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[20:47:29] Mholmes: Braziers lit by the side of each shop opening on the Great Way of Teth hold flicker creating an interlacing array of everchanging shadows. Okhfels' shadow is one that's more stable than others, given his size. A woman of considerable grace holds his arm and is moving him towards an alcove on the uninhabited side of the Way.
[20:48:42] Okhfels: Okhfels follows her lead. She is, after all, quite important, and for a young fellow like Okhfels, even being recognized by one such as her is quite a big deal.
[20:58:23] Mholmes: "So, why is it that a fellow like you is not a member of the guard? Certianly you're as strong as any of them. Probably stronger," she flatters him.
[20:58:54] Okhfels: Okhfels shrugs. "I was born in the forge, they say."
[21:01:53] Mholmes: She smiles at that, "Not hard to believe."
[21:01:53] Mholmes: Then she gets a thinking look on her face.
[21:02:20] Okhfels: Okhfels knows that look. Other people get it all the time. He just follows along and waits for her to tell him.
[21:05:47] Mholmes: "If I told you a secret, could I count on your discretion, Okhfels?" she asks smiling at him eyes wide open.
[21:06:26] Okhfels: "Uh... yeah, I can keep a secret."
[21:07:45] Okhfels: "As long as it isn't an evil one."
[21:09:57] Mholmes: "Ash and Smoke! Nothing like that!" she exclaims with false surprise. Then the smile returning, "It's a small matter of one of the gate guardians who is having a dalliance with a friend of mine. You see, she is promised to another, and he has sullied her virtue."
[21:10:14] Mholmes: "What this ruffian needs is somebody to teach him a lesson," she follows with subtly.
[21:11:12] Okhfels: Okhfels' brows knit.
[21:11:49] Mholmes: "You have a most handsome brow," she says, reaching up to stroke his forehead.
[21:12:11] Okhfels: "You want me to beat him up for you."
[21:13:55] Okhfels: He's clearly troubled by the idea.
[21:14:00] Mholmes: "Well..." she falters. "You seem to be such a nice person, Okhfels, and I really like you. I'm sure such an upstanding sort as yourself wouldn't let something like this go unpunished. Would you?"
[21:14:14] Mholmes: She bats her eyelashes at him.
[21:15:09] Okhfels: Okhfels looks down and to one side, feeling quite uncomfortable. If he were able to articulate it, he might ask why her friend isn't asking him to go beat up the guard.
[21:15:31] Okhfels: "No... but... "
[21:16:11] Okhfels: "Aw,..." he suppresses an expletive. "Where is he?"
[21:16:51] Okhfels: Okhfels doesn't look angered so much as confused, and the easiest way to dispel the confusion is to do as he's asked.
[21:39:24] Okhfels: Okhfels pushes past the man at Beliria's door, clearly quite angry. "Beliria! I want to TALK to you!"
[21:40:12] Mholmes: Beliria waits for Okhfels return in the parlor of the weaving association. A social group for people of her class. Her guard moves to stop Okhfels, but she waves him off.
[21:40:47] Okhfels: Okhfels closes the door behind him, so he won't be interrupted.
[21:41:50] Okhfels: "I beat up Tessam, like you wanted. And then after, he wouldn't wake up."
[21:43:17] Mholmes: She frowns, "What do you mean, Okhfels? You didn't...."
[21:43:24] Okhfels: "I took him over to the Healers, and they helped him. He wanted to know why I did it."
[21:43:39] Okhfels: Okhfels is speaking through gritted teeth.
[21:43:52] Mholmes: She seems relieved to hear that he's not dead at least.
[21:44:09] Okhfels: "I told him it was because of what he had done to Eleba. I didn't say anything about you."
[21:44:43] Mholmes: More relief, "Oh, that's good at least. Very good."
[21:44:53] Okhfels: "Yes. It is."
[21:45:27] Okhfels: "Good for me."
[21:45:47] Mholmes: "What did he..." she stops. "Do you think he's been properly chastized then? Must have been to have needed healers."
[21:46:10] Okhfels: "He got the message."
[21:46:55] Okhfels: "But I don't think he's going to stop."
[21:49:32] Mholmes: "Why do you say that?" she says, the frown returning. Okhfels isn't acting as simply as she'd like.
[21:50:32] Okhfels: "He's in love with her. He'd rather die than live without her. That's what you wanted me to try to kill, right? You wanted me to kill love."
[21:52:54] Okhfels: Okhfels reaches out and grabs Beliria's arm, leaving a streak of black soot on her white robe.
[21:55:24] Okhfels: "You want to use me as your weapon? Fine. Then I get to use YOU."
[22:04:51] Mholmes: Beliria's guard rushes forward to help her.
[22:08:09] Okhfels: Okhfels feels the man grab him, but he's unmoved.
[22:09:58] Mholmes: "Let me go!" Beliria protests.
[22:11:02] Okhfels: Okhfels drops Beliria's arm, and shrugs off the guard.
[22:12:05] Mholmes: Beliria looks dismayedly at her robe, trying not to look scared, but keeps an eye on Okhfels.
[22:12:17] Okhfels: "So I guess you DO want me to tell Tessam who sent me."
[22:12:48] Mholmes: She turns towards him with a start, "You wouldn't."
[22:13:34] Okhfels: "I learned something today, Beliria... I like fighting. It suits me. Lots better than working in the forge."
[22:15:14] Okhfels: "And there's other things I like, too."
[22:15:40] Mholmes: She changes tactics quickly, "Okhfels, we don't have to be enemies..."
[22:15:50] Mholmes: She bats her eyelashes at him again.
[22:15:53] Okhfels: "That's right."
[22:16:04] Okhfels: "That's what I'm trying to tell you."
[22:17:05] Mholmes: She frowns, he having taken her bluff. But she waves the guard away. "See, we can be friendly still. You don't want me unwilling, do you?"
[22:17:14] Mholmes: She tries to be seductive.
[22:18:00] Okhfels: "No... I just want you."
[22:47:02] Mholmes: Okhfels assembles the men as Isadora stands by him. There's something about being attacked by a horde of demons that seems similarly compelling as cutting a deal with a cunning lover. Actually the thought seems absurd as the memory comes to Okhfels, but there it is all the same. Or perhaps it's just the smell of cloves that preceed the demons.

[21:52:10] Mholmes: Tirsir watches as the beings that have been persuing him are now almost upon them. His horse cannot go on any more. The Rhiani are running about everywhere getting on their horses to do battle. The Ikaiti from the colony are also running for cover. Everything is chaos.
[21:54:41] Mholmes: Isadora has dissappeared, presumably along with Okhfels to head to the colony to the south. In all the action he has missed them departing.
[21:56:31] Tirsir: Tirsir draws forth his sword, and it begins to glow with a pure white light.
[21:57:15] Tirsir: "Listen! These demons may seem to be most powerful.
[21:57:35] Tirsir: "They do have their weaknesses!
[21:58:49] Tirsir: "Strike at their wings - they are much easier to kill once grounded."
[22:02:03] Mholmes: Nobody seems to pay much attention to the foreigner. Soon the Rhiani are forming up lines, and have their chegains out ready to throw them.
[22:05:08] Tirsir: Tirsir, a bit miffed that no one is listening to him, takes up position in one of the lines, and prepares to destroy the winged spawn!
[22:07:08] Mholmes: The Rhiani he's next to looks at him suspiciously. As if he can somehow smell the demons on Tirsir. Could the sudden appearance of the Demons be a coincidence with his arrival? The Rhiani speaks to him, "I am Shahnsa, hunter of this tribe. Who are you? Speak the truth, or I will have to gut you where you stand."
[22:09:12] Tirsir: "I am Tirsir. Sworn of Zanar, and hunter of demons."
[22:36:25] Mholmes: Shahnsa looks at Tirsir still with suspicion, but apparenlty he belives him enough for the moment. Questions will happen later. For now it's preparing for battle.
[22:44:31] Mholmes: "If you're to fight at my side, then take this," Shahnsa says, offering him a charm. "It might keep you alive in that slow armor."
[22:46:04] Tirsir: "I thank you, sir." Tirsir accepts the charm with a bow of his head. "I hope that I have opportunity to return the favor."
[22:48:37] Mholmes: Shahnsa nods. Tirsir notes that the charm has the face of a twisted little man on it, and also looks like a deer. Carved of some strangly pourous wood. It feels odd in his hand.
[22:50:52] Tirsir: "How does it work? Do I need to wear it? And what power does it invoke?"
[22:54:10] Mholmes: Shahnsa frowns telling Tirsir what every five year old Rhiani knows, "Yes, keep it near, and the spirit inside will aid you. It is a spirit of the running deer man. So with it's help, you will be fast."
[22:54:28] Mholmes: "I hope," he says, looking skeptically at all the armor again.
[22:59:44] Tirsir: "Ah. Then I am sorry. My teachings do not allow me to accept the aid of spirits I do not yet know."
[23:00:26] * Tirsir holds the charm at arms length, trying to hide his distaste.
[23:01:04] Mholmes: Shahnsa reaches for it, but asks again before taking it, "I can understand your hesitation. But are you sure?"
[23:01:42] Tirsir: "Yes, yes. I am quite sure."
[23:01:47] Mholmes: "Well at least you're not like the other city-dwellers," he replies as he takes it.
[23:03:52] * Tirsir turns to observe the demons, carefully hiding the hurried wiping of his hand.
[23:19:38] Mholmes: As the demons near, the whistling sound of 80 Chegains fills the air. A sound Tirsir has never heard before, a quite disconcerting sound. The blades whirl out to meet the demons, and many are brought down by the impacts, whole limbs severed in some cases.
[23:22:15] * Tirsir stands fast, awaiting the first demon foolish enough to comw within reach of his blade.
[23:28:45] Mholmes: The demons, about to collide for no apparent reason all fall from the sky about 20 feet from their targets.
[23:29:15] Mholmes: The Rhiani waste no time in running forward and stabbing these with their spears and scimitars.
[23:29:55] Mholmes: An inhuman and disconcerting sound echos from the distance.
[23:30:06] * Tirsir spurs his horse foward as well, bringing his concrated blade down on demon flesh!
[23:31:14] Mholmes: The demons are not down, however, for long, they right themselves and take to the sky again. Tirsir encounters one before it goes aloft, and it tries to stick him with it's needlenosed face.
[23:39:52] * Tirsir deftly catches the demon's face on his shield, and opens a deep gash across it's chest. Screeching in pain, the foul beast flaps off, listing to one side.
[23:40:50] Mholmes: As they flee, intermittently more chegains fly. A cry comes up from the Rhiani as the foe is routed. But it is muted as they know there was something wholly unnatrual about this victory.
[23:41:23] Mholmes: When the gogur are far off, a Rhiai war party forms, the horses in their traditional circle.
[23:41:43] * Tirsir seeks out the warrior he was speaking to before.
[23:43:17] Mholmes: Shahnsa, on the outside of the circle sees him coming. Tirsir overhears, "...would be madness to stay longer. It's time to head for the desert.

[20:21:46] Sebastian: Sebastian jogs up to Egani's workshop calling ahead, "Egani? Do you have a moment or two that you could spare? I have something that requires your attention here."
[20:22:51] Egani: Marcia, hearing Sebastian long before his words wind their way around the house and into the workshop, comes out to greet him. "Sebastian, always a pleasure to see you. Won't you come in?"
[20:24:00] Egani: Odd, given the circumstances, but Sebastian notices for the first time that Marcia is starting to show signs of pregnancy.
[20:24:17] Sebastian: Sebastian smiles gratefully, "I would love to, Marcia. Unfortunately the matters that bring me today are terribly pressing. I must see your husband as soon as possible." Sebastian continues toward the workshop.
[20:24:43] Sebastian: As he walks Sebastian glances at Marcia, "Congratulations, by the way."
[20:24:57] Egani: "Sebastian! How are things?" Egani comes out from the workshop, followed by Aaron.
[20:25:40] Sebastian: Sebastian smiles humorlessly, "As they tend to go around here, Egani. I was wondering if I might impose upon you for a bit of assistance."
[20:26:12] Egani: "What's up?
[20:27:05] * Archelaus , after collecting his thoughts, steps carefully out of the workshop into the sunlight.
[20:27:19] Sebastian: "It might be easier for me to show you," Sebastian points out the approaching demon swarm to Egani. "Do you know anything about stopping giant flying demons?"
[20:28:00] Sebastian: Sebastian turns to Archelaus, "Ah! Archelaus, you may be the man to speak to even more than Egani is. I had heard you were dead, but I suppose we can deal with that after this crisis is averted."
[20:29:17] Archelaus: "No, I'm not entirely sure of my present condition. I hope one of you will assure me of a certain lack of purple glowing visual organs."
[20:29:48] Egani: Egani looks up. "What are they?"
[20:30:05] Archelaus: "Am I a zombie?"
[20:30:11] Sebastian: Sebastian takes a closer look, "Hmm... you look fine to me... Except for that nasty scar at your throat. You might want to get something done about that."
[20:30:41] Sebastian: Sebastian speaks on briskly, "Now, I hate to interrupt your introspection, but that is a giant swarm of demons, right?"
[20:30:45] Egani: "Of course you're not a zombie!" Egani glances at him for just a moment. "But look up there."
[20:30:58] Mholmes: It dawns on Egani as they get closer, that the impending demon horde is composed of the same sort of creature that took Fahja at the fortress of darkness at the end of the black road.
[20:31:23] * Archelaus runs his hand along the scar. "Egani, you have, I think, done me a service. I would like to know why."
[20:31:25] Egani: "Archie, can you command them?"
[20:31:59] * Egani gets a startled look and runs into the workshop, retrieving Archie's pet head.
[20:33:19] Egani: "Why? You were hurt. And don't get all wet-eyed on me, I didn't do as good a job as I'd like to have."
[20:37:03] Archelaus: "Egani, I don't know if I serve chaos anymore. Do you think death can sever a thing like that, a priesthood?"
[20:38:54] Egani: "Dunno. I don't care if you serve them. Right now, I care if these guys will serve you...or this head."
[20:44:47] Archelaus: "The Queen has commanded them before, but there were not so many, nor so, agitated."
[20:45:31] Egani: "Are they intelligent? Can you talk to them? Do they have some kind of organization?"
[20:45:49] Archelaus: "Allow me to hold her head now, please."
[20:46:30] * Egani hands the gruesome talisman to Archelaus.
[20:48:04] Sebastian: Sebastian looks at the two of them. "So, do you think you can handle this? I really don't see us being able to fight them off really, and as long as you do not require me for something I think I will share a cup of tea with Marcia." He raises his eyebrow questioningly.
[20:49:06] Egani: "Marcia, why don't you take Sebastian to the vault downstairs and seal yourselves in with some good tea and biscuits."
[20:50:07] Sebastian: Sebastian offers Marcia his arm, "Shall we?"
[20:51:50] Egani: Egani muses, "I wonder if we could capture one. I'd love to tinker around on the inside of it."
[20:52:11] Archelaus: "Egani, I can talk to them, maybe even change their orders, but it would help to know their origins."
[20:53:44] Egani: "Well let's see," Egani pulls a book out, leaning it against the porch railing in the greying light. "Maybe they're from the era of Torgalg...hmmm..."
[20:58:46] Archelaus: "The other thing is...well, I and they have of late been serving much the same master."
[21:00:13] Egani: "Let's go to the observation platform on the roof and see if we can't flag them down."
[21:00:21] Archelaus: "If I act against them, and they're following his orders..."
[21:01:00] Archelaus: "Egani, where is my wife?"
[21:03:18] Egani: "I saw her at the colony's main camp a few days ago. I'm not sure what her business is, but she's around. I'm not entirely sure that it's safe for you to go there though."
[21:10:04] * Archelaus calls to Sebastian as he's about to disappear into the house. "I need to talk to my wife Sebastian; can you find her?"
[21:11:30] Sebastian: Sebastian turns, "Of course. I assume that you wish to speak to her before the swarm of demons arrives?" He turns to Marcia, "It seems that this is just not the day for tea. I am sorry, my dear." He turns and jogs back toward the camp.
[21:12:42] Egani: "I wonder if they can be bargained with... What do you think Archie?"
[21:14:36] Egani: "I wonder if they're sophisticated enough to be programmed with a kind of free will, and if they'd want that."
[21:23:44] Mholmes: Archelaus' soul is jerked by the power of the amulet across time and space. It passes through a miasma that would be used normally to create illusions to befuddle those possessing it. But Archelaus would not be fooled, and instead he sees the black lady before him.
[21:27:53] Archelaus: as far as Egani is concerned, Archelaus speaks into the empty air "Why do you call, lady?"
[21:29:35] Archelaus: "Shall I return to our master's realm?"
[21:29:40] Egani: "Pardon?"
[21:29:56] Mholmes: "What's going on? I assume you're with your former associates on the other side of the lake?" she queries. "No doubt helping us foement their impending doom?"
[21:36:52] Mholmes: Egani gains enough resolution on the hole in space for a moment that he puts together who it is that Archelaus is talking to. And generally that she's querying him. The amulet's purpose, to allow the Black Lady to use her powers on people is clear.
[21:37:06] Mholmes: That, and the fact that it also is an essence carrier specifically for her.
[21:37:17] Mholmes: That is, where the amulet goes, she can go too.
[21:40:15] Archelaus: "I think I must remain here a little while longer. My work is not finished."
[21:42:28] Mholmes: "I couldn't pull you back if I tried. You'll have to walk the White Wood to return," she says. Then more urgently, "But you must tell me what is going on in the mortal realm."
[21:42:36] Mholmes: "Or do I have to come over myself?"
[21:50:49] Sebastian: Sebastian returns to the house with Amestris. "Archelaus, I believe you wanted to speak to your wife?"
[21:52:17] * Egani gestures for quiet. And then speaks aloud, "He's communing with the queen of chaos or whatever."
[21:52:41] * Archelaus turns his focus away from the Lady for a moment, his lighting on his wife. His face, that had looked rather bland and business-like, is suddenly alert, and angry.
[21:53:05] Archelaus: a small bead of blood appears along his scar.
[21:57:06] Archelaus: "Lady", it no longer sounds like a term of respect, "Lady, coming here right now would be the last thing you ever do."
[21:57:12] Mholmes: Searching Archelaus' being, Egani doesn't detect any enchantments on him other than his own that hold him to his current body. But it's hard to be sure. Archelaus has a strong soul as well, and there could be something going on there which he can't see...
[21:57:32] Archelaus: "It is not" he say less emphatically, regaining some control, "safe."
[21:58:22] Mholmes: "What?" The Black Lady says. "What do you mean? Are you implying that there's some situation I can't handle? I'm the daughter of the Sorcerer of the White Wood! Do you doubt my power?!"
[22:06:13] Archelaus: Yes, his daughter. A spoiled child of a spoiled mind. I don't doubt your power, I doubt your right to weild it."
[22:07:46] Mholmes: Suddenly Archelaus is back fully in the mortal world.
[22:08:08] Mholmes: A black blot of darkness starts to form, emanating from the amulet.
[22:09:09] * Egani turns his essence harvesting contraption onto the black blot and grabs the Emerian head by the hair.
[22:11:12] * Archelaus jumps away from the portal and taking the amulet uses all the strength he has to send it hurling towards the approaching demonic hoard.
[22:15:34] Egani: With his other hand, he draws ans slashes through the growing black stain on reality with his newly acquired magical blade.
[22:39:04] Mholmes: As the amulet goes streaking away from them towards the demons bearing down on them, behind it trails a purple plume of essence from the being of the lady. Her magnificent voice screeches in an unbelilevably loud wail of pain as she streaks forward.
[22:39:29] Mholmes: Essence also streams simultaneously from the head Egani holds. Less, but they are linked.
[22:40:13] Mholmes: She materializes on a rocky spot, and the demons are suddenly around her as the drain on her magic weakens her.
[22:41:09] Mholmes: Before she can stop them, several are on her. Her armor prevails for the moment, and she sings causing a sword to appear from nowhere.
[22:41:44] Mholmes: As she fights, she curses (her voice so loud it's easily hear), "Who..brought...these...here...now?!"
[22:47:20] * Archelaus takes Amestris' hand and looks up at the darkening sky. "Do you hear them? The spheres, I can hear them, I can finally hear them!"
[22:49:25] Mholmes: Amestris scrunches up her face in non-understanding for a moment, but looks up to see what Archelaus sees. "What are you going on about now?'
[22:51:38] Mholmes: Magical power swirls in the air, Egani's spells having loosed it quite a bit. Small bits of rock start hovering off the ground everywhere.
[22:53:15] Sebastian: Sebastian looks at Archelaus. "Was bringing that black-armored woman here really an improvement to the situation? It was already rather complicated already..."
[22:56:29] Mholmes: Next to Sebastian, a large box starts to shake as if something inside is trying to get out. Not much farther off, Egani's cat is freaking out.
[22:57:22] Sebastian: Sebastian calls out to Egani, "Um, I know you are a bit busy, but is there something dangerous in this box? Also, is your cat going to be any trouble?"
[22:57:45] Sebastian: Sebastian takes another sip of tea and sighs contentedly, "Ah, this is good..."
[23:03:20] Mholmes: The box pops open slightly, and a hand protrudes from it. Whoever is inside is about to escape. Only four feet from Sebastian. At the same time, he notes that Marcia has had to sit down apparently in some distress.
[23:04:06] Sebastian: Sebastian looks concernedly at Marcia and then turns back to the box. He opens it up and takes a look inside.
[23:10:33] Mholmes: Sebastial recognizes Kalden, the soldier that Okhfels killed for raising up trouble in the ranks. But he's moving now, and he tries to grab Sebastian.
[23:10:43] Mholmes: Meanwhile
[23:13:30] Mholmes: Egani helps archelaus channeling essence from the Black Lady and using it to highlight the pathways of reality. Archelaus then casts his spell with a massive amount of will behind it. This follows the paths precisely, and suddenly the falsness of the Black Lady's existence becomes visible for all to see.
[23:14:43] Mholmes: She cries out in dismay, turning to see the head, and ignoring several vicious attacks on her by Gogur. She tries to deactivate the power of the amulet, so that she'll return to her world, but the magic all about prevents this from operating correctly.
[23:16:04] Mholmes: Desperate, she turns back to the demons, parts of her seeming to fade back into normal reality as she does. Still potent, however, her blade disects several more gogur adding to the pile growing about her. As she does so, she cries out across the dimensions, and her voice asks for the help of her father.
[23:22:50] Mholmes: The song of her call creates another portal, a small one, and through it flies a head. Which Egani and Archelaus recognize as that of the Sorcerer. The Black Lady catches it in her free hand, and with a smooth move cuts the head off a gogur and places her father's head upon it's shoulders before it can fall.
[23:23:33] Mholmes: The gogur-sorcerer turns to the horde of gogur there, and opens his mouth.
[23:28:28] Sebastian: Sebastian perpares to subdue the Kalden-zombie when the sorcerer's scream rolls over him. Sebastian freezes for a moment and then collapses to the ground gripping his head in pain.
[23:31:26] Egani: As the sorcerer's shriek begins, Egani catches from the air, and wraps around his head, half of a Gogur wing. Egani knows that the following seconds will be vital and he *must* keep his wits about him.
[23:31:49] * Archelaus raises a hand and cries out the name of Valris; the light of a distant star seems to focus on him and the the sorcerer's scream seems, for a moment to be a visible presence breaking into shards upon hiting the light, like thin ice under a polar bear's crushing weight.
[23:35:39] Mholmes: The entire horde of Gogur fall from the sky to the ground in an instant. All at Egani's house get the feeling that the effect they dodged was merely a side-effect of some much more potent spell.
[23:36:09] Mholmes: Then the Sorcerer begins to speak to them in some language long forgot. And the gogur pick themselves up, and head for the sky.
[23:36:56] * Egani discards the wing and listens with care.
[23:39:35] Mholmes: After a bit something descends from the sky getting larger and larger even as more and more gogur depart to the south. Soon a bat larger than a Rhiani tent circle lands before the sorcerer. It climbs upon the thing strangely with it's bat body, carrying the remains of his daughter, at this point just the shell of armor.
[23:42:28] Mholmes: The great winged beast heaves itself impossibly into the air, and flaps off after the gogur army.

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