When in Emor

[rassafraggin]

You have gathered here today to travel on Merrisol's Clockwork Submersible to the Ghost City of Emor, where the Cultists of the Resurrected Dragon Queen have set up their base of operations. The Ghost City of Emor was once a crossroads and is basically a shadow of Ancient Rome, Rebma Style. Princess Miriam's dream and intelligence gathered from a victim who came back to Rebma to assassinate Martin with a chaos dagger indicated that the Hostages are being prepared to serve in the Dragon Queen/Sea Witch's army. The cultists are necromancers aided by Black Water Agents, they are also attempting to raise the Ghost Army of the Dragon Queen. An army of Ghosts currently outside of Emor. The Plan: Distraction and snatch and Grab. Martin, Quinlan and Maggie will provide distraction. Liyandra will use her animal powers to control animals to find the location of the children then they will come back and lead the rescuers (dressed as cultists) through the Coliseum maze to find them while Martin, Quinlan and Maggie provide a lightshow and singing spectacle in the Coliseum to entertain and distract the populous as a 'last minute' act. From intelligence gathered the Coliseum show goes on daily (something I forgot to mention daily). Rescuers are going to be dressed up as the cultists. Cultists all wear togas and have the brand on themselves. They adopt the roman fashion of the city and have the brand. The children will be snatched and there will be a signal from the sub which will be the signal to release a Jellyfish horde to provide cover for the escaping rescuers and M, M and Q. After the victims are free, the cultists can be wiped out or sent fleeing by one of Benedict's roaming sea armies that Martin has passcodes for. The Rescuers will be the one encountering the problems: Suspicious guards, possibly chaos infected victims, necromancers, likely there will be zombies and well. There are also: An army of Children (Ghost army of the witch Queen waiting to be resurrected), Living cultist members who have necromancers among them; they are responsible for resurrecting the Dragon Queen via aid from Black Water Agents. Somewhere in all that mess is the Dragon Queen herself...probably not at full power.

Martin is wearing an off white tunic with gold trim and a pair of trunks underneath to blend into a ancient roman setting. There will be no impromptu revealing of man parts. The tunic is bare on one shoulder and clasped on the other with a collection of delicate gold hooks. His has golden sandals and his hair is swept back neatly into some sort of laurel headgear. He has brought with him a specially designed lute that allows one to play underwater and a belt keeps his tunic firmly in place. On his arms are a pair of handcrafted bracers with a seahorse motif and of course he wears his mother's ring and his sword, the Tir Blade. He is standing on the observation deck, looking out while the ship approaches their chosen destination. He has also got a bit of waterproof makeup on to make himself look 'ghostly' with little sparkles and things.

"Should I wear a wig?" Tessa asks, her rainbow hair unbound and hanging around her bare shoulder. "I mean, I don't know is this okay?" She frowns, eyeing Martin's stylish toga and plucking at her's irritably. "What a stupid cultist outfit."

RPG: Liyandra declares that she has the Green Thumb (NAT-GT) gift.
RPG: Izett declares that she has the Tree of Life (DEA-TL) gift.
RPG: Izett declares that she has the Extract Essence (GAR-EE) gift.

Quinlan looks like a reject from the Scooby-Doo van, but even so, being Pathi-raised has its benefits. The skinny mageling can wear a toga like a pro, even if it does mean he looks like an aunt's drapes fell on him. He's left his staff behind, today, and seems to be focusing more on small touches of magic around his person, and Martin, and Maggie, to make them seem more like ghosts. Illusions take a fine touch, especially if one is trying to cast them around other people.

"Say you lost a bet," Merrisol suggests to Tessa. He wears his toga with an attached cowl to obscure his hair and features, but it still screams Hero Disguised As Cultist Yo. To offset his Not-Evilness, Maggie has thoughtfully applied a couple of the Dragon Queen's emblem facsimiles in dark henna stain to exposed skin, completely labeling him as Tainted Goods. Black upside down trident with snakes for points. She has done the same to all the cultist wannabes.

Liya might feel odd without Mayhem nearby, but she's here, hair wound into a braid around her head, so it's totally out of the way. She too is in toga, but how one will hide her tattoos - hopefully they don't need hiding? Though the new tainted goods symbols are quite something else, they are. Ahem. In any event, the Sukhoti woman is okay in the red and black cultist attire, her swim suit beneath not showing through at all. She hopefully proved a good assistant to Izett with sleepy potion making, but in any event, she's not concentrating on animal work-time.

Izett has a bit of experience on what the dead look like, when she comes out on deck her hair is a caspery white as if the color had been drained from it entirely. Her skin holding a greyish palor to it. Dressed in roman attire her dress may have once been beautiful but now holds the palor of the dead lands with the color drained from the fabric. The henna tatoo is so dark is appears black upon her flesh sealed into her skin by the natural dye.

Tessa considers her options for a few minute, then winds a scarf around her head tightly. When Izett steps out, she looks even more annoyed. "Her disguise is remarkably more sound."

"Well you all needed the added benefit of someone who knows about necromancers in your group." Martin says with approval. Alright, Now that's done. The next task as the sub settles in it's destination point is kissing and ensuring the people going on this mission can all breathe underwater. The sub snuck behind the city through a trench to avoid being seen and that's currently where they are. "I'll take care of Quinlan and Maggie. You'll need to handle the others, Mr Merrisol."

"Togas, necromancers, and kissing cousins," remarks Quinlan wryly. "You have the most *interesting* sort of life, Martin."

Izett offers a vial over toward Tessa, "Its a plant dye I developed for moving through the deadlands more easily. You are welcome to rub it through your hair..its temporary." she offers softly. She seems very focused the darkness of her attire if one didn't know her she could pass for necromancer side of her family. The only thing she can't manage to darken is her green eyes so she's darkened her eyelashes to allow her to cover them as much as possible.

"I got the scarf thing, but I might hold onto it if we have to make a daring escape into the crowd and I need a quick change." Tessa says, swishing the vial as she inspects it before hiding it in her layers of clothing. "Do we take no weapons?"

Liya pauses as she hears Martin's words, looking a bit tentative. She's not experienced /this/ before, after all. She takes a breath, squares her shoulders and just looks over at Merrisol. Tessa's words get her attention as well, and she sort of sighs. "I need to get some weapons that might do better in places like this," she says. She's got black hair, bright blue eyes, tribal tattoos and how any of those are going to look like she's dead - well, perhaps Izett can help. Because Liya doesn't do faded out so well.

Merrisol is in and out of the lobby as he checks with his crew on the bridge, gets Liya's cuttlefish into a water carrier to transfer outside, and retrieves the ominous chaos-emanating dagger box from its hiding place. In addition, he belts on a regular sort of combat knife to a sheath across the small of his back, with the reasoning that there will be more weaponry to nab within the coliseum should fighting break out. Back in the lobby, he looks at Izett again and pauses. "A zombie cultist..?" he guesses. Suppose that's possible..? Turning to Martin to take instruction, he nods curtly. "I have your, Maggie's and Quinlan's trumps, expect that I will check on you before we do anything off the rails, and let you know if you need to singer louder or something."

Merrisol hands the fish carrier over to Liyandra. It's almost as small as a purse, since the flamboyant cuttlefish within is about the size of one's hand anyway. "Would you like to use a hunting knife from the weapon stores? Might be able to strap it on your upper thigh and it won't be *too* obvious," he offers the others on Team Evil.

Martin nods to Merrisol. "Indeed." He takes Quinlan aside to get some quick sugar from him and Maggie to get them in order. "Can you put an illusion on the scabbard of my sword to make it look like a gladius, Q?" Team Dazzler is ready to create a cover of fabulous sound for the brave rescuers.

Izett holds up a tied roll to Merrisol, "Any objection to my carrying my own?" she questions quietly. The roll of fabric looks long enough to hold a few daggers.

"Provided you don't draw it...yeah," says Quinlan slowly. "It won't work if you try to draw it."

Since Martin has Merri's trump, Maggie leaves her Merri-Trump with the bridge crew of the Solar Flare. If anyone else has a spare of themselves they want to leave with the crew, just in case, now's the time.
The 'air-lock' style chamber and partial upper-level are accessed by a briefly spiraling staircase from the lobby. Three or four people at a time can pack in there and undergo the joys of pressure equalization with the outside environment, before the outer hatch opens. Given that these team will be Rebmanized, that function will not be necessary, but they still have to pass through, sealing one hatch behind them before opening the next.

Liya takes the fish carrier, her hand moving carefully to where the little Mimic is, as she reaches for him empathically. He's a happy little fish and hopefully can handle the pressure of the area. Liya looks at Merrisol, and says, "I'd like one, it would make me feel better, if possible. Or two."

"Hey." Tessa interrupts the weapon checks as she peers off to her right. "Why is Martin kissing people? Are we ignoring that?" Tessa asks curiously.

"It's a Rebman breathing thing, Tess," says Quinlan with a little laugh. "We can cover the popular mythology some other time. For now, play nice? It's a useful magic."

Tessa hooks a thumb under her eye and sticks out her tongue in proper mockery of Quinlan's request to 'play nice'.

Quinlan grins. "I've got the Oreos, Tess."

Martin quip's "It's also Quin's excuse to kiss me....and now Mr Merrisol gets to take care of you three lovely ladies so that you will not have an issue breathing underwater as long as you're with us."

Liya at least had forewarning. She does give Merrisol a glance, since it seems Martin's ahead of him or something. She can't help but give Tessa a glance. "You get kissed too, Tessa," she observes. She smiles at the emotions she's reading from the excited little cuttlefish, amused at the little thing. He definitely decided he was enamoured with the blue bathing suit or something.

After receiving the kiss of breath from her cousin, Maggie faded back a little then vanished into the residence hall. Returning now, she eases a hair closer to Martin and Quinlan. "Are you sure about this getup, Martin?" She has changed out of her normal, every day clothing into a pseudo-Romanesque confection of draped fabric. Sort of. A swath of white covers her chest, the fabric held in place by gold trim above and below. It leads to a longish shawl that loops about her upper arms and falls down her sides. It will undoubtedly trail and float nicely in the water. Beneath the bodice, her torso is bare from her upper ribcage to just below her belly button where a white bikini brief holds twin panels fore and aft. These are also trimmed with gold at the waist and hemline. Her hair has been left free for she knows that it will float about her in a cloud. Such dramatic clothing.

Merrisol doesn't have to go far to get those two knives for Liyandra. Steel blades forged specially for seawater use with rubber-coated grips, sheathed with tethers for tying. Then it's Magic Time, which he has now done enough by now that it's not a moment charged with awkward intimacy. At least not for him. Yes, the magic kiss of breathing the water like air, not having your blood turn into poison, and not turning blue from cold exposure. "All right.. Lady Izett has done it with me before, and I've explained to Liyandra so we have an understanding. Tessa, I know we don't get along that famously but I need you to trust me. Give up your air and I will not let the Sea take you." He's so solemn.. then: "Right. Team Evil, into the pressure chamber." OFF they GO!

No kiss yet? Merrisol's method is varied from Martin's however, and takes place once they are in the airlock, the ladies sealed in with death basically staring them in the face as water begins to flood the chamber. Haha!

Izett doesn't hold even a moment of awkwardness about Merrisol protecting her from the depths of the water and the lack of air. If anything there is an oddness about her, a coldness almost. She has a determined focus about her that is definitely not her normal warmth or charm. Knives slipped into places of fabric hidden from view with a clean precision.

Into the pressure chamber Liya goes, since she does trust Kerf. Funnily enough. She is still somewhat bemused by it all, and curious about how it works, but actually the worst part for her will be not wigging out from the clanging of her danger sense as she gets to face death down, water flooding in. Knives are sheathed, and Liya does look somewhat more relaxed once that is done, having tested their balance first.

Martin beams at Maggie, "Its perfect. Everyone will be staring at you." Second star to the right and straight on to morning, it only takes a bit of Rebman Fairy dust , yo!... to have you breathing underwater. Through the airlock into the open sea with a hiss of cranks and dramatic whirrs and gears that would make a Begman Safety inspector's eyes budge the Teams are set free to carry out their missions. Somewhere nearby the sub, the Horde of jellies pulses at the ready. As you head up over the trench, you see the Vast City of Emor. Basically... Rome.. with the biggest building being the Coliseum. On the right side of the city is the Army of Children camping out. Inside the city thousands of Ghosts go about their daily events. It is morning in Emor. The groups split as soon as they get within spotting distance of the city. Martin's team moves quickly. There are no 'gates'. It's underwater, you swim in while your progress is monitored by guards and any suspicious activity is stopped and questioned. For all intensive purposes it is as if the city was still alive... very strange, since normally Ghosts are just that. Ghosts. These ghosts, however... are different.

"I wasn't aware they we got along at all, seeing how we've had one conversation on a street corner." Tessa says, wrinkles forming at the corner of her eyes as she squints at Merrisol. Probably determining if this is a great big hoax that Rebmans pull on ignorant tourist, a question she is left to ponder up to when they all are sealed inside a slowly filling room with water quickly lapping at their knees. Her brows pinch forward, her thoughts inwards, and then quite out of the blue. "I'm going to eat so many oreos."

Quinlan is apparently Not Going To Comment with regard to his cousins kissing people or how they dress or anything like that, and it is entirely possible the mageling is focusing with wizardly intensity on conjuring brain bleach. Lots of brain bleach. But meantime there's a job to do, and an alternative to brain bleach is focusing on one's surroundings with an eye to learning everything one can. And keeping up with Martin, before he gains the title First Regent To Be Forbidden Sugar.

Izett slips off with the group she was assigned to. Her head lifted studying the city. She'd whistle if she could her form stiffening, "Feldane help us.." she manages to whisper sticking closer to the group on edge.

Maggie rolls her eyes at Martin's assurance, adding, "Maybe. Only until you start to sing, Baron iceDeep." She shadows him a wink then follows the others out into the sea. Swimming over gnarled growths of coral shrouded by seaweed, the seascape softened by the flicker of fish going about their business, Maggie glances over to check the progress of their other team, but only once. Then her focus settles on refining a few notions about making the distraction memorable.

Merrisol needs to work on these trust-building exercises, as it is arguable wherein the trust problems actually lie, for the magic once acquired probably works no matter what crazy things he does to assure himself it *will* work. "That thing with the penguins?" says Merri to Tessa while the water swirls up to their chins.. not his yet, he's way tall! "I remember once, after helping you with your burnt city lamp, you decided to get cheeky about that bounty on my head," he smiles. "All water under the bridge. See you on the other side," he adds with bright ominous cheer. GLUB ~ the chamber is completely full to the ceiling. With a nod to Liyandra first, he leans down, touches her jaw with his free hand to adjust her angle, and presses his mouth full on hers, sealing off the last escaping air bubbles. There's the sensation of water jetting into her lungs and... it's just fine. He draws back, and turns next to Izett, repeating the procedure for her. Tessa is last, and there's no biting, right? Because it's over quick, and Merrisol is opening the hatch to access outside on the obsidian glass deck. They follow after Martin's team towards the city.

Quinlan smiles a little at Maggie's remarks, but really between maintaining his illusions and trying to get some sense of the place they're in, and keeping up with Martin, he seems to have divided his attention in as many directions as it will currently go. It's possible that he's pondering, too, the special effects required to make Martin more distracting than cleavage tends to be without magical aid.

It's difficult to handle, Liya's eyes going wide as she's under water, with no air in sight. Though she knows she can hold her breath for a bit, still, that hand on her cheek finds her fighting back her own instincts. As the water makes it in, magic doing it's thing, she slowly relaxes, but gives Merrisol a very long look. "How remarkable," she murmurs, before the hatch opens and she's out and swimming along. She waits until an opportune time to let the little cuttlefish out, carefully checking that his little carry case and the fishy inside have adjusted to the deeper water as well. At least as much as she can. Trained or not, Liya would prefer for poor Mimic to survive!

Martin's team makes it to the Coliseum first. It's a bit disconcerting to be in a city full of ghosts... who are actually existing as if they are truly not dead and they can see and talk to you. The guards do nothing to deter the two teams, perhaps their camouflage is working. He makes straight for what looks like it must be the performer's entrance. That's when the Shtacko hits first and there is some haggling over whether or not they are on the lists. He turns up the charm and actually pays the man what passes for currency in this city. By uncanny luck he was able to pick something up that they could use. A little palm rubbing here and there, a flash of smile and Maggie's attire gets them past the gates. Cleavage truly has awesome powers. "I told you that outfit would be perfect." Martin grins at his cousin. Team Evil also has no issues. Apparently their disguise is working. The coliseum main entrance is easy to locate as well. So far. So good. But don't hold your breath...

It's difficult to pin down the exact reasons why Tessa looks so annoyed as the water swallows them whole, the airlock's seal breaking and the four of them dragged out into the beautiful serenity of the ocean floor, the quiet pressure of silence leaving her eardrums popping painfully as her body adjusts to the pressure. The panic settles in as the realization that she cannot see the surface creeps in as her muscles and joints lock in painful rigidity of fright just barely swallowed, darting her gaze around and following the rest of her party as they receive the kiss of breath with a certain level of poetry and grace. Tessa, when her turn comes around, lacks something of the natural sensuality of the act and becomes almost clinical and once it is done, she pushes off the nearest hard surface and follows Martin's lead. If anything, her prior pinched expression is even more sour then it was when they were entering the airlock so when the guard at the gate tries to stop her, his warning is in the quickest of glares that promises the slowest of deaths.

Izett breaths in deeply of the water as the group is released from the ship. Those green eyes of hers glowing so brightly one might think them flashlights with an eerie light. That soft spoken, overly polite delicate lady of court slipping away little by little as she looks around. Slowly it is replaced by something else few would be able to claim they've seen of the woman. She doesn't speak as yet watching, studying, reviewing the landscape.

Quinlan is still ...well, watching, listening, and keeping up with the rest of martin's group. But for some reason, as he swims along his expression shifts. It starts out as simple curiosity, then thoughtfulness, and has now shifted to the pained resignation of someone ...well, the best analogy would be the expression worn by someone whose best friend adores putting whoopie cushions on chairs, right after they've sat down without checking the seat and yup, gosh, there's a whoopie cushion there. It's an expression about equal parts 'oh, you prick' and 'WHY did I not see that coming'.

Mimic's species is truly remarkable and adaptable, with the ability to change both colour and texture, and to a certain extent, size and shape. He wibbles about while the interior of the carrier matches the qualities of the outside, puffing out his air bladders and jettisoning a tiny poot of ink. As Liya peers inside, he flashes the electric blue of her hidden bikini.

Having discarded the box that holds the Cultist Dagger, Merrisol notices with a bit of dismay that it is really one of those 'obviously awful' artifacts, black, stamped with real occult sigils, and giving off a visible whiff of darkness from its blade. Ewwww! Luckily for him, he doesn't appear to notice the extra stuff that maybe only mages can. As they pass through the gates, Merrisol heads with the others towards the army barracks where it is said the captives are held and brainwashed into the Dragon Queen's little soldiers. "Liya.. send Mimic on ahead to scope the corridors and bring back numbers. Ask him to specifically be on watch for little ones. Rebman children."

Martin can usually get what he wants. Maggie remembers this from the time she spent with Martin on tour. So, she is not too surprised when the guard, no doubt beguiled by Martin's charm and dazzled by her outfit, lets the trio into the Coliseum's back entrance. And the cash did not hurt, no doubt. But, for all of her Captainly aplomb there is a distinctive scent in the waters that begins to prey on her senses. She flashes a glance at Quinlan, then ducks farther down the 'back stage' corridor. "We should get into place." Translation? Can't wait to be out of here.

RPG: Liyandra challenges a difficulty of 7. Liyandra chooses Grace. Liyandra succeeds.
RPG: Martin challenges a difficulty of 8. Martin chooses Wits and the gift BLD-PT. Martin succeeds.

Liya grins at Mimic, as she releases the little fish and gives him his mission. This one the toughest yet, though in training, he certainly proved to be up to not only his own tasks, but Terri's as well. She has confidence in the little fish, sending him off but trying to keep at least an emotional watch on him. She watches through his eyes for as long as she can see him, having given him instructions to find the children (and wasn't that a fun concept to give to the little fish - helped by the careful pretraining borrowing of some children from the Palace, perhaps!) and return to Liya. The little cuttlefish zooms off, and then slows, but he does continue to move, exploring down into the city, down into the lower levels. Every so often, he flashes electric blue for no reason and then continues along his way. Over a pit, through dark shadows, darker shadows, around a couple guard stations and some zombies. That gets a poot of ink, as he skitters away, perhaps accidentally almost swimming into cellblock C where all children dressed as gladiators are kept prisoner.

Martin manages to get the trio inside and to the front of the line of performers much to the chagrin of other scheduled acts, right after the giant sea-horse chariot races. As they pass through the assembled group of performers it's clear this is typically a day at the coliseum with all that is gathered here. There's something up on the wall a new event! Re-enactment! See the Dragon Queen's Best and Brightest Fight! Child Warriors. That must be what is drawing so many people today. Ancient Romans were kind of bloodthirsty. Martin frowns when he sees it. "Guys. We have GOT to keep their attention as long as possible." He whispers under his breath.

Quinlan slants a Look at Martin. "You could draw that extremely irritating to Chaos people sword of yours?" he says. "It'll send the lot of 'em after us in no time. Definitely an attention grabber."
The sights and soundeds of thralls of people and vendors trying to pedal their wares to the crowds ... all create a great hubbub of activity.

Tessa watches as Liyandra sets her adorable pet to task, sending the fish darting and dipping in search of the children. She tugs, irritably, at her toga as she waits for more information so that they can act upon it. Perhaps with violence, but preferably just successfully. She ignores the occasional call for her attention for local products. It'd be akward to explain that she doesn't have any of the local currency.

Martin pages: you might be beginning to realize that the 'water' here is different. Its like Rebma's. As soon as you've spent a little time in the city. It's not the water of the deep blue. It's magicked.

Izett remains quiet, letting Liyandra handle the fish. She herself seems to have enough to keep her mind occupied studying, considering, drinking in any information she can on the landscape and inhabitants around her. Long lashes shielding the glow of her green eyes while she watches.

Upon finding the children, Mimic pulses a strange orange with black spots, and then electric blue. Which then the little cuttle fish makes tracks back to Liya, following his orders. Zip, zap, zoom. skitter. Liya knows he's returning probably before anyone, and she gives a heads up. "Mimic is on the way back."

Merrisol avoids sight-seeing with great reluctance, although the presence of ghosties and other undead things discourages that naturally. But.. the architecture.. the cultural trappings..! It's an anthropologist's paradise! Bet you didn't know Merri's a Grade 'A' nerd. For instance.. Mimic isn't a fish, he's a mollusc, duh! "He's been gone a while, feels like," the jockish necromancer notes, frowning. He reaches into his toga to find his Maggie trump, then pauses as Liya updates on Mimic's whereabouts. "Brilliant," he smiles, and leads the way inside just so they are out of sight of the bazaar and other passerby.

Martin shakes his head at Quinlan. "Not yet. Lets just... see if we have to."

Quinlan nods. "Tell me what you want, and I'll see what I can do," he says calmly. "Real, unreal, mix of the two...and you can have a soundtrack if you want."

Chariots drawn by all manner of sea creature zoom around the coliseum from one end around to the other. An announcer keeps up a running commentary, translating the jockying for position for an audience sitting right there where they can see it for themselves. "What a heat, ladies and gentlemen. It's neck and fin all the way! Such grace and style." There are a few in the lead, a white chariot drawn by an oversized, sleek seahorse and an orangey, shell colored contraption drawn by what appears to be a monstrous crab. Water swirls as suddenly the crab scuttles to the front of the pack and crosses the finish line, "But wait! Coming up on the inside, it's Fin-Tail by a flipper!" There is a roar of approval from above as Fin-Tail, which is an odd name for a crab, and his handler head over to collect their prize.

The announcer's voice rises over the hubbub, "And now!" Things quiet a little, "We have a rare treat for you all. I heard that Count Drowned Flame was in Emor! What?! You don't know who that is? You will! Come on out here, Count! Show these folk what they've been missing!" If a celebrity is visiting, the announcer is going to try to take credit for getting him in the act.

"They must have those that tend in the sales, examination, and purchase of human flesh... or perhaps those whose operation is just as seedy if less official, those that handle gambling and smuggle operations within the city would also have a chance at having the knowledge of where the children might be." Tessa offers lowly, as they move about the crowded market. "In case Plan, Use a Fish fails."

The mollusc hs no trouble making his way back to Liya, who waits for Mimic to see her, before ducking in with the others. The little cuttlefish zooms right up to her, reaching a tentacle out to touch her fingers, as she holds them out. Which he has to, cause she's staring at the giant seahorse with wide eyes. Seriously. Oh wow! Mimic flashes big orange and black spots, electric blue and then small and green. Sort of like Rebman children might be, and it takes that to catch Liya's attention. She shakes her head to get back to the moment and the task at hand. Liya gives the little fellow a heap of empathic praise and he preens, almost visibly. Then she asks him, through images and emotions, to lead the way back to the children, but not to lose her as he does so.

Martin smiles. "As loud as possible. I want us to be remembered forever here." Like anyone could forget one of his performances! Martin puffs out his chest slightly. He carries his lute with purpose. As the mismatched and yet totally perfect cousinly trio walks out onto a raised dais which of course, is the stage it is now easy to see the inside of the coliseum. Rows and rows and rows of people dressed as fabulous Romans. There are colors and banners everywhere flapping in the water. The great seat where Caesar sits is draped in the colors of the Dragon Queen. Red and Black, her symbol splashed with pride. Caesar is an older gentleman, regal and tall and even though he is dead as the Dead Sea he is as large of life in this strange City of walking, talking Dead. Where's Lyyrad when you need him? Next to him is a mirror, a mirror with nothing inside it. The crowd roars with applause.

Martin takes the center stage, "Greetings..... Emor, the Great and Powerful Crossroads of the Sea where all roads lead. We are here to Rock Your World!" A ton of girls screams can be heard, Martin has that effect on teenagers, even teen ghosts, apparently. Somehow his voice is raised so that it echoes everywhere in the Coliseum. Compelling and Enthralling. It's like a drug. "Hit it!" He twangs his lute.

And so it begins.

RPG: Martin declares that he has the Siren's Inspiration (SIR-IN) gift.
RPG: Martin declares that he has the Blood of Paulette (BLD-PT) gift.
RPG: Martin challenges a difficulty of 9. Martin chooses Wits and the gifts BLD-PT and SIR-IN. Martin succeeds.

Merrisol frowns at that from Tessa, looking around the mercantile exchange as they make for the barracks interior still. "Slavers?" Seriously, just say slavers, Tessa, damn. "Not surprised.. the Witch uses the worst means for recruiting. And for gaining loyalty." He pauses, and might be about to say more, but it's nothing that important apparently. Seeing Liyandra in conference with the returned Mimic, he leaves off market speculation and moves to follow at Liyandra's pace. Maybe they can get through on just cultish looks alone.

Rather than carrying an instrument, Maggie has her hands clenched, though not into fists exactly. She walks onto the stage with Martin, her smile warm as summer sunshine. When Martin says 'hit it', she lifts her hands to release a series of small bubbles. Each bubble contains a glittering, sparkling flame within its sphere. She spins, guiding the spray in swirling patterns that set a sparkling, orange and russet accompaniment to the white and gold duo.

"How I say what they are matters?" Tessa asks, frowning right back at Merrisol. "Short of Pig fiddling muscle men, as long as the concept of what I am speaking of gets across, I'll use whatever terminology that I deem appropri-- Oh, hey, the little guy is back!" With Liya leading the way, she takes up the rear.

Least the imminent opportunity to rescue children is something they can agree on?

RPG: Quinlan challenges a difficulty of 7. Quinlan chooses Grace and the gifts ARC-BM, ARC-EM, ARC-SM, and GLA-IE. Quinlan succeeds.

Quinlan looks, for a moment or three, *ferociously* tempted. Oh so tempted. Puppies have that look when they're ordered to sit *right in front of* the food bowl and not eat. Just *quivering* temptation. It's a visible wrench for him to get himself under control. "Cousin, you have *no idea*," he murmurs. And then takes a deeeeeep breath, lets it go...and works his magic to enhance Martin's performance. Flickering whispers of colored light in the currents, the currents themselves shifting rhythm to match the music. Every trick the mage can bring to bear to keep the audience under Martin's thrall.

Liya's conference with the little Mimic doesn't take too long, and then Mimic takes off, but he waits for Liya, staying within her sight range. Mostly. He's pretty good at it, and Liya has had practice, so off they go, on their grand adventure.

RPG: Tessa challenges a difficulty of 6. Tessa chooses Resolve and the gifts FGT-BL and SKL-ST. Tessa overwhelmingly succeeds.
RPG: Liyandra challenges a difficulty of 6. Liyandra chooses Grace and the gifts SKL-DS and SKL-SF. Liyandra overwhelmingly succeeds.
RPG: Merrisol challenges a difficulty of 6. Merrisol chooses Force and the gift SKL-TD. Merrisol succeeds.
RPG: Maggie challenges a difficulty of 7. Maggie chooses Resolve and the gift SKL-AT. Maggie succeeds.

Merrisol switches out the black dagger for his combat knife, once they enter the maze of corridors. There appears to a commotion up in the bleachers and the arena of the structure, because a bunch of mercenaries have deserted their postings to go up staircases to see what's happening. Through openings and cracks in the walls, the hints of strobing lights and pyrotechnics leak through, not to mention shouting. And fangirly squealing?

At some point, the inevitable occurs, as the rescue team rounds a corner after Mimic, and there stands a group of dudes in black togas just like them.. real minions of the Cult! Another group of floating-shambling animate corpses of gruesomely ended sea denizens, from gutted selkie to shipwrecked sailor, come up from the other end of the corridor, largely disinterested in the concert goings on, but sniff-sniff, is that tasty untainted flesh they smell? "Who the hell're you," growls a Cultist, hand on his blade.. fish knife, not sacrificial dagger.. those are too special for normal murdering.

Bluffs and jedi mind tricks might have been attempted if it were just the minions to deal with.. but not when zombies are munching out your brains. The gig is up.

Liya's own hands reach for those two knives, making sure they're attached to her wrists and ready for action. She can feel that tingle at the back of her neck as they go around the corner, and has the advantage of Mimic's eyes, as she sends a quick message to the little cuttlefish to hide quick. He poots a blob of ink and then ducks and swims a bit away, hiding, but watching through his tentacles. Just in time, the little guide gets to cover, as the group comes around, seemingly with no cuttlefish anywhere to be seen. Liya's knives would snick out, but this is underwater so they more splurt, but out they come as she doesn't wait for them to figure out what's going on. Instead, she just barrels forward to attack whatever is in front, and in the way, with a deadly grace and a wall of blades that might not quite be the equal of the famed Sukhoti Fighters, but is pretty darn good, nonetheless.

Tessa is walking down the street, and pauses just as they happen upon an interception. She pauses, places a hand on her hip, and has time for a single snappy one-liner to preface the uberviolence to follow.

"I'm Dame Rontoya, and I'm going to shove that knife up your ass." With her pounding base soundtrack bringing kinetic energy to her actions, she throws herself like a suicide bomber. Fighting under water is a different beast all together, so she throws subtlety away like a used rag in favor of brute violence. The lead undead unwisely comes into range too far ahead of his fellows, and is grabbed by the throat. One twist and shove later, and the rotting sailor is driven into the wall hard enough to crack his skull and pop yellowed teeth free like little candy canes floating out to sea. No, the gruesome part is when the officer of the law drives her knee into his lower back, wrenches the undead's left arm back and towards her, and then slowly rips her new club right off the creature's body with the wet pop of tearing ligaments. /That/ was the gruesome part. It only gets worse from there, really.

RPG: Tessa declares that she has the Bloody Blade (FGT-BL) gift.

(Pose by Martin) Izett is immediately dispatching zombies as is the Feldane Duty as the others are. She is... more efficient.

Merrisol determines with a glance that their options are fight or flight, and the fact that Liyandra has initiated the former, helps narrow it down nicely. Tessa is after the zombies it looks like, as is Izett. He drags back his hood for visibility and loops free-floating garment around his guard arm, while rushing the cultists on Liyandra's other side. His muffled arm entangles a long knife thrust and twists it out of the other man's grip, while Merri carries on past to take another down with his blade. That guy has a spear and Merri wants a spear, see.

Liya is happy with two knives, and it shows. Although this under water stuff is a bit odd, Liya manages to at least get the job done, knife throating one guy, and then she spins to face another, this one with a big club. heck, that club might be as big as Liya, though it's rather sharper, pointier, and rustier. Ewww. Liya continues to fight, quite content to do so. Perhaps amusingly enough, as Mimic realizes what is happening, he poofs totally big, orange and black, and then tries to match the wall colour so he can sneak up and then bite the guard at the back. Take that! Hah! Then he totally poots ink and races off to hide again.

Tessa is learning, painfully, that clubs make terrible weapons for fighting underwater. It is fortunate indeed that she chose the zombies, because after her impressive opening gambit to arm herself, she is doing very little to thin out the crowd. Izett, being a Feldane, is proving more effective.

As the playing continues with the intense lightshow and dramatic music, the whole coliseum is just enraptured by the fabulous magic and it's going to be very difficult to get this band off the stage. Caesar knows. He looks pleased that his people are pleased. The mirror next to him remains empty, and yet... not, somehow. The singer rocks the house, his voice is like nothing they have ever heard. He chooses a popular tuna, Salmon Chanted Evening and belts it out like a pro then goes on to something a bit more raucous for good flavor. There's no song he can't do on the fly and he'll keep the audience enthralled for as long as possible with the help of his cousins.

Quinlan is doing his part, but he's got a firm eye on that mirror while he works. One might call it...distrusting.

Merri scatters the group with a sweep of his newly-acquired polearm in the close confines of the corridor. The guy with the knife loses his gumption and run-swims off towards a stairwell. He'll tell the boss, that's the ticket. Intruders in C-block, yeah yeah.

With Quinlan handling background music and lights, Maggie tones down the bubble-encased-flames, saving them for dramatic moments in the songs when a splash of flame adds to the drama. Otherwise, she provides a single background dancer for Martin's show, following the rhythm easily. Her outfit was well designed to maximize movement beneath the waves, the material floating out from her body then returning to twist about her as she spins. She is aware of the empty-but-not mirror but tries not to pay it any overt attention.

RPG: Tessa challenges a difficulty of 9. Tessa chooses Resolve and the gifts FGT-BL, SKL-AR, and SKL-LA. Tessa succeeds.

"No, you bloody well don't!" Tessa says, tossing aside her zombie arm and zipping after the escaping man. They turn down the corridor and out of sight. Mercifully out of sight, judging by the sounds that follow which are the men screaming in anger, pain, and then for mercy. Overlaying his cries for mercy is Tessa's voice that rises in intensity with every punctuating blow. "A person who knowingly arrests and transports any individual through foreign territory, oft against their will, rather in the pursuit of sexual activity or monetary gain can be charged with a criminal attempt with a common sentence term of twenty years on first offense, and warranting a judges' decision upon life or death upon second conviction. Seventy-three percent of all~~"

This goes on for awhile, before the man falls mercifully silent and Tessa walks back out with bloodied hands. "Let's finish this and get the kids."

RPG: Martin challenges a difficulty of 9. Martin chooses Wits and the gifts BLD-OB, BLD-PT, and SIR-IN. Martin succeeds.

At least while Tessa chases after the escaping fellow, Liya has time to finish off her opponents and the one that Mimic bit bloats up and starts screaming in pain from the nasty poison the cuttlefish brings to the table. Literally. And with that done, Liya looks for Mimic, calling him mentally, and the group is off again, following the little cuttlefish.

RPG: Maggie challenges a difficulty of 7. Maggie chooses Resolve and the gift SKL-AT. Maggie succeeds.
RPG: Quinlan challenges a difficulty of 7. Quinlan chooses Grace and the gifts ARC-BM, ARC-EM, ARC-SM, and GLA-IE. Quinlan succeeds.

Merrisol mops the floor with a last Cultist... no, really, he speared the blighter and drags him across the stones before getting one foot down on the body and ripping the point out of the blood-gurgling hole. The whole corridor is tinged red and afloat with scraps of flesh and putrefied body parts. You can pretty much smell/taste it from a block away. Definitely good motivation for continuing on. Merrisol gets on the trump to ping Maggie and let her know they are closing in on the kids.

Strumma Strumma, zing boom flash! There's only so long the crowd will let this go on though. Bloodthirsty Romans want to see blood! The crowd is getting restless so Martin switches to a more intense song about blood, guts and glory cause he knows a lot about that due to his aunts and uncles. That gets their attention back. Death! Yeah! That's more like it! Nothing like a Gunsandroses song to fire up a crowd not interested in love songs. They are certainly working the crowd, but it's a tough audience! No screaming groupers here. Maybe if Maggie stripped... Martin doesn't suggest that though.

When you finally get to the cell holding the children, they are dressed and ready to fight..practically frothing at the mouth! Is it time? They press towards the door eager to be let out to join in the fray!
Their crazed little eyes thirsty to draw blood and fight to the death!

Quinlan shifts his work to fit what Martin's up to. Once he starts singing about epic blood and gore, Quinlan adjusts his illusions to include illusory fighters clashing blades in time to the music, having epic bloody battles around the stage, fleshing out, so to speak, Martin's storysong.

One little monster grabs the bars of the cell and drools maniacally struggling against the bars. They are the missing children and adults... yes. What's left of them.

Blood and guts is it? Maggie is not going to strip, no. She does increast the number of little flaming bubbles she makes. They flash to the rhythm of the song, spinning and spiraling with the illusions then swoop to spin around Martin as he sings.

Liya takes a moment to stroke the little cuttlefish's ego, cause he did really really well. He turns bright blue for a moment, with her empathic praise. Then Liya and Izett get to do their next thing, which is the sleepy drug they've got ready. Open the door quick, toss, and then close the door. It's a simple toss, from each of them, and the two little vials tumble in, letting the sleepy stuff out into the water to hopefully knock out all the fierce and frothing little kiddies and adults.

Merrisol approaches the barred door where Mimic has led them, although seeing the little kid arm clawing through is pretty much a good indicator that they have arrived at the right spot. Dull horror followed by a tug of compassion has him linger at the door, counting heads and identifying faces. "Liya.. Izett.. do it quick." They withdraw to let the potion leak out and take effect before dissipating.

"Something that can be healed, I hope?" Tessa asks, her own manner subdued despite the so far success of their plans. Hard not to be when one is forced to observe the children made mindless with rage.

Merrisol nods slowly. "There's a chance they can be purified.. though it depends how deeply they've been infected, I think." Once all is quiet within the cell, he flicks out the trump again to inform Maggie they are on the move with the Rebmans, then pries the door with the spear or simply rips it from its hinges, assuming it's locked.

RPG: Merrisol declares that he has the Strong (PHY-ST) gift. Use '+gift PHY-ST' to view the gift description.

The bars bend and the gate springs open after the attention of the first mate's mighty muscles.

As she dances to the music, Maggie makes her way over to Martin. She uses him as a pole to dance around for a moment in order to give him the signal that the time is now and now is the time. Then, blowing the man a kiss, she spins away again to tease the audience on the other side of the stage. Why not? They are about to leave so...

Now there's the opportunity, Liya coaxes Mimic back into the little carrying case, so he is all nice and safe. And happy. That makes it easier for her to help with carrying children, as necessary, though she is not so strong as certain others might be. She is horribly stubborn though and a very good swimmer. So, she picks up a child, Izett gets one, and Liya might even struggle with a second one, though that still leaves two for Tessa. And the adults for Merri. "And time to get ourselves back to safety, as fast as feet can take us."

The signal has been given. Martin spins and looks up at Caesar when the song ends. The mirror flickers slightly, something seems to be happening there but there's no time to stick around. They have GOT to get their people out. He weighs the odds of leaping up to the mirror and going through it if it is a permanent gate to somewhere but for the first time ever he manages to reign in his natural urges. Later. He sings a high pitched note... the signal for the Jellies. Due to the loud, raucous concert, no one seemed to notice the horde approaching until it was too late. Then suddenly.... FOOM! Out they spread in countless numbers. Clogging up everything... neon colored jellyfish, pink, green gold blue...you name it it's a colorful menagerie of irritating blobs. The crowd starts to panic and empty the coliseum. The problem now is that ... everyone has to get out now. Martin swivels, grabs his cousins. "Go! We're not ready to deal with her. Go..." He looks back up at Caesar and the mirror. This may be his only chance. "Trump out." he tells them.

Martin draws his sword.

Quinlan nods and gets out his deck, fishing out the card for Amber. "Got mine here, anyone who needs can go before me. I think I've worked out a few things, want to run 'em by you guys when we're not in danger of being eaten. Let's go."

They manhandle their comatose burdens back through the maze, and it's not so hard being that weights are fractioned in the water. Even this far down. In fact, the physics work suspiciously close to the way they do in Rebma City. It's starting to look like they might have to slog it through the whole city with guards and slavers hounding at their heels, when finally, one of the Solar Flare crew uses Merrisol's trump. Yay! That's their fast-ticket outta Dodge. "Bring the lot of us through" he says, gesturing to the others on the team to make contact with him and accept the magic tug.

Martin ignores any attempt by Maggie and Quinlan to pull him back and uses his superior ability to maneuver in water to get away from them. "Get out of here!" he orders them. He jumps on the top of one of the jellies as it floats nearby, then up to another, bouncing on them as he moves up through the coliseum. His sword flares in the deep, a beacon of the Pattern in a Chaos infected city. He jumps again. The jellies start to become more and more of a dense impossible cloud. The mirror flickers. "Face me you filth!" He can be heard shouting through the uproar....

RPG: Martin declares that he has the Close Call (STY-CC) gift.

Grabbed, Maggie looks up and around. The jellies decend in oddly puffing blobs of color that get into everything. Ducking, she runs across to Quinlan's side, turning to be sure that Martin is with them. Of course he isn't. Her brave and reckless cousin has drawn his sword and seems ready to use it. "Go on, Quin. He's going to need backup." Or not. As she left her scimitar back on the ship, Maggie readies a barage of flame filled bubbles, but does not let them go for fear of hitting the jellies. And just like that Martin is hopping from bobbing jelly to bobbing jelly, up and up and up into a cloud of multicolored jellyfish bobbing like balloons at a pre-teen's 'magical girl' birthday party. "Dang it." Unable to see her cousin in the cloud above, Maggie turns again and darts back to Quin. "Let's go. But be prepared to regroup with the others and stage another rescue." Such faith. Poor Martin.

Reckless bravado is in nearly all the other royal lines to some degree. Except Benedict's, really, but they've got other problems.