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Fudou the Mountain	There is no shortage of ruins outside of Great Forks though one may have to travel some distance. Such is the nature of the Age of Sorrows after all. Fudou's made much use of these fallen forts and abandoned villages and towns and this one is serving him well at the moment. A broken down watch tower with the emptied hulk of a settlement that was long ago abandoned due to some local disaster or another.. Sometimes bandits may wander in and take root but at the moment..it's all clear. A good enough place for a meeting that needs no one to trespass into. And so he sits, sprawled atop the broken tower while absently watching the clouds pass overhead. Despite the distance from Great Forks he still wears his 'disguise.. THe gifts of his hybrid form hidden away and kept at bay.
Tiziri	Not that Bandits would do any good against the sort of people looking to meet here. And in Tiziri's case? She's practically her own gang! So it is that a group of seven robed figures approach the tower. All completely shrouded in desert nomad style robes of tan. Veiled, hooded, the works. All holding spears of various sorts. Some newer than others. They all move with grace and purpose too. Any bandits might think twice, or that there's a group moving in. As they get to the location, six of them split off to form a perimeter around the tower, and oddly? The one with the oldest looking spear makes their way inwards, reaching up to throw back her hood. Tiziri. An impish little lopsided curl to her lips as she does.
Fudou the Mountain	"You're -realllllyyy- loving this trick of yours luv, aren't you." observes Fudou as he sees the smirk. He'd noted their approach for some time and so had stayed relaxed until she's in speaking range. He sits up slowly and then leans forward, resting his huge arms onto his knees as he grins at her. "You're a cult unto yourself. A cult of personality. A cult of one and yet many. How amusing. I wonder..should -I- attempt to learn that trick? What do you think...? I've got Rishi and Amethyst attempting to move in on my capabilities with physical strength. Perhaps I should surprise them with that ..or mastering sorcery, hmmm? You would teach me wouldn't you?"
Tiziri	"Sorcery would probably do it." Tiziri responds to this one. "If nothing else it would be the one they least suspect." Tiziri lets out a little giggle about it. "Honestly, it was my sorcerous mindset that helped me figure this out, with a little unintended inspiration from Rishi when she demonstrated splittnig off her shadow in a ritual." She shrugs a little bit. "So I take it Amethyst and Rishi are up to something else? I trust it is Rishi trying to emulate the Wyld in changing people more? They do both seem to like such things." She looks upwards, thoughtfully. "And here I am, one of the few Lunars I know who is really quite happy in the Me I am." She grins almost cheshire cat widely. "So much so I became more than one!"
Fudou the Mountain	"As am I." says Fudou, "I've no interest in being something else or finding my 'best self' or 'true self' as Rishi would put it. I am me and that's good enough. But no. We have another problem beyond their lack of stability in themselves.." Fudou hops down, ground shaking slighlty upon his impact as he settles and then draws near. "Several of our colleagues were drawn to investigate The Consortium. The group running the tournament. It looks like they are primarily information brokres and in bed, quite solidly, with an agency in The Realm on providing potential targets for The Wyld Hunt. There is reason to believe that they are paid well for this and that there is some strong belief that one or more of 'us'..." he makes a gesture to indicate the 'royal us' "..May be the target of an incoming wyld hunt. There is a journal that was confiscated that has this information and more..but the possiblity is strong.. Especially given that we recently discovered that an artifact capable of listening in on conversations was recently found..."
Tiziri	"Shit!" Tiziri says suddenly. "I wasn't careful enough." She looks suddenly more than a little on edge too. "If not I'd be a trump card, but now they know too. I knew there was a point there was someone listening. I could swear it! I was hoping it was just Rishi. But damn it!" She is pacing back and forth now, looking quite tense to put it mildly. "What did I say? I can't remember what I said?" She almost seems to be rambling to herself now. Then finally she looks back to Fudou. "And now you see yet another reason I didn't enter, not showing what I can do. At least they don't know what I can do. I hope. I'll be a surprise. But now we have to deal with this."
Fudou the Mountain	HEr reaction is ..actually more then he thought it would be. Fudou raises an eyebrow and listens before rumbling, "We have the artifact and are investigating it. Rishi believes it's paired with another and on top of that..that they don't really understand or know what it does or how it works. That they're using it in a way that's either not intended or that they were shown. This suggests mortals or someone else working beyond their means. We'll soon be able to determine exactly who heard what..and when Bright deciphers the journal we'll know more. So thoes are two angles we're already looking into." He quiets as she points out the obvious and then his nostrils flare, "I told the others the same thing..that from the beginning it would be impossible that those seeking information wouldn't look at an event like this as a means to discern the elite among the elite. That being said..I should remind you that nobody has actually exhibited signs of being a celestial -in- the arena itself. You know the capabilities of our folk. Rishi's disguise charms and my own are cannot be seen. As far as anyone knows we're just powerful exigents and I've yet to even use more then a little personal essence in the arena. As far as anyone knows I'm just a gigantic exigent from the south east. Only if they go investigate the south east or my other actions can they discern otherwise and I've not openly used such gifts in Great Forks." He pauses and then says, "Raullaur on the other hand is different. He openly bears his orichalcum as he's allowed to within Great Forks and The Three know of several of us ..as they've so demanded. The Wyld Hunt is not likely to attempt an attack on anyone in the city itself and risk their wrath. But that doesn't mean we can't be drawn out and ambused..."
Tiziri	"It is best if we all withdraw into the city again if possible." Tiziri says, "At least for now. It would be safer." Tiziri is talking rapidly now. It has an almost distracted air as she paces back and forth, thinking of this while talking and seeming almost distracted too. "The problem isn't that they've seen our abilities. they have at least seen enough. Seen people defeat those who might be tough for any but another Chosen to do." She muses. Still pacing, her steps almost as fast as her words. "The problem is what have they heard? They've heard us admit what we are. that is more dangerous. The Hunts know what it is to hunt those like us too. They may not be entirely sure what we can do but they now know what is here, and how many of us." Another little pause, "And Raullaur also has an army. A small one, but enough to draw in a strong force already. Especially if Makara isn't rop..." She suddenly grins evilly. "We can use him. If they don't know about him, they will likely try to press his forces into this."
Fudou the Mountain	"Careful.." warns Fudou before Tiziri continues, "I do not want us giving anyone to The Hunt or using anyone as a scapegoat. That's already been suggested. Raksi and Ma Ha Suchi have a feud centuries in its length but would one give another over to The Realm? No." He lets that hang in the air before continuing, "However if you're speaking of Makara's authority and -position-..? Yes..assuming he can fool them as he's about as deceptive as a child trying to steal a piece of candy and getting caught at times.. But perhaps with some leading and training and knowing the urgency here ..." He pauses and then adds, "And calm down. We ar not without our resources. We are not one lone celestial wandering the wilds, not knowing of our abilities or heritage or power. Mighty are the ones in the city and while the Wyld Hunt knows how to fight celestials ..knowing how to fight experienced prepared celestials is different. They don't know what to expect. All they know is rumor right now. If that. Anything else can be explained away but...what do you have in mind?"
Tiziri	"I don't mean giving up to the Realm. I mean making them think they had a trump card we used." Tiziri responds, quite firmly there. Even pausing and slamming the butt of her spear to the ground as she says it, gaze piercing as she does it." All the same, her lips purse as Fudou brings up Makara's more naive nature and she nods. "Then again, yes... there is that. It is certainly going to be a big issue." She notes. "I'm just thinking. I'm a bird remember? We're flighty!" Was she joking? Or stating a truth. It's honestly hard to say now. "And I know, we're a surprise. They may not realize how powerful the gathering here truly is. Especially when the Chosen of Sun and Moon work together." She notes, going back to pacing. "But we don't know if they know more than rumor either. We know they heard us. I know one incident for sure. But how many more? They may know more than we know." Barely a pause goes by before she goes on, "I had thought of telling Makara to just be a good soldier. Follow orders, until the battle began then be ready to order his forces to betray or leave the field. Even to stand back would give a big advantage."
Fudou the Mountain	"Well we don't even know for certain what they know or what was overheard. Were you there then? What did you all say? And furthermore we're attempting to track its information leak back to its source. If it's mere rumor and heresay then it doesn't mean The Wyld Hunt is going to necessarily leap into action all the way from The Realm with the conflict it's in and with the power of The Three to consider and contend with does it?" notes Fudou, "Secondly, we may be able to prevent the information from getting to them in the first place. We've already found out about it and now we're in position to do something about it. Between then and now making sure that we've warned everyone and also have a strategy in mind is ideal. That being said the likelyhood of us not seeing some large armed force entering the area is practically nil..and even if that were to happen ..if they were to attempt to be -that- overt about it.. we could deal with that could we not? That isn't my concern as much as more subterfuge elements..."
Tiziri	"I don't entirely remember!" Tiziri says, and that seems to be bothering her more than anything. "It was a time in the Arena. I -knew- we were being listened to. Likely talking about possible foes and who was truly potent. I was always clear I did not think much of Amethyst's chances." She adds, "That alone says a lot to anyone listening. It implies names who were powerful enough to likely not be Chosen of the Dragons." She bites her lip. Then there's another matter, "Do we know it was the Realm? Or Lookshy? Or might it have been something else. I have had other... odd encounters that worry me even as they make my mind hazy and I'm not sure what."
Fudou the Mountain	"Odd encounters?" Fudou prompts but then frowns and presses his hands together, "Well to clarify it is -not- The Realm it is The Consortium who funnels information back -to- The Realm for a hefty fee. That is what we know. It is those who are running the tournament. That is why we think it might be possible to intercept the information and find out what they know and possibly deal with it somehow. Perhaps intimidate them or otherwise make the information invalid. What they do is suss out persons of note and inform The Realm. Beyond that we have no names or precise information about what they know simply that what was found was alarming enough for Amethyst to immediately tell me and Black Pearl." Fudou sits up again, bracing against the tower, "As to the listening device... I knew about that from before. Bright Journey warned Rishi and myself about it and later with them and Amethyst they investigated the device further which is how they found out it was an artifact of some sort. More then that I don't know.. It may be pointless now that we have this new information or it may yet lead us to whoever has the other part of the artifact."
Tiziri	"When we know they are listening presume they know everything." Tiziri responds matter of factly. "To do anything else is to leave ourselves at a disadvantage." She takes a deep breath then and goes on, "Further, if they have an artifact like that? Presume they have a way to send things quickly. Again, presume the worst so we can prepare for it. If things turn out to not be so dire? Then it is good." She continues to seem overly pensive now, half in the here and half somewhere else.
Fudou the Mountain	"We must also take care to not over extend ourselves in the wrong direction." counters Fudou firmly, "..But you ar right that we should be prepared for the worst but there's little benefit to me holding a mountain top aloft to throw it when a boulder or a small rock might do. We have to figure out how best to address this and use our resources." He watches her movements, frowning more and more but remaining oddly calm himself, "What about thes odd happenings you mentioned. What happened?"
Tiziri	"We've spoken of it before." Tiziri says, "It has been a while. Yet I suspect that the Chosen of the Maidens are here too. I don't know who. Just suspect. Raksi has warned me to beware them, as I am sure Ma Ha Suchi must have you. They are dangerous too. This feels like it could be their style too."
Fudou the Mountain	"Yes.." confirms Fuoou, "But that is a mystery we can't do anything about if we can't find them. At least with this current lead there's something tangible. A journal in Bright Journey's hands. An artifact as well and an understanding that the tournament has them openly seeking information about, not just us, but any of interst and like capabilities such as to warn the Realm for a hefty coin. That gives us options. To intimidate. To buy out. To prepare for battle or otherwise destroy or defend."
Tiziri	"I know. But it applies all the same. If it is someone covert, that might be helping The Realm? That's something we need to be concerned about too, and something far more capable of challenging us even here." Tiziri notes all too gravely. "I do think they're more likely to set up an ambush outside, but none of us are likely to stay here forever, let alone safely in the walls. Our kind has the most options to get away, but still... they have ways too."
Fudou the Mountain	"While you're correct we also can't do anything about that." notes Fudou, "But we can do something about The Consortium and that information and, if push comes to shove, we can defend ourselves. We can be ware and guarded, knowing that there are those that may attempt to ambush us.. but what we cannot do is cower, hide or attempt to sipply slip away only to do this all over again in some other place where this cycle inevitably continues. Neither of our Shahan-Ya's would approve of that." he says and then adds, "Not that I suggest you say we cower and hide but simply that we should be prepared to stand our ground and deal with the problem. The same exaltation that the anathema that destroyed THe REalm in north wielded..we wield. We need to be prepared to do that to seure our safety."
Tiziri	"I'd love to suggest an example." Tiziri adds. "A brutal, obvious example. Yet we're as constrained by the Three's restrictions and they are." She says annoyedly. "Yet we could still end them quietly, if we think of it." She adds. "Soemthing to show the risk of messing with The Pact and its friends."
Fudou the Mountain	"You may have a point.." muses Fudou, thoughtfully, "And perhaps we're better equipped to handle something like that to begin with, considering our shape shifting. Let's wait and see what more information is gleaned and continue to warn our fellows. Until then, simply be on your guard. I have no intention of withdrawing from the tournament. That may tip them off even more so soon ...it may not matter."