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"Yeah, yeah good to see you too you crazy preacher." Grim grinned at his large friend and shrugged. "Still we may be in over our heads this time, I mean the Bull and his forces are no joke. Not to mention we don't know the rest of the people we're supposed to be working with. What do you think of the group? You've been here longer thank me after all."

Grim sat down on a nearby tree stump and dug in his bag for a moment before sighing deeply. "I don't suppose they have any decent plum wine in this village do they?"

Iron looks at the blanket for a moment and then sets it aside letting it roll down over the hilt of his diaklaive, the rest of the massive blade covered in the yiddem hide scabbard. Looking to the Colonel Iron soul just shakes as his head. “I am protected by the Unconquered Sun.” As if on cue his cast mark begins to shine and his anima flares with a bright light…one that is mostly lots in the light of the winter day, but still noticeable. He knew it was a bit of a risk to do it now, but it would be much more of one out on the road at night. After about 20 min on the road the display goes away and Iron looks just like he always has.

Shortly after people started getting all excited about the imminent departure, Anya sat up from the cart and stretched leisurely, content with the nice nap she just had. She looked around for a moment, looking to see what was happening and who was where as she adjusted her cloak, dusting the stray hay that had stuck to it. Everyone was outside and awaiting the word to take off as she slipped out of the cart, taking up her staff in hand. She listened to what was going on, taking in the preparations and how each of the Solars acted right before going into action. Besides the stubborn, sword-wielding one that WANTED his daiklave to be seen for what it was, the others were calmly talking or sitting around.

Soon, the order was given and Anya was herded towards the mail cart moments before it set off on the road, bumping along as it hurried to make good time. The fact that Iron Soul decided it was suddenly proper to start glowing, made her sigh. She took the edge of the blanket he had been given to hide his obvious sword and dumped it on top of his head and shoulders, making a blanket ghost out of the huge Solar.

"Could you glow less please, you're hurting my eyes and those of the grass a mile away. You can be protected by the Unconquered Sun just fine in a less obvious manner big guy." she said reproachfully, poking at his ribs while he was blinded by the blanket.

This was going to be one strange journey...

***to be continued in Bisected Circle***

After Jasper leaves, Sasha stares thoughtfully at the box for a few moments, until a motion from Renaldo gets her attention.

'Are you thinking of keeping that for yourself?'
Sasha shook her head.
"No. These people need it at least as much as my friends back home. There's no honour in stealing from one group of poor people to help another. Besides, helping the resistance here might mean the nobles in Whitewall sit up and take notice that we won't stand for their kind of behaviour anymore."
'Do you really think so?'
"No, but it's nice to dream once in a while. Come on, let's go find Akhil and give him the funds. I think everyone would feel much better if I didn't keep them for too long."

OOC>>So this is meant as a bit of a fast forward as has been requested of me by VG. I've tried to include something for everyone in our half of the story to comment on. We'll also have to give some names to some of the npc's I've personalized.<<

Akhil thanked his father and admittedly, himself a thousand times during the journey for putting so much emphasis in his youth on studying the geography, history, and politics of all the strange places of the world. If asked any question on such topics he could usually talk at length, or if he didn't know the answer, at least provide insight by making a comparison to a similar topic.

The story was simple but potentially rich with detail; Valis and Akhil were caravaneers from the south. The south because the bull almost certainly doesn't yet have a spy network vast enough to fact check this, thus their lie is safe. Akhil knew the most astute of the invaders would instantly realize this and at first harbor mistrust. Yet at length they would be convinced. Their origin couldn't be deep South of course, for none but a few of their number could speak the language and it would hardly be convincing. The group settled on southern Harborhead after a discussion on the geopolitical situation there. He and Valis had been rival traders, running caravans of anything at all between the five contentious local tribes. They would occasionally dip farther south or north on word of handy prices, but ultimately found their situation satisfactory. After all, conflict is often profitable for those who tread carefully on the fringe of it. And that was the same impetus for a sudden move north. Harborhead was no doubt profitable, but the invasion by the bull was explosive, and he would most certainly need experienced men to ship his weapons to a from the front lines. And so the sight of silver was enough to set aside their rivalry and form an expidition to Rokan-Jin, ground zero. Perhaps they would even open new trade channels and corner the market on arms supply, or any other worthwhile good. Yes, the allure of quick riches was a powerful motivation and so the men took a gamble that there would be more open war, that the bull would move on to conquer gloriously again.

Akhil was pleased with what he saw as a convincing tale as they approached the outskirts of the capital city. He calls for the caravan to stop and set up camp before getting too close to any checkpoints. While this unfolds he gathers Valis, Sasha, one of the guards who had shown to be a notch smarter than the others, the architect whom he had grown to like very much as a fellow academic, and the blacksmiths into a council.

Focused yet calm and appreciating the coming storm for the visual and ocular camoflauge it provided, he looks at each friend in turn, "Valis, Sasha, and I will be entering the city alone in order to arrange for more permanent accomadations. You all realize that once in the city we must take every action or lack of action to conceal the nature of our true operation. Don't let your emotions get the best of you, keep the mission in mind,and most importantly, stay away from the drink." He clears his throat as one of the smiths muffles a groan. "We are here to establish alliances such as with Aparna, to locate weak points in the invaders bureaucratic and military structure, and to lay the ground work for a large scale resistance presence. Our front and initial source of income is a merchant venture from Harborhead as has been discussed thoroughly during our journey. Feel free to embellish on this if you are questioned and have the ability to, but keep the group informed so we don't cross our stories. Unfortunately, wholesale deception is not my strongpoint, so I would appreciate it if you, Valis, would play the role of the salesman and negotiator. If asked, say I am your partner, and the venture's financial administrator."

To Sasha, "You dear have been purposefully not given a role. Forgive me, but I overheard your conversation with Hidden Jasper the first night...Requiem in Moonlight. You know, I've heard a word or two about you before this...surely much of it was propogandist lies. Regardless, you have something invaluable to this operation; a talent for remaining unseen. Which is why you will not appear to be officially associated with the rest of us. I task you with prowling that city", he points into the mist, "and prying open its hidden places, befriending its malcontents, and unveiling its secrets. You will be with us, but secretly. More will be explained later of course."

To the smiths, "If you would, make a unique seal, set into a ring for each man and woman in this council. Written correspondence will carry a wax impression of the seal and it will help us to appear official. Be sure that it has some southern symbolism to it and nothing that may reveal us for what we are. Here, I've worked on some sketches with notes." He hands over a folded paper.

To the Soldier, "Congratulations on a promotion. Someone must keep order in the troops while we are gone, and you have shown promise. Your first order is to finish readying our camp. Your second, as soon as we leave for the city, bury the chest of silver nearby. Leave it there until we return. And finally, in our absence, send out a few of the men to look for secluded farmland to be purchased. It shall have the area of a square, 500 yards to a side. If more than one lot is needed to meet quota then so be it, and the fertility of the land is of no concern. Most important, and don't forget this above all, is that the land is remote and unseen. Tell the owners that they will be paid lavishly for their land but that the deal is off should they discuss the purchase with anyone. Give a dinar to each
owner as proof of sincerity." Akhil clasps the man's shoulder,"I know you don't understand this order, but I charge you with fulfilling it. I know you will not fail."

Finally, to the architect, "Once we find permanent lodging, you will be making some structural adjustments. Trapdoors, secret entrances and the like. As such, you will accompany us into the city. Bring some parchment to take notes, but keep anything incriminating cryptic."

To all,"The future of this land rests on our shoulders. Keep your wits and soon enough we'll send those nasty barbarians chasing mammoth fodder again."

Before departing, Akhil removes several leather pouches from a wagon and loads each with 5 silver dinars. He gives one to Sasha, one to Valis, one to hang around his neck, and another into a secret place in the sleeve of his new clothes. Then taking up his staff, he marches with the others up the windy road.

>>> Abel has informed me he is out of town for the week, so we'll assume that all meeting arrangements have been made. <<<

The caravaneers awake at dawn, and are greeted with the sight of Carnelian Peak, the mountain, rising in the distance. At one time it had been heavily forested, which was obvious from the stretches still covered by trees. However, there are numerous patches where the vegetation has been cleared away to reveal the rock beneath, and signs suggest these are quarries. The overall effect is similar to a poorly-shorn sheep.

After hitching the animals back up to carts, the group sets out along the switchback trail leading up-slope to the city. Along the way, a few relics of the siege can be seen. Large craters punched in stone, glassy marks on cliffsides, and at one point, a long barren line of blackened stone, with a shard of brass found here and there, terminating in a field of rubble. At this last location, one of the cart drivers makes a warding gesture and mumbles about a demonic spear.

The checkpoint is positioned at the mouth of a narrow pass, with forested cliffs on either side. A trio of Haltan commandos man the pass, though it is a fair bet that more lurk in the trees above. The caravan is stopped, searched, and questioned as to their purpose.

Valis convinces the soldiers that the caravan is a merchant venture, and is told that the carts must remain outside the checkpoint until they have obtained an entry permit from the merchant liaison, Minister Aparna. The horses are unhitched from the largest cart for Sasha, Valis, and Akhil to ride into the city.

As they pass through, Renaldo notices a hawk flying lazily towards the city, possibly the same hawk from a few days before, and surmises that it is keeping an eye on them. They will need to be subtle once inside the walls, in case it sticks around.

A final turn in the path reveals the southern wall of the city. Built on the remains of a First-Age strip-mine, Carnelian Peak sits upon a flattened part of the mountain. To the left of the gates, the stone walls sport gaping holes that have been crudely patched with logworks. Once inside, the damage is even more apparent. Whole housing blocks along the city's west side have been reduced to rubble, with no apparent attempt to clear the wreckage.

The rest of the city seems almost normal, though the natives clearly avoid the patrols of ironwood-armored Haltans. Following directions to Aparna's office, the trio finds it next to another destroyed building. The former Realm embassy appears to have not been razed, so much as carefully disassembled, with all the wooden and ceramic components left behind.

Next door a pair of large men, incongruously dressed in furs too warm for this climate, hail the caravan in Riverspeak, with a strong Northern accent.

"You have come to see Aparna, yes?" Apparently, word travels fast.

By this point, Sasha had already slipped away from the group, taking refuge in an alleyway with Renaldo as a lookout.
"Well, they're probably on their way to meet with the Minister by now. I suppose I'd better get to work myself."
'Do you think it's worth the bother?'
"It has to be...the Bull has his ideas all backwards."
At that, Renaldo went to the end end of the alleyway, and after making sure no-one was around, Sasha closed her eyes in concentration. Moments later, a different woman stood in her place.

"Well then...let's go, Renaldo. We have some new friends to make."