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IC: Kamari of clan Hogo, coliseum district ambush Obviously, it was not Kamari's day. As her arrow glanced harmlessly across the hau generated shield of the opposing menti, Kamari realized how dire the situation truly was. Her speed and training were the only things that saved her from Tani's sword cut, having drawn her own falcata with her right hand to parry just in time. Her blade was thicker and took the force easily, and Tani's sword ground down along its width until with a shove Kamari was able to disengage from her opponent. Her injured leg burned from the strain, but for now held true. How long it would last Kamari couldn't say. What she needed was a distraction and a way of keeping the menti back long enough to pull a couple arrows out of corpses further down the road. "Akone!" Kamari yelled over the crashing of battle. "Akone I need your reach!" Bow in her left hand, sword in her right, she crouched below a wide slash aimed for her head, then moved forward to incapacitate. As Tani's sword passed beyond Kamari's left the Hogo guardswoman thrust upward, attempting to disembowel her attacker while seeking a way to retreat. With luck she and the few remaining Hogo engaging the ambushers could meet up with the royal guard. Then the explosions dropped, Higashi's tactic raining from above. Any remaining form of order fell to chaos with the introduction of the fiery substance splashing out from the crashing bottles.

ohohoho. It'll be interesting to see how Makuta worshippers and Ak'rei'an worshippers interact.

WOW and yay for all the stuff going out to the community! EDIT: An idea: what if instead of calling an arc by its year of origin we call it by Book One, Book Two, etc.? In this way it would fit in more with Nuju's Chapter format for plot arc updates.

I'm not looking for a fight or anything, but if having a pen stuck to my neck back in high-school was a "direct confrontation" than I'd reckon a crossbow to the temple would only be more explicit. However, my original intention was to spur a dialogue about players and how/why we play. Since I'm on a mobile I'm not going to write an essay regarding my personal opinions or scientific journals with studies about it (oh dear, was that "I shall be brief" for the modern era), but I do want to say I find it fascinating the first response, and those thereafter in generalization, were nothing more than a player defending their actions with a character instead of discussing the more common threads of why we might want to play the kinds of characters who are ruthless and self serving, even if "good at heart." I want to apologize if in prompting the conversation I caused any personal feelings to be damaged. That was not my intention.

Why are characters seeming to ignore the paragon route for dealing with Torvoth: someone carries him put of the tunnels. Yes, that player may have to forfeit being in the rest of the plot, but think of the potential CD. Maybe it works for those involved, or maybe they're all bad to the bone or terrified to leave the group...

IC: Kamari of clan Hogo, Coliseum District Ambush As her two fellows engaged the oncoming rabble Kamari readied her final arrow. She stared down its shaft, focusing closely and taking her time to aim at the menti still leading the advance. The arrows she heard whizzing past were for the royal guard, she knew, and given her position in the alleyway Kamari could be sure no crystal barb would find her from the volley. Besides she was invisible, except for the blood stains she left trailing behind her. May Zuto-Nui bless this arrow, Kamari thought, and then let it fly, her intention focused solely on her prayer, on her aim, on the arrow spinning forward under the force of her bowstring. There was more behind the arrow than sheer skill and training, there was faith guiding it home.

IC: Koga of clan Daikura, aboard Chiisai Ryuu If I may speak with honesty, you are correct. I'm troubled, troubled by how little respect I've been accorded during this voyage, by my position as a guard for the Empress Yumiwa when she has stayed behind and am instead given the honor, if there is such a thing, of guarding her Herupa handmaiden. I feel my skills have been misplaced aboard this voyage. And since our sail the crew has displayed distaste for my adherence to tradition.

IC: Koga, aboard Chiisai Ryuu To be told his form was off, if only by five degrees, would have flustered the old Koga. However, after his time among the anti-culturalists Koga had become immune to such impudence. Instead, he opened his mind and gave Ayiwah's combat wissom a try. He hated to admit it, but there was a significant difference. "I appreciate your help, Commodore.: Koga idea-talked. would you care to demonstrate how the transition from Dragon Pose into the next mantra stance would be best performed? Ooc: apologies for shortness or errors, on mobile

IC: Kamari of clan Hogo, coliseum district ambush The liquid flames poured over Akone's shield without effect, but Kamari still felt the heat of the attack from her position. "Run," Akone shouted at her clanswoman, and Kamari turned to hobble as quickly as her wound allowed down the alley, but the sight of oncoming fighters made her stop. She considered using her menti discipline, but then the huna she wore was obsolete. Letting herself disappear Kamari pulled back the string on her bow, widened her stance for the proper aim, and released her arrow at one of the menti leaders, the string slapping off her bracer. The sound echoed in the crystal alleyway.

Looking forward to it! Hopefully there'll be plenty of twists and turns and puzzles for us all.

The map project for the lorebook is still underway, never fear.

I know shadowhawk asked about an updated map for mata-nui, but I decided it would be better to mention it here than a PM for group effect: *there is a map, updated, on the po-wahi location page on the wiki.

IC: Kamari of clan Hogo, coliseum district The ambush, although brutal, was nothing compared to the conditions of the Fursic Rebellion and Kamari found the thin cut on her leg to be only a vexing annoyance. Unfortunately it was an annoyance that didn't want to stop bleeding. Even now it seeped a slow trickle of her ichor down the outside of her knee, and with a plop the drops splattered on the crystal street in a slow, lethargic rhythm. The blood gave away her position and she ducked back into the alley as the twang of a bowstring echoed from further down the street. A moment later the arrow buried itself in a fish monger's stall cart left abandoned at the beginning of the fight. Using the sound of the shot's origin as guidance, Kamari pivoted back into the open, narrowed her eyes at her target, and released her bowstring. The arrow sailed with a shriek from the shaft. It hit the enemy archer in the shoulder and with a cry the menti dropped back below her hiding place. "Zataka curse my aim," Kamari said to herself as she swung back into the alleyway. Kamari had two arrows. OOC: Hey staff, would you be up for playing the ambush partyy npcs until more players jump in?

OOC: time to get this PC moving again. Of course, open for interaction. IC: Koga To say the least Daikura clan's first son found voyaging in a great mass of crystal deep beneath the surface of the ocean, far from the open sky where he might fly in Hane's mind as Soraph had taught him, less than pleasing. And that had nothing to do with those he traveled with. It seemed the majority of his fellow passengers and crew saw little value in their own culture, and the farther from Kentoku they traveled the more they disregarded etiquette entirely. He half wondered what would be worse upon landing on the Western Island's shore: the natives or the rabble he was already surrounded by. Twice his place in line for a meal had been cut by a measly 'hoko. On the second offense he'd been told to ignore his rank or face ejection from a porthole. Koga spent most of his time off duty sulking or practicing his martial forms in slow meditation off in a corner of the submarine. It felt as if he'd been hoodwinked, recruited into the Chōjo's personal guard only to be shipped off on a voyage without such privilege. Instead his job was to protect her hand maiden, and a Herupa no less. The thought always made his jaw clench. The only real perk was Soraph, who somehow but unsurprisingly found herself in the position of naturalist. In the moment, Koga focused on his dragon stance in a less traveled corridor, if that could be possible on a vessel of its size, attempting to let the thoughts and annoyances drift away as he balanced, arms set in the outstretched position of attack, legs strong and tensed to spring.

Need interaction in kentoku? Want a fight? Join the growing riot/ambush that's happening right now.

IC: Krios I looked at the bird for a moment, its magnificent plumage worth a fortune. It was then my plan finally formed: I'd get him drunk, then sell his bird. It sounds so commonplace when you think about it but at the time I was strapped for cash, and a lavahawk wasn't your everyday sort of pet. "An agreement, huh? Really, you make it sound like she's a sentient creature and not some mindless rahi. Of course," I added placatingly, "it's hard to trust science all the time, and our pets do seem to have a measure of emotional connection. Why, I once had a dikapi. It was like he'd know what I was thinking and respond before I'd ask."

Ooc: bloodbath time! Interaction requested for immediate violence. Pick a side and let's roll. Ic: Kamari of clan Hogo, the Coliseum District of Sado. The crystal streets were smeared with blood. A few moans escaped from the mouths of those still struggling for a final breath, their bodies butchered or stuck with slender crystal arrows. The saihoko and their menti clansmembers were out for blood, some taking to the streets with shouts of revolution and their clan names, of a new future born from the ashes made by carnage and anarchy. After the last barrage most had retreated further down the residential street, using guerilla warfare to take down a menti here and a menti there still loyal to the Umbraline cause. Kamari had three arrows left. The rest were lodged in corpses in the roadway with the exception of an archer who'd thought to get the best of the Hogo clanswoman by hiding on the upper story of a nearby dye maker's shop and so dangled limply from an open window. The rest of the attackers were hiding behind rubble and trash pulled into the streets, rough made barricades from furniture and whatever was in range of pillaging from shops and homes along the street, and they were planning a retaliation, Kamari had no doubt. The ambush had struck her patrol only a half hour ago, but now the signs of war scarred the entire block. She gathered her thoughts with a single calming breath and looked at the few survivors beside her, some wounded like herself and others grinding their teeth with anticipation of a final confrontation. With a sinking feeling she realized without outside aid they'd be surrounded. Activating her kanohi huna, the guardswoman peeked around the corner of her hiding place, a bloodstained alleyway, and looked for her next target.

Ic: krios "Rhea..." I savored the name with a swill of cider. Rhanus the inn keeper had a secret recipe for the heated beverage that I'd never swindled from him, a pity. Rhea's name also seemed to hold a secret. I figured this skakdi would be more open to exposing it. "A mercenary? There's plenty of those abounding. In fact several of the more muscular types about us bear the air of paid killers, guard or freelance." I pointed to a toa sitting at a table tucked into a corner. He was sulking, polishing the sheen on his hatchet with the maturity of a small child having lost a favorite toy. I chuckled. "Well maybe not him." It was then I noticed my companion's glances toward a bird in the rafter. "That yours?"

IC: Krios "Thugs you say?" I found myself intrigued by the use of a feminine pronoun and leaned forward, an elbow resting on the bar as the spiced cider's mug slid into my outstretched fingers. "And who is 'her' if I might ask?" Just then I remember hearing the sound of a man running down the street outside, shouting words to the wind I never clearly caught above the clatter of the inn.

IC: Krios I weighed the price of an average drink in my mind with the value of his words. Indeed, I went so far as to consider the precise monetary exchange of a wink or a great toothy grin, and found little more in equivalence than what might purchase a cheap seat at the local circus. He was an actor, although a poor one. Though it seemed by his gear his trade was of an altogether less wholesome character. "Indeed," I found myself saying, my fingers tapping against the bar for prompt service. Without turning my head I gave the order for a spiced wine and then continued my discussion. "And so what then pray is this issue you encountered if not the Drifts. When I made my way here from Le-koro a blizzard passed by higher up the mountain... glad I'd followed the red flags."

Po-wahi plot is intense. Serious questions getting ask. I can't help but give a shout out to those involved, bravo. Of course, there's always a third option...

We should all have a picnic in kentoku. I heard there was a meteor shower scheduled.

My day is made. TUCK LIVES!!! excuse me I need to go scream out the window and push myself around the house a few times in a wheelchair.

IC: Ishi Polzin "Excellent," said Ishi as he reached for the journal in Agrona's hand. The informant felt a sense of security as he clasped it between his wrists, and then looked back at the necromancer. "And the rest of it?"

You're a winner! I'd forgotten that ruling so thanks for reminding. Sad to know as OP as it might be another Dorian vs. Heuani fight is now against the rules. Reading that was such a highlight from last arc.