Northern Outland Mountains (the Wastelands)

In the office, Malgus sits down on a sofa (his huge form taking it up like a chair) before Scorponok's desk, with the guards surrounding him.

Malgus: "I will preface this by saying that I'm no longer the unstable man consumed by vengeance who you heard at the Forever Rock. If I was, I wouldn't be here."

Scorponok: "Even so, I never did thank said man for getting Zarak's soul out of my body. But then, I suppose I must thank Zarak as well, for being the initial reason I existed."

Malgus: "And that directly relates to what I wanted to tell you. As you now know, all Phoenix are in a perpetual state of 'rising from the ashes', as they say; reincarnation. Unlike all other beings, who live one life and can then be with their loved ones in the Chi Ghost Realm, as I found out by the presence of Tenebrae's ghost at the Forever Rock, which was one of the reasons I'd begun doubting myself and reconsidering my original plan--"

Scorponok: "Yes, I found that out the same way. Please return to your point."

Malgus: "Right, unlike the rest of us, the Phoenix are doomed to an eternal cycle of rebirth in the material world, in addition to being stuck as physical embodiments of the fire element. The plan I present, is one that will free the Phoenix from both of these curses."

Scorponok: "How will you do this?"

Malgus: "With an incomplete Great Illumination. It is the most moral, most empathetic, and also most logical plan for the Illumination: the Phoenix Mortality Plan. Through the powers of the Fire Wing Harnesses, the Harness-bearers can manipulate the course the Illumination takes, as you know. We saw from the last Illumination, when my tribe and the Sabertooths were transformed, that they can alter the biology of any species they so choose. My idea is for the Harness-bearers to transform the Phoenix into 'mortal' beings like the rest of us. They would be stripped of their reincarnation and their innate fire powers, in addition to fire chi being erased and the Ice Hunters being stripped of our own powers and physical transformations, of course. This would allow the Phoenix to live normal lives, and would permanently restore the Elemental Balance by removing the fire and ice powers from the world."

Scorponok: "Hmm..."

Malgus: "According to my son, before his recent downfall into the pit that is the thirst for revenge, everyone had agreed at the Tribal Summit that the best course would be to remove the Ice Hunters' powers. That alone, however, wouldn't be a permanent solution to the Elemental Balance problem. There could always be Phoenix going north and disrupting the Balance with their presence in the Arctic, like that woman Faerin, who Galvanor had told me about. My son seeks a solution to this by destroying the Phoenix, but I just... can't accept something so horrible as wiping out an entire species, no matter how many personal grievances I may have with said species. The moment I realized that, was the moment I realized I'd fallen into evil for a time."

OOC: Cool.

IC: *After a few hours of searching, Frosar spots Scorpix City from a nearby mountaintop. He's been keeping stolen fire chi in a bag to suppress his natural ice aura, so that he's less likely to be seen. Also, he's been exercising constant caution, wary of being spotted by any sentries for the outpost and wary of any environmental threats. If he finds any sentries on his path, they're silently eliminated. The sabretooths were left in an alcove with a good vantage point of the surroundings, to hopefully spot anyone were they to come upon the sabres. Frosar heads back to the sabretooths, marking the path he took with various methods only he would spot. Once back, Frosar thinks about the best approach to Scorpix City.*

IC: *Frosar brings the walkers as far as he can without being spotted, then leaves them in the charge of sabretooth guards. He whips up a quick disguise for the walkers by cutting underbrush and plants, still being careful of attack from the environment. Frosar proceeds to take the sabretooth squadron as far as he can in the underbrush without risk of detection.*

OOC: The J is the mountain up to Scorpix City just bare, brown mountain, or is it overgrown jungle and plants? Also, is it a steep incline (probably more likely with bare, brown mountain) or more of a level incline that could be trekked up without too much difficulty?

IC: *They reach the top, and Frosar scouts the area, looking for the ways into the outpost.*

OOC: Yeah. Guess that'd be ways into the city.

IC: Frosar and his Sabertooths see a large wall looming above them, almost the height of Lion City's wall. It's a round wall that surrounds Scorpix City, built around the top of the ridge the city sits upon.