Fantasy Saga of the Seven Sins - The Second Cycle

[Random Word]

Opal shrugs, [Old Realm] "If it would please you, I can find him. I have his face and his name. That's all I need to find anyone in Creation. It won't be particularly subtle, but it's guaranteed to work, and it will be fast," she offers.

 

[WarDragon]

Viktor stops in his tracks for a moment, then continues walking, quickly enough that only the other Exalts can tell he hesitated. "You... hadn't mentioned that prior, my dear," he says in a very deliberately calm voice. "How unsubtle, exactly, is this method of yours?"

 

[Random Word]

Opal flips a gemstone of indeterminate value at the bartender, gesturing at and accepting a bottle of particularly nice wine with a smile in return, then follows Viktor. [OR] "Right this minute? About as subtle as a furnace rhino bashing his door in, though I doubt any mortal could see me coming. I expended an embarrassing amount of power winning that card game. I could be much more subtle about tracking him down, but I'd need to rest a short while first. Maybe an hour? Renost may find him before I have what I need to be subtle, but if all you care about is speed and accuracy..." her voice trails off.


 
[OR]"I'm not sure how concerned we are with subtlety, anyway. You're discussing your revenge in his casino surrounded by his staff," she adds, amused. "I'm sure he has at least one savant who speaks Old Realm. If we're lucky they aren't here."

 

[WarDragon]

Viktor frowns, looking concerned, and angry... with himself, more so than her. "You're right... it seems that my growing impatience with this sneaking about is clouding my judgement. Damnation."


He pauses, thinks a moment while they walk, forcing himself to consider calmly. "We will wait an hour, at least, so that you might find him without going up in a silver bonfire. Wait, and watch to see if they send him a message."


He stops again, lowering his voice for Opal's ears alone and letting more emotion color it than is his wont. "And I am weary of sneaking. I cannot express how eager I am to claim my right and show myself to a world that needs my guiding hand..."

 

[Random Word]

Opal nods, [OR]"I'm loathe to discuss this in front of Sidereals, but will you be able to follow me? Once I start I'll be moving fast directly towards him and won't be able to stop easily until I've reached him." She pauses to consider briefly, "I suppose I could carry you, but that wouldn't be very dignified, and it would mean I had to maintain a physical body. I could fetch him and bring him back to you? No, that would obviate the dramatic moment you reduce his door to splinters and stride through." She turns to give a sidelong glance to Renost, "Possess his door and beat him to death with it?" she asks, incredulous. "I want to see that."

 

[Rykon]

"You would be surprised at how stunning it is to suddenly take a knob to the...well, knob. At that point, I can just crush him between the door and the frame. Alternatively, I can just possess him and do as I like with his body." Renost added in Old Realm. "Should you opt for a more dramatic act of revenge I could force him to ruin his own life, with him having to watch as I did so. Though, I'm not quite feeling that level of sadism right now and that assumes this artifact of his doesn't provide a substantial amount of resistance to outside possession. Suffice to say, God Ways provides many discrete and hilarious ways of approaching this problem."


 
Renost stopped his train of thought for the moment and turned to Viktor, "Should you two wish to pursue this by your own hands I have an offer that will strengthen you both if you don't mind about half an hour of training this evening." Turning to Darian, "You too could benefit from the lessons of our old native style's teachings. If you would like to join us."

 

[Sherwood]

She smiles at the offer. "Thank you, good sir. I shall be happy to join."

 

[WarDragon]

"Hmm. What sort of training did you have in mind?," Viktor asks cautiously. "I have never taken an interest in any of the formalized martial styles; they would be... let us say, redundant, with certain of my natural powers, albeit perhaps more useful when odious subtlety is called for. As to your question, Opal, you have seen how quickly I can travel when needs must, though again, keeping a low profile would not be possible."

Spoiler

For your ease of reference, Viktor can go up to triple his normal speed with one Indefinite but Obvious charm, or 130 miles per hour in non-combat time. In pursuing wealth, I suppose my excellency could enhance it further, but that would get expensive fast.

 

[Rykon]

"Well I would be sharing part of my knowledge of the arts with you all. This would give you a small boost in martial arts prowess but a considerable bonus to your mental state. In addition this allows me to easily guide us in a given combat encounter to work as a team. You all would be my 'Shadow Fingers' as the traditions called it, but basically it enables me to be better Sifu when it comes to teaching charms."

Spoiler

Mechanically you gain 1 to your martial arts skill and my martial arts, which is 6, to your MDV. Through style charms this also allows me to teach a martial arts charm I've seen used a handful of times within the span of a scene and coordinate our attacks at a difficulty of 1.

 

[WarDragon]

"Hmm." Viktor's eyes narrow as he considers Renost's words. "The offer is couched in most appealing terms, though I am not entirely convinced. I have, may I say, significant reservations with allowing others access to my mental state, as you said, even should those alterations be beneficial. Am I mistaken, or does that very interesting term, 'shadow finger,' not imply that you will gain a measure of control over your students?"

Spoiler

Again, even though I trust you OOC, Viktor is a suspicious sort, and that comes close to pressing a "button" of his. Scanning with lie-detector charm, no offense meant.

 

[Sherwood]

Darian shakes her head. "Not entirely. The student does have some sense of 'togetherness' with the other Shadow Fingers, but still maintains their own individuality. I have had a chance to be a part of such a combat group before, and it was a enlightening process to be a part of something more than myself."

 

[Rykon]

"Depending on what charms are used there is the form that allows others to be considered to be reflexively guarding me if I'm attacked. After that there are other charms I could learn that enable me to send everyone in a simultaneous counter attack. I believe everything else is magic I use to make your attacks better. So basically I can enhance your actions, but I can't really dictate them aside from the form charm's defense. Which I have other, better, form charms that I tend to use instead. Namely the forms to Mantis Style and Scarlet Patterned Battlefield Style."

Spoiler

The intent is to be transparent with the entire potential of the style. I could be missing something though.

 

[Random Word]

Opal crosses her arms and scowls. "I don't understand the purpose of this. And I don't like it. This is a mortal with a staff he barely knows how to use. No one is concerned with our ability to defeat him in battle, merely with finding whatever hole he's cowering in. And perhaps beating him up with his own door," she adds with a small nod to Renost, smiling thinly.

 

[WarDragon]

Viktor listens intently to Renost's words. "Hmmm. Opal raises a valid point. If more formidable foes are on the rise, as I suspect they will soon be, I may reconsider. Provided, of course, that you give me your word to never use even the minor aspect of forcing me to defend you without my express consent, of course. Viktor von Drakholdt, and no other chooses whom he shall defend, and whom he shall destroy."


"I thank you, however, for admitting the possibility; had you tried to claim there was no possibility of control, and I caught you in the lie, that would very likely have been the permanent end of our thus-far amiable association."

 

[Rykon]

"But of course. I can bind an Eclipse oath for the promise, by the way. I have much more potent defenses available through other means so it's not a big deal."

 

[WarDragon]

"It is the principle of the thing, my good Shield-Bearer. Never again shall I call another my master."

 

[Sherwood]

Darian looks at Viktor. "Lofty goal. With any luck, you will live long enough to see it come true."

 

[Random Word]

Opal finds a bench in the shade of a group of trees on the far side of the street and reclines along it, pouring herself another glass of wine, bored and irritated. She grits her teeth and struggles not to look at Darian as she speaks. That's probably not a threat. Probably. I promised I wouldn't hit her. Ostensibly her foul mood is out of concern for Viktor's well being in the face of clearly nefarious Sidereal machinations. If she were being more honest with herself she might admit it's mostly because Viktor has stopped paying attention to and praising her in favour of interest in said nefarious Sidereal machinations. "Viktor, are we enjoying the festival, watching the tournament, or finding Marlon?" she asks belligerently, sipping her drink with a petulance refined over nearly three centuries. Practicing mind controlling martial arts with Sidereals was pointedly not on the list. "Don't you have a stake in a match about to begin, Renost?"

 

[Rykon]

Renost stared blankly at Opal, "If you are referring to fights involving students of mine, they happen all the time. I have faith in my students. I have to, otherwise I'd never have time to sleep." Renost stroked at his chin for a moment, "Though, I think you mean something else by your words. Perhaps our time might be better served working out frustrations and differences. Why not show us how strong you are, by defeating me? Unless you don't think you are ready for the challenge." Renost offered with a twinkle in his eye.

 

[Random Word]

Opal immediately perks up at the prospect of pursuing her favourite passtime. "Renost, if I want you out of the way, I won't be subtle about it," she replies amiably, "Only half an hour ago you expressed concern over the prospect of being late to a match." She dismisses her cup and flows to her feet, stretching her arms with her fingers clasped, "As to fighting, why I thought you'd never ask," she grins predatorily, revealing prominent fangs. "Let it never be said I declined such a polite offer of reciprocal violence. Your venue or mine?" She glances at Viktor, "He asked. This obviates my promise not to hit the Sidereals."

 

[WarDragon]

"Naturally," Viktor agrees with an amused quirk of the eyebrow. "Marlon will keep. I wouldn't miss this for... well, for the world. Let us enjoy ourselves tonight, my dear; who knows when another such chance might come again?"


"I fully intend to," he says to Darian with utter sincerity.

 

[Rykon]

"My dojo should be a sufficient environment for combat." Renost said with a smile. "And I appreciate your acknowledgement from earlier, but things have changed since we jumped into this little debacle of Marlon's. Shall we be off?"

 

[Random Word]

"It's on you if we break anything, then," she laughs as she follows Renost to his Manse, hands clasped behind her head. "Speaking of which, what are the rules of this dance? I assume it's a given we don't pull out anything apocalyptically destructive, but if you break Creation first am I permitted to retaliate in kind?" she inquires, nonchalant.

 

[Rykon]

"The manse is built as a training facility worthy of Exalted bouts, we should be fine. Anything short of killing blows is acceptable. Well, unless you plan to become larger than the manse, in which case I imagine we'll have to do this outside."

 

[Random Word]

Opal shakes her head, "Not my style. I only take massive forms underwater. On the subject of killing, you may rest easy. Luna has granted me a most curious blessing - I could hit you in the head with a Daiklave and though it may knock you unconscious the worst you'd suffer would be some mild bruising and a headache for a few hours, no matter how long I kept it up. I've tested this. Extensively," she adds with a smile which is anything but reassuring. "The confusion on the face of a victim who is on fire but never actually consumed is priceless," she explains with relish. She coughs and averts her eyes, abashed, "I may have done some... questionable things when I was younger. He was a Fire-aspect and I was going through an ironic vengeance phase. He set my library on fire?" she offers, pained.

Spoiler

I don't know what your Manse looks like. You should describe it so we can arrive. ( )