Episode 1: The Second Breath [The Lawgivers]

Shelter


Mani smiles and stands up "Well, let me show you were you can hide out if you feel the need" they follow here to the middle area where they first came in. In the hallway could be seen a stairwell and a door inlaid in the ground next to it. She lifts up the door with one hand, while holding the tea in the other. The door itself gave a large grown as it is lifted up. It could be seen that the door itself was made of a mix of metals and stone. When walking down the group notices that it opens up into a spacious area underneath the house. Not much was down here besides storage, though with this much space, several beds and various other living items could fit down here. As soon as they walked down one could notice that the sounds from outside became immediately silent. It would seem this place is reinforced to keep sound from getting out or coming in.
 
Amatersu


Amaterasu follows, she is silent and quickly makes notes of all potential entrances, exits, and ambush spots. As they descend her eyes widen, the soundlessness of the place would be perfect to hide in. Oh yes. She looks about and moves to a the various items of storage. She looks around and becomes thoughtful. "If we stay this would be a perfect place to lie low, do you think?" She asks the others with a sidelong glance. She crosses her arms and nods. "Yes this place would be perfect."
 
Amethyst


Amethyst draws a hand along the basement wall. Soundproofing. Perfect for a shelter...or a prison, or a torture chamber, or a place to keep someone from noticing when an ambush is coming. Was this supposed to make her feel safe?


She sighs. No sense raising the point when the lady of the house is in earshot. She leans against the wall watching the rest of the group as she attempts to formulate a plan to keep appraised of any danger outside the shelter...and probably an escape plan, given the lack of a back door.
 
Mahir


Mahir is incredibly grateful for his veil as their proud hostess shows off the basement. Enclosed spaces make him uneasy, and this is about as enclosed as it gets. Still... this would, logically speaking, be a good place to hide... provided that Mani can be trusted, of course.


In a Delzhan sept, that would be less of an issue. There have been times in the past when people betrayed their septs, of course. Nobody's perfect. But in general, the sept is a Delzhan's family, literally and figuratively. Mahir has heard enough about Dragon-Blooded Houses to know that Dynasts seem to betray one another on a regular basis, though. The group needs to talk to Tepo and ask him just how much he trusts Mani, Mahir decides.


Right now, though, they're in a luxurious house with a hostess who seems to be very accomodating, and there's no point in wasting that. The young Delzhan turns to Mani. "Thank you very much for your offer, Lady Mani. The six of us must discuss it before we can say yes or no. In the meantime... may I impose upon you for a bath?" Big brown eyes looked imploringly up at the lady of the house. Baths were a luxury of the city that Mahir absolutely loved. He had been horrified at the thought of wasting all that water on his first visit to Chiaroscuro, but now he actively sought out bathing facilities every time the White Simhata stopped by a town or city. It was so decadent to immerse one's entire body in hot water! The traditional sponge bath with a pot of water over a campfire just could not compare.
 
Takeno


"You have our deepest gratitude Lady Mani, for revealing yet another facet of your kind nature and hospitality. It is truly remarkable to find people willing to help others in danger, risking sometimes their own well being. I pray that you are never brought in a position of need but know that should it ever happen, you'll always have someone to turn to and find support and i personally vow to assist you and your household in any time of need or danger.


The basement looks sturdily build, reinforced to keep sound and noise from being heard in the house and possibly alerting any search team, while being comfortable as well, therefore i think we'll be fine for the time being. As for Mahir's suggestion, it is true that a bath would be quite needed and much rejuvanating if it would be possible, without of course taking advantage of your kindness and hospitality".





Bardlebee:


As Takeno talks to Mani, he smiles at her and looks at her eyes intently for a few moments, as if to discern if her previous smile was an indicator of attraction towards him, and if so, to return it in kind.
 
Cellar


doorj.jpg



Mani stands up and collects the tea cups from all who are finished and says "Ok, well let me show you where you will be staying since this is of course going to be your home for awhile." she says joyfully "If Zaria comes, he won't notice the floor board that is covering my basement, ill put a carpet over it, its the best I can do.


She leads the group to the center of her house where they originally walked in. Next to the stairs there was indeed a door that swung upward made of a very solid metal. If Mani had been a basic human it would take most of her weight to lift it. Indeed she was not kidding about the structural integrity and the silence that could be felt in the basement. With a lift of her wrist she opens the door leading downward. The stairs were a solid stone that gave a deaf noise when stepped on. The room was quite large indeed spanning the entire size of the house. Walking downward the room opened up to both the left and the right, the stairs being the center piece of this large room. To the left there could be seen a small shrine, a carpet in front of candles and a few figurines. Possible place of prayer, further right and behind the stairs was a door leading to a bathroom which was actually well maintained with running water. A luxury only realized by the well off these days. To the left there were shelves with a few tools, but to the far left and behind the stairs were a few sleeping bags and camping equipment.


During the descent the group can hear the hustle and bustle of the afternoon market outside, however the moment their ears penetrated the barrier of the basement flooring complete silence permeated the room. Only their voices could be heard "It isn't much, but its heated and cooled weakly by some first age essence vents and we have running water in the bathroom" she says giving a tour of the down stairs "I am going to enjoy having you.." she says with a smile but is cut off by a loud knock at the door. The only way it was heard was through the stairwell door that was left ajar. "Shit." she says bluntly.


"Just stay here I will go check it..." she says with a shake in her voice. Tepo goes to stop her, but holds back the urge in fear of getting her in trouble. Mani picks up her robed dress a bit as to not dirty it on the steps and begins to ascend the steps, then closes the top door with a loud thud. Nothing more could be heard, but a dead five minutes.


All of you start to hear whispers in your ear, however you cannot make out what it is. Though you can tell its a baritone voice.


Takeno:


It is possible she took a liking to you in your extensive and elaborate speech. But she is interrupted by the knock on the door.


Everyone gains 6 exp for me being gone for about a month and a half. Also, promises (non-empty) of exaltation will happen in the next two posts here. Hate to be a spoiler
 
Looking around her Blossom tries to find a good hiding spot and invites everyone to do the same with a few explicit gestures.
 
Takeno, urges Mani to be careful, before she leaves to answer the door, and then hastily joins the rest in a hiding spot in the basement, trying to make sure that the ladies are better hidden and sufficiently safe. Then he sits tight and tries to listen to the from the floor above, his face showing clearly the stress and anxiety enveloping him.
 
Mahir


Nodding to Red Blossom, Mahir slips into the shrine. He stands with his back to the wall that separates the shrine from the rest of the cellar, next to the door. Not the most brilliant hiding place, but it's the best he can think of. He was never trained in the art of stealth, after all.


That done, the Delzhan closes his eyes and begins a meditation designed to help him focus his mind upon the spirit world. The basement is soundproofed, and none of the six travelers have a voice as deep as the one that seems to be trying to make itself heard. Someone else might have written the murmurs off as stress or a hallucination, but Mahir has had a great deal of experience with spirits, little gods, and ghosts in the course of his training. Often the less powerful ones have trouble speaking clearly to mortals.


Perhaps it's a little god of the household, or the ghost of some long-forgotten ancestor who lived here. Whatever the spirit may be, it is Mahir's job as a shaman to find out what it wants and deal with it. He listens intently with both ears and mind.
 
The Second Breath


Suddenly a large thud could be heard from the ceiling door. Then, silence.


Another thump can be heard from upstairs, though again it is hard to tell if that is the moving of feet, or the slamming of someones solid back to the ground. Though the party has never been down here to assess whether those sounds are normal for this particular house, one could imagine the solid two to three feet of stone between them and the upstairs was a good indication that it couldn't be foot prints. The group stands there, in complete silence. The signs from Red Blossom rang true to the group as was evident by the awkward silence of the unknown. There was apprehension as well. Should they go up? What if it's Zaria? What if its Tepo's father? Questions stirred in our heroes minds.


Tepo looks back at Blossom, apprehension in his face "What should we.." just as he was about to finish his sentence, the door in the ceiling opened up. The combination of its thick metal and stone gave a large groan from the inside. At first only a piercing view of light could be seen as the groups eyes adjusted, then sound came into play as the door was violently shut giving off a dull slam. Standing at the top of the stair was Zaria, walking down slowly and smugly. His foot armor making a solid clang with each step as he dramatically walks down into the spacious basement. No echoes could be heard due to the solid walls, seemingly to keep out all sound. Zaria has a hold of Mani's chin, hoisting it up with his left hand, his jade sword pushing against the skin of her neck. Mani's face is encased in fear.


"Run... little demons, run" Zaria says deeply with a joyous venom behind his words "You escaped me, but not for to long. I have people in high places, your running around like this has only proven to be futile... It is now time for your deaths." Zaria walks to the base of the steps, peering at the group. "Now, I am going to kill this traitor" he says indicating he is talking about Mani by holding her chin up higher "And then...." the sound in the room suddenly wains out "when I get done I shall become..." again his words are cut off by the sounds in the room being seemingly sucked away. Your hearts start beating faster and the room slows down to a crawl.


Tepo shouts at him, but again you can't even hear him shout. He beings pulling out his sword, however suddenly time seems to slow. Slower. Slower. You can see the blade leave the sheathe in increasingly slower intervals until it seems that time stops itself.


Then suddenly.


Blossom feels
her muscles tense and become stronger, seemingly for no reason at all. After all the running she was feeling tired and worn out, but that seems to have disappeared in an instant. The knowledge of battle comes pouring into her mind like a faucet of water set on high and cannot be stopped. She gets visions of battles in the northern lands of Creation. At least that's what she thinks it is as there are ice mountains and frozen waste lands around her. By now Blossom notices she is no longer in the basement of Mani's estate but on a battle field of frozen tundra. The armies of thousands of feral men and women are headed towards her in a thunderous cloud that seems to cover the sheer ice in darkness. She looks down and see your hands are of that of a man. After some time you realize you are peering through the eyes of someone that is not yourself. The man that you are looking through gets on his horse of gleaming armor and of a fine breed. He turns to view a huge army of what seem to be common folk and he speaks "For too long these people have taken your lives! Your homes! and your freedoms!" He shouts out loud. Blossom can see the nods of the tens of thousands of common soldiers nodding their heads in agreement "For too long they have taken what you have sown! Your harvest, which is the hardest to come by in these unforgiving climates!" he shouts again with vigor, the response of the crowd can be seen nodding and more shouting back in approval. "Well I say we make these sons of bitches reap what they have sown! Let us show them they're benefits from they're HARVEST!!!" he shouts bringing a large Daiklave in the air made of a strange gold substance. The crowd is going nothing short of wild and they all lift they're spears and pitch forks.


Suddenly a thunderous sound comes from behind the army in rhythm of someone running. What can be seen behind the man's commoner army is a huge mechanical beast of epic size. The armor is in excellent condition in its sheen white appearance. The jagged edges of armor make it look like a menacing beast of battle! The man on the horse rides between his army, who are in kind shouting and cheering even though the other force of feral beasts of the thousands are still charging in from a mere thousand miles away. The man looks up at the beast, which is easily towering a hundred feet high. A feeling of pure joy over comes him as he thinks to himself "This is mine."


Suddenly your vision darkens and you see the same beast of armor encased in ice. You feel cold. And suddenly you hear a voice from all around you "Once great and noble warlord is now nothing but a shell of him former self. You have been wronged as being shown to be demons, anathema, and heretics. It is your duty to show the power of the Unconquered Sun once again to the people! Bring the truth of why you are NOT demons and murders. Lead them into battle into a new day of creation! You are my general, you are my DAWN!(see end of post)


Amaterasu sees
her vision go pitch black. The room disappears just as the silence did. However suddenly she sees herself moving across rooftop to rooftop. Making leaps that are impossible for a human. 100 feet. 300 feet. 500 feet. After some time Amaterasu finally notices that she is not inside her body but is peering through the eyes of another. The person she is looking through looks to her right and left and various ninja like shadows can be seen through the moons silhouette. In fact this is the first time, after Amaterasu's eyes adjusted, that she notices it is night time. There are trees as far as she can see, but this is all around the outskirts of this large city. Still bounding from roof to roof she could see these silhouettes converge on one final building in the middle of the city. It was as tall as fifty floors.


Though she is only peering through the woman's eyes, who she could tell from various glimpses she was wrapped in dark ninja-like clothing, she could feel the movement of the winds and the feelings she was feeling. Amaterasu noticed after some time from her waving signals to the other night-mates that she was the boss of this operation, but for what?


Finally they get to the main building. Then Amaterasu hears a sound and whips her head to the ground where a guard is standing, peering at Amaterasu's new body. However he seems to not see her even in the back drop of the moon. Smugly she smiles, knowing that she is quite literally invisible. She takes out her bow and jumps onto the next ledge which is the large building. She is still at least twenty feet up and begins ascending. Quietly she finally gets to the top floor. A candle is dimly lit, showing the shadow of someone meditating. She opens the rice window very slowly and steps in, then bluntly says to the man who is seemingly unaware of her and sitting looking away perhaps even praying "You are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of children. Knowingly sending out drugs that were made for children to cure a sickness, all in the gain of a few jade." The man is silent, until finally "I see the deliberative has found out, truly there is nothing is outside of your reach" he says quietly, obviously giving himself up before continuing "You being the head of the solar spy network has its perks, eh?" he says and turns to look at you, but suddenly the sounds, feelings, and sight all goes black and quiet.


You see suddenly trees, trees as far as the eye can see. Looking up you see a bow, cape, and gloves hanging on some branches. Pieces of armor are thrown around and there is blood everywhere. Then you hear a voice from outside the woods that seems to come from all directions, it is loud, deep and penetrates your very soul "You have been wronged. You must reclaim order in these desperate times. You are the killer of the night, master of shadows, and the leader of the Hidden Suns. You are my precious NIGHT!


....(see bottom of post for remainder)


These buildings look like the traditional japanese shogun buildings, fyi


Mahir's vision fades just as he sees Blossom and Amaterasu burst into flame of gold and power. Though it is so slow, that Tepo has yet to fully pull out his sword. Time, it seems, was still set to a crawl. Seconds being minutes and suddenly she feels a burst of
energy as she is pulled from her body and placed in a market place, surrounded by crowds of people. There is a feeling of inertia as she realizes she is looking through the eyes of someone else, but feels and hears everything this man does. She has no control over his actions however so all she can do is helplessly watch what is unfolding. She can tell that she is obviously not in Paragon anymore. He stands atop a gleaming red glass road that is in perfect condition. It would seem he is in the middle of a market place and can hear strange sounds and sights that Mahir has never yet witnessed. People freely getting water from a well without manual labor. Street lights that seem to be lit by no real means. After some looking around Mahir finally realizes that there is a situation at foot as her feelings go from wonder to complete seriousness. The entire market has gone dead quiet and Mahir can finally hear the voice of his new body come in "This man has done nothing wrong to your people! He does not have to follow the doctrines of the Sun if he does not want to. This is NOT the ideal of how we want things here!" he shouts and Mahir can see his body pointing to a man who seems to have been beaten up, though he does not know this mans religion he seems to be healthy and alive "But your actions have shown that we must follow the Sun more! Why can't you see that!" a voice rings out from the crowd, though he cannot be seen the entire crowd cheers in agreement "We NO LONGER NEED THE SUN FOR OUR HELP!" you shout and rays of gold stream out from you. The entire crowd hides they're faces in fear. Suddenly the entire crowd bow and say in unison "The Unconquered Sun is no longer important" over and over. The man stands there, fists at his sides and happy with his work, for he felt he was the new god.


Suddenly Mahir is pulled from this mans vision and falls onto a ledge of what seems to be a mountain. Though she does not get hurt from the fall she immediately notices that it isn't actually a mountain... but there are clouds below him. She looks back behind herself, away from the ledge. She could see a huge fortress which is the largest castle she has ever seen. Looking back down again she realizes that this isn't a mountain, or a land mass.... but a floating city! The clouds finally clear and she can see The Realm straight below.


The image is quickly taken away and she hears a voice in darkness, loud and powerful "You strayed away from the light for so long, you felt you could be the Sun himself. Though this is no fault of your own you must now repair what the Solar's have broken. The Solar's are not demons, they are not evil beasts. Learn about your heritage and become the ZENITH I know you to be!"


(see bottom of post for the rest)


Takeno can now see the flames of gold and power are encompassing Mahir as well. Though time has still gone a minute per second he could see the sheer shock in Zaria's face, just beginning to form as his vision goes dark.
But, that does not matter as his vision quickly comes back, but is in the body of a woman? Her mocha hands, beautiful and powerful. You see her with a large scepter and to her left she sees a man who is covered in fur. Slowly however he turns back into a normal human and looks at you. "My sweet, perhaps this social project has gone on long enough" he says looking at a large orb in his hands made of a crimson red, silver, and gold colors. It was at this time that you notice you are sitting in a thrown room, elaborate and powerful. Air is being conditioned to the perfect temperature with ventilation that you have never seen before. The language that this man spoke was not something you have ever heard, but could understand him perfectly. "You want more and more to control the stately order, I feel you are slowly slipping into madness" he seems to be pleading with you. No one else is in this grand hall and it seems that he wanted a private audience with you. All of these small nuances such as this come floating in weakly "We must show them the way. That is the final law, you either are with me or against me!" she says commandingly at the beast-like man. He winces back in adherence "So be it my love..."


Just then your vision is changed to a great vast of land filled with glittering silver sand. It is unatural and you see an army, encased in a solid material like gargoyles or statues. It would seem if someone were to take them out of this spell they would be fighting again right away. Everything is in dead motion here.


Your vision is then moved toward a scepter sitting in the vast sands of silver. It was a gold staff with a decoration of an eye in the top of it. Then a voice comes from all directions, large and powerful "You were once the dignitary for many lands, bringing people together under one banner. Now those lands are seperate and in ruin. Show the world the kindness and power of the Unconquered Sun. Make them realize the web of lies and propaganda they have been fed. ECLIPSE them with your political and social mastery and bring an end to the Time of Tumult!


(see bottom of post for the rest)


Amethyst finally sees Zaria's face contort in complete fear. Though time is still going very slow she also sees cracks beginning to form on the base of the rooms corners. Also she sees small craters dispersing from the powerful gold energy being thrown out from her four friends. Tepo, still pulling out his sword in complete slow motion seemingly just notices and is beginning to jump out of the way. He is in mid-slow motion jump when Shimmering Amethyst's vision
goes black. Her hearing returns, but its not that of under a building, but that of a sea. She feels the waves crash up and down when her vision finally comes to she is looking through the eyes of another person. A man decorated in medals and gleaming gold armor with suns ordained all across it. Finally she notices she is on a ship and is at the very head looking out to some islands heading east. You, just as well as him, know that the book you have been looking for is in those mountains and retrieving it means finally unlocking Solar Circle Sorcery. A ship mate comes up behind you, his boots hitting to deck can easily be heard on the currently calm seas "Captain, your men have been rowing for weeks..." he says apprehensively "They just want rest... they have sent me to.." his words get cut off as the man ordained in the gold armor swings around and stabs the ship mate in the chest and sends him over board with one fail swoop. All that remained in your mind was that book, the obsession. You once again look out to the far sea. You realize you just killed a man in a fraction of a second. You realize that the troops saw what happened. That is why they obey you though. You are the ruler of this ship. This is your island.


The vision and sounds of the sea subside and you are left with an empty boat made of a brilliant gold color. A book of gold can also be seen in front of you, but barely out of your reach. Just then a voice comes out to you, deep and powerful "Your greed for knowledge pushed you to the edge. No mans life was equal to your obsession. Your thirst for power grew. Come back finally my sun child and be one again, may you not repeat the evils that your ancestors once laid upon you. Go now, TWIGHLIGHT!


(Read bottom of post for the rest)


All the groups vision finally returns to the present time and place. Time itself seems to be set back into motion as if winding up a toy and letting it run amock. From the slow patience of the quiet feeling, to the immediate chaos of now. Your bodies feel fit and full. Illnesses and minor colds disappear in an instant. You immediately have and understanding of things you did not before. While all of this is internal, externally the sound of all five of your golden animas burst out and destroy the very structure of the room from the force that can only be given by the Unconquered Sun himself! The walls start to give way, though the ceiling seems to be contained for now. The screams of all five of your voices ring out in this heavily sound proofed room and the power can be felt in your veins. The feeling is unimaginable and just as you feel you understand that you are exalting, even more power comes into your bodies.


Though some of you who know of the Dragon-Blooded exaltation, the ideal of how it happens and what it feels like is nothing compared to what is happening now. More power is felt through you then you ever thought was possible. To those of you who are still able to see through the piercing light, you could see Tepo has escaped for shelter, brandishing his sword at these newly golden gods. Finally, things tone down, however suddenly the roof starts to buckle in, as though the entire house may fall apart. It gives a large grown that is going over the sound of the animas only slightly. Finally it stops in what seems to be a resting point.


The shrine that Mahir hid in is now nothing but bits and pieces of its former self. The same can be said for just about every other piece of furniture or small items that were not made of hard metals.


So much for staying under the radar.


There is a moment of awe inspiring power and quiet. Zaria gasps in astonishment "I..I..."


NOTE:Yeah, I know your supposed to exalt in epic-esque style. Yeah, I know Lytek scrubs the memory of former Solar lives. You should perhaps ask why? (I did account for this, its part of the story. Let me know if anything else is messed up though. Bonus: If you unspoil the whole post, it is ONE BIG ASS POST! (I didn't proofread)


EDIT: Disperse your points via the rules in the main book. You are exalted now. Hope I remembered your castes right.
 
Faster than the blink of an eye, Red Blossom readies her bow and an arrow.


You WILL let Mani go and run for your life before I decide to let my arrow avenge the people of Makerson, you worthless scum !!!


I am a Sword of Heaven, and I will fall upon the unjust and the wicked like the eagle on his prey and none shall escape my sharp eyes and vengeful talons ! her fear has disappeared and now burns fiercely through her a righteous anger, as she answers the call of the Sun, ready to stand and fight for justice as her anima, the face of a great northern white tiger with stripes of silver and gold and azure eyes furiously roars like the thunder while the ground is shaking and the little debris around her are pushed away in waves following the roaring.


using Flashing Vengeance Draw.


Oy nice I'd love to see more comebacks like yours ! :mrgreen:
 
For Bardlebee:


Good Lord Bardlebee! You never cease to amaze me, that was fantastic and my exaltation vision so fitting of my caste's role. Thank you :D .


On a sidenote, has my character ever seen or heard about such a scepter during his travels or studies ? If relevant and helpful to the question, i have increased my Lore to 5, to account for the fact of the accumulated insight that i was granted through my exaltation. I'm getting a hunch that locating and acquiring it, will perhaps become a focal point in my effort to unite Creation into a perfectly functioning nation under the august rule of the Chosens of the Unconquered Sun.


Takeno suddenly feels an immense clarity permeating his whole existence and breathes, with the exhilaration of a person who just had the greatest revelation of his life. In a moment, every shadow of doubt has been swept aside by the blinding, cleansing, holy light of the Unconquered Sun and Takeno's purpose in life has been shown to him. The self completion he feels is unprecedented and for a second he wonders if he's still dreaming. Then, steely resolve reinforces his spirit and with his destiny clear and beckoning to him, turns his eyes to the scene before him.


He sees his companions, all engulfed in the same blinding light that infused himself with power, clarity and self assurance. Joy overwhelms him as he understands now, that they were all met for a purpose, and if his own purpose is so grand then he can only imagine how similarly grand will the purpose of the rest be. His eyes, hover over the rest if the bystanders, the kind-hearted Mani, that perhaps will now see him as a demon of ages past, unaware of his true nature, if she adheres rigidly to the Immaculate Philosophy, and this would hurt him, since he was starting to like her. Tepo, the helpful and valiant youth, who helped them find refuge and treated them as family, now cowering in one corner behind his sword, utterly surprised and confused. And lastly, Zaria, that arrogant and cruel wretch of a Dynast, the personification of all the failings of Dragonblooded and their corrupted dominion over Creation. The mere sight of his sword tip on Mani's neck is enough to spur Takeno into action, as their dumbfounded hunter tries to regain his speech. Even then, though, his nature, as a negotiator and diplomat of Sol Invictus, influences his every word and action, in an effort to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and make the first step on his epic destiny of unifying all of Creation.


"In the name of the Unconquered Sun, whose Chosen we are, I command you descendant of the Scarlet Dynasty, to cease all hostilities, release Mani and repent for your faults. Let it be known that the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun have returned and with them hope, hope for the unity and prosperity for all Creation. Stand down, dragonblooded, obey your Heaven mandated lords and resume your place in the perfected hierarchy of the unified Creation that is to come".
 
Mahir


Sheer ecstasy fills Mahir's mind and body as the power of the Unconquered Sun transforms him... along with fear. Not fear for himself, or of himself, but of what the Sun's vision imparted. The lore of the Delzhan said that the Children of the Sun fell from grace for their hubris and insanity, bringing the glories of the First Age into ruin with them. From what the vision had shown him, it was true. The man he had been in the dream truly believed that he was a god, that the people should worship him instead of the Unconquered Sun! The newly born Solar shudders at the thought. Will he, too, become victim of his own power?


I will give my life and my very soul to your service, O Sun, he vows silently, but I am not perfect. Please, tell me when I err too badly! Chastise me! Do not let me become like the man I was in Your vision!


Although the shaman- or is he a priest now?- would love nothing more than to meditate upon his Exaltation for a few hours, there are more pressing matters at hand. He steps out of the ruins of the shrine, veil dangling from one side of his feminine face. Somehow one of the ties was cut in the chaos created by five Solars Exalting at once. He turns to Takeno.


"Be sensible, Takeno. He will not obey us simply because you speak the truth."


The Zenith's dark-eyed gaze falls upon the group's erstwhile foe, cowering with his sword to Mani's neck. The blaze of light flaring around Mahir's body coalesces into a radiant golden horse with a mane, tail and hooves of burning silver, its eyes points of white fire. The horse rears silently as Mahir speaks.


"You are not part of the Wyld Hunt, Mnemon Zaria. The Hunt would have sent more than one Dragon-Child. Tell us, who sent you to Makerson?" He steps forward, unblinking eyes locked upon the Dragon-Blooded. "Vassalage goes two ways, Mnemon Zaria. The Realm has a responsibility to protect those under its charge. Why did you break that sacred oath? Who sent you to murder children?" Mahir's voice softens. "Tell us, Mnemon Zaria. Tell us, and release your soul from this burden."

Using Irresistible Salesman Spirit on Zaria.
 
14th, Ascending Wood, Mani's Basement


Blossom's words speak true and clear like a trumpet being played in the noon day sun. Zaria relents to let Mani go, though the sun-children can tell it is not out of fear as he snidely remarks with a smug smile "Well, looks like I was right. Obviously I am out matched and I will not attack you. To do so would only mean my certain death, but understand this..." Zaria leaves a pause, possibly for suspense "I have connections all through the Realm and the blood in my veins are stronger then any house! I have contacts with the Perfect himself in this city, so if you think for a second that you have won this war, then you have made an egregious error!" he grits his teeth and steps back, opening the door up top.


Mani looks at Takeno with shock and awe in her eyes, confused on how to react to his words.


Tepo's valor holds strong as he backs into the corner of the houses basement, he shouts to Mani "Mani! Get away from them!". Mani responds by running to Tepo's side and bringing up her fists ready to fight "What... what are they? Are they anathema?!" Mani asks Tepo in a fearful voice.


Tepo's sword points towards the group of the newly ordained sun-children. His sword shaking, not in fear, but in conflicting feeling "I... Your GOOD PEOPLE! HOW CAN YOU BE DEMONS!" he shouts. "You saved the villagers in Makerson and now you have exalted into anathema, what is this treachery? What games do you play?!" Tepo shouts over the five animas blaring in the background, which have now settled down by this point."My father could be dead.." he whimpers, a tear comes to his eye. Gritting his teeth he stands there ready to fight these new 'demons' if they so chose to devour him or his relative Mani.


After hearing this Mahir speaks with clarity and reason, outlining all the faults of his crusade upon the southern threshold. His words were picked so delicately it was as if they were chosen like small fruits from a tree, just right and ripened. The sound of her voice carries in the room, past the roaring animas and thunders. The chaos in the room seems to stop as Mahir brings immediate order with his words and pierces the heart of Zaria. The arrogant young Dynast looks at Mahir and his face weakens to a softer, more gentler side "I was ordered to snub out the Anathema, I am in a wyld hunt with my commander Denovah Avaku. If you wish you may speak to him..." he says and walks upstairs to let the new ordained Solars through the walkway and out of the house. Just outside, they could see the door they had come in where they had first met Mani, there was a figure of a woman who's silhouette darkened the sun shining through around her. The curves of her body speaking louder then her words "You down there in the basement. The Perfect would like to see you, we mean you no harm. Though should you choose not to humor him, you may not have a good time in Paragon."


Mahir's Social Combat Roll: 8 successes (10 10 10 7 7 6 4 3) x (CHARM)=16 successes!


Zaria chooses to relent!
 
Blossom settles down, and her anima dampens a little, the ground stops shaking and the tiger tails has stopped whipping the air furiously.


We might want to comply for a moment... we cannot run away without hurting innocent people so we just have to play along for the time being and leave the city as soon as we can.
 
Mahir


Mahir isn't really sure what he did just now, but he's not about to question results. The slim Delzhan holds up a hand to Blossom. "Wait, please. Let me speak to our comrade in arms." He turns to Tepo and Mani, a gentle smile on his unveiled face.


"Tepo, we are still good people. You saw our actions in Makerson. In your home. Did we not aid you, aid those whom you swore to protect?" He pauses for a moment, then steps closer, hands well away from his weapons.


When the Solar speaks again, his voice is soft, pitched only for Tepo's and Mani's ears; he isn't sure if he can convince Zaria of what he's about to say. The V'neef warrior, on the other hand, was already an ally and almost a friend. If Mahir can just get past Tepo's early training... "We are not demons. We are the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun, as Takeno said. Think, Tepo. Think of the rot spreading throughout the Realm. If the Realm was strong and pure, would the events in Makerson have ever happened? Would your Dynastic clans be at each other's throats like so many dogs fighting for a bone, neglecting their duties?"


His voice rises slightly, almost hypnotic. The golden horse prances behind him, its mane and tail streaming behind it like banners of sun-washed silver. "We will be the fire that burns away corruption, the light that restores Creation to its former glory! And you... you can be part of that. Both of you. Look beyond what you have been taught and see the light of the Sun."

Irresistible Salesman Spirit again!


Okay, I think this is Charisma 4 + Presence 4, and the charm doubles the successes. C'mon, Tepo, you know you love us...
 
14th, Ascending Wood, Mani's Basement


The woman at the top of the stair, still not visible due to the noon day sun, responds to Red Blossom's show of trust "Indeed, he only requests a small favor from you. It is obvious how he knows you are here by the eye on Mani's hand there." She pauses "My name is Scarlet Whisper and I represent for the Perfect in several matters. If you will come with me it is a short request that he has of you, then you can leave as quickly as you'd like. He has an offer for you, which would be unwise for you to refuse."


With that Scarlet Whisper walks out of view, possibly waiting outside for the rest of the Solar's to walk out as well. Zaria looks down at the five, scowling a bit. He walks out as well. All that is left is Mani and Tepo.


Mani is cowering behind Tepo, though her fists are up as if she is ready to fight. Tepo grits his teeth with his sword in front of him. Mahir again speaks with clarity and chooses only the finest words to quench the raging fire in the young mans heart. She sees him loosen the grip on his sword only for but a moment. He then re-grips and returns to his fighting stance, determined to keep his thoughts protected. "Just.... just leave me alone! I am not going to follow those of the Anathema. The Wretched you are!" Tepo shouts.


Mahir Salesman = 3 Successes (9 9 9 4 3 3 2 2) x (CHARM) = 6 Successes - MDV 5 = 1 Success


He uses a willpower to not relent and stands his ground on the defensive
 
Blossom sighs, and looks sadly at Tepo and Mani as she frees her hands from any weapon.


She had heard stories of the Anathemas during her journey to the south, good and bad, but she did not expect that people who were trustworthy allies would turn against her in fear of her nature. Strangely, some part of her feels this world has gone wrong since she left it.


I thank you both for your benevolence and kind hearts... whatever stories you have heard about the Lawgivers, we are still the same people who tried to fight off tyranny and injustice... I don't know what this change means for us yet, but I know I mean you no harm, so I will leave peacefully.


Goodbye Tepo, Mani, may the gods watch over you and peace be upon you.


She bows respectfully to each of her former friends and turns to the rest of the group.


Let's go friends, we don't need to scare them any more.


When she walks up the stairs you think you can see a single tear rolling from her right eye.
 
Takeno


Seeing the events unfold before himself, Takeno remains silent, for as long as his circlemate tries to make a valid point and sway the beliefs of those present in the basement. His performance is enthralling nonetheless, so much that this arrogant dragonblooded seems to abandon any active hostilities against them, but unfortunately their friend Tepo and his relatve, the kind-hearted and gracious Mani, appear to be terrified at the new status of Takeno and his circle, reacting based on their immaculate indoctrination and not opening their heart to the truth that shines, as the cleansing Light of Sol Invictus.


And this, Takeno understands, is not easy. He would have great difficulty to believe it himself, had he not experienced it. Had he not seen a vision of ages past, of times long gone, of glories that once were and that may again be.


As for the other woman, the so-called Perfect's dignitary, requesting from them to follow her and meet with him, well he didn't know her and even though she did not seem afraid or confused in their presence, he wasn't certain she would be trusted. His eyes shine with the light of the Sun, as he calls upon the reserves of energy inside his soul and attempts to gain an intuition upon her true motives, upon the ulterior motives hidden behind her words. For to choose wisely, one must know of the true purposes of others.


Takeno activates Sagacious Reading of Intent for 3m, to discern the motivation behind the words of Scarlet Whisper (according to the charm's description pg. 233 Core rulebook)


Then, seeing his friends moving slowly out of the basement, he moves towards the exit as well. He stops briefly in front of Mani and Tepo, taking care not to appear in any way terrifying, simply majestic and honest, as befits one of the Crowned Suns and addresses them.


"It is with sorrow, that i see you my friends in this situation. As a descendant of the Scarlet Dynasty myself, i can understand the inner turmoil within you, seeing those you deemed as good people transforming into those which the immaculate faith brands as anathema and i imagine myself acting similarly in such a situation. My companion has already explained to you that we are not demons, that we are not evil creatures bend on destruction and chaos. I will only say that my gratitude to you is immeasurable as well as my appreciation for your actions and your intention to protect, assist and safeguard us. What you're most likely in need of right now, is time to think, time to let all that transpired here today, settle down. Then perhaps, you'll see, in time, that we are not monsters and probably in the future learn for our deeds and accomplishments and understand that our motives are pure, as our mission is sacred. For when Creation is divided, so are the hearts of the people and the multitude of dangers lurking out there threatens their safety as a whole. But when union comes and the minds and souls of people are as one, unity in their every word, righteousness dwelling in them, and an august government taking care of them, then and only then can we look upon the dawn of a new era for all of Creation. An era of peace, unity and splendor, an era of unsurpassed glory and serenity, were everything and everyone know their rightful places and function perfectly within them, keeping in mind the good of Creation and not the petty self-interests and egoistic opinions that hurt the feelings and lives of all others. This is my mission, this is my heavenly mandated assignment, this is my purpose in life. To bring all of Creation together, to create a perfect system of government, so that we all may live in harmony, so that Creation's welfare eclipses all memory of warfare, dissidence, corruption, sickness, destruction and the shining veil of unity, order and harmony permeates all".


"Young man Tepo, you valor is truly remarkable and i'm certain that it's only surpassed by the kindness of your soul. You're truly noble in behaviour as you are in lineage. May always your path shine before yourself and be clear of dangers and hardships.


And you Lady Mani, mistress of this estate, who took us under your roof, akin to a breathtakingly beautiful swan spreading its wings to protect its offspring, you that provided assistance and gave shelter to us in the time of our utmost need , without knowing what we'd become and without considering the potential consequences and repercutions of your behaviour, know this. That it was not your unsurpassed beauty alone, but mostly your sincere kindness, your hospitality, a true indication of the nobility and purity of your soul that made me develop feelings for you, and thus be doubly hurt that this event has brought confusion and fear upon you. Know this, jewel of the South, know this Kindness scribed upon the Heart, Swan of the red-rose fingered Dawn. That I, Takeno, a junior diplomat of the Realm, exalted by the grace and wisdom of the Unconquered Sun, swear this very moment, before the light of the Unconquered Sun, never to abandon you, but to come to your aid, should you ever find yourself in an hour of need. To stand by your side when your need is most dire and defend you as the Aegis of the Sun Himself. And when all things are set into their proper course, i promise to return to you. Then perhaps you'll be ready to look at me, past that which you now perceive as a taint in my nature and understand the truth and sincerety of my words and feelings. Keep this promise into your heart and call upon me should this need ever arise. May He grant me the power to fulfill this promise now and forever and may He deem me worthy to return some day at your side".


"Please accept my sword as a memento of our acquaintance, as proof that i wish you no harm and as a token of my feelings to you. Till i return Tepo, please watch over her for me and keep her safe".


With that Takeno kneels down before her, lays his masterfully crafted sword in front of her feet, kisses the edge of her dress, then stands up, saluting Tepo with respect and moves up the stairs to join the rest of his companions. The Perfect awaits them and he possesses a scepter that Takeno has seen in his vision. A scepter that was his in ages past and a scepter that he needs to reclaim if he's to unite all of Creation once again.
 
Lagging behind the rest of the group is Amethyst, kneeling on the floor of the basement, bathed in coruscating gems the color of the sunset falling around her like snowflakes. She is silent, but tears drip onto the floor from beneath her closed eyes. She quickly gathers herself to catch up with everyone else, but says nothing.
 
14th, Ascending Wood, Palace-Manse Main Hall


V'neef Mani


26938752.jpg



V'neef Mani is still taken aback by Takeno and his newly minted solar powers. She blushes just the same, but is obviously at a loss for words. For, what would you did if a man that was on fire with the glory of the sun, kneeling kissing your dress? She stood there in awe, but very much less apprehensive "Ok..." she murmurs out, either trying to make herself feel okay with the situation or to acknowledge Takeno in some manor.


Mnemon Zaria


87142341.jpg



When they leave, they do not see Mnemon Zaria at all, but they remember the name of his supposed leader, Denovah Avaku. In fact that name was very familiar if not famous. Little could be done at that time though as they followed Scarlet Whisper.


Scarlet Whisper:


jpgscarlet.jpg



"Come now, let us go speak to The Perfect" Scarlet finishes and leads the group through the town. As they walk out they notice a legion of men standing outside, keeping people back from the rubble "Nothing to see here folks, just a small earth tremor!" the group hears a soldier explain to the crowd. All of them seemed to questioningly look at the Solars and Scarlet as they walked directly towards the palace-manse.


As they walked up the manse they noticed that it was roughly twenty stories tall and that it was perfectly square. Much like the rest of the city it was symmetrical and smack dab in the middle of the city. It too was made of a very dark green rock, but had white marble patterns in the stone. The stairs ascended for quite a bit, some mortals could be seen taking a break in fact walking up. The newly minted exalted did not have to worry about that however, and neither did Scarlet apparently. As they ascended they finally got to roughly the fifteenth floor where stood two large black metal doors. Scarlet waved at the men in the front and they opened the doors with large cranks.


The fifteen foot doors opened with a large grown and a burst of cool air was felt on their skin as they walked inside. Inside the manse there was a bright red carpet leading to a few steps where a large thrown sat atop. The pedestal area seems like it was meant for two chairs, but what has been replaced is just one large ornate golden one. On it, they could see obviously The Perfect with his signature staff. There were pillars that went up to the top of a twenty foot ceiling made of a black and white marble. Like the pillars the floors were also made of this black and white marble, as were the walls. Between each pillar, five on each side, stood a heavily armored guard. There was music playing in the background, but from a location that could not be discerned. With the height of the few steps, The Perfect was given a 'larger then life' feel, which was appropriate with his status.


The Perfect has his head in his hand, elbow leaning on one of the handles of the large golden chair. He looks bored, but when he sees the group he smiles smugly "Greetings!" he shouts excitedly and gets up, walking down the stairs. He shakes the hand of each member and nods to Scarlet "Thank you Scarlet for performing this task on such short notice."


"What brings you to my fine city, my friends?!" he asks joyfully to the group.


Perfect


perfect.jpg
 
Blossom gives the perfect the simplest of reverences... no man should bow before another if not when respect is earned by deeds... unless you're indebted to him and at the moment, they all were.


Your highness, we came here to seek shelter and bring a friend to safety.


Things have... changed for us over a few days, and so we wanted to leave your fine city as peacefully as possible and be on our way.


I understand you may be in need of our skills...
 
Mahir


Before the newly reborn Solars left the ruins of Mani's mansion, Mahir insisted on finding Sunlight and bringing him along. All Delzhan value their horses highly, but the bond that the shaman shares with his palomino stallion is something far closer than even the most skilled Delzhan rider can boast. As the newly reborn Solars travel to the Perfect's palace, Mahir can't help but wonder about the appearance of Sunlight in his life. Was the birth of the God-Blooded colt a coincidence, or fate? Did the young horse bond with Mahir because he was destined to become a Solar, or was it simply because Sunlight liked him?


The party's arrival at the palace of the Perfect banishes thoughts of horses from Mahir's mind. To his mind, the place is both ostentatious and overly austere at once. Why build something bigger than is needed? And if you have gold to spare- which the ruler of a large city obviously would- why not decorate it? Both the Delzhan who live in Chiaroscuro and the nomads who visit love colorful, ornately embroidered clothing and hangings. If it weren't for Paragon's strange laws against color and the fact that Mahir left his city clothes back at his sept's camp, he would be garbed in bright azure and crimson robes with fine embroidery from the hands of his mother and sisters.


Paragon is a very strange place.


Mahir gives the Perfect a respectful bow in the sweeping Delzhan style, glad that he managed to get his veil back in place on the way to the palace. Despite the Perfect's welcoming manner, the Zenith distrusts the man. Paragon is an ally of the Realm, and this enormous block of stone that serves as a palace could all too easily turn into a trap.


As Blossom offers their skills to the Perfect, it takes an effort of will for Mahir to keep his eyes from going wide. Work in this place, where a Dynast literally stands behind the throne? The circle really needs to confer and agree on a plan as soon as possible. In the meantime, maybe Takeno can talk them out of this place with his silver tongue.


"Our recent... change... was most unexpected. We wish only to leave your city in peace, Perfect."
 
14th, Ascending Wood, Paragon's Palace Manse


The Perfect kept the smile on his face which resembled that of a kid in a candy store or a dynast whom just got rewarded with the gift of exaltation. His eyes staired at the group long and hard as if to size them or perhaps to admire what they were, if he had any idea.


"Yes" The Perfect turns to Mahir, hearing his words "Your change was quite sudden and rare, like a wild flower in the deep southern sands." he pauses turning back to Scarlet Whisper whom now stood next to his large throne. Now that they were closer they noticed it was covered in jewels and it had been master crafted with the shape of the signature eye. The Perfect speaks again, with his back turned in a methodical tone "..but it is also much fortuitous... guards, leave us." The guards who had previously stood at attention between each of the pillars leading up to the red carpeted walkway and finally to his throne all scattered until not a sound could be heard in the chamber. "I have searched for the gift you possess for some time and I require your unique exaltation for such an event. It is unconcerning how I know of what you are and more important that I have something you need." He stops talking and turns around to face the group, his face turning from a happy kid to a very somber man "Protection"


Protection, something that the newly ordained Solars would need in the months ahead, something the Perfect seemed to know a little to much about. Though it was no secret that the Perfect himself has been alive for more then a few centuries so this was possibly a fact he had learned through lore. "I ask that you simply return an item to me, located in the Dari of the Mists, not one mile west of here. Do that and I will provide with quite a few contacts to move forward with. If you refuse, I as a dignitary and patron of the Realm will have to have you removed from this city. And... at worst..." he pauses, a smug smile comes over his face "Well, I am sure this is an offer you cannot refuse. I would hate for the Realm to trample all over you. My rare flowers in the south."


Takeno Only:


After some time your vision starts blurring and quite like when you exalt The Perfect's voice drowns out. The floors go from a black marble to a golden color. There are fine silks all over the walls and people enjoying themselves in pools to the left and right of this large court room that you never saw before. The thrown on the large stair case are replaced with two thrones. You see a man on the left side, hunched over. His palm in his face, shaking his head. The Perfect's staff seems to be literally in your hands when you look down...then you snap out of it and your are back to now. The ground is still a sheer black marble. The items to the left and right are gone and the silks are replaced with dark gravel and tapestries of the Perfect himself. The lone chair sits in the back, taking up all the space on the pedestal.
 
Blossom smiles.


She was a lawgiver now, and the first thing she would do would be to run errands for some strange despot... though she is still in shock after her visions and sudden surge of essence, this feels wrong.


But now that they are in the palace of the Perfect, fighting their way out of it was not really an option.


Your highness, unless I misinterpreted the will of the gods, exaltation is a charge from the Incarnas.


The one who receives it can wield great powers, but has an even greater duty to the people of Creation, and the gods have their own reason for their choices.


Exaltation is not a prize that can be claimed, my lord.


She knows her insolence could have terrible consequences, and so she tries to ease the despot's mind.


But if we can help you help us, then we will gladly do so, at the condition that it serves the best interests of Creation.
 
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