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<nerterology> Sesus Nagezzer is holding him famous five-yearly Calibration party this year, and all the brightest and most influential Dragon-Blodded of the Realm are invited. He has converted the terraced gardens of his home's Demesne into a fragrant maze of flawering hedges for the occasion; while most of the mingling occurs in the garden's central plaza, there are ample places for trysting and plotting out toward the edges.
<nerterology> One conspicuous group of young Dynasts have appeared at the bash with elementals vassals and lovers in tow; their group's visual exuberance is only matched by that of the elder Dynasts with excellent breeding, who move wreathed in salt and flame.
Malic enjoys himself as much as a Sidereal pretending to be a mortal in service to a Dragon-Blooded can. Embers looks to be having fun. Having learned High Realm as well as Old Realm during her stint in Heaven, she speaks fluently with only a bit of a Southern accent. Malic's words, cobbeled together from Low and Old Realm, make him sound utterly terrible. A thick Flametongue accent perfects his disguise as a pretty, brawny and brainless pet.]
Arkadi has managed to dress himself, well...nicely for once. No leather or dulled armour to be seen anywhere on his person, just high-quality silks in surprisingly up-to-date cuts. He's puffing on an expensive-lookign cigar
Arkadi is secretly enjoying the consternation this is causing his circle-mates
Gia makes sure to only engage herself in conversation for a few minutes with a single person, she moves quietly and never with particular purpose. The blue-green veil she recently aquired from an artisan in Yu-Shan adorns half her face, partly for the trappings of her destiny and partly for discreet conversation.
<Ikselam> In one corner of the Slug's palatial garden, a number of young men and ladies have gathered to listen to the foreign poet Sapphire Hawk read his latest composition.
<nerterology> "Yari!" A portly man in the brightly clashing silks that some Dynastic mortals wear greets Arkadi excitedly. "I wasn't expecting you to get to the party until tomorrow! How swoft thy horse must be."
Arkadi resists the urge to don the pince-nez sunglasses tucked in his breast pocket as the man approaches and smiles cheerfully "Bah, not so much the horses as their driver! The man driving that carriage was splendid! Where the hell did you find him?"
<Sapphire Hawk?> The poet finishes his recitation, and stows away his small composition book in one of his robe's voluminous blue sleeves.
Arkadi takes a sip of wine from his glass "Damn, V'Neef made a good crop this year."
Malic bumps into Arkadi as Ember chats idly with some handsome, unattached Dynast of House Iselsi.
<Gia> The shadows on the walls behind Gia flicker strangely, and she drifts over to Malic and Arkadi, the wrinkling of her nose at the stench of Ark's cigar hidden by her veil.
Sapphire Hawk? disengages himself from his small crowd of onlookers, and mingles amongst the crowd. His silk robes and sashes, fine by mortal standards, are quite eclipsed by the jade adornments of the nearby Dynasts.
Arkadi scowls "Dieter! Watch where you're going! Your master trained you better than *that*!"
Malic turns red under his bronze tan, bowing hurridly. "I'm really filled with shame. I greatly sorry." bumbles through his mix of words, torturously trying to speak High Realm
Arkadi smacks Malic uptop the head "Learn your place!"
Arkadi mentally smiles with glee, he's been wanting to do that for MONTHS
Malic stumbles. "shame, shame." one amber eye glares at Arkadi between bows, showing his annoyance.
Arkadi scowls "You approached me for something?"
Sapphire Hawk? wanders through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries. Now that he is not performing, he seems not too remarkable, save for his exotic Eastern looks; he is a poet whose skill stems from practice and mastery of language, rather than innate charisma.
<nerterology> The patrician idly agrees with 'Yari', mentioning that the Serpent-and-Egg Ragara vineyards have also been producing excellent wine of late.
Sapphire Hawk? plucks a small blue flower from his corsage and gives it to a young lady admirer, who blushes prettily. He favors her with a smile that is mostly in his dark gray eyes, and shadowed by his long, unbound hair.
<Malic> "No master, no. I was walking."
<Arkadi> "Very well then, begone with you!"
Malic follows Ember into a group of young and very pretty Dragon-Blooded females. Ooh. Pretty.
Arkadi waves 'Dieter' away and turns back to his guest "So, you must tell me how your daughter's weddign went. I hear she married an *Exalt* ?!'
Malic keeps his eyes down, as he should, except for occasional glances at the scantily clad Exalts around him.
<Sapphire Hawk?> After carefully maneuvering his admirer into a conversation with a dashing young Dynast in ornamental red jade armor, Sapphire Hawk wanders off on a course which coincidentally takes him to a secluded corner of the garden at the same time as the veiled Lookshy woman.
<Sapphire Hawk?> The trellis which screens them from the garden casts checkerboard shadows.
<nerterology> The young ladies, who've befriended Ember recently, all make the requisite admiring compliments on her hastily god-tailored gown, and turn back to their gossip without missing a beat.
<nerterology> Lahor Sesus and a small knot of strategists in Tepet colors drift by, loudly arguing about military matters.
Arkadi winces "Aw CRAP...."
Malic wanders away, eyes glued to one Cynis's veiled rear end..he bumps into another guest. Gia!
Sapphire Hawk? affects not to notice the bumbling manservant who has joined them behind the ivy-covered trellis.
<Sapphire Hawk?> "Have you seen him?" he asks quietly. In the dark shadows, stars sparkle faintly in his eyes.
Gia shakes her head. "Not yet." She turns to Malic. "''Yuri' seems to be having fun tonight. I saw that knock he gave you." She grins.
Arkadi looks at the man "Hito...why didn't you *Tell* me he was going to be here?!'
<nerterology> Ember has seemed to find herself back in the company of the young Cynis man. They are surrounded by servants, tasting elegant hors d'oeuvres.
Malic nods. "He's a malevolent one ma'am."
Gia frowns distractedly at Ember and the Cynis guy.
Malic glances over in their direction. His face draws down for a second, then clears. Not Dieter's buisness who his master warms her bed with.
Sapphire Hawk? turns his head at Arkadi's exclamation.
<nerterology> (i assume "he" is lahor?)
<nerterology> "Well, because...it goes without saying."
<nerterology> "-Everyone- important is here."
<Arkadi> (he is)
<Arkadi> "...but *him*?! He's an utter *tit* !"
<nerterology> "A tit with powerful friends."
<nerterology> "At least he and his friends keep to themselves."
<Arkadi> "They do?"
<nerterology> Hito makes a face.
<Arkadi> "What about that patrician at Cynis Ari's wedding reception ?"
<nerterology> "In a loose sense."
Arkadi arches an eyebrow "You and I both know that if you aren't an exalt around that guy, you've got a target painted on you..."
Arkadi sighs
<Arkadi> "So let's just avoid zippy the pinhead over there if we can, 'kay?"
Malic stripping off his outer tunic, leaving a thin silk garment that covers his chest about as well as his skin, the dull-witted servant returns to Embers' side. Dieter smiles blankly at his mistress and Malic's eye's flash with amber stars for a moment. Something invisible settles around him, cloaking him more fully then any of the revealing clothes a dynast's servant wears.
<nerterology> Suddenly, there is a palpable shift of focus in the secluded garden. 'Dieter' can feel dozens of eyes on him - observing through sidelong glances, pretending to look for something a long way off, openly following the outlines of muscles moving under silk.
<nerterology> Ember slowly and obviously places a hand on his thigh, as if to say, "This one is mine and I will not share."
Malic smiles in a vague, undefined fashion that anyone might think is directed at them. Amber eyes move slowly around to the other Sidereals, checking their reactions to see if they notice his little fun.
Arkadi sighs "anyways, I'm gonna check the place out...talk to you later..."
Arkadi pats his buddy on the shoulder and walks off
Arkadi pauses a moment to stub his cigar out, grab a strangely coloured drink, and looks for someone pretty to talk to
Malic smiles inside his head, shifting his stance in the proper way to attract attention to his best attributes, something the Charm helps him do naturally. Malic snickers inside Dieter's head, thinking that he'd always wondered if this little charm would ever come in handy.
Arkadi sighs...why'd he come here anyways? Not really his beat...and he still feels as though he's sticking out like a sore thumb
<nerterology> Malic finds himself in the interesting position of having creative suggestions being whispered into BOTH of his ears.
Arkadi wanders into the garden, sees malic and the goings on, turns a 180 and heads straight for the bar
Arkadi proceeds to sit himself down and orders 4 of the harshest drinks he can think of
<Sapphire Hawk?> The waves of blue essence forming a vortex of lust around Malic ring clearly to the poet's perceptions of fate. He hums a counter-melody under his breath, helping to shake off the sudden feeling that Malic is his most valued possession in the world.
Arkadi sighs "I fuckin' hate parties..." and does somethign he never, EVER does...wallow in his own self-pity
Malic moves a bit away from Ember, giving her a motion of his head to indicate she shouldn't be offended.
Malic looks around the party, searching for any particularly interesting reactions to his charm..
<nerterology> A mixed group of Mnemons who've been standing some distance away have been collectively drawing closer and casting exploratory glances at the counterfeit slave.
Sapphire Hawk? puts a hand on Gia's arm and draws her away from the rapidly-thickening clump of partygoers who are accreting around Malic. The two Sidereals slip out of the garden, unnoticed by the lustful Dynasts.
Malic blinks at them and shifts his direction, hoping to avoid the Dynasts. Eeeek!
Arkadi is still sitting at the bar, now with a small collection of drink glasses around him
<Sapphire Hawk?> As soon as they reach the deserted terrace, Sapphire Hawk looks around for anyone who might be watching.
<nerterology> Nagezzer, making his rounds of meeting and greeting, is kissing Ember's extended hand when his eye falls on Malic. He shakes his head, obviously unsettled.
Gia glances around, as well. "That was quite a spectacle; I think we're alone."
<nerterology> Ember's companion gives the Slug a cold look, as if to say, "I saw him first."
Malic zips right away from the Slug and Ember, making tracks toward the group of high ranking Cynis nobles he was oggling earlier.
Sapphire Hawk? removes his corsage. As the baby-blue petals flutter to the ground, the identity of the Eastern poet whispers away like a discarded silk robe.
<nerterology> The tension in the garden rises.
Gia slips her veil off as well, tucking it into her purse.
Osprey pulls his hair out of his eyes, and ties it off in a loose ponytail. He performs several subtle operations on his robe, folding, tucking, and tying off until it is much less flowing and cumbersome.
<Osprey> "It looks as though brother Malic has them... distracted, for now," Osprey observes.
<Osprey> "We should not waste time."
Gia nods. "Malic is always good for a distraction. Where should we start?"
Malic takes careful stock of his surroundings, making sure he appears to lack the company of sadists, rapists and overly aggressive wyld mutants before settling down and resuming his blank, non-directed smile.
<Osprey> In response, Osprey turns toward the twin ziggurats of the White Rose Manse.
Osprey steps off the cobble path and into the shadow of the hedge.
Gia follows quietly, keeping an eye out for any wayward partygoers who slipped off for.. whatever reason.
<Osprey> The two slip from one shadow to the next.
<Osprey> Their Resplendent Destinies suspended, fate turns a blind eye to the pair of the Maidens' Chosen, concealing them more effectively than the dark shadows.
Malic mutters inside his head, hoping the others get done qith their task soon..this could become tiresome if forced to continue over-long. Dieter's personality clashes with this Charm..and to create others would invite disfavor from the Spiders, damn them! Adopting a movement style a bit too confident and sensual for Dieter, but not out of character for a Dynast's handsome male slave, Mal drifts into the Cynis group, looking c
<Malic> Mal drifts into the Cynis group, looking confused.
Arkadi sighs and gets himself up from the bar, this isn't the place for feeling sorry for himself
<nerterology> The Dynasts seem to be interested in sharing a bath.
Malic manages to catch Ark's eye and indicate that he should keep an eye on the Slug and Lahor, in case his distraction loses its distraction on them
<Osprey> Before too long, Gia and Osprey have reached the foot of the Throne of Roses.
Arkadi sighs...he was afraid of that, time to make himself a target
<Osprey> The monumental architecture, all green-veined marble and jade, looms above them in the moonlight.
Arkadi straightens himself up somewhat and stalks over to the duo, bowing respectfully to the Slug
Malic agrees with the Dynasts, folowing them to one of the several bathing pools located in the gardens. Stripping down to his clout, Dieter climbs into the rose-filled pool. Ducking under the scented water, he comes up dripping, peering around for Lahor and the Slug..
<Osprey> "As we planned," Osprey whispers. A servant passes by, bearing a tray of fruit, and briefly notices them, but then glances away and forgets.
<Osprey> "You take the east wing, I will take the west."
<Gia> "How will you signal me if you find him first?"
<Arkadi> "A pleasure to meet the honored host, Mr. Nagezzer."
Osprey reaches into his sleeve and produces a string with a glass bead on it.
<Osprey> "If you find him, break the bead. If the bead breaks on its own, meet me at the arranged place."
Osprey untucks a similar necklace from his collar.
Gia nods. "Hopefully he's not too much trouble." She turns and opens the door, slipping around the right corner and into the alabaster halls of the east wing.
<nerterology> The Slug agrees! "It is a pleasure to see that my little get-together has attracted guests as intriguing and eminent as yourself."
Osprey crosses the rose mosaics of the courtyard, ducks behind a door as an intoxicated couple stumble out through it, and slips into the west wing.
<Arkadi> "You're being too kind, really. My life simply placed me on a very fortunate track."
<Osprey> The interior of the Throne of Roses is built on the same grandiose scale as the exterior -- unlike many Dynastic Manses, this one is clearly the product of First Age, or at least early Shogunate, engineering.
<Osprey> Osprey's feet sink into the deep pile of the green carpets, cleverly arranged to suggest patches of moss growing on the stone floor.
Arkadi smiles ingratiatingly...trying to shove thoughts over just how much he DOESN'T want to be havign a conversation next to a man who's got the body of a 23-year-old killing machine...and the mind of a 10-year-old class bully
Gia mutters to herself as she ascends to the second floor. "What is it with Exalts and their spiral staircases?"
Malic eventually escapes the bathing pool before turning into a human prune. He finds that his clothing has been stolen. Malic curses while Dieter blushes and searches vainly for his clothing.
<nerterology> The Slug hums thoughtfully. "Very fortunate...indeed." He excuses himself and sets off.
<Osprey> Water splashes from an indoor fountain in the main room on the first floor.
Osprey carefully picks his way among the drugged and debauched revellers lying in dishabille about the exquisitely designed chamber. Seeing that none of them are the one he seeks, he moves on.
Arkadi mentally eeps and fixes eyes on Lahor "Good evening, sir..."
Gia listens at a particularly ornate doorway; when no sound is heard, she slips inside. "This is a CLOSET?" She sighs and slips back out, wandering the halls, looking for bedrooms.
<Osprey> The second floor of the west wing seems to be offices, many of which are locked.
<nerterology> Lahor takes a while to acknowledge Arkadi's presence, then rather loudly greets him, Gateway piece in hand. "What do you think?" He seems to be referring to the move his opponent just made, and his critique thereof.
Osprey , ever thorough, listens at the doors and peeks through keyholes, but comes up empty. The only people there are a few slave clerks, copying out documents and tending to the Slug's accounts.
Arkadi scratches his chin and examines the board
<nerterology> The sounds of recited poetry drift through the mossy walls. The speaker's accent is strongly reminiscent of Nagezzer's.
Osprey rounds the corner of the stairs to the third floor, and quickly ducks back. He hears the clashing of mail as the guards on the landing shift, but it quickly ceases as they forget what it was that made them start.
Arkadi 's eyes seek out the positioning of the various pieces, the general layout of thsoe captured, the formation having been applied and the fact that it's a hotly-contested match up until now...
Gia pauses in her search, listening quietly as she tries to determine the direction of the noise.
<Gia> She peeks into the nearest keyhole, wondering if this Sesus boy is really awkward enough to skip a party so that he can recite poetry to himself.
<nerterology> Thankfully, he is not.
Arkadi purses his mouth in thought "Well, overall it was a good move.." now the alcohol takes over a bit " ...of course, the way you've been throwing your guardsmen pieces at him like that, it'd be hard for him NOT to exploit the opneing in your lines on board three..."
<Arkadi> "See look here and here..."
Arkadi points out two spot on the board
<Arkadi> "You've left yourself wide open to a classic Shakel Cut Offensive."
<nerterology> Sesus Imat is lounging on a couch, entangled with a purple-skinned maiden from the West. He seems to be feeding her grapes while offhandedly composing odes to her tentacular beauty.
Malic moves to peer at the Gateway game, apparently utterly enthralled by the game itself. And, of course, mostly naked.
Gia rolls her eyes and stands up. After looking around for a moment, she picks up two rather heavy lead-glass baubles from a decorative platinum bowl, and opens the door quietly, counting on the couple's ardor to shield her silent movements.
Osprey stands with his back pressed to the wall, thinking of what to do.
<Osprey> His eye lights upon one of the glowing orbs which give the corridor its light.
<Arkadi> "What *precisely* where you trying to accomplish with that last move, anyways?"
Osprey manages, with some twisting and pulling, to remove the globe from its niche.
<nerterology> The couple do not particularly seem to notice. The scent of wine is obvious on their breath.
<nerterology> The other Dynast claims that to explain would reveal and destroy his strategy!
<nerterology> "Only Cathaks can say that and be believed," Lahor replies.
Arkadi smirks "And 10th Legion commanders..."
Gia takes a deep, silent breath, holds the baubles to her chest, and then hurls the objects with completely confidant aim, hoping to knock them out without resorting to her more lethal abilities.
<nerterology> Upon impact, the young Dynast faints dead away, but his amourous companion is merely offended. "Thief!"
Gia looks at the wide picture window and winces. "Well, it's only the second floor," she reasons internally. "We'd better make this good." Gia races forward, tosses the unconscious man over her shoulder, and leaps out of the window, counting on her preturnatural grace and the soft beds of flowers to catch her fall.
<Gia> Halfway down, Gia realizes a mistake she may have made, and silently prays to Gul-Horon, the God of Impetuousness, that she did not leap out of one of the windows which overlooks the rose bushes.
<nerterology> Gul-Horon answers Gia's prayer! She merely lands in a frankincense tree. Soon she and Imat are out, none the worse for wear, but covered in sticky, medicinal-smelling sap.
Gia pulls a crimson curl, sticky and full of twigs, in front of her face. She looks heartbroken. With a sigh, she breaks the glass bead on the string Osprey gave her.
Osprey hears the slight pop as the bead on his necklace breaks, and replaces the glowing orb with a slight sigh of relief -- he didn't think his plan to distract the guards was that good to begin with.
Osprey heads back down the stairs.
<nerterology> The game goes on more or less as Arkadi has predicted it.
Arkadi shakes his head
<Arkadi> "Told you."
<nerterology> The Dynast is starting to wake up.
Osprey briefly pretends to be lying about in opium-numbed stupor to deflect the attention of the slaves who have come to attend the revellers in the fountain room.
Telgar gives over-enthusiastic applause, drawing attention to himself. Beaming at the two players, the servant looks perfectly..stupid. But sexy!
<Osprey> Curiously, all the slaves seem to sport some kind of unusual, but mainly cosmetic, feature. It is impossible to tell if the feathers, antennae, and pedipalps are Wyld mutations, or the result of celestial bastardy, though.
<Osprey> As soon as the slaves turn away from him, Osprey slips out of the building.
<nerterology> The slaves take a moment to pour fresh perfumes into the fountain.
Gia looks flustered for a moment, and then strikes the Dynast on the back of the head once more.
<nerterology> Malic's sudden movement is accompanied by an increase of tension in the garden. While there is no open conflict yet, it's obvious that the Dynasts are maneuvering to be close to--to possess--the handsome slave. Tempers are fraying thin.
Osprey squeezes past a couple who seem to have decided that finding their way to a room would take entirely too much time, and out into the cool night air.
<nerterology> Even Arkadi feels a--brief--pang of fierce desire, but he knows enough to ignore it.
Arkadi scowls
Arkadi pats the losing dynast on the shoulder
<Arkadi> "You played well...not what I would've done, but gave him a run for his money."
<nerterology> The young Air aspect is clearly distracted, but he takes the words with good grace.
Telgar gives a bow and muttered words of awe to the winner.
Osprey makes his way to the secluded bower he and Gia had earlier designated as their meeting place.
Gia looks pretty disheveled. "I jumped out a window. I think he's starting to wake up. Osprey, I want to get the hell out of here. I need a bath," she grouses petulantly.
Arkadi smirks and sublty slips a note in the losing dynast's pocket...a complete breakdown of Lahor's gateway playing style and tactics for the rematch...
Osprey sniffs discreetly at the frankincense odor clinging to Gia and her charge.
<Osprey> "I will take young Imat into my care," he offers.
<Osprey> "There should be time for you to have your bath before we move on with the next part of the plan."
Gia hands the now-useless signalling device back to Osprey with a grin. "Thank you so much, my friend. Your kindness is enough to make me overlook the fragility of the necklace you gave me." She giggles.
<Osprey> "Impermanence is the core of much true beauty."
<Gia> "Stability can look pretty good too, you know." She sneezes. "Anyway, I'm off to the women's baths.. God, I hope I don't run into any lusty Cynis ladies who like the smell of Frankinsense."
Osprey gives Gia a slight smile. "You should hurry to the bath-house, before someone connects your pleasant odor with the open window and dishevelled frankincense tree below."
<Gia> "Oooh! Right. I'll find you in the party when I've finished." Me hurries off, pausing to look back at Osprey and the captive for a moment before continuing away.
Malic puts a hand on the losing player's shoulder, giving him a supportive look. "You will win next time, master."
<nerterology> The Gateway player puts on a slightly exultant expression. He has a chance!
Osprey produces several sashes from his ensemble, and securely binds and gags the young Sesus.
Arkadi scowls
<Osprey> Slinging the slender youth over his shoulder, he carefully makes his way through the maze of rose trellises, back toward the wall of the Manse.
<Osprey> The flows of Wood Essence which permeate the place glow brightly to his magical senses.
<Osprey> He quickly locates the stream he wants, and follows it.
Malic waits impatiently for a chance to drop this disguise as soon as Gia or Osprey makes their success known. Having to smile at these people, knowing whats going on in their heads and their pants is annoying him. He'd never bed *half* of them. Twisted perverts! Those Cynis girls though...
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