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ST Back aboard the Ill-Omen after the final meeting with Meliya, where she revealed the location of Sun's prison and her small knowledge of the defenses that could be surrounding it, Carmine and Corve stow themselves under the deck in their cabin and talk about what to do with the knowledge they gained.
ST Sun, locked in an underworld tomb full of nasty-looking, ill-intentioned ghost soldiers, protected only by a line of salt. Buried in a city within a glacier at the edge of the deadlands. So far from the distant south-Western isle where Meliya makes her home.
Corve is exactly what one would call talkative at the moment. His eyes are red and his jaw is set. His face seems perfectly at home in his hands. Haunched over the edge of his bed, Corve sighs. He's so going to kill all these bastards.
Carmine wraps her arms around him, kissing his cheek. "We're going to get her back."
Crazy-Cabal after awhile, mostly spent trying to get used to not blocking light anymore, Myrrh knocks on their door. "You two decent?" Pauses considering Carmine. "For you guys I mean."
Corve leans his head on Carmine's shoulder and nods slowly. Hearing Myrrh's call, he looks up. "Yeah. Yeah, come on in, Myrrh."
Myrrh enters and closes the door behind him. "Xar is off fishing. You two holding up ok?"
Carmine lets Corve answer that one, her fingers playing with his hair reassuringly.
Corve shrugs, palm of his hand against his forehead. "No, not really. I just want to get there so we can get Sun back. This's getting out of hand." It started with the Cult wanting to end Creation, and now it's getting out of hand?
Myrrh "Well we know where she is, and if it's a bunch of ghosts it'll be easy. Getting there is going to be the problem."
Carmine "Arn't we aboard a magical flying ship?"
Myrrh "Yes but we're still a few thousand miles out from the north. You might want to find something warm by the way."
Corve murmurs, "It's not a bunch of ghosts. Falling Darkness isn't an idiot."
Carmine shrugs. The cold didn't really bother her.
Carmine "Then we'll get to fight something else too."
Myrrh "True. But I doubt he's got much of a plan other than to lure us to him so he can snag the relics. Something still doesn't add up though.
Myrrh "He's obsessed with you Corve. He could have gone after any of us but he seems to have a thing for you specificly."
Corve sighs. "Probably because I put a hole in his gut the size of his head. If he hadn't run off I'd have killed him." But the bad guys always run. Bastards.
Myrrh "So did I when we first encountered him. He hasn't exactly been gunning for me though."
Carmine "He really does seem to ... like you."
Myrrh chuckles. "Have you recieved any love letters sealed in blood lately Corve?"
Corve "Funny Myrrh. Real funny. I'm going to blow his head off."
Myrrh "I'm sure you'll get your chance. I just hope it sticks."
Corve "He keeps running away. ... I need a way that I can follow him."
Myrrh "I think we've got one. I'll just need to figure out how he does that underwater travel thing."
ST char!
Corve "Just... keeping him still would be good. A surprise attack wouldn't hurt, either. But he knows we're coming this time, so.1"
Myrrh "Hm. If only he were a fae. We could shoot his shadow" pauses for a moment "anyway with an arrow of his own bone. Very epic. Tends to paralyze them."
Carmine "Whats a fae?"
Xar`Rex There is a bit of a thud as Xar lands on the deck above, and a few minutes later there is a fishier-than-normal smell, and a knock on the door.
Corve "Come on in, it's a clubhouse." Corve turns to Carmine. "Faes are... well, I don't really know exactly what they are. Myrrh?"
Xar`Rex enters with a smallish-for-its-breed fish (which is to say, it's only as long as Xar is tall) over his shoulder.
Xar`Rex "What about Fae?"
Myrrh "Ah, the fae. The Fair Folk. Rakashans. Wyld children. Chaos spawn. They're embodiments of passions and desires and epic tales."
Carmine "Oh. But what are they?"
Myrrh "And they're all insane by our reckoning."
Carmine "Ah."
Xar`Rex snorts, "They are chaos in temporary form. They should not be allowed in Creation."
Myrrh "I'm not sure Xar. They seem to be atleast partialy "solid" when they come to creation. Otherwise why take on elemental aspects of the poles?"
Xar`Rex "That is the only way they can come into Creation."
Carmine starts to look confused.
Corve does too. 'Cuz honestly, he's not exactly Mr. Occult Knowledge. "How do you kill them?"
Xar`Rex "Luck. And Cold Iron."
Myrrh "Stab them, shoot them. However they tend to pop up again when it suits them. They seem to have a keen sense of...er...narative."
Xar`Rex "How long will it take to get to the North? We have much to do, still here. I hope this is not only taking us there, so that while we are away, they can do something worse."
Myrrh "Well we could split up again and study the relics but i'm not sure if that isn't what they want as well. I hate grand conspiracies."
Xar`Rex "Splitting up is usually worse."
Carmine nods
Myrrh "Well then Xar I think we should study these relics we retrieved from the sunken city. And maybe try and teach Oteki how to shoot assuming he isn't locked away in his quarters again."
Xar`Rex thoughtfully bites part of the head off the fish. "Yes." he says after a bit. "That is a good idea."
ST There is some considerable amount of discussion following, both amongst the four and then again with Oteki and his crew. Finally it is decided they will go North on the fastest route possible. With the help of Oteki's magic, his Familiar's wind-powers and Xeth's allies among the gods of travel and flying the trip takes only one turning of Sol's face.
ST The Ill Omen arrives at the farthest northern city she can reach, to resupply and gather information. Nearly 200 miles north of Diamond Hearth, the city is only a few thousand people strong. Hidden behind ice and mountains, almost covered in snow, it's onion-domed towers are brightly painted in blue, purple, yellow and red. The people wear heavy furs and everyone eyes strangers with suspicion.
Myrrh "Anyone speak ice tongue?"
Carmine shakes her head. In deference to the colder weather, her red silks are white, but other than that, they don't seem to cover any more.
ST Oteki and his crew are already on the ground, bundled in heavy furs produced from below decks. All three are speaking the harsh Northern language fluently as they deal with customs and bribes.
Xar`Rex shakes his head as well. He seems to have grown fur as the way got colder, though he's been basking in what sun there is.
ST Oteki exchanges a few words with an immensely fat man with a very large, impressive mustache. Easily topping six feet tall and five wide, the man waddles over to the ship and peers up at the four standing on it's deck. He calls up in heavily accented but understandable Old Realm "Do you understand me?"
Xar`Rex replies with a nod, and a polite "Yes," in his own accent
Jurek "I am Jurek. While you are being here, I will guide you." Everyone but Myrrh notices the distinctly Walrus-like appearance of the man and the silvery glint to the mustache and furs he wears.
Xar`Rex translates for Corve and uses this as an additional teaching session for Carmine!
Carmine "Thank you." She says, after having been distracted with something on one of the buildings.
Myrrh "Thank you! Where's a good place to stay for the night?"
Jurek "Your ship" he answers shortly. "What brought you to us?"
Myrrh "We're searching for a glacier and some sort of Ice City."
Jurek narrows his beady black eyes. "I know of a city in the glaciers...why do you wish to go there?"
Xar`Rex "To get back that which was taken from us."
Jurek "What might that be
Myrrh "Daring rescues and vengence upon ghosts."
Jurek "I see."
Jurek "I could take you to the city...but you should not go there unless you must."
Carmine "We must."
Jurek makes a deep grunting noise. "You can't fly to the city. It is under the ice."
Myrrh "What, so we need to dig?"
Corve "So we go under the ice. Let's get moving."
Jurek shakes his head. "You will need supplies. Food. Heat. Clothes."
Xar`Rex "There is nothing to hunt?"
Jurek "Not in the valley where the city lays."
Xar`Rex "Then we will get supplies."
ST The Walrusy man gives directions on where to fid the best supplies and what is needed. Then, he departs saying he will meet the Circle on the next dawn at the gates of the city and lead them into the ice. Everyone goes about collecting the supplies with Oteki's help and his crew. The natives are a bit suspicious, but they like money as well as anyone else does.
ST Only Carmine of all four keeps seeing a woman in dark red furs watching them out of the corner of her eye every so often.
Xar`Rex needs neither clothing nor heat, and so only buys food supplies.
Carmine murmurs in Corve's ear, when the walrus man has gone "There's someone watching us..."
Corve doesn't make any sudden movements, but he ducks his head just a little and smiles, cheek-to-cheek with Carmine. "...where?"
Carmine "From the windows. Then she stops..."
Xar`Rex also pokes around to see if there are any interesting ideas for artifacts, or unusually constructed items in the market
ST Xar finds several interesting types of fur, tooth, bone and meat he's never seen before, but nothing more magical then a shaman's carved mammoth tusk guaranteed to ward off misfortune and some powdered auroch testicles, even MORE guaranteed to make you a better lover then you've ever been.
Xar`Rex buys some of each, for his collection
ST The obviously dishonest man trying to foist such nostrums on gullible travelers is extremely happy when Xar buys some of his wares. Xar seems to have made his day, for the little man even throws in a bag of well-preserved herbs taken from the slopes of the Farthest Glacier. After looking around for a while, Xar sees those same "herbs" growing in cracks in the street stones.
Xar`Rex doesn't mind, as they're not weeds he's really seen before anyway.
ST The red-fur-woman continues spying on Carmine.
Carmine doesn't seem especially motivated to shop for clothing, though she does browse healers stores for herbs and lotions of a more effacious kind than the ones Xar has bought.
ST Some of the herbs seem familiar to Carmine by smell or texture, though she still has to ask their names. Things like foxroot and cloudleaf, explained to her to be pain-dulling and sleep-inducing. Other herbs are for curing disease and slowing poisons. There is one strange root called the dreaming root which Carmine is told will cure madness and snow-fever.
Myrrh is anything if not prepared, buying furs and other items he then crafts into useful supplies.
ST It looks like an incredibly ugly, incredibly wrinkly, incredibly gnarly, incredibly nasty brown-green-white baby, about eight inches long.
Carmine purchases some of the herbs to replace the supplies she knows she is missing, trying to keep her eye on the lady in red
Corve buys furs to keep warm, and enough food to keep through the nights, always trying to spot the woman that Carmine mentioned. He wants a clear sight, so he can get a clear shot. "Do you recognize her?"
Carmine shakes her head.
Xar`Rex approaches Carmine and Corve, "Are you ready for the trip?" he asks.
Carmine "We have all the supplies we need, I think." She glances at Corve
Corve nods. "Yeah, I have everything I need."
Xar`Rex presents his new herbs to Carmine, "I got these from a merchant. I think they're weeds."
Myrrh "Weeds? Out here?"
Xar`Rex points to the cracks in the sidewalks
Carmine looks at them and wonders if they remind her of anything.
ST Carmine finds them unremarkable.
Carmine "I do too, Xar." She agrees, a little apologetically
Xar`Rex "We can make fire with them."
Myrrh "True or you could just start a fire with your fireballs."
Carmine "Do we need need anything more then?"
ST As Carmine is examining the weeds, she notices the red woman walking down the street, away from the group, toward a large building with darkened windows
Carmine "That's her." she hisses.
Xar`Rex "Her who?"
Carmine "She's been spying on us!" she says and starts to hurry down the street.
Myrrh "Who? Wait Carmine where are you-" gives chase!
Xar`Rex blinks, and follows valiantly!
ST The woman turns into the building and disappears inside.
Corve is following, with rifle in hand now.
Carmine "She's gone ...!" Carmine sounds quite annoyed.
Corve "Bitch." Corve looks annoyed, too.
Xar`Rex "I think she went in there." he points
Corve "Let's check inside..."
Carmine nods!
Xar`Rex leads the way!
ST After Xar and Carmine step inside, the door of the building slams shut, blocking the way for Myrrh and Corve! As Xar turns to unbar the door, he finds himself tackled and restrained by two very large men, a black fur wrapped around his head to muffle and blind him. He can't even hear what's going on as he struggles with the men.
Red Lady steps out of the shadows inside the building and looks at Carmine from behind a face-concealing wrap of heavy fur. Only her eyes can be seen. One eye is made of steel.
Red Lady "I told you we would meet again, Carmine."
Carmine "... Ruby!" She exclaims. "Let Xar go!" she then demands of the large men.
Corve lifts his rifle, and then pauses. "Myrrh? Shoot the door."
Xar`Rex lights himself on fire.
Red Lady "They can't hear you, Carmine. They aren't really there anymore. Don't concern yourself with them."
Red Lady The big men don't seem much affected, except that their flesh starts burning. But in the light, Carmine can see they are quite plainly dead.
Myrrh "Alright then." Unslings his rifle, takes a few steps back and then fires into the door, hoping everyone can withstand a few explosions of wood and fire.
Carmine "... What do you mean by that?" She asks, calling her sword to her hand.
Red Lady Outside, the door disappears in a flash of smoke and splinters but it doesn't reveal anything beyond except darkness. Unyielding darkness, that forces the men back when they try to get too close.
Red Lady "Why, they're zombies, Carmine."
Carmine "Oh." Carmine scowls at the zombies, then back at Ruby
Ruby "It was entirely too predictable of you to come here, Carmine. You should have gone somewhere else. Back South, to complete your destiny."
Myrrh "Well that's something new..."
Carmine "I've been to the South. I've crossed the dead desert. I've climed down to the temple. And I told them I wasn't going to do it."
Ruby "You will change your mind. It has already begun, as I told you."
Ruby "Your friends can't help you, Carmine. It's your destiny to become my sister again."
Carmine "I don't care about my destiny. I'm not falling into darkness because some says I should. Even if that means I can't be your sister."
Ruby "You'll come to see things differently soon, my dear. Don't worry. I'm just here to warn you: Falling Darkness is waiting for your lover. He wants to have that man bow at his feet before he dies. He dreams of making him into a slave of the night."
Xar`Rex struggling valiantly!
Carmine "I will gut him before I allow him to do that to Corve." She says plainly.
Corve ain't kneeling for anyone. 'Cept, you know, maybe Carmine. If she asks nice.
Ruby "Then you best sharpen your sword. He waits for you in the city, as does the Poppy of Devastation."
Carmine "... Wait, why are you telling me this?"
Ruby "You are my sister, of course. How can I let you die before you come back to me?"
Carmine looks confused, and reassured. It ... almost made sense.
Ruby "Go back to your lover and friends, Carmine. I will be watching over you until you return to me."
Carmine "You will wait a long time." she says firmly "But ... thank you." She feels compelled to add, confused.
Ruby laughs and fades away into the shadows, summoning her now badly burned zombies with her.
ST With Ruby's withdrawl, the darkness barring Corve and Myrrh from the door disappears as well, and Xar is freed from the zombies.
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