Into the Ruins - Exalted 3e IC

[Psychie]

Over the course of the next hours, the townspeople make good on Kurt's offer of thanks and lay out a large spread of fine food and wine, followed by a good bath for those that want one and soft beds - companionship is available for those that wish to not sleep alone (assuming that there is any sleeping done).

Come morning, you are all very refreshed, and the spirit of the city is very different. No longer under the dark cloud of death from the nightly ritual, the people seem to have more of a bounce in their step and a true sense of happiness can be felt.

What is your plans now?

 

[Sherwood]

Amara rises slowly, enjoying the feel of the nice soft bed that the innkeeper provided for her. After the events of the night before, the Dawn caste is most happy with the outcome of the hot bath, loads of food add the chance to really rest. Now it is time to get up and face the day.

After getting dressed, she heads out to the common room to look for her fellow Exalted. If she happens to be first, she will take the opportunity to order some breakfast and listen to the locals talking about whatever. She's sure that the fall of the cult that was casting its spell on the town is fling to be the topic of conversation for a long time.

After eating, she breaks out a small pipe and loads in some good tobacco before lighting it and taking a few puffs. Amara had plans for the day, but wants some of her circle here before making any plans. She intends on searching the home of this Lady Ramis to make sure that there are no other dangers waiting to unleashed on this town, and wants the wisdom of her dear Mercy or Silent Glade to help spot other dangers.

Eonivar Chowlett Purr jaydude Rykon

 

[jaydude]

Amara rises slowly, enjoying the feel of the nice soft bed that the innkeeper provided for her. After the events of the night before, the Dawn caste is most happy with the outcome of the hot bath, loads of food add the chance to really rest. Now it is time to get up and face the day.

After getting dressed, she heads out to the common room to look for her fellow Exalted. If she happens to be first, she will take the opportunity to order some breakfast and listen to the locals talking about whatever. She's sure that the fall of the cult that was casting its spell on the town is fling to be the topic of conversation for a long time.

After eating, she breaks out a small pipe and loads in some good tobacco before lighting it and taking a few puffs. Amara had plans for the day, but wants some of her circle here before making any plans. She intends on searching the home of this Lady Ramis to make sure that there are no other dangers waiting to unleashed on this town, and wants the wisdom of her dear Mercy or Silent Glade to help spot other dangers.

Eonivar Chowlett Purr jaydude Rykon

Grey Stone would be the second of the Exalts to awaken, and he joined Amara in the common room once he had gotten himself dressed, carrying Faith's Pillar carefully under one arm so that it didn't bash into any of the building's walls.

"Good morning, Amara," he said to the Dawn Caste, his expression jovial as he nodded his head towards her.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 28/33
Anima: Dim

Willpower: 7/7
Join Battle: 5
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, Incapacitated
Resolve 3, Guile 1

Attacks
Faith's Pillar (10 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 18, Overwhelming 5, Bashing, Melee, Reaching, Smashing, Two-Handed)
Unarmed (13 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 15, Overwhelming 1, Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Natural)

Actions
Rush: 6
Disengage: 6

Evasion 4, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

 

[Rykon]

Aredin shuffled out his door dragging his feet. His vision was a hazy blur, too comfortable from a night of heavy slumber. One step toward the stairs and he tilted forward bouncing head first from one wooden plank to the next in a cacophony of half-conscious flailing percussion. Only at the base landing by the common room did the sleep drunk solar find his footing stopping a slide into another spill by leaning against the nearby wall. With two short stretches, his neck let out loud audible pops, and his vision began to clear in the wake of his improvised raucous symphony. He gave his two risen companions a contented grin. "Mornin' y'all. Did ya sleep well enough?"

 

[Sherwood]

Amara smiles at her companions, and indicates that she is wanting them to join her at the table. "Good morning, my friends. After last night, I slept quite well, got up and had a good meal and now I'm ready for the day. I had thought that we should go investigate the house of this Lady Ramis for anything else that might be a danger to these people, but I an hardy a savant in the ways of summoning demons and the undead. It is my thought that we should go there as soon as we are able. I don't wish to leave this town open for another curse if it can be avoided."

 

[Chowlett]

While the first three solars to breakfast are conversing, Silent Glade enters the inn's common room from the door to the outside. The night caste is lightly damp, as from dew, and his skin seems somehow more mahogany-woodlike in the morning light. With a cordial, if taciturn, grunt to the others, he sits cross-legged into a chair. Grabbing a small loaf of bread and tearing it into hunks, he listens attentively to the ongoing discussion.

 

[jaydude]

Amara smiles at her companions, and indicates that she is wanting them to join her at the table. "Good morning, my friends. After last night, I slept quite well, got up and had a good meal and now I'm ready for the day. I had thought that we should go investigate the house of this Lady Ramis for anything else that might be a danger to these people, but I an hardy a savant in the ways of summoning demons and the undead. It is my thought that we should go there as soon as we are able. I don't wish to leave this town open for another curse if it can be avoided."

"A fair argument for a course of action," Grey Stone replied. "And a course which I will happily lend my support to. Afterwards though, I believe it right that we should continue on to Rathess, assuming we still wish to remove the binding on Cadence."

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 28/33
Anima: Dim

Willpower: 7/7
Join Battle: 5
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, Incapacitated
Resolve 3, Guile 1

Attacks
Faith's Pillar (10 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 18, Overwhelming 5, Bashing, Melee, Reaching, Smashing, Two-Handed)
Unarmed (13 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 15, Overwhelming 1, Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Natural)

Actions
Rush: 6
Disengage: 6

Evasion 4, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

 

[Chowlett]

"I believe we gave our word," Glade interjects between mouthfuls, his tone suggesting that that should settle the matter.

OOC: I think we did?

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy was the last to awaken.

Soft beds had been so rare in her life. She had really thought to take some sort of the offered companionship, but she did not feel comfortable spending intimate time with someone she did not really know. In some way she felt like Alena was still watching. She almost decided to sleep on the floor because of the lingering memory of the Dynast that had owned her but Mercy had assured herself that she was still free and could sleep where she wished, and once she got there, any thought of leaving to fetch that offered companionship disappeared as her head hit the pillow.

Mercy awoke in the late morning, and resisted leaving until she finally had to. She dressed, made sure all of her things were packed and carefully made the bed and cleaned, leaving the room in the same condition as when she had entered it the night before.

She quietly shuffled downstairs, ordered some tea, and quietly took a seat at the table, not saying a single word, wondering what her circle was talking about.

 

[Sherwood]

Amara gives her friend a wide smile as she approaches, and indicates the seat next to her with a nod of the head. She quickly brings her fellow Solar up to speed regarding her idea of looking into the things of the head of this cult to make sure no one else is going to be casting such dark rituals on the town again.

"If it were just as simple as stabbing something with a sword, I'm your girl. Looking at evil tomes? Not so much. That's why I wanted to wait for you and Silent Glade to come down. The two of you are super smart so if there is anything that is a danger, you should be able to spot it. That shouldn't take long, and we can then get back on the road to Rathess to keep our promise."

 

[Chowlett]

Glade murmurs assent. "Dark magic like we saw last night must not be suffered to survive. I will gladly help. Perhaps the local spirits know something. Perhaps it is a spirit behind this."

 

[Rykon]

Aredin stepped over to a nearby pot to fill his mug with coffee and took a few careful sips as the others spoke for a moment. He gave Glade a nod, "Might as well finish investigating now that the immediate danger's passed. Can't hurt to make doubly sure this disaster won't repeat itself in our absence."

 

[Psychie]

As everyone is chatting about the next course of action to take, a loud bell begins to be rung, echoing across the town. Curiosity gets the better if you and the other patrons of the bar, and when you go outside to investigate, a large plume of black smoke can be seen rising up from the manor house that the ritual was being held at last night. Flames are spreading fast, and the townspeople are starting to run over with tools and buckets in hand in an effort to contain the fire and keep it from spreading.

Luckily for the town, the manor is set off from the street far enough that it is unlikely that there will be a wild fire across the entirety of the place.

As more people gather, there is a definite lack of concern over the burning building. People are instead seeming to be happy at the destruction, and you are able to quickly learn that the manor was the home of Lady Ramis and her now deceased husband. If there are any ancient texts on the house, they won't be there for much longer.

 

[Sherwood]

Amara looks at the blazing fire for a moment before saying, "At a guess, this Lady Ramis is not universally loved. Can't say I blame them, after what this town had been put through. If there was anything in there of interest to us it will soon be destroyed. Saves us the trouble of doing it ourselves, I suppose. The gods only know what nightmares were contained in those walls. Good riddance, I say."

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy watched it burn. The flames seemed to reflect in her eyes.

"Damn, I would have liked to have known why they were attempting a demon summoning well above any terrestrial level of sorcery that I was familiar with. I am glad we stopped whatever it was from coming, I do not think they would have been able to control whatever it was unless she was not what she seemed to be. Ah well, sometimes it may be best to let such secrets be lost to eternity and cleansed with fire."

 

[Purr]

Psychie (Let me know if you want me to change anything here, this being your game and all!) =)

Beyond Aldurtown's walls, in the lush green woodlands , O Mighty Fat Cat, wearing his new grey silken armor and his magnificent gloves, practices the path of the White Reaper. He is a beginner and the newness of it all is not lost on him. The Lunar feels fresh and ready after the delightful night he spent out here under the stars and all of Luna's heavenly glory.

But here at dawn, he spots a rising black plumes of smoke drifting up... from Aldurtown! White smoke meant natural things were burning, but black or deep gray? Something manufactured - like homes! A house fire perhaps! Only one at the moment, but fires spread! O Mighty Fat Cat ceases his training, calling upon his Lunar powers to transform him into his animal form - the O Mighty Fat Cat of jungle myth. He bolts toward the seemingly-ever-troubled village as fast as his furry feet can take him.

When he sees the manor is burning, his lack of civilized education hits him like the Flaw that it is.

Spoiler: Flaw

Flaw: Scholastically-deprived Upbringing (p. 24, based off of Twisted Upbringing). O Mighty Fat Cat was first raised by his educated parents as a child, but later raised by jungle natives [see Background]. Because of this, his scholastic education has suffered. He is literate and knows basic concepts that most schooled people know, but there are holes in his knowledge. Things school-educated characters take for granted are sometimes unknown to O Mighty Fat Cat. As such, he comes across as someone who [like his Player] knows only a little about Creation or even the lands where he was born. He knows nothing of politics or the names of some countries).

In the Celestial Wildlands, his beloved jungle home , everyone helped against a blaze. Why would the town be any different? The idea of stopping to ask someone - even his Circle - what has transpired or to the cause of the blaze does not enter his hurried mind. Instead, he is driven by the thoughts of the people inside of the manor! Old people, staff who might be trapped inside, animals who cannot flee will burn alive if they are not rescued!

O Mighty Fat Cat crosses the earth at his fastest possible speed. Knowing that smoke travels upward, he decides to enter the manor from the top floor and work his way down - but not in this, his most majestic of forms - but as O Mighty Fat Bat!

Spoiler: From OOC

I was hoping to have Fat Cat transform into his Fat Bat form (see Character sheet); this type of bat is fast, maneuverable, small, and has excellent eyesight on top of echo location. Then make use of his Merits and whatever Charms may aid him. Of course, he is looking for innocent people he thinks might be trapped (he comes back at dawn and misunderstands the situation and thinks it is an accidental house fire).

If O Fatty doesn't find people, but finds some tomes that don't appear evil in nature, sure, he might chance it to do what is necessary to transport/deliver them to the Circle for their benefit (but out of the sight of the villagers who might take it the wrong way).

Psychie, O Mighty Fat Cat's Perception is currently 3 (will be 4 in an in-game week). His Awareness is 3 (specialty towards Initiative if he has to roll that between himself and someone or something about to burn). He is listening for sounds of anything living and looking for anything out of the ordinary.

He is (always) using his Charmed Existence Merit. He is using Direction Sense along with his echolocation so he remembers how to get out and does not get disoriented ,and thus, lost and trapped.

He is electing to use his newest Charm, Ever-Wary Fox Technique for 3 Motes. This is to help him avoid any new dangers (falling beams, avoiding rooms filled with fire and smoke - i.e. deathtraps), etc.

Spoiler: Charm

Cost: 3m; Mins: Perception 2, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Lunar faces many foes and perils, cultivating a keen instinct for danger. She adds a non-Charm success on a roll opposing Stealth or to detect a hidden peril such as a trap, poisoned drink, or approaching storm. She may use this Charm to make such Perception rolls while asleep or incapacitated, removing any penalty she might suffer from such states, including that of Bear Sleep Technique. She may awaken instantly upon successfully detecting a threat, or even revive herself from unconsciousness if incapacitated, though she still suffers the effects of incapacitation.

Finally, whatever Stunt dice he may receive for this is appreciated. =)

Once inside, Fat Bat zips this way and that, using his echolocation and other natural senses and skills to locate any living creature who might be trapped inside the blaze. Should he spot anything unusual, he will take note of it, but if not, life is the reason he is there. If he is the only living thing inside the manor, that is for the best. For who would wish to die in a place like this?!

 

[Psychie]

The mighty Fat Bat zips through a broken upper floor window that has smoke and fire pouring out of it, and you are immediately hit with a blast of heat and choking smoky air. It is a good thing you are using the echolocation of the bat to maneuver; using normal sight would be futile for anyone to be able to see.

There are two floors above ground that are being ravaged by flames, and you are quite certain that there are no people able to be alive in here on these floors. Just as you are about to declare your sweep done and head out, your bat sonar discovers a hidden passage to a basement that the fire damage has revealed. Diving down, you come into a real mid-evil dungeon, a real house of horrors. The stench of blood is thick in here, and with the lack of smoke in the air, you can see pools of dried blood that have dripped down from the poor victims of whatever heinous torture that they were being subjected to. Mysterious writing and symbols are carved on the walls and floor, and while you don't understand what they say, you get a chill up your spine when you see them. This place was home to a great amount of evil, and the ritual that your Circle interrupted was just the tip of the iceberg.

A loud crash shakes the basement dungeon as parts of the house above you collapse. It quickly becomes clear that if you don't get out of here now, you'll be trapped in this horrible place as the building burns around you.

 

[Purr]

It quickly becomes clear that if you don't get out of here now, you'll be trapped in this horrible place as the building burns around you.

"Now," being the most important word here, O Mighty Fat Bat zips out of there as quickly as his little batty wings can carry him! (This but much faster!) =)

EDIT: It is back to the White Elk Tavern for this jungle Lunar. The Circle must be told!

 

[Psychie]

As a somewhat smoky and singed Fat Bat flies over to the tavern, he is able to see that the other Exalted of the Circle are all gathered a short distance away from the burning building, watching the flames consume the structure, along with a large part of the towns population. The locals seem to be rather calm, and the only firefighting work that they are doing is to make sure that the flames don't spread to other buildings and put the town at risk.

The Circle is now all together. What do you do now?

 

[Purr]

Chowlett Eonivar jaydude Psychie Rykon Sherwood

The beautiful thing about Brilliant Manifold is that, once attuned as it is now, you look clean and handsome in nearly all circumstances. It is a benefit O Mighty Fat Bat appreciates as his smokiness will be replaced by fine cologne just as soon as he can... find... ah! A discreet landing place behind the crowds. Here, he resumes his great and muscular human form. Now, he is dressed in a dashing gray array of robes and silvery bracelets adjoined with a necklace holding his emerald Gem of Incomparable Wellness. This stone he keeps hidden underneath the folds of his form-fitting silken armor.

O Mighty Fat Cat approaches the crowd, watching the burning manor, and quickly coming to realize that he was probably the only one who cared about anyone inside of that building. Still, he is very, very satisfied to know that he found no prisoners in the macabre dungeon below, for if he had, they would be with him now. Inside, his emotions are tossed around, but on the outside, he appears as cool as a northern wind. The Lunar does a lot of listening and watching, including noting the unworried looks of his Circle of Solar friends.

"Hello again, my friends!" he smiles in his new garb. "Good day for a barbeque, no?"

Inside his heart, he wishes to tell them, but not here, not now. Still, should the right moment appear, he tries to get a cupped whisper in where at least Aredin and Grey Stone can hear (if not the whole Circle, especially the sharp-eared like Silent Glade).

"De manor. It holds a secret below; one dat fire might not end? Tell you more later."

 

[jaydude]

(OOC: Apologies, I didn't realize there had been posts here.)

"I was wondering where you had gone," Grey Stone said to Fat Cat once the Lunar had rejoined them.

At the Full Moon's whispered words of a secret within the burning manor - Grey Stone had been content to watch it burn like the rest of the Solars - the Zenith nodded. "Perhaps we can go and discuss it somewhere we are less likely to be overheard?" he suggested.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 28/33
Anima: Dim

Willpower: 7/7
Join Battle: 5
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, Incapacitated
Resolve 3, Guile 1

Attacks
Faith's Pillar (10 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 18, Overwhelming 5, Bashing, Melee, Reaching, Smashing, Two-Handed)
Unarmed (13 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 15, Overwhelming 1, Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Natural)

Actions
Rush: 6
Disengage: 6

Evasion 4, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

 

[Purr]

jaydude Psychie

"De sooner de betta," Fat Cat nods to Grey Stone as he solemnly watches the crackling blaze and rising smoke.

 

[jaydude]

jaydude Psychie

"De sooner de betta," Fat Cat nods to Grey Stone.

Giving the Lunar a nod in return, Grey Stone turned to the rest of the Circle.

"Can we go elsewhere?" he asked them in a quiet voice. "Our Lunar friend has something he would like to discuss with us privately."

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 1
Personal Essence: 13/13
Peripheral Essence: 28/33
Anima: Dim

Willpower: 7/7
Join Battle: 5
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -3, Incapacitated
Resolve 3, Guile 1

Attacks
Faith's Pillar (10 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 18, Overwhelming 5, Bashing, Melee, Reaching, Smashing, Two-Handed)
Unarmed (13 dice Withering, 8 dice Decisive, Withering Damage 15, Overwhelming 1, Bashing, Brawl, Grappling, Natural)

Actions
Rush: 6
Disengage: 6

Evasion 4, Parry 4
Soak/Hardness: 4/0

 

[Chowlett]

Glade nods without a word, and prepares to follow the rest of the circle.

 

[Sherwood]

Amara also nods, saying, "With most of the town turned out to watch the fire burn, I'm sure we can find a private place to talk."