Scene 1: Alarum

Xari steps out of his tent and looks North towards the city. He has been camped out for a few days now, trying to gain an audience with the Tri-Khan without revealing too much about himself.

"Rouse the men! he shouts to his guards. "This could be our chance to win favor with the Tri-Khan. To arms!" He ducks back into his tent and grabs the red jade grand daiklave he inherited and makes his way towards the city gates.

"Three men with me. The rest stand ready should I call for you."

With the setting of the sun, Blood-Bones-Teeth has left behind the noise, glimmer, and ramshackle architecture of Chiaroscuro. He trudges through farmland and enters the savannahs surrounding the City of Glass. Local farmers had made mention of claw strider sightings in the vicinity. Given that such animals are unusual this far south of the jungle, the Lunar found his interest peaked. After all, it's nearing the end of another lunar cycle, and he wants to dedicate one more kill in Luna's name. A claw strider, if that's actually what the farmers saw, would make favorable prey for the Sacred Hunt. Not to mention that it'd be nice to add the form of a man-sized death lizard to his shapeshifting repertoire.

Blood-Bones-Teeth stops in a field of ruby grass and crouches down. The grass gently sways in the nighttime breeze, and it's high enough to fully conceal even a man of his size. The Lunar's moonsilver tattoos - a network of swirls and jagged lines running across his arms, chest, and face - glisten in the light of Luna. The moonlight reflected by his tattoos is sufficient to make the hunt a challenge, but not impossible. It's also not the only aspect of his appearance that makes him stick out.

Even for a Lunar, Blood-Bones-Teeth is large. He's nearly twenty-one hands tall when standing, with a barrel chest, broad shoulders, and a thick neck. Like most Delzahn nomads of the South, his skin is thoroughly tanned and weather-beaten, betraying a life lived almost exclusively in the outdoors. The dark, rope-like strands of his dreadlocked hair are tied back in a ponytail that reaches down to the middle of his back. When not sporting the scale and lamellar armor of his Delzahn brethren, the Lunar dresses in simple leather boots, practical baggy trousers, and an open vest with nothing but his bare chest underneath. He wears little in the way of adornments with the exception of several necklaces of teeth. The teeth vary in length, hue, and shape, but all of them are sharp. They clearly hail from an assortment of predators: blackstar mastiffs, crag cats, austrech, bears, saltwater crocodiles. The necklaces clack together quietly as the Lunar moves.

Beside him, Raksi spins in place several times and finds a spot to lay down in the grass. Blood-Bones-Teeth shoots the mole hound a look.

"Do not get comfortable. We leave shortly," he says. Raksi languidly swishes her eight tails around and rests her head on her forepaws.

The Lunar thoughtfully strokes his chin with his left hand. The right hand, housed in a gauntlet of interlocking moonsilver, rests on his leg. The artifact-gauntlet is almost comically oversized; it's easily larger than his head. Blood-Bones-Teeth closes his eyes and readies to clear his mind in preparation for the Hunt, until he hears the booms echo in the distance. He turns his head in the direction of the harbor.

"Essence canons..." he mutters in surprise. The Lunar knows the sound of the city's defense systems.

He jumps to his feet, and the mole hound does the same. Immediately, Blood-Bones-Teeth begins sprinting back.

The sudden barrage that splits the night air interrupts Falling Leaf as he attempts to gain entry to the private study of the merchant lord his troupe is currently performing for.

What is going on? Sounds like an invasion! Time to get my people out of this manor. Having made the decesion to act, Leaf silently sprints to the spiral staircase, jumping on the rail and sliding down. Making it to the bottom faster than he could have possibly run the stairs.

Leaf pauses briefly, straightening his clothing, before reentering the grand hall his troupe is performing in.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, in light of whatever is happening in the north of the city, I must end tonight's entertainment and get the Desert Leaves ready to flee, should it become necessary. My sincerest apologies! Leaf bows slightly before gesturing to his fellow performers, sending them hurriedly gathering their belongings and towards the door.

The tower shifted, and the sound of stone against stone reverberated through the halls of the Clockwork Tower. Seeker of Hidden Truths was used to this by now. He had carefully recorded each shift, and patterns had begun to take shape. He picked up his stylus and inked another line in his "Journal of Motion", then returned to the historical text he had been studying.

Exactly one hour and 27 minutes later the tower shifted again. Seeker lazily picked up his stylus and glanced at his timepiece. His expression changed suddenly to one of surprise and then interest. "Unusual" he mused to himself, the next shift wasn't due for another 3 minutes. Another might have dismissed the difference as a random fluctuation, but Seeker was not like anyone else. Nothing escaped his keen senses. He waited anxiously, the tower shifted again, and then once more, then became still.

Seeker placed his stylus carefully back in its case, replaced the stopper on the inkwell, and rose from his chair. He strode from his study grabbing his "walking stick" from its place beside the door. He made a circuit of the tower noting every detail of the new configuration, then returned to his desk to record his findings. Not until he had memorialized every detail in his journal did he stop to examine his findings. He flipped back through the pages to compare the current configuration with the previous ones he had recorded. "Yes. I see. Something is going to happen, and I think I know where."

Days later Seeker was making his way from the Old City down towards the plaza. If something was going to happen, or perhaps was already happening, Seeker considered it wise to at least have a conversation with Grandmother Bright. He was not sure if she would answer his questions, or what price she would extract if she did, but it seemed the most reasonable course of action.

Clack Clack..

Seekers "walking stick" made a ryhtmic sound with every step as it struck the glass road. His eyes darted to and fro drinking in every detail of the city. It had been some time since he had last been here, and he took note of every small difference, such was his gift and perhaps his curse.

Clack Clack..

Nothing went unnoticed. A small smile was on his face. He found joy in the journey to unlock a mystery and the machinations of the tower were one of the greatest mysteries he had uncovered.

Clack Clack.. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM

Seeker's head snapped to the right. If he was not mistaken, and he was never mistaken, that was the sound of essence cannons, almost certainly those defending the harbor. What could possibly warrant the use of the cannons?

Seeker hurried his pace and turned the next corner towards the harbor.
"It appears I was right again." he mused, all too pleased with himself.

We have some horses. It's a size 4-5 with Elite drill.

In the house of the Suesif Kahn, the banquet has just begun.

In typical fashion for the Delzhan Nobility, all of the guests were seated upon a thick, red tapestry, decorated with many floral motifs. On it has been put many cups and plates, garnished with fruits, meat, and some of the best wine of Chiaroscuro.

Just a month prior, and despite his connections, Zefir could only have dreamt of partaking in an audience with one of the most powerful noble in the city, the cousin of the Tri-Kahn himself. A member of a disgraced House without any claim to his own family branch, he was only here to sign trade treaties at best.

But his awakening, of course, has changed everything. Half guest of honor, half hostage, Zefir has now become one of the most valuable Imperial in the city. And he still wasn't sure if he appreciated the attention.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the shaking waves forming into his cup of wine, and then the agitation of the guests present.
Many considerations suddenly came to his mind. Was the city under attack ? If so, he should probably stay hidden and... No. Wrong way of thought. He was now a Dragon-Blooded. A powerful member of the Empire, as well as a representative of House Tepet. He needed to be strong, and more importantly, to show it, especially to his hosts that valued honor and bravery. And with his Azure Thunder...

Slipping some words through his personal servant's ear, he slowly raised himself, using his cane as a support. No one around him reached to help, and he appreciated it: in this land, it would have been a sign that they saw him as weak.

Finally standing up and straight, he turned toward his host. At the same moment, the servant brought back a long wooden box to his side, opening it to show a glowing short bow. Carved from blue jade itself, flash of flowing electricity seemed to run within it.

-Venerable Khan, as your honored guest and as a Dragon-Blooded, allow me to defend this city with my very hands.

Implicitly, he was also asking for one of his horses, running being notoriously impossible to him.
It was a strange sight to be sure, this frail, limping young man asking to assist the strong and proven warrior that Suesif Khan was. But Zefir hoped that this would only better serve his reputation inside the city.

As the citizens of the glass city spilled onto the streets, Seeker could see the Delzahn preparing for battle. In the distance, smoke was rising from both the market district and the harbor. "Not good" an obvious understatement. Making a quick snapping motion with his right hand the bamboo walking stick collapsed to a short baton. He moved swiftly through the crowds, long black vestments fluttering in the wind. His nearly flawless memory recalling the map of the city, he ducked down an alley between two glass spires and avoided the throngs blocking the main thoroughfare. Information. He needed more information.. Running headlong into a situation without knowing everything one could, was the mark of a lesser mind.

Another few turns, through the back alleys and he was on the main street again. Citizens everywhere were yelling and screaming, Seeker focused his mind and his sense rose above the clutter of input, his mind filtered out the useless clucking of the masses. He stopped for a moment and gazed up the street, picking out a Delzahn Pasha amid the chaos. He would have to do. Seeker stepped into the street in front of the man, flicking his wrist and extending the walking stick back to full size, barring his path.

"Out of my way!"

Seeker was not physically imposing, but he had the steely gaze of someone not to be trifled with.
"What is happening?" His tone was not loud, but still forceful.

The Pasha considered. He had no time for such nonsense, but something about the stranger's bearing gave him pause. Who would risk a challenge at a time like this? Only an idiot or one who had no fear. He took the stranger's full measure and noticed the bamboo staff that blocked his way. What at first glance seemed like an ordinary walking stick, upon further inspection looked to be a work of master craftsmanship, each section was bound by a band of beautiful green and brown speckled jade. He did not know this man, but perhaps he was someone of consequence. There was no time to bandy about. The simplest course of action was to answer.

"There has been an attack." he moved to continue on his way but Seeker shifted slightly to block his path again.
"Obvious." Seeker said flatly "I require additional information."
The Pasha looked at him again. "I know not. Let me pass." he put his hand on his blade.

Seeker could tell this man had no more information to give. The truth of his words was obvious in his tone. Seeker flicked his wrist and collapsed the staff again, stepping aside to let the man proceed, then followed him down the street towards the market.

What Seeker really needed was a vantage point from which he could survey the whole of the situation. Given his distance from the market, he estimated a six-story building would be sufficient. As he passed a myriad of buildings of various sizes he kept his eye out for one of the sufficient height and whose residents had already finished spilling into the street.

"There" his keen eye spotted just what he was looking for.

During the period when this building was erected, the architecture favored central stairways and flat roofs. Perfect for his purposes. He increased his speed, darting into the building and up the spiral stairs to the roof. As he had expected, a number of the tenants had already made their way up and had left the door open. He slowed his approach, not wanting to draw too much attention as he entered onto the roof-top terrace.

It was crowded, but it could not be helped. He hopped up onto the low wall and used the greater height to get a better vantage. He did not scan as an ordinary man might, turning his head this way and that, but used a lesser-known technique called: "Effective Scanning". Using short, regularly spaced eye movements he brought successive areas of the city into the center of his visual field where his vision was most acute. With each shift, he studied the area, rapidly counting the combatants, both attackers, and defenders, in each area. Once he completed one such circuit, he made another, this time noting weapons and defenses. Then a third pass looking for participants of note. Those who might pose a greater threat than simple soldiers or those that might be more capable than the average Delzahn.

He performed some quick calculations, factoring in the position of the combatants, their weaponry, armor, mobility, training, and fourteen other factors in order to determine the most likely outcome. It would not do for the city to fall before he had discovered the information he had come seeking. Seeker considered that he might have to become involved.

Losing no time, Zefir used the help of his servant to mount on his horse, before rushing toward the danger. He was mostly looking for immediate threats to civilians, and especially important and influential people of the city, whether they be nobles families or merchants.

Seeker takes in the scene and weighs his options.
The enemy numbers are too great and it appears there are even greater threats leading the horde.
He shifts his position, trying to get a better view of the Old City where the Delzahn cavalry seems to be organizing. If real help is to come, it will likely come from there.

Seeker decides not to get personally involved until there are allies of sufficient calibre and number to give the defenders a fighting chance. He takes note of possible escape routes, for he surmises it way well be necessary to engage in a retrograde operation if the situation continues to unfold along the current path.

"Another player enters the field," Seeker says in a low voice, not addressing anyone in particular.
The new arrival has Seeker's full attention. He observes the interaction between him and the Delzahn, curious if this is someone with authority over them. The jade weapon is somewhat telling. After all, it is not just anyone that carries such a weapon he muses as he glances down at his own staff.

Spotting one of the Lieutenant right on his path, Zefir abruptly stopped in his tracks as his horse raised his front legs in the air with a snort.

Zefir took some seconds to think. Maybe now was the time for a bold move ? As his horse recomposed itself, he looked directly at the officer.

Lieutenant ! I have been sent by Suesif Khan himself. Report on the situation.

While his voice was loud to cover the ambient chaos, he had spoken in a typical military fashion, authoritarian but not aggressive. He hoped the man would be too distressed to question his legitimacy as his "superior".

Boom... boom... boom...
In this forgotten crypt under the city, the noise of the cannons is more of a unusual vibration than anything else, but Implacable Arbiter of Inexorable Decay opens his eyes for the first time in months. Around him, a single ghost mumbles about incantations, uncaring of anything else.
Boom... boom... boom...
As he stands up slowly, some rubbles fall from his cloak and soulsteel armor. Without a word, he grabs his soulsteel daiklave and head toward the exit.
Boom... boom... boom...
He pushes aside effortlessly a huge slab of stone he used to block the entrance and start to navigate the ancient tunnels of the Undercity toward the surface.
Boom, boom, boom.
The cannons and the scream of death and carnage get louder as he draws closer. Most people on his path had already run to safety and those that were still running gave him a wide berth instinctively. Finally, he founds a welded hatch leading the the streets above. He cracked it with a mighty punch and pushed the rest open with brute force.
Once through, he took a deep breath and took in his surroundings. The screams of death and the smell of blood was comfortable, comforting even. The harsh southern sun and the bunch of Hobgoblins staring at him for interrupting their playful session of torture were less so. That part didn't feel right. Oblivion was inevitable for everyone, the last blessing of existence. Those disgusting, disrespectful creatures, however, did not earn the right to be agent of Oblivion.
Raising one armored hand, the Arbiter invite silently the creatures to come meet their end.

Seeker observes the interaction between the bowman and the Delzahn and marks the newcomer as someone of significance.

"Exactly the sort I have been waiting for" he muses to himself. It was time to make his presence known. But before he can turn back to the roof exit he notices a slight disturbance in the sea of enemies. A hole appears in their midst and another creature rises up from the center. A Raksha perhaps? No. This was something different. Something new. The hobgoblins recoil, as a giant armored figure all in black, appears from beneath the street. Who or what was it? Why was it here? This was certainly a day for mysteries and mysteries were his stock-in-trade.
Seeker watches as the huge black figure raises his giant blade in one hand and beckons the horde to try their might against him.

"Confident. In just a moment I suppose we will find out if it is warranted."

Seeker had to choose. He could make his way towards the black figure or the bowman. They both looked like they might be allies, but the bowman looked to be in a safer position, and besides, while the other might also be allied, they might easily mistake Seeker for an enemy before he got a chance to explain himself.

Seeker gazes over the edge of the building examing the configuration of the balconies mapping the safest route between them. While he was not known for his agility, Seeker could drop from balcony to balcony using his staff to slide down a bit more safely. Normally he might not try such a thing, preferring to use the stairs and not draw too much attention, but this method would be quicker and allow him to continue to observe the developments below while he further refined his plan during the descent.

The Arbiter had more than one lifetime worth of experience on the battlefield. He could read the flow of a battle well and, more importantly, how to disrupt it. With the power of the Exaltation entrusted upon him by his master, it was often all to easy.

"I am Xari, and I am coming to offer my aid to whatever is happening within the city! Please let me through!"

Unlike the nightmare rising from the middle of the horde, Seeker has always prefered to take a cautious approach to conflict. Battle not really being his forte. He moves carefully, taking note of each new development, the ebb and flow of the arrayed forces, his gaze shifting from his goal of reaching the Jade Bowman to the surrounding chaos and back again. Seeker lands on the street keenly aware of all that is transpiring and weaves his way through the defenders to reach his target, attempting to avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary.

Zefir nodded, as if he personally knew those men and was already aware of their plan.
And, in a sense... this was the case. Maybe that was this so-called "esprit de corps" that naturally arose from people fighting next to each other ?
Now wasn't the time for such questions however. No long and great speech before the battle, no perfect strategic plans. At the heart of victory lies the ability to seize the moment, and now was more the moment than it would ever be afterward.

Soldiers ! Each second that passes is another civilian that succumbs to this monstrosities ! We do not have the time to fear now, only to tear apart and triumph ! CHARGE !

Leading the charge next to the lieutenant himself, Zefir raised his bow before he even had an enemy in clear sight.