Exalted 3rd: To Wound the Autumnal City
- Thread starter Cthulhu_Wakes
- Start date
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
@Skrakes
"Bits and pieces, I must say." A light snoring fills the room from an elderly reveler. "I arrived here only some centuries past, but I've learned some things. The plague swept the north some time in the past before the Contagion. It was quite the scandal, I've seen. Whole cities beaten into blood and horror."
"Bits and pieces, I must say." A light snoring fills the room from an elderly reveler. "I arrived here only some centuries past, but I've learned some things. The plague swept the north some time in the past before the Contagion. It was quite the scandal, I've seen. Whole cities beaten into blood and horror."
Sarky
Drunken master
Samesh:
"We've seen it transform people into something akin to beasts. Is it of the Wyld?"
"We've seen it transform people into something akin to beasts. Is it of the Wyld?"
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
@Sarky
"Possible, but I am no great wielder of the streams anymore. I think that plague is unique to this land, yes. Though if you look back far enough, there may be the Wyld streams leaking in somewhere. I cannot say." And with that-
@Skrakes
He turns to you. "No, doubtful. We had our merry time in this land during the Crusade, but there are so many ruins and layers upon layers of bygone civilization like the sediment of rivers. Anything could have made those, though I'm sure one or two was birthed during the last plague."
"Possible, but I am no great wielder of the streams anymore. I think that plague is unique to this land, yes. Though if you look back far enough, there may be the Wyld streams leaking in somewhere. I cannot say." And with that-
@Skrakes
He turns to you. "No, doubtful. We had our merry time in this land during the Crusade, but there are so many ruins and layers upon layers of bygone civilization like the sediment of rivers. Anything could have made those, though I'm sure one or two was birthed during the last plague."
JayTee
Eight Thousand Club
Yugo
"If what you say is true, it seems that history is repeating itself. The same disease, the same origin." Pondered Yugo.
"If what you say is true, it seems that history is repeating itself. The same disease, the same origin." Pondered Yugo.
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
Vanman
Two Thousand Club
Echo's Lament
There is a pause before the Quicksilver Falcon begins to speak, as if he is debating whether to address this topic with the fae. There is no change in his face when he does finally speak, but there is consideration in his eyes. "You said that nothing here is a natural occurrence, intimating that this disease may be magical in nature. Do you know anything about it or, if not, do you know where we may learn how to combat this virulence? Your aid, of course, will be greatly appreciated."
There is a pause before the Quicksilver Falcon begins to speak, as if he is debating whether to address this topic with the fae. There is no change in his face when he does finally speak, but there is consideration in his eyes. "You said that nothing here is a natural occurrence, intimating that this disease may be magical in nature. Do you know anything about it or, if not, do you know where we may learn how to combat this virulence? Your aid, of course, will be greatly appreciated."
Grey
Dialectical Hermeticist
Radiant Shine
"Treatable," Shine says, distracted, "but a challenge."
He examines his tools, eyes narrow and shrewd, his hand gliding over them like the shadow of a cloud.
She is turning to stone, Shine thinks. She does not bend nor flex, and so even my clever scalpel...
His moustaches twitch. Geomancy is as good as medicine, in this case, and he carefully examines the Fae's wounds, tracing the spread of petrification, following cracks and faults...
He lifts his scalpel as if it were a chisel. He is still and silent, like he too had turned to stone...
And with a martial artist's precision and power, he strikes to crack away the corrupted body and expose the arrowheads for removal.
Which he does, with gentle care and slow fingers.
"Treatable," Shine says, distracted, "but a challenge."
He examines his tools, eyes narrow and shrewd, his hand gliding over them like the shadow of a cloud.
She is turning to stone, Shine thinks. She does not bend nor flex, and so even my clever scalpel...
His moustaches twitch. Geomancy is as good as medicine, in this case, and he carefully examines the Fae's wounds, tracing the spread of petrification, following cracks and faults...
He lifts his scalpel as if it were a chisel. He is still and silent, like he too had turned to stone...
And with a martial artist's precision and power, he strikes to crack away the corrupted body and expose the arrowheads for removal.
Which he does, with gentle care and slow fingers.
Also spending 5m 1w on Wound-Mending Technique, which mercifully grants a pair of 9s
[dice]20967[/dice]
[dice]20967[/dice]
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Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
@Vanman
"I imagine many of the larger nations and holds nearby would have some knowledge or history. Antoo is a rather old city. It stood when our first wave breached the shores of space and time here. Some of the cities here are ancient. Their kenning will be of use to you, I'm sure." The old creature shrugs. "Other good fortune will surely spill across your laps. Interesting times and all."
"I imagine many of the larger nations and holds nearby would have some knowledge or history. Antoo is a rather old city. It stood when our first wave breached the shores of space and time here. Some of the cities here are ancient. Their kenning will be of use to you, I'm sure." The old creature shrugs. "Other good fortune will surely spill across your laps. Interesting times and all."
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
@Grey
Granular scree slowly falls away from the wound in a flow that is as much a landslide as debridement. The pale ochre of her unfederated flesh quivers, tenses. Her good eye wide with horror and hope. Tiny cracks form around the corners of her marble mouth. Gently, slowly, this is how an arrowhead is removed. The first one is surprisingly shallow, dully reflecting firelight when you uncover it. Remarkable craftsmanship even after all these years. Filaments of iron have seeped into her dreamlike flesh. There are few veins and tantalizing glimpses of obsidian bone. A single drop of blue blood snakes out with the arrowhead.
Granular scree slowly falls away from the wound in a flow that is as much a landslide as debridement. The pale ochre of her unfederated flesh quivers, tenses. Her good eye wide with horror and hope. Tiny cracks form around the corners of her marble mouth. Gently, slowly, this is how an arrowhead is removed. The first one is surprisingly shallow, dully reflecting firelight when you uncover it. Remarkable craftsmanship even after all these years. Filaments of iron have seeped into her dreamlike flesh. There are few veins and tantalizing glimpses of obsidian bone. A single drop of blue blood snakes out with the arrowhead.
Grey
Dialectical Hermeticist
Radiant Shine
Expressionless and silent, Shine works slowly to worry free the second arrowhead, and sets them both upon a cloth.
Immediately he examines the ravages of his work, to espy the best means to bind up such a curious wound - unless the Fae's own powers might take over from there.
Expressionless and silent, Shine works slowly to worry free the second arrowhead, and sets them both upon a cloth.
Immediately he examines the ravages of his work, to espy the best means to bind up such a curious wound - unless the Fae's own powers might take over from there.
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
@Grey
With a deceptively soft clink the other arrowhead cracks in half, coming loose in a stream of filaments. The other fragments slide out as if drawn by a magnet. A flood of aqua wells inside the nooks of the wound. Beads like water through limestone. Dripping to the floor, a wreath of phantasmagorical first loves spring from the blood. Tragic romances and ballads given bodily form. Ripples.
Thicket kneels beside you, a white shadow in the braziers. A stick-boned hand reaches out and caresses a polished cheek. Her good eye is welling with quicksilver. The mouth works ever so slightly, marble flakes away from bright, bloodied skin. Shallow cracks appear on her carved tongue.
"Thank you, Exalt." Thicket whispers thickly.
With a deceptively soft clink the other arrowhead cracks in half, coming loose in a stream of filaments. The other fragments slide out as if drawn by a magnet. A flood of aqua wells inside the nooks of the wound. Beads like water through limestone. Dripping to the floor, a wreath of phantasmagorical first loves spring from the blood. Tragic romances and ballads given bodily form. Ripples.
Thicket kneels beside you, a white shadow in the braziers. A stick-boned hand reaches out and caresses a polished cheek. Her good eye is welling with quicksilver. The mouth works ever so slightly, marble flakes away from bright, bloodied skin. Shallow cracks appear on her carved tongue.
"Thank you, Exalt." Thicket whispers thickly.
Grey
Dialectical Hermeticist
Radiant Shine
Shine simply nods, and carefully packs his tools away again. "You are welcome, but I am simply a conduit for His light."
He stands and bows again, once to his patient and once to her husband.
Shine simply nods, and carefully packs his tools away again. "You are welcome, but I am simply a conduit for His light."
He stands and bows again, once to his patient and once to her husband.
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Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
@Grey @Skrakes @Sarky @Vanman @JayTee
The storm that had been raging outside has seemed to calm. The dripping holes in the roof begin to glow as the Sun peeks out from behind the clouds. Coruscating beads of sunlight drip onto the flagstone floors. The ivy on the walls seems to writhe in pleasure at the intrusion. The revelers sleep like babes warmed by mother's hand as brazier mingles with Sun. Haunting columns of light pierce the gloom; tapestries peel down from the walls like old flags.
Thicket composes himself as his wife falls into slumber. "Where shall you go now?"
The storm that had been raging outside has seemed to calm. The dripping holes in the roof begin to glow as the Sun peeks out from behind the clouds. Coruscating beads of sunlight drip onto the flagstone floors. The ivy on the walls seems to writhe in pleasure at the intrusion. The revelers sleep like babes warmed by mother's hand as brazier mingles with Sun. Haunting columns of light pierce the gloom; tapestries peel down from the walls like old flags.
Thicket composes himself as his wife falls into slumber. "Where shall you go now?"
Vanman
Two Thousand Club
Echo's Lament
The smile on Echo's Lament's face is genuine, perhaps - just perhaps - diminishing the hoarseness of his voice. "My mind smiles, my heart sings and my soul capers, good Thicket's Shepard, at the good fortune that comes to you and yours. Your hospitality has been unparalleled and, again, you receive my thanks for such. Perhaps, at some future meeting, the amiable accord we reached at this first meeting will be carried forward. As to where we go now, I hesitate to speak for everyone here but Antoo was our previous destination. Your kind words serve only to reinforce that decision."
Echo's Lament looks at the others in his group and then looks at the sun streaming in the room. "The sun is shining, my friend, and, unless any of my companions have any wish to rest a while - in which case we hope it is not too much to ask for a period of respite before we journey - we should be on our way." A flourished bow follows, a smile once more gracing the minstrel's face. "May your path bring you all that you need and may your heart bring you some of what you want."
The smile on Echo's Lament's face is genuine, perhaps - just perhaps - diminishing the hoarseness of his voice. "My mind smiles, my heart sings and my soul capers, good Thicket's Shepard, at the good fortune that comes to you and yours. Your hospitality has been unparalleled and, again, you receive my thanks for such. Perhaps, at some future meeting, the amiable accord we reached at this first meeting will be carried forward. As to where we go now, I hesitate to speak for everyone here but Antoo was our previous destination. Your kind words serve only to reinforce that decision."
Echo's Lament looks at the others in his group and then looks at the sun streaming in the room. "The sun is shining, my friend, and, unless any of my companions have any wish to rest a while - in which case we hope it is not too much to ask for a period of respite before we journey - we should be on our way." A flourished bow follows, a smile once more gracing the minstrel's face. "May your path bring you all that you need and may your heart bring you some of what you want."
JayTee
Eight Thousand Club
Yugo
Yugo frowned and crossed his arms. He wasn't especially happy about helping a member of the fair folk. Were it up to him, the soulless creatures would be expunged from the face of Creation.
But he was outnumbered and in the Fair Folk's stronghold, and he had no desire to subject his companions to danger they might not be able to handle, so he had kept the peace. "I'm fit to travel." He said, anxious to leave.
Yugo frowned and crossed his arms. He wasn't especially happy about helping a member of the fair folk. Were it up to him, the soulless creatures would be expunged from the face of Creation.
But he was outnumbered and in the Fair Folk's stronghold, and he had no desire to subject his companions to danger they might not be able to handle, so he had kept the peace. "I'm fit to travel." He said, anxious to leave.
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
@Vanman
"Indeed. To you as well. Perhaps we shall all meet again another day."
@JayTee
The female, once stone returning now to flesh due to your allies, looks at you once. Inscrutable, yet there is a feeling of understanding in that one flesh-eye.
@Skrakes @Sarky @Grey
Thicket once more draws himself up. "The road awaits you. Go in peace."
"Indeed. To you as well. Perhaps we shall all meet again another day."
@JayTee
The female, once stone returning now to flesh due to your allies, looks at you once. Inscrutable, yet there is a feeling of understanding in that one flesh-eye.
@Skrakes @Sarky @Grey
Thicket once more draws himself up. "The road awaits you. Go in peace."
Sarky
Drunken master
Samesh:
Shine at work was a wonder. Focused as he was, Samesh caught every move as the physician ministered his strange patient. The deftness, the care, the economy of movement all made something as gruesome as removing arrowheads look almost like a dance. It was enough to make him forget, briefly, the nature of his patient and her husband. Seeing the hope in their faces blossom into joy as Shine saved a patient that by all rights should be a mortal enemy was... Samesh wasn't sure he had the right words to describe it. But it felt right. For better or worse, come what may of the decision, by the Unconquered Sun it felt right. He fought down a smile.
"Yes, with the storm abated we should continue. No doubt the recovering patient could use some peace."
Samesh stared appraisingly at Thicket for a moment, as if to tell him: Remember what happened here. Then, a nod of acknowledgement, and he backed out of the chamber, to await the others outside.
Shine at work was a wonder. Focused as he was, Samesh caught every move as the physician ministered his strange patient. The deftness, the care, the economy of movement all made something as gruesome as removing arrowheads look almost like a dance. It was enough to make him forget, briefly, the nature of his patient and her husband. Seeing the hope in their faces blossom into joy as Shine saved a patient that by all rights should be a mortal enemy was... Samesh wasn't sure he had the right words to describe it. But it felt right. For better or worse, come what may of the decision, by the Unconquered Sun it felt right. He fought down a smile.
"Yes, with the storm abated we should continue. No doubt the recovering patient could use some peace."
Samesh stared appraisingly at Thicket for a moment, as if to tell him: Remember what happened here. Then, a nod of acknowledgement, and he backed out of the chamber, to await the others outside.
Vanman
Two Thousand Club
Echo's comments will come after everyone exits the Fair Folk's domain. If anyone wants to do a final scene in the mansion, this conversation will take place after those scenes. Just so you know.
Echo's Lament
"Well," the bard says in his dissonant croak, "that was unexpected. Radiant Shine, that was expertly done. Regardless of the Fair Folk's actions in Creation, or the animosity felt for what they have done in Creation, we may very well have gained...if not an ally, at least a voice in our favor, should we encounter the Fae again. Let us hope we may utilize such a voice.
"So. Antoo. Twice it has been mentioned, though the genesis of those two sources could not have been more divergent. I believe our course has remained unaltered, yes?" There is a pause as Echo's Lament waits for anyone to object. He continues if there is no comment. "Does anyone have an idea of where we should begin our search? 'The Antoo will be your guide.' is the advice we were given, but, if the Antoo is a city, there are a wealth of options in terms of where to begin the search. My suggestion would be to start in a place of learning, a library or university, if such exists in the Antoo. Should that provide little in the way of answers, perhaps we scour the city itself, sifting for rumors. If all else fails, we simply go where our path takes us, leaving our search in the Unconquered Sun's hands. Thoughts?"
Echo's Lament
"Well," the bard says in his dissonant croak, "that was unexpected. Radiant Shine, that was expertly done. Regardless of the Fair Folk's actions in Creation, or the animosity felt for what they have done in Creation, we may very well have gained...if not an ally, at least a voice in our favor, should we encounter the Fae again. Let us hope we may utilize such a voice.
"So. Antoo. Twice it has been mentioned, though the genesis of those two sources could not have been more divergent. I believe our course has remained unaltered, yes?" There is a pause as Echo's Lament waits for anyone to object. He continues if there is no comment. "Does anyone have an idea of where we should begin our search? 'The Antoo will be your guide.' is the advice we were given, but, if the Antoo is a city, there are a wealth of options in terms of where to begin the search. My suggestion would be to start in a place of learning, a library or university, if such exists in the Antoo. Should that provide little in the way of answers, perhaps we scour the city itself, sifting for rumors. If all else fails, we simply go where our path takes us, leaving our search in the Unconquered Sun's hands. Thoughts?"
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
@Skrakes @Vanman @Sarky @Grey @JayTee
Clouds roil overhead and the earth is sharp with the stench of wet grass. The Sun shines crepuscular, spears the darkened skies. Thunderheads are crawling southwest with great gray spools trailing behind them. Hills unfold before you like love-tossed blankets.
Two days. The hills level out into the greater green sea again. Vast herds of bison and ox-dragons clot the horizon. A pair of crumbled towers brace a china sky. A gutted temple sits lonely in tall grass. The road is lifted onto raised causeways parting through the sea of grass. Great radial roads spiral away. And in the distance, the squat, formidable granite walls of Antoo.
Clouds roil overhead and the earth is sharp with the stench of wet grass. The Sun shines crepuscular, spears the darkened skies. Thunderheads are crawling southwest with great gray spools trailing behind them. Hills unfold before you like love-tossed blankets.
Two days. The hills level out into the greater green sea again. Vast herds of bison and ox-dragons clot the horizon. A pair of crumbled towers brace a china sky. A gutted temple sits lonely in tall grass. The road is lifted onto raised causeways parting through the sea of grass. Great radial roads spiral away. And in the distance, the squat, formidable granite walls of Antoo.
Vanman
Two Thousand Club
Echo's Lament
A broad smile creases the bard's face as he addresses Whisper in his broken voice. "Your words remind me of the old An-Teng curse - May the path of your life travel through the most interesting lands. I won't say your words tempt that fate, Whisper - but they're close." Echo's Lament smiles to take any sting that may appear - unintentionally - in his words. "One thing I am anticipating is a bed. Sleeping under the stars sounds subliminal in the stories, but I, for one, am weary of rocks digging into my back. Let us go forth and secure said bed!"
A broad smile creases the bard's face as he addresses Whisper in his broken voice. "Your words remind me of the old An-Teng curse - May the path of your life travel through the most interesting lands. I won't say your words tempt that fate, Whisper - but they're close." Echo's Lament smiles to take any sting that may appear - unintentionally - in his words. "One thing I am anticipating is a bed. Sleeping under the stars sounds subliminal in the stories, but I, for one, am weary of rocks digging into my back. Let us go forth and secure said bed!"
Whisper
"I would pay jade and jewels, Echo, to lead a dull life. But then the Sun decided otherwise." She stretched, vertebrae popping. Sun? City? She had to maintain her cover for now. "Still, not many nights out of the last few months have I been able to sleep in a bed. I am convinced."
"I would pay jade and jewels, Echo, to lead a dull life. But then the Sun decided otherwise." She stretched, vertebrae popping. Sun? City? She had to maintain her cover for now. "Still, not many nights out of the last few months have I been able to sleep in a bed. I am convinced."
