Exalted Essence: The Young Exalts and the Sea IC

[Rykon]

Sojiro had already been outside letting his near iconic anima run its course after crossing paths with Lirone. When the yelling started he glanced and shrugged at the comparatively stifled rise of protests from within the infirmary. "We must be bothering Twig," he lied. I'd rather not have to see a public lashing amidst all this mess.

"Suffice to say, I hope you will one day see truly why I disagree and then make up your own mind."

 

[Psychie]

Garret lets out a snort of laughter as he stands up, brushing the dust off of the seat of his pants. "That's just what we need; to be at each others' throats when we really should be trying to come up with a plan to be able to hurt that monster out there after it licks its wounds and comes back to finish what it started. Let me know how that all works out for you, ok? And when both of you are done with your petty dick waving contest, then maybe we can actually settle in and come up with a viable plan that doesn't involve us all dying." With that said, he walks outside to get some fresh air away from the cries of the wounded being treated in their make-shift hospital.

 

[jaydude]

[There seems to be a bit of confusion IC over where everyone is, so for now, I'm just going to have it so that Sojiro, Tuyak, Garret and Lirone are all at the gates to the townhouse grounds, and thus they're the first ones to meet Ranei. If anyone else wants to be there, go ahead and let me know.]

With Sojiro, Tuyak, Garret and Lirone all outside, they're the first ones to see the latest newcomer. She's a tall and hardy-looking Fire Aspect who appears to be a couple of years into her second century, with dark grey hair arranged in a small topknot, and a suit of Red Jade platemail covering her form. Much like Lirone, her Anima is a fiery red glow around her body. Accompanying her are a group of about twenty veteran heavy infantry of the Realm, all of them wielding lethal-looking halberds.

"Commander Ranei!" Lirone exclaims sharply, standing to attention and raising an arm in salute.

"At ease, officer," Cathak Sabaka Ranei says to him, before quickly looking over the three of you. For Sojiro and Tulak, her expression remains neutral, but Garret gets a pair of eyes narrowed in a glare, the silent question on the Garrison commander's face being why there's a Anathema here. The mortal soldiers have similar looks on their faces, and the Lunar can tell right away that they won't mind dying while trying to butcher him.

Ranei then turns her attention back to Lirone. "I need you to head to the north of the city, and oversee the clean-up efforts there. I can handle things here."

"As you wish, Commander," Lirone replies, before turning to Sojiro. "See you around, and good luck with your future endeavours. I'm still owed a do-over from our last game of Gateway at the Bells."

He mounts his Simhata and rides off, and Ranei looks back at the three of you. "I understand that you were all at the Satrap's palace when the behemoth attacked, and that one of you managed to wound it," she says. "While I am loathe to accept the help of those from the Threshold...some much more than others-" she glares at Garret again- "the people of Kyoma and I are grateful for your help in driving it off, as well as your work in the aftermath."

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 4 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 1 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 8 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 2 Committed Motes
Ijara: 1 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes, 4 Will

 

[Rykon]

Sojiro gives a smirk and extends his arm in a balled fist toward Lirone. "When the winds change then. Good luck to you as well friend."

The shikari offers a nearly theatrical bow in gratitude for the commanders thankfully tempered reaction given the circumstances. "How blessed we are the dragons cultivated such wisdom and grace commander. Rest assured, you are making the right and honorable decision, and I will not hesitate in my duties should our collaboration in this crisis be taken for granted."

Placation aside Sojiro raised his head with a calm polite smile in spite of residual anima. "As for the other matter, yes. I was able to get in close enough to... persuade our guest to leave. As we informed Lirone, our fine Satrap was among the first casualties of the barrage. As protocol dictates, Kyoma is under your sole care Commander Ranei. How can we help?"

 

[jaydude]

Ranei tilts her head to the side, and for a moment, the three of you can almost see the gears turning within her skull.

"Right now, my main priority here is recovering from the damage done, and then shoring up our defences," she replies to Sojiro. "Even assuming that monster doesn't return, I have rivals in the area who would pounce upon signs of weakness like sharks scenting blood. House Peleps, the Court of the Western Sea, the Silver Pact, and of course Skullstone to the northwest. We will need to get our guard back up for when they try and take advantage."

"At the same time though, that monster is still out there, and we have no idea what its motivations are, or how fast it will heal," she continues. "For all I know, if not stopped, it will choose to attack settlements indiscriminately."

The implications quickly become clear to Garret and Tuyak. Not all the territories in this area are sworn to the Realm. Some are under the protection of the Silver Pact, and others are tied to the Court of the Western Sea. To say nothing of the possibility that Aigaion might target communities of spirits and elementals.

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 4 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 1 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 8 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 2 Committed Motes
Ijara: 1 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes, 4 Will

 

[EbonChevalier]

Ijara, without looking up from the incision she's suturing, weaving a charm in with the thread, takes a deep breath and in her best Fanglord bellow commands, "OUT! All of you! This is an infirmary, not a two bit sailor's bar. Fight outside, for the entertainment of the garrison commander." So much for the fucking perfected hierarchy. It never lasts. You always regret being a mortal soon enough, and doesn't that say everything you need to know about the sorry state of the world?

Tulak seems more annoyed than anything at her command and he doesn't move. Either to leave to strike Sojiro.

"Suffice to say, I hope you will one day see truly why I disagree and then make up your own mind."

"I do not care what someone who has no kin or connection to the West has to think about its beliefs. My mind is made up regarding religion. The immaculate Philosophy my mother abandoned will not be forced on any Westerner by spear point or starvation.

"That's just what we need; to be at each others' throats when we really should be trying to come up with a plan to be able to hurt that monster out there after it licks its wounds and comes back to finish what it started. Let me know how that all works out for you, ok? And when both of you are done with your petty dick waving contest, then maybe we can actually settle in and come up with a viable plan that doesn't involve us all dying."

Tulak takes a deep breath thankful his own Anima hadn't been active. He calms the restless sea in his soul and exhales. He then turns to Garret all sense of levity gone from his face. "Yes, this pointless let's see to solving our monster problem."

"I understand that you were all at the Satrap's palace when the behemoth attacked, and that one of you managed to wound it," she says. "While I am loathe to accept the help of those from the Threshold...some much more than others-" she glares at Garret again- "the people of Kyoma and I are grateful for your help in driving it off, as well as your work in the aftermath."

Tulak's face was as neutral as the older Dragonblooded who regarded him. He nodded respectfully. "This monster is a threat to the west and it's people. I am glad I had a hand in fighting it. And I'd like some direction on how to deal with it."

"At the same time though, that monster is still out there, and we have no idea what its motivations are, or how fast it will heal," she continues. "For all I know, if not stopped, it will choose to attack settlements indiscriminately."

Tulak's fins involuntarily flare at the thought of his people being harmed. "Do you have any advice on what we might find to kill it? Or possible methods to forestall its attacks?"

 

[Rykon]

"I have a few ideas," Sojiro replied. "For starters, we need a means of closing the gap and maintaining pursuit. I recommend either an innately flying vessel, or perhaps one augmented by sorcery." [IE. Keel Cleaves the Clouds]

The shikari paused lamenting the tragic lack of warm tea after a stormy evening. "Next, a means of restraint. Ballistae-sized harpoons might do the trick, provided there was enough of them to share the force of its struggle. Additionally, for the harpoons to make their mark, we'd need something to break through it's tough outer hide. Implosion bows may strike hard enough to open a soft spot. After that, it's on the marksmen to make the shots. By that point, even combatants like Garret or myself could wreak havoc upon its feathered flanks without much care. But mostly critically of all... We need to know how this creature returned from its last confrontation with Realm forces. Whether it has some healing factor or some other means of mystical resuscitation, the specifics matter little if we can't counteract them and take down the beast for good. All things considered, we'd be really short on leads for that last one except..."

Sojiro held up a bloodied cloth. The same he used to wipe Aramitama clear of battle grime. "We have a sample... Yet, I am merely a humble warrior. So you tell me, what means lie at our disposal to extract its secrets?"

 

[Sherwood]

Most Assurant is taking the time to help out with the wounded as best she can, even if it is simply being an extra set of hands doing the grunt work so the skilled healers won't be wasting their time.

 

[Psychie]

Garret listens to Sojiro carefully, and says, "This thing has been around before? How was it dealt with back then? Does it have any weaknesses we might be able to exploit? I don't relish the idea of facing it over and over if there is a way to end the threat for good."

 

[jaydude]

EbonChevalier Psychie Rykon
Ranei gestures for the three of you to follow her and the soldiers away from the infirmary and into another ruined and abandoned townhouse nearby. The soldiers are stationed around the building, presumably to discourage eavesdroppers.

"All I really know about the monster comes from our historical records," she explains to Garret once the four of you are gathered around the townhouse's dinner table, finding it a lot easier to talk freely once out of the . "From what we remember, it appeared periodically during the Balorian Crusade. At first we thought it a construct of the Fair Folk, but it turned out to not share their weakness to cold iron, and in any event it was just as happy to fight with them as it was the forces of the Shogunate. Eventually, we concluded that it had been created by one of the Unclean. We fought it whenever we could, but it took the Scarlet Empress utilising the power of the Imperial Manse to put it down for good. Although evidently it didn't stick."

She examines the sample given to her by Sojiro. "Well I'm hardly an expert in studying such things myself, but I might know people who do," she says. "The Realm has an embassy within the Republic of Sarumei, a couple of weeks' sail from here. For the past few decades, the embassy has effectively been under the control of House Ledaal; it's my understanding that they use it as a base for covert operations against Anathema within this part of the Threshold. If there's anyone on Creation who can glean anything from this, it's House Ledaal."

All of you - the absent Most Assurant and Ijara included - have been in this part of the West long enough to be familiar with the Republic of Sarumei. It's a city-state and oligarchy effectively sworn to the Guild, which essentially makes it neutral territory for various factions. Naturally though, all those factions seek to obtain a firmer hand on Sarumei; the Realm has its official embassy, and tacitly supports the presence and expansion of the Immaculate Order, but the Silver Pact is said to have had an unofficial consulate of its own for decades, and there are also many temples to senior members of the Court of the Western Seas. It's largely the presence of many well-armed mercenaries sourced from the Guild that keeps conflict between these factions from spilling out onto the streets, while the agents and political skills of Sarumei's merchant princes and princesses allow the city to maintain its independence.

Besides this web of intrigue, Sarumei is also said to have a great library famed throughout the West, with texts, books and other forms of recorded knowledge dating back to the First Age. For those of you with no access to Yu Shan, and reason to not want to directly deal with House Ledaal - i.e. Garret and possibly Tuyak - this is arguably your best source of information on means of defeating Aigaion.

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 4 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 1 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 8 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 2 Committed Motes
Ijara: 1 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes, 4 Will

 

[Rykon]

"And what of our other obstacles? Making the approach and preventing its escape?" Sojiro inquired after the end of the commander's suggestion. "Knowing its weakness won't do much if we can't make use of it."

 

[jaydude]

"Indeed," Ranei replies, giving Sojiro a nod of agreement. "Unfortunately, I do not have a ship that fulfils the suggested criteria. And even if I did have such to spare, I cannot in good conscience entrust my House's resources to your care. Not when two of your group belong to factions traditionally opposed to the Realm's overtures."

The implication is once again clear. She doesn't want to take the risk of House Cathak's assets ending up under the control of the independent Threshold. And she definitely doesn't want to give the Silver Pact a chance to claim them.

Spoiler: Group Stats

Garret: 4 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 1 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 8 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 2 Committed Motes
Ijara: 1 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes, 4 Will

 

[Rykon]

'Interests of the house' indeed... Is it really them you're worried about, or that I might consider it a payment on a blood debt? Sojiro thought idly in cynical musings, making no effort to hide an incredulous 'Really?' almost stamped upon his face. There were many times he questioned his pursuit of his duties. Often in moments like this, when assets are withheld in the face of great danger for the sake of greed or one factional ambition or another. Someone has to do the right thing in the face of elder horrors, dark powers, and the like. Certainly wasn't going to be anyone still hung up on protecting their tribe, and definitely not one that abandoned his for their own gain.

"Of course... I- We will do what we can to bridge the gap on our own then. We'll be on the next ship out for Sarumei unless there are any objections or questions."

 

[jaydude]

Ranei responds to Sojiro's look of incredulity with narrowed eyes. "I can tell what you're thinking, boy," she says. "You resent me for not giving you the help you want without question, even after you did the same, and I saw that monster for myself, and my house already let yours down in the past. Well I say tough shit. Times have changed since you were a cadet at the House of Bells. The Scarlet Empress is gone and shows no signs of returning, and my fellow Dynasts are turning their backs on the Threshold and preparing to cannibalize the very Realm they spent centuries building. The threats to our sovereignty have gotten stronger at the same time, with Anathema appearing in far greater numbers than before, and in new varieties to boot. In another age I would likely have been able to give you all the help you seek, but unfortunately for the both of us, circumstances no longer allow that!"

The glow surrounding her body has brightened with the rising of her voice, and all three of you - including Sojiro - feel the air in the room become a lot warmer. It occurs to you that Ranei may have already had a fair amount on her plate these last couple of years, even before the sudden appearance of Aigaion and the attack on her satrapy.

Spoiler: OOC

So I'm kinda seeing this moment as the last chance for Ranei and Sojiro to either calm down or succumb to the Great Curse. Sojiro's having to learn firsthand that members of different Great Houses can no longer always work together unconditionally - even in the face of something like Aigaion - while Ranei's unintentionally been provoked after turning out to have already been under more stress than she might've been letting on.

That being said Rykon , if you want to avoid a Great Curse Manifestation, you can absolutely have Sojiro avoid being driven into a tornado of fury and saying something he'll regret later, at which point Ranei will calm down and apologize for her outburst. I don't want anyone in this game to be forced into something they won't enjoy.

And I hope this goes without saying, but Ranei's words are in no way meant to constitute a personal attack of mine on you or your character.

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 4 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 1 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 8 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 2 Committed Motes
Ijara: 1 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes, 4 Will

 

[Rykon]

"So you could read from my attitude then? Good. The only thing times changed is getting people to discard the secrecy of their selfishness. I've had to come across Fae-ravished villages and ships, blood-eagled children on demonic altars, and the scorched corpses of sacrifices of young women to greedy gods just on the way to eventually make it out here. You will find none more familiar with the consequences of Imperial retreat than I. You will find none more familiar with the consequences of apathy most divinities have to the plight of humanity than I. The gods, the Realm, the people, everyone entrusted this duty, this mission to us, the Exalted. So when the very beast that breaks your homes, palaces, and fortresses, and murders your charge all while raining hellions from the sky comes back to finish the job, tough shit. We can fight together or we can die together, and whether you'd like to trust it or not, I'm on your side. So I guess it's up to your house. What would they rather lose? You? Or a fucking boat?" Sojiro said in a frigid tone, comfy within the embrace of his own storming anima.

 

[jaydude]

It's seeing Sojiro's rage - a firsthand account of how easy and how violently a Dragon-blooded can lose control - that allows Ranei to pull herself back from the brink. She simply stands there patiently, letting him vent, and allowing her own Anima to cool down in the face of the Air Aspect's anger.

"Forgive me, Sojiro," she says while bowing her head low, a few seconds after he's done speaking. "I should not have spoken the way I did, and more to the point, I made the mistake of the old woman. I forgot that those younger than me are not necessarily as lacking in experience."

Spoiler: OOC

So yeah, I decided not to go through with the double Great Curse manifestation in the end.

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 4 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 1 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 8 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 2 Committed Motes
Ijara: 1 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes, 4 Will

 

[Rykon]

The shikari begins to reach for the commander to comfort her as his outburst winds down to a close, yet the ongoing turmoil of anima catches his attention for a moment's hesitation before forcing himself forward to take her hand. "I understand duty. You want to protect your house, just as I seek to protect mine. However, all this stuff that is so easily broken and so easily taken can be replaced. You cannot be replaced. If 'stuff' is lost for the sake of her scion's safety, then the house should consider them worthy losses. Life is precious, including yours. So we'll figure out what can fill the gap once we have the information we need on how to end this beast for good this time in truth."

 

[Random Word]

Ijara brings the iron up to her shoulder where Misja, perched in sparrow form, touches it with her beak to bring it to a red hot glow. Ijara dispassionately presses the metal to the stump of the amputated ruin that was once a limb, ignoring the muffled scream. She bandages the wound, wrapping in a charm warding off spirits of infection, then rinses her hands in a basin of purified water and grabs a towel on the way, noting with approval the Exigent getting her hands dirty to help care for the wounded. She follows the threads of incipient violence across the street, arriving just in time to catch the tail end of the free and frank exchange of views, and allows herself a small smile of pride. Much as she might wish to give her cousin a hug after that rousing speech for the annals, he's currently surrounded by a tornado and the more deadly and insurmountable obstacle of propriety. In spirit, then.

"Commander Cathak, Lord Tepet," she says with a bow. "I have taken the liberty of contacting my colleagues at the Imperial Archives and the Heptagram. I expect to hear from them by sundown, and will continue to correspond through the night. I shall furnish you and Lord Tepet with my report on the nature of Aigaion and a summary of what our foremothers learned engaging it by dawn. I have requested the materials required to learn how to make an assault party airborne, and as time permits will begin summoning additional flying elementals. By your - ah." As she bows again her eyes alight on the bloody cloth and she pauses. "You will want to place that in a stone container and ward it. Air spirits are mischievous. We may be able to use it to locate Aigaion." She resumes her bow, "By your leave Commander, I have patients to attend to until my colleagues furnish me with more information."

 

[jaydude]

"I see," Ranei replies to Ijara. "You have my thanks for your work, sorcerer."

Ijara is allowed to depart, and then Ranei turns back to look at Sojiro, Garret and Tuyak. "I'll send word to my House informing them about the situation here and requesting reinforcements," she says. "At the same time though, I think I might have a means of providing you with your airship, if only indirectly. Prior to this attack, I had heard tell of an ancient warship that was said to be capable of traversing both the sea and the skies. It supposedly disappeared in the Shogunate days during a campaign in the West, but we think we may have narrowed down its resting place. I had been putting together an expedition to claim it for the Realm, but with what has happened here, it will likely be at least a week before I can dedicate forces to it."

Spoiler: Stats

Garret: 4 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Most Assurant: 3 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 1 Committed Motes
Tuyak: 1 Anima, 5/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes
Sojiro: 8 Anima, 2/5 Motes, 2 Committed Motes
Ijara: 1 Anima, 4/5 Motes, 0 Committed Motes, 4 Will

 

[Random Word]

Ijara completes her bow, spins on her heel, and departs, gaze carefully avoiding Garret. Are they supposed to know about that airship? Sorry Jupiter. Not my department, and we need it.

Arriving back at the infirmary she again sees Maya helping to carry an injured woman in on a makeshift stretcher and addresses her as she passes, "I respect anyone who pitches in instead of participating in... what did the Anathema call it? 'petty dick waving'?" she smiles wryly, Luna does know how to choose them. If only someone had thought to politely ask one of the Most Holies if she would maybe just stop. "I don't know which God Chose you, but they chose well. When we're done here, I owe you a drink," she adds with a grateful smile before turning to cleanse her hands again and get back to work.

 

[Sherwood]

Giving Ijara a tired smile, Maya says, "I will gladly take you up on that offer. If my bar is still intact, we could go there, but I have a feeling that it is a smoking crater right now." She can feel a few unexpected tears form in her eyes at the thought of all that hard work gone. "Too many have lost so much, I guess I should count myself as lucky that I'm still alive."

She wipes her hands off on the edge of her shirt, thankful for her Collar of Dawn's Cleansing Light to keep her from being filthy. "I don't suppose that there is any sort of plan on how to stop that monster of it decides to come back?"

 

[Random Word]

Ijara gives Maya a sad smile, "Then we will drink to our survival in that crater, and when you've rebuilt we'll drink to that, too. My name is Shale, of Medo, up North." She pauses, considering something uncomfortable, eyes turning pointedly down to look at the basin where she's purifying her hands, "I'm a Sorcerer, if it wasn't obvious, and I won't be offended if you'd prefer not to share that drink with me."

She casts her eyes heavensward at Maya's question, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling, "They intend to dredge an old sky ship from the depths - of sea or jungle I know not - fit it with fearsome weapons, and take the fight to the beast. Dragons willing, it might even work. I don't suppose you're a Chosen of Vanileth? If not, between the lot of them I think they have the mechanical aptitude of a dream-eaten slave, and they'll need all the help they can get if they hope to get it off the seafloor, let alone into the sky."

 

[Sherwood]

"Well meet, Shale. I am called Most Assurant of Three Assemblies, but I have taken to the nickname Maya. Causes fewer questions that way." Maya offers up a tired smile and continues with, "Yes, I am Exalted, but not of the Shotgun of Artificial Flight. I was created by Autochthon in the early days of the First Age and placed in stasis until a short time ago to help serve and protect the people of Creation. Sadly, while I know how to brew beer, I lack the knowledge of how to make an airship fly. But I can help in other ways. Perhaps together we can come up with the solution to our problem."

 

[Random Word]

Ijara is drying her hands when Maya introduces herself, and freezes mid-motion while her brain struggles to catch up with the world around her. She turns slowly to face Maya, towel dangling from one hand, forgotten. "I'm sorry, what did you say made you? I don't think I heard you correctly," she says very quietly, eyes wide.

 

[Sherwood]

Maya sighs, and folds her hands in her lap. "I am sorry. It is not an easy thing for many people to accept. I was not born as a mortal to then be Exalted by a god; I was made in this body by Autochthon, the Great Maker, many thousands of years ago. But even with as old as I am, I have only lived for six years since coming out of the stasis chamber that I was housed in. I am able to disguise myself so I can fit in with the mortals I am to protect, but I am a thing of clay and orichalcum, brought to life by Essence. That is my dark secret, revealed by this attack on the city."