Into the Ruins - Exalted 3e IC

[Psychie]

Filial lets out another grunt as Delilah's sash threads the needle and hits him in the small gap of his armor. He steps back, holding his side where you hit with one hand and raises up his other in surrender. "I still have fight in me, but I yield to you. But if this wasn't a friendly sparring match, I'd have used my sword, and the outcome would not have been so easy for you."

He turns to look at the rest of the Circle and says, "I have no complaints of her fighting skill. She obviously knows how to handle herself in a fight."

Off to the side, Antonia lets out a relieved sigh, glad that no one was truly hurt here. "So, I would have to guess that since you are all here, you were able to recover Spellbreaker and bring it here to release the bindings on the ghost of Cadence Raff? I would like the peace of this manse to no longer be tainted by his hate."

 

[jaydude]

"Indeed. We were able to retrieve the weapon, and by a happy coincidence we also ran into Filial Wisdom there," Grey Stone answered, gesturing to the Dawn. "And we managed to assist in putting down a malevolent god as well. All in all, a most bountiful venture."

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 11/16
Peripheral Essence: 40/40
Anima: Dim
Committed Essence: 5 (Faith's Pillar)

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

 

[Sherwood]

Delilah offers the other Exalt a respectful bow before recovering her starmetal rings and places them once more on her back. She says to Filial, "I am glad to have passed your test with no bloodshed, Noble Filial, and from the ease with which you carry that sword tells me that I was lucky to have you fight me bare handed." She tosses her hair back out of her face and turns to the others, asking, "I hope that this demonstration was sufficient to prove my martial worth?"

 

[jaydude]

Delilah offers the other Exalt a respectful bow before recovering her starmetal rings and places them once more on her back. She says to Filial, "I am glad to have passed your test with no bloodshed, Noble Filial, and from the ease with which you carry that sword tells me that I was lucky to have you fight me bare handed." She tosses her hair back out of her face and turns to the others, asking, "I hope that this demonstration was sufficient to prove my martial worth?"

"If you can fight, and Antonia trusts you, I see little reason to deny you a place at our side," Grey Stone replied, before looking at the others to see how they reacted.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 11/16
Peripheral Essence: 40/40
Anima: Dim
Committed Essence: 5 (Faith's Pillar)

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 stands tall, in a dappling of shadows from the surrounding trees that just breaks up his outline a little, arms folded across his bare chest - a familiar pose for him. He nods once to Grey Stone, but says nothing.

 

[Psychie]

"Indeed. We were able to retrieve the weapon, and by a happy coincidence we also ran into Filial Wisdom there," Grey Stone answered, gesturing to the Dawn. "And we managed to assist in putting down a malevolent god as well. All in all, a most bountiful venture."

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 11/16
Peripheral Essence: 40/40
Anima: Dim
Committed Essence: 5 (Faith's Pillar)

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

Antonia smiles. “That is indeed good news. It will bring a much needed sense of peace to this glade that is sorely lacking. It has been so long that I have had to deal with that hateful shade that I won’t know what to do with myself once he’s gone!”

 

[Purr]

"Come, little girl. Face me in a friendly sparring match. I won't even use my Daiklave. Just fists. Show me what you can do."

"Very well. No lethal damage done, just a sparring match. No weapons. I am ready when you are."

(bold mine)

Suddenly, she reverses her spin and strikes out, not with her own hand, but with her sash, threading through the cracks of his armor to strike home, biting into him.

(bold mine)

She tosses her hair back out of her face and turns to the others, asking, "I hope that this demonstration was sufficient to prove my martial worth?"

O Mighty Fat Cat begins and ends with honesty. He regards this new and strange Exalted with skepticism. His rich voice carries. "Where I am from... 'no weapons' means no weapons. Filial Wisdom kept to his word," he looks to the Solar's bare hands. Then he looks to her sash. "I believe you failed to keep yours."

"I don't doubt your willingness to help. I don't doubt Antonia's feelings for you as an ally. I only doubt your honesty in dis matter."

Antonia smiles. “That is indeed good news. It will bring a much needed sense of peace to this glade that is sorely lacking. It has been so long that I have had to deal with that hateful shade that I won’t know what to do with myself once he’s gone!”

O Mighty Fat Cat smiles back to Antonia. He has no reason to doubt her. "You and Dunbar Kirk both, my friend! In order to keep our promise, I believe we are to deliver to him Spellbreaka. It is here." Da Chonk reverently presents the fantastic chain in all of its splendor. "We have risked our very lives to fulfill dis promise. And I?" The large Lunar looks toward Dunbar Kirk's tower.

"My first duty must be to my word. I must excuse myself." He bows to Filial Wisdom, Antonia, and the Exalted named Delilah. "Would at least some of my Circle accompany me, please, and introduce me to Dunbar Kirk? To prove we have survived Rathess and returned with Spellbreaka?" He holds Spellbreaker, looking down upon its beauty with solemn resolve in his eyes.

"Luna as me witness, I did not retrieve it alone." He looks in the direction he last saw Amara and begins to make his way toward the ghostly Solar's tower.

 

[Sherwood]

Del looks surprised at Fat Cat. She thinks about what was done during the sparring match and slowly nods. “You are right. I did use a tool to focus my Essence instead of just my bare hands. It was a slip on my part, but it makes no difference. My sifu would thrash me within an inch of my life for breaking a rule of his like that, and I did it here without thinking. I am sorry.”

She bows her head in very real shame, saying to Filial, “I have no excuse for what I’ve done. I can only hope that I can show you that it was an honest mistake and hopefully you’ll let me make some measure to redeem myself.”

 

[Psychie]

Filial looks from Fat Cat to Del, saying, "Be glad that this is a friendly visit, little girl, or I might hold a grudge for this." He is clearly not happy, especially since it took Fat Cat to point out that Del used a weapon against him and he had missed it.

Antonia senses a touch of the tensions building between Del and Filial, and she smoothly steps in, saying, "I will lead you to Dunbar. He is most likely in the library, reading his books. I swear, he's read them all so many times he could probably recite them all from memory. Those that wish to come along, please follow me." She turns and walks over to one of the two towers and opens the door, guiding everyone that wishes to follow her into the building. For those that entered the towers before, this is very much a trip down memory lane. This is the residential tower, where Dunbar would spend his time away from his research in the other tower. Everything here is as you remember it, and soon you are inside a rather worn and threadbare library, the furniture showing signs of age for all the thousands of years that they have been here since the Usurpation. Hundreds of books line the walls and are even piled up on tables, all showing someone with a true and great love of books.

Seated at one of the soft chairs is an old man that some of you recognize as Dunbar Kirk. He looks up from the book in his lap with surprise, saying, "Oh, my. When I last saw you, I wasn't sure that you would be able to recover Spellbreaker from the tomb and return. Color me surprised, and more than a bit impressed. I have to remind myself that you are a group of Solars, and one underestimates them at their own peril. Tell me, were you successful in getting the artifact?" He then looks at the unfamiliar faces amongst you, saying, "And there are some here that I do not know. Please, introduce yourselves and be welcome in my home. Find a seat and relax." Dunbar motions to the variety of empty chairs, some of which have books in them, and says, "I am sorry, but there may not be enough room for all. I rarely entertained in life, and in death even fewer people come here."

 

[Rykon]

Filial looks from Fat Cat to Del, saying, "Be glad that this is a friendly visit, little girl, or I might hold a grudge for this." He is clearly not happy, especially since it took Fat Cat to point out that Del used a weapon against him and he had missed it.

Aredin merely glances at the two combatants then at his circle and shrugs. By his own reckoning, he wouldn't even think to consider an item of clothing as a weapon... but used like that, Da Chonk did have a point.

Seated at one of the soft chairs is an old man that some of you recognize as Dunbar Kirk. He looks up from the book in his lap with surprise, saying, "Oh, my. When I last saw you, I wasn't sure that you would be able to recover Spellbreaker from the tomb and return. Color me surprised, and more than a bit impressed. I have to remind myself that you are a group of Solars, and one underestimates them at their own peril. Tell me, were you successful in getting the artifact?" He then looks at the unfamiliar faces amongst you, saying, "And there are some here that I do not know. Please, introduce yourselves and be welcome in my home. Find a seat and relax." Dunbar motions to the variety of empty chairs, some of which have books in them, and says, "I am sorry, but there may not be enough room for all. I rarely entertained in life, and in death even fewer people come here."

The eclipse caste merely nods, then looks to the fat cat, still holding custody of the relic to the last of his memory. "Perhaps a bit more faith is warranted, not just in us but in the Incarnae that not only chose us but brought this team together."

"So long as we do our best in earnest I think we'll find a way to manage. Somehow. On that note... I take it you've heard the recent announcement?"

 

[Psychie]

Aredin merely glances at the two combatants then at his circle and shrugs. By his own reckoning, he wouldn't even think to consider an item of clothing as a weapon... but used like that, Da Chonk did have a point.


The eclipse caste merely nods, then looks to the fat cat, still holding custody of the relic to the last of his memory. "Perhaps a bit more faith is warranted, not just in us but in the Incarnae that not only chose us but brought this team together."

"So long as we do our best in earnest I think we'll find a way to manage. Somehow. On that note... I take it you've heard the recent announcement?"

The ghost of Dunbar nods. “If you are referring to the proclamation of the Empress, then yes. It shook the very walls of my home such that I was afraid that the tower would fall. I wonder what such an announcement portends, and because I was killed long before the rise of this Empress, I know little of her. Most of my knowledge is from a time long before her.”

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy smiled happily as she entered the library, still getting used to being no longer covered with her now burnt to cinders hijab. Her hair in their journey had grown long, and she now keeps it in a long braid down her back. The Twilight Exalted had a very different look now with the coverings around her face gone, the young woman tempered by hard experiences and trauma, seemed a bit older and more mature than before.

She gave a long bow to Dunbar upon entering. "It is so nice to be back and see you again Dunbar" She then sat down and listened to the conversation, trying not to be distracted into opening a book and starting to read.

Upon mention of the Empress, she spoke.

"The Empress is someone who supposedly died or disappeared years ago. She was once Empress over all the Dragonblooded houses on the Blessed Isle. She possess great power, particular the artifact weapon called the Sword of Creation which she just allegedly used to raze the city of Thorns and destroy the Deathlord that had taken over there. She is very dangerous to everyone but there is not much we know of her current state or power, if anything at all at this point. It is all hearsay. The massive and powerful illusion could have just been that, and nothing else."

She glances over at Delilah. "Unless you have more information on what has happened? Is there any confirmation that what this illusion of the Scarlet Empress said occurred? Was that illusion indeed the Scarlet Empress? Is Thorns and the Deathlord within Destroyed?"

 

[Sherwood]

Del looks grim. "I myself have seen the blasted land that was once Thorns, and there is not a pair of bricks still standing atop one another. The land for miles has been razed and nothing is left. It is still unknown if the Deathlord was actually in residence of the city or in the Underworld at the time of the attack. Understandably, the Bureau's reach is limited in the Underworld, but our agents there are being tasked with the job of confirming or denying the destruction of Mask of Winters. The Deathlords are notoriously slippery, so I would not be surprised if he had survived, even if I am hopeful that one of their number has been wiped out."

 

[jaydude]

Del looks grim. "I myself have seen the blasted land that was once Thorns, and there is not a pair of bricks still standing atop one another. The land for miles has been razed and nothing is left. It is still unknown if the Deathlord was actually in residence of the city or in the Underworld at the time of the attack. Understandably, the Bureau's reach is limited in the Underworld, but our agents there are being tasked with the job of confirming or denying the destruction of Mask of Winters. The Deathlords are notoriously slippery, so I would not be surprised if he had survived, even if I am hopeful that one of their number has been wiped out."

Grey Stone looked at Del. "This Bureau of yours, does it have any idea of how the rest of the East is reacting to these events?"

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 11/16
Peripheral Essence: 40/40
Anima: Dim
Committed Essence: 5 (Faith's Pillar)

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]

Grey Stone looked at Del. "This Bureau of yours, does it have any idea of how the rest of the East is reacting to these events?"

"Not well, I would assume," interjects Glade. "Even Lookshy, corrupted by its own plague of Dragon-Blooded, cannot stand the Empress and her holdings. She will have to take all these lands by force."

 

[Sherwood]

Del nods again. “There is general chaos and confusion across Creation, along with multiple disasters caused by the Essence backlash from the Empress using the Sword of Creation causing earthquakes across the region. There are several collapsed dams causing flooding and many towns are nearly cut off from the roads leading to them having been rent by the quakes. If it were her goal to cause confusion, she could not have done a better job of it than what she has.”

 

[jaydude]

"Even Lookshy, corrupted by its own plague of Dragon-Blooded, cannot stand the Empress and her holdings. She will have to take all these lands by force."

Grey Stone nodded at Del's assessment of the situation, then turned to look at Glade. “I would not say the Dragon-blooded of Lookshy are half as bad as their counterparts in the Scarlet Empire. They at least give a rat's backside about their duties to Creation and those less blessed than them.”

 

[Eonivar]

Mercy works really hard to not pick up the nearest book and start reading. She did not know much of the civilized places of the world beyond where she was from in the Blessed Isle and the colony where her owner had moved to. Everyone was speaking about different places.

She looks up at everyone. “So what do we do now? After we release the spirit here, what is our next course of action to fight the Empress?”

 

[Rykon]

"Fight the Empress?" Aredin responds with a hint of incredulity. "We're a pack of rookies that have been on the run from one of her headless detachments for the last month and you want to already want to talk about fighting her now? Let's slow way down. What we need is experience and a support structure before we muster up that kind of ambition. Let's just try and hold some ground before we think of snatching the heart of enemy territory, hm?"

He glances at the covers of the various books, "Though if we can find information on it here, I suppose a bit of research on the nature and parameters of this 'Sword of Creation' would do us a lot of good."

 

[jaydude]

"Fight the Empress?" Aredin responds with a hint of incredulity. "We're a pack of rookies that have been on the run from one of her headless detachments for the last month and you want to already want to talk about fighting her now? Let's slow way down. What we need is experience and a support structure before we muster up that kind of ambition. Let's just try and hold some ground before we think of snatching the heart of enemy territory, hm?"

“I imagine we'll be drawn into a conflict with the Empress regardless of whether or not we actively seek it, but Aredin is right,” Grey Stone said, appreciating that someone else was willing to voice the sentiment. “For the moment, we enjoy the luxury of not having to fight her or her forces. It would be prudent to take advantage of it.”

Then a thought occured to him, and he turned to Dunbar. “This manse, did anyone else come across it while we were away?” he asked, thinking in terms of the Wyld Hunt.

 

[Purr]

Empress? A Deathlord? Lookshy? Sword of Creation? Da Chonk feels these matters are so high over his young head that they may as well be stars hanging in the night time sky.

The Lunar shakes his head as if it would help him lessen the confusion that is reaching his ears. "My Circle. I canmot follow all of dis. Is it really feasible to try and drink from more than one river at once?"

Bowing respectfully to Dunbar Kirk, O Mighty Fat Cat chooses the only path he really has ahead of them and that is fulfilling the Circle's promise.

"Mebbe we can complete our quest and free Cadence? Dis will bring peace... not only to dis place, but to most everyone involved. Don't you tink so, My Circle? One path at a time?"

O Mighty Fat Cat presents for all to see the incredibly-beautiful artifact, Spellbreaker!

He follows this action with a shy smile towards everyone in the hopes that he is doing the right thing at the right time - Solar Empresses and the rest be tossed on their heads - this was the one thing that he knew required doing! =)

Spoiler: I am placing this here to remind myself of these matters.

"A noble purpose, to be certain." The ghost nods as he speaks, then says, "But I think that you have overreached your capabilities with regards to my 'buddy' Cadence. The spell that binds him is one of the highest level of sorcery, one that I suspect that you lack the ability to release on your own, and with my death, I, too, have lost the ability to tap into sorcery anymore. However, with that being said, there is a way to make good on your oath to free him, and good riddance to the ill-mannered sot. I know of an artifact known as Spellbreaker that was made to undo existing spells of even the Solar Circle. The problem is that the last place that I know of it being kept is not going to be an easy recovery of the artifact."

Dunbar stands, and walks over to look at one of the books on the shelf. "The last that I have heard, Spellbreaker was interred with its last owner, a Lunar known by the name of Mor'du. He was buried in the graveyard in Rathess, the old city that was once the capitol of the Deliberative before it was moved to Meru on the Blessed Isle. This book tells of the various security steps that were made in order to protect the final resting place of that Chosen of Luna. If you use it, it will aid you in being able to gain access to the innermost chamber of the tomb of Mor'du where his physical remains are laid to rest with the various artifacts that he was known to use."

 

[Psychie]

Dunbar looks at Fat Cat and smiles. "You are truly a wonder, Noble Exalt, to be able to bring this wondrous item here and offer it to cleanse the manse of my ill-mannered house guest. I cannot use it, but I can tell you what needs to be done to free the spirit of Cadence." He points to one end of the chain. "Wrap that end around your wrist and let the rest of Spellbreaker dangle free. It will show you flows of Essence of active spells and ones being shaped. The lines of power binding Cadence will look like . . . glowing lines that ensnare him and keep him from being able to leave and move onto Lethe for reincarnation. Swing the chain at these glowing lines and they will be severed, freeing him from his bindings. This will free Cadence and let him go. You should be able to find his angry shade howling in rage in the other tower. Use caution when approaching him; he is filled with anger and a dangerous opponent."

At this point, Dunbar rises up from his seat and goes over to the bookshelf. Selecting a text, he says, "I don't have detailed information on the Sword of Creation, but this book does cover some of the pertinent details on the weapon. It is supposed to be only usable by a Perfect Circle of five Solars working in conjunction, so I don't know how this Dragon Blooded Empress of yours is able to make it do more than fizzle like a holiday sparkler. Somehow, she has bypassed the safeguards that were in place, a feat I would think is beyond her ability considering that the greatest minds of the Deliberative and the Primordial Autochthon Himself were involved in making it." He frowns, deep in thought. "It would certainly be one explanation to the side effects of the natural disasters that were caused when the Sword was used. I would hazard a guess that the use of the weapon probably damaged the geomancy enough that it will be impossible to use again for a very long time." He takes the book over to where Mercy is sitting and hands it to her. "A gift to you, pretty lady, from a worn out old man. I hope it helps you in your endeavors."

 

[Chowlett]

"Aredin and Grey Stone are right. We cannot face the Empress now. I knew this even when I was urging her destruction back in Rathess; I am sorry for my hot head."

Glade listens to Fat Cat's reminder that they need to free Cadence, and to Dunbar's explanation of how they do it.

"This is wisdom. Let us fulfill our promise. I would say this task is yours to perform, my lunar friend; but I will stand with you and defend you from Cadence if need be"

 

[Sherwood]

Delilah nods at the words of the other Exalts, saying, “As I said, I can help with that goal of ending the Empress’s rule. The details can wait until you have completed your promised task. When you are ready, we can talk.”

 

[jaydude]

Grey Stone gave another nod, then turned to look at Fat Cat.

“I'll go with you, to help with Cadence,” he offered. “Even with Spellbreaker, dealing with an angry and old ghost is not a task I can ever see going completely smoothly.”