The Redux of the Tale of a Falling Empire

[Chowlett]

Taeran rides up alongside Ferala.

"Damn, I wanted the kill," she says with a smile. "Nice hit. Impressive. It's been good riding with you. Perhaps you can show me a thing or two sometime." With that, Taeran wheels her mount and gallops to find Kitava. She thought she saw her sister pulling back in the confusion and Taeran wants to ensure Kitava knows the beast has been slain.

Ferala breathes heavily, recovering herself after her exertions. "A team effort. Steelscale didn't know which way to turn. I just had the fortune to be able to take advantage", she calls over the noise of her roiling anima. She retracts Magistrate's Law to its normal size and walks to within hailing distance of Manato and Kitava. "My lady, general. It has been an unexpected pleasure joining you today. I must say, I haven't felt the cobwebs blown away like that in perhaps a full decade. The satrapy is lucky to have such a powerful commander, with such an awe-inspiring weapon."

"If you are returning to the city, I will accompany you - although perhaps it would be best if I walk a short distance behind, for the moment".

 

[jaydude]

The defeat of Steelscale is celebrated with much fanfare once the head is removed from the rest of the corpse and taken back to Kandara. After some mental debate, Boroma decides to have the head preserved and displayed in the palace trophy room. He and Netara are both pleased to hear of the tyrant lizard's defeat, and Kitava's Circle can be assured of their goodwill, and that of House Hasuri.

Roughly two months after Steelscale's death - at which point Kitava has begun laying the groundwork for her numerous planned reforms and her staff have settled into their respective roles - Hasuri Karudo returns to Kandara following the successful conclusion of his own hunt. Accompanying him is another Dynast of the Blessed Isle; an Air Aspect swordsman by the name of Cathak Jontom who struck up a friendship with the Fire Aspect during the Wyld Hunt, and was subsequently invited to visit Kandara once the Anathema was dealt with. Before long - and thanks to Karudo vouching for him - Jontom becomes a retainer of sorts to Kitava. With the Realm being at peace and Jontom long being involved with the Wyld Hunt by this point, House Cathak have little issue with him being effectively assigned to Kandara.

Time passes, and Kitava's changes begin to take form, with Kandara - and the Satrap - becoming richer for them. The scheme to breed elementally aspected sheep goes off without a hitch, aside from one backer who threatens to wash their hands of the project if a single lamb burns itself to death. The Scarlet Empress herself takes notice of the sheep plan, and expresses her faith in it by requesting that the satrapy turn over some of the elementally aspected wool as part of next year's tribute. As for the other planned reforms - the new examination system, the geomantic redesign of the capital city and the general overhaul of the bureaucracy - House Hasuri and the majority of Kandara's people are convinced of their benefits, especially those who stand to gain from them.

As Kitava anticipates, a steadily increasing minority grow to resent the reforms and her, with most of these dissidents being nobles who realise or fear that they will lose out as part of the reformation. With the help of her staff, Kitava is able to keep these reactionaries in check, and nothing else happens to seriously threaten her ambitions and control of Kandara.

That is, until the Scarlet Empress disappears.

 

[jaydude]

Chapter One: Weakening Foundations​

Realm Year 764, after the Council of the Empty Throne and the Sack of Thorns​

Officially, the Scarlet Empress has gone into meditative seclusion, and will return to her throne in due course. But the truth is an open secret among the Realm's Dynast community; after all, the Empress would surely have thought to appoint an interim ruler if she willingly planned to be gone for so long, and and this would not be someone like Tepet Fokuf. Conversation on the Blessed Isle so often turns to what should happen if the Empress never returns, with some among the Great Houses starting to look at the Empress's throne with ambition and desire that would once have gotten them killed. It gets to the point that when the Satrapy of Thorns suddenly falls to a ghostly being known as the Mask of Winters, no-one from Fokuf downwards seems to do anything about it, seemingly being more concerned with the empty throne in the Imperial Palace.

As if compounding matters, the period after the Empress's official disappearance is marred by a massive surge in Anathema appearances and activity. It's only to be expected that the Silver Pact - that Threshold-spanning cabal of monstrous, feral Anathema - would see the Empress's disappearance as an opportunity to advance their aims more easily, but the other main type of Anathema, the ones with powers based around the Unconquered Sun's light and excellence, begin appearing in far, far greater numbers than before. The Wyld Hunt runs itself ragged trying to keep all these new Anathema in check, with Karudo and Jontom not being seen in Kandara for weeks at a time. No Anathema appear in or near Kandara - at least according to Taeran and Ferala's respective spy networks - but the efforts of the Wyld Hunt barely seem to be enough to contain the chaos, and with the Realm's Dragon-blooded becoming more concerned about the situation on the Blessed Isle, anti-Anathema efforts and support are only expected to weaken over the next few years.

Across the Threshold, the Great Houses begin increasing taxation of the Realm's overseas territories, draining them of coin and resources in anticipation of future trouble on the Blessed Isle. Kitava's business sense and standing within House Ragara means that Kandara is largely spared the economical trouble starting to afflict other satrapies, but even she can't escape the squeeze; her creditors push for higher interest rates on their loans - both new and outstanding - and it's been made clear to her that someone lower down in the pecking order would get far less in terms of financial help and leniency. Indeed, Ramuron has been ordered to abandon his post in Kandara and return to the Blessed Isle, Ragara Benoru apparently thinking he'll be of better use there. And this is only the initial phase of the Scarlet Empress's disappearance; if she doesn't return, Kitava's instincts tells her that things are only likely to get worse in this regard.

It isn't just her. Manato, Taeran, Ferala and Jontom...they all get the feeling that the Dragon-blooded are about to face their greatest challenge since the Balorian Crusade.

---

It's late one evening, a time at which Kitava and her Hearth would typically be able to take a well-deserved rest after a good day's work. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened, aside from Taeran's "old friend" the Black Fox informing her that an individual calling themselves the Shrouded Rose has been observed investigating the outlaw scene in Kandara, much like how the Air Aspect herself did when she first arrived in the city. So when messengers come to each member of the Circle with an urgent request to gather in the palace meeting room, it's clear that there's something serious going on.

Since the original members of Kitava's Hearth first met him, King Hasuri Boroma has grown a little, his voice has deepened, and he's obtained both wisdom and confidence befitting a young ruler who wants to do right by his people, family and overlords. Right now though, as he, Netara and Janhuren are sat down at the meeting room's large table to await the arrival of the satrapial staff, he's looking uncharacteristically grave, and the expressions of his mother and bodyguard are no different.

"I've just got word from Nagaraja." Boroma says, once everyone's sat down. "Cathak Valina is dead, and the city of Snakehead has fallen to Lunar Anathema."

 

[WlfSamurai]

Taeran steeples her fingers and leans forward, feeling the news like a punch to her gut. Unbidden, her thoughts begin to race, smeared with the blood of the battles sure to come. This—Kandara—will be the new front. The first stand against the flood of beastfolk and their Anathema Tyrant. And backing the city and her Terrestrial custodians? A crumbling Realm tearing itself apart in an effort to purge the plague of ambition and treachery.

"You know this means," Taeran says, taking a deep breath, "Kandara is the border between the Anathema and what's left of the Realm. With everything going on, we're effectively cut off, too. There will be no help. No reinforcements. We'll have to do this ourselves. And sustain."

 

[Sherwood]

Jontom leans back in his seat and pulls out a finely carved pipe and a pouch of tobacco. He is quiet as he packs the bowl and pulls out a match to light it, taking a few deep puffs off of the pipe. As he enjoys the flavor, he quietly speaks while touching the hilt of his daiklave. "I have had the good fortune to have Sheldbreaker here take the lives of two of the Moon Mad, and I would welcome the chance to make that number grow. We may be on our own, but there is a large number of Exalted here that we can depend upon. The question then goes to, just how will we be able to cross blades with this monster? I don't know the status of the military here to safely suggest we invade, but we could slip the handful of us into the area and try to take this Anathema by surprise and cleanse Creation of this filth."

He looks up with a wry smile. "The next big challenge would be getting out in one piece."

 

[jaydude]

"I fear that it won't be quite that simple, Jontom." Boroma replies gently. "It was one of the Dragon-blooded officers in Nagaraja who wrote to me about this. According to them, Snakehead was taken by an army of Serpentine beastmen led by a group of three Lunar Anathema, two of them centuries-old. They will not be the sort of foes you and the Wyld Hunt are used to dealing with. On top of that...the officer who wrote to me also talked about betrayal, claiming that the defense of Snakehead had been sabotaged from within. There are unknown factors in play here."

At that moment, a guardsman comes running into the meeting room.

"Forgive the interruption, Blessed Ones." He says while bowing low. "But there is a Dynast at the palace gates requesting entry. He claims to be Cathak Rulang, one of the Realm's officers in Nagaraja. Should we let him in?"

 

[Chowlett]

The news of Nagaraja's fall troubles Ferala deeply. Kandara had been the frontier before, but from the sound of it the threat now is much greater. She is also surprised at the level of personal feeling she has regarding the death of Valina - they had crossed paths only rarely, but at the party for Kitava's arrival they had really seemed to bond over their shared history, however slight. Her death was a loss to the Realm and all who knew her.

As soon as the guard announces Cathak Rulang, Ferala's mind starts turning to her network of information, filtering recollections, quickly indexing hearsay from the most likely sources, seeking for anything she may already know about this dynast.

[Rolling Fin+Sagacity (unstunted) to recall information about Rulang. If the Underworld would know of him (a long shot), Ferala has +3 dice, rolled separately]
[3 successes, or 4 if she could have heard via the criminal Underworld]

 

[Chowlett]

[OOC note - any information I received from that roll, or the absence of any, was relayed to me by private message.]

After the briefest of moments, Ferala turns to Kitava and Boroma. "My lady, your majesty, if I may suggest caution? In light of what your majesty has just informed us of - it might perhaps seem a little convenient for one of the Dynastic survivors of the attack on Nagaraja to so quickly seek audience here? Plainly we must not be impolite, but perhaps we could offer him guest accommodations pending an audience; and in the meantime I - and Taeran, of course - can sound out our respective sources regarding his bona fides?"

 

[Random Word]

The air around Kitava, constantly in motion, stills unnaturally as the dire news sends ice through her veins. Even the smoke from Jontom's pipe ceases to swirl lazily upwards until she composes herself enough to speak. The heir of House Cathak, dead to foul Anathema? This is not an insult a prideful martial line can bear lightly. Surely their vengeance will be swift and terrible, lest they lose face at this pivotal moment. Should they send a legion it will need supplies - perhaps she can make enough to offset the costs of what she is about to do.

"Wise counsel, Ledaal. I defer to your family's centuries of expertise in thwarting the machinations of face stealers." There is no outward change in affect or cadence, but the temperature of the room drops several degrees as the next words are grudgingly forced from her lips, "Tepet, I now see your counsel was no less wise. Kandara must rally a legion to the King's banner. It shall be moved ahead in the schedule accordingly, and the budget amended."

She would find the money for it... somewhere, but the timeline would be badly thrown off and her creditors were already making obnoxious demands that took away precious time to deflect. "Taeran. Let it be known to your unsavoury acquaintances that there is well-paid work to be had for experienced soldiers, and no questions will be asked." [Translation: Find me every Realm legion deserter and cashiered officer you can to help Manato train the drafted Kandaran legion, and make it clear there's a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy on the subject of where they came by their experience.]

 

[Rykon]

Manato makes a reflexive glance at a nearby map before turning his attention back to Boroma. "May I ask how this news was delivered and anything you can give me of the timing of these events? I've no hesitation in claiming that Kandara's forces are in the best shape they've been in quite some time. Yet, I would also appreciate any sort of warning I can get as to when we might have to expect undergoing a similar siege when our blighted neighbor decides it's time to move." He rested his chin on his thumb, vacant expression in his eyes while he was otherwise occupied leveraging the facts at hand into predicting the direction of events to come.

The commander breaks his focus with a shallow nod of a bow to the Satrap, a sign he was about to ask an inconvenient favor. "If you've any spirit servants available to spare, I'd like to pry for intimate details of our target and their allies and how exactly they managed to overtake our previous neighbors. That and I want an accurate accounting for losses and survivors in case we've refugees to care for."

 

[WlfSamurai]

“Yes,” Taeran says nodding toward Manato. “Intelligence will be gold from here on out. If this Satrapy is to survive what is now on its doorstep, we will need to know what threats are out there, where they are, and if they’re moving or not.”

She turns toward her sister. “And yes, I will bring our need to those I know. Let them know we will pay. I assume if I can’t convince them to join up proper, I can hire them as guerrilla forces or for disruption missions? Having people we can use to harry our enemy might prove useful, too.”

 

[Chowlett]

"Information is my specialty," smiles Ferala, "at least when it comes to mundane sources. My lady, your spirit servants will be invaluable in roaming far and wide, but if I might be permitted to loosen the treasury's purse strings just a little, in order in turn to loosen tongues? I should be able at least to hear about movements of people, especially the destitute and refugees. There will also doubtless be news of any incursions and raids in the countryside."

 

[jaydude]

Manato makes a reflexive glance at a nearby map before turning his attention back to Boroma. "May I ask how this news was delivered and anything you can give me of the timing of these events? I've no hesitation in claiming that Kandara's forces are in the best shape they've been in quite some time. Yet, I would also appreciate any sort of warning I can get as to when we might have to expect undergoing a similar siege when our blighted neighbor decides it's time to move." He rested his chin on his thumb, vacant expression in his eyes while he was otherwise occupied leveraging the facts at hand into predicting the direction of events to come.

"The news came to me via a messenger bird. According to the date it was sent and what was written, Snakehead had been occupied for roughly two weeks."

Roughly two weeks is just enough time for Cathak Rulang to reach the city on horseback, assuming he changed mounts often and rode them hard. The young king then takes a small scroll out from his pocket, and presents it to Kitava's Hearth.

"Here's the message." he says, opening it up. Judging from the penmanship, it was written in haste, and while under pressure.

Spoiler: Message

"King Boroma, I deliver grim tidings. Cathak Valina, satrap of Nagaraja is dead, and Snakehead has fallen to Lunar Anathema, aided by what can only be treachery on the part of the city's defenders. By now, I fear the rest of the territory has followed in the two weeks since these events took place.

The two surviving members of the Serpentine Triumvirate have returned alongside at least a couple thousand of their bestial spawn, and another far younger Lunar Anathema. They, their spawn and mortal followers are moving to restore and secure their control of the region, purging it of all Realm loyalists and Immaculate Philosophy adherents; me and other dissidents have been forced into hiding within the city, and it was only through great guile that I was able to send this bird away. We do not yet know what the Serpentine Triumvirate plan to do next, but we suspect that they may have hostile intentions towards your territory.

I fear that I will not be long for this world; the forces arrayed against us in Snakehead are by far too much for us to handle. Dragons willing, this message will reach you unmolested, allowing you and your territory to be spared such a grim fate.

Cathak Wenuan, officer of the Nagaraja Garrison."

 

[Random Word]

"I can assign each of you spirits, but I warn you they are of alien mind. If sent alone on reconnaissance, they will honestly relate what they recall to the best of their abilities, but they will fixate on strange irrelevancies and fail to comprehend the significance of details you may find critical. Give careful instruction and manage them closely." She looks at each of the assembled Hearth in turn to emphasize the point.

"Ferala, you know better than any the state of the budget. With this dire news," she gestures at the letter, "every spare obol must go to preparation for war. If you cannot persuade the royal family to fund your activities, then your operations will simply have to fund themselves. You are authorized to raise a bond for the defence of the kingdom at a reasonable rate if you can find any generous and patriotic souls."

 

[Rykon]

Manato turned to Ferala and popped his knuckles. The gesture sent a few sparks from his hands as he gave a brutal grin. "Given the threat at hand, I think we're due to issue some ourselves no? If you have a need to loosen tongues but no coin, a stark reminder of who runs this place should suffice. I'm not about to let the whims of petty criminals get between us and our obligation to the law-abiding subjects of the Realm."

***

Manato's instructions to the spirit spy were simple, bring back counts of survivors separated into one of three categories: realm military, anathema forces, and civilians. Also to make note of any Exalted survivors. Any other details were helpful but less critical. Based on Kitava's warning, a more military-minded spy would be needed for finer details.

 

[jaydude]

After a bit of silence, Boroma stands up from his seat.

"It seems we are decided upon our courses of action." he says to the gathered Exalts. "Cathak Rulang will be given accommodation in this palace until we see fit to question him, and he will be investigated and observed until then. Kitava, your spirit servants will provide us with information on the Serpentine Triumvirate, their forces and the situation in Snakehead. Taeran, you will have your people look into finding soldiers who can aid our defence, and Ferela, you will look into finding additional funding for that purpose. Manato, you will prepare our armed forces for war...and perhaps you and Jontom can also use your expertise to aid the rest of us how you see fit."

He's clearly been inspired by Manato's latest words regarding that last statement. He continues on, "At the same time, House Hasuri will do its best to aid you all. Not just because of the danger to our own seat of power, but because of our responsibilities to both the Realm and the Immaculate Philosophy."

Netara stands up as well, before giving a nod. "We will talk to Nansho about fortifying the palace more firmly against Anathema incursions, contribute whatever funds we can to this war effort, and provide what information we have on the Serpentine Triumvirate. Dragons willing, we will make it through this."

 

[jaydude]

As the rest of the Dragon-blooded head off to catch some sleep, Ferala sends word to her contacts to gather whatever information they can on Cathak Rulang, and have the information ready for her the next morning.

The sun rises upon a peaceful Kandara, the mortal populace blissfully unaware of the situation in Snakehead. In terms of new information for the Hearth, the palace servants assigned to keep an eye on Rulang report that he appears somewhat agitated and anxious - which is probably a reasonable reaction for someone who narrowly survived a city sacking carried out by Anathema - and that he asked them to pass on news of Nagaraja's fall to Kitava and Boroma. He has kept to his room and has not made a request for an audience yet, having possibly assumed that the people in charge plan to question him in their own time by this point.

( Chowlett , to represent the attempt to gather more information on Rulang, go ahead and roll Attribute + Embassy, with 3 additional dice for your Contacts Merit.)

At the same time, the Hearth's various informants have news of the Shrouded Rose, that mysterious newcomer who arrived in Kandara yesterday. She's a youngish-looking woman with wavy, bark-brown hair, and according to reports, last night she walked into the hideout of one of the city's bigger criminal gangs and took control of it, deposing the previous leader via a hard blow to the head. Since then, word is that she is looking to expand her gang's influence and power within Kandara, offering large amounts of silver to other groups in exchange for their allegiance, and bringing a green jade wrackstaff to bear against those who refuse to co-operate with her. The Black Fox herself has been courted by this woman, and she suspects the Shrouded Rose to be an Exalt of some kind, most likely a Dragon-blooded of the Wood Aspect. As for her intentions, she guesses that the Shrouded Rose is seeking to establish herself as a major figure in the criminal underworld, and she suspects that her reason for doing so is more than just greed.

What does everyone wish to do today?

 

[Sherwood]

Jontom is hardly a world-class general, so he is not the one to turn to in order to lead the troops. But he is an excellent swordsman, and he is more than willing to use his skills to help brush the rust off of the swordsmanship skills of the soldiers. He heads out to find one of the ranking officers to offer up his talents, knowing that they would be able to make things happen much faster than he ever could by going straight out to one of the barracks.

 

[Chowlett]

Ferala had been intending to speak to the Black Fox in any case, as one of her most useful, but hardest to find, informants; with the rumours of the Shrouded Rose, she steps that up her priorities and seeks her out as soon as possible.

[As for Rulang... Roling Fin + Emb + Contacts=11 dice; oof, 2 successes]

 

[jaydude]

With Jontom...
The first officer that Jontom talks to directs the Air Aspect swordsman towards the Military District of the city, where he soon finds Cathak Sanda putting the troops through their paces upon the training ground. Upon becoming aware of Jontom's presence, the Fire Aspect hands the reins over to a senior mortal officer, and then goes over to greet his fellow Cathak Dragon-blooded. Pleasantries are exchanged, and then Jontom presents his offer of assisting in training.

"If you wish to help, you're more than welcome." Sanda assures Jontom in response, his mind already working out ways of how he and his men can make use of the Air Aspect's skills.

Of course, when it comes to soldiers, there's less emphasis on individual fighting prowess than there is on the ability to fight in a formation, and the sword is frequently a backup weapon on the battlefield when a spear's available. But there are always going to be times when formations crack and bend, and spears get lost or broken in the heat of a fight. And any successful way of honing one's combat instincts is a good one.

With Ferala...
Inconspicuously delivered notes send the financial advisor to a private parlour within one of the Dragon District's more upscale teahouses. Less than a minute after she's sat down at the table, a black-haired young woman in an ornate robe of light orange silk takes the seat opposite her. In terms of both attire, body language and general demeanour, she's worlds different from the thief that Taeran met roughly a year ago, but Ferala's discerning eye is able to recognize the Black Fox easily enough despite her upscale disguise.

After greetings have been handled, the Black Fox gets down to the business of telling Ferela what she's been able to find out about Cathak Rulang.

"Apparently he spent part of a sabbatical in Kandara a couple of years ago. I found some people who remembered him from that time; what they had to tell me was, from what I understand, largely typical Cathak. Career soldier, military bearing, constant desire for self-improvement manifesting as a competitive streak." she says. "That said, I did hear one story of how, after he'd gotten himself somewhat drunk, he proudly proclaimed that he would die for Cathak Valina, even if she ordered otherwise. And I'm sure you know what they say about alcohol lowering inhibitions when it comes to honesty..."

The implication is clear; Rulang may well have been telling the truth when he spoke of his willingness to die for Cathak Valina, which raises the question of why he left her to be killed when Snakehead fell. Of course, a drunken boast which was followed through does not a traitor make.

 

[Chowlett]

"Interesting nonetheless. Something doesn't sit right with me about Rulang. It may be nothing, as you say; and we lack enough certainty to deny him dynastic courtesies. Annoyingly. I shall be sure to keep a good eye on him."

 

[Chowlett]

A delicate bite of sweet bun and a sip of exquisite tea, then: "I almost forgot. I hear there is a new personality in town - with a taste for flowers, if you take my meaning. What do we make of her? Opportunist? Ambitious new... entrepreneur? Or something more significant?"

 

[jaydude]

The Black Fox clearly guesses that Ferela's talking about the Shrouded Rose, as she leans back in her seat.

"My instinct is that she's a Dynast playing at being an outcaste. Those who've been raised as Dragon-blooded since birth tend to have a certain way about them, and we're much too far south for Lookshy to consider sending a spy here." she says. "My bet? She's been sent by one of the other Great Houses, in order to leech off of the Satrap's bounty."