eastbound | audio & text | un: xianxian of yunmeng (the day before stone kidnappings)

Gather round for a story, ah? Xiao Xingchen, I'll come tell you in person, the rest will get to read along.

( A pause. )

The Stairs of Sighs are named after our ghost general Arha, for the sighs of pining between himself and his lover, Hatisse. The Stairs of Sighs opens on the day Arha arrived with his people, setting off to win his lover free. As may be apparent, it did not end well. Arha's campaign ended in death, and Hatisse survived her love, going on to become a high priestess of some influence.

Arha's army did not reach Taravast. In Mazyar's recounting, "The people spoke of great, uncontrollable fires that suggested the presence of the higher-numbered witches of Bessis defending the city. In the end, the flames grew so high that Taravast called down summon-rains to stop them. After this vast tragedy, all sorcery schools buried their previous animosity and agreed to stand together, allied for the greater good of Taravast. Hatisse made no comment or statement amid the destruction, but her presence was accepted as part of the truce, and she proceeded with a life of charity. It is said she paid to have the bones of each of the fallen of Arha's people found and buried from her own coffers."

I think even now, the Bessis and what is it, the Attareal? Are lines of magical learning in Taravast. Has anyone talked with anyone of the refugees or the ghosts to confirm or deny?

( A pause: )

I'm equally curious what else everyone's heard regarding our armed escort, or what may have truly happened all those years ago.

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Mm, I have some paper, though we might need to work with ash, if you're up for the attempt.

( Mentally reviewing what he has still now in his pack, but then: )

Wait, creatures? The flying ones who drop rocks on us, or something else?

They haven't dropped any rocks on me.

[But that's not a no. Allison can't decide if they're more like overgrown cats, trying to earn her affection or they just think she's a helpless harpy baby, but they've been leaving her "treats" in the form of fresh kills and have been keeping her from falling off cliffs.

For some reason, they like her.]

But they're these bird-like creatures? Covered in tar?

I think that might be the one I'm thinking of. They freely move between this temple and outside?

( The tar, on the other hand— )

The tar you speak of, it's something they're not naturally producing?

No, they do.

[There's a brief breath as she tries to think back, pull all the details that she can from her first initial moments, where she was more confused than not.]

There was this song. Beautiful, but really haunting? And it woke them up. They climbed out of these stone tombs and the tar acted as skin. And then they flew up.

[Which would be a problem, since she's not sure if any of them can fly. Allison certainly can't.]

Maybe if we can find the exit there's a way down?

Flying up, you say... no, wait. One moment, I want to confirm something. Tell me if the song I play sounds anything like the melody of the one you heard in this temple.

( That said, he takes a moment to set crystal down with a muffled noise, then another few moments before a flute starts to play, doing an excellent rendition of a mostly complete song identified in passing as being Taravast in origin... probably. )

[There's a moment of silence as she listens, and if this were video, he would see her eyes widen as he hits the familiar notes.]

Yeah, that's it. I mean, it echoed more because of the cavern, but same song.

Then the song, this song we've heard in the caravan too, summons these creatures out of their tombs, coats them in tar to give them the trappings of skin so they might fly, and... they come to us, those passing through this way, which is the yearly march of the, ah. Of Lord Arha's particularly fated party. If I'm understanding right.

( Which is to say: it's all on purpose, just to what purpose? )

They seem to like me.

[Which she's unsure how she feels about, but she can't help but be a little curious.]

Maybe I could try and find a way to communicate with them?

I wonder if it's because where you were... or even how you got here, since it's been a curious undertaking for our new arrivals since the slave ship.

( As in it's almost too random. )

I—certainly, if you're willing, and I'd suggest having someone else along or at least nearby to react if anything happens. Maybe Five if he's feeling steadier ( ... not because he knows they're siblings, but Five does portal at will ), or Lan Zhan. If it's a matter of flying, a few of us might manage, it just depends on if that incites them or not. If you can figure out what it is they're being sung to do?

I can certainly try.

[But that mention of her brother and feeling "steadier" has her attention, and she's going to pivot briefly:]

Did something happen to Five?

[Because he's sure as shit not going to tell her.]

You know Five?

( He got distracted from her pivot by the fact she knows??? Five??? )

[Look she doesn't blame him, given that she does know Five.]

Five is my brother.

[And she'll leave that there to see how much Five has told this guy.]

Ah! So that makes you and Vanya his two siblings here with him!

( Not much. Their conversations are on other lines, for all Wei Wuxian does some dead-people-chatting a la Klaus. )

I don't know what if anything specifically happened, after the siege he's been less... or more jumpy? More tense, and not in the usual way of himself.

It's hard to believe he could get more tense.

[Given that Five is wound like a tightly coiled spring, unwilling to trust anything. But it's something she will keep an eye out for regardless.

Time to pivot back.]

Do you know of anyone else might be able to track or fly after them discreetly? Maybe it's worth asking people at large?

A handful, possibly, but the wiser course is to ask all of us from other than this world at large.

Then I will do that. Hopefully we might be able to cobble together a somewhat functional plan.

[There's a smirk in her tone as she continues.]

Experience dictates that most plans only get that far before you have to change course.

( He chuckles, shaking an unseen head. )

Even reaching a full plan before things get tossed out like spilled water can be a challenge. Adapting as you go is the reality of most plans.

( ASK FIVE ABOUT THE BANK HEIST. GO ON. ASK! )

Let me know how I can help.

Of course. I'll see who I can find, and I'll let you know.

[Time to gather a team.]

audio & text | un: xianxian of yunmeng (the day before stone kidnappings)

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