First Contact

[Sherwood]

The smiling man lets out a sigh. "If it were just us, that would be the end of it. But we serve a pair of very stern Masters that will not accept anything less than our success. Perhaps we can come to an accommodation? We could split the resources inside?"

 

[Psychie]

Weiss shakes her head. "I don't think so. This mountain is under our protection, from the peak to the rocks at the bottom of the cliffs, all of it is off limits to you."

 

[Esbilon]

"We can offer you protection from your masters, though," Khuthulun offers, looking up at the others and raising her voice, she adds, "that goes for anyone of you. Our protection and the resources at our disposal are available to those who will join forces with us."

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

With a Joker-esque smile, he says, "So sorry for any misunderstanding. You see, we are not here to cause trouble with you or the people on the Mountain, but there is something of interest to us that we are after that lies under the rock that we are trying to get to. No need for any worry." He shifts his gaze between all three Exalts visible (since Ash is currently in a cave with Thunder) and does his best to exude a friendly aura.

The smiling man lets out a sigh. "If it were just us, that would be the end of it. But we serve a pair of very stern Masters that will not accept anything less than our success. Perhaps we can come to an accommodation? We could split the resources inside?"

Nagao approaches the disembarking Exalts, stepping among his own comrades, bowing to them in a gesture of greeting - particularly to those knowledgeable in the martial arts related etiquette - and regards them with a kind smile upon his face, his robes billowing around him as if subject to an unseen wind.

His voice tone is calm and even as he speaks.

"Now, now. This is no way for proper introductions among beings of such puissance, is it? My name is Nagao and my wish is not disrupt the lives of the mountain's residents with an unnecessary confrontation. Would you be willing to let me know by what name or title you'd wish to be addressed, as well as who are those stern Masters that you serve ? It might help greatly to come to an understanding".

OOC

Spoiler

Activating Judge's Ear Technique for 3m personal essence.

Spoiler

Cost: 3m;Mins: Investigation 2, Essence 1;Type:
Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: ComboOK
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Investigation Excellency

The Lawgivers are the guardians of truth.

This Charm allows the character to recognize as lies all deliberate lies presented to her. The character can also recognize the deliberate use of half-truths, though doing so does not tell her which part of the statement is true. If another Charm contests these effects (see p. 179), add the character’s Essence in automatic successes to the (Perception + Investigation) roll to oppose the other Charm.

 

[Sherwood]

The smarmy man nods. "Very well. I am called Shadow That Walks, and this," he indicates the large figure with the sword, "is Voice that Echoes From the Heart of Darkness, and our small companion here is the Necromancer. The three of us serve the mighty Deathlord known as Walker in Darkness. The other two up there," he points back to the airship, "follow the Deathlord First and Forsaken Lion." Shadow That Walks then goes on to say, "While it is a kind offer to say that you will 'protect' us, you do not understand the power of the Underworld, along with the long arm of the Walker in Darkness. One way or another, we will be digging into the mountain to see what lies beneath."

 

[Psychie]

Weiss shakes her head. "Then we are about to have a problem. We are not going to stand idly by while you and your cohorts dig into the mountain. Not going to happen, so you might as well leave now and report to your master what we have said."

 

[Esbilon]

"Or we could fight it out," Khuthulun says, "I have been aching for a proper opponent for some time now."

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

The smarmy man nods. "Very well. I am called Shadow That Walks, and this," he indicates the large figure with the sword, "is Voice that Echoes From the Heart of Darkness, and our small companion here is the Necromancer. The three of us serve the mighty Deathlord known as Walker in Darkness. The other two up there," he points back to the airship, "follow the Deathlord First and Forsaken Lion." Shadow That Walks then goes on to say, "While it is a kind offer to say that you will 'protect' us, you do not understand the power of the Underworld, along with the long arm of the Walker in Darkness. One way or another, we will be digging into the mountain to see what lies beneath."

Nagao shakes his head, his eyes marred with sadness, at those words, his voice barely audible, as if whispering to himself.

"So much death and darkness in a single response. So much death and darkness for a such a beautiful day. What has Creation come to, I wonder...Hasn't anything changed for the better all this time...Wasn't this their intention? End the madness and bring stability? Was it wishful thinking after all or merely a confirmation that in the absence of Light, harsh and piercing though it might have been, Darkness encroaches..."

 

[Sherwood]

A low, wordless growl can be heard from the one called Voice that Echoes From the Heart of Darkness. Shadow That Walks turns to speak quietly to his larger companion, when the Necromancer suddenly blurts out, "You promise to protect me and not let them take me back?"

This takes the other two by surprise. Shadow lets out an angry hiss, "Do you realize what you are saying? You will forfeit your life if the Master hears of what you just said! Even if you do leave, are you really foolish enough to think that these Exalts can protect you?"

The Necromancer rips off her face mask to reveal what appears to be a teenage girl with perfect, porcelain white skin. "You see the blade on my back? It was forged by using the soul of my mother! Until now, I was trapped with no hope to flee his tyranny. Now, I see that these Exalts are more than any Solar has been in thousands of years. If there is any chance of my freedom from that monster, it is now."

Voice suddenly yanks his sword from its sheath with another angry sound, and Shadow leaps back to get out from between the two of them, and his anima suddenly flares up.

With that signal, several things happen all at once. The archer on the airship fires his arrow at Khutulun, and a burning bolt of dark necrotic Essence flies out, this one aimed at Weiss. Also, the bottom of the airship opens wide and a massive thing comes falling out to land on the ground with a loud crash.


Standing over thirty feet tall, the abomination probably filled the entire cargo compartment of the airship. It has Soulsteel plates bolted onto its flesh to provide it with some protection, and a huge Warstrider-sized sword in hand.

Since you were expecting trouble, both Psychie and Esbilon get their full DVs against their attacks, or you can use a Charm to defend yourselves. What is your DV?

 

[Psychie]

Weiss had slim hopes that this was going to end without combat, but she still stood ready to act. Not knowing how bad that bolt of dark Essence will hurt, she spins her Glaive around at high speed to knock the bolt aside. Well, its on now! Time to get some! At the same time, she calls out over the Echo Jewel, "Ash! Get up here! There's a monster with your name written all over it!"

Spoiler

Spending an additional 6m to my Dex Excellency to raise my DVs by another +3, putting my Parry DV at 14 at the moment.

Charms Active: White Reaper Form, 12m 1wp on Instinctive Dex Unity, Halting the Scarlet Flow, all from Personal Essence

Willpower: 10 / 9
Essence: 6
Personal: 26 / 7
Peripheral: 84 -- 22 committed (62)

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]
Dying [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] [ ][ ]

Soak
Bashing: 4 +5 from IRA, +9 from Armor, +2 in DBT Form - 20
Lethal: 2 +5 from IRA, +10 from Armor, +2 in DBT Form - 19

Dodge DV: 9 (+1 from the Jewel of the Flying Heart, +1 in DBT)
Parry DV: 10 (16 with the Third Hand Glaive, +1 in DBT)

 

[Arynne]

Even as she -- they -- crouch down and lumber out of the cave, to stand up again, tall in the sunlight, for the first time in 1500 years...Ash can't help but wonder what a monster with her name written all over it would actually look like.

And then, there is no more time to wonder.

 

[Esbilon]

When the light before her dies in the vile creature's dark Anima, Khutulun's eyes glimmer with the thrill of the fight for the first time in centuries. In her hand, the Cry That Wakes The World shines brightly with all the colours of the Dawn, glowing like a sun on the battlefield. She lifts the massive blade, neatly meeting the oncoming arrow and splitting it on the very tip of her sword.

Spoiler: Combat Stats

Defense Value 29 + stunt.

Personal: 13/13 (28)
15 Immortal Blade Triumphant

Peripheral: 36/37 (64,66)
10 Orichalcum Celestial Battle Armor
4 Orichalcum Hearthstone Bracers
-10 Skin Mount Amulet (WotLA 72)
-2 Aegis-Inset Amulets (WotLA 71)

24 Infinite Melee Mastery
3 Protection of Celestial Bliss

Willpower: 8/10

Anima level: Totemic

Defense Value: 29

Soak: 16B/15L/14A (28B/27L/14A)
Hardness: 9B/9L/9A

 

[Sherwood]

If it were not for the Orichalcum of your Glaive, the dark Essence blast would have consumed Weiss' weapon and hit you. This time, though, your enhanced reflexes are sufficient to be able to knock the bolt aside. It slams into the earth with a terrible detonation.

For Khutulun, you make your defense of the incoming arrow look like a casual dismissal of an irritating bug. It shatters on the tip of your blade.

What is everyone's Join Battle, please?

 

[Sherwood]

Along with the giant monster, a goodly number of the walking dead come down from the airship; about 50 to 60 of them. They are being charged by the various Dragon Blooded on the Slope, along with scores of armed soldiers that have begun training with Khutulun. They have left the Exalts and the giant monster to you.

Esbilon is up first

Order of Battle
0 - Khutulun <====
1 -
2 - Voice
3 -
4 -
5 - Archer, Ash, Shadow
6 - Cannoneer, Weiss, Nagao, Monster, Necromancer

 

[Esbilon]

Even before the shattered remains of the arrow have fallen to the ground, Khutulun is in motion. Despite her heavy armor, she runs with the grace of a mare on the open steppe, with the bright gold and deep crimson of her anima banner streaming from the blade in her hands. She leaps towards Shadow That Walks, orichalcum-shod feet leading the way to his face. When she passes him, she whips around the Cry That Wakes The World and it makes a keening sound as it connects with the back of his knees.

Spoiler: Combat Stats

Activating Hungry Tiger Technique (1m), Fire and Stones Strike (4m), and 1st Melee Excellency (12 dice, 0m).
Speed: 3
Attack roll: 36 dice + stunt.
Damage: 25A (assuming Shadow is a CoD). Extra successes from attack count double, stunt dice are added to damage as well, +4 damage is added post-soak, 6 damage dice are converted to automatic successes.

Stocked Reflexive Attacks: 1/9

Personal: 13/13 (28)
15 Immortal Blade Triumphant

Peripheral: 31/37 (64,66)
10 Orichalcum Celestial Battle Armor
4 Orichalcum Hearthstone Bracers
-10 Skin Mount Amulet (WotLA 72)
-2 Aegis-Inset Amulets (WotLA 71)

24 Infinite Melee Mastery
3 Protection of Celestial Bliss

Willpower: 9/10

Anima level: Totemic

Defense Value: 29

Soak: 16B/15L/14A
Hardness: 9B/9L/9A

 

[Sherwood]

When Khutulun moves, Shadow That Walks somehow moves even faster, a blur that manages to evade your strike with what appears to be a perfect dodge.

With his massive daiklave in hand, Voice lets out another wordless growl as he charges Khutulun. With an Essence-charged swing, he leaps at you. But, with you many years of practice with the blade, you are able to turn aside the strike with your own daiklave. His eyes burn in his helmet with undisguised rage at being thwarted.

Esbilon is up again

Order of Battle
0 - [Khutulun]
1 -
2 - [Voice]
3 - Khutulun
4 -
5 - Archer, Ash, Shadow
6 - Cannoneer, Weiss, Nagao, Monster, Necromancer, Voice

 

[Esbilon]

Outright parrying the blade of as powerful an opponent as Voice that Echoes from the Heart of Darkness is for most a fool's errand, and Khutulun is no fool. Instead, she lets her sword continue it's arch that began as an attack on Shadow That Walks until it reaches her attacker's weapon and diverts it into the rock of Mount Metagalapa where it sticks, momentarily trapping her opponent.

"How long can you keep jumping, I wonder?" She asks rhetorically as she closes in on Shadow once more and her blade blazes brightly, dispelling all of the Deathknight's namesakes from her surroundings. "Not long enough, I'll wager!" She concludes and rushes forward, the blade before her more akin to a shooting star than a weapon of war.

Spoiler: Combat Stats

I used Final Sunset Stance for my defense, and since it was successful, I get another reflexive attack stored up. I assume that my defense was a 1d stunt, and this attack is as well.

For my attack, I activate Hungry Tiger Technique (1m) and 1st Melee Excellency (12 dice, 0m).
Speed: 3
Attack roll: 36 dice + stunt.
Damage: 25A (assuming Shadow is a CoD). Extra successes from attack count double, stunt dice are added to damage as well, 6 damage dice are converted to automatic successes.

Stocked Reflexive Attacks: 2/9

Personal: 13/13 (28)
15 Immortal Blade Triumphant

Peripheral: 31/37 (64,66)
10 Orichalcum Celestial Battle Armor
4 Orichalcum Hearthstone Bracers
-10 Skin Mount Amulet (WotLA 72)
-2 Aegis-Inset Amulets (WotLA 71)

24 Infinite Melee Mastery
3 Protection of Celestial Bliss
(1 Final Sunset Stance)

Willpower: 9/10

Anima level: Totemic

Defense Value: 29

Soak: 16B/15L/14A
Hardness: 9B/9L/9A

 

[Sherwood]

This time, instead of just evading the attack, the dark Exalt disappears, dissolving out of the path of the attack, just to reform standing a few yards away, now standing behind the small girl that he called the Necromancer. His attention is now locked on the small girl that said she would betray their Master.

Up on the ship, the archer's anima blazes a sickening greenish-purple color as he spends Essence to boost his attack. With a blur of speed, the Exalt fires a volley of four arrows, and each projectile is transformed into a ripple of moaning, ghostly Essence as they rip through the air towards Khutulun. After withering away at your defenses, the final arrow of the barrage will hit unless you use a Perfect Defense. This attack is normally unblockable except by unarmed parries.

Now standing behind the Necromancer, Shadow launches a nasty series of unarmed strikes against the small woman. He hits her several times, sending her reeling from the impacts, but she is still on her feet, but you can see that she's bleeding from the blows.

Arynne is up next with Ash. You are far enough from the action that you won't be able to get within melee range this tick. but you can engage with a ranged weapon if you so choose.

3 - [Khutulun]
4 -
5 - [Archer], Ash, [Shadow]
6 - Cannoneer, Weiss, Nagao, Monster, Necromancer (wounded), Voice, Khutulun
7 -
8 -
9 - Shadow
10 -
11 - Archer

 

[Sherwood]

Forgot to tag Esbilon for a defense

 

[Sherwood]

Another bump for Arynne

 

[Arynne]

THUD. THUD. THUD.

The glowing giant strides down the slope towards the thing that emerged from the airship's belly. Gold is the aura that hovers around him, but he is inlaid with the red jade of elemental fire and the blue jade of elemental air, and the air seems to shimmer and bend as he passes through it, as though he brought hot summer days with him.

Within the fuselage, Ash hangs suspended in a golden web. Currents of Essence run crackling along the network of orichalcum mesh that connects her to Thunder's mighty frame, and each light twitch of her feet propels the warstrider's heavy tread. After so long, she is hardly even aware of the motions she makes to pilot the great war machine, for they have become second nature. Indeed, in this moment, the Zenith is Thunder: the armor and she are one. As she zeroes in on the thing with her name written on it, she feels the little god's fierce and glad assent.

When the warstrider is within 30 yards of the gargantuan monstrosity, he lets out a roaring kiaaaiii! to draw the creature's attention -- Ash's comrades already have enough to deal with -- and the right-side fuel-bolt launcher, the one now glittering faintly as if sprinkled in golden dust, emits a faint sweet chiming...before a stream of flame flares out from its center, a spiral of Essence-fed fire that flies, singing, towards the abomination.

Spoiler: OOC

Activating the Righteous Solar Spark Blessing she set up earlier, and combo-ing Blossom of Inevitable Demise (3m) with the 1st Martial Arts Excellency (8 dice, 8m). The AI will activate his Uncanny Prowess Charm as well (3 dice, 2m), further enhancing the shot's accuracy.

Speed: 6
Attack roll: 20 + Stunt
Damage: 43A raw damage

Personal Essence: 17/22
Peripheral Essence: 18/66 (10 of these motes come from Immanent Solar Glory and cannot be restored in combat)
Committed Essence: 38 (Bracers, echo jewel, warstrider)

Willpower: 7/7
Anima Level: 8-10

DDV: 7 (Dex 4 + Dodge 3 + Essence 5 + Bracers 3 / 2, -1 mobility penalty, -1 attack penalty)
Soak: 28B/L/A (Orichalcum armor, +26B/L/A, Hardness 13B/L -- and of course, Ash and Thunder can raise their soak even higher with Charms)

Note: Ash has Lion's Roar Recovery, which upgrades her stunts by one level when battling CoDs.

 

[Sherwood]

The giant war machine's steps boom across the Slope of the mountain as Ash charges forward. As you approach, the monster turns most of its many heads to face you as its biggest threat. When you let out your shout, the beast roars in response, obviously ready for the fight to come.

Your blast of flame shoots out with a loud 'woosh' and it engulfs the thing. Huge chunks of flesh blacken and fall off of it, but it doesn't seem to notice the damage. Probably due to its nature as a dead thing pieced together the parts of many bodies. While it doesn't feel any pain, you can see that you've caused sizable body damage to it.

OOC This zombie-thing is a CoD, so you get to have the effect of a two die stunt with your action.

Everyone else is up, in no particular order. I will hold on the NPCs until all the players have acted.
Psychie Esbilon Ebon_Arbiter

5 - [Archer], [Ash], [Shadow]
6 - Cannoneer, Weiss, Nagao, Monster (wounded), Necromancer (wounded), Voice, Khutulun
7 -
8 -
9 - Shadow
10 -
11 - Archer, Ash
12 -
13 -

 

[Psychie]

With Nagao and Khutulun on the ground facing off against the two dark Exalts, Weiss leaps into the sky to take on the archer and the cannoneer. After all, she's the only one that can get to them. Reaching deep down inside of her, Weiss brings forth her inner rage. These dark Exalts dare attack us? I will make them pay with their own blood! The Archer is her first target. Accelerating to her top speed, she powers forward, aiming to drive the tip of her spear straight through the chest of the fool that thinks he's capable of standing before them.

Spoiler

Activating Relentless Lunar Fury for 12 actions(1m, 1wp), Impressions of Strength (Ogre's Loving Caress is now active with RLF - 2m), Flowing Body Evasion with Becoming Water's Envy (10m) to be able to auto dodge one attack per tick that I'm aware of, and Bleeding Crescent Strike (2m). Also, along with the 6m I get for free when using First Dex Excellency, I'm adding an additional 7m for a total of +13 dice to my Dex roll.

Total dice of 41 with 1 auto sux from RLF
Speed of 3

Charms Active: White Reaper Form, 12m 1wp on Instinctive Dex Unity, Halting the Scarlet Flow, all from Personal Essence

Willpower: 10 / 8
Essence: 6
Personal: 26 / 7
Peripheral: 84 -- 22 committed (62) / 40

Health Levels
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
I [ ]
Dying [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] [ ][ ]

Soak
Bashing: 4 +5 from IRA, +9 from Armor, +2 in DBT Form - 20
Lethal: 2 +5 from IRA, +10 from Armor, +2 in DBT Form - 19

Dodge DV: 9 (+1 from the Jewel of the Flying Heart, +1 in DBT)
Parry DV: 10 (16 with the Third Hand Glaive, +1 in DBT)

 

[Esbilon]

Khutulun rushes towards Shadow That Walks and leaves Voice behind in the blink of an eye. As the Abyssal moves to strike the Necromancer yet again, the Cry That Wakes The World interposes itself, now on a course to sever the man's arms from his body. "What part of 'under my protection' failed to penetrate your skull?" She asks rhetorically as she follows the attack up by standing between the two.

Spoiler: Combat Stats

I make two attacks, one regular and one from my pool of Reflexives. I activate Hungry Tiger Technique (1m) and 1st Melee Excellency (12 dice, 0m) on both of them.

Speed: 3
Attack roll: 36 dice + stunt.
Damage: 25A (assuming Shadow is a CoD). Extra successes from attack count double, stunt dice are added to damage as well, 6 damage dice are converted to automatic successes.

Stocked Reflexive Attacks: 2/9
Protection of Celestial Bliss PDs: 3/3

Personal: 13/13 (28)
15 Immortal Blade Triumphant

Peripheral: 31/37 (64,66)
10 Orichalcum Celestial Battle Armor
4 Orichalcum Hearthstone Bracers
-10 Skin Mount Amulet (WotLA 72)
-2 Aegis-Inset Amulets (WotLA 71)

24 Infinite Melee Mastery
3 Protection of Celestial Bliss

Willpower: 9/10

Anima level: Totemic

Defense Value: 29

Soak: 16B/15L/14A
Hardness: 9B/9L/9A

 

[Sherwood]

With Nagao and Khutulun on the ground facing off against the two dark Exalts, Weiss leaps into the sky to take on the archer and the cannoneer. After all, she's the only one that can get to them. Reaching deep down inside of her, Weiss brings forth her inner rage. These dark Exalts dare attack us? I will make them pay with their own blood! The Archer is her first target. Accelerating to her top speed, she powers forward, aiming to drive the tip of her spear straight through the chest of the fool that thinks he's capable of standing before them.

With your high speed, you take the Archer by surprise. Bolting up, Weiss tries to drive her spear through his chest. With so much of his Essence spent with the failed attempt to kill your Solar Bond, he has little left over to try and evade out of the way of your Glaive. It bites deep into his shoulder, causing a cry to rise up from him as he falls to the deck. It is possible that he might still live if he gets treatment quickly.

Now that Weiss is up on deck, you are right next to the Exalt with the cannon. He turns to fire on you with it, and once more dark necrotic energy shoots out right at you. Unfortunately for him, your Charm of Becoming Water's Envy allows you to dodge out of the way. The bolt flies out and slams into the hull of the airship, blasting a large hole into the ship itself.

Khutulun rushes towards Shadow That Walks and leaves Voice behind in the blink of an eye. As the Abyssal moves to strike the Necromancer yet again, the Cry That Wakes The World interposes itself, now on a course to sever the man's arms from his body. "What part of 'under my protection' failed to penetrate your skull?" She asks rhetorically as she follows the attack up by standing between the two.

This time, Khutulun's blade strikes home in spectacular fashion. Bright crimson sprays out as your first attack manages to sever off one of his arms! He stares down in disbelief at the spruting stump as your second strike catches him square in the chest, running him through. With a grunt, he falls to his knees, then collapses the rest of the way to the dirt that is rapidly becoming soaked in his blood

Ebon_Arbiter is up with Nagao

5 - [Archer], [Ash], [Shadow]
6 - [Cannoneer], [Weiss], Nagao, Monster (wounded), Necromancer (wounded), Voice, [Khutulun]
7 -
8 -
9 - Weiss, Khutulun
10 -
11 - Ash, Cannoneer
12 -
13 -