Exalted 3E - Tale of a Falling Empire IC

[Random Word]

"My hero," Asuna swoons, "Fighting for chocolate? I can scarcely imagine a more noble cause. You had best get to work on that song; I'll hold you to that."

Asuna's mask flickers almost imperceptibly as Harun does her level best to shatter it. Internally she is shocked and her mind races, thoughts running in a thousand directions at once. Was I so careless? Perhaps I have fatally underestimated Cynis Harun - she has run this town for 40 years and our Cynis sisters have ever been some of the few who could keep up with us. That's half of why I like them so much. Does she know, or is she merely testing her suspicion? If she does know, how does she know? Do I graciously admit the point she's scored and accept her price for silence, or try to bluff her into uncertainty?

The unofficial family motto, "When in doubt, lie," guides her. Asuna lets her genuine indignation well up and express itself, eyes flashing angrily, "Oh no, I am not taking responsibility for his harebrained scheme. If he wants to waste his money on a futile attempt to save Satori, that's his own business. I told him exactly how little I thought of his pleas for help - what part of on vacation is so difficult to grasp? - and all the vile rumours in the world to the contrary won't change my mind. Who told you I would be there?"

Asuna watches Harun's reaction carefully - she doesn't really expect to persuade her, but she does want to judge how confident Harun is before she folds and has to owe Harun a favour for keeping her little game a secret.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Read intentions:
4m Socialize Excellency
Socialize 5 + Perception 2 + Stunt 2 = 9 + 2 Successes; 6 total successes

 

[jaydude]

The hunt...
The hunters follow close behind Fel and Satori, bows at the ready, bringing the entire group within medium distance of the hellboar.

Next round begins.
Starting Initiative:
Hellboar = 9
Satori = 7
Fel = 6
Hunters = 4

As both beast and hunters continue to approach each other, the hellboar - once in short range of the group - puts on a burst of speed and rushes at Satori, intending to knock her and her horse to the floor. At the last moment, Satori steers her mount to the side, allowing the hellboar to shoot harmlessly past her, with both Dynast and beast coming to a stop a short distance from each other.

With another yell, Satori raises her daiklave and rides into close range of the hellboar, slashing at its back with the blade of white jade. The sword stroke doesn't cut deep enough for meaningful damage, but it does knock the beast a little off-balance.

[Satori gets 4+ Initiative, Hellboar loses 3.]

Current Initiative:
Satori = 11 (Withering Attack)
Hellboar = 6 (Flurry of Rush and Withering Attack, Rush failed)
Fel = 6 <----
Hunters = 4

Your move, D. Rex . You are at Short range from the Hellboar.

 

[jaydude]

With Asuna and Manato...
"Oh, there's no need to be coy with me." Harun assures Asuna teasingly. "I happen to know about a number of House Sesus's spies within this city, and that one of them was the person who informed me of your meeting. She didn't mention you specifically of course, but seeing as you're currently the only Sesus dynast in Kandara, I had a feeling that you were involved. Am I correct?"

From her observation of Harun, Asuna can't detect any sign that the older woman is making anything other than an educated guess.

 

[Rykon]

Manato merely smiles at Asuna, deciding to distract from allegations of his friend being the kind of grand conspirator her house is known to create. He then turns back to Harun with a shrug "To Asuna's point, I am making an effort to save this territory. She has been my partner in this little project so far. As for calling it a waste of money... well, I was hoping to consult you on that matter, lady Harun and you've largely answered that question already."

"As you know, I've been nurturing an expanding empire of vineyards and wineries, along with some foodstuffs to help sustain both the laborers and surrounding populace. Were it not for the goodwill I strive to maintain, both in my employees and my customers, I am confident to say I would be only a fraction as successful as I've been. I was hoping to get a foothold deeper into the Threshold, both to expand supplies and customer base."

"However, given everything you told me, I've decided any business building will be contingent on how things progress with this Cult of the Illuminated. It will take a great expenditure of both jade and blood to salvage things here, but it doesn't seem completely impossible." Manato juggles a guildsman's medallion over his knuckles idly as he expounds upon some of his endeavors. "I want to start by taking away the reasons to be dissatisfied with Realm administration. Otherwise defeating the Solar will merely sow more chaos. Meanwhile, it looks like we might have to raise our own military just to preserve Threshold interests."

"Assuming this all doesn't unravel in short order, can I count the two of you as longer-term partners in this business? I can't have my lovely associate here work herself silently to the bone with no reward. Likewise, I would feel much better having another friendly face with a keen business sense on board."

Making an Instill roll for Manato to gain Asuna and Harun's trust and loyalty. Adding a full Presence Excellency (4m) and 1 wp for 3 Successess. Dice pool is 8+2 stunt and I think another +2-3 for Appearance. 10 total successes.

 

[D. Rex]

The hunt...
The hunters follow close behind Fel and Satori, bows at the ready, bringing the entire group within medium distance of the hellboar.

Next round begins.
Starting Initiative:
Hellboar = 9
Satori = 7
Fel = 6
Hunters = 4

As both beast and hunters continue to approach each other, the hellboar - once in short range of the group - puts on a burst of speed and rushes at Satori, intending to knock her and her horse to the floor. At the last moment, Satori steers her mount to the side, allowing the hellboar to shoot harmlessly past her, with both Dynast and beast coming to a stop a short distance from each other.

With another yell, Satori raises her daiklave and rides into close range of the hellboar, slashing at its back with the blade of white jade. The sword stroke doesn't cut deep enough for meaningful damage, but it does knock the beast a little off-balance.

[Satori gets 4+ Initiative, Hellboar loses 3.]

Current Initiative:
Satori = 11 (Withering Attack)
Hellboar = 6 (Flurry of Rush and Withering Attack, Rush failed)
Fel = 6 <----
Hunters = 4

Your move, D. Rex . You are at Short range from the Hellboar.

The hellboar and Satori may have stopped. Fel did not.

The dynast gave a flourish of his spear, spinning it before gripping it tight in both hands.


Kicking his horse faster, he poured his essence into the weapon. The spear point becoming a brilliant red streak as he use his momentum to bury the polearm into hellboars hide.

Letting go of the horse with his legs, dismounting himself in the process of the blow and letting the horse run on ahead. The horse was docile, but he hadn't the training to fight properly from horseback.




Charms
Stoking Bonfire Style: excellency, 3mts +3d

Spoiler: Crimson Fang Bite

Crimson Fang Bite
Cost: 3m, 1wp; Mins: Melee 3, Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual, Fire
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Burning Fury Wreath

The Dragon-Blood channels the fury of the flame to strike a devastating blow. She adds (higher of Essence or Strength) to the raw damage of a withering attack, or doubles (Strength) 10s on a decisive damage roll.

3mt, +5d

Withering and

Spoiler: Piercing

This weapon specializes in defeating armor,
either by punching through it or slipping through its weak points. A piercing attack lowers the attacker’s Defense by one until his next turn, and costs one Initiative to attempt. The resulting withering attack ignores 4 points of soak from armor.

Spoiler: Combat calc

Strike Die
Charm: 8
Stunt: 2
Dex+melee: 10
Total: 20

Cost: 6mt, 1init

Strike: 11 successes

Piercing: Ignores 4 points of soak.

 

[jaydude]

With Asuna and Manato...
"If you seek to try and ease the problems caused by the Realm here, you most certainly can count on me in such an endeavor, cousin." Harun assures Manato, giving him a fond smile.

"That said, if you wish to work with me, then I think you deserve to know what my business interests in this city involve." she says, becoming serious as she does so. "You may already know that I own a number of gambling dens, brothels and opium houses here. All to take advantage of vices people can willingly choose to indulge in. But I am also a slaver. I buy slaves from the Guild, and sponsor slaver gangs to raid neighboring tribes, nations, and others who have refused to accept the Empress as their overlord. The human plunder I take, I either sell within this city, or send to the Blessed Isle as part of Kandara's tribute. If you would rather not do business with me after hearing this, I will understand completely, and not hold it against you."

Spoiler: OOC

Harun gains a Minor Tie of Fondness & Trust towards Manato, the Fondness coming from her seeing his earnestness firsthand, plus a faint amount of attraction she has for him.

Also, Rykon , that speech at the end is really just me, the storyteller, addressing you, the player. Just in case you're not comfortable with having your character work willingly with a slave trader.

 

[jaydude]

With Fel...
Fel's spear thrust makes contact with the hellboar's side, the beast squealing angrily from the pain.

With 11 successes, and the Hellboar having its defense reduced by 1 for its attempted flurry earlier, Fel gets 9 threshold successes. The Hellboar has a Soak of 12. Go ahead and roll damage.

 

[D. Rex]

With Fel...
Fel's spear thrust makes contact with the hellboar's side, the beast squealing angrily from the pain.

With 11 successes, and the Hellboar having its defense reduced by 1 for its attempted flurry earlier, Fel gets 9 threshold successes. The Hellboar has a Soak of 12. Go ahead and roll damage.

Does that include the -4 soak from the piercing attack?

Also, forgot to add weapon accuracy. Real quick.

11 threshold successes.
9 wep
5 str

25 withering damage.
-8 soak

17 die

 

[D. Rex]

jaydude

Withering damage: 8succ


Fel: +9 Initiative
Hellboar: -8 Initiative

 

[jaydude]

Does that include the -4 soak from the piercing attack?

Also, forgot to add weapon accuracy. Real quick

Ah. No, it doesn't. This means that the Hellboar's Soak is only 8 against Fel's attack. And with the two additional successes, he gets 11 threshold successes.

 

[D. Rex]

jaydude
That would crash the hellboar, correct?

 

[jaydude]

The hellboar staggers off-balance from the force of Fel's blow, going Into initiative Crash.

Now within short range of the hellboar as a result of its charge on Satori, the Hunters pull back to medium range.

Next round begins.
Starting Initiative:
Fel = 19 <---
Satori = 11
Hunters = 4
Hellboar = -2

Your move, D. Rex

 

[D. Rex]

The hellboar staggers off-balance from the force of Fel's blow, going Into initiative Crash.

Now within short range of the hellboar as a result of its charge on Satori, the Hunters pull back to medium range.

Next round begins.
Starting Initiative:
Fel = 15 <---
Satori = 11
Hunters = 4
Hellboar = -2

Your move, D. Rex

Would that be 19 Initiative?
6+ -1(piercing) +9(withering) +5(crashing)

 

[jaydude]

Would that be 19 Initiative?
6+ -1(piercing) +9(withering) +5(crashing)

Right. Corrected.

 

[D. Rex]

The hellboar staggers off-balance from the force of Fel's blow, going Into initiative Crash.

Now within short range of the hellboar as a result of its charge on Satori, the Hunters pull back to medium range.

Next round begins.
Starting Initiative:
Fel = 19 <---
Satori = 11
Hunters = 4
Hellboar = -2

Your move, D. Rex

Ripping the spear from the beasts hide, he spin the spear again. The blood sizzling on the steel tip. The air around him began to heat up, adding to a slight shimmer as the smoke from the burning blood began to be pulled into the minor vortex of air forming around him.

With cry of ferocity, the tip of spear caught fire as he plunged it into the wound he had just made. Driving it with both into the creature, pushing it towards its heart as he had with anathema before.


Decisive Attack
Stoking Bonfire Style: 6mt/7die
Crimson fang Bite: 3mt/ double(5) 10s for damage

Attack: 17die [15 sux]
Damage: 19die (double 10s) [7 sux]

 

[D. Rex]

Is it possible to stunt damage? Or only attack? jaydude

 

[Rykon]

"I am familiar with the business of our house, yes. I may dislike some aspects of it, but if I want to change it, I have to be the one to give an alternative. Especially when the matter of conquest enters the picture and we start talking about the fate of lives rather than what products or services we offer. Still, at the end of the day, I too sell intoxicants among my wares." Manato gives an apologetic shrug. "For my part though, I find I get higher quality work from free men and women with fair compensation. Perhaps one day, others will see that the taste of my wines and foods are the only examples I need."

 

[jaydude]

With Fel...
The Air Aspect's attack turns out to have greatly injured the hellboar. Satori rides by it moments later, before leaping from her saddle with her daiklave pointed downwards, her anima emerging as a glowing white aura surrounded by a thin layer of lava droplets. She lands in a crouch on the back of the beast and simultaneously drives her daiklave's blade deep into its skull, her momentum driving it down hard against the ground. When she stands up and withdraws her sword, the hellboar gives no reaction other than a small spurt of blood from the wound.

The hunters applaud this display of skill from both Dynasts, but Satori looks at the dead hellboar with a hint of disappointment, as if she'd hoped the encounter could have gone on for longer. After a few moments though, she looks at Fel and gives him a mildly impressed look.

"If this is you with just a mundane spear, no-one will have a chance against you at the helm of a warstrider." she says with a grin.

With Asuna and Manato...
"True, the proper motivation and care can do wonders for quality of work." replies Harun, giving Manato a little smile as if conceding his point. "In the interests of our new agreement, I won't press the matter further, if that's okay with you."

 

[D. Rex]

With Fel...
The Air Aspect's attack turns out to have greatly injured the hellboar. Satori rides by it moments later, before leaping from her saddle with her daiklave pointed downwards, her anima emerging as a glowing white aura surrounded by a thin layer of lava droplets. She lands in a crouch on the back of the beast and simultaneously drives her daiklave's blade deep into its skull, her momentum driving it down hard against the ground. When she stands up and withdraws her sword, the hellboar gives no reaction other than a small spurt of blood from the wound.

The hunters applaud this display of skill from both Dynasts, but Satori looks at the dead hellboar with a hint of disappointment, as if she'd hoped the encounter could have gone on for longer. After a few moments though, she looks at Fel and gives him a mildly impressed look.

"If this is you with just a mundane spear, no-one will have a chance against you at the helm of a warstrider." she says with a grin.

With Asuna and Manato...
"True, the proper motivation and care can do wonders for quality of work." replies Harun, giving Manato a little smile as if conceding his point. "In the interests of our new agreement, I won't press the matter further, if that's okay with you."

Feeling the creatures heartbeat vibrate against the spear in its stillness and then cease as Satori landed the killing blow. Fel would carefully pull his spear from carcass, so as not to give undo damage to the hide.

"You honor me, Lady Satori." He said with a smile, "But it was you who has lead this hunt. Dynasts that hunt hellboar and often pay for their pride in their own blood. Not only did you kill the beast, you have yourself a nigh pristine trophy with not a scratch on you. I think these hunters will be singing your praises upon returning to town. Few are so brave as to leap atop the head of an angry hellboar."

Noting her glum face at the ease if the kill. Fel chuckled, "Take pride from this, not disappointment. I do admit though, I underestimated how effective we would be together."

Fel reached up a hand to help her down. Not that she wasn't able to, but as a friendly (and perhaps flirty) gesture.


(Going to try to roll to instill a positive minor tie for Fel of ST's choice onto Satori. Will it work? Probably not, but I like rolling dice and judging from whats going on in the city, having one of them seen as good by her would do well.)

Social, +stunt: 7die [2 sux]

 

[Rykon]

"Ah, of course. I have no matter to press, save for growing and protecting our mutual interests." Manato replied with a deferential nod and a warm smile. While he held his own values for himself, he figured it best to leave the moralizing or proselytizing to the Immaculates and to let business partners make their own minds up. If she continued as she was, it posed no problem to his agendas anyway. "I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership, Lady Harun."

 

[Random Word]

[Asuna will not assert her resolve against Manato, accepting the Minor Tie of Trust towards him.]

"Oh Manato, I'm going to lose you to some nice, wholesome Nellens girl, aren't I? Still, your success is undeniable. I am taking notes."

"Yes, Lady Harun, we're all reminded of your slave monopoly every time we see the bill to staff a household on the Isle. No need to rub it in. As to your first question, no it is not a coincidence that he-who-shall-not-be-named took my arrival as an opportunity to set his little scheme in motion. He has a schoolboy crush on the Satrap - now having met her, the appeal is not lost on me - and thinks - perhaps quite rightly, given your assessment and our own - that she is going to get herself killed. I remain unconvinced that discretion is not the better part of valour here, but for the sake of Manato's future vinyards and that lovely singing voice I will pledge myself to this little cabal."

 

[Rykon]

"Who's to say how that will all pan out? Have your moms talk with my moms if you want to change that fate." Manato said with a chuckle. "I'm sure mother would be just as grateful to not see her legacy cast into the hands of a banking house."

"As for his plans and wishes, I can make no promises other than that an attempt will be made to encourage her to clean up her own mess before someone else does it for her. I will say if she does fail, I will take no small amount of amusement in holding it over her kin. Imagine a highly lauded top-of-her-class graduate losing territory to a peasant uprising... What a way to represent the rest of us from the Spiral Academy too... Still, I hope he doesn't take it too hard if she proves too stubborn."

 

[jaydude]

With Fel...
Satori gives Fel a smile while taking his hand, as if to say she doesn't need his help, but doesn't mind the gesture.

"I was actually thinking of serving this at some point during the gala." she says, climbing down from atop the dead hellboar. "I had hoped that it would provide more sport for us, though. You know it's said that only foolhardy Dynasts try and hunt down these things, yes?"

[Satori has a Resolve of 4. No new Intimacies established here.]

With Asuna and Manato...
Harun nods, having politely listened to the other two speak. "It would certainly be nice if someone could talk sense into the satrap." she says. "Still though, what's happening here isn't uncommon within the Threshold. Everywhere, the Great Houses drain their satrapies dry, more often than not attempting to abandon them."

 

[D. Rex]

With Fel...
Satori gives Fel a smile while taking his hand, as if to say she doesn't need his help, but doesn't mind the gesture.

"I was actually thinking of serving this at some point during the gala." she says, climbing down from atop the dead hellboar. "I had hoped that it would provide more sport for us, though. You know it's said that only foolhardy Dynasts try and hunt down these things, yes?"

[Satori has a Resolve of 4. No new Intimacies established here.]

With Asuna and Manato...
Harun nods, having politely listened to the other two speak. "It would certainly be nice if someone could talk sense into the satrap." she says. "Still though, what's happening here isn't uncommon within the Threshold. Everywhere, the Great Houses drain their satrapies dry, more often than not attempting to abandon them."

After 'helping' her down, Fel looked over the beast once more. "Then it will certainly be a feast." He stated.

"That is what they say." Fel chuckled. "But we clearly proved them wrong. Perhaps a tyrant lizard will prove more of a challenge." He suggested. "That is, unless you would wish to call it day so soon."

 

[Random Word]

Asuna shakes her head, "Lady Harun, I fear I am nowhere near sufficiently inebriated for a discussion on Satrapial management and greatest grandmama's succession policy. I wouldn't wish to bore you by advertently saying something politic. I will take that as my cue to depart, but it was a pleasure to meet you and I look forward to seeing you again at the gala, where I will be sure to rectify this great failing of mine." Asuna, sets her tea down, rises smoothly to her feet from seiza, bows low to Cynis Harun, and makes her exit. Never give candid political opinions to a Cynis unless you'd be willing to shout them from the eves. Besides, the House of Bells is where one goes to learn how to make Satrapies and the Spiral Academy where one learns how to lose them. She would leave mismanagement to the experts.