Back in Moonspire and recovering after our battle with the Akuma, Olvir had had time to ponder and worry about the local populace. The destruction at the Temple of the Ascent-Driven Beast had hit him hard and he wanted to do all he could to protect those less able when he wasn’t there.
He spent some time talking to Damil, our priest of Flowing Nila, (who was when not at prayer busy applying himself to learning as much as he could with the power Olvir had gifted him with). Olvir had been thinking on how he could establish a network of informants to keep a watch for Yozi-like activity or raise the alarm quickly when threats emerged and while Damil was happy to help, his duties as priest meant he couldn’t do a lot. As Olvir knew to his frustration as well, however powerful he was he couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Talking to Song later she suggested there might be a group of people already suited to the task – the adepts of the Terrible Ascent-Driven Beast. Olvir nodded. He’d thought the same and already considered how he could approach them. He liked the idea of priests too though – or at least those with more knowledge of how to recognise Yozi activity – so Song offered to accompany him when he next went to the dojo to teach the warriors how to recognise signs of the infernal.
It wasn’t long before Caelan returned from a training session with his cadre of warriors and joined Olvir and Song’s discussion aboard Moonbeam’s Flight. Explaining his concerns to the Solar, Caelan was less keen on the idea and cautioned him not to get sidetracked, drawn into too many causes not our own or endanger those he sent out to scout the area. Olvir wasn’t about to let the idea drop– the risk of Yozi and other dangers wouldn’t go away and he was still smarting from the Akuma’s assault on the jungle temple. Song’s trees could help facilitate communication and perhaps seneschals in the towns and villages could report back to us as Caelan suggested. The plan would need some forming but Olvir was prepared to do the groundwork.
While we’d been away, work on the grand Temple in Moonspire had progressed apace. Work was soon completed on the underground temple to the five goddesses of jade and the extensive shrine dedicated to Flowing Nila. Damil was rightly proud of the new place of worship and as new priests steadily arrived, the place resonated to the sound of prayers. [The temple has a one dot specialism]
We spent time one evening discussing how we could launch Moonbeam’s Flight onto an unsuspecting populace. Song suggested inviting people aboard for the maiden flight: the Prince, and other influential people? Olvir, thinking of both the practicalities and the showmanship wondered aloud about picking them up from the Tower, aloft – but concluded it was a little risky for a crew so unfamiliar with the ship.
Caelan had already moved on to how we’d introduce ourselves to the people watching, especially as Varten observed, no-one had raised a ship like this in centuries and when we did we’d be seen as more than mere Scavenger Lords or Dragon Blooded. It was also true it was likely to attract people to the area and to the Forge when word spread and some of them weren’t going to be friendly. As such he was keen to use the opportunity to reveal us to the public , arguing it would make adversaries think twice and ensure the denizens of Moonspire knew they had powerful protectors. Besides – we’d revealed ourselves at times before in other situations and as Varten said, questions would already be asked – why not use the opportunity to reassure people? Olvir was less keen. Aside from the dangers of being seen as a threat or a visible target there was the matter of who (or what) we faced in Brightwater recognising Caelan, learning more than we’d like before we got there and thus losing the element of surprise.
After the maiden flight (and however we presented ourselves) there’d be the matter of what to do with her next. Song wanted to return to North Beacon and try to mend the rift that had so swiftly formed last time – and that needed to be when the circus visited, as agreed with Tain Comet-Born. She also wanted to return home to check on her wasp and the circus – and see what Selene had been up to. Olvir was keen to go the other way and find the lost ‘friends’ Kashlyk had spoken about – as well as to the Temple of the Ascent Driven Beast. Caelan would rather head to Brightwater, but that posed its own concerns.
Moonbeam’s Flight, however, wasn’t yet airborne and there was still the matter of lift. Turning to immediate concerns and checking with the ever-exuberant shipboard god, Song asked Van-Oris if he would be happy with her summoning a fire elemental. He was more than keen if it meant enabling her to fly and even had one to recommend, Neer, who’d performed similar services in the past. The summoning successful, it left us with a number of questions we had to answer before setting out on any further adventures, however…