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The Mournful Chorus	Now that the group is nearing the end of their journey, with the fortification and tall spires of Iron Simhata visible against the night sky, bathing under the full moon's cold light, the Envoy slows her pace, but continues to walk, absorbing the vista. She takes several long looks at the fine architecture, the simhata-headed depictions of what appears to be a local deity, and of course, that dark tower eclipsing all else. With a light touch, her fingers brush over the small obsidian gemstone at the collar of her cloak. At the edge of the forest, close to what appears to be a wide open road leading towards the city, she finally stops and motions towards her entourage and Deryl to do the same. Since Divya and Inauspicious Icons are still riding in front, she also lets them know. "I don't have to point out that we're about to reach our destination", she says to both the Hearteater and the Sidereal. "You can see that yourself. Before we press on, there's something we need to sort out." The hood-shadowed face turns towards Deryl. While most of her expression is hard to read in the darkness, the Envoy appears to be concerned about something. "Deryl Laklan, you have been distrustful of myself and my companions from the start." Her earnest, matter-of-fact tone doesn't make it sound like an accusation. "Many among the living experience disquiet in the company of the dead... or of those who consort with them. I've experienced this firsthand, quite often, in fact." She points at herself. "For you see, I was born and raised in a shadowland, among people who mingled with their honored dead without fear. I didn't even realize this wasn't common practice everywhere - until I left my home..." While she talks, she slowly walks a bit closer to Deryl, and a slow, tentative smile spreads across her lips. "You've asked for my name, and while I don't use it much these days, I will give it to you: You may call me Echo." Echo dips her head in a slight bow to Divya and Deryl both, then continues to address the latter: "What you've described of your powers sounds terrifying, but I also recognize your need to use them for good, as much as that's even possible." "We have a common enemy, you and I. That deathknight will find it easy to sow discord among us, unless we put aside our differences and work together. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt. All I'm asking is that you extend me the same courtesy." She extends a hand towards him, and her voice turns a bit more gentle. "Do we have an agreement?"
Mahendru Divya	Divya looks with interest upon Iron Simhata as the group draws near to it. While she's widely traveled in the East especially, this is her first time visiting this particular city. This puts her in a good mood for the journey. She's inclined to keep moving forward, until Chorus calls for a halt. The Sidereal then watches the Envoy make a plea for solidarity with Deryl. It's...interesting to watch. There's some familiarity there, in terms of the Envoy's conversational approaches, how she makes an appeal, and how she makes use of that look of concern. The mentioning of growing up in a Shadowland might be true. Yet another name, Echo this time, might be true. But Divya feels enough in common with the other woman to not believe a word of it. Well, except for the actual proposed agreement. Whatever her motives and agenda, there -is- an overarching danger. One the Envoy has unique experience to offer. While this conversation doesn't need a response from her, at this point, Divya nods slowly as 'Echo' reaches the end of her appeal. "Well said," she comments at the end.
Deryl Laklan	Once the Hearteater sets his sights on Echo's offer. He hesitates considering the fact that his home city was taken by the forces of the undead and the new dark anathema that heralds the coming of the Mask Of Winters. There is resentment in his eyes against those simply touched with death but then, he realizes he will be a hypocrite if he dismisses them as all enemies of life itself, for he himself is now just as cursed as them and his kind can be no better than the deathknights. Unexpectedly he shakes her hand in agreement with her words. "I admittedly distrusted you all because you wear the visage of death besides your crew. But it seems my judgement of you was wrong all because of my experience" He says with acceptance in agreement with Echo. "Sure Echo, if this deathknight is a scourge to both living and dead, he must be stopped before he can cause more trouble" He gives a warm smile to Echo but sees that they are finally near the city.
The Mournful Chorus	"I knew you would see reason, Chosen of Aurora." Echo returns Deryl's smile, radiating the same warmth and determination while firmely shaking his hand. Despite that disquieting air surrounding her, the insect-hide cloak she has wrapped herself in, and the dubious company she keeps, her skin feels just as alive as Deryl's during their brief touch, before she withdraws. The undead have observed this exchange in grim, unnerving silence, often risking a glance or two at the eerily afflicted living soldiers. But nobody objects to the agreement. Not even the monkey, who has taken to the trees somewhere during the last part of their trip and now climbs back down to sit on the Envoy's shoulder once again. Echo then turns to Divya, offering a court nod. "Someone ~had~ to say it. Now that this is settled... what's our next move? Do we send scouts, or simply walk in and make our presence known?" She also looks at Deryl, then at his daiklave, obviously wondering if he had planned a more direct approach.
Mahendru Divya	Divya finishes watching the seemingly pleasant exchange and smiles in satisfaction before patting Inauspicious Icons on the side. "Still have their scent, my old friend?" she asks. "I do," the jade lion rumbles. Divya glances back at the other two and their entourages and raises an acknowledging eyebrow at Echo's perfectly reasonable 'what's next?' question. "Well, if I were by myself, I'd ask my partner here to dematerialize and I'd let him lead me on to our quarry before asking him to manifest again. For better or worse, a Lion Dog is -unusual- to the average city-dweller and word can sometimes spread faster than the fastest running pace. That said, I'm not by myself. Neither of the two of you look 'subtle', for better or worse. And we may not have much time before the Deathknight attempts to kill again." Divya glances back at the city walls, then slides down the Lion Dog's side to land neatly on the ground. "No, I think given the troops involved, our best plan is to just ask the keepers of the gate for entry into the city and convince them to let us in. Then, we follow the trail my partner finds and prepare to rush our target at the end, once they're in sight. Whoever they are, I doubt they're expecting -us- or this number. If we can spot them before they spot us, we can spread the troops out to box them in to keep them from running. And then, we deal with the Deathknight from a position of strength." She tilted her head, now considering a thought. "Do either of you have instructions you're acting under, as far as the Deathknight's concerned? Do you have orders to take them alive? Kill them? What were either of you planning to do once you found them?"
Deryl Laklan	"I'm alright if he's dematerialized, since his presence may alarm the deathknight that something is off" He comments regarding the plan and thinks of something but he lacks knowledge about how this city works. "I may claim I am an exigent mercenary simply looking for a job, but I do not know how the city's denizens will react to them. I also have an idea that we can draw the deathknight's attention to us but it's risky at best since we do not know the extent of his influence. He then turns towards Divya regarding the matter. "Hmm sure we'll try to ask the guards but before that, I wonder if we know something about this city state. Admittedly I'm new to the Hundred Kingdoms"
The Mournful Chorus	With her head tilted slightly towards Deryl, Echo listens to his musings, then shakes her head slowly and turns towards Divya as well. The question of what exactly they will do with said deathknight, once he has been found, still hovers in the damp night air. "Like I said when we ran into each other: I'm here on behalf of concerned ancestors. The ghosts of the deathknight's last victims - the ones we found earlier - did not appear in their designated afterlife... not even a single one. I want to find out what happened to them. This also means..." Here, she casts a long, scrutinizing glance at Deryl before picking up the end of her sentence and continuing: "...that my approach will be a diplomatic one at first, unless the answer is obvious, or we are met with immediate violence. A dead and broken deathknight won't be able to answer any questions." With a slightly exasperated sigh, Echo reaches up to stroke the monkey's fur and blinks at her troops. "My crew still looks alive enough, especially in the darkness. People won't notice unless they look really close... or are somehow able to detect body heat." She winks at Deryl, then turns to examine his soldiers. "The lion-dog can turn invisible, so his presence shouldn't cause a ruckus. As for your troops, Deryl... Can they pretend to be... not heart-eaten, or whatever you would call their state of being?"
Mahendru Divya	So the two preferred subtlety and the use of diplomacy. Well, so did she. Divya hadn't expected things to go quite this direction but neither did she mind. Sidereals lived and died by their adapability, after all. "Very well. My dear friend," she turns to Inauspicious Icons. "We'll try the diplomatic approach first. Would you mind returning to your natural state for now? I'll listen for your directions, as usual." "Hmmm," the jade lion grumbles. "Very well. I'll be watching. Be careful." "I'm always careful." The Lion Dog outright laughs at Divya's parting remark and abruptly turns translucent before fading away before the very eyes of those witnessing the scene. Divya then turns back, once more just an ordinary woman in traveling robes, nondescript, nothing to see here. She flashes a smile at Chorus and Deryl and gestures on towards the city gates. "Shall we?"
Deryl Laklan	As the Sidereal tries to remember what she knows about such a lesser city state in the Hundred Kingdoms, the city's citizens are actually descended from a Southern people who were followers of the smith god Nefer-Bel-Gevil, who was banished from a pantheon of gods ruling over a civilization near the Dying Sea when the waters were not drained, although it is unknown what happened to their original land as the records of it were lost. They migrated to the Hundred Kingdoms to make their own city where Nefer-Gevil reigns as a chief god. Thanks to the experience they got from their homeland since they were exiled like their god, they are distrustful and bitter towards outsiders for they only care about selling their products, namely metalworks and even hire their services as architects. Most of the citizens are all workers and crafters in some way, for they believe that if their magnum opus pleases Nefer-Bel-Gevil, he will be pleased and accept their work as they are blessed as they view their works as a judge of character. If their work is insufficient or flawed, their souls shall be cast out in their deaths, as they shall be ghosts who shall work forever in a terrible afterlife, doomed to repeat their imperfect works as Gevil is an overperfectionist god that expects a lot from his own followers. This caused the people to have a more obsessed mindset as they fear what will happen if they do not meet their God's expectations "Those enslaved by a Hearteater are called pawns from what I remember from my past life. I can command them to converse with each other to think nothing is amiss. Since we are mercenaries, people may expect they are just well disciplines"
The Mournful Chorus	The lion-dog's disappearance - or rather, dematerialization, although most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference - is met with brooding silence by the undead, while the diplomat clucks her tongue in satisfaction. "Pawns, huh?", echoes Echo, true to her name. Several of the nemissaries stare at Deryl's victims with unveiled discomfort and disguist. It seems even hardened undead warriors such as these ones have... limits. But the Envoy's demeanor remains cordial. She nods at Deryl. "Very well. If they can play pretend, my people could do likewise. Looking like mercenaries shouldn't be too difficult to them." With a bright smile, she turns toward Shredded Promises. "Your call, of course." The ghost, wrapped in someone else's dead flesh, heaves a sigh, then simply nods. "We will do our best. Stay close to me, Hallowed Voice." Although there is no visible change about him, Divya's senses, now attuned to the invisible world around her, can hear the bleak melody of the ghostly leader's Essence shifting, a low hum intermingling with it. Shredded Promises steps forward with Echo at his side, and the undead follow in loose formation. "There is something you should know", the Envoy says to her living companions. "First: I know a few tricks when dealing with the dead, and most of them work on other denizens of the spirit world. If we meet any, don't make any hostile move towards them unless they do so first." She then points at the dark, tall building towering over the city. "And second... my upbringing has made me sensitive to places that are touched by death. I can feel it in that tower. We should definitely investigate it, but only with great caution. Could be his lair..."
Mahendru Divya	Divya nods when Deryl elaborates on the name of his minions, frowns faintly as she meets the gaze of one of them, then looks away. Over at Chorus. Whose hooded guise is both mysterious and compelling. At least both groups of troops can attempt to blend in. Seeing the Captain and the Envoy ready to depart, Divya leads the way into the city since she's the one hearing the way to go by following the long familiar softly tinkling bells that her Charm tells her is her long familiar ally. While they proceed into the city, Divya listens to Chorus' final two tidbits of advice and fixes her eyes on that dark tall building. Curious. A useful alternative, if the trail goes cold. Perhaps the Deathknight is at home. Or perhaps... "These people will likely leave us alone if we leave them alone," Divya says to the others as they journey inwards. "Their focus is on their work, which they see as a necessary means to earn their God's favor and in so doing enjoy a happy afterlife. Failure dooms them to an eternity of ghostly labor, or so they believe." She shrugs, interested in any comment Chorus might make on that but not enough so to turn around (and thus risk bumping into other people on the street). "People so concerned with their personal accomplishments usually don't pay much attention to anyone else. Which is convenient for our travel through the city. -Inconvenient- for asking questions from the locals, however..." Then she shrugs. "I'm content to follow Inauspicious Icons for now, if it pleases you both."
Deryl Laklan	"A god that banishes people to an afterlife who failed him simply because their work wasn't enough? I know not everyone can accomplish something great in their life....but that feels wrong" Deryl comments as these people are pressured just to impress their god to receive their blessings in the afterlife, only for those who failed him are damned into an unlife of labor. "We still need to ask questions though. Hopefully one of them is at least kind enough to spill at least useful details about the city and whatever news they may have" The chosen of diamonds agrees with the plan of the others. He then commands his men to at least put on a semblance of individuality even if it's a farce. "My sight will also help in case there are hidden walking corpses nearby hidden among the populace although I won't attack but will be on guard unless they do so first" As the exalts go within the city, the people here are almost restless as they continue their hard work even at the dead of night. Even as some sleep, the light of the flames in the forges light up the city. Numerous statues of their simhata-headed Smith god litter the surroundings. Their workings vary from forging weapons, the most high quality and efficient of tools, or mere trinkets mostly as decorations or symbols of their gods. Besides the simhata headed Nefer-Bel-Gevil, there is sometimes a figure besides him whose similar but as a teenage girl with a parrots head and with wings, her feathers are encrusted with green jade while she is depicted as either planting something, weaving a dress or carrying a platter of food. Some of the statues of the figure has been torn or vandalized, suggesting that she isn't favored by the citizens
The Mournful Chorus	As they make their way into the city, with its streets still surprisingly crowded at this time of night, something about the Envoy changes. There's a gradual shift in her demeanor, her gait, her posture, the way she holds herself - so subtle one could easily miss the transformation by looking away at the wrong moment. Her presence no longer evokes such a pronounced response of unease in the living, and despite not having changed her attire or even lowering her hood, the aura of mystery around Echo fades into the background. Instead, she now walks with steady, elegant steps, a small but commanding figure, wholly at home in this city of feverish production and commerce, and yet a glamerous stranger from afar. Maybe she is a displaced noble looking to do business here, accompanied by loyal guards... and whoever Divya could appear to be. Although Echo takes note of the icons - especially those that have been victims of vandalism - she doesn't comment on them. There are too many gods in Creation, and dealing with them isn't what she has come here for. The monkey nervously bares its teeth at every passersby who ventures too close for its liking. Shredded Promises watches the crowd and the dark alleys they pass, determined to catch any sign of trouble before it becomes a problem. "I haven't heard of this particular afterlife before. Mhm... Maybe I should pay them a visit", Echo tells Divya's back. She tries to keep up, which is easier said than done. "How about we follow the lion's nose first? If that doesn't lead us anywhere, we could pretend to be potential buyers for the local's craft. The prospect of trade and a bit of coin should loosen their tongues, no matter how much they dislike disruptions."
Mahendru Divya	Divya shrugs at Deryl's remark. "Cosmology is a complicated subject, my friend. When people die, their higher soul typically passes into Lethe unless something compels them to remain and become a ghost. That's 'typically'. But it's said some souls can remain with their Gods. I have a..." she pauses, fishing for the right word before settling on, "coworker who made something of an investigation into whether or not the Terrestrial Exalted really do have 'elevated' higher souls, and whether or not a good, righteous life lived as a Terrestrial Exalt does allow one with Immaculate beliefs to join the Elemental Dragons or not. The evidence, as I understand it, is...mixed." Unlike the others, the Sidereal does look at the parrot-headed figure that's been defaced or damaged in several depictions. "Interesting," she remarks aloud. "A pantheon here? Something fairly recent happened that's changed these people's opinions on this one." Divya points at the latest vandalized statue. "Someone went through the trouble of carving this in the first place. And the people here respect that their work is done on Nefer-Bel-Gevil's behalf, for his approval. Even if someone didn't like this other God, I wonder if this kind of vandalism has spiritual implications for the one who made it. Does hurting someone else's work also harm their chances for their God's approval?" Divya frowns slightly and rubs her chin in thought. "Interesting." Chorus' suggestion meets with the Sidereal's approval and she glances back to nod. "Let's see where the trail leads. If we need to ask for answers..." Divya considers her own options for that, but then smiles as she considers the chance to see a bit more of Chrous' talents in action. "I'm glad we can count on you to help us get them," she finishes saying instead.
Deryl Laklan	"Creation is a large place after all so there is still a lot to learn" He's baffled yet at the same time impressed by Divya's knowledge about the world and how it works. "Besides the simhata headed one, I don't know who this bird headed figure is. But most of her statues seem to be broken He seems to be the only god here besides whoever the bird is." He comments as he himself notices the statues of the bird headed god are less prominent. As Divya follows the liondog, their trail leads to the same ebon tower from the horizon before. They can see it's still being built but there is an odd feeling just when being near the tower. There are however a lot of guards near the tower and it seems there are citizens converging there paying respects to their god, giving them offerings and praying to them. They notice most of the city's populace is near the tower as if there is an event here. The crowd cries out to their god, but the god didn't even show up.
The Mournful Chorus	Chorus only lends a single ear to that conversation about the bird-headed deity. Her focus lies elsewhere... namely, on the crowd congregated at the base of the tower. That very same tower that her Dark Omens Compass already pointed her toward, and in fact, keeps pointing even more persistently. In the comforting shadow of her hood, she keeps her face inscrutable, despite the elation welling up in her chest. To her eyes, the dark building doesn't appear bleak or foreboding, but beautiful. The deathly aura permeating it's stonework resonates with her Essence in a way that the living would never be able to understand. It takes considerable effort to maintain her composure, to appear just as concerned as her companions, to frown at the tower in gloomy apprehension. Once again, she applies that trick from before, spinning her Essence from mind to mind like an invisible web, and feels the subtle ebb and flow of the crowd's wailing, the sorrow in their hearts, the determined composure affected by Deryl, and Divya's concern over... something. Something important. After absorbing the scene for a while, she leans close to her partners in this hunt and says: "Can you make out what they're chanting and praying for? It looks like they're paying reverence, but I hear no joy in their voices. They lost someone, only recently. Someone of great import." Her gaze travels up, following the length of the tower. "There is a ~new~ god in town."
Mahendru Divya	Divya's frown deepens. "I hear mourning in their prayers to their old God, Nefer-Bel-Gevil. Given what we know, my -guess- at the moment is that our Deathknight managed to kill the God of these people and may have installed themselves as either ruler or that new God. We won't know until we ask, though." "Let's get closer." Divya proceeds to draw closer to the crowd and will even mingle with it, until she has a clearer line of sight to what theyr'e doing. With her Tell-Tale Symphony Charm still at work, hopefully it'll warn her if there are other spirits of any kind about. Time to get to the bottom of this. By listening for now, witnessing with her eyes, and potentially asking questions if there's no other way of getting to the truth. Why are there guards here, though? Who commands them? What exactly are they guarding?
Deryl Laklan	"You two can go ask. Even if my pawns went with you, the guards may notice my men can be perceived as a threat" It doesn't exactly help as there is a funeral for their own here, so security near this tower. As Divya comes closer to the crowd, the cries of morning are more audible. As she goes through, she can finally see the entrance of the tower has a podium as it seems the priests of the god are performing rights. "Everyone please be quiet. It's been two weeks that our god has passed away thanks to an unknown murderer on the loose. Thanks to the help of our benefactors, he aided us in constructing his great tomb-tower in his remembrance. The wandering philosopher "Deep Spiral" has granted us the money and even provided his skills in constructing the tower. In a few hours, the rites to finalize the tower's workings will be complete and to finally give our God the rest he deserves. He may die, but his lessons of perseverance and resilience will be eternal!" Then some of the crowd's tone change from sadness to anger. "It's all his daughter's fault! That brat abandoned his own father and left to become the goddess that wants to spread her worship to outsiders! She's the one who did this!" They hurl accusations towards the daughter however as there is another less prominent God here, it's probably her. "Calm down and no need to ask for her death. Gevil loved her even if she parted ways with him out of disagreement. Please do not bring her up"