In Flight Dreaming

[bravesirrobin]

[Herla, Mani, Phan]

Your new prize drifts slowly through the skies, but you are making steady progress and you stop for a few hours every night as you feel the inevitability of sleep taking you over. You know that ships like this require maintenance though, and you're worried about when this ship might need some repairs.

It's another two nights before the dream finally resolves, and you finally get the full understanding you've been anticipating. You estimate you're about half way to Ralang.

[scarletharlot]

"Phan, Herla and I were talking while you were off...doing whatever that just was, and we were wondering about this ship of ours. It's working ok, but it won't go on doing that forever and it's pretty obvious and not very quick. Unless we want about a zillion Realm-sponsored Terrestrial circle sorcerers chasing us (or at least sneaking up on us if they don't want to damage the ship), then we'd better get this somewhere safe, like secret safe. If we continue on to Ralang we'll risk the project there and we'll be next to a realm base. I don't dare fly into/through the Wyld without a lot more help either.

I think our options are to seek help from a lunar, which might require the promise of a favour in return for someone with Wyld-protection charms meeting us and letting us park in their stabilized area. Or, on the other hand, we could perhaps get in contact with Herla's solar friends. She thinks one at least might be a sorcerer (so they can contact us back), which suggests Twilight castes so if we're lucky one might know more about this ship. Whether or not they can repair the ship themselves, Herla says they have soldiers - so they could actually make use of it - and they don't mind pissing the Realm off - so they could harbour it. We could loan it to them for, say 2 years, if they repair/get someone to repair the Warstrider and give us cash/an artifact/something we like.

Finally we could try to trade it in disguise: Lookshy would pay cash for it, but we might need to go through a (guild:( ?) agent; the Haslanti League would have it, I feel sure; a god might have ideas for it; we could ransom it back to the Realm...

My feelings are that we do not have much personal use for it, or indeed the Warstrider, although Wandered Lamb could use it, but they are items a bit special to just sell for jade. We're not scavenger lords and if we need money then we can also get hold of it. The sky-ship would be a nice gift/tradable item one day for Rathess, if we can hold onto it, since they already have sky-ship towers (and it is in one of those towers that a resistance movement is growing, blessed by their goddess). Following that then the first two options seem preferable to me, although I think we three should vote on it.

The solars might actually want this ship lying around, and we could loan it to them under and Eclipse oath - so we could be sure of getting it back. A lunar could be a little more problematic, but we may be able to find one through Ursula or the Crossroads or something. Whatever we do, I think we should do it soon in case we're being followed.


Following that discussion, were your dreams clearer last night, mine was? I can remember all of mine now. Pretty spooky."

[johandenerad]

Herla fidgets and looks like she wants to interject at several points through the speech but each time recedes with a shrug, apparently happy with the No Moon's ideas.

"Mine were clearer. Maybe Ursula could help us understand them? Even the Solars, if we take the boat to them. I can't think of anyone better to understand them than you, though. You could use that Charm that makes you shout at me when I try and talk to you... the, er, genius one."

[ulrich]

"Why not let the Crossroads Society look after the ship for us? Don't they love this kind of stuff? As you say, we have little use for the warstrider, so trade that in return for ship maintenance and keeping it safe from the Realm. We might not even have to give them the warstrider - the chance to study a 1st Age artifact could be enough. I think involving Ursula is a good idea."

"Handing the ship over to the Solars doesn't sit right with me. The Realm is already after them, and with the ship they'll be a greater target. I don't want to see the Realm having the ship again, so keeping it with Luna's Chosen is the best way to ensure that."

"Did anyone recognise the faces in the dream? I think I know one of them.."

[scarletharlot]

"I didn't recognise anyone in the dream. Interesting. Do you mind going through your dreams with me so I can see what other variations there might have been. I have some theories, but they're a bit lengthy so we should maybe wait until we've decided what we're doing with the ship.

I'll Infallible Ursula to see if she has any special ideas, but this isn't something the Cross Roads Society are going to be that excited about. Our problem isn't that we don't have lunars who have drawn out the designs to flying-ships and other ancient things, but rather that we can't rebuild them in this age.

Also a Sky-ship can only be taken through the Wyld by those with strong Wyld-protection charms, but storing it anywhere else would be a liability. Moreover few lunars have individually operating military forces that would make this inconvenience worthwhile, and those with their own forces probably wouldn't want to take the risk of bringing too much attention to those forces. It is more likely we'd have to owe them a favour for keeping it than the other way round, although we could probably arrange something.

There are a couple of the lunars arranging things for the Haslanti league in Crossroads, but the Haslanti League are nearly all mortals who fly non-magical sky-ships and they don't especially need this one. We wouldn't need to go to the lunars to sell it to the League though, they might even prefer we went to the mortal rulers directly. That would also mean we had to give it away permanently, and I liked the idea of Rathess ending up with it.

I don't like the idea of dealing openly with the solars just yet, but we need to decide quickly and they've already shown themselves disinterested in the Realm's strength. They dropped a Gem-Lord of Greyfalls, presumably massacring a good proportion of its inhabitants, how much more could the Realm hate them? Having one of their airships is minor compared with that. We'd ask them first as well, so that they could judge for themselves the amount of danger this would put them in. The one thing I like about this plan is that they have an Eclipse Caste who can seal the bargain and we could negotiate a 2 year loan of the ship, open to renewal, with agreed compensation if it is damaged/destroyed, and then we can keep it for Rathess in the future. One of the provisions of the deal could be that they repair the War-strider. I'm not exactly voting for this option - for example I think one of them might have to come to meet us to protect the ship until it gets in, because it's a long way to fly so slowly - but it does have benefits.

Unless Ursula can think of anything unusual then what do you think?"

Casts Infallible Messenger "Ursula, this is Ma'ani, we've captured a Realm Sky-ship and a War-strider from a Wyld Hunt which was destroyed in Rathess. We can trade with nations, but wondered whether you might have any ideas about individual lunars or ways the Crossroads society might be interested in it, because if its capture could benefit the lunars then we'd like that. It is a large passenger/military vessel, powered by a hearth-stone (rather than attunement), slow (max 400 miles/day) but in very good condition. The War-strider's jade and a bit damaged."

After casting Ma'ani looks at the ship for a moment and then climbs in and carefully draws out the Hearth-stone (or doesn't draw it out if she can examine it in place). What level/type of stone is it?

[bravesirrobin]

[You could take the stone out, but it would stop the ariship from functioning. You can examine it either way. It is a level 2 air stone. You know that once the Dragon-Blood who owned it is reported missing the stone is likely to be shattered. Though how long his family will leave for him to make contact before presuming him dead is unknown.]

Ursula's reply: "Mani, how very exciting. The three of you really have been getting up to a lot recently. I am sure you know better than I who in the Crossroads society might be interested in such a a prize, but I don't believe anyone in my pack would desire it. Of course I am sure we could come to some arrangement if you're looking for somewhere to store it. The warstrider may be a lot easier to exchange if you want to, and I know plenty of people who would be able to repair it. You can find me in the usual place if you seek further counsel.

[ulrich]

"Ma'ani, can you not contact someone in the Crossroads Society to see if they are interested? If not, I would suggest we take up Ursula's offer of storage until we meet Herla's Solars and see if they want to strike up a deal."

"On the other matter, I'll happily go through what I remember of the dream. Actually, thinking about it, I don't recognise any of the faces, just that I felt I know - or knew - one of them. It's a bit like remembering a song when you hear it sung, but not being able to sing it yourself. I don't know if that makes sense."

[scarletharlot]

"Herla, Phan, would one of you lend the ship your hearth-stone please; mine's not strong enough. It occurred to me while I was casting that the ship is powered by something the Realm can turn up, which would be painful mid-flight. I don't know how long they'll leave it to alter the dragon-lines, but whichever of you provides yours can have this one for now? We'll make it our no.1 priority to make sure nothing happens to the stone. Phan, your stone's from an air-manse right? That might be best...

Uh, dream faces. Sounds possibly like someone you knew in a past reincarnation: if it is then that's good because it suggests the dreams are in some way connected to the exaltation and not from a Fae. That you didn't exactly recognise them could mean they have also reincarnated. Why don't you meditate on the individual for a while: see what comes back to you. See what feelings you associate with the person - friendship, rivalry, love, hate etc. The dream seems to suggest celestial exalts so it would make sense for you to recognise one of the nine. I'll have a think about alternative meanings. To be honest, you're the one whose most likely to guess what it means, because while dreaming your subconscious might have understood a lot more symbolism in the recognition.

If the ship can be stored safely in a border-marsh then that might be the best thing, because no-one would be able to trace/find it. In the cross-roads the more senior members don't let the junior know very much about them, so I've no idea really if anyone would want it, apart from the lunars involved with the Haslanti League, who, as I said, might prefer us to trade directly with the people there. The best way to deal with the cross-roads would be to let the news we have it seep out and let someone come to us. The main thing the solars have on lunar trade is that they have an eclipse to make sure they hold by their deal. If we make an arrangement to get the ship back every 2 years to see if we want to arrange an exchange for it with Rathess yet, it could be possible for whoever to weasel out of the agreement. Perhaps an addition to the lender's tattoos would suffice: if they don't comply with the arrangement then they have a debt unfulfilled?

Anyway we can sort this out later. I'll get back to Ursula about storage and we can contact Crossroads and the solars and anyone else to see who gives us the best offer. What are we prepared to offer in return for storage? We have some jade, we have the war-strider - which would hardly be an equal trade but perhaps we could swap it for something equally valuable, communication devices or something that benefits us all - and then one or more of us could offer a favour (although if they do I think there should be some compensation made out of the overall price we get). I also think that Wandered Lamb should be in some way compensated for giving us the information that allowed us to summon the Wyld Hunt, but then having to watch while we plundered them. I know you wont go for this Herla, but I think it's important and it was me and him who actually spotted the sky-ship in the first place, so maybe her deserves something...

Since it will be difficult to be sneaky with the War-strider, only Wandered Lamb can use it (if we wanted to be able to shapechange which we might not inside a War-strider - deadly beastman would be interesting inside it) and it doesn't go that well with Air-Dragon Style and our various travel charms/spells will be inhibited by it (unless whenever we go anywhere Herla attunes to it, in which case it'll leave a pretty obvious trail of mashed vegetation), then I suggest we organise some trade for that.

Although, perhaps there's a better place we can trade it: for example, the solars don't shape-change and it does go well with the airship.

In which case that leaves us a Jade rent or a favour (probably a favour for every number of years even)."

[scarletharlot]

"By the way, I've written this down for you two, so you can look through it at leisure when I start driving again. I'm getting Wandered Lamb to take a look too: he didn't get the dream, but then he's not a celestial exalt and he didn't meet the Fae we pissed off so their could be numerous reasons for that. It'd be very useful if you could note any differences in your dreams - such as at what point you recognized someone Phan - so that we can elaborate on it further."

'Extract 112 from Ma’ani’s Dream Diary

Below is the dream written in full, with a section-by-section examination.

I activated my intelligence charms to their full capacity, but I tried to keep my mind as broad to possibilities as possible.

Ph1. You stand in an open field, green and gold grass surrounds your ankles and extends to the horizon. Children hold hands to form a circle and dance around you singing.

Colours and symbolism of fertility, spring or autumn, safety and thanks-giving.

Ph2. You try to count them, but though the faces come round again, they don't seem to stay the same, or keep the same order.

Possibly this is symbolism of the passing of time or a clue that the children represent the faces of humanity. On the other hand, this could signify the introduction of disorder into the Utopian vision above.

They sing:

A memorable, primal and haunting mode of communication and instruction. Whoever is sending the dreams could use children as a provocative, emotive source for their message.

Ph3.Sg1. “Five days to end the year

Calibration most obviously. A prime period for demonic activity, but other sorts of chaos also. There are other deities and festival that last five days, but Calibration is by far the most obvious candidate.

And then creation dies

As the year ends, metaphorical death so it can be reborn as the new year or literally the world will end. Gradually or all at once? If gradually then a plan is to be implemented during Calibration that will result in the world dying. Bear in mind that ‘die’ can signify a great change as well as destruction. Also does the world not die every moment so that time may flow into the next moment?

Three foes arise again

Again… Yozis, the Neverborn and the Wyld are the most fearsome candidates. The deathlords are more than three, as are the sidereals. There are two natural planes of being, creation and Yushan and three said to be unnatural, the Underworld, Malfeas and the Wyld. This would make most sense. However, these three are said to be enemies to one another – or at least their goals are disparate – so this could be useful information.

Summon the wrath of old

The war with the exalted? The contagion? The invasion from the Wyld? Only the last of these is there any serious preparation to prevent, so far as I am aware. Naturally, if the three refers to something else then these conjectures are irrelevant.

This line might connect to the nine, rather than the three (or both), in which case they might be being called on to collect old forces. Lookshy hold powerful artifacts and the ability to make them, presumably Yushan could have some resources, the Imperial Defence Grid is said to be very powerful. I cannot see how any of these could be accessed other than momentarily, however.

Nine face the coming tide

Implies nine will fight it; facing into the tide suggests that they will be seriously outnumbered because an individual versus the tide is an image of a fight in vain. The magnitude of the threat lends weight to the earlier supposition on whom the hostile forces might be, but then how could nine face such forces unless this refers to the Incarna, possibly with the additions of Gaia and Autochthon? Note: three packs of lunars would make nine; 3 times 3 is an auspicious number.

Chosen by Incarna

If this follows directly on from the previous line, which it seems it must, then we are looking at nine Celestial exalts. I cannot elaborate further on to who this might refer to; we're receiving the dream, but I do not know whether anyone else is.

Four ways for them to fail

Possibly, four quests they have to complete. More than the three foes so it must be assumed that if this refers to quests failing any might fail the whole enterprise. ‘Ways’ might also refer to geographical directions, but if that is so then has one already fallen or is the pole of Earth not counted as a ‘way’?

Success comes at a price

Presumably failure comes at a worse one, at least on the face of it. In my opinion the nine should be co-ordinated so that any decision on price is made before it is asked. If there are four directions in which to fail perhaps the fifth direction is the price?

One Malfean awakes

Is this the price or, looking at the following line, a risk of partial success. We need to learn which, if possible, so this can be prepared for. It might very well be possible to deal with a single Malfean, even with creation so much smaller and the Solars so much younger. It might require greater co-ordination, with one another and other beings of power, than Lunars have previously been prepared for.

Should the heroes falter.”

In paying the price most likely, but it could be the partial failure if they fail in one of the four ways above or merely if they falter at all in another way.

Ph4. The children spin faster, and grow taller.

Are they still children? Do they symbolize the need for the children of creation to step up to this threat? Disconcerting distortion as the serene picture from the stop moves to reveal an urgency or fractured truth to the situation.

As your perspective shifts you realise that you are the one spinning; the landscape is still.

As though you are one of the children. Implications that the dreamer is one of the nine, since the world is still but for them.

The field is gone and instead you are surrounded by trees.

The East or again a symbol for the variation of the Creation the dream seems to be asking the dreamer to protect. Perhaps the movement from open fields into the woods could be a movement in the East towards the edges of the creation, or has some other liminal symbolism, entering an alien landscape (like Malfeas?).

Each one a different species, and each rots gradually away

Suggests the ‘die’ earlier is possibly gradual; enhances the tragedy behind the threat. Rot could be any of my alleged three. The void destroys, the Wyld dissolves form and Malfeas corrupts.

as the children's voices sing the next verse:

Are the children somehow the trees (world metaphor) or are you, as the collective of the child, sort of singing this yourself, like a prophecy?

This verse appears to be in clearer couplets, five directions, each with a line beneath it.
Ph5.Sg.2 “South gives up the power
Allows the night ahead

1) Gives up, allows night. The god of Calibration is a god of shadow, could he be the night to the sun’s day? Could tangentially refer to the Ebon Dragon, in legend the being who nurtured the shadow god?
2) 'Giving up’ power might be an appropriate verb for losing in battle and night is a metaphor for death.
3) I am curious as to what ‘the power’ might refer to, however. The Lap has that statue – ‘the last supplicant of endless power’ according to my notes, reputed to be powerful, but that’s not a power of the South in general.


North rings out the prayer
Calls aloud to prison

A prayer could suggest a demon-cult (praying to the prison of Malfeas). It would be worth discovering if there is any particular ‘prison’ in the North independent of this. Prayer might also imply the inclusion of gods.

West slips between the chains
Defeats the guard beneath

The dragon-blooded were meant to have buried the Solars beneath the sea and I see no reason why there is not some truth in that. So this could refer to something sneaking in to the place the Solars were kept and defeating what was guarding them. Solars have begun to return, or so it appears, so this makes sense if it has already happened.

But the dissolving trees suggest the corruption of the directions so perhaps there was either something else chained there, is Malfeas chained in place?

The guardian could refer to one of the powerful Lunars (e.g. Leviathan) dedicated to protecting the Western seas.

Central finds the joining
The song to end the earth

I cannot think what the joining is, but I find it hard to imagine the Wyld is involved with anything so central to creation (unless those Mountain hobgoblins are involved). If this were to take place at Calibration then perhaps there is going to be some attempt made to join one of the unnatural planes with ours. The central continent would make the perfect spot for an invasion. However I cannot see how this would be possible. Even with the number of artifacts that have been accrued by the realm-blooded they should not be powerful enough for something like this. Any Solars that have returned are too weak for anything thus, I cannot imagine a Lunar doing that even if they could get onto the Isle. This suggests gods or those Sidereals. Certain gods might have connections to the Malfeans still, theoretically, and for all I know the Sidereals have been dealing with Deathlords for centuries.

The joining will be completed with a song. We are probably looking at the last day of Calibration, if I have been near the mark so far. ‘Central’ rather than ‘Centre’ is a little baffling, but perhaps that has something to do with the metaphysical location of the void relevant to the imperial mountain? Basically this looks important, but I’m clutching at straws.

East stands at last alone
Decay spreading slowly.”

‘Stands’, as though this is destined. Perhaps the reason only nine are referred to is because the only thing nine can do is defend the East. If the other continents were wiped out I’m not sure the balance of creation wouldn’t be irreparably destroyed, but perhaps by holding the East the nine can defend the other directions somehow.

Decay spreading slowly, as with the trees here. Decay is not a word that commonly used of the Wyld, but if they are one of the three foes then presumably they must be active. It is interesting that the directions go South, North, West, Centre, East, perhaps something will happen to each on each day of Calibration? This draws the number four?

Ph.6 The trees are replaced by a huge shadowy figure, facing away from you, merely a silhouette as the figure blots out the sun.

As already mentioned, shadow is connected to Calibration. Perhaps we need to have a talk with Five Days Darkness?

You stand on top of a large sand dune, being whipped gradually into a storm by a strong wind, at the base of the dune a deep blue sea laps gently at the dune, the sand begins to wash away and the dune gradually disappears beneath the waves.

Utopia turns to destruction. It has been gradual – perhaps a suggestion that the destructive forces in creation are moving already, but imperceptively. If the place is not meant to be generic then South West for sand and sea or South East by the Inland Sea? Storm and waves…there are some legends relating to great storms back at the time the Solars disappeared and during the contagion, a demonic power or symbol of something wrong in heaven as well as on the Earth?

The final verse of the song is more shrill and more urgent, but still in the same childish tones:


The following section is more nonsensical, the result of high stress possibly, or more riddle-like. It is harder to see which lines follow from which. It also, although I may be wrong, seems a little less general and more specific in its directions.
Ph7.Sg.3 “The enemy of mind

The hungry ghost is a spirit without mind, the void is sort of its master, but it wants to destroy everything, not mind in particular. Does this refer to a supposed dichotomy between mind and spirit or mind and body? The Wyld dislikes body more than mind, surely, or at least consciousness is not absent even from the deep Wyld? I can’t see how this refers to the Malfeans, unless it refers to their supposed madness. Perhaps this refers to an individual being, one of the four quests if they are not ways?

Waits atop the mountain

Surely the Imperial Mountain? Literally on top of it or in Yushan? Waits for what? This suggests it will be waiting when it is sought; that hint of destiny again.

Battle of mind and brain

Mind and brain battle to and end or mind battles with brain? That would be a very curious dichotomy. Mind is more poetic, more connected to spirit than brain, but surely both represent the logical and house the individuality the course of a life imprints on a person? More likely mind and brain battle together to defeat an enemy of reason.

To redirect the flow

From the Imperial Mountain it is presumably possible to redirect the Dragon lines of all of creation to some extent. I can’t see how such a feat would be possible without a thousand years, but that of course does not mean it cannot be done.

If a being were seeking to join two planes of existence together, even if just to link them as Yushan and creation are, then this might be a clue as to how to disrupt that. Flow could also refer to water – perhaps there are magical rivers in Yushan.

Called in place of weaker

Called to complete this quest in the place of a weaker individual or race? If we’re talking about the Isle, Celestial exalts in place of the Blooded? Otherwise this could refer to some detail that has not occurred yet. Perhaps another of the nine can falter if there is another to take their place? This would be contradictory, however.

This could refer to the flow – redirect it into the place of a weaker or redirect a flow that is in the place of a weaker. Perhaps redirect some of the powerful currents around the mountain. If the currents around the Imperial Manse were to be tainted by the void below then it might be necessary to separate off as many of its currents as possible? Surely this would require a million muscular demons rather than a logic puzzle, however?

Jeweled colours mixing

The magical materials, the aspects of the blooded, the dragon lines, Lunar tattoos, all together to make light? Again too many possibilities for the moment.

Freedom won in contest

A Malfean, a Neverborn from the void? Freedom for creation? Surely none of Creation’s enemies are going to agree to a contest for ownership? The Fae who might invade wouldn’t have the authority to agree to such a thing, the void probably can’t make agreements like that and would the Malfeans agree to that? Perhaps they could go somewhere else?

Serves to his utmost soul

Ah, well this suggests some greater being, like a primordial, who has more than the human number of souls, unlikely to be anything dead in that case. It is said that one third circle demon roots the primordial to their nature and by destroying this root the exalted imprisoned their mighty foes. Perhaps this is how the Malfean will win freedom if the nine falter. In some sort of Calibration powered contest.

This could also just be a poetic way of describing a creature’s higher soul. On the off chance this still refers to the enemy of mind we can assume we are not looking at Fair Folk as I suspected, since they are not well-endowed will souls (although they are more likely to submit to a contest for valuable prizes).

Immaterial weapons

Yushan and all the creatures of darkness would have access to immaterial weapons. Does the Imperial Manse access these sorts of weapons? Could immaterial weapons refer only to mind power; again I cannot see how the power of one’s mind would defeat a primordial’s primary soul.

Figured in to the game.”

Still referring to the above contest for freedom presumably. Meaning that they or their competitor will be expecting these weapons or that they are part of the contest.

Ph8. As the tune fades out you realise the dune you stand on has disappeared and you tumble beneath the waves. Instead of the cold, wet embrace though,

Inverted expectations. Chaos; water into stone. Helplessness. Stone again a reference to the pole of Earth?

you are petrified, locked into place, encased in stone, struggling to breathe and unable to move. A very different voice growls a single line at you.

The sender of the dream? The voice of a monster?

Ph.9 "From beneath you, it devours."

The Wyld is not beneath us, unless it is only a threat in the West and Leviathan is the guardian referred to in the relevant section. If one of the three foes is not the Wyld then my predictions may be weak. ‘It’ however may only refer to the void. Or it could merely suggest that the end, the death of the world is coming, just by using threatening language.







Issues

Where From?
A) Most obvious source with the power to affect us would be the evil forbidden god under Rathess. Surely a god of nightmare and perhaps it hopes that such dreams will distract us from its city. From beneath you it devours could even be a threat from the god.
B) The Exaltation; dreams of the past are common, but prophetic dreams are not unheard of and Phan’s ‘recognition’ potentially supports this.
C) A Fair Folk (note: we did piss off a few Fey recently), a god, a ghost, a thaumaturge or frankly any other magic user with the right skill set. Our own level of enlightenment, strength of will and mental strength is relevant, but we are not necessarily dealing with someone with that much power. However the way it shattered the dream catcher suggests power of a level at least equal to ours and the difficulty we had in waking up before the dream was completed suggests the same.
D) The tinge of destiny in the dream could intimate heaven, but I’ve no idea if heaven can even affect Lunars so directly.

Questions

1) Can we find out where the Dream came from and if it is not possible to ascertain that it is from a trusted source, then is it possible to find out whether there is any truth in it?

After 1) then there are aspects of the dream that I could do with finding out more about.

2) [Answered] Today is the 6th of Descending Fire. Calibration begins on the day after the 28th of Descending Fire. We have to find out as much as we can before then.
3) Do any other major foes to Creation come in threes? - research point?
4) Have there been any preparations for battle in the Wyld recently, especially in the West? (Herla could ask the Swords) - Research Lead?
5) Could the Great Contagion be cured if it surfaced again? - research point
6) Who might the nine be? - Presumably would become clear in time
7) Is there any alternative ‘The Power’ in the South? - research point
8) What is the greatest threat to the South of the three (if only one is referred to)? - research point
9) Is there any way of discovering if there is a vast Malfean cult in the North? - research point
10) Were the Solars bound in the Western sea, how were they guarded and is there anything else chained there? - research point
11) What are the oaths that bind those in Malfeas and did the exalted leave any loop holes? - research point
12) What is the song-magic referred to - is there a known summoning ritual powerful enough to join two plains together or something equally difficult? Could it be done? - research point
13) [Answered] The connection with shadow also suggests Calibration, therefore:
14) Find out more about Five Days Darkness' likes and dislikes and find him? Careful if might tip off the bad guys. Research Lead
15) Who might the Enemy of Mind be? It might have some connection to the Imperial Mountain. - Research point (vague)
16) What constitutes a death-lord, in case the 'souls' reference refers to it? - research point
17) At what strength are the Dragon lines at present, especially around the Imperial Mountain. - research point, possibly minor
18) What is known about the Realm defence grid's specific powers in case it is needed; how would one get in? - research point
19) Could the so called Mountain Folk be a pivotal connection between the imperial mountain and the Wyld (for example do they use singing magic) - research point

Research point = I've no idea
Research lead = We may have a potential direction

We can't follow all these up, at least not alone, but this is my attempt to make an exhaustive list.

[ulrich]

Phan looks like he's about to grumble when Ma'ani asks to give up his stone, then unexpectedly smiles. Plucking his air-stone from seemingly nowhere, he heads over to the ship's hearth stone.

"Can we take it out mid-flight, or are we going to land the ship first?" he asks, whilst making out that he's prising the ship's stone out its socket. Under his breath he counts silently, waiting for..

"NNOOOOOO!!! WAIT!"

Ma'ani launches into an explanation-tirade about the inner workings of the ship, which Herla and Phan find somewhat difficult to follow. She lands the ship (with full precise explanations) and the hearthstones are surgically swapped out (under her expert and supervision).

Phan, holding the ship's hearthstone, asks, "What does this one do? Can I use it?"

[Assuming no opposition, it goes into Phan's moonsilver hearthstone bracer tattoo.]

[bravesirrobin]

[You cannot use a hearthstone from a manse you are not attuned to.]

[Responses to Mani:
1) You are free to try - describe me a way.
2) This thread is currently taking place on the 6th of Descending Fire. Calibration begins on the day after the 28th of Descending Fire.
3) There are many possible foes, any could be combined in threes, none strike you as triumvirates traditionally.
4) Not that you know of. The swords would certainly have better information.
5) There was no known cure. Too many possibilities to consider for a variant.
6) You're not sure, from the rhythmic structure you are pretty sure the line is linked with the following line about incarna.
7) You are aware of the Lap's first age name. Power could refer to a great many things.
8) You are not aware of a militant southern deathlord - you should probably remove references to him in the main post.
9) Go there and find out.
10) No one knows where the Solars were bound - the fact they were was only a rumour. No idea how they were guarded. There's more than one powerful thing rumoured to be bound in the west.
11) Oaths mostly, also creation forming magic wrought by a team of insanely powerful celestial exalts.
12) A bunch of possibilities, powerful ritual magic can often involve songs, or at the least verse structure. The most obvious type is summoning spells.
13) Calibration often features eclipses, though not always. It is said to be a time when the celestial order undergoes upheaval and for a brief time the Unconquered Sun may not be the most powerful being in creation.
14) He can be found in Great Forks generally. Normal methods for dealing with gods would probably work, you don't know much beyond that.
15) Unknown.
16) You know about powerful demons being the souls of yozis. You don't know about deathlords.
17) Unknown.
18) Very powerful linked set of first age manses and artifacts. Supposedly it takes a team of reasonably powerful exalts to disrupt even a single one.
19) You know almost nothing about them.]

[Mani has a successful 3 dice stunt for awesome write up.]

[ulrich]

The ship's hearthstone remains dull and lifeless on Phan's arm, before dropping off and falling to the floor.

"Yeah, let's not keep the airship for long," he says glumly. "We're going to stop at night, yes? You can't fly it when you're asleep, can you?"

Phan picks up and reads through Ma'ani's sheafs of paper.

"How can you write so much? Is this what goes through your head every time you see something new?"

He exchanges a silent glance with Herla. Phan starts to read through the notes aloud, partially for Herla's benefit, and partially to help him decipher Ma'ani's scrawling script.

"So you see lots of faces, which are always different? I see lots of different ones, but one is always the same."

[scarletharlot]

"Before you get too engrossed in my master-piece, can we come to a quick decision as to where I'm actually flying? Did we vote for storing it with Ursula? If so, what are we prepared to offer her?"

[ooc: have updated the questions at the end of the post to include (pretty much) the answers received - since they were ones Ma'ani herself knew. Have kept the same numbering for clarity. Will delete this bit shortly.]

[ulrich]

"I'm happy to see what Ursula wants in return. Not sure what we can offer her - she seems to like us though. Perhaps a favour of some kind? I think it's well worth the effort to build up a strong relationship with her, so she knows we're trustworthy and reliable."

[johandenerad]

"The faces don't stay the same for me. I don't know any of them."

Herla valiantly attempts to ride out the flood of new information, but is quickly sunk, left with a glassy look of almost-concentration on her face. She seems in silent agreement with most of the other two's reasoning, though she wrinkles her nose when a reward for Wandered Lamb is mentioned. Looking out the window she makes a suggestion.

"Fly somewhere a couple of hundred miles from Ursula's. There's a Swords watering hole not far from her, contact her and tell her I'll meet her there. I'll lead her back to the ship. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. The Swords change meeting places every few moons, and we can make them change sooner so as to lose the Hunt. Won't mess up anyone too much. As for what we should give her... either one or all of us offer her a favour. She does this for us; we owe her a blood-debt. Ursula follows the Way; she will be just and generous with what she asks us to do.

"I could ask Red Jaws if the Fae are moving, when we tell him the meeting place isn't safe any more." she says blanky, probably because the Swords question was early on Ma'ani's list so she could remember it. "You should do one of those... writing for my dream. And Phan's. Ursula could read it too.

"The words in my dream are the same as yours, except the last verse:
the enemy of form
waits beneath the water
his sword is strong and keen
corrupted shard of heaven
warrior and traitor
usurpers now betrayed
the fall will save or kill
the pool is void or lethe
the clash of steel on steel
blades are all that matter."

Herla's eyes narrow as she stares out over dark forests. "It feels important. We should be careful."