Sin of the People

Prologue

The temple of Mog! Quiet, peaceful at this time of day... careful it might be a trap... Mogs are inside! Mogs!"

Well.. it's late, but no reason not to come calling.. and when your trying to tap someone for info-errr to have a pleasant visit you should always bring a gift. Raziel moves through the temple district and pauses at the entry of the temple before he enters with the small gift bag and a bottle.

The heavy clock work powered doors are open, the light in the grand vestibule is bright and warm and the lights coming out of the two temple chambers is also bright albeit one is green and the other orange! An acolyte glances down at Raziel from atop the stairs and waves, "Kupo! Welcome the Mog Dance is starting come insider!"

Raziel blinks at the multi hued lights and he looks around for a moment, backing up a step immediately before he's spotted. He looks up and his brows lift for a moment before he quietly inquires... "Dance?" To his credit his voice didn't squeak when asking that.

The moogle smiles, "For evening worship in the temple of Mog! The Mog Dance is starting, or are you here for evening song with Famfrit?"

Raziel shakes his head a little and looks within then back once more, "I wished to speak with the priestess Moiraine.. but if the worship is about to commence I can wait here until it is all finished. I would not wish to interrupt anyone."

The moogle shakes his head, "The High Priestess is in her chambers" he points to the door at the back of the foyer, "Go on through, see if she will see you"

Raziel relaxes then since it doesn't seem that he'll have to randomly join in just because he arrived. The man thinks about that for a moment longer and then smirks as he heads for the priestess' chambers at how dumb such a conclusion was. The man pauses before the door and then raps on it quietly.

The Moogle Priestess calls out from within, "Come in Raziel, shut the door behind you." Inside the sandy coloured moogle is sat at a desk writing something in a large tome.

Raziel blinks then steps inside. "How did you know it was me?" He inquires before walking over to the desk and after a quick glance at the tome, not long enough to read whats being written though, he extends his hands. One holding a small bag and the other the bottle. "I heard that when visiting someone it's polite to bring a gift. So.. here. The bottle is filled with a cherry cordial." And in the bag are little mini petit fours."

Moiraine eyes Raziel and points to a mirror on one wall. "We have much technology in this place, I can see everyone who comes through the door reflected in that." She then settles back, putting her quill to one side and regards Raziel. "A gift? How very kind of you my friend"

"Well.. it's late, thank you for seeing me.." He looks at the mirror curiously for a few moments before setting down both of the gifts and then taking a seat. "And how are you doing, priestess?"

Moiraine pours herself some of the cherry cordial into a beaker and snffs it "Oooh Cherry, my mother was always cherry flavoured and I have been well. Busy with my life here at the temple"

Raziel starts to nod, but finds himself suddenly tilting his head a bit while his brows shoot up, "I... excuse me, but did you just say your mother was cherry flavoured??"

Moiraine says, "Oh my yes kupo-po," she waves a hand, "Every moogle has their own distinctive scent, a flavour if you will and besides my mother wasn't quite what you'd call a normal kupo. Anyway it is nice of you to drop on by and see me Raziel.""

Raziel's head remains tilted for a few long moments and then he shakes it some. "I.. see... well humans do too, though nothing usually so.. fruity." He dips his head and then motions to the bag of cakes, "I was told those are good too.. and thank you for seeing me. I admit that my purpose was exactly without purpose though."

Moiraine says, "I thought it might not be dear, humans rarely seek out the High Priestess of Mog unless they are after something. So my friend what is it you want?""

I'm not hu.. actually I suppose I am now." He glances over his shoulder and then back while leaning forward, "you said before that you might know something about the Mist Dragon and the Aegyl's history with them that you would share. I also tried getting information from the library.. but a certain spirit decided it was a wonderful time to go and fog up the place.."

Moiraine smiles "Yes I heard about that, she won;'t touch the temple of Mog though, she'd not want to interfere in his domain or Famfrits" She stands up and beckons you to follow her as she moves toward the door "I can show you the history"

Raziel exhales and then murmurs, "for someone upset about something that has passed, she does not seem to want to make my job solving it any easier.." He stands up then and follows after while dipping his head a little bit, "I thank youf or helping me with this."

Moiraine says, "She's a very upset dragon, they do not forget easily" She leads you out into the main foyer and checks it is empty. The large circular chamber is currently empty and she raises one hand and the doors to the two temples and the front door slide shut. "Ok stand with me in the middle" she moves to the central mosaic."

Raziel looks around as the doors close and then walks over to stand beside you while tilting his head a little bit, "it seems so. I wonder what my kin did to her. Not much would surprise me though."

Moiraine she eyes Raziel then presses one of the studs on the floor, tje mosaic map of the world rumbles and the central keystone of the circular foyer sinks down, carrying us into the depths. "You'll see soon enough."

Raziel freezes, staggering a little bit at the sudden change. Someone's sense of balance is still correcting itself. And then he looks over a brow lifts before a mere nod is given beofre he looks around and waits for the elevator to finish it's journey.

At the bottom she steps off and waves Raziel to follow, she pushes a switch and the platform raises back up, "Come" She leads him down a long winding corridor and stops outside a door of obsidian and pulls out a large key.

Raziel follows after while looking around, "your people are full of surprises I see." He smirks a little for a brief moment before stopping before the doorway.

Moiraine says, "Oh not really, this is a triple temple is all" she turns the key, there is a hiss of steam and clanking of clock work and then the door slides open revcealing a chamber of gleaming metal, models of airships, brilliant, fanciful metal airships stand on pedestals"

Raziel considers then he nods a little bit and looks aroung, his brows lifting slowly before he murmurs, "airships.." There's a little nod dbefore he steps in and allows his gaze to linger here and there before pausing and looking back once more.

At the end of the chamber is a huge, sleek, long, beautiful Airship. Moiraine bows to it, "This is the Shrine to Ark, it is... very precious to Moogles and many others who admire technololgy"

Raziel's eyes lift as he notes the bow and then he inclines his head, giving respect to the spirit even though he might not follow it. Nodding then to you he murmurs, "I have no hand for it, but Ican appreciate the ease that it imparts into our lives. I.. thank you for bringing me here."

Moiraine smiles and shakes her head and walks over to one of the pedestal and touches it, "Do you know much about the lore of Ark? Of the Fleet of Spirit Ships that dwell within the Lost City kupo?" "I cannot say that I do. Though I'd decided recently to pursue study of spirits to become a summoner myself, I don't know much of them at this point in time. Share withme, if you would?" Raziel follows after you while looking up at the great airship.

Moiraine sits down at the base of the pedestal, "These are the spirit ships, the great constructs, ther airships of ther ages that all pay homage to Ark, the ultimate spirit of technology." She points up "This is the Lunar Whale... it is a very grand old spirit."

Raziel steps closer, within arms reach, of the ship and looks up over it. Literally dwarfed by the ship's size. He tilts his head and then frowns to himself and looks back as some thought occurs. "Did the aegyl use the Mist Dragon to somehow bring down one of these?"

Moiraine says, "The Aegyl... used dark, forbidden rituals to force the Mist Dragon, or part of her to power the Lunar Whale and control it.""

Raziel lowers his gaze and doesn't seem to react much. Except for his hands which slowly have balled into fists. He remains silent for a long few moments before he looks up at the ship again. "You have my sincere apology.. though I can see why it would not be enough." He looks over at you then and nods slowly. "I understand now.. though what I can do to appease the spirit I'm not sure. This must have happened long ago.. and the reason I would not have known is obvious. No one would want to admit our people having done something such as this."

Moiraine smiles softly and shrugs, "For those answers you must seek elsewere, I cannot help you, I do not know what would appease the Mist Dragon, or the Lunar Whale here, you must seek those answers elsewere in the world kupo,"

Raziel nods slowly and then exhales. "Thank you Moiraine.. I appreciate that you showed me this." He closes his eyes then before exhaling, his thoughts tucked firmly away for now. "I will have to ponder on this more and will travel back to my homeland and see what I can dig up there."

Moiraine says, "Good luck kupo, I wish I could come with you but I have my temple to attend to here kupo-po"" "You've done much already.. thank you Moiraine." He offers a little bit of a smile before it fades. For a moment it looks like he's trying to think of something more to say. Shaking his head a little bit then before turning to walk back towards the elevator.

Moiraine leads Raziel back outside and stops once they are back in the entrance hall and kupos, "Sorry I cannot do more, but I am glad what I have told you has helped"

Raziel nods quietly, "I appreciate it and it is more than enough. I'll look for more answers eslewhere. Please enjoy the cakes and cordial. I'm glad that I got something near and dear to your heart."

Moiraine leads him to the steps, placing a paw on his arm, "You will do well kupo and thank you, take care now!"

---

Missing Log File (included Raziel and Vazkor hiring a ship to take them to Archades)

Chapter 1

The airship Raziel and Vazkor have payed for their trip to Old Archades upon is rising up through the great mountains, sailking toward the pass of Nalbina and the empire beyong it. It is a slow, COLD journey, ice hanging from the rigging, thick clouds streaming past to either side. The captain is stood in the wheel house staring out at the world ahead worriedly.

Raziel emerges from the cabin he and Vazkor share to check on the weather before he frowns a little and lays a hand on the sleeve of his shirt, one he stole from Vazkor, and then turns to approach the wheel house. "Clouds and cold temperatures. If the wind kicks up more I suspect we are in for a rough trip. At least that's what I assume your frowning over, captain."

The Captain shakes his head, "Rough weather I can be dealing with lad, what I worry about is Cloud Devils, elementals spawned of hte mist that lurk in these mountains causing havoc on honest ships" He looks around and frowns "I suspect we will have issues with them soon"

Raziel looks off into the clouds for a moment before muttering, "I'd not thought of that." And why should he? No sane aegyl would fly through heavy clouds. Lack of visibility and unpredictable storms both make it treacherous. The mage begins to back away and turn to the side of the ship while murmuring, "I'll help your men keep watch."

The captain nods his thanks and the day passes, the ship continues to fly onward, sailing through the grey haze of the clouds. The day passes slowly but in the end someone shouts and screams and points. In the fog a bright burning light! Several lights... a ship on flames, still falling through the clouds silently and heading directly toward the ship!

Raziel lifts his head and his eyes widen for a moment before he backs up a step. Not a practioner of the protective arts a white mage employes, and knowing that there's no time to pull Vazkor out of the cabin and abandon ship, the mage does the only thing that comes to mind. He begins to cast, summoning up the ice powers he had neglected until more recent times, in an effort to hit the falling ship from the side and knock it off it's deadly course into something less... deadly.

The sheep crashes into the side of the Airship even as Raziel casts, there is screaming from the other vessel, you can see dead bodies ont he deck but three people still screaming, clutching to one another. As the ships crash the only man seizes two of them, a woman and her child and tosses them over the railing as the ships strike. The rigging tangles, flames leaping from one to the other. The woman and her child stumble across the deck caught by one of the deck hands but the large man slams into Raziel, he catches the former Aegyl and the two spin but Raziel is able to pull his spell off. The ice spell slams into the ship and it lurches aside, drifting free of the entangling rigging and drops out of sight still burning. However the rigging of YOUR ship is now alight......

Raziel lets out a sound, a mixture between a grunt and a yelp of surprise, as he's slammed into. A brief glance at the man and then a nod as he glances towards the woman and child before turning to look up at the rigging. He lets out a curse, water magics not being his forte, and then calls to one of the sailors. "Water now.. I will do what I can with magics to hold it off." Which he then begins to do, attempting to freeze the worst of it.

The spell goes off easily, ice encloses some of the fire but not others threads of flame, it darts and burns an dhisses its way along the rigging and sailors start throwing water at it and doing their best but it is spreading. The captain hurries up and stares, not worried about the refugee's for now "We have to pyt it out before it spreads to the deck or we are lost"

A brief glance is cast towards the captain before the mage mutters. "Sadly I've neither wind nor water magics to aid here. I may be able to.." He looks down and then around before muttering to the captain, "get everyone off the deck. Now." He then lifts his voice while moving towards the survivors from the other ship. Everyone get below decks!" The child is grabbed and lifted into his arms before he starts running towards the door into the cabin he and Vaz share. Turning back then he waits for people to start moving and then begins to cast once more, eyes closing as blue waves of ice magic start to flow around he and the kid both and murmured words give shape and form to the power to create a ice sheet acrossed the deck of the ship."

The ice crackles across the deck..... the fire falls and melts the ice but after about 30 minute it has burnt itself out. The rigging is ruined however and so are the masts, charred and blackened. The captain stands on the deck and looks up. "This is bad, we will have to set down someplace and repair" Raziel put the child down immediately after the spell went off and there was no risk of them running back out into it. Once the fire was out and the deck safe enough to move on the man follows the captain and looks up before frowning and nodding, "unfortunate, but at least the ship did not follow the way of the other. Hopefully the repairs will not take long." Though from the frown he's wearing it's obvious that the man thinks they will.

The Captain sighs and waves a hand, "We can repair this in a few hours" He gives orders to land and the ship begins to sink. "BUt we must land on the mountain side..... now I must speak to our guersts"

"Risky, but again no choice... of course captain, I won't keep you from them." He moves away and checks around the deck, making sure nothing is still smoldering. Before helping what sailors aren't working on landing the ship to clean up and figure out what's salvageable and what isn't.

Chapter 2

The Airship is down! Somewhere north of Nalbina, on the Empire side of the mountains, still a good half mile up, just into the tree line. It is perched and secured to the ground after a frantic scramble by the crew, the good news is you are not dead, the bad news is.. the airship is down, the masts and rigging are destroyed and there are fiends in the forest!

Raziel steps out onto the deck when they land and are secured then he looks for the captain while sending a frown up towards the ruined masts that the sailors are working with. "A dangerous place.. how long do you estimate it will take to finish with the repairs," he inquires before glancing back over his shoulder towards the cabin he and Vazkor share.

Vazkor comes stumbling out of said cabin! His hair a messy, his clothes haphazardly thrown on, and his expression a mix of groggyness and confusion... Though atleast he had the presence of mind to come out with his sword in hand, in case all the commotion means trouble, such as a pirate raid. And as his gaze meets Raziel's, he raises a brow questioningly, "What the balls is going on?"

The captain turns, "We had to land, a flaming ship came out of the mist and hit us, we rescued four people and then had to land." He eyes Vazkor and Raziel, "We are going no where until I have new masts, I am sending a crew out to chop down two suitable trees but they are sailors, I need warriors and mages to proect them, can you help?"

Raziel has dropped a connection. "That's no trouble," Raz responds with a nod as he volunteers both himself and Vazkor to do it. "As long as the ship remains safe we'll get your crew back to you." He reaches over to clap Vazkor on the shoulder then leans to whisper, "your hair is standing straight up. Might want to get your.. uh things.." Before he straightens back up and grips onto the ringed staff he carries with both hands.

Vazkor glances at the Captain, then takes a moment to study what lies around the ship... Finding it indeed to be on a mountainside. Reaching over to resheath his sword in that peculiar trademark, Samurai-ish way of his, he mutters something about 'not again', then blinks over at Raziel. Giving a sheepish grin, he smooths out his hair some with a hand, and starts straightening some of his clothes, before answering, "If that's what it takes to get us out of here."

The captain nods, "Sorry boys but that's the short of it" In about twenty minutes he has a crew under the bosun eady to head out into the woods. He points a direction, "we need to go down, pick a tree and take it down. You boys are our protection what's the order of march and all that?"

Raziel looks at the group and he then glances at Vazkor, "you take point, I'll take the rear?" He looks over the group then, "and whichever of you ends up doing lookout duty the most? Take center line and keep your eyes peeled hmm?" He smirks briefly and one might wonder that despite the danger they're obviously going into and the lingering anger that is driving him on this quest if the man isn't enjoying himself just a little.

Vazkor nods at the Captain and Raziel both, commenting to the latter, "Aye, so better keep your fire spells nice and ready. I'm sure we'll be needing them before long." Twitching his lips into a brief smirk afterwards, as well as giving Raziel a wink, he then starts to get ready to get off the ship and safely lead the men towards the first suitable tree. The swashbuckler once more drawing his sword as he goes.

The passage through the woods is quiet, the bosun is up with Vazkor leading the way, examining trees, pausing every now and then to look at one considering things. The forest is dark, dank and quiet, mist flows around the tree-trunks and the foliage on the floor muffles their footfalls.

Raziel's eyes narrow a little and he tilts his head before he reaches out and taps the man infront of him before whispering lowly, "tell the others to stop and Vaz to come back here. We're being tailed." The mage turns around then and lifts his staff and tilts it to the side a little while he looks around, listening for any tell tale signs while looking for the shadow again.

Vazkor moves carefully in the lead... Looking this way and that, trying to look right through the surrounding mist and gloom. Arching an eyebrow as he's tapped on his shoulder however, and leaning in as the man behind him whispers something in his ear, he starts frowning right after... And signals that same man to keep an eye out, before starting down the line to get to Raziel, muttering quietly, "What did you see, lad?"

The forest is dark, dank.... cold, mist flows around everyones feet, up to the knees almost, the crew are looking around nervously at having been made to stop. Something is up, thye know it.

Raziel takes a breath before he shakes his head a little bit, "I thought I saw something following us... humanoid, but large.." He frowns a little bit before glancing down at the mist then lifting his eyes once again. "It feels like we're being watched.. The only solution would be to wait for it to attack or to brighten the area and hope we can find it. Which do you think?"

Vazkor looks around, trying to spot whatever Raziel saw... Shrugging a tiny bit then, though, he suggests, "Better move on... The sooner we get this over with, the better. But if you can use your magic to light up the place, then that'd be most welcome... And better keep something for offense ready too." Giving Raziel's shoulder a squeeze then, followed by a quick smile, he turns back around after to get back to the front of the line. Telling the men to keep their weapons at hand and prepare for likely danger.

You both see it, Raziel a bit faster then the others, something large and man-like with swinging arms charging out of the trees down by the mid-way point of the line of Sailors. It is some sort of very large, rather mutated ape thing and it roars and swings at one of the sailors who staggers back with an oath.

The mage was on high alert quickly spots the oncoming creature. Before he even starts to take in the details the man has begun to cast, beads of fire coming into existance in the place where his wings once were. In fact it almost looks like, for an instant, that he has wings of fire, but the magics move on, running up over his shoulders and down his hands to his staff. He twirls it once and then swings it shooting out a blast of flame at the creature as it rushes towards a sailor.

Vazkor snaps his head towards the charging creature as soon as he spots it! And the man is quick to react, swinging his blade for a moment before bellowing out, "Close the lines! Get in a circle! Fiends rarely attack alone!" Ordering the men even as he watches Raziel cast that blast of fire, and then starts to quickly look around for other attackers- Letting the mage and any nearby sailors deal with the one creature by themselves, atleast for this very moment.

"WENDIGO!" One of the sailors shouts and with a scream he runs away, no one else panics, they draw together, drawing belaying pins and staffs and forming into a ring around the tools and supplies and the Bosun, the flaming ball of fire rams into the creature and it screams in pain! Beating at itself then lashing out at a neaby sailor, knocking it back, the bosun shouts, "Wendigo's clear their range of any ther fiends! It'll be alone!"

Raziel scowls after the runner, but doesn't say anything. The man can find his own damned way back. As the beast lashes out he first checks the man for wounds at a quick glance and then he points the still glowing staff at the creature. "Careful lest it incite rage..." He mutters something lowly, the power in the staff glows brighter and then he swings again, lobbing another ball of flame at the monster.

Vazkor scowls as he hears the shout of 'Wendigo!' but is atleast quick to go for the attack as soon as he learns the beast will be alone. Waiting an instant for Raziel's second attack to hit home, before the swashbuckler springs forward past the frightened sailors, moving with speed and power as he brings forward that cutlass in a swift, vicious arc to attempt to cleave at the beast.

The wendigo shrieks as more fire engulfs it and then it squeals as Vazkor slashes it, it staggers back, roars in rage and lashes out at the shimmering image of what might once have been the space in whick Vazkor was standing and the overly agile swordsman slashes at the Wendigo again in the opening provided, the beast screams as Vazkor's blades sinks into its burning chest and it crumples to the floor, quite, quite dead.......

The movements, too fast for Raziel to catch, cause the mage to blink while the creature crumples. Looking to Vazkor then he smirks briefly and nods while the magic fades from his staff and he steps over to the man that was initially attacked and sees to a quick healing spell before he steps back. "The local area should be clear for a bit.. but we should get moving before scavengers get brave enough to come and get their... dinner."

Vazkor moves with a speed which has no place in time, springing forward so quickly as to appear to be a mere blur, a glimpse of movement... His sword a brief glitter in the darkness as it opens up the Wendigo's side with its first strike, and the man long gone right after, out of reach of the beast's long arms. Instead that cutlass cuts right through muscle, bone and vital organs in one final strike as the swashbuckler attacks a second time... Vazkor appearing in a crouch, sword at his side, a few meters beyond the beast as it sways there just before death. And as the Wendigo screams, falling over to bleed out on the forest floor, the dark man's sole gesture is to get up and re-sheath his sword all Samurai-like. Nodding towards Raziel right after.

With the Wendigo dead the sailors are eyeing Raziel and Vazkor with new respect, those things are not easy to kill and these two did it so professionally, soon enough they are cutting down a suitable tree, lookouts on watch arond the woods in a loose ring. The Bosun nods to you both, "How did you know? Fire to revoke its immortality then stab it?"

"The monsters that are in the wood are much like the wood themselves," Raziel answers the Bosun while keeping an eye on their surroundings. "Aligned to earth, which while it is not as weak to fire as ice, is not nearly as immune to it as other things." He looks back at the man before dipping his head a little, "it stands to reason that flame would be a good weapon.. his blade is the best for most monsters though.." A little nod given to Vazkor.

Vazkor glances back at the dead monster for a brief moment... Then gives a shrug as if disinterested in its plight, looking back to the Bosun and Raziel instead as he faintly smiles, answering, "Stab them when they're on fire... It usually works, hm? Don't need to fight a Wendigo to figure that one out." Shrugging again, he then remarks, "Anyway, we should move on... I'm sorry about the men that fled. Can only hope they made it back to the ship. But we better get said ship repaired, now."

The bosun shrugs, "He ran, his choice, one man, I have a ship to worry about" he points to the men cutting down the tree he has chosen. "It will take some time to fell the tree, we should have it down in the next two hours, then we can have it back to the ship by sunset"

Raziel considers before nodding to the man, "two hours? Alright.." He moves away to patrol around the area a little, though does at one point whisper to Vazkor as he passes the man, "a very good job there." He doesn't linger as he continues keeping a look out for anything brave enough to wander into the wendigo's territory.

As the sailors start to work, and Raziel starts to patrol, Vazkor busies himself for a while with the dead Wendigo... Getting down to some quick, gory details, with the gist of it being his ending up with a severed Wendigo head to put on a pike at the edge of the working area- Meant as a warning to any other semi-intelligent Fiend to stay the hell away. As Raziel compliments him on his fighting prowess, though, he gives the man a smile and a quiet thanks, and then starts on his own patrols on the opposite side, keeping an eye out for things.

Thanks to it being a Wendigo range the forest remains peaceful, no more fiends show up and when the tree is felled it is stripped of branches and soon the team of Sailors are pulling it back through the woods toward the ship.... the sun is sliding down toward the horizon but they are nearly there!

Despite nothing else coming to attack, Raziel doesn't let his guard down. This state is heightened as they make their way back to the ship, unsure just where the monster's territory ends and where another will begin. With the sun sliding low he scowls a little and then murmurs, "if it gets too low I will provide light, but that might attract things. Let's hurry so we don't need to resort to that.."

Vazkor remains alert as well, taking point once more, with one hand resting firmly upon his blade's ornate hilt. Briefly watching the son go down, he nods at Raziel some, and answers back, "Aye, keep your magic ready, just in case... But hopefully we'll be at the ship soon. Shouldn't be far now."

Chapter 5

---

Back to RP Logs