Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
[Exalted 2e] Chosen of the Second Age
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Delemental" data-source="post: 5175414" data-attributes="member: 5203"><p><strong>Jaundice</strong></p><p></p><p>For the sake of clarity, this story occurs in parallel with "Inner Conflict", the previous story that featured Kaliel and Zanka. Recall that those two returned to Chrysanthemum after the staged fight with Lady Rinalta, while Ayama stayed to help with the pregnancy and Ghost remained behind as well.</p><p></p><p>--------------------------</p><p></p><p> Ghost stood in the doorway of Lady Rinalta’s bedroom, watching as Ayama sat on the floor, contemplating a houseplant.</p><p></p><p> After a few minutes, he walked in and stood next to her. “There is a dance performance being held at the Argent Theater in town tonight,” he told her.</p><p></p><p> “I hope you have a good time,” she said.</p><p></p><p> “I hope the same for you,” Ghost replied. “You are coming with me.”</p><p></p><p> She shook her head. “I have work to do.”</p><p></p><p> “You have had ‘work to do’ for the past three weeks,” Ghost observed. “Most of which seems to be spending ten or more hours a day rearranging the furniture.”</p><p></p><p> “I must align the geomancy of the queen’s birthing chamber precisely,” Ayama replied. “Her child is growing too fast, and her body is weak from her prolonged illness. If either are to survive, I must ensure that her child continues to develop but does not gain any more size. An undertaking of this complexity does not happen in ten minutes.”</p><p></p><p> “You are tired. More than you are willing to admit, even to yourself. If you do not take some time for yourself, you will begin making mistakes.”</p><p></p><p> “Impossible,” Ayama said. “I have no need to debauch myself to maintain my focus.”</p><p></p><p> “I never said you had to debauch yourself,” Ghost argued. “I am not attempting to turn you into me. It is one performance; no compromises to your morals will be required.”</p><p></p><p> “Regardless, my point remains valid. My work requires attention. For example, I have been trying to align the elemental Wood energy that this plant emanates to focus on the center of the room, but the shape of the plant is making that challenging. I may need to prune some of these branches, but I must consider…”</p><p></p><p> She stopped talking when she realized that Ghost had walked away. He returned moments later, carrying in a large plant from out in the corridor of the same type as the one Ayama was studying. He set the plant down, and switched the two. Then, he gave the new plant a half-turn. “Will that work?” he said.</p><p></p><p> Ayama looked at the tall plant for a moment. “Yes, it will, actually. How did you…?”</p><p></p><p> “You have talked of nothing but geomancy and aligning energies for three weeks. One cannot help but pick up the general idea of what you are trying to do.”</p><p></p><p> “Of course,” Ayama said. “The answer was so simple. I have walked by that plant in the corridor a hundred times. Why did I not…” she stopped, and looked up at Ghost, who was smiling down at her.</p><p></p><p> “I suppose,” she sighed, “that one evening away may do me some good.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">۞</p><p></p><p> The chill in the night air formed fog on their breaths, as the approach of autumn brought the Northern cold to Lynnisbrook. Ghost and Ayama walked side by side on their way back to the palace. They had chosen a less direct route back from the performance, so as to have more time to talk.</p><p></p><p> “I must admit,” Ayama said, “that was quite enjoyable. Thank you.”</p><p></p><p> “My pleasure.”</p><p></p><p> “And the solo performance in the third act has given me some ideas on reconfiguring…”</p><p></p><p> “Seven spirits below, woman!” Ghost interjected. “Can you simply not enjoy it for what it is? Must every waking moment be filled with meeting only the needs of others?”</p><p></p><p> “To me, it is preferable to filling those moments thinking only of my own needs.”</p><p></p><p> “But there must be some balance to it – one cannot live entirely within one extreme or the other.”</p><p></p><p> Ayama smiled. “Perhaps you should take your own advice.”</p><p></p><p> Ghost sighed. “Trust me, I have heard it before, Ayama. And I have always ignored it.”</p><p></p><p> “But not this time?”</p><p></p><p> He shrugged. “I am not certain. Since acquiring the journal of my previous incarnation in Denandsor, I have been thinking much of how one’s choices shape one’s destiny. Still, I do not think I am ready to change my lifestyle yet.”</p><p></p><p> “You have plenty of time yet, I think,” Ayama said. “And the advantage of foreknowledge your predecessor lacked.”</p><p></p><p> Their conversation was interrupted by the scream of a young woman, coming from a nearby alley. Seconds later, a thin blonde girl appeared, running out of the alley as quickly as she could, a panicked look in her eyes. She held a large bundle tightly against her chest, which she seemed to be struggling with. Sailing out of the alley a few feet behind her were three flying figures, which looked as though they were made of stone. They looked as though three gargoyles had torn themselves free from the wall of a castle and had descended on granite wings to pursue their terrified quarry.</p><p></p><p> Ghost immediately leapt high into the air, flying over to the entrance of the alley and landing squarely on the back of the centermost gargoyle, causing it to reel in midair. He then threw his Eye of Mars to the side, barely missing the gargoyle on the left, but then rebounding the golden disk off the wall to catch the one on the right in the shoulder. The gargoyles veered off, two still pursuing the girl, while the center one spun in midair and grabbed on to Ghost with thick, stony arms. As they wrestled in midair, Ayama ran up and slammed her fist into the gargoyle’s side, causing stone to split and crumble away. The gargoyle continued on down the alley, but then sniffed at Ghost, and then unceremoniously dropped him to the ground. Ghost flipped and landed on his feet.</p><p></p><p> Nearby, one of the two gargoyles pursuing the girl had managed to grab hold of her arm. As the young girl twisted away, avoiding the claws of the gargoyles, the bundle she carried fell to the ground. Part of the bag covering the bundle fell away, revealing a seven-section staff that looked to be make of a golden material, though Ghost thought it was not quite the right shade to be orichalcum.</p><p></p><p> Ayama changed directions suddenly, running toward the girl and the gargoyles attacking her. She grabbed the arm that had grasped the girl, and pulled down hard, jerking the gargoyle into her incoming punch. Ghost ran in to aid her, bending over to scoop up the bag with the seven-section staff inside and swinging the entire bundle at the head of the other gargoyle. The gargoyle spun around, but managed to return and grasped the girl’s free arm, and then tried to fly away. Taking a step back, Ghost threw the Eye of Mars at that gargoyle, aiming at its shoulder. The stone arm was severed, and fell with a crash to the ground. Cracks radiated from the wound across its chest and back, and it collapsed to the cobblestones, a thick, greenish-black ichor flowing from the wound.</p><p></p><p> As Ghost turned to face the third gargoyle, who had been circling the melee looking for an opening, Ayama twisted the arm of the one she had grappled, forcing it to release its grip on the girl. Grabbing on with her other hand and applying leverage, Ayama flipped the stone creature over and slammed it into the wall of the alley, sending chunks of masonry flying everywhere. Ghost grabbed one of the chunks of masonry as he rolled to avoid a diving attack, and threw it at the gargoyle’s head, knocking chips of stone away as it rose and wheeled back into the air.</p><p></p><p> The one-armed gargoyle, who had somehow managed to lurch to its feet, made a clumsy dive at Ghost. The Solar simply stepped aside and extended a leg, sending the gargoyle crashing back to the ground, where it shattered into rubble. The slight distraction almost caused Ghost to miss the airborne gargoyle who had flown high into the air and was now diving straight at him again. Ghost managed to spring out of the way just in time, and the gargoyle barely pulled up in time to avoid crashing.</p><p></p><p> Nearby, the gargoyle that Ayama was battling was attempting to fly off, even though the Zenith was still gripping its arm. Ayama climbed up the gargoyle’s arm and vaulted onto its back, and then reached down under its stony chin and pulled back as hard as she could. The head came off with a snap, and green-black fluid sprayed everywhere as it plummeted and became inert.</p><p></p><p> Ghost waited for the last gargoyle to descend, ready to attack. But as it swooped down, the thin girl sprang out from the side. She had pulled the seven-section staff out of its bundle, and whirled it over her head. She was clearly not very skilled with the weapon, but the gargoyle was wounded, and unable to avoid her attack, as the end of the weapon punched into its midsection, taking away a large chunk of stone with it. The gargoyle began to climb again, and looked as though it might be trying to flee. Ghost ran across the alley and ascended up a odd pile of crates nearby, jumping into the air and hurling the Eye of Mars as he came up level with the creature. The typhoon wheel struck it in its midsection, where it had been damaged by the staff, and split the creature in half. The two stone halves fell to earth and shattered, as Ghost landed a few feet away.</p><p></p><p> He walked up to where the girl was already hastily putting away her weapon, and Ayama had gone over to see her. “Are you all right? Did they injure you?”</p><p></p><p> “I… yes, I’m all right,” the girl gasped, out of breath. “Only a few bruises. Thank you for your help, strangers. I am called Mistress Yellow.” She took a few more ragged breaths. “I need to get out of the city as fast as possible. I need to escape my master.”</p><p></p><p> “Master?” Ayama asked.</p><p></p><p> “I’m apprenticed to an apothecary,” she explained, “an alchemist. He is very good at what he does. He found out I have a talent that can make him a lot of money, and from that point on he has worked me less as an apprentice and more as a slave. I am still bonded to him as an apprentice, but… I couldn’t take it any more.”</p><p></p><p> “I need to make certain you are all right first,” Ayama said. “Sometimes when we are frightened, we do not feel our injuries. Will you allow that?”</p><p></p><p> The girl nodded, and Ayama noticed for the first time that the girl’s eyes were the same golden hue as her hair. “Let us return to the palace,” she said. “You will be safe there.”</p><p></p><p> They returned quickly to the palace, where they brought Mistress Yellow quietly into their suite of rooms. The girl clung tightly to her bundle as Ayama examined her, unwilling to let it leave her grasp. When no serious injuries were found, Ayama worked on calming the girl, and as her adrenaline wore off she collapsed into a deep, dreamless sleep, still holding on to the seven-section staff. Ghost took a moment to look inside the bundle as she slept, and his eyes widened with surprise.</p><p></p><p> The two Solars went out to the sitting room adjoining the bedroom. “The girl has been ill-treated for some time,” Ayama said. “She has not been fed well. She should be about thirty or forty pounds heavier than she is.”</p><p></p><p> “I have some idea why this girl is so fearful of being caught by her master,” Ghost said. “Did you see that weapon?”</p><p></p><p> “For an alchemist to possess an orichalcum weapon is unusual, I agree,” Ayama said. “It would be quite valuable.”</p><p></p><p> “More than you know,” Ghost said. “That weapon is not made of orichalcum. It is made of yellow jade.” *</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">۞</p><p></p><p> Palace Guard Captain Gaius Rho was awoken much earlier than he was accustomed to. Given that he was an early riser by nature, this was remarkable in and of itself.</p><p></p><p> “There’s a problem in the city, sir,” the guard who had come to get him said as Gaius put on his uniform.</p><p></p><p> “And I assume there’s a reason you have brought this to the Captain of the Palace Guard, rather than the Captain of the City Guard?”</p><p></p><p> “Yes, sir. The reports are of some unusual sightings in the night. Reports of winged creatures flying in the air, and some unusual rubble in an alley down in the merchant district. There are also reports that the aforementioned alley is trying to eat people.”</p><p></p><p> “And our alleys are normally so well-behaved,” Gaius sighed. Since the formation of the Silver Guard, any supernatural events in the city had fallen to them to investigate. And, by extension, to him, since he was nominally their superior. In the past, they might have just gone directly to the Silver Guard and sent him a report, but with half of the Silver Guard gone, and their alleged assassin reportedly still alive, access to the remaining three was under tight control. The fact that after twenty years of service Gaius had developed a keen eye and discerning intellect was also highly sought after for these kind of disturbances.</p><p></p><p> “Wait at the palace gates for me,” he ordered. “Ten minutes.” Captain Rho mentally reviewed the duty rosters, and realized who would be on rotation this morning. He groaned inwardly. “Make it fifteen.”</p><p></p><p> Gaius walked inside the palace suite where the Silver Guard had been stationed, and opened the door to the room occupied by Ka Ciel, a Fire Aspected Dragon Blood, and one of the three remaining members of the queen’s elite personal guard. He was among the finest duelists that Gaius Rho had ever seen, which was nearly his only redeeming feature. Not that the other two were much better, of course, but they at least had the decency to spend their free time having sex with each other and not causing problems.</p><p></p><p> “What?” Ka groaned. “It is dark.”</p><p></p><p> “I’m up, so you’re up, too,” Gaius ordered. “There’s trouble in the city.”</p><p></p><p> A small flame appeared in Ka’s hand. “A fight?”</p><p></p><p> “No.”</p><p></p><p> “Damn.” Ka yawned and stretched. “Out of the way, ladies,” he said, and got up, pushing aside two nude young women, both of whom worked in the palace and at least one of whom was married.</p><p></p><p> Gaius looked them over as Ka pulled his armor on. “Only two,” he commented. “Bad night?”</p><p></p><p> “I was tired,” he said, “and this does not help.”</p><p></p><p> Eventually, they made their way into the city, and approached a nondescript alley where several of the City Guard had blocked off access. Dawn was just breaking as they arrived, giving them enough light to see. Gaius noted immediately that the alley itself was not eating people, but that a number of the stones in the roadway appeared to be alive, writhing about and bashing into anyone who came near. The only real risk might be if someone fell down while crossing through the alley.</p><p></p><p> Captain Rho crossed the barrier line, and took a closer look at one of the animated stones. He saw that a greenish-black fluid had seeped into the mortar around the stones. He also noticed that only stone seemed to be affected; the hard-packed earth underneath was undisturbed, as was a small wooden crate nearby that had some of the fluid splashed on it.</p><p></p><p> “Hey, look at this,” Ka Ciel said, pointing with his sword. A pile of stone rubble sat near the alley’s entrance, of a different type of stone than was used in the street. Two other piles were found nearby. All three had a large number of the living cobblestones around them.</p><p></p><p> “Looks like someone dropped a statue off the roof,” Ka said.</p><p></p><p> “It looks like whatever this fluid is came out of these statues,” Gaius said. He looked up at a City Guard sergeant nearby. “Any eyewitness reports?”</p><p></p><p> “None, sir,” the sergeant said. “Some reports of hearing a disturbance in the wee hours of the morning, a lot of crashing and loud noises. One fellow reports he heard a girl or woman shouting.”</p><p></p><p> Captain Rho turned back to Ka. “Any idea what that green stuff is?” he asked.</p><p></p><p> “I can only identify liquids that come out of a bottle, barrel, or cask,” he replied. “But I would guess that whatever it is was inside those statues and bringing them to life, and it spilled out when they were broken.”</p><p></p><p> “Broken by what?”</p><p></p><p> “By who, I think.” Ka held up a stone arm that had been sheared off at the shoulder. “Most of the damage here looks like it was done with sledgehammers,” he said, “but this piece was cut off with a blade of some kind, though not a sword.”</p><p></p><p> Gaius nodded, and then returned to the sergeant. “Call for a work crew,” he ordered. “Tell them to bring some covered buckets. Dig up these animated rocks and carry them off in the buckets. Whatever is causing this only affects stone. Take them outside the city, and get some people with sledgehammers to break them up.”</p><p></p><p> “Right away, sir,” the sergeant said, saluting. “Will you be returning to the palace?”</p><p></p><p> The captain looked around as his orders were carried out, and noticed that Ka was walking toward the back of the alley, with one of the female City Guards at his arm. “In about five minutes,” he sighed.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">۞</p><p></p><p> Ghost also left early in the morning, with Ayama watching over the still sleeping Mistress Yellow. He returned an hour later, carrying a small bundle and a wooden bucket with a lid.</p><p></p><p> “I purchased some new clothing for the girl,” he said. “What she was wearing before is mostly rags. I also brought this.” He pulled a small jar out of his pocket, which contained the hair dye that he had recently used to disguise himself as the late Mnemon Lyrik. “Blonde hair is uncommon in this region,” he said. “If she is being pursued, this might help throw off anyone looking for her. I can do nothing about her eyes, however.”</p><p></p><p> “What is in the bucket?” Ayama asked.</p><p></p><p> “An interesting souvenir,” Ghost said. He opened the lid and pulled out a writhing chunk of stone. “I went by the alley where we fought those stone creatures,” he said. “The area was under heavy guard. It appears that several of the cobblestones came to life last night. I saw Captain Rho down there, as well as one of those Dragon-Bloods from the Silver Guard, though he was a bit preoccupied at the time.”</p><p></p><p> Ayama noted the greenish tinge of the pulsating stone. “It seems that the ichor that animated those statues retained its potency,” she said. “But the City Guard can deal with that. I need you to remain here in case Mistress Yellow wakes up. I am going to find out who represents the alchemists in the Tradesmen’s Alliance. I wish to know what legal recourse she may have against her master.”</p><p></p><p> Ayama learned that a single guild oversaw the affairs of all of the city’s more esoteric disciplines – from thaumaturges to alchemists to exorcists to astrologers. This Guild of Mysteries was overseen by none other than Farazod, the thaumaturge who had attempted to summon Lyrik’s spirit after his murder.</p><p></p><p> Ayama found herself sitting in Farazod’s cramped but well-organized office, with a number of strange devices spinning, flashing, or making noises all around her.</p><p></p><p> “Does the Queen require my services again?” Farazod asked.</p><p></p><p> “No, I come on a more personal matter, a question of the workings of the guilds,” Ayama replied. “I am wondering how the relationship between a master and apprentice is defined within the guilds, and what legalities are involved.”</p><p></p><p> “An apprenticeship is considered a personal contract,” Farazod replied. “The details vary, but the essence of the contract is that the master agrees to teach the skills of the trade and provide room and board, and the apprentice agrees to labor for the master in the process of learning the trade. What that labor entails is between them.”</p><p></p><p> “But what if, theoretically, an apprentice found themselves forced to do tasks he or she felt went beyond their tolerance?”</p><p></p><p> “Again, it depends on the trade. For someone in, for example, the Silversmith’s Guild, if an apprentice felt they were being treated unfairly, they could petition to have their contract bought by another master. These guilds tend to monitor themselves closely, and problems are dealt with internally.”</p><p></p><p> “What of the Guild of Mysteries?”</p><p></p><p> Farazod smiled unpleasantly. “That is where it becomes complicated. You see, our various disciplines are only bonded together under a single guild because no one could decide what to do with us. This means that our guild is far more eclectic than the others, and thus there is less self-regulation. One silversmith may know when another is conducting business improperly, but it is far more difficult for an astrologer to know if a summoner is violating the ‘rules’ of their profession. The problem for apprentices within the Guild of Mysteries is that there are fewer masters of each discipline to choose from. After all, an apprentice alchemist cannot learn under a thaumaturge. This leads to apprentices in our guild being far more… tolerant of eccentric behaviors or demanding work.”</p><p></p><p> “I understand,” Ayama said, “but what if an apprentice, in theory, was pushed beyond even those broader limits?”</p><p></p><p> “I would appreciate,” Farazod said, “if you would no longer insult my intelligence with this talk of ‘theoretical’ apprentices. You would not have sought me out unless you were dealing with a specific situation.”</p><p></p><p> “I meant no disrespect,” Ayama replied, “I am simply not prepared to reveal the identities of the parties involved until I have some sense of how to address the problem properly.”</p><p></p><p> “What trade is this apprentice learning?”</p><p></p><p> “They are apprenticed to an alchemist.”</p><p></p><p> “I see. Well, in general, even with the lack of close supervision, most of the masters in our varied disciplines do not push our apprentices too far. After all, we are dealing with powerful and dangerous forces, and an apprentice driven hard enough to seek vengeance…”</p><p></p><p> “The person I am helping does not seek revenge, simply escape.”</p><p></p><p> “There is no legal method for ending an apprentice’s contract without the master’s consent,” Farazod said. “The apprentice could bring the master up on charges before the entire Tradesman’s Alliance, but this is a rare and difficult process that will be heavily resisted by all the guilds, not just the Guild of Mysteries. An official inquiry is quite thorough, and tends to bring to light more than just the charges of the accuser. It has, I am sorry to say, been used as a political tool far too often, and has nearly ceased to function for its original purpose. And, after all, the entire purpose of a guild is to protect its members.”</p><p></p><p> “Can someone buy the contract?”</p><p></p><p> “At a price set by the master, and it will be steep- especially if the buyer is not a member of the guild and not even another alchemist.”</p><p></p><p> “What if the master has broken laws in the attempt to retrieve an apprentice who has left without permission?”</p><p></p><p> “Then they can be charged, investigated, and arrested like anyone else,” Farazod said testily. “But you need evidence. And this still does not release the apprentice from their contract.”</p><p></p><p> “You have been very helpful,” Ayama said. “I will endeavor not to involve your guild further in my efforts to aid this person.”</p><p></p><p> Ayama returned to her room, and relayed the information she had learned to Ghost. As they began to discuss how to proceed, there was a knock on the outer door.</p><p></p><p> Captain Gaius Rho and Ka Ciel stood outside. “We hoped to speak to you about a matter in the city this morning.”</p><p></p><p> “<em>He</em> hoped to speak to you,” Ka corrected, nodding at the captain.</p><p> </p><p> “Come in,” Ayama said, “but please keep your voices low. There is a young woman asleep in the next room.”</p><p></p><p> Ka grinned at Ghost. “Well done,” he said. “But only one?”</p><p></p><p> Ghost looked annoyed. “She is barely fifteen at best.”</p><p></p><p> “I fail to understand your point.”</p><p></p><p> “There was a disturbance in the city this morning,” Captain Rho said quickly. “It seems that a number of the flagstones outside an alley have somehow been animated and were attacking passers-by. There was a greenish fluid found absorbed into the stones, and rubble from three broken statues in the alley. The statues appear to be the source of the green fluid. Do either of you know anything about this?”</p><p></p><p> “You are speaking of these stones, correct?” Ghost flipped open the bucket with his foot and pulled out the animated rock. “I think we can explain.”</p><p></p><p> The two Solars related the story of their encounter last night, explaining that the young woman in the next room was being pursued by the flying gargoyle statues. With a quiet warning from Ghost spoken in Old Tongue, neither of them mentioned the seven-section staff, or more importantly, the material it was made from.</p><p></p><p> “So,” Ka said, when the story was completed, “will you pay the captain now, or go down to the courts?”</p><p></p><p> “Excuse me?” Ghost asked.</p><p></p><p> “Someone has to pay for the repairs to the street, not to mention labor,” Ka explained. “And I am certain that there is some sort of fine to be levied here.”</p><p></p><p> Ayama looked crossly at the Dragon-Blood. “If we wish to begin discussing payments for services rendered…”</p><p></p><p> “I’m sure that Ka knows,” Gaius interjected hastily, “that the person liable for payment would be whoever was responsible for the substance that animated the stones.”</p><p></p><p> “Then it seems we have a similar agenda,” Ayama said. “Perhaps we should begin making some inquiries in town.”</p><p></p><p> “There are only three alchemists in Lagan,” Gaius said. “We can inquire which of them has been working with stone recently.”</p><p></p><p> “Could we not just ask the girl who her master is when she wakes up?” Ka asked.</p><p></p><p> “Yes, we will,” Ayama said, “ but approaching this problem in a more subtle way at first will prevent the alchemist we seek from being alerted. Perhaps we should interview the stonemasons first, to see who is buying their wares.”</p><p></p><p> “Someone should stay here with Mistress Yellow,” Ghost pointed out.</p><p></p><p> “I will stay,” Ka Ciel said, all too eagerly.</p><p></p><p> “No, I will stay here,” Ghost said firmly.</p><p></p><p>---------------------------</p><p></p><p>* Those familiar with Exalted will know why this is a big deal. For those who aren't... well, it's a big deal, for reasons that will be explained in the next installment.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Delemental, post: 5175414, member: 5203"] [b]Jaundice[/b] For the sake of clarity, this story occurs in parallel with "Inner Conflict", the previous story that featured Kaliel and Zanka. Recall that those two returned to Chrysanthemum after the staged fight with Lady Rinalta, while Ayama stayed to help with the pregnancy and Ghost remained behind as well. -------------------------- Ghost stood in the doorway of Lady Rinalta’s bedroom, watching as Ayama sat on the floor, contemplating a houseplant. After a few minutes, he walked in and stood next to her. “There is a dance performance being held at the Argent Theater in town tonight,” he told her. “I hope you have a good time,” she said. “I hope the same for you,” Ghost replied. “You are coming with me.” She shook her head. “I have work to do.” “You have had ‘work to do’ for the past three weeks,” Ghost observed. “Most of which seems to be spending ten or more hours a day rearranging the furniture.” “I must align the geomancy of the queen’s birthing chamber precisely,” Ayama replied. “Her child is growing too fast, and her body is weak from her prolonged illness. If either are to survive, I must ensure that her child continues to develop but does not gain any more size. An undertaking of this complexity does not happen in ten minutes.” “You are tired. More than you are willing to admit, even to yourself. If you do not take some time for yourself, you will begin making mistakes.” “Impossible,” Ayama said. “I have no need to debauch myself to maintain my focus.” “I never said you had to debauch yourself,” Ghost argued. “I am not attempting to turn you into me. It is one performance; no compromises to your morals will be required.” “Regardless, my point remains valid. My work requires attention. For example, I have been trying to align the elemental Wood energy that this plant emanates to focus on the center of the room, but the shape of the plant is making that challenging. I may need to prune some of these branches, but I must consider…” She stopped talking when she realized that Ghost had walked away. He returned moments later, carrying in a large plant from out in the corridor of the same type as the one Ayama was studying. He set the plant down, and switched the two. Then, he gave the new plant a half-turn. “Will that work?” he said. Ayama looked at the tall plant for a moment. “Yes, it will, actually. How did you…?” “You have talked of nothing but geomancy and aligning energies for three weeks. One cannot help but pick up the general idea of what you are trying to do.” “Of course,” Ayama said. “The answer was so simple. I have walked by that plant in the corridor a hundred times. Why did I not…” she stopped, and looked up at Ghost, who was smiling down at her. “I suppose,” she sighed, “that one evening away may do me some good.” [center]۞[/center] The chill in the night air formed fog on their breaths, as the approach of autumn brought the Northern cold to Lynnisbrook. Ghost and Ayama walked side by side on their way back to the palace. They had chosen a less direct route back from the performance, so as to have more time to talk. “I must admit,” Ayama said, “that was quite enjoyable. Thank you.” “My pleasure.” “And the solo performance in the third act has given me some ideas on reconfiguring…” “Seven spirits below, woman!” Ghost interjected. “Can you simply not enjoy it for what it is? Must every waking moment be filled with meeting only the needs of others?” “To me, it is preferable to filling those moments thinking only of my own needs.” “But there must be some balance to it – one cannot live entirely within one extreme or the other.” Ayama smiled. “Perhaps you should take your own advice.” Ghost sighed. “Trust me, I have heard it before, Ayama. And I have always ignored it.” “But not this time?” He shrugged. “I am not certain. Since acquiring the journal of my previous incarnation in Denandsor, I have been thinking much of how one’s choices shape one’s destiny. Still, I do not think I am ready to change my lifestyle yet.” “You have plenty of time yet, I think,” Ayama said. “And the advantage of foreknowledge your predecessor lacked.” Their conversation was interrupted by the scream of a young woman, coming from a nearby alley. Seconds later, a thin blonde girl appeared, running out of the alley as quickly as she could, a panicked look in her eyes. She held a large bundle tightly against her chest, which she seemed to be struggling with. Sailing out of the alley a few feet behind her were three flying figures, which looked as though they were made of stone. They looked as though three gargoyles had torn themselves free from the wall of a castle and had descended on granite wings to pursue their terrified quarry. Ghost immediately leapt high into the air, flying over to the entrance of the alley and landing squarely on the back of the centermost gargoyle, causing it to reel in midair. He then threw his Eye of Mars to the side, barely missing the gargoyle on the left, but then rebounding the golden disk off the wall to catch the one on the right in the shoulder. The gargoyles veered off, two still pursuing the girl, while the center one spun in midair and grabbed on to Ghost with thick, stony arms. As they wrestled in midair, Ayama ran up and slammed her fist into the gargoyle’s side, causing stone to split and crumble away. The gargoyle continued on down the alley, but then sniffed at Ghost, and then unceremoniously dropped him to the ground. Ghost flipped and landed on his feet. Nearby, one of the two gargoyles pursuing the girl had managed to grab hold of her arm. As the young girl twisted away, avoiding the claws of the gargoyles, the bundle she carried fell to the ground. Part of the bag covering the bundle fell away, revealing a seven-section staff that looked to be make of a golden material, though Ghost thought it was not quite the right shade to be orichalcum. Ayama changed directions suddenly, running toward the girl and the gargoyles attacking her. She grabbed the arm that had grasped the girl, and pulled down hard, jerking the gargoyle into her incoming punch. Ghost ran in to aid her, bending over to scoop up the bag with the seven-section staff inside and swinging the entire bundle at the head of the other gargoyle. The gargoyle spun around, but managed to return and grasped the girl’s free arm, and then tried to fly away. Taking a step back, Ghost threw the Eye of Mars at that gargoyle, aiming at its shoulder. The stone arm was severed, and fell with a crash to the ground. Cracks radiated from the wound across its chest and back, and it collapsed to the cobblestones, a thick, greenish-black ichor flowing from the wound. As Ghost turned to face the third gargoyle, who had been circling the melee looking for an opening, Ayama twisted the arm of the one she had grappled, forcing it to release its grip on the girl. Grabbing on with her other hand and applying leverage, Ayama flipped the stone creature over and slammed it into the wall of the alley, sending chunks of masonry flying everywhere. Ghost grabbed one of the chunks of masonry as he rolled to avoid a diving attack, and threw it at the gargoyle’s head, knocking chips of stone away as it rose and wheeled back into the air. The one-armed gargoyle, who had somehow managed to lurch to its feet, made a clumsy dive at Ghost. The Solar simply stepped aside and extended a leg, sending the gargoyle crashing back to the ground, where it shattered into rubble. The slight distraction almost caused Ghost to miss the airborne gargoyle who had flown high into the air and was now diving straight at him again. Ghost managed to spring out of the way just in time, and the gargoyle barely pulled up in time to avoid crashing. Nearby, the gargoyle that Ayama was battling was attempting to fly off, even though the Zenith was still gripping its arm. Ayama climbed up the gargoyle’s arm and vaulted onto its back, and then reached down under its stony chin and pulled back as hard as she could. The head came off with a snap, and green-black fluid sprayed everywhere as it plummeted and became inert. Ghost waited for the last gargoyle to descend, ready to attack. But as it swooped down, the thin girl sprang out from the side. She had pulled the seven-section staff out of its bundle, and whirled it over her head. She was clearly not very skilled with the weapon, but the gargoyle was wounded, and unable to avoid her attack, as the end of the weapon punched into its midsection, taking away a large chunk of stone with it. The gargoyle began to climb again, and looked as though it might be trying to flee. Ghost ran across the alley and ascended up a odd pile of crates nearby, jumping into the air and hurling the Eye of Mars as he came up level with the creature. The typhoon wheel struck it in its midsection, where it had been damaged by the staff, and split the creature in half. The two stone halves fell to earth and shattered, as Ghost landed a few feet away. He walked up to where the girl was already hastily putting away her weapon, and Ayama had gone over to see her. “Are you all right? Did they injure you?” “I… yes, I’m all right,” the girl gasped, out of breath. “Only a few bruises. Thank you for your help, strangers. I am called Mistress Yellow.” She took a few more ragged breaths. “I need to get out of the city as fast as possible. I need to escape my master.” “Master?” Ayama asked. “I’m apprenticed to an apothecary,” she explained, “an alchemist. He is very good at what he does. He found out I have a talent that can make him a lot of money, and from that point on he has worked me less as an apprentice and more as a slave. I am still bonded to him as an apprentice, but… I couldn’t take it any more.” “I need to make certain you are all right first,” Ayama said. “Sometimes when we are frightened, we do not feel our injuries. Will you allow that?” The girl nodded, and Ayama noticed for the first time that the girl’s eyes were the same golden hue as her hair. “Let us return to the palace,” she said. “You will be safe there.” They returned quickly to the palace, where they brought Mistress Yellow quietly into their suite of rooms. The girl clung tightly to her bundle as Ayama examined her, unwilling to let it leave her grasp. When no serious injuries were found, Ayama worked on calming the girl, and as her adrenaline wore off she collapsed into a deep, dreamless sleep, still holding on to the seven-section staff. Ghost took a moment to look inside the bundle as she slept, and his eyes widened with surprise. The two Solars went out to the sitting room adjoining the bedroom. “The girl has been ill-treated for some time,” Ayama said. “She has not been fed well. She should be about thirty or forty pounds heavier than she is.” “I have some idea why this girl is so fearful of being caught by her master,” Ghost said. “Did you see that weapon?” “For an alchemist to possess an orichalcum weapon is unusual, I agree,” Ayama said. “It would be quite valuable.” “More than you know,” Ghost said. “That weapon is not made of orichalcum. It is made of yellow jade.” * [center]۞[/center] Palace Guard Captain Gaius Rho was awoken much earlier than he was accustomed to. Given that he was an early riser by nature, this was remarkable in and of itself. “There’s a problem in the city, sir,” the guard who had come to get him said as Gaius put on his uniform. “And I assume there’s a reason you have brought this to the Captain of the Palace Guard, rather than the Captain of the City Guard?” “Yes, sir. The reports are of some unusual sightings in the night. Reports of winged creatures flying in the air, and some unusual rubble in an alley down in the merchant district. There are also reports that the aforementioned alley is trying to eat people.” “And our alleys are normally so well-behaved,” Gaius sighed. Since the formation of the Silver Guard, any supernatural events in the city had fallen to them to investigate. And, by extension, to him, since he was nominally their superior. In the past, they might have just gone directly to the Silver Guard and sent him a report, but with half of the Silver Guard gone, and their alleged assassin reportedly still alive, access to the remaining three was under tight control. The fact that after twenty years of service Gaius had developed a keen eye and discerning intellect was also highly sought after for these kind of disturbances. “Wait at the palace gates for me,” he ordered. “Ten minutes.” Captain Rho mentally reviewed the duty rosters, and realized who would be on rotation this morning. He groaned inwardly. “Make it fifteen.” Gaius walked inside the palace suite where the Silver Guard had been stationed, and opened the door to the room occupied by Ka Ciel, a Fire Aspected Dragon Blood, and one of the three remaining members of the queen’s elite personal guard. He was among the finest duelists that Gaius Rho had ever seen, which was nearly his only redeeming feature. Not that the other two were much better, of course, but they at least had the decency to spend their free time having sex with each other and not causing problems. “What?” Ka groaned. “It is dark.” “I’m up, so you’re up, too,” Gaius ordered. “There’s trouble in the city.” A small flame appeared in Ka’s hand. “A fight?” “No.” “Damn.” Ka yawned and stretched. “Out of the way, ladies,” he said, and got up, pushing aside two nude young women, both of whom worked in the palace and at least one of whom was married. Gaius looked them over as Ka pulled his armor on. “Only two,” he commented. “Bad night?” “I was tired,” he said, “and this does not help.” Eventually, they made their way into the city, and approached a nondescript alley where several of the City Guard had blocked off access. Dawn was just breaking as they arrived, giving them enough light to see. Gaius noted immediately that the alley itself was not eating people, but that a number of the stones in the roadway appeared to be alive, writhing about and bashing into anyone who came near. The only real risk might be if someone fell down while crossing through the alley. Captain Rho crossed the barrier line, and took a closer look at one of the animated stones. He saw that a greenish-black fluid had seeped into the mortar around the stones. He also noticed that only stone seemed to be affected; the hard-packed earth underneath was undisturbed, as was a small wooden crate nearby that had some of the fluid splashed on it. “Hey, look at this,” Ka Ciel said, pointing with his sword. A pile of stone rubble sat near the alley’s entrance, of a different type of stone than was used in the street. Two other piles were found nearby. All three had a large number of the living cobblestones around them. “Looks like someone dropped a statue off the roof,” Ka said. “It looks like whatever this fluid is came out of these statues,” Gaius said. He looked up at a City Guard sergeant nearby. “Any eyewitness reports?” “None, sir,” the sergeant said. “Some reports of hearing a disturbance in the wee hours of the morning, a lot of crashing and loud noises. One fellow reports he heard a girl or woman shouting.” Captain Rho turned back to Ka. “Any idea what that green stuff is?” he asked. “I can only identify liquids that come out of a bottle, barrel, or cask,” he replied. “But I would guess that whatever it is was inside those statues and bringing them to life, and it spilled out when they were broken.” “Broken by what?” “By who, I think.” Ka held up a stone arm that had been sheared off at the shoulder. “Most of the damage here looks like it was done with sledgehammers,” he said, “but this piece was cut off with a blade of some kind, though not a sword.” Gaius nodded, and then returned to the sergeant. “Call for a work crew,” he ordered. “Tell them to bring some covered buckets. Dig up these animated rocks and carry them off in the buckets. Whatever is causing this only affects stone. Take them outside the city, and get some people with sledgehammers to break them up.” “Right away, sir,” the sergeant said, saluting. “Will you be returning to the palace?” The captain looked around as his orders were carried out, and noticed that Ka was walking toward the back of the alley, with one of the female City Guards at his arm. “In about five minutes,” he sighed. [center]۞[/center] Ghost also left early in the morning, with Ayama watching over the still sleeping Mistress Yellow. He returned an hour later, carrying a small bundle and a wooden bucket with a lid. “I purchased some new clothing for the girl,” he said. “What she was wearing before is mostly rags. I also brought this.” He pulled a small jar out of his pocket, which contained the hair dye that he had recently used to disguise himself as the late Mnemon Lyrik. “Blonde hair is uncommon in this region,” he said. “If she is being pursued, this might help throw off anyone looking for her. I can do nothing about her eyes, however.” “What is in the bucket?” Ayama asked. “An interesting souvenir,” Ghost said. He opened the lid and pulled out a writhing chunk of stone. “I went by the alley where we fought those stone creatures,” he said. “The area was under heavy guard. It appears that several of the cobblestones came to life last night. I saw Captain Rho down there, as well as one of those Dragon-Bloods from the Silver Guard, though he was a bit preoccupied at the time.” Ayama noted the greenish tinge of the pulsating stone. “It seems that the ichor that animated those statues retained its potency,” she said. “But the City Guard can deal with that. I need you to remain here in case Mistress Yellow wakes up. I am going to find out who represents the alchemists in the Tradesmen’s Alliance. I wish to know what legal recourse she may have against her master.” Ayama learned that a single guild oversaw the affairs of all of the city’s more esoteric disciplines – from thaumaturges to alchemists to exorcists to astrologers. This Guild of Mysteries was overseen by none other than Farazod, the thaumaturge who had attempted to summon Lyrik’s spirit after his murder. Ayama found herself sitting in Farazod’s cramped but well-organized office, with a number of strange devices spinning, flashing, or making noises all around her. “Does the Queen require my services again?” Farazod asked. “No, I come on a more personal matter, a question of the workings of the guilds,” Ayama replied. “I am wondering how the relationship between a master and apprentice is defined within the guilds, and what legalities are involved.” “An apprenticeship is considered a personal contract,” Farazod replied. “The details vary, but the essence of the contract is that the master agrees to teach the skills of the trade and provide room and board, and the apprentice agrees to labor for the master in the process of learning the trade. What that labor entails is between them.” “But what if, theoretically, an apprentice found themselves forced to do tasks he or she felt went beyond their tolerance?” “Again, it depends on the trade. For someone in, for example, the Silversmith’s Guild, if an apprentice felt they were being treated unfairly, they could petition to have their contract bought by another master. These guilds tend to monitor themselves closely, and problems are dealt with internally.” “What of the Guild of Mysteries?” Farazod smiled unpleasantly. “That is where it becomes complicated. You see, our various disciplines are only bonded together under a single guild because no one could decide what to do with us. This means that our guild is far more eclectic than the others, and thus there is less self-regulation. One silversmith may know when another is conducting business improperly, but it is far more difficult for an astrologer to know if a summoner is violating the ‘rules’ of their profession. The problem for apprentices within the Guild of Mysteries is that there are fewer masters of each discipline to choose from. After all, an apprentice alchemist cannot learn under a thaumaturge. This leads to apprentices in our guild being far more… tolerant of eccentric behaviors or demanding work.” “I understand,” Ayama said, “but what if an apprentice, in theory, was pushed beyond even those broader limits?” “I would appreciate,” Farazod said, “if you would no longer insult my intelligence with this talk of ‘theoretical’ apprentices. You would not have sought me out unless you were dealing with a specific situation.” “I meant no disrespect,” Ayama replied, “I am simply not prepared to reveal the identities of the parties involved until I have some sense of how to address the problem properly.” “What trade is this apprentice learning?” “They are apprenticed to an alchemist.” “I see. Well, in general, even with the lack of close supervision, most of the masters in our varied disciplines do not push our apprentices too far. After all, we are dealing with powerful and dangerous forces, and an apprentice driven hard enough to seek vengeance…” “The person I am helping does not seek revenge, simply escape.” “There is no legal method for ending an apprentice’s contract without the master’s consent,” Farazod said. “The apprentice could bring the master up on charges before the entire Tradesman’s Alliance, but this is a rare and difficult process that will be heavily resisted by all the guilds, not just the Guild of Mysteries. An official inquiry is quite thorough, and tends to bring to light more than just the charges of the accuser. It has, I am sorry to say, been used as a political tool far too often, and has nearly ceased to function for its original purpose. And, after all, the entire purpose of a guild is to protect its members.” “Can someone buy the contract?” “At a price set by the master, and it will be steep- especially if the buyer is not a member of the guild and not even another alchemist.” “What if the master has broken laws in the attempt to retrieve an apprentice who has left without permission?” “Then they can be charged, investigated, and arrested like anyone else,” Farazod said testily. “But you need evidence. And this still does not release the apprentice from their contract.” “You have been very helpful,” Ayama said. “I will endeavor not to involve your guild further in my efforts to aid this person.” Ayama returned to her room, and relayed the information she had learned to Ghost. As they began to discuss how to proceed, there was a knock on the outer door. Captain Gaius Rho and Ka Ciel stood outside. “We hoped to speak to you about a matter in the city this morning.” “[i]He[/i] hoped to speak to you,” Ka corrected, nodding at the captain. “Come in,” Ayama said, “but please keep your voices low. There is a young woman asleep in the next room.” Ka grinned at Ghost. “Well done,” he said. “But only one?” Ghost looked annoyed. “She is barely fifteen at best.” “I fail to understand your point.” “There was a disturbance in the city this morning,” Captain Rho said quickly. “It seems that a number of the flagstones outside an alley have somehow been animated and were attacking passers-by. There was a greenish fluid found absorbed into the stones, and rubble from three broken statues in the alley. The statues appear to be the source of the green fluid. Do either of you know anything about this?” “You are speaking of these stones, correct?” Ghost flipped open the bucket with his foot and pulled out the animated rock. “I think we can explain.” The two Solars related the story of their encounter last night, explaining that the young woman in the next room was being pursued by the flying gargoyle statues. With a quiet warning from Ghost spoken in Old Tongue, neither of them mentioned the seven-section staff, or more importantly, the material it was made from. “So,” Ka said, when the story was completed, “will you pay the captain now, or go down to the courts?” “Excuse me?” Ghost asked. “Someone has to pay for the repairs to the street, not to mention labor,” Ka explained. “And I am certain that there is some sort of fine to be levied here.” Ayama looked crossly at the Dragon-Blood. “If we wish to begin discussing payments for services rendered…” “I’m sure that Ka knows,” Gaius interjected hastily, “that the person liable for payment would be whoever was responsible for the substance that animated the stones.” “Then it seems we have a similar agenda,” Ayama said. “Perhaps we should begin making some inquiries in town.” “There are only three alchemists in Lagan,” Gaius said. “We can inquire which of them has been working with stone recently.” “Could we not just ask the girl who her master is when she wakes up?” Ka asked. “Yes, we will,” Ayama said, “ but approaching this problem in a more subtle way at first will prevent the alchemist we seek from being alerted. Perhaps we should interview the stonemasons first, to see who is buying their wares.” “Someone should stay here with Mistress Yellow,” Ghost pointed out. “I will stay,” Ka Ciel said, all too eagerly. “No, I will stay here,” Ghost said firmly. --------------------------- * Those familiar with Exalted will know why this is a big deal. For those who aren't... well, it's a big deal, for reasons that will be explained in the next installment. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
[Exalted 2e] Chosen of the Second Age
Top