15[20:06] Xia Lan drifts in and out of consciousness as stiff-armed revenants carry her on a stretcher to the Undercity. Doctor's orders. Between the corpses and the sewer and Xu Sim's acrid medicines, everything smells really bad. But she's alive. [20:06] 13Regretta- no. Not doing this right now. 15[20:08] Xu Sim receives sorcerous report from Dreamer Mentat, who after his new master's disappearance led the late Ardua's lost legions back east, away from the fighting and the chaos. The message is stuttered and staticky as the Infallible Messenger rots to shreds before the sorcerer's eyes. 15[20:09] Seven gets his attention. "Is everything alright?" [20:13] 5Xu Sim is grateful for it. "I'm not sure. Sorcery falls apart here, it's as well you were able to catch me before the dust-devil evaporated on my way in. Is that the doings of your master?" [20:16] 5Does the message utterly disintegrate? [20:19] 13When Xia Lan is conscious, can she hear anything? Snippets of war reports, "oh that looks bad," or is it just dreadful moaning and the smell of sewage to keep her company on her journey to the healers? 15[20:20] Yes. "...yes." Away from the pair of them, past ranks of skeletal archers and bitter white mist stands the Mask of Winters. His helm bears two faces: one directed north to the teeming mass of raksha and thralls a rictus of hate, and the other pointed south at the iron sky and broken spires of Nexus is of serene, incomparable beauty. "The Governor's with him." And so he is, looking 15[20:20] squat and feral next to the towering Mask in is his writhing robes. 15[20:23] Tense noises wash over Xia Lan as she makes her way to the heart of the Undercity - the crash of hastily erected barricades, barked orders and alerts, good news and ill traded with the same fear and urgency and gradually the moaning of the sick and injured. 15[20:24] There are whispers, too, at her passing. "Is that Xia Lan?" "Oh gods, what's become of her--" "If they got her it must be going bad--" [20:24] "You got your wish," 5he observes, with a wry and worried grin. He can now judge the great and terrible Mask for himself. "And sooner than I expected." [20:25] 13She should've asked for a shroud. 15[20:27] "What?" Seven looks confused and anxious. [20:30] "When we first met, you said you wished for me to judge Him for myself. No doubt I'll soon have the chance for just such an evaluation. But nevermind, can you take your leave of him? I assassinated Ardua - not alone - and took his legion for myself. They're lost off to the East somewhere and just tried to contact me." 15[20:40] Seven smiles. "With you? I'd--" It fades. "But I cannot leave the front." [20:44] 13She didn't ask for the shroud, though. So - presumably despite the wishes of whatever medics are transporting her, or at least with additional groans from the corpses - she manages to prop herself up in the stretcher, smile without showing the pain she feels deep to her bones, and wave to onlookers. She mouths "It was worth it," to a few of them, hoping they'll spread the message - and are also good lip readers. [20:45] 13She feels like scum. But they can't lose hope, not just because they put all their trust in her and she betrayed it - there's so many others out there fighting. [20:48] 14Stranger's dancing around the edge of the battle, a jump, skip, and a hop from danger, and this time when his parasol lances out at the gargantuan monster it simply plinks off...what IS that thing made out of, anyway? [20:55] "I'm not asking you to" 5-yet "Come with me to the eastern edge of it and we'll see what we can see," 5suggests the sorcerer. 15[21:02] As Xia Lan is secreted away into an infirmary tent to rest, she hears the mood and morale of those outside improve significantly. A small cheer even ripples among the Lookshyan nurses. 15[21:03] Seven: "Show me." [21:04] 13She's going to have to answer so many questions about this later, and is too tired to think of responses right now. Luckily, it's not the worst decision she's made today. Might not even be top two, actually. [21:06] <@Ferrinus> 12Across the city, Keldar swears as a lance of pulverizing essence sweeps over his head to trace a flaming arc through the front ranks of the Dawn Guard. Why didn't anyone tell him it did that?! "PULL BACK! STICK TO BOWS!" 15[21:07] As the Dawn Guard surge forward, green smoke vents from Akasha's spiracles as a languid pulse of green fire spews over Keldar and Stranger's heads to spill into the army of Nexus. Bodies and earth are mangled and melted as hundreds of men are scattered by the blast and all fall back at their commander's orders. [21:08] 14Stranger could feel the air twisting with the power moving through that blast. Calmly, over the Codex, to all respondants: "If anyone listening has a good idea for getting Lookshy into this fight despite it being a risky and lethal adventure to help save a bunch of people they really just don't care for, don't bother to check in with me; just do it." [21:09] 14It would be quite a lucky coincidence for, say, Bubo to be back in the city, hanging around the Lookshyans, and in possession of such an idea, but Stranger is given to understand that strange coincidences are his thing. [21:13] 5Xu Sim gives a short bow and leads to the easternmost point of the Thorns front, to see if he can spot Dreamer Mentat or the Thran from the banks of the river. As they walk - "What do you think?" 5he asks, open-ended. 15[21:14] Barely visible behind the smoke and twisted metal of the Wailing Wall, Elegba raises his arms. Barely visible behind *him*, a pair of hobgoblins stretch and groan, tripling in size to become giant leonine warriors with black manes and eyes the color of desert embers. [21:16] 14...And if he's not around, well, maybe Sion: Fear Has Wings and Nobu Whitefeather have some ideas. 15[21:18] Seven squints. "Remarkable. What is he?" [21:23] "I'm not sure. He's an ally, though. I'm not sure if it's because we killed Ardua, or if it's how I killed him -" 5with this, Xu Sim gestures to the brain clasped firmly in the infernal Skullclamp, still sitting rather greasily on his belt. He waves to the Legion on the far side of the river. They seem intact? 15[21:25] More or less. Mentat and the silver-clad Mirim wave Xu Sim over as they approach. 15[21:25] Seven, excitedly: "Is that his brain? Is that a raksha lord's living brain?" 15[21:25] "They have brains?" 15[21:28] Dreamer Mentat looks on you with four exasperated faces. "Everything's coming apart at the seams!" 15[21:29] *on Xu Sim [21:29] "This was all that was left of it, the rest turned into a puddle of water. Maybe a brain was-" 5he turns to face the Dreamer Mentat. "More than already? Your message disintegrated before I could receive it." 15[21:32] Dreamer's voice grows hazy and echoed as he grows agitated. "A most repugnant necromancy is eroding nature and magic alike15like! Our mandalas will not work in such a tainted environment!" 15[21:35] Xia Lan is awakened an indeterminate time later by another strange smell, this the bittersweet sting of pipe smoke. Hoarse grumbling filters in at the edge of her hearing. "All of Firewander's smashed. Have to rebuild the shop. No, relocate. I hate moving." [21:37] 13She blinks once, twice. "...Vladok?" 13Can she locate where the voice is coming from? [21:37] 14When Stranger snaps the parasol out this time, he finds a bit more purchase. No real damage, but he's getting a better sense of how to loose this cheap bit of lumber and paper in such a way as to actually hit straight-on. [21:39] "Yeah. We need to figure out something to do about this. If it's going to harm you, Dreamer, you should relocate to the south." 5Xu Sim glances at Seven to gauge her reaction. 15[21:40] The voice is coming from her bedside. Vladok is perched like a cat on a stool beside her. [21:41] 13Xia Lan: "Hi," 13she starts, awkwardly. 15[21:48] Seven looks skeptical. Dreamer responds, "Wise indeed is my master Xu Sim. Should we draw into the city?" 15[21:50] "You're looking well," Vladok says, puffing. "Heard a war hero was laid up here." [21:52] 13Xia Lan: "Where?" [21:52] 13It's bitter. [21:53] 13Wait, no one else is listening in, right? 15[21:53] Not that Xia Lan can see or hear. [21:54] 13Then she can at least be honest with a friend. 15[21:54] Vladok: "Hnh. Anyway. I brought you something. I want to propose a trade." He holds up a small leather pouch with a shimmering red ruby clasping it together. [21:56] "Send the Legion to the eastern gate and tell them to follow Cathak Tsuka's orders. In the meantime, they should avoid major combat but take any enemy captives or supplies of opportunity." [21:57] 13Xia Lan: "What kind of trade? Made a deal once, you remember." 13Exhale. "Worked out okay in the end. But it was a near thing." 15[22:00] Vladok: "I know, so I want to be honest with you. My people are invoking an old rite to summon an old friend. With a drop of your blood we can force him to keep to his word and help us." [22:03] 13Xia Lan: "What else does it cost me? And who's the friend?" 15[22:07] Vladok: "Well, it's got to be fresh, so we'll have to go on a short walk. But that's all. Our friend is named Octavian." 15[22:10] As Akasha almost swats Keldar aside, Elegba jogs forward, wiping a sheen of sweat from his face with a gloved hand. "Wait! Out of respect for your prowess and your people I offer truce, so that none of our people need water this earth with blood any longer! Come! Let us discuss this! Things have changed!" [22:11] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar's disheveled and slightly smoking, standing at the end of a long furrow in the earth that Akasha's just pounded him into - but the sword in his hand is as sharp as ever, and his eyes and brow burn brilliant red. "We're discussin' right now-" [22:12] 14Stranger's not so far away that he can't tell the gist, at least, of what's going on with Keldar and Elegba. All he'll offer by way of counsel to Keldar is, [22:14] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar mutters into his armor's own collar, picked up by the codex. "Doesn't worry me. You want to hear him out?" [22:15] 13Xia Lan: "...don't suppose there's more than one Octavian?" 15[22:15] Vladok: "I hope not." [22:16] 13Xia Lan: "Can he be trusted to help Nexus?" [22:16] 14Stranger: 15[22:17] Vladok: "With your help." [22:18] 5Xu Sim, once the Dreamer Mentat scurries off to order the legion around but before he can return - "Now. Seven, is the Mask planning on visiting our city for a long time? What can you tell me about him, his plans?" 5he scans the area for Hunter in Darkness or any other lurking spies. [22:19] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "He'll be quitting the field, all right." 12The faerie lord probably has his answer in Keldar's battle-stance, although one supposes there's still time for Stranger to shout something. [22:23] 13Xia Lan: "And if I do, and we win, he'll just... go away? He won't, I don't know, start attacking a weakened and wounded city until we can stop him?" [22:24] 14Stranger will hold his peace. If Elegba wanted to talk to him, he'd be over here. 15[22:25] Vladok: "Once the battle is won the pact will be ended and he'll go back to Hell." [22:25] 13Xia Lan: "This all sounds incredibly convenient." [22:25] "I still haven't heard a catch." 15[22:28] Vladok: "It's not a binding, we aren't sorcerers. He'll be here under his own power, making his own decisions. He'll just have sworn a blood oath to help us." 15[22:31] Seven: "He's here to defeat the raksha. The raksha are an existential threat to all of Creation's polities. Including ours." [22:33] 14And this time when Stranger lets the parasol fly he feels a weightier impact before he yanks it back, and if he's not imagining things, there's some spiderwebbing on the Wall where there wasn't any before. [22:33] 14Hell, maybe actual spiderwebbing. [22:38] 5Xu Sim: "Right. Well we're two thirds of the way there. It feels a little foolish to make smalltalk about it. I've never been in the midst of a war like this before, even as a court physician. Cleaned up after skirmishes, fought a few myself, that kind of thing. But this is so different..." 5he shrugs. [22:40] 13Xia Lan: "...and would anyone know I'd done so?" 13She's swayed, more or less, just... thinking of the implications. Ways to mitigate. [22:40] 14He takes a few steps back, still swirling about ever so light on his feet, but doesn't begin moving to follow the Dawn Guard. He's already seen one of this thing's nasty long-range surprises, and moving's like as not to draw even more attention to him. [22:41] 14Though surely the Wall has registered what the parasol is doing to it by now. 15[22:41] Vladok: "Not unless someone was there when it happened. Or asked afterwards, I suppose. There won't be a contract with your name on it, physical or otherwise. The blood of a hero is a catalyst." 15[22:43] Seven: "I was bedridden through the last one." [22:44] 13Xia Lan: "Blood of a hero?" 15[22:44] Vladok: "Mhm." [22:44] 13Xia Lan: "And you came to me." 13Doubtful. [22:45] <@Ferrinus> 12Once Enigma's champions, rather than its war machines, join the fray, Keldar feels a little more at home. Dodging around the juggernaut's feet, he harries one of the two leonine soldiers with a series of arcing daiklave blows. 15[22:45] Vladok: "Mhm. So what do you think?" [22:47] 13Xia Lan: "Do you want to know how I got these wounds?" 15[22:47] Vladok: "Not really." 15[22:47] "I assume someone hit you with a weapon." [22:49] 13Xia Lan: "Doing ultimately nothing. Hero?" 15[22:52] Vladok: "Yeah. Listen, I'm no good at pep talks. I don't need you to feel good about yourself, I just need you to trust that your blood will work and that we need you." [22:53] 13After a short pause: "Give me your shoulder. I don't think I can make it there on my own." [22:54] 13She is going to save Nexus if it kills her. [22:54] 5Xu Sim sighs. She probably has a very sad story, but maybe she wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that. But is it selfish for him to be glad they can be together now anyway? Feelings are complicated. "I..." 5He decides to say nothing for a moment and loops an arm around her, instead. "...I do enjoy the steambreather packets you made me." 15[22:57] Vladok lends her his arm. He smells weird, but she's almost used to that by now. 15[22:57] Seven perks up. "Which is your favorite? I have more ideas--" [23:00] 13She takes it, smell be damned, and follows him. Decision's made. No regrets. [23:01] 5Xu Sim: "Maybe it's strange but the spicy one? Don't get me wrong, they were all excellent, each one was perfect for a different sort of inspiration. It's an excellent way to focus one's thoughts, I find." 15[23:02] Akasha, held at bay by Keldar and partially rent by Stranger, begins to tear itself apart. With its great talons it shreds its own shoulders, scraps of metal falling from its body as huge mechanisms roil beneath its plating and fire leaks from its joints. The sound is so intense as to be physically palpable, and Keldar is shaken apart by the otherworldly pain of the creature before 15[23:02] him as it rips, stretches, and welds itself, expanding in real time to spread across the land like a scab, a wall of solid brass with screaming faces inset every few yalms, screaming, always screaming. [23:04] 14...I'm going to need more parasols. [23:04] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar drives his daiklave into the earth before him, and the flat of Terminus flares white and gold as the raw power of Akasha's transformation threatens to consume the warrior completely. The Dawn Sergeant is driven several yalms backwards through the earth before coming to a stop - slightly charred and badly shaken, but standing tall. 15[23:06] "I'm so happy to hear that! I've been tinkering with-" Seven seizes up. Her eyes roll back into her head and her skin takes on a ghastly bluish tinge. [23:06] 14Over the Codex to everyone, annoyed: [23:10] 14To Keldar as they head back: "It seems odd to be thinking that this is the best possible outcome of that fight, and yet." [23:12] 5Xu Sim's eyes widen in alarm but he isn't the most renowned physician in the Scavenger Lands for nothing. He lays her backwards in case she starts convulsing and checks her breathing, her pulse, her pupils as quickly as he can. 15[23:19] Vladok leads Xia Lan between tents in the infirmary district, smoke billowing around them. No one seems to take notice of the pair of them, or of the smoke. It's hard for her to see where they're going; Vladok himself seems to be navigating sightless. Xia Lan quickly realizes he's following the sound of music, a steady rhythm being beaten out by sticks or stones clacking together. [23:19] 13Hills alive. 15[23:20] Xu Sim's sure that Seven is having some kind of fit or seizure - she's not breathing, her body's locked up, it could be some kind of head injury or cancer "We need to go back," she says in a strained voice, hoarse and high, and only then does she relax by inches. "I'm being summoned. Come with me. Meet the Mask." At the same time, Xu Sim hears Stranger's summons. [23:21] <@Ferrinus> 12It's only after a mad rush away from the wailing wall, and a comprehensive rallying and reorganization of the troops, that Keldar's in position to discuss the situation with Stranger at length. He's probably speaking now as lifeboats are carrying the injured back across the river and to Nexus's walls, while other craft return with fresh guardsmen. "Can't say I agree. Best outcome, [23:21] <@Ferrinus> golem's a pile of slag and Elegba's headless." [23:21] <@Ferrinus> 12After a long pause, Keldar adds: "...gotta say, that was a bit harder than I expected." 15[23:22] The smoke breaks and Xia Lan and Vladok emerge in a dank pit, walls and ground lined with what one hopes is river mud. People she recognizes from the CIO are sitting on mats on the ground, beating drums and xylophones of polished white bone. Two burly men, stripped to the waist, are circling each other in the center of the pit while everyone else looks on. [23:23] "He does this to you?" 5Xu Sim hisses. "I'll take you back. Can you stand?" 5On the Codex: "I'm with Scion of the Sevenfold. We're on our way to meet the Mask of Winters, who has arrived on the north front." [23:23] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar looks around. Where's the Lookshyan unit that theoretically had our back? Who was commanding it? 15[23:24] "I'm fine," promises Seven. [23:25] "Is it the Governor or the Mask who did that?" 5the sorcerer asks as he helps her to her feet. [23:25] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar's just getting ready to give the shogun-wannabes a piece of his mind when he processes what's coming through the Codex. "Hang on, WHO'S arrived on the north front?" 15[23:25] The Lookshyans have all withdrawn to the Final Word. There's no sign of the officers, not even Ballare, who's in command. Just ranks upon ranks of steel soldiers and hulking Gunzosha closed around the massive landship. 15[23:26] Seven: "The Mask. His voice is... powerful." [23:26] 14Stranger: "I got some licks in, but I'm still not sure we win that straight up, at least not without a lot more people dying. But--" [23:26] 13She wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but... this probably wasn't top 3. Uh. Is the summoning of Octavian just more of the evening's entertainment...? [23:26] "The what." [23:26] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "The fuck? Whose idea was that? What's the situation?" 15[23:27] Vladok: "Prick your thumb and press it to the ground between them." [23:29] 13She follows any instructions Vladok gives - he's a friend, and he's working in the defense of Nexus, and so is she. So. Let's do this. [23:31] 5Frowning, Xu Sim is starting to form an opinion on this Mask of Winters fellow. "The Northern front is won, I think. I'm going to meet Him now." 15[23:33] Xia Lan does as she's bidden, and Vladok pulls her back, outside of the pit, outside of the drum circle, to watch from the periphery. After they're in place, the two men advance on each other as if a bell is struck. They fight with fists at first, until they close and collapse to the ground in a bloody tangle of limbs. Kicking and biting and gouging - the mud turns black with shed 15[23:33] blood. No one screams in terror or cries out in pain. There's only the sound of struggle and the drums. [23:34] 14Was Stranger mistaken or did he hear Xu Sim refer to Mask of Winters as 'Him,' capital H? Good lord, man, I wanted you to get laid, not convert. [23:34] 13She-- tries to hide her disgust. It probably doesn't show on her face to the casual observer. That is going to have to do. [23:35] 5Better to be extra respectful to the creature that can give your girlfriend a seizure with a thought. [23:35] 13Heroism. Remember that. Hold it close. That's what this is for. 15[23:35] When they stop moving, Xia Lan can be forgiven for thinking they've died. But pain and exhaustion have simply knocked them out. They roll apart like spent lovers, and the pool of blood and soiled earth at the heart of the pit is impenetrably dark. 15[23:35] A moment later it begins to swell, and then there is screaming. [23:36] 13Not really a ringing endorsement of her decisions. [23:37] 14For his part, Stranger is hurrying to the northern front as quickly as he can as well, war council forgotten for the moment. The Mask of Winters. Here. He was a fool to think the Wall was reacting to a few piddly parasol shots. 15[23:37] The dome of a head emerges from the heart of a pit, followed by a tusked mouth roaring in pain. The pit disgorged Octavian inch by toxic inch, head and shoulders and impossibly powerful limbs and long, tar-streaked staff. [23:38] 13If this goes wrong, she's going to have so much more to answer for. It's a good thing that lying and getting away with it only makes you feel miserable on the inside. [23:41] <@Ferrinus> 12After listening at the codex a few moments longer, Keldar shakes his head to himself and looks to Stranger. "Alright, we need to sort the baby shogunate out a second time here, because they're definitely playing at something or other. Come on." 15[23:42] Trembling and shining, the Quarter-Prince calls out, in a deep voice much smoother than his terrible visage implies, "Who calls me?" 15[23:42] Vladok responds, "The people of Nexus." 15[23:42] Octavian calls, "Who tests me?" 15[23:42] Vladok responds, "Cethleann, the Crooked Lance." 15[23:42] Octavian calls, "Who stops me?" 15[23:42] Vladok responds, "None." [23:45] 14This day just keeps getting better and better. [23:46] 13Doesn't it just. [23:48] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar's just going to march straight up to whatever contingent of armor-clad guards is right in front of the Final Word's gangplank - or, at least, where the gangplank is usually to be found. "Oi. What's your boss doing?" 15[23:50] One of the Lookshyans at attention: "She's with senior staff." [23:53] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "And was she or one of those senior staff were supposed to lead you in the field just now?" 15[23:53] The soldier looks uneasy. "My orders are to wait for orders, sir." [23:55] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar grilled his soldiers on this, since his attention was elsewhere - did the Lookshyan forces who ostensibly set out with us just slow down and stop at one point, or straight up turn around? They were at least moving towards Elegba to start, right? 15[23:55] They just held position. [23:57] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "And those came from Ballare?" 15[23:57] "Yes, sir." [23:57] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Right. Get her out here, I want a word." 15[23:58] "She's with senior staff, sir. I'll send in a message." 15[00:02] Seven shakily leads Xu Sim behind Thorns's lines, where the Mask stands more or less exactly where he'd stood before, only now his back is to the front and his front faces the city. The double-sided helmet inclines ever so slightly in Xu Sim's direction as he approaches. 15[00:02] Seven kneels before him. "My lord." [00:03] 14When Stranger finds Vladok, the first thing he'll do is -- well, the first thing he'll do is likely size up Octavian, unless the demon has wandered off somewhere. Given his size, however, there's a pretty good chance Stranger will still be able to see him in the distance. The second thing he'll do is look at Vladok and say: "Really. Him." 15[00:03] To this, Vladok will only shrug. [00:04] 5Xu Sim doesn't bow at first, but looks up at the enormous creature standing before him as if it owns the place. 15[00:04] Keldar doesn't get an immediate response. His own soldiers are looking at him expectantly. [00:06] 14Stranger shakes his head and turns away. Somehow the Living Tower is merely the second-most concerning monster to have surfaced in the last half-hour, and that damnable Wall in the south is placing a respectable third. 15[00:06] The Mask's voice rolls like the mist that surrounds him with the languid power of a great cat at rest. "I'm glad you survived to meet me." [00:08] 13Should anyone be there to ask her, Xia Lan has been in her bed the entire time. She's more alert and awake than before, but... And this is when she turns on the puppy dog eyes... She's so hurt. Can't possibly leave her bed for a bit. As soon as she can, she'll be back on the frontlines. [00:09] <@Ferrinus> 12Kelar gives it two minutes before he speaks to the guard again. "They haven't even given you a response to pass along?" [00:10] "It's preferable to any other ways we could have met," 5the physician acknowledges. [00:10] 14Stranger takes a hesitating first step out towards where he suspects the Mask is -- you can feel that sort of power, not as a tangible force but a very wrongness changing the air -- then decides against it. He's not making first impressions on final reserves. He'll have to be at his best for that meeting. 15[00:11] The Lookshyan: "No, sir." 15[00:12] The Mask of Winters: "And your friend's been taken away to see to their wounds." [00:12] "Doctor's orders." 5Xu Sim clasps his hands behind his back. 15[00:16] The Mask regards Xu Sim with a lengthy silence that makes Seven visibly uncomfortable. [00:17] 5A few moments later, Xu Sim clears his throat. "Of course, if you have come this far to see the Unfettered Xia Lan, I don't think she has any performance currently scheduled." [00:18] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Hmm. Okay, here's the thing. I'll fight a war whatever the arrangement of allies and enemies happens to be, but I'm not putting up with fuckin', spectators. You lot can explain yourselves or you can sail on home. I'll give you an hour to make your mind up." 15[00:18] The Mask: "I'm told there are others. More than two of you." [00:20] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar returns to his own troops, which isn't that far a walk; he'll retire to a command tent that just sits directly across where the Final Word is berthed. He uses his time to sit, think, and to send runners and portions of troops back across the river with orders to prepare for a pincer attack on the Lookshyans should it become necessary to relieve them of their essence cannons. [00:20] 5Xu Sim: "There's a whole city of living people here. Including three Emissaries, and the Dawn Sergeant." [00:20] 14Stranger, to the Emissaries and Dawn Sergeant: "Three Emissaries?" [00:20] for you, Xia Lan.> 15[00:21] "I suppose that's the labor market for you." [00:23] 14The Mask will wait, or he won't, and if a few hours make the difference there he was never here for the conversation to begin with. [00:23] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar, through the codex:  15[00:23] An hour passes and Keldar has a message from a Lookshyan courier, a note that reads Personnel are in the midst of being redeployed to buttress the city against the Mask of Winters. Lookshy now regards Thorns as the primary threat. -V.B. [00:23] 14Stranger: [00:24] 14An hour later, he'll have just settled down into a bedroll when a message from the Codex gets him upright with a "For FUCK'S sake!" [00:24] 5Now it is Xu Sim's turn to stare back, with what he hopes is a dispassionate and intimidating glare. [00:24] <@Ferrinus> 12About an hour hence, Keldar pipes up again.  [00:25] <@Ferrinus> 12From the southern front* [00:25] 14Stranger: [00:26] 5Xu Sim closes his eyes very slowly as Keldar and Stranger discuss the new, frustrating, developments. [00:26] 14Stranger is under the impression that, for obvious reasons, there were not any positions save some pickets to reinforce that were defending the city from the defenders of the northern wall of the city. [00:26] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar replies with his own note: What're you actually going to commit against Elegba? -Keldar 15[00:27] The Mask sweeps a hand over the river. "It will be difficult to break this stalemate. But everyone's acquitted yourselves well so far. I'm optimistic. Nexus will be a free city yet." [00:28] 14The Lookshyans are too disciplined and the Undead too sternly controlled for an accidental second front to kick off inside the city itself, which just means that if it happens, it'll be because someone did it on purpose. [00:29] 14And so instead of sleeping, Stranger is heading out to survey where, precisely, the Dragonlord is deploying some of the soldiers that used to be on the southern front. [00:29] 14And to think, six hours ago uniting the Lookshyans against Thorns seemed like a brilliant idea. [00:30] <@Ferrinus> 12The top of Keldar's note has, like, "Requesting confirmation of available f-" but it's scribbled out. 15[00:32] Lookshy responds to Keldar. The Word can hit both sides of the city from an inland position. We offer volleys from our larboard essenca cannons. 15[00:32] *essence [00:34] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar's response: Alright, good, then I need to talk to whoever's controlling them to plan the next approach. 15[00:43] The Mask is tilted down to Xu Sim for another long silence. "Well. I look forward to working with you. I think there are many ways we can help each other." 15[00:44] In a cascade of pops and twists, every joint in the Mask's body dislocates and breaks. Shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, all of them bend backwards until the Mask as turned his back to Xu Sim without moving an inch. "Thank you. You may go, for now." [00:45] 5Xu Sim works his mouth silently for a moment. He now spares a glance towards Seven. 15[00:46] Seven is motioning for them to get away, quickly. [00:46] 5Great idea. 15[00:47] NEXT TIME: Stranger still