To Kill a Primordial - IC

[Red Shadow Claws]

After a bit of effort, you are fairly confident that you have ditched the pursuit that has been hounding your heels. From what you’ve been seeing, the level of security has been increased around the place in general, with the few guards that were out having been increased in number and vigilance. As of now, the portal to Autochthon has not been opened again, showing that they are taking your intrusion seriously. What do you do now?

Like a wraith in the shadows, Cuckoo will move slowly around the city, exploring it's labyrinthine layout, and trying to avoid most of these new Exalts. But if his eyes catch an Artifact that's not in use, he will attempt to steal it. Preferably something small and not an Artifact armor or weapon. The plan is to keep it for a full day, so the attunement breaks, and then attune to it and explore what it can do, and report back to Voice.

 

[Sherwood]

After some protracted negotiations, First Among Equals is offering to the Circle a chance to gain access to the city in order to meet with their ruling council, but he is adamant that the undead forces will be under heavy scrutiny and only a token escort will be allowed into the city with the bulk of your forces being allowed to camp outside the exterior of their defense wall. Ideally, your forces would remain here at the shadowland while you and your honor guard enter the city. He is firm in this restriction, saying that it is enough of a danger to have so many unknown Exalted allowed access and having your troops actually in the walls is a danger to his people.

If this stipulation is agreed upon, he is willing to send word ahead and then ride along with you and your honor guard into the city now.

Voice thinks about the restrictions given to them and is quite agreeable to them. The danger posed by the Circle is far greater than the armed force that they brought along, so it is understandable. She finally nods, saying, “Your stipulation is acceptable and we agree to it. We can be ready to move with minimal delay.”

Once that part of the negotiations has concluded, she steps out of the pavilion and sends a message to Cuckoo and to Knight. “We have been in negotiations with the invaders, and they have extended an invitation for us to come into the city with a small honor guard escort while we leave the bulk of our armed forces outside the city. We are leaving within the next half hour to go in their airship to the city and meet our hosts.”

EbonChevalier Red Shadow Claws

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Cuckoo accepts the message, but holds off on responding, just in case these strange Exalts, or that giant head has the means to listen in, he decides to take a more low-key role here. They may have undervalued these invaders, but what he's seen since his arrival here has made him realize there's more to this than appears, and he'd rather be overcautious.

 

[Psychie]

The Knight has a home in the underworld and that place seems almost lively compared to this fortress city. While undead there was certain lived in aspect to it design and feel. Even if they were but echoes of what was in the world under the sun.

“The design of your city certainly interesting, so much room to grow out but you grow up. Is that a tradition among you people?”

Silent Bearer of Witness and People’s Force of Industry seen pleasant enough as they walk along side you, and Industry replies, “Some is tradition, since inside the Great Maker, we don’t often have such wide open spaces to work in. The rest is up to Ot himself, since it is his body that we are in now. There are various tactical concerns that also guide the layout of the Paratopolis to defend the heart and head of Ot and the portal into the Maker Himself.”

Silent Bearer adds, “Perhaps, if you are fortunate, you might get to see the glory of our home of Estasia for yourself as our guest.”

As you continue in, you are guided to a small stable with a large paddock with many other horses and other farm animals in it. “You can leave your mount here and it will be well cared for. The members of the Tripartite Assembly will be anxious to speak with you.”

 

[Psychie]

Sherwood MasterDAF Gravitational Force Random Word

With arrangements made and a few servants selected to join you, First Among Many and the rest of his circle escort you back to their airship. The interior is rather roomy, and it only takes a moment to realize that the ship is larger on the inside than it is on the outside! It easily holds your honor guard with plenty of space for the Exalts to not feel cramped. Curious Heart of Invention seems to notice your confusion and offers to a smile. “Yes, our ship is bigger inside than it is outside. One of the many wondrous things that our engineers are capable of making in our home. Please, relax and enjoy the flight. We will be in Ot soon.”

Burning Ember Of Victory heads to the rear of the airship and takes a seat in the aft section with your troops, leaving the other three Exalted in the front with you. First Among Many waits for everyone to get settled then presses a button on his seat, saying, “Pilot, we are ready to lift.”

The entrance ramp closes with a hiss of pressurizing air, and you can all feel the sensation of being pressed into your seats slightly as the craft rises up into the air. Looking out of the windows you can see the ground start to whizz past you with increasing speed. Soon, the city of Ot can be seen as the airship slows and it circles around the giant head that towers hundreds of feet high. For those on the side of the ship that faces the head you can swear that the massive eyes are watching you as you orbit it before settling down on a flat platform sticking out of one of the other tall buildings near the head. First Among Equals rises and is the first to the hatch and down to the platform. He looks up at you as the Circle begins to walk down the ramp and says, “Welcome to Ot.”

 

[EbonChevalier]

Silent Bearer of Witness and People’s Force of Industry seen pleasant enough as they walk along side you, and Industry replies, “Some is tradition, since inside the Great Maker, we don’t often have such wide open spaces to work in. The rest is up to Ot himself, since it is his body that we are in now. There are various tactical concerns that also guide the layout of the Paratopolis to defend the heart and head of Ot and the portal into the Maker Himself.”

Silent Bearer adds, “Perhaps, if you are fortunate, you might get to see the glory of our home of Estasia for yourself as our guest.”

As you continue in, you are guided to a small stable with a large paddock with many other horses and other farm animals in it. “You can leave your mount here and it will be well cared for. The members of the Tripartite Assembly will be anxious to speak with you.”

The Knight dismounted his steed shooing away any stable hands that might take it for him. “My steed has a peculiar personality and I’m afraid only I can handle him. Keep him well fed and see me if he gives you any trouble. Oh! And try to keep the other animals away from his he doesn’t play well with others!”

Leading Morauro to his own private area the Knight heaped praise on to him. “Oh, Morauro! Your every trot is perfection. Your Whinny bolder than the battle cry of a thousand, thousand warlords. Your eyes the most the divine shade of red! I pains me to leave your side but goodbye!”

The Knight shed a single red tear. Before kissing Morauro by the ear. His words and mannerisms were intentionally mellow dramatic, hammy and…distracting.
[Stunting Performance to distract them as (Performance + Charisma) The Knight whispers commands into Morauro ear]

“Prepare for a fighting escape if it comes to it, but learn what you can while you’re here.”

 

[Psychie]

New scene coming up. In the meantime, everyone gets 10xp and 10 Abyssal XP.

 

[Psychie]

Several long weeks have gone by, with the Circle of Abyssals slowly eroding the level of suspicion of their hosts, the invaders from Autochthon. In this time, your Autochthonian hosts are very polite, and while distant at first, they start to warm on you as you apply your social skills to easing tensions between you. In this time, you have learned several things of import:

1. There are eight different nations inside the Great Maker, spread across the interior of the Primordial.
2. Of the Eight Nations of Autochthon, only three are currently involved with this invasion: Estasia, Yugash, and Kamak. The other five, Nurad, Sova, Jarish, Claslat, and Gulak, have been biding their time to see just what kind of resistance that the first three Nations will meet and what kind of riches might be available on the other side of the Seal.
3. The Nations have not had any exposure to the Great Contagion, and therefore, have no resistance bred into the population against it.
4. Exalted in this world are not, in fact, the leaders of the people, but instead serve the Populat as champions and leaders. Humans are the ones in control of the population.
5. There are no ghosts in Autochthon, but there are many different spirits and elementals of different elements from Creation inside the Great Maker.
6. According to your hosts, the Great Maker is Sleeping, and over the past hundred years or so, the normally abundant resources have begun to dry up. Some hope to be able to use the powers of the Solar Exalted to try and Wake the Maker once more, and therefore, restore His body to Its prime once more. Others whisper in the darkness that Autochthon is dying, and that it is critical to their survival to return to Creation once more.

The Autochthonian host have not yet invited you into their world, but you have had free access to the city of Ot, able to look around and speak with the locals that have now made their place here in Creation. The small city is a powerful fortress, and as time goes by, the Autochthonians continue to fortify their beachhead against counterattack. They have transported hundreds of thousands of well-armed mortal troops across the barrier between worlds, along with thousands of Alchemical Exalts to provide additional firepower and leadership.

There are two different options coming available to you. One is to travel out with one of the advance armies of the Alchemical forces to act as advisors and aids in their invasion. The second option open to you is to make the transition into the heart of Autochthon, being the first outsiders there (besides captive slaves brought in) in over five thousand years. There is a possibility that you could also have the Alchies to make a formal mission to Shadar Logoth and meet the Dark Lady and The Twisted Toymaker.

What do you wish to do?

 

[Gravitational Force]

Hunger Clad in Eight Broken Chains is in utter torment.

He hasn't been allowed to murder, mutilate, or even maim anyone for WEEKS! It reminds him of the life devoid of pleasure he'd led before receiving his Exaltation and he HATES it.

He can FEEL all the life and happiness around him, his awareness seeming to have been heightened by his proximity to so many living people.

It's all the Deathknight can do not to take Huskflayer and start murdering anyone within slashing range, then moving to ensure more people are within slashing range.

Fortunately, Seventh to Serve recognized the warning signs and tried to ensure her master was kept occupied for as long as possible.

Ot has plenty of culture and food, and Hunger Clad in Eight Broken Chains spent most hours in the day consuming them.

He wasn't necessary for the negotiations (and outside of threats or assurances about the power of the Abyssals likely wasn't wanted).

At the very least the speed at which he takes in information has increased thanks to being forced to sit still and pay attention for once.

Hunger Clad in Eight Broken Chains would personally prefer to join the invasion to slaughter to his heart's content, but he realizes the others might have other plans.

 

[Sherwood]

When she is not schmoozing their hosts, Voice will spend her time preaching the virtues of death and servitude to the Neverborn. There is a vast world being this portal and she plans on making it her new domain to rule.

When possible, she will pen an update for The Deliverer of what has come to pass so far, and how she feels about their chances of success of the overall plan. She is careful to never mention the Great Contagion or their plans to introduce it to the populace of Autochthon; the odds of one of their hosts reading the missive is just too great.

As word gets to her about their options to either travel with the invaders as they conquer new lands or to go into the heart of their lands, she will gather her fellow Abyssal Exalts to discuss strategy. Knowing that every word that they speak is most likely going to be monitored, she calmly begins, “My friends, we have been given a grand task by the Dark Lady and the Twisted Toymaker to establish contact with the outlanders, and I feel that our initial efforts have been successful. We are now faced with the choice of traveling into the heart of their land to meet their ruling bodies, or to join their army in their next assault. I am personally more inclined to go into the body of the Primordial and see more of the homeland of these people to learn more of their ways. But I am not the final say here. What do the rest of you think? What is our next stop?”

Gravitational Force Random Word EbonChevalier MasterDAF Red Shadow Claws

 

[Psychie]

Anyone have something to add?

 

[EbonChevalier]

*The knight errant swore oaths of loyalty and brotherhood as strong as the sinews of corpse with the leaders of Ot. When the issue of further incursion into the nearby lands the knight errant put his spear into their service. Astride his faerie steed he lead charges against enemies to be broken and subjugated. With a poisoned silver tongue he convinced potential enemies to bend the knee as Ot’s ascension could be to their benefit or destruction.*

*And all the while the ears of the knight errant gathered useful words and his eyes beheld that which would befit his lady. The weapons of his current brothers and their tactics. The skills and abilities of the alchemicals. All would be taken in and absorbed as the earth sups on the blood of battlefield’s. And the knives to be stabbed in backs are slowly sharpened.*

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Cuckoo kept to the shadows of the city, away from his brethren. Like a shadow, he was flitting from place to place, hidden from prying eyes, yet keeping his own eyes and ears open for goings on in the city.
There was a joy in staying under their radat, while monitoring their own doings. He was the weapon these invaders didn't even know was in their midst. He knew well enough to stay away from the portal to Authochton, as he didn't want to put them on high alert again. But it was just a matter of time until he would be able to slip in their unnoticed.

 

[MasterDAF]

Deathbringer spent much of his official time in Ot socializing with their hosts and speaking with citizens to gather more information on the structure of their society. He also spent much of his leisure time observing public forums and proselytizing in locations groups tended to gather to spread the faith of the Neverborn.

He did not attempt to act cheerful or merry around them, as he knew his covered visage would make such an attempt difficult at best. Instead he presented himself typically in the manner of a servant to a benevolent deity, one who granted him inner peace at the cost of his outward appearance. Some days he had to forcefully will himself to continue in his mission, disgusted by the structure of their society and its affront to the heirarchy of the Underworld.

An entire society run by mortals is bad enough, but then the arrogance of placing their own Exalted champions beneath them as though they were mere servants? Preposterous.

When the group gathered to discuss their intentions moving forward, Deathbringer was only too happy to elect the option that kept him at a distance from the Great Maker and its ridiculous Populat.

"If you are planning to enter the portal and spend time in their world, Voice, then I shall elect to travel with their military detachment and remain here in Creation. I believe you will serve as a worthy enough representative to preach the Chivalry of Death to the nations of citizens thirsty for the dark salvation we offer." Deathbringer smiled to himself beneath his cold expressionless mask, the amusement in his voice readily apparent. "It would behoove the teeming masses to hear the sermons of the Void from the lips of a true master of oration. Alas, I cannot be two places at once, so you shall have to suffice."

 

[Psychie]

There has been nearly a month fine by since your initial contact with the Autochthonian host and things are proceeding along well. It is during this time that Voice receives a message via Infallible Messenger from the Deliverer. It says:

My darling, I am pleased with the progress you are making with the outlander force. To show more good faith, the Toymaker has made several gifts for your hosts that are being transported to you, and will be there in two weeks time, escorted to you by several of my trusted soldiers. Make sure that these gifts are delivered to the leadership of the Autochthonian force with all due pomp and circumstance as you see fit. Inform your Circle of this and let them all know of my pleasure in how well things have progressed.

This message comes to you when you are alone with two of your servants attending you in your private quarters that the invaders have provided for you. The two ladies in waiting freeze in place knowing that if you had any intent on not sharing the details of the message that their lives would be forfeit.

What do you wish to do? Sherwood

 

[Sherwood]

With the news from the Dark Lady, Voice is more than a bit pleased. She quickly pens a note about the approaching good will gifts and turns to the first servant, saying, “Take this note to our hosts with haste. We don’t want them to misinterpret these gifts and kill the messengers. Now go. As for you,” she looks to the second servant and continues, “Send word to my fellow Exalted that our Master has sent word to me. Inform them of her pleasure with our progress, and let them know of the gifts that the Toymaker has created. I expect to hear more from our Master soon. Don’t just stand there! Go!”

She is certain that the gifts created by the Twisted Toymaker had something to do with their overall mission, but is not stupid enough to speak out loud. If her hosts didn’t have listening devices or spies all around them then they would all be fools.

MasterDAF Gravitational Force Red Shadow Claws EbonChevalier

 

[Gravitational Force]

Hunger Clad in Eight Broken Chains leaves immediately when The Voice That Whispers From the Heart of Darkness's message reaches him. He arrives literally carrying Seventh to Serve, having wanted to arrive as quickly as possible and tiring of her inability to keep up. He drops his assigned servant ghost at his feet once he's in the room and she scrambles to stand at his side. The massive Deathknight gnaws on a hunk of meat as he waits for the others.

 

[MasterDAF]

Deathbringer was incensed that their liege had chosen to communicate with her favored servants by way of Voice. "Of all the poor choices..." he muttered to himself, his outwardly spoken thoughts trailing off like rain from his cloak as he approached the meeting location. Anu-Fahim floated along dutifully beside his master, the ghastly skull smart enough to stay silent lest it draw the deathknight’s ire. Upon entering the room, he took notice of the giant exalt partaking in one of his favorite pastimes, food. Deathbringer brushed by Seventh to Serve on his way to see Voice. "What is it you have called us here for?"

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Cuckoo heard the messgae, and sent Voice a reply "I'd rather remain hidden, so send me the details, and I will be there to meet you. I must say I've learned some interesting things."

 

[Psychie]

As the Circle assembles (except for Cuckoo who remains at large), a second message from the Deliverer comes to you all.

In your minds she says, “Well done, my darlings. My last message to Voice about the wondrous gifts was for the benefit of those other ears that may be listening in. This is just for you, my Chosen. The Twisted Toymaker has come up with an ingenious method of introducing the Contagion to the masses, and these gifts are key to that.”

At this point, you hear the dry rasp of the Toymaker chuckle. “Yes, indeed. These gifts are, on the surface, a set of four communication devices of my own design, with a fifth based here in Shadar Logoth. Loosely based on the old First Age communication sets, these have a nearly unlimited range and may even be able to send messages through the invader’s gateway. The secret behind these are thousands of small clockwork flies carefully hidden inside. These biting flies all carry a modified version of the Great Contagion, one that is not immediately deadly. This will allow the infected host to aid in the spread of the disease far and wide, and when the Contagion begins to be seen, it will be too late to stop the wave of death that will come.”

The Dark Lady then says, “You must ensure that the communication devices are brought into the heart of the cities inside Autochthon. Do whatever it takes, by hook or by crook, get them into the body of the Great Maker to do their work. Whatever it takes. In one month’s time, I want to be walking the halls of their cities with their dead piled up neck deep around me. Make it happen.”

 

[Gravitational Force]

Hunger Clad in Eight Broken Chains realizes that if the Great Contagion plan fails they'll probably have to default to "Slaughter everyone" to fulfill the commands of their Deathlords.

And nobody would blame him for it failing since none of them would believe he had any part in whatever planning failed.

Not that he'd sabotage it of course, but it's good to know he'll win either way.

He inserts the meat on the bone he's eating all the way into his massive mouth, bites down, and then pulls. Only the bone exits his mouth.

"Kill them all. Good plan."