[The Ascendency of the Lost Shards] A Lost Hope Returns

"Permission granted, Colonel." Lycurgus assented, looking out to the western skies. "We won't be able to hide our existence forever. You can follow the footprint of a tyrant lizard, but that doesn't mean you've caught the beast. I'd rather we didn't get poached."
 
(@Teki) Took scratches his chin as he looks at the ground. "Knowledge, any knowledge can be expensive. The mystical metals I will give you a map to their location with your oath to treat fairly with the owners of the deposits and a Grand Goremaul. I'd prefer it in White Jade but any Jade would do. The other part is a bit trickier. For their is much that has happened in creation. In exchange for a shield of Orichulum I will answer 20 full and complete questions that you might have." A smile filled with jagged teeth. "Do we have an accord my noble lady?"


(@Kasheal) Running into the room one of the Dragon Blooded gestures you to come out into the hall. "My lord one of the teams is an hour late in their scheduled contact. They reported a manse that was shrouded from view outside a short distance and appeared to be Solar aspected. When they entered their communicators didn't function outside of it."


Pulling out a device he shows the location in regards to the enterprise. "We sent a second team after they were over due for half an hour. When they got their communicators ceased as well we just got some garbled words. Something about an abomination, a giant abomination. Commander Toralar has already started to get an attack group put together. With your permission he wishes you to lead the force and for a group of warstriders to join the attack."


(@BA) "Yes my lord." He holds a hand to his ear and frowns. "My lord one of the scout teams reports what they think is an anima flare to the south west. Likely a Solar one at that. They haven't moved closer as they are one of the damaged chariots. We have one of the fully functioning chariots parked right now. It is to be loaded with servitors at the first dig sight but we can divert it to assist. Would you like me to hold them till you join them my lord?"

Just a word of note time is fuzzy here. BA if he joins them will likely be not here for Kasheals event as Teki is not in easy communcation and is watching the rite as these events happen.
 
She'd have to assume the deposits were larger than the shield and goremaul put together. Veins of metal were larger than that, were they not? If worse came to worse, the weight of the Enterprise would discourage slights and once the deal was made, she could reveal such information. It would be necessary if he would give full and complete answers, "Must the questions be asked now, and must they be asked all at once?"
 
"They must be asked before I depart. So yes they must be all asked at once and now."
 
Lycurgus bared his teeth and nodded. "Yes. I would like that very much." From the sound of it, they might be able to get word on something of what Creation was like now... and someone willing to assist them.
 
Jing contemplated making the lesson into a practical one but thought better of it, the young Celestials were coming on but he would prefer that they got more training before they saw live combat if he could manage it. "Certainly, give me one moment and I shall head to join them." He stood in the doorway and addressed the room. "It seems I am needed elsewhere. We will pick this up when I get back." With that he turned and left.


"How big were the first and second teams? And how strong were they? I am guessing relatively if the warstriders have been requested." He asked the Dragon-blood as he strode quickly towards the armoury where the attack group was likely gearing up. As he walked he activated a few simple charms and called the Scarlet Reignment from elsewhere to cover the uniform he had been wearing.
 
(@BA) You get taken to one of the chariots quickly. Once there you are escorted on board and they quickly take to the air. After twenty or so minutes flying you can see the faint glow of gold in the woods below. It is some distance but there are no other anima's. Could be Fae this close to the edge of creation.


(@Kasheal) You quickly reach the battle carrier. Not the safest of rides as one entire side of it is open to air. Even with that worry they are moving the War Striders within. Typing them down even as soldiers are walking in. Closing up their Ashigaru armor.


"My lord the first team was a brotherhood unit. The second team was one Dragon blooded brotherhood and a pair of mortal Brotherhoods. I believe one of the mortal units still had two dragon blooded and one of the Krogan mercenaries we picked up. They should of been able to handle most of anything. That is why we used them as a strike force. We've recalled a quartet of the Kami skimmers for your use as well. So you will have a 25 man unit, a pair of warstriders, and 4 skimmers for this attack group. We will follow your lead and we are on channel four." Gesturing to the control unit of the communicators.


(@Teki) Took laughs. "Oh, I wouldn't try to trick you. Mind you I expect my payment as the first pieces you pull from the ground." He reaches into the dirt and pulls up a series of nine stone tablets. Stacking them to the side of the circle. "The maps. Now, ask your questions and I shall answer them."
 
Aurelia held up a hand, "First, it wishes to reiterate this agreement, as it will find it binding. In exchange for a goremaul of jade, maps to deposits of magical materials and for a shield of orichalcum the full and complete answers for twenty questions. These questions must be asked now, but this one reserves the right to ask each question after the answer of the last. The first material pulled from the appropriate veins will be used to make the goremaul and shield and this group will ensure that the guardians of said material deposits will be treated with respect. The immanent Took will also keep this meeting and all he learns about this group a secret."


She stood up and with a glance to the dragonblooded, Aurelia carefully stepped over the circle and extended a hand, "If the mighty Took has no disagreements, this one would like to shake and finalize this agreement."
 
A bow. "I find this deal most satisfactory, Lawbringer." Taking your hand to allow you to seal the deal.
 
With the flash of a golden circle upon her brow, Aurelia bound both parties to the agreement. She relaxed slightly. Insisting on this had tipped her Exalted status, but now Took could not go about and broadcast their presence. From the low price of a goremaul and a shield, he was also still unaware of what resources and the magnitude of the support behind her was. It seemed she still resembled a single Solar with a small regiment of predominantly young dragon-blooded. Her experience and power level were still obscured.


She resettled herself upon the ground. As soon as this part was done, Aurelia needed to switch into warmer clothing and bring a flame's breath with her, "The first question this one has to ask is this; How did the Solar Deliberative arrive at its current state?"
 
"A Krogan hu, I like those guys. Always good at getting to the point." He seemed to say to himself as he came aboard the battle carrier.


"Right" He said as they started to depart. "Two units have already come into contact with whatever is holed up in that manse, so its likely this abomination will have hunkered down and be expecting more. With that in mind I want to hit it hard and fast with everything we have, if it gets a second to consider whats happening that is one too many."


"Do we have a layout of the land around the manse?"
 
(@Teki)


"Hmm, that is a tough question. I assume you mean how the Solar deliberative fell and not how it got to the point the Dragon blooded over threw them. Well the Dragon Blooded rebelled and ambushed them during the calibration feast when they were all disarmed. Rumor has it some siderials or Lunars helped them. Perhaps both. No one is either talking or rightly sure."


There was a long pause as Aurelia turned over everything. The video recording was old, the Deliberative wasn't under siege or in a civil war. It was gone, and the reason was thought to be obvious by their guest, "What is the current status of each of the kinds of Exalted?"


"Well the Viziers are doing what they can to maintain the Loom. The Lunars are for the most part on the borders avoiding the Wyld Hunts. The Solars have recently been freed from imprisonment and are starting to come back. That last bit happened fairly recently, not even a century. The Dragon Blooded for the most part are the stewards of creation. They've made a religion focused on the elemental dragons as the top and the other gods are supposed to be worshiped at specific moments."


"What makes the two ages differ."


“The lack of Solar Deliberative and active support of the Celestial Exalted. In the first age you had it, in the current age you do not."


With one eye ridge raised, Aurelia studied Took, "That is not the only difference."


"That is the core of it. Because the celestials weren't doing their jobs the Great Contagion wiped out most of the population. The Fae took back many tracks of land. Most of the great Magitech wonders crashed and failed. The Underworld staged incursions into reality and now have a foothold in multiple lands. Even the corruption in heaven can be laid at the feet of the Viziers being far to overworked to deal with it." A frown. "From what I've heard the solars went a bit insane at the end but they still wouldn't of allowed all this to of happened."


"No Solar that this one knows would allow this." Aurelia reassured as she made to note that to this spirit 'full and complete' stopped at 'core'. Fortunately, for the next question, she'd only expected a bare list. "What are all the current powers in Creation and their intentions?"


"That is two questions. I also assume you are wanting the current major powers, for if you want all the various powers I know about then we will be here a very long time."


"This one apologizes, it did mean 'major powers'."


"The biggest power is the Realm. They are currently in a dynastic struggle so their overall intentions are up in the air other then to gain more power. The next largest power is the Confederacy of the Rivers. They wish to be left alone and not be conquered. The Guild is affiliated with the Confederacy but they are notable to mention and they mainly wish profit from trade. I can't really tell you much about the west, don't have dealings with them the same with the north. Well other then some knowledge of the Hasalanti league. They mainly want to be left alone as well. I've heard rumors of a Celestial named the Bull of the North doing something but not positive on what his goals."


A thoughtful look "The powers not of creation that are trying to push are more then a few. You have the Mask of Winters, not to sure what he is or wants but he's taken a major city recently. You have rumors of a few other undead of similar power floating around so there likely is a league or nation they belong to. What ever they way is not good for creation."


"You also have various fae courts interacting in various degrees with creation nowadays but as with any of them what they really want can change on a whim."


Ah, how ironic that the creatures most prone to change currently seemed like the presence that had changed the least, "What makes the Realm the strongest power despite their internal strife?"


"They control the Sword of Creation and the Blessed Isle. Combine that with the fact that the former ruler is likely the main reason the Fae were beat back after the Great contagion. Cause of that the Immaculate faith supports them strongly so they have on average better individual warriors. They also had a stable government for a very long time. Also no one can hope to take the blessed Isle currently, the defense manses are still active."


That would be distressing news for the others, "What is the Immaculate Faith?"


The next few minutes passed as Took explains what he knows of the faith that is practiced across the Realm. The traditions and rules mainly relating to the terrestrial gods but it gives you a good grounding on the religion as a whole.


Aurelia looked vaguely unsettled during parts of that answer, including some parts about keeping reign on gods and spirits, "How were the Solars kept imprisoned?"


"Not positive on this as this is third hand knowledge at best. They were kept in a prison jade, or at least their shards were. Not all, no there where at least a few kicking around since the Usurpation. Something broke it recently and released them."


That was a piece of information that would cause much speculation amongst the crew, but they could at least confirm whether or not the majority of Solar shards were absent until recent times, "What are the major powers within the Confederacy of Rivers?"


"Well the main military force comes from Lookshy. The city was founded by one of the old Shogunate Legions. Tasked with protecting the river valley they haven't failed yet. The next is Nexus, that is a major trade hub. The nominal home city of the Guild and is ruled by a council of prestigious individuals that is headed by some being called the Emissary. Next you have Sijan, the funeral city. Unchanging from first age to second, it is the city of the living and dead. Next you have the city of Great Forks. The city is controlled by three gods and just recently suffered a horrible defeat."


"What are the most popular currencies used in Creation?"


"Around here silver coins. They also use Jade as currency. There are numerous local currencies but those are the two most prevalent." Reaching down he pulls out a few more stone tablets. "The conversion matrix with names. I included the average cost of a loaf of bread to give you an idea of value."


"This one is greatly appreciative." Then Aurelia sat for a moment, contemplating what she'd been told and what she considered critical to continue gathering information on. Half of her questions had been used. "What is the current state of Yushan?"


"Now that is a complicated question. I don't know that much as I'm a terrestrial, so all this is hearsay. From what I understand the politics are getting worse and worse. More so they are distancing them selves from caring about anything other then their pet projects. Combine that with the Viziers having two major ideological factions at all but war with each other it's a tricky place. I know that the Incarna spend almost all their time at the games of Divinity. The Sun more then the others."


"What are the two factions of the Viziers in disagreement over?"


"The major ones are the Bronze faction which believes in supporting the Dragon Blooded. They are the current majority. Then there is the Gold Faction. Which believes in assisting the Solars. At least that is their stated goals. What the truth is, well that is likely hidden in layers upon layers."


Aurelia nodded, "What horrible defeat did Great Forks recently suffer?"


"The Battle of Mishaka. The forces of the Confederacy won but the city lost most of it's standing army."


Perhaps less a horrible defeat as Pyrrhic victory. It certainly sounded as if going to the Confederacy was the best place to gather more information serripticiously, "How much time has passed since the Solar Deliberative was over thrown?"


“Around the year 3699. Or about 750 years before the realm was founded. This is the realm year 764 so over 1400 years or there around. I'm not sure the exact number wasn't alive for it."


"Where are the closest standing population centers?"


"I am guessing you want civilized population centers and not just barbarian camps?"


Aurelia blinked. No one had told her anything of there being large numbers of barbarians in Creation, let alone ones that congregated around stationary structures, "It would like both..."


"Well the closest are various barbarian tribes. You are right in the middle of Tear Eater's territory. The closest semi civilized city I think would be Rubylak. Maybe Crystal."


What a pleasant sounding name, "What is Tear Eater's general policy regarding strangers?"


“If you come with tribute they will treat you kindly. So long as you do not anger their dead. If not they likely will conspire to kill you. The nominal ruler is rumored to live in a shadowland nearby. Within there is a city called Gradefes. To be honest creation would be better without them which their neighbors would agree with me about. You have three questions remaining.”

Took is green and I left Aurelia black.
 
(@Kasheal) "I am sorry to say we do not my lord. The information for that is stored in the suits till they return to base. The two warstriders are outfitted with jump gear so we can air drop them down then deploy as they keep whatever threat may be there busy." As he speaks the ship rises and flies with great speed to the rescue of the missing exalts.


As you get close you see four billowing clouds of ash filling the sky. Beyond that you see a most grand of manse. Obviously solar attuned from the golden work and statues on the outside. Except your keen eyes spot golden chunks as if the statues where merely hollow holding something else within.


You are about in strike range and even in the ash clouds you see the flares of the terrestrial anima's as they seem to be fighting them. The two chariots lay shattered on the ground from the abominations attacking them. These giants of ash and steel. Standing as tall as a Royal warstrider made of ash. You see black metal poking out from gashes in their cover. Wielding large black steel blades they strike with confidence. On the ground you see at least six bodies lying most assuredly dead. Cleaved in half from these great blades.


(@BA) Skimming the trees your chariot draws close to the battle at hand. You see a women jumping from tree to tree bleeding from multiple wounds as she seems to be fighting a group of three wood spiders and near countless other giant spiders. The women obviously disturbed a great nest of some kind.


You notice well in back a regal man like tree garbed in brown robes and weighed down with jewlery. This could be a King of the Woods which would explain much.


Even as your eyes take in the details you notice the women stumble. Likely on the last of her endurance.
 
Lycurgus took in the scene, then pulled the chariot to a hovering stop. With a firm hand he drew the True Beast's Blade - glaring coldly at the treacherous audacity of the elementals and the Terrestrial god, to assault a Lawgiver! With a great howl, echoing across the trees, Gray Lycurgus leaped off, landing with a great sound of moonsilver armored boots hitting the ground.


"You have committed a capital crime, little god. Do you have anything to say before I carry out sentence on your and your cohort?"
 
"Another prey who defiles my woods. Your age is past Steward, go back to slinking in the wyld and leave creation to the gods and their slaves." The tree man boldly states as he walks forward. The Spiders start to surround you as the chariot settles near the wounded lawbringer. You can hear the steps of armored feet as your marines join you. Warriors who have stood at your side against threats to creation and sanity once more draw to your side to hold the line.


A snarl and a gesture causing the spiders to charge.
 
The Lunars are in the Wyld? Impossible. Lycurgus marked it off as the arrogant exclamations of someone not recognizing their doom. But the tree-god should have in the first place... had the Deliberative disappeared for that long? Lycurgus nodded crisply to the Dragon-Blooded marines as he drew up the gravely hurt Solar into the chariot.


In moments, there was already the smell of cooked flesh and spider ichor pungent in the air - though the Dragon-Bloods were of the younger recruits... they were far better trained and equipped than anything that could possibly face them, and potent Exalted too.


Walking calmly, Lycurgus thrust deep into one wood spider, eviscerating the elemental with little effort. He sliced out of the now corpse and slashed left and right, taking out more spiders. And his path was clear. The Lord of Trees started backing away, realizing the Lunar would not be stopped... and neither would his Terrestrial soldiers, an Earth Aspect pounding two spiders into mush with a pair of jade smashfists - a charging trio of spiders sent flying by the Air Aspect's Essence-charged wind gust.


The god stopped as he found himself backed into a large stone... and Lycurgus stared menacingly coldly at him. "I am a Steward. I don't forsake my charge." Before the Lord of Trees could utter a work, the Lunar's hand clamped around his throat. "And the gods would never get anything done, without us to keep them in line."


A slight glow of silver Essence, a Full Moon caste mark glittering, and Lycurgus crushed the tree-god's neck, a brutality empowered to end the deity.
 
As the Tree god dies the spiders scatter from the area. You notice the Solar standing up, looking at the dragon blooded with a bit of fear. On her brow you see the symbol of an Eclipse.


"Um, who are you and why is a Lunar working with Dragon Blooded?"
 
"Drop in the Warstriders now." He called into his communicator over the noise of the open battle-carrier and the battle below. "And I want the Skimmer performing flybys to harass whatever these things are and keep them distracted. Then get us the other side of them and we will take them in the flank."


He turned to his men as they readied to enter the fray. "I love it when they present us with a larger target, lets show them why that is a bad idea." With that his eyes took on a golden gleam as he activated Behemoth Slaying Attitude.
 
(@Kasheal) The warstriders land. One with a thud as it gets ready to fight the other with a screech as it decides to use the drop to attack. The Golems tower over even the warstriders as they start to fight. The carrier lands and the troops pour out. Over the communicators you hear the previous leader sent here. "Maintain your own environments. These things dust is semi intelligence and they are not fae. I think they are some sort of undead abomination. Created this way and not formed naturally."


Even as he says that you hear a series of ten booms as the statues lining the manse all drop their shells. More then that the manse itself seems to be starting to spool up something. Something big from the feel of it. The air is covered in ash as the might constructs stride forth.

Give me a War+Int or Cha please and then just describe your mens actions. This is basically a mass combat but I'm going more abstract then they have in the book.
 
Jing barked out orders as he charged forwards with his men. As the warstriders fought they moved around to join up with the men they had come to rescue. When ever the enemy went in for an attack against the ground troops the Skimmers would flyby and take the opportunity to attack the enemies unguarded backs. Meanwhile Jing and his men hit them from the other side with as many men as possible hitting single targets hoping to overwhelm them and start thinning their numbers.

So War+Cha and using second excellency five times. And that gives 11 successes.
 
The first behemoth you attack cracks from the impact of your blow. That is until the dust actively tries to flay your skin. As is you are all but blinded even as you barely make out blue lights grabbing one of your men. Pushing closer you notice that there was a hole in the armor that the dust got through. Moments later the blue lights, no not lights, screaming souls. Likely used to power this thing pull something else out with it. Taking to the sky as the warstrider's glaive takes the control stone out of the golem.


The battle is a swirling mass of confusion and what has to be what you only heard in rumors. Is this the end results of Necromancy? These abominations should not of been allowed to be made. Yet here they are. It is a battle as hard and brutal as many of the ones you have had previously. By the end of it one of the warstriders is down for repair and four more of your men lay dead from the necromantic attacks these constructs used.


Before you stands the manse, looking at it you can see where the false facade of a solar aspect leads to a much darker type. You do not know what sort of manse this might be. One affiliated with death for sure.
 
Gray Lycurgus sighed as he observed the Quicksilver Falcon. So much time apparently passed. Were the Lawgivers now unaware of their heritage? "Gray Lycurgus, Full Moon of Luna, the Changing Lady. And if you remember the Deliberative at all, then you remember the honorable service of the Terrestrials. It seems we've been gone for too long... I hope that we, and those that are on the Enterprise, are not the only ones left of the Deliberative."


A signal to the Terrestrials and the young Eclipse. "Come. Let's get you back to the ship, treat your wounds, and then we can talk more."
 
(@BA) She looks at you for a moment in wonder. "You can call me Jade. Eclipse Caste of Sol Invictus. The term Deliberative sounds familiar but it's likely a past life. As for the Terrestrial exalted they have been the hunters of both our kinds for generations now. Near as I can tell over a millenia have they hunted us. " A considering look. "Your oath on safe conduct?" Offering a hand to accept a binding.
 
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