Into the Ruins - Exalted 3e IC

[Psychie]

The first rays of light pierce the night sky and illuminate the rock jutting up next to the circle first, then a moment later the summoning circle itself just as the three of you spend your Essence in prayer to the spirit of the Titan. The incense ignites sending wisps of smoke into the sky that slowly coalesce into a humanoid shape hovering in the center of the ring. The form solidifies into a roughly human figure with feminine features that looks to be made of metal that flows and flexes as the spirit blinks and looks around at the light of Creation for the first time in untold centuries.

The spirit slowly descends until she is standing on the dirt and rock in the circle, turning around to look at each of you in turn. In a voice that sounds like bells ringing, she says, “Children of the Sun, Moon and Stars, once more gathered together to call for me. It has been a very long time. Have you finally returned so I can complete my task? Have you come to wake the Sleeper? She has waited for an Age under my care for the time to awaken once more.”

 

[Sherwood]

Delilah smiles at the appearance of the spirit. It is one thing to expect it, but to actually see the form stand in front of her after so long is quite another. She offers a polite bow and says, “Greetings Taru. It has indeed been a long time since the Exalted has called upon you. I am Delilah Kanto, Chosen of Serenity, and I am here with these other Exalted to raise our banner over the towers of the Titan. A old threat to Creation has manifested in a new form: the Ebon Dragon has suborned the Dragon Blooded ruler of the Blessed Isle and is using her to open his prison and free him to return to Creation. This is a challenge that calls for the might of all the Exalted to stand united, gathered together here in this bastion of the First Age to prepare to fight the Primordial once more.”

She pauses to let her words sink in, and as Taru thinks about what has been said, Del asks, “You speak of a sleeper? Who is this? And why have you waited so long to revive her?”

 

[Psychie]

Taru looks somewhat surprised. “Who is the Sleeper? I thought you knew, and that she was one of the reasons you have come here today. She is Maeve Laughing-Shadow, of the Lunar Exalted, and her mate, Enki the Dream Maker, was one of the Solar Exalted responsible for the construction of this Titan. During the uprising, the host of Dragon Blooded rose up to end their lives, but while Maeve was hurt and no longer able to fight, Enki sealed her into a stasis chamber in the command center and directed me to protect her until the day that the Solars return to Creation. It would seem that with so many Exalts now here that this condition has been met.”

 

[Chowlett]

Glade stands stoically behind Delilah's right shoulder, arms folded, as Taru appears. No stranger to treating with the spirits of his native forest, it is easy for him to see that this spirit is significantly more important than any he has met before; and somehow more... he struggles mentally for a word... constructed? than them. This spirit has seen his kind before, worked with them, been moulded by them. A curious blend of nature and artifice.

At the mention of Maeve Laughing-Shadow and Enki the Dream Maker, Glade takes a moment to think - he would not expect any of the ancient legends to have preserved their stories faithfully, but maybe with a little corruption over the centuries, their stories might have come to him.

OOC: Do I know of whom Taru speaks? Int + Lore + First Age specialty: 5 successes

 

[Psychie]

If this is the same Maeve that you’ve heard of, she has quite a history to her. She is the younger sister of Raski (yes, that Raski), and was the bride of a solar artificer that was instrumental in getting this Titan built. It took hundreds of years to construct and she was at his side during the whole time. Maeve’s husband was known as a harsh taskmaster and was known to lose his temper with his workers and butcher them on a regular basis. With the Usurpation, it was thought that she was killed in her efforts to stop the Dragon Blooded from killing her husband, but if the spirit is correct, she still lives.

 

[Sherwood]

Del opens her eyes wide in surprise. A survivor, from the First Age? That is incredible! She marshals her thoughts and says, “This is a remarkable bit of information, one that we are most certainly glad to have. Were are in need of the services of the Titan, and as we restart the main operating system we will also be able to awaken the Sleeper from her long rest. But in order to do so, we have to get access to the interior. Is there an entrance that is not completely blocked by rubble and debris that is accessible by us? We have to get into the core of the citadel to fully activate the fortress.”

 

[Psychie]

Taru nods, saying, “According to my scans, there are two access points that are close to the surface of the debris field that can be readily accessed from the exterior with minimal work. There are also construction automations that can be tasked with aiding in clearing the way, but that requires level three command access to initiate.” Taru looks expectantly at Del, waiting for her response.

 

[Sherwood]

With a satisfied smile, Del replies, “Level three command code Ha Rau Mei Two Alpha initiate. Activate the automations and begin clearing the pathway to the interior. Can you show me where these access points will emerge?”

 

[Psychie]

Taru nods, saying, “Yes, noble Exalt. Image display active.” Between her outstretched hands there is a flickering image of Mount Metagalapa with a shadowy wire frame of the smaller but still large Titan under the layers of rock. There are three spots lit up, one at the top where you currently are, and the other two farther down the mountain. The two spots below you are towards the bottom of turn flying mountains and as such it with take some to get to them.

There is, however a different spot that takes your interest. It appears that there is a passage being dug out of the rock that is burrowing from the surface. It works appear that there is someone digging their way to the Titan.

 

[jaydude]

"It would appear that we're not the only ones trying to access the Titan," Grey Stone said, gesturing to the passage being dug on Taru's display. "Now how on Creation would they know about it?"

[OOC: How far away from us is the start point of this passage.]

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 01/16
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

 

[Psychie]

The new one being dug is about halfway down the mountain, not too far from the residential areas that there are in the side of the mountain.

 

[jaydude]

Grey Stone turned to the others. "Hmm. It might be prudent to investigate this tunnel and the one digging it."

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 01/16
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]

Del nods, saying, “I concur. They may be valuable allies, so let’s not go off on a hair trigger. We will deal with this one way or the other.”

 

[Chowlett]

"Either way, we should hurry. They are digging as we watch. Shall I run ahead, quietly, scout the tunnel?" Glade asks Del and Grey Stone, who seem to be de facto leading this section of the mission.

 

[jaydude]

"You can go on ahead if you like, but I'll follow you to the mouth of the tunnel," Grey Stone replied, figuring it was just far enough away from the residential areas for him to avoid being noticed by anyone there.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 01/16
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 nods, and takes off towards where the entrance should be as quickly as he safely can, down the mountainside.

 

[Purr]

"AARROOOOWRR!"

O Mighty Fat Cat bellows to his Circle as he puts his fat, furry, and friendly form in a spot in the middle of them all. He gestures to his magical howdah and once he is loaded with all who would board, he takes off at full speed (with his speed and mobility-related Charms and Mutations active)!

(OOC: All aboard! Da Lucky Fat Cat Express is on da moooove!)

 

[Psychie]

With the rising sun giving light to the mountainside, travel down is a bit faster than going up in the darkness. As both Glade and Fat Cat run, you start to find trails that the locals have made over the years, making your run even easier.

It is about halfway down the slope of the mountain that you can see a plume of dust coming up a short distance ahead of you, marking the spot that the digging is taking place.

With his stealthy nature, Silent Glade slips forward to find a small airship of ancient design, but this one is constructed out of flesh, bone and ribbons of soulsteel to hold it all together. Off to the side there is a freshly dug hole in the mountain, and a line of zombies with shovels and pick axes hauling wheelbarrows full of dirt out of the hole where they dump the soil to the side. Silently watching the zombies work is a pair of people, the first is a girl of about fifteen with very pale skin wearing all black. She is not armed or armored in any way you can see. The second figure is a middle aged man in leather armor and carrying a large bow that appears to be soulsteel. He is currently lounging back on a fallen tree looking bored as the zombies work.

Fat Cat is not far behind the other Exalt. What you first notice is the smell of rotting meat. Peking through the trees you can guess that the source of the smell is the zombies, and possibly the flesh and bone airship.

At this point, you do not feel that you have been detected.

 

[Purr]

Eonivar jaydude Psychie Rykon Sherwood
Using his Gifts and Mutations, Fat Cat's huge eyes and ears try to eat up the sights and sounds (for the smell is easily-detected). His idea is to get a thorough surveillance of the entire situation along with every detail his eyes and ears can give him.

The animal in Da Chonk quickly comes to a realization - his presence might compromise Silent Glade, the very shadow of his Circle if there ever was one. That is the last thing the Lunar wants, so he stealthily backs away whence he came.

If the opportunity arises, Fat Cat uses Glance-Oration Technique and tries to very discreetly alert Silent Glade with a slow quiet wave and his pointing back toward the Circle - his indicator to Glade that Fat Cat is not only "outta here," but he's going to be sharing what he has just learned with the Circle. Most of all, Glade will be all on his own - which, to Fat Cat, is probably just how the Silent Solar wants it!

With that, Fat Cat transforms into a Savannah Hawk (large raptor bird), and returns to his Circle by a roundabout way via low-altitude flight using as much cover as possible to mask his flight and his flight-path. Once there, he transforms into his native human form and tells all.

 

[jaydude]

"Oh, dear," Grey Stone muttered at the sight of the zombies and the pair overseeing them. "That is not ideal at all."

He let Fat Cat carry him back to the rest of the Circle; like the Lunar, he figured it was best that he didn't stick around and risk compromising the Night Caste. At least for the moment, anyway.

Spoiler: Grey Stone Stats

Essence: 2
Personal Essence: 01/16
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

 

[Purr]

During their travel back, Fat Cat glances up with a brief and huge smile at Grey Stone. Da Chonk feels being of one mind with the thoughtful and ever-steady Grey Stone is always a good thing!

 

[Psychie]

Eonivar

Cold. That is the first thought that comes to mind: you’re cold. Then you start to notice your head hurts, but that is not as irritating as the cold is. Slowly, the realization that you are awake is sinking in. With some effort, you pry your eyes open and the headache gets worse as the light pierces your head. A familiar soft voice can be heard, saying, “Noble Exalt, can you hear me? Your vital signs are stable and your pulse is increasing, along with your core temperature. You are safe and everything is responding in a nominal manner. You should be able to speak shortly.”

It takes a moment, but you start to remember that the voice belongs to Taru, the spirit of the Titan. You must have been put in stasis, but you are being revived.

 

[Eonivar]

"t-t-t-t-t-Taru?"

Her voice was weak and shivering. She opened and closed her eyes. Flashes of memory came.

<the smell of battle...dirt, blood, bodily fluids, the smell of decomposition, the distinct smell of sorcery and necromancy being worked>

She unconsciously reached across her body...touching points along her lower thigh, her shoulder, her left kidney, and finally at the center of her chest.

<memories of dull pain no longer there...ending with the one in her chest that had started in her back>

She breathed deeply...

<a memory of the sound of the roar of battle...and a voice...who was that? It is familiar. 'She is still alive but barely, the blow missed her heart...faithful servant, take her back to the Mountain and have Taru place her in stasis..before we are overrun. I will summon a cloud. One of us must survive to fight another day...appropriate it is Enki's mate. Live dear, fierce Maeve...live to fight another day...live to tell our story'>

She blinked as thoughts became whole...

"Ssssss...tasis..."

<a memory of her standing over a large sarcophagus like structure..with Enki...his tall form standing next to her...his large hand brushing along the small of her back...his voice full of excitement...he was like a little boy in his excitement...she loved these moments with him...'It is complete! A device that can put a body in stasis to give it time to heal...the body will not age during the process...'>

Her brown eyes opened wide as she realized where she was...she searched about looking for familiar faces and only seeing Taru's form standing above her...she began to feel the slight sensation of warmth again

"I..I...I w-w-was ppppput in h-h-hhere? W-w-where is everyone? H-h-how long have I been here?"

 

[Psychie]

Taru looks down at Maeve with a comforting smile. "It has been a long time, and that might be a shock to you. It has been thousands of years; I was not fully functional during this time to know for certain. Much of the Titan is still off line, and there is a sizable amount of debris covering the outer hull. It was only eight hundred years ago that the primary lift motors were finally repaired enough to make the Titan airborne once more." Taru places a medical sensor against your temple and she looks at the resulting readings and presses a control on the panel, sending a wave of warmth through your body, making you feel much better. "Slowly now, take your time in rising. As I said, you are safe here. It will take a little bit for you to gather your strength once more. Until then, you will feel weak and light-headded."

She takes a small cup with a straw in it and holds it to your lips to allow you a drink. "There are Exalts on the outer layer of rubble that have made contact with me and have some measure of the command codes for operating the citadel. They have informed me that there are new threats against Creation, and they seek to utilize the Titan once more. I felt that their presence here with the command codes was a sufficient step to begin the dethawing process on your cocoon."

 

[Sherwood]

During their travel back, Fat Cat glances up with a brief and huge smile at Grey Stone. Da Chonk feels being of one mind with the thoughtful and ever-steady Grey Stone is always a good thing!

Once Fat Cat lands and describes the scene, Del frowns. “Necromancy. At the least there is an Exalt with them, possibly a Dragon Blooded, but more likely a Solar or an Abyssal. In any case, they seem to know that there is something here worth digging for. It might benefit us to not attack them first, especially when dealing so many unknowns. I am willing to go out first to begin talking; I don’t look as dangerous as some others in our group.”