conversations: human
conversations:  It was fitting, in a way, that your mentor called you on this blasted plateau in the South. The wind swirled heavy with grains of sand, each grain on its own, lost.
  
  Until today. You were about the meet the other three Students, the Prodigies of Dragonblood your mentor plucked out of the countless peoples of Creation. Each of you carried a piece of an ancient artifact, a stone ring to be reconstructed around an edifice atop the plateau. What would come out of this, you did not know...
conversations: emeraldstreak:
conversations: human
conversations:  Jannissary Jaelyne had been sitting on a large stone outcropping for some time, waiting for his fellow 'students' to arrive. He was relaxed, twirling his spear absent mindedly while his jackel Naisha nawed upon an ox femur.
conversations: jesterjeff:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elso 
  A dustcloud forms from the northwest.
  As it draws near, you determine that it is a ship!  You may have heard of sandships, but they are small shallow devices, this is clearly not one of those.  It is a full fledged sailing ship, how it can be here must be some sort of sorcery.  The sails are dropped a quarter mile out, turning into the wind, it glides to a halt.  After a bit of activity, a single person departs the ship.  He makes his way up the plateau, sack over his shoulder, wearing a dark blue cloak.
  
   Ho.  Are you also a student of Sifu Ulmo? 
conversations: Novabomb:
conversations: human
conversations:  Hiro Idoki 
  
  A samurai, wearing red jade armor, moved slowly in the direction of Jannissary and Elso. He was not wearing a helmet, exposing his handsome face to all to see. He had red hair, purple eyes, and well-outlined chin.
  
  -  Welcome. I am Hiro Idoki. I presume we are all gathered here because of our mentor? It's nice to finally meet you. Don't you know where our master could be?  - he asked.
conversations: Kaworu:
conversations: human
conversations:  Jannissary Jaelyne looked up as the others began to arrive.
  "Yes, I await the Master. Have you brought along the trinkets we were asked to find?"
   He stands and in one smooth motion taps the spear to the ground at his feet and bows his head with a slight grin, "I am Jannissary Jaelyne, The Golden Jannissary and hunter of the dwellers in the dark. It is a pleasure to finally meet my brethren."
conversations: jesterjeff:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elso 
   I do not, but he requested I bring this.  (Holds up sack)
conversations: Novabomb:
conversations: human
conversations:  Hiro Idoki 
  
  -  I also fulfilled my part of the agreement  - said the Fire aspect. He pointed at leather bag by his belt.
conversations: Kaworu:
conversations: human
conversations:  Together, you continue the climb. The top is barren and windswept. A 20' high stone pyramid, with stairs on each of its four sides, rises at the center of the plateau.
  
  The pyramid culminates at an ancient alter of sorts. Its marking are too weathered to be recognized, but it is obvious the four of you can reconstruct a stone ring which used to circle the altar.
conversations: emeraldstreak:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elso 
   Do either of you know what this is? 
conversations: Novabomb:
conversations: human
conversations:  Hiro Idoki 
  
  Hiro climbed the pyramid, together with his peers. He was kinda expecting their mentor here, but he was nowhere to be seen.
  
  -  Hm...  - he said -  Look like a manse for me, but I am not an expert. Maybe it's a temple of the Unconquered Sun? His priests like this type of buildings. 
conversations: Kaworu:
conversations: human
conversations:  It would not be uncharacteristic for your mentor - a master of disguise and mystery - to be further down this path he (or she?) has sent you on.
conversations: emeraldstreak:
conversations: human
conversations:  Jaelyne taps his jackel with the tip of his boot as he follows the others. She picks up her ox bone and follows behind slowly.
  In a thick flametongue accented low realm, "The Master has a strange mind, why send us up this strange path?"
conversations: jesterjeff:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elso 
   Probably another test. 
conversations: Novabomb:
conversations: human
conversations:  Hiro Idoki 
  
  -  Or maybe they'are just late  - said Hiro -  Shall we wait? It would be in good taste, after all... 
conversations: Kaworu:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elso 
   I think not. He dragged us out here, if he isn't watching us secretly I will be shocked. 
  Elso puts his piece in place around the alter.
  
   I wonder where our fourth is? 
conversations: Novabomb:
conversations: human
conversations:  Hiro Idoki 
  
  - Maybe there are late too...  - Hiro took a wild guess -  Do you think that our pieces should go in some kind of order, or we should put them there as we wanna?  - he asked, holding his own in his hand and moving slowly around the altar.
conversations: Kaworu:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler: Rolls 
  Roll Intelligence+Occult to discern more about the altar.
   
conversations: emeraldstreak:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler: 1+ successes on Int+Occult 
  
  
  Curiously, the altar doesn't seem to be of Exalted design; nor godly.
  
   
   Spoiler: 2+ successes on Int+Occult 
  
  Certain things, like the stone circling the pinnacle of the edifice, make you fairly sure this is a teleport.
   
  
   
  
  
  Meanwhile, your fourth joins you and slots his piece of the stone ring in place. The ancient altar is half restored now...
conversations: emeraldstreak:
conversations: human
conversations:  Hiro Idoki 
  
  -  Hm...  - the fire aspect wondered for a while -  I wonder what we should do now? Maybe it just needs energy? Shall I blast some fire into the altar? And by the way, who could have build it? Dragon Kings, perhaps? 
conversations: Kaworu:
conversations: human
conversations:  Elso 
   I am pretty sure its some sort of teleportation thing.  Knowing the Sifu, it probably leads to some complicated, hazardous place.  Maybe some sort of fair folk fake manse thing? 
conversations: Novabomb:
conversations: human
conversations:  Originally Posted by Kaworu 
    Hiro Idoki 
  
  -  Hm...  - the fire aspect wondered for a while -  I wonder what we should do now? Maybe it just needs energy? Shall I blast some fire into the altar?   
   
  
  Hiro is certain the only thing missing are the other pieces. Once all are inserted the altar will teleport you.
conversations: emeraldstreak: