EVENT | GUIDING LIGHT

[alderwood]

Characters: ALL!
Date: June 1st-5th, 2014
Location: Keeliai, all sectors
Situation: Following Evandau's announcement about the soul lanterns and new housing, the Foreigners are shuffled around while Malicant's agents try to complicate this as much as possible!
Warnings/Rating: Possible mentions of violence from the cultists, plus various characters' reactions to moving.

LINKS
Fire Sector | Earth Sector | Metal Sector | Water Sector | Wood Sector | Cultist Shenanigans | Speak with Eva & Celaunn | OOC Plot Post

The new Basswood Commander, Celaunn, stands watch outside of the building with one ready hand resting on the hilt of her sword while her protectorate goes inside. A prodigy of magic as she is, liberating all the Foreigners' souls right out from under Malicant has left Evastelei far more expended than any of them care to admit. She looks as tired and worn as Evandau sounded on the radio post, but she tries to cover it with good humour, much as can be mustered given the situation. Eva's sent out messages to the ones whose essence she's felt resonate for each address and upon arriving, carries the lanterns into the new units whether they're all present or not... she's a busy lady and when this is all done she might just sleep for a week.

"Couldn't rightly explain some of these set-downs," Eva says as she goes about hanging the lamps up in the central part of the house. For most of the units, this equates to the main living area, though sometimes in the kitchen or unfinished room -- the layouts on each building has variations, after all. "One of those things you just have to feel, I reckon. Never figured Evandau much for leaving new bottles of wine on the pillows after all, so this will have to do."

While she's in the buildings, she'll run her hands over the wards built into the walls, letting them light briefly with various colours of light depending on the purpose, a symbol-based language not unlike runic illuminating at her touch and then fading to invisibility again.

"Now for these," she'll continue once she's sure she has all their attentions. "These are the best I could do on short notice, what with the Creature throwing all his resource at breaking Eshai's spells. That's why none of you could get into the Throne Room few weeks back-- that was a right bold move on your parts, by the way. See if you can't talk tall and smileless up there," she jerks her head toward the front of the building to indicate Celaunn, "into learning something from it. Chilu's are too by the book."

She'll explain how the lanterns are strengthened by proximity of those whose soul they house, and the dangers of staying away from them (particularly in a Dreaming state) for too long. "You don't want the Creature coming to rip you out of here," she says, jabbing them in the chest for emphasis, a deep frown distorting the burned scar on the one side of her face. "Be something like putting your insides through a wind shearer. Don't recommend it, that's for certain. Are you paying attention? Don't be moving these anywhere. With the power of these, I can understand why Eshai wanted to keep them close but keeping them from you... well, it wasn't the only thing she and I disagreed on."

Once she's satisfied that they've got as much information as she can provide at this time, she'll remind them as Evandau did: these lanterns are their Keeliai anchors and should they be destroyed, it won't be a trip back to their worlds that they can look forward to. "Without these, I can't keep you from being lost for good," she'll add seriously. "Good luck with them."

Comments

CULTISTS

[alderwood]

Unfortunately even with her escort, Eva can only visit so many new house buildings carrying armfuls of lanterns without attracting attention eventually. Malicant's growing influence is always spreading and those who have fallen under his sway (either willingly or unwillingly) and become zealots for his cause will attack if they see an opportunity. Sometimes they'll be wielding weapons stolen from the Palace, passed by the possessed guards... and sometimes they'll just throw themselves at their targets, using nails and teeth and whatever shapeshifting forms they think will do the most damage.

Celaunn will protect Evastelei fiercely, but it's clear that the cultists have a decent idea of what those lanterns might be...

[survival_isnt_living]

These days Septimus has been practicing more than usual, finding places outside to do it, and of course while some he might do without armor, that is mostly relaxed, somewhat fake sparring. Mostly, though, he does practice in full Legion armor; eighty to one hundred pounds of metal changes things, and he'd best be ready for full-scale trouble, after all. He will never sit back behind the front lines--where he can he will lead from the front in battle, though in camp he is often needed at high command instead. But if experience has taught him anything, it is that even he needs practice.

('Sep, we should get in some more serious sparring.'
An exasperated roll of his eyes, and an impatient sigh. 'Do you really think that's necessary.'
A tolerant sigh in response. 'As you wish, milord.'
How many times did we have that conversation? I should have listened, Rari. I'm sorry. I should have listened.)

As a result, he's fully armed when he happens to notice Eva and Celaunn when heading out from his new location in Fire Sector for a practice bout. And seeing one of those attacks... well. He is hardly about to let that lie.

So the two will have a pseudo-Roman landing with some force nearby, white-hot flame already licking his blade. With it he immediate shatters one of the weapons, his own throwing red and blue sparks. He takes the arm in a follow-up stroke. "Ladies," he says politely. "May I offer additional escort?"

(If they object to killing these attackers, better say it soon...)