Exalted 3rd: To Wound the Autumnal City

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Vanman


A magnum opus of organization lies before you. This will surely speed everyone along the paths to maximizing what and where information can be found. Twenty or more books rest in heaps.


Of note, the stele.


Ancient is the right word. Older than anything you've certainly ever seen. A supple and heady prose was the painting brush of this author. Very evocative in relatively few words. The language it uses to describe the plague is almost like describing a monument or an edifice. The dialect is very strange at times--referring to the presence of the Lady Moon and 'hubris from time immemorial.'

Spoiler

Dewey, you fool! Your decimal system has played right into my hands!

 

[Skrakes]

Whisper


Whisper had little head for academics. She was given liturgies and dogmas and she memorized them. The actual philosophical basis of the Heterodoxy came from others, and she learned it for Ingrid. She has little head for this. Whisper drifts amid the shelves, studying the tapestries. She has little head for such a thing. What she may do, however, is tease out information of those who do. She wanders along until she finds a promising-looking scholar. Perhaps a young one, rather reedy, head in the clouds. She slips up beside him, rubbing shoulders as she leaned over the book. "What do you study so intently?" She had already checked, of course, what he was studying. Now it was just a question of getting his attention... shoulder pressed to his, her brow furrowed thoughtfully.

Spoiler

Activating Mastery of Small Manners, making me immune to local faux-pas. Then I'll sling a 3 extra dice at the socialize roll.


[dice]23072[/dice]


[dice]23073[/dice]

 

[Sarky]

Samesh:


Samesh was slightly agog at Echo's speedy referencing work. "I wish I'd known you back when I was compiling my cases for the courts of Great Forks, Echo. Speaking of which... Hmm. The saying goes 'crime is a disease', so perhaps the reverse may also be true..."


Humming snatches of Echo's clever melodies for reference, Samesh carefully selected a pile to investigate. He was no doctor or great historian, but he knew crime and law. There would be plenty of both involving the plague down through the centuries; Through the lesser crimes that it caused, Samesh would come to know the plague. The plague itself was, he felt in his heart, a crime against Creation.


He read voraciously. The locations of villages quarantined by some edict. Records of riots or looting as outbreaks caused panic. Orders for digging mass graves or funeral pyres. Testimony from healers, or accusations against charlatans. Contracts made with spirits as the people looked for divine intervention, or the execution of those who turned to the demonic out of desperation. The legal proceedings of the Crown Lands may weave a history as vivid as the very tapestries hanging on the walls.

Spoiler

Gonna roll me some Wits+Lore, plus Echo's 4 bonus dice, plus a WP for 1 auto-success, plus any stunt, if applicable


[dice]23075[/dice]

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Skrakes


A sputtering exhalation lost to your ears.


Collecting himself, he reads like a book from the sweat breaking on his brow to the fright-curled toes in his sandals. There's a craving for knowledge, a love of ordered books, a thirst for answers. He's terrified of the Librarians, but values this place as a second home. Maybe his only real home. Ink stained fingers, trembling limbs. He's deftly taking down notes from an old tome.


"Th-The elements that lead to the outbreak of beastial plague during what some thinkers call the Shogunate Era. It erupted from somewhere in Midland District, a once fruitful district of the era. It, its damiyo, its whole population, died during the Contagion. But I think I've traced through enough references and sources to begin a trace that becomes evident to me that an outbreak occurred there."


He draws out a map of the Old Crown Lands only a few decades out of date. In the center of the map, as always, the Spokes and the City. He pushes with a grimy finger northward, toward latter-day Tudor and its myriad neighbors. "This region. Though I'm not exactly sure where. Maybe the dead capital of the district."

Spoiler

You've read him completely and can begin any sort of social influence you'd like. If it had been Resolve or Guile, you'd have smacked his ratings in the face. Reference pg. 213 and onward.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Sarky


Records date back to the Shogunate with some unconfirmed and undated reports inbetween. Much like the tapestries on the wall depict, there was at least one great outbreak. Something you recall the fae, Thicket's Shepherd, comes to mind saying:

"...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..."



​

Seems he spoke true. Here are the facts: An issuance of states of emergency from the Midland District Observation Council; thirteen edicts from monarchs, councils, and lesser daimyo to stem travel and trade; two regional calls for draft classes of young men reaching fighting age; One hundred quarantine notices for villages, cities, and towns that, apparently, once called this region home. Proscription of the ill and summary executions for those too far along. An account of three cities burned to ash and the soil sown with salt.


A titanic clash happened somewhere near the dead city worshiped by this Metropolitan cult. Ten times ten thousand beasts upon the field, it claims, driven to bloodlust and backed into one of the Spokes by a force of allied regional armies and local gods three times their size. The author's penmanship wavers, talking about how it was 'a near run thing.' The account ends mid-mention of a fae incursion only days later.


Account after account from the early outbreaks to full-on war.


Another reads: "...we kept all our ill in the Immaculate Temple, the monks washing their wounds and soothing the horrors of transformation. When the local lord found out what happened there, all were put to the sword. The risk of eternal damnation and dishonor in the eyes of the Five Elemental Dragons means nothing. Everyone is afraid. Everyone is mortal."


Another: "...dead stir and watch. Shades seen walking the now deserted roads, clad in veils and morbid laughter. Our ancestors mock our pain saying, 'We warned you. O how you would not heed the legends of your mothers!' The stars gutter like candles at night. The rest of Creation sings and lives and dies as it always has. Only we seemed to be damned. Great Mother, help us. Cease your mocking watch!"


And more: "...the Chosen was a criminal, we know that much. He stands guilty of murder and arson. Our exorcists and assizes have visited the site and seen no mention of this 'ravenous hunger' he spoke of. Only the bones of burnt children and women. While only one discrepancy has been found, it was attributed to the warping nature of Heshiesh's purview. Placed in stocks of adamant glass, Ingwe-of-the-Tears awaits execution five days hence by noble askari..."


More: "Hereby the town of Imicha is to be fired house and board until it is ash for purposes of holding back the disease. All afflicted villagers will be screened and put under the care of Aethalas Camp..."


Finally: "Windham, which has endured martial law for five years, is being given over to the care of Willowear's Court. The forest shall reclaim what we leave standing..."

 

[JayTee]

Yugo





While he didn't looking, being muscle bound and having calloused knuckles that suggested a life of hard labour and thuggery, Yugo was actually a bit of a scholar, although he kept that to himself.


Thus, when entering the library, he intuitively knew where he would most likely find what the books that contained what he was looking for. Guided by preternatural instincts, the ex-prince meandered about the library, picking out books and tomes seemingly at random, but each he knew contained at least one nugget of precious truth.


Once he felt he had what he needed, he settled down at a desk to read.

Spoiler

Int 3 + Lore 5 + 4 bonus dice + 5 dice via excellency = 17 dice for 8 successes

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@JayTee


There were legends of the Crown's difficulty with the plague even in your own kingdom. The whole of the Hundred Kingdoms whispered often about the strange goings on in the Old Crown Lands, strangest corner of the 'lands of adventure' that were the Kingdoms. As far as you know, the plague has never made it over the treacherous Golgi into the rest of the Hundred Kingdoms. Heavy is the weight of those who wear the Crown. Sage advice outside the region for monarchs and leaders of all sorts, but especially bittersweet inside the Old Crown Lands.


There's much to be found in the scrolls and tomes at hand, but an entry in an otherwise innocuous personal journal catches your eye.


The testament of one Sesus Madrigal Ishii, a fairly renowned explorer from the Isle. Her time was near the beginning of the Realm when the Empress wrested control of the Defenses, but for nearly two centuries she went forth and explored the strange new Creation left behind by the Contagion. Rediscovering ancient relics, cities, peoples upon the relic-airship Empress' Light.





What follows is an account of their first days in the Old Crown Lands.


"...Shade Rock Convention warned us about the destroyed manse, but the monks with us ignored their consultation in favor of their own ideas on spilling energies. Their delays cost me the lives of my brother and four crew. It is as we feared, the behemoth we slew outside the ruins of Mindami grew out of the dragon line corruption after the remnant Fae detonated the manse. An example was made of the abbot for his hubris. His hands now hang from my belt, as the Empress commanded I do of all dissenters, for he will write no more edicts against my wishes. This mission cannot be tainted by factional wars for influence.


We've come too far..."


"...scouts report the first hints at the mysterious ruin the locals whisper about. Whole villages dead to Contagion and the people here seem to fear this place more than others. Strange days. It is more than hundred leagues off, and yet they fear. The scout had left us three weeks ago and returned gaunt and silent from his ordeals. Only after a warm meal and some sleep would he speak of what he'd seen. Whole battlefields of the dead and the glittering glass giants of the Fae still roaming the countryside. Dead villages and cairns unwilling to open to a friendly call. And the titanic city resting at the heart of this blasted region.


A gangrenous elder dying of the last stages of Contagion told us to ''ware the Moon and the glowing limestone [of the city]' and repeated again and again about the howling of the wolves. We've seen very few beastmen in the region and only a few possible sightings of damnable Moon-Touched Anathema. Was this what he warned us about?"


"...I find myself missing Esso more and more lately. The nights are lonely and my thoughts dark. We flew over the ruin of ruins today. I've never beheld a city so massive. Even the old capital of the Anathema on the slopes of Mount Meru seems minuscule compared to this. Something like a white rot painted on to the earth. The valleys and plateaus were barren and covered in more ruins. At times the watchmen swore they heard pipe music playing on the wind. I myself heard something...like a beast screaming in pain, but I cannot be sure.


Osman finds the whole thing unsettling. And after the year we've had across the face of Creation and the past two weeks here in the old Districts...I worry when the sorcerer is frightened. Something calls to him in his sleep."


No explanation is given as to how the journal ended up here. It is said her collection of journals and reproductions of such were wholly complete in the Realm's grand library in Imperial City.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@JayTee @Vanman @Skrakes @Sarky @Grey


A bell strikes the hour twice before the Librarian returns with another in tow. This one appears kin to the first with ruddier fur and a full ermine robe stitched out of a talon's worth of robes. "Gentlemen, lady. It's been some time. Have your endeavors been fruitful?" The robed Librarian will quietly and carefully gather up any journals or scrolls or tomes not being currently used and shuffle off to start replacing them in their proper homes. "I trust some enlightenment was gained?" He stands aside for a few studious newcomers entering the room, dispersing among the stacks.

 

[Sarky]

Samesh:





Frowning at the copies he had made of a sheaf of reports, as if daring them to lie to him, Samesh nodded.


"Precious little that makes much sense, but more than we had coming in, thank you. I had heard the plague began not long before the Raksha invaded, reports here confirm it. I could almost almost believe it softened the region up for the attack if not for... There's a touch of the Wyld about it, but it doesn't feel right. Outbreak and quarantine reports show it came from the north of the region. There's mention here of a desperate battle against the bestial victims of the disease, a hundred thousand of them barely defeated by a much larger force near that strange city. I don't care how bloodthirsty they were, they needed strategy and discipline to cause such trouble for an alliance of armies and local gods. But who could lead them? Who would even be willing? Why would they choose a last stand with their back against this city when other tactics might have defeated the region's forces? And why has the sickness never spread beyond the Crown Lands, despite centuries of opportunity?"


His shoulders sagged with an exasperated sigh. So many questions. Perhaps if they gathered more they might start to become answers.


"There was reference to the court of a being named Willowear. Forest God or elemental, perhaps. Took ownership of a town called Windham. I wonder are they still alive. There are divine courts nearby, aren't there? The Shade Rock Convention, at least. They may know more..."

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Sarky





"I'm sure there's been much speculation over the centuries, but truth be told it's never been something pursued by interested parties. Most can't even travel near the city due to the Towering See. The Metropolitan faith has made that area very risky for scavenger lords, savants, and honestly those of a different belief altogether. They take little pity on trespassers who aren't pilgrims."

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@JayTee @Vanman @Grey @Skrakes @Sarky


"Is there any way else we may be of assistance?" The Librarian asks, disdainfully plucking orange hairs from his doublet. "Some liken this library to be the universe itself put through a sieve, all the tiniest details wrapped in vellum or papyrus. If you've questions, we may have answers. If not, I bid you good scholarship and enjoy the city. History awaits around every corner."

Spoiler

Feel free to post, but everyone take ten experience!

 

[JayTee]

Yugo





"Something to write on, and something to write with." Said Yugo. "I have a feeling we're going to need to compare notes."

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@JayTee


A few lowly workers will bring up a pot of squid ink and quill pens. Fine vellum sheaves and a firm mahogany writing board. The Librarian leans over you to look at the vast array of books. "Aye. I'd say all of you have been quite the busy little hive of bees...."

 

[Sarky]

Samesh:


"I would like to make a formal request to view whatever material on the plague has been locked away. I understand such authorisation may take time of course. Other than that, thank you kindly for providing all that you have so far, it is very much appreciated. I am indebted." Samesh bowed in respect.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Sarky





He'll pluck a tiny pad of paper out of a satchel buried in the fur at his hip. Scribbles a notation while nodding gravely to you. "I'll see if the Archivist will make an exception."

 

[Skrakes]

Whisper


Whisper knocks on her forehead. "I see. I'm afraid I have not the head for academics... I've always been drawn to those who are, you know? It's very impressive... Scholarly work is the work that directs us toward what is truly important... If only someone would help me..."

Spoiler

Trying to instill an intimacy of puppydog affection toward Whisper. Rolling manip+socialize.


[dice]23592[/dice]

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Skrakes





The battle for aiding you or not wages across his face before capitulating to your favor. "See, it-it goes like this. Whenever one of these outbreaks occurs, it's slow, takes time to fester. Outlying populations and the like. It moves like a shadow, quietly seeding the populace. Blood has long been the theorized method of transference. But Midland? It's like it simply manifested and took the capital in one fell swoop. There are very few entries from that era, even among their rival, Tudor.


"Here, 'there came a terrible light and wailing from o'er the hills toward Midland. The night sky lit up like the whole world was aflame....' That from a journal kept by a visiting dignitary of the time. I think it's somewhere among the shelves still. Some called it the vengeance of Heaven or perhaps the wrath of the Dragons for impiety. Which doesn't exactly hold up. Look at the ruins all across this land. You'll find dilapidated Immaculate temples right alongside the new."

 

[Grey]

Radiant Shine





Shine doesn't even look up from the anatomical text he's perusing, bushy eyebrows twitching like angry caterpillars. Also open beside him is a map of local dragonlines, a scroll on geomancy, and a series of diagrams depicting Shogunate weapons.


[dice]23895[/dice]


[dice]23896[/dice]

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Grey


Several things become apparent in the descriptions of sufferer symptoms: the elongated fingers, the sharpened canines, faces beginning to distort bestially under some unknown torsion--all signs you saw in Chol's wife. The few charcoal sketches look much the same. An illuminated manuscript from several centuries previous recounts autopsies performed by the medically-minded monks.


"...organs much the same and, seemingly, as wholesome as found in those unaffected by plague. The warping to the cranium and cancerous lesions upon the brain, however..."


"...after the Dajjal Horde swept out of the foothills and clashed with Ishtere's godly legion, there were plenty of specimens to pick from. With his blessing, we took a paddock's worth..."


"....too far gone for our ministrations. The young Cayu boy assaulted Brother Meng, wounding him grievously. Raving like a madman, blood on his lips, the boy screamed that we were all horrid beasts to be killed. He has been sequestered in the king's tower under his watch and guard..."


Drastic measures were enacted. Caged 'volunteers' were studied, observed, all in an effort to study the plague. The record stops abruptly, the manuscript takes a different tack onto worldly matters unrelated.


That said, the intervention of the divine in these matters is well recorded and noted. Local courts and regional gods took up arms to defend their realms of power and their followers. Ishtere's Godly Legion and the Red-Eyed King were two notable combatants of the plague eras. But it seemed only the divine of the Crown Lands gave any notice. If any gods outside the Crown or in the greater region that would become the Hundred Kingdoms knew of the plight, they gave no sign. As stated in some of the documents, it's as if the outside world ignored the horrors loose in the Crown Lands

 

[Vanman]

Echo's Lament


“So,” says the bard, his voice a scratchy growl, “we have a lot of information. Here’s how I see it. Feel free to jump in with corrections or addendums as you see necessary.” Echo’s Lament begins pacing, hands clasped behind his back, a thoughtful look on his face.


“Here are the facts as I’ve been able to suss them out. The plague centered on the Midland district, as it was mentioned at least four times in the relevant pieces of information we have. A possible starting place may be near the city of Tudor - or this may be the location of the Midland. I’m not clear on this point. A gargantuan city was also mentioned several times, as was the Metropolitan city and/or cult. Are these one and the same? Is there only one titanic city or are there several titanic cities? If anyone knows about this Metropolitan entity, this would be extremely helpful.


“Now, this has been mentioned several times - the plague seems to be confined to the Old Crown Lands. No one seems to know why, but we do know that the divine of the Old Crown Lands were the only ones to pay attention to the plague. Why is that? There was also a mention of the Shade Rock Convention - which is a gathering of the gods of the area. This may be an excellent place to start.


“Speaking of the Shade Rock Convention, there was mention of a manse that was destroyed by the fae, with a corresponding mention of of a behemoth that grew from the corruption of the dragon lines caused by the detonation of the manse. The behemoth was slain. Did THIS have anything to do with the plague? Might want to ask the Shade Rock Convention.


“There were a couple of mentions of Lady Moon and/or the Moon. Is this a god? Is this Luna? Is this a reference to Luna’s Chosen? I’m not sure, but it’s something to keep in mind as we go forward. It may be that we will learn more as we move forward.


“There are a couple of other elements that did not have prominent mention but that were interesting. The first is the mention of shades coming back and saying they warned their ancestors. Warned them of what? The plague? Again, I don’t know what this means, or if it’s important, but it caught my eye.


“I have only one more thing to bring up. There was one mention in the notes that one of the symptoms said that one of the infected started yelling that the people around him are beasts. I seem to recall a similar symptom in one of the people we dealt with and/or were told about. I don’t know what this has to do with anything, but it stood out in my mind.”


Echo’s Lament pauses and looks around. “So. The big question. Where do we go from here? I see two, maybe three choices right now. The first is the Midlands itself, but I imagine that’s a big undertaking. The second is the Metropolitan, as, from what I can tell, it still exists. The third - and, in my opinion, our best - option is the Shade Rocks Convention. I know they’re supposed to be meeting soon. I say we make that our first destination. But that’s only a suggestion. What say the rest of you?”

Spoiler

@Grey @Skrakes @Sarky @JayTee @Cthulhu_Wakes
I did this as a summation and a starting off point so we can decide where we go from here. I have created a document with what I feel are the important bits of the information we gathered. If you wish to view it, you can see it here. I look forward to what comes forth.

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Vanman @Skrakes


"Do not forget," chimes in a rather flushed scholar a few tables over trying to edge back from Whisper, "Midland is one of the more recent outbreaks. Some centuries past!"

 

[Sarky]

Samesh:


"That sounds about right. The plague has had centuries to spread, but it hasn't, and only the spirits of the Crown Lands seem to care, or even notice. I know gods can be extremely focused on their personal domains, but it's a foolish god who doesn't keep an eye on threats to its purview. Unless ordered to do so, perhaps. That, and the dead coming back to say 'we warned you!', makes it all sound... Personal. Like punishment or revenge. That's a worrying thought."


"The Shade Rock Convention sounds like the next logical lead. The road spirit Echo and I met a couple of weeks ago said they like to keep up with regional gossip, and according to these records they have existed since before the early days of the Realm. They may have witnessed the dawn of the plague first hand. Once we're done with the city, I think we should find the Convention."


"Nine hells, they'll love you two", Utapa had said. Well now there are five of us. We may well see if gods can shit Essence.

 

[Grey]

Radiant Shine





"The Crown Lands are a mausoleum, Lament," Shine says, idly memorizing more diagrams. "Kingdoms have risen and fallen on this spot, forgotten, compressed like ash beneath bonfires lit and extinguished and lit again. But the City is constant."


He looks sidelong at Whisper, moustaches twitching with a playful smirk.


"But the Metropolitans tend to belligerence. I agree the Shade Rock Convention should be first - and I have a notion our... friend in the manor house may prove more useful than they are inclined to admit."

 

[Cthulhu_Wakes]

@Grey @Skrakes @Vanman @Sarky @JayTee


So it goes.


The Sun has caught the Moon in the sky like flaring ends of a tunnel whose terminus lies beyond reason. Dusk. The hills are carpeted in ocher and violet. Pink cirrus melding into approaching night. The city is alight with lanterns and electrum sigils buried in the roads coming to life, marbling the city like sunlight on water. A storm clambers from the south, revealing itself one flash at a time, each looming larger and fiercer only to seep back into gathering dark.


The Library slowly sets into evening watch. More automata like the door guards patrol the halls. A tense, sudden hush seems to fall upon those inside, though none are alarmed. The Librarians vanish save for the titans watching the Front Desk.


Directions to a nearby inn of some repute are given. What looks like a rustic country home set in sprawling courtyard, burbling brook, cottonwoods, a quaint cobbled path. Drastically out of place in the built-up, ancient nature of the central city. Very few guests and those present near the roaring fireplace pay you little mind. A strange painting backs the mirror-topped bar: a staircase in the middle of a wood leading up to nothingness. Brass-antlered elk stride peacefully through the scene. The sound of birdsong is faint enough to seem like a dream. And a man (woman?) comes striding down the stairs and takes a loooooong step out of the painting to pick up the bar rag. Nods respectfully as you enter.


"What can I find five weary guests of the City History Carved?" It asks in a voice like snapping twigs.

 

[Sarky]

Samesh:


"Good evening, inkeep. We were hoping to get some rooms for the night."


Samesh pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes tired after the day's research.


"And I for one could do with a strong drink."