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Mahendru Divya	With a satisfied "Hrumph" sound, Inauspicious Icons straightens and his mane fluffs out in a particularly dignified manner. "Our quarry lies this way." "Any idea how far?" Divya asks. "Hmmm, the pace set suggests a long journey." "You know what that means." The glorious jade Lion-Dog casts a reproachful gaze back at Divya. "...Really?" Divya spreads her hands and shrugs. "I forgot to pack my 'long journey' boots." A potentially dubious claim, given that the boots she evidences from beneath her travel robes look well suited for a good long walk. Nonetheless the august spirit sighs and crouches down. Where upon the nondescript woman in travel robes and dubious boots gives a decidedly undignified giggle, grabs some mane and pulls herself up onto the Lion Dog's back. "I'm ready!" she proclaims. "I'm not giving -everyone- a ride, you know." Divya pats the Lion Dog's shoulder affectionately before looking back at the others. "Well, we're all in this together so don't go too fast." The Lion Dog's brows furrow. "What's too fast?" "Just go already!" And so with another unsatisfied "Hrumph" sound, the spirit begins to sniff the trail once more, following their quarry at a pace soldiers and the dead can keep up with.
The Mournful Chorus	Neither the Envoy nor her undead entourage seem keen on taking the lead, given that Divya's spirit-partner seems to have the keenest senses among everyone present by a fair margin. While she had previously lowered her hood during a private conversation with Divya, it's back up again now, shrouding the better part of her death-painted face in ominous shadow. It doesn't hide the quick grin at the sight of the mighty spirit's misuse as a mount. The undead fall in loose formation around their precious Envoy, who nods gravely at Deryl in acknowledgement. "There's no helping it. We should move, or even the dog's nose won't help us." At a gesture from the Envoy, they begin marching after the lion-dog. One of the dead - their leader, a tall, lanky man wrapped in funeral linen - stays close to her side, occasionally exchanging a few whispered words with her, while the other walking corpses keep a close eye on both their surroundings... and Deryl and his forces.
Deryl Laklan	Even if he wanted to help with burying the corpses and even getting a funerist to recite the burial rights, Deryl and his men walks towards the direction to Iron Simhata. They are in perfect formation but still, something is off about the exigent of diamond's men. All of them seem to lack emotion much less individuality as they dutily follow him with no complaints or any other words. They seem alive yet they all act like constructs or zombies. At least the walking dead have the emotion of thirsting for flesh, while they just simply follow him. "Yeah, they won't be avenged if I just wait for them to bury their bodies" Even if he's hired for money, Deryl feels disheartened just by looking at those bodies a while ago. It's too similar to the tragedy of Thorns for him as he remembers the endless corpses of both strangers and friends. But at least he's not wallowing in sorrow for he is after the mysterious deathknight. "So what are you? A ghostblood or a necromancer?" He knows she's certainly not undead for her body still has it's normal temperature for living humans thanks to his crystalline eyes.
Mahendru Divya	Divya isn't especially thrilled about leaving that grisly scene behind either, but leaving their killer on the loose is even worse. She avoids pressing Inauspicious Icons to pick up the pace, though, remembering their escort of two different groups of warriors. That's strength of arms she doesn't usually have at her disposal on a mission, and it seems a shame to waste it while its on hand. With one ear back on the conversation between Deryl and Chrous', she straightens up a bit and picks up a well known trail song among soldiers. Something superficially cheerful in tone, but the content is all about riding with death behind you and likely death in front of you. She's particularly interested to see if any of -these- soldiers, belonging to either party, pick up the chorus (since it's one of those songs with 20 different verses so the chorus is very easy to pick up).
The Mournful Chorus	Indeed, a few of the undead react to Divya's song by humming along (or, in some cases, by growling). Most remain silent. Despite the prospect of violence in the near future, they walk with the casual, expectant saunter of someone not only feeling well prepared for a fight, but welcoming one. Their commander, however, moves in a different way. That one has learned to tread softly without sacrificing speed, and as Divya begins to sing, he (?) shifts his attention from Deryl to her. Most of his face is hidden behind perfumed veils, sparing only a thin strip of dark skin around the eyes. This makes it hard to tell what he might be thinking - his gaze isn't particularly friendly, but neither are his eyes shooting daggers at the Sidereal's back. Meanwhile, Chorus cocks her head and joins in with the humming for a bit, but only briefly, keeping her voice soft and subdued. While she does so, she tries to catch a closer look at Deryl's strangely empty-eyed soldiers, then inclines her head to blink up at the man himself. After all, he has asked her a question. "If there's ghostly blood somewhere in my family tree, I wouldn't know about it", she says with just a hint of teasing. "And you don't have to worry about me raising corpses from the ground, either. I'm the Envoy, and I speak for the dead. That's really all there is to it." She pauses briefly to let these words sink in, then immediately follows up with a question of her own, raising her voice a bit, so that Divya might have an easier time taking part in the conversation: "I'm curious about you, too, Deryl Laklan. How does one become an Exigent? Doesn't that mean you're Exalted? Forgive my ignorance... I'm not familiar with these things. Perhaps you could enlighten me - and our companion over there."
Deryl Laklan	"To be honest, I don't know who or what choose me. All I can remember is that before the Wyld can consume me and I resisted it's advances, I saw a god of diamonds. He was impressed that I managed to survive both Thorns and the Wyld that he blessed me with his fortifying powers!" He says for he has no idea what kind of powers he inherited. "Some refugees from Thorns who knew of the chosen of the little gods call me that. Although I know lesser gods can make their own chosen, I have no idea how it even works" He sighs as the process for it is mysterious for him for he doesn't know much about exigency much less about other chosen. "I'd like to know more about how such power works myself. Maybe it will help me in some way" His soldiers follow him listlessly, strangely silent this whole time. Simply following with eyes of a dead fish, yet they are still living beings. "Well at least you do not seem to be like the....others in Thorns. I had a really bad experience with deathly stuff" He is unnerved by the Envoy's other companions but he is tolerant for now despite their presence. "I lost everything in that city and had nothing to loose after that. My money, my dreams of buying up a luxurious apartment unit in one of Thorn's colorful artisanal districts and becoming rich, my friends, and my mother....nothing more than dusts in the winds. I only had my fellow mercenaries left after Thorns fell....yet only more tragedy followed."
Mahendru Divya	She winds her way through another 10 verses of the trail song, while listening to the Envoy's unsurprisingly evasive remarks and Deryl's recitation of his plight. Smiling, she looks ahead to the trail for a moment, realizes she has no idea how far away their quarry is, and instead turns back to look at the others. She even goes so far as to swivel herself around, so she's actually facing the rear. Trusting that her Prior Warning and Expected Pain Charms will give her enough notice to pay attention when she should. "Great Forks is just the city to visit, if you want to learn more about how the Exigence works. You might even find a temple to the God who Exalted you," she adds to Deryl. "Not that it makes up for your misfortune. The fall of Thorns was a surprise to everyone. Even those who ought not to be surprised, I'd wager. Still, you made it out of there with your life and that's not nothing. Found some warriors to keep you company on your travels too!" Rather deliberately, Divya makes eye contact with those strange dead-eyed soldiers and speaks to them directly. "Where'd you all meet up with our good friend here? Where'd you all come from?" A question aimed at the general crowd, as she switches from looking at one soldier or another.
The Mournful Chorus	This time, it's the Envoy's turn to observe, rather than participate. While Deryl receives a grave, yet sympathetic smile for his plight in Thorns from her, accompanied by a matching nod, she holds her tongue when Divya turns around and addresses the soldiers. While listening to the sounds of the night around her for anything unusual, the Moonshadow turns her head slowly, paying close attention to the faces of the living warriors who follow Deryl quite willingly into such danger, yet show very little personality. Divya can still feel the leaden weight of the undead commander's attention on her. Shredded Promises, as she might remember the Envoy calling him, never bothered joining into the song, despite some of the other dead doing so. Now that the woman on the lion-dog is no longer singing, the humming gradually fades away. On Chorus' left shoulder rides her monkey, wide-eyed and skitterish at all the unfamiliar figures moving around it. Pieces of rotten party leftovers still cling to the soft, short fur close to it's mouth.
Deryl Laklan	"I don't think I can find him there, I think he may have disappeared in the Wyld but who knows?" He shows profound interest in hearing more about such place, but when the matter turns to the topic regarding his soldiers, there is a slight hint of hesitation in his voice. "Oh yeah my men. I empower them with my essence so that they may uh battle more efficiently! It's hard learning new tricks especially as my god just disappeared for no reason" He says his excuse on how his men seemingly share the same mind. "Actually they aren't my comrades from Thorns." He recounts but with a grim expression "We were escorting a Cathak scion to a nearby port before the undead showed up since he promised he will get us to the Blessed Isle if we escape. We fought them back but....the ship left us before we could get in. The doors were sealed and there was nothing we can do, but make our last stand. I originally waited for the dead to get me since I'll die anyway, but I wanted to live even if my comrades lay dead. That's the reason why I ended up in a nearby bordermarch"
Mahendru Divya	"Gods have long histories in Creation," Divya remarks, scratching her chin. "You can occasionally bump into a spirit that's only a few centuries old but anything that can empower an Exaltation through the Exigence is probably thousands of years old, if not older than time." The Sidereal leans back as she rides, one hand stretched out behind her to brace herself off Inauspicious Icons' shoulder, which draws a decidedly dirty look from the mildly offended, dignity conscious Lion Dog...which of course she's oblivious to as she's facing away from him. "So even if your God vanished into the Wyld, I imagine you can still learn something about him." Listening to the rest of Deryl's recitation, she looks thoughtful and says "That's about as bad of a break as any. Shame the Blessed Isle didn't pull through for you. But it seems to have turned out alright for you personally, given you're making an honest living and have men loyal to you now." Once more, she peers at the soldiers and raises an eyebrow. "Empowered by essence, did you say? Useful. There are Charms of the Chosen that can speed how quickly a man can learn to use a sword, or how responsive they may be to a commander's order. Not many that make men quite this, er, taciturn?" She grins and waves at the soldiers once more. "Cat got your tongue?" she says to the general crowd.
The Mournful Chorus	"Silent as the grave - although I've seen my share of chatty corpses", the Envoy agrees cheerfully, "but at least they still respond to orders. In the end, that's what's going to matter, once we run into meaningful opposition." After a shrug and another lingering look at the Exigent, she follows Shredded Promises' example and shifts her focus towards Divya. "Your knowledge about these matters seems to be as vast as mine is tiny." She bites her lower lip, considering for a moment. The monkey, still fidgeting restlessly on her shoulder, welcomes an affectionate rub beneath the chin. Moonlight drips from the chitinous scales of her cloak. "Are you a scholar of some sort, or a deity yourself? Something else entirely? Most mortals don't turn into birds... or ride spirits like this one." Once more she turns towards Deryl, continuing: "Do you remember what our bird lady said when she arrived - that those people back at the village weren't supposed to die? All living things die, as we know, yes? So I wonder: Who decides when they do?" The next question is directed at Divya again. At least the Envoy looks into her direction. She might as well address the world in general: "And how do you know this wasn't exactly how their lives were supposed to end?"
Mahendru Divya	At Chorus' remark towards her, Divya amused and lazy posture aback the Lion Dog straightens up just a bit. "I don't know if I would characterize my education on these matters as 'vast' but you pick up a few things on the road." At being directly asked her nature, Divya chuckles and finally pushes herself back up from her half-reclining position and leans forward, bracing herself with both palms on Inauspicious Icons' back, drawing a disgruntled "Must you?" from the spirit that she promptly ignores. "I am a scholar of some sort, yes. I'm not a deity, no. But I have often have business with deities so one picks up this and that." But when Chorus' asks her last question, Divya's lingering amusement fades entirely and she sighs before answering. "She goes by many names. El Andra. The Courscant Courtesan. Pale Violet. Many names for the same thing." She points then, at the midnight sky, as the group journeys onward. Her finger is aimed at a particularly bright light in the sky, tiny next to the moon but measurable compared to any star. "Saturn. The Maiden of Endings. Of course, there's a dozen Gods of Death and hundreds of subordinate deities that handle all manner of passing under all manner of circumstances. Taru-Han, for example, is the goddess of both souls and the very act of dying itself. But when it comes to deciding how long someone should have, that's Saturn's remit and gainsaying her comes at considerable peril."
The Mournful Chorus	Somewhere in the background, several undead guards start getting a little twitchy from boredom. Divya's attempts at coaxing a reaction from Deryl's soldiers hasn't gone unnoticed, and neither has their complete lack of any kind of response. Unlike the strangely zombie-like living fighters, the undead ones act with much more liveliness. Without the Exigent's earlier remarks about them all being undead, Divya might not even have noticed that they are fresh corpses, almost unmarked by decay. Harsh muttering is accompanied by viscious grins. One of them, a big woman with an entire girdle of throwing knives strapped across her shoulder, finally decides to shake things up a bit: She takes a huge step toward the closest of Deryl's soldiers and snaps her fingers repeatedly in front of her face, cackling. This all happens during Divya's response, and Chorus doesn't take notice of what her people are up to behind her - mostly because she is busy tracking the Sidereal's finger to that particularly bright star. By her side, Shredded Promises frowns, then throws a slow, deliberate look over his shoulder at the commotion. "Saturn, Maiden of Endings", the Envoy repeats, sounding bemused. With her head tilted up to watch the sky, moonlight manages to illuminate most of the death-mask painting on her face, its silvery light reaching far enough into shadow to make the whites of her eyes glow. "I've heard of Taru-Han. More than a few ancestor cults extend their prayers to her." She pats the monkey, who clambers around to her back and just holds on tight there, like a baby. When she lowers her gaze to regard Divya again, a wistful smile adorns her lips. "But Saturn? Never heard of her. She must be important, if she has a star all by herself. I'm afraid I still don't follow... If someone commits a murder, are they always meddling with Saturn's purview? Does she only hold sway over natural deaths?"
Mahendru Divya	The antics of the undead prodding the presumptive living definitely distract Divya's attention a bit, since they're not only visible (and making noise) but doing something whose outcome she's especially interested in. Masterfully, she tears her attention away from the spectacle and refocuses on Chorus. When the Envoy disclaims knowing Saturn, the Sidereal simply shrugs. "There are any number of cultures that don't offer prayers to the Unconquered Sun. But that in no way diminishes his glory. So it is with Saturn." The mention of ancestor cults praying to Divya seems to prompt a reflexive frown that she immediately smooths out. Followed by another shrug and a "None of my business" quietly voiced remark. But when the Envoy asks questions on the nature of destined death, Divya nods solemnly and speaks with some confidence, as if this is very familiar material for her. "The son and daughter of two families come together and conceive a child, although no marriage or tie exists. Is that natural or unnatural? One person takes a trade road and is overcome by a forest fire, while another dies in their sleep as an arsonist sets fire to their home. Is one natural and the other unnatural?" She shakes her head slightly. "It's not the cause that renders something natural or unnatural, at least when it comes to Saturn's purview. It's whether this person was meant to die at a particular time and place. For the average farmer or merchant or even Exalted warrior, every person they know of who comes to an end has come to a natural end. If it helps," she adds with a smirk, "Imagine a great scroll in Heaven with a person's entire life summed up in five sentences including how and when they die. As they live their life, detail may be added to the scroll based on their deeds, but those five sentences don't change. You can usually assume the man who dies at the assassin's knife was always going to have died by that knife, a fate that's usually known in certain parts of Heaven before that man was even born." "The deaths we investigate are as if certain Gods in Heaven went into their offices to consult their scrolls, only to find dozens of the scrolls torn asunder. It's not impossible, of course. The usual cause of such disasters are when a particularly potent force from beyond Creation's orders acts upon Creation. Whether such a force acted here, or which force it was..." She shrugs. "Who can say? I only know it can't be allowed to continue."
The Mournful Chorus	As it happens, the first one to disrupt the sudden silence after Divya's lengthy explanation isn't the Envoy, who doesn't trust herself to speak too soon, or she would risk the immense bubble of exhileration and glee now swelling up in her belly slipping by her carefully crafted defenses and becoming visible to the other woman. Instead, Shredded Promises barks at the warrior harrassing the soldier, his voice harsh, deep, and strangely raw around the edges, as if the vocal chords of the corpse he's currently piloting are already coming apart, inch by inch. His Riverspeak carries the unmistakable accent of some kind of Firetongue dialect. It also sounds antiquated, much more familiar to what Divya might have grown up hearing. "Cease, you fool. Leave her be, lest her master hwould take up his menacing posturing again." The undead obey, grudgingly but immediately. After this, their leader returns his unflinching eyes, dead but alive with feverish purpose, back to Divya. He must have overheard the entire conversation, hovering so close to the Envoy. Yet, he withholds his judgement - instead, he locks eyes with Chorus for a moment, and then abruptly lowers his gaze. After that strange exchange, the Envoy's voice pipes up, solemn and composed. Her face betrays nothing, or so she hopes. "Ah, now I can see the issue. Such a force acting upon Creation, as you put it, would not simply disrupt the god's paperwork, but could cause other issues. A cascade, so to speak." She mulls this over a bit more, gently rubbing her nose as to not smear the paint. "Which begs the question: Why are ~you~ here? How do you know this happened? This is all very mysterious." The Envoy sounds very pleased at that verdict. It seems Divya isn't the only one who likes mysteries.
Mahendru Divya	The antics of the undead are even more distracting than Derwyn's strange men. Divya hasn't had many occasions to actually watch animated corpses, much less those animated by ghosts or whatever semblance of life was making these bodies more than mindless. The speech by Shredded Promises alone was curious and interesting and oddly familiar. His silent exchange with the Envoy goes unremarked and seemingly unnoticed by Divya, who is well aware she lacks the context and isn't sure getting the context is worth the trouble. Instead, she looks back to the Envoy with her solemn and composed manner. And she nods, smiling slightly, her eyes alight with genuine admiration. As if Chrous' answer was more 'right' than the average response to an explanation like this, which of course is exactly the case. And then comes the predictable redirect. Or, given Divya had skirted away from personal details previously, then comes the predictable deflection of her earlier deflection. "I'm here to stop more murders, just as I said before. I know it happened because it's an obligation of mine to know. Just as Inauspicious Icons has the grave misfortune to have befriended me, so it's my misfortune to wind up in all manner of places in the Hundred Kingdoms if that's where misfortune takes me." "It is an -honor- to serve Heaven," Inauspicious Icons grumbles from beneath the Sidereal. "And it's an -honor- to guard the crumbled ruin where a bedroom for a long-gone empire once stood, isn't it," she rebuts. "It -is-". "I know, I was agreeing with you." The Lion Dog swivels his head back and frowns at Divya. "You were agreeing sarcastically." "Sarcasm? From me? -Never-." "You're doing it again!" "Make sure you write that down in your report!" As the jade lion subsides in irritated grumbles, Divya swings her smile back to Chrous and shrugs. "You see what I have to put up with?"
The Mournful Chorus	"I can see it quite clearly. Clear as my own nose." The Envoy does not sound sarcastic. Perhaps she doesn't have to. Nevertheless, she permits her throat to produce a deep chuckle. Shredded Promises simply huffs. It's not that the... ghost, maybe...? ...lacks humor; a glint of amusement at the exchange between lion-dog and rider is still visible in his eyes. But he seems extremely reluctant to take an active part in the conversation for some inscrutable reason, despite paying close attention to the exchange. The reward for his silence? A look of profound fondness, courtesy of the one he calls the Hallowed Voice. She meets Divya's eyes, examining the green orbs, maybe hoping to find those tiny specks of starlight again. "So you serve Heaven, despite not being a god. Truly, life is full of surprises." Upon hearing these words from her, Shredded Promises coughs wetly, which the Envoy ignores, continuing: "That deathknight certainly will be in for a surprise, with such a colorful group of pursuers joining forces to hunt him down." She smiles briefly, seemingly pleased with how things are developing, then puts on a more solemn expression: "Know that the dead don't care much about Heaven, or whether their death happened at the fated moment in a manner written into some scroll somewhere in an archive they're never going to see. It all becomes meaningless when you awake in the Underworld, confused and in desperate need of company, guidance, and nourishment."
Mahendru Divya	"Every priest serves Heaven," Divya says with a grin. "I'm nothing special." Then, thinking better of it, she amends with "Well, every priest of a God serves Heaven, I should say. There are, after all, priests who serve the religions and whims of other powers than Yu-Shan's." The switch to discussing the deathknight and Chrous' general remarks about the dead are met with great interest on the Sidereal's part. "Yes, well...not to put too fine a point on it, but Heaven doesn't care much about the dead either. So if the dead are disinterested, I can't say I blame them whatsoever. I think the usual expectation is that when one dies, one should just...accept it and get on with reincarnating instead of lingering on. Of course, that expectation is made by those who are immortal and who have never felt the creep of advancing age or the pain of great works left unfinished. I don't especially expect to stay on after -I- die but I also don't know what I'll have left unfinished by them." That thought makes her grow introspective for a long minute. Clearly this is someone who has great works left unfinished, for now. "Is that where you come in, Envoy?" she asks, finally coming out of her inner deliberation. "And these friends of yours are, what, aides in your work to help those who linger?"
The Mournful Chorus	The Envoy's laughter chimes through the night. "Oh no, they are here because they know how to stab things. I try my very best to seek diplomatic resolutions to a conflict, but even I realize that some problems require less peaceful approaches." At this, Shredded Promises nods in approval, one hand resting on the hilt of the curved, wide-bladed sword on his hip, which thankfully still rests inside a scabbard wrapped in red velvet. "I come in where both living and dead are willing to listen with an open mind", the Envoy declares after a brief pause. "Ghosts without descendants to supply them with prayer and grave goods are miserable indeed. They shouldn't be punished for simply ~existing~, no matter whether Heaven, the Immaculates, or anyone else approves of their souls lingering after death." That statement is punctuated by several stern, even prideful looks at both Divya and the lion-dog, daring them to disagree. "Much like you, I travel to where I'm needed, and leave when my business is done", she concludes - only to apruptly throw back a question at Divya: "Have you ever hunted a deathknight before? What do you know about them, o Divya, priest of Nothing-Special?" Here, she shows a wide grin only for a moment, like the minute glint of a dagger's blade in the dark.
Mahendru Divya	Chorus' easy laughter about the role of violence in diplomacy draws an answering smile from Divya. She pats the dignified jade lion she's riding, which given she's riding backwards to talk for the moment, means she's basically patting him on the butt. Which the aforementioned dignified jade lion huffs and makes a show of his displeasure, which she ignores. At the challenging look, Divya's eyebrows simply rise as she says "What -can- you do about ghosts who don't have descendents, though? What options do they have, and what options can someone like you provide them?" Then, upon being questioned herself, Divya shrugs and shakes her head. "No, I've heard of Deathknights but I don't have any particular experience with them. I know little more than public rumor might yield, to be honest. I know that a dozen are said to have helped the Mask of Winters bring Thorns low. It's said more wander Creation, perhaps in league with ancient, powerful ghosts or perhaps as..." she smirks then and gestures towards Chrous "Perhaps as Envoys like yourself. It's an interesting topic, of course. Ghosts have been possessing mortal remains or even living mortals for centuries. But these deathknights are said to wield the power of the Exalted. Which God gave them their power, do you think? For Exaltation is of the Gods...and yet, the power of Deathknights seems rooted in the Underworld and Yu-Shan's purviews only border the Grave, they don't lay claim to what is inside of it. Perhaps Taru-Han, who you mentioned?" She grins wickedly as she adds "Or perhaps Saturn, the Maiden of Endings? Or do you have another idea, I wonder? Something to think about. Perhaps our good friend Deryl has insight to shed, he might know more firsthand than either of us given where he's from..."
Deryl Laklan	Deryl was tired for it was a long walk as they have yet to arrive in the city where the gentlemanly deathknight. Even if he's chosen, he's not immune to the fatigue as he gets hot water from his satchel while mixing it in a cup he brought while mixing it with grinded coffee powder. Although quality is worse and isn't up to standards, it's better than nothing. "Oh sorry if I wasn't responding, I was thirsty and needed some coffee" However he was intrigued by the conversation between the envoy and the mysterious woman that knows about gods. "So there are divinities out there that just dictates when a person dies like this goddess Saturn you mentioned? Although I'm disturbed about the fact that there are gods that just plan our lives, the fact you mentioned "they aren't supposed to die" unnerved me even more" Deryl isn't exactly the type to know deeply about the gods as he only learned the basics through hearsay. As Divya is seemingly knowledgeable about the divine even if she's mortal, he then says a joke. "So if gods control aspects of creation, are there even gods that are responsible for the rain, food of all things and the northern lights?" Seemingly a question made in a jest with random examples. "And you mean my experience in Thorns or as a chosen of the little gods?" He responds to Divya but is not sure what she meant.
The Mournful Chorus	When the wonderful aroma of coffee - even though it's arguably bad coffee - drifts over to her, the Envoy inhales deeply. She doesn't ask for a cup herself, seemingly content with just the smell. For the moment, no opinions on the subject of deathknights are forthcoming from her. Divya's musings certainly didn't fall on deaf ears, but the small woman doesn't respond immediately. Instead, she lets Deryl join in on the merry game of "Ask Divya anything" with a slight smirk. "I remember coffee", rumbles Shredded Promises next to her. He doesn't bother to lower his voice. "It hwas delicious. Now, there is a certain cultivar they harvest in Kesundang..." Chorus shoots him a bemused look and softly shakes her head, causing him to trail off and fall silent. The Envoy then addresses Divya: "I'm sure Deryl is the right person to ask about those deathly knights. Not only because of his heritage and what he went through. He actually gained some notoriety opposing them."
Mahendru Divya	Divya turns to Deryl when the mercenary captain started asking questions. She looks thoughtful as she considers his questions. "There are a million Gods in Heaven and in Creation," she says at last. "I can't say I know them all. But most of the things people take for granted have a God assigned to them, making sure they work. Including lifespan. It's complicated, as any bureaucracy tends to be." She manages a faint smile. "And yes, there are Gods that oversee the rain, the growth of food in general or of a specific crop. Even the northern lights." To his final question, Divya shrugged and said "I meant your experience in Thorns. I have to admit, I don't know a lot about the Chosen of the Little Gods. Even if someone set out to be an expert in all of them, they're as varied as the Gods themselves and that's a lot of scholarly ground to cover." When Chorus offers her observation, the woman in travel robes riding backwards on a jade lion leans over a little to look more intently at Deryl. "Oh? Notoriety? I do love a good story." She grins and gives every sign of being deeply interested in the answers.
Deryl Laklan	"Ah my notoriety. When I was gathering whatever refugees I can find from the clutches of the deathknights, I usually strike at villages and small settlement near Thorns and parts of the Scavenger Lands, those that surrendered to the Mask Of Winter's forces either through fear or that they are puppeted by sympathizers to the Mask. I heard there are others like me trying to help the people of Thorns, but I haven't meet them yet" He recounts his experience as one of the figures attempting to free Thorns from the clutches of the dead. "Admittedly I barely engage the champions of death, as my main priority is to free any refugees captured by them. I once fought one with my blade in a swordfight but it was a stalemate. From what I know about them, is that they oddly have long titles instead of names like the one that fight me that said he was "Avenging Angel Whose Wings Herald Ruin or whatever" but can't remember his full title. He was a ferocious lad to fight, but I managed to injure him but reinforcements were coming thanks to the forces of other deathknights. I would have continued to fight him, but I did what I needed to do since I managed to let the villagers escape from their homes, but they were headed for Lookshy instead of following me, so it was ok" He then continues giving more details as he sips his coffee. "But there are refugees that followed me and we settled in the Hundred Kingdoms. Even if we can't retake Thorns, we had to start a new. I still haven't named it yet but hopefully it's not as long as the title those deathknights and their followers keep calling me, since I heard they named me "Diamond Devil Prince Of The Shimmering Hell" which is a mouthful for me" Deryl has an irritated expression when he mentions the moniker he earned. The exigent of diamonds then turns to Divya. "Do those gods have chosen too? I wonder how an exigent of food works or one whose God represents the northern lights"
The Mournful Chorus	Both the Envoy and Shredded Promises - plus several others of the undead marching along within earshot - look extremely interested in Deryl's recounting of his previous encounters with the Mask of Winter's forces. Just like Divya, they watch the Exigent with deep curiosity. "Whoever conceived of that sobriquet clearly doesn't like diamonds", says the Envoy with a lopsided grin - to no one in particular and everyone at once. "I don't know what else they're capable of, but if the man we're hunting is one of them, and if they truly have the awesome powers of the Chosen, well... we're fortunate to count an Exalt among us whose might can withstand them." There's movement around her eyes, made difficult to discern by the hood's shadow, although one can just so imagine her winking at Deryl. Then, she awaits Divya's response to the Exigent's question. Maybe the subject of the fabled Exigents interests her as well.
Mahendru Divya	First hand experience against the Deathknights is rare and Divya is unsurprisingly fascinated to hear Deryl's tale. "If you have any observations on the kind of magics they use, perhaps what we should be prepared for, I'd find that most useful." As if the thought had just occurred to her, the Sidereal turns to look at Chorus and adds, "I don't know what an Envoy of the Dead might know of Deathknights either but I'd love to learn. The Gods hold much wisdom but very little of the Grave has ever received much interest in Yu-Shan." "The Chosen of the Gods..." Divya huffs out a long sigh at the big question box the mercenary captain just poked. "Well, Exaltation was created long ago. -Very- long ago. So long ago that few records exist of how it was intended to work, just as there are few actual treatises on exactly how rain nourishes crops. These are fundamental forces so much a part of our lives for so long, they are almost articles of faith." Glancing between the two, she says "You've probably heard stories about the Chosen of the Sun and the Moon. Certainly the Realm has strong feelings on those. And you know about the Dragon-Blooded I'm sure. These Exalts number in the hundred, the Terrestrial Exalts number in the tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands in all of Creation. These were wrought at the hands of the Icarna themselves, or of the Primordial who so loved one of them that she gave her own energies to create Chosen." "But the Exigence is something else. Again, it's ancient beyond belief and the precise rules of how it works aren't well known even to the Gods, much less those who work for them." She flashes a quick self-conscious smile. "But it allows Gods to give of themselves to create Chosen. Exalts take great power, mind you. Most Gods don't have the strength to make even one, except in rare occasions where they've given up their life to empower their Champion. A few have more than one running around. The thing to remember is, the Exalted are weapons of purpose and you don't go making one unless you have a particular problem to solve with one. Usually it's a problem you expect to be around so long that it's worth draining yourself permanently to make a champion whose power can be passed on after death, so that they can keep fighting the problem they were made to fix." "So, to your earlier question about how an Exigent of Food or Northern Lights works, they likely have some Charms specific to the niche of their God. Perhaps an Exigent of Food can make crops grow, or one of the Northern Lights might ofter wisdom or magical guidance. It's just as likely, though, that they'll wield Charms like powers against vermin, flood or disaster in the case of the Exigent of Food. Or for the Champion of the Northern Lights, perhaps Charms that can destroy or bind the Fair Folk." Shen then offers an apologetic smile. "Too much? I do enjoy a good dissertation now and again, like any scholar."
Deryl Laklan	"So if for example the chosen of the northern lights exist, they may have powers related to wisdom and guidance? Interesting, if they do exist, I hope they serve Creation well....." He chuckles but then for few split seconds, his expression turns grim while his eyes are dead on the inside. Then he shrugs it off with a simple smile on his face, as if he's feeling ok. "Well that is interesting to learn more about the chosen of Creation, but I bet those dragonblooded will be pissed that the anathema are the chosen of the sun and moon you mentioned." He then expresses his interest in the topic of the exigence. "Ah so little gods can even die when making their own champions? Maybe that's what happened to the god that has given me this exaltation. I wonder if exigence can also be stored in objects? Sounds silly but I don't know much until now." He speculates if that's even possible but dismisses that theory himself.
The Mournful Chorus	Deryl still seems firmely latched onto the subject of Exigence, despite Divya's attempts at steering the conversation towards a more pressing topic - like how to best deal with the entity they are hunting, and what kind of nasty surprises to expect from the deathknight. Not that the Envoy doesn't seem quite curious herself. She listens attentively to Divya's lengthy monologue, careful to keep all the signs of interest in her face from varying too much, or not at all, making it hard to tell which part of the lecture piques her interest more than the rest. But her eyes flit over to Deryl as he speaks again. This time, she really pays attention to his body language, and the way his expression momentarily shifts towards gloom after that chuckle doesn't escape the Moonshadow's senses. Despite her lack of knowledge in matters of Exigence, she is the one to respond to his speculation before Divya can. "All very reasonable questions. Were I in youre position, I would be wondering the same." Her nod of approval is followed by a sympathetic smile. "But, you know... I've been asking myself something else: If you don't know who blessed you with Exaltation, how are you so certain that you're the Exigent of Diamonds, and not... let's say... the Exigent of shimmering swords?" The Envoy gestures towards Deryl's daiklave. "Are your powers related to being shiny and extremely hard, or what?"
Mahendru Divya	Divya looks contemplative as she searches her memories for what she remembers of the Northern Lights specifically. Almost as if talking to herself, she says "The Northern Lights are...if memory serves, there was an Incarna named Aurora who was the God of the lights in the skies." With a glance at Chorus, she smirks while adding "As we were discussing earlier, the Sun and the Moon aren't the only two Incarna out there. The Five Maidens," and she points out five different bright points of light since it's still dark out as they travel, "also number among them. In the ancient days, there were more. I believe Aurora was the name of the one who governed the lights of the north. But, like many, I don't think he survived the Divine Revolution. He likely had Chosen but those often don't survive the death of the Incarna that made them either. So...no, maybe not the best example for an Exigent." Noticing that he's continued on this theme, she says "If you like, I'll see if I can look up something more about him after this investigation's concluded." Divya then smiles at Deryl's mentioning of the Dragonblooded. "I'm sure it's a long story, how the Chosen of the Sun and Moon were named Anathema by the Realm. A long story indeed," she muses, clearly not acquainted with that story and clearly not itching to tell it. "Yes, Gods dying to empower their Champions is a pretty well known historical fact. Especially in times of crisis. Stored in objects, though?" She thinks. "I suppose that would depend on the nature of the God. Usually not, but it's entirely possible I suppose. Some Gods of sufficient power might have imbued, oh, a sword or a necklace or something of significance. Taking up the object or even touching it might trigger the Exaltation in that case. It's rare but it's been known to happen. I'd have to think about it if you're wanting a particular name, though. It's been a few years since I last read up on Exigents specifically." Yes, the Sidereal's rather verbose but the questions asked so far have been both the kind she delights in answering, and not questions aimed at discovering her nature, which lets her enjoy being a teacher as an Intimacy on her sheet might well suggest. Chorus' questions are good questions and she shrugs and nods before saying "Your powers likely hold some answers to who Chose you," she says to Deryl.
Deryl Laklan	Although seemingly jolly at first but once the Moonshadow pierced his lies, he cracks as if it's a fake gem cracking under pressure. He then halts and an eerie silence fills the usual serene evenings. His soldiers also stop with him eerily and then has a sorrowful look on his face "So this Aurora died? Her chosen probably lost forever....if they are alive, are they cursed with something? Like a hunger that gnaws on the soul......" As both pierced his lies, it seems his sadness is that of an orphan hearing about what happened to their parents as they find out they are dead. He then kneels on both legs, holding his adamant daiklave as he is shocked by this revelation. The source of his gift of exaltation now long dead, the only remnants of their champions reduced to monsters that devour the will of other remain. "If they are around and their god still lived, I bet they will be just as glorious as the other chosen....." Deryl stands up collecting his composure and still lies to both that he's just an exigent. But it seems this lie is for himself. "I'm certain I'm the exigent of diamonds for I easily bonded with this crystal blade." Well he is right about the diamond chosen part, but he's no exigent. "They could have been just as great....." He mutters again regarding Aurora's champion
The Mournful Chorus	The Envoy slows her steps, of course. No sense in walking by when something this ~interesting~ is taking place right in front of her. Her monkey's anxious hissing briefly diverts the Abyssal's attention away from Deryl - towards the living soldiers around her, which have managed to unnerve her pet with their perfectly synchronized movements. She cradles the undead animal in her arms, stroking its fur to sooth him. A decend way to deflect attention from her face - should anyone actually get the idea to look at her, which right now seems unlikely. Even Shredded Promises utters a short command to bring his warriors to a halt and looks utterly transfixed by the Exigent's sudden breakdown. With a few precise glances at the people surrounding her, living or dead, Chorus stirs her deathly Essence, gently feeling around the invisible web that connects people, and communities, and societies. She knows how to walk that web, and wonders if there is a way to be able to learn more than what her eyes and ears tell her. Is Deryl's reaction real, or just a an act? What does Divya think about all this? How do Deryl's bleak-eyed comrades feel right now, if they even have feelings left? Into the stretching silence after Deryl's sorrowful words, her gentle voice asks: "What do you mean, 'cursed'? Did the Wyld get into your head?" She slowly shakes her head. "You poor man."
Mahendru Divya	Divya's pleasure in reciting ancient, dried up lore dries up as well, when she realizes the magnitude of what this apparently means to Deryl. For, despite his repeated claim, it seems pretty obvious now that his questions aren't academic. So the Sidereal nudges Inauspicious Icons in the side with her heel, drawing a reproachful glare from the Lion Dog...who promptly realizes everyone else has stopped and then stops as well. For a moment, she considers slipping from her best friend's back and hugging the lost Chosen. But such casual physical intimacies have only been a tool for her and, seeing something real, she feels uncomfortable enough using such a tool on this man. Instead, she nods in Chorus' direction at her questions, and nods once at the other woman's last statement of sympathy. To it, she adds in as kind of a tone as she can manage: "The Divine Revolution was a disaster exceeded only by the Great Contagion, against an incomprehensibly vast foe. Many Exalts and their Gods perished liberating Creation from those who would have kept us all as slaves. I don't remember Aurora's fate, exactly, but-" But then Deryl's words tickle her memory. A dead Incarna, murdered. Cursed Chosen? Cursed with hunger? Why does that sound familiar? Shaking off her brief reverie, she finishes by saying gently "But only seven Incarna reside in Yu-Shan now, and I believe they are the only Incarna to have survived the Divine Revolution. Unless you know something I don't?" she suddenly asks her mount." "Before my time," rumbles Inauspicious Icons. "Right. I can't immediately recall a case of an Exalt outliving their Incarna but it's not impossible either. And if one lives, so might the others. Only the Incarna had the power to make many Champions, whose Exaltations would endlessly survive death and incarnate in future Champions. Such Exaltations might be, at best, locked away for a time but not destroyed. ...If one Champion still lives, likely the others do too. They wouldn't be...alone." Divya's whole being radiates compassion and concern for Deryl at this moment. She feels sorrow, pity and a bit of sympathy. She also feels a bit concerned, as -something- about a dead Incarna and hungry Chosen reminds her of something. She has no direct Tie to Deryl but she -does- have a mildly Negative Minor Tie of Wariness towards Exigents. She also has a Minor Principle of "Curses are awful tools of last resorts" which is very much being drawn upon in this conversation, and a Major Principle of "Helping people and saving mortals matters to me" which is also very much in evidence right now. Her current intentions are to offer Deryl comfort and information, with a view of helping him move on so they can get on with the investigation. She's not heartless about it but, despite her outwardly facing show of concern, this investigation is very much the reason she's here and that hasn't slipped for a moment.
Deryl Laklan	As Deryl feels a flurry of emotions, even his soldiers are afflicted by their bond with him, although they fear their master but can't do anything "No it's not about the Wyld, diamonds can shine but they enthrall others with it's beauty. My men, the Devoured Sinners Menagerie are an example of such dread power. You see, I am no better than a hungry ghost for I devour the will of others. I know of this since I unfortunately meet my past incarnation's hungry ghost. He himself is not aware of who Aurora is, but even if he does, he won't care for he was a decadent person" He then recounts more of his encounter with the Hungry ghost that originally carried his exaltation "I left him since he wanted me to be like him. I wandered the Scavenger Lands, but he was right about the hunger. I could not bear to devour the souls of the innocent, so I resorted in targeting vile sinners such as bandits. Both are equally questionable, so I choose the lesser evil" He had no choice lest the hunger drives him to become a more foul monster. "I remember the ghost claimed we are called Hearteaters or what he likes to call, the "Anathema Among Anathema" for he was betrayed by other chosen after the Shogunate's fall for his actions. When I abandoned him, he mockingly called me that and claimed that the other chosen will turn on me. When I touched the opal bones that gave me this exaltation, I also felt an emotion of the feeling of getting betrayed...whatever those memories are, they were far older than even my past incarnation"
The Mournful Chorus	The Envoy's head tilts precariously sideways as she stares at Deryl, processing - dissecting - his ramblings. A sudden, heavy silence descents on her undead entourage, a funeral veil woven from equal parts confusion, disbelief, and revulsion. Then, the whispering begins. Angry murmurs pass between the nemissaries as they draw closer together, fondling with their weapons, giving Deryl's uncanny soliders a wide berth. Like a flock of dark birds, they descent on Chorus, congregating around her, despite neither her nor Shredded Promises having uttered so much as a single command. Speaking of Shredded Promises: He positions himself between Deryl and the Envoy, not stepping directly in front of her, but shielding at least half of her body with his own. Even Divya and the lion-dog seem to be of little concern to him now. "Hallowed Voice..." The words buzzing from his throat ring with about equal parts frustration, violent anger, and concern. "This one is either mad, or extremely dangerous, if he speaks the truth. We should leave. Now." The Envoy turns her head, still silent, and her eyes find Divya. She has seen, and felt, the genuine compassion towards Deryl in that woman. How is she going to react to this revelation?
Mahendru Divya	Well, that's a revelation. All of the old texts she'd researched in the Forbidding Manse of Ivy, all the revelation packed into her Year and a Day training, it all came back to her once Deryl started talking about devouring the will of others, nailed down once he brought up 'Hearteaters'. Divya keeps her expression of sorrowful concern and a display of sympathy. She's afraid now, though. At least, that's the first reflex. Then she starts to think. About the legends of what Aurora's Chosen were like. Their powers, their very nature had been twisted. But it was still -useful- power. And though Deryl had clearly enthralled the soldiers with him, making them pawns, it was only a degree more invasive than the unquestioning loyalty a Solar could inspire. Than the fervor to the cause-of-the-moment that a Sidereal could stir up. Or even in the Dragon-Blooded's loyalty Charms, culminating in the Silent Legion. Either way, they still had a Deathknight to deal with and a Hearteater's Charms and minions could be very useful in settling that problem out. Divya's utilitarian shift in thinking is still concealed casually behind the guise of an itinerant investigator who felt badly for the man. So she followed it up with carefully chosen remarks. "I'm not one to judge. I'll just point out that all kinds of countries deal with certain crimes by killing those who do them. At least these men are useful to someone besides themselves now." Does she actually believe that? Not really. Slavery is terrible. But she'll need time to read up on if the Hearteaten could be saved or cured first, and they still had a job to do. "I can't speak to what memories you may have, from other lives," Divya adds, still being careful. "Although remembering a prior incarnation is at least mildly common. Aurora wasn't betrayed, though, not that I can remember. He was just overwhelmed. The enemy kept him alive just long enough to try cursing his Exalts, for the Primordials had already realized the Exalted were the strongest weapons fielded in those days and they'd failed at every effort to permanently destroy them. Perhaps a curse might accomplish what destruction couldn't." She sighs once and shrugs helpelssly. "It's been a -very- long time since I read up on the Divine Revolution. But I don't remember reading that the Exalted betrayed each other. I'm not sure what happened after the war, but during the war, Aurora's Exalts were heroes." She smiles now, cautiously. "Just as you can be."
Deryl Laklan	Deryl closely listens to Divya's words about what she knows about the chosen of Aurora. Even if she's knowledgeable about the exalted, it seems the details are still muddled at best. Although his sorrow is tainted with anger once he hears his God's death may have been an elaborate way to curse them. "You're right, I shouldn't just wallow here all because I heard the death of my patron is what turned me into this" He wipes of his tears as he smiles, once he hears he can still be as heroic as other chosen even if he's hindered by this curse. "I can still try even if this once glorious power is now tainted by whatever curse the enemies of the gods laid upon me" His resolve is restored even if he's a bit battered and still depressed by the revelation of his exaltation's true origins. "Aurora may be dead now and his exaltation's trapped in bones of opal, but I shall not falter in his name."
The Mournful Chorus	After watching this display of careful compassion - which is certainly at least in part motivated by Divya's own obligations, as Chorus now knows - the Envoy reaches up towards her bodyguard's arm, which is already reaching for a weapon, and presses it down, gently but firmely. "No", she tells Shredded Promises, which elicits a deep frown from him. "Don't ge me wrong... I ~do~ think he's dangerous. But maybe not to us, not now. And the ancestral ghosts didn't send us here to turn around at the first hint of trouble." She speaks in a hushed voice, but very deliberately not in a whisper - in the quiet woods and with nobody else talking, both Deryl and Divya should be able to make out what she is saying. The nemissary mutters something much more subdued in return to her, sounding not convinced at all. But he doesn't try to stop her as she sidesteps him and walks a few steps towards Deryl. "Divya is right", she tells him, speaking softly, like she was trying to sooth a wounded animal, a gentle, yet shaky smile audible in her voice. It's carefully crafted to sound exactly like that. "All of that sounds horrible, and I can see how devastating that is to you. I'm not willing to trust you yet, but for the sake of the ancestors who depend on us... let's try working together. Let's see what kind of man you really are."
Mahendru Divya	Seeing Chous' example, Divya finally does slip down the back of Inauspicious Icons and approaches Deryl on foot as well. She raises both hands on approach, palms turned up, in a universal gesture of peace and welcome. If possible, she gets close enough to hug the man or at least pat him affectionately on the arm or something. "The few stories I remember of Aurora, he brought peace and light and beauty of Creation. We're, all of us, diminished by his loss. Grieving him is understandable, normal, it means something. You're not wrong to do so. And if you are cursed, then the curse comes from the enemies he gave his life fighting. Those locked away within Malfeas, or those struck down and doomed to everlasting entropy in the Underworld somewhere." She smiles then. "In the meantime, you can still do good, the way Aurora wanted his Chosen to do. Be a legacy to honor him. And perhaps there's a way to undo this curse. I don't know, I told you what I read was very long ago. But you can rest assured, Deryl, that I will be looking into the topic again especially now that I know what to look for." "Once I've had a chance to visit some libraries and speak to some ancient acquaintances, I will gladly share with you what I can. If nothing else, you deserve to know more about Aurora. And, perhaps, he still has places of power his Chosen should inherit. Or allies, even divine children, who might rejoice to see one of his Chosen walking free and in good conscience." She extends her hand in an open offer to shake. "I'd like to be one of them." Accepting the handshake or not, she attempts to instill her Major Intimacy of "Helping people and saving mortals matters to me", which would be Major for Deryl for the scene and then subside to Minor thereafter (but you can count it as Defining for the purpose of gaining Willpower from upholding or for the purposes of the Sidereal's other Charms and other magic, for as long as he keeps the Intimacy.)
Deryl Laklan	Even if his soul hungers for the free will of others, something deep within him awakens. The longing to become a true champion protecting Creation, as the foundations of his resolve are solidified further. Whether there is a cure to his King's condition or not, he will uphold Aurora's legacy for corrupted or not, they are still his chosen. "Thanks, both of you.....I expected you would have ran away from me after I revealed my curse, but you both stayed just to bring me out of my personal darkness" He smiles lightly as he wipes off the last of his tears from his eyes "I'll make sure this deathknight will not succeed with whatever he is doing. He is a threat to both the living and the dead" As the exalts are close to Iron Simhata, they can see the city state in the horizon thanks to it's spires, fortified walls, fine architecture the Age Of Sorrows has to offer, and of course statues of the city's patron god that depicts a man with the head of a simhata dressed in a blacksmiths attire. There is something else in the city, for there is a bleak tower eclipsing that of the others. The chosen of the Heron's heartstone can sense deathly essence converging into that dark spire.