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• Markuran returns to the Cascade carrying a massive stone jar in his arms. Huffing a bit at the weight, even for Marku the massive jar, the essence of an unformed concept and the thick, sweet-smelling water are a bit heavy. With one foot he pounds on the door to the Sunroom where he can hear Cerin and Zahara speaking.
• Cerin is lying out on one of the couches, his head in Zahara's lap "...at the ring does."
• Zahara toys with a strand of Cerin's hair and looks up, "Come in, Marku."

<Markuran> "I can't. Open the door!"

• Zahara sighs.
• Cerin sighs, and rolls his eyes, then flows off zahara's lap and to his feet, going over to the door and opening it.
• Markuran nods his thanks to Cerin and waddles over to the center of the array of wide, bright windows to place his stone jar, twice as big as the crimson-armored assassin.

<Markuran> "I'm back from my meeting with Selonis."

<Zahara> "Mmm. How did it go? I see you brought back presents."

<Cerin> "So I see."

<Markuran> "It went..confusingly. Again. And this is the essence of an unformed concept and some nice-smelling water."

• Markuran removes the lid from his giant jar and shows off the green-red water that smells strongly of fresh mellons and wildflowers and the glowing, pulsating, snub-cornered cube bobbing within.

<Cerin> "...Essence of an unformed concept?" he tilts his head curiously, then quietly shuts the door.

<Markuran> "That is what Selonis told me it was."

• Cerin moves over to the jar, studying the cube.

<Zahara> "Hmm. It smells nice." she rises and walks over to the strange cube within

<Cerin> "How fascinating. Truely you have brought back a wonder, Marku."

• Markuran smiles. "There is an ocean full of these things!"

<Zahara> "These could be useful.."

<Cerin> "They could. I wonder what they are used for? Since they seem rather extravagant to just leave lying around..."

<Zahara> "Well, although I think it's meant to be reshaped into a new form, it could be useful as a sort of Essence battery to us.

• Cerin nods.
• Birds stumbles down the stairs, a confused young Sunlander in tow. She sends him back upstairs and takes a look at the cube.
• Zahara looks to see if there are signs as to why the Sunlander is confused.

<Cerin> [I thought Birds wasnt interacting with mortals...]

<Markuran> (Touching, not interacting)

<BirdsOfTrinity> (Maybe she knows something you don't!)

<Cerin> [If he's magical, I know :p]

• Cerin smiles in greeting to Birds

<Zahara> "Hello Birds, do you have any recipes for Unformed Concepts?"

• Birds waves mildly. "Essence battery? Unformed concepts?"

<Markuran> "Selonis said the Sun himself has forbade him and all Celestial Gods to help us."

• Birds makes a face at this. "I don't suppose he specified a reason?"

<Cerin> "Yes, this is an unfor-...what?"

<Markuran> "But, also, that we may be able to trade services, he and I. And though I am not allowed to enter the Jade Pleasure Dome without an invitation, he will petition the Sun to meet with me."

<Cerin> [no, bad.]

<Cerin> "That is ... mixed news."

<Zahara> "Why would the Sun do that? Is he trying to see if we are worthy? Or perhaps he's made a bet."

<Markuran> "I myself do not understand. I have begged Selonis to get me a meeting with the Sun and he says he will do what he can. He will even help us, if I provide him cover for his activities. But he will not know what cover he needs until later."

• Zahara frowns slightly.

<Cerin> "I am sure we will be able to provide such cover."

• Cerin considers.

<Zahara> "If it is worthwhile, yes. Until that time we must do *everything* we can to provide for ourselves."

<Markuran> "We already are, Zahara."

<alsoquin?> The cube pulsates gently in its watery bath.

<Markuran> "Selonis said that these things are occasionally useful to Celestial beings."

<Zahara> "I know," she says pensively, "It just seems like we need to do more, and we have so little time to do it in."

<alsoquin?> -----

<alsoquin?> A return, to the Sea of Icons. This time, a rather larger turtle has been procured to hold the several Solars.

<alsoquin?> The Celestial Lion once again sits, waiting, in the distance.

• Markuran points out the bobbing multitude of unformed concepts. "See?"
• Zahara dips her fingers in the water, testing the sticky substance. She dabs a tiny bit on her tongue to see if it tastes like flowers as well

<alsoquin?> It does!

<BirdsOfTrinity> "Selonis...why is this place called the Sea of Icons?"

<BirdsOfTrinity> "Are these cubes the Icons the name refers to?"

• Markuran strips down to his undergarments again, leaving his outer clothes on the turtle's shell and dives into the water with a splash, swimming the rest of the way to Selonis's perch.

<alsoquin?> "They are, Birds-of-Trinity."

<Zahara> "What sort of being can shape them properly?"

• Birds picks up a small one and tries to pull it into the shape of a cow.
• Cerin studies the sea with idle curiousity.

<alsoquin?> "The Primordials and the Incarna, primarily. I know of no one else who can make entirely /full/ use of them." Birds finds her Icon stretching into the vague shape she suggests, though it continues to glow with a pale yellow light.

• Zahara studies Birds' effort, "They are similar to the Wyld in that they are undefined. Perhaps a further study of them will help me use that knowledge to shape them further."
• Markuran pulls himself from the thick, sticky water and gives Selonis a hearty smack on the shoulder before akwardly embracing the massive leonine spirit. "You have news for us?"
• Birds tries channelling some Essence into it, and at the same time carves the COW glyph onto one face with a fingernail.

<alsoquin?> "Not good, I am afraid."

<Selonis?> "Not good, I am afraid."

<Selonis?> Birds isn't sure, but she suspects that she hears the very faint sound of mooing emenating from her Icon.

<Markuran> "What is the news?"

<Selonis?> "Your request for an audience was flatly refused. I was given no reason for the refusal, and dismissed with a censure and an order not to advocate for you in the future."

• Birds pats Selonis fondly.
• Selonis smiles very slightly at Birds and her proto-cow.

<Markuran> "I am sorry you were unfairly censured, Selonis. I will make it up to you in the future."

<Zahara> "Ah. So it seems we worship a jerk."

• Markuran glowers at Zahara.
• Birds tries carving more cow-words onto the blob in several other languages.
• Cerin is studying the proto-cow as Birds forms it.

<BirdsOfTrinity> "We cannot ask you to risk your position in Heaven for us."

<Selonis?> "I cannot speak against the Sun. He must have a reason for his actions, but I do not know what it could be."

• Zahara frowns

<Zahara> "Perhaps he is afraid, then."

<Markuran> "I assume then that your help can not be risked, Selonis? You won't be needing cover?"

<Markuran> "Zahara!"

<Zahara> "Yes, Marku?"

<Markuran> "Speak better of the Sun, it is from him your powers spring!"

<Selonis?> "For now, no. It is possible that I could find another within Yu-Shan to aid you, given some time, but I will have to be very careful."

<Zahara> "That does not, apparently, make him a nice person."

• Markuran does not argue with that, an impressive statement of distaste given Markuran's caste and general attitudes.

<Markuran> "Selonis..can you tell us of the Jade Pleasure Dome?"

<Selonis?> "Some, yes. It is an immense building. The Incarna lie within the Seraglio, where the Games sit at the heart of Yu-Shan. Outside that chamber lie the Ten Auspicious Chambers. Then, the outer mezzanine, with five entrances ringing it."

<Cerin> "And who watches the entrances?"

<Selonis?> "The Swords of Truth."

<Cerin> "Who or ..what are they?"

<Selonis?> "The Incarna's bodyguards. Very powerful spirits. They do not mix with the other beings of heaven... they are... distant from us. I do not believe they are anything but perfectly loyal to the Incarna's desires."

• Zahara idly ponders getting all of the Sunlands together to do a massive prayer to the Sun, see if he responds.

<Markuran> "They are stronger then you?"

<Selonis?> "By a great margin."

• Markuran frowns.
• Cerin nods. "I see. Within the Dome? Aside from the incarna and the other gods...what guardians?"
• Markuran eyes Selonis's muscles, teeth and claws and fingers the scars he gained wrestling with the great guardian beast. An opponent vastly stronger then Selonis...but to reach the Sun and convince him of his error, it must be done. Surely with all five of them, they would prevail.

<Selonis?> "I am uncertain. There are no others I have seen within the Seraglio, but....."

<Selonis?> The proto-cow moos again, loud enough for all to hear this time. Selonis raises one golden eyebrow.

• Cerin nods equibly. "They could hide themselves, yes?"

<Markuran> "Birds...are you making a cow..?"

• Birds hides the cow behind her back. "No..." }}>.}}>

<Zahara> "Give it some claws or fangs or something.

<Cerin> "It's quite a good cow. It's even starting to inform my perceptions its a cow."

• Birds makes a little pair of horns and some hooves.

<Selonis?> "Presumably so, Cerin."

<Selonis?> The cow moos again.

<Zahara> "Perhaps a large enough petition could summon his attention."

• Zahara fishes for an icon of her own
• Birds sets the cow down on a surface and looks in her robes for some grain. There are some oats! She puts them next to the cow. "You said...much stronger than you? What does a Sword of Truth look like?"

<Selonis?> As Zahara fishes up a glowing thing of her own, the cow begins to munch contentedly on the oats.

• Markuran dives into the ocean and pulls a nicly pulsing Icon back to the solid land, beating it into shape with his fists, forming an object he pays little attention to. So concentrated on this issue with Selonis and the Unconquered Sun that his hands move without his mind being involved.
• Zahara begins to devise a fearsome creature with features taken from each of the Hundredfold she has met or gotten good descriptions of.
• Selonis turns to Birds. "They are like your kind, but cleaner, colder -- more refined, with wings of light and eyes of brutal clarity. They are at once beautiful and terrifying."

<Selonis?> Zahara's beast makes a small, pitiful roar.

<BirdsOfTrinity> "Then we know how they can be defeated, with smoke and passion and impurity."

<BirdsOfTrinity> "Zahara, you have a paintbrush?"

• Cerin calls his cache egg, and extracts a small paint set from it. There are several brushes.
• Birds cheers softly.
• Zahara takes a brush and some paint.
• Selonis looks over at where Markuran is working. "What are you shaping there?"
• Birds smilingly paints her cow with big brown spots.
• Zahara gives it huge, burning blue flame eyes, and chameleon scales, and shiny silver wings like Reaver's. She stretches its body until it is like smoke, and gives it obsidian claws.

<BirdsOfTrinity> "Are we taking up too much of your time, Selonis? I would be devastated if you got in trouble for being missed at your post."

<Selonis?> The cow finishes its oats and moos again, then almost falls over as Zahara's beast leaps out of her hands towards it.

<Selonis?> "No, no. I am not to return to my post for three days." He looks a little sad at that.

• Birds hugs the lion. "Then you have some time to take leisure, I hope. Do you know anything else about how these Icon things work?"

<Zahara> "Oh dear. It seems to want steak."

• Zahara plucks it off of the slightly ravaged cow by the wings

<Selonis?> The cow, though shaken, seems to be relatively undamaged by the assault -- presumably a side effect of its proto-nature.

<Markuran> "Zahara, must you always be making monsters?"

<Zahara> "What would you rather have on our side in the coming battle?"

<Zahara> "Besides, Reaver needs a friend."

• Markuran sighs.
• Selonis looks over the Solars' works. "They are shaped, much as you are doing, into new concepts and forms. Then, they are given the spark of life, so that they might survive without the sustaining effect of the waters."

<Markuran> "Where do we get a spark of life?"

<BirdsOfTrinity> "Well, we know where to get sparks of power...."

<Zahara> "Hmmm speaking of the spark of life and Monsters. Selonis, might I borrow a bit of your Essence?"

• Selonis seems a little taken aback.

<Selonis?> "What for?"

• Birds wonders if she can just make a tiny portal inside the cow, an eternal fountain of water from the Sea.

<Zahara> "To conduct a spell which will definitely not aid us in the coming battle" she says, obviously lying through her teeth.

• Markuran shakes his head at Zahara's terrible lie.
• Zahara beams innocently
• Selonis frowns.

<Selonis?> "I am concerned at the potential repercussions of this act."

• Birds gives her cow gills and fins and sets it into the water.

<Zahara> "It's completely painless, I assure you. Merely an experiment."

<Selonis?> The cow moos happily then dives under the water!

<Markuran> "Selonis, though I am deeply in your debt, I assure you I will not allow Zahara to put your essence to any use that could cause you harm."

• Selonis looks uncertain, but after some moments nods. He reaches up with one paw, pulls off several golden hairs from his mane, and hands them to Zahara.

<Zahara> "Thank you, Selonis. You haven't helped at all." she continues the retardedly transparent charade.

• Markuran shakes his head at Zahara and returns his gaze to the great Lion. Putting a hand on the massive shoulder, Marku looks earnestly into the huge golden eyes. "Selonis, I will do whatever you ask of me, for the help you have given is invaluable and has been given at great risk to yourself. I would call you brother would the laws of my clan allow it, but I will settle for calling you a great friend and my kin in all but blood."

<Markuran> "Call on me and I will perform what deed you ask. And in times more peaceful, we may perform the rite to become kin in all senses."

• Selonis nods deeply to Markuran. "I thank you for those kind words. I shall call upon you, when the time is right."
• Markuran bows. "Zahara, Birds, Cerin, I am going to stay and keep Selonis company for a while. It is my fault he is unable to perform his duties."
• Markuran looks to the Lion to see if this is acceptable
• Birds bows to the lion, then gives him another hug, and jumps back onto the turtle. She waves goodbye to the cow.
• Selonis nods. "We shall visit some of the greatest sights of the Isles of Glass."

<Selonis?> The cow surfaces again and moos in return.

• Markuran hands his now-formed Icon to Birds. "I stuck a jar under the turtle's shell. Take this back for me?"
• Birds nods. "Enjoy the Isles."
• Zahara smiles and bows to Selonis. "Thank you for your time. I apologize for our cause having put you in disfavor." She tucks the essence of the great golden lion into a safe place, and picks up her critter, putting her in an empty jar with some of the water.
• Selonis nods at Zahara.
• Markuran collects his clothing and the Shining Visage from the turtle, as well as the Reminder. Waving to the three departing Solars, Marku rejoins Selonis and watches them leave.

<Selonis?> The other three Solars slowly turtle off into the Sunset.

---

Tags: (:tags Sea of Icons, Selonis, Sol Invictus, Jade Pleasure Dome, Swords of Truth :)

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