Null's Game

[Oleai]

Oleai called out toward the retreating Cannon, "W.. Wait! I just.. Come back? Most of us have never met a Revanent before.. I always thought they were violent."

Still supporting Kyrie as she came out of her daze, "Can you tell us how this happened?"

[Shinigori V2]

"How what happened?" Cannon asks.

[Oleai]

"How you.. became a re.. what you are? Why everyone here is? They said in town nobody has ever seen so many revanents at once. That someone must be .." She cuts off.

"What is your story?"

[Shinigori V2]

Cannon pauses for a moment, and one would assume this is where a living person would sigh.

"It was towards the end of the Draconic War, during the siege of Kokoniel. I'm a City Elf, and I was training to be a Lancer--I think you call them Skyrazors now. I was with my parents, and the retreat was called. Because of our Razorbeaks, we were supposed to be the last ones out to cover the rest of the forces as they withdrew."

She goes silent for a moment, frowning. "We were ambushed. None of my group made it. I woke up a while later, covered in ice and snow. I don't know why I became a Revenant. But you're right, most of us are...So...Hungry and violent that they'd kill you on the spot for a meal. But we're not like that."

[Idran1701]

Kyrie stares at Cannon for now, eyes still unfocused. "What...you're..." With another wince at an especially bad throb of her head, she squeezes her eyes closed again, shuddering from the cold that's starting to seep in.

"...you're...not an army? Just...building?"

[Shinigori V2]

"There IS an army." Cannon says. "But it's closer to Kokoniel, with the Revenants left over from the war coming off the mountain. It's like someone's trying to move them out of the way. Once they get too far, they'll lose focus and wander back up towards Kokoniel again. We're not with them."

[Oleai]

Oleai thought long and hard on the choices laid out in front of her. Which, for Oleai, was about a solid sixty seconds. Having taken to idly petting the Cat-person in her lap - without realizing it - Oleai sighs and says, "If you're all nice.. I suppose we could come. But.. We're going to be cautious, yeah? We could probably do with some answers, anyway. I don't suppose you know anything about whoever was staying at the cabin down the road? Or someone in your camp might?"

As she said it, it dawned on her. This Revanent camp may in fact be their best source of information. What other options had they? Ask the Snow Elf locals the same questions they'd already asked hoping for a new answer? Could look into the few scattered clues they found in the cabin - but if someone here could make sense of it.. It would save a lot of trouble, and time. Time they don't have, with Null presumably getting further and further ahead.

Still, there was a bad feeling down in the pit of her stomach - and not just because she was hungry again.

[Idran1701]

Though Oleai still worries, her unconscious ministrations seem to be having a legitimately relaxing effect on the semi-conscious Kyrie. Her body goes even more limp, her tail stilling, a bit more focus comes to her eyes (if slight), and though inaudible to any but Oleai, she actually starts a low purr. Though she's still shivering a bit, her panic at least seems to have mostly faded.

She still doesn't much like the idea, frowning, but she nods. "She...yes. That's...we should ask them and...we should see what they know."

[Oleai]

Oleai's eye widen suddenly for just a brief moment, she glances downward at the purring Kyrie. She actually helped someone! Continuing to pet as she waits for the opinion of the others.

This was fairly calming for her, too.

[Besyanteo]

When Cannon had revealed herself Guy had been too stunned to speak. However, it was undeniable that she wasn't one of the mindless revenants they'd heard stories about. She was still offering them a place to sit down and warm up. It wouldn't do to just stand and gape any longer. He offered Kyrie a hand up while looking at and speaking to Cannon.

"I'd be very much obliged if you'd still be willing to have us at your fire tonight, Cannon. Lead on?"

[Shinigori V2]

Cannon nods, before heading out into the cold just beyond the mine entrance. She doesn't even bother to put her scarf back on or anything. "Like I said, it might be unsettling if you're not in our position. If it gets too much, just let me know and we'll put you up in my tent for the night and make sure nobody bothers you."

The group is only out in the open wind for a few minutes, but even then it's apparent enough: There's no way they would've made it back in this storm. Things get better as they approach the light of town...At least physically. Large wind walls have already been put up; it seems that Revenants are bothered by wind as much as anyone else is. The dig site is a tent-city, though fairly sprawling for what it is. And in the center of it all, that big bonfire, blowing off hot air and smoke into the snowy night.

But, Cannon wasn't lying. This could be a bit rough, mentally. Men, women, and children of various races bustle about here and there, and all in various states of disrepair. There seem to be about forty all together, and no less than five children and a pair of teenagers...For as much as that means to people who've been dead for gods know how long. There are a few anamolies, though- Three of the children chase each other around the camp and seem to flicker in and out of reality, as if they're not really there. Another Revenant carries his own head under his arm as he talks to a woman who's skin is smoldering.

"I'd say I'm sorry," Cannon begins, walking into camp, "Except, not to sound callous, I'm not. If it's too much, you can use that big tent--" She points towards one of the larger tents, still walking. "That one's mine. But it would honestly mean a lot to us if you gave us a chance and tried to see past how we look. Especially the kids."

[Idran1701]

Her cloak re-donned, Kyrie's followed quietly with the others across the snowfields near Oleai, keeping her eyes locked to the ground and her arms wrapped around herself, ears and tail still drooped. The plainsrunner continues to cling to her as before, but she hardly seems to even notice; still looking a little twitchy, she doesn't do much but keep Oleai between herself and Cannon as much as she can, hardly even looking up even as they near the roaring bonfire. Her breath catches now and then, and though she's given Oleai odd glances on the walk, she hasn't said a word to her - or anyone else, for that matter.

It's near the end of the half-hour's walk, just at the edge of town, when she stumbles on a hidden stone, just catching herself from tumbling over face-first, only catching herself thanks to Oleai's grip. As she gets her bearings, she takes in the sight of the residents with a slight hitch in her throat, her breath starting to quicken again. More expecting it this time, she gets herself resettled as best she can, nodding absently to Cannon's words. She still doesn't say a thing, but her arms wrap more tightly around herself as her eyes jump from revenant to revenant, echoing back in her mind to nightmares she'd long since forgotten, stories her older siblings used to tell late at night. For now, she's fine with the group (and more likely, Oleai) hauling her around to wherever they end up.

[Visavis]

Although Rasmus had fallen silent, a subtle look of disapproval lingered in his expression. Even to the not-so-observant, it would seem that he has little love for Revenants of any kind. Still, from the cave to the bonfire, he said nothing, apparently content in expressing his disapproval through the thin line of his mouth. Yet, on arriving, his apparent dissatisfaction with the situation seemed to lessen. Unemotional was a step up from unhappy, at least. Perhaps it was due to the presumably ghostly children running around the campfire that he watched for a moment, or how the various undead did seem to have some of their humanity intact. Or perhaps it was simply because nobody tried to kill and eat them upon arriving.

"The big tent is yours?" Rasmus asked, glancing between Cannon and then tent. "Are you in charge?"

[Shinigori V2]

"I know the area best." Cannon says, wheezing particularly hard. The group is now starting to get some attention, including the children who are blipping in and out of reality. Closer in, the group can pick out a few more interesting specimens- A young woman, about the same age as Cannon, with large putrid green wings and a long, powerful scaly tail. And hiding shyly behind a wagon is a heavily bandaged Nekana child.

It would appear they have all types here.

[Oleai]

Oleai didn't want to fuss, honest.

For once, the talkative Lagomora caught the hint and kept her yap shut for the short trip down toward the bonfire. Past a whispered, "Are you okay?" as Kyrie tripped. Finally easing her grip on Kyrie's arm and shoulder as they approached the windbreaker and fire. When she spoke, it was a near whimper, "Miss.. Cannon? M.. Maybe they could.." Her voice dipped more, as she reluctantly released her Nekana-shaped safety-net.

"Could they stay a bit .. away? Until we talk? Or.. I'm nervous." And she seemed it, the tall plainsrunner was still trembling, despite the cold having ebbed away for the time being. Her eyes were fixated on the large draconic.. thing. At least for a moment, before noticing the Nekana child.

".. Aww."

[Kelne]

Although unsettled by the surrounding reminders of the ultimate mortality of all flesh, Triya was putting on a pretty good face of it, having strode along at the front of the group. The camp was something that grated at her nerves, in no small part because her peripheral vision kept telling her there was something wrong with the people bustling about the camp. So long as she was looking at them, she could intellectually deal with the dead people going about their business, and she was determined not to embarrass herself with any intemperate reactions. Though whether that determination would hold were anyone to startle her wasn't a question she was precisely eager to answer.

Still, there was one touch of the familiar she could introduce to the situation, "Cannon?" she asked, "Do you mind if I invite another guest? She'd never forgive me if I didn't."

[Shinigori V2]

Cannon nods without turning back to Oleai, looking at the kids and making a shooing gesture. "Away, little ones! Get back to your graves and find someone else to haunt!" The ghost children fall in line with one another, before speaking in unsettling unison and sing-song. "Yes, Cannon." And then, they simply vanish as the one zombie child scurries away. ..The shy Nekana remains in the shadows behind the group.

The group is lead into Cannon's tent, which is fairly extravagant as far as tents go. It's easily big enough for a large group of people to occupy comfortably, and in the center, a small fire is going with a supply of wood sitting a few feet away, filling the tent with a nice heat and soft light. There's a single bedroll laid out, clearly used and not cleaned up. In the corner is a an armor stand, displaying very fine, sturdy looking leather armor decorated with snowy-blue feathers- The armor of a Skyrazor. Though there's no spear to be found...Odd for a Razor to still have her armor, but not her spear.

Cannon heads for the far side of the tent, kneeling on a blanket and quickly packing up a number of books, placing them in a leather bag, then placing the bag off to the side. "To answer your question-" She begins again, looking to Triya, "Anyone's welcome, but I'm not sure how you'l get them past the storm at this point. You're welcome to stay in here for the night and we'll be sure not to bother you, but...It would mean a lot to us if you tried to come out."

She shakes her head. "I'll have Old Ben bring you some food when the stew's done. It's...We call it mystery meat stew but, uh...It's goat. It's goat meat."

Cannon hangs her head slightly. "I'll get out of your hair now. If you need to throw up, please do it in the corner." And with that, she moves to exit the tent.

[Idran1701]

Not responding to Oleai, Kyrie stays silent until they get settled in the tent, though the bandaged Nekana kid lurking behind them does catch her eye. She settles in at the first seat near the opening, huddling to herself, and she pulls her eyes away from the child at Cannon's words, nodding absently. She stammers a bit as she responds, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. "Thank you. I...we might've been trapped out there."

[Kelne]

"That's... Not going to be a problem," Triya said with considerable understatement. Sliding off her gloves, she briefly rubbed a plain gold ring on her finger.

The results were immediate, with a cloud of blue smoke billowing forth from the ring and coalescing into a tall young woman with an infectious grin. Her outfit, comprising of colourful silks, soft slippers and a bit of jewelry, made no concessions to the cold, leaving arms and midriff bare as it did. All in all, an appearance conforming perfectly to the Djinn stereotype. Except, of course, that Djinn generally looked considerably younger than this one.

"Everybody, Sana," Triya said by way of introduction, "Sana, everybody."

"A pleasure to meet you all," Sana said, making the rounds, shaking peoples' hands and getting names. Cannon, having not quite made it out of the tent before Sana manifested, came in for the same treatment, receiving a curious appraisal and a handshake delivered without so much as a hint of discomfort.

[Shinigori V2]

Cannon is taken by surprise, shaking awkwardly. It's pretty obvious nobody's even attempted to make physical contact with her in years. "A Djinn...An old one, too. You're probably old enough to remember before the Sundering, huh?" She asks, quietly. "That's...I need to go help get the camp ready for the storm." She says, quickly excusing herself, and leaving the group zombie-less.

[Oleai]

Oleai gasped as Triya summoned a -Djinn- from her ring! Something she'd barely heard rumors about in Wells, and certainly even less in the Plainsrunner tribes. She was already halfway to the other side of the tend before Sana's apparent peaceful nature became apparent, "Oh!" Oleai then exclaimed, approaching for her handshake and greeting, "I'm Oleai, a pleasure! Uh.. " As Sana left her grip to move to the next, she asked anyway, "Do you live in that ring all the time? That isn't like any magic I know."

The appearance of the Djinn seems to have taken Oleai's mind off the fact they were in an Undead camp. At least for now - still, Oleai kept near the center, and away from any potential grubby hands coming from beneath the tent.

[Idran1701]

Kyrie too seems temporarily distracted from her situation by Sana's sudden appearance, pulling her out of her withdrawal, if only for the moment. "Kyrie Watanabe. You're...really a djinn. I've never met one in person before." Her curiosity piqued, she sits up a bit straighter, watching as she makes the rounds around their group. "...just how old are you, anyway? I've never heard of one that wasn't a kid. I didn't even know you sort aged at all."

[Kelne]

Sana seemed to be oblivious to any tension. Or at least, that was how she was presenting herself. She was certainly happy to answer questions, which might help distract people a little from their worries.

"Actually, the ring links to a pocket dimension," she said in response to Oleai's question, "It's quite roomy."

"As for myself, I'm first generation," she went on, "That was quite a while ago now, and while we age very slowly, we do age. It's mostly the youngsters you'll see out on assignment though. Good opportunities to build up their experience with the small stuff, and they take direction from their handlers a bit better." There was a certain mischievousness in her voice on that last part, leaving it up to the listeners to draw their own conclusions as to just how well she herself took direction.

[Shinigori V2]

As Sana explains herself, the entrance flap of the tent opens just barely...As that bandaged Nekana pokes it's head in.

One would consider it to be a kitten, though on the older side- Nine or ten years old. Their fur is white with black splotches, and their head is heavily wrapped in bandages- The entire upper right part of it's face is completely bandaged up, covering the eye and the ear on that side, though the bandages hang loosely off it's head. Its visible left eye is the inverted colors of a Revenant- Black whites and a white pupil, with a yellow iris. It pauses there for a moment, uncaught by Cannon...Though not hurting anything, other than the possible discomfort of a Revenant watching the group.

It seems like the kitten's curious more than anything.

(PLEASE EXCUSE THE ODD PRONOUNS FOR GENDER NEUTRALITY)

[Idran1701]

Kyrie nods absently, mouth open as she starts to respond, when the young, bandaged Nekana pokes their head into the tent, startling her. She can't help but shiver, but their...mostly living appearance helps keep her panic from getting any worse than that. For now, she sits in place, watching the kid as she speaks quietly, just a bit of tremor in her voice. "H...hello."

[Visavis]

On Sana's appearance, the target of Rasmus' furrowed brow changed targets. He didn't even seem to notice as Cannon made her exit. Indeed, it wasn't exactly difficult to see the gears turning in his mind. Similarly, he didn't seem to notice the little bandaged Nekana, what with his back to the tent's entrance.

"I'm.. Rasmus. Were.. did you fight in the Sundering Wars?"

One couldn't be blamed for thinking that Rasmus sounded just slightly nervous.

[Kelne]

"A little," Sana confirmed, "But we were mostly defensive. Sending us out in the field never seemed to work out well - a few too many incautious requests made." Another mischievous grin, inviting people to imagine for themselves the mayhem which might have resulted. "A bad business all around, the war," she went on, "There are still some old grudges floating about over it all."

Triya, having heard at least a couple of the stories, turned her attention elsewhere and gave the bandaged Nekana a small wave and a smile. The children were a bit easier to deal with. She saw them as children first and dead second, which helped.

[Shinigori V2]

The bandaged Nekana sinks into the opening more as more attention is put on them. They shyly look away from those looking at them, before asking nervously, "A-Are you...Alive?"

[Idran1701]

Kyrie gives her a hesitant nod. "And...you're not...yes?"

[Shinigori V2]

The Nekana nods, slightly, before asking. "What...Are you doing...Here? Are you going to help Cannon, or...Were you at that cabin?"

[Idran1701]

Kyrie gives them an appraising look, a bit surprised; it was just a cabin in the middle of nowhere, regardless of whose it was. Why would it be that prominent? Was this Null speaking with the Revenants, maybe? Then either they've already had dealings with a non-Revenant, Null has a Revenant working for them, or someone that can actually disguise themselves as one. Maybe that's part of why the attack? This entire situation with them just grows stranger and stranger.

Her ears standing straighter, Kyrie gives her tail a slight flick. "What's your name, kit? And what do you know about that cabin? Did any of you see what happened there?"

[Shinigori V2]

"Um.." The kitten frowns again. "They call me Stray. I know, um..Bastion and Cyrano went to talk--"

The remains of Stray's ear stands straight, as if she said something she shouldn't have. "Um, Bastion came back with some stuff and said the woman who lived there's gone now."

[Idran1701]

That definitely piques her attention, and she gives Stray a long glance before speaking again. They were speaking with her? What about? And why would she be out in the middle of nowhere; that doesn't sound like anything they've heard about Nulls before. They always stayed in places of importance, where they could push their influence.

"You all knew the woman that lived there, then? How long did she live there for? Can you tell us anything about her? Who she was, what she did? What she looked like, even?"

[Shinigori V2]

"There was a Snow Elf woman who lived there..." Stray says. "She disappeared...Um...About the same time that the Solitaire was nearby.

The Solitaire. One of the most pervasive urban legends concerning Null; the futuristic flying fortress belonging to Null. While dragons have been producing airships for those who can provide the money (Or more importantly, the supplies) for years, the Solitaire is in a class of it's own, hence the name. What's said about the Solitaire varies heavily depending on who you ask. Some will tell you that it's a shimmering silver, lightly reflecting the sun's light. Others will tell you that it's black as midnight, flying silent under darkness. Those might hold more weight if anyone could prove they've actually seen the ship itself.

Even the creation of the ship is something of a legend. It's said that the creation of the ship took an entire generation of Draconic engineers to complete, and required more than the gross domestic product of Cantiga to build. Of course, that's all hearsay and legend; nobody could build up that sort of wealth without being noticed, and certainly SOMEONE could prove that they've actually seen the ship. Though if it's supposedly been in the area...there's a good chance Null agents have been by to spread the rumor, at least.

[Idran1701]

Kyrie raises a brow to that, but doesn't comment right off on the ship. She's heard vague things about it, but dismissed them all; it's simply to ridiculous to exist, and must be exaggeration of some more simple vessel at best. Or some of the best illusory magics a person could imagine. Even more so now that she knows more about just how deceptive the Null agents are, the sorts of misleading tricks they get up to.

Instead, she focuses for now on the person she knows is real; for certain definitions of "real", at least. "Do you know anything else about this Snow Elf? Why were some of your people going to talk to her?"

[Oleai]

After the Djinn had answered her question, Oleai found herself hugging her knees beside the fire. Rocking gently back and forth, eyes closed and wishing she could shake off the feeling of undead all around her. Her eyes flickering up to see Stray. Just seeing a child in this state made Oleai deeply sad, and yet the kit was much less threatening for being so.

As Kyrie questioned the child, the last thing piques Oleai's interest, "The Solitaire? Is that like.. a boat? Or a Landsail*?"


* Landsails are the big buffalo-pulled and wind-magic propelled land-boats Plainsrunners use to traverse their eponymous plains.

[Kelne]

"Sort of," Sana told Oleai helpfully, "Only airships like the Solitaire fly through the air rather than floating on water or trundling across the plains."

Triya was content to let Kyrie handle the questioning. No sense ganging up on the kid, after all. It did sound as if they ought to talk to Bastion and Cyrano, if they were still around, seeing as these two had been the last to be present at the cabin. Word of the Solitaire certainly seemed to confirm that their Null would have had cause to scarper though.

[Oleai]

No stranger to heights and a kind of semi-flight herself, Oleai brightens up as the Djinn explains what the Solitaire is, "Oh wow! I hope we get to ride on it one day."

Still grinning, as she thought about it, "Well, that is if the people on it aren't trying to kill us."

It had been a while since she'd gotten to play with her Windspeaker cloak, or tambourine. The tiny instrument was still secured on her hip - the tiny symbols kept muffled this whole time by Oleai's heavy winter coat which kept both heirlooms hidden away from the cold.

[Shinigori V2]

"They were going to ask her more questions about the sp--"

Stray immediately stops talking, cutting herself off.

[Idran1701]

Giving Stray a well-practiced, 'I am higher status than you' Nekana stare, Kyrie speaks carefully, with a slight grin. "About the what, kit? You can tell us."