  Are you alright?” she shouted.  She felt something brush against her shoulder... a worried Yari Ai craned around Felonca’s head to see, followed shortly by the clank of Chou and Liu’s quiet footsteps.

“I feel like a filleted fish,” he complained, stumbling towards the wall.  Blood came from the corner of his mouth.

“Nayu, hold on!  We’ll be down there in a second!” Felonca called, just before she heard a hiss of air from behind her.  She turned, and saw Yari Ai looking toward Meiji’s broken body, before her eyes turned back to Felonca, pregnant with tears.

“I...I could...” Yari Ai started to say, her voice cracking slightly as her hand slowly pointed towards Meiji’s body.  Her face, even her tears seemed to glow, as if the gods themselves were reaching down to her, even through her...

_She thinks she could help him..._ Felonca realized numbly.  _There are stories of those blessed by the heavens with the ability to bring the dead to true life again..._  Her head turned, as the distant noises of cattle and battle began to rumble louder from inside the camp.  Felonca’s own eyes looked momentarily towards her cousin, and she fought herself to not break down in tears herself.

_There is no time!_ her military mind shouted, cajoled.  _You must get inside this camp, to rescue your father!_

_But Meiji..._ she thought.  She shook her head hard.  There was a battle going on.  People were dying in droves, yet she remained her, frozen in place by the death of one. _Death happens in battle!   Meiji knew this!_ she shouted to herself.  

_And I helped bring him into battle..._  She shook her head, trying to shake free of the thought.

“No,” Felonca said, injecting more command than she wanted to into her voice.  “We must move now, the other soldiers are already moving into the camp!   We need to free the prisoners as soon as possible!  Yari Ai, heal as many as you can!”  Her eyes flashed about, her mind finding refuge in work, in focused command.  “Where is Zhen Ren?”

All of their faces twisted, and she saw their eyes all look to the opposite side of the wall.

_Why?  They look as if I..._

She looked over the edge herself, and saw the scholar’s broken form, trembling in a pool of blood.  He gave a groan, but it was apparent that unless something was done, within minutes he would groan no more.

“You...” Chou started to say, before he stopped suddenly and looked away.

_Me?  I did this?!_ she read between the lines, her mind reeling from this second blow.  Slowly, her muscles remembered... before the slashing, cutting of the steel behemoth, there was other slashing, other cutting moments earlier...

_How... why..._ her mind started to mumble.  _He probably can’t look at me... why don’ they attack me, arrest me, if I did this?_

“You were under magic, Felonca,” Yari Ai sniffled quietly.  “I could feel something wrong with your mind, but there was nothing I could do to stop it... and Nayu flew into a fury I’ve never seen before...”

“That crazy nut charged the damn thing with only his morningstar and robes!” Chou added, with a low whistle.  “I’ve never seen him that angry... got his behind ripped apart for it too!  Crazy idiot!”

“I’m still here!  I can hear all of you!” Nayu’s voice came weakly from below.

_I did this under a spell..._ Felonca tried to reassure herself as Yari Ai began chanting words of power, healing spreading amongst all close by.  _I was under a spell, I had no control over it...

I should have been stronger!_ another part of her mind snapped in anger as she remembered those glowing, powerful blue eyes.  _I should have kept that thing out of my mind!_  Guilt now joined the grief in her mind, guilt that quickly turned to anger.  For a moment, she mentally kicked herself hard for letting such a thing happen, before the call of the battle in the distant rang loud and clear.  She sighed, and closed her eyes.

“We must go,” she added quietly.  _We need to get away from this place, and get this job done!_  “Yari Ai, heal as many people as you can, especially Nayu and Zhen Ren.  I want the scholar to head back to our camp.  He can take...” she started.  For a second she fought herself, before she continued without the tears her soul wanted to cry, “...he can take Meiji as well.”

She allowed her eyes to close this time, and a tear fell.  Silently, she uttered a small prayer.

_I cannot do more, Meiji... not now.  When this battle is over, I will do everything that I can to make your memory known...

...but I have another family member I have to save!_



Nayu closed his eyes, and tried not to breathe any deeper than he had to.  When his eyes opened, he saw that Yari Ai was finally on the ground, just behind Felonca running towards him.  A worn, small grin came to his face.

“You charged that thing?!”  Felonca shrieked at him.

_Oh boy... here comes the lecture..._ 

He still wasn’t sure what made him charge the giant ragewalker.  He could remember all parts of his logical, sensible mind telling him not to, yet all the raw emotion, the anger at seeing Felonca so manipulated, had boiled out not in magic, but swings of his morningstar.  Something came over him... something otherworldly.

“You ran against that... beast,” Felonca seemingly found the right word, “after my mind was taken over?”  She was right next to him, and he braced himself.  Instead, he was surprised when Felonca gripped him in a hug tight enough he lost his breath, and his stomach and ribs screamed in pain at being squeezed.

“Ow ow!” he managed to hiss, loud enough that she heard and let him go.  When he finally got a look at her, he could see in her eyes the tears barely being held back by a dam made of sheer willpower.  

_She’s hurting...  can she hold up?_ his mind wondered.  As if to answer his question, suddenly those eyes narrowed, and it seemed as if steel flashed in their blue depths.  She turned, and her old voice snapped over the field.

“Yari Ai!  Get up here and heal him!  Chou, if you can’t climb down a set of stairs, you shouldn’t be in the army!  Move it!”  She turned back to Nayu, and those eyes wavered for a moment, before the steel in them came back.  She gently put a hand on his shoulder, then her face went blank, utterly devoid of emotion.  A split second later, Felonca walked past him, deeper into the camp, as Nayu heard the _click_ of her warfans coming out.  He could hear men shouting behind him, shouts than suddenly changed to screams.

“Felonca,” he started, before Yari Ai ran up to him, gently but forcefully grabbing his face and turning it towards her.  The young woman was far easier to read, her fear, sadness, and anger all roiling on her face.

“H...how are you still alive...” she stuttered, looking over his wounds, “how are you standing?”

“Maybe Heaven has a purpose for me,” Nayu replied.  _More like I was damn lucky...  Nayu, why did you do that?_ he still asked himself.  Yari Ai’s face lit up partially at his words.

“It would appear so.  I can’t think of...” she suddenly stopped, shook her head, and took in a deep breath, causing Nayu to raise a blood-caked eyebrow.  

_Something’s going on here..._ he thought, as she brought one hand to his brow, another to his torso, and began whispering prayers to the gods and the ancestors, asking for their healing.  He felt the same warmth across his body he’d felt the previous times she’d done this, but he knew something about _her_ reactions was different... something he couldn’t place.

“There’s something different about you, Nayu,” she said after she finished healing him.  “I can’t place it exactly... but when I touched your forehead, I felt the divine running through you, just as heaven has touched me.”  She shook her head in confusion, her eyes betraying that there was more to what she was thinking, that she wouldn’t say.

_What could be divine flowing through me?_ Nayu instantly thought.  _I am no priest, I don’t speak to the ancestors, or to the gods, from whence the divine comes...

Oh no..._

Something in his face, the way he winced, made Yari Ai blink, and look at him strange again.  Quickly, Nayu fell back to his background as the son of a merchant, and put on his best blank face, even as his mind stumbled for words and panicked over what her little statement foretold.

_People can tell... they can tell I am seeking to be the Emperor, the Son of Heaven!_  When he blinked, his eyes filled with thoughts of soldiers, white wolves, skeletons, assassins, and all other manner of beasts and powerful men seeking to destroy _him_, and _him alone._

Before this they were after each other, and only Prince Hu seemed to have understood Nayu’s ancestry and attacked him.  But if the other claimants... the Prince of Shu, the Dowager Empress, the Princes of Han and Bei... 

_I know who I fight now... but if they all know..._  He shuddered involuntarily, thinking of the forces arrayed against them, multiplied many times... attacking himself, his friends, his family.  Second thoughts on the Imperial throne ran through his head.

Conveniently, Yari Ai snapped around to look behind him, and Nayu turned to follow her gaze, expecting another horde of enemies to be charging towards him, weapons upraised.  Instead, Felonca crouched alone in a sea of the enemy peasant spearmen.  Instead of advancing on her, they were backing away fearfully.  As she slowly stood, the mass broke and ran, revealing the circle of bodies piled around her...



Truth be told, Felonca had not even registered that initial group of soldiers, and she did not notice all of the Langya peasants and peons shrinking away, even fleeing as she swept through the camp.  Word of the black panther that charged into twenty men and culled five in the space of mere seconds passed far faster than her legs could have carried her.

Behind her came the surviving members of her small unit: Chou, dismayed that in the ten minutes since they had left the wall behind them, he had not had a chance to even swing his sword; Yari Ai, her eyes still fearful, grief still apparent across her face; Liu, his emotions ever masked; and finally Nayu, whose eyes shared the same dark gaze as Felonca’s... the thirst for revenge.

Any and all that came to challenge them were met by Felonca’s blades... a second of whirling and slicing, and the challenger soon lay on the ground, nary a breath left in their body.  Finally, the small group passed several rows tents, before they turned a corner, and saw three long wooden buildings, their roofs ancient and filled with holes.

_There..._ Felonca thought, as the noise of battle grew to an oppressive din, and an errant ox or cow thundered by, fleeing the chaos of war in terror.  _That must be where the prisoners are...  the only buildings for any distance, it seems..._  Quickly, she dodged between the stunned soldiers, the fleeing cattle, and crushed, battered tents and camp supplies towards the three buildings.  

_Speed... we need this done!_ she kept telling herself, remembering her uncle’s advancing troops.  The sooner the prisoners were gone, the sooner her uncle could retire, and the scholars could fireball the camp.  Deep within, she felt the deep pangs of grief for a moment, before the needs of the battlefield conveniently allowed her to push them aside for the moment.

“Felonca!” Chou called, “you work on getting the door open!  Me, Liu and Yari Ai can keep these people at bay!”

“What people?” she heard Nayu reply sarcastically, “They’re busy running for their lives, from either us, or the oxen!”

On a normal day, Felonca might have added her own sarcastic remark, coupled with a self-confident smirk.  Instead, her eyes focused on the door to the first building, her heart pounding in her chest.

_This is it..._ she thought.  She felt fear rising within her, fear of something far more frightening than a titanic man plated in steel, more terrifying than a white lion that melded into the shadows.  A familiar dark-skinned face hung suspended in her mind’s eye, the dark blue eyes of Wa-Feng Felonxi blazing, burrowing deep into her very soul.

She’d been named after her father.  Both he and her uncle Dian had hoped she would grow to be massive, muscle-bound, as they were, strong in mind, spirit and body.  Yet she had not grown tall, or thickly muscled.  Where her father stood just shy of seven feet tall, his body weighing in over 275 pounds, she stood barely five and a half feet tall, less than half his weight.  Where his form was thick and muscle-bound, hers was thin, willowy, wiry, the muscles rough and taut under her skin.

_The first of many disappointments.._ her mind reminded her, and her heart beat faster as her eyes inspected the door, looking closely, and finding a series of tiny holes along the doorframe... holes where likely darts shot forth.   A quick glance revealed to her thieving mind that indeed darts ringed the door, likely each one poisoned, each ready to paralyze, kill or otherwise maim its target.

_I was not strong in body, as Papa and Dian wished,_ she remembered, her eyes now searching for the trigger mechanism for the trap.  In spirit, her memory spoke of how her uncle had deemed her a failure... until he had seen her in combat.  She ran her hands carefully along the inside of the door, as her soul prayed for the impossible... that her father, the proud Felonxi, the honorable Felonxi, the chivalrous Felonxi, would not be crushed by her dishonorable actions.

The panther in her mind shed a tear, and Felonca stopped, unable to focus, the image threatening to break the tight hold she had on her emotions.  _Breathe... calm..._ she tried to tell herself, but even as she resumed, she saw her hands shook ever so slightly as they found tiny, almost invisible trip wires hidden both at head and ankle level across the door.  Shakily, she brought forth her warfans, and cut the two wires.

_I’m not even strong of mind..._ she thought morosely, watching her hands shake from the raw emotions thundering through her mind.  Unconsciously, her hands then moved for the lock, as she heard Chou’s voice heckling the fleeing foot soldiers, wishing them riddance and a good time at their mother’s bedside.

_Felonca!  You are  Shao... a high rank!  You have led troops into battle!  You have accomplished in your short life far more than many people do in a century!_ she snarled to herself, false bravado and courage leading towards the real thing.  Gingerly, she lifted the latch, and ever so slowly, the door creaked open a crack.

Even above the din of battle, she heard the muffled moans, hissed voices of question.  After a few moments, she then heard a loud, familiar shout.

“If you’ve come to send me to fight like your lackey, I will not!  I am an Imperial general, I bow to no lackey!” the voice boomed.  Instantly all the courage she’d built up, the hope she’d built up, came tumbling down as a house of cards snatched away by the winds.  Within moments she would see that face...  a face her mind now twisted not into the look of anger, the shouts of shame and dishonor that came from Uncle Dian.  Perhaps such verbal assaults would have been better.

Instead, the panther’s face held a look of disappointment, of sadness, and most damning of all, a look of shame.  No shouts came from its lips, only a sigh, a glance towards the ground, away from her eyes, a moment of silence hanging in the air, far more condemning than hours of lecture...

...a moment of silence she now wanted to avoid.

“Felonca?”  She felt Nayu’s hand on her shoulder.  Part of her was rooted to the spot, fear holding her in place.  Part of her wanted to lean back against the hand, a source of comfort from the storm of fear in her mind.  All of her trembled.  

She froze even more when she saw his other hand gently push the door, which creaked open, revealing a sea of blackness inside.  She heard chains slipping, grating about, more mumblings, a few more shouts, born of callous indifference caused by weeks of mistreatment.

“Felonca... you’re here,” she heard Nayu’s voice, as if from afar.  “You are in charge... give them your instructions,” he quietly urged, the reassuring hand still on her shoulder.  She felt fear dripping from her soul, but through his hand came enough courage – just enough – that she opened her mouth.

“Prisoners!” her voice cracked from the panic still in her veins, “I come on the behalf of Shang Wa-Feng Dian!” she stumbled out.  She heard more slight whispers coming from Nayu, and and suddenly the blackness grew ablaze with light, forcing Felonca and the prisoners to all blink.  When she was able to see, what she saw only added to her shock and terror.

Along the walls of the structure sat several hundred prisoners, one next to the other.  Jointly they were all chained to the wall, unable to move far, their bindings holding them so they could look neither towards the left, nor the right.  The smell then hit her... unwashed bodies, urine and feces, a stench tearing towards the heavens.  Even from the doorway, she could see the battalions of lice and fleas that parading about each and every one of them.

For a moment, she stood there, mouth open, before her mind realized she needed to _do_ something.  She clambered down, and examined the chains holding them in place, only to realize that a single, massive chain attached all the prisoners to each other, and was locked to the ground with a single, massive lock and ring.  Her nervousness found focus, and soon, the lock gave to the efforts of her pick.  Nayu was quickly forward, untying the first prisoner, moving down the line.

“When you reach outside, go towards your left, and run towards the palisade wall as best you can!” he called.  “People will be there to assist you in getting out of the camp, and food and water will be available!”   Quickly, the bound men began to head towards the door.

Amidst the sea of people making towards the exit, Felonca’s eyes caught sight of one particularly tall figure, clad only in torn trousers, towering literally head and shoulders above the other prisoners.  Her soul didn’t feel the reassuring touch of anyone’s hand, and her fear came tumbling back.

Quickly, she melded into the crowd, and slipped from the building.



“Will there be arms?” Nayu felt a strong grip grab his shoulder, and the sorcerer turned to see a short, barrel chested human staring at him intently.  The prisoner’s hair was unkempt and gray, but his eyes shown fierce and proud.

“I’m sure we can make some arrangements,” Nayu replied, hoping that was the case.  The old soldier gave a sharp nod, and made his way towards the door as he was told.

_Where’s Felonca?_ the sorcerer thought.  _She’s supposed to be the one running this mess, and getting these people outside!  Why did she stop suddenly, as if she’d seen a ghost?  Why couldn’t she even talk prop..._

His train of thought ended when yet another hand, this one large and massive, grabbed his shoulder.  A voice rumbled out, steely sharp, ordering the prisoners to halt and stay where they were.  When Nayu turned, a massive panther lowered his head until his huge, deep blue eyes were level with Nayu’s.

“I heard what you spoke to Shih-Ri,” the man’s deep bass rumbled.  Despite the fleas and lice that obviously covered him, despite his torn and ruined clothing, or even his obviously thinned out frame, Felonca’s father still carried himself with an air that could only be described as regal, majestic, and commanding.  “That, I am afraid, is unacceptable.  Our arms are stored in the building opposite here, and _we can fight_!” the old panther added sharply.  

The eyes suddenly narrowed.  “You are a scholar... I doubt you are in command here.  Please, take me to your commanding officer, the person who led this raid.  We will fight... we have all pledged so!”

“Fight... ah...um...” Nayu stuttered.  _Felonca’s afraid to talk to him!  How do I..._  “Ah...um... please, Master Wa-Feng Felonxi.  My instructions were simple... to tell you and the other prisoners you had best make your escape now, by going towards the left once you leave...”  _Fall back on the orders..._

The old general gave a grunt at Nayu’s stonewalling, before rising to his full, impressive height.  “Very well, young scholar.  They have left you with strict orders... and I have a strict code of honor.”  The powerful hengeyokai turned, striding towards the door.  “I shall inform your officer after the battle you followed your orders to the letter, it was simply that it proved impossible for you to persuade an old curmudgeon like Shang Wa-Feng that he must flee instead of fight!”



Felonca stopped when she heard the barking order from inside the tent, the distinctive thunder of a particular voice, when its normally quiet owner decided power and control was needed.  She turned, and was also stunned to see all the prisoners stop, turning towards the door to the prison, their eyes attentive, their ears listening.

Despite the hundreds, even thousands of people about, prisoners milling, soldiers fighting, oxen running, her nostrils caught one scent, powerful, intense, and close.  As Felonxi swept out of the door, she held her breath, hoping his gaze passed over her.  For a moment, it looked as if his blue eyes had seen hers, until she realized he was turning towards the second prison house, instead of towards the gates.

And her heart dropped.

_No... no father don’t..._ she plead, watching his powerful, angry stride towards the second prison house.  She knew him, the way only family could.  She knew how he thought.  _Free the others, fight back,_ his movements shouted to her.  But she knew the door to this prison house had been riddled with poison darts...

...there was no reason that the second one wasn’t either.

_Father, no!_ she mentally shouted, her mind’s commands finally starting to be heard and obeyed by her muscles.  She pushed, shoved, and squeezed her way through the crowd, twisting and dodging as her father walked closer and close to the second door.

“Papa!” she shouted, as he reached the steps, and lowered his shoulder.  She saw the muscles in his legs tense, his eyes close as he prepared his own body to be a massive battering ram.  

As he started his run forward, she leapt.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The Loss of a Friend, Part Three*

Felonca felt a snap, her shoulder shifting out of place as she hit her father’s much larger frame.  She’d expected a hard impact... he was easily twice her weight, but she didn’t expect to feel her shoulder slip from alignment.  Then again, she also didn’t expect the “Uf!” that came from the surprised Felonxi, or how he sprawled to the ground.  She’d only meant to push him aside, but instead she leveled him just shy of the trapped door.

“Who in the blazing hells...” she heard his voice growl in annoyance.  

_Safe..._ she thought simply, looking down at the ground, her right hand grabbing the misplaced left shoulder.  She closed her eyes, clenched her teeth, and wrenched.  She felt a _pop_ as the shoulder returned, the limb blasting her with pain for her effort.  

“Who are you?” she heard her father’s voice ask, its tone twinged with anger, but also curiosity, and not a slight amount of confusion.  She heard his nose sniff, another grunt of confusion.  “You are panther hengeyokai...”

She looked up, trembling slightly.

“Yes, I am, papa.”

Felonxi’s blue on blue eyes flashed wide, as his mouth dropped open slightly.  Felonca stared back up towards him, and for a moment, there was no battle, no chaos exploding around them, only two sets of blue on blue eyes, staring, wondering...

_You are still in combat!_ Felonca’s military mind shouted at her after a moment.  _The other prisoners need to be freed!  That trap needs to be disabled, so your father won’t poison himself trying to free his men!_  The rest of her mind seized this as an excellent way to distract herself from the tumultuous feelings inside her, and she quickly set about her work with the ferocity of one attempting to avoid another task.

“Felonca?” she heard Felonxi’s voice ask quietly as she found the three fine wires, and cut each of them in succession.

“Yes papa?” she spoke over her shoulder, now furiously working at the lock.  _If he starts to yell about what I’ve done, I can make him stop by saying I’m busy, that there’s a battle going on.  That’ll give me time...

Time for what?

To figure out something to say?  An excuse?  Should I need an excuse?_ her mind bothered her as she tried to work.  Moments after her fingers crackled open the lock to the building, she suddenly felt crushing pressure around her, the sensation of being lifted into the air.  It took a few seconds before she heard the deep, rumbling of a panther purring, and realized her father had her in a vice-like hug.

“You are safe, my Felonca!” she heard him whisper quietly, wetness from his tears spreading across the back of her tunic.  “There were rumors from the north, that the Academy had been destroyed, that you’d been killed by Master Hsiu, that...”

Felonca‘s first response was shock.  The shouts of anger, the furious accusations of dishonor and shame, none came to her ears.  Instead, the deep, rumbling purr continued, and she felt tears welling in her own eyes.

_Papa doesn’t hate me!  Papa doesn’t hate me!_ she shouted, even as her more practical mind tried to wrestle control back, to open the door, and free the prisoners.  Gently, she pushed back, pulling away from the embrace.  When she looked into her father’s eyes, she saw a train of emotions; confusion at her pulling away, a slight tinge of anger, followed by recognition, then a prideful smile.

“There is a battle,” Felonxi replied knowingly, “and you are an officer in command. I can tell,” he said, “you have a look about you, like my father once had.”

  Felonca beamed at his understanding, and the look of pride that came from him.  She let herself bask only mere moments in those looks, before her mind went back to business.  “The doors were trapped.  I couldn’t let you ram into it,” Felonca explained, before whipping the door open.  Yet again, the interior was lined with prisoners, every one mangy and beaten.  She turned back to her father, “I have a job to do right now.”  _I... I have too many things I would like to say, but there’s not enough time right now to say them..._

“Let’s work together then,” he replied before grabbing the huge link that held the chains into the floor, then ripping it out.  With a tug, the two of them quickly had unloosed the chains, and yet more prisoners were free.  They all scrambled to their feet, before they all set eyes on Felonxi.  Immediately they stopped their scrambling, and waited.  Felonca was about to shout to them to move, to flee the camp, when she felt her father tapping her shoulder.

“The third building here houses the weapons and arms they took from us,” Felonxi said aloud, loud enough that the other prisoners heard.  “They’ve held some of us for weeks, some of us for months!  Now the tables have turned!” he cried.  “To arms!”

“To arms!” the prisoners thundered back, as Felonca stood aghast.

“Father,” she changed her word of endearment to one that was more formal, “you can’t do this!  You can’t...”

“Fight?” Felonxi finished her thought.  “Why?  Because I haven’t washed in six weeks?  Because I’ve been fed on gruel for that time?”  He shook his head, his teeth baring in a smile.  “No, my daughter.  I need to see what you can do first hand!”

For a second, Felonca looked up to the man twice her size, and a growl of protest formed in her gut.  It drew out, deep and rumbling, her eyes gauging the same Wa-Feng stubbornness she’d seen her uncle display, though this time it was covered by a genial smile.  Finally, she sputtered her reply.

“Alright!  Fine!  I’ll start getting rid of the traps on the third building!” she grunted, a thin grin forming on her lips.  Her father had a reputation for numerous things... honor and discipline, both of which would have been useless without his famous skill with a blade.  She had no doubt he could take care of himself... yet part of her still wished he’d followed the plan, and had sought shelter, instead of following her into the maw of battle...



Nayu couldn’t help but grin at the turn of events.  _She was so scared... and how the two are working side by side..._  Within those few minutes since father and daughter had embraced, Nayu had noticed an immediate, profound change in his friend.. even now she was helping him and the elder Wa-Feng hand out weapons and armor to the prisoners clustered around.

Finally, as they neared the bottom of the pile, Nayu felt his fingers begin to tingle.  As more weapons were uncovered then handed to waiting hands, the tingling in the sorcerer’s hands grew.  _Someone has some magically touched weapons or armor,_ Nayu thought, his mind curious to see what arcane power had touched what weapon.

Near the bottom of the pile, Felonxi’s massive hands suddenly stopped.  For a few seconds he groped about, until suddenly his huge paws caught something.  With a yank, he pulled it free from the surrounding pile of steel, and Nayu fought to keep himself from gasping.

It was a blade... a longsword, and Nayu’s trader’s eye noticed the slight crosshatchings within the steel... the blade had undoubtedly been forged in Taisho, where all the best blades in the Celestial Empire arose.  Its hilt was simple, covered in silver leaf, its pommel circular, a gilt relief of a roaring panther’s head blazing anger through twin ruby eyes on each side.  The blade itself was dark, its steel made smoky through the addition of magic, blue character’s as brilliant as the sky etched along its length.

_“Always Wa-Feng Clan,”_ they read.

“The family sword,” Felonca whispered, as her father held the blade at arms length, testing his own strength.  Slowly, then with ever increasing ferocity, he twisted his wrist, slashing the blade, its _whoosh_ seeming to give off a soft cry as it tore through the air.

“You need not worry, Felonca.  My sword arm works just fine,” her father said casually, before handing her the blade.  Nayu saw her heft the blade up, but hold it awkwardly...

_Fans are her element, not blades,_ he thought as Felonxi dug through to the bottom of the pile again, and piece by piece, removed a set of lamellar armor whose steel plates were painted snow white, each with a tiny brass panther head.

_The armor of a Shang Jiang... a full general, the highest rank one can earn in the Imperial army..._ Nayu recognized.  Part of his mind then realized Ling would have been proud of him for recognizing such.  Not the first lesson Nayu remembered from watching the old politician...

Felonca helped her father into the steel cage as quickly as she could, and soon father and daughter strode from the prison, facing towards the din of battle, oxen and terrified peasant levies running past them as they marched to war...



“We surrender!  We surrender!”

Felonca growled towards the speaker, and a grunt of acceptance.  Before her thirty more of the Langya peasant levies fell to their knees, performing _kow tow_ before her in thanks.  She tried to hide the sourness from her face, a move that evidently succeeded by the looks of hope she saw in the eyes of her new prisoners.

“Bei Yuan!” she heard her father bark to some of the last of the remaining ex-prisoners that trailed behind them, “take your two men, and march these people towards the edge of the camp!”

“That’s the last of your fellow prisoners,” Felonca said quietly as her father’s companions barked and snapped orders, forming up the surrendered warriors and marching them away from the noise and din of battle.  _Somewhere behind us are nearly a hundred and fifty others... all guarding captured peasants..._

The advance after her father and his allies had joined her small force had been no less than devastating.  From seemingly the midst of their own camp, the Langya forces had another formidable foe seem to arise from nowhere, cutting the gut from their defenses.  Felonca’s reputation through the camp had spread... and when the poor drafted peasants saw _two_ panther hengeyokai walking towards them, blades drawn and followed by a small army, the peasants surrendered en masse, a human wave of captives.

“I doubt we should have much more of a problem here,” her father said in reply.  “I think the big issue up ahead will be avoiding the oxen running amok.”  The panther’s eyes lit up slightly as he looked as his daughter.  “Whose idea?”

“Mine,” Felonca replied rather sheepishly, as she watched the small group of captives and their guards march off into the depths of the night.  The smell of smoke and charcoal filled the air, flames giving the camp around them an orange, otherworldly aura.

“It’s just mopping up left,” Liu said with a sigh of relief, walking forward.  “The second in command is dead, the camp commander fled, you and your father are running amok...” The monk opened his mouth to say something more, but no words came to his mouth.

“Liu?” Felonca grumbled with a grin.  “I do not run ‘amok,’ she started to tartly reply, until she turned and looked at Liu... and past him.

Like some apparition out of the smoky mists, two bright blue spots blazed, burned fierce and sharp.  Her eyes just barely made out the same gnarled, shadowy form, the same slumped half stance, the same gaunt white tiger’s head, empty of soul, seemingly leeching life itself from its surroundings.

Liu’s eyes bulged, his voice came in a gasp, a hiss of barely escaping air.  His body twisted unnaturally, attempting to wrench itself free from whatever arcane horror gripped its form.  As she stood, rooted in shock, the monk’s body seemed to collapse; no, not just collapse, but break apart, breaking, ripping, shredding, till what lay on the ground was not even a pile of flesh, but a pile of dust.

Felonca’s horror stricken mind took precious moments to comprehend, to understand.  _LIU?!_  Those blazing blue eyes then switched to hers, and she felt the same presence in her mind yet again, pressing, pushing, feeling...

_”They say you Wa-Fengs are a stubborn clan... I see that is true...”_ the same thin, rasping voice hissed in her mind.  _”Perhaps, if you slay your own father, you will learn your lesson!”_  The eyes blazed bright again, as Felonca felt her mind being wrenched away from her control.

“NO!” she shouted aloud, echoing the cry of her mind, caught now in a frightening wrestling match.  She felt something forcing her hands down to her warfans, and with all her mind’s strength, she fought back, fighting each finger till her hands had curled into fists, her claws biting into her own palms.

_You will NOT take me!  Not again!_ Felonca snarled.

_”Young Wa-Feng... you cannot resist... you are far too weak!  Oh!”_ the voice seemed to laugh in her mind, _”I see your uncle had repeatedly told you this!”_  The voice dropped to a conspiratory tone.  _”He still believes it... as will your father!  Kill him.  Kill them both!  You’ll be head of the clan then, and no one will question you!”_

Felonca eyes were closed so tight, they hurt.  _You lie!  Lies!_

She could feel the burning of those blue eyes on her, she could almost see them through her closed eyelids, the power searing her mind as the powerful spellcaster probed her, questioned her, searching her memories and thoughts.

_”Ah... there is something here you’re trying to hide from me... what is it?”_ the dark voice casually asked.  She froze, realizing where her intruder was probing towards, and desperately she tried to parry the attack, drive him away from that fortress of hidden knowledge.  She remembered Ling, and how he had discovered secrets about her friend...

_”Your friend... Nayu...”_ the raspy voice purred, the scrape sounding like a rusty saw cutting a heartwood.  _”You... think of him often...”_

_Stay out of my mind!_  Felonca’s body tensed, every ounce of her being fighting, pushing back.

_”He is special to you...”_ the voice murmured with almost dull realization.  The beast cared not for such things... save they could be weapons to be used...

_Leave him alone!_ she snapped back.

_”Ah... you are attracted to him...”_  She could almost see the smile on the creature’s face when it discovered this, the thing she’d been hiding.  It made sense!  The reason why she’d snapped when Nayu had asked long ago at Prince Hu’s sister.  The reason why she’d fiercely guarded him for so long.  

She’d never thought of things that way, she had only thought of him as a friend, a close companion, someone who had braved many dangers alongside her.  Yet now, her mind wrapped itself around the thought, trying to decipher it, to understand it, instead of pushing back against the beast’s ever probing assault.

_”And there is something more about him...”_ the creature spoke, almost shouted with excitement in her mind.  Felonca froze, knowing for sure now what the creature was about to find, and knowing that her off-balance mind couldn’t recover in time...

_Please,_ part of Felonca prayed as she struggled, _gods of high, ancestors of old, keep Nayu’s secret safe!_

Seemingly in the distance, she heard Nayu’s shout to her father, she heard Felonxi roar.  Her mind registered him charging the creature, blade drawn, as Yari Ai seemed to call to call the gods with a distant, almost quiet fury.  Their noises came drawn out, deep, as if the sands of time had slowed their fall.

Suddenly, the burden was gone, the voice fleeing her mind.  She chased after it, feeling fear and urgency left in its wake.  Her eyes flashed open, just as her father was about to swing down upon the creature...

Who just as suddenly disappeared, Felonxi’s blade catching only air and fireflies.

Nayu’s string of profanities would have normally caused even her to blanche, but her mind was focused more on what the creature had said to her as it tried to rummage through her thoughts, on the remains of her friend lying on ground before her, of Meiji, of the many things that had shaken her world that night.

“He teleported!” Nayu continued to rant.  “He could be back in Langya now!”  The sorcerer added a choice comment about the rakshasa, the beast’s family, and cattle in heat.

“Felonca?” The rogue felt a small hand on her shoulder, and she turned towards Yari Ai.  For a second, Felonca started to let things loose, before instinctively, she bottled her feelings up again, hiding them.  _Put them away... they are of no use right now._

“Do you have an empty canteen?” Felonca asked quietly, feeling a single tear come down her cheek.  More threatened to follow, but the hengeyokai’s will forced them back.

“Felonca?  Are you alright?” Yari Ai repeated herself gently.  “We’ve lost much tonight, your father is back, and after that... thing went after you again, you look as if you’ve seen a ghost...”

“Do...you...have...an...empty...canteen?” Felonca gritted her teeth, repeated the question slowly, anger rising to the fore, the hairs bristling on the back of her neck.  _Answer my damn question!_

“Yes... why?” Yari Ai replied.

“Put...” Felonca stopped, and fought herself under control again.  After a moment, she started her order again.  “Put Liu into the canteen.  We’ll see what can be done back at the camp.”

“Felonca, I don’t know if any of the healers will be...”

“Do it!” Felonca snapped.  _I don’t CARE if any of the healers here don’t know how to help him!  You said there were people that could raise the dead!  Dammit, we’re going to help him!_

As if on cue, she heard the galloping of a great horse’s hooves on the packed earth, followed by a great shout from her father.  When she turned, slowly, quietly, she watched as Dian leapt off of his great black steed and hugged his brother.  Close to them, she could see Nayu was already flashing Dian a confused, depressed look.

_Father doesn’t know about Meiji..._ she realized slowly.  _And neither does Meiji’s own father..._

=================================================

Oh yes, I was evil again.    The Al’Chazar rakshasa (the camp commander) managed, in one session, to _dominate_ Felonca, _disintegrate_ Liu, then attempt to _dominate_ Felonca again.  To top this all off, before our valiant heroes could dispatch his evilness, the rakshasa _teleported_ away, to locations unknown, leaving our heroes vexed and upset.

The final toll for this session was quite bloody.  Nayu was knocked within inches of his life (4 hit points), as was Zhen Ren (or, as he was known in the session, ‘peon spellcaster number one’).  Felonca lost her mind, then was knocked to half strength, Yari Ai and Chou were bth knocked to half strength, and both Liu and Meiji were killed.  

Though they did rescue Felonca’s father... though Felonca has been too emotionally confused and mentally preoccupied to open up to him.  Yet...   As for the musings of Felonca’s mind, was it something real, or just a ploy by the rakshasa to try to throw off her defenses?  

I know what it is...


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> Oh yes, I was evil again.




But they rescued Felonca's father,and there was no TPK. Clearly you weren't evil enough.   



> As for the musings of Felonca’s mind, was it something real, or just a ploy by the rakshasa to try to throw off her defenses?




Or both ... ?


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## ThoughtfulOwl

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> “Do it!” Felonca snapped.  _I don’t CARE if any of the healers here don’t know how to help him!  You said there were people that could raise the dead!  Dammit, we’re going to help him!_




Is Yari Ai already able to cast Raise Dead? Resurrection?
Are these spells normally available - if rare - or did you houserule them with some kind or restrictions?

I ask because it seems to me that most of the high-ranking movers and shakers would be rich enough to pay in advance for their own resurrection, which is kind of lame; also, the anti-emperor blade wouldn't be that much of a deal.

Few things ruin drama more than commercialized resurrection. It dwarfs the indulgences sold by the Roman Church in the past: an unchecked high level D&D cleric can sell you a way back from hell.


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## Emperor Valerian

Yes, she had ressurection... Felonca didn't know for sure, and didn't want to waste the time finding out at that moment... there was a battle going on, and Yari Ai's spell would have taken too much time...

Though I run the ressurection spells differently.  For NPCs, there's one ressurection free, and then after that, usually they get held in the afterlife (higher the level, the higher the chance some divine or demonic being will take interest in them and keep them from returning to the material plane).

For PCs, well, we'll just see how that one goes. heh heh heh  

EDIT:  Oh, and as for the anti-Emperor blade... no ressurection, no wish, nothing.  Pokeity poke, and its game over... (it _is_ an artifact, after all!)


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## ThoughtfulOwl

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> For NPCs, there's one ressurection free, and then after that, usually they get held in the afterlife (higher the level, the higher the chance some divine or demonic being will take interest in them and keep them from returning to the material plane).




Cunning!

Now, if only I could resurrect my Hard Disk after it got fried yesterday...


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## Emperor Valerian

Okay... the next update might be delayed a bit... one, I've recieved one of the corebook sthat we'll be using during our next campaign, and I need to look it over (_Seas of Blood_ from Mongoose Publishing).  Secondly, I'm going to be moving to Indiana for a Russian language camp this Thursday.  It'll probably be several times before I'm settled and online there.  I'll get the updates in as soon as I get a chance.


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## Emperor Valerian

I'm back online (well mostly anyway), after tangling with no power for four days, and my own university not understanding the concept that they were supposed to give me money for food.  This weekend I'm returning home for a few days, and by then there'll be at least one update posted, possibly two, as well as a few other photoshops.


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## Emperor Valerian

Back online!  Tonights update will be very short.  Hopefully tomorrow night I can post another!

*Father Meets Daughter*

Felonca shivered.

The temperature outside the tent was warm, even balmy for the early fall.  Also outside, the wailing, rising cry of grief made her bones run cold.

“Still he mourns,” she heard her father say quietly as he opened the tent flap, his great head shaking slowly in his own sadness.  “It has been years since Dian cried... not since Yaoi died.”

Felonca shook her head in remembrance, the memories of fifteen years before when her aunt had died of the plague coming back.  Dian had been haunted by her memory for years, and Felonca hoped that the same wouldn’t happen this time.

“Do you think your friend’s scheme will work?” the older panther asked, sitting before his daughter.  The wails grew louder for a moment, causing father and daughter to both look outside in pity.  “I have never heard of taking someone from the hold of the gods and ancestors, and bringing them back.  It sounds... unnatural,” Felonxi finished with shaking his head.

“Yari Ai said it was a dangerous journey, but that she was willing to go,” Felonca said.  The cleric, like everyone else around Dian when he saw the broken form of his son, had been deeply moved.  In years of life, Meiji’s ears had not heard praise or cheer from his father, and even now, his long dead ears where filled with the grief and remorse of a father who wished he had done more.  The memory of Dian’s crying words made Felonca look towards her father.  Felonxi awkwardly looked back.

“I...” he started to say, before stopping.  For a moment, Felonca was surprised to see her father’s eyes not glaring at her imperiously, or shining with confidence, but instead searching, hoping to find something.  

Forgiveness.

“Father, you could not help what happened at the Academy,” Felonca said just as Felonxi opened his mouth to speak.  “Master Hsiu...”

“Is what they say true?” her father asked, his eyes looking down towards the ground.

“What do they say?” 

“They say... that you were chased out for sleeping with an instructor...” Felonxi began uncertainly.

“No!  Of course not!” Felonca snapped.  _If Nayu or any of the others told him that... I...I..._  The hairs on the back of her neck bristled at the thought.  “I left because Master Hsiu persecuted me specifically, and the school was full of utter...”

Felonca stopped herself.  Before, she would have never talked of Master Hsiu, or any elder and respected warrior in such a disgraceful manner.  She wasn’t sure how her father would react, and she cringed inwardly when she saw _his_ hairs start to stand on end in anger.  His eyes flashed yet again, and even though he was sitting on the ground, she could tell an explosion was coming.

“Damn Hsiu Lin!” Felonxi blasted, jumping to his feet.  “Damn him, his mother, his entire family!  He hurt you, didn’t he!” Felonca’s father snapped.  “If he so much as touched a hair on you, by the gods and ancestors as witnesses, I will...”

For a moment, Felonca remembered all the times when Hsiu had singled her out, had made her run extra hours, had made her skip all her meals in a day, had tried to break her with excrutiating exercises far longer and harder than the others.

_He tried to hurt me.

He failed._

“He never touched me, father,” Felonca said, ignoring the slappings or the beatings.  _He never broke me.  He never hurt me.  He made me stronger._  “His ire only made me stronger and wiser.”

“Wise enough to know when to sneak into his room and steal his belongings?” Felonxi asked with a raised eyebrow, his voice quieter.

Felonca winced again.  Honor was the trait, the trademark of the Wa-Feng clan, and one could rarely make the case that stealing from another was an honorable act.  Felonca’s eyes flashed to the ground, expecting the long-overdue lecture on family honor, and how she’d dishonored her ancestors and her name.

Instead of a shout, she heard a sigh, and she felt herself pulled into her father’s arms.

“Whatever dishonor that brought,” he whispered in her ear, “it is clear to me that your actions since have more than cleaned that stain.”  When he pulled back, she saw tears in his eyes.  “You have instead brought honor to our name, through your words and deeds since you left the Academy.”

_What?  He’s... he’s thanking me?  Wa-Feng Felonxi, the Honorable Warrior, the Gentle Soldier, is overlooking dishonor?_  As she looked on stunned, her father pulled away from her, suddenly knelt on one knee.

“The clan is fortunate to have such a warrior.  And I...” he stopped, clearing his voice, “I am lucky to be able to call her my daughter.”

Felonca dropped to embrace him, full tears coursing down her cheeks.



“I don’t believe this hocus-pocus will work,” Zhen Ren said quietly.  Nayu turned and glared at the scholar, the bloody bandages covering his body glowing orange in the firelight.  From beyond, within Meiji’s old tent, came the noise of hurried, mystical chanting.

“I have no doubt in Yari Ai’s abilities,” Nayu replied stiffly.  _She said that she could journey to the after-world, and bring Meiji’s soul back to his body.  She knows far more about anything having to do with the afterworld than Zhen Ren’s fat behind!_

“Sir, with all due respect, a pretty lass does not necessarily make a magical one,” Zhen added with a tinge of disdain.

“And a fat head doesn’t necessarily separate a man from a jackass,” Nayu shot back coolly.  To his satisfaction, Zhen Ren didn’t speak for the rest of the night.

As it were, the vigil outside lasted only a few more moments before there was a slight squeak, and the chanting fell into silence.  Muffled voices then arose, followed by the noise of something striking flesh.  A minute or so later, the tent flap flipped open, and a sweat-drenched Yari Ai appeared, her pretty face ruined by a furious scowl, her skin paler than the moon above.

“The bastard is the same,” she growled to no one in particular, stumbling forward, before her eyes found Nayu, and she gave a sigh.  “It is done.  He’s back.”  She started to stumble as she rose, and Nayu grabbed her arm, propping her up till she had regained her feet.

“Are you alright?”  _She looks as if every single fiber of her being has been drained..._

“No one else has the privilege of dying on me,” she said quietly, looking in Nayu’s eyes.  “Its...  its too much work to go to the afterlife and bring someone back.  And there is still one more to go...” she sighed.

“You really think you can bring back Liu, even though all that’s left are his ashes?” Nayu questioned.  No sooner had the words left his mouth that he saw Yari Ai’s tired eyes flash a look of defiance.

“Despite all he spoke about the truth of the gods and ancestors, you still doubt?” she said with a tired huff.  “Shenyang taught us that it is the soul that matters, not the measly trappings it travels within.  I shall bring him back, new and whole, tomorrow...”  

Nayu froze as the tent flap opened once again, and the perfumed ringlets of Meiji’s hair, followed shortly by his head, shot out of the tent.  He looked none the worse for wear, save a growing red mark on his cheek.

“Hey Yari Ai!” the bard called out, “I have no clothes on, you just left my tent, and there’s a good bit of time I can’t remember!  Did I just get laid?”


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

Nice ending!
In fact, the whole post is well done. Keep up!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Well, this is the first post of the eleventh session... where Nayu journey's a bit more down a certain path...

*To Liangxiang*

A few hours later, Nayu lay quietly in his cot, his mind going over the day’s events again and again.   Felonca finally meeting her father, Meiji being raised from the dead, all twisted and turned in his mind as he slid into sleep.  Felonca had her father, Meiji had his... yet Nayu’s father lay scattered about by the four winds, his ashes blown across the soil of the northern land where he was born and lived.  Fitfully, Nayu fell into sleep.  There, within the comfort of dreams, he saw his own father once more, the older man once again tall and strong, not weak and battered as he’d been when Nayu burned his body. 

He saw his father sitting on a gilded chair, a ray of sunlight striking the man’s face, revealing a brilliant smile Nayu knew was directed at him.  Clad in robes made of the finest silk, gold and silver interwoven into the fabric, the elder Wakabayashi stood, as if to beckon his son to come closer.  Nayu felt himself moving forward, closer and closer to his father, until something blocked him.  

He couldn’t see what kept him from moving, yet he saw a look of confusion, and then horror come over his father’s face.  Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, he knew his father was in danger.  He pressed harder and harder against the unseen barrier, trying to force past it, yet it would not move. 

Finally, Nayu saw the dread shadow, the same shadowy figure that had snatched his father from him in previous dreams.  Slowly, the dark wispy beast crept from beneath Nayu’s feet, and flowed up the dais towards Nayu’s terrified father.  Finally, spinning about like a small whirlwind, the darkness grew, enveloping Nayu’s father with the sound of a thousand souls screaming in agony.

Nayu twisted and turned, pushed and shoved, yet it seemed every time he moved forward, the chair and his terrified father moved back.  Suddenly, the screams within the black whirlwind died, and its dark shadows settled over the gilded chair, sliding through its crevices, over its scrollwork designs, until the wispy forms coalesced into the shape.

The form of a young boy, no more than ten.  Atop his head sat the crown of the Emperor, a dark cap with pearls hanging from its front and back, covering his face, as well as the Emperor’s yellow silk and gold raiments, the form of an immense dragon sewn with sapphires into its chest.

For a second, the boy looked at his hands, then his feet, before his eyes flashed towards Nayu.  Unable to move, the sorcerer watched as the eyes flashed red, blazing crimson, the color of fresh blood.  The abominable creature opened its mouth revealing a seemingly bottomless void.  As the screams of dead souls returned, Nayu saw faces deep within the beast’s throat.

_ “Save us!”_ they cried, tiny, distant bodies squirming away.

Nayu tried to twist away, tried to keep himself from looking, because deep down he knew he would see one face he did not want to see.  When he caught sight of his father’s pleading eyes, the old man’s face seemed to suddenly flood with blood, then melt away into the void.

Nayu awoke with a start, his hand immediately darting out into the darkness of his tent, his magical senses searching, looking for someone, anyone, that could be hiding in the black of night.  His breathing was quick and deep, his muscles tensed to leap towards any threat.

_It was only a dream,_ he realized, and his heart began to calm.  _It was only a dream.  You need to just go back to sleep.  That’s all.  Everything is alright.  We’re in the middle of an army.  Nothing should sneak in._

Yet despite however much he tried to calm himself, to tell himself that it was an empty dream, its images stayed stuck in his mind to the point that he could not sleep.  Every time he laid his head upon the pillow, the screams returned, and the young boy’s eyes blazed bright red.

He couldn’t sleep the rest of the night.



“...and then papa hugged me!” Felonca gushed excitedly the next morning over breakfast.  For his part, Nayu merely nodded slowly, his eyes looking off in the distance at something that could not be seen, yet something he soul kept hearing again and again.

“Isn’t this wonderful!  I have a family again!” Felonca laughed, throwing her arms around Nayu and hugging him in her excitement.  The sorcerer gasped for a second as the wind was crushed out of him, before wiggling enough that he could breathe.

“I’m happy for you,” Nayu managed to gasp out.  Suddenly, Felonca let go, and her blue eyes staring at him told him she knew his mind was elsewhere.

“What’s wrong?  Is it... oh, I’m sorry.  Your family...” she started to apologize quietly.  Nayu looked down, his mind wrestling with the problem that had been plaguing him for the past few hours.  

“It’s nothing Felonca,” Nayu lied.  “I’m happy one of us can see their father again, and I guess I just got a little wistful, that’s all.”  He shrugged, putting on his best face to hide the concern, even fright, within his mind.  He knew he’d failed when she frowned.

“Stop covering it up.  Tell me,” she said, coming around the small cooking fire to sit beside him.

“It was only a dream,” he repeated aloud, more to reassure himself than inform her of anything.  _If it was only a dream, why does it stay within my mind?_

“You saw your father in a dream?” she asked, and he nodded.

“The dream keeps coming back,” Nayu replied.  “It’s not a good dream.  It... it seems like a warning.”

“A warning?” Felonca asked, her eyes looking deep into his with concern.  “Warning about what?  Your father?  Something else?”

“I’m... I’m not sure,” Nayu said.  _The boy in the dream was the Emperor!  I’m sure of it!_  Part of him wanted to tell Felonca this fact, but something, somewhere, told him to stay quiet.  Instead, he added, “But it keeps coming back, even when I’m awake, like its some kind of warning for me.”

“Well, I talked to Yari Ai before the trial of bringing Liu back,” Felonca’s face soured.  Their friend the night before, only hours after bringing Meiji back from the netherworld, undertook an even more arduous journey to recover the soul of Liu Ganxi.  When she had emerged in the wee hours of the morning, the cleric had crawled from the tent, and promptly collapsed into a deep slumber from which she had yet to awaken.  Neither Nayu nor Felonca wanted to see their friend undergo that trauma again.  “She said that dreams can be warnings from those on the other side of life at times.  Perhaps your father is warning you of something.”

_The Emperor..._ Nayu’s mind immediately latched onto the now obvious symbol.  _I need to find a way to take care of the Emperor, otherwise something will happen that will engulf the entire Empire in disaster!_  Felonca saw his eyes light, and her own echoed the emotion.

“It is a message, isn’t it?” she asked.  “What warning is he trying to tell you?”

Almost by accident, Nayu’s eyes looked down towards Felonca’s feet.  Just poking its ruby pommel out of her boot was the obvious answer.

_The dagger...

Felonca said this dagger is the only thing that can kill the Emperor...

...and its right here.  Right here all along.  Take the dagger, and kill the young Emperor... that will stop whatever disaster he will cause!

But he is only a child,_ part of Nayu’s mind objected.  _He is only ten... a ten year old cannot cause such pain, such hardship!  Children are innocent, yet uncorrupted by the world!

He is not just any child,_ a darker section of Nayu’s mind chided, _He has been raised in a world of politics and intrigue.  He could be craftier than any adult...  or be a pawn for other, crafty adults.  If he doesn’t live, they are cut off from the throne..._  The memories of the Imperial Councillor, as well as his own father’s face, flashed through Nayu’s mind.  And hatred filled his heart.  Deep, dark, black hatred.

_Yuandi and his family took my father from me!_ he mentally thundered.  _Hurting them the same is nothing evil!  

They deserve it!  They all deserve it!  Then the throne will be open!_

“Um... Nayu?” Felonca’s questioning voice brought his attention back, along with new questions.

_But taking the dagger from Felonca... that’d... that’d break her trust!  I told her I didn’t want that dagger, and that I wouldn’t take it from her or the like, and that I would see it destroyed... not use it!

If she knew what you saw, she’d do the same,_ the darker side of his mind replied.

“It’s... nothing,” he said after a moment, before giving an awkward half-smile.  Felonca’s eyes momentarily narrowed, before she shrugged, dismissing whatever suspicions she had.  

“If you’re sure, we _do_ have a meeting to go to.  My father and Uncle Dian want to discuss with the senior commanders where we are going now that the prisoners are free.  I think orders are going to be issued for us to rejoin Quan-Shi, then return to Dai...”

“No!” Nayu cut in.  _I need to know!  Is the Emperor the bane my dream says he will be?  If we leave him alone, and he or his family is a root of evil..._  “No...” he quickly added in a quieter voice, “I think that there are other things we need to accomplish first, before we go back to Dai.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean us... not the army,” Nayu clarified, his mind racing to think ahead. _How do I persuade her that we need to go to the capital without being obvious?_  “I mean... well, I need to go to Liaoxiang.”

“The capital?  Don’t you know that the Emperor’s family...” Felonca cried in confusion and fear.

“...want me dead?  Probably.” Nayu finished her thought.  “But I need to go there anyways.”  His mind hit upon a reason, and he ran with it.  “The scholars in my unit say that at the Imperial School of Mages, one can learn any spell, and vast tomes of ancient knowledge are available to read.”

Felonca shook her head, not understanding.

“I need to go there to look up something... something from the dream,” Nayu lied once again.  _And to watch this Emperor if I can to see if I can discover anything.  And if he or his family turns out to be the cause of the evil I saw in my dream..._  “Liaoxiang is a huge city, it shouldn’t be hard to hide there.”  Felonca crossed her arms in response.

“Why won’t you tell me about this dream, if its important enough for you to risk your, and our, necks?” she pressed.  For a second, the full story was on Nayu’s tongue.

_No,_ he pulled himself back.  _She’ll only try to stop you if he’s evil,_ the darker part of his mind justified, _She won’t understand that a mere boy could do such a thing, or why he and his family would deserve such pain._  Much more quietly, the even darker thought of, _And if I can hasten my rise by his fall..._ attempted to rise.  

Nayu felt ashamed when he realized the thought was not immediately dismissed from his mind, yet he continued to think the idea over...


----------



## Krafus

Looks like Nayu is falling to the Dark Side... :b


----------



## Emperor Valerian

As the story goes on, Nayu becomes quite fun to DM 

*An Acquaintance Alongside the Road*

A few days later, the party broke away from the army.  While Uncle Dian led the troops towards the north, where Quan-Shi’s force was hopefully still intact and blocking the Prince of Langya, Felonca and her friends trekked towards the goal of the invading army; the great metropolis of Liangxiang.

It was known as the City of the Emperors, the Place Where Heaven Met Earth.  Within its sprawling outer walls lay a massive number of souls, so numerous that no one had attempted a true count in centuries.  Divided into three sections, the outer, middle and inner cities, the normal part of Liangxiang would have dwarfed most any other city in the world.

Yet there was another part of the city, the Jade City.  Built on one of the islands at the mouth of the great Hu Jiang river that flowed through Liangxiang, the Jade City, site of the Imperial Palace, Library, and seat of government was only connected to the mainland by three bridges.  Its walls were adorned with tiny shavings of jade, making them glow an emerald green in the sunlight.  Within its walls commoners spoke of streets paved in jade and gold, columns made of massive pearls, and silver being tossed about as if it were dirt.

For all its opulence, Liangxiang was a dangerous city as well, a fact that made Felonca chuckle when she looked at their new traveling companion.  At her bemused gaze, her father frowned.

_He said he wouldn’t let anyone get near me!  Ha!  Like I need help!_ she mentally laughed.  Her father’s stern look told her immediately that he’d guessed her thought.  A few seconds later, he confirmed it.

“Are you upset that an old man wants to protect you?” he asked haltingly, the stern look on his face breaking into a grin of its own.  “I have only slight skills with a sword,” he started to fully grin at the gross understatement, “but...”

“Liangxiang is a large and dangerous city.  I know, papa,” Felonca parroted his response the last two times she’d brought up his company in the week since they’d left her uncle’s army.  She didn’t add what had been her previous responses to his obstinence.  _Father is one of the most dangerous swordfighters in the Empire...  but he’d be safer if he went with Uncle Dian... or back to Dai Province, maybe even home..._

She’d tried to bring up those feelings the previous two times... and arguments had resulted both times.  She’d inherited the family stubbornness from her father, and the elder Wa-Feng would not be dissuaded.  He’d only just reunited with his daughter, and he wanted to spend as much time as possible making sure she was safe.

_He wants to make up for not being there to stop Hsiu,_ Felonca thought, the same arguments snapping into her head that had come before.  _Papa!  Stop it!  You didn’t cause Hsiu to be a sadistic bastard, you didn’t cause the White Wolves to come after me...  so don’t try to apologize with stupid actions!_

As the snapping thoughts flashed through her mind, at first she felt angry.  Then, she started to giggle.  _No doubt papa has much the same thoughts running through his mind.  “Don’t be headstrong young woman!  You don’t need to prove yourself!”  I bet that’s what he’s thinking right now!_

“Thank you for coming, papa,” she found herself saying finally.  “I have no doubt we would be fine in Liangxiang, but extra protection is never a bad thing.”  She smiled when the older man beamed at her acceptance.

“I am glad you’ve decided to accept my presence, daughter,” he said, his eyes beaming, “as an old man who wants to see his child more than he has over the last ten years.  Besides,” his look became impish, “If there is combat, I wish to see the whirling dervish your friends say you have become.  Your friend... the sorcerer...” her father stopped, frowning.

“Nayu,” she reminded him.

“Yes, Nayu.  He said that you killed a spider changling by yourself, as well as slaying an undead dragon.  Now, I do think your friend has embellished these stories somewhat, but...”

“Somewhat?!” Felonca gaped, and she heard Nayu’s bright cackle behind her.  She turned and gave him an appropriate scowl, even as inside she laughed herself.  _He’s trying to make me look good..._  For a second the frown held, until she realized that she wasn’t really frowning anymore, only looking into his brown eyes.  Her mind slipped into a thought that suddenly made her face go bright red, and she turned away rather abruptly.

“Oh, come come!” Felonxi chimed in, misunderstanding the crimson, “there’s no reason to be embarrassed if you are truly that gifted! Friends who are willing to give such lavish support are priceless.”

Felonca’s face darkened more, the thoughts coming back to her mind again, running over what the rakshasa had hissed at her a little over a week before.

_You are attracted to him..._

“Bah!  She’s humble, and doesn’t want to take her due credit!” Nayu laughed, and Felonca gave a sigh of relief.  _He hasn’t figured it out.  Any of it.

Good... he shouldn’t know until I know what the heck is going on with me,_ she thought.  _I can’t be attracted to him... not like that!_ part of her complained.  _I mean, he’s a good friend, and we’ve been through thick and thin together these past six months!  Sure, I like his personality, he’s reliable, and he is rather good looking, but I...  Dammit!_  She frowned again.  _That is exactly why you are attracted to him, in THAT way....

Gah... Felonca!  Make up your mind, silly girl!  He’s a lovely boy, but do you really want to throw a rat into the duck soup that’s your friendship?  Gah... you’re so loopy minded that you can’t think of any good metaphors!_

“Hey...” she felt a hand on her shoulder, warm and relaxed.  Instead of turning to talk to the now concerned Nayu, she felt herself tense up, and she shifted her shoulder away from his grip.

“It’s nothing.  I...um...” she stumbled, trying to think of a way out of the predicament she was now in.  _He thinks I’m mad!  I’m not mad!  Quick, say something so he knows you aren’t mad!_  “Thanks for the kind words, Nayu... and Papa.”  The words took almost a minute to stumble out of her mouth, between uhs and ums.  For a moment, awkward silence hung in the air, before Felonca finally blurted out, “I... I think I’m going to go scout ahead, make sure the road is clear.”

“You want any backup?  I can...” Nayu started to offer, before she cut him off.

“No, I... um... its okay.  Someone needs to...um... keep papa company.  Besides,” she scratched behind her ear in nervousness, “it shouldn’t take that long.  Heh, you know.  Being I’m a very fast...um... ah... panther.”  

“Yari Ai, Meiji, Liu and Chou are all here.  They can stay with Felonxi, if you do not mind, Shang,” Nayu said respectfully.

“I don’t mind at all, young Nayu.  Go on ahead.”  Felonca could tell her father was smiling.  The last time he’d smiled like that was when he assumed she and the heir of another warrior clan were an item.  Felonca mentally growled.

“No... no.  It’ll go...um... faster, if I go by myself, okay?”  The tone was slightly too sharp, slightly too angry.  She kicked herself as she turned and walked away, leaving her father and Nayu to look at her, confused.

“What’s gotten into her?” she heard Nayu ask quietly, and her face grew bright red yet again.



“Stupid girl,” Felonca hissed to herself some ten minutes later as she slinked along the road.  “Can’t make up your mind, can you?”  She’d felt Nayu’s eyes seemingly burning into her as she left...  

“What if he likes you back, but he’s too shy?” she muttered to herself, her nose sniffing the air for any scent.  She shook her head.  “No, Nayu is most definitely not shy.  I have never seen anyone so capable of fast-talking and selling anything before.  So no, he’s not hiding it.”

“Or is he?” she asked herself again, her eyes locking on a shifting group of bushes, before dismissing the movement as the wind.  “He’s a good talker, which means he hides things from others well.  But would he hide something like that?”  Mentally she shrugged, and not knowing was the worse feeling of all.

“I should just go back and talk...” she started to mutter, until her nose caught something in the air.  It was faint and distant, but something distinctly familiar.  She frowned, and within moments she had changed to her full panther form.  The smell was now stronger, and while she could place which direction is was coming from, she still couldn’t place it within her mind.

_There’s the smell of a city we’ve been in.  Minzghong was by the sea, and there was a tinge of salt to all of those smells.  I smell no salt,_ she thought, slinking low to the ground through the tall grass.  _It smells decidedly of earth, and crops.... Xianfung was surrounded by farmland... that’s why the smell is familiar!  Its someone hailing from Xianfung!

By why would someone from Dai be this far south, knowing there’s a war going on?_  She tensed, all possible scenarios running through her mind, from White Wolves setting up an ambush to survivors of the Governor’s personal unit hoping to waylay her.  Slowly, carefully, she slipped forward, the smell growing stronger and stronger, until she could tell the person was only tens of feet away, beyond the edge of the grass.

“Whoever you are, you can stop stalking me.  I can hear your breathing,” a familiar voice grunted, and Felonca froze.

_What the hell would he be doing down here?_ she asked herself, confused.  _He has no reason to be attached to us, no reason to be down here... unless he serves himself!_ She paused.  _Oh great..._  Quietly, she shifted back to hybrid, allowing her vocal chords to once again form words.

“Selim, why are you here?” she hissed from within the grass, her eyes now catching sight of the tall, scarred man with missing front teeth and an eyepatch.   “I thought you decided to stay in Xianfung!”

“Ah, Mistress Wa-Feng!” the rogue said, even as his eyes scanned the opposite direction, looking for where her voice originated.  “Selim the Magnificent was hoping to find you!”

_Don’t tell me.  Someone, probably a White Wolf, offered you a great sum of money to dispose of me!  Well, I don’t intend to make it that easy!_  She crouched lower to the ground, pressing herself almost flat as the tall grass waved above her head.

“Why do you look for me?”

“Because it’s rumored that you were headed south, looking for adventure.  And the way the other thieves of Xianfung speak of your name, wherever you find adventure, you find loot.  Tons of loot.  So,” he turned, so he was facing to the left of where she really was, “I was hoping I could tag along... offer my rare services, in exchange for a cut of your future profits...”

“What can you do that I can’t?” Felonca asked.  _Get him to tip his secrets..._  “I assume something special, since they call you Selim the Magnificent.”

“But of course.  I can, obviously, pilfer the odd jewel, artifact, or other item when needed, but my specialty is opening doors for others.  Selim the Magnificent leaves no door locked, no vault unopened...”

“I can pick locks too, thank you very much,” Felonca hissed.  She was too focused to be pleased when the confused rogue turned, and once again faced completely opposite to her.

“No, young one.  I mean that Selim can talk to the right people in the right places to have _them_ open doors _for you._  It takes time, but I can likely get you anywhere within any of the large cities to the south.”  He gave huff of pride.  “Selim the Magnificent could even get you into the Jade City itself!”

“Now I know you’re bluffing,” she hissed.

“Why would I bluff, one who has been hiding in the grass all this time?”  The rogue turned his craggy face around, his good eye looking directly at Felonca.  He winked.  “Come now.  No reason to stay hidden.”

“Bah,” Felonca grunted in frustration, before standing up.

“Now that we can discuss this face to face,” Selim gave a smirk, “what say you to my idea?  I tag along, cause no trouble unless you say start it, make things happen for you and your friends, and I get a cut of the loot.”

“You want to do this without even knowing where we’re headed?” Felonca asked guardedly.

“Well, I can surmise that since you are on this road, you are heading towards Liangxiang.  Between here and the capital are only tiny farming towns, nothing large enough to draw your attention to have come this far.  I’m guessing,” a ragged, wrinkled hand stroked his scarred chin, “that you’re off to collect on a huge haul of some kind.”

_Huge haul indeed.  Nayu needs to go to the Scholar’s Academy inside the Jade City... and I..._

She paused for a second, refusing to deny the obvious reason she was accompanying Nayu.  Finally, her mind settled on something useful to do in the city.

_And I need to see if the scholars know how to get rid of this damn dagger!_

“Yes... we are heading for a haul, of sorts,” Felonca admitted.  “Beyond the fact that we need entrance into the Jade City itself, I’m afraid I can’t tell you anymore.”

“Ah... a legendary haul then,” Selim smirked.  “From the way you handled Governor Ho, you’re a clever girl.  Very well then.  When we reach the city, I’ll see what I can do.”


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

I got a little behind, but having caught up I just wanted to say that this ...



> “Hey Yari Ai!” the bard called out, “I have no clothes on, you just left my tent, and there’s a good bit of time I can’t remember! Did I just get laid?”




... is an absolute classic.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Once again, I'd like to apologize for the slowness of the updates.  I'm going to try to get two updates set up this week, if possible.


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

Its okay Emperor, I'm still reading the last six you posted, they're funny as heck.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Well, when I said there'd be two updates, I sort of lied.  Instead, there's just one enormous update... to the tune of 13 pages single space .  I hope people enjoy...  and now I go back to studying for my exam tomorrow! 


*Inside the Jade City*

“How does Selim do it?” Felonca asked a week later, the sounds and rushing people of a titanic metropolis swirling about her and Nayu as the two walked through the streets of Liangxiang.  Her new leather raiments swished across the ground as she moved, forcing Nayu to smile.

_I still have the touch,_ he thought, admiring his handiwork – or rather, the handiwork of the scholar he’d hoodwinked a few days prior.

When the party had arrived in Liangxiang, Nayu had been as giddy as a small boy; on the backs of the party’s horses were strapped all the magical weapons Nayu could loot from the field at Ii-suken, as well as all of the magical effects abandoned by the now vanished prison camp commander.  In short, a small fortune.  

Within Liangxiang, it had not been hard to find scholars and rich men willing to part with their gold for these items, even if Nayu was forced to sell to visiting provincials to not attract too much attention.  Selling these riches had taken the better part of a week, all the time Selim said he needed to secure their entry into the Jade City.  In return, Felonca’s leather trappings had been improved, as had her warfans.  For himself, he’d acquired a new cloak, and had magical properties added to his rather mundane hat.  Swords, bows, and other equipment had also been distributed to the other party members... Meiji greatly enjoyed his new sword, and Yari Ai had kissed him when he’d shown her the new robe he’d sweet-talked a merchant into selling him for dirt cheap.

“I don’t know.  I do not question the methods, I suppose,” Nayu mused.  _He seems to be able to get almost anywhere... then again, he’s known as the best of the best, the thief of thieves, so I shouldn’t be surprised..._  As he thought, the two passed underneath an immense gatehouse, its walls made of perfectly fitted marble, copper making its roof shine in the sunlight.

“Well, we’re now in the inner city,” Felonca said.  “Only need to keep going straight, and soon enough, we’ll reach the river...” 

Nayu nodded.  Selim had described their path well.  Instead of taking a major boulevard towards the river and the great guarded bridges to the Jade City, he and Felonca would take a side entrance.  After they crossed a small, seldom used bridge, they would speak a password, and be let in by some of Selim’s associates.

For a few moments, they walked silently side by side.  Then Nayu looked at his friend.  She was facing directly ahead, but he could see her pupils looking at him, as if she didn’t want to attract his attention.  A split second after he turned his head, her eyes snapped directly forward, and her face turned a deep crimson.

“Um... what’s wrong?  Do I have something on my robes?” Nayu asked worriedly.  _If a bird decided to take aim at me just before I enter the Jade City..._  He hoped to make visits here a regular occurrence, even if he didn’t find any of the answers he was looking for.  Walking into the most sacred spot in the entire Empire with bird droppings on his shoulder was a certain way to not only not be invited back, but attract undo notice.

“No!  No no no...” Felonca stammered, and to his surprise, her face turned a deeper crimson.  

“What just happened then?  I try to be humorous, but if I look funny for some reason, tell me!” Nayu begged.  “I’m going to be meeting some very important scholars while I’m rummaging about the Imperial Library... and if I could make a good impression...”  _They could be allies when it comes time to claim the throne..._

“I...I was lost in thought, and I was just startled when you looked at me suddenly,” she stammered out slowly.  Nayu’s eyes narrowed; Felonca had never been a skilled liar.  He crossed his arms, and stopped in the street.

“Truth?”

To his surprise, she gave a huge sigh, then looked him in the eyes.  He felt something tugging there, pulling from deep within her soul.  She started to say something, but whatever the words were, they died in her throat.

“I...I was thinking of my father...” she said quietly after a while, her eyes downcast.

“Ah.  Well, I think he can get along in the city just fine for a while... and I don’t think he’s truly that mad at you.”  _He’d wanted to accompany us to the Jade City so badly, but while we need into the City, we don’t want the undo attention the appearance of Shang Jiang Wa-Feng would bring.  Its too bad I couldn’t tell him what was really happening... then he might have understood why he had to stay behind..._

“I...um... hope he isn’t,” she said slowly.  Even as he smiled and nodded to her, Nayu frowned mentally.

_That’s not anything for her to get so crimson faced over, however...  what would make her that nervous?

Then again, she does have a skittish personality sometimes... I think that is the panther part of her hengeyokai ancestry speaking..._ he finally shrugged.

Soon the duo had crossed through the high terraces and well manicured streets of the Inner City.  After passing underneath another gate, they emerged onto a narrow bridge made of marble, its frail railing elegantly carved from pink marble.  Before them, into the distance on either side, stretched an immense sea of brilliant, shimmering green; the walls of the Jade City, their immense granite covered with millions upon millions of pieces and chips of jade, causing the wall to shimmer with brilliant green light.  Below the heights lay a small door, its form barely larger than a man, its rich mahogany complete with giltwork.

“Well, here we are...” Felonca said quietly.  Nayu nodded silently in reply, and as her eyes glided over the beautiful panorama before them, Nayu’s closed, his mind deep in thought.

_There is the Jade City... there lies the Emperor..._ he thought.  _Somewhere within those walls lies one of the banes of this entire country; hopefully the other is in full retreat by now..._

The mental picture of the fiendish boy came back into Nayu’s mind, and the sorcerer closed his eyes and winced.  Try as he might, he couldn’t see himself hurting the child, and every image ended with the boy’s mouth growing into a massive maw, from which the screams of thousands echoed.  Every time he’d had the dream, he’d tried to pin the danger on the most obvious target: the young Emperor.  However, even now he still felt at unease, as if there was more to the message than he was able to understand...

“Something wrong?”

Nayu’s eyes shot open, and he blinked a few times.

“No, everything’s fine.”  He put on a strained smile.  “I was just thinking about the magical knowledge inside of those walls... and the fact that my questions will soon all be answered.”

Felonca frowned slightly.  “You never have told me what those questions are.  I know they pertain possibly to your father, but I’m curious... if you don’t mind.”

“They...” Nayu paused, uncertain whether to blurt out everything to his friend now, or to continue to hold back.  _I think the dream is of the Emperor slaying the people... but now, I’m not so sure... 

if only I asked Felonca!  She’s smart... she’d be able to help!

But if it was him, she’d stop you..._

“They are of great importance to the Emperor’s safety, as well as teaching me more about our foes,” Nayu said, twisting things so that while he told no lie, the truth was obscured.  He felt only a little better as Felonca looked at him, puzzled.

“Prince Hu?  Well, anything that can keep that bastard in place is good by me!” she grunted at her mentioning of the Prince’s name.  “And I assume you’re looking for information on destroying that dagger?”

_’That dagger.’  She still doesn’t claim it as her own..._ Nayu thought, and mentally sighed.  _I should look up information on that as well... if I need to get rid of the Emperor,_ he thought, unable to focus himself to use the word ‘kill,’ _I might have to get rid of that dagger for my own safety..._

“Of course,” he forced another smile.  

The two crossed the narrow bridge, under constant watch from the guards above.  Mentally, Nayu recited the secret knock that was supposed to gain them entrance, and as they drew up next to the small door, he raised his hand... only to have the door open seemingly of its own accord.

The door opened further, revealing a craggy old man, seemingly aged beyond reckoning and clutching a simple iron staff.  Despite his bent frame and wrinkled visage, his eyes showed a steel grey hue, looking directly into those of both Nayu and his friend with a surprisingly kindly glow.  Before the rather stunned Nayu could open his mouth, the old man preempted him.

“Welcome, Master Wakabayashi... Mistress Wa-Feng.  We have been expecting you.”



“Scrying... I should have known...” Nayu hissed under his breath a few minutes later, causing the old man to give a kindly smile.  

“Yes, you should have, my young friend,” the old man replied.  Nayu immediately blanched... he hadn’t intended his slight growl to be heard.  Instead, Chief Imperial Scholar Wa Zhen’s grin grew wider.  “We are the wisest, most gifted of the scholars, supposedly,” the old man chuckled, “we should be able to spy on a few people every now and then.”

“Pardon me, I was not expecting a welcoming committee,” Nayu replied sourly.  _I can’t believe I forgot they might be able to scry on us!  Dammit!_

“What do you know of us?” Felonca asked worriedly, an emotion that Nayu echoed.

_What if he knows my ancestry?

Of course he would!  He probably knows everything else you did too!

Which could be good..._ Nayu’s mind finally settled uneasily, thinking on Ii-suken and how the party’s actions had hopefully prevented the Prince of Langya from marching on the capital city, a feat even the Empress’ armies had not been able to accomplish.

“We know many things,” the old man replied coyly, leading the pair through an immense gatehouse, and into the first of the main plazas of the Jade City.  Before them stretched a sea of perfectly cut jade slabs, each a slightly different hue, each cut into a perfect foot by foot square, then set across the open field.  To either side of this immense open space lay the towering pagodas of the Imperial Councillors and the Imperial Library respectively.  Across the huge plaza lay the jade and emerald hulk of the massive Imperial Palace, its forms both heavy and towering, easily covering the same area as most large cities.

“We know you have an unusual gift, Master Wakabayashi,” Wa Zhen said quietly.  “And that you, Mistress Felonca, are a current Shao in your uncle’s army, and are a formidable opponent.”

_Which could be good or bad,_ Nayu thought.  _If they think the both of us formidable, or dangerous, we could have major issues here... alone, in the Imperial City, accompanied by an Imperial agent..._

“You wonder where I am taking you?” Wa Zhen looked back at Nayu.  Just as if he had planned his comment carefully, he turned only a moment later towards the huge edifice that housed the Imperial Councillors and the Council of Scholars.

_How did he know that?!  I felt no magic wash over me, no attempt to probe my thoughts...

...he’s been in the Imperial Court for likely decades Nayu!_ he calmed himself, _he probably is adept at reading emotions without any magic!_  The sorcerer’s mind quickly turned to the other pressing problem.  _Why are we going towards the headquarters of the scholars?  There’s no reason we would head there unless..._ His mind stopped, examining the two options.  _Either they want to probe me to discover how I am using magic without books, or...

...they want to eliminate me..._

All too slowly, the trio climbed the immense marble stairs towards the entrance to the massive building.  As they entered the great building, Wa Zhen finally spoke again.

“I hope you know that your appearance here as caused great consternation for the chief scholars of the Empire,” the old man croaked.

“Why is that?” Felonca asked, her voice guarded.

“Word has reached us of your deeds to the north... of what you have done in Dai Province, of what happened at Ii-suken.”

“Why does that cause consternation?” Nayu then asked.  _Something isn’t right here..._

“Well,” the old man said quietly, “word has also reached the Empress’ ears of what you did the day the elder Hu brother was killed.  Needless to say, she is not pleased.”

“Oh... that...” Felonca sighed quietly, as the trio turned a corner and crossed an elegant garden into a long, elaborately decorated hallway.  At the far end stood a pair of huge bronze doors, swung barely open, revealing a small view of another immense chamber beyond.  “I suppose stopping an assassination plot would qualify as something that might annoy her.”

“Why did the Empress and her brother want Hu dead?” Nayu pressed.

“I cannot tell you that now,” Wa Zhen said quietly as the group passed the threshold of the immense doors, and entered the titanic chamber.  As Nayu’s eyes flowed over the rich tapestries, the fine porcelain and jade inlays, the elderly scholar turned to them.  “That will be revealed to you shortly, by these men.”

Nayu’s eyes flashed down, and he noticed that on either side of the chamber sat, in neat, exact rows, the flamboyantly or demurely dressed forms of hundreds of scholars, each with their ceremonial staff laying across their lap.  The sorcerer’s eyes narrowed, and he turned to face Wa Zhen.

“A trial then?”  _That is the only thing that would make these hundreds of scholars show up here to greet little old me...

Do they know who I am?  My ancestry?  Doubtful..._ the sorcerer thought hopefully, _If they knew, the Empress would’ve just had my death prearranged.  And if they don’t know, that means while I’m amongst them, I should be safe, as long as she or the Emperor don’t interfere.  Maybe I can find out information about the dagger, if I’m careful enough around these men..._

From the back of the room came an immense, metallic groan.  Slowly, the great, massive doors to the immense chamber opened wide as a great gong sounded.  Amidst the tinkling, changing jade that was laid intricately around the doorway, Nayu saw the Dowager Empress, clad in impressive silks trimmed with furs and ermine.  As his gaze shifted, he suddenly froze.

_Him._

Small fingers desperately clutched the sides of his mother’s dress, as the Emperor’s small brown eyes looked about the room in wonderment and child-like confusion.  Immediately all the scholars present fell into a full kow-tow.  As Nayu and Felonca followed suit, the sorcerer caught the young boy’s eyes meeting his... and the young fingers twisting his mother’s robes even tighter.

_So... you have decided to come to play, then?  You couldn’t leave me alone..._ Nayu’s mind asked darkly, part of him expecting foul, baleful words to tumble from the young boy’s mouth at any moment.  Instead, Nayu only heard the heavy footfalls of the Empress and her guards, and the quicker, hurried footfalls as the young Yuandi desperately tried to keep up.  Even as his mind told him that he was supposed to, even required to keep his head low, Nayu slowly looked up, and his eyes met those of the young Emperor full bore.

_I am not afraid of you,_ Nayu’s eyes blazed, before he had time to take in the Imperial response.  Instead of seeing two eyes staring back at him, blazing with either power or defiance, Nayu saw two huge orbs, shimmering with the nascent tears of a frightened boy.  Despite any protocol that the Emperor should not lower himself to gaze at a mere commoner, the boy stared.

_What if he isn’t the root of the evil here?_ Nayu’s doubts began to return.  _There’s only a small boy there... I can’t see anything emanating evil from him...I can’t feel any evil either.  If only Yari Ai had come with us into the Jade City!  She could tell!_

“The Empress Dowager Lin Xi!” the voice of the chamberlain boomed, and all heads remained prostrate to the floor.  “His Imperial Majesty, the Son of Heaven, Emperor Yuandi!” he boomed a few seconds later.  Silence pervaded the enormous hall, as the same massive gong sounded yet again.

As Nayu covertly watched, he saw the young Emperor look up towards his mother, his eyes filled not with the nervousness of a shy child, but true, absolute fear.  Fear at these strangers... and something else...

“Now, boy!” he just ever so barely caught the Dowager Empress hiss, and he gasped slightly when he saw her arm grab the boy’s shoulder and squeeze hard, hard enough that the boy’s face twisted in pain.  She pushed him forward.

“R...rise...m...my...people,” his weak, frightened voice stammered.  As one, the hundreds of scholars in the chamber arose from their kow-tow, only to bow yet again in reverence.  The young boy started to flash a smile towards one of the younger scholars on the left, until his mother’s hand grabbed his shoulder hard yet again.  He grimaced.

“I...I...have called this meeting of...the Regency Council to decide an important...” the young boy’s voice stopped, eyes looking fearfully towards his mother.  The woman gave a snappish sigh, and finished his thought for him.

“His Majesty has requested this special convening of the Regency Council to decide the fate of the two standing before us, Wakabayashi Nayu, and Wa-Feng Felonca!” she spoke loudly, her voice full of arrogant confidence.

Nayu noticed that to his right, the scholars seemed to lean forward, listening intently to the Empress’ words, their eyes signaling agreement with some yet unstated opinion, while those to the left looked away, some seemingly angry that this meeting had even been called.  _So the scholars are divided on our fate... which does not bode well.  It means some of them either want us punished, or want whatever award is to be given to be denied..._

“What we must decide today,” the elderly man to the right spoke all eyes turning towards his robed form, “is whether this boy, The One Who Uses No Books, and this girl, The One Who Sneaks, should be spared, or cast down in death as traitors to the Empire!”  The sudden snarl at the end of his statement revealed which way he felt, as his elegant robes, far richer than those of any other present save the Emperor and Empress, shook vehemently as he clutched his red, gilded staff.

“I belive Sho-Ti has already made his opinion frankly clear too many times,” the young man Yuandi had attempted to smile at grumbled.  His face seemed earnest, his robes less ornate that those of the elderly man, his staff merely made from black lacquered wood.  “I, for one, believe that both of these people have acted as defenders of the throne, and have further use!”

“Such is the folly of the so called wisdom of Won Wei,” the one called Sho-Ti snapped back.  

“May I speak?” Nayu asked, swallowing in his throat at the sudden threat.  _So this is a trial for our lives....

oh great..._ 

“Commoner scum have no business speaking on the same level as the illustrious scholars of the Imperial Court!” another elderly man on Sho-Ti’s side of the room growled.

“If the Emperor’s people are not free to speak, how can the Son of Heaven rule wisely if he knows not their problems and needs!” another scholar shouted back.  Yelling rumbled louder and louder until the Dowager Empress raised her hands, calling for silence.

“Both of these miscreants,” the one named Sho-Ti snapped again, “were seen _helping_ Prince Hu, the One Who Uses No Book going so far as acting as the Prince’s double during our attempt to eliminate that monster!”  The old man turned, his eyes burning fiercely as if he hoped to melt Nayu with his eyesight alone.  “If they had not interfered, Prince Hu would be dead already, and the Imperial throne would be secure, and there would be peace throughout the realm!  There would be no flaming undead ravaging the north, or skeletal armies marching on the capital!  Indeed, they were the ones who killed Hu’s brother, who would’ve at least reined in his brother, if not made a better replacement, and destroyed the Military Governor as well!”  A rumble of assent came from his side of the chamber.

_What?!_ Nayu stopped, his mouth open slightly in shock.  After a moment, he caught himself and closed his jaw.  _They knew Hu was a threat? That he was evil?  They tried to kill him to stop...

...damn!  Damn damn damn!_  A glance out of the corner of his eye showed that Felonca’s mouth was still agape as she pieced together what Sho-Ti had revealed to them.  _They knew Hu was a threat to peace in the Empire, that he was a monster...

...but they aren’t any better!_ Nayu’s mind snapped.  _Because he was a distant relative of the Imperial line, they killed your father!  And would’ve killed you!  They STILL want to kill you!_

“Your Excellencies,” Nayu managed to speak, his voice barely under control, “believe us when we say that if we had known what threat Hu posed, we would have helped in disposing of him!  As it stands, all of us are threatened by him, are we not?  Instead of arguing, we should-“

“The Empress Dowager is of the opinion that the one called Nayu Wakabayashi and the one called Yari Ai both should die,” the Empress coldly intoned, referring to herself in a distant third person.  At her side, the young Emperor clutched his mother’s robes, his eyes looking between her eyes and Nayu.

“Now wait just a-“ Felonca finally sputtered.

“That is outrageous!” Nayu snapped, completely forgetting decorum.  _Protocol be damned!  This woman is an idiot!_

“Such would be folly!” Won Wei snapped, leaning forward menacingly as the scholars behind him did the same.  Sho-Ti started to protest, till Won Wei shouted him down.  “No!  You yourselves have heard the wonders these two have worked!  They single-handedly turned around Dai province, which had long been malingering under misrule!  They even _defended_ our capital, risking their lives for your posh existence here!”

“How dare you speak such to me!  I am the Empress!” the Dowager Empress snapped, her pretty features twisting into a look of rage.  “Mere scholarly scum!”

“You have no right to simply just...” Felonca snapped onward, adding her own angry voice to the fray.

“Imperial miscreant!” one of the scholars siding with Won Wei shouted.  “The late Emperor left that you and your brother should rule in consultation with our eminent opinion, yet you have continuously ignored our advice, to the ruin of this land!  Your brother is gone, so now you rule equally with _us_, the learned men of the realm!”

“Pompous fool!” she replied, her voice airy, her face changing to being filled with disdain.  A wave of her hand emulated her feeling towards the scholar in question.  “Only _I_ know what is best to be done in this Empire in my son’s name!”

At that moment, Nayu’s mind began to piece together the puzzle, and slowly a picture of what his dream meant began to emerge.  

_The Emperor is utterly dominated by his mother... 

...if that vain and foolish woman continues her poor course..._

“Only _I_ am privy to what the Emperor truly thinks, what he truly knows!” her voice changed, from disdain to an icy shout.  “While my husband left you pitiful scholars as collectively an equal member to the Regency Council, only _I_ should have the right to be Regent.  You pompous scholars that disagree go against the Imperial Will, and the Will of Heaven!”

_She only cares about her power!  She didn’t care about the abuses in Dai!_ Nayu realized.  _She didn’t care about my father, until she discovered he had a rival claim to the throne!  She didn’t care about Hu probably until she heard he was planning to usurp her throne!

If she continues to dominate the young Emperor... there will only be destruction..._

Nayu’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

“You are a vain and foolish woman, to assume that Heaven would side with one who would dominate and abuse her Emperor so much!” Nayu finally snapped, and suddenly the room fell into utter silence.  All eyes flashed towards the sorcerer, and he could almost hear Felonca’s jaw hit the floor.

_Well, now you’ve done it,_ part of his mind groaned.  _You’ve insulted the Empress, to her face, in the midst of the Jade City.  Brilliant..._

“What...did...you...dare...to...say?” the Empress hissed, her voice so filled with rage that her words slithered quietly to his ears.

_Well... he goes..._

“Only a complete fool would ignore what we have done against Prince Hu!” Nayu snapped back, putting all the _umph_ into his voice as was possible, reaching into the deepest depths of his experience as a trader.  _I’m only selling my right to exist now... figuratively,_ he tried to tell himself, only to find the thought made him stiffen up slightly.

“We persuaded one of his armies to defect to the province of Dai, and we turned the province of Dai away from its malevolent lord to proper governance, something that _Your Imperial Highness_,” he coldly decided to further accent the Empress’ title, “utterly neglected to accomplish!  We then burned the supplies and stalled Hu’s invasion of your capital province, protecting you, the Jade City, and all the magical knowledge stored here, yet you want to _have us killed?!_”

“You...insolent...brat!” the Empress snarled.

“Why do you not let us into your service?  We have a common foe!  Hu attempted to kill us, and he has destroyed your armies, raided your crops, and ransacked your provinces!  We can help you to crush him!” Nayu cried.

“As if the Imperial person needs your measly assistance,” the Empress growled.  Murmurings grew among the scholars.

“Only a fool denies the aid of the capable,” Nayu shot back, smiling at the shock on the face of some scholars and the ever growing murmurs on how he threw out a quote from Master Kongxi.  _They think that since I don’t read my magic out of tomes, I am uncultured..._  Silently, the sorcerer gave thanks to the scholar long ago in Mingzhong, as well as the long nights of listening to the scholars in Dian’s army debate and argue the fine points of Kongxi among each other.

“Surely my fellow eminent scholars see the wisdom in this young man’s words!” the one named Won Wei jumped in.  “If we examine what deeds they have done, we see they are both very powerful indeed!  Heaven smiled on us when these two warriors entered the city!”  The murmurs of support for him among the scholars grew louder, and it was apparent that, physically at least, it appeared the supporters of Sho-Ti, and the Empress, had thinned out.

“Do you deny turning coat on Prince Hu?” Sho-Ti glared.

“We helped him once, for money, then he tried to have us killed!  Of course we would turn against him!” Felonca snapped back.

“Aha!  Once a turncoat, always a turncoat!” Sho-Ti crossed his arms in triumph.

“Once betrayed, does not the betrayer deserve the same?” Nayu fired another quote from Kongxi.  “Is that not the _honorable_ course?  To uphold honor by destroying the dishonorable?”  Nayu let his eyes look around the room.  It was obviously apparent that scholars were abandoning Sho-Ti’s side, and moving over towards the side of Won Wei, and Nayu smiled again.  _Most of them are on our side now...  a deadlock has been forced, if what the Empress said is true.._

“Majesty, I believe it can be said that most of your advisors disagree with your assessment,” Nayu observed.

The Empress glared at him, her eyes icy darts aimed at his heart.

“So it appears,” she hissed, before a thin smile came to her lips. 

_What is she doing?  She’s been beaten back... she shouldn’t be smiling..._

“As it is apparent that many of you disagree with my views on these two commoners being dangerous to the Emperor,” the Empress announced loudly, “there is only one method to solve this!  A trial by magical skill,” she intoned, her eyes betraying a huge grin.  “Heaven will reveal which side it favors thus.  Who will any here take up the Imperial standard, and act as the Emperor’s champion in this endeavor?”

“Wait just a minute...” Nayu snapped, not caring about decorum, “This is utterly insane!  You disagree with your scholars on whether we should be put to death, so you decree a trial by combat that will lead to death?!”

“Such is the final, penultimate way to resolve a dispute such as this!  Sho-Ti has put forward the charge that you are traitors to the Empire, and you deny them.  Your judges are deadlocked, but justice must be done,” the Empress leaned back, a grin across her face.  “And unlike before, now you, young man, will fight for the life of both yourself and your companion.”  Her eyes then flashed to the thin ranks of scholars still left supporting Sho-Ti.  “Who will take up the Imperial standard?”

“I will _gladly_ take up the Imperial mantle in this trial!” Sho-Ti cried, raising his staff high into the air.  Around him, the few remaining scholars shouted their acclaim, forcing him towards the front.

Nayu forced himself to keep a stern, placid face, even as he began to shake in his boots as he felt the magical storm thundering just underneath the surface of Sho-Ti’s body...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Well, there'll be no story update this week... I'm overloaded with work preparing for language classes.  However, instead here's some more of the photoshop work drag'n'fly has completed relating to the story hour! (so all is not a total wash, I hope  )

Felonca versus Princess Lian 

Wa-Feng Dian bowing to his niece after the battle of Ii-suken 

Dian cradling Meiji after the raid on the prison camp.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

A short update.  Hopefully in return for decreased size, I'll be able to update this SH more frequently while I'm taking my classes.

*The Duel...*

_Calm... calm Nayu..._ the sorcerer repeated to himself as the older scholar stalked towards the center of the room.  Nayu cleared his mind, honing himself, focusing evermore on the approaching man.  When his eyes met the staff Sho-Ti held in his hand, Nayu felt a slight heat wash over him.  For a moment he panicked, thinking the scholar had launched a pre-emptive spell, till he realized no force was trying to break into his mind, or assault his body.

_His staff... it must have an affiliation to fire..._ Nayu realized slowly.

“As the wise council and scholars of the land have been unable to determine the guilt, or innocence of these,” he distantly heard the Empress intone the ancient words, “a duel has been recognized to determine the will of Heaven.  As such, each party must state what they wish from the other should they triumph.”  It didn’t take an eagle to see the glint in her eye as she looked at Sho-Ti’s imperious figure surrounded by imposing robes.

_If he is so powerful himself, why does he place magical fire within his staff?_ Nayu thought as the ancient words continued to roll across the hall.    _Surely he realizes that he wouldn’t need a staff to back him unless...

...unless he thought I was that much of a threat...

...now that I’ve figured that out, how can I use it to get him to back down?  I don’t want to kill a scholar of the Empire... it might cause discontent when I take over.

If I take over..._ he corrected himself.  _If this kind of stupidity is rampant in the capital, I might just rethink things..._

Nayu’s eyes flashed momentarily towards the side of scholars that had been arguing for him, their eyes downcast, or raging towards the Empress.  It was clear what they felt about _her_, at the least.  

_Maybe I won’t have to worry about that stupidity soon..._ he thought, feelings his magic building as his mind conversed with the planes.  Carefully, he picked his spell, and held it in his mind, waiting.

“State your claim should Heaven side with you,” the Empress asked the elderly scholar.

“The life of this traitor and his friend!” Sho-Ti’s hand rose, its gnarled fingers pointing towards Nayu’s heart.

“I claim the most prized artifact held by the Imperial scholars,” Nayu said quickly, before the Empress could even ask.  _Maybe that will give him pause... People might freely toss their lives away, but they likely won’t toss away the belongings of something larger than themselves..._ he remembered an old adage of his father.  _Let us see what Sho-Ti is made of._

There was a slight pause, before Nayu saw the older scholar give an almost predatory smile.  “You do not wish to even claim my life in return for yours?” the scholar asked, his hands already pulling out a rolled wooden tome.

_Great... he didn’t buy that bluff...  

Well, no one has explained the rules of this duel-to-be to me, and I don’t need to read from a book, so I see reason to let him prepare... that's my best chance of taking him out!_

The room flashed blue for a second, as Nayu’s hand lashed out, a stream of void, utterly black and sucking in all light around it, slammed into the scholar’s chest.  Sho-Ti stumbled backwards under the assault.  As the Empress and other scholars rose, some to shout belated warning, others just to witness what had happened, A second black bolt lashed out from Nayu’s other hand, catching Sho-Ti about the head.  For a moment, the older scholar was surrounded by swirling, whirling blackness, before finally, mere seconds later, Nayu lowered his hands (a quickened _enervate_, followed by another _enervate_).  To the surprise of everyone, Sho-Ti did not react, but instead hung barely in the air, like a poor shanty about to collapse under its own weight.

_And now to finish this,_ Nayu thought, using the momentary pause of shocked calm to walk to the stunned scholar, and take his staff from him.  Nayu swung once, catching the stunned man in the stomach, and sent him sprawling to the ground unconscious.

And bedlam ensued.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Go Nayu!   

Guess it would have been going too far to make his prize the abidcation of the Empress.


----------



## TDRandall

Another "oops" battle, Valerian?  Nayu really took him out without any (combat) response at all?

Then again, I guess we shouldn't expect anything less from 'He who is truly Blessed by the Heavens'.

Looking forward to how the empress responds to such a blatant, one-sided, crushing defeat.  *evil grin*


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Felonca Makes a Friend*

Felonca stood still, just as stunned as the others by Nayu’s sudden and devastating attack.  When the empress leapt to her feet moments later, her face devoid of color, the rogue immediately shifted so her hands rested close to her warfans.  _Things are about to get interesting..._

“Seize him!” the Empress shouted, just as Felonca expected, and just as she also suspected the guards that had accompanied the young Emperor and his mother into the room began to rush forward.  Her warfans lashed out, ready to fight the oncoming steel, until a surprising shape intervened.

“Stop!” the young scholar that had been arguing on their behalf shouted.  Even though she could not use magic herself, Felonca could not help but feel the immense surge of raw power that lashed from his staff, radiating out towards the oncoming soldiers.  To a man, they stopped in place, frozen in mid-stride, their eyes wide in surprise and fear.

“How... dare... you!” the Empress snarled.

“You have ignored the advice of your Council repeatedly, Your Highness!” Won Wei growled in reply.  “The duel has concluded, and the young man still remains!”  Other scholars began to gather around Nayu, their staffs at the ready.

“He did not abide by the forms!  He broke centuries of tradition by attacking by surprise!” the Empress shrieked.

“Only a fool lets an opponent prepare,” Felonca heard Nayu say in a cool, impressive voice, sounding rich with wisdom far beyond his years.  “If Heaven had truly sided with Sho-Ti, Heaven would have protected him.  Or are you saying, Your Highness, that Heaven’s Will should be bent by the mere traditions of men?”

“I...you...” the Empress shook with veritable fury, and Felonca had to suppress a smile.  Nayu had her trapped.  If she pressed on that his surprise attack had broken tradition and been unfair, she’d appear to be claiming her own will was above that of Heaven... a grievous and foolish statement, one that would surely make _every_ scholar rise against her.  Wisely, instead of replying, the Empress clamped her jaw shut so tightly that her face seemed to shake.

For several moments, silence hung in the air, the Empress staring down at the scholars and the young upstart before her.  Finally, the young scholar named Won Wei spoke aloud.

“Wakabayashi Nayu is the victor in the test of Heaven’s Will!” the young man’s voice echoed through the silent hall.  “As such, the Council of Scholars will surrender to him his just request!”  With a swish, he turned to the attendants behind the Empress.  

“Fetch the Headband of Kongxi, and the Fan of Kongxi!”

As the scholars gathered around Nayu, most congratulating, a few mumbling, Felonca’s brow wrinkled.  _Headband of Kongxi?  Fan of Kongxi?  What is that?_ Felonca thought, confused.  _Kongxi lived hundreds of years ago... these have to be copies._  She gave a sigh, and put her warfans back into her belt before starting forward towards Nayu.  _Probably things that look pretty, that Nayu will probably sell..._

Her thoughts were interrupted by a tug on her sleeve, quick and insistent.  At first she tried to ignore it, taking it to be a scholar.  When the tug came again, even more insistent, she stopped, sharp words forming in her mouth; sharp words that died when she heard the slight tinkle of pearls hitting each other.

Wide eyed she looked down, and a pair of small Imperial eyes behind a sea of white pearls looked back up at her.

“How does your friend do magic like that, with no books?” the tiny, high voice of His Divine Imperial Majesty asked.  Streams of pearls hanging from his head hid his face, but the voice sounded earnest in its question.

“Ah..um...” Felonca stumbled, her mind awash.  _ITS THE EMPEROR!  Do I talk normally?!  Do I kow-tow now?!  He tugged on my sleeve!  Should I cut off the cloth and save it for later?!_

“My friend has special abilities, Your...um... Majesty...” she managed to say uncertainly, her body too rigid in surprise and shock to bow.  To her surprise, there was no protest from the young boy, or shout of indignation at her lack of respect.  Instead, Yuandi raised his small gloved hands, and spun his cap around, so the pearls hung from the side.  A large smile leapt across his face, radiating the happiness not of an Emperor, but of a ten year old boy.

_I need to say something!_

“Um... can you...um... do magic like that, Your Majesty?” Felonca stuttered.  

“No,” the boy’s face fell.  “Mother makes me study scholar books all day, every day.”  He looked to the ground, and Felonca swore that if his legs weren’t swathed in heavy robes, he would’ve kicked his foot absently along the ground.  “I would like to do magic without books.”  The young face then looked back up, the smile returning.  “Then, I could learn swordplay instead of magic!”

“Swordplay?” Felonca asked, more confidence in her voice.  _He is just a boy... and he seems happy that you aren’t groveling before him, but talking TO him..._  “Why would you like to do that, Majesty?”

“Then I could stay away from Mother, when she has rages, like this one,” he looked up toward the throne, behind the sea of scholars huddled around Nayu.  All eyes were still on the sorcerer, and only the immobile guards seemed to have noticed where the young Emperor had wandered... and they couldn’t say anything.

“She’s not a pleasant person, I imagine,” Felonca replied without thinking, before suddenly catching herself.  “I did not mean an insult to your family, Majesty!” she hurriedly added.

“But it is true.  She is a mean person, and Won Wei says she is foolish sometimes.  I trust Won Wei,” the Yuandi said.  Suddenly, he stopped, and turned his head slightly to the side.  “What is your name?  I was impolite and did not ask.”

“I... I’m Wa-Feng Felonca, Majesty,” Felonca gave a reverent bow, her mind still not believing that she was chatting away with the Emperor of the Celestial Empire.

“I am Yuan,” the boy said, using his given name, not his royal name.  “I am pleased to meet you.  You seem like a nice person... much nicer than my mother.”

As the boy continued to talk, somewhere deep in Felonca’s mind, an impish thought arose.  Before the words could leap to her mouth, she quickly suppressed the idea.  But as the Emperor continued to speak freely as a child would of his domineering and controlling mother, the thought continued to resurface, until finally it broke through.

“You don’t like your mother telling you what to do?” Felonca finally asked.  Despite the fact that she’d only been talking with Yuan for only a few minutes, she finally felt comfortable directly addressing him.  When the boy shook his head, she smiled, then lowered herself down to his level.

“You are the Emperor, correct, Your Majesty?”

“Yes.”

“Then order the guards to ignore your mother and let you practice swordplay,” Felonca said quietly in a mischevious tone.  _Let’s put something in the Empress’ hair for a while that she can’t get rid of!_  “They have to obey you, don’t they?”

“They should,” the boy said quietly, his own mind wandering down the unknown path as well.  His brow wrinkled as he thought, and Felonca could tell he’d made a decision when a smile came to his youthful face.  “I shall then tell my guards to let me do as I please, or as Won Wei wishes me, and not as my mother commands!”

“That sounds like an excellent command, Your Majesty,” Felonca grinned.


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

The kid should learn swordsmanship, it builds great forearms after a while.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

You're cruel, Emperor V. Felonca gets friendly with the Emperor, while Nayu wants to take the throne.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Relics and Meditation*

_I did well, Papa,_ Nayu thought quietly the next day, the silence of the deep meditation chambers within the Imperial Library seeming to absorb every sound, every breath.  Several hours before, the urge to scratch his head had disappeared.  The strange hat that graced his scalp by now had seemed to mold with his skin, so perfect was its fit.  He hardly physically felt Kongxi’s Headband anymore, despite feeling its overwhelming magical power rumbling through his being.

_The secret is safe now, Papa._  No one would ever again peep into Nayu’s mind uninvited.  So was the gift of Kongxi’s Headband.  No one Nayu wished to not know his ancestry would discover Nayu’s secret... unless either Felonca or Liu divulged the details.   The scholars had recommened Nayu seek solitude with the artifact, letting himself grow accustomed to its power, as well as letting _it_ grow accustomed to him.  Yet as he sat, his mind continued to wander, enjoying the brief rest from its strenuous work.

_It isn’t everyday one wears something imbued with the essence of Kongxi’s soul itself._  From somewhere deep inside his mind, Nayu felt, but couldn’t hear, a response.  An affirmation of sorts.

_What if Felonca knew I was almost talking to myself in my head?_  The thought of his friend made Nayu chuckle, the memories of the chaotic scene the day before coming back to him.  The soft footfalls of a young prince advancing towards his mother, before screeching to her that he wanted to go outside, and the poor, hapless Dowager Empress, just free of one major public embarrassment, facing another as her son publicly asked for her arch-rival, the scholar Won Wei, to be his chief advisor.

_She’s finished... the boy was not the root of the evil, but the solution to it,_ Nayu’s mind realized.  _It is apparent to all she cannot even rule her own son, let alone rule an Empire, and I would much rather trust this Won Wei character and his bevy of scholars... at the worst, they’ll keep themselves occupied in internal feuding._  His mind went back to Felonca and the young Emperor, and the mischief she'd caused the day prior.  _And since Felonca has made friends with the Emperor, we could keep him happy and in line if the scholars begin to bite each other...  no more horrid mismanagement, I would hope.

And at the best, those scholars might fix some things here, while I deal with other people...

...namely Prince Hu._

For a moment, his thoughts darkened, the old anger rising again.  Nayu felt the deeper presence pushing, pulling him towards something, but what he couldn’t see.  All he knew for sure was the anger he held against Prince Hu.  

_The Empress has been destroyed as a force.  Now Prince Hu, and then the other claimants..._  He sighed, clearing his mind once again.  _Its time._  Part of him winced at the pain to come, but an even larger part of him was not only curious to see the abilities and powers that the remnants of Kongxi would reveal to him.

_I merely need to focus... focus close.  That is all._  His breathing calmed to almost nothing, as his mind focused deep within, concentrating on his pool of magic, then delving deep into its depths, searching, seeking...

The darker thoughts gathered again, fiercer and stronger.  From somewhere deep within he felt something new, something strange.  He reached out, his senses trying to touch the new entity.  A sharp pain lashed down the side of his head, racing into the seeming depths of his soul.  

_I must keep trying,_ he winced, closing his eyes tighter.  The scholars had said that the essence of Kongxi would control him, or even speak to him, but would serve to open doors to him that had previously been closed to his limited mind.  Only moments after he’d placed the cap on his head, Nayu felt a deep, extremely powerful reservoir of magic, untouched, untapped, deep within his being.  He’d tried to reach for it several times in the succeeding hours, but each time he’d been rebuffed.

_Keep trying!_  His eyes closed so tight his eyeballs hurt.  His teeth gritted together, as he continued to reach, to stretch into the dark pool of magic...

_Just a little further..._  A slight grunt escaped his lips, before he hissed through his teeth, the pain now burning far more than any arrow or sword thrust.  Then, there was a sudden rush, an audible rush roaring within Nayu’s mind.  His eyes flickered open, only to see the room bathed in a eerie, bluish/black glow.  Shadows danced and swirled about him, a real wind whipping through his light beard, lifting several of the wooden books about him aloft.

A moment later, he felt a surge slam through his body, seemingly lifting him skyward, before slamming him back into the ground.  Just as quickly as they appeared, the blue light and flickering shadows vanished.  Once again, the room was bathed in the soft glow of candlelight.

Gently, the sorcerer touched his forehead, and his hand came away drenched with sweat.  Yet even as he moved, Nayu felt himself almost crackle, the world around him seeming to shimmer slightly, so great was the magic almost billowing from his body.

Nayu closed his eyes again, feeling the power cascading through him, as the planes of magic opened themselves fully.  Even though it had no form, Nayu felt the pool of magic within himself change, seeming to grow darker, its surface more troubled, peaks of power stretching angrily towards his conscious mind, wisps of darkness and power rumbling through him.

Nayu smiled, and slowly rose.

_When we next meet, Prince Hu, I shall be ready... and you’ll face your last surprise ever..._

============================================

The Headband of Kongxi was an artifact created by the legendary scholar and sage Kongxi, some thousand years prior.  By using the magic imbedded within a destroyed allip, as well as his own great powers, Kongxi not only could protect himself from mind-altering affects, but possibly force his opponents to go insane (DC25 Will Save if you try to mentally touch him).  However, this little artifact only protects Nayu, and not anyone else... 

As for the rest of the meditation, I also allowed Nayu’s player to change two spells he’d selected for his sorcerer, as a side effect of this magical artifacts power.  But Felonca fans, do not despair, she also gained something from this as well, which I’ll detail in the next post, when she causes a great deal of trouble of her own...


----------



## carpedavid

If you haven't seen it yet, you've made the front news page. Well done.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

We did?  Oh wow... never expected that from this little story hour!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Meanwhile, Felonca Causes Trouble*

_You’d think with all this arcane power, the scholars would’ve made some kind of efficient shelving system,_ Felonca growled mentally about the same time.  Since Nayu had gone to mediate as the scholars had instructed him, she’d tried to search the Imperial Library for information pertaining to _her_ reason for being in the city.  

_To get rid of this forsaken dagger!_

Unfortunately, the magical tomes were packed haphazardly, something she discovered quickly when in her first stack she found tomes regarding everything from the proper use of aboleth’s blood to charts detailing the thickness of dragon-scales over a draconic lifetime.  Within the vast building, and the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of tomes, she had no idea of where to _begin_ her search.  Without guidance, two hours before she’d come to the reluctant conclusion that she could spend ten lifetimes searching through the library, and perhaps only make her way through half the volumes.

Finally, she rounded a corner, and found the target of her present query.

“Won Wei?”

_He ought to know where anything is in here._

Felonca nervously twitched her nose as the scholar turned around, several books still bundled in his hands as his re-shelving stopped. Golden sunlight from the afternoon filtered into the dusty room, as other scholars further away bustled about, carrying priceless knowledge in their arms.

After the chaos of the previous day, it had taken many hours to track him down again, in the upper layers of the Imperial Library.  Somewhere within the depths of the building, Nayu still meditated.  Absently, Felonca looked down, and her eyes caught the faint glint of a ruby hilt in her boots.  

“Yes?  A..um... Felonca, isn’t it?” the comparatively young scholar said, causing Felonca to snap her head upwards again.  To her relief, his eyes had not followed where she was looking... instead he looked right at her, a polite smile on his face.  “I trust that you will find use for the great gift your friend gave you?”

“Um... yes.  And I humbly thank you and the scholars for choosing to bestow such an honor on both of us,” she bowed, careful to keep her newest warfan out of the way.  From her hip, Kongxi’s Fan seemed to gleam, even in the bright light of the halls in which they stood.

“And I trust you won’t disappear in the midst of us like you did before?” the scholar grinned, nascent age lines appearing on his lips and eyes when he did so.  When he smiled, he looked stately, she thought.  He certainly hadn’t looked stately when she’d swished the fan back and forth only moments after Nayu had given the artifact to her, and the room suddenly was covered in inky darkness.

“I was merely testing its abilities,” Felonca smiled back.  _And I have no doubt the ability to disappear inside a cloud of mist or darkness will be useful..._  “And I must say that it worked beyond my hopes.”

“I think that was when the young Emperor escaped to the courtyard,” Won Wei’s grin grew wider, and the two laughed at the memory of the Empress dashing into the courtyard, only to be upbraided by her own ten year old son.  “His Majesty seems to have grown a backbone since your arrival,” the scholar added with a whisper of approval.

“He just needed someone to tell him what he could do all along,” Felonca replied.  _Though it was funny to see the Empress running about like a hen, while the guards refused to move at the Emperor’s order..._  The happy thought was strangled, however, by something far darker... something she still felt pressing against her ankle.  

“Um... but I also need advice.  The other scholars say that you are very wise, Won Wei.”  

“They say such, and do me honor,” Won Wei bowed again, though Felonca noticed his eyebrow was raised in question.

“This Library is immense, and I am in need of assistance.”  For a moment she stopped, unsure of where to go, until her mind remembered the whole reason for her trip to the capital, to brave the potential dangers the Empress and her lackeys might pose.

“Do you, um... know where I could find information an...um... artifact?” she finally stammered after several long pauses. _Now, Felonca, pick your words carefully.  You don’t want him to necessarily know that you have THE dagger.  Just an... artifact._ 

Won Wei’s smile left his face, his eyes wide with question.  “I assume you do not mean Kongxi’s Fan... we already answered your veritable barrage of questions on that subject.” 

“Of course not... I mean another...um... artifact.”

“Which one, may I ask?” Won Wei said, turning around to finish placing his books back on their proper stacks.

_Ok.  A logical question from him.  You just need to deflect it..._

“Um... I can’t say...” Felonca said slowly, quietly.  At the grudging admission, Won Wei turned back around, his face now full of question.

_Great move, Felonca!  That was awkward enough that now he probably suspects something!_ she cursed to herself.

“Well,” he said momentarily, “I can’t quite help you with this problem unless I know which artifact to look for.  As you said, we have hundreds of thousands of arcane tomes and books all over.”  He turned his head slightly, his eyes prying.  “Why can you not say what this artifact is?”

_Dammit!  Need an excuse, otherwise he’ll just poke into my mind and they’ll_

“Um... no, I can’t tell you that,” she stammered, before adding, “I just need to know where the section of the library is that deals with artifacts.  I can find the tome my-“

She stopped in mid-sentence, the bone-chilling sensation of another presence within her mind washing through her.  For a split second, Won Wei’s eyes glowed slightly, then suddenly they flew wide.  The presence just as quickly vanished, and the scholar tumbled backwards, knocking over a stack of books.

“You... you have...” he managed to stutter softly, before his frightened eyes flashed towards her boot.

“Dammit!” Felonca hissed to herself.  “Yes, I have _it_,” she hissed to him, “and I want to destroy _it,_” she growled.  Several other scholars were already looking at the two after Won Wei’s fall.  _As few people as possible need to know this!  Damn scholar mind reading and then falling over!  Gah!_ 

“You...wish...” he said slowly, his voice still high and squeaking from the strain of surprise.

“Yes!” she hissed again, before adding, “Don’t be so damn obvious!  Prince Hu already wants this dagger, as does the White Wolf Clan!  I don’t know who else wants this thing, so _please_ don’t draw attention to me!”  As she quickly helped him to his feet, she added, “For someone that just read my mind, _without my permission,_ you are quite slow!”

“A...um...” Won Wei stammered, before finally his voice came back to him.  He cleared his throat, and with an acting job worthy of only the plaudits of the drunk, he said in a faux commanding voice, “Yes, I know where that would be!  Let us go now!” he said, taking her by the arm and hustling her out of the room, his wide eyes still betraying his distress at the situation.

_Great,_ Felonca groaned as other scholars looked, until she looked into their eyes, and saw impishness, even laughter.  The silence of the hall was broken from a few controlled snickers, and Felonca let out a sigh of relief.  There were no female scholars present, and Felonca easily guessed the thoughts in some of the other scholar's minds had close parallels to the thoughts constantly in Meiji's mind.

_If they want to be dirty minded, that’s fine.  At least they aren’t suspecting I’m carrying the only weapon that can kill a sitting Emperor..._


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Dark News from the North*

“So that’s it?” Felonca asked some hours later.  She shook herself for the seemingly countless time, and once again, a small cloud of dust flew from her body, illuminating the thin strands of light that petered down to their location, in the depths of the library’s catacombs.  “Only those options?”

“Yes,” Won Wei replied after a moment, running his hands over his formerly fine silk robes with a somewhat saddened expression.  Obviously his clothes were ruined.  “Those are your only three chances.”

“Well... I said before that killing the Emperor is out of the question,” Felonca replied.  Slaying the Emperor was the first option the two had found, easily located in one of the upper chambers, and one that both had immediately put aside.  The slaying would fulfill the purpose of the dagger’s dark, unknown creators, but would cause so much chaos that more would likely die than if the young Emperor stayed alive.  And Felonca couldn’t bring herself to kill a small innocent boy, hence their continued search for other solutions.

“Well, that leaves us two options,” Won Wei said, finally standing up after he’d removed as much dust from his clothes as possible.

“Leaves us two options?” Felonca asked, as Won Wei handed her the ancient tome that held the remaining secrets.  

“Yes, us,” the scholar flecked a few final spots on his robe.  “As one of the Council of Scholars, it’s my duty to ensure the safety of the Imperial Throne.”  By his tone, Felonca detected an almost paternal undertone. 

_He actually cares deeply about the Emperor, not as a ruler, but as a young, growing boy..._

“So.  We have the two remaining options.  Find a Celestial Dragon, messenger from the Heavens, and persuade the great creature to destroy the dagger...”

“Or stab someone close to the royal blood who claims the throne with the dagger,” Felonca finished, trying not to swallow on reciting those words.  She was glad Won Wei hadn’t been looking when she’d read them initially... she knew of two people with the royal blood in such circumstances.  One was at the head of an enormous army, marching away from the capital.  The other was still inside this very building...

_Thank goodness they don’t appear to know Nayu’s ancestry..._  If they were forced to choose between hunting down Prince Hu in the midst of his legions, or killing the young man already in their midst, as much as Won Wei and many of the scholars liked Nayu, she doubted her friend would live for long.

“I think either of those is also a most difficult task,” Won Wei replied, not evidently picking up her inner thoughts.  “I will have to do much research to find out what this ‘Celestial Dragon’ is exactly, and where it might be found.  I highly doubt Prince Hu is going to just walk into our laps, however...”

From somewhere above, a loud, dull creak echoed through the dusty chamber.  Both Won Wei and Felonca looked up, to see a stream of light blazing from the doorway... the rays of the setting sun.

“Pardon me, Master Won Wei,” a young man’s voice said breathlessly, “but a messenger has arrived from the north.  His Imperial Majesty requests your presence immediately to discuss the news he brings.”



As she spurred her horse further on, slowly making progress, Felonca’s heart fell.  Since the arrival of the messenger only a few hours before, she had been in constant panic.  The news had been devastatingly sparse: there was a great battle to the north, and Quan-Shi’s army, which included both her father and her uncle, was defeated, and its remnants were now outside the city walls.   How badly, who survived... she had no idea of knowing until now.

As officially the army was not under the Imperial banner, but under the banner of the provincial government of Dai, it needed permission to enter the Imperial City.  Won Wei, as representative of the Council of Scholars, immediately said the troops should be let in, yet somehow Felonca hadn’t been surprised the Empress had disagreed.

The Empress had pointed out that letting in tens of thousands of wounded and dying increased the risk of disease, as well as starting a panic within the city streets, yet behind these facades, even the politically limited Felonca could see why she didn’t want the troops within the city;  her power was already in retreat, the Imperial Guards were beginning to listen to the Council more than her, and most importantly, all of these new soldiers would undoubtedly listen to Felonca, Nayu, and thus likely Won Wei, before they would ever obey an order from her.

_Stupid woman... thinking of her position more than her people,_ Felonca snarled in memory.  The arguments had lasted far longer than Felonca thought was necessary or appropriate, and finally it took Nayu’s quick mind to find a solution; he asked the young Emperor over his mother’s objections, and Yuandi promptly countermanded his mother.  In a fury, she had stormed out of the Council Chambers, cursing the young boy, Won Wei, Nayu, and Felonca.

_Maybe she’ll just jump off a tower or something,_ Felonca thought darkly.  Her brooding was interrupted when her eyes caught sight of a soldier carrying a tattered banner, the character “Wa” emblazoned in stark black on its white cloth.

_That’s a Wa-Feng banner..._ she realized immediately, and her mind turned to far more pressing matters than a pouting Empress.  Her progress in the crowd ground to a halt, and as the masses of soldiers pushed onward into the city, she was forced to dismount, to clamber through the mob.

“Papa!” Felonca dashed, cutting amongst and through the long, broken streams of humanity that seemed to block the entire boulevard.  As far as the eyes could see, all she could pick out were wounded soldiers, their armor bloodied, their weapons hanging in defeat.  Somewhere behind her, she heard her horse whinny, but she didn’t care.

_Papa..._

Finally, amongst the sea of heads, she spotted the dark head of her father towering of the others, his helm gone, his white armor soiled and dirty.  Within moments she ripped through the crowd, and leapt into him.

“Papa!” she cried, clutching him close in the closing darkness.  He smelled of sweat, iron, and blood.  _They didn’t say anything about you!  I thought you were dead!_  She closed her eyes tight, not caring if anyone saw.

“Felonca,” her father said quietly.  The embrace lasted far shorter than she hoped, as he gently pushed her away.  When she looked up at him, she saw worry, even fear, dancing within his eyes.

“We thought we were strong enough to cut off Prince Hu,” her father said quietly.  “We positioned ourselves astride his only road back to Langya, and hoped to crush him.  We...” he suddenly stopped, and a great dark hand started to run through his hair in frustration.  “_We_ had the high ground, and _we_ had the better position.  Hu should have had no choice but to charge into the teeth of our spears... but...”

The fear seemed to flare brighter in his dark brown eyes.

“Felonca... you must realize this.  Hu is no ordinary man, he is no ordinary commander,” Felonxi said, his voice even quieter.  “Lesser men would have been trapped but he... well...”  Her father looked down, his hands gesturing towards the masses of wounded moving about.  When his eyes flashed up towards Felonca, they looked meek, and for the first time she could remember, she saw something altogether foreign to his gaze.

Shame.

“We saw him come to the front, and raise his hands,” Felonxi began, “so we ordered our scholars to prepare themselves.  Yet, no matter how they concentrated and called for Heaven’s Blessing, the skies opened, and flames rained down on our men.  Then... then they charged...”  Felonca stood speechless, as she read the horrible events that followed through her father’s quiet gaze.

“I...I saw him near the front of the battleline, and I realized that we had to kill him.  So I charged him... but I couldn’t reach him in time, before the lightning and hail scattered what remained of us...” His voice faded into nothingness, before he looked down yet again. 

“Dian and Quan-Shi set up the rearguard, while I organized the troops retreating in the smoke.  I escaped unharmed... both were wounded, Quan-Shi badly.”  He stopped again, as if the words near his tongue were words he did not want to utter, but words he knew he must say.

“I failed.  _We_ failed.”

Felonca closed her eyes, imagining the horror, the smell of sulfur blanketing the sky and earth, flames licking, burning everything, the chaos and confusion of a retreat through billowing smoke.  The sheer horror of the event, of trying to organize thousands of fleeing people so they could make it to safety, instead of choking to death in the smoke, or being ridden down by Hu’s cavalry.  When she opened her eyes, she gently touched her father’s shoulder.

“Many men retreated safely.  You have succeeded, and you have no reason to be ashamed.  You brought them here, where they will likely be needed,” she said simply.  She heard no reply from her father, but his looking up from the ground spoke enough.  

“They make for here with all haste,” Felonxi said, “the Prince and his entire host, now swollen with abominations against the _dao_ and Heaven’s Will.”  He stopped for a second, but Felonca’s slow nod prompted more.  “There were seas of skeletons... they were easy for our men to kill, but they seemed endless as the sands of the desert beaches.  There were great demons, spiders of great size, monstrosities of horn and flesh beyond number...” His voice once again faded, as he gave a slight shudder, before looking up towards the outer walls of the immense city, the same walls that had made Felonca feel so boxed in when they arrived a week prior.  

“They will breach these walls,” he said simply, bluntly, “and the middle walls, and the inner walls.”  A sigh of resignation.  “They will even breach the walls of the Jade City.  There is no hope.”

_There is no hope._  Those four words coming from her father made Felonca shudder. Her family history had been built on situations where others said there was no hope.  Her grandfather had held off 10,000 barbarians to the north with a regiment of barely a thousand, and only just before she was born, Felonca’s father had successfully defeated an ogre one on one.  

_For him to say there is no hope..._  Felonca shuddered again, her mind’s eye imagining the sky growing dark, before a pregnant, orange glow let loose of torrent of fire onto the city below.

_But he managed to get many of the soldiers out alive... thousands of the soldiers out alive!  If it is as he describes, no one should have been able to survive such a firestorm!  That alone shows there is hope!

Regardless, Felonca...  there is a battered army here, and a city needs to be defended.  

The greatest treasure of arcane tomes needs to be defended.

An Emperor needs to be defended.

An Empire needs to be defended._

“How closely do they follow?” Felonca asked, her voice no longer quiet.  _The soldiers about need to hear this too._ 

“Hu followed slowly... his army is too huge to move quickly,” her father replied.  “That should give us a week to get the soldiers out, and if we do some forced marches, we could sneak past him...”

“We aren’t retreating,” Felonca replied, mustering some steel into her voice.  Mentally she shuddered again, at the image of the city, and its hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, burning in the wind.  “Someone has to stop them, so the people can escape.”

“_Stop them?!_”  She heard the fight coming back into her father’s voice, and it made her happy, even if the ire was directed at her.  “How are we going to fight them?  You have no forest to hide in here, Felonca!”

_Now, to just turn this ire a bit towards something productive..._ she thought.

“We have just a week, papa,” she replied.  “Enough time to get as many of these soldiers healed as possible, and as many of the people out of the city as well.”  She stopped, and as she felt the eyes of soldiers around falling on her, she forced a smirk to her lips.  “Call a meeting of all of your generals.  I’ll get the Emperor’s guards to come as well.”

_We have to hold them off, at least until the people can escape, and we can evacuate all the arcane tomes within the Imperial libraries.  If it took us only six hours to find the ways to destroy that dagger..._  She shuddered to think of the secrets someone like Hu could find with ease in those catacombs.

“Why?  What for?” he asked, plainly confused.

Felonca changed the smirk to a laugh as she pointed at her father.

“Shang Wa-Feng is going to save Liaoxiang!”  She turned, and pointed to one staring soldier, and shouted again, “Did you hear?  Shang Wa-Feng is going to save Liaoxiang!”  

As murmurs began to run through the bedraggled soldiers, she turned back to her now speechless father.

“Now you have a reputation to live up to, Papa.”

_Let us hope we can both do this...  I think the Empire is depending on us..._


----------



## Emperor Valerian

This is the first part of what will likely be a four part update.  Part Two is almost done as well, pending something gets checked over by dragnfly.  Hopefully, it should be up either tommorrow or the day after.

*The Assault on Liangxiang, Part One*

Nayu ran a hand over the fine new robes the scholars had given him, the silk and fine wool gently caressing his skin.  He’d taken the time to properly put his now half-grown beard and mustache into place.  _These men might be my future subordinates... I need to make a good impression._

He looked beside him, and saw with slight bemusement that Felonca’s jaw was working back and forth in irritation, and her ear flicked back and forth in annoyance.  She had wanted to go in her normal battle-leathers, but it was Nayu that had explained, then cajoled her into finding a suit of armor of her proper rank of Xiao.  Even after she’d taken the great plumed helm off of her head, it was rather apparent that the armor was a strange weight on her thin shoulders.

She turned, and flashed him one of her looks, at first sharp, but then fading into something else he didn’t recognize... the same strange look she’d been giving him every now and then since they’d rescued her father.

_No... I saw that look before that,_ Nayu thought, as Felonca suddenly averted her gaze to straight ahead, her jaw grating back and forth faster now.  He thought her dark skin darkened even more, but he wasn’t sure.  He closed his eyes and sighed.  _She’s trying to put off being upset at me... but something else is grating her.

She’ll tell me when she’s ready,_ he thought simply, putting aside the thought of perusing her mind out of concern.  Likely she’d misinterpret the move, for good reason considering what she’d gone through.

Their twin footfalls echoed down the marbled halls of the Imperial Palace, immense statues of great beasts, the spirits of Heaven and Below, lining their path.  Nayu refused to allow himself to avert his gaze from his destination... a set of great bronze doors at the end of the hall.  As they drew close, the bronze monstrosities creaked then opened.

“His Excellency Wakabayashi Nayu and Xiao Wa-Feng Felonca!” one of the attendants called out as the two entered the room.  Before them lay a long ornate table, pillows set along the sides, the front, and the rear.  At the head of the table sat Felonca’s father, resplendent in freshly cleaned white armor, at the far end, her uncle Dian clad in his blackened armor, his shoulder would newly healed.  Clustered all around were the plumed heads of every concievable Imperial commander in the city, as well as the garish hats of Won Wei and several other scholars.

Most surprising was the person _not_ seated at the table.  To the side, raised higher than the rest by a dais and several pillows, sat the thin form of Emperor Yuandi, the immense silken robes not able to cover his small size.  His eyes looked at Nayu, but the sorcerer saw the young boy’s eyes positively light up on seeing Felonca.

“I think you’ve made a friend,” Nayu whispered quietly, to which Felonca merely looked at the young boy and gave him an immense smile.  The attendants in the room motioned Felonca and Nayu to two empty pillows, close to the front, by her father.

“I have called this meeting, of all the chief generals and commanders, to discuss what is to be done about the oncoming force from Langya,” the Emperor said weakly.  Even Nayu could see the nervousness in those young eyes.  

“It has been made apparent to me that you all are the finest commanders we could summon on such short notice,” Yuandi continued, “and I am leaving the salvation of not just my person, or the tomes within these great walls, but also the lives of the hundreds of thousands of my people within this city in your hands.”  

Nayu’s eyebrows raised... those were not words he would’ve expected from a boy under the influence from a mother like the Empress Dowager... she would’ve filled his head with bombast and prideful words, if only to secure her crumbling position.  _He speaks for himself..._  Nayu’s eyes narrowed, as the Emperor went on, urging the generals to find a solution that would save the most people.  _He cares for his people... his eyes are too deep, they reveal too much of his soul for it to be a lie..._

“I am also aware that two of you present are not generals,” the young eyes looked directly at Felonca, and his face broke into a partial smile before some inner teaching of decorum made the nascent grin fade, “or a part of the Scholars.”  His gaze now rested on Nayu, and the sorcerer once again looked into those eyes, and saw earnestness, nervousness, and fear.

“Wa-Feng Felonca, and Wakabayashi Nayu, you are here by special Imperial request.  Please give them...um...” he stumbled momentarily, sweat beading on his brow.  Nayu’s eyes looked over to Felonca, and he saw her nod her head quietly, urging him on.  After a moment, the Emperor regained his composure.  “Please give them your attention as you would if the Son of Heaven was speaking their words.”

Nayu looked back at Felonca, and saw her smile at the boy’s accomplishment, and instantly his mind went to darker, more morose thoughts... thoughts that troubled him the more he looked at the Imperial face.

_When I hadn’t met him, it was easy to blame all of our problems on him... but now that I see how young he is... and how much he cares... I can’t put blame on him anymore.  

And taking the throne from him would mean hurting Felonca..._ Nayu thought, looking at his friend.  The depressing thoughts grew even more.  He smiled sadly when she grinned at the young Emperor as he finished his address, and the young boy beamed back at her.  _I could never do that._ 

He closed his eyes, and felt the cold, hard outline of his father’s seal, still trapped in his pocket.  _I don’t know what I should do..._

“Your Majesty, sirs,” he heard Felonca begin soon after, and he fought to pay attention.  _I should listen... 

Should I be the Emperor, Papa?_ he heard himself whisper quietly in his mind, hoping that somewhere far away, an ancestral spirit would hear the plea.  _Should I be the Emperor, Papa?_ he thought again a few moments later, a prayer that repeated again and again as Felonca recited troop numbers, and argued with her uncle and father over whether the city was defensible.  Finally, almost a half hour into the meeting, Nayu realized all eyes were staring at him.

“Are you alright, Nayu?” Felonca asked him.  “I’ve only asked you what you thought five times... and you didn’t respond.  Your lips moved, but your eyes were staring someplace else...”

“I’m... fine,” Nayu said hastily.  _I hope I wasn’t mouthing my prayer in the open!  I hope no one here can read lips!_  He glanced around, and only saw curiosity and concern on the faces of the other generals, not outright hostility.  That alone put him more at ease.

“Um... well, the way I look at it,” Nayu stumbled forward.  _Think on your feet!  Large army approaching a large city, and we have very few soldiers..._  “We only have a limited number of troops, am I correct?”

“With the remains of Quan-Shi’s force, perhaps thirty-thousand or so, half of which are Imperial Guards,” a grizzle old general whose name Nayu had ignored replied.  The sorcerer merely nodded, avoiding the name issue altogether.

“And the city walls are immense.  It is obvious we can’t defend the outer walls, or perhaps even the inner walls, but with that force, coupled with the Scholars, we should be able to defend the inner walls and the Jade City?”

“For a while,” Felonca’s father rumbled.  “Under the full blast of Prince Hu’s magic, I doubt even the Scholars will prove useful.”

“We only need a while,” Nayu replied.  “Long enough to get all the arcane tomes out, long enough to make sure the last evacuees are gone, and...”  He paused momentarily, indecision in his mind.  _Do you want to be Emperor, or not, Nayu?_

“...enough time to get the young Emperor out of the city and safely to the north,” Nayu finished his thought, then sighed.  “I trust that the Scholars have magical abilities that can aid us in this?”  He glanced partway at Felonca, who had the same strange look in her eyes.  She didn’t seem to stop him, so he pointed at Won Wei.

“Of course we do.  We can move objects and even people over great distances with the our arcane powers, if needbe,” Won Wei bowed.  “We were already thinking of detailing some scholars to supervise the removal of as many tomes as possible in this manner, while keeping some others prepared and ready to teleport the rest of us, yourselves, and a small number of others out as well.”

“Excellent,” Nayu said, his footing more steady now.  “Now, there are how many scholars in the city capable of such magic?”

“Um... there are thousands of our ranks in the city, likely many of them, to find posting here, have access to such magic in varying degrees,” Won Wei replied.  “We also have a few from the War Mages Academy here that can help more directly.”

“Nayu...” Felonca’s uncle started, “surely you don’t expect us to win this fight!  Why, even if all the scholars in the Empire were here, we likely wouldn’t be able to teleport away the Imperial Court, the army, the arcane tomes, _and all the scholars?_”  Dian looked about, gaining grunts of agreement from the other generals present.

“What we’re proposing isn’t to win one battle,” Felonca finally cut in, the strange look gone from her face, “but to survive to fight again, and have a chance at winning this war.”

Nayu nodded.  “If we flee the city and let Hu capture the arcane tomes, there’s no telling what disasters he’ll be able to wreak.  If we let the Emperor and his Court get captured, they can be hostages or worse.  And...  I will not stand by to watch several hundred thousand be massacred.”  He looked about the room, not knowing his eyes were blazing with an Imperial glory of their own, and none of the generals challenged his gaze.

“Now... I have an idea...”



“Miss Felonca, if you please?”

Felonca turned around and smiled at seeing the Emperor looking at her.  _He was so nervous speaking to the generals, yet he came through well!_  As the other commanders left the room, she saw Nayu pause and wait.  She waved him on, and watched him leave, feelings of her own welling to the surface momentarily.  She pushed them aside, and looked at the young boy eagerly waiting before her.

“Yes Your Majesty?” she asked, sitting on the ground below his dais.  

“You have been a great help to me, Miss Felonca,” the Emperor said haltingly.  “But there is one more thing I...um... need you to help with.”

“What is that, Your Majesty?”

“I want to tell you something, Miss Felonca,” the young boy said.  Before she could nod her head, he cut off her assent.  “Before you say yes, you have to promise me that no one will hear of what I am about to tell you.”

_What could be so important that the Emperor wants to swear me to secrecy?_ Felonca thought.  Part of her initially thought the young boy was joking around, until she looked into his eyes, the green of his distant tiger-hengeyokai ancestry shining bright and deep with resolve.  _He really does have a secret then._

“Your secret will follow me to the grave, Your Majesty,” she bowed.  “Though I am curious, Majesty,” she added when she rose, “about what is so important that the daughter of a mere soldier should be the only one told of it?”

The Emperor looked around, his eyes darting back and forth for a moment.  Once he was sure no one was listening, he leaned close to her.

“You are an honest person.  Master Won Wei trusts you, and so do I.  But Master Won Wei even wants me to do things I do not wish to do.  Unlike my mother, he has good reasons behind his wishes, and unless something happens, I shall follow them to the best of my ability for the safety of my people.”

“What wishes, Majesty?” Felonca asked guardedly.  _Please don’t say he wants you to order something dark and foolish..._

The Emperor looked down for a moment, and sighed, before staring at her with those same green eyes.  

“He wants me to remain on the throne, Miss Felonca,” the Emperor said simply.  “A place I no longer wish to hold.  I may be young, but I’ve seen what that chair can do to people.  It makes them mean, foolish, bitter and hateful.”  He stopped again for a moment, as if thinking deeper than his mere decade would allow, before going on.  “I would wish I had no part in it.”

_What!?_ 

“Please, Miss Felonca, don’t be so stunned,” the Emperor gave a shy, distant smile at her when her jaw dropped to the floor.  “An Emperor must be a master of magic, a master of talking with others, and a master of management, and it is quite apparent I am atrocious at the first, barely adequate with the second, and hopeless with the third.”

“Majesty, I...” Felonca stammered, before the royal voice plowed on.

“I told you before that I wanted to learn swordplay, and to be a soldier.  If I were to not be the Emperor, that is what I would become.  A soldier.  Wouldn’t it be a sight, me leading a band of cavalry into a deadly charge to emerge victorious, like you did?”

“Like I did?”  _Wait..._  “Majesty, with all due respect, you do not know what you are wishing for!”  Part of her mind was surprised at her tone with her superior in station, but the rest of her charged ahead.  “You have no idea what happened there!  I was almost killed, and so many of my men died...”  She stopped her thought, the images of the dead filling her memories again.  _He knows NOTHING of what happened there!  Nothing!_ 

“You did something that day that I wish I could do,” the Emperor’s young voice spoke above hers, “You looked something bigger and stronger right in the eye, and then fought it head on!”  His bright eyes looked back down towards the ground, dimming with sadness.  “If only I had been able to direct myself better...”

“You’re a ten year old boy!” Felonca said, forgetting to add the proper royal title.  “Your own _mother_ was the one misruling things!  How can we expect a ten year old to react differently...”

“I am the Emperor, too,” Yuandi said quietly.  “I am the living appointee of Heaven’s Will, yet I could not use my own to cow people who harmed my realm.”  He looked back up at Felonca, and with his small hands grabbed her own.  “When you talked to me, the day the Scholars finally confronted my mother, you showed me that I _should have been confronting her!_  I should have seen she was using me because of my position... I should have used my royal authority more, to appoint Won Wei as my chief advisor sooner, and not listened to my mother and my uncle!”  He looked down, and Felonca saw his eyes begin to shimmer with nascent tears.  

“I shouldn’t be Emperor.  I’ve allowed too much to go bad... too many people have been hurt because I did nothing,” the young boy said, his voice cracking from the strain of holding back tears.  “I wish I could set it all aside, forget all of it.”  Felonca’s heart fell as she watched his small frame given a slight shudder, a tear running down his cheek.  

_He’s just realized his own family has used him for his position... only care for him because of that.  He feels overwhelmed and alone..._ she thought.  Her mind thought momentarily of someone that could help with this quandary, but for the moment, she saw before her a young boy that needed a simple hug.  She wrapped her arms around him, as he started to cry.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The Assault on Liaoxiang Part Two*

“Please move along as best you can, ma’am,” Felonca called down from her perch atop the battlements, as below the sea of moving humanity slowly crawled through the gates of Liaoxiang.  Nearly a full week had gone by since the Emperor’s confession, yet Felonca had yet to say anything to Nayu.

_He swore me to secrecy,_ she thought to herself, telling herself that was the main reason she hadn’t said anything, knowing full well that the thought was a lie.  It was a bright sunny day when these dark thoughts returned, just as Felonca was attempting to manage the stream of constant evacuees now fleeing the city to the south and east.

_Still no sign of Hu,_ she distracted herself as she and several scholars and soldiers continually urged calm.  Even Meiji was helping, singing songs along one of the bridges, trying to lift spirits and above all, keep things orderly.  Yet even trying to dwell on those things didn’t keep her mind away from something that was troubling her.

She looked up, just in time to see Nayu pointing and shouting commands and orders to the scholars and the soldiers, the bright blue robes the Scholars had given him flapping in the breeze as his plan slowly came to fruition.  From the top of the inner wall, she could also see the throngs of people below, looking up at him in awe as they filed out of the city, their lives on their backs.

_He looks like an Emperor,_ she sighed, as his voice  rang out with directions, encouragement, and orders.  _Despite that cute young face of his._  Despite the stress and the trying situation, she couldn’t help but smile, at least for a moment, until more troubling thoughts came back.

She thought back to the palisade wall a few weeks before, and those bright, piercing blue eyes that seemed to stare into her soul.

_”You are attracted to him,”_ the same dark voice from memory repeated in her mind.  She closed her eyes tightly, and tried to shake her mind free from the memory.  It would complicate things, it would make things awkward, something 
they couldn’t afford.  While she’d managed to keep herself under relative control the past two weeks, the last time the feelings had arisen this high, she’d snapped at him rather sharply on the road to Liaoxiang.  _Not even two weeks ago..._

_”You resist the thought,”_ the dark voice continued, lending its sound to the thoughts of her own mind, _”In a way, what you claim is true.  You are not attracted to him.

You love him.”_

“I don’t,” she said quietly to herself.  _We are friends. He doesn’t need that kind of distraction now!  I don’t need that distraction now!_  Yet even as she closed her eyes 
again, she saw those piercing blue eyes turn to familiar ones of deep brown.  Against her will, it seemed, she felt her heart begin to race.

She opened her eyes again, hoping to get those dark eyes from her mind’s eye, yet it seemed the fates were conspiring against her.  Nayu was leaning against the battlements during a brief moment of rest, and flashed her a bright smile, those deep brown eyes, even from afar, seeming to call to her.  To her conscious mind’s horror, she realized she had been staring only after she saw Nayu’s face grow puzzled.

“Is something wrong?” his voice called across the walls.  “You keep giving me these strange looks.”

_It’s hard not to stare when everything you do occupies my every thought…_ part of Felonca’s mind lazily thought, before her more disciplined self shouted it into oblivion.  

“No... nothing’s wrong!” she waved back, bravado on her face.  _Go back to managing the people!  Go back to being the leader you are!  Then I can...._ she started to think, before finally, inevitably, she sighed in surrender.

_I won’t be able to stop thinking of you,_ she realized.

“You sure?” he yelled back, making his way past ranks of guardsmen and soldiers, towards her.  “You look like something’s wrong. You have for a while now.”

He reached out and held her shoulders, the same way he’d done whenever he thought she’d been lying about something that was wrong.  She felt those hands on her shoulders again, those comforting hands.  Her mind shouted at her body to stiffen, to break away from this contact, but her instincts overruled her brain, and she felt herself relax.  

_Felonca... just surrender to it.  You can love him, just from a distance... then maybe... maybe one day..._ 

She closed her eyes and gave another sigh. _That’s why you haven’t told him yet of what Yuandi told you.  

You want him for yourself... you’ve had him basically that way for almost a half year now...

If he takes his rightful place, at best you’ll share him with an Empire full of others... and at worst..._

She squeezed her eyes tight, trying to banish the thought of never seeing him again, never being able to talk to him, to see those eyes...

“Something’s wrong.  Tell me,” he said simply, at absolutely the right time.

_He cares for you too,_ she thought quietly, _He’d never intentionally abandon you, even if he became Emperor..._  She leaned back a slight bit more, and her mind finally came to a decision...

_You will be Emperor if you desire, I’ll make sure of that, and then…then you can decide if there is room for me in your life. The choice will be yours…my dearest friend. _ 

Her eyes opened and she was able to meet Nayu’s confused brown eyes with a genuine smile. 

“No.  Everything’s fine now,” she said quietly.  His look of confusion grew for a moment, before he gave her a grin she thought looked positively boyish.

“Good.  And if you want to talk about it, I’m ready to listen,” he replied.  “After all, I can’t have my right-hand man, I mean kitty, feeling bad about something!”  The hands on the shoulders became a momentary hug, then a pat on the back, before he was gone again, shouting at some poor sop that had turned his cart, blocking the road.

_There he goes...

...an Emperor._



“Someone help him get that cart upright!” Nayu barked, and instantly two soldiers were down, flipping the cart right-side up, and hurriedly tossing its former contents back into its hold.  Within a few minutes, the cart was ambling along its way again, and the crowds of people were yet again moving.

He watched the masses for a few more seconds, before he felt an eerie presence on the back of his neck.  Turning around, he realized his instincts had been right, as Won Wei smiled and gave him a bow.

“The troops have been finally disposed as you have advised, and the Emperor has commanded,” the scholar said.  “May the Heavens bless you if your cleverness is proven right.”

“May the Heavens preserve us if my cleverness is right,” Nayu replied wryly.   For a moment, his mind jumped back to several months earlier, when he had served as Hu’s temporary double.  “The Prince of Langya is a tricky man... directness is not his usual approach.”  After a second, Nayu nodded, his mind assured.  “He’ll try that trick, if he’s as intelligent as I think.”

“I trust you see him through and through... you two do look like brothers, even,” Won Wei said, drawing up alongside Nayu.  “If he had stationed our troops on the Middle Walls as I and Quan-Shi had recommended, and he _did_ teleport his arcane masters inside the walls behind them...”

“We’d have quite a few dead soldiers, and a sacked city,” Nayu finished the thought, before he furrowed his brow again.  “Are you sure that if the scholars formed their arcane might, they can keep his people from teleporting any further in?”

Won Wei gave a slight, nervous laugh.  “That is the twelfth time you have asked me that question, and I believe this will be the twelfth time I have said yes.”  He smiled and turned to Nayu.  “For someone as young as yourself, you do worry quite a bit... a good trait to have in a governor once this is all done... in contrast to some of the fools the Dowager Empress allowed to remain.”  His eyebrows darkened momentarily as he frowned.  “How old are you, young Wakabayashi?  You surely cannot be thirty.”

“I am almost eighteen, Master Wei,” Nayu grinned when Won Wei spun around, his eyes wide in shock.  

  “That’s it?!” he partially squeaked.  “Eighteen and you have done this much, and your powers are this great!?”

“Is something wrong, Master Wei?” 

“In five years, ten years... the Heaven’s preserve us from what you could do!” the older scholar said quietly, shock having taken all the sound from his voice.

“Heaven’s preserve Hu and his allies, you mean,” Nayu corrected. _I have no intentions of turning against you, or the other scholars... you’re dong too much good, trying to help people instead of hurt them like the Empress..._

“Excellency!  Excellency!”

“What?” Nayu turned, annoyance high in his voice.  He had grown fond of conversing with Won Wei, yet interruptions seemed to abound.  _They’re calling me ‘excellency’ already... which is something good I suppose, though this endless stream of messengers is annoying to the extreme._  He regretted his snappish response when he saw the young man before him, barefoot and ragged, breathing heavily as if the very spirits of the past were running him down.

“Northern wall sentries report a huge cloud of dust to the north!” the man breathlessly yelled, before stumbling forward and then to the ground.  “They think that...”

“It’s Prince Hu’s army, yes,” Nayu finished the man’s sentence, before turning to some of the more idle scholars nearby.  “Someone fetch this man water!”  

As some nearby attendants rushed off to find the messenger some sustenance, Nayu looked off towards the north.  While he saw no clouds of dust, only a blind man would not have been able to see the immense, powerful thunderhead forming in the sky...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The Assault on Liaoxiang, Part Three*

Night fell, and even as darkness began to sweep over the land, Nayu’s focus remained clear as a bell, the same emotions that had run strong at Xianfung, and even earlier at the small village besieged by giants, now burned even brighter.  With a concerned eye, looked to the gate under his feet, as the last of the refugees from the city trickled out, the last few pieces of sand at the end of an immense avalanche that was now long outside the city gates to the south, fleeing hard.

_Ancestors protect them,_ he whispered a silent prayer, as a stiff wind finally came from the south, rushing from behind towards the towering storm clouds to their front, the setting sun seemingly setting them ablaze...

“The clerics of Shenyang are now in place,” he heard a sharp yet feminine voice say over the sharp whistle of the growing wind.  He turned, and Yari Ai seemed to stiffen slightly under his gaze.  He noticed immediately a change, and gave her a smile.

“Did someone twist your arm into wearing that armor?” Nayu asked, and Yari Ai gave a rather sheepish smile, looking down momentarily at the battlements under their feet.  The move made her chain armor jingle.

“A little,” she replied.  “I believe my temple elders called my battle activities without armor, ‘foolish.’  Though,” she added, “this armor isn’t too bad.  Its rather light, so I can still move if needbe... I refuse to wear the heavy lamellar that the soldiers wear.”  She made a face.  “Too restricting.”

Nayu nodded.  “Did you enjoy the city?” he asked, momentarily looking out at the advancing thunderhead, before back at his friend.  They hadn’t seen each other since the small group’s arrival in Liaoxiang... considering Yari Ai’s past, they’d collectively agreed it was far too dangerous for her to accompany Nayu and Felonca into the Jade City.  Her presence might have not only endangered herself, but her two friends as well.  Their other companions, Selim and Meiji, had both thought it best they didn’t appear in the Jade City as well... Meiji as he was interested in exploring the ‘cultural aspects of the capital,’ and Selim because, evidently, he was a known face with a reputation among some within the Jade City...

“Well, after Meiji and Selim disappeared to who knows where, I only got to the temple of Shenyang two days ago,” Yari Ai confessed with a lop-sided grin.  “After the Imperial agents that had been tailing me finally stopped their stalking my every move, but that’s another story,” she waved off a situation that sounded to Nayu like it could have been a tale in and of itself.  “I’m guessing they must have received word from above that the palace situation had changed a bit?”  The smile became a mischevious grin.

“Likely,” Nayu looked past Yari Ai towards Felonca, who was busily directing soldiers along the battlements, even as her own father lectured her on how _she_ needed to be wearing heavier armor.  “Looks like the person who got the word out is getting the same lecture you got.”

Yari Ai started to look over as well, before a sudden brilliant flash flared up before their eyes, clearing well within the outer walls of the city.

_So... Hu calls himself clever,_ Nayu thought, watching as the first explosion of a _fireball_ was followed by more, rippling, rumbling from just inside the outermost of the walls of Liaoxiang.  Just as Nayu predicted, Hu had begun his attack by sneaking in scholars and mages to attack from behind where he thought the defenders were.

And around Nayu, the defenders, all safely further inside the city along the inner walls, stopped their conversations, all eyes watching the magical barrage that slowly seemed to engulf the outermost reaches of the city.  Instantly, within Nayu’s mind, a sea of messages sprang, as the Imperial scholars flashed reports to each other, from one mind to the next.

_”They have begun their attack.  Middle walls and Middle City unaffected.”

“Scholars appear to have teleported into the city in groups of three to five, with small retinue of bodyguards each.  It would be logical that the bodyguards are well trained.”

“Hu’s mages have begun to teleport again.”

They’re now going to jump into the Middle City... they realize we aren’t on the outermost walls..._ Nayu mused, adding that thought to the messages ranging among the scholars, before adding another.  _”Once we know they’re within the Middle City, we spring our own trap.”_  Moments later, new flares arose along the walls of the Middle City, as Hu’s scholars teleported in and immediately blasted the walls.  It would be only minutes before they realized they’d hit nothing... a window of only minutes where they would be confused...

_”Now,”_ Nayu mentally transmitted, and within seconds he heard voices along the wall barking commands.

“Felonca!” Nayu called, and his friend spun around from her staring at the new flares along the walls.  “We’re going in!  Tell your family members!”  His friend nodded, and started to turn, before she suddenly stopped, faced Nayu again, and snapped a salute...



“Wa-Fengs!” Felonca shouted a moment later, catching the attention of her father, uncle and cousin, “We ride!”  By the time she reached them, she instinctively felt that Nayu and Yari Ai were just behind them.  

Part of her wanted to ask Nayu again if this _teleportation_ was safe.  Sure, Hu’s people were doing it en masse, but then again, Hu seemed to have an abject disregard for life.  Nayu had never displayed magic this powerful before... starting fires and creating lightning bolts was impressive in its own right, but being able to move people great distances in the blink of an eye...

“Close your eyes,” she heard him command.  “When we arrive, we should be directly in the middle of a group of enemies.  After that, you all know what to do,” he said, even as she felt the first tendrils of magic beginning to whirl about them, spinning around her again and again, a dull roar coming to her ears.

There seemed to be a bright flash, bright enough that it showed through her closed eyelids.  _An illusion of some kind,_ she realized, remembering Hu’s scholars had not shown any flash to her normal eyes.  She felt a sensation of falling without end, of spinning about furiously, twisting, as if she was being stretched.  Just as suddenly as it started, the dull roar ended, and now her ears were assaulted with the noise of yelling, and the crackle of flames, her nose assaulted with the smell of burnt wood and sulfur.

Felonca opened her eyes.  They had teleported in the midst of a residential street, wooden homes surrounding them on all sides.  A few blocks away, flames rose from one of the preemptive _fireballs_ Hu’s people had launched, the orange glow dull in the growing mist of the night.  And standing the street in front of them, stood four men clad in robes, looks of shock and horror on their faces.

“Get them!” Nayu shouted, and as Felonca began to draw her bow, she heard the _twang_ of Meiji’s bow in the air.  A moment later, one of Hu’s scholars toppled over, an arrow coming from his shoulder.  The other three looked at their downed comrade, and started to make arcane symbols over their heads, only moments before Felonca’s arrow ripped through the neck of one, while Felonxi and Dian shredded the other two with their blades.  Meiji finished the last one with his scimitar with ease.  

“Well, that wasn’t so bad!” Dian laughed, wiping his blade on the robe of the scholar he’d decapitated.  “Poor bastards!”

“Remember,” Nayu said, looking around carefully, “there are escorts to these spellcasters.  We might have to destroy them as well.” 

Felonca sniffed, her hybrid nose picking of something strange in the air.  Above the smells of sulfur, of burnt wood, and now of blood, she smelled something else... something faint, that she’d smelled once before.  _It almost smells like..._

At that moment, Felonca saw a momentary shape in the shadows between two houses, and had only an instant’s warning before she felt something big and heavy, like a crossbow bolt, whoosh only mere inches from her head.  The next second, she heard her uncle cry out in pain, as four strange creatures leapt from the shadows between the houses.

Each reminded Felonca of the rakshasa they had fought long ago... a tiger’s head on their bodies, save their fur was entirely jet black.  Their hands were jointed backwards, just like a rakshasa’s, though instead of robes and magical components, each wore midnight black chainmail, and held great and wicked kukris in their twisted hands.  In the light from the nearby fires, Felonca saw the blades gleam with an unearthly shine.

“Poison!” she called out, backing towards the other members of their strike group.  She took only a moment to glance back, and saw that her uncle was only slowly climbing to his feet, a crossbow bolt wedged into his shoulder.  _He’s been poisoned!_  “Yari Ai!  Look to my uncle!” Felonca barked, her eyes returning to the nearest of the assassins before narrowing.  _You’ll regret tangling with me!_ she snarled.

The rakshasa directly before her slowly stalked forward, moving slightly to the right, then the left, its eyes watching for any weakness as Felonca quietly echoed the moves.  Her brain heard Meiji’s voice start in a song, and as she sank back into her training, she had enough time to wonder if her cousin was going to make the rakshasa’s giggle like he’d done with the gnomes so long ago.  

At that moment, the rakshasa struck.

It leapt forward, both its kukri’s poised to strike at her chest, yet with the speed and grace of her ancestry, Felonca side-stepped the blow, before whipping her body around hard, putting every ounce of power into her warfans.  One caught the rakshasa in the side, ripping open his lower back, while the other caught his neck.  The assassin tumbled to the ground, and in seamless motion with her first strike, Felonca finished him off.  

She looked up, in time to see her father shatter the kukri of another assassin, the poor rakshasa backing away as the huge panther hengeyokai gave pursuit, his far longer and larger sword poised to end the struggle, while Yari Ai and Uncle Dian, disabled as he might be, held off another assassin.  The third lay on the ground before Meiji, shaking and trembling uncontrollably, as the bard sang.



Nayu felt the magical power that he’d summoned quickly die back down, as it became obvious his assistance wasn’t needed.  _I could use that lightning bolt at some other point this night,_ he thought, watching Felonxi cut down the assassin in front of him, as the assassin by Meiji suddenly leapt up, and began to simply run in circles.  _Insanity,_ Nayu thought, looking at the bard’s work.  _Rather appropriate..._

_”Hello, young Wakabayashi...”_

Nayu immediately froze.  The voice was thin, reedy, and raspy, not belonging to any scholar that Nayu knew.  Nayu felt something, someone pushing on the edges of his mind, ever so slightly.  He turned, and through the mist far up the street, he could see two brilliant blue eyes, blazing deep into his soul.

_”It seems the paper tiger has come forth...”_ Nayu shot back, now recognizing the mental voice of the camp commandant, the same rakshasa that had slain Liu long ago.  The rakshasa that had fled before they had a chance to extract their revenge.

_”Insolent little brat!”_ the voice rasped, the blue eyes growing brighter and brighter.  _”Do you not know I have the power to crush your pathetic little mind!  To rip it to shreds as I please?”

Go ahead and try,”_ Nayu let himself smirk.  _You don’t realize what I have with me..._  For a moment, he felt a sharp push on his mind, as if someone was launching a battering ram against the gates of this thoughts.  He felt Kongxi’s cap warming on his head, and he smiled as he heard the rakshasa scream from up the road, the cap not only deflecting his attempt to break into Nayu’s mind, but attacking the rakshasa in return.  The brilliant blue eyes disappeared for a moment, then returned, far dimmer.

“You insolent little brat...” the rakshasa’s voice hissed audibly.  

Nayu smirked again, feeling the magic he had dismissed rapidly returning.  A moment later, black, swirling bolts of energy lashed from Nayu’s hand, dashing into the mist, and wrapping around those brilliant blue eyes.  Nayu felt himself grow stronger, more powerful, as he felt the magical powers of the rakshasa being sucked away from the rakshasa, to be tossed into the infinite void.  Once again, the brilliant blue eyes faded.

Nayu started to walk towards those eyes, even as he heard the noise of Felonca leaping into battle with the assassin still threatening Yari Ai and her uncle.  _”You’ve caused a great deal of pain,”_ Nayu spoke to the voice as the rakshasa finally became visible, his ragged and mangy white fur seemingly wilted from Nayu’s attack.  “But now,” the sorcerer said aloud, feeling another magical storm building in his hands, “its time for you to die.”

Nayu lashed his hand out yet again, and this time a crackling bolt of lightning, filled with all the malice and anger he could muster, launched from his fingertips straight at the rakshasa.  But where Nayu expected the creature to collapse, arcs of electricity running over its body, instead a ring on the creature’s right hand glowed unnaturally bright.  Nayu focused more power into his lightning bolt, only to see the ring grow brighter still, until suddenly, a flash leapt from the ring, and Nayu screamed.

The sorcerer found himself laying on his back on the cobblestone street, his robes scorched, small wisps of smoke rising from his charred clothing.  Around him, he smelled the thick odor of ozone.  Every muscle in his body screamed in pain, and every slight movement that brought his clothes rustling over his skin produced great pain.

_My lightning bolt... he must have reflected it back at me,_ Nayu realized, forcing himself to sit up, as he desperately tried to fight through the pain to tap his magic.  _I need to defend myself..._ he thought, expecting to see the rakshasa running at him.

Instead, the beast merely stood, rooted in the same spot, its body bent, wracked by the _enervation_ Nayu had launched at it earlier.  Its breaths came rapidly, its wheezing so loud that Nayu could clearly hear the gasps.  The sorcerer also heard the noise of running feet, and felt behind him the presence of Felonca and her family, the Wa-Feng already arraying themselves, readying to run at the creature and cut it down.

Yet despite its decrepit state, despite its certain doom, the beast had a smile on its lips.  

Nayu frowned, before suddenly his eyes widened, as even through the pain, he saw why the creature still had a thin, bloody grin on its lips, as just barely visible in the mist was a titan, a figure of legend...

And Nayu fought his hardest to remain conscious... to warn his friends...



Felonca’s first thought was her friend, and she rushed up to Nayu, kneeling beside him.  _Nayu!  Be alright!  Please!_  His robes had been badly burned, and it was apparent the burns continued underneath to his own skin.  His own breathing was shallow and weak.  Before Felonca could call, Yari Ai was beside her, already beginning healing ministrations.

“Hold on, Nayu,” Felonca whispered, putting a hand on her friend’s forehead before gently touching his face.  _Hold on!  Don’t die on me!  You can’t die on me!_  “Yari Ai will help you.”

“Felonca...” she heard Nayu whisper, before a spate of coughing robbed him of his voice.  His eyes seemed to flicker for a moment, as he momentarily slipped in and out of consciousness.  Finally, his eyes opened, and it looked as if it was requiring all of his strength to keep himself from slipping away.

“I’m right here, Nayu,” she said encouragingly.  _Please... hold on for just a moment, until Yari Ai can complete her healing!_

“It’s...” he managed to hiss, before a series of unintelligible words came from his mouth, then his eyes closed.  For a moment, Felonca panicked, till she saw that his chest still rose and fell in ragged breaths.

“He’s unconscious.  It is probably for the best,” Yari Ai said quietly, before her voice rose in quiet prayer.

_It is for the best... he’ll feel less pain that way,_ Felonca tried to tell herself, yet the pain was real, and deep, so much so that she didn’t, couldn’t focus on the words he had tried to say.  Instead, as she rose, she looked directly at the rakshasa, her eyes burning with hatred and rage.

“You’ve hurt me and mine for the last time,” she hissed, her warfans opening with an audible, deadly _click_.  _Shiver!  I want to see you shiver before I slash your throat!_ she mentally screamed.  Despite her wishes, the rakshasa did not shiver, did not quake, but instead still half-stood, its thin, weak form still smiling.

“You are foolish, Wa-Feng!” it laughed, the gesture making its emaciated form shake.  A single, weak clawed finger pointed across the space between them, towards her family, assembled in ragged line.  “All of you are fools,” the voice continued, “and you’ve finally fallen into our trap!”

“Our trap?” Felonca’s father growled, “I only see one of you, little wretch, though as soon as my sword’s done, you’ll be in two pieces!”

“Confident Felonxi,” the rakshasa grinned, “You were always a loud-mouth in my camp.  Now, let us see how well the loud mouth can be backed by a sharp blade!”

Felonca’s eyes, like the others, were so focused on the rakshasa that she didn’t notice the looming shadow in the growing darkness until the immense figure pushed past the rakshasa.  The man was huge, fully nine feet tall, his form shrouded in huge lamellar armor that positively glowed with magical power.  His green eyes bore directly into Felonca, as his tiger lips curled back into a ferocious snarl at her scent.  In one hand, a katana that seemed to scream of a keen and sharp edge glinted in the night.  In the other hand, a rough and pitted greataxe hung like a sword of doom.

“My dearest Felonca,” General Hsiu, ex-commandant of the Hsiu-lan Military Academy, grinned, bearing his fangs.  “I have been waiting months for this day...”

================================================

Nayu and Felonca’s players were very clever... they guessed well at what the Langya plan would be, and developed a counterattack plan that worked well... let the Langya scholars teleport in, then surprise them with groups of scholars and warriors, hopefully killing off many of their spellcasters before the battle was too far along.

The fight with the spellcasters was, shall we say, a classic example of “when low HP wizards meet damage inflicting fighters.”  It was quick, and brutal... the spellcasters rolled horrible on their initiatives, and as a result, were mowed down.

In comparison, their nazaruthe rakshasa escorts, specialized assassins, had high initiatives, and managed to poison Dian, as well as cut Yari Ai and hold up Felonca and Felonxi long enough for the rakshasa who killed poor Liu long ago to try to take on Nayu mano-a mano.  Nayu’s enervation robbed the rakshasa of quite a bit of his spell power, but then Nayu’s ill-fated lightning bolt (the rakshasa had a ring that would reflect one lighting bolt spell) knocked the sorcerer down from full strength, to, if I remember correctly something along the lines of 4 or 5 hp.  Not to mention there was no way he would come anywhere close to passing _that_ concentration check.

As this happened, Felonca and gang took care of the last of the assassins, and were ready to turn their attention to the rakshasa, when, lo and behold, the evil Master Hsiu makes his appearance... 

Speaking of which...
Here's an picture of Master Hsiu Li, as created long ago by an artist on these boards.


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

*low whistle* Nice.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

And should anyone like to have a full tiger hengeyokai like Hsiu in their game, here is the template I created.  In most cases, it is identical to the standard hengeyokai template, except for the following:

*Bonuses:* +2 Str, +2 Dex  (representing the strength and comparative quickness of the big felines) -2 Wis (standard hengeyokai penalty)
*Size:* Size changes to Large creature
*Shapechange:* The tiger hengeyokai (obviously) when she she changes shape will go to either hybrid tiger-human, or a full tiger (with MM statistics)
*ECL:* +3 (that is my roughest guess... it might be higher.  Never became an issue as the template was only applied to a big bad NPC)
*CR Modification:* +2? (I did only a rough guess and winged this combat... does that sound about right?)


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Facing the Master*

A lump filled Felonca’s throat, as the apparition from her past loomed in the firelit mist.  She shuddered as the dull rumble of the tiger hengeyokai’s growl echoed off of the surrounding houses, his two titanic weapons each taller than she was.  Instinctively, she raised her warfans in a defensive stance, even as her mind went overboard, trying to think of how to defeat such a powerful foe.

_Hsiu is subtle,_ she reminded herself.  The big tiger had all the advantages – both size and power – yet she knew he was cunning  _He was the first to tell all us cadets the value of traps, of deviousness on the battlefield..._  She watched carefully, as he almost casually twirled his katana about, slowly coming closer.  _He’s flexing his wrists, keeping them loose so he can spin his blade and slash quicker..._

“Hsiu Lin!” Felonca’s father bellowed, the family longsword long ago drawn, “I do not know what you did to my daughter, but you’ll pay for it today!”  Hefting his sword high above his head, Felonxi lunged forward, followed shortly by the hobbling Dian.  

Most mortals would have recoiled at having the two heads of the Wa-Feng clan charging them, yet Hsiu merely bared his teeth in a ferocious grin.  With a mighty swing from the flat of his axe, Hsiu sent Dian tumbling through the air, even as his katana easily blocked Felonxi’s attacks. As Dian landed hard against a house and was knocked unconscious, Hsiu gave a snarl, the monstrous general turned his entire attention to the smaller Felonxi, swinging and slashing with unbridled fury.

“Papa!” Felonca yelled, recognizing the danger.  _Hsiu is bigger, and has two weapons to papa’s one!_  For a moment she stood rooted in place by fear, watching as her father was almost instantly forced on the defensive, his sword blocking each powerful blow from Hsiu’s larger, more powerful strokes.  

In a panic, she looked around.  Meiji was still dispatching the last of the assassins.  Nayu was still sprawled on the street, Yari Ai bent over him, trying to heal him the best she could.  With sickening suddenness, Felonca realized she and her father were alone... not just against Hsiu, but the rakshasa still hiding behind the immense fighter.

_I have to help him!_  She knew that head-on, she stood no match against the gigantic warrior.  His immense blade and hammer would likely slice through and crush her warfans respectively.  But if she could get behind him, she knew she had something that _could_ stop the powerful warrior...something that she was afraid to use, but to save her friends, her father, to save Nayu…

A deep dark feeling begin to bubble up in her chest. A feeling she had never had before, that scared her almost as much as she craved its strength. Almost without thinking she shifted to hybid.  As her father backed up, furiously swinging to avoid the Hsiu’s attacks, she dashed, low and fast, behind the taller Felonxi, her black leather clothing and dark skin quickly melding into the shadows between the houses.

_Keep backing up, papa..._ she wished, as the deadly duel grew closer and closer to her, as her hand slipped down towards her boot, and wrapped around the cold silver hilt of the very weapon she had wanted to destroy.  All of her being wanted to leap out into the fight _right now_, to fight side by side with her father, to help him.  But she knew doing that would only mean both their doom.

_Surprise is my ally,_ she whispered to herself.  _I will strike like a snake from the shadows.  I will take Hsiu down when he least expects it..._  Despite the mantra she repeated in her mind, she found it hard to remain quiet, and watch her father suffer under the withering blows.

Ferociously, seemingly with all the inevitability of a flood washing across the land, Hsiu’s blades clashed and clanged with her father’s sword, and bit by bit, she could see her father slowly becoming overwhelmed.  A cut to his armor here, a chink knocked away there, as Felonxi was forced back.  Finally, his longsword responded a split second too slow, and Felonca watched in horror as Hsiu’s greataxe crushed into her father’s stomach, the force of the blow spinning Felonxi around.  With frightening elegance, Hsiu spung his katana around, and slammed the blade hilt-deep into Felonxi’s back.

_PAPA!!!_ Felonca wanted to scream, barely muffling herself from doing so.  As she looked on in terror, Hsiu put his foot on her father’s back, and shoved the motionless body of Felonxi several feet forward onto the cobblestones below, just past the alley where Felonca huddled, hidden.

_Papa..._ she watched as the massive Hsiu chuckled, and lazily twirled his blades, his eyes looking about the deepening mists.  Felonca’s hands shuddered as she watched the prone body on the street, no movement coming from its battered form.  _Papa..._

“Here kitty kitty,” the rumbling bass of the tiger crooned, those fierce green eyes seeming to gloom in the doom.  “Come out Felonca... its just you and me now...”  He looked about, until chillingly, his eyes stopped, staring directly up the small alley in which Felonca was hiding.  His lips curled into a teeth baring smile.  “Ah... so the black cat hides in an alley... how... appropriate...”

_Close to the wall, Felonca..._ she told herself, squeezing tighter against the wall, her eyes closed as she squeezed back tears.  _Closer!  Blend with the darkness!_  She gripped the dagger hard in one hand, Kongxi’s Warfan tightly in the other.

“Where are you, little one?” Hsiu called, lumbering closer and closer to the alley entrance.  “Come out and...”

Hsiu’s sentence was stopped short by an immense thunderclap, a bright flash that for a split second, illuminated the entire alley in a bluish glow.  Just as quickly, the flash disappeared, the loud explosion now nothing more than rumbles echoing off  of the city.  The air stank of ozone, and when Felonca opened her eyes, she saw Hsiu staring towards the street, smoke rising in wisps from his great armor...

“Little wretch!” he snarled, now lumbering back out to the street.  “This isn’t your fight, you little peasant!  Want-to-be king!”  

Felonca immediately recognized her chance, as the tiger hengeyokai’s back was wide open to her.  Her military training came back to her, as she slipped away from the wall, to the middle of the alley, her muscles tensing, readying...


_ “Wrong, Wa-Feng!” her instructor’s voice snarled, and Felonca fought to keep her temper under control.  She’s struck the melon dead on with her blow, and despite the helm covering it, had knocked the fruit from the post it had been mounted on.  

“But sir, that blow would’ve have knocked a target unconscious!” she complained.  For five years she’d listened to the constant harassment, and she was already growing tired of the complaints.  No other cadet that was twenty was treated as she was, and she knew that an unconscious opponent could be dispatched with ease...

“Wrong AGAIN, Wa-Feng!” her instructor bellowed.  “Never, NEVER go to merely knock out a dangerous foe!  Bai-Long Mao, what should one do when one has the chance to attack an unsuspecting foe?”

Felonca turned, and glared at the young White Wolf, who was beaming at the chance to show her up.  She managed to keep the growl in her throat quiet... that would have only inspired her instructor’s ire more.

“You must kill them, sir, by slashing apart their neck!” the White Wolf smiled as he delivered the answer, and Felonca felt the back of her eyes growing hot.  She already knew what was coming... she expected having to do hours of extra physical training, past the point of pain.  What angered her, was that Bai-Long Mao was getting a laugh at her expense...

“Correct, Bai-Long Mao.  Now, Miss Wa-Feng, you will give me seventy pushups for your error,” Master Hsiu Lin growled, his tiger eyes glowing with pleasure at another chance to break her...


The neck,_ Felonca looked, shifting into hybrid, spotting that as Hsiu lowered his head, looking down towards the street, a tiny gap opened in his armor at the base of his neck.  _The neck,_ she repeated to herself, clutching her weapons tight, as she started to run.  _The neck!_ Her muscles twisted in honed practice, her body leapt airborne, high enough for her weapons to get a clear strike, as finally, a banshee, screaming wail came from her lips as she jammed her warfan into one side of Hsiu’s neck, the infamous dagger into the other.

She wrapped her legs around his midsection, gaining a grip, pressing her body close to keep him from being able to throw her off.  As he let loose an immense roar of pain, she twisted the dagger hard, jamming it deeper and deeper into his neck, her own scream echoing through the streets.

Hsiu thrashed, swinging wildly, but Felonca was pressed too close to his back.  The tiger dropped his weapons, his immense paws reaching back, trying to claw her off, yet she only pressed herself closer, twisting the dagger more and more, her eyes closed with anger, hate and tears.   _Kill him!_ she mentally screamed at the dagger.

Then, she felt it.

At first, she felt a slight warmth along his armor, a warmth that quickly grew hotter and hotter, until she was forced to release her grip.  Gracefully, she backflipped off of her perch, landing on the cobblestone streets, looking up just in time to see Hsiu turn towards her.

The immense hengeyokai bore no weapons... instead his hands clutched his throat, clawing, fighting, as if he could rip his throat open and pull out whatever was choking him.  His green eye were wide with fright, as smoky wisps began to emerge from every joint and hole in his armor.  Finally, one of his paws wrapped around the dagger, and pulled it from his neck.  As his body shuddered and shook, those green eyes had enough time to see the blade and grow wide with absolute terror, before twin roaring tongues of flames blasted from the orbs.  Flames erupted from his mouth, smoke poured from out of his armor, as Hsiu screamed in agony.  First, he fell to his knees, his paws clawing and scratching his throat more... then, moments later, the cries died to nothing, as his burning corpse fell forward into the street.

Felonca spun around, and saw the rakshasa standing there, still haggard and hobbling, but with blue eyes wide with fear instead of confidence.  She reached for her waist, and pulled out her remaining warfan, her eyes set.  _Now, its your turn..._  She started walking forward.

“No...” the rakshasa whispered, its hands raised as it backed away slowly, painfully...

Felonca brought her warfan across her body, then with a quick snap of her shoulder, let the warfan fly.  It cut through the air in a perfect arc, before planting itself in the hapless creature’s neck.  As its body fell forward, the rakshasa’s head bounced up the street.

She bared her teeth and growled as the hunter's passion of the kill went through her limbs, the ancient panther in her soul roaring to the surface. But as she turned back around to watch the bones of her old nemesis burn down into nothing, the panther in her faded back into the depths of her mind, and her body went slack as the weight of what had happened fell onto her. Beyond the still burning hulk of Master Hsiu, she saw the battered figure of a black panther, his shattered white armor now stained bright red. Yari Ai, her chain mail tinkling in the dark, hovered over Felonxi, while to her side, Nayu stood, bloody and unsteady.

_No… _Felonca dashed over beside Yari Ai. The cleric had already turned Felonxi over, and now Felonca could see the full extent of the damage.

His chest armor had been slashed with such a powerful blow that its scales had been shredded away, leaving a deep, bloody wound. From his stomach, blood bubbled and gurgled, from where Hsiu’s katana had stabbed completely through the hengeyokai’s body. From the corner of his lips, blood dribbled onto the cobblestones below.

Felonca felt tears blur her sight, but she restrained them, and reaching out, she gently wiped blood from her father’s face. _If father dies…he died in battle. It’s what he would have wanted…_

“He’s gravely wounded,” Yari Ai said hurriedly, “and unless we head back to the wall now, he’ll die,” she said bluntly. She looked up at Felonca. “There’s nothing I can do here... Hu’s people will probably be swarming over this area before I’m even partly done healing him. We have to go.”

Felonca nodded, and turned to retrieve her weapons, knowing that that’s what her father would have wanted. The night felt unreal as, kneeling, she retrieved the dagger from the ashes that had been her old master. The blade glinted in the light of the fires that still burned all around. 

A pair of shaky hands reached around and gave her a hug from behind. She leaned back into Nayu and closed her eyes, for a moment not caring anymore about feelings, needing only the presence of someone she loved. 

“We need to go, Felonca…” Nayu’s voice was stronger than she thought his shaking frame could support. _My Emperor… _Turning halfway toward him, she lifted her head and raised the dagger between them.

For a moment, they stared into each other’s eyes, emotions unreadable, then Felonca sighed and lowered her eyes to stare at the dagger. “I hate this thing…” she whispered, so soft he could hardly hear. “Every time that I use it…I feel like a piece of my soul is taken away.”

Nayu swallowed, not sure what to say. “Felonca…” he began, lifting his hand.

What he was going to say was never finished, as from above, the sky flashed red, then orange, before the pregnant clouds let loose a torrent of droplets. 

Yet this rain was not one of water, but of fire...

======================================================

Hsiu, to begin with, was accosted by the injured Dian and Felonxi (being run by Felonca’s player), and the behemoth, with ease, knocked Dian aside, then hammered on Felonxi until he was down to –7 hit points (critting with the katana _and_ the greataxe will do that).  He then turned, and started hunting for Felonca (after all, the prissy little human cleric and the badly wounded sorcerer didn’t look like threats).

Nayu had rested for a round, and then launched a nasty lightning bolt at Hsiu, which of course got the hengeyokai’s attention.  When he turned around, Felonca attacked him from behind, (sneak attack, something like 8d6) and more importantly, stabbed him with the dagger.  I randomly rolled up what the dagger did... in this case, it sucked away 8 of Hsiu’s Con, dropping his hit points to the point it killed him instantly.  Felonca then turned, dispatched the crippled rakshasa, only to arrive back to find her father is dying.

This also marks the end of the 11th session... yes, we did end on the cliffhanger.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

EDIT - ending of the previous post changed, with a better ending provided by Felonca's player.


----------



## Krafus

A rain of fire, eh? I look forward to learning just what that means.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

I haven't been able to check in for a while, which was a bit frustrating. But the upside is that on getting back, I find four superb updates!!   

The siege of Liaoxiang has been really excellent stuff, so far, Emperor V. And Felonca's duel with Hsiu even better. I'm really glad that it was she who faced up to her nemesis in the end - albeit with a little help from Nayu.

Now for the destruction of Prince Hu!!


----------



## TDRandall

EXCELLENT update - as always.

You really have a way of pacing and wording the action, environment, history, emotions, etc. all together to keep me rivited to the seat wondering how things are going to play out.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Striking Back*

Felonca momentarily gaped, as the sky grew orange and pregnant.  As the first tiny specks of fire fell, his mind immediately jumped back to her father’s tale of what had happened to Quan-Shi’s great army, when it had confronted the Prince on the field of battle... of how fire and wind ripped it apart, how lightning had shredded its ranks, how hail had pounded it into oblivion.

“Nayu!  We need out now!” she barked unnecessarily as both she and Yari Ai struggled to haul Felonxi under a stone awning, before dragging the unconscious Dian beside his dying brother.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the sorcerer begin moving his hands around his battered body.  Meiji finally came back, and she shoved him into the pile of people beside Nayu.

_We need out of here!

Papa needs out of here..._

Shakily, her father’s chest rose and fell, his breaths shallow and quick, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth even as it oozed from his wounds.  Yari Ai looked up at Felonca, her eyes growing more desperate.

“Nayu hurry!” Felonca turned, as if the words would speed up his arcane magic.  Inside her mind, conflict arose as she looked at him with fright.   _Teleport now!_ part of her shouted, wanting to see her father and uncle saved.  Another part worried intensely.  _Don’t hurt yourself!  Please!

Ancestors protect me if something should happen to you..._

She saw her Emperor flash her a look, icy only in that he didn’t want any more interruption.  _Hu himself is here... he’s somewhere north of the wall..._ Felonca thought grimly, thinking to herself as rapidly the wooden houses in the area began to catch alight, choking smoke beginning to grow and billow, just as the air around them seemed to grow thick, and the world began to whirl.

They materialized back on the battlements of the Inner Wall, and immediately Felonca couldn’t help but to turn her eyes skyward.  Instead of fine droplets of flame falling from the heavens, the air above seemed to glow, a solid sheet of flame dancing only twenty feet above their heads.  

_The Fire!_ Felonca’s mind panicked, and she immediately lunged, knocking Nayu over the prone body of her father, before landing on top of them both.  Awkwardly, she spread herself as much as she could, trying to protect both taller people, her eyes closed tight as she expected fiery heat to incinerate her back...

“Ow,” she heard Nayu say breathlessly.  She opened her eyes, and saw she was only inches from his face... and those brown eyes.  They were wide open, and she felt his arm wiggle free from under her, until he began to push her off.  

_But the flames!  If I move..._  She started to protest, till she realized no fire was raining on her back, no pain was searing her body.  She rolled off of him.

“Excellency, Shao Wa-Feng!” she heard Won Wei’s voice call, and soon hands hefted her back up, and were quickly helping up Nayu as well.  

“Someone fetch a healer for Shang Wa-Feng and Master Wakabayashi!” Won Wei barked, before turning back to Felonca and Nayu. His face was blackened, and it looked as if the fine robes he wore were partially scorched.

“Something’s stopping the fire,” Felonca thought aloud, as she looked up at the flaming heavens above.  The base of the flames seemed to lick mid-air some twenty feet overhead, but as she looked out into the outer city, all she could see was smoke and fire raining from the black clouds above.

“We have all of the available scholars trying to hold back Hu’s magic, Shao Wa-Feng,” Won Wei said.  “However, this means that they are not able to provide magical support to the troops... and there are no more signal flags or messages from the Middle Wall.  We can only assume the enemy is pressing onwards towards the Inner Wall...”

Felonca blinked.  _The Middle Wall... but Quan-Shi was out there, he wouldn’t surrender without a fight... 

... so they’ve gotten past him, and head towards us...

...but past us is only the Jade City itself..._  She blinked again, all eyes looking at her.  _Nayu is hurt, father is badly wounded, so is uncle, Quan-Shi is no where to be found... they’re looking at you..._  Part of Felonca shuddered at the thought, but quickly, her mind forced the fear away, focusing on the problem at hand.

“Won Wei, inform our people in the Jade City to finish gathering as many of the tomes as possible,” she said finally, “and tell them to be prepared to burn what they cannot carry.  “And tell the Emperor and his Court that they should prepare to gather their things, and be ready to teleport in a few hours time.”  She looked out across the burning city, towards the unseen hordes marching between the flames towards her.

_We HAVE to hold them for a few hours!  Just a few hours!_



“There,” a weary Yari Ai said an hour later, and Nayu winced as the cleric pulled the bandage on his stomach taut.

“Thank you,” he whispered, “You are a miracle worker,” he added, before looking over at Felonca.  _Poor girl..._ he thought, watching her loom over her father, constantly hushing him and keeping him flat on his back as Yari Ai asked.  _I know what it feels like to lose a parent... and she almost watched her father die back there..._  Silently, he shook his head, a fierce anger boiling in his chest.  _My father was killed... and Hu tried to kill hers...

...he will pay... just as the Councilor that killed my father paid..._

“Am I cleared to walk about?” Nayu asked, looking back at Yari Ai with a pained smile.  She said his pain from the electrocution would die away in a few minutes... poor Felonxi would suffer aches and pains for days after his ordeal of being brought back from the brink.  

“If you’re careful,” the cleric replied, as she put away her bandages and gave a suitable frown.  “You, Felonxi and Dian have worn me out,” she said, a smile of relief breaking through, before she gave a sigh of exhaustion.  “You cannot hurt yourself more tonight,” she added with a stern finger-point, her smile destroying whatever command those words held.

“Is he alright?”  He turned, and saw Felonca headed his way, that strange look in her eye again.  He frowned for a second, then dismissed it as concern when she came over and knelt beside him.

“I’m fine,” Nayu lied, looking at the bandages.  _Just burnt a bit, and in a tad bit of pain for the next couple hours.  That’s all._  By her eyes she didn’t believe him, but she merely sighed, the concern momentarily flickering into something else he could tell... what it was for sure, he didn’t know.

“Good,” she said, her face and eyes once again hidden behind her mask.  She helped him up, and he noticed her eyes carefully checking each and every bandage, almost as closely as she examined her father’s bindings.

_She’s really worried,_ Nayu assumed

“Really, I’m fine,” he held his hands up and gave a tense smile.  Despite the pain that came from moving, he evidently hid his discomfort well... she stopped her examination.
_She wasn’t this picky with me earlier, at the camp battle...  something’s changed.  Maybe getting so close to losing her father has made her worry..._  Mentally, he shrugged.  _If its something important... she’ll tell me._

“Good,” she gave an overly tense nod.  “Then I assume you’d like to come me and Won Wei develop some kind of plan to keep the Prince at bay?”


“The situation is rather dire,” Won Wei began the meeting about ten minutes later.

“Rather dire?” Felonca snorted, looking up at the flames dancing above their heads, held at bay by the combined arcane might of thousands of scholars.  “That’s an understatement.  Hu’s forces are pushing past the Middle Wall... soon they will be before us on the Inner Wall, and once they get here in force, there’s no way we can hold them,” Felonca said with finality.

_Great..._ Nayu thought.  _An army of walking dead, thousands of soldiers, and burning men all headed directly towards us... and nothing we can do..._

“I’ve already told the scholars still in the Jade City to prepare the Imperial Family to leave immediately,” Felonca said, before her voice grew sharp, “but the Dowager Empress is refusing to leave, and she’s causing all sorts of obstacles...”

“Leave her behind then... get the young Emperor out,” Nayu interrupted her.  _Right now the Empire needs stability, and Yuandi can at least provide a person to rally the Empire around.  In the long term... I’ll need to think of something.  The Empress can rot in the Nine Hells, as far as I’m concerned._

“But if she...”

“The Emperor is your friend?” Nayu asked, before adding, “If so, then he’ll listen to you, not his mother, and leave.  If she wants to die a fiery death, so be it.”  _I doubt anyone is going to shed a tear for her..._

“That still leaves the problem of evacuating the tomes and scrolls from within the Imperial Library,” said Won Wei.  “We will need several more hours to gather them all together, and burn those we cannot take, and with Hu’s army approaching...”

“We need a distraction, or a miracle,” Felonca finished the sentence.  Her eyes were grave, but Nayu noticed yet again that something was peeking from behind her tiredness and concern...

_A distraction..._ Nayu closed his eyes, and thought.  _An army needs many things... but this army isn’t normal.  It doesn’t need food or water... but...

...leadership..._

His eyes flashed back open, a plan in his mind.

“Okay... so,” Nayu put his hands on his hips as he looked at the maps laid before them, “does anyone know how far this damn fire spell goes from Hu?”  _Someone should know... these people are the arcane masters of the entire Celestial Empire..._  When silence greeted his ears, he looked up, confused... 

...and saw all the eyes looking at him were also confused.

“Anyone know?”  _If they could tell me, and we could figure out the furthest area affected by this spell... its a spell, most definitely... I could pinpoint where Hu is on this map, and surprise the bastard, maybe slow him down, maybe kill him... cut off the enemy’s head before they strike..._  When there was no response to his second question, he gave a quiet growl, before asking another.  “So no one has heard of a spell, or something, that can cause this fire?”

“Um... no, Excellency,” Won Wei said quietly.  At Nayu’s brief look of anger, the scholar quickly added, “We know that the fire can be resisted by standard arcane magic, as can the hail, lightning and wind.  Our problem is that it is requiring all of our efforts...”

“You already said that, Won Wei,” Nayu replied, a little more sharply than he intended.  _Dammit... so we can’t pinpoint him..._  “Won Wei,” Nayu sighed after a moment, “I understand the scholars are stretched to the limit trying to hold this off.  For that, I thank you all.  But,” he added, running a finger along the map, “if I can’t get information on this spell, we can’t get to him!”  

“Maybe,” he felt Felonca’s hand on his shoulder and squeezing slightly, “we could just teleport even further north, and sneak behind his army, and maybe ambush him...”

Something about her hand managed to catch his mind, even as the air only twenty feet above their heads continued to glow with repelled fire.  He’d felt that kind of touch only a few times in his life... his mother, most often, and something about it stuck with him.  As Felonca spoke, he felt heat rushing to his face.

_No... she’s not thinking that.  Get that from your mind,_ he told himself.

“...and a good commander will know when to lead the advance and when to hold back.  Hu’s a brilliant commander, to use my father’s words...” she continued.

_What if she is?  That would explain the looks she’s been giving you, the blushes and all that... aw hell...

Nayu!_ he suddenly shouted at himself.  _Focus!_

“...probably not leading from the front, but holding back, directing his troops,” Felonca said finally.  “Now... let’s think about this.  He’s going to want a vantage point with excellent visibility... some place high probably.”

“He’s a mage... an arcane user of immense power,” Nayu heard himself say, “He can probably spy on us and our troops through numerous magical means.”  _If that is how she feels..._ Nayu paused for a moment, looking into his own heart, before the moment seized him again, and he growled in frustration.

“He’ll still need a vantage point for his signals to be sent to the army!  His army is supposedly as vast as the oceans,” Felonca exclaimed, “which means that it’s got to have a damn good communication system!  And I guarantee you, that either him, or a large contingent of signal bearers, will be on this hill!”  Her finger stabbed at a location about two miles north of the outermost city walls, and she looked up at Nayu, triumph showing in her eyes, bright and blue.

_She...  

Dammit, Focus!_ he snapped to himself, giving another audible humph.  To his chagrin, she gave one of those smiles she always gave when she was trying to cheer him up.  The smile that made her face light up.  He turned away quickly.

“That’s the highest hill north of the city,” Won Wei said, looking at the map and providing a good, convenient distraction.  “It would be an excellent place to command from, I suppose.”

“Perhaps,” Nayu replied, his mind wrapping itself around the task, attempting to avoid where it would otherwise wander.  _I can’t teleport an army back there... and the scholars are all busy trying to keep this fire away long enough that they can salvage the tomes in the Jade City... not to speak of all the Imperial Court..._ 

“We’re going to have to teleport back again,” Nayu said quietly, before turning to Won Wei, “though I want some kind of magical backup... give me a scholar, at least!  Someone competent, too!” As Won Wei bowed, then turned to search for someone free, 
Nayu looked sideways at Felonca.  _God knows she’s been through enough already... if something else happened to her father or uncle..._

“We’re headed back out again?” she asked, her features suddenly clamping into the iron look of blankness he knew so well... the look she always took when she was covering up what she felt.  Her eyes did not lie nearly as well, and he could see fear in them, as the danced quickly towards her still bandaged father, then to Nayu’s own bandages...

_She’s worried._

“Your father is a bull... he’s going to be fine,” Nayu said with an awkward smile.  _Does she...um...

Nayu!  Focus!_

“I... I know,” she replied, her voice slightly shaky before she brought it back under control.  He watched as her eyes looked worriedly at him.

“I’m okay,” he lied again , and her dark skin suddenly darkened again.  For a moment, Nayu’s mind tried to deal with the question nagging his mind, but he forced it back, focusing himself without words on the present...

...there was a battle yet to fight...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Shorter update today, but that's because there's some DM fun at the end that has been tacked on for your pleasure 

*Teleporting Behind the Enemy*


The air around the party swirled and frothed with arcane energy, until the crackle of the burning city was replaced by an eerie, still silence.

Nayu opened his eyes, the area around him completely dark for a moment as he adjusted to the vast difference in light.  Behind him, several miles away, he could perceive the glow of the burning Outer City, as well as very distant, very massive movement...

...Hu’s army.

“Well, it looks like I was a bit off on my guess,” he whispered quietly, blinking quickly, trying to get his eyes to adjust faster.  _It’d be wasteful to use a spell to improve my seeing now... especially when that spell could come in handy later..._

“Um... Nayu?” He turned on hearing Felonca’s hurriedly whisper, and it was then that his ears began to pick up a jingling noise... not the noise of armor, but the noise of immense pieces of steel rubbing, clinking together.  Just then, he saw glints in the distant darkness...

“What are those?” he asked, as Felonca pulled out her bow.  As she yelled out a challenge, his eyes finally revealed to him something straight from a story of terror...

The two creatures covered from head to two in loose chains weren’t what scared him.  They moaned as they advanced, chain links whirling above their heads.  What scared him were the two things accompanying them... tall, wide banks of darkness, with black tendrils sweeping around their bodies impatiently, reaching out, searching as a low, quiet muttering reached his ears.

_What are those things?_ Nayu asked himself, as the noise of the party drawing their weapons momentarily drowned out the light muttering he heard in the air.  The sorcere focused himself, and stretched forth his hand towards one of the chain bound creatures.

_I can see their weapons... they’re the more dangerous right now..._

An enormous thunderclap echoed through the air as a lightningbolt shot into the first of the chain creatures, electricity arcing between its metal links.  It shrieked and stumbled backwards, before resuming its lumbering gait towards the party.  As he watched, Nayu saw arrows from Felonca and Felonxi seemingly pass _through_ one of the large shadowy patches of darkness, as it continued to float closer and closer...

_So the large creatures are ethereal... spectres of some kind..._ he realized, preparing another lightning bolt. _I’m going to have to address them first, before those chain creatures._  He started to turn to tell the others to deal with the chain monsters first, when his ears were suddenly assaulted.

The noise was no explosion of sonic power or blast of magical energy, but an incoherent, constant babble, a blur of noises, grunts, hoots and hisses that grated the ears and dug deep into his mind.  For a second, Nayu felt his hands seem to move of their own accord, until he focused his mind, and wrested control back.

_No one’s going to take over my mind today!_ he snapped, as the incoherent mumbling continued, seeming to rumble into his bones.  _They’re more dangerous than I thought... we should concentrate on killing them!_  He started to open his mouth to give directions to the others, when he suddenly stopped.

Nayu blinked, as Felonca and Meiji calmly, almost serenely, sheathed their weapons then walked, even meandered, over towards a tree between the two shadowy, chattering forms.  Once under its gnarled branches, they calmly sat down, and stared off into space.

“What in the...” the sorcerer thought, trying to remember any spell, any compulsion that could cause someone to do that.  _They’ve obviously lost their minds...  and it happened after the creatures started babbling... wait... does that mean..._

“Allips!” Nayu shouted, recoiling himself.  _The tortured souls of the dead, arisen to take our minds!_  Allips were small creatures usually... but these allips were massive, easily close to twenty feet tall, the gathered souls of hundreds of dead each.  The sorcerer spun around to warn his friends, only to see another chilling scene.

Yari Ai stared at him, her face a blank stare, while Dian spun around wildly, staring alternately at the allips, the chain monsters, then his allies, laughing maniacally and waving his hands about in the air.

“I’m the Grand Poobah of Pickerstan!” he screeched, waving his sword about, ignoring the confused stares of both Felonxi and Liu.

_It’s taken them too!_  Nayu realized, as the babbling reverberated in his head more and more.  Quickly, Nayu felt his arcane magic building yet again, and with a flash and enormous thunderclap, a lightning bolt leapt from his hands, enveloping one of the immense shadows.  It’s filaments wreathed in the electric light, yet its babbling moan continued to sound over the plain.

“Got him!” Nayu heard Liu yell a moment later, as there was an enormous jingle of chains.  The sorcerer permitted himself to look to the side, as one of the chain-bound creatures collapsed to the ground in front of the monk, its ‘head’ bent oddly to the side.  A moment later, there was the immense crash of steel on steel, as Felonxi’s sword ripped the other chain creature in half.

“Focus on the shadow creatures!  They’re trying to affect our minds!” Nayu yelled belatedly.  He turned back around, another nascent bolt of lightning building in his hands, when his eyes caught Felonca.  She was still sitting under the tree, when a fine filament of the first shadowy allip suddenly exploded, lashing forth and wrapping around her head.

“Felonca!” Nayu shouted, only to have the cry die in his throat as suddenly her dead-eyes flashed bright with confusion, then life.  In a blur, her warfans lashed out, and she leapt free of the creature’s ghostly grip.  Yet the calm cacophany continued, the creature’s both making quiet mumbling noises in a tongue no sane person could ever understand, and mere moments later, Felonca serenely returned to her perch under the tree.

“Whoosh!  Whoosh!” Nayu heard a voice yell, and the sorcerer quickly spun around, only to see Yari Ai staring at him, her hands raised high over her head.

“Whoosh!  BAM!” she yelled, adding child-like noises of crackling and burning as she poorly mimicked the movements of a scholar casting a fiery spell.

_They’ve really gone off the deep end..._ the sorcerer groaned, turning towards the nearest of the great, shadowy figures yet again, arcane energy building in his veins.  _So they’ve lost their minds, and yet you’re still babbling._  Things were going from serious, to just plain strange.  _If you want to cause harm, why are you making them sit under the tree, or laugh like madmen, or...

Pretend to be scholars?  No matter...

You’ll let go of my friends..._  A fierce grin started to grow on Nayu’s face as he faced the dark shadow.

_NOW!_

The ground around them flashed white, and an immense thunderclap shook the trees as a lightning bolt of extraordinary power flashed from Nayu’s hands.  The electricity seemed to envelop the titanic mass of shadow, crackling, running along the filaments of darkness.  The creature’s incessant mumbling and babbling turned into an ear-splitting screech, its dark tendrils writhing away into nothingness.

Immediately Nayu spun around, just in time to see Liu, Dian and Felonxi break the other allip into nothingness, its shriek joining the cry of its fellow as it disappeared into the abyss.  Nayu turned around to Felonca, and saw that the rogue was looking around, a bewildered expression on her face.

“Wha... what happened?” she asked, eyes wide in confusion, before she dropped back into a combat crouch.  “Where are they?”

“Dead,” her father replied grimly.

“The allips took your mind, as well as Meiji’s and Yari Ai’s briefly,” Nayu explained, checking his friend over.  From nearby, he heard Meiji and Yari Ai asking the same questions, and a grunt from Felonxi that they should listen to Nayu.  

“Allips?”

“Dark spirits that are insane,” Nayu simplified.  “They spread insanity and confusion through their constant talking and babbling.”  At Felonca’s wide-eyed look, Nayu smiled.  “No, you aren’t insane... you just got... confused... for a bit.”

“So that’s why I suddenly found myself under a tree?” she asked, putting things together.

“And why Yari Ai was pretending to be a scholar, and your Uncle started laughing maniacally at one point.”

“I was pretending to be _what?_” Yari Ai tapped him on the shoulder.  Nayu turned, and despite the situation, found himself having to hold back laughter. Now that the danger had passed, everything seemed to grow incredibly funny.

“Um...” he snickered, “you were making whooshing noises.  And waving your hands about like you were some kind of willow tree.”  Nayu did a good job, and no full laughs managed to break through his defenses, despite Yari Ai’s red faced look of embarrassment.

“Ahem,” Meiji cleared his throat, pressing in between Nayu and Yari Ai.  “I just blanked out, and now I’m next to Yari Ai.  Did I just get laid?”

He let out a yelp when Yari Ai and Felonca jointly slapped him.

======================================================

The two creatures in this combat were especially fun for me to run.  The chained creatures were chain devils, as described in the Monster Manual.  They were meant as fodder... shiny tidbits to get the players attention so I could...well... play.   The other creatures were immensely buffed up allips (advanced as far as possible, then sorcerer levels added and ability scores fiddled with) that I created for this encounter, which I have stated out below:

*MIND CONTROL ALLIP*
 	Huge Undead (Incorporeal)
*Hit Dice:*	12d12+10d4 (103 hp)
*Initiative:*	+5
*Speed:*	Fly 80 ft. (perfect) (12 squares)
*Armor Class:*	19 (+4 Dex, +4 deflection, +1 size), touch 15, flat-footed 14
*Base Attack/Grapple:*	+11/—
*Attack:*	Incorporeal touch +12/+7 melee (1d4 Wisdom drain)
*Full Attack:*	Incorporeal touch +12/+7 melee (1d4 Wisdom drain)
*Space/Reach:*	10 ft./10 ft.
*Special Attacks:*	Babble, madness, Wisdom drain
*Special Qualities:*	Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits, SR 20
*Saves:*	Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +12
*Abilities:*	Str —, Dex 18, Con —, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 18
*Skills:*	Hide +25, Intimidate +17, Listen +17, Search +7, Spot +17, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks)
*Feats:*	Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
*Environment:*	Any
*Organization:*	Solitary, Pair
*Challenge Rating:*	16?
*Treasure:*	None
*Alignment:*	Always neutral evil
*Advancement:*	---
*Level Adjustment: *	—
An allip is the spectral remains of someone driven to suicide by a madness that afflicted it in life. It craves only revenge and unrelentingly pursues those who tormented it in life and pushed it over the brink. 
An allip cannot speak intelligibly.

COMBAT
An allip is unable to cause physical harm, although it doesn’t appear to know that. It keeps flailing away at enemies, yet it inflicts no wounds.

Babble (Su): An allip constantly mutters and whines to itself, creating a hypnotic effect. All sane creatures within 60 feet of the allip must succeed on a DC 24 Will save or be affected as by the Allip Control Table listed separately. This is a sonic mind-affecting compulsion effect.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

Madness (Su): Anyone targeting an allip with a thought detection, mind control, or telepathic ability makes direct contact with its tortured mind and takes 1d8 points of Wisdom damage.

Wisdom Drain (Su): An allip causes 1d8 points of Wisdom drain each time it hits with its incorporeal touch attack. On each such successful attack, it gains 5 temporary hit points.

SPELLS (7/7/6/6/5/3):
0th – Resistance, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Ghost Sound, Message, Open/Close, Mending, Prestidigitation. 1st- True Strike, Chill Touch, Ray of Enfeeblement, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist. 2nd – Hypnotic Pattern, Resist Energy, Touch of Idiocy, Detect Thoughts. 3rd – Suggestion, Vampiric Touch, Major Image. 4th- Phantasmal Killer, Lesser Globe of Invulnerability. 5th – Dominate Person.

These lovely creatures (in my opinion), when they did make someone go mad, would induce an effect based on a random D20 roll, from the following table.

Allip Control D20:
1, 2 – Hop in a Circle (lose  1d4 turns, -10 on Hide and Move Silently next round)
3, 4 – Victim begins to nitpick own hair, checking repeatedly for lice (lose 1d4 rounds)
5,6 -  Victim begins to garble incoherently and loudly to allies (-10 on Move Silently and Hide, lose 1d4 rounds due to garbling)
7,8 – Victim has sudden urge to laugh maniacally, for no apparent reason (-10 Move Silently/Hide, lose 1d4 turns)
9,10 – Victim will mime as if they are a spellcaster for next 1d4 rounds.  Victim Launches no actual attacks, only pretend attacks, including childlike noises.
11,12 – Victim will mime as if they are a warrior for next 1d4 rounds.  Victim launches no actual attacks, only pretend attacks, including childlike noises.
13,14 – Victim will get the urge to attack nearest living creature
15-20 – Victim gets urge to merely assist allip in search for tomes


I know _I_ had a great deal of fun running the encounter, and watching the players (well, Felonca and the two NPCs she ran for the battle) do random things through the encounter, despite the fact that neither allip used their sorcerous powers and instead focused on babbling. :-D  The players had fun laughing about it afterwards as well.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Desperate Defense*

“I hate to be a spoil-sport, but where is Hu?” Meiji interrupted, drawing Nayu back from his chuckling.  The bard scratched his head worriedly, looking around, until he pointed back towards Liaoxiang after a few moments.  “There’s a lot of movement there.”

“I think we overshot him,” Nayu thought aloud.  _Dammit... I thought we could spring a trap on him... but he’s more clever, or foolish, than I thought.

Maybe he’s closer to the armies marching into the city..._

“Um... Felonca?  Are you fine now?” the sorcerer asked.

“Yes, now that I’m no longer sitting under trees,” the hengeyokai replied, kicking one of the chain-clad demons.  “And yes, I can scout for you.  It’s dark, and if me and Meiji slip in as hybrids, I doubt they’ll be able to see us.”

_She’s volunteering herself again..._ 

“Are you sure you and Meiji can go it alone?” Nayu asked.  _There’s an entire army out there, and if you get yourself caught..._  He stopped his mind from going any further.  Nonetheless, she must have seen the worry in his eyes, for she put on a brave grin.

“We’re panthers!  We’re quiet!” she said.

_I certainly hope so..._ 

“Before you head out, I want to cast a small spell on you... you’ll be able to talk to me mentally for a while... so tell us what you see...”

_And if you run into trouble, we’ll be able to try to help..._



“If there’s so much as a peep out of you,” Felonca hissed ten minutes later, her body low and close to the ground as she and Meiji slinked forward.  Her eyes weren’t looking at the enemy, and instead bore down on her cousin.

“I didn’t see the twig,” he whispered back in apology, to which she only grunted.

With the flames to their front and their black bodies, Felonca was confident that for all intensive purposes, they were invisible to the army of Langya... the soldier’s eyes would have to adjust to the darkness, and they were two small dark objects, close to the ground in the distance.  But noise carried far, and Felonca had no doubt that monstrosities and horrors with acute hearing were among Hu’s pets...

“You see anything?” Meiji asked a few minutes later.

“No, I’m still going closer,” Felonca replied with a muted hiss.  _Honestly, its like being a part of a trial with all of his questions!_  “Keep your head low, and stop talking!”

She was thankful when he didn’t reply.

As they slinked closer and closer, slowly, above the rumbles of thunder from the fiery sky above, they could make out other noises... hisses, screeches, and low, dissonant moans.  Felonca wanted to peek her head above the grass, to see what was making the noise, but forced herself to stay put.  _I still won’t be able to see much..._ she judged from the noises, _I’m still too far away._ The moans and groans grew louder and louder, until finally, her curiosity got the best of her, and she looked.

She shuddered at what she saw.

Most obvious to the eye were great enormous demons... for horrors such as these only could come from the chaotic realms of below... each high above the ground on eight spindly legs, their immense spider-like forms clattering slowly, ponderously towards the great city walls.  Between them walked the towering figures that at a glance looked like great men, yet the flames of the city reflected the gnarled warts and cysts that covered their bodies, as well as the leathery wings that stretched from their massive backs.

Closer to the ground, she saw the shining metallic armor of yet more of the great ragewalkers, blades whirling around their brilliant forms, as fiery skeletons dashed between them.  Then, amidst this cacophany of terror, she saw men... men clad in fine armor, spears sharp, swords sharper, their eyes directed towards the city ahead.

Yet despite this menu of fear to set her eyes on, Felonca’s gaze was drawn to one figure.  In the midst of the throng, high and imperious on a bone-wheeled chariot, stood a single man.  A billowing black cloak covered his back, yet when he turned to give an order, Felonca could see that even his armor, it seemed was made from polished, white bone.  Upon his head sat an immense helm of polished steel, a screaming gold skull emblazoned on its front.  And as he outstretched his arm, Felonca blinked.

_No... that can’t be..._

Light seemed to shine _through_ the man’s arm, as if there was no skin...

_ “Nayu!  I see him!  I see him!”_ Felonca hurriedly shouted in her mind.

_ “See who?  Hu?”

“No!  The Military Governor!”_  Felonca replied, crouching even lower as chills ran through her spine.  _He has no arm!  He only has bones for an arm!_  She heard a muffled noise from Meiji, and immediately pushed her cousin down further in the grass.  _He’s so dedicated to the dead, he has no arm!_ Her stomach turned at the thought of what he could do with an abomination like that, and she felt bile rising in her throat.

_Why would someone do that?  Why would they get rid of their arm to replace it with exposed bones?_ she thought, more worry in her mind.  Thoughts of the arm leaping from its body and strangling people came to her mind.

Then the world went white.

For a few moments Felonca furiously blinked, her eyes watering, trying to keep the bright white light out of her sight.  Even when she closed her eyes, the color remained, slowly shifting to green, then red, its wide sheet congealing into eight ragged shapes.  When she opened her eyes, the shapes seemed to all trek down towards the wall, as if from the sky.  As one, the huge horde before her began to move, rumbling forwards, into the city...

_ “Felonca!”_ she heard in her head, _ “Get out of there now!  Won Wei just told me that eight huge lightning bolts just took out some of the key spellcasters keeping the fire off of the Inner Wall!  He’s going to have to pull everyone back to the Jade City itself!  We’re teleporting out as soon as you get here!” 

“Okay,”_ Felonca replied mentally, sliding backwards in the grass far quicker than they slipped forward.

“What’s happening?” she heard Meiji hiss.

“We’re going back.  Hu’s army has finally breached the defenses,” she replied.



“Master Wakabayashi!  Shao Wa-Feng!”  Won Wei ran up towards the two of them only moments after they teleported back.  His robes were now worn and dirty, soot covering the fine silk and linens.  “We lost all of our spellcasters along the middle sections of the Inner Wall!  Two huge lightning bolts...”

“I saw,” Nayu replied grimly.  _I’m sure Ling in Xianfung could probably see those bolts.  Now... what do we do about this?_

“We cannot hold the Inner Walls any longer!  We have to retreat to the Jade City, and get out!”

“I know,” Nayu replied, testily.  _We’ll still need some time to teleport people out... and We need to get the Military Governor, if we can.  If he lives, even if we destroy this army, he’ll raise more demons and undead to attack us.

How much time do we have, though..._  Suddenly, he stopped, an idea in his mind, one which he immediately started to dismiss.  _No Nayu... that’s too dangerous...

...but there isn’t another course!_ another part of his mind jumped in.  _The scholars can’t spread themselves enough to cover all the gates, and if you just pull back to the Jade City, Hu’s army will just pour through and crush your troops as they try to reach the walls... there’s too many of them, and they’re going to be too fast...

You need to slow them here!

You need to kill the Military Governor!_

“Won Wei... how many gates are there along the Inner Wall of the city?” Nayu heard himself say, and inwardly, he winced.  _Are you sure there is no other way?  Some way to attract their attention?  Distract them?

No... it doesn’t appear so.  They won’t go for any bait less than..._

“One... Excellency.  But there’s no way we can defend it!  We’ll be spread too thin, and burnt to a crisp by this fire from the sky!” Won Wei moaned.

“That’s not my plan.” 

_If you don’t do things this way, they’ll just avoid your plan.  You must seem helpless, unimportant for them to lumber into the trap...  

If this works... there won’t be a Military Governor to direct them, to get them more demons and other abominations.  Hu will have to start recruit soldiers again to replace his losses...

And it’ll buy us... I mean them... some time.  

Why them?_ Nayu thought at his sudden mental changing of words, his mind growing darker at the thoughts coursing through his mind.  

_You said them because you’re probably going to die,_ the sorcerer heard a matter of fact voice say in his mind.  

It had the same voice as his father.  



“So they’re right at the main gate?” Nayu asked insistently a few minutes later, and Won Wei nodded.  Felonca watched, worried, as Nayu’s eyes flashed upwards towards the one remaining gate to the Inner City, as an affirmative to Nayu’s question rumbled across its wooden beams. The demonic army was already here, battering away at the gate, and she’d seen that look before on Nayu’s face, when he’d threatened the village of Wang Liang... 

“They’ll be held here,” he said suddenly, looking back towards Felonca and the scholar.   “Won Wei, go and get the last of the tomes out that you can... I think I can hold them for a half hour or so,” the sorcerer said quickly, before barking more orders above the intermittent crash of the gate being assaulted, detailing which scholars were to teleport when... first on the list being the scholars teleporting the Emperor to Xianfung.

_Doesn’t he mean we can hold them for a half hour or so?_ Felonca worried, her thoughts growing dark.  _Why did he say ‘I’..._   Her reverie was broken when Nayu turned to her.

“Felonca,” he grabbed her shoulders, and looked right into her eyes, “I need you, your father, and your uncle to do something special for me.  I need you to go to the Jade City, and supervise the final defense.”

“Nayu?” Felonca asked, confused.  _But I thought we were going to hold them off here!  Surely you don’t..._

“Felonca, please!” the sorcerer said, his voice choking slightly before he regained himself, “Please.  Promise me one thing.”

“Nayu... you can’t do this...”

“Promise me you’ll make sure the Emperor gets out alive and unharmed!  Okay!” Nayu shouted above another crash against the gate.  “The Empire will need someone to rally around, and if his mother is kept in check, Emperor Yuandi can be that person!  I trust you with this!”

“Please Nayu... don’t...”

“Go...” Nayu said quietly, his eyes looking back towards the shaking gate, and Felonca shuddered when she saw the look in his eyes... vacant almost, as if he’d already let his soul leave his body.  “Go now... get the walls of the Jade City prepared.”

“Nayu... you can’t...” Felonca started to stumble, tears starting in her eyes.  _There are demons, skeletons, burning men by the thousands beyond that gate!  And the Military Governor!  He can’t stop them by himself!_

“Felonca... please... go man the last defenses,” Nayu repeated, his voice stronger but his eyes still empty.

_He knows it too!  He knows he can’t stop them by himself!_ Felonca mentally screamed.  _His eyes are empty!  He knows if he does this, he’ll die!_  Her imagination ran wild... she saw one of the immense spider demons gripping her love in its claws.

“Nayu! No!” she yelled, grabbing his shoulder fiercely, shaking him.  “You can’t!  I...” she stuttered, upset, furious and frightened at the same time.  “The people need you!  I...” her voice died in her throat, her anxiety and fear conspiring to cut off her voice.  _I can’t imagine anything without you!_ 

At her voice, she watched Nayu’s face suddenly change... something came alive, if only momentarily, in his brown eyes.  She couldn’t tell what it was... it was too quick, too fleeting, before the empty, quiet look of resignation returned.  For a moment, her old fear returned, and she thought she’d spoken too much... until Nayu turned around.

“Felonxi... please... take your daughter up to the wall, where she can help direct the final defense,” Nayu said quietly, slowly starting to walk away.

”NAYU!” Felonca screamed, as her father pulled her away.  _My Emperor!  Why are you doing this!_  She twisted and turned in the larger warrior’s grip, but her father’s hold only tightened.  “Nayu!  You’re going to get yourself killed!  Please!” she thrashed and snapped at her father, “Let me go!  Let me go!”  Felonxi’s grip only grew tighter.

Forlornly, she screamed out Nayu’s name, as the sorcerer receded into the distance, swallowed by the smoke, the flame, the sights and sounds of a dying city...



Nayu closed his eyes, and cursed.  _What am I doing here?_ he yelled at himself, even as he stared at the oncoming horde.  The flames in the city created a draft, making his robes billow towards the advancing army.  _Felonca is worried... she’s scared...

She cares about me..._ Nayu fought himself, keeping himself from turning, looking back at her even as he could feel her eyes boring with fear into his back.

_You started this journey wanting to help people, to save people from harm, from danger,_ Nayu thought, trying to build courage in his veins.  _You attacked that village of giants to save another village, you fought hard to keep Hu’s armies at bay... 

...which is what you need to do now._  He found his legs walking forward, as another enormous boom echoed through the air as more heavy blows struck the yielding gate.  

_A city needs you.

An Empire needs you._

He started walking faster, towards the breaking gate...

============================================

And Nayu goes off... to stop an army.  Alone...


----------



## Falkus

Woah, goosebumps. You ever consider writing professionally?


----------



## Bryon_Soulweaver

I think he's going to school for writting.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Excellent update, Emperor V - possibly your best yet! You're setting very high standards for the rest of the story.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Next update will be posted either tomorrow or Wednesday.  Its halfway done right now!

And thank you for all the compliments!   To answer people’s questions, yes, I have considered going into professional writing (after I finish my history Ph.D.), but no, I’m not going to school for writing (I’m actually a grad student in Russian Military History).   I think at some point in the future I'd love to do either science-fiction, fantasy, or historical fiction, though I realize the chances of succeeding at any of those is rather dismal (they're all rather swamped fields).


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## Emperor Valerian

*Nayu the Bold*

_Nayu..._

Felonca shuddered, her face bathed in orange as building by building, the Jade City took alight, as scholars and soldiers began to burn what could not be saved.  Almost incessantly, bright flashes erupted from the plaza between the great buildings, as scholars teleported away with court officials, documents, and magical tomes.

_He walked to his death... so calm..._ Felonca’s mind returned to the same trench she’d dug for herself over the past thirty minutes.  Even as she clambered through the Imperial Palace, the haunting image of Nayu’s brown eyes... dead, devoid of life... scarred her soul.  She shook her head, trying desperately to focus on the task at hand; rescuing the Emperor from the palace, as Nayu had requested.

Yet she couldn’t shake the image from her mind, and she couldn’t focus on anything except his loss.

_“Promise me you’ll make sure the Emperor gets out alive and unharmed!”_ she heard Nayu’s voice echoing inside her head, and she stopped momentarily, tears starting to course down her cheeks, just as they had when her father had dragged her away, just as they had when she watched her love walk so calmly into the darkness.  

_”Promise me!”_ her memory made him shout even louder.  _”I need you to do this!”_  She shook her head

_Why?_ she asked herself in reply.  _Why should I care?  My love is gone... my Emperor is gone..._

_Because that was his last wish,_ she reminded herself darkly, before an ironic smile made its way through her tears.  _He was always thinking ahead... he thinks,_ her mind refused to accept the past tense, _he can distract the Military Governor or Prince Hu by sacrificing himself... one takes death to save all...

But he left me!  Alone!_ she shot back angrily, the reflection of the flames licking across her eyes.  _And he never gave me the chance... to tell him... he never knew...

Or did he?  The one moment he looked at you, there was something in his eyes._  The memory tumbled back, of the brief moment where his empty eyes had held something. 

_He used himself as bait..._  Another tear ran down her face, acceptance finally reaching across her mind.  

_Why?

To give you time!_  She gritted her teeth, the tears flowing more.


_He’s doing this for you..._  She wiped her face, slowly putting things together.  _He died to save me... to save Yuandi... to save the Empire..._ she thought, trembling.  _To give you time to save everything... to make sure Hu is defeated.  He went to die to give you time!_ Her teeth gritted more, and her mind slowly fell onto the task before it.

“Find Yuandi,” she whispered to herself, between the tears.

“For Nayu.”

With a speed and grace that surprised even herself, Felonca bounded through the great halls of the palace, smoke already rising in wisps from the ever-closing fires.  In forlorn vain she searched the throne room, the reception halls, the dining halls, until finally, just above the noise of the chaos outside, she heard the sound of a child crying.

_Yuandi..._ She sniffed about, her mind sorting past the smell of smoke, of panic, finally latching onto a familiar smell of jasmine spice and silk robes.  She followed the scent, finally reaching a small alcove, a gaping hole in its floor revealing a meeting room below.

“Your Majesty!?” she called, eyes scanning the room below.  Amidst the smoke, at first she couldn’t make out anything other than knocked over chairs and a large ebony table.  But as she looked closer, she finally could see the off-yellow of a jeweled foot sticking out from under the ebony blackness.

“Your Majesty!  It’s Felonca!” she called hopefully.  The foot stirred, disappeared, and was replaced with a frightened face.  Tear streaks were still fresh on the young Emperor’s face.  

_”Do this for me!”_  As the flames rumbled closer to them, Felonca clambered down, and stretched out her hand.

“Your Majesty!  Grab my arm!” she called, stretching as far as she dared towards the trapped young boy below.  The young emperor below clambered from under the table, and stretched a jewel-covered hand upwards towards her.  Felonca grabbed the arm, and hoisted the boy to her level.

“Are they coming?  Are they attacking?” Yuandi asked anxiously, and Felonca wanted to cry on seeing those brave little imperial eyes staring up at her, their small forms desperately trying to hold back tears of their own, trying to remain regal even as the boy in Yuandi wanted to run and hide.  The brown eyes reminded her too much of Nayu’s eyes, as he strode off into the darkness, and dark thoughts jumped to her mind.  It took all her willpower to keep them from ravaging her face.  _He’s scared.  He needs me to be strong!_ she told herself, hugging the boy.

“Yes, they’re coming, but we’re going to get you out of here,” Felonca replied, trying to shake the depression from her mind.  _I’ll do this, even if I have to die trying!_ she promised herself, thinking of Nayu’s final words to her.  

“I promise you that,” she added, hugging the little boy fiercely, as a tear coursed down her own cheek.  “You’ll be safe, Yuan.  You’ll be safe.”

Silently, she looked up, past the ceiling of the palace, towards a distant place where she could see the face of her love.

_You'll always be my Emperor, my love..._



_You are a madman,_ Nayu shouted to himself as he drew near the gate to the Inner City, the great lions adorning its wooden doors shaking and rocking as something immense and powerful repeatedly slammed them.

_A madman with a plan, I suppose.  If it can be called that._  The sorcerer sighed, feeling the nerves in his body tingling, fear rushing through his veins.  Each time the gate groaned under the pressure, Nayu’s muscles tensed.  His mind was ready to fight... his body was still ready to flee.

_Calm Nayu... you can’t panic.  You need precision!  Accuracy!_  He closed his eyes, trying to focus his scattered mind.  Slowly, he brought his thoughts together, back towards a single place... the cool, airy archives of the Imperial Scholars, several days before.  Tomes upon tomes had lain about him, replete with almost any kind of magic conceivable.

The gate shuddered again, interrupted his concentration.

_Precision, Nayu,_ the sorcerer told himself, his skin crawling at the thought of what he was about to endure.  _What if the scholars are right?  What if innate magic is more dangerous than their studied, control use of magic?_  His thoughts started to scatter again.  _What if what you’re going to try to do is beyond your means?  What if your soul becomes seared, or is even destroyed by what you’re about to do?

There is no other way,_ he thought, calming himself through sheer willpower.  _They must be stopped HERE, and chances are high that the Military Governor or his sorcerers could easily deal with something made of normal material...  something made from the essence of the ancestors themselves...

If the ancestors are willing to be used that way,_ he reminded himself.  Ripping the ancestors from their peaceful coils to strip what magic residue they had left would be a jolting process.  They could curse him.  They could even possibly try to kill him.  _They watch this world, but it is not theirs._

He closed his eyes again, his mind traveling back to a time in the not so distant past, focusing upon one face.

_Papa,_ Nayu prayed, _I need your strength and guidance again.  I apologize for what I must do here... I have only recently learned of this power, and I’m afraid I might not use it correctly.  Papa... watch over me.  Protect me, as I channel you and your ancestral spirits to stop this attack._

The gate groaned again, as if something titanic was leaning against it with the force of hundreds of battering rams, and slowly, carefully, Nayu began his chant.

Nayu felt it first in the bottoms of his feet, a tingling, growing warmer and more powerful as it slowly climbed his frame.  Rippling wisps of ghostly filament seemed to spring from the ground, slowly whirling up the length of his body, entering every pore of his skin.

The tingling suddenly changed to a burning, as the ancestral spirits fought back, trying to keep what magic they had left tied to their forms.  Nayu gritted his teeth, as the pain increased, the wisps whirling faster and faster.

_Concentrate!  Precision!_ he shouted to himself.  He stretched out his hands, and closed his eyes, as the magic careening through his body seemed to sear itself into the very fibers of his being.  

_Father... ancestors... help me now!_ 

He felt the hairs on his arm stand on end, his muscles twitching and tingling as power beyond his imagination flowed through his body, coursing out of his fingers.  He kept his eyes closed, concentrating, as the hum of magic turned to an unholy moan, a screech from the beyond.  Slowly, the blackness that covered his sight changed, despite his closed eyes.  

At first, he saw splashes of color, wisps of light at surging points in the roaring noise around him.  Slowly, the points coalesced, combining to form a ghostly arm in the darkness of his shut eyes, then another, robes rippling outward from both.  As Nayu gritted his teeth, he couldn’t help but open his eyes.

Lancing from his fingertips were thousands upon thousands of points of light, each exploding as it left his hands into a ghostly copy of his own.  Some hundred feet away, just inside the gate, the hands gathered, their ghostly white forms expanding, stretching, growing, until finally they covered the entire size of the gate... a shimmering, ghostly wall of ancestral power.

As the last of the spectral hands flashed from his own, Nayu felt an immense release, as the screaming moans seemed to die away... as the ancestors relinquished their power to his young mind.

_Thank you, papa,_ Nayu whispered a prayer, the pain leaving his body.  _Thank you, Ones Who have Gone Before._


Beyond the shimmering wall, the gate into the Inner City finally collapsed under the immense pressure, and an immense spider demon tumbled through the breach on its eight gangly legs, letting out a screech of triumph as it rushed forward...

...and slammed into the invisible wall with a dull, rumbling thud. 

The immense beast made Nayu tremble, despite the wall of power between them.  Its body was covered in spikes and points, some of which held the dead bodies of city defenders, blood still oozing from their wounds.  Its immense, ant-like head twisted back and forth in anger at the unexpected obstacle, its mandibles clacking as it backed up yet again and charged forth, only to slam into the wall yet again.

_A bebilith..._ Nayu realized, shaking slightly.  He’d read of those beasts in the tomes of the Jade City... demons so immense and powerful that they hunted other demons from below for sport.  _And now the Military Governor has one..._ he thought anxiously, realizing that clearly not enough time had passed.  _I have to delay them more..._ he thought, focusing his weary body on channeling magic once more.

The immense demon tumbled back from its second charge, chittering noisily in confusion and frustration.  It slowly turned its immense form around, chittering and growling in some obscene tongue to someone further back, and Nayu’s chills redoubled as he saw a bone-wheeled chariot come into view behind the powerful creature.

_There he is,_ the sorcerer thought, fear and excitement making his body feel almost numb.  Part of his mind still screamed aloud that he shouldn’t be here... that he should be on the walls, directing the defense, helping Felonca...

_It’s too late... you’re committed now,_ the cooler side of his mind reminded him sullenly.  _The Military Governor is here... and if he has the power to summon demons this great, your wall won’t last long against him... ancestor’s help or no..._

The great bony figure stepped from the chariot and strode past the demon with complete indifference.  Indeed, the great spindly creature seemed to lower itself as the man strode confidently past. As his hands stretched out for the ghostly wall of magic, Nayu felt the magic in his veins finally pulsating at its fullest.

_Precision... precision..._ the sorcerer told himself repeatedly, dreading the pain that would come from concentrating that hard again.  _This has to be accurate!  You’re going to have one shot at this, before he breaks through and kills you!_  he screamed to himself, as a tiny white bead pulsated and grew in his hands.  He closed his eyes, and traced the bead’s path with his mind, the arc, the fall...

His eyes snapped open.

The wall of magic was already shimmering, as the Military Governor immersed his hands in its shadows, testing, probing, feeling its weaknesses.  

Nayu raised his right hand, pointing to a spot far above the breached gate, and opened his hand.  The bead of magic swept upwards, arcing higher and higher, until it reached its apex, just within sight, high above the city.  As the wall began to waver, the bead tumbled downwards... growing brighter and brighter as Nayu still fed more magic into its tiny shape.  Downwards it tumbled, towards the wall itself, into a tiny crack between the magical wall, and its stone counterpart...

Nayu was forced to close his eyes as the bebilith and the Military Governor both disappeared in a brilliant flash of white and yellow, the magic muffling the explosion of Nayu’s carefully tossed _fireball_ to a mere dull roar.  The bebilith’s screech of pain shrieked through his eardrums, as the immense gate shook, shuddered, then stone by stone, crumbled on top of the great demon and his diminutive master.

As the dust of the collapse settled, Nayu peered into the gloom, the noise of the advancing army rumbling to a halt as the thundering collapse concluded.  Above the ruined stones, all he could see were two spindly legs, twisted askew.

For a moment, the sorcerer stood in shock.   _It worked?_  He could hear the sounds of trumpets, of orders bellowed and answered, as the demonic army halted beyond the ruined gate.  They were leaderless, rudderless...

_No more new demons..._ the sorcerer slowly realized, as the giant spider legs twitched a few times before falling eternally still.  _It’s over...

You’re alive!_  A grin exploded across his face.  _The timing was perfect, the wall was placed perfectly to block them but allow the fireball through...  that will hold them for a while, at least!_ 

As he turned away to head back towards the Jade City, happy to be alive and in one piece, Nayu didn’t see the bony hand that reached from between the bricks, and began to push the stones away...

====================================================

Nayu’s player had the idea to put up a _wall of force_ just behind the breaking gate, and leave enough room for him to chuck a bead of a _maximized fireball_ into the gap, hopefully bringing down the gate and killing anyone underneath.  His hope was that if he showed up, so would the Military Governor... which did happen.  I made him do a ranged attack to see how close he got when he tried to chuck this _fireball_ bead down this narrow slot, and he rolled a 20.  Perfect toss. 

He just didn’t realize exactly how strong the Military Governor was...


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## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

> He just didn’t realize exactly how strong the Military Governor was...




... and how irritated you can get from being hit by a fireball?


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## ThoughtfulOwl

HalfOrc HalfBiscuit said:
			
		

> ... and how irritated you can get from being hit by a fireball?




Not to mention the wounded pride.

BTW, the flavor and visual description of the Wall of Force were excellent!


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## Emperor Valerian

*The Military Governor*

“NAYU!”

Nayu winced slightly, as Felonca surrounded him and squeezed the air out of his lungs. Above them, the banners of the Jade City flapped in the night wind, while below them, the Yaru River rushed by underneath the bridge.  The fire from the sky had ceased... a sign Nayu took to mean that Hu’s armies were forging their way close, and that the prince did not want to injure his own soldiers.

_She’s so happy to see me..._ he thought, his mind turning slightly morose, instead of joyful.  In the long walk back from the gate, he’d had a long time to think, to ponder, and he’d finally realized why she’d been looking at him funny for so long, why she sometimes looked embarassed around him.

_She was about to say, ‘I love you,’ an hour ago,_ he realized, covering his concerns by hugging her in return as best he could.  He winced again when she pulled back, her face filled with concern.

“You didn’t get him, did you?” she said quietly.  “You’re worried about something.”

“No... I brought the entire gate crashing down on him,” Nayu replied, resisting the urge to sigh.  _I’m just trying to figure out how to tell you something you decidedly don’t want to hear..._  “There’s no way he could survive that... and if he did...” Nayu paused.  “Well, I don’t think he’ll be bothering us the rest of tonight.”

“Either way,” she said, a smile coming back to her lips for a moment, before they turned stormy and she folded her arms, “That was really reckless of you back there!”  

_Here we go..._

“...you shouldn’t have risked yourself like that!  It was sheer suicide!  I...” 

_She’s ranting because she loves me,_ Nayu thought, an idea that made him only more bitter.  _I need to find a way to tell her... a way that won’t hurt her..._  He momentarily closed his eyes.  _Your bold enough to try to stop an army, blessed with all the glib in the world, but when you discover your best friend’s feelings for you, you’re a tongue-tied coward?_  He mentally kicked himself.

“...seriously, the ancestors must hover over you constantly!  First climbing the wall of the Governor’s Palace in Xianfung, then running out to meet an army at Ii-suken by yourself, and now this?  Please... I know you’re brave, but...”

_She probably has all sorts of ideas pent-up, built up about you,_ the sorcerer realized gloomily.  _She’s been with you all these months... _  Part of him desperately searched, looking her up and down, wanting to be wrong about how he felt.  _I love her as a sister, as a friend, as a comrade... 

...but not as a lover.

That will break her heart..._

“Nayu...” she was looking directly into his eyes, “I...  I mean the Empire... I don’t know how it will stand the storm it is in without you.”  She suddenly looked down, her dark face turning even darker.  

He kicked himself again.

_How do you tell someone that?  Someone that you do love... just not in the same way they... bah!_  He sheepishly looked down as well, looking at the water as it rushed by under the torchlight of this long, deadly night.  _I need to tell her, before its too late..._

“Nayu, please...” he felt her hand on his shoulder, and he fought two opposite urges... one that would shake it off, the other that would take hers into his own.  

“Don’t risk yourself like that again...” she whispered, and he felt her head resting on his shoulder.  He closed his eyes, his mind confused, worried for a moment about something far smaller than a battle, but just as significant.  

He thought he heard something else, just under her breath, that made him feel miniscule, terrible.

“I love you.”

_Nayu... dammit! Tell her!_  For several moments, he let silence hang in the air, before finally he spoke.

“Well,” he said, shifting his shoulder to make her move, “the Military Governor has been killed off, but Hu will still be pressing onwards, and we need to prepare for his arrival.  How have the scholars come on getting the tomes and the Emperor out of the city?”

_Nayu, you coward!_ he yelled at himself.  _You can’t talk to her! Gah!_

“I... I got the Emperor out of the palace,” Felonca cleared her throat, and Nayu felt guilty when he saw her desperately trying to hide the tears that had been in her eyes moments before.  “Won Wei safely teleported him to Xianfung.  The scholars say they’ve moved the most important tomes out of the Jade City, and they are burning the rest.  We can leave when we’re ready.”

_Not yet.  There’s one more person we need to kill,_ he thought, desperately trying to distract his mind from other thoughts that were far more depressing...



“Are you sure this is wise?” Felonca questioned.  Her military mind recognized that their objectives had been met... it was safe to retreat from the city now, and in the face of the overwhelming odds, even if the Military Governor was dead, retreat was by fare the wisest option...

“Yes,” Nayu said firmly, walking along the battlements, his eyes burning with an imperial gaze as he looked across the approach to the Jade City wall.  Those eyes turned back to her, and for a moment, she saw something almost sad in their gaze.  It vanished as suddenly as it came.

_What was that?_ She pushed the thought aside as he continued to speak.

“They’re going to have to mass there, in that plaza,” he pointed across the Yaru, towards the closest point in the Inner City.  An immense flat plaza of brick and marble lay there, flanked by tall buildings on its three sides.  The river and the ornate bridge across it formed the fourth.  “The bridge is a bottleneck.  When they come in, and they will, we’ll give them one last pounding when their stranded in the plaza.  Hopefully Hu will be there... or we can lure him out.”

Felonca nodded at the plan, then looked out across the Inner City, smoldering flames drawing closer and closer.  Above the buildings, she could see low humps moving... the great bebiliths she had seen earlier.  Hu’s army had found a way around Nayu’s temporary obstruction... but not in time.

For a moment, an almost awkward silence hung in the air between them, before the sorcerer suddenly turned, and began to give orders.

As he barked his orders to the scholars along the city wall, she watched, partly enthralled, party worried.  _He risked himself so easily today... I can’t bear thinking of life without him._  She closed her eyes, and kicked herself mentally.  _He’ll never pick someone like you,_ a dark, doubting part of her mind laughed, _You aren’t royalty!  He has an Empire to tend to... not a love-lost hengeyokai..._

Another, more jealous part of her grew riled at the idea.  _No... its not that way!_ She closed her eyes.  _This is a debate for some other time!  Focus, Felonca!_  She drew her bow and re-strung it, trying to keep her mind off of the thoughts roiling through her soul.

_What if he doesn’t love you in return?

Felonca!  Shutup!  Focus!

He does love me in return!_

“Dammit,” she growled to herself, as the string slipped from her grip and stung her hand.  _Felonca... calm... focus...._ Patiently, she tried again, immersing herself in the menial task, calming her mind.

Minutes passed by, as she absorbed herself in her work, clearing her mind, until finally the shouts of her father and uncle along the wall drew her attention.  She looked up, just as the huge, spindly form of the first bebilith reached the plaza.  Behind the immense demon, came the imposing metal form of a ragewalker, and further behind, all sorts of demons and other creatures, their blades sharp, glinting in the flames.

“Wait for it...” Nayu called out.

Felonca tensed, watching the bebilith and ragewalker charge towards the bridge.

“Wait for it...”  

The plaza across the river seemed to rippling with the thousands of soldiers and demons swarming forward, the huge space filling up as more and more creatures rushed into the bridge below.  Felonca adjusted her aim... as the doors under her feet shuddered from the force of the bebilith smashing into them, she took careful aim for a hole in its armor, just in front of its abdomen...

“Now!” Nayu finally yelled.  For a moment, Felonca resisted the urge to look up, but her curiosity got the best of her.  She watched, awe-struck, as a sea of tiny stars, hundreds of tiny white beads of arcane power, flashed from the scholars along the Jade City walls onto the plaza below.

For a moment, all Felonca could see was white, and she involuntarily closed her eyes.  After blinking a few moments, she was able to see again... the immense plaza, as well as the thousands of creatures that had been inside of it, was now covered with an immense smoke pall, glowing orange from massive fires now burning within its murk.  The triumphant roars of soldiers and demons was now replaced with the mewling cries of the wounded.

“Good gods,” Felonca breathed in softly as the macabre scene unfolded.  _They’ve been wiped out..._ she thought, as the smoke lazily began to clear, revealing scorched chunks of meat scattered across the plaza, the rest of the demonic army cowering further back, refusing to advance.

The rumbling shake of the gate below brought her back to her target, as the burned bebilith rushed forward again on its spindly legs.  _Evidently bebiliths aren’t smart enough to know when to flee..._ 

“Meiji!” she pointed, drawing her bow back and shooting.  With a zip, her arrow cut through the air, then the thin armor in the bebilith’s weak point, slashing through its wounded flesh and clattering off of the street below.  The beast pitched back and squealed its anger... allowing Meiji to shoot his arrow into one of its immense eyes.  The creature scurried back, in agony and pain, one of its legs pawing furiously at its mauled eye, so much so that it tumbled off the bridge, and into the swirling waters below, to the cheers of the remaining defenders gathered along the wall.

The ragewalker still stood as well, though it was easy to see that somewhere in its metallic depths, its eyes were looking about in fright, now that its larger demonic comrade was furiously splashing and drowning in the river.  His head spun to face the party along the wall, then all the other defenders, and as if he could sense all eyes were upon him, the metallic beast began to back away from the wall... then to run.

“Ah ah ah...” Nayu said aloud, and Felonca watched him almost laugh as he raised a hand and pointed towards the fleeing creature.  For a split second, fur seemed to cover the sorcerer’s hand, before suddenly flying towards the fleeing ragewalker.  The patch of fur landed on the creatures back, and even as it tried to run onward, the patch grew and grew, covering the beasts back, then its legs... and as Felonca watched, the ragewalker tumbled forward, before shrieking as the fur overtook the last of its metallic armor.

“Cute,” she pronounced a few seconds later, as the new sloth slowly ambled into the burnt plaza, fleeing at a pace that could only be described as ‘pain-staking.’  She then looked out towards the gathered hordes beyond the plaza, holding back... she could sense the fear in them.

_Now is where they need a leader..._ she thought, _Someone to inspire them to enter that plaza again and try to take this gate, no matter the cost...  and with the Military Governor dead... Hu will have to come play himself._  She notched another arrow, the tenseness slowly returning.  _He could teleport in... he could surprise us with..._

Her thoughts stopped. 

“No...” Nayu whispered, as down below, a frighteningly familiar figure shambled into view.  Felonca’s jaw dropped as well.

_No one should’ve survived what Nayu said he went through!  How..._ she shuddered, before raising her bow and launching an arrow that slammed into the shoulder of the bone-armored Military Governor.

“How did he survive?” Nayu asked, still in shock, as the tall, haggard figure continued to shamble forward, limping, dragging his left leg behind him.  As more arrows clattered around him, the ghostly form stopped in the midst of the plaza...                                                                                 

“What’s he doing?” Felonca yelled as the apparition below moved his hands back and forth slowly, as if in a daze.  She tensed, her bow shaking slightly in her hands.  At any moment, she expected some awe-inspiring terror to leap from his hands, and land in their midst...

Nayu squinted for a second, then looked at her with confusion.

“He’s putting magical armor on himself?” the sorcerer said slowly, before looking back at the Governor.  “But... why?” the sorcerer raised his hands in question, magic rippling through his fingertips, “He can’t stop me with that spell...”

_So he’s being foolish then..._ Felonca’s shaking stopped, and she steadied her aim.  As Nayu continued to blunder onward in his bewilderment,s he finally growled.

“Less talking!  More shooting!”  She let loose, and her arrow slammed directly into the man’s chest.  Only seconds later, arrows from Meiji and her father hit him in the head, and the Military Governor swayed forwards in his death throes.



“That... took care of him... I think.”  Nayu narrowed his eyes as the corpse swayed back and forth before starting to tumble forward.  _It shouldn’t have been that easy.  He would’ve healed himself before coming here after the beating I gave him.  Unless he was a complete idiot...

Well... we should prepare to leave then..._ 

As the Governor’s dead body hit the ground, its head seemed to break into a thousand pieces, as if tiny snow white bits were scattering across the plaza...

_Brains aren’t that color..._ Nayu started to worry.  _And heads don’t break apart like that... that looks like snow almost.  Why would his head look like..._

“Dammit!  Simulacrum!” Nayu shouted in warning, a split second before a bright flash right next to him on the wall blinded everyone momentarily.  For a moment, Nayu’s hurting eyes made out the outline of a gangly, almost emaciated man, one bony arm clutching a black, vicious looking blade, the other arm of bone stretched to the sky...

Suddenly, it felt as if every fiber in Nayu’s body began to scream.  He felt parts of him stretch, shift, and pull in ways that went beyond pain, beyond agony, to unbridled, raw pain, a pain so intense that he couldn’t even scream.  His body arched back, his arms spread-eagle as his muscles spasmed, contracted, and whipped themselves into loops.  Just as he thought it couldn’t get any worse... it did.

It started when he felt something seemingly crawling along the inside of his eyeball.  The crawling feeling spread, to the insides of his ears, his mouth, then under his skin all over, until it seemed that his skin was writhing, as if powerful snakes were somehow bound inside of him, thrashing their way out.  As the pain reached an unthinkable crescendo, he could hear the Military Governor’s voice repeating a deadly quiet chant as his heart pounded harder and harder.

Seconds later, the skin on his arm erupted, long, reddish tentacles of blood vessels lashing out, stretching, making his soul scream as they latched onto the stone walls.  His other arm erupted, then his back, his chest, his legs, even his face, all exploded into lashing tentacles, holding his now naked muscles in place within a deadly web of veins.

Somewhere, above the searing pain, he heard a voice... 

“Did you think you could kill me with a mere gate?” the voice rasped and grated.  “Or that I would merely walk out into the open, ready to accept your arrows killing me?”  Now there was laughter, hollow, rasping, the noise of a willowy shell of a man enjoying the terror he’d just inflicted.  He also heard other screams... the deep throat roars of two hengeyokai above all others.  Amidst the pain, he managed to find a tiny thought of worry.  _Felonca... please... not you too..._

“You pitiful fools,” the wispy voice muttered again, “you think you can stand against us!” A hoarse chuckle.  “You have failed against me and my pets... how could you think you could stand against Hu himself?”  Nayu’s pain increased even higher, as the veins twisted tighter, stretching him further and further.  “Its a pity... you won’t get to see the tarrasque destroy Xianfung, and all you’ve built there...”

Nayu caught the word, but amidst the mind-numbing pain, he couldn’t think about it, as his bloody webbing stretched tighter and tighter.  

Finally, somewhere inside of that pain, Nayu heard a shriek.  It was high pitched, almost the gurgling scream that comes from those who are about to enter the grave.  Immediately, the tightening of the veins ceased, and instead relaxed.  The sorcerer managed to force his eyes open, just enough to see the tall, haggard form of the Military Governor stumble backwards, an arrow impaled into his shoulder.

“Now!” he heard Felonca’s voice yell, and he felt something brush through the webbing, making him scream once more in pain.  Something touched his back, and for a moment, the world blacked out, whispers and moans surrounding his mind in darkness.  

Finally, he snapped his eyes open, the pain still intense, but nowhere near as searing as before.  His ears picked up the Military Governor grunting, and the sound of an arrow breaking.  He opened his eyes, only to see the dead gray eyes of the Military Governor staring at him, the taller man drawing his midnight black longsword and advancing even as the broken stub of an arrow poked out from his shoulder.

_Kill him... or be killed,_ realized.  His entire body ached, but he vaguely felt himself again... enough that his pent-up anger and rage at this man began boiling to the surface.  He closed his eyes and focused, using all the effort in his battered body to raise his hands, rage rushing through his veins as his magical powers rose to frightening new heights.  He wanted to not just kill the man, but to inflict an unholy horror, to wrench the man’s soul from his body, suspend him in agony.

_You’ll never hurt anyone again!  Not like you hurt my parents!  

My village!  

My friends!_ 

Nayu’s hands began to glow, blue and violent streaks racing down his fingers as the power shuddered through his system.  The power arcing in his grasp was far beyond his own making...  he could feel seemingly tens, hundreds, even thousands of others, touching, adding their own strength to his own... the dead of Red Lotus, of Mafeng, and a hundred other towns joining him from the beyond.

“Never...” the sorcerer hissed, his hands trembling and shaking from the power crackling in their midst, “again!”  Nayu’s hands suddenly blackened, darkness crossing into his magic like a black tidal wave.  With a shout of a thousand dead souls, dark jets of power lashed from the sorcerer’s black hands, wrapping around the Governor’s throat, dark filaments wrapping around his body, and his eyes.

The thin, reedy laugh suddenly changed to an unholy scream, as the black filaments lashed into the Governor.  His tall, thin form shook and writhed back and forth, as the screaming arcane power enveloped and engulfed him.  His hands reached upwards, clawing at his face as his eyes swelled, the blackness surrounding and consuming his flesh, rising higher and higher until finally only the Governor’s face remained, upturned towards the roiling clouds above, agony on his lips.  As the darkness finally enveloped him, his eyes vanished, leaving stark black sockets... vacant windows into a dying soul.

The whirling black cloud continued for only a moment longer, before seeming to spin apart, tiny tendrils vanishing into the night.  From their suspended place, his bony armor, sword, and belongings clattered to the ground, thin tendrils of smoke rising from the remains.

From across the burning cityscape a great cry arose... as if one man was screaming at a sudden influx of pain.  Nayu shuddered, recognizing the bone-chilling yell of the Prince of Hu in all his arcane fury.  The pregnant orange skies above seemed to lower, and just before Hu’s fiery rain could begin anew, there was a flash as Nayu, the party, and all the surviving scholars teleported away...

======================================================


The Military Governor was Wizard10/PaleMaster10/Fighter1, though when he attacked the party, he was partially injured from Nayu's action before.  He used a simalcrum to distract them, before teleporting in to surprise them.

The spell he used on the party was called _Avascular Mass_ (from the Book of Vile Darkness).  Just as described, it rips the victims blood vessels from their body, and suspends them in the webbing... quite gruesome.  Felonxi and Dian were also caught in the bloody mess, while Yari Ai, Meiji and Felonca had to merely find gaps in the gap to act.  Felonca shot the Governor, while Yari Ai cast _Heal_ on Nayu.  Once he was healed, Nayu launched a powerful _disintegration_ spell on the Governor... and he failed his save. Ouch... 2d6 per level (I think somewhere above 30d6).  No more Military Governor...


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Go Nayu!!   

Great update again Emperor V - very vivid spell descriptions, in particular.

I'm also interested in how the players handled the whole "love" thing. Was it a unilateral decision on Felonca's player's part that she should be attracted to Nayu, or was there more of a consensus as to how the two PCs should develop on this front?


----------



## TDRandall

I bow in awe to your awesome, innovative, descriptive imagery, E-V.  When I think disintegrate my mind's eye goes "bzzt ... pft".  When you weave disintegrate into your tale it becomes ...

**********************************

The thin, reedy laugh suddenly changed to an unholy scream, as the black filaments lashed into the Governor. His tall, thin form shook and writhed back and forth, as the screaming arcane power enveloped and engulfed him. His hands reached upwards, clawing at his face as his eyes swelled, the blackness surrounding and consuming his flesh, rising higher and higher until finally only the Governor’s face remained, upturned towards the roiling clouds above, agony on his lips. As the darkness finally enveloped him, his eyes vanished, leaving stark black sockets... vacant windows into a dying soul.

The whirling black cloud continued for only a moment longer, before seeming to spin apart, tiny tendrils vanishing into the night. From their suspended place, his bony armor, sword, and belongings clattered to the ground, thin tendrils of smoke rising from the remains.

***********************************

Abso-frakin-lutely beoootiful!


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Another post is coming, don't worry... its just that the next post is very important, character-wise, and I want to make sure its just right... so its taking longer than normal to finish.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Ok... here is the long promised update!  Thanks goes to drag n fly (felonca's player) for proofreading and doing quite a bit of the writeup near the end!

*Messengers from the South... and the Death of Love*

_Months later..._

Nayu shivered, flakes of snow cascading from his cloak onto the stone of the wall below.  He blinked and stopped momentarily on the battlements of the repaired Xianfung palace, the former black and gold flags of the governor replaced by the Emperor’s yellow and crimson.  

Below, the thousands of citizens of Xianfung now mingled in the snowy streets, markets still running feverishly high from the tens of thousands of refugees from Liaoxiang swelled the tent cities outside the walls of Xianfung.  Yet today, the main street, normally clogged with feet and carts, was quiet, all eyes upturned, looking towards the southern gate.

“They arrive,” Ling whispered next to Nayu, and the sorcerer nodded.  Below, he could see now several armored horsemen, their mail brilliant silver and gold, slowly pushing through the crowd.  Alongside and behind them trailed a series of litters, many porters clad in furs hauling each, forming a great gilded snake, trailing through the snowy streets.

“It’s taken a long time to get to this moment,” Nayu whispered thoughtfully, before turning towards Ling and the taller willow of a boy next to him.  “Thankfully the ambassadors made it through the winter, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Councillor Wakabayashi, for helping to bring this together,” Emperor Yuandi replied, his voice high and confident as a young boy’s should be.  He smiled and Nayu, and the sorcerer found himself smiling back.

It had been five long months since the siege of Liaoxiang, and Nayu and Felonca had been busy... Felonca arranging security for the Emperor, while Nayu sent ambassadors to the other provinces of the Empire, requesting support for Yuandi.  The boy had grown, even in this short time.  Armies had been raised, governors recruited, yet Nayu’s mind kept going back to something that no army could solve for him.

_Felonca._  These days, it was more a sigh than anything.  It had been a hard, trying time.  He still felt her gaze as he went about the palace... a gaze that shook him to the core.  At first, he’d tried to muster the courage to tell her how he felt, or more appropriately, how he _didn’t_ feel.  At one point, his hand had been poised to knock on her door one night, before phantom images in his mind of how broken hearted she would be chased him away.

So he threw himself into the work of being an advisor to the Emperor.  For the time being, the sorcerer had set aside his claim... a united Empire fighting Hu was far better than a divided Empire under attack.  He’d rushed about the palace, cajoling ambassadors, priests, arranging homes for all the refugees from Liaoxiang... all in an effort to avoid a confrontation he knew was inevitable.

And now, the last ambassadors, representing the two largest and most powerful of the provinces within the Celestial Empire, had finally arrived.  Footmen had rushed word ahead that the ambassador from Bei had demands to place before the Emperor in return for his support... and that some strange, exotic woman came as a representative of Han...

_Once we have their support... come spring, we’ll have an army that can match Hu on the field, now that he doesn’t have the Military Governor created soldiers of the dead and demons for him..._ Nayu thought, watching the litters weave through the streets, then onto the snowy plaza before the palace.  



“Nayu!”  Felonca dashed up, and hugged him fiercely.  _Its been two weeks!_ she thought, taking in the smell of the court off of his robes.  She quailed slightly, all too aware of the smell of boots, mud, and leather that came from her own body... the smells of two weeks of winter training.  The Emperor had already commented on it, before promptly wishing he was the one in the winter training, instead of sitting on the throne.

She pulled back, and looked into his eyes.  They were smiling, but still, she could see that there was something behind that easy look... something darker, that she couldn’t place.  Within a moment, it was gone.

“How’s the general doing?” he asked with a teasing smile as the two walked into the converted reception hall of the Xianfung Palace. 

“Don’t rub it in!” Felonca grinned as they entered the marbled hall, jade and granite columns rising all around them.  “Besides, its only temporary, until Uncle Dian comes back from recruiting in Taisho!”  She turned red slightly, then glanced down at the worn helm cradled under her arm... the twin red and white plumes of a Jiang (roughly major general) rising from the crest.

“Well... now that you’ve had your fun with soldiers,” the sorcerer teased a little more, “now you get to hear the boring realm of diplomacy.  Han and Bei have finally arrived... and I apologize if this pulls you from the marshalling fields...”

“Oh, I don’t mind!” Felonca said a little too quickly, looking into his eyes a little too much, she was so eager to be beside him again.  _Dammit... quick!_ Her mind jumbled a thought, and sputtered out, “I...um... know you’ve been working so hard at all of this!  Putting all of this together, and I wouldn’t miss your crowning moment for the world!”  

“Well...” Nayu started, before the sounds of a distant gong signaled the arrival of the ambassadors.  Quickly the two found their places... as a chief advisor to the Emperor, Nayu received a place on the raised Imperial dais, to the right of the Emperor on his throne.  Felonca, as one of many generals, was content to sit on the floor... though her close friendship with Yuandi ensured her seat was in the front row.

“Ambassador Qi Dafeng, of the Province of Bei!” the chamberlain announced, and with a cascading creak, the doors to the reception hall opened.  A huge man, easily as tall as Nayu yet three times as wide, lumbered into the chambers, his huge and billowing robes thankfully covering the rolls of fat that fell from his body.

_Bei... that’s a southern province, with the mouth of the Yaling River... in his last letter, Nayu said they wanted to triple the price of shipping down the river to forty silver taels for... something..._  she didn’t quite remember the details, and forced herself not to look up at Nayu sitting on the dais, the bright yellow and black robes of an Imperial adviser hanging smartly from his frame.  

_Han is further upriver, and wants no increase on the taxes on shipping..._ Felonca distracted herself from staring.  _It also has the largest amount of cavalry in the Empire... if Nayu can get them to join us._  She thought of her Uncle Dian, wildly giggling while leading a charge on horseback, and she smiled.



As the gigantic chunk of lard that called himself the ambassador from Bei sat on the mat provided, Nayu turned his eyes back towards the door.  He wrinkled his nose, a new smell sifting in place of the incense.  

_Is that... rose and saffron?_  His nostrils were nowhere as sensitive as Felonca’s, yet the smell grew... roses, saffron, and flowers all enveloping around his nose, catching his attention.  Somewhere in the distance, a gentle chime sounded, and Nayu’s eyes went wide.

She came in silently, gracefully, blue and green silk flowing from her figure as water gently cascades in a peaceful brook.  Nayu found his eyes admiring first her figure, seemingly the work of an immaculate artist, sculpted to perfection.  His gaze drifted to her face, only the slightest of wrinkles beginning to form on her exotically pale face.  Then, under the strange, golden cascades of her hair, he caught her eyes... a fiery blue that stared defiantly, challengingly into his own, tiny flecks of red dancing in their bold sea.  

_I..._ Nayu started, before his mind briefly broke from coherent thought, the jewelry framing the woman’s face tinkling gently as she walked to the center of the room, then bowed to the Emperor, then to Ling, and finally, towards Nayu.  For the moment, the sorcerer forgot himself, and stared at the perfect view down the strange beauty’s shirt.

“Your Majesty, Princess Royukgan Vintressa, wife of Prince Royukgan Liuye,  Governor of the Province of Han!” the chamberlain called, and finally Nayu’s mind pushed past the fog, barely recognizing the name.

_I know they said she was the daughter of the great Emperor over the mountains... and that she was beautiful despite her age... but this..._  Nayu squeezed his eyes shut momentarily, trying to focus his mind... yet with every breath, the smell of the perfume wafting from her made his mind bring back that face.

“May His Majesty reign in health!” she said, her voice sounding to Nayu like the gentle call of a morning breeze.  “And may his councillors continue their sage advice,” she added, those blue eyes looking into Nayu’s again, still challenging, arousing his interest.  All thoughts of his friends, the world around him even, seemed to vanish in those sky blue eyes.  For several moments, silence hung in the room, until Nayu belatedly realized all eyes were staring at him.

“And may the ancestors protect you and your people,” Nayu hurriedly replied.  _Dammit!  You’re daydreaming!  You can’t do that!  You’re a councillor to the Emperor!_ Nayu yelled at himself, _And you want to impress her!  Was that suave!  No... it wasn’t!  You looked like a complete goof!_

“Thank you, Councillor,” she smiled at him and bowed again.  “I bring condolences from my husband.  He regrets that his horse threw him before he received your summons, Majesty, and that he is unable to travel,” she smiled smoothly at the Emperor, before her eyes momentarily darted back to Nayu.

The sorcerer felt his heart turning into butter.




_What’s wrong with Nayu?_ Felonca thought, looking at her friend and love.  In all the meetings she’d even seen him participate in, he’d always been focused, attentive, ready to solve problems and give advice.  Yet today, his eyes seemed unfocused, and he shook his head constantly, as if he needed to break a daydream.

Then her eyes followed his gaze... and she found her own rooted in the canyon of cleavage that was the chest of the Han ambassador.

And she felt her heart turning to stone.



“Your Majesty, the province of Han is full of your loyal children, who only seek to see that your enlightened rule survive these troubles, and that your reign may continue in peace and prosperity,” the beautiful Vintressa bowed, yet when she looked up, Nayu saw the slightest, faintest bit of steel in her blues eyes.  “However, we do have a request for Masters Won Wei and Wakabayashi, that must be met so your children will rejoice in your safety.”

“Please,” the Emperor nodded, as Nayu stared wide-eyed between the ambassador and the Emperor... mostly at the ambassador.  _What could she want from me?_  Even as his intellectual mind tried to rationalize what he could give her... or more likely, Han province... the small part of his mind that was still 18 years old shouted out its own conclusion, one that filled him with dreadful hopefulness.

“We insist that His Majesty appoint as his sole advisors Masters Won Wei, and Wakabayashi, as well as remove the Empress Dowager from all decision making,” the Princess said, and Nayu could’ve sworn she was staring at him the entire time.  “While the Empress Dowager has yet to be found, we want assurances that her advice which so badly led us all will never again arise as a specter to haunt us once again.”

“Granted,” Nayu said aloud, exactly at the same time as the Emperor himself.  The boy flashed Nayu a smile, as the sorcerer flashed the ambassador a far different smile.  “We promise that our guidance, along with the wise words of Governor Ling, will keep his Majesty well-informed.”

“I... as well as my people... are in your debt, Masters,” the Princess replied, her eyes once again boring into Nayu.

As the conversation moved towards the dispute between Han and Bei regarding river rights, Nayu tried his best to listen attentively, but even when his ears weren’t lulled by the Princess’ voice, or his eyes bewitched by her body, his mind found itself trapped by her wit.  For every dull or crass comment from the ambassador from Bei, she launched a witty and acerbic response.  For every claim, a counter, for every attack, as smug reply, and as the conversation went on, Nayu realized with sudden alacrity that even as the ambassador from Bei thumped his chest and postured, that not only had Vintressa changed his position to the side of Han, she’d made him think it was Bei’s idea.

_A mind to match her body..._ Nayu mentally stuttered.  Felonca was occasionally witty, but nothing as close to what the wife of the Prince of Han seemed to casually dish to her opponents.  Part of the sorcerer’s mind realized that she should be that witty... she’d been the wife of a governor for over twenty years, she’d been raised as a Princess Imperial.  Yet as she continued to speak, more and more his own reasoning mind gave way to baser instinct.

And his heart beat faster.


_He’s gawking at her!_  Felonca fumed, all the while remaining quiet despite her urge to reach up and throttle the other woman.  _He’s not honestly thinking that..._ part of her claimed... _He’s thinking politically... alliances and the like._  Yet the woman in her saw something in Nayu’s eyes that she hadn’t seen anywhere else... something deep, rumbling...

_The look he’s never given you,_ she thought morosely, even as she hoped against hope.  Finally, the conference broke apart, and Felonca watched the ambassador from Bei rise ponderously to his feet, thank the Emperor, then shuffle out.  She hoped that the Princess would leave quickly as well... and perhaps trip over something on the way out.  

Yet when she turned, she saw Nayu approaching the older beauty, a look of determination, even smugness in his eyes, a look Felonca immediately realized was the face of a hunter, stalking his prey.  Instantly, the hengeyokai focused her acute hearing, eavesdropping on their conversation.  She knew it was wrong, she knew she shouldn’t do it, but she desperately needed to know.

At first there was idle chitchat, even a compliment from the Princess on Nayu’s success despite his youth, yet Felonca could hear the rushing current underneath the words, and a torrent of emotions ran through the hengeyokai’s mind.

_No... he surely can’t be thinking..._

Then she heard seven words that broke her heart.



Hours later, Felonca was alternately stalking around her room and curling up in a painful ball on her bed. It was too much to think about, too much to deal with. The panther side of her wanted to run and scream and kill something. The woman side of her wanted to die.

It had been easy, these past few months. She had hardly seen any of Nayu, they were both so busy all of the time. The emotions that had grown to the breaking point in Liaoxiang were pushed aside. She had been so close to telling Nayu how she felt multiple times since then. But each time something had come up. A new group of soldiers to train, a short journey to take, and Nayu never seemed to have time to be alone with her anymore. At times, Felonca missed their travels across the countryside. It may have been hard and wearying, but at least they had been together. 

But now…

A soft knock at the door drew her attention away from herself, but then the scent of who it was struck like a dagger in her belly. 

“Go away!” her voice was somewhat muffled by the pillow she was hugging with all of her might, but she didn’t care. The warm, somewhat spicy scent filled her nostrils, and she heard, echoing in her mind, those seven words that tore things apart.

_“Will you share my chambers tonight, Princess?”_

They had been said with all the suaveness and skill Nayu could muster... Felonca had seen that.  If Nayu had known or cared to look up at that moment, he would have seen the heart of his best friend dying. But all he had eyes for was Vintressa, who, with just as much suave and skill, turned him down with a smile that only cemented his desire for her.

The knock came again, louder this time. Felonca rolled over on the bed and curled up around the pillow, pulling it into her chest and shaking as though it was a dagger that could end her pain. 

Her sensitive ears heard the soft *click*, and she realized with a mix of shock and joy that she had forgotten to lock the door, the twin opposite emotions rushing through her soul.

For a long moment, there was silence. Felonca could feel him standing there, his eyes burning into her back from the open doorway. She resisted the urge to jump up and flee, and her body trembled with the effort of holding still, hoping he’d say something, praying that he wouldn’t...



_Nice going, Nayu._  The sorcerer rubbed his eyes for a moment.  _You’ve just destroyed one of the best things you ever had. She was always there for you, she’s saved your life a couple of times now. You, Mr. cool and smooth…too cowardly to tell her how you felt, so you told her you didn’t love her by propositioning another woman. A MARRIED woman.

Ass._ 

Nayu’s conscience still grated him for what he’d done... and grated him because part of him hoped that the Princess would change her mind, that later that night he’d hear the door to his chamber creak open slowly...

And another, cowardly part, was almost glad. _Now Felonca knows how I feel, she won’t keep giving me those looks, or berating me for taking risks. It’s easier this way.

At least she knows now..._ 



On the bed, Felonca could almost hear his thoughts, and a small whimper escaped from her tightly clenched teeth.  _I will not cry... I will not cry..._ she repeated to herself.  She didn’t want to give him that satisfaction... him.  A scar had risen over her soul... and for a moment, Nayu ceased to have a name.



Nayu heard it, and sighed, his thoughts evaporating. _She’s still my friend,_ his conscience yelled at him.  _No one deserves to be shot down that way.

Why didn’t you just tell her?  Ass!_ his conscience shouted.

_Because I didn’t want to see her cry!  I didn’t want to see her hurt!

Well, good job of avoiding that, ass!_  The look on Felonca’s face when the Princess had left the chambers stayed in Nayu’s mind.  Pain, even anguish in her blue eyes, her body shifting involuntarily between human and hybrid, before she stormed out of the chambers.

He grated his teeth together, trying to think of something to say, something that could fix everything that’d happened.   _I’m sorry, Felonca. I didn’t want to tell you like this…_

He sighed, and reached out to gently touch her shoulder.



The touch jumped across her heart as if he had zapped her with a lightning bolt, and she was up and away from him in a moment, her hand pressed to her shoulder as if to wipe off his touch, or to clutch it to her forever.

For a moment, they faced each other over an empty bed, the silence between them filled with accusations, fear and betrayed trust, and a love that could never be reconciled.

“Nayu... why?” Felonca asked as her friend, her confidante, everything she’d hoped for except for one very important final thing, looked down.  Felonca sniffled slightly, anger starting to come into her voice.  “Why is _she_ okay, but not me?”

“Felonca, it’s...”

“...because she’s exotic?” Felonca snapped, her voice much higher than she wanted.  It was almost as if she was a mere spectator, as she heard her own voice tremble between a squeak and a scream.  “Because she’s not a mere run-of-the-mill panther hengeyokai?” she snarled in irony, gesturing with her hand to take in her dark skin and hair, wiry muscles, and comparatively flat chest.  “Or is it because you can stare down the canyon that’s her fricking cleavage?!”

Nayu’s blush was answer enough, and Felonca’s anger dissolved into tears.

“This is why we’ve barely seen each other these past few months, isn’t it. You’ve been avoiding me! Because you couldn’t tell me how you felt!”  It all made sense... and it hurt even more.  He’d known how she felt, and he’d run away from her because of it!  She watched with fear and anger as Nayu’s now tear-blurred face looked at her.

“Felonca, I’m sorry…”

_That’s what I expected to hear,_ she thought darkly.

“You’re sorry!” Felonca threw up her hands, even as part of her felt guilty at the consternation in his voice, but she couldn’t stop herself. She was still seeing the situation as an outsider, and deep inside, she feverently hoped this was a dream, that it wasn’t real. That she could keep loving her friend forever without his ever knowing…

“You’re sorry!” she repeated, harsher this time. “Of course, you’re sorry! You’re always sorry. But sorry doesn’t change what you did!” Suddenly, all she cared about was hurting him, tearing him so deeply and making him feel the way that she did. “Well you know what, I’m sorry! Sorry that I ever trusted you enough to protect you, to care for you, to keep your secret, _Emperor_ Nayu!  You’re no Emperor, you’re a betrayer! You’ve betrayed me, you’ve betrayed the people by not being the leader that they need, and you’ve betrayed your father…”

She realized immediately she shouldn’t have touched on that subject, when Nayu’s eyes flashed, and his nostrils flared wide.

“Enough!” Nayu’s voice shook the room. His eyes were flashing with a dark intense color as the faintest wisps of magic began to encircle his clenched hands. Felonca quailed, suddenly realizing that she was facing one of the most powerful magic-users in the kingdom, but part of her filled with glee at the thought that he might strike her down. Then at least, she wouldn’t feel her heart exploding at the sight of him…

Her thoughts showed in her eyes, and for a moment, she stood before him, proud and defiant, beautiful in her pain, a panther warrior to the very end. She watched as the anger in his eyes stuttered, then seemed to dim... his eyes looking deep into her soul.  The sorrow, the loneliness, the fear that gripped her flashed out through her eyes, and to her surprise, Felonca saw an echo in his face.  Memories of her helping him during his own loss so long ago.  For a moment, Nayu looked much older than his mere 18 years, like he bore the wearied countenance of an old man.

Of his father.

“Enough,” he repeated, but his voice was quiet, and his eyes were his own again. “Felonca, I’m sorry that I hurt you so badly. I know that what I did can never be undone, and I only hope that it is still in the stars that we can be comrades, if not friends.” He closed his eyes and swallowed, his own voice trembling as for the first time in a very long time, he had let down his walls, and stammered out his heart. “I still need you, Felonca. I need to you to be advisor, and my general. I…I can’t do this alone. I need you by my side to help me lead this empire…but not as a lover. I’m sorry that I don’t feel about you in that way, I truly am. You’ve been there for me through…everything, and…”

As he was talking, Felonca noticed the change in him, and she too, remembered a time when they could sit and laugh, and he could scratch that place behind her ear without any worries. _He does need me…_ She realized with a shock. _He needs a friend when the pressures of his destiny get to be too much. He’s still just a scared young man…and I’m just a scared young woman._ 

“Shhh,” Felonca interrupted Nayu by stepping forward and taking him in her arms. For a moment he was stiff, and then he softened in her embrace and held her back. She buried her face in his shoulder and inhaled the scent of him, filling her nostrils and her memory with this one moment when, for an instant, she could love him without reservation, and she was sure, he loved her back. 

“I’m sorry too, Nayu. I didn’t mean what I said earlier.” She said softly into his shirt.

“I know.”   She didn’t see his mouth twist into a rueful smile.

For a moment, there was silence, then she shifted her form in his arms and pressed the side of her head against his, and Nayu felt a deep thrumming against his cheek. In surprise he realized that Felonca was purring. 

“I’ll always be there for you Nayu. I want you to know that.” Her voice was soft and husky. She pulled back and for a moment she looked him full in the face as his arms surrounded her. Then she smiled. “After all, what would you do without your clever kitty.”

He smiled back, and she saw in his eyes the memories of the comment from seemingly a lifetime ago.

At that moment, Felonca realized that they were just too different to ever be together. She loved an Emperor…who could not love her back. She felt the steel bands surrounding her heart as she forced herself to pull away from him. Never again would she be held in his arms. Never again would she be able to view him as more than a friend. 



In his heart too, Nayu knew this was it. Their relationship had changed, significantly. He knew that things would be tense for a while between them. He only hoped that, some day, she would be able to forgive him.
********************************************

As for the 'love story' between the two, its a literary invention of mine to try to explain what happened here, at the end of the 12th session.  Felonca's player had made allusions in earlier sessions that her character had a thing for Nayu, but Nayu's player didn't really respond.  

Since Felonca's player in a previous campaign played the mother of this Vintressa woman (see the end of _Into the Icy Darkness_), I thought it'd be a fun way to end the session.  Since in the previous story she'd ended up married to a local of Ak Konylu, it wasn't hard to introduce her in.  I hadn't expected, however, Nayu's player wanting to roll a diplomacy check to try to sleep with her (He failed, but barely).  This was not popular with Felonca's player, and I promptly put the mini-bruhaha in my notes.  Yet both Felonca and Nayu are reasonably intelligent characters, so the fight wouldn't have sprung up overnight... so I built it up a bit to make it make sense within the story.


----------



## omrob

*How crazy and cool*

Thanks for your contribution to the story hour forum. I''ve spent the last month or so reading this story hour, and really enjoying it. Started with High Seas, and found this. Digging that as well.

Its my first OA flavor campaign read and I must commend you and drag n fly for all the story + art you've done for this thread. I've looked forward to and enjoyed every post by you all. 

Props to all involved. 

Question - 

Are all the MAPS available anywhere else ? a Lot of the earlier story hour map and art links diidnt come up for me, and I wondered if they were anywhere else, or if they needed a home somewhere.

Comments - 

Great tight group and story line. Way to go. I've got a history BA but never looked at this part of world history, or got heavily into an OA campaign - way to go, I really enjoying it,

Love the players, the NPCs and the narrative. Great writing.

Ill go read your other SHs now.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

Thanks for the positive feedback!  I'm glad you like the story! 



			
				omrob said:
			
		

> Question -
> 
> Are all the MAPS available anywhere else ? a Lot of the earlier story hour map and art links diidnt come up for me, and I wondered if they were anywhere else, or if they needed a home somewhere.




The pictures and maps are very much in need of a home.  I've had them a imagehosting.us, but after a certain period of time without membership, your pic goes away (which is what has happened).  If you know of anywhere I can stash the pics so they'll stop disappearing after a few months, I'd be much obliged.


----------



## omrob

Hi 

If you can fix up the links in the posts I can host the images for you. Can you give me an approximate idea of number and size? I will get ftp space going for you.

:BTW: I tried to private message this to you. mebbe you can email or to keep this  off the thread


----------



## omrob

And holy heck! Happy Birthday! 

All a quarter century now - whee....

RAN


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Emperor (all hail!),

Just caught up, a bit belatedly, with the last update. Very good indeed - not that I'd expect anything less by now.

Thanks for the explanation as to the provenance of the romance part of the storyline. It's certainly helped bring the storyhour to life. I hope your players are happy with the spin you've put on it.


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Mending Fences, Building an Army... and a Shock*


Felonca looked glumly off into the early spring mist as the talking voices filled her ears as she stood on top of the palace battlements.  It’d been two months since the ambassadors from Han and Bei had been placated, and her heart rudely torn.  Yet some wounds still stood rather raw, no matter how much she threw herself into training the new army that come spring proper, would march on Langya to destroy the threat of Prince Hu once and for all.

_Damn you voice carrying so far,_ she thought rather hotly to herself on hearing Nayu’s voice couple with Won Wei’s in conversation.  It made things hard... there were still feelings, but she was becoming better and keeping them aside, out of the way.  Things weren’t cold between her and her former love interest, but neither were they warm.  She’d described the situation to Meiji as “tepid.”  _Both of us keep testing the water, to make sure things are okay... but we’re still both a little afraid to jump in._
The mist was extremely thick, she could see them until the two were almost directly upon her... which fortunately gave her time to cover her sadness with a studious stare off into space.

“Ah!  Wa-Feng Felonca!” Won Wei greeted her with a bow and a smile, “or should I say, Shang Wa-Feng!  A pleasure to see you again and well!”  

“And you, Master Won Wei,” Felonca replied, a fake smile on her lips.  She sighed with relief when she thought she saw Won Wei’s smile remain steady, yet she quickly felt something deep behind his gaze... some kind of emotion barely being held back.  What, she couldn’t tell.  

_Great... he knows about the unhappiness between me and Nayu,_ Felonca wanted to groan.  _That might complicate things... but how did he find out?  Nayu wouldn’t tell anyone, and I only spoke to it with my immediate fam.... Meiji!_

She made a mental note to strangle her cousin when she got the chance.

“Felonca,” Nayu bowed, a smile on his own lips, yet Felonca could see his eyes... and they held just as much worry and tenseness as a harried mother.  

_He’s still concerned on how I react when he arrives,_ she realized.  A tiny, ever-receding part of her was gleeful at this... but as each day went by, it shrank even more.  Now, she tried to put on a real smile... if only to try to assuage him.  She bowed in return, and was relieved to see the temporary nervous look in Nayu’s eye faded somewhat... nonetheless, she rather anxiously rubbed a hand over the ring on her finger.

Her father had found it several months before amongst the piles of tomes and junk the scholars had teleported to Xianfung in the last minutes of the old capital city.  It was a silver ring, with insets for three stones, yet all that remained was a single ruby in the center, small yet glowing with brilliant light.  Felonxi had handed it to her, and she’d worn it ever since.  She’d wanted at times to ask Nayu what it did, but she’d always been concerned old, inappropriate feelings might arise... or she might be rebuffed.

“Nayu,” she bowed in return.  At first it’d be hard even to use his first name... the urge was there to distance herself from him, but she knew that wouldn’t help him, or herself, in this entire mess.  For a moment, silence hung in the air.

“How goes the training, Felonca?” Nayu cut through the unspoken tenseness.  For a second, she saw the words _ “How are the troops from Han?”_ form in his mind and on his lips, but they remained unspoken.  _There are still some wounds..._ she realized.  _I should show I’m not afraid of the subject... we’re going to be working together, after all... 

And the past is the past._

“Well, the infantry sent north from Bei have proven well trained and steady.  Father was especially impressed by their ability to switch formation quickly under stress.  And, to a certain extent, forty-thousand troops is always a boon,” she grinned.  “As for Han,” she plunged into the unspoken subject, “The rumors about their cavalry are true... the finest I have ever seen.”

“Ah... excellent,” Nayu replied with only a slight halt in his speech.  The halt said more than hours of dialogue, and Felonca forced another smile on her lips.  _Let him know its alright._  Though one small bit of evilness came into her mind, one she couldn’t resist.

“And you’ll be pleased to know that Prince Royukgan himself has recovered sufficiently that he will be arriving soon to take command of the Han cavalry himself,” she smiled only slightly.  Nayu played the game well, and she saw only a slight tinge of disappointment in his eyes.

“Excellent,” he pronounced, even though she knew he probably wanted to growl instead.  “Won Wei has just returned from looking about for that tappask what-not the Military Governor spoke of just before he died.  I am assuming that since he was gone for the last two months, you would probably want to hear what he found as well.”

“Of course,” Felonca replied.




“What exactly is this tarrask?” Nayu asked a few minutes later.  After the three had moved to a secluded section of the wall, Won Wei’s thin veneer had fallen away, and the fear underneath had roared forth.  _Won Wei tends to overreact a bit... shouldn’t be too bad...._  Nayu tried to wrap his tongue around the word, but no matter how he tried, he couldn’t quite master how it was pronounced.  “Terrask?  Tarresk?”  _Why can’t creatures have simple names... Wang-Liang, for example.  Nice... rolls off the tongue..._

“Tarrasque,” the wide eyed scholar corrected him, his voice low and frightened, as if speaking the very name of the creature might cause it to appear.  “It is an utter abomination of life, a great and powerful spiritual demon from the Abyss that hunts and destroys all life.”

“So its undead then?” Felonca asked with a raised eyebrow.  “It shouldn’t be too bad then.  We’ve dealt with undead things before...” Her statement ground to a halt.  “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“_Its not that simple!_” the scholar hissed.  “It is neither living, nor dead, nor undead.  It is a beast of nightmares!”

“So it takes over your mind?  Well, I have Kongxi’s headband, so that shouldn’t be a...”

“No!” Won Wei cut Nayu off, exasperation now showing in the young man’s eyes alongside the fear.  “It is more powerful than the greatest dragon, and can slay an entire city in one day!”

_WHAT?!_ Nayu felt his jaw drop.

“Imagine, if you will, a creature so great in size that its shadow stretches for miles, with fangs so large they can impale the mightiest horse!  A beast so foul that it kills the vegetation around it, spreading sickness and death where it walks!”  The fear came back into Won Wei’s eyes, fear that now Nayu understood.

“It eats anything and everything that it comes across... people, livestock, giants, ogres, dragons even if it can get its hands on them!  To make matters worse...”

Felonca spat out a series of sharp curses on the ancestors and whoever sired the tarrasque, as Nayu stared at Won Wei, his jaw still wide open.  _A beast THAT LARGE?  That can do all of that?  HU IS SUMMONING THIS?!_

“How can we kill this thing?” Nayu finally asked, regaining control of his lips and cutting off Won Wei’s list of doom before it was fully started.  _If we can kill something like that?!  Good gods in the Heavens... we need a plan.  Calm down.  Think!_  His imagination ran wild, conjuring up the image of a towering beast miles away, yet so large he could feel its eyes peering at him.  The image made him shudder involuntarily.

“It reflects a great deal of magic that is cast on it,” Won Wei continued, unabated, “spells come flying back towards the one who used them!  Normal weapons hardly touch it, and even when it is hurt, it heals so quickly that few can really cause it any harm!”

“Has anyone killed it?” Nayu raised his hands in exasperation.  _Won Wei’s rambling now... dammit!_

“I...I found one record,” the scholar replied quickly, “but it said that the beast arose again after it was slain, and proceeded to begin to eat yet again!  Fire did not stop it, poisoning the water for miles around did not stop it, they even say the great Kongxi himself tried to put one to sleep, to no avail!”

“What the hell kills this thing?!” _Something must kill it... otherwise from the way Won Wei speaks, it would still be wandering around even now..._

“I... I don’t know, Master Wakabayashi,” Won Wei bowed in confession.  “All the records say that after years of laying waste, the beast merely wanders off to lands unknown, until it is summoned again!”

“Good gods in the Abyss!” Felonca swore again.  “So you’re telling me that Hu is summoning a beast far beyond anything this entire Empire has seen since... since Kongxi himself walked in this world?!”

“We didn’t get the right tomes... we didn’t get the right tomes...” Nayu repeated aloud to himself, panic flooding his own mind.  _Kongxi himself couldn’t kill this thing... how the hell are we supposed to do it?!  Think!!  THINK!!_

“Okay... okay okay okay...” Nayu raised his hands, and started to pace, wracking his brain for ideas.  _This thing is huge, this thing is mean... huge, mean things usually mean that an awesome amount of magic is required to summon it.  Awesome magic means..._ 

He suddenly stopped.

“Where is Hu summoning this... thing?” Nayu asked, ideas coming together.  

“We... I... don’t know...” Won Wei whispered fearfully.  “He controls the entire northern border, and supposedly now has allies among the barbarians across the Desert Wall!  He could be summoning this creature from anywhere in that...”

Nayu closed his eyes.  

“If we can find where he’s doing this, I think I know how we can stop it...”

=======================================================

That’s right... I tossed a tarrasque at them.   Yes, I am _evil_....


----------



## ThoughtfulOwl

... and Felonca just got hold of what seems a _ring of three wishes_ with one charge left. Something tells me they won't manage to stop the summoning.


----------



## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Emperor Valerian said:
			
		

> Yes, I am evil....




As if we ever doubted it ...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*The Return of the White Wolf*

Felonca closed her eyes, and focused her mind.

Calmly, almost sedately, she pulled out her warfans, holding them out sideways from her body, her form perfectly balanced on the top parapets of the outer walls of the Xianfung Palace.  She felt the first spring breezes blowing past her, through her, and just as they slipped and slid around her body, her body snapped into action, her warfans fluidly tracing deadly arcs through the air.

Below, she could hear the sounds of Guans and Zhong Weis barking orders to the now seasoned recruits that had spent all winter training, just as she had.  She could hear the clatter of Han’s cavalry riding through the city’s main plaza, on their way to the marshalling grounds outside the city gates for practice maneuvers.  Beyond all this noise, she heard her own soul, stretching free from winters chill now that spring had finally, inevitably arrived.

As she back-flipped from section to section of the parapet, her deadly balance and skill tested to the limit, the back of her mind still couldn’t wrap around the facts Won Wei had laid before them weeks earlier... that they would likely be facing a beast far more dangerous than any prince or dragon, and even now he was gone from the city, desperately looking for where Hu was conjuring this demon.

As she neared the end of her routine, she spotted a shape, and felt a prickly sense on the back of her neck.  She landed on her feet, but in a move as full of finesse as fury, she snapped her warfans behind her, their bladed forms stopping less than an inch from the intruder’s neck.

“Ah... still training, Jiang Wa-Feng.”  She smiled when she heard the elderly, cracked voice, and turned and bowed to the Governor of Dai.  He looked far more elderly of late... his frame seemed more bent, his gait a step slower.  But his eyes, they always burned with wit and intelligence, far beyond what she could imagine.

Yet today, she noticed, they seemed to dart about, swiftly, in a hurry.  _Something isn’t right..._

“As always, Governor Ling,” she rose, “We need to always be ready.  Hu is crafty, and even if he’s wasting his effort on summoning beasts of power, he could send a spoiling attack to divert our attention.  Has my father sent you...”

“Mistress Wa-Feng,” Ling said quickly, interrupting her, “I fear things have become far more complicated than a mere beast or a spoiling attack.”

“How so?” Felonca asked, slowly and guardedly as she sheathed her warfans.  _What could be a bigger complication than having a gigantic beast from hell arise in our enemy’s hands?  Something that’s making Ling, of all people, jumpy?_

“I must be candid, Jiang, but I have heard rumors that you and the White Wolf Clan do not see eye to eye, so to speak,” Ling asked, curiosity in his eyes.  “To be perfectly frank, not many who cross their path live long enough to allow for a disagreement to arise.”

Felonca crossed her arms and groaned.  _Of all the times..._  “How long have you sensed them?” Felonca growled in frustration.  _Of all the times the White Wolf choose to raise their heads, they pick now!  We’ve got an army to train, a tarrasque to stop..._  “And how many are there?”

“Just one, that our scholars found in the streets of the city.  He was headed towards the palace,” Ling replied, his wrinkled face showing worry.  “We don’t know how many have escaped our detection, however.   I have already ordered the palace guards to be extra vigilant, and detached one of my scholars to personally watch this would-be assassin.”

_One would be assassin... either this man is very cocky, and assumes that he can’t be seen, or he wants to be seen...

...why would he be doing this?  Why would the White Wolf be so brazen?_

“Master Ling,” Felonca said, after several moments of thought, “I think we need to bring this man in for questioning.  Do you happen to know where Master Wakabayashi is at the moment?  I might need use of some of his magic...”



“A White Wolf?”  Nayu raised his eyebrow a few minutes later, and Felonca vigorously nodded.

“Several scholars spotted him skulking about the city, yes,” she confirmed darkly, “and Ling checked up on it himself.  They’ve only spotted one using their magic, but I am guessing that where there is one wasp, the nest is surely close by.”

“Right,” the sorcerer replied, stroking his now long black beard.  For a moment, there was a momentary thought in Felonca’s mind about Nayu’s handsomeness, but she banished it with ease.  Months of practice had made being around him far easier.  

“They might be just trying to send a message to us... that they’re alive, well, and still able to penetrate security,” the sorcerer continued, “or you’re right, and this is but the scouting party of an attack group against either you, me, or maybe even the Emperor.  I wouldn’t put it past Hu.”

“No, they’re after me, I know it,” Felonca replied.  _The White Wolf don’t just give up on a target.  And I killed the son of the head of their Clan... Bai-Long Mao!  Surely his father hasn’t given up seeking vengeance for his son’s death?_  “It’d be folly for them to try to get into the palace... maybe you’re right, they’re just trying to send a message...”

“Either way,” her friend looked out, over the walls of the palace towards the sprawling city below, “I think we should take him in.  Besides,” he turned back, smiled, and patted Felonca’s shoulder, “it’d be interesting to see how well a Jiang can intimidate an assassin!”



Nayu felt gooseflesh run down his arm as the teleportation magic hovered around him, his mind shaping and warping it to engulf himself, Felonca, and a full squad of the Palace Guard.

_It’s been all too quiet since Won Wei came back with news of the tarrasque, and I am desperately tired of reading legal documents and tax charters with Won Wei... and its still a few more weeks till its fully spring, and the armies can march...

...this will be some entertainment..._

Already his mind was wrestling with problems and potentialities, even as he deftly focused his magic on the spot Ling had told them about.  _If other White Wolves leap out of hiding, I can’t use my fire spells... we’re on a city street, full of innocents.  I’ll have to hold them in place with arcane power...

...decidedly not as much fun as an explosion of fire, I suppose..._ he mentally sighed, feeling the magic engulfing his ankles, then his legs, then rising up his body as arcane mists swept them to their destination...

...the middle of a city street, in the market district.  To one side lay the sprawling tents of the market for farmers, all busy buying seed for their summer crop, and attempting to sell the snowrose winter flowers.  To the other stood a large fountain....

...and a very surprised White Wolf bathing therein.

“Why hello there!” Nayu grinned, magic washing through his veins as easily as a stream flowed down a mountain..

For a split second, the tall, thin white wolf hung surprised in the air, halfway out of the water and halfway in, before he suddenly spun around, running as fast as his legs could carry him.  As he pushed and shoved people out of his way, Felonca calmly drew her bow, notched two arrows she’d spent the morning preparing, and launched.  A split second later, the white wolf tumbled to the ground, two poison tipped arrows in his back, before any of Nayu’s magic could come to play.

“Dammit,” the sorcerer growled, “you stole my thunder!”



“Who are you?”

Felonca had waited almost two hours for the sedatives to wear off, and overall, she was disappointed with her catch.  The White Wolf chained before her in the bowels of the palace was no elder, and he bore no markings of one of the master assassins within the clan.  As he blinked his eyes repeatedly after her question, she could sense the confidence in his eyes.

_This will be a long talk..._ she thought to herself.

“I am Bai-Long Di, of the White Wolf clan,” the wolf answered.

_Wait... something’s not right.   That was too easy!  Why did he say so readily he was from the assassin clan?_  Felonca fought to keep her face plain, even as confusion wracked her mind.  _That makes no sense!  They train for years to resist interrogation techniques, to never give up information!  _

“Why are you here?” she pressed.  _Maybe he’s trying to spin a lie... the more information I ask, the harder it will be for him to keep this up._  “For trying to kill me, you did a rather pitiful job of running away.”

To her surprise, Bai-Long Di flashed a rather sneering smile, the smile one flashed to the last student in class to understand a concept.  “I was not sent to kill you, that alone should be obvious.  If I had, you would already be dead,” he said, filled with all the confidence in the world despite his bound position.

“You speak too highly of yourself,” Felonca shot back.  “And you have yet to answer my question.  Why are you here?”

“To deliver a message to you, Jiang of the Fourth Class Wa-Feng Felonca,” Bai-Long Di said, a toothy grin growing on his face at Felonca’s look of shock.  “Don’t be so surprised, Jiang Wa-Feng.  The White Wolf did not forget you all this time... we keep track of those that slip from our grasp.”  He turned his head slightly to the side.  “I should congratulate you, young Wa-Feng.  You are now an anomaly.”

Felonca frowned sharply.

“Oh, don’t be upset,” Bai-Long Di gave a disturbing smile.  “You’re fascinating to us, in a way... someone that has successfully evaded our grip for so long surely is someone of great skill, both in combat and in stealth.  Many of our clan young-bloods wish to prove their mettle by testing you.”

“So your message is a mere, empty threat?” Felonca finally found her voice, even as her mind tried to find a way to deal with the entire White Wolf Clan coming after her.  _How can I deal with all of them, then deal with Hu, and his minions... gah!_

“Oh no!”  Felonca frowned again as the White Wolf laughed.  “That was decidedly not my message.  Indeed, my dear cousin, Bai-Long Ji... you have heard of him, have you not?”

Felonca involuntarily shivered.  _Ji is the head of the White Wolf Clan!   And he’s the father of Bai-Long Mao..._  The second name brought back decidedly unpleasant memories of the silver dagger still hidden in her boot.

“I see by your face you have.”  Another distant smile.  “He has decided that our clan should not strike out at you in such a haphazard manner.  Indeed, he wishes to parley with you.”

“Parley?” Felonca gawked.  _The White Wolf want to parley?  Why?  They NEVER parley with anyone that is one of their targets!

Something is decidedly wrong here!_

“You sound as if I am your dead nemesis, Master Hsiu,” Bai-Long Di smiled as Felonca imperceptibly cringed at the mention of the tiger hengeyokai.  “Which is part of the reason why Master Ji wishes a parley.  Our employer who wished us to catch you is sadly at this time unable to pay,” the wolf smiled again.  “There is no sense in risking our valuable assets for a client who is dead... now is there?”

_So Hsiu did hire them!  But I killed Ji’s son with the dagger...  no... no, there’s something more to this._

“Where is Master Ji right now?” Felonca asked.  _If he wishes to parley, fine.  If I know where he’s at, we can get some of the scholars to spy on him before I expose myself to the ‘trust’ of the White Wolf Clan._

“That, I cannot say,” Di replied with a rather smug smile.

_Figures as much,_ Felonca thought sourly, before turning towards the door.  _He calls himself testing my patience... and this, of all times, is a time I have no patience._  She walked out into the hallway beyond the cell, and turned, where a pair of deep brown eyes turned to her in the torchlight.

“Nayu, he’s being stubborn,” she said simply, “I think he needs some sloth persuasion.”

Part of her soul shuddered when she saw his eyes light up, and the dark magic crackling between her friend’s fingers...


----------



## Emperor Valerian

*Ambushing the Ambushers*

Bai-Long Ji wanted to hiss, but he refrained from showing his displeasure.  

_Di should’ve been back by now..._ the head of the White Wolf clan worried, his tall, thin form pacing back and forth.  He was still in human form, his unusually white skin and red eyes making him stand out from his two cousins who sat with him in the clearing... and the others, skillfully hidden with their cloaks.

_Cloaks that cost me a pretty penny!_ Ji growled again.  He’d deeply raiding the clan reserves to pay for the equipment for this trip.  _Seeing the face of the young Wa-Feng as we slice her open will be well worth it!_

He and his clan had been waiting for this day, ever since that dark day the year before when Ji’s brother Enlai, and his own son had been sent on what should have been a rather routine job: a Master Hsiu had paid them handsomely to recover some special dagger that had been stolen from him.  The only remarkable thing about the mission was that the thief was none other than the youngest daughter of the hated Wa-Feng clan, a girl Mao had known from his days at the Academy.

_”She’s weak and soft, father.”_  Ji could still hear his son’s voice, confident about how easy it would be to rough up the young Wa-Feng and her friends, and take the dagger back to its owner.

_Curse her!_ Ji growled, the anger and sorrow from the moment he’d found out rushing back from his memory.  How witnesses saw Enlai and his son barge into the room where the bitch was staying.  The noise of a struggle, then Mao’s screams...

_The screams..._  They haunted Ji’s memory, like distant calls of a long lost soul.  They said his son had burned alive, from the inside, and Ji didn’t doubt for a moment that the vile Wa-Feng girl did the deed.  _No one deserves to die like that!  Even we assassins strike our prey with deadly speed, to take them to their ancestors all the faster!  They said... they said Mao screamed for several minutes..._

Ji shook his head.  There would be time to reflect on that later, when he had the blood of the Wa-Feng girl on his hands.  He’d eschewed weapons this day; it would be far more satisfying to crush and snap her bones with his bare hands.  She was some kind of high ranking person at the Imperial Court in Exile, a court Bai Long didn’t doubt would soon cease to exist.  They’d been driven from the capital by the armies of Prince Hu, and Ji’s own contacts spoke that Hu was not only calling more recruits from north of the Desert Wall, but that his scholars were working on some huge superweapon, something that preoccupied all their attention..

_Hence me being here this early..._ Ji thought.  _I want to kill her, before Hu’s people do the deed for me..._

Suddenly, there was a bright flash, and Ji felt the hairs on his arms stand on in as a powerful blast of magic seemed to erupt around him.  His eyes reflexively snapped shut, but he found himself almost riveted in place as magic howled around him for a split second.  Just as suddenly, he felt something ice cold slip against his neck.

He opened his eyes.

Only inches from him stared back the blue on blue eyes of the panther hengeyokai he sought, behind her a small menagerie of followers.  He blinked, then swallowed hard, the movement making the cold steel of the panther hengeyokai’s warfan bite harder into his neck.  _Damn damn damn!  I should’ve known she would have cronies teleport her!_  The wolf hengeyokai growled lightly to himself in frustration.  Desperately the wolf searched for words, to cover his surprise.  _Don’t like the enemy see you blink... then they know you are weak._

The wolf’s eyes took into the menagerie that came with the panther... and immediately dismissed them all, except for the two huge panther hengeyokai, clad in full armor.  _So... she dragged her father and uncle with her... very well.  We can settle our clan’s scores in full, and save the time spent hunting down Felonxi and Dian..._

“Ah... Mistress Wa-Feng, a pleasant surprise,” Ji said, putting all the considerable confidence and umph into his voice that he could muster.  “I see you have brought far more with you than the agreed upon number.”  _She doesn’t trust me... rightfully.  Let’s see how deep the mistrust is.  Eight people is no matter..._ he realized, his keen assassin’s eye reading his target, gauging her reactions.  _Soon she’ll join Mao in the grave, where she rightfully belongs!_

To his surprise, the young panther hengeyokai flashed him a smile, even as the icy metal of her warfan lightly scraped his neck.  “That is what happens, I suppose, when I don’t trust the host of the party.”

“Well, my dear Felonca, trust is entirely impossible when one party breaks agreements, and has the discourtesy to show up unannounced,” Ji said, looking into her eyes, and smiling himself.  _She doesn’t mean to kill me.  That is obvious.  She wants to talk... to find out what my offer means...  I only need to keep her attention for a little while longer..._

“Trust is impossible when betrayal is planned,” Felonca shot back, her voice sweet but her eyes hard.

Ji found himself smiling slightly in a strange kind of admiration.  _ No matter.  Now, to give Wuxi his clear shot..._  Ji raised his hands, and backed away from her, the disarming smile firmly fixed on his face.  “They said you were a clever kitty, and I can see the reports I’ve heard to that effect are true.”

“Yes,” she suddenly moved forward, her warfan once again inches from his neck, “now, I advise you to bring the men you have hidden in the woods into the open. You see, I’ve been having problems with my arm... sometimes it gets the shakes,” the smile on her face suddenly turning into a scowl, “and when I get angry, sometimes my warfan can slip.”  Behind her, Ji heard Dian growl.

_She’s bluffing._  “Surely you’re joking!  I have no one hidden in the woods!  Why would I do such a thing?”  _Reason her into thinking she’s being overly cautious._  “I only have here with me my cousins Yin and Chao, who are my protectors against treachery, just as my messenger undoubtedly told you.  Surely, an _honorable_ Wa-Feng...”

All too late did Bai Long Ji notice one of the horde that had accompanied Felonca moving his hands suspiciously through the air.  Before he had a moment to curse, Ji saw seven bright lights seem to explode in the forest... and to his horror, he heard the loud curses of his now blinded ambushers, as they tumbled through the brush, desperate to get away from the blinding light.

“Don’t speak to me about honor!” the young Wa-Feng before him seemed to puff up as she shifted to hybrid in anger, the hairs over her body standing furiously on end.  “You would invite me to a parley _only to ambush me!?_  I spit on your damn honor!”

It had been a long time since Ji, self titled assassin of assassins, expert of experts, had been caught this badly off-guard, and as a consequence, he wasn’t used to cursing.  In this case, he only spoke under his breath, but even then it seemed as if the damnable Wa-Feng daughter had heard, and she gave a sneering smile.

“I’d advise you to pull your men out of the woods and into the open, Master Ji... otherwise you, as well as they, will meet untimely, unfortunate ends,” she spoke coldly.  “Your beloved brother Di spoke... and told us _everything_.”

_Dammit!_ Ji screamed at himself.  _Wuxi and his men had powerful invisibility magic, magic that is supposed to be infallible!  No one had detected them, EVER, when they used those cloaks!_  For several moments, the assassin’s mind ran through the plan, searching desperately for where it went wrong, and where he could improvise, and turn this desperate situation to his favor.  _Think, Ji!_ 

But as hard has he tried to plan, to find a way out, he saw obstacles.  The Wa-Fengs had brought scholars, scholars of evident power to have seen his hidden men.  Then there were the Wa-Feng brothers, both angry, huge, and heavily armed... Ji knew in a stand-up fight, he and his men stood no chance against them.

_The game is up..._

“It seems I have no choice, seeing that you brought scholars with you,” he said sourly after a minute or two.  _What now?

The clan..._

He thought back to the rivalry between the two clans, a rivalry that had started generations ago with mere differences in method, that had spread to a feud of blood.  Wa-Fengs fought in the open, honorably, while Bai-Longs slinked in the shadows, stabbing their enemies unawares.  Hatred between the two was open and furious, only compounded by the request Bai Long had taken long ago from that damnable tiger, Hsiu.  If he could save the clan...

_They will avenge me... and avenge Mao..._

“I suppose you are going to take us away and kill us?” Ji said angrily, his hands now raised in the air in defeat.  _The rest of the clan... save the clan.  They will have vengeance._  “I’ll have you know I was the one that took the offer from Master Hsiu on your life, so it is me that you should...”

The wolf kept his eyes staring at Felonca, while he _looked_ beyond her, watching her companions. The two Wa-Fengs had their hands close to their swords, their bodies tensed.  _They would kill me in an instant, before I could strike more than Felonxi’s damn daughter..._  That plan would be impossible... it resulted obviously in Ji’s own death, and the probable death of all his companions gathered here.  Meanwhile, the young scholar that had so clearly pinpointed his men pulled out a sheet of paper with some writing, and handed it towards Ji’s cousin Chao, standing next to him.

_What’s on the paper?_ Ji tried to think, even as young Felonca interrupted him.

“I don’t seek blame, but I offer my own _terms,_” she snapped, her eyes an icy blue in the sunlight.  “One, you shall cease hunting me and my family.  You should have no problem doing this, as the client who requested this is currently dead.  Two,” she continued, “the White Wolf Clan will no longer conduct assassinations...”

“Never!” Ji felt his spine stiffen in anger.  Anger at himself for underestimating this Wa-Feng girl, anger at being backed into a corner, but most importantly, the seething anger that arose from the memory of his own son’s burnt bones.  _Mao died in the service of the family... I will not have his name tarnished to save my own life!_  “The White Wolves have always been assassins and spies, and unlike the weaklings within the Black Fang, we shall never abandon our trade!”

“It is always possible to break the family trade,” Felonca replied sharply.  “A Wa-Feng has outfoxed and ambushed you... there is proof enough there.”

“We assassinate within terms of honor and contract!” Ji spat back, pain rising in his voice as he remembered what Felonca did to his son.  “We do not wantonly murder, as _some_ Wa-Fengs do!”  He uttered the words with spiteful hate, his memories roaring to the surface.  _Mao screamed for minutes on end..._

For a split second, he saw a look of shock on the young Wa-Feng’s face... then to his surprise, the look switched to a twisted look of pain as her warfan suddenly lowered.  _Wha...  she’s been cocky and sneering so far!  Why would she look like that to me!

She’s mocking my pain!_

“Don’t give me that fake look of sorrow, Wa-Feng scum!” Ji felt his muscles tense, his body ready to lash out in a fury that he knew would kill him, even as it killed her.  “You smiled and sneered I bet when you _burned my son alive!_”  For several seconds, the air between them seemed to fill with palpable anger... then, a sob.

From Felonca.

As Ji stood, clenching his hands in confusion and fury, Felonca gave a tortured sigh. 

“I’m sorry, Master Bai Long.  I never meant to kill your son.”  

_What?!

She’s trying to play mind games on me!!  With my son!!_

“You... little... bitch...” Ji snarled, his hand coiling back, ready to strike.  “There was no accident!  It’s impossible to ‘accidentally’ burn someone alive from the _inside!_  Yes,” Ji was suddenly only inches from the Wa-Feng’s face.  “Yes, I many things about how Mao died!  Yes, he was sent to try to steal back what you took from Master Hsiu, but nothing, _nothing_ give you the right to make him suffer like that!!”

Ji stared at her, feeling the hot fury behind his eyes, expecting her to curl her lips back cruelly, for her to laugh, for the cold steel of her warfans to return to his throat.  Instead, she was silent, her eyes still towards the ground.

“I never meant to kill your son, Master Bai Long.  I was horrified when I...”

“How am I to believe you!” Ji snarled, the anger rising hotter, faster.  “You come here speaking of honor, but I ask you this!  What honor is there in killing someone in such a horrific manner!  Even we Bai-Long attempt to kill our targets quickly and with as little pain as possible!  Yet you Wa-Feng scum left him to die, in agony!”  _My son!  My only son!_

“Sir...” Ji heard Chao whisper, yet the patriarch of the White Wolf wasn’t about to back down.

“I did not kill your son on purpose!” Felonca suddenly snapped, the steel back in her eyes as they shot up and bored into his own, the sudden explosion of noise, sharp and shrill as a drill sergeant, making Ji flinch away from the panther hengeyokai.  “If there was a way I could have saved him, or even eased his passing, I would have,” she said, her voice dropping lower and softer, the remorse returning.  “I can only give you my word on that, no more.”

Ji stared into her blue on blue eyes.  Part of him was desperately searching for the smirk, the sneer she had when she first came... an excuse for him to lash out with his anger, to snatch her from this world before he left as well.  Yet as much as he tried, he found only remorse, sadness, even fear.  His muscles stayed tense, from anger, and also from confusion...

“Sir?!” Chao said louder in a panic, and Ji felt a piece of paper shoved into his hand.  The White Wolf looked down, and saw on the parchment a crude drawing of a sloth, with a simple phrase written below:

_”Do you like being human?  Play nice with Felonca.”_

Ji’s eyes snapped up, and he saw the tall, thin scholar give a smirk then a wink as magic coursed almost playfully between his fingers.

_He means to change us into beasts!_ Ji thought, horror in his mind.  _That’s... that’s even worse than death!  Turn us into creatures for their enjoyment, and we won’t be able to defend ourselves from their torments!_

“If you will listen, Master Bai-Long, I will finish the terms I was about to tell you when you interrupted me,” Felonca said again.  “My second term was that the White Wolf Clan will no longer conduct executions, except at the joint behest of Master Ling, Governor of Dai Province, and the Emperor.  The White Wolf will thus come under the employ of the Imperial Government, training Imperial spies and envoys, as well as serving as a negotiation of last resort.”  

“You’re joking,” Ji hissed, anger in his voice but confusion in his mind.  _Why are they offering this!?  We’ve been enemies of her clan for generations, yet she offers to clean the slate between us, even offering us employ?

What is she getting at?_

“Too long has this feud between our families raged.  You and your clan have skills that the Emperor, my master, will find most useful,” Felonca replied, her voice quiet but deadly.  “I’m afraid there are only two options here, Master Bai-Long.  Accept our terms, or my friends and I will be forced to take unfortunate action.”

She looked up, death in her eyes.

“Choose wisely.”


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## HalfOrc HalfBiscuit

Excellent as ever Emperor V. And nice to see your players foiling your plans again!


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## drag n fly

Oh, and it gets even better. Believe me 

By the way, we have solved some of the image hosting problems. I am currently hosting some of my own homemade Photoshops from both this story hour and Shenanegans. The link is in my signature. Enjoy!


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## Emperor Valerian

After about an hour and a half's worth of combing, all the links in the SH save one should work.  On that note, the next update to this thread is about 1/3 the way done... should be posted sometime tomorrow or possibly Friday.


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## Emperor Valerian

*Orders for the White Wolf Clan... and Felonca Gets Surprised.*

“So I suppose your new assignment for us will be cleaning your toilet, or something equally humiliating?”

Nayu bristled slightly at hearing Bai-Long Ji’s heavy, wolfish growl for the first time since they’d ambushed the White Wolves almost an hour before.  He’d been completely in favor of teleporting in an army detachment, backed with scholars for firepower, and eliminating the White Wolves forever.  So had Felonxi, Dian, and even Won Wei.  It seemed like the only person that wanted to keep the Bai-Long clan alive was, ironically, Felonca herself.  

_Why did she want this?_ Nayu puzzled as the small party made its way towards Xianfung.  He could read the anger, even hatred still in Ji’s eyes.  _That man will try to kill her if he gets a chance, regardless that she saved his life!_  Despite their rough moments, Felonca was still his close friend, not to mention someone he found immensely useful to have around...

“That is what you deserve,” he heard Felonxi snort.  Ji’s eyes narrowed, and Nayu had no doubt that had no Felonca interrupted, sharp words would have erupted.

“It will be nothing of the sort,” Felonca said, her voice full of the confidence of someone whose plan worked better than they’d ever hoped.  “In fact, I have a most important assignment for you specifically, Bai-Long Ji, and a equally important task for you clan.”

The White Wolf’s eyes flashed to her.

“Have you heard of a tarrasque before, Bai-Long Ji?  Any of you?” Felonca asked.

_What is she up to?_  Nayu was now sincerely confused.  The tarrasque would be a big enough problem as is... and if Felonca thought that it would be tough to tackle now, Nayu only shuddered thinking of how much of an opportunity the fight would be for an assassin to ‘slip up’ and ‘accidentally’ strike down the young panther hengeyokai.

“No... it sounds like gibberish,” the White Wolf haughtily replied.

“And what’s your opinion of Prince Hu of Langya?” she asked again.

“Scum,” one of the other wolves spoke.  Nayu searched his mind, finally remembering his name as Chao.  “The man dabbles in magics he has no business touching.  There are many bad spirits gathered around his court.  Not even Ji wants to go there.”

The White Wolf leader grunted in assent.

“You are an intelligent group then, gentlemen,” Felonca said with a smile, causing Nayu to grow more confused.

_Is she planning on sending them after Hu?  He has enough gold he could probably bribe them to kill US.  Besides, if he is smart, his security will be so supernatural, magical, and airtight that sending in event he Bai-Long would be suicide.  Maybe that’s what she’s after..._

“Hu is summoning a great danger to us all... a danger you can help us stop.  The tarrasque,” Felonca added.

“What is this tarrasque?” Bai Long Ji asked, confusion apparent on his face.  “It sounds like some kind of weapon.  If he swings it, does it kill multiple men?”

“No,” she shook her head. 

“It is a gigantic beast, designed only to destroy cities and kill thousands,” Nayu replied quickly.  “It slumbers for decades, even millenia, before awaking and wreaking havoc.  Hu wants to summon this beast to try and destroy the Emperor.”  _Maybe if I injected some fear into him, he’d be more receptive to whatever Felonca is up to._

“Bah!” Ji waved his hand, “you speak in exaggerations!  I have seen Hu, and he looks much like you.  I doubt he has _that_ much power!  He is a mere man, not one of the gods!”

“Did you hear what happened to Liangxiang, Master Ji?” Nayu said, before taking a few minutes to describe the destruction of what had been the greatest city in the Empire, and thus, the known world.  As the sorcerer’s descriptions flowed with Felonca, Felonxi, and even Ling concurring, Ji’s eyes grew wider and wider.

“...then he burnt the Jade City,” Nayu finished after twenty minutes.  _Good.  I have his attention.  Hopefully Felonca can get him to do what it is she wants._

“Hu has immense, frightening power... power we want to stop at any cost,” Felonca said as the group drew into the massive army camps outside of the city.  “That is why we spared you... you are needed, Bai-Long Ji, to save your people from this terror he is about to bring.”  Nayu watched with pride as she paused for a moment for effect.  

“So,” Felonca said after a moment, “I want you personally to assist the Imperial Guards in their training.  Add to what I have taught them in the arts of silent movement, speed, and deadly strikes.  They will prove very useful in the coming days of battle.”

“While you accomplish this,” she went on, “the rest of your clan will help us locate where this tarrasque is being summoned, and if possible, destroy some of the components Hu is amassing to complete this act.  You and your clan are some of the finest spies in the Empire, as well as the best assassins.  If we can prevent him from bringing the creature here,” she ended, “we could save the lives of tens of thousands.”

For a moment, Nayu watched as Ji’s eyes flashed, the wolf’s mind keenly looking at the request, weighing his response.  _He’s thinking when he can betray us,_ Nayu thought darkly, yet the sorcerer kept his face quiet.  _Keep calm... don’t let him know you know..._

“We’ll do as you ask, Wa-Feng,” Ji replied after a moment.  Nayu’s eyes narrowed as he saw a halting, almost unwilling bow, resistance seemingly in Ji’s every move.

He dared not broach his concern to her in front of the man, or even a few minutes after Ji had left.  Instead he waited several hours, till he and Felonca were both alone, atop one of the guard-towers overlooking the massive camps sprawled beyond the city gates.

“Do you think brining the White Wolves into our sheep’s fold is truly a wise idea?” Nayu finally asked.  _They’re specialist assassins... and I have no doubt that Ji will still attempt to avenge his son at some point, no matter how unjustified his vengeance may be..._  To his surprise, Felonca merely grinned at his question, and Nayu frowned.  “I’m serious!  Having them that close to you could be dangerous!”

“Nayu... do you see what I see?  Over there?” Felonca pointed towards the vast field of tents that was growing outside the walls of Xianfung.

“The army, yes,” the sorcerer nodded but didn’t understand.  “Why?  All the horses in the world won’t be of help if...”

“You see the black and gold standards there?”

“The Imperial Guard standards?  Yes, I see them.”  _What is she getting at?_  “That’s another thing...why are you having Ji help with the guard training?  They’re soldiers, Felonca, not...”

“They’re Ji’s replacements,” she interrupted, the smile still triumphantly on her face, “if he and the White Wolves get out of line.  They’re loyal to the Emperor, and as importantly, my father.  Bai-Long Ji is the best spy and assassin in the entire Celestial Empire... his training is fierce, but it goes even beyond what little I can teach of setting traps and moving quietly.  Imagine... they’ll have the fighting abilities of the Wa-Feng, and the skills of the Bai-Long... with a strength in the hundreds, maybe thousands.  Ji and his clan couldn’t stand up to a force like that.”  

Nayu gulped as his mind wrapped around her logic.

“And by keeping him here, I split him from the rest of his clan,” Felonca continued, “and the others seemed rather...intimidated... by your little display in the forest,” she grinned.  “They’re more malleable than him.  Even if they don’t know specifically where the tarrasque is being summoned, they have more leads in the right direct than we do, I imagine... and I have the feeling that once they see how _bad_ Hu and his plans are, they’ll rally around us.”  She stopped, looking him up and down.

“You aren’t the only one that can play politics sometimes.”

“Once again, I’ve underestimated you,” he admitted a minute later, a grin spreading over his face as his own mind worked overtime.  _She’s damn impressive...  I knew she was clever, but... 

...with a mind like that working in the government... and me on the throne..._

Nayu’s mind started plotting, yet again. 



******​


“Papa,” Felonca said warmly.

“Felonca!  Come in!  Sit!” Felonxi motioned to his daughter, and she stepped into the small cell in the former harem he called his temporary home.  

_Papa is never one for display,_ she thought.  Nonetheless, as she looked about the tiny room, its walls plain, save for a tapestry depicting her mother at the family home, and a rack for the family sword, she thought a warrior as well known and respected as Wa-Feng Felonxi deserved more.

“I’m glad you could come on such short notice.  I understand that Bai-Long Ji has been working the Guards overtime, as hard as you work them,” her father said as he sat on the bare stone floor.  “Its a miracle I if I’ve gotten to see you for more than few minutes in the last month.”

“Well, papa... spring is almost here, and I want the Guards to be ready,” Felonca replied.  _Some of the units have become very adept at sneaking and trap-setting... we can use them as scouts when we finally march on Hu._  “I have some interesting ideas I wanted to share with you, papa, on how we could use them in the upcoming...”

“That is something for the war council’s table,” Felonxi raised his hand.  “Not now.  I asked you to come so I could speak to you as a proud father, not a commanding officer.”

Felonca smiled rather sheepishly, and sat on the floor across from him.  _I guess I have been working quite a bit.  Wake up before the sun, exercise, then go and train the troops until sunset, exercise again, then sleep._  Since the arrival of Bai-Long Ji, she hadn’t had a single waking moment that didn’t involve work.  Ji seemed fiercely serious about the training of the troops... yet Felonca didn’t doubt for a minute that it was all a cover.  _He’s biding his time._ 

Which was why she needed to be extra vigilant too... to make sure the soldiers understood her as a superior to him, to keep the soldier’s loyalty while her enemy trained them...

“I haven’t said this enough, since I’ve seen you again,” Felonxi said in a slightly husky voice, “but I am deeply proud of you, daughter.  You have done things that even I, in my age, can only dream of doing.”

Felonca felt a slight tear come to her eye when she heard those words.  She’d spent years at the Academy, craving to hear them but fearing they’d never come.  Now, they seemed a torrent, ever since she’d rescued her father.  She bowed to him in reverence and thanks.  _I’m only trying to be like you, papa..._

“Now, for the real reason I asked you to visit me,” Felonxi gave a smile, banishing the huskiness with a cough.  “There is something I need to give to you, Felonca, something I’ve been meaning to give you for quite some time.”

_A lecture?_ Felonca thought.  _No... I wonder what it is?  I hope he doesn’t try to give me the family sword.  I would have no idea how to swing that weapon..._

As she wondered, Felonxi stood, and walked slowly to the closet built into the wall of the tiny room.  Slowly, his older hands undid the small rope knotted around the knobs, and with a shove, he threw the doors open.

Felonca gaped.

Before her set the finest set of lamellar armor she had ever seen.  Each scale had been meticulously dyed and refined, till they all shone with a bright emerald hue.  On each shoulder stood a lounging panther, its jaws agape.  The motif repeated itself on the chest of the suit, as well as the front of the helm.  Yet these trinkets did not cause her to gasp... the top of the helm did that.

Rising imperiously from the crest of the helm came three sets of feathers.   The first, blood red, symbolized the sheer power wielded by the armies of the Emperor.  The next, purest white, represented the wisdom and discretion a leader must exercise according to the codes of Kongxi.  The final set, brilliant yellow, harkened to the spiritual connections that bound the world; the citizens to the Emperor, the people to their ancestors...

...and a Shang Jiang, the highest military rank in the Empire, to her subordinates.

“I...um...” Felonca stammered, her eyes riveted on the plumes.  _There’s some kind of mistake!  The armorers didn’t have enough of one color, so they meshed the three together!  Maybe this is Papa’s new set of armor... but he’s concerned and wants me to wear it for safety!  Yes... that has to be it!_

“By the power invested in me, as Commander of His Imperial Majesty’s Northern Armies, and by the command of His Most August Yuan-di, Son of Heaven, May he Reign a Thousand Years, and the behest of the ancestral spirits, may they protect us long from harm,” Felonxi slowly intoned the most ancient, most powerful of Imperial decrees, “I hereby commission you, Wa-Feng Felonca, daughter of Felonxi, grand-daughter of Shi-Quan, as _Shang Jiang_ Wa-Feng Felonca, servant to His Imperial Majesty, and Special Commander of His Majesty’s Imperial Guard.  The spirits, the Emperor and the People demand, so shall it be done.”

“Wha....”  Felonca’s jaw dropped, and her mental functions stopped working.  Her father gave an impish smile.

“Don’t look so stunned, daughter,” he said gently, walking over and using one hand to close her gaping mouth.  “General Oiyin was old, and due to retire.  Won Wei and His Majesty had agreed on this appointment several months ago, as your training of the guardsmen in your... um...unusual tactics, has made them far more competent a fighting force,” her father said, pride swelling his chest.  “And... since you trained them to use ambushes, traps, and sneaking around so effectively, His Majesty realized either you or a certain White Wolf would make the best commander.  The choice from there was obvious....  Felonca?”

_I... Shang Jiang... Guards..._

“Felonca... are you alright?”

_Train...Shang Jiang...I..._

“You’re still in shock, I understand,” her father smiled again.  “I’ll have you know that neither I, nor Dian, or your friend Nayu did anything to influence this decision.  Yuan-di and Won Wei came up with it on their own, so if you wish to lecture someone, lecture... are you really alright?”

_Three plumes... I..._  Felonca’s brain continued to rattle around inside her skull for a few moments, before her first coherent words since the closet had been opened came out.

“How... what... me?”

“Yes, you!” her father positively _laughed_, “as far as I know, you are the only Wa-Feng Felonca I can count as a daughter!”

“But I...”  Before she could say anything more, her father made a shushing movement.

“No... you can’t complain to me.  If you want to refuse, you have to tell His Majesty yourself.  In all honesty, that will probably make His Majesty very sad... and I fear that if you two are alone, he will become a little boy again and cry.  You don’t want the Emperor to cry, now do you?”

Felonca looked down for a moment, before looking up at her father, her serious look ruined by the beginnings of a smirk.

“Father, I never knew you were this evil,” she said, the smirk growing into a smile.  “Guilting me into accepting the commission by threatening that a little boy will cry if I don’t!”

“I know you, Felonca.  You’ve ignored what I’ve said many many times... but I know you can’t ignore Yuan-di!” her father laughed, before his face took on a more somber look of love and pride.  “I know such armor doesn’t suit your skills, but please, accept the gift even if you don’t wear it to war.  You have earned this, Felonca.”

Felonca closed her eyes, and felt the tears streaming down her cheeks.  What had been missing for ten years of her life was now overpowering, overwhelming, running through the room like a river.  Love... and acceptance.

“Thank you, papa,” she said quietly, burying herself in his embrace.


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## Emperor Valerian

Sorry once again for the lack of updates.  Finals came up, and now I'm on break for the holidays.  Next week there might be a post (cross your fingers), and if not, there'll definitely be a post soon after the 1st.  I have it partway done, sitting in my email right now.


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## ThoughtfulOwl

(Cross my fingers)

In the meantime, Merry Christmas.


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## Emperor Valerian

Over the next week, I'm going to fix the missing posts problem here... and hopefully *crosses fingers* finish this thing as well.


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