Exalted Essence: The Young Exalts and the Sea IC

[Sherwood]

Most Assurant Is a bit upset with herself that the creature was able to shrug off her essence cannon so easily. Now there is one of these things threatening her directly. Time to up her game.

Bracing herself, she unleashes a powerful blast of pure essence at the creature, knowing that with the point blank shot she'll be a bit more vulnerable, but it has to be done.

Withering attack using the Powerful keyword
9 successes

Spoiler

Health Levels
-0 [ ][ ]
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ]
I [ ]

Essence: 1
Motes: 5

Virtues
Major - Loyalty
Minor - Discipline

Intimacies
Major - Loyalty - "One must strive to serve the greater good for the people."
Minor - Discipline - Order is the bulwark against chaos.
Minor - Loyalty - "The loyalty I show to my comrades defines me."

Defense: 5
Soak: 1 (+1 from Hearthstone)
Light Armor - Chain Shirt - +1 Soak
Hardness: 3

Resolve: 4

Essence Pulse Cannon
Accuracy +1, Damage +3, Overwhelming +2 - Heavy, Artifact, Powerful
Artifact: Artifacts are ancient weapons and armor with fantastical effects. Increase all weapon or armor stats (Accuracy, Damage, Defense, and Overwhelming, or Soak and Hardness) by one.
Powerful: Enables a point-blank attack for ranged weapons. Decrease the wielder’s Defense by 1 until the start of her next turn. Gain two bonus dice to withering attacks or decreases an opponent’s Hardness by 1 for the purpose of making decisive attacks.

 

[Psychie]

With a loud laugh of a man doing what he loves, Garret moves through the gauntlet of attacking monsters with ease, his massive great sword whirling around him so fast it is a blur of moonsilver. He is aware of the positions of the enemy around him, and at the precise moment, he lashes out with the blade once more, hoping to eliminate another of these creatures.

Another Withering attack
12 successes

Spoiler

Hybrid Body Transformation Active
The Lunar sheds the mask of humanity and becomes an enormous, beastfolk-like creature. Commit 2 motes. Gain one bonus die to all rolls; this die does not count toward the dice limit. Additionally, gain the benefit of your animal spirit shape’s special abilities, and add her Essence in automatic successes to all actions that fall within the scope of your animal spirit shape’s milieu (dodging for a mongoose, goring for a bull, etc.). Your hybrid shape can take on whatever appearance you like, which need not involve a full transformation of your body and may subtly change each time it’s invoked.

Flow Like Blood Active
The Exalt moves in time with the flow of battle, slipping between swords with dismaying ease. Commit 1 mote for the scene. The Exalt adds 1 to her Defense against attacks at close range and steals 1 Power from her attacker after successfully defending. First, generate Power from the attacker’s Overwhelming rating (p. XX), then steal Power.
Cunning Prey Reversal (Lunar): On Step 5, if the Lunar successfully defended, she steals the attacker’s Overwhelming rating in Power.

Health Levels
-0 [ ][ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ]
Incap [ ]

Essence: 1
Motes: 5 / 2

Virtues
Major - Courage
Minor - Discipline

Intimacies
Major - Courage - "I will stand against the enemies of Creation to protect that which I care about."
Minor - Courage - "I may not win, but I will never lose."
Minor - Discipline - Self control is a must

Defense: 5 [6]
Natural Soak: 3
Armored Soak: Moonsilver Breast Plate: +3
Total Soak: 6
Hardness: 4

Resolve: 2

Moonsilver Grand Daiklave
Accuracy +1, Damage +3, Defense +2, Overwhelming +2
Tags: Artifact, Melee, Reaching, Two-Handed

 

[jaydude]

Spoiler: OOC

So in the end I decided to fall back on 3E's Golden Rule and allow Ijara's move to go ahead as a non-gambit on this occasion. It's largely so it can serve as a means of drawing attention though; it's not going make much more than a dent in the Feathered Whale's horde of mooks.

Sojiro and Ijara​

At Ijara's manipulations, a couple more pods of the Aigonites within the area join the one heading towards the palace. The swarm of obsidian insects flies right into them as they bunch up, shredding their hides and wings and eliciting a cacophony of pained roars, before the couple dozen now lifeless bodies start raining down across the surrounding area.

Soon after the last of the corpses has hit the palace floor, one of the members of the honour guard gives Ijara an awestruck look. "Wow. That was amazing."

Shortly after this, the bodies of the Aigonites start fading away into golden dust, dispersing back into Essence as it were. Whatever its other faults, it can't be argued that the Feathered Whale doesn't think to clean up its dead.

Most Assurant, Tulak and Garret​

Most Assurant's blast obliterates the monster attacking her, while Garret's blade ends another. The surviving monsters refuse to flee, furiously snapping at the two of you and Tulak with their jaws, but with all your various blessings and Artifacts, it's little trouble to dispatch them all without suffering harm yourselves.

As you battle, the three of you notice a number of the monster pods turning and flying towards the palace, bunching up in the air as they get close. A couple of moments later, you hear them let out roars that are just audible over the distance, before they all collapse out of the sky. You can't see what exactly killed them from this far away, but it's safe to say that there's a capable sorcerer of sorts somewhere up there.

[Yeah, Most Assurant and Garret's attacks depleted the Aigonites' remaining health levels. Moving out of combat time now.]

With the monsters dead, things become relatively quiet here again, although the sounds of crumbling stonework and terrified screams can be heard throughout the surrounding area. After a couple of moments, the corpses of the monsters killed by the three Exalts start to turn into shiny golden dust that floats up into the air, dispersing almost like smoke. As this happens, the three of you notice a small group of the city's people staring fearfully at you, which is a little unsurprising when you consider that Most Assurant currently has what appears to be a miniature Fire Cannon for a hand, and Garret's elephantine body is presently being lit by soft silvery light. They don't do anything besides move along when you look at them though.

Everyone​

As if noticing the sudden slaughter of its spawn, the Feathered Whale lets out a low but loud call that can easily be heard outside of the city. Anyone who's in a position to see it - including those of you still within the palace - will then witness it ponderously turn around and start floating towards the ruin of the palace.

 

[EbonChevalier]

Tulak looked at the behemoth approaching the ruins of a formally grand palace. "It might be the most dangerous place in Kyoma now but we should head there." He points a webbed finger to the ruined place in the distance. "If only to gauge exactly how much of a threat that thing is."

 

[Random Word]

As the blood and viscera dissolves from her skin like so much Yu-Shan morning mist when the Sun is in the lead and the soldiers look on in awe, the relief of imminent death averted mixed with the thrill of unleashing her power overcomes her and Ijara bursts out laughing, manic and unrestrained. Then she hears the music, that beautiful triumphant swell, shift. Her eyes snap open and alight on Aigaion. She can feel its attention fall upon the palace like a shadow, trace the lines of its imminent violent intent unerringly towards this chamber. She shivers and falls silent. Her triumph suddenly feels hollow, the endless rain falling on the rest of the city uninterrupted clearly visible in the sky above.

"It was amazing, wasn't it?" she asks, pensively, but a bit of pride shines through. "This is usually the part where you flee screaming, or glare at me suspiciously, so I appreciate that, soldier. Lord Tepet, you wished me to grant you an audience with the behemoth. I believe it now wishes an audience with you. I will need time to replenish my sorcery. I apologize for any presumption, and again defer to your command."

 

[Psychie]

Garret looks over at the strange woman Exalt with curiosity. He's never seen a being like her before, and he wonders where she came from. He says, "Thank you for the help there. When we have more time, I have many questions for you. In the meantime, let's move off to the palace. If there is anything to use against the behemoth, it will be there."

 

[Sherwood]

Most Assurant looks up at the large man and nods. "Fair enough. I have questions of my own for you, but as you said, this is not the time." With no more of the creatures around, she releases the committed Essence from her arm cannon and watches as it shifts back into a normal hand again.

She says, "We might wish to start off with our names. I am called Most Assurant of Three Assemblies, but I also answer to Maya. What are your names, if I may ask?"

 

[Psychie]

Garret replies with, "Maya. That's a bit easier to spit out than the long title. Alright, I am Garret One Tusk, thanks to this." He motions to that missing tusk. Turning to look at the third member of their little group, he says, "And what is your name there, friend? What do we call you?"

EbonChevalier

 

[EbonChevalier]

“Tulak.” He says before walking towards the palace at a brisk pace. “I have other names and titles but that’s the one you need to know most now.” Longfang in hand he breaks off into a run. “That monsters intentions are more important !” He calls out from a head.

 

[Rykon]

"No apologies necessary, that was a rather satisfying spectacle all things considered. I can hold the line for a moment until we depart and settle this." Sojiro held his daiklave at the ready, keeping an eye out for any more of these pod beasts that might be trying to flank them. "Sadly I'm not as much help until they're much closer, or on land... but I'm not completely without my own tricks."

Sojiro holds Aramitama toward the heavens, winds draw inward into a spiral as the spirit of the dragon within it draws breath. It exhales a thundering roar of fury, a tower of light reaches upward and takes hold of the clouds above the palace. The skies above churn into a rumbling gray mass and turbulent winds push and pull at every airborne threat bearing down on Kyoma while the people below still seek shelter.

[Activating Storm-Calling Strategies for 1m. All hostile individuals are at a -2 penalty to all physical actions, and enemy battle groups are at -3.]

 

[Random Word]

Ijara nods approvingly at the storm summoned from clear skies, then steps off to the side to replenish her depleted reserves, eyes closed and hands methodically working the string running between them.

The thrill of victory is fleeting, and sober reflection inspires no optimistic assessment of the tactical situation. "We have distracted the enemy, but this position seems indefensible and our forces badly outnumbered. I recommend we seek the surviving critical personnel - the garrison commander comes to mind - and evacuate the city, unless we discover a credible defense is being organized somewhere."

 

[jaydude]

Aigaion lets out a low rumble as it feels the winds push against it upon its approach to the palace, as if annoyed by Sojiro's actions. The much lighter Aigonites outside are blown about, some of them even getting sent crashing into various buildings, but multiple pods nevertheless converge into a large group of several dozen and advance on the palace from the air.

Most Assurant, Tulak and Garret​

The three Exalts outside feel the winds as well upon entering the palace grounds, though they're able to endure them while continuing to move towards the large structure. A handful of Aigonites from the large group fly ahead and attack them as they advance, hounds running ahead of the hunt, but they're felled easily enough, and the advance of the trio continues unchecked.

Sojiro and Ijara​

"The garrison commander is Cathak Ranei," one of the honour guard members says to Ijara. "She's based in Castle Vasong, at the coast near the harbour. We also have a pair of Implosion Bows stored there, although I fear that even they'll struggle against that thing..."

"Lord Tepet!" The speaker is another member of the honour guard stood at one of the palace windows. "There's a large group of the smaller creatures heading this way! And there's also a trio of people approaching as well!"

Should one or both of you approach the windows, you'll see the large group of Aigonites pushing through the conjured winds, the malevolently massive form of Aigaion behind them. Down on the ground, you see three people, one of whom seems to have a very familiar glint of silver to them.

 

[EbonChevalier]

“FLY ISHMAEL!” Tulak’s Longfang shot from his hand like blue lightning skewered two Aigonites. As they dissolved to dust his death dealing artifact flew back to his hand as continued his steady march to the palace. “Survivors among the palace!” Tulak shouted.”Tulak, Devil of the Riptide! Grandson of Baoto foremost among the Dolphin Gods! And bearer of the Blood of Dragons comes to you as an ally! Same as his companions!”

 

[Psychie]

With the number of monsters thinning out somewhat, Garret decides that he may be fine with no longer holding onto his war form and releases the Essence he had committed to it in order to take his human shape once more. He still keeps his daiklave in hand, though. There are enough of these things still running about to make that prudent.

When Tulak makes his announcement to the people in the palace, he adds his voice to that of the other Exalt. "Yeah, we're not from the behemoth! So let us in!" And in a lower volume, he adds, "Just don't try to kill us. That would really ruin my day."

 

[jaydude]

Sojiro and Ijara​

"What should we do, my lord? Should we let them in?" One of the soldiers asks Sojiro, all of you having heard the words of Tulak and Garret. At the same time though, his gaze also momentarily shifts to Ijara - the (supposed) mortal sorceress who was the first to take command earlier - as if wondering what she thinks of the matter.

Most Assurant, Tulak and Garret​

Irrespective of whatever might be happening in the palace, as the three of you get closer to the building, you notice that a couple of holes have been blasted within the walls following the initial bombardment. This would naturally make getting inside from the ground a trivial matter for you, barring any resistance to such actions from those inside.

 

[Rykon]

Sojiro raised an eyebrow at the introduction. Is it custom here to be so forthcoming with titles here? Very well. "Aye, we live! Might as well let em in, if they mean to fight us better to settle it now." He said with a tired voice. "I am Tepet Sojiro, Cleaver of Gods and Breaker of Devils. Son of Kiriga Ralgryn and Tepet Suraka, foremost shikari of the western territories and wielder of Vahkron's fury." Sojiro punctuated his introduction with a series of grand gestures akin to children's picture book hero poses that might seem like a mockery with his stoically uninterested facial expression. "Now all grandstanding aside, we owe these folks a quick and decisive end to this bloated, airborne pest. If you mean to cross us, do so now. I have no patience for the treachery of devils this day. Otherwise, let's get our advance on the move and carve a new blowhole for ol' Blubbershine up there." Nearly a breath after finishing his greeting, he turned to Ijara. "Shale! Are preparations complete? We have a few unlikely collaborators hungry for a piece of that gilded hide."

 

[Random Word]

With studied calm Ijara spools the crimson thread and tucks it back into her pocket. "Yes, sir," she replies with all the icy calm she can muster at the sight of that blasphemous caste mark glowing through the settling dust of the Satrap's ruined palace. At least it wasn't plastered on an eight foot tall column of tightly corded muscle bearing down on her. Yet.

So, this was what it was to stand before one's natural predator. If he had come to finish the Satrap, he was too late. If he had come to kill Sojiro, arguably he was too late for that, too. You can't die twice, and the behemoth looked fit to do them both in.

At least he doesn't know what I am. It took no great actress to mirror the horrified disgust on the faces of the honour guard. The best disguises come naturally.

Finally her eyes pull themselves away from that foreboding brow to examine his companions. An outcaste and an unknown woman. What do we have on this Tulak, Devil of the Riptide? She subvocalizes to Fabian. The plan was always the first casualty of war, but at this point its corpse has been mutilated beyond all recognition, and by the looks of things she was next. She had to learn all she could if she was to regain any control of the situation and survive.

 

[jaydude]

Finally her eyes pull themselves away from that foreboding brow to examine his companions. An outcaste and an unknown woman. What do we have on this Tulak, Devil of the Riptide? She subvocalizes to Fabian. The plan was always the first casualty of war, but at this point its corpse has been mutilated beyond all recognition, and by the looks of things she was next. She had to learn all she could if she was to regain any control of the situation and survive.

Fabian crawls back onto Ijara's shoulder, staying out of sight of the others in the ruined palace. "It is as he says. He is a Dragon-blooded of the Water Aspect, and he can claim descent from the Dolphin God Baoto, with both of these factors giving him a high degree of standing within the Court of the Western Sea. He has a daughter of the Goddess of Seaweed for a lover, and he wields the Longfang Ishmael. His mother was a mortal Immaculate Monk, but he has little love for either the Realm or the Immaculate Order, and has opposed the latter's attempts to proselytize within the West. It is likely that he originally came to Kyoma with the goal of carrying out anti-Realm sedition."

 

[Sherwood]

Most Assurant can see that there are many that are looking at Garret with fear, even though he had changed his form back to human. He handles a blade with remarkable skill; are they afraid of that, or is it that they can tell he's a Lunar? Best to keep that fact quiet, just in case. It's not like I'll be welcomed here with open arms if they discover where I come from.

 

[EbonChevalier]

‘Godsdamned arrogant Dynast…’ Tulak thought with frustration. ‘I make the effort of making myself known and he responds with mockery.’ He frowns and responds. “If any of us were out for you heads we would have attacked you as you fought and we wouldn’t have announced ourselves.” Without another word he entered the ruined palace.

 

[Rykon]

"Might've saved this lot a few soiled trousers if ya did." Sojiro quipped in response. "Regardless, you can't seriously blame me for making a show of questioning a man arrayed as either a god-blooded or wyld mutant with the wherewithal to march a Lunar up to a Satrap's palace amidst the shitstorm that blasted her to bloody bits not ten breaths ago, can you? I'd rather the men at arms keep to their post and hold onto the courage to see the evacuation to the garrison to completion."

Sojiro sheathed the statically charged blade in its scabbard, lights springing to life along its surface from the awoken storm refusing to rest just yet. "If you're here you came to fight. So since you're not here to fight -us- all that matters then is you're all up for the charge on the big bird himself, yes?" He let the reality of the moment sink in for the sake of what guard remained. "Now, Shale. Can the garda bird handle a crew of 5 or do we need anything else?"

 

[EbonChevalier]

“I’ve only just met the Moon Touched. But you are right I am here to fight the bird. But we’ve only fought it’s spawn. Have you learned any possible weaknesses it might have?”

 

[Random Word]

Well, this is awkward. The eternal dilemma of the mortal staff officer is how to explain to one's betters in the Perfected Hierarchy that they were being idiots. The Thousand Correct Actions offers no insight on the subject, but folk wisdom handed down from generation to generation of martially inclined Patrician families suggests: Very carefully. It's one thing to die for House and Realm, and quite another to die for nothing at all. The Thousand Correct Actions also fails to stipulate whether mortal staff officers ought to refer to a Moon-Mad Frenzied as a Moon-Mad Frenzied to their face. Both in this and the current battle, discretion seems the better part of valour. Unfortunately she doesn't have much time for subtlety, and it never was her strong suit. She isn't some skulking Sesus.

Misja, perched on some rubble by the edge of the chamber, wings folded, alternates between preening her flaming feathers and looking curiously at the newcomers, especially the big shining silver one everyone seems afraid of.

"Lord Tepet. Tulak, Devil of the Riptide." She looks at but pointedly avoids naming the Anathema, then casts her eyes upward. "May we all strive to emulate your bravery. However, it is my humble assessment that the enemy has complete air superiority and enough firepower to reduce this palace to dust in short order. While a Garda Bird could carry a very small assault party of two, and others may be capable of flying on their own, a single strike from the enemy would be immediately fatal for all passengers. We have accomplished your stated objective of distracting Aigaion, and we are best served now by vacating the object of its ire before we share in the unfortunate fate of the Satrap. You can do more for the defense of the city alive than by dying in an offensive that I estimate will hold Aigaion's attention for no more than two to three minutes. Our forebears required three Legions and the direct intervention of the Empress to subdue this creature. Two Princes of the Earth and an Anathema will not suffice. We should rally those defenders that remain, prepare any weapons effective against Aigaion for transport, evacuate key personnel, and retreat until we can organize an effective counteroffensive."

"Should the Anathema and its associates wish to engage the behemoth, there is of course nothing we can do to stop it, and I wish it the Dragon's graces," she observes dryly.

 

[Rykon]

"You could've stopped at, 'No, we can only take two,'" Tepet Sojiro stole a brief moment in thought. "Tell me Shale, how aware do you think Aigaion is of the goings on down here? Obviously, he noticed the complete takedown of his podlings. So some shuffling will draw its gaze surely. It's not like he can't hit this place again already, yet he's closing the distance in relative silence for whatever reason. Meanwhile, let's say we do all of that. I only have one issue. We go down in the city, stir up the people, collect what weapons we can... Can we really go about hauling weapons big enough to hurt that thing from the ground expecting that it will go unnoticed? Not just in the time it takes to find them in the smoking heaps, but also move them? Moreover, do you think we'll be able to rally a three-legion, plus Empress, level counterattack after it so graciously lets us supply ourselves, leave, and regroup? Yes officer, I'm well aware of the maximum level of FUBAR this territory has aspired to, achieved, surpassed even. And I'm all too familiar with how it strikes a mighty impressive long-range sucker punch." The shikari pauses to gesture at the fresh site of ruins with both arms all while thinking: I really hate having to put on appearances because of protocol. Almost as much as having to quit before I start.

"So yes... we physically can't retaliate just yet, but we will have to approach and attack at some point. Much as these good folks pray and plead for it, the Empress's timely intervention a second time is... unlikely. For now. we will finish the evacuation of the people and pray that Aigaion doesn't marinate the cobblestone streets in our gore in the time it takes to do so. If we find something that -can- hurt Aigaion... Well, unless you can carry it on your back, we'd be better off leaving it concealed until it can be recovered later." Sojiro turned back to the newcomers, at least two of which were known Exalts. "Any objections from you all? I'm not really fond of dodging aerial artillery-grade fire without being able to fight back, but if we can't get in range it can't be helped much."

 

[Random Word]

Ijara winces, "Sir. I defer to your Dragon-graced wisdom on the subject of whether House Peleps will see fit to reinforce us with three legions." Yes, dear cousin, I'm aware it's about as likely as Fokuf attuning the Imperial Manse, but I'll submit the paperwork and you focus on not dying. "I dare not speculate on the designs of the Empress."

"On the immediate practical matters to which I am qualified to speak, the implosion bows may be disassembled and loaded into carts travelling along different routes. The scholars report Aigaion intelligent, but not omniscient."

Please tell me the scholars actually report that. Also whether the records indicate how intelligent this thing is supposed to be, and how much it can sense. Is it vindictive? In what state were the settlements when it ended its attacks? she subvocalizes to Fabian. And consult with the relevant committees on exactly how many favours I'll have to call in to push the Realm to respond appropriately to this threat. One legion at least.