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Bright Journey	Having scouted out the meeting site itself, Silk, Bright, Pearl and Makara have headed out well beforehand and staked a well-chosen spot between Great Forks and the meeting site just south of the Rolling River. There's a few trees for cover, a rocky outcropping a moderate distance away, and swaying plains grasses up to the knees. The weather is dark, deep, and overcast; well into evening and headed quickly towards the late night meeting arranged witth the Immaculate priest perhaps a mile away. A breeze sways the grasses and trees, the clouds drift eastward overhead, and while there's no rain yet there will surely be some before the dawn breaks. Bright is well-ensconced in the disguise Silk was kind enough to prepare for her. A humble, lesser serving-maid and assistant to the priest, she's clad in just the right kind of sturdy, well-made traveling dress and cape one might expect of the laity. Nicer than homespun, probably purchased for her b y the priest, with a bonnet to keep her long, dun-colored tresses out of her face. The bonnet shadows her eyes just so, making them difficult to spot.
Black Pearl	Black Pearl's disguise is greater than what others have seen of her before. To all senses, she is now a male wood-caste, hair shaved off, skin a lush green and 'his' eyes bright green. He's dressed in simple-styled but well-made Immaculate garb, marking him as a low-ranking acolyte. He waits closely, another junior partner to the senior priest.
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk feels she has been preparing for this role her entire life. In the guise of a higher up but not too high Immaculate priest. She looks rather immpatient and mildly annoyed at this point to be asked to meet some fool of a merchant so far out of town. She turns to her acolyte "The man had better have useful information or I promise I will ensure his next incarnation will be that of a beast of burden. Why we couldn't meet in the city defys me." She grumbles.
Tepet Makara	Makara is currently in his water dragon shape with a few modifications as he wears the garb of a Danaa'd devotee while wearing a cloak. Although he would have simply used his dynast guise, he fears he may risk his double life if he does use it for this mission. He goes by the name, Sharp Ice for now who is an outcaste known for his service under the Immaculate Order in the matters of war and battle.
Bright Journey	Beyond the farthest copse of trees in the distance, from the direction of the Great Forks docks comes the steady, wooden creaking of a wagon laden with goods, accompanied by the soft whinny of a horse doing the pulling. As it turns the corner behind the copse, a well-appointed wooden wagon appears, being pulled by a single strong-looking draft horse. The wagon is covered, but from the speed that horse is moving, the wagon is surely heavily laden. Holding the reins is a man on the wrong side of middle age, with a hairline about even with the back of his ears and just enough pudge to clearly not strain his back working for a living. He looks intensely agitated and nervous, and is constantly looking about as if he's sure he's being followed. As he rounds that copse of trees and comes into view, he spies the party and squints in their direction, an immediate look of distrust crossing his features. He still approaches, though, looking slightly less concerned after hearing Silk's voice. It takes a fair few minutes, but the man guides the wagon closer and eyes the party curiously. "Ho there, travelers," he calls out, pitching his voice low. "Funny night to be running into others way out here..." His attempt at nonchalance is utterly unconvincing. He's fairly well terrified, his eyes darting every which way.
Silk Moon Lotus	"Well met merchant, we are humble travelers. We had hoped to make it to Great Forks before dark but have clearly misjudges the timing." She eyes the laden wagon "Do you have any goods or information that you might be willing to sell us for a few coin?" She rubs her bald head and pulls out a well used coin purse that looks heavy.
Black Pearl	"We will also offer prayers for your health, your wealth, and your enlightenment," Willow says, as he moves a bit to the side of the priest.
Tepet Makara	"Greetings traveler, I am their escort who protects holy men of the order, Sharp Ice, whose blood fills with Danaa'd's grace" The water dragon introduces himself to the merchant with a princely grace.
Bright Journey	To be sure, the merchant looks a good deal less wary than before, but that merely takes him down from 'terrified' to 'deeply worried'. Still, he climbs down from his wagon and approaches the group of four. He's almost sotto voce as he looks around nervously yet again, hissing under his breath, "Damn it all. I thought you were a man. My life is in -danger-, and I can't afford surprises. I'm fit to have a heart attack as it is." He grumbles under his breath, then continues. I...have what you're looking for, I swear it. You'll cleanse Creation of their filth?" He's trying to hold it together, but it's clearly a near thing. It'd be a lot worse if he were to notice Bright Journey, who's stayed as silent as any servant girl should, make quiet, unobtrusive hand gestures down at her side, her lips soundlessly moving as her multicolored eyes look into his from off to the side...
Silk Moon Lotus	"My son, you have nothing to fear from them. You need just give me the information and I will gather a mighty host to smite them. I still have this coin purse as a reward for your bravery." The priest helfs the pouch once more.
Black Pearl	'Willow' nods. "You have done well, but the sooner you leave and get to safety, the better it is for you. We will get the information and spread it through the Order, and soon Great Forks will be cleansed," he says.
Tepet Makara	"Yes like what she said, you have nothing to fear from them. We dragons are given power to oppose the enemies of creation!" Sharp Ice says with an assuring tone to the merchant with a hint of fanaticism.
Bright Journey	Whatever it was Bright Journey did, it clearly had quite an effect on the merchant. While before he was nervous, irritable, and frankly cold-shit scared, now the familiar reassurances of the Immaculate priest and her retinue are starting to break through his emotional armor to assuage the fear in his soul. He's not relaxed yet--not quite--but the constant reassurances are definitely starting to have an effect. "I...I have nothing to fear? Y--yes, of course, Your Grace." he bows deeply, never mind that Silk isn't showing nearly enough rank within the Church to be called 'Your Grace'. "Here. I have everything right here, Your Grace. The transcript, the sketches, my speculations. Everything. And...and I haven't told a soul, just like you asked." His eyes dart from side to side, the nervousness coming back for a moment. Of course, almost everyone here is already well aware that he just told a bald-faced lie.
Silk Moon Lotus	"Why have you lied to me? I know you have told others of your order about this information. The Great Dragons have told me so. What else are you not telling me? Do you wish your soul to be damned?" She glares at him.
Black Pearl	Willow shakes his head. "A successful merchant should appear honest, even when he is not," the wood-caste says. "You ought to come clean. And then work btter at hiding what you wish. Or accept your lot in life. But it will be far the better for you if we know whom you told. We want to make sure that they do not cause a panic, at least."
Tepet Makara	"You dare lie to my masters? Deceive the princes of the earth" Sharp Eyes gives the monk a terrible glare that meets the merchant's own eyes. His aspect markings is his eyes, for it resembles the darkness of the depths of the seas and oceans of Creation. His stare is like a whirlpool devouring hope and ships near it's vicinity. "We dragons are both beings of mercy and vengeance. Danaa'd may provide water for those that thirst, she can also drown those in her depths and ravage the lands in raging floods and tsunamis"
Bright Journey	Okay, well, clearly -that- lie didn't work. The merchant quails visibly when three of the four people call him right out on it, so quickly they all had to have figured it out separately. Or did they already know, and were testing him? If so, he failed miserably. Wincing in almost physical pain, he almost looks ready to protest his innocence, but after a moment just bows his head in shame. "I...no, Your Grace. You're right. I told my superiors in the Nine Sheaves about all of this. You do not have to worry about panic, though." Here, he sounds sincere. "We are not in the habit of giving away secrets, let alone telling Creation about them. And once the might of the Dragons crushes them, it won't matter anyway." He's terrified of everyone now, of course, but none so much as the sellsword!
Silk Moon Lotus	"You had better hope that this information does not get to their ears before we can bring the Hunt against them. Is there anything else you aren't telling us?"
Tepet Makara	"Promise my employers you will tell us the truth in whole. No lies, no half truths, no omitted information. Just the entire truth." Sharp Ice continues to stare at him with a piercing glare as his eyes shift like the waves from bodies of eater and it forms a whirlpool. "Never tell the words that came out of your mouth to others. You have already lied to dragons and you certainly do not want to commit such transgression again" Unbeknowst to the merchant, his essence binds the promise for breaking it shall bring consequences.
Bright Journey	For a moment, the merchant looks honestly baffled. "But...I thought I already told you they know that I know. That's why I'm convinced they're going to come kill me to shut me up. I..." He pauses, looking at Makara with maked fear on his face. "I...fine." He sighs dejectedly. "I promise I'll tell you all the whole truth from now on. I don't think I have much more to say, though. I think I've given you everything." He pauses, considering, his eyes never meeting any of the others. Eventually he looks at Silk again. "I know I'll never find it again, but there's an item of power I used to find some of this out. Like a candle holder with a gem sitting on it instead of a candle. There's two, and what one hears, the other speaks. So you can listen to people from afar with it hidden near them. One half was lost in a boat crash--I think an attack--on the river headed to Nexus. The other was stolen from the Coliseum. I...I think the Anathema might have the second one. But I don't know. If you can find them you can put them to use for the Order, they were helpful to me." He sighs again and looks off to the west. "The hour grows late and I mean to be in Nexus in a tenday."
Silk Moon Lotus	"I accept that you have told me all that you know. We will look for these items of power and we shall address the issue of the Anethema as well." She gestures back to his wagon. "You may go now." She tosses him a small coin purse. "Vigilance shall be rewarded."