World Tree MUSH

    Tingyun, piloting the StarSkiff, pulls into a port and almost reluctantly, says. "Let us disembark here, benefactors." She seems a bit sheepish as Fu Xuan scowls with the force of a thousand angry stars. "I may live in reletive seclusion, but even I can recognize my own territory. This is not the Divination Commission. Why did you bring us here?" she demands.

    Tingyun shrinks back... hiding a bit behind Stelle as she replies. "The Meridian Pin is malfunctioning, and I couldn't find the entrance to the delve." she replies. "I wanted to take us straight to our destination, but this is the only place that I could find to dock the starskiff safely." She gestures. "Look, Exalting Sanctum, we can walk the rest of the way, it's not that far!"

    Fu Xuan huffs, She then closes her eyes, the jewel imbedded in her forehead beginning to flicker softly. "Our hexagrammatic position is fluctuating between the marsh and water trigrams. The vessel is stranded and the way is blocked..."

    "Is this how the Xianzhou tell fortunes?" asks March incredulously. "Anyone can count on their fingers..."

    Stelle lifts her chin, and gives March a smug little side-eye and smirk. "The connoisseur appreciates the artistry, and the layman enjoys the show." she pipes back.

    March rolls her eyes. "Yeah yeah yeah, -- so I'm a layman. Why don't you enlighten us, of connoisseur?"

    Fu Xuan chimes back in before the two can start their squabbling again, good-natured or not. "I just performed some quick divination and the hexagram is consistant with our current predicament. The starskiff cannot take us to the Divination Commission today. Alas, without me in charge to handle the Stellaron crisis, I dare not even imagine the kind of mess the commission must be in."

    Fu Xuan signals the Cloud Knights holding Kafka... who has been weirdly compliant so far, just casually sitting with her arms bound, and a gag in her mouth like she were waiting to get her nails done and hair trimmed.

    "Hey, we need to be present for any questioning!" calls March.

    "You think too little of me -- my word is my bond! I will keep the promise even if this delve collapses beneath us. That is very unlikely, by the way... once I have concluded and consolidated our internal affairs I will send someone to fetch you. No questioning shall be pressed until you are present. Look for Qingque at the front of the Exalting Sanctum's plaza. She is about my height, with brown hair and a green dress." She then leaves, taking her retinue and Kafka with her.

    "So... now what?" asks Stelle, looking around.

    Despite the success in apprehending a suspect, Talia is very suspicious about this. Perhaps Kafka accepts her fate with a degree of grace Talia would find admirable, but she seems too confident in defeat.

    BUt that's a matter to worry about later. "So it's a matter of calculation, this divination?" Talia asks, curious.

    "It sounds like just a lot of figuring out probabilities," Jessica ventures. "I mean... if you know a lot of the variables I guess that makes sense? I was never really that good at that kind of thing... that's why we have commanders, right?"

    Her ears twitch as she scratches behind one. "Anyway... I don't really like a lot of this. It really feels like we're bouncing around a bunch of different groups and they all want to use us without telling us everything."

    "Is this some kind of clairvoyance? Or actual foretelling of the future?" Bi De clucks, with an almost angry tone. "I do not believe in a set future. I do hope it isn't the latter. Still, the faith that people are putting into this 'divination' is disturbing. For a number of reasons."

    "I can answer that, benefactors. Xianzhou divination is based on a technology called the jade abacus. From navigation to governance, military issues to civil affairs, every decision throughout the Alliance must be reviewed by the DIvination Commission to ensure it can be executed without a hiccup." her ears splay out as she gives a defeated smile. "But I'm just a mere Amicassador, but Master Diviner seems confident she can get Kafka to talk... I'd just sit back and watch her do her thing."

    With everyone just waiting around, Stelle points out. "Lets go look for the messenger, we can at least introduce ourselves, right?"

    So, heading toward the plaza, a few Cloud Knights are complaining about upset stomaches from worrying.

    There's a commotion in the center of the plaza though, a few wounded Cloud Knights who were apparently brought in from other delves where the outbreak has been worse are writhing around on field beds... one even turns, screaming at everyone to get away from him. He lifts bodily into the air, levitating before those vines sprout, and his voice changes from utter terror, into unbridled rage.

    "Everybody stay back!" comes a reedy sounding young voice... a child with dragon horns and tail comes sailing through the air, electricity arching around her tailtip as she spins, and whips the turned man across the helmet, sending him sprawling. "Give him this medicine and make him lie down!" she says, holding out a gourd-shaped flask as more of the wounded start standing and shambling, like zombies. "I--I mean... make //them// lie down..." she says, chuckling nervously.

    Jessica looks uneasy at this idea. The divination one, that is. She can't quite articulate why, though! Something about that just seems off, to her, even if it makes 'sense' for the whole belief system.

    She's distracted from mulling it over by... uh... a sudden appearance of foes to handle? While she normally shoots people, the 'instigator' of the shambling zombies seems to be taken care of, so she quickly rushes over and cracks one of them on the head with the butt of her pistol, trying to wrestle them down. "Um, these aren't contagious are they?"

    "The future is not always so certain." Talia says simply, perhaps a bit cryptically. "The future is always set in motion, and the will of the Force is never so predictable." She is skeptical, divining the future was always seen as a scam back in the day.

    As they get to the plaza, Talia is quick to respond to the commotion. "What's going on?" She gets her answer seeing the man struggling and mutating. And then, there's zombies. Or something zombie-esque. Talia reaches out and with the Force, knocks a few over. "Awfully regular."

    Bi De muses on that idea. "But that would mean... I don't understand humanoid systems..." he grumbles, obviously thinking of some issues but chalking it up to the fact that he's a chicken. Cluck different and all.

    Fortunately, the next problem is something he is actually equipped to handle. "Ah... subdue them. Understood. What has happened?" He doesn't question the need to pin down the zombie-like results though, moving swiftly into some take-downs, slamming into chests with his (surprisingly heavy for his size) bulk and otherwise taking advantage of the fact that his normal attacks do not dismember or explode the enemy.

    The turned soldiers aren't exactly in fighting shape, so are easily subdued. Pistolwhipping, body tackling or simple force pushes are enough to unbalance and topple the newly turned people.

    As each is knocked down, the little dragon girl scampers over and pours some of the medcine in the gourd into their mouths, prising away the helmet to do so... they seem to start reverting, but this change is far slower than the one that made them this way to begin with. "There... ready to lie down now?" she asks, as she arranges the last few into their beds again, administering medicine before turning back to the group. She speaks with a kind of authority one so young seeming shouldn't have... but then, how do you tell how old a dragon really is?

    "Thanks for helping to stabilize the patients --- your 'assertive sedation' techniques are quite effective!" she sighs a bit, "However, these Cloud Knights were already sick, and now they're injured too. I've gotta bandage up their wounds, realign thier bones... Ugh, as if I didn't have enough on my plate!"

    Stelle tilts her head. "Hey, kid... aren't you a little young to be realigning bones?" she asks.

    March chimes in too. "Where did you come from little one? Are your parents around somewhere?"

    "I don't have parents." replies the girl firmly. "I get it -- you think, just because I'm smalal that I must be a runaway child." She jingles the little bangle around the tip of her tail, just behind the tuft. "Welcome to the Xianzhou Luofu my short-lived outsider friends. Appearances can be deceiving here! The Vidyadhara race is self-reincarnating. No parents required!" She plants her hands on her hips. "I've been studying the art of healing since I cast off my old shell! You're looking at a recognized, practicing, dedicated doctor." she looks back at the wounded Cloud Knights. "Since you helped me, I'll treat any broken bones, sprains or other such injuries for free. If you require any medicines though, I will still need to charge, but I'll offer a 20% discount." she bows. "For now though, I need to tend to my patients." she turns, then comes up short. "Oh, my name is Bailu. Take care~"

    Childlike or not, Jessica frowns slightly... Bailu is probably approaching her height, after all! But she doesn't blink at that. "Oh, I know a few like that!" Young-looking sorts that are doctors, that is. So she doesn't seem to be as surprise.

    She does keep her pistol ready, because an escort is kind of important. "I guess having a discount on medical care is nice..." Maybe it won't bankrupt them quite as much!

    "Amazing," Bi De murmurs. "The dragon I know is much larger, but also much lazier. It is good to meet you-" he starts to bow, but the little dragonling is already dashing off to handle more things.

    "Much more lazy," he clucks, turning to keep an eye on the prisoner then. "We'd best get this one somewhere safe, yes."

    "I can't say I've met dragons before." Talia says, bowing her head. "Talia Kyras, Jedi Knight." She's about to say more but it seems the dragon has other things to do!

    It seems they're back to looking for the messenger now. "Any ideas where to find our quarry?"

    A short walk from where Lady Bailu is treating the mara-struck soldiers, for both the symptoms of mara, and the injuries they took while being subdued, a man in a Realm-Keeping Commission uniform approaches. He has shaggy hair in a bun, and a goatee-style moustache and chin beard. "Excuse me... I am Dahao, from the Realm-Keeping Commission, local to the Exalting Sanctum. I'd like to thank you on behalf of the Commission for your aid to Lady Bailu." he bows, "I had heard that General Jing Yuan had asked some guests to assist with the troubles surrounding our current incident... that must be you." he adds, looking around at the gathered. "At your convenience, I would like to ask you to visit the Realm-Keeping Commission office here in Exalting Sanctum... I'd like to speak with you concerning the issues we're currently facing here." he's said this all with a partial bow, and now straightens his back. "I will not take any more of your time now. Again, come find me at your convenience. The Realm-Keeping Commission office is just up those steps, take a left. The Cloud Knight outside will know to allow you entry."

    The man turns to leave after that, leaving the group to mull over his words, and continue on to their destination.

    Okay things are handled and now it's on to the aftermath! Clara is helping Lady Bailu as best she can in treating the mara-struck soldiers, but there's not really much the smol bean can do beyond basic first aid and dispensing pain killers.
    She watches as the Realm-Keeping Comission guy introduces himself and says to go check out the Realm-Keeping Commission for more missions or something.
    Clara resumes helping deal with the soldiers though!

    Talia does her best to help treat the soldiers too, checking on their vitals with a device of some sort, injecting them with some kind of proto-bacta, and also gently comforting them. "Clara, can you help me tie off these bandages?" She asks.

    There's not much Jessica can do other than carry supplies and look cute. She'll do both. Though she does comment on the man with a little confusion in her eyes. "What was that all about, you think?" Very puzzling.

    It is, indeed, quite a lot. Bi De is not a spirit healer, unfortunately, so the best he can do is perch nearby and watch, also mulling over the whole mess. Perhaps a little crooning, but mostly he sighs, "I regret that Ri Zu is not here."

    Bailu scurries around, taking over from Clara when a patient is a bit too beyond the white-haired girl. The little dragongirl authoriatative but not harsh. She inspects Talia's medications, but deems them to be compatable with her own tinctures that she's administering from a gourd-like flask.

    Jessica's assistance is appreciated, bringing boxes and cartons of supplies from a pallet that was "Left way too far away by the Realm-Keeping Commission, huff." according to Bailu.

    Stelle and the other Astral Express people can't really do much more than get in the way... until Stelle's phone goes off.

    She looks at it, and shows it to Welt and March, before calling over. "Ooooi... I think our messenger is ready. They sent us a picture of where to meet them."

    Once everyone's gathered up, they head over to... a tea parlor? There's two foxians, a vidyadhara and a short native surrounding some kind of game board. The game on it looks a lot like Majong, traditional majong not the 'match two tiles' one that got made popular.

    Svarog is here too, obviously. He doesn't need to cloak right now but he's not exactly delicate enough to help with the wounded so he just stands around.
    "I believe he was presenting us with options on matters to handle for the time being." He says to Jessica. Yeah that guy was totally a quest giver
    Clara dutifully helps Talia with bandaging people, too!
    And then it's on to a tea parlor to watch foxians play Mahjong.
    "Oh. Um. Knight to H3?"

    ONe hopes they don't need to deploy The Mechanism. Mr. Svarog is the mechanism. "Mr. Svarog, do you have any means of analyzing vital signs?" She asks the machine. Damn it, Clara's got her doing that.

    A tea parlor is nice, and Talia makes herself comfortable with tea and biscuits. She has no idea how mahjong is played, but she knows Pazzak and Sabbac.

    Is this anything like Mahjong?

    Jessica doesn't know this game, either! She looks blankly at the tiles being stacked, and then decides to just... look at Svarog. Her ears splay.

    "I mean... I know that, I just... am not sure... anyway." She huffs, rubbing her arms lightly. At least the temperature is comfortable here. "Are you sure this is where we're supposed to meet?"

    The crooning chicken quiets as he hears that there's a messenger awaiting them. "I see." He hops down to follow the others. And fortunately it's somewhere he can relate to! A tea parlor!

    "Hmm, this is relaxing," the deep-voiced bird notes. "Similar to the place we met Master Li. I like it." He leaps up to perch on a chair, if he is allowed, and watches the game with some interest. He doesn't know how to play, but Bi De is always curious to learn about more hominid customs. This one seems much safer than watersledding down a drainage chute for several miles.

    The vidyadhara, in the 'south seat' complains, as the short native seems to be taking her time on her move. "Hurry up, Qingque! We'll be fossils by the time you're finished."

    The Foxian, a male, directly across from the native in the 'west seat' speaks up next. "I heard there was a disaster in the Divination Commission delve? I'm surprised you're in the mood to play right now, Qingque."

    The short native, in a black and green dress scoffs. "Even if the sky was gonna collapse on the Divination Commission, the master diviner would be ther to hold it up. What she lack sin height, she more than makes up for in stamina." She shrugs, plucking up one of the tiles. "Besides, I'm multitasking. She ordered me to wait here for our guests. I can play a little before they arrive."

    March looks around. "A Games parlour? What kind of problems could ///they/// be facing?" she asks loudly.

    The short native, Qingque, speaks in response without turning around. "Ha! Isn't this hand a problem? I have the worst luck..."

    Talia asks if Svarog can analyze vital signs.
    "I could." Svarog says matter of factly.
    Before he... Just turns and walks away.
    "Oh um. We're here." Clara says when she overhears that Qingque is waiting for them.

    "Seems our names are traveling wide." Talia muses as she enters the games parlor. She peers over Qingque, and tries to see what her hand is.

    She's no expert but it seems pretty dire to her!

    "What guests are you waiting for? Anything distinctive about them?" Jessica is not mocking, she's actually being helpful! See, she's learned a lot about this world, and she knows that if someone is grumpily complaining about something they have to do... well... they probably want someone else to do it for them!

    Perhaps they'll get a reward if they take some time away to hunt down and bring in these mysterious guests for Qingque!

    After several minutes of watching, and overhearing the discussion, Bi De witholds his comment about the Diviners. He has... issues with them. Instead, he clucks, "What an odd game. I cannot fathom the rules. Perhaps I will have someone teach it to me, later."

    Qingque suddenly turns around. "Oh! Uh, hi there! I can tell just by looking at you that you're the Divination Commission's guests." she says, grinning awkwardly.

    Stelle gives her A Look, and March plants hands on her hips.

    "I know, I know, I'm sorry -- I was gonna wait for you by the statue but --" She turns and yells "Ah! Triplet!" She slams down three tiles with the same marking on them, and turns back as the others take their turns. "... but the Realm-keeping Commission descended on the area. It's too loud over there..." she turns back. "Pass! Pass!" Qingque then only half-turns back. "So I thought to myself, wouldn't it be better to meet somewhere quieter? FOUR OF A KIND!" she slams down more tiles with the sudden crowing shout. "And wouldn't it be more fun to show our estemed guests the real Exalting Sanctum and introduce you to a true Xianzhou pasttime? Celestial Jade. AHA!" She places down a series of tiles, and announces. "Victory!"

    "It's not like we blend in." Says the green lady. When Qingque gets a victory in her game, the Jedi speaks and bows her head. Wouldn't do to interrupt her when she's on a winning streak. "Talia Kyras, it's a pleasure to meet you. Seems you're in a mood to celebrate now!"

    Qingque... Talks to the party while playing.
    Clara's head swims a bit by the time that she wins.
    "Efficient." Svarog notes mildly.
    "Um!" Clara attempts again: "Capicu?"

    "It looks... exciting I guess?" Jessica murmurs, unsure what else to say. It's really kind of like fencing. Someone who knows fencing watching it can be fascinated, but those who don't know the rules just see a flurry of action and then a mysterious call of victory or not that makes no sense. "So um... about why we're here..."

    "I should hope the Divination Commission's guest would be easy to see," Bi De points out. "One would think that it goes with the territory, as they say." He pauses. "A fascinating game, but one which I cannot fully grasp. I have the feeling that Ri Zu or Wa Shi would be much better at it than I."

    "Ah, now that my wish has been fulfilled, there's nothing holding us back. Follow me, honoured guests." she says, striding away from the table, while the remaining three bicker about how they all played right into the little gremlins hands.

    "I must apologize for the wait, honoured guests." continues Qingque as she guides the group through the plaza, and toward a set of stairs leading up past a residental building... the zone is rather winding and non-uniform.

    Welt remarks. "It wasn't too long. Seeing your enthusiasm for this 'Celestial Jade' game has actually stoked my curiosity." he says, rubbing his chin. "Once we're done with our business, I wouldn't mind learning to play, if you'd be willing." he adds.

    "Certainly! You have good taste, sir. I can guarantee that it is quite fun." replies Qingque, a skip in her step now.

    Bi De's mention makes her chuckle. "If you bring them sometime I'd be more than happy to show them how to play too~." she chirps.

    Talia orders up some tea if there's drinks on offer, "Yahtzee!" She offers, completely clueless about what to say when you win in Mahjong. She just says what comes to mind first, honestly. "It's no trouble, I would've hated to interrupt when you were occupied with your game."

    "I am afraid they are still in Fa Rahm, and I cannot go back to fetch them until I find my way back," he sighs. Then Bi De considers. "Also, I do not believe Wa Shi would be a good fit for this place. His appetite is... considerable."

    The chicken shakes his head, "In any case... I may aks that you teach me in their stead."

    Oh, it's a persistent minigame. Jessica gets that. "Oh, okay. Maybe we could swap games then? I might have a few I could teach, too! Most of them use cards..." At least she isn't going to try to explain Triple Triad or something.