War of Dragons: Breg Epona

For many, Breg Epona is perhaps the greatest mystery amidst all of Yamato. Its warrior culture tends to attract a certain kind of player, and the desertification that has hit the sands to its east has continued to make it difficult to traverse safely. Yet, in the war against the Palace Lands, it is the Holy Empire Westelande which has been committing most of its ground forces in order to keep the invaders from getting another footing, and have been protecting the other Dukedoms in the Fourlands area.

Ever since the hostile take-over of Mac Anu, Adventurers have been searching desperately for those same kind of 'centers' amidst this land, and others, to avoid the lives of Adventurers from being threatened any further. To that end, they've gained of a rather annoying, albeit resourceful, ally; Umoto Arte Marves.

The smarmy man is currently leading the Adventurers down into another series of halls that lay beneath the depths of Breg Epona. While Mac Anu is known for its deep sewers that go on forever, it seems that Breg Epona has its own kind of strange labyrinth.

For as they step in deeper into previously yet unseen terrain, they enter a rather warm area. Warm, and moist. It feels like a cavern, yet at the same time, it's filled with trees and other such abundant plantlife. There's stone walls littered everywhere, and there's multiple bodies of water in this large underground cavern beneath. The plantlife is rather overgrown, and not by any means well kept. But it's not impossible to traverse. It seems there's beetles and other beasts here that are eating at the plantlife, keeping things at bay.

The pale Pooka puts his hands at his hips and rubs his sleeve along his face lightly, trying not to mess up the intense amount of makeup he's wearing. "Ugh, this heat will be the death of me." He murmurs at the situation. "The weird thing that was reported to us is that way." He points out, down a small alcove bearing glowing fruit.

Goldenblade is, now, a part of this nation's warrior culture, and is proud that it's standing firm against the Palace Landers, and actualy acting against them, sending out warriors to fight them wherever they turn up. She has chosen to follow this fellow, this Umoto Arte Marves, so that Breg Epona won't fall to the same fate as Mac Anu. If they can preempt the Palace Lands here, it will be a relief.

Following Marves along in this underground ... almost a swamp, or at least a rainforest, she looks around for clues or signs of .... anything, really. "What are we looking for?" she asks, needing a reminder. She's found any number of trees, and bugs, and more than a few beasts, but apparently not what we're looking for. Of course she has zero skill in finding what she's looking for, it's not a class skill for Blade Dancers. Her skills are firmly in the hitting things that you can see area. But she attempts to look, all the same. Who knows what can be found down here?

While many of the Adventurers of Yamato had come to accept that the Uncrowned were not responsible for the actions of their controlled brethren, there was still some who distrusted their actions and their intentions. Enough so that some may have been suspicious of Tian, one of the more 'outspoken' of the Uncrowned, coming along on this mission. Outspoken not in the literal sense, of course.

Still, Tian may not directly be responsible, but the only way people were going to come to trust the Uncrowned, is for more of them to put themselves on the line to help those in Yamato, Lander and Adventurer alike.

If the Pooka has an intense amount of makeup, Tian has more, since their entire face is covered in it. A few sweat beads cause it to run in dark rivulets down along their neck. The Cait Sith remains quiet, making little commentary, even in sign language. Instead, their gold eyes just seem to be watchful.

Though, that fruit does look tasty. Maybe eating glowing fruit is a bad thing, however. Best not to eat the glowy fruit, for now.

While not per say a warrior Kauchemar is a Duelist League duelist that plays rival for others to work and improve themselves against, and for most that's close enough for Westelande to not worry too much about it. Especially if they actually saw her in action during the tournament.

The group emerging into what is apparently some manner of underground oasis gets a brief raising of a brow from the Nightmare Were Fang. "Not what I expected... but can't really say I'm surprised, either." It looks like the sort of mysterious location one would find under a desert after all. "Guess its time for another grand adventure into the bowels of the world~" Another? There was something before? Maybe she's refering to the Terraformer Island, you go underground on that place too.

The group had needed a tank, thankfully Gwen was out of her strange mood and back to normal. Save now she did have an outfit that used Daisy Dukes. Which she was utterly ecstatic about. She would not say no to any help even from one like Umoto Arte Marves. He was strange to be sure but he was resourceful and could she throw stones? I mean given look at Gwen and her family.

She would be near the front as the group was heading deeper and she look to their ally for a moment.

"It's nearly as bad as Phoenix..."

This city was not a monument to mankind's hubris like Phoenix was. The Empire had only so many places to build whereas America? Had so many better places to build a city.

She takes a look and nods to the pale Pooka.

"Whelp let's go take a look then shall we?"

With that Gwen would start heading in the direction that their ally pointed.

Umoto Arte Marves, smarmy Pooka extrordinaire, grunts; "If we can't even find it, how did they find it originally? We've posted guards at all entrances to any of the underground areas to avoid anyone infiltrating where they don't belong. But you'd think they would have found it by now if they are so dedicated to kicking you Adventurer types out." The man points out to the adventurers.

He then puts the parchment away and motions at the alcove with the glowing fruits.

It isn't long before Goldenblade, Kauchemar and Gwen start spotting subtle reliefs within the wall near the glowing plants. Something that looks like old writing. Notably, it's rather difficult to read symbols, that seem to be all over the place.

It seems like the writing is a bit awkwardly near the ground however.

Goldenblade is pretty sure thet're damned determined, but how they did it, she's not clear on. Nor how they could do it, here. It's not easy for us, and we have allies here. Such as it is. But she passes the weird underground jungle, with the weird, almost hidden reliefs. She misses it the first time she sees it, but the same thing again is a pattern, and she calls out, "Hey, guys, can any of you make anything of this?" She will kneels down, since it's near the floor, and push away the plants to clear the area.

Tian steps forward, igniting a bit of flame on one of their daggers to help illuminate the surrounding area, golden eyes searching. However, the Cait Sith lacks a certain something when it comes to the utility of some other classes. They are, at heart, a crafter, and that means that quest-like tasks such as these are still not commonplace for them.

They shoot a glare in the direction of the Pooka, then pluck up one of the fruits. Almost immediately, it seems to lose the glowing effect. Curious, Tian seems to be far more focused on the unusual fruit-interaction than anything else. Squinting, they sheath one dagger and poke at the vine the fruit was attached to, which still seems to hold that light.

Uncertain if it means anything at all, Tian puts their fingers into their mouth and gives a whistle, likely to get the attention of the hearing Adventurers. They then hold up the unglowing fruit and the glowing vine.

They are oblivious to anything that might be symbols or script though, it seems.

"To be fair, we can't really confirm if they have been looking or not," Kauchemar replies. "Just because it hasn't been seen doesn't mean it hasn't occured. Oh, if only life was so easy in that regard of things..." Then she trails off a little. Squints. "... Huh..." Squints a little more in Goldenblade's direction, trying to focus her vision. "I think I see it... patterns?" Hooves trod carefully upon the ground as she moves closer within the grove. "Patterns. Symbols." Pause. Considering it's a desert region. "Heiroglyphs?"

Gwen says "That concerns me. I'd expect them to be pushing this rather hard yet so far they have not so far as I can... wait look at that." Gwen will now get closer to the wall pointing out some of the writing. She can't read it but it's cearly on the money for there being something strange here. "This looks imporant..." Also Gwen is having to hunch and bend her massive frame over to find these bits of old script...

Upon closer Inspection, Goldenblade seems to find that the symbols are strange looking because they're... in bad positions. Gwen not moments later spots that there in fact is a pattern and that the stone can be moved. Putting her hand to the wall, it seems the patterns are various intricate disks interweaved against the wall that allows her to move them around.

Working with Goldenblade, Gwen starts returning the patterns to symbols that Goldenblade recognizes; the language of the Alv.

In the meantime, Tian has managed to find out that the glow continues to 'beam' from the plantvine, almost like it were made out of some kind of glassfiber.

Umoto Arte Marves just kind of shrugs at Tian and takes a heavy drink. He doesn't seem to really want to be here, but Tian can tell from his eyes that he is taking in everything he can. He might give the appearance of a snotty noble, but he's an intelligent snotty noble.

The worst kind of noble.

Goldenblade is kind of pleased with herself. She's not used to being the one to solve mysteries. All the kids today have much different puzzles than she had when she was their age. Then again, in her day, puzzles were things like magic squares in some pyramid, and she can't solve magic squares, either. But she at least knew what they looked like. This .... she will help as she can, but it's Gwen with the heavy thinking. Her main asset is being short enough to operate the things without getting a sore back.

Of course /recognizing/ the language of the Alv and being able to do anything about it are two different things. "Uta might know what this is," she observes. She gets lost past Klaatu Barada Nikto. "Anyone from Uta's group of archaeologists around?" she asks the group that's formed to search here.

Kauchemar can't really tell more than that, so she steps back and lets others that seem to be picking on the jumbled symbols deal with. Instead she props her staff against the ground and leans on it, turning her head just enough to sidelong glance in Marves' direction. Trying to look disinterested, true to form for a noble. Oh well. Help is still help... hopefully.

Well, since no one seemed all that interested in the strange fruit that Tian had found, and were all far too busy with their own investigations, the Cait Sith just shrugs.

The next moment, they are taking a bite of the formerly glowing fruit. Then, their eyes widen, chewing it and giving an instinctual sound of pleasure before looking over towards their 'noble' guide and offering it out to him.

Some pointing seems to suggest that it is very good and he should have a try. There is also a subtle widening of Tian's pupils. Likely a side-effect of whatever it is they are eating. Good thing everyone else is to busy to notice and they are about to pass along their 'discovery' to their new-found Lander friend...

Gwen eyes widen as ehe figures out what's going on with the runes. She work with Goldenblade to get some better idea of this she'll pause for a moment.

"Wait it's Alv..."

She doesn't know anything of it.

"I can try to contact her...Failing that we should copy all of this down."

She looks to their Noble ally for a moment pauisng. "Given how highly educate I presumne one such as yourself might be might you know any Alv good sir?"

Umoto Arte Marves - whose name clearly must be written out in full any time it is mentioned because he's just that important - steps over to Tian and accepts the fruit after she's tested that it is legitimate. He then takes a bite from the other side, and then another bite. "Hmm, pretty good." He murmurs. "Though I wonder where the glow is actually coming from." He notes, before pointing at the wall.

"And heyyyy, those symbols are pretty low to the ground in this old dirt-filled..." Hic. "Place." He murmurs.

Gwen and Goldenblade have locked the symbols into place. They're pretty sure they've got them in right. And one of Uta's study-buddies is around to confirm their finding.

But nothing happens yet.

Though notably, there /are/ grooves that lead up into the areas beneath the symbols that seem rather empty at the moment.

    Baroness Wake has a tendency to just show up where she's least expected. This is not exactly that, but her appearance is sudden, as she simply emerges from a shadow and steps into the group. As if she had been there the whole time, nonetheless.

    She says to nobody in particular, "Apologies on being rather late. I assume all is well?" She had a thing, as the saying goes. Or perhaps she has simply been watching from the shadows.

There is a nod given from Tian and an unspoken gesture that seems to encompass: 'I told you!' However, the Cait Sith seems to take one step closer to another vine and wobbles into the wall as if suddenly unsteady on their feet. This is followed by a hiccup of their own, causing one hand to lift to their mouth and a soundless laugh to follow.

Both daggers are put away for now (probably for the best) and the Cait Sith seems to have entirely forgotten why they were all here in the first place. Tian starts to grab for some more of the fruits, obviously less coordinated than they should be.

As Baroness Wake seems to emerge from the shadows, Tian doesn't react with the jolt of surprise one might expect. Instead, the tipsy Fox-Wolf just gives the biggest grin, complete with fangs showing. They touch their thumb and index finger together and touch it to their cheek. "<Fruit?>"

This is asked while wobbling with an arm-full of strangely suspicious fruit. This seems to have nothing to do with what the others are investigating...

Goldenblade looks up as Wake speaks up, and she calls her over to look at what the rest of us are puzzling over. She will see if the locked-in-place symbols slide along the grooves, or else for things that might fit in the grooves. The glowy fruit are tickling her suspicious bone also, they're not found anywhere else, that she knows, or ... "Wait, is that the booze-fruit someone found like a year ago?" she wonders.

Gwen gets the symbols working and thankfully one of Uta's friend is able to help them make sure they got it right. She'll check out the area that the grooves seem to be leading too.

"What do we have here...wait are you saying we need to make an offering of one of the fruit? So far Baroness!"

Kauchemar turns her attention from the puzzle G and G are working on when she hears the familiar voice politely speak up. Smiles lazily. "See, this is why I chose to learn from the best when it came to doing that." Then she finally notices Tian. ".. I think someone may have gotten a little too tutey fruity."

Gwen begins to dig away at the origin of the grooves, finding various spots where the grooves are completely clogged up with roots and other kinds of gunk. Digging far enough, she starts getting near the origin of those plants. After a bit more digging further, and there's... blue crystals! Glowing blue crystals which are intended to flow energy into those symbols! It just will take some cleanup to get the enchantment going.

    "Well, I see someone has taken a liking to the local.. chemistry," murmurs Wake. She steps closer to see what puzzle the group is looking over. "I am not much for riddles." With a warm smile she adds to Tian, "And thank you for the kindly offer. I'd like to take a look at one of those, if I may." She asks the others, "They are safe to handle, yes?"

Gwen works awayt for a momentr then calls out.

"Hey look over here I think I found what we need we just need to clear it out and then we can get at the crystals for what we need to do."

When the team finally gets the grooves unearthed, and the blue light begins to flow and enter the symbols on the wall, the wall shudders... and a hole just /appears/.

It's not like a hologram just turned off, or a door just opened. It's literally as if the wall just 'fades' into this large gap that is there, and then isn't there the next. Creating an opening that leads into a circling staircase that leads down.

Even Kauchemar takes a step back when a doorway simply is there when nothing else was there a moment ago. No opening, no revealing, just ... there. She barely catchs her staff before dropping it on the ground, and recomposes herself with a soft snort. "Guess I am not the only one that does that trick." Gives a grandoise gesture towards the stairway with her staff held out. "Shall we?" before proceeding forward herself.

Gwen will nods to Kau as she moves to take point if someone's going to set off a death rune or something face first? Gwen assumes she has the best chance to surive it.

Goldenblade will help Gwen dig, when she realizes what's going on. She's got ... what amounts to an entrenching tool in her heavy pack, basically a short-handled shovel, but she'll put her back into it, until things are cleared out. But then magic happens, and she looks blankly.

"Well. It looks like this is the way we wanted to go. Any idea how we keep people from following us, if the Palace Landers find this place? I've got a few ideas, but I think punji sticks might be bad if it's allies that come after us."

It is obvious that Tian knows absolutely nothing about any potentially intoxicating fruit. If that's what they currently have an entire unsteadily-balanced arm full of at the moment.

After allowing Wake to take one, Tian starts to painstakingly put the rest into their inventory. It is a far more difficult task than it looks like and their hand wobbles in the air a few times along the way and a couple of fruit end up falling and rolling away in the process.

When it is finished, the Cait Sith hiccups again and offers them a thumbs up. "<All fine.>" Tian touches an open hand to their chest. The Fox-Wolf falls into step behind them, or rather, wobbles that way. Thankfully there are walls on the staircase to lean against since the ground keeps tipping. It must be some sort of trap to keep out the unwanted!

"<Careful of the tipping floors.>" Tian signs, then hiccups while leaning against the stone.

    Wake will just very subtly move to Tian's side. "Yes, it's certainly a precarious descent," she agrees. She just puts the fruit away. Maybe Tae can make something good with it. Or find a way to grow more. Might be fun!

    "I don't know about defending it just yet. I suspect we'll need a permanent guard, however, to resist any potential threats." That's a problem for a bit later. First, it'd be handy to know what is actually down here.

The long winding steps go down for quite a ways. Stepping along, on and on, with the echoes of the halls growing for each meter they head down.

After a good hundred meters or so, they finally come to an area of light. And when they do, they step into a lacquered wood area, with bamboo and paper walls filtering in light. There's the sound of birds outside, of the building, and the place is largely made out of wood.

At the back of the chamber, is a woman wearing what looks like a shrine maiden's outfit - in the typical white and red. It appears they are some kind of Salamander, with notably more pointy ears. Their eyes are closed, and they are seated with a really long bow laying before them on a pillow, and a quiver of arrows at their side.

They seem to be slowly breathing, as if they are meditating.

Notably, everything about this place feels... off. Their communication systems are also no longer working. It feels as if everything here is so 'light'. To those from Japan, this may even feel suspiciously like they just came back home. In fact, stepping into this area feels as if they just stepped through some kind of 'screen' into another place.

    "There are remarkable things in the deep places of the world," murmurs Wake softly. She checks her menu, comms, and inspects the Salamander, curious if this one just might have something in common with Artemis. "And even more remarkable people."

    She glides into her curtsey with grace, "I am Baroness Wake. I apologize for the interruption."

As the team tries to Inspect the person at the end of the large inner Shinto Shrine area, they note:

    Miko ('I')

Gwen will inspect the woman then stepfward bowing. "Hello I am Gwen Pendragon a companion of the Baroness."

Goldenblade eyes Tian, sighing and telling him, "You're drunk, buddy. If you've got any food in your inventory, eat it, it'll ... well, maybe dilute the booze a bit." She's not going to recommend Tian hurl on a closed stairwell, even if that's the best way to get it out of his system. Luckily, Wake seems to be helping him along. As far as light goes, she draws one sword and channels fire, which blazes along the length of the sword like a particularly sharp torch.

When they enter the area of light and laquered wood, she'll douse the makeshift torch and put her blade away, this is obviously not the place for that. She will Inspect this place and the people, this is clearly the sort of secret place we seek. It's /a/ secret place, anyhow. She's not /from/ Japan, but she's lived there since the mid-60's and that's probably longer than a lot of the kids in this game that were botn in Japan. She squints as se inspects, then mutters, "/Just/ the I? What's that? Landers have a Castle, players have a Wing.... Clearly, you are someone special," she concludes to the Miko. "Can you tell us what is this place?"

Kauchemar huhs. "This feels like a few places I've seen... in another life one could say." The attire of the old woman meditating is fitting to the scenery, and the name that coincides gets a brief snicker from her as well. Before bowing as well, staff held crosswise to follow her gesture. What an interesting find at the bottom of all these.

The expression that forms on Tian's face seems almost offended, complete with a lip curl and a flash of one fang. "<I am not drunk.>" They make a motion with one hand, thumb extended, the motion like pouring out a bottle. Then, as if in contrast to their statement, Tian hiccups again.

Thankfully, Tian doesn't seem to be one of those people who becomes belligerent or a jerk when they are drunk. It means, however, that while the group steps into the chamber, the whole strange feeling of the place is lost completely on them. Instead, there is an almost laser focus on the woman in the shrine maiden outfit.

You know when a person is drunk, sometimes it turns off their filter and lowers their inhibitions? In this case, Tian signs a gesture that takes their hand across their face. "<Beautiful.>" They take a step forward, as if drawn by the almost unearthly nature of the woman before them. It may not be wise, but few people are when under the influence of strange substances.

Normally, Miko might have answered to the many greetings thrown their way. But instead, she watches as Goldenblade talks, but she cannot understand a word that is coming out of her mouth. It's only when they ask about what this place is, that she begins to rise. Taking hold of the bow and calmly rising up before taking a deep breath...

And begins to calmly place the arrow to the bow. She doesn't give her name, she doesn't explain anything. It seems that this person has no patient with what is occurring here - based on her posture as she begins to draw the arrow on her weapon. Light beginning to flow into the very tip of the weapon rapidly.

Notably, they will notice that their Lander Friend is not entering this place. They're just standing near the entrance, peeking out with their head from time to time.

The arrow then suddenly is fired, and stabs into the ground, right in front of Tian's foot before they can take another step.

"This place is not for your kind, Adventurers." The woman declares with firm intension. Even her voice is beautiful in that unearthly way. A traditional kind of beauty that they have perhaps not seen in a long time. No filter. No nothing. Perfectly maintained robes, perfectly done up black hair, perfect makeup, and then that thick smooth red tail that contrasts with her robes, and the red scales along her cheeks that lead towards those more elfin looking ears.

The calm, light feeling... yet, something feels off in the ambience. Almost as if their presence has subtly off-set a balance in the environme--

--The old woman rises... and reachs for her weapon.

Immeadiately Kauchemar takes a step back, and all too aware of a certain someone's spawn nation being the one currently overtaken, holds her arm out to plant her staff firmly in front of Baroness Wake. As much to protect her as it is to keep her from leaping ahead into the threatening situation.

Then she shoots at Tian's feet instead. Well, he is rather buzzed, he maybe deserved that warning shot. Any other time, that would be comedy gold. But right now, it's serious. Serious enough to even keep her mischeviousness at bay for the moment.

"Madam, we are not the ones that mean you or the city harm." Tone kept calm. Respectful of this likely powerful in ways they do not understand fully person. "That sort of trouble is what we have come to prevent."

    There are times for patience, and time to cut to the chase. "Are you familiar with the Old Man? Are you aware that invaders from over the sea have enslaved the lander beneath Mac Anu?"

    Wake makes no attempt to step forward. But she's not fleeing, either. She regards the guardian evenly, waiting for her reaction.

    "You know who I am and what I stand for. You know I would never threaten this city. Tell us how best to help protect this place. Is this the only entrance we must guard?"

Goldenblade steps back when the arrow is fired. "I expect that was a warning shot," she mutters, "If some other people come by here and try to put something on your head, feel free to kill them dead." She's not quite leaving, herelf, as much as making vaguely backing down type motions. Her posture also displays the Salamander Scale badge she wears in service to Breg Epona, in case that helps. "We serve the city, and seek its welfare," she says stoicly.

A sober person would know when they are in danger. Tian is not sober. The Cait Sith doesn't even flinch when that arrow is fired, which is very much out of character for them. Normally, as a spokesperson for the Uncrowned, they are exceptionally careful and cautious, especially in matters that could cause them to die and find themselves respawned back in the Palace Lands.

In this moment, however, Tian just looks down at the arrow, stopping briefly in their tracks. Rather than speaking immediately, Tian takes off their mask, revealing the makeup painted features beneath. As with much about this individual, their features seem androgynous, soft yet angular in a strange way. When they begin attempts to speak again, the signs that they offer are slow. "<We are not here to bring harm.>"

Tian seems to be trying to choose their words carefully, especially with their current addled mental state. "<There is danger coming. Enemies who would seek enslave and control you. Who would seek hurt those you wish to protect.>"

Then, after a pause, Tian adds, "<Please. You are far too beautiful to fall to their hands. We only wish to help.>" Ahh, there goes drunk-Tian again, trying to flirt with theoretically god-like NPCs just because they are hot.

Miko, the miko of the shrine, looks between them as they continue to speak. Some measure of attention going to Tian, who bravely manages to come a bit further forward, and communicates in such an unusual manner. The now maskless Cait Sith is considered for a moment by the shrine maiden, androgynous as they are. There's confusion and uncertainty at the way they are interacting with her.

It is however Baroness Wake's mention of the Old Man that seems to give the whole group credence. "The Old Man was enslaved by those of the Palace Lands?" She asks.

They finally have her attention.

"And you are saying people with the ability to enslave us Kunie are coming here to this holy place, and seek to take hold of Breg Epona for their own uses." The woman lowers her bow slightly, but has managed to place in a new arrow. She doesn't wish for them to get closer.

In fact, those who are watching carefully will notice that the area where the arrow landed has gotten... longer.

It's almost as if the distance between them and Miko has increased, simply because that arrow landed there.

The woman then glances away with a mild blush.

"Put your mask back on." She mutters.

Gwen is taken in by this place it's pretty but she does not have the feeling of home she looks to Goldenblade for a moment humming. "Some Landers just have an I but I have not seen it often." She looks to Miko and humm for a moment. She will sit back and let those who are better at talking do their thing but she seem hopeful form how things are going.

    "I am saying exactly that. They have turned the guardians against their own people," answers Wake. "We intend to ensure that doesn't happen. Since this is the right place to defend, I suspect our purpose is achieved."

    The Baroness turns a grateful smile to Kauchemar. She appreciates the protection, though she's just as pleased to not need it at this point. To Miko the miko, she says, "I have many questions, but there are several things that I must see to and wiser people than I to ask questions."

Goldenblade ehs? Now she's the one well out of her depth. Kunie? But she nods about them trying to take Breg Epona. "That's their goal," she agrees. "They have relics, like a crown that you wear, that usurps your will." She arches a brow to Gwen, and asks, "Who's just got the I? No one I know...." But now she has to think about it... everyone she knows inspects as a Lander or a Player. Has she met any ... what did she call herself, Kunie? "We will set guards, but you should also be vigilant. Let no one close. No matter how drunk." She eyes Tian again. "C'mon, loverboy," she says wearily. "You're going to want to sleep it off soon enough, and I'm not going to carry you out of here."

Kauchemar tilts her head a little. 'Kunie'. Interesting. New term. "That is correct, yes." But for the most part lets Wake continue doing the talking, this is the area of specialty she excels in after all. She too is thankful her being protective wasn't needed.

"Tian, mayhaps you should do as the nice elderly lady says, and cool down a little." A pause. Then a bit of a smirk finally comes back to her expression. "And be fortunate no screen cap fuction is accessable these days..." Not that it changes several of them being here to see it first hand. And can give him crap about trying to flirt with a possible genius loci later.

Tian might be drunk, but there are moments of clarity. Even under the effects of suspicious fruit, the Cait Sith still isn't the sort to do anything that would obviously make someone uncomfortable or put them under any kind of undue stress. They just aren't the sort of person to push those kind of advances, drunk or not.

So, when the Kunie tells them to put the mask back on, Tian does so, taking a moment to pull it back into place over their features. Then, the Cait Sith gives a wobbly bow and steps back. It almost might seem gentlemanly, if it weren't for the hiccup that follows. Yep, still drunk.

"<Please... heed them.>" There is a tiny hesitation in their signing, perhaps only then realizing that maybe Goldenblade was right. The motions seem to defer to Wake, perhaps respecting the Baroness most of all in this scenario. However, as Goldenblade starts to try to call them away, the Cait Sith's tail puffs a little. "<I am not a 'loverboy'.>" There is a chuff of sound in their chest.

There is a look back towards the Miko before Tian slowly starts backing up. "<I can carry myself home. Thank you.>" Is signed in the direction of Goldenblade.

"If you wish to gaurd this place, then do it out of sight, so I can continue my work." The woman remarks, remaining standing in that perfect stance. One foot forward, one back. Perfectly braced to fire once more. It's clear that the message that these Adventurers have brought her is visibly disturbing to her. It's right in her expression.

"I will make preparations to combat any enemies carrying the Crowns created by the Queen of Darkness." She then adds onto that. "I did not think she would have made something so powerful, it could affect us." There's hesitation in her voice. Concern.

The Kunie remains quiet, watching them as the crew begins to back off and leave the chamber. Behind them, Marves shifts his hand and motions for them to get closer, and then begins up the stairs.

"I think we should stand guard near this place, but not group up near the entrance. That'll alert any spies that there is an area of interest here. If we are lucky, they do not yet know where this place is." The Lander points out to the Adventurers.

"He actually brings up a good point." See, the Noble IS useful. If still a snot. "Last thing we want to do is bring too much attention to the very place we want to keep an obscure secret, and do the enemy's job for them." Kauchemar at least relaxes again once they're on their way up and there's not an immeadiate threat to those that have respawns in very inconvient places.

Though that doesn't answer how they found the one in Mac Anu...

Goldenblade chuckles at Kauchemar's admonishment to Tian. "Ihat's me, the nice elderly lady. My /sons/ are older than you," she smirks with amusement in a 'seen it all' tone. She snorts at Tian's assertion that he's not a loverboy. "Not a successful one, anyhow," she quips, given the Miko's reaction to him, and she eyes him skeptically as he claims that he can carry himself home. "I dunno if I'd take /that/ bet," she says skeptically, looking to the other party members. "What's the over-under? I think he's got a few hundrerd yards left in him before he goes ass over teakettle." She's not just verbally prodding him to keep him alert, is she?

She nods at the Kunie making preparations. "Good plan." As far as us standing guard, she says, "First thing we do is complelely fill in that flower bed, replant everything as like new as we can make it, and scramble the runes. We do that before we post any guards, so the guards don't even know." As far as /where/ the guards are posted, she suggests, "They should probably patrol all along the path we took, if they find any part of it, they can find what we found."

    "The Palace Landers have at least as much ability to find things as we do," replies Wake softly. "These strange skills we are just starting to understand, they may have mastered. They are still vulnerable, but I'm not convinced that this will remain a secret forever. Though.. you all did a great job getting us here, so maybe we can show them a thing or two yet."

    On the way out, she'll move closer to Kauchemar, "And thank you, by the way. I appreciate you protecting me." With an impish grin she sneaks in a quick peck of Kauchemar's cheek.

Oh, you can be sure that Tian gives one look over their shoulder before finally starting to climb the stairs along with the others. They seem to attempt at signing but realize very quickly that the combination of drunk stumbling plus hand movements doesn't work together very well, as they keep having to catch themselves against the wall.

Stopping for a moment, the fox-wolf gives a huff of breath. "<I will... ask my informants what to be on the look out for. They... will know details of how the Palace Landers infiltrated Mac Anu.>" Some of that information may very well be key to defending this place.

Then, there is a look cast over at Goldenblade. "<One who never tries, never succeeds.>" Tian doesn't seem particularly offended about the Miko not returning their drunk, purely appearance-based affections. They don't even bother dignifying the comments about how long they will stay on their feet.

"<When I am sober, I will look at the entrance puzzle. If we can remove Crowns, we can find a way to break it.>" They offer as a method of ensuring that it is just that much harder to find a way inside in the future.

Gwen makes note of the condtion Miko gives on to them. She wonders about the maker of the crowns but doesn't think more on it, if it was the same Helba? Was it the one who saved them in the tower? She does not know and will have to find out one way or another. "We will do our best to keep out of your way and to reinforce the defence of this place..." Traps could be a way around the PVP wards when she thinks about it...