On the Run [Dude, where's my daiklave?]

Mordant Xane


While the thought of playing with the blessed isle's defensive systems was a tempting thought, Mordant resisted the urge to do so. He pressed the glyph to zoom in on the East. Perhaps there was a setting here to deactivate the essence-defenses that protected the pyramid, or maybe to bring the rest of the facility online.


Mordant looks at the group and grins, "Well guys, at least I got the lights on."


------------------


Just trying to turn off the traps and / or noting the location of any more 'hidden caches' that might be nearby.
 
Crimson Dove


The Dragon Blooded woman takes Jenai's hand hesitantly, and he can feel her pulse pounding beneath her delicate skin. Her eyes are wide, worried, as she takes in the slowly awakening manse.


She does not share the moment the rest feel, the echoes of past souls at the height of their First Age power. This too is not for her. Her growing sense of apprehension remains.


"Those who built it may be long dead, but their Exaltations walk these halls, and their creation remains. What would I be to them? A cherished pet, a favored concubine if I was fortunate? Do you trust such beings to have spared a thought for the consequences if some upstart Terrestrial," she used a tone that the Celestials in the party have most often hear with the term 'Anathema', "forgot her place?"


She shakes her head. "I will stay, but if you stand for whatever judgement lays head, I choose to remain behind. I will not put my life in betting a First Age Solar would find me worthy of their company."
 
Mordant Xane


Mordant gives the dragonblood a nod from his perch atop the pillar, "Were I in your shoes, I think I would be equally concerned. The myopia of the denizens of the First Age are always hard to predict, and I would not want to wager my life upon their rationality."


Mordant looks back at the view screens and ponders, "Perhaps there is a lesson in that. They wrote off their dragon blooded allies, and they died for it. Perhaps the key to avoiding a repeat of such a situation is to not presume that anything makes one person better than another; in the end, we are all people. Celestial, Terrestrial, or mortal."


Mordant resumes his search for the button that might disable the traps, or at least give him some clues to their function.
 
While searching the controls on the pedistal, the others are making their own discoveries. Several concealed doorways around the room that lead off into what is obviously servants areas, including bath houses and kitchens. You find a wonder of enginering in the kitchens, along with bottles of wine that must be thousands of years old. Quite a good vintage if they have not turned into vinegar by now. The baths feature hot and cold running water, and you find a storehouse filled with food kept fresh by magic. Just the thing to refresh after a long day of destroying the enemies of Creation.


On the central pedistal, Zane is getting closer to his goal. You have learned how to call up information about the control center, and you are getting the hang of navigating the controls. Give me another Investigation roll.
 
Knaff stands in awe. These beginnings of memories from long ago, from a time when he and Rowan, or at least those who held their Exaltations before, were working in tandem. But he quickly shakes his head. This is now, and it's what I need to deal with.


As stealthily as possible, he tries to back out of this hall, without letting any of the others know it.

Spending 3 personal motes on First Dexterity Excellency


8d10 → [3,7,2,9,4,7,6,9] = (47)


5 suxxes.
 
Mordant Xane


Mordant rubbed his chin, and puzzled over the controls for a moment. He muttered to himself under his breath, oblivious to the Lunar once again sneaking off. "Perhaps this button is the one that turns all the traps off... " Mordant hesitated to actually press the disabling button, "Well gents, I think I can call up information, and am maybe getting close to the actual controls for the facility..."


------------------------------------------


1d10=9, 1d10=9, 1d10=4, 1d10=4 = 2 + 2nd Investigation EX = 4 successes.


If Mordant can puzzle out the controls, I'd like to actually know what the options are before pressing the 'disable all' button.
 
Jenai Orlais


Jenai nods resolutely. For once, there's nothing in Mordant's words he can find fault with. When he speaks to Dove his voice carries the certainty that inspired his crew and terrified his enemies even before Solar power infused his being, "Since I now carry one of those Exaltations, I can tell you exactly what you would be: A valued ally and, one would hope, soon a friend. This place is ours by rights and, for what it's worth, I would that you felt welcome." His eyes lose some of their focus as he forcibly dismisses the past memories from his thoughts, "Whatever they wanted in the past can make way for our designs." He shakes his head to clear those thoughts and his voice becomes light and pleasant once more, "But as has been said, the choice is yours, dear."


Turning to Mordant, Jenai completely misses Knaff's movements. It would seem his new companion may not be quite the parasite on society he had initially assumed. Clearly he had a number of deplorable habits, but he was intelligent and capable occasional social awareness. Perhaps there was something to salvage in him.
 
With everyone gawking and looking around in the various nooks and crannies of the room and adjoining servants quarters, Knaff is able to make his way out to the stairway without being seen. Once more, you have the option of going back up to the ceremonial chamber where you came in and up from there, or risk going down and see if whatever trap is set to go off for Exalts.


Mordant continues his exploration of the control pad. After another several minutes of searching, you believe you have found a security sub-routine for the defense of the manse. If you are reading it right, it looks like if you channel a few motes of Essence into this pannel here, it should allow you to change the security settings inside the manse. Either that, or you'll set the security to maximum and all hell will break loose. Give me one more Investigation roll. Just don't botch. :twisted:
 
Slip


Slip stopped his own searching to listen to Mordant's progress. "See if you can find anything out about that judgment business. It may be that even with the defenses down we need to do that to access areas of the manse. And those defenses might be useful if we spend too much time here." Slip looks around to see if anyone else found something interesting. "Maybe we should go see what this judgment thing is all about just to get it out of the way."
 
Knaff makes his way to the judgment hall. After a brief stop, and taking a deep breath, he walks to stand where you're supposed to be judged. Time will tell whether it's a trap, or the best way to find the manse's secrets, and he was sure as hell he wanted to do that soon, in case the Wyld Hunt did follow them here.
 
Mordant Xane


Mordant muttered an answer to Slip as he puzzled out the controls, "Nothing specific about judgment, but these seem to be the general defense control systems..."


After a moment of fiddling, Mordant looks up from his place at the controls, "Well, I think it's this button, everybody ready in case it's wrong?"


-----------------------------------------------------------


Investigation + Perception


1d10=4, 1d10=10, 1d10=10, 1d10=4 - 4 successes


Not going to disable security just yet; Mordant would rather know what the options are first.


And that everyone is ready before he presses the button, just in case it is the 'set to maximum' option and we have to fight our way out.
 
Crimson Dove


Dove nods at the Solar's reassuring words, though she pointedly stays away from anything that seems event faintly dangerous - including the judgement platform, which she is still certain will end with her screaming. Instead, she stays near some of the other Solars, feeling at once overwhelmed and useless - this, even beyond being the construct of an ancient Solar circle, was not her realm.


Her thoughts turned briefly to her mentor. What is it you wanted with me here? To see this? To have the weakness in my own soul made so visible? Or am I truly just a useful pawn to you, to help your Solars until they need me not?
 
Knaff makes his way upstairs without being seen until he is once more in the conference room, whatever it was called in the First Age. Making your way to the center where the focus of the room is, you see the circle where untold numbers have stood before you. Slowly you step into the circle and . . .


Nothing happens.


Standing there, you start to feel foolish for worrying so much.


Downstairs, Mordant has his fingers hovering over the controls that he thinks will disable the security systems in the pyramid. On the other side, you have the option of increasing the power to the wards on the exterior of the building. Of course, not knowing what those defenses are makes you hesitate.


Do you disable the wards inside the building?
 
Mordant Xane


Ah, excellent! Just perfect!


Mordant whistled as his fingers danced across the runes. First, full power to external defenses. That should keep the Wyld Hunt out, or at least delayed a bit. We're far enough away from civilization that nothing too terrible could go wrong; maybe a few flashing lights at worst.


Second, a quick tap on that glyph to de-activate the internal security grid. Now we could explore! And to top it all off, Mordant keyed in a quick password to lock out the console. Just in case one of the Wyld Hunt dragonblooded sneaked in, they couldn't turn the defenses against the circle.


That finished, Mordant raced down from the pillar "Well gents, that should be the internal defenses offline. Do watch your step though, I set the external defenses to full power. Hopefully that will thwart the Wyld Hunt if they come calling. Hopefully its just passive defense; maybe a shield or something. I'd rather this thing not have firepower; that's just unsettling. Anyway, let's move on with the exploring, top to bottom I'd say."


With that, Mordant dashed back up the steps, heading for the top of the pyramid as quick as reasonably possible.
 
Rowan had followed in a quiet, unsure manner, simply unprepared for what he was seeing. With the defenses apparently bolstered and manipulated by Xane, he followed at a semi-speedy pace, trying to stick with Xane.
 
Heading back upstairs, you find Knaff stepping out of the circle on the floor in front of the U-shaped table with no apparent ill effects. Either it was shut down with the interior wards, or there is an additional step that needs to be done to make the chamber work as desired. Or, whatever it does was damaged with the hole in the wall.


You now have the option of continuing up from here, or go back down past the level of the control room.
 
Mordant Xane


Xane nodded to Rowan as they hurried back up the steps, "This is fun, ain't it? Playing with First Age devices. You know, if those external systems are as robust as they seemed from the control panel, we could hole up in here quite a while."


As Mordant reached the main level, he stopped for a second, puzzled. What was Knaff doing up here? He must have snuck off by himself. Mordant shrugged, oh well.


Mordant gives a wave to the Lunar from the stairs, "Knaff! We found the defense system controls. C'mon, lets head upstairs. Interior security should be offline, so I think its safe to wander around. Still probably better to all stay together, for safety's sake. Not sure what all is lurking in here. Anyway, time to get that search done; top to bottom. Oh, umm.... don't go outside though. I turned on the exterior defenses; they should hold the Wyld Hunt off if they appear."


-------------------------------------------------


Mordant is heading up stairs.
 
Mordant reaches the top step where the charred body remains are and nothing happens, just as you suspected. You head up.


Reaching the next level, you discover a beautiful brightly lit garden, full of exotic plants and the sounds of songbirds. You also hear the sound of someone humming a tune. Moving slowly, you see the source of the music; a green skinned beauty of a woman wearing a outfit made of plants, with flowers blooming in her hair. As you watch her, she channels some Essence and makes the plant she is standing in front of bloom, and she delicately touches the blooms and smiles. She seems completely absorbed in tending the plants and has not noticed you yet.
 
Rowan glanced at Knaff curiously, while they went upstairs, "What? Expecting to be told you're the shining exemplar of honesty?" Then they got up there and saw the delights of the garden. And Rowan, young as he was, saw a particular delight. He flushed, hoping Xane and Knaff didn't notice, or he wouldn't hear the end of this for the next several Exaltations.


Suddenly, he let the caste mark start glowing, and he started forward towards the plant woman. Eyes drawn to certain parts- before he got himself out of the sticky wicket and cleared his throat.


"Sorry for intruding," he started apologetically, "but we're in need of some help."
 
The plant woman lets out a startled "Eeep!" and jumps about a foot when Rowan speaks. She wirls around and raises her hands, sharp claws extending, then she sees your glowing caste mark. "Oh! My goodness!" Her claws retract and she drops to her knees with her head bowed low. "Forgive me, Master! I was not expecting you, and I was scared! Please, there is no need to punnish me, is there?"
 
Rowan supposed in those brief moments as his hand, too slow, trying to reach the switchklave, if he survived this- he would certainly not hear the end of it from everyone even by the end of the next Exaltation. His breath paused, waiting for the ripping claws-


Then her pausing, and dropping to her knees in frantic apology? Thank Sol Invictus, but keeping his caste mark on was a lifesaver here. Given that one could easily look down at the ample 'feminine domains' of her's from that position... Rowan turned another shade of red and kindly rested a hand on her shoulder.


"It's my fault for startling you, you can get up." Though he had a simulataneous sinking and delighted feeling as to her reasons for acting so, Rowan chose to ask: "And why are you calling me master?"
 
The green skinned girl turns a fearful face up to look at Rowan. As you calmly talk to her, the fear begins to fade away and is replaced with wonder. Hesitantly, she slowly stands up, but keeps her head bowed down. Sounding confused, she says, "What would you wish me to call you instead, Master? It has been so long since any of the Chosen have been here, I hardly know what to do with myself!" Her hands flutter about, adjusting her clothes and brushing through her hair.
 
Knaff makes note of Rowan's actions, and embarassment, and of his quick glances when he thinks no one notices at the curves of the woman. Truly, such knowledge can come in handy at times...


Letting his own Caste mark glow, Knaff approaches the woman, extending his arm, and when she extends hers, kiss the back of her hand. "We may be Chosen, but we wouldn't harm a beauty such as yourself. And while we once ruled Creation, that time has passed, and the future is not yet clear. But for now, all we truly wish is for you to guide us through this wondrous place, so we may utilize it to better serve Creation, as was ever intended."

Assuming Mordant still has Judge's Ear Technique, there are some half-lies mixed in there.
 
Her skin turns a deep shade of green; probably her version of a blush. She then tries to stammer out an answer, but is so flustered that it makes no sense but it sounds like something positive. The girl pauses and takes several deep breaths, making her shapely chest rise and fall in wonderful ways. "It would be a honor to serve the Chosen in any way that I can, Masters," and she bows deeply once more. "I am Kayla, Mistress of Flowers, and I am the caretaker of the manse. I am yours to command."
 
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