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Grave Saint	Even if her manse in Great Forks is well suited for such meetings, she fears a gathering within the city may further draw suspicion especially on a priestess with already questionable teachings regarding death. After speaking with her liege through his necromantic means, she has learned that the agent of another deathlord has an envoy, one that formerly held this shadowland itself. Although she distrusts deathknights of other ghostly masters, possible cooperation is a must if she were to spread the faith of the Shining Path in the Scavenger Lands. While she waits, the Midnight practices her musical skills through playing a pipa, one that glitters with malevolent shine for it is made with the souls of the departed. She also sings some sort of mantra. "Once there was a maiden weeping...for she was travelling to a funeral in a far and sunless land. Her clothes grew ragged on the road, and her hair grew gray, but when she finally arrived, the door was locvked. So she shrugged off her skin for a raiment, fashioned a harp from her bones, poured out the wine of her veins, and made feast of the meat of herself "Finally unburdened, she went through the door for she was tired, and the grave before her looked restful. I knew it couldn't last forever, she said" Despite the lyrics of her recitation, she sings it joyously with a morbid tone as if it was a nursery rhyme
The Mournful Chorus	Not too long after the Grave Saint has begun her song, one of her watchful followers approaches her, alerting her that a small delegation of visitors is headed towards them, traveling the decrepit road that was built long before the Field of Endless Raitons turned in to a shadowland. In fact, the sound of footfalls and bells can now be heard in the cold, softly rustling wind, accompanied by something that sounds suspiciously like humming. Soon, figures emerge from the bleak night: Seven grim-faced ghosts, clad in long, sturdy sailor's coats, bearing wicked curved blades, belts full of knives, and cold blue lanterns. They form a protective half circle around a much shorter person, who seems to be the source of both the softly chiming bells and the humming. She is wrapped head-to-toe in a long cloak with a shining, iridescent sheen that swallows the lantern's light and turns it into radiant green, blue, and crimson hues. The stranger's face remains almost invisible in the shadow of her cloak's hood. By the time she has almost reached the Grave Saint, it becomes clear that the tune she's humming with a soft, melodic voice echos the Midnight's song - or at least those parts that the visitor was able to hear at her arrival.
Grave Saint	As her melody interrupts her practice, she tells of her undead bodyguards to let the chosen of the Heron and her entourage in her vicinity. Once she sees the Moonshadows, she gives a respectful bow to one of the agents of Deathlords. "Greetings, herald of the Heron. I am Grave Saint Entombed In Solemn Gardens Of Crimson Higanbanas, Midnight caste and leader of the Covenant Of The Ruinous Emerald Thorn. I heard you are quite famous in the land of the dead, for I have heard of ghosts in Great Forks talking about a singer with an enchanting voice as majestic as the darkness of night" "I am a songtress myself but I am more of an oratory person for I give sermons that are secret praises to the Neverborn even under the noses of the little gods of Great Forks and their champions."
The Mournful Chorus	The Heron's envoy offers a polite bow in response to Grave Saint's words. The killer-bodyguards accompaning her do the same, bowing much deeper than the deathknight. Their charge steps closer to the Midnight, still keeping a respectful distance. An assortment of golden wristlets glint in the lantern's light as she raises her arms from beneath the cloak to lower her hood. From up close, that garment looks very much like the leathery, colorful skin of some giant insect, it's delicate wings enfolding their new bearer and whispering softly with her every movement. The smile greeting Grave Saint from the young, dark face that now becomes visible is radiant, framed by elaborate golden earrings with tiny bells, and glittering silver powder on the envoy's cheeks. "I am honored to finally make your acquaintance, Voice of the Neverborn", she replies in a friendly, honeyed voice. "The dead know me as The Mournful Chorus of Shattered Heavens, although I prefer to travel among the living under many different names. As you might have heard, I bear the Moonshadow caste." Chorus' eyes find the pipa, and she nods in appreciation before continuing: "My liege sends greetings to the Bishop's famous deathknight. I hope I don't find you too busy for a little chat?"
Grave Saint	"I don't seem to have other affairs for now, so I am free for a chat. It's been a long time I meet another deathknight besides one I find suspicious, although that's a topic for later." Grave says as she hopes to discuss this mysterious stranger especially this mistress of his. "So far my following is small but I expect it will slowly but subtly grow as a flower in a desolate graveyard such as the red spider lily which represent death in some parts of Creation. Thankfully the city provides cover for my faith, since most of it's citizenry assume we are nothing more than a mere ancestry cult and Immaculate heresy" "I wanted to be an Immaculate nun before the Bishop chose me, until my death which led to my rebirth. I incorporated Immaculate beliefs to draw in the followers so called Intou faith as most of my cultists are from that crewd, which is an Immaculate offshoot that practices ancestry worship. I hope to use their doctrines in order to subvert it in the name of the Neverborn" The deathknight looks at her fellow chosen with a curious glance like a planetary body being drawn into a black hole
The Mournful Chorus	Chorus looks around for a seat, then perches on one of the remnants of crumbled pillars all around them, listening (and watching) intently while the Midnight talks, with occasional nods of encouragement or appreciative sounds at the right moments, but careful not to interrupt the other deathknight's speech. A velvet purple vest with gilded floral embroidery and dark green silk pantaloons are now exposed as the cloak is drawn further back. Once Grave is finished, Chorus lets her gaze drift off for a moment, far into the distance - into the general direction of Great Forks. "They call it the City of Ten Thousand temples for a reason, don't they? I've yet to sail into its harbor, but soon..." She flashes the other Abyssal a mischievous, toothy smile. "Subverting the Immaculate creed with one of their own heresies... delicious. You are a subtly growing flower indeed, Grave Saint. I've heard about the Intou only in stories. How many of them are still left to be swayed to your cause? Maybe we can help each other. But first, allow me..." The Moonshadow gestures towards one of her guards, a tall, almost impossibly gaunt woman with algae-colored hair. The guard steps forward and produces something from beneath her heavy coat - slowly, to avoid appearing as if she was about to draw a weapon. It's a package wrapped in finely woven funeral cloth, which she hands to The Mournful Chorus - who, in turn, offers it to Grave Saint with a dashing smile. "Please, accept this humble gift from my esteemed patron."
Grave Saint	The Midnight caste accepts her gift with gratitude. "I appreciate it, may this be a sign of a partnership that will benefit us." When Chorus mentioned she has a ship, she raises her eyes in anticipation. "Ah, you have a sea faring vessel? Interesting. It will be useful when it comes to traversing the River Province. I hope to expand my faith to the villages there someday, especially as some have followers of the Intou creed" She then asks a question regarding a certain "deathknight". "You are not the first deathknight I met here...or so I think. There is a scholar that calls himself Perfect Question and claims the so called Mistress Of The Violent Reckoning is his master. I only heard about the 9 including my master but I have never heard of this moniker before. This mistress could indeed be another deathlord, the guise of one that is already known....or it could be an imposter. If your ship does come to the port of Great Forks, be wary about that scholar."
The Mournful Chorus	Should Grave Saint open the gift - now or later -, she will find a dark wooden box beneath the wrapping, which contains an artfully woven bouquet of red spider lilys, nicely contrasted by other, smaller flowers with dark blue and snow white petals. All of those are poisonous, but only if consumed. The gift is clearly not meant to trick the recipient into eating the bouquet. Delicate bird bones and raiton feathers adorn the blossoms. Chorus extends a dangling leg from the ruined piece of pillar she's chosen as her seat, pulling the other leg's knee up towards her body. Hearing the Midnight talk about her ship coaxes an affectionate, almost dreamy smile out of her. "She is called the Sunless Orchid, and I'm using her for a much more interesting purpose than simple transportation, although I wouldn't deny her usefulness in that." A soft chuckle. "If you would want to visit my vessel sometime, you will find her full of ghostly performers, entertainers, and courtesans. Enough delight to last the night, I assure you." After a wink, she cocks her head and seems to deliberate on Grave's warning words for a while. Eventually, she gives a court nod. "Thank you. I know next to nothing about these waters, having only just arrived in the Scavenger Lands. Mistress of the Violent Reckoning, you say? None of the courts I've visited in the Sunless Realm told tales about such a deathlord, nor did I hear any songs or poems praising - or cursing - her deeds. What else did that Perfect Question tell you?"
Grave Saint	"According to him, this Violet Reckoning stays hidden for some reason he won't tell me. We will meet so but my purpose is to scry more information about him and hopefully even his small mistakes shall lead me to the true identity of his master, Deathlord or not" She says with a suspicious tone as the deathknight wonders about the nature of this enigmatic being. "I would love to and it wouldn't hurt. If you do arrive in Great Forks, you can visit my shrine in the field of red spider lilies. My cult usually gathers there for meetings and celebrations where their reverence for death and the inevitable end is disguised like a seemingly harmless colorful frog whose skin is toxic. I also know the exigent champions and even other cult leaders in the city if you intend to familiarize with them when you come there. There are also anathema near the city and possibly within, for I once encountered a chosen of the Sun and I heard rumors of shining animas in this shadowland before I arrived"
The Mournful Chorus	While the two deathknights talk, Chorus' bodyguards hover close by. They have obviously been instructed to not let down their guard, not even for a second, no matter how peaceful the interaction between the Exalts may appear. Consequently, both Grave Saint and her own ghostly attendants find themselves under constant scrutiny. The Moonshadow gives a low, appreciative whistle, dark eyes shining in the eerie blue lantern light of her closest guardian. "So the rumors ~are~ true... about Great Forks harboring more than a few ill-fated gods and their Chosen. I'm bound for darker waters downriver first, but once my current business is concluded, I will have absolutely no other choice but to pay you a visit in your lovely shrine, curious as you've made me with your talk. Truly, I'm ~dying~ of anticipation." She smiles like a hungry cat, stretching her arms and back. "And I would be honored to welcome you on the Orchid, should you ever long for entertainment of the kind the sunlit lands could never provide, nor comprehend. Of course, my own performance is the main attraction, if I dare say so." Now, she gives an exaggerated bow, as if she were on a stage, cheered on by a mesmerized audience. "Fancy a duet? Your own music is lovely, entrancing like the multifaceted swaying mantis-trees of Ixcoatli's Shadow. Maybe you could teach me that song you were singing earlier..."
Grave Saint	"Of course like me, there are other exalts that the Immaculates deem as Anathema may use it's myriad cults as a cover for their true identities. I pose as a Wood Aspect and thankfully, no one has pierced my guise yet. I also depict the Immaculate Dragon, Sextis Jylis not just as a bringer of crops, but a harbinger of plagues, poison and rot. After all, even crops may be poisoned. It is amusing to see some Immaculates are infuriated with my depiction but they can't do anything about it for it is merely one of the cults in Great Forks they despise." The deathknight speaks with amusement thanks to her blasphemous mockery of the dragon of wood. "If we have the time, I'm sure we can do a duet where the midnight's ominous light and the shadow of the moon are intertwined to concoct a cacophony of a thousand deathly sirens. Hopefully we shall meet again by the docks of Great Forks"