Exalted 3rd: To Wound the Autumnal City

Echo's Lament





A rueful smile plays once again in Echo's Lament's face. "That's where you and I are different, my friend. Perhaps it's all the stories I learned, or the songs I sing, but the thrill of adventure calls to me, my friend. Interesting lands, indeed." The musician is lost in contemplation for several moments and then suddenly shakes his head. "But not tonight! Tonight, there is wine, companionship and bed! Not necessarily in that order. Then tomorrow - Antoo!!!! We start something grand here, lady and gentlemen. I can feel it."
 
Samesh:


"Sickness can spread like wildfire in an unprepared city, I hope they have taken precautions against the plague. Gifted as Radiant Shine is I'm sure he'd rather not have to cure an entire city. We're sure to find answers to a great many things here, come what may."
 
Radiant Shine





"But first," Shine smiles, with a glance at Echo's Lament and then to Samesh, "let us answer the question; how much is the local wine?"
 
@JayTee @Grey @Sarky @Vanman @Skrakes





Turns out only two shekels of local silver and a wish of good health. A small wooden sign reading Ten Pillars and an incongruously well-appointed courtyard light by torches. Iron gates. The inn is nestled at the base of one of those looming towers. Its walls are cobbled together from the tower's opalescent, disfigured stone and local clay. A strange meeting of the Ages at its very foundation. The ceiling is low and timbered, the roof well thatched. Twenty more miles to the city, the owner tells you.


"Looks a hell of a lot closer because of the grasslands. That, and them walls are proper huge." He lets out a gruff chuckle. "Where you lads from?" He throws a strange look at Samesh and the slab of metal on his person. "Uh, just so you know, uh, sir, they peace bond weapons in Antoo."
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Samesh:


"An interesting policy, that. I can see the benefits." For the rulers and the black market both.


Samesh handed over his silver. "I'm sure the city guard know how to keep things peaceful. How are things in Antoo? We've met our share of fellow travellers who say this or that village isn't doing so well with the plague and all."
 
@Sarky





"Luckily, it hasn't wormed its way west yet. Seems to be holding onto the marshes and some of the small townships bordering it." He passes out a few platters of bread and salt and wine. Wiping his hands on an old canvas apron, he frowns. "Strange, strange talk coming out of that area with every passing week. Antoo, at least, stands as it always has, free and unhindered. Most gorgeous mosaics in the whole Crown outside some ruins and Tudor up north."
 
Yugo





Despite himself, Yugo couldn't help but look at the callouses on his knuckles at the mention of peace bonding a weapon, and wondered how that law applied to him. "Mosaics of what?" he asked, carefully hiding his hands behind his back.
 
@JayTee





The innkeeper smiles broadly. "True newcomers to the Crown, eh? Let me tell you something special about Antoo, then. There are no libraries or universities within the city. Well, that's not entirely true, there are centers of learning, but in a very real sense Antoo is built out of its history. Every road, every wall, every building, is covered in mosaics dating thousands of years back. Some are destroyed, some are kept in private blocks by the rulers, but the whole of the city's history is quite literally on the walls. Dating back further than most savants can quantify."
 
@Skrakes


"There are several salons in the city where philosophers and other learned men gather. Most popular one has no name. Simply a pergolas set near a very ancient dais once used by a long dead dynasty. Sort of a well-known and loved landmark within the city."
 
Samesh:


"You paint a very pleasant picture of the city, sir. It sounds like art and learning are held in high regard."


He chuckled, "If I were a cynical man I'd be half-expecting some sort of catch."
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Echo's Lament





The bard's eyebrows rise as he listens to the man explain the education in the city. "Now this - this is how learning should be! Discussions. Debate. Deliberation. I must say, the thought of experiencing the wonders of Antoo pull at me strongly." A pause. "But perhaps not so strongly as to deny myself another glass of this fine wine! After we have finished our repast, Lady and gentlemen, should we amble into Antoo, to see what can be seen?"
 
@Vanman @Sarky


"Ha, indeed." The innkeep returns for a bottle more of rice wine and sits again. "Antoo is troubled as all cities are troubled: graft, thievery, etc. The people don't seem too bothered by it. Though they have the strange acclimation of the wondrous made mundane in that they see the mosaics and know the culture of their city so well. Get bored with sightseers who draw them away from the Ramble, the ongoing debates. Proud nationalists the lot of them, though. Those walls have seen much and more smash against them since men first tread this grass."
 
Whisper


Whisper is still on her first glass. She eyes her companions thoughtfully. They're bigger. They have bigger livers. Life is truly unfair.


"What sort of things have laid siege to those walls?"
 
@Skrakes


Old man leans back, lets out a blustery sigh. "Gods above, what hasn't? Century past it was Tudor, before that a great rampaging beast from whence no one knows; the faithful hordes of the city-worshipers when they gained prominence, the legions of the Red Harlot, the dead, all manner of challengers, miss."
 
Yugo





"That's quite a diverse list of foes knocking on your doors." Yugo said, taking a sip of his own wine. "I'm surprised you've managed to last this long. What's your secret?"
 
Echo's Lament





The bard laughs heartily and there is amusement in his croaking voice. "An old adage comes to mind, my friend: Those who fight and run away live to fight another day. There is much wisdom in that strategy. The efficacy of this approach is apparent in the inn we sit in. Because, well...we sit in it!" A large smile follows Echo's Lament's words.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yugo





Despite himself, Yugo couldn't help but smile. "Cheers, old man." He said, rising his cup.
 
@Grey @Sarky @Vanman @Skrakes @JayTee






Chapter Two: Weathered Histories



​



Ascending Air, RY 768, Antoo





The Processional, the grand avenue leading into Antoo, is a crawling scroll of history set into the very flagstone. Copper suns made from the ancient ax-heads of aboriginal settlers. Great yeddim and bulls of gypsum hunted by flint men side-by-side with fields of arabesque mosaics lifting the city through strange Ages of nameless inhabitants gone by the wayside. There is a peaceable silence about the Processional and its surrounding agora. Decorative columns crowned in bay line the avenue, telling the stories of many great citizens and families.


The ones closest to the center of the city, the innkeep mentioned, are little more than upturned megaliths crudely chiseled by a disappeared folk. Throngs of people clot the agora and the arcades radiating outward. Women wearing richly colored kokoshniks solemnly walk up and down the lanes with perfume censers performing an ancient benediction. Fires guarded by martial men in cassocks stand in the center of each separate agora.


Layabouts stand clapped atop tall pillories and shout their innocence to the sky above, opening discourse with incorporeal air. Crowds of people criticize their points with good humor. A people with great esprit. A feeling of togetherness and identity, a hallowed sub-category.


Glances both critical and appraising assail you from the moment you cross the city threshold. Each seemingly asking, 'What do you bring?'
 
Echo's Lament





Looking around, the Quicksilver Falcon takes in the panoply of the Antoo, describing itself around himself and his companions. Echo's Lament has seen many cities in his travels, but this one is unique in its perspective, and unique in its history. The question now is, where does their search begin? They were given direction, to be sure. Their patron clearly guided them to this place. But, now that they're here, the question becomes...where is the beginning? Where do they start?


As his eyes take in the sites around him, Echo's Lament speaks to his companions in a low voice, the volume of which fails to disguise the discordant scratching of the once mellifluous voice. "I admit to some loss of initiative here, ladies and gentlemen. We were pointed to the Antoo but, now that we're here, our next step is not so clearly defined. The innkeep mentioned two possibilities that seem meritorious in our search. The first is the salon he remarked upon, a gathering of learned men. The other possibility is the Ramble, though this seems to be less inclined to meet our purpose. Debates generally fail to produce treatises on history, and history involving magical plagues even less. But, again, we may be able to make contacts there that will mitigate our search.


"My suggestion is we visit the gathering of learned men at this pergolas set near a very ancient dais once used by a long dead dynasty. If our efforts come to naught in this arena, then we move on to the Ramble. These are only suggestions, however. If someone has a better idea, I am open to alternate contributions. Now that we're here, I find myself eager to begin our pursuance of those presentiments that will lead us to our goal. So. What say you?"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Whisper


Why, these five bring the puissance of the Unconquered Sun, of course.


So, historically, they bring death and ruin.


That aside, Whisper walks beside her companions, wrapped in her cloak.


"I see no use in anything else, Echo. Let us go find these sages. If they do not know of this plague, they will know someone who will."
 
Echo's Lament





The Quicksilver Falcon nods at Whisper's words. "Sages it is, then, unless anyone has any objections? No? Very well then." The bard turns to a man on the street. "Excuse me, good sir, but - and I beg pardon for my voice, I know it is difficult to hear - I was wondering if you might direct us to the pergolas, the gathering of sages we have heard so much about. We would be beholden to you for any facilitation you might provide."

I am moving on with the understanding that no one has any objections to this course of action. If there ARE objections, please make them and I will amend my post appropriately.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 4 (members: 0, guests: 4)

Similar threads

Sora No Kami
A vicious dance with death (RP 1x1 based on the song "My R") TW: Self-loathing, Suicune
Replies
1
Views
143
Sora No Kami
Sora No Kami
Back
Top