Saved roleplay from last turbo round :)

[loti71]

"I suppose you've come for us," the wildcat said, nodding to Daryn and Lask as they arrived. "I'm Quixote Katana, this is Jadrek-" The wolf grunted. "-and these are members of my Ninja Guard."

"We have been traveling for a while," the wolf, Jadrek, spoke up, "and we seek temporary shelter. We offer our services for the duration of our stay."

Quixote nodded. "I do have a question, though," he said. "Has a fox come through here, by any chance? He has white fur, and he travels alone."

"Not old, either," Jadrek added. Despite Quixote's earlier reassurances, the wolf still felt like something bad might happen here. Not all warlords were like Quixote; there were bound to be some, if not several, that would stab someone in the back if they got the chance.

[Daryn]

"Yes," Daryn replied. "A white fox, Orion, is resting here. You may not harm him on the order of the Emperor."
The Night Hunters led Quixote's party into the palace where Ublaz sat waiting on his throne.
Ublaz cut a figure of barbaric splendor, with a war helm fashioned into the head of  a leering monster. A robe trimmed with ermine fur lined his blood red cloak. A sapphire pommeled sword was sheathed with sharkskin and rested within the silk folds of a black sash. A chain mail tunic covered with a black coverlet armored his lithe body.
"Who are you?" the marten snarled. "And why do you land upon my island armed?"
"We wish to shelter here and for payment, we will serve you for the duration of our stay," Quixote replied smoothly. "I'm Quixote Katana of the House of Katana. We are trained warriors and assassins."
Ublaz stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Very well. You may stay in the officer's quarters of my palace, Quixote."

[loti71]

Quixote nodded to Ublaz, then gestured for Jadrek to take the others back to the ships. He, himself, took two of the stoats with him, heading toward the officer's quarters. /Never can be too careful,/ the wildcat thought to himself.

Quixote stopped suddenly, in one of the corridors leading to the quarters; the two stoats stopped as well. A black fox (Krowdon) was in the corridor ahead. "Hey, you there!" Quixote called to the fox.

[Daryn]

Krowdon whipped around and snarled viciously. "What do you want, cat?"

[loti71]

Quixote took a step back. "Sheesh," he muttered under his breath. "You haven't seen anyone by the name of Orion around here, have you?" he asked.

When the black fox had snarled, the two stoats had nearly drawn their katanas.

[Daryn]

"Orion?" Krowdon narrowed her eyes. "Yes. There is one that goes by his name here..."

Daryn was pacing the halls of Ublaz's palace impatiently. What he was waiting for no one knows. His blue eyes flicked from corner to corner as if watching out for some beast. Then he saw it. It was a tall corsair craft, with white ribbons above the masts. A flag showing a skeleton with two crossed blades fluttered in the breeze.
"Reoura," he muttered. He knew this ferret from his days in the Eastern Empire. She was a privateer those days, destroying the triremes of the northern States. Daryn dashed downstairs to the port waiting for the ferret.

Ublaz watched the ship hove into view. She was a fine craft. A ferret stood on the prow with no support, fearless of the pounding sea below. His captain Reoura had come with the best treasure of all...the Eye of Shangri La, mythical city to the west. This stone would reveal the where abouts of the mythcial city and give him a path to immortality. Ublaz smiled as he drank his wine.
"Sagitar!" Ublaz roared. The rat scurried forward. "Tell all my commanders to meet me. Next moon we will sail to Shangri La!"

[Mr.Grimm]

Miles away at sea... A stoat looked around the sea. He was Pewlet, captain of the Sea Wolf. He has stayed around Ublaz's island for one thing. Revenge. Years ago, Pewlet had been Ublaz's leader of his fleets. Going out and plundering ships for him and getting a small portion in return. Ublaz feared that Pewlet was getting popular with his army though and tried hypnotize him. Pewlet doing the only he could think of, stabbed his right eye out. He had to jump out of a window and set sail before he found him. For years, Pewlet waited for his revenge. He would get it. One day soon, he would get it.

[loti71]

Quixote nodded. "Thank you," he replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find my room." The wildcat started forward, closely followed by the two stoats. He suddenly stopped as he passed the black fox. "I suppose you've offered your services to Ublaz, too," he said quietly.

[Daryn]

Krowdon's amber eyes flickered over Quixote. "Yes, is that a problem?"

Captain Reoura was the captain of the Riptide. The ship and her were feared throughout the eastern coasts across the wide sea. She used to serve the same master as Daryn, but then left, like him, to carve her own future.
The ferret skillfully jump from the prow. "Daryn, you old beetle snout!" she hugged her friend. "Well we gots the emp what he wants now. The fabled Eye of Shangri La!"
Daryn examined the small stone. The stone was no bigger than his hand, with a covering of gold. It was clear sapphire,, with a little mountain mark in the center. "It is said that only ten exist in all the world and they will grnat entrance to the fortress of the city. Come Reoura, you bottle nose."
Reoura sauntered behind the snow leopard to the palace.

Ublaz rubbed his hand eagerly. Daryn gave him the stone. The marten laughed aloud. "Yes! Yes! That city and its treasures are for my taking! All of you! Prepare a ship and sail west! Call my commanders for a meeting!"

Ublaz's council formed a motley collection of ship captains and palace commanders. They sat around a table with Ublaz at the head. The table was decked with food stuff and drinks but no one touched anything.
The pine marten strode in, with a satin deep blue tunic and a purple cloaked edged with black silk. A black sash was wound about his waist. "Let this council begin about the invasion of the East!"

[loti71]

((I have a question: Are any of the visitors, such as Orion or Krowdon, at this council?))

[Daryn]

((I have a question: Are any of the visitors, such as Orion or Krowdon, at this council?))

<<yes>>

[loti71]

((Okies.))

Quixote and Jadrek, his second-in-command, were sitting toward the bottom end of the table. The wildcat was watching Ublaz, while the wolf was looking around the table. Quixote didn't much feel like saying anything at the moment, unless someone talked to him; besides, what could he add to this council?

Jadrek, meanwhile, was somewhat nervous. Having heard of this Ublaz, the wolf was almost expecting somebeast to come up behind him and-

Quixote nudged Jadrek under the table, breaking the wolf out of his thinking. It wouldn't do to be nervous like this.

[Daryn]

"Well," Ublaz said to his commanders. "Prepare a ship, all of you! Take all of us to the setting sun and we will take the city of Shangri La!"
There were hushed whispers. What would  Ublaz want with a mythical city?
Captain Barranca knocked the table for quiet. "Why go after the mythical city? No one has conquered it!"
"I will!" Ublaz roared. "Emperor Ublaz Mad-eyes will be the first to do so!"

[loti71]

/No wonder he's called Mad-eyes,/ Quixote thought, eyebrows raised. /He's madder than a raging badger!/ "How would you know where this city is?" the wildcat spoke up after a few moments. Might as well ask, if no one else would.

/Careful, Quixote,/ Jadrek thought. /This guy ain't an emperor for nothin'./

[Daryn]

"Where?" Ublaz roared. "I have the Eye of Shangri La! The stone will grow less cloudy the closer we get to the city!"