<span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Location:</strong></span>Plantation of Sesus Baral<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Time:</strong></span>Early Morning, halfway between breakfast and lunch<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Tagging:</strong></span><strong>Singing Sparrow, Sesus Shaoji/Towering Oak, Third Spear</strong><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>NPCs:</strong></span><strong>Sesus Baral</strong>(http://i.imgur.com/PZjopJk.png)<br/><hr/><br/>Like the setting of the sun going from a golden yellow to a deep red the woman--presumably named Lily Flower--similarly blushed in a slow steady transition as her heart beat enough to make it seem like it might explode from her chest at<strong>Singing Sparrow's</strong>suggestion.  "Yes--" she began as she began to answer the questions backwards, "--I mean n-no!  I-I..."<br/><br/>"Lily Flower,"<strong>Sesus Baral's</strong>booming voice sounded out again, not with any sort of anger, more amusement at the situation perhaps, "be a dear and take your companions and help Mariposa in the kitchen."<br/><br/>Still obviously flustered she responded with all due haste, "Y-Yes Master Baral," she then offered a quick bow to<strong>Singing Sparrow</strong>--taking extra care not to somehow accidentally plant her face in the other woman's chest--and added, "If you'll excuse me, Mistress," though she did not wait for the acknowledgement she did cast a look over her shoulder towards<strong>Singing Sparrow</strong>before disappearing past<strong>Sesus Baral</strong>and into the house.<br/><br/>"Ha!"<strong>Sesus Baral</strong>echoed after<strong>Towering Oak</strong>finally introduced himself, "he can be a scurrilous gentleman from time to time, my dear," he explained to<strong>Singing Sparrow</strong>.<br/><br/>"Cutting right to the heart of it, eh?" he asked<strong>Singing Sparrow</strong>as she began to question why it was she was there in the first place.  "Truly," he began with a wide smile, "any man would be lucky to spend any amount of time with you, dear lady," he complimented her before continuing.  "Well, you see, sometimes it's prudent to get other people to do the purchasing at times, in order to keep certain details quiet--especially when...noble people are involved!" he explained with a hearty chuckle.  It seemed something of a hollow reason, but at least reasonable.  If he had lied, perhaps it was just through omission.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">All present</div><div class="spoiler_body">If you have a way to discern lies or to raise your Resolve you may feel free to do so.<br/></div></div><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Singing Sparrow</div><div class="spoiler_body">If it could be said that you have ever "read someone like an open book" now is easily one of those times.<br/><br/>While reserved in his mannerisms it is quite clear that if he had the opportunity he would "sweep you off your feet"--probably literally--and have his way with you.<br/>Beside that he doesn't seem to have any particular motivation in this exchange towards you, aside from welcoming you to his home and making sure you're comfortable--and then passing you off to Towering Oak.<br/><br/>In other words, he's not overly invested in you being there--so take that as you may.<br/><br/>Other than that, basic observation is that he is quite animated, and while old--god only knows how old--he has a youthful exuberance/passion.<br/></div></div><br/><br/>He snorts briefly in what could be considered amusement--it almost appearing as if brief sparks blew from his nostrils as he did so.  He smiled but did not comment on<strong>Towering Oak's</strong>explanation of the situation.<br/><br/>"Lord!" he laughs as<strong>Third Spear</strong>approaches and speaks, leaving<strong>Towering Oak</strong>and<strong>Singing Sparrow</strong>to themselves for now--though the one thing Baral does not seem to understand is quieter conversational tones of voice.  "Please, Master Third Spear, just Baral--my servants call me Master only because they know it raises my hackles!" he grins and welcomes the other man over, though his attention is clearly drawn to the bottle of wine.<br/><br/>"I will<em>gladly</em>accept your gifts," he agrees, scooping them up quickly.  He holds the chocolates to the side for now while holding the bottle of wine in one hand, examining the contents through the darkened glass.  "It appears I may have a reputation," he claims with a grin as his ember-like eyes turn to regard<strong>Third Spear</strong>once more.  "Astrology you say...hmmm..." he seemed intrigued at the concept and his face wrinkled in a thoughtful expression.  "I see!  Well perhaps your friend directed you well, we can discuss it over lunch!"<br/><br/><hr/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Location:</strong></span>Clan Girin Clinic, inside Kamthahar<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Time:</strong></span>Mid-morning<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Tagging:</strong></span><strong>Mei Xi Huang, Kanaria</strong><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>NPCs:</strong></span><strong>Tuuq Zhei</strong><br/><hr/><br/>The Clan Girin doctors seemed confused at her talk of cauterizing the wounds, but it was the merchant father,<strong>Tuuq Zhei</strong>, that spoke, "Cauterized?  But we did no such thing?  Something foul is at work..." he lamented, casting a worried look from<strong>Mei Xi Huang</strong>to<strong>Kanaria</strong>.<br/><br/>The rest of the doctors continued to seem perplexed at<strong>Mei Xi Huang's</strong>odd request for ideas on how to put blood<em>back</em>into a body.  They were well versed on removing it, but this was not a technique any of them had ever considered.  One of the less experienced doctors attending suggested, finally, that they had tools for mummification rituals used to drain blood from the dead, but he was chided by his elders soonafter.<strong>Mei Xi Huang</strong>had already come to that idea, though, but perhaps some reinforcement was helpful.<br/><br/><strong>Tuuq Zhei</strong>soon spoke up once more, "I will give him my blood--I will give anything, do anything to save my boy," he offered.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Wound-Mending Care Technique (Ayala)</div><div class="spoiler_body">He'll recover 5 levels of lethal damage at the end of the treatment.<br/><br/>Additionally, he'll remain completely stable through any minor medical treatments, such as poking him with a needle for stitches or minor cuts.  Serious body-opening surgery is right out.<br/><br/>To reiterate:  doing any levels of damage to him in this state will kill him still, but he is now more resistant.  I'll also warn you beforehand if you attempt to do something that you could have foreseen doing damage to him.<br/></div></div><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Mei Xi Huang Anima</div><div class="spoiler_body">Spending 5 Peripheral motes in one instant raises your Anima Banner, you're now <strong>Glowing</strong>:  The character’s anima glows and pulses, outlining him with the colors of the sun.  His Caste mark appears on his brow, shining through anything placed over it.  Any attempts at stealth or disguise suffer a -3 penalty.<br/></div></div><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Kanaria</div><div class="spoiler_body">The talk of blood--both the drawing of it and the use of it--seemed to awaken some deeper <em>thirst</em> in <strong>Kanaria</strong>.  It was not the thirst for water or sustenance, but the edginess of battle, the anticipation before the strike.  It wasn't strong, but it remained in the back of the mind like a subtle pulse, like the distant ache of a sore muscle.</div></div><br/><br/>Both offered options seemed reassuring, either<strong>Kanaria</strong>or the father<strong>Tuuq Zhei</strong>would have likely been excellent sources of blood.  Certainly even both of them could have been used if desired.  The source was the easy part to determine, what was more difficult was deciding on the<em>how</em>.<br/><br/><hr/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Location:</strong></span>Refugee camp, outside Kamthahar<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Time:</strong></span>Mid-morning<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Tagging:</strong></span><strong>Wei, Ayala</strong><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>NPCs:</strong></span><strong>Mysterious Stranger</strong>(http://i.imgur.com/gAvIaxf.png)<br/><hr/><br/>The<strong>Mysterious Stranger</strong>(http://i.imgur.com/gAvIaxf.png) seemed content to observe the interaction between the others silently.  He was, quite clearly, built as if he had been carved from a nearby mountain though his tough skin still bore the marks of many old scars.  While bald, he still had a cloud-white beard with pearl-colored whites of his eyes surrounding an agate colored dark green.  He waited until last to have his shackles removed, though one could have easily imagined him simply snapping the chains himself if he had wanted to.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Book (Ayala)</div><div class="spoiler_body">Now that <strong>Ayala</strong> has had a suitable amount of time to sit down and actually <em>read</em> let alone <em>study</em> the contents of the book she can make a few simple observations about its content:<br/><br/>It was supposedly penned by a Sorcerer pre-dating the Scarlet Dynasty (making it at least 800 years old), that referred to himself (herself?) as "Blooded Paradise".<br/>The book itself appears to be a recounting of various conquests--from 'acquiring' various sorcerous tools to summoning a variety of beings.  He (she?) seemed adept at summoning demons specifically.<br/>It seems that the main purpose of the book was to serve as a means to brag in no small measure.  It's impossible to really say what is fact and what is fiction--even a novice sorcerer would read this book and think "they did what?  with that?  but how?"<br/>There are many references to a map that is paired to the book which can be used to locate what one could only guess is a Manse of some kind.  It's not referred to in that way, but it is called "Place of Power" and "Vault of Dreams" among other flowery statements.<br/></div></div><br/><br/>"If it was writ but such a person," the<strong>Mysterious Stranger</strong>(http://i.imgur.com/gAvIaxf.png) interrupts, "then it would perhaps be better off destroyed."