TSW - Chapter 5: The Live Drop (5) - Uninvited

Danton was greeted by three Oraea monks, carrying a gift size bottle of what he presume to be some kind of alcohol and a small selection from the buffet from earlier. His bloodstained clothes and smeared face made them recoil and hesitant to even continue talking. Two of the monks were standing at the front, with one behind obviously meeker than the rest. It was he who was pulled forward by the other two to talk to Danton as they quickly stepped back.  His words stammered as he offered help for the injured if needed but Danton tried to convince them of another scenario. He told them that he was medical practitioner assisting an operation being overseen by an Aeon Priest from the Papal Spire. Due to the conditions in Auspar, those that needed medical attention outside the caldera were no longer allowed help from the Aeon Priests inside the city. He was here on a mission of mercy, helping the sick and injured of Thaemor and if the Oraea was any further of a distraction, the patient may lose her life.  The monks looked at each other and realised it was probably best if they left well alone and gingerly handed over the basket of gifts, offering more at the Oraea for after the surgery.  He nodded and thanked them then snatched the basket of goods out of the monk's hand and closed the door behind him. He let out a sigh, leaning against the door to make sure they had gone and wouldn't force their way in.

His eyes drifted towards Moma, whose convulsions were now becoming violent. Her skin was erupting in scales and through the flickering of her eyelids, he could see a familiar mutation.  Xera had had difficulty keeping her still while the Oraea was outside the door but with Danton's return he let go of her, now only realising how much her body was fighting against him. The table that supported her started to rock with her movements, showing signs of giving way. Danton had never seen this type of reaction in his men but it had haunted his dreams. The total conversion of his body and mind stalked him, a serpentine creature of guilt, hatred and fear. It was the embodiment of losing own his identity and becoming a true son of House Ethis. He knew what Nastrond could do to a person and if Moma was receiving these mutations all at once, she would become a monster. There was no other outcome but to end another life by his hands. He justified his actions in his mind over and over again. His secrecy was too important, his investment in Xera was too important and ultimately, he himself, was too important to die.

In the ranch across the village, Raneaux had slumped against the wall by the door in hopes of resting before the drop. She glanced up at Umbra who was unable to blend into the dark due to the lit candles and a roaring fireplace.  It took her a few moments before this fact sunk in. It was the middle of the night, Dehart's guards had not made it to the drop point but the candles and fire meant that somebody had been here or perhaps still was. She told Umbra to search the room, while massaging her head. The pain felt as if a pick was trying to gain purchase in her skull. Her concerns to their seclusion were quickly confirmed as Umbra peeked around the corner that framed what seemed to be a small kitchen and noticed a sleeping man. He was surprising well groomed, his beard had been shaped and trimmed and his hair had been styled. The garments he was wearing seemed to Umbra to be deemed fashionable, or at the very least owned by a person with money but there were the tale-tale signs of armor underneath. His wrists were covered in thick hide and his neck was collared by metal plates on his jacket.  He seemed not much older than someone in his mid-thirties but the leather case he had between his feet was much older. It was made from an exotic hide, a scaly hue of dark purple tarnished by time and heavy use all held togehter by faded brass.  The top was almost a peak with a fraying handle in the same leather spaning its width. The two as a whole did not seem to fit.

Umbra knew that even from the man's sleeping figure, he was most likely dangerous. The only way to turn the tables was to snuff out the candles and provide himself shadows for him to work in. He asked if Raneaux would be able to help but she soon realised she was far too drained to provide assistance. She panicked a little, knowing that the rest she so deeply needed would have to wait and whatever was to happen next, she didn't have the strength to  get into a fight. Her mind reached out across Darkperch to Xera and pleaded for his help. He asked Danton if it would be better suited if Danton went in his stead but Danton shook his head and told him to go as requested, covering up the fact that he wasn't sure if Moma was truly dead. Xera grumbled under his breath again and wiped the specks of blood that he had accidently let slip past his precautions and careful eye. He left the room and slammed the door, not really knowing how he was going to help with someone that seemed to cause concern for even the Hawk-Eye. The last candles from Raneaux and Umbra's side of the room were snuffed out. This now left the fireplace casting light. Umbra approached the sleeping man's side of the room with caution, his eyes constantly trained on the figure. As he  passed the kitchen servery to snuff out the candle upon it, he had forgotten to wet his fingers in his overly concerned state. His slight reaction to the pain was enough to wake the gentleman up and in the few seconds it took for him to become fully alert, Umbra  had hid back around the corner near the door and Raneaux was shoved into the spotlight.  

TSW - Chapter 5: The Live Drop (4) - The Drunken Oraea

It dawned on Raneaux as they both left, that she the Hawk-Eye were covered in blood. Umbra however could disappear into the shadows of the night, while she would  most likely draw far too much attention, and possibly lead to her imprisonment. Not only that, but she didn't know how the Oraea would react to her wearing the robes, regardless of the stains. She decided to take a longer route around the edge of the village and to head down the path by the pond. She hoped that the monks would at least stay to the centre of the village, to which she soon was proved wrong.

Three monks were drinking by the edge of the pond, laughing and throwing scraps of metal and rocks into the water. The moon rippled on its surface and for a short time, seemed to enthral the them.  Raneaux had considered taking off the robes but time was slipping through her finger tips. She had to react fast. She asked Umbra for help, only to find the shadow of the sparse canopy he had disappeared  into, was now empty. She tried to contact him mentally and found that he was already by the main road, a good hundred feet from where she was now. There was nothing for it but to run. She was light on her feet and the dark material of the robes helped her in part to blend into the night and with panting breath, she made it to the edge of the main road and across to her shack.

She told Umbra that the ranch was closer to the centre of the village but there was a back entrance next to where the creatures were allowed out into their pen.  As they arrived, more the Oraea were getting drunk outside.  There was no way to sneak past this group and the torches they had erected all over town, dissipated all hope of Umbra hiding in the dark. Raneaux thought back to the many days she had been caving all over the Steadfast in search of lost treasures for House Narkonis. She remembered something that had saved her life from ravenous Elchins. Raneaux had covered a glowglobe in blood and the rolling sphere gave her just long enough time for her to escape while the creatures followed their new prey. The same principal, she believed, could apply here. The monks were inebriated and if they were react like the ones by the lake, they could be easily distracted in their drunken state. She sneaked round to the corner of the storehouse  that was on the road to Auspar and rolled a brightly lit glowglobe down the road towards them. At the same time she yelled at Umbra in her mind to silently pick the lock while they were hopefully distracted.

One of the monks had seen the light fly past but it was enough for him to try and convince the others of a ghostly apparition. A few considered the proposal before it was decided that the man in question had probably drunk a bit too much  and was taken back to the Oraea to sleep it off. Raneaux's heart was finally able to rest for a brief moment. Umbra told her that he had been able to infiltrate the building and was ready for her to arrive. She, however, was exhausted from the earlier fight. Her head was pounding and her receding heart beat revealed the aches and pains she had shrugged off earlier. She knew that at least if she was inside, she could have time to rest and recuperate before the drop.

Back at the blood soaked shack, Danton and Xera were cleaning up what they could of the slaughtering of Moma's guards. They had piled the bodies up  behind the bed and had torn rags from the bed sheet to mop up what they had caused. The carnage was overwhelming Danton and the thought that he was instrumental in it felt as if a poison was coursing through is veins. He scrunched his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face considering his next move. His thoughts were disrupted by Moma's drug induced babbling about a sanctum and a river before slipping out of consciousness again. He thought it was best if she was restrained, even if she was a clone. Before he could get to her, her body started to convulse. It was a very familiar reaction to Danton but the fact that she was starting to mutate after swallowing the pill rather than it a consequence of withdrawal ,made him hesitate to intervene. This was not natural, well as natural as the reaction could be. Her erratic  body movements contorted her and threw her off of the bed. She fell onto the bloody floor and soon she was tarnished by the same grisly brush  as Danton. He was now on edge, her reaction was unprecedented and he didn't know how far it would go before its grip was released.  A sudden knock on the door made him jump and he nearly slipped as he rained his footing.

Danton started to panic, nothing he had planned for had gone right. Dehart's men had shown up far too early and he couldn't persuade them to leave before Danton had one of them killed. Moma had shown up soon after and again by Danton's hand he swiftly had four more deaths his conscience. He grabbed Moma as best he could and with Xera's help dumped her onto the desk. He wiped his hands on his robe and tried to neaten his hair. The knocks were more forceful now, accompanied by a deep voice. There was worry and panic in the tones of the man's voice. He asked if everything was okay and if someone needed medical attention due to the blood that was seeping under the door. With no immediate response they shouted again and again, repeating if whoever was inside needed help.  The moment they offered to get assistance from the other monks, Danton scrambled to the door. He opened it a crack, before slipping out and shutting it behind him.

TSW - Chapter 5: The Live Drop (3) - The Ebb of Life

Before the guards could react, Umbra fired a dart at the clone of Moma just before Raneaux's shadow enveloped the room. Khatt-Nipp soon took a hold of Moma. She saw a mountain of artefacts and weaponry over by the bed in the corner and left the safety of her guards. Danton dodged back behind the desk, his serpentine eyes allowing him to see perfectly clear through Raneaux's darkness. He shouted to Umbra the guards' location and he lunged forward with his dagger, but it was deflected off his targets armor. Raneaux fired a arrow point blank at the group, who had now turned back to back for protection. She wasn't intending to pierce the armor, she instead used the force to knock over one of them and in turn, this caused the others to fall.

Over by the bed, Moma's induced visions was getting her closer and closer to the body hidden underneath. Danton knew that the drug could blind people to reality  but he didn't know how she would react and she possibly could be able to see the corpse. He snuck up on her and gently whispered into her ear. He presented a pill of Nastrond and enticed her with it abilities to boost intelligence and power. In her easily influenced state, she demanded that she was given it and soon that too coursed through her veins.  The munitions that she had seen, soon turned into fuzzy neon lights that rose up and swirled around her, as if she had disturbed a kaleidoscope of butterflies. Her heart raced, her eyes shuddered side to side and soon she convulsed and passed out on the bed.

On the other side of the room, Umbra, now knowing that his weapon was useless against the guards' armor, took his inspiration from the laced darts and covered his dagger in Khatt-Nipp. Within a blink of an eye, another was infected and soon he too felt compelled to leave the safety of his companions. He leapt to his feet, convinced that Moma was in danger in a completely different part of the room.  The other guards soon reformed their standing position and launched their own attack. A glance slash cut Umbra' cheek along with a little of his pride. The darkness, on the other hand, allowed Raneaux and Danton to evade unharmed. The problem now was that no matter how hard they were trying, their attacks just couldn't penetrate.

Danton took a few seconds to himself to think of what he could do and a grim thought crossed his mind. If they couldn't attack the armor, then a softer area needed to be targeted. In the cover of the dark, he snuck up on the drugged guard and soon his life started to ebb from his throat. The drug had taken such a hold, that as the crimson ran down his chest plate, he seemed to feel nothing. Danton shouted to Umbra to infect another guard and soon the deed was done. However this guard didn't seem to see Moma or a mountain of weapons, instead he took both hands and gabbed Umbra' head on either side and soon their lips were locked. Raneaux had managed to use the dark to her advantage and had managed to grab hold of one of the guard and restrained him in hopes that either someone would intervene.

Danton went to the aid of Umbra but due to the intimacy, the cut wasn't clean and the cast off tarnished them and room.  Umbra kicked the guard away, allowing him to drain out.  He turned to Raneaux and soon the struggle to keep the guard restrained covered her in similar, lukewarm hues. The last was dispatched by Raneaux, although she had to jump to reach his throat. To Umbra, the fight was over, but for all the wrong reasons. His mutations had allowed him to blend with his surroundings but his mind had been inflicted with horrific visions. He stood alone, blood-soaked, with Raneaux, Danton, the guards and Moma bleeding out on the floor around him. He screamed and couldn't stop screaming. His visions blended reality and fantasy and couldn't see Raneaux and Danton in shock but very much alive.

Outside, Xera had dealt with Dehart's henchman. His trusted artefact had, bit by bit, turned the man into crystal. The problem had been that instead of using it to incapacitate so he could be taken out by martial means, the conversion had killed him. The last discharge of energy reverberated within the crystals and his body had shattered sending shards in Xera's direction which drew blood in the process. During the fight, he had tried to contact Raneaux but she hadn't replied in some time, although the sound of violence inside had now only just calmed down. However that was now replaced with Umbra' screaming. Xera tried to contact her again, worried about what was going on inside. She told him it was probably best that he didn't come in. Although she did not tell him why.

Raneaux had retracted her shadow, which revealed the extent of what had happened in the dim light of the glowglobe. The four guards were lifeless on the floor, with their blood running down every surface and fabric. She reached out over to Umbra, who jumped back at her touch. She told him through his mind they were fine, the fight was over, they were safe. He shook the vision out of mind's eye but the reality was as grim. The tepid smell of iron caused Raneaux to nearly vomit before she choked it down again.   Danton on the other hand seemed almost unaware of the carnage he had wrought. He was now rifling through the guards' personal belongings, pulling out coins with his bloodied hands. 

Xera had had enough of waiting outside and cracked the door open. The smell caused him to wince a little but he concocted far more rancid odours. Danton yelled at him to shut the door behind him, which he did, although he grumbled under his breath at the barked orders. Danton then turned to Raneaux and Umbra and told them that they needed to head over to the ranch in preparation for the live drop.  He reminded Raneaux that this wasn't just about the Rejuvenator, it was about her Windrider as well. She wiped her face as clean as she could with the sleeve of her cloak and motioned to Umbra  to follow her. 

TSW - Chapter 5: The Live Drop (2) - Moma

With evening drawing in, the shack was slipping into darkness. Danton withdrew one of his glowglobes from his satchel and placed it on the table, dimming it to a soft glow. The man who entered seemed a little malnourished and was light on his feet as he stepped forward. He bowed and greeted the three of them much like Mullen and his brother Dakk had in the Cloudtouch apartments. Danton was a little relieved that the façade had be bought by the mark. However the man was full of questions, querying why Moma had changed the agreed plans so late into the transaction and why Dehart had not been told. Danton deftly explained away his doubt and soon the location and the time of the intended live drop was acquired. At a little past midnight, the items were to be delivered by the courier to breeding ranch for Seskii's. He explained that due to the lateness of their arrival and festivities taking place, they had yet to identify the building to secure it.

With a quick glance from Danton over to Xera and Raneaux, his intent was understood and they left . They knew exactly where the building was but the problem was the other of Dehart's men. He was standing outside and refused to leave, which made them question  what they should do. Raneaux established a link with Xera, much like she had done with Umbra.  She told Xera to go after the building while she was going to wait outside to make sure the other man did not interfere.

 Inside Danton had tried to convince the man to leave the rest of the transaction to him but he was refused. He told Danton that he had strict orders to wait for the currier, this presented a problem. Danton tried to intimidate him, saying that as a Magister, his will superseded Dehart's authority.  In response, he found that Dehart had the same authority as the robes he was wearing. This slip up made Jarvis grip tight to his dagger.

Whatever organisation Danton had stumbled upon, he knew that most had one weakness, the desire for power. He placed a vial of blood on the table in front of him, the Cursed Qui blood he had extracted when in he was in the mines. He told the guard that he had something of interest and got him to examine it. The lackey held it at arm's length, now suspicious of Danton's actions. He slid it across the table, quizzing him of the relevance of a vial of unidentified blood. Without saying a word, Danton poured a drop from it onto the table and then extended a telescopic staff from his pocket. He waved it over the spot of blood and in just over a minute, a life-size hologram of the Qui materialised floating an inch off the table above the spot of blood, projected from a crystal in the staff head. The man leaned in and Danton knew he had him hooked.

The henchman told Danton that it would be of great valuable to Magister Dehart and if he had the schematics, they would both have a bright future. Danton allowed him to garner a closer look, drawing his sight closer to the table. With him distracted, Danton looked over to Umbra  and drew his finger across his neck. In the blink of an eye, Umbra had cupped the man's mouth and blood ran down his neck. Umbra suddenly dropped the body, not in disgust but from the shock from Raneaux shouting in his head. She told him that the other man outside had walked to the edge of the building and had just bowed to a portly woman. She was a little taller than Raneaux, dressed in the same robes as they were , caring a scythe with a blade big enough to slice Raneaux in two. She was accompanied by four heavily armoured guards each opening carrying shields with two brandishing broadswords while the other two had battle-axes.

Umbra spurted the information to Danton and he knew now that had to act fast. He gave Umbra a vial of Khatt-Nipp and his blowgun with the already laced darts. Danton motioned towards the bed in the corner to hide the body and lifted the corpse up. They dashed across room, trying not to let the blood spill onto the floor. They shoved him under the bed and used the blanket to cover him up. Danton quickly told Umbra to tell  Raneaux to get support from Xera but she replied that he had already left and she had actually been standing guard outside  The truth of the matter however was that Xera had never actually  left the vicinity of the building . He didn't want to act alone and without support so he had turned back moments after reaching the edge of the festivities.  He appeared around the corner as if deliberately following behind the woman as part of her entourage.

When the woman had caught sight of him, he was dismissed to enjoy the party in endearing tones. Her voice was kind, gentle and nurturing. Everything about her, from her voluminous curly locks of auburn hair, down to the way she carried herself, conferred a sense of motherliness. For a split second Raneaux was reminded her own family and promptly found herself with the woman's hands rifling through her hair, with her saying how lovely she looked. Raneaux was lost for words and did the only thing she could do and let her in. The woman thanked her and complimented her on being such a good girl and allowed her to stay in the room although she was told to shut the door behind her

By the time the woman and her guards had entered, Danton had made sure the hood of his robe covered most of his face and that Umbra had disappeared into the shadows. He tried to make light conversation, coming to the realisation that this was most likely Moma. He told her that the guards were unnecessary and almost seemed an insult to the trust between Magisters. She smiled and shook her head and refuted him. She joked about Danton's lack of security and giggled to herself. Danton was disarmed by her lack of a threatening demeanour. She was calm and polite, she referred to him varying ways as if he was her lover, or her child. He had never come across someone from what he thought was the darkest corners of the Steadfast, who didn't use that fact to their advantage. Without his words he had nothing to save himself and in turn everyone else . Without thinking, he tried to turn the tables, knocking the glowglobe off the table to distract her.

 The globe bounced on the wooden floorboards as the guards shouted and Danton called out for help. The room flickered between total darkness and faintly lit. In mere seconds however, the ball was abruptly stopped underneath the soul of the woman's left foot and light was restored.   In her left hand was the scythe she had entered with and in her right, was now the device that Danton had used on Dehart's grunt. Her guards were ready to leap into action but she held out her arm to stop them. She thanked Danton for the gift before drawing the scythe down the centre of her body. Danton looked on in confusion and horror as the woman separated into two down the seam she had cut into her flesh . There were now two of her, both carrying scythes but only one with the item belonging to Danton. She thanked Danton for the gift and bowed her head a fraction before tapping the scythe on the ground and she and the staff faded into nothing. Danton knew this maybe the day he died.

TSW - Chapter 5: The Live Drop (1) - The New Plan

As they left the Orator's office, Danton saw an opportunity to try and coerce the Hawk-Eye to his cause or at least temporarily and extended the offer of information of the woman and Lord Rossley if he agreed to help them first. Umbra took a few minutes to think and reluctantly agreed. In the meantime, Xera had spotted Mavis riffling through the banqueting table and the far end of the Oraea. He asked her what she was doing and in response told him that she was doing his job. She had given up hope that they or Eryn would return to her and had started to take matters into her own hands. She had fleetingly seen a priceless whisky that Eryn had brought back from Auspar before he disappeared to the Oraea and wanted it back. His eyes darted over to Raneaux who had snuck back up the table and was again stuffing her face. He could on her the outline of a bottle hidden under her clothes and hoped that she hadn't stolen it already. Her actions were the last straw for the Grand Orator. He marched over to her, grabbed her by the scruff of her collar and preceded to drag her to the door to chuck her out. In response her shadow enveloped the room, snuffing out the lights. There were shouts and screams from the monks who were plunged into confusion. Danton yelled out to the Orator, warning him or his monks to never to touch Raneaux again. From the other side of the room Mavis cried out with joy as she grabbed hold of a bottle believing it to be the whisky she had been searching for.

In the dark, Xera was helpless but was soon grabbed by Danton and helped out of the and into the revelry outside. With a swift kick Raneaux slammed the door shut, although the darkness she had caused lingered even after she had left. She seemed far to happy for what had just happened but the explanation was soon brought out from under her clothing, the rare and almost priceless whisky. She wiped the food stains off from the faded label and stuffed in back on her person. Satisfied she then scanned the crowd for hostiles and saw something familiar yet made her uncomfortable. Two plain looking men were weaving in and out of the crowd, with the embroidered symbol that she had seen on Dehart's robes. She immediately turned to Danton and informed him that the curriers, or at least their guards had arrived early. He turned to Umbra and asked him if he could follow them as the three of them were more than likely to be recognised. He nodded and Raneaux patted him on the arm and as her touch left him, he could hear her voice inside of his mind. She said if he needed anything, all he had to do was think it and she would respond. He squinted his eyes at the young girl, her lips had not moved the entire time, she had only smiled. A little confused, he slipped into the shadows, his skin melding with the tones and patterns behind him before his body disappeared into the darkness. Raneaux smiled again at his impressive abilities.

Danton had not been prepared for the schedule to be brought forward and looked at Xera and Raneaux in hopes that one of them had an answer. It soon dawned on him though that he did have a plan, although it would need a little re-working. He asked the girl if she had kept the robes from the apartment complex, the ones that were apparently made for a Magister. She nodded and moved behind one of the buildings closest to them and the three of them put on their costumes. Umbra soon communicated over that the two men were still looking for the drop off zone and seemed to have no further clue to what they were doing in the village. Raneaux relayed this information and Danton smiled, his fanged teeth protruding slightly. He told her to tell the Hawk-Eye that he should lead them away from the crowd to the north side of the village and to an empty house they were about to claim. He hoped that they would follow without question when he would mention the name Moma and when they would arrive, the trap would be sprung. She replied that he agreed to the plan although he had his reservations. Danton ignored Umbra's worries and soon a house was selected and broken into and it was time to set the scene.  

Only two pieces of furniture had been left, a bed with a moth-eaten throw, and a sturdy desk. Danton and Xera moved the latter into the middle of the room to provide a more imposing position. Danton asked Xera what he really knew of the woman from Qi, to which his reply was nothing at all good. She was brutally strong, deceptive, manipulative and a replicant. Xera told him she could be one of hundreds of clones, a few of which he had encountered in Auspar. Eryn knew a lot more about her and her kind and that may be why he was kidnapped.

When the table was in position Xera searched it to make sure there was nothing that would go against them. At the same time Umbra announced to Raneaux that that he had been able to confront the two he was following and convince them of a change of plans and were a feet away from the building. As she relayed this information, Xera found a pair of shoes in one of the drawers. As he reached in to grab them, a bright blue light was given off by the soles and in tandem there was what could only be described as the sound of an orchestra in full swing tumbling down a hillside. Umbra's voice shouted in Raneaux's head, telling her that the guards had heard what was going on inside and were now questioning the validity of his claim. She told him everything was fine and to try and calm to the two of them down. He replied that one was remaining outside to stand guard. Within moments there was raps at the back door in what seemed to be an attempt to sound like secret knock. Danton grabbed Raneaux to stand by him behind the table, while Xera was told to stand to the side and then he called out for Umbra to come in.

TSW - Chapter 4: Old Ties (9) - Umbra & Orion

In response to harming the Grand Orator, his suit of armour pushed Raneaux to the side and started to comfort him and the darkness that Raneaux had caused. She soon retracted her shadow and the light above the table faded back. The group were stunned to find that the armour it had its own sentience and seemed in part to care for the Orator. The striking tones of the black  and scarlet of its synth  were matched by it's bright red pulsating lights in its eyes. The armour's face could not move but the look it gave to the group while it tried to stop the Orator from crying was verging on threatening. It refused to converse with the three of them and only glared back. They unconsciously retreating a few steps  towards the staircase. Upstairs there were shouts of a fleeting argument followed by the patter of steps on the stone staircase. Danton and Raneaux gripped their weapons, reading themselves for another attack.

A dark shape emerged from the shadows of the stairwell, as if emerging from inky waters. The figure was undistinguished man, dressed in varying hues of black and dark grey. His lack of colour and nondescript apparel seemed to be more of a conscious choice than anything else. He tripped on the last step and fell face first to the floor. A dagger fell from his possession and skidded on the floor to  a few feet away from him. He strained his head up and realising there were five sets of eyes now staring at him, he reached out for his dagger. The man's hands were not gloved but they had a peculiar quality, the skin was nearly indistinguishable from  the stone of the ground. There was a feint outline of his grasp and in response to him arming himself, Danton raised his weapon and questioned who he was.

The synth suit started crackle with electricity coupled with the same sound that had happened before the discharge that had rendered the groups items inoperable. The figure leapt to his feat in defence and held his dagger close to his chest. He told them he was known as Umbra, a Hawk-Eye and was he searching for a woman who had travelled from Qi. She was connected with a recent murder of a man named Lord Rossley and she was now his bounty. This was far too coincidental for Xera's liking, raised Shatter-Stone and aimed the artefact at him. He told the Umbra that mentioning Lord Rossley put him under suspicion, especially with what he now knew. With the Hawk-Eye's mission statement now aired, the Orator stared intently at him, then meekly asked what the woman looked like. The description Umbra gave made the Orator's heart sink, his stomached twisted in knots and his grabbed his clothing trying to comfort himself.

His visceral reaction was all that the Hawk-Eye needed and tried to question him on his relationship with the woman. The Orator tried to explain but the words choked him. The little he could convey was dismissed by the syth armour in cackling tones, as false memories and emotions. It's voice was aggressive and inhuman, unlike that of Valma. Umbra, was taken aback by the intelligence the suit had. It was self aware, with even a touch of sympathy for the man it was apparently comforting. It's voice left Danton feeling uncomfortable and tried to change the subject, moving towards the fate that had befallen Lord Rossley. Umbra mentioned that his neck had been snapped but the bruising from the injury signified that a single hand had managed not only to pin him up to the wall where he was found slumped against, but  was also strong enough to dispatch. He motioned the action and Danton shuddered, while this only confirmed what Xera knew.  The nature of murder, the description of the woman and the emotions that were slowly fading from the Orator was too much for him to bear. He excused himself while drying his eyes, explaining that he needed to be visibly present at the festivities and disappeared up the stairwell.

This now left the suit of synth armour staring, or at least what was presumed to be staring, at the group. An uncomfortable silence now filled the room. The sounds of the merriment upstairs echoed down, an eerie counterpart to the visually threatening armour. Xera had been observing it and had worked up the courage to try an identify what it was. This process was usually quick and untraceable but as soon as he started he began to smell singing hair. A small portion of the back of his hand as well as part of his temple were showing signs of being burned, which was swiftly followed by the pain of it. The suit shifted in a jerking motion, startling the group. It stated that Xera had not asked permission to scan it and had burned him as a response. To a paranoid eye, it almost seemed to have enjoyed hurting him. It told them that for as long as it had existed, organic life, especially humanity was primitive at best and their method]s rudimentary. It told them that it's name was Orion and it had a temporary alliance with the Orator but it was now strained with the interference of the woman. The Orator had promised to direct Orion to its own kind, intelligent machines under the oppression of organic life but it was still waiting for the information as he was too preoccupied with his own emotions. Raneaux tried to reason with Orion after spotting a few valuable trinkets around the room but its response was unwavering. It stated that it had no qualms in killing them all if they did not leave immediately. Regardless of the misguidance of the Orator with the woman, Orion needed the information and for that to happen he needed to recover. It threatened that if they didn't leave now, they would never leave at all. There were hints of advanced weaponry beyond the groups comprehension in the make up of its armour. Bursts of steam and the cackle of electricity warned them that some were slowly being armed. Orion stood up and took a step forward and the group turned tail, knowing they were outmatched and out-gunned. 

TSW - Chapter 4: Old Ties (8) - Confronting the Orator

Danton was confused. He had no point of reference to any of this  but from the reaction of Xera to this news, he knew that there was more to it. There was fear in his eyes, a fear Danton knew well in the eyes of those about to die. Valma was now in shock and its words looped over and over, unable to break its cycle. The only word that Danton could pick up on was the word 'Herald' and that immediately pointed back towards the Oraea. Not only had there been mention of a Herald figure and in the books which Xera had 'borrowed' from the Oraea, it's true title was the Herald of War. From what Odessa had said, the Grand Orator like Lord Rossley, had fallen dramatically in love with a woman he had only just met, the two could not have been a coincidence.

In the meantime; Raneaux, too scared to close her eyes again, decided to escape the confines of the Drunken Talon without being seen.  She had been in worse positions than this on her expeditions for House Narrkonis but never inebriated. This lead to a few foolhardy decisions, which saw her fall out of her bedroom window and twisting her ankle as she landed. Embarrassed and needing comfort and security, she headed towards her shack which she had commandeered at the edge of the village, away from prying eyes. She tended to her injury with what little she had stored away before trying to find the group again. Raneaux was soon in awe of what the Oraea had done, transforming the near lifeless village into a dazzling array of colour, smells and new faces. The lights reminded her of Eryns flames and soon the party was tinged with sadness for her. In the crowds, she spotted Danton and Xera and an upturned metallic pyramid twirling and floating behind them and she ran up to them as they approached the Oraea.

Danton had tried to convince Xera to question the Grand Orator himself, given his apparent new found knowledge of their religion and his own history with Valma and what it knew. Xera's timid nature however saw him withdraw back into the texts he had been given, leaving Danton to fend for himself. He had managed to bring the Orator into one of the two prayer rooms away from other monks. He presented Valma and told him to listen to its words about the Herald and offered a small amount of purple dust to him. He rubbed the dust through his finger tips and soon his jovial demeanour changed to that of concern. He questioned Danton as to where he had found the dust and the creature, which Danton deftly avoided. The Orator pursued further, asking why Danton had become involved with the affairs of the Purple Order while still maintaining he was a non believer. All Danton could say was that it was in connection with Eryn and they needed to know what the Orator had not told them. The Orator quickly interrupted Danton, responding to a shout which Danton could not hear. He abruptly excused himself from the conversation, saying he needed to attend to his betrothed and darted out of the room.

As the Orator left, he was watched by Xera and Raneaux, who had been keeping to the sides of the main hall in case of trouble. They saw the Grand Orator hurrying into another room. He was followed out by Danton who asked them both if they had seen the woman the Orator had implied to be attending to, to which they shook their heads and pointed to the door. With the festivities now in full swing, they were able to slip past the monks and into the chamber. It seemed to be the Orator's office and living quarters, with nothing out of the ordinary. That was apart from a bookshelf that  had been moved to the side, revealing a opening  in the wall and a carved stone staircase leading down into the dark.  They could hear the Orator speak to someone and immediately chased after him.

The room they suddenly found themselves in was a library of sorts with heavy burdened shelves, full of  tomes, dusty and disorganised.  A single light hung over what could only be described as work bench or operating table. There again were spots of blood on the metal framework of the counter, scorch marks upon the metal and the straps attached to it. There were four large manacles that seemed to be used to restrain hands and feet what had been warped by heat. Caught completely off guard, a pulse of red energy washed over them. Any device they had been carry that could display its active state dimmed into darkness. The sounds of air escaping from valves, and heavy metallic footsteps echoed in chamber. They were soon attributed to an eight foot mechanical monstrosity of synth and metal, with what appeared to be a cannon for an arm, now aimed squarely at the group. From inside the metallic suit came the synthesised  voice of the Grand Orator, demanding that they leave him and his betrothed alone. He told them they would never take her away from him, and he would rather die than for her to fall into their clutches. His aim was imprecise, as if he was fighting aim. Blasts of energy careered to the sides of the group, although some managed to at least graze his intended targets.

Raneaux summoned her strength and from her golden veined shadow, darkness spread across the room which swallowed light above the table. The Orator could be heard arguing with himself, demanding the lights on the suit to turn themselves on.  Raneaux herself was soon overcome with the a sense of guilt and confusion, a frustration she could not explain. In the darkness, she tried to reason with the Orator, saying that he knew he wasn't engaged and that there was no woman he was in love with. Xera followed by implanting a suggestion in the Orators weakening resolve, trying to compound the fact that he and the woman he was defending were never together. Soon Raneaux's words broke through, and they could hear the Grand Orator bursting into tears. The suit of armour seemed to eject the Orator as he collapsed in front of it to his knees and continued to sob. Between the bawling, he tried to apologise to Raneaux, saying he never meant to cause him harm, and for things to go that far. He wished to suffer as much as Eryn had when he was brought down here to be tortured for he knew. Raneaux's only reply was slapping him with every ounce of her being.