Exalted Essence: To Kill a Primordial

[Sherwood]

Voice gives the Merchant a smile and a nod. "Good to know. I can easily scatter the minions and give the rest of you time to gather the two prisoners. Then once they are in our custody, I'll break off my attack and pull back to where you are waiting to cast the spell. I don't expect much from the Servant other than a token amount of resistance. After all, he should be in on the plan to have us rescue the two strangers to get on their good side before taking them to our Mistress."

 

[Random Word]

Voice rolls her eyes in disbelief. "You and your silly games. One of these days, your choice of amusements will get you into trouble."

"We all have to defray the tedium of eternal life somehow," she says quietly with a small smile as they mount up to set out. "I would hardly put on a play without a dress rehearsal."

---

As the plan is finalized the Martyr, bringing up the rear and, escorted by a group of her mounted warrior monks in their gleaming white plate, rides up to the crest of the hill overlooking the stage below, set with the rest of the hapless cast. "Well, if the script is finished, shall we enter, stage right?"

 

[jaydude]

"We all have to defray the tedium of eternal life somehow," she says quietly with a small smile as they mount up to set out. "I would hardly put on a play without a dress rehearsal."

---

As the plan is finalized the Martyr, bringing up the rear and, escorted by a group of her mounted warrior monks in their gleaming white plate, rides up to the crest of the hill overlooking the stage below, set with the rest of the hapless cast. "Well, if the script is finished, shall we enter, stage right?"

"Yes, let's get this matter resolved," the Prince replied.

 

[Psychie]

After about a half hour's ride away from Shaddar Logoth, your keen eyes spot a small dust plume in the distance, indicating that there are travelers in the desert of the Underworld nearby. Scouting forward, you can see that there is a small column of people on foot following along behind a single horse and rider. The people on foot number twenty five, and in the middle of their ranks are a pair of people that the foot soldiers are escorting. It is clear that you have found the Toymakers' people and the two prisoners being led by the Servant.

From past interactions with The Servant of Darkness, you know that he is a skilled archer, but has not dedicated himself to the combat arts in the same way over the years that Voice has. In an even fight, he is not in the same league as she is if she can manage to close the distance between the two, an easy feat for the Dusk Caste with her movement Charms.

Considering that you are going into this fight with the outcome supposedly already set, how do you proceed?

Sherwood Random Word jaydude Crocodile

 

[Sherwood]

Voice is not one to hesitate to act. With so few foes, it is hardly a fight to worry about, even if the outcome wasn't already decided. With that in mind, she unsheathes Soulcutter and spurs her horse forward into the midst of the soldiers, laying about her with the daiklave to scatter the ghostly soldiers before she can hack them to bits. Weaving her way around the soldiers, Voice makes a point to let her blade lash out and knock Servant around to de-horse him and keep him from being able to attack her and the rest of the Circle, even if only for appearances.

 

[jaydude]

The Prince followed after Voice, keeping low in his saddle before launching himself from it and into the midst of the soldiers, having seen the Dusk's intentions of targeting the column's leader drawing his Talon Daggers as he fell. He limited himself to punches and kicks however, only using the blades of Soulsteel to parry the occasional blow he let his opponents pull off. It was hardly a stealthy approach, and certainly not an efficient one, but then the whole point of this exercise was to be seen taking part in it.

 

[Random Word]

The Martyr rides behind, commanding her warriors to screen the advance of her more murderously inclined associates to ensure they do not suffer the indignity of being encircled or outflanked, and that their enemies are always harried, divided, and beset on all sides. Better the Servant's arrows find purchase in a war ghost's armour than the Voice's flesh, for all the good it might do him. She personally secures the prisoners, has their chains struck, and escorts them to safety with an honour guard and whispered sweet nothings.

 

[Psychie]

Under the combined assault of multiple Exalted and their loyal troops, the handful of soldiers that are in the column scatter, but quickly reform and start to fight back with a measure of skill. Even Servant gets into the swing of things with a few scattered arrows of his own. It is just not enough to turn the tide of the fight away from you. In the end, half of Servants men are down with several wounded, and the two foreigners are in your custody with no losses on your side.

As the circle breaks away with the two outlanders, Servant gives out an angry curse for the benefit of his former prisoners, but those with a keen eye can see that he also gives a knowing nod to you, and his efforts to pursue you are half-hearted at best.

Martyr is the first to note that these two, a man and a woman, are both still feeling the effects their recent bout of illness and are weak to the point of being near dead. They look dazed and confused at their sudden rescue, looking around at your group with suspicion, but they say nothing as they are being whisked away.

Thanks to The Merchant's spell of Travel Without Distance, your circle is transported back to Shaddar Logoth in a flash of Essence where you are met by several of the Dark Lady's servants. They quickly gather around the two outlanders and offer them aid in the form of a cool drink to relieve their parched throats. They shake their heads at the condition of the two and cluck their tongues, and one says, "Noble Exaled, these two are in need of rest or accelerated healing to try and restore their strength. Both would be best. Healers have been summoned, and we have rooms in the north wing prepared for them. By your leave, we will take our guests and get them fed, cleaned up and dressed in new clothing and tend to their needs. The Lady has alerted the guards about our guests, but I don't see these two having the strength to try and leave under their own power for some time."

Unless they are ordered to wait for some reason, the servants and a small handful of guards will take the two sick strangers away on stretchers, leaving you to your own devices at the moment.

 

[jaydude]

"I understand," the Prince said. "Do whatever you judge necessary for them to recover from their ordeals."

 

[Crocodile]

"Oh please, I should help. I am a a knowledgeable healer myself." The Merchant gives a dashing smile as he doffs his hat and moves to follow the prisoners. Happy to go to work on them and soften them up for his master to really begin the information extraction. His job now was to help resuscitate them to a more suitable state so that their deeper plans could unfold, or perhaps something more fun could be discovered. He loved these games the most. The deception and manipulation. He left the Martyr for the flash and show. He was the serpent in the background and loved his job of being so.

 

[Random Word]

The Martyr rarely leaves their sides from the moment she clasps their hands after their chains are struck, enfolding them in the reassuring golden light of her anima. While she leaves the treatment to the Merchant, she nurses them back to health in his absence, for in understanding every facet of life and death one learns as much about how to heal life as to end it.

When asked she explains, as time and health permits, that while some ghosts are vengeful and lawless, others attempt to bring justice and order to the Underworld. The capture of living strangers from a far off land by one such unruly and merciless ghost did not go unnoticed, and her mistress saw the opportunity to free them and instructed her servants to take it. As their health recovers, she slowly introduces them to the culture of the Underworld in a sanitized fashion, ensuring they are escorted everywhere by the ghosts and mortals of her cult who make them feel welcome and, wherever possible, at home. During this process she is carefully studying their responses and tailoring what she shows them and how she describes it to match their beliefs, and paying close attention to what comforts of home they request. She does not pry for information about their homeland, but shares freely and is an engaging and patient listener when they open up.

Spoiler: Mechanics

The Martyr will instill some positive Ties towards herself.

1m Presence Excellency
1m committed Harmonious Presence Meditation
Presence 5 + Force 5 + Presence Excellency 5 + Followers Assisting 5 + Stunt 2 = 22 dice + 2 Successes; 10 Successes total

 

[Sherwood]

Voice is not one to be a healer; her talents lie in the taking of life and not restoring it. She does, however, make a point to go and see the two and let her presence be known by their guests.

 

[Psychie]

Over the next few days, the two outlanders show signs of recovery from their illnesses and their harsh treatment at the hands of the Twisted Toymaker and his people. It was a close thing, but thanks to a combination of The Merchant's hard work and the Martyr tender care, you are able to pull them back from the brink of death.

The two survivors are now regaining strength and look upon the two of you as their saviors.

Through the time spent with them, you are starting to learn more about them. They speak a strange dialect of Old Realm, but they are easy enough to understand once you get the hang of the accent. The man is named Aaron-26, and the woman is Kiley-4, and they tell you that before being drafted into the army, they were both factory workers laboring for the good of the people.

Once they are able to walk and stand for a time without getting too exhausted, the Dark Lady has given instructions that they are to be brought to her where she hopes to get some answers from them with her knights in attendance to hear for yourselves what these two strangers have to say.

Eonivar

You have recently returned to Shaddar Logoth from a journey from Creation where you were sent to spy on an officer in the Lookshy military, and when the time is right, to kill him in secret and bring proof of your successful mission back to the Deliverer. She had given you specific instructions on how he was to die, a gruesome death that she hopes to lay the blame for on Mask of Winters.

As you start to unwind from your travels, you are able to learn that there are two strangers in the citadel, people from some foreign land that has been cut off from Creation for perhaps thousands of years, and these people have now suddenly come back to Creation and now they have an army that is advancing across the south and have captured several cities.

Right now, these two foreigners are recovering from a bout of the Great Contagion that they were exposed to, and the Dark Lady wants all of her Exalted present when she talks to them.

 

[Eonivar]

A giant eagle, its plumage a dark brown mixed with a deep crimson, blood red colors glided over the fortress, the guards on the battlements looking up, recognizing the form and standing down, albeit wearily and uneasily knowing who it was. The eagle flew several circles over and around, its dark eyes gazing down, eyeing the battlements, the guards, the activity going on in the courtyard and about the dark place, the flightpath almost seeming like it was looking for a victim, a point of attack, like it was hunting. And at a chosen moment, the eagle dove down, several of the guards tensed and started reaching for weapons, as the eagle dove over the heads and landed in the courtyard, not hitting anyone, touching down, its form changed to one of a giant tall armored man.

He stood there a moment, his silver eyes gazing around menacingly daring anyone to get in his way or challenge him. His long red and brown hair much like the feathers of his eagle form, hung down his head, unstyled, simple, unrefined style that seemed to add to the force of his presence. It was as if he was an army to himself taking its place here in the fortress. He felt the eyes of all in the courtyard on him, many looked at him in fear, some in spite or hatred. He knew well he was different, living, breathing, an outsider in a way to this dark land. He glanced around in challenge of those who dared, more than willing for the guards and warriors of the fortress to test his resolve in might, he invited it, he loved the violence, the conflict. But the Mistress forbid him from destroying anyone here unless they sought to challenge him, and after seeing him destroy many, most of the guards made sure to stay far away from the one known as Adame, the Sanguine Juggernaut.

There was several moments of quiet as he stood there. Adame grinned, he loved these moments, that moment of those around him wondering if he was just going to randomly attack and take their lives in a moment or not. That moment of fear and powerlessness, the look on the faces of those ghosts and guards around him. He made a slight deep laugh as he stepped forward towards the doors. There was no subtlety in his stride or bearing, a massive tall broad giant of a man, not allowing those to open the doors for him but for him to push the doors open himself, making sure that his entrance was very noticeable. Every step made a loud menacing thump.

He made his way to the throne room, glancing at the Seneschal to make sure the Lady and the others were there before pushing the doors open the light of the hall shining behind him, his silhouette casting a large shadow into the darkened throne room announcing his presence. Adame strode in letting the doors close behind him, his silver eyes first finding the Deliverer of Dark Dreams and Nightmares, before momentarily looking about to seek The Martyred Bodhisattva Whose Blood Anoints the First and Final Altar, to make sure she was present. It was more of a check and a comfort. He then focused back on the Deliverer, striding step by step. He kneels before her at her throne, bowing his head in respect, in this light in her presence the almost filigree like tattoos, hidden in normal light but revealed in her light, on his face seemed to glow, including the silver disk that seemed to shine on his forehead momentarily.

"The deed is done per your instructions M'Lady"

As her desired proof he stood up before her, his form shifting, to a slightly shorter (shorter for him) form of an armored woman with dark hair and blue eyes in the livery and armor of Lookshy. In her voice, he spoke. "She is dead and displayed as you requested. Her family and officers curse the name of the Mask of Winters for her death."

 

[jaydude]

The Prince, stood within the throne room to await the questioning of the two strangers, nodded at Adame in acknowledgment of his own successful mission for their mistress.

 

[Sherwood]

When Voice arrives at the great hall, she is wearing a long flowing dress made of black silk with dark red trim, with her sword across her back being the only outward clue that she is not some helpless courtier. She looks around and spots both the Prince and Adame, giving each a nod before taking her accustomed place at the foot of the Dark Lady's throne.

 

[Random Word]

For the first time in many weeks The Martyrs is alone. The guests are being prepared for their debut, and the Martyrs takes the opportunity to recentre herself in the flawless darkness of the catacombs. She feels an anticipatory shiver interrupt her meditation, like claws traced down the back of her neck, and knows Adame has returned. She sets it aside quickly, for it does not serve to dwell on such things when communing with the Creators. A bell rings softly to indicate the time of the audience is at hand, and she rises smoothly to retrace her steps by memory through the tunnels beneath the fortress, soon accompanied by a footpatter of a handful of her white-wrapped adherents, finally parting from them to step lightly into the throne room.

She appears to ignore Adame entirely as she kneels in supplication, but her shadow reaches out unnaturally long to brush his, and she draws strength and reassurance from the depth of his - now briefly her - hatred and ferocity.

 

[Crocodile]

The Merchant entered the throne room, having taken time to cleanse himself from his long travels and getting his usual outfit tended to. His hat was off at this time, letting his dark locks hang in their charmingly wild style that suited him. His soutsteel cane taps along as he goes, never without his casting focus save in the most dire consequences.

He sees the others and nods to them, glad to see his patients would be getting questioned in a more suitable state. He loved healing people when it served a darker motive. It was the only way he could without his dark shard snarling. The dark comedy of healing to control and manipulate was a personal favorite, he'd wormed his way into many a court with that method.

 

[Psychie]

The Deliverer smiles down at you all from her throne, showing her pleasure at your presence. As she relaxes, she nods over to the doorman, signaling him to bring in your two guests.

The doors yawn open and the two strangers slowly enter with a pair of servants aiding them as they walk. They stop a distance away from the base of the throne where the various Exalted are arrayed and they drop down to one knee, heads bowed.

The Dark Lady says, "Please rise and be welcome. I am sure you would rather sit then kneel. Bring them chairs. I wish our guests to be comfortable." The servants quickly move to follow their orders, and the two strangers sit. The man, Aaron-26, looks up and says, "Thank you for the kindness. I don't wish to offend, but how shall we address you to show the proper respect?"

The Deliverer waves a dismissive hand. "Titles are for formal occasions, and your are hardly at your best. Call me the Dark Lady and no one will take offense. I have been following the progress of your treatment with interest, and I am confident that you shall both recover from your illness, but it was not a certain thing. You both came very close to the end of your lives."

Kiley-4 speaks up with, "Then we have you and your people to thank for that, Dark Lady."

Over the course of the next half hour, there is quite a bit of back and forth between the three, and several things of great interest to the Dark Lady comes out. Thanks to the prep work done by the Martyr and the Merchant, these two freely share the fact that they are not from some pocket of reality in the Wyld, but they are from a whole different world, living inside the body of the Primordial known as Autochthon. According to their own legends, it was thousands of years ago that the Great Maker swept up their ancestors from Creation and took them with him into the depths of Elsewhere, separated from Creation for all these years. Eight great nations now exist inside the Primordial, with millions of people filling up great cities that are made by the Exalted of Autochthon.

A great amount of resources were put into the effort to break through the barriers keeping them from getting in contact with Creation once more in order to access the vast natural resources of their ancestral home. In fact, a coalition of three of the Eight Nations of Autochthon have banded together to get these resources, using advanced weapons that were crafted by the artificers that have not been seen since the high First Age.

When asked about what they were doing in the Underworld, it is said that it was by accident that they entered into the lands of the dead. It was a horrible surprise to them, and when their squad mates began to get sick, the rapidity of the infection was a shock to them. They had never encountered any disease like the Great Contagion before, and it was a nasty surprise to them. Not even the two Exalted Champions that were with them were immune to the effects of the disease, and nothing that they did was sufficient to slow the advance of the Contagion, and one by one, they all died except for Aaron-26 and Kiley-4.

By this time, it is clear that both Aaron and Kiley were getting tired, and The Deliverer then gave instructions for them to be taken back to their rooms to be able to rest.

Once they have left and it is only the Exalts and the Dark Lady in the room, she leans back in her throne and says, "Well now, my darlings. This is quite different from what I had expected. A whole world of people and Exalted locked away from Creation, with millions of souls that have never been exposed to the Great Contagion. Do you realize what this means? If we can find a way to expose the general population to the disease, it will sweep through their cities like a scythe through wheat, causing death on an unprecedented scale. So much death will create shadowlands in the heart of this Primordial, and it may be possible to link these shadowlands with the Underworld, giving us a ready pathway into the heart of Autochthon. A vast, untapped world just waiting for us to step forward and claim it."

 

[Sherwood]

Voice feels a delightful rush of excitement at the Deliverers' words. If her Mistress is interested in this, then it falls on her and the rest of the Circle to make her desires a reality.

"M'Lady, I know little of the Primordial Autochthon, so please forgive my ignorance. Won't the Great Maker resist our efforts of genocide on these people? Or are they to insignificant to be noticed by such a being?"

 

[Psychie]

The Deliverer looks at Voice and replies, "The Primordials are beings unlike anything you have ever encountered before in their way of thinking. They never believed that mere humans could ever hurt them that they never objected to the creation of the Exalted, an oversight that proved to be fatal to many of them."

She thinks for a moment, then an evil smile comes to her face. "I wonder . . . Would it be possible to garner a strong enough force to actually kill Autochthon? Imagine the possibilities. We must think of a way to introduce the Great Contagion into the body of the population."

 

[jaydude]

The Prince folded his arms. "If I had a sample of the Great Contagion and a means of entering this Primoridal, I imagine I would be able to introduce the disease to the populace," he offered. "Poison the wells and all that. Given the testimony of our guests and what I know about the Great Contagion, I imagine it would not take long for the pestilence to spread once it has taken route, especially since the people of Autochthon have no experience with it."

Issues of logistics aside, the plot his mistress had in mind did intrigue him. A world untouched by both the Exalts of Creation and the other Deathlords...at the very least it would be a great boon to those with the means to take possession of it.

 

[Crocodile]

The Merchant had listened with increasing fascination at the tale of the two humans born of a distant world. Another living world forged of Primordial flesh, just as Creation was born of Gaia. His smile far more sinister when the guests were gone and intentions spoken.

"A mass deployment would require clever coordination. We need a controlled mechanism if we were to do this. Otherwise they will quarantine and kill those of infected regions. They know disease, but now the Great Contagion. Humanity endured it here, just as much due to eventual precautions. I can see what I could put togther, something with a unified means to deploy our gift all at once after we've nestled them safely into the hearts of the various nations and their cities."

 

[Psychie]

Several days pass by. The Deliverer is busy doing research on the Great Contagion, trying to find the best way to be able to infect a large number of people over a wide area. Messages are being sent back and forth between Shaddar Logoth and the Toymaker's castle as the two Deathlords plot together. Finally there is word that a breakthrough had been made, and the Deliverer is sending for her Exalted.

This time, instead of hosting the get-together in her library, you have been instructed to go to the central tower where the Dark Lady conducts her mystic research. Surprisingly, the Twisted Toymaker is there, one of the few times he has left his castle that you can remember. Along with him is the only other Abyssal in his service, a teenage girl called the Necromancer. She is clothed in all black, making her pale skin seem to shine in comparison. She may be young, but this girl has an impressive talent in necromancy and works along side the Toymaker in his projects.

Once everyone has gathered, the Deliverer gets straight to business. "My darlings, our friend here has come up with something of interest and has come here to share his discoveries with us. Toymaker? What do you have for us?"

In a dry, rasping voice, the very inhuman Deathlord says, "I have come up with an ingenious vector for dispersing the Contagion. Come. Look carefully at the contents of this case but do not touch." Those that look at the case sees a mass of insects that are not quite like any other bug you have seen before, similar in size to a common cockroach. The Toymaker continues with, "These are crafted beings, not quite alive, but more than capable of their intended purpose of spreading disease and death. These little insects are cunning, and once released, they will spread out and begin to infect people. The incubation period of several weeks from the point of infection, all the while the victim will also be spreading the disease."

The Deliverer nods in understanding, and asks, "Brilliant. Have you come up with a means of introducing the insects to the population in the body of Autochthon?"

The Toymaker nods. "I have made several gifts in the vein of other First Age artifacts, all with space carefully concealed in them that can house thousands of my little friends here. The chamber is stored in Elsewhere, so even a careful search will not reveal the surprise hidden inside them. Once the objects have been delivered, they will sit dormant until triggered to release their cargo. My only concern is that I do not know how well the strange Exalted of this land will be affected by the disease. It may not be effective against them at all, but unless I have one to experiment on, the only way to discover is to expose them and see what happens."

The Dark Lady smiles. "You have outdone yourself, Toymaker. How many trinkets have you made with these little bugs in them?"

"Six. All are made of different magical materials and have different designs. It is my thought that they can be given to these people to take into their homes as trophies, or perhaps gifts for their leaders. Either way, death will follow."

 

[Sherwood]

Voice thinks about what she's hearing from the Toymaker and is impressed. She says, "It seems to me that there are a few options for us to consider to introduce the artifacts to the invaders. The easiest way that comes to mind is to escort our two guests back to their people and present the items as tokens of friendship. From their design, it seems to me that they would be take their gifts back to their cities to begin the spread of the deadly cargo. Another option, albeit a more complex one, is to plant the artifacts in a place that the invaders will find on their own and then hope that they will take the items to their leaders."

She pauses, then says, "Finally, there is the possibility of sneaking in and planting the items ourselves. The problem I see with that is we know nothing about their homeland, and that poses risks to whomever it is that tries to infiltrate their lands. Personally, I feel that presenting these items as friends will be the best course of action for us to take, and possibly letting us gain valuable intelligence on them."