Ruiz, An, Tien, Skorpios, Elena (Marisa), and Gustav emerge out onto the desert sand. The immense monoliths tower 10 meters above the sand, the morning sun cresting up just over their heads and beating down on the hole you emerged from. After the initial trick of the light they seem to be two strange inhuman works, bound into one huge unit. The sandstorm still rages around, and yet the gargoyles seem to sit in, or create, an eye in the storm far around it. There seem to be the remnants of archeological expeditions around, but all are currently deserted. And then someone touches the statues. It might be gustav, might be elena, might be skorpios, might be a PC, but suddenly the gargoyles live up their reputation and a vision is delivered... even by some strange fate to Fizz and Ricardo. You are the gargoyle. Masculine, powerful, stone, you enwrap your lover eternally in your arms. You look at her, beautiful as always, then follow her gaze down to the desert basin that has surrounded you for your memory. A fierce and noble young man stands before you, wrapped in chains of red and black. They seem to constrict him painfully, but yet he bears them proudly. Part of these chains extends from his hand, and he uses it as a leash on another man, tall and of military posture. The other man tries to move about freely, but is yanked to heel every time he strays. Meanwhile, the bearer of the chains moves constantly in front of a tall woman who bears resemblance to him, keeping himself in front of another man with rainbow hair. A small tanned man stands on watching, waiting as if for a sign from above. Glancing down, you notice a small woman and a man in a cloak of bird feathers appraising you, possessiveness gleaming in their eyes. Idly you send another thought into their heads. ((individual visions to follow))
You stand alone in the middle of the desert at mid day. The sun streams down on you, and you are at peace. This is all, nothing fills you, no one is near you, no comrades. You are utterly alone, and you have no ties to anyone more than what is superficial. The Pancreator's will is your reason for moving, but perhaps he does not exist, perhaps your visions come from elsewhere, you have never felt so utterly bereft and cut off. You wake with a gasp, knowing full well that these gargoyles, huge as they are, will never fit in your ship. You must find another, and you must find it soon, already forces compete with you.
You fight a horde of assassins. They have sent their best against you, but you have managed to send many to their rewards, your blade a whirling arc of death. But they keep coming, and they threaten to overwhelm you with their numbers. Then there is a battle cry, and Obilia is beside you, laying in to the attackers, evening the odds. You start to make headway, dispatching your opponents. But now comes a shout, and you turn to see that Ricardo is fighting an unseen opponent, and needs your aid. A scream from behind you, Obelia mortally wounded by an assassin's blade. Then you hear the Don's death rattle as well, and your indecision has left you alone, beset by enemies. You emerge from your vision, and realize that these gargoyles are far too large. You must journey to a land changed, where secrets may yet lie buried.
You soar above the calm desert at night, thrilling in the use of your wings. A patch of the desert is darker than its surroundings emerges over the horizon, and you descend to find a pool of the same black liquid that you gatherd from the catacombs. Greedily you fill canteens with the fluid, so greedily that you don't notice the humanoid creatures gathering around the pool. You shrink back, but their black eyes gaze on you with comaraderie. Your wings begin to break away, and your sight increases to see the darkness as light. The sun begins to rise and your new friends motion for you to follow them back into the earth, your greed having trapped you in a land of darkness and bloodlust. You emerge from your vision, and see that these gargoyles are much too large. You must continue on, you must visit the worlds of the priesthood. That is where your destination lies.
You stand in the middle of a party, nobles all around, dancing to music. Glancing down you find that you are dressed in silks and finery, but the symbol on your coat is one you've never seen before, a bird rising from a sunburst overlayed on top of a wheel. This is your crest, your own, you are your own nobility. You stride through the party, and reach your goal. Maria stands near her brother, looking entirely bored. He leaps when he sees you, putting his blade before you, threatening that you should never lay hand upon his sister. You start to draw your gun, then realize a fundamental truth. Ricardo fears you, and envies you. You have broken free of your ties, taken the freedom to do whatever you want while he is tied, forced to do whatever his house asks of him. Realization comes, you have the real nobility. He may stand in your way, but you will never be his lesser. He should be pitied, but he is not worthy of your wrath. You awake from the trance and realize that the woman that tried to seduce you is not the true enemy, but she has alerted them to your cause. You must all work quickly, and work together, or you will be thwarted by those who would wish you ill.
You sit in front of a gaming table, your father sits across from you. Perhaps you have been playing him for hours, perhaps for days. Your comerades seek to leave, and you long grew tired of this game, and yet you yell at them every time they try to drag you away. And you sit, giving up all for the house you despise. A hand comes down and sweeps the pieces away, and you follow it up to see Fizz looming over the board. Your rage grows, for you know he has the courage that you do not, the courage to go against what society demands. You awake, realizing that this mission will not end with the retrieval of a gargoyle. This is only the beginning of the quest, and your family intends to see that you continue every step of the way.