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Fudou the Mountain	It's been a rough few weeks. Months. Seasons really, if you think about it. Multiple wars and conflicts. Monsters and mayhem. The interests of The Shogunate called forth into an area where they are very much -not- wanted...and all manner of personal issues and troubles. It's enough to drive a man to drink.... Fortunately - the offerings within the depths of Little Yu-Shan are more then willing and capable to offer up its services to anyone seeking such refuge...and one Fudou the Mountain, recently returned to this city...is exactly that someone. It also means that when you don't exactly have self-control in matters of self indulgence and have been spending far too long holding yourself back that it can be easy to get lost in the moment and to sink and vanish into the swirling colors, scents, drugs, alchohol and more that Little Yu-Shan peddles to those who so indulge. Thus when the gigantic Yennin-Born Lunar stumbled across a colorful bordello named the -- 'Maiden's Nectar' -- he disappeared into it, a swirl of colorful visible fumes of drugs emerging from the large opulent doors as he entered in and musical lilting beckoning voices calling to him, practically pulling him inside.. That was a few days ago.... Now, the behemoth stumbles out of the building, staggering this way and that way with his footfalls shaking the ground and silks and sheets drapped over his mostly naked body like theater curtains, dragging behind him and occasionally snagging onto terrain as well as being pulled at by hands still within the building as if trying to draw him back in but failing. The garments being slowly pulled off of him as he half trips and half trundles away with a massive hand to his head and his eyes wide and shot-red with confusion and haze.
Perfect Shard	"Thief! THIEF! Cursed demon! Stop them! Somebody, HELP!" Such outrage! Such indignation! Few people can bellow like a shopkeeper who just caught someone in the act of snatching a valuable object from their shelves, and moving away at speed without bothering to pay. This particular keeper, an elderly man who has been running the perfume parlor right around the corner from the Maiden's Nectar for decades, doesn't limit himself to mere yelling; he shakes his cane threateningly, pointing at the culprit - a chicken-sized black beetle with ten legs, clutching a crystal bottle in its mandibles. To those with some knowledge of spirits, the creature looks very much like a stomach bottle bug, or Sesselja - a demon of the First Circle. The demon nimbly skitters away from the commotion, darting around and between legs, narrowly evading clumsily grasping hands. Clearly trying to reach one of the countless narrow alleys branching away from this larger street... and by pure random chance, its flight takes it towards Fudou. In its haste, the Sesselja only becomes aware of the giant's presence when he already looms over it, impossibly large. A panicked, melodic whimpering, like a small child's voice, escapes from the little spirit's throat as all ten legs furiously work to adjust its course, aiming at the large open space between Fudou's legs... ...but it doesn't get far enough to try, because right this moment, something whistles through the air behind it, and a wooden boomerang hits the demon's carapace with such force that it flies through the air, smashes against Fudou's stomach with a high-pitched shriek. The force of impact is enough to break the bottle, which douses the giant in yet another variety of strong fragrance. As for the Sesselja... it skids off, comically slow, landing on its back, where it lies stunned. The tiny legs twitch helplessly in the air. Whoops, shouts, astonished cries emerge from the crowd of people, humans and gods both, who witnessed the entire thing. Through them shoulders a familiar figure: Perfect Shard, scanning the ground for his boomerang and briefly stopping to pick it up before he eyes both the unlucky demon, and the Mountain.
Ivory Offering	A blonde woman in a sundress watches all of this go down with obvious amusement on her face. Wearing a remarkably wide-brimmed hat to protect her pale features from the sun, she reclines in a lounging chair just within the garden border between the Maiden's Nectar nordello and the rest of Little Yu Shan. Beside her are a bowl of grapes, a glass of some dark, opaque liquid and presently a rather large book lies across her stomach as she interrupted her reading to witness the scene of utter Yennin-induced chaos. Chuckling, she sets her book to the side and leaves all three of her distractions behind as she strolls towards the giant Lunar and...a Demon? What? Perfect Shard's arrival is merely the latest in a string of improbabilities. The golden-haired, golden-clad woman raises the long brim of her hat enough to more clearly take in the scene before her. Then she deliberately puts a foot down on top of the prone Sesselja, pinning it in place. "Lose something?" she asks in an amused, sultry tone towards Perfect Shard. She briefly mimes a kick, implying her willingness to send the Demon tumbling right back to them if they are so inclined.
Fudou the Mountain	"Bwah??" The unintelligible grunt that emerges from Fudou rumbles through the air with a odd mix of indignation and utter confusio and bewilderment as the demon impacts against the highway like expanse of his muscled belly and the fragance goes visibly dancing across the mountains and canyons of his physique like some sort of prismatic dance further scenting the goliath such that he's fundementally a walking adverstiemsnt for...well...something sweet and savory. IIt's both paradoxically odd and inviting but such things are the result from such bizarre combonations. "Hrugh?" he repeats again, swaying on his feet and then lowering his hand from the mass of his mangy looking dark brown hair as he lowers his gaze to finally take note of the commotion happening around his legs and waist and in the process he begins to slowly attempt to sober back up once again upon seeing the crowded streets and the denizens of Little Yu-Shan gathering to take note of the spectacle. He's at the very least -somewhat- modest. HIs under garments clinging to him in a disheveled fashion but he's lacking his actual gladiatorial gear.. Possibly left behind in the bordello - probably never to be seen again. But he does get the presence of mind to try and start pulling the hanging sheets about his body in a futile attempt to cloak himself - still to addled in the head to realize that there's just no feasible way that's going to work. "What...what day is it?" he fianlly mutters, "What's going on? How...?" He finally seems to recognize Shard and he blinks a few times before also noticing Ivory Offering. -That- causes him to look truly flabbergasted and he reaches up to rub his head again. "...I must still be high..."
Perfect Shard	On the other side of the street, someone else tries to shoo the crowd aside. "What happened?! Did you catch that cursed beetle? Oh, wait until I get there... I'm going to-" Despite his agitation, and the people moving aside for him, the elderly perfume seller's progress is glacial. He actually ~needs~ that cane in order to move at all. Perfect Shard's amber eyes examine the crime scene: A whimpering demon, pinned under the boot of an unknown woman... the remnants of that precious bottle, still tumbling down Fudou's belly... orange liquid dripping down the giant's skin... The disheveled state of his attire - or lack thereof - doesn't even prompt a visible reaction from the orcafolk, who would surely prefer to go entirely naked, wearing his loincloth solely to avoid offending foreign cultural norms. However, he ~does~ take note of Fudou's reaction at the sight of Ivory Offering, which prompts a second, more thorough examination of the blonde woman. Finally, Shard bends down, prodding the Sesselja with his boomerang. The demon flinches. "Not even think about becoming immmaterial, you should", he growls at the thieving spirit. "It will not save you." He straightens, and makes eye contact with Ivory Offering. The voice rumbling out of his chest is still deep, but looses the threatening growl when he addresses her: "Known for finding demons, I am, not for loosing them. But the pinning, I appreciate." He shows her a wide mouth full of sharp teeth in what appears to be a grin, before eying the Mountain. "Friend Fudou! Why so slow today?" Following these words, he sniffs, and promptly sneezes. "You smell like a drunken flower stall."
Ivory Offering	There was a time when the Lunar Exalt called Ivory Offering would have looked down on someone so obviously inebriated. She came from Sijan, after all, and dignity was everything there. Then she left her homeland behind and, week by week, has slowly been leaving her professional history behind as well. Fudou levels of intoxication still lie ahead, not behind, but she's no stranger to intoxication any more. So she smiles at the much bigger Lunar, seemingly sympathetic. With a scoot of her sandaled foot, she sends the Stomach Bug back over to Perfect Shard and pats Fudou on the leg affectionately. "It's the middle of the week," she comments to the champion. "And, right now, -you- are what's going on. Although the creature over there is certainly worth a bit of spectacle. It's...some kind of Demon, isn't it?" This comment is directed at Perfect Shard, seeing as they were the ones apparently hunting it. For her part, she seems a perfectly ordinary woman under the Orcafolk's inspection. A wide hat plainly made for providing broad shade, a golden sundress, sandals. A small purse left behind in her lounging chair, that she's plainly not concerned about. No weapons or armor or any other obvious possessions at all. At Perfect Shard's direct speech, the pale woman grins. "Not a problem at all. Mutual friend of Fudou, I take it? He's my favorite mountain." She pats the giant man on the hip this time, even as she eyes the Orcafolk man curiously. "Spirit?" she guesses, plainly trying to classify who or what he is.
Fudou the Mountain	"....Nnngh....four days..." The behemoth rumbles with a hint of embaressement to his disorientation now as his mind and body both work to fight off the haze of disorientation. "...Four days this time. I need to..." He blinks and then seems to suddenly snap back into a moment of lucidity as if finally taking true stock of what's goign on around him. "..Perfect Shard.... This is a surprise! I uh.." He again fumbles with his 'cloaks' such as it is and then finally explains, "...You could say that...after Trinshan I was attempting to...clear my mind... But..I didn't expect to see you back here again so soon. Ah....uh.." He lifts one massive arm up and then lowers it to drape it briefly against Ivory Offering, offering her something of a responsive embrace at her touch... His mind continuing to work to seek some form of stability as he offers a smile. "Yes...this is.. my friend. Perfect Shard meet...Ivory Offering of Sijan.." Lifting his hand back up the giant runs it over his face, pulling at his features as he grunts, "Forgive me.. I am still shaking off some effects. Liquid Imagination they called it... Among other things.." A loose gesture is made towards the demon before he puts his face back to his hand. "Do you need me to step on that?"
Perfect Shard	Perfect Shard deftly caught the bug with one hand when Ivory Offering kicks it towards him. Now, he lifts the dazed spirit up, and up, until it dangles in front of his face. For a few tense moments, he considers Fudou's question. ...only to shake his head. "No. This one has been bound, and summoned. It will lead me to the sorcerer, and the sorcerer..." Shard points the boomerang in the direction where the shopkeeper is trudging through the crowd. "The sorcerer will pay. Many such demons they have sent, to steal from shops in this neighborhood." But then, a great smile spreads the corners of his wide mouth even further apart. "Apologize, I must, for the... drenching, friend Fudou. It is still good to see you." The smile slowly starts to fade, and now... now, growing concern shoulders to the front. "You look terrible. Using drugs, to clear your mind... for ~days~? Some strange land-dweller custom?" Finally, he addresses the ~other~ Lunar. "Apologies to you as well, friend Ivory Offering. For a friend of mine you are, if the Mountain is one of yours. I am no spirit... Talk, we should, but perhaps not on the street?"
Ivory Offering	Ivory Offering plainly finds Fudou's inebriated state -hilarious-. Only reflexive composure and her dignity prevent her from just giving into laughter right then and there. Instead, she just smiles and shakes her head. "Perfect Shard? That's a fun name. Where are you from?" Glancing between the two men, she adds, "Trinshan...that's a kingdom, right? Were you both there? Don't tell me you knocked it over or something," she adds in a teasing tone for Fudou. At the offer for more confidential conversation, Ivory's smile slips a bit as she considers how -well- Perfect Shard might know her Lunar ally. And then she nods and gestures back towards the Maiden's Nectar bordello. "They have rooms where we can talk privately. I had a rather lovely massage in one the other day! And it would give our champion here a chance to find the rest of-well, find -any- of his clothes."
Fudou the Mountain	"Aaaaah....." Fudou looks ...briefly cornered. Conflicted. The mere suggestion of going back in there seems to almost trigger both a fight or flight reflex - as well as a addict addled mind desperate for any chance to dive right back into whatever addiction or indulgence might be callign to him. "It uh...." he begins, searching for words before saying, "...Well I might have uh... I'm not sure of the uh....condition... of.....much of it... Now.." He clears his throat, a heavy rumble occuring as he does and his nostrils flare. "...But...if you -insist-..." He slowly turns. "..and then pauses as if considering something. He did note that slight tension...that slight frown on Ivory OFfering and he gives her a glance and then back to Perfect Shard and then back to her.. And he smiles while rumbling.. "..It's quite alright." to her, in a brief moment of lucidity.. Enough t hope that she catches his meaning as he soon drifts back into that on again, off again state..as he starts to shuffle back for the bordello.
Perfect Shard	"The Great Western Ocean is my home. An underwater city, called Galbadan", Shard explains, while Fudou wrestles with himself. "As for Trinshan..." His shoulders slump quite a bit. "A small kingdom, yes. You are very knowledgable in these lands. We were there to fight a ruthless conquerer... one who did terrible things to Trinshan's people." Ivory Offering can notice the orcafolk glancing back and forth between her and the giant in much the same way she does - slight uncertainty, a hint of tension - which promptly evaporates when the Mountain assures them mutual confidence. His relief doesn't last long, as he looks quite alarmed at the state of his friend. "Wait! Consider a cold bath, you should! Do not go back in there!" The Sesselja seizes the opportunity: With Shard's attention pulled away from it, the demon's body begins to pulse, and just a few seconds later, it disappears in a stinking green cloud. The gathered crowd heaves a disappointed sigh. And now, the shopkeeper arrives, face reddened, demanding an explanation. "I have its scent now", Shard assures him. "With it, I can find the sorcerer. Here... for the broken bottle." From one of the bags on his shoulder-worn bandolier, he pulls out a pitifully small purse, and shakes out a handful of coins, which he offers the old man. "Is this supposed to be a joke?!", the shopkeeper wails. "Do you have any idea how much that fragrance costs?" Perfect Shard raises his hands, to placate the man. "An idea, I have not. Help, I offered, as best as I could..." He quickly steals a glance at Fudou, and Ivory Offering, focusing on the latter with pleading eyes. "Lead him somewhere else. Please! He is not well. The poison needs to leave him."
Ivory Offering	That 'It's quite alright' to Ivory seemed...what, suggestive that Perfect Shard knew Fudou was one of the Lunar Exalted? The man was many things but subtle -rarely-, at least in her experience. Still, it would be nice to not have to be so constantly on her guard. Assuming this Perfect Shard was the sort of person who could be trusted. The explanation is received with a concerned expression; she plainly hasn't heard Trinshan's suffered in any way. The continued drama between Shard and the shopkeep is entertaining enough and she'd consider staying to watch, or even helping with it, except Fudou's already in motion and plainly in no condition to be venturing anywhere on his own. So she quickly skips ahead of the mountain of muscle. Instead of heading into the main doors of the Maiden's Nectar, she pauses by her lounging chair to retrieve her purse and drink, and then beckons the Lunar to follow her around the side of the building. Sure enough, the bordello has several entrances clearly aimed at funneling customers after something specific. Apparently in Ivory's case, that was a beauty spa. Leading the way through the entrance, she gives a brief wave to several of the guards standing security, whom she's at least briefly acquainted with. Then Ivory leads them along a corridor boasting a palatial carpet seemingly crafted in the Delzhan tradition, to say nothing of tasteful paintings on the lacquered wooden walls. At last, she opens a set of double doors and leads the pair into a private room. Three couches and two chairs ring the walls of the room while a wet bar is set along the back, including an impressive selection of wine and beers. The most dominant feature is a needlessly oversized cushioned table. It's possibly a table for someone of Fudou's size to get a massage. It's far more likely intended for orgies. Ivory Offering promptly flops herself onto one of the couches and flings her broad-brimmed sunhat to land on the back of one of the two chairs. Swirling her drink in her glass, she sips from it before saying "You make the most interesting friends, my friend." Gesturing with her glass towards the back, she adds "I'll get you something if you like but you frankly look like you've had enough as it is." "Something you're trying to forget, maybe?"
Fudou the Mountain	"Oh! Well....this is new." Clearly the bulk of Fudou's interests are as obvious as he is unsubtle. The fact that this even existed is simply news to him and as he's led onward by Ivory Offering he studies the place, it's trappings, its decorations with all due interest and curiosity while occasionally meeting the gazes of any who allow their looks to linger on him for long enough to be noticed. Word travels...and probably noise as well...not to mention occasional tremors. "Hm...I hope I didn't disturb anyone here..." he muses in his addled, absent minded mutterings but then falls quiet to allow himself to be led towards the private chambers, all along dragging the sheets and silks wrapped about him like some sort of kingly train adorned with the iconography of the boredello. Finally, when they are alone, Fudou drops down, promptly, onto the floor of the room - settling into a crossed leg position and hunching his shoulders as he leans forward abit to rest his elbows on his upraised knees. "Ugh... I'll be fine. Perfect Shard is worrying to much. I'm sobering up already, see?" It's...slow...but he seems to be coming to. "Mm...forget something you say? Yes Trinshan was a huge mess. An insane Solar woman who had set demons upon the land and killed so brazenly and messily that Hungry Ghosts and other spirits were rampant. Perfect Shard called for my help and even a Deathknight and his companion arrived. We deposed her but it was costly to the people -and- The Seventh Legion came!"
Ivory Offering	Ivory Offering shakes her head, a bit incredulous at the description. "Imagine. All this time, I'd thought the Dragon-Blooded were...how should I put this?" Scratching her chin thoughtfully, the Casteless woman suddenly shrugs, grins and says "I thought they were making it up. Inventing an enemy out of the old Lawgivers. To put themselves in power and keep themselves in power. All this nonsense of the Wyld Hunt. I know -I'm- not the monster their texts would call me." "And then I hear about something like this. A Solar gone mad. The Seventh Legion arriving to fix things. It's an amazing story, like many in the past, only it's one you've witnessed yourself." "And you escaped them?" She eyes Fudou curiously. "Are they not the trackers stories say they are? Or were they too preoccupied with the mad Solar and those spirits to notice little ol' you sneaking away?" She grins at that description being paried with Fudou's obviously impressive physique.
Fudou the Mountain	Fudou listens, looking thoughtful and even introspective for a moment. The colors swirling through his mind and the memory of the past four days of....activity...slowly being pushed aside as he considers her words. He frowns lightly. He seems to remember the matter being more serious then she seems to be implying. Was he being too serious and too heavy about it all? Was it all actually some big .... Creation spanning joke he hadn't quite figured out how to laugh at? Perhaps it's a bit of both. He slowly grins, dipping his head down slightly to let strands of his scraggling hair fall before his rough features and then he just chuckles. "Well they have names for us as well you know? We chosen of Luna are as much anathema to them as the Solars. Maybe worse in our own way since they've long had to deal with us en masse and the Solars have only just started returning in groups. I know Solars. One was even there to help. This one...this crazed queen was ..different. I don't think the fact that she was a Solar is why she was crazed. Rather..I think that just exagerrated something that may have already been off with her. The things she believed, her inability to listen to logic and reason. Well..she paid for it but sadly so did Trinshan." After a moment of more sobering up he chuckles, "They'd never catch me unless I wanted them to. Fiding a Lunar that doesn't -want- to be found? Tth...no. I stayed there to help with fixing the mess the crazed queen made and then took my leave to a den I'd prepared and led my allies to it until we were all ready to part ways. Then I came back here." Pausing to think, he reaches up and runs a hand along his jaw, "It was....a learning experience"
Ivory Offering	Ivory Offering takes a long drink from her glass and sighs in satisfaction. Then she meets Fudou's gaze steadily and with lingering concern in her eyes. "It's easy to think of the Dragon-Blooded as the enemy. When they've gone so far out of their way to make -us- their enemy. It's just..." her gaze drops. "Disconcerting. When I hear about one of the Celestial Exalt who apparently -earned- every terrible name the Terrestrial have." "But it sounds like...she was already like that before she Exalted? Do the Gods, the Incarna, do they sometimes choose...wrongly? Or poorly?" This is clearly something she hasn't thought of before now. There's worry and a bit of fear in those blue eyes of hers. "I know the dead are as fallible as the living, however old they get. I guess I didn't realize spirits were no different. I would have thought the Incarna would have...I don't know, some kind of magical soul-discerning power that lets them know who's worthy? So how did a mad woman gain power that made her even more mad, that led to disaster?" "Have one of us ever done anything like what she did?"
Fudou the Mountain	"I'm speculating. Trying to make sense of the lack of sense in her actions and in her reasonings. I don't know that she was I just...find it odd that simply exalting made her do the things she did. She even blasphemed The Unconquered Sun for not sanctioning her actions and believed she was able to fight him one on one to prove her worth and his worthlessness. It was just...difficult to process and I've met and know many difficult celestials." Fudou dwells on her question, however, and then shakes his head. "I...I don't know. Certainly there are stories of Lunars who are monsters but ...it's as you just implied. Dragonblood see us as monsters but are we? Certainly stories they tell would speak to that. I've met a Dragonblooded woman who was tormented by one of our kind who had set some sort of...living nightmares in her mind. Another of our kind helped her to get over that..." Fudou makes a few absent gestures as if trying to reason his way through it all and then simply concludes. "We're all capable of terrible things and some of us do things others would call terrible and that they call just. Even so - basic common sense and reason? That seemed to be lacking with this.. Ascending Light."
Ivory Offering	"I see." Ivory Offering dwells on that information for a long moment. She finishes her glass and sets it aside. Then she sighs and visibly shakes off the malaise such dark conversation drew up. "And now you're here. As is that man? Perfect Shard? He was in Trinshan then too? I hope to hear the story sometime of how a man looking like that winds up so far from the water." "So, learning experience. Even for you. What did you learn?" She leans forward a little, her tone dropping a bit to show respect. "What should -I- learn from it?" The fact that she's a fairly young Lunar Exalt who certainly hasn't made a name for herself yet is obvious.
Fudou the Mountain	The drug addled, sensory overloaded, behemoth blinks and pauses a bit to look Ivory Offering over more closely. It seems in that moment, he is indeed reminded of that.....of her newness to this all. And he looks self reflective once again. His eyes dart away from her to look to the floor of hte opulent chamber....and then-- "That we're all capable of terrible things." he says, very simply, "....That for everything I know...there's much I don't know and can't explain." Fudou shakes his head a few times and then opens his mouth to add another statement - only to suddenly stop as if a new realization had just dawned on him. He seems to carefully consider hsi next words, very carefully, and then finally says, "..And that The Deathknights are more complicated then I first thought. That this whole thing is more we call being Exalted is more complicated then I first thought..."
Ivory Offering	It's a trivial effort, even for an intoxicated man, to notice that the mere mention of 'Deathknights' makes Ivory stiffen. Tense. There's that fight or flight response, though hers has a lot more anger and 'fight' in it than the one Fudou himself had induced in the Full Moonstruck woman he'd met some time ago. "There were Deathknights in Trinshan?" she asks, slowly, carefully, casually, as if it's not incredibly obvious that there's nothing casual in what she's asking. "Was this Ascending Light one of them?"
Fudou the Mountain	A certain weariness seems to drift over Fudou's face as the question is posed. He had expected this response from her, hence the hesitation before he said what he said. He'd mentioned it before, briefly when outdoors, but in the flurry of activity it's understandable that it may have seemed like random blabbering from his more muddied mind. Now, however... "..Ascending Light was the name of the Solar so no. The Deathknight there was a former Lookshy soldier...at least I believe he was....who goes by the name of Ashes of a Fire Unkindled. He was also at the battle for Iron Simhata. Commands a mercenary group. The events there caught his attention due to the Hungry Ghosts and demons and he also worked to help remove the Solar and help restore the original leadership of Trinshan...." Fudou rubs his jaw now, eyes narrowing once again before he finally says. "I've concluded that The Deathknights themselves are more ... varied then The Deathlords. They have former lives they can't cling to or they will be punished by these dark powers called Neverborn. Yet they can't let go of their old selves completely. These Deathlords seem to manipulate them, make bargains with them... attempt to direct and control them but..." Fudou pauses, unsure now and then says, "...I... I have come to learn things about them that lead me to believe that they may not be as black and white as the Deathlord's themselves."
Ivory Offering	This is all new data for Ivory Offering. The way her eyes grow wide, the way she sits up straighter, the way her eyes lock on his. They all suggest Fudou has her complete attention. For long moments, she seriously considers what he has to say. "What I know of Deathknights comes from the work they do for the Deathlords," the Sijanese Mortwright says at last. "I've never heard of one working independently. And...it's true, I know precious little of the relationship between Deathlord and Deathknight. From what you say, it's not the relation of an Exalt and a mortal then. Not one overpowering force who makes the other effectively their pawn. Or not -only- that. These Deathknights are...Exalted too? Huh. Luna's never tried to give me orders. Would I obey them, if she did?" That's plainly another thought she's never thought of until now. "Would I have to? Maybe not. And maybe the Deathknights don't either." "The Deathknights don't -have- to obey the Deathlords," she repeats, with emphasis. Clearly rocked by the revelation. Finally, she looks up at Fudou once more. "So a Deathknight -saved- a nation from a Solar who would have destroyed it. You're right. The whole 'being Exalted' thing is more complicated than either of us thought." She sits with that for another long minute. Then she rises, goes to the bar and pours herself another drink.
Fudou the Mountain	"Let me offer some clarity or attempt to. I don't know how -independent- they are but it seems they have the ability to make choices on how they will serve their Deathlord's and all of the Deathlord's seem to be very different in how they engage with the Deathknights. But I don't believe they are slaves to them. This Ashes still 'serves' The Mask of Winters but what he did in Trinshan wasn't for The Mask. Also when they act in defense of Creation or even attempt to remember or act positively regarding their old lives.. These Neverborn punish them for it. I think the fact that the dead of Trinshan were themselves wronged means that he had a way and a reason to intervene to avoid more of the dead being misused or deadly and hungry ghosts arising." Fudou shakes his head, "I believe they were once Solars. Others believe this as well..." He quiets again and then says, "I'm sorry.. I didn't want the conversation to go this way and to put so much on you... I'm...still not entirely myself." Fudou rubs his head again, then drags his massive hand across his face once more. "...I sank into this brothel for relief... for pleasure. To reset myself. To throw myself into addictions and sensations... It's not my intention to weigh you down with my concerns."
Ivory Offering	Ivory Offering stiffens again at the mention that Deathknights might have been Solars once. But the rest of Fudou's words draw a slow nod from her as she returns. With a glass of some kind of stout for herself and a very large tankard of water for Fudou. Which she hands to him, if he's willing to take it. "I owe you an apology then," she says, a bit softly, crouching down and taking a seat on the floor in front of the other Lunar instead of returning to her couch. "You came here to reset yourself and I'm just bringing it all back up again, aren't I." Her lips quirk into a smirk. "I never did know when to leave something alone." "Relax, my friend. It sounds like more than most, you've earned every pleasure you can find here." There's an invitation in her blue eyes now but she doesn't make a move. Instead, she says "Whatever people call those like us, you've done heroic work. You deserve a hero's rest. Perfect Shard was right about one thing, though. If you've been here for days, you've been here too long. Let's get out of here. Maybe there's a good match at the Arena. Or, actually, I heard some Southeastern God of Song is supposed to be visiting a temple to them here. That kind of visit -always- comes with some amazing music. If you'd like to go together?" "Or alone, that's fine. I have a perfectly good book I can get back to. But if you'd like company while you unwind..." She leans forward and reaches out and places her small hand over his much larger one. "I'm here. You're only alone if you want to be."
Fudou the Mountain	The colossal man peers back at her, noting the look in her eyes and measuring her words. He says nothing and then finally allows a slight grin and then dips his head down to look towards the floor of the chamber. "...You are much kinder to me then I deserve, Ivory Offering." Fudou chuckles softly now and then adds , "Too kind indeed." He holds the large tankard of water in his hand..considering it for a few seconds before finally lifting it upt o begi noisly downing its contents. After a few seconds of that passes, he lowers the empty tankard and then makes an idle gesture. "I will go to hear this music. A god of 'song' mm? Now that -does- sound very interesting. As does the arena. Very well, I will let you be my minder to keep me out of more trouble ... though I think you may want to get me into more trouble before all is said and done."
Ivory Offering	"Of course I am," she says, her tone playful. Then a bit of seriousness, still lightened with levity. "People should always get the kindness they need, not the kindness they deserve. If the only kindness any of us receive is what we deserve, Creation would be a far darker, crueler place...and it's dark and cruel enough. You and me, we're the same. In a fundamental, important way that matters. We won't always want the same things or do things the same way. But what we are's more important. To me." "So come on, my Mountain. Let's see what there is to see out there in Great Forks." "And if we -do- get into more trouble, well, that's part of seeing too, isn't it." She wags her eyebrows playfully and gives Fudou a broad wink.