Exalted Essence: The Young Exalts and the Sea IC

[EbonChevalier]

“I’m all for retreating and evacuating everyone we can if this thing can kill chosen that easily.” He then looked towards the mortal dog of the empire taking orders from the Dynast. “ And spiriting away those weapons would be for the best. When this is over I’ve got sources that could help us with this big problem of ours.”

 

[Random Word]

Ijara attempts to speak heretical volumes with an arched eyebrow. Under other circumstances you and your associates would be the cause of this destruction, shouldn't you be celebrating? I'll be sure to put in a good word about your assistance at your inevitable trial for sedition should we succeed in defeating this monstrosity. Aloud she offers the considerably more politic, "I am certain the people of Kyoma will be grateful for every assistance you see fit to grant them, honoured one," accompanied by a bow of appropriate depth.

 

[Psychie]

Garret glares at the woman that called him Anathema and says, "I have a name. It's Garret. And if you call me 'Anathema' again as I stand here ready to aid the defense of this city, we'll have issues. Keep in mind that it wouldn't be difficult for me to just leave you to your own devices as you try to stop the flying whale-thing out there."

He then turns to look at Maya, and says in a less gruff tone, "Now, what's your story? I've never heard of any kind of Exalt like you before. That thing where your arm turns into a weapon is pretty keen."

 

[EbonChevalier]

Tulak nodded in acknowledgement. “I am no fan of the realm. But I do not wish to see these folks simply suffer. So if you could see to your men disassembling the implosion bows. I’ll help the civilians evacuate.”

 

[Sherwood]

Most Assurant looks at Garret and replies, "I am here in the line of fire from that behemoth just line the rest of everyone else. I am not going to abandon these people to the monster of it is in any way in my power to do something about it. We can worry about the details of my origin later. For now let us worry on what to do about that thing before it kills us all. It serves no one's purpose to see that happen."

Turning to look at the others, she says, "I am known as the Most Assurant of Three Assemblies, but I have taken a liking to the name Maya. I am certain that I would be a useful asset in dealing with this monster."

 

[Psychie]

With a shrug, Garret says, "Fine with me. Keep your secrets; the gods know that I have a few of my own. At least you were helpful against those smaller creatures." He looks at the Dynast and says, "So, what's your plan? Do you have some ancient weapon that can knock some holes in that thing lying around somewhere? I'm all for a good fight, but this is a losing bet with what we currently have to field against it."

 

[jaydude]

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.

Spoiler: Potentially massive spoilers within. Random Word, go ahead and read, everyone else be wary.

"Aigaion does indeed not know everything," Fabian replies. "In terms of intelligence, records in Yu-Shan indicate it is slightly above that of a Simhata; not sentient, but capable of feeling loyalty and following orders from one it is loyal to, while also possessing a degree of instinct when it comes to combative engagements. It is not believed to be widely vindictive in nature, but it has displayed the capacity to recognize specific entities as greater threats, and will sometimes pursue them to eradicate them as such before they can do the same, barring other demands on its time."

"As for the damage done by its previous attacks, it is somewhat a case by case basis," the spider continues. "Aigaion is a weapon of war, created by the Twilight Caste Xandar - or the Greatest of Twilights, as he came to refer to himself - during the latter years of the First Age, when the Solars had devolved into warring with each other. He would task it with conquering other cities and nations in his name; if a territory surrendered relatively promptly, it could avoid suffering serious destruction. If a territory resisted however - even by just not responding to Aigaion asking if it would swear allegiance to Xandar - the Feathered Whale would not hesitate to batter it into submission, using its ability to fire off salvos of Essence bolts across wide areas, its ability to create monsters capable of fighting enemy troops directly, and its ability to use the Solar Circle Sorcery spell of Total Annihilation, granted to it by Xandar during its birth. Of course, any damage done in the course of such engagements could be far more easily repaired during the First Age."

"As for your final query, in regards to Yu Shan and the Celestial Bureaucracy, you would likely have to convince Lord General Hu Dai Lang to allow such a thing," Fabian concludes. "She is the head of the Division of Battles after all, and she has always kept a firm hand on her branch, at least outside of Creation."

Ijara knows that while this isn't an impossible task, it won't be an easy one. With the Scarlet Empress's disappearance, Hu Dai Lang has largely concerned herself with both the seemingly inevitable civil war due to take place on the Blessed Isle, and the diminished state of the Imperial army. If she's going to arrange for one of the Imperial Legions to go up against the Feathered Whale, she'll first want to hear a convincing argument that any subsequent sacrifices will be worthwhile.

In any event though, she currently has more immediate matters to attend to.

A couple dozen Aigonites can be seen advancing through Sojiro's winds towards the palace ahead of Aigaion and the larger group, the numbers of the latter swelled to roughly a hundred from various nearby stragglers gathered up by the Feathered Whale. The time for talking is pretty much over for the moment.

"Lord Tepet!" one of the honour guard members calls out to the Air Aspect. "You should get to Castle Vasong as fast as you can! The Implosion Bows stored there are probably our best hope of fighting that thing!"

EbonChevalier Psychie Random Word Rykon Sherwood
[Everyone, please give me a Join Battle Roll. In terms of distance, the couple dozen Aigonites are at Medium Range from the five of you, while Aigaion and the larger group are at Extreme Range.]

 

[Psychie]

Garret grabs for his sword once more, holding the large blade easily in his hand. "What is the plan? Engage, or retreat? A decision must be made now."

6 successes on my Join Battle roll.

Spoiler

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

Essence: 1
Motes: 5

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
Natural Soak: 3
Armored Soak: Moonsilver Breast Plate: +3
Total Soak: 6
Hardness: 4

Resolve: 2

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

Stunting on Pg 126

 

[Sherwood]

Most Assurant reconfigures her hand into her Essence Cannon in preparation for another fight.

Seven successes on Join Battle

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.

 

[EbonChevalier]

“I say we engage as much as we need to.” He leveled Ishmael at the Aigonites. “Enough, to keep our selves safe. I assume the Red Empresses vassals have a plan. If not, I say we make a tatical retreat while getting everyone we can off the island.” (Two successes in join battle)

 

[Rykon]

"Of course, I have a plan..." Sojiro enters a low, wide dueling stance. One hand grips his scabbard now pulsing with a growing intensity of electric light. His right hand also ready to unleash Aramitama in a draw cut. The storm above churned with renewed vigor, debris whirled about overhead between the Exalts and the approaching pods. Anima light poured from the Tepet Shikari, eyes gleaming with cold killing intent at Aigaion and the swarm of aerial attackers. "...kill them first."

[Burning a mote, cause I'd like to hit anima 3 asap. Close Combat excellency and stunt for 16 dice. Oof. Only 4 successes, but now at anima 2.]

 

[Random Word]

Ijara's jaw tightens almost imperceptibly, but she is saved from having to reply to Garret by immaculate doctrine. No dragons-respecting mortal citizen of the Realm ought hear, let alone speak to, an Anathema. That dubious honour was best left to the Exalted.

She forms up with the honour guard and prepares for a fighting retreat, watching the enemy descend through the raging storm.

Monstrosities like this are why you're Anathema.

 

[jaydude]

Rolling for the enemy combatants.

Successes:
Garret: 6
Most Assurant: 7
Tuyak: 0
Sojiro: 4
Ijara: 4

Aigonite Vanguard (Size 2, Medium Range): 1
Other Aigonites (Size 3, Extreme Range): 2
Aigaion (Commander, Extreme Range): 11

 

[jaydude]

[My understanding of the Join Battle rules from what I've been told on the Exalted Discord is that the side with the highest-rolling combatant gets to take its turns first. And even if I were to apply the effects of Storm-Calling Strategies to its Join Battle Roll, Aigaion wins out over all of you.]

Aigaion and the hundred or so Aigonites surrounding it advance through the winds at a steady pace, moving into Long Range of the five of you. The couple dozen Aigonites ahead of them advance at a similar rate of speed; they're now at Short Range, just outside of the ruined palace.

Players, go ahead and declare your moves. Since all my NPCs have moved, you'll get to decide who moves first next round.

Power Tracker:​

Garret (2 Anima): 0
Most Assurant (1 Anima): 0
Tuyak: 0
Sojiro (2 Anima): 0
Ijara (10 Will): 0

Aigonite Vanguard (Size 2, Short Range): 0 (Moved)
Other Aigonites (Size 3, Long Range): 0 (Moved)
Aigaion (Commander, Long Range): 0 (Moved)

 

[Random Word]

"Move out! Double time! We withdraw to the garrison, then the docks." calls Ijara to the honour guard, taking up the rear as they escort any surviving civilians out the doors.

 

[Rykon]

As the podlings approach, Sojiro spots his path. He bounds from the ground in a flash of motion, ricocheting from one storm-borne chunk of detritus to the next and whirling like a bladed top through the front ranks of the behemoth's spawnlings in a thundering cacophony of steel and gore.

[Rushing into a withering attack on the vanguard. Excellency to reach anima 3 and activate Sojiro's Active anima effect. With stunt and Rush that's 19 attack dice with failures rerolled per the hearthstone Jewel of Swift-Strike. 17 rolled Successes and with another 2 for weapon accuracy to make 19 successes.]

 

[jaydude]

Ijara and the honour guard are able to direct the surviving civilians - most of them servants who used to work in the palace - to a nearby set of doors that aren't presently blocked off by Aigonite's spawn. This moves them one range band away from the other combatants. Through gaps in the palace ruins, she can still make out Aigaion, the Aigonites, and the place where her fellow Exalted are gathered.

In any event, those Aigonites that might be close enough to intercept them have something else to worry about when Sojiro leaps into their midst, his body lit by a blue glow as the blade of his Daiklave slices into their flesh.

[Treating Ijara's commands as a Reflexive Miscellaneous Action. She can still take a Simple Action on this turn.]

[Against a Defense of 4, Sojiro gets 15 successes, giving him 16 Power from his attack and forcing the Aigonite Vanguard to make a Rout Check. As their commander, Aigaion rolls using its secondary dice pool. Against a difficulty of 3, it succeeds with 5 extra successes.]

Edit: Sojiro has 6 excess Power. Given the fiction, he can either share it among the other Exalts - seeing as him literally jumping right into the Aigonites is naturally going to draw their attention away from them - or just spend it to boost his Anima further.

Combat Tracker​

Garret: 0 Power
Most Assurant: 0 Power
Tuyak: 0 Power
Sojiro: 10 Power (Moved)
Ijara: 0 Power, 10/10 Will

Aigonite Vanguard: Short Range (Close with Sojiro), 0 Power (Moved)
Other Aigonites: Long Range (Medium from Sojiro), 0 Power (Moved)
Aigaion (Commander): Long Range (Medium from Sojiro), 0 Power, (Moved)

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 1 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 0 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 3 Anima, 3/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes (Moved)
Ijara: 0 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes,

Aigonite Vanguard: Size 2, Defense 4, Hardness 3, Soak 3, 12/12 Health Levels
Other Aigonites: Size 3, Defense 4, Hardness 3, Soak 3, 15/15 Health Levels
Aigaion (Commander): Size 0, Defense 4, Hardness 10, Soak 8, 30/30 Health Levels

 

[Psychie]

Not wanting to be outdone by the Dynast, Garret leaps into the fight with a mighty roar, raising up his sword Singlestroke to deliver a powerful blow against one of the monsters. Taking to his hybrid form once more, the mighty elephant man laughs as he charges into the midst of the enemy.

OOC ignore the first roll; had the wrong number of faces on the dice. I have five successes to hit

Spoiler

DBT Active
Flow Like Blood Active

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
Natural Soak: 3
Armored Soak: Moonsilver Breast Plate: +3
Total Soak: 6
Hardness: 4

Resolve: 2

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

Stunting on Pg 126

 

[jaydude]

The Full Moon joins the Water Aspect within the mob of Aigonites, his silver anima shining forth proudly across the palace grounds as his tusks and blade of Moonsilver start adding to the number of dead monsters.

[Garret gets 1 bonus success against a defense of 4, giving him two power. The Aigonite Vanguard subsequently needs to do another Rout Check.]
[Aigaion gets 5 successes, Rout Check succeeds.]

Combat Tracker​

Garret: 2 Power (Moved)
Most Assurant: 0 Power
Tuyak: 0 Power
Sojiro: 10 Power (Moved)
Ijara: 0 Power, 10/10 Will

Aigonite Vanguard: Short Range (Close with Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power (Moved)
Other Aigonites: Long Range (Medium from Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power (Moved)
Aigaion (Commander): Long Range (Medium from Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power, (Moved)

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 5 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 3 Committed Motes (Moved)
Most Assurant: 2 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 0 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 6 Anima, 3/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes (Moved)
Ijara: 0 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes,

Aigonite Vanguard: Size 2, Defense 4, Hardness 1/3, Soak 3, 12/12 Health Levels
Other Aigonites: Size 3, Defense 4, Hardness 3/3, Soak 3, 15/15 Health Levels
Aigaion (Commander): Size 0, Defense 4, Hardness 10/10, Soak 8, 30/30 Health Levels

 

[EbonChevalier]

His arm cocked back and essence flowing into it Tulak hurls his longfan! “Fly Ishmael!” His deft hand and angle of his throw making his attack many times more effective! (Spending one mote at step 1 on my ranged combat excellency and another on step 5 for the guard breaking technique charm) (six successes plus two from weapon accuracy)

 

[Sherwood]

Most Assurant raises up her Essence cannon and takes careful aim from her current position at the approaching monsters. Focusing her power into her targeting array, the orichalcum caste let's fly with a powerful blast.

Spoiler

Spending 1 mote on my Ranged Combat Excellency to add to my dice pool for 13 dice.

5 successes

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

Essence: 1
Motes: 5 / 3

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.

 

[jaydude]

Buoyed by the dragon-graced strength of Tulak's arm, Ishmael pierces through multiple Aigonites before flying back into the Water Aspect's palm. Most Assurant's Essence cannon brings down more of them.

[Eight successes total gives Tuyak 9 Power. 5 successes against a Defense of 3 gives Most Assurant 3 Power. Just Random Word left to move this round.]
[Two rout checks to be made. Both succeed]

Combat Tracker​

Garret: 2 Power (Moved)
Most Assurant: 3 Power (Moved)
Tuyak: 9 Power (Moved)
Sojiro: 10 Power (Moved)
Ijara: 0 Power, 10/10 Will

Aigonite Vanguard: Short Range (Close with Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power (Moved)
Other Aigonites: Long Range (Medium from Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power (Moved)
Aigaion (Commander): Long Range (Medium from Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power, (Moved)

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 5 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 3 Committed Motes (Moved)
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 3/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 2 Anima, 3/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 6 Anima, 3/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes (Moved)
Ijara: 0 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes,

Aigonite Vanguard: Size 2, Defense 3/4, Hardness 1/3, Soak 3, 12/12 Health Levels
Other Aigonites: Size 3, Defense 4, Hardness 3/3, Soak 3, 15/15 Health Levels
Aigaion (Commander): Size 0, Defense 4, Hardness 10/10, Soak 8, 30/30 Health Levels

 

[Random Word]

[Uh, okay, based on the description I gave, I'll roll Rally to Build Power]
[Wow, 9 hits. Ijara builds 6 Power. Narratively it's hard to justify handing it out - maybe getting the civilians out of the way helps free everyone else from distraction. I'll give 1 to Tulak to top him up, and keep the other 5 to firebird the Behemoth in the eye if necessary.]

 

[jaydude]

As the battle continues, Misja swoops between the Aigonites and the ruins of the palace, separating the two with a wall of flame, while also making sure to leave a small gap in case Sojiro and Garret want to drop back.

[Having Misja take a Prepare Action, using her Primary Pool of 12 dice. She gets 11 successes against a difficulty of 3, granting her 8 power. I'll give Most Assurant and Ijara 3 Power each, and give the remaining 2 Power to Garret.]

With this, we move into the next combat round. Players, since the NPCs got to go first last round, you get to go first this time, should you wish.

Combat Tracker​

Garret: 4 Power
Most Assurant: 6 Power
Tuyak: 10 Power
Sojiro: 10 Power
Ijara: 8 Power, 10/10 Will

Misja: Within palace ruins, 0 Power

Aigonite Vanguard: Short Range (Close with Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power
Other Aigonites: Long Range (Medium from Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power
Aigaion (Commander): Long Range (Medium from Sojiro and Garret), 0 Power

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 5 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 3 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 2 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 6 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Ijara: 0 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes,

Aigonite Vanguard: Size 2, Defense 3/4, Hardness 1/3, Soak 3, 12/12 Health Levels
Other Aigonites: Size 3, Defense 4, Hardness 3/3, Soak 3, 15/15 Health Levels
Aigaion (Commander): Size 0, Defense 4, Hardness 10/10, Soak 8, 30/30 Health Levels

 

[Random Word]

[I don't think Ijara is the best to act first, but we seem stuck so I'll kick things off.]

Ijara gives a hand signal to the squad to continue to withdraw in good order and cover her. If she's to maximize Sojiro's chances of getting out of this alive, she can't leave him behind, no matter how formidable he is as a warrior. She grabs Misja's attention with a thought, and holds her hands out with the spool of crimson thread dancing between her fingers. A shining orange mandala of flame is carved into the air around her outstretched hands, expanding as she slowly walks backwards.

So the old witch wasn't wasting our time when she made us practice casting while walking backwards in a dark forest all night at the House of Bells. Truly the Dragons provide, she observes to herself dryly.

Misja peels off after laying down another suppressive wall of fire. As she swings around she breathes a bright stream of fire which is sucked into the centre of the mandala to pool as a blindingly bright point of light between Ijara's hands before she bellows, "Fire downrange!" and unleashes it as a brilliant diamond and ruby firebird that soars over her cousin and his alarming acquaintances to come crashing down amidst the second rank of the advancing Aigonites. "Death to the enemies of the Realm," she whispers softly. After a pause she adds wryly, "Present company excluded."

Spoiler: Mechanics

I'll have Misja Build Power again and hand some of it off to Ijara. Ijara will cast Flight of the Brilliant Raptor, because Death of Obsidian Butterflies would cause significant friendly fire.

Misja rolls 12 dice against difficulty 3. Only 3 hits, so Ijara only gains 1 Power.

1m per round regenerates, so Ijara might as well buy an Excellency.
Ijara rolls Force 4 + Sagacity 5 + Sagacity Excellency 5 + Stunt 2 = 16 dice plus one Accuracy success as a Medium weapon. It's a Flame Medium weapon that's AoE hitting a battle group, so +4 Damage.

12 hits + 1 Accuracy = 13 hits. Defence 4 means 9 net hits, plus 9 Power + 1 Will = 19 damage dice + 4 successes. 8 hits + 4 Damage = 12 damage total. 3 soak means 9 HLs, and the Aigonites are now standing in a giant bonfire environmental hazard (Burning building or surroundings: damage 2 per round, difficulty 3). If someone pins them in the fire that would be great.

Ijara is at 4/10 Will and 0/10 Power.

She moves one more range band away with the civilians and honour guard.