Legion (Episode 2)

Kris stops and considers for a moment, then nods here head. "Yeah. Let's do this. Why not. We're all in this situation together, right? Everyone will eventually learn all of my secrets anyway."

With only a brief hesitation, Kris disrobes and places each of her garments carefully on a shelf in the huge closet. The last item is a rather plain appearing headband. When she pulls it off, she instantly transforms from the teenish brunette, into a still very youthful Human female with flowing white hair. Her features are relatively the same, but a slightly older version.

Taj openly admires Kris' form as she reveals it. "I hope you don't mind. I make no secrets about my interest in the Humanoid female, as my lover here can attest." She drapes a hand over Jael's shoulder.

Tajuri herself peels off the already revealing garments she is wearing and casually climbs into the pool. The steamy waters rise almost to her breasts.

Her eyes widen at Kris' last reveal. "Not to be prying, Lady Amani, but why the deception? Your true self is equally as lovely."

Kris carefully climbs into the pool and feels around for a possible seat beneath the water. Finding one along the side, she sits down submerging herself up to the shoulders in the steamy water.

"Thank you for your compliment, Lady Shadowmoon. It is much appreciated. I was mostly unaccustomed to positive words regarding my appearance, my intellect, or my abilities until leaving the world I had grown up in."

"My hair began to streak and change to white while I was in the academy. I suppose its a result of my studies of demonology and dealing with otherworldly beings from the profane reaches. I did not want more negative attention. So I began wearing magical disguises."

"You are among friends here, Kris. May I call you Kris? And..you can call me Taj or Tajuri. Its just us here. No need for formalities on my part." Tajuri comments. "At least in our company you should never have to worry about negative reactions for being yourself."

Kris, certainly not used to so much attention, glances down into her own reflection in the waters of the bathing pool. "Okay. Thank you, Tajuri and Jael. With your companionship this evening out, I will try to step out of my comfort zone and make an appearance as I truly am."

She washes thoroughly in the steamy waters, with cloth and some of the various scented soaps available along the edge of the pool, in shallow decorative trays.

"if you two of you would be interested, later, I plan on having a session with my Oracle cards?"

Jael busies herself soaping up her mistress and washing her, before attending to her self. She smiles at Kris' acknowledgment of their compliments and offers to scrub the young demonologist's back and wash the long white hair that has been revealed to them. "Please?! It would be my honor."

Kris nods. "Thank you, Jael. I don't remember anyone ever offering to wash my hair before or doing it." She glances down into the water again. "The old woman who kept me wasn't exactly the nurturing type."

Scene 8: Trip to the Stables

With Chamberlin's guidance, Lucian and Useless are lead through the vast corridors and chambers of the palace, returning to the entrance the young Aasimar and his companion first used on their arrival in T'Lorn. The masked guards watch from their posts, as the tall man turns right and crosses the cobble-stoned walk to a large arched entrance with black iron gates.

A single guard on duty there snaps to attention and promptly unlocked the gates. They swing open with an audible creaking of metal on metal. Beyond the gates an arched hallway, large enough for a dragon to traverse, stands before Lucian. It is dimly illuminated by blue heatless arcane torches in sconce and bracket positioned along the hall.

"I will leave you here, m'Lord." Chamberlin tells Lucian. "Your steed will be down this hallway. Careful not to agitate the occupants of the other stalls." He adds, turn to look over one shoulder as he departs. "Some of them are quite dangerous to those who are not their owners."

"Understood. Thank you, Chamberlin." Lucian gives the man a genuine smile, as so far he really does like him, before heading down the hallway. He and Useless cautiously look into the stalls along the way, Useless flying along, and they try not to be too much of a bother to any of the other inhabitants until they find Marengo. This stall they enter, and Lucian greets his horse with a half hug on his head as Useless chitters at them.

He takes the time to check and make sure Marengo has been taken care of, doing what he needs to do for his friend's care, before saddling him. Out of habit he even sets the saddlebags in place, and leaves them there even though he probably won't need anything in them. At least this way, should he feel the need, he can put Marengo's armor on. Why he would need to here, he truly had no idea, but better safe than sorry. As the area here is incredibly large, Lucian simply rides Marengo out of the entrance that he remembers.

While he heads down the street he knows, they are walking at a slow and comfortable pace which allows him to look around for a place that might be useful for him and his desire to know more about what was happening and of his hosts. Yet Lucian is in no real rush, as he enjoys the time spent wandering. Still, he does have a sort of purpose, he supposes. Maybe he will get lucky, maybe he won't, but nothing would happen if he didn't look.

Peeking in some of the stalls along the way Lucian sees a lavender and blue scaled wyvern, a nightmare, and couple of large warhorse-like equines with hornlike protrusions.





There are also several other normal looking horses beyond these creatures and he eventually happens upon the stall where Marengo is currently being housed. His equine companion announces itself even before Lucian steps close enough to see into the stall and is genuinely happy to see him.

Lucian will easily note, as he is hugging his friend, that Marengo has recently been brushed and has both food and water readily available for consumption.

Wanting to stretch out their legs and go for a ride, Lucian trots his horse back to the entrance of the stables and surveys his options.

Scene 9: Exploring the City



Ready to explore more of TLorn outside the palace walls, Lord Radu and his two female companions make their way from the entrance they first entered that night after their arrival through the Great Eye. Two masked guards hold their posts flanking the stout doors.

The skies are as dark as they were then, still. Though, there are sounds of activity heard from down the cobblestone streets, scattered torchlight and magical illuminations to light their paths, and the silhouettes of the city's denizens occasionally seen in the distance.

Radu retraces the path back toward the Great Eye, looking off the sides of that path for any indication of a market in this part of the city.

Not far into their foray, the retracing of the path makes a decided turn to the left and what is at first heard as a faint intermittent sound of metal on metal echoing down the street, becomes more and more pronounced as they continue forward.

The movement in the streets along prove to be noticeably shadowy, and hazy figures seeming to not have many features, including faces.



At the end of the long straight of the street, the trio see an open doorway and feel an increase in the temperature coming from it. The sound is unmistakably that of a hammer ringing against anvil. Above the doorway is a sign depicting such; an anvil and the word Blackmantle.

"Perhaps someone inside could direct us to the market?" Ruby suggests pointing toward the sign.

"Indeed," Radu says. "How strange this place is, even the people and buildings seem to be shadows of themselves." He heads inside what appears to be a smithy, but he remains ready for just about anything at this point.

Stepping through the large open doorway, Radu and his female companions find themselves in a forge. A sweaty muscular, dark-skinned, Human male, with white hair and beard is diligently working at an anvil with a piece of glowing hot metal. Near him, stands a younger dark-skinned woman, with more than a hint of resemblance to the older man.






Seeing the trio enter, she smiles and moves casually in their direction. "Hello. Welcome to Blackmantle Forge. How can we help you? I am Jocelynne."

"Good day," Radu says, "If it is, in fact, day. We are new to the city and took it upon ourselves to explore. I can clearly see you work metal here. What kind of work do you specialize in? There may come a time when my armor requires mending, would I be in the right place to come here?"

"We can handle most weapons and armors here." Jocelynne assures Radu. "We would hope that you'd bring your mending and sharpening needs to us in the future."

"Excellent," Radu affirms, "But how are you with weapons like this?" He pulls free his greatsword and lays it across a nearby table. "Do you have experience working on weapons bound to demons?"